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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 Their outdated style, based on a safety-first approach, has largely been responsible for their sharp nosedive.West Indies are way behind the pack in Test cricket, but their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.

Yuvraj Singh has been diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy in the United States

Sharda Ugra05-Feb-2012

Sportsmen who came back from cancer

• Lance Armstrong The American cyclist was diagnosed with Stage 3 testicular cancer in 1996, but he recovered to go on to win the sport’s most prestigious race, the Tour de France, an unprecedented seven times

• Mario Lemieux One of the greatest ice hockey players, Lemieux was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma at the height of his powers in 1993. He returned after radiation treatment and remained prolific for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

• Simon O’Donnell Soon after he helped Australia win the 1987 cricket World Cup, a lump on his rib was found to be cancerous. He underwent chemotherapy and made a strong comeback to international cricket in 1988-89

• Dave Callaghan The South Africa allrounder was treated for cancer in 1991, but returned to full health and earned a place in the national squad in the next year. He played 29 ODIs in his South Africa career before retiring from cricket in 2003.

• Eric Abidal A tumour was detected on this France and Barcelona defender’s liver in March 2011. He underwent surgery and two months later played the entire duration of Barcelona’s masterclass in the Champions League final.

Yuvraj Singh has been diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy in the US. A member of Yuvraj’s medical team, Dr Nitesh Rohatgi, informed ESPNcricinfo that Yuvraj’s condition is called “mediastinal seminoma,” a germ-cell tumour located between his two lungs. The condition, Rohatgi said, is neither lung cancer nor a tumour that had spread into the lungs. Mediastinal seminoma is a rare tumour which forms less than 1% of cancers on the whole.Rohatgi, a senior medical oncologist at a Delhi hospital, said: “We are very lucky to know that this is a seminoma variety of germ-cell tumour which are mostly curable with therapy and moreover would be unlikely to cause any detriment to Yuvraj’s career in the long term.”On Wednesday Yuvraj will begin the third of his nine weeks of chemotherapy in the USA. “In the first few days Yuvi may not feel very good,” Rohatgi said, “he may feel nauseous, but starting this week he will be on the mend and may even do a bit of training as he improves, under the guidance of a specialist physiotherapist from the BCCI.”The chemotherapy has been planned, Rohatgi said, with the aim of ensuring Yuvraj can return to full fitness and readiness for cricket. He said Yuvraj should be able to start active training in about ten weeks. “If I was asked: will Yuvraj Singh the person be cured, I will say very likely yes. If you ask: will we see the return of Yuvraj Singh the cricketer, I would say most likely yes and he will return with the same fervour that he had when he left. In all likelihood, he should be on the field on May 1.”Rohatgi said Yuvraj’s family had been reluctant to divulge his whereabouts because, “it is important Yuvi has time to himself to focus on his recovery. He has been reading; he has read Lance Armstrong’s books, he is playing video games, he is committed to his therapy and recovery.”Yuvraj’s doctors in the USA, working in collaboration with his team in India, were confident of his recovery. Rohatgi said that in their vast experience with sportsmen with a similar condition they have had many positive outcomes and even seen athletes return to the field. Germ-cell tumours are found to be more common in young people and in athletes.Rohatgi denied that there had been a wrong diagnosis by an Indian hospital, as was reported, or that Yuvraj’s chemotherapy dose was reduced following Ayurvedic treatment. “The diagnosis that was given in India,” he said, “was precise and reconfirmed by doctors in the USA without needing a repeat biopsy. It had helped to get the chemotherapy started almost immediately.” The doctor said Ayurveda had not influenced Yuvraj’s present treatment and that it was “wrong” to send out a message that Ayurvedic treatment cures cancer or can effectively supplement chemotherapy.Yuvraj has not played competitive cricket since the Tests against West Indies last November, when news of his tumour became public. He had originally hoped to make a comeback in the tri-series in Australia, but last month it was announced that he would not be fit in time for the IPL, which begins in April.

ESPNcricinfo previews South Africa’s chances in the 2011 World Cup

Telford Vice16-Feb-2011The plain truth about South Africa is that, as a World Cup team, they add up to less than the sum of their parts. You would think a side blessed over the years with players of the calibre of Peter Kirsten, Allan Donald, Jacques Kallis, Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers and Graeme Smith – and a host of only slightly lesser lights – would come up with a trophy between them somehow, somewhere. You would, of course, be wrong.South Africans have grown weary of trying to explain why their mighty team haven’t won a World Cup, or even reached a final. The real answer is; there is no real answer. They have talent in abundance. Their skills are eminently world-class. The country’s cricket infrastructure is acknowledged as the best in the game, and proven to be so by the country’s unofficial status as the default standby hosts for ICC events.It seems the problem lies either between the ears or in the heart, places even the best coaching struggles to penetrate effectively.What of this World Cup? The inclusion in the squad of Pakistani-born legspinner Imran Tahir among three frontline slow bowlers suggests a change in approach. But we’ve seen this movie before – promising form leading up to the tournament, stellar individual performances, the gut feeling that this time it might be different …World Cup pedigreeSemi-finalists in 1992, 1999 and 2007; quarter-finalists in 1996; first-round casualties in 2003. Only once, in the World Cup they hosted no less, have South Africa failed to reach the second round. They have proved hard, competitive and ambitious. Just not hard, competitive and ambitious enough to go all the way.Recent formSince Novemeber 2009, South Africa have played 26 one-day internationals and won 18 of them. However, Zimbabwe and West Indies, who 10 of those games were played against, did not make for very competitive opposition. Against the bigger boys – England, India and Pakistan – they lost half of the other 16. Among South Africa’s victories were three in a five-match series against a Pakistan team desperate to show they took cricket seriously in the wake of the spot-fixing allegations. South Africa also hung tough to win the last two matches in a 3-2 series victory over India. Still, a success rate of 50% against credible opponents is not good enough.Expert eyePat Symcox: “This is the best squad South Africa have ever sent to a World Cup, and the most balanced and experienced one. But our preparation has been predominantly concerned with ensuring the seam bowlers are ready for the tournament, when spin bowling will be more important given the conditions. However, if ever there was a time when South Africa will win the World Cup, this is it.”Where they’re likely to finishIt’s difficult to imagine South Africa not finding their way out of the first round. It’s also difficult to imagine them progressing much further. They’re vulnerable in any knockout situation.WatchabilityTo see fielding, South African style, is worth the price of admission to any match. They are lions and there will be blood. The same goes for South Africa’s fast bowling – aggressive, relentless and disciplined. Their batting will be adventurous and enterprising as long as the pressure remains off. Once it’s on, you would be forgiven for thinking the circus had come to town.Key PlayersThis will be Graeme Smith’s last World Cup as South Africa’s captain, and perhaps his last all told. He is a proud, determined, demonstrative man who readily embraces emotive ideas. The thought that he could go out in glorious fashion, leading the finest team never to have won a World Cup to triumph, is made for him. He will bully most of the seam bowlers he will face on the subcontinent’s slow pitches, and he is much less clumsy against spin than he appears.Unbelievable though it may seem, there was a time when Hashim Amla’s suitability as a one-day batsman was openly questioned. As is his way, Amla didn’t take issue with the doubters. He simply went out and proved them very wrong, scoring runs, runs and more runs. He scored them stylishly and lickety-split like, and he never seemed to fashion a crude or an ungrammatical stroke as he did so. In the process he rose to the top of the ICC’s one-day batting rankings. Besides all that, he possesses that rarest of attributes for a South African: a cold mind.Look into Johan Botha’s eyes and you will see a journey from mediocre seamer to offspinner to chucker to nowhere man to rehabilitated offspinner to respected team man to South Africa’s Twenty20 captain and Smith’s natural successor to the one-day captaincy. South Africans expect their cricketers to be resilient, and Botha is an archetypical example. He will hang tough with the best at the World Cup.Something special is required Colin Ingram – a name that is added to a list that features the likes of Desmond Haynes, Andy Flower and Dennis Amiss. Ingram delivered that specialness when he scored 124 against Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein in October. That made him the sixth player – Haynes, Flower and Amiss are among the first five – to score a century on one-day debut. Left-handed and level-headed despite his love of lusty strokeplay, he could set any innings alight.

Cricinfo previews the one-off Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh in Hamilton

The Preview by George Binoy14-Feb-2010

Match facts

February 15-19, 2010
Start time 11.00 (2200 GMT)

Big picture

Peter Ingram is set to make his Test debut•Getty Images

After winning the Twenty20 and sweeping the ODI series 3-0, the one-off Test at Seddon Park may not present New Zealand with the greatest of challenges, given Bangladesh’s susceptibility in the longest format of the game. It does, however, provide them with the opportunity to test a new-look line-up ahead of a tougher series against Australia.The Hamilton Test will be New Zealand’s first since the retirements of fast bowlers Iain O’Brien and Shane Bond. They unearthed a promising talent in Andy McKay but his services, too, will not be on offer because of injury. The batting order, which has had to do without Jesse Ryder and Grant Elliott for months, has also been rearranged and has a raw top order. Tim McIntosh and BJ Watling will open with 31-year-old debutant Peter Ingram at No. 3. They have a total experience of 11 Tests between them, with McIntosh accounting for ten. The solidity for New Zealand, lies in the middle – Taylor, Guptill, Vettori and McCullum – and Bangladesh’s best chance will be to put them under pressure early.Bangladesh had a few bright moments during the ODI series: the form of Tamim Iqbal at the top, Mushfiqur Rahim’s fighting spirit in the lower-middle order, and Imrul Kayes’ maiden century. All these performances, though, came in separate matches and were solitary efforts while wickets had fallen or were falling at the other end. Bangladesh’s batsmen failed to fire collectively and, worryingly, there were no contributions from Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Ashraful. Shakib, however, was impressive with the ball, troubling New Zealand’s middle order with his left-arm variations. He could prove effective in the longer form, especially if the fast bowlers put the hosts under early pressure.

Form guide (last five completed matches, most recent first)

New Zealand – DLWLL
Bangladesh – LLWWL

Watch out for

Shakib Al Hasan is for Bangladesh what Daniel Vettori is for New Zealand – captain, key batsman in the middle order, and premier bowler. Shakib was in poor form in the ODIs, scoring a total of eight runs in the first two games before making 36 in the third. His left-arm spin, however, was effective, resulting in five wickets at 21.60. He will have to raise his batting and maintain his bowling form if Bangladesh are going to push New Zealand.Peter Ingram made a steady start to his ODI career – 122 runs in three innings – and has been slotted at the pivotal No. 3 spot in the Test line-up. Vettori said finding a solid top order has been a “perennial challenge” for New Zealand so the spot is there for the taking for Ingram.

Team news

Ingram batting at No. 3 means Martin Guptill will drop down to No. 5, with Vettori likely to bat at No. 6 ahead of McCullum. The late injury to McKay has forced New Zealand to rework their attack, which is now likely to comprise three fast bowlers and a second spinner in Jeetan Patel, ahead of back-up seamer Brent Arnel.New Zealand: (probable) 1 Tim McIntosh, 2 BJ Watling, 3 Peter Ingram, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Martin Guptill, 6 Daniel Vettori (capt), 7 Brendon McCullum (wk), 8 Tim Southee, 9 Daryl Tuffey, 10 Jeetan Patel, 11 Chris Martin.Bangladesh named their XI for the Test late on Sunday evening. They made one change from the team that took the field against India in Mirpur, replacing Raqibul Hasan with Aftab Ahmed in the middle order.Bangladesh: 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Junaid Siddique, 4 Mohammad Ashraful, 5 Aftab Ahmed, 6 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 7 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 8 Mahmudullah, 9 Shahadat Hossain, 10 Shafiul Islam, 11 Rubel Hossain.

Stats and trivia

• Vettori averages nearly 49 at Seddon Park – with the bat. He’s scored 584 runs with two centuries and two fifties in 14 innings. With the ball, he’s taken 26 wickets at an average of 34.33.
• Of the Bangladesh players, only Mohammad Ashraful has played a Test in Hamilton. He made 1 and 6 in 2001.

Quotes

“I think we may have let ourselves down a wee bit in the last series [against Pakistan] by not finishing it off with a winning performance in Napier. But against Bangladesh I’m hoping we can at least get a good win to get some momentum leading into Australia as well.”

Maxwell expects to re-join a power-packed middle-order when Travis Head returns

Alex Malcolm28-Jul-2025Glenn Maxwell expects his move to open the batting in the T20I series against West Indies will be brief once Travis Head makes a likely return for the home series against South Africa in August as Australia look to settle their line-up as they build towards the 2026 World Cup.Maxwell batted at No. 5 in the first game of the series, one slot lower than his customary No. 4 position where he has batted 61 times in his career, to allow Cameron Green an opportunity at second drop.He was then shifted to open for just the fourth time in his career when Tim David returned from injury for game two in the absence of the resting Head and injured back-up opener Matthew Short.Related

• Maxwell, Inglis and Green carry Australia to 4-0

• More than a finisher: David soars to new heights

• 'He's playing beautifully' – Is Green Australia's new T20 middle-order fulcrum?

Maxwell, who has scored 145 not out and 66 in previous T20Is opening the batting, was promoted to the top in the main because Australia anticipated a lot of spin to be bowled in the powerplay. While that was the case in Jamaica, both sides have veered away from spin bowlers at the tiny Warner Park in St Kitts.Maxwell returned scores of 12 off 10, 20 off 7 and 47 off 18 and looked ominous in all three innings. But he insists he is unlikely to stay there beyond this series with Head likely to partner skipper Mitchell Marsh moving forward while Josh Inglis looks settled at No. 3.”It’s been great fun being at the top, but I’m sure I’m just warming Heady’s seat until he comes back,” Maxwell said. “I think the way we’re probably going to set up our T20 side heading forward is you’ve got Travis up the top, you’ve got Mitch Marsh who is captaining us brilliantly at the moment.”Ingo is doing a great job at No.3 and the rest of the order falls into place around that. We’ve got some unbelievable power hitting at the moment, we’ve seen some guys really put their hand up – Tim David, Mitch Owen and Cameron Green – throughout the middle.”They’re three pretty big blokes with big reach and they hit the ball an absolute mile so it’s great to have those guys with that extra bit of power in the middle-order.”It’s not something we’ve had an abundance of over the years and to have that at our disposal at the moment is pretty exciting.”Cameron Green has been in sparkling form at No. 4•Randy Brooks/AFP via Getty Images

Green’s growth at No. 4 and David’s century in his first opportunity batting inside the powerplay at No. 5 for Australia outside of rain-shortened matches, gives the selectors a multitude of options heading towards the World Cup in terms of how they shape the middle-order.Maxwell’s record at No. 4 is exceptional, having scored four T20I centuries in that position, but his best performances in franchise cricket over the last eight months have come at No. 6. He was BBL player of the tournament and won Melbourne Stars four games in a row with scores of 20* off 10, 58* off 32, and 90 off 52 at No. 6 plus 76* off 32 at No. 5. After a difficult IPL for Punjab Kings, he made an unbeaten 106 off 49 balls in MLC at No. 6 for Washington Freedom last month.Green’s consistency and his ability to handle pace in the powerplay, as well as spin post powerplay, could see Maxwell deployed later in the order in Australia’s first choice XI.”It’s been great to see the growth of some of the guys and Greeny in this series has been absolutely outstanding,” Maxwell said. “We’re seeing him turn into a really consistent and solid T20 player and it’s just so exciting for Australian cricket to see these guys with this sort of power and it’s going to be dangerous for a lot of teams heading forward.”A middle-order of Green, David, Maxwell and Owen in some kind of combination is as powerful as Australia have ever produced while Marcus Stoinis still remains in consideration despite not playing in the West Indies series or the upcoming South Africa series.Maxwell remains a key contributor with the ball and in the field. He took two key wickets in the second T20I in Kingston and remains a vital match-up for left-handers in particular while his ability to bowl in the powerplay in India and Sri Lanka will also be crucial for Australia’s plans.Meanwhile at nearing 37, three years on from a broken leg that effectively ended his ODI career, he still remains Australia’s best outfielder with three stunning pieces of work in the fourth T20I on Saturday having a significant outcome on the match.”I practice a hell of a lot,” Maxwell said. “It’s something I pride myself on, making sure that I can create opportunities on the boundary line, and feel like I’m spreading the boundary a little bit longer and making the batters hit it a little bit further.”

Qais Ahmad will fill in for Rashid Khan; Naveed Zadran also gets a call-up after impressive Test debut

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2024Rashid Khan has not recovered in time for Afghanistan’s three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, which begins on February 9 in Pallekele.Afghanistan’s ace spinner underwent back surgery late last year and has not played competitive cricket since the 2023 ODI World Cup in November. Qais Ahmad, who has played just one ODI for Afghanistan so far, will fill in for Rashid in Sri Lanka.Noor Ahmad, who is playing for Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20, will rejoin the national team and miss the final stages of the league.Najibullah Zadran, who was part of Afghanistan’s World Cup squad, was left out for the Sri Lanka ODIs, while Abdul Rahman was included only as a reserve. Fast bowler Mohammad Saleem was sidelined by a hamstring strain, according to an ACB media release.Related

• Rashid Khan withdraws from PSL as he continues rehab

• Afghanistan name uncapped Noor, Zia, Ishaq and Naveed for one-off Test against Sri Lanka

Allrounder Gulbadin Naib, who impressed with his big-hitting in the recent T20I series against India, earned a recall to the ODI side. Fareed Ahmad also made it to the 15-member squad. Both were reserve players during the 2023 ODI World Cup.Seamer Naveed Zadran, who impressed on Test debut against Sri Lanka, broke into the ODI side as well. He is uncapped in ODI cricket and has played only six List A games so far, picking up eight wickets.”We have consistently striven to secure more bilateral cricket matches and create a busy schedule for our national teams,” ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said. “This marks our third visit to Sri Lanka in the past 16 months, which is a promising sign moving forward. The selectors have selected a strong line-up and we eagerly anticipate an exciting series ahead.”All three ODIs will be played in Pallekele before the teams move to Dambulla for the three-match T20I series. This will be Afghanistan’s first ODI assignment since the World Cup.

Afghanistan squad for ODI series against SL

Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Qais Ahmad, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad

“There’s no point in saying let’s sweep it under the carpet and move on. I think we’ve got to reflect”

Alex Malcolm26-Oct-20222:12

Buttler: ‘We should let the loss hurt, to be honest’

Let it hurt. That was the message from England captain Jos Buttler to his team after their shock loss to Ireland at the MCG on Wednesday.The loss means England now face a cut-throat game against Australia on Friday at the MCG that has the potential to end the tournament for the loser.There were no excuses offered by the England captain for Wednesday’s loss to Ireland. They did not lament the rain, the ground conditions, or the decision to come off with England just five runs behind on DLS with 5.3 overs remaining.Related

• Jos Buttler's eyes have it as England captain puts seal on his team, and his legacy

• Adam Zampa's return could be the silver lining Australia need in wet Melbourne

• Ireland's new 'golden generation' comes of age at the biggest stage of all

• Ireland show better rain-smarts than England to stay ahead for just long enough

• Ireland stun England in rainy Melbourne

Buttler instead said that England needed to cop the loss square on the chin and made no attempt to sweep it aside as just an unlucky break.”I think you should let it hurt to be honest,” Buttler said. “I think days like today are really, really disappointing and you’ve got to feel that. There’s no point in saying let’s sweep it under the carpet and move on. I think we’ve got to reflect. We’ve got to do it quickly obviously with a game very soon after. But today should hurt.”Buttler even made the frank admission that the loss hurt more because it was to Ireland. Despite the fact Ireland have now beaten England three times in internationals, including twice at World Cups, the England captain said they expected to win the game.”There’s certainly the expectation on us to win the game today,” Buttler said. “I think we should be expecting to beat an Ireland team. We expected a tough challenge, but we should be expected to win that game. So of course, that adds extra disappointment. Whether you’d say we’re favourites or not going into an Australia game is more of a different conversation. So, I think that adds extra hurt especially.”Buttler admitted England had everything in their favour after winning the toss with rain almost guaranteed to impact the game.Jos Buttler – “We should be expecting to beat an Ireland team. We expected a tough challenge, but we should be expected to win that game”•Getty Images

But they bowled poorly in the first 10 overs to allow Ireland to get away to a flying start. Player of the match Andrew Balbirnie, Paul Stirling and Lorcan Tucker piled up 92 for 1 after 10 overs despite Balbirnie starting sluggishly.Chris Woakes erred badly with the new ball on a surface that offered plenty of swing and seam, missing both his lengths and lines consistently to concede 41 from three overs.”Especially in the first 10 overs with the ball, I thought we were a long way short of the standards we set ourselves in the game before,” Buttler said. “We let Ireland get away from us. I thought we dragged it back well in the second half, but that put a lot of pressure on us right from the start.”Ireland’s seamers then showed their England counterparts up on the same surface prizing out Buttler, Alex Hales and Ben Stokes cheaply in the powerplay to leave England well behind the DLS target as dark clouds loomed over the Ponsford stand.”I take full responsibility myself,” Buttler said. “To lose wickets like that puts the pressure on. I thought Ireland showed us how to bowl on that wicket. They found movement and created problems. That’s just a really disappointing day.”England nearly hauled it in thanks to some excellent late hitting from Moeen Ali as the rain began to fall. They were just five runs shy on DLS when the game was called off. Buttler had no issue with the umpires’ decision to take the players off and stated that with the benefit of hindsight they could have used Ali and Liam Livingstone earlier to get ahead of the rate.England have just 48 hours to turn it around. There is little margin for error now for Australia or England on Friday night at the MCG. But England have experienced this position before in the 2019 50-over World Cup.”That’s what World Cup cricket is about,” Buttler said. “Of course, we wanted to be going into that game having won two games from two. But at some point in this tournament, the way it’s set up, you’re in must-win games the majority of the time.”Friday’s already a big occasion playing Australia at the MCG and it takes on that extra bit now with both teams having lost one game.”