Sheffield Shield | Queensland ride on Test specialists to dominate Tasmania

T20 World Cup | PAK vs AFG: Asif Ali smacks four sixes in an over to anchor Pakistan to another win

Pakistan middle-order batsman Asif Ali turned the game on its head against Afghanistan on Friday in Dubai after he smacked Karim Janat for four sixes in the penultimate to help the side win by 5 wickets with an over to spare. Pakistan were in a spot of bother after they lost five wickets and needed 24 off the last two overs when Asif took the onus on himself and anchored the side to another win in the tournament. He remained unbeaten at 25 off 7. Despite an early blow, Pakistan captain Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman held the innings together and chipped in with 63 runs for the second wicket. While Zaman departed for 30 off 25, Babar went on to score another fifty in the competition. Later, Pakistan lost a few wickets in regular intervals and were reduced to 124/5 in 17.5 overs when Asif came in for the rescue. Asif expressed delight after winning the match for his team. "The boundary was small from this end so I told my partner I'd go for it this over. Thank God we pulled it off. I look at the situation and what it demands and which bowler has overs remaining, and the field setting,” he said after the match. Pakistan have now won all three matches in the group stage.

T20 World Cup | AFG vs PAK: Rashid Khan becomes fastest bowler to reach 100 T20I wickets

Leg spinner Rashid Khan became the fastest man to reach the 100 wickets landmark in T20 internationals in the Super 12 game against Pakistan in Dubai. He dismissed Mohammed Hafeez to reach the landmark in his 53 bowling innings. There are only two bowlers with more wickets than him in international T20s and both Shakib Al Hasan and Lasith Malinga have played a lot of games more than him. Shakib has picked 117 wickets in 93 innings while Malinga picked 107 wickets from 83 innings. Rashid has taken all these wickets at an astounding average of 12.20 and an economy rate of 6.17 runs per over and has been the go-to man for Afghanistan in all forms, especially the shortest format of the game. Meanwhile, Afghanistan were on the verge of being blown by Pakistan bowling attack before their skipper Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Nabi stitched an unbeaten 71-run partnership to take them near the 150-run mark. In defence of 148 runs, Afghanistan were quick to take the first wicket in the form of an in-form Mohammad Rizwan, but their skipper Babar Azam hit another fifty to keep Pakistan in the game. Pakistan have been unbeaten so far in the tournament having defeated India and New Zealand while Afghanistan have come on the back of a one-sided win over Scotland.

Sri Lanka to host West Indies for two Tests

Sri Lanka will host West Indies for a two-match Test series in November-December this year. The fixtures will be a part of the second cycle of the World Test Championship. “Sri Lanka Cricket will host the West Indies National Team for a two-match test series during the months of November – December 2021,” a statement from Sri Lanka cricket said. The Caribbean team is expected to land in Sri Lanka on November 10 while they will play a warm-up match from November 14 to 17 in Colombo. The Test series that will be played in Galle will commence on November 21. “The West Indies National Team will arrive in Sri Lanka on the 10th of November 2021. The test series will be held at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, under a Bio-Bubble Environment. The series will mark the commencement of Sri Lanka’s and the West Indies Journey in the 2023 ICC World Test Championship Cycle,” the statement further added. The second match will be played between November 29 to December 3. The Lankan lions had finished seventh while West Indies were ranked eight in the table during the last WTC. New Zealand were crowned the champions after they defeated India in the final.

T20 world Cup | ENG vs AUS: In battle of bowlers, old rivals seek to continue momentum

One of the most prominent rivalries will be back on the cricket ground when England will lock horns with Australia in Dubai on Saturday. The two teams are in some good form and have clinched victories in the last encounters that they have featured in. England are presently top-ranked in the group with a better NRR but both the Eoin Morgan-led side and the Aussie team have won two matches each. The England bowlers have been on a roll so far in the competition as they have created some problems for the opposition. While they bundled out West Indies for 55, the English bowling unit restricted Bangladesh for 124/9 in 20 overs. It was some economical bowling from Chris Woakes, Livingstone, Moeen Ali and Tymal Mills that kept the Bangladesh batting’s scoring rate check. On the other side, the Australian team management would be delighted after David Warner was back among runs as he struck a fifty against Sri Lanka while chasing 155 in 20 overs. The Australian side had a few hiccups during the clash against the Proteas after the match ended in the last over but grabbed a convincing win against the Lankan lions. Both the sides will now look to keep the momentum and continue the winning streak. Match Details Match: ENG vs AUS, 26th Match, Super 12 Group 1, ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2021 Date: Saturday, October 30, 2021 Time: 7:30 PM Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium , Dubai Telecast: Star Sports Network, Disney+ Hoststar Pitch Report The tracks and conditions in Dubai have certainly favoured the teams batting second and with a convincing margin too. But the bowlers might get something on offer in the initial phase of the game. Moreover, dew can play a vital role in deciding the result. So, if you win the toss, elect to field. David Warner’s form Well, David Warner has been facing a lot as far as his professional front is concerned. After getting sacked from SRH captaincy, the left-hander didn’t find a place for himself in the XI in the majority part of the second leg in the IPL. Cut to the T20 World Cup, and here we are, Warner already has a half-century to his name in just two matches in the competition. The pundits and experts would still find some faults in his batting as Warner did get some chances during the course of his 42-ball 65 but nevertheless, he is back among runs. More than that, the left-handed opener played a crucial role in anchoring the innings to a steady position. It’s bowlers vs bowlers Both England and Australian bowlers have been pretty impressive so far in the tournament. While they have picked up wickets at crucial junctions, they haven’t really let the opponents dominate with the bat. So, it would be a test for both bowling units as both the teams have some brutal striker of the ball in their line up and whosoever succeeds in dominating the other will have the upper hand. Probable XI Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood England: Jason Roy, Jos Buttler (wk), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan (c), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Tymal Mills CE Fantasy XI Jos Buttler, Matthew Wade, Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith, Jason Roy, Glenn Maxwell (VC), Moden Ali (C), Adam Zampa, Tymal Mills, Adil Rashid