Cricket

Steven Smith, Australia's batting mainstay, will relinquish his opening role in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series against India. The decision, initiated by Smith himself, was confirmed by George Bailey, the chair of selectors.Smith's request to move back down the order had been in the works even before Cameron Green's season-ending back injury. Bailey revealed that Smith, in discussions with captain Pat Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald, had expressed his desire to return to the middle order."Pat, Andrew, and Steven Smith had been having ongoing conversations separate to the untimely injury to Cameron anyway," Bailey said. "And I think Steve had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position."The move back to the middle order opens up two spots in the top six, with Green's absence creating a vacancy at No. 4 and Smith's departure leaving the opening slot vacant. Bailey hinted that Smith would have moved regardless of Green's injury, but declined to speculate on the exact configuration of the top six had Green been fit."Part of those discussions have been had and what it might look like," he said. "But I guess once you do get moving parts, a lot of those conversations become null and void."The selectors are likely to opt for a specialist opener to replace Green and return Smith to his preferred position. Bailey downplayed the need for an extra bowling option in the top six, noting that Australia's attack has played without an allrounder before."They've done it in the past," Bailey said. "You don't know how each Test is going to play out in terms of the workload for the quicks, or how much of an impact Nathan Lyon's going to have across the summer."The focus now shifts to Australia's domestic openers, with Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, and Sam Konstas emerging as potential candidates to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order. Bailey suggested that Konstas could put himself in the mix with continued strong performances."He's in the mix as are plenty of others," Bailey said. "I certainly don't want to single single him out. I think the consistency of Cam Bancroft over a number of years, the consistency of Marcus Harris over a number of years, they've both had a look at Test cricket as well."

India's head coach, Amol Muzumdar, expressed disappointment after their semi-final hopes were dashed by a nine-run loss to Australia. However, he praised his team's effort and urged them to learn from the experience.India's fielding was subpar, conceding "10-15 more" runs than necessary. They dropped three catches, missed a stumping, and a run-out opportunity. A crucial lbw call against Phoebe Litchfield also went in Australia's favor.Muzumdar acknowledged the importance of the Litchfield decision, saying it was "a crucial one." He also revealed that India's strategy during their chase was to keep the net run rate in check and take the game deeper.Despite the loss, Muzumdar emphasized that India's preparation had been thorough. They had two dedicated camps, one for fitness and fielding and another for skill development. He also praised captain Harmanpreet Kaur for her resilience, despite battling physical discomfort.Muzumdar expressed confidence in his team and their ability to bounce back. He said, "I couldn't have asked for more from my support staff and I couldn't have asked for more from the players. They gave their best in those camps. Preparation about this World Cup was thorough."India's build-up to the game had been smooth, with Pooja Vastrakar returning to the XI after recovering from a hamstring niggle. Muzumdar explained that Vastrakar's inclusion was a no-brainer, given her impressive record as one of the team's best bowlers.

India's Women's T20 World Cup hopes now rest on Pakistan's ability to defeat New Zealand on Monday after a heartbreaking nine-run loss to defending champions Australia on Sunday.Australia secured their semi-final berth by topping Group A with an unblemished record of four wins. India, with four points from two wins and two losses, must rely on Pakistan's victory to keep their semi-final chances alive. A New Zealand win, however, would eliminate India."It's something which is not in our control," admitted India captain Harmanpreet Kaur. "If we get the opportunity to play another game, that will be great. But otherwise, whoever deserves to be there, that team will be there."Australia, despite missing skipper Alyssa Healy due to a foot injury, became the first team to guarantee a semi-final spot. Tahlia McGrath led the team in Healy's absence, while Grace Harris top-scored with 40 and McGrath contributed 32. Australia posted 151-8 after electing to bat first.India's response was valiant, with Kaur hitting an unbeaten 54 and Deepti Sharma contributing 29. However, Australia's Annabel Sutherland restricted India to just four runs in the final over, sealing the victory.Meanwhile, Pakistan stand-in captain Muneeba Ali expressed optimism about her team's chances of reaching the semi-finals. "We know that the pool is still open. We have a chance to win tomorrow's match and if we win by a good margin, we have a chance to qualify for the semi-finals," said Muneeba.In Group B, England crushed Scotland by 10 wickets, with openers Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge putting on an unbeaten century partnership. England's disciplined bowling attack, led by Sophie Ecclestone's 2-13, restricted Scotland to 109-6.England's victory propelled them to the top of Group B, ahead of South Africa and the West Indies. England will face the West Indies on Tuesday, with the Caribbean side needing a win to stay in contention for the semi-finals."Just try and win, exactly the same way we have approached (the tournament so far)," said England captain Heather Knight. "You want to keep winning, keep that momentum and we want to go again, get some momentum and make it to the semis."

Australia's Test captain Pat Cummins will lead the team in the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan, while Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head will miss the three-match contest due to paternity leave. Cummins will prepare for the Test summer by gaining match experience in the 50-over format.The 14-man squad announced on Monday includes Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, but the bowling attack is likely to be rotated as both bowlers aim to play at least one Sheffield Shield match before the ODIs. Marcus Stoinis returns to the ODI side after a hiatus since the 2023 World Cup, while Josh Inglis is the sole wicketkeeper in the squad.The absence of Head and Marsh opens up opportunities for new opening combinations, with Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk likely to partner throughout the series. Cooper Connolly, who made his ODI debut in England, is the only player named in both the ODI and Australia A squads.Australia's ODI series against Pakistan will serve as preparation for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan next February. The team will aim to build on their successful ODI campaign in the UK, where they overcame illness and injury challenges.

In a thrilling T20 World Cup encounter, Australia emerged victorious over India by nine runs, securing their place in the semi-finals. The match, played before a sold-out crowd of 14,946 at Sharjah Stadium, was a testament to the resilience and composure of the Australian team.Annabel Sutherland, celebrating her 23rd birthday the day before, played a pivotal role in Australia's triumph. She defended 14 runs in the final over, taking two wickets and denying India the chance to dictate their destiny. Despite the high-stakes atmosphere, Sutherland remained calm and collected, showcasing her maturity and composure.Australia's captain, Tahlia McGrath, praised Sutherland's performance, noting her ability to execute her plans flawlessly under pressure. McGrath also highlighted the team's ability to overcome adversity, including the late withdrawal of Tayla Vlaeminck due to injury and the uncertainty surrounding Alyssa Healy's fitness.Despite the chaos surrounding Australia's batting innings, with Georgia Wareham failing to review an lbw decision and Sophie Molineux being run out, McGrath's innings of 32 off 26 balls provided stability. Grace Harris top-scored with 40 off 41, while Ellyse Perry contributed 32 off 23.Megan Schutt's nerveless over in the 17th, where she conceded just one run and saw Richa Ghosh run out, proved crucial for Australia. McGrath hailed Schutt's performance, emphasizing its impact on the game's momentum.Australia's experience in playing in front of pro-India crowds during their recent tour of India helped them navigate the hostile atmosphere in Sharjah. McGrath emphasized the importance of ignoring the crowd's influence and maintaining focus on the game.As India's Harmanpreet Kaur threatened to snatch victory with her unbeaten 54, Australia remained composed and executed their plans effectively. The result leaves India's fate hanging in the balance, as they await the outcome of Monday's clash between New Zealand and Pakistan.

India's hopes of reaching the Women's T20 World Cup semifinals suffered a setback after a narrow nine-run defeat to Australia in their final Group A match. Chasing a target of 152, India fell short, finishing at 142 for 9, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur leading the way with an unbeaten 54 off 47 balls. Deepti Sharma contributed 29, while Shafali Verma added 20.Despite the loss, India remain in second place on the points table with two wins and two losses, but their net run rate has dropped to 0.322. Australia, on the other hand, became the first team from the group to advance to the last four with an unbeaten run, registering four wins in as many games.India's fate now hinges on Monday's match between Pakistan and New Zealand. A win for Pakistan would pave the way for India to reach the semifinals. New Zealand, currently in third place with four points, will secure the last semifinal spot if they win against Pakistan.If Pakistan triumphs, India, New Zealand, and Pakistan will all be tied with four points each. In this scenario, India will advance to the semifinals due to their superior net run rate (NRR). However, with a NRR of -0.488, Pakistan would need an extraordinary win to qualify for the semifinals alongside Australia from Group A.India's performance against Australia was a mixed bag. The bowlers restricted the defending champions to a manageable total, with Renuka Singh taking three wickets and Deepti Sharma claiming two. However, the batters struggled to build partnerships, with only Harmanpreet Kaur managing to score a half-century.India will now have to rely on Pakistan to beat New Zealand in order to keep their semifinal hopes alive. If Pakistan wins, India will need to improve their net run rate in their final match against Ireland on Tuesday.

India Swaps Sobhana for Yadav in Final Group FixtureIn a last-minute change, India has replaced legspinner Asha Sobhana with left-arm spinner Radha Yadav for their crucial final group match against Australia in the Women's T20 World Cup. The swap required Australia's consent, which was granted.Sobhana suffered a knee injury during the warm-up session before the toss and was unable to participate in the game. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring her progress.Yadav's inclusion provides India with an additional bowling option and lower-order batting depth. She has not started in the first three games but made a significant impact in the win over Sri Lanka with a spectacular catch at extra cover.Australia also suffered a major setback with captain Alyssa Healy ruled out due to a leg injury. Healy, who injured her right foot in the previous game, was seen using crutches to walk. Fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck was also ruled out of the remainder of the World Cup after dislocating her right shoulder in the same match.India's head coach, Amol Muzumdar, had a lengthy one-on-one bowling session with Yadav on the eve of the match, indicating her importance to the team's plans.The change in India's playing XI highlights the unpredictable nature of the tournament and the importance of having a versatile squad capable of adapting to different situations.

Australia's T20 World Cup campaign has suffered a major blow with the loss of fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck for the remainder of the tournament. Vlaeminck dislocated her right shoulder while attempting to save a boundary in Australia's victory over Pakistan on Friday.The injury is a cruel setback for Vlaeminck, who was making her first World Cup appearance since 2018. The 23-year-old has endured a string of serious injuries throughout her career, including two ACL tears, a twice-dislocated left shoulder, and stress fractures to her foot.Vlaeminck's absence will be a significant loss for Australia, who are one of the favorites to win the tournament. The right-armer has been a key member of the team's bowling attack in recent years, and her pace and aggression will be missed.Australia have called up Heather Graham as Vlaeminck's replacement. Graham is a right-arm seam bowler who has played five T20Is and one ODI for Australia. She will be available for selection in Australia's final group game against India on Sunday.In addition to Vlaeminck's injury, Australia are also sweating on the fitness of captain Alyssa Healy. Healy suffered a right-foot injury while batting in the match against Pakistan. The extent of the injury is not yet known, but Healy is expected to undergo scans on Saturday.If Healy is ruled out of the tournament, it would be a major blow for Australia. The wicketkeeper-batter is one of the most experienced players in the team and her leadership will be missed.Australia will be hoping that both Vlaeminck and Healy can recover in time for the knockout stages of the tournament. However, the injuries are a reminder of the fragility of the human body and the challenges that athletes face in staying healthy.

Cameron Green's injury has cast a shadow over Australia's preparations for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. The all-rounder's absence could pave the way for Cameron Bancroft's Test recall, according to former skipper Mark Taylor.Green has been ruled out of the five-match series due to a stress fracture in his lower back. The 25-year-old has a history of back injuries, having suffered four stress fractures in the past. However, he had been clear of any issues since 2019.Green's absence will force Australia to reshuffle their batting order. Taylor believes that Steve Smith will move back to his preferred number four spot, leaving the opening position vacant."I'd love to see a right-handed opening batsman get the opportunity," Taylor said. "And to me at the moment ... I would have Bancroft penciled in alongside (Usman) Khawaja."Bancroft has been in impressive form in the Sheffield Shield, topping the run-scoring charts for the past two years. He has also served a nine-month ban for his role in the 2018 ball-tampering incident.Taylor also suggested that young opener Sam Konstas could be included in the Test squad. Konstas has scored back-to-back centuries against South Australia in the Sheffield Shield.The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series will begin on November 22 in Perth. Australia will be looking to retain the trophy after winning the previous edition in 2020-21.