#t20 world cup 2021

[tiredgayloser]

a Jos Buttler masterclass in curb stomping

[governmentjobsworld]

அபுதாபி டி 10 லீக்: ஐக்கிய அரபு எமிரேட்ஸில் நடைபெறும் 10 ஓவர் போட்டியில் எந்த இந்திய வீரர்கள் இடம்பெறுவார்கள்?

அபுதாபி டி 10 லீக்: ஐக்கிய அரபு எமிரேட்ஸில் நடைபெறும் 10 ஓவர் போட்டியில் எந்த இந்திய வீரர்கள் இடம்பெறுவார்கள்? #t20 #cricket

அவர் அபுதாபி டி 10 லீக் 2022 இல் அதன் 6 வது பதிப்புடன் மீண்டும் வருகிறது. பார்வையாளர்களுக்கு ஒரு டி 20 விளையாட்டின் விரைவான மற்றும் குறுகிய பதிப்பை வழங்க 10 ஓவர்-ஏ-சைடு போட்டி 2017 இல் தொடங்கியது. தூய்மைவாதிகள் நீண்ட காலமாக அதிலிருந்து விலகியிருந்தாலும், இந்த போட்டி பல ஆண்டுகளாகவும் மெதுவாகவும் படிப்படியாகவும் அதன் பார்வையாளர்களைக் கண்டுள்ளது, மேலும் மேலும் இந்திய வீரர்கள் லீக்கில் பங்கேற்று…

[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...

[big-newshouse]

Venkatesh Prasad and Rahul Dravid, former teammates for India and Karnataka, recently reconnected at Bengaluru Airport. Both have significant coaching roles for the Indian cricket team, with Dravid serving as the head coach of the 2024 T20 World Cup-winning team. Prasad was the bowling coach for the 2007 T20 World Cup-winning team and has been in his current coaching role since 2021.

During his playing career, Prasad had an outstanding 1996/97 season, taking 55 wickets in 15 Tests and 48 wickets in 30 ODIs, which earned him the CEAT International Cricketer of the Year award. He received the Arjuna Award in 2000 and played his final Test match in Sri Lanka in 2001. In total, he played 39 Tests and 161 ODIs, known for his fast bowling and ability to swing the ball.

Dravid, often referred to as "The Wall," scored over 13,000 runs in ODIs and more than 5,000 runs in Tests, establishing himself as one of India's greatest batsmen.

Their reunion underscores their shared history and commitment to nurturing the next generation of Indian cricketers as they work together to build a competitive team for the future.

#RahulDravid #VenkVenkatesh #bcci #bcciofficial #bcciindiancricket #bccicontract #BCCIIndia #cricket #Sports #worldchampion #T20WorldCup2024 #t20cricket

[tfgadgets]

'Doesn't Make Sense To Me': Pakistan Star Reveals He Rejected PCB Selector Job

Pakistan cricket team in action© AFP Veteran Pakistan cricket team star Shoaib Malik revealed that he rejected an offer from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to become a selector ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. Malik last played for Pakistan back in 2021 but he has not retired from international cricket till now. Pakistan had a disappointing run in the T20 World Cup 2024 as they were eliminated…

[secretstalks]

Rohit Sharma finally shares his secrets to effective leadership, emphasizing, “It’s important to…

The Indian captain, Rohit Sharma, ended India’s ICC title drought last month by winning the T20 World Cup. India did win its second T20 World Cup trophy, the first having elapsed 17 years earlier.

Playing in every T20 World Cup tournament, Rohit Sharma became the first player to win the trophy both as a player and a skipper. He guided the squad to the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal when they were defeated by England.

Before experiencing his first taste of victory as the captain of the Indian cricket team with the T20 World Cup title win, he also lost the WTC 2023 final and the ODI World Cup final.

Speaking on The Aldar Experts podcast, Rohit Sharma offered some leadership advice that has enabled him to grow into the prosperous captain he is now.

Rohit Sharma highlighted the importance of leading by example, stating, “As a leader, it’s essential to set a standard for your team by leading from the front. It’s not just about performance on the field but also how you conduct yourself off it. I strive to be a role model for my colleagues in every aspect.”

He also mentioned treating the team’s members like brothers. When talking about Rohit, a lot of young players, like Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, have frequently mentioned how much of a big brother he is to them. They mentioned how he is the older brother on the squad and treats everyone fairly.

“And I treat them like family, like brothers, you know, because they have the same responsibilities and shares in the team as you do, which makes them equal members of that team. Thus, you must give them a sense of belonging and make them feel as though they are wanted here, Rohit Sharma continued.

After India won the T20 World Cup, Rohit, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement from the T20I format. As captain, Rohit still has goals to achieve since he is eager to win both the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup. At the moment, Team India is leading the WTC points standings. They have already competed in two WTC finals, losing both of them in 2021 and 2023.

“Rohit Sharma Reflects on His Strong Desire for T20 World Cup Victory”

After winning the T20 World Cup, Rohit was obviously quite emotional and expressed how much he wanted to win this championship for India.

“I really wanted this. In an emotive tone, Rohit remarked following India’s victory in the T20 World Cup, “It’s very hard to put it in words because of that moment.”

He was spotted at Wimbledon and is currently taking a sabbatical from the game. According to some speculation, he and Virat Kohli may also get a rest during the series against Sri Lanka.

READ MORE

[trustednewstribune]

Not KKR, Rahul Dravid Set To Seal His IPL Return With This Franchise

After successfully guiding the Indian team to T20 World Cup 2024 triumph as head coach, Rahul Dravid is reportedly gearing up for a new adventure in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Since his tenure as the head coach of the Indian team came to an end, Dravid has been linked with multiple franchises in the T20 league. Earlier, reports suggested that the batting great could decide to join Kolkata Knight Riders, especially as the franchise saw their mentor Gautam Gambhir leave the team to fill the void left by Dravid in the Indian team as head coach. But, it has now been reported that Dravid is in talks with his former IPL side Rajasthan Royals.

"Talks are going on between RR and Dravid, and an announcement in this regard is round the corner," Times of India quoted a source as saying.

As Dravid hunts for a new adventure, Gambhir has begun his stint as the Indian team's head coach. He flew to Sri Lanka with the other members of the Indian team ahead of the white-ball assignment. Before the team's departure, Gambhir did admit he has some big shoes to fill, considering what Dravid has done with the Indian team as head coach.

As India lifted the T20 World Cup 2024 title, beating South Africa in the final, Dravid did joke about being 'jobless' from the next month, and asked reporters if they had any offers. A man of the talent of Dravid, and the gold-worthy experience in Indian cricket, franchises are understandably lining up to rope him into the team.

Dravid didn't want to continue as the Indian team's head coach as he didn't want to spend 10 months a year travelling, keeping himself away from the family. But, the Indian Premier League is different. In the T20 league, Dravid only needs to be with the franchise for 2-3 months a year, a prospect he could fancy.

The former India captain has worked as a mentor and coach with IPL franchises in the past. Dravid was the coach of Delhi Daredevils franchise before leaving the job in 2017 over 'conflict of interest'. Since ending his IPL career, Dravid has worked as the coach of India's junior teams, including Under-19 and India A.

He was most recently working as the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru before taking up the India job in 2021.

Now linked with the Rajasthan Royals, it would be interesting to see on what capacity would the former India head coach work with the franchise.

[7forthereson]

DHONI THE UNTOLD STORY

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, popularly known as MS Dhoni, is an Indian professional cricketer. Born on July 7, 1981, in Ranchi (which was part of Bihar and is now in Jharkhand), Dhoni has left an indelible mark on the cricketing world. Let’s delve into his remarkable journey

Personal information Full name Mahendra Singh Dhoni Batting Right-handed Bowling Right-arm medium RoleWicket-keeper-batter

Accidental introduction to cricket

As a child, Dhoni was always into sports. He was a district-level badminton and football player. His football coach sent him to fill the position of a wicketkeeper on the school cricket team. He played well and soon bagged a permanent place in the group. This ignited his passion for cricket. Dhoni started focussing more on cricket after his 10th grade. He was very passionate about cricket and wanted to prove himself in this sport His father was not very fond of his son’s growing interest in cricket. He was of the view that there is no future in sports. However, Dhoni was clear-sighted about what he wanted for himself. He struggled against the rigid opposition from his father for prioritizing cricket over studies. But he was confident about chasing his dreams. So, going against his father’s wishes, Dhoni fulfilled his dreams instead. After that, he became a part of the Commando Cricket Club and an Under-16 championship. After this point, he pursued cricket seriously, but life had other plans for him. 

Breakthrough

The next match was his shot. Luck played in his favor the next time as he was selected for the Pakistan series. In the second match of the series, he scored a massive 148 off 123 to finally establish himself as a known face of the team. After that, there was no looking back. There were a lot more to come. This was the start, and he went ahead to make the most of his hard work and talent. His immense talent gained recognition, and he led the Indian team to the ICC World Twenty 20 Trophy in South Africa. Team India successfully won the trophy by defeating the Pakistani team. He accomplished his talent and made a mark for him self. Dhoni is the only captain to win the ICC Trophy, ODI World Cup, and Champions Trophy. His leadership is something that is celebrated across the country. Fans regard Dhoni as one of the greatest captains the team has seen. Despite his massive popularity, people knew him as a calm, cool, and composed persona. It must be because he has seen life getting hard and that aggression does not lead to rational decisions.

MS Dhoni’s achievements

In 2009, Dhoni was also awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor. In 2011, Dhoni etched his name on the list of 100 most influential people in the world through his persistent efforts and hard work. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in the country, on Apr. 2, 2018.After winning the Cricket World Cup in 2011, film director Neeraj Pandey decided to make a biopic on the life and achievements of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The film, titled MS Dhoni: Untold Story – MS Dhoni The Untold Story, became a blockbuster hit and won the heart of many fans.Besides being a great cricketer, MS Dhoni is also a connoisseur of cars and bikes. He has a collection of many expensive cars and bikes. Some of his luxurious cars are Ferrari 599 GTO, Audi Q7, SUV Hummer H2, Land Rover Freelander 2, and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Apart from this, Dhoni also has a collection of expensive bikes including Confederate Hellcat X132 and Superbike Kawasaki Ninja H2. On Aug. 15, 2020, Dhoni retired from all forms of International Cricket.MS Dhoni is also the Captain of Chennai Super Kings in IPL and has already won the trophy four times. He was rumored to play his last IPL game in 2021, but he brushed those rumors away. Recently, in 2022 he stepped down from the captaincy of CSK and handed it over to Jadeja. He is expected to play T20 cricket in 2023 too.

[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 😭😭😭😭).

[techtired]

India National Cricket Team Vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Timeline

The India National Cricket Team's first game in the Super 8 round of the 2024 T20 World Cup will be on Thursday at the Kensington Oval in Barbados against Afghanistan. Team India is ready to play. They are in first place in Group A with seven points, earned from three wins and one tie with Canada. On the other hand, Afghanistan won three of their four Group C games, including a big 84-run win over New Zealand. Their only loss was to co-hosts West Indies, which was a big disappointment. India national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline Australia and Bangladesh have joined both teams in Group 1 of the Super Eight stage. England, the West Indies, South Africa, and the USA are in Group 2. At this time, the competition gets tougher and strategic plays start. Important Players And Plans Team Key Players Role Strategy India Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal Batting Possibly moving Kohli to No. 3, strengthening the batting Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal Bowling Focusing on spin bowling Afghanistan Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman Spin Bowling Utilizing spin to challenge India's top order India wants Virat Kohli to have a better event because he has only scored five runs in three games. If Yashasvi Jaiswal is added, it could change how the batters play, which could mean that Kohli moves to the No. 3 spot. The pitches in the Caribbean might be better for spinners, which means that Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal could play essential parts. Conversely, Afghanistan has a strong group of spin bowlers led by Rashid Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman, who could make it hard for India's top-order batters. Meetings And Records From The Past In eight T20Is, India and Afghanistan have played each other. India has a strong record, winning seven of the eight games. They had played each other before, and India won the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games because it was seeded higher. This year, India won an exciting Super Over match, and the final at the Asian Games was called off because of rain. Scorecard for India vs Afghanistan T20I India Batting Batsman Runs Balls Fours Sixes Strike Rate Rohit Sharma 54 36 6 2 150.0 KL Rahul 62 48 4 3 129.2 Virat Kohli 122* 61 12 5 200.0 Suryakumar Yadav 16 9 2 1 177.8 Rishabh Pant DNB - - - - Extras 8 Total 212/2 20 overs Afghanistan Bowling Bowler Overs Runs Wickets Economy Rashid Khan 4 40 0 10.0 Mujeeb ur Rahman 4 32 1 8.0 Mohammad Nabi 4 45 0 11.2 Other Bowlers 8 95 1 Varied Afghanistan Batting Batsman Runs Balls Fours Sixes Strike Rate Mohammad Nabi 43 35 5 2 122.9 Other Batsmen Various Varied Extras 10 Total 111/8 India Bowling Bowler Overs Runs Wickets Economy Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4 4 5 1.0 R Ashwin 4 25 0 6.2 Arshdeep Singh 4 20 2 5.0 Other Bowlers 8 62 1 Varied New Performances and Important Stats Indian captain Virat Kohli has scored 201 runs, and Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi has got 163. Leading wicket-takers: Arshdeep Singh and R Ashwin stand out for India because they each took 5 wickets. Important Matches: India has always beaten Afghanistan in the T20 World Cups. Their most recent game, in 2021, was a comfortable win for India, thanks to solid performances from KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma. Vital Match Stats (T20Is) India got 212/2 on September 8, 2022, the highest number. Afghanistan got 111/8 on the same date, which was the lowest score. As an individual, Virat Kohli's best score of 122* and Bhuvneshwar Kumar's best bowling numbers of 5/4 both happened in 2022. Significant Wins: On September 8, 2022, India beat Pakistan by 101 runs, which was their biggest win by runs. This detailed timeline and data set show how much the India and Afghanistan cricket teams hate each other and want to win as they prepare for the important games in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Read the full article

[a2zsportsnews]

Starc expresses displeasure at being dropped for T20 World Cup 2024 game against Afghanistan

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has expressed his displeasure at being dropped for the crucial T20 World Cup Super Eights match against Afghanistan in the Caribbean, saying he was not one bit amused by the team management’s decision. The 2021 T20 World Cup champion suffered a shocking 21-run loss to Afghanistan, which dealt a massive blow to Australia’s chances of entering the…