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India – Pakistan Super Four clash goes into reserve day
The India-Pakistan Super Four clash will go into the reserve day on September 11 (Monday) after showers and wet outfield ensured play wasn’t possible once interrupted with India on 147/2 in 24.1 overs. The game will resume from that point and will be a full 50-overs-a-side fixture on Monday. However, the weather forecast is far worse and another start-stop kind of evening is anticipated in Colombo.
For about the first two hours of play though, Colombo served a hot and sweltering afternoon where Pakistan opted to bowl. Shaheen Afridi once again started a touch wayward in his lengths, bowling a lot on the leg side to both batters as Rohit Sharma flicked him for a six in the first over. Naseem Shah however, made the India captain hop and jump at the crease with exceptional lengths and getting the ball to nip both ways. On numerous occasions he beat Rohit’s bat and squared him up, but without the gratification of sending him packing.
Shubman Gill meanwhile, showed far more assuredness with his feet movement, as he took on Shaheen and even Naseem who bowled a fine first spell. Gill had the rub of the green when he went chasing after a Naseem delivery that shaped away from him and nicked it, only for the ball to travel between Iftikhar Ahmed and Agha Salman at first and second slip, with neither going for the catch. Gill batted outside his crease against Afridi, and hit shots down the ground to reach a 37-ball 50. Much to Pakistan’s chagrin, Rohit too found his way out the early struggle and tormented Shadab Khan who offered successive long-hops in the 13th over. India’s batting scales slowly shifted sides as Gill began to slow down while Rohit took charge, getting to a 42-ball 50 – with his third six off Shadab.
Just when it looked like India’s opening pair was set to inflict a lot more misery, both batters fell against the run of play. Rohit, who’d taken a liking to go after Shadab, went for an inside-out big hit but fell to an excellent catch from Faheem Ashraf, who covered a lot of ground running to his left from long-off. He departed for a 49-ball 56. An over later, Gill fell prey to Afridi’s slower ball and chipped it to Salman at cover, trudging off for 58 from 52 balls.
Virat Kohli and KL Rahul progressed slowly from this point on, adding 24 runs in 6.2 overs before rains came along and forced the players indoors.
Brief Scores:
India 147/2 in 24.1 overs (Shubman Gill 58, Rohit Sharma 56; Shaheen Afridi 1-37) vs Pakistan
(Cricbuzz)
South Africa fast bowler Shabnim Ismail has reversed her international retirement and is included in the Proteas’ squad for this summer’s T20 World Cup in England.
Ismail, 37, is one of the fastest bowlers in women’s cricket and is her country’s all-time top wicket-taker in the format despite making her last appearance more than three years ago.
She is joined in the squad by fellow opening bowler Marizanne Kapp, who has recovered from illness, while Dane van Niekerk, who has also come out of retirement in the past year, is included following a calf injury.
South Africa, who were runners-up at the past two Women’s T20 World Cups, open their campaign against Australia on 13 June before facing Pakistan, India, the Netherlands and Bangladesh.
They recently enjoyed a 4-1 series win against ODI world champions India.
“Having someone like Shabnim back adds a lot of value to the group,” said head coach Mandla Mashimbyi.
“We had good conversations and you could see the hunger she still has to represent South Africa and help this team achieve something special.”
South Africa squad:
Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Kayla Reyneke, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon, Dane van Niekerk.
[BBC Sports]
The Bangladesh government has formed a committee to look into the previous government’s decision to not allow the team to play its 2026 T20 World Cup matches in India, a move that led to Bangladesh being removed from the tournament in February and March.
The sports ministry made an announcement on Monday that additional secretary Dr AKM Wali Ullah will head the committee that includes chief selector Habibul Bashar, the former Bangladesh captain, and Faisal Dastagir. The trio has been asked to look into all matters related to Bangladesh not sending a team to the T20 World Cup. They will be expected to submit a report within 15 working days.
The sequence of events that culminated in Bangladesh missing the tournament began on January 3, when the BCCI directed Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad for an unspecified reason, at a time when relations between the Indian and Bangladeshi governments were strained.
In the next 24 hours, Asif Nazrul, Bangladesh’s sports adviser (minister) at the time, posted on his official Facebook account that he wanted the ICC to move Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches out of India and to Sri Lanka. Nazrul was an adviser in Bangladesh’s interim government that was formed in August 2024 after a student-led uprising toppled the Awami League regime.
“I have asked the BCB to explain the entire matter to the ICC,” Nazrul wrote on his official Facebook page on January 4. “The board should inform that where a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite being contracted, the entire Bangladeshi cricket team cannot feel safe going to play in the World Cup. I have also instructed the Board to request that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches be held in Sri Lanka.”
After the BCB informed the ICC that Bangladesh would not play in India, the ICC said that was not acceptable because it felt there were no valid security concerns. The impasse continued even after an ICC delegation visited Bangladesh to discuss the issue.
On January 24, after the ICC board had met and dismissed Bangladesh’s demand to play their matches in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh were removed from the tournament and replaced by Scotland.
The day before the national elections in Bangladesh, Nazrul mad a u-turn, saying he had not made any of the decisions to withdraw Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup, and laid the responsibility on the players.
When the new government was formed, the sports minister Aminul Haque said he wanted to repair Bangladesh’s sporting relationship with India. He also said in parliament that he wanted a proper investigation into the manner in which the T20 World Cup issue had been handled by the BCB and the previous government.
[Cricinfo]
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has arrived to appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) this morning (12) to provide a statement regarding the alleged SriLankan Airlines Airbus deal.
South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail reverses retirement for T20 World Cup
Bangladesh government asks committee to look into 2026 T20 World Cup fiasco
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has arrived at the Bribery Commission
US in closely-guarded talks to open new bases in Greenland
Trump says Iran ceasefire is on ‘massive life support’
Draw on the cards, but Mominul and Shanto extend Bangladesh’s lead
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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