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Zimbabwe had their moments where they stretched Pakistan with a confident start in their chase of 162, but tackling the spinners in the middle overs was always going to be the bigger proposition

The Report by Kanishkaa Balachandran23-Aug-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShahid Afridi made an impact with bat and ball, scoring 23 and taking three wickets•AFP

Zimbabwe had their moments where they stretched Pakistan with a confident start in their chase of 162, but tackling the spinners in the middle overs was always going to be the bigger proposition. Pakistan’s spin trio – led by Shahid Afridi – put the stranglehold on the scoring with regular wickets and the hosts found the target rapidly slipping away from them. Once the required rate neared an improbable 12, the final passage of play turned tepid.In both innings, Pakistan found the going tough in the first half of the innings but clawed back in the second. Ahmed Shehzad weathered a sluggish start with a solid half-century that set the base for Shahid Afridi to play his natural game and push Pakistan to a competitive score. The Pakistan seamers struggled to contain the openers, but following a few quiet overs of spin, the momentum shifted. Brendan Taylor was looking to play himself into some form, after a poor series against India, and he didn’t have the time or an attacking partner at the other end to help his side reclaim the edge.After being put in to bat, Pakistan lost their first three wickets inside nine overs, all off questionable shots. Tendai Chatara accounted for the first two, and his second wicket to get rid of Mohammed Hafeez was made possible thanks to a brilliant reflex catch by Taylor. That catch was a good example of Zimbabwe’s fielding in the early part of Pakistan’s innings, but they couldn’t put enough pressure on Pakistan in the second half.Pakistan progressed to a less-than-satisfactory 57 for 3 after ten overs, but the turning point in the innings came in the 12th over. It was Elton Chigumbura’s first and he leaked 17, which included a pulled six by the debutant Sohaib Maqsood and two swept boundaries by Shehzad past short fine leg. Pakistan ensured they maintained that momentum till the end of the innings, picking 75 runs off six beginning from the 12th.Maqsood looked promising in a stand of 55 with Shehzad, pouncing on anything short from the seamers. After pulling Chigumbura over deep square leg, he tried to clear the straight boundary the following ball but was done in by an impressive running catch by Vusi Sibanda.Shehzad’s knock was vital in giving Pakistan a base to build on, which was crucial given the under par scores from the rest of the top order. He managed only one boundary in the first ten overs and began to open up in the company of the confident Maqsood. He was caught on the edge of the long-on boundary for 70, attempting a second six. Afridi, sent in at No.6, made a cameo 23 to give the bowlers a solid score to defend.Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza helped Zimbabwe race to 35 off five overs – at the same stage Pakistan had already lost two wickets. Taylor said at the toss that Zimbabwe were more comfortable chasing, and the openers certainly gave the impression. Sibanda didn’t look too troubled by Mohammad Irfan’s pace and lift, improvising by arching his back to steer the ball wide of the fielders on the off side.Saeed Ajmal was brought on in the sixth over as damage control. Captain Hafeez reverted to his seamers and Anwar Ali struck in the first over of his second spell when he trapped Hamilton Masakadza lbw attempting to pull a ball that wasn’t short enough. A set Sibanda lost his leg stump to Afridi, staying back to a flat, quicker delivery. Sean Williams was trapped lbw on the sweep, but didn’t appear satisfied with the decision.What Taylor needed was a form partner and the team management probably erred by not promoting Elton Chigumbura. Chigumbura performed better than some of the specialists in the one-dayers against India and when he walked in today Zimbabwe needed in excess of 17 an over. Timycen Maruma, who came in ahead of him, faced 13 balls for ten runs, at a time when Zimbabwe were desperate for a massive surge. The spinners held sway and the margin of victory was a comfortable 25 runs.

Mashonaland Eagles beat Mountaineers in an eliminator to clinch the Domestic Twenty20 Competition at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Feb-2016
Scorecard
Eagles won the Super Over EliminatorThe Mashonaland Eagles players pose with the series trophy•Zimbabwe Cricket

Mashonaland Eagles beat Mountaineers in an eliminator to clinch the Domestic Twenty20 Competition at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.Chasing 17 in the one-over shootout bowled by Bright Mugochi, the left-arm spinner, Mountaineers fell one short. This despite Hamilton Masakadza’s power-hitting delivering a boundary and a six to bring the equation down to four runs off the last ball, off which only a brace was possible.That they needed an eliminator to decide the winner was largely because of Tendai Chatara, who conceded just four runs off the final over to force the game into a tie as Eagles also finished on 167 for 6 after 20 overs.Cephas Zhuwao (71) and Chamu Chibhabha (37) put on 69 in just 5.5 overs to set the chase up nicely, before Mountaineers struck twice in four deliveries. When Regis Chakabwa was dismissed, Eagles were in a hint of trouble at 80 for 3. A 42-run stand for the fourth wicket between Zhuwao and Tinotenda Mutombodzi, who made a sprightly 22, before the slower bowlers applied the choke to force the game into an eliminator.Earlier, Mountaineers rode on Masakadza’s 42-ball 66 to post 167. Despite his strong show with the bat, it boiled down to his big-hitting prowess at the end once again, but on the night, the Eagles managed to hold on by the thinnest of margins in a thrilling finale.

Khawaja may not bat in the fourth innings as Queensland need just 83 to win after Kuhnemann and Sandhu star with the ball

Alex Malcolm25-Nov-2021South Australia skipper Travis Head has made a major statement in his bid for the final batting spot in Australia’s Test team scoring 101 but Gurinder Sandhu’s career-best six-wicket haul put Queensland on the brink of a dominant victory at Karen Rolton Oval.South Australia were forced to follow-on early on day three after folding in their first-innings to be all out for 102 with Matthew Kuhnemann taking his third five-wicket haul in three matches. Queensland’s lead of 197 left captain Usman Khawaja with no choice but to ask South Australia to bat again. But in an unusual twist of fate, it handed Head the opportunity to make amends for his first innings failure and denied Khawaja himself the same chance with both men fighting for the final middle-order spot in Australia’s team for the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.While national chairman of selectors George Bailey insisted last week that the selection panel was already leaning towards one of the two prior to this match and that they were not involved in a bat-off for a spot in the lead-up to the Test match, Head’s hundred would undoubtedly have made an impression.On a surface that had been extremely difficult for batting, where only Marnus Labuschagne and Bryce Street had scored more than 42, Head withstood Queensland’s relentless pressure making a fluent 101 from 149 balls with 11 boundaries.It was his second Sheffield Shield century of the season, adding to his staggering record at Karen Rolton Oval. In nine Shield innings at the ground, he has made three centuries and two half-centuries and averages 79.25. That doesn’t include his 230 in a Marsh Cup game there earlier this season. His first-class average at Australia’s Test venues is 36.35. But this century came on a pitch far less friendly for batting than some of his previous at the venue.The rest of South Australia’s top order were suffocated by Sandhu whose height and accuracy proved incredibly difficult to handle. He took five of the first six wickets in the second innings to claim just his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket and his first since his debut way back in 2013.Harry Nielsen fought doggedly alongside Head making 42 while Nathan McAndrew made 37 not out to ensure Queensland would need to bat again. Kuhnemann picked up three more scalps to claim eight for the match before Sandhu returned to take the final wicket and complete his career-best figures to leave the Bulls needing just 88 runs to win.Street and Joe Burns survived seven overs to stumps to leave the Bulls needing just 83 for victory on the final day.

Nadir Shah, the Bangladesh umpire, has been handed a ten-year ban by the BCB on charges of corruption alleged by a TV sting operation in 2012

Mohammad Isam18-Mar-2013Nadir Shah, the Bangladesh umpire, has been handed a ten-year ban by the BCB on charges of corruption alleged by a TV sting operation in 2012. The decision followed an investigation carried out by the Bangladesh board.Sharfuddoula Saikat, the other umpire who was contacted by reporters posing as agents, was cleared to continue umpiring. Saikat had informed the BCB’s umpires committee at the time of contact with whom he perceived to be agents, but his case had also been kept pending since October last year.”Nadir Shah will not be considered for a BCB retainership for 10 years,” the BCB said in a statement. “During this period he will not be eligible for any assignment under the jurisdiction of the BCB.” He has the right to appeal to the BCB once he is formally informed of the decision.The sting, broadcast by , claimed to have “exposed” several first-class umpires from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan who were allegedly willing to give decisions favouring players for a fee. In the sting, conducted in July and August 2012, the reporters claimed to belong to a sports management company and promised the umpires officiating assignments in events of all kinds around the world, largely domestic Twenty20 leagues.All three national boards announced investigations following the broadcast. The BCB conducted a detailed investigation into the matter, with two committees being formed by subsequent board of directors. A BCB statement said the ICC supported it in the investigation process. The PCB is scheduled to receive the report of its inquiry committee later on Monday, while in Sri Lanka the investigation has not been carried out as yet.ICC chief executive Dave Richardson said the decision reflected the commitment of the ICC and its members to root out corruption from cricket. “This decision also reiterates cricket’s zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and should serve as a reminder to all stakeholders, be they umpires, players, curators or administrators of the risks and challenges the sport faces.”Shah, who officiated in 40 ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals, was the only umpire shown in the sting to have met the undercover reporters in person; the others operated through internet-based video chats. He had said at the time that he went along with the undercover reporters’ plan because he had felt “threatened” by the people, whom he met at a Delhi hotel. He maintained that stand in public though he did admit his mistake to the investigation committee.

Adam Gilchrist, the Kings XI Punjab captain, believed the team had a defendable total on a sluggish pitch, but credited Eoin Morgan for turning the match in Kolkata Knight Riders’ favour

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Apr-2013Adam Gilchrist, the Kings XI Punjab captain, believed the team had a defendable total on a sluggish pitch, but credited Eoin Morgan for turning the match in Kolkata Knight Riders’ favour. Kings XI picked up the wickets of Gautam Gambhir and Yusuf Pathan early in the innings, but Manvider Bisla and Jacques Kallis built a 66-run stand, before Morgan smashed a quickfire 42 off 26 balls to help Knight Riders complete the chase with 10 balls to spare.”Great breakthroughs early and we were right in the hunt all the way through,” Gilchrist said. “Jacques and Manvinder Bisla did very well to steady the ship. Bisla took his early let-off and played a nice and controlled innings. Morgan was the difference in the end in their batting and obviously Jacques had a great game with both bat and ball. I must say if I were to believe you guys [media], Jacques wasn’t even turning up today.””I thought 150 was pretty competitive,” he added. “If you get greedy, you might get 10 more. In the end, it wouldn’t have mattered with the way Morgan played.”Kings XI got an ideal start when Azhar Mahmood struck twice off consecutive balls in his first over, but the bowlers struggled to pick up wickets after that. Harmeet Singh, who had picked up three wickets against Delhi Daredevils, was introduced in the 11th over and immediately picked up Kallis’ wicket, but made no impact after that.”He bowled beautifully in Delhi the other night,” Gilchrist said. “He started well early today, but he would be disappointed with how he executed a couple of deliveries. But it was very sweaty and moist out there. He relies on those variations, the back spinners, the leg spinners. It was, in his defense, difficult to grip. But he is a welcome addition.”Gilchrist said he was satisfied with his form too after scoring 27, his best innings this year, and hoped to continue improvement in his game.”I did more practice leading into this tournament than any other ones. Nice to get some from the middle of the bat. Obviously, the trouble is you fail fail fail, then you get 20-odd, and start to feel good, then you get disappointed and frustrated that you get out. So you are never really happy as a batsman. I have got to keep trying to lift my game and contributing.”Eveything felt really good today up until I played that shot (the one that got him out). It was just slow off the wicket a little bit. I am not hitting the balls that I used to hit in the prime of my career. I understand that and I am not shattered by that. I am thrilled to be playing and enjoying it. It is not life and death. The great thing about knowledge and maturity is that there are more serious things going out there.”Kings XI are placed fifth in the table after four wins in eight matches.

Fast bowler has been with the squad for four years and is their leading wicket-taker as well

Umar Farooq20-Dec-2021Lahore Qalandars have named Shaheen Shah Afridi as captain for the upcoming PSL season. He replaces Sohail Akhtar, who led the team for the last two seasons. This will the fast bowler’s first time in charge of a team at senior level but he isn’t coming into the job completely cold. He was captain of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas Under-16s at the PCB’s Cricket Stars tournament in 2016.Over the last two years, Afridi has become one of the best players in the world. He has represented Pakistan in 21 Tests, 28 ODIs and 39 T20Is and has been with the Qalandars squad since 2018. In that time, he’s picked up 50 wickets from 37 games, which is a record for the franchise.”Shaheen is our asset and has stuck with us through thick and thin,” Sameen Rana, Qalandars owner and manager, told ESPNcricinfo. “I still remember the day when a young, 18-year-old boy came to Lahore Qalandars for the first time in 2018 and over the years he has developed as one of the finest fast bowlers in the world. He grew with us and helped the franchise to become stronger. He is Pakistan’s top-notch bowler at the moment and over the last three years he gained all the necessary experience playing in all formats of the game. I think this is the best time to give him a chance to show his leadership qualities.”One thing that impressed us all is that he is an excellent learner and I have absolutely no doubt that he will come good as captain. With his performances he has earned enormous respect. It’s a remarkable journey for Shaheen becoming the premium fast bowler and we are extremely happy to be a part of his development first as a player and now allow him to thrive as captain. I wish him very good luck.”As for Afridi, he is relishing the additional responsibility for the forthcoming season. “I am very excited and honoured to accept the role as captain,” Afridi said. “I hope I can give my best as captain. This is a big responsibility and I am happy that they trusted me with this leadership role. Leading a side is the highest role in cricket and equally a privilege for a cricketer. I am grateful to the Lahore Qalandars management and looking forward to the new season next month.”In isolation, Qalandars qualified for the final in 2020, but overall they have struggled to make a mark in the PSL. They have tried various captains in the past, starting with Azhar Ali who was removed from the leadership role in 2016. With most other teams retaining their local core across the first three seasons of the league, Qalandars didn’t have enough options to choose their captain. As a result, they turned to an overseas option in Brendon McCullum before Fakhar Zaman took over as captain.Akhtar, who is uncapped in international cricket, then stepped up as captain over the past two seasons. Under his leadership, Qalandars won the 2018 Abu Dhabi T20 trophy and finished runners-up in the PSL in 2020, but lost their way last year when they finished fifth in the six-team league earlier this year.Akhtar, however, is still an integral part of Qalandars’ core group having been retained by the franchise ahead of the draft.

Fernando had begun aggressively, as he often does, but then toned his batting down in the middle overs

Andrew Fidel Fernando24-Jul-20212:12

SL series takeaways – ‘They improved every match’

A minor technical change and a more sophisticated approach through the middle overs helped Avishka Fernando finish as highest run-scorer in the series against India. This is what the Player of the third ODI said, after his 76 off 98 balls helped set up Sri Lanka’s second ODI win of the year, as they achieved a target of 227 with three wickets and eight overs to spare.Fernando had begun aggressively, as he often does, hitting 32 off 30 balls during the powerplay, but then toned his batting down in the middle overs, looking for singles and twos in the outfield instead. Although he batted into the 37th over, only one of his boundaries came after the fielding restrictions had been relaxed.”I can usually get runs in the powerplay so I batted my usual way in those overs, but I needed to figure out how I bat from that point onwards,” Fernando said after the match. “As someone who bats at the top, I needed to be able to play those long innings and I wanted to do that in this series. I was able to do what the team needed.”Fernando was part of a crucial 109-run second-wicket stand with Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who for the most part was the aggressor, hitting 12 fours in his 56-ball 65. With Rajapaksa on the attack, and Sri Lanka scoring at well in excess of the required rate, Fernando moved into accumulation mode.”Bhanuka plays his game his way. At that point we didn’t need me to be scoring quickly as well. So I thought I’d give him the strike, because almost every over he would hit a four or a six. I was able to do that and he was batting well. Because we were able to rotate the strike we put on a good partnership.”This was Fernando’s second half-century of the series, having also hit 50 in the second ODI. His series tally of 159 runs (at an average of 53), was 31 runs more than the next batter – Shikhar Dhawan – scored.”I did change a few little things between the England series and this one,” Fernando said. “I had an issue with my front leg going to the offside too much. So I corrected that in training, and then because of that I was able to get back in the runs.”

Manoj Tiwary sounded the first unofficial salvo in the run-up to the India-Australia series when he said that a good number of Australian batsmen had been “wanting” in their technique against the India A spinners

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Feb-2013Manoj Tiwary sounded the first unofficial salvo of an otherwise far ‘kinder, gentler’ run-up to an India-Australia series in a long time when he said that a good number of Australian batsmen had been “wanting” in their technique against the India A spinners on day two of their three-day practice match at the ICL Guru Nanak College Ground in Chennai.Tiwary, a free-spirited batsman, became the second centurion in the India A innings, scoring 129 as his team was all out for 451 just before tea on a rain-affected day. After the day’s play, with Australia scoring 131 for 4 and losing all four batsmen to the spinners Rakesh Dhurv and Jalaj Saxena, Tiwary didn’t hold back, either on opinion or prediction.”They haven’t played the spinners as well as they could have – because I think the technique was [found] wanting,” he said. Australia were tootling along at a good clip against the four India A medium pacers before spin was introduced in the 21st over. Left-arm spinner Dhurv had Ed Cowan leg before in the 23rd over and Australia lost three more wickets before stumps. Off-spinner Saxena had Phil Hughes stumped and Usman Khawaja bowled, both scoring 1. Of all the batsmen, it was only Shane Watson who looked completely in control.Tiwary said of the bulk of the Australian top order, “They were not sure of their defence to be honest. That’s why they were not stretching enough to play the spin and not going back enough to play their shots.” Australia are without captain Michael Clarke and opener David Warner and Tiwary was not without his assessment. “If this is the way they are going to bat, it’s going to be difficult for them to be honest… to face quality spinners like Bhajjupa (Harbhajan Singh) and Ashwin and Ojha. The way they are bowling, it will be very difficult for them.”Should the wicket in Chepauk, where the first Test begins on February 22, be like what it was at the Guru Nanak College ground – slow, low, with very little pace and minor turn – Tiwary predicted more worries for “all their bowlers.”Watson though said there was, “absolutely no doubt about what India is going to hit us with.” The start of the tour, he said, was proving to be a “big learning curve for a lot of the guys” and that the best approach to playing spin in India had to be “proactive.” Spinners he said must “certainly” be attacked. “You can’t just allow them to settle in a certain line and length and allow them to be able to bowl that ball over and over again. At some stage that ball is going to turn and bounce and do something. As individual batsmen, we have to find a game plan to have as much success as we can.”Australia’s lesser-experienced batsmen, he said, were however, “very talented guys.””They have scored a lot of first-class runs in different conditions and it won’t take a very long time to find a game plan and a technique that will work here.”Lost in the assessment of Australia’s response to the two rather unheralded Indian spinners was Tiwary’s own performance; every time he has been given an opportunity against touring sides, he has scored runs this season, getting 93 against England A before his century in Chennai. “I came out to play this match, not to impress anyone but just to make myself happy after scoring runs. I was very conscious about getting big runs here to prove myself that I can score runs against quality opposition as well,” he said.One of the shadow men for spots in the Indian Test middle order, Tiwary more talked about for his one-day game said, “My dream has always been to play Test cricket. It depends on the selectors what they think about me and whether they can show some faith in me. My job was to score runs and I will do that as long as I play first-class cricket and four-day cricket.”The push for an India spot, he said, demanded a high degree of determination because of the competition. “You know the competition is so high you can’t miss out in an innings because you will go back few months of selection.” When asked whether he considered his game good enough to handle fast bowling adequately, he said that he was not concerned what his game “looked” like. “What I can do is I can score runs and if you can only look ugly and score runs, I will still go for runs. It doesn’t matter if I look odd or ugly in facing quick bowlers. I know my game and I know how to score runs. That’s how I have been able to score more than 5000 runs in seven or eight years of first-class cricket.”

Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes and Rory Burns return for Chennai Tests

Matt Roller21-Jan-2021Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran and Mark Wood have been rested by England for the first two Tests of their series in India next month, with Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes and Rory Burns all added to the squad currently touring Sri Lanka.Ollie Pope, who is currently in Sri Lanka continuing his rehab after a shoulder injury, will also travel to India and will be added to the squad when passed fit. Excluding Pope, the squad comprises 16 players, while six of the seven reserves will travel to India from Sri Lanka on standby in case of illness or injury. Craig Overton will return home, subject to the fitness of the rest of the touring party.Jos Buttler, England first-choice wicketkeeper, will also fly home after the first Test, with Ben Foakes set to take over. Ed Smith, England’s national selector, had previously suggested that Foakes would be handed a chance at some stage on the tour.England had signalled their intentions to rest all of their multi-format players at some stage after Christmas when naming their squad for the ongoing Sri Lanka series, with Archer and Stokes rested for those two Tests. Burns returns following paternity leave.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The decision to rest Bairstow for the start of the series leaves England with fewer selection headaches than they might have anticipated. Zak Crawley has been moved up to open alongside Dom Sibley in Galle, but looks set to move back down to No. 3 – where Bairstow has batted – with Burns back at the top of the order.After missing the series in Sri Lanka following a positive Covid test, Moeen Ali will be in contention for the first two Tests in Chennai, which start on February 5. England will have various options as to how they balance their side, with Stokes’ return to the middle order likely to provide them with greater flexibility. Moeen is also set to be rested at some stage during the India tour, either in the second half of the Test series or during the white-ball series that follows, as is Chris Woakes.Wood’s omission could create an opportunity for Olly Stone to win his second Test cap, after he was overlooked for Friday’s second Test in Galle. Adil Rashid remains absent from the red-ball set-up as he manages his long-standing shoulder injury.Related

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The uncertainty around Pope’s fitness comes as a surprise. At the time of his diagnosis, it was anticipated that he would be available to return in time for the start of the Sri Lanka series, and he made an unbeaten 58 in an intra-squad warm-up match two weeks ago.But he clarified to the this week that he remains wary about fielding, having told ESPNcricinfo in November that it would be “the last piece of the puzzle” in his return. “I don’t want to feel like my rehab is rushed and put myself under too much stress,” he said. “I need to make sure I get it right in the long term.”Smith said: “We’d love Ollie to be available when he’s fit. So when he’s fit, he’s fit. And as soon as he’s fit, he will be added to the squad. I wouldn’t want to speculate too much on that or create any pressure on him. I think life should be nice and simple for Ollie: he’s a brilliant young batsman. [We’ll tell him to] just keep working with the physios, and when they tell us you’re ready, [and] when you’re happy, we’ll put you in the squad and you can resume your sparkling international career – hopefully sooner rather than later but I wouldn’t want to put a timescale on it.”Archer, Burns and Stokes have returned to the squad•PA Images via Getty Images

Speaking before the squad’s announcement, England captain Joe Root said that he was heartened by the competition for places within the squad. “I certainly feel like it’s growing all the time, and that’s really exciting,” he said. “In terms of our fast bowling, we’ve seen more and more depth, and that’s continued over the summer and winter and is really nice to see. For that to now be happening in the batting, not just middle order but top order as well, I think that’s a really good place for us.”Competition for places is always something that stands out in improving teams. It’s something that, [with] these big squads in bubble life and modern-day touring, is a real benefit. It’s great to have so many guys wanting to get better, [and] making the most of learning from these experiences. It will grow us as a team, will definitely make our squad depth better and improve us as a team.”Root said that Archer and Stokes’ returns would provide “a huge boost”, and suggested that they would be refreshed after time off in recent weeks. “You speak to any side in the world, those two guys coming back into it would give the squad a huge boost and it’s certainly the case for us,” he said. “They’re two wonderfully talented players [and] with the climate and environment we’re in, resting players is going to be vital.”It’s a huge year of Test cricket and also a [T20] World Cup, and a lot of one-day cricket alongside. We’re going to have to look after players. It’s crucial we look after them and others as well, that we look after each other and make sure we’ve got guys who are fit and raring to go, physically and mentally, for everything that’s going to be thrown at us in the next 12 months.”India named a strong squad for the series earlier this week, with Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah all available again.England squad for India (first two Tests): Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler*, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes
Reserves: James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi

The Punjab Kings captain says the team bowling second shouldn’t have such a “huge disadvantage” because of dew

Hemant Brar18-Apr-2021KL Rahul, the Punjab Kings captain, feels there should be a provision to change a wet ball during the second innings of a T20 game, especially in dewy conditions else the bowling team faces a “huge disadvantage”.Defending 195 against the Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, the Kings’ bowlers struggled with the dew, forcing Rahul to even check with the umpires if the ball could be changed. The playing conditions didn’t allow that and the Capitals went on to win the game with ten balls to spare.”I think that [the ball change] will really be fair to the team bowling second, and I am not just saying that because I am on the losing side,” Rahul told Star Sports at the post-match presentation. “I think that’s only fair that the team bowling second doesn’t have such a huge disadvantage. Our bowlers try and practice their skills with the wet ball, but when you go out in the middle with the pressure it’s always difficult. I did ask the umpires to change the ball a couple of times, but again, it’s not in the rulebook, so that’s how the game goes, we’ve got to take it.”Related

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• Dhawan smashes 92 as Capitals cruise past big target

The dew has been a big factor at the Wankhede, making it easier to chase totals in night games as the ball comes better on to the bat in the second innings. Moreover, spinners too struggle to grip the wet ball and find it hard to get any purchase from the surface, as was seen on Sunday when the ball slipped from Jalaj Saxena’s hand during his delivery stride and landed behind him. Rahul said his side expected those challenges but it’s not easy to overcome them.”It was not something that was unexpected. When we come to Wankhede, we know that bowling second is always a challenge. We, as a bowling unit, tried to prepare for such conditions as well, but, again, it does get a bit difficult in a game situation, and especially when you are bowling against quality batters.”Mayank Agarwal, who scored a brilliant 36-ball 69 for the Kings, also said that dew made batting easier in the second innings.”It wasn’t as easy [in the first innings] as it looked in the second innings,” Agarwal said at the press conference after the game. “I thought the Delhi Capitals batted exceedingly well and also there was as dew factor. We cannot do much about it as players. It just boils down to execution under pressure and practising that. That’s as much as you can do as a player. Those are the things that are in our control. Obviously, we cannot do much apart from that.”In the five games played so far at the Wankhede Stadium in IPL 2021, the side winning the toss has opted to chase every single time. On four occasions, they ended up winning the game. The Rajasthan Royals, the only side to lose after winning the toss, came within a shot of chasing down 222 against the Kings.The Kings have played their three games at the Wankhede so far and were asked to bat first on all three occasions after losing the toss.After the Chennai Super Kings’ first game this season, their captain MS Dhoni had also stated that 7.30pm IST starts were giving an advantage to the team bowling first. His reason: when you start at 8pm, the dew has already set in, thus not giving the chasing side any real advantage.