Indian middle-order batting veteran Cheteshwar Pujara continues pushing his case for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 selection, as he overtook England legend Herbert Sutcliffe to become the player with the fourth-highest double centuries in first-class cricket. During the Elite Group D match against Chhattisgarh on Monday, Pujara scored 234 in 383 balls, with 25 fours and a six. His runs came at a strike rate of 61.09. His knock helped Saurashtra score 478/8 in reply to Chhattisgarh's first innings total of 578/7 declared, which came due to a fine century from Sanjeet Desai (146) and a double ton from skipper Amandeep Khare (203*). The match ended in a draw. This is Pujara's 18th double ton in first-class cricket, the most by an Indian. He has overtaken Sutcliffe (17 double tons) to reach at fourth spot in the all-time first-class cricket double-ton scoring list. At the top is Australian legend Don Bradman (37 double tons), followed by England legend Wally Hammond (36 double centuries) and England's Elias Hendren (22 double tons). Pujara last played a Test match for India in June last year, during the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia in the UK, which India lost. Pujara, along with Ajinkya Rahane was the backbone of Indian middle-order batting from the early 2010s to the early 2020s. Also Read: Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25: 'Pain-free' Mohammed Shami optimistic about selection for Australia Tests Pujara has represented India in 103 Tests, scoring 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60, with 19 centuries and 35 fifties in 176 innings. His best score is 206*. Pujara has also played five ODIs for India. However, since India's historic win over Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane in January 2021, his statistics took a huge nosedive. Since that iconic victory, which also helped India gain an inspirational series win in Australia, Pujara represented India in 22 Tests further, scoring just 1,084 runs at an underwhelming average of 29.29, with just a century and seven fifties to show in 40 innings. Owing to these poor performances, he was dropped from the team. However, his first-class cricket form this year could help him get back into the reckoning for the Indian team. In 16 first-class matches for Saurashtra and Sussex this year. Pujara has scored 1,580 runs in 25 innings at an average of 68.69, with six centuries and three fifties, with the best score of 243*. He is the third-highest run-getter in the format this year. His vast experience in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, starting from November 22 this year, could be helpful for India, having made 2,033 runs in 24 matches at an average of 50.82, with five tons and 11 fifties in 43 innings, with the best score of 204. In 11 Tests played in Australia, he has made 993 runs at an average of 47.28, with three tons and five fifties in 21 innings, with the best score of 193. However, the players standing in his way are likes of youngsters like Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan, who have filled up the crucial spots of number three and number five recently with their fine performances. At number three, a spot where Pujara thrived, Gill has made 782 runs in 12 matches and 21 innings at an average of 43.44, with three tons and two fifties. His best score is 119*. In Tests this year, Gill has scored 662 runs at an average of 50.92, with three centuries and two fifties. with best score of 119*. Also, making his much-anticipated India debut this year, Sarfaraz has scored 350 runs in four Tests at an average of 58.33 in seven innings, with a strike rate of 77.77. He has made a century and three fifties, with the best score of 150. He has batted at number four, five and six for India so far. Coming to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against India, after the first Test at Perth, the second Test, scheduled for December 6 to 10 at Adelaide Oval, will feature the exciting day-night format under the stadium's lights. After that, fans will turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test, which will be held from December 14 to 18. The customary Boxing Day Test, set for December 26 to 30 at Melbourne's storied Melbourne Cricket Ground, will bring the series to its penultimate stage. The fifth and final Test, taking place at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, will serve as the series climax, promising a dramatic conclusion to an exciting contest. (With agency inputs)
22 October,2024 11:38 AM IST | Rajkot | mid-day online correspondentMumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants are among the IPL franchises who have submitted bids to acquire teams in the English Cricket Board-run The Hundred, according to a report. The GMR Group, recently named the new owner of Hampshire, and Avram Glazer, co-owner of Manchester United Football Club, also submitted bids before the ECB's October 18 deadline for potential investors, reported ESPNCricinfo. The ECB has invited bids for a 49 per cent stake in each of the eight franchises, with the board retaining majority control. "Expressions of interest could be for all eight teams, which would be culled to four in the next step which will start in November when the investors get to meet the host counties of each Hundred franchise," stated the report. "Following that, investors would need to prune their wishlist to four teams, as part of the second stage, which will then come down to two teams of which they would need to make their final choice." Also Read: From prodigal talent to fitness issues: Prithvi Shaw’s rise and falling apart The ECB is aiming to finalise investors by early 2025 but is committed to a deliberate approach to avoid "underselling what it believes is a valuable product". ECB chairman Richard Thompson has also mentioned the possibility of a "hybrid" ownership model, where some teams remain under ECB control while others are sold to private investors. The report further says while several IPL franchises showed early interest, not all followed through with bids for The Hundred. "Punjab Kings opted out, while there has been no confirmation on whether five-times IPL champions Chennai Super Kings and equity major CVC Capital Partners, which owns Gujarat Titans, have submitted bids," it added. "Global sports investors INEOS, owned by Jim Ratcliffe, which owns a 27% stake in Manchester United and run the football club's operations wing, have also opted out of bidding." One of the main concerns for IPL franchises was whether they would be "happy being passive investors". (With agency inputs)
22 October,2024 11:13 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentPakistan opener Fakhar Zaman is likely to escape with a reprimand for criticising the PCB ahead of the squad announcement, where it planned to drop former skipper Babar Azam for two Tests against England. Azam, along with several senior players, got eventually dropped for two Test days after Fakhar expressed his displeasure on social media. Fakhar was issued a show-cause notice by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after he tweeted his views where he compared Azam's run drought with India's Virat Kohli, who went through a lean patch between 2020 and late 2022. "It's concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn't bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively," Fakhar wrote on 'X'. "If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on safeguarding our key players rather than undermining them." Also Read: MCA secy Hadap cites poor fitness as reason for Prithvi Shaw's omission England are touring Pakistan for three Tests, with the hosts levelling the series in the second Test after the side, led by Ben Stokes, won the opener in Multan. Babar, along with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Sarfaraz Ahmed were eventually dropped. Fakhar was sent a show-cause notice and asked why disciplinary action should not be taken against him as he had clearly breached a clause of his central contract by criticising the PCB and its selection policy. A source in the board said that Fakhar had sent in his reply before the October 21 deadline and explained he had only spoken in favour of a teammate and colleague and he had no intention of challenging the authority of the PCB. "Fakhar has said that he has utmost respect for the PCB as it is his institution which employs him and runs the sport in Pakistan," the source added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 October,2024 09:14 AM IST | Lahore | PTIBCCI Secretary Jay Shah could end up being the ICC chair for two terms of three years each instead of three terms of two years each, which is the current norm, after he takes over on December 1, ESPNcricinfo reported. The ICC Board, which met in Dubai over the weekend, recommended that the term, for the chair and the independent director, be changed. ICC said in a statement on Monday that the recommendation will now be "circulated for approval" among its members, comprising Full and Associate Members. While no reason was given for the recommendation, it is understood that the move is part of the ICC's drive for better governance,the report said. The ICC Board believes it will provide security and stability to both the chair and independent director, who sit on the ICC Board, without having to worry about elections every two years. Also, while the overall term of six years remains the same, there will be more continuity, according to ESPNcricinfo. Jay Shah was elected unopposed to replace outgoing ICC chair Greg Barclay. Also Read: Livingstone to lead England in WI ODIs as Buttler sits out due to calf injury The report said there were changes to the ICC men's cricket committee, too, with New Zealand businessman Scott Weenink appointed Full Member representative, and Scott Edwards, the 28-year-old Netherlands captain, named Associate Member representative. The ICC Board approved the next women's future tours programme (FTP) for the 2025-2029 cycle, which will be announced soon. This will be the second FTP for women, following the one announced in 2022, as per ESPNcricinfo. Additionally, the ICC chief executives' committee (CEC) approved shifting the calendar for the women's rankings annual update from October 1 to May 1 every year. To ensure the rankings accurately reflect the increase in women's cricket, teams will now need to play at least eight matches per format (ODIs and T20Is) instead of six. The process for Associate teams to gain ODI status has also been formalized. Currently, 16 women's teams have ODI status, including 11 Full Members and five Associate Members (Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Thailand, and USA). For the 2025-2029 cycle, the top two Associate teams that qualify for the Women's ODI World Cup qualifier in 2025 will gain ODI status. The remaining three slots will be based on T20I rankings as of May 1, 2025, making their ODI status dependent on T20I performances. The ICC has also approved the creation of two annual T20I tournaments for Associate teams between 2025 and 2028. This is intended to increase competition in preparation for the 16-team women's T20 World Cup in 2030. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 October,2024 09:10 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIBig-hitting all-rounder Liam Livingstone has been named as England’s captain in their upcoming ODI series against the West Indies as regular skipper Jos Buttler misses out due to a slight setback in rehabilitation from a calf injury. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said a replacement player, in place of Buttler, is yet to be decided for the three-match ODI series starting in Antigua on October 31. The England squad flies out to the Caribbean early next week and Buttler is to join up in Barbados ahead of the five-match T20I series starting on November 9. Buttler, who’s suffered his third calf injury since 2021, has not played competitive cricket since the defeat in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup semifinal against India at Guyana in June, after having missed the Hundred for Manchester Originals and September’s white-ball series against Australia at home due to a tear in his calf. With no Harry Brook, who captained England in white-ball matches against Australia and Ben Duckett for the tour of the Caribbean due to their involvement on an ongoing Test tour of Pakistan, Livingstone, 31, gets his first chance of captaining the side in international cricket, and will work with interim head coach Marcus Trescothick. Also Read: England still comes first for Liam 'explosive' Livingstone Livingstone, a member of England's 2022 T20 World Cup-winning squad, has captained Lancashire in the T20 Blast and Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred. The ECB has also said it would add two more players from the ongoing Test tour to Pakistan to its Caribbean trip. England squad: Jos Buttler (captain – T20 series only), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jafer Chohan, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone (captain – ODI series only), Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley and John Turner. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 October,2024 09:03 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSMumbai opener Prithvi Shaw, who scored debut centuries in the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Test cricket, has lost his place in the Mumbai team. Moments after Mumbai’s nine-wicket win over Maharashtra at the MCA’s Bandra-Kurla Complex ground on Monday, the Sanjay Patil-led selection committee left Shaw out of a 16-member squad picked for their third league game against Tripura, starting on Friday at Agartala. We discussed him [Shaw] with the coaches and the selection committee and decided to give him a break along with a programme to improve his fitness. His fitness is affecting his form. He needs to work on that. He should improve his fitness to make a comeback to the team,” MCA Secretary Abhay Hadap told mid-day on Monday. Prithvi Shaw and Abhay Hadap The selectors picked opener Akhil Herwadkar, who had opened the innings for Chhattisgarh in the 2022-23 season. Suryansh Shedge also found a place in the side as India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav will resume his white-ball preparations for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa, starting in Durban on November 8. Left-arm spinner Karsh Kothari, who played his last first-class game in 2018, has also got another chance since bowling all-rounder Tanush Kotian will be leaving for Australia for the India ‘A’ tour soon. Also Read: ‘My job is to perform’ In his last three first-class games, Shaw, 24, has managed to score a total of 139 runs—four and 76 v Rest of India in the Irani Cup, seven and 12 v Baroda in the Ranji opener, one and 39 not out against Maharashtra. Shaw has represented India in five Tests, six ODIs and one T20I between 2018 and 2021. Shaw last played a Test for India on the 2020-21 tour of Australia. He figured in the opening Test at the Adelaide Oval, where India were dismissed for 36 before slumping to an eight wicket loss. However, stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane’s Team India won the Melbourne and Brisbane Tests to clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1.
22 October,2024 08:31 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureThe flightless Kiwis found their wings and flew away with the Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday night, leaving a crestfallen South Africa in their wake in the final. It was third time lucky for the White Ferns, who had lost the finals of the first two editions and had to wait 14 years to finally lay their hands on the trophy. Coming into the World Cup, New Zealand had lost 10 straight games in T20Is, and to achieve what they finally did, their skipper Sophie Devine called it “pretty special”. “Undoubtedly, the win against India [in our first game] put us on the right path. And though we had a poor game against the Aussies, we did well in most of our other matches. We had to fight hard against the West Indies [in the semis], and then it all came together in the final,” she added. Team India stumble It’s apparent that the big win in their opening game against India acted as a tonic. Thereafter, under-pressure, India could not make it to the knockouts, while the White Ferns went about their business efficiently to end up on the champions’ podium in front of 21,457 cheering fans. India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur after losing to NZ earlier this month It was especially memorable for the veteran Kiwi trio of skipper Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu, who finally have an ICC trophy that their glittering careers deserve. “It’s hard to put into words what it means, not just to me, but for this group of players, especially Suze and Lea, and for New Zealand cricket as well. The great thing about this is we have known what we have been trying to achieve for probably the last 12, 18, 24 months and results haven’t gone our way. But we know that we were building in the right direction. We played the two best teams in the world for, I think, 14 or 15 games in a row. It was a pretty steep learning curve, but we knew we kept taking steps in the right direction. Of course, you want momentum and things like that. But I think we have just rewritten them a little bit [by winning the cup after 10 losses going into the tournament]. Also Read: New Zealand revels in a 'golden 48 hours' of sporting glory It may have been a hurray moment for the veteran trio, but the limelight was hogged by young Amelia Kerr, who was adjudged the Player of the Final as well as the Player of the Tournament. She was as efficient with the bat, as she was with the ball. The leg-spinner ended up as the highest wicket-taker with 15 from six games and contributed 135 runs at crucial times. ‘Kerr has been incredible’ “We all know that she is probably a once-in-a-generation player and what she was able to do tonight was incredible. To be able to come out there and do what she did with the bat and then roll her arms over is amazing. Pretty sure she can’t feel her legs at the moment. It just shows such grit and resilience. She’s not a bad cricketer either, but the person that she is, how hard she works, how caring she is for this group, the world is her oyster and it’s scary to think how good she could be”, Devine said about the star performer. The skipper added: “With players like Melie (Amelia), New Zealand cricket is in safe hands, and with this win a new generation of boys and girls will be inspired to play the game and take it forward.”
22 October,2024 08:28 AM IST | Dubai | Santosh SuriSouth African captain Laura Wolvaardt had a memorable World Cup on a personal level, as she not only led the team efficiently, but also spearheaded batting, emerging as the tournament’s overall top run-getter. However, she was left disappointed as her side fell narrowly at the last hurdle for a second consecutive time. Despite the loss, Wolvaardt was quick to point out the positives from their campaign. “It’s obviously disappointing, but I think in hindsight, we still came second in a tournament with 10-odd teams, so we still had a pretty good tournament,” she said at the post-match press conference. Also Read: New Zealand revels in a 'golden 48 hours' of sporting glory The fact that South Africa were able to reach the final for a second consecutive year was also a positive for Wolvaardt. “There are a lot of positives to reflect on. A younger group as well, so to be able to make the finals with a younger group is very promising. There is definitely a lot to look forward to. I can’t wait to see what we do in the next couple of World Cups.”
22 October,2024 08:12 AM IST | Dubai | Santosh SuriNew Zealand hailed one of the country’s finest weekends in its sporting history on Monday after the triple success of winning the Women’s T20 World Cup, a rare Test triumph in India and America’s Cup sailing glory. “This was a weekend that will go down in New Zealand’s sporting annals,” Sports Minister Chris Bishop said in a statement. First, the crew of Emirates Team New Zealand completed a commanding 7-2 victory over Ineos Britannia on Saturday to retain the America’s Cup. The dominant Kiwis lifted the world’s oldest international sporting trophy for the third consecutive time after beating their British opponents by 37 seconds in the ninth race off Barcelona to end the best-of-13 series. On Sunday, New Zealand crushed the mighty India by eight wickets to record their first Test cricket win on Indian soil for 36 years. Later the same day an outstanding all-round performance by Amelia Kerr led the country to their historic first Women’s T20 World Cup crown as they beat South Africa by 32 runs in Dubai. Also Read: New Zealand White Ferns split USD 2.3 million after winning World Cup The New Zealand Herald ran a poll on its website asking readers which was their highlight. The T20 World Cup win came out top with 33 per cent of the vote, followed by the America’s Cup and then the Test victory in India. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 October,2024 08:10 AM IST | Wellington | AFPAjinkya Rahane’s Mumbai won the state derby, outclassing Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Maharashtra by nine wickets in their Group ‘A’ Ranji Trophy encounter at the Mumbai Cricket Association’s Bandra-Kurla Complex ground on Monday. Shams Mulani The defending champions completed the formality of scoring the remaining 61 runs in just 54 minutes to open their account with six points. Opener Prithvi Shaw and No.3 Hardik Tamore were unbeaten on 39 (5x4) and 21 (3x4) respectively. Opener Ayush Mhatre (15) was the only wicket to fall in the day, caught at short cover off left-arm spinner Satyajeet Bachhav (1-40). Had Mumbai not lost that wicket, they would have claimed the bonus point and picked seven points instead. Left-arm spinner Shams Mulani, who claimed six wickets in the match (6-162), was happy to see the team bounce back from the defeat to Baroda in their Ranji opener. “[We’ve got the] much-needed points on board. The last match [against Baroda] was an eye-opener for us, especially after our Irani Cup [triumph]. We played hard in that last game [against Baroda], but still lost. Coming here, we knew that we needed six or seven points. It hurts a bit when you miss that one [bonus] point, but in the last match we got zero points and here we scored six, so we’ll take that,” Mulani told reporters. Also Read: ‘My job is to perform’ The veteran spinner lavished praise on teen opener Mhatre, 17, who scored an attacking 176 in the first innings, and compared his batting style to that of Shaw. He said: “He [Mhatre] is a tremendous talent. He bats a bit like Shaw. In fact, when they bat together, it feels like two brothers are batting. He plays his shots well. He doesn’t fear any opposition, and I think that will take him far [in his career].” Brief scoresMaharashtra 126 & 388 lost to Mumbai 441 & 75-1 (P Shaw 39*, H Tamore 21*) by 9 wickets
22 October,2024 08:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureMore than three-and-a-half years after he last played a Test, Washington Sundar has been added to the Indian squad for the last two matches against New Zealand. That his addition was announced a day after he made a sparkling 152 at No. 3 for Tamil Nadu in a Ranji Trophy clash against Delhi has triggered speculation that he has been drafted in as a top-order batting cover, though that may not be the case. With Shubman Gill having recovered completely from the stiff neck that kept him out of the eight-wicket loss in Bangalore, India actually have a headache when it comes to the batting — not with regard to whom to pick, but who to leave out. Sundar’s inclusion must therefore be viewed as an additional off-spinning option to augment R Ashwin, presumably because there are three left-handers in the New Zealand top four. No trouble for NZ’s lefties Opener Devon Conway was unlucky to miss a century in the first innings of the first Test while Rachin Ravindra, the Player of the Match, backed up a hundred with a calming unbeaten 39 in the second dig, chasing 107. Both left-handers were largely untroubled by the Indian spin triumvirate of Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. Despite being an accomplished batter with a Test average of 66.25, Sundar’s potential comeback could owe itself more to his bowling role. The plethora of injuries that marred India’s tour of Australia in 2020-21 hastened Sundar’s Test debut in Brisbane and he responded with sparkling efforts of 62 and 22 in his side’s epochal triumph at the Gabba. Also Read: Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Maharashtra skipper Gaikwad inspires fightback, but Mumbai hold strong He also featured in three of the subsequent four Tests against England at home in February-March 2021, making unbeaten half-centuries in the first Test in Chennai and the last in Ahmedabad, before suddenly going out of red-ball contention. While India have been extending their quest to unearth an off-spinner for life after Ashwin and several names have started to do the rounds, Sundar for some strange reason hardly found mention, pigeonholed as he has been as essentially a white-ball cricketer. Slow turner in Pune? Sundar has 59 first-class scalps in 30 matches — his six Test wickets have come at a high average of 49.83 — and has come a long way as a bowler since his last Test outing. Whether Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir feel emboldened enough to play him on what is expected to be a slow turner at the MCA International Stadium here remains to be seen. And if he does make the cut, at whose expense will it be? India will be loath to leave out either of all-rounders Ashwin and Jadeja if both are fully fit and aren’t huge fans of going in with just one quick bowler, which means should Washington find favour, it could be at the expense of Kuldeep’s left-arm wrist-spin.Having celebrated his recall with three wickets in Delhi’s second innings on Monday, Washington has both batting and bowling form going for him. Will the 25-year-old get another bite at the cherry?
22 October,2024 07:58 AM IST | Pune | R KaushikADVERTISEMENT
