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Venue yet to get police approvals to host matches following the stampede that caused the deaths of 11 people during RCB’s victory celebrations on June 4

Shashank Kishore12-Aug-2025The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru could be in danger of losing its Women’s World Cup matches after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) missed the August 10 deadline set by the BCCI to secure police approvals to host the games at the venue.The Greenfields Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram is being mooted as an alternative.Bengaluru is, for the moment, scheduled to host the tournament opener between India and Sri Lanka on September 30, and matches between England and South Africa (October 3), India and Bangladesh (October 26), the second semi-final on October 30, and possibly the final on November 2.As things stand, the Greenfields Stadium is preparing to host the second season of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) from August 21 to September 7. However, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) is believed to have a back-up plan in place, with the KCL being moved to another venue, should they be required as World Cup hosts.Related

• Venkatesh Prasad: 'Want to bring cricket back to Chinnaswamy'

• Maharaja T20 moved from Bengaluru to Mysuru

• Probe panel deems Chinnaswamy 'unsafe' for large-scale events

• Karnataka government holds RCB accountable for Bengaluru stampede

• Deaths and injuries to fans mar RCB's homecoming in Bengaluru

As per the ICC guidelines, a venue has to be handed over to the organisers at least a month prior to the tournament. This means a decision will need to be taken by the BCCI and ICC within a week since Thiruvananthapuram is also likely to be allotted World Cup warm-up fixtures on September 25 and 27.According to the police commissioner’s office, the KSCA hadn’t got clearance for the Chinnaswamy Stadium as of Monday, when the ICC marked the 50-day countdown to the tournament with an event in Mumbai. ESPNcricinfo has contacted KSCA CEO Subhendu Ghosh but has yet to receive a response.The KSCA is currently hosting its T20 competition, the Maharaja Trophy, in Mysore. The tournament also had to also be moved out of the Chinnaswamy Stadium after the KSCA failed to secure police permission despite offering to play the matches behind closed doors.As a final attempt at securing police approvals, the KSCA is believed to be exploring the possibility of conducting World Cup matches with a reduced capacity. It’s unclear whether the BCCI would approve such a proposal considering the Chinnaswamy Stadium is also the venue for the final if Pakistan don’t qualify.The KSCA has been in trouble since June 4, when 11 people died and more than 50 were injured around the premises of the Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory parade after winning IPL 2025. In the aftermath of the incident, secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam resigned citing moral responsibility.Late last month, a committee tasked by the state government to investigate the stampede deemed the Chinnaswamy “unsafe” for large-scale events. The commission “strongly recommended” that large-scale events be relocated to venues that were “better suited” to handle significant crowds.The uncertainty could potentially upset plans of several teams which had hoped to be based in Bengaluru to train at a number of practice venues, including the KSCA facility in Alur on the city’s outskirts, in the lead-up to the tournament.

India trail by 134 runs in the first innings with only three wickets in hand

Valkerie Baynes24-Feb-2024Shoaib Bashir spun India into the danger zone with a four-wicket haul that ensured England ended the second day of the fourth Test still 134 runs ahead and needing only three more wickets to secure a crucial first-innings lead on a deteriorating pitch in Ranchi.Bashir, the 20-year-old offspinner playing only his second Test after making his debut in Visakhapatnam, snared 4 for 84 during a marathon unbroken spell of 31 overs that began before lunch and ended after tea. It was broken only to change ends in the fading light of the evening to squeeze out one more over. His haul included the wicket of opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, whose half-century was India’s only score of over 40. At the close, Dhruv Jurel was unbeaten on 30, joined by Kuldeep Yadav on 17.James Anderson had Rohit Sharma caught behind for just 2 in the third over of India’s first innings. With the pitch behaving better than its appearance suggested it might early on, before keeping increasingly low as the day wore on, Jaiswal settled in as expected of a player who had scored double-centuries in his previous two Tests.Jaiswal and Shubman Gill started to find their groove after lunch. Gill brought up the 50 partnership with a couple of fours in one Anderson over before Jaiswal lifted Bashir over mid-on for six. England thought they’d broken their flow when Jaiswal, on 40, edged a wide delivery from Ollie Robinson low towards a diving Ben Foakes, who thought he’d taken the catch, but the third umpire ruled that it was grounded.Bashir returned to the England side after missing the third Test, replacing Rehan Ahmed, and doubled his wicket tally, his latest efforts putting England in position to level the series 2-2 with three days remaining.He had Gill lbw after an 82-run stand with Jaiswal, which allowed India to recover from 4 for 1 to 86 for 2, with one that turned sharply to beat the inside edge. He then rapped Rajat Patidar on the pad with one that skidded on from outside off stump and would have gone on to ping leg.Ravindra Jadeja crashed back-to-back sixes over the leg side off Tom Hartley after surviving England’s lbw review the previous ball, but he was Bashir’s third wicket, defending a top-spinner from a good length which hooped into Ollie Pope’s hands at short leg.Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored for India once again•AFP/Getty Images

But it was Bashir’s fourth wicket that was the most crucial. Jaiswal was the steadying influence after Rohit’s early exit, reaching 73 off 116 balls with eight fours and a six, moving down the wicket and thrashing Bashir over long-on. But when he moved back to a length ball that stayed low and crashed into middle stump, India were well and truly in trouble.Bashir’s performance signalled the arrival of a player for whom the journey hadn’t been smooth. Plucked from relative obscurity with a first-class average of 67 ahead of the tour, he returned home from England’s pre-series training camp in the UAE while a visa delay was ironed out and missed the first Test. On Saturday, all that seemed a long way behind him.Left-armer Tom Hartley, the third prong in England’s young spin brigade, chimed in with the wickets of Sarfaraz Khan, who ground through 53 balls for 14 before he was well caught by a diving Root at slip, and R Aswhin, lbw to one that stayed low and struck the batter just above the boot. Ashwin tried in vain to overturn the decision, the third umpire’s call in England’s favour after the furore of the previous match.England had added 51 in the morning session but lost their last three wickets for six runs in the space of 17 balls. The end began after Robinson raised his maiden Test fifty, moving swiftly from an overnight 31 with five boundaries. He fell for 58, the ball brushing his glove through to the wicketkeeper while trying to reverse-sweep Jadeja. Bashir followed three balls later with a loose leading edge that was snaffled by Patidar at backward point, and Jadeja sealed his fourth wicket when he pinned a sweeping Anderson lbw.Root remained unbeaten on 122, having resumed on 106 and shared century stands with Ben Foakes to rescue England from 112 for 5 on the opening day, and Robinson, which crucially pushed England’s total beyond the 300-mark.

Pant vs Karthik is India’s major selection debate in a contest full of star-studded match-ups

Vithushan Ehantharajah09-Nov-20226:53

Key match-ups: Kumble feels Suryakumar will put Curran under pressure

Big picture

The self-anointed big boys of world cricket are going at it at the Adelaide Oval. The neutrals may struggle to pick a side, but one thing is certain – it will be a blockbuster occasion.Familiarity will breed competition in this instance, given what’s at stake. Just a few months ago these two sides spent a concentrated fortnight at one another’s throats, with India taking the T20I leg with a pretty convincing 2-1 series win. But things are different now, very much in a good way. Jos Buttler is a more accomplished captain, settled in the rigmarole of the job and his tactics. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli has rediscovered his mojo.England will feel they have an edge of sorts, what with two must-win games ticked off against New Zealand and Sri Lanka to get them out of Group 1. There is a renewed confidence about them as setters having long been chasers, to the extent that the toss may be academic provided evening dew is minimal.Related

• How Sam Curran evolved to become England's go-to death bowler

• India vs England at World Cups: From Amarnath's heroics to an Adelaide cakewalk

• AB de Villiers approves of 360-degree comparisons with Suryakumar

• Tactics Board: Bhuvneshwar vs Buttler, Wood vs Suryakumar

• Hardik Pandya: the gold standard for a T20 allrounder

As for India, the only team to have won four matches in the Super 12 stage, the pressure to go on to a reunion with Pakistan at the MCG in Sunday’s final will be great, though no greater than what their players usually contend with. Quite apart from their obvious strength is a cerebral approach to their T20 work that gives them a unique edge over opponents before they have set foot on the park. Much of England’s public preparation has been on bigging that up while privately racking their brains to take them down a few pegs.The shorter square boundaries in Adelaide, as detailed in our Tactics Board, will play to the strengths of both batting line-ups. That no Englishman other than openers Buttler and Alex Hales have hit more than one six in the tournament speaks of a middle order that hasn’t quite come to the party. And while it’s tempting to say they are “due”, India will no doubt be focussing on keeping them quiet. One expects Sam Curran’s emergence as Buttler’s go-to death bowler will also face its sternest test against a side who are striking at 11.90 at the death.Wherever you look, there are match-ups that could be regarded as game-changing bouts. Don’t miss any of them.1:14

Watch: India tune up for the semi-final

Form guide

India WWLWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
England WWLWW

In the spotlight

In a team of superstars, Suryakumar Yadav strides above them all as the man of this World Cup. No one has had a more profound effect on his team – and opponents – quite like this 32-year-old phenom equipped with more scoring options than Erling Haaland. The numbers he’s posted so far – 225 at a strike rate of 193.96 – are remarkable, the strokeplay drawing admiration from all quarters, even AB de Villiers who is the only one that springs to mind when it comes to the consistent destruction this man is serving up. Can he be stopped?Reliable with the ball, the usual excellence in the field and, against Sri Lanka, finally a score of note with the bat. Picking Ben Stokes in this section is as clear as the blue’s SKY. But in Dawid Malan’s likely absence, the allrounder is the only batter likely to hold the innings together and take things deep in the event of early losses. They say the big moments find him, and few come bigger than this.

Team news

The only debate for India is whether to play Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik. Pant can upset Adil Rashid being a left-hand batter but Karthik is the finisher who can hit from ball one. Also Pant will have Moeen Ali’s offspin to deal with. Going by India’s training session, it looks like Karthik will play, having engaged in keeping drills while Pant did not. It is touch and go.India (possible): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 KL Rahul, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Dinesh Karthik/Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Arshdeep Singh.Neither Mark Wood nor Dawid Malan were fully fit at the time of the captain’s press conferences but England are willing to give them as much time as possible. Malan batted for a bit with one pad on, while Wood bowled about two overs max – with England understood to be ready to play Chris Jordan in his stead. It was notable that Phil Salt batted for a long period in the nets. Those changes in themselves will bring a degree of uncertainty given England have named unchanged XIs for their World Cup games so far.England (possible): 1 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan/Phil Salt, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Adil Rashid.In the possible absence of Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes could play a key role in holding England’s batting together•AFP/Getty Images

Pitch and conditions

Yes, this will be a used pitch, but it was last used on November 4 for the match between Australia and Afghanistan. The groundsman has assured Jos Buttler that he has had enough time to prepare what should not behave like a tired pitch. Buttler said: “I think having talked to the groundsman, his team is really confident that he’s had a lot of time to get some really good work into the wicket. He seems very comfortable that it’s going to be a really good surface and a consistent surface. At the moment I have no worries about the pitch.”For what it’s worth, the pitch for Australia vs Afghanistan started off slow and inconsistent in bounce, but it skidded on nicely at night. Afghanistan came close to chasing down 168. Chasing upon winning the toss might be a good idea, though much of the week leading up to this match has been quite hot so there might be more pace in this pitch. The forecast is fine, albeit with a morning shower predicted. Nevertheless, this should be an uninterrupted match.

Stats and trivia

• India have won their last four bilateral T20I series against England – two in England, two in India, all four by one-match margins.
• The two teams have not met at a T20 World Cup in this period, though. The last of their three meetings came in 2012, when a Rohit Sharma half-century and a four-wicket haul from Harbhajan Singh led India to a 90-run win in Colombo. In all, India have a 2-1 lead in T20 World Cup meetings.
• Virat Kohli needs 42 runs to become the first batter to 4000 in T20Is. Alex Hales, meanwhile, is 13 short of the 2000 mark.

Quotes

“These guys are quite dangerous. They’ve played some really good cricket in the tournament as well, which is why they’re here. So we’ve got to be at our best to win the game.”
“Well, we certainly don’t want to see an India-Pakistan final, so we’ll be trying all we can do to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Club record opening stand in T20 sees visitors to comfortable win

ECB Reporters' Network23-Jun-2021Northamptonshire Steelbacks recorded their first win of their Vitality Blast campaign, hammering Durham by nine wickets at Emirates Riverside.Adam Rossington and Ricardo Vasconcelos broke the Steelbacks’ highest opening stand to chase down Durham’s total of 158 with ease. Vasconcelos notched his highest T20 score of 78 to drive his side over the line, ending their winless run in the competition at the seventh time of asking.Fine bowling from Mohammad Nabi and Graeme White limited the home side to 157 for 5, with the two spinners claiming two wickets apiece as Sean Dickson was the only Durham batsman to look comfortable on the wicket. The hosts endured an evening to forget in both disciplines, dropping their second game of the term.The start of the contest summed up Durham’s evening as David Bedingham fell to the second delivery, feathering an edge behind off the bowling of Nabi. Ben Stokes tried to inject pace into the innings, but his attempt to strike Nabi out of the ground resulted in a leading edge that was well taken by White for 11.Matters got worse for the hosts when White removed Clark as Rossington stumped him off a wide. Ben Raine followed in the next over, presenting debutant Freddie Heldreich with his maiden Blast wicket, leaving the hosts 57 for 4. Cameron Bancroft and Dickson put on a stand of fifty for the second game in a row to propel their team towards the 150-run mark.White halted the momentum when he notched his second wicket via a stumping as he dismissed the Durham captain for 27. Dickson provided the late burst, reaching his first fifty for Durham from 35 deliveries. He and Brydon Carse lifted the home side to a total of 157 for 5.Rossington got the Steelbacks off to a rapid start in response, striking 14 from Stokes’ first over of the contest. Vasconcelos provided ample support, picking the gaps in the field to find the boundary. The Northamptonshire openers propelled their side well above the required rate in the Powerplay, posting 66 from the opening six overs.Rossington brought up a fine half-century from 28 balls, displaying a fine range of shots around the crease. The century stand for the opening wicket soon followed in style as Rossington produced a brilliant strike over cover for six.Vasconcelos joined his skipper to reach a fifty for the first time in T20 cricket, pulling Stokes to the fence. In the process, the Steelbacks duo notched the club’s highest partnership for the opening wicket. Liam Trevaskis removed Rossington for 59, but it did not affect the visitors as they marched towards victory with 13 balls to spare.

The grand final is expected to be one of the seminal events in the history of sport in Australia, and of women’s sport around the globe

The Preview by Daniel Brettig07-Mar-20201:24

How India made it to their maiden T20 World Cup final

Big Picture

Tournament organisers have been handed their dream final, between the world’s No. 1 team and hosts Australia, and the world’s mightiest and most populous cricket nation, India. An enormous crowd is expected at the MCG, with the ICC releasing extra standing room tickets on Saturday to cope with demand. With Katy Perry performing either side of a contest on International Women’s Day, it shapes as one of the seminal events in the history of sport in Australia, and of women’s sport around the globe.But what about the cricket? Australia, grappling with tournament favouritism and a pair of ruinous injuries to Tayla Vlaeminck before the event and Ellyse Perry in the middle of it, have had the rockiest possible road to the final. They have not played their best cricket, but instead shown forbearance, determination and big-match temperament to forge through what have effectively been four successive elimination matches after they lost the opening game of the tournament to India.In Meg Lanning, they have a captain and top-order bat of the highest possible quality, while in the field they have shown discipline and athleticism to defend middling targets against New Zealand and South Africa. Fatigue, both physical and mental, will be an obstacle.India, meanwhile, have more or less ridden the wave they caught in defeating Australia at the Sydney Showgrounds on opening night, neither beaten nor particularly troubled at any point in their next three group matches, then enjoying the benefit of a free pass to the final over England due to their higher better qualifying position. Shafali Verma has been the tournament’s undisputed batting star, consistently rocketing her team to rapid starts, while Harmanpreet Kaur has marshalled her spin bowlers and the mediums of Shikha Pandey adroitly.ALSO READ: How Australia and India made their way to the MCG finalIf there are any question marks over India, they are matters of belief, having never played in a T20 World Cup final before, let alone won one, and also sharpness: in a tightly scheduled tournament, their draw and the Sydney rain has meant that they have not played a match in more than a week. Australia, in the meantime, have played twice.

Form guide

Australia WWWWL (completed matches, most recent first)
India WWWWL

In the spotlight

Against South Africa, Jess Jonassen essentially took up the bowling role left vacant by Perry’s torn hamstring, sharing the new ball with Megan Schutt in the powerplay and then bowling at the death as Laura Wolvaardt threatened to perform a middle-order miracle for her side. It was Jonassen, too, who was the decisive force against India in the final of the triangular series that preceded the Cup proper, plucking five wickets in quick succession to deliver the Australians a narrow victory. How Jonassen fares in concert with the other spin bowlers at Lanning’s disposal will go a long way towards deciding the outcome.Shafali Verma gets ready to take strike•Getty Images

Scores of 29, 39, 46 and 47, all made at whip-crack pace, have made Shafali Verma the most feared top order bat in the tournament, capable of either setting up a big first innings or supercharging any pursuit of a target. Her danger to Australia is enhanced by the lack of any top pace or bounce bowlers to challenge Verma on the back foot, meaning that Lanning will be relying heavily on the likes of Schutt and Jonassen to nail their lines and lengths. The only thing Verma is yet to achieve in this event is a truly major score, leaving India to hope that the biggest innings will arrive on the biggest day.

Team news

Australia will be tempted to stick with the same formula that saw them through against South Africa, although Molly Strano’s offspin is a worthwhile option given India’s left-handers, and she did play in the opening match of the tournament. Georgia Wareham would be the bowler most likely to make way.Australia (possible): 1 Beth Mooney 2 Alyssa Healy (wk) 3 Meg Lanning (capt) 4 Ashleigh Gardner 5 Rachael Haynes 6 Jess Jonassen 7 Nicola Carey 8 Delissa Kimmince, 9 Georgia Wareham/Molly Strano 10 Sophie Molineux 11 Megan SchuttIndia have a very settled line-up after their smooth progression through the group stage and semi-final walkover against England.India (probable): 1 Shafali Verma 2 Smriti Mandhana 3 Jemimah Rodrigues 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt) 5 Deepti Sharma 6 Veda Krishnamurthy 7 Taniya Bhatiya (wk) 8 Shikha Pandey 9 Radha Yadav 10 Poonam Yadav 11 Rajeshwari GayakwadALSO READ: Factors that can influence the T20 World Cup final

Pitch and conditions

Melbourne’s forecast is mercifully fine for the final after Sydney’s weather travails knocked out England and nearly did likewise for Australia. The pitch itself should be hard and flat, although the ground itself has not hosted any cricket since Australia A’s meeting with England Lions more than two weeks ago.

Stats and trivia

• This would be India’s first-ever T20 World Cup final appearance
• The MCG has hosted one women’s World Cup final previously, the decider of the 1988 ODI tournament, won by Australia over England in front of a crowd of about 3,000 spectators
• Australia won all of the first seven T20I encounters between the teams, but India have won six of the past 12 and three of the past five.

Quotes

“This build-up to the game is something I’ve not experienced before and I’m quite glad that the final’s here tomorrow and we can say we’re involved in it. I always dreamed of being involved in this game, when I saw it was the MCG and they were hoping for a big crowd I just wanted to be involved.”
“We are going to have 90,000 in the stadium and it’s a great feeling. We just need to enjoy the moment because it’s a big moment for all of us.”

Takes over from Luke Ronchi as Islamabad captain, while Shadab Khan was named Sami’s deputy

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2019After weeks of build-up, the PSL’s most successful franchise Islamabad United named 37-year old Mohammad Sami as captain for the fourth edition of the tournament. The defending champions and the winners of two of the three tournaments held thus far had earlier appointed 20-year old Shadab Khan as vice captain.Sami has not played for Pakistan since March 2016, with international consistency proving elusive throughout his career. In the PSL, however, Sami has found a rich vein wicket-takerrforming outstandingly all three seasons. He is the second highest wickettaker across the Pakistan Super League with 37 wickets in 27 matches, behind only Wahab Riaz. He averages 17.43 – again only bettered by Wahab in the top 20, with his economy rate of 6.55 unmatched among the top ten fast bowlers.Upon announcement of the captain, Islamabad United owner Ali Naqvi said: “Sami has always served the franchise with utmost respect and honour. He has always conducted himself in way that defines us and has been one of the stars for the team over the past three years, winning multiple matches on his own. Furthermore, he has years of captaincy experience – he has captained various Karachi teams, on and off, for almost a decade now, and has been successful in that role.”In turn, Mohammad Sami expressed his own delight at being appointed captain, declaring himself “honoured and privileged” to be allowed the opportunity.”It’s an honour for me that Islamabad United and Ali Naqvi have selected me to lead the franchise. I have always aimed to give my all to the team, to repay the faith that they have vested in him, and I hope that I will be able to rise to this challenge too. I feel privileged to have been given this opportunity and I hope that I will continue Islamabad United’s tradition of success.”Islamabad United kick off the PSL on February 14, with the first game of the tournament to be played in Dubai against Lahore Qalandars.

A former England wicketkeeper made a brief, unexpected appearance in Townsville

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2017A blast from England’s past appeared in Townsville on the opening day of their final warm-up match.Early on in the day, listed at No. 6 in England’s line-up was “Prior”. Matt Prior was an integral part of England’s 2010-11 Ashes success Down Under, but the tour three years later had fewer happy memories as injury forced him out after three Tests. His career would only have four more Tests.Noting his surprise at his brief England recall, Prior later tweeted: “I knew I was meant to be doing something today! What I’d give to be out there with those boys now”

England did need a reserve keeper on the opening day against the Cricket Australia XI after Jonny Bairstow provided a brief scare with a damaged finger, but it wasn’t Prior. Ben Foakes was given permission to take the gloves and claimed a catch off Chris Woakes before Bairstow was patched up and returned to the field.

Having lost seven out of 12 T20Is this year, Pakistan will aim to break away from their usual conservative approach against a formidable West Indies side in the UAE

The Preview by Deivarayan Muthu22-Sep-2016

Match facts

September 23, 2016
Start time 8pm local (1600GMT)

Big Picture

Pakistan’s stellar run in Test cricket culminated with their rise to No.1 in the ICC’s rankings for the first time . In limited-overs cricket, however, they are way behind the pack: ninth in ODIs and seventh in T20Is. Their outdated style, based on a safety-first approach, has largely been responsible for their sharp nosedive.West Indies are way behind the pack in Test cricket, but their attack-first approach in limited-overs cricket, especially in T20Is, has made them the heartthrobs of the shortest format. It resurfaced when they secured their second World T20 earlier this year in India.Their MVPs – Andre Russell and Chris Gayle – aren’t in either squad, but they still have the luxury of depth. Opener Evin Lewis shellacked a 48-ball ton against India in Lauderhill last month, the sixth fastest in T20Is. The uncapped players – Rovman Powell and Nicholas Pooran, who hit 143 out of West Indies Under-19s’ 208 at this venue two years ago at the World Cup – overcame a top-order flutter in the warm-up game against Emirates Cricket Board XI on Tuesday. Fast bowler Kesrick Williams, who bowled a sensational triple-wicket maiden in the CPL, is also in the mix.Pakistan don’t have enough firepower, but Sarfraz Ahmed’s calmness in a team filled with mercurial batsmen stands out. They also welcome back their highest run-getter in T20Is – Umar Akmal (1689 runs at a strike rate of 122.92). They showed some late sparks on the trip to the UK, but it remains to be seen if they can they convert it into a proper white-ball revival.

Form guide

Pakistan WLLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies WWWLW

In the spotlight

Former Pakistan coach Waqar Younis was all for Umar regaining his berth in the national side following the World T20 if he showed domestic form. Umar has done just that, finishing as the leading run-getter in the National T20 Cup with 363 runs, including 34 in an over off Yasir Arafat, at an average and strike rate of 72.60 and 183.33. His cousin, Babar Azam, who was among those to receive glowing appraisals from coach Mickey Arthur after the England tour, seems a good investment.Finisher with bat, finisher with the ball. Excellent situational awareness. Dwayne Bravo is probably the most sought-after T20 player. Pakistan will have to be wary of the big dipping offcutter on sluggish surfaces the sides are likely to encounter in this series.

Teams news

The returning Umar is a near-certainty in the XI, which means Mohammad Rizwan, who had played as a specialist batsman in the one-off T20 at Old Trafford, is likely to miss out. Left-arm spinning allrounder Mohammad Nawaz, who claimed 4 for 26 to seal Karachi Blues’ tense National T20 Cup win, might push Hasan Ali and Saad Nasim out of the team.Pakistan(probable): 1 Sharjeel Khan, 2 Khalid Latif, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Umar Akmal, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Hasan Ali/Mohammad Nawaz/Saad Nasim, 10 Sohail Tanvir, 11 Mohammad AmirPooran will jostle with Powell for a middle-order slot thrown open by the absence of Lendl Simmons, who is out because of medial reasons. The other uncapped player in the squad- Williams – did not bowl or bat in the warm-up match. This suggests there will be a shootout between Jerome Taylor and Jason Holder for the seam bowling berth.West Indies(probable): 1 Johnson Charles, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Andre Fletcher(wk), 5 Rovman Powell/Nicholas Pooran, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Carlos Brathwaite(capt), 8 Dwayne Bravo, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Samuel Badree, 11 Jerome Taylor/Jason Holder

Pitch and conditions

Powell had said that the surface for the practice game was dry and slow. A similar surface is expected for the first T20I. Friday is expected to be a sunny day with the temperature nudging towards 40 degrees. However, it is likely to drop to 33 degrees at night.

Stats and trivia

• Sohail Tavir needs three wickets to become the fourth Pakistan bowler, after Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal, to reach 50 wickets in T20Is
• Bravo is the second-highest wicket-taker in T20s this year with 63 scalps in 54 matches. Russell tops the list with 68 wickets in 51 matches
• Pakistan have lost seven out of 12 T20Is in 2016. West Indies, meanwhile, have lost only one of eight T20Is this year.

Quotes

“Even though Pakistan has not been playing international cricket in our country we have played very good sides and beaten them in their home conditions.”
“I always thought I will play for West Indies when I was 21. I am 20 at the moment. While I was a youngster, I watched these guys win two World Cups… Just trying to take the opportunity and make the full use of it. If things go my way, I will be very entertaining.”

Zimbabwe Cricket has agreed in principle to play a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, originally slated for January 2016, in November this year, BCB president Nazmul Hassan has said

Mohammad Isam07-Oct-2015

Approvals given during the BCB board meeting

• BCB calendar for the 2015-16 cricket season

• Draft system for BPL

• BCB’s anti-corruption and anti-doping codes

• Pacer hunt programme

• Indoor facilities in Mirpur, similar to the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane

• Contract extension of all selectors, panel umpires and development coaches

Zimbabwe Cricket has agreed in principle to play a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, originally slated for January 2016, in November this year, BCB president Nazmul Hassan has said. The two boards will discuss the schedule on the sidelines of the ICC meeting in Dubai later this week.The revised schedule comes as a relief for Bangladesh who faced the possibility of no international cricket for the remainder of 2015 after Australia postponed their two-match Test series earlier this month due to security concerns.Zimbabwe were originally scheduled to tour Bangladesh in January 2016 for two Tests, three ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals. With the Tests being held earlier, Zimbabwe will return in January for the limited-overs leg.”They have principally agreed to play in November,” Hassan said. “We haven’t decided on the schedule yet but we will discuss it in the ICC meeting. The three-match ODI series and two T20s that were scheduled in the Zimbabwe tour will now be played in January.”It was learned that the BCB is likely to change the venues of the two Tests to Dhaka and Chittagong, as opposed to Sylhet and Khulna where it was scheduled to be held. It was also learned that BCB will try to fit in a practice match for the visitors although the window is quite short.Zimbabwe end their international commitments at home on October 29 while the Bangladesh Premier League is set to start from November 21 or 22, so the BCB and ZC have about three weeks to fit in two Tests and a practice match, which is likely to be a three-dayer.

India opener Shikhar Dhawan is unlikely to play the fourth Test against Australia because of an injury sustained in the field

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Mar-2013India opener Shikhar Dhawan, who was Man of the Match for his 187 on debut in Mohali, is unlikely to play the fourth Test against Australia because of an injury sustained in the field. Speaking after his team had taken a 3-0 lead in the series, India captain MS Dhoni said Dhawan “may not play in the next Test. You will get an official word on it.”Dhawan was fielding on the boundary between point and third man during Australia’s second innings on the fourth day, and he jammed his left hand into the ground while trying to stop a Phillip Hughes square drive. He did not field for the rest of Sunday and after the day’s play was taken to hospital in Chandigarh by the physio Nitin Patel.The nature of Dhawan’s injury had not yet been confirmed, though he said he had “hurt his knuckles”, and x-rays suggested it was largely a muscular injury. If the injury persists, Dhawan will be forced to miss the Test in his hometown Delhi, which begins on March 22.Should Dhawan miss the Test, there is a very strong possibility that rather than call up a replacement opener, the Indian selectors would choose to have Ajinkya Rahane fill in for Dhawan.Rahane has been a part of the Indian set-up since the 2011-2012 tour of Australia without having played in a single Test despite the fading form of the established opening pair of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, and India losing six out of ten Tests between Boxing Day 2011 and 2012. At the start of the home series against England late last year, though, chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil had said that his panel were considering Rahane to essentially be a middle-order batsman. Dhawan’s injury may end up giving Rahane the opportunity to do something other than carry drinks for India in Test matches.