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Misbah-ul-Haq calls for extension of World Test Championship

Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has urged the International Cricket Council to conduct the World Test Championship just the way it was planned even if it means extending the duration of the tournament due to the sudden halt caused by the Covid-19 outbreak. The former Pakistan skipper’s statement came in response to reports of ICC considering the option to split points for unplayed games in the championship cycle which was scheduled to end in June-July 2021 with the finale slated in England. “The COVID-19 situation has hit the World Test Championship series but I would still prefer to see the ICC complete the championship with all teams completing their scheduled matches,” Misbah said in an interview on the Cricket Baaz channel on YouTube. According to Misbah, every team should get a fair amount of game time to compete and make a bid for the final’s spot. One Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh couldn’t take off due to disruption caused by the pandemic. Several other series had to be cancelled/postponed due to Covid-19. Pakistan will host Zimbabwe in a white-ball series in the coming weeks. Misbah recently stepped down as Pakistan’s chief selector in order to focus on the coaching role.

Regis Chakabva, Maruma - standby players for Pakistan tour - test positive for Covid-19

Regis Chakabva and Timycen Maruma - the players on standby for the tour of Pakistan, have tested positive for Covid-19. The duo has placed themselves in self-isolation and currently adhering to the protocols. Zimbabwe Cricket released a statement stating that the two were roommates in a bio-secure bubble which was put into place for the stand-by players at ZC Academy House of Harare. Apart from them, two other members of staff who were providing services at the same facility have tested positive as well. Zimbabwe’s main squad players have tested negative. They were residing in a different hotel before leaving for Islamabad. The tourists will undergo tests again once the quarantine period gets over. The white-ball series comprising of three ODIs and as many T20Is, will kickstart on October 30. Earlier, head coach Lalchand Rajput opted not to travel with the squad. In his absence, bowling coach Douglas Hondo will step up. Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) said in a statement they had been contacted by the Embassy of India in Harare, requesting that Rajput be exempted from the tour "in accordance with the travel guidelines stipulated by the Government of India for its citizens". Rawalpindi will host the ODIs series before the sides move to Lahore to compete in the shortest format of the game.

What experts said as Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar punish listless Royals

The Sunrisers Hyderabad put on a clinical performance to trounce the Rajasthan Royals by eight wickets in a crucial encounter of the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League. The men in orange were chasing a modest total but lost two early wickets in the form of Jonny Bairstow and David Warner. Then, Manish Pnadey and Vijay Shankar teamed up to take the game away from the Royals. Here is a compilation of what readers of the game had to say about the match between the Royals and the Sunrisers. Captains’ take The losing captain Steve Smith was all praise for Steve Smith in the post-match interaction with Simon Doull. On the question of the outlook of the bowling performance from the team, Smith said that they had made a really good start but Manish Pandey took the game away from them albeit with some help from due. Discussing the possibility of giving Archer a third over on the trott to attack Manish Pandey early in his innings, Smith said that the option was on his mind and he had discussion with his teammates as well before deciding against it. However, with the benefit of hindsight, he said that he could well have given him the third straight over. The winning captain David Warner was pleased with the performance and said that the game was just the sort of performance the team has been expecting for a long time. He also showed a bit of frustration about his batting and getting out in similar ways. "It was a stunning performance. Starts with the toss where you questioned my decision to chase. We were able to bring them back after Powerplay. All in all, the kind of game we were asking for. I was frustrated in these games because in these games against world-class bowlers, when there is a bit of seam or swing. And it is jagging at 150ks. And you are trying to get through the over. And the edge goes straight to hand,” Warner said in the post-match presentation ceremony. Warner was impressed by what Jason Holder offers to the Sunrisers team and he said that the Windies captain is an all round package and the amount of experience he brings to the table is invaluable. “Jason adds an extra string to our bow. His height. His experience. And he couldn't bat today, but he is an all-round package,” Warner added. Warner was also expressive about the fact that his team is showing signs of having a much-improved middle order after the batsmen at the number three and four positions led the team to this win. “ It is just great to show people that we do have a middle order. For them to come out and play like this, I am so happy for them. They showed they can build a platform for us to get across the line. Or set a big total. I am chuffed for them. Discussing his decision to chase against the Royals, Warner added that although the Sunrisers are a better team at defending totals, he made his decisions based on the outcome of the last two games along with cooler weather and a possible onset of due in the latter half of the game. “We probably are a better defending team, but my decision to chase was based on the last two games. And the weather is cooler, with dew around, it might be flipping around for everyone," Warner added in his defence to field first. Experts’ take Cricket commentators tried to show the audience about the equality of the game and how it balances players in different situations. He saw Ben Stokes struggling to get going and expected that a break free shot was around the corner. When Saju Samson got out to Holder in search of quick runs, the blame was on Stokes in Harsha’s views as the youngster tried to make up for a struggling batsman at the other end. Harsha was highly impressed by Manish Pandey’s composure and the experience he brought on the field by guiding the team to a win after taking control of the game in the first over of the game. Vijay Shnakr wasn’t too far behind in the Harsha’s list of optimis for the Sunrisers and he said that Shankr should be batting at the number four position in the orange line up as an Indian batsman. Cricket analyst and former Indian opener Aakash Chopra took out a piece of stats to show the level of Stokes’ struggle in the IPL 2020 so far as the left-hander has joined the list of batsmen who have not hit six after playing a considerably higher number of balls. He was also left puzzled with Rajasthan's batting order and had suggested a par score on the pitch. The showstopper of the night--Mans=ish Pandey was also on the highlight of Aakash Chopra and he rated his inning as one of the best he has played in the IPL history. The Sunrisers Hyderabad put on a clinical performance to trounce the Rajasthan Royals by eight wickets in a crucial encounter of the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League. The men in orange were chasing a modest total but lost two early wickets in the form of Jonny Bairstow and David Warner. Then, Manish Pnadey and Vijay Shankar teamed up to take the game away from the Royals. Here is a compilation of what readers of the game had to say about the match between the Royals and the Sunrisers. Captains’ take The losing captain Steve Smith was all praise for Steve Smith in the post-match interaction with Simon Doull. On the question of the outlook of the bowling performance from the team, Smith said that they had made a really good start but Manish Pandey took the game away from them albeit with some help from due. Discussing the possibility of giving Archer a third over on the trott to attack Manish Pandey early in his innings, Smith said that the option was on his mind and he had discussion with his teammates as well before deciding against it. However, with the benefit of hindsight, he said that he could well have given him the third straight over. The winning captain David Warner was pleased with the performance and said that the game was just the sort of performance the team has been expecting for a long time. He also showed a bit of frustration about his batting and getting out in similar ways. "It was a stunning performance. Starts with the toss where you questioned my decision to chase. We were able to bring them back after Powerplay. All in all, the kind of game we were asking for. I was frustrated in these games because in these games against world-class bowlers, when there is a bit of seam or swing. And it is jagging at 150ks. And you are trying to get through the over. And the edge goes straight to hand,” Warner said in the post-match presentation ceremony. Warner was impressed by what Jason Holder offers to the Sunrisers team and he said that the Windies captain is an all round package and the amount of experience he brings to the table is invaluable. “Jason adds an extra string to our bow. His height. His experience. And he couldn't bat today, but he is an all-round package,” Warner added. Warner was also expressive about the fact that his team is showing signs of having a much-improved middle order after the batsmen at the number three and four positions led the team to this win. “ It is just great to show people that we do have a middle order. For them to come out and play like this, I am so happy for them. They showed they can build a platform for us to get across the line. Or set a big total. I am chuffed for them. Discussing his decision to chase against the Royals, Warner added that although the Sunrisers are a better team at defending totals, he made his decisions based on the outcome of the last two games along with cooler weather and a possible onset of due in the latter half of the game. “We probably are a better defending team, but my decision to chase was based on the last two games. And the weather is cooler, with dew around, it might be flipping around for everyone," Warner added in his defence to field first. Experts’ take Cricket commentators tried to show the audience about the equality of the game and how it balances players in different situations. He saw Ben Stokes struggling to get going and expected that a break free shot was around the corner. When Saju Samson got out to Holder in search of quick runs, the blame was on Stokes in Harsha’s views as the youngster tried to make up for a struggling batsman at the other end. Harsha was highly impressed by Manish Pandey’s composure and the experience he brought on the field by guiding the team to a win after taking control of the game in the first over of the game. Vijay Shnakr wasn’t too far behind in the Harsha’s list of optimis for the Sunrisers and he said that Shankr should be batting at the number four position in the orange line up as an Indian batsman. Cricket analyst and former Indian opener Aakash Chopra took out a piece of stats to show the level of Stokes’ struggle in the IPL 2020 so far as the left-hander has joined the list of batsmen who have not hit six after playing a considerably higher number of balls. He was also left puzzled with Rajasthan's batting order and had suggested a par score on the pitch. The showstopper of the night--Mans=ish Pandey was also on the highlight of Aakash Chopra and he rated his inning as one of the best he has played in the IPL history. Veteran cricket journalist Ayaz Memon came down hard on the famous trio of Butter, Smith and Stokes and pointed out that the Royals failed to seize the momentum after the 10th over mark when the team was 74/1. He also commended Jofra Archer for a ‘torrid’ spell of bowling but said tha the score put on by the Royals was way below the par score on the Dubai’s pitch.

RR vs SRH: Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar entwine to keep Hyderabad alive

Manish Pandey (83*) and Vijay Shankar (52*) forged together an unbeaten 140 to anchor Sunrisers Hyderabad's 155-run chase against Rajasthan Royals, tormentor Jofra Archer's breathtaking initial spurt notwithstanding. Procuring two vital points keeps SRH in the mix for the play-offs as they usurp Kings XI Punjab to the fifth spot courtesy better net-run-rate on Thursday, October 22 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Nowhere to hide versus Jofra's thunderbolts Going for the kill upfront was RR's best bet against an order boasting of tonnes of explosiveness. The boxes were ticked like a dream with Jofra Archer spearheading the new-ball charge and two personnel manning the slip cordon, a sight as rare in the shortest version as hen's teeth. The speed demon has for long had Warner on toast, and tonight was another renindition of his unequivocal hegemony as Ben Stokes in second slip plucked a stunner to grab hold of the southpaw's timid waft. Smith left pondering what-ifs Jonny Bairstow was bowled neck and crop soon after to a bewitching inducker that had his name written on it. Generally the wiser when marshalling his troops, Steve Smith's tactics came under the scanner as he decided against giving Archer a third over inside the PowerPlay, where a couple of further dents could've pushed RR in the driving seat. "Should've gone for it in hindsight", expressed the losing captain when enquired about his thought process behind the seemingly game-changing moment. Make some noise for the desi boys Manish Pandey's name probably isn't high on the agenda when rival teams host a meeting to devise the bowling plans ahead of a tie against SRH. Rest assured, that won't be the case from now onwards. He welcomed Kartik Tyagi into the attack with consecutive flashes to the cover fence before hoisting Ben Stokes for a pair of sweetly-timed maximums. Shreyas Gopal's zooter did wrap him on the back pad while creating room for a cut, although the impact being outside the off-stump saved his nose. Meanwhile, Vijay Shankar furnished his designated role of an enabler to absolute perfection. He kept the good cherries at bay and ticked the scoreboard along with a steady accumulation of ones and twos, scampering hell for leather when the ball grazed its way into the empty pockets. The lofted inside out drives he carresed off Shreyas Gopal would have done his confidence a world of good. The curtains were drawing thick and fast on RR's vigil as the partnership stretched beyond the 100-run mark in the 15th over. The equation of 37 runs required from 30 deliveries was reduced to a joke by Shankar, who peeled three mesmerizing boundaries with a free-flowing swing of the willow. It was only fitting that he pulled Tyagi via cown corner to not only raze his team home but also acknowledge his first half-century of the ongoing edition. Holder dons the SRH match jersey Lynchpin Kane Williamson being unavailable for unspecified reasons led to Jason Holder registering his maiden exploit of the season. And boy he made his presence felt. RR refrained from heedless chopping and changing and staked money on the winning combination. Robbie is his own worst enemy Robin Uthappa was granted a fair crack to prove that the fire is still burning during the early days of the campaign. The faith wasn't repaid and he was assigned to shuttling drinks. He got some runs under his belt last week, but nothing that could be termed as earth-shattering. Today was another chance to prove his mettle and cement his position in the side, and it came at the expense of Jos Butler at the top, but Uthappa kicked the gift horse in the mouth. Having oozed class for his 13-ball 19, he jetted off in pursuit of a non-existent single as Holder spelt doom with an agile direct hit in follow- through. Frailing Rajasthan cop triple whammy Ben Stokes blew hot and cold en route his scracthy 30, bidding goodbye to the serene shores of timing and placement to enforce his authority. He flirted with danger, quite unabashedly, surviving a missed run-out and a bungled chance in the deep. A few jaws must've dropped to the floor when Sanju Samson biffed Holder over mid-wicket, but the overseas signing deceptively rolled his fingers across the seam to clip the zing bails off. Rashid Khan cleaned up straggler Stokes while Vijay Shankar hit a jackpot with Jos Buttler's dismissal to leave RR in the quest of a surge at 110/4. Cometh the hour, cometh Holder Riyan Parag hoarded 15 off Thangarusu Natarajan's 18th over, albeit Holder prizing out both the youngster and skipper Steve Smith in the momentum-thwarting penultimate to bring tears to RR's eyes. Jofra Archer's flexed his muscles to a quickfire 16, but a skimpy total was all they could muster given the incompetence of their big guns. Next on the menu-card SRH have a day's space to bask in the glory before duty calls again on Saturday afternoon to wrestle cuffs with Kings XI Punjab, a chalk horse which has almost supernaturally transformed into an all-flaying unicorn of late. RR should leave the mathematics to statisticians and focus on emerging victorious in whatever they have remaining on the plate. The center of the points table is no less than a fish market at this point and each rubber from here on awaits with a do-or-die tag attached. Mumbai Indians, beware of Jofra Archer's rage on Sunday, October 25.