Cricket

Pakistan is on the verge of securing their first home series victory since 2021 after dismantling England for a mere 112 runs in the third and final Test in Rawalpindi. The hosts now require a modest 36 runs to seal the triumph.Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, the dynamic spin duo, once again proved their mettle, claiming all 10 English wickets between them. Noman, with his left-arm spin, bagged six wickets for 42 runs, marking his sixth five-wicket haul. Sajid, on the other hand, registered four wickets for 69 runs, securing his second 10-wicket match haul in his 10-Test career.England's batting lineup, which had started the day 53 runs behind, initially showed promise with Joe Root and Harry Brook at the crease. However, Sajid and Noman's introduction turned the tide. Brook was dismissed by Noman after a promising start, while Sajid accounted for Ben Stokes and Jamie Smith.Root, who had been England's beacon of hope, was eventually trapped by Noman's guile. The veteran spinner delivered a perfect delivery that dipped onto a length, enticing Root to drive forward and nick the ball to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.Sajid then cleaned up the tail, dismissing Gus Atkinson and Rehan Ahmed to secure his second 10-wicket match haul. Shoaib Bashir was initially given out LBW, but a DRS review overturned the decision. However, Noman soon ended Bashir's resistance, while Jack Leach was stumped by Rizwan.Pakistan's victory in this Test series is a testament to the brilliance of Noman and Sajid. Since their inclusion in the squad, they have combined for 39 wickets, with Noman taking 20 at an average of 13.85 and Sajid claiming 19 at an average of 21.01.

Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old batting prodigy, has emerged as a potential Test debutant for Australia in the upcoming home series against India. His mentor, former all-rounder Shane Watson, believes that the current circumstances present a "perfect storm" for Konstas to make his international debut.Konstas' twin centuries for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield earlier this month have propelled him into contention for a Test berth. He will feature for Australia A next week alongside Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris, as the selectors weigh their options.Watson, who has worked with Konstas for four years, highlights the player's exceptional talent and dedication. He believes that Konstas' age and the aging nature of the current Australian team make this an ideal time to inject young blood into the side."The whole situation is, in my mind, a perfect storm to be able to give him an opportunity to be able to play Test cricket," Watson said. "For me, this is an opportune time, knowing that the bowlers are aging, there's Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja as a starting point who are aging."Watson draws parallels between Konstas and Cameron Green, who made his Test debut at 21 on India's last tour of Australia. He emphasizes the importance of giving young players early opportunities to learn and develop."Australian cricket always did incredibly well was see someone who is different from all the younger stars coming through and get them into the Australian set-up, as early as they can within reason, to be able to help them learn," Watson said.Konstas' batting predecessors, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh, were both given their Test debuts at the age of 20. Watson himself played ODI cricket as a 20-year-old, which he believes significantly accelerated his development."There's no doubt that my one-day cricket would never have evolved to the heights that it did without me being around the Aussie team [at a younger age]," Watson said.Konstas' single-minded dedication to his craft has impressed Watson. "From the first moment that I met Sam, the thing that jumped out at me the most was his desperate desire to be the best that he possibly could be," Watson said.With the Test series against India approaching, Konstas' chances of making his debut are growing. The selectors will have a tough decision to make, but Watson believes that the young prodigy is ready for the challenge.

Bangladesh's Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is set to relinquish his leadership role after the ongoing home series against South Africa. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had appointed Shanto as captain across all formats in February 2023, with the intention of him leading the team in the 2025 Champions Trophy. However, Shanto has informed the board of his decision to step down and is awaiting approval from BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon."Yes, he informed us that he is not ready to lead the side after the South Africa series," a top BCB official told Cricbuzz.Shanto confirmed his decision, stating, "Let's see what happens (as far as leading Bangladesh is concerned) because I am still waiting to hear it from the president (BCB)."A senior BCB director is reportedly attempting to persuade Shanto to reconsider, but a reversal appears unlikely. Shanto had initially planned to step down as T20 captain after the 2024 T20 World Cup but later decided to quit as captain across all formats.Shanto's leadership has come under scrutiny due to a prolonged period of poor results. If he ultimately declines to continue as captain, the BCB may consider appointing Mehidy Hasan as captain for Tests and ODIs, with Towhid Hridoy likely to lead in T20s.During his tenure, Shanto led Bangladesh in nine Tests, winning three and losing six, including a historic series win over Pakistan. In ODIs, he captained in nine matches with three wins and six losses. In T20Is, he led the team in 24 games, securing 10 victories.

England's struggles against Pakistan's tail-enders have once again come to the fore in the ongoing Rawalpindi Test, with former cricketer Nasser Hussain expressing concerns about captain Ben Stokes' workload.After reducing Pakistan to 155/6, England's bowlers lost their way, allowing the hosts to mount a remarkable comeback. Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, Pakistan's experienced spin duo, played pivotal roles in frustrating England's bowlers, scoring 45 and 48* respectively.Hussain believes that Stokes may be carrying too much responsibility as captain and could benefit from some assistance. "Stokes maybe puts so much energy into his captaincy, into the week of captaincy, he may just need a bit of help when England are seven or eight down," Hussain said.The former England captain also questioned the team's tactics against tail-enders. "Even when England have had pace, I think they've slightly lost the plot and gone just for a bouncer ploy," Hussain said. "They do lose the plot a little bit."Hussain also expressed surprise that legspinner Rehan Ahmed, who had taken three wickets before lunch, was not given an over for the first eight overs after the break. "I was amazed Rehan Ahmed didn't start after lunch. A wrist spinner who'd just got three-for before lunch. I'd have gone with the wrist spinner against the lower order," Hussain said.England's inability to dismiss tail-enders has been a recurring issue in recent years. Hussain believes that the team needs to find a more effective strategy to deal with this challenge. "It's not just today or in this series, but in the last two or three years, they have struggled to get through tail-enders," Hussain said.With England facing an unprecedented series defeat in Pakistan, Hussain's concerns about Stokes' workload and the team's tactics against tail-enders are likely to be shared by many fans.

Ravindra Jadeja's lightning-fast reflexes and exceptional awareness on the field were on full display during the second Test against New Zealand in Pune. The Indian all-rounder pulled off a stunning run out that left fans reminiscing about the legendary MS Dhoni.The incident occurred in the 70th over of New Zealand's second innings. Glenn Phillips and Will O'Rourke attempted to steal a couple of runs after Phillips hit Jadeja's delivery towards deep cover. Washington Sundar's throw was slightly off target, giving O'Rourke a chance to reach the non-striker's end.However, Jadeja's quick thinking and agility came into play. He palmed the ball towards the stumps, and replays confirmed that O'Rourke was just short of his crease when the bails were dislodged. The dismissal helped India bowl out New Zealand for 255 in the second innings.Jadeja's run out was reminiscent of MS Dhoni's trademark style of innovative and lightning-fast stumpings. The Chennai Super Kings posted a tribute on Twitter, comparing Jadeja's effort to Dhoni's brilliance.The run out was a crucial moment in the match, as New Zealand were within reach of a historic Test series win in India. The Black Caps resumed at 198-5 on day three and were dismissed inside the first hour of play on a turning pitch.India were left with a daunting target of 359 for victory, the highest successful Test chase for India at home being 387 against England in Chennai in 2008. New Zealand lead the three-match series 1-0 and have never won a Test series in India.India spinners Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja shared seven wickets between them, with Jadeja claiming three of the five to fall on Saturday morning. Glenn Phillips hit an unbeaten 48 after starting the day on nine.Skipper Tom Latham top-scored with 86, while left-arm spinner Santner put New Zealand firmly in the driving seat on day two with 7-53 to bowl out India for 156.India are now staring at their first home Test series loss since December 2012, when Alastair Cook's England beat them 2-1 in a four-match series.

India's Historic Fourth-Innings Chases: A Tale of Triumph and TribulationChasing targets exceeding 300 runs in the fourth innings of a Test match has been a daunting task for Team India on home soil. In 26 such instances, India has managed to pull off only one successful chase: a memorable 387 against England in Chennai in 2008.That historic victory was orchestrated by Sachin Tendulkar's unbeaten 103, along with aggressive contributions from Virender Sehwag (83 off 68 balls) and Yuvraj Singh (85*). MS Dhoni, India's captain at the time, guided his side to a remarkable win, with Sehwag earning the Man of the Match award for his blazing knock.Despite their home dominance, India has often struggled with high fourth-innings chases. The team has lost 14 of these 26 chases and managed to draw nine times, with one match ending in a tie.No team has chased more than 345 runs against New Zealand in Tests, a record set by the West Indies in Auckland in 1969. In the ongoing three-match Test series against New Zealand, India found themselves in a challenging position in the second Test in Pune.After dismissing New Zealand for 259, India struggled with the bat, bowled out for 156 to concede a 103-run lead. New Zealand's second-innings total of 255 left India chasing 359 for victory in Pune.With the series already at 0-1 in New Zealand's favor, India faced an uphill battle to level the series. The outcome of the second Test will have a significant impact on the fate of the series and India's hopes of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The tenth season of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) is set to commence on Sunday, October 16, with a triple-header featuring reigning champions Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat. The tournament has been reduced to 40 games plus finals to align with the BBL and accommodate the growing women's cricket calendar.Each club will play 10 regular season games, down from 14 last season. The top four teams will qualify for the finals, which will follow a three-game format. The team finishing top will host the final on December 1.The WBBL has introduced several new features this season. A third umpire will be available in every game, and there will be an increase in matches with full DRS. An innings timer will also be in operation, with 73 minutes available to bowl the first ball of the 20th over.Several key players will be on display in the WBBL, including Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Amelia Kerr, and Deandra Dottin. Litchfield, the youngest full-time captain in WBBL history, will lead Sydney Thunder. Sutherland, who captained Melbourne Stars, is a rising star in Australian cricket. Kerr, the Player-of-the-World Cup, has joined Sydney Sixers from Brisbane Heat. Dottin, who had a brilliant T20 World Cup, will play for Melbourne Renegades.The WBBL is expected to be a competitive and exciting tournament, with several teams vying for the title. Adelaide Strikers will be aiming for a hat-trick of titles, while Brisbane Heat, Sydney Sixers, and Melbourne Stars will be among the other contenders.

MS Dhoni Recounts India's Triumphant T20 World Cup 2024 VictoryFormer Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni has shared his memories of India's dramatic T20 World Cup 2024 triumph, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the emotions he experienced while watching the final from home."We were at home, watching with some friends who came over," Dhoni recalled at a recent event. As the second innings unfolded, most of Dhoni's friends lost hope and left. "They said, 'It's over; come with us.' But I was like, 'In cricket, till it's over, it's not over.'"Even Dhoni admitted he wasn't entirely confident, but he held on to the belief that the opposition's batting depth was vulnerable under pressure. "When the stakes are high, the games are big, you get a chance and want to make the most of it," he explained.India's victory, secured at the Kensington Oval in Barbados against South Africa, marked the end of a 17-year wait for their second T20 World Cup title. Dhoni praised the team's relentless attitude in clutch moments. "Big big congratulations to the guys who were on the field, because that is the kind of energy, motivation, and belief that is needed."The final saw India pull off an improbable comeback against a formidable South African lineup. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma played pivotal roles in the victory, with both veterans announcing their retirements from T20Is after the match. Hardik Pandya's bowling brilliance and Jasprit Bumrah's pinpoint accuracy sealed the seven-run win, while Suryakumar Yadav's boundary-line catch became an instant highlight.Reflecting on the win, Dhoni summed up India's never-give-up attitude: "It doesn't matter whatever the result may be but till they don't win and it is not called that they have won the game, we need to keep pushing; and that was the attitude."With this victory, India ended their T20 World Cup drought, leaving fans euphoric and giving Rohit and Kohli a perfect farewell in the shortest format of the game.

India's Woes Mount in Second Test as Latham's Dropped Catch Haunts ThemTeam India's struggles continued in the second Test against New Zealand as they found themselves trailing by 103 runs after the first innings. Despite restricting New Zealand to 259, India's batters failed to deliver, collapsing to 156 all out.In the second innings, India's bowlers toiled hard, but a crucial dropped catch proved costly. In the 37th over, Ravindra Jadeja induced an edge from New Zealand captain Tom Latham, who was well-set on 68. However, the chance was low and difficult, and Indian captain Rohit Sharma was unable to reach it in the slip cordon.The dropped catch left India frustrated, and Virat Kohli was seen expressing his displeasure to Latham and Henry Nicholls. In a viral video, Kohli appeared to be asking them to avoid running down the middle of the pitch. Kohli also had a conversation with the on-field umpire.New Zealand went on to post 255 in their second innings, setting India a victory target of 359 runs. The hosts now face an uphill battle to avoid a series defeat, having lost the opening Test in Bengaluru by eight wickets.