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The umpires replaced the ball before the start of the final day in Mackay

Andrew McGlashan03-Nov-2024Ishan Kishan will not be charged with dissent despite an on-field argument with an umpire on the fourth day in Mackay after India A were unhappy with the ball being changed.Before the first ball of the final day, umpire Shawn Craig told the Indian players the ball was changed because it was scratched, which raised the spectre of ball tampering, but a Cricket Australia statement later said it was due to “deterioration”.”You scratch it, we change the ball. No more discussion, let’s play,” Craig was heard saying over the stump microphones.That led to a heated exchange with Kishan who replied: “So we are going to play with this ball…that’s a very stupid decision.”Craig responded: “Excuse me, you’ll be on report for dissent. That’s inappropriate behaviour. Because of your actions we changed the ball.”Under the CA playing conditions, umpires are able to change the ball without awarding a five-run penalty, which is part of the laws and playing conditions for altering the condition of the ball, if there is uncertainty over how the damage occurred.CA playing condition 41.3.4 reads: “If the umpires together suspect, but are not certain, that the condition of the ball has been unfairly changed, or that its condition is inconsistent with the use it has received, the umpires may: Change the ball forthwith. The umpires shall choose a replacement ball for one of similar wear and of the same brand as the ball in use prior to the contravention; Bowler’s end umpire shall issue the captain with a first and final warning.”Three hours after the match finished, CA issued a statement saying the ball had been changed because of “deterioration” despite what was heard over the stump microphones on the coverage.”The ball used in the fourth innings of the match was changed due to deterioration,” a CA spokesperson said. “Both teams’ captain and manager were informed of the decision prior to the start of play. No further action is being taken.”Kishan will also escape any punishment despite his exchange with Craig.Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney was at the crease when play resumed but was involved in what went on.”I was at the striker’s end when the umpires said they’d changed the ball, I’m not sure what quite for, I didn’t notice any change in the ball personally,” he said.Kishan is not part of India’s Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and neither is India A captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. However, from the XI which featured for the first game Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Prasidh Krishna will stay on for the Test series.The scenes at the start of play added unexpected drama to the closing stages of the first four-day game which saw McSweeney make a strong claim for a place in Australia’s Test squad as he finished unbeaten on 88 in the chase. He added an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 141 with Beau Webster who also produced a very controlled innings.Once India A didn’t make early breakthroughs on the final morning they started to go through the motions with Sai Sudharsan sending down six overs of rather friendly spin.

Trio of middle order fifties see hosts recover from 46 for 3, with Tom Banton unbeaten on 57

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay29-Jun-2025Somerset 275 for 6 (Abell 64, Rew 58, Abbas 2-45) vs NottinghamshireHalf-centuries from James Rew, Tom Abell and Tom Banton dug Somerset out of trouble on a compelling first day of the Rothesay County Championship match with Division One leaders Nottinghamshire at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.A crowd of just under 3,000 saw the home side slip to 46 for three after winning the toss before Rew (58), Abell (64) and Banton (57 not out) guided them to 275 for 6 at the close. There were two wickets each for Mohammad Abbas and Brett Hutton.All the Notts bowlers displayed commendable accuracy to ensure their opponents could never cut loose and the pitch offered them just enough assistance to ensure an absorbing contest between bat and ball.Somerset opted for a new opening partnership of Sean Dickson and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, but were soon in trouble as, with only ten runs on the board, Dickson fell lbw to Hutton for a duck, advancing down the pitch.Soon it was 22 for 2 as Tom Lammonby, on two, played forward and edged a catch to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan to give Hutton a second wicket. Kohler-Cadmore had begun positively and hit five fours in scoring 31 off 55 balls before getting a good delivery from Mohammad Abbas that left him off the pitch, forcing an edge that was again snapped up by Kishan.At 46 for three in the 15th over, Somerset were in hole. But there was no great movement in the air or off the pitch for the seamers and Patterson-White’s left-arm spin was soon introduced from the River End as Rew and Abell went about rebuilding the innings.By lunch they had taken the total to 100 for 3 from 31 overs, Rew looking the more fluent in moving to 41, while Abell had battled for his 17. The afternoon session saw Rew move to a half-century off 86 balls, including 8 fours, making good use of the sweep against the spinners.Abell had gradually found his timing and placement, but when the stand had progressed to 99 from 34.4 overs, Rew straight drove a delivery from seamer Lyndon James, who stooped to take a sharp return catch.It looked an important breakthrough for the visitors, although Abell was looking an increasing threat as he moved to fifty off 126 balls, with five fours. Banton, struggling for form since a triple century in the opening game of the season against Worcestershire, was given a life on two when Patterson-White spilled a relatively straightforward chance at first slip off James.Patterson-White quickly atoned by taking the valuable wicket of Abell, who spared the umpire a decision by turning to walk off after feathering a catch to Kishan down the leg side. At 179 for 5, Somerset were back under pressure and just six runs had been added when tea was taken.Notts had bowled well all day, giving little away, and that continued in the final session, which saw Banton and Archie Vaughan made to fight for every run on the normally fast-scoring ground. Both displayed exemplary concentration and careful shot selection to put together a half-century stand from 83 balls.Despite a short boundary on the town side of the ground, the scoring rate was only fractionally above three an over when the second new ball became available at 243 for 5. The impressive Abbas struck with it in the 83rd over, as Vaughan, on 35, aimed a back-foot forcing shot and was caught at a wide third slip by Jack Haynes.Banton, who loves nothing more than dominating a bowling attack, showed the required degree of restraint to reach fifty off 103 balls, having hit five fours. Kasey Aldridge, recalled to the Somerset team, proved an equally determined partner in taking Somerset through to the close, scoring just four off 34 balls.

McMullen scored his third half-century in four matches against Australia, but once again it went in vain

Abhimanyu Bose07-Sep-2024An all-round display from Cameron Green, coupled with some excellent fielding, helped Australia complete a 3-0 sweep against Scotland at Edinburgh.Green first registered his career-best figures to help restrict the hosts to 149 for 9 before anchoring the chase with his highest score as Australia overcame the challenge of losing their openers early and completed the chase with 23 balls to spare.Brandon McMullen scored his third half-century in four matches against Australia, but once again, it wasn’t enough as he and opener George Munsey were the only batters to make significant contributions for Scotland.

Currie gets Australia’s openers again

Unlike in the first match of the series, where they blitzed 156 inside ten overs, Australia got off to a nervy start in their chase. McMullen took a blinder, diving low to his left at backward point, to dismiss Jake Fraser-McGurk off Brad Currie for the batter’s second duck of the series.In his next over, Currie had Head hole out to long-on to account for both Australia openers in his first two overs for two matches in a row.Brad Currie dismissed the Australia openers for the second straight match•Getty Images

Green, Marsh bring the chase under control

But Mitchell Marsh, back at No. 3 after demoting himself down the order in the second game, and Cameron Green stitched a 61-run stand that put Australia in control.Currie was given a third consecutive over in the powerplay as Scotland looked to make the most of the early movement on offer. But Marsh and Green took on the left-arm quick in the sixth over, with both batters hitting him for sixes between long-on and deep midwicket.Marsh then pulled Chris Sole for a six before getting a boundary off Safyaan Sharif. When Mark Watt entered the attack, Green drove him down the ground for four before launching him for a six over long-on.Jack Jarvis then got a breakthrough for Scotland when Marsh chopped on trying to pull a length ball that stuck in the pitch.But Green and Tim David continued to attack, hitting a six in each of the next three overs, the best of which came off Watt’s bowling as Green reverse-swept him over backward point.Green then drove Jarvis down the ground before getting to a 33-ball fifty with a single.David, who hit two fours to end that Jarvis over, holed out off Sole’s slower short ball to deep-backward square leg, but by then Australia just needed 19 off 34 balls.Green continued to take on Watt, hitting him for another six, before Aaron Hardie hit the winning runs with a square drive for his second boundary.Brandon McMullen scored his third fifty in four T20Is against Australia•SNS Group/Getty Images

Munsey drives Scotland’s good start

An injury to Michael Jones brought Ollie Hairs back into the side, and he was the one who gave Scotland the early momentum after Australia chose to bowl. He hit Hardie over covers for four before pulling Sean Abbott for six. But Hardie then had him chopping on to give Australia their first breakthrough.Munsey, who was struggling till then, ended the third over with a six whipped over midwicket with fast hands. Debutant Cooper Connolly was given the ball in the powerplay and was greeted by McMullen with a six over long-on. In the next over, McMullen hooked Stoinis for four.Green was entrusted with the sixth over, and drew Munsey’s inside edge that went past the stumps for four. Munsey deposited the next ball over cow corner but Green then cramped him for room and had him steering a catch to backward point.

McMullen stands tall for Scotland

The scoring slowed down after the fielding restrictions were relaxed. Green then bowled Richie Berrington through the gate with one that jagged in from outside off. But McMullen continued his excellent form against Australia, hooking Green for a six. When Cross was bowled by Adam Zampa three overs later, McMullen responded by lofting the legspinner over long-on.McMullen held steady even as Michael Leask holed out to a good diving catch by David at long-on off Abbott. He hit Connolly for a four to bring up his half-century off 32 balls.But Head took a stunning catch at short fine leg to end McMullen’s innings. McMullen looked to scoop a short ball around off over his shoulder and it was timed well, but Head moved to his right and plucked it.Scotland managed just 11 runs for the loss of three wickets in the remaining 20 deliveries, with Green dismissing Mark Watt in the final over to register his first three-wicket haul in all T20s.

Glamorgan looked set to win before three dropped catches in last three overs came back to haunt them

ECB Reporters Network20-Jun-2024Gloucestershire 142 for 8 (J Taylor 70, van der Gugten 2-8) beat Glamorgan 140 for 6 (Northeast 46*, M Taylor 3-21) by two wicketsGloucestershire completed a superb win over Glamorgan with Jack Taylor’s 70 setting up a remarkable comeback from 45 for 5 to secure a two-wicket victory.Glamorgan looked certain to claim the win before three dropped catches in the last three overs came back to haunt them as Josh Shaw hit the last ball for six to take the visitors past their target.Runs for Sam Northeast and an excellent spell from Timm van der Gugten had put Glamorgan into a winning position before Taylor’s 70 from 48 balls set up the victory for Gloucestershire.Gloucestershire looked to be heading for a large defeat before Taylor’s innings allowed them snatch the win from the very last ball.The Glamorgan innings was characterised more by touch than by power with their top three looking to work the ball around in very bowling friendly conditions. Kiran Carlson tried some early innovation and was dismissed as a result. He attempted to scoop a ball from Shaw over the keeper and was caught at backward point by Matt Taylor.With the early wickets of Carlson and Labuschagne, Northeast was happy to soak up the pressure that the Gloucestershire seamers applied, and he was going at under a run a run a ball for much of his innings. Northeast finished on 46 not out from 42 balls, the lowest not out score by an opener in a full 20-over innings in the competition’s history. Colin Ingram looked to be more aggressive and fell when he attempted to on drive down the ground off the bowling of Matt Taylor for 25. When Chris Cooke fell to the next ball Glamorgan were 76 for 4. When Ben Kellaway was caught at deep square leg in the next over off Marchant De Lange that became 81 for 5.Dan Douthwaite and Northeast put on the biggest stand of the Glamorgan innings but that was broken after the pair had added 37. Northeast added 22 in the final overs with van der Gugten to get Glamorgan to 140 for 6 from their 20 overs.The Gloucestershire innings got off to a poor start with the new ball once again causing serious difficulties for the batting side. They were 29 for 3 at the end of the powerplay and really struggling to get going.Van der Gugten bowled four consecutive overs from the Cathedral Road end to finish with figures of 2 for 8 in a spell that included a maiden and just one boundary.The introduction of the very first over of spin in this match brought immediate rewards for Glamorgan when Marnus Labuschagne took a spectacular one-handed catch while diving full length off the bowling of Mason Crane to dismiss Ben Charlesworth as Gloucestershire stumbled to 53 for 5 after 10 overs.Jack Taylor batted brilliantly throughout but benefited from some sloppy fielding after he had passed fifty with both Carlson and McIlroy putting him down off the bowling of Crane.Taylor was run out in the last over to seemingly end Gloucestershire’s hopes but Northeast dropped Shaw off the penultimate ball to give him the chance to win the game with his six off the final delivery.

Fynn Hudson-Prentice top-scores as visitors recover from 140 for 6 to 278 all out

ECB Reporters Network10-May-2024Wickets came in clusters on the first day of the Vitality County Championship match between Glamorgan and Sussex in Cardiff with the visitors posting 278 in their first innings after a middle-order collapse left them in trouble.Four wickets apiece from James Harris and Mir Hamza were the highlight for Glamorgan but Sussex did well to recover from 140 for 6 thanks to late-order runs from Jack Carson, Ari Karvelas and Jayden Seales.Several Sussex players got starts but none went on to make a big score on a pitch where it seemed difficult to get fully settled, Fynn Hudson-Prentice producing the top-score with 48. In recent years this Cardiff square has flattened out as the match wears on, so those extra runs could prove vital.Glamorgan faced six overs before the close of play and finished on 21 for 1 with Eddie Byrom falling lbw to Karvelas for 12.Glamorgan’s decision to bowl first on a beautifully sunny day in Cardiff was a matter of some debate before the game started, and a quick start from the Sussex opening pair of Tom Clark and Tom Haines only added to those questions. Haines had reached 19 from just 22 balls when he was trapped lbw by Hamza and that slowed things down.Clark was dismissed playing a pull shot that took a top edge and was easily caught by Chris Cooke, the first of a number of wickets that suggested that there was a two-paced nature to this Sophia Gardens surface.A stand of 50 between Tom Alsop and Cheteshwar Pujara steadied things after the loss of both openers but a flurry of wickets after the lunch break justified Glamorgan’s decision at the toss. A brilliant 18-ball spell from Hamza saw him claim three wickets while conceding just four runs as Sussex went from 131 for 3 to 136 for 5.One of those wickets was that of Pujara who was caught behind to a ball that Hamza got to seam away. Despite his sustained success in county cricket, Glamorgan were something of a bogey team for Pujara before this match. He had made just nine runs in four innings, his last outing against them resulting in an 11-ball duck. His average of 2.25 going into this game was the worst of his career against any first-class opposition. The 41 runs he made in this were well put together but he could not go on.Harris claimed his third wicket when he had Danny Lamb caught at third slip by Andy Gorvin to leave the visitors 140 for 6. A 66-run partnership between Carson and Hudson-Prentice took Sussex past 200 but when Harris forced a second drag on to the stumps it saw the end of Hudson-Prentice.Crane took the ninth wicket when he had Carson caught at slip by Colin Ingram for a well-made 39 before a last-wicket stand took Sussex past 250 for their first bonus point. Karvelas and Seales eventually put on 43, but they were aided by Glamorgan fielding. Karvelas was dropped on 18 and 32 and finished undefeated on 39.The final wicket was claimed by Gorvin who was playing in his first game for Glamorgan this season on his 27th birthday. He bowled Seales for 17 as Sussex finished 278 all out.The one Glamorgan wicket to fall before the close was Byrom who was trapped by a lovely ball from Karvelas which swung in to leave him leg before.

Regular captain Shanto continues to miss out due to a groin strain

Mohammad Isam02-Dec-2024Mehidy Hasan Miraz will continue to lead Bangladesh in regular captain Najmul Hossain Shanto’s absence in the ODI series against West Indies. Mehidy was named captain for the ongoing two-Test series in the Caribbean, which the hosts are leading 1-0, with Shanto missing out due to groin strain. Shakib Al Hasan, who has not played for Bangladesh since the Tests in India, continues to miss out, with BCB president Faruque Ahmed saying the senior allrounder was not “in a mental state to play for the country”.Middle-order batter Towhid Hridoy also misses out due to a groin injury which he picked up while playing football recently. Mushfiqur Rahim also misses out as he recovers from finger injury, while Mustafizur Rahman has opted out of the series due to personal reasons. Left-handed opener Zakir Hasan, meanwhile, has been dropped. Litton Das, who missed the ODIs against Afghanistan in November, returns to the side, while Parvez Hossain Emon, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Hasan Mahmud and Tanzim Hasan Sakib have also been included.Shakib, who retired from Tests and T20Is in September, missed the ODIs against Afghanistan last month too. He was part of the Abu Dhabi T10 where he played seven matches for Bangla Tigers. He had not traveled to Dhaka to play his farewell Test, against South Africa, in October because of protests against him after being named in an FIR for an alleged murder during the political unrest in the country.BCB president Ahmed said Shakib remained in contention for selection in ODIs, adding that he needed sufficient preparation to get back into the national side.”Right now, he [Shakib] is still in the list,” Ahmed said. “We hope that the issues get solved in the way he wants. Definitely, he still possesses the capability to play for the national team. Playing for a franchise and playing for the country is not the same thing. You need preparation and also you really need to gel with the team. Since he can’t do those things, I don’t think he is in a mental state to play for the country. Because of that, we have left this thing up to him.”The players named for the ODIs will leave Dhaka on Monday to link with the rest of the players in St Kitts to play the three ODIs on December 8, 10 and 12.

Bangladesh ODI squad vs West Indies

Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), Litton Das (wk), Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Parvez Hossain, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Afif Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan, Nahid Rana.

The visitors struck early in the final innings to leave Zimbabwe at 38 for 3 chasing 292 in Bulawayo

Ekanth08-Feb-2025Ireland are well placed to complete a hat-trick of Test wins after setting Zimbabwe a target of 292 and reducing them to 38 for 3 at stumps. Andy Balbirnie and Lorcan Tucker struck fifties with contributions all the way down the order helping them take control of the game in Bulawayo.Richard Ngarava, who took three of the last four wickets to fall, finished with a four-four; but it was the part-time spin of Wessly Madhevere that removed Balbirnie and Andy McBrine – Ireland’s top scorers of the second and first innings respectively.Balbinie started the day with Campher and the duo grew their partnership from 37 to 75 with relative ease. There were nicks – like in the first over of the day – that weren’t carrying, the funky fields from Jonathan Campbell weren’t forcing batters into shots, and Blessing Muzarababi’s five-over opening spell was seen off without loss.Campher picked up two boundaries off Trevor Gwandu – a stylish whip and a technically sound straight drive – before the bowler found his length to quieten the batter and then nick him off after drinks.Ireland were 121 for 2 – a great entry point for Harry Tector, who got off a pair and got into his innings cautiously. Balbirnie, meanwhile, coasted along at his own pace to bring up a 106-ball fifty. He nearly dragged one on in the 34th over and weathered an examination by spin to take the lead up to 142 at lunch.The spin of Campbell and Madhevere took hold after the break; first with the former ripping a legbreak to beat Tector’s full-faced block and trap him lbw, then the latter ripping an offbreak to beat Balbirnie’s flick to do the same.Paul Stirling, who was more generous in peppering attack with defence, swept Madhevere over square leg for six and heaved Campbell wide of mid-on for four. He was out caught down leg, trying to pull Muzarabani fine, but was unhappy with the decision.Tucker was off to a quick start too. He swept Campbell for two fours in the 59th over and consolidated after Stirling fell. He stitched handy 39-run and 23-run stands with McBrine and Mark Adair as Zimbabwe kept at it with spin before the second new ball became available.Trevor Gwandu had Curtis Campher caught behind•Zimbabwe Cricket

McBrine was troubled by Madhevere, who beat his outside edge first (71st over) then snagged it for Nick Welch at slip to complete the catch (75th). Adair slogged a six off Madhevere and was comfortable against the old ball but edged two of the five he faced against the new ball, the second of which went to Takudzwanashe Kaitano’s hands at slip. It left Ireland 261 for 7 at tea.Ngarava toyed with Barry McCarthy before knocking him over with a well-executed slower ball. Gwandu got a shortish ball to skid past Craig Young’s defences but that inconsistent bounce might be something that comes back to haunt Zimbabwe soon. Tucker and Matthew Humphreys, the last pair to bat, did run and walk along the danger area of the pitch a couple of times, but they were not pulled up by the umpires.Tucker brought up fifty by pulling Ngarava and then flayed him over extra cover. But when he charged and tried to slap him over the off side two overs later, the top edge took the ball straight to cover. Ireland, who had conceded a seven-run lead, were all out for 298.Zimbabwe came out to bat with an hour left in the day and McCarthy induced an edge from Ben Curran in the sixth over to have the opener caught behind for the second time in the game. A length ball that went away was set up by a few coming in to find the edge.Adair ended Kaitano’s promising start, which included three boundaries, with another set-up. This time with outswingers before slowing up a fullish ball to beat the inside edge and hit the stumps.Humphreys trapped Welch, Zimbabwe’s top scorer in the first innings, lbw with an arm ball that beat his flick. It brought Gwandu for nightwatch duty and he survived 12 balls to stumps. Brian Bennett, in at No. 4, had a close shave in the final over.The highest successful chase in the fourth innings in a Test hosted by Zimbabwe is 192. So, the hosts will need to break that record if they are to win.

Kenya gained some revenge for back-to-back Twenty20 defeats earlier in the week with a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Uganda

Cricinfo staff18-Dec-2009Kenya 105 for 1 (Patel 57*) beat Uganda 104 (Obado 3-10, Oluoch 3-23) by nine wicketsKenya gained some revenge for back-to-back Twenty20 defeats earlier in the week with a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Uganda in the first ODI at Nairobi Gymkhana. The result also buys a little relief for Kenya’s under-fire selectors after recent poor results.In the two Twenty20 matches it was Kenya’s batsmen who let them down – this time it was the Ugandans whose inexperience was plain to see. None of them was able to play an innings of any substance or to take the attack to the bowlers, so much so that there were only eight boundaries in their innings.There was the briefest worry when David Obuya fell to the fourth ball of Kenya’s reply, but then Rakep Patel (57*) and Maurice Ouma (44*) chased down the target in 17.2 overs with no further alarms. Patel played with increasing confidence, cracking five fours and two sixes in his 59-ball innings.

“I want this team to grow in a way that everyone says that this is the best team,” says India captain

Sruthi Ravindranath08-Dec-20232:08

Harmanpreet: We need to think about having a third pacer in the side

India have started preparing for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup and captain Harmanpreet Kaur wants to “build” for the event by giving the new faces in the T20I squad “as many opportunities as possible” to prove themselves on the big stage. The selection, in the end, will not only be about their performances on the field but also how they contribute off it, she said.”Whichever player you play with, you will know how they can contribute to the team just by looking at their body language and the way they think about cricket,” Harmanpreet said ahead of the second T20I against England in Mumbai. “Just like how there’s no surety about anything in life, we also can’t be always sure about a player. At the same time, it’s about how they improve by the day and how they help the team win, all that is important. All that also plays a role in how many opportunities you want to give a player.”In the team there are so many youngsters now who have done well in domestic [cricket] and WPL. We’ve picked those who have done well in T20s. We want to build this team. We have so many matches coming up. As a captain, I want to build this team. The support staff is also balanced now. Amol [Muzumdar, head coach] has so much experience as player and coach. When all these things are sorted, you know that you just need to go out there and play. As a captain, I have a lot of trust and belief. They are the best and that’s why they are here. I want to give them as many opportunities as I can because they are the best right now. I want them to do well for the country.”Allrounder Shreyanka Patil and left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque, who were among the breakout stars at the inaugural WPL this year, received maiden call-ups for the T20Is series against England, while youngsters Titas Sadhu, Kanika Ahuja and Mannat Kashyap have also been named in the squad. Patil and Ishaque made their India debuts in the first T20I, where the hosts lost by 38 runs, and finished with decent returns. Patil bagged two wickets, while Ishaque dismissed the on-song Danni Wyatt for 75.Related

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Ishaque, 28, had finished the WPL as the joint-second-highest wicket-taker and was also the top wicket-taker in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy this season with 18 wickets in nine matches. Twenty-one-year-old Patil, meanwhile, impressed for India A leading up to the T20I series, picking up five wickets in three games. She also had a prolific Women’s CPL in March, where she was the only Indian and ended up being the highest wicket-taker, with nine wickets in five games.Harmanpreet was clear the duo needs to make use of these opportunities to cement their spot at next year’s T20 World Cup, which is slated for September-October in Bangladesh. Following the England series, India are set to play a full series against Australia at home, which includes three T20Is.”The team which we have picked for this T20I [series] is the one we want to build for the upcoming World Cup,” she said. “Saika and Shreyanka have done really well in the last game. They’re quite confident and after the game we did sit with them and discuss what best they can do in the upcoming games. For them, they just need opportunities and so many opportunities are there now. They just need to go out there and execute in the best way.”Saika Ishaque was impressive in WPL 2023•Getty Images

India suffered heartbreak at the T20 World Cup this year, losing to Australia in a close encounter in the semi-final. They also came close in 2018 (semi-final) and 2020 (final). Harmanpreet, who is now a globally recognised player – she is one of BBC’s 100 Women and Time Magazine’s 100 Next this year – has only one thing on her mind: to win a World Cup for India.”I want this team to grow in a way that everyone says that this is the best team,” she said. “For me winning a World Cup is a dream and I’m just working towards that and that is the only reason I requested BCCI to get a young team. These games are very important. England are not going to give us anything easily. So we are putting ourselves under pressure. We want to work hard towards that and I don’t count my personal achievements to any level because I’m playing a team sport. If the team is doing well I’m happy.”At the same time, when you’re not feeling great, you see people are you telling ‘you’ve done this and that’ to make you feel good. For me, team performance and winning a World Cup for the country is very important, and my aim is towards that. I just want us to stay together and grow together and do something great for our country.”In the first T20I, India fielded only two fast bowlers in the XI, whereas the spinners bowled 12 overs and were expensive. Fast bowler Renuka Singh returned to international cricket after close to 10 months and impressed immediately with figures of 3 for 27 while medium pacer Pooja Vastrakar went for 44 runs in her four overs. Sadhu, the other fast bowler in the squad, was out ill. Harmanpreet said that spin was among India’s strong suits and trusted her spinners to come good, adding that Sadhu “should be ready” for the second game to bring more balance to the side.”In our domestic set-up so many spin bowlers are doing really well. It’s something which has always been our strength. Among pacers, Renuka is doing really well, other end Pooja is helping her. At the same time, Titas was not well. She should be ready for the next game and secondly, I feel spinners are more confident and they’ve always done really well whenever they’ve got the opportunity. That’s why we went with the spin attack.”

In Multan, WI knew they had to get their runs before the ball with their name on it came and they did that

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2025West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite said that batters had to be brave and trust their plans to succeed on the difficult pitches in Multan, after they won the second of two Tests to level the series and also create a little bit of history. This 120-run victory was their first in Pakistan for 34 years.Brathwaite led by example. After being part of a collapse that left West Indies 38 for 7 in the first innings, he chose a far more aggressive approach in the second. In fact, he made his fastest fifty in Tests, consciously taking chances against the Pakistan spinners. This approach earned West Indies a lead of 254 and it proved plenty more than enough.”Both Test matches the pitch was tough to bat on and we knew that so as I said I just wanted us to be brave, to do whatever plans we have, to go there and execute them as good as possible, because regardless of what there will be a ball with your with your name on it on this pitch,” Brathwaite told reporters after the second Test in Multan on Monday.Related

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• Warrican bags five as West Indies win in Pakistan after 34 years

• Warrican dominates a series made for spinners in Multan

“I mean it was a difficult pitch to bat on so it was good to see the confidence we went about doing it and you know as I said very proud of this team.”It was just for the batsmen to be brave you know. I mean as batsmen, as I said everyone’s going to have their plans. Be brave in whatever you want to do as batsmen,” Brathwaite said about West Indies’ strategy. “Bowling wise bring forward the batsmen as much as possible and there will be 20 balls that you will get 20 wickets because as I said the pitch is a difficult pitch so there’s no second guessing.Brathwaite maintained that the pitch was “very, very difficult” but had no complaints about PCB preparing spinning tracks.”I would say Pakistan could prepare the pitch how they want. What I’ll say is batsman will not be averaging high on these pitches. You would average 15-20 and obviously the spinners will do well. and as I said it’s a difficult Test pitch to score runs. You’re going to get out regardless, it’s just a matter of when. So you know as batters we had to come up with a plan of how we want to score and put runs on the board.”Jomel Warrican finished the series as the leading wicket-taker•AFP/Getty Images

Brathwaite also heaped praise on Jomel Warrican. The left-arm spinner finished the series with 19 wickets – the most by a visiting bowler in a two-Test series in Pakistan.”Jomel was outstanding. To see how he went about his bowling and the pressure he built from from ball one, I mean it was amazing,” Brathwaite said.Warrican also put in a crucial contribution with the bat, finishing unbeaten on 36 in the first innings, with his 68-run stand for the last wicket with Gudakesh Motie key in reviving West Indies from being 38 for 7 after they won the toss and chose to bat.”With the bat you can’t count him out, I think he did a fantastic job with the bat as well. But bowling wise I know he’s worked hard over the years. He’s been in and out of the team but it’s good to see him get the chance and he grabbed it. very very proud of him uh he was outstanding.”West Indies’ triumph in Multan came almost exactly a year after Gabba 2024, and Brathwaite said it showed their ability to adapt to different conditions.”It’s a very important win for us it just shows that we can get it done in any conditions once we believe and always have a plan,” he said. “It’s right up there with some amazing Test wins because coming here, playing here in Pakistan, it’s never easy to win a test match you know so coming up with a win is fantastic.”