Cricket

Despite India's consecutive Test losses against New Zealand, visiting captain Tom Latham maintains that the Indian squad remains formidable without any significant weaknesses. New Zealand achieved a remarkable milestone by securing their first Test series victory in India, winning the opening match in Bengaluru by eight wickets and following it up with a decisive 113-run victory in Pune.While India faces comprehensive challenges across all departments in the current series, the New Zealand team, which has performed flawlessly throughout their tour, offered encouraging remarks about their opponents. "India are a quality side, things obviously haven't gone the way they wanted over the last couple of weeks but it doesn't make them a bad team overnight," Latham told reporters before New Zealand's training session at the Wankhede Stadium."They've got superstars from (Nos) 1 to 15 in their squad and we expect them to be in their best tomorrow and again a new challenge for both teams, a new surface." Latham added, "I'm sure a surface that they know well and a ground that they know well, so I certainly don't think they have any chinks - they're a quality team and it's going to be another great battle."With New Zealand leading 2-0, a clean sweep over India is possible, though Latham remained reserved about that prospect. "We've obviously done a lot of good stuff over the last couple of weeks but for us, every Test match you go (in with) the focus of trying to win key moments and not necessarily focusing on the result..." Obviously that's the byproduct of putting things together back-to-back, good sessions back-to-back so yeah, a different pitch, different conditions, it's obviously a lot hotter out there than what we've faced in the last couple of weeks," he said.Latham, who assumed New Zealand's captaincy before this tour, expressed satisfaction with his team's two wins, which have bolstered the inaugural World Test Champions' hopes of reaching another final. Prior to this tour, New Zealand's chances of a second WTC final appearance were slim, but they now need to secure victories in all four remaining Tests to stay in the race. Besides the upcoming third Test against India, New Zealand will face England in a three-Test home series.But once again, Latham opted to downplay the significance of their achievement and said, "The beauty of this team is we're a reasonably levelled team in terms of I guess when results don't go so well but also when you know results do go well." We try to keep things as level as we can and there's no bigger carrot in terms of what's coming up, if you know, if we are successful throughout this game." We always focus on the process around what that looks like from the start of the game and adapt throughout the game in terms of the game situation and what will be needed," he said.Latham stated that New Zealand's focus remains on the task ahead, rather than celebrating being the first Kiwi team in nearly 70 years to defeat India on their home soil. "The guys celebrated what was you know a fantastic last week and came here yesterday. We're a bit shocked by the heat, it was pretty hot out there, but yeah, again, another challenge and you know we'll certainly be looking forward to what's presented to us this week," he said.When asked whether overseas Test and series victories should hold more weight in the WTC points system, Latham expressed his contentment with the current setup. "I haven't necessarily thought about that as such. The introduction of the World Test Championship over the last five (to) six years has been fantastic and the context that it has put on Test cricket, rather than bilateral series, has been fantastic," he said."We've probably seen a few more results in terms of games that have been played certainly over the last period of time, so the context that's now given Test cricket is awesome." Being in the position with the first one (winning team) and being successful gives you a taste of what that success feels like and once you do it, you want to do it again," he added.

India's recent home Test losses have been attributed to the pressure of the World Test Championship (WTC) points system, according to head coach Gautam Gambhir. With the hosts trailing 0-2 in the three-match series against New Zealand, Gambhir emphasized the importance of every match in the WTC."For me, WTC points are very important. Every Test match is important. There are no dead rubbers anymore," Gambhir said at a pre-match press conference. "It has a lot to do with T20 cricket. Gone are the days of draws because the quality of batters and hitting has gone up. Matches will be more result-oriented now."The pressure of the WTC, combined with the influence of T20 cricket, has led to teams losing at home more frequently, according to Gambhir. "It is the combination of being pressure due to WTC points and T20I cricket," he explained.In the second Test, New Zealand's half-centuries from Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra helped them reach 259, despite Washington Sundar's impressive spell of 7/59. India's first innings total of 156 was overshadowed by Mitchell Santner's 7/53, with Ravindra Jadeja top-scoring with 38.New Zealand's second innings saw Tom Latham score 86, while Washington and Jadeja picked up four and three wickets respectively. India's run chase of 359 ended in a 114-run defeat, despite Yashasvi Jaiswal's 77.With the series already lost, India will be aiming to avoid a whitewash in the third Test at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. The hosts will need to play out of their skins to salvage some pride and prevent New Zealand from completing a clean sweep.

South Africa's T20I squad for the upcoming series against India has been announced, with the return of Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee after a conditioning break. The pair have been working on shoulder and hip niggles, respectively, and will be eager to make an impact in the upcoming matches.Lungi Ngidi, who is currently part of the Test squad in Bangladesh, will also have an extended period of time off to work on his conditioning. He is not part of the T20I squad for the India series, while Kagiso Rabada has been rested with the Tests in mind.Despite the absence of Ngidi and Rabada, South Africa still have several big names in the squad. Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, and Keshav Maharaj, who were not part of South Africa's white-ball squads in the UAE, have all been included.The squad will be captained by regular leader Aiden Markram and with Reeza Hendricks and Ryan Rickelton at the top of the order. There are two new caps, allrounders Mihlali Mpongwana and Andile Simelane, who were the joint second-leading wicket-takers in the recently completed T20 Challenge.Donovan Ferreira, who was the third-highest run-scorer in the T20 Challenge, and Patrick Kruger have also been included. Notably, there is no room for Tabraiz Shamsi after he opted out of a national contract last month.Their seam-bowling contingent will be bolstered with the addition of Lutho Sipamla for the third and fourth matches on the Highveld. Sipamla last played for South Africa in 2022 in a Test match and has not played white-ball international since 2021, but his career-best 4 for 12 at the Wanderers in the T20 Challenge final forced him into the squad.South Africa will be hoping to put in a strong performance against India, who are one of the top-ranked T20I teams in the world. The series will be a good test for the Proteas as they prepare for the T20 World Cup in Australia next year.

Australia A's opening batting woes continued on the first day of their four-day match against India A in Mackay, with Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft, and Marcus Harris all failing to make a significant impact. Konstas and Bancroft were dismissed for ducks, while Harris reached 14 before being caught behind.Nathan McSweeney, batting at No. 4, provided some stability with a solid 29 off 110 balls, further fueling speculation that he could be the solution to Australia's top-order problems.India A, after being inserted by McSweeney, were bowled out for 107, thanks to a career-best 6 for 15 from South Australia quick Brendan Doggett. Doggett, who was only in the side as a second reserve, troubled the batters with his full length and accuracy.India A captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was brilliantly caught down the leg side first ball by Josh Philippe, while Jordan Buckingham removed Abhimanyu Easwaran with a lovely delivery. Sai Sudharsan made a promising start before edging behind against Doggett, who then went on to dismiss Ishan Kishan, Devdutt Padikkal, Manav Suthar, and Prasidh Krishna.Navdeep Saini (23) managed to lift the total into three figures, but India A were ultimately bowled out for a below-par score.Australia A will resume their innings on day two, trailing by eight runs. The match is being played as a warm-up for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between Australia and India.

Mominul Haque's gritty half-century and a crucial ninth-wicket partnership with Taijul Islam rescued Bangladesh from a precarious position on the third morning of the second Test against South Africa.After South Africa's pace attack, led by Kagiso Rabada, tore through Bangladesh's top order, leaving them reeling at 48 for 8, Haque and Islam combined for an 89-run stand that frustrated the Proteas.Rabada, who recently regained the top spot in the Test bowling rankings, continued his impressive form, claiming his second five-wicket haul of the series. His average of 7.78 in the series is the best among South Africans who have taken at least ten wickets.Bangladesh's collapse began with the dismissal of Mushfiqur Rahim, who gifted a catch to Tony de Zorzi at square leg for a second-ball duck. The wickets continued to fall in quick succession, with four batters dismissed within 12 balls.However, Haque and Islam showed resilience and determination, digging in to rebuild Bangladesh's innings. Haque reached his 20th Test fifty, while Islam provided valuable support with a patient 33.Their partnership frustrated South Africa's bowlers and gave Bangladesh a glimmer of hope. The Proteas eventually broke through when Rabada dismissed Islam, but Haque remained unbeaten on 51 at the end of the day's play.Bangladesh still trail South Africa by 144 runs, but Haque's innings and the ninth-wicket stand have given them a fighting chance of saving the Test.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has removed 11 directors from its board for failing to attend three or more consecutive meetings, as per the board's constitution. The list includes former president Nazmul Hassan and BPL chairman Sheikh Sohel.The other directors removed are Manzur Kader, AJM Nasir Uddin, Anwarul Islam, Shafiul Alam Chowdhury, Ismail Haider Mallick, Tanvir Ahmed, Obeid Nizam, Gazi Golam Murtoza, and Nazib Ahmed. Additionally, the BCB accepted resignations from three other directors: Naimur Rahman, Khaled Mahmud, and Enayet Hossain Siraj.All of the removed and resigned directors have been absent since the Awami League government was overthrown on August 5th following student protests. They have direct or indirect connections to the Awami League. Nazmul Hassan was the sports minister, Shafiul Alam Chowdhury was an Awami League MP, and Nasir Uddin was a former Chattogram mayor during the Awami League's 15-year reign. Sheikh Sohel and Nazib Ahmed are relatives of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, while Ismail Haider Mallick was a close associate of Nazmul Hassan.Before the government's fall, the BCB had 25 directors. After the departure of 14 directors, 10 remain, as one had passed away before August.The BCB has also formed a constitution amendment committee headed by director Nazmul Abedeen. According to a press release, "the committee will be responsible for assessing the current BCB constitution, identifying areas of improvement, and proposing amendments that align with the strategic goals and evolving needs of the BCB."Two weeks after an interim government was sworn in on August 8th, the BCB directors elected Faruque Ahmed, the former Bangladesh captain, as the president, while Nazmul Abedeen, the renowned coach, also became a director. They replaced Jalal Yunus, who resigned as a director, and Ahmed Sajjadul Alam, who was removed as a director.

Ben Stokes, the England cricket captain, has appealed for the return of precious items stolen during a burglary at his home while he was away in Pakistan for the Test series. The incident occurred on October 17th at his residence in Castle Eden, North East England, while his wife, Claire, and two young children were present.Stokes expressed relief that his family escaped physical harm but acknowledged the emotional and mental impact of the trauma. He was playing in the second Test in Multan when the break-in took place and returned home earlier this week after the conclusion of the series, which England lost 2-1.Among the stolen items were jewelry, a designer bag, and Stokes' OBE medal, awarded in 2020 for his services to cricket. The medal held particular significance as it commemorated England's ODI World Cup triumph in 2019, where Stokes played a pivotal role, and his heroic performance in the Headingley Test against Australia in the Ashes."The worst aspect of this crime is that it occurred while my family was home," Stokes said in a statement. "Thankfully, they were unharmed, but the experience has understandably affected them emotionally and mentally."Stokes emphasized that his primary motivation in sharing photographs of the stolen items was not to recover material possessions but to apprehend the perpetrators. He urged anyone with information to contact Durham Constabulary and provided the contact number and crime reference.The burglary has left Stokes and his family shaken, but they are determined to move forward. Stokes expressed gratitude for the support they have received and urged the public to remain vigilant against such crimes.

Bangladesh's batting woes continued on day two of the second Test against South Africa in Chattogram, as they stumbled to 38-4 in response to the visitors' mammoth first innings of 575-6.The hosts' reply got off to a disastrous start, with Kagiso Rabada dismissing Shadman Islam for a duck in the first over. Zakir Hasan soon followed, edging a Rabada delivery to the wicketkeeper for two.Mahmudul Hasan Joy briefly threatened with a 10-ball 10, but he fell to Dane Paterson, driving an outside-off delivery to Aiden Markram at second slip. Hasan Mahmud, sent in as a nightwatchman, was deceived by Keshav Maharaj's sharp turn and was bowled for a duck.South Africa's total was their second-highest against Bangladesh, behind only their 583-7 at the same venue in 2008. Wiaan Mulder (105 not out), Tony de Zorzi (177), and Tristan Stubbs (106) all scored maiden Test centuries for the Proteas.Senuran Muthusamy remained unbeaten on 68 at the declaration, while Ryan Rickelton was the only batsman to fall in the second session, edging a Nahid Rana delivery to the wicketkeeper for 12.Earlier, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam had pegged back South Africa in the morning with three wickets in three overs, claiming his second five-wicket haul of the series. He dismissed David Bedingham, De Zorzi, and Kyle Verreynne to leave the visitors on 391-4.South Africa won the opening Test inside four days, with Rabada taking 6-46 in the second innings. Bangladesh have played 24 Tests in Chattogram but have won only two, with seven drawn.

South Africa's batting prowess was on full display in the second Test against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. The Proteas shattered their previous record for most sixes in an innings of a Test match, smashing a total of 17 sixes in their first innings.The previous record of 15 sixes was set against the West Indies in 2010. South Africa's dominant performance saw them amass a massive 577/6 declared in 144.2 overs.Aiden Markram, leading from the front, contributed 33 off 55 balls, including two boundaries. Tony de Zorzi followed with a well-constructed 177, smashing 12 fours and four sixes before falling to Taijul Islam.The fireworks truly began with Tristan Stubbs and David Bedingham. Stubbs added 106 off 198 balls, while Bedingham's aggressive 59 featured several big hits.Wiaan Mulder's unbeaten 105 off 150 balls, with four sixes to his name, further demonstrated South Africa's intent. Senuran Muthusamy also played a supporting role, contributing 70 not out, peppered with a couple of maximums.For Bangladesh, Taijul Islam was the pick of the hosts, taking 5/198, but even his efforts couldn't contain the Proteas' assault.With South Africa winning the toss and opting to bat, they now hold a commanding position in the five-day contest.