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T20 WC: India thrash Zimbabwe, set up semifinal showdown with England

It meant India finished on top of Group 2 and will meet England in the second semifinal at Adelaide on November 10, while Pakistan will face-off against New Zealand in the first semifinal on November 9….reports Asian Lite News

India set up a semifinal showdown with England in the Mens T20 World Cup after a 71-run thrashing of Zimbabwe in their final Group 2 match in the Super 12 stage at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

After Rahul gave India a good start with his 35-ball 51 and Suryakumar Yadav smacked a whirlwind 61 not out off just 25 balls in posting a mammoth 186/5, the bowlers made short work of the Zimbabwe batters to bowl them out for 115 in 17.2 overs.

It meant India finished on top of Group 2 and will meet England in the second semifinal at Adelaide on November 10, while Pakistan will face-off against New Zealand in the first semifinal on November 9.

In defence of 186, India had success on the very first ball as Wesley Madhevere tried to reach out for a drive on a swinging-away delivery from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, but was caught by a diving short cover.

In the next over, Arshdeep Singh lured Regis Chakabva for a drive, but the late swing in off a fuller length meant the ball went through the gate to hit the stumps. With Bhuvneshwar and Arshdeep getting the new ball to swing, it made life difficult for Zimbabwe till captain Craig Ervine took a four each of them.

After hooking Mohammed Shami for a six over fine-leg, Williams swung away from the body and was caught at the third man on the last ball of Power-play. Post-Powerplay, Ervine chipped in the air off Hardik Pandya and was caught by the bowler off his right hand. In the next over, Shami struck again by trapping Tony Munyonga plumb lbw.

Ryan Burl was impressive with his sweep and reverse-sweeps, one of which got him a six off Ravichandran Ashwin apart from smashing anything with width for boundaries off the off-spinner, Pandya and Axar Patel.

But Ashwin struck to break the 60-run partnership, forcing Burl to go for an on-drive on a fuller ball and rattled the stumps. He then took out Wellington Masakadza and Richard Ngarava in quick succession to bag a three-fer. Raza holed out on a pull in the deep off Pandya while Tendai Chatara gave Axar Patel a simple catch off his bowling to give India a huge win.

Brief scores: India 186/5 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 61 not out, K.L Rahul 51; Sean Williams 2-9, Sikandar Raza 1-18) beat Zimbabwe (Ryan Burl 35, Sikandar Raza 34; Ravichandran Ashwin 3-22, Mohammed Shami 2-14) by 71 runs

ALSO READ: T20 WC: Pakistan keep semi hopes alive

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T20 WC: Pakistan keep semi hopes alive

T20 World Cup: Shadab, Iftikhar, Shaheen keep Pakistan's slim semi-final hopes alive with 33-run win over South Africa

Pakistan now need to win their next match against Bangladesh at Adelaide on Sunday and then hope that either India or South Africa lose their final Group 2 matches to Zimbabwe and Netherlands respectively…reports Asian Lite News

Shadab Khan produced a brilliant all-round show while Iftikhar Ahmed and Shaheen Shah Afridi played their roles to perfection to keep Pakistans slim semifinal hopes alive in the Men’s T20 World Cup with a 33-run victory over South Africa via DLS method in a rain-reduced Group 2 match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

The victory for Pakistan, who made 185/9 in 20 overs and restricted South Africa to 108/9 in 14 overs as per the adjustments by the DLS method, in Super 12s also meant that they maintained their perfect record over the Proteas in the history of Men’s T20 World Cups with their fourth victory in as many meetings. Pakistan are now in third place in Group 2 points table, pushing Bangladesh to fourth place.

On a chilly evening, South Africa made early strikes to push Pakistan on the back foot. Captain Babar Azam (6), Mohammad Rizwan (4) and Shan Masood (2) fell to Lungi Ngidi, Wayne Parnell and Anrich Nortje respectively.

Young right-handed batter Mohammad Haris, who had earlier come into the squad as a replacement for Fakhar Zaman in the 15-man squad, entertained a near full-house crowd for some time with his 11-ball knock of 28, laced with two fours and three sixes at a strike-rate of 254.55 before being trapped lbw by Nortje.

Iftikhar stepped up to resurrect Pakistan’s innings as he built a 52-run stand with Mohammad Nawaz (28 off 22 balls) and then established a crucial 82-run stand off just 35 balls for the sixth wicket with Shadab, who struck the second fastest fifty by a batter from the country in T20Is, to take Pakistan to 185/9, which looked absolutely impossible at one point.

While Iftikhar scored 51 from 35 deliveries, hitting three fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 145.71, Shadab’s knock proved to be the game-changer for Pakistan as he smashed 52 from just 22 deliveries, including three fours and four sixes at a strike-rate of 236.36. The duo’s efforts helped Pakistan get a very challenging total.

They were also helped by a sloppy fielding performance from South Africa, who squandered a good start with the ball in power-play. They dropped five catches apart from several fumbles on a greasy outfield.

In reply, Shaheen dismissed Quinton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw cheaply in the first three overs. But captain Temba Bavuma shrugged off his lean form with a 19-ball 36, hitting four fours and a six to lead the chase well until Shadab arrived in the eighth over.

In his first over of the night, Shadab found Bavuma’s outside edge as the keeper completed the catch. One brought two for the leg-spinner when Aiden Markram was castled for 20. By the time play was interrupted due to rain after nine overs, South Africa were 69/4.

An hour’s interruption caused by rain cut six overs from the chase and when play resumed South Africa needed 75 runs off the remaining five overs, with the target readjusted to 142 in 14 overs as per the DLS method.

Tristan Stubbs and Heinrich Klaasen, who came in as David Miller was ruled out to back spasms, hung around to hit some boundaries. But the pressure of a high asking rate was always going to be huge as Shaheen, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf picked up wickets in impressive fashion for Pakistan to stay alive in the race for the semifinals.

Pakistan now need to win their next match against Bangladesh at Adelaide on Sunday and then hope that either India or South Africa lose their final Group 2 matches to Zimbabwe and Netherlands respectively.

South Africa now need to defeat the Netherlands at Adelaide on Sunday, with their match happening before the Pakistan-Bangladesh clash on the same day to be in the reckoning for the last-four stage.

Brief scores: Pakistan 185/9 in 20 overs (Shadab Khan 52, Iftikhar Ahmed 51; Anrich Nortje 4/41, Wayne Parnell 1/31) beat South Africa 108/9 in 14 overs (Temba Bavuma 36, Aiden Markram 20; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3/14, Shadab Khan 2/16) by 33 runs (via DLS method)

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T20: All eyes on ‘INDIA PAK’ match at Melbourne

In the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE, India failed to qualify for the semifinals, losing to Pakistan and New Zealand…reports Asian Lite News

Come Sunday, and all the attention in the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be grabbed by the clash between neighbours India and Pakistan — mainly dubbed as the ‘greatest rivalry’ — in Group 2 of Super 12 stage at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

India’s clean slate of wins over Pakistan in T20 World Cups was shattered when Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan chased down 151/7 comfortably, after left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi’s burst through the Indian top-order in 2021. Here is a SWOT analysis of India and Pakistan ahead of Sunday’s marquee clash.

INDIA

Strengths: Post the early exit from the 2021 World Cup in the UAE, India have won almost every bilateral series, barring a drawn 2-2 series against South Africa at home in June. But what stands out as a huge strength is their renewed approach with the bat. If they were timid in 2021, they have turned the tables in 2022.

Since the time Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma have taken charge of the team, India’s batting approach has been aggressive, ultra-attacking and utilising the resources to their best ability. Apart from this, India have also shown that they can be flexible with their batting line-up; every player is ready to do any kind of role that the team requires in a certain situation.

Weaknesses: The absence of fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is an absolutely huge blow to India’s chances even before they left for Australia. Not only will India be without their best pacer in the tournament, who clocked a high of 140kph, they will also be missing the services of a proficient bowler who could bowl in any phase and any situation in T20Is.

Despite the presence of the experienced duo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami, who took 11 wickets in the powerplay in Gujarat Titans’ victorious run in IPL 2022, India’s fast-bowling department is relatively inexperienced and has a glaring weakness of giving away runs in the death overs, as seen from them losing six out of nine times despite getting 175-plus scores.

Opportunity: Despite being touted as pre-tournament favourites for winning the T20 World Cup silverware in many previous editions, India haven’t won the title after winning the inaugural edition in 2007 in South Africa, with the next best finish coming as runners-up in the 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.

In the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE, India failed to qualify for the semifinals, losing to Pakistan and New Zealand. Moreover, Pakistan have recently rejigged their middle-order, promoting Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz whenever spinners are operating. If India bring pacers straight on, they can make inroads through Pakistan’s soft underbelly.

Threats: Since the start of 2018, India have won 80 per cent of the matches while chasing, as compared to 57 per cent when batting first. Moreover, their 10-wicket loss to Pakistan came while batting first. In that defeat, left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi was the star performer, picking 3/31 in his four overs and taking out the top three of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. Though Australian pitches provide tons of pace and bounce, India will have to be very careful of Afridi on Sunday in a packed MCG apart from some left-arm spin.

PAKISTAN

Strengths: It is no secret that Pakistan’s biggest strength lies in their opening pair of skipper Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, apart from fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Haris Rauf.

The two have been the most prolific run-scorers for Pakistan in the last few years in T20Is and in their run to the semifinals last year, Babar and Rizwan were leading run-scorers for the team with 303 and 281 runs respectively.

Their record while batting together is blazing — Babar and Rizwan have put on stands of 150 runs or more as partners five times in T20Is, the most recent being their astonishing 203-run opening stand against England just a month ago in Karachi.

Weaknesses: If Babar and Rizwan are the strengths of Pakistan, their middle-order is a glaring point of weakness despite promotions of Nawaz and Shadab giving them results here and there. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, after Babar and Rizwan, left-handed Fakhar Zaman was the next-best batter with 109 runs, followed by veteran batter Shoaib Malik amassing 100 runs.

The same problem was seen during the Asia Cup, seven-match T20I series against England at home and in the recent Tri-series victory in New Zealand. Shan Masood had some fifties at number three, but hasn’t been consistent enough and so is Iftikhar Ahmed. Khushdil Shah hasn’t translated his six-hitting prowess from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to the international stage while Asif Ali, their designated power-hitting finisher, hasn’t given the required finishing touches.

Opportunity: Pakistan last won a T20 World Cup in 2009 and haven’t come close to the title since then. In 2021, after ending the Super 12 stage as the lone team to win all their matches, they were humbled by Australia’s brilliance in the back end.

In 2022, with Matthew Hayden again joining in as a consultant who has knowledge of local conditions, Pakistan can try to clinch the trophy in Melbourne, a venue where Imran Khan led the side to the 1992 ODI World Cup triumph in a surreal campaign.

Threats: Inconsistency of their players and as an overall unit on big-match days can hurt them. Moreover, their batters have a tendency to be rattled by high pace deliveries as well as short balls and bouncers apart from oscillating between good in first half, average in second half and vice-versa with the bat.

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Aussies beat Kiwis, lift maiden T20I crown

it clash, Australia outclassed New Zealand by eight wickets with seven balls to spare while chasing a target of 173….reports Asian Lite News

Mitchell Marsh and David Warner played knocks of 77 and 53 respectively as Australia lifted its maiden T20 World Cup title here at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

In the summit clash, Australia outclassed New Zealand by eight wickets with seven balls to spare while chasing a target of 173.

Chasing 173, Australia got off to a bad start as the side lost its skipper Aaron Finch (5) in the third over of the innings as he was sent back to the pavilion by Trent Boult. Mitchell Marsh joined David Warner in the middle and the duo took the team’s score to 43/1 after the end of the powerplay.

Warner took a special liking to Kiwi spinners Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner, and the left-handed batter brought up his half-century in the 11th over of the innings. However, the introduction of Trent Boult paid dividend straight away as he clean bowled Warner (53) in the 13th over, reducing Australia to 107/2.

Marsh continued with his carnage and he smashed Ish Sodhi for 16 runs in the 14th over, bringing up his half-century and Australia needed just 48 runs to win from six overs. In the end, Marsh and Glenn Maxwell (28*) guided Australia home by eight wickets.

Earlier, Kane Williamson played a brilliant innings of 85 runs as New Zealand posted 172/4 against Australia Asked to bat first, New Zealand openers Martin Guptill and Daryl Mitchell put on 28 runs for the first wicket, however, this partnership was broken by Josh Hazlewood in the fourth over as he sent Mitchell (11) back to the pavilion. After the end of the powerplay, New Zealand’s score read 32/1.

Kane Williamson and Guptill found the going tough as Australia bowlers managed to maintain a stranglehold over them in the middle overs. However, in the 11th over, Williamson changed the tempo of the innings as he smashed Mitchell Starc for 19 runs. But in the very next over, Adam Zampa dismissed Guptill (28), reducing New Zealand to 76/2.

Williamson smashed two back-to-back sixes off Glenn Maxwell and he brought up his half-century in the 13th over of the innings. The Kiwi skipper decided to go after Starc and in the 16th over bowled by the left-arm seamer, Williamson managed to score 22 runs, and New Zealand was looking in firm control at 136/2. Glenn Phillips departed after playing a 16-run knock and in the same over, Hazlewood dismissed Williamson (85), pegging New Zealand back. In the final two overs, the Kiwis managed to add 23 more runs, taking the score past the 170-run mark.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 172/4 (Kane Williamson 85, Martin Guptill 28; Josh Hazlewood 3-16) vs Australia 173/2 (Mitchell Marsh 77*, David Warner 53; Trent Boult 2-18). (ANI)

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T20 World Cup shifted to UAE: Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly. (File Photo IANS)

The mega-event is to be held in October-November….reports Asian Lite News

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly on Monday announced that the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in India has been shifted to the UAE owing to the health safety concerns posed by COVID-19.

“We have officially intimated the ICC that the T20 World Cup can be shifted to the United Arab Emirates. The details are being chalked out,” Ganguly was quoted as saying in reports.

The mega-event is to be held in October-November.

Meanwhile, BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla said the decision to move the T20 World Cup to the UAE was taken as nobody can predict what will happen regarding the COVID-19 situation.

“As far as T20 World Cup is concerned, today was the deadline as we had to inform the ICC about our decision so today there was a conference call between BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, Secretary Jay Shah, Treasurer Arun Dhumal, me and the Joint Secretary. We looked at the COVID-19 situation and nobody is sure what is going to happen after two-three months, looking at everything, it has been decided that Secretary Jay Shah and President Ganguly will inform the ICC to move the tournament to the UAE,” Shukla told ANI.

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“UAE is an ideal venue after India. We all wanted to host it in India, but you know it is an international tournament and that too of big size, so it was very hard to predict what is going to happen with the COVID situation, after due consideration, now the BCCI has decided to move the T20 World Cup to the UAE,” he added.

When asked when the tournament will begin, Shukla said: “The dates are going to be the same, immediately after the IPL, the tournament will start. The format for the World Cup has already been decided by the ICC, qualifiers may take place in Oman and Muscat. The rest of the matches will be in the three grounds — Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.”

Earlier, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah confirmed on Monday that the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup will be shifted to the UAE. “We will inform ICC today that we are shifting the T20 World Cup to UAE. The dates of the tournament, the ICC needs to decide,” the BCCI Secretary told ANI.

Earlier, the ICC had clarified that BCCI would keep the hosting rights of the tournament even if it is moved out of India. Meanwhile, the Indian Premier League (IPL)’s 14th edition will also be completed in the UAE. The IPL is set to get underway on September 19 and the final is to be played on October 15. (with ANI report)

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T20 World Cup set to be played in UAE from Oct 17

T20 World Cup

The three venues in the UAE that would be hosting the world cup are Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi…..reports Asian Lite News

T20 World Cup will be hosted by three venues in the UAE….reports Asian Lite News

The T20 World Cup is likely to start on October 17 in UAE, with the final on November 14. The Indian cricket board will be informing the International Cricket Council (ICC) about its decision to shift the 16-nation tournament to the UAE in its next meeting.

Three venues in UAE – Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai – will host the T20 World Cup games, with Oman hosting the qualifiers.

The BCCI wanted to host the T20 World Cup in India but two issues came in the way. It is learnt that they didn’t get any tax exemption from the Indian government. Also the BCCI wasn’t sure about how keen international players would be to return to India after the IPL was suspended because of Covid-19 cases in the bio-bubble.

During a virtual meeting with all state associations a few weeks ago, the board members were informed by BCCI office bearers that by shifting T20 World Cup to UAE, the board will save around 41 percent of total earnings.

The BCCI had already planned UAE as back up, with Oman to host the qualifiers. The board last month had even blocked hotel rooms and in conjunction with ICC had approached Oman Cricket Board to come on board.

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