Cricket

Pakistan's Babar Azam has etched his name in the annals of cricket history by surpassing Virat Kohli as the leading run-scorer in T20 Internationals. This remarkable feat was achieved during Pakistan's T20 World Cup encounter against USA in Dallas.Before this match, Kohli held the record with 4038 runs from 118 matches. However, Babar's steady 44-run knock off 43 balls pushed his total beyond Kohli's, marking a significant milestone in his illustrious career. With this, the Pakistan captain now has 4067 runs to his name.Babar's journey to the top was marked by key moments in his innings. Despite Pakistan's challenging start, losing early wickets, Babar navigated through a tricky pitch and a determined USA bowling attack. His innings included three boundaries and two sixes, each stroke exemplifying his class and determination.Babar's ability to anchor the innings while accelerating at the right moments was on full display. His performance was a masterclass in balancing aggression with caution, a hallmark of his batting style.Rohit Sharma joined the elite club of 4000 T20I runs with his recent performance against Ireland. Meanwhile, Kohli, unfamiliar with New York's playing conditions, fell early for just one run against Ireland, missing the chance to extend his lead.India are set to face Pakistan for their second match of the T20 World Cup in New York on Sunday.

Pakistan's wicket-keeper batter Azam Khan faced severe criticism on social media after being dismissed for a golden duck in the T20 World Cup 2024 match against the United States. Khan's poor form has been a subject of scrutiny, with fans and experts alike expressing their disappointment.During the T20I series against England, Khan's low scores and fielding errors drew criticism. In the T20 World Cup opener, he came to the crease with Pakistan under pressure and was trapped LBW by Nosthush Kenjige on the first ball.Social media users were quick to blast Khan for his performance, with some referring to the "nepotism" debate surrounding him. Khan is the son of former Pakistan captain Moin Khan, and some have questioned whether his selection is based on merit."If Nepotism & forced entry had a face..Azam Khan.. BUT PCB has no shame..," tweeted one user.Another user commented, "Azam Khan is a player whom cricket history will never forget."Despite the criticism, Pakistan captain Babar Azam defended Khan's selection, stating that he plays on merit."Azam Khan plays on merit," Azam tweeted.The United States, led by Monank Patel, won the toss and elected to bowl first. The US had a strong start to the tournament, having defeated Canada in their opening match.Pakistan, on the other hand, entered the tournament after a disappointing T20 series loss to England. The "Men in Green" were not in their best form but were determined to start their campaign on a positive note.Patel expressed his team's desire to play their best cricket, while Azam confirmed that Imad Wasim had suffered an injury and would not be playing against the US.

Jofra Archer's emotional return to Barbados for the T20 World Cup was a moment of immense pride and joy for the England pacer. As he stepped onto the field at Kensington Oval, the cheers from the crowd were deafening, with a large contingent of children from his alma mater, Christ Church Foundation, adding to the thunderous applause.Archer's eyes welled up with tears as he surveyed the scene, overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from his homeland. "It was a little bit emotional," he admitted. "I had a little bit of water in my eye, a bit of a cry, but I was just settling."The prime minister of Barbados had invited Archer and his teammates to her box, but she had also arranged for students from Archer's and Chris Jordan's former schools to attend the match. "It was really, really emotional," Archer said. "I felt really supported. I felt unbelievable."Archer had avoided media interactions before the game, preferring to focus on his return to Barbados. "Once you get the first ball out of the way, any nerves are gone," he explained. "You tend to forget everything else and just focus."Archer's return to fitness has been carefully managed by England, who are eager to have him at his best for the T20 World Cup. He underwent surgery on his right elbow last year and has been gradually building up his workload since then."It was just a little bit of luck because, you know, if we'd gone a little bit… it could have gone wrong," Archer said. "Maybe I could peak too early and could have missed this. Or I didn't get up to speed fast enough and I miss it again. So I just feel very lucky that everything had checked along with this block."Archer has been playing cricket since November and feels fully fit. He believes his body is ready for the rigors of international cricket after bowling against Pakistan in the fifth T20I at the Oval."It's alright to train and it's alright to play in games here, but to get that last 10% intensity and [feel] actually, the body is okay. You know when you are able to step it up and the body takes it, then that's really, really refreshing."Archer will not play Test cricket this summer, but his eventual return to the format is being carefully managed. "I've got a PDF file of every single game I'm supposed to play in from now till next summer anyway," he said. "Yeah, they've really planned out almost everything."England have one more match at Kensington Oval before moving to Antigua for the rest of their group matches. The highly anticipated clash with Australia on Saturday could be crucial to their T20 World Cup hopes. The majority of fans will again be cheering for England and for one of their own.

Pakistan's Dismal Powerplay Performance in T20 World CupsPakistan's batting woes continued in the ongoing T20 World Cup as they recorded one of the worst powerplay totals in the tournament's history against the USA. In their Group A match in Dallas, Pakistan managed a meager 30 runs in the first six overs, losing three wickets in the process.This dismal performance is not an isolated incident. Pakistan has a history of struggling in the powerplay during T20 World Cups. In 2014, they were bowled out for just 13 runs against the West Indies in Mirpur. In 2022, they managed only 28 runs against Zimbabwe in Perth. In 2021, they scored 29 runs against Namibia in Abu Dhabi and 30 runs against New Zealand in Sharjah.The reasons for Pakistan's powerplay struggles are multifaceted. One factor is the quality of opposition bowling. Teams like the West Indies, Zimbabwe, and New Zealand have pace and precision, which can unsettle even the best batsmen.Another factor is Pakistan's own batting approach. They often rely on big-hitting in the powerplay, which can lead to reckless shots and wickets. Additionally, they have struggled to adapt to different conditions, such as the slow and low pitches in Sharjah.Pakistan's powerplay woes have had a significant impact on their overall performance in T20 World Cups. In the 2022 tournament, they lost all three of their matches and were eliminated in the group stage. In 2021, they reached the semi-finals but were outplayed by Australia in the powerplay.If Pakistan wants to improve their performance in future T20 World Cups, they need to address their powerplay struggles. This means finding a way to counter the quality of opposition bowling and developing a more balanced batting approach. They also need to improve their adaptability to different conditions.

USA's Steven Taylor Stuns with Acrobatic Catch in T20 World Cup MatchIn a thrilling encounter at the T20 World Cup, USA's Steven Taylor showcased his exceptional fielding skills with a breathtaking catch that left spectators in awe. During the match against Pakistan, Taylor's athleticism and reflexes were put to the test when a miscued shot from Mohammad Rizwan seemed destined to fall safely.However, Taylor, positioned at slip, displayed remarkable agility by diving to his right and scooping the ball with one hand just before it touched the ground. The catch, which required lightning-fast reflexes and precise coordination, prevented a potential boundary and showcased Taylor's exceptional fielding abilities.Earlier in the match, USA won the toss and opted to field first, hoping to restrict Pakistan's formidable batting lineup. The decision proved to be a wise one as the USA bowlers kept the Pakistani batsmen in check, limiting them to a modest total.In the chase, USA's Aaron Jones continued his impressive form from the tournament opener, smashing 10 sixes in his unbeaten knock of 94. His blistering innings propelled the USA to a comfortable seven-wicket victory, giving them a winning start to the T20 World Cup.Taylor's acrobatic catch and Jones's explosive batting performance highlight the growing talent and competitiveness of the USA cricket team. As the tournament progresses, the USA will look to build on their early success and make a strong impression on the international stage.

Pakistan's experienced pacer Mohammad Amir has expressed confidence in his teammates Shadab Khan and Azam Khan, who have been struggling for form ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. Pakistan will kick off their campaign against co-hosts USA at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Thursday.Amir acknowledged that both Shadab and Azam are key middle-order players for Pakistan and are capable of turning their fortunes around quickly. "They are one game away - the kind of players that they are, they can single-handedly win the match for you," Amir said.Shadab has been particularly out of touch, scoring just three runs in two matches against England and failing to make an impact with the ball. Azam, on the other hand, managed only 11 runs in two innings.Despite their recent struggles, Amir believes that both players have the ability to regain their form and make a significant contribution to Pakistan's World Cup campaign. "I always say that the player who has performed and proved himself never doubts his ability," Amir said. "Yes, there is a bad patch in cricket. And this happens with every cricketer. All the legends also if you see in the past, sometimes even they can't perform well."Amir, who reversed his retirement to feature in the World Cup, will be a key part of Pakistan's bowling attack alongside four other pacers. The 31-year-old has been in good form in the build-up series against Ireland and England.Pakistan will be hoping that Shadab and Azam can rediscover their form in time for the World Cup opener against USA. The Men in Green have been struggling to find the right balance and combination in the team, and a strong performance from their middle-order will be crucial to their chances of success.

Batters in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 are facing a new challenge at Nassau County: unpredictable wickets that favor bowlers. Heinrich Klaasen, South Africa's prolific run-scorer, believes batters must adapt to these conditions and "suck it up."Klaasen acknowledges that the wicket used in South Africa's match against Sri Lanka was "a little bit too much on the bowler's side," but he emphasizes that it's part of the game. He urges batters to play smarter cricket and use their cricket brains to overcome the challenges posed by the surface.However, Klaasen also expresses concern about the inconsistent bounce on the wicket, which he believes borders on dangerous. Former Zimbabwe captain and England coach Andy Flower agrees, stating that the bounce is making life difficult for batters.Another issue at Nassau County is the heavy and sandy outfield, which limits the distance of even well-timed shots. Klaasen believes that South Africa can fare better in future matches because they have experience playing in these conditions.Despite the challenges, Klaasen believes it's still possible to clear the ropes at Nassau County. He notes that the boundaries are not as large as they appear, and that batters can still hit boundaries by playing on one side of the field.Klaasen also visited Yankee Stadium during South Africa's stay in New York and was impressed by the size of the baseball field. He believes that baseball batters have a different approach to hitting than cricketers, and that cricket is more entertaining than baseball.South Africa's next match is against Netherlands, who have defeated them in their previous two World Cup meetings. Klaasen is confident that South Africa can overcome the challenges posed by Nassau County and emerge victorious.

India's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has expressed immense confidence in the team's bowling unit, led by Jasprit Bumrah, ahead of the T20 World Cup. Pandya believes that the bowlers' experience, intensity, and integrity will be crucial to their success in the tournament.India kicked off their campaign with an eight-wicket victory over Ireland on a challenging pitch that provided variable bounce and extra seam movement. Pandya highlighted the team's collective experience of 892 T20 games, particularly in the bowling department."We have someone like Jasprit Bumrah, who is the number one bowler by far. We have (Mohammed) Siraj, who has been tremendous in recent years," Pandya said. "We have Arshdeep, who has played the last two World Cups and has been quite fantastic."Pandya also praised the team's honesty and integrity within the bowling core group, which he believes will be a key factor in their success. The seam-bowling all-rounder expressed his delight at starting the tournament with a victory, emphasizing the importance of rhythm and momentum.Batting coach Vikram Rathour revealed that Hardik is prepared to bowl four overs in a single match, despite his recent injury concerns. Pandya, however, remains focused on the task at hand and is determined to contribute to the team's success."Everything falls into place for people who work hard," Pandya said. "I just went, bowled a lot of overs, batted a lot of balls, so in that scenario you realize your potential slowly."Pandya is eagerly anticipating India's high-profile clash against Pakistan on Sunday. He believes that the team will approach the match with discipline and a collective goal of "hunting."

Dale Steyn, the Legendary South African Pacer, Receives Amusing Bowling Advice from Unaware Staff MemberDale Steyn, the former South African fast bowler renowned for his exceptional skills, recently found himself in an amusing situation during the T20 World Cup. A staff member, unaware of Steyn's illustrious career, offered him some bowling advice, unaware of his legendary status.In a video that went viral on social media, the staff member instructed Steyn to refrain from bending his arm while bowling, emphasizing that such an action is prohibited in cricket. He also provided guidance to the renowned former South African player, explaining that the ball must make contact with the ground once before reaching the batter.Steyn, known for his humility and sense of humor, seemed to have enjoyed the bowling tips and didn't reveal his identity in the video. The incident highlights the global reach of cricket and the fact that even the most legendary players can sometimes be unrecognized in certain regions.Steyn's career has been marked by numerous achievements. He represented South Africa in 93 Test matches, 125 ODIs, and 47 T20Is, taking 439, 196, and 64 wickets respectively. He is also South Africa's highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.South Africa began their campaign in the World Cup with a tricky six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Monday. Tearaway pacer Anrich Nortje picked career-best figures of 4-7 to lead a dominant bowling performance from South Africa as they bowled out a listless Sri Lanka for just 77.Despite Sri Lanka taking four wickets, South Africa managed to complete the chase with 22 balls to spare and kick off their campaign in emphatic fashion.