Cricket

Sri Lanka's batting woes have been a persistent issue throughout the ongoing Test series against England. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva has emphasized the crucial need for top-order runs, highlighting the team's inability to reach 350 or have any of their top seven batsmen score a century.In the first Test, Sri Lanka collapsed to 72 for 5 in the first innings, while in the second Test, they were dismissed for 83 for 5. De Silva believes these early setbacks have been detrimental to their chances of victory."Our batters have to score runs, and that's the biggest issue we've had," de Silva said. "Those who got starts didn't turn them into hundreds and 150s. If you look at Joe Root on their side, he's consistently made runs and it's around him that others made runs. That's what someone on our side needs to do as well, so we can get to 300 or 350. First-innings runs are what's crucial to victory."Kamindu Mendis has been the only Sri Lankan batsman to make significant contributions on tour, scoring 113 in Manchester and 74 at Lord's. Despite his impressive form, de Silva has opted to keep him at No. 7 in the batting order."I think if Kamindu plays well down there there's no reason to change what he's doing and put him in trouble," de Silva explained. "If he's scoring there, it's good for his career as well. In the future, maybe we will talk to him, about his plans as well and see what changes we can make. But right now we're thinking of him as a No. 7."The rest of the Sri Lankan batting order has struggled against England's seamers, with de Silva attributing this to their discipline and control."They [England] have a lot of control in addition to their experience," de Silva said. "They have great control of line and length and we don't get many loose balls in England. We need to be prepared for that and our plans have to take that into account. That's just what you get in England. In the two previous matches they didn't let us execute our plans. That's why they were successful."Joe Root's exceptional batting has also contributed to Sri Lanka's 2-0 deficit in the series. De Silva hopes that his team has devised a plan to surprise Root in the upcoming match."It's not that our plans against him didn't work - he just very quickly recognised what we were trying to do and countered it," de Silva said. "That's what world class players do, and that's why he scored runs. We've hopefully come up with something now that he won't expect."

Bangladesh's disappointing T20 World Cup 2024 campaign can be attributed primarily to poor batting form, according to vice-captain Taskin Ahmed. Despite a 47-day tour of the Americas, the batting unit failed to deliver, resulting in the lowest collective average among the Super Eight teams.Bangladesh's top three batters struggled to provide a solid start, with Litton Das being the only one to score a fifty. Towhid Hridoy emerged as the team's best performer with 153 runs, but Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad failed to provide adequate support.Taskin acknowledged the impact of the senior players' poor form, but emphasized that it did not affect team unity. "They are great team men," he said. "We stayed as a team for 47 days. Everything was fine off the field."The batters found better pitches in the West Indies, but Taskin admitted that he had never witnessed such a prolonged batting slump in his international career. "I haven't seen such a long bad patch for the batters in my ten years playing for Bangladesh," he said.Despite the batting struggles, Bangladesh's bowling unit performed well. Taskin, Tanzim Hasan, and Rishad Hossain led the bowling charts, proving that talented cricketers are emerging from the country.Taskin expressed disappointment with the team's performance in the final match against Afghanistan, where they failed to chase down the target in 12.1 overs to reach the semi-finals. "We could have done a lot better," he said. "We were all quite disappointed with the last match."Despite the negatives, Taskin highlighted some positives from the campaign, including qualifying for the Super Eight, winning three matches in the T20 World Cup for the first time, and the emergence of promising bowlers. "We are disappointed like the rest of you," he said. "We didn't play up to expectations."

West Indies, aiming to secure a home World Cup victory, have identified a crucial area for improvement: their batting performance in the middle overs. Their average and run-rate during this phase have been the lowest in the tournament, with a wicket lost every 20 balls despite scoring only 123 runs per 100 balls.The team's struggles in the middle overs were evident in their defeat to England, where they scored just 40 runs from overs seven to 11. Recognizing this weakness, they resolved to improve in subsequent matches.Roston Chase, a key member of the West Indies squad, acknowledges the team's shortcomings in this phase. "We struggled in that period after the powerplay against England," he admits. "We've discussed it, and the guys executed well today."Chase's role in the middle overs may involve providing stability and keeping the strike rotating. "My job is to give the hitters the strike and let them hit it for six," he explains. "I'm there to transition between boundaries and keep the strike moving."In the absence of Brandon King, Shai Hope is likely to open the batting for West Indies. Hope has the potential to bat through the middle overs without getting bogged down.South Africa, the undefeated team in the tournament, poses a significant challenge for West Indies. South Africa has been known to choke out opponents in the middle overs, as they did against England in their previous match.Therefore, the outcome of the upcoming contest between West Indies and South Africa may hinge on the teams' performances in the middle overs. West Indies must address their weaknesses in this phase to secure a victory and recreate the joy they experienced at Kensington Oval against USA.

Bangladesh's disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight game against India has drawn criticism from two of the team's most prominent players, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal. Shakib expressed frustration over the team's lack of intent and fighting spirit, while Tamim questioned some of the tactical decisions made by the management.Shakib, who scored only 11 runs off seven balls, lamented the team's inability to chase down India's total of 196. He pointed out that Bangladesh's top order has consistently underperformed throughout the tournament, failing to capitalize on the favorable batting conditions in Antigua."We couldn't even show our intent of wanting to chase India's runs," Shakib said. "We are short of runs as a batting unit. We made 140 in the last game, 146 today. We should have done better today since we had a target in front of us."Tamim, who was commentating on the match for ESPNcricinfo, echoed Shakib's concerns. He expressed surprise at Bangladesh's lack of intent with the bat and questioned the decision to leave out Taskin Ahmed in favor of an extra batter."Bangladesh's batting has disappointed in this whole tournament," Tamim said. "The think-tank really needs to think about how they will go from here on."Tamim also criticized the decision to not give the new ball to Mustafizur Rahman, who has a reputation for troubling Rohit Sharma with his left-arm pace. He suggested that Bangladesh missed an opportunity to exploit Sharma's weakness.Shakib and Tamim both acknowledged that Bangladesh's batting struggles are not new. They pointed out that the team tends to perform better on tricky wickets than on good batting surfaces."We don't really do well when we play on flat wickets that produce 180-200 runs," Shakib said. "We play better on wickets that produce 130-150 runs."Tamim added that Bangladesh's batters are not accustomed to playing on good batting wickets, which has hindered their development. He suggested that the team needs to prioritize playing on better surfaces to improve their batting skills."Bangladesh [usually] play in difficult wicket for batters," Tamim said. "They also can't start scoring runs freely when you put them in a very good wicket."

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has expressed concern over his team's batting performance in the T20 World Cup, acknowledging that they have underperformed in the Super Eights stage. Despite their impressive group stage showing, Bangladesh suffered a 28-run DLS defeat to Australia in their opening Super Eight fixture."The next two matches are crucial," Shanto said at the post-match press conference. "We have a lot to gain from them. If we can win them, we will be in a better position. We will play to win every match."Bangladesh's batting woes continued against Australia, as they managed only 140/8 in their 20 overs. Shanto admitted that the team's batting has been a major concern."Yes, there was a big difference in the conditions because last match there was a lot of spin and also seam, but today the wicket looked flat... a very good wicket to bat on," Shanto said. "I think we didn't bat well. We should have targeted 160 to 170.""As a player, we had to adjust, but we couldn't execute with that new ball, especially in the power play," he added. "We couldn't finish the last five-six overs, and we lost too many wickets. If we had ended well, we could have scored a proper 160 or 170."Despite their struggles, Bangladesh remains hopeful of turning things around. They face India in their next Super Eight match, a crucial encounter that could determine their chances of reaching the semi-finals."Everyone has the capability, and people have played well in different places in the past," Shanto said. "But I do not have an answer to why this is not happening. Everyone has the freedom to play their natural game, but somehow it is not happening."

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed mixed emotions after his team's qualification for the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup. While delighted with the achievement, he voiced concerns over the team's underwhelming batting performance.Despite securing a 21-run victory over Nepal, Bangladesh's batting woes continued, with the team being dismissed for a mere 106. Shanto acknowledged the team's struggles, stating, "Our batting is not up to the mark."The skipper dismissed suggestions that slow pitches were a contributing factor, emphasizing that the team should have been able to score at least 140-150 runs on the given wicket. He stressed the importance of a strong start and lamented the team's inability to capitalize on opportunities."The start is very important. We are not getting the start, and the lower-order batsmen are not finishing it well," Shanto pointed out. "We have to come out of this and think about how to come out of this."Despite their batting struggles, Bangladesh has managed to win three games, with their only defeat coming against South Africa. Shanto attributed this success to the team's bowlers, who have performed exceptionally well."The way our bowlers bowled in the last three-four matches, really happy," Shanto said. "I hope they will continue their form."Looking ahead to the Super Eights, Shanto acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead. Bangladesh has been grouped with India, Australia, and Afghanistan, all formidable opponents."All 20 teams are here to win. So now, we are going to play Super Eights. All matches will be competitive," Shanto stated. "There are no big teams or big names, I hope we'll have a good Super Eights."Bangladesh will face Australia in their Super Eight opener on Thursday, followed by India two days later. They will conclude their group stage campaign against Afghanistan on June 24.

Oman's skipper, Aqib Ilyas, expressed disappointment over his team's batting performance in their eight-wicket defeat to England in the T20 World Cup 2024 match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.Ilyas acknowledged that Oman's top order struggled to score runs throughout the tournament, particularly against bowlers bowling at speeds of 150 kph. "We couldn't do well with the bat. Top order couldn't score runs throughout the tournament. It was good exposure but there wasn't much we could do," he said.The Oman skipper also highlighted the pressure faced by his batters, who had not scored runs in their previous matches. "The batters were also under pressure having not got runs in the last few games. Unfortunately bad shot selection and they bowled in good areas. You can't blame the bowlers for anything, throughout the tournament they're the ones that did really well," he added.Recapping the match, England won the toss and elected to field first. Oman's openers, Pratik Athavale and Kashyap Prajapati, made a slow start, scoring only six runs before Athavale was dismissed by Jofra Archer. Shoaib Khan was the only standout batter for Oman, scoring 11 runs. The Three Lions bowlers ended Oman's inning in the 14th over, with Adil Rashid leading the attack with four wickets.In the chase, England's openers, Philip Salt and Jos Buttler, displayed a dominant performance, scoring 12 runs in the first over. Jonny Bairstow and Buttler remained unbeaten on the crease, helping England win the match in just four overs.Despite the loss, Ilyas praised his bowlers for their performance throughout the tournament. "Would have liked to finish on a great note," he said.

The Indian cricket team's performance in the New York leg of the World Cup has been a mixed bag, with the batting superstar Virat Kohli's poor form as an opener being the only jarring note.In the three games played at the Nassau County Ground, India faced Ireland, Pakistan, and USA. While the Ireland match was a comfortable victory, the Pakistan game was a rollercoaster of emotions, with India eventually emerging victorious. The match against USA was a battle of attrition, with India triumphing after enduring some difficult phases.Amidst all this, Virat Kohli's form has been a concern. The thousands of fans who filled the stands on all three days had one common wish: a meaningful contribution from their favorite superstar. However, Kohli has scored just 1, 4, and 0 in three consecutive games, a far cry from the magnificent knocks he produced in the IPL.Kohli's struggles as an opener have prompted questions about his suitability for the role. Captain Rohit Sharma had earlier stated that Kohli's and his own slots were "fixed," while the rest of the team would be flexible. However, Kohli's recent performances have cast doubt on this strategy.The conditions in New York have been challenging for batters, with the ball dominating the bat. The movement and up-and-down nature of the track have kept batters on their toes. Kohli's late arrival to the team and subsequent lack of practice at the venue may have contributed to his struggles.Despite his poor form, the team management remains confident in Kohli's abilities. Shivam Dube, who has also faced some challenges, said, "Who am I to talk about Kohli? If he hasn't got runs in three games, he may well get three hundreds in the next three and there will be no more discussions."Captain Rohit Sharma has the option of bringing in Yashasvi Jaiswal as his opening partner and dropping Kohli down to his regular No. 3 spot. However, Sharma believes that Kohli is best suited at the top and that the team will not be able to include four all-rounders if Kohli comes down the order.The team's faith in Kohli has prevented them from making any harsh decisions. It is now up to the batting great to flick on that switch and prove that "class is permanent."

Kolkata Knight Riders Face Bowling Juggernaut Punjab Kings in Eden Gardens ClashKolkata Knight Riders (KKR), currently sitting in second place, will host Punjab Kings (PBKS), languishing in ninth, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday evening. Despite the batter-friendly nature of IPL 2024, PBKS have emerged as a formidable bowling force, boasting the league's best bowling average and the most wickets at the death.However, PBKS's batting has been a concern, with the team struggling to score at a high rate and lacking a consistent performer. KKR, on the other hand, have been a balanced side, with both their batting and bowling units performing well.The Eden Gardens has been a high-scoring venue this season, with 200 runs being crossed in both innings in three of the four matches played there. This puts pressure on PBKS's batters to perform better than they have so far.KKR have been flexible in their team selection, alternating between a batter and a bowler depending on the conditions. They are likely to continue this strategy, with Rinku Singh potentially being replaced by a fast bowler or spinner.PBKS will be without Shikhar Dhawan, who is still recovering from an injury. Sam Curran may open the batting again, or Rilee Rossouw or Jonny Bairstow could partner Prabhsimran Singh.Mitchell Starc, who has struggled with his economy rate this season, will be eager to prove his worth at the Eden Gardens, where fast bowlers have had a higher economy rate than spinners. Harshal Patel, on the other hand, has been in good form lately, taking nine wickets in his last four matches.The pitch is expected to be similar to the ones that have produced high scores in Kolkata this season. Fast bowlers have had a slightly higher economy rate than spinners, but Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy have been particularly effective for KKR.