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Deflated Pakistan look to set record straight in South Africa and level series
The attempt to give this Test series context may ironically have stripped some from this Test match, especially as far as South Africa are concerned. The hosts have already qualified for the World Test Championship final after beating Pakistan by two wickets in Centurion, and as such, don’t necessarily have a bigger picture to play for. However, they have won eight consecutive Test matches at home against Pakistan, and never not won a home series against these opponents, and in that bilateral context, there remains plenty to play for.
In the days since South Africa qualified, there has been some attention towards the perceived softer nature of their draw en route to the World Test Championship, one that their coach Shukri Conrad made “no apologies” for. But with no Test cricket between this Test and the WTC final, South Africa will want to storm into the final in style, and extend a winning run that already stretches to six games.
Pakistan’s WTC hopes had long ago gone up in smoke, but they need to break out of a habit of letting slip winning positions, a habit in this particular cycle. As a result, they have now lost seven of the last nine Tests, and all of the last eight in South Africa. Centurion was the closest they came to breaking that hoodoo, at one stage two wickets away from a stunning win with South Africa still 49 runs away from victory. But, as has been the case with Pakistan too often, they struggled to finish off the tail with the ball, and watched another one slide through their fingers.
Newlands arguably plays slightly more to their strengths, lacking the express pace South Africa possess. It is a surface that both captains expect to take a bit more spin than Centurion, and should revert back to its natural characteristics after a freak Test last year against India that ended in a day and a half. Both sides are expected to field a spinner, while Pakistan’s seam and swing bowlers may find more joy, especially in the early stages of the Test before the surface flattens out. With just two Test wins in South Africa across three decades of playing here, a victory here – and a drawn series – will go down as their most impressive away Test series result in years.
With spin likely to play a more significant role at Newlands than it did in Centurion, Keshav Maharaj returns to the side. But for all of Newlands supposed accommodation for slower bowling, the left-arm orthodox spinner has a surprisingly indifferent record in Cape Town, managing just 9 wickets in 6 matches at an average in excess of 52. That’s almost double his average of 30.44 in South Africa in general, and Maharaj is returning from an adductor strain that ruled him out of the ODI series. Whether he can begin to turn his Newlands record around may be an intriguing plot point as the Test develops.
It’s not a vintage age for openers in Test cricket, and particularly not Pakistani openers. Until the final Test, they hadn’t produced a partnership over 15 all year, but offered faint glimpses of turning that around with the new pairing of Sam Ayub and Shan Masood putting up 36 and 49. But neither opener managed to kick on in either innings, something Masood brought up as a point of frustration in Centurion. Against the kind of world-class new ball bowling attack South Africa possess at home, runs for the first wicket are not exactly easy, but Pakistan desperately need them all the same.
A meeting between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), was held today (21) at the Presidential Secretariat.
During the discussion, Admiral Paparo extended his best wishes to President Disanayake and the new government on their planned initiatives. He also acknowledged Sri Lanka’s continued support in ensuring the security of the Indian Ocean region and maintaining a peaceful maritime environment.
Furthermore, Admiral Paparo reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to strengthening the enduring bilateral ties between the two nations and expressed support for Sri Lanka’s new governmental policies.
President Disanayake conveyed his appreciation for the assistance provided by the United States in enhancing human resources within Sri Lanka’s defence sector. The President also acknowledged the longstanding support extended by the U.S. in this regard.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung, Lieutenant Colonel Anthony C. Nelson of the U.S. Army, and Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the United States Indo-Pacific Command David Ranz were also present at the meeting.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has stated that the introduction of the demerit points system in its code of conduct aims to establish a deterrent mechanism – focusing on the threat of suspension rather than suspension itself. This approach is designed to encourage a change in the behaviour of players, officials, and others.
In a communique to the franchises, the BCCI explained, “The IPL believes that the threat of a suspension is the strongest deterrent to bring about a change in behaviour, hence the system of accumulated Demerit Points which is included in the Code of Conduct.”
The new system is an adaptation of features from the International Cricket Council (ICC) Code but with slight differences, as reported by Cricbuzz. While the ICC carries forward points for five years, the BCCI system retains them for only three years. “The demerit points received by a player or team official under the regulations remain on their record for a period of thirty-six (36) months,” the BCCI says.
“Upon accumulation of Demerit Points, the Player or Team Official is awarded suspension(s). The details regarding the same are provided under Article 7.6 of the Regulations. An example of suspension through accumulation of Demerit Points is provided under Article 7.8 of the Regulations,” the mail mentions.
Article 7.6 specifies that the accumulation of four-seven demerit points will result in a one-match suspension, 8-11 points will lead to a two-match suspension, 12-15 points will incur a three-match suspension, and 16 or more points will result in a five-match suspension. Article 7.8 outlines the system for accumulating points over a period of three years and explains how the incremental system functions in the event of multiple breaches within these 36 months.
The BCCI also outlines how the demerits points are imposed under the new regulation. “Demerit Points will be imposed upon a Player or Team Official found to have committed an offence under the Code of Conduct. The number of Demerit Points imposed will be calculated by reference to the sanction imposed for the particular offences.”
Understandably, the levels of the breach will determine the number of demerit points. For instance, a fine of 25% of the match fee carries one (1) demerit point. A Level 2 offence attracts 3-4 demerit points, a Level 3 offence results in 5-6 demerit points, and a Level 4 breach leads to 7-8 demerit points. A key distinction is that the punishment may be imposed for a specific period or a certain number of matches. The match referee or an ombudsman determines this.
BCCI clarifies, “Where a Match Referee or Ombudsman imposes a period of suspension on any Player or Team Official, then, unless such period is for a fixed period of time (for example, one year) then, any such period of suspension shall be referenced by Suspension Points. Each Match in the League shall carry the weightage of one (1) Suspension Point. To clarify, a sanction of one (1) Suspension Point shall result in a one (1) Match suspension.”
The Pandya case
The BCCI has made it clear that Hardik Pandya will serve a one-match suspension for the breach from last season but will not incur any demerit points. “Any sanction imposed prior to the 2025 Season shall continue to be complied by the Player or Team Official. However, such sanctions imposed prior to the 2025 Season shall not result in imposition of Demerit Points.
“For example, a Player receiving a match suspension in his last game of the 2024 Season will serve the match suspension in the 2025 Season but will get no Demerit Points for this suspension,” the email states this and goes on to add, without explicitly referring to it, but clearly alluding to the Pandya case. “A minimum over-rate offence under the Regulations shall no longer carry a match suspension for the team captain. A minimum over-rate offence shall only result in the imposition of fine and fielding restrictions.”
There is also a system for an appeal against the sanctions, but it requires a payment of Rs 90 lakh. Says the mail, “Under the Regulations, any sanction imposed under Level 2 or Level 3 offence is appealable before the BCCI Ombudsman. However, any Player, Team Official or Franchisee that wishes to appeal such sanctions, may only do so upon the payment of an Appeal Fee which shall be the sum of INR 90 Lakh. This Appeal Fee is refundable only if the appeal is completely successful before the Ombudsman.”
According to the BCCI, the new regulations have been approved by the Governing Council of the IPL. The captains and managers of the teams were briefed about it at Thursday’s meeting at Cricket Centre.
Pakistan’s high-risk, high-reward tactics finally bore fruit after two failed attempts as the Salman Agha led side stormed to a nine-wicket victory against New Zealand in an enthralling battle that saw 411 runs being amassed at Eden Park Hasan Nawaz’s maiden T20I century outplayed Mark Chapman’s 94 as Pakistan chased down 205 in just 16 overs and kept the five-match series alive at 1-2.
Pakistan backed their new openers Nawaz and Mohammed Haris in the post Mohammed Rizwan-Babar Azam era and they repaid the faith by putting up a 74-run opening stand off just 35 balls to lay the perfect foundation for the chase. Salman capitalised on the flying start to score 51 not out and was involved in an unbroken 133-run second-wicket stand. Nawaz, who was coming off two successive ducks, blazed away the fastest hundred by a Pakistan batter in T20Is, off just 44 balls, in a sensational chase.
Chapman’s blistering knock off just 44 balls set New Zealand up for what seemed like an above-par total at the innings break. After losing Finn Allen for a three-ball duck in the first over by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tim Seifert (19 off nine) and Chapman pushed New Zealand past early jitters. Seifert fell to Haris Rauf in the fifth over but Chapman didn’t slow down.
He pulled and hooked the short balls, brought out beautiful cover drives against seamers and punished loose deliveries from Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan. He brought up his fourth half-century against Pakistan off 29 balls. This was also his first T20I fifty in almost a year.
Pakistan got the much-needed breakthrough in the tenth over when Daryl Mitchell (17 off 11) chased a wide delivery of Shadab and miscued to Rauf. Chapman kept finding boundaries, however, even when Pakistan captain Agha brought himself on and leaked 13 runs off his only over.
His strong bottom-hand and exceptional placement saw him smash 11 fours and four sixes. He was eventually deceived by an Afridi slower ball in the 13th over.
Pakistan fought back with quick wickets including two double-wicket overs from Rauf and Abrar but Michael Bracewell’s 31 off 18 ensured New Zealand crossed 200.
After two disappointing outings, Haris and Nawaz gave the visitors a dream start. Haris began with two sixes off Kyle Jamieson’s first over of the innings and followed it up with two fours against Jacob Duffy. Nawaz had a tough time early on with his timing but still found boundaries through streaky edges. Pakistan reached their joint-fastest team fifty in men’s T20Is, in four overs.
Duffy removed Haris for a 20-ball 41 with a bouncer in the sixth over and Pakistan ended the phase with 75 for 1, their highest powerplay total in men’s T20Is, moving past the 73 they scored against England in 2016.
Nawaz rode his luck but made sure to hang around. He was not particularly convincing against short balls early on but he was able to see the balls more clearly as the innings progressed. Though he started the chase playing second fiddle to Haris, Nawaz took charge after the powerplay.
His first confident strike came against Ish Sodhi in the seventh over, when he picked a loopy googly and clubbed it over long-on for a six. He brought up his maiden T20I fifty off 26 balls in the ninth over and propelled Pakistan to 124 for 1 at the halfway stage.
Nawaz was dropped on 68 by Sodhi off Ben Sears’ bowling but New Zealand couldn’t do much on a batting-friendly pitch with dew also making the task hard for the bowlers. Nawaz eventually hammered ten fours and seven sixes in his 45-ball stay.
Unlike Nawaz, Agha was precise and clever in his batting that fetched him six fours and two sixes. The duo scored 65 runs in the last four overs of the chase to take the team home early.
Nawaz brought up his century off the penultimate ball, before Pakistan completed the fastest 200-plus chase in men’s T20Is.
Brief scores:
Pakistan 207 for 1 in 16 overs (Hasan Nawaz 105*, Salman Agha 51*, Mohammad Haris 41, Jacob Duffy 1-37) beat New Zealand 204 in 19.5 overs (Tim Seifert 19, Mark Chapman 94,Daryl Mitchell 17, Michael Bracewell 31, Ish Sodhi 10; Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-36, Abrar Ahmed 2-43, Haris Rauf 3-29, Abbas Afridi 2-24, Shadab Khan 1-33) by nine wickets
[Cricinfo]
Commander of USINDOPACOM Admiral Samuel J. Paparo calls on President Dissanayake
IPL 2025: Demerit Points System explained, Pandya’s suspension to continue
Nawaz slams maiden ton as Pakistan chase 205 in 16 overs
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