Cricket

Ireland's historic victory over Pakistan in their first T20I encounter in 15 years was a testament to the hosts' resilience and the brilliance of Andy Balbirnie. Balbirnie's masterful 77, coupled with Harry Tector's 36, laid the foundation for Ireland's successful chase of 183.The chase was far from straightforward, with Pakistan's bowlers putting up a spirited fight. However, cameos from George Dockrell and Curtis Campher proved crucial in guiding Ireland over the line. The final overs were a tense affair, with Ireland needing 40 runs from the last four overs.Pakistan's bowlers started the final overs well, but a recurring theme of conceding late boundaries kept Ireland in the hunt. Shadab Khan's missed chance to dismiss Balbirnie proved costly, as the Irish captain went on to score a match-winning knock.Naseem Shah's yorkers brought Pakistan back into the game, but Delany's crunching drive off a full toss kept Ireland's hopes alive. Shaheen Afridi's penultimate over was impressive, but Campher's audacious reverse ramp over the keeper left Abbas Afridi with a daunting task in the final over.Campher's composure under pressure was evident as he guided the first ball off the under-edge for four. He capitalized on a missed yorker to level the scores before sneaking a leg bye to seal a memorable victory for Ireland.This historic win marks a significant milestone for Irish cricket and will undoubtedly boost their confidence ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup.

England's T20I opener against Pakistan on Saturday will be without all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who has undergone a minor medical procedure. Captain Heather Knight confirmed the news on the eve of the match, revealing that left-hander Freya Kemp will take Sciver-Brunt's place at No. 5 in the batting order.Sciver-Brunt's absence provides an opportunity for Kemp, who is in the squad solely as a batter while recovering from a back injury. Knight praised Kemp's clean ball-striking and left-handedness, which is a rarity in the England team.Knight also highlighted the emergence of young all-rounders like Dani Gibson and Maia Bouchier, who impressed during England's recent tour of New Zealand. She emphasized the importance of guiding these players and helping them fulfill their potential.The New Zealand tour was a crucial step in England's preparation for the T20 Women's World Cup in Bangladesh in October. Knight believes the team has evolved its T20 game, adapting to different pitch conditions and becoming more strategic in their approach.Meanwhile, Pakistan arrives in England after a disappointing tour by West Indies. However, Knight warned against complacency, citing Pakistan's recent series win in New Zealand and the energy that often comes with a new captain and retirements.The match in Birmingham is the first of three T20Is between the sides, followed by games in Northampton and Leeds. A three-match ODI series will conclude the tour.

Zimbabwe's captain, Sikandar Raza, opted to field first in the fourth T20I against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. The visitors made two changes to their lineup, bringing in left-arm quick Richard Ngarava and batter Ryan Burl in place of wicketkeeper Joylord Gumbie and middle-order batter Craig Ervine.Bangladesh's captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, also expressed his preference for bowling first. The hosts welcomed back Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, and Mustafizur Rahman to their squad, replacing Mahmudullah, Litton Das, and Mohammad Saifuddin.Shakib's return marked his first T20I appearance since July 2023, having been sidelined by an eye condition and a finger injury. Mustafizur, on the other hand, rejoined the team after a brief rest following his stint with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.This match marked the first T20I to be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium since March 2023. Bangladesh had played their previous 11 T20Is in Sylhet or Chattogram.Bangladesh currently holds a commanding 3-0 lead in the five-match series, having won the first three matches by eight wickets, six wickets, and nine runs, respectively.

India's women's cricket team completed a comprehensive 5-0 series sweep against Bangladesh with a 21-run victory in the fifth and final T20I in Sylhet on Thursday.After posting a competitive 156 for five, India's bowlers, led by Radha Yadav's three-wicket haul, restricted Bangladesh to 136 for six.Richa Ghosh's quickfire unbeaten 28 off 17 balls provided the impetus for India's total. The wicketkeeper-batter struck three fours and a six to help India recover from a mid-innings wobble.Smriti Mandhana (33) and Dayalan Hemalatha (37) had earlier laid the foundation with a 60-run partnership for the third wicket.Bangladesh's chase began promisingly, with Sobhana Mostary hitting three fours in the first over. However, Yadav's athletic catch to dismiss Mostary set the tone for India's bowling performance.Yadav then removed Dilara Akter, Nigar Sultana, and Rubya Haider in quick succession to leave Bangladesh reeling at 52 for five.Ritu Moni (37) and Shorifa Khatun (28 not out) staged a brief fightback with a 57-run stand for the sixth wicket. However, Asha Sobhana broke the partnership by dismissing Moni in the 17th over.Despite the rearguard action, Bangladesh fell short of the target, handing India a comfortable victory.Yadav finished as the series' leading wicket-taker with 10 dismissals, while Mandhana was the leading run-scorer with 116 runs.

India's Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bat first in the fifth and final T20I against Bangladesh in Sylhet, aiming to complete a clean sweep of the series. India currently holds a 4-0 lead.Bangladesh made three changes to their lineup, bringing in Sobhana Mostary, Sultana Khatun, and Fariha Trisna. India, on the other hand, retained the same XI from their previous match.The match marks the 100th international appearance for 20-year-old Shafali Verma.Bangladesh:1. Dilara Akter2. Sobhana Mostary3. Rubya Haider4. Nigar Sultana (c & wk)5. Ritu Moni6. Sultana Khatun7. Rabeya Khan8. Nahida Akter9. Shorifa Khatun10. Fariha Trisna11. Shorna AkterIndia:1. Shafali Verma2. Smriti Mandhana3. D Hemalatha4. Harmanpreet Kaur (c)5. Richa Ghosh (wk)6. Deepti Sharma7. S Sajana8. Pooja Vastrakar9. Titas Sadhu10. S Asha11. Radha YadavAfter a rain-affected fourth match, a full game is anticipated today. India will be eager to test their batting skills after chasing in two of the previous three games.

Mongolia's cricket team has endured a humiliating milestone, being bowled out for a mere 12 runs in a T20 International match against Japan. This ignominious score marks the second-lowest total in T20I history, surpassed only by Isle of Man's 10 all out against Spain in 2023.The match, held at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Japan, saw Japan post an imposing 217 for 7 after electing to bat. In response, Mongolia's batting lineup collapsed spectacularly, with 17-year-old left-arm seamer Kazuma Kato-Stafford wreaking havoc. Kato-Stafford claimed an astonishing 5 for 7 from his 3.2 overs, while Abdul Samad (2/4) and Makoto Taniyama (2/0) also chipped in with wickets.Tur Sumaya (4 off 11) was the only Mongolian batsman to reach double figures, while opener Namsrai Bat-yalalt faced the most deliveries (12). This was the second T20I of a seven-match series, with the third match later in the day being abandoned without a result.In the first T20I, Mongolia had been bowled out for 33 in reply to Japan's 199 for 5, suffering a 166-run defeat. This was Mongolia's fifth T20I appearance, having made their international debut at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, where they lost both their group stage matches.Despite these setbacks, Mongolia's cricket development has made strides in recent years. Battulga Gombo, known as the "man behind cricket" in the country, has played a pivotal role in establishing the sport. With the support of the Mongolian Cricket Seed Appeal, the schools' program has expanded, and indoor and outdoor tournaments are now held throughout the year.

Shakib Al Hasan, the talismanic all-rounder, makes a much-anticipated return to Bangladesh's T20I squad after an absence of nearly a year. The 36-year-old has been named in the team for the final two matches of the series against Zimbabwe in Dhaka, scheduled for May 11 and 12.Shakib's inclusion is a major boost for Bangladesh, who have taken a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. The veteran all-rounder, who last played a T20I in July 2023, will provide much-needed experience and leadership to the side.Also returning to the squad are Soumya Sarkar and Mustafizur Rahman. Sarkar, a hard-hitting opener, has been out with a knee injury since March, while Rahman, a pace bowler, has been rested after a busy IPL campaign with Chennai Super Kings.The trio of Shakib, Sarkar, and Rahman replace Parvez Hossain Emon, Afif Hossain, and Shoriful Islam. Emon and Afif missed all three games of the series, while Shoriful played the first two matches.Shakib's return is particularly significant as he was Bangladesh's captain when he last played T20Is. He was instrumental in building the team towards this year's T20 World Cup, but injuries hampered his progress. Najmul Hossain Shanto has since taken over the captaincy in all formats.Mustafizur's return will also bolster Bangladesh's bowling attack. The left-arm pacer has been in impressive form in the IPL, taking 10 wickets in 11 matches.Soumya's inclusion adds depth to the batting lineup. The left-handed opener is known for his aggressive style of play and will be looking to make a strong impact on his return from injury.The final two T20Is against Zimbabwe will provide Bangladesh with an opportunity to fine-tune their preparations for the T20 World Cup. The squad for the tournament is expected to be announced on May 13, the day after the last T20I in Dhaka.

Mohammad Amir's absence from Pakistan's tour of Ireland has raised concerns about his participation in the upcoming T20I series. The left-arm pacer, who holds permanent residency in the United Kingdom, applied for an Ireland visa alongside his teammates. However, while the rest of the squad received their visas before departing for Dublin on Tuesday, Amir's application remained pending.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been in contact with Cricket Ireland regarding the issue, emphasizing that it is the host board's responsibility to facilitate and provide visas for the visiting team in a timely manner. Given the short duration of the tour, with Pakistan scheduled to play three T20Is from May 10 to 14, Amir's involvement in the series is now in jeopardy.As of now, there is no information on when Amir's visa is expected to be approved. Mohammad Yousaf, a member of Pakistan's management team, also experienced a delay in his visa approval but managed to receive it just in time to join the squad. It is unclear whether Amir's visa delay is related to the timing of his application, although the PCB maintains that he applied simultaneously with the rest of the team.Amir has previously visited Ireland as part of Pakistan's squad for the country's inaugural Test match in Malahide in 2018. After retiring from international cricket in 2020, he reversed his decision earlier this year and made his return in the recently concluded home series against New Zealand.The Pakistan squad is expected to arrive in Dublin on Wednesday morning, with all three T20Is scheduled to be played at the same venue. Following the Ireland tour, Pakistan will travel to the UK for four T20Is ahead of the World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.

Zimbabwe's captain, Sikandar Raza, opted to field first in the third T20I against Bangladesh in Chattogram. This decision mirrored that of his Bangladeshi counterpart, Najmul Hossain Shanto, in the previous two matches.Zimbabwe made two changes to their lineup. Richard Ngarava was ruled out due to injury, with Faraz Akram taking his place. Wellington Masakadza returned from concussion concerns, replacing Ainsley Ndlovu.Bangladesh also made alterations, resting Shoriful Islam and Mahedi Hasan. Tanzim Hasan and Tanvir Islam were brought in as replacements. These changes resulted in a shorter batting lineup for Bangladesh, with Rishad Hossain likely to bat at number seven.Zimbabwe, on the other hand, boasts a strong batting order with seven batters before their all-rounders.