Category Uncategorized

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.

Fast bowler acknowledges South Africa’s reasons for declining to take a knee for BLM movement

Andrew Miller20-Nov-2020Chris Jordan, the England fast bowler, says he is confident that cricket’s anti-racism message will be continue to be spread through hard work behind the scenes rather than on-field displays of solidarity, after acknowledging South Africa’s decision not to take a knee before the start of their upcoming matches against England.Jordan, one of two black players in the England white-ball squad alongside Jofra Archer, insisted that South Africa’s choice “should not be judged from any point of view”, after their head coach, Mark Boucher, said that his players had already made their gesture of support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement during a 3TC game in July.”It’s not something that we have to continue to show,” Boucher said. “It’s something that you have to live… If guys who brought it up are happy with it, that’s great, but if they feel we have to do more, that will be a chat and that they are open to express their opinions.”Speaking during a Zoom call from Newlands, Jordan agreed that the biggest driver of change in the game would come through internal dialogue, adding that the issue of racial equality was a frequent topic of conversation in the England dressing room, which also features two players of Pakistani heritage in Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, as well as a number who grew up outside the UK, including the Ireland-born captain, Eoin Morgan.”I think the situation is very individual,” Jordan said. “I think that a lot of real, honest work going on around the matter will be done in private. The real change will come through a lot of those real conversations that you have one-on-one with people, in terms of education. So if that’s what they [CSA] as an organisation believe in, then I don’t think it should be judged from any point of view. It’s their personal decision. So let’s just move on.”ALSO READ: South Africa will not take a knee during England series, says BoucherNevertheless, South Africa’s decision is bound to come under scrutiny, given the country’s racially divided history, and also in light of the criticism that Australia and Pakistan attracted on their recent tour of England, when they too declined to take a knee, in contrast to England’s matches involving West Indies and Ireland.The decision attracted strong criticism from Michael Holding, the former West Indies fast bowler and outspoken BLM advocate in his role as a Sky Sports commentator, who described Australia’s excuses in particular as “lame”.Justin Langer, their head coach, subsequently conceded that the issue had not been given enough consideration in the lead-up to the England tour, and it has since been announced that the squad will stand in a barefoot circle ahead of their series against India, in recognition of the anti-racism movement and of Australia’s indigenous people.Chris Jordan gets a fist bump from his captain•AFP

Asked if such gestures still have an impact, Jordan insisted they did “100%”, but reiterated the need to be open-minded about how different teams and individuals go about recognising such a sensitive topic.”Obviously taking the knee is something very visual, that people see when they turn on sport and watch, but I’m a big believer in a lot of the real conversations that are happening behind the scenes, especially amongst our group, as a team.”We come from so many different backgrounds, and the matter is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. The type of questions that are being put forward, and the real conversations that are happening behind the scenes, is where a lot of the real change will come.”He believes that the same is true of another race-related issue to have come to light in English cricket in recent days – the failure of the ECB to encourage the career development of BAME umpires, which led the former Test official John Holder to accuse the board of institutional racism.”First and foremost, the situation is what it is,” Jordan said. “There’s always more that we all can do, especially as an organisation. But you can’t change the past, all you can do is try to affect everything that’s coming in the future.”It’s an area that has been highlighted, so time will tell in terms of the impact that we can have, as a society, to change that.”

SL could only fight in patches, most notably through the record sixth-wicket stand worth 177 between Jayasuriya and Shanaka

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando30-Sep-2019
Babar Azam struck an imperious first century on home soil to lead Pakistan to an imposing total, before Usman Shinwari and company had Sri Lanka five down inside 11 overs, to essentially seal a comfortable victory. Sri Lanka fought in patches, most notably through the record sixth-wicket stand worth 177 between Shehan Jayasuriya and Dasun Shanaka. But they lost too much ground in the rest of the match for even that partnership to mean anything. Chasing 306, they were all out for 238 in the 47th over.Shinwari finished with figures of 5 for 51, with Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz delivering cheap overs while taking a wicket apiece themselves. It was Babar’s 115 off 105 balls, though, that had set the game up for Pakistan – his 111-run partnership with Haris Sohail forming the centrepiece of their innings.It was the 11th century of Babar’s ODI career, his third against Sri Lanka, and third of his last 11 innings, with four half-centuries and two scores of over 40 having been hit through that period as well. That he’s a blinding limited-overs talent has been known for some years now, but in the last few months, Babar has suggested he is coming into a new, more-consistent period in his career. During the course of this innings, he crossed 1000 runs for this calendar year, in which he averages 62.41 after 19 innings.And on a flat surface, his batting always seemed effortless. Babar thumped his eleventh ball past mid-on to collect his first boundary, before launching Wanindu Hasaranga over the midwicket boundary next over. His striking would become more and more regal as the innings wore on, and in between the singles and twos would be effortlessly collected.He got to fifty with a sumptuous cover drive, off the 55th delivery he faced, and then raised the tempo. His most productive over was the 34th of the innings, when he hit legspinner Hasaranga for two sixes over long-on. The hundred was brought up with a boundary as well, a cut shot to the backward point boundary off the 97th ball he faced.He holed out in the death – one of four Pakistan batsmen to fall between the 40th and 49th overs. But he, along with Haris and also Fakhar Zaman, who had earlier struck a fifty and been involved in a 73-run opening stand, had provided Pakistan with an outstanding platform. Iftikhar Ahmed, playing his first ODI since 2015, did the most to capitalise on the top order’s work, hitting 32 not out off 20 balls, as Pakistan reaped 72 in their last seven overs.Sri Lanka’s collapse was so dramatic, they at one stage seemed a risk of being dismissed for below 78 – their previous lowest score against Pakistan. The chase had begun promisingly enough, with an elegantly cover-driven four first ball from Danushka Gunathilaka. But when Shinwari seamed one through the gate of Sadeera Samarawickrama in the fourth over, and Gunathilaka was out miscuing Amir to mid-on soon after that, they were already in despair at 22 for 2.It would get a lot worse very quickly. The score was still 22 when Avishka Fernando spooned Shinwari to mid-on to be out for seven-ball duck. It was 22 when new batsman Lahiru Thirimanne inside-edged a ball that nipped back at him to be caught behind later in that same Shinwari over. Oshada Fernando at least got himself off the mark, but that’s all he did, before he missed a straightening Imad Wasim delivery, and was rapped on the pad in front of the stumps. At 28 for 5, the chase seemed buried.Jayasuriya and Shanaka’s excavation act was steady, but never particularly slow – with both being busy batsmen. The risk-free singles and twos came first, before eventually they felt confident enough to venture occasional boundaries – both batsmen taking a liking to the legspin of Shadab Khan in particular.When Shanaka walloped two fours and a six in the space of three Shinwari deliveries in the 28th over, it seemed as if the pair were ready to begin making a concerted effort to bring down the required rate, which had crept up to well over eight by this point, but that was not the path they chose. They continued to build slowly, only occasionally hitting out to keep the required rate in single figures.They were not helped by one of the stadium’s light towers, which failed on two separate occasions just as the partnership seemed to be gaining some real momentum. Perhaps it wouldn’t have mattered either way, though. Despite the pair’s valiant efforts, they were still some distance from giving Pakistan a real scare.In the end, both batsmen fell in quick succession – Jayasuriya spurning a maiden international hundred when he edged Shinwari behind on 96. Shanaka fell for 68 early in the following over, with Sri Lanka still 101 runs short of the target. Hasaranga struck some late boundaries, but Pakistan had long sewn up the match.

An outstanding all-round performance led by Harry Gurney’s four wickets gave the Notts Outlaws a convincing seven wicket win over the Derbyshire Falcons who crashed to a third consecutive NatWest Blast defeat

ECB Reporters Network24-Jun-2016
ScorecardHarry Gurney’s four wickets left Notts with an easy target•Getty Images

An outstanding all-round performance gave the Notts Outlaws a convincing seven wicket win over the Derbyshire Falcons who crashed to a third consecutive NatWest Blast defeat.The Outlaws bowled superbly with Harry Gurney taking 4 for 20 and Andre Russell and Jake Ball both claiming two wickets to restrict the Falcons to 114 from 19.3 overs with only Chesney Hughes and Jimmy Neesham getting into the 20’s.That was never likely to be enough and an unbroken stand of 58 in seven overs between Riki Wessels and Dan Christian settled the North Group game with 33 balls to spare.The Falcons started badly when Russell had Hamish Rutherford caught behind for a duck off the second ball and Chesney Hughes should have gone in the same over but Jake Ball spilled the catch diving forward at long leg.That threatened to be expensive as Hughes pulled Russell through midwicket for four before a top edged hook at the West Indian sailed over fine leg for six.Ball produced a yorker to remove Neil Broom in the fourth over and in the next, Hughes played across Harry Gurney and was lbw for 26 from 21 balls to leave the Falcons on 29 for 3.Shiv Thakor drove Gurney for two fours but was bowled aiming a slog-sweep at Steve Mullaney and Russell returned to deceive Wayne Madsen with a slower ball.Neesham top-edged a hook at Russell for six but the Outlaws built up pressure with clever bowling and sharp fielding that restricted the Falcons to 29 in seven overs.Alex Hughes swung Samit Patel to deep midwicket, Neesham pulled Ball to wide midwicket and Tom Poynton also picked out a boundary fielder on the legside.When Matt Critchley cut Russell for four in the 19th over, it was the first boundary for 43 balls but there was no late flourish for the Falcons as Gurney bowled Ben Cotton and Andy Carter.Derbyshire needed early wickets and after Riki Wessels and Michael Lumb drove Neesham for boundaries in the second over, Madsen had Lumb lbw in the third.Greg Smith straight drove Carter for six and upper cut him for four but was run out for 12 off the next ball by a direct hit from Alex Hughes at mid off.The Falcons had a chance to put pressure on the Outlaws when Russell pulled Alex Hughes to midwicket on one but Chesney Hughes put down the chance and in the next over, the Jamaican pulled Cotton onto the pavilion roof before lifting him over backward square for another six.Cotton hit back by having Russell caught at third man for 15 off eight balls but the Outlaws went into the last 10 overs needing only 42 and Dan Christian drove Alex Hughes for consecutive sixes before finishing the contest with another maximum off Neesham.

BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel has said Cricket South Africa breached the protocol of finalising a series for India’s tour of South Africa when they issued an itinerary without BCCI approval

Amol Karhadkar03-Oct-2013Cricket South Africa created the current impasse with the BCCI by going against protocol in announcing unilaterally the schedule for India’s tour, BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel has said. The BCCI is “waiting”, Patel said, without specifying what it was waiting for.The schedule was announced by CSA in early July, prompting a swift and sharp response by the BCCI that left relations between the two in a state of limbo. A CSA spoksesman said the board was not going to respond to Patel’s comments.”Things are going [on] since long. Certain things have to be put in right perspective. Let me inform you that BCCI in normal circumstances would have done anything [for the tour to proceed]. But the protocol of finalising any series is joint declaration. But that declaration was originally done without the BCCI’s approval. So we are waiting,” Patel said in Mumbai.Patel did not elaborate on what the BCCI was waiting for, since a meeting between him and CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat on the sidelines of the ICC board meeting in Dubai failed to break the deadlock. ESPNcricinfo understands Patel had promised CSA that they would hear from the BCCI after the AGM on September 29. However, despite N Srinivasan’s election as BCCI president, the board’s top brass has decided to wait on finalising the tour itinerary until the Supreme Court allows Srinivasan to discharge duties as the BCCI chief. The court is going to hear the matter next on October 7.With the uncertainty over the South Africa tour increasing, Patel said the BCCI was confident of having an alternate plan in case it was cancelled. “[A] number of countries are ready to play with India. There is no problem at all,” he said. He said there was no plan to host a tri-series involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka “at the moment” but the board had already demonstrated its ability to organise series at short notice – as was evident from the West Indies series.”There were a couple of reasons [for organising the West Indies series] because BCCI is also committed to its local fans. Somehow, for the season 2013-14, the home series are only 24 days, if I am not wrong,” Patel said. “So obviously we were worried about how to do the home series and we are quite happy that the West Indies series has been finalised.”Patel also set aside Mumbai Cricket Association’s objection to the decision to resume international cricket at the Cricket Club of India’s Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. CCI has a special voting right as per the BCCI constitution and the AGM decided to treat it as a separate unit, unlike in the past when the MCA used to decide whether to allot matches to the Brabourne Stadium or not.”Considering the historical background of CCI as well as all the help [they have provided] as and when required… When the venue questions have arisen, CCI is always there to support and giving some match [to them] won’t be out of turn or something like that,” Patel said. “We considered that some matches will be allocated. MCA’s rotation and everything remains the same. It has got nothing to do with it. This will be an additional allotment, if at all.”During the last Test hosted at Braboune in December 2009, MCA and CCI were involved in a dispute over payment of rent. However, international cricket returned to the historic venue during the Women’s World Cup earlier this year.

A round-up of the action in the final round of matches in the Castle Logan Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2012It was a bittersweet ending to the Castle Logan Cup for the Matabeleland Tuskers, who won the title despite a three-day 154-run loss to Mid West Rhinos at the Kwekwe Sports Club in the final round of matches. The Tuskers had entered the match having built up a big enough lead in the points table to secure the title, even if they lost.The Tuskers chose to field and their bowlers did the job required of them, rolling Rhinos for 116. Bradley Staddon, Richard Jones and Njabulo Ncube picked up all of the ten wickets among them. Rhinos’ Richard Muzhange, though, led a fine fightback. He took five wickets as the Rhinos bowlers combined to bowl Tuskers out for 115. Neither batsman on either side got to a fifty in the first innings.The Rhinos batsmen were relatively better in the second innings: most got starts but couldn’t go on to make big scores, but the consistent contributions through the line-up meant Rhinos set Tuskers a competitive victory target of 298. Captain Gary Ballance top scored with 62. The Tuskers batsmen continued to struggle, and were demolished the second time around by the offspin of Simon Mugava: he took 6 for 41 in 13 overs, as the Tuskers were bowled out for 143.At the Masvingo Sports Club the Southern Rocks held on for a draw in a match dominated by the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers chose to bat and piled up 412 for 9 before declaring. Their innings was built around hundreds from captain Timycen Maruma and Donald Tiripano. Opener Daryl Mitchell fell six short of a ton.The bowlers too put up a team showing, sharing the wickets around as Rocks succumbed for 145 in a little over 50 overs. The Rocks were made to follow-on, and showed solid resolve in their second innings, batting out 62 overs for 114 runs. They went to stumps on the final day with four wickets in hand.

A new-look Pakistan, led by a new-look Shahid Afridi, bowed out of the Asia Cup with little to boast about but with their reputations enhanced, while Bangladesh ended their campaign by reaffirming the gulf between them and the top-flight teams

The Bulletin by Nitin Sundar21-Jun-2010Pakistan 385 for 7 (Afridi 124, Farhat 66) beat Bangladesh 246 for 5 (Siddique 97) by 139 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShahid Afridi broke the record for most sixes in ODIs on his way to a century•Associated Press

A new-look Pakistan, led by a new-look Shahid Afridi, bowed out of the Asia Cup with little to boast about but with their reputations enhanced, while Bangladesh ended their campaign by reaffirming the gulf between them and the top-flight teams. Afridi unleashed the kind of fury he is famous for to launch Pakistan to their highest ODI score, and subsequently their first victory in 2010. Bangladesh, however, belied a complete lack of purpose in both innings, as the match meandered to the kind of denouement that has administrators concerned about the future of ODI cricket.Bangladesh’s spirit was snuffed in the first half when they were caught out without a plan by the Afridi redux – as aggressive as the marauder of old, but inventive and measured as well. These are early days yet, but captaincy is bringing out the best in Afridi. He has retained the willingness to attack but, entrusted with the responsibility of shepherding a young team, has weeded out the risks. Without having to heave across the line, at least until he gets set, Afridi once again showed he has the range to score at enviable pace.Having collared Sri Lanka’s attack in more trying conditions, Afridi barely broke a sweat today. With Umar Akmal already in the groove when he entered in the 29th over, Afridi worked the spinners around for a couple of overs. He flexed his muscles in the 32nd, lofting Suhrawadi Shuvo over long on for six and cashing in on the over-compensation by pulling for four. There were two strokes of luck soon after: an inside edge missed the stumps, and a skier was dropped by Mashrafe Mortaza. After that, however, Afridi unleashed and Pakistan accelerated at a ridiculous rate.

Smart Stats

• Shahid Afridi scored the sixth fastest ODI century in terms of balls faced. He has three of the top six

• Afridi has now hit the most sixes in ODIs, going past Jayasuriya. He now has 272

• Pakistan’s 385 was their highest ODI total, going past the 371 against Sri Lanka in 1996-97

• Pakistan scored 129 runs from overs 41 to 50, the eighth highest on the list of most runs in the last ten overs in ODIs since 2000

• Shafiul Islam, who leaked 95 runs, is sixth on the list of bowlers with the worst economy-rates in a ten-over spell

An extra-cover drive, a tickle and a whiplashed cut off Mortaza gave Bangladesh a trailer of what was to follow. After reaching his fifty in the 41st over, Afridi plundered 39 off 10 balls, with eight fours and a six, off Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasab and Shafiul Islam. The two batsmen had been tied on 41 at the end of the 39th over; five overs later, Umar had reached a steady fifty, while his captain was three short of a hundred. Umar departed in the 45th over, just before the batting Powerplay.In the 46th, Afridi helped Razzak to fine leg to reach 100, off 53 balls, and in the same over he cut for four more before finishing with a loft over long on for his 271st six – the most by any batsman in ODI history. He smashed another length offering from Shafiul for No. 272 and stole one more four before his one-handed pull landed in the hands of square leg. Abdul Razzaq hustled 21 off nine balls, leaving the hapless Shafiul nursing figures of 3 for 95. The last ball of the innings was smeared over long off for six – Bangladesh had bled 120 runs in the last nine overs, and Pakistan had reached their highest ODI total, eclipsing a 13 year-old record, that was set up by – take a guess.Before Afridi’s assault, Pakistan’s openers laid the foundation in more sober fashion. After spanking his second ball for a six over extra cover, Shahzaib Hasan served notice of both his strengths and intentions by repeatedly driving Mashrafe Mortaza on the up. Shahzaib rushed to his maiden ODI fifty before he fell trying to heave Abdur Razzak across the line in the 13th over, having dominated the opening stand of 81 in 12.3 overs.With Shahzaib scoring freely, Imran Farhat had the breathing space to play out the seamers before settling in against spin. Having brought up his seventh ODI fifty, he succumbed to his own cheekiness, missing a late cut off Shakib. Bangladesh’s spinners rallied in the period of play following the 25-over mark, culminating in Asad Shafiq’s stumping in the 29th over. That was the Bangladesh captain’s 100th ODI wicket, and it gave his side an outside chance to seize the initiative, but his opposite number upset his plans.Bangladesh’s batsmen, reeling from the carnage, focused on batting out fifty overs instead of taking a shot at the target. Their approach ensured there was no interest left in the second half of the contest. Imrul Kayes was the biggest culprit, dawdling around without any intent to score, while Tamim Iqbal showed characteristic spunk in taking on Mohammad Asif. He had driven, flicked and pulled him for fours before Asif struck with a slow and short off-cutter. With Tamim’s dismissal, Bangladesh’s hopes of making anything out of the game receded. In an inexplicable display that underlined the rift between Bangladesh and the rest, Kayes and Junaid Siddique settled in to accumulate. Despite cutting out all risks against a spirited but tired attack, neither of them could reach three-figures. Siddique eventually unfurled a few shots for the gallery, but no one was applauding.

Head coach Gary Stead says the players were “very disappointed” to have been denied a chance to play Afghanistan

Ekanth13-Sep-20245:26

Stead: This Test would have been useful for SL series

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has said that being denied the opportunity to get some game-time after a six-month gap in Test cricket is the “most disappointing part” after their one-off Test against Afghanistan was called off without a ball bowled.New Zealand had this match to familiarise themselves with the subcontinent conditions, with the series against Sri Lanka and India coming up. But persistent rain and outfield issues in Greater Noida reduced the first-ever Test between the two teams to a no-show.”The most disappointing part for us is that we lost the opportunity to be match-hardened and match-ready when we go into our Test match [against Sri Lanka] next week,” Stead said at the post-match press conference. “The guys are really disappointed. It was an opportunity to play Afghanistan. It doesn’t come around that often.Related

• Afghanistan coach Trott: Sometimes we take things like drainage 'for granted'

• A gloomy debut for Test cricket's newest venue

• WTC final scenarios: NZ in contention

• How many Tests have been abandoned without a ball bowled?

• Amid persistent rain, one-off Test between Afghanistan and NZ called off without a ball bowled

“They have some unique bowlers – it’s always good to get your head around how you face them. The way they play is a little bit different to other countries. It’s always learning what you can do when you get in those match situations.”The one-off Test was not part of the World Test Championship. However, Stead said the team was left “frustrated”, as the format is “very, very dear to the team’s hearts”.”Even though it was fine for those two days, there were thunderstorms the nights before and the ground was just too soft and the umpires deemed that unfit to play on,” he said. “So that is sort of out of the players’ hands in a way as well.”But we were frustrated. We have come here to play cricket and play a Test match and as Jonathan [Trott, Afghanistan head coach] said, Test cricket, certainly to our group of players that is here, that’s very, very dear to their hearts and every Test you get to play in is a big one.”So regardless of whether it has World Test Championship points or not, that opportunity to get out there for five days, it looked a great surface. The whole block looked fantastic, so it would have been a great match of Test cricket.”New Zealand are not slated to play another Test against Afghanistan in the current Future Tours Programme cycle. Stead welcomed the prospect of playing more Tests against Afghanistan, heaping praise on their recent achievements in white-ball cricket, including a win against New Zealand in the group stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup.Persistent rain and outfield issues in Greater Noida led to the one-off Test being called off•AFP/Getty Images

“I don’t make the decisions around the Future Tours Programme and big tours,” Stead said. “But I said it right from the start of coming here, Afghanistan have knocked just about every top team in the world over now. So they’re certainly a force and becoming more and more of a force in world cricket. That’s something for the Afghanistan and New Zealand boards to get their heads around.”It was our first Test match against Afghanistan and we were really excited about that. They’ve been great competitors of ours over the last few World Cups. We’ve had some great games of cricket.”Stead said New Zealand were “desperate” to make the World Test Championship final. Five of their remaining eight Tests in the cycle will be in Asia, but he is confident of the side adapting to the conditions.”The World Test Championship is alive and well, and we’re currently in third place, and we want to make the finals again,” he said. “We’ve been there once in the past, and we are desperate to get there again. So every test match we play will be an important one.”The conditions that we face in Galle will be, I’m sure, different to Bangalore, Pune and Mumbai when we come back here again. So it’s still about adapting to the different surfaces where I’m learning from those. But also banking the knowledge you have created in the past even though it’s been a couple of [sessions of] trainings out there, we’d still bank on what we’ve learnt on those sort of pitches.”

Each side topped their regional qualifiers with six wins from six. The top of Group B is now at stake

Andrew Miller05-Jun-20244:18

Finch: Scotland will be confident after impressing against England

Match details

Namibia vs Scotland
Bridgetown, 8pm local

Big picture: Opportunity knocks after washout

The magic number would appear to be 109, to judge by the two very contrasting clashes that have so far taken place in Group B of the T20 World Cup 2024.In Barbados on Sunday evening, Namibia grunted and ground their way to two precious points thanks to David Wiese’s heroics in the Super Over, having only just managed to match Oman’s all-out total of 109 off the very last ball of their original 20 overs.And then two days later, on the same surface at Bridgetown (albeit a less slow and sticky version to judge by the fluency of Scotland’s openers) George Munsey and Michael Jones dispatched England’s bowlers for 90 runs in ten overs either side of a two-hour rain delay … which, by the time DLS had worked its magic, meant England would have needed a target of, yes, 109 had the weather not closed back in to ruin the afternoon’s entertainment.And so it’s back to Bridgetown we go for two teams that have been on a significant roll since the end of their respective campaigns at the last T20 World Cup in 2022. Last year, both Namibia and Scotland topped their regional qualifiers, in Africa and Europe respectively, with six wins out of six, against such less-vaunted opponents as Italy and Tanzania. Now, however, they go head-to-head with rather more than trans-continental bragging rights to play for.England’s habitual discomfort against European opponents has seen to that. Irrespective of whether Tuesday’s washout was an opportunity won or lost for Scotland, the fact that Group B’s top seeds fell short of their anticipated two points means the door is ajar for a notable upset, particularly if Australia can inflict further damage on England’s standing in Saturday’s heavyweight clash.David Wiese and Ruben Trumpelmann are key performers for Namibia•ICC/Getty Images

In the meantime, all that matters is victory here and now. If Scotland can grab the extra point that eluded them last time out, then maintain their 100% record in T20Is against Oman when they meet in Antigua in Sunday, then they will go into their final group game against Australia next week with qualification in their own hands. It’s a lot of “ifs” at this stage, of course. But one fewer than they needed at the start of their campaign.As for Namibia, a three-point gap at the top of Group B beckons if they can make it two wins from two – and if they need any extra incentive, they need only rewind to their last T20 World Cup campaign two years ago, when qualification for the main event beckoned after their impressive victory over Sri Lanka in their opening fixture, only for the Netherlands and UAE to rip their dream away. They’ll be doubly keen to ensure this latest strong start doesn’t go to waste.

Form guide

Namibia TWWLL
Scotland LWLWW

In the spotlight: Munsey and Trumpelmann

In an innings of two halves on Tuesday, Jones made the running for Scotland prior to the rain-break, including with what looked set to be the moment of the day – a violent pick-up off Chris Jordan that smashed a solar panel on the roof at midwicket. But then, in the 22-ball resumption, it was all about George Munsey, who clobbered 23 from his remaining 12 balls, including a stunning switch-hit six that a left-handed KP could scarcely have timed any better. Namibia, however, know from recent experience that that shot is a Munsey trademark – at Kirtipur in February 2023, he unfurled a similar stroke for four to bring up his maiden ODI hundred, and seal a stunning ten-wicket win with a massive 167 balls to spare. In 2017, he scored his only first-class hundred against the same opponents, in the Intercontinental Cup in Ayr.Left-hander George Munsey hit Adil Rashid for a right-handed six earlier in the tournament•Getty Images

Munsey, however, will remember all too well what happened the last time he encountered the left-arm swing of Ruben Trumpelmannat a T20 World Cup. Facing up to the first ball of the match, in Abu Dhabi in 2021, Munsey climbed into a cut but misjudged the width, and hacked the ball onto his own stumps. Three balls later, Scotland were 2 for 3, as Calum McLeod and Richie Berrington were blasted from the crease with an aplomb to rival Mitchell Starc. And auspiciously for Namibia, Trumpelmann has started this latest tournament with similar devastation. Two balls versus Oman, two wickets in the bag, as both Kashyap Prajapati and Aqib Ilyas fell to savage, stump-seeking lbws.

Pitch and conditions:

The good news is that the weather in Barbados seems significantly better than it has been for the first week of the tournament. Only a small chance of rain is anticipated for each day until Sunday.

Team news

Namibia endured a scare in their opener against Oman but came through in the end. An unchanged team could be in the offing.Namibia (probable): 1 Michael van Lingen, 2 Nikolaas Davin, 3 Jan Frylinck, 4 Gerhard Erasmus (capt), 5 JJ Smit, 6 David Wiese, 7 Zane Green (wk), 8 Malan Kruger, 9 Ruben Trumpelmann, 10 Bernard Scholtz, 11 Tangeni LungameniPrecisely two Scotland players got to sample the atmosphere of a Caribbean World Cup on Tuesday, but the confidence that Munsey and Jones will have telegraphed through their unbroken stand should not be underestimated. There’s no reason to think there’ll be any tweaks to the line-up that was trusted for their opening outing.Scotland (probable): 1 George Munsey, 2 Michael Jones, 3 Brandon McMullen, 4 Richie Berrington (capt), 5 Matt Cross (wk), 6 Michael Leask, 7 Chris Greaves, 8 Mark Watt, 9 Brad Wheal, 10 Chris Sole, 11 Brad Currie

Stats that matter

• Namibia are playing in their third consecutive T20 World Cup, after qualifying for the 2021 and 2022 events. They have won five of their 12 matches to date, including the recent Super Over victory against Oman.
• Namibia have beaten Scotland in each of their three previous T20Is, including their only previous clash at a World Cup – a four-wicket win at Abu Dhabi in 2021.
• Since then, however, Scotland have won five of the six ODIs that the two teams have ever contested – including the aforementioned Munsey masterclass in February 2023.

Quotes

“Every game at a World Cup is a big game regardless of who the opposition is, so nothing changes in terms of process and preparation. We might not have as big a crowd watching us, but we still know it’s just as big a game and we need to win to really compete here.”
Brad Wheal, Scotland’s seamer, is braced for an important showdown.“The associates are ready. They want to play. They’re raring to go.”

Sri Lanka two wickets down after being made to follow-on, but Mendis and Mathews steady

Madushka Balasuriya19-Mar-2023New Zealand’s bowlers propelled their side to the brink of a 2-0 series whitewash over Sri Lanka, picking up ten wickets on the third day, forcing a follow-on and leaving the visitors still 303 runs behind with eight wickets and two days of cricket still to go.At the crease for the visitors were Kusal Mendis, unbeaten on 50, and Angelo Mathews on 1 – the pair that had so memorably saved a Test at the same ground back in 2018. Back then they had batted out the entirety of the fourth day before rain intervened on the fifth to help secure the draw, and Sri Lanka will certainly be hoping history repeats itself – with rain forecast over the coming days.But even the help of the weather gods might not be enough if Sri Lanka repeat their poor batting display from the third day.While credit must go to New Zealand’s bowlers for sticking to their plans diligently and maximising the conditions on offer, Sri Lanka’s batters were undoubtedly guilty of far too often failing to put a price on their wickets.While the nightwatcher Prabath Jayasuriya received a delivery he was far too ill-equipped to deal with, one that pitched on a length and seamed away taking his edge in the process, Mathews could have no such excuse, edging a similar – but wider – delivery when fending outside off. This left Sri Lanka four down for 34 with barely an hour played in the morning.But that setback would be followed by a solid period of consolidation between Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal, with the Sri Lakna captain, in particular, looking in good touch. He was patient with deliveries outside off, but not averse to punishing any that were overpitched. Together the pair would put on 80 for the fifth wicket, and the hope heading into lunch was that they could continue to make steady progress having already got in.What followed though was Sri Lanka’s most inexcusable period of the entire series, losing their final six wickets for just 55 runs in the period between lunch and tea.Michael Bracewell picked three wickets in the first innings•Getty Images

It was Chandimal that would trigger the capitulation. Having swept Michael Bracewell, who was finding some extra turn and bounce for his offbreaks, for four, Chandimal would charge him just a delivery later only to have the ball turn through bat and pad and offer Tom Blundell a straightforward stumping. A brain fade at the most ill-advised moment.This was followed by Dhananjaya de Silva coming down the track and chipping an easy catch straight to short midwicket – put in place for precisely such a stroke – shortly after.At 116 for 6, this would see Nishan Madushka, the debutant, enter. He would string together a 40-run stand with Karunaratne at the other end, who was continuing unfazed despite the chaos around him. In this period, Madushka even produced some stellar stroke play, especially when driving through the offside. But eventually he too would fall, courtesy of the extra bounce the pitch was more consistently producing, edging through to second slip.After Kasun Rajitha was run out, Karunaratne’s patience would finally wear thin, uncharacteristically looking to beat the man in the deep, and holing out at long-off for a 188-ball 89. Last man Asitha Fernando would not last much longer either, as Sri Lanka were bowled out 164, with Matt Henry and Bracewell taking three wickets apiece.With a 416-run lead, Tim Southee then had little hesitation in enforcing the follow-on, and back out came Karunaratne for his second essay a little over 10 minutes after he had been dismissed.Sri Lanka’s second effort with the bat definitely fared better, but two wickets lost against the run of play may still come to haunt them.Oshada Fernando, who’s had a tour to forget, ended up flicking one off his hips straight to square leg, but the wicket that will hurt the most is that of Karunaratne’s.Having struck at a rate of 47.34 in the first innings, Karunaratne’s second outing ticked along at 61.44, showing a more proactive streak and an inclination to take on the New Zealand bowlers. Alongside a similarly positive Mendis, the pair frequently took on a splattering of short stuff served up by the seamers on an increasingly bouncy track.It would be the relative comfort with which they handle pulling and cutting however that will likely grate Karunaratne as he looks back on his dismissal this evening, as it was an umpteenth short ball that he wound up top edging to deep midwicket. It having come after reaching his second fifty of the day would only have been salt in the wounds.Mercifully for Sri Lanka, they would lose no further wickets, with Mathews especially happy to shut up shop during his 40-ball knock for just a solitary run, but the visitors will know they’ll need to do much better if they’re to survive the next two sessions, let alone the next two days.