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Salman Agha to lead Pakistan in T20Is against New Zealand

In the forthcoming five-match series against New Zealand, Salman Agha will captain Pakistan's Twenty20 International team. Former T20I World No. 1 Babar Azam and regular white-ball captain Muhammad Rizwan are also removed from the roster. Despite Pakistan's dismal tri-series and Champions Trophy performances, Rizwan will remain the ODI captain for the multi-format tour, with Agha serving as his deputy.

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup in India next year and the Asia Cup in September 2025 are the two major T20 competitions that the Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to focus on, hence they have appointed Agha as captain of the T20I team. The previous time Agha captained his nation, he guided the team to a 2-1 series triumph against Zimbabwe. Legspinner Shadab Khan, who last represented Pakistan in the Men's T20 World Cup in the shortest format last year, has been returned to the team and appointed vice-captain.

Three uncapped players—Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Muhammad Ali—have been added to Pakistan's T20I squad in an effort to recognize domestic achievements. Nawaz finished as the second-highest run scorer in the Champions T20 Cup with 312 runs, while Samad scored 115 runs, hitting at 166.67. With 22 wickets, Ali was the tournament's top wicket-taker. Shaheen Afridi, who missed the December series against South Africa, returns to the T20I team.

Alongside uncapped Akif Javed, Ali has also been called up to the ODI squad. In five Champions ODI Cup matches, the latter claimed seven wickets.

Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman, meanwhile, were not taken into consideration for selection because of medical advise. While Ayub is sidelined because of a fractured right ankle acquired during the Test match against South Africa in Cape Town back in January, Zaman is still recuperating from a strain of his left lower intercostal muscle sustained during Pakistan's Champions Trophy opener. After the T20I series, the ODI team will also have a new batter/wicketkeeper.

From March 16 to April 5, Pakistan will play three ODIs and five T20Is against New Zealand.

Pakistan squads for New Zealand tour

T20I team: Khushdil Shah, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan, Salman Ali Agha (captain), and Shadab Khan (vice-captain). The ODI team consists of Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufyan Moqim, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, and Muhammad Rizwan as captain and Salman Ali Agha as vice-captain.

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Jason Behrendorff ends 16-year WA career with state retirement

Quick left arm After 16 years with Western Australia, Jason Behrendorff has announced his retirement from state cricket. However, he will keep playing on the T20 franchise circuit, where he has had a lot of success.

Behrendorff, who turns 35 in April, has participated in 17 Twenty20 Internationals, the most recent of which was against the West Indies in Perth a year ago. As a result, he is still eligible for national selection. In 2019–22, he also participated in 12 ODIs.

After finishing as the BBL's top wicket-taker at the end of the previous season, he signed a three-year contract with the Melbourne Renegades and left the Perth Scorchers to retire. During his 13-year, 106-game tenure with the Scorchers, he won four BBL titles.

"It is the end of one chapter which has been a really exciting one," Behrendorff declared following his retirement announcement on Wednesday. "I've had a great time. Playing state cricket and later playing for Australia has allowed me to fulfill a boyhood dream. I've lived at the WACA ground for a very long time.

Behrendorff, who was born and raised in Canberra, joined WA at the age of 19, and he immediately established himself as a vital member of their assault in all forms. He finished seventh on WA's all-time record with five One-Day Cup victories and 75 wickets. At the start of the current season, he had his final List A performance.

Despite having a brief Shield career and playing during WA's protracted title drought, Behrendorff turned arguably one of the best performances in the history of the game in 2017 when he took 9 for 37 in Victoria's opening innings at the WACA. Terry Alderman's 14 for 87 match haul is the only one that surpasses his 14 for 89 total, which was the second-best numbers by a bowler from Western Australia.

Behrendorff has been viewed as a possible Test replacement for Mitchell Johnson before to his miserable string of injuries. Behrendorff was a desirable option due to his impressive swing with the new ball and his ungainly bounce. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall.

In the shorter forms, he was constantly on the periphery for Australia. In a 64-run victory over eventual champions England at Lord's in the 2019 World Cup, he took five wickets, which was the high point of his international career.

Although Behrendorff does not currently have any intentions for a T20 franchise, he ought to be in high demand. He had previously played for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL for a few seasons. In 2023, he had an exceptional season with 14 wickets. However, he had a strange leg injury while batting during training last year, which unfortunately ended his chances of returning to MI on the eve of the event.

Behrendorff participated in the most recent SA20 season, taking two wickets in three games for the Pretoria Capitals.

Behrendorff intends to spend more time with his family after he retires from franchise cricket. He claimed that it was a major factor in his choice to retire. "I want to remain at home and be there for my children, even though I know I'm away on business trips, franchise leagues, and other obligations. Specifically, school pickup and drop-off services. To be able to spend more time with my wife, Juvelle, and do the things I don't always get to do … to be able to spend more time with my family."

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Najmul Hossain backs Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah despite failures in must-win game

Despite Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah's lackluster performance in the team's crucial Champions Trophy encounter against New Zealand, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain has defended the veteran players.

Following a five-wicket loss to New Zealand in their second group-stage encounter, Bangladesh, who had lost their initial match against India by six wickets, were eliminated from the competition.

Returning to the starting lineup following a calf muscle injury, Mahmudullah fell short of expectations, managing only four runs and Mushfiqur just two.

Bangladesh appeared poised to post a competitive total at 97/3, and it was up to the senior pair to play deep. But they were humiliated by their defeat, particularly when youthful Towhid Hridoy left the field while trying to take an aggressive stance against off-spinner Michael Bracewell.

Bracewell made Bangladesh pay dearly for their shot selection as he ripped through the middle order, taking 4 for 26.

Mushfiqur, who had hit 26*, 37*, 1, and 0 in his previous innings prior to the New Zealand match, lost while attempting to attack. Mushfiqur last achieved an ODI fifty in March 2024 against Sri Lanka. When Bracewell threw a delivery outside the off-stump, he attempted a long slog-sweep but was only able to find Rachin Ravindra at deep mid-wicket.

Mahmudullah, who had amassed four fifties in his previous four ODI innings, was then expected to keep the ship afloat. His departure, meanwhile, was as disappointing. William O'Rourke made a routine catch after he got a thick edge to short third man while sprinting down the wicket in an attempt to clear the ropes.

Many felt that the older players were automatically selected regardless of their form, therefore they were surprised when Soumya Sarkar was dropped to make room for Mahmudullah and the unproductive Mushfiqur. But Najmul didn't agree.

Najmul responded, "There is no automatic choice in this team," when asked if senior cricket players were seen as essential.

Riyad (Mahmudullah) bhai bats in the bottom middle order, whereas Soumya bats at the top. We would have had to frequently rearrange our batting order if Soumya had played. Since Riyad bhai batted well in his last four or five innings, it was essential that he play. He clarified that Riyad bhai was significant.

"And because Mushfiq bhai's keeping is so crucial, I wasn't concerned about his final five innings. His contributions to the team have been evident over the years. He may have struggled in the final three innings, but he can bounce back in the next game," he continued.

"I don't want to have a different opinion of the two seniors. We didn't play the game well as a team. Since they are seniors, it is not necessary to have really high expectations. As a batting group, we didn't play well," he remarked.

Bangladesh struggled because so many wickets fell in the middle overs, Najmul noted, and used 179 dot balls during the innings.

"We could have batted against Bracewell more effectively, in my opinion. We chose some bad shots, as I mentioned. We wouldn't have lost so many wickets if we had prepared better against him. "He bowled well, of course, but there was some bad execution," Najmul said.

We lost a wicket or two every five to ten overs, though, if you look at the dot balls today. Batsmen find it challenging to rotate the strike as a result. This wouldn't have occurred if we had established two significant alliances," he continued.

Najmul said he was disappointed by Bangladesh's early elimination and emphasized the necessity for a shift in strategy, particularly in terms of regularly reaching 300-plus totals.

"I believe that we must excel in every department. We bat well in the middle on certain days and at the top on others. We field well on some days. It is a disorganized situation. We can perform well in competitions like this and against strong opponents if we can play as a team," he stated.

"As a captain, it's really disheartening. We have performed admirably in the bowling unit during the past two years. Our fast bowlers and spinners are of high caliber. We finally have the wrist-spinner we've always desired. But we need to get much better as a batting and fielding team. We continue to make the same mistakes, as I have stated numerous times. We really need to focus on how to improve our batting. I hope after this tournament, we will make some changes in our approach and think differently about how to improve our batting," he added.

Regarding adjustments, I'm not referring to switching players. We must alter the way we think, how we support the team, and how we assume responsibility when we bat. It gets challenging for them if we keep switching up our lineup, playing one batsman one day and another the next. We must accept responsibility and support our resources. When it comes to responsibility, there is a divide," he stated.

Najmul said that the team was not under any additional pressure because of Bangladesh's declared intention to win the Champions Trophy. Rather, he contended that having big dreams is crucial.

"No, that's not how I think. All of the team members came here with the goal of winning. How can we play if we don't have great dreams? We came here with the goal of winning, not simply competing. Our team likes to dream big, even though the outcome didn't work out. Dreaming by itself won't help, though; we must strive for that goal. We still have a match left, so we need to concentrate on how to do well there even though it didn't happen in this tournament," he said. On February 27, in Rawalpindi, Bangladesh will play their final group-stage match against Pakistan to wrap up their Champions Trophy campaign. Given their age and present performance, their inability to realize their dream may also signal the end of their older campaigners' involvement in ICC tournaments.

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Bangladesh vs New Zealand, 6th Match, Group A prediction

New Zealand (NZ) will meet Bangladesh (BAN) in the sixth Champions Trophy 2025 match. On February 24 at 2:30 PM IST, this game will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Here are the Khelojito predictions, the fantasy cricket advice, the pitch report, the top player selections, and the best-predicted starting lineups for the match's fantasy contests before the game.

BAN vs NZ 6th Match Details

Date: Monday, February 24, 2025

Time: 2:30 PM IST

Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Match prediction: https://skybets.live/

Bangladesh vs New Zealand Pitch Report

Historically, the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium's pitch has been favorable for batting. The track's consistent bounce and tempo let hitters play freely and get the most out of their shots. On this track, though, the pacers could be useful since they might receive some assistance from the new ball.

Bangladesh vs New Zealand Weather Report

During the game, overcast conditions are anticipated. But according to AccuWeather, there is no danger of rain, and the match's peak temperature will be about 24°C.

BAN vs NZ Predicted Playing XI

Bangladesh: Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Jaker Ali (wk), Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Rishad Hossain, and Nahid Rana

New Zealand: Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Tom Latham (wk), Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry, Nathan Smith, and William O'Rourke

Bangladesh vs New Zealand Winning Prediction – Who Will Win?

New Zealand has won every game they have played in Pakistan thus far, and they are in scorching form. Their bowlers are grabbing important wickets, while their batters are scoring a lot of runs. Bangladesh, on the other hand, needed to perform considerably better to remain in the competition after struggling against India.

New Zealand is the clear favorite to win this game because of their potent team and winning streak!

Prediction: New Zealand to win

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Business as usual as Mohammed Shami is back with a bang

Around October 2021. At the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS), India lost a T20 World Cup match to Pakistan handily. Mohammed Shami became the scapegoat for the loss and was suddenly called derogatory names. Online hostility and abuse against him became immediate and violent.

After then, captain Virat Kohli had to defend him, but it continued for a while. Political leaders of all stripes showed support for Shami, but he mostly said nothing. He made a strong remark at the same location on Thursday, February 20.

"The past cannot be changed. You will undoubtedly be reminded often of the poor performances by others. However, I believe that you do not have to return as a sportsman or cricket player. "You must have a strategy for the future and live in the now," Shami advised.

The real statement, of course, came from his deeds rather than his words. The veteran pacer led India to a decisive victory in their Champions Trophy opening encounter against Bangladesh with a superb fast bowling effort, finishing with remarkable statistics of 5 for 53.

It is unclear if his performance satisfied his critics, but it certainly helped him rise to the top of the Indian wicket-takers rankings in ICC ODI competitions. In international ODI competitions, Shami (60 wickets) overtook Zaheer Khan (59 wickets) as India's top wicket-taker. He also reached 202 wickets in ODIs, which was a noteworthy personal milestone.

"We are thrilled for Shami. It is been a long wait. We are aware of his qualities and what he contributes to us. Following Shami's five-for, which down Bangladesh's total to 229, captain Rohit Sharma remarked, "Every time we pitch the ball at him, he is got something." The captain expressed his desire to see Shami wearing Indian colors the day before the match. More than anything else, all we wanted with Shami was to return in those Indian colors. At that moment, it made little difference to us whether he took wickets or not. We desired that he return to playing for India.

Shami has just recovered from a 14-month injury-related break during which he underwent heel surgery on his Achilles tendon. His potential to regain his best form—the Shami of the 2023 World Cup, where he had been the most successful bowler—was questioned after the surgery and the prolonged hiatus.

"Everyone wants that form to persist. However, how long is that form likely to last? How much time can you spend in that state? Nobody has anything to say about that. I always inquire as to whether you are happy with the role you have been assigned. That is what I always look for in my role. And this is what I always attempt to accomplish. In ICC events, it is acceptable if my ball is hit a little, but if I take a wicket, my team will benefit. When asked how far he is from his prime, he responded, "I often worry about this," referring to his bowling.

India needed Shami's experience and skill in the Champions Trophy campaign without Jasprit Bumrah, and based on his bowling on Thursday, he is definitely giving them optimism. Even though he may not have performed at his best, his bowling's main advantages—run-up, seam position, seam movement, follow-through, and most importantly, accuracy—seemed to be unaffected.

Shami is basically a rhythm bowler, but once he settles into a routine, he changes into a different player. He is an unusual bowler because of his flawless seam presentation and flawless backspin. His best efforts are typically saved for the ICC events. That was amply demonstrated by his performance on Thursday, which was his seventh five-wicket haul in a worldwide tournament.

His skill and cunning were demonstrated by the five wickets he took against Bangladesh. His first victim, Soumya Sarkar, edged the ball to the wicketkeeper and was out in the first over. That delivery's seam position was superb, reminiscent of the one that caught Shubman Gill in the slips and dismissed Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Taskin Ahmed, his fifth wicket, and Jaker Ali, his third victim, were both tricked by a well-disguised slow delivery. In between, Tanzim Hasan Sakib dragged the ball onto the stumps and was bowled.

Shami did not arrive at this stage easily. He committed himself to repetitious drills at the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he practiced the identical routines day after day for an average of eight hours every day. The national selectors' choice to take their time pushing him into international cricket, especially for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, was the best one he made throughout his comeback. Rather, he participated in a number of domestic cricket contests in all three forms before being granted the chance to play for his country in four bilateral matches against England.

"You are in pain all day, every day. Although it is really challenging, the upside is that I was able to play domestic matches to assess how I have changed over the past 14 months or since the operation, as well as to build confidence and rhythm. Having four international matches to play in addition to eight, nine, and ten domestic matches was excellent for me. I felt quite confident after that," Shami remarked. That gives the Indian team a lot of confidence as well.

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Partnerships key to New Zealand's win on tricky Karachi surface, says Will Young

Will Young emphasized that the secret to New Zealand's strong batting display in the Champions Trophy 2025 opening was concentrating on partnerships after his team defeated hosts Pakistan by 60 runs in Karachi on Wednesday, February 19.

The New Zealand innings included two hundred-run partnerships, with Glenn Phillips making a quick half-century and Young and Latham hitting hundreds to propel the team to 320/5. Salman Agha and Babar Azam's 58-run partnership was Pakistan's highest as New Zealand continued to chip away and won handily.

New Zealand lost Devon Conway and Kane Williamson in short succession after being called to bat, which put them in early danger. They fell to 40/2 and then 73/3. Young and Latham's vital 118-run fourth-wicket partnership, however, gave them stability again. They continued to build on that comeback, concluding their innings with a scorching 125-run partnership between Latham and Phillips off only 74 balls.

Our batting unit discussed forming partnerships throughout our innings. Although we only had a brief partnership with Dev [Devon], we got things going. Regretfully, we lost Kane early and Daryl [Mitchell] shortly after. Tommy and I discussed forming a partnership after Pakistan appeared to get three or four dot balls. Shortly after, we were able to get a boundary, which simply continued the innings' pace. At the post-match news conference, Young stated, "I think we reached our destination after 30 overs, and Tommy and I both thought that the game was in the balance at that moment, 140 odd for 3 after 30 overs."

"To be perfectly honest with you, Tommy and I were aware that we were somewhat behind three. We did not want to get ahead of ourselves by discussing previous results and such. Our goal was to reach 30 overs with three down. "That was our initial objective," Young stated during the press conference held after the game. "I got out after the next phase, which went to the 35th over. However, I was telling the boys that I thought 280 was a very decent total when I came off, and I believe I was out in the 38th over.

"It was challenging if the seamers struck a nice length. The oddball was falling. The spinners from Pakistan also demonstrated that the ball will hold in the surface and turn somewhat when they slowed it down. Additionally, it was skiddy when they fired it a little bit faster. Thus, it was not simple. Additionally, I considered 280 to be a decent score. And it goes without saying that the way Tommy and GP [Glenn Phillips] got things going and ended the innings was just outstanding. And we all thought we were a little ahead of the game when we reached 320. However, as you mention, Pakistan managed to chase down 350 runs on the same pitch. We knew we needed to get out to a strong start, and happily we did, and we were able to maintain it," Young said.

Pakistan lost captain Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel, and their pursuit got off to a slow start as they managed just 22 in the opening 10 overs. New Zealand tightened their hold on the game as Babar Azam was unable to score easily and an injured Fakhar Zaman found it difficult to run. Despite late efforts by Khushdil Shah (69 off 49) and Agha (42 off 28) to turn around the innings, Pakistan was unable to meet the challenging target.

"There was no momentum throughout the entire inning. Forming a cooperation is essential when attempting to reach 320. And with that, you need momentum. It did not work out, then. The wickets continued to fall. We did not play to our full potential. It was a pitch where you could chase approximately 300 runs if you get off to a good start, so we were looking at 270 to 280 runs, or no more than that. However, we were unable to generate momentum since we were unable to get the batting going. We were unable to make the runs because of this," Agha remarked.

Agha and Rizwan played crucial contributions in Pakistan's successful chase of a target of 353 in a tri-series match against South Africa a few days ago. When Agha thought back on that performance, he credited the victory to having a solid platform, something Pakistan did not have in this match. He added that Zaman's injury that prevented him from playing at the beginning had an effect on Pakistan. "The powerplay today differs greatly from the powerplay of that day. Even though we lost two wickets that day, we still scored more than 80 runs. The powerplay is crucial when attempting to reach 320.You may argue that Fakhar's absence was another factor in the powerplay's unplanned outcome. No one on our squad has performed better than Fakhar in the last five to six years, if not more. He is a power player who uses powerplay. We did not even have 30 runs in the powerplay, so it is challenging if we do not have that many," Agha said.

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India vs Bangladesh 2nd match Group A prediction

On Thursday, February 20, India will play Bangladesh in Dubai in the second game of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Bangladesh has lost their last two ODI series against Afghanistan and the West Indies, whereas India is heading into this competition fresh off a 3-0 thumping of England. Bangladesh has omitted Shakib Al Hasan and veteran Liton Das, while India is without the injured Jasprit Bumrah.

IND vs BAN Match 2 ICC Champions Trophy Date and time:

Date: February 20, Thursday

Time: 2:30 PM IST / 09:00 AM GMT / 01:00 PM LOCAL

Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Match prediction: https://skybets.live/

India vs Bangladesh pitch report:

The weather and surface in Dubai provide bowlers with a great deal of help. Since 2018, the average innings score in these ODIs has been 226. While pacers move under the lights, spinners are bought during the day in the hot sun. Because of the dew in the second innings of the game, chasing is the recommended strategy in this situation.

IND vs BAN Weather Report:

When India and Bangladesh face off, the weather forecast predicts a sunny day in Dubai. Throughout the game, the temperature will be in the 20s.

IND vs BAN predicted XIs:

India predicted XI:

Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Rohit Sharma (C)

Bangladesh predicted XI:

Mehidy Hasan, Jaker Ali Anik, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Tanzid Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, and Najmul Hossain (c) India vs Bangladesh Match 2 prediction ICC Champions Trophy: Who will win? India is the clear favorite to defeat Bangladesh in the forthcoming match between India and Bangladesh.

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'Been shuffled too much but never said no. That's my problem'

All eyes will be on Mehidy Hasan Miraz to fill the vacuum left by the renowned all-rounder, Shakib Al Hasan, as he is not participating in the Champions Trophy. While it is unclear if he will bat at number four, Mehidy is adamant that he wants a permanent spot in Bangladesh's 50-over lineup.

Mehidy discusses expectations, captaincy, and his preferred batting position in an exclusive conversation with Skybets.

Excerpts from the interview:

Are you feeling the pressure of the Champions Trophy?

It would be difficult for all of us because we are playing for the Champions Trophy after eight years. When I participated in the campaign (in 2017), I was only beginning to play cricket internationally. Our team at the time included several seasoned players. This time, there will be a few of them, but we must fulfill the duty that was formerly held by the elders. Although we have a lot of responsibilities, we are not under any pressure. Since I have played international cricket for seven to eight years now, I know how a situation unfolds. I just have to focus now. We don't have much time. The BPL recently completed. We didn't get the chance (to train in this style), and there is also a problem of getting rest. Hopefully, though, the experience will be useful.

Do you feel the pressure of replacing Shakib?

When Shakib bhai was here, I performed. I will have greater responsibility and be held to higher standards when it comes to bowling and batting. That is what the team wants me to do. Sincerely, I make an effort to assist both areas as needed by the team. The results may vary from time to time for various reasons, but occasionally it also works. It is critical that each player assume accountability. I play a crucial function. I will do everything in my power. However, perhaps when Shakib bhai was here, I was not under as much pressure. Perhaps it is why I performed well. Since I can't meet the higher standards, I might now face additional jeering. Additionally, if I can perform, I will feel fantastic. I'll do my best for the nation. It takes time to build expectations. Perhaps by performing, I was able to instill it in individuals. There is no way to go back. I hope I can give my 100%.

Can you tell us your favorite batting position?

Look, I do not believe that any player in the Bangladeshi team has been moved about this much like I have. The number of tests conducted on me... Few players, in my opinion, have dealt with that. Do you not believe that I ought to settle for a particular job? The squad will benefit and I will be able to perform successfully. As you can see from the West Indies tour, we put up a strong showing on the scoreboard even though we most likely lost the series. We achieved 290, or 300+. Both the team and I benefited from it. We were unable to prevail on that particular problem.

Regarding having a constant batting position, do you think you are unlucky?

The management's choice is more important than chance. But since I never said "no" for the team's benefit, I am also to blame. If more tests are conducted, I suppose neither the team nor I will benefit.

Do you feel number four in ODIs suits you?

I performed well during the four innings, scoring three scores of 70 or higher. Yes, I may occasionally fail. However, that does not preclude me from succeeding there. Everywhere I have been asked to play, I have proven myself. I believe a choice needs to be made now, and I have informed management that it would likely be best to assign me to a particular role.

Since I will have time there, I would say that number four will be beneficial for me. I am capable of playing that position. Mushfiqur bhai, who played at number four for a while, was a big help to me. He has scored a lot of runs in his seven or eight years as a batsman for Bangladesh, making him one of the best in that position. He and I have discussed how to play there. I believe I have adapted nicely there.

You did well at seven or eight also in ODIs...

I have spent the last seven or eight years playing at number eight. When Shakib bhai was not playing, I most likely played number five for one to one and a half years. I am aware of the pattern there and how to complete a match. I defeated India in one of my few victories at number eight. At number eight, I partnered with Afif (against Afghanistan). There, play is played differently. There is no labor to be done at number eight unless you are in danger, in which case you will have support. It is not like I want it, thus I will not get it if I can embellish the order. The team management has made the decision. A player must be given an opportunity. I can still succeed there even if I lose two or three matches up at the order. To be stable in a position, you must allow time.

Do you think your willingness to accept any role has contributed to your current situation?

I am never able to say no. My issue is that. I have no idea why that occurs. This is true not just in my cricketing life but also in my personal life. I am unable to say no. It is now time to make a choice. I have already had conversations with the President, my coach, and my captain. I expressed my viewpoint to them. They will either consider it or provide feedback right away.

Some believe there's a competition between you and Najmul Hossain for the captaincy. Do you see it that way?

Our relationship dates back to our U-15 days. He played for me for seven or eight years in addition to one U-19 World Cup. It is all about a team game, but someone has to be the "captain" to march all over the field. Furthermore, nothing is larger than the nation. I have to respect his position even though he is a buddy of mine. In the changing room, Tamim bhai said something that I found endearing. In particular, he informed me that everyone wants to be captain because it is a distinct setting and experience, but everyone should also respect the captain's role. There should not be any animosity, regardless of disagreement or anything else. He most likely shared this based on his personal experience. That was significant since Shanto and I had a close friendship and mutual understanding. This is a complete misunderstanding. He assisted me when I was his captain.

How difficult will it be for spinners in the Champions Trophy?

Very challenging for spinners, and I need to prepare mentally in advance. Pakistan will be really difficult. However, it will assist that I have expertise playing Tests in Rawalpindi. There, I gained some insight on the wicket's behavior. I have also performed in Dubai before. I hope these will be useful.

What kind of mindset do you carry when you bowl in ODIs? A separate mental game is ODI. Now you need to know what the batter wants to do. There are moments when you must launch an attack and other times when you must adopt a defensive posture. You will remain stuck if you maintain an aggressive mindset all the time. The field or bowl must be set up based on the requirements of the situation. Making a choice is crucial. If you can make the right choice at the appropriate moment, you will succeed. It is another matter entirely whether you win or lose.

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RCB begin title defence with record run chase

Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated the hosts Gujarat Giants by six wickets in Vadodara on the first night of the third edition, thanks to the combined efforts of Richa Ghosh (64*), Ellyse Perry (57), and Kanika Ahuja (30*). This was the first-ever 200+ chase in WPL history. New captain Ash Gardner drove the Giants to a massive 201. She led from the front with the bat, scoring an undefeated 79 off just 37 balls, and then with the ball, dismissing RCB openers cheaply in her first over before the middle-order counterattack. A veteran player scored a reassuring half-century in both innings, followed by a far more aggressive one and a supporting cameo. Therefore, the difference ultimately came down to fielding, where Perry and Ghosh were able to set up the record chase with nine balls remaining because to GG's carelessness.

Renuka Thakur's clean-up of Laura Wolvaardt, who attempted a crazy slog past the line, dealt the host team an early blow in the PowerPlay after they were put in to bat first. If RCB had reviewed the LBW appeal, D Hemalatha might have also been sent back first ball. That did not cost them much, though, as Kanika Ahuja, who was making a comeback for the RCB after missing the entire championship-winning season due to an injury, took a wicket off the fourth ball. Gardner joined Mooney, who hit a hat-trick of boundaries off Wareham to reach a half-century off 37 balls at the halfway point of their innings, when they were down to 41/2.

After she struck a record-tying eight sixes in her knock, it was all Gardner's from then on. The next six overs saw up to 80 runs, 48 of which came from Gardner's bat as she destroyed RCB's inexperienced spin attack on her way to a half-century off 25 balls. In the eleventh over, she signaled her intentions by hitting a six against Ahuja. Smriti Mandhana provided Rawat her first wicket by holding onto a brilliant catch at short midwicket against the flow, dismissing a well-set Mooney. Gardner, who had a strike-rate of 200 for the majority of her stay, gave the leggie a hat-trick of maximums in the next over, but she was in for some punishment after that.

Wareham and Kim Garth's off-colour performances did not help RCB's already struggling bowling attack, which was lacking the effective spin troika from the 2024 WPL. Dottin never once appeared to be a backup to an enraged Gardner as she attacked the Australian duo, scoring a vital 25 in just 13 deliveries.

Renuka was brought back for the extraordinarily exciting 17th over. The opening two deliveries saw both Gardner and Dottin almost hole out in the deep. Perry shelled a sitter at long-on, giving the Caribbean star a life, and Gardner survived a fright on 50 after Wareham slapped the ball back to stop a six after realizing the ball was actually going over. Perry's error cost RCB just two more runs, but Danni Wyatt-Hodge ultimately held on to one on the penultimate ball of the over to dismiss Dottin after a 13-ball 25.

Gardner chased the pace of Joshitha VJ, another RCB rookie, in the closing moments to add three more sixes to her total and make it an expensive 20-run over. With a four and a six off Wareham, who let up as many as fifty runs in her three overs for a single wicket, new batswoman Simran Shaik justified her price tag despite playing all five balls. Harleen Deol, who entered the game at number seven, helped GG to their best score of 201 by finishing the innings with consecutive boundaries.

Following consecutive boundaries from Mandhana and Wyatt-Hodge to end a costly opening over, Kashvee Gautam was welcomed to the WPL. But when Gardner trapped her opponent plumb LBW, she sparked GG's resurgence. In an effort to sweep the offfie, Wyatt-Hodge persuaded her captain to provide an impassioned assessment, which resulted in RCB losing. She also lost the other opener in the same over.

Tanuja Kanwer dropped Perry off her own bowling, giving her a life on two. The veteran cricketer then hit the first six of the chase, which culminated in RCB's half-century in the thrilling final PowerPlay over, which also saw Raghvi Bist survive a run-out danger. Perry received a freebie boundary on the final ball of the over when the two deep fielders watched the ball run over the ropes, and he also received another reprieve on 19 when Deol dropped him at long-on.

After reaching her half-century, the Australian continued to enjoy the good life and received yet another break. Perry's 27-ball fifty, while not as full of sixes as Gardner's, was just as crucial in giving the RCB middle-order the confidence they needed to chase down the enormous total. The older pair performed the aggressive role throughout Perry and Bist's nine-over, 86-run stand.

Sayali Satghare delivered a second blow to RCB by taking Perry's wicket in the same over after Dotin broke the partnership with Bist's wicket, giving GG much-needed respite. But Ghosh and Ahuja teamed up for a 93-run partnership to save RCB from the rising asking rate. RCB needed 89 more runs off the final seven overs with two new batsmen in the middle. Ghosh, who was dropped before she reached the mark, performed brilliantly to help her team easily cross the finish line.

Gardner returned to the attack to begin the death-overs phase, but the destructive wicketkeeper-batter took her to the cleaners with four boundaries and a six. In the end, the GG skipper did not come back for her fourth. Ghosh raced to a 23-ball half-century with consecutive fours and celebrated with a final-ball six, putting Priya Mishra in the firing line next. Ghosh finished with yet another maximum off Dottin, making her 64* in just 24 deliveries to win the Player of the Match trophy, with seven needed off the final two overs. Ahuja, on the other hand, chipped in a helpful 30 not out in just 13 balls by consistently hitting boundaries at the other end. Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 202/4 in 18.3 overs (Richa Ghosh 64*, Ellyse Perry 57, Kanika Ahuja 30*; Ash Gardner 2-33) defeated Gujarat Giants 201/5 in 20 overs (Ash Gardner 79*, Beth Mooney 56; Renuka Thakur 2-25) by six wickets.

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Head, glenn maxwell come in among five Australia changes after Sri Lanka bat

In their last game before the Champions Trophy begins next week, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, and Glenn Maxwell will provide Australia with a significant boost in batting power. Cooper Connolly, Alex Carey, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Ellis, and Spencer Johnson were left out for the second ODI in Colombo, which also featured legspinner Tanveer Sangha and quick Ben Dwarshuis.

All-rounder Aaron Hardie went up to No. 6 and Maxwell was ranked at number seven, while Jake Fraser-McGurk moved down to No. 3 with Head to open with Matthew Short.

In the series decider, Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss once more and chose to bat on a dry pitch. At the same location, Asalanka orchestrated a spectacular comeback with an incredible century, and Sri Lanka won the first match by 49 runs.

Despite winning eight of their last 12 ODI matches, Sri Lanka has maintained their impressive streak and will not be competing in the Champions Trophy.

Asalanka replaced Avishka Fernando at the top of the order with Nishan Madushka with the hopes of improving their batting performance in this game.

Australia was significantly undermanned for both this series and the Champions Trophy that followed. For a variety of reasons, they are without Marcus Stoinis, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins.

Throughout the day, it was predicted to be sunny and humid.

Sri Lanka: Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis (worker), Kamindu Mendis, and Charith Asalanka (capt).

Australia: Josh Inglis (week), Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha, Travis Head, Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Steve Smith (captain).

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'That's the way cricket is meant to be played' - Gautam Gambhir on left-right combinations

Head coach Gautam Gambhir has firmly supported India's current trend of moving a left-handed floater up the order to challenge the top five's right-handed dominance. Last July, India made their ODI debut under Gambhir as a floater walking at two-drop in Sri Lanka. The incumbent No. 4 Shreyas Iyer was forced down, and Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, and Rishabh Pant each had a chance in the three ODIs. When Dube went for a duck in the second match, Axar Patel came out at No. 5 out of a desire to break up the monotony. In the first two ODIs against England, more than six months later, Axar maintained his position in the top order and batted at number five, perfecting Gambhir's strategies.

"That is the way cricket is meant to be played," Gambhir responded when asked about the strategy following the series win. That is how we have to play the game, and that is how cricket should be played, even if I know a lot of people discuss it. The batting order is not important. Who can make what influence is the question.

When questioned about the ploy following the series triumph, Gambhir responded, "That is the way cricket is meant to be played," "That is how we have to play the game, and that is how cricket should be played," I said, acknowledging that many people discuss it. The batting order has no bearing. It is about who has the power to influence what.

"And it is about... why do not you place a good left-hander in the center if you have the option? For what reason would you prefer that the top five be right-handers?

Given that Gambhir's predecessor, Rahul Dravid, operated under a different philosophy and led the team to the final of the 2023 home World Cup with an all-right top five of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul, it is an intriguing question and method of team management.

We do not look at statistics, averages, or anything like that. While complimenting Axar on his performance at the position, Gambhir said, "We look at who can deliver more at that number." After scoring 44 runs per ball at No. 4 in Sri Lanka, the all-rounder went on to hit 52 and 41* against England at No. 5.

"And Axar has performed incredibly well. He had the chance to help us in both of the games (against England), and he did so. I am certain that people will continue to discuss it. However, I believe it is also the direction we wish to take going forward," Gambhir stated.

In the past several days, India has also made an unexpected option. Varun CV was picked to the ODI team and participated in the Cuttack match after giving England a terrible time in T20Is. Then, at the expense of Yashasvi Jaiswal, a left-handed opening option, he was added to the Champions Trophy squad. Varun joined the multi-team tournament as the fifth spinner, raising the question of whether India needs so many spin options at a time when they may be weak in other areas. India will enter the event with no backup opener and just three front-line speed options: Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana.

Gambhir said, "Look, we wanted another wicket-taking option in the middle, and that is the only reason he (Varun CV) was picked." We are aware of Varun's abilities and his potential to pose a serious threat. He might also be an X-factor because so many teams have not used him.

It is always beneficial to have a strong bowling lineup because we know that if he can truly get those wickets in the middle, it will always be an advantage. However, I will not claim that he will start or anything.

And that was among the causes. If not, we are aware that Yashasvi has a bright future. "We were only able to select 15," Gambhir continued.

Varun will have to compete for a position in the XI alongside left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav because Axar is essential to India's top-half strategies and Ravindra Jadeja has made a fantastic return to ODI cricket. The composition of the opposition could serve as the basis for India's actions. For example, India may choose to select Kuldeep, who will deflect the ball away from the left-hand heavy top-order, against Bangladesh in their tournament opener.

Gambhir also named KL Rahul as the first-choice, confirming what Rohit Sharma had suggested about the dynamics of the keeper-bat situation. "You see, talking about individuals is really hard in the end. All I can say, though, is that if Rishabh Pant is a member of the team, he may be given a chance when the time comes. However, KL is clearly the best wicketkeeper right now and has performed well for us. You can not play both wicket-keepers with the caliber of our team when you have two in the roster. I am hoping that he will be prepared for any chance that presents itself. I can only say that. KL is the one who will start right now, absolutely.

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Bumrah ruled out of Champions Trophy; Varun a late inclusion in India squad

Jasprit Bumrah's exclusion from the Champions Trophy is a major blow to India's hopes of winning the trophy. According to ESPNcricinfo, Bumrah has not fully recovered from the back pain he sustained during the January Sydney Test, which also prevented him from playing in the England white-ball series.

Bumrah is not quite ready to resume bowling, even though his most recent scans, which he had over the weekend in Bengaluru, did not show anything serious. The date of his return has not been confirmed. In a few weeks, he will probably start running again before easing back into bowling. The medical staff of the BCCI in Bengaluru will keep an eye on his progress.

This is the second ICC tournament Bumrah will miss because of injury, having sat out the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia owing to a back condition that subsequently required surgery.

Harshit Rana, who made his ODI debut during the current England series, is Bumrah's successor. All competing countries had until February 11 to submit their final squads of 15 for the Champions Trophy, according to the ICC. The tournament's technical committee must approve any further roster modifications.

Rana was selected as Bumrah's backup for the England ODIs when the BCCI revealed the provisional roster for the Champions Trophy and the England series in January. In the opening match of the England series in Nagpur, Rana shared the new ball with Mohammed Shami to make his ODI debut. Rana had a strong start, but in his third over, Phil Salt hammered him for 26 runs. However, the Delhi seamer recovered, taking three wickets to put further pressure on England, which was crucial to India's victory.

Concerns were raised when Rana was selected for the England series ahead of Mohammed Siraj by the selection panel, which was directed by Ajit Agarkar and coordinated with the Indian team think-tank, which included captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir. After Bumrah and Shami, Siraj is the third-most experienced bowler for India. He also contributed to their successful run in the 2023 World Cup. However, in January's media briefing while announcing the provisional squad for the Champions Trophy and the England series, Rohit explained that Siraj's "effectiveness comes down a little" if he was not "going to take the new ball".

Rohit had also stated that the decision-makers were confident in Shami's ability to control the front-end of the innings and Arshdeep Singh's ability to handle the final overs, given the uncertainty around Bumrah's fitness.

Varun replaces Jaiswal in Champions Trophy squad

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was selected for the provisional team, has been replaced by Varun Chakravarthy by the BCCI. The non-traveling reserves will be Jaiswal, Siraj, and Shivam Dube.

After stating that Varun "clearly had something different about him" last week, Rohit made a strong implication that Varun will be included in the squad. Since rejoining India's T20I team, Varun has claimed 31 wickets at an average of 11.25. He also made his ODI debut on Sunday, taking 1 for 54 at Cuttack.

India's squad for the Champions Trophy

Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakravarthy, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, and Rohit Sharma (captain). Mohammed Siraj, Shivam Dube, and Yashasvi Jaiswal are non-traveling substitutes.

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IND vs ENG 3rd ODI Match Prediction, Playing XI and Pitch Report

Playing XI and Pitch Report

The India vs. England One-Day International series is coming to a head as both sides prepare for the third and final match at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. At 1:30 PM IST on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, the game is set to take place. England will be keen to tie the series after India's exciting four-wicket victory in the second ODI, while India will look to secure the series with yet another outstanding showing. This game is expected to be intense because it features top players like Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma. Let us explore the whole match preview, which includes the top players to look out for, team analysis, and fantasy cricket advice.

India vs England 3rd ODI Match Details

Date: 12th February 2025

Day: Wednesday

Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Time: 01:30 PM

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Rohit Sharma finds his groove again

The bat of Rohit Sharma was not functioning. He used the phrase "bat chal nahi raha hai" in Sydney to defend his decision to withdraw from the crucial fifth Test match against Australia in January of this year. The lull, which lasted 10 innings prior to Sunday (9 in Tests and 1 ODI), raised concerns about his future in the game.

His terrible form threatened to hold him back for the eleventh time in a row at this level for the first few minutes of India's pursuit in Cuttack. In the first over, Rohit played and missed, and in the second over, he hopped in his crease until a full, straight ball with the word "outlet" written all over it came. He hit the first of his seven sixes of the warm evening with a full-flung flip that blasted the ball over the mid-wicket boundary.

Rohit assessed the England pacers rapidly on a black soil surface where the ball likes to skid. One of his first victims was Saqib Mahmood, who watched his deliveries on the long-off fence and the off-side rocket over cover boundary for two more sixes.

Rohit's early assault was halted by a malfunctioning floodlight tower, but after a half-hour snooze, he returned feeling and moving normally. He added a fourth six to his early night's whirlwind of spectacular sixes when he hit Mark Wood over long-on in the eighth over. Then, in the ninth, Adil Rashid was greeted with a cut behind point for two fours and a sweep behind square.

Even in England, the scene was now uncannily familiar. With a half-century off 30 balls and the desire for much more, Rohit had brought back his 2023 World Cup self, smashing 597 runs at a strike-rate of 125.95 in 11 innings. To put that into perspective, only Glenn Maxwell (400 runs at 150.38) was able to achieve a higher strike rate among batters who scored 400 runs or more during the tournament.

The post-PowerPlay phase slowed down a little by the merciless standards Rohit set for the evening. The decline, however, wasn't straight-line since Rohit stuck to his World Cup strategy and continued to actively seek out run-making approaches, no matter how dangerous, even though some of his attempts weren't as successful as they had been in the past. Rohit pulled at the strings of his batting speed like a skilled puppeteer, constantly destabilizing the bowlers' rhythm as England attempted to rectify their direction.

After some thought, England tried to box Rohit in by bowling into his body. However, with confidence, the Indian opener floated at the crease, continuing to access every part of the field. As he found the boundary on either side and over the fielders positioned at deep fine leg, deep square leg, and deep mid-wicket, Rohit was able to grab additional quick runs thanks to the attempts to go short.

Virat Kohli's expected appearance was brief, but Rohit continued with ice in his veins, keeping the 40,000-strong Cuttack crowd bouncing with emotions and India's gallop in pursuit. Before stepping out and blasting the leggie for the seventh six of his innings to reach his 32nd ODI century, he compulsively swiped against Rashid and lifted Mark Wood off his length. The only players with more in the format are Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

"I had a great time out there helping the team score some runs. After leaving to a thunderous standing ovation for his previous 90-ball 119, Rohit stated in the post-match presentation, "I really broke it down into pieces about how I wanted to bat." Rohit had made it quite evident that he had no plans to leave the sport in that eye-opening exchange with the Sydney broadcaster. "There's no guarantee that I won't get the runs two or five months later," he'd said. Though he may have been speaking about the longest format there, Rohit demonstrated his ability to consistently hit the ball far into the night sky in ODIs with ten days till India's first Champions Trophy match in Dubai.

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Sunrisers march into third SA20 final as Paarl Royals run their course

Paarl Royals 175 for 4 (R Hermann 81*, Pretorius 59) were defeated by eight wickets by Sunrisers Eastern Cape 177 for 2 (de Zorzi 78, J Hermann 69*).

Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC), who won two games in a row, will advance to their third straight final. With their victories over the Pretoria Capitals (2023) and Durban's Super Giants (2024) still fresh in their memory, they will play first-time finalists MI Cape Town on Saturday. On the Highveld, where MICT last played a week ago, the reigning champions have now won knockout games both chasing and batting first, and they can consider themselves favorites.

Whether they win the trophy or not, they will celebrate another good season for the time being. They have demonstrated all the components of a winning team, particularly that they have a roster with sufficient depth for long-term success.

SEC returned to Centurion less than twenty-four hours after defeating the Johannesburg Super Kings, seemingly with new bowling and batting strategies.

Only when Ottneil Baartman had to leave the field due to what appeared to be a hamstring issue and Aiden Markram bowled his entire allotted four overs was Liam Dawson, who has been both frugal and attacking in the tournament thus far, employed. That demonstrates the adaptability of SEC's approach and may be mostly related to games against a Paarl team that is full of left-handers. They will be especially worried about Baartman before the final, but he will have time to determine how serious the niggle is.

Crucially, their top order—the least effective in the group stage—came together just in time. In the Eliminator, David Bedingham and Tony de Zorzi scored 46 runs in four overs against JSK, and in the Qualifier 2, de Zorzi's 78 helped lead their victorious chase against Paarl.

Since De Zorzi is not truly regarded as a T20 player, his case is especially intriguing. He replaced a struggling Zak Crawley, who only managed two scores over 20 in eight games, after all-rounder Patrick Kruger was declared out of the tournament due to a calf injury.

At first, De Zorzi was doubting himself after scoring 24 runs in three innings. "It is difficult. During the news conference held after the game, de Zorzi stated, "We do not play that many T20 games." "It goes without saying that you would want to play a lot more and discover your pattern or groove. I kept hearing Marco (Jansen) tell me to "just keep your intent up." Sometimes you may think, "Maybe I should put that (hopes of being a T20 player) in the cupboard," while you gaze in the mirror.

That was not the case tonight. De Zorzi surprised everyone by scoring the most runs since his century in the 2018 Abu Dhabi T20. His innings began dangerously with an outside edge that avoided first slip and a top edge that fell safely and went for four, before developing gloriously. Drives and cuts were made, but the highlight of the evening came when he lifted Mitch Owen high over deep square leg for six, turning the ball into a mere dot in the night sky. As Centurion was surrounded by lightning strikes, that shot put a gap between Sunrisers and the DLS par score.

Paarl Royals were blown away even though the storm never came, and one family in particular will have felt as though they had successfully negotiated shifting conditions. Marius, their father, was present in his specially created half-and-half shirt and cap, and the Hermann brothers were on either side of this struggle. On the reverse, it reads "Hermann supporter." One side is the pink of Paarl, while the other half is the orange of the Eastern Cape.

He was paid for the last name, at least. With his top score of 81 off 53 balls, Rubin helped Paarl reach 160, but Jordan was there when SEC prevailed in the end. The fact that Marius was wearing full SEC gear by the conclusion was the best indication that Paarl's race had been completed.

In actuality, it came to an end following their home stretch, during which they became the first team to win all five of their games, and shortly after that, Joe Root was called up to the national squad. David Mller remarked, "His departure left a little bit of a gap with that all-round function." "He has the kind of experience batting through, getting through the Powerplay, and just playing good cricket shots." "That one or two overs of spin, or maybe four."

Paarl's attack, which was mostly adapted for the slower, lower conditions of Boland Park before faltering up-country, would also require reconsideration. Their senior seamer, Lungi Ngidi, has only featured in five of their 12 games and has not been knocked out, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who was the tournament's top wicket-taker at one point, has gone wicketless in their last three games. Miller agreed when asked if they could have used him more.

"We very certainly could have. This is a pretty bad situation. But because of the way the team is arranged, there was really only one spot amongst a few quick bowlers, so we decided to go with Kwena (Maphaka) because of his extra speed and left arm variation," Miller added, allaying any concerns about Ngidi's fitness. "However, Lungi has been bowling frequently outside of games and is truly returning to his bowling ability. He has been excellent for the team off the field.

Paarl, however, has hope. Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Root's opening partner, was the tournament's discovery and is now the top run scorer. After scoring two high scores in his first three games, he suffered a slump, but he will be a player to watch going forward after hitting a lovely 59 in the second qualifier.

"He is amazing. He has plenty of time because he is eighteen," Miller stated. "He has a great head on him, he wants to perform well, and he plays length pretty well, so those are all excellent qualities. He has a remarkable skill, and I am eager to follow his development and see what he can do."

As they question how much more they can win, some people will be saying the same thing about the SEC. It would be challenging to wager against them because they are still the only team to win the SA20 and they can step up when it counts. "You must always be at the top of your game because they are a team that never lets you down. "They are brave and intelligent cricket players," Miller remarked. "In T20 cricket, especially in the field, having a team like that and a never-say-die mentality typically goes a long way. They give everything they have. They are doing fantastically, and I hope the best for them."

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India vs England 1st ODI prediction, Pitch Report

India (IND) wants to keep up their winning streak in the ODI series after defeating the T20I series 4-1. On February 6, they will play England (ENG) in the inaugural One-Day International at Nagpur's Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. In an attempt to get ready for the Champions Trophy 2025, which is less than two weeks away, the series is essential for both teams.

Adil Rashid, England's lone specialist spinner, backfired since the bowler had no support from the other end. They have requested Rehan Ahmed to remain with the team in order to limit the damage in the 50-over format. The absence of England's wicketkeeper batsman Jamie Smith and India's Jasprit Bumrah would be another worry for the teams.

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Everything you need to know about getting your cricket betting ID

Online cricket betting has taken the world by storm. With millions of fans engaging in this popular activity, the demand for safe and secure betting IDs has also surged. In 2022 alone, the online gambling industry saw growth of over 15%, reflecting a wider interest in betting on cricket matches. This rise emphasizes the importance of having a valid cricket betting ID, which is crucial for safe and legal gambling experiences.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about obtaining your cricket betting ID, from choosing the right platform to ensuring your account is secure.