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

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.

RR vs SRH: Hits and Flops as Manish Pandey puts Royals to sword

Both the Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Rajasthan Royals were looking desperately for a win to keep their campaign on track but Manish Pandey found his best touch just when the Sunrisers were in dire straits and guided the team to a dominating win over the Royals. Here we are dissecting the best and the worst performances of the match. Hits Manish Pandey Manish Pandey had walked out to bat in the very first over after Jofra Archer had taken away David Warner and soon followed it up with the wicket of Jonny Bairstow in his next over. Having lost two of the biggest match-winners the Sunrisers needed Manish Pandey to fire with the bat and justify his ascendency to the number three slot in the batting order. Pandey was not to miss out today as he looked full of intent and purpose and started taking on the Royals’ bowlers from the word go. Smith introduced Kartik Tyagi in the fourth over and he provided Pandey with the opportunity to cut loose by giving two short and wide balls which Pandey accepted gleefully. By the next over, Pandey was in the groove and when Ben Stokes erred on the line, he was dismissed from his presence by Pandey who slapped him for two sixes, and all of a sudden, the Sunrisers were back with all the momentum which Archer had taken away with two early wickets. Tyagi’s agonies continued as Pandey got stuck into him in his next over, smashing him for a couple of six and four. Pandey remained unbeaten on a 47-ball-83 and stitched a match-winning partnership of 140 runs from only 97 balls with Vijay Shankar. The SRH’s team management had decided to bank on Pandey to bat at the number three position and the move was under critics’ eyes as he was batting above Kane Williamson in the past games but Pandey showed his calls and temperament just when it mattered the mos for the men in orange and somehow justified his elevation to the top of the order. Vijay Shankar Vijay Shankar has been quite an infamous name in Indian cricket but on the night against the Rajasthan Royals, he could do no wrong and rather ended up enhancing his reputation as a reliable player both with the bat and bowl in hand. Shankar was impressive in bowling and showed impeccable discipline in line and length. His discipline and lack of loose balls paid off as in search of quick runs, Jos Buttler tried to force the issue by walking at him and ended up spooning the ball to the backward point fielder. He was assigned the role of the frontline batsman as well as he walked out to bat only in the third over of the innings after the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow. He played a white ball inning of old-school style to support Manish Pandey who was going berserk at the other end. He was quick to assess the role he had to play and did exactly that by hanging in there, albeit with a strike rate near 100 but for the larger context of the game and for the SRH’s benefits, his stay at the crease was important as Manish Pandey was going all guns blazing to keep the required run-rate under control. He wasn’t shy of showing class though and struck Jofra Archer for three back-to-back fours and stamped his authority on the game showing that he is no mug with the bat and that he was playing a role of a batsman showing subdued shot-making by choice looking at the larger prize to be won for his team. Jason Holder Jason Holder was in the news even before he made his IPL 2020 debut and when Kane Williamson was ruled out of the game against the Rajasthan Royals, he got an opportunity to make news on the pitch as well. Holder is a true all-round cricketer and he showed every bit of it in the first innings when he fielded superbly in his followthrough in the first over he was bowling and hit the wickets to see the back of Robin Uthappa who was looking in an excellent knick. His best was yet to come as the Windies captain returned in the 12th over of the Royals’ batting with a beauty of an off-cutter to better Sanju Samson. Holder was not done for the day and he was tasked to the hard yards of the final overs when Warner asked him to come in the 19th over. He outsmarted Steve Smith who was sitting back in the crease with the expectation of yorker and Holder pitched a ball fuller and Smith was caught lagging in footwork to power the ball over long-on boundary and was caught at the boundary line. Holder was too good for Riyan Paraga in the same over as well and the right armer ended his first active night at the IPL 2020 with an impressive figure of 33/3 from his four overs. Flops Steve Smith The Rajasthan Royals must have had great expectations of Steve Smith before the IPL 2020 had begun but it looks like he will be one of the prominent flop shows of this year’s event. The team needed to win against the Sunrisers to keep the winning journey continued after a resurgent win against the Chennai Super Kings in the last game. Smith batted very lower down the order, in a move that looked like a correction to his strategy of slotting all the best batsman of the team at the top of the order but he failed to shine through even at the lower middle order. He never got going in his usual style apart from a handful of shots that went in the direction he intended them to go. His misery was ended by Holder in the 19th over and it made sure that the Royals did not have the score to run away with the game with the pressure of a required run rate over Sunrisers’ batsmen. Smith is considered as one of the finest readers of the modern game but he has been exposed by some glaring mistakes in this season of the IPL. After facing severe criticism for not bowling Archer against AB de Villiers in the match against the RCB, Smith may have missed another trick by not bowling Archer for his third over in the power play. It may not have worked but the rhythm Archer was in and the frailties of Pansey against the pace and movement could well have been exposed. The Royals anyway did not have enough score on the board to contain the Sunrisers batting line up and only wickets could have saved the night for them. But, Captain Smith had other ideas and sadly for the Royals, it was not a good idea at all. Ben Stokes Ben Stokes has been looking like a pale shadow of a cricketer he is known as in the world of cricket. The Royals were dreaming big before his arrival in the tournament about the much-needed stability that he promises to offer every side he plays with but so far in this season, both he and the Royals team management have been looking for the real Stokes to rise through a deep slumber. Unlike the last games, Stokes stayed on the pitch for a bit longer period of time but that was not good enough for the team as his 32-ball-30 rather put batsman like Sanju Samson under immense pressure to cultivate shots on balls that deserved respect. There is belief about Stokes that if he is not clicking with the bat, invariably, he will fail with the ball too and it was evident against the Royals as the English all-rounder was taken to the cleaners by Manish Pandey who made no exemptions to his reputations of being one of the finest cricketer going around in the international cricket. It looks like the RR team management is carrying all the international; stars for the reputation they hold in international cricket and the strategy is providing counterproductive for both the team and the star players.