Cricket

Pakistan cricket has been in a state of turmoil following a string of disappointing performances in major tournaments. The team's struggles have been attributed to a combination of factors, including poor player form and administrative changes within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).One of the most criticized players has been captain Babar Azam, who has failed to live up to expectations as both a batsman and a leader. Azam's poor form was evident during the recent ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup, where he failed to produce any significant knocks.To add insult to injury, a video has emerged on social media showing Azam struggling against Ubaid Shah, the younger brother of star pacer Naseem Shah. The video highlights Azam's current lack of form and has raised further questions about his ability to lead the team.Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has been among the most vocal critics of Azam, stating that he has been given ample opportunities to prove himself but has failed to deliver. Afridi believes that the PCB should consider making changes to the captaincy if the team's performance does not improve.The PCB has also come under fire for its handling of the team's recent struggles. The board has made several changes to the coaching staff and management, but these moves have yet to yield positive results.As Pakistan prepares for a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, the pressure is mounting on Azam and the PCB to turn things around. The team desperately needs a strong performance to restore confidence and silence the growing chorus of criticism.

Former Indian cricketer and renowned commentator Aakash Chopra has highlighted the crucial task facing newly appointed Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir: ensuring a seamless transition after the 2025 Champions Trophy. With Indian captain Rohit Sharma and batting stalwart Virat Kohli approaching the twilight of their careers, Chopra believes Gambhir must determine their future roles in the ODI setup leading up to the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.Gambhir, who officially took over from Rahul Dravid after India's triumph at the 2024 T20 World Cup, inherits a legacy of success left by his predecessor. Chopra emphasized the importance of maintaining and building upon this legacy, particularly in the 50-over format."ODI cricket will be a 50-50 situation," Chopra said. "What happens after the Champions Trophy? The next World Cup is in 2027, so the transition will start after the Champions Trophy itself. He will have to figure it out."Chopra acknowledged the delicate balance Gambhir must strike between phasing out the experienced players and nurturing the next generation. However, he noted that the retirements of Kohli, Rohit, and Ravindra Jadeja from T20I cricket have eased some of the pressure on Gambhir in the shortest format."India have reached the finals of the last three ICC events," Chopra said. "Dravid has left behind a fantastic legacy. Rohit Sharma also wrote a huge post about that legacy. Maintaining and taking the legacy forward will be a challenging task (for Gambhir)."Gambhir's first assignment as India coach will be a white-ball series against Sri Lanka in late July. The series will provide an early indication of his approach and the direction he intends to take the team.

Lauren Bell's maiden international five-wicket haul sealed a 3-0 sweep for England in their ODI series against New Zealand. The 23-year-old seamer has been working on remodeling her bowling action, which has led to an ability to swing the ball both ways.Bell's journey to this breakthrough has been challenging. After returning from England's tour of New Zealand earlier this year, she was tasked with bowling more upright. This change has been tricky to implement while playing on the international stage, but Bell has persevered with the support of her team-mates and coaching staff."It's been a tricky few months, so yeah, it was nice to come out of today with some real success, it was a great day," Bell said. "I got back from the series in New Zealand and we just thought to push my career on, make me a better bowler, we'd changed a few things with my action.""But obviously when you bowl a certain way for however long, it has been tricky. I don't really have a training block, I've just been playing, but it's definitely for the best in the long term and I guess today shows that it is going to push me forward. But yeah, it is obviously hard doing it on an international stage."Bell's wickets on Wednesday came from a back-of-a-length, top-of-the-stumps approach. However, she believes that her new action will allow her to be more versatile in the future."I fell away a lot, and so we thought if we could get me more upright, it'd be safer. It means I can bowl more and it means I should be quicker and from being taller I get more bounce," she explained. "So it came from that point of view initially, to add pace to my bowling, pace and bounce, and leading me to be more upright allowed me to then be able to swing it both ways."Bell's bowling coach, Matt Mason, has been a key figure in her development. "I think he would've felt like a proud dad today," Bell said. "There's been tears, there's been drama, there's been disagreements. We work really closely and he's put in a lot of time to get me here."Bell is confident that her new action will help her become a more effective bowler in the long run. "I've gone a long time not really having to think much about how I bowl. Now, my change in action, I very much have to concentrate on it, so I've learned that I need to focus and I've got a couple of cues that help me with that. I reset every ball and I focus in on my cues. It is a bit of a routine that I've picked up in the last couple of months that I think will take me a long way, especially in pressure situations."

England, the reigning world champions, have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand. In the third and final ODI at Bristol, England captain Heather Knight won the toss and opted to field first.Despite heavy rain earlier in the day, the toss proceeded as scheduled. However, a downpour immediately followed, forcing the covers to be reapplied and delaying the start of play.England made three changes to their lineup, giving opportunities to Sophia Dunkley, Sarah Glenn, and Lauren Bell. Dunkley replaced Danni Wyatt, Glenn replaced Sophie Ecclestone, and Bell replaced Lauren Filer.New Zealand also made two changes, bringing in Hannah Rowe and Eden Carson for Jess Kerr and Fran Jonas.England's batting lineup features Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophia Dunkley, Amy Jones, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn, Kate Cross, and Lauren Bell.New Zealand's batting lineup consists of Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Lauren Down, Isabella Gaze, Hannah Rowe, Molly Penfold, and Eden Carson.The match is currently underway, with New Zealand batting first. England will be looking to complete a clean sweep of the series, while New Zealand will be aiming to salvage some pride.

England captain Heather Knight opted to field first after winning the toss in the second ODI against New Zealand in Worcester. The hosts, buoyed by their dominant nine-wicket victory in the series opener, aimed to secure the series with a game to spare.England welcomed back experienced seamer Kate Cross, who missed the first ODI due to an abdominal strain. Alice Capsey also returned to the side, while Nat Sciver-Brunt was deemed fit enough to shoulder more bowling responsibilities. Sarah Glenn and Lauren Bell were the players to make way.New Zealand made a solitary change to their lineup, bringing in Lauren Down for Hannah Rowe. Down, who recently returned from maternity leave, slotted into the batting order at No. 7.England:1. Tammy Beaumont2. Maia Bouchier3. Heather Knight (capt)4. Nat Sciver-Brunt5. Danni Wyatt6. Amy Jones (wk)7. Alice Capsey8. Charlie Dean9. Sophie Ecclestone10. Kate Cross11. Lauren FilerNew Zealand:1. Suzie Bates2. Georgia Plimmer3. Amelia Kerr4. Sophie Devine (capt)5. Maddy Green6. Brooke Halliday7. Lauren Down8. Isabella Gaze (wk)9. Jess Kerr10. Molly Penfold11. Fran JonesThe match marked the first time that England had fielded an all-female umpiring team in an international fixture. Claire Polosak, Sue Redfern, and Jasmine Naeem took charge of the proceedings.

England's emphatic nine-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI of their series showcased the ruthless and dominant approach the hosts are striving for. After a summer of ODI and T20I victories against Pakistan, England lacked a decisive edge, but they crushed the White Ferns with clinical precision.Charlie Dean's four-wicket haul (4/38) restricted New Zealand to a modest 156, while Tammy Beaumont (76*) and Maia Bouchier (67) chased down the target with ease, reaching 137 in just 106 deliveries. The spinners, Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, and Sarah Glenn, combined for seven wickets, demonstrating England's all-round dominance.Beaumont emphasized the team's desire to convert their victories into more emphatic statements, aligning with their "inspire and entertain" mantra. "We want to be ruthless and put on a show," she said. "We want to enjoy our cricket, show off our skills, and win games of cricket."England's performance highlighted their depth of talent, with Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Danni Wyatt remaining unused. Alice Capsey and Sophia Dunkley were omitted from the starting XI, despite Dunkley's impressive return to the squad.Beaumont acknowledged the increased competition for places, particularly for herself and Kate Cross, who are on the fringes of T20I selection. However, she expressed her newfound freedom compared to last year's Ashes, where she felt pressure to perform consistently.New Zealand face a significant challenge in bouncing back, having lost both the T20 and ODI series against England earlier this year. Georgia Plimmer's unfortunate run-out prevented a potential partnership, while only Brooke Halliday's half-century stood out for the White Ferns.

Sri Lanka's women's cricket team secured a historic victory over West Indies in the first ODI of their three-match series in Hambantota on Saturday. The hosts triumphed by six wickets, marking their first ODI win against the Caribbean side since 2015.West Indies, sent in to bat, made a promising start with a 68-run partnership between Hayley Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle. However, the introduction of left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari proved pivotal. Kumari broke the second-wicket stand in the 19th over, triggering a collapse that saw West Indies lose their last eight wickets for just 120 runs.Matthews top-scored for West Indies with 38, while Stafanie Taylor contributed 33. Kumari and Kavisha Dilhari were the standout bowlers for Sri Lanka, claiming three wickets each.In response, Sri Lanka's top five batters played with composure and determination. Captain Chamari Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne laid the foundation with an 88-run opening partnership. After a brief wobble that saw Sri Lanka lose three wickets for 13 runs, Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera steadied the ship.Samarawickrama remained unbeaten on 44, while Perera scored 43 as the pair put on a crucial 63-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Afy Fletcher picked up a late consolation wicket for West Indies, but it was too little too late as Sri Lanka cruised to victory with six wickets in hand.The win gives Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second ODI will be played on Monday, July 11, at the same venue.

Sophia Dunkley has earned a recall to England's ODI squad for the upcoming home series against New Zealand, marking a significant turnaround after losing her place in the top order during the winter tour of New Zealand.Dunkley's return to the 50-over setup is a testament to her impressive performances for South East Stars in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, where she is the competition's leading run-scorer with 293 runs at an average of 97.66 and a strike rate of 83.00. She has also scored two half-centuries in the Charlotte Edwards Cup T20 competition.England Women's head coach Jon Lewis praised Dunkley's recent form, saying, "Her performance across the domestic game has been outstanding and she earned the right to be back in this squad through performance."Dunkley's recall comes after a challenging period where she failed to reach double figures in three T20I and one ODI innings in New Zealand. However, Lewis had challenged her to rediscover her best cricket and she has responded with a string of strong performances.Despite facing competition from the likes of Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Danni Wyatt, and Alice Capsey, Dunkley will be eager to regain a regular berth in the upper order. England's Nat Sciver-Brunt was the only stand-out performer in the ODIs against Pakistan, which England won 2-0.England's seam attack will be led by Kate Cross and Lauren Bell, with exciting quick Lauren Filer also included. The spin department will feature Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, and Charlie Dean.During their tour of New Zealand earlier this year, England won the T20I series 4-1 and the ODIs 2-1. England are yet to name their T20I squad for a five-match series with New Zealand immediately after the ODIs.

Sri Lanka's ODI ambitions remain undeterred despite missing out on the Super League and the Champions Trophy. Head coach Chris Silverwood emphasizes that representing the country is motivation enough for the team, especially against a competitive Bangladesh side.The rivalry between the two teams intensified during the recent T20I series, with gestures and verbal exchanges adding fuel to the fire. However, Silverwood acknowledges that the rivalry has fostered a healthy competitive edge.Sri Lanka is in the early stages of a new ODI cycle and has made a promising start with series wins against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. Silverwood aims to build on this momentum and establish a distinct style of play leading up to the next World Cup.The return of Pathum Nissanka, who recently became the first Sri Lankan to score an ODI double century, is a major boost for the team. Silverwood praises Nissanka's exceptional contributions and consistency.Another player to watch is Kamindu Mendis, who has impressed with his ambidextrous batting and ambitious stroke play. Mendis has seized his opportunities and is now vying for a permanent berth in the team.Silverwood highlights the importance of individual contributions and the team's collective effort in putting up big scores and executing their skills effectively.