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Do you ever come across things that are not illegal but seem so? Pakistan’s new winning strategy sounds something like that. The first Test game in Multan ended within three days, thanks to the surface that splashed out wickets gleefully for spinners, with a total of 34 wickets going to their names. With the second Test set to be played in Multan as well, a repeat of the first game can be expected. If it really ends up being the case, should Pakistan worry about the ICC’s perspective on the pitch? And if the ICC does hand out a bad…

Bazball was revolutionary in Test cricket, but only because the bar was too low in the longest format. Being reckless, intently aggressive, and spanking everything out of the park were all somewhat new to the red-ball format. But can it gain the same reputation in the shorter formats, where recklessness is already a norm? This makes Bazball as we know it seem redundant in these formats of the game. The point, however, is; do we really know Bazball? While England are hoping to show they are as stable in the limited formats as they are in Tests, India need to…

England will have PTSD accompanying them this time they start their white-ball mega-event campaign, which is less than a month away. Their last two such tournaments were nothing less than shambolic. They were dismal in India during the ODI World Cup in 2023. And even though they made it to the semi-final in the T20 World Cup last year, much of it owed to how chances fared for them. The campaign was insipid. But luckily for them, they have just the right antidote for dullness, namely Brendon McCullum.  McCullum’s penchant for flamboyance helped England overcome their red-ball woes to a…

Rohit Sharma will continue to captain the Indian side in the upcoming Champions Trophy as well as the England series, which will be played as the build-up to the tournament. Arshdeep Singh has been selected ahead of the pacer Mohammad Siraj, after the former capped the Vijay Hazare Trophy as the highest wicket-taker.  Jasprit Bumrah’s participation, though, remains uncertain owing to the back spasm that forced him to abandon bowling on the fifth day of the final Test agaisnt Australia. India have until February 11 to announce their final squad for the tournament. They will want to observe Bumrah’s progress…

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to take a hard line on the Indian team in response to their recent back-to-back series defeats against Australia and New Zealand. The document titled ‘Policy Document for Team India,’ which included ten-point team rules and strict repercussions for non-compliance, was sent to all contracted players. According to the BCCI, the document aims to ‘promote discipline, unity, and a positive team environment.’ The BCCI prepared the document based on the suggestions made by the senior leadership during a review meeting. The meeting, which was held shortly after the Indian…

Test cricket thrives even when it’s context-less, senseless, and even meaningless. Let’s put it this way. Pakistan are hosting West Indies for a Test match after 18 years. Yet despite such a long wait, the occasion feels distant from historic. It’s an ordinary, anticlimactic game between two bottom-level teams in the World Test Championship table. Hardly a game that would capture the world’s attention. The timing is not very helpful either. The WTC finalists have already been decided, the ongoing myriads of franchise leagues have shortened the attention span of fans, and an ODI format multi-national tournament is just a…

It’s Afghanistan’s first-ever Champions Trophy campaign. On top of that, they are in the same group as Australia, England, and South Africa. However, they did well enough in their previous ICC event not to fall victim to the enormity of the task ahead of them.  Ibrahim Zadran’s return to the side, having fully recovered from his injury, would further boost Afghanistan’s morale. Mujeeb ur Rehman, though, remains ‘unavailable’ for selection due to his persistent injury struggles that kept him out of the side for the larger part of Afghanistan’s international fixtures since the ODI World Cup in 2023.  Ahmad Suliman…

Najmul Hossain Shanto, to Bangladesh fan’s elation, is good as new to make his return to the side for the Champions Trophy, due to begin on February 19. A groin strain had kept him out of all international fixtures for Bangladesh since early November last year. Along with Shanto, the Champions Trophy-bound squad will have Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, and Mustafizur Rahman making comebacks as well.  The opening batter Litton Das has been left out of the squad owing to his dismal outings with the bat of late. Litton has not scored even a single fifty in the last 19…

The Test series against England in November last year had a moment of epiphany for Pakistan. The team finally realized they could tailor the home conditions to their strength/liking. What followed this realization was a strategy to dish out their industrial-sized fans and desiccate any moisture out of the surfaces in a bid to make them suit the team’s spin finesse. For the Test games against West Indies, Pakistan seem to be planning to follow the same script, as is evident by the spin-heavy squad they have announced for the tour.  The hosts have dropped Naseem Shah and Mohammad Abbas,…

During a cricketing season, which is crammed with a handful of other leagues and international games, the International League T20 (ILT20) managed to squeeze in its blockbuster third edition. Set to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 11 to February 9, the franchise league will see six teams racing for the title. These teams include the defending champions MI Emirates along with Dubai Capitals, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Gulf Giants, and Sharjah Warriors.  Barring Desert Viper, all of the remaining teams are owned by IPL or WPL based franchises. The defending champions will play…