T20 World Cup: ICC T20 World Cup: Tournament of upsets

The 82,507 collected at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was just a touch of nerves when Richard Nagarwa of Zimbabwe sent the first over to KL Rahul. India had elected to bat in a match that needed to be won to top the points table in Group 2.

If Zimbabwe’s cricketers were overwhelmed by the opposition’s support, and you can be sure they had never played in front of so many people in their lives, India had in mind that this was a tournament of upsets.

What’s more, while England, Pakistan and New Zealand were decided as the three confirmed semi-finalists, just who will play where was yet to be decided, which tells you how far the tournament has been right up to the last game.

When the nerves calmed down and Rahul scored his second half-century on the bounce, the crowd relaxed a touch. Then, Suryakumar Yadav did what he does on a day-to-day basis, spreading the ball to all parts, scoring 61 runs in just 25 balls. In the process, he scored 1,000 T20I runs for the calendar year at an attractive strike rate of over 180. The late charge took India to 186 for 5, a score that would prove to be 71 too high for Zimbabwe.

The result meant that India set a date for the semi-final against England at the Adelaide Oval on 11 November. A day earlier, Pakistan and New Zealand would have decided the score at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

When the day started, it was hardly the four semifinalists. After all, South Africa were playing the Netherlands in the morning match, which was expected to be largely a formality. While the Dutch defeated Zimbabwe, they were expected to outperform an attack that included Kagiso Rabada, Enrique Nortje and Lungi Ngidi. And yet he did so by leaving some cushion. After being asked to bat, the Netherlands scored 158 and restricted South Africa to 145 for 8 comfortably, winning by 13 runs, knocking the Proteas out of the tournament.

This upset may have been the icing on the cake in a tournament that was open from the start, but it was by no means unique.

In the first game of the first round of the tournament, a qualifier of sorts, Sri Lanka were stunned by Namibia, winning the Asia Cup. Perhaps the least fan-favoured team in the race, Namibia, beat Sri Lanka by 55 runs. This should have served as enough warning for the larger teams, who would have hoped to coast towards the last four.

The mighty West Indies, who were two-time winners of the competition, got a taste of their first match when Scotland comfortably overtook them. While Sri Lanka rallied to advance in the competition, West Indies ended the tournament almost as soon as they started, when Ireland defeated them. She was the first large fish to be scaled.

Ireland then showed that this was no fluke, beating England again in a major tournament. After putting 157 on the board, Ireland were good enough to bundle out England for 105 for 5 in 14.3 overs when rain drenched the MCG and brought Duckworth-Lewis into the game.

As soon as things seemed to settle down and the major teams were on their way to progress, Pakistan reversed the trend, chasing a target of just 131 against Zimbabwe, losing by one run.

South Africa came big to kick things off with packing on the final day of Super 12. And that’s just counting the actual ups and downs, not matches that went against the form book.

Cricketers often tell you that they don’t take any opposition lightly, and while they say the same publicly, they expect some teams to beat well. What has happened now, however, is that the T20 format has reduced the gap between the teams. While it would be a miracle for the Netherlands to beat South Africa in a Test (if they had Test status), they only need a few things to top the day in a game of small margins.

In addition, players from some of these countries may not have many opportunities at the national level, but many are active in franchise-based T20 leagues around the world. If you want to play with a team with resources like India or England or Australia, that fear factor, is largely out of the picture now. There is no dearth of eagerness and motivation to prove himself personally to bag an additional contract in the T20 league.

The days of big teams just showing up and dominating the opposition are really a thing of the past.

short score

• India: 186/5 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 51, Suryakumar Yadav 61 not out, Sean Williams 2/9).
• Zimbabwe: 115 all out in 17.2 overs (Ryan Burle 35, Sikandar Raza 3)

Originally published at Pen 18

T20 World Cup: India qualifies for semifinal after Netherlands beats South Africa by 13 runs

Originally published at Pen 18

india: T20 World Cup: India take on Zimbabwe in crucial bout for semi-final spot – The Economic Times Video

India play Zimbabwe in the last match of their T20 World Cup Super-12 stage on Sunday and it is a competition they still cannot take lightly. That’s why India are still with 6 points from four matches despite being the leader of Group 2 after Pakistan’s comprehensive 33-run win over South Africa via the DLS method in a rain-less match to be 100 per cent sure of a semi-final berth. Not there.

Originally published at Pen 18

ICC T20 World Cup: Nobody knows how the pitches will behave

It is said that Melbourne is the city of four seasons in a day, but it has been a gloomy spring all around Australia. It has been unusually cold, wet, windy and generally unpleasant for the time of year.

Spring should have sprung up, and there could have been bright, windy, sunny days, with occasional passing showers, as the ICC T20 World Cup for men turned around. But, it hasn’t been that easy. The tournament has been played in similar weather conditions to Dunedin compared to Dandenong, except for a few days in Sydney. India have yet to rain a match, although they came dangerously close against Bangladesh at the Adelaide Oval.

It was not that easy for the other few semi-finalists, England and New Zealand. England shared points with Australia when their Melbourne clash washed out and New Zealand did the same against Afghanistan at the same venue.

And yet, both these teams have reached the last four while Australia are out of their party.

It has been a difficult time for all teams, as white-ball cricket is not played in Australia at this time of year. In fact, no one knows how the pitch will behave, or what the circumstances will do on any given day. When asked about how the experience was, R Ashwin said, “I thought I would have used up my entire sunscreen by now.” “It’s hit me. I generally like cold weather.

I have been to England and played a lot of cricket there, but it has been very unique and different.

“If you are playing a Test match, you can warm up throughout the day, but playing T20 in this season, not knowing how the surface will be, how it will react, what the weather is like, it has been a whole new experience. Is. ,

Ashwin thinks deeply about his cricket, be it batting or bowling and when he is stumped, you sit down and notice. “We have never been to Australia at this time of year. Generally, when it comes to sports, conditions are king. So, you need to understand that this is what is being presented to you, Ashwin explained.

He said, ‘T20 is a game where you need to adapt fast. You don’t have the time or bandwidth to be able to think, assess and deliver. The time period is too short.” India played all their games in the evening, Australia time, which is close to primetime in India, usually on the pitch where the first game took place.

While it makes sense that India’s matches are held in such a way that the ICC and broadcasters can maximize revenue, it also means that the circus is a journey.

“Some other teams have been able to stay and play there a couple of times, which the Indian team doesn’t have and that’s right,” Ashwin admitted.

“There are a lot of Indian people across the country who want to watch the game, so it’s understandable.”

So far in the tournament, Ashwin has often bowled brilliantly without the kind of numbers behind him that he would have liked. But, in what can be described as the turning point of his T20I career, the cunning officer has proved his mettle and shown that an old dog can learn new tricks if the attitude is right and the mind is open enough.

“As a bowler, you like to get wickets with bucketfuls, but when it comes to T20 cricket in a particular sport it may not be necessary,” says Ashwin.

“So, you may have to bowl an over for 8 or 9, and the next guy may end up taking a wicket. As far as I’m concerned it’s simple. That’s been my approach that has brought me success. ”

Ashwin has taken three wickets in four matches in this tournament and has gone for 8.15 runs per over, more than anyone except Arshdeep Singh. While the shrewd officer knows he can play a key role to win without registering the numbers, he is a proud man with a reputation to protect.

It won’t take much time for Ashwin to make a difference in a way that is obvious, but even if he doesn’t, Rohit Sharma, the captain and Rahul Dravid, the coach, will pay dividends on his investment under all circumstances. Odd time of year, against all comers.

Originally published at Pen 18

Opening shocker to Warner woe: how Australia’s World Cup defence crumbled

Australia’s Twenty20 World Cup defense came to an end on Saturday after old rivals England made it to the semi-finals.

The late champions won three, lost one and a game was washed out as they finished third behind New Zealand and England in a tight Group 1.

AFP Sports looks at where it went wrong for England as well as the side, which were considered pre-tournament favourites.

Australia never really recovered from their 89-run loss by New Zealand in their opening match. It was the worst start.

The hosts’ bowlers helped the Black Caps reach 200-3 with Devon Conway’s unbeaten 92 to avenge their loss to their neighbors in last year’s final. The hosts were bundled out for 111 runs.

The big margin of defeat came back to haunt Australia. They crashed out of the tournament despite being tied on seven points with England and New Zealand – their very low net run rate earned them a last-four spot.

Captain Aaron Finch came into the tournament under pressure due to poor form with the bat.

He scored 13 runs in the first match and then scored an unbeaten 31 in the next match against Sri Lanka, giving the team almost a loss of victory, but for Marcus Stoinis blitz.

Finch later called his 41-ball struggle in Perth “one-sided” and soon followed suit in his team’s win over Ireland with 63 runs, but the knock came late.

He missed the final match with a hamstring injury as Australia went into a tense four-run win over Afghanistan as of late.

David Warner was Australia’s leading batsman with 289 runs in their maiden T20 World Cup win in the United Arab Emirates last year but he inexplicably failed to set the home conditions on fire.

His scores of 5, 11, 3 and 25 are reflected in the team’s total, with the highest being 179 against ranked-outside Ireland.

The left-handed opener was bowled by Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq after attempting to hit the switch and was trolled by England’s Barmy Army, who tweeted: “David Warner batting with left hand Cleaned up while sanitizing hands.”

The Burmese Army was retweeting on Saturday, “Let the tears begin.”

If keeping Glenn Maxwell swimming between five and six was not enough, the opposition in Adelaide was also shocked by Australia’s decision not to pick paceman Mitchell Starc in the XI.

They needed a shot in the semi-finals to win against Afghanistan by a huge margin and Starc’s replacement Kane Richardson scored 48 runs in his four overs.

Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott said he was “shocked” by Starc’s omission and former Test captain Michael Clarke said: “I don’t get it.”

Maxwell, who hit a match-winning 54 against Afghanistan, would not be drawn on Starc, but said the hosts “probably missed the big moments at times”.

“The start of the first game of the tournament was not so good that it might have hurt us too,” he said. “Maybe it goes without saying.”

Originally published at Pen 18

Qatar offered fans free World Cup trips, but with a rider

This is a great proposition for any football fan to stop and listen. Free flights to the world cup. Free tickets for matches. Free accommodation during the tournament and even a little bit of money to spend. But the offer comes with a catch.

Selected fans who accept the trip of a lifetime – financed by Qatar, hosts of this year’s World Cup – will be required to abide by contracts that require them to sing what they say. , they would need to sing to see that. Reporting, most controversially, social media posts made by other fans criticizing Qatar. Yet despite those rules, hundreds of supporters have signed up.

The invitations went out at the end of September, and targeted some of the most well-connected and well-known fan leaders supporting 32 teams for the World Cup. A Dutch fan told broadcaster NOS that he has agreed to investigate other Netherlands supporters. A board member of the largest pro-American group, American Outlaws, agreed to participate, and then helped fellow members and others sign up.

On Thursday, members of the Outlaws, who accepted a previous trip to Qatar as part of the programme, said they had decided not to accept free travel or accommodation from Qatar at the World Cup weeks earlier. Meanwhile, fans from all FIFA federations have accepted the offer; Dozens of players have already traveled to Qatar at least once for their wonderful pre-World Cup tours. He, too, was paid by the tournament organisers.

However, other fans have declined. The terms attached to the proposal, a French fan told Le Parisien, felt like a step too far. “Despite the savory side of the cuisine, I chose to stay true to my values,” said Joseph Delage, a member of the pro-French group.

Qatar’s proposal, which stems from a fan engagement program that began in 2020, marks the first time a host country has paid for groups of fans from all competing countries to participate in a World Cup. But this isn’t the first time Qatar has filled stadiums with friendly voices; In 2019, migrant workers and school children were shortlisted to fill vacant seats at the World Track and Field Championships in Doha.

In exchange for their World Cup benefits, this year’s fans – more than 50 from each country – will be required to perform in a ceremony before the tournament starts on November 20 against Ecuador. The organizers have dedicated five minutes of that celebration to a fable. Clause in which beneficiaries of Qatar’s generosity will be required to perform specific chants or songs for their country, chosen not by them but by tournament organisers. Representatives from Qatar’s World Cup organizing committee this week tried to downplay the explicit and implicit requirements in the proposal. “There’s no compulsion to campaign or do anything,” Ahsan Mansoor, Fan Engagement Director for the 2022 World Cup, said in an interview.

But a closer look at the terms of the relationship revealed that elected supporters are encouraged to do so, as well as support the World Cup from the organizers by “liking” the message and posting third-party posts. Re-sharing is encouraged. At the same time, according to documents and contracts reviewed by The New York Times and certified by many fans, the participants are warned that although they are not being asked to be the “mouthpiece” for Qatar, “it is clearly Wouldn’t suit you for disliking the country or the tournament.

Fan leaders have also signed up to be on the lookout for such negativity in the comments on their posts; A section in the code of conduct says to “report any offensive, derogatory or derogatory remarks” to the organizers. Where possible, the code says, they should supply screenshots of any offending posts.

Violators of the rules are warned that they may be dismissed from the program. “At best they are volunteers for the World Cup and at worst they are a mouthpiece for the Supreme Committee,” said Ronan Evenn, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, an umbrella organization of fan groups known as European football’s governing body. Recognized by. UEFA. In the dozen years since Qatar was awarded the World Cup, the country has worked hard to shape and protect its national image amid corruption claims, environmental concerns and human rights issues.

Originally published at Pen 18

t20 world cup: T20 World Cup: England eliminate Australia, reach semis

England advanced to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup and knocked out hosts Australia by net run-rate (NRR) after a 4-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday.

New Zealand, England and Australia all finished in Group 1 with 7 points from 5 matches but the Kiwis topped the group with a better NRR. Ben Stokes kept his composure and scored an unbeaten 42 off 36 balls as England reached 144/6 in 19.4 overs when Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat. Sri Lanka could not go on even after beating England, but the islanders made a blistering 52/1 in five overs before ending on a disappointing 141/8.

Opener Pathum Nissenka suffered pain in his sprained ankle and scored 67 to hit England back through his spinners. Adil Rashid was 1-16 and pacer Mark Wood scored 3-26 in his first over after two sixes by Nissanka.

England drenched Sri Lanka in the death overs when Nissanka was dismissed at long on in the 16th over and Wood then took three wickets in his return spell, leaving the islanders to score only 25 runs in the last five overs. England feared injury when David Malan was ruled out after suffering a groin injury.

But England did not feel Malan’s absence after scoring 70 runs in the first six overs from Alex Hales (47) and Jos Buttler (28). Sri Lanka’s premier spinner, Wanindu Hasaranga, ignited the collapse by removing both the batsmen in his successive overs. Harry Brooke and Liam Livingstone then fell cheap and Moeen Ali offered a brilliant catch against offspin from Dhananjaya de Silva (2-24) in covers as Sri Lanka rolled to 111-5 in the 15th over.

But Stokes, promoted to No. 3 in place of the injured Malan, kept calm as wickets fell around him and took England home with two balls to spare.

Originally published at Pen 18