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Visiting side build commanding lead after Leicestershire stutter despite Lewis Hill’s 93

ECB Reporters Network09-Apr-2022Opener Ed Pollock smashed a maiden first-class century to put Worcestershire in complete control of their LV Insurance County Championship fixture against Leicestershire at the UptonSteel County Ground.The former Warwickshire player, who moved to Worcestershire with the aim of playing red-ball cricket, hit ten fours and two sixes as he raced to three figures from 113 deliveries during a protracted final session that closed shortly after 7pm with the visitors leading by 369 runs, and an overnight declaration expected from captain Brett D’Oliveira.Pollock and fellow opener Jake Libby put together a stand of 163 when they began Worcestershire’s second innings, scoring at over five an over after Leicestershire had been bowled out for 213, allrounder Joe Leach taking 4-37 to go with his first innings 70.Resuming on 42 for 3, Leicestershire suffered a big early blow when captain Colin Ackermann, having added only four to his overnight score, was given out leg before when he left a delivery from Leach that came back and hit his back pad, though replays suggested it had not done nearly enough to hit off stump. Lewis Hill battled on, reaching his 50 with a cut to the point boundary, but had an escape when another attempted cut came off the top edge and flew high to first slip, where Pollock got both hands to the ball but could not hang on.Hill and Harry Swindells raised a 50 partnership for the fifth wicket before Swindells was bowled by a swinging delivery from Ed Barnard, and the Worcestershire seamer struck again soon afterwards, Ben MIke checking an on-drive and giving Azhar Ali a simple catch at mid-on.When Hill himself was bowled for 93, chopping a wide delivery from Dillon Pennington into his leg stump, the prospects of the Foxes saving the follow-on looked remote, the more so when Callum Parkinson (somewhat unluckily) and then Ed Barnes (plumb) went leg before, to Charlie Morris and Joe Leach respectively.Another 34 runs were still needed when last man Beuran Hendricks joined Chris Wright at the wicket, but the two played sensibly against the ageing ball, and when D’Oliveira tried spin, Wright hit the young left-armer Josh Baker for three fours down the ground to ensure Leicestershire at least avoided that particular humiliation.They were soon chasing leather, however, as Pollock and Libby thrashed the bowling to all parts, Pollock hitting 16 off the very first over, bowled by Wright. Libby was eventually bowled off the inside edge by MIke, who went on to pick up a flattering 4 for 27 as Worcestershire’s batsmen chased quick runs, Pollock holing out to midwicket.

Chamara Kapugedera confirmed that he and other overseas players for Duronto Rajshahi had been set to boycott their match against Khulna Royal Bengals on Friday

Mohammad Isam08-Feb-2013The dispute over the lack of player payments in the BPL has intensified with Chamara Kapugedera confirming that he and other overseas players for Duronto Rajshahi had been set to boycott their match against Khulna Royal Bengals on Friday.Though a pullout was averted, a source close to the situation told ESPNcricinfo that foreign players from all franchises would stop playing in the BPL if they were not paid by Monday.Kapugedera and other overseas Rajshahi players were convinced to take the field just before the start of Friday’s afternoon game by BCB officials and the match began on time, though the players remain unpaid. The situation was so dire that the Rajshahi management had to request the match referee and the opposition captain to let them field an all-local line-up even after a delayed toss.”We were going to sit out this game,” Kapugedera said in the post-match press conference. “Most of the foreign guys who have been playing these games were doing so without being paid. We played to keep BCB’s respect and to give them a chance to pay. We needed to give them a point that we are not going to play without anything.”The foreign players, seven of us, were waiting for some confirmation from BCB that our first 25% money that they are due to pay us, will go to our accounts, or some certificate that’s already going. So we were just waiting for that. We didn’t get the money yet but the transaction is being made. Hopefully by Monday we will get the money.”Friday’s drama first became visible when Tamim Iqbal walked out for the toss, in place of Kapugedera who has been the captain in recent matches.ESPNcricinfo understands that although the Rajshahi management had sent out a team list with five overseas players (Charles Coventry, Dilshan Munaweera, Kapugedera, Sean Ervine and Ben Edmondson) in the playing eleven, they had to ask the match referee and the opposing captain Lou Vincent if the line-up could be changed later as there was a clear threat of a pull-out. Vincent agreed and the match referee went along with Tamim for the toss but the BCB managed to avoid a boycott.”By the time of the toss, we hadn’t received the confirmation so we were waiting for it,” Kapugedera said. “That’s why Tamim went to the toss because we were not sure if we are going to play. But before 20 minutes, we got the confirmation.”This season the BCB have taken up the responsibility to make all payments to players, and had asked the franchises to send them the money in three installments. The Rajshahi overseas players were given assurances by the BCB chairman that the first 25% will be given to them, but according to Kapugedera, time ran out.”We have held couple of meetings with the [Duronto Rajshahi] owners and chairman of BCB, and told them that we are not going to play if we don’t get paid.”We have played almost all the matches, we haven’t been paid anything. That’s what we told them, ‘What is the guarantee that we will get the money by the end of this tournament?'”As far as his decision to play this year’s BPL was concerned, Kapugedera said that BCB’s assurance ahead of the tournament that they would handle all payment convinced him to come to Bangladesh.”Our agents guaranteed us. The owners were very generous, promised us that we will get money. We didn’t have any doubts coming here. When we knew that everything will go through BCB, we have enough foundation to believe that nothing dramatic will be happening.”You can’t blame any one person, end of the day we had discussions. I think the problem is solved,” he said.Despite BCB’s promise, Kapugedera warned that if the money doesn’t arrive by Monday (February 11), the boycott would be enforced. “We haven’t seen anything yet. The players will stand the same position as today, if we don’t see anything in the bank accounts. But from what I have seen and heard today, there won’t be any issues on Monday.”

Offspinner Sanjit Saha’s 6 for 19 and Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s 96 helped Bangladesh Under-19s complete a series sweep against Zimbabwe Under-19s, with a 125-run win in the fourth Youth ODI in Chittagong

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Nazmul Hossain Shanto top-scored for Bangladesh Under-19s with 96•BCB

Offspinner Sanjit Saha’s 6 for 19 and Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s 96 helped Bangladesh Under-19s complete a series sweep against Zimbabwe Under-19s, with a 125-run win in the fourth Youth ODI in Chittagong.Put in to bat, Shanto top-scored with a 113-ball 96, that included eight fours. Saif Hassan contributed at the top of the order with a 67-ball 40, as Bangladesh were bowled out for 243 in 49.4 overs. Pacer Kundai Matigimu was the pick of Zimbabwe bowlers with 4 for 45 in 7.4 overs.Saha rattled Zimbabwe’ middle and lower order, after Saeed Sarkar reduced them to 13 for 2 by the seventh over. Zimbabwe were eventually bowled out for 118 in 38 overs. The only form of resistance came from Shaun Snyder who top-scored with 31 runs off 65 balls.

Hosts recover from 100 for 5 to end the day 34 runs ahead of visitors

Danyal Rasool13-Aug-2021Stumps West Indies and Pakistan’s last Test match four years ago was a classic, and if the events at Sabina Park are anything to go by, we may be in for another one. On an attritional day of Test cricket that didn’t swing as much as it just gently swayed, the two teams continue to be neck-and-neck. Simple math would dictate the hosts have the edge, leading as they do by 34 runs with two wickets still to spare, but with Yasir Shah in the fourth innings a historically significant factor, all bets are off.Kraigg Brathwaite (97) dominated the day, surviving almost through to the end after having to settle nerves after the frenetic finish of last night. He saw off each of Pakistan’s pace bowlers, the first new ball, a dangerous middle order collapse, the introduction of Yasir and two full sessions. But then it all changed as West Indies’ most threatening partnership – 95 between the captain and his predecessor was broken.Jason Holder was playing with delightful fluidity as his side pushed past 150 and bore down on Pakistan’s first innings score ominously. Yasir, not nearly at his best, was dispatched to the boundary repeatedly, and soon enough, a backfoot punch off Hasan Ali got Holder to his 11th half century. Eight runs later, though, he was gone, a victim of Faheem Ashraf’s subtle seam movement.Brathwaite, of course, remained and was even eyeing up a personal three-figure score – ideally before having to face the new ball in darkening conditions. It is hard to say if that played a role in his decision to hare back for a couple down to fine leg, taking on Hasan, whose direct hit caught the opener well short of his ground. He had departed three runs shy of what would have been a splendid hundred, with the wicket coming at a time when West Indies had firm control over the Test.Once Brathwaite fell, the visitors had a real opening, but wayward lines with the new ball, particularly from Shaheen Afridi, saw the lower order continue to eke out runs as Joshua Da Silva manipulated the strike intelligently. By the time the umpires began worrying about the light, West Indies already had a decent lead they will be keen to build on tomorrow.In overcast conditions in the morning, Mohammad Abbas had picked up exactly where he left off the previous day and was the pick of the bowlers, peppering the corridor of uncertainty between a good and full length. Roston Chase and Brathwaite had to be especially sure of their footwork, with the seam movement Abbas was generating an additional challenge.Afridi let his high standards dip somewhat, beginning with two leg-side deliveries that trickled away for four leg-byes each. It settled West Indies’ nerves, and once Chase drove Abbas straight down the ground, the runs off the bat became more frequent. Before long, they had brought up a half-century stand.But just as West Indies looked poised to take control, Pakistan struck. Hasan, who had been testing the pair in his first three overs, especially when they got on the front foot, coaxed an expansive front-foot drive from Chase that wasn’t really on. It produced a tickle through to Mohammad Rizwan, with an anguished look from the batter revealing quite how ordinary the shot was.The second session was a dogged, scrappy affair that – one sensational over from Afridi aside – West Indies negotiated with relative conviction. The problem for them, though, was that this time would be defined by four balls from Afridi more than anything any batter could manage.Just after West Indies brought up their hundred, Pakistan broke through with the wicket they had threatened before lunch. Jermaine Blackwood’s punchy counter-attacking knock might have been evocative of Rizwan’s cameo on the first day but it wasn’t nearly as assured, with all four of his boundaries coming off shots he wasn’t in control of. Afridi landed one in the slot for him to go after, but with the ball wobbling in the air, Blackwood only managed to toe-end it to Abbas at long-on. The very next ball, Kyle Mayers was struck full on the pad, and found himself departing for a golden duck.It might have gotten worse for West Indies. Two balls later, the irrepressible Afridi had Holder trapped in front, with the umpire raising the finger. The allrounder would survive by the barest of margins, with the review showing the ball pitching just outside leg stump.Holder understood the magnitude of the moment, and dug in. He did not score until a straight drive off his 12th delivery, and didn’t score again for 22 more balls. He knew the chance would eventually come, and launched into a wayward Yasir over towards the back-end of the session.Brathwaite, meanwhile, was pretty much batting on a different surface. His patience was exemplary, his shot selection immaculate. When Pakistan appeared to be having one of their purple patches, he had the awareness to retreat completely into his shell and place an even greater value on his wicket, and with Holder keeping the scoring ticking over at the other end, West Indies began to take control.The quick departure of both let Pakistan back in, though, and it feels increasingly as if it might all come down to fine margins again. Just as it did in 2017.

Akash Ambani “confident of shaping another successful brand in the UAE and bring in our experiences to benefits the growth of cricket in the UAE”

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2021Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), the owners of the Mumbai Indians IPL franchise, has confirmed that it will own one of the teams in the upcoming UAE T20 League.”We are extremely proud to have created a global franchise in Mumbai Indians, integrated with high values and ethos and our contribution to the Indian cricket ecosystem,” Akash Ambani, owner of Mumbai Indians, said in a statement. “We are equally confident of shaping another successful brand in the UAE and bring in our experiences to benefits the growth of cricket in the UAE.”The six-team league has been sanctioned by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and is looking to make room for itself in the January-February window, although its inaugural edition in 2022 is likely to be played in February-March.Related

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Although the ECB has provided the sanction to the league, it is being spearheaded by a team led by the board’s vice-chairman, Khalid Al Zarooni, general secretary Mubashir Usmani, and Subhan Ahmed, who is an advisor to the board and formerly a senior PCB official. They will oversee an operational team that is likely to include former IMG officials.Usmani welcomed Mumbai Indians’ association with the UAE T20 League. “The trust being shown by prominent business houses in the UAE T20 League is extremely encouraging,” he said. “We are pleased with RIL’s association with the League as a franchise team owner. Having seen the professionalism in the operations of Mumbai Indians in the IPL, their success in putting together the most successful team in franchise cricket and the passion with which they pursue their goals, we are very confident that this association will be mutually beneficial for both RIL and the League and will support cricket development in UAE.”According to an official involved in the planning of the league, the owners of the Knight Riders franchise are “on-board” to own one of the sides as well. Other potential team owners include the Glazer family, owners of Manchester United, Capri Global, who recently bid for an IPL franchise but failed, the Big Bash League’s Sydney Sixers, and Kiran Kumar Grandhi, a co-owner of Delhi Capitals.The Knight Riders group also have a team in the CPL (Trinbago Knight Riders) and in December 2020, they bought a “significant” stake in the USA-based Major League Cricket competition.

Two of Pakistan’s experienced hands guided them to victory in their first game in almost three months, and their first bilateral tour of India in five years

The Report by Siddhartha Talya25-Dec-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Mohammad Hafeez led Pakistan’s recovery•BCCI

Two of Pakistan’s experienced hands guided them to victory in their first game in almost three months, and their first bilateral tour of India in five years. An early burst from debutant Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who began his international career with a fabulous display of swing bowling, rattled the Pakistan top order but the calm presence of Mohammad Hafeez and some enterprising batting from Shoaib Malik put a chase of 134 back on track.Pakistan had another scare at the death, losing two in quick time when victory appeared secure, but Malik ultimately saw them through in the final over, sealing the game with a six. The hosts were a specialist bowler short, as the Pakistan pair targeted the non-regulars, but a more significant factor in India’s loss was their implosion with the bat, when they lost nine wickets for 47 runs in 46 balls.A 36,000-strong crowd had been silenced during an impressive display of bowling backed up by some excellent ground fielding that had helped Pakistan fight back after India’s openers had laid a strong foundation in an attractive stand of 77 in under 11 overs. The decibel levels at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, however, hit their peak when Bhuvneshwar swung it this way and that, setting up two of this three victims with outswingers before nipping one back in to dismantle the stumps. At 12 for 3, Pakistan were reeling; their rebuilding was steady, and resulted in 24 boundary-less deliveries, but Hafeez and Malik pounced in at the right time.Virat Kohli was one of the part-timers used by India, and Hafeez slogged him for two boundaries in the 11th over, at the start of which the required-rate had hit almost nine an over. Yuvraj Singh dragged the ball too short on occasion and was heaved for two sixes by the pair and they each stepped out to Ravindra Jadeja to dispatch him for maximums over his head.The return of India’s seamers didn’t immediately check Pakistan, as the equation was brought down to 16 off the last three overs, but Ishant Sharma dismissed Hafeez and conceded just two in an over in which he had Malik caught off a no-ball for height. Ashok Dinda was given the penultimate over and he left Pakistan needing 10 off the last, which Malik helped achieve with a straight six off a Jadeja length delivery to win with two balls to spare.

Smart stats

• Pakistan’s five-wicket win is their first in Twenty20 internationals against India. In three previous matches they’d tied one and lost two.

• The 106-run stand between Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik is the highest for the fourth wicket in Twenty20 internationals for Pakistan, and the third-highest by any team.

• The partnership is also the first time a fourth-wicket pair have added more than 100 after coming together with the score reading less than 15.

• Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 3 for 9 in 4 overs equals the record for the most economical debut performance in Twenty20 internationals (among bowlers who’ve bowled four overs).

• Hafeez’s 61 is his third half-century in T20 internationals, but his first against a team other than Zimbabwe.

• Malik’s unbeaten 57 is his highest score in T20 internationals, and his first half-century in his last 39 innings in this format.

Ajinkya Rahane’s supreme timing was the feature of India’s opening partnership, as he lofted Pakistan’s bowlers over extra cover effortlessly, though they hit back after he fell upper-cutting to third man. Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal were the architects of that comeback, after being struck for sixes in their respective opening overs. Gul was smashed over midwicket by Gambhir, but had Yuvraj Singh caught in the deep off a slower ball in his new spell before removing two in two towards the death. Ajmal was carted over extra cover by Rahane, but returned to dismiss MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina with quicker deliveries at a time when India would have backed themselves to reach a score of around or above 150.Gambhir had started picking up the pace but was caught short of the crease when attempting a second run in the 13th over. Sohail Tanvir returned a throw on the half-volley to Kamran Akmal, who collected well and dislodged the stumps. Kohli and Yuvraj began well but fell trying to heave the seamers over square leg – left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan got rid of Kohli to bag his first international wicket.Ajmal’s tricks against Dhoni and Raina, and the early run-out of Rohit Sharma, sent back by a direct hit from the deep, transformed India’s game from one aimed at an aggressive charge to mere survival. India scored just one boundary in the last six overs, their early advantage was squandered and not even a dream debut that produced a spell of 4-0-9-3 could restore it completely.

Singh said he had to listen to his body after a bout of Covid-19 left him feeling weak

Shashank Kishore10-Jul-2021Former India fast bowler Pankaj Singh, 36, has retired from all forms of cricket, thereby ending his professional career that spanned nearly 17 years. Singh said he had to listen to his body after a bout of Covid-19 left him feeling weak.”I was down with Covid, and once I recovered, the post-Covid symptoms left me drained,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “Also, when I looked at where I stand, I felt I wouldn’t have added anything by pushing on for one more year. During the previous domestic season itself I realised it’s hard to come out after months of not playing. Training and conditioning to play a full season seemed tough, so I thought I should listen to my body and retire.”First called in to the Indian Test squad on their tour of Australia in 2007-08, Singh had to wait for over six years to eventually earn his Test cap. In all, he featured in two Tests, both on the England tour of 2014, and a solitary ODI in Zimbabwe in 2010. But it is Singh’s domestic numbers that define him.Related

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In 2019, Singh became the first seamer to take 400 Ranji Trophy wickets. Overall, he finishes with 472 first-class wickets in 117 matches, apart from picking 118 List A wickets and 43 T20 wickets.The domestic stalwart ends his career with new entrants Puducherry, but it’s his body of work with Rajasthan that stands out. Having been a senior fast bowler and captain during a turbulent time, with the association being managed by an ad-hoc body for much of the last decade due to administrative upheavals, Singh was part of two back-to-back Ranji Trophy winning squads in 2010-11 and 2011-12.”Getting my Test cap from Sourav Ganguly in England was special,” Singh said. “I am fortunate to have played under a legend like MS Dhoni. Playing Test cricket is my most cherished memory as a professional cricketer. It came after a lot of struggles, so that has to be the most special memory.”Singh picks out his spell against Mumbai during the 2010-11 Ranji Trophy quarterfinal as one of his most memorable ones. “The Rajasthan teams of old would lose against Mumbai even before taking the field, but in that game, we proved to everyone we were no less,” he said. “They elected to bat in a pressure game, and I removed three top order batters: Sahil Kukreja, Omkar Gurav and Rohit Sharma.””I still remember, everyone was talking of Mumbai as the favourites. They had a strong XI: Ajit Agarkar, Wasim Jaffer, Ajinkya Rahane and Ramesh Powar. So, I took the challenge upon me that we had to win somehow. That game gave us the belief to go on to win our maiden season.”Singh is a Level-2 certified BCCI coach, having recently taken part in a course conducted by the NCA. With a full-fledged domestic calendar announced, Singh hopes to transition into guiding youngsters, both in Rajasthan and elsewhere.”I’m looking at getting into coaching now that I have retired,” he said. “Until I did the NCA course, the thought was ‘I’ve played a lot of cricket; the experience will help me transition into a coach.’ But after attending the course, I gained a deeper insight into managing a team, understanding players, man-management skills and how there is so much more to coaching than just teaching them how to bowl or bat. It interested me a great deal. Having now qualified, I’m looking forward to being in touch with the game as a coach.”

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has said the weather conditions played a crucial role during their chase in the third ODI in Delhi

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jan-2013Pakistan’s captain Misbah-ul Haq has said changes in conditions through the course of the day were responsible for India securing a ten-run victory in the third ODI in Delhi. Defeat for Pakistan, who won the series 2-1, came after their attack put on another quality display, restricting India to 167, but their batsmen failed to chase down the target.Delhi had recorded another cold day, the minimum temperature dipping to 1.9 degrees late into the night, which made the run chase difficult for the visitors.”The weather made all the difference. Survival became difficult as the fog descended,” Misbah said. “The pitch, which looked like a batting track, changed its behaviour as the temperature dipped. I did not expect such moisture. So weather played a crucial role.”At the toss, Misbah had said Pakistan were used to playing in cold conditions because Lahore also has similar weather conditions at this time of the year. But the fog along with the cold made it more difficult for his batsmen to settle down during the chase.”It was very cold. We played under such conditions during our domestic T20 league back home and when we were preparing for the India series, but [we’ve not experienced them] in international matches on the subcontinent,” he said. “It was very difficult to bat on. It will be difficult for India and England in the coming series to play under such cold conditions.”When we started the run chase, the Indian seamers got movement and swing, the spinners got the required turn and bounce. When they batted, only Mahendra Singh Dhoni could manage to score runs, when we batted it was opener Nasir Jamshed. Apart from the duo, no other batsman from both the sides could score runs.”Jamshed and Dhoni were the only batsmen with more than 100 runs in the series, making 241 and 203 respectively. While Dhoni’s knock of 113 not out in Chennai was in vain, Jamshed’s hundreds in the first two matches ensured Pakistan’s victory and earned him the Man-of-the-Series award.Pakistan’s failure to capitalise on the start they got in Delhi, thereby missing out on a cleansweep, was a source of some frustration for them but Misbah credited India’s effort. “We missed the chance to sweep the series,” he said. “The Indian bowlers exploited the conditions well. Their fielding was great as they saved at least 30-35 runs. It was an exceptional bowling and fielding effort.”

Crawley, Malan cruise to fifties as second-string team romp home with 28.1 overs to spare

George Dobell08-Jul-2021England 142 for 1 (Malan 68*, Crawley 58*) beat Pakistan 141 (Zaman 47, Mahmood 4-42) by nine wickets
England have enjoyed many impressive ODI performances in recent years: victories from the jaws of defeat; victories in locations where they used to be uncommon; victories in major global events. But, given the drama of the last few days and the challenges with which they were confronted, this win – by nine wickets with more than 28 overs to spare – may prove as satisfying as most of them.Certainly it demonstrated England’s remarkable strength in depth – in ODI cricket, at least – and a resilience which bodes well for the challenges ahead.Despite being forced to make 11 changes to the side that played against Sri Lanka only four days ago, England’s second string proved more than a match for a Pakistan team which had lost only one of their 12 most recent ODIs and is currently ranked No. 3 in the World Cup Super League. To defeat such an accomplished side by such a margin (in terms of deliveries to spare, 169, England had never inflicted such a large defeat upon Pakistan) in such circumstances can only be viewed as deeply impressive.It has been 36 years since England put out a side with so few caps (135, since you asked; Ben Stokes accounting for 99 of them and James Vince 17 more). But after the extent of the Covid outbreak in the England camp became clear on Monday, the ECB was obliged to name an entirely new squad of players and support staff to ensure this series could go ahead. They had just one training session together before heading into this game.Ultimately, there were five new caps in the England side, the most since the ODI against Ireland in May 2015 that ended Peter Moores’ tenure as coach. Top-order batters Zak Crawley and Phil Salt, wicketkeeper John Simpson, seam-bowling allrounder Lewis Gregory and fast bowler Brydon Carse all made their debuts; while Crawley and Gregory have played Test cricket and T20Is respectively, the other three had no experience of international cricket.Related

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But it was Saqib Mahmood, who in playing his fifth ODI was the third most experienced member of the side, who made the early inroads. Bowling at a brisk pace (above 87mph/140kph at times), he hit an excellent probing length and generated just enough movement to beat or catch edges.Imam-ul-Haq played across the first ball of the series – Simpson, England’s new keeper, and Stokes, their new captain, vindicated in calling for a review – with Babar Azam following two balls later. By the time Mahmood went round the wicket and trapped left-handed debutant Saud Shakeel with one that nipped in, Pakistan were 26 for 4. It was a passage of play which effectively defined the game. Mahmood was later, quite rightly, named as the player of the match.Amid England’s chaos, it might be overlooked that Pakistan hadn’t enjoyed perfect preparation, either. They had been limited to intra-squad warm-up matches and were, perhaps, unfortunate enough to find themselves batting first on a surface offering just a fraction of seam movement.So, while the scorecard may look ugly, you might spare a thought for Azam, who received an excellent ball which was angled in and forced a stroke only to then leave him a fraction to take the edge. Mohammad Rizwan, who also received a beauty which was angled in and left him, could also be forgiven for wondering he could have done about the delivery which dismissed him.For a while, when Fakhar Zaman and Sohaib Maqsood were together, it looked as if Pakistan may be able to rebuild. Zaman, putting away anything overpitched or short with panache, looked in glorious touch with Maqsood producing one ferocious cut for six off the distinctly sharp Carse. Together they put on 53 for the fifth wicket.But when Maqsood was run out, attempting to regain his ground having been sent back by Zaman, Pakistan’s hopes of setting a challenging total disappeared with him. Zaman, slicing a drag-down from Matt Parkinson to backward point, soon followed. Mahmood returned to have Faheem Ashraf, cramped for room, fencing outside off stump and finished with 4 for 42 from his 10 overs. Those figures, impressive though they are, didn’t flatter him at all.Zak Crawley and Dawid Malan steered England home•AFP/Getty Images

Underlining England’s strength in depth, it was England’s fifth four-wicket haul (or better) in their four most recent ODIs following Chris Woakes (4 for 18 in the first ODI against Sri Lanka), Sam Curran and David Willey (5 for 48 and 4 for 64 in the second) and Tom Curran (4 for 35 in the third). It is only the second time they have taken four-wicket hauls (or better) in four consecutive ODIs. It was also the first time England had bowled out a side for under 150 in an ODI since they dismissed Ireland for 126 in May 2017.Not for a moment did Pakistan threaten to defend their paltry total. While Shaheen Shah Afridi produced a threatening opening spell, persuading Salt to edge to slip, Dawid Malan and Zak Crawley put on an unbroken stand of 120 for the second-wicket to seal a crushing victory.Malan, in particular, looked in sublime form. He produced a series of sweetly-timed drives and, while his half-century (50 balls, with seven fours) came up with an under-edged reverse-sweep, it was a rare mis-step in an impressively assured performance. He is going to prove tough to leave out of any England side.Crawley was barely less impressive. While he was, on 1, defeated by a perfect Hasan Ali yorker, it came from a free-hit. His half-century, brought up with a gorgeous back-foot force through point, took only 44 balls and demonstrated once again that his is a talent to be nurtured.It wasn’t a perfect display from England – not quite, anyway. Ali, on 1, was badly missed by Malan at deep midwicket, while a much tougher chance (an under-edge off a slog-sweep) offered by Shadab Khan, on 6, was missed by Simpson behind the stumps. Parkinson was the unfortunate bowler on both occasions with Shadab going on to make 30; one of only two men to reach 20 in the innings. Parkinson, at mid-on, also made a bit of a mess of a chance offered by Afridi on 10.But these are minor quibbles. After a chaotic few days, Ben’s Babes produced a performance which may have unnerved some of that first-choice ODI side as much as it did Pakistan.

Fakhar Zaman jumps 17 slots, Mohammad Rizwan reaches 15th position

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Apr-2021Pakistan captain Babar Azam has moved up by a place to second spot in the ICC men’s rankings for T20I batters. Azam’s record-breaking 122 off 59 balls against South Africa in the third T20I saw him gain 47 points to displace Australia’s Aaron Finch from the second position.Azam was the highest run-scorer in the four-match series, having accumulated a total of 210 runs, including a half-century and a maiden hundred. Azam, who is still 48 points adrift of top-ranked Dawid Malan, has the opportunity to overtake him with the three-match series against Zimbabwe that got underway in Harare on Wednesday.Earlier last week, Azam became the No. 1 ODI batter, ending India captain Virat Kohli’s long reign at the top of the charts. Azam is just the fourth Pakistan batter to attain the top ranking.Fakhar Zaman gained 17 spots to reach 33rd rank after scoring an unbeaten 8 and 60 in the last two games, and Mohammad Rizwan jumped eight places to reach a career-best 15th position. Left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi also made a jump to reach his career best-equaling 11th spot in the bowlers’ list after picking up two wickets in two matches.For South Africa, Rassie van der Dussen moved up from ninth to sixth spot, just one shy of his career-best, after scores of 34 not out and 52. Aiden Markram gained 31 places to reach 34th position.