Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has deflected attention, and some of the pressure, towards South Africa, their opponents on Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground. South Africa had to contend with just one point after rain halted their chase against Zimbabwe in Hobart earlier in the week. Although T20 is a volatile format, recent form and results tell you that South Africa are competing against Pakistan for the second semi-final…
National Stadium in Karachi to be renamed National Bank Cricket Arena
The National Stadium in Karachi has been renamed the National Bank Cricket Arena after the PCB signed a five-year naming-rights deal with the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), a government-owned commercial bank. The stadium is on a 99-year lease from the federal government since 1980 and is the largest stadium in the country with a seating capacity of 32,000. This is the first naming-rights deal for a stadium in Pakistan….
Silverwood keeps the faith despite Sri Lanka's latest injury
Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood remains optimistic his unfancied team can make a push at a semi-final berth despite a seven-wicket defeat to Australia at Optus Stadium, but their cursed injury run continued with quick Binura Fernando suffering a hamstring injury. In foreign bouncy conditions, Sri Lanka sniffed a major upset when under pressure Australia slumped to 89 for 3 in the 13th over chasing 158. But the shorthanded Sri…
PSL 2023 – Haider promoted to platinum; Sarfaraz, Wahab and Hasan move down
The PCB has upgraded Peshawar Zalmi’s Haider Ali from the diamond to the platinum category for the upcoming eighth edition of Pakistan Super League, while Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been moved down from platinum to gold and Peshawar captain Wahab Riaz from platinum to diamond. Hasan Ali, who left Zalmi for Islamabad United last year, has also been downgraded, from platinum to diamond. All six franchises, however, have…
Stoinis' 18-ball 59* gives Australia NRR-lifting win over Sri Lanka
Australia 158 for 3 (Stoinis 59*, Finch 31*) beat Sri Lanka 157 for 6 (Nissanka 40, Asalanka 38*, Starc 1-23) by seven wickets A spectacular display of thumping-the-daylights-out-of-a-cricket-ball from Marcus Stoinis took a tense game and made it a cakewalk. Australia needed 69 off 46 balls when he walked in, and there was potential for this to be a low-scoring thriller. But then the man muscled six sixes and four…
Kerr and Knott secure Heat victory as thunderstorm strikes
Brisbane Heat 5 for 120 (Tahuhu 3-31) beat Sydney Thunder 7 for 139 (Litchfield 50) by 3 runs (DLS method) A stunning sixth-wicket rescue mission partnership by Brisbane Heat allrounders Amelia Kerr and Charli Knott secured a three-run win over the Sydney Thunder in a rain-affected clash in the WBBL. The duo added 48 from 30 deliveries as a thunderstorm hit Brisbane’s Allan Border Field after 17.2 overs in the…
Kumble backs Arshdeep to emulate Zaheer and 'do wonderful things' for India
Anil Kumble is so impressed with Arshdeep Singh that he the left-arm quick to follow in the footsteps of Zaheer Khan and “do some wonderful things for India”. After having excelled in the IPL for Punjab Kings, while Kumble was the coach there, Arshdeep seamlessly transitioned into India’s T20I side, and in their T20 World Cup opener against Pakistan at the MCG on Sunday, he took 3 for 32. That…
'To hell with the spirit of the game' – Hardik unfussed about non-striker run-outs
India allrounder Hardik Pandya is fine with bowlers running non-strikers out if they stray out of the crease. Speaking on The ICC Review podcast, ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup in Australia, Hardik also said he isn’t fussed about spirit-of-cricket debates around the mode of dismissal. “We need to stop making a fuss about this. It’s a rule – [as] simple as that,” Hardik said. “To hell…
Mitchell set to return as high-flying New Zealand look to make it two in two
Big picture Before the tournament, not many gave New Zealand a chance to put it past Australia. Before Saturday, the last time New Zealand beat Australia in the country was in a Test match in 2011, when Trent Boult made his international debut in Hobart. And the last time New Zealand beat Australia at the SCG was when Brendon McCullum made his ODI debut at the venue in 2002. Related…
England firm favourites for Ireland clash despite misfiring top four
Big Picture England wobbled in their opening match against Afghanistan, where they were 65 for 3 in the 11th over chasing just 113 before winning by five wickets, a victory built largely on Sam Curran’s brilliant death bowling as he claimed 5 for 10 in 3.4 overs. Ireland, who successfully navigated the first round for just the second time in their history by knocking West Indies out with a convincing…