Author: Mishaal Mubarak

Bangladesh chased the 145-run target in their Asia Cup opener against Hong Kong in 17.4 overs. While Bangladesh remained ahead in much of the contest, many felt that, had they batted with more intent, they could have finished the game earlier than they did. However, their top-order batter Towhid Hridoy disagreed, saying the side chose caution deliberately, not out of hesitation, but because the situation demanded it. Talking to the media after Bangladesh wrapped the chase with 7 wickets to spare, Hridoy said they played keeping the game situation front of mind. “We wanted to ensure that the match doesn’t…

Pakistan are set to face India on Sunday, which will be their first encounter with a high-ranked team since losing 4-1 to New Zealand in April. Head coach Mike Hesson is well aware of the challenge that lies ahead of him, and one that is approaching nearer by the minute. Pakistan still have a few questions that need answering, and a few of those were thrown Hesson’s way during the press conference ahead of Pakistan’s Asia Cup opener against Oman. When asked what he thinks of the volatility in the batting lineup, especially with youngsters being somewhat inconsistent, Pakistan’s head…

Oman played their first mega-event as part of the 2024 T20 World Cup last year. And while they couldn’t grab a single win against teams of a stature several times higher than them, they deserved every minute of being treated as equals amongst the twenty teams. The core of Oman’s team that played the World Cup as well as managed a second-place finish in the Asia Cup qualifiers isn’t around. Oman Cricket (OC) stripped them of central contracts as a reprimand for speaking against payment delays, forcing them to leave the country. This has left the side with new players,…

Pakistan will host Sri Lanka for a three-game ODI series, beginning on November 11 in Rawalpindi. The series comes as part of the schedule adjustment to include as many T20Is as possible ahead of the World Cup next year in India and Sri Lanka. Originally, Pakistan were supposed to play three ODIs and three T20Is in a bilateral contest against Sri Lanka, but the T20I leg has been converted into a tri-series involving the two teams and Afghanistan. The T20I tri-series, where each team will play the other twice, will begin on November 17 in Rawalpindi, where one more game…

Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka, along with his team, played two back-to-back T20I matches against Zimbabwe on September 6 and 7 before boarding a long-haul flight to Dubai via South Africa from Harare. Whatever plans he had of resting after landing were quashed by a pre-tournament photoshoot and a captains’ press conference, where he didn’t attempt to hide exhaustion. “I should answer this question tomorrow, I think,” Asalanka said with a laugh on Tuesday. “It’s really hard to play back-to-back games and then travel straightaway. I think we actually need a couple of days off. I hope the coach will…

India haven’t played a T20I since February, when they faced England at home. This match would have been a home game as well, but the Asia Cup shifted out of India to make UAE the host team. Though that doesn’t make it a cakewalk for UAE either. They have to face India, the reigning T20 World Cup champions, in their opening game. One could argue that it doesn’t exactly resemble the team that lifted the trophy, but it isn’t too far off either. Tightening just a few loose screws could make things fall into place for them, and the opening…

India and Pakistan are all set to meet in the Asia Cup, which will be their first encounter since a brief military standoff between the two countries in May following the Pahalgam terror attack. The captains of both sides, speaking to media on the opening day of the tournament, said that players have not been instructed to keep a lid on aggression, as long as it stays on the field. Asked if the political backdrop might weigh on India when they face Pakistan on September 14, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav said aggression is what makes the sport exciting. “Temper? Aggression…

South Africa managed to win an ODI series in England after 27 years, and boy, did they make sure they did so in style. The second ODI at Lord’s wasn’t really equally poised, with the visitors ahead in almost every phase, but Jofra Archer’s cameo brought the game to the last ball. England needed one six to win, and South Africa were looking for anything but six. Senuran Muthusamy managed to get it done for his side, handing England their eighth ODI defeat this year. With the series won by South Africa, all the hosts can hope for is a…

England have made one change to the XI that lost by five runs against South Africa in the second ODI at Lord’s, bringing in Jamie Overton for Saqib Mahmood. This will be Overton’s first game since announcing his break from red-ball cricket to focus on the shorter formats. Overton will form the pace attack with Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse, while Adil Rashid remains the sole specialist spinner. This means England will have to rely on Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell, who conceded 112 runs for one wicket in the second ODI, and possibly Joe Root to divide the ten…

England have lost two ODIs against South Africa in the ongoing three-match series, and like clockwork, have resorted to tweaking their squads for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa and Ireland after each defeat. Following the mauling at Headingley, where the side was totalled for 131 runs, they added Jordan Cox to the Ireland T20Is. The defeat at Lord’s, though not as miserable, had them exclude Ben Duckett from the squads to give the opening batter some respite ahead of next month’s white-ball tour of New Zealand, where the side will play three T20Is and as many ODIs. Duckett…