His punchy fifty, featuring a switch hit, a reverse sweep and a shuffle down the pitch, received a standing ovation from a crowd of more than 20,000

Andrew McGlashan06-Jan-20242:52

‘Convincing series win for Australia, as Pakistan’s top order under-delivered’

The stage was set, and David Warner didn’t disappoint. Signing off from Test cricket with a century was beyond even him with a target of only 130 against Pakistan at the SCG, but he did the next best thing as a punchy fifty allowed him to raise the bat around the ground one last time.He couldn’t quite make it to the winning moment, trapped lbw by the feisty Sajid Khan, but it allowed him a lone walk off the arena. The final tally: 8786 runs, average of 44.59, strike rate of 70.26, 26 hundreds and 37 fifties. He ends at No. 5 on Australia’s all-time Test run-scorers list.”It meant the world to me,” Warner said of the reception. “I’ve given absolutely everything to play this game, and sacrificed a lot of things to be in the position I am [in]. Lots of ups and downs; [I] have had to come back and overcome adversity. Think I’ve done that very, very well. Think it’s been well received from a lot of people, and think today just showed to me that I do have a lot of support. I’m very grateful and very thankful for that.”Related

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• Warner: I want to be remembered as exciting and entertaining

At the start of the day, Pat Cummins gave Warner the chance to lead the team onto the field when play resumed. “Thanks Dave” had been painted on the grass at the ground for today alongside an image of Warner’s trademark leap. He was wearing his original baggy green which had found its way back to the hotel the day before, after vanishing on the eve of the game. As is standard for Warner, he hadn’t worn it earlier in the second innings, but for his swansong as a Test cricketer, there had been little doubt he would give it a final airing.There was a final catch, too, when he snaffled the chance at leg slip to remove Mohammad Rizwan. He has been a superb close-in fielder. When Nathan Lyon bowled Hasan Ali, Warner jogged off to pad up for the last time in his Test career.And so, to the final act. Warner touched the plaque that honours Phillip Hughes outside the home dressing room. Then, as in the first innings, he embraced Usman Khawaja by the boundary rope. A few moments earlier, the pair had shared a more private moment. “He [Khawaja] said it’s been an awesome journey and one he won’t forget, and will cherish these moments forever,” Warner recalled. “I didn’t have anything to go back with because I was tearing up.”David Warner brought up his half-century in his final Test innings•Getty ImagesKhawaja then hung back, allowing Warner to lead the way. Shan Masood lined his team up for a guard of honour and shook Warner’s hand. At the end of the line, he was also acknowledged by umpires Michael Gough and Richard Illingworth.The pair rotates first strike in an innings, so it was Khawaja facing. He was gone before Warner had faced a ball, no opportunity for a final end-of-over mid-pitch chat. Australia 0 for 1, Sajid pumped, the pitch biting and turning. A reminder there was still a Test match to win.Warner defended his first ball from Mir Hamza, then two deliveries later was skipping down the crease. The intent was clear, as has so often been the case. Cheers greeted the punched shot that got him off the mark. Two overs later, an almighty thrash through the covers brought his first boundary. Then it soon became something of a greatest hits collection.A switch-hit sweep off Sajid; a shuffle down the pitch and loft over mid-on; a reverse sweep; a full toss disdainfully dispatched over midwicket; a thumping drive through the covers; and an inside-out drive over the off side to take him to 49. Then, on his 56th ball, a nudge into the on side to reach fifty, acknowledged by a long, loud standing ovation from a crowd of more than 20,000.Away from the sentimentality of the occasion, this was a brilliant little innings from Warner on a tough pitch. A lot of the discussion around his replacement is now focused on scoring rates, and Warner’s final innings in Test cricket was a reminder of how he had been a game-changer when he emerged into the scene.David Warner leaves the field for the final time in Tests•Getty Images”Test cricket you play in all kinds of conditions, and losing someone who has played 100 Tests is pretty hard to fill,” Cummins said. “[He] brings out the reverse sweep, starts using his feet to the spinners, and gets ahead of the game. A good reminder of what an experienced and high-class cricketer Davey is, and that we are going to miss [him].”Lunch arrived with Australia needing 39, so Warner had the chance for one more – somewhat lower key – walk to the crease. Inevitably, the closing stages were not without a little more drama when he survived an lbw shout from Sajid that was umpire’s call, but dislodging the bails significantly more than when Alex Carey was bowled yesterday.There was a final, feisty duel with Sajid who pleaded and pleaded for numerous lbw appeals, before, at last, the DRS upheld one in Pakistan’s favour. Sajid immediately shook Warner’s hand, and to a man the Pakistan players went up to him in acknowledgement.Warner soaked in the walk-off, waving his bat to the full 360 degrees of the ground as the crowd rose to their feet. The incoming batter, Steven Smith, waited, and they hugged – two players who have been through a lot together – before Warner made his way up the pavilion steps to the dressing room. An extraordinary career now drawn to a close.”Today was the end, I wanted to go out my way,” Warner said. “I really enjoyed it.”

Last year, Sam Curran became the most expensive player in IPL history. Who will be the most in-demand this time around?

Nagraj Gollapudi and Deivarayan Muthu17-Dec-20237:05

Will we see an INR 20 crore buy at the 2024 IPL auction?

Mitchell StarcMultiple World Cup-winner. Able to bowl attacking spells in the most challenging phases in an innings – the powerplay and death. Ability to impart conventional swing and reverse swing at high speeds, along with cunning changes of pace. And, finally, a handy batter in the lower order. Starc’s pedigree is well known – that’s why he has previously been a contender for the most expensive buy, especially at mini auctions, even if he has opted out to manage his workload at times. Now, Starc, on the verge of turning 34, is on the final bend in his international career and wants to return to the IPL after an eight-year hiatus. He would like to utilise the tournament as preparation for the T20 World Cup in June. With several teams keen to have a strike bowler in their first XIs, it will be no surprise if a fierce paddle war breaks out to snap up Starc.Rachin RavindraRavindra might not have even been in New Zealand’s ODI World Cup squad had Michael Bracewell been fit. The 24-year-old batting allrounder wasn’t supposed to start the World Cup for New Zealand, but when Will Young was given a break in the warm-up against Pakistan, he seized his chance as an opener and went on to become the breakout star of the World Cup. He stood up to quicks such as Starc, Haris Rauf and Mark Wood, but it is his game against spin that could pique the interest of the IPL franchises. Since his Under-19 days, Ravindra has been particularly strong off the back foot and has quickly adapted to the Indian conditions by visiting the country every summer with Wellington’s Hutt Hawks club. Ravindra can also bowl quickish left-arm fingerspin and bat down the order, as he showed during his 48-ball 61 from No. 7 against England in the Lord’s ODI in September.Rachin Ravindra was the breakout star of the ODI World Cup•Associated PressShardul ThakurIndian seam-bowling allrounders are limited in supply, which increases their demand at the auction. It’s no different this time, with Thakur being the most high-profile player with such a skillset. Thakur has the tendency to leak runs, but at the same time he brings the wicket-taking ability with his variations, including the slower bouncer and wobble-seam delivery. He can also tonk sixes down the order with his big backlift and power. In IPL 2023, he cracked 68 off 29 balls – the joint second-highest individual score while batting at No. 7 or lower in the league. More recently, he hit 76 off 98 balls for India A from No. 7 in a four-day game in Potchefstroom.Pat CumminsCummins is a contender for the Player of 2023. He led Australia to the World Test Championship title in June, followed it up by retaining the Ashes in England, and then silenced a dominant Indian team, and a full house in Ahmedabad, with a brilliant spell in the World Cup final in November. Cummins is no stranger to the IPL, having earned one of the record bids in the 2020 auction when Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for INR 15.5 crore (USD 2.28 million approx.). He was released and bought back by the franchise two seasons later for nearly a million dollars (INR 7.25 crore). A bowling allrounder, Cummins creates impact in the first two phases with the ball and can play handy cameos with the bat like a record 14-ball 50 against Mumbai Indians. It will stick in their mind, as multi-skilled players are always high on the franchise’s wish-list. Mumbai also look out for leadership skills, both on the field and in the change room, something Cummins has in droves too.Will Royal Challengers Bangalore go for Gerald Coetzee?•AFP/Getty ImagesGerald CoetzeeTall and well-built, with a Rambo-style black headband and a bounding run-up, Coetzee probably gets into batters’ heads even before delivering a ball. At the ODI World Cup, the 23-year-old finished as the fifth-leading wicket-taker despite playing only eight matches. Out of his 20 wickets, 15 came in the middle overs, the second-most in that phase. Bowling consistently at 140-plus kph, Coetzee showed control and movement to rattle batters. Remember the legcutter to Jos Buttler or the around-the-stumps yorker to Josh Inglis? Coetzee also has a good slower ball, which he delivers with his fast whippy action to catch the batter by surprise. In T20s, Coetzee has been an attacking bowler picking up wickets in all three phases with economy rates hovering between seven and nine. Coetzee’s talent has already been recognised by the Chennai Super Kings coaching staff who recruited him to play for their teams in the SA20 and Major League Cricket. Both those teams are led by former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, who performs the same role at Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. Both Super Kings and Royal Challengers need an overseas fast bowler, so don’t be surprised if either or both bid for the South African.Harshal PatelIn 2023, there was a predictability to Harshal Patel, the bowler. A death-overs specialist, he leaked runs at an economy of 11.50 with batters easily taking advantage of his slower deliveries. He had been picked by Royal Challengers at the 2022 mega auction for INR 10.75 crore (USD 1.43 million approx.). He commanded that high price having won the Player-of-the-Tournament award in the 2021 season, when he was the highest wicket-taker. Now he’ll be looking for a new home and a return to old form. Bowling successfully under pressure in the second half of the innings remains Harshal’s calling card: since IPL 2020, he has got 37 wickets at death (overs 17-20) – the joint-highest with Mohammed Shami. While his economy in this phase is over ten, Harshal has the experience, a variety of slower balls and knowledge of Indian conditions – all factors that will come into play when he is engaging with an attacking batter in the final stanza of a T20 innings. Death-overs specialists, especially of the Indian fast-bowling variety, are not that common, so Harshal will fancy a good bid once again.Harshal Patel leaked runs last season•BCCIWanindu HasarangaReleased by Royal Challengers, Wanindu Hasaranga is one of the most attractive packages up for grabs at the auction. He has a fizzing wrong ‘un in his repertoire, can launch sixes down the order, and is an excellent fielder. He was hands down the MVP of Lanka Premier League 2023, topping the runs and wickets charts in the tournament. But he hasn’t played any competitive cricket since then and is currently working his way back from a hamstring tear. At the IPL 2022 auction, he had Royal Challengers locked in a fierce bidding war with Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad. This time, he is the only proper spin-bowling allrounder in the first set of allrounders. With no established Indian or foreign wristspinner (besides Tabraiz Shamsi) in the mix, Hasaranga could be a big draw once more.Shahrukh KhanShahrukh had a tepid white-ball domestic season for Tamil Nadu, which is probably why Kings released him to free up INR 9 crore. But Indian domestic finishers are at a premium once again, and specialists like Shahrukh who can go hard from the get-go are rare. Shahrukh is a bit like West Indies’ Rovman Powell: he is particularly strong against pace, but is vulnerable to wristspin. He has been working on his big-hitting against spin, and his own offspin. In the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2023, which he won with Lyca Kovai Kings, Shahrukh was the highest wicket-taker with 17 strikes in nine games at an economy rate of 6.66.

Nine special moments from an enthralling Test match between India and England

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2024India and England played out four days of riveting Test cricket as the hosts levelled the series in Visakhapatnam. We’ve picked out the best moments and this is your chance to pick your favourites. Over to you to rank them.

Both she and her team, RCB, had a difficult first year in the WPL. But now they are a strong shot to win the title

S Sudarshanan16-Mar-20243:10

Mandhana recalls being awestruck by Lanning

Last August, Smriti Mandhana decided to play domestic cricket for Maharashtra and skip the WBBL 2023-24 that overlapped with the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy. And after the twin home series against England and Australia, which included two Tests, she was back again for the domestic grind as the captain of West Zone for the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal One Day Trophy.Mandhana’s individual performances in those competitions were above par – she was among the top ten run-getters in both, and averaged around 50 – but that wasn’t her biggest gain. Rather, by playing alongside and against some Indian domestic players, she became familiar with the skillsets of some of them.She learned of ways to contain Yastika Bhatia, S Sajana, D Hemalatha and others like them. She learned how she could counter the likes of SB Keerthana, Tanuja Kanwar and Arundhati Reddy. She was in touch with the vast pool of local talent that is just waiting for an opportunity.Related

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• Perry: 'We're lucky to play in front of such big and fanatical crowds'

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The result? After their fourth-place finish in the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League, Royal Challengers Bangalore are now within touching distance of the trophy the second time around. They will take on Delhi Capitals, who, for the second successive year, have taken a direct route to the title clash. One of these sides will go where neither of their men’s sides have gone before. They will win a major franchise T20 trophy.A different Mandhana has been seen all through this WPL, not least on the eve of the final. She was all smiles during the photoshoot with the trophy and her counterpart Meg Lanning. She was very relaxed as she walked into the press conference, and settled on a seat next to Lanning in front of the mic. While the frames were being set, they managed to have a quiet chat, with a sprinkling of grins. The next 15 minutes just sped by.The tight finish in the Eliminator against Mumbai Indians on Friday night brought out a gamut of emotions from the RCB captain, be it throwing her head back with hands on her face when Richa Ghosh missed a stumping chance of Harmanpreet Kaur, or engulfing her team-mates in a warm hug after their five-run win. Mandhana allowed herself to feel everything even though she has gone on record to say that it is a captain’s job to be a lot more straight-faced.2:51

Lanning: Mandhana is starting to get the ins and outs captaincy

“I think that’s the most expressive I’ve been in my time as a cricketer,” Mandhana said on Saturday. “The emotions kicked in [after the win against Mumbai]. That said, the group was really calm, no matter what was happening out there – even if it looked extreme.”After winning, we had a bit of a celebration, because sometimes however much you want to control emotions, they come out. I am happy we have experienced something like this – for me personally, too. It is good sometimes to express these feelings; it only gives this group more confidence.”It was a tough initiation to captaincy in the WPL for Mandhana. RCB lost their first five matches last season and weren’t really in the playoff equation. This time, although they had they had to win their last league outing to confirm a spot, or risk it going down to net run-rate, they’ve looked more of a threat. Even Lanning has noticed it.”Whenever we came up against India, we always used to talk about Smriti and how we could get her out early – because we knew how dangerous she could be,” Lanning said. “She is a proven match-winner in any conditions. She’s on her own leadership journey as well, going through ups and downs, and it sounds like Smriti is really starting to understand the ins and outs of that, and has done an excellent job with RCB this year.”So how does Lanning prepare for Mandhana, the captain? Before Lanning could answer that, Mandhana interrupted with a one-liner: “Is she bowling to me? (laughs)”Meg Lanning on Smriti Mandhana: Whenever we came up against India, we always used to talk about how we could get Smriti out early•BCCI”Unless I am bowling to Smriti, I don’t know if I should think too much about it,” Lanning said. “It’s about the team we are coming up against. My prep doesn’t change depending on who we are playing. For me, it is about going in being as prepared as I can be, [and] as we can be as a team.”I have played a lot of cricket now, and have learned that no matter how much planning you do, the game always pans out differently than you think, and you have got to be able to adapt on the run and think on your feet. We have seen throughout the tournament that there has been some crazy cricket and crazy finishes. I am expecting nothing less tomorrow.”Mandhana, on her part, recalled how a chat with Lanning had helped her after Capitals chased down 151 with two balls to spare against RCB at DY Patil Stadium last year.

“From the time I debuted [in international cricket in 2014], Meg Lanning was the top run-scorer for Australia, and [I] had always looked up to her”Smriti Mandhana on her counterpart ahead of the WPL final

“Should I answer this before the match?” she said, smiling, when asked about the conversation. “Jokes aside, last year wasn’t the greatest for RCB as well as for me. After the second match against DC, she came up to me and we had a conversation of 10-15 minutes, which is really cool because how much ever you play – you play international cricket for some time – when you are going through something like that, a little conversation with someone who understands batting as much as you do really helps.”It really taught me as well [about] how to look up to other players from other teams if they’re not doing well. From the time I debuted [in international cricket in 2013], Meg Lanning was the top run-scorer for Australia, and [I] had always looked up to her. I remember the 2016 tour [of Australia] where, for the first time, I was playing against Australia in Australia. I remember really properly that time she had flicked a pace bowler over fine leg for a six and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s some shot’. She won’t probably remember that. But that time I was like, ‘Okay, if you really want to play, be good at cricket, that’s something you real need to improve’. But I will keep that thing aside for tomorrow’s match and focus on trying to play the best cricket and beat them.”On Sunday, Mandhana will face the biggest test of her captaincy so far, at a time when she is understanding her game better than she ever has in a match against her idol, and perhaps the best tactician in the women’s game. This is going to be fascinating.

Last year, he failed to defend 28 in the last over. This time, he denied Dhoni a fairytale finish

Ashish Pant19-May-20243:23

Moody on Dayal: He’s now remembered for one significant over

Cast your mind to April 9, 2023. Yash Dayal is bowling the final over of Gujarat Titans’ league game against Kolkata Knight Riders. He has 28 runs to defend but is carted for five sixes in a row by Rinku Singh as GT lose the game by three wickets. Dayal is heartbroken. The image of him on his haunches, covering his eyes with a towel is splashed around the internet for the next few days. Dayal does not get a game for more than a month and is then released into the auction pool where he is picked by Royal Challengers Bengaluru.Fast forward to May 18, 2024. Dayal, who has had a good run in IPL 2024, is tasked with perhaps the most important over of his short IPL career. His team’s playoff hopes hinge on these six balls. He has 16 runs to defend for RCB to advance and is bowling to one of the greatest finishers in IPL history in MS Dhoni. The first ball he bowls is a full toss on Dhoni’s pads which he duly clatters out of the stadium for a 110m six.Dayal’s subconscious mind immediately takes him one year back to that difficult evening in Ahmedabad. The nerves start to jangle. Is history repeating itself? With CSK requiring 11 off five to qualify, Dayal takes a moment for himself. This is his shot at redemption, a way to show that he belongs. He runs in and delivers a back-of-the-hand slower ball on a length around off stump. Dhoni swings across the line but is deceived by the lack of pace and the big top edge carries to deep-backward square leg.Related

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Pandemonium sets in the Bengaluru stands. The RCB fans are ecstatic, the CSK fans stunned.But Dayal knows the job isn’t done. Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja are more than capable of getting 11 off four. Dayal, though, remains unflappable. He lands four slower balls on the spot for 0, 1, 0, 0 as RCB complete the most stunning turnarounds to qualify for the playoffs. Virat Kohli is nearly in tears, Faf du Plessis doesn’t know what to do, and the RCB fielders are haring around the Chinnaswamy Stadium. And amid all that, Dayal stands tall with a beaming smile and a final-over redemption story for the ages.”After what happened to me last time [against KKR in 2023], there was nervousness,” Dayal said after the game. “When I got hit off that first ball, I subconsciously went back to that place. But I have done well in the past, I have done well after that, so all that was running through my mind was to deliver a good ball. I didn’t want to look at the scoreboard or the result. I just wanted to bowl well. I was confident with my execution.”But Dayal wasn’t even supposed to bowl the last over. “I was supposed to bowl the second last over,” he said. “Suddenly DK [Dinesh Karthik] and Faf talked to each other, and it was decided that Lockie [Ferguson] bowls the 19th and me the last. I was fine with anything.”Perhaps it was meant to be for Dayal.Yash Dayal bowled a superb final over, conceding only seven•AFP/Getty ImagesIt was a performance worthy of a match that had so much at stake. RCB-CSK clashes, in general, have that extra bit of spice to them and the air of anticipation around this one was palpable hours before the start of the game. The games at the Chinnaswamy generally have a sea of red dominating the stands, with the aar-cee-bee chants taking the decibel level through the roof. But not when CSK are in town. There were as many yellow shirts in the stands as red. At any point that the RCB-RCB chants went up, they were quickly drowned by the CSK-CSK shouts. If Kohli was welcomed with wild frenzy, there was bedlam in Bengaluru when Dhoni walked out.Sent into bat, RCB started like a train, then saw their momentum stymied by rain before a middle-order revival and a strong finish took them to 218. The equation was simple. To qualify for the playoffs, RCB needed to restrict CSK under 201. Glenn Maxwell prised out Ruturaj Gaikwad for a first-ball duck, Daryl Mitchell fell cheaply to Dayal, and when Rachin Ravindra and Shivam Dube fell in quick succession, it seemed like RCB were destined to make it to the playoffs.Jadeja and Dhoni, though, had other plans.They got together with CSK needing 72 off 30 to qualify. By the end of the 18th over, they needed 35 off 12. Then Ferguson went for 18, and with 17 required in the final over, the game once again was in balance.As Dayal stood at the top of his mark, all he wished for was to “deliver two balls well”. He hadn’t had the best of days up to that point, going for 35 off his first three overs. The execution with the first ball of the 20th went awry too, but he came back splendidly bowling the next five on the spot to take RCB into the playoffs. The redemption arc was complete.But after the game, Dayal had to face the banter for conceding a six off the first ball.”The best thing that happened today was Dhoni hitting a six outside the ground… we got a new ball which was much better to bowl with,” Karthik said in a video tweeted by RCB. “Yash, that was good bowling. If you have a doubt, always bowl a hip-high full toss on leg stump. It is a good mantra to follow when the ball is wet.”For the longest time, Dayal’s name has been associated with the bowler who failed to defend 28 in the final over. From Saturday, perhaps, he might be known as the one who denied Dhoni a fairytale finish.

Here’s everything you need to know about the eight-team Women’s Asia Cup 2024, to be played from July 19 in Dambulla

Ashish Pant17-Jul-2024 • Updated on 19-Jul-2024Let’s start with the most obvious question: when and where will it be held?
The tournament is being staged from July 19 to 28 and all the matches will be held in Dambulla in Sri Lanka. There will be a total of 15 matches: 12 group games, two semi-finals and a final. The group-stage games will be held from July 19 to 24, with two games every day. The two semi-finals will be held on July 26 with the final on July 28.Nice. You said eight teams – any changes in the format from 2022?
Yes, the biggest change is that the tournament this year will have eight teams, one more than the previous edition. As a result, unlike last time when all the teams played each other once before the semi-final, this time the teams have been split into two groups.Related

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Group A has India, Nepal, Pakistan and UAE, while hosts Sri Lanka are with Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand in Group B. Each team in the group will play each other once with the top two qualifying for the semi-finals. It was only in 2022 that the tournament was expanded to seven teams, and this year one more team has been added. Wow, Nepal! Is this their first time in the tournament?
Not really, but it is their first time since 2016. They qualified by virtue of being semi-finalists at the Women’s Premier Cup 2024, which was held in February this year. UAE, Malaysia and Thailand were the other three teams to qualify from that event.A total of 16 teams took part in the Premier Cup. Of them, Nepal, UAE, Malaysia and Thailand made it to the semi-finals. While Thailand fell short against UAE in the semis by four runs, Malaysia defeated Nepal by four wickets in the other semi-final to make it to the final. UAE then beat Malaysia by 37 runs to win the Premier Cup. But all four of those teams made the cut for the Asia Cup.Is there an India vs Pakistan game? Who are playing the first match?
Of course there is – how can there not be one? At least one? It will be the most followed contest for sure, though there is a big gulf between the two sides – it’s 11-3 to India in the format. That said, Pakistan beat India by 13 runs last time. This time, India vs Pakistan is on the opening day itself, on July 19. Nepal and UAE will kickstart the tournament in the afternoon game before India and Pakistan play in the evening. Sri Lanka will start their tournament in an evening game on July 20 against Bangladesh and that should be a close contest too.If you’re looking for needle, or hoping for some, Bangladesh vs India might be the one to look out for. It was a no-contest when India toured earlier this year, when they swept a five-T20I series, but go back to last year, and it was much closer, and ended in controversy. India won the T20I series 2-1, but the ODI series ended 1-1, with the decider ending in a tie. After a dramatic finish, Harmanpreet lambasted the umpiring, and Sultana criticised Harmanpreet for her “manners”.There have been few better batters in the game in the last year or so than Chamari Athapaththu•Getty ImagesWho are the captains? Any big changes from last time?
There are not a lot of changes, actually. India are still led by Harmanpreet Kaur, Sri Lanka by Chamari Athapaththu, Bangladesh by Nigar Sultana, and Malaysia by Winifred Duraisingam. But there are changes. With Bismah Maroof having retired, Nida Dar will captain Pakistan. For Thailand, regular captain Naruemol Chaiwai, the captain in the 2022 tournament, is out with an injury, so 20-year-old Thipatcha Putthawong is standing in. UAE will be captained by 26-year-old batter Esha Oza.Which teams start as favourites?
It is tough to look beyond India, the premier side in the region. They are the defending champions and have lifted the trophy the most times: seven. The only other team to have won the trophy – ever – are Bangladesh, back in 2018, and they might be the toughest opponents for India this time too.Sri Lanka have shown decent T20I form in the last year or so and can give the other teams a run for their money, especially if Athapaththu can continue her incredible run of form.Remind me, how did the 2022 edition go?
India breezed through to add another Asia Cup title to their already stuffed cabinet. They started with a 41-run victory against Sri Lanka and then registered comfortable wins against Malaysia and UAE. The only blemish came against Pakistan, but with five wins in six games – and a superior NRR – they qualified for the semi-finals by topping the points table. There they beat Thailand by 74 runs before beating Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the final.Anything else to look out for?
The tournament, like last year, will feature an all-female team of match officials. In addition, SLC has also announced that the entry for fans will be free.That aside, the only women’s event starting around that time is the Hundred, which begins on July 23. Smriti Mandhana (Southern Brave), Richa Ghosh (Birmingham Phoenix) and Athapaththu (Oval Invincibles) are the only ones from the Asia Cup who are also part of the Hundred. But they are likely to leave only after the Asia Cup is done.The tournament will be broadcast on the following channels/streams in different regions:
India: Star Sports & Disney+ Hotstar
Nepal & Bhutan – Star Sports
Bangladesh – Gazi & T Sports
Sri Lanka – Supreme TV
Rest of the World – ACC YouTube channel

Who will make the 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup? The deadline for selection is May 1

Sidharth Monga29-Apr-2024Don’t expect IPL form to play too much of a role when India’s selectors pick the 15-man squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, the deadline for which is May 1.The selectors are unlikely to go for players who are unproven at international level even though a few of them have made heads turn with their hitting in IPL 2024. The one bolter that might have been picked got injured. Much like consumers of the sport and pundits, the team management and selectors are believed to have been excited about Mayank Yadav’s pace and accuracy. They would have likely punted on him, but his injury-prone body might have prevented that now.The IPL, though, has served to prove the fitness of Rishabh Pant, who had been out of cricket since his horrific car accident in December 2022. Sanju Samson, however, is likely to be the first-choice wicketkeeper as India need a spin-hitter to pair with their top three who tend to get stuck against spin. Also, Jitesh Sharma’s form hasn’t been great and KL Rahul has been batting at the top of the order, which is crowded already. The top four of captain Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav was more or less decided even before the IPL began.Hardik Pandya’s bowling fitness could be a cause for concern for the selectors. When fully fit and in form, Hardik does what nobody else can in the country: bowl medium-pace and hit in the middle order. As such, he should be a certain starter, but he has been bowling only about two overs a match in the IPL and his pace has been down too. He still has a month to get into proper bowling rhythm and justify keeping Shivam Dube or Rinku Singh out of the XI.If India are to take both Dube and Rinku to the T20 World Cup, they will have to leave out either a back-up wicketkeeper or a back-up bowler. It will likely come down to a shootout between Rinku and a back-up fast bowler. It would have helped if one of the top four could bowl or keep wicket, but India are stuck with a top order that is one-dimensional.The only way to accommodate the power-hitters is to drop one or two of the top four, but Rohit had already been confirmed as the captain by BCCI secretary Jay Shah earlier this year. Rohit, in turn, is believed to have asked for Kohli because of his temperament. Not that it would be an easy call for the selectors to take one and leave out the other: as we have maintained in these pages, it’s either both or none. Jaiswal is the only left-hand option in the top order, and Suryakumar is among the best T20 batters in the world.The IPL’s Impact Player rule will add to the frustration of the selectors as prospective allrounders have not been called upon to bowl at all. For Dube to edge out Hardik, he ideally should have bowled a little, but CSK have not needed him to because of the Impact Player. The same goes for Riyan Parag at Rajasthan Royals. The IPL teams have no incentive to develop allrounders. So even if the selectors wanted to take Dube as a seam-bowling allrounder, they have nothing to assess his bowling.Hardik Pandya hasn’t been impactful as a bowler in the IPL•BCCIAs of now, Ravindra Jadeja might edge out Axar Patel as the spin allrounder in the first XI, but Axar could make the squad as the back-up spinner, leaving Kuldeep Yadav as the only wristspinner in the squad of 15.Jasprit Bumrah’s fast-bowling partners remain difficult to identify in the absence of the injured Mohammed Shami. Arshdeep Singh is likely to be the left-arm quick because of his ability to move the new ball, but his form at the death hasn’t been great in the IPL. Avesh Khan is in the fray because of his height and ability to hit the surface and Mohammed Siraj is also in the mix even though his form has not been great for RCB.The fast bowlers other than Bumrah are not yet in stone. Mohsin Khan and Harshit Rana have impressed the decision-makers, but their fitness is not believed to be at its peak, which can be a risk in a World Cup.India’s likely T20 World Cup squadTop order: Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar YadavMiddle and lower-middle order: Sanju Samson (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Rinku SinghSpinners: Kuldeep YadavFast bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan/Mohammed SirajOther contenders: KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Sandeep Sharma

Reigning T20 World Cup champions England have named their squad to go to the Caribbean in June. Alan Gardner, Matt Roller and Vish Ehantharajah sat down to discuss who’s in and who’s out

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Apr-2024It’s almost that time of year when another ICC event rolls around, with England Men set for their latest white-ball world-title defence. After the announcement of their provisional squad for the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA, Alan Gardner was joined on the pod by Matt Roller and Vithushan Ehantharajah to discuss who made the cut and how England might approach the tournament. Also on the agenda: Dan Worrall for England, Surrey’s domestic dominance and more sixes than are good for you at the IPL.