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Six out of eight equity sales have been completed, but Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets still negotiating

Matt Roller30-Jul-2025The ECB insists that external investment in two Hundred teams remains “on track” despite the fact that their deals are yet to be completed.ESPNcricinfo revealed last week that Knighthead Capital’s investment in Birmingham Phoenix had been signed off and five more investors have now completed deals, which were agreed in principle earlier this year. The sales process valued the eight teams at nearly £1 billion collectively, with over £500 million invested in English cricket as a direct result.But two deals have taken far longer than anticipated to complete. The ECB initially gave new investors an eight-week deadline to finalise paperwork, which was later extended after disagreements over the participation agreement, and the deadline for completion has now been extended further for both Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets.Related

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The ECB announced the completion of six deals on Wednesday, with chair Richard Thompson hailing a “seminal moment” for English cricket. The board said in a statement: “The remaining two [deals] are set for formal completion at a later date. They remain on track, in line with the ECB having offered investors the option of completing later.”Invincibles will be run as a joint-venture between Surrey (51%) and Reliance (49%), the Indian conglomerate which owns Mumbai Indians and their affiliated franchises around the world. Surrey declined to comment, but are understood to be very confident that the deal will be completed at the start of October.ESPNcricinfo has learned that the Ambani family, which owns Reliance, will attend the fifth England vs India Test at The Oval, but that the visit is unrelated to the timeframe of the deal. One outstanding issue in discussions surrounds the name of the franchise, which could be renamed MI London or MI Oval in line with Reliance’s other franchises outside of India, but branding is not considered a major sticking point.The Rockets’ new investors are Cain International – whose co-founders Todd Boehly and Jonathan Goldstein are part of the consortium that owns Chelsea FC – and private equity firm Ares Management. They will run the franchise as minority partners, with Nottinghamshire – who also declined to comment – retaining a 51% interest.Trent Rockets’ new investors are Cain International and Ares Management•Nathan Stirk/ECB via Getty Images

Both investor groups are understood to have taken up the option presented to them by the ECB to complete their deals post-season on October 1, when they will assume operational control of their teams.Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, has previously blamed the deals’ slow progress on the need to consider “what ifs” and new investors wanting “clarity on all sorts of details” before signing. Gould told ESPNcricinfo last month: “I hate to think how many sets of lawyers are in on this, but that’s what they’re paid to do.”The imminent financial windfall will be significant for many counties, not least Yorkshire, who have sold 100% of Northern Superchargers to the Sun Group. “The deal puts the club in a strong financial position, which has been far from the case for many years,” Sanjay Patel, their chief executive, said. “The first priority is clearing our debts.”The new investors will assume operational control from October 1, with the ECB running all eight teams for the 2025 season which runs from August 5-31.

Veteran seamer set to lead the line under Adelaide floodlights in second Test

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2021James Anderson has warned England’s bowlers not to get carried away with the prospect of extravagant movement with the pink ball, as the team looks to battle back into the Ashes in Thursday’s second Test under the Adelaide floodlights.Anderson, who sat out last week’s nine-wicket loss in Brisbane, has been confirmed in England’s 12-man squad for Adelaide, where he hopes to emulate the form he showed in the corresponding day-night contest four years ago, when he claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in Australia.However, from his own experience of that game, and from studying Australia’s form in each of the five floodlight Tests they’ve so far played at the ground, Anderson knows to expect a typical war of attrition for long periods of the contest, particularly during the daylight hours of the match.”I had success with [the pink ball] last time here but, obviously, it is quite temperamental,” Anderson said. “It’s not a given that it’s going to swing around corners, or seam, or anything like that. We know it’s generally a good pitch here, and if the sun’s out, then it won’t do a great deal.”It doesn’t necessarily do nothing during the day, but it might not do as much,” he added. “Especially for a new-ball bowler, you got to try and see if it’s swinging. If not, then maybe you go slightly more defensive. If it is swinging, you can attack a little bit more. It’s just the same in that respect as any other Test match, to be honest. It’s something that we’ll try and read as we go along.”England’s hopes for the second Test received a relative boost when it was confirmed that Josh Hazlewood, one of Australia’s most effective pink-ball operators, would be missing the match with a side strain. He was devastating in the last day-night match at the venue, claiming second-innings figures of 5 for 8 as India were routed for 36 on the third and final morning of the match.”I’ve watched most of the pink-ball Tests here, whether it was actually being here or in middle of the night back home, to get an idea of how I should be bowling these conditions,” Anderson said. “That was certainly a spell I watched and hopefully I can do something similar. From that [performance], and the practice that we’ve had, we know that it swings around at times, even earlier on in the day.”Related

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Even so, Anderson acknowledged that the prospect of bowling at twilight, with the extra assistance that the conditions seem to offer to the pink ball, was one that he would be relishing, even though he conceded it was largely “luck of the draw” as to which side would get the chance to capitalise on such a moment.”There might be times during the game, at twilight when it gets dark under the lights, it might do a little bit more. But it’s just it’s trying to take advantage of those times when it when it does do a little bit more,” he said.”Both sides will be hoping for that, but there’s nothing that we can control about that. We’ve got to be able to bowl well in all conditions, whether the sun’s out at two o’clock in the afternoon or whether it’s nine o’clock at night under lights.”If Anderson plays at Adelaide, it will be his fifth Test appearance at the ground, more than any other overseas venue. And, having starred there in adversity on his maiden England one-day tour in 2002-03, it means his association with the venue will have stretched across 20 seasons.”I’ve probably had more crushing defeats than good times, but I think it’s my favourite ground outside the UK,” he said. “Obviously it’s changed since I first played here, but I’ve always enjoyed it, whether it’s been with the one-day side or the Test side.”The atmosphere is great. People love their cricket in Adelaide and the stuff they’ve done to the ground I think is fantastic. It’s now an amazing stadium. All the guys love playing here. And we’re just hopeful of putting in a good performance to try and edge that back into more good games for me, rather than bad.”

Dhaka Metropolis are ahead in tier 2, but Rajshahi and Barishal are not too far behind

Mohammad Isam10-Nov-2022Rangpur Division jumped to the top of the points table in tier 1 of the National Cricket League after their ten-wicket win over Chattogram Division in Savar. Sylhet Division, meanwhile, lost to Dhaka Division by 333 runs, and will now have to beat Rangpur in their last-round match if they are to clinch their maiden title.Dhaka Metropolis gave themselves the best chance for promotion from tier 2 after their two-wicket win against Rajshahi Division. Elsewhere, Khulna Division got their first win of the season, a ten-wicket hammering of Barishal Division.Best batters
Eight centuries were scored in this round, with the Dhaka pair of Abdul Mazid and Shuvagata Hom leading with the most valuable ones. Dhaka were bowled out for 113 in the first innings, but their bowlers fought back and bowled out Sylhet for 76. Dhaka then slipped to 136 for 4 with three of their top six getting ducks. However, Mazid and Hom steadied the ship by adding 254 runs for the fifth wicket, and completely changed the direction of this game. Mazid top-scored with 176 with 11 fours and seven sixes, while Hom struck 16 fours and three sixes in his 145.Rangpur’s massive win over Chattogram was made easy by veteran Naeem Islam reaching his 29th first-class century. He was unbeaten on 131 off 251 balls with 11 fours and a six. He was at the crease for more than six hours to ensure Rangpur got a 263-run first innings lead. Chattogram’s Pinak Ghosh struck a century off 264 balls with ten fours, but could only take his side to even Rangpur’s first-innings total.Dhaka Metropolis’ Mohammad Naim and Sharifullah struck centuries against Rajshahi. Naim raced to 112 off 105 balls with nine fours and five sixes, while Sharifullah rounded up an exact 100 off 129 balls with 11 fours and three sixes in response to Rajshahi’s 252.Tanzid Hasan struck 101 in the first innings with seven sixes and six fours, while Mushfiqur Rahim missed out on a second-innings century, getting out for 97.Moin Khan reached his maiden first-class century, scoring 102 with seven fours and two sixes after Barishal were asked to follow-on in their defeat against Khulna.Best bowlers
Rangpur’s seamers Robiul Haque and Musfik Hasan were the stars with the ball. Robiul picked up 5 for 13 in the first innings and 3 for 50 in the second against Chattogram, while Musfik’s 4 for 60 in the first innings was crucial too.Sylhet’s Enamul Haque took 5 for 33 to give his side the advantage against Dhaka, who were rolled for 113, but Dhaka’s pace duo of Salauddin Sakil and Sumon Khan shared 15 wickets between them, giving Dhaka a 37-run lead. Left-arm quick Sakil took 5 for 14 and 3 for 52, while Sumon finished with seven wickets in the match their win over Sylhet. Rajshahi’s Nahid Rana continued to impress, picking up 5 for 76 and 4 for 51 against Khulna.Best match
Dhaka Metro’s two-wicket win against Rajshahi did not provide just a thrilling finish but also an important result. Batting first, Rajshahi were bowled out for 252 runs despite Tanzid’s 101. Left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan took four wickets, while Abu Hider and Sharifullah took three each.In response, Sharifullah and Naim struck hundreds to give Dhaka Metro a 121-run lead. Rajshahi were then bowled out for 297, with Sharifullah again doing the job with the ball, taking 4 for 59. Chasing 177, Dhaka Metro found it tricky as they lost regular wickets until Hider and Rakibul took them home with an unbroken 15-run stand for the ninth wicket.Points to ponder
Sylhet need to beat Rangpur outright by eight points to win their maiden title, while Rangpur need only a draw to lift their second NCL trophy. Dhaka Division too have a chance but only if they win by an innings or ten wickets.Dhaka Metro are on 25 points, Rajshahi on 22 and Barishal on 19. The top team from tier 2 will get a promotion to tier 1.Players to watch
Sumon and Sakil have been excellent for Dhaka during this season. Sumon is currently the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 26 scalps from five games, at an average of 9.88 and a strike rate of 23.7. Sakil has 21 wickets from four games, at an even better average (8.95 ) and strike rate (21.9). Sakil has done well in the past as well, for Sumon, this is his breakout season.

He played five games with Sylhet Strikers, but was clearly struggling with fitness issues

Mohammad Isam31-Jan-2024Sylhet Strikers captain Mashrafe Mortaza has taken a break from this season’s BPL to concentrate on his political career. Mashrafe is a member of parliament – he was elected for a second time in the country’s general elections earlier this month. His party, the Awami League, has appointed him as the party’s whip in parliament.”Mashrafe will be available to play for the Strikers further in the season if there is an opportunity in between his political commitments and schedule,” a statement from Strikers said on Wednesday. “Sylhet Strikers franchise has extended gratitude to Mashrafe for his commitment to the team in the tournament so far and looks forward to have him back when he is able.”Although he was clearly struggling with an injury, Mashrafe played Sylhet’s first five matches in the competition, all of which they have lost. It was reported that he couldn’t prepare for the tournament as he would have liked, so he bowled off-spin off a few paces, and batted in different positions in the batting order. It led to a lot of hue and cry, including from former captain Mohammad Ashraful, who said that Mashrafe’s presence in this state was “belittling the BPL”.Sylhet has announced that Mohammad Mithun will be the captain in Mashrafe’s absence. It is an interesting choice as Najmul Hossain Shanto, who has led Bangladesh impressively recently, is also in the team. Sylhet play their next match against Durdanto Dhaka on February 2

Ricky Ponting is keen to be an international coach but indicated the timing is not yet right for him

ESPNcricinfo staff23-May-2024Ricky Ponting has revealed he was approached to be India’s next head coach but despite significant interest in the job said it is an “unlikely” option for him at the moment given the commitment it would require.Justin Langer, too, has said that the time isn’t right for him to take up the “awesome job”, while Kasi Viswanathan, the Chennai Super Kings chief executive, has said that Stephen Fleming, the team’s coach, will not like to take a job that requires him to work “for nine-ten months in a year”.Deadlines for applications close on May 27, the day after the IPL final, and ESPNcricinfo has previously reported that Rahul Dravid will not be seeking another stint .Related

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Ponting said he had ambitions to be a national-team coach, but amid his other current roles – head coach at Delhi Capitals and television work in Australia – the time is not right.”I’ve seen a lot of reports about it,” Ponting told the . “Normally these things pop up on social media before you even know about them, but there were a few little one-on-one conversations during the IPL, just to get a level of interest from me as to whether I would do it.”I’d love to be a senior coach of a national team, but with the other things that I have in my life and wanting to have a bit of time at home…everyone knows if you take a job working with the Indian team you can’t be involved in an IPL team, so it would take that out of it as well.”Also, a national head coach is a ten- or 11-month-of-the-year job, and as much as I’d like to do it, it just doesn’t fit into my lifestyle right now and the things that I really enjoy doing.”However, Ponting did appear to keep the door slightly ajar by saying his young son Fletcher had offered a positive response to the prospect of him taking the job.”My family and my kids have spent the last five weeks over at the IPL with me and they come over every year and I had a whisper to my son about it, and I said, ‘Dad’s been offered the Indian coaching job’ and he said, ‘Just take it, dad, we would love to move over there for the next couple of years'” he said. “That’s how much they love being over there and the culture of cricket in India, but right now it probably doesn’t exactly fit into my lifestyle.”Ponting’s other current roles include head of strategy at Hobart Hurricanes and head coach of Washington Freedom in MLC having signed a two-year deal for that tournament which will follow straight on from the T20 World Cup in USA and West Indies. He has previously worked with Australia’s T20I and ODI side.Stephen Fleming might have been another contender for the top job•ECB/Getty Images

Justin Langer puts himself out of contention

Gautam Gambhir has been sounded out by the BCCI for the job, while other names linked to it have included Fleming and Langer.”It would be an amazing job, [but] I have [put myself out of contention],” Langer said on BBC’s Stumped podcast. “I also know that it’s an all-encompassing role, and having done it for four years with the Australian team, honestly, it’s exhausting. And that’s the Australian job!”Would he never want to do it, Langer was asked, and he said, “You never say never. And the pressure of doing it in India… I was talking to KL Rahul [the captain at Lucknow Super Giants, where Langer is the head coach] and he said, ‘You know, if you think there’s pressure and politics in an IPL team, multiply that by a thousand, [that’s] coaching India. That was a good bit of advice, I guess.”It would be an awesome job, but not for me at the moment.”As for Fleming, Viswanathan said on CSK’s YouTube channel, “I know that it’s not going to be his cup of tea because he doesn’t like to be involved [in coaching] for nine-ten months in a year. That’s my feeling. I have not discussed anything more with him.”The BCCI has said that the head coach’s role will be across all three formats for three and a half years starting July 2024 until December 2027.Dravid began his two-year term after the 2021 T20 World Cup. His stint was due to end after the 2023 ODI World Cup in November last year, but he agreed to an extension until the end of the upcoming T20 World Cup.

The appointment is till the end of the Champions Trophy next year, after which the PCB will finalise the full-time coach

Danyal Rasool18-Nov-2024Aaqib Javed has been named interim head coach of Pakistan’s men’s national white-ball teams till the end of the 2025 Champions Trophy, of which Pakistan are the hosts.Former Pakistan quick and UAE men’s head coach Aaqib will continue to serve as a senior member of the Pakistan men’s selection committee, and “will be assigned additional responsibilities following the conclusion” of the Champions Trophy, the PCB said in a statement on Monday.The PCB added that it “will initiate the recruitment process for a permanent white-ball head coach” with the aim of completing the appointment by the end of the Champions Trophy, which is set to run from February 19 to March 9.Speaking at a press meet at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday, Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chairman, said, “We have temporarily asked Aaqib Javed to take over as coach until Champions Trophy. We don’t want to act too hastily in bringing in another coach who isn’t right. So this three-month gap, Aaqib will work [in that position]. He definitely wants to work on other things but we requested him to work for three months as head coach and after that we will see about the other stuff he wants to do.”It is only for [Aaqib to be only] white-ball [coach] and only [in an] interim [capacity]. We will begin the process of looking for a head coach in the next 10-15 days so we can search and find a good head coach.”Jason Gillespie, meanwhile, will continue to helm the Test side, and will join the touring party for the two-Test series in South Africa, which starts on December 26 after a T20I and ODI series. Last week, Gillespie was sounded out to perform white-ball duties until the Champions Trophy, without a change in his current contract – in effect, to take on two additional formats without being paid more for the increased scope of his role. Gillespie turned that offer down.Aaqib continuing to be on the selection committee puts the PCB’s coaching set-up in the unusual position, where the interim white-ball coach does have a say in selection across formats, while the full-time red-ball coach does not have a say in selection for the Test side.The decision to hand Aaqib white-ball coaching duties at such a critical phase of white-ball cricket for Pakistan underscores how swift the speed of Aaqib’s ascent has been. Until a few weeks ago, he was Lahore Qalandars’ long-term coach and director of cricket operations, where he had a mixed record; he led the side to consecutive PSL titles, but also saw several bottom-place finishes, including earlier this season.Jason Gillespie will continue to be Pakistan’s red-ball coach•Getty Images

When appointed a member of the selection committee, he was viewed by the PCB’s top brass as the mastermind behind the implementation of spin-friendly pitches against England to turn that series. He quit his role at Qalandars to focus on the PCB, where he was initially viewed as the favourite to be appointed director at the National Cricket Academy. He served a stint as Sri Lanka’s bowling coach earlier this year, but now begins his highest profile challenge.Pakistan haven’t had a full-time white-ball coach since Gary Kirsten resigned in late October. Gillespie had been given additional responsibilities for the ongoing white-ball tour of Australia.The tour of Australia, where Pakistan won the ODI series but lost the T20Is, ends today, and Pakistan are next slotted to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Zimbabwe (November 24 to December 5) before travelling to South Africa. In South Africa, they will first play three T20Is (December 10 to 14) and then three ODIs (December 17 to 22) before the two Tests. Pakistan then play a two-Test series at home against West Indies (January 16 to 28) before hosting New Zealand and South Africa in a short ODI tri-series just before the Champions Trophy.

Fletcher is weighing up whether to stay with the Melbourne Stars or head to the Abu Dhabi T10 League

Alex Malcolm16-Jan-2021A phone call from Brian Lara was the catalyst for Andre Fletcher to burst out of his BBL form slump, but he revealed he may not be available for the finals if the Melbourne Stars progress that far as they also prepare for life without Haris Rauf.Rauf was named in the Pakistan Test squad for a two-Test of South Africa starting on January 26 and left Melbourne today after bowling just one over in the Stars’ thumping win over the Adelaide Strikers at the MCG.Fletcher also said he may not see the tournament out. He has signed to play in the Abu Dhabi T10 League for the Bangla Tigers, with the 10-day tournament starting on January 28, two days after the Stars’ last home and away game and a day prior to the BBL eliminator. The BBL finals run from January 28 to February 6. The Stars have already released Ben Dunk from his contract and he is listed to play for the Qalandars in the T10 competition, which is also his PSL franchise.Related

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Fletcher said he would like to stay in Melbourne if it’s possible after receiving tremendous support from the Stars during his lean run of form.”I signed a T10 deal a few weeks before the BBL so I’ll have a think about it, speak to my agent and hear what he says,” Fletcher said. “I would love to stay to be honest.”Fletcher was Player of the Match for his stunning 89 not out, having not passed 18 in his first nine BBL innings this season, and having not passed 50 in his last 30 T20 innings dating back to December 2019.On Wednesday he received a phone call out of the blue from Lara, who is Australia commentating on the BBL for Australian broadcaster Channel Seven, to give him some advice.”He called me and I was surprised, to be honest,” Fletcher said after his match-winning innings. “He was telling me that, looking from the outside, I’ve been striking the ball cleanly and he just told me to give myself that opportunity. Giving myself that chance and playing each ball on its merits.”I’m an aggressive player so there’s no need to go out there and look to [over] power the ball. To be honest, that’s what I did today.”I’ve met him before. He’s a great guy. I told him over the phone, after what he told me I was like, ‘So Brian, now I understand the reason you were so great’.”He told me, feel free to call him any time I wish to, he’s there, he’s open for anything and willing to give me advice.”Captain Glenn Maxwell gave Fletcher a warm and long embrace after he came off the ground.”You could see what it meant to him after the game,” Maxwell said. “He was obviously pretty emotional. He got the phone call from the Prince during the week. Just to have that support behind the scenes was really crucial for him. We know how hard he’s been working in the nets. He’s a great team man as well.”The Stars vaulted back into finals calculations with their huge win over the Strikers and play their last four matches in Melbourne, including three at the MCG, but losing Rauf is a blow to the balance of their side. Maxwell was hopeful that Nathan Coulter-Nile would return from his calf injury soon to bolster their bowling stocks.”We’re equal third but also equal sixth,” Maxwell said. “It’s nice and tight at the moment. Obviously Haris is a big loss but he gets to play Test cricket for his nation and that’s a big achievement. We wish him all the best.”We’ve got Coults coming back from injury really soon so it’s probably good timing if there is a good time to lose Haris.”Coulter-Nile hasn’t played since he damaged his calf on December 26 in the loss to the Sydney Sixers.

The defending champions have opened their title defence with two consecutive wins

Ashish Pant04-Apr-20232:44

Moody: ‘Sudharsan showed maturity beyond his years’

Three-wicket hauls from Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan, backed up a measured unbeaten half-century from B Sai Sudharsan gave the defending champions Gujarat Titans their second consecutive win at the start of the 2023 season. Delhi Capitals suffered their second straight loss, in their first home game this year.After Shami, Alzarri Joseph and Rashid restricted Capitals to 162 for 8, Anrich Nortje’s pace had Titans in trouble at 54 for 3 in the sixth over. Sudharsan and Vijay Shankar, who was subbed in as Gujarat’s Impact Player for Josh Little, forged a 53-run stand to take Titans closer. David Miller, who had arrived in Delhi from Johannesburg only the previous day, provided the finishing touches as Titans wrapped up the win with 11 balls to spare.

Shami struggles and then hurts Capitals

The Delhi pitch was lively from the outset and Shami was unable to control his swing, conceding ten runs through wides in his first two overs during the powerplay. He also bowled several superb deliveries, one of which beat David Warner and grazed the off stump but did not dislodge the bail. Shami got Prithvi Shaw to spoon a well-directed short ball to mid-on and had Mitchell Marsh chopping a back of a length ball on to his stumps. Though Capitals managed to score 52 for 2 in the powerplay, none of their batters looked confident.Sai Sudharsan is filling the gap left by Kane Williamson at No. 3 for Gujarat Titans•BCCI

Joseph and Rashid contain Capitals

Joseph also made life miserable for the Capitals. His first over cost 11 runs but his second was memorable. He first ended Warner’s difficult stay, inducing a thick inside-edge on to the stumps. The next ball was a snorter to Rilee Rossouw, who fended in the air towards point, where Rahul Tewatia dived forward to take a sharp catch. Joseph was quick, mean, and accurate. Sarfaraz Khan and Abishek Porel were both struck on the helmet by his ferocious bouncers, as Joseph kept hitting speeds in excess on 145 kilometres per hour.With pace causing Capitals plenty of problems, legspinner Rashid Khan was brought into the attack only in the 13th over and he had immediate impact. Rashid had Porel playing all around a sharp legbreak second ball, and he dismissed Sarfaraz and Aman Khan in the 17th and 19th overs. Only Axar Patel looked comfortable for Capitals, and his 36 off 22 balls helped them reach 162.

The Sudharsan-Vijay Delhi connection

Heading into this game, Tamil Nadu team-mates Sudharsan and Vijay had strung together two fifty-run stands in four innings, and coincidentally both of those partnerships had come at the Aurn Jaitley Stadium during the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Now, batting for Titans, the pair produced another half-century stand in Delhi after beginning their stand in a difficult situation. Nortje had bowled the openers Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill, and Khaleel Ahmed had Hardik Pandya caught behind. With the asking rate under control, Sudharsan and Shankar built the chase steadily, taking no unnecessary risks and rotating strike while scoring the occasional boundary in between.Mohammed Shami gave the Titans two early wickets•Associated Press

Sudharsan keeps his head; Miller does what he does best

Sudharsan was one of the finds of the tournament last year and comes into this IPL on the back of a terrific domestic season. Though Nortje cranking up the pace and Kuldeep Yadav getting the odd one to rip, he never seemed out of depth. Sudharsan reached his fifty off 44 balls and remained unbeaten at the finish. Miller, on the other hand, found his bearings from the start, cracking Mukesh Kumar for 20 runs in the 16th over to decide the game. Miller was Titans’ mainstay last year with his finishing abilities, and he started this season by having a similar impact.

Impact Players: Khaleel Ahmed and Vijay Shankar

Vijay had a stronger impact on the game than his Delhi counterpart. Khaleel entered the game at the start of the second innings, replacing Sarfaraz Khan, and while he did dismiss Hardik, he went for 38 runs in his four overs. Vijay managed a 23-ball 29 and his partnership with Sudharsan was one that turned the game for the Titans.

Realistically, both teams will just want to finish their World Cup on a high, as they meet at Eden Gardens

Danyal Rasool10-Nov-2023

Big picture: Pakistan chasing the almost impossible

So here we are: one last time in the group stages at Eden Gardens, and for both of these sides – almost certainly – one last time at this World Cup. As title defences go, it was an all-timer of a disaster for England, comparable not just with other cricketing fizzle-fests, but perhaps all sport: think France at the FIFA World Cup in 2002, or Lleyton Hewitt’s first-round exit at Wimbledon the year later. England went nearly a month between their only two World Cup wins, with six defeats – many of them pastings – littering their campaign, one so poor it could yet knock them out of the 2025 Champions Trophy.England’s brand of cricket has been high-risk-high-reward for about eight years now, and having enjoyed so much white-ball success with it, the risks finally appeared to catch up this time. That style feels like it requires ultimate buy-in from players, and that requires confidence, which only comes from results.Once the results began to turn awry – first a beatdown against New Zealand and then an upset against Afghanistan – things snowballed very quickly. Panic against South Africa, when they made three changes and unwisely chose to field first, was punished to the fullest. They would spend the next fortnight touring the country getting beaten by one side after another, before a relatively respectable showing against Netherlands secured them their second win. Team selection baffled, shot selection sometimes even more so.Against Pakistan, though, they have the chance to sign off a wretched tournament on something resembling a high. Several of this England squad may not wear an ODI shirt again – certainly not in a World Cup – and it’s perhaps fitting that the last side they play against before their likely break-up is Pakistan. This brand of England has sizzled more against Pakistan than any other side, winning 14 of their 18 completed ODIs since the 2015 World Cup, including a then-World record total of 444 at Trent Bridge. Here’s a chance to play the old hits one last time.On Wednesday, England broke a spell of 29 days without winning a game at the World Cup•Associated Press

In Pakistan cricket, hope is the last thing you lose, and so despite the near-insurmountable odds against semi-final qualification, they keep on dreaming. Qualification requires beating England by about 290 runs, and while England have had a bad tournament, it’s not an ideal position to be for Babar Azam’s men. It has been a campaign that has mirrored their 2019 tournament with frustrating faithfulness, losing just enough games to leave them adrift of New Zealand on net run rate (NRR). In the final game that year, they required a similarly improbable win over Bangladesh. It didn’t happen then, and it’s unlikely to happen now.Pakistan will be annoyed that several of their players lost their form at the exact same time leading to their worst mid-World Cup run in history, when they lost four consecutive matches to leave them facing the exit. As with 2019, they lost one winnable game too many – West Indies in 2019, and Afghanistan in 2023 – and never quite had the clarity of purpose to keep their eyes on an NRR which remained negative for the best part of the tournament. To get past New Zealand now requires a miracle, and a sustained commitment to progressive cricket that Babar has frankly been unable to inspire his side to in all his years at the helm of Pakistan cricket.At best, he can emulate what Pakistan managed four years ago, and finish off as the best of the rest. On the evidence of the cricket they have played, it won’t exactly be an unfair assessment.

Form guide

England: LLLLW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
Pakistan: WWLLL

In the spotlight: Jos Buttler and Fakhar Zaman

As puzzling as it was untimely, Jos Buttler’s sudden absence of form and confidence at this World Cup has been one of several low points from an England perspective. For a man who played such a pivotal part in clinching the trophy four years ago, his ascent to the captaincy should have been the zenith of his ODI career. This tournament, instead, has been its nadir. A 43 against New Zealand to open the tournament was as good as it got for England’s most destructive batter, failing to manage even half of that in any of his next seven innings. However, Pakistan are his favourite ODI opposition, his average and strike rate ballooning to 65.25 and 150.86, respectively, against them, compared to career numbers of 39.79 and 117.16. The World Cup may have long gone, but he still has the chance to secure for his side a trip to Pakistan in a couple of years’ time, with a win assuring England of a spot in the next Champions Trophy.Jos Buttler’s tournament to forget•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Even as he found his touch to such devastating effect against New Zealand, Fakhar Zaman will be keenly aware of the poor timing of his drop in form. Just six months ago, he scored three successive hundreds and looked like the most dangerous opener any side would have at this World Cup. It was the sort of form he had maintained throughout this cycle, only to inexplicably elude him when it mattered most. Fakhar looked a shadow of his former self at the start of the tournament, and was dropped one game in. For a man made for the big occasion, he averaged 22 in World Cup matches until that point. He would finally remedy that with 81 and 126* in the two games since his return, but it’s destined to be just a little too late. At 33, this might just be Fakhar’s last World Cup game, which might free him up just that little bit more. And an unshackled Fakhar will always be one to watch.

Team news: No changes likely

England turned in something resembling a complete performance against Netherlands, despite a middle-order wobble that threatened to destabilise. Wholesale changes to that team are unlikely.England: 1 Jonny Bairstow, 2 Dawid Malan, 3 Joe Root, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Jos Buttler (capt/wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 David Willey, 10 Gus Atkinson, 11 Adil RashidPakistan’s bowling took a battering against New Zealand, but they are expected to field an unchanged side to the one that pulled off that near-miraculous DLS win chasing 402.Pakistan: 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Iftikhar Ahmed, 7 Agha Salman, 8 Hasan Ali, 9 Mohammad Wasim Jnr, 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11 Haris Rauf

Pitch and conditions: Bowlers beware

There’s some grass on what looks like a dry pitch. It’s also off-centre, which will result in a short boundary one side. It’s expected to be hot and quite humid, with rain not in the offing.

Stats and trivia

• Buttler needs 66 more to become just the fifth England cricketer to 5000 ODI runs. Of the four who have come before, only Joe Root boasts a higher average.
• While England won the sides’ first three World Cup meetings, the tables have turned since. Pakistan have lost a World Cup match to England just once since 1983, winning five of their last six.

Quotes

“Look, there should be hope at all times. At any stage, in any work you do, you should have positive and hope, and I firmly believe in that.”

The former captain made his first-class debut aged 17, scored 28 Test centuries and led Australia to 2015 ODI World Cup

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2025Former captain Michael Clarke has been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of FameClarke, 43, accepted the honour on Thursday, nearly a decade after he closed the chapter on his remarkable playing career. He is the 64th inductee, with two further members to be named this season.Making his first-class debut for New South Wales at 17, Clarke captained Australia to victory in the 2015 ODI World Cup and led the side across 47 of his 115 Tests.Overall, Clarke scored 8643 Test runs, putting him sixth on Australia’s all-time list, and 7981 in ODIs where he stands fourth. His tally of 28 Test centuries also leaves puts him sixth on that list.Having impressed early in his ODI career – he wasn’t dismissed in his first three innings – Clarke burst onto the Test scene during Australia’s 2004 tour of India, crowned the player of the match in Bengaluru after scoring 151 on debut.After being dropped in late 2005, Clarke returned a even more formidable player. He became the sixth Australian to score a Test triple-century after posting an unbeaten 329 against India at the SCG in the 2011-12 series.He followed up his SCG performance with a double century in the fourth Test against India, before notching two further double centuries against South Africa the following season.Other standout innings included the 151 against South Africa at Cape Town in 2011 (from a total of 284) in the game Australia were later dismissed for 47, his 161 at the same venue in 2014 when he defied a broken shoulder to set up a victory that would take Australia to No. 1 in the world and the hugely emotional 128 against India at Adelaide in 2014 shortly after the death of the Phillip Hughes in what would prove his final home Test.Michael Clarke was prolific in the period from 2012 to 2014•Getty Images

It had been in 2011, after England won the Ashes 3-1 in Australia, that Clarke succeeded Ricky Ponting as captain. At his peak, he was ranked the best batter in the world. He was also at the helm for the Ashes whitewash in 2013-14 and retired at the end of the lost 2015 campaign in England.”To be able to sit along so many wonderful players, idols, role models growing up as a kid and looking up to is something I’m honoured by,” Clarke said. “Retirement does a lot of things to you. Through stages of watching cricket now, you miss parts.”When you play at the highest level, people talk about your international career but for me, it started at six years of age. I retired at 34 so it was my life. It’s still a part of my life.”Cricket – it’s probably so similar to life in general. You walk out and make 100 and then lift the bat, and then you walk out to field, field in slip and drop a catch second ball of the game.”Australian Cricket Hall of Fame chairman Peter King praised Clarke as a player who “defined his generation”.”Michael’s extraordinary first-class playing career started at just 17 at the SCG – the place where many of his highlights occurred, including a Test triple century against India in 2012,” King said.”Michael’s career will forever be remembered fondly by the Australian public and his standing held alongside those at the upper echelon of our game.”Clarke also proved capable as a left-arm spinner. It was his spell of 3 for 5 in 1.5 overs in 2008 against India that helped Australia retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and extend their winning streak to a record-equaling 16 Tests. In his debut series against India he had also taken 6 for 9 in Mumbai.