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James Anderson has responded angrily to the suggestion that England have been involved in ball-tampering during the Champions Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jun-2013James Anderson has responded angrily to the suggestion that England have been involved in ball-tampering during the Champions Trophy.Bob Willis, the former England captain, sparked the controversy in his role as a TV commentator by saying there was no other reason for the umpires to change the ball as they did midway through Sri Lanka’s run chase at The Oval. Ashley Giles launched a strong defence yesterday and now Anderson has followed up in his newspaper column.”It’s very disappointing and frustrating that anyone, but especially a former England captain, should say these things, especially when we’re preparing for a massive game,” Anderson told the .”The fact is people can think what they like. We know the truth, I can state categorically that no one in the England team has ever tampered with a ball and we won’t allow comments made by someone like Bob Willis to worry us.England are always keen to try and get the ball to reverse swing, as they did against Australia in their opening match of the Champions Trophy, and Anderson is adamant it is all down to their own hard work and skill.”Reverse swing has been an issue in cricket for a while,” he added. “But just because one bowler or one team reverse a ball better than another on a given day doesn’t mean to say he or they have been tampering. It just means they’re more skilful.”I can assure you that if any of the England bowlers achieve it then it is within the letter of the laws. When we played Australia the square at Edgbaston was very dry and there were a lot of dry patches that got roughed up and resulted in scuffs on the ball.”At The Oval against Sri Lanka the other day there were nowhere near as many dry areas and that’s mainly why the ball didn’t reverse anywhere near as much.”

Faisal Iqbal has said that he is ready to prove his worth in the upcoming Tests against Zimbabwe, should he get the chance

Umar Farooq29-Aug-2013Another tour, another opportunity and more hope for middle-order batsman Faisal Iqbal to find his identity within the Pakistan team. Since his debut in 2001, Faisal operated mostly as a “replacement player”, in the shadow of Mohammad Yousuf and Inzamam-ul-Haq, and was never able to cement his place in the team.He has played 26 Test matches over the past 12 years. He last played for Pakistan in 2010 but was part of the Test squad for last one year without being part of the playing XI. He was retained in the squad for the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe but uncertainty looms over his chances to play. Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq and Misbah-ul-Haq ahead of Iqbal in the pecking order to occupy the middle-order spots, while Mohammad Hafeez and Khurram Manzoor will mostly be preferred to open the innings. Should he get the chance, the Zimbabwe Tests, he knows, could be crucial for his career.”I always have been treated as a replacement in past. I was actually groomed to take over from Inzamam or Yousuf once they were done with their careers, but unfortunately I have been deprived,” Iqbal told ESPNcricinfo. “For most of my career, since my [international] debut, I have kept waiting for a proper slot so that I could play as a permanent player, and I am obviously disappointed. But I am always optimistic and ready to grab the chance.”It would be great to get games in succession to prove myself. I obviously won’t be looking at Zimbabwe as an easy opponent as, for a batsman, it’s all about one good ball. They are after all an international side and every run is important against them. I have plenty of experience and even scored an ODI hundred in Zimbabwe, so things won’t be alien for me.”Iqbal, who is a nephew of former captain Javed Miandad, had a prolific career at junior level, from his time with the Under-15s. But his time with the seniors has, for the most part, been overshadowed by allegations of nepotism, something Faisal describes as a “daunting factor” and one of the major blows for his career.”I might have been victimised in past and things have not been fair for me,” he said. “I am a professional player and have never taken my cricket for granted. I have scored runs on the ground with my own hands, haven’t I?”He has often impressed on comeback: after his first recall in 2002, he scored 83 against Australia; then came 139 against India – the highlight of his career – which helped Pakistan to a 341-run victory in Karachi in 2006. In that fateful series against Sri Lanka in early 2009, he scored a half-century in his first innings back. His problem, though, has been consistency. A lack thereof has resulted in him being repeatedly dropped.Faisal will be hoping to get his chance on September 3, when Pakistan face off against Zimbabwe in Harare for the first of two Tests. This time, he’ll hope to make that good start and go on to build on it.

Ross Taylor could yet cap an eventful season by being part of a New Zealand side that beats England in a Test series at home for only the second time in their history

Andrew McGlashan in Auckland20-Mar-2013Ross Taylor has been through his fair share of ups and downs in recent months but he could yet cap an eventful season by being part of a New Zealand side that beats England in a Test series at home for only the second time in their history.Taylor was not born on the previous occasion in 1983-84 – a series decided when England were shot out twice for double figures in Christchurch – but at 29, he is now one of the most experienced players in a developing New Zealand team. There appeared little chance of them competing with England only a few months ago, when they were being dismantled by South Africa in the wake of Taylor’s sacking from the captaincy, but while there remains an uneasy truce between Taylor and the coach Mike Hesson, they have proved far more competitive at home.There were a few warning signs in Wellington, where New Zealand’s bowling lacked penetration on the first day and the batsmen could only manage 254 on a docile surface before being asked to follow on, but it was by no means certain that they would have lost if the weather had not turned. Taylor, in partnership with Kane Williamson, was leading a stubborn second innings and they have brought the series down to a one-game playoff.”It’s a position we haven’t been in for a while and we’ve played some good cricket,” Taylor said. “We know we’ll have to be at our best to compete with this English side and we have five more days of tough cricket. If we can play to our potential we are a chance.”You don’t need much motivation, it’s nil-nil in a series against England, playing on our home turf and it’s the first time we’ve played at Eden Park for a few years, so there’s a lot to play for.”Ross Taylor was unbeaten in New Zealand’s second innings in the Wellington draw•Getty Images

Much of the debate has centred around why England have not won rather than why New Zealand have not lost, but neither team can really claim any ascendancy going into the final match. “It’s a probably a fair reflection on the way the series has gone,” Taylor said. “Another day either way could have allowed both teams to win.”More bounce is expected on the drop-in pitch at Eden Park, which is hosting its first Test since 2006, although similar sentiments were made in the build-up to the second Test and the bounce was steady rather than steep. The back-foot techniques of the New Zealand batsmen have yet to be really tested in this series, but they do not lie awake at night worrying about what may happen.”I’m sure our bowlers will look forward to bowling on a bouncier wicket,” Taylor said. “I think it was bouncy in Wellington and I can’t see it being too much more so here.”Dean Brownlie, who learnt his cricket in Western Australia, would actually enjoy the prospect of a quicker pitch. “It definitely suits my game,” he said. “We have to be good all around the world and this is another opportunity to learn in bouncier conditions.”In the past I’ve played a few T20s here and it’s been flat with good carry and bounce. I’m not sure how it will go for a five-dayer, but playing four-day games on Eden Oval No. 2, there has been great bounce and carry.”In another boost to New Zealand, Doug Bracewell returned to action on Wednesday in a Ford Trophy match against Canterbury as he aimed to prove his fitness ahead of the third Test. He took 1 for 55 from his 10 overs and, if he comes through the outing without any reaction to his foot injury, he will join the New Zealand squad in Auckland on Thursday.

A preview of Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2013

The Preview by Vishal Dikshit05-Apr-2013

Big Picture

After making it to the semi-finals in the inaugural IPL season in 2008, Kings XI Punjab’s performances have only waned. From finishing second in the points table in 2008, they finished last in 2010 and then missed the play-offs in 2011 and 2012 by a few points.Even though only four players – Piyush Chawla, Shaun Marsh, Luke Pomersbach and Nitin Saini – remain from their successful squad of 2008, they bought only two players in the auction this year, the least by any team, along with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders. The squad also has plenty of players getting on in years, such as Adam Gilchrist, Azhar Mahmood, Dimitri Mascarenhas, David Hussey and Ryan Harris – all except Harris are 35-plus. Their star performers have mostly been overseas players which means they need to get more out of their domestic names, especially their pacers since their home games will be played in Mohali and Dharamsala where they lost five out of their eight games last season.For this squad to churn out better results, they will also need a stand-in leader and wicketkeeper as their 41-year old captain missed nine out of 16 matches last season due to injury. Saini stood behind the stumps in Gilchrist’s absence, but for a two-month long competitive T20 event, they are missing someone like a Kusal Perera or a Quinton de Kock.Kings XI have also failed to put together a run of victories, failing to win more than two matches in a row last season. Additionally, they failed to win their must-win matches in the last two seasons, which kept them only two points away from the play-offs.One thing working on their favour is the appointment of Darren Lehmann as coach; the combination of Gilchrist and Lehmann has already captured one trophy, for Deccan Chargers in 2009, and Kings XI fans will be desperate for a second, though the odds aren’t favourable.

Key players

Adam Gilchrist averaged 34.40 last season with a strike rate of 120.27, made a highest score of 64* and led his team to three out of the eight matches they won. What went wrong? His hamstring. The challenge will be tougher for him this year as he is now 41, he last played a competitive match in May 2012 and the burden will be heavier as Marsh will miss King XI’s first few matches. If they want to book a berth in the play-offs, Gilchrist will have to turn their fortunes around with his bat.Kings XI’s leading wicket-taker last season with 17 scalps, Parwinder Awana averaged under 22 and later made his way into the Indian T20 team. In order to change their win-loss ratio at home, Awana could play a crucial role if Kings XI do not want to rely only on their overseas pacers Ryan Harris and Azhar Mahmood.

Big names in

Kings XI bought only two players in the auction this year – Pomersbach and Manpreet Gony. While Gony has struggled to take more than five wickets in an IPL season after 2008, Pomersbach was the second-highest run-scorer in the Big Bash this season, 15 runs behind team-mate Marsh. With a strike-rate of 139.78 and a 65-ball hundred against Melbourne Renegades, Pomersbach would want to replicate that performance on Indian pitches.

Big names out

A player Kings XI released in November 2012 went on to score 966 runs in the Ranji Trophy at an average of 96.60 and was the most expensive India player sold in the auction, for $675,000. Abhishek Nayar is a player Kings XI will sorely miss as they need domestic match-winners, especially who can bat and bowl.

Below the radar

A part of the victorious Under-19 World Cup team in Australia in which he took four wickets in the final against the hosts and finished as the joint wicket-taker for India, Sandeep Sharma also took 10 wickets in six matches at an economy of 4.57 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season. He had quite a solid Ranji tournament too, finishing among the top five wicket-takers with 41 at 19.41 for Punjab. Giving him a chance to share the new ball with Praveen Kumar or Ryan Harris may not be a bad idea.

Availability

A hamstring injury Marsh suffered against England Lions in February ruled out him out of action and he is expected to join the Kings XI squad in the second half of April.

With Nasum and Litton in top form, the home team is eyeing a 2-0 sweep in Dhaka

Mohammad Isam04-Mar-2022

Big picture

Shere Bangla National Stadium, both literally and figuratively, lit up on Thursday evening as crowds returned in full capacity to Bangladesh’s home of cricket. As icing on the cake, the home team trounced Afghanistan by 61 runs in the first T20I, which sets up the second game, the last of the tour, quite nicely.Bangladesh would be glad that they finally broke their eight-match T20I losing streak. It had been a painful experience for the side, having lost all five of their Super 12 games at last year’s World Cup, followed by a 3-0 drubbing in the hands of Pakistan at home. Nothing seemed to be working, but wins in other formats perhaps helped them bring that energy into the T20Is.Bangladesh’s win over New Zealand in January had given them a different perspective as a cricket team. One-day cricket has always been the perfect tonic for this team, but even so there was a feeling of dread among the fans about these games against Afghanistan, largely stemming from the last bilateral series between the two teams in 2018.The demons of that 3-0 defeat have all been exorcised though. Central roles from Litton Das and Nasum Ahmed, and minor support roles from Afif Hossain, Shoriful Islam and Shakib Al Hasan got Bangladesh to a big win against a dangerous side in T20Is. Litton has turned full circle since the T20 World Cup, while Nasum is just continuing his good form from August last year. Newcomer Munim Shahriar looks the part in the format, although there’s some concern about Mohammad Naim in the top-order.Afghanistan, meanwhile, continued to give away positions of strength, just like they did during the ODI leg of the tour. They took three early wickets, but gave away loose runs during the Litton-Afif partnership and let the opposition off the hook. Perhaps they bank a little too much on their three leading spinners, and when they don’t come off, the team looks short of answers. In that context, even with the series lost, the emergence of Fazalhaq Farooqi cannot be understated. He has been a revelation, giving them an extra option at both ends of the innings.Mujeeb Ur Rahman could be the key with his variations•AFP/Getty Images

Afghanistan’s all-or-nothing batting approach also has to be tempered, at least within the top three. They could have picked and chosen their shots better, but instead they left left Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi with too much to do. Taking stock of this will probably serve them well as they look to square the series.

Form guide

Bangladesh WLLLL (Last five completed matches; most recent first)

Afghanistan LLLWL

In the spotlight

Nasum Ahmed broke Afghanistan’s top-order in the first game, picking up the important wickets of openers Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Both are known as dangerous big-hitters, but Nasum beat them beautifully in flight. The left-arm spinner has made a steady rise in T20Is since his debut last year and is now being asked to take the new ball in almost every game.After bowling very well in the BBL and BPL earlier this year, Mujeeb Ur Rahman‘s form has suddenly dipped on this trip. He has taken only one wicket in 31 overs across four white-ball matches. Litton has said that he is confident against Mujeeb, who has usually been cast as a mystery bowler since coming onto the scene.

Team news

Bangladesh may yet find reason to tinker with a winning combination given Mushfiqur Rahim has been passed fit.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Litton Das (wk), 2 Munim Shahriar, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim, 5 Mahmudullah (capt), 6 Yasir Ali, 7 Afif Hossain, 8 Mahedi Hasan, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Nasum Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanAfghanistan are expected to play the same XI as the last game.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Hazratullah Zazai, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Darwish Rasooli, 4 Najibullah Zadran, 5 Mohammad Nabi (capt), 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Fazalhaq Farooqi, 11 Qais Ahmed

Pitch and conditions

Gamini Silva, the curator, put out a grassy wicket at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, much to the frustration of the Afghanistan spinners. The weather will remain dry for the course of the game.

Stats and trivia

• Bangladesh have now bowled out Afghanistan below 100 runs twice. Before the 94 in the first T20I, Bangladesh bowled them out for 72 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup.
• Afghanistan lost their first three wickets before reaching double-figures for the third time, when they slipped to 8 for 3 in the first T20I.

Captain does “not blame the young players one bit” and expected the senior batters to do the scoring

Andrew McGlashan09-Aug-2021Australia captain Matthew Wade called his side’s capitulation in the final T20I against Bangladesh “not good enough for an Australian cricket team” and said it was down to the batters to find ways to score runs in tough conditions.The series concluded with Australia bowled out for 62, their lowest T20I total, having made a high score of 121 across the five matches.While echoing Dan Christian’s remarks that the surfaces were unlike any he had played T20 cricket on, and did not expect them to be replicated at the T20 World Cup, Wade noted how Bangladesh had been able to wrangle their way to enough runs in four out of the five matches and that spin had also caused problems in the West Indies where Australia also lost 4-1.Related

• Dismal show leaves Australia with several problems to ponder on ahead of T20 World Cup

• Christian: Conditions 'don't get more difficult' than Bangladesh series

“There’s not a lot of positives to take out of it, to get beaten in the fashion we did, especially tonight, was not good enough from an Australian cricket team regardless of the personnel we’ve got here,” Wade said. “The reality is we need to get better at spin, myself included. There’s a lot of players in this team who need to find a way to score runs in these conditions.”[Bangladesh] are a terrific team in their own conditions, their spinners bowled really well, and they still found a way to find the extra runs and that’s something we can definitely get better at doing. Whether they came a little harder at the front and that is something we maybe needed to do earlier.”Wade was confident the less experienced batters among the group would not carry baggage away from this tour and laid the blame for the run-scoring woes to the more senior figures.”I do not blame the young players one bit,” he said. “Myself, Moises [Henriques], Dan Christian, we are all experienced players and we needed to do better. Those [younger] guys got the opportunity to experience these conditions and if they take it as a learning opportunity to become better players, as we all should, then at least we’ve learnt something.”I’ve played a lot of cricket and they are certainly the most challenging T20 international pitches I’ve ever played on. What they’ve seen out here will be very valuable going forward but it’s on the senior batting group, we needed to get more runs. If the batters can go back and find a way to get those extra runs in challenging conditions that will hold us in good stead.”The final lead-in to the World Cup for Australia remains to be confirmed with talk of a potential series against Afghanistan and West Indies in Sri Lanka which would overlap with the resumption of the IPL. Wade said he expected all the players who opted out of this tour due to bubble fatigue to be available for selection. Steven Smith was kept out with an elbow injury and how someone of his skill was missed in Bangladesh.

Middlesex seamer tears knee cartilage during practice, faces lengthy lay-off

ESPNcricinfo staff06-May-2021Toby Roland-Jones, the Middlesex seamer, faces another lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a knee cartilage tear while training on Tuesday ahead of his side’s LV= County Championship clash with Gloucestershire at Lord’s.Roland-Jones, who has endured a horrific run of misfortune since breaking into the England Test squad in the 2017 home summer, is set to undergo surgery on Thursday, where the full extent of the injury will be ascertained.Peter Waxman, Middlesex’s Head of Science and Medicine, said: “Toby twisted his right knee in warm-ups on Tuesday sustaining a cartilage tear, which is due to be surgically repaired today.”He is having keyhole surgery to ascertain the full extent of the injury and to repair the damage. His precise recovery time will be dictated by the exact nature of the injury and the procedure that is performed. He is expected to be unfit to play for a lengthy period of time.”Related

• TRJ means business again – but don't mention England just yet

• M'sex seamers combine for stunning rout as Surrey lose London pride

• Roland-Jones takes five, Middlesex recover from nightmare first day

It is a grievous set-back for Roland-Jones, 33, who had started the season well for Middlesex, claiming 13 wickets at 18.23 in three fixtures, having fought back from a series of injuries, including a stress fracture of the back that ruled him out of the 2018 season and a shoulder injury that kept him out of last summer’s Bob Willis Trophy.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo prior to the start of the season, Roland-Jones outlined the efforts he had made to get himself back to full fitness for the the 2021 season, with Stuart Law, Middlesex’s head coach, acknowledging that his bowler had been looking “super-fit” having “changed his body shape”.”Given the disappointment of those recent seasons, my focus this year has been on a long-term goal,” Roland-Jones said, “making changes from a physical standpoint as well as a bowling standpoint, to set things up for one, two, three summers, rather than hoping to get through three games back-to-back.””This is horrible news for Toby,” Law added. “He is having no luck with injury at all. It is really unfortunate to lose a player of Toby’s ability and presence both on and off the field. We hope the post-surgery news is positive but his absence does create opportunities for other players to shine. We all wish him a speedy recovery.”

Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, has called for Joe Root to open the batting on England’s tour to New Zealand in March.

Alex Winter14-Jan-2013Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, has called for Joe Root to open the batting on England’s tour to New Zealand in March.Root made his England debut in the fourth Test against India in Nagpur and Vaughan saw enough evidence to suggest he will be opening the batting with Alastair Cook sooner rather than later.”He looked an England player from the minute he went out to bat in the Test match,” Vaughan told ESPNcricinfo. “He looks like he’ll have a tremendous future with the team.”Root made a composed 73 to help England out of trouble in the first-innings in Nagpur and demonstrated the attacking side of his game in a second-innings unbeaten 20 that saw England safely to a draw.Vaughan, a batting mentor for Root, also began his career at the same Yorkshire League club, Sheffield Collegiate. He would like to see Root’s talent immediately utilised at the top of the order – a move which would also create space in the batting line up for another young, talented Yorkshireman.”I would go for Root in New Zealand and bring Jonny Bairstow back at No. 6,” Vaughan said. “Jonny was unlucky to miss out in India with what he did against South Africa and probably has to do a bit of work on playing spin but if you look at the next 10 months – New Zealand and Australia home and away – it’s seam bowling conditions which Johnny plays so well. You’d want to get him back into the team.”Bairstow only played the second Test against India as cover for Ian Bell, who returned home for the birth of his son, and has not travelled with the England ODI squad because of a family illness.His absence gave Root the chance to make his ODI debut in a winning start for England in the opening match in Rajkot; a performance that impressed Vaughan. “Since the first Test defeat England have been quite outstanding and winning the first ODI was very important to get their confidence back. It was a big win for the team.”It’s a good sign that players are playing to their natural ability. The batting is strong, there is such depth. They can all hit the ball out of the park.”The victory continued England’s excellent form in ODIs; form they will hope to carry through to the Champions Trophy in June and an Ashes summer – the ODI leg of which Vaughan will be following on his cycle challenge to raise funds for Chance to Shine and the Laureus Sport for Good foundation.Vaughan will be joined by other cricketing personalities on a five-leg route from Leeds to London, via Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Southampton.”Chance to Shine have done a great job of getting cricket played in state schools and the more funds you raise the more expertise you can provide,” Vaughan said. “Along the journey we’ll be dropping into schools and doing some coaching and getting involved with some of the Laureus projects as well. It’s a great opportunity to cycle around the country, raise some money and watch a bit of cricket.”The ODI series follows the Ashes, for which Vaughan has England favourites by a good distance but warns of the ability of Michael Clarke to stir up a new group of players. “In Clarke they have a captain who’s very positive, he’s very vibrant and has a young set of players around him that are all going to work and play for him and the baggy green. They’ll be very well led but I don’t think they’ll have enough experience to compete against England in English conditions.”The Michael Vaughan Charity Bike Ride will raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and Chance to Shine. Go to www.laureus.com/michaelvaughanodibikeride or www.chancetoshine.org

Misbah-ul-Haq’s team has another chance to live up to expectations, and he was clear about what they need to do

Firdose Moonda in Centurion21-Feb-2013Exactly a month ago, Misbah-ul-Haq addressed the South African media for the first time. There were a few rays of sunshine in his voice. He made eye contact with the home journalists, and appeared genuinely convinced that his side could achieve something special.Two Tests matches have passed since then. Pakistan have lost both, and the little sense of humour Misbah had, has gone with it. At his pre-match press conference, ahead of the Centurion Test, he spoke in ice blocks. His eyes were fixed on a point in the distance, and his tone defeated.The reason for the turnaround is obvious, but the seriousness of it is not. This is not his first series loss. He was in charge when they were beaten by Sri Lanka, although he did not play the match they were beaten in because he was suspended for a slow over-rate.But this is Pakistan’s second series loss in succession, and it is the most number of consecutive Test defeats that Misbah has led his side in. There is no shame in losing to the No.1 ranked Test team, and there is even less in going down to them in their own conditions, which are also widely acknowledged as the most difficult to bat in.That Misbah is so unhappy illustrates the disappointment that comes when expectations aren’t met. His team has another chance to live up to those expectations, and he was clear about what they need to do. “We need to improve our batting. We need some consistency,” Misbah said. “It’s not about one innings in Test cricket. You have to post big totals in every innings.”Pakistan’s biggest challenge is facing the new ball, and that may not ease on a seamer’s pitch in Centurion. With the quick turnaround between Tests, there has not been much time to work on that skill, and Misbah was resigned in his assessment of how they will front up to it this time. “Everybody is trying and working hard to cope with the new ball, especially in the first 10 overs. We can only hope they will get better.”Perhaps it’s something that can be shelved as a real concern because it is unlikely to trouble Pakistan until they tour South Africa again. Misbah noted that it is the only place his team have struggled this much to adapt. “These pitches have more pace and bounce whereas all over the world wickets are getting slower. Even in Australia nowadays. So it’s a matter of spending time and playing more cricket here. Lack of experience and lack of playing Test cricket is why we collapsed in the other matches. Once you play on a regular basis, you get better and better.”But the reverse applies as well. Pakistan’s bowling attack may not enjoy conditions elsewhere as much as they have in South Africa. With an attack that is as promising as it is potent, Graeme Smith believes Misbah has reason to be a little cheerful. “They are a much better team than what the results showed, especially because their bowling attack is really good,” Smith said. “With the seamers and Saeed Ajmal, it can be quite challenging.”For that reason, Smith is looking at the Centurion Test as a way for South Africa’s batsman to spend more time sizing up the Pakistan pack, before the return leg of the tour in October. Misbah is not even thinking that far. He only wants a positive result in this match so that he can take something out of the series, something that he can look back on with some satisfaction.”You have to get teams out twice, not get them out once, take an advantage and then let it slip. Everybody knows the importance of every game, and every team wants to win each game. It’s not about [winning] series all the the games.” Compartmentalising the Centurion Test is the best way for Pakistan to defrost the chill from Misbah’s voice.

Sean Williams’ side will also want to prove a point, given they won’t feature in this year’s T20 World Cup

Sreshth Shah16-Mar-2021

Big picture

After a hard-fought Test series where the honours were shared, the focus in Abu Dhabi shifts to the three T20Is that Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will play within the span of four days.Apart from the shared aim of winning the series, the two teams’ respective goals with the bigger picture in mind will be quite different. Afghanistan will look to firm up their strongest team looking ahead to the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup scheduled in India later this year. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, will not be participating in the World Cup, having not taken part in the qualifier event since their board was suspended at that time. They will look to show what the marquee event will miss in their absence.Related

• Nigeria replace Zimbabwe in men's T20 World Cup Qualifier

• Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Gulbadin Naib wait on 'visa issue' ahead of T20I series

One thing going Zimbabwe’s way – they are ranked 12th compared to their opponents’ 9th – is that visa issues could force Afghanistan to play without their strongest XI. Five of their players – including Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Gulbadin Naib – are yet to arrive in the UAE, which has forced their selectors to revise their squad with players who were around from the Test series who otherwise weren’t in contention for the T20Is.In nine previous T20I meetings between the two sides, Zimbabwe have just one win. And they have lost all five of their T20Is in 2020. But they’ll be hungry to prove a point without World Cup action to look forward to, and a weakened Afghanistan side could balance the scales considerably. If they can keep Rashid Khan quiet, they might just stand a pretty good chance.

Form guide

AfghanistanLWWWW
Zimbabwe LLLLL

In the spotlight

Fresh off an 11-wicket match haul in the second Test, Rashid Khan continues to be Afghanistan’s No. 1 weapon in the format. In the last 12 months, he has taken 48 T20 wickets at an average of 18.85 while conceding just 6.14 runs an over. Those are elite numbers but he has done even better in his 16 matches in the UAE, with an average of 17.20 and an economy rate of 5.37. With two global tournaments approaching, Afghanistan could be tempted to make more use of his big-hitting skills as well, so don’t be surprised if he gets a promotion wit the bat.Zimbabwe’s batsmen could face a difficult time against the spinners, but their bowlers could cause some problems too, particularly with Blessing Muzarabani leading the attack. In his nine T20Is, the tall right-arm quick has taken two or more wickets on six occasions, including a career-best 3 for 21 against Australia.Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran will play key roles in the middle order•Getty Images

Team news

The visa issue could force Afghanistan to field an XI that looks markedly different to the one that featured in their last white-ball outing earlier in the year.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2 Usman Ghani, 3 Karim Janat, 4 Asghar Afghan (capt), 5 Mohammad Nabi, 6 Najibullah Zadran, 7 Afsar Zazai (wk), 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Naveen Ul Haq, 10 Amir Hamza, 11 Fareed Ahmad.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Prince Masvaure, 2 Tinashe Kamunhukamwe/Kevin Kasuza, 3 Wesley Madhevere, 4 Sean Williams (capt), 5 Sikandar Raza, 6 Ryan Burl, 7 Milton Shumba, 8 Regis Chakabva (wk), 9 Donald Tiripano, 10 Wellington Masakadza, 11 Blessing Muzarabani.

Pitch and conditions

The pitch in Abu Dhabi is expected to be good to bat on under lights, although the large boundaries could keep the sixes in check. It should be a warm, dry evening.

Stats and trivia

• The last time these two teams met in a T20I game, in Chattogram in 2019, Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan for the first time in nine attempts.
• Rashid is six wickets away from becoming the seventh man (and fourth spinner) to take 350 wickets in the format.
• If he scores 28, Sean Williams will go past Elton Chigumbura (893 runs) and Brendan Taylor (909) to become Zimbabwe’s second-highest T20I run-getter behind Hamilton Masakadza (1662).