With their season on the line, Adelaide Strikers’ hierarchy faced a selection headache ahead of playing defending champions Perth Scorchers at the pace-friendly Optus Stadium. Strikers had surged into the knockout final since turning around their season after a heavy loss in Perth earlier in the month, where they conceded 211 for 4, left their finals hopes hanging by a thread Strikers languished in last spot on the BBL ladder…
Toss Pakistan opted to bat vs New Zealand Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat in the fifth and final T20I in Christchurch in their bid to avoid a clean sweep. They made three changes to the side that lost the fourth T20I two days earlier resting opener Saim Ayub along with fast bowlers Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim. Haseebullah Khan, a 20-year-old top-order batter, was handed a debut…
Pakistan Under-19s 284 for 9 (Shahzaib 106, Baig 55, Khalil 4-51, Bashir 2-52) beat Afghanistan Under-19s 103 (Numan 26, Ubaid 4-26, Zeeshan 3-17) by 181 runs Ubaid Shah, the younger brother of Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Zeeshan, who has been part of Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL, took seven wickets between them to skittle Afghanistan Under-19s for 103 in their chase of 285 in East London. Opener batting Shahzaib Khan…
Adelaide Strikers 155 for 7 (Weatherald 56, Thornton 28*, Connolly 2-17, Hardie 2-24) beat Perth Scorchers 105 (Fanning 31, Pope 4-24, Boyce 3-20) by 50 runs Legspinners Lloyd Pope and Cameron Boyce starred on the traditional pace-friendly Optus Stadium surface as Adelaide Strikers ended Perth Scorchers’ historic bid for a hat-trick of BBL titles with an upset victory in the knockout final. Strikers will travel to the Gold Coast and…
The Tata Group has extended its title sponsorship of the IPL for another five years, from 2024 to 2028, for INR 2500 crore (US$301 million approx.), making it the “highest-ever sponsorship amount in the history of the league,” a BCCI statement said. The group were the IPL title sponsors in 2022 and 2023, and are also the title sponsors of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). “The collaboration with TATA Group…
A lighter-than-expected workload for Australia’s three-format fast bowlers across the Test summer so far could allow the selectors to pick them for one or both of the upcoming T20I series against West Indies and New Zealand, which are the only six T20Is Australia play before the T20 World Cup in June. Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc have got through four Tests unscathed so far, with none of the…
Allrounder Daryl Mitchell has been pulled out of New Zealand’s upcoming fifth T20I against Pakistan, as the hosts seek to manage his workload. Mitchell, who hit two half-centuries across the first four T20Is, will be replaced by allrounder Rachin Ravindra, who had himself initially been rested for the series. New Zealand coach Gary Stead the decision was taken keeping in mind Mitchell’s workload and the international cricket that follows the…
After taking a career best 5 for 21 to lift Sydney Sixers into the BBL final, fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis credited a T20I stint with Australia for his purple patch of form. Dwarshuis played in two T20Is for Australia in December against India and took five wickets with his left-arm seamers. Since returning to the BBL he has been a regular wicket taker. Related How to replace Rashid Khan? Over…
Australia could release Matt Renshaw to play in the BBL Challenger on Monday, and the final on Wednesday if Brisbane Heat qualify, despite the second Test starting at the Gabba on Thursday and Usman Khawaja needing to be monitored following his head knock in the first Test against West Indies. Related Hazlewood takes career-best haul but Khawaja hurt in Australia’s victory Khawaja cleared of jaw fracture and first concussion test…
While South Africa were preparing for Dean Elgar’s final Test, his replacement – as both opening batter and captain – was being called up. Literally. “It was the morning of the first day of the Test in Cape Town that Shuks (Shukri Conrad, Test coach) called me and said, “You are in the team and you are also going to be captain,” Neil Brand said in Johannesburg ahead of the…