Cricket

USA Cricket Parts Ways with Head Coach Stuart LawUSA Cricket has announced the departure of Stuart Law as the head coach of the men's national team. The decision, made in the midst of the team's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 campaign, came as a surprise to many.Law's tenure, which began in April 2023, lasted just over seven months. During that time, the team achieved notable successes, including a T20I series victory over Bangladesh and a historic qualification for the Super-Eights stage of the T20 World Cup.However, despite these accomplishments, USA Cricket CEO Johnathan Atkeison stated that "it was not an easy decision to make." He added, "Unfortunately, we felt that a change was necessary for the next phase of competitive preparation."Venu Pisike, Chair of USA Cricket, expressed gratitude for Law's contributions. "We thank Stuart for his contributions to USA Cricket during his tenure. We wish him nothing but success in his future endeavors."The departure of Law leaves a void in the USA Cricket coaching staff. The team is currently second in the Cricket World Cup League 2 points table, with six wins in nine games. They are aiming to qualify for the 2027 ODI World Cup.USA Cricket has not yet announced a replacement for Law. The team's next match is scheduled for February 26 against Nepal in Dallas.

Muhammad Waseem, the 30-year-old top-order batter, has stepped down as UAE men's ODI captain after leading the team in 26 matches between 2023 and 2024. The decision was announced by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) in a statement, which also confirmed that Waseem will continue to play ODI cricket.Waseem took over the ODI captaincy from CP Rizwan during the 2019-2023 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 for UAE's match against Nepal in March 2023. Under his leadership, UAE won seven ODIs and lost 19, with Waseem being the standout performer in the matches they won. He averaged 64.28 in those seven games, hitting his only century in the format (119 vs Papua New Guinea) and three half-centuries.However, in the 19 matches that UAE lost under Waseem's captaincy, his average dropped to 21.10, closer to his career number of 25.44. This may have contributed to his decision to step down, especially considering that UAE are currently bottom of the eight-team table in the 2024-2027 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 after playing seven games and winning only one.Waseem's resignation comes after UAE's recent loss to Namibia by eight wickets in their last game of the World Cup League 2, where they folded for 190. Despite stepping down as captain, Waseem remains a regular member of UAE's T20I team and played a key role in their victory in the tri-series in Namibia earlier this month, where he top-scored with 159 runs in four innings.

Scotland's Charlie Cassell has etched his name into the history books by shattering the record for the best figures on ODI debut. In a remarkable performance against Oman in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 match in Dundee, Cassell claimed an astonishing 7 for 21 in just 5.4 overs.The previous record was held by South Africa's Kagiso Rabada, who had taken 6 for 16 on his ODI debut against Bangladesh in 2015. Cassell's feat is even more impressive considering he was a late addition to the Scotland squad, replacing Chris Sole due to personal reasons.Cassell's journey to this historic moment has been marked by resilience and determination. After suffering a major injury that sidelined him for over a year, he has fought back to regain his form and earn his international debut.His captain, Richie Berrington, praised Cassell's unwavering spirit and exceptional talent. "You've come back from a huge setback, with that massive injury you had, put you out for a year and a bit," Berrington said. "Just to see your resilience coming back, getting back on the park, and just love watching what you do at Forfs [Forfashire], and just the way how you hold yourself is incredible."Cassell's debut performance was nothing short of sensational. He trapped Zeeshan Maqsood lbw and bowled Ayaan Khan with his first two deliveries, setting the tone for a dominant display. He missed out on a hat-trick but continued to wreak havoc, claiming the wickets of Khalid Kail and Shoaib Khan in quick succession.Mehran Khan and Pratik Athavale also fell victim to Cassell's lethal bowling, bringing him to the brink of history. With his seventh wicket, dismissing Bilal Khan behind the stumps, Cassell surpassed Rabada's record and became the first bowler to take seven wickets on ODI debut since Fidel Edwards in 2003.Cassell's heroics helped Scotland dismiss Oman for a paltry 91 in just 21.4 overs, setting up a comfortable victory for the hosts. His performance has not only earned him a place in the record books but has also boosted Scotland's hopes of qualifying for the 2023 Cricket World Cup.