Author: Vaibhav Tripathi

What was expected to be a closely fought contest between two top sides ended up being a rather one-sided affair as India outplayed England to take revenge for the 2022 semi-final defeat and advance to the final of the T20 World Cup for the third time. Batting first, India faced early setbacks with the losses of Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant. However, Rohit Sharma, in exceptional form this tournament, played a captain’s knock and forged a crucial 73-run partnership for the third wicket with Suryakumar Yadav. This stand laid the foundation for a strong finish. Late flourishes from Hardik Pandya,…

Who would have imagined at the start of the World Cup that Rahmanullah Gurbaz would emerge as the leading run-scorer, or that Afghanistan’s opening pair would be the most successful duo, outshining the likes of Kohli-Rohit, Head-Warner, and Buttler-Salt? Likewise, who could have predicted Afghanistan’s victories over New Zealand and Australia to secure a spot in the semi-finals? All odds have been defied at this year’s World Cup. Certain stories resonate deeply because they redefine the boundaries of passion and improvement. Afghanistan’s journey in this tournament is one such story. It has been a collective effort from the Afghan team.…

The outcome of this match hinged on which team could fare better with the bat. On a tough Kingstown pitch, Afghanistan managed to post a target of 115, which, at the halfway mark, looked below par. However, the Afghanistan bowlers displayed remarkable spirit, defending the total despite the ball getting wet due to multiple rain spells. Although Litton Das fought hard for a Bangladesh win, he lacked support from the other batters. There was drama all around, but in the end, Australia and Bangladesh are out, and Afghanistan have reached the semi-finals of an ICC event for the first time.…

Heading into the game against Australia, India only needed to avoid a heavy defeat to secure a semi-final spot. They exceeded expectations by winning their sixth consecutive match in this T20 World Cup, thereby advancing to the semi-finals as group toppers. After the match, India skipper Rohit Sharma reflected on his team’s impressive victory against the 2021 champions. “I think we adapted to the conditions really well, and it was about individuals doing their job. It was about getting wickets at the right time,” said Rohit. India will face the defending champions, England, on June 27, in Guyana. “We don’t…

Afghanistan will be watching the India-Australia match closely, hoping for an Indian victory, which would give them a golden chance to qualify for the T20 World Cup semi-finals. This scenario sets up a crucial Super Eight match against Bangladesh at Arnos Vale, St Vincent, on June 25. If India defeat Australia, the Afghans will enter their game against Bangladesh knowing that any victory will secure their spot in the semi-finals. Conversely, Bangladesh will also have a slim chance of advancing, provided India wins and they achieve a massive net run rate improvement. Afghanistan bolstered their semi-final hopes with a memorable…

England were dominant with both bat and ball. After dismissing a struggling USA batting line-up for a meager 115, via a Chris Jordan hat-trick, the defending champions chased down the target in less than 10 overs. Jos Buttler led the charge, blasting the USA bowlers all over the park to score an 83 off just 63 balls. The victory took England to the T20 World Cup semi-finals. The United States’ top-order began with aggressive intent, and despite losing a couple of wickets, they had a promising Powerplay. Andries Gous flicked a delivery off his pads from Reece Topley in the…

The last time Afghanistan faced Australia, history was made. Glenn Maxwell, hobbling on one leg, pulled off a miraculous run-chase in Mumbai last year in the ODI World Cup. On June 23, Sunday, Maxwell seemed destined for a similar performance. He raised his bat after reaching his fifty. The way he was striking the ball—clean and precise—suggested that Afghan hopes might once again be dashed. Just as it appeared that the game had slipped away from Afghanistan’s grasp, Gulbadin Naib, brought on as the eighth bowler, turned the match around by dismissing Maxwell. From a cricketing perspective, it was an…

The race for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 is intensifying with the Super 8 stage in full swing. With two games remaining in Group 2 of the Super Eight stage, the competition for the semi-final spots is largely a three-way battle. While the USA isn’t completely out of contention, they will need big wins to stay in the hunt. The first of these two crucial matches will feature the defending champions, England, against the co-hosts, USA, at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. England barely made it to the Super 8s, relying on a series of fortunate events. However, in…

Despite holding the top spot in the T20I rankings for a long time now, which is well-deserved, Suryakumar Yadav has often been labelled as a minnow basher on the big stage. Out of his five half-centuries at the T20 World Cup, four have come against lower-ranked teams such as the Netherlands, USA, Zimbabwe, and Afghanistan. He appeared to be India’s best batter in the last T20 World Cup in Australia. However, when it came to the big game, the semi-final against England, he managed only 14 runs. Criticism intensified against India’s best T20 batter following a tepid performance in the…

The best possible way for the USA to topple the West Indies was to take early wickets with the ball and chase down the target. That didn’t happen. The USA batters could only post 128 on the board, which was never going to be enough against a strong West Indies’ batting line-up. Early wickets could have turned the tide, but they failed to materialise, allowing the home side to chase down the target in under 11 overs. This victory was largely due to a sensational innings from Shai Hope, securing the West Indies their first win of the Super 8s…