And are Geoff and Mitch Marsh the only father and son to win World Cups?

Steven Lynch28-Nov-2023I noticed that ten of Virat Kohli’s 50 ODI centuries have come against Sri Lanka. Is this the most by anyone against one opponent? asked Malcolm Anderson from England

That’s a good spot, as it is indeed the record: apart from Virat Kohli against the long-suffering Sri Lankans, no one has scored as many as ten centuries against the same opposition in one-day internationals. Kohli has also scored nine against West Indies, and the previous overall record-holder Sachin Tendulkar made nine against Australia. Tendulkar also hit eight hundreds against Sri Lanka, while Kohli and Rohit Sharma currently have eight against Australia.The Test record is held by Don Bradman, with 19 centuries against England. Sunil Gavaskar made 13 against West Indies, and Jack Hobbs 12 against Australia; Steve Smith currently has 12 against England.In women’s ODIs, Australia’s Meg Lanning scored six centuries against New Zealand, while the England pair of Tammy Beaumont and Nat Sciver-Brunt have made four against South Africa and Australia respectively.I noticed that Shadab Kabir played three ODIs for Pakistan and was out for a duck each time. Has anyone else done this (or done even worse? asked Riaz Siddique from Pakistan

The unfortunate Shadab Kabir played three ODIs in September 1996, bagging a duck against England at Trent Bridge and two more against India in Canada. He didn’t bowl, and held only one catch – but he did finish up with a Man-of-the-Match award. Perhaps we should really say that he shared an award, as the entire Pakistan team was given the award for a good all-round display in his debut match at Trent Bridge!Two other men started their ODI careers with three ducks – Nicholas de Groot of Canada during the 2003 World Cup, and Ireland’s Peter Gillespie in 2006. De Groot made 11 in his fourth match, and Gillespie (who had been dismissed third ball, second and first) finally got off the mark with two in his fifth and last game, after not batting in the fourth.A left-hander, Kabir did score some runs in Tests. He won five caps, and his 148 runs included 55 against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2001-02. In first-class cricket, Kabir made 11 centuries, the highest his 176 for Karachi Port Trust against Sui Northern Gas in a Patron’s Trophy match in Peshawar in 2003-04.Are Geoff and Mitchell Marsh the only father and son to win the World Cup?asked Kelly Livingstone from Australia

Geoff Marsh was part of the Australian side which caused something of an upset by winning the 1987 World Cup. Marsh scored 24 as they beat England by just seven runs in the final in Kolkata.Geoff’s son Mitchell Marsh was out for 15 as his side made a hesitant start to their chase in the recent World Cup final in Ahmedabad, but it all came out right in the end for the Australians, enabling Marsh to complete this unique family double. Actually he already had a winners’ medal, as he was part of the squad that won at home in 2015, although he didn’t play in the final against New Zealand after appearing in three of the group games.His brother Shaun Marsh played two matches in the 2019 World Cup, before a ball from Pat Cummins broke his forearm in the nets. For the full list of related ODI players, click here.Geoff Marsh played the 1987 World Cup final, while his son, Mitchell, featured in the 2015 World Cup squad and played in the 2023 final•Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesIndia beat England by 100 runs in the World Cup even though they scored only 229 themselves. Was this some sort of record? asked Mohan Chowdhury from India

India’s 229 for 9 against England in Lucknow was the second-lowest total to result in a win by 100 runs or more in a World Cup match: South Africa (225 for 7) beat England (103) by 122 runs at The Oval in 1999. The lowest total in any one-day international that resulted in a win by 100 runs or more remains England’s 171 at Edgbaston in 1977 – they then bowled Australia out for 70. That was the match in which both Greg Chappell (5 for 20) and Gary Cosier (5 for 18) took five wickets for Australia, still the only time this has happened in an ODI.Don Bradman took two wickets in his Test career. Is it true that he dismissed the same batter both times? asked Mustafa Al Sharif from the United Arab Emirates

I’ve answered loads of questions on here about Don Bradman’s batting – see above for a start – but I can’t remember very many about his bowling! Bradman very occasionally sent down some optimistic legbreaks. He bowled in only nine Test innings, his most famous spell arguably coming at The Oval in 1938, when he badly injured his ankle during his brief spell and couldn’t bat. It’s said that England’s captain Wally Hammond only called a halt at 903 for 7 after he’d been assured the Don would not be able to go in.Bradman did take two wickets in Tests, as you said, but they weren’t the same person. In Adelaide in 1930-31 , he trapped the West Indies wicketkeeper Ivan Barrow lbw for 27. Bradman’s second victim, two seasons later in Adelaide again, was none other than the aforementioned Hammond, who missed a full toss and was bowled for 85. It didn’t matter much overall – England went on to a 338-run win and took a 2-1 lead in the Bodyline series – but Hammond was furious at getting out to his rival, who had supplanted him as the leading batter in the world.In all first-class cricket Bradman took 36 wickets, with a best performance of 3 for 35 for the Australian tourists against Cambridge University at Fenner’s in 1930. He took three more wickets in the second innings, finishing with match figures of 6 for 103.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

He has been Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in 2023, but has just two wickets at an average of 63 so far this World Cup

Mohammad Isam17-Oct-2023As Bangladesh gear up to face India in Pune in their fourth match of the 2023 World Cup, there are two things that they will be keenly looking at: what speeds Taskin Ahmed clocks, and what lengths he hits.With just two wickets in three games at an average of 63 and an economy rate of 6.30, Taskin has been completely off-colour so far in the World Cup. His pace has been down and his lengths short, an issue that has been recognised both by the team management and his bowling coaches.Arguably one of Bangladesh’s most improved bowlers in the last few years, Taskin has delivered with such consistency that the rest of the bowling attack – fast bowlers and spinners – has operated with a certain degree of comfort. But having started off the World Cup sedately, his fellow fast-bowling colleagues Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam have had to pick up the pace so to speak, while captain Shakib Al Hasan has provided most of the breakthroughs.Related

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Just the fact that Taskin hasn’t bowled his full quota of ten overs in any of the three matches comes as a surprise given his recent stature in the attack. He came into the World Cup as Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs in 2023, with 21 strikes in ten innings at 16.85 following up on a strong 2022 and 2021, where he was among the wickets consistently.Taskin’s importance to the national team can be underlined by the fact that the BCB, fearing any risk of injuries, denied him the NOC to participate in the IPL last year and two more T20 franchise tournaments this year.But things haven’t come together for the 28-year-old in the World Cup thus far. The key to that could be in his lengths. Before the start of the tournament, 60.47% of Taskin’s deliveries in the first powerplay in 2023 pitched outside off either on a length, short of a good length or on a full length. But in the World Cup, Taskin hasn’t bowled enough in the first powerplay, and in the little that he has, his short balls outside off stump have been dealt with easily.Khaled Mahmud, Bangladesh’s team director, said that they have had a discussion with Taskin regarding the drop in pace and the shortened lengths.Taskin Ahmed has managed just two wickets in three games so far this World Cup•Getty Images”We have spoken about it, and Taskin is already working on it,” Mahmud said. “It will be fixed. We have been telling him this. I have a video on the phone. I spoke to him, but Allan [Donald, the bowling coach] takes care of it. We had a plan to bowl short against some teams. But he will come back, I am sure. The pace too was down. I think there was a bit of overwork, so we have given them a break. We want them to come back refreshed.”When it comes to the game against India, Taskin should certainly avoid going short to Rohit Sharma. The India captain has already hammered five sixes against seven short balls in the World Cup, striking at over 400. And it is something Taskin knows all too well. Rohit has a strike rate of 200 against Taskin’s short deliveries in ODIs. However, the same set of data also shows that Rohit has a hard time getting Taskin away when the bowler sticks to length balls.Ultimately, it is any length that’s not too short where Taskin has usually succeeded. It is also true that Bangladesh targeted the Afghanistan batters with quick short balls in the first game, which ultimately helped Shoriful and Mustafizur. It wasn’t a tactic they used against England and New Zealand, though.Taskin’s most effective wicket-taking delivery since the start of 2021 has been the one that holds its length without any movement, bowled at times with the wobble seam. That delivery has fetched him 28 wickets at an average of 26.89, while the offcutter has given him ten wickets at 19.9 during the same period. But Taskin hasn’t been able to do much damage with either type of delivery in the World Cup.Taskin Ahmed has been Bangladesh’s most dependable bowler in 2023•Associated PressMahbub Ali Zaki, the fast-bowling coach who helped Taskin through two tough periods in the last seven years, said that he did notice the drop in pace, but expects Taskin to bounce back quickly.”I have been following Taskin, definitely,” Zaki said. “The pace seems to be slightly down. If you compare his bowling in the World Cup with the New Zealand series last year, I feel that the intent is missing. But when you have worked with a top-class player like Taskin, you will have the highest expectation. He will have his pace up. He will beat their bat. He will take wickets. That’s what we can expect from them.”Taskin’s previous experience with a drop in pace is not a happy one. Six years ago, during Bangladesh’s tour of South Africa, his speeds were consistently on the decline. It was quickly identified that he wasn’t fit enough, and then during the Nidahas Trophy a few months later, he ultimately lost his spot in the team. Lack of pace was again the problem, and it kept him out for around three years.Mahmud’s point that a bit of rest in Pune could recharge Taskin could be crucial. His coach Zaki also believes that “fatigue could be a factor” in his reduced pace. It is now up to Taskin to regather his wits and re-calibrate his bowling, for a lot of Bangladesh’s success hinges on how he goes.

Scorchers’ route has just become difficult – they face Strikers at home first, and if they win they have to play either Heat or Sixers away

Tristan Lavalette17-Jan-2024When Laurie Evans signed off from the BBL season, having smashed 72 off 34 balls, he received a standing ovation from a rowdy 33,412 Optus Stadium crowd in the mood for celebrating.Moments later, Cooper Connolly and Nick Hobson – the unexpected heroes from Perth Scorchers’ epic title victory last season, achieved with a win over Brisbane Heat – pummelled a ragged Sydney Sixers attack to lift the defending champions to a mighty score of 197 for 4. It was Scorchers’ second-highest total of the season and they appeared set to continue a recent domination of Sixers, who had won just once from five matches on the harder and bouncier Optus Stadium surface.The confidence on the parochial west coast seemed justified with the prevailing feeling that Scorchers would clinch the all-important second spot and then knock over top-placed Heat in the Qualifier before once again staging another final at their home fortress.Related

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But, by the end of an astonishing match, with endless twists and turns in the latest chapter of a remarkable rivalry, Scorchers were left stunned by a brilliant chase led by opener Daniel Hughes and finished calmly by skipper Moises Henriques.The normally heaving Optus Stadium was reduced to silence with Scorchers’ bid for a historic hat-trick of titles having to go through a much more difficult route. Scorchers face surging Adelaide Strikers in the knockout final at home on Saturday, and if they get through that will have to play either Heat or Sixers on the road.The result means Scorchers will not host the final. Before losing to Sixers, Scorchers had won 17 of their last 18 matches at home. It’s a result that has provided a tonic for their rivals.”It’s so hard to come here and win, especially for a semi-final or final, which is what we don’t have to do now,” Hughes said. “We don’t have to come back to Perth to win the competition, so that was a big motivation for us.”

“We’re looking forward to seeing what he can do. I would imagine that he’ll come in on Saturday. And hopefully he can have an impact”Adam Voges on the returning Marcus Harris

Scorchers’ title defence has undoubtedly been rocked, but this veteran group has overcome significant hurdles in their previous title runs. They spent almost all of BBL 11 on the road due to Covid-19 restrictions and last season were hit hard by injuries and withdrawals, including losing Evans, who had his contract terminated following a positive drugs test.”I thought we batted beautifully… it [the target] was above par and they had to bat exceptionally well to chase it down. And that’s what they did,” Scorchers coach Adam Voges said. “It’s taken a pretty special performance and the last ball of the game [to beat us].”We’re disappointed. But we know our fate now.”Like the other finals teams, Scorchers have been impacted by a clash with the upcoming ILT20 in the UAE. Evans, who hit 292 runs at 58.4 with a strike rate of 189.61 this season, took the flight for Dubai on Wednesday morning and left a major hole in a middle-order that will continue to be without injured skipper Ashton Turner.Laurie Evans’ departure – for the ILT20 – could hurt the Scorchers batting•Getty ImagesScorchers’ batting resources might be further stretched with opener Steve Eskinazi undergoing scans after retiring hurt early in his innings following a blow to his knuckles.It points to late signing Marcus Harris being an almost certain call-up against Strikers. Having recently missed out on a Test recall, Harris returns after playing 14 matches for Scorchers from 2014-16.”With Marcus… he’s played with us before. He knows the conditions, the players, and he’s fit in seamlessly already,” Voges said. “That was a big part of the decision-making to bring someone in who knows our group and we know him pretty well.”We’re looking forward to seeing what he can do. I would imagine that he’ll come in on Saturday. And hopefully he can have an impact.”Having loaded up on bowling for much of the season, Scorchers reverted to stocking up their batting by including Hobson for their last two games. Hobson has grabbed his opportunities with powerful late hitting against Heat and Sixers, but Scorchers were exposed with the ball during an unusually sloppy performance from their frontline quicks.Matt Kelly could be drafted back in to the Scorchers XI for the finals•Getty ImagesScorchers might be tempted to recall seamer Matt Kelly, who has been a reliable option over the years. He has missed the entire domestic season so far due to a quad injury, but has recovered and is available for selection.”We’ve got Matt Kelly sitting on the sidelines and ready to go, so we can bring him in if we choose to,” Voges said. “It’s nice having that power-hitting that Nick Hobson has been able to provide for us, but we’ll sit down and just have a look at what things look like and come up with an eleven from that.”After their normally miserly quicks missed their lengths, especially speedster Lance Morris who leaked 48 runs from four overs, Scorchers face the daunting task of curbing Strikers captain Matthew Short.Short, who hit the most runs ever in a ten-match BBL regular season, blasted 76 not out and 74 against Scorchers this season with the teams splitting their pair of games. He looms as key in a game expected to attract 45,000 fans to Optus Stadium.”We need to make sure that we execute a bit better because he’s clearly the form player and best player in the competition at the moment,” Voges said. “He’ll be a big deciding factor on Saturday.”

Just eight points separating table-toppers Tasmania and fifth-placed South Australia, while bottom-of-the-ladder Queensland could still make a late push

Tristan Lavalette02-Feb-2024Tasmania (29.77 points)You’re forgiven if you’ve forgotten that Tasmania currently head the table narrowly ahead of two-time defending champions Western Australia.Tasmania finished fifth last season and haven’t won the Shield since 2012-13 when George Bailey was skipper and Ricky Ponting had a fitting farewell after his retirement from international cricket.But they were the surprise package in the first half of the season, highlighted by an incredible chase of 432 against Queensland at Bellerive Oval. After thrashing NSW by an innings, Tasmania were sitting clear on top until they lost the rematch when they were routed for just 68 chasing 143 on a treacherous SCG wicket.Tasmania will look to restart strongly against Queensland at the Gabba, but will be without injured quicks Nathan Ellis and Lawrence Neil-Smith, who has had a breakout season with 25 wickets at 23.72 including a ten-wicket haul against NSW at the SCG.Matthew Wade, who smashed a hundred in the chase against the Bulls, is being rested ahead of Australia’s T20I series against West Indies.Tasmania squad vs Queensland: Jordan Silk (capt), Gabe Bell, Iain Carlisle, Jake Doran, Jarrod Freeman, Bradley Hope, Caleb Jewell, Mitchell Owen, Samuel Rainbird, Billy Stanlake, Charlie Wakim, Tim Ward, Beau WebsterAaron Hardie’s absence could hurt Western Australia•Getty ImagesWestern Australia (28.22)A short-handed WA started their title defence with an innings thrashing of Victoria in a rematch of last season’s final. It was an ominous statement to the competition, but things have become tougher since with WA only winning two of their next five matches.Both were against South Australia, including escaping with a two-wicket win at the WACA. Much like Perth Scorchers in the BBL, WA have felt vulnerable in their quest for a hat-trick of Shield titles and there have been signs of slippage.WA will be without Australia ODI squad members Josh Inglis, Lance Morris and Aaron Hardie, who has enjoyed a superb Shield season with averages of 45.5 with the bat and 21.45 with the ball. Jhye Richardson also remains absent due to his side strain.WA will test their depth against NSW at the WACA as they look to exact revenge after copping a ten-wicket thrashing at the SCG in their only defeat this season. Cameron Green won’t play against NSW due to his Australia commitments, but after the ODI series, he is set to play in the Shield in preparation for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.Fergus O’Neill has had a breakout season•Getty ImagesWestern Australia squad vs New South Wales: Sam Whiteman (capt), Cameron Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin, Liam Haskett, Matthew Kelly, Joel Paris, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Charlie Stobo, Teague WyllieVictoria (26.12)After starting the season with two massive defeats, last season’s runners-up Victoria slowly found form and a tense 23-run away victory against South Australia kept them near the top of the table.The teams will renew their rivalry at the Junction Oval, but one-time Test opener Will Pucovski has been ruled out after experiencing delayed concussion symptoms after a blow to the head in a second XI game last week.In better news for Victoria, wicketkeeper Sam Harper has been cleared to play after suffering a horrific head injury at a Melbourne Stars’ training session in the later stages of the BBL.Captain Will Sutherland and batting allrounder Matt Short are unavailable after being included in Australia’s ODI squad. Nic Maddinson has been named to play his first Shield game of the season after missing the early part of the summer due to a knee injury, while veteran seamer Scott Boland also returns.There will be a lot of attention on rising quick Fergus O’Neill, who was a standout before the break with 21 wickets at 17.57.Victoria squad vs South Australia: Peter Handscomb (capt), Scott Boland, Xavier Crone, Sam Elliott, Marcus Harris, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Nic Maddinson, Jon Merlo, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Mitch Perry, Tom RogersNathan Lyon has been given a break•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesNew South Wales (21.59)After a winless bottom-placed finish last season, NSW appeared set for more misery but wins against WA and Tasmania have revived their campaign.The Blues reverted to youth and it paid off as they rose in the ladder to be within striking distance of an unexpected finals spot. NSW face a tough challenge first up in Perth, where they’ve struggled over the years to handle the WACA’s pace and bounce.Emerging batter Sam Konstas is unavailable due to the Under-19 World Cup, but NSW will be bolstered by experienced batter Daniel Hughes and allrounder Jack Edwards, who both starred for Sydney Sixers in the BBL. Nathan Lyon won’t line up against WA after a hectic Test summer.New South Wales squad vs Western Australia: Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hackney, Liam Hatcher, Moises Henriques (capt), Daniel Hughes, Blake Macdonald, Blake Nikitaras, Jack Nisbet, Chris TremainNathan McSweeney continues to be one of the best batters in the Shield•Getty ImagesSouth Australia (21.41)If South Australia’s Shield drought extends to a 28th season, they might just rue agonising defeats to WA and Victoria. But the Redbacks did celebrate a remarkable three-run win against Queensland in a first half of the season that tested their nerves.After five consecutive wooden spoons, South Australia lifted off the bottom last season and they’ve continued to show signs of improvement with two outright victories so far this season.Head coach Jason Gillespie is seemingly getting the best out of his squad with the hierarchy’s decision to focus on luring fringe players from other states paying dividends.Nathan McSweeney continues to be one of the best batters in the Shield and sits behind only Cameron Bancroft on this season’s run-scorers’ list, while the Redbacks boast a formidable pace attack led by Nathan McAndrew, who has taken 30 wickets at an average of 19.20.But they will be without explosive young batter Jake Fraser-McGurk, who is set to make his international debut in the ODI series against West Indies. He made his first Shield century with a typically belligerent knock against Victoria before the break.South Australia squad vs Victoria: Jake Lehmann (capt), Nathan McSweeney, Wes Agar, Jordan Buckingham, Jake Carder, Brendan Doggett, Henry Hunt, Thomas Kelly, Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Liam ScottQueensland will miss Xavier Bartlett, who made his ODI debut on Friday•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesQueensland (15.12)Queensland need to make up ground quickly having fallen away since their innings victory against Victoria in round two. But the stunning BBL triumph of Brisbane Heat – a team built around a core of Bulls players – might just provide the spark needed for Queensland to turn things around in the longer format.Queensland have selected opener Angus Lovell to make his Shield debut against Tasmania, while veteran batter Ben McDermott returns with Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne absent.Seamer Xavier Bartlett is unavailable after making a spectacular international debut against West Indies in Friday’s ODI at the MCG.Queensland squad vs Tasmania: Jimmy Peirson (capt), Joe Burns, Jack Clayton, Liam Guthrie, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Gurinder Sandhu, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Jack Wildermuth

The fast bowler does not entertain the thought that overseas players’ unavailability is diminishing PSL’s allure

Danyal Rasool21-Feb-2024Shaheen Shah Afridi’s early rise has been meteoric, but for anyone who’d watched him through his early years, not necessarily surprising. The franchise that helped him burst onto the scene has seen its fortunes blossom in tandem with their captain’s, but viewers of the early seasons will tell you there was nothing inevitable about that.”When, in any country or franchise, local players play in a team, that side does very well,” Afridi tells ESPNcricinfo. “I think that’s the biggest secret. When Lahore Qalandars started the PDP [Player Development Programme], we found players from all over the country. Sameen , Atif [the owners] and Aqib [Javed, head coach] worked very hard and they gave LQ and Pakistan very good players. There are more coming through this year. The local players who were given opportunities performed and won matches for Pakistan, and that was a huge deal for us.”There’s a frequent misconception Afridi emerged onto the scene through the Qalandars’ PDP. Though this is technically untrue – he was within the system and played an Under-19 World Cup for Pakistan before his first game with the Qalandars – it is with the PSL franchise that he emerged onto wider Pakistani consciousness. He would bowl perhaps the greatest PSL spell in history, figures of 3.4-1-4-5 snapping a six-match losing streak, and launching a career that barely looked back since. In Afridi’s words, Lahore “gave me a platform”.Related

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It is a platform he’s put to good use. He was appointed Qalandars captain two years earlier, and led his side to the title both years, turning the franchise from the least successful in the PSL to the most. We’re speaking on the eve of the start of the ninth season. He simply smiles and offers an insouciant “why not” when the topic of three in a row comes up, a feat achieved only by Jaffna Kings in all of T20 franchise-league history.Some of that optimism may have been dented by two defeats to start the season, but the format of the competition means there’s enough time before any franchise runs out of road. “We’ll try and maintain the process we’ve kept that has made us successful and try to repeat it. We’ve retained a core group of eight players or so who’ve won the title twice, and we understand what our process is and our plans are. Everyone’s ready and hopeful, and the local players are strong.”It is a theme – the local core – Afridi is keen to return to. Qalandars do have a streak of continuity running through their squad which often tends to be indicative of a franchise in good health. Fakhar Zaman has been with Qalandars since the outset, and Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan and Afridi are staple members of the side, and have all played significant roles in their title triumphs over the last few years.In a year like this, it’s fairly handy to have a skipper who sincerely believes this. The PSL has been hit by overseas players’ unavailability, partially down to the financial heft of the ILT20 (where Afridi signed a bumper three-year deal) and the SA20, which have squeezed the PSL into a tighter window and made competition for player access much fiercer. The overseas roster this year is a shadow of what it was when the PSL was at its zenith; Qalandars alone boast Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, Chris Lynn and AB de Villiers among their former players. This year, Qalandars’ biggest star Rashid Khan pulled out as he nurses his return from a back injury in a bid to be fit for the IPL in April.Shaheen Shah Afridi says Qalandars gave him a “platform”•PCBAfridi, though, has little time for any insinuation the league might not be as globally appealing as it used to be. “No, no,” he says dismissively before the question is even fully put. “I don’t understand this criticism,” he says. “People say big players not coming here affects the league. But look at our local players. When they go to an overseas league, they’re the biggest names in those leagues. Whenever the boys have gone abroad for a league, their value was the highest. We have to respect and value the local players in our league, and if we do that, our league’s prominence will continue to rise. Players from abroad may have their own reasons for not coming, but the local players have huge value and deserve respect.”Perhaps it goes back to Qalandars’ local core, and the sharp shift in philosophy from those bleak, early seasons. In the early years, the side went for the flashiest overseas player available, facilitated by the first pick they always had by dint of finishing bottom the previous year. Gayle, Lynn, McCullum and de Villiers were largely unable to light up the side’s fortunes. In recent years, it is the Pakistan players who have taken centre stage at the franchise, with crafty overseas picks such as David Wiese, Tim David and even Rashid subsumed into the collective instead of overshadowing it altogether.Afridi concedes the Afghan legspinner is a colossal miss. “Rashid walks into any team. No doubt he’s a class bowler and we’ll miss him. But our team’s bowling is very good. The struggles we faced in early seasons mainly came with the bat, and we didn’t score enough runs in the middle order. In the last two years, our batting order’s done very well. It’s a team effort and the boys back each other, and give each other the confidence to perform well. The team has gelled together nicely.”His success with the franchise has also seen him gain a promotion in the national side. Late last year, when Babar Azam reluctantly quit as captain in all three formats, Afridi was chosen to replace him in T20Is. It was a role he says he hadn’t even contemplated until former Pakistan captain Imran Khan advised him to take up the captaincy. Afridi has made little secret of his adulation for Imran. “It is very hard to say no to Imran ,” he smiles, the mood lightening as he recalls that memory.Any wholesomeness, as Afridi will know, can evaporate quickly when the carnival-like atmosphere of a T20 league is replaced by the intense, stifling scrutiny international cricket places on a captain. He took up the reins of a dressing room which was less than united just after a Test tour of Australia which Pakistan had lost 3-0, with Afridi himself getting significant criticism for sitting out of the final Test. He then lost his first series in charge, New Zealand sweeping the first four games in a routine 4-1 victory.Shaheen Shah Afridi: I know I can still bowl 140 or 145, but you have to do everything when the time is right•Getty ImagesAfridi wants to warn against reading too much into that performance though, insisting there’s no step up from franchise to international captaincy. “I don’t think there’s any difference,” he says. “If anything, Pakistan cricket captaincy is slightly easier because the boys have played together, all through the domestic circuit together as well. We can express ourselves in our own language and understand our role. In franchise cricket, you have players from overseas, and you work with different coaches. That can get tricky, but in Pakistan cricket there’s greater familiarity.”Afridi speaks with disarming candour about how little he knew about captaincy before taking on the role, but at the same time, believes there is more to it than granular details like tactics and match-ups. “When I wasn’t captain, I didn’t know a lot of things. Some so them are so basic I don’t even want to tell you about them,” he laughs.”When you’re a bowler you only focus on yourself and your bowling. When you’re captain, the 11 who play and the five sitting on the bench are all your players. You have to treat them as individuals, talk to them all and keep a friendly atmosphere. You even have a responsibility to conduct yourself in a particular way with the coaching staff, because you’re all pursuing the same goals. You have a short period of time and you have to be like a family during this time. The more united you are, the better the chance you give yourself to win.”We don’t put extra pressure on any player, and no player in our side is allowed to place additional pressure on any other player or try to intimidate them. Because everyone has the skills.”Afridi was keen to ensure he didn’t overwork himself before the PSL started. While he was contracted to the ILT20, he played the first five games with the Desert Vipers before returning and taking “ten days completely off from cricket”.While visibly weary of the lingering questions around his pace, Afridi says bowling every ball at over 145kph is “not a way any bowler bowls” in T20 cricket.”I know I can still bowl 140 or 145, but you have to do everything when the time is right. In T20 cricket, no bowler bowls 140-plus as their average ball. In T20 cricket, you only need to bowl three or four balls at express pace. There are a lot of slower balls, variations, and the like. I have never felt my pace has dipped. I know I can bowl 140 or 145. I’m still fit and young, just 23.”The PSL arrives as a welcome distraction for Pakistan•AFP/Getty ImagesYou don’t have to be particularly worldly to know there’s a lot more going on in Pakistan than just a T20 league. The country is currently in the grips of a severe economic crisis, aggravated by a bitter political atmosphere that culminated in a general election earlier this month marred by widespread allegations of rigging from around the world. There is no sign yet that either the economic pinch or the political deadlock will cease anytime soon.”The way the country’s situation is,” Afridi says vaguely before breaking off the sentence altogether. He clearly feels passionately about the subject. So he tries again, trying to balance it with the responsibility he has as one of the biggest draws of the PSL. “The PSL and cricket is something that makes people happy. Elections just got over, so I’m hopeful the crowds turn up and support cricket.”Few would begrudge Pakistan getting the brief distraction it needs so badly at the moment. And over the years, Afridi at the PSL has been more than happy to oblige.

Former West Indies selector Roland Butcher was part of the panel who plucked out the young quick bowler

Andrew McGlashan02-Feb-2024One of the first people involved in West Indies cricket to set eyes on Shamar Joseph has recalled the excitement at seeing him bowl.Roland Butcher, who played international cricket for England, was a West Indies selector until earlier this year and was present at various stages through Joseph’s rapid rise which made global headlines with his 7 for 68 at the Gabba to bowl West Indies to a famous eight-run win despite an injured toe.It was last year at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua that Butcher was convinced they had found a special talent. He quickly took his thoughts back to fellow selector Desmond Haynes and the wheels were set in motion.Related

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“I immediately saw this guy bowling and thought, wow, this guy has got talent,” Butcher told ESPNcricinfo. “Went back to the hotel and sat down with Desmond and said, I saw a boy today who I believe is what we’ve been looking for. He’s the real material as a fast bowler.”Joseph took a five-wicket haul in his second first-class match and then earned a place on the A tour to South Africa where he claimed 12 wickets in two games. But even before then, Butcher had his eyes on the Australia tour.”What I saw was a guy with great athletic ability,” he said. “He’s not a big lad, but he’s strong and extremely fit. You could see that in him then, and once he started playing for Guyana, you saw the easy run up and the pace and the areas that he bowled. He’s not a guy who is all over the place. He bowls good areas but at serious pace.”It surprised us all that he’s done it so quickly but we always believed he had the talent. We took a chance, a calculated risk. I believed Australia was the perfect place for him to play because the pitches obviously favour fast bowling but you still need to know how to bowl there.

We knew his capabilities but don’t think we expected that sort of impact. How can you?Roland Butcher

“What you saw in Australia is what he did in that first game. The same lengths, movement, pace, everything you saw he did in the first game.”Butcher and Joseph had first crossed paths a couple of years earlier at a cricket clinic in Berbice, Guyana, when he and Andy Roberts had been invited to visit by the local board.”We had a long conversation. I saw him and realised he had talent,” Butcher recalled. “We spoke about it, I said listen, you have a lot of talent and I believe if you get serious about the game I know what could happen.”Then during the Super50 last year in Trinidad he came and sat down and said do you remember when you spoke with me about taking the game seriously. Then he said, six to eight months later he decided to take it serious.”Shamar Joseph sustained his pace throughout his matchwinning spell•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesAlthough Butcher’s contract as a selector has ended, the pair kept in regular contact during the Australia tour with Butcher passing on advice about bowling in the conditions.”He’s not a bang it into the pitch bowler,” he said. “We talked about not getting carried away with the bounce and bowling a fuller length and about being quicker through the air.”They were all attributes on display at the Gabba where he continually challenged the defence of the Australia batters and was still getting movement with the pink ball as it grew older. His stamina, too, stood out as he touched 150kph deep into the matchwinning spell.”We knew his capabilities but don’t think we expected that sort of impact. How can you? The impact he’s had is unreal,” Butcher said. “What he has achieved is unbelievable. From his background, what he had to do…he’s one of the most natural athletes I’ve seen for a long time.”You have to remember where he came from. You must have real love for the game and serious desire to play in a place where there’s hardly any cricket, hardly any facilities, a very difficult place to get to. The support he got from within his village, he must have had huge desire to be a cricketer.”The story has already shifted to what happens next for Joseph. He has T20 league deals (an ILT20 stint has been curtailed by the toe injury) but has committed to always being available for West Indies. Their next Test series is against England in July.”I talk to him about things happening quickly, the type of people he needs around him to handle this kind of thing,” Butcher said. “That will be key now in terms of him getting good advice. He’s got a strong family background, so I have no doubts he won’t get carried away. He’s the catalyst for dragging that young team forward.”

Does Pant walk back into the ODI setup? Will Rahul lead in the 50-over format? A look at the big questions facing India’s selectors ahead of Wednesday’s meeting

Shashank Kishore16-Jul-20242:36

How do India rebuild their T20I side under Gambhir?

Will Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah play the Sri Lanka ODIs?

In his role as a media professional, new India head coach Gautam Gambhir has previously been critical of senior players resting between high-profile assignments. But with India slated to play 10 Tests from September to January (five at home and five in Australia, all part of the 2023-25 WTC cycle) there is a possibility that Rohit, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah will be rested for the Sri Lanka ODIs, leaving the selectors to pick a new 50-overs captain as well.

Is KL Rahul the obvious choice as stand-in ODI captain?

KL Rahul stood in as captain when India last played ODIs, in South Africa last December. If fully fit, Rahul is likely to return to ODI setup as a middle-order batter at the very least, if not as a wicketkeeper too – a role he performed during India’s run to the 2023 World Cup final. There’s also familiarity between Rahul and Gambhir, the pair having worked together as captain-coach previously at Lucknow Super Giants.KL Rahul and Sanju Samson are both contenders to take the gloves in the Sri Lanka ODIs•BCCIHowever, there could be a consideration made for Shubman Gill, who incidentally just led India to the 4-1 T20I series win in Zimbabwe. Over the past year, Gill has become a dominant force in ODIs – he’s the second-highest run-getter worldwide in the format since the start of 2023.Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma might extend their break to the Sri Lanka ODIs•BCCIWhether Rishabh Pant, for the first time since his accident in December 2022, returns to the ODI setup and takes the gloves will be another big call for the Agarkar-led committee to make. Rahul aside, they also have a formidable wicketkeeping option in Sanju Samson, who struck his maiden international century in India’s most-recent ODI, against South Africa late last year. Samson’s overall ODI numbers are laudable – he has three half-centuries and a century in 14 innings (average 56.66), while scoring at nearly a run-a-ball (strike rate 99.60).

What about Shreyas Iyer?

Shreyas Iyer lost his BCCI central contract this February, seemingly for failing to prioritise domestic cricket by not turning up for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. Iyer cited persistent back trouble, which “no one was agreeing with”, as one of the reasons for that. However, since then Iyer has turned things around by leading Kolkata Knight Riders to their first IPL triumph in ten years. Iyer has a prolific ODI record too – he was India’s third highest-run scorer in the 50-overs World Cup, behind Rohit and Kohli, hitting 530 runs in 11 innings including two hundreds and three fifties. He also hit the second-most sixes in the tournament.Shreyas Iyer had a fantastic ODI World Cup before he ran into contract issues•AFP/Getty Images

Who from the Zimbabwe series could find a look-in in Sri Lanka?

With Rohit likely to rest, Yashasvi Jaiswal has made a strong pitch to earn a maiden ODI cap. Jaiswal, a reserve opener in India’s T20 World Cup winning squad, struck a 53-ball 93 last week in Harare to seal the T20I series against Zimbabwe.Ravindra Jadeja’s T20I retirement could pave way for Washington Sundar’s inclusion. Washington is coming off a Player of the Series winning performance in Zimbabwe; he finished the series with eight wickets in five matches at an economy of 5.16.Abhishek Sharma, who struck a maiden T20I ton in only his second international innings, and Ruturaj Gaikwad could be picked as reserve openers for the T20Is and ODIs respectively.