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Here’s all we know about the players who are set to be retained by their respective franchises

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-202410:37

Who will RCB retain apart from Kohli?

Chennai Super Kings (CSK)MS Dhoni is one of five players set to be retained by CSK, along with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube and Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana. The amounts CSK are paying to each retained player is yet to be confirmed but they will lose at least INR 65 crore from their overall purse of INR 120 crore.
Gujarat Titans (GT)Gujarat Titans are likely to retain Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, B Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan, leaving them with one right-to-match card (RTM) option at the upcoming IPL mega auction.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)The franchise is set to retain Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana and Varun Chakravarthy. Their 2024 title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer and star allrounder Andre Russell are unlikely to be retained.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi, along with the uncapped pair of Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni, are set to be retained by LSG for IPL 2025. KL Rahul, who has led the franchise since its inception in 2022, is unlikely to be retained.
Rajasthan Royals (RR)Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag and Sandeep Sharma are the four players set to be retained by Rajasthan Royals. ESPNcricinfo has learned that England’s white-ball captain Jos Buttler and India legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal are not part of the retention list.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)South Africa power-hitter Heinrich Klaasen is set to be the top retention for SRH and will get INR 23 crore (US$ 2.74 million approx.) as the first retained player. Pat Cummins, who was SRH captain in 2024, is set to be retained at INR 18 crore (US$ 2.14 million approx.), and India allrounder Abhishek Sharma at INR 14 crore (US$ 1.67 million approx). Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy are also set to be retained as their final two capped retained players ahead of the auction.
Delhi Capitals (DC)Rishabh Pant is all set to go into the auction after not being retained by DC. ESPNcricinfo has learned that talks between DC’s ownership group and Pant failed after stretching over the past few months and Wednesday. The franchise has retained four players: the spin pair of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, South Africa batter Tristan Stubbs and uncapped Indian wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel.
Punjab Kings (PBKS)Punjab Kings are likely to retain only two uncapped players – batters Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh – from their IPL 2024 squad. They will go into the upcoming mega auction with the largest purse, likely in excess of INR 100 crore, and also have four right-to-match options which can be used to buy back their players.
Mumbai Indians (MI)Mumbai Indians are set to retain their four major Indian players – Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav – along with Tilak Varma ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.With those five capped players retained, MI can use their one right-to-match option only on an uncapped player at the auction. While the individual amounts for each of their retained player is yet to be ascertained, MI will lose at least INR 75 crore from their purse of INR 120 crore, or more if they have paid a higher aggregate amount to the five.

Hosts were in dire straits at 53 for 4 in response to Surrey’s 433 all out built on Jamie Smith’s first-day ton

ECB Reporters Network20-Jul-2023Middlesex 179 for 5 (Simpson 55*, Holden 55) trail Surrey 433 (Smith 138, Burns 79, Clark 78, Helm 6-110) by 254 runs John Simpson and Max Holden shared a century stand to give Middlesex hope of saving the follow-on against reigning champions Surrey on day two at Lord’s.The hosts, with only two batting bonus points all season were in dire straits at 53 for 4 in response to the visitors’ 433 all out, but former England U19 Holden and redoubtable wicket-keeper Simpson added 116 for the fifth wicket.Holden fell shortly before the close, but a defiant Simpson will take guard on day three 55 not out with Middlesex 179 for 5, Sean Abbot taking two of the wickets.Earlier Surrey passed 400 with day-one centurion Jamie Smith finishing on 138 and Jordan Clark 78, Tom Helm completing a career-best 6-110 for the hosts.Stand-in skipper Mark Stoneman briefly suggested a positive response to Surrey’s substantial first-innings total, creaming two early off drives through the covers, but it proved a false dawn as with only 11 against his name he feathered a good one from Clark through to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.It would be the ‘Brown Hats’ only success for some while, but a combination of tight seam bowling and a lack of intent from Pieter Malan and Sam Robson – the latter for some reason batting at three – meant the hosts crawled along at two runs per over.Perhaps that explains the rash cross-bat swish by South African Malan to an innocuous ball from Jamie Overton which took the under-edge, giving Foakes a second comfortable catch.As too often this season, the departure of one Middlesex batter led to three falling for the addition of 10 runs in 39 balls.Robson, a centurion last week at Merchant Taylors’ was undone by one from Sean Abbott which came back into him up the slope and went off the inside edge onto the stumps via the thigh pad.A torturous period of the afternoon for the hosts concluded with Jack Davies, in the side for the injured Stephen Eskinazi, taking 18 balls to get off the mark only to then fence at one from Tom Lawes, sending it into the hands of Dom Sibley at slip.The bell summoning the players back after tea sounded like a death knell for the beleaguered home side, but to their credit Holden and Simpson showed some intestinal fortitude.Holden, displayed some of the T20 form which earned a wildcard pick from the Manchester Originals for the upcoming Hundred, driving well off front and back foot, while Simpson played one delightful cut and acquired an all-run four courtesy of an overthrow.Overton tried some chin music, but Holden’s sixth four through third man took him to his second Championship half century of the season from 93 balls before Simpson too found the fence to raise the century stand.Simpson’s own half-century came in the grand manner with a six into the Mound Stand, but just as it looked as if Middlesex would reach the sanctity of stumps without further loss, Abbott found the edge of Holden’s bat and a diving Sibley did the rest.Surrey had resumed on 312 for 5, and save for a six over square leg by Clark off Ryan Higgins, made steady, unspectacular progress before Smith was castled by Helm from one which came back through the gate.Clark eased his way to a 91-ball 50 though he was later unsettled, not to say frustrated by Ethan Bamber beating him outside the off stump with five successive deliveries. The young seamer, who had somehow gone wicketless on day one, finally got reward when Abbott hoisted him into the hands of Malan at deep square.Clark’s fine effort ended when Tim Murtagh got one to bounce and take the edge which flew to Robson at slip and while a few lusty blows from Overton delayed the lunch interval, Helm cleaned up the tail for his first ever six-for in Championship cricket.

Nevill captained NSW in a record 43 Shield games and played 17 Tests and 9 T20Is for Australia

Alex Malcolm01-Apr-2022Former Australia Test and T20I wicketkeeper Peter Nevill has announced his retirement from all forms of professional cricket after 13 years at the top level.Nevill, 36, played 17 Tests and nine T20Is for Australia but last played international cricket in 2016. Since then, he has completed a distinguished and record-breaking career with New South Wales. He retires having captained the Blues in 43 Shield matches, more than any other player in history, and as one of just four men to have played more than 100 Shield matches for NSW.Nevill played the last of his 101 matches in February against Tasmania, with a shoulder injury ending his season prematurely. He also holds the record for the most catches for his state with 310, and is second on the Blues’ all-time dismissal list behind Phil Emery.Nevill played in two Shield titles and two Marsh Cup titles with New South Wales, leading them to their last Shield triumph in 2019-20 which was won in unusual circumstances.Nevill played 17 Tests for Australia during a transition period in 2015-16. He replaced Brad Haddin for the Lord’s Test on the 2015 Ashes tour when Haddin withdrew for personal reasons and kept his spot when he became available again which effectively ended Haddin’s distinguished international career.He played 17 consecutive matches and kept impressively throughout but averaged just 22.28 with the bat and made only three half-centuries, which belied his first-class batting record given he finished with 5927 runs at 36.81 and 10 first-class centuries. Nevill lost his place to Matthew Wade in the selection purge that followed Australia’s disastrous loss to South Africa in Hobart.Peter Nevill looks out over the SCG after announcing his retirement•Getty Images

His nine T20 internationals included the 2016 T20 World Cup, when he played as a specialist wicketkeeper batting as low as No.10 in one match.”I’d say [I was] someone who got the most out of the ingredients they had,” Nevill said. “I’ve been fortunate to have played for as long as I have. It is hard to condense [my career] into something short and sweet. However, there’s the opportunities I’ve had, the experiences, the people I’ve met, being able to travel the world, the ups and downs. Something that stands out is the very special people I’ve met, and there was no shortage of them at the Blues.”Nevill finishes a proud Blue despite having grown up in Victoria. He played underage state cricket for Victoria but was forced to move when Wade arrived from Tasmania to become Victoria’s wicketkeeper in all formats. Wade ironically had left Tasmania due to the presence of Tim Paine. All three traded places as Australia’s Test wicketkeeper in the period between 2015 and 2017.”What struck me is I was made to feel welcome by the group [in NSW],” Nevill said. “I was also impressed by how well the senior players communicated to the group what it means to play for NSW: the tradition, the history, and the pride people have in wearing the Baggy Blue.”Hopefully, we’ve continued to pass that message down the line, and that the young players understand the honour of what it means to be a Baggy Blue – representing yourself and those who’ve gone before you.”What stands out is the talent. Talent can sometimes be a dirty word, but we now have an incredibly talented bunch of young players. It is now up to them to take the next step and to really understand their games and how they’re going to be successful.”Thankfully, there’s a good group of senior players and coaches who will help them do that. Hopefully, they go on to dominate world cricket.”Nevill will spend time with his family but has expressed an interest in doing some coaching after a brief coaching/playing stint with Melbourne Stars during the recent BBL, although the experience was curtailed by the Covid outbreak that ravaged the tournament. He is also close to completing a Masters degree with a view towards a new career as a financial advisor.

Multan Sultans had roped in Mahmudullah in place of Moeen Ali, and he was supposed to leave Dhaka on November 9

Mohammad Isam08-Nov-2020Mahmudullah has become the latest Bangladesh cricketer to test positive for Covid-19, which rules him out for the PSL playoffs starting November 14. The Multan Sultans had roped in Mahmudullah in place of Moeen Ali, and he was supposed to leave Dhaka on November 9. That means Tamim Iqbal, who replaced Chris Lynn in the Lahore Qalandars squad, will be the only Bangladesh cricketer travelling to Pakistan.Mahmudullah, Bangladesh’s T20I captain, said that he got tested twice to be sure, but after two positive results, he has isolated himself in a separate room at his house.”I was surprised with a positive result from my Covid test, on November 6,” Mahmudullah told ESPNcricinfo. “I didn’t have fever or any other symptoms other than a bit of cold. Nothing more than that. I got tested for a second time yesterday, and that also came out as positive. I am now taking rest in a separate room. I am a little worried about my wife and kids. I am seeking everyone’s prayers for quick recovery and for my family’s well-being.”It is disappointing to miss the chance to play in the PSL. It is a competitive tournament. It was a good opportunity to play a couple of matches there. I am now looking forward to getting well soon and try to participate in our Bangabandhu T20 Cup.”Mahmudullah has been in all of BCB’s camps since September and has also been training individually. His team won the BCB President’s Cup last month. Yesterday, he was named in Grade A of the players’ draft for this month’s Bangabandhu T20 Cup tournament.Previously, Abu Jayed, Saif Hassan and Mashrafe Mortaza had tested positive and subsequently recovered. A few cricketers and coaching staff from the Under-19 camp had also tested positive last month.According to the official figures, there have been 418,764 Covid-19 cases in Bangladesh, with over 6000 deaths.

Reeza Hendricks struck a half-century and Beuran Hendricks was impressive with the ball, but it wasn’t enough to stop the home side from winning by 36 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Sep-2019 20 overs per sideSouth Africa A did hit back with a four-run (DLS method) win in the fourth one-dayer, but India A, who had won the first three games, showed that it was just a blip as they were dominant again in registering a 36-run win in the final game in Thiruvananthapuram, which gave them a 4-1 series win.In a match reduced to 20 overs a side following rain, the Indians opted to bat and rode on big hands from Sanju Samson and Shikhar Dhawan to put up 204 for 4. Shardul Thakur then led the show with the ball as the South Africans were bowled out for 168 off the last ball.Dhawan, included in the side for the last two games after completing his recovery – he had broken a thumb, forcing his World Cup campaign to end prematurely – had a worry early on as a Beuran Hendricks delivery hit his helmet in the third over. The batsman had walked across the stumps to try and play the scoop, but took his eyes off and got hit near the left ear.He was treated immediately, and continued batting, playing till the 14th over for a 36-ball 51 with five fours and two sides. The end came when he was caught by Kyle Verreynne attempting a slog-sweep off left-arm spinner George Linde, but by then he had helped the Indians get to 137, his partnership with Samson for the second wicket worth 135 runs after Prashant Chopra had fallen early.Samson, batting beautifully, carried on and was in sight of a century before Linde had his number too, the batsman falling for 91 off 48 balls, with six fours and seven sixes, with 25 balls left in the innings.Shreyas Iyer, the captain, put the finishing touches to an excellent batting effort with a 19-ball 36, and South Africa were faced with a steep ask against a well-oiled bowling machine.The required rate for the visitors was over ten an over, but they only got to 40 for 2 by the end of the six-over mark, losing Janneman Malan to Thakur and Temba Bavuma to Ishan Porel along the way.That meant there was too much to do for the other top-order batsmen, and though Reeza Hendricks and Verreynne put together a 69-run stand for the third wicket – Hendricks scored 59 and Verreynne 44 – they were always lagging behind the asking rate.Heinrich Klaasen, the other prominent batsman in the line-up, couldn’t quite kick on either, and the South Africans finished well short, Thakur’s 3 for 9 from three overs quite the standout bowling performance in a convincing win.The teams now get ready for the first of two four-day matches, in Thiruvananthapuram, with the second in Mysuru, starting September 9.

Limited windows for the leagues, no outstation players, and a slew of anti-corruption measures have been put in place

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jul-2018The BCCI has laid down strict guidelines for the conduct of state-run Twenty20 leagues, listing out the windows during which the tournaments can be played and also clamping down on the personnel, support staff, structure and frequency of these tournaments.The move, it is learned, was prompted by the BCCI’s own initiative to root out any unauthorised elements involved in the conduct of state leagues, and also to protect India’s international home and domestic seasons.The BCCI’s operations and management team had sent these guidelines to the Committee of Administrators (CoA), and upon the CoA giving its approval, all state associations were notified of the same via an advisory note. The BCCI guidelines come at time when the ICC has also moved for greater regulation of T20 leagues worldwide.In the BCCI’s advisory note, which ESPNcricinfo has seen, several anti-corruption measures and operational procedures for all such leagues have been put in place, while also making it clear that outstation players would not be allowed to participate in local leagues.Further, the advisory also states “the support staff [and] match officials must also be from the jurisdiction of the Staging Association” – which would seem to indicate that coaches, umpires and match referees for the tournament must also be from the home state.While no players are allowed to take part in leagues outside their states anyway, the TNPL, for example, has had support staff from out of state. It is not yet clear whether state associations will agree to that clause, though some of the officials ESPNcricinfo contacted said that this could be an added measure of control, since state associations would be able to monitor their own officials and coaches much better.The state-run T20 leagues will also have to fit into a specific window. They cannot take place from September 15 till the end of February, and from 15 days before the start of the IPL to 15 days after it ends. Given that the IPL typically takes place in April and May, this typically leaves a window of about two to three weeks at the start of March, and a window of about three months from mid-June till September 14.Additionally, the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit will be overseeing any tournament that is approved. The ACU will nominate and appoint two Anti-Corruption Officials (ACOs) for each tournament, with the provision to appoint additional personnel if deemed necessary. The ACOs will report directly to the ACU, and will have the right to inquire and take statements from team officials, players, support staff and match officials under the provisions of BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Code. They will also conduct an anti-corruption education programme for all those associated with the tournament.Other anti-corruption measures will include the installation of CCTV cameras at all entry and exit points of the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA), which will begin recording from the first moment of arrival in the PMOA and run till the match is over, with the video to be handed over to an ACU official immediately after the match. Additionally, no team owners or their kin will be provided with PMOA accreditation in the roles of “mentor”, “selector” etc, with only professional support staff allowed there.Players and officials will have to mandatorily disclose all particulars of any gifts received, whose value is more than INR 30,000.As for the state associations themselves, they will also have to follow stringent procedures. The BCCI said that they have to make an application for approval at least 45 days before the start of the tournament. This applies to every association, even those that have been hosting tournaments in the past. In the application, of which a hard copy and an email has to be sent to the BCCI secretary, the association will have to provide details of the committees responsible for administering the tournament, logistics for teams from training venues to accommodation, and a full list of players in the draft along with all support staff, mentors, icons, team owners and officials, and sponsors.The state associations also cannot enter into any contract with any player that the BCCI has banned.

Last year’s table toppers cannot afford too many mistakes, having played 10 matches for only six points

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu03-May-2017

Match facts

Delhi Daredevils v Gujarat Lions
Delhi, May 4, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)2:49

Bangar: Gujarat’s chance of making playoffs very slim

Form guide

Delhi Daredevils (sixth): beat Sunrisers by six wickets, lost to Kings XI by 10 wickets, lost to KKR by seven wickets.
Gujarat Lions (seventh): lost to Rising Pune by five wickets, lost to Mumbai in Super Over, beat Royal Challengers by seven wickets

Head-to-head

Overall: Delhi Daredevils and Gujarat Lions will play each other for the first time this season, and their head-to-head record stands at 1-1.

In the news

There are no further updates on Daredevils captain Zaheer Khan’s recovery from a hamstring injury. He is expected to be assessed once more on the day of the game. Daredevils have already lost Sam Billings, who has left to resume England duty. It is understood that their South African players – Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada – will be available until May 7.With Jason Roy having left on international duty as well, Lions’ roster only has five fit overseas players – Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, Aaron Finch, James Faulkner and Chirag Suri.

Qualification scenario

Both teams are languishing in the bottom half with six points, but the situation is slightly more dire for Lions, who need to win all their games to get to 14 points and have any chance of qualification. One loss will eliminate them, as four teams already have more than 12 points. Even with 14, Lions will need other results to go their way to qualify, but they will at least have a shot at finishing in the top four. Three of their remaining four games are against the relatively weaker teams, though: Daredevils, home and away, and Kings XI, away. Apart from that they also have a home game, in Kanpur, against Sunrisers.Daredevils are almost in the same situation as Lions, but they have an extra game in hand. They also have four home games to play, against Lions, Mumbai Indians, Pune, and Royal Challengers, plus an away match against Lions. If they win at least four of the five, they might still have a chance.

The likely XIs

Delhi Daredevils 1 Sanju Samson, 2 Karun Nair (capt), 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Chris Morris, 8 Jayant Yadav, 9 Kagiso Rabada/Pat Cummins, 10 Amit Mishra/Shahbaz Nadeem, 11 Mohammed ShamiGujarat Lions 1 Brendon McCullum, 2 Ishan Kishan, 3 Suresh Raina (capt), 4 Aaron Finch, 5 Dwayne Smith, 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 James Faulkner, 9 Pradeep Sangwan, 10 Basil Thampi, 11 Ankit Soni

Strategy punt

• Sanju Samson has a strike-rate of 153 against fast bowling this season. The gift of timing helps him exploit fielding restrictions, provided there is pace on the ball. Force him to play spin, however, and his strike-rate drops to 107; it dips further to 75 over 20 balls faced in the Powerplay. Those numbers might make Ankit Soni and Ravindra Jadeja tie up their laces quicker so they can demand the new ball.
• Daredevils have a way to stifle Lions’ top-order, too, with Chris Morris. He has dismissed Suresh Raina three times in 17 balls, giving away only 12 runs, and has also knocked over Brendon McCullum twice in 13 deliveries, at the cost of 17 runs.

Stats that matter

• If Daredevils are truly perturbed by Samson’s ups-and-downs, they can try opening with Shreyas Iyer. In 30 T20 innings at the top, he averages 30.78 and strikes at 132. In 17 innings at all other positions, he averages 16.40.
• There is, however, a reason to persist with Iyer in the middle order. In the IPL, he averages 51 against spinners, and hits them at 136 per 100 balls. Against pace, the corresponding figures come down to 22 and 122.
• Daredevils have had four different combinations at the top this season, which puts them on an even footing with Kings XI Punjab and Gujarat Lions, and behind only Royal Challengers Bangalore. Those are the teams that make up the bottom four in the points table. Daredevils’ biggest opening stand amounted to 53 runs – the lowest among all teams this year – and their average scoring rate of 7.81 is the second worst.
• Speaking of openers, Dwayne Smith has had a torrid time in T20s over the last one year. He averages 23, strikes at 122, and has bagged seven ducks, a tally no one has surpassed.
• Moving on to closers, Lions’ Basil Thampi has made an excellent impression in his debut season. Among uncapped players in their debut season, he has bowled more deliveries (78) in the last five overs than anyone else.
• Daredevils have their own back-end specialist. Morris is one of nine men to have bowled at least 10 overs in the death in IPL 2017. His economy rate of 7.76 ranks third in that list after Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Andrew Tye.

Sarfraz Ahmed, the wicketkeeper-batsman, has been appointed as Pakistan’s T20I captain

Umar Farooq05-Apr-2016Sarfraz Ahmed, the wicketkeeper-batsman, has been appointed as Pakistan’s T20I captain. Sarfraz is already the vice-captain of the ODI team, and he will now take over the T20I captaincy from Shahid Afridi, who stepped down from that role following Pakistan’s early exit in the recently-concluded World Twenty20 in India.”I am happy to have this opportunity and I am honored that PCB has trusted my ability to lead the country,” Sarfraz told ESPNcricinfo. “Indeed, this is a challenging job but at the same time, it’s the highest privilege in a cricketer’s life, so I am determined to do my best to justify my position captain. I didn’t make any future plan, but I will sit down with the PCB and will talk about it in due course.”The best thing about me, I believe, is my ability to contribution for the team. I always try to play my role whatever it is – batting or wicketkeeping – regardless of the situation or the number I bat on. The more important thing about me is that I remain in my limit and don’t talk much. It’s my cricket that speaks, and this is what a captain should be doing – lead form the front.”The position of Pakistan’s T20I captain had been a subject of much speculation in recent days, as Afridi was heavily criticised as a leader following the team’s poor performances in both the Asia Cup and the World T20 – Pakistan won just three matches out of eight across the two tournaments.In a scathing report after the World T20 debacle, Waqar Younis, Pakistan’s now former coach, had lambasted Afridi’s style of leadership, writing that “Afridi was not performing with the bat, ball or as a captain but I was not listened to,” and that the allrounder “didn’t attend few meetings, practice – and this is not how a captain leads from the front.”Sarfraz Ahmed will take over as captain of the T20I side from Shahid Afridi•AFP

Soon after Waqar’s report, Pakistan’s team manager Intikhab Alam branded Afridi as an “absolutely clueless” captain in a five-page report that was hugely critical of Afridi’s on-field tactics and off-field leadership. Intikhab also termed the use of Sarfraz in the batting order by Afridi in the World T20 as a “critical waste of talent and form”. Intikhab referenced various statistics, including that of all the deliveries that Pakistan faced at the World T20, Sarfraz only played 17 of them despite having made scores of 41, 25, 58 and 38 in his four T20I innings leading into the tournament.Sarfraz has played 21 T20Is, scoring 291 runs at 29.10, with two half-centuries. He was the captain of the Pakistan Under-19 team which won the World Cup in 2006, and is presently one of the few players in the Pakistan set-up who is assured of a spot in the XI in all three formats, which is possibly why the PCB views him as the best candidate to replace Afridi. Sarfaz also showed off his captaincy credentials during the Pakistan Super League, where he led Quetta Gladiators to the final.Sarfraz’s T20I captaincy debut, though, will have to wait till September 7, when Pakistan play England at Old Trafford for a one-off match. The team’s next home series is against West Indies in the UAE, where at least two T20Is are likely to be played.

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.

Former India opening batsman Navjot Singh Sidhu has been appointed the chairman of Punjab cricket association’s technical and coaching committee

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2012Former India opening batsman Navjot Singh Sidhu has been appointed the chairman of Punjab cricket association’s technical and coaching committee. Sidhu’s role will incorporate advising the association on technical issues connected to effective management of cricket in the state. Two former Punjab captains – Chaman Lal Malhotra and Vinod Sharma – have also been included in the committee.Sidhu represented Punjab in first-class cricket in a career spanning 19 years. He scored 9571 first-class runs from 157 matches, including 3202 from 51 Tests for India. He also played 136 ODIs, starting with four consecutive half-centuries during the 1987 World Cup.