In today’s age when analytics and reason underpin most aspects of life, all the data indicated that Pakistan did not have a chance. How then did their Champions Trophy win happen?

Osman Samiuddin19-Jun-20175:25

Samiuddin: Title will help Sarfraz settle as leader

Improbability, like Rome, isn’t built in a day. You don’t suddenly up and arrive at a situation of no hope, thinking: “Well, no hope here.” No, if an achievement that was once probable has now become improbable, then it stands to reason that there was a journey, and it must, by definition, have been a dispiriting one. To understand that something is now improbable is to acknowledge that each moment on that road would have sapped the soul a little. This could be done. Now, no way. With each step forward, eyes would have opened wider. The destination would have begun to take clearer shape. And anger would have grown as it approached.Why are things so bad? Why are we coming here? Why is nobody stopping this? And then, when the destination is clear, the anger would have bubbled over, not burning like fire but flowing like lava. That point, at the end of the road, represents the final defeat of the spirit: from there, very little is probable. Almost everything is improbable and the only difference is in the degree.The improbability of Pakistan’s Champions Trophy triumph (I watched it, slept and woke up, and it still happened) began, in earnest, two years ago. Actually it began many years ago, but right after the 2015 World Cup was when it escalated. In that tournament, Pakistan were showing clear signs of lagging. After it, as the game went boldly forth, Pakistan meekly retreated. They made Azhar Ali the captain, and though it wasn’t on him entirely, they looked like a side that didn’t know the 1990s were over.At first, the batting appeared to be the issue. Good sides were making 350 for fun, and Pakistan were happy with 300. In England last year, they made 260, 251, 275, 247 and 304; in Australia this year they made 176, 221, 263, 267 and 312. Too many dot balls, 270-degree batting, and no power-hitters; in the time of Tinder, Pakistan were a bricks-and-mortar marriage bureau.The real kicker was that their bowling became outdated. Once every four games, they were taken for over 300, and usually it wasn’t just over but well past it: in the last two years Pakistan conceded 329, 334, 368, 355, 444, 353, 369 and 319. There was no diversity, no personality. The spinners were not Saeed Ajmal. The fast bowlers were not express. They did little with the new ball, less through the middle, and the less said about the death the better.You don’t need to be told about the fielding.When they dumped Azhar as captain and put Sarfraz Ahmed in his place, it was two series too late and two years too late. They came into the Champions Trophy ranked eighth, thanks mostly to a bit of manipulative scheduling. And the ranking flattered them. It had taken two years – or 20 – but anything beyond a group-stage exit was highly improbable, if not out of the question.

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Fakhar Zaman was one of three debutants for Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. No other team had even one•Getty ImagesSix years ago, jolted by an improbable Pakistan victory against Sri Lanka in Sharjah, I determined to write a bigger piece on the nature of the win. Sri Lanka were 155 for 3, coasting to a target of 201, until suddenly they weren’t. Pakistan, I felt that night, had done this too many times for it not to mean something. Of course it meant something, and what’s more, it warranted deeper study.I went wide rather than deep, though, drawing on Sufism, pop culture, sports psychology, Qawwali, reverse swing, and politics to produce a kind of loose thesis: what happened in these moments in matches, on days and even over entire tournaments when Pakistan did the improbable, was the appearance of – the ecstatic state of being in which, as Idries Shah explained in his book , “Sufis are believed to be able to overcome all barriers of time, space and thought. They are able to cause apparently impossible things to happen merely because they are no longer confined by the barriers which exist for more ordinary people.” This – it created something special, a synchronicity between the team, the spectacle in that state, and the observer, also within the trance.Truth be told, as the years have passed I have become a little embarrassed by the article. Partly it is because I can see holes in it I wish I had filled. But as Pakistan struggled to regularly produce such moments, I have seen it as, at best, a jinx, and at worst an absolute fantasy. One commenter on the piece said it was, “Orientalism at its best”, and it still stings because, you know what, there is truth to it. I justified it by saying it was an exploration of a very personal sensation.But I can’t deny that the further I have got from it, the greater the sense of guilt that I overlooked a more rational, analytical way of understanding Pakistan. One of the ways of growing older is to cede to rationalism: resigning to the truth that there is, sadly, reason behind everything. It just needs to be found. happens because happened, and we can measure and explain – and not just feel – as well as . One of the best things to have happened to cricket in recent years is that it has been opened up to rigorous analytical and data-based scrutiny. That has peeled off a layer, allowing a changed understanding of each game, contest, even each ball.I haven’t fully embraced it, but I don’t deny it. I understand it underpins everything and for explanations, it must be the first recourse. If it hasn’t already, science, reason and data will one day render redundant as theory.

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Mohammad Hafeez almost never bats outside the top four; he fired from No. 5 in the final•AFPPakistan have better than to be further enshrouded inside mysteries and riddles, bouncing between states of and otherwise, to be the subject of lazy stereotyping. They are not magicians or Sufis. They are professional athletes.One of the truest joys of the Misbah-ul-Haq era was that on the occasions Pakistan did pull off the improbable, Misbah was there to tell you exactly why it happened. And he would tell you that some inexplicable, elemental force had not seized the day, but that his side had planned this, off and on the field.So I’m here to tell you, and myself, that there is a reason for this Pakistan win, the mightiest of which is that they bowled their way to it. Break it down to how they have fought off a modern trend by attacking it and exposing it for what it is. The middle overs are no longer the stretch where batting takes stock and sets itself up for a final ten-over tilt. The middle the tilt, especially between overs 30 and 40, where power-hitters have begun to take games away.Pakistan called this bluff. What happens if attack, with our lengths, fields and skills? If we get wickets, will you blink first? They have been happy to bowl softer overs up front, and then attack when batsmen are set to attack. This ten-over stretch is where Pakistan cut sides off: taking eight wickets while conceding just 3.53 per over. That rate is nearly a run better than all other sides. Other than a few overs from Imad Wasim and Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan used their fast bowlers and legspinner: Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan.The return of Hafeez as bowler has been a safety net, but they have been smart about that. He bowled 18 overs against South Africa and England, but just six against India and Sri Lanka. And Shadab, with turn both ways, has been a game-changing find: the wicket-taking option that coach Mickey Arthur so dearly wanted in the middle overs.Then in two matches, against Sri Lanka and England, Pakistan got used pitches, slower and lower, which they would have been familiar with. Still, familiarity doesn’t mean adeptness – in the UAE, on similar tracks, they have lost six of their last eight bilateral series.They also got to bowl first in four games out of five, and by getting sides out cheaply in three, their batting orders made sense. No Pakistan batsman has worked harder to expand and develop his game than Azhar Ali, in Tests but especially in ODIs. He may still not be the ODI opener for this age, but he was perfect for Pakistan’s plans: if you bowl sides out cheaply, Azhar is exactly the kind of opener Pakistan – as nervy, awkward and neurotic at chases as Woody Allen, without any of the intelligence – need. An unlikely hero of this campaign sure, but not an inexplicable one.The despair of Azhar Ali at dropping Virat Kohli barely lasted more than a minute; Kohli was caught the next ball•Getty ImagesSo far, so reasonable, which is about as far as I can take it.Here’s a list, on the other hand, of things I’m having trouble explaining in full, or at all.1. If it was the bowling that won it, then how? Because by no metric has it been good since the 2015 World Cup. In matches where they bowled first, Pakistan’s average between overs 11-40 was the worst (53.68) of all teams, including Zimbabwe, and their economy fourth worst. They took the fewest wickets per innings. Between overs 30 and 40, their average put them ahead of only Ireland, Scotland and Papua New Guinea, and economy ahead of Sri Lanka and Scotland. In two weeks they have gone from being among the worst for two years to being the best. Light switches take more time.Wahab Riaz was their first-choice third seamer. Junaid didn’t start because in the six matches since he returned in January, he’d gone at 6.45 an over and averaged 42. Rumman Raees, palpably the kind of bowler Pakistan have needed in limited-overs cricket, was not even in the squad.Wahab’s injury, unforeseen, set into motion a chain of events that led to Junaid ending as the Champions Trophy’s third highest wicket-taker, and Raees’ ice-cool and incisive debut in the semi-final.2. I can partially explain Fakhar Zaman, in that nobody in Pakistan said abracadabra and out he came (no one ever does, not even Waqar Younis or Wasim Akram). He has been prominent in domestic cricket for a couple of seasons, as well as in the 2017 PSL.But he was not their first-choice opener, because of Ahmed Shehzad. Pakistan went to Zaman only in desperation, having convinced themselves for the umpteenth – and probably not last – time that they were done with Shehzad. And he was debuting, so yeah, go figure, 252 runs – sixth-highest in the tournament – and runs against three of the world’s best sides.While there, let me know how it is that a domestic limited-overs set-up as archaic as Pakistan’s produced a batsman with the highest strike rate in this global tournament (of the top 20 run scorers)? Higher than Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Eoin Morgan, Virat Kohli, David Warner, Aaron Finch, David Miller, Martin Guptill, Quinton de Kock: true LOLs for the irrationals.3. Three players debuted for Pakistan in this tournament. No other side had even one debutant. Imagine thrusting one into the world’s sharpest tournament. Three? And each of the three contributed a defining moment. I can stretch reason to its tether, and offer the PSL as some kind of explanation for the readiness of Raees and Zaman. Faheem Ashraf has never played the PSL. You may never hear of him again, yet try and erase his imprint – that Dinesh Chandimal wicket.4. I find no rationale for the two chances in six Lasith Malinga balls granted to Sarfraz. I can try – the dolly to Thisara Perera may have swerved a touch (I could be totally wrong, imagining a light breeze of destiny). And the Seekkuge Prasanna drop happens, especially to a side fielding as poorly as Sri Lanka. To be granted luck twice is no big deal. To be granted it twice in such quick succession is about credible too. For it to arrive when it mattered most, when this was literally the wicket that would have ended the game and Pakistan’s tournament? I’ll leave it there.A no-ball, when Pakistan needed it most in the final•AFPAnd then, in chronological order, events of the final, which means Jasprit Bumrah’s no-ball first, off his ninth ball of the day. There is a reasonable explanation. Bumrah is not a surprising culprit. He has 11 no-balls in 16 ODIs, which in the age of free hits is like pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement. It is a commitment to waste. In this tournament he had bowled just one until then. But it was Zaman, the one man more than any other Pakistan would have wanted to be the beneficiary of such fortune (just as later he was the more important partner who wasn’t run out).Then, 338. Casually they strolled to their highest 50-over total since the 2015 World Cup (excluding games against Zimbabwe). In the final of a global event, against India, who even if they did have a bad day, have only needed to be inked down by the ICC as an opponent for Pakistan to have already lost. I’ll take no recourse to reason here, none whatsoever.Especially because the innings formed in such a way it meant demoting Hafeez and delaying his entry until the 40th over. Neither Pakistan nor Hafeez like that. And yet, in a small sample since 2010, of 14 innings, his strike rate in the death overs (before the final) was 8.63 per over. Out he came in the 40th, and did exactly what those numbers suggest he could. It was exactly the right thing to do and there’s no suggestion Pakistan had planned it. It was the first time since January 2013 that Hafeez had batted outside the top four.Pakistan might never have made the semi-final if luck had not gone their way against Sri Lanka•Getty ImagesAnd where to seek reason in the mini-opera of Amir-Kohli? Amir’s little skip of anticipation at the edge, cut short by Azhar’s slow tumble and spill; the look on Amir’s face, of instant death upon Azhar; Azhar flinging his cap. Buried. Gone. And then again, and Shadab Khan, of such conviction, at point, a little skip to his right and in. Alive. No, not alive, soaring.Targeting Kohli’s fourth stump is a tactic and the left-arm angle makes it more legit, but the world’s best batsman, the most fearsome slayer of chases, twice in two balls, on this stage? Give me relief in numbers.There is some. If the general feeling around Amir has been that he is somewhat dimmed from how we remember him, know that since his return, with a minimum cut-off of ten wickets, he has the joint-most wickets, the third-best average and best economy of bowlers in the first ten overs.

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You could analyse and reason each of the above. I try, but I’m not even including Pakistan dropping at least seven catches in five games and Ahmed Shehzad actually running someone out. And for all of this to have come together over the course of five games, four knockouts, in 14 days, I can’t.This may not be and there may not be any such thing on a cricket field. If at all there is something from that article that remains striking, it is Waqar Younis talking about Pakistan locating a surge and then riding it for all its worth.There is one other thing. I ended then by arguing that Pakistan make you – opponents and observers – submit to the world they create in these moments. I’m not saying this happened. But look around of what’s left of this tournament. Look at how Pakistan took teams back to the 1990s and beat them. Look at the strength of feeling it has aroused around the world. Look at the incredulity that the improbability of it has borne. Listen over and over to Nasser Hussain’s voice as he calls the Kohli dismissal.I don’t know what more to tell you.

Amy Satterthwaite talks about what she’s learnt in the game, her love of animals, and what it feels like to approach the 100-ODI mark

Interview by Annesha Ghosh11-Jul-2017How did you come to play cricket?
I grew up watching my father play. I think the passion for the game just grew from there. I would sort of walk with a bat in my hand, and if anyone was around, I’d probably ask them to throw the ball at me. I grew up always wanting to be playing. I played with the boys at first, and as I grew older, I went to the boarding school and played with the all-girls team until I was about 13. So, yeah, I’ve played all my life and have been quite lucky that way.Your father, Michael Satterthwaite, represented Canterbury and is a former chairman of Canterbury Cricket. How much of an influence has he been on your career?
He’s played a big part in shaping my career. Obviously, first and foremost, getting me into the sport, and then he’s always been extremely supportive and been there with me through all the teams I’ve played for. He’s always been there, at the end of the phone, whenever I’ve needed. To this day, he’s been a huge support for me. Although he took a step back from the coaching side of it once I got a bit older, he’s always been a huge support to me until now and still is.I think cricket is one of the sports that you can never really completely master and the beauty of it is that you can keep discussing new ways of going about it. I’ve enjoyed talking cricket with him.Growing up, did you have a sporting hero you wanted to emulate?
I don’t think I’ve ever settled on any one in particular. I’ve looked up to some of the greats and taken a bit of their play or sort of idealised the way they go about things. Ricky Ponting was always someone I looked up to – just the way he played the game and probably similar to the style of play I tend to have. I like Kumar Sangakkara as well. He’s someone I’ve always admired in a big way, partly because he’s left-handed () and also due to his elegant, fluid style of play.A few months ago you equalled Sangakkara’s record of four consecutive ODI centuries – the most in men’s or women’s cricket. What importance does this record hold to you?
There’s certainly an element of it being very special, but at the same time, you always just try to do your best for the team and sometimes these records come. That’s certainly a nice achievement but it can come about only if the situation arises – when you are chasing a big score or batting first, and I think also the way your team-mates play at the other end. When they play positive cricket, they take a lot of pressure off you. So a lot of different elements have to come together to allow it happen. Kumar Sangakkara’s a world-class player, so to be mentioned in the same sentence with him is pretty special.

“Ricky Ponting was always someone I looked up to – just the way he played the game and probably similar to the style of play I tend to have”

In that run, you scored an unbeaten 137, an unbeaten 115, and a 123 against Pakistan. About three months later, you got to your fourth successive century – 102 not out against Australia, chasing 276 in the Rose Bowl opener. Do you have a favourite among these hundreds?
That’s a difficult question to answer. In the third century against Pakistan, I was seeing the ball like a beach ball. Every shot kind of came out from the middle of the bat. But then, the one against Australia was equally special for different reasons. I had a lot of cramps during that game, was in a bit of pain, so to just stride through, get the runs and also to chase down such a big total against a quality side was really good.Since the beginning of 2016, it’s been quite a phenomenal run for you. You finished the 2016-17 season with 935 runs from 14 innings, including four hundreds and four fifties, at an average of 103.88. Is there any change in your approach to the game you attribute your recent success to?
I think the mental side of my game is something I’ve looked at quite hard. Being more confident about my game has helped me in a big way. I’ve tried to utilise the crease better and, at the same time, playing a lot more cricket has played a major role. If you look at the last 12 to 18 months, I’ve played a lot of domestic cricket at home, a lot of internationals, played in the KSL and the Big Bash. More cricket has meant spending more time being in the game, thinking about the game and executing the changes in shot selection, in strength training and just being in a good space in the head.In the World Cup opener against Sri Lanka you went past 3000 ODI runs. Does becoming the third highest run-getter for your country during a World Cup make the accomplishment more special?
I guess it’s part and parcel of the sport we play. We often look at them and recognise them, but at the end of the day, you are always trying to be the best athlete that you can be and put your best performance for the team. To me, personal achievements are, any day, secondary to what you achieve for the team, the success you taste as a team. Getting to that 3000-run mark in the World Cup lends a bit more meaning to the milestone, sure, but not so much as getting the team’s campaign underway with a win. Do you remember when you got the call-up for your international debut way back in 2007?
It’s a bit of a blur – if I was at a camp or elsewhere. It’s a bit difficult for me to go that far back () but I remember getting a phone call about my selection. There was everything that comes with such phone calls – a huge sense of pride, excitement and nerves – a mixed sort of an emotion. Knowing that you’ve done a lot of hard work, you’ve persevered, you just can’t wait to put on that black shirt. It was certainly no different for me. To be able make my debut against Australia as well – I couldn’t have asked for a better start.Satterthwaite and Bates are the most productive partnership for New Zealand Women: “Watching her go as a player and also as a captain has been a great learning experience”•Getty ImagesYou are on the cusp of becoming the ninth New Zealand women’s player to make 100 appearances in ODIs, and in less than a month, you’re going to complete ten years of your international career. What do you make of this journey?
Every time someone talks about bringing up your 100th game, you probably start reflecting a little bit on how long you’ve been involved in the game. It makes you realise how much work you’ve put in to be able to play that long. Looking back on it, I think there have been a lot of ups and downs, ebbs and flows, and times I’ve thought of giving the game away. To realise that I’m still playing, fighting and loving the game, it feels as good as when I just started. I think it’s come about because of the way the game has progressed and also because of the way the teams are playing. The IWC [ICC Women’s Championship] has made the standard of cricket better and better and the competitiveness just keeps growing. I’ve rediscovered the joy of playing time and again.Tell us about the times when you felt like taking a step back from cricket.
Yeah, probably when I was 24 or 25. Things were a little bit tough then. I think when you are not performing, it’s always easy to consider giving the game away. I don’t think I was enjoying it as much as I could have. But I’m glad I was able to push through all the difficulties, whatever they were, and find my love for the game again. I started deriving more joy out of the game since then, and haven’t had those thoughts of late.As you get older, a lot of people start asking, “Are you planning to retire?” Four years ago, I looked at this World Cup as something I was aiming for, perhaps as something of a finality. But now that I’m here and I’m still loving the game, I think it will keep me around for a bit longer than I had thought. I’m grateful for all the opportunities that have come about in the last couple of years. I’m certainly not willing to hang up my boots just yet.Do you set yourself personal targets, in terms of scoring runs over a period of time?
That’s something I used to do as a youngster. As I grew older, I stopped doing that and focused more on persistence and having the right game plans in place. If I get that right, then scoring runs can take care of itself. At times, when you set yourself targets and can’t meet them, you can put undue pressure on yourself. Thus, when you step on the field, you feel like you’ve failed, you start questioning your abilities. Over the years I’ve learnt it’s more important to have faith in your power of persistence and game plan. Scoring runs will happen on its own.Before devoting yourself full-time to cricket, you worked full-time with a veterinary clinic. Talk us through that choice of job.
I worked at Selwyn Rakaia [Veterinary Services Ltd] for seven years, starting in 2008. Anyone that works at a job while playing cricket at the international level is always very fortunate to have employers who allow them to go away on tours. I had fantastic employers back then who allowed me to do both: I used to help out the vets and then ended up working in the office near the end of my time there. I thoroughly enjoyed that.

“The mental side of my game is something I’ve looked at quite hard. Being more confident about my game has helped me in a big way”

You were offered one of the first-ever semi-professional women’s contracts by New Zealand Cricket in April 2013, but you turned it down, saying it wasn’t for you at that time. What was the rationale behind that decision?
It was when I was involved with the clinic. I think at the time it was going to be a cut in terms of what I was earning. I think I felt I had the reasonable balance between having a job and being able to train. I didn’t quite feel like I’d be able to make a living off the money. So I decided to continue in the direction I was going.Down the track I’ve had the wonderful opportunity with being able to work part-time with Canterbury Cricket and have a contract with New Zealand Cricket. The balance has been fantastic: to be able to play cricket and play around the world. But I’ve been pretty fortunate in the way things have evolved over the last few years and being able to take a step back from full-time employment and move more and more into cricket.Many of your Facebook and Twitter profile pictures alternate between posing with dogs and posing with monkeys. Is that because of your stint at the vet clinic?
() I have always had a passion for animals. I grew up on the farm, so that’s where it’s come from. I love being around animals, no matter what animals they are.Do you have a pet?
Yeah, I’ve got a kitten called Oscar at the moment. It’s always difficult being away so much time of the year. But having a pet is something I’ve always loved.England must be a special place for you. After being left out in the first two T20Is during the 2007 tour, you set up New Zealand’s 38-run win with figures of 6 for 17.
At the time I couldn’t believe it. To be honest, even looking back on it now, I still struggle to believe it happened, especially considering T20 was a new format back then. It was sort of one of those days where everything you do goes in your favour. It was indeed a pretty surreal kind of a day. I hadn’t bowled before that so maybe they didn’t know what my strengths were and so I ended up with figures like that. ()”We had a lot of medium-pacers [in Canterbury] and I mucked around with them for a while and then tried spin. It’s turned out all right so far, I guess”•Getty ImagesWhat made you switch to offspin? When did that transition come about?
I changed over a couple of years ago. It probably came about back home, playing for my domestic side [Canterbury Women] and evolved from a bit of competition there. We don’t have many spinners in our team. You often know that spin can play a big part in a player being successful in the women’s game. We had a lot of medium-pacers and I mucked around with them for a while and then tried spin. I didn’t do it necessarily thinking I’d be bowling for New Zealand. I would bowl a few overs for the side here and there when it was needed. It’s turned out all right so far, I guess. ()Earlier this year, you took the first hat-trick of the second WBBL, with 5 for 17 for Hobart Hurricanes against Sydney Thunder. Talk us through that five-for.
I’ve watched the replays of the hat-trick and wouldn’t say I necessarily bowled my best deliveries. But cricket is a funny game – sometimes you bowl a terrific spell and don’t have any wickets to show and sometimes you bowl average but end up on a bit of a roll. Especially in T20 cricket, when players are going a bit harder at the ball, you get such opportunities more often. I’d say it was one of those fortunate days when everything falls in your reach.Your partnership with Suzie Bates is the most by any pair for New Zealand, and the third-most prolific across all countries. What sort of a camaraderie do you share with her?
I’ve played with Suzie for all of my career, really. I have known her as a phenomenal athlete who always leads from the front, as someone who keeps getting better and better. I think the captaincy probably strengthened her game in a way. It’s made her think more and more about the game and from there she’s just gone from strength to strength. She’s certainly a world-class player who contributes to all facets of the game, and I’ve enjoyed playing with her over the years. We’ve shared a lot of big partnerships. Watching her go as a player and also as a captain has been a great learning experience.You are part of the Kia Super League and the WBBL. What makes these leagues unique?
Both set very high standards, with a great mix of overseas players as well as home internationals and local talent as well. I think they are slightly different in the sense that the WBBL has 14 round-robin games, whereas the KSL has only five. You saw this year how the [Sydney] Sixers lost many games in the first half and in the back half of the season they won a lot and were able to get back into the competition. In the KSL, there only being five games, you’ve got to hit the ground running, play the best cricket from the get go, and play consistently through the tournament. That brings a different pressure, which is great in its own right and lends a different dimension to the tournament.Tell us something about one of your team-mates from Lancashire Thunder and one from Hobart Hurricanes.
Deandra Dottin from Lancashire Thunder is a very explosive player. Having seen her over the years, you know she can tee off at any point. She offers a lot with the ball too, and she can change the game with her medium pace. Not many players are quicker than her across the ground either. She’s someone you would rather have on your team than in the opposition because she brings a complete cricketer to any team. As for Hurricanes, I think that Heather [Knight] is very calm, experienced and leads from the front. She’s a fantastic person to be playing alongside. The way she operates is great to watch as a team-mate.

“I have always had a passion for animals. I grew up on the farm. So that’s where it’s come from. I love being around animals, no matter what animals they are”

Who’s your pick among the youngsters in the New Zealand side at present?
If you look at someone like Amelia Kerr, she burst onto the scene only a few months ago but looks like she’s been around for a long time. That’s a pretty scary thought, given she’s only 16 and still at school. She’s just someone who has a very level head on her. That always helps in getting a good start to one’s professional career, because you can train skill sets, but being so strong in the mental side of the game at such a young age is really exciting.Which has been your favourite country to tour?
I’ve always enjoyed going to India. I’ve enjoyed the people, the places. It’s a different country to home.Is there a dressing-room secret you’d like to share with us?
I don’t think there’s anything people don’t know about. Katey Martin and Hannah Rowe have been taking care of that with our social media stuff. They bring a lot of life into the party when it comes to the dressing room.Who is the biggest prankster in the New Zealand side?
It’s Sophie Devine, definitely, when it comes to playing pranks. She’s someone who likes to have a bit of a laugh and fun – that’s her way of being a bit relaxed beyond the cricket field.If you were not a cricketer, what would you have been?
Possibly a veterinarian. My love for animals would have made me gravitate towards them.What’s been your most memorable moment on a cricket field?
I think, any day, beating Australia is pretty special.And the most embarrassing?
I bowled a no-ball in the Big Bash last year. For a spinner to bowl a no-ball is a bit of a no-no (). So yeah, that’s probably been the most embarrassing.”Over the years I’ve learnt it’s more important to have faith in your power of persistence and game plan. Scoring runs will happen on its own”•ICCName a fellow left-hand bat in women’s cricket you like to watch.
[Smriti] Mandhana. She hits the ball extremely cleanly and makes it look effortless. For me, she is a really exciting talent coming through. Looks world-class.Who is the most difficult batsman you have ever bowled to?
It has to be Meg Lanning. She has the record to show how good a player she is. Even if you bowl a straighter one, a good delivery, she’d like to take you on. She’s certainly of the hardest to bowl to.What is the best advice you have ever been given?
To enjoy life and cricket and also to have a good balance. If you get glued to one thing you’ll probably end up not being able to enjoy it as much. It’s important to have a good balance and be happy.You have gone through a fair share of ups and downs in your career. What are most important lessons cricket has taught you so far?
Having to play with different personalities, being able to adapt yourself well, is one of the key lessons I’ve got from cricket. When I first started, I was quite absorbed in cricket and always focused on it too much. But as I grew older, and slightly wiser, I realised I need to find that balance in life. Cricket has taught me if you enjoy things outside of cricket, you’ll enjoy cricket even more.If you were to be remembered for three qualities or achievements, what would you like them to be?
Consistency, reliability and being a good person on and off the field.

India’s two leading spinners took only five wickets between them in the Champions Trophy, but is that a surprise considering how little one-day cricket they have played recently?

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jun-2017How did Ashwin and Jadeja fare at the 2017 Champions Trophy?Both R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja struggled to pick up wickets and, though they did contribute to choking South Africa in the crunch group-stage match, were on the whole expensive. When Pakistan’s top order attacked them in the final, they had no answer and conceded 137 runs in 18 overs.So were they poor? It should be noted that spinners did not fare well in the tournament. They accounted for just 21.18% of the wickets taken. But still, India were expecting more from Jadeja and Ashwin, who are the world’s top two bowlers in Tests according to the ICC rankings, and have been key in previous global one-day tournaments.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Are they Test specialists?Both Ashwin and Jadeja first gained prominence as limited-overs bowlers, gaining attention for their performances in the Indian Premier League. Ashwin had to wait a year and a half between his ODI and Test debuts, while Jadeja, considered a short-format specialist, waited almost four years from his ODI debut for a Test call-up – he was first drafted into the side as an allrounder batting at No.6.ESPNcricinfo LtdHowever, since the last Champions Trophy in 2013, both Ashwin and Jadeja have worked hard at becoming better bowlers in Tests. Their efforts have paid off, but the flip side is that their stocks in ODI cricket have fallen. After the Champions Trophy 2013, Ashwin was the No.8 ranked ODI bowler in the world, while Jadeja was No.3 and rose to No.1 later in the year. As they have climbed the Test rankings, they have descended to No. 30 and 31 in the ODI rankings. A chief reason for this that they have missed many ODI matches while being rested ahead of important Test series.So were they underprepared for the Champions Trophy?Between the 2015 World Cup and the 2017 Champions Trophy, Ashwin played just nine ODIs, while Jadeja played 10. These figures are in stark contrast to the periods between previous ICC events. Between the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, both played 30 or more one-day games. And they were key for India in the 2013 title win, with Jadeja topping the wicket charts and conceding just 3.75 per over through the tournament and Ashwin averaging 22.62.ESPNcricinfo LtdThen, between that tournament and the 2015 World Cup, Ashwin played 35 games and Jadeja 41, and they were again successful in the big event, in particular Ashwin, who took 13 wickets in 8 matches. The 2015 World Cup-2017 Champions Trophy period saw both Jadeja’s and Ashwin’s economy rates rise, though this was partly because economy-rates rose in general during that period. Jadeja, meanwhile, has not taken a three-wicket haul in ODIs since October 2014.ESPNcricinfo LtdSo, should India replace Ashwin and Jadeja in ODIs?It would be quite harsh to drop Ashwin and Jadeja from the ODI squad now, since they have barely played any games in the past two years. India’s most successful spinners since the 2015 World Cup are Axar Patel and Amit Mishra. Axar has played more games than Ashwin and Jadeja, and while Mishra has played less, it is perhaps too small a sample set to base decisions on.ESPNcricinfo LtdBesides, it may be discouraging for Ashwin and Jadeja to be left out of the one-day team when it is possibly because of their focus on Test cricket, which benefits the team, that their limited-overs form has suffered. In the two years leading up to the 2019 World Cup, it is important India give enough games to all their spinners to determine who are most valuable to the side.Do India need a wristspinner in limited-overs cricket?Since the 2015 World Cup, the three most successful spinners in ODIs have been wristspinners. England’s Adil Rashid, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan and South Africa’s Imran Tahir have all taken 60-plus wickets in this period. The most successful fingerspinner in that time has been New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, who has taken 44 wickets at an average of 33.77 and conceded runs at an economy rate of 4.99. With pitches offering little turn in ODIs, India may need to consider going with a wristspinner who can generate turn and bounce, irrespective of the nature of the surface.

The onus will clearly be on Rangana Herath and Sri Lanka’s top order as they look for their first Test win on Indian soil

Gaurav Sundararaman14-Nov-20172:14

Another round of modern cricket’s most frequently contested duel

The last time Sri Lanka toured India for a Test series in 2009, MS Dhoni was India’s Test captain and Virat Kohli had no ODI centuries, and had not yet made a Test debut. Eight years later, the only two players of the current squad who were part of the 2009 team are Ishant Sharma and M Vijay; for Sri Lanka, only Rangana Herath and Angelo Mathews in the current squad made that trip to India in 2009. Since the 2009 Test series, Sri Lanka have played 16 limited-over matches in India, losing 12 and winning only three.Since 2011 across all formats India have won 31 matches to Sri Lanka’s 8. Both teams have undergone major transitions in this period – while Sri Lanka have struggled to find consistency in their results, India have cruised to one series victory after another, staking claim to the top spot in the ICC Test rankings. Will Sri Lanka be able to triumph or at least challenge India in their backyard? The numbers clearly suggest otherwise.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Not competitive enough with the batFor starters, Sri Lanka have never won a Test in India. The only other teams who haven’t won a Test here are Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. In 17 games, Sri Lanka have lost 10 and drawn seven. More startling is that eight out of the 10 defeats have been by an innings while the remaining two losses were by margins in excess of 180 runs. Sri Lanka have not been in a dominant position in any Test barring one, when they made a record 760 for 7 in Ahmedabad in 2009. In 29 innings, Sri Lanka have made in excess of 400 only twice. In a country where high first-innings scores are vital to win Tests, Sri Lanka’s first innings average is only 251, excluding the Ahmedabad Test which is clearly an outlier. Only New Zealand have a lower first-innings average in India.In the forthcoming series, Sri Lanka will rely on Dimuth Karunaratne (average 39.13 since August 2014) and Dinesh Chandimal (39.89) – the side’s best batsmen since the retirements of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene – to score the bulk of their runs. Historically, left-handed batsmen have done well in India and Karunaratne will be looking to continue that trend. Another important batsman is Angelo Mathews, who is coming back after a break and has not scored a Test century in two years. Since January 2016, Mathews averages only 28.12. If Mathews can find form early on in the series then Sri Lanka’s batting could be a force to reckon with.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Can Herath counter India’s plan this time around? The current squad Sri Lanka have a combined experience of 361 Tests, and 654 Test wickets. Sixty-two percent of those wickets have been taken by one bowler: Herath has 405 Test wickets and is coming off another successful tour against his favorite opposition, Pakistan. However, in this series, Herath will be up against an opposition that has done well against him and historically against Muttiah Muralitharan (average 45.45 in India). Herath averages 45.96 against India; against no other country has he conceded more than 33 runs per wicket. Barring the Galle Test in 2015, Herath does not have any significant performances against India, with the batsmen negating any threat from Herath through a now well-known strategy of using their feet against him.Three months ago, India’s batsmen left the crease 84 times versus Herath, scoring 123 runs off those balls while losing just two wickets. Herath ended the tour bowling 546 deliveries for just five wickets at an average of 69.40. Herath averages 18.89 when Sri Lanka win and 43.72 when they lose. With Dilruwan Perera also having a horrid series against India at home, taking two wickets at an average of 190, and Lakshan Sandakan playing only his second series outside Sri Lanka, the onus is on Herath to plan and outfox the in-form India batsmen. With an inexperienced pace attack, Sri Lanka will rely heavily on Herath to have one last crack at India and help set up their first Test win in the country.The Ashwin threat Although R Ashwin has not played any international cricket since August, he remains a significant threat for the visiting batsmen. Eight short of 300 Test wickets, Ashwin will look to extend his rich vein of form at home. Ashwin should also pose a greater threat given that Sri Lanka have three left-handers in their top order: six of the top seven batsmen he has dismissed most in Tests are left-handers. Ashwin also has a tendency to win mini-battles against key batsmen in the opposition. He has a jump start already, having dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne five times in six innings, conceding just 138 runs from 306 deliveries. He also has accounted for Lahiru Thirimanne 11 times across all formats, the most he has dismissed any batsmen along with David Warner.

Most of the Lankan batsmen went with a strategy to sweep and reverse-sweep Ashwin the last time they met. They managed to score 119 runs from 93 balls, with a majority being scored by Dickwella, but were dismissed five times in the process. It will be interesting to see if they follow a similar strategy against Ashwin, and how the India offspinner can counter that.

The key numbers from David Miller’s highs and Bangladesh’s lows in Potchefstroom

Gaurav Sundararaman29-Oct-201735 – Balls taken by David Miller to score a T20I century – the fastest ever in T20 internationals. The record was previously held by his former team-mate Richard Levi, who scored a century in 45 balls against New Zealand in 2012. Incidentally the top three fastest centuries in T20Is are held by South Africans. Miller’s century is also the joint third-fastest in all T20s; Chris Gayle and Andrew Symonds have scored centuries in the format in 30 and 34 balls respectively.1 – Cricketers to score a T20I century at a position lower than No. 4 – Miller is the first one to do so. The previous highest score from No. 5 or lower was by Corey Anderson – 94, also against Bangladesh earlier this year.31 – Runs scored by David Miller against Mohammad Saifuddin in the 19th over of the match. Miller hit five sixes off the first five balls. Miller joined Evin Lewis and Yuvraj Singh as the only cricketers to hit five or more sixes in an over in a T20l. The 31 runs conceded by Saifuddin is the most conceded by a Bangladesh bowler in an over in a T20I. Previously, Rubel Hossain had conceded 29 runs against West Indies in 2012.59 – Runs scored by David Miller in the last four overs of the innings – the joint most in T20Is along with Mohammad Nabi. Miller hit six sixes and four boundaries from the 16 balls he faced in this period. Nabi had also scored 59 runs in these overs during his 89 runs from 30 balls against Ireland earlier this year.12 – Balls taken by David Miller to go from 51 to 100. His first fifty came from 23 balls. This is Miller’s third T20 century and second in South Africa.90 – Runs conceded by Bangladesh in the last five overs – the most by any team in T20Is, going past the 88 runs given by Ireland against Afghanistan earlier this year. Bangladesh also conceded 146 in the last ten overs, which is the joint third-highest in T20Is; Kenya holds this unfortunate record – they conceded 159 runs against Sri Lanka in these overs in the World T20 in 2007.224 – The most runs conceded by Bangladesh in a T20I. Their previous highest was 204 against New Zealand in Dhaka in 2013. Bangladesh have conceded over 200 four times in T20Is.

Ishant Sharma has spent a decade being under-estimated. But after a summer with Sussex he needed a solitary over to prove his value

Nagraj Gollapudi at Edgbaston03-Aug-20180:31

Ishant ready to win it for India after his Sussex fifty

Ishant Sharma should get angry more often. That way he creates chances. He puts doubts in batsmen’s minds. He keeps his focus. He becomes India’s hitman instead of languishing as a mere hit-the-deck bowler.Ishant came on to bowl in the first hour on the third morning, replacing Mohammed Shami who had failed to catch the rhythm that had allowed him to create pressure in the first innings. This was a typical situation for Ishant: mopping up the floor after others had made a mess.Ishant started from around the wicket to left-hander Dawid Malan. Straightway he hit the seam on the middle stump, straightening it after pitching. Malan was opened up twice in a row. The length at this stage was an Ishant length: short. But the next delivery, Ishant went a wee bit fuller. The ball once again opened up Malan who, this time, edged to slip.Shikhar Dhawan held on neatly, but he was uncertain of whether he had gathered it cleanly and asked the third umpire to check. Malan had already turned and started to walk off with his head bowed. Adding to the drama, a disputed soft signal from Chris Gaffney, the on-field umpire, created further doubt for the third umpire Marais Erasmus. In the end, Malan walked back to his crease.If there is one thing you cannot question about Ishant, it is his relentless spirit – he can run in and bowl for extremely long spells. However, what he has failed to convince anybody – including himself, possibly – of is that can he maintain consistency. Today was a bit different.In the last over before lunch, Ishant bowled the ball he wanted to bowl. It was his second of the over. The first one had seamed over Ben Stokes’ head for an easy bye. He followed that up by coming slightly wide of the crease from over the stumps. It was a delivery that pitched on the fifth stump, and seamed in. Jonny Bairstow played with his usual hard hands, and the thick edge flew again to Dhawan, who was standing at wide first slip. This time he pouched it cleanly. Dhawan patted the inner thigh of his right leg to unleash his celebration.Ishant groaned loudly, raising both hands, shaking his whole body. A slim Atlas, carrying the workload of India’s fast bowling in Tests for a decade.Two balls later, Ishant bowled another beauty. With a plan to attack Stokes’ outside edge, he came in once again from around the stumps. The ball pitched short of a length, on the off stump. Stokes played for the angle coming in, the ball moved away off the seam and took the outside edge. Kohli had it covered at the third slip.Ishant returned after the lunch break to finish the two deliveries left in the over. The last ball, he seamed the delivery from short of length into Jos Buttler, who erroneously attempted to cut from close to his body; he was caught behind. Ishant thus became the first Indian to take three wickets in one over outside Asia since Anil Kumble did it in Adelaide in 2003-04.Ishant had quickly learnt from his mistakes of the first innings, when he had persisted in bowling from over the stumps to the left-handers. This time, after consulting with Bharat Arun, the India bowling coach, he kept threatening to angle the ball into the left-handers, a particular challenge given his penchant for the inswinger. Both men played the line but were beaten by the ball that straightened.Although Sam Curran brought England back into the match with a classy rearguard, Ishant became the first bowler in a gripping match to bag a five-for. He later revealed he was tired of being called a good bowler but having an empty wickets column.But what also helped him adapt quickly in this Test was his stint at Sussex earlier this summer. Ishant is the only bowler in the Indian attack with significant recent experience on the county circuit, although R Ashwin did play for Worcestershire last season. In his 10 matches, Ishant had bowled a total of 158.3 overs with the Dukes ball for Sussex: 114.3 overs in the County Championship and 44 in the Royal London One-Day Cup.But it’s not exactly news that Ishant is more than just a toiler for India. Since his starring role on India’s last tour of England, in 2014, when his second-innings 7 for 74 sealed a famous win at Lord’s, he has been a bowler transformed.Before that tour, in 31 Tests, he had 87 wickets at an average of 42.63. Since then, no Indian fast bowler has taken more wickets than Ishant. He has 72 wickets in 19 Tests at an average of 27.7, and the most five-fors – five – as well.Among Asian quick bowlers in the pace-friendly conditions of England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, only the pair of Pakistani legends – Imran Khan and Wasim Akram – have more six-fors in an innings (four) than Ishant’s trio. Today he proved just how significant a role he can play: in one over he sent England’s middle order packing without a fuss.

There’s a first time for everything, of course, but when it comes to beating England at cricket, that first time tends to feel extra sweet

Andrew Miller11-Jun-2018There’s a first time for everything, of course, but when it comes to beating England at cricket, that first time tends to feel extra sweet. Here are five of the most recent triumphs of the underdog.Zimbabwe by nine runs – Albury 1992

It ought to have been the sleepiest of finales to the group stage of the 1992 World Cup, with England already assured of their berth in the semi-finals. Enter Eddo Brandes – the most famous chicken farmer this side of a Nick Park animation, and a soon-to-be-legendary nemesis. It had all seemed pretty straightforward when Zimbabwe were scuttled for 134 by the swing and spin of Ian Botham and Richard Illingworth. But then Brandes pinned Graham Gooch lbw with his very first ball, and with figures of 4 for 21, he led the line to outstanding effect. Astonishingly, England managed to lose five of their first six encounters with Zimbabwe (and six of their first eight), with Brandes’ rotund and red-faced energy invariably right in the thick of things.Netherlands by four wickets – Lord’s 2009

With apologies to Steven Lubbers and the Netherlands team who beat an “England XI” led by Peter Roebuck at Amstelveen in 1989, that loss was nothing compared to the shocker that was doled out at Lord’s in the opening match of the 2009 World T20. It was, as hindsight amply confirms, an evening ripe for embarrassment for the host nation – the weather was miserable, the opening ceremony was canned, Kevin Pietersen was rested, and the Dutch were inspired. Tom de Grooth led the pursuit of a then-hefty 163 with a 30-ball 49. And, in the critical closing scramble, Stuart Broad’s aberration gifted the decisive overthrow, as his underarm at the stumps skidded into no-man’s land to ignite the sort of fireworks that no dank English evening could douse.Bangladesh by five runs – Bristol 2010

Bangladesh’s first decade of full international status was a tale of barely relenting woe. The moments of glory were something to behold (Australia at Cardiff, anyone?) but all too crushingly overshadowed by the litany of defeats that surrounded them. They had lost each of their first 20 encounters against England across Tests and ODIs, but were clearly closing the gap come their tour in the spring of 2010 – in fact, they might have won earlier that year in Mirpur had it not been for an Eoin Morgan special. Instead, the breakthrough victory came on a heady evening in Bristol, and in extraordinary scenes, as Ian Bell – hobbling with a broken foot – appeared at No.11 in a bid to save the day, only for Jonathan Trott, on 94, to edge Shafiul Islam to the keeper with three balls remaining.Ireland by three wickets – Bangalore 2011

When asked last month, in the wake of an outstanding century on his Test debut against Pakistan, which of his great Ireland innings held first place in the pantheon, Kevin O’Brien didn’t hesitate for a moment. His 50-ball epic against England, on a stunning evening in Bangalore, was and remains one of the most visceral moments in the whole history of international cricket. His numbers alone told only part of the story, however, as Ireland set off in pursuit of a towering target of 328, and appeared, at 111 for 5, to be dead in the dew. But O’Brien just kept on smiting – 13 fours and six sixes all told – and drew from his team-mates that same resilience that they had displayed at Sabina Park four years earlier. O’Brien ran himself out in the penultimate over, but Ireland could not be denied as John Mooney and Trent Johnston hauled them over the line.Scotland by six runs – Edinburgh 2018

There was a fitting face in the crowd as Scotland broke their cricketing duck against the Auld Enemy. David Sole’s glowering walk to the middle at Murrayfield in 1990 had set the parameters for the greatest of Scotland’s rugby glories – the 13-7 Grand Slam win over Will Carling’s apparent world-beaters – and similar underdog vibes were in evidence on Sunday night, as the World No.1 ODI team was sent homewards tae think again. Calum MacLeod’s outstanding century set his team on their way to an extraordinary record total of 371 for 5; Safyaan Sharif’s nerveless yorker sealed a backs-to-the-wall defence with seven balls to spare. Scotland won’t be present at next year’s World Cup, and England may yet recover from this indignity to win it on home soil. But if they do so, then expect this win to be feted alongside the 1967 Wembley triumph. If it isn’t already, of course.

Eight years after his axing on the eve of England’s World T20 triumph, Kent’s forgotten man returns to the fray

Andrew Miller27-Oct-2018After 3172 days on the sidelines, and having missed a whopping 384 international fixtures between call-ups, Joe Denly completed a remarkable return to England colours in the one-off T20I in Colombo.For much of the afternoon, it had seemed as though Denly would be doing nothing more than pulling on his kit and watching, first, his team-mates, and then, the rain, ruin his big day. But, having made a somewhat laboured 20 from 17 balls after appearing at No. 7 in England’s order, he confirmed the wisdom of his recall by producing a startling display with the ball.Tasked with opening the bowling with his skiddy, accurate legbreaks, Denly conceded just three runs off the bat before dismissing Kusal Mendis with the final ball of his first over; then removed Niroshan Dickwella in his second, and claimed two more wickets in the final over of the innings to finish with career-best T20 figures of 4 for 19, and the Man of the Match award too.Perhaps that should be no surprise, given he was already one of a select band of players to take a wicket with their first delivery in T20Is.Further chances may well come for Denly this winter – he was, after all, an original pick for the three-match Test series that gets underway in Galle on November 6, rather than the injury replacement for the limited-overs leg of the winter, after Liam Dawson suffered a side strain midway through the second ODI.Nevertheless, there was a pleasing symmetry to the format in which Denly made his return to the fray. Because, way back in the mists of time, in Dubai in February 2010, it had been Denly’s performance in a T20 series against Pakistan that condemned him to an exile that, in terms of matches missed, is second only to the West Indies allrounder Rayad Emrit, and longer even than that of New Zealand’s Jeff Wilson, who filled his own 344-match gap between appearances by forging a legendary 60-Test career as an All Blacks winger.Denly himself had made a promising start to his England career at the end of the 2009 home season, scoring a matchwinning half-century on his ODI debut against Ireland in Belfast and, at the age of 23, he was presumed to be one to watch for the future – even if an untimely knee injury, courtesy of an Owais Shah football tackle at The Oval in September, had dented his progress a touch.But, when England rocked up to the UAE en route to their tour of Bangladesh in early 2010, Denly became the fall guy in one of the more remarkable – and successful – selectorial U-turns of recent times.Getty ImagesWith a T20 World Cup looming large on the horizon, it became catastrophically apparent to England’s brains trust, Andy Flower and the then-T20 captain, Paul Collingwood, that the notion of opening the batting with Denly and Jonathan Trott simply wasn’t dynamic enough to challenge the best teams in the world.Denly, in fact, had launched his England T20 career with consecutive first-ball ducks against Australia at Old Trafford and South Africa at the Wanderers – at least he hadn’t been dying wondering, you might argue. But when, against Pakistan in the UAE, he followed up with scores of 1 from 3 balls and 5 from 10 – taking his overall T20 record to an egregious 20 runs from 29 balls at an average of 4.00 – there was simply no mitigating such failures.And besides, the most significant match of that brief stop-over in the Emirates had not been either of the two official internationals against Pakistan at Dubai, but rather England’s warm-up against England Lions in Abu Dhabi earlier that week.Trott (24 from 27) and Denly (4 from 3) were stunningly and comprehensively shown up by the Lions opening pair of Michael Lumb (58 not out from 35) and Craig Kieswetter (81 from 66 balls). Kieswetter, in fact, had just that very week completed his residency qualification to be considered for full England selection, and sure enough, he was fast-tracked, at Denly’s expense, into the ODI side in Bangladesh the following month.From there, the rest was history. Kieswetter and Lumb both made their T20I debuts in England’s opening match of the World T20 in the Caribbean in May, and their gung-ho alliance was precisely what was required to unlock the team’s potential. At No. 3, Kevin Pietersen thrived on the squad’s change of attitude to produce a Man-of-the-Tournament display, and England powered to their maiden global trophy, beating Australia by seven wickets in a final in Barbados in which Kieswetter’s 63 from 49 balls proved the decisive contribution.As for Denly, well, his career has had to come full circle in the interim. He admitted last month that his career “went missing” for two or three years after his axing in the UAE, adding that he had to learn to “start enjoying his cricket again” before he could dare to dream of a recall.It took a return to Kent, after a few enjoyable but unremarkable seasons at Middlesex, to unlock that latent ability that had put him on the radar a decade ago. And now, after what his England captain Eoin Morgan described as a “bit of a Garry Sobers year” in county cricket, which led to a sweep of trophies at this month’s PCA Awards, he’s back in the format where he thought it had all slipped away. And excelling with a string to his bow that had scarcely been acknowledged in those intervening years.

The Asia Cup offers the likes of Liton Das, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Mithun and Mominul Haque another opportunity and a big stage to prove themselves

Mohammad Isam14-Sep-20181:51

ESPN Shorts: Mashrafe Mortaza

Bangladesh coach Steve Rhodes has been positive about the team’s young batsmen, but they will begin the Asia Cup wary of their lack of consistency. This tournament offers Liton Das, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mohammad Mithun, Ariful Haque and Mominul Haque another opportunity – a major one at that – to prove themselves in ODI cricket, and provide some relief to the senior batsmen.Among the current lot, Liton has shown good form recently, hitting a 32-ball 61 against West Indies in the third T20I in Florida. Mithun too was among the runs in Ireland for Bangladesh A, also finishing the tour with an explosive 39-ball 80 in the fourth T20. Rhodes thinks both batsmen’s confidence will be boosted by this, which should help them in the Asia Cup.”I am not concerned,” Rhodes said. “If I was in Liton Das’ shoes at the moment, I’d be very happy. He played a wonderful knock in the last T20I against West Indies, which was like a final. I am sure he feels confident. The other guys are also hitting it well during practice.”Mithun has been a late inclusion in the side. He has forced his way into the side on the back of performances in Ireland with the A team, as well as impressing people in the camp. We are delighted to have young players of that calibre. They need to stand up, and I am sure the expectations of them will be very strong to stand up. But I am very happy and confident that they are in good nick and will do a good job.”Liton Das celebrates his fifty•AFPNow that Anamul Haque has been dropped, Liton is the prime candidate to open with Tamim Iqbal, and Mithun is slated for a lower-middle order role. Liton has opened twice in the last three years, and was picked on his Test and T20I form as he hasn’t played any ODIs since the South Africa tour last year.The likes of Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Anamul and Mithun have opened in the last two years without much success or consistency. In this period Imrul struck the only century from the spot, apart from two fifties, in nine innings at the top, while Soumya, Tamim’s most regular partner in this phase, has only two fifties in 14 innings at an average of 21.07.Bangladesh have added Shanto as a back-up opener and Mominul as a top-order candidate, but neither are first-choice at this stage.Shakib is likely to bat at three, followed by Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, meaning the Nos. 6 and 7 slots will be filled by two out of Mithun, Ariful and Mosaddek.Mosaddek has more recent experience batting in those positions – he did so during the West Indies tour, although he didn’t bat for too long or wasn’t explosive enough. There is hope that Mithun can provide some big hits, given his middle-order stints in the Dhaka Premier League (a domestic List-A tournament) earlier this year.Ariful is the other option, but since he hasn’t really made the similar position in T20Is his own, he will have a lot to do.With Soumya and Sabbir Rahman already jettisoned, Liton, Mithun, Mosaddek, Mominul and Shanto – all touted to be Bangladesh’s next batch of big talents – need to show promise or they might face a similar sticky situation.

Bangladesh sprang a surprise with an unusual opening pair, who added a century stand, but Kedar Jadhav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav combined to throw them off their plans

Shashank Kishore in Dubai28-Sep-201820:26

Manjrekar: Jadhav has been a bonus for India in the Asia Cup

Rohit Sharma empowers his fast bowlers. He doesn’t chirp instructions by their side even if he’s inside the ring. He’s pretty laidback – often misconstrued for laziness – on the field, so when he gesticulated animatedly towards Yuzvendra Chahal in the fifth over, it was a sign that his mind was ticking much faster than the opponents have allowed it to all tournament.For the first time in the Asia Cup, a batsman had given Jasprit Bumrah the charge. Bhuvneshwar Kumar hadn’t looked threatening enough either. Bangladesh’s makeshift opening pair of Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan had put together 33 in five overs and it was time for Plan B for India.Rohit hasn’t been averse to introducing spin early, so when he brought in Chahal for the next over, it wasn’t exactly out-of-the-box. But Liton’s attempt to throw him off his plans may have been largely because a circumspect approach hadn’t paid off – he had four single-digit scores in his last five innings and an ODI average of 14.06 left his ODI spot hanging by a thread.Chahal had bowled in the Powerplays for the first time for India here in Dubai, but he’s used to bowling in this period for Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in the IPL. He tosses them up, expecting batsmen to go after him, a ploy that has worked for him. Here, however, Liton was a step ahead. In his second over, he cleverly got inside the line of the ball and used the skid off the pitch to muscle two sixes into the leg side.At the end of the 10th over, Liton and Mehidy had put on 65, thirteen more than the partnership aggregate of Bangladesh’s openers in their last five ODIs. Most of Liton’s plans were fuelled by Mehidy’s solidity. This was just his first innings as an opener in any form of cricket – first-class, List A or T20s – a move seemingly to lengthen Bangladesh’s batting line-up because they had went in with five genuine bowlers. But, Chahal wasn’t the only one who was attacked.Liton welcomed Ravindra Jadeja with a disdainful slap through cover point for a 33-ball half-century that had Mashrafe Mortaza, the captain, punch his chest in delight in the dressing room. He would have been out two balls later had Chahal not dropped a catch back-pedalling from midwicket. India were feeling the pressure. The spinners, their enforcers here, didn’t have the cushion of a Powerplay stifle that their fast bowlers had given them before in the tournament.Associated PressBangladesh milked runs to the spread-out fields as an unlikely opening pair raised a century stand. Against Kuldeep Yadav, both Liton and Mehidy got right to the pitch of the ball while driving. Jadeja’s strengths can also be a weakness against set batsmen because when he offers pace on the ball, it becomes hittable on surfaces with not much bite. When Bangladesh were 116 for 0 in 20 overs, the three frontline spinners had combined figures of 12-0-70-0.When there’s turbulence, India have a back-up option in Kedar Jadhav, and he produced a wicket with his fifth delivery: another innocuous length ball. David Warner, Kane Williamson, Steven Smith, Babar Azam and Tamim Iqbal are among the more accomplished batsmen who have been teased into a trap by Jadhav.Jadhav saw Mehidy trying to pierce the off side, and pushed his first few deliveries slightly quicker. Then, as if he had expected Mehidy to cut, he shortened his length and bowled it slower, not allowing him to get onto the frontfoot. When Mehidy saw a rank long-hop at 58mph, he salivated at the prospect of finding the boundary when perhaps a more accomplished batsman would have bunted the ball to the vacant midwicket region. He lost his shape and ended up spooning a catch to cover.This was Rohit’s trigger to attack again, and he recalled Chahal, who went back to his traditional route – flight. He got one to spin back in to beat a feeble Imrul Kayes push to trap him lbw. Three overs later, Mushfiqur Rahim, who is adept at rotating the strike in the middle overs, pulled a long-hop to deep square leg to give Jadhav his second wicket. In trying to prove they were going to be positive all through, Bangladesh drilled themselves into a hole. When Mahmudullah slog swept Kuldeep to deep midwicket, Bangladesh had collapsed from 120 for 0 to 151 for 5.Liton, who saw wickets tumble around him, was tiring, and was forced to delay his slog. He was now like a ticking bomb ready to launch into the bowling, but dissuaded by his fears of playing a wrong shot after having finally found his feet as an ODI batsman. The authority in his batting paved way to doubts in shot selection. Within a few winks, 102 off 93 had become a run-a-ball 111. Then, he tried to hit out and was out six balls later after being deceived by Kuldeep’s flight.Liton had accounted for 64% of Bangladesh’s runs when he was dismissed, but India had wrested control. The insipid start by the spinners had turned into a telling spell. Jadhav, who had bowled only one nine-over spell in his ODI career before Friday, finished with 9-0-41-2, while Kuldeep ended with 10-0-45-3. This was yet another middle-overs mastery by the slower bowlers, who set it up for their powerful batting line-up.