Big picture Is it possible? Are Sri Lanka in a better place going into this match than defending champions Australia? You could make a case, but not really. It’s complicated. Australia were beaten so profoundly by New Zealand in their tournament opener, their NRR has plummeted to a truly appalling -4.45. Sri Lanka, having thrashed Ireland first up, have a NRR of 2.467. NRRs only come into play if teams…
Pollard bemoans 'sad day' for WI cricket, says players not at fault for T20 WC exit
Kieron Pollard has described West Indies’ failure to make the Super 12s of the 2022 T20 World Cup as a “sad day” for Caribbean cricket. Pollard, who retired in April, said he was both “surprised” as well as disappointed at West Indies’ exit and agreed that head coach Phil Simmons would be under pressure. He, however, stressed that the blame had to be shared by all stakeholders and not any…
Rain has the final say as South Africa, Zimbabwe share points despite de Kock onslaught
No result Zimbabwe 79 for 5 in 9 overs (Madhevere 35*, Ngidi 2-20) vs South Africa 51 for 0 in 3 overs (de Kock 47*) South Africa were denied a victory in their T20 World Cup opener after rain ensured their shortened fixture against Zimbabwe could not be completed. After a two-hour-and-35-minute delay, the match was reduced to nine overs a side. Zimbabwe recovered from being 19 for 4 to…
Should teams be allowed to change XIs if it rains after the toss?
Teams should be allowed to make changes to their XI if rain curtails play after the toss but before a ball has been bowled, according to ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out experts Faf du Plessis, Anil Kumble and Andy Flower. Kumble and Flower, who have extensive coaching experience in T20 leagues, and Du Plessis, the former South Africa captain, said the tweak in the rules would allow teams to field their…
Chris Rushworth eyes Championship title after shock Warwickshire move
Chris Rushworth has set his sights on winning a second County Championship title after making a surprise move to Warwickshire on a two-year deal, which features an option to extend for a third depending on performances. Durham announced last week that they had “reluctantly agreed” to let Rushworth, their all-time leading wicket-taker, leave the club. He clarified in a statement that he had made his decision due to “personal reasons…
Cheteshwar Pujara to play for Sussex in the 2023 season too
Cheteshwar Pujara will return to Sussex in 2023 after making a significant impact during his first season with the club this year. “I am glad to be back with Sussex for the 2023 season,” Pujara said in a statement released by the club. “I thoroughly enjoyed my last stint with the club last season, both on and off the field and I’m looking forward to contributing to the team’s growth…
Wellington equals her own WBBL record to spin Strikers to victory
Adelaide Strikers 2 for 102 (Dottin 55) beat Melbourne Renegades 101 (Wellington 5-8) Adelaide Strikers legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington has equalled her own record for the WBBL’s best bowling figures in an eight-wicket win against the Melbourne Renegades. Wellington’s stunning return came as the Renegades were bowled out for 101 in 19.5 overs. She took three of her wickets in a four-ball span as Strikers banked a second victory from four…
Virat Kohli is now in the metaverse
“Virat Kohli has entered the metaverse” sounds like something Ravi Shastri might have said had he been on commentary when Kohli smashed Haris Rauf for two consecutive sixes in the penultimate over of India’s heart-stopping chase against Pakistan at the MCG. But Kohli is literally now a part of the metaverse as he enters the world of digital collectibles through an exclusive partnership with FanCraze. What the deal means is…
You can now buy Kohli's six off Rauf
Virat Kohli’s six down the ground of Haris Rauf can now be bought! What does that mean? Digital collectibles have come to cricket, and all the best moments from the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup are being converted into unique collectibles that fans can buy online. FanCraze, the ICC’s Official Digital Collectibles partner, are pre-selling moments from each game in packs called “>Crictos of the Game. (For a full explainer…
I would have been smiling even if we had lost – Hardik Pandya
This bears an explanation of what an ICC mixed media zone is. After the official press conference, teams make available two players each who split to alternatively speak to written media and visual media for about three minutes or so. After they are done, they switch to the other media. Not much comes out of it because of such little time and so many reporters, but it is a more…