India-Pakistan clashes have never been short of passion and excitement at the Under-19 World Cup. We look at five memorable clashes from previous editions

Shashank Kishore in Christchurch29-Jan-2018India and Pakistan will meet in the second semi-final for the right to face three-time champions Australia in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup final in Mount Maunganui on February 3. The rivalry is fierce, but unlike in the men’s World Cup, where India have a 6-0 advantage, Pakistan hold the slight edge here. Contests between the two have been engrossing, and only occasionally one-sided. Here is a look back at five of them from previous editions:Group-stage fixture in Dubai, 2014India brushed aside questions over their preparedness after they had lost both warm-ups, and turned up on the big day. Sanju Samson, who had already played top-flight cricket with Rajasthan Royals at the Champions League T20 just a few months earlier, consolidated with a half-century. But it was Sarfaraz Khan, the 16-year old, billed as a special talent in Mumbai’s cricketing circles, who set the stage with a combative half-century that propelled India to 262 on a sluggish Dubai surface. It proved to be 40 too many for Pakistan, after Deepak Hooda returned five wickets with his flat offbreaks.Quarter-final in Townsville, 2012Returning from illness, left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh was prolific with the ball, and bailed India out with the bat. While Sandeep did the bulk of the damage with three wickets, Harmeet’s 1 for 20 in 10 overs played a part in Pakistan tumbling for 136. That ought to have sufficed for a relaxing second half, but it was anything but.ICC/GettyStill 17 away, India had stumbled to 120 for 6. When 10 were needed, they were 127 for 9, fast bowlers Azizullah and Ehsan Adil triggering the meltdown. Harmeet was left with No. 11 Sandeep Sharma to salvage a win. The pair batted for seven overs with admirable composure to drag India over.Quarter-final in Lincoln, 2010In cold and grey Lincoln, Pakistan seamer Fayyad Butt made use of helpful conditions to snare 4 for 27 and limit India to 114 for 9 in a match reduced to 23 overs a side. Pakistan, though, came out playing shots, and at 16 for 3, it was game on.It was then down to middle-order batsman Hammad Azam, whose brisk cameo knocked out the defending champions.Jaydev Unadkat, an IPL millionaire on Sunday, ended a brief recovery as Pakistan were five down needing another 37. With 24 needed off 16, Mohammad Waqas smashed Ashok Menaria over midwicket for six, but fell next ball. With 16 needed off 12, a timely four from Usman Qadir brought the equation down to a run a ball, but he too fell next ball.Amid the swinging fortunes, Hammad brought out his adventurous streak, biffing Sandeep across the line for six over midwicket, and then scooping Unadkat for four over short fine leg. Now, Pakistan needed just four off the final over, but lost Sarmad Bhatti off the second ball. Hammad, however, crossed over, and took control of the situation by slapping Sandeep through point to seal a thrilling two-wicket win.Final in Colombo, 2006A decade before they would become Test cricketers, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja were starry-eyed teenagers eyeing a World Cup prize when they ran into familiar opponents Pakistan in the final. The trophy must have seemed a formality when Pakistan were bundled out for 109. Not in the face of Anwar Ali’s swing, as he demolished Piyush Chawla’s record for best figures in a final with a five-for that floored India.AFPGaurav Dhiman, who had earned a reputation of being a hard-hitter upfront, was out first ball. Pujara was dismissed off Anwar’s first ball, to a potentially harsh lbw call. Rohit was bowled by an inswinger from the same bowler, and India were in tatters at 23 for 7. Chawla and Pinal Shah resisted to bring the target under 50. As the two looked increasingly comfortable, Pakistan’s fielders began to stutter. But when Shah got one that reared up from nowhere to kiss the edge, the end was near. Amid the carnage, Chawla stood inconsolable, after a performance that could’ve earned him a Player of the Final on most days. Pakistan had done the unthinkable.Semifinal in Dhaka, 2004With 497 runs in the competition, Shikhar Dhawan was in the form of his life. But when he fell for 8, India crumbled under pressure to fold for 169. It left the bowlers with a too tall a task in superb batting conditions in Dhaka. Despite that, Dhiman and RP Singh broke open the game, swinging the ball under lights, as Pakistan lost half their side with 83 on the board. But Fawad Alam stood tall, and with Tariq Mahmood, put on an unbroken 88-run stand to snuff out India’s fight. This match was a lesson for Pakistan in how to ease pressure in a stiff. They would go on to beat West Indies and win the tournament.

The 17-year old broke a 21-year-old record and is the youngest ever to score a double-century across formats in men’s or women’s internationals

Gaurav Sundararaman13-Jun-2018Awesome AmeliaAmelia Kerr entered the record books by scoring the highest individual score in women’s ODIs. She broke a 21-year-old record, going past Belinda Clark’s 229 that was scored in 1997 against Denmark in Mumbai. Kerr also became only the second woman to score a double-century in ODIs. She reached her double-century in just 134 balls. Before this series, Kerr’s highest ODI score was 30 and she had scored 174 runs overall in her ODI career. Kerr’s innings on Wednesday consisted of 31 fours – the highest in women’s cricket and second highest behind Rohit Sharma’s 33 during his 264.Youngest to a double-centuryKerr also became the joint third-youngest (17 years and 243 days) woman to score an ODI century when she was promoted to open the innings for the first time in her career. Mithali Raj holds the record for the youngest to an ODI century when she got to that feat at 16 years and 205 days, also against Ireland. Three of the top five centuries scored by the youngest players were scored against Ireland. Kerr also became the youngest ever to score a double-century across formats in international cricket. The previous youngest was Javed Miandad in Tests when he scored a – double hundred at 19 years and 140 days.ESPNcricinfo LtdNew Zealand pile on the miseryJust like Kerr, Leigh Kasperek also batted higher than her normal position to score her maiden ODI century. Kasperek’s previous highest ODI score was 21. No. 3 Kasperek and Kerr together added 295 runs, making it the highest second-wicket partnership in women’s ODIs. New Zealand women also became the first team in men’s or women’s ODIs to score 400 or more runs in their third consecutive match.

A short explainer on who Navdeep Saini is, what his attributes are, and his performances leading to his call-up to India’s Test squad against Afghanistan

Akshay Gopalakrishnan11-Jun-2018Who is Navdeep Saini?A tall right-arm quick who hits speeds upwards of 140kph, Navdeep Saini broke into the Delhi squad in the 2013-14 Ranji Trophy at the age of 21. Saini’s sharp pace has attracted the attention of the national selectors for some time now, and his credentials were further validated when he had his breakout first-class season in 2017-18.Hailing from Karnal in Haryana, Saini had a tough initiation into cricket owing mainly to his financially poor background. Not being able to afford coaching at a cricket academy, Saini grew up playing tennis-ball tournaments and used the cash rewards from his success there to enroll into the Karnal Premier League, a tournament conducted by the Dehi seamer Sumit Narwal. It was Narwal who spotted potential in Saini and brought him to Delhi.Saini earned an India A cap for the tour of South Africa in 2017 and returned seven wickets in two matches. He was then selected to play in the Duleep Trophy the following month and also turned out against New Zealand A at home.What is his bowling style?Saini has both the physical and technical attributes that make a successful fast bowler. He is tall and wiry, has a quick run-up and even quicker arm-speed. The jump is a product of a sharp trigger movement and he can manage subtle variations with his supple wrists. Saini’s early experience of bowling with tennis balls programmed him to perfect the yorker. As a result, his trajectories can be pretty deceptive: batsmen often stay back because of his height, but Saini largely bowls on the fuller side of a good length. In addition to skidding the ball into the batsman’s body, he can also reverse it.What is his claim to fame?Saini was one of the driving forces of Delhi’s march to the final of the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy, where he was their highest wicket-taker with 34 scalps. But his defining performance came in the semi-final of the tournament, against Bengal. Mohammed Shami, the man Saini replaces in the Test squad, had produced a six-wicket haul that had kept Delhi’s first-innings lead to 112. With just the third day in progress, many results seemed possible. But Saini shut out the game in under a session, snaring 4 for 35 to send Bengal packing for 86 and consign them to an innings defeat. Saini cut through the heart of the Bengal batting, taking out Sudip Chatterjee and Manoj Tiwary, before adding the wickets of Aamir Gani and B Amit. He followed it up with a five-wicket haul in the final, but Delhi succumbed to a superior Vidarbha attack.Recent performancesSaini hasn’t done anything substantial since the high of the Ranji season. He took eight wickets in six matches, including a four-wicket haul, in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy. He had a quiet Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, taking four wickets in as many matches as Delhi made the final, but gave away just 84 runs in 15 overs. He also made the India A squad in the Deodhar Trophy and the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup.Saini’s domestic exploits drew the attention of the Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling coach Ashish Nehra, and fetched him an IPL contract worth 468000 USD approx (INR 3 crore). However, he did not get a game in IPL 2018. Most recently, he was named in the India A squad for the four-day game against England Lions in Worcester in July.

Keaton Jennings and Ben Stokes provided moments of magic in the field while England’s spinners thrived in foreign conditions

George Dobell27-Nov-20189.5Ben Foakes (277 runs at 69.25, eight catches and two stumpings)
A wonderfully poised arrival at the top level. Foakes was the top run-scorer on either side and, in Jos Buttler’s words, gave other keepers a “wake-up call” with the high standard of his glovework. He made a century on his first day in Test cricket – becoming the first England keeper to make one in Asia in the process – and then equalled the record for the quickest dismissal by a debutant keeper with the second delivery of the Sri Lanka reply. Within a few hours he had taken a stumping, too. Classy and selfless with the bat, almost flawless with the gloves, Foakes deservedly won the player of the series award.8Keaton Jennings (233 runs at 46.60)
While the runs fell away after a wonderful start in Galle (where he scored 192 in the game), Jennings found a way to contribute with a succession of outstanding catches – and a memorable assist – at short leg that may have taken expectations of the role to a new level. His high mark reflects his ability to shape games, rather than any particular statistical excellence – in Pallekele, in particular, his fielding might have made the difference between winning and losing. That century in Galle was very good, though the Australia seamers may well be licking their lips in anticipation of bowling to him in the Ashes.Ben Stokes (187 runs at 31.16, five wickets at 20.40)
Immense. The Sri Lanka coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, rated Stokes as the difference between the sides and it is hard to disagree. Stokes added a new dimension to the England attack by somehow managing to bounce batsmen out on sluggish surfaces, finishing as the fastest bowler in the series (he was the only man to break 90mph) and the highest wicket-taker among seam bowlers. Outstanding in the field – his run-out of Dimuth Karunaratne in Pallekele was a high point – he also produced two important half-centuries, and two scores in the 40s, with the bat. Anyone following the series via scorecard may wonder what the fuss is about; anyone watching it will know he was England’s most valuable player.Jos Buttler (250 runs at 41.66)
In a relatively low-scoring series, Buttler contributed several important innings with five scores between 34 and 64. Most impressive was his ability to adapt his game to the conditions and requirements of his team. So while he swept his way to success in Pallekele, he did it in Colombo by coming down the wicket to the spinners. In more comfortable batting conditions, his contributions may look modest. In this context, they were vital.Jack Leach (18 wickets at 21.38)
The man who made England’s spin attack work. Leach’s control meant the pressure was lifted from England’s other spinners who could instead concentrate on a more aggressive approach. Experienced in bowling in helpful conditions, he remained calm and patient whatever the circumstances and claimed a maiden five-wicket haul in Pallekele and calmed nerves in Colombo with a brilliant direct-hit run-out. He finished level with Moeen as England’s highest wicket-taker in the series.Jack Leach, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid shared 19 of Sri Lanka’s 20 wickets•Getty Images7.5Adil Rashid (113 runs at 28.25, 12 wickets at 28.16)
Finally utilised in the role that suits him best – as a partnership breaker rather than in a defensive capacity – Rashid was a huge asset for England. While the most obvious example came in Colombo, where he ended with his Test-best figures in the first innings and has probably never bowled better, he also claimed key wickets in Galle (where he broke a dangerous stand between Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal) and Pallekele (there were a couple of beautiful legbreaks in Sri Lanka’s first innings) and produced four scores in excess of 20 which proved valuable in a low-scoring series.7Joe Root (229 runs at 38.16)
You can pick faults with his tactics, with his catching and with the fact that he only once provided an important contribution with the bat – his match-defining century in Pallekele was probably the innings of the series – but Root is building a hugely entertaining side that has just achieved something no England team has ever managed before: a whitewash in Asia. The unity of purpose and the commitment to the aggressive style reflect well on Root’s ability to unite the side and provide it with increasingly influential leadership.Moeen Ali (78 runs at 13.00, 18 wickets at 24.50)
The lack of runs, and a couple of soft dismissals, was a disappointment, but the bowling more than compensated. Four times Moeen claimed four-wicket hauls and he often bowled with a bite that rendered him England’s most potent option. He may never be a consistent bowler in the manner of many old-school offspinners (and he may well regret not taking his opportunity with the bat at No. 3) but Moeen’s best deliveries, with his drift, dip and spin, are as good as any of them.Sam Curran (112 runs at 37.33, one wicket at 50.00)
While conditions did little for his bowling, Curran produced a couple of important contributions with the bat. After making an important 48 in Galle, he top-scored in England’s first innings in Pallekele, with 64, when he dominated a tenth-wicket partnership of 60. Fulfilled some of his bowling duties by claiming a wicket with the new ball in Galle before a side strain ended his series prematurely.Jonny Bairstow (125 runs at 62.50)Recalled for the final Test, Bairstow responded with a century from No. 3 and was named Player of the Match. He could hardly have done more in the opportunity provided. Despite his obvious ambitions to reclaim the gloves, all the reports suggest he reacted positively and supportively around the rest of the team.Rory Burns is bowled by Dilruwan Perera•Getty Images6.5James Anderson (one wicket at 105.00)
Anderson seemed disappointed with his low-key contribution ahead of the final Test, but he played his role. He was part of tenth-wicket stands that added 101 runs across the Pallekele Test, while his economy rate (2.56 runs per over; the lowest on either side) created pressure that other bowlers exploited.5.5Rory Burns (155 runs at 25.83)The scores don’t show it, but Burns looked reasonably comfortable for his first experience at this level. He was a bit unfortunate with both his dismissals in Galle (a run-out and an edge down the leg-side) but batted beautifully in Pallekele. The lack of high-scores may gnaw away at him, and could put him under pressure in due course – not taking advantage of a first-day pitch in Colombo was a missed opportunity – but there was enough here to suggest Burns warrants patience.Stuart Broad (no wickets)
Bowled well in the first innings in Colombo – Root dropped two slip chances off him – and took a sharp catch in the field. Reacted positively and selflessly to his absence from the side.

Also: who has scored the most runs in Tests without ever being out for a duck?

Steven Lynch11-Dec-2018I noticed that Wellington Masakadza made his Test debut captained by his brother. How many others have been given their first cap by a relative? asked Brian Hartson from South Africa
Slow left-armer Wellington Masakadza won his first cap in a rare overseas victory for Zimbabwe in Sylhet last month, in a side skippered by his brother Hamilton.It turns out this was the eighth instance of someone making his Test debut captained by his brother. The previous two instances both involved Arjuna Ranatunga, who was Sri Lanka’s captain when Dammika Ranatunga won his first cap, against Australia in Brisbane in 1989-90, and also when Sanjeeva Ranatunga debuted against Pakistan in Kandy in 1994-95. (Arjuna was also in charge when another brother, Nishantha, played his first one-day international, against Zimbabwe in Sharjah in 1992-93.)The first instance was in the very first Test match: Dave Gregory captained Australia in Melbourne in 1876-77, and his side included his brother Ned. It happened again in Durban in 1913-14, when Dan Taylor made his debut for South Africa, captained by his younger brother Herbie.In Calcutta in 1933-34, CS Nayudu made his debut for an Indian side led by his brother CK, while the following season Rolph Grant made his debut for West Indies in Bridgetown, under his brother Jackie. And in Karachi in 1976-77, New Zealander Murray Parker made his debut in his younger brother John’s only Test as New Zealand’s captain.For Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ahmed made his debut against India in Lucknow in 1952-53, in a side captained by his brother-in-law AH Kardar, while David Holford’s skipper for his first Test, for West Indies against England at Old Trafford in 1966, was his cousin, Garry Sobers.Who has scored the most runs in Tests without ever being out for a duck? asked Keith Hamilton from England
The leader on this particular list is the former Zimbabwean captain Dave Houghton, who now coaches Derbyshire. In a 22-Test career that started when he was 35 – he hit 121 in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test, against India in Harare in 1992-93 – Houghton scored 1464 runs in 36 innings, without ever being out for a duck.There are five others who finished their Test career with more than 1000 runs and no ducks: the Australian captain Herbie Collins made 1352, his fellow Aussies Reggie Duff 1317 and Jim Burke 1280, while the recent West Indian player Brendan Nash scored 1103 and the 1950s Pakistani batsman Waqar Hasan 1071.Of current (or very recent) players, Sami Aslam of Pakistan has scored 758 Test runs without a duck, and the Australian opener Matt Renshaw 636.Marcus Harris was recently dismissed for 26 in both innings of his Test debut. Has this happened before? asked Christopher Shen from Australia
If you mean has anyone ever been dismissed twice for exactly 26 on debut before – as Marcus Harris was in the first Test against India in Adelaide – then the answer’s no. But there have been higher debut doubles. Dan Taylor – the South African coincidentally mentioned in the first question – made twin 36s on debut against England in Durban in 1913-14. The Indian allrounder Syed Abid Ali made 33 in both innings of his debut, against Australia in Adelaide in 1967-68.Another South African, Bernard Tancred, made 29 and 29 – a large proportion of his side’s runs in their inaugural Test – against England in Port Elizabeth in 1888-89. And the England pair of Arthur Carr (against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1922-23) and Mark Ramprakash (v West Indies at Headingley in 1991) both made two scores of 27 in their first Test appearance.No other bowler has as parsimonious an economy rate as Joel “Big Bird” Garner in ODIs – 3.09 in 98 one-dayers•Getty ImagesWhich bowler has been the most economical in ODIs? asked Devendra Patel from India
The lofty West Indian Joel Garner is on top of this particular table – and my guess is he’ll stay there forever, given the more attacking mindset of batsmen these days, not to mention the restrictions on fielders and bouncers which were less stringent in his day. “Big Bird” conceded just 3.09 an over in his 98 ODIs, leaving him significantly meaner than the next man, Australia’s Max Walker, who went for 3.25 an over.The most economical current bowler is the Afghan mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, at 3.84 per over; his spin partner Rashid Khan is not far behind, on 3.90. Another Afghan slow bowler, left-armer Amir Hamza, conceded 3.92 (his last match to date was in 2017). The only other bowler whose career took place entirely in the current century who went for less than four an over was the Zimbabwean left-arm spinner Ray Price, who just made the cut with 3.99.I noticed that Alastair Cook took part in 26 Tests at Lord’s. Is this a record for one ground? asked Alex Bartram from England
Alastair Cook’s 26 appearances is the record for Lord’s – his old mate Jimmy Anderson is close behind with 23 – but he’s only second overall, as Mahela Jayawardene squeezed in 27 Tests at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. He’s also joint fifth on this list, with 23 Tests in Galle, a number matched by Kumar Sangakkara. Just above them lies Muttiah Muralitharan, who had 24 Tests at the SSC.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

The Bangladesh head coach opens up on his time at the helm so far and the challenges that lie ahead for him while coaching one of the most mercurial sides in world cricket

Mohammad Isam19-Sep-2018At some point early in Bangladesh’s innings in Dubai on Saturday, Steve Rhodes must have felt he’d been transported back to early July in Antigua. Back then, West Indies had bowled out the visitors for just 43 runs, the lowest Test total in 44 years.In Dubai, Lasith Malinga removed Liton Das and Shakib Al Hasan in the first over before Tamim Iqbal retired hurt. Bangladesh were effectively 3 for 3 in the second over. It all ended well, though, Mushfiqur Rahim’s powerful 144, Mohammad Mithun’s maiden ODI fifty and an excellent bowling performance leading Bangladesh to a resounding win.Things turned out very differently in Antigua. At one stage, Kemar Roach picked up Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah – three-fourth of Bangladesh’s senior brigade – in the same over to reduce them to 18 for 5 within the first 30 minutes. Whenever the camera focused on the Bangladesh sitting area, Rhodes sat still, looking straight.It was his first match day as Bangladesh head coach, his first job in international cricket. Rhodes’ new job was, at that moment, the least desirable in world cricket. What helped him cope, though, was his CV: a former England wicketkeeper who became a leading county coach at Worcestershire, a life of professional cricket.”I wonder whether any of the coaches has had a baptism like this in international cricket,” Rhodes told ESPNcricinfo in a lengthy conversation before the Asia Cup. “Nobody could have imagined an opening day like that. But I have been involved in cricket for a long time. I understand that you have good and bad days, whether it is park, club, county or international cricket. It was a bad day for us.”Previous Bangladesh coaches have also overseen poor starts to their tenure. Jamie Siddons lost his first series badly in New Zealand in 2007-08; Stuart Law’s first assignment in Zimbabwe in 2011 was a humiliating loss while Chandika Hathurusingha, too, made a losing start in the West Indies in 2014.This time, Bangladesh recovered to beat West Indies in the ODI and T20I series – a remarkable turnaround given the Test drubbing and given West Indies’ relative strength in the shorter formats. Rhodes didn’t come in for too much public praise from the players but he understood how everything shifted once the ODI regulars, particularly captain Mashrafe Mortaza, arrived in the Caribbean.”I could see that after the inclusion of some of the one-day players who arrived. There was a different vibe around the place. I think it was good to have some energy back in the dressing room. It was almost like [the Test series loss] was put to bed, which is what I wanted, and a fresh start with the one-dayers.Steve Rhodes and Mashrafe Mortaza lend audience to Neil McKenzie•BCB”We believed we could win the T20s but the rankings were far apart. They are the world champions. [Beating them] was very special indeed. We finished on an incredible high. Although it was low when it started, there’s a bit of realism in that, so I was happy that the tour went. I am not sure the last time we won two series away but it was very special for me with Bangladesh,” said Rhodes.The overall win in West Indies and Bangladesh’s resounding win over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup must have come as a relief to the BCB, who had spent the first half of 2018 looking for a new head coach. After Hathurusingha’s sudden resignation in October last year, the board faced refusals by Tom Moody, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Andy Flower, Justin Langer, Paul Farbrace and Geoff Marsh.They called Richard Pybus and Phil Simmons to Dhaka for interviews but called neither back. Negotiations went into the final stages with Marsh and Farbrace, but both turned down the offers. When Gary Kirsten was approached, he suggested a consultancy role. The BCB then asked him to recommend coaches; Rhodes featured in both the BCB’s and Kirsten’s list, and the appointment was swift. Apart from his vast coaching experience, the venue for next year’s World Cup also came into consideration for BCB and Kirsten.”It was the challenge and excitement for myself, personally, of being involved with an international team knowing that there was a World Cup in England coming up,” said Rhodes. “But I am also fully aware of the passion that this country holds for cricket. There’s a lot of people who work extremely hard for a living in Bangladesh. But there’s one thing in common in the 120 million people: their love for cricket.”That passion, desire and excitement that they’ve got is sometimes daunting as a coach. But actually, what if we did something special? And if we do something special, what a smile we can put in the faces of 120 million people. I think it is a big thing for me to give this a go.”Hathurusingha’s three-year reign was testament to how much power Bangladesh’s foreign head coach can enjoy if he has the BCB bosses on his side. The cricket operations chairman’s position was changed twice during his time after he had a run-in with Naimur Rahman in 2015. The selection policy was completely revamped to fit him in as a selector the following year, prompting the resignation of Faruque Ahmed, the highly successful chief selector. Hathurusingha was known for regularly overlooking the BCB’s cricket operations committee, and going right up to the BCB president Nazmul Hassan for minor to big things.Whatmore and Siddons enjoyed a bit of power as they were credited with the rapid progress of the one-day side, as well as the rise of a second batch of cricketers including the likes of Shakib, Tamim and Mushfiqur. Pybus fell out with BCB directors during his brief reign as head coach in 2012. Shane Jurgensen resigned in 2014 after some BCB directors said they were actively looking for a new coach after Bangladesh did poorly in the Asia Cup and World T20 that year.In his first three months, Rhodes has seen how unpredictable the Bangladesh cricket team can be. It is a similar situation off the field too. If things go wrong, as many former foreign coaches have found out, it can rapidly escalate into a crisis. But, as Hathurusingha saw all too often, success on the field is all that matters and, so far, Rhodes’ successful start as Bangladesh coach should serve him this exact lesson.

The resident of Lyari has made giant strides in the sport, after having been discovered by PCB’s age-group programme when he was 12

Umar Farooq22-Feb-20196:27

‘Wasim Akram was my role model growing up’ – Ghulam Mudassar

Another fast bowler from Pakistan, but what’s different about Ghulam Mudassar?Not just another fast bowler, because Mudassar hails from Lyari in Karachi, traditionally a region which produces only footballers.A native of Haripur Hazaran, in the northern part of Pakistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Mudassar grew up in Lyari, an area of Karachi which had a vicious reputation for gang-related violence but was also known as Pakistan’s footballing hotbed. Lyari has a vibrant culture and has also given the country bodybuilders and boxers, but a 19-year-old left-arm fast bowler is something new.What has he played so far?In 2011, Mudassar was spotted by PCB’s U-16 programme at the age of 12. He played for Karachi but did not make much impact with three wickets in four games that were part of the programme. That was the youngster’s first time away from home, and he travelled nearly 1000 km away to Lahore. He returned to play inter-district U-19 cricket for Karachi and when he turned 13, Mudassar was picked up by Port Qasim Authority to play the inter-department (three-day tournament) in 2012. Barely a teenager, he earned 18 wickets at 26.27 including an eight-for on debut at Islamabad’s Diamond Cricket Club.So, any first-class cricket under his belt?Despite never being selected for the Pakistan U-19 side, he has played domestic cricket from a young age. He made his first-class debut in 2015 for Karachi Whites and finished the season with 31 wickets at 34.67 in eight games. In all, he has played 19 first-class games – 14 for Karachi Whites, four for National Bank of Pakistan and one for Pakistan A – bagging 65 wickets with 30.81. In 33 List-A games, he has 41 wickets at 37.56.His numbers aren’t great, so how is he in the PSL?Numbers, perhaps, don’t reflect his talent. He was selected after a Lahore Qalandars trial in 2017, where he participated under the ‘Rising Stars’ category. There he worked with Aaqib Javed and Mudassar Nazar. Back then, he wasn’t selected in the XI for any game, but has since become one of Pakistan’s top young players. In 2017 and 2018, he represented Pakistan in the Asian Cricket Council Emerging Teams Cup.He consequently earned a BPL contract in 2017, playing only one game where he conceded 31 runs in two overs. For PSL 2019, he was picked up by Quetta Gladiators and has become an integral part of the team, sharing the ball with fellow quicks Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Irfan.What’s the best thing about him?For him, fast bowling is ‘madness’, and a bit of control can make him a standout pacer. He possesses a natural inswinger but is also adding the slower ball and yorker to his stock. He grew up watching his idol Wasim Akram on TV and wants to emulate the former Pakistan captain.

Everything about Chris Gayle’s 87 against New Zealand is what one has come to associate with him in recent years, but was that his final big effort in ODIs?

Sidharth Monga24-Jun-2019At about 7.50pm – the most glorious 7.50pm of this initially gloomy tournament, on the day after the longest day of the year – it suddenly strikes you. Chris Gayle is walking back. Dodgy lower back, troublesome groin, walking gingerly, his every step measured, as if – if not careful – he could dismantle a body put together before every innings. Along with the pads and other armour, you know. His knees are fine at least. He has been managing that falling-apart body for a few years now.It is a slow walk. Gives you time to contemplate. By the time he reaches the 30-yard circle, the crowd rises for a generous standing ovation. He raises the bat. Takes off his helmet to reveal a black bandana and greying dreadlocks and beard.That’s when it comes to you. You might just have seen the last big innings of Christopher Henry Gayle’s international career. He is pushing 40. He has already announced this is his last ODI tournament. His side is on the way out. There isn’t much left. West Indies will come back strong, Gayle won’t. Not after this tournament. He lets you soak it in with that slow walk.Gayle is walking off with an entertaining 87 against New Zealand to his name. It is an innings that has given West Indies hope of resurrecting their campaign. It is an imperfect innings raging against the light that is fading on an imperfect career and an imperfect team campaign. Weather gods wanted to miss none of it; Manchester has turned out a beautiful sunny day, which leaves floodlights redundant even for an overtime finish.It has been a day where Gayle has shown amply what has become the hallmark of his resurgence years: acute awareness of his strengths and how to maximise them, and how to shield the weaknesses. He starts with the almost customary maiden. At one point he has scored just 5 off 23 deliveries. For close to two hours he bats, and his side takes only three couples (including leg byes) in that period. He leaves alone balls that others look to take singles off. You know, length, outside off. Not in his wheelhouse, not threatening his stumps either. He hardly even lifts his bat, forget moving his feet when he leaves them. There can’t be one wasted movement.New Zealand have looked to bounce him, and he has hooked them. Sixty-eight of his 87 runs have come in boundaries. One of the six sixes is a top edge, another is a mis-hit, but Gayle knows what he is doing. He knows he doesn’t have to absolutely nail it when he is trying to pump a left-arm spinner down the ground into the shorter straight boundary.It’s not that Gayle hasn’t run quick singles. He has done so often, sometimes hitting balls straight to mid-on, but also knowing better than anyone how hard he has hit them. Every time he does go, though, you worry. He doesn’t look quick but he knows the coverage of his strides. There is no misjudgment. There are few better judges of a run than Gayle. The last time he was run out in any form of official cricket was back in October 2018. The last time he was involved in an international run-out was last July. He has been run out only 18 times in 524 international innings. That’s the most universe-boss thing he has ever done. Not only does he judge the runs well, others around him adjust with him, trust him to make up for missed singles.Chris Gayle celebrates dismissing Ross Taylor•Getty ImagesAnd when Gayle steals a second run at Old Trafford, it draws the loudest cheer of the day. Bigger than when he hits sixes, which are majestic. Bigger arguably than when he bowled with his sunglasses on earlier in the day and took the wicket of Ross Taylor. He had a laugh at his own body when he pretended to have dislocated his shoulder when celebrating. Earlier in the tournament he bowled with a hat and sunglasses on. The fact that West Indies had to go to him shows desperation but he could find enough in the tank to roll his arm over.This West Indies innings turns out to be a reminder of Gayle’s career. The bright start, the lost years, and then that Carlos Brathwaite surge reminiscent of Gayle’s resurgence as the wise old sage of limited-overs cricket. This is a reminder of what just might have been if he had been looked after well, if there had been a board to pamper him, protect him and then demand the best out of him as the boards in India and Australia do. Of what might just have been if he wasn’t fighting a creaky body. And yet, despite all that, Gayle is walking off still a majestic and an intimidating batsman.Cruelly West Indies finish just short of a miraculous win. Cricket is cruel. World Cups are even more cruel. You get only one shot at one team. They take away players from us. It is a reminder Gayle will be gone not too long from now. Also, in all likelihood, MS Dhoni. A few others won’t even get a chance to say goodbye. If this is indeed Gayle’s last big innings, his last big show, he has done well to remind us: cricket can be cruel, you will encounter more failure than success in it, but don’t forget to have fun when you are there.

An India supporter relives the day history repeated at Old Trafford

Sudhindra Prasad17-Jun-2019Choice of game
With a plan to be at all India games during this tournament, attending the India-Pakistan match was inevitable. Having keenly watched the famous Old Trafford 1999 World Cup win on TV back in India, being at the rematch 20 years later at the same venue was a dream come true for my brother as well as me. India-Pakistan matches in the UK are mostly about good fun, entertainment and banter in the stands, and less about crowd trouble or fights between the two sets of supporters.Team supported
That team in blue. Having witnessed Pakistan’s recent resurgence against England and Australia, I was concerned about the return of the enigmatic nature of the Pakistan side. Thankfully that wasn’t to be.Key performers
Song name: Super-Ro!
Super, Super-Ro
Super, Super-Ro
Super, Super-Ro
Super Rohit Sharma
(back to the beginning & loop infinite)Rohit typically starts slowly and then later ups the ante. Today was different. With Shikhar Dhawan’s absence and with rain looming, his six to the leg side during the sixth over signalled his clear intent to dominate proceedings. That strategy helped India call the shots throughout the game.Wow moment
Watching from side-on, the Babar Azam wicket had more the frenzied effect of a breakthrough than the flight and guile of Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling. Shoaib Malik’s dismissal was the real moment when bedlam ensued in the stands. A golden duck by the dangerous Malik effectively sealed the result for India and was the passport for the India fans to go berserk in their celebrations. Seismic activity in the Manchester area would have spiked at that exact moment.One thing I would have changed
The injury of Bhuvneshwar Kumar further dents India’s lower-order batting strength. Although I am pleased that my favourite player, Mohammed Shami, gets a chance, I sure do hope for the quick return of Bhuvneshwar.Song of the day
Christmas came early in Manchester, as India fans sang,
with an obvious reference to the 7-0 streak in World Cup matches.Crowd meter
Old Trafford was transformed into absolute sea of blue. Pakistan fans were few and far between. The Pakistan presence was felt during some late-order India wickets and during that excellent Babar Azam-Fakhar Zaman partnership. Bharat Army’s dhol crew featured a top-notch saxophone player and they were relentless throughout the day, as reigned supreme.Getty ImagesFancy dress index
The usual fancy dress crew was on display. Pakistan fans were represented by the likes of Mr Pakistan, Cricket Dictator, Sheikh of Pakistan and Chacha Cricket. On the Indian side, it was Sudhir Gautham, who was joined by the famous RCB fan with his familiar red Indian headgear in the IPL, but only this time in a blue Virat 18 outfit. Groups in Dandiya Raas outfits seemed to be the latest fad in the stands. “Pandya in the middle and Dandiya in the stands”, said someone as the dance moves were unleashed during a Hardik Pandya over.Banter
Pakistan fan (screams out loud): Manchester is green.
India fan retorts: Sky is blue.Crowd in raptures. Epic.DRS coach?
Virat Kohli’s decison to walk off seemed very odd, especially when there was no nick detected on ultra edge. But the decision to not review the Babar Azam lbw decision was puzzling. That could have well broken the crucial second-wicket stand. How much longer before BCCI invites applications for a newly created position called “DRS review coach”?Shot of the day
The cut shot by Rohit off Hasan Ali that went sailing for six was quite reminiscent of that one-for-the-ages shot by Sachin Tendulkar off Shoaib Akhtar in 2003.Overall
A clinical performance that will hold India in good stead for the games to come. KL Rahul opened after a while and impressed. India’s bowling was penetrative enough to hold off the challenges thrown across by the Pakistan team. Fakhar Zaman’s ability to mix control and aggression is a sign of a good head on his shoulders. After this tournament, I see him as a vice-captain or captain of the Pakistan ODI set-up alongside the classy Babar Azam. Having witnessed many of Rohit’s centuries – including his first double-hundred – at various stadiums, I have no doubt that this was the best of them all. But I feel his best is still to come.Marks out of 10
11, if I could. But 10 it is. Despite the foul weather, the game had everything that an India supporter (except the disastrous wait times at food stalls, where starved patrons might faint out on hotter days) could hope for. Unless something drastic happens, the clock has already started to tick towards the next India-Pakistan World Cup contest in four years. Will you be there? I will.Want to do a Fan Following report? Read our FAQ here.

With Kuldeep Yadav also in the mix, Ashwin might end up sitting out the Jamaica Test even if India choose to field two spinners

Karthik Krishnaswamy27-Aug-2019Seven Tests, 24 wickets, an average of 30.16. That was R Ashwin’s record during India’s run of overseas tours last year.How good are those numbers? Well, that average is the best among those of the eight spinners with ten or more wickets in South Africa, England and Australia since the start of 2016. In that time, Nathan Lyon has averaged 36.71 in these three countries, Moeen Ali and Rangana Herath in the 40s, and Yasir Shah 56.03. Ashwin’s economy rate of 2.38 is the best on that list too.Those numbers reflected the role Ashwin ended up playing on those tours. Through his career, Ashwin has been known for his strike rate – which remains the best among all spinners with more than 200 Test wickets – but India’s strike bowlers on those tours were their quicks. Ashwin, for one reason or another, ended up playing a holding role.Think back to Adelaide, where he conceded only 149 runs in 86.5 overs – nearly a full day’s Test cricket – across the Test match, and picked up three wickets in each innings, but without getting ball after ball to leap out of the rough like Lyon did.
Lyon bowled 16.5 overs less than Ashwin, but picked up two more wickets, including six in India’s second innings. He also conceded 56 runs more than Ashwin.How much of Ashwin’s bowling style – controlled and probing, but without the ripping turn and bounce that runs through sides – was down to design, and how much of it was down to his physical state?For any spinner, the amount of purchase they extract is proportionate to the work they put on the ball with their action. You can’t put as much body into your action if some part of your body is giving you trouble.The groin has been Ashwin’s problem area for a while. Soon after the 2016-17 home season – in which he bowled more overs than anyone ever has in a single season of Test cricket – he sat out the IPL to recover from sports hernia, a soft-tissue injury in the groin area, which is commonly seen among sportspersons who are required to put their body through repetitive twisting motions.The problem resurfaced on the England tour last year. Ashwin played despite being less than fully fit in Southampton – where Moeen, getting the ball to jump out of the footmarks in a way Ashwin didn’t, was England’s match-winner – and missed the next Test at The Oval. After his Adelaide exertions, Ashwin’s injury flared up again, and he missed the last three Tests in Australia.Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja came into the side, and ensured Ashwin wasn’t missed too much. He took seven wickets at The Oval, and five in a victory at the MCG. He also scored eighties at The Oval and the SCG. In Sydney, India played two spinners, and Kuldeep Yadav picked up a first-innings five-for.We can’t be sure how much of it was down to Kuldeep’s impressive bowling on a flat pitch, and how much to his impatience with Ashwin’s fitness issues, but India head coach Ravi Shastri, speaking to after the Australia tour, asserted that Kuldeep had become India’s “number one spinner in overseas Test cricket”.By the time the latest West Indies tour rolled around, therefore, Ashwin was in a fight to regain his place. There was room for one spinner in India’s combination in Antigua, and India went with Jadeja.Kuldeep Yadav is cheered by his team-mates after his five-for•Getty ImagesKuldeep may have been in contention, but his white-ball form had fallen away somewhat between Sydney and Antigua, and given that this was India’s first World Test Championship game, they may have wanted to pick someone with more experience, and perhaps more batting ability too. That left Ashwin and Jadeja.It couldn’t have been an easy decision to leave Ashwin out, given his outstanding career record, his numbers – with ball and bat – against West Indies, and his recent County Championship form for Nottinghamshire, for whom he picked up 23 wickets at 19.91 in three Division One games.But equally, Jadeja had made himself extremely difficult to drop. Since the start of the 2016-17 home season, his record with the ball has been neck-and-neck with Ashwin’s, while his batting returns have been significantly superior. In that time, he has been the world’s best allrounder in terms of difference between batting and bowling averages.In the end, Jadeja made a key contribution to India’s win in Antigua, scoring 58 and turning 189 for 6 into a first-innings total of 297. His bowling was less successful, with his two first-innings wickets coming either side of some stick from Darren Bravo, Roston Chase and Shimron Hetmyer – who scored a combined 46 off 55 balls against him – and his four second-innings overs going for 42 runs with Kemar Roach hitting three sixes off him.Spinners can sometimes end up with figures like that even when they have bowled well, and India won’t be unduly alarmed by Jadeja’s display in Antigua, especially when their quicks were so good. Now, unless India play two spinners – and perhaps even if they do – Ashwin will quite likely sit out the second Test in Jamaica too.It’s not an entirely unfamiliar situation for Ashwin – Jadeja briefly usurped him as the No. 1 overseas spinner back in 2013-14, and Karn Sharma played ahead of him in the 2014 Adelaide Test – but it will still irk him, given his status as one of India’s greatest match-winners, and given that so much of his recent struggle has come about thanks to factors not in his control. It can’t be easy to accept the Stuart MacGill role when you’ve been Shane Warne for so long.That said, the Ashwin-Jadeja dynamic is now perhaps more like the tussle between Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, which only resolved into a clear-cut hierarchy after the 2003-04 tour of Australia. Harbhajan returned home after aggravating a finger injury in the first Test, following which Kumble came into the side, picked up 24 wickets in the next three Tests, and became India’s undisputed No. 1 spinner. What further twists await us in the Ashwin-Jadeja story?