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Elgar is in top 10 for the first time since January 2019, Khawaja re-enters the batting rankings after twin tons

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jan-2022Kyle Jamieson and Litton Das have achieved career-best positions in the ICC Test rankings following the drawn series between New Zealand and Bangladesh. South Africa captain Dean Elgar broke into the top 10 for the first time since January 2019. Also, Australia’s Usman Khawaja re-entered the rankings after his twin tons in the men’s Ashes.Jamieson, after his eight wickets across two Tests against Bangladesh, advanced eight places to No. 3 and crossed the 825-rating point mark – only the fifth New Zealander to do so after Richard Hadlee (909 in November 1985), Neil Wagner (859 in December 2019), Tim Southee (839 in November 2021) and Trent Boult (825 in May 2015). Boult, himself, moved up three places to 12th after picking up nine wickets in the series.Test bowling rankings•BCCI

Bangladesh’s Das, whose 102 went in vain for the visitors in the second match, gained 17 places to No. 15. He ended the series with 196 runs. The other notable movers in the Test batting rankings were Mominul Haque (up eight places to 37th) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (up 21 places to 87th). Fast bowler Ebadot Hossain – who rattled New Zealand in the first Test with figures of 6 for 46 in the second innings – jumped 17 places to 88th.Among New Zealand batters, stand-in captain Tom Latham, who scored 252 in the second Test, moved up two places to No.11 while Devon Conway, who hit centuries in both the Tests, advanced 18 places to No. 29. Ross Taylor ended his Test career at 28th, having attained a career-best fourth position and 871 rating points in December 2013.Test batting rankings•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Meanwhile, Elgar’s match-winning knock of 96 not out in Johannesburg has taken him into the top 10. Duanne Olivier’s four wickets in the second Test helped him re-enter the bowlers’ list in 22nd place. India pacer Shardul Thakur also advanced 10 places to No. 42 after picking up eight wickets in the same game.

Full rankings tables

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Khawaja’s scores of 137 and 101 not out in the drawn fourth Test between Australia and England in Sydney meant he re-entered the Test batting rankings in the 26th position. Steven Smith has pipped Kane Williamson at No. 3, while the fast bowler Scott Boland’s seven-wicket haul in the match saw him gain 24 positions to be ranked 49th in the bowling list. Cameron Green is another Australian player gaining in the rankings.The latest rankings also see Ben Stokes (up nine places to 18th) and Jonny Bairstow (up 16 places to 55th) thriving among batters, while Stuart Broad (up two places to 14th) and Mark Wood (up three places to 41st) also made gains in the bowlers’ list.

Bob Willis Trophy shelved, Yorkshire retained in Division One, Blast to be played in single block

Andrew Miller20-Jan-2022″Lessons have been learnt” from England’s poor Test showing in 2021, according to Neil Snowball, the ECB’s managing director of county cricket, following the announcement of a 2022 domestic schedule which will provide prospective Test players more opportunity for red-ball cricket in the lead-up to their encounters with New Zealand, South Africa and India this summer.In the wake of a disastrous showing in the Ashes, and following a home Test campaign last summer in which England lost 1-0 to New Zealand and were trailing 2-1 to India before the postponement of the decisive fifth Test, the ECB’s tentative pledge to “reset” their red-ball fortunes has been backed up with a block of five County Championship matches in June and July, ahead of the South Africa series in August.Two “County Select XI” fixtures against New Zealand and South Africa, distinct from the England Lions set-up, have been added to the schedule as well, to provide Test candidates with further opportunities to pit themselves against the tourists. This comes after complaints in 2021 that England were undercooked going into their main campaign of the summer, against India in August and September, following just two Championship rounds in early July prior to the launch of the first season of the Hundred.”It’s obviously well documented and acknowledged that recent results were extremely disappointing which again has called for a look at our approach to red-ball cricket,” Snowball said. “Clearly, the men’s domestic game has got a significant role to play in that, in terms of making sure that we can develop the best possible Test players who can then go on to aspire to be the best team in the world. We don’t think that county cricket has all the answers, but it certainly has some of the answers, and it certainly has an important role to play going forward, along with the first-class counties and the PCA and other stakeholders.”Related

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• English cricket must 'clean up its act' on racism, concludes DCMS report

• County Championship comes in from the margins in rejigged 2022 schedule

Yorkshire have been included in the schedule as a Division One team, in spite of the ongoing investigation into the racism scandal that rocked the club in 2021 and may yet lead to further sanctions from the Cricket Discipline Committee (CDC), while both the Bob Willis Trophy final and the traditional Champion County versus MCC fixture, which has been held in the UAE and Barbados in recent seasons, have been shelved.The Bob Willis Trophy, hastily arranged for the delayed 2020 season, was a success in providing context to a condensed first-class programme and culminated in a showpiece final at Lord’s. However, last season’s final was an anti-climax – comfortably won by Warwickshire, for whom it was a distant second to their County Championship triumph.”The Bob Willis Trophy served us very well in 2020 to rescue the season, and of course we played for it last year as well,” Snowball said. “We’re very keen to continue to celebrate Bob’s legacy with a Bob Willis Trophy in some format but we’re not quite sure what that’s going to be yet. We’re in discussions with his family on that.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The format of the season falls along the lines that ESPNcricinfo revealed in November, and includes a tweak for the Vitality Blast, in what is set to be its 20th season. This year, the whole competition will be played in a seven-week block from May 25 through to Finals Day at Edgbaston on July 16, an amendment that should allow more of the counties’ overseas stars to be involved in the knock-out rounds. Luke Wright, Sussex’s captain, was a prominent critic of the previous schedule, which had involved a five-week hiatus after the group stages.In a bid to maximise the counties’ preference for Blast fixtures towards the back end of the working week, 99 of the 126 fixtures have been scheduled for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. And, in an echo of the successful staging of the Hundred, in which the majority of women’s fixtures were played as double-headers alongside the men, ten Charlotte Edwards Cup matches will also feature on the same bill as the Blast, and at their respective county HQs.Alan Fordham, the ECB’s head of cricket operations, said that the counties’ desire to put the women’s game on an equal footing to the men had been a factor in the double-header decision – as had the double bank holiday at the beginning of June, which encompasses half term and will provide an opportunity for more families to attend the matches. At this stage, one of the double-headers is due to be televised on Sky Sports.A further boost for the women’s game will come with the final of the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, which is due to be held at Lord’s for the first time, on Sunday, September 25. The men’s Royal London Cup final will once again be held at Trent Bridge, but has been moved back to a Saturday (September 17), having been held on a Thursday last season.”The women’s game is just going to have a phenomenal year,” Snowball added. “We’ve got the Ashes starting in Adelaide. We’ve got the Women’s World Cup and then the Commonwealth Games In Birmingham as well as the second edition of the Hundred. So it’s a huge year for women’s domestic cricket and international cricket. We look forward to seeing how that unfolds.”

Mandhana, who missed the one-off T20I, is still at the quarantine facility along with quicks Meghna Singh and Renuka Singh

Annesha Ghosh09-Feb-2022India batter Smriti Mandhana is set to miss at least the first ODI against New Zealand. ESPNcricinfo understands she is expected to spend a few more days in the New Zealand government’s MIQ (Managed Isolation and Quarantine) facility.Mandhana missed the one-off T20I along with quicks Meghna Singh and Renuka Singh, who are also still in MIQ. Yastika Bhatia, who took Mandhana’s opening position in the T20I on Wednesday which India lost by 18 runs, said as much after the game.”Smriti, Meghna Singh, and Renuka Singh are in compulsory MIQ by the New Zealand government. That’s all we can say at the moment,” Yastika said at the virtual post-match press conference.While there has not been any official word on the matter from the BCCI yet, it is learnt that travel-related issues are at the heart of Mandhana still being in quarantine with Renuka and Meghna while the other 15 members of the squad have moved to Queenstown for the six-match limited-overs assignment.No positive Covid-19 cases have been officially reported from India’s touring party in New Zealand, where two selectors are also understood to be present.Mandhana’s likely absence from the ODI series opener would see Yastika retaining the opening position. Should Renuka and Meghna, too, be unavailable for selection owing to quarantine, India, with just the addition of veteran Jhulan Goswami, would be required to field the same pace attack as the one-off T20I, with Pooja Vastrakar sharing the duties with Simran Bahadur, who was picked as one of the three reserves in the squad for the bilateral series and the World Cup.India are due to play five ODIs in Queenstown, starting on February 12, with the series expected to serve as vital preparation ahead of the 50-over World Cup in New Zealand starting March 4.

The former English county cricketer had worked with the franchise as a fast-bowling coach during IPL 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2022Steffan Jones, who had served as Rajasthan Royals’ fast-bowling coach during the 2019 edition of the IPL, has been brought back by the franchise, this time as the high-performance fast-bowling coach, ahead of the 2022 chapter of the tournament.”Steffan has been closely associated with the franchise over the past few years so he understands the culture perfectly, and brings with him a very able coaching style, which has been appreciated by both players and management in the past,” Royals director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara said. “We are delighted to welcome him back to the franchise in his new role, wherein he will be working with our bowlers and providing support to them throughout the year, and we’re confident his expertise can guide us to newer heights.”Jones, the 48-year-old Welshman, “will be responsible for providing high quality training, guidance and support to all bowlers who are part of the Royals’ set-up throughout the year, with a focus on the off-season and in the build up to the IPL season,” Royals said in a statement. He will start during the pre-season camp in Nagpur, from March 7 to 10, and stay with the squad during the tournament.”With a plethora of talented bowlers in our ranks, I’m looking forward to working with them round the year and preparing them to peak and excel when the season comes,” Jones said.The statement said that Jones, who played first-class cricket in the English county circuit between 1997 and 2011, would also be “inputting” at the Royals academies, and “aid in technical integration of the facilities, while also utilizing technology and innovation to support the overall enhancement and growth of both players and the academies”.

Three wickets apiece for seamers before Middlesex opener ticks off deficit with unbeaten 80

ECB Reporters Network28-Apr-2022Shaheen Shah Afridi and Tom Helm took three wickets apiece as Middlesex’s potent seam attack shone again on the opening day of their LV= Insurance County Championship clash against Leicestershire at Lord’s.The Seaxes, who dismissed Glamorgan cheaply twice to secure an innings victory last week, bowled their visitors out for 149, with Afridi repeating his debut feat from Cardiff by striking twice in as many balls to wreck the Foxes’ top order.The Pakistan paceman finished with figures of 3 for 54, while Helm bettered that return with 3 for 23.Mark Stoneman cemented Middlesex’s advantage with an unbeaten 80 to steer his side to 142 for 2 at the close, a deficit of only seven.With cloud overhead, it was little surprise when home skipper Peter Handscomb opted to bowl after winning the toss – and his bowlers quickly proved the wisdom of that decision by reducing Leicestershire to 55 for 6 before lunch.Afridi captured the first three wickets as Hassan Azad nudged low to first slip and Colin Ackermann, hanging the bat out, dragged his first delivery onto the stumps before Louis Kimber was bowled by a ball that nipped back.Toby Roland-Jones – having beaten the bat several times without reward – switched ends and prised out the stubborn Sam Evans, caught behind after lasting an hour and a half for only nine runs.Helm also bowled with pace and venom from the Nursery End, collecting wickets either side of the interval and alternating with Ethan Bamber (2-23), whose steady line accounted for Harry Swindells before Chris Wright was clean bowled.However, last man Beuran Hendricks (22) played some productive shots, surviving a sharp slip chance off Luke Hollman and clubbing both the leg-spinner and Afridi to the fence as he and Callum Parkinson (25 not out) built a partnership of 39.That stand, the highest of the innings, eventually ended when Hendricks was bowled swinging at Hollman and missing, but it had at least given the Foxes some impetus going into the field.Wright immediately found the edge of Sam Robson’s bat and, although the ball dropped narrowly short of third slip, he and Hendricks initially kept Middlesex’s opening pair under a tight rein.Stoneman threw off the shackles in the 10th over, doubling the total with a succession of boundaries off Hendricks and strode towards his half-century, dispatching Wiaan Mulder for four more through the covers to reach the landmark.Ed Barnes made the breakthrough, pinning Robson (16) leg before – and Leicestershire might also have removed Robbie White without scoring, Ackermann shelling a chance off Wright at second slip.Having taken 40 minutes to get off the mark, White advanced to 23 before Mulder had him caught in the slips off the final ball of the day.

An ECG test has “come out clear” and the doctors “suspect muscle spasms”, says SL team manager

Mohammad Isam and Andrew Fidel Fernando23-May-2022Kusal Mendis is still in a Dhaka hospital, after leaving the field holding his chest minutes before lunch on the first day of the second Test, but an ECG test has “come out clear”. The doctors “suspect muscle spasms” as the reason for his discomfort, Sri Lanka team manager Mahinda Halangoda said, adding that Mendis is “still under observation”.It was the 23rd over of the Test, with Bangladesh in their first innings, when Mendis appeared in discomfort and lay down on the field. He was immediately tended to by the Sri Lankan medical staff. He left the playing area holding his chest soon after.In the initial update, BCB doctor Manzur Hossain Chowdhury had said that Mendis had to be taken to the hospital for “proper diagnosis and better management”. According to Chowdhury, Mendis was suffering from dehydration leading into the match, which could be a reason behind his discomfort.It is unclear at this stage how long he will be in the hospital for, and on his participation in the Dhaka Test.Mendis scored a solid half-century in the first innings in the Chattogram Test, followed by a quick 48 in the second stint, helping Sri Lanka draw the game.The conditions in the first Test were extremely trying with the humidity getting to the players. Tamim Iqbal was forced to retire hurt due to severe cramps on day three, while on-field umpire Richard Kettleborough, too, had to leave the field during the fourth day because of the scorching heat. Players were often spotted having drinks breaks under giant umbrellas throughout the course of the Test.Sri Lanka also had to use a concussion substitute for fast bowler Vishwa Fernando after he was struck by a Shoriful Islam bouncer on the second day in Chattogram. Kasun Rajitha was his replacement. This is Sri Lanka’s last match on this Bangladesh tour.

Pair smash 95 from 50 balls to take Falcons to fifth straight victory, Saif Zaib’s 92 not enough for Northants

ECB Reporters Network21-Jun-2022Brilliant batting from Wayne Madsen and Shan Masood kept Derbyshire Falcons on course for the Vitality Blast quarter-finals with a six-wicket victory over Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Derby.The pair smashed 95 from 50 balls to take the Falcons to a fifth straight victory for the first time in T20 cricket as they chased down a 187 target with six balls to spare.Masood scored 57 from 43 balls and Madsen a destructive 73 with 10 fours and two sixes from only 37 balls as the Falcons cruised home on 192 for 4.Saif Zaib scored a T20 career-best 92 from 58 balls to take the Steelbacks to 186 for 7 but it was not enough as the Falcons moved to within one point of North Group leaders Lancashire Lightning who they play on Friday.Zaib revived the Steelbacks after two of their key batters fell in the first four overs of the powerplay.Chris Lynn skied a swing at Sam Conners and Madsen held a steepling catch at cover before Hayden Kerr removed Josh Cobb.The Steelbacks skipper drove and pulled Conners for four consecutive fours but then lost his off stump making room to cut Kerr.That followed Ben Curran’s miscued clip at Mark Watts into the hands of mid on and at the end of six overs, the Steelbacks were 58 for 3.Rob Keogh was caught off a George Scrimshaw no-ball but after hitting the free hit to the boundary, top edged a pull to third man.Related

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• Peter Siddle inches from heroism as Surrey thwart Somerset in last-ball thriller

• Sam Northeast, David Lloyd lead Glamorgan to thumping win over Middlesex

• Naveen-ul-Haq four-for seals Leicestershire win after all-round Ben Mike brilliance

Jimmy Neesham drove Conners over long off for the first six of the innings in the 10th over and Zaib added a second when he cut Scrimshaw over wide third man in the 12th.Zaib mixed improvisation with placement to reach 50 off 36 balls but the introduction of Matt McKiernanan in the 15th over removed the dangerous Neesham who was stumped charging the leg spinner.The Steelbacks plundered 22 from the 17th over when Zaib swept and drove McKiernan for two sixes but Scrimshaw and Watt conceded only 10 off the next two.Zaib pulled Kerr for his fourth six before he was run out but Lewis McManus drove the last ball for six to take his side to a competitive total.The Falcons lost Luis Reece in the first over when he chipped a return catch to Cobb but Kerr pulled Tom Taylor for six and repeated the shot against Ben Sanderson as 16 came from the last over of the powerplay.Kerr swung the first ball from Freddie Heidreich into the hands of deep midwicket but Masood took two boundaries from the wrist spinner’s next over to keep the Falcons on track.Madsen drove and pulled Neesham for two fours to leave the Falcons needing 97 off the last 10 overs and he reverse swept Graeme White for six as 14 came from the 11th over.The Steelbacks were struggling to contain the pair with Masood steering Sanderson to the third man boundary on his way to a 36 ball 50.Cobb returned but Madsen ramped him for two fours as the Falcons accelerated towards their target with 46 coming from three overs.A reverse-swept six took Madsen to a 24-ball 50 and although Masood holed out to long on, only 36 were needed off the last five overs.Madsen was caught behind off Neesham in the 19th over but the game was over as a contest and Leus du Plooy finished in style with a big six over deep midwicket.

India’s shortcomings with the ball in the first two matches makes visitors favourites despite uncertainty over de Kock’s availability

Firdose Moonda13-Jun-20224:03

Did India bat poorly or did South Africa bowl really well?

Big picture

South Africa could finish what they travelled to India for – to win the five-T20I series – in less than a week if they win the third game on Tuesday, with two matches left to play. Conversely, it’s put India in a situation where every match is a must-win. That makes the Visakhapatnam game the most interesting so far, as this is where the series could turn.For it to start to angle towards India, they will have to find a way to be more threatening, especially with the ball. Apart from one exceptional performance, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 4 for 13 in the second T20I, every bowler in India’s attack has been inconsistent at stages with South Africa appearing to have worked out a way to score off all of them. And they seem to have figured out how to do it under pressure.Related

• Dale Steyn: 'More confident' Bhuvneshwar Kumar has found the missing ingredient

• Shreyas Iyer: Our plan is to attack 'even if we keep losing wickets'

• How Heinrich Klaasen tamed a tricky Cuttack pitch

Historically known for having a middle-order that crumbled when the heat was on, South Africa have found ways to win matches even when it looked like they were pinned down. They have racked up 13 victories in their last 14 T20Is, including all seven of the ones in which they have chased.Importantly, they have found runs from a variety of players and have not had to rely solely on the biggest name, Quinton de Kock, to post big scores. de Kock is in the squad but sustained what captain Temba Bavuma described as a “freak” hand injury two days before the second match and his availability for the rest of the series is unknown. That may give India one less thing to worry about but they will know they can’t take the South African side – superstars or not – lightly.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
India LLWWW
South Africa WWWWW

In the spotlight

Rishabh Pant’s first foray into international captaincy is throwing up some interesting questions for him after a tough IPL. He has not scored a white-ball half-century since India’s series against West Indies in February and also has to deal with the additional challenges of managing the team’s strategy on the field. Depending on how he handles the rest of the series, with India facing three crucial matches, Pant may establish himself as third in the leadership pecking order, behind Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, or a case could be made for Hardik Pandya – who led Gujarat Titans to victory in the IPL – to step into the role.It was Rassie van der Dussen in the first match and Heinrich Klaasen in the second, so it’s only natural to wonder who will emerge as South Africa’s batting hero in the third. Reeza Hendricks has reason to impress: he has fallen behind the pecking order and will likely make way once de Kock returns. Temba Bavuma played a good anchoring role in Cuttack but his strike rate remains just above 120. Dwaine Pretorius could get another opportunity to show what he can do in a pinch-hitting No.3 role and David Miller, who has been a strong supporting actor so far and is in the form of his career, could make more headlines.3:41

Steyn: It looked like Klaasen batted on a different pitch

Team news

Deepak Hooda could displace Shreyas Iyer to bolster the batting stocks and provide India with an offspin option, which could prove handy against the South African left-handers (read: David Miller). Whatever they do, India have to find a way to keep South Africa’s middle-order quiet, which may force their hand to play one of Umran Malik or Arshdeep Singh in this crucial match. Avesh Khan could find himself on the sidelines if that happens.India: (possible) 1 Ishan Kishan, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Deepak Hooda/Shreyas Iyer, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Dinesh Karthik, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Harshal Patel, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalAiden Markram remains unavailable as he completes his quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19 on June 9 and if de Kock needs more time to recover from his wrist niggle, South Africa could go in with an unchanged batting line-up. de Kock underwent a scan on Monday, with results expected on match day when a decision on his inclusion will be made. The spinners have been under-utilised so far and one of them may be benched in favour of an extra quick.South Africa: (possible) 1 Reeza Hendricks, 2 Temba Bavuma (capt), 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 David Miller, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 Dwaine Pretorius, 7 Wayne Parnell, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Lungi Ngidi/Keshav Maharaj, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi

Pitch and conditions

There is a small sample size of only two T20Is at this venue to tell us what we can expect from the surface. Both were low-scoring encounters, won by the chasing team. In 2016, India bowled Sri Lanka out for 82 and chased it down inside 14 overs, and in 2019, India were restricted to 126 for 7 by Australia, who won by three wickets. Both spinners and seamers were successful here, which suggests another tricky batting track. There’s rain around on the eve of the match but only a 20% chance on match day, with temperatures in the 30s and high humidity expected again.2:38

Jaffer: ‘Chahal not transferring IPL impact into international matches’

Stats and trivia

• If South Africa win the third match, and therefore the series, it will extend their unbeaten run in white-ball series in India to 12 years. They have not lost a rubber since the ODIs in India in 2010, and have since won one ODI and one T20I series while drawing another T20I series.
• Shreyas Iyer has taken on South Africa’s spinners, against whom he has a strike rate of 220, but has struggled against pace in this series, against whom his strike rate falls to 76.19.
• Heinrich Klaasen has faced Yuzvendra Chahal in two T20Is. In 2018, he scored 41 off 12 deliveries and added 30 off 13 balls on Sunday.

Quotes

“That depth is something we’re always trying to build. A freak injury with Quinny (de Kock) and his hand, and Klaasen took that opportunity with both hands. He’s a big player for us in the middle of the innings. We know what he can do. We back him 100%. We have a lot of belief in him, and he showed again why he’s a part of this team.”

Nida Dar stands up with bat, ball and in the field to underpin her side’s victory

Valkerie Baynes19-Jul-2022An excellent combined Pakistan bowling effort through the middle overs stifled Ireland and sealed victory by 13 runs in their rain-hit T20I, which was reduced to 14 overs per side at Bready.Player of the Match Nida Dar set Pakistan up with a quick-fire 26 off 15 balls after Muneeba Ali had compiled a 24-ball 29 either side of an interruption after the rain that had delayed the start returned five overs in.Dar was also instrumental in containing Ireland after the hosts had enjoyed a promising four-over powerplay, as she, Tuba Hassan and Fatima Sana took one wicket apiece.Sana and Anam Amin were miserly over the last two overs which saw three run outs and an lbw in favour of Sana as Ireland’s task of chasing down the 23 runs still needed proved insurmountable.That came down largely to Hassan, Sana and Amin putting the clamp on Ireland through the middle overs after top-scorer Gaby Lewis and Rebecca Stokell reached 34 without loss after four overs.Hassan broke through when she bowled Stokell for 19 with one that skidded onto off stump. Lewis and Orla Prendergast managed just nine runs off the ensuing three overs before Dar had Prendergast caught by Iram Javed off a top edge behind point.Hassan and Amin combined to run out Laura Delaney, attempting a second after she had driven Amin to sweeper cover, Hassan firing the ball back into the bowler to great effect and Amin conceded just four runs off the over.Lewis had started brightly with 15 off just seven balls including back-to-back fours, pulled and swept off Amin in just the second over of Ireland’s reply. She dealt Kainat Imtiaz similar treatment through the off side in the seventh to reach 32 off 20 deliveries but from there the going got tougher.Lewis eventually fell for 47 off 41, run out in the final over, cutting Sana towards Dar, who collected and threw back to Sana at the batter’s end as Lewis came back for a second run.Two dot balls from Sana followed before she trapped Mary Waldron lbw and then Arlene Kelly was run out by yet another sharp throw in from Dar to the keeper.Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat, resuming on 34 for 1 after Ava Canning bowled Iram Javed on the first legitimate ball of the match, having sent down a leg-side wide to begin with.Delaney bowled Ali shortly after the restart with a full, straight delivery that pegged back off stump as Ali tried to swipe across the line to make it 43 for 2. Delaney struck again in her next over, bowling Bismah Maroof with one that skidded on and clattered into middle and off for 13.Dar and Ayesha Naseem put on 40 runs for the fourth wicket in the next four overs, Naseem striking Delaney for six over long off and Dar launching Jane Maguire over the midwicket fence.But Maguire accounted for both within moments of Dar’s m, bowling her with a slower ball before she had Naseem caught by Kelly at long on two balls later to finish with 2 for 14 from three overs.Ireland next face Australia on Thursday after their first match ended in a resounding nine-wicket win to the visitors.Delaney, the Ireland captain, said her side would “look to push the boundaries in the middle period” going forward.”Bitterly disappointing,” she said of the loss to Pakistan. “This is the challenge playing against some of the best sides in the world, you’re going to go out and you’re going to play good cricket and you’re still going to be beaten.”So we’ll go back, we’ll regroup again tomorrow with training. We play against Australia then on Thursday which we know again will be a really good contest but we’re just happy to be playing good cricket against competitive sides.”

Masakadza misses out due to a shoulder injury, while fast bowlers Muzarbani and Chatara are also unavailable

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Aug-2022Regis Chakabva, Zimbabwe’s wicketkeeper-batter, will continue to lead the side against India in the upcoming ODI series, with regular captain Craig Ervine still nursing a left hamstring injury.Zimbabwe, who announced their 17-member squad against India on Thursday, will also be without left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza, who is sidelined due to a shoulder tendon injury. Fast bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Tendai Chatara, who missed the T20I and ODI series against Bangladesh with a thigh muscle tear, and collarbone fracture, respectively, continue to remain unavailable.Chakabva, who made his Zimbabwe debut in 2008, led the side for the first time against Bangladesh in the recently-concluded ODI series, which Zimbabwe won 2-1. He also hit a match-winning 102 in the second ODI to help the hosts clinch the series. Senior allrounder Sikandar Raza, who captained the team in the third and final ODI against Bangladesh after Chakabva missed the game due to a hand sprain, was adjudged the Man of the Series for his 252 runs and five wickets.The three-match series against India is scheduled to begin on August 18 in Harare and is a part of the ODI World Cup Super League. Squad : Ryan Burl, Regis Chakabva (capt), Tanaka Chivanga, Bradley Evans, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Clive Madande (wk), Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, John Masara, Tony Munyonga, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Sikandar, Raza, Milton Shumba, Donald Tiripano