Author: WebDesk

South Africa pacer Anrich Nortje remains optimistic about his selection for the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7. Cricket South Africa (CSA) is expected to announce the squad next week. Ahead of the announcement, Nortje made a strong case for inclusion with a sensational return of 4/13 for Sunrisers Eastern Cape against the Paarl Royals. These were his best figures since last year’s T20 World Cup. The 32-year-old speedster noted that the past two months have been ideal in his build-up to a return to the international scene. “Hopefully I get selected, but for now it’s just about…

Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) pitch curator Matt Page was surprised to see the fourth Ashes Test wrapped up inside two days. The much-anticipated Boxing Day Test between Australia and England saw 36 wickets fall on a seam-friendly pitch, with 20 coming on the opening day alone. The first day of the Boxing Day Test witnessed the biggest-ever turnout at the MCG, with close to 95,000 spectators in attendance. Day 2 was also a sell-out, but the match ended an hour and a half into the third session. “I was in a state of shock after the first day, seeing everything…

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, scheduled to be played next month. Five BBL-bound players — Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali — have been left out. Interestingly, Shadab Khan, who was picked by the Hobart Hurricanes, will join the squad after a long hiatus. Shadab completed his rehabilitation at the NCA in Lahore after undergoing surgery earlier this year. The spin-bowling all-rounder missed the Asia Cup but is now back in contention for the World Cup. With most first-choice players…

England skipper Ben Stokes showered praise on Josh Tongue and Jacob Bethell for their contributions as the visitors won the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne to end their 18-match losing streak in Australia. Carse picked up five wickets across the two innings in the fourth Ashes Test. Four of those came on the decisive second day of the match. The Durham-based bowler was the wrecker-in-chief as he ripped apart Australia’s batting line-up, making the task relatively easy for England in the chase. The target of 175 was never going to be straightforward, given the bowling-friendly conditions at the MCG. Zak…

Veteran India batter Virat Kohli smashed a match-winning 77 as Delhi edged past Gujarat by seven runs in a closely contested Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 encounter. For being the top-scorer in the game, Kohli was named player of the match. Having scored a century in the previous game, Kohli once again dominated the bowlers from the outset. Much like the last match, Delhi lost an early wicket, after which Kohli took centre stage, playing his trademark drives and cuts while rotating the strike. The former India captain reached his half-century in just 29 deliveries and was looking for another hundred…

Australia pacer Michael Neser opened up about his terrific all-round performance on the opening day of the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne. Playing in his first Boxing Day Test, it was a day to remember for Neser. The Queenslander first top-scored for Australia with 35 as they were bowled out for 152, before returning as the team’s best bowler with four wickets on a pitch that produced 20 wickets. At 35, Neser made his first Boxing Day appearance, and he was overwhelmed to be living the dream. “It’s unreal. I dreamt of this as a kid,” Neser said after play…

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has voiced his disagreement with the inclusion of Jhye Richardson, saying Brendan Doggett deserved to play in the ongoing fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne. On Thursday, Australia named their playing XII, which included Richardson, Doggett and Michael Neser. Of the three, Richardson and Neser were selected, leaving Doggett out. Doggett has played two Tests and taken four wickets, with best figures of 3/51. Even with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood sidelined, Doggett was overlooked by the selectors, a decision that left Clarke unhappy. “Our bowling stocks are so strong, and one of the great things…

Former chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar has questioned the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee for dropping Yashasvi Jaiswal from the World Cup squad. When India won the T20 World Cup in 2024, Jaiswal was part of the squad as a reserve batter. However, he has been overlooked since then. Jaiswal last played T20Is in Sri Lanka in July 2024. His last five T20I scores read 93, 12, 40, 30 and 10, all as an opener. Before the squad announcement, Jaiswal played three matches for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The southpaw scored 145 runs in three innings, which included a…

Former England captain Michael Atherton reckons that the decision to drop an “insecure” Ollie Pope was the right call, while highlighting how things have started to fall apart during Brendon McCullum’s time as head coach. Once a vital cog in the team, Pope was stripped of his vice-captaincy duties before the start of the Ashes. Despite being inconsistent throughout his career, he was backed by the team in the number three position. However, he failed to deliver, scoring only 125 runs in the first three Ashes Tests. His average in the series — 20.83 — is the second-lowest for any…

Australian stand-in skipper Steven Smith has opted to play a full-pronged pace attack in the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne, starting on December 26. The hosts opted to play four front-line seamers, which led to Nathan Lyon being left out for the second Test in Brisbane. For the upcoming Boxing Day Test, Michael Neser and Jhye Richardson have been named in the probable XII. There is likely to be a toss-up between the two, as Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett are expected to retain their spots. In the three Tests so far, the fast bowlers have dominated the…