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Analysis: England’s Rise in White-Ball Cricket after 2015 WC

Robin Rounder
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Analysis: England’s Rise in White-Ball Cricket after 2015 WC

England’s Rise in White-Ball Cricket after 2015 WC Exit | England’s ODI rise since 2015 | England white-ball cricket statistics

England is currently the top team in the limited-overs format of the game. Presently, they are a side considered one of the favorites for every multi-nation tournament.

But, this was not always the case. England, perennial underachievers in ODI tournaments, had a disastrous World Cup campaign in 2015. They not only lost matches, but they lost them by big margins – arch-rivals Australia defeated them by 111 runs in their first game, they lost by eight wickets (and 226 balls remaining) to New Zealand and Sri Lanka won by nine wickets chasing 310.

So, how did England rise to where they are now? From a side that was knocked out of the World Cup by Bangladesh in 2015 to winning the next World Cup? Here, we try to break it down for you:

Andrew Strauss

Andrew Strauss was appointed as Director of England Cricket after the group-stage exit from the 2015 World Cup. It proved to be an excellent decision, as he is one of the biggest reasons why England have transformed into a successful side in the limited-overs format.

Andrew Strauss has helped transform England.

He focused on white-ball cricket and it was his two decisions that played a major role in making the side one of the best in white-ball cricket:

1. Introduction of White-Ball Contract:

In 2016, Strauss introduced new “white-ball” contracts for white-ball specialists. In this contract, the players who were playing only limited overs the formats were to be paid around £170,000 on top of their county salary, based on their ranking determined by their performances and other parameters. This helped players financially who were only playing white-ball cricket.

Players could then focus on their white-ball game and this laid the foundation for white-ball specialists like Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Tom Banton, Tom Curran, and Chris Jordan getting into the English side, who are now regular performers.

2. Appointing Trevor Bayliss

Strauss’ decision to appoint Trevor Bayliss as the head coach proved to be a masterstroke. Bayliss completely revamped the brand of cricket played by England. His mantra of “Change in Attitude” did wonders in limited-overs, translated into the World Cup triumph.

This chart shows how successful he has been:

England's Rise in White-Ball Cricket after 2015 WC Exit | England's ODI rise since 2015 | England white-ball cricket statistics

England’s Win/Loss Ratio is the second highest after India since the 2015 World Cup; a huge improvement after their huge disappointment.

Playing Aggressive Cricket

Bayliss built a team that has great batting depth and just attacked from the word go. If you look at the English team in the 2019 WC, you’ll see that everyone except Mark Wood can bat. No wonder that this English side is known for piling up big totals.

This chart shows how aggressive England have been under Bayliss:

England's Rise in White-Ball Cricket after 2015 WC Exit | England's ODI rise since 2015 | England white-ball cricket statistics
Image credit: Crictracker

England has been the highest scoring team (6.29), that too after playing the most number of games. Also, their average per wicket jumped to 40.70 in 2015-2019 from 32.86 in 2011-2015.

Here is the comparison of 300+ scores by England between 2011-2015 and 2015-2019:

England's Rise in White-Ball Cricket after 2015 WC Exit | England's ODI rise since 2015 | England white-ball cricket statistics

The number of 300+ scores has more than doubled. It’s not surprising when they have a batting lineup of players like Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, who can knock the opposition out of the competition on their own. Then, the likes of Joe Root and Eoin Morgan are in the middle to play the anchor’s role, with Morgan able to attack depending on the situation.

Then they have Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali to go bonkers in the death overs. Adil Rashid and Liam Plunkett are more than handy with the bat, and don’t forget Jofra Archer, who is also capable with willow in hand.

This batting line-up is very flexible. They can either keep on attacking for the whole 50 overs or can play sensibly in case the openers are back early. The 2019 World Cup Final was a decent example of cautious yet intent-based batting

This chart shows the number of centuries scored by the English batters between World Cup 2011-2015 and 2015-2019:

England's Rise in White-Ball Cricket after 2015 WC Exit | England's ODI rise since 2015 | England white-ball cricket statistics

This shows how dominant the English batters have been after the 2015 World Cup; they’ve scored more than twice the number centuries after the 2015 exit.

Not only this, but the number of individual 150+ score by an English player has also increased.

This chart represents the same:

There were no 150+ scores by English batters between 2011 & 2015 World Cups. In contrast, there were four 150+ scores by them between the 2015 & 2019 World Cups.

This clearly shows that England has become a batting powerhouse in World Cricket after Trevor Bayliss’s appointment as the head coach.

Flat Tracks

The pitches in England have been a paradise for batters since the 2015 WC. They suit the brand of cricket this English team plays. After the shine is gone off the ball, these flat tracks become even more of a paradise for the batsmen.

You can get the idea from this chart:

image credit: scroll.in

This shows how much batters have enjoyed playing in England. Since the 2015 WC, the highest number of runs have been scored on English soil and Runs per Match is second highest around the globe. Players just enjoy batting there.

Also, the conditions are so good for batting that three out of the five 400+ totals since the 2015 WC have been scored by England on their home turf, including the highest score in ODI history of 481 runs vs Australia in 2018.

Some more numbers on this:

image credit: scroll.in

This further shows that teams have scored with the highest run-rate in England, in addition to the highest number of centuries scored there since the 2015 WC.

In short, the pitches are tailor-made for this England team as they can score a very big total batting first and are also capable of chasing any target. This has been a key factor in their success.

Eoin Morgan: The Captain

Of course, we can’t forget the contribution of Eoin Morgan as captain, as he led England to their first ever 50-over World Cup Title. He is very calm, composed and isn’t very expressive on the field, which helps his teammates go about their work with confidence and freedom.

Morgan has led the side in 114 games and has won 69 of them with a superb win percentage of 65.42%. He led the team at a time of transition and it’s truly remarkable how he led this team to the World Cup triumph after the group-stage exit in 2015 WC.

Indeed, he is one of the best captains England has ever had.

So with all the points mentioned, we can conclude that there’s a lot of effort behind the success of this English team. They have a director who backs the team. Trevor Bayliss made them “change their attitude”. They build their team around white-ball specialists. The pitches have been made according to their strength, and to go with that, they have Eoin Morgan to lead them.

All these things build an excellent system and it’s no wonder they a successful side.

Thanks for reading!

Written by Robin Rounder. Follow Robin on Twitter today.

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5 New Cricket Records that could happen in Decade 2020-2029

Charbel Coorey
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5 New Cricket Records that could happen in Decade 2020-2029

5 New Cricket Records that could happen in Decade 2020-2029 | Cricket Records that Could be Broken | ODI Records | T20 Records | Test Records

It is pretty remarkable to think how much things have changed over the past decade. 2010 began with no ODI double century by a men’s player, only a handful of 400+ scores in ODIs and T20 building up its prowess.

Fast forward 10 years later. Records have tumbled all over the place across formats. Zero double centuries became eight, seven 400+ ODI totals became 20 and some incredible T20 records have been set. So, while there are records that may never be broken, there certainly is the possibility of new records being created in the coming decade.

In this article, we will look at five, spanning across all three formats of the game.

5 new records that could happen in the next decade:

1. Team score of 500+ in ODIs

Fans and pundits were convinced it was only a matter of time before the 500 barrier was broken when England smashed a world-record 481/6 vs Australia in 2018. It was widely thought that the 2019 World Cup would be the time and place, but the bowlers held up quite well, with a number of star performers.

Will we see 500 in the coming decade? Yes, particularly as batsmen continue to play fearlessly thanks to the T20 influence in the ODI format. Pitches are often flat, bats are lighter yet more powerful, and 360-degree strokeplay is the norm. Fasten your seatbelts.

England is home to some big ODI scores. Could 500 happen in England?

2. Team score of 300+ in T20s

Could we see 300 in a T20 game? Yes. There have been 19 250+ scores in T20 cricket (as of April 2020), including scores of 278, scored by Afghanistan and Czech Republic.

With the sheer amount of T20 usually on the cricket calendar, in combination with batting paradises, amazing bats, 360-degree strokeplay and short boundaries, the 300 barrier may very well be broken in the coming years.

Will we see 300 scored by a team in T20s?

3. ODI Triple Century

When 2010 began, no man had ever crossed the 200 mark single-handedly in ODI history. A few, particularly Saeed Anwar and Charles Coventry, came close, but the thought of 200 seemed preposterous.

However, when Sachin Tendulkar became the first man to achieve the feat in 2010, it inspired a revolution. Virender Sehwag was next, followed by Rohit Sharma (who now has three), Chris Gayle, Martin Guptill and Fakhar Zaman.

Going forward, we can expect to see many more double centuries. However, there is a great possibility that a player can achieve 200 with a number of death overs to spare, which can provide the time to give the triple century mark a real go. We have seen ridiculous striking over the past five years, with a top score of 264 (held by Rohit), that could very well translate to the magical 300 figure.

Cricket Records: Rohit Sharma knows how to score big in white-ball cricket.

4. T20 Double Century

In 2017, Rohit Sharma was 118 not out off 42 balls in a T20 vs Sri Lanka, with 7.3 overs remaining. A double century was on the minds of fans and pundits around the globe, until he was dismissed next ball. In 2018, Aaron Finch slammed 172 vs Zimbabwe, which remains the highest individual T20I score in history. In the same year, David Miller smashed the fastest T20I century vs Bangladesh (35 balls), equaling Louis van der Westhuizen (2011) and Rohit Sharma (2017).

When you couple these international feats with some extraordinary hitting in T20 leagues (such as Chris Gayle’s 175* in 2013), we may very well see a player reach the magical 200-mark in a T20. After all, T20 will always remain a batsman’s game.

Cricket Records: A double century was very possible in 2017.

5. Most Test and international centuries by a single player

Sachin Tendulkar, in 2012, became the first cricketer in history to achieve 100 international centuries. His fellow countryman, Virat Kohli, has the best chance of any current player of surpassing that mark.

It is a big call. As of April 2020, Virat Kohli has 70 international centuries to his name (43 in ODIs, 27 in Tests). However, at 31 years of age, Kohli has the drive and determination to play for at least another six or seven years.

  • Kohli scores an ODI ton once every 5.56 innings. Say he plays 15 innings each year from 2021-2027 (105 innings), and scores centuries at the same rate, Kohli will score another 21 ODI centuries.
  • This leaves Kohli with 10 centuries to achieve across Tests and T20Is. With 27 Test centuries in 86 matches, including a superb 50-to-100 conversion rate of 55%, it is very likely that another bunch of Test centuries await Kohli.

In terms of Test centuries, Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 51 centuries is a chance of being broken. Virat Kohli (27 centuries at 31 years of age) and the superhuman Steve Smith (26 centuries at 30 years of age) are leading contenders.

Each will need to have a superb run of form in the first half of the decade. Both are capable.

We can revisit this article on December 31st, 2029 to see if these possibilities indeed came true. One thing for sure is that they can stir up a discussion. Do you believe any new records will be created in the coming years?

Thanks for reading!

Also, try your hand at CricBlog’s 21st century ODI quiz, divided in four parts:

More on 2019 in a dedicated 2019 ODI Quiz here.

21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 4 (2015-2019)

Charbel Coorey
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0
21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 4 (2015-2019)

21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 4 (2015-2019) | ODI Cricket Quiz | ODI Cricket Quiz 2015-2019| 2015 Cricket World Cup Quiz

Once you are done with this quiz, answer more questions on 2019 ODI Cricket with a dedicated 2019 Quiz and;

Try the first three parts of CricBlog’s 21st century ODI quiz:
Part 1: 2000-2004
Part 2: 2005-2009
Part 3: 2010-2014

[qsm quiz=7]

21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 3 (2010-2014)

Charbel Coorey
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0
21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 3 (2010-2014)

21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 3 (2010-2014) | ODI Cricket Quiz | ODI Cricket Quiz 2010-2014| 2011 Cricket World Cup Quiz

Test your knowledge with 30 questions in five questions from ODI cricket between 2010 and 2014, including the 2011 World Cup.

This is part three of CricBlog’s 21st century ODI cricket quiz. After this, try:

[qsm quiz=6]

21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 2 (2005-2009)

Charbel Coorey
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0
21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 2 (2005-2009)

21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 2 (2005-2009) | ODI Cricket Quiz | ODI Cricket Quiz 2005-2009| 2007 Cricket World Cup Quiz

Test your knowledge with 30 questions in five questions from ODI cricket between 2005 and 2009.

This is part 2 of CricBlog’s 21st century ODI quiz. Also try:
Part 1: ODI Quiz 2000-2004
Part 3: ODI Quiz 2010-2014
Part 4: ODI Quiz 2015-2019

[qsm quiz=5]

4 Reasons Why Mumbai Indians edge Chennai Super Kings

Robin Rounder
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4 Reasons Why Mumbai Indians edge Chennai Super Kings

4 Reasons Why Mumbai Indians edge Chennai Super Kings | MI vs CSK rivalry: Why MI win plenty of matches against CSK | MI record vs CSK

Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, a rivalry that would find its place at the top of sporting rivalries, never fails to stop the nation.

The top two teams in IPL history have an extraordinary seven titles between them. Termed as the “El Clássico” of IPL, the contest between these two most successful teams in franchise cricket is a guaranteed nail-biter.

The likes of MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and Jasprit Bumrah going face-to-face is the contest millions of cricket fans crave to see.

MI vs CSK

CSK has qualified for the playoffs in every season. They’ve played eight finals (the most) and won three times. Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, have played five finals, winning four, with three against CSK.

Here is the head-to-head records of both sides:

4 Reasons Why Mumbai edge Chennai Super Kings | MI vs CSK rivalry: Why MI win plenty of matches against CSK | MI record vs CSK
4 Reasons Why Mumbai edge Chennai Super Kings: MI vs CSK Head-to-Head

In this incredible rivalry, it is MI who have the wood over their nemesis: 18-12. The margin increased in IPL 2019 as MI finished on top in all four meetings against CSK.

But, incredibly, both these teams are so evenly matched that their average and average run-rate are almost the same against each other:

  • Average score of MI: 160
  • Average score of CSK: 156
  • Average Run-Rate of MI: 8.18
  • Average Run-Rate of CSK: 8.00

So, why do MI have the wood on CSK?

If the head-to-head statistics are so similar, then why are CSK unable to get past Mumbai in the IPL?

Here, we will explore four key reasons why this is the case:

1. Countering the Spin Attack

CSK’s most important weapon and strength is their spin bowling, particularly on the slow Chepauk wicket; the fortress of MS Dhoni’s CSK side. Mumbai has been very successful in countering that. In fact, CSK has been below par against MI in their home ground.

Here is the head to head records of all teams against CSK at Chepauk:

4 Reasons Why Mumbai edge Chennai Super Kings | MI vs CSK rivalry: Why MI win plenty of matches against CSK | MI record vs CSK
4 Reasons Why Mumbai edge Chennai Super Kings: Chepauk Head-to-Head

You can see how dominant CSK at Chepauk. However, MI has been very successful against the men in yellow, winning six games out of eight played while no other team has won even three. In fact, MI is the only team to win more games than they have lost at Chepauk.

Players like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya and Keiron Pollard are excellent players of spin, and they have been very successful in countering CSK’s spin attack. In fact, MI have scored at a run rate of 7.42 in the middle overs vs CSK, which is the fourth highest among active teams:

4 Reasons Why Mumbai edge Chennai Super Kings | MI vs CSK rivalry: Why MI win plenty of matches against CSK | MI record vs CSK
4 Reasons Why Mumbai edge Chennai Super Kings: Run rates in middle overs vs CSK

This is one of the main reasons why they are so successful against the Chennai Super Kings.

CSK’s Poor Death Bowling and MI’s Finishers

Death bowling has always been the area where CSK have struggled. When it comes to conceding runs in the death overs in recent seasons, CSK are up there.

On the other hand, Mumbai have some absolutely destructive finishers in Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard, who can go bonkers on their day. Interestingly, MI score most of their runs in overs 19 and 20 against CSK with a strike-rate of 191. They’ve hit most of their sixes too against CSK in the same period.

4 Reasons Why Mumbai edge Chennai Super Kings | MI vs CSK rivalry: Why MI win plenty of matches against CSK | MI record vs CSK
4 Reasons Why Mumbai edge Chennai Super Kings: MI do well vs CSK at the death.

This shows that MI is very consistent against CSK whether it is in the middle or death overs, which plays a vital role in their dominance against CSK.

Bumrah Neutralising the “Dhoni Effect”

MS Dhoni is the backbone of CSK’s batting and we know how dangerous he is in the death overs. His numbers are remarkable: 2939 runs in overs 16-20 in IPL with a strike rate of 173.3.

He has won many impossible looking games single-handedly for CSK. But, MI has been very successful in stopping Dhoni from doing heavy damage in the death overs.

Why? Jasprit Bumrah.

Dhoni’s strike rate goes down significantly against Bumrah when compared with other bowlers:

As you can see, Dhoni just demolishes other bowlers but hasn’t been able to get going against Bumrah. This shows the impact of Bumrah, as Dhoni has a strike rate of 125 against him in overs 16-20, to go with three dismissals. Also, Dhoni has hit him for only two sixes and a four in this period.

This is arguably the most important thing in favour of Mumbai Indians over the Chennai Super Kings.

Also read: If IPL 2020 goes ahead, can CSK be successful again?

Rohit Sharma: The Captain

Rohit Sharma has to be the most important players for Mumbai Indians in the IPL. After all, he is the only skipper to win the title four times, which is incredible considering he was appointed captain in 2013.

A key reason for Rohit’s success as captain has been his tactical nous. He benches his overseas pace bowler to play an extra spinner on the slow wicket of Chepauk and it has given him results.

More impressive is the fact that Rohit has beaten CSK three times out of three in IPL Finals (2013, 2015 and 2019). Rohit has an incredible record of 12 wins and only five losses in 17 games against CSK as a skipper since 2013.

So it is clear that Rohit Sharma, the captain, plays a crucial role in MI’s prominence over CSK.

Although it’s very difficult to separate these sides statistically as they are undoubtedly the top two teams in franchise cricket, MI have some key edges over CSK that will continue to hold them in good stead.

Thanks for reading!

Written by Robin Rounder. Follow Robin on Twitter

Also read: Should IPL go ahead in 2020, who are the leading Purple and Orange Cap contenders?

Funny Cricket Tweets March 2020 Edition

Charbel Coorey
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Funny Cricket Tweets March 2020 Edition

Funny Cricket Tweets March 2020 Edition | Funny Cricket Tweets | 15 Funny Cricket Tweets from March 2020

2020, aye? The year where April Fools should have been cancelled simply because what is going on in the world is scarcely believable.

It is also scarcely believable to think that there was cricket in March. India’s tour of New Zealand had come to a close, Australia were in South Africa, Zimbabwe were in Bangladesh, West Indies were in Sri Lanka and the PSL was rolling on. In what seems like an eternity ago, all cricket came to a standstill from mid-March onwards, as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc around the globe.

Social media use has skyrocketed, with many looking for some relief amid uncertainty, anxiety and social distancing. So, you are in the right place as I list 15 funny cricket tweets from March 2020. Enjoy.

1. Great Maggi Noodles Tip

I’m not one who supports fanwars, but this tweet from @double_century was both cheeky and hilarious.

Virat Kohli had a difficult tour of New Zealand. Linking his short stays at the crease with cooking two-minute Maggi noodles gives us all some nice tips for making the perfect noodles and a bit of a chuckle at the same time.

2. No chance for RCB to underachieve… yet

IPL 2020 was meant to be happening right now. Specifically, RCB were meant to be underachieving right now (sorry RCB fans).

So, with no IPL on, RCB fans finally have the chance to relax and not be stressed at this time of year. Well, at least @Jaswanth__R thinks so.

3. Stay inside, stay safe

Ravi Ashwin’s tweet about staying safe sent Twitter into a frenzy. But, hours earlier, @MyKuhl delivered the goods, linking one of cricket’s most infamous moments to an important COVID-19 message. Creativity at its finest.

4. RCB were ahead of their time

If RCB win the IPL Title, it is estimated that internet memes will decline by at least 25%.

Of course, that is a bit of satire, but one thing for certain is that RCB, unfortunately for they and their fans, are easy targets. So, when “social distancing” became a hot topic, @ladywithflaws pounced on the opportunity, highlighting how RCB were ahead of the curve. Creative.

5. Sad day indeed

If you don’t enjoy a chuckle or two during these times, you’ll cry.

COVID-19 is hovering over IPL 2020 like its vicious murderer, super glad that it’s gone. Very good memeing from @theesmaarkhan, uniting IPL fans who feel the same way.

6. Unhappy ABD

Funny Cricket Tweets March 2020 Edition | Funny Cricket Tweets | 15 Funny Cricket Tweets from March 2020 | Funny Cricket Posts on Twitter

Safe to say that when AB de Villiers decided to skip PSL 2020 ahead of IPL 2020, it didn’t go down too well with Pakistan fans.

So, with IPL 2020 postponed and a good chance of being cancelled, @PakistanCric10 pounced on the opportunity to bring up ABD’s decision. Funny.

7. Happy Michael Holding

Funny Cricket Tweets March 2020 Edition | Funny Cricket Tweets | 15 Funny Cricket Tweets from March 2020 | Funny Cricket Posts on Twitter

While AB de Villiers is unhappy, Michael Holding is thrilled. A high-profile opponent of T20 cricket, @CSKManya has given us an accurate summary of Holding’s mood as IPL did not begin when scheduled.

Holding’s formula: Beautiful action + great career as player and commentator + no T20 cricket = happiness.

8. Shouldn’t Sammy be self-isolating?

Funny Cricket Tweets March 2020 Edition | Funny Cricket Tweets | 15 Funny Cricket Tweets from March 2020 | Funny Cricket Posts on Twitter

Darren Sammy has been an excellent captain over the years and is a player that has always punched above his weight. But, when it comes to calls for people to stay home, Sammy isn’t the best listener!

Genuinely thought it was him. Funny stuff from @MubbashirAbbas8.

9. Daniel Alexander? Not quite

Funny Cricket Tweets March 2020 Edition | Funny Cricket Tweets | 15 Funny Cricket Tweets from March 2020 | Funny Cricket Posts on Twitter

The Daniel Alexander parody account, @Daniel86criket, is helping many get through these times of quarantine and self-isolation. One such gem is how many T20Is Sri Lanka have won in 2020.

If you are unaware of who Daniel Alexander is – he is a Sri Lankan fan and correspondent with a Twitter account that contains at least 85% of tweets about India in some negative way. A complete disregard for being unbiased.

10. Javaid has no chill

https://twitter.com/JavaidSpeaks/status/1244898183706116098?s=20

Kanika Kapoor tested positive for COVID-19 for an incredible fifth time. @JavaidSpeaks didn’t miss the chance for a cricket-related response, with this well-and-truly looking likely to go into a seven-match series.

In all seriousness, though, I hope Kanika recovers quickly and does not catch the virus again.

11. England fans watching The Test

https://twitter.com/Vitu_E/status/1238518732109959169?s=20

One major positive out of a difficult March was “The Test” on Amazon Prime Video. In @Vitu_E’s words “they can cancel our sport, but they cannot cancel our memes” – great creativity here in highlighting England fans’ pain which brought out the laughs. Watch with sound on!

By the way, if you haven’t watched The Test yet, here are five reasons you must.

12. One thing for certain

Funny Cricket Tweets March 2020 Edition | Funny Cricket Tweets | 15 Funny Cricket Tweets from March 2020 | Funny Cricket Posts on Twitter

Amid all the uncertainty, one thing is for sure. You can bet your house that Steve Smith is shadow batting somewhere (at home, most likely). Thank you @itsashleeee_ for bringing some certainty into our lives during these times.

13. COVID-19 has achieved the impossible

Funny Cricket Tweets March 2020 Edition | Funny Cricket Tweets | 15 Funny Cricket Tweets from March 2020 | Funny Cricket Posts on Twitter

March has seen a record low for “he’s watching the cricket again” and “is that match still going?” I know this, as I am speaking from experience.

Kudos to cricket legend @sthalekar93 for an awesome sense of humour! Funny stuff indeed.

14. Step aside, Jacques Kallis, Garfield Sobers etc.

https://twitter.com/divyadutta25/status/1244565071398711296?s=20

Jacques Kallis, Garfield Sobers and the like were good, but are they as good as this guy? All three disciplines in one ball; very funny stuff courtesy of Rajvender Singh, shared by @divyadutta25. Peak creativity in a time which calls for it!

15. A win for CSK

Funny Cricket Tweets March 2020 Edition | Funny Cricket Tweets | 15 Funny Cricket Tweets from March 2020 | Funny Cricket Posts on Twitter

@CSKian716 again. In these difficult times, you can turn to CSK fans as there is no chance of losing to their nemesis MI anytime soon.

CSK were meant to play MI in the opening game of IPL 2020, which gives them the best chance as MI rarely win their first game. But, CSK fans didn’t want to be taking chances. Funny stuff.

So, I hope this selection of tweets has provided some smiles and laughs in these times. Another edition will be out for April, so if you have something to share, do send to me or tag me on Twitter @cric_blog.

Thanks for reading!

Dream11 and Fantasy Cricket content for you to enjoy on CricBlog:

RANKED: Top 10 Upsets in ODI Cricket History

Charbel Coorey
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RANKED: Top 10 Upsets in ODI Cricket History

Top 10 Upsets in ODI Cricket History | Biggest Upsets in ODI Cricket | Top 10 Biggest Upsets in One Day Internationals

From a cricketing perspective, ODI cricket was not the priority in 2020. However, as the COVID-19 Pandemic continues to impact the world in many profound ways, ODI cricket takes an even further backward step in the list of priorities in 2020.

But, one cannot help to use this time to look back at some classics in the past, as ODI cricket has delivered some of the most memorable and stunning upsets. Unless it is against your own team, everyone loves an underdog. From Bangladesh to Kenya, this article will explore 10 of the best upsets in ODI history; results that shook the foundation of the game and had the cricketing world in total surprise.

10. Scotland vs England, 2018 ODI

England were flying. Ranked the number one ODI side and a great chance of lifting the World Cup a year later, they were expected to brush past Scotland.

Scotland, like other Associate nations, don’t get the opportunities they should to build their skills. So, surely it would have been an achievement just to compete with the world’s number one side?

Not quite. Led by Callum McLeod’s superb century en-route to a huge score of 371, Scotland won their first ever ODI against England in the most incredible circumstances, sending the 4000-crowd into raptures.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4p7mIQ4x50
Top 10 Upsets in ODI Cricket History: Scotland vs England 2018

9. Bangladesh vs Pakistan, 1999 World Cup

It might have not been a game that mattered in the context of the 1999 World Cup, but Bangladesh’s win over Pakistan sent shockwaves throughout world cricket.

Indeed, this was the game that catapulted Bangladesh into Test cricket. With a respectable yet highly-gettable 223 on the board, Bangladesh rallied with the ball to rip through the Pakistani top order. In the end, there was no way back for Pakistan, sending all of Bangladesh into raptures, in spite of rumours and allegations of possible match fixing.

8. Bangladesh vs India, 2007 World Cup

It’s Bangladesh again. This time, eight years later at the 2007 World Cup.

Filled with a team of youngsters such as Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh did the unthinkable and all-but-knocked-out heavyweights India after the opening game. It was the bowlers who did the damage, getting the better of India’s very experienced lineup, before 17-year old Tamim lit up Port of Spain with some audacious strokeplay.

This shock result had consequences beyond just these two teams. With a short group stage followed by the longer Super Eights, the loss of India was a significant financial blow to the ICC. But, Bangladesh couldn’t care one bit, taking further steps in their development as a cricketing nation.

7. Ireland vs Pakistan, 2007 World Cup

Another upset at the 2007 World Cup sent a subcontinent giant packing.

Like Bangladesh vs India, not many gave the underdog a chance of winning. However, Ireland’s win over Pakistan was a real shock, given that the Irish were an Associate nation fighting for opportunities to showcase their ability.

Like Bangladesh vs India, the bowlers did the job. Ireland blew Pakistan away for just 132, before scraping home to their revised target of 128 by three wickets to send shockwaves throughout the cricketing world and continue Pakistan’s hurt in World Cups since their triumph in 1992.

6. Ireland vs England, 2011 World Cup

This remains one of the greatest ODIs of all-time.

It wasn’t the result itself that was a huge upset, but the manner of it. Looking all but gone at 111/5 in the 25th over chasing 328 for victory, Kevin O’Brien conjured up one of the greatest knocks ODI cricket has ever seen, smashing 113 in 63 balls to put Ireland on the brink of victory. Certainly would have racked up some brilliant fantasy cricket points!

John Mooney (33*) and Trent Johnston (7*) sealed the deal in the final over, executing what remains the highest successful run chase in ODI World Cups.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw4m1F-D2cQ
Top 10 Upsets in ODI Cricket History: Another memorable Irish win.

5. India vs West Indies, 1983 World Cup Final

Was this the day cricket came alive in India?

David Frith, editor Wisden Cricket Monthly at the time of the 1983 World Cup, wrote: “Show me a person who gave Kapil Dev’s team any chance of winning the 1983 World Cup and I will show you a liar and an opportunist.”

India were widely written off against the world’s best team, West Indies, who had won the first two World Cups (1975 and 1979). But, the Indians drew great hope from their win over West Indies in the group stage, putting together the most incredible bowling performance they could to defend 183 against some of the best batsmen the game has ever seen.

4. Zimbabwe vs Australia, 1983 World Cup

Zimbabwe’s group of part-timers stunned one of the world’s heavyweight teams. Incredibly, this was Zimbabwe’s first ever ODI, which makes this result scarcely believable even to this day. To show just how big an upset this was, Zimbabwe went on to lose their next 18 ODIs in a row.

Duncan Fletcher, in his first of just six ODIs in his career, put together one of the great all-round performances in ODI history against a team backed to go far in the 1983 World Cup. He scored 69* (84) and took 4/42 in one of the most scarcely believable individual performances in ODI history to lead Zimbabwe to a famous win.

3. Kenya vs West Indies, 1996 World Cup

When Kenya and West Indies took to the field in the 20th match of the 1996 World Cup, a West Indies win was widely expected. When Kenya were bowled out for 166, a West Indies win was even more widely expected.

Rightly so when you have the likes of Brian Lara in your side.

But, West Indies were struggling in ODI cricket at that time. Kenya, with one professional cricketer in their ranks, still took advantage and conjured up an amazing result. They thumped their more established opponents, rolling them for just 93 in one of the many fine stories of Kenyan cricket spanning the next seven years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc8Sf-7SnKg
Top 10 Upsets in ODI Cricket History: Kenya demolished West Indies.

2. Kenya vs Sri Lanka, 2003 World Cup

One such great story was their 2003 World Cup journey, with the first World Cup match at Nairobi a very memorable one. Along the journey to an incredible Semi Final appearance, who could possibly forget such an incredible day against Sri Lanka?

Scenes of joy in the crowd, players jumping up and down in celebration of every wicket and growing belief that a new cricketing nation was here to stay made the occasion all the more special. Kenya’s score of 210/9 was competitive yet uninspiring, but their bowling and fielding effort was out of this world, dismantling a strong Sri Lankan lineup in one of the all-time upsets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxZL1m7NuPQ
Top 10 Upsets in ODI Cricket History: What a result in 2003.

1. Bangladesh vs Australia, 2005 Natwest Tri-Series

This result really shook the foundations of world cricket.

Sure, Bangladesh were a Test nation for five years at this point, but it wasn’t very merited. They had won only one match (which came in January 2005 vs struggling Zimbabwe) out of 35 Tests, with 20 defeats coming by an innings.

They didn’t fare much better in ODIs, either, boasting the worst record of any team at the time with nine wins in 107 matches. Only two were other than Zimbabwe or non-Test playing nations, and with just one individual ODI century by any player in their history, they were considered pretty much no chance against an Australia side boasting some of the world’s best ever cricketers.

But, that day in 2005 will never be forgotten. With Australia recovering to 249/5 after a shaky start, Mohammad Ashraful played a knock worthy of his incredible (but eventually unfulfilled) talent, hitting a run-a-ball century to guide Bangladesh to arguably the biggest upset ever in ODI cricket.

So, there are my top 10 upsets in ODI cricket. Do you have any games you think should be added?

Thanks for reading!

Dream11 and Fantasy Cricket content for you to enjoy on CricBlog:

21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 1 (2000-2004)

Charbel Coorey
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21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 1 (2000-2004)

21st Century ODI Cricket Quiz Part 1 (2000-2004) | ODI Cricket Quiz | ODI Cricket Quiz 2000-2004 | 2003 Cricket World Cup Quiz

Test your knowledge with 30 questions in five questions from ODI cricket between 2000 and 2004.

This is part 1 of CricBlog’s 21st century ODI quiz. Also try:
Part 2: ODI Quiz 2005-2009
Part 3: ODI Quiz 2010-2014
Part 4: ODI Quiz 2015-2019

[qsm quiz=4]

RANKED: Top 10 Biggest Upsets in T20I Cricket History

Charbel Coorey
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RANKED: Top 10 Biggest Upsets in T20I Cricket History

Top 10 Biggest Upsets in T20I Cricket History | Top Upsets in T20I Cricket | What is the biggest upset in T20 Internationals?

T20 cricket has divided opinion. Legends like Michael Holding have not grown to liking the game, whereas millions of other fans have.

But, whether you like it or not, T20 is well-and-truly here to stay. One impact of T20 cricket, compared to Test cricket in particular, is that it brings the two teams closer together. The shorter the match, the bigger the impact of momentum swings, and a number of T20Is have been testament to that.

Over 15 years of T20I cricket, there have been a number of eyebrow-raising results. From Associates to lower-ranked teams, this article will explore the top 10 upsets in T20 Internationals.

Quiz: How well do you know the World T20? Answer 35 questions in 7 minutes!

Top 10 Upsets in T20I Cricket History:

10. Zimbabwe beat India, 2nd T20I, 2015

India may have been missing their big stars when they traveled to Zimbabwe in 2015. But, after winning the first T20I of that series so easily (54 runs), not many would have expected that Indian team, many of whom play regularly in the IPL, to lose the second and final match of the series.

After all, Zimbabwe had uncertainty regarding their administration, were missing key players such as Brendan Taylor and Kyle Jarvis, and had only won three in 29 against Full Member teams. But, after Chamu Chibhaba hit a solid 67 off 51, they mustered up the effort to defend 145 in Harare en-route to a morale-boosting victory.

And, for good measure, Zimbabwe beat India again a year later in another upset.

Zimbabwe and India shared the T20 trophy in 2015.

9. Singapore beat Zimbabwe, T20I Tri-Series, 2019

It is not often Zimbabwe go into a T20 match as favourites. It was certainly the case in September 2019 as they took on Singapore in a Tri-Series also involving Nepal.

The Zimbabweans were a tad shaky against Nepal in their first match of the series. Singapore, on the wrong end of a Paras Khadka onslaught, were then thumped by Nepal. So, it would only make sense that Zimbabwe would beat Singapore, right?

Wrong. In one of the biggest shocks in T20I cricket, Singapore, with a good team effort, mustered a fine score of 181; a score which proved four runs too many for Zimbabwe. The result heaped further hurt on Zimbabwe, who were barred from global competitions by the ICC at the time due to interference from the government in their cricket proceedings.

8. Oman beat Ireland, World T20 2016 Qualifying Stage

Ireland have largely struggled for consistency in T20I cricket. Heading into the 2016 World T20, they found themselves in a tough group which also included Bangladesh and Netherlands for a spot in the main stage of the tournament.

So, the game they were well-and-truly expected to win was against Oman. Ranked 29th in the world and playing in their first World T20 match, Oman stunned their more accomplished opponents, chasing 157 with two wickets and balls to spare. A shock result.

Oman pulled off an incredible win

7. Scotland beat Bangladesh, Only T20I, 2012

Given Bangladesh’s inconsistency in T20 cricket, Scotland would have felt quietly confident in a one-off T20I in 2012.

However, Scotland had to do something they had never done before: win a T20I against a Full Member nation. Led by Richie Berrington’s superb century, Scotland put on a clinic at The Hague, defending 162 with ease as they dismantled Bangladesh’s capable batting lineup which included Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim.

Quiz: How well do you know the World T20? Answer 35 questions in 7 minutes!

6. Bangladesh beat West Indies, World T20 2007

With such great talent yet extremely disappointing returns, every opponent against Bangladesh in the mid-late 2000’s must have been wondering if it was going to be Mohammad Ashraful’s day.

Unfortunately for West Indies in the 2007 World T20, they found themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time. Ashraful, in partnership with another hot-and-cold player, Aftab Ahmed, pummelled the Windies bowlers all over Johannesburg.

In fact, Ashraful’s fifty of 20 balls was the then-fastest T20I fifty of all-time, lifting Bangladesh to a win with six wickets and two overs to spare.

5. Hong Kong beat Bangladesh, World T20 2014 Qualifying Stage

Bangladesh have handed out upsets over the years. However, they have also been on the wrong end of the ledger, with a prevalent example being their shock loss to Hong Kong at home in the 2014 World T20 Qualifying Stage.

After losing 7/23 in 5.5 overs to be bundled out for 108, Bangladesh were in grave danger of missing the World T20 Super 10s at home. In the end, Hong Kong didn’t chase the target in the required 13.2 overs to get Nepal through, but that took nothing away from Hong Kong’s amazing achievement. They may have stuttered with the bat, chasing the total with two wickets in the bank, but it was a day no one associated with HK Cricket will ever forget.

An incredible result in 2014.

4. Afghanistan beat West Indies, World T20 2016 Super 10s

It can be easy to forget how Afghanistan were still in their cricketing infancy as recently as 2016, such has been their remarkable rise.

After all, they beat West Indies 2-1 in a T20I series just a few months back. But, in 2016, they were still very much finding their feet as an Associate nation, so they were distant outsiders against a strong West Indies side. With just 123 to defend, their odds of victory had blown out even further.

But, their spin bowling display gave us a taste of what was to come in Afghanistan cricket. Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan led the way, with Amir Hamza not letting the Windies’ batsmen get going in a terrific bowling performance.

Make no doubt about it, this was a special win for Afghanistan against a side that went on to win that same tournament.

A quality display from Afghanistan.

3. Netherlands beat England, World T20 2014 Super 10s

Netherlands achieved two remarkable feats in the 2014 World T20.

Firstly, they needed a miracle to qualify for the Super 10s. Against Ireland, they needed to chase down 190 in 14.2 overs to make it to the next round. Incredibly, they did so in 13.5 overs.

So, the fact they were even in the main stage was extraordinary. But, that wasn’t enough for the Dutch. They went on to thump England by 45 runs, dismantling their more-established opponents for just 88. Given England’s struggles, no result was out of the picture, but the manner of victory here was a shock to most.

2. Netherlands beat England, World T20 2009 Group Stage

Lightning had struck twice in 2014, after Netherlands pulled off an even bigger upset in 2009.

England were the hosts, gunning for their first ever global trophy. Netherlands had only played four T20Is in total before this match, and had to face the music at Lord’s. It was a mismatch on paper. Surely England would start their tournament off with a routine win?

Not quite. In one of the greatest upsets in history, the Associates stunned the hosts to leave Lord’s and the world stunned. They pulled England back after a strong century opening stand between Ravi Bopara and Luke Wright, but to chase 162 still needed some effort.

Led by Tom de Grooth, the Netherlands achieved one of their finest ever cricketing moments. They needed two to win off the final ball, and after Stuart Broad missed a run-out, Netherlands were in ecstasy.

Netherlands pulled off an incredible win in 2009.

1. Zimbabwe beat Australia, 2007 World T20 Group Stage

The biggest upset in T20 Internationals.

Australia, winners of the 50-over World Cup three times in a row, were expected to be too good for Zimbabwe, albeit in a different format. After all, how could one expect differently with Australia boasting a full-strength side with the likes of Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee in their ranks?

After Australia slipped to 19/3, the Newlands crowd and the cricketing world started to wonder if Zimbabwe could actually pull it off. The Aussies recovered somewhat to post 138, but it proved too little as Zimbabwe, led by Brendan Taylor, who hit a four of the penultimate ball, pulled off a stunning upset with one ball remaining.

What an amazing upset.

So, there are my top 10 upsets in T20I cricket. Do you have any others?

Thanks for reading!

Quiz: How well do you know the World T20? Answer 35 questions in 7 minutes!

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