Virat Kohli announces resignation from India's T20 captaincy after upcoming T20 World Cup

1st ODI Preview: Excited Pakistan face under-strength yet formidable New Zealand's challenge at home

A lot of change has occurred in the world and world of cricket since the time New Zealand played their last game on Pakistan soil in 2003. But now, as they have set foot in Pakistan and will come up against them in the first ODI of the series, it would be some sort of watershed moment for Pakistan, as a cricketing nation. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has had some tumultuous time convincing cricket boards across the world to tour Pakistan after the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team and hence the tour by New Zealand—first by a contemporary big team in the world will be a defining moment for them. “Finally, the day has arrived,” were the words of Pakistan captain Babar Azam while explaining the magnitude of the excitement of hosting New Zealand. Although the sides have excluded the series from ICC Qualifier for the 2023 World Cup, the “excitement” is palpable in both the camps as there are various context to to the series with a big T20 World Cup to follow in the next month. However, Pakistan would not be honest with themselves if they will not recognise that the Blackcaps are not at their full strength with many players missing the series due to the Indian Premier League, which they thought could provide equal preparation for the T20 World Cup. New Zealand have struggled in conditions that were heavily stacked in the favour of spinners in Bangladesh right before the series and Babar Azam and his men would be banking on the spinners to do the job well to win the eight-match long ODI and T20I series. New Zealand, on the other hand, fought well and limited the loss to a margin of 2-3 and improvement in batting and emergence of consistent and quality spinners will also give them promise in the series. Pakistan vs New Zealand: Match Details Match- 1 Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi Date and time: September 17, 2021, 3:00 PM IST, 2:30 PM PST Pitch Report The pitches at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium are known to be flat and aiding stroke makers. The two Kookaburra balls will also come in handy for the batsmen if they see off the first few overs of the game. In the ODI series against Zimbabwe last year, batsmen made merry with the bat and piled on runs as bowlers struggled and the trend is likely to continue. However, there will be significantly better bowling will be on display from either side and hence batsmen’s impact could be limited. Team News Pakistan The hosts have already announced their 12-man squad for the first ODI and included the likes of Iftikhar Ahmed, leg-spinner Usman Qadir in the team. The trio of Shaheen-shah-Afridi, Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf will head the pace bowling department while the onus of spin bowling will fall on the shoulders of leg spinners Shadab Khan and the newcomer Usman Qadir. The batting department looks solid with Imam-ul-Haq at the top of the order with Fakhar Zaman who was in terrific touch earlier in the year against South Africa and Zimbabwe. Skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will give stability to the batting order while Iftikhar Ahmed, who is returning to the side for the first time since last year, will five flourish to the batting order. Probable XI Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hassan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakil, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir, Zahid Mahmood. New Zealand New Zealand were handed another blow to their batting department as Tom Blundell was ruled out of the series after suffering an injury. The responsibility of the top order is likely to continue in the young hands of Rachin Ravindra, Fin Allen, and Will Yung while the experienced duo of the skipper Latham and Henry Nicholls will provide stability to the batting order from the number five and six positions. The emergence of new spin twins in Cole McConchie and Ajaz Patel, who ruled the show in Bangladesh will continue to search their domination against a better batting order led by Babar Azam in Pakistan. There should be a toss-up between Ben Sears and Hamish Bennett for the third pacer in the side as Scott Kuggeleijn and Jacob Duffy are all but certain to be the two pacers. Probable XI Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Tom Latham (C & WK), Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Cole McConchie, Scott Kuggeleijn, Ajaz Patel, Ben Sears/Hamish Bennett, Jacob Duffy

Pakistan excited to win 'special' series as Blackcaps come home to play after 18 years

New Zealand are all set to play their first game in Pakistan after a long gap of 18 years and the hosts are “very excited” ahead of the ODI series against the Blackcaps scheduled to start on September 17 in Rawalpindi. Pakistan captain Babar Azam has said that the hosts are a well-balanced side that will try to take full advantage of their home conditions to win the series against New Zealand that are without Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor. “Finally, the day has arrived and our entire camp is very excited to play New Zealand at home. We have practiced hard for this series and I am sure we will take full advantage of our home conditions,” said Babar Azam. “We have a balanced squad and I remain optimistic about our chances in what promises to be an exciting series. I am sure fans at the stadium and millions watching us on screens will enjoy these matches. There was no lack of spirit in New Zealand camp as well as the stand-in skipper in the absence of Williamson, Tom Latham said that the visitors too have “desired fire-power” in their camp to win the series. He also reposed faith on the batsmen and bowlers to put their hands up and guide the Blackcaps to a series win on Pakistan soil. The fact that the New Zealand side are touring the country after a long time was not lost on Latham and he recognised the “special” occasion for the home team. He also rated the Pakistan side very highly and said that they are boasting talented white-ball players. “We know it is special for Pakistan to have cricket in their country and we are excited to be here. Pakistan are a quality side and they have some talented white-ball players in their line-up,” says New Zealand skipper Tom Latham told reporters. Latham would be eager to win the series in Pakistan to redeem his team and himself after losing a five-match long T20 series against Bangladesh just before touring Pakistan. On the other hand, Pakistan would like to maintain their winning momentum after a rain-curtailed series on the tour of West Indies.

India's tour of New Zealand postponed to 2022

Scheduled India’s tour of New Zealand at the end of the year as per the ICC’s Future Tour Programme (FTP) has been postponed for next year, Stuff.co.nz reported. Virat Kohli’s men were to take on the Blackcaps in a three-match long ODI series but New Zealand Cricket has confirmed that they will tour the country next year after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in Australia. The move has been taken by the NZC as New Zealand are also scheduled to travel to India for a Test and T20 series before heading home. NZC said that the players who will be travelling to India would not be able to return home before the first week of December and as per the 14 days of managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) set by the government, they won’t be able to take the field before Christmas. New Zealand already have a cramped schedule with as many as three teams such as South Africa, Netherlands and Bangladesh are slated to tour the country in the next summer. India last toured New Zealand for a full series in early 2022 before the Covid-19 pandemic gripped the world. The Virat Kohli-led side were swept 0-2 in the Test series, defeated 1-2 in the ODI series while the men in blue swept the T20I series 5-0.

England may field under-strength side in Ashes with players unwilling on Covid norms

The possibility of England not sending a full-strength team to Australia for the Ashes series scheduled towards the end of the year is growing with each passing day as players are refusing to give up their demands while discussing the terms of the tour with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). As per an ESPNcricinfo report, England players are reluctant to tour down under with current quarantine and Covid-19 containment measures being place in Australia. They may get ready to face the strict quarantine for a period of a fortnight but they are extremely reluctant to put their families in isolation for such a long time. Also complicating the issue is there are players who will be there in the Indian Premier League, then the ICC World T20 and hence if not travelling with family for such a long period of time is also not tenable for few players. The report further suggested that England players might be provided with a resort hotel in Gold Coast but their movement is likely to be limited to outdoor works for just two hours a day and the players are not finding it a sustainable model. Players have also floated the idea of postponing the series with the first Test starting on Boxing Day in Melbourne instead of the original schooled start on December 09 at the Gabba. Players argue that shiting the dates of the series will allow them a window to spend some time with the family after featuring in the T20 World Cup. Players have also put forward an idea of splitting the Ashes series into two series spread across a year’s time. Players have recommended to the ECB that they can be given an option of playing two or three Tests of the series in December-January 2021-22 while the remaining portion of the tour will be completed at the same time next year. The ECB has not accepted any of the ideas floated by the players and the whole team including the support staff are not miffed with ECB’s lack of consideration. Hence, they might as a whole unit “boycott” the Ashes series, ESPNcricinfo report suggested. It could well be argued that Cricket Australia is already marred in disputes with the free to air broadcaster Channel 7 over financial losses to them due to shifting the schedule of the last summer against India. Hence, the ECB has limited options to convince Cricket Australia to agree to players’ demands.