Kings XI batsman credits Stoinis for telling impact

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2020Crestfallen after losing their IPL opener, Kings XI Punjab batsman Mayank Agarwal said it feels terrible to not close off the game after making a stupendous comeback against Delhi Capitals.Chasing 158 to win, Kings XI were struggling at 55 for 5, until Agarwal turned it around with a fine counter-attack after a slow start. He made his IPL best of 89 and fell with Kings XI needing one run off the final ball. Then, Marcus Stoinis, who had effected a sensational turnaround with the bat for Delhi Capitals, forced the match into a Super Over by dismissing Chris Jordan off the last ball.”We had a tough day,” Agarwal told . “There are a lot of positives to take out. The way we came back was fantastic, the way we bowled with the new ball was terrific. It really hurts to not close off the game from the situation we were in, feels terrible.”This is just the first game. We can get things rolling again. Let’s see how we will go in the coming games. I think to play a game like that first up was fantastic. Everyone was up for it. The guys really put in the effort. Definitely, we should have finished the game when we needed one run.”Agarwal also observed the target – albeit 20-25 more than what Kings XI looked like chasing – was still gettable. “It was a par score and going into the break, we knew that if we can stitch a partnership and not give them wickets with the new ball, we could win the game,” Agarwal said. “We batted extremely well to reach there. I don’t know what to say (about the final moments).”Agarwal also praised Stoinis for his 21-ball 53 that helped Capitals smash 57 off the last three overs. Stoinis was particularly harsh on Chris Jordan, who was hit for two sixes and three four in an over that went for 30 runs. “Stoinis batted extremely well,” Agarwal said. “Even if we made a little mistake, he took us apart. So credit to him and he had a great game and he did really did well for them at the death.”Axar Patel, the Capitals left-arm spinner, was equally effusive in his praise Stoinis. Patel himself had an excellent outing, keeping a lid on the scoring with his loopy variations – something he’s only developed recently – after R Ashwin had to go off the field with an injured shoulder. Patel finished with creditable figures of 1 for 14 off his four overs.”If the team wants to go with six bowlers then you need an all-rounder and if he can contribute with both bat and ball it’s really good for the team,” Patel said. “Stoinis performing like this in the first game itself means we don’t have to change our strategy too much. It’s good we won the Super Over and the morale is high in the dressing room.”

There has been a return to community cases in NSW but the tournament model allows for measures to be tightened if required

Andrew McGlashan15-Oct-2020Cricket Australia is confident the WBBL structure can react to a changing Covid-19 landscape as the start of the tournament which will be played entirely in a Sydney hub draws closer.The competition will begin on October 25 and run until the end of November, played at a variety of venues around the city with players based in a ‘village’ at the Sydney Olympic Park. As it stands, crowds will be able to attend at varying levels across the different grounds based on capacity restrictions.After a period of 12 days without community transmission of Covid-19 in New South Wales, cases have returned over the last week but the way the competition has been set-up provides various contingencies should they be required.ALSO READ: From Suzie Bates to Laura Wolvaardt – all the WBBL overseas players“One of the focus areas for building the competition has been the village which is a really self-contained facility to create a safe environment where we can scale up and down the level security and overlay that’s required,” Alistair Dobson, the head of the Big Bash, said.”Crowds will be something we work really closely with the New South Wales government on around capacity – different venues will have different requirements. The hill at North Sydney Oval will be different to the big stands at the [Sydney] Showgrounds.”We have a really scalable model which will allow us to pull different levers if the situation changes. We haven’t talked specific [Covid] numbers but it’s something we monitor and talk about daily.”There are 23 overseas players signed up for the tournament with those from England, West Indies and South Africa currently undergoing two weeks quarantine in various cities before all the teams join up in Sydney next week. Those who live in Sydney will also be required to stay within the village, which will allow players some degree of freedom around the hotels but with strict protocols still in place to restrict any wider movement.”It’s an enormous sacrifice and it goes without saying that there isn’t a part of the game that hasn’t had to make really big sacrifices to get the WBBL season over the line and the same will apply for all the different formats this year,” Dobson said. “There’s an element of freedom within the village because we are able to create such a secure environment around it.”Part of what we’ve tried to set up is that players who are essentially leaving home for five or six weeks, from a mental health and wellbeing point of view, have an experience which is positive and not the hard bubble some other competitions have gone through. There are restrictions outside the village in terms of going into restaurants nearby or those sorts of things, [and] there’s an element of being able to flex that up and down.”On Thursday, it was announced that 12 additional WBBL matches would be live on Fox Cricket meaning more than half the tournament will be televised with the other games available via streaming.

Josh Richards and Dominic Hendricks scored centuries for the Lions as they chased down a record total

Firdose Moonda26-Nov-2020Results Summary The defending champions, the Lions, registered their first win of this season’s competition by chasing down a record total against the Knights at the Wanderers. Their 336 for 6 beats the previous best, 310 for 8 by Australia in the 2011/12 season, and finished off a remarkable comeback for the hosts, who were behind by 98 runs in the first innings.The Knights were kept to 300 in their first innings, thanks largely to Sisanda Magala’s 6 for 60 and held together by half-centuries from Grant Mokoena and Migael Pretorius, who then took 4 for 40 against his former franchise. The Lions never quite got their reply going and went from 47 for 5 to 202 all out. That gave the Knights a perfect platform to bat the Lions out of the match and when they stretched the lead to 283, with six wickets in hand they may have thought they were on track. But the Knights lost 6 for 44 and set the Lions 334 to win.Centuries from openers Josh Richards and Dominic Hendricks, who shared a stand of 256, took the Lions to the brink and the middle order finished off. Despite the victory, the Lions remain more than 20 points behind the Knights in Pool B.Also on the Highveld, the Warriors chased 218 to beat the Titans at SuperSport Park, to earn their first win of the competition and deny Aiden Markram victory despite his twin centuries in the match.After six Covid-19 related absences from the first two rounds, the Warriors were back to full strength for this fixture and the difference in morale and performance showed. They bowled the Titans out for 320 and then piled on 392 in their own first innings.By the time the Titans erased the 72-run deficit, three of their top four were dismissed and they had to rely on Markram and the middle order to set the Warriors a competitive target. Only one batsmen other than Markram got past 30, and the Warriors were required to chase 218. They made tricky work of it, but won by three wickets to close the gap between themselves and the Titans to less than 18 points in Pool A.The Cobras lie at the bottom of the pool and are the only team not to have won a match after the first three rounds. They held on for the draw against the Dolphins in Durban after failing to bowl the Dolphins out in either innings and being set 295 runs to win. The Dolphins declared their first innings closed on 389 for 8, built on a century from Khaya Zondo. In reply, Tony de Zorzi top-scored for the Cobras with 58 as they were dismissed for 312, 77 runs behind.Fifties from the Dolphins top three and a scoring rate of 4.34 runs to the over saw them declare again on 217 for 4 on the final day, setting up a thrilling last two sessions. They had 62 overs at the Cobras, who needed to score at close to five runs an over to win. The Dolphins might have fancied their chances when they had the Cobras 66 for 3, but Pieter Malan and Aviwe Mgijma dug in, and though both of them were eventually dismissed, the Dolphins could not nip out the last four wickets. The Dolphins are also at the bottom of their pool, Pool B, but are less than 10 points behind the Lions. On the National Radar Markram’s return to form could not have come at a better time, with the Test series against Sri Lanka a month away and decisions to be made about both the opening spot and the captaincy. He scored 149 and 121, almost 45% of the Titans total runs in the match, and sits in second place on the overall run charts. Less encouraging were the performances of Dean Elgar (20 and 6) and Theunis de Bruyn, who bagged a pair. While both Elgar and de Bruyn have centuries to their names in the tournament so far, Elgar has gone to add to half-centuries to that but de Bruyn’s three ducks and a 13 may see him slip down the order of preference.Also of interest is two-time Test cap Senuran Muthusamy’s performance for the Dolphins. He was promoted to opening the batting and scored 79 and 56 while also eight wickets in the match (four in each innings) with his left-arm spin. Muthusamy now sits in joint fifth place
on the wicket-charts and though South Africa are not short of left-arm slow bowlers, having an all-round option is always handy. Top Performers Though Markram has all but secured the Test opening spot, Sarel Erwee continues to impress and remains the leading run-scorer. Erwee registered a third score of 50-plus in his third match, with 56 in the second innings to help the Dolphins set up their victory push. No.3 batsmen Keegan Petersen also scored 56 while in the first innings Zondo’s hundred will be noted with interest, especially after his struggles for form since being on the fringes of the national side.Other batsmen who showed signs of strong form are Dominic Hendricks, who scored a second century in successive matches, Richards, whose hundred was his first at franchise level and Sinethemba Qeshile of the Warriors, who scored 97.With Tabraiz Shamsi on international duty, the Knights’ Pretorius is now the leading bowler with 16 wickets to his name. Warriors’ left-armer Marco Jansen is in joint-fourth place and took seven wickets against the Titans while exciting young quick Lifa Ntanzi, claimed 3 for 51 in the first innings for the Dolphins against the Cobras.

Four Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is now make up the tour earmarked for February-March 2021

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2020England men’s upcoming tour of India in February-March 2021 will feature four Tests instead of the five originally, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly confirmed on Tuesday.With 2021 being a T20 World Cup year – India is slated to host it in October-November – the extra Test has now been scrapped to accommodate two additional T20Is. That means the tour, which the BCCI hopes to host entirely in India, now comprises four Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is.England were earlier scheduled to tour in India for three T20Is and as many ODIs in September, but it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the uncertainty over the status of the 2020 T20 World Cup, which was scheduled to be held in Australia in October-November.”England is touring India for four Test matches, three ODIs, and five T20Is,” Ganguly said at a virtual event. “It is easier to have bilaterals than having eight-nine-ten teams, which gets difficult, but we have to keep assessing the situation.”A lot of people are talking about the second Covid wave. We’re already hearing of cases being on the rise again in Mumbai and Delhi, so we have to be careful and make sure everything is in order.”As such, the UAE, which hosted IPL 2020, continues to remain a back-up venue, not just for the England series but also IPL 2021 that will follow immediately.”The next IPL is five months away and we’re very much trying to have it in India,” Ganguly said. “I always tell people that they need to be here to see what the IPL means to India. We’re also going to be hosting domestic cricket in India.”The details of the domestic season haven’t been announced yet, although it is understood that the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the domestic T20 competition, and the Ranji Trophy, the first-class competition, are the only two tournaments that can be accommodated in a short window. Plans for Under-19s and the women’s season are still being worked out.”We have had extensive discussions on domestic cricket and we have tentatively decided to start the competitions from January 1, 2021,” Ganguly had told PTI in October. “We will certainly have the full-fledged Ranji Trophy. [But] it will probably not be possible to hold all tournaments.”We also have elaborate plans for our age-group and women’s cricket. We will start with the Ranji Trophy and then we will also have the other tournaments between March and April.”

The Strikers move to third place, while the opponents slip into strife

Alex Malcolm11-Jan-2021Adelaide Strikers sent Rashid Khan off in style with a hard-fought five-wicket win over Melbourne Stars to vault up to third on the BBL table and leave the Stars in strife.Wes Agar starred with 2 for 19, including a maiden, while Khan took 2 for 29, including the prize scalp of Glenn Maxwell, to restrict the Stars to just 7 for 149 after they won the toss. Marcus Stoinis played a lone hand at the top smashing 47 but he failed to kick on while Nic Maddinson made an excellent 48 not out to rescue the Stars after they had slumped to 5 for 92.The Strikers stumbled in the chase losing Phil Salt and Alex Carey in a failed attempt to claim the Bash Boost point. Adam Zampa’s sublime spell of 2 for 20 put the Strikers in a hole but Jono Wells and Ryan Gibson dug them out. Wells took his time before hammering Haris Rauf to finish with 36 from 27 while Gibson guided the side home with 22 not out from 13 balls. Fittingly, Khan was out there for the winning runs in his 50th game for the Strikers, and last for the season as he heads off to international duty.Wes Agar bowled an excellent spell•Getty Images

Stoinis needs some spiceAndre Fletcher was a late addition to the Stars squad for the BBL as a replacement for Jonny Bairstow. It was hoped he would provide a nice foil for Stoinis at the top of the order but his struggles have really hurt the Stars and again he failed to fire. He faced a maiden in the first over and although he struck two sixes in the third he faced nine dots in 12 balls before holing out to mid-on. The ball did nip and swing early and the Stars were wary of losing wickets. Nick Larkin faced another maiden in the powerplay from Agar while Stoinis was 8 off 11 at one stage.Stoinis made up for it with some sublime hitting but it was nullified by Khan’s double-strike. He bamboozled Larkin with a stunning googly, before Maxwell fell for his second consecutive golden duck slicing a full wide wrong ‘un to backward point. Stoinis clubbed the hat-trick ball through midwicket for four with contempt. He was fortunate to survive a dropped catch in the deep, but Agar got him four balls later with some extra bounce catching a leading edge. Hilton Cartwright also failed to leave the Stars 5 for 92 with just 36 balls left in the innings.Awesome AgarThe Stars left the Power Surge until the 17th over and Agar continued his outstanding form, delivering six straight yorkers to concede just four runs and two leg byes. Dan Worrall then backed it up taking two wickets to leave the Stars in a huge hole. But Maddinson kept his head to give the Stars a score to defend. He used the pace of Worrall to flick him over fine leg and uppercut over third man in between the two Power Surge wickets. He then smashed Agar over deep midwicket in the 19th over, but Agar still finished with the phenomenal figures of 2 for 19 from four overs. Maddinson finished the innings with back-to-back sixes off Worrall to reach 48 not out from 34 balls and lift the Stars to a competitive total.Bash Boost blunderThe Strikers needed just 68 for the Bash Boost point and had it under control through eight overs. Salt lost his opening partner early but struck four boundaries to reach 31 from 21 balls and leave the Strikers needing just 10 from two overs with Salt and Carey at the crease. But they made a mess of the short-term goal and did significant long-term damage to their chase.Maxwell backed himself and Zampa with 9th and 10th overs and came up trumps. Salt skied Maxwell to long-off with the first ball of the over, with Maxwell’s angle from around the wicket causing the miscue. Then Carey and Wells scored just seven singles from the next 10 deliveries to put the Bash Boost point in jeopardy before Carey committed the ultimate sin. Needing three for the point, he tried to loft a reverse sweep off Zampa and was caught at short third man with Maddinson moving well to take an excellent catch. It left the Strikers without the point and needing 85 to win from 60 balls as their captain trudged off.Gibson goes to the WellsWells remained composed despite Jake Weatherald also falling to the reverse sweep to Zampa. The legspinner delivered an outstanding Power Surge over as a part of a brilliant spell. Wells found an ally in Gibson and the pair of calm heads prevailed. They failed to take a boundary off Zampa’s last over but didn’t panic despite needing 30 off 18 balls.Wells waited for the pace of Rauf and used it to perfection. He carved him through point, clipped him through midwicket, and lofted him over the midwicket rope to reduce the equation to 16 off 14. Wells did hole out trying to go again over point but the damage was done. Gibson picked up the slack, slicing Rauf to third man to take 18 from the over and leave just 12 required from 12 balls.They only needed six. Gibson again found the rope off Liam Hatcher at midwicket. He had some fortune last ball when the substitute Tom O’Connell dropped him running back with the flight for the winning runs.

Bangladesh could try some players ahead of the more challenging white-ball assignments in New Zealand in March

Mohammad Isam24-Jan-2021

Big picture

For teams like Bangladesh and West Indies, dead rubbers are no longer meaningless. The ODI Super League has made it certain that every game is now worth points, aimed towards direct World Cup qualification, or teams have to take the tortuous qualifiers route. Bangladesh cannot take the foot off the gas against a West Indies side that has hardly put forth a meaningful contest in the ODI series so far, particularly with bigger challenges lying ahead this year.The home side has a number of options in their bench that they could test ahead of the more challenging white-ball assignments in New Zealand in March. Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam and allrounder Mohammad Saifuddin could get a run, since they are likely to be part of that squad as well, and are unlikely to play the Tests against West Indies next month.Mohammad Mithun and Afif Hossain are capable options in the middle order, although that area is jam-packed in the current XI. Mahedi Hasan could be another interesting choice for quick runs lower down the order, or bowling in the powerplay. Taijul Islam is the other left-arm spinner in the squad, but he is slightly lower in the pecking order.
Tamim hinted that they could look at squad rotation after the second ODI while BCB president Nazmul Hassan believed it can be avoided so that they go into the game with their best possible side. It is a delicate balance but so far from what the visitors have displayed, it would be hard to fault Bangladesh if they are willing to experiment.West Indies were bowled out for 148 in the last game, which was just 26 more than what they got in the first ODI. The top and middle order collapsed against Bangladesh’s accurate pace and spin combination. Against pace they have looked steady but as soon as spin has been introduced, they have looked all at sea.Phil Simmons added opener Kjorn Ottley to the line-up in the second game, leaving out fast bowler Chemar Holder, but it still didn’t do the trick. The batsmen crumbled against no-frills spin bowling on a pitch that wasn’t exactly a minefield. Only Rovman Powell has looked like scoring runs freely, albeit later in the innings, but his position seems like a waste down the order. If West Indies are to usher in these newcomers with a little more confidence, some runs on the board would certainly be helpful before they walk to the crease.The bowling has been somewhat impressive but that could also be due to Bangladesh’s own return to international cricket after ten months. Newcomer Akeal Hosein has looked confident in giving the ball a rip, but captain Jason Mohammed is stymied by lack of spin option, having to bowl himself a lot more.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh WWWWW
West Indies LLLLL

In the spotlight

There’s going to be more focus on Najmul Hossain Shanto after he got out for two low scores, particularly because some quarters believe Shakib Al Hasan should bat at No. 3, where Shanto is currently batting.For West Indies to get a bigger score, perhaps the team management could give Rovman Powell a slight promotion in the batting order, so that he doesn’t get stuck again with their long tail. So far, Powell has looked like their most accomplished batsman.

Team news

Bangladesh have a large squad to choose from, but if the BCB president Nazmul Hassan’s words are anything to go by (and those are usually very important for the selectors and team management), Bangladesh wouldn’t like to tinker too much with their winning combination.Bangladesh (possible) 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Liton Das, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Soumya Sarkar, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Rubel Hossain, 10 Hasan Mahmud, 11 Mustafizur RahmanWest Indies have only Keon Harding and Jahmar Hamilton to try from their ODI squad, after Ottley became the seventh debutant of the series, in the last game.West Indies (possible) 1 Kjorn Ottley, 2 Sunil Ambris, 3 Joshua Da Silva (wk), 4 Andre McCarthy, 5 Jason Mohammed (capt), 6 Kyle Mayers, 7 Rovman Powell, 8 Nkrumah Bonner, 9 Raymon Reifer, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Akeal Hosein

Pitch and conditions

The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium pitch is usually flat, and the evening dew makes batting under lights even easier. Eight out of the last ten teams batting second under lights have won matches at this ground. The weather is likely to be pleasant.

Stats and trivia

• Shakib Al Hasan is four wickets short of becoming Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in ODIs, which is currently Mashrafe Mortaza with 269 wickets
• West Indies currently average only 13.50 with the bat this series, which is their lowest in any bilateral ODI series
• Tamim Iqbal is three runs short of becoming the first batsman to score 500 runs at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium

Quotes

“We came here for 30 points but we still have chance to get ten points in this competition. We have got from 122 to 148, but we need to get into the 230-250, so that we can be competitive. Give the bowlers something to bowl at, and show mettle in that aspect. But definitely ten points would be the ultimate.”

Some members feel umpire’s call is too confusing for the public, want a simple ‘out’ or ‘not out’ decision

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Feb-2021The MCC’s World Cricket Committee will send the ICC a mixed bag of opinions on the ongoing debate about the umpire’s call aspect of the DRS, which was in the spotlight once again after Joe Root was not given out on review off an Axar Patel delivery during the second India-England Test in Chennai last week. In the first meeting of the MCC Committee – made up of former international captains, match officials and coaches – this year, some members thought the umpire’s call was “confusing to the watching public”. Others, however, said they were satisfied with it and these opinions will now be passed on to the ICC’s Cricket Committee for further discussion.

The MCC Cricket Committee

Mike Gatting – Chairman
John Stephenson – MCC Assistant Secretary (Cricket)
Suzie Bates
Sir Alastair Cook
Kumar Dharmasena
Sourav Ganguly
Tim May
Brendon McCullum
Ricky Ponting
Ramiz Raja
Kumar Sangakkara
Ricky Skerritt
Vince van der Bijl
Shane Warne

The committee also deliberated imposing a permanent ban on rubbing saliva on the ball in the virtual meeting, a safety measure introduced into the game as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic.There remain a range of opinions on the umpire’s call within the committee and in and around the game. That much was evident when Root was adjudged not out. On the fourth and final day of the Test, Root survived a close lbw decision against Patel. On-field umpire Nitin Menon, who is on the ICC’s Elite Panel, ruled the impact was not in line. Hawkeye validated the umpire’s call, but India remained far from convinced.India’s dissatisfaction is not an isolated stance, mirrored by members of the MCC Cricket Committee. “The committee debated the use of ‘Umpire’s Call’ for LBW decisions made via the Decision Review System, which some members felt was confusing to the watching public, particularly when the same ball could either be Out or Not out depending on the on-field umpire’s original decision,” the MCC said in a media release on Monday. “They felt it would be simpler if the original decision was disregarded on review, and that there was a simple Out or Not out, with no Umpire’s Call.”What is the umpire’s call?
The protocols around the umpire’s call have undergone several tweaks, and currently allow for teams to not lose their reviews in case of an umpire’s call, though they are no longer able to top up their reviews after 80 overs in Test cricket. Currently, under the interim playing conditions during the pandemic, teams are allowed three reviews per innings.The umpire’s call is used in cases of the ball’s impact with pad and then the stumps, reliant on ball-tracking technology and as a concept is rooted, essentially, in the on-field umpire’s original decision retaining the benefit of doubt. Under the current protocols, according to the ICC, for “a Not Out decision to be overturned more than half the ball now has to be impacting the pad within a zone bordered by the outside of off and leg stumps (formerly the centre of off and leg stumps), and the ball needs to be hitting the stumps within a zone bordered by the outside of off and leg stumps and the bottom of the bails (formerly the centre of off and leg stumps, and the bottom of the bails).”Those members of the committee who argued for change “felt it would be simpler if the original decision was disregarded on review, and that there was a simple Out or Not out, with no Umpire’s Call,” the release said. “The ‘hitting zone’ of the stumps would still be retained, which had to be hit by at least 50% of the ball for an Out decision. If such a protocol was introduced, they felt it should also include a reduction to one unsuccessful review per team, or for the relevant review to be lost irrespective of its outcome.Other members of MCC’s cricket committee) were “satisfied” with the umpire’s call, feeling it was important to retain the human element of the on-field umpire’s decision, which takes into account the ‘benefit of the doubt’ that has existed in umpires’ decisions for many years. They felt that supporters did understand the concept of ‘Umpire’s Call’.”The MCC said it would “share the various opinions” with the ICC Cricket Committee. The MCC Cricket Committee once again reiterated that the ICC should take complete ownership of the DRS system, which currently is paid for by the host country.Another recommendation was for the on-field umpires to make an “unsighted” signal while making a decision on inconclusive catches in the outfield, “The committee felt that the soft-signal system worked well for catches within the 30-yard fielding circle, but that catches near the boundary often left the umpires unsighted. It was proposed that, for such catches, the on-field umpires could give an ‘unsighted’ instruction to the TV umpire, rather than the more explicit soft-signal of Out or Not out.Permanent ban on use of saliva on the ball
The MCC cricket committee also discussed whether to make the interim ban on using saliva to shine the ball a permanent one. The measure has been in place since last year, after the ICC’s medical advisory board recommended it due to the “elevated risk” it posed in transmitting Covid-19.Consequently, the ICC approved the Cricket Committee’s recommendation of using only sweat to polish the ball, a move that that the fast bowling fraternity accepted grudgingly. Now, some of the members of the MCC’s Cricket Committee want to make it a permanent change.”The committee debated prohibiting the use of saliva on the ball on a permanent basis and whilst there was a significant level of support for such a recommendation, some members felt that eliminating the use of saliva on a permanent basis is premature, and that it may be possible to allow its use once again in a post-Covid world,” the MCC release said.The MCC has said it would consult “current” players on the no-saliva ruling before making a Law at a “later stage”.”Such a Law change would have the dual benefit of being more hygienic whilst also eliminating the grey area of players using sweets and chewing gum to make their saliva more sugary.”

Injuries and departures have derailed the hosts, while the visitors might bring in Sharjeel Khan and Haider Ali

Danyal Rasool09-Apr-2021

Big picture

Given there is a certain other tournament that happens to coincide with this four-match series, South Africa against Pakistan at the Wanderers is unlikely to have global eyeballs fixed firmly upon it. One of the few T20I series longer than three games, it must have appeared, on paper, as the perfect appetizer ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year. These are two evenly-matched sides who have produced some of the most evenly-matched cricket in recent times, with the T20I series in Pakistan earlier in the year producing three enthralling clashes that had ebbs and flows usually only associated with cricket’s longer formats.When Pakistan edged South Africa out 2-1 two months back, South Africa’s squad was severely depleted as they attempted to rest up for a then scheduled Test series against Australia that eventually never ended up taking place. However, the then visitors will have been buoyed by the performances of what was effectively a second-string XI, and must have been confident they would get their first-choice XI back in the return leg with a more seasoned side.But this series’ clash with the IPL has exacted a heavy toll on the South Africans, five of whom are in India at the moment. To make matters worse, injuries have struck a number of those waiting in the wings to replace them, with Temba Bavuma and Dwaine Pretorius – who famously took 5 for 17 in Lahore in February – both ruled out. Rassie van der Dussen is also a doubt, while Reeza Hendricks has withdrawn due to the birth of his child this week.All this gives Pakistan a clear shot at stamping their authority in a country where their T20I series-winning streak ground to a halt in 2019, with the wheels coming off the hottest T20I run since the format’s inception. Two years on, Pakistan are a shadow of that dominant unit but will fancy themselves to avenge that defeat with a squad that has no real injury issues of its own. Shadab Khan’s absence is well covered by Usman Qadir, while Fakhar Zaman’s ODI form has earned him a recall for this format. Mohammad Hafeez, one of the key absences for Pakistan in the home series in February, is also available.The Pakistan bowlers likely to feature are mostly the same personnel who did the job in the ODI series, though should the visitors wrap this series up early, there might be the possibility of younger players being handed international experience. Nineteen-year-old Mohammad Wasim was one of the most impressive PSL prospects earlier this year, and is a part of the squad. As is Arshad Iqbal, who followed up a stellar PSL season last year with another distinguished campaign this time around. With the T20 World Cup fast approaching and the opposition down to bare bones before the series even begins, Pakistan may find they have the chance to flex their bench strength in a way few sides do in South Africa.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan WLWWL
South Africa LWLLLKyle Verreynne will be looking to grab a spot in South Africa’s T20I side•AFP via Getty Images

In the spotlight

Kyle Verreynne hasn’t yet played a T20I match, but already seems like he will be one of the key hopes for this depleted South Africa side. The 23-year old has long been regarded as one of the stars of the future generation and in the few ODIs he has had the chance to play, he has shown why. His most recent game – the third ODI against Pakistan – saw him drag his side from a near-certain defeat to well within contention with a 53-ball 62. It is that sort of confidence in his abilities that has sparked comparisons with some of his more decorated countrymen over the years. His domestic T20 record isn’t quite as impressive as his first-class numbers, but if he’s looking to grab a spot in this side, this is an obvious chance.Sharjeel Khan looks set to return to Pakistan colours for the first time in four years. Few selections have been as contentious or had as many points of interest as the inclusion of the left-hand opener. There have been questions about his past as well as his fitness, but despite all the baggage Sharjeel brings with him, there is a reason Pakistan’s selectors have been so keen to welcome him back. Half a decade ago, he was among the most fearsome strikers of the ball, and that hasn’t changed in all these years. A glimpse of his power was on display at the PSL, where only Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan scored more runs than him, though neither could match his strike rate of 170.94. Against this severely-depleted South Africa attack, expect Sharjeel to go in all guns blazing.

Team news

For South Africa, this squad inherently means an uncertain XI. van der Dussen’s inclusion would be a major boost for an inexperienced middle order, while Aiden Markram, Andile Phehlukwayo and Wiaan Mulder have been called up as cover.South Africa (possible): 1 Janneman Malan, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Pite van Biljon, 4 Kyle Verreynne, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (capt & wk), 6 Andile Phehlukwayo, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 George Linde, 9 Beuran Hendricks, 10 Lizaad Williams, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi/Daryn DupavillonZaman, who wasn’t a part of the original T20I squad, might slot back straight into the side, while Haider Ali might be included after being overlooked for the ODIs. It is unlikely Pakistan will line up with two spinners at the Wanderers, so Zahid Mehmood might miss out.Pakistan (possible): 1 Sharjeel Khan/Fakhar Zaman, 2 Babar Azam (capt), 3 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 4 Haider Ali, 5 Mohammad Hafeez, 6 Asif Ali, 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Hasan Ali, 9 Shaheen Afridi, 10 Haris Rauf/Mohammad Hasnain, 11 Usman Qadir

Pitch and conditions

This should be a high-scoring game, in line with the Wanderers’ reputation. Inclement weather is unlikely to make its presence felt.

Stats and trivia

• Mohammad Hafeez will become just the sixth player to feature in 100 T20Is should he play on Saturday. One Pakistani has achieved the feat so far – Shoaib Malik.
• The Wanderers is the venue of South Africa’s heaviest T20I defeat – a 107-run thumping against Australia last year.

Quotes

“They are a quality side. It’s nice playing against them. We need to win this series to get back at them. They’ve played good cricket against us.”

“Both cricket boards will now look for a new window for the tour when the situation improves” – PCB

Mohammad Isam10-Apr-2021Pakistan Under-19 team’s tour of Bangladesh has been called off due to a surge of Covid-19 cases in the country, the PCB has confirmed.Bangladesh recorded 6854 cases of the virus on Friday, including 74 deaths. Following the spike in infections, the government had announced a strict week-long lockdown starting from April 14.”After the Bangladesh government announced a nationwide lockdown at the beginning of the month, the departure of the team was rescheduled for Saturday April 17,” the PCB said in a statement. “However, since the Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh has not improved, the lockdown has been further extended by the Bangladesh Government, causing an indefinite postponement of Pakistan U19’s tour.”Both cricket boards will now look for a new window for the tour when the situation improves in Bangladesh, details of which will be shared in due course.”The tour was initially delayed by four days but now the PCB has said that they will look at another window.The teams were scheduled to play a four-day match as well as five youth ODIs, which would have been the first Under-19 international series since the 2020 World Cup. Bangladesh, the defending champions, have now missed two Under-19 series, against Afghanistan and Pakistan.Bangladesh’s first-class competition has already been postponed after two rounds, and the 2019-20 Dhaka Premier League, originally set to resume from May 6, is looking unlikely with an extended lockdown looming in the country.

Sanju Samson’s side will need to find a recipe for success. And soon

Alagappan Muthu21-Apr-2021

Big picture

AB de Villiers is in form. Glenn Maxwell is thriving. A hard-hitting team somehow found a way to adapt to the slowest pitch in the IPL.When Chennai provided even the slightest hint of a batting track, Royal Challengers Bangalore racked up 29 boundaries against a pretty decent bowling team.Imagine the damage they can do at a place like Wankhede. An unbeaten start to the tournament with their key players clicking. All they need now is a Virat Kohli masterclass.Rajasthan Royals are just as dangerous with the bat. They’ve threatened to chase down 222. But they’ve also crumbled from 87 for 2 to 95 for 7. Sanju Samson, their captain, had a wry smile on his face when he spoke about this nature of theirs at the presentation in the last match. He’ll need to find a fix for this, fast.

Team news

While he did not play any part in the Royals’ games so far, one of their batting options, Liam Livingstone, has left the IPL with bubble fatigue.Finn Allen is a big hitter. Wankhede is a tiny ground. It’s a match made in T20 heaven and on a podcast with commentator Ian Smith, Royal Challengers coach Mike Hesson suggested they might take advantage of that. Allen hit 71 off 29 the last time he played a cricket match.

Likely XIs

Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Virat Kohli (capt), 2 Finn Allen, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Kyle Jamieson, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Shahbaz Ahmed, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalRajasthan Royals: 1 Jos Buttler, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal/Manan Vohra, 3 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 4 Shivam Dube/Shreyas Gopal, 5 David Miller, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Chris Morris, 9 Jaydev Unadkat, 10 Chetan Sakariya, 11 Mustafizur Rahman13:15

जिंदगी की जद्दोजहद से सोना बनकर निकले साकरिया

Strategy punt

• Shreyas Gopal has dismissed de Villiers four times, and Kohli three times in T20 cricket. Royals might find that head-to-head is worth exploring again.
• Yuzvendra Chahal has dismissed Samson five times in T20 cricket. He has also dismissed David Miller three times in five innings in the IPL. The Royal Challengers already use their ace legspinner as a middle overs wicket-taker. Based on those head-to-heads, wickets are likely to be on offer.

Stats that matter

• Even though he has had to deal with Chennai slow, spinning conditions, de Villiers has been IPL 2021’s most destructive death-overs (16-20) batter. He has made 75 runs off 30 balls at a strike-rate of 250. Thanks to him, Royal Challengers have maintained a run-rate of 11.75 in this phase of the game
• Royals, meanwhile, have one of the worst performing death bowling attacks this season, leaking 12 runs per over. This match-up is not going to go well.
• Royal Challengers bought Maxwell to attack spin and to give them power through the middle overs (6-16). So far, it’s worked a treat. He is the only player in this IPL to have scored more than 100 runs against spinners, he hasn’t been dismissed by them. He has also made 125 runs in 87 balls in the middle overs (6-16) this IPL. Only Shikhar Dhawan (145 off 93) has done better.
• Chetan Sakariya has used his left-arm angle very shrewdly against right-hand batters. Of his six wickets this season, five have been right-handers. There are three huge ones in the Royal Challengers line-up that Royals will want him to take out.