Latest News
Zimbabwe take on Ireland with clarity about Super Eights path
When Ireland arrived in Kandy on Sunday afternoon, with just two points after three games, their chances of qualifying for Super Eights may have seemed fanciful. But courtesy an outstanding Sri Lankan chase against Australia on Monday night, the possibilities for Group B have been thrown wide open.
Sri Lanka have qualified, but Ireland now know that a win against Zimbabwe on Tuesday will keep them in with a very real chance of qualification – provided Sri Lanka also beat Zimbabwe in their final match.
If those very specific set of circumstances – including Australia beating Oman – occur, then Australia, Zimbabwe and Ireland could all end on four points each, separated solely by net run-rate.
But that might be getting ahead of ourselves. Zimbabwe simply need to win against Ireland to end all speculation, and considering they’re coming off a stunning 23-run victory over Australia, it would take a brave person to back against them.
Captain Sikandar Raza is also not one to allow his team to let their guard down. He has emphasised the need to maintain focus, warning that earlier performances will “count for nothing if the team slips up now.
Ireland, meanwhile, have lost to Sri Lanka and Australia earlier in the tournament but their dominant 96-run win over Oman – including a tournament-high of 235 – will have provided a timely boost in confidence. They also come in with a chip on their shoulder, over constant comparisons to Associate nations, something they will be keen to put right with a win over Zimbabwe.
Lending more unpredictability to this game is that the historical rivalry is remarkably balanced, with both sides having won eight apiece of their 18 T20I meetings.
With the extra bounce on offer, the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is one of the rare Sri Lanka grounds where more wickets have fallen to seam (201) than spin (154). It would be no surprise if seamers from both teams prove to be the difference on Tuesday.
In Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans, Zimbabwe have a pace triumvirate that can be the envy of any side in this tournament. They’ve taken 16 wickets amongst them, and managed to brush past Australia even with Ngarava out of the XI. Moreover, Muzarabani has won two Player-of-the-Match awards.
In Mark Adair, Ireland have the quintessential work horse. Despite making his debut after Josh Little and Barry McCarthy, he’s played more T20Is – 100 – than the other two and managed to pick up 142 wickets. He also loves bowling against Zimbabwe; his 24 wickets are the most he has taken against an opposition. With Little finding his form last time out with a first three-for since March 2024, Ireland will know any chance of success depends on how quick their seam-bowling unit find their rhythm.
Ireland are unlikely to change a winning combination after their exploits against Oman.
Ireland (probable XI): Tim Tector, Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (capt & wk), Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Josh Little Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys
Zimbabwe would have had a close eye on the pitch Sri Lanka played Australia on, but the only expected change is the return of Richard Ngarava who missed out last time as a precaution.
Zimbabwe (probable XI): Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (capt), Ryan Burl, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani Richard Ngarava
[Cricinfo]
Salman Ali Agha said that he would have done things ‘differently”, after Mehidy Hasan Miraz ran him out in controversial circumstances in the second ODI in Dhaka.
Agha, who made 64 from 62 balls, had been backing up at the non-striker’s end when Mohammad Rizwan drove the ball back towards him. He was still out of his ground as Mehidy swooped round behind him in an attempt to gather, and Agha had appeared ready to pass the ball back to the bowler before Mehidy reached down to grab it first and throw down the stumps.
Agha reacted furiously to the dismissal, throwing his gloves and helmet down in disgust at the decision. However, he later came to the post-match press conference, ahead of captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and player of the match Maaz Sadaqat, to clear the air.
“I think sportsman spirit has to be there,” Agha said. “What he [Mehidy] has done is in the law. I think if he thinks it’s right, it’s right, but if you ask me my perspective, I would have done differently. I would have gone for sportsman spirit. We haven’t done this [type of thing] previously, we would never do that in the future as well.”
Agha explained that he had been trying to pick up the ball to give to Miraz, thinking it was likely to have been called dead. “Actually, the ball hit on my pad and then my bat,” he said. “So I thought he can’t get me run-out now, because the ball already hit on my pad and my bat.
“I was just trying to give him the ball back. I was not looking for the run or anything like that, but he already decided [to make the run-out].”
Agha however regretted his angry reaction. “It was just heat-of-the-moment kind of stuff,” he said. “If you ask me what would I have done, I would have done things differently. But it was everything, whatever happened after that, it was in the moment.”
He was also involved in a robust exchange with Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das, though he didn’t divulge many of the details.
“I can’t remember what I was saying and I can’t remember what he was saying,” he said. “I’m sure I wasn’t saying nice things, and I’m sure he wasn’t saying nice stuff as well. But it was just heat of the moment, so we are fine.
Asked if he had patched things up with Mehidy, Agha said: “I haven’t yet, but don’t worry, I’ll find him.”
Pakistan won the match by 128 runs via the DLS method.
[Cricinfo]
Latest News
US embassy in Baghdad hit by strike as Trump says military targets ‘obliterated’ on Iran’s key oil island
The US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, has been hit by a missile – video shows fire and smoke rising in the aftermath.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump says “every military target” on Iran’s key oil island has been “totally obliterated”, but there was no damage to oil infrastructure.
Kharg Island is a tiny but strategic terminal in the northern Gulf, 22 miles off the coast of Iran In response, Tehran warns oil and energy infrastructure belonging to firms that co-operate with the US will be “turned into a pile of ashes” if Iran’s energy facilities are attacked
Elsewhere in the Middle East: Israel and Iran both warn of fresh attacks, and at least 12 medical staff have been killed in an Israeli strike in Lebanon
Meanwhile, more US Marines and warships are expected to be deployed to the Middle East, two officials tell BBC’s partner CBS News
[BBC]
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix that were scheduled for next month are set to be cancelled as a result of the war in the Middle East.
A formal decision to call off the races has not yet been made but is expected before the end of the weekend.
Freight would need to start being shipped to the Middle East in the coming days. With no sign of the conflict between the US/Israel and Iran coming to a conclusion, holding the races would put personnel at too great a risk.
Neither event will be replaced, with the season being cut to 22 grands prix and F1 taking a commercial hit of more than £100m, given Bahrain and Saudi Arabia pay two of the highest hosting fees.
The race in Bahrain was scheduled to be on 12 April with Jeddah the following weekend.
Consideration was given to holding events at Portimao in Portugal, Imola in Italy or Istanbul Park in Turkey.
But it was accepted that the time to organise a race at any of those locations was too short, and there was little chance of securing a hosting fee.
The decision will mean there is a five-week break between the Japanese Grand Prix on 29 March and Miami on 3 May.
(BBC)
Agha calls for ‘sportsman spirit’ after controversial dismissal
US embassy in Baghdad hit by strike as Trump says military targets ‘obliterated’ on Iran’s key oil island
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