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India, Pakistan headline exhilarating neighbourhood showdown

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India and Pakistan will face off in Group A at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024

Two traditional rivals will face off in a crucial group at the T20 World Cup, while two further neighbours are joined by a talented European side.

Group A preview:

The Asian rivals will face still competition from co-hosts USA, Canada and Ireland in Group A of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 is just around the corner as 20 teams battle it out for the most coveted title in T20I cricket.

In Group A, a pair of neighbours – India and Pakistan along with the USA and Canada – will be joined by Ireland.

India

India enter the T20 World Cup with a burning desire to shatter their streak of near misses in world events, having come agonisingly close in recent tournaments only to falter at the final hurdle.

With a formidable squad at full strength, India now stands poised to reclaim the elusive title they last clinched in the inaugural edition back in 2007.

Under the seasoned leadership of Rohit Sharma, who embarks on his second stint as captain in the T20 World Cup, the team boasts a formidable top-order line-up featuring the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav.

Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson are currently in scintillating form, presenting a pleasant dilemma for Rohit and the team management in selecting the wicket-keeper for the World Cup campaign.

India’s all-round prowess is further bolstered by the likes of Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Shivam Dube, providing depth and versatility to the squad. The bowling department boasts formidable talent with the presence of Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and others, ensuring a well-rounded line-up.

India take on Ireland in their tournament opener on 5 June before the focus shifts to the epic clash against Pakistan on 9 June in New York.

Squad

Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Fixtures

vs Ireland – Wed, 5 June 2024, New York, 10:30 AM local time

vs Pakistan – Sun, 9 June 2024, New York, 10:30 AM local time

vs USA – Wed, 12 June 2024, New York, 10:30 AM local time

vs Canada – Sat, 15 June 2024, Florida, 10:30 AM local time

Key Player – Jasprit Bumrah

India will be bolstered by the return of Jasprit Bumrah, who was sidelined during the previous edition of the T20 World Cup in 2022 due to injury.

Since his comeback, Bumrah has reaffirmed his indispensable role in the team, showcasing his prowess with 20 wickets in 11 matches during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 held at home.

His T20 form has been sensational as well, picking up 20 wickets in 13 matches for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, despite the team struggling in the tournament.

Bumrah’s repertoire of skills knows no bounds, and in the unique conditions of the USA and the Windies, where India plays their group stage matches, his ability to vary his deliveries will prove instrumental.

Pakistan

Pakistan, much like their counterparts India, have been tantalisingly close to clinching an ICC trophy, having reached the semi-finals and final in the last two editions of the T20 World Cup.

With the disappointment of those near misses driving them, Babar Azam leads Pakistan into the upcoming tournament with a fervent desire to end their trophy drought.

Babar and Mohammad Rizwan have been linchpins of the Pakistan batting line-up for years and will be supported by Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman and Iftikhar Ahmed.

Pakistan have a variety of spin-bowling options in Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim and Abrar Ahmed to go with the abundance of riches in the pace bowling department.

Spearheaded by Shaheen Afridi, the team in green have an admirable pace battery with the presence of Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir and Abbas Afridi.

Pakistan take on co-hosts USA in their opening clash on 6 June before facing off against India in a much-awaited clash on 9 June.

Squad

Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan

Fixtures

vs USA – Thu, 6 June 2024, Texas, 10:30 AM local time

vs India – Sun, 9 June 2024, New York, 10:30 AM local time

vs Canada – Tue, 11 June 2024, New York, 10:30 AM local time

vs Ireland – Sun, 16 June 2024, Florida, 10:30 AM local time

Key Player – Babar Azam

Babar Azam has navigated through a turbulent period in recent months, beginning with Pakistan’s disappointing campaign in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, where they managed only four wins in nine games, leading to an early exit from the group stages.

He was since removed as captain and reinstated as well, tasked with the responsibility of leading Pakistan’s charge at the T20 World Cup under new leadership.

At the forefront of Pakistan’s batting line-up, Babar has been a consistent force, accumulating 3987 runs in 118 matches at an impressive average of 41.10 and a strike rate of 129.91. He has the experience of leading Pakistan in ICC events, taking the team to the semi-final and final in the last two editions under his leadership.

While scrutiny persists over his strike rate, Babar’s unwavering presence at the crease has often laid the groundwork for Pakistan’s successes in recent years, highlighting his importance to the team’s fortunes.

Ireland

For the eighth consecutive edition, Ireland have earned their spot at this year’s T20 World Cup, a testament to the nation’s evolving cricketing journey over the years.

Ireland will be under new leadership heading into the tournament, with veteran batter Paul Stirling taking over the reins of the team from Andrew Balbirnie, who had led the team in the last two editions.

The batting line-up revolves around the dynamic opening duo of the current and former captain, supported by the likes of Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ross Adair and Curtis Campher.

In the bowling department, Mark Adair and Josh Little headline the pace attack, complemented by Graham Hume, Campher, Barry McCarthy and Craig Young. Meanwhile, the spin duties are entrusted to the duo of Ben White and Gareth Delany, offering a balanced and varied bowling arsenal.

Ireland face a formidable challenge in their tournament opener against India on 5 June. However, a victory in this encounter could serve as a significant morale boost for the team, fueling their aspirations to progress beyond the group stage in the T20 World Cup for the first time in their history.

Squad

Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young

Fixtures

vs India – Wed, 5 June 2024, New York, 10:30 AM local time

vs Canada – Fri, 7 June 2024, New York, 10:30 AM local time

vs USA – Fri, 14 June 2024, Florida, 10:30 AM local time

vs Pakistan – Sun, 16 June 2024, Florida, 10:30 AM local time

Key Player – Paul Stirling

A pillar of Ireland’s cricketing landscape, Paul Stirling assumes the leadership reins for the first time in an ICC event, marking a significant milestone in his already illustrious career.

Since his T20I debut in 2009, the 33-year-old has been a dynamic force at the top of the order, amassing 3589 runs in 142 matches at an impressive average of 27.60, with a striking rate of 135.43.

Stirling stands as Ireland’s leading run-scorer in T20Is, being the sole player from his country to surpass the 3000-run milestone in the shortest format.

His formidable partnership with Balbirnie has been instrumental in Ireland’s success, with Stirling’s explosive batting prowess setting the tone at the outset. As Ireland’s key player, his performances at the top order will play a pivotal role in the team’s quest for success in the T20 World Cup.

USA

USA embarks on a historic journey as they make their debut appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, earning their spot as co-hosts of the tournament.

This marks their first foray into a major men’s ICC event since 2004 when they competed in the group stages of the Champions Trophy.

Monank Patel will lead USA’s charge in their historic campaign and will be a key part of their batting line-up along with Aaron Jones and Steven Taylor.

The inclusion of former New Zealand international Corey Anderson adds depth and experience to the middle order, further strengthening USA’s batting prowess.

The return of Ali Khan provides a significant boost to USA’s bowling attack, with support from Saurabh Netravalkar and Milind Kumar.

USA commence their T20 World Cup campaign against neighbours Canada on 1 June, aiming to set the stage for a successful tournament with a victory in the opening match.

Squad

Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Nethralvakar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir

Fixtures

vs Canada – Sat, 1 June 2024, Dallas, 7:30 PM local time

vs Pakistan – Thu, 6 June 2024, Texas, 10:30 AM local time

vs India – Wed, 12 June 2024, New York, 10:30 AM local time

vs Ireland – Fri, 14 June 2024, Florida, 10:30 AM local time

Key Player – Ali Khan

USA will be elated with the return of Ali Khan, who missed the recent five-match T20I series against Canada due to injury.

Khan has been a globetrotter in the franchise T20 circuit, playing in the Caribbean Premier League and Pakistan Super League. He burst onto the scene in the USA in late 2015 and shot to fame in 2016, picking up the wicket of Kumar Sangakkara off the very first ball he bowled for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL.

Despite a career hampered by injuries, Khan has showcased his talent in the limited opportunities he’s had in T20Is for USA, claiming nine wickets at an impressive economy rate of 7.69 in just eight matches.

Armed with a lethal yorker, Khan now finds himself with a golden opportunity to make his mark on the international stage at the T20 World Cup, hosted in his home country, where he can showcase his prowess to the world.

Canada

Like USA, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 will mark the maiden appearance of Canada at the showpiece event.

However, Canada are no strangers to the big stage, having previously played the 50-over World Cup first in 1979 and then on three consecutive occasions in 2003, 2007 and 2011.

The veteran Saad Bin Zafar will captain Canada at the upcoming tournament in a side filled with experienced players, with only four players under the age of 30.

Uncapped batter Kanwarpal Tathgur, who has only played six List-A games, was a surprise inclusion in the team. Additionally, the return of pacer Jeremy Gordon and seasoned 39-year-old all-rounder Junaid Siddiqui further bolsters Canada’s squad depth.

Canada commence their T20 World Cup campaign on 1 June against co-hosts USA in Dallas, marking the beginning of their quest for success on the global stage.

Squad

Saad Bin Zafar (c), Aaron Johnson, Ravinderpal Singh, Navneet Dhaliwal, Kaleem Sana, Dilon Heyliger, Jeremy Gordon, Nikhil Dutta, Pargat Singh, Nicholas Kirton, Rayyankhan Pathan, Junaid Siddiqui, Dilpreet Bajwa, Shreyas Movva, Rishiv Joshi

Fixtures

vs USA – Sat, 1 June 2024, Dallas, 7:30 PM local time

vs Ireland – Fri, 7 June 2024, New York, 10:30 AM local time

vs Pakistan – Tue, 11 June 2024, New York, 10:30 AM local time

vs India – Sat, 15 June 2024, Florida, 10:30 AM local time

Key Player – Saad Bin Zafar

Saad Bin Zafar stands as the cornerstone of Canada’s campaign at the upcoming T20 World Cup, shouldering multiple responsibilities as captain, batter and bowler.

The second-most capped T20I player in the country, Saad brings with him a wealth of experience that would serve Canada greatly on the big stage.

A left-arm spinner by trait, Saad is the leading wicket-taker for Canada in T20Is with 43 scalps to his name. He is also quite handy with the bat, having scored 272 runs in 19 innings at an average of 22.66 at a strike rate of 133.99.

For Canada to have a memorable T20 World Cup debut, they will want Saad Bin Zafar to be firing on all cylinders at the upcoming tournament.

(ICC)



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Gill and Theekshana are the new No. 1s in ODI rankings

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Maheesh Theekshana became the seventh Sri Lanka bowler to bag an ODI hat-trick during the Australia series [Cricinfo]

Shubman Gill and Maheesh Theekshana have become the new No. 1 men’s ODI batter and bowler respectively in the ICC rankings update released on the opening day of the Champions Trophy. Gill has gone past Babar Azam on his list, while Theekshana has gone past Rashid Khan on his.

Gill had an excellent time of it in the home ODI series against England, which India won 3-0, with scores of 87, 60 and 112, which made him the top run-getter in the series, his 259 runs coming at an average of 86.33 and a strike rate of 103.60. The next highest scorer, Shreyas Iyer, was 78 behind Gill with 181 runs.

This is the second time Gill has gone to the top of the pile in ODI cricket – the previous occasion was during the ODI World Cup in 2023.

Gill’s rise has pushed Babar to second place. Gill has 796 rating points, while Babar has 773.

They are followed in the top five by Rohit Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen and Daryl Mitchell, who has moved up two places after the tri-series in Pakistan where he scored 81, 10 and 57.

Following the two-ODI series against England, Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka has moved up eight spots to No. 8, while Mohammad Rizwan,  the Pakistan captain, has reached 15th place.

Sri Lanka are not a part of the Champions Trophy, having missed out on qualification, but along with Asalanka, Theekshana made the most of the two-ODI series at home against Australia, returning 4 for 40 and none for 11.

Rashid, who hasn’t played an ODI since last December, has slipped to the second spot, but isn’t too far behind Theekshana – he has 669 ratings points to the table-topper’s 680, and a good Champions Trophy campaign can take him back to the top.

Behind Theekshana and Rashid on the bowlers’ table is Namibia’s Bernard Scholtz followed by India’s Kuldeep Yadav and Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi in the top five. Mitchell Santner the New Zealand captain, has made big moves too, his five wickets in the three ODIs in the Pakistan tri-series giving him a five-spot boost and putting him at No. 7.

[Cricinfo]

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Babar’s form in focus as Pakistan begin title defence

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The New Zealand players warm up with their game of choice [Cricifo]

We live in a time when the ODI is starved for attention, with the older sibling commanding instant respect for its age and wisdom and the younger one bawling at full lung capacity if you dare to look away while it cartwheels around the room. For all that, the middle child never fails to remind us how captivating it can be whenever a global tournament comes along. The last two ODI World Cups produced so many classics between them, and so many passages of play that showcased the variety of skills that this format can both compress and give breathing room to.

Given how little we’ve seen of it over the last year-and-a-half or thereabouts, then, our appetite for the ODI should be at its peak, even if the Champions Trophy remains an awkward fit in the calendar and the interests of the ICC’s member boards. So much has happened since Sarfaraz Ahmed lifted this trophy eight years ago, enough for everyone to forget that it even exists, but here we are now, and here it is once again.

We have Pakistan, the defending champions and (co-ish) hosts, to start us off, and they’ll face familiar foes in the tournament-opener. No visiting team has played more ODIs in this country than New Zealand’s 11 since the start of 2019, and they begin this Champions Trophy a mere five days after beating Pakistan in the final of an ODI tri-series.  Karachi hosted that match, and will host this one too.

It says something about the two teams that New Zealand and Pakistan finished fourth and fifth – just inside and just outside the knockouts spots – on the league tables of both the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, and that Pakistan won the head-to-head meetings both times. It speaks of two teams with potentially title-winning strengths as well as title-squandering flaws, and this, perhaps, makes it the ideal contest to kick things off.

He’s gone 21 innings without an ODI hundred, and while this wouldn’t be abnormal for most batters, Babar Azam isn’t most batters. That sequence only includes two single-digit scores, so it isn’t as if he’s been struggling, but few things will bring as much joy to Pakistan at the start of a global event on home soil as a big score from their until-recently-irreproachable run machine. He’s batting at the top of the order now rather than No. 3, so a score of significance will also ease any doubts Pakistan may have about the structure of their line-up.

In the recently concluded tri-series, New Zealand’s spinners finished with a combined economy rate of 4.41, which was remarkable considering their Pakistan and South Africa counterparts went at 5.67 and 5.94 respectively. It speaks to the quality of Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell,  who picked up five wickets apiece during the tri-series at near-identical averages and economy rates. They form as enviable a spin combination as any in this tournament: a left-arm fingerspinner and an offspinner, both extremely handy with the bat.

Haris Rauf played no part in the recent ODI tri-series after going off the field with a side strain during the opening game against New Zealand. He has been bowling in the nets in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy, though, and Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan was confident he would be fit to start the tournament-opener. This should leave Pakistan able to pick a full-strength XI.

New Zealand go into the Champions Trophy with two of their original fast-bowling selections – Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears – out of the tournament. There’s also doubt over whether Rachin Ravindra – who hasn’t played a game since being struck on the head by the ball while fielding during the first match of the tri-series – will be fit to start, but the opener has been batting during training sessions in the lead-up to this tournament. New Zealand will take a call on him after their training session on Tuesday, with Will Young likely to open alongside Devon Conway should they decide not to risk Ravindra. Ferguson’s replacement Kyle Jamieson will not arrive in Karachi in time to be available for the first game.

Pakistan (possible): Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam,  Saud Shakeel,  Mohammad Rizwan (capt & wk), Salman Agha,  Tayyab Tahir,  Khushdil Shah,  Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah,  Haris Rauf,  Abrar Ahmed.

New Zealand: Rachin Ravindra/Will Young, Devon Conway,  Kane Williamson,  Daryl Mitchell,  Tom Latham (wk),  Glenn Phillips,  Michael Bracewell,  Mitchell Santner (capt),  Matt Henry,  Jacob Duffy, Will O’Rourke.

[Cricinfo]

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Matthews, Sciver-Brunt extend Mumbai’s winning run against Giants

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Hayley Matthews starred with three wickets [WPL]

There was an air of inevitability right from the time a beaming Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bowl in Mumbai Indians’ second match of WPL 2025 against Gujarat Giants. Teams chasing had won every single game so far this season. Couple that with Mumbai’s 4-0 record against Giants coming into this match and odds were stacked heavily in Mumbai’s favour.  And the game panned out accordingly.

Hayley Matthews’ frugal three-wicket squeeze backed up by two-wicket hauls from Mat-Sciver Brunt and Amelia Kerr helped bowl out Giants for 120. Sciver-Brunt then continued her stellar run with the bat, scoring her second fifty on the bounce to shepherd Mumbai’s chase.

She finished with 57 off 39 balls as Mumbai chased down the target by five wickets and 23 balls to spare. The win not only helped Mumbai open their account in WPL 2025, but also extended their lead over Giants to 5-0. Giants are now the only side in the tournament to not have a single win against a particular team.

Harmanpreet spoke at the toss about capitalising in the first few overs before the dew set in. She went pace from both ends up top and the move paid dividend with Sciver-Brunt accounting for Beth Mooney, who sliced a simple catch to Sanskriti Gupta at backward point in the second over.

Shabnim Ismail then got rid of Laura Woolvardt, whose lofted drive could only go as far as S Sajana stationed perfectly at deep cover. That reduced Giants to 14 for 2, which four balls later became 16 for 3 when Matthews sent back D Hemalatha whose across-the-line heave was caught wonderfully by Kerr sprinting to her left from deep mid-wicket.

Ashleigh Gardner, Giants’ wrecker-in-chief in the first two matches, started fluently again striking a four and six but was undone by a Sciver-Brunt slower delivery which she mistimed to Sajana at deep midwicket.

At 28 for 4 after six overs, Giants couldn’t have asked for a worse start. This was their third-lowest powerplay score in the WPL and comfortably the lowest for any team this season. What also hurt Giants were the sheer number of dot balls at the start. Twenty-six of the 36 balls in the powerplay were dots, the joint-most in WPL history.

It might be a case of Giants worrying about the dew later on or just them not trusting their defence enough that despite the fall of wickets, the batters continued going for their shots. Deandra Dottin got going with a reverse sweep, but a wild mow across the line off Kerr brought about her downfall, with Yastika Bhatia executing a quick stumping.

Kashvee Gautam, like many of her team-mates, started strong smashing debutant Parul Sisodia for two fours and then lifted Ismail for a six over long-on, but like the others, flattered to deceive edging Matthews behind.

In all this, Haleen Deol stood tall. She played the waiting game, but did not let any scoring opportunities go. The sweep became her ally as she breached the gaps with consistency during her 31-ball 32.

But the wickets continued to fall at the other end and when Deol departed with the score on 103 for 8 in the 17th over, the end was nigh. However, Sayali Satghare and Priya Mishra ensured that Giants played out their full quota of 20 overs.

For Mumbai, Matthews was miserly in her four-over spell going for just 16. She bowled 16 dot balls in her spell, as did Sciver-Brunt while 19 of the 24 balls that Ismail bowled were dots.

Coming into the tournament, there were questions raised on Sciver-Brunt’s form considering she had a relatively quiet Ashes. In a matter of two innings, she’s brushed aside the doubters.

A 121-chase was never going to be daunting. Matthews started fluently, striking three fours but ended up smashing a rank long-hop from Tanuja Kanwar straight to Deol at square leg. If Giants were entertaining any thoughts of a collapse, Sciver-Brunt shut that down quickly.

She got going with a fierce pull first ball and it was one-way traffic thereon. Dottin was crashed through point before Priya Mishra was pulled through square leg twice in three balls. While Bhatia fell mistiming Mishra to long-on and Harmanpreet was trapped in front by Kashvee, Sciver-Brunt stood like an immovable force.

It was not just power but also precision and the ability to find gaps at will that kept Sciver-Brunt going. She added a 45-run stand with Kerr off 38 balls to take Mumbai closer. She took 34 balls to collect her fifty before falling just seven runs shy of the target. G Kamalini, on debut, struck her first ball for four while Sajana finished the game by depositing Dottin over mid-off to give Mumbai their first win of WPL 2025.

The win has taken Mumbai to second place on the points table while Giants’ NRR has taken a hit, though they are in third place.

Brief scores:
Mumbai Indians Women 122 for 5 in 16.1 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 57, Amelia Kerr 19; Kashvee  Gautam 2-15, Priya Mishra 2-40, Tanuja Kanvar 1-25 ) beat Gujarat Giants women 120 in 20 overs (Harleen Deol 32, Kashvee Gautam 20; Shabnim Ismail 1-17, Nat Sciver Brunt 2-26, Hayley Matthews 3-16, Amelia Kerr 2-22, Amanjot Kaur 1-17) by five wickets

[Cricinfo]

 

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