Cricket

England's Phil Salt Shines with Unbeaten Century in T20I Series Opener Victory over West IndiesIn the opening match of the five-match T20I series in Barbados, England secured an impressive eight-wicket victory over West Indies on Saturday, thanks to a scintillating century from opener Phil Salt.Batting first, West Indies posted a challenging total of 183 runs, with Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd contributing crucial runs in the latter stages of the innings. However, England's chase was anchored by Salt's unbeaten 103 off just 54 deliveries, which included six towering sixes.Salt's innings was a masterclass in power-hitting, as he dominated the West Indies bowling attack. He was ably supported by Jacob Bethell, who made his T20I debut and contributed a valuable 50 runs.England's victory was also aided by the return of Saqib Mahmood, who impressed with figures of 3 for 24. Mahmood's wickets helped restrict West Indies' scoring and put England in a strong position.Despite an aggressive batting approach, West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals. A ninth-wicket partnership of 49 runs between Shepherd and Motie provided some late impetus, but it was not enough to prevent England from securing a comfortable victory.England captain Jos Buttler, returning from injury, was dismissed for a golden duck in his first match since November. However, Salt's heroics ensured that England's batting lineup remained unfazed.With the win, England takes a 1-0 lead in the series. The two teams will meet again at the same venue on Sunday, with England aiming to extend their advantage and West Indies looking to level the series.

In the decisive third ODI of the series, West Indies captain Shai Hope opted to bowl first after winning the toss at Kensington Oval. Both teams were eager to secure a rare ODI series victory.West Indies made two changes to their lineup, bringing in Romario Shepherd and Alzarri Joseph in place of Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph. Hope expressed uncertainty about the playing surface, stating, "We're not sure what we're going to get. Got to assess the conditions as a bowling group and put them under pressure."England also made two changes, with Reece Topley and Jamie Overton replacing John Turner and Saqib Mahmood. Overton, who has been playing as a specialist batter, was seen marking out his run-up before the toss. England captain Liam Livingstone echoed Hope's sentiments, saying he would have also chosen to bowl.West Indies had taken a 1-0 lead in the series with a rain-affected victory in the first ODI in Antigua. However, England bounced back in the second match, chasing down 329 at the same ground.Both teams have had limited bilateral ODI cricket in the past year. West Indies defeated England 2-1 in December, but subsequent series losses in Australia and Sri Lanka have hindered their progress in the rankings. England's last series win came against Ireland in September 2023.

Rohit Sharma's Emotional Moment: Eating Soil from T20 World Cup PitchIn the aftermath of India's thrilling victory over South Africa in the T20 World Cup final, captain Rohit Sharma displayed an unexpected gesture that captured the emotions of the moment. As the celebrations unfolded at the Kensington Oval, Rohit walked to the pitch, knelt down, and picked up a speck of soil from the track, which he then ate.This act, reminiscent of tennis legend Novak Djokovic's habit of eating grass from the Wimbledon centre court, sparked curiosity and speculation. However, Rohit clarified that his move was not premeditated but rather an instinctive expression of his feelings."Nothing was scripted; it was all coming instinctively," Rohit said in a video recorded by the BCCI. "I was feeling the moment."The India captain explained that the pitch held special significance for him and his team. "That pitch gave us this (T20 World Cup), we played on that particular pitch and we won the game on that particular ground," he said. "I will remember that ground and that pitch forever in my life. So I wanted to have a piece of it with me."Rohit's emotional outburst reflected the immense joy and relief that the team felt after their hard-fought victory. India had come back from a precarious position, with South Africa needing just 30 runs from 30 balls to win. But crucial blows from Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, aided by Suryakumar Yadav's stunning catch, turned the tide in India's favor."The feeling actually is surreal," Rohit said. "I would say it still hasn't sunk in totally. It's been a great moment, right from when the game got over till now. It feels like a dream...Although it has happened, it feels like it hasn't happened."The skipper revealed that the team celebrated their victory late into the night. "Last night, we were having a good time, had a blast with the teammates till very early morning," he said. "So I would say I didn't sleep properly, but that's absolutely fine for me."Rohit also announced his retirement from T20Is at the post-match press conference, a decision that followed Virat Kohli's similar announcement. "Like I said, this moment was very, very special for all of us, and I want to live it, each moment, each minute, each second that is passing by, I want to make the most of it," Rohit concluded, with the T20 World Cup trophy by his side.

India Skipper Rohit Sharma Praises Kensington Oval Pitch After Tough Group StageIndian skipper Rohit Sharma expressed satisfaction with the pitch at Kensington Oval in Barbados, a stark contrast to the challenging conditions faced by the team at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York during the Group stage of the T20 World Cup.In their opening Super 8 stage game against Afghanistan, Rohit opted to bat first after winning the toss, marking the first time India chose to bat first in the tournament. Assessing the pitch, Rohit anticipated that it might slow down as the match progressed."We are going to bat first. Looks alright at this moment, looks a good track. No grass on the pitch, I guess it will get slower. It's better than New York. We have to adapt to the conditions quickly," Rohit said after the toss.India made a strategic change to their Playing XI, bringing in left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav in place of pacer Mohammed Siraj. Rohit emphasized the importance of adapting to the conditions and expressed confidence in the team's ability to perform well at Kensington Oval."We have been here for a couple of days, we have played a lot of cricket. It's about understanding what we need to do in conditions like these. It's an early start. Usually start in the evening elsewhere. We enjoy playing here. We have made one change, Kuldeep comes in for Siraj," Rohit added.The Kensington Oval pitch offers a more favorable surface for batting compared to the challenging conditions in New York, providing India with a better opportunity to showcase their batting prowess. Rohit's positive assessment of the pitch bodes well for the team as they aim to secure a victory in their opening Super 8 stage match.

The highly anticipated clash between defending champions England and the formidable Australian team at the T20 World Cup promises to be a thrilling encounter. The match, a rematch of the 2010 World T20 final, carries significant historical weight and has the potential to shape the tournament's outcome.England, under the leadership of Jos Buttler, aims to become the first team to retain the trophy. However, they face pressure after a rain-affected draw against Scotland in their opener. A loss to Australia could jeopardize their Super 8 prospects.Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, seeks to add to England's woes. They have a strong head-to-head record in T20s, having won six of the last seven completed encounters. Despite a batting wobble against Oman, the experience of David Warner and Marcus Stoinis proved crucial.The match will be played on a new surface at Kensington Oval, which has produced varying results for batting. The conditions may favor teams that adapt quickly to the pitch.Key players to watch include Glenn Maxwell, who has struggled for form recently, and Jos Buttler, who needs a strong performance to silence critics.Australia's probable XI: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (capt), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis (wk), Tim David, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis/Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh HazlewoodEngland's probable XI: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (capt & wk), Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley/Mark WoodEngland holds a slight edge in the overall T20I head-to-head with Australia, but Australia has won the last two T20 World Cup encounters.

England, the defending T20 World Cup champions, will kick off their title defense against Scotland at the historic Kensington Oval in Barbados. The match marks the first-ever meeting between the two nations in the shortest format of the game.England enters the tournament with mixed form in white-ball cricket. After winning the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, they endured a disappointing ODI World Cup campaign in India, finishing seventh. Their struggles continued with a series of defeats to West Indies in both the 50-over and 20-over formats.However, England has fond memories of Kensington Oval, where they won their first-ever T20 World Cup title in 2010 under Paul Collingwood's captaincy. They will be hoping to replicate that success in this year's tournament.Scotland, on the other hand, will be making their debut in the T20 World Cup. They qualified for the tournament by winning the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.England will be the overwhelming favorites in this match. They have a star-studded lineup led by Jos Buttler, who is in excellent form after a successful Indian Premier League campaign. Phil Salt, who was in red-hot form for Punjab Kings in the IPL, will be looking to continue his momentum.Scotland will need to play out of their skins to upset England. They will be relying on their experienced players, such as Kyle Coetzer, Richie Berrington, and Calum MacLeod, to lead the way.The match is expected to be a close contest, with both teams having their strengths and weaknesses. England will be looking to start their title defense with a win, while Scotland will be determined to make a statement on their World Cup debut.

England, the reigning T20 World Cup champions, will kick off their title defense against Scotland on the same Kensington Oval pitch that witnessed a thrilling 218-run shootout between Namibia and Oman. Despite being heavy favorites, England faces a potential challenge on a slow, low surface that could hinder their batting.England captain Jos Buttler emphasized the importance of adaptability and assessing conditions on the spot, rather than relying on preconceived notions. However, the evidence from Sunday's match suggests that the pitch may offer variable bounce and sticky conditions, making it difficult for batters to score consistently.Namibia's victory over Oman highlighted the challenges of the pitch, with wickets falling in clusters. Spinners Bernard Scholtz and Gerhard Erasmus exploited the low bounce to trap batters lbw, while Oman seamer Mehran Khan dismissed Jan Frylinck with a grubber that deflected off his pad.David Wiese, Namibia's match-winner in the Super Over, described the pitch as "difficult to start on the whole time," adding that "once you got wickets, you got wickets in clusters." Oman's ex-captain Zeeshan Maqsood attributed the pitch's behavior to Saturday's rain in Barbados.Buttler acknowledged that England has played several matches at Kensington Oval in recent years, but stressed the need to be prepared for any conditions. He emphasized the importance of communication and quick assessment of conditions to determine a winning score.England has enlisted the services of Kieron Pollard as a consultant coach for the World Cup. Pollard has shared his insights on the impact of crosswinds in the Caribbean, which Buttler believes will be a factor in team selection and batting combinations.Buttler expressed confidence in his squad, citing their recent 2-0 series win over Pakistan. He acknowledged the expectations to beat Scotland comfortably but emphasized the importance of bringing intensity and focus to the match.Buttler declined to reveal England's starting XI for the opening match, highlighting the team's depth and versatility. He stated that England has "lots of really good options" and will select the best combination for the conditions.