Mohammad Amir concedes seven wides in super over defeat to USA

Mohammad Amir conceded 18 runs in the super over against USA, seven of which were wides as Pakistan succumbed to a shock defeat in Dallas, Texas today (June 6).

USA stun Pakistan to take it to the super over

Chasing 160 for victory after restricting Pakistan to 159, USA were in cruise control for a major part of their innings. At the end of 13 overs, their score read 104-1, as they needed only 56 runs in seven overs. Captain Monank Patel then got out in the next over after reaching fifty, as Pakistan started tightening the screws. USA needed 15 off the final over, which was bowled by Haris Rauf.

After the first three balls fetched only three runs, the game looked almost beyond USA’s reach when Aaron Jones hit a six and Nitish Kumar followed it up with a last ball four to level the scores and take the game to the super over.

Mohammad Amir conceded seven wides in the super over

Amir, the pick of the Pakistan bowlers in the game, having registered figures of 1-25 from four overs, was given the responsibility to bowl the super over.

Related Story: Watch: Mohammad Amir takes pace off, picks up wicket in first over of international return

He conceded a four off the first ball as Jones cut a short ball behind point. While that was the only boundary Amir conceded in the over, USA still managed to amass 18 runs.

Amir conceded a double and a single off the next two balls as USA’s score read 7-0 with three balls to go. The next was a wide down the leg side of the left-handed Harmeet Singh. Mohammad Rizwan dived full stretch to his right to prevent the ball from going for a boundary, but he couldn’t stop the USA batters from running a bye.

Related Story: Watch: Pant blasts four final-over sixes, Mohit concedes most expensive IPL spell

After a single off the next ball, Amir repeated the same act, bowling one way down the leg side allowing the USA batters to rotate strike. Jones then got two off the next ball as USA’s score read 14-0 with one ball left.

However, the next ball was another wide, this time outside off. While the call could be debated, Jones and Harmeet were smart enough to take the opportunity to run through. Rizwan lobbed the ball back to Amir, but lobbed it too high for the bowler to field it in his follow through. By the time the fielders straight down the ground backed up, the USA batters had run a second run, making it three off the delivery.

A single off the last ball meant USA finished on 18, out of which seven were registered as wides.

No context Super Over #USAvPAK pic.twitter.com/e5Zzvfhm2y

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) June 6, 2024

USA close of historic vitory in the super over

Saurabh Netravalkar was given the task of defending 19 in the super over. The Pakistan batters took a while to come out for the super over, which made the USA fielders complain to the umpires.

It didn’t matter in the end, as Netravalkar held his nerve to concede only 13 and win the game for his team by five runs.

Last month, USA had defeated Bangladesh in a T20I series, their first victory against a Full Member nation. With this result, they showed that it was no fluke.

With two victories from two games at the T20 World Cup, USA now have a realistic chance of making the Super Eights.

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Babar Azam overtakes Virat Kohli as all-time leading T20I run-scorer

Babar Azam overtook Virat Kohli as the highest run-scorer in men’s T20Is during Pakistan’s opening T20 World Cup fixture against USA in Dallas, Texas today (June 6).

A shaky start for Pakistan and Babar

Pakistan were put into bat after USA won the toss. On a slowish surface, the Babar Azam-Mohammad Rizwan combination, back at the top of the order for Pakistan, didn’t have the best of starts. Rizwan returned for nine off eight balls owing to a spectacular one-handed grab in just the second over of the day to land his team in early trouble. Pakistan kept on losing wickets regularly and were reduced to 26-3 in 4.4 overs.

Babar, Shadab steady the ship

Babar struggled to keep going as wickets kept tumbling at the other end. He was 10 off 25 before hitting his first four of the innings in the last ball of the 10th over. With a 25-ball 40, including three sixes and a four, Shadab Khan upped the ante for Pakistan as the duo stitched a 50-ball 72-run stand for the fourth wicket. Pakistan were 98-4 when Shadab returned to the pavilion. Babar, gaining momentum slowly, threatened to go big but fell for a 43-ball 44, a knock comprising two sixes and three fours.

Babar goes past Kohli in T20Is

During his nearly run-a-ball stay, the Pakistan white-ball captain overtook Virat Kohli to become the leading run-scorer (4,067) in T20I cricket. Babar crossed Kohli in his 113th innings – three more than what Kohli is currently on. His runs have come at a strike-rate of 129.77 and an average of 41.08, in contrast to Kohli’s strike rate and average of 137.95 and 51.11 respectively.

Kohli, who now sits at second with 4,038 runs, is closely trailed by India’s captain Rohit Sharma, who has 4,026 runs to his tally.

Leading the list @babarazam258 is the all-time top run-getter in T20Is #T20WorldCup | #USAvPAK | #WeHaveWeWill pic.twitter.com/DoFs54cWZa

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) June 6, 2024

Earlier in Pakistan’s T20I series against England leading up to the tournament, Babar became the only captain to score 2,500 runs in T20Is.

He is also the most successful skipper in the format with 46 wins from 81 matches.

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ICC facing empty stands for India-Pakistan as hundreds of $2,500 tickets go unsold

The ninth edition of the T20 World Cup got underway on June 1, and the big game between India and Pakistan is scheduled for June 9 but several tickets are unsold three days ahead of the marquee IND vs PAK clash.

The start of week two will see one of the tournament’s most anticipated clashes get underway at the Nassau County Stadium in New York, as India and Pakistan face off in an important Group A encounter on Sunday, June 9. Given that the teams do not meet in bilateral cricket, their matches in ICC events and Asia Cups are always ones to look forward to.

However, if the ICC’s ticketing website is any indicator, it appears that the atmosphere at the venue might not be as electric as many had predicted.

Suboptimal scheduling of matches for local fans

Both matches played so far at the Nassau County Stadium have been marked by empty stands, clearly visible on match broadcasts. South Africa vs Sri Lanka took place on a Monday morning, while India vs Ireland was on Wednesday morning.

With these matches scheduled by the ICC keeping the Indian television audience in mind, the chances of locals attending the games amid their daily schedule are quite low.

Are IND vs PAK tickets still unsold?

The empty stands seen in the New York games so far have been those with a straight view of the pitch, the Premium Club Lounge and Diamond Club ticket categories. The premium tickets were priced at $1,000 for India vs Ireland, but the same seats for India-Pakistan will require fans to fork out $2500 (roughly INR 2.1 lakh). The Diamond Club seats are more expensive still, at $10,000.

ICC and USA cricket have sold these tickets at 900 USD onwards for straight stand views. Some of these stands were selling for 2000 USD for the India vs Pakistan game later this week

For a new sport for Americans to lap up, there is way too much friction. One has to take… pic.twitter.com/Bny1eC88TO

— Kartik Kannan (@kartik_kannan) June 5, 2024

As of three days before the match, hundreds of these seats are still available to be booked, per the ICC website. Standard tickets for this game also start at $300, double the amount they were priced at for the India-Ireland match. These tickets have been sold out, as well as all the categories up to the Premium Club Lounge seats.

A significant number of tickets for the IND vs PAK game in New York are still available.

Improper facilities adding to concerns for fans

Cost is not the only factor affecting the attendance levels in New York. News spreading through word-of-mouth about the poor stadium experience and ticketing process may also have contributed to fans opting to stay away, from the more expensive seats in particular.

Met Jagan Vinyagam, 48, originally from Chennai but living in NJ for last 20 years. Paid $350 for a "premium" ticket, only to be randomly assigned to last row, top of the stadium, section 247. He feels like he got scammed. "there was no transparency in the ticket buying process." pic.twitter.com/UGC1zYRmgn

— Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) June 5, 2024

Just ran into an old Columbia Cricket Club teammate, Ganesh. He paid $225 tix, plus $200 for parking, but his 3 hour drive from Hartford, CT meant heavy traffic. Didn't arrive until Ireland bowled out. "I paid $425 for a bad seat to watch 10 overs." Would he come back? "Hell no!" pic.twitter.com/Vy4xP9vJNz

— Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) June 5, 2024

India vs Pakistan being a marquee clash, the pattern over the years has generally been that tickets are sold out very soon after being made available. As a result, the ICC and tournament sponsors perhaps remained confident that this would be the case this time around as well.

However, with this many seats still unsold so close to the match, it appears that they may just have found the limit to which even the most ardent of supporters are willing or able to loosen their purse strings.

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ICC admit to issues with New York pitches ahead of India-Pakistan clash

ICC have admitted that the pitches at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York haven’t been up to standards ahead of the marquee India-Pakistan clash.

New York pitches under scanner after low-scoring games

The newly-built modular stadium in New York with drop-in pitches has received a lot of criticism over the past week. A total of three matches have been played at the venue, one of which was a warm-up game. All three games have had pitches with uneven bounce and at least one, if not two low-scoring innings.

Batters have also been hit on the body on several occasions, with India captain Rohit Sharma having to retire hurt after a blow on the shoulder during the India vs Ireland game on June 5.

Sanjay Manjrekar questioned the preparation of the drop-in pitches, Andy Flower called it “bordering on dangerous”, Michael Vaughan labelled it “shocking”, while Mickey Arthur felt it was “very poor”.

ICC admit to issues

Following the widespread pubic critcism, as well as reported private complaints by teams, the ICC have finally admitted to the New York pitches being substandard.

In a statement released three days ahead of the IND vs PAK clash, scheduled for June 9 at the same venue, ICC said: “T20 Inc and the ICC recognise that the pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would have all wanted.”

Related Story: New York pitch for India-Ireland game labelled ‘shocking’ due to uneven bounce

They have also mentioned in their statement that all efforts are being made to improve the quality of the pitches for the remaining games at the venue: “The world-class grounds team have been working hard since the conclusion of yesterday’s game to remedy the situation and deliver the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches.”

Along with the pitches, the outfield at the venue hasn’t been up to the mark either, with puffs of sand bursting out every time the ball lands anywhere on the field. ICC will have to do something about that as well if they are to prepare conditions good enough for an even contest between bat and ball.

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Today’s T20 World Cup match live score, PNG vs UGA & AUS vs OMA: Updated scorecards, playing XIs, toss news and predictions

Today (June 5) at the T20 World Cup 2024, Papua New Guinea will play Uganda in Guyana, and Australia will play Oman in Barbados – here are the predicted XIs, team news, and today’s T20 World Cup live score for PNG vs UGA and AUS vs OMA.

PNG vs UGA, live score: Follow the live scorecard here

AUS vs OMA, live score: Follow the live scorecard here

PNG vs UGA, AUS vs OMA: Toss updates

PNG vs UGA: The toss will take place at 7:30 pm local time

AUS vs OMA: The toss will take place at 8:30 pm local time

PNG vs UGA, AUS vs OMA: T20 World Cup 2024 team news

PNG news

PNG gave hosts West Indies a scare in their opening game. Batting first, they made 136-8 and pushed West Indies till the 19th over while defending the score. The experienced Sese Bau scored a half-century and would look to carry the PNG batting once again while skipper Assad Vala will have an important role to play with both bat and ball.

Uganda news

Uganda suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Afghanistan in their opening fixture. They would need to regroup and bounce back quickly. Brian Masaba, their captain, was the pick of the bowlers in their last game and would need to similarly inspire his team if they are to stay alive in the tournament.

Australia news

Australia played both their warm-up games with only nine players as the others took their time to join the squad. In what will be their first game of the tournament, they’ll have several decisions to make with respect to the make-up of their team, including but not limited to deciding between picking two specialist spinners and one, and deciding on who the first-choice wicketkeeper is going to be between Matthew Wade and Josh Inglis.

Oman news

Oman lost their first game of the ICC T20 World Cup in the super over against Namibia. Their middl order of Zeeshan Maqsood, Khalid Kalil, and Ayaan Khan did the bulk of the scoring and would have a lot of responsibility once again. Captain Aqib Ilyas will be the key player, batting at No.3 and bowling his tidy leg spin.

PNG vs UGA, AUS vs OMA: Predicted Playing XIs

PNG: Tony Ura, Assasd Vala (c), Lega Siaka, Sese Bau, Hiri Hiri, Charles Amini, Kiplin Doriga (wk), Chad Soper, Alei Nao, Kabua Morea, John Kariko.

UGA: Ronak Patel, Simon Ssesazi (wk), Roger Mukasa, Riazat Ali Shah, Dinesh Nakrani, Alpesh Ramjani, Robinson Obuya, Brian Masaba (c), Bilal Hassan, Cosmas Kyewuta, Henry Ssenyondo.

AUS: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa.

OMA: Kashyap Prajapati, Naseem Khushi (wk), Aqib Ilyas (c), Zeeshan Maqsood, Khalid Kail, Ayaan Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Mehran Khan, Shakeel Ahmed, Kaleemullah, Bilal Khan.

ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Last day’s results

Scotland vs England – No result

Netherlands vs Nepal – Netherlands won by six wickets

ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Upcoming matches

USA vs Pakistan – 10:30 am local time

Namibia vs Scotland – 3:00 pm local time

PNG vs UGA, AUS vs OMA: Prediction for today’s T20 World Cup match

PNG will start as favourites against Uganda, having given two-time world champions West Indies a scare earlier in the tournament. In the other game, Australia are expected to dominate Oman, who would want to put up a fight and not get rolled over.

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Maharashtra Premier League 2024, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming for MPL 2024

The second edition of the Maharashtra Premier League started on June 2 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium at Gahunje on the outskirts of Pune. Here is where you can watch the tournament live across TV and digital, including TV channels and live streaming details for MPL 2024.

Ratnagiri Jets became the champions of the inaugural edition for being the table-toppers in 2023 after the final against Kolhapur Tuskers was washed out due to rain.

Kolhapur’s Kedar Jadhav, who was initially part of their squad retired from all forms of cricket after his side’s loss in this year’s curtain-raiser. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rajvardhan Hangargekar are some of the more renowned players who are participating in the league.

MPL 2024 squads: Full team lists

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings: Rajwardhan Hangargekar (c), Digvijay Jadhav, Yogesh Choudhari, Om Bhosale, Harshal Kate, Murtaza Trunkwala, Omkar Khatpe, Digvijay Patil, Anurag Kawade, Saurabh Navale, Rameshwar Daud, Yogesh Chavan, Yatin Mangwani, Pranay Singh, Hitesh Valunj, Shubham Kothari, Anand Thenge, Deepak Dangi, Swaraj Chawan, Nagesh Rege, Shamshuzama Kazi

Eagle Nashik Titans: Mandar Bhandari, Mukesh Choudhary, Arshin Kulkarni, Kaushal Tambe, Akshay Waikar, Ashay Palkar, Rohit Hadke, Prashant Solanki, Dhanraj Shinde, Sahil Parakh, Razeq Fallah, Digvijay Deshmukh, Atharva Dharmadhikari, Rehan Khan, Niraj Joshi, Hari Sawant, Samadhan Pangare, Sharwin Kisave, Siddhant Doshi, Ranjit Nikam

Kolhapur Tuskers: Ankit Bawane, Sachin Dhas, Harsh Sanghvi, Kirtiraj Wadekar, Aniket Porwal, Hrishikesh Daund, Yogesh Dongare, Taranjit Singh, Atman Pore, Akshay Darekar, Shreyash Chavan, Yash Khaladkar, Nihal Tusamad, Manoj Yadhav, Umar Shah, Harshal Mishra , Sumit Markali, Siddharth Mhatre, Shrikant Mundhe

Puneri Bappa: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Abhimanyu Jadhav, Pawan Shah, Yash Kshirsagar, Shripad Nimbalkar, Suraj Shinde, Sahil Autade, Saurabh Sanklecha, Roshan Waghsare, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Rohan Kharat, Vivek Selar, Sachin Bhosale, Atif Sayyed, Piyush Salvi, Sohan Jamale, Rahul Desai, Rohan Damle, Aayush Raktade, Neel Gandhi, Shubham Taiswal, Devansh Tandel

Ratnagiri Jets: Azim Kazi (c), Abhishek Pawar, Tushar Shrivastav, Akhilesh Gawale, Nikil Naik, Kunal Thorat, Nikit Dhumal, Pradeep Dadhe, Piyush Kamal, Yogesh Chavan, Sangram Bhalekar, Yash Borkar, Satyajeet Bacchav, Sahil Churi, Dhiraj Phatangare, Divyang Hinganekar, Kiran Chormale, Krish Shahapurkar, Preetam Patil, Rohit Patil, Vaibhav Chowghule, Vijay Pawale

Raigad Royals: Vishant More, Rushabh Rathod, Mehul Patel, Devdutt Natu, Abhinav Bhatt, Vaibhav Agam, Vedant Patil, Rohan Marwah, Yash Nahar, Ajay Borude, Vicky Ostwal, Snehal Kamankar, Ravi Jangid, Savya Gajraj, Nikhil Kadam, Nadeem Shaikh, Jikendra Viswas Jadhav, Aman Doshi, Prathamesh Gawade, Ayush Kabra, Manoj Ingale, Pratik Mhatre, Vyankatesh Kane, Omkar Rajput, Sunil Yadav, Harshavardhan Tingre, Naushad Shaikh, Siddhesh Veer, Tanay Sanghvi, Sujit Ubale, Bhushan Gole

MPL 2024: Participating teams and format

Six teams will feature in the inaugural edition of MPL 2024: Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings, Eagle Nashik Titans, Kolhapur Tuskers, Puneri Bappa, Ratnagiri Jets, and Raigad Royals.

In the mould of the IPL, the six teams will play each other in a double round-robin league stage, followed by four play-off matches just like the IPL: Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final.

The afternoon games will begin at 2 PM while the evening games will begin at 7 PM local time. All matches will be played at the MCA International Stadium in Pune. The Final will be played on June 22, from 8 PM.

Maharashtra Premier League 2024 where to watch live: TV Channels and live streaming

The Maharashtra Premier League season 2 will be telecast live on the Sporst18 network. Live-streaming service for the tournament is available on the Jio Cinema app and its website (jiocinema.com).

Live streaming for MPL 2024 will also be available on the FanCode app and website.

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Anrich Nortje claims record-breaking T20 World Cup figures as South Africa skittle Sri Lanka

Anrich Nortje delivered the most economical four-over spell in men’s T20 World Cup history in South Africa’s tournament opener against Sri Lanka in New York.

South Africa’s meeting with Sri Lanka is the first match of the tournament between two Full Member nations but it was one way traffic from the get go. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first at the first of eight T20 World Cup games set to be held at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Long Island, New York. 

Sri Lanka started sluggishly, only taking 24 runs for the loss of one wicket from the first six overs. Ottniel Baartman, on T20 World Cup debut, took the only powerplay wicket, dismissing Pathum Nissanka with his first ball at a global event.

Sri Lanka then lost their second, third and fourth wickets in the space of five deliveries across the eighth and ninth overs with Keshav Maharaj taking two in two. On 36-4 after nine overs, Sri Lanka were up against it and never recovered with the Proteas eventually bowling them out for 77 on a pitch that took considerable seam movement throughout, as well as the occasional sign of inconsistent bounce. Their total is the fifth lowest total a Full Member nation has been bowled out for at a men’s T20 World Cup.

South Africa speedster Anrich Nortje finished with figures of 4-7 – these were the fewest runs a bowler has ever gone for across four overs in a men’s T20 World Cup match. Nortje, 30, recently endured a lengthy spell on the sidelines, missing the 2023 World Cup  and the entirety of South Africa’s home international summer with a stress fracture of the back.

Until the third-to-last ball of his spell, Baartman was on track to break Nortje’s record, before a boundary from Maheesh Theekshana saw him finish with 1-9 from four overs.

Competition for places among South African seamers is fierce. Gerald Coetzee wasn’t selected for South Africa’s T20 World Cup opener while Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger are only standbys for the tournament.

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Essex charged by cricket regulator for historic racism allegations

Essex have been charged by the Cricket Regulator over historic allegations of racism at the club, in the latest development of investigations into historic racism in English cricket.

In a statement released by the club today (June 3), Essex said: “The club has been charged with a breach of ECB Directive 3.3 following the investigation into allegations which covered a significant period of time.

“ECB Directive 3.3 concerns conduct, acts or omissions which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute.

“It is alleged by the Cricket Regulator that there was systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language and/or conduct at Essex, during the period between 2001 and 2010, which Essex failed to address.

“An independent panel of the Cricket Discipline Commission will heat the case over due course. No further comment will be made until the case is concluded.”

The update on the investigations at Essex comes after an independent report led by Katharine Newton KC was released in December last year. The report upheld allegations of historic allegations of racist abuse at Essex, including that once player was nicknamed ‘Bomber’ due to his South Asian heritage, and another player was taunted with bananas for being Black.

The report was commissioned in November 2021 after the resignation of then-chairman John Faragher, who was accused of using racist language during a board meeting in 2017. That charge was also upheld by the report, and Essex were fined £50,000 by the ECB.

The Cricket Regulator was launched by the ECB in 2023 as the body responsible for monitoring compliance with the game’s regulations, enforcement of adherence to those regulations and providing relevant information and education. It is ring-fenced from the rest of the ECB and seeks to bring further independence to the regulatory process. It’s not been confirmed as of yet when the Cricket Discipline Commission will hear Essex’s case.

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Predicted: England’s XI for the T20 World Cup

Reigning T20 World Cup champions England will start their 2024 campaign against Scotland this week (June 4). Here’s their predicted starting XI for that fixture.

Having selected a versatile 15-player squad ahead of the tournament, England’s starting XI took shape in their four-match series against Pakistan last month. They fielded near enough the same team in both of the matches that were able to take place, bad weather having washed out half the series, and won both.

The only choice which still remains slightly up in the air is the make-up of their fast-bowling attack, with two of Mark Wood, Chris Jordan and Reece Topley likely to be selected alongside Jofra Archer. Their batting lineup, however, is solid, with Ben Duckett likely to be the specialist batter in the squad to miss out on an initial place in the XI.

England’s 15-player T20 World Cup squad: Jos Buttler (c), Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Chris Jordan, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Reece Topley, Tom Hartley.

Top five

An aggressive partnership between Jos Buttler and Phil Salt in the final match of the series against Pakistan once again showed its potential with both batters in form. Buttler scored two hundreds in the IPL this year, the second an all-time classic against KKR, in which he carried his bat to score the winning runs off the final ball of the match. Salt enjoyed an outstanding IPL in a defining opening partnership with Sunil Narine for KKR. Although absent for KKR’s victory in the final, that opening partnership was a key part of Kolkata’s success during the tournament.

Will Jacks will slot in at No.3, having also had a positive IPL. He scored a blistering century for RCB against Gujarat, which drew praise from Virat Kohli who watched it from the non-striker’s end. Below him will likely be Jonny Bairstow. Although Bairstow has had a mixed-recent run of form in international cricket as of late, he was another century-maker in the recent IPL, and whacked three sixes against Pakistan at The Kia Oval last week. Completing the middle order specialists will be Harry Brook. Brook’s spot makes it five right-handers in a row in England’s top five, and at some point in the tournament they may look to break up that procession with the left-handed Duckett, or by promoting vice-captain Moeen Ali up the order. However, those five look set to start the campaign.

All-rounders

As well as Jacks as a useful inclusion in the top order, England have an engine room of all-rounders in the middle order. Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone will fill in at Nos.6 & 7, Livingstone’s serving as another spin option. While England experimented in batting Livingstone up the order in the Caribbean last year, their plethora of top-order options and the balance England have decided to go with means he has to bat in the lower middle-order.

Related Story: England T20 World Cup squad members to fly back early from IPL 2024

Having been relegated to the fringes of England’s T20I side since the 2022 T20 World Cup, Chris Jordan has had a late resurgence to force his way back into the starting XI. He wasn’t picked for the series in the Caribbean last December, but Sam Curran’s drop in form and an injury to Jamie Overton helped his case. On announcing the squad, Rob Key also highlighted his ability as a lower-order finisher as another reason behind his selection.

Bowlers

Jofra Archer and Mark Wood were both back fit again and bowling in England colours against Pakistan. Archer hadn’t featured for England in over a year before the series, after sustaining yet another injury setback. Wood made his comeback from an injury he picked up following England’s Test tour of India earlier this year last week at The Kia Oval. He was clocked at 96 mph in his first over back. While this attack means England will have exclusively right-arm pace options at their disposal, it’s likely they’ll rotate with Reece Topley during the tournament.

Adil Rashid will as ever complete the XI. The other spin option England have available is Tom Hartley. Although he’s still uncapped in T20Is, as a left-arm finger spinner with a much talked about high release point, he’s an intriguing option England will have at their disposal during their campaign.

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An XI of stars who could be playing their last T20 World Cup

While the 2024 T20 World Cup promises mouth-watering contests, it might also mark the end of some glittering careers. Here’s an XI of stars potentially playing their last T20 World Cup.

David Warner

After retiring from ODIs and Tests earlier, Warner, Australia’s second-highest run-scorer across formats, has confirmed that the T20 World Cup 2024 will draw the curtains on his international career. Quite symbolically, the format that helped him shoot to fame will witness his final act. The pugnacious southpaw batter has been a part of Australia’s 2022 T20 World Cup and 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup wins.

Rohit Sharma

Rohit has been a constant name since India’s title-winning campaign in 2007. Since the inaugural run, he has transformed from a middle-order batter into a legendary opener, but his numbers at the T20 World Cup leave a lot to be desired: In 2022, Rohit averaged 19.33 at the top of the order, striking at only 106. Already 37, Rohit will look to make amends to what could be his swansong in the tournament.

Virat Kohli

Having won the Player of the Tournament in 2014 and 2016, Kohli will have a last shot at the trophy after reinventing himself as a T20 batter in the 2024 IPL. He will be 37 when India play their next T20 World Cup at home in 2026, and he may retire from the shortest format by then to manage his workload.

Jonny Bairstow

Bairstow is part of England’s golden generation that revolutionised white-ball cricket after their 2015 ODI World Cup debacle. Having missed the 2022 World Cup due to a freak injury, opener Phil Salt’s rise pushed him into the middle order this time. His scratchy run of late could prompt him to hang up his boots before the next World Cup jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib is only the second player alongside Rohit to feature in all the editions of the competition. The greatest cricketer Bangladesh have ever produced, he has the most wickets – 47 wickets at an average of 18.63 and an economy of 6.78 – in the tournament’s history. While the waning batting prowess in recent years has been a concern, he is still a potent threat with his cunning left-arm orthodox spin. Though he has expressed his desire to play the next edition, it would take some doing for the 37-year-old to make that happen.

Angelo Mathews

As recently as this January, Mathews returned to Sri Lanka’s T20I squad after a hiatus of three years, against Zimbabwe, and emerged as the highest run-scorer in the series (118) besides bowling some handy overs in the powerplay. Part of the sides that finished runners-up in 2009 and won in 2014, Mathews, now 37, is now primed for one potential last tilt at T20 World Cup glory.

Andre Russell

Russell is another cricketer to have linked up with his international team after a two-year absence just before the T20 World Cup. Having last represented the West Indies at the 2021 T20 World Cup, he was not selected for the next edition in Australia when selector Desmond Haynes said the team had “moved on” from him, but Russell got a recall after confirming his availability. Given his being in and out of the West Indies team and inclination towards franchise cricket, the T20 World Cup this year could be Russell’s final outing.

Moeen Ali

Another vital cog in England’s white-ball renaissance, Moeen is one of the few players for England running out of age by his side. He is unlikely to fly to the subcontinent in 2026 and will look to finish on a high in his team’s title defence.

Chris Jordan

With 98 scalps, Jordan is England’s leading T20I wicket-taker, behind Adil Rashid (110). He leapfrogged Chris Woakes to return to the T20I setup, having last played in September last year. Besides death-bowling skills, his handiness as a lower-order batter and excellent fielder earned him the spot. Part of the teams that finished runners-up in 2016 and won the title in 2022, Jordan, now 35, may bid adieu to the T20 World Cup.

Adil Rashid

Moeen’s partner in crime in England’s spin flotilla, Rashid is another player to be in the wrong side of thirty. Like Moeen, Rashid was an integral part of their 2022 success. The wily wrist-spinner has taken 21 wickets at the T20 World Cup at 26.09 while going at 6.99 with a career-best of 4-2 against West Indies in 2021; fans may witness him take centre stage for the one last time in the event.

Trent Boult

Boult rarely plays bilateral series for New Zealand after opting to forego his central contract in the lure of lucrative overseas franchise cricket deals. With his participation for the national side is mostly limited to the World Cups now, it will not be surprising if 2024 becomes his last stint at the global event for the veteran fast bowler.

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West Indies survive PNG scare to open T20 World Cup with win

West Indies successfully averted a scare from a spirited Papua New Guinea to win their T20 World Cup 2024 opener on Sunday (June 2) in Georgetown, Guyana.

Chasing a modest total, West Indies were reduced to 97-5, needing 40 off the last four overs. A collective bowling effort spearheaded by captain Assad Vala (2-27) made sure that West Indies didn’t find it easy in the middle.

However, Roston Chase, unbeaten on 42 off 27, partnered with Andre Russell (15 off 9) to ensure the two-time T20 world champions crossed the line without any further hiccups. Chase smashed Vala for two fours and a six in the 18th over to bring down the equation close to a run a ball.

West Indies completed victory in the 19th over without losing any further wickets. Beyond Chase and Russell, they had their bowlers to thank for setting up the game.

With four overs to go, West Indies needed 40 runs to win. Roston Chase was yet to get going, Andre Russell was new to the crease, and Papua New Guinea were daring to dream.

But a boundary spree sealed victory with an over to spare.

Scorecard: https://t.co/cwuYx6fPmf pic.twitter.com/BKiWChVXzM

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 2, 2024

After opting to bowl first, Romario Shephard drew the first blood for the hosts by dismissing opener Tony Ura. No.3 batter Lega Sika soon followed Ura back to the pavilion after being bowled by Akeal Hosein. PNG were teetering at 7-2, and it took until the final ball of the fourth over for Sese Bau to hit the first four of the innings. Vala looked to up the tempo by dispatching the next ball off Roston Chase for six. The PNG skipper then hit Alzarri Joseph for two fours in the final over of the powerplay before perishing off the last delivery leaving his side at 34-3.

PNG were up against it, but a solid knock from Bau (50 off 43) ensured they batted out the overs. Wicketkeeper Kiplin Doriga’s 18-ball 27 provided some late impetus, taking them to 136-8.

All West Indies bowlers were among the wickets except Roston Chase, who restricted the run flow, giving away 26 off his four overs.

Chase was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his all-round show.

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How Sam Curran went from Player of the Tournament to the fringes in 18 months

Sam Curran has gone from Player of the Tournament in England’s victorious 2022 T20 World Cup winnings campaign to being unsure of his place in their best XI days away from the start of the next edition. From a rapid ascension to England’s most important player to tumbling down the pecking order, Katya Witney examines Curran’s last 18 months.

After England chased down their target against Pakistan at the MCG, cueing wild celebrations as double world champions, Sam Curran was quickly pulled aside for post-match interview duties. Awarded Player of the Tournament for his 13 wickets that cost just 6.52 runs an over, he was quick to deflect praise.

“I don’t think I should be getting this,” he told Ian Bishop. “I think the way Stokesy played there to get a 50 in a final, he does it so many times for us.”

While Stokes’ unbeaten 52 was the core factor that allowed England to chase down Pakistan’s modest target that day, Curran’s own contribution and the indispensable role he filled for England throughout the tournament were vital.

His opening over, the third of the match, went for just four runs, his second for one, plus the crucial breakthrough of Mohammad Rizwan. Enticing the drive with just enough movement off the seam nipping back in, stumps shattered – a classic Curran dismissal broke the possibility of a Babar-Rizwan special. From there, in a carbon copy of the modus operandi England had set out for him throughout the tournament, Curran didn’t come back until the death overs. With four overs to go and Shan Masood and Shadab Khan having taken 29 off the previous three, Pakistan were threatening to go past 160.

Three balls later, the partnership was broken when Curran tempted Masood to play at one shaping away. That wicket triggered a collapse, one more wicket going to Curran, and a lowly target of 138 to get. While England made it look tricky, it was a well-below par score. Curran was named the Player of the Match for his 3-12 from four overs.

Across the tournament, Curran took 13 wickets – four more than England’s next-best seamer, Mark Wood – at 11.38, conceding just 6.52 an over, a similar economy rate to England’s most important bowler, Adil Rashid.

Curran’s emergence as a powerplay specialist at both ends of the innings snuck up on many. In 2021, he only bowled his full quota of overs in two of the eight T20Is he played, operating mainly as a bit-part in the middle overs and filling in when necessary in the powerplay.

Following England’s disappointment in the 2021 T20 World Cup, Curran was fast-tracked into his role as the focal point in the attack. In the 13 T20Is he played between June 2022 and England’s World Cup opener, he bowled less than his four-over quota only four times and was primarily used at the death and the end of the opening powerplay. With no Chris Jordan, England’s reliable option at the end of the innings for years, Curran slotted into a similar mould, albeit with a different skill set.

The variations he sent down and the swing he naturally gets allowed him to sit atop the pile of seamers at the T20 World Cup in Australia, and following that, the world felt at his feet. A record IPL deal and a call-up to England’s near-impenetrable 50-over squad followed, but signs of his effectiveness waning began to show in Bangladesh three months after the final in Melbourne.

Related Story: Who will make up England’s T20 World Cup pace attack?

With the focus firmly back on 50-over cricket and England attempting to make him into the same death bowling force he was in the shorter version of the game, those warning signs heightened against New Zealand over the summer. Conditions in Australia showed Curran at his best. Big boundaries mean miscues more often than not go into the hands of fielders in the deep than over the rope; on surfaces others struggled to exploit, Curran was able to find movement. Away from that environment, his economy rate naturally went up and the wicket column went down.

In the period between the 2022 T20 World Cup and the 50-over competition, Curran took two wickets in six T20Is, at an average of 67.00. He was then dropped from the 50-over side three matches into England’s disastrous campaign in perhaps the most glaring example of the dangers of amalgamating a T20 approach to the ODI format.

Still, Rob Key made it plain he backed Curran looking ahead to the next T20 World Cup by selecting him in England’s reset tour to the Caribbean, a perfect opportunity to trial their attack in the same condition for the tournament. Once again, the postage-stamp-sized grounds in the West Indies and relative slowness of the surfaces created a problematic recipe. Curran conceded almost 12 an over in the T20I series and only bowled more than two overs on one occasion.

When Key named the squad to head back out to the Caribbean for their T20 title defence, while Curran was in it, despite more difficulties in a run-fet IPL, so was Jordan. In explaining Jordan’s inclusion, Key said: “The fact that he can bowl at the death has always been something we look for.”

Perhaps the most telling sign of Curran’s current status in England’s ranks is that he didn’t feature in either of the completed T20Is against Pakistan, the last chance to finalise their attack roles before the start of the tournament. Instead, a fit-again Wood and Jofra Archer operated in tandem opening the bowling and at the death. With Reece Topley also in the picture, Curran has fallen down the pecking order. Neither was available for the 2022 World Cup.

Curran will undoubtedly play a role in England’s tournament. His utility as a batter and low release point may find success on some grounds in the Caribbean. But, it’s unlikely he will be as integral as last time out, with more variable conditions dictating what will likely be a more flexible attack. In a role defined 18 months ago, Curran now finds himself once again searching for his best utility in international cricket.

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T20 World Cup 2024 schedule: Full fixtures list, match timings and venues

The T20 World Cup 2024 gets underway on June 1, with USA v Canada opening up the tournament in Texas. Here’s the full schedule for the tournament, including venues and match timings.

T20 World Cup: A tournament of 20 teams

The 2024 edition of the tournament has been expanded to include 20 countries, with teams split into four groups for the first stage. Five teams in each group will play each other once, with two points awarded for a win, and the top two teams from each group will advance to the next stage.

Where are the finals?

The second stage is the Super Eights, with the advancing teams split into two groups of four. Each side will play the three other members of their group once, with the top two teams from each advancing to the semi finals. The semifinals will be played on June 26 and 27 in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana respectively. Following those matches, the final will be played on June 29 in Barbados.

USA and West Indies will jointly host the tournaments, with matches scheduled for Florida, New York and Texas in the USA, as well as six venues in the Caribbean. England go into the tournament as defending champions, having won the tournament in Australia in 2022.

T20 World Cup 2024: Full schedule

*All timings local

Saturday, June 1 – Group A: USA v Canada, Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas, Texas – 7:30pm

Sunday, June 2 – Group C: West Indies v Papua New Guinea, Providence Stadium, Guyana – 10:30am
Sunday, June 2 – Group B: Namibia v Oman, Kensington Oval, Barbados – 8:30pm

Monday, June 3 – Group D: Sri Lanka v South Africa, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York – 10:30am
Monday, June 3 – Group C: Afghanistan v Uganda, Providence Stadium, Guyana – 8:30pm

Tuesday, June 4 – Group B: England v Scotland, Kensington Oval, Barbados – 10:30am
Tuesday, June 4 – Group D: Netherlands v Nepal, Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas, Texas – 10:30am

Wednesday, June 5 – Group A: India v Ireland, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York – 10:30am
Wednesday, June 5 – Group C: Papua New Guinea v Uganda, Providence Stadium, Guyana – 7:30pm
Wednesday, June 5 – Group B: Australia v Oman, Kensington Oval, Barbados – 8:30pm

Thursday, June 6 – Group A: USA v Pakistan, Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas, Texas – 10:30am
Thursday, June 6 – Group B: Namibia v Scotland, Kensington Oval, Barbados – 3pm

Friday, June 7 – Group A: Canada v Ireland, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York – 10:30am
Friday, June 7 – Group C: New Zealand v Afghanistan, Providence Stadium, Guyana – 7:30pm
Friday, June 7 – Group D: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas, Texas – 7:30pm

Saturday, June 8 – Group D: Netherlands v South Africa, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York – 10:30am
Saturday, June 8 – Group B: Australia v England, Kensington Oval, Barbados – 1pm
Saturday, June 8 – Group C: West Indies v Uganda, Providence Stadium, Guyana – 8:30pm

Sunday, June 9 – Group A: India v Pakistan, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York – 10:30am
Sunday, June 9 – Group B: Oman v Scotland, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua & Barbuda – 1pm

Monday, June 10 – Group D: South Africa v Bangladesh, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York – 10:30am

Tuesday, June 11 – Group A: Pakistan v Canada, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York – 10:30am
Tuesday, June 11 – Group D: Sri Lanka v Nepal, Central Broward Park, Florida – 7:30pm
Tuesday, June 11 – Group B: Australia v Namibia, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua & Barbuda – 8:30pm

Wednesday, June 12 – Group A: USA v India, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York – 10:30am
Wednesday June 12 – Group C: West Indies v New Zealand, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago – 8:30pm

Thursday, June 13 – Group B: England v Oman, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua & Barbuda – 3pm
Thursday, June 13 – Group D: Bangladesh v Netherlands, Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent & the Grenadines – 10:30am
Thursday, June 13 – Group C: Afghanistan v Papua New Guinea, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago – 8:30pm

Friday, June 14 – Group A: USA v Ireland, Central Broward Park, Florida – 10:30pm
Friday, June 14 – Group D: South Africa v Nepal, Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent & the Grenadines – 7:30pm
Friday, June 14 – Group C: New Zealand v Uganda, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago – 8:30pm

Saturday, June 15 – Group A: India v Canada, Central Broward Park, Florida – 10:30am
Saturday, June 15 – Group B: Namibia v England, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua & Barbuda – 1pm
Saturday, June 15 – Group B: Australia v Scotland, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia – 8:30pm

Sunday, June 16 – Group A: Pakistan v Ireland, Central Broward Park, Florida – 10:30am
Sunday June 16 – Group D: Bangladesh v Nepal, Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent & the Grenadines – 7:30pm
Sunday, June 16 – Group D: Sri Lanka v Netherlands, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia – 8:30pm

Monday, June 17 – Group C: New Zealand v Papua New Guinea, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago – 10:30am
Monday, June 17 – Group C: West Indies v Afghanistan, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia – 8:30pm

T20 World Cup: Super Eights schedule

Wednesday, June 19 – Super Eights, Group Two: A2 v D1, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua & Barbuda – 10:30am
Wednesday, June 19 – Super Eights, Group Two: B1 v C2, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia – 8:30pm

Thursday, June 20 – Super Eights, Group One: C1 v A1, Kensington Oval, Barbados – 10:30am
Thursday, June 20 – Super Eights, Group One: B2 v D2, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua & Barbuda – 8:30pm

Friday, June 21 – Super Eights, Group Two: B1 v D1, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia – 10:30am
Friday, June 21 – Super Eights, Group Two: A2 v C2, Kensington Oval, Barbados – 8:30pm

Saturday, June 22 – Super Eights, Group One: A1 v D2, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua & Barbuda – 10:30am
Saturday, June 22 – Super Eights, Group One: C1 v B2, Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent & the Grenadines – 8:30pm

Sunday, June 23 – Super Eights, Group Two: A2 v B1, Kensington Oval, Barbados – 10:30pm
Sunday, June 23 – Super Eights, Group Two: C2 v D1, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua & Barbuda – 8:30pm

Monday, June 24 – Super Eights, Group One: B2 v A1, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia – 10:30am
Monday, June 24 – Super Eights, Group One: C1 v D2, Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent & the Grenadines – 8:30pm

T20 World Cup: Semi-finals and final

Wednesday, June 26 – Semifinal One: Winner of Group One v Runner-up of Group Two, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago – 8:30pm

Thursday, June 27 – Semifinal Two: Winner of Group Two v Runner-up of Group One, Providence Stadium, Guyana – 10:30am

Saturday, June 29 – Final, Kensington Oval, Barbados – 10:30am

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Where are India’s 2007 T20 World Cup winning squad members now?

India won the first-ever men’s T20 World Cup, in 2007, defeating Pakistan in a nail-biter in the final. It marked the arrival of MS Dhoni the captain, and Indian cricket changed forever. We look back at the tournament and see how the cricketers fared after that event.

India lost one game in the entire edition, against New Zealand, before they went on a four-match winning streak. The entire competition had plenty of memorable moments for Indian fans, starting from Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes in an over off Stuart Broad or the bowl-out against Pakistan in the first round. The Men in Blue defeated Australia in the semifinal, before clinching the title a few days later, defeating Pakistan by five runs.

Gautam Gambhir

The top-scorer in the T20 World Cup final, making 75, Gambhir went on to play another match-winning knock in the 2011 World Cup final, hitting 97 in the successful run-chase. Gambhir enjoyed a successful outing for India after the event and ended with more than 10,000 international runs across formats. He captained Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL trophies and ended as one of the finest skippers, his persistence to bring Sunil Narine on board, being hailed as a masterstroke.

Gambhir last played for India in 2016, with his last professional game coming two years later. He is an elected Member of Parliament of a constituency in Delhi but has quit politics recently to focus on his cricket commitments.

Gambhir relinked with KKR as a mentor for IPL 2024 after being in that position for Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 and 2023, helping them to win their third title.

MS Dhoni

The wicketkeeper went on to become one of the greatest captains, helping India win the 2011 World Cup and the Champions Trophy two years later. He also left his mark as a skipper in the IPL, winning four titles, and helping Chennai Super Kings qualify for the top four in 11 of 13 editions.

Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020 after playing 535 games across formats. Nearing 43, Dhoni left Chennai Super Kings’ captaincy this year but still plays for the IPL franchise as a wicketkeeper-batter.

Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj played a part in the T20 format gaining spotlight after he hit Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over against England. He ended the tournament with the most sixes in the edition (12), striking at 194.73. No other player scored more runs at a better strike rate.

Yuvraj was the star of the 2011 World Cup, where he impressed with both bat and ball, picking up 15 wickets and scoring 362 runs. A few months after winning the Player of the Tournament award, Yuvraj was diagnosed with cancer. He did make three comebacks to the team, but the stints were short. He retired from all forms of cricket in 2019 and played in the One World One Family Cup this year.

Ajit Agarkar

Agarkar picked up one wicket in the tournament in two innings. He conceded 40 runs against New Zealand and did not play a T20I again. It was also his last match for India in any format. Agarkar continued playing in the IPL and for Mumbai for the next few years, before hanging up his boots in 2013. He was the assistant coach of the Delhi Capitals and a former commentator. He is currently the chairman of BCCI’s men’s selection committee.

Piyush Chawla

The spinner last played for India in 2012 at the age of 23 but went on to build a reputation in the Indian Premier League. He picked up 157 wickets in the competition at a strike rate of 21, remaining accurate and lethal throughout the innings. Piyush Chawla continues to play domestic cricket, having switched teams from Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat, although he did not play in the 2021/22 Ranji Trophy. Besides working as a cricket expert on television, Chawla was a part of Mumbai Indians’ 2024 IPL campaign.

Harbhajan Singh

The player who wore his heart on his sleeves scalped seven wickets in the T20 World Cup in 2007, but he had a start-stop career with India thereafter. He played one T20I in 2008 and 18 more from 2009 to 2016. His decline in other formats was also evident. Harbhajan averaged over 40 in his last 23 Tests and a little over 35 in ODIs from 2010. A part of the 2011 World Cup squad, he recently lashed out at Dhoni for mishandling him and a few other senior players. Harbhajan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket last December and has now ventured into politics besides also doing commentary stints. He is currently an elected Member of Parliament.

Joginder Sharma

Joginder played only four T20Is but has gone down as a hero, bowling the famous delivery that got Misbah-ul-Haq’s wicket in the final that won India the T20 World Cup. It was his last delivery ever for India. He played 12 IPL games for Chennai Super Kings and is now serving as a police officer in Haryana.

Dinesh Karthik

One of the two players from the squad who will turn out for India in the 2022 T20 World Cup, Karthik’s career has been a topsy-turvy ride. He got a Test call-up after eight years, in 2018, for the series against England, and was constantly in and out of the side in ODIs as well. His 2018 Nidahas Trophy heroics, where he struck 29* in eight balls earned a place in the 2019 World Cup team, but a poor outing meant he was dropped. Karthik took up commentating for Sky Sports and got a surprise call-up in June 2022 after an impressive IPL. He recently called the curtains on his IPL career after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s playoff run in 2024. Karthik is also a part of a star-studded commentary panel for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Yusuf Pathan

Yusuf made his T20I debut in the final against Pakistan but did not have the most fruitful career thereafter. He played 22 more games in the format, averaging just over 18 with a high score of 37*. He enjoyed more success in ODIs, where he played 57 games, including six in the 2011 World Cup. He was heavily backed by Shane Warne in the IPL, where he played for Rajasthan Royals, before moving to Kolkata Knight Riders. He announced his retirement last year.

Pathan is another player who has entered politics. He has contested the 2024 General Elections in India from one of the constituencies in West Bengal.

Irfan Pathan

Irfan was the Player of the Match in the final, and he ended the campaign with 10 wickets to his name. After a promising start, the left-hander’s career never really took off: he last played for India in 2012 at the age of 27. Following his international retirement, he has taken up commentary and even played in the Lanka Premier League.

Virender Sehwag

The dashing opener scored 133 runs in the T20 World Cup, but opportunities dried up thereafter for him. Since the event, he played 12 more matches in the format, with his last appearance coming in 2012. Sehwag was a Test regular despite his limited white-ball outings and played his last five-day game for India in 2013. He announced his retirement a few years later, and was associated with Punjab Kings as the mentor for three seasons. He has taken up commentary

Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma made his debut during the 2007 World Cup, and after a few blips, managed to establish himself as one of the greats of the game. 15 years since, he had captained India in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.  He will lead the side once again in the 2024 edition with a burning desire to end their trophy drought in ICC tournaments.

RP Singh

RP Singh was the highest wicket-taker for India in the 2007 event, grabbing 12 scalps. He has an impressive CV, picking up five wickets at Lord’s, besides playing the memorable Test match at Perth in 2007/08. However, he last played for India before he turned 26. He did have a few impressive seasons in the IPL but lost consistency soon after.

S Sreesanth

A lethal bowler in his prime, Sreesanth was involved in the 2013 spot-fixing scandal in the IPL, which effectively ended his career. He was arrested with a life ban imposed by the BCCI. The Supreme Court overturned the ban to seven years, and Sreesanth made a return to professional cricket in 2021, having dabbled in acting. He announced his retirement in 2022.

Robin Uthappa

Uthappa went on to become an icon for Kolkata Knight Riders, playing with the team from 2014 to 2019, and forging a memorable partnership with Gambhir at the top of the order. The Kerala batter played for Rajasthan Royals in 2020 before being traded to Chennai Super Kings. He announced his retirement from all formats this year and was part of the commentary during IPL 2024

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Babar-Rizwan put on statement partnership after Pakistan call time on Saim Ayub experiment

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been reunited at the top of the Pakistan batting order, with Saim Ayub dropped for the final T20I against England at The Oval.

The move signals a change in direction for Pakistan, with this series their final prep before the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA.

The make-up of Pakistan’s batting line-up has long been a point of debate. While the ultra-consistent Babar and Rizwan have scored the bulk of their side’s runs since the latter’s promotion to open in late 2020, there have been grumbles over their scoring rate, leading the Pakistan team management to trial the 22-year-old Ayub as an opener, with Babar and Rizwan both taking turns alongside him.

However, while Ayub and Babar formed a formidable opening partnership for Peshawar Zalmi in this year’s Pakistan Super League, the youngster has been unable to crack international cricket so far. After 21 T20Is he is yet to make a half-century and averages just 15.

The scrutiny over his position had increased. “I don’t think Saim Ayub gives you security,” Ramiz Raja said. “He shows flashes of brilliance, but you have to show sustainable flashes of brilliance. If you’re not scoring 50 off 30 balls these days, it means you opening and breaking a registered pair of Babar and Rizwan is not worth it.”

Opening together for the first time since April last year, Babar and Rizwan put on a brisk opening stand. The pair added 59 inside the powerplay before Babar fell to its final ball, nicking Jofra Archer to a wide slip for 22-ball 36. Rizwan was bowled by an Adil Rashid googly for 23 from 16 in the following over.

Jofra with the breakthrough! #EnglandCricket | @JofraArcher pic.twitter.com/vVnxX8HqNe

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 30, 2024

His axing means a recall to the side for Usman Khan, who switched allegiance from UAE to Pakistan following a stellar run in the PSL. He is also yet to make a statement score in international cricket, also averaging 15, albeit after only five games. Both Usman and Ayub are in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad.

Pakistan also made one forced change to their XI, with all-rounder Imad Wasim missing out due to rib discomfort. Naseem Shah has been called up in his absence, making this the first instance of Pakistan’s feared pace quartet, which also includes Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Amir, all featuring in the same side.

Pakistan are 1-0 down in the rain-hit series, defeated by 23 runs at Edgbaston. Their T20 World Cup campaign kicks off on Thursday, June 6 against hosts USA.

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