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Can England swallow their pride and settle for stalemate in the second Test?

Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes prepares to bowl on day two•Associated Press

Michael Jordan did not always take clutch shots.Arguably his most famous passing on a moment came at the end of game six of the 1997 NBA Finals against Utah Jazz. In the final seconds, Jordan kicked the ball out to Steve Kerr on the edge of the key, who drained the game winner.”Well, I guess I gotta bail Michael out again,” joked Kerr afterwards. For all his qualities, Kerr knew this was more Jordan’s bag. But even a man who prided himself on being him – one such Jordan make in a playoff game against Cleveland Cavaliers is immortalised simply as “The Shot” – saw the value of going against his nature.Of course, to not feed Kerr in that moment would have been irresponsible. Sure, Jordan is Jordan. But swarmed by defenders, taking up the option of a trusted alternative was a no-brainer. He might have a brand to preserve, but he’s a winner first.Related

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On Thursday evening, as Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj swarmed all over England’s top-order batters, you wondered if they may finally try and kick one out to the reliable free man. One that, while they have never used, has been a handy crutch of pretty much every other team to make a success of Test cricket. The draw.In 37 Test matches since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum joined forces to revolutionise the Test side, England have not once chosen to play for the draw. The sole stalemate in that sequence came during 2023’s Ashes, the result of almost two days of rain being dumped on Manchester. Now, trailing in the first innings by 510, with three days to go, they might have to embrace it.It’s as much an ideological stance as a placebo. Ahead of the summer, Stokes, when handed a scenario of a chase of 400 in 40 overs during an Ashes by Nasser Hussain, joked, “well, Adelaide is short square”, without actually answering if maybe that would be the time to shut shop.That same bolshiness filters to the team, and in creating a belief that the win must be pushed for at all costs, you get situations like last week in Leeds when 371 is chased with little fuss.1:39

Aaron: English bowlers were way off their mark

Now, though, we might be on the cusp of England needing to hold on to what they have. Not only do they have a 1-0 lead, but it is one they earned in one of Jasprit Bumrah’s three scheduled appearances. Given the storm that played out on day one following India’s decision to rest Bumrah, they should be wary of offering the tourists a more straightforward route to victory without their frontman. This could be a momentum-shifting equaliser for them.Typically, even in the short history of this England team, there are crumbs to nourish them. While this is only the fourth time in Test history that England have won the toss, bowled, and conceded 500, it is the second time they have done so in the Stokes-McCullum era.That first time came against New Zealand in that 2022 summer, when they strolled down a target of 299 in Nottingham. And while they do not have a Jonny Bairstow anymore, they do have unusually short Test boundaries – none longer than 65 metres – to offer some Trent Bridge-like qualities. It is also worth noting the other two times a team has scored 500 in their first innings – both Pakistan (Rawalpindi 2022, Multan 2024) – England have won.

“What happens tomorrow – and I suppose what happens every day – is a big direction-turner in terms of how we approach the game. I think we’ll have a little think about it tonight and we’ll see how tomorrow pans out, especially that first session”Jeetan Patel

As such, you can forgive the optimism Jeetan Patel brought to the end-of-the-day press conference, particularly with Joe Root and Harry Brook resuming on Friday morning.”Oh, 100%,” England’s assistant coach immediately answered when asked if winning remained a possibility. “I’ve said this many a time in front of all of you and you keep laughing at me,” Patel added, referencing similar utterances two years ago, midway through the Hyderabad heist, and in Multan, when Pakistan had put on 328 for 4 on the opening day of the first Test in 2024.”We’ll just try and find another way to get over the line. And I think that’s the beauty of the team that we have and the players that we have.”There’s still three days of cricket left, there’s lots of cricket to go and, on a fast-scoring ground, I think you never know what can happen… And we’ve got two of the greatest batters in the world at the crease at the moment.”1:11

How significant will the Jadeja-Gill partnership prove to be?

And yet, for all that Baz-zeal, there were nuggets of practicality on day two. Slivers of a more considered and less confrontational manner amid the toil, hinting at a more open view of preservation.Previously, Stokes might have hammered the short-ball tactic, and perhaps even flogged himself out of being able to fulfil his allrounder role fully in the third Test at Lord’s. Instead, he and Chris Woakes tried to eke something out of the new ball at the start of play.As soon as that trail went cold – England have this pitch down as a new-ball wicket, and could themselves have had India 20-odd for 3 on day one, as they themselves were on day two – neither Stokes (having bowled the 92nd over) nor Woakes (93rd) were seen again for the remaining 58 overs of the innings.Brook bowling five overs of filler, on the ground where he came on as first-change against Australia two years ago, could not have better summed up this shift from their galaxy-brain ideas. And though he later launched an aggressive retaliation when charging Siraj and clouting him back over his head for six – taking England to 50 for 3 – the 23 dots he and Root accumulated together as they saw out the final five overs were geared towards survival.1:24

Aaron impressed with Akash Deep’s pace

Prior to the start of this series, Stokes spoke about the need to be smarter in situations when the opposition are in control. And those final 13.5 overs, having been 25 for 3, spoke to that.”What happens tomorrow – and I suppose what happens every day – is a big direction-turner in terms of how we approach the game,” Patel said, perhaps hinting at a more open perspective to other results than he had previously let on. “I think we’ll have a little think about it tonight and we’ll see how tomorrow pans out, especially that first session.”There is a broad understanding within the England dressing-room that this chapter of their story should be about success. And they know their default style of play will fulfil the entertainment side of the deal, without having to force it.But the most loved Test teams are the ones that win series. And nothing will be cherished more than achieving those against India and then Australia.That might mean going against the brand from time to time. And this could play out as one of those times. The relentless pursuit of wins is not always a route to success. Even Jordan kicked a few out to someone else.

Newcastle United have now reportedly been offered the opportunity to finally sign James Trafford in a deal that would see Tino Livramento head in the opposite direction to Manchester City.

The Magpies certainly have a lot to think about ahead of 2026. With new sporting director Ross Wilson in place, they’ll be hoping to avoid the chaos of missing out on top targets to hand Eddie Howe some much-needed reinforcements.

He'd revive Elanga: Newcastle could hire "one of the best managers in the PL"

There have been whispers of a potential managerial change at Newcastle after a poor start to the season.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 20, 2025

Howe’s side enter this weekend’s clash against Man City in desperate need of three points, having entered the international break off the back of a shock 3-1 defeat at the hands of Brentford. Currently sat as low as 14th in the Premier League, the Newcastle boss reiterated that he’s looking for a response from his players on Saturday night.

There would be no better way to get back on track than a victory against a side with Man City’s quality, but then it’s about consistency for the Magpies. On the pitch, they must turn things around in preparation for what could be a busy January transfer window.

Already, reports are claiming that they’re still interested in signing Trafford and could be handed an interesting opportunity to do so in 2026.

Newcastle offered chance to sign James Trafford

As reported by TeamTalk, Newcastle have now been offered the chance to sign Trafford by Man City, who are looking to strike a swap deal involving Livramento. The Citizens were interested in the versatile right-back in the summer, but were priced out of a move thanks to the Magpies’ eye-watering £80m price-tag.

Now, just months later, it looks as though City are once again interested in a move for the England international and are already willing to cut ties with Trafford to make a move happen.

The shot-stopper returned to the club with the hope of finally becoming their number one, only for Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival to bring an end to those plans. Left to watch on from the bench ever since, he could certainly do with another call from those in Tyneside.

That said, whilst Newcastle’s admiration for Trafford is clear, it remains to be seen whether he’s valued higher than Livramento in Tyneside. The goalkeeper has been described as “incredible” by Pep Guardiola, but even that may not be enough to convince Newcastle to sacrifice their star defender.

Bigger talent than Anderson: Newcastle have 'one of the world's best teens'

We're officially in the final month of MLB’s regular season, with most teams having fewer than 25 games left to play. There is no division leader with a double-digit game cushion, five of the six divisions featuring a maximum of a six-game gap and three with a three-game maximum. September should bring lots of excitement down to the final weekend, so we prompted some of SI’s MLB writers to reflect on what’s transpired so far this season and what may lie ahead.

1. Which team are you most confident about penciling in for a World Series berth?

Tom Verducci: Los Angeles Dodgers. They can look almost bored at times. They have not been a good team on the road (33–33), against lefties (19–20) or the past two months (22–27). But they know how to play October baseball: swing-and-miss starting pitchers, home run hitters and a deep bullpen. Under manager Dave Roberts, they have won four of the past eight NL pennants and posted a .560 winning percentage in the playoffs. Respect the pedigree.

Stephanie Apstein: They had a terrible July and a mediocre August, but the Dodgers feel like they're about to get hot and stay hot. This is what they do: look sort of disappointing down the stretch, then get all their injured guys back and start beating the snot out of teams. With Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow back, they have six legitimate starting pitchers, and the bullpen is beginning to look dangerous again. Once Max Muncy and Tommy Edman return, they should be at close to full strength, and their full strength is better than anyone else's.

Ryan Phillips: I know it's boring to say this, but the Dodgers. They're getting healthy at the right time, Mookie Betts is starting to turn it on and Shohei Ohtani is improving on the mound. If Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow can round into form, L.A.'s bullpen will be the team's only concern. 

2. Which team currently in a playoff position is most susceptible to a September collapse?

Rain has followed New Zealand from Colombo to Navi Mumbai, compounding their problems, while India, after three successive defeats, are running out of opportunities as well

Sruthi Ravindranath22-Oct-20254:02

Preview: A knockout game for New Zealand

Big picture – Time and chances running outThe pressure on India is higher than ever. Three successive losses in matches they could have won, mounting criticism, and five games in, they are still tinkering with combinations. But they now return to Navi Mumbai, a venue many in the squad know well through T20Is and the WPL, needing just a win against New Zealand to reach the semi-finals.New Zealand haven’t had it easy either. Their last two matches were washed out, and qualification now requires them to win both remaining games, against India and England. It’s a tougher ask, but not beyond a side that just celebrated the first anniversary of their T20 World Cup win, where they beat India in the opening match. They have won 34 out of the 57 ODIs against India, including six of their last nine encounters since 2022.Related

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Their campaign this time started with heavy defeats to Australia and South Africa, before they bounced back against Bangladesh. But they remain over-reliant on Sophie Devine with the bat, and their thin spin attack – with just Amelia Kerr and Eden Carson – has had limited impact on slower pitches.India, on the other hand, have had different contributors in every game but haven’t settled on a clear first-choice XI. After four matches with five bowlers, they dropped Jemimah Rodrigues to play an extra bowler against England. The move did seem to work as England were kept to 288 for 8 after a strong start, but India’s batting faltered under pressure in the chase, which has been a familiar story. They will want to address that.The weather could, however, have a say. Devine called the washouts in Colombo “frustrating”, and the forecast for Thursday isn’t encouraging either. Rain hit Navi Mumbai for over two hours in the evening two days before the match, cancelling India’s training session. A washout, however, would favour India, considering New Zealand have a tougher opponent in England to face in their last game, and just haven’t been able to get any sort of momentum going.More than anything else, Sophie Devine will want New Zealand to get a full game to show what they have got•ICC/Getty ImagesForm guideIndia LLLWW
New Zealand WLLWWIn the spotlight – Kranti Gaud and New Zealand’s openersAfter a promising start to the tournament, India’s young pacer Kranti Gaud has hit a bit of a bump. Her early spells, full of discipline and pinpoint yorkers, have been impressive, but her death bowling has come under the scanner. Against South Africa, she opened with a tidy 1 for 19 in five overs, only to concede 40 off her final four. She went wicketless in the last two games, conceding 73 runs off nine overs against Australia and 46 off eight against England. On a Navi Mumbai surface expected to be more batter-friendly, Gaud will need to recalibrate quickly if India are to keep New Zealand quiet.New Zealand are still waiting for their openers to turn up. Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer have endured a poor run – their partnership average of 10.66 is the second-worst among all teams this tournament. Bates followed two ducks with a 29 (run out) against Bangladesh, while Plimmer has managed just 35 runs across three games, struggling for fluency throughout. A more batting-friendly pitch probably awaits them at the DY Patil Stadium, where they will hope to give their side a strong start.Renuka Singh did well against England, but will she have to make way for Jemimah Rodrigues?•Getty ImagesTeam newsWill India revert to five bowlers for the crucial fixture? While their bowlers pulled things back well in the last ten overs against England, India might think they need the experience of Rodrigues at No. 5.India (possible): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Pratika Rawal, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Amanjot Kaur, 7 Sneh Rana, 8 Deepti Sharma, 9 Renuka Singh/Jemimah Rodrigues, 10 Kranti Gaud, 11 Shree CharaniNew Zealand had kept their senior pacer Lea Tahuhu out tactically in the match against Sri Lanka, but brought her back in for the Pakistan game. They are likely to stay with the same XI.New Zealand (possible): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Rosemary Mair, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Lea TahuhuPitch and conditionsWhile the Navi Mumbai pitch didn’t seem to offer much for bowlers in the last match, Sri Lanka could post only 202 after opting to bat against Bangladesh. Chamari Athapaththu had said that there was some dew in the second half. There has been some unseasonal rain in Mumbai, and an interruption is likely on Thursday too. It’s expected to be hazy in the afternoon, with a chance of rain in the evening.Stats and trivia India have their poorest win-loss ratio for any team in ODI World Cups against New Zealand Bates is 67 runs away from becoming the second-leading run-scorer in ODIs. She needs 75 runs to complete 6000 runs in the format. Tahuhu will be playing her 200th international match. India have played eight T20Is at the DY Patil Stadium, winning four including one in a Super Over against Australia.

There were worrying scenes inside the Emirates as hundreds of Bayern Munich fans clashed with police and stewards ahead of the Champions League clash with Arsenal. The unrest appeared to be contained in the seated area of the away end ahead of kick-off and hadn’t spilled over into the home sections of Arsenal’s north London home.

High alert ahead of high-profile clash

Hundreds of Bayern fans were spotted marching around Highbury Fields, escorted by Metropolitan Police, chanting and brandishing lit flares ahead of the match, but there were no reports of violence with home fans. In the build-up to the match Met Police announced they had a "robust policing plan" in place to ensure the safety and security of all attendees. This standard procedure for major events involves close collaboration with club security and a visible police presence to manage crowds and address potential incidents. Authorities also urged all fans, both home and any Bayern supporters who have travelled without tickets, to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to security staff. 

AdvertisementWorrying scenes at the Emirates

Ahead of kick-off there appeared to be pockets of disturbances in the way end. 

Bayern fans have previous

The Bavarian giants were slapped with a ban, blocking their fans from attending the away leg of last season’s Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal in April last year. The sanction was imposed by UEFA after supporters threw fireworks and objects onto the pitch during an away match at Lazio in February of 2024. 

Bayern had been on a two-year probation with a suspended one-match away ban following a similar pyrotechnics incident during their group stage match at Copenhagen in October 2023. The repeat offense at Lazio triggered the implementation of the ban. The club accepted the punishment and chose not to appeal, with CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen stating that the deliberate throwing of pyrotechnics directly endangered bystanders and was an explicit violation of their probation conditions.

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Getty Images SportMassive match at the Emirates

Arsenal secured a significant 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium. The win ended Bayern's season-long unbeaten run and sent the Gunners to the top of the group standings. Jurrien Timber opened the scoring for the hosts in the 22nd minute with a header from a corner, but Bayern's 17-year-old talent Lennart Karl quickly equalized in the 33rd minute with a well-taken volley after a pass from former Gunner Serge Gnabry. The second half saw Mikel Arteta’s side dominate, with substitutes making the difference. Noni Madueke restored the lead in the 69th minute, tapping in a low cross, before Gabriel Martinelli sealed the 3-1 win with a decisive counter-attack finish in the 76th minute.

New Zealand legend on novelty of coaching England’s men and trying to dismiss them in same summer

Matt Roller18-Aug-2025Tim Southee grinned as his team-mates engulfed him. After two-and-a-half months in England training gear in his role as bowling coach – or, officially, “specialist skills consultant” – he was back in playing kit for Birmingham Phoenix. More pertinently, he had just cleaned up Trent Rockets’ Joe Root with the first ball he had bowled to him, which crashed into his leg stump.It was a wicket that epitomised cricket’s gig economy. Southee, 36, retired from Test cricket after New Zealand’s home series against England last year and is still working out his next steps. He spent the start of the year at the ILT20 in the UAE, and is now juggling franchise contracts with his first steps into coaching in an arrangement he describes as “the best of both worlds”.It led to the unusual sight of Southee bowling long spells in the nets to England’s batters during their recent series against India to prepare himself physically. “A few opportunities presented themselves in the nets, especially the day before a game where bowlers don’t bowl a lot,” he explains. “I had to get through some overs at some stage, having not played since January.”Related

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The Hundred has been a challenge for him, with three expensive wickets in five appearances compared to 14 cheap ones in nine games last season. But he has enjoyed the “Kiwi flavour” at Phoenix, with head coach Daniel Vettori recruiting Southee’s long-term new-ball partner Trent Boult for the 2025 season, joining Adam Milne in an all-New Zealand fast-bowling attack.As the Hundred started, New Zealand’s next generation of fast bowlers were spearheading a dominant 2-0 Test series win in Zimbabwe, and Southee has helped to oversee a similar transition with England’s seamers in the world after James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Their depth and resilience was tested in the 2-2 draw with India, but Southee was impressed.”There’s a lot to be excited about,” he says. “You’ve got to also realise that the guys like Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue, they’re very new to Test cricket still. Someone like Brydon Carse feels like he’s played a lot of cricket – he has, across three formats in the last 12 months – but he’s still very, very new, very raw in his Test career.”Gus Atkinson has achieved so much in his first 10 [13] Test matches: a 10-for, a hundred, a hat-trick… Josh Tongue as well, you see how exciting he is when he gets it right: he’s got pace, bounce, skills. Combine that with the way that Ben Stokes is bowling… and throw in the likes of Mark Wood, Jofra Archer. It’s pretty hard not to get excited about that group of bowlers.”He was particularly impressed by Carse’s gruntwork, believing he bowled much better than a series haul of nine wickets at 60.88 might suggest. “He didn’t have a lot of success on some pretty tough surfaces… But [I loved] the way that he kept coming, his attitude towards it, his ability to reach 90mph at his peak but also operate in a pretty skilful way.”Southee believes that the dramatic final day of the series at The Oval will make England “a little bit hungrier” when they return to Test cricket in three months’ time: “It was a disappointing way to finish, but there’s still plenty of good things to take out of the series.” Does he believe they have the resources to take 20 wickets regularly in the Ashes this winter? “Yeah, I certainly do.”Southee and Brendon McCullum played together in 170 internationals for New Zealand•Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty ImagesClearly, Stokes’ recovery from his latest injury – a torn shoulder muscle – will be a key determinant. “He put a lot of hard work in to get himself back for such a big series… The more he does it, the more he believes in his body and knows that he can do extraordinary things… For him to have an impact with the ball is massive for the side. Hopefully, that can continue.”Incredibly, after a Test career spanning 17 years, this was the longest series that Southee had been involved in. “We looked forward to three-match series,” he recalls. “A lot of them were two-match series… It was awesome to experience. This is the first time I’ve been part of a five-match series, and I loved every second of it.”Southee’s role was primarily the result of a long-standing relationship with Brendon McCullum, his long-term New Zealand captain and now England’s coach. His short-term contract expired after the fifth Test at The Oval but he is “working through” the prospect of renewing down the line: “There’s a couple of leagues I’m still playing in, but this is an opportunity that I’ve loved.”He has been a long way from his home in Hamilton. His family visited for four weeks during the India series – “to escape the winter back home and enjoy what’s been a lovely summer over here” – but he has spent much of the summer racking up hotel loyalty points. “I’m used to living out of a suitcase. That’s nothing too new to me.”Southee is unlikely to be involved in England’s Ashes staff – he is due to return to the ILT20, which clashes – but has caught the coaching bug. “It’s probably come a little bit quicker than I would’ve expected… It’s a game I love and a game that has given me so much. If I’m able to give back and help other people enjoy the game as much as I did, then hopefully there’s that opportunity there.”But more immediately, he has another head-to-head with Root to worry about next week. “Sharing a dressing room with the English guys, and getting to know them, makes playing against them slightly different… He’s such a great player: any time you get him out, it’s always a nice feeling. Nothing’s been said backwards and forwards. We’ll wait for the rematch.”

Welcome to 'Ask Jimmy,' where SI Media writer Jimmy Traina will answer one question about a burning topic from the sports media world.

A balls and strikes challenge system is finally coming to Major League Baseball. After being used for several years in the minor leagues, the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System will be featured in the big leagues beginning next season. Each team will get two challenges per game when it comes to balls and strikes, which will be retained if successful.

This is nothing but a positive for the sport. You can’t have games decided on missed calls by the home plate umpire and this is a way to fix that.

The only downside is that I wish teams were allotted more than two challenges per game from the start. I’d give teams four or five challenges per game. Even if you think home plate umpires do a great job, they’re still going to miss a handful of calls in each game. Why not implement a system in order to rectify that?

If your argument against the ABS challenge system is that it will slow down the game, think again. 

Baseball has done a great job of speeding up the game by instituting the pitch clock. The challenge system won’t have a significant effect on the length of games.

Via MLB: In 288 games with the ABS Challenge System during Spring Training 2025, there were an average of 4.1 challenges per game. Those challenges took an average of 13.8 seconds. 

Adding on a minute to each game to get important calls correct is a no-brainer. 

Baseball already has instant replay, so adding another layer to have balls and strikes challenged seems like a natural progression. 

Think about how history would have changed if ABS was around in 1998 when the Yankees got this gift from the home plate umpire.

You just can’t miss a call like that in a World Series game.

The only downside in my view is that this will limit the number of player explosions when a home plate umpire gets a call wrong. Now, instead of throwing their helmet or slamming their bats, a batter will simply tap his head to call for replay. 

India captain Suryakumar Yadav said the move was planned in alignment with the BCCI and the Indian government

Shashank Kishore14-Sep-2025No handshakes were exchanged before or after India’s seven-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup on Sunday as tensions between the two countries spilled out onto the field in Dubai.Suryakumar Yadav, the winning captain, said India had decided before the match – in alignment with the BCCI and the Indian government – that they would not shake hands with the opposition, a move that left Pakistan visibly disapppointed. Mike Hesson, the Pakistan coach, said the team had been waiting after the game to shake hands only to discover India were snubbing them.Related

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That led to their captain Salman Agha not appearing for the post-match TV interview, as is a broadcast norm. Pakistan’s displeasure over these events has extended as far as match referee Andy Pycroft.Hours after the match ended, the PCB said in a statement that Pakistan’s team manager had registered a “formal protest” against him, because he had “requested the captains not to shake hands during the toss”.This was the first meeting between the two sides since India and Pakistan exchanged cross-border hostilities following the Pahalgam terror attack in April, and uncertainty had surrounded the match in the intervening months, with several calls for India to boycott it.Clarity only emerged when the Indian government came out with its official policy for sporting engagements with Pakistan, greenlighting meetings in multilateral events while refusing to engage in bilateral contests. All that remained to be seen was how the match would play out against this backdrop.”Our government and BCCI – we were aligned today,” Suryakumar said at his post-match press conference. “Rest, we took a call [about not shaking hands]. We came here to just play the game. We have given a proper reply.”The match was played against the backdrop of heightened political tensions between India and Pakistan•Associated PressAsked if their refusal to shake hands was against sporting spirit, Suryakumar said: “Few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit also. I’ve [said] it at the presentation as well, we stand with all the victims of Pahalgam terror attacks, stand with their families, and express our solidarity.”Hesson expressed “disappointment” at India’s stance.”We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game, we obviously are disappointed that our opposition didn’t do that,” he said. “We sort of went over there to shake hands and they’d already gone into the changing room.”That was a disappointing way for the match to finish, and a match we were disappointed for the way we played, but we were certainly willing to shake hands.”Hesson said Agha’s absence from the presentation ceremony was a “follow-on effect” of India’s refusal to shake hands. The PCB statement confirmed this, terming India’s actions to be “against sportsmanship”.”Manager Naveed Akram Cheema has registered a formal protest against the match referee’s behaviour,” the PCB statement said. “Match referee requested the captains not to shake hands during the toss.”Pycroft’s response to Pakistan’s statement is awaited.

Projections said the league would have many more matches per season but we’re still at 74 and that doesn’t look likely to change soon

Matt Roller23-Apr-2025Something almost unheard of happened in the world of sports broadcasting recently. The number of IPL games a season, stipulated to increase to 84 in 2025, according to the IPL’s lucrative media-rights contract of 2022, remained at 74 for the fourth successive year.The decision defied a global trend of incessant growth in sports leagues and events: football’s World Cup and Champions League have both swelled in recent years, while the Club World Cup is growing from seven matches to 63. But in the IPL, even an incremental expansion has been treated with caution, to the point of being deferred.This has been true across the league’s 18-year history. The IPL has become a commercial behemoth since its launch in 2008, but its season has only grown from 59 matches between eight teams to 74 between ten. In fact, the current format is two matches than that used in 2012 and 2013, soon after the IPL’s first expansion to include additional franchises.Related

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A significant change has been the dramatic decline in the number of double-headers. The past two seasons have seen only 12 games played in the afternoon slot, less than one in six; back in 2011, that proportion was more than one in three. The result is a longer IPL window, with the season now stretching past nine weeks.Players much prefer evening games, as demonstrated by Ishant Sharma’s obvious discomfort after bowling in the 40-degree Ahmedabad heat on Saturday. But the decline in the number of afternoon games owes primarily to the decline in broadcast ratings for games that start at 3.30pm compared to 7.30pm – around 30-40% percent lower for the earlier-starting matches.