60/2 in 8.3 overs. Nine runs to win. Eight wickets in hand. Our opponents are cruising.
The batter goes for a big hit the next ball, and against the run of play, Abdullah takes a spectacular one-handed running catch. Aravind has his first.
Another wicket falls. And then one more. We start to believe.
Pressure is palpable. Every dot is cheered. Plays and misses, oohs and aahs. We are locked in.
Wickets keep falling from both ends, and Aravind ends up with 5/12.
At 66/9, the last man standing is clean bowled. We sprint towards each other and celebrate in a huddle.
Disbelief. Chaos. Ecstasy. From 60/2 to 66 all out. We have actually pulled it off.
****
Last summer, I drove past the green hills of Elver Park and noticed people playing cricket.
At first, I brushed it off as a few friends playing casually, but I kept seeing different teams out there as the summer went on.
Around the same time, I had started playing soccer. A few months later, I took the leap of faith and officially joined a league.
Then one day, my brother asked me: “Bro, why are you playing soccer, which you have never played before, and not cricket?”
Fair question. So I reached out to the Madison Cricket Association and soon got a call from Prafull Bhai, the Challengers team captain, who invited me to join the team.
June 21st: My First Live Match
For six years, I have been writing about cricket. For most of my life, I have followed, analyzed, and blabbered about the sport wherever I go.
And yet, I had never once seen a professional cricket match from the stands.
That finally changed at Major League Cricket at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, where I watched Seattle Orcas vs LA Knight Riders. Great facility, wonderful ground, some free merch. Parking? That’s a story for another time.
Watching Sunil Narine and Andre Russell up close and listening to Robin Uthappa and Liam Plunkett on commentary just a few feet away was surreal. Later, Rovman Powell smashed five consecutive sixes. Not a bad way to top off the day.
I had a great conversation with Peter about American cricket and toward the end, he asked:
“So, Broken Dreams no more?”
“Almost,” I replied. “I still haven’t played an actual cricket match.”
Finally finally was able to see my first live cricket match. Broken Cricket Dreams no more!@MLCSeattleOrcas vs LA Knight Riders at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
Rovman Powell hit 5 sixes in a row 🔥There were a couple of Sunil Narine hooks, Unmukt Chand cover drives,… pic.twitter.com/LV1r2TEmFl
— Broken Cricket Dreams Cricket Blog (@cricket_broken) June 24, 2026
Fast forward to August, and it was finally time for my first match with the Challengers.
I came in at No. 6 with 64/4 on the board after 10.5 overs.
For the next couple of overs, I struggled to get the ball past the infield while being quasi-sledged by the opposition: “There’s pressure on him. Collapse coming soon.”
At the end of the over, our vice-captain Rana, who had earlier scored a quickfire 19 and was now the leg umpire, and Sujay, the rock of our batting lineup at the non-striker’s end, came over with some much-needed advice.
“Play with a free mind. Don’t worry. Loft the ball so they move the fielders outside the ring.”
Next ball, a low full toss came in. Over square leg. Four.
That shift in intent changed everything.
Next over, 4, 4, 4, 4, out.
For most of my life, my favorite innings had been an 8* in a match-winning chase when I was nine, batting at No. 3 for my school team in Mumbai.
Twenty years later, I finally had a new favorite innings.
Fielding, on the other hand, didn’t go quite as planned. I dropped three catches.
Thankfully, our disciplined bowling unit made sure we still won.
The lesson from the previous match was still fresh. The dismissal had haunted me the entire week.
This time, the goal was simple: do not throw away your wicket.
We were chasing 127 and had slipped to 48/5 when I came in.
I made 9 off 25 balls, coming in during the ninth over and staying until the 17th.
Ram played a handy knock at the other end, and we built a partnership. However, when it was finally time to accelerate, I could not quite get going, and we finished 35 runs short.
It was a gloomy Sunday afternoon, and we were in the field first. Rain started falling during the second half of the first innings. We went off and came back on a couple of times before they eventually completed their 20 overs and finished on 110.
Then the rain got heavier. The ground got wetter.
Surely, that was it? Not quite.
There were ground inspections. Talks of DLS. A possible five-over chase. Conference calls were made, rulebooks were checked. Even some words may have been exchanged.
We waited at the ground for more than an hour, right up until the cutoff time.
Eventually, the match was called off.
On a personal note, I finally took a catch. After dropping three in my first match, contributing to the team’s effort in the field felt good.
American philosopher Henry David Thoreau once wrote,
“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.”
This past week, I found myself shadow batting in the kitchen, visualizing match situations, practicing catches around the apartment, and watching AB de Villiers’ pull-shot videos on YouTube!
I had not been this invested in cricket in quite some time.
Somewhere along the way, cricket had begun to lose a little bit of its charm for me. Childhood icons retiring, ICC tournaments every year, and too much franchise cricket.
I was no longer following every series. Heck, I did not even realize the India-Sri Lanka Test series had started, let alone that players named Sonal and Saransh were playing.
Playing again brought some of that old excitement back.
More than anything, the Challengers gave me what I had been missing all along: a team to be a part of.
Twenty years later, I am finally playing cricket again.
A broken cricket dream has come back to life.
****
Thank you for reading. This article was reposted on Substackand on Mediumfor those who prefer reading there. If you liked this piece, you may also enjoy:
It is easiest to see the need for change from the women’s game.
Until 2004, there were semi-consistent women’s Test matches. After the International Women’s Cricket Council merged with the ICC in 2005, focus shifted to popularizing ODI and later, T20I cricket.
The consequence?
Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine retired from their legendary careers without playing a single Test. It would be a shame if Melie Kerr also suffered the same fate.
Recently, one-off Tests have picked up as part of the multi-format. However, most of these nations lack a proper domestic first-class system and there is usually not enough preparation before the Tests.
The Schedule is out of Control
For the mens’ game, the problem is different.
Franchise T20 leagues, domestic tournaments, World Cups every year, meaningless bilaterals, and Test series for the WTC.
There is no time to breathe for players.
We could abolish the Champions Trophy (or combine CT & ODI WC into a single 10-12 team competition), only have T20 World Cups every 4 years, install a more robust qualification system, and scrap all limited over bilaterals. But that is a discussion for a different today.
Today, let us focus on fixing Test cricket.
The Structure
Here is my proposal: an international franchise Test league.
First, let’s scrap the World Test Championship and most bilateral Test series. A small number of historic rivalries, such as the Ashes and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, could be protected separately.
The franchise league could begin with:
Three women’s teams, six men’s teams
Two dedicated Test windows each year: Once in the Northern Hemisphere (June-August) and once in the southern hemisphere (Nov-February). No other league, T20, or ODI cricket will take place during this time.
The format will be 2 sets of round-robin, one in each window followed by a 3-match final for the top two teams in the league.
Each men’s team will play 10 matches (5 round-robin x 2 windows)
Each women’s team will play 4 matches (2 x 2)
There were 42 men’s Test matches in 2025. There will be 33 franchise matches, leaving space in the calendar for the friendly India-Australia-England tri-series (Ashes/BGT).
There was 1 women’s Test in 2025 and 3 in 2024. The franchise league would ensure 9 Tests a year and will will expand to 15 Tests when a 4th team is added in the future.
Three Women’s Team Franchise
For a tournament that would played in two different parts of the world over a long-period of time, teams will require depth.
Each team will consist of 20-25 players.
No more than 3 players from the same nation can feature in the XI and no more than 5 in the squad.
With only India-England-South Africa-Australia currently playing Tests, we can create about 3 solid teams. As players from more countries are introduced, the format can expand to four teams.
Team 1 (24)
Australia: Phoebe Litchfield, Kim Garth, Tahlia McGrath, Jess Jonassen
Note: Bangladesh, Scotland, Ireland, Zimbabwe, and Netherlands women teams were not considered for this exercise but players from these countries should also be eligible to enter the auction.
For the mean’s team, we can create at least six decent squads with plenty of players that were left out. As players continue to improve, this can expand from a six-team to an eight-team tournament.
Team 1 (20)
Australia: Alex Carey (WK), Beau Webster, Pat Cummins
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi
Bangladesh: Taijul Islam, Ebadot Hossain
England: Jacob Bethell, Rehan Ahmed
India: Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan
Ireland: Harry Tector
New Zealand: Henry Nicholls
Pakistan: Babar Azam, Noman Ali
Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (WK)
South Africa: Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
West Indies: Joshua Da Silva (WK)
Zimbabwe: Ben Curran
Possible XI: 1. Ben Curran, 2. Jacob Bethell, 3. Henry Nicholls/Babar Azam, 4. Temba Bavuma (C), 5. Rishabh Pant, 6. Dinesh Chandimal/Beau Webster, 7. Alex Carey (WK), 8. Pat Cummins, 9. Keshav Maharaj, 10. Lungi Ngidi, 11. Ebadot Hossain
Team 2 (23)
Australia: Travis Head, Scott Boland
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK)
Bangladesh: Mominul Haque, Hasan Mahmud
England: Jamie Smith (WK), Gus Atkinson
India: Devdutt Padikkal, Ravindra Jadeja, Akash Deep
Ireland: Andy Balbirnie
New Zealand: Will Young, Blair Tickner
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Sri Lanka: Kusal Mendis (WK), Kasun Rajitha
South Africa: Dewald Brevis, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada
West Indies: Shai Hope (WK)
Zimbabwe: Innocent Kaia
Possible XI: 1. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2. Travis Head, 3. Will Young, 4. Shai Hope (C), 5. Kusal Mendis, 6. Jamie Smith (WK), 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Kagiso Rabada, 9. Gus Atkinson, 10. Hasan Mahmud/Simon Harmer, 11. Scott Boland
Team 3 (21)
Australia: Josh Inglis (WK), Josh Hazlewood
Afghanistan: Azmatullah Omarzai
Bangladesh: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed
England: Joe Root, Ollie Robinson
India: Dhruv Jurel (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar
Ireland: Lorcan Tucker (WK)
New Zealand: Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke
Pakistan: Mohammd Rizwan (WK), Abrar Ahmed
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Kumara
South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, David Bedingham
West Indies: Amir Jangoo
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett
Possible XI: 1. Tony de Zorzi/David Bedingham/Brian Bennett, 2. Pathum Nissanka, 3. Joe Root (C), 4. Daryl Mitchell, 5. Wiaan Mulder/Azmatullah Omarzai, 6. Washington Sundar, 7. Josh Inglis (WK), 8. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9. Josh Hazlewood, 10. Jasprit Bumrah, 11. Ollie Robinson
Team 4 (21)
Australia: Mitchell Starc
Afghanistan: Rahmat Shah
Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim, Nahid Rana
England: James Rew (WK), Shoaib Bashir
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Axar Patel
Ireland: Mark Adair
New Zealand: Tom Latham (WK), Glenn Phillips (WK), Kyle Jamieson
Pakistan: Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel
Sri Lanka: Dhananjaya de Silva, Prabath Jayasuriya
We estimated that it takes about $350,000-$1.4 million to host a Test match.
So, for these 42 franchise Test matches (33 men, 9 women), it would take anywhere from $14.7 million-$58.8 million.
That sound’s like a lot of money, but the ICC has been doing pretty well recently (thanks to the CT and the annual World Cups). Currently, the ICC has reserves of a whopping $704,624,000. Surely, they can shell out a few million on a Test league. If all fails, a small portion from the BGT/Ashes broadcasting revenues could be shared with the ICC.
And even though most host nations apart from India-England-Australia lose money, the ICC has made a profit from the WTC Finals.
The World Test Championship Final of 2025 earned the ICC $35,398,000 in revenue and cost them about $21,749,000.
WTC
Revenue
Expenses
Profit
2021
+$36,318,000
-$12,469,000
+$23,849,000
2023
+$39,773,000
-$11,994,000
+$27,779,000
2025
+$35,398,000
-$21,749,000.
+$13,649,000
Turns out, if you market the product enough, build some context, and there is a will, then there is definitely a way.
Final Thoughts
What about Test cricket makes it worth watching? Is it the battle between bat and ball? Ebbs and flows? Or do we value the larger context, the history of series like the Ashes, and the overall aura of Test cricket?
I have absolutely no doubt that Test cricket will continue to survive. After all, people have been questioning Test cricket’s survival since the 1900s, and it has done well.
But will it survive beyond the Big 3? I am not so sure.
Franchise Test cricket alongside the various franchise domestic T20 leagues will surely break the social fabric of international cricket, but it might be worth to at least experiment and try to give a new look to the format.
Edinburgh, SCO—Relaxing by a pool, sipping red wine, taking a bite of an hors d’oeuvre, an ICC Board representative jumps up in ecstasy and shouts across the room: “What about a SUPER 7s?”
Another board member raises his dark sunglasses, pulls out a pen, scribbles out calculus on his napkin, and concurs: “That’s at least two more India-Pakistan matches. I’d prefer 64, but two takes us to the end of the broadcasting cycle.”
A third glances at his watch: “How much time do we have until the tournament? Fifteen months? And the World Cup qualifiers? Just a couple of months?”
All three grin and nod in unison.
“Good Enough.”
When the world was celebrating the final week of the FIFA World Cup, the ICC quietly announced changes to the 2027 ODI World Cup.
They thought cricket fans wouldn’t notice.
We did.
On paper, it remains a 14-team World Cup. In practice, the new format effectively turns it into a 12-team farce through a three-team ‘Super Series’ followed by a group stage and then a “Super 7s” stage.
So you’re telling me, associate sides have to play in a 3 year 50 over tournament, to qualify for a qualifier to qualify for another tri-series qualifier to then qualify for a World Cup. https://t.co/DzdlqS0tZG
We have seen the playbook before: eliminate jeopardy for the top-ranked teams, reduce the presence of Associate nations, and increase the likelihood of another India-Pakistan match, the ICC’s main cash cow.
Why the ICC made the decision is clear. But how had such a significant change even been approved?
Then I came across a question on X from cricket statistician, Kausthub Gudipati that demanded a closer look:
Can such decisions be passed without a vote from all full members and 3 associate representatives?
Or was it allowed since the format of Super-7s was never officially announced? (So it's still 14 teams on paper)
One of the memories that has stuck with me since elementary school is the Schoolhouse RoOne of the memories that has stuck with me since elementary school is the Schoolhouse Rock video, “I’m just a Bill.”
“I’m just a Bill, yes only a Bill, and I’m sitting here on Capitol Hill!”
For those who have not seen it, the cartoon explains just how difficult it is for a proposed bill to become law in the United States. Bills can die in committee, fail to pass either chamber of Congress or be vetoed by the President.
Similarly, the ICC has its own governance structure for making major decisions.
First, Who Actually Makes the Decision?
With Mauritius joining, the ICC now has 111 Members: 12 Full Members and 99 Associate Members.
ICC’s announcement confirmed that the World Cup format passed through at least two bodies: The Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) recommended the format, and the ICC Board approved it.
There may have been earlier stages of discussions that were not disclosed.
Chief Executives Committee – Each of the 12 Full Members appoints one representative, while Associate cricket is represented by 3 elected members.
ICC Board of Directors – 12 Full Member Directors, 3 Associate Member Directors, the ICC Chair, 1 Independent Director, and the ICC Chief Executive, who attends but does not vote.
Each of the 17 directors has one vote. Under Article 4.9, A Board resolution requires the support of at least two-thirds of voting members present and voting.
The 99 Associate Members are collectively represented by three of the Board’s 17 voting directors, while each 12 Full Member appoints its own director.
The Life of a Cricket Proposal
A proposal involving men’s international cricket could follow this path.
Step 1: The Proposal
May originate with the ICC Management, an ICC Member, or an ICC committee
We do not know who proposed the Super 7s
Step 2: Men’s Cricket Committee
Review proposals involving men’s cricket and ICC events
Discusses issues, make recommendations, but do not have final decision making authority
We do not know whether the men’s cricket committee reviewed the new WC format
Chair: Sourav Ganguly
Other Prominent Members: Temba Bavuma (current player), Scott Edwards, Desmond Haynes, Hameed Hassan, VVS Laxman, Jonathan Trott, Shaun Pollock
*Note: Scott Edwards voiced his disappointment with this decision. That does not prove that the committee was bypassed, but it makes the absence of an explanation striking.
Step 3: Chief Executives’ Committee
Attempts to reach a consensus
If consensus cannot be reached, members may vote (2/3 majority of those present and voting is required)
Make recommendations to the ICC board
The ICC confirmed that the CEC recommended the new format.
2025 CEC Associate Representatives: Anuraag Bhatnagar (Hong Kong), Gurdeep Klair (Canada), Gurumurthy Palani (France, now elected to the board),
Step 4: The ICC Board
Makes the final decision
2/3 support is needed from those present and voting
The ICC confirmed that the Board approved the new format
Elected in 2026: Palani, Usmani, and Dr. Rudie van Vuuren (Namibia)
Can three Associate representatives adequately speak for 99 Associate members, including nations with ODI status like Netherlands, Scotland, and Nepal that were directly affected by the new format?
But here’s the catch.
We still do not know whether the Super 7s proposal followed this exact pathway, who proposed it, whether anyone objected or how the Board members voted.
The ICC’s governance documents explain how decisions can be moved, but they do not shed light on how this particular decision was taken.
According to Article 4.9 (C) of the Articles of Association, every Board decision must be entered into the Board minutes’s book. Those records, however, are not required to be published.
Separately, Article 11 requires the proceedings and minutes of format ICC Members’ meetings to remain confidential.
In other words, internal records exist.
The public simply cannot see it.
The UN Has its Flaws. Documentation is Not One of Them
The UN Digital Library provides voting records for resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and Security Council since 1946. Some resolutions are adopted without a vote. Others follow debates, proposed amendments, and formal votes.
Either way, the outcome is recorded.
Take the extension of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan as an example. The public record includes the original draft resolution, official meeting record, and the complete voting record. We can see the Security Council approved the extension by a vote of 15-0 in March 2026.
You do not have to agree or disagree with a decision to understand how it was made.
FIFA: Love It, Hate It, But You Can’t Ignore It
In 2010, Russia was awarded the 2018 FIFA World Cup and Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup behind closed doors. Five years later, corruption investigations engulfed the organization. Several FIFA officials were arrested, and President Sepp Blatter resigned.
FIFA needed to repair its image.
So for the 2026 World Cup host selection, FIFA held a public voting, which was contested between USA-Mexico-Canada and Morocco.
North America received 134 votes, Morocco 65, and and one association voted for neither. FIFA also published the complete voting results here.
Now, FIFA is not perfect. Some days, a red card is reversed due to political interference. On other days, President Infantino reveals plans to sell stakes related to the World Cup out of nowhere.
FIFA’s decision to expand the WC from 32 to 48 teams was approved unanimously by the FIFA Council and released via a press conference. The underlying study was never published, but FIFA disclosed that:
“The decision was taken following a thorough analysis, based on a report that included four different format options. The study took into account such factors as sporting balance, competition quality, impact on football development, infrastructure, projections on financial position and the consequences for event delivery”
That is not complete transparency, but it at least it tells that some deliberation went into the decision.
FIFA is not the only sporting organization that is moving in this direction.
We are not asking ICC to invent a new standard. We are asking them to meet one that already exists.
Transparency Around the World: The Push for Accountability
Asking for transparency is not a new phenomenon.
In the early 2000s, a series of major accounting scandals damaged public trust in American companies. In response, the US government passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002, commonly known as SOX. Among other reforms, SOX requires senior executives of publicly traded companies to certify the financial and information contained in their annual and quarterly reports.
SOX did not directly apply to ICC or FIFA, but laws and standards like it helped make regular financial disclosure the norm for major organizations around the world.
Today, publishing financial reports is simply expected. You can find ICC and FIFA‘s reports here.
From Financial Reporting to Governance
Following the 2008 financial crisis, attention shifted beyond financial reporting to a broader question: How were major organizations being governed?
Just like SOX, governance standards will become expectations for major global organization. There is no reason ICC or any sporting organization should be exempt.
The Ask is Simple
Transparency does not mean live streaming every conversation or disclosing sensitive information. Some conversations should remain private.
However, certain decisions demand a little more than a brief press release. When the ICC makes major decisions like fundamentally changing the World Cup format, the public should be able to answer a few basic questions:
Who proposed the change?
Was there data or a research study to back the new decision?
The most open World Cup of the summer starts tomorrow. And no, it’s not the FIFA World Cup or the NBA Finals.
Australia arrive at the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup trophyless in the last two events, New Zealand are the defending champs, India are coming on the back of the ODI WC victory, South Africa have been recent finalists, and England are hosting.
The field is bigger too: 12 teams for the first time with the Netherlands making their debut.
Australia: Two World Cups, No Trophy. Can They Reclaim Their Crown?
Recent Form: LWLWWW (latest)
Stats at a Glance
Average Age: 28.4
# of Left Handers in Top 7: 2
# of Bowling Options in XI: 8
Strengths: The all-rounders. In Sutherland, McGrath, Perry, and Harris, they have the best collection of all-rounders assembled in this World Cup, maybe ever. Balanced bowling attack with left arm spin, an offspinner, couple of leg spinners, and pace brigade, including Hamilton’s left arm seam.
Weaknesses: Team in Transition. With Lanning & Healy retired, how will Molineux turn up as captain? After losing out on 2024 T20WC & 2025 ODI WC, can they come back to winning ways?
News/Injuries: Darcie Brown was left out. No major injuries in the squad as of now.
Rest of Squad: Nicola Carey, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Tahlia Wilson (WK – Traveling Reserve)
X-factor: Georgia Voll, coming off her first T20I century, will partner already promising Phoebe Litchfield at the top. And Alana King: won’t be surprised if she takes a 5-fer and her unplayable leg breaks go viral at least once this tournament.
Broken Dream? Last World Cup for Megan Schutt. Will Ellyse Perry & Mooney follow?
Strengths: Continuity and spin. The Bangladesh team have played 14 matches this year although half of them were in the Global Qualifier. With Nahida Akter and Meghla’s left arm orthodox and leg spin options in Rabeya Khan & Fahima Khatun, they have a strong spin unit.
Weaknesses: The top order. Against Sri Lanka and the losses against Scotland & Netherlands, Bangladesh scored 136, 133,133, 154 respectively. Captain Sultana has had to do a bulk of the work with inconsistent top order.
News/Injuries: Taj Nehar comes back at the expense of Sarmin Sultana.
Rest of Squad: Sanjida Akter Meghla, Taj Nehar, Fariha Trisna, Sultana Khatun
X-factor: Their right arm pacer, Marufa Akter. The 21-year old already has 41 T20Is under her belt and can set the tone on which the spinners can capitalize.
Broken Dream? Can Bangladesh get out of the group with Australia, India, and South Africa?
Strengths: The bowling line up and the leadership unit. In Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Charlie Dean, and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, they have a good leadership group. In Lauren Bell & Filer, Issy Wong, they have strong pace depth alongside the spin pair of Ecclestone-Dean. Plenty of part-time options as well.
Weaknesses: Unsettled top order. Dunkley is averaging 16.3 this year. Alice Capsey, Amy Jones, Bouchier (not in the main squad), Sciver-Brunt, and Wyatt-Hodge have all played recently at the top without a consistent run.
News/Injuries: Sophia Dunkley is coming back from a knee injury. Nat Sciver-Brunt is returning from an Achilles injur and may carry a reduced bowling load. Danni Wyatt-Hodge is coming back from maternity leave.
Expected XI: 1. Amy Jones (WK), 2. Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 3. Nat Sciver-Brunt (C), 4. Alice Capsey, 5. Heather Knight, 6. Freya Kemp, 7. Charlie Dean, 8. Sophie Ecclestone, 9. Linsey Smith, 10. Issy Wong, 11. Lauren Bell
X-factor: Freya Kemp. Striking at 139.77, her confidence will be high after the 39*(13) vs India.
Broken Dream? England are hosting for the first time since 2009, which is the only time they have a won this World Cup. 17 years later, anything short of repeating would break a generation of hearts.
Strengths: With Mandhana and Shafali, India has a strong top order. On paper, Reddy-Gaud-Renuka is a strong pace unit.
Weaknesses: Lack of a winning run. India has lost a couple of T20Is against England and South Africa recently. In matches India have lost, either India have not picked wickets while defending or the middle order has stalled while chasing.
News/Injuries: Amanjot Kaur (back) and Kashvee Gautam (knee) were not picked due to injuries.
Rest of Squad: Shreyanka Patil, Nandani Sharma, Radha Yadav
X-factor: Shree Charani has slowly become central to India’s spin unit. On the batting front, hard to look beyond Smriti Mandhana. In England, she has one century, 5 fifties, SR of 139.48 to go along with an average of 38.23
Broken Dream? After the 2025 ODI WC win, the success of the WPL, and even the back-to-back men’s T20 World Cup win, Indian fans expect nothing else. But will they even get out of the group with Australia and South Africa?
Strengths: Top Order. Amy Hunter, Prendergast, and Stokell all played key roles in Ireland’s recent win against Pakistan. Add captain Gaby Lewis, and this is a strong looking batting line up.
Weaknesses: Lack of firepower.Ireland’s recent scores (including T20WC warm up): 143, 120, 103, 121, 143, 144, and 154 with one 177 against Pakistan as the outlier.
News/Injuries: Laura Delany, backbone of Ireland over the last few years, has been withdrawn from the team due to an injury. Alice Tector replaces her. Right arm pacer, Jane Maguire, has been ruled out with an injury. Captain Lewis was rested for the Pakistan/West Indies tri series due to a leg injury.
Expected XI: 1. Amy Hunter (WK), 2. Alana Dalzell, 3. Gaby Lewis (C), 4. Orla Prendergast, 5. Rebecca Stokell, 6. Leah Paul, 7. Louise Little, 8. Alice Tector, 9. Ava Canning, 10. Aimee Maguire, 11. Cara Murray
Rest of Squad: Christina Coulter Reilly (WK), Georgina Dempsey, Arlene Kelly, Lara McBride
X-factor: 19-year-old left arm spinner, Aimee Maguire. In the warm-up match vs Bangladesh, she opened the bowling and ended with figures of 4-0-20-4.
Broken Dream? Laura Delany, injured on the eve of a near-home World Cup. At 33, she may never get a better chance than this one.
Strengths: Leg spin. With over 70 T20Is each to their name, legspinners Caroline de Lange and Silver Siegers form the core of their bowling line up.
Weaknesses: Potential to collapse. Against Ireland earlier this year, they were bundled out for 45 and vs Bangladesh in February, they collapsed to 5/23 before lower order revival.
Strengths: The dynamic all-rounders, Melie Kerr & Sophie Devine. Their form will largely define New Zealand’s journey this year. Kerr was the player of the 2024 WC. Do not be surprised if she repeats the magic again.
Weaknesses: Batting form. In the England series, NZ were bundled for 80, 13/2 in another, and reduced to 11/4 before Devine rescued them.
News/Injuries: Eden Carson, central to the 2024 WC win, misses the World Cup with partial ligament rupture in elbow.
X-factor: Isabella Gaze. Against Zimbabwe earlier this year, she scored 66*(50), 85*(54), and 38*(20). If she has a couple of these types of innings, the White Ferns have a good chance of making the semi-finals again.
Broken Dream? The last dance for Bates, Devine, and Tahuhu. All-time greats are about to say goodbye.
Strengths: Fatima Sana is the heart of this team now. Finish power, pace bowling, and captain.
Weaknesses: Lack of wicket-taking form. In the warm-ups, Pakistan conceded 169 vs Sri Lanka but only took 1 wicket. They could only take 5 Scotland wickets as well.
News/Injuries: Fatima Sana scored the fastest 50 (15 balls) in women’s T20Is against Zimbabwe.
Strengths: In-form batting. 163/5, 187/5, and 134/2 (15.4) in the winning chase vs Bangladesh have been some of their recent shows.
Weaknesses: Lack of bowling experience. Fontenla (3 T20Is), Abel (28), Gordon (9) are fairly new and will have to provide adequate support to Maqsood and Chatterji.
News/Injuries: No major injury news, squad at full-strength.
Strengths: Experience. Wolvaardt, Luus, Kapp, Khaka, Ismail, Tryon, Van Niekerk have formed the core of the team that has taken South Africa across to the finals. The band is back together.
Weaknesses: Unsettled XI. With players returning from injury and break, the middle order has not yet settled down, which could be an issue in nervy chases.
News/Injuries: Shabnim Ismail and earlier, Dane van Niekerk, have come out of retirement and have made the WC squad. Van Niekerk is coming back from a calf injury and Marizanne Kapp is coming back from illness.
Strengths: The Top Order. Gunaratne (63*), Athapaththu (94, 42, 41), Samarawickrama (49, 61), Silva (22*), Dulani (55, 52), Karunaratne (54) have all been among the runs recently.
Weaknesses: Lack of gametime against top teams. They have played only six T20Is this year, three each against Bangladesh and West Indies. England, NZ, and WI await in Group 2.
News/Injuries: Shashini Gimhani misses out due to a back injury.
Strengths: Experience and bowling flexibility. In Matthews-Dottin-Taylor, they have bonafide match winners. Another key aspect is the number of part-timers the West Indies possess. Almost all the batters can bowl part-time off-spin or medium pace.
Weaknesses: Lack of pace depth.
News/Injuries: Full strength, no major injury concerns.
X-factor: Hayley Matthews. If she can provide consistent aggressive starts at the top, then the team has a chance to challenge for a semi-final spot.
Broken Dream? Afy Fletcher is now 39, potentially representing the West Indies for the final time in a World Cup. With over 200 international appearances, she has been a stalwart for West Indies cricket.
There is no one clear favorite for this World Cup.
I am excited about the rising stars and a potential open World Cup we may have. On a given day, any team can challenge another. Here are some of my predictions:
#MostRuns: Hayley Matthews
#MostWickets: Sree Charani
#PlayeroftheWC: Ash Gardner
#RisingStar: Aimee Maguire
#Top4: Australia, South Africa, England, New Zealand
“Don’t run too hard. One more injury, and you’re done for good.”
“Breathe,” I say to myself quietly. I am sweating already, and the match has not even started. Why did I ever think this was a good idea?
This is recreational indoor soccer.
And yet, fear takes over me.
****
Two decades earlier, there is a nine-year-old boy in Mumbai.
At this age, cricket is his whole life. He talks cricket, he walks cricket, and yes, he plays cricket too.
He has spent a couple of years in his school team. Batting at number three, he stays till the end and wins a match for his team.
Full of confidence. Dreams brewing.
And then, just like that, it is time to move to the United States.
He leaves excited. But little did he know that his days of playing cricket with a team are over. Backyard games with his brother will have to do.
That boy is me. One of the many with a Broken Cricket Dream.
****
Roll forward to March 2015. The Cricket World Cup is in the air. ‘Tell Me You Got the Power’ is on TV and in our souls.
It’s a beautiful sunny Spring Sunday, the eve of the Pakistan vs Australia quarter final. I decide to channel my inner Rahat Ali, the left arm quick, in my backyard.
I run in. Jump. And Crack.
This was not a regular ankle twist I could just walk off.
Yep, you read that right. I had a career ending injury playing an imaginary game all by myself.
On a bright note, I was able to watch each and every ball of this match resting on my sofa, the match that produced one of cricket’s great spells, Wahab Riaz versus Shane Watson. And who dropped Watson’s catch during this intense spell? You guessed it right. Rahat Ali.
Anyway, I digress.
College would come and go. The desire to play never left, and I would casually play badminton, tennis, racquetball, or volleyball. But the moment I pushed myself to play a high impact sport like basketball, the story would repeat.
Left ankle, right heel. Ten years, same story. Lack of warmup, one bad landing, back on crutches.
Same old, same old.
****
Soccer was my next favorite sport to watch on TV after cricket. I played with friends as a kid, but nothing more than that.
Playing FIFA for 20 years was the most soccer experience I had, and I was average at that.
Honestly, I thought I had missed the bus. Never tried out in school, never played in a club.
Last year, I found out about an indoor soccer facility and signed up for a pickup membership. What is the worst that could happen?
Some days, it was intense 5 v 5s. Other days, casual 2 v 2s. And sometimes, just me, a soccer ball, and an empty ground for an hour.
Something was starting to click. But two months in, warmed up, with ankle support and all, I still managed to fall over and hurt my heel. Out for a couple of months.
This time, I thought it was really over. Maybe sports writing is what I was meant to do.
****
The great thing about the American Midwest is you are practically hibernating for the winter. This gave me some time to reflect.
What if I gave sports one final shot? So, I signed up for the recreational soccer league as a free agent. An actual league with a referee and a scoreboard.
Alright, back to the first game of the season. My first official match at any level at the age of 29. Voices running in my head.
Then, the whistle blows.
One pass, then another. I am gassed out in five minutes. But an hour later, we miraculously win a last-minute 6–5 game after being down 0–5 at half time.
What a feeling. Celebrating with a group of people I did not know at all.
The season has not lived up to Game 1. Somewhere between the losses and the missed goals though, pieces are falling into place. Teammates are becoming friends, we are playing as a team, and my stamina? Well, it’s getting there, no longer huffing and puffing every two minutes.
Somewhere along this journey, I stumbled upon a sense of self-belief that I never knew existed within me.
As Henry Ford once said,
“One of the greatest discoveries a person makes, one of their great surprises, is to find they can do what they were afraid they couldn’t do.”
What began as a broken dream turned out to be an exercise in overcoming fear.
****
Thank you for reading. If you like this, you may also enjoy:
148 Years. 713 pages. 35 Chapters. Not a single wasted word. Tim Wigmore’s Test Cricket: A History is the history this game always deserved.
Read It For
A deep, well-researched history. You are bound to learn something new regardless of your cricketing background.
Wigmore’s writing range: Storytelling, stats and trivia, humor, philosophy, journalism, all in one.
Do Not Read It For
A quick read. This book is a commitment, so pace yourself accordingly.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Spoiler Alert: If you are not a cricket fan, everything coming up here will be a spoiler.
****
Will Test cricket survive? The perennial question.
I thought this was just the sentiment from the past 50 years with the advent of ODI cricket and more recently, T20 cricket. After reading this book, I learned that Test cricket surviving to this day is nothing short of a miracle.
Test Cricket: A History takes on the almost impossible task of synthesizing a story that spans two centuries and six continents without losing its grip on you.
I bought this last summer and finally completed it last month. There were times when months went by before I picked it up again. Never once did I feel lost returning to it.
The book is organized in such a way that you can start at any point. Want to understand the significance of Bazball? Start toward the end. Want to dive into the controversies? Jump to chapter 20 (How to Buy a Test Match). Each chapter is its own world.
The only other book that I have read with similar depth and breadth is India After Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha. What Guha’s book does with India’s survival as a nation-state and its complex geopolitical history, Wigmore does with Test cricket.
Wigmore balances what moments to pick and which players to spotlight without going overboard.
From Victor Trumper’s century before lunch all the way to Donald vs Atherton and Mitchell Johnson scarring an entire England generation, the moments are chosen with precision and described with vivid imagery. Certain teams, quartets, and allrounders are given room to breathe, while players like Warne, Tendulkar, and Murali get their own dedicated chapters.
What sets this apart from other books is the writing style. It is not a bunch of Wikipedias glued together. There is storytelling, anecdotes, interviews Wigmore conducted himself, and excerpts from cricket writers of yesteryear. The witty chapter titles alone convey the tone: “Cricket’s Uncivil Wars” and “The Impossible Job.”
No book of this scope can cover everything. I would have loved a deeper dive into Sandpapergate, one of the most dramatic moments in modern Test cricket. But that is a minor gripe.
This book has something for every kind of cricket reader. The technical purist interested in how reverse swing and the wobble seam work, the historian fascinated by the lore of Bodyline, the philosopher, and the fan who just wants to argue about who was the best since Bradman.
The philosophy is what stayed with me the most. The “in-built second chance” and “the prolonged duel” as an “essential part of Test cricket’s allure.” And Wigmore’s reminder that even 150 years since its inception, through Bodyline and Bazball, fans are still arguing about how this format should be played.
A Fan’s Honest Reckoning: What This Book Left Me With
What does a cricket fan who started watching in 2003 take away from a book that begins in 1877?
The final chapters felt familiar because I had lived through that timeline. The early chapters, however, sent me down rabbit holes: the first official Test or the abandoned Timeless Test of 1939 that had to be called off because England’s ship home was leaving.
Then there was history I knew on the surface but had never fully understood the impact.
Case in point: Kerry Packer. I had heard about World Series Cricket but did not know about the ins and outs of broadcasting and how Packer changed cricket as we know it. I had always heard about the great West Indies Test team, but how exactly did they get there, and more importantly, what factors both on and off the field contributed to their downfall? Reading these 1970s and 80s chapters would spark follow-up conversations with my dad: “Who did you prefer, Botham, Imran, Kapil, or Hadlee?”
And then there was history I did not see coming. The Hendricks Law and South Africa’s checkered past. Abraham Lincoln watching a cricket match between Chicago and Milwaukee. And Nobel Laureate Samuel Beckett, whose Waiting for Godot was one of my favorite reads in college, playing two first-class matches.
This is what the book does. It reaches into corners you did not know existed.
Final Thoughts
I can foresee spin-offs of the history of ODI World Cups, the Ashes, or County Cricket. Wigmore himself acknowledges that the women’s game deserves its own study.
What excites me is the version of this book that will be written thirty years from now. Three more Test nations, a prospering WTC, cricket in America & Argentina, and another generation of moments no one saw coming.
And to the larger question, will Test cricket survive? It has outlasted empires. I have no doubt it will endure.
This book is an exception. Solid five out of five. Get your copy now.
Note: The purchase link above is not an affiliate link. BCD does not earn any commission from purchases.
Title Name: Test Cricket: A History
Publisher Summary:
“Test cricket is on the cusp of its 150th anniversary. For the first time, Test Cricket: A History tells the full, gripping story of the players and stories that have shaped the game’s evolution since 1877. Award-winning author Tim Wigmore brings to life both Test cricket on the pitch and the game’s social significance around the world. This captivating tour is illuminated by dozens of exclusive interviews with the game’s greatest players, including Sachin Tendulkar, Pat Cummins, Michael Holding, Muttiah Muralidaran, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Chappell, Dale Steyn and Rahul Dravid.
From Bodyline to Bazball, the golden age to the rise of West Indies, and Shane Warne to Ian Botham, readers will come to appreciate Test cricket’s remarkable history like never before.”
Author: Tim Wigmore
Length: 713 pages
Language: English
Publisher: Quercus
Chapters:
Introduction: The cruellest game
1: A mad idea
2: Two become three: the emergence of South Africa
3: The Golden Age – or Test cricket’s great missed opportunity?
4: The greatest opening pair
5: Three become six: Test cricket opens up
6: Bradman, Bodyline, and the Invincibles
7: No rations any more
8: The emergence of Pakistan
9: Cricket, lovely cricket
10: Captaincy: a tale of class
11: The South Africa question
12: Tiger and the quartet
13: The rise of West Indies
14: Cricket’s uncivil wars
15: The impossible job
16: The oracle: the story of reverse swing
17: No longer just a whistlestop
18: Shane Warne and the resurgence of leg spin
19: The road less travelled
20: How to buy a Test match
21: The two ages of Tendulkar
22: The magic and mystery of Murali
23: The transformation of wicketkeeping
24: Expansionism and its discontents
25: England learns to expect
26: The great team hiding in plain sight
27: The slow rise of the Tigers
28: How umpires and technology changed Test cricket
