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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were staring at the prospect of a sixth loss in a row when MS Dhoni joined Shivam Dube with five overs left in the chase and 56 to get. But Dhoni won the battle against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) seamers with an unbeaten 11-ball 26 while Dube made 43 not out in 27 to give CSK their second win in seven outings at IPL 2025.LSG captain Rishabh Pant said right after the game that LSG were “10-15 runs short” after being asked to bat. Despite Pant’s own 49-ball 63, his first half-century in LSG colours, they scored only 166 for 7 in 20 overs, their lowest total of the season. They were pegged back by Ravindra Jadeja’s two wickets and kept in check by Noor Ahmad’s miserly four overs that went for only 13 runs.Related

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After CSK’s opening partnership put them on course, LSG dragged the game back with their spinners. Digvesh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi, and part-time offspinner Aiden Markram produced combined figures of 11-0-66-4, but a 19-run over from Shardul Thakur in the 19th ended LSG’s hopes.

Dhoni, Dube take down pacersWhen Dhoni walked out after 15 overs, Dube had made only 17 in his first 20 balls. Dube had failed to boss the spinners like he usually does and the dismissals of Vijay Shankar and Jadeja had only added to the pressure.But Dhoni enjoys pace – he came into the game with a strike rate of 222 against quicks since IPL 2024, and LSG supplied him with just that. Despite one over of Bishnoi left, LSG went for Avesh Khan and Thakur, and their wide-yorker plan ended up being too predictable.Dhoni edged a couple of fours down to deep third but showed his power by punching a boundary through the covers, flicking a full toss over midwicket, and dragging a one-handed six over deep square-leg.4:32

Why did Pant not give Bishnoi another over?

He also ran his ones and twos, sometimes gingerly, with Dube and took the pressure off his partner. When Thakur bowled two full tosses at the start of the 19th over, Dube smacked him for four and six, the second of a no-ball.Dhoni picked up his first IPL Player-of-the-Match award since 2019 and Dube, soon after hitting the winning runs, said he was pleased about taking the game deep. Their partnership of 57 came in only 28 balls.

Rasheed steps up on IPL debut

Shaik Rasheed’s ability was never in doubt. He is a former Under-19 World Cup-winning vice-captain, has a Syed Mushtaq Ali century, and a double-century in first-class cricket. It’s for those reasons CSK have kept a close eye on him since IPL 2023.With Devon Conway not among the runs, CSK gave Rasheed an IPL debut and he took strike to start the chase. By the second over, he had pumped three fours off Akash Deep, with one flick over midwicket described on the broadcast as “Virat Kohli like”.His 19-ball 27 with six fours helped CSK reach fifty in only 4.2 overs, and alongside Rachin Ravindra’s 22-ball 37, gave them a rare successful opening stand. Those runs proved crucial as a collapse against spin followed.2:04

‘What Dhoni is doing is extraordinary’

Pant fights his way to 63

With a strike rate of 80 and a high score of 21 this season, Pant needed to do something big. He walked out in the fourth over with Markram and Nicholas Pooran out to Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj respectively for low scores.He started on a positive note, improvising a reverse lap over short third early for six along with a handful of pulls and cuts. But his strike rate of 165 plummeted to 103 when CSK’s spinners applied the squeeze. Pant saw wickets at from the other end, and ended up playing ten dots in 15 balls against Noor, scoring only six runs. His strike rate of 40 against the Purple Cap holder ended up being the second worst for any batter against a bowler in IPL (minimum 15 balls).However, after 40 in 39 balls, Pant found his touch against the pace of Matheesha Pathirana and Khaleel to turn his innings around. He couldn’t stay till the end, though, and the CSK spinners’ effort ensured LSG could make only 166 on a day where their second-highest individual score was Mitchell Marsh’s 30.

Moeen Ali, the former England allrounder, believes the possibility of Harry Brook receiving a two-year ban from the IPL for withdrawing from the tournament for a second straight year after being signed at the auction “is not harsh”.According to the IPL’s new rules, Brook is now not eligible to play in the IPL, or be part of the auction, until IPL 2027. As things stand, the only exception the IPL has made for signed players missing a season is in the case of “an injury/medical condition, which will have to be confirmed by the [player’s] home board”.”It’s not [harsh] though, I kinda agree with it,” Moeen said on the podcast, when asked whether a two-year ban would be harsh. “A lot of people do that [withdrawing]. People have done it in the past, and then they come back in and end up getting a better financial package or whatever it is. It kinda messes up a lot of things as well at the same time.”It’s messed his team [Delhi Capitals] up, him pulling him out. Any team that loses Harry Brook is messed up a bit, and they’ve got to now rejig everything and stuff like that. Forget him for a second, if you do pull out, the rule is you get a ban, unless it’s a family reason or injury. If it’s injury, it’s different. But I think if you just pull out, then it’s… I kinda agree with it [the rules].”Delhi Capitals, who signed Brook for INR 6.25 crore (£590,000 approx.) at the mega-auction last November, were told about his withdrawal earlier this month through the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Brook posted on social media at the time that he needed “time to recharge after the busiest period in my career to date”.Brook, who has an all-format contract with England is considered the frontrunner to be the next white-ball captain following Jos Buttler’s decision to step down from the role after England’s winless campaign at the Champions Trophy.Moeen, who will be playing for Kolkata Knight Riders at IPL 2025, felt the possibility of Brook taking over as England captain may have led him to his IPL decision. England have two big Test assignments later in the year: a five-Test series against India at home between June and August, followed by the Ashes in Australia between November and January.”It’s happened a few times before, England players have done it a few times before in the past,” Moeen said. “With him, he’s played a lot of cricket; he’s probably just thinking a little bit of a rest, there’s a big summer coming up, a big 12 months coming up.”England do play a lot though. He [Brook] plays all forms, he’s probably going to be captain of the white-ball side as well, he’s probably just giving himself a bit of a break. It’s been a tough winter, he’s probably just going to get his game in order a bit more. That’s all.”This decision puts Brook in a tight spot. While the IPL hasn’t officially sanctioned him, the new rules, put in place ahead of the 2025 season, have been drafted based on feedback from the franchises who have expressed frustration at such late withdrawals by overseas players.This is the second year in a row that Brook has pulled out before the start of an IPL season.Last March, ten days before their opening match of the season, Brook informed DC he was withdrawing from the tournament to be with his family after the death of his grandmother. The bereavement had already caused him to pull out of England’s Test tour of India in February.Adil Rashid, the England legspinner who has previously been part of the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad, concurred with Moeen.”That’s the rule. If they actually put that rule in place before and then this happens, you know going in that this is the rule, where you put your name and you know if you pull out – this is gonna happen,” Rashid said. “You know the consequences to it. So, I don’t think it’s harsh. If you pull out through injury or whatever it is, rules may differ or change in that way.”This has been going on for a little while, Mo been in IPL lot longer, for five-ten years a lot of people who have been selected generally have pulled out. That’s what they’re trying to stop, where a lot of people who make the team up pull out last minute, and that messes things up in term of dynamics of teams.”

Australia T20 captain Mitchell Marsh has been cleared to play in the IPL for his new team Lucknow Super Giants as a batter-only and is set to travel early next week despite missing the Champions Trophy with a back injury.Marsh, 33, was ruled out of the ODI tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy on January 31 due to “lower back pain and dysfunction”, which put an end to his domestic season. It was understood to be related to a disc problem that he had been managing since the limited overs tour of the UK in September 2024.Marsh saw a back specialist in early February and underwent a period of rest to try and settle the problem. He has returned to batting in recent weeks and has been cleared to play in the IPL for LSG as a batter-only and looks set to play a role as an impact player at the top of the order for his new franchise after he was bought for $US400,000 at the IPL Auction last year. Marsh is expected to join LSG’s squad on March 18 and will link up with his former Australia, Western Australia and Perth Scorchers coach Justin Langer who is entering his second season as LSG coach.Related

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Marsh has not played a game since playing in the BBL for Perth Scorchers on January 7. He rested from Scorchers’ final two matches of the BBL season thereafter. That match was his only appearance after being omitted from Australia’s Test team ahead of the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar series. Prior to that BBL appearance, his last white-ball matches were during the September T20I and ODI tour of the UK.Marsh has played for Delhi Capitals in the last three IPL seasons but has had some significant injury issues. He damaged his hamstring in last year’s IPL after just four games and had to return home to rehab before leading Australia in the T20 World Cup. He has previously played for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiants, Pune Warriors and Deccan Chargers.Meanwhile, Marsh’s Australia teammates Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are all expected to be fit for the IPL after also missing the Champions Trophy with various issues.Cummins told ESPNCricinfo last month that his ankle was strong after it had flared up following the Border-Gavaskar series and is set to lead SRH again.Starc also suffered an ankle niggle during the two-Test series against Sri Lanka but is set to play in the IPL after missing the Champions Trophy. Starc will join Delhi Capitals this season, having been bought at the auction for $US1.4 million, after he was player of the match in last year’s final for Kolkata Knight Riders.Hazlewood attracted the highest price of any Australian at the auction after missing last season when he was bought by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for $US1.49 million. Hazlewood has been the least durable of the three coming off side and calf injuries this summer with the latter turning in a hip issue that forced him to miss the Champions Trophy.All of Australia’s other IPL players are set to prioritise the tournament over the Sheffield Shield despite five states still being in contention to make the Shield final. Last season Matthew Wade opted to play the Shield final for Tasmania and missed the start of Gujurat Titans’ campaign. But South Australians Travis Head (Sunrisers), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Capitals) and Spencer Johnson (KKR) are all headed to the IPL despite SA already qualifying for the Shield final that is currently scheduled to begin on March 26. Xavier Bartlett, Josh Inglis and Aaron Hardie are heading to Punjab Kings to play under Ricky Ponting and will not play for their respective states Queensland or Western Australia in either the last Shield round, which begins on Saturday, or the final if their team qualifies.

When is Champions Trophy 2025 starting?

Champions Trophy 2025 will begin on February 19, with hosts Pakistan taking on New Zealand in Karachi. The final will be played on March 9. Click here for the full schedule.

It has been a while since we had a Champions Trophy, right?

Yes, the previous edition was played in 2017, in England and Wales, where Pakistan beat India in the final. Here is the list of all previous winners.

Why has there been such a long gap?

Since its inception in 1998, the tournament was played every two years till 2009. After that, it was moved to a four-year cycle. India were supposed to host the 2021 edition but it was replaced with the T20 World Cup, which was ultimately played in the UAE.Related

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So Pakistan are the hosts this time?

Yes, but there is more to it. Since India refused to travel to Pakistan, the PCB opted for a hybrid model with India’s matches to be held in Dubai. That decision was arrived at after a long impasse. The Pakistan leg will be played in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi. The National Stadium in Karachi and the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore are undergoing significant upgrades and renovation, almost racing against time. Their readiness will be tested during the tri-series, involving Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa, just before the Champions Trophy.

Where will the opening ceremony be held then?

The PCB will host an event in Lahore on February 16 to mark the start of the tournament. However, there will be no captains’ meet, or press conference, because of logistical reasons. This also ends the speculations about whether India captain Rohit Sharma will travel to Pakistan or not.

But why are India not going to Pakistan when everyone else is?

Because of political tension between the two countries. Even Indian match officials are not travelling to Pakistan. The last time India visited Pakistan was for the 2008 Asia Cup, even though Pakistan have played several ICC tournaments in India since then, including the 2023 ODI World Cup. Before the Champions Trophy, the two boards and the ICC reached an agreement that till 2027, even Pakistan’s matches in an ICC tournament hosted in India would be played at a neutral venue.

When was the last time an ICC tournament was held in Pakistan?

For that, you will have to go all the way back to 1996, when Pakistan co-hosted the ODI World Cup with India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan were supposed to host the Champions Trophy in 2008. But due to security concerns, the tournament was eventually played in South Africa in 2009.

Are India playing Pakistan in Champions Trophy 2025?

Yes, they are in the same group and will face each other on February 23, Sunday in Dubai. Unlike the World Cups, where India have a 15-1 head-to-head record, things have been much closer in the Champions Trophy, with Pakistan leading 3-2.Fakhar Zaman, centurion and Player of the Match in the final of the last Champions Trophy, has been recalled for this year’s edition•Getty Images

How many teams are participating in all?

Eight, the same as the 2017 edition. The only difference is that Afghanistan have qualified ahead of Sri Lanka this time. The teams are divided into two groups. Group A has India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and Group B South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan and England. You can find all the squads here.

How were the participants decided?

Being the hosts, Pakistan secured automatic qualification. The other seven teams were decided based on the 2023 ODI World Cup standings. Sri Lanka and Netherlands, who finished ninth and tenth, missed the cut.

What happened to West Indies?

Since West Indies had not qualified for the 2023 ODI World Cup, they could not compete for the Champions Trophy either. It was the same case for Zimbabwe and Ireland, the other missing Full Members.

What is the format for the Champions Trophy?

Each team will play its fellow group members once. After that, the top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, with A1 playing B2 and B1 playing A2.If India qualify, they will play their semi-final in Dubai on March 4, irrespective of their position on the points table. Similarly, if Pakistan qualify, they will play their semi-final in Lahore on March 5.The final will be played on March 9 in Lahore, unless India make it till there. In that case, the venue will once again be Dubai.

What will happen if a match ends in a tie?

All tied matches throughout the tournament will be decided via the Super Over. If the Super Over is also tied, then subsequent Super Overs will be played until there is a winner.Joe Root is back in England’s ODI plans for the Champions Trophy•Getty Images

Is there a reserve day for the knockout matches?

Yes, the two semi-finals and the final have a reserve day. But every attempt will be made to finish the game on the scheduled day itself. If that is not possible, the match will resume on the reserve day from where it was stopped.In the knockout matches, the team batting second should have the opportunity to play at least 25 overs – as opposed to 20 in the group stage – for the result to be decided via the DLS method.

What happens if there is still a washout?

In case of a no result in the semi-finals, the team that finished higher in the group stage will proceed to the final. If the final is washed out, the trophy will be shared.

Has there ever been joint winners?

Yes, India and hosts Sri Lanka shared the trophy in 2002 after the final was washed out. There was a reserve day in place but, as per the playing conditions back then, the match was played afresh. On both days, Sri Lanka batted first and played their full 50 overs, but rain did not allow more than ten overs in the second innings on either occasion.

What are some of the key things I need to know about the teams?

Australia go into the tournament as ODI world champions but their captain Pat Cummins, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and allrounder Mitchell Marsh have been ruled out with injuries. Also Marcus Stoinis has retired. Australia have until February 12 to name their replacements.South Africa will be without Anrich Nortje and Gerald Coetzee (both injured). On the other hand, a fit-again Ibrahim Zadran is back for Afghanistan. Also keep an eye out for their mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar.India will hope Rohit and Virat Kohli come good after poor returns in Test cricket lately. Pakistan have recalled Fakhar Zaman, the Player of the Match in the final last time, and England have done the same with Joe Root, while Bangladesh have left out Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das. New Zealand will play their first global tournament under Mitchell Santner.

Finally, where can I watch the games?

Depending on your location, you can watch the games as per the following.Afghanistan – Ariana TV
Australia – Prime Video
Bangladesh – Nagorik TV and T Sports
England – Sky Sports
India – Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar
New Zealand – Sky Sport
Pakistan – PTV, A Sports and tapmad
South Africa – SuperSport
Sri Lanka – Star Sports Network
UAE – Starz On
USA – Willow TV
As always, ESPNcricinfo will have full coverage, from scores, news and features to analysis and expert opinions.

A cluster of big names joined the playoff stage of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), all arriving from the International League T20 (ILT20) tournament in the UAE after being eliminated in that competition. James Vince, Tim David and Shimron Hetmyer have come from Gulf Giants (GG) while Andre Russell and Jason Holder have arrived after playing for the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ADKR).All five were in action at Monday’s BPL eliminator match. David, Russell and Vince turned out for Rangpur Riders while Khulna Tigers have Hetmyer and Holder in their corner.Kyle Mayers is reportedly also returning for Fortune Barishal after his stint with the Abu Dhabi franchise in the ILT20. Mayers had initially played five matches for Barishal, before hopping off to the ILT20 where he played ten matches.Related

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It is a timely boost for the BPL after a plethora of controversies over allegations of corruption and salary payment issues.The inclusion of these T20 A-listers will give the tournament some legitimacy. But the swift player transfer highlights the absurdity of the T20 market where a player gets to play more franchise leagues in the same window if his team is eliminated earlier than others. Vince has played in the Big Bash League, before making it to the ILT20 and now have arrived for the BPL.The injection of big stars created an early problem for Rangpur in the eliminator though. Vince had a mix-up with Soumya Sarkar in the first over of the eliminator, resulting in the latter getting run-out. Vince then fell for just one run, unable to read a two-paced wicket. David and Russell fell for seven and four respectively.The BPL hasn’t had a lot of big names playing this season. Alex Hales and Shaheen Afridi featured for the first couple of weeks while Jason Roy and Reece Topley also appeared for a few matches. In fact, there has been criticism of the large number of lesser-known and former overseas cricketers in the BPL.

Late heroics from Daniel Sams and a dazzling BBL debut from Sam Konstas ensured David Warner started his Sydney Thunder captaincy reign with a remarkable victory over Adelaide Strikers in Canberra.Chasing 183 in good batting conditions at Manuka Oval, Thunder appeared on track when Konstas smashed 56 off 27 balls at the top of the order. The 19-year-old became the youngest player in BBL history to hit a half-century and also made the fastest 50 in Thunder history.But Thunder fell away after Konstas’ dismissal and needed an unlikely 33 runs off the last two overs before Sams bludgeoned legspinner Lloyd Pope in a 19th over yielding 31 runs.Sams finished the game on the fourth ball of the last over with a boundary off allrounder Jamie Overton as Thunder ended a five-game losing streak to Strikers in stunning fashion.It was a heartbreaking result for new Strikers coach Tim Paine, who has replaced Jason Gillespie in the role.Related

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Konstas stars, Sams turns the matchAll eyes were on Thunder’s opening pair fusing an Australian cricket great and the country’s next big batting hope.In a sign of things to come, Konstas started with a boundary before Warner followed by reverse sweeping the spin of Matt Short. But Warner didn’t last long after a leading edge off seamer Henry Thornton was caught at extra cover.Thunder fans in the terraces collectively groaned before their spirits were soon raised when Konstas underlined why he’s such an exciting prospect. He executed a variety of audacious shots, including several scoops and a bludgeon over cover. His biggest blow was a huge strike off Thornton over deep midwicket that sailed into the crowd.Konstas, who received his Thunder cap from Warner, entered the record books when he reached his half-century before falling lbw to Fabian Allen.Thunder failed to regain the momentum and appeared to be petering out to a defeat. Sams had struggled initially and survived a caught behind appeal from Thornton with the not out decision upheld on review.Sams then rediscovered his big-hitting prowess in the nick of time with an assault on Pope, which included three sixes and three boundaries. He finished with 42 off 18 balls to snatch an improbable win for Thunder.Allen’s injury proves costly for Strikers West Indies’ Allen was recruited by Strikers to add to their allround depth. After he missed out with the bat, Allen’s left-arm spin proved invaluable when he dismissed Konstas.Allen bowled accurately in his two overs, conceding just 10 runs. But his BBL debut was soured when he injured his right hamstring after diving near the ropes down the ground in an effort to stop a boundary from Sam Billings.He limped off the field to leave Strikers’ attack shorthanded and his absence proved crucial. Allen probably would have bowled at the death with Short having to resort to Pope in a decision that backfired.Chris Green struck in each of his first three overs•Getty Images

Successful Ferguson debut; spin twins shineThere was a lot of excitement over pace recruit Lockie Ferguson, who made his BBL debut after rejecting a central contract with New Zealand Cricket. He bowled with trademark fire to finish with 3 for 24 from four overs, with all of his wicket-taking deliveries rattling the stumps. He was clearly the pick of the Thunder quicks.Chris Green and Tanveer Sangha also performed well and helped put Thunder in a strong position with a combined 5 for 54 from eight overs.Having given the leadership reins to Warner, Green can better focus on his offspin and he started the season superbly with the wickets of top-order batters Jake Weatherald, Chris Lynn and Harry Nielsen.Not a prodigious turner of the ball, Green cleverly slid the ball on and forced batters into errors, while legspinner Sangha dismissed Allen and Alex Ross as he mixed up his speeds to good effect.Weatherald justifies the faithWeatherald opened and he was preferred ahead of D’Arcy Short, who was at the top of Strikers’ order last season.Weatherald initially took a back seat to his captain Short, who smashed quick Nathan McAndrew through the covers for a first ball boundary. After struggling through the white-ball series against Pakistan, Short hoped to rediscover his form in a tournament where he won last season’s best player award.But Short’s desire to whack every delivery backfired when he was bowled in the second over by a sharp in-swinger from Ferguson in a rare BBL failure for him.Weatherald wasn’t rattled as he unfurled a counterattack with two sixes in three deliveries off McAndrew to ignite his innings. Entering the BBL after a strong start to the Sheffield Shield season, Weatherald’s confidence was evident with clean striking marked by a sweet sound that was music to his ears.His power and placement was impeccable as he raced to 40 but on his 19th delivery he holed out after miss-timing a slog sweep off Green as Strikers fell away.They slumped to 101 for 6 in the 13th over and appeared to be falling well short of a competitive total. But their innings flipped with the power surge, as Oveton and James Bazley whacked 33 runs across the 15th and 16th overs.Bazley entered with a career strike-rate in the BBL of 122 but he more than doubled that with a whirlwind 31 runs off 12 balls. Overton is relied upon to be Strikers’ finisher and he didn’t let the team down with four sixes.

A 142-run fifth-wicket stand between the century-making Tom Westley and Paul Walter rescued Essex from impending doom and into a commanding position in their weather-interrupted Vitality County Championship match against Nottinghamshire.Westley’s unbeaten 108 from 214 balls, his highest score of the season so far, held together an Essex innings that was in danger of imminent collapse at 86 for 4 when the pair came together. Westley had himself arrived in the sixth over and was still there 68 overs later with Essex 262 for 5 at the close of a day when the players trudged on and off the field at irregular intervals.Walter’s big hitting under the Chelmsford floodlights bought him 10 fours and a six in his 72 from 106 balls, his third half-century in his last six innings and only eclipsed by a century against Durham in June.It became a day of toil for Nottinghamshire, but pace bowler Rob Lord, 23, in only his second Championship game, looked lively and claimed two of the first four Essex wickets to fall. He finished the day with figures of 2 for 53 from 15 overs.On a predominantly overcast and damp day, foreshortened by 22 overs, Nottinghamshire elected to put Essex in as they sought only their second victory of a relegation-threatened season, though they were considerably buoyed by a battling draw against Surrey last week.When play started 70 minutes late because of light drizzle that fell immediately after the 10.30am toss, Essex lost Dean Elgar cheaply when he dragged Lord to mid-on where Haseeb Hameed ran round to take the catch sliding on his knees. Fellow opener Robin Das had just been reprieved by a drop in the slips straight after lunch when he got a thicker edge to one from Lyndon James and was snaffled at second slip for 20.The giant figure of Luke Fletcher bowled unchanged for 13 overs either side of lunch, having Westley in some discomfort – notably with one that smacked into the Essex captain’s box – on a green-tinged wicket initially helping the seamers. He was finally rewarded when Matt Critchley left alone a delivery that jagged back.Debutant Luc Benkenstein’s maiden scoring shot in first-class cricket was a delightful pull for four, but next ball he nicked Lord thinly through to the wicketkeeper.The scoring improved as the conditions eased and the Kookaburra ball softened in the afternoon and Westley and Walter put on the first fifty of their partnership in just six overs. Westley’s own half-century took 79 balls and included five fours, one a particularly satisfying, flowing off-drive against his erstwhile nemesis Fletcher.Walter also played his way in carefully before whipping James off his legs for a first boundary and then twice elegantly lofting Farhan Ahmed to the rope behind the bowler.When Westley pulled Lord to fine leg it marked the pair’s century partnership in 26 overs. Next ball, Walter pulled the bowler through square leg for his eighth boundary to bring up a 65-ball fifty. He then welcomed the introduction of Liam Patterson-White’s spin with a four and a six to long-off.The pair were finally parted after 42 overs when Walter went to sweep Ahmed but got a leading edge as the ball looped up to gully. However, soon afterwards some careless fielding by the visitors handed Westley five runs courtesy of overthrows which took him to three figures from 193 balls.

Rishabh Pant brought up an emotional sixth Test century, Shubman Gill a serene fifth, and the Indian bowlers and fielders responded well to demanding conditions by taking four second-innings wicket on day three in Chennai. Bangladesh were 357 adrift of the 515 target set them by an aggressive declaration with two-and-a-half days left in the Test.With the pitch not yet breaking up and the average seam movement dying down from 1.3 degrees on day one to 0.4 degrees on day three, these were the best batting conditions of the match. Despite India’s attacking approach to set up the declaration, they only played 16 false shots in 41 overs on day three, while scoring 206 runs. The conditions remained flat when Bangladesh batted, but a marathon spell from R Ashwin maintained India’s ascendency in the match. The bowlers had the fielders to thank for three low catches of varying difficulty.Related

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Given the conditions, Gill and Pant, both aggressive batters given to counterattacking, acknowledged that only they could get themselves out, and put their heads down for big knocks. They kept respecting good balls, and once in they jumped out of the crease to hit sixes. Gill hit Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who bowled 25 out of India’s 64 second-innings overs, for four of them to reach 28 sixes in his 26th Test. Pant fancied the left-arm spin of Shakib Al Hasan and hit four sixes of his own to go up to 59, the seventh-highest for India, in just 34 Tests. India have now hit 85 sixes in 2024, which leaves them only five short of breaking the record for most sixes by a team in a calendar year.What the duo did outside the sixes was more impressive. Unlike Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma, who on the second evening just tried to impose themselves on the bowling, these two began the day respecting the bowling and they were content to defend for a while without worrying about edges and close-in fielders. Only in the seventh over of the day did someone try to force the issue, and Gill did that beautifully with the two sixes over wide long-on.Pant, extra conscious to not give it away after a soft dismissal in the first innings, took even more time before he went manufacturing shots – none better than the ramp-sweep off Hasan Mahmud for a six over fine leg ten minutes before lunch. Gill joined in the acceleration before lunch, suggesting the declaration might come sooner rather than later. With that push for quicker runs came a skier from Pant seven minutes before the break, but captain Najmul Hossain Shanto put it down. Pant still hit two fours in the final over before the break, throwing down the gauntlet for the race to the hundred.1:49

Manjrekar: Mushfiqur could bat up in left-hand heavy line-up

Post lunch, Pant brought out his trademark flick behind square both off the quicks and the spinners to get to his hundred in just 118 balls. Gill went there more calmly, in 161 balls, and KL Rahul played a few classy inside-out drives before the declaration left Bangladesh an hour to bat till tea.Zakir Hasan came out full of intent, driving both off the front and the back foot and also dismissing Mohammed Siraj for a flicked six. With the ball not doing much, he and Shadman Islam stayed on the lookout for runs, punishing every error in length.Once Ashwin came on, though, he started to create some mischief, hitting the sticker of the bat here, taking the inside edge there. Post tea, he and Jasprit Bumrah created three tight overs. In the fourth, Zakar played an ambitious drive to a ball not nearly full enough, and Jaiswal ended his innings with a sensational catch low to his left and behind him at gully.The conditions made Ashwin work hard for his wickets. He was even taken for four sixes; the most he has ever conceded in an innings is five. He kept plugging away, though, often slowing his pace down to draw assistance from the surface. His first wicket didn’t come as he would have envisaged as Shadman went back looking to play a length ball behind square. It wasn’t short enough, and it took his leading edge for a low catch for Gill at short midwicket.Ashwin then produced a beauty to get rid of Mominul Haque, who never looked at home. The drift made him play the line, and the turn was just enough to miss the edge but not the off stump. Mushfiqur Rahim was a cat on a hit tin roof, slog-sweeping Ashwin for a six before hitting one low to Rahul at mid-on. Shakib Al Hasan was even less settled, but was rescued by bad light that ended the play early. Amid all this, captain Najmul batted calmly yet quickly to end the day batting on 51 off 60.

Dwayne Bravo, the highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket, has announced that he will retire from the CPL after the ongoing season. Bravo, who will turn 41 in October, made the announcement public hours before Trinbago Knight Riders’ opening game of CPL 2024, against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in Basseterre.”It’s been a great journey. This season will be my last one and I’m looking forward to a playing my final professional tournament in front of my Caribbean ppl,” Bravo posted on Instagram. “TKR is the place where everything started for me and will end with my team.”Related

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Bravo is also the highest wicket-taker in the CPL currently, with 128 strikes in 103 games at an average of 22.40 and economy rate of 8.69.Bravo’s CPL retirement comes almost three years after he ended his T20I career following West Indies’ early exit at the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. Then in 2023, Bravo retired from the IPL, and has served as Chennai Super Kings’ bowling coach since in the league.At the CPL, Bravo is the most decorated player, having won five titles in all, including three with TKR alone. Bravo is hoping to end his CPL career with his fourth title with them.He had led TKR to back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 before captaining Patriots to their first title in 2021.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In 2020, Bravo was part of the TKR title-winning side as a player. During that season, he became the first player to 500 T20 wickets as TKR enjoyed an unbeaten run to the title amid the Covid-19 pandemic.Ahead of CPL 2021, Bravo moved to Patriots for a new challenge and ended up winning his first – and only – CPL title for a non-Trinidad franchise. It was a comprehensive turnaround from 2020, when Patriots had finished at the bottom.Pete Russell, CEO of the CPL, paid tribute to Bravo. “We are so grateful that Dwayne has been a part of our tournament since its inception in 2013 and his contribution to making the league what it is today is immeasurable,” he said in a statement. “The CPL has become known around the world as the biggest party in sport and Dwayne’s enthusiasm and amazing personality has done as much as anyone to bring that to life. We are certain that ‘Sir Champion’ will continue to play a massive role in T20 cricket going forward and we wish him all the best in the next chapter.”In a number of T20 leagues around the world, especially at the CPL, Bravo has been harnessing his experience to nurture youngsters, settling into a role like MS Dhoni has been fulfilling for Chennai Super Kings for a while. During CPL 2021, for example, he took allrounder Dominic Drakes under his wing and helped transform him into a match-winner. Drakes came away with the Player-of-the-Match award in the CPL 2021 final and continued to work with Bravo in other leagues, including IPL (Chennai Super Kings) and T10 (Delhi Bulls).Bravo has also worked closely with Ali Khan, the USA fast bowler, who also often fronts up to bowl at the death for TKR. Bravo had first spotted Khan in the US Open T20 tournament and signed him on for the Winnipeg Hawks in the Global T20 Canada, before recommending him to TKR.At the CPL, Dwayne Bravo performs a mentorship role that MS Dhoni has been doing for CSK•BCCI

Coach Simon Helmot, who was earlier part of the leadership group at both Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel and Patriots, delivered a glowing appraisal of Bravo’s captaincy during an interview with ESPNcricinfo in 2021.”In 2021 [at St Kitts & Nevis Patriots], I saw a difference again from 2014-16. He wasn’t just the captain, he was the ultimate leader,” Helmot had said at the time. “He’s invested in our staff and players, he’s invested in our ownership and the entire organisation. Maybe that’s with him being involved with CSK and their strong organisation. But I’ve seen this guy grow around 15 years now from being a quality captain, player, and now the whole gamut.”Game intelligence and game starts in T20 cricket is crucial. Yes, T20 can be known as a young person’s game, but it’s also for the person of experience – one who can problem-solve and work out situations, not just for themselves but also for team-mates around.”Then, ahead of CPL 2023, Bravo returned to TKR and formed a fearsome core along with his good friend Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and Nicholas Pooran. They progressed to the final where they lost to Imran Tahir’s Guyana Amazon Warriors.While CPL 2024 will be his last tournament on home soil, Bravo will be in action in other franchise competitions around the world. He is currently contracted to MI Emirates, who have retained him ahead of the third season of ILT20 in the UAE. He is set to reunite with Pollard and Pooran in the Emirates. Last month, Bravo had also turned out for Texas Super Kings in the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA.

Former South Africa quick Charl Langeveldt has been appointed bowling coach of the Zimbabwe men’s national team. Stuart Matsikenyeri, the former Zimbabwe batter who had been the side’s interim head coach prior to the full-time appointment of Justin Sammons, remains part of the coaching staff as fielding coach.Langeveldt and Matsikenyeri will join Sammons and newly appointed assistant coach Dion Ebrahim ahead of the five-match T20I series against India, which begins in Harare on July 6. South Africans Ravish Gobind and Curtly Diesel will also join the backroom as strategic performance coach and strength and conditioning coach respectively.Related

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The appointments were approved by the Mhishi Committee of Inquiry, which was formed to study the team’s failure to qualify for the recently concluded T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.A near full-strength Zimbabwe were pipped by Namibia and Uganda, who took the two available spots from the Africa Region Qualifier in November 2023. The setback prompted Dave Houghton’s resignation as head coach, with the former Zimbabwe captain suggesting players were “not responding to my voice anymore.”In his absence, Walter Chawaguta had then taken over as head coach in an interim capacity, before Matsikenyeri stepped in to oversee the team’s preparation ahead of their tour of Bangladesh in April.Langeveldt’s most recent stint with an international side was with Afghanistan until the end of last year’s ODI World Cup in India. He has also been part of the coaching set-ups of Bangladesh and South Africa.