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.

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.

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

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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.

Three wickets apiece restrict Phoenix to sub-par 119 for 8 in low-scoring encounter

Matthew Luddington16-Aug-2023Southern Brave 120 for 6 (Garton 28) beat Birmingham Phoenix 119 for 8 (Mills 3-20, Rehan 3-22) by four wickets
Rehan Ahmed celebrated his England T20I call-up with a spell of three for 22 as Southern Brave cruised to a four-wicket victory over Birmingham Phoenix.Teenage leg-spinner Rehan, who is the youngest male cricketer to play all three formats for England, bamboozled Phoenix through the middle sets, while the left-arm quick Tymal Mills starred at the death with three for 20 to restrict the visitors to an under-par 119 for eight.George Garton top-scored with 28 as Southern Brave got ahead of the rate early and reached their target with six balls to spare.Brave climb to second in the table to boost their chances of reaching the playoffs whilst Phoenix remain bottom with progression looking unlikely.Phoenix captain Moeen Ali elected to bat first and Will Smeed started fast, striking three boundaries off Garton and Craig Overton’s opening end. Moeen’s fellow Ashes star Ben Duckett soon joined the fun striking boundaries with a cut, flick and a ramp.Smeed crashed two glorious drives through the off side for four, and had a life when he was put down by Tim David in the deep, but his luck ran out when he was beaten by the extra pace of Mills and top-edged a pull to Leus du Plooy to leave the Phoenix 40 for one after the powerplay.Brave captain James Vince turned to spin and was vindicated as Rehan trapped Jamie Smith lbw before bowling Duckett around his legs with a disguised googly.Off-spinner Colin Ackermann picked up the prize scalp of Moeen with a jaffa as both spinners dominated, bowling back-to-back 10-ball sets.Rehan picked up his third wicket after Dan Mousley overbalanced to a leg-side delivery and was smartly stumped by Devon Conway.Livingstone was dropped in the deep and threatened to make Brave pay when he dispatched Rehan and Mills for sixes, however he soon edged behind off Mills.In the final end Benny Howell fell to a Jordan slower ball and Chris Woakes holed out to long-off as Mills picked up his third wicket and Phoenix could only muster 119 for eight.Finn Allen set about making light work of the target, striking Woakes over extra-cover, before launching fellow New Zealander Adam Milne for a six over long-on, and hitting Woakes for consecutive boundaries over his head.Allen fell soon after when he could only glove an attempted ramp off Kane Richardson to Smith.Vince worked a Richardson in-swinger behind square for four off his first delivery, before assertively pulling Woakes to the boundary. However, the Brave’s captain was bowled after advancing down the pitch to an Ali delivery that spun between bat and pad.Devon Conway was run out after a mix up, however a quickfire partnership of 44 between Garton and Du Plooy put the Brave firmly in control.Garton fell after looping a catch to point, David holed out to cow corner and Du Plooy was trapped lbw without addition across six dot-balls, before Brave stumbled over the line for a vital victory.

Pakistan team director says the aim is to try and score 330 more often than not

Shashank Kishore14-Oct-2023″I think they’ve [India] got all bases covered and I’m looking forward to meeting them in the final again.”Shortly after Pakistan suffered arguably the worst of their eight defeats to India at the men’s ODI World Cup, their team director Mickey Arthur was determined to look forward in their campaign.But he was frank in his assessment of where Pakistan fell short in Ahmedabad: timid with the bat, and possibly a little intimidated by the occasion that made them retreat “into their shells just a little bit”.He didn’t want to lay the blame on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who put on 82 for the third wicket in 17.2 overs. When Mohammed Siraj bowled Babar in the 30th over, Pakistan were 155 for 3, and then collapsed to 191 all out.”Look, they’re classy performers and they’ve done it day in and day out for Pakistan over an extended period of time. So, I’m not going to sit here and castigate them for that,” Arthur said. “As I said, I thought we were a little bit timid.”I did think we could probably have taken on the Indian spinners just a little bit more [Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja had combined figures of 19.5-0-83-4]. It was a wicket that didn’t turn massively, and I thought we needed to put some pressure back.Related

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“But again, they were building and building nicely. I think we’ve got to realise that there are two ways to skin a cat. And we’ve had success by taking it deep and then cashing in at the back end. That’s been our style, that’s been our brand, but we didn’t play the Pakistan way tonight, and that was the disappointing aspect of it for me.”Arthur said there would be no knee-jerk reactions after the defeat, given they had won their first two fixtures of the World Cup. However, he did feel they had deviated from their plans against India.”There’s certainly no panic yet,” he said. “We’ll go back, and we’ll analyse this game to the n’th degree. We’ll talk to our players. We’ll have conversations about how we want to go forward. Australia’s our next game [in Bengaluru on October 20]. We’ll look at conditions, and then we’ll make a selection decision based on our strategy and conditions for the next game.”We set ourselves up as a 330 team. We’ve got the personnel to build and build and build and make sure that we keep that momentum going through the innings so that we can cash in at the back end. But we’ve certainly tried to instill in our team that we’re a 330 team, because we think if we get that, we defend that more often than not with our bowling attack.”Arthur was slightly concerned by Shadab Khan and Shaheen Afridi’s form. They have taken only six wickets between them in the first three games while conceding more than a run a ball.Shadab hasn’t been able to exert control over the middle overs and spin is emerging as a weakness in Pakistan’s attack, and Shaheen hasn’t found the swing that makes him a potent threat with the new ball.”Look, we’ve been doing a little bit of work behind the scenes,” Arthur said when asked about Shadab and Shaheen. “It’d be remiss of me to discuss it out here, but we’ve been doing some work with them.”For me, it’s just about confidence. The key for us now is getting our players to remain calm. It’s getting our players to focus on the next game, and it’s to build them up and make sure that they go into that next game thinking they can run through a brick wall.”

The home side could only post 122 for 8 and it was chased down with ease by finals-bound Strikers

Andrew McGlashan18-Nov-2023Sydney Sixers’ WBBL season was all-but over after they fell to a seven-wicket defeat against Adelaide Strikers who in turn kept themselves in the hunt to host the final.Sixers could only post an underwhelming 122 for 8 and Strikers got home with 15 balls to spare, led by the efforts of Katie Mack and supported by captain Tahlia McGrath.As of Saturday night, Sixers still had the slimmest mathematical chance of making the top four but that would be extinguished if Brisbane Heat beat Melbourne Stars on Sunday. If Melbourne Renegades also beat Hobart Hurricanes, that would also lock in the top four with a week to run of the regular season and just leave jostling for finals hosting rights.Related

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The team finishing second host the Challenger, against the winner of the Eliminator which will be played at the same venue.Sixers needed multiple early inroads to give themselves a chance but though Lauren Cheatle produced a superb delivery to take Laura Wolvaardt’s off stump that was their only breakthrough.Mack, who has had another very consistent season, added a steady 52 with McGrath then Patterson lifted the pace with 20 off 12 balls.Sixers’ batting effort had initially shown some encouraging signs but they struggled to lift the tempo. Suzie Bates returned to the top of the order after a spell in the middle but couldn’t find her stride before falling for 5 off 13.However, Ellyse Perry dominated the early scoring and Sixers had 32 on the board after the four-over powerplay. But from there, it took until the eighth over as Strikers built pressure.Ash Gardner’s lean season with the bat, which has seen her average under 20, continued as she laboured for 8 off 10 balls.After 10 overs, Sixers were scoring at under a run-a-ball and shortly afterwards Perry became McGrath’s second wicket. Strikers’ spinners then had an impact during the middle phase of the innings with Anesu Mushangwe and Amanda-Jade Wellington taking a combined 3 for 29 from six overs despite one very short boundary.Chloe Tryon tried to keep things going for Sixers, and managed one huge six down the ground, but aside from her and Perry, Erin Burns, with a single boundary, was the only other batter able to find the rope.

Skipper Shan Masood defends the decision to play Sarfaraz ahead of Rizwan in Perth saying he was rewarded for red-ball form

Danyal Rasool25-Dec-20233:33

Australia settled, Pakistan have more questions than answers

The burning question of what Pakistan do with their wicketkeeping conundrum on Boxing Day has finally been addressed, with Mohammad Rizwan replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed for the second Test.It follows a difficult Perth Test for Sarfaraz, particularly with the bat, after he scored seven runs across both innings, struggling particularly against Mitchell Starc’s pace.It’s one of at least three changes Pakistan will make for the second Test at the MCG after they named a 12-man squad, which will be cut to 11 on match day. Khurram Shahzad has been ruled out of the series while allrounder Faheem Ashraf will also miss out after a poor Test with bat and ball, with Pakistan to take a final call on the sort of combination they play with.Related

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There is a possibility, however faint, that the visitors line up with another all-seam attack, which leaves Sajid Khan, named in the 12, out. That, however, is believed to be a remote possibility, with Sajid and one of Hasan Ali and Mir Hamza getting the nod considered much more probable. Mohammad Wasim Jnr was not part of the trimmed squad, so the pace bowling debate comes down to Hasan and Hamza.However, it is Sarfaraz’s omission that remains the most significant. His inclusion for the first Test received significant scrutiny because of his historical record in Australia and on similar, bouncy surfaces, only exacerbated by how the Perth Test went. At the time, Pakistan team director and coach Mohammad Hafeez pushed back against suggestions playing Sarfaraz was a mistake, saying it wasn’t right to label Sarfaraz as “someone who can only perform in a limited set of conditions”.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

But with Pakistan dropping him three Tests on from one of his career-defining batting performances in a very different set of conditions, that is precisely what Pakistan have done. Captain Shan Masood, in the captains’ Christmas Day press conference, said Sarfaraz had been given the nod in Perth despite what the numbers said because of his red-ball form in domestic cricket in Pakistan, and the intensity and commitment he brought to every game.”I wouldn’t think that that one change would have changed the whole course of the game,” Masood said. “The reason to play Sarfaraz was pretty much the same [as the reason to play Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shahzad]. People go back to stats and Rizwan averages very well in SENA. Firstly, there’s no competition between the two. They’re equally important to the team. Any competition they have is healthy competition. We know what Rizwan has done but we gave Sarfaraz the benefit because he averaged 56.50 on his last tour here in 2016. Yes, that’s been quite a while but he’s also played red-ball consistently in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in the last few years.”Rizwan just came from the World Cup, a lot of white-ball cricket. And he also had a gap in red-ball cricket since Sarfaraz took over from him for the New Zealand series. Sarfaraz had an outstanding performance there and Rizwan hadn’t played a lot of red-ball cricket. So there was a method to it. He’s been there, he played red-ball cricket. Karachi had a very good season where he was the tournament’s MVP, and that allowed us to get a player like Rizwan into shape. If I had it my way, I’d ideally like both to play but that’s not possible. Now we think Rizwan is ready and we can give Saifi that little bit of break to recuperate and come back.”Despite the extensive build-up to the Test – Pakistan arrived in Melbourne a full week out from Boxing Day – they have spent relatively little time out at the MCG. A training session on the 21st was followed by a two-day practice game at the Junction Oval. Pakistan rested on the 24th, and heavy rain forced both sides to conduct their training session indoors on Monday. Masood explained that was part of the reason Pakistan had named a 12, rather than 11, to enable them one final look at the surface.”Our last look at the pitch was on the 21st,” he said. “Then we went to the Junction Oval and we rested yesterday, and then it’s been raining today. So I think we should be a bit sensible. Make sure that we have a full look at the pitch and let’s say if we need to play a certain kind of bowler or batsman then we will make that decision.”

“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.”

Also, Prithvi Shaw was dismissed for 35 playing his first competitive match in almost six months

Shashank Kishore02-Feb-2024

Dube celebrates elevation in style

Shivam Dube is enjoying a memorable 2024. A month after being named Player of the Series during his return to the national team against Afghanistan, he has now earned the privilege of captaining Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.It’s an opportunity that arose after designated captain Ajinkya Rahane missed the fifth round game against Bengal due to a hamstring injury and designated vice-captain Shams Mulani travelled with India A for the third unofficial Test against England Lions.On his part, Dube celebrated his elevation with a backs-to-the-wall 72 on a greenish deck at Eden Gardens in a Group B fixture against Bengal. Last week against Uttar Pradesh, Dube struck his third first-class hundred, while he opened the season with 51 against Kerala.Related

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• Run-hungry Ricky Bhui leads the way for Andhra

• Mayank Agarwal discharged after mid-flight medical emergency

Dube came in to bat at 87 for 4, and hauled Mumbai out of trouble with 144-run stand with Suryansh Shedge, who made 71. Shedge was handed a debut only because Rahane, who was slated to play the game, complained of pain in his right hamstring prior to the start of the match.This is the second game Rahane has had to miss this season. He’d earlier missed the opening game against Bihar in Patna due to a stiff neck.Mumbai’s lower order then drove home the advantage further to end the opening day on 330 for 6, with Tanush Kotian (55) and Atharva Ankolekar (41) at the crease.Meanwhile, in his first competitive outing in close to six months, Prithvi Shaw was dismissed for a breezy 35 before falling to allrounder Suraj Jaiswal. Paying in only his third first-class match, Jaiswal was Bengal’s most prolific bowler with figures of 3 for 95.

Inexperienced Karnataka stumble on 16-wicket day

In Surat, as many as 16 wickets fell on a pulsating opening day with Karnataka ceding the advantage against Railways. After skilling them for 155 in under two sessions, they were on the mat at 90 for 6.Without Mayank Agarwal, who is recuperating from a brief hospitalisation, and Devdutt Padikkal, who is away with India A, Karnataka’s inexperienced top order wasted strong starts. Nikin Jose, the new captain, had a tough initiation as he was out first ball. Jose has managed to get into double figures only twice in eight innings so far this season. This includes a score of 107 against Goa in a drawn fixture.Prithvi Shaw made 35 on his Ranji Trophy comeback•PTI

Juyal, Karan power Uttar Pradesh

After toppling Mumbai last week, UP made a strong start to their Group B fixture against Assam, with Aryan Juyal and Karan Sharma hitting centuries in an unbroken 240-run third wicket stand. UP ended the day in 319 for 2.Juyal, UP’s first-choice wicketkeeper in Dhruv Jurel’s absence, has been in excellent form lately. Both his first-class hundreds have come this season. He also has a half-century alongside those. Karan, meanwhile, has carried forward his stellar form from the previous game, where he battled injury to put it past Mumbai in a tense chase.

Anmolpreet, Prabhsimran flatten Chandigarh

Imagine playing an away game at home and then making the home team toil? Well, that’s what first cousins Anmolpreet Singh and Prabhsimran Singh did for Punjab against Chandigarh at the Sector-16 Stadium in the city. The pair shared an unbroken 137-run stand as Punjab ended the opening day strongly on 307 for 2. Anmolpreet was on 136, while Prabhsimran was 76 not out. Opener Naman Dhir led the strong start to make 86.

Sai Kishore leads by example for resurgent TN

Riding a massive wave of confidence following two wins that puts them in knockouts contention, Tamil Nadu skittled Goa for 241 with R Sai Kishore, the captain, leading the way with four wickets. Suyash Prabhudesai led Goa’s fight with 104, his third hundred of the season, while KV Siddharth, the former Karnataka batter contributed 69. Tamil Nadu ended the day at 20 without loss.

Other key highlights

:Venkatesh Iyer’s three-for helped skittle Himachal for 169, but MP were in trouble at 69 for 4 in cold Dharamsala.Wriddhiman Saha made 59 not out but Gujarat were firmly in control against Tripura.Cheteshwar Pujara managed just 3 as defending champions Saurashtra made a terrific fightback after veiling bowled out for 202. They had Maharashtra tottering at 116 for 7. Dharmendra Jadeja, who led the fightback by top scoring with 72 picked up four wickets with the ball.In the plate group, Agni Chopra couldn’t quite replicate the kind of form he’s shown in the first half of the season. That a score of 43 is being spoken about as a regulation performance is only because he came into the game on the back of five hundreds for Mizoram in his first four first-class matches.

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.”