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Zimbabwe likely to miss T20 World Cup Qualifer after becoming the first Full Member to be hit with suspension

Liam Brickhill18-Jul-2019Zimbabwe have been suspended from the ICC with immediate effect. ICC funding to Zimbabwe Cricket has been frozen, and representative teams from Zimbabwe will not be allowed to participate in any ICC events while under suspension, making Zimbabwe’s participation in the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in August and Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in October highly unlikely.After several rounds of meetings in London this week, the ICC Board unanimously decided that Zimbabwe Cricket was in breach of Article 2.4 (c) and (d) of the ICC Constitution, and that the actions of the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) in suspending the board in June constituted government interference in Zimbabwe Cricket’s affairs.”We do not take the decision to suspend a Member lightly, but we must keep our sport free from political interference,” ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar said. “What has happened in Zimbabwe is a serious breach of the ICC Constitution and we cannot allow it to continue unchecked.”ESPNcricinfo understands that a major part of the ICC’s reasoning in blocking funds to ZC was that it was concerned the money might be diverted to the Zimbabwe government instead of being utilised for the development of cricket and the players.Zimbabwe is in the midst of an economic crisis, with inflation figures increasing exponentially and price increases at a 10-year high as government coffers empty. According to an official who attended the meetings this week, since the ICC disburses funds in US dollars to member boards, it feared that the Zimbabwean government would seize the funds and hence the extreme step of barring ZC its funding had to be taken.Zimbabwe’s sanctioning marks the very first time a Full Member has been suspended by the ICC – although Sri Lanka were warned in 2015 by the then ICC chief executive David Richardson that they were at risk of immediate sanction for government interference in their administration. Various Associate Members are currently under suspension, including Nepal. However, Nepal’s national teams have been allowed to continue participating in ICC events during suspension, as had USA during their recent suspension and expulsion period from June 2015 through January 2019.The ICC has directed that the ZC board originally elected in mid-June be reinstated to office within three months, and progress in this respect will be considered again at the next board meeting in October. “The ICC wants cricket to continue in Zimbabwe in accordance with the ICC Constitution,” Manohar added.At least one member of that board will not be taking up a position, however, as Ed Rainsford, the former Zimbabwe fast bowler, released a statement on Thursday through his lawyers indicating that he would decline to accept his nomination.Representatives from both the SRC and Zimbabwe Cricket were heard by the ICC Board this week. Dave Ellman-Brown, the chairman of the SRC-appointed interim committee and a former Zimbabwe Cricket Union chief executive, was in attendance in London, and Tavengwa Mukuhlani took part in the board meeting, seemingly in his official capacity.Mukuhlani, who has played various administrative roles in Zimbabwean cricket at provincial and national level since 2004, had been re-elected as board chairman in those June elections. But that the elections took place at all marked the start of ZC’s conflict with the SRC – officially, at least.Since then, Zimbabwean cricket has been in lockdown – and meltdown. Mukuhlani, acting managing director Givemore Makoni, and the entire board were suspended by the SRC and ZC’s offices were literally locked, with a police detail dispatched to guard the property, “to ensure that no assets or other documents, especially of a financial nature, left the premises,” according to SRC chairman Gerald Mlotshwa.The ICC immediately froze Zimbabwe’s funding upon the suspension of the board in June, and as a result Zimbabwe’s women were unable to take part in a scheduled tour of Ireland. The men’s team, already in the middle of their tour of Netherlands and Ireland, completed their trip and have since returned to Zimbabwe.A member of the touring squad confirmed that players had not been paid match fees or salaries for the tour, and that “everything” has been frozen. ESPNcricinfo understands that the ICC will leave the question of player welfare to ZC while they are under suspension.

A hundred for Asad Shafiq and fifties for Haris Sohail and Babar Azam moved Pakistan into a dominant position on the second day against Northampton

Alex Winter in Northampton05-May-2018
Asad Shafiq keeps an eye on the movement of the ball•Getty Images

After so little first-class cricket in the past 12 months, batting practice is what Pakistan are most in need of before the opening Test of their UK tour that begins on Friday. They were handed a perfect chance on a golden second day in Northampton and Asad Shafiq took advantage of the conditions – as well as two dropped catches – to make his 20th first-class century and hand his side a sizeable lead by the close.Shafiq has not only the second-highest number of Test caps in the Pakistan squad but has played more first-class cricket than most of the touring party in recent months. By complete contrast, before last week’s match at Kent, Haris Sohail’s last domestic first-class match was all the way back in 2014. The pair shared a stand of 136 for the third wicket to set the day up for their side.As preparation for the Test matches to come, this has been a true assignment for the tourists and they were kept in check for two-thirds of the day. Northamptonshire took two early wickets and had Shafiq been held by Ricardo Vasconcelos in the gully on just 13 – a sitter straight to the fielder at chest height – Pakistan would have been 70 for 3 and three of their top order left with successive failures to begin the tour.But the partnership steadily built either side of lunch. Sohail, despite – or perhaps because of – his recent experience being almost exclusively against the white ball, was initially the more fluent of the pair. He began with a back-foot punch and a front-foot drive through extra cover before skipping down to Rob Keogh’s offspin to lift another boundary over mid-off. And after being struck a nasty blow on the neck ducking a Gareth Wade short ball that didn’t get up, he went through to fifty in 107 balls with seven fours.A century loomed for Sohail but he produced a leading edge to point trying to flick Keogh over midwicket against the spin. Steven Crook took a smart diving catch and should have taken Shafiq’s top-edged sweep diving in the opposite direction next ball. But the second chance Shafiq offered went down and he was left to dominate the day.Shafiq made 363 runs at 30 in Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy last season without a century but here took his chance to reach three figures. He slog-swept his second six off Keogh before clipping the same bowler to long-on to raise fifty in 98 balls. A steer behind point moved Pakistan into the lead shortly after tea before a fine sweep brought up his century, Pakistan’s first of the tour.Later, just when Northants had ambitions to limit the deficit after three wickets with the second new ball, Shafiq took three boundaries in an over off Wade with a leg glance, a fierce pull and an uppercut over cover.But the innings of the day belonged to Babar Azam, who breathed life into a sleepy afternoon with a bright, punchy 57. Azam already has seven ODI centuries and could become one of world batting’s stars. Three of his first four scoring strokes were boundaries and as he cut Luke Procter wide of third man to raise fifty in just 61 balls with six fours, the day began to drift from Northants. One hundred and forty three runs came in 33 overs after tea as the lead approached three figures and Pakistan achieved the solid batting day they had hoped for.It did not appear that would necessarily be the case as both opening batsman failed. Imam-ul-Haq, having scratched around for 60 deliveries for only 11 runs, was beaten on the inside edge by Keogh to be trapped lbw and Azhar Ali, the most experienced member of the Pakistan squad, fell lbw to Wade. The wicket was just Wade’s second in first-class matches, having missed the majority of last season with a stress fracture of the back. He said he enjoyed the challenge of bowling to a high-class batting line up but it was a challenge successfully met by Shafiq, Sohail and Babar.

ESPNcricinfo previews the first Test between New Zealand and South Africa in Dunedin

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan07-Mar-2017

Match Facts

March 8-12 2017
Start time 11.00am local (2200GMT)1:37

Moonda: South Africa’s quicks could heat up Dunedin

The Big Picture

This match-up has a one-sided history. New Zealand have only won four Tests against South Africa and two of those came in 1962 when they shared a rare five-Test series 2-2. Since then, they won the first meeting after readmission, at Johannesburg in 1994, and their only home victory was inspired by Chris Martin at Eden Park in 2004.South Africa also plunged New Zealand towards their most recent nadir. At Newlands in early 2013, they were bowled out before lunch on the opening day. Nothing so one-sided is expected this time. Since South Africa last visited for a Test in 2012, New Zealand have only lost one series on home soil, against Australia last year.For their part, South Africa have been one of finest touring sides in the last decade with last year’s defeat in India being their first overseas since Sri Lanka in 2006. They overcame Australia late last year (although given subsequent events that feels a lifetime ago) and despite New Zealand’s strength on home soil, start the series as favourites.The key will be whether New Zealand can put enough runs on the board because in Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner they have the bowlers to put pressure on South Africa. It should be a series of quality pace bowling with Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander leading the opposite line.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWWL

South Africa WWWLW

In the spotlight

Tom Latham and Jeet Raval will face one of their toughest challenges: seeing off Rabada, Philander and Morne Morkel. Latham’s confidence has to have taken a knock after his horror run in ODIs which saw him lose his place. Raval has played just four Tests, although showed impressive composure against Pakistan before giving away a few starts against Bangladesh. Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor are the key to New Zealand’s batting, but they have a better chance if not exposed to the new ball too soon.Two of South Africa’s batting engine room, JP Duminy and Temba Bavuma come into the series under a little scrutiny but for different reasons. Duminy regressed during the one-day series, scratching around and wasting starts when he made them, but elevated his Test game against Australia and Sri Lanka. Bavuma, meanwhile, made just 21 runs in five innings against Sri Lanka so he could do with reviving memories of England at Cape Town and Australia in Hobart. The latter, given likely conditions, could be relevant.

Team news

Williamson kept the door open for two spinners, but it is also Colin de Grandhomme verses James Neesham so it would be a major surprise if they omitted one of the three frontline quicks.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Jeet Raval, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Colin de Grandhomme/James Neesham, 9 Neil Wagner, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent BoultFaf du Plessis confirmed that Morne Morkel will play his first Test in more than a year, being preferred ahead of Duanne Olivier. They will also play a specialist spinner in Keshav Maharaj.South Africa (probable): 1 Stephen Cook, 2 Dean Elgar, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Faf du Plessis (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 Temba Bavuma, 7 Quinton de Kock (wk), 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Kagiso Rabada

Pitch and conditions

This is the first Test surface for a new University Oval groundsman, but New Zealand don’t expect much different to normal. Dean Elgar termed the pitch “juicy” two days out but local knowledge from Neil Wagner indicated that the temperature was as important to the amount of movement on offer. The forecast for the first three days is good, but the weekend isn’t too promising at the moment.

Stats and trivia

• Excluding series involving Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, the New Zealand win-loss ratio against South Africa is the joint lowest in history alongside West Indies against South Africa.
• University Oval is New Zealand’s only unbeaten home venue. They have won three and drawn four at the ground. The final day of the 2012 Test against South Africa was washed out.
• Williamson’s average as captain of 55 is the best by a New Zealand skipper, fractionally ahead of Martin Crowe.
• The captain winning the toss has bowled first in New Zealand on 22 consecutive occasions. The last time a captain batted first was Daniel Vettori against Pakistan, at the Basin Reserve, in 2011.

Quotes

“I don’t get ahead of myself with silly ideas like that. We want to have a look at the surface, it can change. We don’t want to delve into that before we have any outrageous thoughts.”
Kane Williamson isn’t getting ahead of himself about what to do at the toss“With slower conditions here, our strongest team is the balance of three seamers and a spinner. If the wicket is slow, your spinner does become important.”

Alex Hales continued his prolific form and Eoin Morgan cut loose as England secured a 44-run victory in their T20 warm-up match against South Africa A

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Feb-2016
ScorecardAlex Hales continued his blistering form ahead of the T20 series•Getty Images

Alex Hales continued his prolific limited-overs form with a sixth successive fifty-plus score, while captain Eoin Morgan club five sixes in a 13-ball onslaught, to push the England XI to a match-winning total in their T20 warm-up match against South Africa A in Paarl.Hales got his side off to a fast start and nullified the South African attack’s comeback in the latter part of their innings before Morgan, who had a lean one-day series, added the finishing touches. Reece Topley, who was the leading wicket-taker in the ODIs, and Adil Rashid then took five wickets between them to ensure England maintained their 100% record over South Africa’s reserves on this tour.On a traditionally flat Boland Park surface, South Africa A opened with their international spinner Aaron Phangiso but Hales was not concerned with a lack of pace. He took nine runs off the left-arm spinner’s first over to set the tone. Hales went on to punish Wayne Parnell and Beuran Hendricks and England’s fifty was up inside five overs.Jason Roy’s 22 off 14 balls seemed pedestrian in the Hale-storm and he was the first man to fall. Dolphins bowler Andile Phehlukwayo, who has had an impressive domestic season so far, had Roy caught by David Miller four balls before the Powerplay was up.Phangiso bowled the first boundary-free over of the innings in the seventh but his fellow spinner, Tabraiz Shamsi, could not build on the pressure. Hales took 11 off this first over and 17 came off his second with the help of James Vince. Sandwiched in between that, he reached his 50 off 32 balls.England were well poised on 99 for 1 at the halfway stage but South Africa A slowed them down a touch when Parnell had Vince caught by Reeza Hendricks. So began the squeeze which included a tight 15th over from Phehlukwayo which cost just three runs and resulted in the wicket of Hales in the next over.A total that was set for 200 seemed to be stagnating until Morgan announced himself after a quiet run in the ODIs with 24 runs, including three sixes, in five balls off Beuran Hendricks to put England back on track. Morgan pushed England towards 200 before Phelukwayo and Parnell took 3 for 10 between them in the penultimate and final over.The South Africa A line-up, even with internationals Miller and Farhaan Behardien, were always on the back foot. Reeza Hendricks was out lbw in the first over to Topley but Theunis de Bruyn and Morne van Wyk rebuilt. They posted the highest partnership of the match, 88, for the second-wicket and were particularly severe on Chris Woakes. De Bruyn scored 22 runs off the 11 balls he faced from Woakes and then matched Hales with fifty off 32 balls.Woakes had his revenge when he claimed the wicket of van Wyk at the end of the 11th over to start the slide. Rashid dismissed de Bruyn at the end of the next over and South Africa A were wobbling. Worryingly for South Africa’s senior side, Miller, playing in his first match in two-and-a-half weeks after sitting out the ODIs, was stumped for 10 and Behardien bowled for 4 to end the challenge.Jon-Jon Smuts made 30 but became the second of consecutive wickets for Topley in the final over which ensured the England sealed their win emphatically.

Murray Goodwin showed he has lost none of his appetite for runs in his 41st year but the veteran was upstaged by Chris Cooke, 13 years his junior, as Glamorgan responded cautiously to Hampshire’s first-innings total of 349

03-Aug-2013
ScorecardChris Cooke made his highest first-class score for Glamorgan•Getty Images

Murray Goodwin showed he has lost none of his appetite for runs in his 41st year but the veteran was upstaged by Chris Cooke, 13 years his junior, as Glamorgan responded cautiously to Hampshire’s first-innings total of 349.At the close of the second day at Southampton, after Goodwin had laboured more than three hours for his 51, Cooke had recorded his first half-century and was unbeaten on 73. Glamorgan ended 123 behind on 226 for 4 from 67 overs, with South African-born Cooke having so far hit 14 fours in a stay of 103 balls.Hampshire were 261 for 6 overnight and added a further 88, with pace bowler John Glover taking two of the four wickets to fall in the morning session. James Vince, 51 not out, added another 10 runs before Graham Wagg found the edge and captain Mark Wallace took his fifth catch of the innings. Adam Wheater followed at 305 when Glover had him caught by William Bragg, and Glover struck again at 322 when he broke through Sohail Tanvir’s defences.Chris Wood hit a robust unbeaten 32, including a six off Dean Cosker, but the experienced spinner ended the innings when last-man David Griffiths edged him to Marcus North at slip.Glamorgan did not make the most promising of starts, Tanvir bowling Bragg for 12 before Griffiths removed Bragg’s opening partner Gareth Rees on 45, knocking back his off stump. Glamorgan’s hopes rested on North and Goodwin, their most tested batsmen, and they responded on a wicket easing all the time with a stand of 70 for the third wicket in 24 overs.North went at 115, bowled by a sharp delivery from left-arm pacer Wood after making 36, but Goodwin dug in. With Cooke, Goodwin added another 55 important runs to blunt the Hampshire attack in the afternoon session.But after facing 120 balls and hitting seven fours, it was almost a surprise when the obdurate Goodwin, in sight of his 23,000th first class run, was leg before to spin bowler Danny Briggs with an indeterminate shot. That did not stop Cooke, whose previous best first class score was 44, and with Jim Allenby for company, the fifth-wicket pair added 56 in the evening
sunshine. Allenby went in 15 not out while Cooke’s innings has so far occupied 103 balls and included 14 fours.

Ross Taylor, the New Zealand captain, believes his team remains on top in the first Test against West Indies despite two late wickets from Sunil Narine

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2012Ross Taylor, the New Zealand captain, believes his team remains on top in the first Test against West Indies despite two late wickets from Sunil Narine. New Zealand ended the day at 232 for 4 but a few overs earlier they had been 223 for 2, before Darren Sammy’s decision to stick with the old ball paid off when Narine bowled Taylor for 45 and then denied a century to Martin Guptill, who skied a catch to mid-on for 97.The breakthroughs took some of the gloss off an impressive day for New Zealand, whose batting in the warm-up match on the same ground was disappointing. But on a pitch that is expected to become more difficult for batting as the match wears on, Taylor said he was happy with the way the New Zealanders had performed on the first day of the series.”I think we’re on top,” Taylor said. “I’m sure they would have liked to have got a few more wickets. I guess the momentum shift a little bit, getting two wickets with myself and Guptill, they would have been a little bit more happy with the day. But I think we’re on top and it’s going to be a hard batting track out there in the third and fourth innings, so we need to score a lot of runs in this first innings.”It’s not a total [that is our target]. It’s more if we can still be batting … at tea we’ll have a sufficient total on the board. It is quite hot out there and hopefully we can keep them out there as long as possible, all going well.”Taylor was especially pleased with the way the openers, Guptill and Daniel Flynn, fought through the new ball to put on 97 for the first wicket. It was just the second time in eight years that a New Zealand opening pair had reached lunch on the first day of a Test with their wickets intact, and it was all the more impressive given that Flynn batted through illness.”They batted very well,” Taylor said. “Flynny was a bit sick out there and he gutsed it out, and he scored a good 40 and it’s not often our opening partnerships go wicketless in the first session, so that’s a positive for us and hopefully they can continue to do that. [Flynn had] just a sore tummy. He was spewing up and things.”Eventually, both openers fell to the spin of Narine, who ended the day with 3 for 73, including his first wicket in Test cricket. He bowled 28 overs and Taylor said the batsmen had found him easier to handle than in the limited-overs games, despite his late wickets.”Red ball and white ball are totally different,” he said. “Red ball, we don’t have to go after him, he has to come and get us. With the white ball we have to attack him and it showed today that if you sit on him, he goes searching. He picked up a couple of wickets towards the end there, but I thought the way we played him was very good and if we can continue that good work then we can get a sizeable total tomorrow.”Narine said it had been hard work for the bowlers on the first day, but West Indies were happy with how the day had ended.”It’s a very good wicket to bat on,” Narine said. “I think once you put down your head and but I don’t think it’s much of a problem. There’s a little bounce and turn in the wicket but you still have to pitch the ball in the right areas. We’re happy the way the day has finished. The way New Zealand started it could have been worse. So we’ll take this and come out fighting tomorrow.”

The allrounder James Franklin is the surprise omission from New Zealand’s list of contracted players for the next year

Brydon Coverdale01-Jul-2011Allrounder James Franklin is the surprise omission from New Zealand’s list of contracted players for the next year. Since his return to the one-day side in December, Franklin has topped New Zealand’s ODI batting averages with 325 runs at 54.16, but after a disappointing World Cup, he has been left out of the 20-man list.Also gone from the list are Test fast bowler Brent Arnel, allrounder Grant Elliott, wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins, Test opener Tim McIntosh, offspinner Jeetan Patel, fast bowler Daryl Tuffey, and retired batsman Scott Styris. The gloveman Reece Young, allrounders Rob Nicol and Luke Woodcock, and the fast bowler Trent Boult have all won contracts.There was also a return for the batsmen Daniel Flynn and Neil Broom, who missed out last year having previously been on the list. But there was no such welcome back for Franklin, 30, who was in a similar position last year when he was cut from the contract list, and considered turning his back on New Zealand and using his Irish passport to become a local player in county cricket.But the lure of the black cap was enough to keep Franklin pushing for national selection, and when he returned for the one-day series in India in December, he starred with 72 not out and 98 not out in his first matches back. Franklin was elevated to the contract list during the season and played for New Zealand in Test, ODI and Twenty20 cricket during the summer.He also won a place at the World Cup, where his major impact was blasting most of the 31 runs New Zealand took off one over against Canada, the third-best over in ODI history. The acting national selection manager, Mark Greatbatch, said it was a difficult call to leave out experienced players like Franklin, but changes were needed after New Zealand won none of their five Tests and only eight of their 27 ODIs over the past 12 months.”It was a tough year performance-wise,” Greatbatch told ESPNcricinfo. “If we keep picking the same players, we’re probably going to get the same results. It was a little bit of a cleanout. There have been some good players left out but they do have the opportunity in first-class cricket to press their claims. Some of these younger guys have caught up with some of the guys who have gone out, or gone past them, in our opinion.”Some guys are playing shorter form only. In Franklin’s case, he picked up points in the shorter forms but he only played one Test out of five last year. He’d like to get his bowling back to where it was four or five years ago in Test cricket. We don’t feel that’s there at the moment. We’ve picked a group of other players we feel can try and improve our Test cricket in the next two or three years.”Young, Bennett and Woodcock started international cricket last season and made the most of their opportunities and are likely to feature prominently in the year ahead. Both Flynn and Broom have worked hard to develop their game after missing out on an NZC contract last year and their inclusion is a clear indication to all players that the door is never closed,” Greatbatch said.Under the new captain Ross Taylor, New Zealand head to Zimbabwe later this year for a Test series, before playing two Tests in Australia. They then head home to host Zimbabwe and South Africa, before a trip to the Caribbean next year.New Zealand contracted players: Hamish Bennett, Trent Boult, Neil Broom, Daniel Flynn, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Andy McKay, Kyle Mills, Rob Nicol, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, Luke Woodcock, Reece Young.

A tie was just as good as a win for India A as they qualified for the tri-series final in a freakish run-fest at Worcester, with both teams locked on 343

Cricinfo staff06-Jul-2010
ScorecardAbhinav Mukund ensured India were always in the game•Getty Images

A tie was just as good as a win for India A as they qualified for the tri-series final in a freakish run-fest at New Road, with both teams locked on 343. India were a point behind West Indies A and needed at least a tie to get the two points to ensure qualification, and they didn’t give up till the last ball. Ian Bell’s 158 carried England Lions to what seemed like an unassailable 343, but the Indian batsmen, led by Abhinav Mukund, always ensured that they were in the game.The Lions innings was built around two century partnerships at the top of the order, both driven by Bell. The wicketkeeper Steve Davies added 107 with him for the second wicket, contributing 54 off 52 balls. Iqbal Abdulla, the left-arm seamer, got India the breakthrough when he trapped Davies lbw. It was only temporary relief for India as Darren Stevens joined Bell to script the highest partnership of the innings. The pair added a further 154 off nearly 22 overs to push the Lions towards a massive score. Stevens made 64 off 61 balls before he was dismissed by Abhimanyu Mithun, with the score at 267 in the 42nd over.Bell reached his century off 117 balls, but his next 50 came off just 21. He hit 20 fours and a six before he was dismissed by the seamer Jaskaran Singh for 158 off 143 balls. All the frontline bowlers got smashed, with the exception of Abdulla, who took 2 for 56.It was hard work for the Lions bowlers as well, as the Indian openers added 79 in quick time. Shikhar Dhawan made a brisk 44 off 26 balls before he was dismissed by Liam Plunkett. Ajinkya Rahane then joined Abhinav for a steady stand of 74 to keep their side in the contest. Abhinav then added 41 with Cheteshwar Pujara and 56 with Manoj Tiwary before he was dismissed for 114, bowled by Ravi Bopara. The well-set Abhinav’s presence meant that India were always in with a chance.Fortunately for India, the lower order didn’t disappoint after Abhinav departed. Tiwary blazed 46 off 36 balls and when he was out, Wriddhiman Saha took over. Saha added 38 in quick time with Manish Pandey to take India closer. However, a double-strike by Plunkett tilted the game towards the Lions but Saha wasn’t giving up without a fight. Abdulla’s last-ditch cameo of 13 off just five balls swung it back India’s way. There was further drama off the penultimate ball as Abdulla was run-out after taking a single. India needed two to win and one to tie but they stole a bye to level the scores and seal their place in the final, also against the Lions, on Thursday.

Hardik Pandya’s issues with fitness appear to have tilted the scales against him

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jul-20246:24

Newsroom: What can we expect from SKY the captain?

Suryakumar Yadav is set to be appointed India’s new T20I captain ahead of Hardik Pandya, the incumbent vice-captain of the side, for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.Suryakumar will take over from Rohit Sharma, who retired from T20Is, along with Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, after leading India to T20 World Cup glory in the Caribbean last month.Though Hardik was Rohit’s deputy at the T20 World Cup and is a more experienced captain – he has led India in three ODIs and 16 T20Is, apart from leading Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in the IPL – it is understood fitness concerns and workload management may have tipped the scales against him.Hardik had suffered an ankle injury during the 50-over World Cup at home last October-November and was out of action until the start of IPL 2024, when he returned to lead Mumbai. Hardik has featured in just 46 of the 79 T20Is India have played since the start of 2022.Suryakumar, meanwhile, has previously captained Mumbai in the domestic circuit. More recently, he led India to a 4-1 series win over Australia in the T20I series last November, followed by a 1-1 series scoreline in South Africa. Suryakumar is also among the first names in a first-choice India XI in the format.Related

• Rathour on transition: Needs to be done in a controlled manner

• Dube and Abhishek herald end to batting allrounder issue

• What to expect from Gambhir as India's new coach?

The T20Is in Sri Lanka will be India’s first assignment under new coach Gautam Gambhir, who takes over from Rahul Dravid after the T20 World Cup. It’s also seen as the first step towards building for the next T20 World Cup which India is set to co-host in 2026.A young Indian squad, led by Shubman Gill, just returned from Zimbabwe earlier in the week after completing a 4-1 T20I series win. The squad included just three players from the side that won the World Cup.It is understood that the selectors will meet on Wednesday to finalise the touring party. Along with three T20Is, the tour will feature three ODIs.

Australia’s wicketkeeper says the team won’t be lulled into trying to match England shot for shot

Andrew McGlashan04-May-20235:28

Moody: It’s going to be a challenge for Warner, others to deal with the Duke ball

Stuart Broad would like nothing more than to have Steven Smith caught at mid-off, but Alex Carey does not believe that Australia will be drawn into trying match England’s aggressive style when the Ashes commences next month.Broad’s recent comments kicked-up the traditional pre-Ashes chat a few levels and will be followed this week by Smith beginning his short stint with Sussex. Meanwhile, Ben Stokes has called for “flat, fast” pitches to aid England’s scoring rate while there was a report that the boundaries could also be pulled in.Related

• Aussies overseas: IPL and county cricket amid Ashes build-up

• Ollie Robinson keen to 'put right' Ashes record

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• Steve Smith sets out to debunk Ashes link in Sussex stint

There are still six weeks to go before the opening match at Edgbaston and before then Australia have the small matter of trying to topple India in the World Test Championship final, but Bazball will continue to dominate the lead-up.”We’ve heard some stuff in the media what the wickets might be like, the boundaries etc, [and] the way [England] are playing at the moment it is eye-catching,” Carey told radio. “I’d like to think we aren’t surprised now [with] the way they’ll come out and play.”The tactical stuff will start to take place over the next couple of weeks but I don’t see us falling into our batters going out and trying to score the same rate. We’ll do it differently, we’ve had some serious success in the last 18-24 months playing the style we want to play in different conditions and lucky enough to be rewarded with a spot in the World Test Championship [final]. So we are excited to come over to their backyard and take on a team that’s playing some really eye-catching cricket. As a player it’s going to be hot contest and I’m smiling just thinking about that first Test.”Alex Carey made a County Championship appearance for Sussex during the 2019 season•Getty Images

Carey is one of ten members of the Ashes squad who are currently in Australia with the others spread across the IPL and county cricket. Training will ramp up this month for those at home with a camp in Brisbane before they depart for the UK in late May, leaving around 10 days to prepare for the WTC final at The Oval on June 7.”We’ll all come together before that World Test Championship and have our focus solely on that game but with an eye to the first [Ashes] Test match,” Carey said.On a personal level, the tour will be Carey’s first experience of Test cricket in England having taken the Australia role at short notice ahead of the 2021-22 Ashes although he was very impressive during the 2019 ODI World Cup and scored his first one-day hundred there in 2020. He has a small amount of first-class experience in the country having played one match for Sussex in 2019 where he made 56 and 69 not out then was drafted into the Ashes squad to keep wicket in a tour match against Derbyshire.Carey, who scored a maiden Test century against South Africa at the MCG last season, is confident of being able to adjust his game to conditions as required but admitted that the wicketkeeping could provide some challenges with the ‘wobble’ that can often happen to the red Dukes ball when it passes the batter.”It’s hard to train [for] the wobble that we as keepers know comes down and we make it look a bit silly at times if we don’t get a hand on it,” he said. “For me, just staying really open-minded knowing there’ll be days when it doesn’t look pretty…you see some of the techniques of the English keepers and it’s completely different to the Aussies.”I think adapting as quickly as I can when I get over there, hopefully will have some centre-wickets and catch a few balls from our bowlers, then from there hopefully just react well enough that if one does wobble that I move to that, see it and catch it. But it’s a really good point and probably something as cricket fans you expect the wicketkeepers to make it look easy at times, but it wobbles down and you are like ‘what are you doing’ but it’s all part of the fun.”