Australia blanked England while South Africa and Bangladesh showed their bowling prowess with mighty wins over Zimbabwe and USA respectively. In the 16th-place play-off, Afghanistan fought off a spirited USA side to win a low-scoring thriller.

Hugh Weibgen and Callum Vidler starred for Australia in their huge win over England on the second day of Super Six matches at the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024. Weibgen smashed a brilliant hundred while Vidler picked four wickets to help Australia gain a positive start to the Super Six round. 

In Potchefstroom, things went south for Zimbabwe quickly with Kwena Maphaka putting on a masterclass with the new ball. The left-arm quick finished with his second five-wicket haul in the tournament before the South African openers once again flaunted their stroke-making to seal a big victory.

Bangladesh encountered a few hiccups in their win over Nepal, but saw players from the bench step in to make a significant impact in the game in what would be a huge plus for the side. 

Outside of the Super Six fixtures, in the 13-16th place play-offs, Afghanistan staved off the USA side that refused to go down without a fight. Even with a low total on board, USA gave it their all to take the game to the final over.

Australia beat England by 110 runs (DLS method) in Kimberley

Australia 266/6 (50 overs) v England 104 (16.5 overs)

Left-arm spinner and all-rounder Theo Wylie came into the side and delivered for England with a remarkable four-wicket haul, effectively stalling Australia’s charge in Kimberley after England chose to put them in to bat during the Super Six fixture of the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024.

Australia’s key batters, Hugh Weibgen and Harry Dixon, displayed their prowess, with Weibgen scoring a stunning century to capitalise on his excellent form in the tournament. Following the early loss of Sam Konstas to Sebastian Morgan in the very first over, Dixon and Weibgen combined forces to construct a solid partnership at a commendable pace.

It was the introduction of Wylie, the seventh bowler used by England by the 19th over, that finally provided the breakthrough they needed. The left-arm spinner removed the well-set Dixon for 53 with the slog-sweep being caught at deep mid-wicket.

England enjoyed double success in the same Wylie over when wicketkeeper Jack Carney took a terrific catch to dismiss Harjas Singh.

Weibgen and Ryan Hicks then worked to revive the Australian innings, but England’s spinners once again proved effective. Leg-spinner Tazeem Ali, who had been consistently outstanding for England throughout the tournament, cleaned up Hicks for 19, breaking a threatening partnership.

Wylie delivered a crucial blow by dismissing the dangerous Tom Campbell before he could inflict much damage. However, Weibgen found the support he needed from Oliver Peake. The two combined to compile a partnership of 66 runs in just 44 balls, boosting Australia’s scoring rate.

Weibgen, the skipper, reached an impressive century during this partnership and was only dismissed in the 48th over when Wylie struck for the fourth time. In the final few overs, Raf Macmillan and Peake added a few more runs, including 20 runs off the last over, allowing Australia to finish on a total of 266 for six.

In response, Callum Vidler propelled Australia into a commanding position with an exceptional spell during the Powerplay. The pacer dismissed Wylie, who was opening the batting, in his first over, and later cleaned up the aggressive Ben McKinney just after the England captain had hit him for a six.

Hamza Shaikh and Noah Thain fell victim to short deliveries as Vidler claimed his fourth wicket within his first five overs, reducing England to a precarious 60 for four. Unfortunately, play was halted due to rain and lightning immediately after this, leading to the players leaving the field.

When play resumed, England’s revised target was 215 in 24 overs. Things unravelled quickly when Tom Straker and Macmillan ran through the middle and lower-order post the break.

From 60 for four, England were down to 75 for seven. Charlie Allison nailed a few big hits, but Straker and Macmillan kept going, reducing England to nine down in 16 overs before Campbell took the final wicket to bowl England out for 106.

With a massive 110-run win (by DLS method), Australia start off their Super Six stage with a huge win. They take on West Indies next on Friday while England will play Zimbabwe a day after. Australia, with six points, are now at the top of Group 2 standings of the Super Six stage.

Australia captain and Player of the Match Hugh Wiebgen said that he was happy with a near-perfect performance from his side.

“We batted really well upfront with Dixon stepping up and I could carry on in the middle overs. I thought 266 was a good total. Everyone knows their role very well in the side. I think in the first couple of games, we went ahead of ourselves a little bit. Today we just gave ourselves a bit more time, starting off slow, knowing we could cash in at the end. Vidler is a superstar. He’ll go very far. It’s great to watch him in full flow.” 

Bangladesh beat Nepal by five wickets in Bloemfontein

Nepal 169 (49.5 overs) v Bangladesh 170/5 (25.2 overs)

At Mangaung Oval, Nepal struggled to post a competitive total after choosing to bat first against Bangladesh. Rohanat Doullah Borson and Sheikh Paevez Jibon combined to capture seven wickets as Nepal were bundled out for 169.

Despite Bangladesh striking three times in the Powerplay with the wickets of Bipin Rawal, Aakash Tripathi, and Arjun Kamal, Nepal managed to recover from the early setbacks, mainly due to the efforts of skipper Dev Khanal and Bishal Bikram.

The pair steadily accumulated runs without resorting to aggressive strokes. Bangladesh were compelled to make several bowling changes, and it was the part-time off-spin of opening batter Jishan Alam, brought in for this game, that eventually broke their partnership.

Alam induced a catch at short cover to dismiss Khanal, who had moved across to play through the off-side. Off-spinner Jibon further deepened Nepal’s troubles by dismissing Gulshan Jha and Deepak Bohara in consecutive overs.

Towards the end, Subhash Bhandari contributed a few crucial runs, allowing Nepal to reach a total of 169. Borson, who had previously shone in warm-up games with a hat-trick, concluded with impressive figures of four for 19. Jibon, who took three pivotal wickets during the middle overs, returned with excellent figures of 10-2-34-3.

Bangladesh started off the chase in style with Alam smashing Aakash Chand for a four and a six in the second over. The opener continued to attack, reaching an impressive 45 runs from just 32 deliveries within the first 10 overs, firmly placing Bangladesh in the driver’s seat.

Subash Bhandari broke the opening stand when he had Rahman Shibli slogging to long-on for 16. Chowdhury Md Rizwan revealed his intentions early by smashing Dipesh Kandal for a four followed by a six, but his innings was short-lived with Bhandari getting him out stumped in the next over. 

Bhandari continued to shine, securing his third wicket in his fourth over when Jishan Alam’s aggressive shot found the hands of the fielder stationed at long-off. Bangladesh were reduced to 92 for three, putting them in a slight spot of bother. 

Nevertheless, Ariful Islam and Ahrar Amin forged a valuable partnership that pushed the team’s total to 137. It was Bhandari’s fourth that pegged Bangladesh back again, the off-spinner coming around the wicket to bowl a quicker arm-ball that flattened Amin’s stumps. A fifth followed for Bhandari soon after with the in-form Shihab James dismissed for a duck while attempting a big hit against the spinner. 

Ariful kept going amidst the loss of wickets at the other end to ambitious shots, completing an impressive half-century off just 34 balls. He remained unbeaten on 59 as Bangladesh romped home with five wickets to spare.

Bangladesh, who take on Pakistan next, have four points in Group 1 of the Super Six table, but are behind India and Pakistan, both of whom were unbeaten in the Group stages, at this point.

Bangladesh skipper Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby praised the batting effort of the team in the post-match presentation.

“We are very pleased with the batting effort, especially that Jishan came back really well with the bat and Ariful played a very good knock. We brought in Jishan and asked him to play his shots early on. I think we are looking at improving our bowling ahead of the next game against Pakistan.”

South Africa beat Zimbabwe by nine wickets in Potchefstroom

Zimbabwe 102 (29.2 overs) v South Africa 103/1 (13.3 overs)

In the Super Six clash of the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 between South Africa and their sub-Saharan Africa neighbours, it was a Kwena Maphaka masterclass with the new ball that set the stage for South Africa’s dominance. Opting to bowl first, South Africa got an early wicket when Nathaniel Hlabangana was run out by a pinpoint direct hit from Romashan Pillay.

Maphaka went on a rampage from there, dismissing Brendon Sunguro, Campbell Macmillan, and Panashe Taruvinga within the span of just three overs, leaving Zimbabwe reeling at 16 for four. Two of these three dismissals saw the batters beaten for Maphaka’s extra pace and movement off the surface as the stumps were disturbed.

Ronak Patel, who had showcased his resilience in challenging situations in the tournament, once again rose to the occasion, this time partnering with wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Kamwemba. Together, they constructed a valuable half-century partnership that lifted Zimbabwe from a precarious position.

However, the momentum swung back in South Africa’s favour when Tristan Luus delivered a crucial double-wicket over. Luus had Patel and captain Matthew Schonken bowled in the 16th over, dealing a significant blow to Zimbabwe’s batting lineup. Shortly thereafter, Riley Norton joined the party by dismissing Kamwemba, who had been well-set, without any additional runs on the scoreboard.

Maphaka, building on his burgeoning reputation, returned to the attack and dismantled the defence of two more lower-order batters, completing his second five-wicket haul in the tournament. With his skiddy pace and movement off the pitch, Maphaka was undoubtedly the standout bowler of the day. Remarkably, four of his five dismissals at the JB Marks Oval were bowled. 

With Zimbabwe struggling at 82 for nine, their last-wicket pair managed to add a few crucial runs, pushing their total just past the three-figure mark. It was Tristan Luus who finally ended Zimbabwe’s innings, dismissing the last batter. Zimbabwe concluded their innings at a mere 102 runs, narrowly avoiding what would have been their third total below 100 in four matches of the tournament.

A superstar so far in the tournament, Maphaka led his team off the field after a brilliant performance that saw him go level with the top wicket-takers (12 wickets apiece) in the tournament, Saumy Pandey and Ubaid Shah. 

South African opening batters, Steve Stolk and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, continued their ruthless assault in the Powerplay, replicating their dominant performance against Scotland in the previous game. Against Zimbabwe, they unleashed a barrage of strokes, piling up an impressive 86 runs within the first 10 overs.

Stolk, riding high from his remarkable 13-ball fifty in the last match, once again took off at a blistering pace, amassing 23 runs from his first 11 deliveries. 

In contrast, Pretorius initially played a more composed role. However, he quickly shifted gears and showcased his aggressive style by smashing a six and two boundaries off a single over from Ryan Simbi.

Anesu Kamuriwo was brought back into the attack following the first Powerplay, and he managed to dismiss Stolk, who had contributed a dynamic 29-ball 37 to the team’s total. 

Meanwhile, Pretorius continued his onslaught, completing a well-deserved half-century. He remained unbeaten on 53 runs as South Africa cruised to yet another resounding victory, with more than 36 overs to spare.

South Africa take on Sri Lanka next on February 2 in Potchefstroom. They are currently below Australia with four points in Group 2 of the Super Six table. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, will be up against England on February 3. 

Kwean Maphaka, the Player of the Match, stressed that while this game was close to a complete performance for the Proteas, they were saving their best for the latter stages of the tournament.

“We are very happy with the performances. But I don’t think we have had a complete game yet. This was close, but we’re saving it. Obviously, the net run-rate is at the back of our minds, but we mainly focus on playing the game, and that’s what we did today. With the ball, I just keep doing what has been working for me — get the inswingers right and luckily it worked for me today.”

Afghanistan beat USA by three wickets in Benoni

USA 148 (48.2 overs) v Afghanistan 151/7 (49.3 overs)

In the first of two 13th-16th place playoffs held in Benoni, Afghanistan opted to bowl first against the USA. However, they struggled to make an early breakthrough as Prannav Chettipalayam and Siddharth Kappa played cautiously during the initial Powerplay.

Chettipalayam decided to up the ante in the 11th over, smashing back-to-back fours off Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar. Nevertheless, the tide turned with the introduction of skipper Naseer Khan, who immediately made an impact. 

The left-arm spinner managed to trap Kappa in front of the stumps for 12, breaking the opening partnership. In his third over, he struck again, this time dismissing Chettipalayam, who handed a simple catch back to the spinner, ending his innings at 33.

Soon after, Aryaman Suri attempted a sweep shot off Arab Gul Momand but was adjudged LBW, leaving USA struggling at 68 for 3. Afghanistan then turned to Ghazanfar, who had gone wicketless in his previous five overs, with the aim of not allowing the USA batters to settle down. 

This strategy paid off as the enigmatic spinner left Rishi Ramesh clueless, bowling him with a delivery that went with the angle. In his next over, Ghazanfar had Manav Nayak caught at mid-on for 12 runs, thanks to a leading edge.

Utkarsha Srivastava once again assumed the role of anchor for USA, a role he had played on several occasions during this tournament. 

However, in the 39th over of the match, Faridoon Dawoodzai made a crucial impact by taking two wickets in quick succession. He removed Amogh Arepally and Utkarsha Srivastava, dealing a significant blow to USA’s batting efforts. 

USA’s innings concluded at a total of 148, as Afghanistan’s bowling unit put on an impressive display in Benoni. Ghazanfar was the pick of Afghanistan’s bowlers, finishing with figures of three for 30.

Afghanistan’s hope of effortlessly chasing the target was quickly shattered as USA’s new-ball bowlers, Arya Garg and Ateendra Subramanian, made a significant impact by taking two wickets within the first two overs of the innings.

Garg struck again, dismissing Sohail Khan Zurmati, leaving Afghanistan reeling at 11 for three.

A partnership gradually took shape as Jamshid Zadran and captain Naseer Khan worked to rebuild Afghanistan’s innings. However, Subramanian returned to the attack and removed Zadran for 23. Another promising partnership was interrupted a few overs later when Numan Shan was bowled by Subramanian.

With the USA consistently taking wickets, Afghanistan’s scoring rate declined, making the run-chase more intriguing. Aaryan Batra delivered a crucial blow when he dismissed Naseer for 39, with Afghanistan yet to cross the three-figure mark.

Ghazanfar was run out by a direct hit from cover just two overs later, leaving Afghanistan in a trouble at 104 for seven. However, a pivotal eighth-wicket partnership between Arab Gul Momand and Rahimullah Zurmati injected excitement into the contest during the death overs.

Despite the tight bowling from Subramanian, Garg, and Khush Bhalala, the Afghan duo held their ground and pushed the game to the final over. Requiring four runs off four balls, Momand played a remarkable slog sweep off Bhalala, sending the ball sailing over mid-wicket for a six, securing a thrilling victory for Afghanistan.

Zurmati’s unbeaten 37 and Momand’s crucial 23 were the driving forces behind Afghanistan’s remarkable turnaround. Their unbeaten partnership of 47 runs ultimately steered Afghanistan to victory in a challenging run-chase. Subramanian was the pick of the USA bowlers, taking three for 20 in his 10 overs. 

Afghanistan skipper Naseer Khan stated that it was a tough tournament for the team in the post-match presentation.

“It was a tough tournament for us, especially me as captain. We didn’t do well in the Group stages, but we’re glad to tick off this win. In the last two matches, we were a bit unlucky. We didn’t do well in the field and struggled with the bat. It would have been a different story if the top-order performed well in the last few games.”

New Delhi, 31 January 2024: The World Sports Group on Wednesday announced the launch of the inaugural edition Asian Legends League at a Press Conference at The Lalit Hotel in New Delhi. The exciting T20 tournament will see teams comprising of legendary stars from five biggest Asian cricketing nations — India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan — compete in a thrilling tournament, taking place from March 13 to March 21, 2024.

The League Commissioner and former Indian cricketer Mr Chetan Sharma also announced the names of the five franchises along with their Icon Players for the season at the Press Conference. While former India allrounder Irfan Pathan became a part of the Indian Royals, former Pakistan speedster Mohammad Irfan entered his name in the fray for Pakistan Stars. Sri Lanka Lions roped in former opening batsman Upul Tharanga, while former Afghanistan skipper Asghar Afghan joined Afghanistan Pathans for the inaugural season. Mohammad Ashraful was onboarded by Bangladesh Tiger as their icon player.

Speaking about the newly formed competition, Mr. Chetan Sharma said, “The Asian Legends League is a one-of-a-kind tournament which will see some of the biggest names from the five top countries in Asia battle for supremacy once again. As cricketers, when we play cricket we feel very proud. But it’s always a proud feeling to represent your country in such leagues. The presence of marquee players like Irfan Pathan and Mohammad Irfan will surely make this league a must-watch among cricket lovers.”

Explaining his motivations to associate with the league, Irfan Pathan said, “it feels good to be playing on the field after being a commentator for so long. But our first love is always playing cricket. And playing in the Asian Legends League will surely bring back a lot of memories. I have played a lot of cricket against the other Icon players in this league. It gives you a different thrill. For the fans also, it will be a very thrilling experience. It’s always fun to watch such leagues.”

Dubai, 31^st January, 2024: Considered to be among the best bowlers in the DP World ILT20 Season 2, the Desert Vipers’ left arm pacer Mohammad Amir was on fire against the MI Emirates, helping his side register a thrilling win at the Dubai International Stadium. The Desert Vipers won by 2 wickets against MI Emirates.

Amir, who bagged three wickets for 26 runs in his quota of 4 overs, dismissed the dangerous Kusal Perera for 0, and followed it up with the scalps of Tim David and Trent Boult in the last over of the innings, to restrict the MI Emirates to 149.

Speaking after the match, Amir said, “I got three wickets, so that feels good for sure, but most importantly, the team won the game, and this performance is definitely going to help my confidence, and I hope to continue in this form going ahead in the tournament.”

Amir, who was the Player of the Match, is one of the senior players in the DP World ILT20, and has paired up with the sensational Shaheen Shah Afridi at the Desert Vipers. “Bowling with Shaheen is great and I think he is also enjoying it. Bowling is also all about partnerships, and the best part is that we communicate a lot about the conditions and the game in between the overs as well. Shaheen is a good bowler, and it helps to be able to share our experiences with each other.”

Opening further on his thoughts about the dashing young Shaheen Shah Afridi, the former Pakistan bowler said, “He is running in well when he is bowling, Shaheen is running in fast, and his strength is that he bowls brilliantly with the new ball. Shaheen gets the new ball to swing and when he bowls full, he gets chances to pick wickets.”

The Vipers won the game off the final delivery off the game, when Shaheen Afridi slashed hard at a Trent Boult delivery to get his team over the line. Reflecting on that, Amir said, “Shaheen played a very good innings at the end to help us win the game, and he has also been working hard on his batting. I think this was the best game of the DP World ILT20 so far.”

While Amir will hope to continue his good work with the ball in the next half of the DP World ILT20 for the Desert Vipers, the ace pacer said, “There are 18 international players competing with each other in every game, and I think in the coming days it will become one of the toughest leagues, and I am really happy for the UAE local players, as they are performing well, and that is a good thing for UAE cricket.”

West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph and England spinner Tom Hartley hog the limelight in the latest update to the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings, reaping the benefits of their outstanding performances over the past week.

Joseph, whose sensational seven-wicket haul in the second innings helped the West Indies score a thrilling eight-run victory over Australia in Brisbane to draw the two-match ICC World Test Championship series 1-1, finds himself in joint-50^th position after moving up 42 places.

The 24-year-old’s tally of 397 rating points is the fifth-best by a West Indies bowler after two Tests, with some past greats ahead of him in that list. Fast bowler Colin Croft (447), left-arm spinner Alf Valentine (443), fast bowler Wes Hall (422) and off-spinner Sonny Ramadhin (407) had more points after their first two Tests.

Hartley too had a remarkable seven-wicket haul in the second innings of the opening Test against India and finished with nine wickets in the match, helping pull off a 28-run win in Hyderabad. The 24-year-old left-arm spinner is in 63^rd position with 332 rating points, the best by any England bowler after his debut Test since left-arm seam bowler John Lever achieved 393 points with a 10-wicket match haul against India in Delhi in December 1976.

Former captain Joe Root’s spin bowling has lifted eight places to 54^th among bowlers after he finished with five wickets in the match, including an important four-wicket haul in the first innings.

Player of the Match Ollie Pope’s second innings knock of 196 has lifted him 20 positions to a career-best 15^th position while his team-mate Ben Duckett has progressed five places to 22^nd position after useful scores of 35 and 47 at the top of the order.

Indian batters KL Rahul (up three places to 51^st) and Yashaswi Jaiswal (up three places to 66^th) have moved up the rankings after scores of 86 and 80, respectively, in the first innings while Jasprit Bumrah has advanced one place to fourth after finishing with six wickets in the match. All-rounder Axar Patel has progressed in both lists – from 51^st to 50^th in batting and from 33^rd to 31^st in bowling.

Joseph was the top gainer for the West Indies after the Brisbane Test but his fellow fast bowlers Kemar Roach (up two places to 17^th) and Alzarri Joseph (up four places to 33^rd) have also made headway after finishing with three and six wickets, respectively, in the match.

Joshua de Silva (up 12 places to 60^th), Kirk McKenzie (up nine places to 76^th) and Kavem Hodge (up 98 places to 81^st) have moved up the batting rankings after some useful knocks

India continued their dominance with a massive win over New Zealand while West Indies and Pakistan also battled to victories in their first Super Six encounters at the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024.

Musheer Khan’s second century in the tournament was the highlight of the first day of the Super Six games as India thumped New Zealand with a massive 214-run victory.

Pakistan maintained their unbeaten streak with a hard fought win over a spirited Ireland side in Potchefstroom, edging over the line thanks to another impressive bowling display and heroics from their middle order.

In Kimberley, West Indies emerged victorious in a game that swung back and forth. Sri Lanka’s bowlers took the game to the final over, but were unable to overturn another gritty fightback from the West Indies lineup.

India beat New Zealand by 214 runs in Bloemfontein

India 295/8 (50 overs) v New Zealand 81 (28.1 overs)

Musheer Khan hit his second century of the U19 Men’s CWC 2024 as India continued to excel batting first in the tournament. New Zealand won the toss and opted to field, enjoying early success as Mason Clarke claimed Arshin Kulkarni’s wicket in the fifth over.

After the bright start, the young Blackcaps became more subdued as Musheer settled in alongside opener Adarsh Singh. The duo scored at a brisk pace forcing New Zealand into regular bowling changes in the hope of producing a breakthrough.

Adarsh brought up his second half-century in the tournament, but fell soon after to Zac Cumming, slicing a catch to backward point for 52.

Captain Uday Saharan and Musheer took over from there in another fine partnership as the latter grew in stature in the company of the solid skipper. The duo added 87 runs together before Oliver Tewatiya sent back Saharan for 34.

Musheer’s innings was characterised by innovative and controlled strokeplay, and he completed his century in the 43rd over, raising his bat after 109 balls. The milestone allowed him to free his arms and he raced to 131 before Mason Clarke returned to dismiss him in the 48th over. India couldn’t find too many runs from the lower order as they finished on 295, the last 10 overs yielding 89 runs.

Clarke was impressive albeit expensive, returning figures of four for 62 from his eight overs.

Raj Limbani started the second innings with a bang, sending back Tom Jones with a brilliant inswinger off the very first ball. The unstoppable Limbani added a second in the same over when he had Snehith Reddy trapped in front with another full delivery that swung in sharply.

Saumy Pandey made it 13 for three in the sixth over when he had Lachlan Stackpole bowled from around the wicket with a delivery that beat the left-hander’s outside edge and hit the stumps. The spinner struck again moments later, trapping James Nelson in front for 10 as New Zealand ended the Powerplay four wickets down.

Captain Oscar Jackson once again led New Zealand’s fightback, but his stay at the crease was short lived, falling to Musheer’s accurate spin bowling shortly after Naman Tiwari had removed Tewatiya.

The lower order added a few runs, but India, led again by Pandey with the ball, were clinical, as the Blackcaps folded for 81, losing by 214 runs.

Indian skipper Uday Saharan was delighted with his team’s performance in the tournament, with three back-to-back 200-plus run victories.

“I thought we executed our plans very well. Musheer was exceptional as usual and Raj [Limbani] bowled very well upfront. I don’t think I need to motivate the guys, we’re all in a good frame of mind.”

West Indies beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in Kimberley

Sri Lanka 231 (50 overs) v West Indies 232/7 (49.3 overs)

Opting to bat first in Kimberley, Sri Lanka were dealt an early blow when Nathan Edward, Player of the Match in the previous game, had opener Vishen Halambage dismissed for a golden duck in the opening over.

No.3 Sineth Jayawardena too fell soon after to Edward as the left-arm quick continued from where he left off against England in their final group match. Pulindu Perera and Supun Waduge started the rebuild, but couldn’t get far as Raneico Smith came into the attack and trapped Perera in front in his first over.

Dinura Kalupahana held his end up with some solid defensive strokes as Waduge tried to up the run-rate. The partnership, though, was broken just as it was gaining momentum when a deflection off Nathan Sealy’s fingertips hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Waduge short of the crease.

The unfortunate dismissal saw Sri Lanka slip to 85 for four with their key batter back in the hut. Kalupahana took on the responsibility of marshalling the innings, but he struggled to find partners as West Indies kept striking regularly.

Malsha Tharupathi stuck around at No.8 and the duo stitched together a half-century stand before Kalupahana, who made 53, cut Sealy straight to the fielder.

Tharupathi added useful lower-order runs with the tail before Smith cleaned him up. Sri Lanka finished on 231 in 50 overs, a total that appeared unlikely at the half-way mark. Smith was the pick of West Indian bowlers with figures of four for 47.

West Indies got off to a flier in the chase with skipper Stephan Pascal leading the charge. The opener raced to 33 with five fours and a six, after which Kalupahana had him caught at point.

Steve Wedderburn carried on positively, but West Indies lost Joshua Dorne to Vishwa Lahiru just after the Powerplay.

Jordan Johnson and Wedderburn, however, continued doing what West Indies have done well this tournament: transferring the pressure onto their opponents with quick runs. The 86-run partnership between the duo came at nearly run-a-ball as West Indies put themselves well ahead in the chase.

Sri Lanka struck back in the middle overs, first sending back Wedderburn and then Johnson next over to break the stand that was threatening to finish the game quickly. Vihas Thewmika’s off-spin accounted for Johnson, who made 39, but Mavendra Dindyal and Edward shaved off a few more runs from the target as West Indies edged closer.

Two quick wickets, that of Dindyal and Edward, gave Sri Lanka a bit of hope. It increased further when the dangerous Jewel Andrew was trapped in front by Kalupahana with the Windies still 26 runs from the target.

However, Sealy came to their rescue, yet again staying calm under pressure to get West Indies close. Despite a few nervy moments, Sealy remained unbeaten on 27 to steer his side home with three balls to spare.

West Indies skipper Stephan Pascal reflected on familiar conditions in his post-match reaction.

“The pitch wasn’t too different to what we have in the Caribbean Islands. I thought it was easy for the guys to adapt and play freely. To be honest, I was looking to bowl them out for around 150, but that partnership between Kalupahana and Tharupathi propelled them to that score. Even then we were very confident of chasing it down. We need to work on closing out games in an easier way, but we don’t want to curb our natural flair.”

Pakistan beat Ireland by three wickets in Potchefstroom

Ireland 181 (48.4 overs) v Pakistan 182/7 (43.4 overs)

Pakistan’s pacers made merry at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom after skipper Saad Baig opted to bowl first against Ireland. Ubaid Shah, who leads the wickets chart in the tournament so far, had Jordan Neill caught and bowled in the sixth over after the Irish openers were watchful early on with the new ball.

Ali Raza came in as first-change bowler to send back Ryan Hunter after his 28-ball stay for 10 runs. Ahmad Hassan, though, broke the back of Ireland’s top-order with the wickets of Gavin Roulston and skipper Philippe le Roux in quick succession.

Amir Hassan returned for a second spell to snare the big wicket of Kian Hilton and Ireland were left on their haunches at 39 for five.

Scott MacBeth and John McNally put together a promising partnership to lift Irish hopes, but Baig threw the ball back to Ubaid to break the stand and he delivered. In the first ball of his second over on return, Ubaid had MacBeth caught out for 16 and Ireland lost their sixth wicket.

Harry Dyer hung around with McNally to resist a lower-order collapse and Ireland got to the three-figure mark in the 32nd over. The stand between the two was broken a few overs later when Dyer fell for a 41-ball 31, holing out from off-spinner Haroon Arshad.

McNally completed his half-century thereafter and Ireland pushed themselves close to the 200-run mark. Ali Raza had McNally bowled in the 45th over, which dented Ireland’s chances of a final push in the death overs.

Raza finished with economical figures of two for 18 in 10 overs while Ubaid Shah took three for 31 in his 10. Amir and Ahmad Hassan also shared two wickets apiece as Pakistan’s bowling restricted Ireland to 181.

In reply, Ireland managed to do something few teams have managed against Pakistan this far this tournament: dismiss the openers cheaply. Reuben Wilson and Oliver Riley struck inside the first six overs to send back the dangerous duo of Shahzaib Khan and Shamyl Hussain.

With the middle-order left to do the heavy lifting for arguably the first time in the tournament, Pakistan struggled to adapt. Azan Awais and skipper Baig got starts but couldn’t go past the 20s. Promoted up the order, Ubaid too fell for a single-digit score as Ireland sensed a way into the contest with Pakistan at 96 for five.

However, Ahmed Hassan and Arshad eased the nerves by making 39 runs off the next six overs to push back the Irish bowlers. The duo stayed unbeaten till the score crossed 150, after which Arshad was bowled by Neill for 25.

Arafat Minhas was sent back by Dyer late in the game, but Pakistan were almost home by that point. Hassan completed his half-century as Pakistan registered a victory that, while not too convincing, helped them maintain vital momentum at a crucial stage in the tournament.

Skipper Saad Baig was impressed with the bowling unit and commended them for another good performance.

“It was a good bowling performance. I’d say the way we bowled, Ubaid, and especially Ali Raza, was brilliant. The big positive was taking early wickets. With the bat, I thought Ahmad Hassan produced a very good knock.”

Australia opener Beth Mooney has reclaimed the number one position in the ICC Women’s T20I Batting Rankings after a match-winning knock in the first T20I of their three-match home series against South Africa.

The left-handed opener, who first attained number one position in March 2020 and was most recently at the top in December 2022, struck a fine 72 not out off 57 deliveries with 11 fours and a six to help world champions Australia score an eight-wicket win and go one up in the series.

South Africa star Laura Wolvaardt, who helped restore parity with a 53-ball 58 not out in the second match, has reached a career-best 731 rating points while remaining number three after the weekly update to the women’s rankings that considers performances in the first two Australia-South Africa matches in Canberra and the first two matches of the Zimbabwe-Ireland series in Harare.

South Africa opener Tazmin Brits is another one to make notable progress in the batting rankings, moving up three places to a career-best sixth position after scoring 100 runs in two innings. Fast bowlers Annabel Sutherland of Australia (up six places to 34^th) and Marizanne Kapp of South Africa (up five places to 40^th) have also advanced.

Ireland opening batter Amy Hunter has made huge progress after unbeaten innings of 101 and 71 helped her team take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. The wicketkeeper-batter is now the highest ranked batter from Ireland, gaining 21 slots to reach a career-best 18^th position, five positions above Gaby Lewis (up three places to 23^rd).

Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast (up five places to 46^th) and the Zimbabwe pair of Mary-Anne Musonda (up four places to 47^th) and Kelis Ndhlovu (up 20 places to 59^th) have also moved up the batting rankings.

Ireland captain Laura Delaney’s match-winning haul of four for 12 in the second match has lifted her four places to 56^th among bowlers while her team-mate Cara Murray has progressed from 58^th to joint-49^th after grabbing three wickets in two matches with her leg-spin bowling.

Sharjah, 30^th January, 2024: The Sharjah Warriors have turned on the style and how in the last couple of games, with their latest win being a 9-wicket one against the Dubai Capitals, who are led by David Warner.

Captained by Tom Kohler-Cadmore, the Warriors have managed to go switch gears in the recent games, and were second on the points table after their win against the Dubai Capitals. After overcoming a slight stutter in the early stages, the Warriors have been in fine form, so much so, that three of the top 5 highest wicket-takers in the DP World ILT20 are currently from the Sharjah set-up.

“It is a great feeling to win today against Dubai Capitals. We lost the first game, and there were some ups and downs in the beginning, but I think we are now clicking well as a batting and bowling unit, and we are the right track,” said Niroshan Dickwella after the match.

Reflecting on the impressive performance in Sharjah on Monday, the Sri Lankan wicket-keeper batter said, that it was important to get the wicket of David Warner, as he can be very destructive. “It was a crucial wicket, because you know if he had stayed for long and built a partnership with Sikander Raza, then it could have been a different ball game eventually. But as a keeper, I have to take these chances, it was a huge bowling performance from the team and a good show in the field as well,” he added.
For the Sharjah Warriors, Maheesh Theekshana picked 4 wickets while Daniel Sams bagged 3. Muhammad Jawadullah got the important wicket of David Warner and Mark Watt castled the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz, to derail the Capitals’ batting order.

“At Sharjah Warriors, we are trying our best to maintain high standards across the team. And in the field also, so that the momentum comes into the bowling and the batting from there. We were well aware of the conditions and we knew that the wicket might be a little slower today. Even though they were five down, we didn’t want to give them any chances to make a comeback. We wanted to ensure that we keep them down and not let them score too many runs,” the keeper-batter said.

Up next for the Sharjah Warriors, will be a clash against the MI Emirates, who have also been in good form and sit at the top of the table. The Sharjah Warriors will take a breather and reconvene before their next game, and the team is in a good place, said Dickwella.

“We have a few days off first, and then we will come back harder for the next game. We will, as a team, do the needful planning and everything in preparation for the next games, and give it our all,” he signed off.

Bangladesh U19 bowler, Maruf Mridha, has received a reprimand for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup match against India in Bloemfontein.

Mridha was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”

In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Mridha’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period.

The incident occurred in the 44^th over of India’s innings when, after dismissing the batter, Mridha pointed aggressively to the changing room twice, giving the batter a send-off.

Mridha admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Shaid Wadvalla of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Donovan Koch and Nigel Duguid, third umpire Allahudien Paleker and fourth umpire, Langton Rusere levelled the charge.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

Dubai, 23rd January 2024: Dubai Capitals’ bowler Dushmantha Chameera picked up four wickets in the DP World ILT20 clash against Sharjah Warriors, but it was not enough to counter the batting prowess of Johnson Charles, who helped his team chase down the target of 170 in a closely fought encounter at the Dubai International Stadium on Monday, January 22.

Speaking after the match, the Sri Lankan bowler said, “Johnson Charles is an attacking player. We made the mistake of bowling length balls, which he put away to the boundary. There was a little bit of dew on the pitch after the tenth over and that definitely hurt us.”

This did not stop Chameera from shining with the ball, also taking the wicket of Charles, who scored 93 off 51. Despite the loss, he was optimistic with the various other aspects of his team’s performance. “This is a disappointing result considering that we did well with the bat and on the field. We could’ve defended 170 runs,” added the right-armer.

Chameera also added that sharing the dressing room and taking the field with under the leadership of David Warner has been a warm experience for him. “It is a very good experience sharing the dressing room with players like David Warner. He has played in all the major leagues around the world, so it’s a good experience for me. All the senior players have a lot of experience so I am enjoying my time with this team,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the Capitals will host the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in their next clash on Thursday, January 25, with the hope of adding more points to their name on the points table.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today completed announcements of the five ICC Teams of the Year across formats for men and women as part of the ICC Awards 2023.

The announcement of the five teams – the ICC Men’s and Women’s T20I Teams of the Year, the ICC Men’s and Women’s ODI Teams of the Year and the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year – were made in a staggered manner over Monday and Tuesday and feature players from 11 teams selected on the basis of international performances through the calendar year.

Teams were identified from selections submitted by the specialist panel of media representatives that make up the ICC Voting Academy. The esteemed panel made their selections based on player performances during the calendar year, nominating their playing eleven to include a captain and a wicketkeeper.

The ICC Awards 2023 announcements will continue Wednesday and Thursday, when 13 individual award winners will be declared.

ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year:

1. Usman Khawaja (Aus)
2. Dimuth Karunaratne (SL)
3. Kane Williamson (NZ)
4. Joe Root (Eng)
5. Travis Head (Aus)
6. Ravindra Jadeja (Ind)
7. Alex Carey (WK, Aus)
8. Pat Cummins (Capt, Aus)
9. R Ashwin (Ind)
10. Mitchell Starc (Aus)
11. Stuart Broad (Eng)

Pat Cummins has been named as the captain of the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year after leading his side to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) title and finishing the year with 42 wickets at an average of 27.50 with three five-wicket hauls.

His fellow fast bowler Mitchell Starc has also been picked, as have been three other Australians, making them the most represented nation in the Test team. Opener Usman Khawaja, the only player to pass 1,000 Test runs in 2023 walks into the Test side for a second successive year with 1,210 runs at an average of 52.60 and three centuries. Travis Head, Player of the Match in the WTC Final, and wicketkeeper Alex Carey are the other Australia players named in the team.

India spinner R Ashwin, the No. 1 bowler in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings, and former England captain Joe Root, who are in the running for the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year award along with Khawaja and Head, are also in the team. England and India have two players each with the selection of Ravindra Jadeja and Stuart Broad.

Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne partners Khawaja atop the order, with New Zealand star Kane Williamson claiming the number three batting spot, as five international teams have representation in the Test team.

ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year:

1. Phoebe Litchfield (Aus)
2. Chamari Athapaththu (Capt, SL)
3. Ellyse Perry (Aus)
4. Amelia Kerr (NZ)
5. Beth Mooney (WK, Aus)
6. Nat Sciver-Brunt (Eng)
7. Ash Gardner (Aus)
8. Annabel Sutherland (Aus)
9. Nadine de Klerk (SA)
10. Lea Tahuhu (NZ)
11. Nahida Akter (Ban)

The Australian dominance in Women’s ODI cricket is reflected in the team with five players featuring in it including rookie Phoebe Litchfield. Not having played an ODI before 2023, the 20-year-old opener made a huge impact in her first 13 matches, scoring 485 runs at an average of 53.88 and a strike rate of 81.92. She is a strong contender for the ICC Emerging Women’s Player of the Year award.

Ellyse Perry and wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney make the team after scoring over 400 runs each during the calendar year while Ash Gardner and Annabel Sutherland make it on the strength of performances with both bat and ball.

Left-handed opener Chamari Athapaththu, for long the batting mainstay for Sri Lanka, has been named captain of the side after scoring 415 runs in just eight matches at an average of 69.16 and a strike-rate of 125.37. Nat Sciver Brunt’s batting average of 131 in six matches earns her the number six slot.

New Zealand are the only other side apart from Australia to have more than one player in the Women’s ODI team as all-rounder Amelia Kerr and fast bowler Lea Tahuhu have both made it. All-rounder Nadine de Klerk of South Africa and Bangladesh’s left-arm spinner Nahida Akter complete the team.

Men’s ODI Team of the Year:

1. Rohit Sharma (Capt, Ind)
2. Shubman Gill (Ind)
3. Travis Head (Aus)
4. Virat Kohli (Ind)
5. Daryl Mitchell (NZ)
6. Heinrich Klaasen (WK, SA)
7. Marco Jansen (SA)
8. Adam Zampa (Aus)
9. Mohammed Siraj (Ind)
10. Kuldeep Yadav (Ind)
11. Mohammed Shami (Ind)

Top-ranked ODI side India had a superb run last year and won all their matches in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup before losing to Australia in the final. Their consistency is reflected in the selection of six players in the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year including both openers and a pair of fast bowlers.

The top three ODI run accumulators in 2023 – Shubman Gill (1,584 runs), Virat Kohli (1,377) and Rohit Sharma (1,255), who are currently ranked from second to fourth in the batting rankings – have been picked for three of the top four batting positions.

Head, who was named Player of the Match for a 120-ball 137 in the World Cup final in Ahmedabad, gets the number three position while New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell is the number five batter. South Africa wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen is selected after notching 927 runs and accounting for 20 dismissals.

Wrist spinners Adam Zampa of Australia and Kuldeep Yadav of India have been named along with a seam attack that consists of Mohammad Shami (43 wickets in 2023) and Mohammad Siraj (44 wickets) of India and all-rounder Marco Jansen of South Africa.

Women’s T20I Team of the Year:

1. Chamari Athapaththu (Capt, SL)
2. Beth Mooney (WK, Aus)
3. Laura Wolvaardt (SA)
4. Hayley Matthews (WI)
5. Nat Sciver-Brunt (Eng)
6. Amelia Kerr (NZ)
7. Ellyse Perry (Aus)
8. Ash Gardner (Aus)
9. Deepti Sharma (Ind)
10. Sophie Ecclestone (Eng)
11. Megan Schutt (Aus)

Athapaththu has the distinction of being named captain of both the ODI and T20I squads while Mooney, Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner are other players to make both women’s squads for the year.

Fourth in the list of batting aggregate with 470 runs at a strike rate of over 130, the Sri Lankan captain also grabbed eight wickets with her off-spin to take the first spot in the team with Mooney named to partner her at the top of the order.

Two more international captains – Hayley Matthews of the West Indies and Laura Wolvaardt of South Africa – also make it after remarkable years. Matthews was the most prolific with 700 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 132.32 while also grabbing 19 wickets. Wolvaardt scored 586 runs in 19 matches at a strike rate of 108.51.

Top-ranked Sophie Ecclestone’s 23 wickets in the year and third-ranked Deepti Sharma’s 21 wickets see them clinch the two spinners’ slots while Australia fast bowler Megan Schutt, ranked second, is the fourth Australian in the team, also having 21 scalps to show from last year.

Men’s T20I Team of the Year:

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal (Ind)
2. Phil Salt (Eng)
3. Nicholas Pooran (WK, WI)
4. Suryakumar Yadav (Capt, Ind)
5. Mark Chapman (NZ)
6. Sikandar Raza (Zim)
7. Alpesh Ramjani (Uga)
8. Mark Adair (Ire)
9. Ravi Bishnoi (Ind)
10. Richard Ngarava (Zim)
11. Arshdeep Singh (Ind)

Top-ranked India have four players in the Men’s T20I squad with flamboyant batter Suryakumar Yadav named captain. Yadav topped the runs chart with 733 runs in 18 matches at a strike rate of 155.95 to consolidate his position at the top of the rankings.

The next three in the list of run scorers the past year – Mark Chapman of New Zealand (576 runs), Zimbabwe star Sikandar Raza (515) and upcoming India batter Yashasvi Jaisal (430) – were automatic choices while Phil Salt of England and Nicholas Pooran of the West Indies too had enough to stake claims.

Uganda’s Alpesh Ramjani became the first from his country to be named in an ICC Team of the Year when the left-handed all-rounder made it this year after scoring 449 runs and grabbing 55 wickets with his slow bowling. Ramjani is in contention for the Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award as well as being eligible for the ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year.

Ireland have a representative in Mark Adair as do Zimbabwe in Richard Ngarava. India’s leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi and left-arm seam bowler Arshdeep Singh also make the team on the back of some fine international performances during 2023.

Dubai, 20th January 2024: The DP World ILT20 is back with a bang as the Dubai Capitals will look to kickstart their campaign in style with a massive clash against the MI Emirates at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday, January 20. A varied range of players will take the field for the Dubai Capitals in the second season, led by Australian David Warner, who will don the captaincy badge in the upcoming edition of the tournament for the GMR Sports-owned side.

Speaking to media ahead of the tournament star batter Sam Billings, shared his excitement at the prospect of sharing the dressing room with a T20 World Cup winner in Warner.

“Great to play for the Dubai capitals in the ILT20. Fantastic opportunity to play with David Warner, having played multiple times against him. It is a lot better having him on our side this time. We have a quality side all the way from the top to the bottom. It’s going to be a tough competition but one that we are very excited for,” he said.

Meanwhile, Warner will have a brilliant pool of experience to work with as the side chases an improvement from their fourth-place finish in the first season of the ILT20. The retentions of Dasun Shanaka, Rovman Powell, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sikandar Raza will add firepower to both their bowling and batting units, while Joe Root, Roelof van der Merwe, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Sam Billings are all expected to play key roles in their team’s success in the second season.

At the same time, Billings reiterated the importance of bowling first in the ILT20, given the playing conditions. “Pitches always have an impact in such tournaments. They get slower as the tournament progresses. Getting early wickets is important because then it becomes very difficult for the chasing team. This is where the new ball plays a very important role in getting wickets early. The pitch conditions over here generally show that it is a chase-friendly pitch and the dew will play a major factor as well,” he added.

Such a rich group of experience is sure to benefit the GMR Sports-owned Dubai Capitals, with players like Akif Raja and Mohammad Mohsin among their ranks. This a sentiment was also echoed by their star all-rounder Powell. “The cricketers of UAE especially the young players now have the option of talking and learning from many international stars who come to play in the international League T20 and this will surely benefit them in the long run,” added Powell ahead of their first match of the tournament.

Dubai, 18 January 2024: After winning the DP World ILT20 trophy in the first season, the Adani Sportsline-owned Gulf Giants have assembled a squad of young talented players, led by experienced stars as they commence their campaign with a blockbuster clash against the Sharjah Warriors at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Led by James Vince, the side also retained Chris Lynn, one of many international players who have excelled in the 2023-24 edition of Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), leaving as the third-highest run-scorer with 304 runs to his name.  The star Australian batter was a part of the pre-tournament press conference, and gave an idea on how his team will approach the second edition of the ILT20 as defending champions.

“We won’t change too much because our method and blueprint worked last time out, so it’s all about just executing that again. Yes, we’ve got a couple personnel changes but our blueprint is there. In T20 cricket, it’s not about reinventing, it’s about executing the smaller things. You have to adapt to the condition because the ball did swing around a little bit. We got 3-4 weeks together and hopefully the results will take care of themselves,” said the highest run-getter for the Adani Sportsline-owned side in season 1 of the ILT20.

They will also be boosted by the return of Jamie Overton, who comes to the campaign with 16 wickets in the BBL, adding experience to a young batch of players like Sanchit Sharma and Aayan Khan. A lot of eyes will be on Aayan, who captained UAE to the final of the U19 Asia Cup where they went on to lose the final against Bangladesh. Aayan also represented UAE in the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2022, winning the Player of the Match in a victory over the West Indies with a brilliant knock of 93 runs and one wicket to his name.

Speaking about the rise of these young stars, Lynn has taken the onus on himself and the other experienced international stars in the team to help the UAE players. “Every tournament has their pros and cons. Our job as cricketers is not only to entertain but also to grow the game, and to grow the game in the UAE is very important. Building up the next local talent via the ILT20 is among the biggest challenge in itself,” added Lynn

Head coach Andy Flower has retained most of the stars of the Adani Sportsline-owned team from their 2023 campaign, which ended in triumph as the Giants beat the Desert Vipers to the trophy. They have stuck to their tried and tested core from the first season, including Chris Jordan, their star bowler who took 20 wickets in 10 games in the 1st season of the ILT20, will also be a part of the team.

The Adani Sportsline-owned side have also added the spin maestro Mujeeb Ur Rahman to support Rehan Ahmed and Aayan in what looks like a formidable bowling unit which already had Dominic Drakes, Richard Gleeson and Carlos Braithwaite in the mix.

Facing the Warriors in their first game of the season will be a fitting test of their credentials as defending champions, with a new-look team led by Englishman Tom Kohler-Cadmore and coached by JP Duminy, have been pipped as worthy opponents by head coach Flower, and Lynn reiterated the team’s desire to be champions once again.

“Everyone wearing the Gulf Giants jersey puts the team first. But it is a small recognition of a personal performance and pride. In T20 cricket, sometimes you only need one player to perform with the bat and the ball, and you have your Player of the Match in the dressing room,” concluded the Australia star.

The cutting-edge 34,000-seat modular Nassau County International Cricket Stadium which will host eight ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 matches in New York has today been unveiled.

The project in Eisenhower Park, Nassau County, 30 miles east of Manhattan, has started this week, with site fencing erected and work to the outfield now underway. The stadium, which will be completed within three months, will have a capacity for 34,000 fans across premium and general admission seating as well as VIP and hospitality suites, including a party deck and cabanas to host the biggest cricket carnival spectacle ever.

Though a world first for cricket, modular stadiums are used regularly in other sports, including Formula 1, Golf and the Olympic Games providing fans with every facility they would expect at a global sporting event.

The stadium has been designed by Populous, a world-class sports and entertainment venue architecture firm, that has designed some of the world’s most iconic stadia, including Yankee Stadium in New York; the world’s largest cricket stadium, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad; and English Premier League venue, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. In New York, they are the architect of record for both the New York Yankees and New York Mets. Arena Event Services brings expertise from other global sporting events and will provide and install the stadium infrastructure whilst the USA based international sports procurement firm The Parker Company will project manage the build on behalf of T20 Inc.

The venue which is a stone’s throw away from New York City will have a dedicated fan zone with a variety of food and beverage outlets and global leading media and broadcast areas, promising to provide a world-class experience for all guests at the biggest ICC event ever.

Sustainability is key to the project with the grandstands used for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix being repurposed for the T20 World Cup venue with work on the infrastructure scheduled to commence in February.

The wicket, which is a drop-in square – the type used around the world including at Adelaide Oval and Eden Park – is currently being curated in Florida and will be transported by road to New York in early May. The development of the pitches is being undertaken by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions, led by renowned Adelaide Oval Head Curator Damian Hough, while the outfield is being delivered by the LandTek Group, US-based sports turf experts who have worked with the New York Yankees and New York Mets as well as Inter Miami CF on their stadium and training fields.

Fans will have their opportunity to be a part of history by attending a festival of cricket and seeing the world’s best players in action, with eight ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 matches hosted at the venue between 3 and 12 June including one of the sport’s biggest rivalries India against Pakistan, and host USA versus India.

ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said: “We are excited to be unveiling the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. It is an incredibly important milestone in the lead up to the biggest ICC event ever, with work commencing on the stadium which will be able to accommodate 34,000 cricket fans.

“We are partnering with world-class suppliers to deliver the modular stadium to ensure that players and fans can enjoy an unforgettable experience across the eight matches in New York in June this year.”

Timelines

Demarcation of site in Nassau County – Underway
Commencement of preparatory turf works – Week beginning (W/B) 22 January
Delivery of stadium materials – W/B 29 January
Commencement of stadium construction – W/B 5 February
Commencement of construction of drop in pitch area – W/B 1 April
Commencement of turfing of outfield – W/B 29 April
Installation of drop in trays/pitches – W/B 6 May
Stadium construction completion – W/B 6 May
Completion of testing and commissioning – W/B 13 May
Test event – W/B 27 May
First match – Sri Lanka v South Africa – 3 June

About the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 will be co-hosted by West Indies and USA from 1 – 29 June 2024.

The event will be the largest in the tournament’s history with 20 international teams playing 55 matches across nine cities. It is the first time USA will host matches at a T20 World Cup, with 16 First Round matches split between Nassau County International Cricket Stadium (New York), Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium (Dallas) and Broward County Stadium (Lauderhill). 

West Indies, who hosted the event in 2010, will hold matches at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (Antigua and Barbuda), Kensington Oval (Barbados), Guyana National Stadium (Guyana), Daren Sammy Cricket Ground (Saint Lucia), Arnos Vale (Saint Vincent and The Grenadines) and Brian Lara Cricket Academy (Trinidad and Tobago).

Cricket West Indies are the official hosts of the event, with an entity T20 World Cup Inc. established to administer local delivery within the USA, whilst working in partnership with Major League Cricket to support the growth of the sport in the USA.

Axar Patel has advanced 12 places to a career-best fifth position among bowlers as a clutch of India players made significant gains in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings after strong performances in the series against Afghanistan.

Patel’s hauls of two for 23 and two for 16 in India’s identical six-wicket wins over Afghanistan in the first two T20Is of their three-match series have also lifted him two places to 16th among all-rounders after the latest weekly rankings update on Wednesday that takes into consideration all matches completed till Tuesday.

Opener Yashaswi Jaiswal’s 34-ball 68 in the first T20I in Indore has lifted him seven places to a career-best sixth position while other left-hander Shivam Dube’s successive unbeaten knocks of 60 and 63 have helped him shoot up from 265th to 58th.

Another player to make notable gains is New Zealand’s Finn Allen, whose two innings of 34 off 15 and 74 off 41 helped his team win the first two matches against Pakistan and lifted him 11 places to 16th among batters. His team-mate Tim Southee, who took six wickets in the first two matches, is up eight places to 18th in the bowlers’ list.

Shubman Gill (up seven places to 60th among batters), Tilak Verma (up three places to joint-61st among batters) and Arshdeep Singh (up four places to 21st among bowlers) are the other India players to move up while Najibullah Zadran (up one place to 46th) and Mohammad Nabi (up two places to 54th) are the Afghanistan players to move up in the batting rankings.

Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam is up one place to fourth after notching consecutive half-centuries in the first two matches against New Zealand while Fakhar Zaman is up 14 places to 81st. Daryll Mitchell (up nine places to 37th) and Kane Williamson (up 13 places to 59th) are the Kiwi batters to move up.

The bowling rankings see Sri Lanka spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana take joint-third position after moving up one and two places, respectively. Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf’s haul of five wickets in two matches have lifted him two places to joint-14th while New Zealand player Adam Milne’s six wickets in two matches see him advance from 66th to joint-47th position.