Cricket

Bangladesh, the only team besides India to have won the Women's Asia Cup, kicked off their campaign against hosts Sri Lanka in Dambulla. Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana opted to bat first after winning the toss, citing favorable batting conditions."The ball is coming on to the bat nicely, and we want to put a score on the board," Sultana said. "We make this tournament equally important as the T20 World Cup."Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, while not disappointed with the decision to bowl first, acknowledged the good batting surface. "We don't want to take too much pressure, one match at a time," she said.The Dambulla pitch has been conducive to batting in the previous three matches played on it. However, the long square boundaries emphasize the importance of quick running between the wickets.Bangladesh, coming off a 0-5 sweep against India at home, will be eager to break their winless streak in T20Is in 2024. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has enjoyed a successful year in the format, winning nine of their 12 matches, including a 2-1 series victory over South Africa.Sri Lanka's batting lineup has become more balanced, with Vishmi Gunaratne and Kavisha Dilhari emerging as reliable contributors alongside Athapaththu.

India and South Africa faced off in the second T20I in Chennai, with the hosts opting to bowl first after winning the toss. The decision was in line with South Africa's preference, as captain Laura Wolvaardt also expressed her desire to bat first.Both teams fielded unchanged lineups from the previous match, which was washed out due to rain. South Africa had posted a formidable 177/6 in that game, thanks to half-centuries from Tazmin Brits and Anneke Bosch.India, on the other hand, continued to miss the services of wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh, who was ruled out due to a concussion. Assam's Uma Chetry once again took her place behind the stumps.For South Africa, this match marked their final outing before the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. A victory would provide them with a much-needed boost after a disappointing tour that included losses in the ODI series and the one-off Test.India, meanwhile, will travel to Sri Lanka next week to participate in the Asia Cup.

In the final group match of the men's T20 World Cup 2024, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan elected to field after winning the toss against West Indies at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia.Afghanistan fielded an unchanged lineup, while West Indies made two alterations. Romario Shepherd was replaced by Obed McCoy, who was given an opportunity to play after Shepherd returned home for the birth of his second child. Shai Hope also came into the side in place of Roston Chase, bolstering the batting lineup.The match was played on a fresh pitch, with the wind expected to be a significant factor. Rashid Khan expressed his desire for his team to experience chasing a total, as they had only done so once in the tournament against Papua New Guinea.West Indies, led by Rovman Powell, opted to bat first. Their lineup featured Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, and Obed McCoy.Afghanistan's bowling attack consisted of Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, and Ibrahim Zadran.The match was crucial for both teams, as a victory would secure their place in the Super Eight stage of the tournament. Afghanistan had already qualified for the Super Eight, while West Indies needed a win to join them.

Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, opted to field first after winning the toss in the second T20I against USA at Prairie View in Texas on Thursday. The decision came after Bangladesh's disappointing five-wicket loss in the first game.To bolster their lineup, Bangladesh made two changes to their XI. Litton Das and Mahedi Hasan were replaced by opening batter Tanzid Hasan and medium pacer Tanzim Hasan. Meanwhile, USA, co-hosts of the upcoming T20 World Cup, brought in allrounder Shadley van Schalkwyk for left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige.USA's historic victory over Bangladesh on Tuesday marked their first triumph against a top-ten side in the ICC T20I team rankings. The match also saw Bangladesh concede a record-breaking 54 runs in the last four overs.Harmeet Singh played a pivotal role in USA's victory, smashing an unbeaten 33 off just 13 balls, including three sixes and two fours.

Ruturaj Gaikwad's luck with the toss continues to elude him, as the Chennai Super Kings skipper lost his 10th toss out of 11 matches in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Despite the unfavorable outcomes, Gaikwad remains unfazed, emphasizing the importance of winning the game rather than the toss.Despite losing the toss 10 times, CSK has managed to emerge victorious in 5 matches, a testament to their resilience and adaptability. "We've just stuck to our process and doing little things right," Gaikwad said. "We don't look at the track record of the opposition, we focus on ourselves and see what we can do right."Gaikwad's philosophy echoes that of former CSK captain MS Dhoni, who lost 12 tosses during the 2012 season but still led the team to the final. This suggests that while winning the toss can provide an advantage, it is not a decisive factor in determining the outcome of a match.In the match against Punjab Kings, Gaikwad made two changes to his team, bringing in Mitchell Santner and Tushar Deshpande in place of Mustafizur Rahman and Sameer Rizvi. Punjab Kings, led by stand-in skipper Sam Curran, opted to bowl first after winning the toss.Despite losing the toss, CSK has shown that they are a formidable team capable of overcoming adversity. Gaikwad's leadership and the team's unwavering focus on their own strengths have been key factors in their success.

Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, opted to bowl first in the third and decisive ODI against Sri Lanka at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. The decision mirrored Shanto's choices in the previous two matches, which resulted in a 1-1 series tie.Sri Lanka's captain, Wanindu Hasaranga, who returned from a two-match suspension, echoed Shanto's decision, stating that he would have also chosen to bowl first if he had won the toss.The Bangladesh team remained unchanged, while Sri Lanka made three alterations to their lineup. Avishka Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dilshan Madushanka were replaced by Hasaranga, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Nuwan Thushara.The series is evenly poised at 1-1, making the third match crucial for both teams. Bangladesh's batting lineup features Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Soumya Sarkar, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Jaker Ali, Taskin Ahmed, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, and Shoriful Islam.Sri Lanka's batting order includes Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Binura Fernando, and Nuwan Thusara.The match promises to be an exciting contest, with both teams eager to secure the series victory.