Brathwaite stresses on “fight” and “discipline” for inexperienced West Indies to take the fight to the world champions in the two-Test series

Alex Malcolm16-Jan-2024Discipline is the key word skipper Kraigg Brathwaite is stressing on to his young players, with West Indies set to unveil an extremely inexperienced XI against Test world champions Australia in Adelaide – Shamar Joseph, Kavem Hodge and Justin Greaves all set to make their Test debuts.West Indies are expected to field an XI with only five members who played in the two-Test series against Australia in Australia last summer, with seven players, including the three debutants, Tagenarine Chanderpaul (eight), Gudakesh Motie (four), Alick Athanaze (two), and Kirk McKenzie (one) combining for just 15 Tests. Wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva is West Indies’ fourth-most experienced player and has played the same number of Tests, 24, as Australia’s least experienced player, Cameron Green.Brathwaite, who is only 13 Tests away from playing 100, says his side can compete with Australia if they maintain their discipline for long periods.Related

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“All I want to see from the team is fight,” Brathwaite said. “We’re obviously playing against the number one team but I believe we do have the potential. It all revolves around discipline – how long we can be disciplined for as a bowling unit, because we don’t want to go in fours and fives obviously. So once we can be disciplined and obviously put partnerships on the board, anything is possible. But we’ve got to work extremely hard and we have to believe in ourselves.”West Indies took great heart from the Pakistan’s performance against Australia in recent weeks, despite the 3-0 scoreline.Alzarri Joseph noted on Monday that West Indies’ bowlers needed to adjust their lengths from last summer, having bowled too short to an Australian top order that had a feast in Perth and Adelaide.Brathwaite said his bowlers had taken a close look at the success of Pakistan’s Aamer Jamal in his debut series as the blueprint of how to bowl in Australia.

“Early on, I think it’s very important for us to build that foundation and spend time. Make it easier for the guys to come. That’s always the role of an opener. We’ll go out there and fight hard and look to do that for the team”Kraigg Brathwaite

“We saw his lengths. He really attacked the stumps a lot and his length, it was quite a bit fuller than the other guys,” Brathwaite said. “I think, especially early on, you can always get carried away as fast bowlers. Obviously in the Caribbean, we are not accustomed [to bowling those lengths], we don’t see many pitches like this. So for young fast bowlers to come, they get a bit excited and bowl a little shorter.”But we were in discussions in terms of lengths. Watching guys bowl here over the years, we do agree a bit fuller [works], especially early on with the new ball. The new ball will be quite crucial. So we also got to utilise that and be disciplined. That’s a big word for us: discipline.”It will take doing it not just for a half-hour. You’ve got to do it for the entire day if it takes that long. Hopefully not. But if it does, it’s just having the strength mentally, despite your body maybe being tired as bowlers, to be able to do it for long periods. That’s what makes guys world-class bowlers. They do it not just in the first spell but they do it throughout the day. They keep coming at you. So we’ve got to do that. It’s simple and I believe that the guys have the potential to do it and they have my support.”As vital as it will be for the bowlers to have an impact, an even heavier burden will fall on West Indies’ openers in Brathwaite and Chanderpaul given the middle order of McKenzie, Athanaze, Hodge and Greaves have played three Tests between them.Kavem Hodge is one of the players expected to make his Test debut in Adelaide•CWI Media/Philip SpoonerBrathwaite and Chanderpaul shared stands of 78, 116, 35 and 15 last summer against Australia, with Brathwaite scoring 64 and 110 in Perth, while Chanderpaul made scores of 51, 45 and 47 in his first three Test innings, showing extraordinary grit against Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Green.Brathwaite was aware of how important good opening stands would be. “Very, very important,” he said. “We know it’s never easy. Obviously, they have a world-class attack. Early on, I think it’s very important for us to build that foundation and spend time. Make it easier for the guys to come. That’s always the role of an opener. We’ll go out there and fight hard and look to do that for the team.”He was hoping the presence of Brian Lara at training over the past few days, in a mentoring capacity, might help inspire a few of the newcomers to great heights in Adelaide.”It’s always amazing to have Brian around,” Brathwaite said. “He has a good set of runs here at Adelaide, so if he could give some of the guys [an idea of how to score] that would be great. But obviously, his wisdom is always good, his advice. He’s been through many situations, especially here in Australia and against Australia. My advice to the guys will always be to tap into him.”

Pakistan and New Zealand face off in five-match series which features Babar’s return as captain and Wasim and Amir coming back to international cricket

Danyal Rasool17-Apr-2024It’s April, that time of the year when a certain white-ball tournament takes over cricket’s ecosystem. Tickets can be onerous to procure, fan experiences in certain stadiums can leave much to be desired, and it drags on longer than perhaps it needs to. The crowds are passionate regardless of the quality of cricket, which can vary greatly, and they stay right to the end, despite games finishing late enough to make getting home an inconvenience.But there’s more to Pakistan versus New Zealand than all of the above when they meet for five T20Is beginning Thursday. This is the second successive year New Zealand come to Pakistan in April to play a white-ball series, and the fourth time since December 2022 that these two sides are meeting in Pakistan. In between, there was a return visit from Pakistan to play five T20Is in New Zealand in January, while New Zealand have two further visits scheduled in the next 12 months – to play a tri-series, and then the Champions Trophy. There may be half a world between them, but these two teams cannot seem to get enough of each other.There’s no point pretending New Zealand have sent the best they can offer, because the majority of their first team is currently over in India for the IPL. But it was the same last year, when a Tom Latham-led side played five T20Is and five ODIs in Pakistan, walking away with a creditable 2-2 draw in the shortest format.Related

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The squad they sent this time, though, is both weaker and yet braver, which should make it an exciting series. Allrounder Michael Bracewell will captain the side as he makes his return to international cricket. The relative experience of Latham, Chad Bowes and Dane Cleaver has been done away with, with the more explosive Josh Clarkson and Dean Foxcroft (once of Lahore Qalandars) picked for the tour. There is, admittedly, a Super Smash feel to a squad where Finn Allen and Adam Milne’s unavailability threaten to further tilt the balance away from the visitors.A glance at the Pakistan squad will tell you they are strong on paper. They are coming off a PSL season and have selected a squad based on form, with Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir returning to the international fold, while Naseem Shah is looking back to his best after a long-term injury. Babar Azam was among the runs yet again, and Saim Ayub – perhaps the brightest spark in a 4-1 series loss in New Zealand – has seen his stocks continue to rise. Shadab Khan was the PSL’s player of the tournament, and Abrar Ahmed is once more injury-free. There are even signs of Shaheen Shah Afridi cranking it up closer to his pre-injury speeds, with Haris Rauf the only frontline injury absence at present.But Pakistan are not a clinical, ruthless side, and many of these things were said 12 months ago, too. Their reputation of playing up, or down, to their opponents’ level is well deserved, and consistency has continued to prove elusive. The Rawalpindi Cricket Ground is not quite Eden Park in terms of its diminutive boundaries, but it’s still prone to huge scores, which could perhaps neutralise some of the advantages Pakistan carry in batting and bowling firepower. There’s also the matter of what goals to set for this series; T20I bilateral trophies are arguably the least prestigious silverware in cricket, and this particular series is especially so. Pakistan head coach Azhar Mahmood suggested not even captain Babar was inoculated from being rotated, which suggests Pakistan have one eye on the T20 World Cup in June.Josh Clarkson will be playing his second bilateral T20I series for New Zealand•Getty ImagesFor Pakistan, rest, rotation and experimentation in this format essentially boil down to a tedious, repetitive discussion of what to do about the top order, how to fit both Mohammad Rizwan and Babar in, and whether their strike rates are up to elite standards. The Rawalpindi Cricket Ground is due for a paint job ahead of next year’s Champions Trophy, and one suspects most would rather watch it dry than read another rehashed version of that debate, so we’ll move on from it as expediently as possible.Pakistan did take Haseebullah to New Zealand as a wildcard in their top order, playing him in one match before, in their infinite wisdom, dropping him from the squad altogether. Mohammad Haris, who was “rested” from that tour despite being a single-format player, has apparently not quite recuperated, so he won’t feature either. Instead, the switching of Usman Khan’s allegiance from the UAE to Pakistan after a successful PSL has seen him called up post-haste, though where Pakistan try and squeeze him in remains a point of intrigue.But no Pakistan discussion is complete without off-field shenanigans, and even a New Zealand side who just played this team in their backyard three months ago will realise they are far from being caught up. In that time, team director Mohammad Hafeez has been dispensed with, along with the bulk of his coaching staff. There’s a new board chairman in town in Mohsin Naqvi, who couldn’t have been less subtle about his lack of support for Afridi as captain, sacking him and bringing Babar back in a manner that left Afridi thoroughly unimpressed.Wahab Riaz is no longer the chief selector; he is instead part of a seven-member selection committee that does not have a leader. He is also the senior team manager alongside, of course, a regular team manager, and another selector, Mohammad Yousaf, is also the batting coach. The data analyst is Bilal Afzal, whose job immediately before this was the Minister of Environment Protection, Forest, Wildlife and Fisheries.In short, a lot is going on with Pakistan, and expecting what’s happening off-field not to impact the cricket is the ultimate form of optimism. And perhaps New Zealand, who have lost just one of the five series they have played Pakistan in over the past 18 months, don’t just understand that glorious chaos, but have also found an ability to tame it.

Nepali expats, who have been coming out in droves to support their home team, will play an important role in the future of cricket in the USA

Cameron Ponsonby14-Jun-2024It is 10:30am on a Tuesday in Dallas, Texas, and Nepal are about to play cricket against Netherlands in a World Cup. As sporting events go, it is as unlikely as they come.Furthermore, to take the situation from the unlikely to the borderline hallucinogenic, far from the Grand Prairie Stadium being empty for this group stage match between two Associate nations thousands of miles from home, it is packed with 5500 Nepalis, creating a raucous atmosphere.”I have to say the fans were amazing,” beamed Dutch bowler Logan van Beek at the innings break. “I’m not sure whether we are in Dallas or Nepal.”Those scenes were repeated a week later in Florida, where despite Nepal’s fixture against Sri Lanka being rained off, thousands of fans filled the stands and danced and sang as the rain continued to fall.As one fan’s sign read, “If ICC schedules matches for Nepal in the moon. Nepalese fans will be there.” You don’t doubt it, given that many of the fans arrived at the ground around the time a local weather warning was sent in Florida instructing people not to travel.Related

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Nepal’s love affair with cricket is well known. Packed stands in Kathmandu are the norm, and billboards in the cities are adorned with cricketers as opposed to footballers. But how that passion has translated to full stands in America, less so.The Nepali American community is the fastest growing Asian population in the United States. At the turn of the century, the diaspora numbered 7858 people, according to United States Census Bureau data. It is now over 200,000, with some estimates placing it closer to 300,000.The Nepalese civil war from 1996 to 2006 was the catalyst for many to leave the country, as was the major earthquake in 2015 that killed almost 10,000 people. The Nepali Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility estimates that 1700 people leave Nepal every day in search of employment.Eight years ago, one of those people was Binod BK, now an area manager for Amazon, who was in the stands for Nepal’s rained-off match against Sri Lanka.”I moved here to do my Master’s,” he says. “It was after the earthquake, so I moved to America to study and I found a lot of opportunities.”A lot of people [from Nepal] move to different countries, but everybody wants to come to America, right? It’s the American dream.”While everyone’s story is unique, the two most common starting points are America’s Diversity Visa programme, also known as the green-card lottery, and student visas.Rain didn’t dampen the fans’ enthusiasm in Florida•Matt Roberts/ICC/Getty ImagesIntroduced in 1990, the programme makes 55,000 visas available each year to nations that have historically had low levels of immigration to the USA. Nepal has been one of the main beneficiaries of the programme. In the 2024 release, they received the third-highest allocation of visas in Asia, just under 4000. The number of applicants from 2024 is not yet available, but in 2020 it stood at over 600,000 from Nepal and 14 million globally.”I tried three or four times [for the diversity visa],” Binod says of his own experience, before he successfully applied for his student visa.According to the US International Institute of Education, Nepal’s student population is the 11th largest in the USA, standing at 15,000. A remarkable statistic considering that only 25 years ago there weren’t even 10,000 Nepalis in America, full stop.The growth of the Nepali population in the USA bodes well for the growth of cricket in the country.Much of the current expansion of grassroots cricket in America is due to second- or third-generation South Asian families wanting their children to play the sport – and in that respect, Nepal is 20 years behind.The Nepali population in America is incredibly young. The median age in America is 38, the median age of an immigrant is 47 (seemingly high because people move as adults and then have children in the US, which doesn’t factor into the figure), and the average Nepali American is 30. Many of these young Nepali immigrants, such as Binod, will go on to gain sponsorship for a career and look to settle down and have families.In high places: fans in Kirtipur get a bird’s eye view of the action in the Nepal-UAE World Cup League 2 match in 2023•Sanjit Pariyar/Getty Images”I have a three-year-old son,” says Sanjay Sharma, who moved from Nepal to Dallas in 2003. “And I definitely want him to get into his cricket. Although he’s born and brought up here, you want that inheritance of a Nepalese identity to come though, right? That’s what happened with the Indian community and that’s what happened with the Pakistani community as well.”The World Cup has galvanised the Nepali population in America, with people travelling from far and wide to support their country as much as to attend a cricket match.”It’s not only the cricket community,” Sharma explained of the crowds you see on TV. “But non-cricketing people as well. Some of them have never watched a game of cricket, but it’s about, ‘Hey, my country’s playing, my birthplace’, so they want to come and witness it and it’s just word of mouth [that makes it spread].”Before the match against Netherlands, hundreds of people attended a fan event hosted in Dallas by cricket broadcaster Andrew Leonard.”We’ve had one in each city,” says Leonard. “Dallas was crazy. It just stops you in your tracks that down there in Texas we had about a thousand people coming in… I spoke to people who’d come from, I think, over 35 of the 50 states.”Leonard is himself Irish but has become an adopted son of Nepal after covering cricket in the country on over 25 occasions. Such is his association with the country, he has been given the nickname – meaning bald older brother – by Nepal fans.You’ll find us everywhere: Nepal fans assert their commitment to their team•ICC/Getty Images”It’s both disparaging and complimentary at the same time,” Leonard laughs. “There was a bit of a controversy over whether or not the fans thought it was okay and whether I would like it, but I love it.”One of the things I adore about Nepal is that they’ve got an incredible sense of humour. And for me, I find them very, very similar to Irish people. They love music, they love a night out, they love a drink, they love their food, they love a bit of craic… I feel very lucky to have been taken in by their fan base.”The passion of that fan base has been evident through this World Cup and it is translating to an increase of Nepali players in local leagues as well as Nepali teams.”It’s unimaginable,” Sharma says of the Nepali cricket scene now in Dallas compared to ten years ago. “I knew a few guys here and there, but a full first team in three or four clubs? No way.”Sharma was himself a co-owner of Lumbini All Stars, a franchise side that won the Nepal T20 league in 2022-23, where the majority of their overseas players were American-based. He is also now the CEO of Dallas All Stars, a side that competes in the T10 US Open, which features several international players.”You cannot guarantee anything, but at the local level of cricket, the more the population is growing, the more interest is generated.”The question of whether cricket will ever succeed in America is a constant one, but you can be sure that if it does, the Nepali community will be a large part of that success.

Legend starts new role just days after Lord’s send-off, but is his former team ready?

Vithushan Ehantharajah16-Jul-2024Some were short. Some were wide. Some were too fast. Some too slow.Considering 49 of James Anderson’s 73 dismissals at Trent Bridge have been caught, it was a surprise to see him struggle with his accuracy during England’s slip practice. To be fair to him, he’s not spent much time searching for edges while wearing a baseball mitt on his left hand.Tuesday marked the launch of “James Anderson, bowling coach”. A second volume of his England career begins while some were still locked into the first. And as the 41-year-old got to grips with his new job after his enforced retirement came to pass at Lord’s on Friday with the conclusion of the first Test against West Indies, you could forgive the awkwardness.Cards on the table, it felt very weird. This could not have been further from Friday’s festivities. A dank cricket ground, empty but for the departing West Indies after their training session, and the constant buzzing of groundstaff who were locked in a battle with the weather for most of the day.Anderson, decked out in his same England tracksuit, was treated to a round of applause in the team huddle from now-former teammates and new coaching colleagues. That came after Mark Wood – who replaces Anderson in the XI – was welcomed back to the group. See? Weird.After finding his range with the cordon, Anderson moved over to a practice strip to oversee Wood and Dillon Pennington going through their paces. Soon enough, the rest of the seamers – Matthew Potts aside, who was batting – came over to bowl under Anderson’s gaze. A grim shower – one of the last scheduled for this week – sent them all inside, where Anderson’s watching brief continued, without hurling (or bowling) a ball at a batter.Should Anderson even be here? As blunt as that may seem, there are a few different strands to that question. But it’s worth focussing on two in particular.A legend deserving of a send-off is equally deserving of a bit of space, either for a few more Guinnesses or to scope out what’s next. To be fair to Anderson, his motivation for assuming the role so soon after retirement is to see if (a) he likes the fit and, (b) he fits the team. This isn’t simply about justifying what remains of his ECB central contract or handing him a consolation gig. Ironically, this, too, is about building for the next Ashes.The spikier strand, however, is wondering how England can really learn to live without Anderson, grow beyond Anderson or even simply move on from Anderson, when he is still there.Zak Crawley looks on during England’s training session•Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty ImagesFor all the knowledge there is to tap into, his presence represents a glory of old that is incredibly intimidating to newcomers. Literally four days ago, he was turning Joshua Da Silva inside-out for his 704th Test wicket. Can a new attack grow in his shade? Is it even possible to fill the void of his personality when that personality remains? And how will Anderson feel when some of the tenets he has lived by are not quite openly dismissed, but now frowned upon? Again, he was bowling in a Test literally four days ago.That, ultimately, is something that will get ironed out. But the challenge is not so much for Anderson but for the core of this England team that has grown in prominence during the tenure of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. And it is now, as they head into a home Test without either Anderson or Stuart Broad for the first time since both were rested in June 2012, that they will truly take the reins over the evolution of this team.Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett and Harry Brook have emerged as respected heads in this dressing-room, as much through performances as personality. Since the start of 2023, the quartet are among England’s top five runscorers, with Joe Root leading the way.Indeed the growth of these top-order batters can also be measured in the field. The confidence – and lack of chopping and changing – has improved England’s catching by and large. Their success percentage of 78.7 percent in the above period is better than Australia’s (77.0) and only 0.2 off India.They are surer of themselves to either offer Stokes advice, or direct traffic themselves when they sense a hunch, and are not afraid to do so without asking for their captain’s permission. At a time in this team’s life cycle where the bowling attack has lost 355 caps in the space of two retirements in successive home Tests, such assurance in the batting group is a necessity.Related

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“It’s certainly a changing of the guard,” Crawley said on Tuesday when addressing life beyond Anderson. With 45 appearances, he is now the fourth most-capped player in the team, with 11 more than Wood, who debuted in 2015, four years before the opening batter.Crawley’s journey to this point has been riddled with what we can now describe as “character-building” bumps. England’s leading runscorer in last year’s Ashes and this year’s tour of India has emerged as a front-runner as a potential successor to Stokes. Not many would have made that leap when he finished the 2022 summer with an average of 23.But it speaks of the dressing-room that Crawley now carries a healthy amount of responsibility without regarding himself as a “senior” player.”In terms of senior players, it’s weird in our environment,” he said. “We’re a very tight-knit group and we’re all encouraged to add to the environment, help the environment.”Even Dillon [Pennington] coming in for his first game [with the squad at Lord’s], you’re encouraged to help everyone around you. I feel like we all have that responsibility.”Of course, I feel like I have a responsibility to my teammates to help them. But I think that’s across the board. to be honest. I don’t feel like more than a leader than anyone else.”That’s reiterated to us all the time, that we look after each other. We’re a close-knit group and I see it as my role to help people around me and I’m sure they feel the same. In that sense I suppose I can have that impact on people but I think we all do in the group, that’s why we’re tight-knit.”That Gus Atkinson became the fifth player to take a five-wicket haul on debut under McCullum and Stokes backs up Crawley’s words. Similarly, the Surrey quick’s match haul of 12 for 106 at Lord’s suggests Anderson’s presence did not impede him at all.Nevertheless, we are about to enter a period that, much like England’s search for an opener after Andrew Strauss’s retirement in 2012, could involve a lot of trial and error.The onus is on the likes of Crawley to help the bowling group through whatever growing pains emerge. After all, Anderson might only be around for the summer.

India also joined West Indies and England as the only sides with two men’s T20 World Cup titles in the bag

Sampath Bandarupalli29-Jun-20241 – India became the first team to win the men’s T20 World Cup without losing a game all tournament. India won all eight matches they played in the tournament, and had one washout: the first-round game against Canada.India’s eight consecutive wins in completed games is the joint-longest winning streak for any team in the men’s T20 World Cup. Australia won eight successive games across the 2022 and 2024 editions, while South Africa was on an eight-match winning streak before Saturday’s defeat.8-1 – Win-loss record of the teams winning the toss in the finals of the men’s T20 World Cup. The only team to lose a final despite winning the toss was Sri Lanka against Pakistan in 2009.Related

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It is only the third instance of a team winning a men’s T20 World Cup final while defending a total. India against Pakistan in 2007 and West Indies against Sri Lanka in 2012 won the final while batting first.2 – India is now the third team to win the men’s T20 World Cup for the second time, having won the inaugural 2007 edition. West Indies were the first team with two titles, having won in 2012 and 2016, while England won in 2010 and 2022.9 – Players to be part of two men’s T20 World Cup final wins – Rohit Sharma was added to the list on Saturday. Eight West Indies players were part of their both title wins – Daren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Dwayne Bravo, Samuel Badree, Andre Russell and Denesh Ramdin.ESPNcricinfo Ltd176 for 7 – India’s total against South Africa on Saturday is the highest by any team in the final of the men’s T20 World Cup. Australia’s 173 for 2 in a run chase against New Zealand in 2021 was the previous highest. The 345 runs scored in Bridgetown is the joint-highest aggregate for a men’s T20 World Cup final.23 – Balls Heinrich Klaasen needed for his fifty against India, the fastest in any men’s World Cup final. The previous quickest was off 31 balls by Mitchell Marsh against New Zealand in the 2021 T20 World Cup final.16.95 – Per cent of the target that South Africa needed at the start of the 16th over with six wickets in hand – 30 runs out of 177. It is the second-lowest percentage of the target runs any team failed to chase in the last five overs (16-20) of a men’s T20I with six or more wickets in hand, where ball-by-ball data is available.New Zealand needed 15.06 % of their target at the start of the 16th over – 141 for 3 chasing 166 against South Africa in 2012. They ended up losing by three runs, finishing on 162 for 7.16 – Player-of-the-Match awards for Virat Kohli in the T20I format – the most for any player in men’s T20Is, surpassing Suryakumar Yadav’s 15. Eight of Kohli’s 16 match awards have come in the men’s T20 World Cup, while no one else has more than five.ESPNcricinfo Ltd37y, 60d – Rohit’s age on Saturday, making him the oldest captain to win a T20 World Cup. He is also the second-oldest captain to win an ICC tournament final, behind Imran Khan, who was 39 year and 172 days old when Pakistan defeated England in the 1992 ODI World Cup final.8-0 – Rohit’s win-loss record as captain in T20 finals – six with Mumbai Indians and two for India. Only MS Dhoni has won more men’s T20 finals as captain than Rohit, nine out of 15.This is also the 11th T20 final where Rohit was part of the winning side of the 12 he has played. Only Dwayne Bravo (17), Kieron Pollard (16) and Shoaib Malik (15) have more men’s T20 final wins than Rohit.49 – Wins for Rohit as captain out of the 62 T20Is where he led India, the most for anyone in men’s T20Is, surpassing Babar Azam’s 48. India have lost only 12 T20Is under Rohit’s captaincy, while another game ended in a tie, which India went on to win in the Super Over.2 – Number of players, including Kohli, to be part of the winning team in the finals of all three ICC white-ball events (ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy). MS Dhoni was the first to be part of all three, and he did it as a captain.

Dhawan and Rohit Sharma formed one of the great opening partnerships in ODI cricket, with 18 century partnerships

S Rajesh24-Aug-20241:37

Dhawan’s top 10

187 – Dhawan’s score in his first innings in Test cricket – against Australia in Mohali – the highest by an India debutant in men’s Tests, and the eighth-best overall. His century came off just 85 balls, the fastest on debut.44.11 – His ODI average; in 164 innings, he scored 6793 runs at a strike rate of 91.35. Among the 19 India batters who have scored 3000 or more ODI runs, only four – Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar – have higher averages.

And is R Ashwin the only player to take a five-for and score a hundred in a Test at the same ground twice?

Steven Lynch01-Oct-2024Kamindu Mendis reached 1000 Test runs in just his 13th innings. Was this a record? asked Asitha Silva from Sri Lanka

The seemingly unstoppable Kamindu Mendis passed 1000 runs during his 182 not out in the first innings of the second Test against New Zealand in Galle last week. He’s in good company, as Don Bradman also got there in 13 innings, but two batters were even quicker to the mark: England’s Herbert Sutcliffe and Everton Weekes of West Indies both reached 1000 runs during their 12th Test innings. Bradman got there in his seventh Test, Mendis in his eighth, and Sutcliffe and Weekes in their ninth.Mendis did break one record though: it was his eighth Test, and he has had an innings of at least 50 in all of them, beating the seven from debut set recently by Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel.There could be a similar close call coming up for bowlers: after the Galle Test, his 16th, Sri Lanka’s slow left-armer Prabath Jayasuriya had 97 wickets. The only man to reach 100 in 16 Tests was the 19th century England seamer George Lohmann. Four men so far – Charles Turner, Sydney Barnes, Clarrie Grimmett and Yasir Shah – have taken their 100th wicket in their 17th Test.Sri Lanka had a first-innings lead of more than 500 at Galle – have there been any bigger leads in Tests? asked Gordon Mitchell from England

Sri Lanka (602 for 5) led New Zealand (88) by 514 runs after the respective first innings in the recent second Test in Galle. That turns out to be the fifth-largest first-innings advantage in any Test, a list headed by England (903 for 7) with a 702-run lead over Australia (201) at The Oval in 1938. Sri Lanka already lie second: in Colombo in 2006 , they bowled South Africa out for 169 after scoring 756 for 5, so led by 587. Pakistan (643) led New Zealand (73) by 570 runs in Lahore in 2002, while England (849) led West Indies (286) by 563 in Kingston in 1930.There have been two other first-innings leads of more than 500 in Tests: South Africa (682 for 6) led England (173) by 509 runs at Lord’s in 2003, while Australia (645) headed England (141) by 504 in Brisbane in the first postwar Ashes Test in 1946.I noticed that Ajaz Patel has 70 Test wickets, but none of them have come at home in New Zealand. Has anyone matched this? asked Shane Worrell on Facebook

Slow left-armer Ajaz Patel had 70 Test wickets to his name after the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. You’re right that none of them have come at home in New Zealand, where he has played three Tests without taking a wicket.Patel currently tops the list for most wickets in a Test career without any at home: the 19th century Yorkshire allrounder Willie Bates had 50. He made three tours of Australia, but never played a Test in England. Next comes the Indian seamer RP Singh, whose 40 wickets all came away from home (he played two Tests in India without taking a wicket).The current Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah took 79 Test wickets before finally striking at home. The 1950s West Indian spinners Alf Valentine (65) and Sonny Ramadhin (52) come next on that particular list.The answers given here exclude some Pakistan bowlers who did not have the chance to play at home: Saeed Ajmal took 178 wickets (67 in “home” Tests in the UAE), Mohammad Amir 119, Wahab Riaz 83 and Junaid Khan 71. Yasir Shah picked up 207 Test wickets before finally taking one in Pakistan.Ian Botham has taken a five-for and scored a hundred in the same Test five times, though all at different grounds•Adrian Murrell/Getty ImagesI know there are a few players who have scored a century and taken a five-for in a Test more than once. But is Ravichandran Ashwin the only man to do it twice on the same ground? asked Pavam Mahadasu from India

This particular double has now been completed on 37 occasions in Tests. R Ashwin did it for the fourth time in the recent Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. He’d previously achieved the feat there against England in 2021. He’s also done it twice against West Indies, in Mumbai in 2011 and in Antigua in 2016.Ian Botham is the only man to have done this double more often than Ashwin: he achieved the feat on five occasions. But all of them were at different grounds, and you’re right to think that Ashwin is the only man to have done it more than once at the same venue. Five others have done it twice (at different grounds): Garry Sobers (West Indies), Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) and Ravindra Jadeja (India).However, when you look at the equivalent list for women’s Tests, you can see that the Australian allrounder Betty Wilson did it three times, including twice in Adelaide, against England in 1949 and again nine seasons later in 1958. England’s Enid Bakewell – who is still playing club cricket in her eighties – also did it three times, but on different grounds.Was Rashid Khan the first bowler to take five wickets in a one-day international on his birthday? asked Madhav Gokhale from India

When legspinner Rashid Khan took 5 for 19 in a thumping Afghanistan victory over South Africa in Sharjah on September 20, he was indeed the first man to collect an ODI five-for on his birthday (his 26th). The best birthday performances before this was a pair of four-fors: Vernon Philander celebrated his 22nd birthday – and his ODI debut – with 4 for 12 for South Africa against Ireland in Belfast in 2007, while Stuart Broad took 4 for 44 against Australia in Cardiff on his 24th birthday in 2010.In T20Is, the Indian left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav collected a 29th-birthday present of 5 for 17 against South Africa in Johannesburg in December 2023. Four other men – Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Imran Tahir (South Africa), Kushal Malla (Nepal) and Karthik Meiyappan (UAE) – have taken four wickets in a T20I on their birthday.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Durbar Rajshahi, meanwhile, became the first team to not field an overseas players after they boycotted a game over non-payment issues

Mohammad Isam02-Feb-2025Chittagong Kings’ second-place finish in the BPL points table was the biggest surprise at the end of the tournament’s league phase. They had to win at least two out of their last three games this week, and they ended up winning all three: against Rangpur Riders, Sylhet Strikers and Fortune Barishal.They set up the first qualifier with Barishal, who topped the table with 18 points. Khulna Tigers meanwhile won the race to qualify as the fourth team, after beating Rangpur and Dhaka Capitals in their last two league matches. They were equal on 12 points with Durbar Rajshahi, but Khulna had the superior net run rate.In the eliminator match, Khulna will take on Rangpur who lost their way after making an impressive start to the season. Rangpur lost their last four matches after winning eight in a row. Rajshahi, Dhaka and Sylhet are out.Best batter: Mohammad NaimMohammad Naim had the most impact as a batter after his century guided Khulna to a crucial win against Rangpur. Naim pummeled an unbeaten 111 off 62 balls, including seven fours and eight sixes.Dawid Malan was also in great form for Barishal, hitting a couple of sixties this week and an unbeaten 16-ball 37.What would be most encouraging for the Champions Trophy-bound Bangladesh team, is the form of Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon. They played some destructive knocks this week, with Tanzid hammering seven sixes in his 58 off 37 balls against Khulna. He finished the tournament with 485 runs at a 141.39 strike-rate, and hit 36 sixes – the most by a Bangladeshi batter in the BPL. He also finished the league stage as the tournament’s leading run-scorer.Parvez’s 75 off 41 balls against Barishal included a four and eight sixes, which helped Chittagong to a score of 206.Khaled Ahmed returned a four-wicket haul against Sylhet Strikers•Chittagong KingsBest bowler: Faheem AshrafFaheem Ashraf’s resurgence, including figures of 5 for 7 against Sylhet, played a huge role in his Pakistan return to the Champions Trophy side. He now has 20 wickets for Barishal, second only to Taskin Ahmed who finished the competition with 25 wickets at an average of 12.04.Chittagong got the full service of their local pacers when Shoriful Islam and Khaled Ahmed both took four-wicket hauls against Sylhet. Left-arm quick Mrittunjoy Chowdhury took four wickets against Rangpur, while offspinner SM Meherob also registered a crucial four-wicket haul against Sylhet.Unusual playsRajshahi became the first team to play without overseas players, breaking the BPL’s rule in the process. Their overseas players refused to appear against Rangpur on January 26, after the team owners missed several pay deadlines.Barishal bowled out Dhaka for just 73 runs, the lowest total in this edition, beating Rajshahi’s 80 all out against Chittagong.Chittagong meanwhile were at the other end of the batting scales, becoming the first team to get four 200-plus scores in the league phase. They also struck 17 sixes in their last game against Barishal, breaking their own franchise record in the season.Akif Javed has taken 19 wickets at an average of 14•Rangpur RidersStarlets who caught the eyeAkif Javed, the uncapped Pakistani left-arm fast bowler, was the most impressive young player during the league stage. He has taken 19 wickets averaging 14, with an economy rate below seven.Mahidul Islam Ankon and Shamim Hossain were impressive young big-hitters, with high strike-rates having scored more than 200 runs lower down the order. Tanzid had already caught the eye with his big scoring in the top order while fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib was Sylhet’s only shining light.