Cricket

Alzarri Joseph has been recalled to the West Indies squad for the final three matches of their T20I series against England, replacing Shamar Joseph. Joseph was suspended for two matches after leaving the field without permission during the third ODI against England. Andre Russell has been ruled out of the series with a left ankle sprain, with Shamar Springer coming in as his replacement.West Indies are 2-0 down in the series heading into the final leg in St Lucia. They need to win the third T20I on Thursday to keep the series alive.Joseph's return is a boost for the West Indies, who have struggled with their bowling in the first two matches. They have conceded 159 and 183 runs respectively, losing just five wickets across both fixtures in Barbados.Springer, who made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka last month, gives West Indies captain Rovman Powell more options to work with.The loss of Russell is a blow to the West Indies, who are already without several key players, including Kieron Pollard, Jason Holder, and Fabian Allen.Russell suffered the injury during the first T20I, and his absence will be a major setback for the West Indies. He is one of the most destructive batsmen in the world, and his bowling can also be very effective.West Indies T20I squad:* Rovman Powell (capt)* Roston Chase* Matthew Forde* Shimron Hetmyer* Terrance Hinds* Shai Hope* Akeal Hosein* Alzarri Joseph* Brandon King* Evin Lewis* Gudakesh Motie* Nicholas Pooran* Sherfane Rutherford* Romario Shepherd* Shamar Springer

Delhi's Ranji Trophy campaign has hit a roadblock, with the team languishing in fourth place in Group D after a dismal nine-wicket defeat to Chandigarh. In an attempt to turn their fortunes around, the team has sacked Himmat Singh as captain and elevated Ayush Badoni to the leadership role.Badoni's first challenge will be to address the team's batting woes. In the loss to Chandigarh, only Yash Dhull showed any resistance, while Badoni himself fell to a rash shot after a promising start. The middle order, led by Himmat, has also been underwhelming, with the 28-year-old averaging just 30.33 in four innings.The spin department has also been a concern. Off-spinner Hrithik Shokeen and left-arm spinner Shivank Vashisth were ineffective on a helpful surface, lacking accuracy and consistency. Both have been dropped for the upcoming match against Jharkhand.Jharkhand, meanwhile, is two spots below Delhi in sixth place with just seven points. Stand-in skipper Virat Singh will be looking to lead his team to victory and improve their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages. Singh is the team's leading run-getter this season with 254 runs at an average of 42.33.The match between Delhi and Jharkhand will be a crucial test for both teams. Delhi needs a win to revive their campaign, while Jharkhand will be eager to close the gap on the top four. The match will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi from Wednesday.

Karnataka, with nine points from four games, will face Uttar Pradesh in a crucial Ranji Trophy Group-C encounter at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Karnataka's campaign has been marred by rain, resulting in two weather-curtailed matches and a point each. Their only bright spot was an eight-wicket win against Bihar.Uttar Pradesh, on the other hand, is winless and languishes in sixth place. They suffered a heavy defeat against Kerala, crumbling for 162 and 116 in an innings-defeat. Karnataka's spin attack, led by Shreyas Gopal, will hope to exploit Uttar Pradesh's vulnerability to spin.Karnataka skipper Mayank Agarwal will need to find form, having averaged only 27.2 this season. However, they will be relieved to have Nikin Jose back in the squad after he sustained an injury while fielding against Bengal.Uttar Pradesh's batting has relied heavily on openers Madhav Kaushiv and Aryan Juyal, while their middle-order has not delivered consistently. International duties have depleted the pace attacks of both sides, but Karnataka has coped better, with V. Koushik emerging as a reliable spearhead.

Railways and Tamil Nadu Clash in Crucial Ranji Trophy EncounterAs the Ranji Trophy enters its fifth round, two formidable teams, Railways and Tamil Nadu, prepare to face off in a high-stakes encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. With only two points separating them in the Elite Group-D standings, this match promises to be a thrilling battle for supremacy.Tamil Nadu, led by stand-in captain N. Jagadeesan, will be without their regular skipper R. Sai Kishore, who is sidelined with a thumb injury. However, Jagadeesan remains confident in his team's ability to overcome this setback. "Everybody is motivated. The youngsters over here are pumped up and they want to do well in this platform," he said.Railways, on the other hand, has been playing some impressive cricket this season. Despite not being able to play their home matches at one ground, the experienced squad has shown resilience and determination. "Of course, it is very challenging for us. We take even a home game as an away game. So that is the mental preparation," said Railways captain Pratham Singh.Both teams have remained unbeaten so far, but a win in this match would be crucial for their aspirations. Tamil Nadu will be eager to secure a favorable result after three consecutive draws, while Railways will be keen on getting back to winning ways after stumbling to a draw against Chhattisgarh.The Ranji matches will take a break after this round, and the victor in this encounter will have the added advantage of gaining some breathing space in the tightly contested group. Currently led by Chandigarh with 19 points, the winner of this match will be well-positioned to challenge for the top spot when the domestic red-ball season resumes in late January.

Arshdeep Singh, the young left-arm seamer, has emerged as a formidable death-overs specialist in international cricket. With 89 wickets in just 58 T20I matches, Arshdeep has established himself as a reliable performer under pressure.Arshdeep's success stems from his ability to keep things simple and maintain composure in high-stakes situations. He adapts his plans to the conditions and the team's needs, focusing on executing accurate yorkers at high speeds."My plans depend on the conditions, the wickets, what kind of situations we are faced with," Arshdeep explained. "It's not that I have tasted success every day while bowling in the death."Despite his impressive record, Arshdeep remains level-headed and avoids overthinking. "We have to be level-headed, not think too much about death bowling," he said. "I just try to keep things simple, not complicate them, and look to fulfill the team's needs."Beyond his bowling prowess, Arshdeep is also striving to improve his batting skills. "I love a half volley from a spinner," he said. "But yes, I am trying my best to contribute with the bat as well whenever I get a chance."Arshdeep has benefited immensely from sharing the dressing room with experienced players like Jasprit Bumrah. "I have got a really good bowling partner in Jassi (Bumrah) bhai," he said. "He has helped me enormously in taking a lot of wickets by creating pressure at the other end."Arshdeep also praised T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav for his leadership qualities. "The way he controls his emotions, the way he manages his highs and lows, he is so strong mentally," he said.Looking ahead to the third T20I against South Africa, Arshdeep emphasized the importance of containing the Proteas' batters early on. "They are struggling against spinners, so the aim is to contain them early on and give a good platform to the spinners," he said.

India's decision to boycott the Champions Trophy in Pakistan has sparked outrage among former Pakistani cricketers. The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed India's withdrawal on Sunday, prompting a flurry of criticism.Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez expressed his disappointment on social media, stating that it was a "day dream" to expect India's participation. He emphasized that Pakistan is safe and ready to host the event, but India's concerns about security are unfounded."It was a day dream that India will come to Pakistan to play Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan is safe & ready to host the event. Pakistan hosting all cricket nations at home but somehow not *secure* for India. Waiting for strong & surprised response from government & PCB," Hafeez tweeted.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is seeking clarification from the ICC regarding the hosting of the Champions Trophy. While India's absence has been confirmed, there has been no mention of a hybrid model, as was implemented during the Asia Cup last year.Sources within the PCB indicate that an email will be sent to the ICC seeking clarity on India's decision. The PCB is also consulting with the government for guidance.Speculation suggests that Dubai could host India's matches in the tournament, which is scheduled for February 2025. However, no official decision has been made.The PCB is assessing the situation and will make a decision on the next steps in due course.

Munaf Patel, the former Indian pacer and 2011 ODI World Cup winner, has been appointed as the new bowling coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC) franchise for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. This marks Munaf's first major coaching role since his retirement from competitive cricket in 2018.Munaf, known for his ability to generate reverse swing and deliver accurate yorkers, represented India in 86 matches across all three formats from 2006 to 2011. He also played for several IPL franchises, including Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, and Gujarat Lions, winning the IPL title with Mumbai in 2013.Munaf replaces former Australia all-rounder James Hopes, who parted ways with DC in July 2024. The franchise has undergone a significant overhaul in its coaching staff, with Hemang Badani as head coach and Venugopal Rao as director of cricket.As part of their preparations for the upcoming IPL cycle, DC has retained key players such as Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, and Abishek Porel. They will enter the auction on November 24 and 25 with the third-highest purse of INR 73 crore, aiming to strengthen their squad and improve their performance after failing to reach the playoffs in the last three IPL seasons.Munaf's appointment is expected to bolster DC's bowling attack, which has struggled for consistency in recent years. His experience and expertise in the art of fast bowling will be invaluable to the team's young bowlers.

Amite Hasan's marathon double-century propelled Sylhet Division to an unbeaten start in the National Cricket League (NCL), as they drew against Khulna Division in Cox's Bazar. Hasan's epic 455-ball innings, spanning over ten hours, is the third-longest individual score in Bangladesh's first-class history.Hasan's monumental knock, adorned with 18 fours and a six, showcased his remarkable conversion rate in first-class cricket. He forged a crucial 251-run partnership with Asadulla Al Galib, who also notched up his maiden century. However, Galib's dismissal became a viral sensation when he mistimed a shot off Mahedi Hasan's delivery, much to the amusement of the Khulna fielders.Khulna responded with a first-innings total of 273, led by half-centuries from Anamul Haque and Afif Hossain. After being asked to follow on, veteran Mohammad Mithun struck his 16th first-class century. Anamul, Imrul Kayes, and Nurul Hasan also contributed fifties, guiding Khulna to safety with a score of 296 for 3.Meanwhile, Rangpur Division secured a 101-run victory over Rajshahi Division, propelling them to second place in the standings. Ariful Haque's unbeaten 103 in the first innings and three wickets in the second innings played a pivotal role in Rangpur's triumph. Rajshahi's Sabbir Hossain claimed a six-wicket haul in the first innings, but Rangpur's bowlers fought back to dismiss Rajshahi for the same score.Chattogram Division registered their first win of the season, defeating Barishal Division by eight wickets in Cox's Bazar. Nineteen-year-old Ashraful Hasan Rohan emerged as the star performer, becoming the youngest Chattogram player to achieve a ten-wicket haul in a match.Barishal posted 318 runs in their first innings, with Moin Khan and Tasamul Haque scoring fifties. Ashraful's four wickets and Enamul Hoque's three wickets restricted Barishal's total. Shahadat Hossain's century in Chattogram's reply brought them within five runs of Barishal's score. Ashraful then completed his ten-for, dismissing Barishal for a mere 77 in their second innings.Defending champions Dhaka Division managed to salvage a draw against Dhaka Metropolis in Sylhet. Dhaka Metro came close to victory, but Ripon Mondol and Nazmul Islam held on at the end of the fourth day. Anamul Haque and Shuvagata Hom took four wickets each for Dhaka, while Abu Hider claimed three wickets for Dhaka Metro.