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After limiting Kenya to 177 for 8, Nepal’s lower order clinched a thrilling three-wicket win over Kenya, helping them recover from 82 for 5 in a chase of 178

The Report by Peter Della Penna13-Feb-20181:40

‘I was the first to run into the ground’ – Lamichhane

Nepal moved a step closer to the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe with a nailbiting three-wicket win off the final ball over Kenya at Wanderers Sports Park. At 82 for 5 chasing 178, and with their batting core of Paras Khadka, Gyanendra Malla and Sharad Vesawkar back in the pavilion, few would have bet on Nepal’s historically shaky middle and lower order to salvage a victory. But an 87-run sixth wicket stand did just that, propelling them to their third win. Nepal now need just one more over Canada on the final day of the group stage to advance to next month’s qualifier.Nepal appeared set to pay the price for a subpar fielding performance. Irfan Karim was dropped in the first ball of the match, as the Kenya wicketkeeper went on to top-score with 42 off 100 balls. Alex Obanda took the lead in Kenya’s opening stand while Karim settled down, smashing 41 off 46 balls to take their side to 65 for 1.But the legspinning sensation Sandeep Lamichhane put another stamp on a dominant tournament with the ball – he’s currently the leading wicket-taker with 14 scalps – dismissing Obanda in his first over for the first of his five wickets. Lamichhane’s five maidens nearly ground the Kenya innings to a halt, but after surviving his spell, Kenya’s tail added 38 off the final five overs.Emmanuel Ringera gashed the top order for wickets in each of his first three overs after taking the new ball for Kenya, but Khadka once again rescued Nepal from embarrassment, holding firm with 42 off 44 balls. However, when he and Vesawkar fell, the inexperienced duo of Aarif Sheikh and Rohit Kumar stepped up with an improbable partnership, taking the target down to 10 off the final 10 balls when Sheikh fell slogging a skier in the circle off Shem Ngoche’s spin.Paudel was then runout to a poor call from Sompal Kami, leaving Nepal with two to get off the final two balls. Kami swung and missed at the first, but drove the final ball from Nelson Odhiambo to deep midwicket. The pair took on Ngoche for a dicey second, and a fumble from the fielder as he charged ahead put Kenya out of the promotion hunt after their third straight loss.

The two teams will meet again in Qualifier 1 on Monday, the winner of which will move to the final

Danyal Rasool19-Jun-2021There was little riding on this game, but that didn’t mean conventional PSL rules ceased to apply. Give Islamabad United a below-par chase, and they’ll eventually run it down.In yet another exhibit of that maxim, Shadab Khan’s side coasted – despite the slightly frantic final-over finish – to an impressive four-wicket win against Multan Sultans thanks to a commanding bowling performance towards the back-end of the innings. Sultans’ collapse saw them lose all ten wickets for 56 runs after losing none in the first 9.3 overs and the 150 United needed was knocked off fairly routinely.Both sides were aware this was little more than a dry run of the high-intensity qualifier they will contest on Monday and, as such, there was an experimental element to the contest. United rested their key openers as well as Hasan Ali, but Sultans made the early running with a sizzling 93-run partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Shan Masood. But when Iftikhar Ahmed and Fawad Ahmed prised out the top three, the bottom hollowed out, allowing Mohammad Wasim – who’s also had a breakout tournament, a clear crack at the tail.United’s start was authoritative without being explosive, but with an asking rate of 7.50, it didn’t need to be. Mohammad Akhlaq and Umar Amin followed the team philosophy of trying to exploit the Powerplay overs, and the 54 they managed in the first six was more than adequate to keep them on course. A stuttering innings from Shadab, who looked severely affected by stifling heat at one point, still saw him compile 35 off 27, before Asif Ali was sent in to inflict the knockout punch. In his kind of form, under virtually no pressure, his 16-ball 25 took his side ever closer.United may be annoyed at how deep they allowed Sultans to take it, with the contest appearing over long before the final leg-bye was actually taken. United perhaps lost focus slightly as Sultans continued to burrow their way back into the contest after Asif fell. Usman Qadir removed Brandon King and Shahnawaz Dahani’s stunning catch in the final over got rid of Talat, which suddenly meant United needed three off four. They got there in the end, making what should have been a thumping win look like an attritional one.Mohammad Wasim strikes backThe heroics of Dahani and the fast-moving nature of the PSL meant Wasim flew under the radar for much of the past week. That wasn’t helped by a horror start to his day when he came in to bowl while Masood and Rizwan were in full flow. He was tonked for 18 in his first over. He was hauled off, but when he returned ten overs later, he seemed a transformed bowler.Choosing his variations with guile and executing them with high class, he accounted for four Sultans batters, conceding just 13 further runs in his remaining three overs. Given the task of polishing up the tail in the final over, he did that, and then some. On Friday, Haris Rauf had ceded the momentum to the Sultans by leaking 24 in a similar situation, but Wasim’s final over permitted just two. He ended up taking three wickets in those final six balls, bowling out a Sultans side that hadn’t lost a single wicket till the tenth over.Masood shines, no one else does Sultans might have been trying to offer up a live-action animation of the phrase “innings of two halves” when they were put in to bat. Rizwan and Masood got them off to a start that was both blistering in its urgency and elegant in its implementation. There were few risks taken as Masood placed and timed his way to a sumptuous half-century; even the sixes he hit were risk-free drives through the line of the ball. They were rollicking along at nearly ten an over by the tenth over, the stage set for what might possibly be an immense finish.In the tenth over, though, Iftikhar, off all people, struck in the only over he bowled, and once Masood departed, bedlam ensued. Multan went on to lose their ten wickets for a mere 56 runs, compiled painstakingly over a further 63 balls as an innings that promised so much petered out with no more than a whimper. United have a formidable record chasing totals; they have lost just 5 of 31 such games, and 150 was never going to challenge them.Where they stand The game guarantees Sultans will finish second, and play Islamabad United in the first qualifier, which takes place on Monday. Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings finish third and fourth respectively. Lahore Qalandars – fifth – were eliminated over poor net run rate, tied on points with the teams at second, third and fourth.

Former allrounder set to take charge at Chelmsford after leaving MCC role

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2021John Stephenson has been appointed as Essex’s new chief executive officer. Stephenson, the former Essex allrounder who has spent the last 17 years working for the MCC, will take charge at Chelmsford in October.Stephenson, who played one Test for England, came through at Essex and had two spells at the club, between 1984-1994 and 2002-2004. His post-playing career began as MCC Head of Cricket, eventually becoming the club’s Assistant Secretary (Cricket). He steps down from the role, to be replaced by Jamie Cox.His appointment follows a lengthy process to find a successor for Derek Bowden at Essex. Bowden announced his intention to retire in October 2020, shortly after the club had lifted the Bob Willis Trophy, and Essex are believed to have been hit hard financially by the effects of the pandemic.Related

• Jamie Cox ready for 'moral and ethical challenges' after being appointed MCC Assistant Secretary

“I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to come back to Essex as the club had a big influence on my professional career,” Stephenson said. “Having spent over a decade with the club as a player, I couldn’t pass up the prospect of taking on this fantastic role.”The club means so much to so many people and has a key role to play in the wider Essex community. One of my main objectives is to continue and build on the recent success that the club have experienced both on and off the field. With the support of the members, fans and the team, I believe we can continue to compete and bring silverware back to Chelmsford.”Having spent more than a decade largely confined to Division Two of the County Championship, Essex claimed their first title in 25 years in 2017, a season after being promoted. They were Division One champions again in 2019, as well as winning the T20 Blast, but failed to qualify for the top tier from this year’s Championship conference stage, meaning they won’t be in the running to defend either red-ball title in September.Essex’s executive chairman John Faragher said: “After an extensive interview process involving some very high-calibre personnel, John was clearly the outstanding candidate for the position at Essex. His exceptional skillset together with his appreciation of the modern game and the challenges facing cricket in the future were key credentials in making our decision.”He will lead the executive team on our journey to the next level in performance both on and off the field. Although we continue to face numerous problems brought about by the pandemic, we continue to be very focused on the future.”These are exciting times for the club and the board looks forward to supporting and working with John.”

NZ make enterprising declaration after stalemate looked set following third-day washout

Alan Gardner06-Jun-2021There are often many different ways to end up at the same destination. The first Lord’s Test in two years had seemed destined for a draw after losing the entire third day to rain, and drawn it surely was as the teams shook hands at just gone 7pm on the final evening.But there was peril and intrigue along the route, as New Zealand sprung a declaration on England after a brief shower brought about an early lunch. The carrot of chasing 273 in 75 overs had been dangled, though England were clearly wary of the offer. The home side looked outmatched for much of this first Test and the nerves were palpable when they fell to 56 for 2 shortly before tea, a wicket away from their youthful middle order being exposed.In the end, there was not enough life in the pitch nor sand in the hourglass for New Zealand to make a concerted victory push. Dom Sibley batted more than five hours for a barnacle-encrusted half-century, as he and England’s captain, Joe Root, ensured against jitters with an 80-run stand that stretched into the evening session.Even if there was no great final-day drama, the crowd were nevertheless keen to get in on the act, cheering the sweaty indefatigability of Neil Wagner – who went against type to crowbar out Rory Burns, England’s first-innings centurion, and Root across two canny spells of searching swing bowling – as well as Sibley’s almost heroically shot-shy approach to accumulation. Sibley ended a run of six consecutive innings without reaching double-figures to record his highest score since making 87 in Chennai earlier this year.New Zealand have only won once before at Lord’s, during their previous series victory in England back in 1999, but they resolved to give themselves a chance of another after resuming their second innings with a lead of 165. They took that on by more than 100 for the loss of four wickets during a lively morning session, which was curtailed by the arrival of rain, and then chose to set England what would have been the third-highest chase on the ground.With Sibley searching for form and Burns playing in typically lugubrious fashion, the opening pair signalled England’s intent. If not exactly shutting up shop, they were certainly prioritising a stock take out the back. Signs of variable bounce did little to coax greater intent, and Burns was struck a painful blow on the hand when Tim Southee got the ball to kick up from a length.England had taken more than 23 overs in adding 49 for the first wicket when Wagner broke through. Following the blow from Southee, Burns almost fell to the same bowler when he gloved the ball just short of slip, and the introduction of Wagner’s left-arm angle of attack only played on his uncertainty. After nine dot balls, which included an unsuccessful swipe, Burns fenced uncertainly to send an outswinger low to second slip.With the atmosphere getting tense, Sibley edged Wagner through the cordon for four, and then with tea approaching Zak Crawley threw the bat to be caught in the gully. As in the first innings, he had fallen for 2 driving ambitiously at a full, wide delivery from Southee.That left New Zealand needing eight wickets going into the final session, with England notionally looking to score 217 from 43 overs. Root eked his way to 4 off 38 balls, confirming that there would be no attempt to ruffle Kiwi feathers, and although he fell to Wagner, pinned on leg stump despite a review with the shadows beginning to lengthen, New Zealand could muster no further inroads.The morning began with Wagner in the thick of the action, too, as New Zealand’s nightwatchman carved and clipped a pair of boundaries in Stuart Broad’s opening over. Wagner fell in the next, top-edging a pull to give Ollie Robinson his seventh wicket on debut, but frustration began to mount for Broad, who had gone five consecutive innings without success, as he saw Tom Latham dropped by the diving Crawley at midwicket. He soon had a moment of succour, though, when trapping the New Zealand opener lbw for his first dismissal in 488 deliveries.With the watchful Latham gone, Ross Taylor upped the tempo during an innings of 33 off 35 that saw Robinson swung into the Tavern Stand and Mark Wood sliced over the rope at third man. Another swipe at Wood resulted in an edge behind, and with the players staying out during a rain shower, Henry Nicholls also fell trying to lift the scoring, as he gloved a reverse-sweep off Root’s offspin. New Zealand’s declaration was another enterprising move but the series will now be decided by the next week’s encounter at Edgbaston.

Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh’s Test captain, has said coach Chandika Hathurusingha gave Tamim Iqbal the role of “helping” the bowlers closely during the last session of the Dhaka Test against England

Mohammad Isam03-Nov-2016Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh’s Test captain, has said coach Chandika Hathurusingha gave Tamim Iqbal the role of “helping” the bowlers closely during the last session of the Dhaka Test against England. He said that the four senior players in the field – himself, Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah – were given specific roles and told to lead the team from the front.Parallel to Bangladesh’s 108-run victory last Sunday, there had been ongoing speculation about Mushfiqur’s captaincy after it appeared that Tamim was in charge of making bowling and fielding changes in the 22.5 overs after lunch in which Bangladesh took all ten England wickets as they were bowled out for 164. He was in discussions with Shakib Al Hasan and Mehedi Hasan ahead of every over, and was also setting fields for them.It is highly unlikely for Tamim, despite being Mushfiqur’s deputy, to usurp the role on his own, but Hathurusingha only described what had happened inside the dressing-room during the tea break in an interview this week with ESPNcricinfo, saying he was disappointed after England got to 100 for no loss at the tea interval and told the players to step up to the challenge.Mushfiqur said that other players apart from Tamim, such as Mahmudullah and Mominul Haque, were also tasked with specific roles, which ultimately helped Bangladesh take all ten wickets in one session.”During the tea break, the coach was angry towards the players, which was obvious as we were not able to execute our plans in the middle,” Mushfiqur told the . “The bowlers also struggled to execute. We had a group chat comprising all the senior players and the coach. He told the senior players to step up and take the responsibility. We were given some roles. Tamim was standing at mid-off so that he could help the bowlers closely.”To add to that, close-in fielders like Mominul [Haque] and Mahmudullah Riyad , they were also given roles to distract the batsmen. Shakib and Miraz meanwhile, were given roles as bowlers so that they could get the breakthroughs. With the combination of everyone’s effort, we were able to win the match.”Mushfiqur skirted the notion that he wasn’t in charge of the team, saying the players tried to implement on the field the messages that Hathurusingha sent from the dressing room.”Coach always tells us, whoever has the ball in his hand, he is the captain at that time as only he knows how and what to do in that particular situation and what is the plan,” he said.”So, all the 11 players in the team always try to follow that and whatever message we receive from the coach, we discuss and try to implement that on the field. Especially us, the four senior members of the team, were given instructions to lead from the front and fulfill the responsibilities.”While it doesn’t answer who exactly decided that Mushfiqur should not be in charge of bowling changes and fielding positions, it is clear that there are rumblings about Mushfiqur’s captaincy within the Bangladesh cricket hierarchy. Ever since he lost his limited-overs captaincy to Mashrafe Mortaza in September 2014, Mushfiqur’s leadership in Tests has come under a lot of scrutiny, especially after his defensive approach during the second Test against Pakistan in Dhaka.Mushfiqur said he was still up for all three roles – batting, wicketkeeping and captaining – in the Test arena, though he would accept anything that the board decides for the team’s benefit.”I think I am enjoying all the three roles at the moment,” Mushfiqur said. “If you notice, wicketkeeping has always been my first priority. I have scored a double-hundred in Tests and also kept wickets in the same game. There is always a soft corner for it (keeping).”But if the team management and the board decide that they might get the best outcome by picking someone else and approach me, then I will have to think about it. I will decide which will help my team as we all are part of the team.”BCB president Nazmul Hassan, on the day following the Test, said he was aware of Tamim taking charge of fielding and bowling changes but didn’t want to comment on Mushfiqur’s captaincy, saying he would talk to the incumbent soon.Bangladesh’s next Test series is against New Zealand in January 2017, closely followed by Tests against India and Sri Lanka.

The Champions Trophy could be scrapped after the 2021 tournament in India, and could even be abolished after next year’s event, in England

Tim Wigmore23-Jun-2016The future of the ICC Champions Trophy is back in doubt. It is understood that the tournament is highly likely to be scrapped after the 2021 tournament, in India, and could even be abolished after next year’s tournament, in England, should a new ODI league be introduced from 2019.The Champions Trophy was originally meant to be scrapped after the 2013 edition, but the huge commercial success of that year’s tournament in England led to it being retained, at the expense of the World Test Championship that had been scheduled for 2017.However, now the tournament faces being a victim of the ICC’s ongoing review of the structure of international cricket. Under the latest proposals an ODI league, of 13 nations, is being planned from 2019, culminating in a play-off between the leading two sides in 2022.It is felt that, with an ODI league alongside the World Cup, a third 50-over tournament would be superfluous, adding unnecessarily to the schedule and risking confusion among casual fans by creating three winners of 50-over international tournaments in the space of 24 months.Although the Champions Trophy has proved hugely popular, in part due to its condensed nature – 15 matches will be played over 18 days in next year’s competition – the ICC has never been enamoured with having two marquee tournaments in 50-over cricket alongside the World Twenty20, and had planned to scrap the tournament as far back as 2011.Over seven editions, and despite the concise nature of the tournament, the Champions Trophy has struggled to build up a clear identity. An additional factor is the anticipated return of the World T20 to a two-year cycle. That proposal is likely to be ratified at the forthcoming ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh.As part of the ICC’s proposals for reforms to the schedule of the international game, it is envisaged that structured competitions – ICC global events, and the leagues in Test and ODI cricket – would take up less than six months a year, creating ample time for countries to organise extra bilateral cricket, such as the Ashes, and for players to participate in domestic T20 leagues.The commercial implications of scrapping the Champions Trophy are not a great concern. This is because the extra value of a biennial WT20 would more than offset the costs of its removal.Indeed, it is understood that senior figures from the ICC have recently met with Star Sports in Dubai to discuss the future of ICC events and whether to retain the Champions Trophy.It is possible that, as part of the negotiations for Star Sports to broadcast the two extra WT20s in this broadcasting cycle, scheduled for 2018 and 2022, they would agree for the 2021 Champions Trophy to be scrapped.If it was agreed that the 2021 Champions Trophy would not take place, India, the scheduled hosts for that tournament, would be well-placed to host another WT20, in 2022 or 2024, instead.

Karachi Kings have the big names but question marks about their form remain. Have they done enough to avert the disaster of last season?

Danyal Rasool08-Feb-20170:48

PSL 2017 Preview: Karachi Kings

Inaugural season results
Karachi finished the 2016 campaign with the worst win-loss record of all teams. They did the double over the equally abject Lahore Qalandars, but lost all their matches against every other team. The excessively forgiving format meant they went through to the last four despite only two wins in eight, edging Lahore out on net run rate. There, they were walloped by eventual winners Islamabad by nine wickets, bringing a gloomy tournament to an aptly ignominious end.Team assessment
Karachi Kings were busy in the transfer market, most notably bringing in Chris Gayle and Kumar Sangakarra from Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators respectively; the latter has been appointed captain this season. This is the franchise’s third captain in a year. Shoaib Malik stepped down last season after the group stages, and Man of the Series Ravi Bopara was appointed for the eliminator.That brings us to the Kings’ only bright spot last year. Ravi Bopara, never one for attention-seeking, what with his workmanlike batting and military-medium bowling, finished as the second-highest run-scorer and joint fifth-highest wicket-taker. His 11 wickets included an astonishing 6 for 16 against the Lahore Qalandars, so far the best figures in the PSL’s short history. He has been retained, and might hope for a bit more support from his teammates this time around.Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard are the biggest T20 names, although their recent form has been mixed. Gayle was the third-highest scorer in the 2016 Caribbean Premier League, but his Bangladesh Premier League performance – of greater relevance, given where the PSL is being played – was ordinary, with 109 runs in five games. Pollard scored 145 runs in eight matches for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash, but Karachi Kings will need more than that from their volatile West Indians.Unburdened by the captaincy, Shoaib Malik may begin to play more freely. While his performance in last year’s edition was unremarkable, his outings in the CPL and the BPL have been solid – he has averaged 32.87 and 41.71 respectively. The evergreen Sangakarra, too, had a prolific BPL, ending up as the fourth highest run-scorer. However, his form in franchise T20 cricket over the past year or so has dipped, and might be a concern.The heart of the bowling attack has a Pakistani flavour, with Mohammad Amir, Sohail Khan and Imad Wasim comprising the three likely frontline bowlers. Amir was decent without being earth-shattering for the Kings last year, while Imad Wasim’s stock has risen since 12 months ago, owing much to his stellar international showings.Key foreign player
Karachi have a host of big-name foreign players, but none of them really convinces, either because of form or age. In such circumstances, it might be best to revert to what is already known and highlight Ravi Bopara once more. How a player who has never shown signs of the T20 nous he exhibited last season took the league by storm was nothing short of stunning. He will ply his trade on similar tracks to the ones he hit such a purple patch on last season, but with significantly more confidence. Similar performances this time around may even see him pushing for an international recall after a two-year absence.Under-the-radar local lad
It has been more than six years since Shahzaib Hasan last played for Pakistan, but a monster hundred in a List A game two weeks ago might give us a glimpse of the form he’s in. As a World T20 winner with Pakistan in 2009, he is unlikely to be fazed by anything the PSL can throw at him. He played only two games for Karachi last year, but if the side’s batting superstars fail to live up to their billing, Shahzaib could be given an extended run in the side, and remind Pakistani fans why a World Cup winners medal hangs around his neck.Kumar Sangakkara’s inclusion should bolster Karachi Kings’ batting•Daily Star

Availability
There was no transfer activity during the replacement draft for the Karachi Kings. Everyone in the squad is available for the duration of the tournament, and there are no injury concerns.Coaches and Staff
Mickey Arthur (head coach), Azhar Mahmood (assistant coach), Rashid Latif (director), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Asad Ali (physio)Karachi Kings squad
Kumar Sangakkara (c), Chris Gayle, Shoaib Malik, Kieron Pollard, Mohammad Amir, Ravi Bopara, Imad Wasim, Babar Azam, Ryan McLaren, Sohail Khan, Shahzaib Hasan, Saifullah Bangash, Khurram Manzoor, Kashif Bhatti, Abrar Ahmed, Abdul Hameed
Supplementary players: Mahela Jayawardene, Usama Mir, Rahat Ali, Amad Alam

The first four-day match between Pakistan A and Zimbabwe A ended in a draw at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2016

ScorecardFile photo – Peter Moor stood out with 157 in Zimbabwe A’s strong first-innings batting performance•AFP

The first four-day match between Pakistan A and Zimbabwe A ended in a draw at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, as the hosts got some valuable match practice ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka.Zimbabwe A, fielding a full squad of Test players, opted to bat first and were reduced to 193 for 5 before Peter Moor took charge of the game and scored 157, studded with 11 fours and eight sixes. Contributions from Richmond Mutumbami (38) and Graeme Cremer (54) helped Zimbabwe put on 251 for the last five wickets and reach 444. Legspinner Shadab Khan took 4 for 114 and left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar took 3 for 112 for Pakistan.Pakistan’s response started with the loss of two quick wickets, but opener Zain Abbas scored his second first-class century as he set up partnerships with Shohaib Maqsood (54) and Saad Ali (62) to take them out of trouble. He scored 137 before falling to Cremer, who ended with 4 for 82. Allrounder Fahim Ashraf scored an unbeaten 61 to take Pakistan to 358.Malcolm Waller scored an unbeaten 87 in the second innings that lasted 75.2 overs before Zimbabwe declared on 219 for 5. Sikandar Raza (40) and Craig Ervine (38) managed to get some time in after veteran Hamilton Masakadza got out without scoring. Asghar had an impressive outing once again, taking four of the five wickets that fell.Fakhar Zaman (40*) and Zain Abbas (39*), the Pakistan openers, took them to 72 for no loss before play ended.

Bangladesh, Afghanistan progress to quarter-finals; Pakistan crush PNG

Sreshth Shah23-Jan-2022Opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi struck 144 and No. 4 Raj Bawa smacked 162 to give India the second-biggest win in the history of Youth ODIs as the Covid-hit team trounced Uganda by 326 runs in their final Group B encounter in Tarouba. The pair’s partnership of 206, that propelled India to post the tournament’s first 400+ total, was also the highest third-wicket stand in Under-19 World Cup history.Related

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The 16-year-old Raghuvanshi started attacking the Uganda bowling right from the first over when he cut one square for four, and then dominated a 40-run opening stand with Harnoor Singh by playing the short balls offered by the Uganda bowlers on both sides behind square. He displayed his wristwork by flicking shots off his toes through midwicket and playing strong drives down the ground to reach his fifty in 49 balls.Raghuvanshi, on 50, was joined by Raj Bawa after Nishant Sindhu fell for 15, and together they dominated for the next 22.4 overs where they scored 206 runs together. Bawa started his innings by putting away a low full toss through midwicket, and after a short period of quiet batting till the 21st over, the duo broke free.The 22nd over went for 20 runs as Raghuvanshi hit two fours and Bawa smacked back-to-back sixes, the 26th had Raghuvanshi playing two sweeps for four and one drive past the bowler, and in the 27th over, Bawa played a sublime punch through deep cover and followed it up with pull to the long-on boundary to push India to 172 for 2. Bawa reached his fifty in 44 balls in the 28th over in style slog-sweeping a six over the leg side and by the end of the 30th over, India had breached 200.Raghuvanshi reached his 93-ball century next over by pulling a short ball for four, and with at least one boundary coming off their bat till the 34th over, India’s run rate was hovering near seven and the chances of a 400+ score was looking like a reality for the first time in the innings.Bawa then tore into Uganda bowler Joseph Baguma by hitting consecutive sixes off full-tosses and on 90, offered the first real chance when he edged a shot past the vacant slip cordon for four. He followed it up to move to 98 with a square cut that raced through the carpet. He reached his century in only 69 balls with a single to midwicket.With both batters in triple digits, it appeared like the duo had shed all inhibitions and looked to tonk every ball out of the ground. Raghuvanshi went 6, 4, 4 in the 38th over, however, he was out on 144, top-edging a swipe to the wicketkeeper.Bawa, though, was not going to stop, and he brought up India’s 300 in the 40th over with a six over extra cover. He kept finding the boundaries with ease and buried a six down the ground to reach his 101-ball 150 by easily flicking a shot over deep midwicket.With Kaushal Tambe not lasting long, Bawa needed someone from the other end to also bring out the fireworks to help India breach 400, and wicketkeeper Dinesh Bana offered that aid by hitting a quickfire 14-ball 22. Bawa then saw off the innings in Aneeshwar Gautam’s company as their six-run 50th over took India to 405 for 5.Uganda did not get going in their chase at all, with six batters failing to score a run. Rajvardhan Hangargekar rattled the top order with his two wickets and the stand-in captain Nishant Sindhu, who had bowled tight through the tournament but without the wickets to show for it, then ran through the middle order with a four-for, including the scalp of Uganda captain Pascal Murungi (34). Vicky Ostwal and Vasu Vats, drafted into the India squad hours before the match, took a wicket apiece to complete the rout. India will next play Bangladesh in the quarter-finals.Mahfijul Islam cuts off the backfoot•ICC via Getty Images

In what was a virtual pre-quarterfinal match, defending champions Bangladesh rode on the back of a complete bowling performance in a rain-hit Group A game to secure their passage into the final eight by beating UAE by nine wickets.Right-arm seamer Ripon Mondol took 3 for 31 while Ashiqur Zaman and Tanzim Hasan Sakib took two wickets apiece to bowl UAE out for 148. UAE had three batters getting starts, with Punya Mehra top-scoring with 43, but they lost their last six wickets for 46 runs, with Mondol causing maximum damage.A rain-break changed the 149-run target to Bangladesh requiring 107 in 35 overs, and their openers set up the chase with an 86-run opening stand. Mahfijul Islam hit six fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 69-ball 64 and was assisted by Iftakher Hossain’s 70-ball 37. No. 3 Prantik Nawrose Nabil then gave Mahfijul company through to the end as Bangladesh wrapped up the nine-wicket win by the 25th over to finish second, behind England, in the group.Seam-bowling allrounder Muhammad Shehzad took a five-wicket haul while conceding only seven runs to set up Pakistan’s demolition of Papua New Guinea and help his side finish table-toppers in Group C. Their nine-wicket win now sets up a quarter-final date against Australia.Shehzad was the first-change bowler, and he had middle-order batters Aue Oru and Patrick Nou caught behind first up. He then returned to pick up the wickets of Sigo Kelly, Rasan Kevau and Karoho Kevau – all three for ducks – to bowl PNG out for 50 in 22.4 overs.Shehzad’s bowling form, however, could not convert into a good batting show for him personally. He was out for a duck as opener, but the other opener Abbas Ali scored 27 in 32 balls in the company of the captain Hasebullah Khan (18*) to leave Pakistan with a perfect Group C record of three wins in three games.In a must-win game for both sides, Afghanistan rode on the back of their captain Suliman Safi’s 111 and an all-round show from Nangeyalia Kharote to pip Zimbabwe to the second spot in Group C with a comprehensive 109-run win. Afghanistan will now participate in an all-Asian quarter-final against Group D toppers Sri Lanka.The left-hand opener Kharote hit a 45-ball 50 to build Afghanistan’s foundation, but it was Safi’s century from No. 4 that took them to 261 for 6. Safi hit 14 fours and three sixes in his 118-ball 111, dominating a 108-run fifth-wicket stand with Mohammad Ishaq where he made just 39. Although expensive, Zimbabwe seamer Alex Falao took a three-for.Zimbabwe made a promising start to the chase, putting up 49 in their opening stand, with Matthew Welch making most of the runs. However, Kharote’s left-arm spin then ran through the middle order, helping him finish with 4 for 30, which also included the wickets of Zimbabwe’s top-scorer Welch (53), the captain Emmanuel Bawa, and David and Brian Bennett. Sandwiched between his wickets was the run out that Kharote effected to send Connor Mitchell back for a duck, and leg spinner Izharulhaq Naveed made short work of the tail. The other left-arm spinner Shahidullah Hasani took two top-order wickets too, and Zimbabwe folded for 152.

The three-time IPL champions will start training in Mumbai on March 26

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Mar-2021They had their worst IPL season – finishing seventh – in 2020, and as the Chennai Super Kings look to bounce back and add to their three titles, they have received a shot in the arm in the form of Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja joining their bio-secure bubble in Mumbai this week. While Jadeja linked up on Friday, Raina had joined on Wednesday. Both of them will undergo a week-long quarantine before joining the team’s training, which takes off on Saturday.For Jadeja, the IPL will mark a return to cricket since he dislocated his left thumb while batting in the Sydney Test against Australia in early January. Jadeja underwent surgery in Sydney before heading to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru to complete his rehabilitation. The injury had ruled Jadeja out of the all-format home series against England.Earlier this week, Jadeja posted a video from the NCA, showing him holding the bat and bowling for the first time since the Australia tour. The franchise had originally expected Jadeja to join in the first week of April, but his early release from the NCA has ensured that he gets at least a week of training before the Super Kings play their first match of the season, against the Delhi Capitals in Mumbai on April 10.Related

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‘Tell them, I have come back’- Raina
While Jadeja would be expected to settle in quickly, the focus is bound to remain on Raina, who entered the Super Kings hotel quietly on Wednesday. This, in a way, is Raina’s re-entry to the Super Kings ranks following a controversial exit on the eve of the 2020 IPL.The Super Kings tweeted a picture of Raina in his hotel room with a title saying: “Vandhutennu Sollu! From namma Chinna Thala!” That translates to: “Tell them, I have come back”, a line from , the popular Tamil film.While there were questions about Raina’s future with the franchise following stern comments from franchise owner N Srinivasan after the developments last season, Raina was retained ahead of the 2021 auction. Raina, who retired from international cricket along with MS Dhoni on August 15 last year, has kept himself fit by turning out for Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.Raina’s return restores the balance in the batting department for the Super Kings, who struggled to find momentum until the latter stages of the league phase in 2020 IPL. Dhoni & Co to begin training at Brabourne
It was also a particularly bad season for Dhoni the batsman, as he struggled to get into any sort of rhythm, scoring just 200 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 116. As he signed the yellow No. 7 jersey for players for rival teams, speculation grew whether he would be retiring after the season.”Definitely not,” he said after the Super Kings’ final match last season, to put an end to the speculation.Dhoni reached Chennai to be part of the preliminary training camp, which comprised a small group of mainly uncapped Indian domestic players. That camp was also conducted in a bio-secure environment with everyone involved adhering by the mandatory quarantine protocols set by the BCCI.Kasi Viswanathan, the Super Kings’ chief executive officer, told ESPNcricinfo that the players and coaching staff who were part of that bubble wouldn’t need to undergo the seven-day quarantine in Mumbai. “Our first day of practice will be tomorrow (Saturday),” Viswanathan confirmed, revealing that the first two training sessions would be at Brabourne Stadium.Ngidi to arrive on April 5
Head coach Stephen Fleming and assistant coach Michael Hussey are among the overseas members of the set-up to have reached Mumbai already.Viswanathan confirmed that Faf du Plessis would arrive on March 26, and it is understood that Lungi Ngidi would be released from the ODI squad – along with other IPL-bound players – for the series against Pakistan on April 4, the day of the second of three games.The Super Kings are one of the four teams – along with the Capitals, the Punjab Kings and the Rajasthan Royals – who will play the initial part of the league phase in Mumbai.