Bumrah leads India to 47-run win over Afghanistan in Super Eight at T20 World Cup

Bumrah leads India to 47-run win over Afghanistan in Super Eight at T20 World Cup
India’s Hardik Pandya, left, and batting partner Suryakumar Yadav run between the wickets to score during their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket match against Afghanistan at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Jun. 20, 2024. (AP)
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Updated 20 June 2024
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Bumrah leads India to 47-run win over Afghanistan in Super Eight at T20 World Cup

Bumrah leads India to 47-run win over Afghanistan in Super Eight at T20 World Cup
  • Bumrah’s four-over spell was aided by Arshdeep Singh, who finished with 3-36
  • Spinners Kuldeep Yadav (2-32) and Axar Patel (1-15) shared three wickets as Afghanistan were bowled out for 134 runs

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah picked three wickets for just seven runs as India beat Afghanistan by 47 runs in their Super Eight clash at the Twenty20 World Cup on Thursday.
Bumrah’s four-over spell was aided by Arshdeep Singh, who finished with 3-36. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav (2-32) and Axar Patel (1-15) shared three wickets as Afghanistan were bowled out for 134 runs.
Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav scored 53 off 28 balls — his fifth T20 World Cup half-century — as India reached 181-8 in 20 overs after opting to bat.
Yadav hit three sixes and five fours, while Hardik Pandya scored 32 off 24 balls, including two sixes.
India’s next Super Eight game is on Saturday, against Bangladesh in Antigua. Afghanistan will play Australia in St. Vincent, also on Saturday.
Yadav was named player of the match.
“I am clear in my mind how I want to bat,” he said. “There’s a lot of hard work, process and routine involved in it. You just need to know your game plan and just play accordingly. When Hardik (Pandya) came in to bat, we discussed about batting with (aggressive) intent. In the end, we were happy with 180.”
On a slow-paced Barbados wicket, India had made a sluggish start. Skipper Rohit Sharma was out caught for eight, while star batter Virat Kohli only managed run-a-ball 24.
Rishabh Pant, batting at three, provided some acceleration — he scored 20 off 11 balls with four fours.
Afghanistan skipper and wrist spinner Rashid Khan did damage to India’s top order, dismissing both Kohli and Pant, the latter out lbw. It was the first time Khan picked up wickets against India in T20s.
India were down to 62-3 in 8.3 overs, when Yadav played a rescuing hand. He added 28 of 14 balls with Shivam Dube (10) and then the match-turning 60 runs with Pandya.
Yadav’s stand with Pandya came off only 37 balls as India scored 102 runs off the final 10 overs.
Rashid Khan finished with 3-26 in four overs.
Afghanistan’s chase got off to a poor start against Bumrah — he sent back both openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (11) and Haratullah Zazai (2) cheaply.
In between, Axar Patel struck in the fourth over as Ibrahim Zadran was out for eight, and Afghanistan slipped to 23-3 in 4.1 overs.
Gulbadin Naib and Azatullah Omarzai added 44 off 38 balls for the fourth wicket. Thereafter, India’s spinners struck at regular intervals to restrict their opponents.
Ravindra Jadeja picked 1-20 in three overs. Afghanistan lost their last five wickets for 32 runs across 28 deliveries as India crossed the finish line with ease.


Inglis stars as Punjab grab two shots to reach IPL final

Inglis stars as Punjab grab two shots to reach IPL final
Updated 26 May 2025
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Inglis stars as Punjab grab two shots to reach IPL final

Inglis stars as Punjab grab two shots to reach IPL final
  • Chasing 185 for victory, Punjab depended on a 109-run second-wicket stand between Inglis and Priyansh Arya to achieve their target
  • Both teams have already secured their play-off berth along with Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the T20 tournament

JAIPUR: Australia’s Josh Inglis scored 73 to help Punjab Kings finish in the top-two moving into the IPL playoffs with a seven-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians on Monday.

Both the teams have already secured their play-off berth along with Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the T20 tournament.

A top-two position in the final group phase table makes Punjab grab one of the two spots in the first qualifier on May 29 and two shots at reaching June 3’ final.

Chasing 185 for victory, Punjab depended on a 109-run second-wicket stand between Inglis and Priyansh Arya to achieve their target with nine balls to spare in Jaipur.

The left-handed Arya made 62 before he departed in the 15th over and Inglis fell after his first IPL fifty with the team needing another 14 to win.

Inglis, a wicketkeeper-batsman, hit nine fours and three sixes in his 42-ball knock.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer made an unbeaten 26 off 16 balls to steer the team home.

“Every individual stepped up at the right time,” said Iyer.

“We’ve had players putting their hands up when we were in the dumps. (Coach) Ricky (Ponting) has been fantastic with player management, it’s important for me to get trust too.”

Ponting praised Iyer, who was brought for $3.17 million in November’s auction.

“It was pretty obvious with the amount of money we spent on him, we wanted him here,” said Ponting.

“He’s a man who has been so good and has a sparkle for captaincy, he has led this team superbly.”

Five-time champions Mumbai sit bottom of the top-four teams and will play the eliminator on May 30.

“We just want to play good cricket going forward, figure out the right template for the batting group,” Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya said.

“Not much panic though, we knew what was at stake.”

Gujarat’s position will depend on the final league match between Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday.

The winner of the first qualifier will enter the final, while the loser will take on the winner of the second qualifier to book their spot in the title clash.

Mumbai reached 184-7 after Suryakumar Yadav top-scored with 57 off 39 deliveries to boost the total.

South Africa’s opener Ryan Rickelton hit a brisk 27 in a 44-run opening stand with Rohit Sharma, who scored 24.

Wicketkeeper Rickelton, a left-hand batter, departed in the sixth over as wickets fell at regular intervals including Rohit and England’s Will Jacks, out for 17.

Suryakumar took stock in a partnership of 44 with Pandya, who took on the opposition bowling in his 26 off 15 balls.

Pandya hit two fours and two sixes before being caught behind off South African left-arm quick Marco Jansen to put Mumbai in trouble.

Number seven Naman Dhir came out firing as he and Suryakumar, who reached his fifth half-century of the season in his 640 runs, hammered 23 off the 19th over.

Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh took down Dhir after the batsman’s 12-ball 20 at the start of the 20th and trapped Suryakumar to finish the over with two wickets and just three runs.


Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat

Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat
Updated 22 May 2025
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Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat

Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat
  • Mitchell Marsh smashed 117 off 64 balls studded with 10 fours and eight sixes to help Lucknow post a formidable 235-2 off 20 overs
  • Gujarat, who have already qualified for the playoffs, could only make 202-9 in reply at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: Mitchell Marsh struck his first Indian Premier League century as Lucknow Super Giants pulled off an upset 33-run win against table-toppers Gujarat Titans on Thursday.

Marsh smashed 117 off 64 balls studded with 10 fours and eight sixes to help Lucknow post a formidable 235-2 off 20 overs.

Gujarat, who have already qualified for the playoffs, could only make 202-9 in reply at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

“We gave 15-20 runs extra. If we’d stopped them at 210-220 it would’ve been better, that was a huge difference,” said Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill.

“Getting momentum back will be key in the next game.”

Lucknow were playing for pride after being eliminated from the playoffs.

Gujarat lost in-form opener and the tournament’s highest run-getter Sai Sudharsan for 21, caught by Aiden Markram off Will O’Rourke, who ended with figures of 3-27.

Sudharsan’s opening partner Gill looked in good touch before he was caught in the deep by Abdul Samad off Avesh Khan for 35.

Jos Buttler (33) tried to steady the innings but was dismissed by Akash Singh in the 10th over.

Shahrukh Khan (57) and Sherfane Rutherford (38) revived hopes of a comeback but O’Rourke took two wickets in the 17th over to seal Gujarat’s fate.

“We had a lot of fun out there, T20 is fickle,” said O’Rourke.

Earlier, Marsh combined with Markram to give Lucknow a steady start, putting on 91 runs for the opening wicket after Gujarat won the toss and elected to bowl.

Markram (36) hit fellow South African Kagiso Rabada for two sixes in a row before being caught by Shahrukh near the boundary off Sai Kishore.

Marsh continued his onslaught at the other end, hitting Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan for 25 runs in his first over of the game.

The right-hander, who raced to his century off just 56 balls, was finally caught by a diving Rutherford off paceman Arshad Khan for 117.

Nicholas Pooran also impressed, making an unbeaten 56 runs off 27 balls with four fours and five sixes.

Lucknow’s struggling skipper Rishabh Pant made 16 not out.

The IPL resumed last Saturday after being paused due to a deadly conflict between India and Pakistan, forcing overseas players to revisit their season plans.


The enduring legend of Virat Kohli

The enduring legend of Virat Kohli
Updated 24 May 2025
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The enduring legend of Virat Kohli

The enduring legend of Virat Kohli
  • Kohli’s cricketing persona has been one of aggressiveness and intensity, always eager to join the fray and whip up his team to greater heights, more in the manner of soccer than cricket

Some cricketers possess an unmistakable presence when they walk out to bat. Vivian Richards of the West Indies was one. He swaggered, smiled, oozed confidence and menace, chewed gum and eschewed a helmet in favor of a cap. His style of entrance may have set a precedent for others to build their own individual brands as cricketers in an era of universal television coverage. 

Chris Gayle, another West Indian, the self-styled “Universe Boss,” was one who did that across all formats. An imposing presence as soon as he stepped onto the cricket field, Gayle took to the T20 format very quickly, establishing himself as a free-scoring, aggressive batter to be feared. He also proved himself at Test level, capable of batting at length. In 2010, he batted almost 10 hours in scoring 333 against Sri Lanka, becoming only the fourth batsman to score two Test triples. Both Gayle and Richards now live out of the limelight, their cricketing reputations intact.

In previous eras, the great and charismatic players of the time did not have the media exposure that is available to current players. In the immediate years after 1945, Denis Compton of England and Keith Miller of Australia were two players who excited crowds with their charisma, becoming icons at a time of national recovery from war. Compton was one of the first cricketers to be used in consumer advertising, as the face of Brylcreem, a hair cream. 

It is now commonplace for cricketers to endorse consumer products, other than cricket equipment. A number of them have developed their own brand values. An outstanding example of this is Virat Kohli, who has transcended his ability as a cricketer to become an international icon. His decision to retire from Test cricket, announced on Instagram on May 12 to 271 million followers, has sparked a deluge of tributes. These have focussed on his place in the game and his contribution to it, especially to Test cricket, for which he has been an outspoken champion. 

In this respect, it is a disappointment to many that Kohli will not be a part of the Indian team that will play five Tests in England between June 20 and Aug. 4. Neither will his successor as captain, Rohit Sharma, who also announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 7. Both players retired from international T20 cricket after India won the T20 World Cup in June 2024, under Sharma’s captaincy. The two were different in both batting and leadership styles but have been instrumental in guiding India to recent trophy success.

Sharma retires with 4,301 runs in 67 Test matches, averaging 40.57. His recent form has been poor, having made only one 50 in 15 innings since his last Test hundred against England in Dharamsala in March 2024. Sharma was captain in 2024, when India was surprisingly beaten 3-0 at home by New Zealand and 3-1 away by Australia, where he sat out the decisive fifth Test in Sydney. In the same series, Kohli, although scoring a hundred in the first Test, endured a dip in form. His frustrations at what appeared to be waning abilities surfaced in an unseemly incident during the fourth Test at Melbourne. 

At the end of the tenth over of Australia’s innings, 19-year-old debutant, Sam Konstas, walked toward his opening partner at the non-striker’s end. He was looking at his gloves, when Kohli, who was walking in the opposite direction from his fielding position, made shoulder contact with Konstas. Commentators remarked that Kohli had walked one whole pitch over to his right and appeared to have instigated the confrontation.

Kohli was sanctioned for a breach of conduct and fined 20 percent of his match fees, which he accepted. Perhaps the act was that of an aging lion attempting to curb a rising cub, of whose talent he was envious. Kohli’s cricketing persona has been one of aggressiveness, intensity, always eager to join the fray and whip up his team to greater heights, more in the manner of soccer than cricket.

This has not endeared him to opposition supporters. I have witnessed and heard comments by English supporters that have been uncomplimentary — not that Kohli has been afraid to take on opposition supporters with words and provocative gestures. There has always been a sense that he has escaped censure for transgressions and acts for which others would have received punishment.

On the field, whether fielding, captaining or batting, Kohli’s presence and actions were ones that demanded attention. His passion for Test cricket shone through, as evidenced in his retirement statement in which he said, “I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile.”

In it, Kohli scored 9,230 runs in 123 Tests to stand fourth in India’s all-time list of Test run-scorers after Tendulkar, Dravid and Gavaskar. He also captained India in 68 of his Tests, winning 40 of them, which makes him the country’s most successful leader in the format. Such a record is a reflection not only of his hunger for runs, but his desire to win and for those around him to strive for excellence. His own commitment to physical fitness has become legendary and aspirational for young Indians, who seek to emulate his appearance.

It is not clear if there was any single reason for Kohli’s decision to retire. One consideration is form. The Test hundred in Australia last November was his first in 15 innings in the previous 16 months. In Australia, he scored 190 runs in nine innings, averaging just 23.75, which compares with a final Test average of 46.85. Since January 2020, he has averaged 30.72, scoring only three centuries in 39 Tests. Another consideration was the curbing, by the national board, of the size and composition of the support groups for players while on tour. One factor that does not seem to have been widely discussed is the impact of Sharma’s retirement.

Of course, Kohli has not slipped into the shadows. In IPL 2025, he has scored more than 500 runs and he still wishes to play ODI cricket for India. His retirement appears to be a carefully managed process. Off the field, his brand value and product endorsement strategy has been carefully curated to mirror his fitness-oriented lifestyle, fashion sense, family orientation and appeal across the whole Indian demographic. Kohli has also invested in a number of start-up ventures to ensure exposure outside of mainstream advertising. Unlike other famous cricketers, he will not be living quietly in retirement. 

There is little doubt that Virat Kohli has an aura about him on and off the pitch. He leaves a huge gap in the Test arena and there is a worry that his advocacy of it may not be continued by his successors. Kohli has said that, “There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no-one sees but that stay with you forever.” Self-reflection is not a characteristic that springs immediately to mind about Kohli, who admits that the journey has “tested me, shaped me and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life.” He leaves an indelible mark on both Indian and global cricket in which his stature was invariably imperial, not just when going out to bat.       


Coach Edwards set to introduce minimum fitness standard for England players

Coach Edwards set to introduce minimum fitness standard for England players
Updated 21 May 2025
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Coach Edwards set to introduce minimum fitness standard for England players

Coach Edwards set to introduce minimum fitness standard for England players
  • Former batter Edwards, who captained England in more than 200 matches, replaced coach Jon Lewis last month amid England’s efforts to revive their form ahead of this year’s 50-over World Cup in India

England coach Charlotte Edwards is rolling out a “minimum fitness standard” and calling for more accountability in the area from players after a 16-0 whitewash in the multi-format Women’s Ashes earlier this year.
Former batter Edwards, who captained England in more than 200 matches, replaced coach Jon Lewis last month amid England’s efforts to revive their form ahead of this year’s 50-over World Cup in India.
“The players are very aware there will be minimum fitness standards come this time next year... there has to be more accountability in the area,” Edwards said on Tuesday, a day before her first match as England coach.
“Before the World Cup it is about individuals improving as much as they can in that time... I am not going to set fitness standards (now) because there haven’t been any standards in place.”
Edwards said the players had spent the last few weeks working hard to improve their fielding, an aspect of the game that came under heavy criticism during their dismal Ashes campaign.
“Physically they are in a really good place as well and we have some great fielders within our T20 squad. It’s a big part of the game and we know that,” Edwards added.
England host West Indies in three T20 matches and three One-Day Internationals between May 21-June 7, with India visiting for a limited-overs tour later next month.


Thailand win ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier

Thailand win ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
Updated 20 May 2025
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Thailand win ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier

Thailand win ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
  • Thailand beat Nepal by 78 runs in the final match of the Super 3 stage of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier

The final match of the Super 3 stage of the ICC Asia Women’s T20 Qualifier for the 2026 World Cup saw Thailand face Nepal on May 20th in Bangkok. Both teams had already progressed to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier by virtue of defeating the UAE in the Super Three stage. Therefore, the prize was to become overall winners of the tournament.

Prior to the match, Indu Barma, the captain of Nepal, talked of Nepal’s long journey, stretching back 17 years. She noted that reaching the Global Qualifier will represent their first time of playing on the world stage.

In December 2008, Nepal played in the Asia Cricket Council’s (ACC) U19 Women’s Championship held in Chiang Mai, where the team won every match, including victories over Thailand in the semifinals and Malaysia in the final. It looked as though Nepal was about to dominate associate women’s cricket in Asia.

It was not to be, largely because Thailand won the 2013 ACC Women’s Championship in Chiang Mai, thereby qualifying for the Global Qualifier for the first time, traveling to Ireland later that year. Since then, Thailand has played in each Qualifier, even making it to the T20 World Cup held in Australia in 2020.

Over that time, the UAE has made steady progress, reaching three global qualifiers. Defeats to both Thailand and Nepal in Bangkok have put an end to hopes of a reaching fourth and is a real setback for them. They were well beaten in both matches of the Super 3.

In the first match, Thailand scored 144 for 5 in 20 overs. Nattaya Boochatham laid the base with a patient 49, whilst Natthakan Chantham hit powerfully to post an unbeaten 46 from 20 balls. Nannapat Khonchaeronkai gave further impetus to the innings with 39, Thailand scored 98 in the second half of the innings.

UAE lost wickets from the start, falling to 39 for four in the ninth over. Heena Hotchandani’s 32 took UAE to 90 for 5 in 20 overs, 54 runs short, as Thipatcha Putthawong claimed 2 for 27.

In the second match, the following day, Nepal asked UAE to bat first. Esha Oza made sure UAE preserved their wickets in the first half of the innings, a sound strategy at this level, but she was out at the crucial time for a run a ball thirty-nine, as left-arm spinner, Manisha Upadhayay, took the first of her four wickets.

A total of 114 for 7 looked to be a little light, especially as the UAE’s bowlers fought hard to reduce Nepal to 62 for 4 in the 13th over. Then, Rubina Chhetry, who has played throughout the last seventeen years, joined the current captain, Indu Barna. In a determined partnership, as rain threatened to fall, their experience guided Nepal to 99 for six, when Chhetry was out. It was left to Barma to guide the team to a five-wicket win with only three deliveries to spare.

Nepal’s delight was the UAE’s heartbreak. The only question which remained in the tournament was could Nepal also beat the powerful Thailand side that had been dominant for the past decade and more?

Nattaya Boochatham has been one of the players at the heart of Thailand’s success with both bat and ball. Younger players, such as her opening partner, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi, are being introduced. She helped Thailand reach 34 in the powerplay as they again tried to establish a solid base. It was not until the thirteenth over that Aphisara was out for 29 in an opening partnership of 75.

Boochatham reached her second fifty in T20Is from 40 balls and Nannapat Khoncharoenkai started well as Thailand were 98 for 1 off fifteen overs. Khonchcharoenkai hit a trio of boundaries before Boochatham was caught at deep mid-wicket, Thailand losing a second wicket on 111.

Twelve runs were added in the 17th and 18th overs. Khoncharoenkai hit another pair of boundaries in the 19th over to move on to 48 and, after Natthakan Chantam hit two fours, Khoncharoenkai reached her seventh T20I fifty in 28 balls. The final total was 158 for 2, which is Thailand’s third best in T20Is.

Although eleven runs were scored off the first over, Nepal never got to grips with the chase, falling to 16 for 2 after four overs. This situation worsened when Onnicha Kamchomphu bowled the Nepal captain, Indu Barna. A score of 30 for three became 34 for four and 54 for five after fifteen overs. In the nineteenth over, Kamchomphu broke the back of Nepal’s innings with a hat-trick, culminating in impressive figures of four for eleven in four overs. Despite resistance from Rubina Chhetry, Nepal scored only 80 for the loss of nine wickets after 20 overs.

Throughout the tournament Thailand reasserted its superiority. Nannapat Khoncharoenkai was named player of the match for her brilliant fifty and she also won the player of the tournament award. Thiphatcha Putthawong was given the bowler of the tournament award with eight wickets and Esha Osha was awarded the batter of the tournament award with 175 runs.

Osha was disappointed with her dismissal in the match against Nepal, as a few more runs scored by the UAE may have been too many for Nepal to chase successfully. She felt the loss to Nepal had wasted two years of cricket for the UAE. This is likely to be only a temporary setback. Nepal’s never give up attitude should be a lesson to all.

UAE will have ODI cricket to look forward to for the first time. The countries ranked between twelve and sixteen at this level in the world rankings all want to play 50-over cricket and the UAE will have further opportunities to play more competitive T20 cricket as well. Osha is a fine player at this level and should be able to lead UAE to renewed success in women’s cricket. There is much to look forward to for each of the Super 3 teams.