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Fawad Alam could end a five-year hiatus from Test cricket after being named in the 15-man Pakistan squad to face England in the UAE

Umar Farooq16-Sep-20154:18

Bazid Khan: ‘Fawad finally selected for format he’s good at’

Fawad Alam could end a five-year hiatus from Test cricket after being named in the 15-man Pakistan squad to face England in the UAE from October. His last Test was against New Zealand in November 2009 but he has been a heavy scorer in first-class cricket. Over the last 12 months, he had made two centuries – 201 and 164 – and five fifties in 14 innings.The man making way is 20-year old Babar Azam. Alam had almost made it to the squad for the Sri Lanka tour recently but his name was pulled out due to logistical reasons and Azam replaced him.

Changes in Pakistan’s squads

For Tests v England
In: Fawad Alam
Out: Ehsan Adil, Babar Azam
For ODIs v Zimbabwe
In: Sohaib Maqsood, Wahab Riaz
Out: Bilal Asif, Ehsan Adil, Mukhtar Ahmed
For T20s v Zimbabwe
In: Sohaib Maqsood, Aamer Yamin, Bilal Asif, Imran Khan jnr
Out: Sarfraz Ahmed, Zia-ul-Haq, Nauman Anwar, Anwar Ali

“Our Test team has been an established team for years now and it is hard to make room for any new player,” Haroon Rasheed, Pakistan chief selector, told ESPNcricinfo. “Fawad Alam was in our plan for months now after his performance and we know he had been knocking at the selectors’ door for years in fact. We have added him to the squad in a bid to get ourselves ready for the transition after Misbah as we obviously need to have guys like him when our seasoned players fade away.”Pakistan received a boost in the fast bowling department as well. Wahab Riaz has recovered from the hand injury he sustained in Sri Lanka and replaced Ehsan Adil. Left-arm quick Junaid Khan has kept his place in the Test squad as well despite seeming off-colour in Sri Lanka. Junaid did not play Pakistan’s last Test in Pallekele, but kept himself busy playing for English county Middlesex over the summer.According to Rasheed, Wahab and Junaid might be suffering a dip in form but are among Pakistan’s major investments during the ongoing transition. “They are our investment and we would like to persist with them,” Rasheed said. “Both might have been low in confidence for some time now but we aren’t judging them on the basis of T20 performance. At the top level they will definitely come hard and with a different state of mind. We have named Junaid in the A team so that he can get ample time to get himself ready for the Test series.”Pakistan decided that Yasir Shah, the top-ranked spinner in the world, and Zulfiqar Babar were enough as far as slow-bowling resources were concerned. The two are vital replacements for Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman, who had been Pakistan’s major assets for years in the UAE.Haris Sohail, another long-term investment Pakistan have made since 2013, missed out due to his patellar tendinitis injury. He had been undergoing rehabilitation for the injury for over a month at the NCA but failed to get himself cleared by doctors. “He is definitely one of the players who makes an automatic selection but he has not recovered ahead of the Zimbabwe series,” Rasheed said.The PCB also announced the limited-overs squads for the Zimbabwe series from September 27. Batsman Sohaib Maqsood found a place in both the ODI and T20 squads after recovering from injury. Uncapped fast bowler Imran Khan jnr and allrounder Aamer Yamin received their maiden Pakistan call-ups, with Anwar Ali rested for the T20s to help him recover from a minor groin strain. Bilal Asif was another uncapped allrounder chosen for the shortest format, but he had already toured Sri Lanka with the Pakistan ODI side.Among the more familiar names, batsman Umar Akmal and left-arm quick Sohail Tanvir were for only the T20s. Sarfraz Ahmed will miss the T20s to perform Hajj, allowing Mohammad Rizwan to keep wicket.”We have rested Anwar to give another talented allrounder Yamin a chance as part of our rebuilding,” Rasheed said. “He played a couple of outstanding innings to show his ability and we would like to take him ahead with our plan.”We meant to reward the outstanding performers from the recently concluded T20 Cup. But at the same time we are (keeping) continuity in the rebuilding phase of the Pakistan team by retaining majority of players who were part of the successful last tour of Sri Lanka.”Test squad Ahmed Shehzad, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Fawad Alam, Asad Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Wahab Riaz, Imran Khan, Rahat Ali, Junaid KhanODI squad Azhar Ali (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Mohammad Rizwan, Imad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Wahab Raiz, Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali, Mohammad IrfanT20 squad Ahmed Shehzad, Mukhtar Ahmed, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi (capt), Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, Aamer Yamin, Mohammad Irfan, Bilal Asif, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Imran Khan jnr

Allrounder Marlon Samuels returns to the West Indies squad after a two-month injury break, having been picked for the first Test against Zimbabwe

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2013

WI squad for the first Test v Zimbabwe

Darren Sammy (capt), Denesh Ramdin (wk & vice-capt), Tino Best, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Veerasammy Permaul, Kieron Powell, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels and Shane Shillingford
In: Shannon Gabriel, Shane Shillingford
Out: Ravi Rampaul, Sunil Narine, Kirk Edwards, Fidel Edwards, Assad Fudadin

Allrounder Marlon Samuels returns to the West Indies squad after a two-month injury break, having been picked for the first Test against Zimbabwe that begins on March 12. Offspinner Sunil Narine did not feature in the 13-man squad, and in his place Shane Shillingford came in.Samuels had missed the limited-overs leg of the Zimbabwe series after picking up a facial injury during the Big Bash League, Australia’s T20 competition, in January.Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, who debuted in the Lord’s Test last year but was then sidelined by a stress reaction in his back, made a comeback. Two exclusions of note on the fast-bowling front included Ravi Rampaul and Fidel Edwards. Rampaul had returned to the domestic circuit in February after two months out due to knee trouble and had said at the time that he was “100% fit”. Edwards had taken a match-haul of seven in his previous Test match – against Bangladesh in November. His last competitive match was on February 14, in the Bangladesh Premier League.The other players to miss out from the squad that played the Bangladesh series, which was West Indies’ previous Test assignment, include batsmen Kirk Edwards and Assad Fudadin.Narine had had a poor run in that series, taking three wickets in two Tests at an average of 114.33. Twenty-three-year-old left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who had a relatively better series with eight wickets at 31.62, retained his place.Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin kept his role as Test vice-captain, while Chris Gayle returned after asking to skip the limited-overs series against Zimbabwe. Experienced batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan, who returned for West Indies on last month’s limited-overs tour of Australia after a contentious 18-month break, was not handed a Test comeback.West Indies and Zimbabwe will play two Tests in all, and the hosts’ squad for the second Test will be named at a later date.

Top officials of the BCCI and Sahara India will meet in Mumbai on Sunday afternoon over the dispute regarding the IPL Pune franchise, with all indications pointing to an amicable resolution

Nagraj Gollapudi11-Feb-2012Top officials of the BCCI and Sahara India will meet in Mumbai on Sunday afternoon over the dispute regarding the IPL Pune franchise, with all indications pointing to an amicable resolution. Both parties have, given the high stakes involved, softened their stance in the week since Sahara went public about its grievances with the Indian board and announced its pullout from the sponsorship of the Indian team and the ownership of the Pune Warriors franchise.The BCCI is likely to be represented by its president N Srinivasan and and its treasurer Ajay Shirke. IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla and IPL chief executive Sundar Raman will also be present. Sahara chairman Subrata Roy will lead his side, with his son Sushanto expected to sit alongside him.The meeting follows a week of top-level dialogue between officials from both sides seeking to work out possible openings for a solution. There are several issues to be sorted out, including the reduction in the number of IPL matches last season from 94 to 74; Roy said Sahara had paid $370 million for the franchise based on a 94-match season.
Sahara’s immediate point of dispute, though, concerns the IPL’s refusal to allow it any concession in replacing Yuvraj Singh, who is being treated for cancer and is expected to miss the entire season. Sahara had wanted his $1.8 million salary added to its $1.6 million auction purse but that request was turned down.Sahara insiders say Roy will ask the IPL to tweak its rules and allow the Warriors to field five foreigners, instead of the stipulated four – as was done for Mumbai Indians in the 2011 Champions League. However, it is unlikely to be acceptable to the BCCI, with rival franchises already making noises that it would be unfair to them. “Mumbai’s case was extraordinary and everyone respected that, but if you now allow Sahara the same then in future there is a danger of this becoming a norm,” said an official of one of the original eight franchises.Instead, ESPNcricinfo understands, the IPL will allow the Warriors to buy players left unsold at the supplementary auction held in Bangalore on February 4. The IPL rules say franchises can pick unsold players only as a replacement for an injured player or in a medical emergency, but the rule could be relaxed to allow the Warrirors to utilise the $1.6 million purse.It’s unclear whether that will be acceptable to Sahara but crucially the company, which has a relatively long and close connection with Indian sport, has not closed all doors to cricket. In fact, as reported, the Warriors coaching staff have been asked to compile a list of players it could get on board during the IPL’s third trading window, which ends on March 4.The onus, though, seems to be on the BCCI, which has higher stakes in this issue. Already without a TV broadcast deal and unable to sell its internet rights, it cannot afford the embarrassment of being without a sponsor for the Indian team. The IPL, too, is in some flux; it has already lost one team – the Kochi franchise – and losing another in a relatively depressed financial market will not help advertisers and sponsors.
That is believed to have forced board officials to admit they would have to soften their stand on some of the contentious issues. One top board official conceded its top brass needed to take the blame for the current impasse. “Things could have been handled and sorted out in good time as opposed to our approach, which is to allow it to build up into a fight.”There is no provision in the IPL rules for someone who is suffering from cancer. The BCCI top brass was aware about Yuvraj’s sickness for the last few months. Sahara were asking for a solution but if you keep neglecting a potential area of conflict, then it is bound to build up. So Sahara thought obviously enough is enough.”

Kumar Sangakkara has said Sri Lanka’s lack of practice at the country’s World Cup venues, which are yet to be completed, will rob them of some home advantage during the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Feb-2011Kumar Sangakkara has said Sri Lanka’s lack of practice at the country’s World Cup venues, which are yet to be completed, will rob them of some home advantage during the tournament. Construction delays have prevented Sri Lanka from training at the new stadiums in Hambantota and Pallekele.”We would love to train at all the grounds [in Sri Lanka], but we need to have the proper facilities to train,” Sangakkara told after beating West Indies on Sunday, in Sri Lanka’s last international fixture before the World Cup. “We need to have side [practice] wickets and gyms at the venues, otherwise it is difficult.”We’ve accepted the fact that we’ll have to play World Cup matches on those grounds without knowing the conditions too well.” Sri Lanka have, however, played a rain-marred Test against West Indies recently at Pallekele.Hambantota and Pallekele will host five Group A matches in all, with Sri Lanka featuring in two of them, one at each of the grounds. After the ICC delegation’s final inspection of the stadiums on January 22, Sri Lanka’s World Cup director Suraj Dandeniya had said the stadium at Pallekele was 99.9% complete, while the “finishing touches at Hambantota, the roofs and the roads leading to the stadium” were pending.Sangakkara said the players were happy with the facilities at Sri Lanka’s third World Cup venue – the renovated R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo – where the squad has played a few domestic matches recently. “We’ve got to prepare as well as we can in the two weeks [before the tournament begins] with the best facilities and those facilities are here in Colombo.”
Sri Lanka play their first match at Hambantota on February 20 against Canada.

Rajasthan Royals have drafted Victoria batsman Aaron Finch into their squad for the 2010 IPL season

Cricinfo staff27-Mar-2010Rajasthan Royals have drafted Victoria batsman Aaron Finch into their squad for the 2010 IPL season. Rajasthan lost Graeme Smith and Dimitri Mascarenhas to injuries but Finch was included because they had an extra overseas slot free, and not as a replacement player.”Aaron is a sensational young player and he fits within the Royals values of promoting and selecting young talent,” Sean Morris, Rajasthan’s chief executive, said.Finch, who represented Victoria during the Champions League Twenty20 in October last year, has already joined the team in India. He strengthens the Australian presence in the Rajasthan outfit, joining Shane Warne, Adam Voges and Shaun Tait. The franchise is also awaiting the arrival of Shane Watson, who will head to India after the Test series in New Zealand. Finch’s inclusion came shortly after Rajasthan cut former Australian batsman Damien Martyn from their squad.Rajasthan’s campaign has experienced a revival in the last few days. The team, which was bottom of the league after losing its first three matches, is now third after winning the next three in a row.

As per the revised timings, the matches will begin at 6.30pm local time (8pm IST)

PTI30-Aug-2025The start time for 18 out of the 19 matches in the upcoming Asia Cup has been pushed back by half an hour from the original schedule due to the extreme heat in the UAE.As per the revised timings, the matches will begin at 6.30pm local time (8pm IST).The tournament, which will be held in the T20 format this time, will run from September 9 to 28 across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.”The start time for 18 out of the 19 DP World Asia Cup 2025 matches has been updated. These matches will now begin at 6:30pm local time (Gulf Standard Time),” the Emirates Cricket Board said in a statement on its website.”The Monday, 15 September match between UAE and Oman will start at 4pm local time at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – the only day game of the tournament.”Related

• UAE recall Matiullah, Simranjeet in Waseem-led Asia Cup squad

• Bangladesh leave out Mehidy for Asia Cup

• Afghanistan bring in Ghazanfar

• Oman pick four uncapped players for Asia Cup

• Hasaranga fit for Sri Lanka's Asia Cup campaign

In the initial schedule announced by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) earlier this month, the matches were scheduled to start at 6pm local time.The Dubai International Cricket Stadium will host the India-Pakistan match on September 14. India will not host or visit Pakistan for bilateral contests, but their athletes and teams can take part in multi-nation events that also involve Pakistan like the upcoming men’s Asia Cup.India will start their campaign against UAE in Dubai on September 10, and the last group stage fixture against Oman will be played in Abu Dhabi on September 19.India, Pakistan, UAE, and Oman are in Group A, while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong form Group B.

The Australia wicketkeeper will hope to finish his red-ball career with another title next week

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff15-Mar-2024Former Test wicketkeeper Matthew Wade will retire from first-class cricket after playing the Sheffield Shield final for Tasmania.The 36-year-old has announced the title decider starting on Thursday against Western Australia in Perth will be his 166th and final first-class match. Wade opted to delay his arrival at the IPL in order to be available for the Sheffield Shield final.Related

• WA chase historic hat-trick while Tasmania look to break 11-year drought

• Bancroft hospitalised after accident as WA mull a replacement for the final

• 'It's a difficult job' – Gannon prepares for Shield final after a career on the fringe

• Wade to miss start of IPL in order to play Sheffield Shield final

• Sheffield Shield team of the season: Webster, Davies, McAndrew… and who else?

He will continue playing white-ball cricket and is likely to be part of Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup in June.Hobart-born Wade has won four Shield titles with Victoria, including two as captain, but hasn’t tasted success with his home state.”Firstly, I would like to thank my family, my wife Julia, and kids Winter, Goldie, and Duke, for the sacrifices they have made throughout my career, as I travelled Australia and the world as a red ball cricketer.” Wade said in a statement. “I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges that the long-form game provides, and although I will continue to play white ball cricket, wearing the baggy green while playing for my country remains a highlight of my career.”I am grateful to all of my team-mates throughout my career, along with Cricket Victoria for providing me with the foundations to grow as a first-class cricketer, and Cricket Tasmania for supporting me in finishing my career as a cricketer in my home state.”Wade played 36 Tests for Australia, averaging 29.87, in a career spanning from 2012 to 2021.He lost his Test wicketkeeping spot to fellow Tasmanian Tim Paine for the 2017-18 Ashes series, but returned to play against England in 2019 where he scored two centuries in the series. He briefly opened the batting for Australia in the 2020-21 series against India.Ahead of the Shield final, he has scored 9183 runs at an average of 40.81 and picked up 463 dismissals in a first-class career that began in 2007.”Red-ball cricket has always been my number one and favourite format,” Wade said at a press conference in Hobart. “What I’m going to miss is sitting down after four days of really grinding it out in a first-class game and having a beer with your teammates. I’ve played franchise leagues around the world and you don’t get that feeling.”Jeff Vaughan, the Tasmania coach, said: “I would like to personally thank and congratulate Matthew for all he has done for Tasmania and Australia in red ball cricket, he was always professional, and never shied away from the contest”While his career with our Shield squad may be coming to an end, we look forward to still having him around our group in white ball cricket for the coming years playing for the Tigers, and in purple for the Hurricanes.Matthew Wade will continue to play for Hobart Hurricanes for at least another two years•Getty Images

“We hope that we can help send him off with a win in the Sheffield Shield Final next week, and we know that he has given his all for our badge every time he played for Tasmania.”Wade told team-mates of his decision before Tasmania’s loss to South Australia in their final Shield game of the regular season, partly citing the effects of back problems which have sidelined him this season. Tasmania had been on track to host the final, but the heavy defeat in that match – and WA’s victory over Victoria – means they will have to travel west.”The last Shield I managed to win was the first time an away team had won in a long time so hopefully I can wind back the clock and get it done again,” he said.Wade has developed into a finisher in the shorter formats in recent years, and posted a match-winning knock in the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final on Australia’s path to the trophy. He is contracted for another two years with Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL.”I want to be at my best for white-ball cricket, especially BBL,” he said “I feel like the squad we’ve got with the Hurricanes should be, it is spoken about every year…pushing for finals if not contending for titles.”Not playing the longer format of the game will give me an opportunity to get stronger, get in the gym a bit more and have some longevity in that format. I’ve got two years [with Hurricanes] but I’d love to play longer if I could. I feel fresh.”There certainly isn’t [an element of] ‘I’m not playing well enough or I don’t feel I can contribute enough’. It’s more the younger players have managed to shove me out the door.”

Sri Lanka batter has been banned from accessing Tinder and his other social media accounts

AAP17-Nov-2022Sri Lanka batter Danushka Gunathilaka has been banned from using Tinder and his social media accounts after being granted bail while awaiting trial on charges of sexual intercourse without consent.Gunathilaka, 31, was arrested in the early hours of November 6 at Sydney’s Hyatt Regency Hotel, where he was staying while the Sri Lankan team were in Australia for the T20 World Cup. He is facing four counts of sexual intercourse without consent and has not yet given a plea.Related

• Danushka Gunathilaka's sexual-assault case: three out of four charges dropped

• Gunathilaka's bail conditions relaxed by Sydney magistrate

• Gunathilaka charged for alleged sexual assault, arrested in Sydney

• Gunathilaka's alleged victim was 'choked repeatedly without consent'

• Gunathilaka suspended by SLC from all cricket

Magistrate Janet Wahlquist granted Gunathilaka bail on Thursday in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court, where he appeared via audiovisual link from Parklea jail.Police prosecutor Kerry-Ann McKinnon opposed bail on the grounds Gunathilaka is a flight risk and that he could endanger the safety of the complainant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.Wahlquist said she would take into account how bail would be approached if Gunathilaka was an Australian citizen facing the same charges. Murugan Thangaraj SC, for Gunathilaka, agreed that would result in him being released.”Of course he would be on bail in these circumstances,” Thangaraj said.A police facts sheet filed with the court said: “The complainant tried to remove the accused’s hand by grabbing his wrist but the accused squeezed tighter around her neck.””The complainant was fearing for her life and could not get away from the accused.”In a police interview after his arrest, Gunathilaka corroborated some of the alleged victim’s story but denied he had been violent or consent was not given.Prosecutors allege the victim did not consent to sex without a condom or any of the other sexual acts performed.Thangaraj said Gunathilaka had complied with authorities investigating and surrendered his passport.”There is no capacity demonstrated for him to be able to flee,” Thangaraj said.Bail was granted with a AUD 150,000 surety and various conditions, including Gunathilaka not using Tinder or any other dating apps. He’s also prevented from accessing his existing social media accounts unless in the company of his legal team.McKinnon argued the alleged victim could be at risk. “This man was in her home, they walked to the address together,” she said.Thangaraj agreed the pair walked to her home together, but said it was night time, Gunathilaka had never been to the area before and they had walked for up to 15 minutes. “How will he remember where she lived, in those circumstances, even if he wanted to?” Thangaraj said.The unidentified complainant was being harassed via social media, and has had to close her accounts, McKinnon said. The harassment was coming from accounts with “Sri Lankan names”, she said.Thangaraj said that was irrelevant. “He has not encouraged a single person to do a single thing,” he said. “She’s off social media, so that’s all stopped.”Gunathilaka will be required to live at a specific address and report to police daily.After matching on Tinder, meeting up for a date and heading back to her Rose Bay home, the alleged victim claimed the cricketer refused to wear a condom and choked her three times. Gunathilaka travelled to Australia with Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup team but only played in their first game before being ruled out of the competition with a hamstring tear.Sri Lanka were eliminated from the tournament on November 5 after losing their final match. Gunathilaka was due to board a flight back to Sri Lanka the following day.The case will return to court on January 12.

Katherine Brunt provides vital support in sixth-wicket stand after India post 222 target

Annesha Ghosh30-Jun-2021England Women 225 for 5 (Dunkley 73, Winfield-Hill 42, Brunt 33*, Poonam 2-63) beat India Women 221 (Raj 59, Verma 44, Cross 5-34, Ecclestone 3-33) by five wicketsKate Cross’s second career five-for and a second successive three-for from Sophie Ecclestone, followed by a sixth-wicket unbeaten 92 stand between half-centurion Sophia Dunkley and Katherine Brunt set up England’s five-wicket win in the second ODI as Mithali Raj’s second fifty in as many games was in vain.India scored 71 off their last 15 overs to set England 222; the hosts needed 65 off theirs to clinch a second straight win and bolster their lead to 6-2 in the seven-match multi-format series. By then, Dunkley, batting for the first time in ODIs having made her debut in the format on Sunday, had put on 24 with Brunt. It took the duo less than 13 of those 15 overs to overhaul the target as Dunkley finished on 73 not out and Brunt on an unbeaten 33.Exuding the nerveless, clear-headed approach that underpinned her 74 not out on Test debut earlier this month, Dunkley steadied England’s chase after the home team lost half their side with 79 still needed. Her release shot – an imperious six into the long-on stands off pacer Shikha Pandey in the 34th over – put England in the driver’s seat after intermittent strikes had denied England’s top five any fifty partnerships.A maiden from Pandey in the first half of the Powerplay set the tone for India’s defence, under stand-in captain Harmanpreet Kaur as Raj didn’t field owing to neck pain. Jhulan Goswami drew first blood with a jaffa in the fifth over. Landing one on a good length, Goswami had it seam away slightly after pitching on middle, when, as replays suggested, the original line had been heading down leg. The misreading of the line caused the in-form Beaumont to be bowled for just 10.Beaumont’s opening partner, Lauren Winfield-Hill, showed early promise with a bouquet of cracking drives through the covers and over the bowler’s head. She hit four fours and a six en route to her 42 but fell to a feather of an edge in Pandey’s second spell thanks to brilliant Taniya Bhatia, standing up, with the gloves.Pandey could have had a second wicket a ball later. Kaur claimed a low catch diving forward to a Sciver lofted drive to mid-off, and was adamant her fingers were under the ball as she did so. The on-field soft signal, however, was not out, and was duly upheld, much to her displeasure, when the zoomed-in TV replays proved inconclusive.Kate Cross claimed a five-for as England took control of the second ODI•PA Photos/Getty Images

It could have proven to be a pivotal flashpoint. Instead, on 92 for 3, with Sciver having added another six runs since the close shave, offspinner Rana caused her to edge to Bhatia for the second of the wicketkeeper’s superb takes. Poonam picked up Amy Jones in the 29th over, keeping India’s chances alive, until Brunt and Dunkley staged a meticulous rebuild.As with their bowling performance, with the bat, India showed better intent than the first ODI. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s fifty opening stand came up in the 11th over, but in the next over, the introduction of England’s third pacer, Cross, led to the first breakthrough, with Mandhana chopping on a good-length, scrambled-seam delivery that nipped away from the bat.England had turned to spin as early as the ninth over, with Ecclestone bowling six overs for 20 runs and picking up the wicket of Verma in her first spell. Badly dropped on 21 by Winfield-Hill at mid-off, and parched of runs in the first three balls of the 17th over, Verma, six shy of a maiden ODI fifty, trotted down the pitch but was stumped adeptly by Jones as Ecclestone dragged her length back.No. 3 Jemimah Rodgriues, replacing Punam Raut as one of three changes to India’s XI, struck two emphatic fours in Ecclestone’s fifth over. That’s all she could score in her 15-ball stay before coming down the wicket to Cross, and offering up a leading edge for Brunt to complete an easy take.After India slipped from 56 for 0 to 77 for 3 in the space of 29 balls, Raj and her deputy, Kaur, strung a fourth-wicket stand of 68 runs, their third fifty-plus stand in their last four ODI innings together, to lift India to 145 for 4 by the 34th over. Their stand ended with Cross eliciting a cavalier hoick off Kaur that ended up in a benign top edge for the bowler herself to gobble up.Related

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The next-best partnership was worth just 15, between Raj and Deepti Sharma, whose flick found Dunkley in the deep, as Cross made giant strides on her merry march to the Player-of-the-Match honours. Sharma’s wicket capped off Cross’s four-for, the first by an England bowler in a home ODI since Anya Shrubsole’s epochal five-for in the 2017 World Cup final at Lord’s.Cross sealed her five-for with the wicket of Sneh Rana, who made the XI at the expense of Pooja Vastrakar. Drawing a leading edge similar to Rodrigues’, Rana was held at the second attempt by a relieved Heather Knight, as England celebrated with a group hug to mark a fine performance from a popular player.Ecclestone followed up her 3 for 40 in the first game with 3 for 33 in the second, Bhatia her second scalp at Taunton. In Shikha Pandey, Sciver picked up her 50th ODI wicket.Raj found support towards the end of the innings from No. 10 Goswami, who pulled Brunt twice with aplomb in her unbeaten run-a-ball 19. Regular dismissals at the other end meant Raj dropped the scoring pace somewhat as she neared her fifty, a highlights-worthy compilation of back-foot punches, cuts, trademark cover drives, and a failed attempt at pulling a superb Cross bouncer in the 36th over.On 48, Raj copped a bouncer from Cross on the front of her grille, but quickly shook it off to bring up a half-century, her 57th in the format. However, she was run out nine runs later, after a terrific recovery from Dunkley on the deep square boundary. After recovering from a misfield, her bullet throw was well gathered in front of the stumps by Jones, who whipped off the bails to claim the key scalp among her day’s four dismissals.A 29-run tenth-wicket stand between Goswami and Poonam Yadav, who was picked over Ekta Bisht as the second frontline spin-bowling option, dragged India past 200. Ecclestone bowled Yadav for a 15-ball 10 off the final delivery of the innings. And though India bettered their 201 tally in the first post 221 in the second, it again proved insufficient to get the better of England.

Two cases of the virus reported in the city, with a school in shutdown till March 13

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2020The Sindh provincial government has ruled out moving PSL games out of Karachi amid fears of the coronavirus outbreak. According to reports, there have been five cases of the virus in Pakistan so far, including three in Federal Areas and two in Karachi, where a school has been shut down till March 13.It is understood that the PCB was willing to abide by any decision taken by the government, but after a Sindh cabinet meeting on Tuesday, it was agreed that all the remaining games in Karachi will go ahead according to plan, with strict precautions taken.So far, no overseas player has raised any concerns over the virus, but teams have been exercising caution.Dr Zafar Mirza, special assistant to the Prime Minister of Health, said that standard operating procedures were in place and being further strengthened to contain the disease.”Our simple policy is working so far, it is working well and it needs to be further strengthened,” he said. “We need to prepare ourselves for a worst-case scenario but we should hope for the best.”