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“As cricketers, if you’re not tested in your chosen skill, then you’re not going to challenge yourself to get better”

Firdose Moonda19-Feb-2025South Africa’s bowlers are looking forward to the chance to test themselves on batter-friendly surfaces in Pakistan, where high scores are expected to define the Champions Trophy.Since 2021, Pakistan has been home to the highest batting average in ODIs – 35.53 – and the mini tri-series which preceded the Champions Trophy saw five out of eight scores in excess of 300, including Pakistan’s highest successful ODI chase.South Africa’s white-ball bowling coach Anton Roux said he expected “the trend going around all the venues” to continue and Keshav Maharaj, South Africa’s premier spinner, believed the bowlers were up for the challenge.Related

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“It’s a wonderful opportunity to see the class within our bowling line-up stand up and sort of defend these scores,” Maharaj said from Karachi, where South Africa will play Afghanistan in their tournament opener on Friday. “Although the totals might seem high in the context of cricket it’s probably on par to get 320 these days when batting first and chasing it down in the 44th or 46th over.”It’s a nice test. As cricketers, if you’re not tested in your chosen skill, then you’re not going to challenge yourself to get better. I think it’s a wonderful advert to see the high scores and when the bowler does come out on the right side of things, it shows his class and worth within the team and the world line-up.”Maharaj recognised that this may mean a return to a more traditional containing role for him with the seamers expected to attack.”In order to get success, it’s about building pressure and just limiting the boundary balls in between,” he said. “It’s probably more of that holding role that one’s accustomed to seeing in South Africa. It’s not about changing the way I bowl, it’s just about changing the field sets that we have. I’m still trying to bowl my best ball to create opportunity, but with probably a more defensive type of field, maybe not carrying a slip for so long. That’s basically the sort of mindset.”On the evidence of the only ODI Maharaj has played in Pakistan, which was just last week, he has taken to the task well. He was South Africa’s most economical bowler on a difficult day as Pakistan chased down 353 with an over to go – going wicketless but conceding just five fours and a six in his ten overs, which included 30 dot balls. And his economy of 5.40 was a result of experimenting with ways to limit run-scoring in a place where he has found that “it doesn’t turn as much as one would think”.So Maharaj has had to rely on changes of pace instead. “You still want to try to spin the ball because the more revolutions you get on the ball, you create flight and drift,” he said. “For me, it’s about trying to play with the overspin and the sidespin and it’s more about the paces that I bowl at so that the batters can’t really line you up in terms of using their feet or getting them caught on the crease.”Tabraiz Shamsi is the only other frontline spinner in the squad•ICC/Getty Images

South Africa’s approach of using their spinners as holding bowlers and loading their squad with seamers – there are five seamers and two specialist spinners in the squad – is in keeping with what the statistics say about what kinds of bowlers have success in Pakistan. Since 2021, pace bowlers have taken 180 wickets in 44 innings at 36.02, a better average than the spinners’ 43.98, though spinners have had an economy of 5.49 to the seamers’ 6.02. That may mean the quicks can expect to get hit, which Roux said needed “critical real good planning and execution” to prevent.It also means that the batters, especially those that like the ball coming on to the bat like South Africans tend to, would be licking their lips at the prospect of big runs. Asked if the likes of Temba Bavuma, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller have just been walking around smiling, Maharaj indicated that they were not complaining but were being careful not to count their chickens.”They’re quite happy with the conditions, but they understand that it’s not just rock up and score runs. It’s still a process and method,” Maharaj said. “When wickets are in your favour, you train that much harder because you want to make the most of the opportunity that you’re presented with. I don’t think there’s any sense of complacency even though conditions are deemed to be in the batters’ favour. You’re going to see a supercharged outfit.”

WA were 133 for 3 chasing 167 but lost 7 for 31 with McAndrew taking a career-best 5 for 40. Earlier, Bryce Jackson took the best-ever 50-over figures for WA of 6 for 31

AAP24-Sep-2024Western Australia have suffered an almighty collapse of 7 for 31 against South Australia, sparked by Nathan McAndrew’s five-wicket haul, to eventually lose by two runs and remain winless in the One-Day Cup after two games.Two days after being upset by New South Wales, Western Australia looked set for victory at 133 for 3 in pursuit of South Australia’s 166 at Sydney’s Cricket Central.But the three-time defending champions fell apart miserably, with McAndrew claiming career-best List A figures of 5 for 40 as Western Australia were all out for 164 in the 38th over.The loss leaves Western Australia with their worst start to a season since 2015, and the first time they have suffered back-to-back 50-over defeats in nine years.The defeat came despite the best efforts of quick Bryce Jackson, who claimed 6 for 31 and the best figures for Western Australia in the competition’s history.Jackson has long been touted as a potential talent in Western Australia, but a series of major back injuries denied him a debut until age 24 last summer.In just his second List A match, Bryce Jackson walked back with figures of 6 for 31•Getty Images

The right-arm quick took 3 for 67 in his maiden match against Tasmania in February, before taking his chance on Tuesday with Jhye Richardson rested.He had Henry Hunt caught behind with a ball that swung away in his first over, before getting Mackenzie Harvey and Daniel Drew in his next over.And after Liam Scott (46) and Daniel Drew (49) steadied the ship for South Australia, Jackson returned to get rid of both of them before beating McAndrew for pace on the hook shot.While Western Australia wobbled early in their chase, the competition heavyweights appeared to have the match under their control.With Ashton Turner going after Henry Thornton by cutting him for six and taking 16 off another over, a bonus-point win looked the most likely scenario.But the match swung viciously after Sam Whiteman pulled Wes Agar down the throat of Thomas Kelly at deep square leg on 48.Ashton Agar and Baxter Holt followed in similar fashion to McAndrew as the West Australians lost all control of the match.And when McAndrew had Matthew Kelly caught behind and clean bowled AJ Tye for a duck in his next over, Western Australia still required 10 for victory.Ben Manenti then landed the killer blow when he nicked off Turner on 53, leaving Lance Morris and Jackson six runs to get for the final wicket.Jackson was ultimately stumped trying to drive Manenti, denying him a dream day and handing South Australia their first win over Western Australia since 2017.

Captain all praise for KKR’s “flawless” showing at IPL 2024, a sentiment echoed by this team-mates Mitchell Starc and Sunil Narine

Ashish Pant26-May-20241:21

What changed for Starc towards the end of the season?

Shreyas Iyer called the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2024 final “comprehensive”, lauding his team for playing “like invincibles throughout the season”.”This is what we demanded from the team and every individual, they stood up on the right occasion,” Iyer said after KKR secured a third IPL title, their first since 2014. “It is hard to express how we are feeling right now. The wait was so long. We played like invincibles throughout the season. There is so much to cherish right now.”KKR enjoyed one of the most dominant IPL campaigns ever, equalling Shane Warne’s Rajasthan Royals from 2008 for the fewest losses across a season (three). Having topped the league table, they beat SRH in Qualifier 1 by eight wickets with 38 balls to spare and amped it up a notch in the final with another eight-wicket rout, this time with 57 balls remaining.Related

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“It is pleasing and the performance has been flawless throughout. I am running out of words right now,” Iyer said of KKR’s season. “We have been tremendous right from game one, and when we stepped [out], all we demanded from ourselves was to back each other no matter the situation.”The game could have gone either way – they have been playing phenomenal cricket, SRH, throughout the season. Today, we were lucky enough to bowl first and, at the same time, every situation went in our favour. Thanks to SRH [for] the way they have played throughout the season. They have been simply phenomenal.”It was one-way traffic from the time Mitchell Starc snared Abhishek Sharma with arguably the ball of the tournament. It pitched on middle and leg and zipped sharply past Abhishek’s outside edge to smash into off stump. That wicket started a slide; Vaibhav Arora took out Travis Head for a first-ball duck with a peach of an awayswinger before Starc struck for a second time, dismissing Rahul Tripathi for 9, and SRH were 21 for 3 inside five overs.”That [big games] is when all the big players stand up,” Iyer said of Starc. “It was a high-pressure game. He has been so good off the field. He has never shown any sort of complacency in his work ethic. Every time we used to go for the plunge pool, he used to be there… something for everyone to learn.”Iyer was also effusive in praise of Andre Russell, who picked up 3 for 19 in 2.3 overs to finish with 19 wickets for the season, his best tally with the ball at any IPL. “He has got that magic wand, which he is hiding somewhere on the field,” Iyer said. “He is hoping to come and bowl and deliver for the team. He is waiting for me to call him all the time.”Russell has been lucky for us. Almost in a majority of the games, whenever he has bowled, he has picked up the wickets and he has given us the breakthrough.”Mitchell Starc was bending the ball sideways in his opening spell•AFP/Getty Images

Starc: ‘There have been plenty of jokes about the money’

Mitchell Starc reckons being “more experienced and older” since the previous time he played in the IPL (2015) helped him deal with the pressure of his huge price tag. Starc became the most expensive player in the history of the IPL, going for INR 24.75 crore (US$2,982,000 approx.) at this season’s auction. He then had a tough start to the campaign, going for 100 runs across his first two games without getting a wicket, but was Player of the Match in both KKR’s playoffs – the first time a player has done this at the IPL.”There have been plenty of jokes and whatnot made about the money,” he said with a laugh after the final. “It’s been a long time since I have played in the IPL. I am certainly an older and more experienced player now. It’s probably helped with managing all the expectations or leading the attack or whatever it maybe. I am certainly glad I am a bit more experienced and older to deal with all of that.”Personally, it has been a lot of fun, been great to learn and see how these guys go about it. Full credit to the whole squad of players and staff, it has made my life pretty easy.”It is a great night for KKR. What a game, what a series, what a season. It was an upward journey through from the start of the IPL to now, but we have a fantastic squad of bowlers and batters and our staff have been fantastic to get everyone peaking at the back end of the tournament. We have been such a consistent side. We haven’t had one or two people standing out, it’s been contributions from everyone. So, great to contribute personally but I think the fact that we’ve had everyone contribute throughout the year has been a big part of our success.”

Narine: ‘Couldn’t ask for a better birthday gift’

Sunil Narine said the freedom he got, especially form team mentor Gautam Gambhir, to express himself with the bat made a huge difference to his season. His final tally read 488 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 180.74. He also got 17 wickets, and took home the MVP award for a record third time.”Getting the role to just go there and express myself, trying to get the team off to a flier, that’s key,” Narine said. “The backing of the support staff, especially GG [Gambhir] just saying, ‘go there and enjoy it, just try to win a few games for the team; I am not asking you to do the entire season, but just a few games.’ That was very good advice.”This is Narine’s third IPL title with KKR after 2012 and 2014, and it came on his 36th birthday.”Coming into the ground today it felt like 2012 [when the final was also played in Chennai]. I think the feeling is overwhelming and I genuinely couldn’t ask for a better birthday gift,” he said. “I am enjoying my cricket at the moment, batting, bowling and fielding. What helps is when your team is winning. We have a great bunch of guys who put out a lot of work throughout the season and the fight we gave throughout the season is very good. It shows how good a team we are.”

Bangladesh were unable to bounce back after losing four wickets in the powerplay

Ashish Pant20-Jul-2024An excellent all-round show from Sri Lanka in the field, backed up by Vishmi Gunaratne’s steady half-century, helped Sri Lanka start their Women’s Asia Cup 2024 in style as they beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in Dambulla.After Bangladesh elected to bat, everything that could have gone wrong for them did as they lost four wickets inside the powerplay. It needed captain Nigar Sultana playing an anchor role and some lower-order hitting from Shorna Akter, who smashed 25 off 14 balls, to take Bangladesh to 111 for 8.In the chase, Sri Lanka lost their captain Chamari Athapaththu early, but as they have shown time and again this year, they are no longer a one-woman team. Gunaratne, who is having a stellar 2024, continued her excellent form and smashed her third T20I half-century, all three coming this year. She got good support from Harshitha Samarawickrama as Sri Lanka got over the line with 17 balls to spare. That meant Bangladesh’s winless run in T20Is in 2024 extended to nine.

Bangladesh’s powerplay to forget

It started on a bright note for Bangladesh with Dilara Akter lofting Udeshika Prabodhani for a straight four first ball. But, it all went downhill from there. Two balls later Prabodhani went fuller, getting the ball to tail back and leaving Dilara’s stumps in a mess. The very next ball she had Rubya Haider chipping a drive meekly to the right of cover-point where Nilakshika Silva took an excellent catch running back and diving sideways.Nigar Sultana top-scored for Bangladesh with 48 off 59 balls•ACC

Ishma Tanjim’s debut lasted all of three balls when she gave a simple catch to backward point off Inoshi Priyadharshani. In just nine balls, Bangladesh had slipped to 8 for 3 which soon became 17 for 4 in the sixth over courtesy of a stunning return catch from Priyadharshani. Ritu Moni jumped down the track and smashed a length ball hard to Priyadharshani’s right. But she stretched her right hand to grab the ball and kept hold of it even when her elbow hit the turf. Moni was left flabbergasted as Bangladesh’s powerplay ended on 18 for 4.

Nigar firm, but Sri Lanka keep chipping away

The responsibility to take Bangladesh forward was on Nigar’s shoulders. She started slow, her first 18 balls yielded only six runs. Bangladesh reached 46 for 4 after ten overs and the pressure brought about Shorifa Khatun’s downfall. Athapaththu, sensing her willingness to break the shackles, kept a length ball slow on off stump. Shorifa took the bait eyeing an across-the-line hack only to see her off stump disturbed.Rabeya Khan got off the mark with a four but was soon sent back trapped plumb in front of the stumps by Sugandika Kumari for 10. At 67 for 6 after 15, Bangladesh’s chances of reaching 100 looked bleak.

Shorna shores up Bangladesh

Bangladesh finally got the momentum they so dearly required, via 17-year-old Shorna’s blade. She first thrashed Priyadharshani through midwicket before slog-sweeping Athapaththu for four more. Shorna then struck Kavisha Dilhari for three back-to-back fours taking Bangladesh close to 100. Her attempt at a fourth boundary, however, failed with Silva taking another good catch, this time at long-on.Nigar kept things going at the other end. Bangladesh reached 100 in the 19th over before Nigar struck two fours off Prabodhani in the 20th. Bangladesh added 44 runs in the last five overs, but 111 against an in-form Sri Lanka unit was never going to be enough.Inoshi Priyadharshani came away with 2 for 17 in her four overs•ACC

Gunaratne sparkles in comfortable Sri Lanka win

Sri Lanka’s over-reliance on Athapaththu has often cost them dearly in the past. But Gunaratne kept a calm head after her captain fell early. Athapaththu started with a six over deep midwicket but failed to clear long-on soon after against Nahida Akter.Gunaratne, however, kept Sri Lanka on track. She got going with a four over mid-off and then whacked Marufa wide of long-on. Gunaratne collected five fours in the three overs after the powerplay as Sri Lanka sped towards the target. The highlight of her innings was her running between the wickets. When the boundaries didn’t come, she tapped and ran.She got good support from Samarawickrama. The duo added 54 off 48 balls for the second wicket and did not let Bangladesh into the game at any stage. Gunaratne brought up her fifty with a reverse sweep, a shot she played seven times during her innings.By the time she fell for 51 off 48, cleaned up by Nahida, Sri Lanka needed just 26 from 37 balls. Samarawickrama then took up the mantle and she and Dilhari struck three fours in a Shorna over to bring the target down to single digits before Dilhari finished the chase with a four over mid-off.For Bangladesh, Nahida picked up all three wickets to fall, ending with 3 for 12 from her four overs.

TKR recently signed India’s Jemimah Rodrigues and Shikha Pandey for this year

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2024Former India fast bowler Jhulan Goswami has joined Trinbago Knight Riders as a mentor for Women’s Caribbean Premier League 2024.”It’s an honour to join such a quality franchise,” Goswami said in a statement shared by Knight Riders. “Knight Riders have done so well in India and around the world, and to join TKR Women at the WCPL is a pleasure. Thanks to KKR management for thinking about me as a mentor and I’m really looking forward to this tournament.”Goswami retired from all forms of cricket in 2022 as India’s leading wicket-taker in women’s internationals. She is currently the bowling coach and mentor of Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League. This will be her first stint in an overseas T20 league.Related

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TKR are led by former West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin. They recently added India’s Jemimah Rodrigues and Shikha Pandey, and Australia’s Meg Lanning and Jess Jonassen – all four play for Delhi Capitals in the WPL – to their roster.”The conversation about me joining TKR started with Mr. Venky Mysore [CEO of Knight Riders group],” Goswami said. “As a management head, the way he takes care of everyone is amazing. I felt really honoured by the way both Shah Rukh Khan and Venky sir welcomed me and spoke to me when we met in Kolkata during the IPL.”Speaking about the signing, Mysore said, “Jhulan Goswami is an absolute legend of the game, and we are very happy to have her on board as the mentor of the TKR Women’s team. We strongly believe that under Jhulan’s mentorship, the team will reach greater heights. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the youngsters to pick Jhulan’s brains and learn from her experiences to become better cricketers themselves. We would like to wish her all the best, and look forward to seeing her in the TKR setup soon.”WCPL 2024 will run from August 21 to 29. The tournament comprises three teams – TKR, defending champions Barbados Royals and Guyana Amazon Warriors – and seven matches, all to be played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

Drissell takes career-best five-for but Lammonby 89 gives Somerset the clear edge

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay22-Jul-2025Durham 145 (Raine 42, Overton 6-23) and 5 for 2 trail Somerset 250 (Lammonby 89, Drissell 5-59) by 100 runsSomerset’s Craig Overton claimed six for 23 as 22 wickets fell on the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship Division One game against Durham at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.Invited to bat first on a green pitch, the visitors subsided to 145 all out, with Overton twice on a hat-trick during ten probing overs from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End. Ben Raine top-scored with 42.In reply, Somerset posted 250 all out, Tom Lammonby putting the pitch in perspective with an impressive 89 off 109 balls, including 8 fours. Off-spinner George Drissell returned career-best figures of five for 59.Durham then lost skipper Alex Lees and nightwatchman Callum Parkinson in the three remaining overs to close on five for two and trailed by 100 runs.There was little sign of the carnage to come when Lees and Emilio Gay launched Durham’s day with a stand of 26 in 5.5 overs before Gay edged a low catch to second slip to become Overton’s first victim.The next ball saw Colin Ackerman taken at first slip by Tom Kohler-Cadmore and before they knew it the visitors were 33 for three, David Bedingham nicking a delivery from Gregory to wicketkeeper James Rew.Overton dropped Ollie Robinson at second slip in the same Gregory over and Durham were relieved when rain arrived at 12.10pm forcing an early lunch half an hour later. The restart saw Overton strike with his fourth and fifth balls, Robinson caught behind off a defensive push and Graham Clark taken at third slip by Tom Abell, both without scoring.Lees had struck five fours in moving to 27 when miscuing a big hit off Overton and providing the bowler with a steepling catch to make it 43 for six. Drissell drove in the air to mid-off to give Overton his sixth wicket with the total on 71, while Raine hit a defiant straight six off Josh Davey before edging a defensive shot off the same bowler through to Rew.Neil Wagner struck 4 fours in a Davey over before a cross-batted shot saw him caught at mid-on off Jake Ball and Matthew Potts had cleared the mid-wicket boundary off Leach when reverse-sweeping the left-arm spinner straight to Abell at short third-man to end a Durham innings spanning just 30.1 overs.Somerset openers Davey and Kohler-Cadmore quickly went on the attack, Davey striking three successive fours off Potts and his partner lofting two sixes over the short boundary on the town side of the ground in the same Raine over.Kohler-Cadmore dispatched three consecutive Wagner deliveries for four as the pair brought up a half-century stand in just 7.1 overs. But the experienced South African took revenge with the total on 62, accepting a skyed return catch as Kohler-Cadmore top-edged a pull shot.Tea was taken with Davey unbeaten on 22. He had added 15 in the final session when edging a back-foot defensive shot off Potts to Bedingham at first slip. The same over saw Rew depart for a duck, cutting a catch to gully, and when Abell also fell without scoring, caught at short-leg in Drissell’s first over, Somerset had slumped to 103 for four.Tom Banton could make only ten before Drissell induced another short-leg catch with a ball that turned. But Lammonby and Archie Vaughan steadied the ship and a swept boundary by Vaughan off Parkinson put his side in front.Lammonby moved to a fluent 52-ball half-century with a reverse sweep for four off Drissell. But Vaughan fell lbw to Parkinson for 15, the first wicket of the day not to fall to a catch, with Somerset just 11 runs ahead.Lewis Gregory hit 17 before fending a catch to short-leg off Wagner and Lammonby’s excellent contribution ended when he edged to second slip off Drissell, who quickly followed up by bowling Overton for 19.A Ball six off Drissell took Somerset to a batting bonus point, but the former Gloucestershire spinner immediately responded by bowling him to complete a maiden five-for.Having seen the ball turn, the hosts gave the new ball to off-spinner Vaughan, who struck with the second delivery, Lees edging to second slip. Leach then pinned Parkinson lbw to cap an extraordinary day.

Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer brought quality, intensity and fire to proceedings

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-2025

Nitish Kumar Reddy is distraught after falling on the last ball before lunch•Getty Images

England came to Lord’s looking for six wickets. They bagged four of them before lunch in an inspired morning’s play where their captain Ben Stokes and their returning talismanic fast bowler Jofra Archer brought quality, intensity and fire to proceedings.India were in the mire early when Rishabh Pant, hampered by the injured finger on his left hand, fell on the third over of the day. Three overs later, Stokes got one to nip down the slope at the Nursery end to trap KL Rahul lbw. Stokes bowled a nine-over spell this morning, constantly threatening everyone who made the mistake of standing 22 yards away. This time, the England coaching staff weren’t interfering with his plans. They just let him do his thing.Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Reddy got together with the score at 82 for 7. India’s hopes looked quite dire at the time, but a packed crowd, with a loud Indian contingent cheered them on with every block, every leave, every run scored. Eventually the ball started to lose its hardness and batting became slightly easier. There were 12 false shots leading to the three wickets in the first hour. But only eight in the second.Just as it looked like India would go to the break with their last two recognised batters intact, Chris Woakes gave them a different challenge. Swing instead of seam. And eventually he was able to prise Reddy out for 13 off 53. There remained a fair bit of needle through the morning session with Archer giving Pant a send-off, Stokes and Reddy having a fairly amiable chat at the end of overs and Brydon Carse and Jadeja actually colliding with each other.England were on point with their fielding as well, spurred on by Stokes who was loath to let the intensity drop. Archer took a fine one-handed catch, diving to his right to get rid of Washington Sundar.

Alex Doolan’s maiden first-class half-century is unlikely to save Tasmania from defeat at the Gabba, where Ben Cutting’s three wickets put Queensland within sight of victory at stumps on the third day

Cricinfo staff03-Nov-2009Tasmania 156 and 6 for 209 (Doolan 59, Cutting 3-33) trail Queensland 382 by 17 runs

Scorecard
Ben Cutting picked up 3 for 33 to drive Queensland closer to victory•Getty Images

Alex Doolan’s maiden first-class half-century is unlikely to save Tasmania from defeat at the Gabba, where Ben Cutting’s three wickets put Queensland within sight of victory at stumps on the third day. At stumps, the Tigers were 6 for 209 and still trailing by 17 runs, with Daniel Marsh on 40 and Brett Geeves on 16.However, the visitors were going to require some individual brilliance on the final day to save the match after Queensland’s bowlers again proved a handful in their home conditions. The key breakthrough came just before tea, when Doolan (59) hooked Cutting and was caught on the boundary.It was an unfortunate lapse in concentration from Doolan, who had batted for more than three hours and had helped his captain George Bailey provide some fight. When Bailey departed shortly after tea for 25, caught behind off Daniel Doran, the Bulls sensed an opportunity.Cutting followed with two more breakthroughs and finished the day with 3 for 33, and Tasmania will need their former skipper Marsh to bat for as long as possible on the fourth day to have any hope of survival. Queensland started the day still at the crease but lost their final wicket, Chris Swan for 82, from the first ball of the morning.

Scheduling has been a cause of concern and a change of venue is currently not a practical option

Danyal Rasool15-Mar-2024

What’s going on with PSL crowds in Karachi?

When Usman Khan punched a single down to mid-off to seal Multan Sultans’ place in their fourth successive PSL final, it was met by deathly silence at the National Stadium Karachi. It wasn’t because the crowd wanted a different outcome, but because there was barely a crowd for the game at all. The two best teams in the tournament so far – Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi – shook hands in front of a nearly empty stadium, uncomfortable surroundings for a league that has branded itself as the second best in the world.The lack of crowds in Karachi, in stark contrast to the other three venues, has been a point of focus this tournament, but it’s been thrown into even sharper relief since Ramzan began earlier this week. It meant the games began at 9pm local time, finishing well past midnight to ensure there was enough of a gap following iftar at sunset.With all remaining games scheduled in Karachi, the possibility of knockout games – as well as the final – playing out in front of a largely empty stadium has worried those involved in the PSL, given how damaging it would be for the prestige of the tournament.

No question of shifting remaining knockouts elsewhere

ESPNcricinfo spoke to a number of officials involved with the PSL who justified the playoffs being held in Karachi. “We have moved to a home and away format,” a senior official told ESPNcricinfo “and Karachi is home to the [Karachi] Kings and the [Quetta] Gladiators.”While Kings have been eliminated from the tournament, it is understood any possibility of moving any remaining games out of Karachi has been categorically ruled out. The logistical challenges of such a move have been deemed to be insurmountable. While changes to venues at short notice have been made in the past, most notably in 2019 when a flare-up in tensions between India and Pakistan resulted in the final tranche of games shifting from Lahore to Karachi, the PCB do not believe such a move is practical at given the tight window.

Why haven’t more people shown up?

An official acknowledged turnout was surprisingly low, but told ESPNcricinfo they expected a higher turnout at the remaining three games. Citing the popularity of Ramzan cricket in Karachi, they said “observing the first few fasts in Ramzan is tough”, and as spectators settle into a routine, they are likelier to be able to attend in larger numbers. However, it is unclear how significant a difference that makes given the next two games are on the consecutive days which immediately marked the first qualifier, and still very much within the first week of Ramzan. That they fall on the weekend, though, may make some difference.

Is a Monday final the issue for PSL?

But the most puzzling issue, and one about which official explanations have proved in short supply, concerns the day of the PSL final. Breaking with all previous tradition and standard procedure to ensure finals fall on the weekend, the PSL has a rest day this Sunday, with the final taking place on the following Monday – a working day – instead.Sources within the PSL’s organisation insisted there were multiple reasons for the unconventional scheduling. They cited a desire to accommodate maximum home games for all teams “without breaking momentum”, while also attempting to avoid back-to-back fixtures for one of the sides playing the final. There is a confident assumption within the PCB that interest in the PSL final can be taken for granted, regardless of the day, time, or city it is held in.The next three days will reveal how well-placed that confidence is.

Mitchell Santner will captain a global event for the first time with the side playing a tri-series in Pakistan as a warm-up

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jan-2025Fast bowlers Ben Sears and Will O’Rourke have been included in New Zealand’s squad for the Champions Trophy alongside allrounder Nathan Smith.Sears, who was a travelling reserve for the T20 World Cup last year, recently played his first game since April having returned in the Super Smash following injury and is in line for his ODI debut having played one Test and 17 T20Is. O’Rourke has impressed across formats early in his international career and has been especially eye-catching in Tests.Smith, meanwhile, will bring lower-order power with the bat and bustling seam bowling.Head coach Gary Stead said Sears had been in New Zealand’s Champions Trophy plans all along, with his pace through the air seen as a clinching factor on pitches in Pakistan.Related

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“We’ve been a little conservative in Ben’s return to play, but we always had an eye that we thought he would be part of this Champions Trophy squad,” Stead said. “He’s one of those guys, when you look at places like Pakistan, that pure speed is something that you’re looking for, and he certainly has that. A young tearaway is always nice to see, and very excited to have him in the squad.”Stead was confident Sears would hold up fine, match-fitness-wise, after his return from injury.”Ben’s been bowling a lot over the winter still,” he said. “He’s been in and around our Test squads before he had that injury, so we’re very confident that he will be where he needs to be.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

With Sears, O’Rourke and Smith included, there was no place in the main squad for Jacob Duffy, who is coming off a breakthrough season in international white-ball cricket.”It’s a tough decision,” Stead said. “Jacob Duffy has been probably the one that people would say is hard done by. He’s been very very good in what he’s played for us. I think the way to look at it, though, is that if some of these guys, perhaps like a Lockie Ferguson, were available, Jacob Duffy may not have got the opportunity, so for us it’s a real positive story that although Jake’s missed [out], it’s still positive that we’re growing that depth long-term for our team.”

Ferguson, Williamson and Conway face T20 league logjam

The same squad will take part in the ODI tri-series in Pakistan ahead of the Champions Trophy, which will also feature South Africa. Duffy has been named on standby for that series, if Ferguson is not available for those games due to the ILT20. There will also be a tight turnaround for Kane Williamson and Devon Conway who are at the SA20.The final of the SA20 will be played on February 8, with the ILT20 decider the following day. New Zealand will play Pakistan on February 8 in their first game of the tri-series followed by South Africa on February 10. They then have a warm-up match against Afghanistan on February 16.Lockie Ferguson could miss a chunk of the Pakistan tri-series if he features in the ILT20 playoffs•AFP/Getty Images

Stead said New Zealand were looking to have Ferguson, Williamson and Conway play at least two matches – including the warm-up – to ready themselves for the Champions Trophy. “Those three guys, they’re world-class players for us. So Kane, Devon and Lockie will join our squad – they could be there at the very start of the tri-series, [or] it might be a couple of days later.”Mitchell Santner will lead New Zealand for the first time in a global event and will be able to lean on the experience of the likes of Williamson and Tom Latham.Mark Chapman and Will Young have earned spots while spin-bowling allrounder Michael Bracewell has also been included.New Zealand will play the tournament opener against Pakistan in Karachi. Their second match is against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi before they travel to Dubai to face India.”We like to stick to the same team once we’ve picked it but it will probably be very conditions-dependent,” Santner said. “Karachi could play a lot different to Rawalpindi, and again in Dubai. With the short nature of the tournament, if you’re happy with your XI, you want them to be out there and perform for all three games. But we’re open to changes depending on conditions. You need to play your best team on what’s in front of you, and conditions will probably dictate it.”

New Zealand squad for Champions Trophy and Pakistan tri-series

Mitchell Santner (capt), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young