Month: October 2021

Dubai, October 30, 2021 (PPI-OT):Namibia have left no stone unturned in planning to deal with Afghanistan’s deadly spin trio, according to batter Craig Williams.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup debutants beat Scotland by four wickets in their opening game, making a confident start to the Super 12 stage.

Now they need to do what so many batting line-ups have failed to do, which is to tame Afghan twirlers Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi.

“We’ve put in extreme amounts of analysis into the opposition and we’ve worked on individual game plans,” said Williams.

“So I think sitting where we are now tonight, we’re in a really good place. Anything could happen in T20 cricket, we know that.

“We’ve played Afghanistan, many, many times in the past. We know what they can do.

“So it’s just about on the day being able to handle our nerves and execute the plans to put in place.

“So, in terms of playing spin, we’re extremely confident against spin. It’s just a matter of being able to execute your plan on the day against the best in the world because that’s who we’re playing against.”

Williams set the tone for Namibia’s win in their opening game, hitting a measured 23 in a successful chase of 110.

With the ball, Ruben Trumpelmann proved the value of left-arm pace with a superb spell of three for 17 to break the back of the Scottish batting line-up.

Their opponents Afghanistan, who they face at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, need to pick themselves up off the canvas in Group 1.

They came close to defend 148 against Pakistan, eventually falling by five wickets with the target chased down with an over to spare.

Nabi’s side have appeared at the tournament five times but never gone past the Super 10 stage. Naveen-Ul-Haq remains confident of them doing so.

“I think the table is right open, other than Pakistan who have already confirmed their spot in the semifinals,” he said.

“There are three teams that will be fighting for that spot because India has played one and lost one. And New Zealand has played one and lost one.

“We’ll be having a great contest, great matchup coming up with them in a week’s time.

“So you can’t say much at the moment who will be qualifying or who is not. It’s only Pakistan who have made it through. But there is still one spot.”

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, October 30, 2021 (PPI-OT):Forget the weather – Dubai and Birmingham have more in common than you think.

Both second cities, both with large South Asian communities, both providing the stage for England’s Chris Woakes to torment Australia at an ICC mega event.

In the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2019, Woakes ripped through their top-order and reduced them to 14 for three as England romped home by eight wickets.

At the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, Woakes ripped through their top-order and reduced them to 15 for three as England romped home by eight wickets.

The story hasn’t changed and neither has Woakes, underrated by all other than those who have to face him, moving the ball both ways and owning prime real estate on a good length.

The scary thing is that England went six years without using him in a T20 international.

Before Eoin Morgan brought him back into the side to face Sri Lanka in June, Woakes hadn’t played a T20I since November 2015, against Pakistan in Sharjah.

In the absence of Jofra Archer and with Mark Wood out injured, Woakes is now indispensable.

David Warner’s form has fluctuated across formats in recent years, but 65 against Sri Lanka suggested the southpaw could start to embark on a run of form heading into this Ashes clash.

Enter Woakes in the second over. The 32-year-old found the seam and brought the ball away from Warner, who tried to open the face but could only feather through to Buttler, gone for one.

With the next ball he beat Steven Smith all ends up, taking the ball practically off the face of his bat with late movement and then nearly trapping the No.3 in front two deliveries later.

You simply couldn’t keep the Birmingham native out of the game as he was the man to take a simple catch that Smith looped to mid-on off the bowling of Chris Jordan in the third over.

Things were bleak but far from irretrievable for Australia at 11 for two but they needed Woakes to cut them some slack. Fat chance.

Glenn Maxwell played down the wrong line and Woakes did the rest with another that seamed prodigiously and would have uprooted leg stump had it not rapped the pad.

It is a truism of modern cricket that early wickets in the powerplay is the only way to contain scoring. Par scores are low in this tournament, but this fact hasn’t changed.

England’s is a Swiss army knife of a bowling attack, giving them the edge in almost any match-up.

Moeen Ali, who did the damage in their first two wins over West Indies and Bangladesh, wasn’t even used here, presumably in deference to Aaron Finch’s prowess against off-spin.

They instead used Liam Livingstone’s full allocation as he switched between off and leg-spin practically between deliveries, whether he was bowling to right or left handers.

It was suggested before the match in some quarters that Chris Jordan may have to make way for Wood when he returns to full fitness.

Jordan gave a timely reminder of his value, getting the crucial wicket of stoical Finch in the penultimate over to prevent Australia’s total swelling to approach 150.

It looked like 200 wouldn’t have been enough with Jos Buttler in the kind of form that saw him thump an incredible unbeaten 71 from 32 balls.

With three sixes travelling more than 90 metres, Buttler was at his brutal best and it was one of his great innings.

England, of course, went on to win the Cricket World Cup two years ago after beating Australia.

In this form, that saw them dismantle their arch rivals with more than eight overs to spare, it’s hard to see anything but the same name on that trophy.

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, October 30, 2021 (PPI-OT):England delivered a complete team performance to thump Australia by eight wickets and stamp their authority on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.

Eoin Morgan’s side chose to field and took four wickets in the powerplay for the second time in the tournament, reducing Australia to 21 for four with Chris Woakes the chief tormentor.

Due solely to 44 from skipper Aaron Finch, Australia set a target of 126 which England overhauled with ease, thanks to an incredible display of power and poise from Jos Buttler.

Buttler clubbed a brutal 71 from 32 balls, with five fours and five sixes to lead England home with 8.2 overs remaining.

Despite opting against using the off-spin of Moeen Ali up front as they did against the West Indies and Bangladesh, England sent Australia spiralling to nine for two.

David Warner couldn’t continue the form he showed against Sri Lanka, nicking the insistent seam of Chris Woakes to Buttler with the eighth ball of the game.

With the first delivery of the second over, Chris Jordan got one to stop on Steven Smith outside off stump and he looped a catch to that man Woakes at mid-on.

The early carnage was a mirror of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup semi-finals in 2019, when a Woakes-inspired England reduced their rivals to 14 for three at Edgbaston.

No batter strikes at a higher rate against a single opponent than Aaron Finch, who started the game having taken England for 550 runs at 175.

The opener was given nothing to work with after he hit an overpitched Rashid delivery for four in the first over.

Finch and Matthew Wade embarked on a painstaking rebuild, faced with leg-spin from Rashid and Liam Livingstone which is far from the favourite fare of the Australian captain.

The busy keeper-batter struck Australia’s second boundary of the innings in the 10th over, cutting Rashid for four, then flaying Tymal Mills to the third man fence.

The fifth wicket stand was at 30 when Livingstone followed three quicker deliveries by giving one some air, forcing Wade to chip to Jason Roy at long-on, departing for 18 to make it 51 for five.

Finch remained amid the chaos and took a liking to Mills, hitting him for back-to-back boundaries and then throwing his hands at a wide one from Jordan for four through point.

Woakes returned and conceded 20 runs in the 17th over, his last. Ashton Agar carted him for six over the leg side and then over long-on as the Australians rallied.

But another clump of wickets fell in a frenetic spell. First, Agar pulled Mills to midwicket before Pat Cummins struck successive sixes.

Jordan then got the crucial wicket of Finch as Jonny Bairstow dived forward to take a brilliant catch at long-off, then Cummins was clean bowl by a yorker for 12.

England made a blistering start to the chase with Buttler and Roy ruthlessly in picking up anything slightly short of a length.

Roy made a trademark stride down the pitch and clubbed Cummins for a 92-metre six over wide long-on and as if to try to match him, Buttler sent an Agar delivery 91 metres over long-off.

A brutal display of hitting from Buttler had only just begun, nearly launching Mitchell Starc out of the Dubai International Stadium twice with towering sixes over long-on.

Starc went for 18 in his first over and was the target again as Buttler drove him over mid-off and then smacked him over midwicket.

Then the 31-year-old took aim at Zampa, whose leg-spin then disappeared down the arc and was reverse swept for four to make it 97-1 off the last ball of the ninth.

Malan nicked Agar behind but it was one-way traffic late on, Bairstow smacking two sixes off Zampa before hitting the winning run to point, wrapping up a superb victory.

England sit top of Group 1 with three wins from three, while Australia are third.

Scores in Brief

England beat Australia at Dubai International Stadium by eight wickets

Australia 125 all out in 20 overs (Aaron Finch 44; Chris Jordan 3-17, Chris Woakes 2-23)

England 126/2 in 11.4 overs (Jos Buttler 71 not out; Ashton Agar 1-15)

Player of the Match: Chris Jordan (England)

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, October 30, 2021 (PPI-OT):Jos Buttler isn’t just propelling England through the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, he’s changing the way the game is played.

That’s the view of his captain Eoin Morgan, who watched on gleefully as the opener made a brutal unbeaten 71 and his side beat Australia by eight wickets.

The innings was highlighted by 23 runs scored over long-on, including three towering sixes through that region that all travelled more than 90 metres.

Morgan marvelled over Buttler, who hit five fours and five sixes in the 32-ball masterclass, and highlighted the impact he’s having on the entire sport.

“I think he’s certainly one of our players — there are a few of them, that are at the forefront of change in the game,” said Morgan.

“He’s one of the best players in the game but yet he’s still trying to improve his game and get better against every single bowler that he faces.

“It’s not just targeting bowlers that might suit him, it’s every bowler.

“When you’ve got guys that are at the forefront of change within the game and like positive change, taking-the-game-forward type stuff, it says a lot about the guy.”

Buttler starred with the bat but it was England’s superb display with ball in hand – for the third game in a row – that laid the foundations for a landmark victory.

Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan helped reduce Australia to 21-4, before Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone turned the screw in the middle overs.

Jordan came back to take two wickets in two balls, including getting rid of Finch for a determined 44.

Morgan didn’t use Moeen Ali in the first six overs, as he did to great effect in England’s first two victories.

“It’s just a reflection on my captaincy,” the England skipper said of the decision.
“The matchups at the time didn’t suit. They do suit for some of the Australian players, but they were already dismissed, and I thought that worked really well.

“Moeen is quite a relaxed guy and knows the role that he plays both before the game and during the game. That’s always communicated across all of the bowling unit.

“We try and adapt and talk about what might work on the wicket against different players, and today unfortunately he wasn’t needed.”

Finch was unambiguous about the fact that it was those early wickets that led to his side’s downfall.

Some suggested that the decision to select Ashton Agar over Mitchell Marsh left Australia short in the batting department.

“All credit to England in that powerplay, the way that they squeezed us, kept taking wickets,” said Finch.

“Obviously when you go in with specialist batters that probably is going to leave you a little bit short at times. It’s not an ideal scenario when you go in with that structured team.

“The reason Agar was in there was we felt it was a really good matchup for England. His ability to bowl in the powerplay and through the middle overs in the past against England has been really good.

“We just thought that that was the way to go tonight. It was not a reflection on how Mitch has been going at all. It was purely just a matchup thing for this game. It was unfortunate we didn’t get the job done.”

Finch’s side face Bangladesh and West Indies next as they bid to emerge from Group 1.

“They’re definitely must-wins,” he said.

“I think the net run rate took a hammering tonight. We’re going to have to be at our best again.

“Bangladesh are a very, very good side and so are the West Indies, a lot of firepower in their team, a lot of experience. It’s must-win from now on, but we’re looking forward to it.”

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, October 30, 2021 (PPI-OT):After a crucial win over Sri Lanka, player of the match Tabraiz Shamsi says that South Africa are here to win the ICC Men’s World T20 2021.

With both sides likely needing a victory to keep their qualification hopes alive, South Africa edged the Lions in a tight finish, winning by four wickets off the penultimate ball.

And Shamsi, who took three for 17 to restrict Sri Lanka to 142, believes all the team are working to deliver the trophy back to South Africa.

“We’re here to try and win a World Cup for the country, and I want to try and personally contribute as much as I can every game,” said Shamsi.

“My previous game wasn’t as good as I wanted, just working with a bit of a niggle. I really wanted to do something special for the bowling unit, every single guy is doing a job for the team.

“There’s a different guy doing the job for the team every game, and today was my day. Dwaine Pretorius, Kagi, Kesh, as well, everyone that takes a ball in their hand, they’re doing a great job.”

“Obviously, there’s a World Cup to be won, and how can you not be passionate?”

For Sri Lanka, they are now unlikely to qualify from Group 1 of the Super 12s having lost to the Proteas and Australia, despite a win over Bangladesh.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who was out for a duck, reflected on the loss: “It’s really emotional as a team because we are a very young team.

“I think we have the most inexperienced side taking part in the tournament. As a team who was not doing that well in the past few months, we have grown so well together.

“It’s very emotional, again, but hats off and credit goes to Miller, you know. He’s a world-class finisher, and we knew what he could do…I think it’s a learning curve for us, and we will come back strong. “

David Miller crashed two sixes in the final over when South Africa needed 15 to win to guide the Proteas to victory, with Kagiso Rabada hitting a four to win the game.

Miller’s heroics came after Pathum Nissanka had scored his highest T20I score of 72 despite not having a consistent partner in Sri Lanka’s innings.

Rajapaksa said: “Hats off to Pathum Nissanka for holding on the inning as batting was not up to standard, but the wicket wasn’t helping the batsmen, as well.”

“It’s a great effort that Pathum Nissanka batted until the 18th, 17th over and scored 72 runs, a very crucial knock for us.”

Wanindu Hasaranga took a hat-trick in a losing cause as he laid down the gauntlet to Shamsi who is ranked one place above him in the ICC MRF Tyres T20I bowling rankings.

The batting all-rounder said: “Being No. 2 in the ICC rankings, he shows what sort of class he had been carrying for the past few years, and he’s a very important part of the team, especially with the ball, but he could be a proper batsman. He’s a proper all-rounder.

“I think we could see something better, and he will be very valuable in the future, as well, for Sri Lanka again.”

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, October 30, 2021 (PPI-OT):South Africa claimed a tense four-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final over to keep their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup hopes alive.

Pathum Nissanka led Sri Lanka’s charge making 72 as South Africa took regular wickets to restrict the Lions to 142 all out.

Hasaranga halted South Africa’s steady progress taking a hat-trick to reduce them to 112 for six but David Miller provided the heroics to knock Sri Lanka out.

South Africa won the toss and chose to field making one change as Quinton de Kock was restored to the side in place of Heinrich Klaasen.

It was a tale of two overs for Nortje, castling Kusal Perera in his first over before conceding 13 off his second to see Sri Lanka make 39 for one in the powerplay.

With Charith Asalanka in, Sri Lanka started to increase their run rate, he and Nissanka smashing Maharaj for sixes before Asalanka was run out thanks to smart fielding by Kagiso Rabada and de Kock.

His replacement, Bhanuka Rajapakse, was as tame as Asalanka was brave, sending Tabraiz Shamsi wheeling away in celebration after an easy caught and bowled.

Avishka Fernando fell in much the same way as Rajapakse, although this time Shamsi was down on his knees having reduced Sri Lanka to 77 for four.

As opener Nissanka neared his half-century he could not find a partner willing to stick with him – Hasaranga forced to go, caught on four by a diving Aiden Markram – but Nissanka finally got his half-century, coming off 46 balls to claim his second T20I fifty.

Despite being sent for two fours, Dwaine Pretorius continued with his wide of off stump deliveries, finally reaping his reward as Rabada caught Dasun Shanaka down low to again stifle Sri Lanka.

Nissanka could not hang on until the end falling for 72 off 58, his highest T20I score, as Sri Lanka ended on 142 all out, Kumara run out on the final ball.

Reeza Hendricks and de Kock made a tidy start to the chase before Hendricks was given out lbw which was upheld on review.

De Kock followed two balls later top-edging straight to the bowler Dushmantha Chameera to leave South Africa on 26 for two.

Like in the Sri Lanka innings, the number three was run out, this time Rassie van der Dussen was left stranded due to miscommunication from captain Temba Bavuma as the Proteas slipped to 49-3.

With half the innings gone, South Africa were five runs behind Sri Lanka at 62-3 but Bavuma and Markram were building a useful partnership.

The pair added 47 before Markram had to go for 19 off 20 having been clean bowled by Hasaranga.

From his next delivery, two overs later, Hasaranga took the crucial wicket of Bavuma who departed for a run-a-ball 46, and then he got his hat-trick.

Pretorius holed out to long on and Hasaranga set off in celebration, no one could stop him, at least no South African.

Rabada survived an lbw review off the next ball before smacking Chameera for six in the next over, leaving South Africa needing 15 off the final over with Kumara bowling it.

After conceding a single to Rabada, David Miller teed off hitting back-to-back sixes and then the winning runs as South Africa snuck home.

Scores in Brief

South Africa beat Sri Lanka at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah by four wickets.

Sri Lanka 142 all out in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 72, Charith Asalanka 21; Dwayne Pretorius 3-17, Tabraiz Shamsi 3-17)

South Africa 146/6 in 19.5 overs (Temba Bavuma 46, David Miller 23 not out; Wanindu Hasaranga 3/20, Dushmantha Chameera 2/27)

Player of the Match: Tabraiz Shamsi (South Africa)

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com