Pat Cummins & Joe Root face off; Ashes Rivalry set to be Reignited

Overview

Ashes is a Gripping Rivalry which keeps the Cricketing Fraternity & the entire Globe thrilled. England & Australia are the only 2 Nations for whom Test Cricket is Pinnacle, as this Rivalry is Ancient which got started way back in 1882-83. Australia has had the wood over England where Aussies have retained the “Urn” 38 times whereas England 33 times. Ashes is mouth watering as England’s ‘Barmy Army’ pressurizes the Mighty Aussies via witty statements & sometimes smirky remarks, in 2019 Ashes Barmy Army brutally trolled Smith, Warner & entire Cricket Australia (CA) for their ball tampering saga.

SNAPSHOT: Pat Cummins & Joe Root booming with a Smile as the Greatest Rivalry Resumes

Australia

Australia have taken a bold decision to give leaderhip duties to Steven Smith (*as a deputy) & made the No.1 fast bowler Pat Cummins as the Skipper. Cummins is the first fast bowler to captain Australian Test team in the last 65 years. Deceased Ray Lindwall was handed a one match captaincy in India in 1956 which makes him the only specialist fast bowler of Australia to captain in TESTS.

Cummins inclusion as a skipper means that Australia can’t rest him. Cummins hasn’t missed a single test Match since 2018 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. CA have gone backwards as they have recalled Usman Khawaja back into the frame. Khawaja is the only batter present apart from Smith who was a part of an excruciating Ashes 2010-11 Campaign where England had outclassed Australia by 3-1.  2010-11 Ashes was a Historical Feat as Britishers won Test Series in Australia after 24 years. Khawaja & Smith have seen the agony of a shambolic performance which makes their presence invaluable (*Khawaja is not named in playing 11 for 1st Test Match).

SNAPSHOT: Apart from Labuschagne the duo of Smith & Khawaja is pivotal

Australia should take a leaf out of 2013-14 & 2017-18 Ashes performance as their prowess is to bowl out England. The pitches of Australia aren’t that spicy as compared to England, bowlers need to toil a lot to squeeze a wicket. The role of Nathan Lyon becomes critical as more often than not he is under the pump as other bowlers most likely won’t get productive results. Australia know that one brutal spell of Starc can create havoc for England as ECB’s (England Cricket Board) Intolerant approach towards racism is under scanner.

Playing 11: David Waner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (Wk), Pat Cummins (c) , Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

England

ECB have shown faith in skipper Joe Root as earlier he failed to retain the Urn, in 2017-18 Ashes & 2019 (in England where the series was levelled by 2-2). Joe Root so far has a prolific year with the bat where he has amassed 1,455 runs where he has scored 6 centuries. Root has been the one man army so far for England where he has scored the bulk of runs. Root would be blostered by the presence of Stokes who not only bowls but provides a complete package of a Cricketer.

SNAPSHOT: Joe Root in 2021 having a dream run as runs are accumulating at large scale.

England once again are with a new bunch of openers in the form of  Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed & Rory Burns which has now become a funny template. Jonny Bairstow would be gutted to show that he still has the passion for Test Cricket because the selectors have ignored him blatantly in the past 1 year (*Ollie Pope has pipped him for 1st Test Match). The duo of Stuart Broad & James Anderson would be banking on their 2010-11 feat; as they are the only Cricketers who were a part of that Momentous Achievement (* Anderson according to management is rested for 1st Test Match to focus on work-load)

SNAPSHOT: James Anderson & Stuart Broad would hope that they rip off Australia’s line up.

England would be eager to stamp their authority as their last 2 tours at Australia were a nightmare; in 2013 they were got whitewashed & in 2017-18 they avoided an embarrassment in the form of 0-4. England are high on batting line up but that doesn’t mean that they should throw away their starts. England have a golden chance to deepen CA nemesis as once again their culture is under spotlight.

Playing 11: Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c) , Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (Wk), Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach

The 1st Test Match is scheduled at The Gabba, Brisbane. India in 2021 had breached Gabba Fortress after 32 years that too by a second string team. England would be Roaring & would hope that they would shell-shock Australia again as the 1st Test Match will determine their fate.

Last 4 Ashes Series Down Under (*Australia as Hosts) :

2006-07Australia won5-0
2010-11England won3-1
2013-14Australia won5-0
2017-18Australia won4-0

2013-14 Ashes was considered to be a riveting contest as England had the former Skipper Sir Alastair Cook, Swashbuckling Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell & a lot of puissant members, yet Australia buried them.

The same applied for 2010-11 Ashes as the Legendary Former Captain Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich & Co were bruised as the Dynamic England handed Kangaroos 3 inning defeats.

#Past 4 series gives us a clear cut indication that making a comeback & winning Ashes in Australia is literally impossible no matter who is in your team.

  • Keys for Winning/Retaining Ashes

 The Task is cut out for England, they have to dominate Australia from the word go. Ben Stokes holds the key as his bowling can be a decisisve factor. If Stokes can squeeze out 2-3 wickets in a Test Match then England would be in the Driver’s seat. 300 odd runs would mean that they are giving Australia a straight-forwward chance.

Australia once again are back to the drawing board. They need to show the fire as England’s pacers are also too hot. Aussies have a bad habit of falling like a pack of cards which should be avoided, as scoring 3 runs per over is decent. The rookie Cameron Green’s role is crucial as he is the only recognized bowling option after the quartet.

  • Predicted Winner

Australia looks ominous to retain the Ashes & win the Series. Bad times for Aussies don’t last long as the recent testimony is of Ashes 2019, after 18 years Australia had retained Ashes in England. This doesn’t mean that it was a cake walk as there were horrendous times for Oz’s, yet that didn’t hampered them.

Preview of Ashes 2021-22 by Varad Vaichal:

New Zealand fretted India & took the gas out of India

New Zealand did an improbable effort to draw the 1st Test Match against India at Kanpur. The pitch of Kanpur was uneven where the batters had a strenuous task on their head. New Zealand started off their defense of ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23.

India had a golden opportunity to stamp their authority. A target of 284 runs was literally impossible to chase down for Kiwis. The pitch was treacherous as the pitch was no less than a minefield yet a sporting wicket. Overnight on the 4th day of the Test Match India had got rid of Will Young.

Tom Latham & the night-watchman Will Somerville were cautious in the 1st Session. They both went unscathed into the lunch break. New Zealand required 205 runs in last 2 sessions which was a daunting & an unrealistic equation to attain. Rahane tried every trick in the book but New Zealand’s resilience was remarkable.

On the very first ball Umesh Yadav sent Somerville back to pavilion by bowling a pre-planned short ball. All of a sudden India sensed that they are in this. Somerville played an innings full of character by consuming 110 balls & scored 36 runs. Kane Williamson & Tom Latham made it clear that they need to see of the first half an hour. The Runs were hard to come as the ball was keeping eye-bogglingly low.

Tom Latham displayed complete mental application by notching up a half century of 52 runs in 146 balls. He was solid as rock but a little lapse of concentration paved the way for India. Ashwin has made a habit of dismissing Tom Latham in India as he has been his victim 6 times out of 8. Just at the brink of Tea New Zealand got another heart-attack as Ravindra Jadeja trapped Ross Taylor. The chance of a New Zealand win was out of the context as scoring 5 runs per over is quite not possible.

New Zealand had 6 wickets in hand & more than 30 overs were left. Rahane’s captaincy was spot on as he didn’t waste any time. Jadeja & Axar demolished New Zealand’s batting line up as their recognized batters were back at the hut. New Zealand had to play out a minimum 25 overs. It looked like the end is near as India’s spinners were ruthless.

Tom Blundell, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Ajaz Patel & Tim Southee played out of their skin. The defense was at the peak as every bowler was helpless. Ashwin & Jadeja the current two stalwarts of India’s spin bowling had a nerve-wrecking day. Jadeja was lethal with the ball as he took 4 wickets.

The 10th wicket-partnership between Ajaz Patel & Rachin Ravindra was a treat to watch. Both the batters showed immense courage to block the ball. New Zealand somehow avoided their ship to sink. At 98 overs New Zealand scored 165-9 runs. Due to the bad light the match was stopped, the full quota of 90 overs on the 5th day was attained.

New Zealand pulled out a heist as a draw is as equal to a victory. India would be banging their heads as they failed to seize the moment. New Zealand would be smirking as once again they thrashed a billion people’s dreams in ICC Fixtures.

New Zealand & India both the teams got 6 points for the Test Match. India have got themselves to blame as 90+ overs are adequate to run out the opposition. The 2nd Test Match is at Mumbai where we can expect a similar turner pitch.

Virat Kohli is going to resume his captaincy duties. The conundrum for Rahul Dravid is that who sits out as Shreyas Iyer has had a dream debut by notching a century & a half century. Rahane & Pujara are off-colors & at the twilight of their career as dropping one of them would literally mean that their career is over.

Virat Kohli & Rahul Dravid would look to rectify their mistakes & avoid an ignominy as India is not performing according to their credentials. The only way India can demolish New Zealand is by scoring gigantic 1st inning score of 400+ runs irrespective of batting 1st or 2nd.  

It seems likely that New Zealand would once again bury India alive. The way Black Caps have saved the Test Match augurs their preparation which may be short yet powerful. There are some loopholes regarding their batting collapses which quickly needs a turnaround.  New Zealand’s last Test Series victory came in 1964-65, New Zealand had won the series by 1-0 (4 Test Match Series). It has been 57 years since New Zealand have tasted success in India which is like ages. The pace duo of Southee & Jamieson holds the key as both of them have express speed. New Zealand experimented with 3 spinners which wasn’t as fruitful as compared to India.

India hasn’t lost a single TEST Series in India since 2012; England had defeated India by 2-1. This record is in danger as India looks a bruised side whose traces are visible given their recent failures at ICC Events.

India Cash in after a Toothless ICC T20 World Cup 2021

India whitewashed Kiwis in the T20I Series by 3-0. This series started a new era as the Legendary Rahul Dravid took over the reins from Ravi Shastri. Virat Kohli gave up his captaincy duties to focus on batting. BCCI named Rohit Sharma as the successor. India left no stone untouched as usual the bowlers & batters decimated the opponent. There was one trait seen of Rohit’s captaincy that he didn’t shout on his bowlers. Deepak Chahar was taken to the cleaners by Martin Guptill & during these times Rohit asked Deepak what we can do which resulted in a scalp. All in all India has got a new duo in the form of Rohit & Dravid where both know how to bring out most out of team members.

Good series win but we are also quite realistic: Rahul Dravid | Sports News,The Indian Express
Rahul Dravid & Rohit Sharma

In this Covid-19 phase where players have to deal with bubble life & at the same time they have to experience life of a caged animal. The sticky schedule needs a rework as the players need mental space irrespective of bubble life. Franchise Cricket’s influence (*Second leg phase of IPL was started on 19th September -15th October) has somewhat dampened the importance of International Cricket. India’s recent failure at T20 World Cup is a testimony to this.

The duo of Virat Kohli & Ravi Shastri got India to great heights by winning T20I Series in Australia, England, New Zealand, West Indies & South Africa. This series victories created a sense of belief that India can flourish on any pitch. But it didn’t meant that India can play casually in ICC T20 World Cup. This culture needs to change as nothing is more important than the Nation.

New Zealand throughout the Series were looking mentally drained. Kiwis had played the final on 14th November & their next match was on 17th November. The Black Caps just literally where travelling from one city to another where there was no ample time for preparation. Even if a team is playing same format since last 1 month they need time to get accustomed to the conditions. On the 11th hour the skipper Kane Williamson opted out of T20I Series to focus on the upcoming Test Series. The Test Series for New Zealand will start their defense for ICC Test Championship 2023.

Rahul Dravid has an uphill task as he has less than a year to find out the winning combination. The next T20 World Cup is being slated in Australia 2022 in October-November. BCCI has started adopting rotation policy as they handed caps to Harshal Patel & Venkatesh Iyer. BCCI should keep one thing in their heed that building a team takes a lot of time.

Mitchell Marsh & David Warner Ravaged New Zealand to Clinch Australia’s Maiden T20 World Cup Triumph

Australia ended a long hiatus of T20 World Cup Silverware. The emotions of all the Aussie players were seen as this time the Cricketers were having tears of joy. Australia would be booming with confidence as no one expected them to win the elusive trophy.

Skipper Aaron Finch & Team Members Cherishing the Moment of becoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021 Champions

Australia had won the toss & elected to bowl first. Bowling first was an obvious choice considering the dew factor. Tim Seifert played in the place of Devon Conway who unfortunately had a freaky injury. Australia had an unchanged playing 11 as they didn’t want to disturb the balance of the team.

New Zealand were cautious with the bat. Martin Guptill was dropped on 10 by Wade on the bowling off Glenn Maxwell in the 3rd over. There was a setup for the Lethal Daryl Mitchell from Josh Hazelwood who irked him by bowling immaculate lines. New Zealand had a mediocre power-play as they scored a mere 32 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. This was New Zealand’s lowest power-play score in the Tournament.

Kane Williamson & Martin Guptill didn’t play with fire; as surprisingly there was a tinge of grass on the wicket which was enough for bowlers to capitalise on it. Aaron Finch was marshalling his troops at his best by drying up the boundaries; as at the end of 10 overs New Zealand had struck only 6 boundaries which consisted of 5 fours & 1 six and scored 57 runs. Kane Williamson was itching as he was aware of the fact that a score of 130-140 runs was unacceptable.

: Kane Williamson & Martin Guptill rotating the strike due to the nature of wicket

Kane Williamson took a bold decision as he targeted Mitchell Starc. In the 11th over Kane Williamson was dropped on 21 by Josh Hazlewood on the bowling off Mitchell Starc. Kane got a life & he made sure that Aussie would rue it. Martin Guptill was struggling to time the ball as he was undone the variation of Adam Zampa (*Guptill scored 28 runs in 35 balls).

Kane took calculative risk & pummelled Starc, Maxwell & every bowler through crafty shots. In the 16th over Kane Williamson had scored 22 runs against Starc.

Kane Williamson toying with the bowling of Mitchell Starc as Starc looks crestfallen

Josh Hazlewood the man with the golden arm dented Kiwi’s onslaught as he got rid of Kane Williamson in the 18th over (*Score was 149-4 at the end of over) by bowling a cunning knuckle ball. Kane stood out as a one-man army as he smashed 85 runs in 48 balls including 10 fours & 3 sixes.

SNAPSHOT: Kane Williamson playing an audacious shot against the Giants of Fast Bowling.
 

At the back-end James Neesham & Tim Seifert posted a formidable target of 173 runs. This was the highest total in the history of T20I World Cup. Mitchell Starc got bashed as he gave away eye-boggling 60 runs in his 4 over spell. The pick of the bowlers was Josh Hazlewood who took 3 wickets & gave away 16 runs in his spell. The bowlers had a topsy-turvy day as the final 10 overs yielded 115 runs.

SNAPSHOT: Josh Hazlewood proved to be a wicket-taking option.
 

In response to 173 target Trent Boult got rid off Aaron Finch cheaply. Once again, the duo of Mitchell Marsh & David Warner was at the crease. In the 4th over Mitchell Marsh went into beast mode as he smashed a six on the very first ball of Adam Milne; he made a statement that he means business. There was a complete assessment done by both the batters. Australia scored 43 runs in the power-play overs.

The duo of David Warner & Mitchell Marsh playing smart & sensible Cricket

It was expected that Ish Sodhi & Mitchell Santner would be the nemesis for Aussies; but David Warner & Mitchell Marsh didn’t allow them to settle. Marsh took care of Santner whereas Warner dismantled Sodhi. All of a sudden Australia were cruising as they scored 39 runs off 4 overs (*2 overs a piece from each spinner).

The equation for Australia was pretty simple as they required 91 runs to win in 10 overs. The introduction of James Neesham weakened Kiwi’s chances as the stroke-play & hitting was a spellbound. Warner smashed his half century in 51 balls & made a statement that he is not finished yet.

SNAPSHOT: David Warner anchoring the run chase by playing eclectic brand of Cricket.

It was looking like a Cake Walk as Aussies required 67 to win in last 8 overs. In the 13th over Trent Boult reignited the finale by castling David Warner’s stumps. Warner constructed the run-chase as he scored 53 runs in 38 balls.

In the 14th over Mitchell Marsh worsened Ish Sodhi’s figures & New Zealand’s chances furthermore as Sodhi conceded 16 runs. Mitchell Marsh scored the fastest half century in 31 balls in the History of T20 World Cup Final. Ish Sodhi had a forgettable World Cup finale as he gave away 40 runs in 3 overs.

Mitchell Marsh plundering Ish Sodhi & taking Australia closer to Victory

The pendulum shifted quite quickly from New Zealand to Australia. Australia required 48 in 6 overs. Glenn Maxwell got promotion as he was batting ahead of Steven Smith. He took pressure off Mitchell Marsh as he too deepened the agony. Kane Williamson was seen helpless as his bowlers were getting demolished.

Glenn Maxwell wrapped up the game by his typical switch hit as Australia got the crown of T20 World Cup Champions. Australia chased down the target by 8 wickets with 1.1 overs remaining. Maxwell’s knock was a supporting as he scored 23 runs in 16 balls. Mitchell Marsh was the chief of the Run Chase as he scored 77 runs in 50 balls which consisted of 6 fours & 4 sixes. David Warner’s knock was of utmost important as he didn’t allow the game to drift away.

Mitchell Marsh & team members are Jubilant as Australia finally won T20 World Cup

Trent Boult was the only pick of the bowlers who took 2 wickets & gave away 18 runs. New Zealand would be shell-shocked as Aussies hammered them. Throughout the tournament New Zealand’s bowling clicked but at the last junction they succumbed to the pressure. Kane Williamson should be proud of his team & of himself as he is continuing one of the greatest legacies.

Australia have silenced all the experts regarding bubble life & rotation policy. It is often said that the team which stays together & plays together only wins which now can’t be said. The Credit must go to the Head Coach Justin Langer who has faced a lot of criticism for team’s failure in the last 6-8 months.

Smiling Justin Langer has become a T20 World Cup Winning Coach

David Warner was ecstatic as he silenced the entire Cricketing World as many experts had written him off. David Warner was awarded as the Player of the Tournament as he amassed 289 runs. David Warner is the architect behind the Triumph as his brand of Cricket was Versatile.

Mitchell Marsh’s presence at the top of the order made the difference as he took the responsibility of finishing the matches. The only positive which Australia had from the tours of Caribbean & Bangladesh was Mitchell Marsh. In the last 6 months he has played like a Warrior.

Australia & New Zealand Tussle for their Maiden T20 World Cup Trophy

Australia & New Zealand have been the underdogs at the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. The onus was completely on the likes of India, England, West Indies & Pakistan who failed on the given day. Australia got their star players back at the 11th hour; whereas New Zealand emphasized on the process by entrusting tyro players.

T20 World Cup 2021: Sunil Gavaskar picks his favorite between Australia and New Zealand
SNAPSHOT: Aaron Finch & Kane Williamson
  • Journey

Aussies & Kiwis journey throughout the tournament was very tough. Australia had placed in a precarious group which consisted of: South Africa, England, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & West Indies. Each & Every game of Australia was a literally do-or-die. They vanquished all the teams except England who buried them alive. The victory against Pakistan in the Semi Final has raised a lot of eye-brows. Australia is finding match-winners at 11th hour too in the form of Matthew Wade & Marcus Stoinis.

New Zealand were placed in a comfortable group yet challenging. They faced Juvenile & Champion Teams. New Zealand’s opening defeat against Pakistan made their task a bit complicated. New Zealand virtually & literally ended hopes of a billion people by decimating India on 31st October.  New Zealand played last 3 matches on alternate day (*3rd, 5th & 7th November) at 3 different venues: Dubai, Sharjah & Abu Dhabi. New Zealand overcame the heat & humidity & eventually at the end of the day they made it to the Semis. The mighty Kiwis Walloped England with an unknown duo of Daryl Mitchell & Devon Conway. New Zealand are proving to be the silent yet resounding Performers at the World Stage.

  • History at T20I’s

Australia has the wood over New Zealand in T20I’s where they have won 9 matches out of 14. New Zealand have won 4 whereas 1 match was tied.

New Zealand’s last 3 wins against Australia have come in their home season of 2020-21. New Zealand had won the 5 T20I Match Series by 3-2 (February-March 2021). The likes of Steven Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Starc, Patrick Cummins & Josh Hazlewood were the notable absentees from that tour; all of these were expected to play a Test Series in South Africa (March) which Cricket Australia (CA) later cancelled citing Covid-19 Concerns at South Africa.

  • Head-to-Head at ICC T20 World Cups

Aussies & Kiwis have clashed only once in ICC T20 World Cup. In T20 World Cup 2016 Australia & New Zealand were placed in a group along with Pakistan, Bangladesh & India.

The match was played at Dharamshala, India. It was a tight contest in which New Zealand scrapped out a victory by 8 runs. New Zealand’s team had set a target of 143 runs. In that T20 World Cup Australia made a type of blunder by making Warner a middle order batter. The wrecker-in chief for New Zealand was Ish Sodhi who took 4 wickets for 14 runs in his spell.

The Black Caps have got the majority of bowlers present from that victory: Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Michell Santner which is an alarming sign for the Courageous Aussies. The Aussies have got the core of batters which will make the final a spicy contest.

  • Matchups

New Zealand have a huge concern as Devon Conway has injured his right hand by punching the bat in frustration after getting out against England. Conway’s absence has left a huge hole in the batting line-up as he has taken the team out of mud. Tim Seifert the swashbuckling wicket-keeper batter looks a likely replacement. The skipper Kane Williamson has not fired yet & most importantly New Zealand’s armor is their bowling not batting.

NZ's Devon Conway Ruled Out of 2021 T20 World Cup Final & India T20Is
SNAPSHOT: Devon Conway got injured by punching the bat.

Australia won’t make any sort of changes unless there is an unexpected injury/tactic. ‘The Big Show’ Glenn Maxwell has had a dismal tournament so far as he has scored 36 runs only. Aaron Finch too has been quiet with the bat.

Glenn Maxwell: A big, fat no show | ICC T20 World Cup 2021
SNAPSHOT: Glenn Maxwell has had a forgettable T20 World Cup so far.

In 2010 England had dethroned Australia for T20 World Cup Triumph. There are only 2 Cricketers present from that match which are: Steven Smith & David Warner. Both of the Cricketers had seen the pain of losing the final.

  • Pitch & Conditions

Toss has been a huge factor as teams winning the toss have won most Matches at Dubai. A score of 160-170 is par. Teams should aim to score at-least 180-200 runs as the scoreboard pressure keeps haunting the team batting second. New Zealand & Australia both chased down targets of 167 (*Abu Dhabi) & 177 runs with an over left.

  • Toss Factor in ICC T20 World Cups Final

In 6 T20 World Cups a total of 5 teams (India 2007, England 2010, West Indies 2012, Sri Lanka 2014, West Indies 2016) won the World Cups by winning the toss. Only Sri Lanka failed to take advantage of winning the toss in 2009 T20 World Cup.

  • Teams defending have won 2 times: India & West Indies (2012)
  • Teams chasing have won 4 times: Pakistan (2009), England, Sri Lanka, West Indies  

This is an indication that batting second is a favorable option. In case of Australia & New Zealand it won’t be applicable as both teams have got good bowling line up. We can be in for a 2007 or 2012 type of finale.

  • Keys to Win T20 World Cup
  • New Zealand have a slight advantage over Australia. Australia had succumbed to spin in their Semi Final where Shadab Khan had took 4 scalps. The nemesis of Ish Sodhi is due to haunt Australia as his 4 overs are invaluable. Ish Sodhi’s 4 overs would be decisive New Zealand would like to make a statement that they are no longer underdogs.
  • Australians know how to win Championships except T20 World Cup. This is the golden chance for Australia to showcase that they still are the Reining Champions of World Cricket. Australia have only one spin bowler Adam Zampa & his role is pivotal. Glenn Maxwell has to be spot on his line & length as his 2 overs are also enough to change the momentum. 5th bowler (Mitchell Marsh & Glenn Maxwell) overs should be wrapped up as quickly possible as New Zealand would try to target it.
  • Expected WINNER

Australia is the Favorite to win T20 World Cup because they have developed a fear factor amongst opponents like of 90s & 2000s.

New Zealand would believe that they will sneak out a victory but the wealth of experience of Aussies will undo them.

New Zealand Gatecrashed India’s T20 World Cup Journey

New Zealand razed India by chasing 111 runs in 14.3 overs by 8 wickets. The match was played at the Dubai International Stadium on 31st October. New Zealand were absolutely brutal with ball & bat as their NRR (Net Run Rate) has peaked and it is +0.765. India now is almost out of the tournament as their fate is in another’s hand (*Afghanistan needs to defeat New Zealand). But first they need to win with huge margin against Afghanistan, Namibia & Scotland. The NRR of India is -1.609 which has put them on the brink of elimination.

SNAPSHOT: Kane Williamson & Virat Kohli playing the game in the right spirit.
 

New Zealand had won the toss & elected to bowl. India made some serious & controversial changes to their playing 11. They picked Ishan Kishan & Shardul Thakur in place of Suryakumar Yadav & Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Suryakumar was injured. India took a bold decision by opening with Ishan & Rahul. Rohit Sharma was dropped by Adam Milne on 0 on the bowling of Trent Boult. India once again got jolted in the power-play overs. India lost 3 wickets for 35 runs. Rahul & Kishan were pressurized by the immaculate setup of Kiwi’s bowlers.

India didn’t score a single boundary for a span of 70 balls (5.2 to 16.5 overs). The likes of Rishabh Pant & Hardik Pandya were playing too casually as they didn’t take any risks. Somehow in the end Ravindra Jadeja salvaged some pride by putting a score of 110 runs by scoring 26 runs in 19 balls.

The batting scores of India’s batters:

  • KL Rahul scored 18 runs in 16 balls
  • Rohit Sharma scored 14 runs in 14 balls
  • Virat Kohli scored 9 runs in 17 balls
  • Rishabh Pant scored 12 runs in 19 balls

There was no intent from batters as the passion was seen missing. 8 fours & 2 sixes were hit which is not acceptable at ICC Tournament.

New Zealand’s every bowler exploited the fear. Trent Boult mesmerized via his swing as he took 3 wickets for 20 runs. Ish Sodhi eliminated Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma the two cannons. It as if looked like New Zealand were playing against a weaker team.

SNAPSHOT: New Zealand’s team pumped up after picking up wickets at regular intervals.

In response to the target of 111 runs New Zealand scored 44 runs for the loss of 1 wicket of Guptill. The unexpected match winner for New Zealand with the bat was Daryl Mitchell as he scored 49 runs in 35 balls. In his knock he smashed 4 fours & 3 sixes. Daryl would rue the that he missed out on a deserving half-century. As calm as ice the skipper Kane Williamson carried out the finishing duties as he scored 33 runs in 31 balls.

SNAPSHOT: Daryl Mitchell anchoring as well as playing the role of enforcer in the run-chase

Jasprit Bumrah was the only bowler who took all the wickets & was economical. The management & skipper Virat Kohli needs to exhibit the team’s performance rather than boasting. Once again, he trusted Varun Chakravarthy instead of Ravichandran Ashwin. There are some serious problems in selection as the openers were changed & most importantly whole-sale changes have become a trend.

SNAPSHOT: Virat Kohli looks distraught & confused as time is running out for team

India needs to have some serious talks & conversations. The brand of Cricket which they are playing can get them completely eliminated by playing against Afghanistan on 3rd November at Abu Dhabi. The change of venue can change the fortune which the entire billion people would hope of.

New Zealand would be high on confidence as they throwed India out of contention. New Zealand are due to play Scotland & Namibia which would be relatively easier compared to Pakistan & India. New Zealand should be ready for an uphill task as defeating Afghanistan won’t be easy. New Zealand & Afghanistan are alike to each other which will make an even contest on 07th November at Abu Dhabi.

Afghanistan in Ascendancy after Raging Namibia as Semi Finals race gets heated up

Afghanistan won the match against Namibia by 62 runs. The match was played at Abu Dhabi. Afghanistan now have an opportunity to create history. They have won 2 matches out of 3. Their NRR (Net Run Rate) is unimaginable in Group 2 which is +3.097. They just know need to upset India or New Zealand. Their chances have incremented because they are going to play remaining 2 matches at Abu Dhabi only.

Afghanistan vs Namibia Highlights T20 World Cup 2021: Afghanistan cruise to 62-run victory | Hindustan Times
SNAPSHOT: Afghanistan thrashed Namibia as Afghanistan continue hunting.

Afghanistan had won the toss & elected to bat first. The power-play was fruitful as they scored 50 runs for no wickets. The openers laid the platform as Shahzad & Zazai were involved in 53 run partnership. Hazratullah Zazai scored 33 runs in 27 balls. Mohammad Shahzad scored 45 in 33 balls. Both the batters were in destruction mode.

Afghanistan vs Namibia live scores, updates: T20 World Cup 2021 Super-12 game in Abu Dhabi | Icc – Gulf News
SNAPSHOT: Mohammad Shahzad & Hazratullah Zazai giving a fierce start.

Asghar Afghan the senior batter in the team had announced before the match that he is going to retire. Guard of honor was given to Asghar by the entire team of Namibia. He was one of the main architect & reason behind Afghanistan’s rise in World Cricket. He scored a cameo of 31 runs in 23 balls. Mohammad Nabi scored a quick fire cameo of 32 runs in 17 balls.

T20 World Cup 2021: Watch – Asghar Afghan Receives A Guard Of Honour From Namibia In His Final International Match
SNAPSHOT: Asghar Afghan got a Guard of Honor by Namibia.

The template of Afghanistan’s innings was that they every batter enjoyed his presence. Afghanistan had put on 160 runs which were challenging. Namibia’s bowlers were left shocked & stunned as no trick in the book worked. Loftie-Eaton the right arm leg spinner was the pick of the bowlers took 2 wickets & gave away 21 runs.

In response to 161 target Afghanistan hit Namibia to the bottom. Power-play overs produced 3 wickets for 29 runs. Namibia tried to somehow balance the run chase but couldn’t. Hamid Hassan replaced Mujeeb in playing 11. Hamid made most of the opportunity as he was bowling sharp Yorkers. He took 3 wickets & gave away 9 runs in his spell. Naveen & the entire bowling unit massacred Namibia’s batting line up. Scotland avoided humiliation by not getting bowled out as they ended their innings on 98 for 9 wickets.

Afghanistan vs Namibia Highlights, T20 World Cup 2021: Pacers shine as AFG routs NAM by 62 runs - Sportstar
SNAPSHOT: Hamid Hassan cherishing the opportunity of representing Afghanistan

Namibia were never in the chase & in the match as the experience of Afghanistan paid off. Namibia’s remaining matches are against star-studded: India, Pakistan & New Zealand. By playing against these teams Namibia will gain invaluable experience & should focus on process. as such loss can dishearten any team.

Jos Buttler Decimated Aussie Bowlers as England Walloped Australia to make it 3 wins out of 3

England thrashed Australia by 8 wickets at Dubai. There was absolute Carnage as Jos Buttler & Co chased down the target of 126 runs with 50 balls left (8.2 overs). England now have a far superior NRR (Net Run Rate) of +3.948.

T20 World Cup 2021, ENG vs AUS (Super 12): England registers 8-wicket win to stay in pole position for semis
SNAPSHOT: David Warner lauding Jos Buttler for his Stupendous Knock

England had won the toss & elected to bowl first. Australia put on an average performance by setting a target of 126 runs. Jos Buttler & Jason Roy negotiated pace bowling for the first 2 overs as the score was 13 runs.

Live Score Australia vs England T20 World Cup Today's Match Latest Updates: Roy, Buttler Off to Solid Start - News18 - Zimbabwe Focus | ZimFocus News
SNAPSHOT: Jason Roy & Jos Buttler toying with Australia’s bowlers.

Then both went into ultra attacking mode especially Buttler as England scored 66 runs in the power-play overs. This is the highest power-play overs score in this T20 World Cup. Earlier on 28th October Australia had scored 63 runs against Sri Lanka. Buttler didn’t feared Mitchell Starc as he smacked him for 2 consecutive sixes in the 6th over. Buttler smashed one six at the sight-screen & the other one at long on as he showed how to tackle fast bowlers.

ENG vs AUS Highlights, T20 World Cup 2021: Jos Buttler, bowlers shine as England thumps Australia by eight wickets - Sportstar
SNAPSHOT: Jos Buttler taking Mitchell Starc to cleaners.

Buttler didn’t stopped his rout as he kept on bashing without hesitating. Buttler completed his half-century in 25 balls which is the fastest in this tourney. There was some soothing on the pain of Australia as they took 2 wickets. Adam Zampa & Ashton Agar took a wicket each. Jason Roy played his role perfectly by playing a second fiddle. Roy scored 22 runs in 20 balls which included 1 four & 1 six. Buttler & Bairstow finished the match in style. Jos Buttler blistered a magnificent knock of 71 runs in 32 balls which is insane as he struck 5 fours & 5 sixes with a strike rate of 221. Bairstow played a cameo of 16 runs in 11 balls which included 2 sixes.

Buttler blasts England to crushing win over Australia at T20 World Cup | T20 World Cup | The Guardian
SNAPSHOT: Jos Buttler not even sparing spinners.

The bowling line up of Australia wasn’t a ‘B’ or ‘C’ grade. The fast bowlers where Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood who are by no means inexperienced at the World Stage. England made fun of them as such a devastating performance can shake any team’s morale.

Australia were invited to bat first. England’s fast bowlers rattled the top-order of Australia. In the power-play overs Australia lost 3 wickets & scored only 21 runs. The likes of Warner, Smith & Maxwell were all sent to the pavilion. Chris Woakes & Chris Jordan scalped the wickets. There was hope that Aaron Finch is still present at the crease. Adil Rashid & Liam Livingstone didn’t allowed any batter to change the momentum.

At 12 overs Australia’s score was 51-5 where they were looking dull. Australia somehow crawled their way back by posting 125 overs where they were bowled out. Finch scored 44 runs but he faced 49 deliveries as he crossed the rope(hit fours) only 4 times. There were knocks played by Matthew Wade, Agar, Cummins & Starc but in bits & pieces. There was a complete performance laid out by bowlers. Chris Woakes was at his peak with the new ball. His figures where 2 for 23. The pick of the bowling line up was Chris Jordan who executed his Yorkers next to perfection. His bowling figures where 3 for 17.

England vs Australia Cricket Score T20 World Cup 2021 Match Live Updates: England Ride On Flying Start To Bowl Australia Out For 125 | Cricket News
SNAPSHOT: Chris Woakes pumped up after dismissing David Warner
Jordan and Buttler blow Australia away as England take charge of T20 World Cup group
SNAPSHOT: Chris Jordan thrilled by dismissing Steve Smith

England have got all their bases covered. They would worry that their middle & lower-middle order hasn’t majorly contributed to team’s success. The pitch wasn’t a swing friendly but they bowled accurate lines. England’s next match is against Sri Lanka at 01 November at Sharjah. They as of now have became the front-runners to be the table-toppers.

This is a warning & wake up call for Australia. The pitch was placid & batting friendly where their shot-selection was poor. Dropping Mitchell Marsh & picking Ashton Agar was controversial. Marsh has been recently playing all the bilateral series which were against New Zealand, West Indies & Bangladesh. He was the only positive when Australia was under the radar for the series defeats. Australia’s NRR has taken a huge downfall of -0.627. Their next match is against Bangladesh on 4th November at Dubai. If Australia wants to make it to Semi Finals they have to beat Bangladesh. Australia would have their 4-1 series defeat in their mind.

Wanindu Hasaranga’s Hat-trick in vain as David Miller cruises South Africa to a Spectacular Victory

South Africa vanquished Sri Lanka to register a 4 wicket win with one ball left. This match was played at Sharjah on 30th October. South Africa now have won 2 matches out of 3 with a NRR (Net Run Rate) of +0.210. With two matches left South Africa have got a serious chance to push their case forward.

T20 World Cup: It's great that David came good for us at right time, says Temba Bavuma | Cricket - Hindustan Times
SNAPSHOT: Kagiso Rabada & David Miller ecstatic after pulling out a heist

South Africa had opted to bowl first. Quinton de Kock took a knee in support of BLM (Black Lives Matter) Movement. Earlier he had opted out of the match against West Indies.

South Africa vs Sri Lanka Live Streaming T20 World Cup 2021: How to watch SA vs SL Super 12 Match Online | Cricket News – India TV
SNAPSHOT: Quinton de Kock taking a knee against Racism.

South Africa were set a target of 143 runs which was tricky as the wicket was a bit tacky. Sri Lanka’s fielders were doing ruthless fielding as there were no easy singles. Dushmantha Chameera in the 4th over of the innings removed Quinton & Reeza Hendricks. Chameera was absolutely bowling thunder-bolts as the batters were amazed. In the power-play overs South Africa had scored 40 run for the loss of 2 wickets.

Skipper Temba Bavuma took care of the chase meticulously. At the end of 8th over South Africa were reduced to 49 runs for 3 wickets. Bavuma & Markram tried to put the run-chase back on track. The duo were involved in a partnership of 47 runs. In that partnership the focus was on to rotate the strike as spinners were getting a lot of help out from the pitch. On the last ball of 15th over Hasaranga bowled out Markram as Sri Lanka were right back.

T20 World Cup 2021: Bavuma reveals de Kock controversy was on his mind before Sri Lanka game - Firstcricket News, Firstpost
SNAPSHOT: Temba Bavuma anchoring the run chase

In the last 5 overs South Africa required 47 runs to win. The task was not that arduous but it required calculative approach. In the 18th over Hasaranga got two back-to-back wickets on consecutive balls of Bavuma & Pretorius.

SA vs SL: Wanindu Hasaranga becomes third to take T20 World Cup hat-trick; second in current edition | Cricket - Hindustan Times
SNAPSHOT: Wanindu Hasaranga enthralled after taking a hat-trick

Hasaranga became the 3rd bowler to take a hat-trick in T20 World Cup; as earlier in 2007 Brett Lee had taken hat-trick against Bangladesh, Curtis Campher of Ireland in 2021 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers against Netherlands.

Bavuma played a hard-fought knock of a run a ball 46 runs. Hasaranga finished his spell with the figures of 3 for 20. In the last 2 over South Africa required 25 runs. The only hope for South Africa was David Miller whose companion was the speedster Kagiso Rabada. Chameera gave away 10 runs in the 19th over (*Rabada had hit one six which eased the pressure) as the target for final over was of 15 runs. Chameera finished with the figures of 2 for 27 as his express pace was too hot to handle

Lahiru Kumara was the bowler & he got pummeled by David Miller as he struck 2 humongous sixes. Lahiru Kumara’s error of pitching the ball in the arc costed Sri Lanka the match. Lahiru Kumara was the pick of the bowlers till the last over. Sri Lanka won’t be able to believe that how they lost the match but this is the cruelty of T20 World Cup. David Miller played a colossal cameo as he swung by the pendulum in South Africa’s favor.

South Africa vs Sri Lanka Highlights T20 World Cup: Miller's last-over heroics take SA to dramatic win | Hindustan Times
SNAPSHOT: David Miller smoking the ball out of the park.

Sri Lanka had got off to a decent start in the power-play overs. They managed to score 39 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. Pathum Nissanka was looking in deft touch. The partnership between Pathum & Asalanka was looking scary. South Africa required something from the fielders & it happened. Rabada & de Kock (on the bowling of Keshav Maharaj) knocked out Asalanka by a turbulent piece of fielding. At that point the score was 61-2 in 9 overs.

Pathum Nissanka swings the ball away to the leg side
SNAPSHOT: Pathum Nissanka taking responsibility of setting a target.

Pathum stood tall where at one side all the other batters were transient. Pathum played a sturdy knock of 72 runs in 58 balls which included 6 fours & 3 sixes. Not a single batter scored 30 runs. Tabraiz Shamsi swindled the batters via his variations. His figures were notable as he took 3 wickets & gave away 17 runs. Dwaine Pretorius took 3 wickets in his 3 overs spell & gave away 17 runs. South Africa had bundled out Sri Lanka for 142 runs.

Sri Lanka v South Africa: T20 World Cup 2021 - live coverage and updates from Sharjah | Cricket – Gulf News
SNAPSHOT: Tabraiz Shamsi dismantling the batting line up of Sri Lanka

South Africa’s next match is against Bangladesh on 02nd November at Abu Dhabi. Bangladesh don’t have a promising record against South Africa. South Africa would look to seize that match with a good NRR as tense finishes aren’t that convincing.

Sri Lanka have lost 2 out of their 3 matches. They have a statistical chance to make it to Semis. Their next 2 matches are against England on 01st November at Sharjah & West Indies on 04th November at Abu Dhabi. If they defeat these two teams with a huge margin then only they can qualify. Sri Lanka should emphasize on the line up of bowlers, 3-4 batters must score 30+ runs as building a target requires a team effort & same applies to bowlers for defending.

Asif Ali, Babar Azam & Bowlers Overwhelmed Afghanistan as Pakistan make 3 out of 3

Pakistan won the match by 6 wickets against Afghanistan at Dubai on 29th October. Pakistan won the match with 1 over left. Pakistan’s NRR is +0.638 whereas Afghanistan’s is +3.092 as Afghanistan have advantage given the fact that they have won 1 & lost 1.

ICC Men's T20 World Cup: Pakistan vs Afghanistan | Cricket News | Al Jazeera
SNAPSHOT: Asif Ali & Shadab Khan joyful after winning against Afghanistan

Afghanistan took a bold decision to bat first as dew plays a huge part. Pakistan were set a target of 148 runs. Mujeeb Ur Rahman took burden off by dismissing Rizwan for a paltry 8 runs as he has the knack of staying at the crease. In the power-play overs Pakistan scored 38 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. Mohammad Nabi the skipper took a brave decision by bowling out Mujeeb inside 9 overs as his lightning variations were too hot to handle. Mujeeb had figures of 14 for 1 wicket which increased the scoreboard pressure.

Babar Azam was playing his natural game of rotating strike & rotating strike. While at the other end Fakhar Zaman provided impetus by his aggressive stroke-play. Rashid Khan wasn’t introduced in the 1st 10 overs which was a bit shocking. In the 12th over Nabi provided a crucial break-through of Fakhar. Fakhar scored 30 runs in 25 balls which included 2 fours & 1 six. Boundaries were hard to come as spinners were in ascendancy. At that course of time Pakistan required 73 runs in 8.5 overs. Babar Azam was solid at one end playing cautiously as his wicket was of optimum level. There was a bit of banter going between Rashid & Babar where Babar was sledging Rashid to take his wicket.

Afghanistan vs Pakistan Cricket Score T20 World Cup 2021 Match Highlights: Rashid Khan Removes Babar Azam, Pakistan Edge Closer To Win vs Afghanistan | Cricket News
SNAPSHOT: Babar Azam raising his bat after completing half century

In the last 6 overs Pakistan required 51 runs & then came Rashid who outfoxed Mohammad Hafeez. Afghanistan errored in calculation as in the last 5 overs there was only one over of spin which was of Rashid. The medium pace/ fast bowlers weren’t that much efficacious. Shoaib Malik & Babar played smartly as an odd boundary with 4-5 singles was enough. In the last 4 overs Pakistan required 38 runs & the onus was on Rashid Khan. Rashid almost had the wicket of Babar on 4th delivery but Naveen-ul- Haq didn’t hold on to it. At that time Babar was on 50 runs. Later on the final ball of the over Rashid had the last laugh as he bowled Babar Azam. Babar Azam scored 51 runs in 47 balls as he struck 4 fours.

AFG vs PAK Highlights T20 World Cup 2021: Asif Ali blitz, Babar Azam's 50 take Pakistan to 5-wicket win vs Afghanistan | Hindustan Times
SNAPSHOT: Rashid Khan in a state of merriment after dismissing Babar Azam

In the last 3 overs Pakistan required 26 runs with Malik & Asif Ali at the crease. Naveen bowled a superb 18th over as he not only gave away 2 runs but got the wicket of the Legendary Shoaib Malik. Asif Ali refused to take a single on the final ball when Shadab Khan was on strike. In the last 2 overs Pakistan required not an improbable but challenging 24 runs .Karim Janat had the ball in his hand where he made the mockery of the required runs as Asif Ali smashed 4 sixes in 6 balls as Pakistan won the match.

Nabi’s brave decision of bowling out Mujeeb proved to be costly. Rashid bowled his heart out as he took 2 wickets & gave away 26 runs. Afghanistan need to balance the pace & spin ratio throughout 20 overs as recently their pacers haven’t produced any notable match winning results.

Once again Pakistan’s finishing up duties were performed by Asif Ali. Asif Ali is looking ominous as his devastating cameos are changing momentum within a blink of eye.

AFG vs PAK T20 World Cup highlights: Asif Ali cameo fires Pakistan to win over Afghanistan | Cricket News – India TV
SNAPSHOT: Asif Ali scored 25 runs in 7 balls to clinch the Victory

Opting to bat first Afghanistan had lost 4 wickets in the power-play overs as they scored 49 runs. The batters where just swinging their bat on each ball which resulted in 4 wickets. Afghanistan were reduced to 76-6 in 13 overs where it looked like they will get folded under 110-120 overs.

Skipper Mohammad Nabi & the all-rounder Gulbadin Naib got hold on the innings. They took time to assess the conditions & then went berserk. In the last 7 overs Afghanistan scored 71 runs & put on a below par yet decent score of 147 runs. Nabi scored 35 runs in 32 balls which included 5 fours. Gulbadin Naib scored a quick fire 35 runs in 25 balls which included 4 fours & 1 six. The contributions from lower-middle order showcased how much depth Afghanistan’s batting possesses.

Nabi, Naib lead Afghanistan to 147-6 against Pakistan in Dubai | Arab News PK
SNAPSHOT: Gulbadin Naib & Mohammad Nabi making sure to end the innings on high note.

There was a complete performance from Pakistan’s bowlers where every bowler had pressurized Afghanistan’s batters & also got beaten.

Pakistan vs Afghanistan 2021 Live Telecast T20 World Cup 2021, PAK vs AFG 2021 Live Ten Sports
SNAPSHOT: Pakistan’s entire bowling unit was amongst the wickets.

Pakistan’s bowlers would not like the fact that their 7 overs proved so much expensive. If Afghanistan had got off to a blazing start who knows Pakistan would had a target in excess of 180 runs. Pakistan’s next match is against Namibia on 2nd November at Abu Dhabi. Namibia has given Scotland a heart-attack which sends a message that Pakistan should not take Namibia lightly. Pakistan would hope to be the table-toppers as winning against Namibia would seal that spot.

Afghanistan’s batting costed them & they would hope that they will rectify their mistakes. Afghanistan should keep their heads up as they still have 3 matches left. Their next match is against Namibia on 31st October at Abu Dhabi. Afghanistan should look to disseminate Namibia in their next match .Their next 2 matches are against India on 03rd November & New Zealand on 07th November which could be similar to Pakistan. Afghanistan have a slight advantage as they are going to play all the three matches at Abu Dhabi. If Afghanistan can upset India or New Zealand then the Cricketing World will have a new Semi-Finalists.