Sports
Pakistan orchestrate late heist to seal series
A feisty show from Pakistan’s lower-order led them to a thrilling one-wicket win over Afghanistan in the second ODI at Hambantota on Thursday (August 24). With the win, Babar Azam’s men pocketed the three-match series with a game to spare.
In a game of dramatic ebbs and flows, 11 were needed off the final over with two wickets in hand. A well-set Shadab Khan was at the crease, albeit off strike, with Naseem Shah for company at the other end. Drama started instantly as Shadab was run out at the non-striker’s end for backing up too far. With the game in balance, Fazalhaq Farooqi ran out the Pakistan all-rounder in what seemed like a predetermined dismissal from the pacer. However, just like the Asia Cup T20 tournament last year, Naseem held his nerve and found the fence twice and got some help from Haris Rauf to see Pakistan over the line with a ball to spare.
The chase never seemed destined to get this close after the century stand between Babar and Imam-ul-Haq. The duo put Pakistan in cruise control after Fakhar Zaman had fallen in the first PowerPlay. Afghanistan felt the pressure and at 170/1, the game was Pakistan’s to lose and they nearly did. Babar fell to a Farooqi slower ball and within no time, there was an implosion that saw the score reading 211/6. The older ball was tougher to score and with no dew, Afghanistan’s spin trio put in the squeeze. The mini-collapse put Afghanistan in front and when a scratchy Ifthikar Ahmed innings was cut short, the writing was on the wall for Pakistan. To his credit, Shadab kept his composure under severe pressure and took the game deep before losing his wicket.
Afghanistan suffered due to Abdul Rahman’s inexperience as the pacer leaked runs at the death. Pakistan’s batters cleverly targeted the rookie and it paid off for them, particularly in the penultimate over of the chase. Earlier on, Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s majestic 151 and his double-century opening stand with Ibrahim Zadran is what got Afghanistan to a strong total. Once the duo fell, Pakistan did pull things back and in the end, ensured that Afghanistan finished with around 20-25 runs fewer than they’d have liked. Their 300 was still was a competitive total and once again, Afghanistan failed to hold their nerve against Pakistan in a close finish.
Brief scores:
Afghanistan 300/5 in 50 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 151, Ibrahim Zadran 80; Shaheen Afridi 2-58) lost to Pakistan 302/9 in 49.5 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 91, Babar Azam 53; Fazalhaq Farooqi 3-69) by 1 wicket
The Sri Lanka Cricket selection panel has handed the white-ball captaincy to Kusal Mendis for the upcoming all-format tour of the West Indies next month. Dhananjay de Silva will continue to lead the side in the two Tests.
Kusal Mendis takes over the ODI captaincy from Charith Asalanka, who was named in the 16-man squad, while Kamindu Mendis was named vice-captain. In T20Is, Kusal Mendis takes over the leadership from Dasun Shanaka, who led the side until the recent T20 World Cup, where Sri Lanka failed to make the knockouts. While Shanaka retained his place in the 16-man T20I squad, Asalanka did not.
Wanidu Hasaranga is set to return to action – named in the ODI and T20I squads – after his injury during the T20 World Cup has kept him off the field since early February. He tore his left hamstring at the time and missed the ongoing IPL after that for Lucknow Super Giants.
The tour starts with three ODIs from June 3 to 8 followed by the three T20Is on June 11, 13 and 14. The two Tests will be played at the Viv Richards Stadium in North Sound from June 25 to 29 and July 3 to 7.
Sri Lanka Test squad:
Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Kamindu Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Dinesh Chandimal, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Kusal Mendis, Milan Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Isitha Wijesundara, Kasun Rajitha
Sri Lanka ODI squad:
Kusal Mendis (capt), Kamindu Mendis (vice-capt), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Pavan Rathnayake, Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Milan Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan
Sri Lanka T20I squad:
Kusal Mendis (capt), Kamindu Mendis (vice-capt), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Pavan Rathnayake, Lasith Croospulle, Dasun Shanaka, Milan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara
(Cricinfo)
Chasing the fourth playoffs spot, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) entered their match against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Eden Gardens hoping Mumbai Indians beat Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium. In that case, KKR would have needed to chase down their target in about 12 overs to pip Punjab Kings on net run rate and finish in the top four. But with Mumbai losing, both PBKS and KKR were knocked out, reducing this match to a dead rubber as early as the fourth over of the first innings.
In the end, KKR lost this game as well. After DC rode on KL Rahul’s 30-ball 60 to post 203 for 5, KKR were 126 for 3 after 13 overs. Kuldeep Yadav then dismissed Ajinkya Rahane and Rinku Singh off successive deliveries to derail them. Eventually, KKR were all out for 163 in 18.4 overs.
After opting to bowl, KKR started with left-arm spinner Anukul Roy to left-hand batter Abishek Porel. After two dots, Porel picked up two successive fours to make it a ten-run over. Left-arm seamer Saurabh Dubey, though, was effective. Sharing the new ball, he found movement off the seam and also used the slower ball to good effect. He conceded only five runs from his two overs in the powerplay and had Porel caught behind. Porel was dropped by Tejasvi Dahiya off Kartik Tyagi off 18 but could add only four more to his tally.
In the last over of the powerplay, Sahil Parakh also got a reprieve. He was on 7 when he reversed-swept Sunil Narine towards cover-point where Rinku grassed the chance. Narine eventually had him caught at extra cover for 24 off 17.
Rahul showed his class once again, especially against Narine. In the eighth over, he stepped out twice in a row and hit him for a six and a four. In the spinner’s next over, he launched him over long-on from the crease for another six. In all, Rahul hit Narine for 21 off nine balls. He reached his fifty off 25 balls before dragging Roy to long-on.
After Rahul’s wicket, Axar Patel and David Miller kept DC going. They added 41 off just 25 balls before Axar holed out to long-on trying a third six off Varun Chakravarthy’s final over. He made 39 off 25 balls. Dubey conceded only eight in the 18th over but Miller spoiled his figures somewhat in the 20th by hitting him for two sixes. The seamer had the last laugh, though, as he had Miller caught at mid-off off a full toss. Dubey was denied a third wicket by Dahiya, who dropped Ashutosh Sharma off the final delivery of the innings. Ashutosh, once again, played a handy knock of 18 not out off 11.
Finn Allen opened his account with a first-ball four off Mitchell Starc. In the bowler’s next over, he hit him for a six and a four off successive balls. From the other end, Rahane smashed back-to-back sixes off Auqib Nabi to take KKR to 43 after four overs. Lungi Ngidi provided some relief when he had Allen chopping on in a four-run fifth over. With Axar conceding only eight in the sixth, KKR ended the powerplay on 55 for 1.
Just when it looked like KKR were falling behind the asking rate, Rahane and Manish Pandey combined to hit Axar for three sixes in a 21-run eighth over. But Ngidi struck once again – he dismissed Pandey for 25, courtesy an excellent diving catch by Starc at long-on. In the next over, Kuldeep had Cameron Green caught at long-off, leaving KKR 96 for 3 in the tenth over.
Rahane brought up his fifty, his second of the season, off 31 balls but Kuldeep had him and Rinku caught in the deep off successive deliveries to dent KKR’s chase. He missed the hat-trick only because Porel put down Dahiya behind the stumps. Dahiya couldn’t capitalise on the reprieve and fell to Axar soon after.
When substitute fielder Sameer Rizvi’s direct hit from long-off found Rovman Powell short at the non-striker’s end, the end was swift. There was no Narine with the bat, as Allen had replaced him as Impact Player during the first innings itself, and the lower order didn’t have the skills to deal with Starc and Ngidi. All told, KKR lost their last seven wickets for 37 runs.
Brief scores:
Delhi Capitals 203 for 5 in 20 overs (Abhishek Porel 22, KL Rahul 60, Sahil Parakh 24, Axar Patel 39,David Miller 28, Ashutosh Sharma 18*; Anukul Roy 1-23, Saurabh Dubey 2-28, Sunil Narine 1-38, Varun Chakravarthy 1-35) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 163 in 18.4 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 63,Finn Allen 20, Manish Pandey 25, Rovman Powell 29; Mitchell Starc 2-26, Lungi Ngidi 3-27, Axar Patl 1-38, Kuldeep Yadav 3-29) by 40 runs
[Cricinfo]
Kolkata Knight Riders have signed Karnataka’s Luvnith Sisodia as a replacement for the injured Matheesha Pathirana ahead of their final round-robin clash of IPL 2026 against Delhi Capitals. Pathirana has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with a hamstring injury sustained during KKR’s win over Gujarat Titans last weekend.
Pathirana was one of KKR’s marquee signings at the player auction with the Knight Riders forking out INR 18 crore to avail his services. His arrival at the competition was delayed by a left calf injury sustained during Sri Lanka’s Super Eight finish at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, before he was cleared to join the team mid-April.
Having warmed the benches, Pathirana finally got into the XII against GT but bowled only 1.2 overs before going off the field with evident discomfort in his left hamstring.
Sisodia, a left-handed wicket-keeper batter who has played 15 T20s for Karnataka, is yet to play an IPL game. He has been part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and KKR in the past, having been signed by the latter at the 2025 mega auction. His addition bolsters the team’s wicket-keeping stocks after Angkrish Raghuvanshi was ruled out with a concussion and a finger fracture.
KKR will stay in the hunt for the playoffs if Rajasthan Royals lose to Mumbai Indians. They must however beat Delhi Capitals by a huge margin in order to then pip Punjab Kings to the Eliminator. (Cricbuzz)
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