Author: Sandip Pawar

The defending champions Australia find themselves in danger of a group stage exit at their home in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said the side have no excuses not to make it into the top four of a home tournament. Ponting, who has led Australia to back-to-back fifty-over World Cup triumphs and reached the semifinals in the inaugural edition of the tournament, expressed his disappointment with where Australia stand at the moment. “If they don’t make it through, there’ll be some questions asked I’m sure, because I had them in the top three coming…

The Proteas suffered their first loss of the 2022 T20 World Cup as they went down by 33 runs against Pakistan in a rain-affected contest. After the game, South African captain Temba Bavuma reasoned the inability to react quickly to the changing conditions as the major reason for the defeat. Chasing 186, the Proteas lost two early wickets before Bavuma blasted a rapid 36 alongside Aiden Markram to take their side’s score to 65 in seven overs. But the rain became heavier, and the ball started to skid. The eighth over bowled by Shadab Khan turned out to be the game-changer as the leg-spinner…

Pakistan have suffered another setback in their T20 World Cup campaign after Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament. The 32-year-old was nursing a knee injury, which he aggravated during the Netherlands match on Sunday. Mohammad Haris, one of the traveling reserves, has been drafted into the main squad. The left-hand batter wasn’t part of the original 15-member squad due to this injury but was added later in place of leg-spinner Usman Qadir. Fakhar couldn’t play the first two games against India and Zimbabwe as he was still recovering. He made 20 off 16 against the Netherlands but aggravated…

India chief selector Chetan Sharma, while announcing the squads for the upcoming tours, said trying to rush Jasprit Bumrah for the T20 World Cup 2022 only made it worse. India announced four squads on Monday for their upcoming tours of New Zealand and Bangladesh in November-December. The trio of captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul has been rested with the New Zealand series beginning on November 18, five days after the T20 World Cup final. The biggest talking point from the virtual press conference was a slip-up from the chief Indian selector Chetan Sharma, who basically admitted their mistake with Bumrah’s workload management. Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja, both of…

The young South African sensation Dewald Brevis went on to break several records as he forced the world to take notice yet again. The 19-year-old played a blistering knock of 162 off just 57 for the Titans against the Knights in the CSA T20 Challenge. On his way to one of the most destructive innings, the youngster broke several records, including the highest ever individual score in the CSA T20 Challenge. This was also the joint third highest ever score in the shorter format. Brevis completed his century off just 35 balls – which was the fifth-fastest hundred in T20…

India had several opportunities to dismiss Aiden Markram and David Miller, who went on to win the T20 World Cup game for South Africa. Bhuvneshwar Kumar says fielding errors cost them the match on Sunday. Chasing 134, the Proteas had lost three early wickets and were reeling at 40/3 at the halfway mark, with Markram and Miller trying to steady the ship. The duo did a great job and added a decisive 76-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Markram was eventually dismissed for 52 whereas Miller remained unbeaten on 59 to see his side over the line. But their victory…

The former India coach Greg Chappell said Virat Kohli’s knock to take India over the line against Pakistan was as close to a “Song by God” as it ever gets. India began their T20 World Cup campaign in Australia with a spectacular victory over their arch-rivals at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The protagonist of that thriller was none other than Virat, who stayed unbeaten to clinch the win from the jaw of Pakistan. Chasing 160, Team India were in a massive hole at 31 for 4 before Kohli and Hardik Pandya stitched together a crucial partnership. Kohli went on to score an…

The Lankan Lions have added fast bowlers Matheesha Pathirana and Asitha Fernando along with wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella as stand-by options for the ongoing T20 World Cup in Australia. The head of Sri Lanka Cricket’s high-performance centre Tim McCaskill will also travel to Australia. The side have suffered several injury blows in the lead-up and during the tournament starting from Dilshan Madushanka, who was ruled out ahead of the tournament with a quad injury. They then lost the attack leader Dushmantha Chameera after sustaining a grade two tear in the calf during the first-round match against the UAE. Pramod Madushan hasn’t been officially sidelined, but he hasn’t…

It’s only been two games in Group 1 of the Super 12s, Australia skipper Aaron Finch conceded that the heavy loss against New Zealand has hurt their chances of defending the T20 World Cup title. The hosts took an absolute hammering at the hands of New Zealand in the first match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, losing by 89 runs after getting bowled out for just 111. The defeat shot their net run rate down to -4.450, which could be very crucial in deciding the semi-final spots. “That’s a big loss in the context of the tournament. We were just…

The next chapter of the fierce rivalry between India and Pakistan will take place on Sunday. The blockbuster clash in Group 2 of the Super 12s will be played at the iconic MCG stadium on October 23rd. However, there’s a rain threat looming large over the contest. Team India had a disappointing campaign last time around in the 2021 T20 World Cup, when they were knocked out in the group stage after losing their first two games against Pakistan and New Zealand. The Men in Green were unbeaten in the group stage but their dream ended at the hands of Australia in the semi-final.  Both…