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ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jun-2019

June 17

Sri Lanka’s refusal to send a player to the press conference after the loss to Australia will not result in any official sanctions. Upon being informed that the refusal is a breach of the Members Participation Agreement that the ICC has with each board, however, SLC has instructed the team to ensure media commitments are met for the remainder of the tournament.”I got an email from the board saying we should send someone from now on,” team manager Ashantha de Mel said. “Even if players are unwilling, we can send a coach or someone from management. Even I am happy to go if needed – I have no issues with that.”The refusal on Saturday, de Mel explained, was down to media fatigue. Only a small minority of Sri Lanka players converse in English, and as that is the language the majority of the media at the World Cup operates in, the same players had been put up for media commitments over the previous few games. Following the loss against Australia, each member of that group of players had been reluctant to appear, and “I didn’t want to force anyone,” de Mel said.An SLC statement on Monday clarified that “contrary to various media reports, there won’t be any sanctions imposed on the Sri Lanka team by the ICC, over its non-participation in the post-match media conference on Saturday”.Gulbadin Naib, and the DLS puzzleAfghanistan don’t have a point yet, after four matches, at the World Cup. None of their matches have ended in a split-point no-result either, like most of the other teams have experienced.”We played the last four games, we faced four different kind of conditions,” Gulbadin Naib, the captain, said ahead of the game against England. “It’s very difficult in this kind of surface. You play in Asia and then you move to England, so it’s very difficult.”Gulbadin Naib makes a point•Getty Images

Naib promised that Afghanistan would “be in good form now” that they have had some time in the UK, but it might get tricky for him, and his team, if it came to a DLS-affected chase.Sample this:
Q: Have you figured out how the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system works?
A: You should ask this question of ICC, not me […] I have no answer for them.Who did it better? Tendulkar in 2003 or Rohit in 2019?For fans of Indian cricket who grew up in the 2000s, Sachin Tendulkar’s upper-cut over point for a six off Shoaib Akhtar is a piece of memory that is hard to forget. But in the 27th over of India’s World Cup game against Pakistan, Rohit Sharma produced a carbon-copy shot off Hasan Ali that rolled back the years to leave fans on the internet gobsmacked at the similarity between Tendulkar and Sharma’s shot.The forward-prod with the bowler in his stride was the same, the quick shuffle onto the backfoot – after noticing that the ball is short – was same and while Tendulkar’s shot was off a much quicker Akhtar, fans of Rohit exclaimed that his shot off Hasan would’ve travelled further.Who cut it better? Decide for yourself!

June 16

Behrendorff is hoping to ‘get away with it’ as best as he canJason Behrendorff’s World Cup debut didn’t go too badly. He picked up his maiden wicket, the crucial one of Lahiru Thirimanne, but even as Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson and Pat Cummins shared the rest of the Sri Lanka wickets, Behrendorff was the most expensive of the Australia bowlers.”It is always tough waiting because you want to be playing cricket,” Behrendorff, who has had to wait for his turn, said. “If I can keep my economy rate pretty good and take some wickets along the way, that will go a long way to playing more games which is definitely what I want.”As far as the future is concerned, he knows it will be tough, but is ready for the challenge. “It is always tough, because if they do get off to a good start and you are handed the ball a few overs in you know they are going and you have to be on your game straight away,” he said. “But that is nothing new, it is about backing yourself and with two new balls as well it is always going to fly if they go hard.”It is about trying to minimise the damage at times and try and get away with it as best you can.”

June 15

Mushfiqur Rahim leaves nets after blow to the handMushfiqur Rahim left the nets midway through his batting session in Taunton two days before Bangladesh’s game against West Indies after being hit on his right hand by a delivery from Mustafizur Rahman. He didn’t come back out after that, staying in the dressing room with the team physio for company.The injury isn’t too serious, Bangladesh media manager Rabeed Imam confirmed shortly afterwards.Mushfiqur Rahim walks off the field after a blow to his hand•Sakeb Subhan

This is the second time a key Bangladesh batsman has suffered a hand injury during a nets session, Tamim Iqbal having been struck earlier at The Oval before their opening game against South Africa.Injury has been a major problem for Bangladesh in the recent past. Apart from Shakib Al Hasan, who has a thigh strain, Mashrafe Mortaza (hamstring) and Mohammad Saifuddin (back) are also carrying niggles.Net bowler laid low by Saifuddin shot to the headThe medical officer at the County Ground in Taunton cleared young Ranel after he was hit on the head by a Mohammad Saifuddin shot during a Bangladesh net session. The ball struck him on the back of his head to the right, there was bleeding immediately.The Bangladesh players crowd around the injured Ranel; (inset) Ranel walks off with Bangladesh physio Thihan Chandramohan•Dhaka Tribune

Bangladesh physio Thihan Chandramohan and the ground medical staff rushed to the spot, where Ranel had slouched over. He was checked on the field first and walked off soon after with Chandramohan.This is the second incident of a net bowler being hit on the head during the course of the World Cup, after a David Warner shot had struck Jai Kishen earlier during an Australia training session.Brathwaite reprimanded for showing dissent after dismissalWest Indies allrounder Carlos Brathwaite has received an official reprimand and one demerit point, for breaching the ICC’s Code of Conduct, related to showing dissent at an umpire’s decision. The incident occurred in the 44th over of West Indies’ match against England in Southampton on Friday,Carlos Brathwaite and Ashley Nurse sing with the crowd during a rain break•Getty Images

Brathwaite was given out caught behind off Jofra Archer’s bowling for 14, attempting a pull shot. The initial impression was that the ball had hit his arm, but since West Indies were out of reviews at that stage, he couldn’t opt for DRS. Replays later confirmed that there was indeed an edge off the bat.Brathwaite admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee David Boon and there was no need for a formal hearing.World Cup Central – May 24 to June 12

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) June 13, 2019

June 13

New Zealand coach Gary Stead is aware of the importance of allowing his squad to relax during the World Cup and players will be given the option to spend a few days away from the tour treadmill following the washout against India.They next play against South Africa on June 19 meaning it will be 11 days without getting on the field, but Stead said it was still important to get away from the scrutiny of the tournament and spend time with family who are with them.”I think it’s important that you manage your breaks,” Stead said. “Whilst we haven’t played India, we’ve still prepared and everything you do in the build-up days is on the assumption you’ll play a full day of cricket.”It’s quite ironic, our last four training sessions have been indoors. It’s something we have to deal with. We pride ourselves on our adaptability and we’ll have to prove that again.”We travel to Birmingham now but the players have the option to go elsewhere with their families. They have the option to stay elsewhere for a couple of days and get a bit of down time.”Cummins delighted with his dot ballsWickets are what make Pat Cummins happiest, but he has also been delighted with his ability to string together dot balls during the early stages of the World Cup.Cummins was Australia’s most impressive bowler in the 41-run win against Pakistan in Taunton as he bagged 3 for 33 during which he delivered 41 dot balls in his 10 overs, taking his tally for the tournament to 152 which puts him well ahead of the pack – albeit Australia have now played four games without weather interruption.”That’s the big improvement in my game in the last couple of years, the ability to hold a length and make it difficult to get runs,” Cummins said. “If you give away easy singles then 300 becomes quite an achievable score. Cutting out the singles is huge, it means if you give away a boundary it might not be that big over of ten or 11, it may just be a five or a six.”Mitchell Starc also chipped in with two key wickets at the death – ending a dangerous counterattack from Wahab Riaz – but Cummins insisted the pair do not feel overburdened to carry the attack. Australia fielded four frontline quicks in Taunton, leaving out legspinner Adam Zampa, after rebalancing their side in the absence of the injured Marcus Stoinis.”Richo [Kane Richardson] and Coults [Nathan Coulter-Nile)] have played a bit of cricket but still not heaps. I think they’re always going to get better. That role in the middle it’s always so hard to take wickets. And that’s where someone like Zamps has been great.”

June 12

Cottrell salute not England coach’s cup of teaSheldon Cottrell does his salute celebration•AFP

Sheldon Cottrell’s wicket-taking celebration may have charmed many and created an army of imitators, but Trevor Bayliss is not impressed.Cottrell, West Indies’ left-arm swing bowler, honours his colleagues in the Jamaica Defence Force – he continues to serve as a soldier – by standing to attention and saluting in theatrical fashion each time he takes a wicket.But while Bayliss, the England coach, accepts the celebration is “entertainment” that may “put a smile on the face” of younger supporters, he confesses – in a good-natured, curmudgeonly way – that the charm is lost on him.”It probably pisses me off more than anyone else,” he said. “If you’re older than about 40 years old it pisses you off.”But every team has their way of celebrating and I’m sure other teams might not like the way we celebrate. In the end, it’s a young man’s game. It’s all entertainment. If it gets a bit of a laugh or a smile on people’s faces so be it.”England and West Indies play each other in Southampton on Friday with both teams having suffered a loss in their first three matches. Whichever side loses will have little margin for error in their remaining group games.

June 11

Bereaved Malinga to make a short trip homeLasith Malinga reacts to a boundary•Lakruwan Wanniarachchi/ AFP

Lasith Malinga will make a short trip back home in between Sri Lanka’s World Cup 2019 matches due to the demise of his mother-in-law.Sri Lanka Cricket said that Malinga would leave the team after their match against Bangladesh, which will take place on Tuesday in Bristol.The funeral for the late Kanthi Perera will be on Thursday, in Colombo, and Malinga is expected to fly back in time for Sri Lanka’s next engagement, against Australia at The Oval on Saturday.”Lasith will be leaving today for Sri Lanka. He promised us he’d be back for the Australia match,” Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne said. “We’re all hoping he’ll be back. If for some reason he’s not able to, we’ll have to manage that game with the players available to us. Even if he misses the Australia game, he’ll definitely be here for the next game onwards. “Malinga was one of the stars of Sri Lanka’s win against Afghanistan, taking 3 for 39 to hasten victory. Sri Lanka were thrashed by ten wickets in their World Cup opener, against New Zealand, before the win against Afghanistan. They haven’t played a match since then, due to washouts against Pakistan and Bangladesh. They have also been impacted by an injury to Nuwan Pradeep, who was hit on his bowling hand while training on Sunday.‘Batters have got to step up’ – SA batting coach Dale BenkensteinSouth Africa got their first point in their fourth World Cup game when their fixture against West Indies in Southampton was washed out. It’s looking bleaker than the English weather for the team right now, and batting coach Dale Benkenstein wants the batsmen to bat more responsibly and stay in the middle longer to help get to the top half of the table.”The message is that the batters have got to step up and we haven’t,” he said four days away from South Africa’s next match, against Afghanistan in Cardiff. “I feel like we are batting well, but we just haven’t done it long enough. Everyone has got in. We’ve had opportunities to have hundred partnerships and win matches, but we haven’t done it.”We try and play quite an aggressive form of cricket. Scores are much higher than they used to be. Teams are scoring big totals. So when you are in and you are dominating, you’ve got to try and make the most of it. Sometimes we don’t get that balance right. We try and accelerate maybe a bit too fast rather than getting our heads down and ticking it over and the batters getting us more to the end of the game.”Chris Gayle wasn’t allowed to put a Universe Boss sticker on his bat•Getty Images

June 10

Gayle’s ‘Universe Boss’ bat sticker got ICC thumbs down tooThe ICC’s equipment regulations might just have become the most widely read official document in the past week, thanks to MS Dhoni’s glove affair. But before Dhoni had to get his equipment right, somebody else had to, too. The Universe Boss.Chris Gayle wanted to emblazon his bat with the moniker he has coined for himself, but was told that he couldn’t.”ICC couldn’t have made an exception for Dhoni as no personal messages are allowed on equipment. Gayle wanted it but when he was refused permission, he accepted it and moved on,” PTI reported an ICC spokesperson as saying. “It is not about military symbolism. It is about a simple rule that no personal messages are allowed.”If ICC did not make an exception for Gayle, then how come they would make it for Dhoni.”Jos Buttler on course after hip bruisingJos Buttler is expected to resume training on Wednesday ahead of England’s next World Cup fixture, against West Indies in Southampton on Friday, after sustaining “heavy bruising on his right hip” during England’s victory over Bangladesh in Cardiff on Saturday.Jos Buttler hits a six•Getty Images

Buttler, who was hobbling noticeably towards the end of his hard-hitting half-century, did not take the field during Bangladesh’s innings, with the wicketkeeping duties passing to Jonny Bairstow. Initially it appeared that he had jarred his hip while hitting a back-foot drive for six off Mosaddek Hossain, but Eoin Morgan, England’s captain, had played down any long-term concerns at the end of the match.And now, after being monitored for 48 hours since the injury, the ECB have stated that he was “responding well to treatment and will be reassessed later this week”.”We anticipate he will train with the rest of the squad at the Hampshire Bowl on Wednesday ahead of the match against West Indies on Friday,” added an ECB spokesman.Hardik Pandya reminds Steve Waugh of Lance Klusener from the 1999 World CupThe win over Australia “in the pressure cooker of a World Cup clash” will give India loads of confidence, but it’s the innings from Hardik Pandya that “will send shivers down opposition spines”, according to Steve Waugh.Hardik slammed a 27-ball 48 at No. 4 with four fours and three sixes to provide India the late thrust as they put up 352 for 5, before bowling Australia out for 316.”This guy might just be the equivalent of Lance Klusener in the 1999 World Cup,” Waugh wrote in his column for the ICC. “He has the ability to begin his innings like most finish with clean hitting that no opposing captain can protect.”Unlike Hardik, Glenn Maxwell didn’t get a promotion in the batting order, walking in at No. 5 with the scoreboard reading 202 for 3 in 36.4 overs, and scoring 28 in 14 balls. “The cameo of Glenn Maxwell will increase calls for his elevation up the batting order as he is a match-winner that can turn a game in a few overs,” Waugh wrote.‘Had a point to prove’ against Australia – KohliAfter India sealed a 36-run win over Australia in their second World Cup match, Virat Kohli said that the 3-2 home series defeat against the same opponents before the IPL was precisely the spur the team needed.”After losing in India, we had a point to prove and that was our motivation,” Kohli said.Virat Kohli celebrates India’s win over Australia•AFP

India’s World Cup campaign has begun brightly but New Zealand up next followed by Pakistan. That, according to Kohli, suits the team just fine, but thinking about the knockouts is best left for another day.”We couldn’t ask for a better start against two very strong sides and I like we’ve got the strongest sides in world cricket early on,” he said. “It’s far too early to talk about semi-finals, after six games we will be in a better position to think about that but it’s not for now.”

June 9

Dhawan sustains hand injury during centuryIndia opener Shikhar Dhawan has picked up a hand injury while batting against Australia at The Oval on Sunday. The extent of the injury is not known yet, but Dhawan was seen with an ice pack on his left hand in the dressing room, and did not take the field during Australia’s batting. The Indian team manager later said Dhawan would not take the field at all.Dhawan, who scored a century to help India post 352, was hit on the left hand by a short ball from Pat Cummins off the first ball of the ninth over. Dhawan tried to defend the ball with a straight bat but the ball rose on him and struck his bottom hand before hitting his shoulder and helmet grille. Later in the over, India physio Patrick Farhart came out and used a spray on the opener’s left thumb. Dhawan was on 24 off 26 balls then and finished with 117 off 109 balls.

June 8

Getty Images

Rashid Khan is being treated for concussion after taking a blow to the head in Afghanistan’s game against New Zealand on Saturday.He was struck on the helmet by quick bowler Lockie Ferguson, misjudging the length and ducking into a short of a length ball on off stump. The ball also ricocheted onto his stumps and bowled him.Rashid walked off the field looking very dazed and when he failed two concussion tests, the team management asked him to sit out of the rest of the game as a precautionary measure. Afghanistan next play South Africa on June 15.

June 7

Sarfaraz hopes rain doesn’t mess with Pakistan momentumThe forecast promised rain, and rain it did in Bristol, washing out Pakistan’s – and Sri Lanka’s – hopes of notching up a second win at the World Cup.For Pakistan, the lost point from the abandonment might perhaps be more frustrating, favourites as they were to beat the Sri Lankans. Their captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, however, was more disappointed at how the team couldn’t build on the momentum gained from beating England.”As a team we really wanted to play this match especially after gaining momentum with the win against England,” he said. “It is unfortunate that we were not able to play. We have great team spirit and our confidence is on a high after beating England. We would want to carry the momentum into the remaining games. We won’t relax in our remaining six matches.”Pakistan next go up against Australia on June 12 in Taunton, while Sri Lanka’s play Bangladesh on June 11, again in Bristol.Zampa penalised for ‘audible obscenity’Adam Zampa picked up a demerit point, along with an official warning, after on-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Chris Gaffaney, third umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge and fourth official S Ravi reported him for “audible obscenity” during the Australia v West Indies game at Trent Bridge on June 6.The incident took place in the 29th over of West Indies’ chase of Australia’s 288 – they fell short by 15 runs in the end – when Zampa was bowling to Shai Hope and Jason Holder.Zampa, who sent back Nicholas Pooran on his way to figures of 1 for 58, admitted the offence and accepted the sanction handed out by match referee Jeff Crowe.Defeat a ‘tough pill to swallow’ for West IndiesShai Hope has admitted that defeat against Australia will be a “tough pill to swallow” but thinks that West Indies have sent out another reminder of what they are capable of at the World Cup.Shai Hope celebrates his fifty•Getty Images

Having rolled Pakistan for 105 in their opening match, West Indies had Australia 38 for 4 and 79 for 5 before they recovered to post 288 through impressive batting from Steven Smith (73) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (92). Still, in the chase West Indies were well placed on 190 for 4 in the 35th over before Hope’s wicket shifted the game back to Australia.”Obviously it’s going to be a tough pill to swallow having basically been dominating the game for the majority of it then not being able to cross the line,” he said. “When you get wickets with the new ball you always put a team under pressure, it’s just unfortunate that we couldn’t drive it home and get the tail in a bit earlier. Australia are a quality side and showed us they can rebuild to post a different score.”When asked if West Indies’ short-ball tactics had shown a vulnerability in Australia’s top order, Hope said: “I think so, yes, but regardless of what plan you throw at them sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t so you always have to be able to adapt to what they throw at you as well.”

June 6

Dhoni’s army gloves fall foul of ICCMS Dhoni sported gloves with Indian Army insignia•AFP

The ICC has asked the BCCI to have the army logo removed off MS Dhoni’s wicketkeeping gloves. It has been pointed out to the BCCI that the logo on the gloves contravenes the ICC clothing and equipment regulations, which allow only sponsor logos on them. ESPNcricinfo understands there is no fine or reprimand involved at the moment but the message has been made clear to the BCCI.Dhoni is an honorary lieutenant colonel of the Parachute Regiment in the Indian territorial army. In India’s World Cup opener, against South Africa, Dhoni was seen keeping in gloves that sported the dagger insignia of Dhoni’s regiment of the Indian Para Special Forces. This particular insignia – “Balidaan”, meaning sacrifice – can only be worn by paramilitary commandos.During possibly his last international match at his home ground in Ranchi, India played against Australia in army camouflage caps to pay respect to those armymen who lost their lives in the Pulwama terror attacks. The players’ earnings from the match went to the families of the martyrs. At that time the ICC cleared the jerseys “as part of charity fund-raising effort”.That India-Australia series was not an ICC event. The World Cup is.Imran Khan wants provincial teams to form the core of domestic cricket in Pakistan•Getty Images

Imran Khan not a fan of “stupid” cricket celebrationsBefore they left for the World Cup, one of the farewell meetings the Pakistan team had was with their Prime Minister. He is, of course, the only Prime Minister from among the teams in this competition who has won any World Cups. Actually to be more accurate, he is the only head of state from CWC 2019 to have played a dash of international cricket. When Imran Khan addressed an awed Pakistan squad, among his other pearls of wisdom was this one – to refrain from what he referred to as “stupid” wicket-celebrations. Hasan Ali’s starburst may have been the one that got his attention and unfortunately, there is no celebrato-meter to see if there ever was a dip in intensity following that particular remonstration. Not sure what the made of the madness at Trent Bridge.Hendricks hopes to be South Africa’s lucky charm Beuran Hendricks was sitting on his couch, watching TV when he got the call telling him he would be part of South Africa’s World Cup squad. He didn’t know then he would be Dale Steyn’s replacement, but admitted being overwhelmed on finding out that he was replacing arguably the greatest pacer his country had produced. Hendricks joined the squad a day prior to their clash against India, but didn’t make the XI. Now, as South Africa fight to stay alive, Hendricks hopes he is the “good luck the team needs.”In December, Hendricks was part of the winning Jozi Stars in the Mzansi Super League. He also helped the Lions claim South Africa’s franchise first-class and T20 tournaments. In April, he was a a late call-up to the Mumbai Indians, who went on to win the IPL. Hendricks hopes some of his good fortunes can rub off on South Africa.”It’s been a good year for me personally and for the teams I have been with this year so let’s hope I can make it five (trophies) out of five,” he said. “I am not going to say I can fill his shoes because its Dale. I come here with my own set of skills and my own ambition in this competition,” he said. “It’s just about making sure I can fight the good fight and contribute with the set of skills that I have.”Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates after taking the wicket of David Miller•Getty Images

‘Faf’s wicket most special’ – Chahal after four-forYuzvendra Chahal’s 4 for 51 against South Africa played a big role in India’s first win of the World Cup. What was most impressive about Chahal’s performance was the quality of the batsmen he dismissed: Rassie van der Dussen, Faf du Plessis, David Miller and Andile Phehlukwayo.After the match, Chahal was asked by his spin partner Kuldeep Yadav on on his favourite scalp of the night, to which he promptly replied: “Faf du Plessis.””Faf was playing with small forward-steps and I was drifting the ball well,” Chahal said. “The previous two balls, I had bowled the legbreak. So for the wicket ball, I chose to bowl on off stump with the ball drifting in sharply. He couldn’t pick it, thinking I was bowling the legbreak, and that’s why the ball hit the inside of his bat and broke the stumps.”Chahal also praised Rohit Sharma’s century against a difficult bowling attack that includes Kagiso Rabada. “He showed the temperament that an experienced batsman has,” Chahal said. “It wasn’t easy batting there against the new ball, but he stayed and finished the match. That was huge.”Older World Cup Central entries are here

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is also in contention for the award

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2019England’s World Cup hero Ben Stokes who ended New Zealand’s dream has been nominated for New Zealander of the Year. Yes, you read that right.The official shortlist is yet to be made but the 28-year old allrounder is an early contender among the public nominations with New Zealander of the Year Awards chief judge Cameron Bennet quoted on saying, “there’s clearly a few Kiwis about who think we can still claim him”. Stokes was born in Christchurch, but he later moved to the UK along with his family and forged a career with England.New Zealand captain and the player of the World Cup Kane Williamson was also nominated for the award. “He’s been the embodiment of the qualities we cherish as New Zealanders – courage, fairness, humility,” Bennett said.All New Zealand citizens over the age of 15 are eligible to be nominated. Film maker Taika Waititi and former All Blacks captain Ritchie McCaw are among the previous award-winners.Stokes made 465 runs in the World Cup and was named Man of the Match in the final, where, outside of top-scoring with 84, he was involved in a very bizarre play.It was the final over of the game and he was diving into the crease to complete a second run when he inadvertently deflected a throw from outfielder Martin Guptill to the third-man boundary. England were handed six runs, which raised questions about the laws of the game and set up the World Cup’s first Super Over. Stokes returned to bat in the Super Over and hit a crucial boundary against Trent Boult to help push England to 15. New Zealand, too, scored 15 in the Super Over, but England eventually won the title on boundary count.

Time’s a luxury and an irritant as the process begins now but only an outline of the squad that might still be relevant four years later can emerge

The Preview by Ankur Dhawan07-Aug-20198:22

Dasgupta: Iyer could solve monster No. 4 problem

Big Picture

This time comes once every four years and no, it’s not the World Cup. But it’s a corollary, a period to reassess and rebuild, until 2023 is upon us. Time’s a luxury and an irritant for West Indies and India, as the process begins now but only an outline of the squad that might still be relevant four years later can emerge at this stage, if at all.The cliché about being in the moment is perhaps more applicable, particularly for those who have just broken into the squads. It’s probably a better time for them too, to play with the kind of freedom that would have got them to this level in the first place, without having any end goals other than to deliver on the day.It’s also a case of knowing that you aren’t just filling in for someone who is guaranteed to reclaim the position upon return. It’s an issue Shreyas Iyer faced in his first three ODI appearances , taking Virat Kohli’s No.3 slot when the captain opted out of the Sri Lanka home series in 2017. With plenty of room in the middle order, Iyer, along with Manish Pandey – whose form turned after he was promoted to No.3 by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL – will hope to establish themselves. The MS Dhoni question remains but Rishabh Pant – the lone keeper in the squad – has more opportunities to have his say in the matter.For West Indies, Jason Holder’s return should calm things down after self-destruction started to trend during the T20Is. The stage also seems set for Chris Gayle to say goodbye at home, after the opener decided he wasn’t quite done with ODIs at the end of West Indies’ World Cup campaign. A few other changes from the squad that finished 9th in the World Cup were inevitable, as the likes of John Campbell, Roston Chase and Keemo Paul – who all played in the Ireland tri-nation – return to the fold.

Form guide

West Indies WLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India LWWLWChris Gayle has a hit in the nets•AFP

In the spotlight

Rishabh Pant has been quicker to establish himself in Tests than in the formats he was presumably more suited to. Virender Sehwag had baffled similarly through his career. While the benefits of attacking fields in Tests are high for attacking batsmen, should they get going, somehow it seems to influence shot selection, which both in Sehwag’s and Pant’s case – so far – have been better in the longer format. Pant showed enormous restraint in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand before losing patience against the spin of Mitchell Santner, a shot that came in for heavy criticism. He followed that up with a first-ball top-edged sweep against Sunil Narine in the first T20I, which briefly gave West Indies an opening. However, just when the pressure was building, he chaperoned a tricky chase in the final T20I to earn praise from his captain. If he can build on that performance in the coming ODIs, India’s future plans will become easier to chalk out.The future will be shaped now and West Indies have their hopes pinned on youngsters like John Campbell. Campbell started with that record-breaking stand with Shai Hope against Ireland before the World Cup, but far from building on that, hasn’t done anything of note since, signified by a total of 21 runs in his next four innings. He was slightly unlucky to miss out on the last two T20Is against India, after he swept one cleanly but found the fielder on the boundary off just his second ball in the first match. With Gayle’s days numbered, this could be Campbell’s opportunity to feed off West Indies’ second most successful batsman in ODIs, before the baton is passed on to him.

Team news

West Indies will have to choose between Evin Lewis and John Campbell at the top to partner Chris Gayle. Roston Chase could be the only spinner as he can bat in the top seven, allowing them to field a strong pace attack, which was their strength in the home series against England.West Indies (probable): 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Evin Lewis/John Campbell, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Jason Holder (capt), 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Oshane Thomas, 11 Sheldon CottrellIn the absence of Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja’s recent batting form means he will be an easy swap as the genuine allrounder batting at No.7. That might mean that India pick three seamers and one of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal as the second spinner. The third-seamer spot, in that case, will be a toss up between Navdeep Saini and Khaleel Ahmed. The batting line-up might be determined by whether India are confident going in with just five bowlers.India (Probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 KL Rahul, 5 Manish Pandey/Kedar Jadhav/Shreyas Iyer, 6 Rishabh Pant (wk) 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Khaleel Ahmed/Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav/Yuzvendra Chahal

Pitch and conditions

With a couple of morning showers predicted, bowling first could have its advantages. But going by the slowness of the wicket in the final T20I, chasing could prove equally challenging, should the team batting first manage a reasonable total.

Stats and trivia

• Gayle is 12 short of Brian Lara’s tally of 10,405 ODI runs, the most by a West Indies batsman.
• Kuldeep Yadav has taken 93 wickets in 51 ODIs, which leaves him four matches to beat Mohammed Shami and become the fastest from India to hundred ODI wickets

Pakistan seamer had missed first four Vitality Blast games after a hold-up stalled the progress of his visa application

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jul-2019Mohammad Amir is expected to be named in Essex’s squad for Thursday night’s game against Hampshire, after his application for a UK sporting visa was belatedly approved.Amir had signed for the majority of the Vitality Blast group stage, but his paperwork was delayed, leaving the club “extremely frustrated” as he missed two fixtures he had been expected to play.John Faragher, the club’s chairman, said the hold-up was an “unforeseen circumstance”, and that Essex were in close contact with the Home Office.And ESPNcricinfo understands his application has now been approved. Amir tweeted a picture of himself at Chelmsford on Tuesday, with the caption “Back to work”.Amir has regularly been left frustrated by hold-ups to his visas when playing in the UK, with several factors complicating the process.Ahead of Pakistan’s Test series in England in 2016, there had been concerns as to whether he would be granted a UK visa, on account of his six-month jail sentence relating to the 2010 spot-fixing case.In the same year, Amir married a British citizen of Pakistani origin, and has since had an application approved for a spousal visa – though this alone is not sufficient to make a holder eligible to play professional sport in the country.In 2018, Amir’s departure ahead of the Test series against Ireland and England was again delayed by a week, though he did arrive in time to play in the first game of the tour.Last week, Amir announced his retirement from Test cricket at the age of 27, in order to focus on white-ball cricket and ultimately prolong his international career.Essex have started underwhelmingly in the Vitality Blast, with a win against Surrey, defeats at Middlesex and Kent, and a no-result again Gloucestershire.They will also hope to bring Jamie Porter into their squad for Thursday, who played a Second XI game on Tuesday as part of his return from a back spasm suffered on England Lions duty.

The Scotland batsman came into the game having never hit a hundred in international cricket. He finished it with the fifth-fastest in all T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2019
George Munsey and his captain Kyle Coetzer smashed 200 for the opening wicket, setting all sorts of records along the way, in the second match of the tri-series against Netherlands, in Malahide. While Munsey struck 127 off only 56 balls, Coetzer made 89 off 50 balls to form the centrepiece of Scotland’s 252 for 3 – their highest total and the sixth-highest overall in T20Is. Netherlands then had a good crack at the mammoth chase, thanks to captain Pieter Seelaar’s 96 not out off 49 balls, but the scorecard pressure was too much to overcome. Eventually, they managed 194 for 7, Scotland winning by 58 runs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The assault from Munsey and Coetzer made it to multiple pages in the record books. Their 200-run stand was the third highest for any wicket in T20Is, and Munsey’s 41-ball ton was the fifth fastest in the format. It was his maiden hundred in international cricket too. All told, Munsey hit 14 sixes; only Afghanistan’s Hazratullah Zazai has struck more in a T20I innings.Munsey hit top gear when he walloped four sixes and two fours in Max O’Dowd’s first over. Only Yuvraj Singh has made more runs in a single over in T20Is.When Scotland were 200 for no loss in 15 overs, the highest total in T20Is was under threat, but some late strikes from Netherlands meant that they were kept to 252 for 3. Netherlands used as many as seven bowlers with only left-arm seamer Fred Klaassen conceding less than ten an over.In pursuit of a tall target, Netherlands lost opener Tobias Visee for a duck and were then quickly reduced to 18 for 3. However, Seelaar rallied the side with wicketkeeper-batsman Scott Edwards in a 64-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Adrian Neill then made further inroads into the lower order and although Seelaar remained unbeaten, the target was well beyond Netherlands’ reach.

South African star signs with the Heat for the second half of the BBL

Alex Malcolm30-Sep-2019AB de Villiers will be playing in the BBL after all with Brisbane Heat securing one of the biggest signings in the recent history of the competition.De Villiers, who retired from international cricket in 2018, had attracted huge interest from BBL clubs earlier this year but pulled back from committing to playing in Australia in May.However, in a surprise announcement on Tuesday morning the Heat revealed they had signed de Villiers for the second half of the tournament, including the finals should the Heat get that far.De Villiers will spend Christmas at home in Pretoria and appears likely to link up with the Heat around January 6 or 8. The Heat play Sydney Thunder in Sydney on January 6, but de Villiers appears more likely to play his first game against Hobart Hurricanes on January 9 at the Gabba.”You go through moments after retirement when you’re really keen to play, then you just want to be at home,” he said. “It’s really difficult to balance that out. Time spent at home and time away, so I’m very selective of where I play at the moment, and the body is getting a bit older so I can’t play too much.””I was in close contact with [coach] Darren [Lehmann] over email and that was a big part of the reason why I am coming over. He certainly pushed me over the edge. He’s a great guy and I am sure we will get to know each other well over the tournament. I’ve always had a lot of respect for the way he played his game and the way he handled everything when he was with the Aussie team, and I am sure I can learn a bit from him with my batting.”De Villiers said he had also spoken to former Heat captain Brendon McCullum about joining and was keen to play alongside current captain Chris Lynn after getting top know him through the IPL.”I’ve spoken to Chris a few times after games in the IPL,” de Villiers said. “I always enjoy the way he plays the game, he really goes after the bowling, he attacks the game, and he seems like a really good team-mate. He gives his best shot for the boys. I’m looking forward to joining forces with him. The Heat have always stood out to me.Lehmann, the new Heat coach who took over from Daniel Vettori, was ecstatic to get a player of de Villiers’ quality.”World-class players don’t just come along every day and to have a player of AB’s stature and skill in the BBL is a fantastic outcome for everyone, not just the Heat,” Lehmann said. “He’s a 360-degree player, great skills, outstanding temperament, and an insightful leader. We’re excited to bring him into the group this summer and allow him to showcase his skills for the fans.”De Villiers signing is a huge coup for the tournament as a whole. The BBL had significant trouble last season attracting big names. A combination of the elongated tournament and the small salary cap, by comparison to global standards, made it very difficult for clubs to attract high-quality overseas talent. When de Villiers initially withdrew his interest from playing in the BBL back in May there were genuine concerns about how the competition could attract quality overseas players moving forward.De Villiers is the start of a set of overseas signings to come around the BBL. Australia’s international players will also be available for the last week of the tournament as well as the finals in early February after a week-long ODI tour of India.

The weather may yet have a big impact on the opening match of the series in what is shaping as a compelling contest

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan02-Nov-2019

Big picture

Sri Lanka have been dusted down without much fuss and attention now quickly moves to the visit of Pakistan, a side still ranked No. 1 in T20Is but with their grasp on the top spot becoming more tenuous by the match after a significant slip in form. If New Zealand take one match off England in their series and Australia win this 3-0, they will take Pakistan’s top spot.Still, at least on paper, the visitors should give Australia a tougher challenge than Sri Lanka, particularly with the bowlers they have at their disposal. However, it’s worth remembering that just a few weeks ago, they were beaten 3-0 by a Sri Lanka side deemed weaker than the one that has just visited.They produced an efficient display to ease to victory against the Cricket Australia XI in their warm-up match, each of the five bowlers used showing what they can bring to the attack. Trying to stop David Warner will be another task, but he will do well to go through another T20I series without being dismissed. They could face an attack including three left-arm quicks (who, as Chris Lynn noted after the CA XI match, all bring a different skillset) alongside the left-arm spin of Imad Wasim.Australia were very impressive against Sri Lanka, but it is difficult to gauge what was really learned from the exercise, although the chance to build form and confidence should never be discounted. The balance of the side, with Ashton Agar at No. 7, has yet to be tested with a fall of early wickets but Aaron Finch has benefited by having five frontline bowlers.

Form guide

(last five completed matches)
Australia WWWWW
Pakistan LLLLW

In the spotlight

Ashton Turner had the chance for a slightly longer bat in the chase at the MCG and gave a glimpse of what makes him such an exciting package for Australia’s limited-overs teams. He cleared the boundary with ease and is a master runner between the wickets. His shoulder is still not at 100% but barring further mishaps, he is a lock for the squad in a year’s time.This is the first series for new T20I captain Babar Azam and he has a year – presuming he keeps the job, which is never a given for Pakistan cricket – to build the side ahead of the T20 World Cup. He is a wonderful batsman, currently ranked No. 1 in T20Is, and has developed further since his previous visit to Australia two years ago. His last innings in the country was a century in an ODI in Adelaide and it will be important that he sets the tone on this tour.

Team news

Billy Stanlake, Sean Abbott and D’Arcy Short were the players not used at the MCG. It is likely that Ben McDermott will get another chance at No. 4, so it’s a case of whether Australia want to rotate any of their quicks.Australia (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (capt), 3 Steven Smith, 4 Ben McDermott, 5 Ashton Turner, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Kane RichardsonPakistan picked their experienced players in the warm-up match, which suggests that that’s how they will start the series, although the uncapped Mohammad Musa Khan looked lively in the nets on Saturday.Pakistan (probable) 1 Babar Azam (capt), 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Haris Sohail, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Asif Ali, 6 Iftikhar Ahmed, 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Mohammad Irfan, 11 Wahab Riaz

Pitch and conditions

The weather may yet play a key part in this match with rain, and a chance of thunderstorms, forecast for Sunday afternoon. It is the first match of the season at the SCG and while the 22 yards shouldn’t be an issue, there will be some interest in the rest of the square after the decision to move domestic cricket away from the ground last month.

Stats and Trivia

• If Mohammad Irfan plays in Sydney, it will be his first T20I for three-and-a-half years.
• Pakistan have only played one previous T20I in Australia, back in 2010 when they lost by two runs at the MCG. It was Steven Smith’s international debut.
• A victory for Australia in this match would equal their best run in T20Is of six in a row

Quotes

“They’ve played some great T20 cricket over the last couple of years. Probably a big difference is with their bowling, a lot of left-armers, with the batting Babar is No. 1 in the world and he’s such a rock for their strokeplayers to bat around him. I feel they are such a well-balanced side, have some great spin options as well. It will be a great challenge.”
Aaron Finch“I had come here in 2012 as captain of the Under-19s, and now I am here as the captain of the T20I side. It’s a matter of honour for me. That aside, we are the No. 1 team, and Australia are a very good side now, so you should see good competition. It should be a good challenge for us too.”

The pair played in Victoria Premier cricket in Melbourne on Saturday following their breaks from the game to manage mental health

Alex Malcolm23-Nov-2019Glenn Maxwell and Nic Maddinson have made positive returns to cricket playing for their club sides in Victoria premier cricket in Melbourne on Saturday.Maxwell made 5 not out and took 2 for 49 from 19 overs for his club Fitzroy-Doncaster against Geelong. Maddinson hit 58 for St Kilda to help his side chase down 330 against Casey-South Melbourne at the Junction Oval.Will Pucovski, who played for Australia A against Pakistan in Perth, but during the game asked not to be considered for Test selection, remains away from the game.ALSO READ: ‘Shows incredible courage to talk about mental health’Maxwell has not played since Australia’s second T20I against Sri Lanka on October 30 after taking leave for mental health reasons. Maddinson last played for Victoria against Tasmania in a Sheffield Shield game on October 31, but after being selected to play for Australia A against Pakistan he also stepped away from the game.All three players are working to individual timelines as far as returns to cricket are concerned. Victoria’s next Shield game is against New South Wales at the MCG starting on Friday but there is no indication as yet if any or all will be available. Pucovski took two breaks from the game last season to manage his mental health.Cricket Australia are continuing to research how to manage the mental health of their players. Australia and Melbourne Renegades allrounder Sophie Molineux stood down from WBBL duties on Friday also citing mental health concerns.James Pattinson was also at the Junction Oval bowling in the nets on Saturday morning after taking leave from Australia’s Test squad following his one-game suspension for a third code of conduct charge in Sheffield Shield cricket.

The 21-year-old batsman had taken a mental-health break ahead of the Test summer against Pakistan and New Zealand

Daniel Brettig29-Jan-2020Will Pucovski will make his return to representative ranks after taking his most recent mental-health break ahead of the Test summer against Pakistan and New Zealand, as captain of a Cricket Australia XI. The side will face the England Lions in a three-match 50-over series to begin their developmental tour of Australia in February.Having been considered extremely close to selection for his first Test in November, Pucovski chose to withdraw himself from contention for the team while playing in a pre-series tour match against the Pakistanis in Perth.After subsequently playing for Victoria, Pucovski has been spending the Big Bash League playing club cricket in Melbourne and also leading the Victorian second XI in a Twenty20 carnival. He will now take the leadership reins of a mix of young fringe players and more experienced types such as Jake Lehmann and Alex Ross. Will Sutherland has also been included in the squad to play three limited-overs matches on the Gold Coast on February 2, 4, and 6.”It is pleasing to see Will Pucovski back in a national squad,” the national selector Trevor Hohns said. “Will has progressed well over the course of the summer and recently captained the Victorian second XI in a Twenty20 tournament in Queensland. These three games are an invaluable opportunity for Will to gain more captaincy experience against quality opposition.”Several members of the squad will be joining the CA XI fresh from the Big Bash League, while others will be arriving from state-based competitions. The matches against the England Lions provide them all with an opportunity to impress national coaches and selectors as we look to plan ahead for the future.”Among the more experienced members of the squad is Cameron Boyce. Cameron thoroughly deserves his opportunity after several good years in domestic 50- and 20-over cricket, most recently with the Melbourne Renegades, for whom he took 14 wickets this BBL season.”The England Lions tour is seen as a pivotal part of the ECB’s preparations for the 2021-22 Ashes series in Australia, with long-form matches also to be played against New South Wales and Australia A. In Pucovski, the tourists may also be seeing a player quite likely to be part of Australia’s Test team by then.CA XI squad: Will Pucovski (capt), Max Bryant, Caleb Jewell, Jake Lehmann, Alex Ross, Brad Hope, Jaron Morgan, Will Sutherland, Xavier Crone, Blake Edwards, Matthew Kuhnemann, Cameron Boyce, Mitch Perry, Jack Prestwidge

Brydon Carse, Craig Overton, Ollie Robinson star to leave Lions five wickets away ahead of final day

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2020England Lions closed in on a convincing win in their four-day game against Australia A, enforcing the follow-on as their seamers continued to impress at the MCG.Resuming on 5 for 103, Josh Inglis continued to hold proceedings up alongside Jack Wildermuth before he was bowled by Ollie Robinson, and the wickets then came easily for the Lions, Brydon Carse and allrounder Tom Abell taking two apiece as the lower order offered limited resistance. Wildermuth did complete a 10th first-class fifty, but was left stranded as wickets fell around him.Keaton Jennings did not hesitate to enforce the follow-on, and his faith in his attack was immediately rewarded as Craig Overton trapped Usman Khawaja lbw in the first over. Nic Maddinson, the Sheffield Shield’s form batsman, made a quickfire 52 before falling to the same bowler, and then offspinner Dom Bess struck twice in as many overs to leave the hosts teetering at 4 for 85.Robinson removed Inglis for the second time in the day before rain brought proceedings to an early close, and despite Kurtis Patterson’s resistance, the stage was set for the Lions to wrap up a win on the final day.”We’ve had another good day in the field but we know there’s still work to be done tomorrow if we’re to win the game,” said Jennings. “Patterson and Wildermuth are good batsmen and I’m sure they’ll do everything they can to frustrate us and take the game as deep as possible.”Our bowling throughout the day was generally good and even when decent partnerships started to form we held our nerve to take advantage of any breakthrough and put the Australian batsmen under pressure. Winning any game in Australia is difficult, so hopefully we can push on to victory tomorrow.”