Cricket

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is poised for a major overhaul following the team's dismal performance in the T20 World Cup. Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is reportedly furious with the conduct of senior officials and players, and is set to implement sweeping changes to address the team's lack of discipline.According to a reliable PCB source, the board is expected to dismiss senior management officials and enforce strict policies for players. The source revealed that Naqvi is particularly incensed by the fact that players brought their families to the World Cup and engaged in paid promotional events during the tournament.The PCB is set to announce a new policy regarding players' families accompanying them to major events. The source stated that the chairman is unhappy with the large number of family members who stayed in the team hotel during the World Cup.It has also emerged that certain high-ranking PCB officials authorized the decision to allow players to bring their families on tour. The source criticized these officials as "fans of the players" who have given them excessive concessions.Naqvi has requested a performance evaluation from all senior management personnel, expressing dissatisfaction with the progress made in preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan early next year.Reports have also surfaced of Pakistani cricketers accepting appearance fees as low as USD 2500 for attending a meet-and-greet event in Dallas. Another event, titled 'A night with stars', was reportedly canceled due to discrepancies in payments made to captain Babar Azam and other players.These revelations are expected to be scrutinized during the postmortem analysis of the team's early exit from the tournament. Despite having four different chairmen since December 2022, the PCB has not made any changes to the senior management level officials.The source attributed the players' indiscipline to the patronage of senior management officials, including in the finalization of central contracts last year. Rumors of internal strife within the team have intensified, with reports suggesting a rift between Babar and leading fast bowler Shaheen Afridi over the captaincy role.

Australian opener David Warner has come to the defense of Indian batter Virat Kohli, who has faced criticism for his strike rate in recent T20 World Cup matches. Warner believes that Kohli's passion and determination make him a formidable opponent and that the criticism he receives is unwarranted."He's got a knack for indetermination just for scoring runs and hunger to score runs," Warner said of Kohli. "You know, he cops a lot of criticism, which is not right. I don't know why he cops it, but there are a lot of people out there who are big Virat supporters, like all of us."Warner also highlighted Kohli's competitive spirit, which he believes adds an extra dimension to matches between India and Australia. "He consistently goes about his business how he does. You know, he scores a lot of runs. He's a good team man and he competes hard. And that's what we like about coming up against the Indian cricket team."Australian spinner Adam Zampa echoed Warner's sentiments, acknowledging the challenge of facing a batting lineup that includes Kohli and Rohit Sharma. "You look down the India's line up, Virat, Rohit. All those guys were obvious names who've been around for a long time," Zampa said.Tim David, another Australian player, praised Rohit's batting prowess and his determination to win a world championship. "Something about Rohit is that naturally, he's so good to watch how he plays. He's effortless the way he bats," David said. "But I think he's got to care about his teammates, which obviously he's in that role as India's captain. And I know that he's pretty hungry for a world title as well."Despite the challenges posed by India's batting lineup, the Australian team remains confident in their abilities. They believe that their own batting strength and bowling depth will give them a competitive edge in the Super Eight matches.

India vs Australia: India Aims to Derail Australia's T20 World Cup HopesFollowing their unexpected loss to Afghanistan, Australia's fate in the T20 World Cup now rests on the outcome of Afghanistan's final match against Bangladesh. A third consecutive victory for India would not only secure their position as group leaders and a spot in the semifinals but also significantly jeopardize Australia's chances of advancing.India will be determined to disrupt Australia's World Cup campaign when they face off in their final Super 8 match on Monday. The Australians, reeling from their shock defeat, will be under immense pressure to perform.Australia's loss to Afghanistan has opened the door for India to potentially eliminate their arch-rivals from the tournament. A victory for India would leave Australia needing a significant win over Bangladesh in their final match to qualify for the semifinals.However, India will not be taking Australia lightly. The defending champions have a formidable lineup and will be eager to bounce back from their loss. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and KL Rahul will be key players for India, while Australia will rely on the likes of David Warner, Steve Smith, and Glenn Maxwell.The match promises to be a thrilling encounter between two of the tournament favorites. India will be looking to maintain their momentum and secure a spot in the semifinals, while Australia will be desperate to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

Australia's Test stalwart Usman Khawaja has expressed his disappointment over Afghanistan's inability to play in Australia, despite Afghanistan's historic 2024 T20 World Cup victory over his team.Earlier this year, Cricket Australia (CA) canceled a bilateral series against Afghanistan due to the country's "marked deterioration" in the treatment of women and children under the Taliban regime. The decision left the Afghanistan cricketers perplexed, but Khawaja hailed them as an inspiration.In response to a tweet by Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan celebrating their 21-run win over Australia, Khawaja tweeted: "Well done Brother. Better team on the day. You boys are an inspiration for so many back home and abroad. So sad we can't see you all play in Australia."CA had canceled a planned bilateral series against Afghanistan in 2023 and 2024 due to the Taliban's restrictions on women's education and access to public spaces.In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Afghanistan needed a win to stay alive and posted a total of 148. Australia's opening pair failed to deliver, and despite Glenn Maxwell's efforts, Afghanistan's Gulbadin Naib emerged as the hero with four wickets.Afghanistan bundled out Australia for 127, securing their first T20 World Cup victory over the Aussies. If Afghanistan defeats Bangladesh in their final Super 8 clash and Australia loses to India, Afghanistan will advance to the semifinals.Khawaja's comments highlight the complex relationship between sports and politics. While CA's decision was based on human rights concerns, it has deprived Australian fans of the opportunity to witness the rise of Afghanistan's talented cricket team.

Afghanistan's cricket team continues to make waves in the international arena, recently achieving a historic victory over Australia in the T20 World Cup 2024. This triumph has sparked widespread praise and admiration, but it has also raised questions about the integrity of the Afghan team's performance against India.Some critics have suggested that Afghanistan's players may be influenced by the lucrative contracts they can earn by playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, veteran Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has strongly refuted these allegations.In response to a tweet by a Pakistani journalist implying that Afghanistan's performance against India is compromised by IPL contracts, Ashwin expressed his annoyance and asserted his right to control who enters his social media timeline. He stated that he should not be obligated to block individuals who make such baseless accusations.Afghanistan's impressive run in the T20 World Cup has included victories over New Zealand and Australia. They now face Bangladesh in the Super 8s, with a win potentially securing their place in the semi-finals. However, Bangladesh's progression also depends on India defeating Australia in their final match.Afghanistan's success has been attributed to their talented players and the leadership of Rashid Khan. The team's ability to adapt to different conditions and execute their game plans effectively has been key to their recent victories.Despite the allegations of bias, Afghanistan's performance on the field has been commendable. They have shown determination, skill, and a strong team spirit. Their victory over Australia is a testament to their growing stature in world cricket.

In a thrilling encounter at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 stage, South Africa emerged victorious over the host nation West Indies by three wickets, securing their place in the semifinals. The match witnessed a remarkable milestone as Andre Russell surpassed Dwayne Bravo to become the highest wicket-taker for the Caribbean side in T20 World Cup history.Russell's exceptional bowling performance against the Proteas saw him claim two crucial wickets in his four-over spell, conceding only 19 runs. With these wickets, the right-arm seamer extended his tally in the T20 WC to 29, surpassing Bravo's previous record of 27.The match began with South Africa winning the toss and opting to field first. West Indies faced an early setback, losing two wickets for just five runs. However, a resilient partnership between Kyle Mayers (35) and Roston Chase (52) revived their innings, guiding them to a respectable total of 135/8 in their allotted 20 overs.South Africa's chase got off to a shaky start as they lost two early wickets. Rain interruptions forced a revised target of 123 runs in 17 overs, making the contest even more intense. Despite crucial contributions from Tristan Stubbs (29) and Heinrich Klaasen (22), the Proteas found themselves in a precarious position at 110/7 in the 16th over.However, Marco Jansen (21*) and Kagiso Rabada (5*) displayed nerves of steel, finding boundaries at crucial moments to seal the victory with five balls and three wickets remaining. Chase emerged as the standout bowler for West Indies, claiming three wickets for just 12 runs. Alzarri Joseph and Russell also chipped in with two wickets each.South Africa's undefeated run in the Super 8 stage continues, with three wins from three matches. England joins them in the semifinals, while the host nation West Indies bows out of the tournament with just one win in three matches.

Usman Khawaja, the veteran Australian opener, has expressed his desire for the team to give David Warner a fitting farewell by winning the T20 World Cup. Warner, who is set to retire from international cricket after the tournament, has been in impressive form, and Khawaja believes he deserves a grand send-off."As a friend, I'd love to see him (Warner) finish on a high," Khawaja said. "He's been playing some really good cricket. It's been really nice to see. You can tell he's just enjoying being out there. He's playing pretty relaxed. So he should. Yeah, it would be good to see."Despite Australia's shock defeat to Afghanistan, Khawaja remains confident in the team's ability to win the T20 World Cup for the second time since 2021. He believes that Australia has the potential to lift their game in the knockout stages."I think we've shown over the years that we're a great knockout team," Khawaja said. "As soon as there's a knockout situation, more times than not we've won, but we've just got to get there."Khawaja also praised Mitchell Marsh's leadership skills, saying that his captaincy is a reflection of his personality. "I think his captaincy is just him. It's him as a person. He doesn't try to be anything that he's not. He's relaxed. He goes out and plays the game, takes the game on, leads from the front, leads by his actions. So, I've really enjoyed watching his captaincy."While acknowledging India's strength, Khawaja believes that any team can beat anyone in T20 cricket. "I mean, India's always a threat. They have batters left, right and centre. They have great bowlers. They have excellent spinners. They have literally all bases covered. They always have," he said. "So I think on any day, any team can beat anyone, particularly in T20 cricket."Looking ahead to Australia's upcoming series against India and the home Ashes in 2025, Khawaja termed both as pinnacle of cricketing contests. "It's always tough to beat India in India. But in the last couple of series, India has beaten Australia in Australia, which is never nice for an Australian. So, yeah, we've got a lot to play for. It's a big series. To me, England and India are the two biggest series."Khawaja concluded by reflecting on the enduring popularity of Test cricket in Australia and the new golden ticket initiative taken by Cricket Australia. "The baggy green is still the pinnacle of Australian cricket. I think we're very lucky in Australia. I still think we get paid really well to play Test cricket. It's not the same across the world. So, it's a little bit different for us. We don't have to try as hard. Because we have a long-standing tradition. And kids that grow up these days still want to get a baggy green."

Australia's decision to field spinner Ashton Agar instead of pace spearhead Mitchell Starc in their T20 World Cup Super 8 match against Afghanistan has sparked debate. Despite Agar's economical performance, Afghanistan's strong opening partnership exposed the absence of Starc's early strike threat.Head coach Andrew McDonald defended the move, citing the need for spin on the sluggish surface. "We knew we were going to need more than eight overs of spin on that surface," he explained. "Ashton was suited to these conditions."Captain Mitchell Marsh echoed McDonald's sentiments, emphasizing the team's strategic approach. "We've got 15 guys here, and we'll pick a team that we think can win us the game in those certain conditions," he said.However, Afghanistan's steady start, reaching 40 for 0 in the first six overs, highlighted the potential impact of Starc's absence. McDonald acknowledged the importance of focusing on the upcoming match against India rather than dwelling on the previous game."There was no point trying to work out what might have happened if Starc had been selected," he said. "We got what we expected from the pitch. We've got to turn our focus to India: a totally different line-up on a totally different surface."The decision to omit Starc has raised questions about Australia's team selection strategy. While Agar's performance was commendable, the absence of Starc's early wickets may have cost Australia the match.As Australia prepares for their crucial clash against India, they will need to carefully consider their team selection and find the right balance between spin and pace to overcome the challenges of the different surfaces they will encounter.

The United States cricket team's remarkable journey at the T20 World Cup came to an end in the Super 8 stage, but the team's performance has left a lasting impression. Despite facing formidable opponents like South Africa, West Indies, and England, the USA held their own and gained valuable experience.Corey Anderson, a New Zealand-born batter who now represents the USA, expressed pride in his team's accomplishments. "We're signing off with our heads held high," he said. "We've learned a lot, and the sky's the limit for us."Anderson acknowledged areas for improvement, particularly in player depth and consistency. "We're still an Associate nation, but we're growing and trying to expand our player pool," he said.The USA's success in the group stage, where they defeated Pakistan and gave India a run for their money, was a testament to their potential. However, in the Super 8s, the team faced a step up in competition."The bigger boys start to really show up and they're hitting their stride right at the back end of this competition," Anderson explained. "We don't get to play against these big teams often, so every opportunity is invaluable."Despite the setbacks, Anderson believes the team has made significant progress. "We're disappointed, but we're also proud of what we've achieved," he said. "We're starting to be disappointed about how we play against these big teams, and that's a great sign because it means we can give more."Anderson, who has played 93 games for New Zealand, acknowledged his own lackluster performance during the tournament. "I needed to play better than what I did," he said. "I missed out on opportunities that could have helped the team."The USA team is a diverse group of players with West Indian, Indian, and Pakistani origins. One of their standout performers was Indian-origin pacer Saurabh Netravalkar, who balances his cricket career with a full-time job as a software engineer.The team's performance at the T20 World Cup has raised the profile of cricket in the United States and inspired future generations of players. "Hopefully, in years to come, we can continue to grow the game in America," Anderson said.