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Agha, who won the Player-of-the-Match award thanks to his all-round excellence, handed the award to Ayub

Danyal Rasool17-Dec-2024

Saim Ayub’s dream debut season soared to new heights as a magnificent hundred from the Pakistan opener helped seal a thrilling win in the first ODI over South Africa in Paarl. Taking charge of a game that looked a lost cause when Pakistan lost four early in a chase of 240, he struck up a 141-run partnership with Salman Agha, whose all-round contribution began with a four-wicket haul and culminated in an unbeaten 82 as he held his nerve in a tense late stand with Naseem Shah to get Pakistan over the line with three balls and as many wickets to spare.All of this appeared a world away when Pakistan stumbled badly in pursuit of what should have been a below-par first-innings effort from South Africa. Marco Jansen cleaned up Abdullah Shafique with a pearler first up, swinging it back in to brush off stump. Babar Azam muddled through for a turgid 23 that does little to allay concerns over his own form, with Ottneil Baartman – who began with two maiden overs, drawing him into a miscue that went straight to the cover fielder. It was swiftly followed by captain Mohammad Rizwan being cleaned up off the pads, and a flustered Pakistan were in a generous enough mood to gift South Africa another wicket when Kamran Ghulam set off for a run Ayub had no interest in.Pakistan’s long tail continues to be a problem, and Irfan Khan’s teething problem continues, so when the visitors found themselves at 60 for 4 in the 20th over, the Ayub-Agha partnership was their last realistic shot at an unlikely victory. South Africa had the chance to slam the door in Pakistan’s face, but when Agha nicked off to Aiden Markram on 6, Heinrich Klaasen shelled a sharp chance.Gradually, imperceptibly at first, Pakistan began to claw their way back into the game. Ayub, who had until then scrapped uncharacteristically to 31 off 57 at one stage, began to find regular singles and doubles, as well as the occasional boundary. Agha is perhaps ideally suited for that kind of role, possessing the wile to squeeze out runs even if the power hitting doesn’t come naturally to him.As South Africa’s intensity and quality in the field dropped, the partnership steadily built, sneaking past 50, and eventually striding past three figures. Ayub, who had by now worked his way into the sort of flair that he’s naturally known for, turned the screw against Baartman, whose figures until then read 5-2-9-2. Two sixes and two fours brought the asking rate back down under a run a ball before Ayub slapped Rabada for a majestic six over midwicket to bring up his second ODI hundred in three innings.But with a long tail, there was the inevitable risk. Ayub had been playing with fire helping it to the deep-third and fine-leg boundaries, and eventually ended up holing out to the latter. Kagiso Rabada, sensing his opportunity, prised out Irfan four deliveries later, and South Africa were into Pakistan’s tail.Tabraiz Shamsi made short work of Shaheen Afridi, but Naseem and Agha realised the asking rate was under control, and went about ticking the last few runs off methodically. There was the occasional frenzy, but Agha displayed the steel that has stood him out since he integrated himself so effectively into the team. He picked his moment, slapping Shamsi over the top for a six that brought the asking rate back under control. By the end, all Pakistan needed were singles, and there was still time to finish with a flourish when Agha drove Jansen back down the ground to seal the win.Earlier in the day, a disciplined bowling performance from Pakistan, saw Pakistan restrict South Africa to 239 for 9 in Paarl. Agha’s part-time offspin ran through the South African top and middle order after the hosts made a flying start as they slumped from 70 for 0 in ten overs to 88 for 4 soon after. It was left to Heinrich Klaasen, who set aside his all-out belligerence for a valuable knock of 86 off 97, to make sure his side’s bowling attack had something of note to defend.Heinrich Klaasen made 86 off 97 balls•Gallo Images/Getty Images

Agha’s burst into bowling prominence was as sudden as it was unexpected. Openers Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickleton were coasting along in the first powerplay at over seven runs per over, making light work of Shaheen and Naseem’s opening spell without appearing to take any risks. Rizwan may only have introduced Agha into the attack to break up the momentum, but it turned out to be an inspired choice.Inside four overs, South Africa’s batting line-up – as well as their position of advantage – was cut to ribbons. It all began when Agha got one to skid into de Zorzi and trap him in front; no review was necessary. Rickleton chopped one on off from him in his following over, but Agha would save his best for last. With the new batters suddenly unable to read him either off the pitch or out of the hand, Rassie van der Dussen and Tristan Stubbs played for turn that wasn’t there, and heard the rattle of their off stump being knocked back.Rizwan sensed spin was finding surprise purchase here, and brought out the full cavalry. Before long, Abrar Ahmed was powering through, while Ayub and Ghulam each got turns. But Markram and Klaasen were slowly beginning to wrestle control back from Pakistan, ticking along through the middle overs, hoping to hold out before going big at the death. But they knew the innings was being played on a tightrope without a safety harness, and it took a miscue off an Ayub long hop from Markram to topple them off it.With Jansen struggling badly throughout his innings, it was left to Klaasen to salvage what he could from what was left. Pakistan’s seamers were at their disciplined, spirited best, too. That Jansen-Klaasen stand made it to 50, but Jansen had managed a mere 10 off 27, and only got that far thanks to the largesse of a dolly Haris Rauf put down. Klaasen tried to continue hammering away, and would have fully deserved a fifth ODI hundred, but Shaheen, too, deserved a wicket. It came via a beauty, seaming in and knocking back the middle stump of Klaasen; the rattle may well have been the final nail in the coffin for the hosts’ innings.Kagiso Rabada and Ottniel Baartman hobbled along for the last few overs, adding 21 for the 9th wicket, but Pakistan had inflicted much of the damage by then through Agha. With Ayub, they would see to it that the job was finished in a game the two dominated so thoroughly that when Agha was awarded the Player of the Match, he would invite Ayub to take it off him instead.

Completing a remarkable revival, having been engulfed in turmoil ahead of the tour, Pakistan claimed a rare series triumph in Australia after a comprehensive eight-wicket victory on a bouncy Optus Stadium surface in the third and final ODI.Having lost a heartbreaker in the opener at the MCG, Pakistan rebounded brilliantly with almost flawless performances in Adelaide and Perth to completely overwhelm world champions Australia, who have plenty of question marks ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.It was Pakistan’s first series victory in Australia since 2002 and a result made more incredible given white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten quit just a week before the tour amid well-worn Pakistani turmoil.But Pakistan appeared galvanised under Jason Gillespie, their Australian Test coach who is filling the shoes of Kirsten, and were ignited by a rampant four-pronged attack that routed a shorthanded Australia without their Test stars for 140 in just 31.5 overs.There were no infamous wobbles for Pakistan, who romped home in the 27th over.Australia capped a sluggish series with a sloppy performance in the field. Opener Saim Ayub had an early reprieve, while Adam Zampa spilt a sitter at deep square leg to reprieve Abdullah Shafique as Australia faced the humiliating prospect of a first ever 10-wicket ODI loss at home.But Lance Morris, who showcased his trademark pace by hitting speeds in the mid-140 kph, at least saved Australia from an unwanted place in the record books with the wickets of Shafique and Ayub in the 18th over.Lance Morris dismissed the two openers in one over•Getty Images

Interim captain Josh Inglis opted not to use Morris until the 15th over with allrounder Marcus Stoinis surprisingly given the new ball alongside Spencer Johnson.Skipper Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam, his predecessor, were nerveless with a flurry of boundaries to complete a match that finished two hours ahead of the scheduled close time.It completed a memorable first series in charge for Rizwan, who had no hesitation to bowl first and his decision was vindicated. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah claimed three wickets apiece, while in-form Haris Rauf finished with 2 for 24 as his sheer speed once again shook up the batters.Numerous batters succumbed to hostile short balls, while allrounder Cooper Connolly had to retire hurt on 7 after copping a blow to his left hand attempting to pull Mohammad Hasnain. He was taken for scans and did not field in Pakistan’s innings.Pakistan’s attack smartly did not get carried away with the bounce on offer as their quicks bowled unrelenting line and lengths to totally smother Australia, who once again would be disappointed with their shot selections on a surface that was not a minefield. No Australia batter scored a half-century across the series.Pakistan entered in the unfamiliar position of favourites in a country where they have endured so much misery over the years.Their optimism was heightened by Australia making five changes after skipper Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne were rested as they start to prepare for the first Test against India.Australia had to rejig their batting-order, but openers Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk remained at the top of the order and desperate to fire having struggled across the opening two games.They appeared intent on backing their ultra-aggressive methods and scored 12 runs in the opening over. But things quickly went downhill with Fraser-McGurk caught at second slip after attempting to drive a good length delivery from Naseem.Josh Inglis gives the team talk on captaincy debut•Getty Images

He failed to move his feet in a dismissal that is common in Perth and his wicket brought to the crease allrounder Aaron Hardie, who was elevated to No. 3 in a role he fulfils with aplomb for Perth Scorchers in the BBL. Even though he was on his home ground, Hardie looked nervous and fell in a moment of indecisiveness and edged to second slip in a reward for Afridi, who conjured beautiful seam movement.The pressure was on Inglis, who was already amid a big day in his captaincy debut having been earlier selected in Australia’s 13-member squad for the Perth Test against India. Inglis has often performed a rescue role for Scorchers in the BBL, but he couldn’t get going and skied a short Naseem delivery to Rizwan.Short managed to get through the early barrage as he set his sights on furthering his bid to become Australia’s permanent ODI opener. But on 22 he picked out square leg to gift a wicket to Rauf, who was feeling giddy at his good fortune.Rauf ramped up his speed and claimed Glenn Maxwell for a duck as Australia stared down the barrel of being routed for under 100. The only momentary concern for Pakistan was Afridi grimacing in agony after being whacked on his left thumb taking a throw at the stumps.But he returned and was faced with a counterattack from Sean Abbott, who top-scored with 30. But Afridi ended Abbott’s resistance and then knocked over Morris to send the large contingent of Pakistan fans in the terraces into raptures and they continued to roar through the afternoon.

Sussex coasting to title after rain-ruined contest at Hove

ECB Reporters Network28-Sep-2024Sam Robson’s superb 113 off 103 balls spearheaded Middlesex’s sprint to 271 all out from just 44.3 overs at Hove, with Sussex replying on a more sedate 112 for two in a Vitality County Championship match that lost its first seven sessions to bad weather.Tom Haines’ secure unbeaten 53 steered Sussex through 33 overs in the later stages of a day blessed at last by early autumn sunshine, leaving them with the prospect of clinching the Division Two title on the final day of the season.Fast bowler Tom Helm dismissed both Oli Carter for 15, caught and bowled top-edging an attempted pull, and Tom Clark, who snicked behind on 14, but Tom Alsop (11 not out) stayed with Haines until stumps.The game finally got under way at 12.40pm on day three, following two inspections and an early lunch, and Robson led from the front as Middlesex tried to make up for lost time in a valiant effort to reach a position from which to push for an unlikely victory.Middlesex had started the day still with an outside chance of promotion, needing to win in this final championship round while also requiring second-placed Yorkshire to lose against Northamptonshire. But Yorkshire’s three bowling and three batting bonus points at Headingley meant they go up alongside Division Two leaders Sussex – who now need just one batting point, or a draw in this game, to become second division champions.Picking up three bowling bonus points, with young spinners Jack Carson and James Coles sharing seven wickets, left Sussex at stumps just 138 runs away from reaching 250 and that first batting point. Sussex have announced that all spectators will receive free entry on the final day, plus a voucher for a free drink.Robson’s hundred, the 36th of the former England Test opener’s fine first-class career, was his fourth of an excellent season and a chanceless innings of controlled aggression. The 35-year-old reached three figures off 87 balls and hit 15 fours.With Ryan Higgins including three legside sixes in a 28-ball 40, Middlesex were at one stage 181 for three. But Higgins then swept slow left-armer Coles high to deep square leg, in the 29th over, and Middlesex’s first innings fell away despite every batsman attempting to maintain the attacking intent.Coles finished with four for 61 while off spinner Carson’s three for 46 took him to 50 championship wickets for the season, the first time a Sussex spinner has reached that landmark since Monty Panesar’s haul of 53 in 2012.Opening bowlers Ollie Robinson and Jaydev Unadkat claimed Middlesex’s first three wickets, with Robinson removing Mark Stoneman for 13 – courtesy of a diving low catch to his right at fourth slip by Haines – in his new ball spell of 7-0-21-1.Indian left-armer Unadkat then replaced Robinson for his second spell from the Cromwell Road End, almost immediately bowling Max Holden off stump for 24 and later having Leus du Plooy (6) held after a juggle at first slip by Alsop.By then Robson had completed a 51-ball fifty by straight driving Unadkat for four and Higgins’ arrival sparked a rollicking fourth wicket partnership of 78 from just 8.3 overs.Coles, though, followed up his dismissal of Higgins by having Josh de Caires (1) well-held by Carson at deep square leg, who in the previous over had bowled Jack Davies through an attempted big drive for four.After tea, taken at 208 for six from 36 overs, Robson swept Carson to deep backward square leg before Toby Roland-Jones (8) mishit Coles to mid off, Helm (7) was caught off Carson and Luke Hollman’s bright 34-ball 39 was ended when he was bowled swinging at Coles.With Sussex already guaranteed to be crowned as Division Two champions on Sunday, entry for the final day at Hove is half-price, plus a free drink voucher for all spectators.

Jeffrey Vandersay, who played his lone Test back in June 2022, has also been included

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Aug-2024

Sri Lanka have named uncapped right-arm seamer Milan Rathnayake and fast-bowling allrounder Nisala Tharaka in an 18-member squad for the three-match Test series against England later this month.The squad also marks the return of Pathum Nissanka in the longest format. Nissanka made his Test debut in March 2021 but has not played a Test match since the middle of 2022, having since been displaced by Nishan Madushka at the top of the order.Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who played his lone Test back in June 2022 against Australia, has also been brought back after an impressive showing in the second ODI against India where he picked a career-best 6 for 33.This is a first call-up for 33-year-old Tharaka, a veteran of 107 first-class games in which he has picked 257 wickets and scored 2358 runs with a highest score of 107. His most recent performance of significance was for Sri Lanka A against Afghanistan A in May when he took six wickets for 42 runs in the second innings.Rathnayake, 28, had been selected in Sri Lanka’s Test squad earlier, most recently for a one-off Test against Afghanistan but is yet to get a game. He has played 39 first-class matches and picked 79 wickets and also scored 633 runs with a highest score of 59. Rathnayake has been a consistent performer in the Sri Lanka A side.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Dhananjaya de Silva will lead the side with Kusal Mendis as his deputy. Sri Lanka have gone with a pace-heavy squad which includes Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Tharaka and Ratnayake as the fast bowlers. Angelo Mathews, who has had occasional success with his seam bowling in England, is also in the squad.Vandersay, Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya are the main spin options. Ramesh and Jayasuriya have been Sri Lanka’s primary Test spinners over the past 18 months.Although many of the players named in this squad are currently involved in the ODI series against India, six Test specialists flew on Saturday to England to begin training. Vishwa also played three County Championship matches for Yorkshire as part of his own preparation.The first Test between Sri Lanka and England gets underway on August 21 in Manchester before the teams travel to Lord’s for the second Test on August 29. They will finish with the third Test at The Oval on September 6.Sri Lanka squad for Tests vs EnglandDhananjaya De Silva (capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (vice-capt), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Nisala Tharaka, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Jeffrey Vandersay, Milan Rathnayake

Every passing day at St. Andrew’s seems to throw up another gigantic transfer rumour involving Birmingham City.

This time, Bright Osayi-Samuel is the main name being linked with an ambitious switch to the West Midlands. The Blues are allegedly closing in on a deal to land the ex-Fenerbahce man on a free transfer, as per journalist Mike McGrath.

The non-stop rumour mill is unlikely to grind to a halt here when it comes to dishing out notable figures who could soon call Chris Davies’ side home, with plenty of other EFL-ready stars tipped to relocate to the Blues very soon.

Latest on Birmingham's transfer search

Having spent £15m just on Jay Stansfield alone last season when plying their trade in League One, it’s not the greatest shock in the world to see Birmingham flexing their muscles once more in terms of incoming signings.

Indeed, the mega-rich Blues are reportedly close to adding both Tommy Doyle and Demarai Gray to their expanding camp, with reports even suggesting that the Birmingham-born winger could cost around £8m to obtain.

Joining the aforementioned trio through the door very shortly could also be Kieran Dowell, with an exclusive report from GIVEMESPORT stating that a proposal has been made on the end of the newly promoted side to bring their former loanee back to St. Andrew’s.

However, it’s stated that this proposal is up in the air at the moment as new Rangers boss Russell Martin continues to assess whether Dowell is part of his long-term Ibrox plans or not.

With Ben Davies also on their agenda, according to GIVEMESPORT, it’s clear that adding in Championship experience by the bucket load is a huge priority, as Birmingham navigate the treacherous, but thrilling step back up to the second tier.

In Dowell, the Blues might well be winning themselves another adaptable and exciting presence at the level that’s very similar to Osayi-Samuel, as both potential new signings aim to help Birmingham soar to even greater heights in their fresh surroundings.

Why Dowell can be another Osayi-Samuel

Last season was a clear example for all those watching on at St. Andrew’s that the 27-year-old attacking midfielder is an accomplished performer in the EFL, as seen in his five goals and four assists from just 19 League One runouts.

Amazingly, he should only up his performance standards if he sticks it out for Birmingham’s move up to the Championship, with fans of clubs such as Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, and Wigan Athletic knowing all too well what the former England U21 international is about at the intimidating level.

In total, playing for those myriad clubs in the Championship, Dowell has managed to tally up a mightily impressive 26 goals and 12 assists from 123 clashes, with Osayi-Samuel not lagging too far behind with his own hefty output.

Indeed, the soon-to-be Birmingham presence can boast his own healthy total of 23 goals and assists across 109 Championship games, with the correlations between the seasoned pair not just ending there, as seen in their similar abilities to line up for their team across various positions if needed.

AM

120

31

12

RM

50

9

10

CM

25

2

1

RW

19

7

5

LM

17

2

1

SS

2

0

0

LW

1

0

0

DM

1

0

0

Across the ex-Queens Park Rangers man’s varied career to date, he has staggeringly lined up in ten different spots on the field, with a makeshift striker role even being taken up by the Nigeria international on occasion.

Dowell can show off the same levels of flexibility when looking at the table above, with the one-time Championship title winner more than capable of playing down the left or right wing, away from excelling as a number ten.

Even hailed as a “high-quality” performer by Davies last season, it does feel as if Dowell would jump at the opportunity to return to such a familiar stomping ground in the second tier, particularly after a challenging Rangers spell.

Both Dowell and Osayi-Samuel joining the Blues camp would show that the newly promoted side means business heading up a league, with another promotion not the craziest shout if everything clicks into place.

Better than Gray: Birmingham City close in on signing "blistering" star

Birmingham City look set to now add this blistering star to their growing camp.

1 ByKelan Sarson Jun 30, 2025

Not only are Manchester City pushing for a Champions League spot at the end of the season and looking to win the FA Cup, but they are in the final throes of Kevin De Bruyne’s City career.

What an incredible decade it has been for the Belgian in Sky Blue. They have had an incredible amount of success, with De Bruyne at the heart of it all. He has made 414 appearances for the club so far, scoring 106 goals and grabbing an outrageous 176 assists. The peak of the project was in 2022/23, when they won the treble.

Now, City have the unenviable job of replacing the 33-year-old and have already been linked to Morgan Gibbs-White as an option.

The latest on Man City's pursuit of Gibbs-White

It certainly seems as though the Citizens could go all in for Nottingham Forest’s talismanic midfielder, Gibbs-White.

The 25-year-old has been sensational in Garibaldi Red this term, which could earn him a move to the current Premier League champions.

According to the highly reputable David Ornstein, the East Mancunian outfit is one of the players ‘among multiple options’ on City’s list, with players they ‘will consider to replace’ De Bruyne this summer. Another name mentioned was Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz.

It has been an excellent campaign for Gibbs-White in 2024/25, with him and his Forest teammates looking set to qualify for the Champions League.

In total, he has five goals and nine assists in 27 games. City were on the end of one of those assists, a superb cross-field pass to Callum Hudson-Odoi which the winger was able to score from.

At this stage, a price for the England international is unclear. However, he is valued at a price as high as £59m by Football Transfers, and the Citizens could have to pay as much as that if they want to sign him this summer.

Incredibly, Pep Guardiola’s side have a player in a similar position worth even more than Gibbs-White.

Man City's "freak" talent could save them millions on Gibbs-White

In and around the England set-up, the signing of Gibbs-White could certainly be a wise one for City who need to replace De Bruyne and hand the likes of Phil Foden and Jack Grealish more competition.

However, they may already have someone who can fill in behind the striker.

Indeed, it was a busy January transfer window for the Citizens, with Omar Marmoush being one of the headline signings for £59m from Eintracht Frankfurt. The Egyptian, described as a “freak” by football scout Antonio Mango, has hit the ground running at the Etihad Stadium and could be someone who helps to replace the output of the departing De Bruyne.

In just 13 appearances for the East Mancunian outfit so far, Marmoush already has six goals and an assist. That included an unstoppable hat-trick against Newcastle United, with all three goals coming in a span of 15 minutes.

One of the impressive things about the former Eintracht Frankfurt star is his ability to play across the frontline. He has already featured as a left-winger and a number 10, the same position as Gibbs-White plays. In Erling Haaland’s absence due to injury, Marmoush has also slotted in at centre-forward.

It has been a fantastic campaign for the 26-year-old so far with the new City recruit on fire for Eintracht before his move to the Premier League, scoring 20 goals and assisting 14 in just 26 games.

With that being said, it might be no surprise that his underlying numbers on FBref compared to other forwards this season are exceptional.

For example, per 90 minutes, he averages 1.06 goals and assists and 0.86 goal-creating actions, which rank him in the top 3% and 1% of attackers, respectively.

Marmoush’s talent is undeniable, and he has the numbers to back it up. Thus his value has shot up even from the time he joined City. As per Football Transfers, the attacker is now valued at £75.m.

That is almost £20m more than what City paid for him just weeks ago, and almost £20m more than what Gibbs-Whote is valued at. It is safe to say that the signing of the Egypt star has been a good piece of business from the Citizens, who certainly struck gold on this deal.

Bigger talent than De Bruyne: Man City lead race to sign £87m "superstar"

Manchester City have a huge task in replacing Kevin De Bruyne this summer but have wasted no time in the window.

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 8, 2025

The wicketkeeper-batter has pulled his side out of many a hole in all three formats with his big-hitting prowess

Mohammad Isam14-Jun-2025Bangladesh men’s cricket has been on a downward trajectory, having won just two matches in the first six months of 2025. They travel next to Sri Lanka, for a multi-format series with question marks over their batters. Najmul Hossain Shanto is no longer first choice in T20Is, Litton Das

He has become such an integral part of Bangladesh’s batting line-up in T20Is that there was outrage when he wasn’t promoted up the order in their last game, against Pakistan. Bangladesh lost that series 3-0, just after they had been beaten by UAE, also in a T20I series. But Jaker says that the team isn’t disheartened by the defeats.”I think we could have won four out of the six T20Is,” Jaker says. “We missed opportunities. We have a lot of cricket coming up, so there’s no need to be upset. There will be ups and downs. We have to focus on working hard and bring good results. Losing is disappointing but it doesn’t necessarily mean we are a bad team.”

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Jaker’s emergence in the Bangladesh set-up came through an unusual route. He was been a steady, if unflashy, performer in domestic cricket, with two fifties and a hundred for Bangladesh A since 2019. He didn’t make an impact in his first three BPL seasons, but then the trajectory of his cricket career changed.Jaker on Bangladesh’s need for a finisher: “I think we have had this weakness [power-hitting] for a long time. I took on the challenge to get over this barrier”•ICC/Getty ImagesHe joined a pre-BPL camp at the Masco Cricket Academy on the outskirts of Dhaka near the end of 2022. It was conducted by Comilla Victorians head coach Mohammad Salahuddin, who is now Bangladesh’s assistant coach. There, Jaker worked on his power-hitting for four weeks, developing the mindset needed through training and preparation.”Salahuddin sir made me do some specific work,” he says. “Training doesn’t go into the record books. I worked very hard on my power-hitting. It was a lot of repetition of drills. I still do those drills. Repeating the same work has turned it into a habit for me.”It produced results. From his aggregate of seven sixes in 14 innings over three seasons in the BPL, Jaker struck 11 sixes in 11 innings in the 2023 tournament, before raising that number to 14 sixes in ten innings the following season. He also upped his strike rate significantly, to 141.13 in 2024, working on an aspect he thinks Bangladesh have been deficient in. “I think we have had this weakness [power-hitting] for a long time. I took on the challenge to get over this barrier,” he says.”So far it is going well, Alhamdulillah, but there’s still room for improvement. Whether it is power-hitting or leaving a ball, you have to keep repeating it, to the point it becomes a habit. The more I do power-hitting, [the more] it improves my bat swing. High-intensity practice always leads to confidence.”I broke into the T20I side after showing that I can accelerate in the [2023] BPL. I always knew that I had to perform significantly to get into the team. I focus on hitting as many sixes as possible in T20s. I bat lower down the order, so a six usually brings ten runs in the over for my team. I try to take myself to a better position every day.”At last year’s BPL, Comilla coach Salahuddin was unhappy the national selectors had not picked Jaker as a regular in Bangladesh’s T20I side, despite his strong number. “I think he is one of the best [in the middle order],” Salahuddin said. “He is saving us [Comilla Victorians] almost in every game. He bats sensibly. He can play his shots all around the wicket. He is good against pace and spin.”Five months after an unremarkable debut in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, Jaker brought up his maiden T20I fifty in his first game against Sri Lanka in 2024•Bangladesh Cricket BoardA couple of weeks after the 2024 BPL wrapped up, the selectors called Jaker up to the national side, and he didn’t disappoint. He struck six sixes in the first T20I against Sri Lanka, his 68 coming at a strike rate of 200. It was his home debut.

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Jaker’s breakthrough tour was in the West Indies late last year. Injuries to the captain, Najmul, Mushfiqur and Towhid Hridoy had depleted Bangladesh’s batting stocks. Afghanistan had handed them a 2-1 ODI series defeat in Sharjah, on their way to the Caribbean, which had sapped the team’s confidence before a long tour. They were hammered in the first Test, in Antigua, where Jaker’s 53 was the team’s highest score.Jaker admits batting conditions in that series were particularly tough, and the shadow of their defeats there in the T20 World Cup earlier in the year hung over him. “I wasn’t performing well in the previous matches leading up to the tour,” he says. “West Indies has one of the toughest conditions in the world. I just told myself, let’s take [on] the challenge, let’s see what comes to me.”[Since] I’d already played in the West Indies in the T20 World Cup, I started to visualise what challenges I was going to face there. What makes it tough there, especially in red-ball cricket, is the Dukes ball, the bounce, and the wind. But I backed myself to do well there.”Bangladesh’s batting struggles continued in the second Test, in Jamaica, but the bowlers brought them into the game, giving them an 18-run lead. Bangladesh then slipped to 132 for 4, and then lost Mehidy and Litton, which left Jaker with the tail.Bangladesh held a decent lead going into the fourth day, but with wickets falling, he knew he had to cut loose “They kept attacking us. After the ball was changed on the fourth day, I realised that survival was going to be really hard.”I knew that I had to go for broke, and I ended up hitting five sixes. I have no regret about not getting a century. I worked very hard for couple of days, and I felt the five sixes were my biggest achievement,” Jaker says.On the tough tour of the West Indies, Jaker emerged Bangladesh’s top scorer, and he was a catalyst in their win in the second Test•Athelstan BellamyBangladesh set a target of 287 in the fourth innings, and they defended it like for all they were worth.”We rallied around each other when we realised that there was a possibility of winning,” Jaker says. “We decided to keep talking to each other in the field. Sometimes when the opposition batters put on a big partnership, everyone goes quiet. We wanted to let them [West Indies] know that we were in the game.”I would run over from cover, and the slip cordon would talk to me. We wanted to show them that we were charged up. We had nothing to lose in that situation. They sledged us a lot when we were batting.”There was enough chat from the Bangladesh players that West Indies’ batters complained to the umpires. Jaker and Co had got under their skin. In the end, West Indies were bowled out for 185 for a 101-run victory.”I have never really spoken to anyone about this Test win,” Jaker says. “We faced a difficult time there, especially having lost the previous Test. There was a flu going around in Jamaica at that time. We had a couple of players, the bowling coach and trainer all down with it. I think we had one or two players [from] outside the playing XI. The best part was, we didn’t give up. It was a team effort. Everyone contributed, especially the bowlers. Taskin [Ahmed] , Taijul [Islam] , Hasan Mahmud and {Nahid] Rana,” he said.Two weeks later, in the third T20I, Jaker was left fuming after a mix-up with Shamim Hossain ended in a run out when he was on 17. He threw his bat in the air and trudged off, but replays showed that Jaker had slid his bat in before Shamim as both tried to make it past the crease at the same end, which meant Shamim was the one dismissed.Jaker was in the dressing room in Arnos Vale when the fourth umpire went looking for him. TV cameras showed a bemused Jaker quickly putting his jersey back on and rushing to the field.”I was not angry at Shamim. We have a great relationship. He is such a nice guy. I just didn’t want to end my West Indies tour with that run-out, that’s why I was behaving that way. Everyone was stunned to see me throw things around in the dressing room,” he says.Jaker is clear about his role: “I want to play match-winning knocks for Bangladesh, even if it is a 20 or a 30. A fifty or a century in a losing cause doesn’t really count”•ICC via Getty ImagesHe went on to make a quickfire 72, which inspired an 80-run win, giving Bangladesh the series 3-0. He was the side’s highest run-getter on the tour, scoring four half-centuries and hitting 19 sixes. His character shone through under pressure. He batted skilfully with the tail in the Tests, put together big partnerships in the ODIs, and led the batting in the T20Is.His form carried into the Champions Trophy in March this year. For Bangladesh, he was perhaps the sole bright spot in a tournament from which they were eliminated swiftly. In their first match, against India, Bangladesh slipped to 35 for 5. But Hridoy and Jaker combined to add 154 runs for the sixth wicket, taking them to 228. This time, Jaker played second fiddle, skilfully working the Indian spinners, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. It was his first taste of a top-class bowling attack in ODIs, and Jaker had done his homework. He felt that being prepared in the nets and having enough information about the Indian bowlers would be helpful.”India has one of the best bowling attacks. They will pounce on your mistakes. They don’t give you many chances. You have to be very careful and know what they are trying to do. Bowlers like Jadeja and Axar bowl at a certain pace. We were also playing on a tricky wicket in Dubai. I had prepared myself adequately. I try to understand how the opposition bowling unit is trying to attack me. They have different modes of attack for every batter,” he says.Jaker has had little time to reflect on his international career so far. Bangladesh have been playing almost non-stop over the last couple of years, and there’s a lot of cricket ahead of them in 2025. Jaker believes in physical and mental preparation, but he has a singular goal.”International cricket can be quite tough if you are not well prepared. You need courage to survive at the highest level. I want to play match-winning knocks for Bangladesh, even if it is a 20 or a 30. I want to contribute to the team’s winning cause. A fifty or a century in a losing cause doesn’t really count,” he says.Bangladesh’s batters have relied on Jaker to clean up their messes – of which there have been many – in all three formats in the last couple of years. He doesn’t seem to mind having to perform these rescue acts. In the process, he has provided glimpses of the batter he could be with a bit of support from the top and middle orders.

On Thursday, he proved he does not shy away from the big stage. In fact, that’s where he thrives

Sreshth Shah07-Apr-20232:46

Dasgupta: Shardul’s best IPL innings by a distance

Over the years, Shardul Thakur has evolved from being a red-ball fast bowler, primarily, to a handy lower middle-order batter who also picks up key wickets in the limited-overs formats. He may not be as consistent as he would have liked to be, whether with the bat or with the ball, but Thakur has proved several times that he does not shy away from the big stage.On Thursday, there was a chance for Thakur to be the star, and he cashed in. With Kolkata Knight Riders at 89 for 5, and Andre Russell gone for a first-ball duck, Thakur knew that the stage was set up for him perfectly: a packed Eden Gardens, a first home match for the Knight Riders, the star team owner in the stands and star Indian cricketer in the opposition camp. All that was needed was action. He provided that with a 29-ball 68 that left Royal Challengers Bangalore so stunned that the eventual target of 205 proved too steep.Related

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Over the years, Thakur has become a character who wants to be in the thick of the action. Even when things aren’t going his team’s way, Thakur has that look on his face – he wants to bring his side back in the contest. And even as he produced heroic performances in Tests – twin fifties at The Oval and a 67 in Brisbane, both in India’s victories – he never was the star performer.On Thursday, nothing quite stood out about his innings against Royal Challengers from a technical standpoint. He offered poor defensive technique first ball and was lucky to not become a hat-trick victim for Karn Sharma. The nine fours and three sixes that followed were not extravagantly beautiful either. They were effective shots built on a base which is a handy technique from the Mumbai school of batting. In short, they were shots from a cricketer who briefly felt invincible, and it was this confidence that translated into runs.The three sixes in his innings epitomised that. Thakur cleared the boundary once off Akash Deep and twice off Michael Bracewell. None of those shots came off the middle of the bat, but they did come off the bat of someone who was willing to give it a full swing. For 45 minutes, everything that Thakur touched turned to gold.Shardul Thakur swings across the line during his match-winning innings•BCCI”Even I didn’t know where it came from,” Thakur said after the match. “Looking at the scorecard, anyone would’ve said we are struggling out there. But at some point, your subconscious mind has to take over and pre-empt what bowlers are going to bowl and areas you are going to hit.”On the night, that plan worked perfectly for Thakur – who also picked up a wicket in the chase – and in the process, also vindicated the decision of the Knight Riders backroom staff, who chose to trade him into the squad as part of an all-cash deal of INR 10 crore from Delhi Capitals. Thakur’s innings did one more thing – it brought the Eden Gardens crowd to life. Knight Riders came into the season with very few marquee names barring their two West Indians, Russell and Sunil Narine, and there was a sense that the home crowd was not finding the common ground that would give them a connect with their side.Virat Kohli shadow batting brought the loudest cheers before the start of the game, and shouts of “Kohli, Kohli” were getting more frequent as the Knight Riders top order crumbled. Previously, when Russell was dismissed cheaply at Eden Gardens, pin-drop silence would follow. On this occasion, there was a big roar when he was out the first ball. Perhaps a lack of faith in the team. Perhaps the worth of the opposition. Perhaps both.Royal Challengers have built a loyal fanbase around the country centred on their biggest star, and also their social media game. A direct impact of that could be seen in Kolkata, where before 2019, it was almost impossible that Knight Riders’ wickets would be celebrated with such fervour. Before the match, walking into the stadium, even if more fans were hoping for a home win, it seemed more spectators had the Royal Challengers red on compared to the Knight Riders purple.

“The innings Rinku played was as important as Shardul’s. He is a (amazing) guy. If you keep things simple with him, he will play cricket in a simple way too. And that is our strength”KKR captain Nitish Rana

After Thakur’s innings, though, the Knight Riders faithfuls went back to creating the sort of buzz that made Eden Gardens such a stronghold for the home side. It culminated with the loudest cheers of the night when Kohli was bowled by Narine in the chase, the start of a collapse that led to an 81-run win for Knight Riders.While Thakur stole the limelight, Rinku Singh also made a valuable contribution of 46 off 33 balls. Rinku is best known in the IPL for his sharp fielding and cameos with the bat, but those small efforts have not gone unnoticed. In Kolkata, he has developed a cult-like following and has turned into a crowd favourite. Knight Riders captain Nitish Rana later said that Rinku played his role – to stay till the end, and not start slogging too early – perfectly.”The innings Rinku played was as important as Shardul’s,” Rana said after the match. “In the time out, I told him that I know he can hit seven sixes if he wants to, but at that time he didn’t need to. I told him he can hit three sixes [to make up] later in the innings because he has the skills for it, but at that time it was important for him to stay till the 19th-20th over. Rinku is a (cool) guy. If you keep things simple with him, he will play cricket in a simple way too. And that is our strength.”While the Knight Riders’ win at home changed the trend for them somewhat, their top order looked out of sorts for the second game in a row. It took the highest sixth-wicket stand in the IPL since 2012, a rare, freakish innings and partnership, to lift them from what looked like 140 to 200-plus. For now, they can afford to bask in the afterglow till their next challenge: against defending champions Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Legspinner starts season in fine form to raise hopes of making the Test grade

Matt Roller12-May-2021In the HBO drama, , the hapless Cousin Greg is warned when bragging about his inheritance that it will make him “the poorest rich person in America – the world’s tallest dwarf”. In cricketing terms, ‘England’s best red-ball legspinner’ is a similarly couched epithet – the context offers no guarantee of success or fulfilment.But it is better to have the label than not, and given Adil Rashid has not played a first-class match since January 2019 while continuing to manage his shoulder injury, Matt Parkinson’s early-season form confirms he is the incumbent. After wearing hi-vis and carrying drinks throughout England’s three-month subcontinent tour, Parkinson has taken 19 wickets in his first four County Championship games of the season – only eight bowlers, seven of them seamers, have managed more.The opportunity to bowl has been key, both as a containing bowler and an attack one. Parkinson’s four previous first-class seasons (he missed last year’s Bob Willis Trophy through injury) have followed a similar pattern: running drinks in April and May as Lancashire play it safe, before getting a brief chance at the end of the summer. Two wickets against Northamptonshire next week would make this the most prolific season of his career to date, even with up to eight fixtures left to play.ESPNcricinfo LtdIt already feels like a long time since he was left out of the side for Lancashire’s first game of the season, with Tom Hartley, the young left-arm spinner, preferred. “You do get little doubts when you don’t play the first one,” Parkinson admits as the rain comes down on the washed-out third day of their draw with Glamorgan. “It was probably a bit tight [after getting back from India] but I was gutted not to play. You start thinking, ‘oh no’.”I thought it could be like a normal season for a legspinner – the sort I’ve had before – where you don’t play until June or July. I’ve made the point that I want to play a large part in red-ball cricket and I see that as my only way of getting a justified call-up for further honours. I don’t want to be in England squads off the back of potential. I want to do what Leachy [Jack Leach] does: play 14 games, and take loads of wickets.”Two wickets in particular have stood out. The first was a near-replica of Shane Warne’s ball to Mike Gatting in 1993 – pitching some way outside leg, and hitting the top of Adam Rossington’s off stump; the second was a similar ball but to the left-handed Delray Rawlins, who offered no shot and was cleaned up by a sharply-spun legbreak. However, with English cricket taking part in a social media boycott in solidarity against online abuse, the Rawlins wicket gained significantly less traction than Rossington’s.

Who did it better? @ShaneWarne, @mattyparky96

#RedRoseTogether pic.twitter.com/HwLQgwM9De

— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) April 16, 2021