WBBL 2021 | Perth Scorchers hold nerve to clinch win in Super Over against Brisbane Heat

WBBL 2021 | Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Sixers: Indian players have impressive outing

The Indian players had a good time at the office in the on-going women’s Big Bash League. Richa Ghosh who is a part of Hobart Hurricanes top-scored for her franchise with a 46-ball 46 that included three maximums and a four against Sydney Sixers. Hobart had a struggling Strat to the proceedings while batting as they lost early wickets but Ghosh held the fort from one end and stitched a stand of 32 runs for the sixth wicket with Sasha Moloney who chipped in with 22 runs off 16 balls. No other batter really got into the groove and the Hurricanes were restricted to 125/9 in 20 overs. Captain Ellyse Perry was the pick of the bowlers for Sydney after she returned with bowling figures of 2/9 in two overs. Apart from Perry, Bolton, Radha Yadav and Maitlan Brown also scalped a couple of wickets apiece. Radha picked up two wickets for 31 runs in 4 overs. In reply, Sydney also lost a couple of early wickets but opener Shafali Verma and Perry provided the resistance with a partnership of 63 runs for the third wicket. Shafali went on to struck a fifty as she scored 57 off 50 balls before getting out. Sydney Sixers eventually went over the line by 5 wickets and with three balls to spare.

World T20 2021 | Shakib Al Hasan becomes leading wicket-taker in T20Is, overtakes Lasith Malinga

With Liton Das catching Scotland’s Michael Leask at the long-on boundary off the bowling of Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh all-rounder became the leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals, overtaking Sri Lankan and T20 legend Lasith Malinga. Leask was the 108th dismissal in Shakib’s career, one more than Malinga’s record of 107 wickets. The 34-year-old Bangladesh player, who was playing only his 89th match is also the only international player to do the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in T20Is. As far as the game is concerned, Scotland, who are playing their first game of the T20 World Cup 2021 much like Bangladesh, have been reduced to 55-6 after being put to bat first by the Tigers’ skipper Mahmudullah who won the toss. Along with Shakib’s two wickets, Mahedi Hasan has picked up three wickets while Mohammad Saifuddin bowled the Scot captain Kyle Coetzer.

World T20 2021 | Favourites to march through to next round, Sri Lanka have questions to answer

Who would have thought that a former champion side will not be able to make an automatic progress to the Super 12s stage in the World T20 tournament? Well, no one. But we do have a reality check here as Sri Lanka will be battling out among the eight teams divided into two groups of four. Only top two teams from both the groups can make the further qualification which means the Lankan lions will have to finish at the helm or at number two in their group to move ahead. Sri Lanka were ranked ninth as of December 18, 2018 and hence didn’t make an automatic qualification. But it is how it is and the Lankan fans would now be expecting the team to turn fortunes for themselves in this edition of the World T20. Sri Lanka are coming into the World Cup with a mixed experience as far as the white-ball cricket is concerned. They were hammered by England away from home while losing the ODI series against India on their home soil before providing some delight to their fans in the T20I format where they won a three-match series 2-1. The inconsistency continued further ahead as they did manage to win the ODI series against the Proteas but suffered a 3-0 whitewash defeat in T20Is. But the Dasun Shabaka-led side would be confident after winning both the warm-up games. Team News Sri Lanka would be without the services of three prominent names, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, and Niroshan Dickwella as the players were earlier slapped with a one year ban for breaching the biosecure bubble on the tour of the UK. The cricketers have been key members of the Sri Lankan unit but unfortunately won’t be donning the team’s jersey in the competition. But as they say, the only way is to move on. The Asian side comprises players who have a lot of ability and talent. Spin- An asset Sri Lanka would like to bank upon their spinners especially Wanindu Hasaranga who has the capability of deceiving batsmen and can return in with good economy rate. Though, Hasaranga didn’t really have a great time while playing his IPL franchise, RCB where he just featured in a couple of games for them but has been consistently among wickets for his national side in T20Is as well as in ODIs. The leggie’s economy rate in T20Is is 6.57 which is very very impressive and Shanaka can keep a lot of faith in him. Maheesh Theekshana is another spinner who recently made headlines after he scalped four wickets against South Africa in the one ODI that he played. The off-spinner is new to international cricket but has already shown glimpse of his talent in a brief career. Inconsistent batting Sri Lanka might face some struggles with their middle-order batting as the batters haven’t really fired consistently. They need someone who can hold the fort for the side at one end. Captain Shanaka can be one of the options as he did against Oman in the first T20I that took place before the start of the World T20. Shanaka scored a quick-fire 51* off 24. Another player who can play that anchor’s role can be Avishka Fernando who too chipped in with 83* off 59 in that particular match. But whosoever takes this role has to be consistent because the Lankan side is facing issues in the top order as well. An experienced batsman like Dinesh Chandimal is going through a rough patch. He hasn’t scored runs at the highest level in the recent past, barring that one half-century against South Africa in the T20Is at home. So, this is surely the area of concern for the team management that needs to get sorted out as soon as they can. Squad: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Kusal Janith Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya De Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Binura Fernando.

World T20 2021 | Jatinder-Maqsood lead Oman to thumping 10-wicket win in tournament opener against PNG

It was a historic game for both Oman and Papua New Guinea as they opened up the extravaganza called T20 World Cup 2021. Oman’s Jatinder Singh, Aqib Ilyas and Zeeshan Maqsood made sure that it remained one for them as they thrashed the pacific nation by 10 wickets with 38 balls to spare. This huge victory will not only boost their confidence but also come in handy if it comes down to net run rate later in the tournament. The target of 130 set up by PNG never seemed to be a problem for the Omani opening pair of Singh and Ilyas, who were batting together for the very first time as openers. The fact that there were three dropped catches, one catch falling short of the wicketkeeper, one caught off the no-ball and some very average fielding by the PNG team, but that does not take away the fact that Singh and Ilyas batted brilliantly. The 131 runs unbeaten stand between the two openers is also the second-highest partnership for any wicket for Oman, missing the highest score by just one run. While Jatinder made an unbeaten 73 off 42 balls, even as he started slowly in the powerplay, Ilyas on the other end was unbeaten on 50 off 43 balls. The fifties by both these batters were the first and second respectively by any Omani batter in a T20 World Cup. Earlier in the day, after winning the toss, Oman invited PNG to bat first and used the opportunity to pick two quick wickets courtesy of Bilal Khan and Kaleemullah. However, instead of falling, the Barramundis skipper Assad Vala and all-rounder Charles Amini picked up the fight and had a great 81 run stand for the third wicket. But as soon as Amini was run out and Vala perished after completing his fifty, the first for a PNG batter in a World Cup, the team fell like a pack of cards. Zeeshan Maqsood, the Omani skipper was the wrecker in chief, picking three wickets in one over to destroy the lower order of the island nation’s batting lineup. Although PNG did not get bowled out and finished 129-9, Maqsood finished with figures of 4-20 in his four overs, the best ever for an Oman bowler in T20 World Cup. After this win, Oman would now face Bangladesh, who would be playing their first-ever game in the T20 World Cup 2021 later tonight. PNG, who have been thrashed in their debut World Cup game will face Scotland. Both the games will take place on October 19 at the same venue- Al Amerat at Muscat.