Bangladesh have a rare chance of starting a fresh day with ten wickets in hand, and they have Shadman and Zakir to thank for that

Mohammad Isam22-Aug-2024One thing batters do not look forward to is to face twelve overs of bowling after spending the whole day fielding. Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam’s brave faces weren’t fooling anyone in Rawalpindi. Justin Langer wrote in his autobiography about wanting the twilight challenge, but few are cut from the same cloth.Zakir and Shadman are Bangladesh’s tenth different opening pair in the last three years. After Shan Masood declared the Pakistan innings on 448 for 6 at 4.34 pm local time, they were set to face at least an hour of hellfire from Pakistan’s pace attack. And they did… okay. They blunted Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, and annoyed Khurram Shahzad a little bit. That’s not a bad evening’s work. They have a more work to do but for now this will do.Related

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The expectations of Bangladesh’s batters have been so low these days that going twelve overs unscathed felt like a big deal. On a tough day for Bangladesh, Shadman and Zakir looked in control to ensure the visitors left the ground with some respite. Shadman is returning to the Test side after 16 months while Zakir is playing his first overseas Test. The pair played out 58 dot balls in the twelve overs and even hit three fours.Batting coach David Hemp wore a smile at the end of the day. He looked like one of those dads who watching their kids’ recital and mouthing their lines along with them. Hemp had received good news earlier in the day from the Islamabad Club where Saif Hassan and Jaker Ali struck hundreds for Bangladesh A. He was however more pleased with what he saw in Rawalpindi.”It is always a challenge to bat for a limited time in the back end of the day,” Hemp said. “After being in the field for five hours. We are really pleased not to lose wickets, but more importantly their approach. They are still trying to capitalise on scoring options. I also felt that they made good judgements about leaving the ball.”Shadman’s recent form should provide some confidence. He made 88 against Pakistan A in Darwin recently. Zakir didn’t have a good outing against Pakistan A in Islamabad last week, but he was beginning to forge a solid partnership with Mahmudul Hasan Joy, whose groin injury kept him out of this Test.Zakir Hasan cuts the ball•Associated PressHemp added that the rest of the Bangladesh batters are also prepared to take on the Pakistan attack. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque are up next, followed by the veterans Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, and Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz lower down the order.”From what we are seeing in the preparation period, they have all been striking the ball well and getting into good positions,” Hemp said. “They are all confident that they can contribute to the team. We have depth in the batting order with Litton at seven and Mehidy at eight.”[Pakistan] have four good seamers and a reasonable spinner. They have bowling options. They are a good attack. It is going to be a challenge. The priority is to bat the day. We have to negotiate each session, and then see where we are.”Hemp also expected the lower order to contribute runs, citing how the Bangladesh tail stood up against New Zealand in their last Test win, in November 2023.”The mantra in the team is for everyone to be able to contribute,” he said. “Everyone is expected to bat as much as possible. For us internally, we look at contributions from the lower order. We are more interested in balls faced than runs from No 9, 10 and 11. During the New Zealand series at home last year, the last four batters averaged 33 to 34 balls per innings. That’s 120 balls, which kept New Zealand in the field for 20 extra overs. It had a massive impact on the game. For us it is a really important factor.”Shakib, Shanto and Litton have not been among the runs. Mominul and Mushfiqur are low on game time, while Mehidy is also returning from a considerable break. Bangladesh will need a massive effort from the batters to get even in this Test.

Former players and coaches weigh in on the changes ahead of India’s new domestic season

Daya Sagar26-Aug-2024Is this the best format for the Duleep Trophy?Wasim Jaffer, former India opener: Having many international players participating in the Duleep Trophy is a positive step. You want these players to be part of domestic cricket when international cricket is not happening. Moreover, the national selectors picking these teams is a better move. The cream of promising talent get a chance to strengthen their case under the selectors’ watch.Related

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Faiz Fazal, former Vidarbha captain: Previously, there used to be dominance of a particular team from a zone. Take my example: I’ve been among the top scorers from my zone in the Ranji Trophy, but across the last eight-nine seasons, I was only picked in three zonal Duleep Trophy games. Central Zone was dominated by UP (Uttar Pradesh). The managers, coaches, and captain were all from that state. With the national selectors’ involvement, it’s a fairer process, greatly reducing the dominance and bias of a single state. I believe the selectors would have told the coaches and captains about the new players they want to see and those who should be given opportunities. Additionally, this will be good practice for Indian Test cricketers to start the new Test season with red-ball practice.Piyush Chawla, India legspinner: The current format with a number of top India players participating will make the tournament more competitive and attractive. Several new domestic players will be able to learn a lot from experienced Indian players.Will the splitting of the Ranji Trophy foster better competition?Jaffer: I had tweeted a long time ago that the season should start with red-ball cricket. When I played, the Ranji Trophy matches were held first, followed by the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) and Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s (SMAT). Before the season, there used to be KSCA and Buchi Babu tournaments, which helped in our pre-season preparation. Additionally, the Irani Trophy and Duleep Trophy matches used to be held at the beginning of the season. This gave players ample practice with the red ball before starting the Ranji Trophy. I think this is a better step and will also protect players against the harsh weather conditions in North India because if a match is cancelled or gets disrupted due to bad weather, it affects the team’s qualification.Punjab beat Baroda to clinch their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title last season•Mandeep Singh.Jaffer: There is only a six-day gap between the fifth round of the Ranji Trophy and the start of SMAT. During this time, players have to travel, rest, and then prepare for T20 cricket, which is completely different from first-class cricket. Since performance in SMAT also affects players’ IPL auction values and opportunities, I think this gap should have been eight to ten days to allow players to transition smoothly from one format to another. However, this will also test the professional attitude of players and coaches in adapting to this change in a short time.Returning to red-ball cricket for the final two matches and knockout stages after playing SMAT and VHT will be a new challenge. It may also happen that some teams or players do not maintain their form from the first phase. But that’s cricket, and you have to adapt professionally to every situation. Adaptability is the biggest challenge and demand in modern cricket.Chawla: No team should be deprived by weather, so this is an excellent step. Also, at the senior level, players need to be professional enough to handle such challenges of quick turnaround. This is an exciting and challenging move.Fazal: When I was playing the Ranji Trophy last year, I also felt that a three-day gap was very difficult not only for fast bowlers but also for batters. Suppose I am a batter scoring a hundred or double hundred on the final day to save or win the match, and then travel the next day, your entire recovery is hampered. It’s good that players like Shardul Thakur and Umesh Yadav raised this issue and Rahul Dravid too supported it.Having the Ranji Trophy in two phases is also a good decision. However, some teams might complain at the end of the season that their momentum was broken, and after winning the last two matches of the first phase, the break affected their consistency, and they could not win the next two rounds. This is likely to happen. But it is better to take a break and play other formats less affected by the weather than to have matches cancelled or abandoned due to bad weather. It happens in county cricket too, where different rounds of the one-day cup and County Championship matches run together. Therefore, this experiment should be welcomed and let’s see how it works in the Indian context.

“Having many international players participating in the Duleep Trophy is a positive step. You want these players to be part of domestic cricket when international cricket is not happening.”Wasim Jaffer

Is the doing away of the toss in the Under-23 competition a positive move?Chawla: Additionally, teams will receive batting and bowling points, unlike earlier where only the team taking a lead, winning outright or drawing a game would be awarded points. If these experiments prove successful, there is a possibility of it being implemented in senior cricket. The no-toss rule isn’t a novelty, though. It was introduced county cricket was in effect from 2016 to 2019, but was discontinued from the 2020 season.Shukla: This is an attempt to remove the advantage given to the home team, and such efforts should be appreciated. Only after one season of the experiment can players, coaches, and others involved in Under-23 cricket comment on how appropriate this rule is and what benefits or drawbacks it has. Previously, when the impact player rule was introduced, I had said it should be tried out rather than discarded outright.Now, the impact rule’s effects, benefits, and drawbacks are clear. Similarly, the super sub rule was tried, and it was found not suitable for cricket. This rule should also be viewed as an experiment before pointing out its shortcomings. But I also feel that the less interference with cricket, the better it remains. Cricket should be left as it is.Jaffer: This rule was in place for a few years in county cricket, and I played there at that time. But what happened was that home teams started preparing flat wickets, and there were fewer pitches favouring seam and spin, leading to more drawn matches. This rule eliminates the uncertainty of the toss. If we want to reduce the impact of the pitch, BCCI already sends neutral curators. So, this rule was not necessary here.

The 21-year-old has only been playing professional cricket for 16 months but was drafted by Perth Scorchers on the urging of his Manchester Originals coach Simon Katich

Matt Roller13-Dec-2024Matty Hurst arrived in Perth as an unknown, young keeper-batter ahead of Sunday’s Big Bash League curtain-raiser at Optus Stadium, but has already made a significant impression on at least one Australian.Hurst, who turned 21 on Tuesday, was the only Manchester Originals player to enhance his reputation during their 2024 Hundred season. His boundary-hitting against genuine pace and high-quality spin matched with a temperament that belies his age, prompted Simon Katich, Originals’ coach, to recommend Hurst to Perth Scorchers ahead of September’s BBL draft.Scorchers’ management, led by coach Adam Voges, paid attention: after turning down an SA20 deal to guarantee his availability for the full season, Hurst was signed as a ‘silver’ pick on a contract worth A$200,000 (£100,000 approx.). He could play a vital role as wicketkeeping cover, with Josh Inglis set to miss at least some of the season with Australia’s Test squad.Related

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A talented all-round sportsman, Hurst grew up in the north-west of England between two rugby league strongholds. He supports Wigan Warriors – rather than local rivals St Helens – but was never physically big enough to have taken the sport seriously. Instead, he played age-group football for Manchester United as a central midfielder, with opponents including Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.But cricket was his real passion ever since he watched his dad Bill play club cricket in the Southport and District League for Winstanley Park, and he has been involved with Lancashire since the age of 10. “It first hit when I was around 14 that I could actually have a chance,” Hurst told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s always been a dream to play for Lancs, ever since getting into the academy.”At 14, he gave up football and went all-in on cricket, progressing through the Bunbury Festival, England Under-19s and Lancashire’s age-group teams to make his professional debut aged 19 in the Metro Bank Cup last summer. Since then, he has flourished: “You don’t take part just to be average,” Hurst said. “You want to be the best you can be.”He was the beneficiary last year when Phil Salt signed a replacement deal at the IPL shortly before the start of the County Championship season. That enabled Hurst to take the gloves and bat in the middle order, with his output of 677 runs at 32.23 – including a maiden hundred against Nottinghamshire – a rare positive in a Lancashire campaign which ended in relegation.But it was the Blast that helped his career take off, through an opportunity that emerged with Salt, Liam Livingstone and Jos Buttler at the T20 World Cup. In his first professional T20 innings, Hurst walked out in the fourth over with Lancashire 10 for 3, hit his first ball for four, and then shimmied down the pitch to launch his third for six.

“There’s not too many players I’ve looked forward to watching, but Hursty is definitely one of them. Hopefully he hits the ground running over there… I’ve got everything crossed for him.”Phil Salt on Matty Hurst

It was that sense of fearlessness that impressed Lancashire’s staff throughout the season – and prompted Katich to sign him on a wildcard deal in the Hundred. Again, he benefited from a high-profile absentee: Buttler’s calf injury left the Originals light on batting, and Hurst hit half-centuries in his first two innings as Salt’s opening partner.The highlight was an outrageous reverse-scoop for six off Spencer Johnson in his 50 against Oval Invincibles. “I’ve started developing the reverse over the last couple of years,” Hurst said. “I’ve got the game to be cute and clever when I need to be, but I’d back myself to clear any rope now… Old Trafford’s not a small ground. But you’re never perfect. You always want to improve.”He last played in Australia in early 2023 with England’s Under-19s, including two four-day matches with Jacob Bethell as his captain. They could come up against each other on December 23, with Bethell due to arrive for his stint with Melbourne Renegades next week after his remarkable maiden Test tour to New Zealand.Hurst cites Buttler and Salt as the two players he most enjoyed watching as a teenager, and Salt has acted as a mentor. “We always end up having good chats about batting and keeping,” Salt explained. “We spoke quite a bit about the short ball during the Hundred, and he made a couple of technical changes very, very quickly. He’s a bit of a sponge.”Katich believes Salt was influential in advising Hurst to make himself fully available for the BBL – and thereby leaving an England Lions tour early – ahead of other leagues, having himself kicked on while playing for Adelaide Strikers. “There’s not too many players I’ve looked forward to watching, but Hursty is definitely one of them,” Salt said. “Hopefully he hits the ground running over there… I’ve got everything crossed for him.”Hurst is joined in Perth by his Lancashire team-mate Keaton Jennings and the pair could even be competing for a spot when Scorchers are at full strength. “If you’d told me that I’d be doing this in February, I’d have probably laughed in your face,” Hurst said. “You’ve just got to take it in your stride: focus on yourself, be the best you can be and you’ll be perfectly fine.”The demand for his services after only one full season as a professional marks Hurst out as an archetypical young English player of the modern era, weighing up the potential benefits and drawbacks of an abundance of different opportunities in the off-season. But he has just signed a new three-year, all-format deal with Lancashire, and his ambition is clear: “My aim is to play for England, in all three formats. That’s the pinnacle.”

“You’ve got to have a bit of trust in what you’re trying to do,” Smith says after scoring his 34th Test century on a heady day for Australia

Alex Malcolm27-Dec-2024Just before Steven Smith raised his arms to celebrate his 34th Test century, there was a little knowing nod to the dressing room.It wasn’t the release of emotion that erupted from him after his drought-breaking century at the Gabba. The running joke within the Australia team at the start of each summer is that Smith has found his hands again. This nod suggested he had found something else, his old self.His 140 against India at the MCG was the closest Smith has resembled to the run-making machine he once was. The movement patterns, the scoring shots, the defensive strokes, the calmness and the ease of his accumulation all looked familiar. There was an air of inevitability about his century. It was a matter of when, not if, as it had been so often in the past.Related

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The nod was telling when juxtaposed with Smith shaking his head as he walked off Adelaide Oval three weeks ago, having been strangled down the leg side for 2.Then, he wore the look of a man bereft of answers, exasperated to the point of exhaustion that he could not find his old self. He was averaging 23.20 for the calendar year at that point and 10 in his last seven Test innings. The move back to No. 4 had yielded scores of 0, 17 and 2. Ten-thousand Test match runs was only 296 away but it was starting to feel like a matter of if rather than when.Three hits later, there was a moment at the MCG where he looked like he might get there before tea, until he was bizarrely bowled 51 runs short of the milestone after scoring a second century in as many Tests.”You’ve got to have faith,” Smith said after play. “You’ve got to have a bit of trust in what you’re trying to do. I’ve played the game for long enough now to know that you can have your ups and downs. Sometimes you can be hitting the ball really nicely, which, I think I said when I wasn’t scoring the runs, I actually felt like I was batting pretty well. And there’s a difference, I think, between being out of form and out of runs.”I think you need a lot of luck on these wickets to get big runs as well.”Australia will be grateful Smith has found his old self again. It may be a fleeting plateau amid a gradual decline. It could also be a regression, as he would hope, in the opposite direction back towards his extraordinary mean.As always with Steven Smith, it didn’t always look orthodox, but that’s kind of the point, isn’t it?•Getty ImagesBut it comes as Australia have found a functioning batting order. That too may be fleeting. It also could be because the MCG pitch has finally given the batters some grace.”This one’s probably offering a little bit less perhaps, than some of the others,” Smith said. “That’s probably more the ball getting a little bit softer quicker than the other wickets, but yeah, there’s certainly still something on offer”Coincidentally, the order has functioned as a collective for the first time in a long time. Sam Konstas’ extraordinary and chaotic innings dragged Australia’s struggling top-order in its slipstream. Each of the top four passed 50 for the first time in 28 Test matches. Smith walked out to bat in the 45th over, the first time he had faced his first ball as deep into an innings in 32 walks to the crease, during which time he had averaged 36.32.Australia piled up 474 without the need for an exceptional rearguard from Travis Head or Mitchell Marsh, who contributed just four runs between them.And apart from finding his old self, Smith found a rare ally at No. 8. Pat Cummins made an excellent 49 in a stand of 112 with Smith. It was the highest score by an Australia bowler at No. 8 in six years. Only Alex Carey has reached 50 batting in that position in that time due to a nightwatcher dropping him down one spot.

“I thought Patty played really nicely, really good, positive intent,. We were able to get a nice partnership together and sort of take a bit of a momentum of the game from that point”Steven Smith on the partnership with Pat Cummins

Cummins has been a clutch contributor for Australia with the bat in the last 18 months. But his heroics at Edgbaston, Brisbane and Christchurch had all come at No. 9. For all the talent that he and Mitchell Starc possess with the bat, they both average 14 at No. 8 in Test cricket. It is the reason they have switched positions as often as they have. Cummins has repeatedly spoken about how little batting positions matter when talking about his top order, yet it seems to matter a great deal to him and Starc as both have declared a preference to bat at No. 9.Of the 18 players to have batted at No. 8 more than 25 times since Cummins’ Test debut in 2011, only New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell has a worse average than Cummins and Starc.Starc averaged 25.40 in his first 18 innings in the position but has averaged 9.33 in his last 34 since 2017, hence Cummins has taken the role this summer.Getting such poor contributions from No. 8 has meant Australia’s batters have not been able to form lower-order partnerships. In the last ten years, Australia had only four century stands for the seventh wicket or lower. Only Ireland and Afghanistan have had fewer.Steven Smith and Pat Cummins put together a century partnership for the seventh wicket•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesBut Cummins, like Smith, looked as comfortable as he had all series. Like the top-order batters, he has been tormented by Jasprit Bumrah. In his career, Cummins had been dismissed by Bumrah eight times for just 45 runs at an average of 15.75 deliveries per dismissal. Having entered against the second new ball on the first evening at 299 for 6, and then faced Bumrah again on the second morning, he was able to survive 20 balls against him without being dismissed.Smith and Cummins then attacked at the other end. They rattled along at five-an-over to grind India down. Smith got inside the line and hooked two balls for six, including one of Bumrah. Cummins stayed leg side and carved balls either side of point.”I thought Patty played really nicely, really good, positive intent,” Smith said. “We were able to get a nice partnership together and sort of take a bit of a momentum of the game from that point.”They needed the stand. Without it, a score under 350 would have looked vulnerable on a surface that became splendid to bat on in the afternoon. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli were made Australia’s attack look toothless for significant period in the afternoon. But the scoreboard pressure they had created with that first innings total played a part as India imploded late via a calamitous run-out and another special MCG spell from Scott Boland.”We’ve posted a nice score and we’re in good spot,” Smith said with another knowing nod. “That last hour, that was a big last hour in the game.”

Stats highlights from the match between SRH and RR in Hyderabad

Sampath Bandarupalli23-Mar-20252:06

‘Kishan hammered everyone to every corner’

286 for 6 Sunrisers Hyderabad’s total against Rajasthan Royals is the second highest in the IPL. They missed equalling their own record by one run.242 for 6 RR’s total against SRH is their highest in the IPL, going past the 226 for 6 against KXIP in 2020.528 Total runs scored by SRH and RR – the second-highest aggregate for a T20 match. The highest is 549 runs by RCB and SRH in last year’s IPL match in Bengaluru.4 Number of 250-plus totals by SRH in the IPL; all have come since the start of 2024. They have four of the top five IPL totals. SRH are the only team with four 250-plus totals in men’s T20s.34 Fours hit by the SRH batters against RR – the most in a men’s T20 innings .208 Runs scored by SRH in boundaries vs RR. Only RCB have scored more in an IPL innings – 210 boundary runs in their 263 for 5 against Pune Warriors in 2013. SRH also scored 208 runs through boundaries during their record 287 against RCB last year.81 Boundaries hit by the SRH and RR batters – 51 fours (SRH 34, RR 17) and 30 sixes (SRH 12, RR 18) – equalling the most in a T20 match. South Africa and West Indies also hit 81 boundaries in the 2023 Centurion T20I, while RCB and SRH hit 81 in 2024.76 Runs Jofra Archer conceded in his four overs – the most expensive spell in the IPL, going past the 73 runs Mohit Sharma conceded against Delhi Capitals last year.14.1 Overs in which SRH passed 200 against RR – the joint fastest in the IPL, equalling RCB against Kings XI Punjab in 2016.94 for 1 SRH’s powerplay score on Sunday is the fifth highest in the IPL. Three of the top five powerplay totals in the IPL have been by SRH, including the top two.

Rajasthan Royals batter creates history during his 95 off 45 balls at Eden Gardens

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-20251:44

Katey Martin breaks down how Parag took down KKR bowlers

Riyan Parag became the first batter in the IPL to hit six sixes off successive deliveries, a feat he achieved during Rajasthan Royals’ chase against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. He went past Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Rinku Singh, who all had hit five successive sixes. Coincidentally, all these instances came during the second innings of the match. Here’s a look at each of them.Riyan ParagRR vs KKR, Eden Gardens, IPL 2025Chasing 207, RR were 102 for 5 in 12 overs. Shimron Hetmyer took a single off the first ball of the 13th, bowled by Moeen Ali, to bring Parag on strike. Parag deposited the next four deliveries over either the long-on or square-leg boundary. Trying to get away from Parag’s hitting arc, Moeen ended up bowling a wide next up. There was no respite, though, as Parag launched the next delivery over long-off. In the next over, Hetmyer once again took a single first ball, and Parag reverse-swept Varun Chakravarthy over backward point to make it six sixes in a row. RR, though, lost the match by one run.Chris GayleRCB vs PW, Chinnaswamy Stadium, IPL 2012Gayle was on a sedate 41 off 36 balls with Royal Challengers Bengaluru chasing 183 against Pune Warriors. With their required rate ballooning to 13.37 after 12 overs, something had to give. Saurabh Tiwary took a single off the first ball off legspinner Rahul Sharma and watched Gayle smash the next five balls for five sixes. After three sixes, Rahul went around the wicket but it made no difference. Gayle fell for 81 off 48 but RCB sealed the win off the final delivery of the match.Kieron PollardMI vs SRH, Wankhede, IPL 2013MI needed 62 from four overs when Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Cameron White gave the ball to Thisara Perera. Rohit Sharma hit the first ball for a six and took a single off the second. Pollard then went 4, 6, 6, 6, making it a 29-run over. Amit Mishra bowled the next over. After a single off the first ball, Pollard was back on strike, and hit the next two balls for two more sixes. A dot later, Mishra bowled a waist-high no-ball; Pollard dispatched that too for a six, making it 40 off eight balls. MI finished the chase with three balls to spare.Rinku SinghKKR vs GT, Ahmedabad, IPL 2023Kolkata Knight Riders needed 29 off the final over against Gujarat Titans. No team had chased down that many in the 20th over of a T20 – the previous best was 23. But Rinku Singh changed that. Umesh Yadav took a single off Yash Dayal’s first ball. With 28 needed from five balls, Dayal lost his radar. He bowled three full tosses and two short deliveries that Rinku clattered for 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 as KKR chased down 205 in one of the most astonishing finishes in cricket.

Bangladesh and West Indies are the favourites, but if Pakistan raise their game at home, the calculations could change

Firdose Moonda08-Apr-2025The last stretch of the road to India begins in Pakistan, where six teams will compete for two spots at the Women’s ODI World Cup later this year over the next few days.All 15 matches will be held in Lahore, between the newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium and the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) ground, which will host women’s internationals for the first time. Lahore was chosen as it will not have any PSL games taking place there for the duration of this event, and yes, that means the tournament clashes with not one but two of the biggest men’s franchise competitions (the IPL and the PSL). If that means there’s too much cricket to keep an eye on, we’ve got the cheat sheet to keep you covered.To recap: six teams – hosts India, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka – have already confirmed their places at the World Cup by virtue of their positions on the Women’s Championship table played between 2022 and 2025. The four other teams in that competition – Bangladesh, Ireland, Pakistan and West Indies – will play in the qualifier, along with the two next highest teams on the ODI rankings at the cut-off date of October 28, 2024. Those two teams are Scotland and Thailand, who finished 11th and 12th.The tournament takes the format of a league, in which each team will play the other five and the top two will qualify for the World Cup. Unlike the men’s ODI World Cup qualifiers, there is no final, which is without any context in any case.Bangladesh enter the event as the most improved women’s side over the Women’s Championship cycle•Getty Images

Bangladesh and West Indies start as favourites

After a maiden ODI World Cup appearance in 2022, Bangladesh missed out on automatic qualification by the narrowest of margins. They finished on the same number of points as New Zealand but with a lower net run-rate and one fewer win, which pushed them into the qualifier. Their captain Nigar Sultana previously told ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast that she hoped to avoid the tension and pressure of a qualifier through more consistent performances, but two series wins out of eight, over Ireland and Pakistan, were not enough to do that.Still, Bangladesh enter the event as the most improved women’s side over the cycle with a particularly strong and varied bowling attack. Among them is the fifth-highest wicket-taker of the women’s championship overall: left-arm spinner Nahida Akter, who could be the player to watch in Pakistan. With a left-arm seamer in Fariha Trishna, right-arm seamer Marufa Akter, and three legspinners – Fahima Khatun, Shorna Akter and Rabeya Khan – Bangladesh will be difficult for most line-ups to negotiate. And given their quality, they would be disappointed if they don’t secure one of the two spots.The same could be said for West Indies, who were semi-finalists at the 2022 World Cup but have found themselves in the qualifiers now. In their women’s championship campaign, they only beat their opponents who are at the qualifiers – Bangladesh, Ireland and Pakistan – which may bode well for them for this event but is also an indication of the gap between them and the top sides.Another concern is how overly reliant West Indies have become on one player: their captain Hayley Matthews. She finished as the fifth-highest run-scorer and ninth-highest wicket-taker in the women’s championship, where West Indies ended eighth, and she needs some support for West Indies to go further. On paper, West Indies have the personnel. Stafanie Taylor, Shemaine Campbelle, Afy Fletcher, Karishma Ramharak and Chinelle Henry all provide experience, while Zaida James, Janillia Glasgow, Mandy Mangru and Ashmini Munisar make up the younger crop. If they all click, West Indies should be shoo-ins for India, and anything less is likely to prompt severe introspection.On Fatima Sana’s young shoulders rests Pakistan’s hopes now•Getty Images

The curious case of Pakistan

As hosts, Pakistan should be able to take advantage of familiar conditions to push for a World Cup spot, but recent form doesn’t inspire confidence. They have not won an ODI since November 2023, and have since had a change in captaincy from the experienced Nida Dar to the potential of young Fatima Sana. At just 23, Sana is also their premier allrounder and, like Matthews, she needs others to stand up.Muneeba Ali, Gull Feroza and Aliya Riaz are key with the bat, while Diana Baig’s return from injury bolsters the seam department. Pakistan have a solid spin contingent in left-armers Sadia Iqbal and Nashra Sandhu, and could challenge Bangladesh and West Indies for a World Cup place. They have already beaten one of them, West Indies, by five wickets, in a warm-up game on Monday.Should Pakistan qualify, it will complicate the World Cup schedule. After India and Pakistan agreed a hybrid structure for all ICC events starting with the Champions Trophy, Pakistan’s matches must be played outside India, who have announced five host cities for the event. It is likely Pakistan’s games will be in either Sri Lanka or the UAE.

Can Ireland redeem themselves?

Ireland have not qualified for an ODI World Cup since 2005, which is too long ago to make much material difference, but they do have recent World Cup pedigree. They have appeared at four T20 tournaments, most recently at the 2023 T20 World Cup in South Africa, but missed out on the 2024 edition after a shock defeat to Scotland in the qualifier.

Should either of them make it to the World Cup, expect questions to be raised about their inclusion in future editions of the FTP

Unlike Scotland, Ireland are part of the FTP, and would consider themselves Europe’s second-best side (after England) and have the results to show for that. Since the last World Cup, Ireland have played 11 series and won four – against Netherlands, Scotland, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, – which suggests the quality is there. The question facing them is whether they have the ability to turn over the bigger sides consistently enough to start making regular World Cup appearances, and they would hope to start here.

Scotland, Thailand aim to be first-timers

Neither Scotland nor Thailand are part of the women’s FTP or championship, neither have been to an ODI World Cup, and both have little experience in the format. Scotland have played 17 official ODIs, and Thailand nine. But they could be the Cinderella story of the qualifiers.Scotland have some experience of what it takes to get to a global tournament after beating Ireland to qualify for the T20 World Cup, where they were thoroughly outplayed but won hearts. They will have Ireland in their sights again after beating them in an ODI 2023. Thailand, too, have World Cup experience. They were at the 2020 T20 World Cup and have 11 players from that tournament in this squad. Should either of them make it to the World Cup, expect questions to be raised about their inclusion in future editions of the FTP.

Zimbabwe-born batter has sights set on higher honours after sparkling in sunshine at The Oval

Matt Roller11-Aug-2025The Hundred’s relentless social-media push for viral moments can make it hard to know where to look across a weekend featuring eight matches, 2,084 runs and 95 wickets. But Tawanda Muyeye’s roar of celebration after Jordan Cox hit the winning runs at a brimming Oval on Saturday afternoon was the culmination of a performance which demanded attention.Muyeye punched the air and shouted in celebration in the south London sunshine, after playing an innings that had been two years in the making. First signed by Oval Invincibles in 2023, he has been backed as a first-choice player this season and his unbeaten 59 off 28 balls to set up a nine-wicket thrashing of Manchester Originals showed precisely why.When Muyeye walked along Cottesloe Beach earlier this year to meet Invincibles coach Tom Moody for coffee, he feared that he was about to be released. He was playing grade cricket in Perth, and knew the retention deadline was imminent. “I was like, ‘Goodness, this could be one of two things: either I’m getting flicked, or he’s going to continue with me,'” Muyeye said.Related

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But Moody was clear in his belief that after struggling to find an opening partner for Will Jacks – Jason Roy and Dawid Malan were both inconsistent – it was time to back Muyeye. “We felt that T was ready to play a frontline position,” Moody said. “He’s come along leaps and bounds over the last 12 months, and has been part of our dressing room for some time now.”Muyeye has had a breakout T20 season for Kent – only D’Arcy Short has scored more than his 516 runs in the Blast – and he believes he is a far better player than the one Moody first signed as a wildcard on Matt Walker and Sam Billings’ recommendation: “Every time I’ve come into this group, I’ve improved so much [from] being around a gun group of cricketers.”His innings on Saturday was dominant, part of an opening stand worth 114 in just 49 balls. Jacks appeared determined to break the back of the game inside the powerplay – he slashed his second ball over deep third for six – and Muyeye soon emerged from his slipstream, hitting his first ball for four and then belting another off James Anderson.

“If I keep working hard, we don’t know what can happen in the future. [International cricket] has always been my dream… But I’m just trying to focus on getting better and being the best player possible.”Tawanda Muyeye

“Jacksy just took the attack to them and I was like, ‘Okay, well, I might as well join the party,'” Muyeye said. “It was good. He took the initiative… I don’t play like that without him, so it was a bit of yin and yang. I think our games complement each other pretty well, and we showed it today.”The most impressive feature of Muyeye’s innings was his takedown of Noor Ahmad: he had never previously faced a left-arm wristspinner in a short-form match, but hit five of Noor’s first six balls for four. It was substance to match his undeniable style. “I just saw a few opportunities, and played my strongest shots against him,” Muyeye said.”We talked about one of their threats being Noor, who is one of the most effective wristspinners in the game,” Moody added. “We talked about concentrating on vertical-bat shots through the off side, and he played a couple of great ones: one just past cover, then one lifted over cover-point. Absorbing information is one thing; being able to execute under pressure is another.”For all of Muyeye’s success in the Blast this year, the Hundred is a step up. His innings on Saturday came in front of a soldout crowd at The Oval, in a televised game, and in a tournament with a concentrated talent pool. “For me personally, this is the closest thing to international cricket there is,” he said.!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}})}();