T20
England gives old rival Australia 8-wicket thrashing at WCup
Jos Buttler was near his brutal best as England thrashed old rival Australia by eight wickets with 50 balls to spare at the cricket T20 World Cup on Saturday.
Buttler smashed 71 not out from 32 balls with five thumping sixes as England's batters quickly finished off what its bowlers had started by knocking the Aussies over for 125.
Openers Buttler and Jason Roy put on a rapid 66 to start England's chase. Jonny Bairstow was with Buttler to finish it off, and also didn't hang around by launching two sixes in his 16 not out from 11 balls.
Read: Shakib, Sohan uncertain for SA clash
England's bowlers, with Chris Jordan leading with 3-17, tore through Australia at the start, with the Australians slumping to 21-4 in 6.1 overs. Australia rallied to see out its full 20 overs, but only just with Mitchell Starc the last man out off the final ball of the innings.
The result put England top of Group 1 outright and underlined its status as one of the favorites for the title, having lost the final of the last T20 World Cup in 2016 to West Indies.
Read: Please buy T20 World Cup tickets, pleads Afghanistan captain
Australia, which belied its shaky recent form by winning its opening two games, is tied with South Africa for second place in Group 1 but behind the South Africans on run rate after Saturday's hammering by England.
The top two from the group will reach the semifinals.
T20 WC: Sri Lanka’s Hasaranga hits hat-trick against South Africa
Sri Lankan leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva hit a hattrick against South Africa in the Super 12 stage of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Sharjah on Saturday.
It was the 2nd hat-trick in the ongoing T20 World Cup and the 3rd hat-trick in the T20 World Cup history and the overall 23rd hat-trick in the T20 International Cricket.
Ireland pacer Curtis Camphen made the maiden hat-trick in the current T20 World Cup against the Netherlands in Abu Dhabi on October 18.
Read: Shakib, Sohan uncertain for SA clash
De Kock takes knee as South Africa beats Sri Lanka at WCup
David Miller hit two sixes in the last over as South Africa shrugged off a hat trick from Wanindu Hasaranga to beat Sri Lanka by four wickets at the T20 World Cup on Saturday.
Quinton de Kock returned after declining to play the last game against West Indies when the South Africa players were ordered to take a knee for the Black Lives Matter movement.
He made 12 and took a knee alongside all the other players on the field ahead of the start.
Read: Shakib, Sohan uncertain for SA clash
Miller launched his late attack, with support from Kagiso Rabada, to lift South Africa from 112-6 in the 18th over to 146-6 and beyond the target of 143 with one ball to spare.
Miller finished with 23 not out from 13 balls and Rabada hit the winning boundary — an edge past the wicketkeeper for four — having also blasted a six in the penultimate over to keep South Africa on track.
The Proteas needed 15 off the final over and Miller launched maximums off the second and third balls from Lahiru Kumara.
Read: Please buy T20 World Cup tickets, pleads Afghanistan captain
South Africa's cause was boosted by captain Temba Bavuma's top score of 46, but he was also the second wicket in Hasaranga's hat trick.
Hasaranga removed Aiden Markram off the final ball of a previous stint, and then Bavuma and Dwaine Pretorius in consecutive balls of a new spell.
Earlier, Sri Lanka finished on 142 all out in its 20 overs after 72 in 58 balls from opener Pathum Nissanka.
Shakib, Sohan uncertain for SA clash
Bangladesh star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan Sohan are in a race against time to be fit for their next match in the T20 World Cup against South Africa on November 2.
Shakib sustained a hamstring injury in the match against the West Indies while Sohan is still suffering from a blow on his abdomen received ahead of the match against England. Sohan missed the game against WI already.
According to the media department of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), Sohan will be assessed on November 1 to decide if he is fit to play on November 2.
Read 'Tigers still have plenty to take from WC'
Shakib will be assessed after the completed 48 hours of rest to see if he is fit to play the next match.
Bangladesh have lost all three matches they have played so far in the Super 12s stage, which has made their way to the semifinals impossible.
Read Asif's 4 sixes in 1 over seals Pakistan win over Afghanistan
The injury concern over Shakib came as a fresh blow for the Tigers.
Mahmudullah, the T20 captain of Bangladesh, said they still have plenty to take from the T20 World Cup if they can register wins in the remaining matches.
Please buy T20 World Cup tickets, pleads Afghanistan captain
Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi has pleaded with his country’s fans to “please buy tickets” instead of forcing their way into stadiums without a valid ticket at the T20 World Cup.
“Afghan fans, please buy tickets and come to the stadium, don’t repeat again, it’s not good,” Nabi said after losing a thrilling Group 2 game to Pakistan by five wickets on Friday night with Asif Ali smashing four sixes in the penultimate over.
Ticketless fans, mostly carrying Afghan flags, tried to enter the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the ICC said police closed all the gates an hour after the game had started “to maintain a safe and controlled environment inside the venue.”
Read 'Tigers still have plenty to take from WC'
The match began while swathes of fans outside the stadium were seen running toward the entrances. Those already inside had queued for hours and they generated a stunning atmosphere in a ground awash with color and energy.
But the closure of gates deprived numbers of fans entry despite having valid tickets.
“The ICC, BCCI and ECB apologize to any fans with valid tickets who were unable to enter the stadium tonight and request they contact the ticket provider,” the ICC said.
Read Asif's 4 sixes in 1 over seals Pakistan win over Afghanistan
The ICC also said that it had asked the Emirates Cricket Board to undertake a thorough investigation into the Friday night’s events “to learn any lessons and will work closely with authorities to ensure there is no repeat of this situation in future.”
Spineless people abused Shami, says India captain Kohli
India captain Virat Kohli has thrown his full support behind Mohammed Shami after the fast bowler was abused on social media following a T20 World Cup cricket defeat against archrival Pakistan.
“Here’s a good reason why we are playing on the field and not some bunch of spineless people on social media that have no courage to actually speak to any individual in person,” Kohli told reporters on Saturday.
Shami, the only Muslim in the India team, was subjected to criticism that included Islamophobic messages on his Instagram account after returning figures of 0-43 as Pakistan romped to a 10-wicket win in Dubai last Sunday.
Read 'Tigers still have plenty to take from WC'
“Attacking someone over their religion is the most, I would say, pathetic thing that a human being can do,” Kohli said. “Everyone has the right to voice their opinion and what they feel about certain situations but I personally have never, ever even thought of discriminating against anyone over their religion. That is a very sacred and personal thing to every human being and that should be left there.”
Pakistan’s win was its first in 13 attempts in any World Cup game against its neighbor.
“He (Shami) has been our primary bowler with Jasprit Bumrah when it comes to making an impact in games,” Kohli said. “If people can overlook that and his passion for the country, I honestly don’t even want to waste one minute of my life to give any attention to those people.
Read Asif's 4 sixes in 1 over seals Pakistan win over Afghanistan
“We stand by him fully. We are backing him 200 per cent and all those who have attacked him can come with more force if they want. Our brotherhood, our friendship within the team, nothing can be shaken.
“I can guarantee you that as captain of the team, we have built a culture where these things will not even infiltrate into this environment 0.0001 per cent.”
India takes on New Zealand in its second Group 2 match on Sunday. Pakistan has won all three of its World Cup games.
'Tigers still have plenty to take from WC'
After losing three matches on the trot, T20 international captain Mahmudullah Riyad has said that Bangladesh still have plenty to take from the ongoing ICC World Cup.
Every team has five matches to play in the Super 12 stage of the World Cup. Bangladesh played three of them and lost all. Their latest defeat came at the hands of the West Indies.
In the next two matches, Bangladesh will take on South Africa and Australia on November 2 and 4, respectively.
Also read: Tigers make a habit of defeat, become first team eliminated from T20WC
“We understand that our chances to reach the semi-finals is slim now,” Mahmudullah said. “We still have plenty to take from the World Cup. It would be great if we can win the last two matches. We have been putting our best foot forward to do well, to keep our commitment.”
It was expected that the Tigers would reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. But after having a fragile start -- losing to Scotland in the first match of Round 1 -- Bangladesh lost their positive vibe. They never were able to get the rhythm back that they displayed against New Zealand and Australia.
Bangladeshi fielders missed at least five regulation catches in the last three matches, which have cost the Tigers a lot.
In the first match of the Super 12s, Liton Das missed two catches which eventually became the main reason behind Bangladesh’s defeat. And in the third match, which was against the West Indies, Mahedi Hasan missed two catches and Afif Hossain missed one.
Bangladesh needed to score 22 runs in the last two overs against the West Indies. But they managed 18 and lost the match by three runs.
Also read: BAN v WI: Bangladesh Show How to Lose a Winnable Match in T20 World Cup 2021
“I feel that we had been batting well,” Mahmudullah said. “The partnership between me and Liton was planned, and we had been going to seal the match. But Liton’s dismissal at the boundary prevented us from getting the first win. After that, it was my responsibility to pull off the match but I couldn’t. I can only blame myself.”
BAN v WI: Bangladesh Show How to Lose a Winnable Match in T20 World Cup 2021
Prior to their Super 12 match, both Bangladesh and West Indies were in danger of being ousted from contention for a semi-final position in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2021 on Friday (October 29). The West Indian team eventually won the match in Sharjah, defeating Bangladesh by 3 runs. The West Indies are still in contention for a top-two finish in the group, whereas Bangladesh will definitely finish outside the top two after losing this match.
The Way Bangladesh Loss against the Windies
Bangladesh showed how to lose a game while being in a solid position against the West Indies. They seemed almost certain to beat the Caribbean side in a Super 12 Round match. However, Bangladesh were unable to reach the winning target of 143 set by the Windies team.
Bangladesh required 30 runs from the final three overs. At the time, they had two set batsmen, Mahmudullah Riyad and Liton Das at the crease. The momentum was in Bangladesh's favor. However, both batters were unable to conquer the Windies bowlers and then were surrendered their wickets.
Read Asif's 4 sixes in 1 over seals Pakistan win over Afghanistan
DJ Bravo bowled a massive six to Mahmudullah in the first delivery of the 19th over, reducing the target to 16 from 11 balls. Bangladesh were required to play intelligent cricket at that point. However, the pressure in the run chase mounted as both batters failed to produce big shots. Bangladesh scored only three runs in the following five balls and lost Liton Das in the final delivery.
Bangladesh needed 13 runs from the final over to win the game. Two of the best hitters of Bangladesh, Mahmudullah Riyad and Afif Hossain were at the crease. Bangladesh were expected to win. However, they only managed to score 9 runs in the 20th over. Andre Russell deserves credit for bowling superbly and stopping batters from freeing their arms.
Earlier, West Indies scored 142/7 in their allocated 20 overs. Player of the match-winner, Nicholas Pooran played a decisive 40 off 22 balls in the death overs. Mahedi, Mustafizur, and Shoriful each bagged two wickets for Bangladesh.
Read Tigers make a habit of defeat, become first team eliminated from T20WC
Bangladesh had complete control of the contest during the run chase. However, they were unable to reach the target thanks to some outstanding death overs bowling by the Windies bowlers. Liton Das (44) was Bangladesh's top scorer.
The Scenario of Group 1 Points Table
The Windies now have a slim chance of progressing to the knockout stage with a victory over Bangladesh. However, they will have to rely on the outcomes of South Africa's, Australia's, England's, and Sri Lanka's remaining Super 12 Round fixtures. West Indies will have a big edge if Bangladesh win their final two matches against South Africa and Australia. Aside from that, the Caribbean team must win big in their next two games to improve their net run rates.
Read T20 World Cup: Despite early wickets W Indies post 142 vs Bangladesh
Overall, England and Australia are still the favorites to advance to the semifinals from group 1, and they are in good shape right now. South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies will give it their all till the end, but they are unlikely to go to the next round.
Group 1 points table (as of October 29)
Teams
Match
Win
Lose
Points
NRR
England
2
2
0
4
3.614
Australia
2
2
0
4
0.727
South Africa
2
1
1
2
0.179
Sri Lanka
2
1
1
2
-0.416
West Indies
3
1
2
2
-1.598
Bangladesh
3
0
3
0
-1.069
https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Bottom Line
Bangladesh became the first team in the Super 12 Round to tumble out of a quest for a semifinal berth after losing to West Indies. Bangladesh are yet to win a match in this round, and they still have two games left in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Bangladesh are unlikely to win any of their remaining matches given their current form.
Read T20 World Cup: Bangladesh take early wickets to dominate West Indies
The BCB must think deeply about the growth of T20 cricket. Otherwise, Bangladesh's performance in Twenty20 cricket would decline even further, since associate members of the International Cricket Council have made substantial progress in this format.
Asif's 4 sixes in 1 over seals Pakistan win over Afghanistan
Asif Ali smashed four sixes in the next-to-last over of the match to seal a five-wicket win for Pakistan over neighbor Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup on Friday.
Set 148 to win at a noisy and colorful Dubai International Stadium, Pakistan needed 24 runs with two overs remaining and had just seen key batters Babar Azam and Shaoib Malik get out.
Read: Tigers make a habit of defeat, become first team eliminated from T20WC
Enter Asif, who took on the medium pace of Karim Janat in the 19th over by clearing the boundary over long-off off the first ball, over midwicket off the third ball and straight down the ground off the fifth ball. With the six runs still needed to win, he completed the over by hitting Janat's sixth ball for six over extra cover, too, to clinch a third straight win for Pakistan.
Asif finished 25 not out off just seven balls.
READ: Australia canters to 7-wicket World Cup win over Sri Lanka
Afghanistan fell to its first loss of the tournament after opening with a win over Scotland, narrowly failing to secure what would have been the biggest victory in its cricketing history at a time of uncertainty back home following the Taliban's takeover of the country in August.
Australia canters to 7-wicket World Cup win over Sri Lanka
A robust stand between openers David Warner and captain Aaron Finch propelled Australia to a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup on Thursday.
Warner smashed 64 off 42 balls and Finch hit 37 off 23 deliveries as Australia romped to 155-3 in 17 overs for its second successive win in Group 1. Australia, which defeated South Africa in the first game, joined England at the top of the group.
For Sri Lanka it was a first defeat in five games after it qualified for the Super 12s on the back of three successive wins in the qualifiers and also beat Bangladesh in its opening Group 1 game.
Read: ICC T20 Ranking: Bangladesh steps down two notches to settle for 8th place
Both Australian openers hammered boundaries at will against spinners and fast bowlers in an explosive start of 70 off 41 balls, with Lahiru Kumara getting smashed for three boundaries and a six in one over.
Legspinner Adam Zampa (2-14) and Mitchel Starc (2-34) earlier pulled back Sri Lanka in the middle overs before restricting them to 154-6 after Finch won the toss and opted to field first.
Read: ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Group Stage Scenario of Super 12 Round
Kusal Perera and Charith Asalanka both scored 35 runs each but fell in successive overs as Australia came back strongly through the spin of Zampa. Starc clean bowled lefthanded Perera off a sharp yorker and Asalanka was caught in the deep off a flat sweep against Zampa.