Big picture: Rain in the air once again Rain ruined the India-Pakistan game, the first in ODI cricket between the two teams since the 2019 World Cup, on Saturday in Pallekele. A similar rain threat hangs over the India-Nepal game at the same venue on Monday, with chances of precipitation up to 80%. If Monday’s
Month: September 2023
South Africa chose to bat v Australia South Africa emptied their bench in search of a consolation win in the three-match T20I series against Australia and handed out debuts to Matthew Breetzke and Donovan Ferreira while welcoming back Keshav Maharaj from an Achilles rupture. This is Maharaj’s first international since March when he suffered the
Heath Streak, the former Zimbabwe captain and arguably their greatest allrounder, has died at the age of 49. He had advanced colon and liver cancer and had been receiving specialist treatment at a Johannesburg hospital, travelling from his home in Bulawayo on a bi-weekly basis since May. He is survived by his wife, Nadine, and
Toss Bangladesh chose to bat against Afghanistan Bangladesh won the toss in their must-win Group B clash against Afghanistan and opted to bat on a hot afternoon in Lahore. Bangladesh, who lost their opening game of the Asia Cup to Sri Lanka, handed an ODI debut to allrounder Shamim Hossein, who has 17 T20I caps.
Chamari Athapaththu has proven herself to be “one of the best allrounders in the world”, according to Sri Lanka Women’s head coach, Malinda Warnapura, who hailed her “scintillating” strokeplay after sealing a famous victory over England at Chelmsford. Athapaththu’s 55 from 40 balls led a withering batting display from Sri Lanka’s top-order, as England’s sub-par
Toss Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl vs England Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first in the second T20I at Chelmsford, with both teams announcing one change to the line-ups that contested a damp opening fixture at Hove on Thursday evening. Inoshi Fernando comes into Sri Lanka’s attack
Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya produced a wonderful rescue act while Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled a fiery spell but rain forced India and Pakistan to split points in an Asia Cup match that had all the ingredients of a thrilling finish in Pallekele, Sri Lanka on Saturday. Before the heavens opened up, India posted 266
Heather Knight, England’s captain, admitted her young team had been handed some “humble pie” after a chastening eight-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in the second T20I at Chelmsford. However, she defended the decision to give a recall to the visibly out-of-sorts Issy Wong, whose troublingly erratic display put an extra dampener on what Knight admitted
Gus Atkinson has described his arrival on the international stage as “a dream come true”, after he collected the best figures for an England men’s debutant in T20 history with 4 for 20. His first wicket was that of Devon Conway, who flipped a length ball into the hands of Will Jacks at deep square
Big picture: Knockout game for Bangladesh One team gears up for its opening fixture. The other already finds itself in must-win territory. The Asia Cup began just four days ago and is a short tournament with just six teams participating, which has left Bangladesh staring at the prospect of elimination while Afghanistan are just about
Nathan Ellis has admitted his sporadic appearances in international colours have been a challenge, even as he forges an outstanding T20I record. Ellis claimed 3 for 25 in the second match against South Africa in Durban, including a double-wicket maiden in his opening over, to take his T20I tally to 18 in seven outings at
Despite overcast skies and the threat of rain, India won the toss and decided to bat against arch rivals Pakistan. Babar Azam said Pakistan would also have batted first had they won the toss. India went for the option of a seam bowler who can bat at No. 8, which meant Shardul Thakur pipped Prasidh
Sri Lanka Cricket on Friday announced that it was suspending all board-run domestic tournaments in the country, a move understood to have stemmed from a dispute surrounding the restructuring of domestic tournaments in the country. “Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to immediately halt all board-conducted domestic tournaments,” SLC stated in a media release. “This includes
The final match of that tournament, against Afghanistan in Adelaide, was their last in the format until this tour of South Africa with 2023 having been dominated by their Test endeavours in India and England. Even now the focus is on the build-up to the ODI World Cup next month. Partly due to that, with
Lockie Ferguson will captain New Zealand in their ODI series against Bangladesh later this month with Tom Latham among a group of senior players given a break before the World Cup. Latham, currently leading the one-day side in place of Kane Williamson, has been rested from the three-match tour in late September along with Devon
Keshav Maharaj has been “cleared for selection” for South Africa’s white-ball squads for the ongoing exchanges against Australia at home. However, Sisanda Magala has been ruled out of the second T20I with a left knee injury, Wayne Parnell has had a recurrence of a left shoulder injury, and Marco Jansen has been released from the
Ravi Shastri believes India have the upper hand in Saturday’s Asia Cup game against Pakistan in Pallekele, but only just. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo on the eve of the fixture, Shastri said that Pakistan were a much improved side, and have “narrowed the gap” with India, but the strength of India’s line-up and an experienced captain
Sri Lanka made a light work of Bangladesh in the second match of the Asia Cup on Thursday following a strong performance from their bowlers at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy. Chennai Super Kings duo Matheesha Pathirana and Maheesh Theekshana did the damage with the ball as Sri Lanka restricted Bangladesh for 164. Pathirana returned
Pakistan will be going into their final Group A match of the Asia Cup, against India on Saturday in Pallekele, with the same side that beat Nepal in Multan on Wednesday. It is the second time Pakistan have opted to name their line-up a day early, a practice that is set to continue throughout the
Toss England chose to bat vs New Zealand England gave a debut to Gus Atkinson and chose to bat first after winning the toss for the second T20I at Old Trafford. Atkinson comes in for Luke Wood in the only change from the XI that won the first T20I up in Chester-le-Street so emphatically. Atkinson
Australia chose to bowl v South Africa South Africa have been asked to chase in the second T20I at Kingsmead after slight drizzle delayed the toss by two minutes. The match is set to get underway as scheduled. After suffering their worst T20I defeat against Australia two nights ago, the hosts resisted the urge to
Jayant Yadav, the India offspinner, has joined Middlesex on a short-term deal for the last four LV= Insurance County Championship matches of the season. Yadav, 33, has taken 16 wickets at 29.06 in six Test matches for his country, the most recent of which came against Sri Lanka in March 2022. His best figures, 4
Big picture: The biggest Asian rivalry If someone tells you there are bigger rivalries than India vs Pakistan at the 2023 Asia Cup, do not trust them. Of late, the Afghanistan vs Pakistan and Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh games might have been spicier on the field, and nastier off it, but the history – both
Never mind the persistent drizzle and autumnal chill, it was all about teenage kicks for England at the start of their T20I series with Sri Lanka in Hove. Alice Capsey, who turned 19 a few weeks ago, produced the star turn with her second international fifty, while Freya Kemp, 18, twinkled in her batting cameo
Prithvi Shaw will return to Northamptonshire next summer after signing for the second half of the season. The India international is expected to be available to play in the County Championship and One-Day Cup. Shaw scored 429 runs in four innings for Northants – including a record-breaking 244 off 153 balls against Somerset – earlier
Shane Watson and Michael Bevan have been called in as coaching consultants to help turn around New South Wales’ on-field woes as the state attempts to rebound from its lowest ebb in 84 years. Winless in the Sheffield Shield last season for the first time since 1938-39, Cricket NSW unveiled a raft of changes and
Najmul Hossain Shanto scored half of Bangladesh’s runs in their first Asia Cup match, against Sri Lanka. The good parts of the side’s below-par batting performance belonged mostly to Shanto. Extending his bright form from the last ten months, he got stuck in and tried to stitch two big partnerships in the middle overs only