IPL 2020, Match Highlights: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians
ESPNcricinfo’s updates from the 56th game of IPL 2020
Debayan Sen03-Nov-2020
ESPNcricinfo’s updates from the 56th game of IPL 2020
Debayan Sen03-Nov-2020
Centuries from Sean Williams and Babar Azam had left the teams locked on 278 each after 100 overs
Danyal Rasool03-Nov-2020
Super Over: Blessing Muzarabani. In a game with two centuries, two five-fors, a tie, and a Super Over, Muzarabani made all the difference as Zimbabwe almost fluffed their lines before pulling off a win in the third and final ODI via the one-over shootout. In normal time, Muzarabani took a five-for. He was at it again afterwards, picking up two wickets to give his batsmen a three-run chase, which they pulled off.That the match ended in a tie was down to Pakistan – thanks to Babar Azam’s 125 and Wahab Riaz’s 52 – dragging their chase of 279 deep, and the Zimbabweans losing their composure towards the death. Sikandar Raza, who later scored the winning run, dropped a straightforward chance in the deep off Riaz, and a Tendai Chisoro misfield let the final ball through for four, levelling the scores. The door seemed to have been shut on Zimbabwe there, but Muzarabani ensured a first win for Zimbabwe in 11 ODIs, and Pakistan’s first defeat in ten.Pakistan’s record chasing over 250 hasn’t been the best of late: they have won just four of the last 23. But on an excellent strip for batting, they would have fancied their chances though the target wasn’t small. Muzarabani, however, had other ideas, knocking back Imam-ul-Haq’s off stump in the first over, while Richard Ngarava removed Haider Ali and Fakhar Zaman in quick succession. Pakistan, like Zimbabwe earlier, had lost the top three in no time.Azam’s solo effort of poise and grit for much of the remainder of the innings was a knock so glorious he didn’t deserve to be on the losing side, but not enough of his batting mates, arguably, deserved to win. Iftikhar Ahmed hung around but was castled by one of many gems from Muzarabani, a glorious in-seamer that knocked back his off stump. Khushdil Shah put up a useful 63-run partnership with Azam on debut, but the 46-ball 33 he scored was far removed from the sort of destructive innings he has a reputation for.Babar Azam brought up another century•AFP via Getty Images
It was – yes! – Muzarabani, whose extra bounce spelled the end for Shah, too, before Riaz’s enterprising half-century finally gave Azam some support, and put Pakistan on course, apparently once and for all, for 3-0. Azam, through all this, had put together a chanceless hundred, only his second in a chase, following that famous knock against New Zealand at the World Cup. But the asking rate was never truly in control, and when Riaz holed out attempting one rash shot too many, Zimbabwe were right back in it again.They seemed to have sealed it when Muzarabani got rid of two more batsmen in the penultimate over, the second a ripsnorter that finally put an end to Azam’s vigil. That left Mohammad Musa and Mohammad Hasnain – the hero earlier in the day with his 5 for 26 – to fetch 13 from the last over, and then five off the final ball. Chisoro was poor in the field all day, and the ball invariably went to him. He failed to get down in time, and we had our first ODI Super Over since the 2019 World Cup final.It was here that Pakistan’s decision-making let them down. Azam, who was out batting minutes ago, didn’t feature. Shah and Ahmed went out instead. Ahmed was beaten by pace first ball and holed out, and soon after, with Shah falling too, Zimbabwe had just three to chase. For a change, it was done without drama.Ages ago, or so it seemed, Pakistan might have entertained hopes of a speedy finish when Zimbabwe lost their first three wickets for 22, all to Hasnain, but a remarkable fightback, headlined by a fourth ODI century from Sean Williams, powered the visiting side to 278 for 6, their highest total in three games. Hasnain produced the bowling performance of the series for Pakistan, taking five of the six wickets to fall, while bowling three maidens and conceding just 26 runs. It should have been his day, ut Williams might just have shaded him by the halfway mark of the match. Muzarabani did it later anyway.Sean Williams brought up his fourth ODI century•AFP via Getty Images
Zimbabwe had won another toss and decided to have another crack at putting up a respectable score, but Hasnain looked to have doused those hopes in record time. Playing his first match of the series, he struck off just his third ball, removing Chamu Chibhabha, before coming back to knock back Brian Chari’s stumps to ensure another Zimbabwe opening failure. Things became even direr when Hasnain, spitting fire with almost every ball, had Craig Ervine nicking off to Mohammad Rizwan. Zimbabwe’s top order had been shredded, and Pakistan were so far ahead that the position looked unassailable.Enter Brendan Taylor and Williams. Williams allowed the in-form Taylor to take charge in the early stages, cautiously negotiating Hasnain while trying to get runs ticking over against the other bowlers. Before long, they had brought up the 50-run partnership, and while they were still not out of the woods, the bloodletting had stopped, and the swing of momentum had been initiated.Taylor scored a half-century before Hasnain removed him, only for Williams and Wesley Madhevere to combine for a punchy little partnership, with the 20-year-old taking a few risks that relieved some of the pressure on the senior batsman. Ahmed was not allowed to settle, with Madhevere taking the lead from Williams and smacking him for three fours in two overs, and suddenly the run rate began to look healthier. The issue, however, was the long tail and the number of wickets that had been lost, and when Madhevere’s cameo ended, once again by the irrepressible Hasnain, Williams and Raza became the last line of defence.Williams was dropped in the 40th over, which would have given Hasnain a sixth wicket and likely held Zimbabwe to a much lower total. Instead, he went on to complete a special hundred, and set up a target that allowed Zimbabwe’s bowlers a sniff. In the end, that was all Muzarabani needed.
Late wickets for Trent Copeland capped a perfect day for the Blues, although Mitchell Starc was left frustrated
Alex Malcolm10-Nov-2020Centuries from Moises Henriques and Sean Abbott and two late strikes from Trent Copeland put New South Wales in position to pull off one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Sheffield Shield history.Having been bowled out for 64 on the opening day, the Blues third-lowest total in Shield history, and having trailed on the first innings by 175, a phenomenal batting display from Nick Larkin, Henriques, Abbott, and Mitchell Starc gave them a chance to declare their third innings and set Tasmania 347 to win, with 13 overs left in the third day.The declaration proved a master-stroke with Copeland removing both Tasmania openers to leave Matthew Wade and nightwatchman Peter Siddle to survive until stumps.Earlier in the day, Henriques cruised to his 12th first-class century and his partnership with Larkin, which had rescued the Blues from a perilous position on the second day, reached 250. Henriques was out shortly after, nicking Siddle to second slip.Larkin passed 150 for the second time in his Sheffield Shield career but his dismissal for 161 was a career-first. He was squared up by a peach of a delivery from Gabe Bell and held the pose of his squared up defensive stroke, but both feet were outside the popping crease. Tim Paine under-armed a throw at the stumps quickly and hit with Larkin stood still as a statue, dumbfounded and stumped. That was the last wicket Tasmania took as Abbott and Starc piled on the pain with a soul-destroying unbeaten 189-run partnership for the seventh wicket. The pair plundered 13 fours and seven sixes between them, feasting mainly on the part-time offerings of Beau Webster and Jake Doran. Drinks had to be called at one stage because one of Starc’s blows over midwicket could not be found.Abbott brought up his maiden first-class century with a delightful clip off his toes wide of mid-on and the Blues immediately declared leaving Starc 14 runs shy of his maiden hundred and less than impressed with his captain Peter Nevill. But it was the right move as Charlie Wakim edged Copeland in the third over with Abbott plucking a sensational catch low to his right at third slip.Jordan Silk, after holding NSW at bay with a fine century in the first innings, was Copeland’s second victim to leave Tasmania with a huge mountain to climb on the final day.
Bumrah also scored an unbeaten 55 off 57 balls to rescue the Indians
Andrew McGlashan11-Dec-2020Joe Burns’ horror start to the season continued with a second-ball duck against the pink ball at the SCG to heap further doubt as to whether he can be selected for the opening Test in Adelaide.It was another day that provided more problems than answers for the Australians – despite reducing the Indians to 123 for 9 – with allrounder Cameron Green forced out of the match with concussion after a blow to the head in his follow through. In one of the more unlikely storylines, his replacement Patrick Rowe made his first-class debut against the skill of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.Mohammed Shami celebrates with team-mates after dismissing Marcus Harris•Getty Images
Facing his second ball from Bumrah, who had earlier top-scored with a maiden first-class fifty, Burns feathered an edge against a delivery just outside off stump to leave him with a tally of 61 runs in eight innings this season. It also made it consecutive ducks against the Indians in the space of four days after he dragged on without scoring in the second innings at Drummoyne Oval.He is likely to get one more innings in this match but is now facing the prospect of needing one of the biggest shows of faith from the selectors if he is to play the day-night Test.Related
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However, Burns wasn’t alone in his batting struggle as the India quicks made life very difficult under lights as Australia A were bundled out for 108 – losing all ten wickets in the last session. Marcus Harris, who now appears likely to feature in the first Test, shaped up nicely before edging to slip against Shami from around the wicket and in the same over Ben McDermott was given lbw offering no shot.Nic Maddinson was brilliantly caught from a top-edged pull by Wriddhiman Saha, in the outfield for this game, as he ran back from square leg and held the chance over his shoulder. The fifth duck of the day was collected by Sean Abbott although he could do little about the pearler he received from Shami, who reinforced what a threat he’ll be in Adelaide during an 11-over spell broken by tea and a brief rain delay.The day ended in strange circumstances with Harry Conway running himself out shortly after taking a blow on the helmet that appeared to anger and unsettle him. He was briefly checked on the field and did not look entirely comfortable as he walked off.In the first half of the day it was the Indians who appeared to have more of the concerns as their batting line-up was dismantled by the Australia attack after a rollicking start that saw them race along at nearly eight an over in the first 10 overs.Mayank Agarwal edged Abbott to slip in the third over but Prithvi Shaw flayed 40 off 29 balls with an array of thunderous boundaries before receiving a superb delivery from Will Sutherland which nipped back to bowl him.Shubman Gill and Hanuma Vihari took the score to 102 for 2 with the first interval approach only for a collapse of 7 for 21 to derail the innings. The slide started when Vihari shouldered arms at Jack Wildermuth and saw his off stump clipped.Gill was then removed by a terrific delivery from Green which climbed outside off to take the edge and Wildermuth, who was only added to the squad on Thursday after Moises Henriques’ hamstring injury, capped a fine morning by removing both Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant for single-digit scores. Five overs later and without adding to the total, Saha edged to third slip in a 22-ball stay.However, just when a swift conclusion to the innings was on the cards the unlikely pairing of Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj flayed a last-wicket stand of 71 in 13.2 overs. It was a mixture of edges and authentic shots and rarely not entertaining.Bumrah, who had a previous highest first-class score of 16, brought up his half-century with a top-edged pull that was parried over the boundary for six. When the stand finally ended, Bumrah was given a guard of honour into the dressing room although India will hope his batting is not needed to such an extent come next week.
Captain says they’ll use the series “as a way to gather a lot of info leading up to that T20 World Cup”
Daniel Brettig08-Feb-2021Australia’s T20I captain Aaron Finch freely admits that the squad currently in New Zealand will be enormously different for the World Cup meant to be played in India later this year, meaning the tour lengthened considerably by a two-week quarantine period will be largely about fact-finding on fringe players and his own recovery from a dreadful Big Bash League.Finch did his best to completely avoid cricket during a 10-day sabbatical following the Melbourne Renegades’ second underwhelming BBL campaign in succession, the difference this time being that his own returns also dropped away alarmingly, tallying just 179 runs at 13.76 across 13 increasingly harried innings.Having crossed the Tasman on Sunday, the squad helmed by Australia’s senior assistant coach Andrew McDonald will provide an opportunity for Finch and the touring selector George Bailey to get a closer look at their options while the likes of David Warner, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are still at home.”The top three will be [Matt] Wade, [Josh] Philippe and myself,” Finch said. “Maxi [Maxwell] and Stoin [Stoinis], four and five, around that area. It’s pretty simple I’d imagine. When you look at the squad list, Josh Philippe has been in great nick and it’s great to see him playing well. Matty Wade, we know how dynamic he is along with Maxi. We’re going to be flexible with that top order as well. If that means Wadey or myself or Josh, whoever bats at three, it’ll be a great opportunity.”We’ll use this as a way to gather a lot of info leading up to that T20 World Cup, which means there might be a little bit of shuffling. But we’ll try to stick closely to the guys playing their roles that they’re accustomed to or where we’ll see them in the future playing. The result is not the be all and end all. I think building up and finding information, finding different ways our team can structure up is almost more important.”That sort of attitude will undoubtedly help Finch emerge from his BBL fog also. “Literally didn’t touch a bat during the 10 days I think I had off,” he said. “I’m feeling a lot better about my game – the one thing about when you’re out of nick or not getting any runs, you’re not quite sure where to turn, so putting the bat down for a while, just looking at some footage and assessing where you think your game was at and being realistic about it was as much as I needed to do.”I know I can still play, so it’s just about making sure when I turn up for these isolations training sessions I’m working on specific things and not just training for the sake of it. I feel pretty good to be honest, and that might sound pretty stupid coming off the back of not many runs. But it’s international cricket and I’m ready to go.”Finch on Josh Philippe: “When his head is still, he’s playing beautifully, and his wicketkeeping has been really good as well”•Getty Images and Cricket Australia
Philippe and the prodigiously talented young wristspinner Tanveer Sangha are two players Finch is particularly eager to get a closer look at. Assessing Philippe, Finch reckoned he was witnessing a future staple of the Australian top order at a key time in which he was learning how to balance good days and bad.”He’s someone who has obviously got all the shots but he’s starting to get to that point of his career, and I think a lot of that was on the back of having a couple of months of IPL where he spent a lot of time with AB [de Villers] and Virat [Kohli], talking about batting with myself,” Finch said. “He’s taken his game to a new level because he’s just getting past that period when he’s not hitting them well. When he’s playing well, it’s lights out, it’s brilliant.”But just those days when he’s not feeling 100%, he’s getting through that little danger period and still having a big impact on the game which I think is so important in T20. It’s such an up-and-down game, you’re not going to be consistent all the time but you can still contribute and he’s doing a brilliant job, he played fantastically well. When his head is still, he’s playing beautifully, and his wicketkeeping has been really good as well. That’s a great position for him to be in, coming here with a huge amount of confidence off the back of another Big Bash title.”As for the vacant Renegades coaching role, likely to be bid for by a wide array of candidates including Trevor Bayliss, David Saker and Simon Helmot, Finch did not hide his wish that there was more than one McDonald available, the better to play a key role for both club and country.”I would love Andrew back coaching the Renegades but I also think there’s a job for him to do with the Australian team and that’s the most important,” Finch said. “He’s doing a brilliant job around the group and with the bowlers as well, so yes and no is the answer. I’d love him back but what he’s doing at the moment is outstanding, he’s head coach of this tour, he’s as good as you get. I can understand if he’s not coach of the Renegades, but yeah.”The five-match T20I series will start on February 22 in Christchurch.
Tayla Vlaeminck is back from injury and the uncapped Darcie Brown is generating plenty of excitement
Andrew McGlashan12-Mar-2021Rachael Haynes believes Australia’s deepening stock of fast bowlers will provide a “point of difference” for the side as they build towards a 2021-22 schedule that has plenty of big prizes up for grabs.Tayla Vlaeminck is back in the squad for the tour of New Zealand for the first time since being ruled out of the T20 World Cup more than a year ago and is joined by the uncapped Darcie Brown, whose potential is creating much excitement in the game after a season where she has impressed in the WBBL and the WNCL.Belinda Vakarewa, who has one ODI cap from the 2017 World Cup, is also part of the squad and the injured Annabel Sutherland is tipped to push the speed gun further. Hannah Darlington, the other new name on the New Zealand tour, has been selected on the back of her death-bowling skillset in T20 cricket, while Taneale Peschel and Stella Campbell are among others whose progress will be watched closely.Related
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“It’s really exciting, particularly for Australian cricket, that there’s this depth of fast bowlers,” Haynes, Australia’s vice-captain, told ESPNcricinfo ahead of flying out on Saturday. “Even as little as four years ago our attack was built around off-pace and a lot of spin. And now we are talking about having five or six different types of fast bowlers all of who are capable of bowling around that 120kph mark, and because they are young they are going to get quicker. It will be a point of difference for our side and will be really competitive for positions.”In her brief international appearances before injury, Vlaeminck hurried batters – especially in the tri-series which preceded the T20 World Cup – just days before a stress fracture in her foot was diagnosed and kept her out of action until the ongoing WNCL.And during the WNCL, there was an over from Brown that further highlighted her potential after a promising WBBL campaign for the Adelaide Strikers. Facing Queensland, she bounced out Georgia Voll then twice beat Beth Mooney with late inswingers that thundered into the pads, the second time trapping her lbw.Tayla Vlaeminck will be hoping her injury problems are behind her•Getty Images
“It’s not often you see a player burst onto the scene and bowl fast outswingers, hurry up some of the best players in the world,” Australia coach Matthew Mott said. “You can see that she rushes people, good players. Particularly in New Zealand conditions with the ball swinging I can’t wait to see her over there.”It will be an incredible learning opportunity for her regardless of whether she gets a start but she’s certainly in the mix. She has a lot of attributes we’ve been searching for.”South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail leads the line for fast bowlers at the moment – she was regularly clocking above 120kph in the WBBL – and Australia could face Lea Tahuhu if she is fit for the matches later this month. In England, 18-year-old Izzy Wong is tipped for a big future.Former Australia quick Cathryn Fitzpatrick is considered the greatest of all time but the new generation, at least those countries with well-funded female pathways, have the advantage of access to high performance set-ups from a young age.”Bringing through players like that requires a big investment in your pathway and talent ID,” Haynes said. “It really is a reflection on what WBBL has done in attracting different types of athletes to the sport.”Fast bowling is an area Mott has focused a lot of time on while working in the women’s game and can now see the results coming through.”I made it really clear from the moment I was in the game that it was the area that we had the most potential to develop,” he said. “The states deserve a lot of credit and the National Performance Squad with Tay [Vlaeminck] and Annabel where they learnt how to train properly. Those things have really helped develop some good quicks or are physically capable of doing it and think that’s exciting for the world game.”The state coaches and national coaches have all had their eye on the prize. If you can encourage these bowlers – because sometimes pace off the ball in women’s cricket is very effective – and wear a short-term lack of results with the bigger prize in mind that really starts to bear fruit.”There will also be interest in how Ellyse Perry goes with the ball in New Zealand after a season where she has struggled after her return from the serious hamstring injury which ended her T20 World Cup. In the WBBL she took eight wickets at 34.37 and an economy rate of 8.25, and in the WNCL has managed just two wickets in six matches while being Victoria’s most expensive bowler.”She had some issues with run-up at one stage but she looks as though she’s ironed that our herself and that’s exciting,” Mott said. “She’s one of the greats of all time and the longer she’s on the park the better she will be.”
Islam picked three wickets while Hassan struck 125 to anchor the chase
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Mar-2021Saif Hassan played a captain’s innings to power Bangladesh Emerging Team to a six-wicket win against Ireland Wolves in the third one-dayer in Chattogram.Hassan struck 120 off 125 balls, hitting eleven fours and five sixes, as he first played the enforcer and then anchored the 261-run chase.Saif added 52 for the second wicket with Mahmudul Hasan, before putting on 68 for the fourth wicket with Towhid Hridoy.Hridoy later added 69 for the unbroken fifth wicket stand with Shamim Hossain. Hridoy was unbeaten on 43 off 44 balls while Shamim, hero for the home side in the second game, blasted 44 off 25 balls, with seven fours and a six.Gareth Delany took two wickets while Peter Chase and Ruhan Pretorius took one each.Earlier, Ireland posted 260 for 7 in 50 overs with Lorcan Tucker making an unbeaten 82 off 52 balls, hitting nine fours and two sixes. Meanwhile, Curtis Campher and James McCollum got out in their forties.Paceman Mukidul Islam took 3 for 53 while Sumon Khan and Hridoy took one wicket each.The match started at 11:00am, two hours after the schedule start, after a covid test on one of the local members of the visiting team’s support staff, tested positive for covid-19.According to the BCB, the support staff had tested positive on Monday, after which further tests were conducted on the suspected person and close contacts.However, the test results of all those individuals returned negative on Tuesday morning. Both teams had agreed to delay the match based on the results of those tests.
The allrounder is working her way back at international level but has an outstanding record in the 50-over format
Andrew McGlashan01-Apr-2021Meg Lanning expects Ellyse Perry to play a more significant role in the ODI series against New Zealand than she did in the T20Is, but also stressed the importance of building a varied attack around the young pace bowlers who are coming through.On her return to international cricket after the hamstring injury which ended her T20 World Cup last year, Perry batted at No. 6 and bowled just one over in the two completed matches. Her innings in Hamilton alongside Ash Gardner was a useful contribution to the partnership that got Australia over the line, but it has been her limited role with the ball that has sparked debate.”She’s played a massive role for us particularly in ODIs over the last five years and has an exceptional record,” Lanning said. “I dare say she will play a bigger role, there’s more overs to bowl as well. She’ll get her chance throughout the series.”People who can bat long periods of time and make those match-winning contributions are extremely important to have in your side. Ellyse has shown over a long period of time that she can do that so she’ll play a really big role for us.”Related
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Her bowling returns in the WBBL and WNCL were underwhelming and in the latter competition she was working on some tweaks to her run-up which have taken time to settle. She took a wicket in the one over handed to her in Napier but significantly was not given the last of the match when New Zealand needed nine to win.On the studio coverage prior to the final match, Mel Jones suggested that in a shortened game Perry could be surplus to requirements. Ultimately she was picked in the XI, becoming the most capped T20I player in the process, but it highlighted that the next phase of Perry’s career could require an evolution, especially in the shortest format.”The interesting one for me is…there’s a bit of weather around and if the overs get reduced a bit I’m looking at this team line-up and I actually think it’s Ellyse Perry that’s coming out,” Jones said on . “She’s batting at six, normally you average seven or eight deliveries if it’s reduced, and if they aren’t going to use her with the ball who do you bring in.”It’s just that anomaly where her bowling hasn’t quite hit the straps yet so Meg isn’t turning to her as a first choice.”The allrounder has made tweaks to her run-up in recent months•Getty Images
Fellow analyst Elyse Villani added: “Not sure how many times Ellyse Perry’s name would have been up in terms of potentially not playing so it’s not something Australia have really had to deal with before.”As it was, rain prevented a chance of seeing whether Perry would have an impact on a 13-over game, but the three-match ODI series takes her back to the format where she is ranked the No. 1 allrounder and holds a batting average of 52.10 – she has not batted lower than No. 4 in an ODI since 2014 – and where bowling-wise there could be a chance to settle into a spell.”Ideally if you are an option in all three phases of the game then that allows you to bowl more overs,” Lanning said of Perry’s T20 role. “That’s something we’ve spoken with Ellyse about, think she’s been working really hard on her bowling and consistency coming back from a serious injury…but ultimately for me it just comes down to match-ups and the game situation in terms of who I go to. She’s definitely there as an option.”The fast bowling side of things is the area at the moment where we’ve got a couple of new players in Tayla [Vlaeminck] and Darcie [Brown]. It’s been really exciting to see. Ellyse still has a really big role to play for us but the more variety we can have that will play a big role for us moving forward. So it’s been great to see those young players take the game by scruff of the neck and really be aggressive.”Ellyse is extremely competitive…she works extremely hard on her game and I’m sure she’d love to be batting higher and bowling more overs. She’s doing everything she can to get herself into that position. It’s been great to have her back, she’s very experienced and hope to see the best of her in the one-day series.”
After their first T20I win against Pakistan, the hosts now chase their first-ever bilateral series win in the format
Danyal Rasool24-Apr-2021
It was about time the chickens would come home to roost on Pakistan’s middle order, but the manner of that reckoning was so grave even those predicting it were taken aback. A first-ever T20I loss to Zimbabwe, and the fourth-lowest total defended against a Full Member saw Pakistan bowled out for 99 in a chase of 119, losing their last seven wickets for just 21 runs. The confidence shot it gives Zimbabwe cannot be overstated as, against all odds, they go into the third and final T20I with a real chance of springing upon Pakistan a chastening series defeat.There is, of course, room for improvement for both sides, especially with the bat. Zimbabwe restricted Pakistan thanks to a combination of a near-flawless performance with the ball, in the field and the total capitulation of the visitors. While stand-in captain Brendan Taylor will want a repeat performance in that respect from his side, Pakistan are unlikely to be that listless two games in a row. To counter that, Zimbabwe could work on the way they paced their own innings with the bat, putting little pressure on Pakistan, almost content to canter along to a sub-120 total.With Craig Ervine ruled out of the series and Sean Williams nursing a hand issue in for the last game, Zimbabwe lost plenty of experience, so the return of the latter might not be a surprise. Taylor did mention after the match that his side might have to approach the powerplay with a touch more positivity, setting the tempo for the remainder of the innings. The pitches here in Harare appear to have plenty in them for bowlers, with both captains agreeing totals around 140-150 were challenging. With Zimbabwe having felt they left runs out there, they go into the decider on equal terms.Pakistan, meanwhile, appear to be on that precipice from which they could lurch either to brilliance or chaos, with no way of predicting which it will be. They were given a nudge towards the latter after the second T20I with Shoaib Malik taking to Twitter to lambast “unacquainted decision makers”. What should have been a series to try out new players and fine-tune certain aspects of their game for the T20 World Cup has instead thrown up a decider of extreme pressure, giving this series a higher profile than most would have accorded it a few days ago.
Zimbabwe WLLLL(last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
Pakistan LWWWL
Wesley Madhevere was by far the brightest spark of Zimbabwe’s tour of Pakistan a few months ago, but he hasn’t quite lit up this series just yet, particularly with the bat. There have been glimpses of his ability in these two games, but justice to his talent is yet to be done. His dismissal in the previous game was especially disappointing when he attempted a low-percentage reverse sweep and gave away his wicket while Zimbabwe desperately needed him to bat deep. His contribution with the ball, though, has been surprisingly impactful, conceding just 27 runs in five overs and taking two wickets across the two games.Mohammad Hafeez was believed to be a panacea of sorts for the middle order; unlike the rest, he was in excellent form in the lead up to Pakistan’s tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe. He missed South Africa’s T20I series in Pakistan because he was playing the T10 League in the UAE, where he excelled, and went on to distinguish himself with his performances in the PSL. However, that form has not turned into output at the international level in a beleaguered middle order, further amplifying Pakistan’s woes. He had a phenomenally successful 2020, barging his way back into Pakistan’s T20 World Cup plans, but if this barren run continues, he could find himself frozen out in double-quick time.
If Williams returns, he will add experience to the batting line-up, but it’s unlikely Zimbabwe will wish to make too many changes to the side that helped them win the second T20I.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, 2 Brendan Taylor (capt & wk), 3 Tadiwanashe Marumani, 4 Wesley Madhevere, 5 Regis Chakabva, 6 Ryan Burl, 7 Tarisai Musakanda, 8 Luke Jongwe, 9 Wellington Masakadza, 10 Blessing Muzarabani, 11 Richard NgaravaPakistan rested Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali for the last two games, but with the series on the line, it would not be a surprise to see them make an appearance.Pakistan (probable): 1 Babar Azam (capt), 2 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3 Fakhar Zaman 4 Sharjeel Khan/Asif Ali 5 Danish Aziz 6 Mohammad Hafeez 7 Faheem Ashraf 8 Hasan Ali 9 Mohammad Hasnain/Haris Rauf 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi 11 Usman Qadir
The weather is clear again, and with the boundaries as big as they are, a target around 150 should put the side batting first in a decent position. Both sides have fielded first upon winning the toss, but have ended up failing to chase down targets.
Two-time World Cup winner joins Andy Flower as part of the backroom staff
ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-2021Daren Sammy has stepped down from his role as St Lucia Zouks captain to become the franchise’s “T20 cricket consultant and brand ambassador” for the 2021 CPL season.Sammy led the Zouks – who had previously reached the play-offs once in seven seasons – to the final last year, after they finished third in the league phase and then bowled Guyana Amazon Warriors out for 55 in the semi-finals.Sammy himself faced 51 balls and bowled only three overs across his 12 appearances, and with his playing role increasingly limited, he will now join Andy Flower’s coaching staff instead.Sammy, a two-time T20 World champion, is yet to confirm his retirement from all cricket, but has not played since the 2020 CPL final, and is now head coach at his PSL franchise, Peshawar Zalmi.”It’s been an absolute pleasure to have led and been a part of the St Lucia Zouks from its inception,” Sammy said in a CPL media release. “Even though some may say good things must come to an end it will not be in this instance: St Lucia Zouks and I will always be a team.”But since venturing into coaching, I realise I have a new passion that can allow me to still contribute and play a part in taking the franchise forward on its quest to winning a CPL title and developing future stars.”Flower, who called Sammy an “icon of West Indies white-ball cricket” and “the heartbeat of St Lucia Zouks,” said: “He’s decided to step away from playing after an amazing career both with the West Indies, where he led the side to two T20 World Cups, but also as a really inspirational leader, full of integrity, for the island. We want to continue our partnership with Daren coming in as part ambassador, part coach, part mentor alongside me.”The Zouks also announced the retention of seven players from their 2020 squad ahead of the upcoming season, which starts on August 28 in St Kitts: Andre Fletcher, Kesrick Williams, Rahkeem Cornwall, Roston Chase, Obed McCoy, Mark Deyal and Javelle Glen.