Cricket

South Africa's white-ball squad for their upcoming tour of the UAE has been announced, with several first-choice players rested as the team prepares for the Champions Trophy.Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Tabraiz Shamsi, David Miller, and Heinrich Klaasen will all be absent from the ODI and T20I squads. Instead, the management has opted to widen the player pool and give opportunities to fringe players.Allrounder Jason Smith, who made his T20I debut in the West Indies last month, has been given a maiden ODI call-up. Legspinner Nqabayomzi Peter, who has recovered from a shoulder injury, has also been included in the ODI squad.21-year-old seam-bowling allrounder Andile Simelane has been named in both the ODI and T20I squads against Afghanistan. He has been part of South Africa Emerging and 'A' sides recently.Lungi Ngidi, who suffered a right calf injury during the Caribbean tour, has recovered and is expected to lead the attack. However, Quinton de Kock, who has not confirmed his retirement from T20Is, does not feature.Kwena Maphaka, who made his debut against West Indies, has not been included as he completes his final school examinations. Donovan Ferreira is the only other player from the West Indies T20I series who will not be on this tour, while Matthew Breetzke has been included in the T20I squad.Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, and Simelane are part of the ODI squad against Afghanistan, but not for the ODIs against Ireland. Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickelton are present only for the Ireland ODIs."We have decided to give opportunities to some of the fringe players as well as those who have impressed in recent weeks and months," said Rob Walter, South Africa's white-ball coach. "This has been a deliberate move from management, in line with our goal of building a wider pool of players to choose from, as we prepare for the major ICC tournaments taking place over the next 18 months, with a long-term view on the 50-over World Cup in 2027."

England's Kate Cross led her team to a thrilling four-wicket victory over Ireland in the first ODI at Stormont, showcasing her exceptional all-round abilities.Cross, captaining England for the first time, played a pivotal role in restricting Ireland to 210 all out. She claimed career-best figures of 6 for 30, including the wicket of Ireland's top-scorer, Orla Prendergast, who made 76. Cross's impressive bowling display included her second ODI five-wicket haul.Ireland had opted to bat first and were in a strong position at 151 for 3, with Prendergast anchoring the innings. However, Cross's return to the attack proved decisive. She broke the partnership between Prendergast and Leah Paul, and then proceeded to dismantle the Irish tail.England's chase got off to a shaky start as Ireland's bowlers reduced them to 156 for 6. But Cross stepped up once again, hitting an unbeaten 38 that included the winning runs. She was ably supported by Hollie Armitage, who made 44, and Paige Scholfield, who contributed 38.Ireland's total of 210 was their highest in women's ODIs against England, but Cross's heroics with both bat and ball proved too much for the hosts. England reached their target with 91 balls to spare, securing a comfortable victory.

Ireland's Orla Prendergast orchestrated a remarkable victory over Sri Lanka in the first ODI in Dublin, showcasing her all-around brilliance with a match-winning century and crucial wickets.Chasing a challenging target of 261, Ireland faced an early setback with the loss of Gaby Lewis. However, Prendergast and Sarah Forbes steadied the innings with a 49-run partnership. Hunter contributed 42 runs before Prendergast took center stage.Prendergast's innings was a masterclass in composure and determination. She reached her half-century off 57 balls and kept the scoreboard ticking despite losing partners at the other end. In the final three overs, Ireland needed 30 runs with only three wickets remaining.Prendergast rose to the occasion, smashing two fours and a six off Kavisha Dilhari in the 48th over. Her century, off 97 balls, brought Ireland within sight of victory. She fittingly hit the winning single in the final over, securing a memorable three-wicket triumph.Earlier, Sri Lanka's Vishmi Gunaratne had set the tone with a maiden ODI century. She shared a 122-run partnership with Hasini Perera, who contributed 46 runs. However, Prendergast's three wickets, including the crucial dismissal of Athapaththu, kept Sri Lanka in check.Alana Dalzell and Jane Maguire also chipped in with two wickets each, restricting Sri Lanka to a competitive but ultimately insufficient total.Prendergast's unbeaten 122 is the second-highest score while batting at No. 4 or lower in a women's ODI chase. Her all-round performance earned her the Player of the Match award.This victory marks Ireland's first successful chase of over 200 in ODIs and their first ODI win over Sri Lanka in five attempts. It is a testament to the growing strength of Irish women's cricket and the exceptional talent of Orla Prendergast.

Zimbabwe's erratic bowling and fielding gifted Ireland a 40-run lead in the first Test in Belfast. Peter Moor, a former Zimbabwean, tormented his former team with a record-breaking 79, the highest Test score by an Ireland opener.Zimbabwe's bowlers struggled to contain Moor and his opening partner Andrew Balbirnie, who set a new Ireland record for the highest opening partnership of 71. Moor's innings was characterized by his aggressive square drives, helping Ireland reach 115 for 2 at lunch.However, Zimbabwe's fortunes turned after the break. Tanaka Chivanga and Blessing Muzarabani claimed three wickets each, including the prized scalp of Moor. Paul Stirling survived a no-ball but failed to capitalize, as Muzarabani triggered a collapse with two wickets in two balls.Ireland's middle order crumbled, with Sean Williams and Victor Nyauchi also contributing to the wickets. Zimbabwe seemed poised to take a first-innings lead, but a defiant tenth-wicket partnership between Andy McBrine and debutant Matthew Humphreys denied them.The pair counterattacked after a rain break, smashing 47 runs in 44 balls. Zimbabwe's wicketkeeper Clive Madande endured a challenging day, dropping catches and conceding a record-breaking 59 extras, the most in Test history.Despite their poor bowling and fielding, Zimbabwe's openers, Kevin Kasuza and Takudzwanashe Kaitano, showed resilience in the final session, adding 12 runs before stumps. Ireland's lead remains a modest 28 runs, but Zimbabwe will need to improve their discipline and execution to avoid a deficit.

Pakistan's T20 World Cup campaign ended in disappointment as they crashed out of the tournament despite a consolation victory over Ireland. Captain Babar Azam expressed regret over the team's mistakes in crucial matches against India and the United States.Babar played a key role in Pakistan's chase of 107 against Ireland, remaining unbeaten on 32. However, the pursuit was far from smooth, with Pakistan nearly squandering the opportunity to secure the win."We made few mistakes in the matches against the USA and India. When you lose wickets, the pressure is on you," Babar said. "We couldn't finish off close games, and as a team we weren't good."Pakistan's tournament started with defeats against India and the USA, but they managed to bounce back with wins against Canada and Ireland. Despite the early setbacks, Babar expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, particularly their ability to conclude the tournament on a positive note."We took early wickets with the ball. But with the bat, we didn't finish well. We lost back-to-back wickets, but got over the line in the end."Babar acknowledged that Pakistan need to bounce back swiftly from this setback. However, he remained uncertain about his future as the team's skipper."Let's see, what team needs, I'll be okay with it. We have a good bunch of players, we've to go home, chat and see where we lacked, and then come back," he added.Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who received the player of the match award, admitted that throughout the tournament, the team failed to exhibit the appropriate style of cricket that was expected of them."We haven't played the kind of cricket our country demands, have a few areas to improve on. It's tough (the result)," said Afridi.Ireland captain Paul Stirling admitted that the team struggled to find the optimal combination of players throughout the tournament."It's getting that balance right. T20...we probably haven't got that this time around. It's been a difficult couple of weeks. We'll go back, regroup and see if we can come back stronger," he noted.

Pakistan, led by Babar Azam, opted to field first in their final T20 World Cup match against Ireland in Lauderhill, Florida. The match marked the only T20 World Cup game to be played in Florida during this tournament.Pakistan made one change to their lineup, bringing in fast bowler Abbas Afridi for Naseem Shah. Ireland also made a single substitution, with Ben White replacing Craig Young.Both teams' hopes of advancing to the Super Eight stage were dashed after the washout between USA and Ireland confirmed the hosts' qualification. Pakistan had only one victory, against Canada, while Ireland remained winless after losses to India and Canada.Pakistan's batting lineup featured Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Amir.Ireland's batting order included Andy Balbirnie, Paul Stirling, Lorcan Tucker, Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Josh Little, and Ben White.The match commenced with Ireland batting first, aiming to post a competitive total against Pakistan's formidable bowling attack. Pakistan, on the other hand, sought to restrict Ireland's scoring and secure a victory to end their tournament on a positive note.

Pakistan and Ireland will face off in their final match of the 2024 T20 World Cup, with both teams eliminated from contention for the Super 8 stage. Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping to salvage some pride after a disappointing tournament.Pakistan has endured a dismal campaign, losing to India, South Africa, and New Zealand. Former players have called for changes to the team and captaincy, but Azam remains determined to finish on a high note. "As a professional, you need to prepare for every match. We'll look to play our best today," he said.Ireland, meanwhile, is seeking its first win of the tournament. They lost to India and Canada and had their match against the USA washed out due to rain. Captain Paul Stirling is eager to end the tournament on a positive note.The match is a dead rubber, but both teams will be keen to prove their worth. Pakistan will be looking to build momentum for future tournaments, while Ireland will be hoping to gain valuable experience.

Ahead of their crucial clash against Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Ireland coach Heinrich Malan expressed his concerns about the tournament's unpredictable nature. Ireland currently languishes at the bottom of Group A, having managed only one point from three matches. Their hopes of reaching the Super Eights have already been dashed.Malan admitted that the team's preparation has been hampered by a lack of training sessions since arriving in Florida. "We haven't trained at all since we've been down in Florida the last week," he said. "We've been having our unit meetings and preparation meetings, but we've had to rely on the plans we executed back home."Despite the challenges, Malan remains optimistic about his team's chances against Pakistan. "We played them a couple of weeks ago back home in Ireland," he said. "We can piggyback on that performance and hopefully do well again tomorrow."Malan also acknowledged the unusual nature of this World Cup. "It's been a pretty weird World Cup," he said. "We've tried to keep the lads busy as much as we can, but it's been a challenge from a preparation point of view."Despite their struggles, Ireland will be determined to end their tournament on a high note against Pakistan. They will need to produce a strong performance to avoid finishing bottom of their group.

Match 36 of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 pits Pakistan, currently ranked third in the points table, against Ireland, who sit in fifth place. The two teams will face off at the Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida on June 16th, 2024, at 08:00 PM IST.Pakistan has won three of their four matches so far, while Ireland has won one and lost one. In their last encounter, Pakistan defeated Canada by seven wickets, with Mohammad Rizwan emerging as the top fantasy player with 85 points. Ireland, on the other hand, lost to Canada by 12 runs, with Mark Adair being their top fantasy performer with 76 points.Pakistan will be relying on their star players, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan. Afridi, a left-arm pacer, has taken two wickets in his last two matches and will be looking to continue his wicket-taking form. Azam, the captain, has scored 90 runs in his last three outings and will be crucial to Pakistan's batting success. Rizwan, a wicketkeeper-batter, has scored 93 runs in the current World Cup and will be aiming to contribute both with the bat and behind the stumps.Ireland will be hoping for strong performances from Mark Richard Adair, Gareth James Delany, and Curtis Campher. Adair, a bowling all-rounder, has taken two wickets and scored 37 runs in this World Cup. Delany, a leg-break googly bowler, has taken one wicket and scored 29 runs in his past two matches. Campher, a batting all-rounder, has scored only 16 runs in this World Cup but will be looking to make an impact against Pakistan.The match promises to be an exciting contest between two evenly matched teams. Pakistan will be the favorites, but Ireland will be determined to pull off an upset and improve their chances of reaching the knockout stages.