Tag Futebol

Waqar Younis also returns as bowling coach but there are likely to be conflict of interest queries around Misbah’s appointment

Umar Farooq04-Sep-2019Misbah-ul-Haq has been handed unprecedented influence over Pakistan cricket, with the PCB confirming his appointment as coach of the national side, as well as – uniquely – chief selector. Pakistan’s most successful Test captain will also be reunited with Waqar Younis, who has been named bowling coach. Waqar was head coach twice during Misbah’s near-seven-year tenure as captain, the pair working well together in registering some of Pakistan’s finest successes in the period. Both have been given three-year contracts.Speculation had been rife about Misbah being appointed for a while now – though both positions were advertised publicly, the PCB actively chased Misbah. He delayed applying formally for the position and the reason, ESPNcricinfo understands, is because of yet another role he is due to take up: that of the PSL side Islamabad United’s head coach. Eventually, Misbah applied hours before the deadline, was interviewed, and ended up beating Mohsin Khan and Dean Jones, who had also applied. From being a shock candidate to take the captaincy less than a decade ago, Misbah is now, arguably, the most powerful man in Pakistan cricket.Applications were not especially abundant. Waqar was the only one who turned up for the interview after another shortlisted candidate, Mohammad Akram, withdrew at the last minute. This is Waqar’s fifth term with Pakistan in a coaching capacity, having served as bowling coach of the side in 2006-07, bowling and fielding coach briefly in 2009-10, head coach in 2010-11 and again from 2014 to 2016. The end, when it had come, wasn’t a pleasant one as he resigned three months before his contract was to end after a poor World T20. He will be replacing Azhar Mahmood, who was released alongside Mickey Arthur, the previous head coach, after the World Cup this year.ESPNcricinfo

If Misbah’s multiple roles weren’t already a talking point – and he was part of the selection of all province squads for domestic cricket too – he was also part of the very committee that reviewed Arthur’s tenure after the World Cup and then decided to not renew his contract. Now, in effect, one of those responsible for the decision to release Arthur has succeeded him.The PCB had used a five-member panel with two independent former cricketers – Intikhab Alam and Bazid Khan – as well as governing board member Asad Ali Khan, Wasim Khan (chief executive, PCB) and Zakir Khan (director – international cricket) for the recruitment process.The board had also sought candidates for the batting coach role, but didn’t shortlist the only applicants – Mohammad Wasim and Faisal Iqbal. Both were ignored and with Misbah at the helm, the PCB has decided to call in an assistant coach from the NCA as support staff.Of Misbah’s numerous roles, his position as head coach of a PSL franchise and the national team raises questions of a potential conflict of interest – much in the way it had with his predecessor. Arthur was also coach of Karachi Kings during his time as Pakistan coach. The matter was taken up by Ehsan Mani after becoming PCB chairman and he promised to form a policy on dual roles that caused potential conflicts of interest.Before becoming chairman, Mani had questioned the situation of national coaches working with domestic teams. But with Misbah now holding three roles, a definitive position on the issue may not be forthcoming. Last year, under Mani, the PCB did remove chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq from the PSL player draft committee because of a potential conflict of interest since he was involved with a talent-hunt programme run by one of the tournament’s franchises, Lahore Qalandars. Tauseef Ahmed, part of the national selection committee while also serving as Islamabad United’s spin coach, was also left out of the PSL draft committee.The first assignment of the Misbah-Waqar combination will be the upcoming three-ODI and three-T20I home series against Sri Lanka, which will be played from September 27 to October 9. Their first series in the World Test Championship will be in Australia, where Pakistan will play in Brisbane (November 21-25), followed by a day/night Test in Adelaide (November 29 – December 3).

England remain confident the allrounder will be available for the fourth Test against India next week

George Dobell22-Aug-2018Ben Stokes will not be available for Durham’s Vitality Blast quarter-final against Sussex having sustained a minor knee injury in the third Test.Stokes missed the second Test at Lord’s as he was standing trial on a charge of affray at Bristol Crown Court. As a result, he came into the
match at Trent Bridge a little short of bowling and, used in something of an enforcer role, got through 35 overs in the match.Towards the end of the India second innings, he was seen holding the back of his left knee after a spell of short-pitched bowling on a sluggish surface.While the England management expect him to be fit for the fourth Test, which starts on August 30, they have decided to rest him – both as an allrounder and as a specialist batsman – from the Blast quarter-final.Jos Buttler and Keaton Jennings, however, have both been made available for Lancashire, while Moeen Ali is available for Worcestershire.

Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan have been so strikingly inconsistent in their respective campaigns that it opens up a host of possibilities when they clash in a must-win in Cardiff

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando 11-Jun-2017

Match Facts

June 12, 2017
Start time 10.30am local (0930 GMT)

Big Picture

And so, it has transpired that two fundamentally flawed sides – seventh and eighth on the ODI rankings – now have the chance to scramble over the other into the semi-final of the most competitive one-day tournament around.How this came about deserves a brief recap. Pakistan, who barely strung together five overs of competence against India, choked South Africa’s top order with spin, before the quicks came back to wipe out the middle order with reverse swing. The next day, Sri Lanka, who had been swatted away like a gnat by South Africa, ran down India’s 321 for 6 with ease – Angelo Mathews so cool in the final overs, he practically had a cigar between his lips, and a drink in one hand.Even just two games in, both teams have put together such colourful campaigns. Sri Lanka’s old warhorse, Lasith Malinga, has been sporadically effective with the ball, but has been more entertaining in the field, where his slow-motion dives have brought to mind the keeling over of a ship. If you squint, you can just about see seismic ripples in the turf. Elsewhere, Sri Lanka have attempted singles advisable only on low-gravity planets, have committed batting hara-kiri against high-quality wrist spin, and players have strived en masse to rule themselves out of this game – Chamara Kapugedara, Kusal Perera and Upul Tharanga already unavailable, before a blow to Thisara Perera’s head at training also put him in doubt, though, thankfully, he appears to be fine now.Pakistan, meanwhile, had lost Umar Akmal to fitness concerns a week before the tournament, have seen ace bowler Mohammad Amir go wicketless in both matches, while other bowlers in the attack lurched from abysmal to dominant in the space of three days. Sarfraz Ahmed’s new captaincy has also been eventful. Mohammad Hafeez delivered ten overs and contributed the vital wicket of Quinton de Kock in Pakistan’s win over South Africa, but had not been bowled at all in the previous match, prompting much head-scratching, not least from Pakistan’s own coach.Look, these previews are often an occasion for considered analysis; a platform for weighing up relative strengths, and figuring out which side has the upper hand. But is there really a point with these two teams? When they play as they have, they are impervious to any kind of meaningful dissection. There is so little consistency from one game to the next, the whole exercise loses its value.And a Sri Lanka v Pakistan knockout has so much tragicomic potential that to discuss it beforehand is like giving out spoilers. This preview may already have said too much.

Form guide

Sri Lanka WLWLL (completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan WLWWL

In the spotlight

Babar Azam, one of the brightest young batting talents on the planet, has five hundreds and six fifties in 28 innings, a rocking average of 54.44, and – crucially for a Pakistan batsman of the last two years – a 21st-century strike rate of 89. He had just been warming up when the rains came down in Birmingham – his last stroke having been a regal on-drive off Kagiso Rabada. Having had a modest tour of England last year, Babar will be eager to cross fifty for the first time on English soil, and Sri Lanka’s limited attack may be the opposition to do it against.Also in possession of a potentially devastating payload of talent is another 22-year-old, Kusal Mendis, whose crinkle-free 89 on Thursday helped set Sri Lanka on track to victory. There are still flaws in his game – Pakistan might be wise to pack their slip cordon early in his innings, for example. But 26 innings in, there is a scientific composure to his game that has been the cause of quiet excitement for Sri Lanka fans. Only Joe Root has hit more ODI fifties than Mendis’ 11, since the latter’s debut almost a year ago.Kusal Perera’s hamstring injury may mean a straight entry into the XI for Dhananjaya de Silva•Associated Press

Team news

Kusal Perera’s exit from the tournament due to a hamstring injury means Sri Lanka’s batting will be in flux again. They have flown in Dhananjaya de Silva and, given Tharanga remains suspended for another match, de Silva may have to walk straight into the middle order. There is a chance Sri Lanka will play Lakshan Sandakan instead of Thisara Perera, but the selectors have generally been conservative, so Thisara could stay. De Silva and Gunathilaka both provide offspin options.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Dhananjaya de Silva, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Nuwan PradeepThere is a chance of fast-bowling allrounder Faheem Ashraf debuting, in place of Mohammad Hafeez. However, Pakistan will perhaps be unwilling to mess with a winning combination.Pakistan (possible): 1 Azhar Ali, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Mohammad Amir, 9 Shadab Khan, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Junaid Khan

Pitch and conditions

The weather is forecast to be cloudy but dry, with temperatures around the mid-teens. A fresh pitch is being used for this match. Scores of 280-300 have seemed about par in the two matches played in Cardiff so far.

Stats and trivia

• The last time these two teams met in an ODI outside Asia was back in 2002. Of their ten most recent encounters – each of which has been in Asia – Sri Lanka have won six.
• Angelo Mathews, who hit 52 not out against India, has averaged an outstanding 50.08 since the start of 2014, with a strike rate of nearly 88
• Since his debut in August last year, Hasan Ali has taken 33 wickets at an average of 25.9 and strike rate of just under 27 – better, by a distance, than any of his team-mates to have played more than one match during that period

Quotes

“We are not trying to get too far ahead. We just want to take one game at a time. We’re not thinking about the semi-final as of now. We’re just taking on Pakistan tomorrow. We’ve got to play really good cricket to beat them, and we all know that they’re a very dangerous team.”
“I think it’s an achievement. Everyone wanted to do well in this competition. I believe, and we believe as a team, we are moving towards the right direction. We know as a team we are gelling together.”

Queensland have looked to local youth to replenish their list for the 2016-17 season, upgrading five rookies from last summer and handing a contract to 21-year-old opening batsman Marnus Labuschagne

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Apr-2016Queensland have looked to local youth to replenish their list for the 2016-17 season, upgrading five rookies from last summer and handing a contract to 21-year-old opening batsman Marnus Labuschagne. The Bulls have lost veterans James Hopes and Ryan Harris to retirement, while legspinner Cameron Boyce and allrounder Simon Milenko have moved to Tasmania.Fast bowler Nick Buchanan was dropped from last year’s contract list, while rookie batsman Nick Stevens did not have his contract renewed. Batsmen Sam Heazlett and Matt Renshaw were upgraded from rookie deals after breakout seasons, as was allrounder Jack Wildermuth, fast bowler Billy Stanlake and allrounder James Bazley.New rookies for 2016-17 include 17-year-old high-school students Xavier Bartlett, a 192-centimetre fast bowler, and Max Bryant, a batsman and medium-pace bowler. Fast bowler Jack Prestwidge, the son of former Queensland allrounder Scott Prestwidge and brother of Queensland Fire bowler Georgia Prestwidge, was handed his first rookie contract.There was also room on the rookie list for left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, fast bowler Brendan Doggett, and top-order batsman Bryce Street.”Having Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns on national contracts has allowed us to contract some exciting young rookie talent but also reward those players who emerged this season,” Justin Sternes, the Queensland convenor of selectors, said.”Ultimately we want to produce more players for Australia, and to do this, we need to continue to develop the potential that we have, complemented by experienced players and coaching staff. It is a stable playing group at the moment and that is quite encouraging for us as we plan and work towards meeting our collective goals.”Queensland finished fourth on the Sheffield Shield points table in 2015-16 and sixth in the Matador Cup, ahead only of the Cricket Australia XI.Queensland squad James Bazley, Joe Burns (Cricket Australia contract), Ben Cutting, Luke Feldman, Jason Floros, Peter Forrest, Cameron Gannon, Peter George, Chris Hartley, Sam Heazlett, Charlie Hemphrey, Usman Khawaja (CA), Marnus Labuschagne, Chris Lynn, Michael Neser, James Pierson, Nathan Reardon, Matt Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth.
Rookies Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Brendan Doggett, Jack Prestwidge, Matthew Kuhnemann, Bryce Street.

Mumbai Indians offspinner Harbhajan Singh said the over in which he took three wickets was the best spell he had bowled in recent months

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-2013Mumbai Indians offspinner Harbhajan Singh, whose figures of 4 for 32 won him the Man-of-the-Match award and helped Mumbai claim their second Champions League title, said the over in which he took three wickets was the best spell he had bowled in recent months.Harbhajan came into the tournament with little practice, having not played a competitive match since the IPL. He was not included in any of India A’s recent squads. In a high-scoring final against Rajasthan Royals in Delhi, Harbhajan came on to bowl his final over with Royals requiring 48 off the last four overs with seven wickets in hand. Harbhajan struck with the first ball, removing the set Ajinkya Rahane for 65, caught at deep midwicket. Three balls later, with the pressure mounting on Royals for boundaries, Stuart Binny looked to slog a quicker one from Harbhajan and lost his leg stump.After conceding a boundary the following ball to Kevon Cooper, Harbhajan hit back off the final ball, beating Cooper who looked to play across the line but failed to spot the straighter one. Cooper didn’t to drag his back foot behind the line and Dinesh Karthik completed a sharp stumping. Three wickets went down for just four runs in the space of six balls and the match had turned firmly in Mumbai’s favour.”I’m happy with the way I finished, although I didn’t practice at all,” Harbhajan said at the post-match presentation. “I was travelling to the US but I didn’t practice much before this but I’m really happy with the way I have finished this tournament. I think that over where I took three wickets was probably the best over I’ve bowled in the last three months.”Chasing 203, the Royals were in the hunt via a second-wicket stand of 109 between Sanju Samson and Rahane, who both scored 60s. Royals captain Rahul Dravid too felt that Harbhajan’s spell had turned the match.”We saw some really great batting and we saw some good skills with the ball as well, from the spinners and it was a close game right till the end,” Dravid said. “I thought the couple of overs when Harbhajan Singh got four wickets for eight or nine runs probably turned the game on its head.”Incidentally, Harbhajan had starred in Mumbai’s previous title win in 2011 as well, his 3 for 20 winning him the Man-of-the-Match award against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai.”This is probably the second time and I am getting the Man of the Match in the final,” he said. “Hopefully few more. I’m looking forward to the Duleep Trophy and the long season up ahead for India.”

Only 33 deliveries were possible before rain forced an abandonment of the first ODI between England and South Africa in Cardiff

The Report by George Dobell24-Aug-2012England 37 for 0 v South Africa – Match abandoned
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIan Bell hit Morne Morkel for six over midwicket in a brief display of hitting•Getty Images

Only 33 deliveries were possible before rain forced an abandonment of the first ODI between England and South Africa in Cardiff. The result means that England, who were presented with what looked remarkably like a hub-cap but was actually the ICC’s ODI Shield before play, retain the newly acquired No. 1 ranking in this format for a little while yet.Had South Africa won, they would have usurped England as the No. 1-ranked ODI side just as they usurped them as No. 1-ranked Test team with victory at Lord’s just five days ago.The weather flirted with spectators for much of the day and, as the covers were taken on and off with each passing shower, there was little to entertain the crowd other than 50 shades of grey sky. When play eventually began, the game was reduced to 24 overs a side, with another over deducted after a further interruption after just one delivery.England, who selected Chris Woakes for his first home ODI in place of the rested Stuart Broad, and retained faith in Ravi Bopara, despite his recent absence from the game for personal reasons ahead of the in-form Jonny Bairstow, were inserted when South Africa captain AB de Villiers won the toss at 9.45am. South Africa recalled left-arm fast bowler Wayne Parnell in place of the rested Dale Steyn.The first passage of play last only one delivery – a leg side wide – before rain forced the players from the pitch and, on the resumption, batting proved hard work. Alastair Cook might have been run-out before he scored had Parnell, at mid-off, hit the stumps with his direct hit and, after three power-play overs, England had scored only four runs.The next two overs cost 28, however, as Ian Bell, in particular, launched an attack that hinted he may yet have something to offer as a Twenty20 player. Cook signalled the acceleration by cover driving Lonwabo Tsotsobe for four before, later in the same over, Bell skipped down the pitch and lofted another four over mid-off.It was a tactic Bell was to employ even more impressively in the next over. Skipping down the pitch to Morne Morkel, Bell was able to turn perfectly reasonable back of the length deliveries into length deliveries and, having heaved one six over midwicket, drove another over long-off.But then, with 33 runs having come from 15 deliveries, the rain returned and, with time running out to fit in the minimum 20-overs a side to constitute a game, the umpires too the inevitable decision to abandon the game. Spectators will receive a full refund minus a handling fee.The second match in the five match series will take place in Southampton on Tuesday.

Marcus Trescothick led Somerset’s fightback after Alex Hales helped Nottinghamshire to a 106-run lead on first innings

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge13-Jul-2011
Scorecard
Stuart Broad came back from a poor first spell to claim Marcus Trescothick’s wicket•Getty Images

Say what you like about Stuart Broad, but rarely does he bowl a spell in which nothing happens. This was a day on which Alex Hales extended his second-day century to a magnificent 184 and Andre Adams won a hugely entertaining duel with combustible fast bowler Steve Kirby with by swelling his tally of sixes to the season to 27 as Nottinghamshire carved out an unlikely 106-run lead.But Broad somehow made himself the talking point by bowling two spells of such contrast that he could have been Steve Harmison wearing a blond wig. The first was absolutely dreadful, with both line and length all over the place. From 24 balls bowled, he conceded 30 runs, the bulk of them to a properly grateful Marcus Trescothick, who helped himself to four boundaries from the first two overs, all pinged away effortlessly backward of square on the off-side. Chris Read, who had supportively talked up Broad’s bowling at stumps on Tuesday, sent his man into the outfield to reflect.As Broad contemplated the elusiveness of his form, Trescothick went about his business in his customary, imperious style and Nottinghamshire’s lead began to vanish at an alarming rate. Trescothick reached 50 for the ninth time this season, having turned four of the previous eight into hundreds. Read took a brilliant leg-side catch to dismiss Arul Suppiah, fending off a lifting ball from Andre Adams that swung into his body, but otherwise Notts seemed powerless to halt the traffic in runs.The lead was all but wiped out when Broad came back after tea. Disgruntled Nottinghamshire fans contemplated more carnage. Yet what happened? Quite the opposite – eight overs bowled, this time with pace, bounce and, crucially, full control of length and direction. And, for more than good measure, the wicket that mattered, too – of Trescothick on 86 – from a ball that climbed unplayably and unavoidably on the former England opener, brushing glove or bat handle on its way into Read’s reliable grasp. This was brilliant bowling and how Broad celebrated, having stepped into the spotlight again when really it belonged to others, most notably Hales.Although the pitch looked much less green than it had at the start of the match, batting on the third morning had been scarcely more comfortable than the first two, amply illustrated when Alex Hales, 130 overnight, took 45 minutes to add the seven runs he needed to pass his previous highest score, the 136 he made against Hampshire here last season.Nonetheless, 117 were added in the morning session. Chris Read, a batsman seldom willingly pinned down, pulled Adam Dibble for six over mid-wicket before a full, straight ball from Peter Trego trapped him in the crease, denying him a half-century in a stand of 106 with Hales. Read’s departure merely ushered in Paul Franks, who has few peers among specialist number eights, as he demonstrated in a 32-ball 28 before a tickle to Craig Kieswetter off Murali Kartik stopped him in his tracks.It was all hugely frustrating to Steve Kirby and Charl Willoughby, who had bowled well with the second new ball without an ounce of luck. Kirby, not for the first time, donned his pantomime villain’s demeanour after lunch. The crowd here enjoy a bit of banter and played their part only too willingly as Kirby stomped and scowled, guffawing loudly at his spurious appeal for a catch when Hales played a ball to cover that so plainly did not not carry than even James Hildreth, the fielder, showed no interest.Had he been Dominic Cork, the next few minutes would have been spiced by several return volleys, but the interaction instead seemed to tickle Kirby’s sense of humour. Shortly afterwards, bowling to Andre Adams, he gripped the ball as if he were about to propel it like a javelin, shaking it in his right hand as he ran in, and could only laugh at himself as the umpires ticked him off.As it happens, though, it was Adams who had the last laugh, hooking the next ball for six, with a couple more maximums in Kirby’s next over, which went for 21. Adams, whose batting methodology rarely offers any surprises, has hit 27 sixes in the Championship this season, representing 41.2 per cent of his total runs scored. The next highest tally is Graham Napier’s 16.Meanwhile, Willoughby earned some belated reward after Broad had chipped in a cameo 21, dismissing the England bowler when Kieswetter, atoning for a missed stumping when Hales was on 180, produced an astonishing piece of levitation and a stunning catch.Hales, whose century had been only his second, must have had visions of making it a double but as Willoughby conjured up another delivery that lifted and moved away off a pitch still offering good bounce and carry, Hales nibbled and was caught behind. The left-armer claimed his third success, placing eight fielders on the boundary for Adams, who had hit 33 off 14 balls, only to surprise him with a leg-stump Yorker.Trescothick’s departure raised expectations for Nottinghamshire but in truth the requirement was to have Somerset four or five down before the lead was overturned and the script has not gone to plan.Nick Compton is unbeaten on 46, having survived a couple more overs from Broad at the close, and Somerset are 91 in front, making a draw the likeliest outcome.

Zimbabwe tightened their grip on the match after their bowlers rolled over Netherlands for 186 on the second day in Amstelveen

Cricinfo staff26-Jul-2010
Scorecard
Zimbabwe tightened their grip on the match after their bowlers rolled over Netherlands for 186 on the second day in Amstelveen. Opener Stuart Matsikenyeri then made an unbeaten 44 to extend Zimbabwe’s lead close to 200 by stumps.Netherlands could have been in an even worse position had it not been for wicketkeeper Wesley Barresi’s patient 81. He rescued the home side from a precarious 94 for 8 with the help of No. 10 Pieter Seelaar, who finished on an unbeaten 40. The pair added 91 for the ninth wicket, with both going on to their highest first-class scores.Besides Barresi, the only batsman in the top nine to reach double digits was Ruud Nijman (23). The wickets were shared around by the Zimbabwean bowlers, with Matsai Mushangwe taking three and the trio of Ed Rainsford, Timycen Maruma and Nathan Waller picking two each.In the second innings, Zimbabwe slumped to 48 for 2, before Matsikenyeri and captain Vusi Sibanda safely negotiated the final eight overs to keep the visitors in charge of the match.

The pair added 177 for the fourth wicket in India’s second innings, helping them overturn a deficit of 356

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-20241:49

Manjrekar: ‘Massy entertainment’ from Pant and Sarfaraz

Rohit Sharma has praised the maturity Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan showed against New Zealand in the first Test in Bengaluru, where their 177-run stand on the fourth day gave India hope of coming back despite a disastrous collapse in the first innings.India were bundled out for 46 on the second day – their lowest Test score at home – and eventually lost the game by eight wickets. But because of Sarfaraz’s 150 and Pant’s 99, they were able to overturn the deficit of 356.”When those two are batting, everyone’s on the edge of the seat because they like to play the game which has got them success,” Rohit told the broadcaster after the game. “You’ve seen it over time with Rishabh, the way he bats, obviously takes a bit of risk, but I thought it was a very mature innings. [He] defended good balls, left few balls as well, and then, again, backed himself to play those shots, and that is what he’s all about.Related

• Sarfaraz Khan inverts the 'V' in his search for victory

• Rohit on Pant: We have to be 'extra careful, not just careful' with him

• Eccentric, electric, entertaining – it's the Sarfaraz & Pant show

• Stats – India's comeback, their second-new-ball collapse and Pant's dubious record

• Rachin Ravindra headlines NZ's first Test win in India since 1988

“Not to forget Sarfaraz. Sarfaraz, as well, playing in only his third or fourth Test match [fourth], to show that kind of maturity [was great], and [he was] very clear in his mind what kind of shots he wants to play. When you’re clear in your mind, you find yourself in good seat.”Rohit was pleased with the determination India’s batters showed in their second innings, after New Zealand had posted 402.”When you are 350 runs behind, you can’t think too much about it. All you got to do is try and bat the ball, as simple as that. That was the plan,” Rohit said. “We wanted to bat and see where the game goes. A couple of big partnerships there, really was exciting to watch, and put us back in the game. Like I said, when you’re 350 behind, it could have been easily [a situation] where we could have [been] bowled out before even getting 350. It was a great effort with the bat, something as a team we’re very proud of.”India are trailing 0-1 in the three Test series but Rohit was confident of a comeback. Earlier this year, India lost the series opener to England in Hyderabad but fought back to finish win 4-1.”There are guys who have been in this place before, where we’ve lost a game. We lost a game against England in the first Test, and we won four games after that. These things happen. It’s still two Test matches to go, and we know exactly what is required from each one of us. So, we’ll try and put our best game forward.”The second Test of the series starts on October 24 in Pune.

Afghanistan’s batting comes up short in the final, rain-affected, T20I in Sylhet

Mohammad Isam16-Jul-2023
(DLS method)
Some stylish T20I cricket from Bangladesh helped them to their first bilateral T20I series win against Afghanistan, with a six-wicket win in the rain-hit second game in Sylhet. A combination of fine new-ball bowling from Taskin Ahmed and a quickfire batting powerplay display by Litton Das and Afif Hossain did the trick, Bangladesh eventually knocking off a revised target of 119 from 17 overs with five balls to spare.Against Afghanistan, Bangladesh had previously lost a T20I series in 2018 in Dehradun and tied a two-match series at home last year. Along with setting this record straight, they have also maintained their perfect 2023 in T20Is: they have won all three bilateral series they’ve played in the shortest format this year, having beaten England 3-0 and Ireland 2-1 in March.Today, it was Taskin who got them off to a fiery start.Taskin Ahmed struck two early blows•Walton

Taskin’s red-hot start

In the first over, Rahmanullah Gurbaz top edged a short one from Taskin Ahmed for six, but Taskin hurried him once again with a short ball the very next delivery, and this time took the skier on offer himself. The wicket was Taskin’s 50th in T20Is, making him the third to reach this mark from Bangladesh after Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman. Gurbaz’s opening partner Hazratullah Zazai followed him in the third over after Taskin had him caught behind for four, an attempted steer through deep third not coming off.

Trott, Omarzai fined

Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott and allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai were fined 15 per cent of their match fees for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct.

Trott was found guilty of breaching Article 2.8, which relates to “showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match.” Trott had shown displeasure at the umpires’ decision to further delay play instead of resuming during one of the wet-outfield inspections.

Omarzai was penalised for his send-off to Towhid Hridoy.

Afghanistan slip after the rain

Soon after, rain forced a long break of 98 minutes and the game was reduced to 17 overs a side. It gave Afghanistan, who had already batted 7.2 overs, less than ten overs to post a decent total. Mohammad Nabi, who made a fifty in the first T20I, however looked anxious at the crease and couldn’t get going. He was lucky too, when Shakib at cover and wicketkeeper Litton dropped him off consecutive balls in the ninth over, when he was on 15. Nasum Ahmed was the unlucky bowler.Mustafizur removed Nabi in the next over for 16, before Shakib had Ibrahim Zadran caught at long-on for 22 and Najibullah Zadran bowled for five in the same over. Allrounders Azmatullah Omarzai and Karim Janat got away three fours and two sixes during their sixth-wicket stand of 42 and looked like their might provide Afghanistan with the surge they very much needed, but the Bangladesh bowlers fought back beautifully. They conceded just one boundary (a six) in the last three overs, while accounting for both the allrounders – Omarzai fell to Mustafizur and Janat to Taskin.Litton Das and Afif Hossain put on a 67-run opening stand•Walton

Quick start powers Bangladesh

Litton welcomed Fazalhaq Farooqi with a straight drive and a swivel pull in the first over of their 119-run chase. It was a rare burst against Farooqi, who has mostly bossed powerplays in the white-ball formats.Litton then laid into debutant Wafadar Momand, hitting him for three consecutive fours in the next over: he started off with a splendid square cut, followed by an outside edge over the slips, and then a stunning backfoot punch through the covers. Momand went for 19 runs in his first over in T20I cricket.Litton dished out harsh treatment to Mujeeb Ur Rahman as well, clipping him first ball for four through fine-leg, before Afif lofted him for six over mid-off in his next over. They became the first Bangladeshi opening pair to add 50 runs in T20Is against Afghanistan, as Bangladesh rocketed along, getting to 61 for no loss in seven overs.

Afghanistan hit back with three wickets

A tight over from Rashid Khan and a one-run effort from Omarzai followed. Litton played out five dots in that eighth over and took a single last ball, only to fall to Mujeeb first ball of the ninth, caught brilliantly in the covers by Rashid. Afif followed Litton just two balls later, holing out at deep midwicket.Mujeeb Ur Rahman struck twice in one over•Walton

Omarzai then yorked Najmul Hossain Shanto in the next over. At that point Bangladesh needed only a further 43 runs from 36 balls but they had lost three wickets for nine runs in two overs. Towhid Hridoy and Shakib were the new batters, and as they took a bit of time to get their eye in, suddenly Bangladesh needed eight per over in the last five overs.

Shakib ensures comfortable win

The in-form Hridoy hit Mujeeb for a four over cover next over. It was Bangladesh’s first boundary since the seventh over, a gap of 30 balls. Shakib edged Mujeeb for a four, and 12 runs came off the over. Shakib launched Rashid for a six in the next over and it was down to a run a ball needed.When Hridoy slammed Omarzai for a first six, over deep square, Bangladesh needed 12 off 16. But he threw it away next ball, toe-ending a catch to mid-off for 19. Shakib and Shamim Hossain ensured no more damage, Shamim pulling Wafadar for four to tick off the winning runs first ball of the final over.