She had just been dismissed on the third ball of India’s run chase in the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup on March 8, 2020. Even though she’d had a tournament any 16-year-old would have dreamed of, finishing as India’s highest run scorer, at that moment India’s chances of beating Australia were all but … Read more
No one knew where the decision had come from, least of all Saud Shakeel. The left-hander had put together 55 runs, chewed up 108 balls, and put on an unbroken 81-ball partnership with Mir Hamza. He was batting out of his skin to keep out Ish Sodhi – a man who’d beat the defenses of … Read more
The expression of anguish. heads in hands Sometimes the head is thrown back. A kick to the turf. Maybe a kiss word. On the second day of the Dhaka Test on Friday, Bangladesh missed four chances in the field during the 159-run fifth-wicket stand between Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant, so all those reactions were … Read more
No, it wasn’t a dream. Early on Sunday morning, not even eight hours after the world champion Springboks were beaten by Ireland in Dublin, South Africans woke up to the news that their men’s cricket team had been booted out of the T20 World Cup following a defeat to Netherlands. Yes, it is a nightmare. … Read more
It swung wildly, one way now, the other way a moment later. Till it came down to 31 from 12. Haris Rauf. Just three from his first four balls. That made it 28 from eight. Advantage Pakistan. Hold on, said Virat Kohli. Bang, and bang, and it was 16 from six, to be bowled by … Read more
In November 2019, weeks after he had been installed as BCCI president, Sourav Ganguly’s administration proposed several amendments to the board’s constitution, written in 2018 by the Lodha Committee, which had been set up three years before by the country’s Supreme Court to recommend improvements to the board’s functioning. Those amendments, if effected, would strike … Read more
Shami last played a T20I during last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, and his chance of getting game-time ahead of this year’s tournament vanished when he tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the three-match series against Australia last month. He missed both that series and the three T20Is against South Africa that followed, … Read more
A fielder scampered in from mid-on, flung himself off his feet and threw underarm at the stumps. The zing bails lit up with Reece Topley miles short of his ground and the sold-out National Stadium in Karachi was drowned in noise. Thousands had streamed out of the exits when England needed nine runs off 12 … Read more
The noise inside Karachi’s National Stadium was deafening. Babar Azam threaded David Willey through extra cover and jumped into the cool night sky, punching the air and soaking in the roar of a sold-out crowd. Mohammad Rizwan held his arms aloft, took his helmet off and looked to the heavens before walking over to his … Read more
India picked the strongest available squad they had for the Asia Cup to see how they held up playing big teams under tournament pressure. They were expected to make the final, but didn’t, which suggests there are still areas that need ironing out. India lost the toss – a massive factor in Dubai, dew or … Read more