Cricket

The 2024 Women's T20 World Cup is set to kick off on October 3 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with a thrilling opening match between England and South Africa. The tournament schedule, released on Sunday, promises an exciting and competitive event.Defending champions Australia will begin their title defense on October 4 in Sylhet against one of the qualifiers. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan match, always a highlight of the tournament, is scheduled for October 6 in Sylhet.The tournament features 10 teams divided into two groups. Group A consists of Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and one qualifier, while Group B includes South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, and the other qualifier.The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, which will be held on October 17 in Sylhet and October 18 in Dhaka. The final will take place on October 20 in Dhaka.Bangladesh, which is hosting the tournament for the second time, will be eager to make a strong impression in front of their home crowd. The hosts will open their campaign on the opening day against one of the qualifiers.The Women's T20 World Cup is one of the most prestigious events in women's cricket, and the 2024 edition promises to be no exception. With a talented field of teams and a packed schedule, fans can expect plenty of thrilling matches and unforgettable moments.

South Africa's summer of cricket in 2024-25 promises to be a thrilling affair, with the Proteas hosting Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and England for a total of 17 international fixtures. The schedule includes five Test matches, three T20Is, and nine ODIs, ensuring a packed calendar of high-octane cricket.The Test series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan will form part of the World Test Championship, with the matches taking place in Durban, Gqeberha, Centurion, and Cape Town. Notably, the Wanderers in Johannesburg will miss out on hosting a Test for the second consecutive summer, leaving insiders puzzled about the decision.The women's Test against England will be played in Bloemfontein, marking the first women's Test in South Africa in over two decades. Kingsmead and St George's Park will host the Sri Lanka series, while SuperSport Park and Newlands will stage the Tests against Pakistan.The Pakistan tour will also feature three T20Is and three ODIs, with the Boxing Day Test scheduled for SuperSport Park and the New Year's Test at Newlands. The men's team will then have a break before the start of the SA20 league in February.The women's team will face England in three T20Is, three ODIs, and a Test. The Black Day ODI will raise awareness about gender-based violence, while the Test will be a historic occasion for South African women's cricket.The exact dates for the fixtures are yet to be confirmed, but the schedule promises a summer of unforgettable cricket action for fans in South Africa.

Pakistan's selectors have made significant changes to their T20 squad for the upcoming series against Ireland and England. Leg-spinner Usama Mir has been dropped, while fast bowler Haris Rauf has been recalled.The selectors, Muhammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzaq, and Wahab Riaz, emphasized that the World Cup squad will be selected based on performances in these matches. The three-match series in Ireland begins on May 10, followed by four games in England from May 22.Wahab Riaz addressed concerns about the fitness of several players, including Muhammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf, Azam Khan, and Irfan Khan Niazi. He expressed confidence that they will be fit for the upcoming matches.Regarding the recall of Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz explained that he is a backup for Haris Rauf. "If Haris is fit and performs well, he is our first choice. But if he doesn't come through, we have Hasan Ali," he said.Abdul Razzaq justified the omission of Usama Mir, stating that Pakistan already has Shadab Khan and Abrar Ahmed in the squad.Muhammad Yousuf defended the recent 2-2 result against New Zealand, emphasizing that it was the first time Pakistan fully implemented a rotation policy. He also acknowledged the need for players to be more innovative in their shot-making.Wahab Riaz highlighted the importance of removing insecurity and fear of failure from the players' minds. He emphasized that the selectors will not interfere in the captain's selection of the playing eleven.The selectors also defended Babar Azam's captaincy, expressing confidence in his improvement and experience.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that members of England's T20 World Cup squad will be unavailable for the Indian Premier League (IPL) play-offs. The decision was made to prioritize the upcoming four-match T20I series against Pakistan, which begins on May 22.The move will likely affect Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals), Phil Salt (Kolkata Knight Riders), and Moeen Ali (Chennai Super Kings). These players were informed of their selection in the provisional World Cup squad on Monday and were told that they would not be available for the IPL knockout stages.The play-offs for the IPL are scheduled to run from May 21 to May 26, directly clashing with England's Pakistan series. Other England players involved in both the World Cup squad and the IPL include Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Will Jacks, and Reece Topley.The ECB has requested that the players return to the UK on the weekend of May 18-19, which could rule them out of their respective franchises' final group-stage fixtures. The group stage concludes on May 19, and England is keen for their World Cup squad to have a few days together before their first T20I since December.England's managing director, Rob Key, explained that the decision was made to ensure that the players have sufficient preparation time for the World Cup. "We've got to the point where actually, we think it's more important that you come back at that group gets together," Key said. "You just want them to get together and spend a bit of time and build up to it."Key also revealed that Buttler had initiated the decision to return home before the end of the IPL. "I asked him very early on in the piece and said, 'Look, as England captain, you're obviously going to have this series against Pakistan. How do you see it?' And straightaway, he said, 'No, no, I want to come back and start getting ready for the World Cup in that series that's just before it.'"The ECB's decision has drawn mixed reactions. Some have praised the move, arguing that it is necessary to prioritize the national team's preparations for the World Cup. Others have expressed disappointment, as it means that some of the IPL's most exciting players will be absent from the play-offs.

Joe Root, England's Test captain, is set to make his long-awaited return to red-ball cricket for Yorkshire in the County Championship. Root, who last played for his county in May 2022, will line up against Gloucestershire in the second round of the competition.Root's return is a major boost for Yorkshire, who are aiming to return to Division One after suffering relegation in 2022. The 33-year-old is one of the most experienced and successful batsmen in the world, and his presence in the team will be a huge asset.Root's last appearance for Yorkshire came in a T20 Blast match in June 2022. He has since played in the Hundred for Trent Rockets and for England in the Ashes and India series.Root's return to Yorkshire will also be a welcome boost for England, who have a busy summer ahead of them. England will host West Indies and Sri Lanka for three-Test series, and will then travel to Pakistan and New Zealand before the end of the year.Root will be hoping to use the next month to tune up ahead of a bumper six months. He will be looking to regain his form after a disappointing tour of India, during which he scored 320 runs at 35.55.Yorkshire will be hoping to make the most of the availability of both Root and Harry Brook, who returned to action last week after missing the opening fixture against Leicestershire. Brook, who had not played since England's white-ball tour of the West Indies in December, returned to action with a crisp unbeaten 100 off just 69 deliveries.Brook's last fixture will be against Glamorgan at home, starting May 3, before taking a break ahead of England's T20 series against Pakistan that leads into the T20 World Cup.

Zak Crawley, England's leading run-scorer in the recent Test series against India, believes that the team will not abandon their aggressive approach despite their shortcomings in the subcontinent. However, he acknowledges the need for refinement to capitalize on their dominant positions.Crawley emphasized that England's faith in their attacking methods remained unwavering throughout the series, despite their eventual 4-1 defeat. He pointed to the fourth Test in Ranchi, where England squandered a significant first-innings lead, as a missed opportunity."We never really lost faith and had the same attitude," Crawley said. "We genuinely believed in ourselves and thought we could win the series. We were in all the games."Crawley expressed satisfaction with his personal performances, having emerged as England's most consistent batter with 407 runs at an average of 40.70. He attributed his improved form to a more positive mindset and a focus on smothering the spin."I am trying to embrace failure more and accepting it is part of the game," Crawley said. "So, I'm trying to stick with that."Despite his success against India's spinners, Crawley admitted that he was unable to replicate his remarkable 189-run innings from the Ashes against their seamers. However, he emphasized his confidence against pace bowling and his willingness to engage with the opposition's best bowlers."I just thought, 'there are a couple of good balls in here, I just need to put them under pressure early'," Crawley said. "I feel like a bit more pace on the ball has always suited my game a little bit more."Crawley also revealed that he had undergone laser surgery to correct his short-sightedness, which had previously required him to wear contact lenses. He believes that this has improved his ability to pick up the ball.While Crawley's series record paled in comparison to India's Yashasvi Jaiswal, he insisted that he is not driven by a desire for big scores. Instead, he focuses on staying present and playing one ball at a time."Whenever I have looked too far ahead like that, that is how you get out straight away," Crawley said. "Actually, a couple of those occasions I was thinking, 'I need to get a big score' and I wasn't in the process."Crawley believes that England need to refine their approach to absorbing pressure and putting it back on the opposition. He emphasized that the team will not become more negative but will seek to identify the right moments to absorb pressure."We always talk about absorbing pressure and putting pressure back on," Crawley said. "The last couple of years we've done the putting back on pretty well, and we've spoken about maybe picking those moments to absorb at the right times as well."

New Zealand's dramatic three-run victory over England in the third T20I kept the series alive, thanks to a captain's performance from Sophie Devine and a late collapse from the visitors.Devine led the charge with a blistering 60 off 37 balls, while Amelia Kerr contributed 44* as New Zealand posted 155 for 3. England appeared to be cruising towards victory with Maia Bouchier's 71, but Devine's dismissal of Bouchier sparked a middle-order meltdown.Kerr ran out Heather Knight and removed Amy Jones, leaving England needing eight off the last over. Suzie Bates, bowling her first over of the match, held her nerve to secure the win for New Zealand.The final over was filled with drama, as Devine's penultimate delivery looked to be a wide but was not called. England needed eight off the last ball, and Bates delivered, removing Holly Armitage and then Charlie Dean to seal the victory.Devine and Kerr had earlier laid the foundation for New Zealand's total, adding 99 for the third wicket. Devine's fifty came off 30 balls, while Kerr remained unbeaten on 44*.Bouchier gave England a strong start with her maiden T20I fifty, but her dismissal proved to be the turning point. Tammy Beaumont and Bouchier had put on 92 for the second wicket, but New Zealand's bowlers tightened their grip after Beaumont's departure.England's attack suffered a setback when Sarah Glenn was forced off the field after failing a concussion test. Her absence will be a blow, but the return of Sophie Ecclestone in the fourth match will provide some compensation.

Ravichandran Ashwin, the veteran Indian spinner, has criticized England's "Bazball" approach, calling it "defenseless cricket." Ashwin's comments come after India's 4-1 victory in the recently concluded five-match Test series against England.Ashwin took particular issue with James Anderson's claim ahead of Day 4 of the second Test that England would chase down the 399-run target within 60 overs. The result was quite different, as the visitors were bowled out and defeated comprehensively. Ashwin expressed surprise at the over-the-top statement, saying that although it was a show of positive mindset, it "went too far.""James Anderson went into a press conference in the second Test after winning the first considerably well. Much respect to them for winning that. He told the press that even if the 4th innings target was 500 or 600, we'll finish it in 60 overs. Even though it was an example of their positive mindset, it felt like they had gone too far," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.Ashwin also believes that Bazball leans more towards being a "defenseless cricket" and although Joe Root is a great player of spin, his game was also impacted due to the style of cricket."The one thing I understood after the first Test is that Bazball isn't just aggressive cricket. It is defenseless cricket. They aren't going to play a defensive shot at all. They are going to get out if they play defense. To my surprise, Joe Root also agreed to their game plan. Because if you take world cricket's vest defense rankings, Root is an easy number 1 on that list against spin. He also bought into their approach," he said.On the second day of the Rajkot Test match, Ashwin dismissed England's Zak Crawley to pocket his 500th Test scalp. Before him, only Anil Kumble reached the milestone among Indians. He became the ninth bowler worldwide to take 500 wickets. However, hours after the feat, Ashwin went through a traumatic experience for which he had to leave the squad on an immediate basis."Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the Test squad, effective immediately due to a family medical emergency. In these challenging times, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the team fully supports Ashwin," said BCCI in its release. Reports said Ashwin's mother Chitra had suffered a medical emergency.Now, Ashwin has revealed how exactly thing transpired. "We went to the dressing room for another debrief and then back to our rooms. Rohit, me, and others were just discussing some things about the match here and there.""That is when I realized I was not getting calls from my parents or wife. I thought they were busy attending calls and giving interviews. I called my wife around 7 PM, asking why my parents weren't answering my call. Her voice was a bit shaky. She asked me to come separately from the crowd and told me that my mother collapsed after a headache," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel."I blanked out. I did not know how to react or what questions to ask. I was crying but wanted to ensure nobody was watching me cry. It is unnecessary to think of it that way, but it was instinctive. I could not think. I was crying in my room for some time.""Then, the team physio checked on me as I was not picking up calls. Rahul Bhai and Rohit Bhai also came to check on me, and all I could tell them was that I could not think clearly," he added.

India's recent Test victory over England in Dharamshala marked a significant milestone in the team's history. For the first time, India's overall win-loss ratio in Test cricket reached 1.0, meaning the number of wins now matches the number of losses.This achievement highlights India's remarkable transformation from a team that struggled in overseas conditions to a formidable force in both home and away Tests. The team's success can be attributed to several factors, including the emergence of world-class spinners like Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, R. Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja.India's home record has been particularly impressive. Since the 1990s, the team has dominated at home, with a win-loss ratio of over 3.0. This dominance is largely due to the preparation of spin-friendly wickets, which have favored India's skilled spinners.In recent years, India has also made significant strides in away Tests. The team's win-loss ratio in away Tests has improved from 0.24 in the 1990s to 0.9 in the 2020s. This improvement is due to a combination of factors, including a more balanced bowling attack and a strong batting line-up.India's success in Test cricket is a testament to the team's hard work, dedication, and talent. The team's ability to adapt to different conditions and overcome challenges has made them one of the most respected and feared teams in the world.