Cricket

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews' absence due to illness has dealt a significant blow to the team's hopes of salvaging the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Matthews, who missed the second ODI in Hambantota, will also sit out the third and final match on June 21.Matthews' absence is a major setback for West Indies, who have already conceded the series 2-0. The 24-year-old all-rounder has been a key figure for the team in recent years, leading them to the semi-finals of the 2022 Women's World Cup.In the nine ODIs she has played since the start of 2023, Matthews has scored 519 runs at an average of 74.14, including three centuries. She has also taken 11 wickets, the joint-highest with Afy Fletcher.Matthews' absence will be particularly felt in the batting department, where West Indies have struggled in the series so far. In the second ODI, they were bowled out for just 92 runs, their lowest total in ODIs since 2019.Shemaine Campbelle, who led the team in Matthews' absence in the second ODI, is likely to continue as captain for the third match. However, West Indies will need to find a way to replace Matthews' all-round contributions if they are to avoid a whitewash.Cricket West Indies (CWI) has expressed hope that Matthews will recover in time for the three-match T20I series, which begins on June 24 at the same venue.

Sir Frank Worrell, born on August 1, 1924, was a legendary cricketer who left an indelible mark on the sport. His career transcended the boundaries of the game, embodying the ideals of social equality and leadership.Worrell's cricketing prowess was undeniable. As a top-order batsman, he possessed an elegant and graceful style that made his innings a spectacle. His average of just under 50 from 51 Tests is a testament to his consistency and skill. With his left-arm medium pace, he claimed 69 wickets, adding another dimension to his game.Beyond his on-field achievements, Worrell was a visionary leader. As the first black captain of the West Indies team, he faced the challenges of racial prejudice with dignity and determination. His leadership style emphasized unity and camaraderie, fostering a sense of family among his players.Worrell's influence extended far beyond the cricket field. He was a dean of students at the University of the West Indies, a senator in Jamaica, and a natural diplomat. His ability to bridge divides and build consensus made him a respected figure in both sporting and political circles.One of Worrell's most significant contributions was his role in unifying the disparate island-countries of the West Indies. By building a world-class team, he transformed "West Indies" into a single entity in the sport. His efforts had a profound impact on West Indian society, fostering a sense of national pride and identity.Worrell's legacy extends to his philosophy of captaincy. He believed in empowering his players, encouraging them to think for themselves and take ownership of their roles. This approach fostered a culture of responsibility and accountability within the team.Worrell's life was cut short by leukemia in 1967 at the age of 42. However, his impact on cricket and society continues to resonate today. He remains an inspiration to generations of players and leaders, embodying the values of sportsmanship, equality, and leadership.

West Indies and England Clash in T20 World Cup Super Eight ShowdownAs the T20 World Cup Super Eight stage commences, two formidable contenders, West Indies and England, will face off in a highly anticipated clash at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia. Both teams are vying for an unprecedented third T20 World Cup title, and this encounter could prove pivotal in determining their readiness for the crown.West Indies enter the contest in scintillating form, boasting an eight-match unbeaten streak. Their recent victories over Afghanistan and Uganda have showcased their depth and firepower, with match-winners emerging from all corners of the batting lineup. From Andre Russell's blistering 71 against Australia to Nicholas Pooran's ballistic 98 against Afghanistan, the West Indies have demonstrated an unwavering belief in their abilities.England, on the other hand, have endured a rollercoaster ride in the tournament. After narrowly avoiding a humiliating first-round exit, they have regained some momentum with four consecutive wins. However, their middle-order has shown signs of vulnerability, particularly in their timid display against Australia.The key players to watch in this clash are Phil Salt for England and Gudakesh Motie for West Indies. Salt's aggressive approach at the top of the order has been crucial for England, while Motie's left-arm spin has proven to be a potent weapon against right-handed batting lineups like England's.West Indies will be keen to capitalize on their familiarity with the St Lucia pitch, having played a match on it earlier in the tournament. England, meanwhile, will need to find a way to contain the West Indies' explosive batting lineup and exploit any weaknesses in their bowling attack.The match promises to be a high-scoring affair, with the pitch expected to favor the batsmen. The atmosphere is likely to be electric, with St Lucian fans expected to rally behind their team after England's vocal support in their previous T20I series.

In a thrilling encounter at St Lucia, West Indies unleashed an explosive batting display against Afghanistan, setting a new record for the highest powerplay score in men's T20 World Cups. The Caribbean side amassed a staggering 92 runs for the loss of just one wicket in their first six overs, leaving the Afghan bowlers reeling.The catalyst for this batting onslaught was Nicholas Pooran, who unleashed a brutal assault on Azmatullah Omarzai's bowling in the fourth over of the innings. Omarzai's over went for a record-equaling 36 runs, with Pooran smashing three sixes and a four.The carnage began with a towering six over third man, followed by a no-ball four through midwicket. A wide delivery and a missed yorker further compounded Omarzai's misery, before Pooran sliced a boundary through deep backward point. The over culminated in two more sixes, with Pooran clearing the deep midwicket and non-striker boundaries with ease.Pooran's onslaught was reminiscent of Yuvraj Singh's iconic six consecutive sixes against Stuart Broad in the 2007 T20 World Cup. The West Indian's power-hitting prowess left the Afghan bowlers shell-shocked and set the tone for a dominant performance by the Caribbean side.

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.

England and West Indies are set for a high-scoring encounter in St Lucia as they resume their six-hitting battle in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup. The two teams combined for 120 sixes in their five-match T20I series in December, which West Indies won 3-2.The Daren Sammy Cricket Ground has proven to be a batting paradise, with Australia chasing down 181 against Scotland and Sri Lanka posting 201 against Netherlands in the group stage. England's players watched nervously from their hotel in Antigua as Australia pulled off the second-highest run chase of the tournament so far."It wasn't nice," said Sam Curran. "Some of us were having dinner and watching the Scotland game. It got quite close, and some of us turned it off because we got a bit nervous."England will play twice in St Lucia, against West Indies and South Africa, and they have noted how flat the pitch looks. "It looks like a really good wicket, the way guys were able to hit through the line and the way the ball was traveling," said Curran.West Indies captain Rovman Powell expects his batters to relish the truer surface after variable bounce in Guyana and Trinidad. "Tomorrow presents an opportunity here at the Daren Sammy Stadium for us as batters to get it right," he said. "It's also a better opportunity on a better wicket."This has been the lowest-scoring men's T20 World Cup out of nine, but England believe that the tournament will be "a slug-fest" on pitches that favor batting. West Indies won the six count by a margin of 64-56 in their December series, and England are looking to beat them at their own game."Sometimes it's about turning your sixes into fours as a bowler, and small things like that," said Curran. "It might sound silly, but that's where the game of cricket's going. Even if you go for a lot of runs, if you take a wicket in that over, you could change the game."The other major factor to note in St Lucia is the breeze, which has blown from the east to the west of the ground. "We have chatted as a bowling unit: in the Caribbean, the wind's a big factor," said Curran.England have some tough calls to make ahead of Wednesday's match. Liam Livingstone is a doubt due to a niggle in his side, while they must decide whether Will Jacks should come straight back in at No. 3 or whether their batting line-up is better balanced with Jonny Bairstow and Harry Brook shuffling up to three and four respectively.

West Indies and Afghanistan Clash in Battle of UnbeatensGros Islet, St. Lucia - The highly anticipated clash between West Indies and Afghanistan on Tuesday promises to be a thrilling encounter, despite having no bearing on the Super Eight standings. Both teams have enjoyed unbeaten runs thus far, and they will be eager to maintain their momentum heading into the crucial knockout stages.West Indies, known for their explosive batting lineup, will be led by Rovman Powell, who has yet to fully ignite in this tournament. However, the presence of Nicholas Pooran, Brandon King, and Andre Russell provides the hosts with a formidable batting arsenal. Their bowling attack, anchored by Akeal Hosein and Alzarri Joseph, has also been impressive.Afghanistan, on the other hand, will rely heavily on their spin wizard Rashid Khan, who has been in excellent form with six wickets in the middle overs. Their batting lineup, led by Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, has also shown promise.The pitch at Gros Islet has been conducive to high-scoring matches, with teams preferring to bowl first after winning the toss. However, the windy conditions could play a factor in the game.West Indies will be looking to maintain their impressive death-over run rate, while Afghanistan will aim to continue their frugal spin bowling. The match-up between Gurbaz and West Indies' left-arm spinners, Hosein and Gudakesh Motie, will be particularly intriguing.Both teams are expected to field unchanged lineups, with Johnson Charles and Shai Hope vying for a spot in the West Indies batting order. Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott has emphasized the importance of keeping his players motivated despite the lack of qualification implications.With both teams eager to prove their mettle and build confidence for the Super Eight, the West Indies vs Afghanistan clash promises to be an entertaining and competitive affair.

New Zealand's T20 World Cup campaign has hit a roadblock, with the team on the brink of elimination after a disappointing loss to West Indies. The Black Caps have struggled to adapt to the challenging conditions in the Caribbean, and their lack of match practice has been a major factor in their poor performances.After arriving in the Caribbean in late May, New Zealand had to wait until last Friday to play their first match due to the ICC's proposed warm-up fixture dates. Their proposed alternatives were also turned down, leaving them short on numbers and preparation time.Now, after just 75.2 overs of cricket, New Zealand are facing elimination. Unless Papua New Guinea can secure their first-ever T20 World Cup win by beating Afghanistan on Thursday night, New Zealand's final two fixtures will be dead-rubbers.Captain Kane Williamson admitted that the situation feels surreal, as it will be the first time in a decade that New Zealand have failed to progress from their initial group in a men's World Cup. Despite Williamson's denial, it does feel like the end of an era for an ageing team, with Mark Chapman, the fourth-youngest player in their squad, turning 30 this month.New Zealand's bowlers performed well against West Indies, but their batting line-up struggled once again. They have batted twice at this World Cup, and the biggest partnership they have put on is 23. Of the 14 players who have batted, only Glenn Phillips has faced more than 25 balls across two innings.Coach Gary Stead admitted that New Zealand were slow to adapt to the conditions, and that they need to find a batsman who can play the same role as Daryl Mitchell did for West Indies. Stead also expressed disappointment that the team's false start has cost them dearly.With their T20 World Cup hopes hanging by a thread, New Zealand will need to find a way to turn things around quickly. They face Ireland in their next match on Friday, and a win is essential if they want to keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive.

New Zealand's disappointing performance in their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against West Indies has prompted skipper Kane Williamson to demand improvement from his team. The Kiwis fell short by 13 runs in a match where they struggled to chase down the Windies' total of 149/9.Williamson, who managed just 1 run before being dismissed by Gudakesh Motie, acknowledged the need to adapt to the conditions at the Brian Lara Stadium. "Conditions here are what they are and we can't make excuses," he said. "We need to keep getting better and keep finding a way."The Kiwi skipper emphasized the importance of learning from their mistakes and bouncing back in their next match. "The learnings are important and we need to pick ourselves up and go again," he added.West Indies' victory was largely due to the heroics of Sherfane Rutherford, who smashed an unbeaten 68 off just 39 balls, including six sixes. Nicholas Pooran also contributed with a quickfire 17.Trent Boult led the New Zealand bowling attack with three wickets, while Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson claimed two each. However, the Kiwi batters failed to capitalize on their efforts, with only Glenn Phillips (40) offering any significant resistance.Alzarri Joseph was the star of the Caribbean bowling attack, taking four wickets, while Motie chipped in with three. Rutherford's all-round performance earned him the Player of the Match award.Williamson acknowledged the need to improve their batting performance, particularly in the middle overs. "We need to find a way to get through those middle overs and build a platform," he said. "We're not far away, but we need to be smarter and execute better."The Kiwis will have a quick turnaround as they face Scotland in their next match on October 20. Williamson will be hoping for a much-improved performance from his team as they look to keep their World Cup hopes alive.