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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

• KKR, MI set to become owners in UAE T20 league

• Knight Riders Group buys stake in Major League Cricket

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.

It is understood that Haider was arrested in Beckenham where the Shaheens were playing

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2025Haider Ali has been arrested by the Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of rape and bailed pending further enquiries. The Pakistan batter, who was with the Shaheens squad, the de facto ‘A’ team on a tour against of England, remains in the UK. A Shaheens squad, which includes a number of players on the England tour, has flown to Australia to take part in a multi-team T20 series. Haider was part of the squad due to go to Australia, and has been replaced by allrounder Mohammad Faiq”After receiving a report on Monday 4 August 2025 of a rape, we have arrested a 24-year-old man,” a statement from Greater Manchester Police confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. “It’s alleged that the incident occurred on Wednesday 23 July 2025 at a premises in Manchester. The man has since been bailed pending further enquiries. The victim is being supported by officers.”It is understood that Haider was arrested in Beckenham where the Shaheens were playing the last of their five games of the tour. Haider played each of the five games, including the first two on 22 and 25 July, between which the incident he was arrested for is alleged to have occurred in Manchester on 23 July. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in the UK.Related

• Manchester police drop all charges against Haider Ali

• Haider Ali under criminal investigation in the UK, suspended by the PCB

On Thursday, the PCB issued a statement confirming Haider was under criminal investigation in the UK and suspended him pending the results of that investigation. It affirmed that the board “fully respects the legal procedures and processes of the UK” and were providing the player with legal support.Haider, 24, has played two ODIs and 35 T20Is for Pakistan. Initially feted as a destructive power hitter, his reputation burnished with standout performances in the PSL with Peshawar Zalmi in 2020, when he scored 239 runs at a strike rate of over 157. He was called up to the national side later that year, his international debut coming in a T20I game in Manchester, where he scored a 33-ball 54 as Pakistan won by five runs.Inconsistency has dogged him since, and he has repeatedly found himself in and out of the side. However, his talent and explosiveness have kept him in international contention, and the current Shaheens tour was widely viewed as an opportunity to reintegrate a player whose batting approach aligns with the aggressive style Pakistan’s current T20 set-up has made no secret they want to pursue.The PCB has said that they intend to make no further public comment until legal proceedings are complete.

Amelia Kerr claims 4 for 13 as Spirit crush hosts by 73 runs

ECB Reporters Network24-Aug-2023London Spirit rounded off their low-key Women’s Hundred campaign on a high with a commanding win as they hammered Birmingham Phoenix by 73 runs at Edgbaston.Grace Harris’ belligerent 87 off 47 balls lifted Spirit to 172 for 5 after they were put in by a Phoenix side already doomed to finish bottom of the table. Harris and Richa Ghosh thrashed 48 in 25 balls to ensure a daunting target.Phoenix replied with 99 all out in 76 balls with Amelia Kerr taking 4 for 13 as Spirit ended their staccato campaign with a second win to go alongside four defeats and two ‘no results.’ For Phoenix, the drubbing was one final instalment of a nightmare which has seen them lose seven with one washout.In a gesture which rather summed up Phoenix’s accident-prone campaign, the main scoreboard at Edgbaston went ‘phut’ just before the start of the match and remained blank throughout the first innings. It missed a perky start from Spirit openers Danielle Gibson and Harris, who added 46 in 20 balls. Gibson struck four of the ten balls she faced for four before being yorked by Charis Pavely.Kerr chipped to mid on and Sophie Luff was well held by Issy Wong at deep square but Harris advanced to a 31-ball half-century, reached with her tenth four, a sweet sweep which crested the rope in front of the dormant scoreboard. The Australian celebrated with successive sixes, off Erin Burns and Sophie Devine, and Ghosh also cleared the ropes in a blitz which brought 19 runs in four balls.Ghosh was run out after a mix-up but Harris continued to bat with power and purpose, adding 13 fours to her two sixes before she was run out off the final ball of the innings.Phoenix needed something spectacular with the bat but lost their top five in 45 balls. Devine was superbly caught by Kerr at deep square from the third ball of the innings and Tess Flintoff was bowled, sweeping at Charlie Dean.Sterre Kalis’ counter-attack of 28 from 16 balls was ended by an lbw decision for Sarah Glenn before Kerr took two big wickets in five balls. Amy Jones was caught by Dean at extra cover and Burns sought six over long on but found only Gibson right on the rope.That left Phoenix skipper Eve Jones with 104 to find from 55 balls and only the lower order for company. Her departure, bowled through a slog at Kerr, only accelerated the procession and when the ubiquitous Kerr caught Wong at long on, Spirit were home and dry and left to ponder what might have been if they had produced performances of this power earlier in the tournament.

Pooja Vastrakar has been included in Harmanpreet Kaur’s team subject to fitness

Shashank Kishore28-Dec-2022Allrounder Shikha Pandey has made a comeback to India’s T20I squad for the tri-series as well as the World Cup in South Africa early next year, while Pooja Vastrakar has been included “subject to fitness”.Pandey last played for India on the tour of Australia in October 2021, but has forced her way back through strong performances in domestic cricket. She will lead a seam attack that includes Renuka Singh, Vastrakar and rookie left-armer Anjali Sarvani, who made her debut in the recent five-match T20I series against Australia at home.Seamer Meghna Singh, who featured in the Australia T20Is, isn’t part of the squad but will be in the reserves alongside batter S Meghana and allrounder Sneh Rana. Meghna went wicketless in the two matches she played against Australia, and also conceded runs at 13.66 an over.All three reserve players, however, are part of India’s squad for the tri-series in South Africa in the lead-up to the World Cup.Pandey, who captains Goa, had taken 11 wickets in seven matches in the senior women’s domestic T20 competition at a miserly economy of 4.28. She was equally impressive for South Zone in the inter-zonal T20s, picking up five wickets in three games at an economy of 4.05.Vastrakar, meanwhile, is currently recovering from an unspecified injury that has kept her out of action since October this year.India have stuck to their strengths by picking a spin-heavy attack for the T20 World Cup, led by allrounder Deepti Sharma and Rajeshwari Gayakwad, with Devika Vaidya capable of bowling useful legspin in addition to her middle-order batting abilities.Richa Ghosh, who is set to play in the inaugural Under-19 World Cup next month, will be the first-choice wicketkeeper in the Harmanpreet Kaur’s squad. Yastika Bhatia, the left-hand middle-order batter, has been named as back-up.Pooja Vastrakar has been included in the T20 World Cup squad “subject to fitness”•ECB/Getty Images

There were no major surprises in the batting line-up, with Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Harleen Deol all in the mix. Like Ghosh, the India Under-19 captain Shafali will head into the competition on the back of the junior World Cup campaign.With both Shafali and Ghosh missing from the tri-series involving West Indies and South Africa, the selectors have rewarded Punjab batter Amanjot Kaur with a maiden India call-up for her domestic form. Amanjot was Punjab’s top run-getter in the domestic T20s, hitting 192 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 105.49.There was also a comeback for wicketkeeper Sushma Verma, who was picked in the tri-series squad. Sushma was the third highest run-scorer in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, making 237 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 105.80. She had played the last of her 19 T20Is in 2016 and is one of two wicketkeepers in the squad alongside Yastika.India, runners-up to Australia at the previous T20 World Cup in 2020, are still searching for their maiden world title. They’re placed alongside England, West Indies, Pakistan and Ireland in Group B. India will open their campaign against Pakistan on February 12 in Cape Town.Their first match in the tri-series that precedes the World Cup is slated for January 19 against hosts South Africa.Squad for Women’s T20 World Cup 2023: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk) Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur, Anjali Sarvani, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shikha Pandey
Reserves: S Meghana, Sneh Rana, Meghna Singh.Squad for tri-series in South Africa: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Sushma Verma (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Pooja Vastrakar, S Meghana, Sneh Rana, Shikha Pandey.

Southern Brave roar back to life in their chase to secure six-wicket win

Cameron Ponsonby25-Aug-2022Alex Davies and Ross Whiteley orchestrated a remarkable turnaround as Southern Brave secured a six-wicket win to keep their slim qualification hopes alive heading into the closing rounds of the group stage.Brave won the toss and elected to bowl on what turned out to be an extremely difficult wicket to bat on. For long stretches of the chase, Dawid Malan’s innings 59 off 41 for Trent Rockets seeming likely to be the difference between the sides.At the halfway point, Rockets’ total of 138 for 6 was believed to be slightly under par, with allrounder Samit Patel wary in his optimism that it was defendable, even if he did speak with the knowing look of a player who had seen these types of pitches before and knew that a good start could see the game could turn quickly.And a good start is exactly what Rockets got, as their seamers combined to restrict Brave to just 15 for 2 off the powerplay – both Paul Stirling and James Vince bowled for ducks.As Brave’s chase went on, Malan’s earlier effort grew in stature, as only Quinton de Kock was able to find the boundary in the first 65 balls of the chase.With 66 off 30 required, Rockets looked to be heading for a victory that would have secured them a slot in the top three and a place in the eliminator at the very least.But three consecutive sets of five then went for double figures, as Rockets’ afterburners ran out, Brave aided by a series of wides and no-balls as the bowlers struggled with a wet ball. The result was 66 off 30 became 23 off 15 as Brave stole victory in the blink of an eye.Malan furthers his caseMalan became the first person in the competition to reach 300 runs as he scored his third half-century. The left-hander is the leading run-scorer in the Hundred this season, and a bonus for England ahead of the T20 World Cup – particularly with Jason Roy so out of form.Malan hit the ground running in his innings and appeared to be the only Rockets batter to gain a grasp of the pace of the pitch. After 50 balls of the innings, Malan was on 38 off 26 whilst his team-mates were 21 off 24.The innings wasn’t chanceless with Malan gaining a life on 37 when he skied a Sonny Baker delivery to point where Michael Hogan put down a relatively simple catch. Despite Baker being 22 years junior to Hogan, he still managed to master the disappointed fatherly stare.Seaming and swingingThat Rockets were in a position to let victory slip from their hands was the result of their own fantastic seam bowling at the start of Brave’s innings.Spin was expected to lead proceedings with the wicket sticking and pace-off proving hard to time. But Luke Wood, Daniel Sams and Sam Cook were able to exploit the conditions superbly as Brave managed just 15 runs from the first 25 balls.Wood’s impressive tournament continued as he bowled Vince via an inside edge for a golden duck, whilst Cook used his slower ball expertly to remove Stirling.Such was the dominance of seam that allrounder and captain Lewis Gregory, who is yet to bowl his full allocation in a match this season, brought himself on as a fourth seamer before turning to either of his experienced spinners in Tabraiz Shamsi and Samit Patel. Gregory’s 15 balls would go for just 14 runs as Rockets’ eased themselves seemingly into an unassailable position.Davies and Whiteley graft, David ices chaseBrave struggled to 52 for 2 at halfway and looked dead and buried when 71 were needed off the final 35 balls. Davies had just struck his first boundary, from his 30th ball faced, and Whiteley was new to the crease with six off seven.Rockets’ position seemed only to be getting stronger, but the turning point came when, with 55 required off 25 balls, Sams bowled an eight-ball set that went for 19 runs and included a wide and two no-balls (one of which was for a fielding infringement). Shamsi’s following set went for 13 as a game that had been all but over for Brave became theirs to lose.Whiteley departed for a vital 30 off 21 balls with 16 needed off 11, but any doubts over the result of the match were put to bed when Tim David struck consecutive sixes to send a raucous Southern Brave crowd home happy.

Carter, Rawlins, Coles fifties have Sussex still 429 in front

ECB Reporters Network12-Jul-2022Leicestershire 159 for 1 (Kimber 91*, Patel 67*) trail Sussex 588 (Alsop 150, Orr 70, Carter 75, Rawlins 75, Coles 59, Parkinson 5-128) by 429 runsLeicestershire produced an impressive response after Sussex racked up 588 on the second day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match at Hove.The Foxes lost Hassan Azad to the first ball of their reply, but Rishi Patel and Louis Kimber batted with increasing authority in an unbroken stand which took them to 159 for one at stumps. They still trail by 429 but a slow pitch is showing little sign of deterioration.Earlier, Sussex had piled up their highest total for seven years, after Oliver Carter, Delray Rawlins and James Coles, the 18-year-old making only his fifth first-class appearance, all scored half-centuries.Resuming on 407 for 4, Carter and Rawlins extended their fifth-wicket stand to 119 in 25 overs, although Carter would have been run out on 70 had Ed Barnes not missed the stumps by millimetres in his follow through after being called through for a single.Callum Parkinson came into the attack in the 18th over of the day and Rawlins hit his first ball for four to bring up his half-century.But Parkinson struck in his next over when Carter played on for 75 attempting to dab the ball into the off side. It was a muted end to a fine innings by the in-form 20-year-old, who has scored 422 runs in his last five Championship innings.Rawlins had mixed aggression – he came down the pitch to drive Barnes over his head for six – with wristy accumulation in his 75 when he was struck on the back leg sweeping at Parkinson, who then persuaded Henry Crocombe to drag a ball from outside off-stump to mid-wicket in his next over.But Coles added 49 for the last wicket with Sean Hunt, hitting four sixes in his 59 in his maiden first-class fifty before he was beaten in the flight by Parkinson coming down the pitch once more. Parkinson’s hard graft was rewarded with figures of five for 128 from 41.5 overs while 61 extras swelled the Sussex total.Steve Finn, captaining Sussex after Tom Haines broke his hand on Monday, made an immediate impact when Azad was caught at slip off a ball which did just enough off the seam to take the edge.But Patel and Kimber got their heads down to negotiate the new ball although they both offered half-chances.Rawlins got fingertips to a fiercely-struck straight drive by Patel diving to his left and Coles couldn’t quite hold on running in at full stretch from deep square leg when Kimber mistimed a pull off Henry Crocombe on 48.Once the new ball lost its hardness, though, batting became much more straightforward and at stumps Kimber was in sight of his maiden first-class hundred, having already reached a career-best 91 while Patel passed fifty for the third time in his career.

South Africa could look to give Sinethemba Qeshile a bigger role with the bat in the final match of their home season

The Preview by Liam Brickhill23-Mar-2019

Big Picture

And so to the Bullring for the last international of the South African summer. Aside from the surprise Test defeat to Sri Lanka, the hosts have enjoyed great success this season, winning every series. This one is also in the bag, after David Miller and Imran Tahir aced the Super Over at Newlands and Isuru Udana’s one-man show went unsupported at Centurion, and despite the absence of a couple of key players South Africa appear set to make it 3-0.Udana’s batting has been one of the only bright marks for a visiting side that has stumbled from match to match through a poor limited-overs leg. Having lost the ODIs 5-0, Sri Lanka are in danger of going winless through the T20Is too, and at the end of the last match a tired Lasith Malinga let slip that the end of his international career could come after next year’s World T20.Malinga hasn’t had a bad tour with the ball, and more often than not it’s been the batting that has let Sri Lanka down. They have been frustratingly disjointed after what should have been a morale-boosting Test win at the start of their trip, but they have one last chance to get things right and click in all departments – though at the end of what must have been a challenging couple of weeks the visitors might be forgiven for just wanting to get things over with and move on with an eye on the World Cup.South Africa might also be struggling for a bit of context to a game that doesn’t have a whole lot riding on it. Coach Ottis Gibson has said that all international form would be part of the conversation around World Cup squads, but it’s hard to imagine that one game will really swing any selection votes at this point. But there’s pride to play for, for both sides, and the hosts will be particularly motivated to end their home season on a high.

Form guide

South Africa WWLWW (completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLLLW

In the spotlight

He held two catches behind the stumps but Sinethemba Qeshile didn’t get a bat in the last game, and it would be a shame if a young player who has shown unmistakable potential on the domestic scene doesn’t get a look-in during the last home international of the summer. Qeshile is only just over a month into his 20s but he has swiftly played himself into national contention this season, averaging 46.16 in the Momentum One Day Cup and 52.50 in the 4-Day Franchise Series.Early wickets have haunted Sri Lanka’s tour, and the limited-overs opening stands have been particularly weak at 13, 11, 11, 13, 14, 0 and 1. While they’re not going to solve all their problems in one game, the desire for a steady opening pair will at least inform Sri Lanka’s thinking as they build their own World Cup squad. If the top order can lead the way, things will get much easier for everyone else behind them.Rassie van der Dussen goes for a pull•Getty Images

Team news

South Africa have no major reason to tinker with their XI, and could well go in with the same players as the last game.South Africa (possible): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 JP Duminy (capt), 5 David Miller, 6 Sinethemba Qeshile (wk), 7 Chris Morris, 8 Dwaine Pretorius, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Lutho Sipamla, 11 Tabraiz ShamsiSadeera Samarawickrama and Asitha Fernando are the only players in Sri Lanka’s squad who haven’t had a game yet on the tour, so they could slot in to the playing XI if the visitors look to hand out more opportunities.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Niroshan Dickwella, 2 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Kamindu Mendis, 5 Angelo Perera, 6 Thisara Perera, 7 Dhananjaya de Silva, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Akila Dananjaya, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Jeffrey Vandersay/Asitha Fernando

Pitch and conditions

Pitches at the Wanderers have been a little drier than is traditional this season, but the runs have still generally flowed in white-ball cricket at this ground and South Africa’s last T20 at the ground against Pakistan in February brought 369 runs and a tight win for the hosts. There might be a few showers overnight, but there is no rain predicted for Sunday.

Stats and trivia

• You might be surprised to read that the joint-leading wicket-takers in T20Is at the Wanderers are Bangladesh’s Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan, and New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori. Four of the top five wicket-takers here are left-arm spinners.
• South Africa have a strong record in this format at the Wanderers, having won 12 of the 19 T20Is they’ve played at the ground.
• For almost ten years, Sri Lanka held a world record at this ground for the 260 for 6 they scored against Kenya here at the World T20 in 2007. Malinga played in that game.

Quotes

“In the previous series we were 2-0 up and then we lost the last one and weren’t as clinical as we would like to be … And it’s always a good crowd [at the Wanderers] and the people are really passionate, so we’ll look to give them what they want.”

Reifer’s 12-ball 26 took Barbados Tridents within one hit of victory before he fell and they slumped to their eighth successive loss at home

The Report by Shashank Kishore24-Sep-2019Glenn Phillips or nothing. That is the perception Jamaica Tallawahs had built around themselves so far in CPL 2019. All that changed on Monday, after their bowlers came to the party to defend a modest 127, fuelled by Phillips’ 41 and a late 22-ball 27 from No. 9 Ramaal Lewis. This helped them beat Barbados Tridents by five runs and notch up their second win in eight games but not before a late scare from Raymon Reifer, whose quickfire 26 brought the equation down to six runs off three deliveries at one stage.Sandeep Lamichhane, who earlier in the day ended with 2 for 17 in his final CPL game of the season, had the opportunity to hit the final ball for a six and win the game for his side. He couldn’t and Tridents slumped to their eighth successive loss at home across seasons. They are, however, still fourth on the points table, one point separating them and the bottom-ranked St Lucia Zouks.Among those in the crowd were Garry Sobers, the all-time great, and Jofra Archer, the Barbados-born World Cup winner with England. Archer, seen having a keen eye on the contest, would’ve particularly loved bowling on this Kensington Oval deck, the same one on which England were bowled out for 77 and 246 in a 381-run loss against West Indies earlier this year.A reprieve and a stunnerJason Holder had Chris Gayle chop on in the second over to give Tridents a dream start. Things could’ve been even better for Holder in his second over but Phillips was reprieved on 16 when he top-edged a pull that swirled high only for wicketkeeper Johnson Charles and the slip fielder to leave it to the other even as both ran back for the catch. In the end, neither managed to get a hand on the ball. The missed chance of Charles was somewhat compensated by Ashley Nurse’s anticipation at slip. He moved instinctively to his right and Chadwick Walton’s thick outside edge to a drive off legspinner Lamichhane stuck in his outstretched right hand.Phillips, Smith and the late finishPhillips mellowed down quickly after the top-order wobble, slipping into accumulation mode, but it didn’t help that his senior partners kept letting him down. Dwayne Smith, not picked in the draft by the Tridents, had the opportunity to prove them wrong. Having hit three of his four CPL centuries at this venue, he walked in with Tallawahs 51 for 3 and walked off to leave them 55 for 4 after a mistimed pull to deep midwicket to give Lamichhane his second wicket. It was his fourth single-digit score since being summoned as an injury replacement.Phillips followed suit and soon the innings was on a downward spiral until a rain break, with Tallawahs on 108 for 8 in 18.3 overs, brought about a change in luck. After resumption, Lewis carted left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer for consecutive sixes in the final over, as the last nine balls produced 19 runs. Tallawahs suddenly had something to defend.Tridents collapse after bright startAlex Hales took a liking to George Worker’s left-arm spin by hitting him for a four and two sixes before Jade Dernbach’s brilliant catch at backward square leg terminated Hales’ innings in the fourth over. Three balls later, Zahir Khan reprieved Charles at short fine leg, and the Tridents wicketkeeper steadied himself thereafter to make 31. After missing a stumping and fumbling a bit earlier in the day, this could’ve been a shot at redemption, but Charles, who saw JP Duminy and Jonathan Carter fall around him, failed while attempting a desperate pull. That left Tridents five down, with 50 still to get off 34 balls.Reifer threatens a heistTridents needed 30 from 12 balls. Reifer, whose stance and batting style resembles that of former West Indies wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs, feasted on some loose bowling as Tallawahs went into meltdown mode. Shamar Springer, a hero until that point with figures of 3 for 17 from three overs, got clobbered for two fours and a six in a 15-run over. When he went full, Reifer belted him over long-off. He bowled length, only to be swatted to deep midwicket. Then he tried a slower ball but was forehanded over mid-off.Smith now had a chance to redeem himself in the final over but saw his second ball smacked out of the ground at deep midwicket. Eight required from four now. Gayle and Walton had in a mini-conference with the bowler. Smith went full, and Reifer took two to long-off. With six needed off three, he bowled full and wide this time, Reifer reached out but holed out to deep cover. That there was the game.

Also, the team management unveils a playing style for the 2023 World Cup – The Pakistan Way

ESPNcricinfo staff13-May-2023Grant Bradburn has been confirmed as Pakistan men’s head coach for the next two years. He had held the position on a consultancy basis during Pakistan’s recent home series against New Zealand as well.Former South Africa cricketer Andrew Puttick has also signed a two-year contract as the batting coach. Strength and conditioning coach Drikus Saaiman and physiotherapist Cliffe Deacon will continue in their roles.Bradburn had previously served as the fielding coach of the side, from 2018 to 2020, before moving to the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. Before that, he was the head coach of Scotland.Related

• Thrill, thrill Pakistan

• Arthur formally announced as Pakistan team director in part-time role

“It is a great honour for me to work with the highly talented and skilful side like Pakistan as a head coach,” Bradburn said in a PCB release. “The New Zealand series has been valuable to get game time and create clarity of roles, culture and brand to win.”We have raised the bar of expectation and we will keep challenging our players. The process has started and our players are agreeing to take these challenges head-on. We have mutually agreed with our players they are capable of higher team scores, even when setting totals. There have been immediate positive signs during this series and this group of players is determined to continually improve, to put ourselves into contention to win major events.”

A new playing style – The Pakistan Way

According to the release, the Pakistan team management has unveiled a playing style with which it will approach the 2023 ODI World Cup. The style branded as will see the team approach the ODIs in the build-up and during the tournament with positive and bold tactics and attacking strategies.”If a team wins without a culture, without a brand or without a style, it may work for a short period but will eventually fall,” team director Mickey Arthur said. “If a team is losing with a culture, a brand and its own style, then it is moving towards the right direction.”So how do we achieve ? We achieve this by winning while having our own culture, our own brand of cricket and our own style. We will not be satisfied with wins without that culture in the team. Pakistan as a nation is proud of its identity, culture and style. I love Pakistan and Pakistan cricket; I want to leave behind a legacy as a director where the rest of the world says we want to play .”To achieve on-field success, the team management will put emphasis on the importance of building a culture where a player’s success is enjoyed by everyone and creating an inclusive environment where anyone can speak up at any time and everyone is treated equally eventually resulting in achieving collective goals as a nation and team.”

Jahanara Alam’s three-for goes in vain as hosts win final T20I with lots to spare

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2019For the third game in a row, Bangladesh women’s batting proved a touch inferior to Pakistan’s, this time ending on 89 for 8 after being set 118 to pull off a consolation win in Lahore.After Bismah Maroof won the toss and opted for first strike – Pakistan had batted first in the earlier games too – Javeria Khan hit a half-century and Umaima Sohail 31 to help them post 117 for 7. Bangladesh were always behind the asking rate, and once it became 12 for 4 at the end of the seventh over, there was no real route back for them.Jahanara Alam and Rumana Ahmed certainly didn’t deserve to be on the losing side on the day. Second ball of the match, Jahanara bowled Ayesha Zafar for 2, and later came back to pick up two wickets, those of Sidra Nawaz and Kainat Imtiaz, in the penultimate over to return 3 for 12. Rumana accounted for Javeria and Iram Javed in the 17th over on her way to figures of 2 for 19.But the rest of the bowlers returned combined figures of 1 for 86 from 12 overs, and in a low-scoring game, that wasn’t good enough. Javeria, especially, made them pay. Fresh off a 44-ball 52 in the previous game, she hit seven fours in her seventh T20I half-century, making 54 in 48 balls, and added 67 for the third wicket with Umaima, whose 31 came in 29 balls with two fours and a six.Bangladesh’s chase faltered right at the start, the top three of Shamima Sultana, Sharmin Akhter and Sanjida Islam dismissed within two-and-a-half overs with just two runs on the board. Anam Amin picked up two of those wickets. Rumana was then run out with the team total at 12, and though Nigar Sultana (30 in 44 balls) and Fargana Hoque (27 in 26) did battle back, their 53-run stand for the fifth wicket took 8.2 overs, never really threatening Pakistan.Nigar’s run out in the 16th over all but finished off Bangladesh’s resistance, though they managed to bat out their 20 overs.Pakistan and Bangladesh will now play a two-match ODI series, also in Lahore, on November 2 and November 4.