All posts by n8rngtd.top

Sarah Coyte is aiming for an astonishing 10th state title against a Queensland side further hit by Georgia Voll’s absence

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2025New South Wales veteran Sarah Coyte makes no secret of the fact a grand-final win on Sunday over Queensland would mean more than her first six WNCL titles with the state.”Just for the sheer fact that NSW have spent the last four or five years rebuilding,” Coyte told AAP.Coyte, at age 33, is one of the last remaining members of NSW’s days as the powerhouse of women’s domestic cricket. She won six competitions with the state between 2010 and 2015, as part of the Breakers’ record run of 10 straight titles in the 2000s and 2010s.Related

• UPW pick Georgia Voll as replacement for Chamari Athapaththu for WPL 2025

• Wilson bides her time in Australia's tight wicketkeeping race

So dominant were the Breakers in the early days of the 50-over WNCL, they claimed 20 of the first 23 competitions and finished runners-up in the other three.”Back when NSW kept winning, it was just an expectation, because we had all the big names,” Coyte said. “The program has completely changed since then. You don’t have as many big names, the Australian team have always got something on. Now we have to fight and work so hard for it, and it shows.”Coyte is no stranger to winning. On leaving NSW for South Australia in 2015-16, she broke NSW’s streak with a title there. Another two came in Tasmania, with the seamer now gunning for a 10th WNCL title in 13 full seasons separated by a mid-career break.”It would be the ultimate. It would mean everything for NSW to be back at the top,” she said. “Not just for me but for Cricket NSW to be back after having to rebuild.”Winning machine: Sarah Coyte is searching for a 10th WNCL title•Getty Images

The changed nature of the WNCL means Sunday’s final features no Australian players, with Queensland’s Georgia Voll the last to leave for India and the WPL on Friday. But that does open the door for other players to eye off lifelong dreams. For table-toppers Queensland, up to six of their XI will hunt a first title after losing to Tasmania in last year’s decider.”It’s disappointing – we would have loved her to play, and I know she would have loved to have played as well, but it’s a great opportunity for her and a good reward for her season so far,” Queensland captain Georgia Redmayne said. “Considering the urgency to get her to India, I really hope they give her the opportunity she deserves on Tuesday.””The good thing about having so many players in and out is that we’ve been able to give a lot of opportunities to a lot of girls throughout the season. Everyone in our squad of 13 has played games this season, so everyone’s been there and been exposed to it – we’re not bringing new players into the team suddenly for a final so I think that bodes well for us.”Georgia Voll has beeen handed a late call-up to the WPL•Getty Images

For NSW, a new generation wants success after finishing fifth and sixth for the past two years. And for the likes of senior Breakers quick Sammy-Jo Johnson and spinner Sam Bates, a title shot awaits after NSW’s dominance was a double-edged sword as teenagers.Knowing only of NSW’s stars winning, both were forced to move to Queensland and ACT respectively for a chance before returning in recent years.”The goal for me growing up was to play for NSW,” Johnson said. “That’s all I dreamt about, I just wanted to wear a baggy blue. But Queensland gave me an opportunity, and I wouldn’t have made a name for myself if I didn’t go chase it somewhere else.”Now, they know the chance awaits for NSW to create a new legacy on Sunday.”The history is very rich, but the cool thing about this group is we’ve forged our own path,” Johnson said. “We’ve gone through the struggles. We’ve had so many injuries … We’ve had to go through the grind.”

WNCL final squads

Queensland Georgia Redmayne (capt), Charli Knott, Lily Bassingthwaighte, Lucinda Bourke, Sianna Ginger, Lilli Hamilton, Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Laura Harris, Grace Parsons, Courtney Sippel, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Mikayla WrigleyNew South Wales Georgia Adams (capt), Sam Bates, Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Sarah Coyte, Hannah Darlington, Elsa Hunter, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Anika Learoyd, Claire Moore, Frankie Nicklin, Kate Pelle, Tahlia Wilson

Dilara Akter, Jannatul Ferdus and Ishma Tanjim have been left out

Mohammad Isam23-Aug-2025Bangladesh have brought two teenagers into their squad for the Women’s World Cup, which the BCB announced on Saturday. They are Nishita Akter, the 17-year-old offspinner, and the 19-year-old batter Sumaiya Akter. Both were part of Bangladesh’s team at the Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup in Malaysia in February.Bangladesh have also picked the 28-year-old keeper-batter Rubya Haider, who has played six T20Is but is yet to make her ODI debut.Between them, these three relative new faces have played three ODIs and seven T20Is, and none of them has played for the senior Bangladesh side in 2025.Related

• WI's historic chase ends in heartbreak as Bangladesh seal World Cup spot

The selectors have offloaded Dilara Akter, Jannatul Ferdus and Ishma Tanjim from Bangladesh’s most recent squad, which played in the World Cup Qualifier in April. Bangladesh qualified from that tournament ahead of West Indies by a net-run-rate margin of just 0.013, but they haven’t played any international matches since then.Recently, the squad has played a number of matches against Bangladesh’s Under-15 boys side as preparation for the World Cup.Women’s chief selector Sajjad Ahmed was excited by the addition of the three young players. He said Rubya, who has played six T20Is, will be the squad’s back-up opener and wicketkeeper behind captain Nigar Sultana.”Rubya has earned her place through sheer hard work,” he said. “Her development over the last six months has been outstanding. We see her as a valuable option both as a reserve keeper and a back-up opener.”Nishita is still young, but she bowls with great maturity. She is consistent, calm under pressure and her ability to contain left-handers gave her an edge. We believe this experience will serve her well and add depth to our spin attack.”Sajjad added that Sumaiya’s patience would be an asset to the side, and her fielding a bonus. “Sumaiya has been knocking on the door for some time. She brings the ability to occupy the crease and accelerate when needed. With her skillset and fielding standards, she gives us an all-round option in the top order.”Apart from these three, the squad wears a familiar look with Nahida Akter as vice-captain to Nigar, and the likes of Fargana Hoque, Fahima Khatun and Marufa Akter bringing the experience that Bangladesh hope will cover for their recent lack of match practice.Bangladesh are scheduled to open their World Cup campaign against Pakistan in Colombo on October 2. India are the hosts of the tournament, with Colombo hosting all of Pakistan’s matches.

Bangladesh squad for Women’s World Cup 2025

Nigar Sultana (capt), Nahida Akter, Fargana Hoque, Rubya Haider, Sharmin Akhter, Sobhana Mostary, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Fariha Trisna, Sanjida Akter, Nishita Akter, Sumaiya Akter.
IN: Rubya Haider, Nishita Akter, Sumaiya Akter
OUT: Dilara Akter (wk), Jannatul Ferdus, Ishma Tanjim

ECB chief executive cites market dynamics for growing gender pay gap amid PCA critcism

Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Dec-2024Richard Gould, the ECB chief executive, says English cricket must not apologise for attracting the world’s best men’s players, as he faced down claims from the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) that Thursday’s upheaval to the Hundred’s pay structure for the 2025 season will only benefit overseas players.Top salaries in the men’s Hundred will rise from £125,000 to £200,000 (a 60% increase) and £100,000 to £120,000 (20%) for the second tier. However, the other four salary bands, which cover all but four players in 15-man squads, will receive hikes of between 3 and 5%.The announcement was greeted with disdain by the PCA, with interim-chief executive Daryl Mitchell stating he was “extremely concerned” at how the changes had been pushed through. Having been part of initial talks on how the injection of money would be spread across the board for the upcoming competition, Mitchell believed Thursday’s news reflected “a severe lack of communication and consultation”.Tymal Mills and Sam Billings, two players who have been ever-present since the Hundred’s inaugural season in 2021, took to X to voice their concerns. Billings, who captained Oval Invincibles to successive men’s titles, said: “Remarkable how a category gets a 60% increase yet most others get under 5%… Who has come up with this???”Speaking on Friday in Hamilton ahead of England’s third and final Test against New Zealand, Gould admitted he was taken aback by the PCA’s criticism, stating it was “not what I want to hear”. However, he held an unapologetic line about lifting the top brackets to court the best talent in the world, arguing that the dissenting voices had come from a “small section of male players”.”I don’t accept that,” Gould said, when asked if the top pay packets are almost exclusively reserved for overseas talent. “Because that band also includes central- and potentially contracted (England) players, so you’ve effectively got through that top band. And so, no, I don’t accept that at all.”Competition from overseas leagues, including Major League Cricket in the USA, has been a factor in the ECB’s approach to top-tier salaries, with Pat Cummins admitting to ESPNcricinfo that he hadn’t considered the Hundred when signing a lucrative four-year deal with San Francisco Unicorns last year.”This is a global market. We want the best players, irrespective of nationality. If you’re the best player, you’ll be paid the most,” Gould added. “You only have to look at the IPL and the differential and the spread. And if you look back over the last couple of years, we haven’t had as many of the best players in the world that we wanted in the men’s. We want more, and we’re not going to be apologetic in terms of our ambition to get them here.”Once we’re there, then the money is much easier to spread it throughout the squad. It is a very, very competitive market for a very small number of players, and we are not going to be pushed aside on that. We are going to compete, and we have to compete because we need the best players playing in our competition.”Gould also countered the PCA’s suggestions the ECB are guilty of widening the gender pay gap between the men’s and women’s competitions, citing market forces. While the top women’s bracket has increased by 30 percent, they will be earning three times less than their male counterparts. Next year, the difference in pay will have risen from £75,000 to £135,000.In 2022, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) called for gender pay parity in the Hundred by 2025. The ECB pushed back on the timeframe as unrealistic in its response to the report, which Gould reiterated.”The gap has got bigger because of market dynamics,” he said. “That wasn’t a recommendation we said we could deliver on and we have been very up front on that. We have seen a significant increase in the salaries we have been able to put into the women’s game.”I’m really looking forward to the point that every county club in the country now has a women’s team. You know, I think in five years’ time, we’ll look back and go, ‘How did it take us this long?’ But I think that’s a really, really significant step for us.”Related

• Stephen Fleming steps down as Southern Brave head coach

• PCA criticises ECB for lack of consultation on Hundred pay increases

• Why Cummins 'jumped at' MLC and 'hadn't thought' of the Hundred

• ECB plans wage hikes, increase in overseas player limit

• Equity sale in the Hundred could be delayed beyond 2025 – Vikram Banerjee

Relations between the ECB and PCA are at an all-time low with disagreement over Hundred salaries following dissent over an issue regarding a new, more stringent No Object Certificate (NOC) policy.A group of domestic players have been blindsided by what they deem as legislation that restrict their earning opportunities. Those hamstrung by the new regulations are ones who have red-ball commitments written into their existing county deals.Though no NOCs have been rejected yet, with 80 handed out to male players in 2024 so far, a group of around 50 cricketers have floated the prospect of strike action in the form of boycotting the 2025 Hundred.Gould accepts there is nuance to the latest NOC stance, particularly for white-ball players with ad hoc agreements with their clubs. Tom Curran, for instance, has been on a white-ball contract with Surrey since 2022, but made two County Championship at the end of the 2024 season as the club negotiated other absences.Nevertheless, Gould believes the updated measures will “protect the sanctity” of county contracts. He also hopes a boycott does not come to fruition.”That may have been discussed on a call with with a variety of representatives, but I’ve heard nothing in that regard and I sincerely hope that’s that’s not the case.”

They plan to get some game time before the five-Test series starting November 22

Shashank Kishore04-Nov-2024India batters KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel will arrive in Australia a week earlier than the rest of India’s Test squad to gain some match time ahead of the five-Test series beginning on November 22 in Perth.Rahul and Jurel will line up for the India A side led by Ruturaj Gaikwad for the second and final four-day fixture to be played from November 7 at the MCG. India A lost the first game by seven wickets in Mackay, where the last day was marred by a ball-change controversy although Ishan Kishan escaped a dissent charge after an argument with the on-field umpire.Rahul was left out of India’s XI following their defeat to New Zealand in the first Test in Bengaluru, where he scored 0 and 12. Rahul made way for the returning Shubman Gill for the second and third Tests of the series where India were blanked 3-0, their first whitewash at home in 24 years.Related

• Bowling to Smith, Labuschagne, Rahul at the MCG: Rocchicioli's rise continues

• Boland eyes chance to keep pressure on KL Rahul

• Kishan escapes dissent charge despite anger over ball change

• Rohit: 'More comfortable' with match simulation than practice match

• India shelve intra-squad match in favour of training, centre-wicket

Meanwhile, Jurel, who made his Test debut against England earlier this year, hasn’t featured in any of the five home Tests since Rishabh Pant’s comeback. He has had two red-ball outings since the conclusion of the England series in March, one Duleep Trophy game and then the Irani Cup last month. He managed only 2 and 0 in the Duleep Trophy fixture before scoring a brisk 93 off 121 balls against Mumbai.The decision to send both players early to get some match practice is pertinent given the Indian team cancelled their only intra-squad warm-up fixture for centre-wicket match simulation in Perth.”We are travelling with a squad of 19 players and only three days were allotted to us. I don’t know how much workload we can get in those three days in terms of getting everyone prepared,” captain Rohit Sharma had reasoned on Sunday.”The management feels that we’d rather have a match simulation where batters can spend more time in the middle and the bowlers can bowl a lot of balls. That is something that we, as a team, feel more comfortable doing rather than playing a practice game because game time is not a problem.”The Indian team is set to depart for Australia on November 10, and will train at the old venue in Perth, the WACA, ahead of the series opener at the Optus Stadium, where they last played on the 2018-19 tour, which they won 2-1.India are likely to miss Rohit for that opening game because of his unavailability due to personal reasons and his direct replacement in the squad is Abhimanyu Easwaran, who scored 7 and 12 in the first A game after scoring four straight first-class hundreds at the start of the Indian domestic season, unless they decide to rejig the batting order.

Australia allrounder signs three-month contract spanning Championship and Blast

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jan-2025Beau Webster, the Australian allrounder, will tune up for the World Test Championship (WTC) final by playing for Warwickshire in the County Championship, after agreeing a three-month deal for the 2025 season.Webster made 96 runs – including a first-innings half-century – on Test debut this month to help Australia clinch a 3-1 series win over India and a spot in June’s final against South Africa at Lord’s. He has since been picked for their upcoming tour to Sri Lanka and will be in contention for a place in their side for the final.His deal with Warwickshire runs from the start of May until the end of July, and he is due to be available in both the County Championship and the T20 Blast. If he is named in Australia’s squad for the WTC final – as expected – then he will likely miss a handful of Blast fixtures, with the final scheduled for June 11-15. Australia then have a tour of West Indies, which includes three Tests, from late June.Webster will likely be competing against Cameron Green for a spot in Australia’s final XI, and his inclusion may depend on Green’s return to fitness after a significant back injury which has ruled him out since September.Other members of Australia’s Test squad who are not involved in either the IPL or PSL may follow Webster’s lead in seeking out county contracts in the build-up to the WTC final. Two South Africa regulars in David Bedingham (Durham) and Kyle Verreynne (Nottinghamshire) have already secured deals.Related

• Verreynne seals Notts return ahead of WTC final

• Australia 'hopeful' Green could play WTC final as a batter

• Webster, Konstas included for Sri Lanka tour

• Offspin to pace, and a mountain of runs: Webster's rise to Test cricket

Webster will be representing his third county in as many years, after recent stints with Essex (in 2023) and Gloucestershire (in 2024). His stock has risen significantly in that time: his deal with Essex came about when he was playing club cricket in the UK, before he joined Gloucestershire for most of their successful T20 Blast campaign last summer.”I’m really pleased to sign for the Bears for part of the 2025 season,” Webster said. “Having played Birmingham League cricket [for Knowle and Dorridge] in the past, I have great memories of the people and the area. I played some Championship cricket last summer with Gloucestershire and loved the challenge of the competition.”Mark Robinson, Warwickshire’s head coach, said: “We’re delighted Beau has chosen to become a Bear. Since we first approached him he has made his international debut which shows how highly regarded he is thought of by Australia’s selectors. As an allrounder he will give us great balance in both the Championship and Blast.”

Former Lancashire captain takes reins at Lord’s in first major coaching assignment

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jun-2025Middlesex have appointed former South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Dane Vilas as interim first-team coach until the end of the season. The move comes two days after Richard Johnson departed after three-and-a-half seasons in the role.Vilas, 40, retired from first-class cricket at the end of the 2023 season after seven years with Lancashire, although he continued to play in the SA20. He has been based in London for some time and will take charge at Middlesex with immediate effect.The club are currently third from bottom in Division Two of the County Championship, having won just twice in the opening block of seven games. They are in a similar position in the Blast, winning for only the second time this season on Thursday evening, shortly before Vilas’ appointment was announced.Related

• Vilas announces Lancashire departure

• Johnson departs role as Middlesex first-team coach

“I am delighted to welcome Dane to the club as our Interim first-team coach,” Middlesex’s director of cricket, Alan Coleman, said. “He has a wealth of experience to offer our squad, and I believe that we will all benefit from his presence and leadership across the rest of this season.”Though Dane is still early in his coaching career, having only finished playing for Lancashire in 2023, I am confident that his leadership presence, competitive edge and experience of all formats, including franchise cricket, will have a huge impact on our squad.”It is the leadership qualities that were evident when he captained Lancashire that drew me towards Dane. The teams that he has led played hard, committed, never-say-die cricket and I believe that is a style that will resonate well with our players, staff group and members.”Dane will be supported by what I believe is an exceptional coaching team of Rory Coutts, Tim Murtagh and Ian Salisbury, who all bring variety and wide-ranging knowledge to our team.”I am sure you will all joining me in welcoming Dane over the coming weeks as we look forward to the rest of our season. There is still a lot to play for and I am excited to see where our talented playing group can take us.”Vilas played six Tests and one T20I for South Africa before joining Lancashire on a Kolpak contract. He was subsequently made club captain, leading the team to T20 Finals Day on three occasions and back-to-back runners-up finishes in the County Championship.Vilas said: “It’s an absolute honour to be here. Lord’s is such a special place and I’m looking forward to getting started with the squad. The potential is endless for the group and I’ll be keen to harness that and help grow their careers.”I’ve got good relationships with Rory Coutts, Tim Murtagh and Ian Salisbury, so to have the four of us together is fantastic and I’m really looking forward to it.”

A report into the tournament was presented to Cricket Australia this week and will now be considered further

Andrew McGlashan30-Jul-2025Private investment in the BBL has come a step closer after it was one of the recommendations put forward for the future of the competition, alongside the potential of a later start for the men’s tournament to avoid an extended overlap with Test cricket.Boston Consulting Group (BCG) had been commissioned by Cricket Australia (CA) to assess the current model and future structure of the BBL. They presented their findings to CA earlier this week and the report will now undergo further study over the coming months.BCG said that there was “significant existing commercial value” in the BBL and “strong potential for further growth.” Todd Greenberg, the CA CEO, said the report was a “strong validation” of what the BBL had achieved heading into its 15th season, but it was vital to keep the tournament at the forefront of the sport.Related

• 'Nothing ruled in or out': Winds of change blowing through BBL

• CA bracing for 'generational' change amid tough financial calls

• SA20 not threatened by BBL's aim to be second-biggest league after IPL, says Smith

• CA exploring BBL investment 'unashamedly' to be second behind IPL

• Hundred's 'transition' year is relying on Test star Steven Smith as headline act

“The success of the T20 format has been a huge boost for the game globally in attracting new audiences and increasing participation,” Greenberg said. “We need to ensure that the Big Bash remains among the world’s top sporting competitions.”We will now undertake an exploratory process of the recommendations in this report to ensure any action we take achieves this potential and is in the best interests of Australian Cricket and cricket fans.”Among major T20 leagues around the world, the BBL has remained one of the holdouts against private investment, but it is now seen as highly likely that it will follow that path, especially with the sums of money that have been produced in the recent sale of Hundred franchises in England with the teams valued at £975milion amid significant interest from India and the US.The BBL has seen an increase in salaries in recent seasons – a top-level overseas player in the BBL can now earn AU$420,000 – but continues to be challenged by the SA20 and ILT20 which run concurrently. An injection of private capital would allow salary caps to rise further.But away from overseas players, one of the big challenges for the BBL has been availability of Australian Test stars given the significant overlap with the Test summer which runs from late November to early January.This season the BBL starts three days before the third Ashes Test in Adelaide although there is a clearer window after the series ends, which could potentially allow players to appear during January. However, in the 2026-27 season, Australia will head to India for five Tests from mid-January. The next Future Tours Programme for beyond 2027 is currently being finalised.Given the pressures on the calendar and the marquee Boxing Day and New Year Tests in Melbourne and Sydney it is unlikely the BBL will ever have a completely clear window. The other issue is trying to complete the tournament within the summer school holiday window which goes to late January – there was previously a failed experiment of extending the BBL into February.Expansion of the BBL was also put forward by the report as an avenue worth further consideration. Earlier this year New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that there had been informal talks about putting a team into the BBL while Singapore has been mooted as an expansion location. Cricket ACT has also made clear they would like to host a team in Canberra.The WBBL has largely been able to carve out its own window in October and November although this season the schedule has been squeezed by the Women’s ODI World Cup which means it will begin in early November with the final on December 13, the day before the start of the BBL.The BBL went through a difficult phase when it expanded to a full home-and-away season in 2018-19 coupled with the challenges brought by two years navigating the impacts of Covid-19. In 2023-24 the tournament was reduced to a 10-game regular season.”It is very important to understand that no decisions have yet been made, and that any action taken will be for the benefit of the BBL, WBBL, fans and Australian Cricket more broadly,” CA chair Mike Baird said. “That would include providing strong benefits across the game including investment in participation initiatives and player development.”

Brendon McCullum’s 131 led New Zealand to 303 for 8 at the Sheikh Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi, and paved the way for them to level the three match series at 1-1

Cricinfo staff06-Nov-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outBrendon McCullum’s 131 was his second ODI century, and his first against serious opposition•Associated Press

Brendon McCullum, it is fair to say, hasn’t had the best year, or in fact the best time of it since he launched the IPL into orbit two years ago. Expectation has generally overtaken him, he has been dropped as vice-captain and questions about his suitability to opening have been asked. But an immaculately constructed 131, McCullum’s second century in 162 ODIs, led New Zealand to 303 for 8 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, and paved the way for them to level the three-match series at 1-1.There were periods of acceleration, uncertainty and consolidation in New Zealand’s innings and McCullum stood firm through it all, falling only in the 47th over, the last of the batting Powerplay. Pakistan’s chase needed a similar effort but none was forthcoming. They seemed to have a plan: the top order batted cautiously, preserved wickets and steadily built a platform for the middle and lower order to fire from. The launchpad was there – they reached 124 for 1 – but the asking-rate had risen to over seven an over, heaping pressure on the likes of Shahid Afridi. And when the time came for Pakistan’s thrust, Scott Styris nipped out three crucial wickets in two overs. The plan had failed and the exodus of fans from the venue began as early as the 28th over.The match, though, was McCullum’s. His innings was everything his many, unfulfilled contributions haven’t been. The early harassing – the shimmies down the tracks, the moving around – was there but it wasn’t until Martin Guptill arrived, that McCullum really settled in.Guptill implemented the truism that the easiest singles in cricket are found in Pakistan’s 30-yard circle. It was selfless stuff, for the real beneficiary was McCullum. Umar Gul was driven and cut, though mostly the violence was reserved for Abdul Razzaq, who, had he been actually handing out chocolates, could not have been friendlier: a short ball was pulled over square leg, before he was cut just as hard. McCullum, soon, was celebrating a fifty. Spin threatened circumspection but not for long as Guptill danced down to loft Saeed Ajmal for six in the 20th over. McCullum deposited Afridi for six over midwicket and within a trice, the century stand was up.McCullum’s real work began after a needless slog from Guptill began a mini-collapse, at the end of which three wickets had gone for not much. As in the first game, New Zealand’s huff was running out at the halfway mark and McCullum now needed to shepherd. His captain helped, for so obdurately does Daniel Vettori stick around that he could be the crease’s chalk: he gave McCullum support in a fifty-run partnership which stealthily stole momentum back.McCullum reined himself in. The singles he kept picking but neither did he forget his basic intent. A brace of drives, off pace and spin alike, were sudden, sharp reminders to Pakistan of his strength. As further wickets fell, the significance of the Powerplay grew, and when it came, so too arrived the McCullum of IPL knock.The century had come a couple of overs earlier and now the gloves were off. The McPaddle had a second coming as both Gul and Aamer suffered. He later flicked a six off his hips so pure, it made you wonder why he would try such contrived shots. Jacob Oram stole handy runs at the end and New Zealand now had their best chance to win their first ODI against Pakistan in the UAE.Pakistan’s selectors had done away with the fiery Champions Trophy opening combination of Imran Nazir and Kamran Akmal, preferring stability instead. Salman Butt and Imran Nazir took few risks, despite an asking-rate of more than six from the start of the reply. Butt began by punching Kyle Mills through point for four and thereafter Pakistan hit a four in every over between the fourth and the tenth.Despite the frequency with which they found the boundary, though, Butt and Latif were unable to score rapidly, because New Zealand’s excellent in-fielding prevented the singles that were so easily available when Pakistan were bowling. Latif’s innings was ended by Vettori, who came on in the 17th over and struck immediately, trapping the opener lbw with an arm ball.Vettori and Mills bowled tidily, and with Younis Khan and Butt shunning shots, the asking-rate climbed: it was seven an over in the 20th and 7.5 by the 25th. Younis had plodded to 19 when he chipped his 37th ball – in Styris’ first over – towards midwicket. Ross Taylor leapt to his right and took the catch with one hand. The captain departed with Pakistan needing 180 off 136 balls and Afridi entered to his customary, rousing welcome from a hopeful crowd. A ball later, he was striding back, having chipped to Taylor at midwicket again for a duck. Pakistan promoted Kamran Akmal ahead of Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik, who perished while driving Styris to short cover. Pakistan had gone from 124 for 1 to 133 for 4.If the contest wasn’t over then, it certainly was when Butt and Yousuf had a moment’s misunderstanding, one which led to Butt being run out for 59 and Pakistan needing 170 off 120 balls. The platform had been shattered and the game was lost.

Opener ruled out for up to six weeks with injury suffered in Cape Town Test

Danyal Rasool04-Jan-2025Pakistan have suffered a significant blow after Saim Ayub was ruled out for “up to six weeks” with a right ankle fracture, sustained during the first morning of the Test in Cape Town.The diagnosis rules him out of Pakistan’s two Test matches against the West Indies later this month, as well as a tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand at home in February. It also means he is in a race against time to be fit for the Champions Trophy, which begins in Karachi in just over six weeks.The PCB said an MRI scan conducted on Friday “confirmed the fracture, which has been immobilised in an ankle medical moon boot”. Ayub will remain with the team until the end of the Test.Ayub had to be stretchered off the pitch in just the seventh over of the match, when Ryan Rickelton edged a delivery through the slips, sending Ayub off on a chase to deep third alongside Aamer Jamal. Jamal pulled it back in as Ayub stood poised to be the relay fielder, but lost his balance and twisted his ankle. He went down immediately and appeared in anguish holding the lower part of his leg as the physio rushed on.Despite prolonged treatment outside the boundary line, Ayub was unable to put any weight on his right ankle, and appeared to be in tears as he was placed on to a stretcher and taken off. He was later seen on crutches in the medical boot.The last few months have seen Ayub establish him as an all-format star for Pakistan, playing crucial roles in ODI series wins away in Australia, Zimbabwe as well as here in South Africa, where two hundreds in three matches saw him named the Player of the Series.

Shaheen returned to bat despite hurting his knee but could not win the match for Lions

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Sep-2024Dolphins ensured they did not bow out of the Champions Cup without a win, as they beat Lions by 16 runs in the last league game of the tournament.With Lions needing 81 from five overs with three wickets in hand, a Dolphins win seemed a mere formality. But Khushdil Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, batting with an injured knee, threatened to pull off a heist. The pair hit seven sixes and two fours in the next four overs to reduce the equation to 23 needed from the final over. But Abbas Afridi held his nerve to give his side a consolation win.It must have been a no-brainer for Dolphins to bat after winning the toss; the teams batting first are yet to lose a game in the tournament. Dolphins lost Sahibzada Farhan in the sixth over but Muhammad Hurraira and Muhammad Akhlaq added 77 in 10.1 overs to set the platform.Hurraira scored 47 off 41 balls and Akhlaq 52 off 50. After the two fell in quick succession, Umar Amin took over. Despite Lions making regular breakthroughs, he found enough support from the lower middle order to steer Dolphins ahead.By the time Amin fell, for 75 in the 42nd over, Dolphins had 275 on the board. Even though they were all out in the last over, they had posted a challenging 326.In response, Abdullah Shafique and Rohail Nazir gave Lions a steady start of 78 in 13.3 overs. Nazir was the aggressor, scoring 62 in 70 balls.After 22 overs, Lions were well placed on 125 for 1 but Saud Shakeel dismissed Nazir and Omair Yousuf in his back-to-back overs. That derailed Lions’ chase.Lions needed 100 in the last ten overs with four wickets in hand. Then, a Faheem Ashraf delivery hit Shaheen on the left knee and he had to retire hurt. He returned at the fall of the next wicket, in the 45th over, but struggled with running between the wickets.That did not seem to matter as he and Khushdil dealt in boundaries. Shaheen hit Mir Hamza for back-to-back sixes in the 47th over. Khushdil went one better against Abbas in the next. But despite their best efforts, Lions fell short of their target.