IRE vs ZIM | Long overdue innings from Kevis O’Brien see Ireland draw level

IPL 2021 | Shreyas Iyer vows stronger comeback, doesn't fear 'competition' for spots in WT20 squad

Having sat out for the first part of the Indian Premier League, the Delhi Capitals captain for the last three years, Shreyas Iyer is vowing to make a strong comeback in the second part of the tournament. He had missed out from the competitions after dislocating his shoulder in the ODI series against England preceding the IPL and the Capitals made a strong start in the season under the captaincy of Rishabh Pant. Iyer credited the success of the Capitals, whom he rated as a “warrior”, to the “environment” of the side from the 2019 edition. He said that he understands the “DNA” of the Capitals that they will come hard in the second half to go all the way in this edition after missing out in the finals last year. "Unfortunately, IPL had to be stopped mid-season, but it has presented me with the opportunity again and I will, as a player and as someone who understands the DNA of our team, will do everything in my role to see the dream of our fans come true. I would reckon our first half performance this season is a result of the environment we had created in 2019 and 2020. Last year, we came so close to winning IPL," Shreyas said in an interview with PTI. "Over the last two years, we have transformed DC into a warrior side. That has come from the system and process we had put in place and thanks to the management in trusting my abilities to be able to deliver for the team," feels Shreyas. Iyer was handed over the captaincy of the Capitals midway through the 2018 edition in a drive of backing youth by the franchise while the team was struggling to make a mark in the leadership of Gautam Gambhir. Having led the side successfully for two consecutive seasons, Iyer sees himself as a “better cricketer”, who has developed a better outlook of the game and leadership quality. "Captaincy at Delhi Capitals has made me a better cricketer. I look at things, situations, the sport differently. It has improved my temperamental skills, my man-management skills as a leader. Ricky Ponting has been very supportive on that," he added. Iyer had established his place at the number four position in white-ball cricket before some middling scores put him under pressure amid rising stocks of players such as Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav. He was well-positioned in the Indian ODI and T20 playing XI but the injury and high performances of Pant at his place do not guarantee him a place in the squad for the ICC World T20. While playing the IPL for the Capitals, where he is likely to bat at the number three position, Iyer would have his one eye on the World T20. He had admitted a “bigger appetite” for runs in the IPL to stake a claim in the India WT20 squad but ruled out excessive impact of “competition” from his compatriots. "Competition has always been in Indian cricket and will always be. It is a competitive sport after all. But for me, it won't be an understatement to say that I have a bigger appetite now. Look, my competition has always been with myself. It's You vs You. It has worked out well for me in the past, for how I have played this sport so far, and I have no reason to doubt myself that I can't repeat and achieve that again and more,” Iyer asserted. There is a lack of clarity about Iyer’s comeback to the Capitals’ captaincy as he was not part of the initial squad. He is eligible to play in the tournament as a batsman but there has not been any official communication from either the IPL or the Capitals management about who will lead the side in the second part of the tournament starting on September 19 in the UAE.

BCCI converts CK Nayudu Under-23 tournament to U-25, renames its List A version to State A One Day

The Board of control for Cricket in India has remodelled the premier Under-23 tournament to Under-25 in First Class and has renamed its List A version. The Colonel CK Nayudu Tournament, which has been played for the Uner-23 first Class State Championship over the years will now be played by Under-25 teams instead and there would be no U-23 First-Class tournament. The Board also confirmed that there will be no cap on the number of players to play in their U-25 for those who have previously represented their state teams in the Ranji Trophy, the highest level of First-Class cricket in the country. "There will be NO cap on the number of players who were / will be in the playing XI of their respective State teams in Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare and /or Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy during the ongoing season,” BCCI's General Manager, Game Development, Dhiraj Malhotra was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz, which claimed it had got access to a letter sent to State Associations. "The Col C K Nayudu Trophy tournament was conducted for the Men's Under-23 age group in both one day (limited-overs) and 4-day format and was last played in 2019 - 2020 season." The 2019-20 season of the CK Nayudu Trophy for First class was won by Vidarbha where it defeated Madhya Pradesh by eight wickets while the List A tournament was won by Bengal which defeated Gujarat by 64 runs in the Final held at Dehradun. The board also informed about the name changes in the same letter as well. "We invite your attention to the following amendments for this season 2021 - 2022; The one day (limited-overs) tournament will now be named as ' Men's State A One Day Tournament'; The multi-day (4-day) tournament will now be named as 'Col C K Nayudu Trophy - Men's U 25',” the letter added. In another major development, much like last year, the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting, which usually takes place by the end of September of every year, has now been postponed to December. BCCI cited a Tamil Nadu Government regarding companies registered under Tamil Nadu Societies Act, 1975, which states that they can postpone their AGM to December instead of the annual limit of September 30. "You are hereby informed that the BCCI will not have its Annual General Meeting by 30, September 2021. We will keep you informed regarding the date of the Annual General Meeting,” the letter told the State Associations.

Milton Shumba, Ryan Burl record highest sixth-wicket partnership for Zimbabwe, fifth-highest overall

Playing against Ireland, Zimbabwe number six and seven, Ryan burl and Milton Shumba recorded the fifth-highest sixth-wicket partnership in the history of T20i cricket. The pair threaded together unbeaten 88 runs to guide a struggling Zimbabwean innings from 64-5 at the end of the 10th over to 152-5 in 20 overs against Ireland at Castle Avenue, Clontarf during the second T20I of the five-match series. This is also the third-highest sixth-wicket partnership by a Test-playing nation in T20I with the record being held by Australia’s Cameron White and Michale Hussey who added 101 unbeaten against Sri Lanka in 2010 during the T20 World Cup match in Bridgetown, Barbados. As far as Zimbabwe are concerned, this is their fifth-highest partnership for any wicket in T20I cricket with the highest being 111 by current skipper Craig Ervine and former skipper Sean Williams created in 2019 against Ireland in Bready. Shumba, who is playing only his sixth T20I also achieved his highest individual score of 46 runs which he hit off just 27 balls courtesy of some innovative shots which included a reverse pull shot, yes you read it right, a reverse pull shot over third-man to get not one but two fours. The 20-year-old hist four fours and two sixes to gather his runs which came at a strike rate of more than 170. Burl, Shumba’s partner started slowly, but eventually picked up pace as he smashed 37 off 33 balls with the help of three fours and two sixes. Zimbabwe are leading the five-match series 1-0 courtesy of a three-run win in a thrilling last-over finish in the first match on Friday, August 27.

Wood, Woakes available for Oval Test, Buttler's paternity leave may open door for Ollie Pope

England get a shot in the arm as pacer Mark Wood, who injured his shoulder in the Lord’s Test and Chris Woakes, who has missed the series so far are likely to be available for the fourth Test starting on September 2 at the Oval. However, they will miss the services of Jos Buttler possibly from the entire remaining part of the series. As per a BBC Sport report, Wood has recovered from the shoulder injury that ruled him out of the Leeds Test while Woakes has completed his rehabilitation process after suffering a heel injury. Buttler, who is expecting his second child anytime soon could well miss at least one, if not both the remaining Tests of the series. He also has not had a great run with the bat so far in the series and his absence could open the door for Ollie Pope in the middle order while Jonny Bairstow would take up the wicketkeeper’s role. It would be interesting to see if England would be willing to risk James Anderson either by playing for a fourth Test on the trot or giving him rest at the Oval with the return of Woakes. England could also drop Sam Curran, who has not best time with the bat for Mark Wood and bank on Woakes and Overton to provide impetus with the bat lower down the order.