Cricket

The highly anticipated second semi-final of the T20 World Cup between India and England at the Providence Stadium in Guyana is under threat due to inclement weather. The capital of Guyana, Georgetown, has experienced heavy rainfall in recent days, raising concerns about the match's viability.The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not allocated a reserve day for the high-stakes clash, which has drawn criticism from fans. The decision was made to ensure that players have adequate rest before the final in Barbados, which is scheduled just a day after the semi-final."For performance reasons, to ensure teams do not have to 'play-travel-play' on consecutive days, the decision was taken to allocate the additional time for the second semi-final immediately post the game," an ICC spokesperson explained.Despite the lack of a reserve day, the ICC has allotted an additional 250 minutes to complete the match in case of rain interruptions. If the match is reduced to a 10-overs-a-side affair, the cut-off time for a result is 1.44 AM IST (4:14 AM local time).India will be eager to avenge their 10-wicket defeat to England in the semi-final of the 2022 edition. The team has been in impressive form throughout the tournament, winning all their matches except for the abandoned fixture against Canada.England, on the other hand, has had a mixed campaign, with both impressive victories and unexpected losses. They have fought hard to reach the semi-finals and will be determined to upset India.The weather forecast remains uncertain, and fans will be anxiously monitoring the situation in the lead-up to the match. If rain does intervene, it could have a significant impact on the outcome of the tournament.

Afghanistan's historic journey in the T20 World Cup 2024 culminated in a bittersweet semi-final defeat to South Africa. Despite securing their maiden semi-final berth, the Afghan team expressed disappointment and a determination to improve.Head coach Jonathan Trott acknowledged the challenges of playing back-to-back matches with limited rest, but emphasized that it was not an excuse for their performance. He praised the team's resilience and fighting spirit throughout the tournament, but admitted that they were outplayed in the semi-final.Trott highlighted the need for the batters to learn from the experience and develop strategies for playing on difficult pitches against strong bowling attacks. He emphasized that the team's overall achievement should not be overshadowed by the semi-final defeat, but that it should serve as a catalyst for improvement.The Afghan players expressed a sense of hurt and disappointment after the loss. They acknowledged the sacrifices made by the entire team and felt that they had not given a good account of themselves. However, they remained proud of their accomplishments and vowed to work on their weaknesses.Trott emphasized the importance of identifying reliable batters who can consistently deliver in pressure situations. He expressed confidence that the team could become more competitive in the future by addressing these areas of improvement.

The highly anticipated first semi-final of the 2024 T20 World Cup between South Africa and Afghanistan commenced with a thrilling start. Afghanistan, after winning the toss, opted to bat first on a fresh pitch that promised both spin and seam.South Africa's Marco Jansen struck early, dismissing the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the first over. However, Gulbadin Naib responded with a crisp boundary off Jansen, followed by a four off Keshav Maharaj. Ibrahim Zadran also contributed with a boundary, giving Afghanistan a solid start.Maharaj, introduced into the attack, bowled with accuracy, keeping the Afghan batters in check. Naib, however, continued to impress, pulling a boundary through mid-on. Zadran also showed his class, lofting Maharaj over mid-on for another four.As the innings progressed, Afghanistan's middle order struggled to find momentum. Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi were dismissed cheaply, leaving the onus on the lower order. Karim Janat and Rashid Khan provided some resistance, but South Africa's bowlers maintained their discipline.In the end, Afghanistan managed to post a respectable total of 144/8, with Naib top-scoring with 35 runs. Jansen was the pick of the South African bowlers, claiming 3/25, while Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada chipped in with two wickets each.South Africa, in response, will be confident of chasing down the target, given their impressive batting lineup. However, Afghanistan's spinners, led by Rashid Khan, will pose a significant threat. The match promises to be a close and exciting contest, with both teams eager to secure a place in the final.

Afghanistan's lack of historical baggage gives them an edge over South Africa in the T20 World Cup semi-final, believes coach Jonathan Trott.Afghanistan, making their first-ever appearance in the last four of any World Cup, stand in stark contrast to South Africa, who have a long history of near misses and disappointments in major tournaments.Trott believes that Afghanistan's lack of past scars makes them a dangerous and unpredictable opponent. "We go into the semi-final with no scarring or no history with regards to semi-finals. This is uncharted territory for us," Trott said.He added that the Afghan team has no "preconceived ideas on it all, or history of failure or success in semi-finals in past years." This lack of historical burden is perceived as a significant advantage.According to Trott, this position frees the team to approach the game with nothing to lose, contrasting with the high pressure on South Africa.South Africa has had the upper hand in their meetings with Afghanistan in T20Is, with victories in their two past matches in the 2010 T20 World Cup in Barbados and in Mumbai six years later.However, South Africa's path through the current World Cup has not been without drama. Despite winning all seven of their games, they have faced near-embarrassments against the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Their Super Eights victory over defending champions England by a narrow seven-run margin also added to their tense moments.On the other side, Afghanistan's journey included a defeat by India but was followed by a landmark victory over Australia and a tight eight-run win against Bangladesh that secured their semi-final spot.Trott described the experience of leading Afghanistan to the semi-finals as "surreal." He has developed a strong bond with the team since taking over as coach in July 2022. This relationship was evident when, after the rain-affected win against Bangladesh, Trott was carried off the field on his players' shoulders."When I took over, I was astounded by the talent that I saw," Trott said. He acknowledged the raw talent within the team and has aimed to add structure without limiting the players' natural abilities."I've just tried to add here and there. At no stage have I tried to clip anybody's wings. I'm just trying to make the bow of the arrow even stronger so that they can go for longer, win more games, and shoot for the stars even further away," Trott remarked.As the semi-final approaches, Trott's approach and the team's fresh mindset leave Afghanistan positioned as a formidable contender against the more historically burdened South Africa.

The T20 World Cup Group 1 race for the final semi-final spot reaches its climax on Tuesday as Afghanistan and Bangladesh face off in a virtual quarter-final at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, Saint Vincent.With India securing their semi-final berth after defeating Australia, Afghanistan's fate now rests on their encounter with Bangladesh. A victory for the Afghans would propel them into the semis alongside Group 2 toppers South Africa. India, meanwhile, will face defending champions England in Thursday's semi-final in Guyana.Weather conditions are expected to play a crucial role in the high-stakes match. AccuWeather forecasts severe thunderstorms and a 41% chance of rain, with temperatures ranging from 25-32 degrees Celsius. The sky is anticipated to be obscured by clouds approximately 58% of the time, adding to the challenging conditions for the players.In the event of a washout, Afghanistan would qualify for the semis as the second-placed team in Group 2 with three points, eliminating Australia from the tournament. However, if Bangladesh emerges victorious, all three teams (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Australia) would finish on two points, with net run rate (NRR) becoming the deciding factor. Bangladesh would need a significant margin of victory to have any chance of reaching the semis, while Australia's fate hangs in the balance.Group 2 has already seen South Africa and England qualify for the semi-finals, while the co-hosts West Indies and USA have been eliminated.

India's T20 World Cup Semifinal Fate: Guyana Bound on June 27India's quest for an elusive ICC trophy will take a crucial turn on June 27, as they are set to play the second semifinal of the T20 World Cup in Guyana if they qualify for the last four stage. According to the ICC's playing conditions for the tournament in the USA and Caribbean, a reserve day is only allocated for the final in Barbados on June 29.The decision to schedule India's potential semifinal in Guyana was made considering the timing of the semifinals in Trinidad and Guyana. The first semifinal in Trinidad on June 26 is a night affair, while the knock-out game in Guyana is a day game, which aligns better with the Indian TV audience's viewing preferences.The second semifinal will commence at 8.30 PM IST and will have an additional 250 minutes of playing time if the match is affected by weather. The added time for the first semifinal will be spread over two days."The Final on 29 June will have a reserve day on 30 June. The semi-finals will each have additional time added in order to complete the match which will total 250 minutes," the playing conditions state."For the first semi-final on 26 June, 60 minutes will be available at the end of the day's play with the remaining 190 minutes scheduled for 2pm on 27 June.""Whilst the additional 250 minutes for the second semi-final scheduled on 27 June will be utilised if needed through extended playing hours on the scheduled day," the playing conditions further explain.India will be eager to break their ICC trophy drought and will commence their campaign against Ireland in New York on June 5. They will then face arch-rivals Pakistan at the same venue on June 9.

India's T20 World Cup Semi-Final: Guyana Bound with No Reserve DayIndia's path to the T20 World Cup semi-finals has been laid out, with the team set to play in Providence, Guyana, on June 27 if they qualify for the knockout stage. This decision, confirmed by the ICC's playing conditions, is driven by the match timings and India's large television audience.The Guyana semi-final will commence at 10.30am local time, which translates to a more favorable 8pm in India, ensuring maximum viewership. In contrast, the first semi-final in Tarouba, Trinidad, is scheduled as a night game, starting at 8.30pm local time, which would be 6am in India.To accommodate the Guyana semi-final's timing, the ICC has allocated an additional 250 minutes of extra time to the match. This is in contrast to the 190 minutes allotted to the first semi-final and the final, which have reserve days. The tournament schedule does not allow for a reserve day for the second semi-final, hence the extended extra time.However, this extended extra time may not be sufficient in the event of persistent rain, as a decisive result requires both teams to bat for at least ten overs. In most T20 matches, the team batting second only needs to face five overs for a result to be achieved in weather-affected games. However, in the semi-finals and final, the team batting second must face a minimum of ten overs for a result.This rule was also in place for the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-finals and final in Australia. The ICC's decision to allocate the second semi-final to Guyana and provide additional extra time highlights the importance of India's television market and the desire to ensure a fair and decisive result in the event of weather interruptions.

Vidarbha tightened their grip on their Ranji Trophy semifinal against Madhya Pradesh, inching closer to a thrilling victory in Nagpur on March 5. With just four wickets remaining, the hosts are poised to set up a date in the summit clash with Mumbai.Madhya Pradesh, chasing 321 to win, reached 228 for six at stumps on day four. Their hopes of reaching their second final in three years suffered a major blow when Aditya Sarwate (2/51) dismissed Yash Dubey (94) in the penultimate over of the day.Dubey had played a valiant knock, consuming 212 balls and hitting 10 fours. He forged a crucial 106-run stand with Harsh Gawali (67), but once they were separated, Vidarbha kept making inroads.Madhya Pradesh lost first-innings centurion Himanshu Mantri for a mere eight in the second essay. The failure of their middle-order trio of Sagar Solanki (12), Shubham Sharma (6), and Venkatesh Iyer (19) further hurt their cause.Akshay Wakhare was the star for Vidarbha, accounting for these three batters. Sarwate's late strike to dismiss Dubey put the two-time winners in the pole position.Earlier in the day, Vidarbha added 59 runs to their overnight score of 343 for six, setting a target of 321 for Madhya Pradesh. Yash Rathod brought up his century and finished with a high score of 141, hitting 18 fours and two sixes.For Madhya Pradesh, Anubhav Agarwal returned 5/92. Madhya Pradesh had taken a lead of 82 runs in the first innings, responding with 252.