Day: October 10, 2022

Dubai, October 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):Scotland will aim to make another slice of history at the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

They reached the Super 12 stage of the tournament for the first time in 2021 with landmark victories over Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea and Oman.

It was a major breakthrough on their fourth appearance on the biggest stage of them all and they will aim to keep the ball rolling in Australia.

2022 prospects

Scotland have only played two T20 internationals since the last staging of the Men’s T20 World Cup.

Their bowling attack was flayed to all parts of the Grange in Edinburgh by New Zealand as they fell short of towering run-chases of 254 and 225.

Shane Burger’s side have excelled with five wins in their last six matches in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, building valuable momentum albeit in the 50-over format.

They will aim to make the most of warm-up matches against Netherlands and UAE to avoid being undercooked in the shortest form of the game.

Unlike in Oman, the first-round draw has not been overly kind to Scotland with West Indies, Ireland and Zimbabwe providing formidable opposition.

T20 World Cup history

Scotland had only won one Men’s T20 World Cup match before a trio of triumphs last year.

That came in the group stage of the 2016 tournament as they beat Hong Kong by eight wickets under the Duckworth Lewis Method.

They were part of the first two editions of the showpiece in 2007 and 2009, dealt two defeats on both occasions.

Best batters

Much will rest on the experience and expertise of captain Richie Berrington at number four.

The 35-year-old hasn’t missed a T20 international since February 2010, an unbroken run of 72 consecutive appearances which is an all-time world record. Berrington hit two half-centuries in 2021 and scored 177 runs.

Ebullient opener George Munsey, who strikes at 144 in T20 international cricket, is well-equipped to get the Scots off to fast starts.

Best bowlers

Quicks Brad Wheal and Josh Davey were absent for the home series against the Black Caps and their return to the squad will be most welcome.

Awkward left-arm spinner Mark Watt, a frontline bowler for Derbyshire in English county cricket, will be Berrington’s best option for taking key wickets in the middle overs.

Fixtures

The Bellerive Oval in Hobart is home for all of Scotland’s Group B games in the First Round, starting against two-time West Indies on October 17.

Next up are Ireland on October 19 followed by Zimbabwe on October 21.

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 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):Australia captain Aaron Finch has been handed an official reprimand for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the first T20I against England in Perth on Sunday.

Finch was found to have breached Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “use of an audible obscenity during an International Match.”

In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Finch’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period.

The incident occurred in the ninth over of England’s innings, when Finch used inappropriate language which was picked up by the stump microphone.

Finch admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by David Boon of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Sam Nogajski and Donovan Koch, third umpire Phil Gillespie and fourth umpire Shawn Craig levelled the charge.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

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 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):Zimbabwe are back at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Having missed last year’s event in the UAE and Oman, they will return to the big stage for the first time since 2016.

Powered by in-form all-rounder Sikandar Raza, Dave Houghton’s side will hope to make a big impression in their fifth ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign.

2022 prospects

Zimbabwe used home advantage to full effect to seal their spot in Australia. The Chevrons dominated the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier B in Bulawayo, winning five games on the bounce with a series of commanding performances.

They were consistently able to access first-innings totals towards 200 and when the batters faltered, the bowling unit stepped up. That was keenly felt in the final when Zimbabwe were bowled out for 132 but then proceeded to skittle the Dutch for 95 to take overall victory in the Qualifier.

Earlier this year they showed promising signs in a 3-0 T20I series defeat to Afghanistan and would have been disappointed to be edged 3-2 in the series against African rivals Namibia.

Houghton is bullish on his side’s prospects of navigating the First Round, where they face a tricky draw in the shape of two-time winners West Indies, Ireland and Scotland.

T20 World Cup history

Zimbabwe’s first act at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007 saw them pull off one of the most famous upsets in the event’s history.

Prosper Utseya’s side turned over a star-studded Australia, crowned ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup champions in 2003, by five wickets in an incredible match at Newlands.

Elton Chigumbura did the damage with the ball, accounting for both Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, before Brendan Taylor’s unbeaten 60 saw them to victory.

Zimbabwe won two games for the first time in India in 2016, seeing off Hong Kong and Scotland, albeit defeat to Afghanistan put paid to their Super 12 chances.

Best batters

Raza is one of the form players in white-ball international cricket this year, named Player of the Tournament in the Qualifier.

Playing in the middle order, the 36-year-old’s strike rate in the shortest form of the game has risen from 106.93 to 152.21 in a matter of months.

His fine form in the ODI format saw him lead Zimbabwe to a home series win over Pakistan in August, their first 50-over series win over a major nation in five years.

Raza will look for skipper Craig Ervine, returning from a hamstring injury, to lay a platform in the powerplay and then dominate the opposing attack in the middle overs.

Best bowlers

A number of Zimbabwe’s frontline bowlers have shaken off injuries to make the 15-strong squad for Australia.

Tendai Chatara (collarbone), Wellington Masakadza (shoulder tendon) and Blessing Muzarabani (thigh) are all back in the fold in the nick of time.

Whether they are coming in undercooked remains to be seen, but the seam battery may need some help from spin-bowling all-rounder Ryan Burl and Raza’s handy off-spin.

Fixtures

With Group B games all taking place at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval, Zimbabwe begin against Ireland on 17 October.

They face West Indies on 19 October before their First Round ends against Scotland on 21 October.

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