Scotland win Europen Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, make it to Global Qualifier

Scotland Women have booked their place in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup global qualifier to be held in 2022. The team emerged winners of the Europen Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, one of the five regional tournaments, winners of which would play three other teams in an eight-team tournament which will decide two teams that would make it to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, which would take place in South Africa in February 2023.

Scotland Women after registering a surprise win over favourites Ireland Women in the European qualifier finished top of the table and undefeated in a five-team tournament, winning all their four matches against Netherlands, Germany, Ireland and France.

Ireland finished second in the tournament losing a lone match to Scotland while the Netherlands finished third winning against Germany and France and Germany registered a solitary win against France Women to finish their campaign on a high as France remained winless. The tournament was hosted at La Manga Club Top Ground in Spain.

The Global Qualifier would have eight teams, five of which would come from the regional qualifiers while two of them would be decided on the basis of the ranking of those teams which qualified for the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup. The two lowest-ranked teams as of November 30 2021 would take part in the Global Qualifier.

Another team would be decided at the end of the regional qualifiers. This team must not have qualified either as the lowest-ranked teams from T20 World Cup Qualifier or as winners of regional qualification. After the seven teams are qualified, the next best-ranked non-qualified side would be given the place. Thus Ireland still have their hopes of qualification intact.

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Both Nurul and Mushfiq to keep wickets as Bangladesh introduce split-keeping for New Zealand T20Is

Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo has said that the management will introduce a “split-wicketkeeping” policy during the side’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand at home. "Sohan (Nurul) will keep wickets in the first two games," Domingo said ahead of the series. "The plan is to split wicket-keeping duties in this particular series, make it two games each and make a decision in the fifth game,” he added. Talking about Mushfiqur Rahim’s batting position, Domingo suggested that the right-hander would bat at number 4 as he can anchor the innings for the side. “I see Mushfiq probably starting at No 4. He is successful there. He can hold the innings together for us. He can also rotate strike in the middle overs. He can finish well for us. It is good to have him back in the squad," said the coach. The South African further added that winning the series keeps a lot of importance as it would provide momentum and confidence going to the World T20. "Winning the series is important. We are playing at home, so we want to continue gaining confidence before the WC," said the 47-year-old. The two sides will begin the T20I fixtures on September 1, 2021, and all the matches will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka. Bangladesh have tasted success in the recent past after thumping Australia 4-1 in a five-match T20I series at home in August this year.

Chandimal rewarded for SLC T20 League performances, recalled to national side for South Africa series

Sri Lanka have called up Dinesh Chandimal for the limited-overs fixtures against South Africa at home as the selectors have announced a 22-man squad for the series. Kusal Perera has also found a place for himself as he has finished his isolation after testing positive for Covid-19. Chandimal, who was rewarded for his brilliant run in the SLC T20 League held earlier this month, hasn’t donned the Sri Lankan jersey since the West Indies tour that took place in March-April earlier this year. The right-handed batsman has played 149 ODIs for Sri Lanka where he has scored over 3600 runs while has been capped 57 times in T20Is scoring 868 runs during the course. Even as Kusal Perera makes comeback, the side would be led by Dasun Shanaka who captained the team during India's visit to the island nation. Another all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva will be the vice-captain of the team. Lahiru Madushanka, Mahesh Theekshana and Pulina Tharanga are the new faces in the team. The two sides are slated to play three ODIs and as many T20Is at the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo. The ODI series will commence on September 2 while the T20Is will begin on September 10. Squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Dhananjaya De Silva, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kamindu Mendis, Minod Bhanuka, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Nuwan Pradeep, Binura Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Akhila Dananjaya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Madushanka, Pulina Tharanga, Maheesh Theekshana.

The Sun pays damages to England all-rounder Ben Stokes & his family

The Sun newspaper in England has paid damages to the national cricket team's all-rounder Ben Stokes and his family for putting details on the front page of a tragedy that involved the family. Ben’s mother Deborah Stokes has said that the family took legal action over an article that was published in September 2019 and was headlined “tragedy that haunts Stokes’ family”. “The decision to publish this article was a decision to expose, and to profit from exposing, intensely private and painful matters within our family. The suffering caused to our family by the publication of this article is something we cannot forgive,” Deborah was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “Ben and I can take no pleasure in concluding this settlement with The Sun. We can only hope that our actions in holding the paper to account will leave a lasting mark, and one that will contribute to prevent other families from having to suffer the same pain as was inflicted on our family by this article,” she added. The Sun has now issued an unreserved apology. “We should not have published the article.” Stokes, who played a massive role in England's World Cup-winning campaign back in 2019 has been out of action after the left-handed batsman had taken an indefinite break from cricket on July 30 this year.

Controlled aggression at Headingley helped us win the game: Chris Silverwood

England were back on track in the five-match Test series against India after they etched a thumping win by an innings and 76 runs in the third Test at Leeds. Head coach Chris Silverwood has said that it was “controlled aggression" during the clash which helped the hosts scalp a win at Headingley. "Joe and I reflected on the Lord's Test and thought about what we could learn and how we could get better. And I think there was controlled aggression around what they did (at Headingley)," Silverwood said during a virtual media interaction. "The way they hit the lengths hard, the way they put the India tail under pressure and forced them to make decisions all the time. I think you can be aggressive in a very controlled way and I think they got that right,” he added. India were bundled out for 78 in the first innings and then England posted a mammoth 432 in reply riding on Joe Root’s century and meaningful contributions by openers Haseeb Hameed, Rory Burns and Dawid Malan who batted at number three. The visiting team was then bowled out for 278 in the second innings to suffer a defeat. The series is presently levelled at 1-1 with the two sides now slated to play each other in the fourth Test at Kennington Oval from Thursday, September 02.