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New Zealand batter also touches on the importance of learning to play differently in the subcontinent

Alagappan Muthu07-Sep-20241:08

Williamson: We’re going to be challenged in a number of ways

New Zealand are about to embark on a period where they will play six Tests in two months. That’s rare, on two counts. First, it’s almost a whole year’s work for them – like in 2020 and 2021, when they went on to become the inaugural World Test Champions. And second, all of those matches are in Asia. In the last decade, they have never played more than three subcontinent Tests in a single year. This eight-week trip, starting with the one-off game against Afghanistan on Monday, then the two against Sri Lanka, and finally the three against India, is essentially uncharted territory.Kane Williamson acknowledged it when speaking to the media on Saturday. “You know such a volume of Test cricket that we don’t usually get, and obviously in this part of the world,” he said in Greater Noida.New Zealand’s record in Asia is underwhelming, with 16 wins from 90 Tests. They have found it even harder to succeed in India – 2 wins in 36 Tests. Lots of effort is being made to improve on this. Domestic teams have been touring the country for a good while now. The next generation of New Zealand batters and bowlers have put in a lot of time trying to expand their game to succeed in conditions where spin plays a huge role. Allrounder Rachin Ravindra and fast bowler Ben Sears joined the Test squad in Uttar Pradesh after a four-day training camp in Chennai with their Wellington team-mates.Related

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• New Zealand begin subcontinent expedition against Afghanistan at new Test venue

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• Ravindra ramps up red-ball preparation ahead of subcontinent spin challenge

Williamson highlighted the importance of New Zealand learning to play differently in Asia and touched on the difficulty of playing long-form cricket in just staccato bursts.”I think it’s absolutely about trying to adjust your game,” he said, “because we’re not here consistently in this format. We go through quite long intervals of not playing here. So you know it is trying to sort of familiarise yourself again and for us, our last Test match was sort of six or eight months ago. So you know, as a team it’s really connecting with that again as a red-ball group and looking to apply our skills, our plans as well as we can.”0:32

Williamson: Root has been something else for a period of time

Williamson, himself, a veteran of over 100 Tests and a leading member of the Fab Four, is yet to fully crack batting in India and Sri Lanka. In 22 innings, he averages 31.36 and has managed only five fifty-plus scores. One of them was his debut innings, back in 2010, when he was at the crease for 299 balls to score 131. Since then, however, only five of his knocks have lasted 100 balls or more. The defensive skill which sets him apart, and enables him to shape so much of New Zealand’s fortunes on their own turf, is severely tested by the quality of the bowling and the nature of the conditions here.Williamson was looking forward, though, to facing that challenge again, starting with New Zealand’s first ever Test match against Afghanistan. “It’s really important that we look to grow as a unit,” he said. “It’s nice and clear on how we want to play over here. We always know that it’s a tough challenge whenever you play in these parts of the world, slightly different from back home. But you know always a great experience and playing against a really, really strong side.”New Zealand have bolstered their support staff, on a short-term basis, with the additions of Sri Lankan spin legend Rangana Herath and former India batting coach Vikram Rathour as they push for a better result in the 2023-25 cycle of the World Test Championship. They finished sixth out of nine teams last time. This time, they occupy third place, behind India and Australia.”In some ways it’s like tournament sport, isn’t it?” Williamson said. “Even though it’s over a longer period of time in the Test Championship, but the value of games is high. The context around Test cricket with the Test Championship is really key and it’s brought out a lot of really exciting games. And so naturally having six Test matches together is a big part of our Test Championship calendar and one that we’re excited about.”

They haven’t won a Test against India in the last 21 years but the Queen’s Park Oval pitch could help them change that

Hemant Brar19-Jul-2023

Big picture

It’s a historic occasion. The second Test between West Indies and India, in Port-of-Spain, will be the 100th Test between the two teams. Of the 99 played so far, West Indies have won 30 and India 23, while 46 have been draws.In the last 21 years, however, West Indies have not managed a single win against India. Their previous victory came in 2002, when Yashasvi Jaiswal, the Player of the Match in the first Test of the current series, was not even five months old.Since then, the two sides have met 24 times, with India winning on 15 occasions and drawing on the other nine. Given how the first Test went – India winning by an innings and 141 runs – West Indies will have to put in a serious effort to end that streak.Related

• Secret to Kohli's longevity? 'A lot of hard work and sacrifices,' says Dravid

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Having said that, this could be one of their better chances to do so. The pitch at the Queen’s Park Oval has been, traditionally, conducive to fast bowling, and West Indies have a far more experienced seam-bowling attack in this series.Neither West Indies nor India play another Test for the next five months at least. So both teams will be looking to make the most of this opportunity, apart from pocketing some World Test Championship points. West Indies will be looking to achieve some stability with the bat, and India will hope that Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan spend a considerable time in the middle.

Form guide

West Indies LLLWD (last five Tests, most recent first)
India WLDLW

In the spotlight

The world first took notice of Alick Athanaze when he topped the runs chart at the 2018 Under-19 World Cup. Last month, against UAE, he smashed the joint-fastest fifty by a batter on ODI debut. Then on his Test debut last week, against R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and a turning track, he showed he had the temperament for the long format as well. With wickets tumbling at the other end, he top-scored for West Indies in each innings with knocks of 47 and 28. Ian Bishop said he could be “a leading light in the years to come”, and West Indies will hope he proves Bishop right.In Dominica, Athanaze was impressive on a pitch that offered turn and bounce to spinners•Associated Press

At the same U-19 World Cup where Athanaze was the leading run-scorer, Shubman Gill was second on the list, and was named the Player of the Tournament. While it took Athanaze five years to make his international debut, Gill is already seen as the heir apparent to Virat Kohli. In the first Test, by asking to be moved down to No. 3, he took another step in that direction – experts believe the middle order is his natural home. But a failure in India’s only innings in Dominica meant he now averages 31.96 after 17 Tests. The good thing is he has all the time in the world and the backing of the team management.

Team news

With Raymon Reifer out of the squad, left-hand batter Kirk McKenzie could be in line for a debut. West Indies may also be tempted to bring in Shannon Gabriel for either Jomel Warrican or Rahkeem Cornwall. Meanwhile, uncapped offspin-bowling allrounder Kevin Sinclair will be on standby as a like-for-like replacement for Cornwall in case the latter is yet to fully recover from his chest infection.West Indies (probable): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Jermaine Blackwood, 5 Kirk McKenzie, 6 Jason Holder, 7 Joshua Da Silva (wk), 8 Rahkeem Cornwall/Kevin Sinclair, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Shannon Gabriel/Jomel WarricanTwo days out from the Test, India captain Rohit Sharma said he was not looking to make “any drastic changes”. He also backed Ishan Kishan, saying he was “very impressed” with the wicketkeeper’s glovework. So it will not be a surprise if India field an unchanged XI.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Ishan Kishan (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Shardul Thakur, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Mohammed Siraj

Pitch and conditions

While the Queen’s Park Oval has not hosted a Test since 2018, fast bowlers have always enjoyed the conditions here, registering a much better average (27.39) and strike rate (61.0) as compared to spinners (36.57 and 88.7). Rain is forecast on all five days of the Test, though.

Stats and trivia

• Kohli (8555) needs 32 runs to go past Virender Sehwag’s Test tally of 8586. Among Indians, only Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar and VVS Laxman have more Test runs.
• Ashwin is 14 short of 500 Test wickets.
• In Dominica, Athanaze became only the second West Indies batter to top-score in each innings of his Test debut. The first was Lawrence Rowe, who scored 214 and 100 not out against New Zealand at Sabina Park in 1972.
• India have won three of their 13 Tests at Queen’s Park Oval. Another win here will make it their joint-most-successful overseas Test venue alongside the MCG.
• England and Australia are the other two teams West Indies and India have met India 100 times in Tests.

Packed stadium, lesser known domestic talent stepping up, capped players trying to be relevant – the RCB vs DC clash is tantalizingly poised

Shashank Kishore16-Mar-20243:10

Mandhana recalls being awestruck by Lanning

Big Picture: A celebration of talent

Raging debates about the need for a tournament like the WPL feel all too recent.They said there wasn’t enough talent depth to split into enough teams to form a league and captivate audiences. On Friday evening, 25,000 fans packed into the Arun Jaitley Stadium to witness Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator.On Sunday, the same crowd will turn fanatical in their support for Delhi Capitals, who will have a second shot at WPL glory. Last year, they let nerves get the better of them against Mumbai. Things may turn out differently this time with a stadium full of people cheering them on.Related

• How Minnu Mani overcame adversity to make her mark in the WPL

• 'She's a real fighter' – Nitschke praises Jonassen's response to axing

• New and improved Shafali has brought method to her madness

• Perry: 'We're lucky to play in front of such big and fanatical crowds'

• Innovative Rodrigues makes it count with boundary-laden half-century

Capitals have got here on the back of a dominating run in the group stage. Twice in two seasons now, they’ve made the finals directly by topping the pool. RCB’s journey has been bumpy. Having opened with two wins, they suffered a mid-season slump, before putting it past the defending champions twice to make it here.Not surprisingly, the history of both these sides, in the IPL, has been brought up quite a bit. Capitals and RCB have part of that tournament since 2008 but neither of them have won anything – Capitals have made only one final previously, RCB three. So this much is for sure: one of them will be making space for a first trophy.Both teams have invested heavily in their scouting system. Asha Sobhana’s nerveless final over on Friday night to dethrone Mumbai was a ringing endorsement of this. At 33, it’s possible she would have been a mere footnote in several domestic scorecards if not for an opportunity at the WPL.Capitals have identified a core group of young Indian players to drive them forward. Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav, who hadn’t been in the conversation as far as the Indian team goes, are part of this. Compelling performances here, a byproduct of fierce backing from Meg Lanning and the coaching staff. Now, a national call-up won’t seem so surprising.Shafali Verma’s chats with Lanning about becoming ruthless and consistent and adding new gears to her game are bound to have a ripple effect. Minnu Mani’s smile and Lanning’s embrace after she spun one past Ash Gardner’s defence told you of how a team culture that empowers young players to discover themselves and grow as individuals has already reaped dividends.2:51

Lanning: Mandhana is starting to get the ins and outs captaincy

Shreyanka Patil, a find of WPL 2023, has come on leaps and bounds from there. She fought through a hairline fracture, resisting the idea of rest to prevent aggravating her injury to play Friday’s Eliminator and delivered a clutch performance.Stories of hope, inspiration and glory will once again play out on Sunday evening on the biggest stage of them all. And it will culminate in the WPL having a new winner. It feels fitting.

Form guide

Delhi Capitals: WWLWW (Last five games)
Royal Challengers Bangalore: WWLLW

In the spotlight: Asha Sobhana and Jemimah Rodrigues

Twice this season, Asha Sobhana has helped RCB complete a sensational last-over defence. She defended 10 runs in the opener against UP Warriorz. Against Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator, she defended 11. That she has been preferred ahead of regulars like Renuka Singh reflects the confidence Smriti Mandhana has in her. At 33, Asha is not a newbie, but her exploits could put her in contention to be in India’s T20 World Cup squad in Bangladesh later this year.After a slow start, Jemimah Rodrigues has hit form towards the business end. She has scored 38*, 58, 17 and 69* in her last four innings. Unlike last year, where she was largely an accumulator, Rodrigues has added a robust power game to help finish off innings. This versatility gives her a massive edge in India’s World Cup plans.5:43

Rodrigues: I’ve learnt from Kohli how to hit sixes while hitting in the gaps

Likely XIs

Delhi Capitals: 1 Meg Lanning (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Alice Capsey, 4 Jemimah Rodrigues, 5 Jess Jonassen, 6 Marizanne Kapp, 7 Minnu Mani, 8 Taniya Bhatia (wk), 9 Radha Yadav, 10 Arundhati Reddy, 11 Shikha PandeyRCB: 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Sophie Devine, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Disha Kasat/S Meghana, 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Sophie Molineux, 7 Georgia Wareham, 8 Shreyanka Patil, 9 Renuka Singh, 10 Asha Sobhana, 11 Shradda Pokharkar/Ekta Bisht

Pitch and conditions: Something for the bowlers

A fresh pitch, right in the centre, will be used. Delhi has ensured decent bounce and carry for seamers, while the absence of dew has helped spinners also have a say. Toss hasn’t been as big a factor, with teams happy to bat first, like RCB did in the Eliminator.

Stats and trivia: RCB have never beaten Capitals

• Ellyse Perry’s 6 for 15 in the final league game against Mumbai are the best figures in WPL’s short history.
• Lanning has never been out in single digits in 17 WPL innings. But two of her lowest scores have come against RCB.
• Marizanne Kapp’s economy rate of 6.50 is the best among those who’ve bowled at least 15 overs this season. Out of the five T20 finals she has played since 2021, Kapp was Player of the Match in the Hundred in 2021, WBBL 2021 and Hundred 2022.
• Seven out of ten matches in the Delhi leg of this WPL have been won by the side batting first.
• Shafali’s 17 sixes are the most by a batter so far this season. Mandhana is next best with 10.
• RCB have never beaten Capitals in four attempts so far.
  

  Quotes

  “We were just thinking we’re only two seasons into this, so let’s not take too much stress about what has happened over the last 15 years or correlating with similarities [to the men’s team].”
  
  “It is a nightmare having a 40-meter boundary on one side. That is one thing I haven’t necessarily enjoyed as a captain. There’s so much more power and strength in the game now that people are clearing the ropes pretty easily.”
  

“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.”

Babar (107) and Salman (58) excelled with the bat before Usama Mir’s ODI best stopped NZ well short

Danyal Rasool05-May-2023After a somewhat off-colour performance where Pakistan allowed New Zealand to get close to them, this was back to business for the hosts. A century from Babar Azam – his 18th in ODIs – helped Pakistan post an intimidating 334 for 6 after being put in to bat.It was then up to the bowlers, who were at their ruthless best, to shut New Zealand out. The game as a contest was over well before the final wicket fell and New Zealand folded for 232, putting Pakistan up 4-0 in the five-match series and at the top of the ICC rankings for ODI teams in the process.From the moment the chase began, it was apparent that keeping up with the asking rate would be a problem for New Zealand. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf were metronomically accurate and fearsomely fast in the powerplay, and Will Young and Tom Blundell are not natural aggressors. The two fell within two overs of each other after a sedate start.Both were, to their credit, dismissed seeking boundaries their side desperately needed. Mohammad Wasim struck off his first ball, with Young spooning it high into the night sky for a straightforward catch, before Blundell failed to get elevation on a drive off Rauf, the ball heading straight to Iftikhar Ahmed in the covers.The period of stagnation through the third-wicket stand that followed, between Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham, was probably what ultimately did New Zealand’s chances. A total of 83 painstaking runs were scored at a rate under five, but the asking rate had climbed to around 8.50 by then. Usama Mir – who did his World Cup chances no harm with an excellent display deputising for Shadab Khan – drew Mitchell into a stroke that caused his downfall.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The stand between Latham and Mark Chapman, which followed, was New Zealand’s brightest passage, as Chapman dispensed with all conservatism. The two put on 55 in 43 balls with Chapman taking the lead, smashing Iftikhar and Agha Salman out of the attack with 34 in three overs.But the fast bowlers returned, and Afridi cleaned up Latham yet again for a well-made, if less than explosive, 76-ball 60. Chapman continued to flay the bowling, but a quicker one from Mir saw his stumps knocked back for a 33-ball 46. Thereafter, New Zealand’s resistance melted away. Mir helped himself to a couple more wickets to register career-best figures of 4 for 43, and Pakistan secured a 102-run win.Earlier, another Babar hundred helped Pakistan to a total that always looked well beyond New Zealand. Across an innings where he also became the quickest player to 5000 ODI runs, the batters – especially Babar and Salman – were in control for the most part on a flat pitch. However, New Zealand, spearheaded by Matt Henry, punctured Pakistan regularly enough to ensure the total wouldn’t completely get out of hand. Some late Mohammad Haris and Afridi fireworks ensured that the platform Pakistan’s middle order had set would lead to a big enough total.Pakistan rung the changes in after sealing the series already, and Shan Masood – who replaced Imam-ul-Haq – guided Pakistan through the powerplay with characteristic ease after Henry removed Fakhar Zaman early with a similar delivery to the one that got him the previous game, the back-of-a-length ball miscued high into the air.The innings continued to cruise on autopilot through a 50-run, ten-over stand between Masood and Babar, before sharp work behind the stumps from Blundell saw Masood fall to Ish Sodhi. With Pakistan’s reliance on the top order well-known, the fall of Mohammad Rizwan after a Henry direct-hit caught him short would’ve given Pakistan the wobbles. But in that moment of slight adversity, Salman rose magnificently.Usama Mir registered career-best figures of 4 for 43•AFP/Getty Images

Exquisite with the sweep and reverse sweep, as well as commanding in his use of footwork, Salman cranked through the gears to put New Zealand on the back foot again. With a straight six off Cole McConchie, he brought up a 40-ball half-century as well as the hundred partnership between him and Babar.Babar had blended into the background but he still eased past 50, as he usually does in ODIs. By the time Henry pouched a stunning return catch to dismiss Salman, Babar was just 12 away from his century, and content to let Iftikhar lead.Iftikhar assembled an entertaining cameo – 28 off 22 – before Babar tickled one through the off side to bring up his century in 113 balls. When Babar holed out to deep midwicket to give Ben Lister his first wicket on ODI debut, Pakistan had got stuck somewhat, with two overs to go and still not past 300.Wasim and Shaheen remedied, plundering 38 off the final two overs, also making compelling cases to bat higher up. The four sixes and two fours between them meant they had done enough to break New Zealand’s spirits. In reality, Pakistan’s bowling demonstrated the Afridi-Wasim cameos merely added flourish to what was a near-guaranteed victory anyway.

Jeffrey Vandersay, who played his lone Test back in June 2022, has also been included

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Aug-2024Sri Lanka have named uncapped right-arm seamer Milan Rathnayake and fast-bowling allrounder Nisala Tharaka in an 18-member squad for the three-match Test series against England later this month.The squad also marks the return of Pathum Nissanka in the longest format. Nissanka made his Test debut in March 2021 but has not played a Test match since the middle of 2022, having since been displaced by Nishan Madushka at the top of the order.Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who played his lone Test back in June 2022 against Australia, has also been brought back after an impressive showing in the second ODI against India where he picked a career-best 6 for 33.This is a first call-up for 33-year-old Tharaka, a veteran of 107 first-class games in which he has picked 257 wickets and scored 2358 runs with a highest score of 107. His most recent performance of significance was for Sri Lanka A against Afghanistan A in May when he took six wickets for 42 runs in the second innings.Rathnayake, 28, had been selected in Sri Lanka’s Test squad earlier, most recently for a one-off Test against Afghanistan but is yet to get a game. He has played 39 first-class matches and picked 79 wickets and also scored 633 runs with a highest score of 59. Rathnayake has been a consistent performer in the Sri Lanka A side.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Dhananjaya de Silva will lead the side with Kusal Mendis as his deputy. Sri Lanka have gone with a pace-heavy squad which includes Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Tharaka and Ratnayake as the fast bowlers. Angelo Mathews, who has had occasional success with his seam bowling in England, is also in the squad.Vandersay, Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya are the main spin options. Ramesh and Jayasuriya have been Sri Lanka’s primary Test spinners over the past 18 months.Although many of the players named in this squad are currently involved in the ODI series against India, six Test specialists flew on Saturday to England to begin training. Vishwa also played three County Championship matches for Yorkshire as part of his own preparation.The first Test between Sri Lanka and England gets underway on August 21 in Manchester before the teams travel to Lord’s for the second Test on August 29. They will finish with the third Test at The Oval on September 6.

Sri Lanka squad for Tests vs England

Dhananjaya De Silva (capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (vice-capt), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Nisala Tharaka, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Jeffrey Vandersay, Milan Rathnayake

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.

The 33-year-old was part of the Sri Lankan side that won the T20 World Cup in 2014

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jul-2023Sri Lanka batter Lahiru Thirimanne has announced his retirement from international cricket after a 13-year career.”As a player I have given my best, I have tried my best, I have respected the game and I have done my duty honestly and ethically to my motherland,” Thirimanne posted on Facebook on Saturday.”It was a difficult decision to make, but I cannot mention here the many unexpected reasons that influenced me to take this decision willingly or unwillingly. I take this opportunity to thank the SLC members, my coaches, teammates, physios, trainers and analysts for their support and encouragement.”Thirimanne, 33, played 44 Tests, 127 ODIs and 26 T20Is after making his international debut in 2010. He was part of three T20 World Cup campaigns, including Sri Lanka’s win in 2014, and played two ODI World Cups. He also led Sri Lanka in five ODIs.”Absolute honor to have the opportunity to represent the country,” he posted on Instagram. “Thanks a lot for the 13 years of amazing memories and well wishes thru out my journey (sic). See you on the other side.”His last international match was the Test against India in Bengaluru in March 2022. The last of his three Test centuries came against Bangladesh in 2021 when his 140 helped Sri Lanka win the match in Pallekele. He was especially impressive in ODIs in 2015 when he scored 861 runs in 25 games with one century and six half-centuries.Thirimanne played first-class cricket in the most recent season in Sri Lanka, but has lived in Australia for much of the past two years. He has not been consistently available for Test selection, and has since been replaced at the top of the order by the likes of Nishan Madushka and Pathum Nissanka.

This is the second time Gill is at the summit; the last time was during the 2023 ODI World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2025Shubman Gill and Maheesh Theekshana have become the new No. 1 men’s ODI batter and bowler respectively in the ICC rankings update released on the opening day of the Champions Trophy. Gill has gone past Babar Azam on his list, while Theekshana has gone past Rashid Khan on his.Gill had an excellent time of it in the home ODI series against England, which India won 3-0, with scores of 87, 60 and 112, which made him the top run-getter in the series, his 259 runs coming at an average of 86.33 and a strike rate of 103.60. The next highest scorer, Shreyas Iyer, was 78 behind Gill with 181 runs.This is the second time Gill has gone to the top of the pile in ODI cricket – the previous occasion was during the ODI World Cup in 2023.

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Gill’s rise has pushed Babar to second place. Gill has 796 rating points, while Babar has 773.They are followed in the top five by Rohit Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen and Daryl Mitchell, who has moved up two places after the tri-series in Pakistan where he scored 81, 10 and 57.Following the two-ODI series against England, Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka has moved up eight spots to No. 8, while Mohammad Rizwan, the Pakistan captain, has reached 15th place.Maheesh Theekshana became the seventh Sri Lanka bowler to bag an ODI hat-trick during the Australia series•Getty Images

Sri Lanka are not a part of the Champions Trophy, having missed out on qualification, but along with Asalanka, Theekshana made the most of the two-ODI series at home against Australia, returning 4 for 40 and none for 11.Rashid, who hasn’t played an ODI since last December, has slipped to the second spot, but isn’t too far behind Theekshana – he has 669 ratings points to the table-topper’s 680, and a good Champions Trophy campaign can take him back to the top.Behind Theekshana and Rashid on the bowlers’ table is Namibia’s Bernard Scholtz, followed by India’s Kuldeep Yadav and Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi in the top five. Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand captain, has made big moves too, his five wickets in the three ODIs in the Pakistan tri-series giving him a five-spot boost and putting him at No. 7.

He played four Tests between 1964 and 1967 and was the first Pakistan batter to score a century on Test debut

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-2024Former Pakistan allrounder Billy Ibadulla died on Friday at the age of 88. He had a short, but notable international career, playing only four Tests for Pakistan between 1964 and 1967, but became the first from his country to score a hundred on Test debut.Ibadulla made his Test debut against Australia in Karachi in 1964, one of six Test debutants in that game as Pakistan regenerated after their early years of success. Ibadulla had been drafted into the side at the insistence of the captain Hanif Mohammad and he immediately repaid that faith, with 166 in the first innings.He was part of a 249-run opening partnership with fellow debutant, and wicketkeeper, Abdul Kadir. It remains the highest partnership between two debutants for any wicket in Test cricket, and was a national record for the first wicket until Aamer Sohail and Ijaz Ahmed broke it in 1997.He would only go on to play three more Tests though, instead building a fine career with Warwickshire. He was one of the first Pakistanis to play county cricket (AH Kardar had played for Warwickshire for three seasons when Pakistan were not a full member and Khan Mohammad played one game for Somerset), after being overlooked for Pakistan selection for the 1954 tour to England. Unhappy, he came to England to forge a career as a professional cricketer and did so successfully, playing for nearly 18 seasons.That included key roles in two limited-overs cup titles in three years; he took 3-25 and scored 28 in Warwickshire’s four-wicket win in the 1968 final.After he finished at the county, he became a coach at a school in the UK, a sign of things to come. Soon after he moved to New Zealand to play for Otago (and some games for Tasmania in Australia) as well as do some coaching, He played a key role in the early development of Glenn Turner, one of New Zealand’s greatest batters.He ended with a prolific first-class career, scoring 17,078 runs at 27.28 and picking up 462 wickets at 30.96. Of his 417 first-class outings, 377 were for Warwickshire, for whom he played for more than a decade.”He was a special cricketer, one of the greatest, and we had lots of fun times together,” Warwickshire president Dennis Amiss, who played alongside Ibadulla at the club, wrote in a tribute to his former team-mate. “He could be really naughty at times, lots of mickey taking and he gave as good as he got. We loved him at Warwickshire.”In 64 List A matches, Ibadulla scored 829 runs and took 84 wickets. He also stood as an umpire in 20 first-class matches and 12 List A games. He also ran a private coaching clinic in New Zealand.His son, Kassem Ibadulla, also played 31 first-class games and 19 List A games for Gloucestershire and Otago.