Travis Head blasted the third-fastest century in Ashes history to crush England hopes on the second day of the opening Test at the Gabba on Thursday. At the close of play a dominant Australia were 343-7, a lead of 196 on England’s dismal first-innings total of 147. Head was on 112, alongside Mitchell Starc, who … Read more
The Indian cricket board’s removal of Virat Kohli as ODI captain was inevitable when he refused to step down after a dismal T20 World Cup, local media said on Thursday. The star batsman had relinquished his leadership of a T20 side who were eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup — anathema to fans in … Read more
Pat Cummins took five wickets in a scintillating start to his captaincy as Australia routed England for 147 on the opening day of the Ashes at the Gabba on Wednesday. After England skipper Joe Root won the toss and opted to bat, the Australian pace bowling trio of Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood ran … Read more
Afghanistan will play three one-day internationals against the Netherlands in Qatar next month, the country’s cricket board announced on Wednesday. The ODIs will be part of the International Cricket Council’s Super League, which serves as qualifying for the 2023 World Cup. “Afghanistan will host the Netherlands in three ODIs on January 21, 23 and 25 to be played in … Read more
Rohit Sharma will captain India in both white-ball formats, cricket selectors said Wednesday, as they named the Test squad for this month’s South Africa tour. Known as “The Hitman” because of his powerful hundreds and six-hitting, Sharma took over the T20 side in November after India’s dismal showing at the World Cup in Dubai and led a … Read more
Bangladesh on Wednesday released all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan from the squad for a series in New Zealand and replaced him with uncapped all-rounder Fazle Rabbi. Shakib was initially included in the squad for the two-Test series, starting on January 1. But the all-rounder sought leave citing family reasons, prompting the Bangladesh Cricket Board to make the change. … Read more
The first Test between England and Australia starts at Brisbane’s Gabba on Wednesday. Here, AFP Sport identifies the five players who could be match-winners in the Ashes. Steve Smith (Australia) The world’s number three ranked Test batsman — behind England skipper Joe Root and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson — was heroic during the last Ashes … Read more
Bowling great Jimmy Anderson was Tuesday left out of the England team for the first Ashes Test as Pat Cummins warned his Australian side boasting some of “the all-time greats” would be tough to beat. The home team head into the Ashes opener in Brisbane on Wednesday defending the hallowed urn and with their arch-rivals … Read more
Fast bowler Duanne Olivier was on Tuesday named in a 21-man South African squad for a three-Test series against India, starting in Centurion on December 26. The 29-year-old signed a Kolpak deal with Yorkshire in 2019 and declared that he wanted to qualify for England. He spent three seasons with the English county. The strongly-built … Read more
Off-spinner Sajid Khan’s maiden five-wicket haul for Pakistan brought some life back to the rain-hit second Test in Dhaka on Tuesday. Sajid’s 6-35 held Bangladesh to 76 before bad light forced early stumps on the first day at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Shakib Al Hasan was unbeaten on 23 alongside Taijul Islam (0) at stumps, … Read more
India will play Test matches in Centurion, Johannesburg and Cape Town on their tour of South Africa which starts later this month, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on Monday. The first world championship Test will start at SuperSport Park in Centurion on December 26. The second Test will be played at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg from … Read more
Yorkshire confirmed the interim appointment of former England bowler Darren Gough as the county’s new managing director of cricket on Monday as the cricket club attempts to rebuild following a damaging racism scandal. The club came under intense fire over their handling of Azeem Rafiq’s allegations of racism and harassment, with chairman Roger Hutton and chief executive Mark Arthur … Read more
Sri Lanka will bolster security for international cricketers after an expatriate factory manager was beaten and set ablaze by a mob in Pakistan over blasphemy allegations, an official said Monday. A dozen players from Pakistan are taking part in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) T20 competition, including veterans Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez. An official from … Read more
The third day of the second test match between Bangladesh and Pakistan has been called off due to persistent rain and a wet outfield. The match officials made the decision at 02:00 pm local time, with no chance of the weather improving for the day. However, this has failed to keep the Babar Azam-led unit … Read more
PSL 7: English cricket coach Peter Moores has been named as a head coach of the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) seventh edition 2022. Moores will replace South African cricket coach, Herschelle Gibbs who was the head coach of the Karachi Kings in PSL 6. Moores is the current head coach of … Read more
PSL 7 Draft: Rashid Khan and Tabraiz Shamsi are among 356 foreign players that will be going to play the Pakistan Super League (PSL) seventh edition 2022. As per the sources, around 356 foreign players will be part of the PSL 7 draft on 12th December. However, some top cricket names won’t be part of … Read more
India need another five wickets to win the second Test as New Zealand chase an improbable 540 despite the Kiwis’ Mumbai-born Ajaz Patel returning a record 14-225 on Sunday. New Zealand ended day three on 140-5 after the hosts declared their second innings, after left-arm spinner Ajaz, who took 10 wickets in an innings, put … Read more
West indies white-ball captain Kieron Pollard will not be part of the T20I and ODI squads for the upcoming tour to Pakistan due to his hamstring injury, which he sustained during the ICC men’s t20 World Cup. The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Selection Panel has replaced Pollard with Devon Thomas in ODIs, while all-rounder Rovman … Read more
JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa confirmed on Saturday India will play three Test matches on their tour which starts later this month but “under the strictest Covid-19 guidelines”. The CSA added the tour will be delayed by a week to allow for “effective logistical planning” following an outbreak of the coronavirus Omicron variant in the host country. … Read more
Spinners Lasith Embuldeniya and Ramesh Mendis took all 10 wickets as Sri Lanka demolished the West Indies to win the second Test in Galle on Friday with a session to spare. Chasing an improbable target of 297 to secure their maiden Test win on the island, the visitors lost only two wickets in the first … Read more
Yorkshire’s director of cricket Martyn Moxon and head coach Andrew Gale have left the troubled county side along with the entire coaching staff as the fallout from the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal rages on. Moxon had been signed off from work due to a stress-related illness while Gale had been suspended pending a disciplinary hearing since November … Read more
Mayank Agarwal hit an unbeaten 120 to lead India’s fightback on the opening day of the second Test after Mumbai-born New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel took all four wickets to fall. India reached 221 for four at stumps with Agarwal and wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha, on 25, in the middle after the hosts elected to bat … Read more
Pakistan pace bowler Shaheen Afridi said on Friday he enjoyed bowling with Hasan Ali as the latter helped him put opponents under pressure in Test matches. Afridi and Hasan have emerged as Pakistan’s new pace bowling pair in 2021, taking 83 wickets in Tests between them. “I enjoy bowling with him. This year he has … Read more
David Warner might be a polarising figure but the aggressive opening batsman is rarely boring and his heroics for Australia at the Twenty20 World Cup signalled he is back to his explosive best. Now 35, the larger-than-life Warner boasts an average just shy of 50 from his 86 Tests, with his swashbuckling presence able to … Read more
England paceman Chris Woakes called Thursday for the racism and sexting scandals that have overshadowed preparations for the opening Test against Australia not to be used for sledging during the series. Australia skipper Tim Paine quit over a text-message scandal while English cricket has been engulfed in claims of institutional racism. But Woakes said he was confident … Read more
Key Bangladesh bowlers Shakib Al Hasan and Taskin Ahmed return from injury as the hosts fight to prevent a clean-sweep at the hands of Pakistan in the second Test in Dhaka. Bangladesh trail the two-match Test series 1-0 after being beaten by eight wickets in Chittagong, where they badly missed a strike bowler. The hosts … Read more
India skipper Virat Kohli said Thursday his side were seeking clarity about the upcoming tour of South Africa, which is in doubt over the spread of the Omicron Covid variant. Kohli returns for the second Test against New Zealand in Mumbai starting Friday after he stepped down as Twenty20 captain at the end of India’s … Read more
Pakistan selectors Thursday rested some senior players, including former captains Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed, for their limited over home series against the West Indies to be played later this month. Besides Malik and Sarfaraz, fast bowler Hasan Ali and spinning allrounder Imad Wasim will also not be part of the Twenty20 and one-day international … Read more
