Post pandemic outbreak, spectators are finally allowed to go back to stadiums to watch a live match. Though there is less concrete data as to how many seats will be available and how things might roll out keeping all the security checks in place, there are possibilities that people can attend the Australia-New Zealand women’s matches at Allan Border Field in Brisbane, starting on September 26.
Cricket Australia announced that the tickets for the T20 and ODI matches will be available for only 50% of the capacity. Queensland Government Covid-19 regulations has allowed these events only if all kinds of norms and regulations are followed. “Try to keep shouting, singing, cheering or celebrating to a minimum to avoid transmission,” the guidelines stated.
The last international match with spectators was on March 11 between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe until other schedules got cancelled due to rising cases of Covid-19. The tickets for this match will be given online only and the spectators will have to swipe it using a mobile device. According to the reports, the ground will be divided into six zones with people restricted to their designated seats.
“There will be a limit of six tickets per customer, and there will be no box office sales at the match. Only mobile tickets will be available, and when you buy a ticket, Cricket Australia will keep your details for COVID-19 contact-tracing purposes”, read the official statement.
The reigning T20 World Cup champions are returning to the field for the first time since taking out the trophy in front of 86,174 people at the MCG on March 8, with Australia to meet New Zealand in three T20Is and three ODIs.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
When the bowlers bat like that, it makes the captain look good: Eoin Morgan | Eoin Morgan praises lower order batsmen for giving England a score to defend
England made a swift comeback in yesterday’s ODI against the Australian side to safely secure a victory in the three-match series. After being restricted to a total of 231 runs whilst batting first, the Aaron Finch-led side was cruising before the Englishmen completely derailed the chase through some clinical bowling as the game progressed.
Eoin Morgan’s team’s top-order couldn’t muster any significant total and hence it was later down to the bowlers to do the batting and take the team to a respectable score.
The trio of Chris Woakes, Tom Curran, and Adil Rashid accounted for 98 runs after batting in the late part of the innings. “[Fun?] Yeah, definitely it. It’s a confidence-booster for myself and the team. When the bowlers bat like that, it makes the captain look good,” Morgan said in the post-match interview.
To stifle the Australian chase, England’s pacers maintained incredible discipline throughout the 48.4 overs. The strike bowling trio of Tom Curran, Chris Woakes, and Jofra Archer completed their quota of 10 overs at an economy rate of less than 3.50 each, which is a remarkable feat in modern-day limited-overs cricket.
Captain Morgan addressed the same and mentioned, “But that was as well as we’ve bowled for a while. It reversed a little bit, went up and down… full credit to the guys collectively. [All-in with Woakes/Archer] It was the only way we were going to win the game. It was like your stack is going low and you need to go in pretty soon if you want something to happen. The bowlers made us look good, particularly when Jof and Woakesy came back against Labuschagne and Finchy.”
The Aussies merely required 92 runs in around 19 overs whilst having eight wickets in hand to seal the series. However, an embarrassing collapse caused by some brilliant bowling by the English bowlers prevented them from surpassing the total. Sam Curran’s role shouldn’t go unnoticed, considering that he dismissed the lower-order trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa in quick succession to avert any late comeback by the visitors.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
Aaron Finch at a loss to explain batting collapse in 2nd ODI | England vs Australia 2nd ODI Review: Aaron Finch disappointed by collapse
The second ODI between Australia and England was an easy win for the latter. Victory looked easier for the former at 144/2, when Australia had two set batsmen with just 88 runs to chase in 19.2 remaining overs. But the chase got tougher when Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes showed a good comeback with their bowling and, before the Aussies lost 8 for 63.
Though Aaron Finch, who scored 73 in 105 balls and Marnus Labuschagbe who scored 48 in 59, hosted the guests well, Chris Workes and Jofra Archer’s terrific bowling created tension in the opposition. “We knew that it would be tough for new batters to start on a wicket like that, but still very disappointed. How do you stop a collapse? That’s a million-dollar question”, said Finch in the post-match presentation.
While Jofra Archer, won the Player of the Match award for his three wickets taking all the top batsmen, Chris Woakes was also at top of his game claiming wickets of Aaron Finch, Marnus Labuschagne, and Glenn Maxwell.
“We might not have been 100% committed to our plans, and might have overplayed the situation in our heads. They managed death bowling nicely. We bowled a touch wide and gave them a few opportunities to free their arms. They’re no excuse for that collapse. Not the most viewer-friendly contest, but there was a contest between bat and ball. When you’ve got an opportunity to see the chase home, you’re disappointed”, Australian captain said.
It wasn’t all hunky-dory for England as well, but Morgan maintained a calm demeanor, stuck to his conviction and the team followed. Though Mark Wood, who had recovered from his ankle injury last year, was out of the game, Morgan was left with two key strike bowlers in Archer and Woakes. When the ball started to swing and seam, things turned in their favor in the second inning. “I threw everything at it. We needed to go all-in. But when the bowlers bowl like that – when the bowlers bat like that – it makes the captain look good”, said Morgan.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
ENG vs AUS 2nd ODI Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs AUS 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Australia 2nd ODI Key Players | Old Trafford Manchester Pitch Report
Australia’s fate in the opening ODI depended greatly on how well their middle order coped. With half their side out for just 123, including their prolific openers out cheaply, many of Australia’s supporters at home may have thought it was the perfect time to get some sleep.
However, led by Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell, two of Australia’s maligned cricketers, the tourists came roaring back. A score of 294/9, on a surface where bowling into the pitch reaped rewards, was a competitive one, even more so with the superb Josh Hazlewood in such breathtaking form, with apt support from the wily Adam Zampa.
All of a sudden, England have now lost two consecutive games dating back to the third T20I. In fact, one may argue that Australia have had the better of England across the four white-ball matches to date, so Eoin Morgan’s men will be out for a response in the second match. Their first up defeat was not without positives, though, with Sam Billings’ superb hundred further showcasing his ability, to go with strong displays from Jonny Bairstow, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Adil Rashid.
Man of the match Josh Hazlewood produced some spell in the first ODI. His performance of 10-3-26-3 led Australia to victory. Can he make another big impact?
Sam Billings is England’s go-to man in run-chases in recent times. His last three scores in run-chases, dating back to the Ireland series, reads: 67* (54), 46* (61) and 118 (110).
David Warner’s struggles against Jofra Archer continued. The Aussie opener has now been dismissed by Archer three times on this tour. Also, the question will be whether Warner can improve on his average of 30.76 in 22 ODIs vs England.
Jonny Bairstow has hit some form. Last two scores (third T20I and first ODI): 55 and 84.
Aaron Finch is crucial to Australia’s chances. His tour has been full of starts (46, 40, 39, 16), but his average of 48.80 in 28 ODIs vs England suggests he is a danger man.
Marcus Stoinis has shown very promising signs higher up the order. Given Steve Smith is in doubt due to a head knock, Stoinis could bat at three again. His scores this tour: 23*, 35, 26 and 43.
However, the two batting stars for Australia in the first ODI were Mitchell Marsh (73 off 100 balls) and Glenn Maxwell (77 off 59 balls). Will they show consistency and deliver again?
Eoin Morgan has the most runs of any player ever in England-Australia ODIs (1,887 runs, avg. 41.02, SR 92.13). The skipper needs to make an impact in a must-win game.
Jos Buttler’s failure last game was a rare occurrence in recent times. He can be expected to bounce back.
Jofra Archer and Mark Wood made successful returns to ODI cricket, each taking three wickets in the first ODI. Their pace and variations will be key again.
Adil Rashid (2/55) will also be key. He has 40 wickets in 22 ODIs in Australia, and he and Adam Zampa (4/55) will have key roles to play on what is expected to be a turning track once again.
Time for Mitchell Starc to fire? He has taken just two wickets in four matches on tour, which includes a hit-wicket.
ENG vs AUS 2nd ODI Preview Dream11: Can Glenn Maxwell add consistency to his game?
Stats and Facts
England have won 10 of their past 13 ODIs against Australia. However, Australia are beginning to claw back, winning two of the past three.
Eyes will be on Joe Root. He averages just 27.95 in 26 ODIs against Australia.
So too Jason Roy. He averages very well against the old enemy (47.05 in 18 ODIs), but has struggled in his last four ODIs: 24, 0, 1, 3.
The team batting first has won each of the last six ODIs at Manchester. The last chasing team to win was England against Australia in 2018, with Jos Buttler producing a gem to get England home by one wicket.
Jonny Bairstow averages 62.60 in six ODIs at Manchester (two fifties, one century).
Possible Playing 11
Eoin Morgan isn’t one to panic. So, England could look to persist with the same XI that lost the first ODI.
England: 1. Jason Roy, 2. Jonny Bairstow, 3. Joe Root, 4. Eoin Morgan (c), 5. Jos Buttler (wk), 6. Sam Billings, 7. Moeen Ali, 8. Chris Woakes, 9. Jofra Archer, 10. Adil Rashid, 11. Mark Wood
Steve Smith is in doubt for this game, after missing the first ODI due to a head knock suffered at training. So, Australia are likely to go in with the same XI if Smith is unavailable.
Australia: 1. David Warner, 2. Aaron Finch (c), 3. Marcus Stoinis, 4. Marnus Labuschagne, 5. Mitchell Marsh, 6. Alex Carey (wk), 7. Glenn Maxwell, 8. Pat Cummins, 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Josh Hazlewood
Old Trafford Manchester Pitch Report and Conditions
The pitch in the first ODI offered assistance to the spinners, as well as those bowlers who would bowl into the surface. A score of 275+ batting first could very well be a winning one. Similar conditions can be expected for the second ODI, with the weather forecast also very promising.
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Match Prediction
Another very interesting game awaits. England will look to make inroads into Australia’s top order again, and this time take advantage. The home side certainly have it in them to bounce back, but it could come down to whether the team batting first can notch a score in the region of 270 on the slowish Manchester track.
CPL 2020 Review: 5 Unexpected Heroes from the Tournament. 5 players who defied expectations and performed well in CPL 2020.
After 24 days of sheer competitive cricket, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has finally come to an end. Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) were crowned as the winner, becoming the first team to go through an entire CPL season unbeaten. While there were no crowds (and lost balls as a result), there were some fabulous individual performances, nail-biting finishes and smart tactics on the field.
Also, there were some cricketers who performed much better than the experts had expected from them. Thus, they emerged as the unexpected heroes in the tournament. In this article, I am going to name five of them. Here we go.
Kyle Mayers was one of those rare shining lights for the Barbados Tridents in their disastrous campaign. The defending champions were able to win just three times, out of which Mayers played a crucial role in two of them. Except some matches in the latter half of the CPL, he was their premier batsman this season, having scored 222 runs including a match-winning knock of 85 runs from just 59 balls with three fours and six sixes. He was the top scorer for the Tridents amidst big names like Shai Hope, Corey Anderson etc.
Naveen-ul-haq is one of the rare fast bowlers who did extremely well in the CPL 2020; a tournament dominated mostly by the spinners. We were aware of the weakness in the fast bowling department of Guyana prior to the start of the tournament. It was not easy for a 20-year old to take the responsibility on his shoulders and perform brilliantly, which Naveen has done. The Afghan quick has emerged as the most successful fast bowler from the Guyana team by picking 11 wickets from 10 games at a good average of 19.09. His economy was below six on four occassions, bowling his full quota in almost all of them, which is quite phenomenal.
Jamaica Tallawahs had great names like Russell, Rovman Powell and Carlos Brathwaite under their belt. But, the man who rocked the stage from their side was Glenn Phillips. The New Zealand keeper-batsman scored 316 runs at an average of over 35 with a good SR of almost 128. Also, Phillips is the only overseas batsman in the list of top five run getters in this CPL. He was consistent throughout the tournament and it seemed like the slowness of the surface in the latter half of the league didn’t affect his batting to a great extent unlike many other batsmen.
If you ask me which youngster the West Indies should look up to basing on his performance in the CPL this year, I would say it’s Akeal Hosein. West Indies have a rich culture of producing quality seamers and powerful hitters, but Hosein belongs to the breed of orthodox spinners, which is something not naturally evolved from the West Indies.
He was prolific in the CPL this season having taken 10 wickets from seven games, including a game-changing spell of 3/14 from 4 overs in the crucial Semi Final clash against the Jamaica Tallawahs. Also, his economy of mere 5.56 signifies his smartness with the ball. He kept things tight, beat the batsman with his flight and thus appeared as a promising future prospect for the West Indies national side across formats. Amidst the big names of Narine, Bravo and Pollard, Hosein was the unexpected jewel to have shown his brilliance for TKR.
Before the start of the CPL, there was almost nothing to say about the St Lucia Zouks. They were thought to be the weakest team this year, and the experts had expected them to finish at the bottom of the points table. But, they went on to play the Final, proving every speculation wrong.
Scott Kuggeleijn was one of the chief architects of this glorious journey of the Zouks. The St. Lucia spearhead finished as the highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets from 11 games, at a terrific SR of 12.06. He used his variations to a great extent and bowled some noteworthy spells, including a fine 3/24 in his 4 overs against mighty Guyana Amazon Warriors. He emerged as the best bowler of the tournament despite guys like DJ Bravo, Imran Tahir and Rashid Khan participating. So, he is an ultimate name to be included in this list.
So, this is my list of five players who contributed much more than expected from them. Thus, they have emerged definitely as the unexpected heroes in the CPL this year. Does any other player come to mind? Have your say!
Thanks for reading!
Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.
Cricket is still getting used to the new normal ever since the sport resumed amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) concluded on the 10th of September, after the matches took place in empty stands throughout the course of the tournament.
The fans of the game must be surely relishing witnessing the encounters take place from their homes. However, it is a given that the players on the field miss the enthusiasm and the atmosphere that the supporters create from their seats. Moreover, they willingly undertake a very crucial task too, which Mohammed Nabi definitely realized yesterday.
CPL Final: Artificial fans are put into the stands to compensate for the lack of the actual ones!
During the fourth over of Trinbago Knight Riders’ (TKR) chase, Darren Bravo hoisted Roston Chase to a six over long on. In a standard situation, someone would have thrown the ball from the stands back to the ground. This time around, Nabi frenetically embarked into a search operation to bring the white leather back and proceed with the game.
The match had to stop for around five minutes, but eventually it went ahead and TKR lifted the CPL trophy for the fourth time. However, these few moments of uncertainty somehow displayed an aspect of the sport that one might have to get used to as the sport resumes full throttle sans the fans in the stands!
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
Shoaib Akhtar confirmed that Pakistan Cricket Board is considering to replace Misbah ul Haq from the country’s chief selector post. According to PTI reports, Akhtar has accepted this offer and is willing to work in the ‘line of fire’.
“I don’t like saying this but it is a fact. Look I don’t want a job and I don’t need a salary. People want jobs and they come for salaries but I don’t need the money”. Shoaib Akhtar said.
Misbah was appointed as the head coach for Pakistan cricket team as well as chief selector on a 3-year contract on September 2019. As the role shifts, Akhtar is aiming at building up a pool of world class players who will serve Pakistan cricket for long time. “The fast bowlers should not have muscular gym-toned bodies but ones that is cricket specific. I want to have 15 players who are brands and stars and this can only be possible if they feel secure and can win matches with their performances”, he added.
He claimed that the main problem with the current team was that it was scared of losing and players were insecure. “This mindset had to be changed. I believe that If I had been with the team there was no way we would have lost the first test to England after reducing them to top 117 for five. Aggression is necessary in top cricket.”
Akhtar has been often critised for nitpicking loopholes in the Pakistan team and praising the rivalry team India, to which he replied, “Tell me what I am supposed to say. Virat Kohli is not just a top batsman but has around 70 plus international centuries. He as captain has built a formidable pace unit and they are winning matches for India. So how can I criticise him for anything tell me?”
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) has assumed total control over cricketing activities in the country. The Olympic body has instructed Cricket South Africa (CSA) along with its other top executive officers such as Kugandrie Govender (acting CEO), Thamie Mthembu (CCO) and Welsh Gwaza (company secretary) to step aside from their respective roles on charges of bringing cricket into disrepute due to “many instances of maladministration and malpractice.”
Furthermore, this leads one to ponder upon whether these developments breach the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rules against government interference. If it does, then the national team could be prohibited from participating in the sport internationally too. The SASCOC will formulate an investigative group to probe into the occurrence and activities of the CSA. The panel is likely to submit a report post their findings within a month, which will arguably decide the fate of the CSA going ahead.
In December last year, the board’s former CEO Thabang Moore was suspended due to a forensic report that disclosed “acts of serious misconduct.” The association’s dubious actions from thereon have cast doubts over its integrity. They did not make the report public, nor was it made available for SASCOC. Even the 14 provincial presidents that comprise the Members’ Council of the CSA were made to sign non-disclosure agreements before getting their hands on the report.
According to the reports in CricBuzz, SASCOC has attempted to address these issues in two meetings with the CSA board: one was exploratory, and the other failed to take place mainly because of the fact that CSA failed to make the… forensic report available to the SASCOC board despite promises and undertakings by CSA to do so. CSA is in receipt of our letter which records that the board’s decision to make the said report available only on a limited basis to the president and board members of SASCOC, is wholly unreasonable and irrational given the apparent nature and scope of the report.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
ENG vs AUS 1st ODI Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs AUS 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Australia 1st ODI Key Players | Old Trafford Manchester Pitch Report
Whenever Australia tours England, there always seems to be an endless supply of talking points. Whether it is England’s extraordinary record score in 2018, the World Cup and Ashes battles of 2019 or the tightly contested T20I series of 2020, you can be confident in predicting that more talking points are on the way in an ODI series that is part of the ODI league.
England, winners of the recent T20I series and champions of the 50-over format, have had quite the 50-over renaissance over the past five years. Led by Eoin Morgan, England continue to express themselves in white-ball cricket, culminating in a superb record against Australia since 2018, where they have won 10 of the last 12 ODIs against their greatest rivals. As attention turns to the ODIs, can England claim further bragging rights?
Australia left Southampton wondering how they didn’t win the T20I series. Now, they can focus on ODI cricket, as 2023 is high on the agenda for Finch and his men, after the Australian captain earlier admitted that their preparations for the 2019 World Cup could have been better. So, which players will stand up and be counted? Can the middle order, of whom is subject to many questions, deliver the goods against a quality side? We shall see.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
England are set to welcome back Jos Buttler, who missed the third T20I. Buttler has been in outstanding form of late, hitting 453 runs in his last seven knocks across Tests and T20Is, at 90.60.
England also welcome back Jason Roy after a side strain. He had a poor recent series against Ireland (25 runs in three knocks), but has an excellent record vs Australia: average of 49.64, with three hundreds, including a record individual innings by an England player (180 at MCG in 2018).
David Warner will play his first ODI in England since his superb World Cup campaign last year (647 runs, avg. 71.88).
Aaron Finch (125) finished four runs behind leading run-scorer Dawid Malan in the T20I series. Also, Finch has an excellent ODI record vs England: 1,253 runs, avg. 50.12, SR 94.56.
Surprisingly, Steve Smith and Joe Root have underwhelming records in England-Australia ODIs. Smith averages 33.23 in 30 matches, while Root averages 29.23 in 25. Can they deliver in this series?
Eoin Morgan has the most runs out of any player in England vs Australia ODIs (1,864 runs, avg. 41.42, SR 91.82).
Marnus Labuschagne has made a strong start to his ODI career (305 runs, avg. 50.83, SR 94.92), including a century at Potchefstroom earlier in 2020. He is working on his finishing to take his game to another level.
Sam Billings saved England’s blushes in tricky run-chases vs Ireland recently, scoring 67* and 46*.
Adil Rashid took the most wickets in the T20I series (six), and bowled beautifully. He will have a key role to play on a surface that is expected to have some turn, and loves playing against Australia (38 wickets in 21 ODIs).
Mitchell Starc plays his first ODI in England since a record-breaking 2019 World Cup campaign (27 wickets). He and Pat Cummins will be crucial for Australia.
As will Jofra Archer and Mark Wood for England. Both bowled with great pace in the recent T20Is, each taking three wickets in three matches.
ENG vs AUS 1st ODI Preview Dream11: Finch and Warner will be key.
Stats and Facts
England and Australia have played 12 ODIs on this ground, with England leading 7-5. The latest win was a thrilling 1-wicket win in 2018, where Jos Buttler played a blinder (110* off 122 balls).
Eoin Morgan and Jonny Bairstow average more than 50 in ODIs on this ground. David Warner (154 runs in two knocks) and Aaron Finch (avg. 48.25 in five ODIs) also perform well at Manchester.
Moeen Ali has the most wickets of any current bowler in Manchester ODIs (eight wickets in five ODIs, avg. 17.87). Adil Rashid is equal with him, averaging 25.50.
Australia’s last completed ODI series was a 3-0 loss in South Africa. This was then followed by a win vs New Zealand at an empty SCG, with Mitchell Marsh winning player of the match.
Possible Playing 11
Jason Roy is set to return from a side strain, and it will be interesting to see if he fires right away. Eoin Morgan (dislocated finger) and Jos Buttler (family reasons) missed the third T20I, but should return here. Joe Root is also set to return after missing out on the T20I squad.
Also, Mark Wood and Jofra Archer are expected to play their first ODI since the 2019 World Cup Final.
England: 1. Jason Roy, 2. Jonny Bairstow, 3. Joe Root, 4. Eoin Morgan (c), 5. Sam Billings, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7. Moeen Ali, 8. Chris Woakes, 9. Adil Rashid, 10. Mark Wood, 11. Jofra Archer
Australia have some key decisions to make, particularly in their middle order. Ashton Agar performed well in the T20I series (five wickets in three games), but his inclusion here could leave Australia short of firepower at the backend. So, for that reason, Glenn Maxwell may be preferred.
Australia: 1. David Warner, 2. Aaron Finch (c), 3. Steve Smith, 4. Marnus Labuschagne, 5. Mitchell Marsh, 6. Alex Carey (wk), 7. Ashton Agar/Glenn Maxwell, 8. Pat Cummins, 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Josh Hazlewood
Old Trafford Manchester Pitch and Weather Report
Light cloud is expected throughout the day, with only a minimal chance of rain, according to the forecast.
In terms of the pitch, Eoin Morgan spoke about England working on their game on slower, turning tracks, which could be on offer in this match. “That’s very useful considering that’s both our weakest point, and it’s more than likely what we will play on in India in 2023,” said Morgan.
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Match Prediction
This has the makings for another closely-fought contest. Both sides have their strengths, but this could ultimately come down to the middle order performances of both sides. England, with Jos Buttler in great touch, have an edge in this area, and it will be interesting to see how the battle within a battle transpires.
After announcing his retirement from international cricket in June 2019, Yuvraj Singh is on track for a comeback to domestic cricket.
Confirming his plans to Cricbuzz, he said, “I enjoyed spending time with these youngsters, and talking to them about various aspects of the game, I realised that they were able to pick up various things that I was telling them. I had to get into the nets to show them a few other elements, and I was pleasantly surprised at how well I was hitting the ball even though I hadn’t held a bat for a really long time.”
“I also trained for those two months, and then I started to bat in the off-season camp. I made runs in some of the practice matches. Puneet Bali, the secretary of the Punjab Cricket Association, approached me after one of the sessions and asked me if I would reconsider coming out of retirement.”
Initially, Singh wasn’t sure about taking up this offer. “I was done with domestic cricket, though I did want to continue to play in other domestic franchise-based leagues worldwide if I got permission from the BCCI. But I also couldn’t ignore Bali’s request. I gave it a lot of thought, for nearly three or four weeks, and it was almost as if I didn’t even have to make a conscious decision in the end”, he said.
Yuvraj Singh has decided to come out of retirement to play domestic cricket for Punjab ?
The Player of the Tournament at the 2011 World Cup participated in three T20 World Cups and one Champions Trophy in 2017. He also notched his highest ever ODI score against England at Cuttack in January 2017, by scoring 150 runs in that encounter.
Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh have brought quite a few trophies back when they were representing the Punjab state. “We have won tournaments, but we haven’t done it together for Punjab, so that was a big factor in my final call,” he added. “Obviously, Shubman is already playing for India, and I feel there’s plenty of potential in the other three boys. If I can contribute in any way to their development and to the development of Punjab cricket, then that will be wonderful. After all, playing for Punjab is what paved the way for my international career.”
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
