The gulf between India and Afghanistan during the recent bilateral T20I series – which India won 3-0 – was a further vindication of India’s dominance in the format and why they are world champions. It may not have reflected Afghanistan’s pedigree in the format, but it showed the gaps they still have to make up to match the top sides in the world, especially in terms of dot-ball percentage and their strike rate while batting.

Now Afghanistan, who have sent a second string side to the Asian Games, take on a full-strength India in the quarter-finals. Thirteen of the 15 players who toured India for the bilateral series are not in Afghanistan’s squad now, and the only two retained are Darwish Rasooli (the captain) and Abdollah Ahmadzai. Afghanistan’s squad of 15 is so raw that it features six uncapped players and five others who have fewer than ten international appearances. Their combined T20I experience of 262 matches is only a fraction (30%) of India’s 872 games.

There is no Rashid Khan, no Rahmanullah Gurbaz, no Mohammad Nabi, but Nabi’s genes are in the side, in his 20-year-old son Hassan Eisakhil.

England were the beneficiaries of an unusual, but ultimately correct, umpiring decision during their series-clinching win against Sri Lanka in Sunday’s third ODI at the Oval as Pavan Rathnayake  was given out, not out, and then out again.

The bizarre passage of play came in the 15th over of Sri Lanka’s run-chase, when Charith Asalanka steered Liam Dawson to short third man. Jofra Archer,  the fielder, threw at the keeper’s end, and Rathnayake was a long way short of his ground as the LED lights on the stumps and the bails flashed.

Rob White, the square-leg umpire, initially gave him out on-field without deference to TV umpire Adrian Holdstock, but did refer the decision after consultation with standing umpire Wayne Knights. It became clear after a replay that Jordan Cox’s gloves had dislodged the bails just before the ball hit the stumps.

Holdstock appeared to overturn the initial decision after around two minutes of deliberation, with ‘not out’ flashing up on the big screen at The Oval, but continued to review his decision at the drinks break. After another 90 seconds of deliberation, he gave Rathnayake – who was clearly bemused – out for 18.

The decision took approximately four minutes to reach, but was ultimately correct. While Cox’s gloves had dislodged the bails, Archer’s throw uprooted the stump entirely and was thereby deemed to have broken the wicket.

The two relevant MCC Laws read as follows:

• 29.2.1.1: “The wicket is broken fairly if a bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or a stump is struck out of the ground by the ball.”
• 29.2.1.6: “The wicket is also broken fairly if a fielder strikes or pulls a stump out of the ground (as in 29.2.1.5).”

The circumstances were highly unusual, as the former England batter Mark Butcher outlined on Sky Sports. “What I find hard to believe is that in all the years I’ve either played or commentated on the game, I’ve never seen this before or heard that Law before,” Butcher said.

“Everybody knows that if you break the stumps and the bails come off, then you need to get the ball in your hand and take the stump out in order to affect the run-out. I’ve never heard the sub-Law about the throw knocking the stump out of the ground, and that counting as a dismissal.”

Tom Banton, Player of the Match after making his maiden international hundred during England’s innings, was similarly taken aback by the scenario. “I’ll be honest, I have never seen that before, so I actually don’t know,” he said afterwards. “But we take the mick out of Jamie Overton because he seems to know everything, and he said it was out straight away.”

MCC, who write and interpret the Laws of Cricket, are expected to clarify the decision in the coming days.

[Cricinfo]

Hurdler Ayomal Akalanka provided a glimmer of hope for Sri Lanka on a largely disappointing day for track and field at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, securing his place in the men’s 400 metres hurdles final on Sunday.

‎Akalanka produced an impressive 49.78 seconds to book his berth in the final, keeping Sri Lanka’s hopes of a medal in the event alive.

‎The day, however, was marked by disappointing performances in the field events.

‎Gayan Sampath failed to register a single legal jump in the men’s long jump, bringing his campaign to an early end.

‎Madushani Herath also endured a difficult outing in the women’s long jump, finishing 12th with a below-par 5.91 metres.

‎In the men’s 800 metres heats, Harsha Karunaratne produced a sub-1:50 performance, clocking 1:49.90 seconds. He finished fourth in his heat, but the time was not sufficient to earn a place in the final.

‎With Akalanka advancing to the 400m hurdles final, Sri Lanka will look to the young hurdler to provide a stronger finish in the final.

‎The women’s javelin final was in progress when this edition went to press.