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The CEO, Salman Khan, had been charged with theft and fraud earlier this month by Calgary Police in relation to an earlier stint in cricket administration

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2025Cricket Canada CEO Salman Khan, who was appointed in January this year, has dismissed as “completely false” the reports of his alleged arrest and subsequent release on bail on charges of theft and fraud.Khan, along with one other individual, had been charged earlier this month with theft and fraud by the Calgary Police in relation to his earlier role as president of the Calgary and District Cricket League between 2014 and 2016. It is understood that the case was initially a civil suit, but now criminal charges have been laid.Posting on the Facebook page of Alberta Cricket Association, Khan said: “I see many fake and self-created posts circulating around, and I want to set the record straight. First of all, these are all fake. I have never been arrested, detained, or on any bail. These claims are completely false, and those spreading these rumors will have to answer for it.”Here’s the truth: A police complaint was filed against me more than 7 years ago. A police investigator approached me and said he wanted to hear my side of the story and see the evidence I have to defend myself. He told me that if I didn’t provide my side, he would proceed with charges. I told him I would visit after Ramadan, but he didn’t want to wait and decided to post charges without even hearing my side or my evidence.”Khan said nothing had been proven against him in seven years, and he would keep fighting the case. “Let me make this clear: They have nothing to prove against me – in 7 years they were not able to prove anything in the civil case, and certainly not in any criminal case. I have over 21 transcripts, with the complainant even admitting that everything was false.”I am not worried at all. I’m ready to fight just like I’ve been doing for the past 8 years.”

With one win sufficient to retain Ashes, imposing record since 2017 augurs well for holders

Andrew Miller11-Jul-2023Tahlia McGrath says that a return to Australia’s favoured 50-over format will help their players rediscover their “fearless” mindset, as they seek to close out the Women’s Ashes after a rare setback in the T20I leg.After victory in the one-off Test at Trent Bridge, followed by a tight four-wicket win in the first T20I at Edgbaston, Australia had taken an imposing 6-0 lead in the multi-format points system, and needed just one more win from the remaining five matches to retain the Ashes for the fifth consecutive series.And while still they remain one win away from their goal, the pressure has since been ramped up by England’s stirring fightback in the back half of the T20I series. Consecutive victories, by three runs and five wickets in a pair of tense finishes at The Oval and Lord’s, condemned Australia to their first bilateral series loss since the corresponding leg of the 2017-18 Ashes.But, with the scoreline now a more competitive 6-4 in Australia’s favour, McGrath says the players’ eyes have not deviated from the prize, and they will not be satisfied with a mere retention of the Ashes.”I don’t think that’s enough,” McGrath said in Bristol, on the eve of the first ODI. “We want to win every game of cricket. Yes, first and foremost, we want to retain the Ashes, but we want to win these three games coming up. Winning 8-8 doesn’t sound as good as winning them outright.”To that end, the holders can point to one of the most imposing records ever compiled by an international sports team. In 45 ODIs since their semi-final defeat at the 2017 World Cup, Australia’s women have won a remarkable 43 times, including their last 15 in a row – a span that encompasses their unbeaten run to the 2022 World Cup title in New Zealand.Since securing beating England in the final of that tournament, at Auckland in April 2022, Australia have only played three more ODIs – each of them an emphatic win over an outclassed Pakistan in January. However, McGrath is confident that the more drawn-out nature of the 50-over format will give the matchwinners in their line-up all the more time to produce their very best.”It’s where we’ve been so successful in the past,” McGrath said. “You’ve just got so much more time. You can build your innings a bit more, and we’ve had players cash in and score those big hundreds with players supporting them.”From a bowling point of view, you can build a bit more pressure, work batters out a bit more … we’ve just been consistent in that format. And we play that team-first [brand of] cricket, so players coming in know exactly what they need to do for the team, and then play their role to the best of their ability.Tahlia McGrath celebrates with Ellyse Perry during the T20Is•Getty Images

“The 50-over format is one we’ve been really consistent and really good at, so from there it’s about fine-tuning and playing a little bit more fearlessly.In the last five years, India are the only team to have toppled Australia in the ODI format, and that result – a gripping two-wicket win in a dead-rubber third match in September 2021 – arguably helped to sharpen Australia’s focus going into the World Cup the following spring.England, by contrast, last beat Australia across 50 overs in the 2017-18 Ashes, but despite eight subsequent defeats – up to and including the last World Cup final – McGrath said her side would never under-estimate the threat that Heather Knight’s team would pose, especially after their T20I showing.”Every time we play against England, it’s really good cricket, really hard-fought,” McGrath said. “We get pushed every time we play against England, and they were better than us in the last two games, and we’ve got to acknowledge that and fix some areas of our game.”No game against England is ever easy. It feels as if, every time we play each other, it comes down to the last over. All four games in this series have all been close, or had some key moments to determine the game, so we’re excited for some more good cricket.”That rare sensation of defeat, however, has obliged Australia to embrace their vulnerability on this tour, with McGrath admitting to some honest chats in the dressing-room in the aftermath of the T20I losses.Related

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“People put their hand up when they’re not playing at their best,” she said. “We help each other problem-solve, because everything’s team-first. We put egos aside and we try to help each other improve, and that’s been a strength of this side for so long.”Win, lose or draw, we are always looking to get better. So, yeah, it’s not ideal to lose but there’s always some positives to take out of it, and we’ve had some really good chats as a group.”Individually, we’ve discussed our batting, bowling and fielding plans, but at the end of the day, it just comes down to playing some fearless cricket,” she added. “If there’s something you’re thinking about, or a plan you want to put in place, you’ve just got to be confident and go ahead and do it.”The truth is we weren’t at our best [in the T20Is] and we have to find a way to fix that. Even if we’d have won some of those games, it’s still about having those chats because we want to be the best team in the world in every format. We want to keep evolving.”It’s not nice that we’re losing, but it felt as though there were some moments where we perhaps might have got into our shells a little bit. We’ve just highlighted that maybe we’ve been off the mark there a little bit, so we’re pretty keen to be on the front foot.”An added factor in England’s revival has arguably been their vociferous support for this series, with an average of 20,000 fans attending the three T20Is, and further full houses anticipated for the ODIs in Bristol, Southampton and Taunton. But, with the growth of the women’s game a huge subplot in this series, McGrath has been delighted with the turnout, even if the cheers haven’t always accompanied her own performances.”The crowds have been a real highlight,” McGrath said. “We’ve really embraced it. We’ve loved playing in front of packed houses. We’re hopeful that they continue, because we’ve heard there’s really good ticket sales coming up.”It’s awesome to see the support they get, it’s awesome to hear how loud it gets. And I think it’s pretty cool with the [Barmy Army] trumpet going in the background. We all enjoy playing cricket when you get to play in some really nice iconic stadiums with a packed house.”They let me have it when I dropped a catch,” she added, referring to a bad miss off Sophia Dunkley in the second match at The Oval. “But that’s part of it.”We’re just focused on ourselves. We’re pretty comfortable with what we do and how we go about our cricket. There’s a lot of external things that goes on with the Ashes, a lot of chat, a lot in the media, but first and foremost, we’re just focusing on ourselves. Sticking with our batting and bowling plans, and then going out there and playing some really good cricket.”

Stoneman scores his first fifty of the season as survival tilt looms for hosts

Vithushan Ehantharajah21-Apr-2023Play only began at 2:15pm as the rain threatened to wash away any momentum in this fixture. Yet somehow, not only did 60.4 overs get sent down, mostly in bright sunshine, but the game has moved along at pace. And perhaps most notable of all, Middlesex walked off for the first time this season with a degree of satisfaction.They are still 253 behind Nottinghamshire’s first-innings score, the loss of Pieter Malan at the start of what was to be Friday’s last over something of a kicker. But this was comfortably the newly promoted side’s best day of the season so far.If that sounds a bit hollow, it’s because it is, even if it’s true. Middlesex came into this match propping up Division One after losing lost both their opening matches. However, the manner in which they took Nottinghamshire’s five remaining wickets, for just 112, then followed up with their highest first- and second-wicket stands of the season – 50 and 61 – felt like a necessary response to those travails. Factor in season-high scores for all of the top three, and it is clear this was an important step towards feeling like they belong at this level.Mark Stoneman remains unbeaten on 60, driving imperiously, with scope for the middle-order core of stalwarts young and old to join him on a surface showing no demons yet.The county is by no means in disarray, with squad harmony reinforced by a few life-long bonds and the manner of last year’s promotion from Division Two. But sniff hard enough and you could convince yourself there was a whiff of a group of players feeling the pressure of being back in the top flight for the first time in six years.Ben Duckett sensed as much when he entered the evening session on day one. He did not hide his feelings that the early finish played into the hands of the home attack. The 28-year-old had gotten himself – and them into a position – where he was looking to “smack it” in the evening. “My idea was to potentially get 80 or 90 runs to finish the day on 200 or something,” he said, dripping with the confidence of a batter at the height of his red-ball powers.Related

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Though Duckett moved seamlessly to an 11th score of 150 or more, his frustration at yesterday’s early finish played out. That same attack with a night’s sleep restricted him to just 58 more from his overnight score of 119, from 81 deliveries before he attempted to deposit Ryan Higgins into the top of the Grandstand. A top edge was brilliantly taken by Martin Andersson, running and diving forward at fine leg. Considering Duckett has seven scores higher than this 177, four of them double-centuries, he and Notts could argue Middlesex got away with one there. Higgins finished the innings with his very next delivery, bowling Dane Patterson.The key interjection took over an hour to come and required the second new ball. Notts skipper Steven Mullaney was getting into his work, building on the 14 runs he made yesterday with a bit more vigour. He had done what Duckett failed to do in hitting the upper reaches of the stand away to the short side, when leg spinner Luke Hollman dropped one in short. On 46, Mullaney was undone by his opposite number Toby Roland-Jones, who nipped one into the right-hander – off the seam and down the slope – to trap him lbw.Two overs later, Duckett carved through extra cover for his 15th four to take him to 153 from 222 deliveries. Middlesex had decided to focus primarily on getting the England opener off strike even before the tail came into view. Now with it on display, there came a degree of urgency from the man himself to absorb as much as he could. Particularly after Ethan Bamber had found Liam Patterson-White’s edge through to John Simpson, then bowled Brett Hutton in his next over.That brought Stuart Broad to the crease, greeted by cheers – as much recognition of his 161 Test caps and 576 wickets as the entertaining nonsense he brings with the bat in this kind of situation. However, at 344 for 8, his role as Bonus Points Hawk required him to keep the nonsense to a minimum while Duckett hunted for extra runs.Thankfully, he didn’t – appealing for and getting a no-ball call on height after Bamber bumped him first ball, a mow over backward point that brought him a couple and the odd swish and miss. At the other end, Duckett entered into ramp mode. That Broad wasn’t able to play the lead role because of the loss of the final two wickets in successive deliveries was a shame.Nevertheless, the day ended with a textbook celebrappeal, with Broad trapping Malan in front with the final ball of the day to dampen the hosts’ mood ever so slightly. By then, Malan had at least made it to double figures after opening scores of 0, 4, 2 and 0.He had arrived following Sam Robson’s 17, before he was lbw to Lyndon James. There was a momentary fear Robson may bag his second duck in three weeks, before he calmly opened the face to guide his 22nd ball beyond point for a couple.Stoneman looked a class apart, particularly against Broad. One of his 10 boundaries so far even elicited a “shot!” from the 36-year-old seamer, who had seemingly closed off the midwicket region with two fielders cutting off that angle. The left-hander managed to split both, all along the floor, with a nicely timed clip.The eighth boundary – a pull in front of square from his 70th delivery – brought Stoneman a first half-century of the season. Given the way he has negotiated a wily seam attack of Broad, Hutton, Paterson and James so far, and moreover timed every attacking shot well, it’s not hard to envisage a 30th first-class hundred – and sixth for Middlesex – sometime on Saturday.The weather is not expected to play as big a part on day three, and with only 130 overs into this surface so far, this may be the best it is for batting. Whatever torment the last couple of weeks have seen, tomorrow could kickstart the survival tilt.

Sri Lanka went into the game unchanged after Dunith Wellalage re-joined the team

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2025Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bowl, as the Asia Cup Super Fours stage kicked off in Dubai. Chasing sides have a 70% win record at this venue and that played a big part in Litton Das’ decision. He also added that he was a little “confused” by how the wicket would behave.Sri Lanka are a side that prefers to chase in general, and Charith Asalanka said as much though, with this being a used pitch, he’s not too bothered by batting first.Sri Lanka have gone with an unchanged XI with Dunith Wellalage rejoining the team after leaving for home following his father’s death. Bangladesh have made two changes with Mahedi Hasan and Shoriful Islam coming back into the side. Offspinner Mahedi’s return is presumably to combat Sri Lanka’s left-hander heavy batting line-up.Related

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Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar during the pitch report noted that while the potential of dew means chasing might be easier, if it doesn’t come in and the pitch continues to get drier, that equation could change. In terms of ground dimensions, one square boundary is shorter than the other.Sri Lanka: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kamil Mishara, 4 Kusal Perera, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt), 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Dunith Wellalage, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Nuwan ThusharaBangladesh: 1 Saif Hassan, 2 Tanzid Hasan, 3 Litton Das (capt & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Jaker Ali, 6 Shamim Hossain, 7 Mahedi Hasan, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Mustafizur Rahman.

Patterson completed a very successful return to the Sheffield Shield side with twin half-centuries

AAP04-Nov-2024Former Test batsman Kurtis Patterson underlined his successful return to the Sheffield Shield, helping New South Wales bat out a draw against Queensland.After NSW were asked to start their second innings with a 167-run deficit on Monday morning, Patterson’s 66 helped the Blues to 256 for 4 when both sides agreed to end play.Ollie Davies also thrived for NSW, caught in the deep hooking in the final session for 88 after being measured early and taking the game on more late.The result left both teams without wins from the opening three rounds, with two draws each.But this fixture was an undoubted personal victory for Patterson.NSW’s captain as recently as two seasons ago, the left-hander was only picked for three Shield matches last summer and again started 2024-25 out of the side. But with a raft of players unavailable through Australia and Australia A commitments, selectors were forced to bring him back in, at No.3.And the two-time Test representative delivered, after admitting he once feared his first-class career was over. The 31-year-old played a lone hand with 91 for the Blues in the first innings, before again shining bright on Monday.Patterson played one of the shots of the day with a flourishing square-drive off Mitchell Swepson, as one of six boundaries in his innings.And he barely looked troubled until rain briefly interrupted play in the second session, and Swepson ripped one back between bat and pad to bowl him on his first ball back.But by then, the game had been saved for NSW, with Patterson and Davies’ 117-run third-wicket stand counteracting Queensland’s rain-interrupted first-innings total of 406 for 5.Davies’ runs also marked his best outing so far this summer, before he enters Australia A’s camp later this week to face India A in Melbourne.

The total prize money has also gone up by 75% to $3.5 million

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-2022The ICC has doubled the prize money for the winners of the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup to $1.32 million. They have also increased the overall prize money pot by 75%, with eight teams getting a share of $3.5 million, a figure $1.5 million more than the 2017 edition which England had won.The runners-up will take home $600,000, which is $270,000 more than what second-placed India received in 2017. The two losing semi-finalists will receive $300,000 each, while the four teams who will fly back home after the group stage will be awarded a sum of $70,000 – up from the $30,000 prize from the previous edition.Related

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Every group stage win will also earn the teams a reward of $25,000 per victory from a total pot of $700,000.That makes it a rise in the prize money for consecutive editions of the Women’s ODI World Cup. The total prize money between the 2013 and the 2017 edition had seen a ten-fold increase when it went up from $200,000 to $2 million. England, the 2017 winners, got a reward of $660,000 after beating India by nine runs at Lord’s to claim their fourth title.Eight teams are participating at the World Cup this year – to run from March 4 to April 3 in New Zealand – with a total of 28 league games to be played in a round-robin format. Four sides will then move to the semi-finals to be played in Wellington and Christchurch, followed by the final in Christchurch.

Steven Smith says he and Usman Khawaja have moved on following their mix-up in the first Test in Sri Lanka, with the pair chilled over Smith’s on-field reaction.

AAP06-Jul-2022Steven Smith insists there is no lingering fallout from his mid-wicket mix-up with Usman Khawaja after his fiery first Test dismissal against Sri Lanka.Smith created headlines last week when he gestured back at Khawaja and stormed off the field after being run out for six in Galle. The incident drew criticism back home in Australia, including from former captains Mark Taylor and Ian Chappell.Chappell in particular was harsh on the right-hander, claiming he should have been in better check of his emotions as a vice-captain on the field. But Smith insisted he and Khawaja had immediately moved on, and he was more frustrated at his own dismissal.”I hate getting run out. I think anyone does,” Smith said on Wednesday when asked if he had reflected on the situation. “Particularly given the [tough] conditions and gifting them a wicket. As one of the most experienced players I was pretty upset.”That happens in the game. I got over it pretty quickly. I had to keep moving forward and that is part of the game.”I spoke to Uz straight after and he was pretty chilled. Mix-ups happen, we keep moving on.”What Smith is desperate for is more time in the middle. He missed the final three one-day internationals in Sri Lanka with a quad injury and only faced 11 balls in his one innings in Galle before his run out.The former captain batted through another lengthy net session on Wednesday, working hard on facing left-arm spin with throwdowns from former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori.Smith employs a different approach to most Australians against the spinners, only using the sweep when the ball spins back into him. He was Australia’s leading run-scorer on the last tour of Sri Lanka, relying on a fast-feet method to try and unsettle the bowlers.”I’m not a huge sweeper so I prefer to run down the wicket and get them off their lengths that way or come back into my crease,” Smith said. “Really it’s about not getting stuck on the crease with the ball spinning into me.”If I’m doing that well and fast on my feet, I usually feel pretty good.”Australia expect the wicket to spin just as much in the second Test in Galle starting Friday, with Sri Lanka adding more spinners to their squad.Smith had attempted to lead a more positive team with the bat when he captained Australia’s 3-0 loss in 2016, only for the side to be tentative in defeat. But that approach has been put into far better effect on this tour, as Australia scored at a rapid rate in the first Test.”It’s about having courage in the way guys are playing,” Smith said. “It’s good we all play a little bit differently.”There’s not the same continuity, so bowlers have to change their lengths a bit and when they’re doing that in a partnership you can cruise along quite freely.”

“He has taken his role as the senior pro very seriously and it shows on the field”

Mohammad Isam28-Jun-2022The fast bowlers showing the ability to take wickets from slow pitches was the biggest gain for West Indies from their 2-0 win over Bangladesh, according to head coach Phil Simmons.Alzarri Joseph was the series’ top wicket-taker while Kemar Roach became only the sixth West Indies bowler to take 250 wickets during the series. Kyle Mayers and Jayden Seales contributed with regular wickets while Anderson Phillip made an impressive debut in St Lucia.Related

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It had a big impact on Bangladesh, who got bowled out for less than 250 in all four innings in the Test series, losing both games by big margins.”The first (Test) wicket wasn’t conducive to fast bowling but we got them out for low scores,” Simmons said. “In this Test match, to get them bowled out on the first day on a comparatively slow wicket, gave us the driver’s seat. The fast bowlers deserve a lot of credit. We have worked hard in the two series, and come out victorious. This one maybe wasn’t as hard as the first one, the important thing is that at the end of the day, the W is behind the two Tests. We won 2-0 in Bangladesh in 2021 as well. You have to take all those things, and sit back and enjoy it.”Simmons was happy with Roach in particular helping out the young pace attack. Roach, who debuted in 2009, had a series to remember for reaching the 250-wicket milestone. He was lauded by West Indies greats Curtly Ambrose and Michael Holding, whose tally he crossed during the St Lucia Test.”(Roach) is helping the fast bowlers to mature quicker. I think he has an exceptional influence on all the young fast bowlers. He has taken his role as the senior pro very seriously. It shows on the field. You can see him talking to them, who are trying to do the right things all the time. I think his influence has been massive to these young fast bowlers.”Mayers, too, emerged as an all-round factor for the first time in his short Test career. He contributed mainly with the ball in Antigua, before hitting his second Test century in St Lucia, a backs-to-the-wall counterattack.”He brings in the wicket-taking factor. He is not express, but he puts the ball in the right areas. If he bats normally, he scores quickly in all three formats. I have to get him to understand that he needs to bat normally. Once we get that, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with.”Phillip also had a good first outing but Simmons felt that nerves got the better of him at times. “I think he had a good debut. Two wickets earlier on, but he got a bit of cramps. It comes with all the nervousness that comes with your first Test match. If you are not nervous, something is wrong.”He was nervous, and it didn’t help him. He bowled well in both the innings. He did what the captain wanted him to do.”

Bezuidenhout, Kerr and Devine slam half-centuries too as Pakistan, despite Ameen’s century, fall 131 runs short

Sruthi Ravindranath12-Dec-2023A powerful batting display from New Zealand’s top four set up a big win for them in the first ODI against Pakistan in Queenstown, as they went 1-0 up in the three-match series. Pakistan went down by 131 runs chasing a big target of 366.The result aside, Pakistan were also dealt a double blow with fast bowler Diana Baig ruled out of the series with a training injury, and captain Nida Dar taken off the field during the game after she was struck in the face while bowling. In Pakistan’s chase, Sidra Ameen made 105 but did not find much support from the other end as Pakistan went down by 131 runs chasing a big target of 366.After being put in, New Zealand openers Suzie Bates and Bernadine Bezuidenhout got off to a steady start, putting up 51 runs in the powerplay. They then started accelerating and scored boundaries regularly to take New Zealand’s total past 100 without any blemishes. Bezuidenhout brought up her half-century off 50 balls in the 18th over, while Bates got to her fifty off 57 balls in the 22nd over. A run out ended Bezuidenhout’s stay a the crease, as she departed for a run-a-ball 86, her career-best in ODIs, as Pakistan broke a 165-run stand.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Amelia Kerr joined Bates and the duo made sure the momentum did not slip away as they continued to pile on the runs. Together they took New Zealand past 200, with Bates bringing up her century off a boundary in the 38th over. She was, however, dismissed in the next over by Umm-e-Hani for 108.Shortly after, in the 44th over, Dar, who was bowling her seventh over of the match, was struck on the face by the ball when Devine was on strike. She received medical attention on the field before being taken off, putting her participation in the second and third games of the series in doubt.Captain Sophie Devine and Amelia then took charge of the proceedings as the duo started building towards a strong total. Devine shifted gears in the 47th over – until then not a single six was scored in New Zealand innings – as she hit Fatima Sana for two sixes off the last ball of the over. In the next over, she took apart Omaima Sohail, plundering four sixes off her bowling in a 27-run over. In the process, she also brought up her half-century off 29 balls.Nida Dar was ruled out of the game after being hit in the face with the ball while bowling•Getty Images

Amelia departed for a 69-ball 83, as she consolidated her position as the top run-getter in ODIs this year. This was her fourth 50-plus score of the year and she’s made 460 runs in seven innings in 2023. Devine was out for a 36-ball 70 in the penultimate ball of the innings, as the hosts made 365 for 4 which is the highest total in women’s ODIs in New Zealand. It was also the first time in women’s ODIs that all of the top four batters of a side scored 70 runs or above.In reply, Pakistan, too, got off to a solid start, with Ameen and Muneeba Ali bringing up their 50-run opening stand in the ninth over. Ameen posted her half-century off 51 balls in the 14th over, but Devine got the breakthrough in the 19th over, sending Muneeba back for 44. Fran Jonas then removed Sadaf Shamas, Dar’s replacement for the game, for 10.The New Zealand bowlers slowed Pakistan down significantly after that, rarely conceding boundaries as the required run-rate shot up. Ameen lost three more partners before she got to her century, her fourth in the format. She was eventually run-out for 105, with Pakistan at that point needing 154 runs from 36 balls.In the middle, Pakistan lost six wickets for 41 runs, and in the end could only make 234 as Kerr took the last wicket with one ball remaining in the innings to finish with figures of 3 for 44.”The way we went about with the bat was really pleasing and it’s something as a group we’ve talked about how we want to play 50-over cricket,” Bates said after the match. “And Sophie in at [No.] 4 is reasonably new and we’ve not quite nailed it but I thought at Bernie [Bezuidenhout] at the top was order was quite outstanding. That partnership set up the match and then Melie [Amelia Kerr] and Sophie came and played. To give us 365, quite impressive on what was really a good wicket. But to get that score, everyone played the conditions well.”Devine has been pushed to the No. 4 position in recent times, having previously played as an opener in the ODI side. After making 70 off 36 balls, she also impressed with the ball, getting a crucial wicket to break the opening stand and giving away just 19 runs in her five overs.”Melie was going at such a quick rate too and Sophie made it look really easy the way she cleared the rope. That’s why we have her at [No.] 4, she’s one of the most destructive players in world cricket and she can clear the rope easily. It’s great to get that finish we’ve been searching for a long time. She was outstanding, and she really changed the game not just with the bat but with the ball as well.”

Australia sweat over captain Healy’s fitness ahead of the knockouts

Sruthi Ravindranath16-Oct-20242:46

Aus vs SA match-ups: Can Schutt trip up Brits?

Australia vs South Africa

Dubai, 6pm local timeAustralia squad: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Heather Graham, Tayla Vlaeminck (ruled out)South Africa squad: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe TryonTournament form guide: Australia are unbeaten in this T20 World Cup, winning all four of their games so far. In their last group match, they beat India in a high-octane clash by nine runs. South Africa have a 3-1 record having lost their second match of the tournament to England.News brief: Australia were without captain Alyssa Healy for their match against India. She arrived at the game in Sharjah on crutches having sustained a foot injury while batting on 37 against Pakistan on Friday. Tahlia McGrath led the side in her absence, with Ellyse Perry deputising and Beth Mooney keeping wicket.”As it stands, it’s the same thing for Midgie [Healy],” Perry said on the eve of the semi-final. “The medical staff and the team are going to give her every opportunity and possibility of playing tomorrow night but I don’t think anything’s changed in that respect. We’ll just have to see in the next 24 hours.”Alyssa Healy watched Australia’s win against India from the sidelines•ICC/Getty Images

Fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck, who hurt her shoulder on her T20 World Cup return against Pakistan, was ruled out of the tournament with Heather Graham named her replacement. Grace Harris and Darcie Brown came into the playing XI as replacements for the India game.South Africa do not have injury concerns and are unlikely to make changes to their winning combination. Their record against Australia is not great, having won just one out of the 10 T20Is they’ve played each other. Their first-ever win came in Canberra in January this year in a bilateral series. South Africa have not won a single World Cup game against Australia in either format. Thursday will be a rematch of the 2023 T20 World Cup final, in which South Africa suffered a heartbreaking loss in front of their home crowd in Cape Town.South Africa have played three matches in Dubai this tournament while Australia have played just one match – against Pakistan – at the venue. The average first-innings score is 126, with India posting the highest total of 172 against Sri Lanka last Wednesday.Player to watch: Experienced pacer Megan Schutt’s miserly spells have been crucial to all four of Australia’s wins. She started the tournament with 3 for 12 against Sri Lanka on a spin-friendly track, finished with stunning figures of 3 for 3 against New Zealand and followed it up with 1 for 7 in her three overs against Pakistan in Dubai. Against India, she gave away 24 runs in her first three overs but returned to turn the game on its head in the 17th over by conceding just one run, leaving India with 40 to get off 18 balls.Tazmin Brits’ solid starts have been among the biggest positives for South Africa. After a 57 not out to start the competition, she crossed the 40-run mark in each of her last two matches. Against Bangladesh, on a slow track, she played a patient innings of 42 off 41 balls to help South Africa to a comfortable win. She also played an important hand in South Africa’s first and only T20I win against Australia earlier this year, scoring a fiery 41 off 28 with eight fours in a chase of 143.