#T20 World 2021

[tiredgayloser]

a Jos Buttler masterclass in curb stomping

[killeroos]

MEG LANNING: 7 January 2011 - Became Australia's youngest centurion at 18 years 288 days old 19 January 2014 - Became Australia's youngest-ever captain at just 21 years old, standing in for Jodie Fields during the Ashes 13 June 2014 - Was confirmed as Australia's captain across all three formats 4 April 2021 - Set a new world record after winning 22 consecutive ODI's 26 February 2023 - After winning the 2023 T20 World Cup she overtook Ricky Ponting to become Australia's most successful cricket captain of all time

[mohabbaat]

top 5 moments in cricket history

ahhhhh. best question, anon. 😭

india vs pakistan match during the 2022 t20 world cup. those last few overs, especially that no ball and that last wide live rent free in my head.

the semi final of world cup 2023 where maxwell played the greatest innings i have ever seen while having cramps. insane batting.

2011 world cup final!!!! ICONIC.

that one india vs australia test match at gabba in 2021 where pant went insane.

2019 world cup final. that super over. england winning by boundary count. it was so insane. 😭

[beardedmrbean]

The future of the French international women’s cricket team is in doubt after 17 players called for an investigation into allegations that its governing body staged fake matches to secure funding from the International Cricket Council. With cricket set to become an Olympic sport after the 2024 Paris Games, FRANCE 24 looked at the reasons behind the team's collapse.

Tara Britton turned up to training, held every Thursday for the men’s and women’s French national cricket teams, last November 16 as scheduled. It wasn’t a big turnout for the women’s side, as she was one of only two who showed.

A day earlier, she had joined 16 of her national side teammates in signing an open letter calling for an official investigation into France Cricket following allegations published by FRANCE 24 in November, including that the governing body was staging fake women’s matches to access more funding from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“If the allegations are true, we condemn the actions as outrageous and, as players of the national Women’s team, we wish to strongly and firmly dissociate ourselves from the behaviour and actions of France Cricket,” the letter read.

France Cricket’s sporting director Saravana Durairaj arrived at the track in the 15th arrondissement (district) of Paris as they finished their session, Britton recounted.

Durairaj, who was recently made CEO of the association, had coached the women through the highs and lows of international tournaments since 2019. Their greatest success: promotion to Division One of the ICC 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier, beating Sweden, Turkey, Jersey and Germany along the way.  

That was the pinnacle of French women’s cricket, which has now arrived at its nadir. 

“He told us, ‘You’re not welcome anymore’ – that we’re suspended,” said Britton, a wicket-keeper and right-handed batter who has played 29 matches for France. “He was visibly quite angry. He wouldn't let us say anything, wouldn’t let us explain our side. He was basically saying he was disappointed in us. He felt let down that – after all the time and effort he put into us – that we have treated him like this.”

It is against France Cricket rules for national team players to criticise the governing body publicly at risk of being “excluded from the French national team��, reads a code of conduct signed by players.

“We dared to say that we knew there were some problems within the federation,” said Lara Armas, a left-handed batter who, like Britton, debuted in 2021. “Can you really say that that is criticism? It’s factual.”

From 2019 to 2023, Armas was on France Cricket’s committee and was appointed head of their commission for the women’s game.

“We didn’t accuse anyone in particular. We didn’t name anyone, we simply asked for clarifications,” said Magali Marchello-Nizia, a right-arm bowler who made her debut in 2019.

The team made France Cricket aware they were going to publish the letter before they did so. “Some of us were even pressured by France Cricket not to publish anything. You could even qualify some of these as threats,” said Alix Brodin, a left-handed batter who debuted after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Asked what exactly was threatened, Armas recalled that Durairaj told one of the players, “If you do that, I can’t protect you anymore.”

Contacted by FRANCE 24, Durairaj said that a decision about the women’s team would be published in May. He did not respond to more detailed allegations.

‘No communication’

Without any further communication from their governing body, players were removed from WhatsApp groups involving them. On November 19, they found out – via social media – that they would no longer be participating in the inaugural Women’s European Cricket Championship, scheduled to begin less than a month later on December 17.

The organisers, the European Cricket Network (ECN), announced that a team from England would be replacing France at the tournament in Malaga involving the national sides of Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and Austria.

“In a recent development, the French Cricket Federation, Association Française de Cricket, has unfortunately withdrawn their team’s participation,” read a press release. ECN declined to comment further.

“I’ve received no email, no communication from France Cricket explaining anything at all,” said Brodin.

Word spread in January that the women could only apply to be part of the national team this year if they apologised.

“We’ve done nothing wrong,” said Armas. “I’m not apologising for saying, ‘There’s an investigation going on, I want the truth’.”

To this day, the only written communication the women’s national team has received from France Cricket was an email sent on March 1 asking each of them to return their uniforms “for logistical reasons”.

Shut up and play cricket

FRANCE 24’s investigation last November raised questions over whether France was eligible to participate in ICC tournaments as it has done since 2021, given the difficulty of proving that the country has the requisite minimum of eight domestic women’s teams “competing in a minimum of five hard-ball matches for the previous two years”, as per ICC rules.

Players acknowledged having their suspicions.

��It’s always the same three or four clubs that provide women’s national team players,” said Brodin. “We know very well that what’s been written is true, we just never went looking for proof.”

Several said their decision to take part regardless came down to the lack of other opportunities to play cricket. Even for the women’s first division, for instance, only three match days were organised last season.

“The dilemma we’re faced with is absolutely unjust,” said all-rounder Poppy McGeown, who played 27 matches for France. “In France there are very few opportunities to play … either you shut your mouth and play cricket, or you decide to take a more ethical approach and speak up to condemn things that you find unfair or illegal, and that comes with being kicked out of the team.”

“You have to choose between the sport you love and the values you hold dear. So for two years I closed my eyes, and I’m not particularly proud of it,” she said.

Armas said she also turned a blind eye.

“I was egotistical,” she said. “I wanted to play, so yes, I did close my eyes on some things. I have to say thank you to all those girls who didn’t.”

More evidence of ‘ghost matches’ 

The women’s first- and second-division tournaments have disappeared from France Cricket’s plans for this year, replaced by a “France Women’s Cup” featuring 10 teams due to kick off this Saturday, April 13.

Out of the four first-division teams from last year, only Lille Cricket Club and Paris Université Club are slated to participate, with Nantes Cricket Club not renewing its affiliation with France Cricket in the wake of the scandal and Lisses Cricket Club planning to do the same for its women’s team.

The other eight clubs include seven from last year’s Division Two, which was the subject of November’s FRANCE 24 report.

Since its publication, more evidence of irregularities in this division has come to light.

On April 16, six Division Two matches were scheduled to take place on Chantilly cricket ground. All six were subsequently rubber-stamped as having taken place by France Cricket’s sporting commission.

Edward Hoyle, captain of Chantilly Cricket Club, said he arrived just before 2pm to renovate the wicket, only to be told a women’s match was about to start.

“That match did take place, but it was all over in 20 minutes. That’s 10 minutes an innings,” recalled Hoyle. “Whether that constitutes a match or not, I don’t know.”

Once the short match was over, Hoyle proceeded to strip and relay the wicket, a process that took several hours.

It is clear that the fourth, fifth and sixth matches did not happen at the time and place for which they were certified.

In its response to FRANCE 24’s November report on women’s ghost matches, France Cricket said “the results shown on its website are those communicated via the match reports handed in by the umpires at the end of each match”.

The chair of one of the clubs that was responsible for umpiring on April 16 denied his club was involved in matches that did not actually take place. He said he had delegated responsibility for the women’s team to the club captain and wasn’t aware of specific events that day.

When asked how his club planned to field a women's team this year, he acknowledged it would be a challenge. “We have women’s teams, but they’re students – you have to organise it during school holidays. It’s a bit difficult.”

France Cricket did not respond to a request for comment.

On November 16, Nantes Cricket Club sent a request to state prosecutors and police asking for an investigation into alleged fraudulent activity by the association.

In April 2022, the Versailles public prosecutor dismissed defamation charges brought by France Cricket against Hoyle, which he said were brought after he wrote a letter to clubs criticising the organisation.

“The ICC has investigated the allegations in relation to France Cricket and are satisfied that the issue is now closed,” a spokesperson for the sport's global administrator told Alison Mitchell of the BBC’s "Stumped" podcast. “Each Member is wholly responsible for the participation data that is submitted per the census and accuracy of these records remains of utmost importance and are audited by the ICC.”

From New Caledonia with cricketers

During a meeting with the France Cricket board while she was head of the women’s commission, Armas recalled pushing for a recognition of the reality on the ground. “Come on, among us we can admit it,” she said. “There are only four women’s teams in cricket. We know there are only four teams in Division One, and Division Two is fake.”

In response, she recalled, “I was almost insulted. Like, ‘How can you say this?’ I got shut down badly.”

She also remembered conversations with Durairaj in which he shared his conviction that the way to develop women’s cricket in France was not via domestic competitions, but “to have a strong national team”.

But now, France Cricket must assemble an entirely new one – notably ahead of another ECN tournament in December to which France has been invited, according to one source, but not confirmed by ECN.

The governing body emailed clubs on January 16 asking for candidates for both national teams, but none of the previous women’s squad who spoke to FRANCE 24 have put their names forward.

One avenue that France Cricket is exploring to bolster its women’s team lies far from the French mainland, in New Caledonia. A traditional form of cricket, played mostly by indigenous Kanak women, has been popular in the French overseas territory since the sport was introduced by English missionaries.

France Cricket chairman Prebagarane Balane visited the southwest Pacific islands in March, accompanied by Durairaj, where he signed an agreement with New Caledonia’s sports minister Mickaël Forrest and cricket committee head Jean-Marc Ihily. The deal obliges the committee to register all of its players with France Cricket by August 31, which could add some 3,000 to the 1,800 players that the association currently claims are on its books.

It also grants France Cricket the right to call up players in New Caledonia for the French national team, but not if they play the non-standard form of the game.

On March 30, at France Cricket’s annual general meeting at their office in Saint-Maurice near Paris, Balane was joined by Ihily in person to announce plans for a women’s tournament in Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia, this September. Balane stressed the importance of recruitment ahead of the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup in India.

Marchello-Nizia said that two years ago, Durairaj told her about looking to New Caledonia for potential women’s national team players. “Things might have accelerated, given recent developments,” she said.

Death of a national team?

Asked if the current national team was dead, Britton was equivocal. “The team obviously doesn't stop with us. But as far as the players are concerned, I feel like we've been asked not to come back.”

McGeown lamented the state of French cricket. “When you have the honour and pride of playing for your country, no matter what the sport, it’s a huge motivator. And now we’ve lost it because we’re not ready to play as part of this system.”

[sportwizbynavneetoberoi]

BCCI’s Lollipop to the IOC - Turning Cricket into a Global Sport

Cricket, a sport with a staggering fan base of 2.5 billion people worldwide (According to Sport Pledge) is making significant strides towards Olympic inclusion. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been actively pushing for cricket's inclusion in the Olympic Games, with the ambition to debut at the LA28 Games. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), led by Jay Shah, has played a pivotal role in this endeavor. The Sportwiz explores the journey of cricket towards becoming a global sport, driven by the aspirations of the ICC and the strategic efforts of the BCCI.

source - IOC

Cricket has been making notable appearances in various multi-sport events, such as the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 and the Asian Games in 2010, 2014, and the upcoming 2023 edition in Hangzhou, Even this years African Games hosted in Ghana will consist of cricket where it will be played in the T20 format. These inclusions highlight the growing recognition and acceptance of cricket as a global sport.

source - ICC

The question arises: Does the Olympics need cricket, or does cricket need the Olympics? Cricket's immense popularity, with a fan base of 2.5 billion people and its status as the second most-watched sport globally, demonstrates the sport's strength and appeal. However, Olympic inclusion would provide an unparalleled platform for cricket to reach new audiences and further boost its global recognition.

source - business today

The ICC's bid for Olympic inclusion emphasized the massive viewership cricket attracts. The 2022 T20 World Cup garnered a staggering 1.2 billion unique viewers globally. Additionally, the 2020 Women's World Cup saw 89 million viewers tuning in, showcasing the increasing popularity of women's cricket. These statistics exemplify cricket's potential as a major draw for broadcasters, sponsors, and fans alike.

India's significance as a cricket powerhouse cannot be overlooked. The country accounts for a substantial portion of cricket's global viewership, with 76% of the 113.5 million viewing hours recorded during major tournaments coming from India. The BCCI, backed by India's massive cricket market, has offered the International Olympic Committee (IOC) a chance to tap into this unique viewership, potentially elevating the Olympic Games' viewership in the Indian subcontinent.

source - InsideSport.in

The BCCI's main revenue stream, broadcasting rights, presents a compelling proposition for the IOC. Currently held by JIO and Viacom 18 for $31 million, these rights contribute to the ongoing profits of the Olympics. If cricket is included in the Olympics, the ICC estimates potential revenue of $130-260 million. These figures highlight the financial gains that could be achieved through cricket's Olympic participation.

The number $31 million USD is larger than the previous years in terms of Olympics in India but if we compare it to a similar number showcasing the money that’s involved in cricket, in the next financial cycle of the BCCI the Pakistan Cricket board ( PCB ) who hold a share of 5.75% is approximately valued at $34.5 million USD.

PCB Chairperson Mr Najam Sethi

source - The Express Tribune

Cricket's economic value has witnessed a remarkable surge, as evidenced by the 300% increase in media rights value for ICC and IPL. The media rights for ICC and IPL soared from ₹16,347 crores to a staggering ₹48,390 crores. This exponential growth further solidifies cricket's position as a lucrative sporting asset.

source - Sportskeeda

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) now ranked as the second most valued sporting league globally, cricket's future looks promising. The IPL's substantial viewership of 380 million domestic TV viewers in the 2021 season and cumulative viewership of 383 billion minutes for the 2020 campaign across TV and digital platforms indicate cricket's enormous potential according to Jay Shah. As cricket continues to captivate audiences, its inclusion in the Olympics could propel the sport to new heights.

The bid to include cricket in the Olympics is anticipated to be decided in the final session of the IOC, scheduled to take place in Mumbai in October. Brisbane 2032 Olympics presents a realistic opportunity for cricket's inclusion, given Australia's cricketing heritage. Surprisingly, Los Angeles may also be a potential host, thanks to the approval of the bid by former Mayor Eric Garcetti, now the US Ambassador to India, fostering stronger relations between India and the USA.

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah ( left ) with US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti ( right )

Source - @USAmbIndia/Twitter

Cricket's journey towards becoming a global sport is gaining momentum, with the ICC and BCCI leading the way. The sport's immense viewership, economic value, and potential for growth make it an attractive addition to the Olympic Games. As the IOC contemplates cricket's inclusion, the world awaits a decision that could redefine the sport and pave the way for a future where cricket becomes truly global.

By Navneet Oberoi

Sources -

ICC

The Economic Times

Espncricinfo

Sports Pro Media

The Guardian

Crictracker

Sawera Pasha

[pct-zindabad]

Pakistan’s Babar Azam in T20I

When Babar Azam takes the field on Friday, 14 April for the match against New Zealand, he will become the third Pakistan player to feature in 100 Men's T20Is

Shoaib Malik (123) and Mohammad Hafeez (119) are the two other Pakistan players to reach this milestone in men's T20Is.

The level-headed Pakistan captain is well known for his flamboyant batting style and along with Mohammad Rizwan forms an intimidating opening pair in T20Is.

As we celebrate his 100 T20Is, let's have a look at some of Babar's top innings in the format.

122 off 59 v South Africa, Centurion, 2021 — Babar and Rizwan are a force to reckon with. While Rizwan plays the role of an aggressor more often, there have been times when Babar has blown away the opposition with his explosive shots. The third T20I against South Africa in 2021 was one such example.

Chasing a formidable 204, Babar took the lead almost right from the start. After taking a couple of overs to adjust, he started pummelling the bowlers all over the park. His 50 came in just 27 balls and he accelerated after that with aplomb. He ended up with 122 off just 59 deliveries but unfortunately was dismissed with Pakistan needing just 7 to win, nevertheless having brought his side to the brink of victory. Pakistan then chased the total with two overs to spare. It was also Babar's first century in the format.

110* off 66 v England, Karachi, 2022 — Babar's second T20I century was no less impressive and this time it came at home. After losing the first T20I, Pakistan needed to hit back. England batted first and scored 199/5. Chasing another 200 score was not going to be easy but both Babar and Rizwan were in a different mood altogether. Babar, in particular, led the charge, smashing 110* off just 66 deliveries as Pakistan registered a 10-wicket victory over England. It was Babar who hit the winning runs, an inside-out four through covers celebrating a dominating win.

97* off 58 v West Indies, Karachi, 2018 — Babar's first Karachi masterclass came in 2018, four years before his hundred; an almost century innings against West Indies at home. Batting first, Pakistan lost Fakhar Zaman early, who had opened the innings with Babar. The 24-year-old Babar Azam had only hit three fifty-plus scores in his career then and came close to scaling three figures when he took on the Windies bowling attack single-handedly. Pairing with Hussain Talat at No.3, Babar hit 13 fours and a six on his way to 97* off 58 deliveries. Pakistan put up a huge total of 205/3 and defended it easily with their strong bowling attack.

79* off 53 v New Zealand, Christchurch, 2022 — Babar's 79* was not in an high-scoring encounter but a low-scoring chase against New Zealand's celebrated bowling attack in their own backyard. The Pakistan bowlers had done their job keeping the Black Caps down to 147/8 in their 20 overs. But the hosts were not going down without a fight. They removed Rizwan early and crippled Pakistan further with a second wicket, leaving them at 37/2 in the sixth over. But Babar kept going. He rebuilt the Pakistan innings, first patiently stabilizing them, then pouncing on the bad balls to put them away. He formed crucial partnerships with the middle order and though New Zealand got a couple of more wickets, they had no answer to Babar. The Pakistan captain remained not out as the visitors claimed a six-wicket victory in the 19th over.

68* off 52 v India, Dubai, 2021 — The famous ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 match. While there were many heroes in the game, Babar's contribution to it cannot be forgotten. After India were restricted to 151/7, Pakistan went all out with the bat to bamboozle the Indian bowlers. Rizwan was sensational and Babar played the perfect fiddle for him. Both batters complemented each other and pummelled the Indian attack without any rest. Babar hit the winning runs helping Pakistan to their first victory over India in the history of the tournament.

[redeyedroid]

Scots generally don't go much for cricket. Which I find odd, considering how consistently terrible England have been for most of my life. If there's one thing that brings the people of Scotland together, it's England losing at sport.

Cricket's eccentric as hell; the objectives often incomprehensible and bizarre, even to people who follow the game; it's impenetrable terminology has multiple ways of labeling the same things; the simple idea of who is winning and who is losing may be undiscernable for days; it can go on for five days and still end in a draw and they only decided to end matches like that because once, decades ago, a test match went on so long one team risked missing their boat back home; a series of five or more matches can go on for months; people are forced to keep playing long after the result has been decided; bowling and batting require completely different skills and techniques, yet some players master both; it's greatest trophy, The Ashes, is only contested by two nations and is, essentially, a self-deprecating shitpost; and one of the greatest memes of all time originates from a dropped catch in 2019.

But, because the people of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka love it like nothing else, it is the second most popular sport in the world. And I love it, too. Be it Mitchell Starc clean bowling Rory Burns with the first ball of the 2021/22 Ashes, beginning a series of quite staggering English ineptitude; or Virat Kohli, the greatest batter of this generation, hitting back-to-back sixes off Haris Rauf in front of 95,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground while leading India to an extraordinary win against Pakistan at the 2022 T20 World Cup, cricket offers dramatic moments of brilliance with a regularity other sports struggle to match.

If you want an idea of exactly how popular cricket is in India, Kohli has 60 million more instagram followers than Brady, Serena and LeBron combined. His is the 16th most followed account in the world. The only sports stars with larger followings are Messi and Ronaldo. Like the greatest players in any sport, time appears to slow down around him when he's at his best, his balance and timing perfect as he makes an almost impossible task look like the easiest thing in the world (batters have a fraction of a second to react to a ball being bowled at them. Against the fastest bowlers, they might not even be able to see the ball at all, instead relying on triggers and clues and experience to hit it.)

I picked up a love for cricket from my dad, who himself picked it up one rainy summer afternoon (what do you think happens in summer in Scotland?) when he was young and there were only two TV channels. He loves the great West Indian team of the 1970s and 80s like no other. They're probably his favourite thing in sporting history. A found love, rather than the familial support for Hibs he inherited from his father.

(For that, I'd recommend the excellent documentary, Fire In Babylon. No knowledge is needed, beyond that in cricket, unlike baseball, there is no restriction against a bowler aiming at the batter's body. And the West Indian team had a succession of players who bowled at the speed of light and terrorised batters across the world. They also had, in Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards, the two great batters of the - possibly any - era).

I missed much of their quarter century of dominance, being too young or not actually alive, but I do remember their last great bowlers, Courtney Walsh and Curtley Ambrose, while the great Trinidadian, Brian Lara, twice set records for the highest individual score in test cricket, first scoring 375, then an unbeaten 400, a record that still stands today and which may now never be bettered. Of course, both those scores came against England.

There was a lot of listening to cricket on the radio, driving places when we were on holiday in the summer. It was a summer sport then, coverage only following teams when they came to England. In the winter, when England went away, we got little, for this was the age before wall-to-wall sports TV.

For instance, I remember bits of Australia's 1993 Ashes rampage coinciding with daytrips along Hadrian's Wall, among other places, but I have no memory of the following, equally one-sided series in Australia in 1994/95.

Not that test cricket is at all rampageous, containing, as it does, breaks for lunch and tea, and even at it's most fast paced only has a ball bowled every 45 seconds or so, this being repeated about 500 times a day, with maybe 1 in 4 actually being scored from. You can miss great chunks of matches only to find nothing has fundamentally changed when you return. One man dressed in white hurls a small red ball at another, who most often declines the opportunity to hit it as it whizzes past. It is often as close to being a day-long nap as any sport can be.

Today, like football, the sport is played everywhere, all the time. The South Asian nations have spread it across the world, far beyond the borders of the British imperial possessions where the colonial administrators introduced it. Wherever there is a strong community of people from the subcontinent, cricket will be found and while there are less than a dozen full members of the ICC, there are now lots of associate members all competing against each other (the USA is the 18th-ranked men's ODI team, for example). There's almost always something to watch somewhere.

Powered by TV money (rights for the Indian Premier league are, on a per-game basis, now the second most expensive sporting event in the world, after the NFL) the compressed, high-scoring excitement of T20 has become the most popular format of cricket, which is bad for me. Because my preference is for the full-fat, slow-motion weirdness of a test match. It's what I grew up with and in my mind, the game is not for the swift. There's a reason they're called tests. The game should be an examination of technique and concentration and endurance that lasts for ages and ends with two poor bastards trying to scratch out a draw by batting for a day and a half because their side trails by 450 runs and the other 9 players on their team are idiots who got out in ridiculous ways. And then, after they inevitably fail, they do it again a week later. And maybe they lose horribly two more times and their team finds itself 3-0 down with two matches to play, but those matches still get played, even though they won't change the result of the series, because that's also part of the test. Or maybe it rains all summer and no matches are played, because the English, with maniac optimism, like to invent games that cannot be played if it's raining (see also: tennis).

I recognise that this is churlish of me. The women's game, like in so many other sports a niche afterthought, is being supercharged by an influx of cash from India, as the men's IPL has this year expanded into a women's tournament. The TV rights for this sold for £95m, the 5 franchises sold for half a billion. The top players - most players, probably - will make more from it than they do for the rest of the year. T20 is an extraordinary boost for the women's game, where tests are rarely played.

This is A Very Good Thing, but I'll always prefer tests.

Only three nations now have the economic power and talent pool to devote equal attention to all three formats of the game. Only England, India and Australia still play full test series against each other. The rest now play two- or maybe three-match series and only occasionally. The form the future of the game will take is in doubt. The West Indies might fracture amidst a proliferation of T20 franchise leagues, their players - naturally and understandably - touring the world and playing in half-a-dozen dozen leagues, their talents auctioned and drafted and paid far more than they get from tests.

But today I'm going to ignore the question marks about cricket's future and the maybe slow death of anything other than T20. Because today, one of the last remaining marquee matchups begins. Tomorrow, the women's T20 World Cup starts in South Africa. In a couple of months I will consume as much of the two IPLs as I can. In the summer, England will host Ashes series for both men and women that promise much. Australia's men currently holds the ridiculous little urn and are the top ranked side. England's men are actually very good right now and have many fine and likeable players, and a part of me finds that very irritating. Either or neither could win. For the other, England's women are also good, but Australia's are much gooder (for real. Ellyse Perry should be counted among the greatest female sports stars of all time. A world class bowler and batter, she has represented Australia at World Cups in both cricket and football).

All that is for tomorrow and beyond. Today, Australia's men begin a 4-match test series in India. India will probably win. It is incredibly hard to win anywhere as a touring team because weather and pitches vary a great deal from country to country and strongly favour the home team, no matter how lowly they are ranked. The West Indies comfortably beat England last year, and Australia struggled to a draw in Sri Lanka. And of all the places to tour, India is the hardest place to win of all. A series win in India is a rare and treasured thing.

The problem with touring India are the pitches. They are slow and dusty and - like most subcontinental tracks - favour the arcane arts of spin bowling, where a bowler uses his fingers or wrist to put spin on the ball in the hope that when it hits the pitch it grips and it's trajectory changes, deceiving the batter. Pitches are prepared to take advantage of this and push India's home field advantage as much as possible. Teams who play warm-up matches before tests in the hope of acclimatising will find placid, grassy pitches that offer not a hint of the demonic conditions the test series will likely bring. Cricket has never been a gentleman's game.

Australia have one, very very good spin bowler in Nathan Lyon and a number who are either untested or not good. They are likely to suffer against Indian batters who have known how to play spin since picking up a bat. India have Ravichandran Ashwin, also a very very good spinner, but in Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav they have several who are merely very good and likely to prosper against Australian batters who are less good away from Australia (Jadeja, injured for most of the last 6 months is arguably the best all-rounder in men's cricket today. A prodigiously talented bowler and batter, he is also among the best fielders in the men's game).

Australia have barely toured anywhere since the pandemic began, but their team has played very well at home and their glitchy batting goblins Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith are incredibly good. I have hope they make the series competitive (though for me, their approaches to batting are too angularly idiosyncratic compared to the gloriously pure techniques of Kohli and Babar Azam of Pakistan). But I also hope that Kohli finds form and has a series for the ages.

The man's due.

PS Old Deadspin did a decent primer on cricket years ago and you can still read it, if you don't mind giving the site clicks...

[shreyash-hexa]

The Excitement of WTC 2024-25: A New Era for Test Cricket! 🏏🔥

The World Test Championship (WTC) 2024-25 is just around the corner, and cricket fans across the globe are brimming with excitement! The prestigious competition has completely changed the landscape of Test cricket, bringing new energy to the longest format of the game. With a fresh batch of thrilling rivalries, new players emerging as key contenders, and the race to qualify intensifying, the WTC 2024-25 promises to be an unforgettable cricketing journey.

As we gear up for the next cycle of this incredible competition, let’s dive into what makes the WTC 2024-25 such a significant chapter in Test cricket history. 🌍🏆

What is the World Test Championship? 🤔

Before we get into the upcoming 2024-25 season, let’s quickly recap what the World Test Championship (WTC) is all about. Launched in 2019 by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the WTC was created to bring context and excitement to Test cricket, which, at times, can be overshadowed by shorter formats like ODIs and T20s. The championship aims to crown the world’s best Test team every two years, creating a series of high-stakes matches that stretch across multiple continents. 🌏🌟

The first cycle of the WTC (2019-2021) was a massive success. The final between New Zealand and India at Lord’s in June 2021 captivated millions of cricket fans. New Zealand, under the calm leadership of Kane Williamson, emerged victorious, becoming the first-ever WTC champions. 🏅👏

What’s New in the WTC 2024-25? 🌟

With the thrilling conclusion of the first WTC cycle, we now look ahead to the 2024-2025 cycle. The format remains largely the same, but there are some exciting new dynamics that will make the upcoming season even more interesting:

1. New Teams, New Rivalries 🤩

One of the most exciting aspects of the WTC 2024-25 is the emergence of new rivalries and the rise of new teams in Test cricket. While traditional powerhouses like India, Australia, and England remain favorites, nations like Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Pakistan are also looking to shake up the competition. 🏏💥

Australia, the defending champions, is looking to continue their dominant form, with players like Pat Cummins and David Warner leading the charge.

India, with their rock-solid squad and deep pool of talent, are determined to make a comeback after their heartbreak in the previous cycle. The Virat Kohli-led team has the skill and hunger to rise to the top again. 💪

England, who have had an up-and-down journey in the past, are on the rise, thanks to their youthful aggression and new coaching philosophies. Under Ben Stokes’ leadership, they could be a real threat! ⚡

But what’s most thrilling about the WTC 2024-25 is the underdog story. Nations like West Indies, New Zealand, and even Bangladesh have the potential to surprise the world with their performances. 👀⚡

2. Race for the Final 🚀

Just like the previous cycle, only the top two teams at the end of the league stage will make it to the WTC Final. And the battle for those two coveted spots will be fierce! Teams will play against each other in a series of bilateral series and tournaments over the next two years. 🏆

The point system will once again be crucial: teams gain points based on match wins and the series outcome. While Test matches will take center stage, every series will matter in the race to qualify for the grand finale at The Oval in 2025. 💫🌟

3. Match Venues and Conditions 🏟️🌍

The beauty of the WTC lies in the diversity of match venues. Matches are spread across different countries, with varied pitches, weather conditions, and playing styles. Teams will have to adapt to the unique challenges presented by different conditions, whether it’s the spinning tracks of India, the bouncy wickets in Australia, or the swinging conditions in England. 🌦️

This variation makes the WTC even more exciting because teams are constantly pushed out of their comfort zones. India will have to overcome their own struggles on overseas soil, while England will be tested when they travel to subcontinent conditions. 🏏🔥

4. The Evolution of Test Cricket 🌱

What makes the WTC 2024-25 particularly thrilling is the way Test cricket is evolving. Modern-day Test cricket is seeing more aggressive play, with teams playing a more attacking brand of cricket than ever before. The introduction of new rules (like the over-rate penalty) and innovations such as the pink ball has sparked a new wave of interest. 🌟

The arrival of players like Marnus Labuschagne, Shubman Gill, and Kyle Jamieson is a testament to how Test cricket is evolving, blending classical techniques with modern flair. These young stars are changing the way Test cricket is played, and we can expect more dynamic performances in the 2024-25 season. 🚀👊

Players to Watch in WTC 2024-25 🔥

The WTC 2024-25 will undoubtedly feature some outstanding individual performances. Here are a few players to keep an eye on:

1. Pat Cummins (Australia) 🇦🇺

As the captain of Australia, Pat Cummins is one of the best fast bowlers in the world. With his leadership, Australia will be looking to defend their WTC title, and Cummins’ ability to lead from the front, both with the ball and as a captain, will be pivotal. 🔥🎯

2. Joe Root (England) 🏴‍☠️

Joe Root has been a stalwart for England in Test cricket for years. His ability to adapt to various conditions and his consistency with the bat makes him a player to watch in the 2024-25 cycle. Expect Root to play a key role in England’s quest for the WTC final. 💥

3. Rishabh Pant (India) 🇮🇳

The fearless wicketkeeper-batsman, Rishabh Pant, is one of the most exciting talents in world cricket. With his ability to turn matches around in a single session, Pant will be key to India’s hopes in the WTC 2024-25. 🔥

4. Kane Williamson (New Zealand) 🇳🇿

Kane Williamson is a master of patience and technique. The calm leader of the Black Caps led New Zealand to the WTC 2019-2021 final victory, and his experience will be crucial as New Zealand aims for a repeat performance in the next cycle. 🏆

5. Babar Azam (Pakistan) 🇵🇰

Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, is a brilliant batter and an astute leader. His consistency with the bat and his leadership will be critical for Pakistan’s bid to make it to the top two in the WTC 2024-25. 💪

Why the WTC 2024-25 is More Than Just Cricket 🎉

While the WTC 2024-25 will bring epic battles and thrilling moments on the field, it also represents a bigger story for the future of Test cricket. The championship continues to generate immense global interest and brings fans from different countries together. The drama, the rivalries, and the passion on display make the WTC more than just a cricket tournament—it’s a global celebration of the game. 🌏🎉

As the competition progresses, fans can look forward to more iconic moments and new rivalries that will keep us on the edge of our seats. From stunning individual performances to incredible team comebacks, the WTC 2024-25 will give us a lot to talk about. 🏏💥

Final Thoughts 🚀

The WTC 2024-25 is poised to be one of the most exciting cycles of Test cricket ever. With fresh rivalries, intense competition, and the sheer unpredictability of the sport, it promises to capture the hearts of cricket fans worldwide. As the race for the top two spots intensifies, every match will matter, and every series will count in the journey to the WTC Final.

As fans, we’re in for an incredible ride—so buckle up and get ready to witness the magic of Test cricket in the WTC 2024-25! 🎉🏆

For those interested in expert software development and services, Hexadecimal Software is a leading provider in the field. Whether you need custom software solutions or ongoing tech support, Hexadecimal Software has you covered with cutting-edge technology and expert services. 🌐💻

Stay updated with the latest trends and innovations in software development by visiting Hexadecimal Software’s Blog. From in-depth articles to industry insights, it’s a must-read for anyone interested in the digital world! 🚀📱

This blog post is your gateway to all the action, emotion, and drama surrounding the WTC 2024-25. Get ready, the cricketing world is about to light up! ✨

[trendingnews19]

One of Australia's T20I middle-order mainstays Marcus Stoinis says the BBL should revisit the rules around the shortened powerplay and power surge as he believes it is detrimental to developing middle-order T20 batters.The new Melbourne Stars captain is uniquely qualified on the subject having become an outstanding middle-order T20I batter for Australia and a highly sought-after player for that role in franchise cricket around the world, including the IPL, after making his name as an opener in the BBL.Stoinis, 35, was a key match-winner at No. 5 and 6 in Australia's 2021 T20 World Cup triumph and was one of the best performed batters at the most recent T20 World Cups for Australia in 2022 and 2024. But Australia's middle-order was a weak-point overall in the 2024 edition, compared to 2021, as they failed in two chases against Afghanistan and India and missed the semi-finals.On Thursday he was asked if there was a rule within the BBL he would like changed and Stoinis diplomatically suggested the surge should be revisited."I usually steer clear from this sort of stuff," Stoinis said. "But I think, personally, if we're building towards our Australian T20 team being as good as it can, I think having the surge and shorter powerplay at the start. I think that sort of makes it hard for middle-order batters in the Big Bash to push a case for international cricket, and to learn the way to play through those middle-overs in international cricket."I understand why they've done it, and I understand the entertainment aspect, but I think it's probably a question that needs to be spoken about."The surge was designed to create a different dynamic in the second half of the innings, with the standard six-over powerplay reduced to four overs at the start and two surge overs, with just two men allowed outside the circle, to be used any time after the 10-over mark of the innings.It has been a hit with fans, but the issue from an international standpoint is that middle-order/death batting in T20I and IPL cricket has become a power game with specialists needed to score at well in-excess of 10 runs per over with five men out. The surge has allowed less powerful middle-order players to face 12 deliveries against an older ball with just two men out.Jordan Silk is someone who has had a significant role in the power surge•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesPlayers have been able to find the boundary more freely without needing to clear the men on the fence, like they would in international cricket. International middle-order batting is even harder in Australia compared to overseas because of the size of the grounds. But the surge lessens that challenge in the BBL.The leading runscorer in the power surge since it was introduced has been Jordan Silk, scoring 233 runs off 139 balls. But he has struck just three sixes off those 139 balls, instead finding the rope 31 times and also scoring three threes, which are incredibly rare in T20 cricket. Stoinis smashed five sixes in his most recent T20I innings in Australia, when he scored 61 not out off 27 balls against Pakistan, with all five sixes being struck while Pakistan had five men on the rope.The BBL has been flexible with the rules and open to feedback. The competition leadership was happy to abandon both the X-Factor and Bash Boost as it was felt neither were having the impact they were initially designed to have.But the surge has remained as it has been a hit with fans and broadcasters. The BBL are adding to the entertainment factor this year both inside the stadium and on the broadcast after success during the WBBL, with young kids involved in hitting a 'Surge button' at the venue to light-up the stadium and announce the surge overs. There has not been a discussion within the BBL to have the surge reviewed at the moment.Stoinis' sentiment highlights the ongoing push and pull between the 'entertainment' of the BBL and the development of Australia's domestic talent for international cricket.Australia's selectors and coaching staff are already looking to regenerate the T20I side ahead of the 2026 after long-time No. 7 Matthew Wade and opener David Warner retired at the end of the last World Cup. Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell, 36, could well be involved in the 2026 World Cup but will almost certainly not play beyond that.The middle-order axis of Maxwell, Stoinis, Tim David and Wade, which has been the bedrock of Australia's T20I side at the last two World Cups, will need to be completely reshaped in the near future. In the case of Stoinis and Wade, both men developed their middle-overs and death batting skills at T20I level or in franchise cricket overseas in part because of how they were used by their BBL sides.But there is a concern the surge isn't helping the next generation of players, like Aaron Hardie, get true middle-over experience at BBL level with five men out, with Hardie scoring 109 runs from 55 balls in the surge for just two dismissals.Alex Malcolm is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] Rohit Sharma in action in the nets (PC: Debasis Sen) For a cricket team, there are few dilemmas greater than when a captain is out of form. There have been rare exceptions in the game’s history, like England’s Mike Brearley, who were picked for their leadership nous alone, but by and large, a struggling captain can lead to an uncomfortable dressing room. In Rohit Sharma’s case, he wasn’t part of the epic Test win in Perth, one of the finest in India’s history. But now, as we head into the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, he will return. Where does he play, and can he break out of a lean trot that has seen him accumulate a miserable 133 runs in his last ten innings? Rohit has played more than half his innings, and scored nine of his 12 centuries, while opening the batting. But after Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul put on 201 in the second innings at the Optus Stadium to set the match up for India, it’s unthinkable that they will be separated in Adelaide. In the early part of his career, Rohit was a middle-order batter, and such is Australia’s wariness of Rishabh Pant’s game-changing qualities that it might make sense for Rohit to slot in at No. 6, behind the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter. He averages more at No. 6 (54.57) than at any other position, and has scored his other three hundreds there. Against a softening pink ball that has lost its sheen, he could well take a heavy toll. It certainly seems a more sensible option that exposing him to a new pink ball that will zip around, especially under lights. The worry for India is that Rohit has seldom excelled away from home. There was a marvellous 127 at The Oval in 2021 and a century in Dominica last year, but each of his other hundreds has come at home. An away average in the low 30s is indicative of his struggles. In 30 innings across Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, he has a highest score of 72. A comparison with a Mumbai stalwart of another era is especially instructive. Ravi Shastri was Rohit’s coach when he established himself as India’s Test opener, and they have fairly similar numbers. Shastri’s average of 35.79 was lower, but he made 11 centuries in 121 innings. More importantly, he had a nose for the big occasion, scoring a double-century in Sydney and two hundreds apiece in Pakistan and West Indies, then the most forbidding tours of all. Anyone who has witnessed Rohit’s full repertoire of strokes knows that talent is not the issue. Application and discipline can be. Let’s not forget too that Rohit scored two Test hundreds earlier this year against England, in Rajkot and Dharamsala. The problem is that he has been dismissed for 20 or less in 12 of his 20 completed red-ball innings in 2024. After leading the team to a World Cup final and then to T20 World Cup glory, no one is about to quibble about Rohit’s leadership credentials. But with Shubman Gill to come back into the team and other talented youngsters on the periphery, the captain needs runs. A generation ago, Sourav Ganguly answered innumerable queries about his short-ball frailties with perhaps his finest Test innings of all, at the Gabba in Brisbane. Rohit needs to find a similar riposte in Adelaide, even if it doesn’t come at the top of the order.  Also read:  With Australia under pressure to make a comeback in the Adelaide Test, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and Travis Head hit the nets on Monday#PinkBallTest #AustraliavsIndia @CricSubhayan https://t.co/lCHNPpJUlS — RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) December 2, 2024 For more sports content : RevSportz The post Rohit Sharma needs to reprise Ganguly at the Gabba, for himself and the team appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] Rohit Sharma in action in the nets (PC: Debasis Sen) For a cricket team, there are few dilemmas greater than when a captain is out of form. There have been rare exceptions in the game’s history, like England’s Mike Brearley, who were picked for their leadership nous alone, but by and large, a struggling captain can lead to an uncomfortable dressing room. In Rohit Sharma’s case, he wasn’t part of the epic Test win in Perth, one of the finest in India��s history. But now, as we head into the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, he will return. Where does he play, and can he break out of a lean trot that has seen him accumulate a miserable 133 runs in his last ten innings? Rohit has played more than half his innings, and scored nine of his 12 centuries, while opening the batting. But after Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul put on 201 in the second innings at the Optus Stadium to set the match up for India, it’s unthinkable that they will be separated in Adelaide. In the early part of his career, Rohit was a middle-order batter, and such is Australia’s wariness of Rishabh Pant’s game-changing qualities that it might make sense for Rohit to slot in at No. 6, behind the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter. He averages more at No. 6 (54.57) than at any other position, and has scored his other three hundreds there. Against a softening pink ball that has lost its sheen, he could well take a heavy toll. It certainly seems a more sensible option that exposing him to a new pink ball that will zip around, especially under lights. The worry for India is that Rohit has seldom excelled away from home. There was a marvellous 127 at The Oval in 2021 and a century in Dominica last year, but each of his other hundreds has come at home. An away average in the low 30s is indicative of his struggles. In 30 innings across Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, he has a highest score of 72. A comparison with a Mumbai stalwart of another era is especially instructive. Ravi Shastri was Rohit’s coach when he established himself as India’s Test opener, and they have fairly similar numbers. Shastri’s average of 35.79 was lower, but he made 11 centuries in 121 innings. More importantly, he had a nose for the big occasion, scoring a double-century in Sydney and two hundreds apiece in Pakistan and West Indies, then the most forbidding tours of all. Anyone who has witnessed Rohit’s full repertoire of strokes knows that talent is not the issue. Application and discipline can be. Let’s not forget too that Rohit scored two Test hundreds earlier this year against England, in Rajkot and Dharamsala. The problem is that he has been dismissed for 20 or less in 12 of his 20 completed red-ball innings in 2024. After leading the team to a World Cup final and then to T20 World Cup glory, no one is about to quibble about Rohit’s leadership credentials. But with Shubman Gill to come back into the team and other talented youngsters on the periphery, the captain needs runs. A generation ago, Sourav Ganguly answered innumerable queries about his short-ball frailties with perhaps his finest Test innings of all, at the Gabba in Brisbane. Rohit needs to find a similar riposte in Adelaide, even if it doesn’t come at the top of the order.  Also read:  With Australia under pressure to make a comeback in the Adelaide Test, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and Travis Head hit the nets on Monday#PinkBallTest #AustraliavsIndia @CricSubhayan https://t.co/lCHNPpJUlS — RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) December 2, 2024 For more sports content : RevSportz The post Rohit Sharma needs to reprise Ganguly at the Gabba, for himself and the team appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[cricketbazaar]

The Best All-Rounder In The World Right Now

The fundamental principles of sports include giving it your all, pushing yourself to become a better version of yourself, and continuously cheering your team on to success. In cricket, in particular, scoring runs is equally as important as defending a cricket score. On a good day, a bowler may devastate the opposition's batting lineup with a single stroke, while a batsman can overwhelm the bowling assault and record a massive total. To change the course of the game, a talented fielder may also unpredictably induce a runout or make an amazing catch. On the other hand, a great cricket all-rounder who can do all duties to the highest quality is created when you combine the abilities of a fielder, bowler, and batter. In cricket, a player who always gives the team their best effort is known as an all-rounder. An all-around player is the best asset a team can have. Whether it's taking crucial wickets or scoring those crucial runs to aid the team in winning, an all-around cricket team's performance on the field is determined by the quality of its players.

Leading Candidates for the Best All-Rounder In The World Currently

These days, some of the most valued players in cricket are all-rounders who can play all three formats as a bowler and batsman. They are unquestionably the rarest treasures in contemporary cricket. Players that play all three game forms and perform a range of responsibilities in modern international cricket must take extreme efforts to stay physically fit and prolong their careers due to the rigorous schedule. Let's examine some of the top all-round players of our era right now.

Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes, one of the best all-rounders in the world right now, is the most useful player for England in all three formats of the game. When bowling, the 31-year-old may end crucial partnerships. He bats and bowls as well. He is also capable of batting against the world's top bowling combinations. The term "Clutch-Player" has been used to describe Ben Stokes, a player who comes through for the team when they need him the most. In the 2021 T20 World Cup Final, the 2019 Headingley Test match against Australia, and the 2019 Cricket World Cup Final, he pulled his team from sticky situations. His international career still has a long way to go, as the stalwart is showing no sign of slowing down.

Ravindra Jadeja

Although Ravindra Jadeja was previously referred to as a "bits and pieces player," he has consistently shown his critics and haters that he is capable of contributing to a squad without always being the star. He was the first Indian bowler to top the ICC ODI bowling rankings since Anil Kumble in 2013, and he became the fastest left-arm bowler to reach 200 Test wickets in 2019. Currently, the veteran is the best all rounder in the world when it comes to Test cricket. Together with Ravichandran Ashwin, Jadeja has established himself as one of the Test team's all-time best spin bowlers, chipping away at hitters with remarkable accuracy and consistency. He has also become a better hitter, as seen by his recent performances, especially in white-ball cricket. In addition, he is one of the best fielders in the whole cricket globe and has a left arm that can be used like a slingshot.

Ravichandran Ashwin One of the most talented and cunning bowlers in cricket right now, Ravichandran Ashwin observes his opponents better than anybody else. Ashwin may be the Indian bowler who has taken the most Test wickets, given his impeccable Test career. So far, he has taken 527 wickets in the longest format of the sport. Furthermore, he has scored 3423 runs including 6 centuries. Moreover, four times in Test matches, Ashwin has taken a fifer and hit a century in the same game. He is only second to Ian Botham, the great English all-rounder who did it five times throughout his Test career.

[yoursukdeb-blog]

IPL 2021 PBKS vs KKR Player Battle IPL 2023 – PBKS vs KKR Player Battle – Dhawan’s Punjab Kings will play against Nitish Rana’s Kolkata Knight Riders in the fixture of Indian Premier League 2023. Punjab Kings Vs Kolkata Knight Riders rivalry The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most exciting and popular T20 cricket leagues in the world. With a perfect blend of international and domestic players, the IPL brings together the best of the best from around the world to showcase their skills on the field. And among the many rivalries that have emerged in the IPL over the years, the KKR and Punjab rivalry has been one of the most intense and thrilling. The KKR and Punjab rivalry dates back to the very first edition of the IPL in 2008. Both teams have a rich history in the tournament and have always been considered strong contenders for the title. KKR is a two-time champion, having won the IPL in 2012 and 2014, while Punjab has yet to win the trophy but has come close on a few occasions. One of the main reasons behind the intense rivalry between KKR and Punjab is the quality of cricket that both teams play. Both teams have some of the most talented players in the world, and their matches are always closely contested. The rivalry between the two teams has also been fueled by some dramatic and memorable moments on the field. Over the years, the KKR and Punjab rivalry has produced some of the most exciting matches in the IPL. Whether it’s the big-hitting of Chris Gayle or the spin wizardry of Sunil Narine, both teams have always brought their A-game to the field. And with both teams boasting some of the most passionate and loyal fans in the IPL, the rivalry between KKR and Punjab is always a highly anticipated affair. Looking ahead to the upcoming IPL season, both KKR and Punjab will be looking to get the better of each other once again. While KKR will be hoping to add a third trophy to their cabinet, Punjab will be eager to break their trophy drought and finally lift the IPL trophy. With the rivalry between the two teams stronger than ever, fans can expect another thrilling chapter in the KKR and Punjab rivalry in the IPL. In conclusion, the KKR and Punjab rivalry in the IPL has been one of the most intense and exciting rivalries in the history of the tournament. With both teams boasting some of the best players in the world, their matches are always closely contested, and their rivalry has produced some of the most memorable moments in the IPL. As we look ahead to the upcoming season, fans can expect another thrilling chapter in the KKR and Punjab rivalry in the IPL. Here’s a look at the Top Player Battles to watch out for in this IPL clash between PBKS and KKR : KL Rahul vs Pat Cummins IPL 2021 PBKS vs KKR Player Battle – KL Rahul vs Pat Cummins Punjab skipper KL Rahul won the orange cap in the last season. In this season also, he is performing consistently, but then also his team’s aggregate performance is not up to the mark. The only concern with Rahul’s batting, when the team was losing despite him performing well, was his conservative play. Pat Cummins will be challenging him in the match against KKR. Despite his expensive price, Cummins has not been able to prove his performance in bowling yet. He is not getting wickets according to his high status. His bowling is also not as economical as it should be. He is getting smashed for sixes by many players. For us, the winner will be KL Rahul in this player battle. Andre Russell vs Mohammad Shami IPL 2021 PBKS vs KKR Player Battle – Andre Russell vs Mohammad Shami Andre Russell, one of the most destructive hitter in IPL. Everyone is aware of power hitting skills of De Rus. In the match against CSK also, he has announced his arrival by his quick half century. Although, he was not able to win the match for his team, but he definitely have a hard fight. He will be facing the Indian fast bowler, Mohammad Shami, who has the ability to bowl quick. He must be confident of performing well having bowled brilliantly in the last few games.  Shami will surely look to test Russell with the short ball. Shami can also try his lethal yorker against the West Indian to catch him off-guard. For us, the winner will be Andre Russell in this player battle. Chris Gayle vs Varun Chakravarthy IPL 2021 PBKS vs KKR Player Battle – Chris Gayle vs Varun Chakravarthy Chris Gayle, the most entertaining and hard hitting batsman in the history of IPL. Gayle holds the record of highest individual score in an IPL innings. However he has aged a little bit more but his dedication to play is still at its peak. He is not showing any signs of slowing down. KKR will definitely use spinner Varun Chakravarthy to create some troubles for the PBKS batsman. Varun has the ability to take wickets with his slow and spin bowling and has tricked many big batsmen with his bowling. He can hold Gayle at a low score. For us, the winner will be Varun Chakravarthy in this player battle. Shubman Gill vs Arshdeep Singh IPL 2021 PBKS vs KKR Player Battle -Shubman Gill vs Arshdeep Singh It is clearly visible that Shubman Gill is struggling to score runs for KKR. One of the reasons behind the poor performance of KKR is failure of its opening pair and especially that of Gill. He has not scored a single good knock in IPL 2021 till now. He will be challenged by Arshdeep Singh in the match against PBKS. Shubman Gill and Arshdeep Singh were both part of Indian team for U-19 World Cup. Unlike Gill, the medium pacer has a good season up till now. He is bowling well and KL Rahul is also putting trust on him. It will be a worthy watching clash if they will face each other in the match. For us, the winner will be Arshdeep Singh in this player battle. Also Read : Watch Live IPL 2021 Free – Some Frequently Asked Questions Also Read : IPL 2021 Live streaming – Apps to watch IPL free Also Read : Where to watch IPL T20 Live Free #IPL #PBKS #KKR #Player #Battle

[mohabbaat]

Hold up, It's another world cup year???

Why does it feel like there's a world cup every year this is so stressful I am not emotionally ready for all of that so soon again (I say this and will proceed to watch every match, get way too invested and have an unhealthy number of panic episodes. 🙂)

yes!!! t20 world cup. the t20 world happens every two years. but it didn't take place in 2020 due to covid. so that edition got pushed to 2021. then the next edition happened as per schedule in 2022. and 2023 was the odi world cup. this year aka 2024 is the t20 cup again. 😭

they feel back to back cause covid fucked the schedule a little lmao. and also we keep losing. so the emotional trauma doesn't end and we keep reliving it (it's been 4 months and i am still not over the world cup final so 😭😭😭😭).

[itscarshub]

Depleted and against all logic, New Zealand is in Pakistan for a battle of un-equals

In an effort to appease its hosts, New Zealand was forced to publicly promise Pakistan compensation in May of last year. They would have to pay out of their own wallets to make up for canceling a tour to Pakistan on the day of the first game in September 2021, claiming a particular security concern. But because they wouldn't divulge it, the amount they would pay was pretty vague. The assurances persisted. As part of their preparation for the then-imminent T20 World Cup in Australia, they would also invite Pakistan to a triangular T20 International series. And they would make two further trips to Pakistan over the course of the following year. In December, they would play Tests, and in January, ODIs. Then, as though these two nations were neighbors, New Zealand would visit Pakistan once more in order to play 10 games of the white ball, five of each format. Mr. Raja, would that be acceptable? Despite the fact that Ramiz Raja may no longer be alive, New Zealand is still present. Despite the fact that it is already mid-April and the season in which it becomes uncomfortable hot has just about started. It doesn't matter that Ramadan has pushed the start of the T20Is to 9 p.m. local time, which means they won't end before midnight. Or that Pakistan will be playing cricket as the rest of the nation celebrates the end of Ramadan since the series will coincide with Eid. Don't worry about the fact that the majority of New Zealand's top athletes are now on the other side of the Attari-Wagah border. A New Zealand team that was so weakened by factors other than injury has not been to another nation since the team captained by Jamie How in England in April 2008. How was Frank at the moment while discussing the unavailable players as they competed in the first-ever IPL competition, which you may have heard of? He had stated, as if a whole tour of England wasn't one of the highlights of New Zealand's cricketing year, that "I think everyone wishes they were in India at some point." On the eve of the series in Lahore, Tom Latham—who was now filling in for Williamson—was acting with a little more reserve. The planning hasn't been great," he said. But as members of the international cricket team, we must adjust as fast as possible. Although we have only had one training session prior to this series, and if the circumstances are different, we must trust the work we have already completed at home. The group includes several young men as well as some more seasoned members. men with extensive international T20 cricket experience. These players were chosen based on their performances in New Zealand's domestic cricket, and this is a fantastic chance for them.

There are several first-choice players for Pakistan

Sethi has agreed to support me. In every series, we strive to deliver our best. I am unable to obtain a written guarantee that I will serve as captain. But I make an effort to use my power and uphold the norms I've established. I don't attempt to pay attention to what is being spoken, but things are happening in the background. If I did, the pressure would only rise. There is more to that final argument than simply that, but since Babar has stated that the two would bat first, there is little use in beating a dead horse. With the T20 World Cup 18 months away, Pakistan will have time on their side to put the Afghanistan series behind Saim Ayub and Mohammad Haris. In addition, Ihsanullah and Zaman Khan get another chance, while Shaheen Shah Afridi is back to platoon over with Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, so Pakistan should have no dearths in that area. Pakistan has top-notch quick bowlers who can snuff out fires and a strong top order. They have a formula that has worked for them in the past, and while they are looking to tweak it to help them advance, Babar believes there is no need to completely throw it out. We are strong enough to win this series, he declared. Our youthful athletes' performances in the PSL, both as bowlers and batsmen, have been outstanding. And some of our more experienced guys, like Haris Rauf, Naseem, and Shaheen, are singing. We've created a fantastic mix. You cannot, however, guarantee that it will be simple. Even though even their youngest players have plenty of form and experience, it is a misconception that this is New Zealand's B squad. The majority of their players are seasoned professionals.

Uncertainty surrounding Babar Azam's captaincy

Even if Pakistan's preparations went as well as they should have, they still managed to create some of their own. Unusually, it came from the nation's top cricket official, PCB chairman Najam Sethi, who used Twitter to issue a statement that was everything but a clear endorsement of the skipper. He acknowledged that he had sought the selection committee's opinion on the advantages of keeping Babar, and he stated that going forward, he would be guided by the selectors and head coach. He added that his choice will depend on whether the status quo was successful or unsuccessful. At Babar's pre-series briefing, Sethi, a former journalist, had nonchalantly dropped that bombshell only one day before current journalists sat down, placing the captain in the agonizingly hard position of defending himself while not appearing to contradict the person who had the authority to fire him. Babar added, very much with the attitude of a man walking a tightrope, "Sethi has given me his backing." In every series, we strive to deliver our best. I am unable to obtain a written guarantee that I will serve as captain. But I make an effort to use my power and uphold the norms I've established. I don't attempt to pay attention to what is being spoken, but things are happening in the background. If I did, the pressure would only rise. Babar is under pressure that he does not need and does not deserve. But the Gaddafi stadium may be in for some surprisingly exciting Ramzan cricket if it gives this series the extra edge and spice it so urgently needs.

Conclusion

The New Zealand cricket team is currently touring Pakistan for a 10-match white-ball series after canceling their last visit in 2002, citing security reasons. New Zealand's weakened squad, due to injuries and player withdrawals, faces a strong Pakistani team with top-quality fast bowlers and a formidable batting line-up. The series coincides with Ramadan, and the T20 matches will be played after midnight local time. The tour has caused some uncertainty regarding Babar Azam's captaincy after the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman made ambiguous comments about his future in the role. Read the full article