Plenty of highs, and lows, from the latest edition of the IPL

Mathew Varghese, Sampath Bandarupalli, Illustration by Kshiraja K30-May-2022ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Netherlands’ coaching consultant had spent seven days in an induced coma after going into cardiac arrest in the UK in April

Tristan Lavalette29-Oct-2022On the long journey from Sydney to Perth, Ryan Campbell found himself struggling to focus on watching films during his flight.So, instead, he decided to stare at the flight path and his emotions stirred when he realised the plane was flying over Kalgoorlie, Western Australia’s famous gold-mining town where he spent some of his formative years.”There was this calmness that I felt. I’m home,” Campbell, the former Australia wicketkeeper-batter and Netherlands coaching consultant, told ESPNcricinfo.Two days ahead of the T20 World Cup game between Netherlands and Pakistan at Optus Stadium, Campbell returned home to Perth for the first time since April. Back then, Campbell had enjoyed a long-awaited homecoming after two years due to WA’s strict Covid-19 hard border.”It was the first time I saw mum and dad since Covid-19. I saw mates and watched the (AFL team) Dockers play,” Campbell said. “I was fit and healthy.”But just days after he left Perth, Campbell went into cardic arrest in the UK while playing with his two children in a playground. He was given CPR at the scene before spending seven days in an induced coma.Related

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He was given only a seven percent chance of survival, but rallied and has since made a full recovery.”That’s why everyone who had seen me in Perth couldn’t quite believe what happened to me literally just a few days after I left,” Campbell said. “They were all shocked.”Having endured so much, Campbell, who has children aged seven and four, savoured spending time with close mates at a bar shortly after arriving in Perth on Friday. Some of them hadn’t seen him since his near-death experience.”It’s great to be back, almost a bit surreal,” he said. “When we were in Geelong [for the first round], I had a reunion with friends. Guys from Las Vegas, Hong Kong, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne flew in.”It was emotional to see them, emotional for them too. Grown men were in tears and giving me hugs. I’m lucky to have those people around me.”

“Grown men were in tears and giving me hugs. I’m lucky to have those people around me.”Ryan Campbell, the former Australia player and current Netherlands coaching consultant

His mates like to rib him by dubbing him the ‘Prince of Perth’ due to Campbell’s popularity as a flamboyant wicketkeeper-batter. He had also carved an effective opening partnership with Mike Hussey during WA’s heyday in the late 1990s. He was a prominent figure in the local media after he retired from cricket in 2006 before heading abroad.But that moniker might not be a stretch of the truth with Campbell, who played two ODIs in 2002, warmly embraced by several patrons at the popular watering hole.”There were times I didn’t think I would ever be back in Perth,” he said. “I’ve spent five years in the Netherlands and the five before that in Hong Kong, but I’ll always call Perth home. I’m the most proud person of this wonderful state.”Ryan Campbell forged a strong opening partnership with Mike Hussey during Western Australia’s heyday in the late 1990s•Getty ImagesWhile in Perth he’ll also catch up with his parents, having not seen his dad since April. “We’ll talk a lot of rubbish and what’s going on,” he said. “Of course, he’ll have an opinion on the cricket, as he always watches it.”On the Netherlands’ team bus from the airport to hotel, Campbell excitedly pointed out the city’s landmarks to his wide-eyed players who were mostly making their first visit to Perth.”I’m like a proud dad wanting to show off their babies,” he said. “On the bus I was pointing out the stadium and the Swan River. The guys were in love with it already.”Having passed the head coach reins to Ryan Cook, the T20 World Cup is a swansong for Campbell with the Netherlands after almost six years. With his young family entrenched in the Netherlands, with his children speaking fluent Dutch and proudly supporting the Netherlands at the upcoming FIFA World Cup, Campbell was uncertain about his next move.”My family is very settled in Europe. The kids are in school. We’ll only move if there is something set in stone,” Campbell said. “The romantic in me would be keen to coach in Australia but it’s tough to get a job there. If it means in the UK or somewhere else, so be it.”Before then, Campbell is helping steer the Netherlands’ T20 World Cup campaign, which started by them memorably navigating through the first round.After losses to Bangladesh and India in the Super 12s, Campbell’s local knowledge is hoped to help muster a highly competitive effort against a wounded Pakistan, whose semi-final dreams are hanging by a thread.No matter the result, watching his adopted country play at the 60,000-seat Optus Stadium will cap a memorable return to Perth for Campbell.”In my dream of dreams, I would love to see Scorchers fans dressed in orange and throw their support for the Dutch,” he said. “I can’t wait for the guys to play at the stadium in front of the passionate Perth fans. It will be an amazing experience.”

Jani’s all-round performance knocks TN out and sets up semi-final clash against Karnataka

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Nov-2022..Maharashtra beat Uttar Pradesh by 58 runs after Gaikwad’s 13th List A century powered them to 330 for 5. It was an innings that hardly got out of second gear until the 30th over, before Gaikwad helped them flick a switch. The assault reached a crescendo in the 49th over when Gaikwad took apart left-arm spinner Shiva Singh, who had acceptable figures until then. He eventually ended with 9-0-88-0.Uttar Pradesh also had a centurion in Aryan Juyal, but lack of partnerships in the middle order scuppered their chase. Juyal’s 159 off 143 balls – his third List A century – helped UP get close to the target, but it was always going to be a tall order to win from 154 for 7 in the 32nd over. Shivam Sharma’s 33 at No. 9 was the next-best score for UP. Rajvardhan Hangargekar, the bristling 20-year-old seam-bowling allrounder, picked up his maiden List A five-for to dismantle UP. He was later called on by Gaikwad to share the Player-of-the-match award.File photo – Abhishek Sharma’s ton ended in vain for Punjab•BCCIParag, Juyal’s India Under-19 team-mate from the batch of 2018, set the stage alight at the Gujarat college ground, with his third List A hundred, to help Assam chase down an imposing 351 against Jammu & Kashmir.Incidentally, all of Parag’s centuries have come in this tournament, which makes him the third-highest run-getter this season. He has aggregated 537 runs in eight innings at an average of 76.71 and a strike rate of 122.88. He has also picked up nine wickets, the timing of it significant given there’s been plenty of debate around batters in the top six who can bowl when it comes to the national team. Parag’s knock shaded centuries from J&K’s Shubham Khajuria and Henan Nazir.In Nadiad, Saurashtra‘s Chirag Jani displayed his all-round capabilities as Tamil Nadu‘s campaign came to a halt. Jani’s 31-ball 52 not out gave Saurashtra late impetus as they put up a strong 293 for 8, which was 44 too many for TN. Jani also picked up three wickets with his seam-ups to close out the game.TN’s marauding opening pair of B Sai Sudharsan and N Jagadeesan, who had put up five 150-plus opening partnerships in the league phase, managed just 24 and 8 respectively, and their early dismissals exposed a middle order that hadn’t been tested much. When the returning Dinesh Karthik was dismissed for 9, TN were tottering at 51 for 4. R Sai Kishore made a valiant, career-best 74, but lack of partnerships hurt TN’s quest to gun down the target.At the Motera, Abhishek Sharma’s 109 went in vain as Punjab were beaten by Karnataka. Sharma’s knock laid the foundation for a fighting 235 from Punjab but that wasn’t enough even against a misfiring Karnataka line-up.R Samarth top-scored with 71 to cover enough ground early in the chase to help overcome a middle-order wobble. Vidwath Kaverappa, the seamer, was Karnataka’s best bowler with figures of 4 for 50. With 16 wickets in seven games, Kaverappa is currently the third-highest wicket-taker this season.

Run machines – check. Pace-bowling depth – check. A gamechanger and an all-round star – check. It was a summer of plenty for Australia

Andrew McGlashan08-Jan-2023Warner, Khawaja, Labuschagne and Smith cash inEither side of a two-day Test at the Gabba, it was a summer of runs for Australia’s top order.The first innings in Brisbane was the only time they were bowled out and, for the first time, everyone from No. 1 to No. 5 made a score of at least 175. If Usman Khawaja had been able to get his 200 at the SCG it would have been just the second time four batters had scored a double in a season after England in 2011.Whether David Warner’s MCG double is the prelude to a glorious finish to his career remains to be seen – he will have to overcome poor records in India and England – but in Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith they have three run machines. However, whether we see this top order together in a home Test again is uncertain. Warner may view the Ashes as an end-point and while Smith backed away from retirement talk it is certainly an ageing, though prolific, top order.Related

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Travis Head – a gamechanger at homeThe absence of one name above was not an oversight – Travis Head warrants a discussion of his own.After his pair of stunning Ashes hundreds last season, which earned him the Player-of-the-Series award, he has gone on to have another dominant home season. It says something that even with 99 and 175 against West Indies (chopping on against Kraigg Brathwaite and being run out), he felt he left a few out there. However, his best innings came on the devilish pitch at the Gabba where his 92 off 96 balls stood way above anything else produced in the game.His game-changing ability is certainly not a flash in the pan. Next for him, though, is turning around a poor record in the subcontinent. If he maintains the same attacking approach, it certainly won’t be dull to watch.Green will continue to be one of Australia’s most fascinating project players•Getty ImagesThe Cameron Green projectIt wasn’t exactly an unexpected conclusion, but the discussions that went into the balance of the Australia side in Sydney – and the eventual combination they settled on – just emphasised the vital role Green has in the Test side. It had been a curious home season for Green, who, until Melbourne, suffered from a lack of cricket having been involved in the white-ball sides. A maiden five-wicket haul felt like a breakout moment and then his gusty half-century with a broken finger was more worthy than its overall impact on the result. Green will continue to be one of Australia’s most fascinating projects over the next few years as he learns to balance workloads and other demands now that the IPL has come calling with their mega millions.Pace-bowling depthIt felt strong at the end of the last season. If anything, it feels even stronger now. Australia’s attack was once again able to seamlessly manage the loss of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood for the Adelaide Test with the return of Scott Boland and Michael Neser. Hazlewood, meanwhile, reminded everyone of his excellence at the SCG and Lance Morris, capable of 150kph, is now firmly in the mix. Sean Abbott and Mark Steketee remain high-quality domestic performers who may never get their chance but would not look out of their depth. An interesting one is Jhye Richardson, who was bowling superbly in the BBL before another untimely injury. If his body can stand up to the strain he may yet be a tempting option for the Ashes in England.Pat Cummins has been on his game on and off the field•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesCummins ignores the noiseEarlier in the season, Cummins gave the impression, quite rightly, of not being the slightest bit bothered by some of the nonsense reactions to his very measured stance on a few of today’s big issues that stretch beyond the cricket field. Given what the opposition served up in the five Tests, this was not the most tactically challenging pair of series for him, but he did not make many mis-steps. Bowling first in consecutive Tests was out of the usual playbook; Brisbane may not have taken much thought, but the decision in Melbourne was a trickier one and it worked out perfectly, albeit with some help from South Africa, when it meant Australia weren’t bowling on the sweltering second day. Like the team as a whole, his tenure as captain will be defined by the next seven months.What about Marcus Harris?There was the briefest of glimpses of what’s next in the Australian batting line-up with Matt Renshaw being recalled in Sydney, although in the end he was limited to 11 balls. Peter Handscomb’s addition to the squad was also an indication that he will likely go to India.Spare a thought, therefore, for Marcus Harris. He travelled around throughout the season before being released back to the BBL midway through the SCG Test. If Renshaw had been subbed out with Covid, it’s unlikely he would have been the replacement. He will hope, that when an opening vacancy does occur, perhaps next summer, he remains the next in line. More broadly, though, the tag of next-big-thing in the batting remains up for grabs.

Mumbai play three of their four remaining games at home, while RCB only play one at home

S Rajesh08-May-2023Mumbai Indians

Royal Challengers Bangalore
With only 17 games left in the league stage, it’s still impossible to separate most of the teams on the IPL points table. Five are locked on 10 points eac, and two on eight each. The overall points distribution makes this one of the closest IPLs ever. The standard deviation, which is a measure of how dispersed or clustered a set of data is around the mean, for the points table this season is 2.366; only once in the previous 15 seasons has it been smaller after 53 games: 1.984 in 2020.With five teams on 10 points, every match that pits two of them against each other will have a huge bearing on the fortunes of the teams and the table. Tuesday’s match is one such, with Mumbai Indians locking horns with Royal Challengers Bangalore. Both teams are on 10 from 10 games, with net run rates that are quite close as well. Both teams also have games to come against Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad.One crucial difference, though, is that Mumbai have three home games to come, compared to just one for Royal Challengers. Both teams have 50-50 win-loss records at home this season, with Mumbai winning two and losing two and RCB winning three and losing three. Towards the business end of the tournament, however, more home games might yet prove to be a crucial advantage for Mumbai Indians.Sixteen points is said to be the magic number for qualification, but as things stand, as many as six teams can finish on 16 or more points. That means the winner on Tuesday will still have plenty of work to do, though it will still be a significant step towards qualification.On the other hand, if a couple of teams – Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings – break away from the pack with wins in their remaining games, then even 14 might be enough for qualification for two of the remaining teams. For instance, the loser of Tuesday’s game can finish on 14 and still qualify even without net run rates coming into play.

Under Tom Latham, they are without many of their regulars; Pakistan, by contrast, couldn’t be better placed

Danyal Rasool13-Apr-2023New Zealand were made to offer Pakistan a public vow of compensation in May last year in an attempt to placate their hosts – they would have to pay out of their own pockets to make up for leaving a tour of Pakistan on the day of the first match in September 2021 citing a “specific” security threat. (The amount they would pay, though, was rather non-specific, what with it being undisclosed.)The promises kept coming. They would also invite Pakistan for a triangular T20I series as preparation for the then-upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. And they would visit Pakistan again over the next year, not once, but twice. They would play Tests in December and ODIs in January. And then, as if these two countries were next-door neighbours, New Zealand would pop back over to Pakistan once more, to play no fewer than ten white-ball games, five in each format. Would that be okay, Mr Raja?Ramiz Raja might be gone but, perhaps against all logic, here New Zealand are. Even though it’s now mid-April, and the time of year when it becomes uncomfortably hot has just about commenced. Never mind, indeed, that it’s Ramzan, pushing the start of the T20Is to 9pm local time, meaning they won’t finish before midnight. Or that the series will straddle Eid, meaning Pakistan will be playing cricket while the rest of the country celebrates the end of Ramzan. And never mind that most of New Zealand’s finest players are currently across the other side of the Attari-Wagah border.Related

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Not since the side led by Jamie How in England in April 2008 has a New Zealand side arrived in another country depleted so by reasons other than injury. How was frank at the time when talking about the unavailable players as they played in the inaugural edition of this tournament you might have heard of – something called the IPL. “I think everyone wishes they were in India at some point,” he had said, as if a full tour of England wasn’t among the high points in New Zealand’s cricketing calendar.Tom Latham, standing in for Williamson now, was somewhat more guarded on the eve of the series in Lahore. “The preparation hasn’t been ideal,” he admitted. “But as international cricketers, we have to adapt as quick as we can. We’ve only had one training session leading into this series, but we’ve got to trust the work that we’ve done back home, even if conditions are different. We’ve got some young guys in the group, but we’ve also got some experienced heads. Guys who’ve played a lot of T20 cricket around the world. These guys have been picked on performances in domestic cricket in New Zealand, and it’s a great opportunity for them.”

Pakistan have their whole set of first-choice players

Pakistan, by contrast, could not be better placed, particularly for the T20I series. If the 2-1 loss against Afghanistan can be written off as a post-PSL blip for inexperienced players in unfamiliar conditions, there are no such issues this time. Pakistan have had a useful little break in the build-up while New Zealand were taking on Sri Lanka at the other end of the world. They will be playing in the same stadiums so many of the young players shone at in during the PSL, and they’ll have the steadying hands of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan back.

“[Sethi] has given me his backing. We try to give our best every series. I can’t get a commitment in writing that I will be captain. But I try to exercise the authority I have, and maintain the standards I’ve set. Things go on in the background, but I don’t try and look at what’s being said. If I did, it would only increase the pressure”Babar Azam on his future as Pakistan captain

There’s more to that last point than just that, but with Babar confirming the two will open the batting, there’s little point flogging that dead horse. Saim Ayub and Mohammad Haris will have the opportunity to put the Afghanistan series in the past; with the T20 World Cup 18 months away, Pakistan have time on their side. Ihsanullah and Zaman Khan also get another shot while Shaheen Shah Afridi returns to partner Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, which should guarantee that Pakistan are in want of nothing in that department.Pakistan have fast bowlers who breathe fire, and a top order adept at putting them out. It is a formula that has worked for them in the past, and while they look to fine-tune it to help them take the next step, Babar sees little reason to rip it up altogether.”We have the strength to dominate this series,” he said. “The way our youngsters have performed in the PSL, both batters and bowlers, has been extremely impressive. And our senior players like Haris [Rauf], Naseem and Shaheen are also on song. It’s a nice combination we’ve built up. But you can’t say it’ll be easy. People say this is New Zealand’s B team, but most of their players are seasoned players, and even their younger players have had plenty of form and experience.”Babar Azam has confirmed that he and Mohammad Rizwan will open the batting•PCB

The confusion around Babar Azam’s captaincy

Pakistan’s preparation was as uneventful as it should have been, but, true to form, they found a way to manufacture some of their own. It came, extraordinarily, from the highest cricketing office in the land, with PCB chairman Najam Sethi taking to Twitter to make a statement that was anything but an unequivocal backing of the captain. Confirming he had sought the views of the selection committee on the merits of retaining Babar, he said he would be guided by the selectors and head coach “going forward, and my decision will be subject to the success or failure of the status quo”.Sethi, a former journalist, had casually thrown in that bombshell just a day before current journalists sat down at Babar’s pre-series conference, leaving the captain in the excruciatingly awkward position of defending himself while not appearing to contradict the man with the power to sack him.”[Sethi] has given me his backing,” Babar said, very much with the air of a man walking a tightrope. “We try to give our best every series. I can’t get a commitment in writing that I will be captain. But I try to exercise the authority I have, and maintain the standards I’ve set. Things go on in the background, but I don’t try and look at what’s being said. If I did, it would only increase the pressure.”Pressure that Babar doesn’t need any more of, and in truth, doesn’t deserve. But if it offers this series the extra edge and spice it so desperately needs, the Gaddafi stadium could be in for some surprisingly entertaining Ramzan cricket.

India’s Test selectors are likely to keep a close eye on these five promising batters and one tireless quick

Shashank Kishore23-Jun-2023With India set to begin their new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with the two-Test tour of the West Indies in July, here’s a look at six players who could come into the mix over the next two years.Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz has had to fight with perceptions that he isn’t “cricket fit”, but when you churn out the kind of runs he has, season after season for three years now, there can’t be much weightage to that argument. As things stand, his first-class average is second only to Don Bradman, among batters who’ve played at least 50 innings; he averages 79.65, with 13 hundreds and nine half-centuries.For all his proficiency, however, Sarfaraz hasn’t had the best of numbers for India A. There are also some technical flaws that coaches have been working on – especially his game against the short ball. Where he scores points, though, is in his consistency, and his ability to dig in and put a price on his wicket even if he has to look ugly. At 25, he still has plenty of time to take the next step up.Related

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Yashasvi Jaiswal
How can you ignore someone with a first-class average of 80.21 across 26 innings? Jaiswal has taken the domestic circuit by storm for his ability to attack bowlers while also having a solid technique. It isn’t quite Bazball but Jaiswal in full flow has the ability to dominate bowling attacks, glimpses of which he has shown in the IPL, in the company of Jos Buttler at the top of the order for Rajasthan Royals.Jaiswal’s most recent first-class knocks came in the Irani Cup, where he made 213 and 144 for Rest of India against Madhya Pradesh. That aggregate of 357 in the match was the most for any batter in an Irani game. Jaiswal has the ability to not just open but also bat at No. 3 if required.Abhimanyu Easwaran averages 47.85 after 150 innings in first-class cricket•Bangladesh Cricket BoardRuturaj Gaikwad
Much of his recent success has been in white-ball cricket, but Gaikwad’s solidity, and his penchant to play late have led many to compare his talent with that of a young Rohit Sharma when he broke through in 2005-06. Gaikwad’s red-ball numbers aren’t hugely impressive just yet, as an average of 42.19 after 28 first-class games would suggest, but they are improving; 2022-23 was the first time he averaged above 50 in a Ranji Trophy season. Since 2021, meanwhile, he has shown in the IPL that he can mix it against top-quality attacks.Stephen Fleming, his coach at Chennai Super Kings, was drawn in by how quickly Gaikwad picked length, his understanding of his limitations, and his ability to not let that affect his thought process.Tilak Varma
“Typical Hyderabadi flair.” That was Rohit Sharma describing one of many knocks Varma played during the IPL for Mumbai Indians. He missed the 2022-23 Ranji season due to injury, but his temperament and technique have come in for plaudits from several experts, including Sachin Tendulkar.He doesn’t have a lot of experience in first-class cricket yet, but there have been flashes of brilliance, like for India A against New Zealand A at home last year where he brought up his only first-class hundred so far. At his best, Varma can make batting look easy. There will be sterner tests, but the signs are promising.Abhimanyu Easwaran
Perhaps the oldest in this current batting group at 28, Easwaran has been a proven performer for India A for a while now. He has based his game around a sound technique that has brought him success in challenging conditions. Having made his first-class debut in December 2013, he has risen to be among India’s next-in-line as far as red-ball openers go over the last three years. Easwaran’s overall first-class numbers are formidable: 6556 runs in 150 innings at an average of 47.85, with a best of 233.And like Jaiswal, he can also tailor his game to bat at No. 3, a role he has played on an off for India A. Unlike the others in this list, Easwaran doesn’t have an IPL contract, but he has been cutting his teeth on tough surfaces in the Dhaka Premier League, Bangladesh’s primary List-A competition, for the past four years, apart from stints in club cricket in England when not playing domestic cricket.Mukesh Kumar is a key component of the pace attack that helped Bengal reach the Ranji Trophy finals in 2019-20 and 2022-23•PTI Mukesh Kumar
Having modelled himself on Josh Hazlewood, Bengal’s Mukesh Kumar has gained a reputation for being a tireless workhorse whose robotic consistency and minute deviations off the pitch have troubled the best of batters in domestic cricket. Having been an India A regular for two seasons now, elevation to the Test squad only seems natural.Mukesh’s body of work in first-class cricket is stellar. He has 149 wickets in 39 games at an average of 21.55, and has been part of a three-pronged pace attack, alongside Ishan Porel and Akash Deep, that has hauled Bengal to two Ranji Trophy finals, in 2019-20 and 2022-23. His India A record is just as impressive, with his 18 wickets coming at 17.50 and including five-fors against New Zealand A and Bangladesh A.

Shanaka is no one’s idea of a world-class bowler but he makes it work against Bangladesh with his 3 for 28

Andrew Fidel Fernando10-Sep-20231:51

Maharoof: Shanaka brings balance to the team when he bowls

When your last seven scores are 5, 14*, 1, 5, 0, 5 and 1, these things tend to happen. Like a man rifling frantically through all his pockets for a misplaced key, Dasun Shanaka is reaching for deliveries he doesn’t usually reach for, lunging when he doesn’t usually lunge, and mis-hitting almost every shot in an anxious 32-ball 24 that sets Sri Lanka on track for another fizzling finish.It has been almost nine months since Shanaka struck 108 not out off 88 against India in Guwahati. Since then, he has played 14 ODI innings, averaged 10.69, and struck at a truly abysmal 73.15.Such has been the extent of his batting misery, and so desperate a figure does he cut with bat in hand, you wonder if he thinks he will ever find his old self again. Whether he still believes the thing big-hitting batters such as himself are supposed to believe: that the shot that thumps him back into rhythm – like an old TV screen that comes right when you hit it hard enough – is just around the corner.Related

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But this is not your run-of-the-mill plunge into despair. There are other statistics. Under Shanaka’s leadership, Sri Lanka have now won 13 consecutive ODIs, something only the greatest ODI team of all time has ever done before. They’ve bowled out their opposition in all 13 of those matches, despite their best fast bowler – Dushmantha Chameera – having been injured for most of that run. Wanindu Hasaranga has played no part in their three Asia Cup victories so far. Promising left-armer Dilshan Madushanka has not been available in this tournament either.There are huge caveats to these numbers, of course. Of the teams playing in this year’s World Cup, Sri Lanka have defeated only Afghanistan (three times), Bangladesh (twice), and Netherlands (twice) during this stretch. None of these sides are what you would call long-standing cricketing powers. But still, Sri Lanka have won 22 matches and lost only 13 under Shanaka. In ODIs since 2016 in which he was not captain, Sri Lanka won just 28 and lost 63.A quick vibe check, as we can’t be all about numbers: it doesn’t feel as depressing to be a follower of Sri Lankan cricket since Shanaka took over the white-ball teams. Even if he himself barely looks like he can hold a bat right now.What Shanaka can do, however, is contribute with the ball. It is, by a distance, his second skill. Maybe even his third, given his fielding in the circle is routinely outstanding. On Saturday, having seen Bangladesh’s batters go after Maheesh Theekshana early, and sensing that perhaps this was a plan they had hatched, Shanaka brought himself on to bowl the fourth over and, however gentle his pace, began making the ball curve late enough through the air to trouble batters.He raised a mild lbw appeal in his first over, conceded just five runs across his next three overs, and eventually created the pressure that yielded two wickets. Mehidy Hasan Miraz pulled a shortish ball straight to midwicket. Mohammad Naim top-edged what in Shanaka’s world is a bouncer, which eventually settled in the gloves of the wicketkeeper. By the end of his first spell, Shanaka had given away 15 from six overs. It was, in effect, a tone-setting effort.Dasun Shanaka dismissed Bangladesh’s openers in his back-to-back overs•Associated PressBangladesh never truly recovered from these six overs, delivered by a captain who does not usually operate in the early stages of an innings but, perhaps because so much else was going wrong for him, felt he needed to find responsibilities elsewhere.Shanaka is no one’s idea of a world-class bowler. Just as Sri Lanka is no one’s idea of a world-class ODI team, at present. But together, for now, they are making it work. Kind of. In their previous win, against Afghanistan, they had kind of tumbled into like a drunk crashing into a soft haystack.And his problems will persist beyond this match. There are lots of things a captain can’t really do when they’re in this much of a personal chasm. They can’t comfortably make the kinds of tough selection calls on match day that are sometimes required. They can’t twist arms and draft players that are not on the selectors’ radar. They can’t talk tough within the team, and certainly not in public. They can’t take strong stands, which is a thing you often need to do when your board is Sri Lanka Cricket.You suspect Shanaka is not a natural arm-twister/tough talker/stand-taker anyway. But in men’s elite sport, which even in 2023 rewards the more brusque expressions of masculinity, it would be nice to have the option of being a generalissimo, even just occasionally.That ODIs have been Sri Lanka’s worst format since their batting Valar (TM Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardana etc) retired is pretty well understood. But right now, it feels like a side that is spinning like a top – beautiful in its current motion, but susceptible to collapsing with the lightest gust, a glancing touch of a finger.Shanaka is at least partly responsible for this revival. On Saturday, his batting failed again. But he took 3 for 28 from nine overs, and led Sri Lanka to another victory.

Ravindra Jadeja also joins elite list among Indian spinners at the World Cup

Sampath Bandarupalli05-Nov-202349 Number of centuries for Virat Kohli in ODIs, equalling the world record held by Sachin Tendulkar.119 Fifty-plus scores for Kohli in ODIs, the second most after Tendulkar’s 145. Kohli surpassed Kumar Sangakkara’s 118 fifty-plus scores on Sunday.Sachin vs Kohli – Innings per century in ODIs•ESPNcricinfo Ltd83 South Africa’s total is the second lowest by a team against India in the men’s ODI World Cup, after Sri Lanka’s 55 all out on Thursday.It is also South Africa’s lowest total at the men’s ODI World Cup, and their joint-second lowest in men’s ODIs.4 ODIs in 2023 in which India have dismissed their opponents for less than 100, the most by a team in a year in men’s ODIs.Quinton de Kock will have to wait for his fifth ODI century of this World Cup•ICC via Getty Images138 Runs conceded by India in their previous two ODIs – 55 vs Sri Lanka and 83 vs South Africa, the fewest runs conceded by a team in successive men’s ODIs. West Indies’ 152 runs in 1992-93, when they bowled Pakistan out for 81 and 71 in consecutive ODIs, was the previous lowest.243 South Africa’s margin of defeat against India is their biggest by runs in men’s ODIs.Related

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5 ODI wins for India by a margin of 200-plus runs in 2023. No other team has won more than three men’s ODIs in a year by a margin of 200-plus runs.2 Ravindra Jadeja is only the second Indian spinner to take a five-wicket haul at the men’s ODI World Cup. Yuvraj Singh was the first, with 5 for 31 against Ireland in 2011.2 Batters with a century on their birthday in the men’s ODI World Cup before Kohli. Ross Taylor’s 131* against Pakistan in 2011 came on his 27th birthday, while Mitchell Marsh scored 121 against Pakistan on his 32nd birthday last month.

No longer under the radar, Bavuma and Co look to “draw energy from the positive sentiment in and around the team”

Firdose Moonda04-Nov-20232:36

How cricket came to the city of joy

There was a roar outside the stadium gates where thousands had gathered alongside the maidan to form a welcoming committee. From within, it seemed obvious who had arrived: the Indian team. But as those inside rushed to get a view of the fanfare, they discovered it was not an arrival party after all. It was a farewell rallying cry, for the South Africans.Even though it is entirely plausible that many of the supporters were probably just early for the Indian team, that they gave the departing opposition team bus almost as loud a reception and almost as many cheers was a timely reminder that even at a World Cup that is all about the hosts, there is a bit of other love to go around. There has to be, right? Because tomorrow’s game is being billed as the biggest of the group stage, the one that will possibly decide who tops the table heading into the knockouts and answers the question of whether anyone can challenge the home team. But also because there is history between these two sides at this one place and there are people who still remember.Kolkata is the place South Africa made their international comeback, after 30 years of isolation from the Apartheid regime, and it was the place where they were welcomed with open arms. It is also one of the last places where Indian fans expressed extreme dissatisfaction with administrative decisions when they booed their own team and openly got behind the opposition. That was in 2005, when South Africa beat India by ten wickets to take the lead in a series that was eventually drawn 2-2, and among the South Africa players involved then, one was present today: Shaun Pollock.Related

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The former captain-turned-commentator spent most of South Africa’s training session with them, part of it out of duty to record some interviews for the broadcast, and the other part out of loyalty. He had detailed conversations with all the members of the pace pack, especially with Lungi Ngidi, and a sit-down with David Miller. Given that Pollock has played only one ODI at Eden Garden (the one mentioned above, in 2005) and the abiding memory of him at World Cups is of a botched rain-adjusted chase in 2003, what could he have been telling them? “Just catching up,” was the official word, though it looked less casual from the outside. It’s serious business over the next 24 hours, because even though both teams have qualified for the semi-finals, it is about who lays down a marker. For South Africa, it could now be about arriving at this World Cup.The same is probably true for every team that has played India in this tournament, because along with the hosts, comes the attention on a scale far, far greater than anything anyone experiences elsewhere. In South Africa’s case, there’s an even harsher spotlight because they are just tailing India, with six wins from seven games, and, maybe, starting to dream of what may be. This week, they would have seen something similar from home to the craziness that follows the Indian team. As the Springboks have been on their World Cup trophy tour, the streets have been lined with well-wishers and the passion has overflowed. The next target those emotions are aiming at is the Proteas, as early as tomorrow at Eden Gardens and for the next two weeks. They are officially no longer under the radar, and they know it.Lungi Ngidi speaks to Shaun Pollock on the eve of South Africa’s World Cup match against India in Kolkata•ICC via Getty Images”The noise around the team, that’s grown,” Temba Bavuma said at the pre-match press conference. “It’s for us to control our space within the team but also draw energy from the positive sentiment that’s floating in and around the team. It’s probably hard for us to keep going as the underdogs.”Having broken records for the highest total at a World Cup and the most sixes, South Africa’s batting has announced itself and will face its toughest test against India’s attack, which has been excellent.”You don’t get a lot of bad balls from them,” Bavuma said, but he has also identified areas that can be taken advantage of. “The three up front, [Jasprit] Bumrah, [Mohammed] Siraj, as well as [Mohammed] Shami, are guys who can exploit anything with that new ball. If there’s swing, if there’s nip, they can exploit that. [They are] quite attacking bowlers as well, so with that, there comes an opportunity to score. They obviously only have five bowlers, so they can be put under pressure if one of their bowlers is not on their day.”That said, Bavuma’s first approach is still to “respect their bowling attack a little bit more than the other bowling attacks and understand that you’re going to have to play good cricket for longer periods”.

“We still want to stay a lot more drawn to each other as a team, control what we can control within the team, regulate our emotions as much as we can and make sure we’re in the best space possible to play our best cricket the way we want to do it”Temba Bavuma

There is also the expectation that South Africa’s own attack will come under some scrutiny as they take on India’s batting line-up, whose marquee batter will also celebrate a marquee day. Virat Kohli turns 35 on Sunday and though plans for 70,000 Kohli masks and a public birthday cake handover have been shelved, there is still a sense some of the day will be about him. On the eve of the match, the few hundred fans, who were inside watching training, reserved their most desperate calls for a wave or a smile for him.And then there is the small matter that Kohli is also chasing a record-equalling 49th ODI century and the dreamers would like nothing more than this on his birthday, his hundred and an Indian victory to come together. But it’s those kinds of distractions that can play unnecessary tricks on a sportsperson’s mind and it’s something South Africa have managed to avoid at the tournament so far.There’s a sense that will change on Sunday and the challenge for Bavuma and his team will be to stay steady as the emotions start to swell. And they know it. “We’ve obviously taken note of outside the team, everything that is happening,” Bavuma said. “And we still want to stay a lot more drawn to each other as a team, control what we can control within the team, regulate our emotions as much as we can and make sure we’re in the best space possible to play our best cricket the way we want to do it.”Let the big game begin.