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Afghanistan Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Afghanistan’s Fixtures

Afghanistan Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup—The Complete Guide.

Afghanistan had a horrible 2019 World Cup. They have been steadily rising, but can they finally leave their mark in an ODI World Cup?

Let’s dive right in.

Key Takeaways from Afghanistan’s World Cup Schedule

  • Afghanistan begin their opening match against Bangladesh on October 7, 2023 and play their last group stage match against South Africa on November 10, 2023.
  • Except one, all of Netherlands’ matches are Day-Night affairs, scheduled to begin at 2 PM local time. The only day game is their opening game against Bangladesh in Dharamsala.
  • Afghanistan will play two games at Chennai and Delhi, while Dharamsala, Pune, Lucknow, Mumbai (Wankhede), and Ahmedabad will host one each.

Cricket World Cup 2023 – Afghanistan Fixtures

FixtureOppositionDate (Local Time)Venue
Afg vs Bang BangladeshOctober 7, 2023 (10:30 AM)Dharamsala
Afg vs Ind IndiaOctober 11, 2023 (2 PM)Delhi
Afg vs Eng EnglandOctober 15, 2023 (2 PM)Delhi
Afg vs NZ New ZealandOctober 18, 2023 (2 PM)Chennai
Afg vs Pak PakistanOctober 23, 2023 (2 PM)Chennai
Afg vs SL Sri LankaOctober 30, 2023 (2 PM)Pune
Afg vs Ned NetherlandsNovember 3, 2023 (2 PM)Lucknow
Afg vs Aus AustraliaNovember 7, 2023 (2 PM)Mumbai
Afg vs SA South AfricaNovember 10, 2023 (2 PM)Ahmedabad

Also Read: Afghanistan Asia Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown: Which of the 17-men will make the Afghanistan 2023 World Cup Squad?

Afghanistan Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup: List of Afghanistan’s World Cup Fixtures

1. Afghanistan vs Bangladesh – Oct 7, 2023

Afg vs Bang 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Dharamsala
  • Stadium: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium
  • Time: 10:30 AM Local (5 AM GMT)

Afg vs Bang 2023 Preview

Condition that suits neither team, but could be a fun one to watch. Liton Das vs Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Whoever scores more, wins?

Check Out: Bangladesh Asia Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown: Which of the 19-men will make the Bangladesh 2023 World Cup Squad?

2. Afghanistan vs India – Oct 11, 2023

Afg vs Ind 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Delhi
  • Stadium: Arun Jaitley Stadium
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Afg vs Ind 2023 Preview

Afghanistan may provide India with a slight scare, but India’s depth should be good enough to overcome the challenge.

Check Out: India Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 India’s Fixtures

3. Afghanistan vs England – Oct 15, 2023

Afg vs Eng 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Delhi
  • Stadium: Arun Jaitley Stadium
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Afg vs Eng 2023 Preview

No Eoin Morgan this time, but will the result be any difference?

Check Out: England Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 England’s Fixtures

4. Afghanistan vs New Zealand – Oct 18, 2023

Afg vs NZ 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Chennai
  • Stadium: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Afg vs NZ 2023 Preview

At Chennai, Afghanistan might have an upper hand. NZ will hope Kane Williamson recovers and is in the XI by this time.

Check Out: New Zealand Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 New Zealand’s Fixtures

5. Afghanistan vs Pakistan – Oct 23, 2023

Afg vs Pak 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Chennai
  • Stadium: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Afg vs Pak 2023 Preview

A growing rivalry. Decades of history. Can this rivalry get a new chapter in the World cup?

Check Out: Pakistan Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Pakistan’s Fixtures

6. Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka – Oct 30, 2023

Afg vs SL 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Pune
  • Stadium: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Afg vs SL 2023 Preview

Sri Lanka marginally aheadm

Check Out: Sri Lanka Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Sri Lanka’s Fixtures

7. Afghanistan vs Netherlands – Nov 3, 2023

Afg vs Ned 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Lucknow
  • Stadium: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Afg vs Ned 2023 Preview

This is Afghanistan’s game to lose.

Check Out: Netherlands Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Netherlands’ Fixtures

8. Afghanistan vs Australia – Nov 7, 2023

Afg vs Aus 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Mumbai
  • Stadium: Wankhede Stadium
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Afg vs Aus 2023 Preview

Could be a mammoth total by the Aussies if Afghanistan cannot restrict Australia for a low total.

Check Out: Australia Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Australia’s Fixtures

9. Afghanistan vs South Africa – Nov 10, 2023

Afg vs SA 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Ahmedabad
  • Stadium: Narendra Modi Stadium
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Afg vs SA 2023 Preview

South African batters will enjoy these conditions.

Check Out: South Africa Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 South Africa’s Fixtures

Final Thoughts

Afghanistan has the team to win a few games, but not necessarily dominate.

Can they reach the semis? Or maybe just win more than last year.

Also Read: ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Schedule (Complete Guide): What is the Schedule of Each Team for the 2023 ODI World Cup?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Afghanistan Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup

What was the date of Afghanistan vs Pakistan in the 2023 Cricket World Cup?

October 23, 2023 was the date of the Afghanistan vs Pakistan 2023 ODI World Cup match.

When does India play Afghanistan in CWC 2023?

October 11, 2023 was the date of the Afghanistan vs India 2023 ODI World Cup match.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 09/20/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Afghanistan World Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown: Which of the 15-men will make the Afghanistan 2023 World Cup XI?

Let’s breakdown Afghanistan’s World Cup 2023 squad.

Here is a quick preview: Afghanistan are going with possibly the youngest squad of the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Let’s dive right in.

Key Takeaways from Afghanistan’s ODI Squad Announcement

  • The average age of Afghanistan World Cup 2023 squad is 24.5. Afghanistan’s squad includes experienced campaigners like Mohammad Nabi (38) & Rahmat Shah (30) along with the young crop – Noor Ahmad (18), Saleem (20), Gurbaz, Zadran, Abdul Rahman (21), and Alikhil, Farooqi (23).
  • Afghanistan’s preliminary World Cup squad has average ODI match experience of 45 ODIs (669 ODIs among 15 players). Mohammad Nabi (147 ODIs), Rahmat Shah (97), and Rashid Khan (94) have the most ODI experience for Afghanistan, while the likes of Karim Janat (1), Mohammad Saleem (2), Ibrahim Alikhil (3), Abdul Rahman (3) and Riaz Hassan (5) are the new faces.
  • Afghanistan’s squad composition is as follows: 6 proper batters, 4 all-rounders, and 5 proper bowling options. In total, Afghanistan has 11 bowling options (2 leg spin, 2 off spin, 1 left arm wrist spin, 1 left arm pace, and 5 right arm pace) in their squad if absolutely needed. Imagine a bowling line up of Farooqi, Rashid Khan, Nabi, Mujeeb, and Noor.
  • Afghanistan has 3 left-handed batting options (Shahidi, Zadran, Alikhil) and two wicketkeeping options.

Afghanistan Cricket World Cup Team at a Glance

PlayerRoleAge
Rahmanullah GurbazRight Hand Bat/Wicketkeeper21
Ibrahim ZadranRight Hand Bat21
Riaz HassanRight Hand Bat20
Rahmat ShahAll-Rounder (Right Hand Bat/Right Arm Leg Spin)30
Hashmatullah ShahidiLeft Hand Batter28
Najibullah ZadranLeft Hand Batter30
Gulbadin Naib*All-Rounder (Right Hand Bat/Right Arm Medium Pace)32
Karim Janat**All-Rounder (Right Hand Bat/Right Arm Medium Pace)25
Ikram AlikhilLeft Hand Bat/Wicketkeeper23
Rashid KhanAll-Rounder (Right Hand Bat/Right Arm Leg Spin)25
Mohammad NabiAll-Rounder (Right Hand Bat/Right Arm Off Spin)38
Mujeeb Ur RahmanRight Arm Off Spin/Mystery22
Noor AhmadLeft Arm Wrist Spin18
Fazalhaq FarooqiLeft Arm Fast23
Sharafuddin Ashraf*All-Rounder (Left Arm Spin, Right Hand Bat)28
Abdul RahmanRight Arm Medium Pace21
Mohammad Saleem**Right Arm Fast20
Naveen-ul-HaqRight Arm Fast24
Azmatullah OmarzaiAll-Rounder (Right Arm Pace)23
Fareed Ahmad*Left Arm Fast29

*in the reserves

**did not make it into the final World Cup squad

Afghanistan Cricket World Cup 2023 Potential XI

  1. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK)
  2. Ibrahim Zadran
  3. Rahmat Shah
  4. Hashmatullah Shahidi (C)
  5. Mohammad Nabi
  6. Najibullah Zadran
  7. Azmatullah Omarzai
  8. Rashid Khan
  9. Mujeeb ur Rahman
  10. Fazalhaq Farooqi
  11. Naveen Ul-Haq/Noor Ahmad

Injury News

  • Omarzai missed the final match of the Pakistan series due to a side strain and has since been left out of the Asia Cup squad. He returned for the World Cup.

5 Afghanistan Players Who Were Unlucky to Miss Out

  • Fareed Ahmad, Wafadar Momand, Shahidullah, Zahir Khan, Qais Ahmad

1 Surprise Pick for Afghanistan’s World Cup Squad

  • Naveen-ul-Haq

Afghanistan World Cup Squad – Complete List of Players

1. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK)

Role: Right Hand Bat/Wicketkeeper

  • Matches/Innings: 26/26
  • Runs: 953, Best: 151
  • Average/SR: 41.43/85.93
  • 100/50: 5/2

Recent ODI Form: 145, 6, 18, 151, 5

Last ODI: August 26, 2023

Age: 21

Embed from Getty Images

2. Ibrahim Zadran

Role: Right Hand Bat

  • Matches/Innings: 19/19
  • Runs: 829, Best: 162
  • Average/SR: 55.26/83.56
  • 100/50: 4/3

Recent ODI Form: 100,1,0,80,0

Last ODI: August 26, 2023

Age: 21

Embed from Getty Images

3. Riaz Hassan

Role: Right Hand Bat

  • Matches/Innings: 5/4
  • Runs: 120, Best: 50
  • Average/SR: 30.00/62.50
  • 100/50: 0/1

Recent ODI Form: 50, 1, 35, DNB, 34

Last ODI: August 26, 2023

Age: 20

Embed from Getty Images

4. Rahmat Shah

Role: All-Rounder (Right Hand Bat/ Right Arm Leg Spin)

  • Matches/Innings: 97/93
  • Runs: 3191, Best: 114
  • Average/SR: 36.26/70.44
  • 100/50: 5/23

Recent ODI Form: 7,8,2,0,0

Last ODI: August 22, 2023

Age: 30

Embed from Getty Images

5. Hashmatullah Shahidi (C)

Role: Left Hand Batter

  • Matches/Innings: 64/64
  • Runs: 1665, Best: 97*
  • Average/SR: 31.41/65.91
  • 100/50: 0/14

Recent ODI Form: 2, 22, 0, 15*, 13

Last ODI: August 26, 2023

Age: 28

Embed from Getty Images

6. Najibullah Zadran

Role: Left Hand Batter

  • Matches/Innings: 90/82
  • Runs: 2013, Best: 104*
  • Average/SR: 30.04/89.42
  • 100/50: 1/15

Recent ODI Form: 2, 10, DNB, 10, 10

Last ODI: July 11, 2023

Age: 30

Embed from Getty Images

7. Ikram Alikhil

Role: Left Hand Bat/Wicketkeeper

  • Matches/Innings: 14/13
  • Runs: 238, Best: 86
  • Average/SR: 23.8/60.25
  • 100/50: 0/2

Recent ODI Form: 86, 58, 19, 9, 4

Last ODI: August 24, 2023

Age: 23

Embed from Getty Images

8. Mohammad Nabi

Role: All-Rounder (Right Arm Off Spin/ Right Hand Bat)

  • Matches/Innings: 147/131
  • Runs: 3085, Best: 116
  • Average/SR: 27.06/85.19
  • 100/50: 1/15
  • Wickets: 154, Best: 4/30
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 4/0
  • Economy: 4.29

Recent ODI Form: 1/29, 1/7, 2/34, 2/46, 0/18 & 25, 1, 7, 29, 3

Last ODI: August 26, 2023

Age: 38

Embed from Getty Images

9. Rashid Khan

Role: All-Rounder (Right Arm Bat/Right Arm Leg Spin)

  • Matches/Innings: 94/89
  • Runs: 1160, Best: 60*
  • Average/SR: 19.01/104.69
  • 100/50: 0/5
  • Wickets: 170, Best: 7/18
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 6/4
  • Economy: 4.15

Recent ODI Form: 2/21, 2/28, 2/42, 0/53, 1/42 & 2, DNB, 6, 0, 2, 16

Last ODI: August 26, 2023

Age: 25

Embed from Getty Images

10. Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Role: Right Arm Off Spin/Mystery

  • Matches/Innings: 66/65
  • Wickets: 91, Best: 5/50
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 3/1
  • Economy: 4.08

Recent ODI Form: 3/40, 0/34, 3/33, 1/45, 1/50

Last ODI: August 26, 2023

Age: 22

Embed from Getty Images

11. Noor Ahmad

Role: Left Arm Wrist Spin

  • Matches/Innings: 3/3
  • Wickets: 2, Best: 1/54
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 0/0
  • Economy: 7.42

Recent ODI Form: 0/32, 1/54, 1/70

Last ODI: June 4, 2023

Age: 18

Embed from Getty Images

12. Abdul Rahman

Role: Right Arm Medium Pace

  • Matches/Innings: 3/3
  • Wickets: 1, Best: 1/83
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 0/0
  • Economy: 7.67

Recent ODI Form: 0/27, 0/23, 1/83

Last ODI: August 24, 2023

Age: 21

Embed from Getty Images

13. Fazalhaq Farooqi

Role: Left Arm Fast

  • Matches/Innings: 21/21
  • Wickets: 32, Best: 4/49
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 2/0
  • Economy: 5.34

Recent ODI Form: 3/24, 3/22, 2/26, 1/51, 3/69, 1/45

Last ODI: August 26, 2023

Age: 23

Embed from Getty Images

14. Azmatullah Omarzai

Role: All-Rounder(Right Arm Fast/Right Hand Bat)

  • Matches/Innings: 13/8
  • Wickets: 6, Best: 1/17
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 0/0
  • Economy: 4.93
  • Runs: 137, Best: 56

Recent ODI Form: 16* & 0/12

Last ODI: August 22, 2023

Age: 23

Embed from Getty Images Embed

15. Naveen-ul-Haq

Role: Right Arm Fast

  • Matches/Innings: 7/7
  • Wickets: 14, Best: 4/42
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 1/0
  • Economy: 5.78

Last ODI: January 26, 2021

Age: 24

Embed from Getty Images

16. Gulbadin Naib*

*in the reserves

Role: All-Rounder (Right Hand Bat/Right Arm Fast)

  • Matches/Innings: 77/66
  • Runs: 1170, Best: 82*
  • Average/SR: 20.17/73.30
  • 100/50: 0/5
  • Wickets: 67, Best: 6/43
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 2/1
  • Economy: 5.4

Recent ODI Form: 0/25, 3/34, 0/48, 1/19, 2/36 & 22, 6, 8, 20, 0

Last ODI: August 26, 2023

Age: 32

Embed from Getty Images

17. Sharafuddin Ashraf*

*in the reserves

Role: All-Rounder (Left Arm Spin/Right Hand Bat)

  • Matches/Innings: 19/11
  • Wickets: 13, Best: 3/29
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 0/0
  • Economy: 4.28
  • Runs: 66, Best: 21

Recent ODI Form: 0/50, 1/37, 1/57, 0/23, 0/23

Last ODI: January 23, 2022

Age: 28

Embed from Getty Images

18. Fareed Ahmad*

*in the reserves

Role: Left Arm Fast

  • Matches/Innings: 15/14
  • Wickets: 21
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 0/0
  • Economy: 5.41

Recent ODI Form: 2/43, 2/61, 0/8, 2/70

Last ODI: August 25, 2023

Age: 29

Embed from Getty Images

19. Mohammad Saleem**

**did not make into the final WC squad

Role: Right Arm Fast

  • Matches/Innings: 2/2
  • Wickets: 0
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 0/0
  • Economy: 6.77

Recent ODI Form: 0/36, 0/34

Last ODI: July 8, 2023

Age: 20

Embed from Getty Images

20. Karim Janat**

**did not make into the final World Cup squad

Role: All-Rounder (Right Hand Bat/Right Arm Fast)

  • Matches/Innings: 1/1
  • Runs: 9, Best: 9
  • Average/SR: 9.00/27.27
  • 100/50: 0/0
  • Wickets: 0
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 0/0
  • Economy: 7.75

Recent ODI Form: 9 & 0/31

Last ODI: February 24, 2017

Age: 25

Embed from Getty Images

Final Thoughts on Afghanistan Asia Cup 2023 Squad

Do I expect Afghanistan to win the 2023 ODI World Cup?

No, but I expect a better result than their disastrous 2019 World Cup campaign. They may definitely be the dark horse in the 2023 Asia Cup.

What do you think?

Related ODI World Cup Articles

Check out our 2023 World Cup content library here.

If you liked this article, be sure to check some of the other World Cup content:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Afghanistan World Cup 2023 Squad

What is the average age of Afghanistan’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad?

Who is selected for Afghanistan’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad?

Raahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Hsmatullah Shahidi (C), Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Ikram Alikhil, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Abudl Rahman, and Mohammad Saleem have been selected for Afghanistan’s 2023 Cricket World Cup preliminary squad.

Can Afghanistan win the 2023 ODI World Cup?

No, but I expect them to win 3-5 games and end in the Top 6.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 08/27/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Pakistan Vs Afghanistan – T20 World Cup 2021 Match #24 Quick Review! Afghan Hearts Break Feat Asif Ali’s 4 Sixes

Pakistan Vs Afghanistan Quick Review — Closest match of the tournament so far?

The ebbs and flow were palpable as Pakistan received its gravest threat in their unbeaten 3 win record. Good passion, great fight, brilliant viewing.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: Pakistan Vs Afghanistan Video Highlights

Toss: Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat first.

Venue: Dubai International Stadium, Dubai, UAE

Umpires: Chris Brown & Joel Wilson

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Pakistan won by 5 wickets
  • Scores: Afghanistan 147/6Pakistan 148/5
  • Player of the Match: Asif Ali 25* (7)
  • Best Figures
    • Imad Wasim (4-0-25-2)
    • Rashid Khan (4-0-26-2)
  • Most Runs
    • Gulbadin Naib 35* (25), Mohammad Nabi 35* (32)
    • Babar Azam 51 (47), Asif Ali 25* (7)

Moments of The Day: Asif Ali Rescues Pakistan

  • Imad Wasim & Shadab Khan Disciplined In Pakistan’s first game, Shaheen-Rizwan-Babar performed. In the next game, Haris Rauf-Malik-Asif Ali came to the party. Although Asif Ali was the man of the moment again today, Wasim-Shadab-Fakhar’s contributions could not be disregarded. Imad & Shadab combined for 8-0-47-3. Imad bowled well both in the pwowerplay and the middle overs, while Shadab Khan’s fielding at backward point was electric.
  • Gulbadin Naib-Mohammad Nabi-Najibullah Zadran string a comeback. Afghanistan’s fighting spirit was on show today. To recover from 39-4 & later 76-6 in 13 overs to push towards 150 takes smart, sensible cricket. In the last three overs, Gulabdin Naib just hit Hasan Ali & Rauf out of the park.

Babar Azam Slow but Steady, Fakhar Zaman Shines, Shoaib Malik Continues His GoodForm, and Asif Ali hits 4 Sixes in 6 Balls to Wrap It Up

  • Afghanistan had smartly held Rashid Khan back till after the 10 over drinks break. Immediately he made an impact but DRS saved Babar Azam. The next over Fakhar Zaman departed to Nabi’s guile. Hafeez’s wicket followed. Match in balance.
  • In comes Shoaib Malik and hits Rashid for a big six in his last over to reduce the pressure. Then, Naveen-ul-Haq drops Babar Azam. Pakistan in front.
  • Final ball of his spell, Rashid to Babar, bowled ’em! Then a wonderful 2 run-1 wicket (Malik) over by Naveen Ul-Haq. Afghanistan right back in.
  • 24 runs need in 12 balls.
  • 6, 0, 6, 0, 6, 6. Pakistan win. That’s All. Easy as you like it.

So many ebbs and flows in this match! Brilliant game of cricket.

Another impactful innings from Asif Ali, who seems to have turned a corner. Brilliant side to watch this, Pakistan. Good fight by Afghanistan as well. They should not be disheartened.

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Afghanistan Lose Another Close One Against Pakistan

  • Pakistan Vs Afghanistan is becoming a real rivalry. Throughout the match, passion and emotion was pouring from the fans and the players, but this is now the second consecutive close World Cup game between the two. In the 2019 ODI World Cup, Afghanistan had almost won before Imad Wasim’s heroics brought Pakistan back. Pakistan won with only 2 balls to spare in 50 overs.

Hopefully Afghanistan can bounce back and still fight for the semi-finals spot.

Also Read: Babar Azam, Rizwan, Shaheen: The Case for Pakistan Players In the IPL

Sighting of the Day

You know what is better than a Shaheen Shah Afridi? Two Afridis in a stadium together. The great Shahid Afridi was spotted today.

T20 World Cup Points Table, Stat Alert

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Mahmudullah – 150 runs (Bangladesh, 6 Matches)
  • Shakib Al Hasan – 11 wickets (Bangladesh, 4 Matches)
  • Calum MacLeod – 6 catches (Scotland, 5 Matches)
  • Nurul Hasan, Matthew Cross (Bangladesh/Scotland) – 5 dismissals

Group 1 Table

TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. England22004+ 3.614
2. Australia22004+ 0.727
3. South Africa21102+ 0.179
4. Sri Lanka21102– 0.416
5. West Indies31202– 1.598
6. Bangladesh30300– 1.069
T20 World Cup 2021 Group 1 Points Table

Group 2 Table

TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Pakistan33006+ 0.638
2. Afghanistan21102+ 3.092
3. Namibia10102+ 0.550
4. New Zealand10100– 0.532
5. India10100– 0.973
6. Scotland20002– 3.562
T20 World Cup 2021 Group 2 Points Table

Also, if you have not yet read our T20 World Cup Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. A Review – Group A 2021 T20 World Cup Squads Dissected: Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands, Sri Lanka
  2. B Review – Group B 2021 T20 World Cup Squads Dissected: Bangladesh, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Scotland
  3. 1 Review – Group 1 2021 T20 World Cup Squads Dissected: Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies
  4. 2 Review – Group 2 2021 T20 World Cup Squads Dissected: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, New Zealand

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 10/29/2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

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Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images

PBKS Vs SRH IPL 2021 Match 14 Review: Hyderabad Takes Points As Punjab Fold

PBKS Vs SRH– IPL 2021 Match #14 Quick Review! SRH are finally on the points table, while PBKS continue to disappoint. Khaleel-Rashid-Warner-Bairstow help SRH to first win.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: PBKS Vs SRH Video Highlights

Toss: PBKS won the toss and chose to bat first.

Venue: MA Chidambram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Umpires: Krishnamachari Srinivasan & Nitin Menon

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 9 wickets
  • Scores: PBKS 120/10SRH 121/1
  • Player of the Match: Jonny Bairstow
  • Best Figures
    • Khaleel Ahmed – 3/21
    • Fabian Allen – 1/22
  • Most Runs
    • Shahrukh Khan – 22 (17)
    • Jonny Bairstow – 63 (56)

Moments of The Day:

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

  • Kane Williamson provides the balance – SRH always had the players but not the balance. Williamson’s calm 16 (19) made sure SRH cross the line. At the same spot in earlier games, Warner or Bairstow’s dismissal would cause a collapse. I like the look of this lineup—Warner-Bairstow-Williamson at the top followed by Kedar Jadhav-Vijay Shankar-Abhishek Sharma.
  • Jonny Bairstow is a star. Definitely one of the modern ODI greats, he has started IPL 2021 with scores of 55, 12, 43, and 63*. This knock would please Bairstow since he finished the game himself. A ton coming soon?
  • Khaleel Ahmed is back. In 2018-19, Khaleel was India’s pace spearhead. By late 2020, he had even dropped off from SRH’s pecking order. Natarajan’s injury is a concern, but the blessing in disguise is the return of Khaleel. Figures of 3/21 today.

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Pooran’s Poor Form Persists

Run out without facing a ball has to be the worst broken dream for a batsman. Pooran was on the receiving day today.

  • Poor Pooran0(1), 0(2), 0(0) – run (out). Shall I say anymore? With 9 as his highest score and Chris Gayle not doing too hot either, it is safe to say that, Dawid Malan, world’s #1 T20I batsman, needs to be back.
  • Why bench Ravi Bishnoi, one of the breakout stars of IPL 2020? Punjab Kings did well to take the game to the 19th over, but the bowling lineup does not aspire too much confidence. Why not play both Murugan Ashwin & Ravi Bishnoi?

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Shikhar Dhawan 231 runs (DC, 4 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 12 wickets (RCB, 4 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Royal Challengers Bangalore44008+ 1.009
2. Chennai Super Kings43106+1.142
3. Delhi Capitals43106+0.426
4. Mumbai Indians42204+0.187
5. Sunrisers Hyderabad 41302-0.228
6. Kolkata Knight Riders41302-0.7
7. Punjab Kings41302-0.824
8. Rajasthan Royals41302-1.011
IPL 2021 Points Table
  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Rashid Khan

SRH Vs KKR IPL Match 3 Review: Nitish Rana 80 Trumps Jonny Bairstow’s Clean Striking

SRH Vs KKR – IPL 2021 Match #3 Quick Review! Kolkata Knight Riders emerge victorious against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Match Details

Scorecard: SRH Vs KKR

Venue: MA Chidambram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Toss: SRH won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Umpires: KN Ananthapadmanabhan & Nitin Menon

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: KKR won by 10 runs
  • Scores: KKR 187/6 Vs SRH 177/5
  • Player of the Match: Nitish Rana
  • Best Figures
    • Rashid Khan 2-24
    • Prasidh Krishna 2-35
  • Most Runs
    • Nitish Rana 80 (56)
    • Manish Pandey 61*(44)

Moments of The Day

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

Surprises

  • KKR’s Top Order was the surprise of the day. With DK-Morgan-Russell-Shakib-Cummins (even Harbhajan the hitter), the question was if the top order could get going.
    • Rana-Gill 53 (42) & 93 (50) Tripathi-Rana set the platform for KKR
    • Nitish Rana (80) and Tripathi (53) have become cult heroes in the IPL. Always produce a couple of match winning innings each IPL. Can they get consistency this time around?
  • Dinesh Karthik is still India’s best finisher. From 157-2, Kolkata collapsed to 160-5 in 17.4. The much acclaimed Russell & Morgan out for 5 and 2 respectively. Dinesh Karthik moved around the crease to produce a 22* (9), taking KKR to 187. Time for a T20I recall. Oh and ABDUL SAMAD – India’s best power hitter? 19*(8) with 2 sixes.
  • Jonny Bairstow a class apart. 10-2 in 2 overs in a chase of 188? No worries, Bairstow will play his natural game. 55 (40) with 5 fours & 3 sixes. One of the cleanest strikers of the ball. He is my orange cap prediction for IPL 2021.

Honorable Mentions: Afghan duo Rashid-Nabi put the breaks on KKR with figures of 8-0-56-4; Manish Pandey’s steady 61*; Shakib takes wicket against his former team first ball; Prasidh Krishna impresses again

Tweet of the Day

Must watch analysis that went viral on Twitter yesterday.

Broken Cricket Dreams of the Day

  • Harbhajan Singh coming back after 699 days, last playing in May 2019. In a slow Chennai pitch and history of Warner’s poor record against Harbhajan, he was given the first over. First ball – slow, spin, guile – Warner edges it in the air. Dropped by Pat Cummins. Broken Dream. Did not bowl for the rest of the match.
  • Mohammad Nabi gives a scare: Got hit at the back of his neck by Prasidh Krishna in the 16th over. 140 kph & Nab without neck protection guard. Really scary stuff. Came back with a strong 4 and then out. Hope he is okay in the long run.

IPL 2021 Points Table

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table. We will keep updating it in every article!

TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Delhi Capitals11002+0.779
2. Kolkata Knight Riders110 02+ 0.5
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore11002+0.05
4. Mumbai Indians10100-0.05
5. Sunrisers Hyderabad10100-0.5
6. Chennai Super Kings10100-0.779
Rajasthan Royals
Punjab Kings
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

The Rajasthan Royals take on the Punjab Kings in Chennai. Who do you think will win this one?

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/11/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

IPL 2021 Sunrisers Hyderabad Preview: Afghan Spin Giants, Trans-Tasman & English Batting, & Indian Fast Bowling Strength

Sunrisers Hyderabad Preview IPL 2021 Edition.

One of the most consistent franchises in recent IPL history, expect no different this year around.

Except they have more options, fitter players, and a schedule that suits their style of play. Add the intelligent buy of Kedar Jadhav, and all pieces are slowly falling into place. Here is my SRH preview.

Also Read: IPL 2021 Auctions Review, SRH All-Time XI

IPL History

2016 (Champions), 2018 (Runners Up), 2020 (3rd), 2013, 2017, 2019 (4th)

How Did They Do Last Year?

3rd. Losing to the Delhi Capitals in Qualifier 2. Lots of positives from last year:

  • David Warner among the top 3 yet again & Saha, the opener, giving SRH’s campaign much needed intent
  • Kane Williamson-Jason Holder (replacement for Mitchell Marsh last year) playing crucial mature knocks
  • Youngsters like Abdul Samad, Priyam Garg, & Abhishek Sharma all shining at certain points during the tournament
  • Batting collapses the worry

Injury & COVID-19 News

Mitchell Marsh has pulled out of IPL 2021. Poor guy. Seems to be more out more often than not. Jason Roy is the replacement.

Complete Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad

Batsman: Manish Pandey, Priyam Garg, Kedar Jadhav, Virat Singh

WK: Shreevats Goswami, Wriddhiman Saha

All-Rounders: Abdul Samad, Abhishek Sharma, Vijay Shankar, Jagadeesha Suchith

Spinners: Shahbaz Nadeem

Fast Medium: T Natarajan, Khaleel Ahmed, Basil Thampi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

Overseas: David Warner*, Jonny Bairstow, Jason Holder, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rashid Khan, Jason Roy, Kane Williamson

Withdrawn Mitchell Marsh

Predicted SRH XI

  1. David Warner (C), 2. Wriddhiman Saha (WK), 3. Manish Pandey, 4. Kane Williamson/Jonny Bairstow5. Vijay Shankar/Kedar Jadhav, 6. Priyam Garg/Abdul Samad, 7. Rashid Khan8. Jason Holder/Mohammad Nabi/ Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10. T Natarajan, 11. Sandeep Sharma

Watch Out For

Horses-for-courses strategy.

  • Given their first 5 games are at Chennai (and 7 more at Delhi/Kolkata), expect SRH to deploy their spin regime. They have the Afghan trio Rashid Khan-Mohammad Nabi-Mujeeb Ur Rahman along with Shahbaz Nadeem & part-timers Abhishek Sharma/Kedar Jadhav.
  • The other option is to go top heavy with Warner-Roy-Williamson-Bairstow. Droolworthy batting order.
  • If the pitch demands pace, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Natarajan, Sandeep Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed, Thampi, & Kaul will be key with all-rounders in Jason Holder & Vijay Shankar readily available.

Where Can Things Go Wrong For the Sunrisers?

With multiple options, come multiple warnings. Do not give enough chances or confidence to the players and instability can creep in. With staff of VVS Laxman, Muralitharan and co, this should not be the case.

Multiple options – always a blessing or a curse.

Also Read: Indian Cricket’s Abundance of Talent: Blessing Or Curse?

Venues

Chennai – 5, Delhi – 4, Kolkata – 3, Bangalore – 2

Fixtures

  • 11 April: SRH vs KKR (Chennai)
  • 14 April: SRH vs RCB (Chennai)
  • 17 April: MI vs SRH (Chennai)
  • 21 April: PBKS vs SRH (Chennai)
  • 25 April: SRH vs DC (Chennai)
  • 28 April: CSK vs SRH (Delhi)
  • 2 May: RR vs SRH (Delhi)
  • 4 May: SRH vs MI (Delhi)
  • 7 May: SRH vs CSK (Delhi)
  • 9 May: RCB vs SRH (Kolkata)
  • 13 May: SRH vs RR (Kolkata)
  • 17 May: DC vs SRH (Kolkata)
  • 19 May: SRH vs PBKS (Bangalore)
  • 21 May: KKR vs SRH (Bangalore)
  • 25 May: Qualifier 1 (Ahmedabad)
  • 26 May: Eliminator (Ahmedabad)
  • 28 May: Qualifier 2 (Ahmedabad)
  • 30 May: Final (Ahmedabad)

Prediction

Probably the most balanced side of the tournament, but just think that RCB, PBKS, and KKR have a bit more firepower.

Prediction4th
Most Runs Jonny Bairstow
Most WicketsRashid Khan
Emerging PlayerAbdul Samad
Surprise PackageKedar Jadhav
X FactorDavid Warner
Broken Cricket DreamSiddharth Kaul – Final SRH season for Kaul?
Sunrisers Hyderabad Preview Predictions

What do you think of the Sunrisers Hyderabad Preview? Your First XI? Will they make the IPL 2021 qualifiers?

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Copyright (2021: 4/3/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe 2021 Series Review: Sean Williams, Rashid Khan Come To the Party

Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe Series Review.

Some series are more hyped than others. That is the way of life. Amidst the India Vs England ‘marquee’ series, there was a much better spectacle of cricket in the UAE.

This series had everything—an overseas Test victory for Zimbabwe, first Test double century for Afghanistan by Hasmatullah Shahidi, Sean Williams’ 2 tons, follow-on fightback from Williams-Tiripano, Zimbabwe’s Blessing (Muzarabani), Rashid Khan’s toil of the century, and other heroes in Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Asghar Afghan, Ryan Burl, Ibrahim Zadran, Amir Hamza, and lot more.

Here is my series review—Results, video highlights stats, major moments, T20I World Cup squad predictions, awards, and much more!

Also Read: Ireland Vs Afghanistan Series Review

Results, Scorecards, & Video Highlights – Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe

Test Series:

  1. Zimbabwe won by 10 wickets*Sean Williams
  2. Afghanistan won by 6 wickets*Hashmatullah Shahidi

* Player of Match

Series Stats

Player of SeriesAfghanistanZimbabwe
Sean Williams
Most Runs Hashmatullah Shahidi – 215 runs
(best of 200*, 100s – 1, average 107.50)
Sean Williams – 264 runs
(best of 151*, 100s – 2, average 132.00)
Most WicketsRashid Khan – 11 wickets
(best inn – 7/137, best match – 11/275, 99.2 overs bowled, average 25.00)
Blessing Muzarabani – 8 wickets
(best inn – 4/48, best match 6/62, 55.1 overs bowled, average 18.62)
Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe 2021 Test Series Stats

T20I Series:

  1. Afghanistan won by 48 runs*Rahmanullah Gurbaz
  2. Afghanistan won by 45 runs*Mohammad Nabi
  3. Afghanistan won by 47 runs*Najibullah Zadran

* Player of Match

Series Stats

Player of SeriesAfghanistan
Karim Janat
Zimbabwe
Most RunsRahmanullah Gurbaz – 114 runs
(best of 87, 154.05 SR)
Ryan Burl – 81 runs
(best of 40, 122.72 SR)
Most WicketsRashid Khan – 6 wickets
(best of 3/28, 7.60 economy)
Blessing Muzarabani – 6 wickets
(best of 2/38, 10.25 economy)
Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe 2021 T20I Series Stats

The Highlights

Afghanistan

  • Rashid Khan only played one Test match. In that one Test, he bowled more than anyone in the entire series. In fact, it was the most overs bowled in the 21st century in a single test. Digest that. He bowled 36.3 overs in the first innings & 62.5 overs in the follow on, taking 11 wickets overall. The fact that he left the PSL, missed the first Test with an injury, and played the rest of the series with full commitment is just something else. Also, he is only 22. Afghanistan needs to find more bowling partners to save Rashid from burnout.
  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz for me was the find of the series. 87 with 7 sixes in his player of the match debut performance. Not a bad start I would say.
  • With Gurbaz, Mohamamad Nabi, Asghar Afghan, & Najibullah Zadran all playing crucial roles in the T20I series, Karim Janat flew under the radar. Consistent all-round performances with 26 & 2/14, 53 & 1/27, and 21 & 2/34 got him the player of the series award.
  • A word on Hashmatullah Shahidi & Asghar Afghan. First double hundred by an Afghan batsman, 164 for Asghar, and a 307-run brilliant partnership. Afghanistan is improving, slowly but steadily. Good signs for world cricket.

Zimbabwe

  • With Brendon Taylor & Craig Ervine missing out due to illness, captain Sean Williams shouldered the responsibility with 105 in the 2-day Test victory & 151* in a follow-on. He was just a class apart. When Taylor & Ervine return, I am hoping for some progress for this Zimbabwean team (and possibly a 2023 WC qualification?)
  • Blessing Muzarabani was among the wickets in both the Test and ODI series. 4/48 & 2/14 in that first Test followed by 2 wickets each in the last Test and the T20Is. Slightly expensive in the T20Is, but will get better with time.
  • There was a time after the 2003 World Cup that Zimbabwe’s fast bowling stocks depleted. The bowling unit of Muzarabani, Victor Nyauchi, and Donald Tiripano bundled Afghanistan for 131 & 135 in the UAE. Gives me some hope.
  • The 187 run-partnership between Williams & Tiripano for the 8th wicket in the follow-on (highest for Zimbabwe at that spot) was very special. At the 20th anniversary of Dravid-Laxman’s partnership at the Eden Gardens, this would have been the perfect tribute. Unfortunately, Tiripano got out for 95 and Afghanistan chased the score with only a brief stutter. Brilliant Test match regardless.

The Awards

We like to spice things up with our own awards for the series. Here they are:

Afghanistan Zimbabwe
Emerging PlayerRahmanullah Gurbaz, Amir Hamza (6/75), Ibrahim Zadran (31 & 76, 72 & 29)Blessing Muzarabani
Surprise PackageKarim Janat Ryan Burl
Broken Cricket DreamAbdul Malik, Munir Ahmad, Abdul Wasi (Debutants)Brendon Taylor, Craig Ervine (miss out during illness)
Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe 2021 Series Awards

Who would have been your Emerging Player? Surprise Player? Broken Cricket Dream? Let us know below WITH COMMENTS! Also please share and subscribe below!

T20I World Cup Watch

We are doing a World T20 Watch from now till the T20I world cup next year. Here is our predicted T20 XI line up and a 16-men squad as of now based on this series. Several ifs and buts at this point, but it will get clearer along the journey.

Since the T20 World Cup is scheduled in India, several spin options are considered.

Afghanistan 2021 World T20 Squad – Prediction

  1. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), 2. Usman Ghani, 3. Karim Janat, 4. Najibullah Zadran, 5. Mohammad Nabi, 6. Asghar Afghan*, 7. Rashid Khan, 8. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 9. Amir Hamza/Zahir Khan, 10. Naveen Ul-Haq, 11. Fareed Ahmad

Squad: 12. Qais Ahmed, 13. Gulbadin Naib/Hamid Hassan, 14. Wafadar Momand/Dawlat Zadran, 15. Hazratullah Zazai

Wildcards: Mohammad Shahzad/Afsar Zazai (WK), Samiullah Shenwari, Shapoor Zadran, Karim Sadiq, Noor Ali Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Ibrahim Zadran, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Azmatullah Omarzai, Waqar Salamkheil

*Captain

Zimbabwe 2021 World T20 Squad – Prediction

  1. Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, 2. Brendon Taylor (WK), 3. Sean Williams*, Sikandar Raza, 5. Ryan Burl, 6. Craig Ervine, 7. Regis Chakabva, 8. Wesley Madhevere, 9. Donald Tiripano, 10. Blessing Muzarabani, 11. Richard Ngarava/Victor Nyauchi

Squad: 12. Richmond Mutumbami (WK), 13. Taisai Musakanda, 14. Brandon Mavuta, 15. Kevin Kasuza

Wildcards: Wellington Masakadza, Prince Masvaure, Milton Shumba

Where Do They Go From Here?

Zimbabwe is bound to tour Ireland in August for 3 ODIs (after Ireland tour Netherlands in June for 3 ODIs) . Important ODI Super League points up for grabs.

In the meantime, the Afghanistan trio of Rashid Khan-Mohammad Nabi-Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be headed to Sunrisers Hyderabad camp for the Indian Premier League.

What did you think about the Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe 2021 series? What are your World T20 line ups? COMMENT BELOW, and let us know what you think!

Image Courtesy: Image by Makalu from Pixabay

My Favorite Player from Each Country: Unity In Diversity XI – #5 Will Shock You

“Is there any player you do not like?” asked a friend.

The question stumped me.

I have always remembered loving the game and enjoyed watching cricket on TV, no matter what team or player was playing. One of my fondest childhood cricketing memories was even playing a Bangladesh vs. Zimbabwe Test Series with a friend although we were not from either country. We would memorize every players’ names, imitate each bowling action, and change our batting styles accordingly.

This got me thinking. Why not create A World XI with favorite players from every major cricketing nation?

Today’s Twist – Unity in Diversity:

Create a World XI squad consisting of exactly 1 player from each country. Here are the rules:

  • Pick a player from each of the 12 Test playing nations
  • Pick one more player from an Associate Nation for a total of 13 players.
  • The team should be able to field in an actual match – at least one wicketkeeper and 5 bowling options are necessary

The Catch:

The team should be diverse enough to represent any format – Test, ODI, and T20. Alastair Cook and Shivnarine Chanderpaul are two of my favorite players. Although they would be ideal candidates for an All-Time Test XI, they may struggle in the T20 era.

Who are your favorite players from each country? Comment below with your XI!

The choice for the Associate player would be interesting to see. Maybe it is from a Netherlands team that surprised England in the 2009 T20 World Cup or from the classic Kenya team from 2003? Steve Tikolo, the Obuyas, and Odoyo, remember?

Without further ado, here is my All-Time Favorite XI.

Embed from Getty Images

Unity in Diversity XI

Note, my team only consists of players from the last 20 years.

  1. Rahul Dravid (IND) The Wall—architect of India’s greatest Test victories. My Role-Model.
  2. Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL) Inventor of the Dilscoop. Energetic cricketer, opener, and fielder
  3. Younis Khan (PAK) Tenacious. Beautiful Batting style, conversion rate, and studious?
  4. Ross Taylor (NZ) Does anyone have a better leg side slog? Underrated ODI player.
  5. Nicholas Pooran (WI)WK I think he is the next big talent in West Indies Cricket.
  6. Paul Collingwood (ENG) C Calm captain, good all-rounder, and best fielder of all time.
  7. Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) Bangladesh superstar and one-of the best all rounder of all-time.
  8. Ryan Ten Doeschate (NETH) Averages 67 in ODI cricket after 33 ODIs. A delight to watch.
  9. Rashid Khan (AFG) How much has he achieved already at this age? And the googlies
  10. Brett Lee (AUS) Pace, smooth action, best chainsaw celebration, and great musician
  11. Dale Steyn (SA) Best Test fast bowler? Intensity in the eyes and overseas record
  12. Brendon Taylor (ZIM) Zimbabwe’s best in the current era. Easy on the eye.
  13. Niall O’Brien (IRE) Starred in the upset vs Pakistan in 2007 WC. Love his commentary!

Honorable Mentions

This was a really tough exercise. Maybe even harder than All-Time Test or ODI XIs. Here are just some of the others I considered.

  • INDDinesh Karthik, Mohammad Kaif, Robin Uthappa, and the Golden Generation – Sachin/Sehwag/VVS/Ganguly/Zaheer/Harbhajan/Yuvraj/Raina/MSD
  • SL – Sangakkara-Jayawardene and the M Factor – Mendis, Malinga, Murali
  • Pak – Mohammad Yousuf, Babar Azam, and numerous bowlers including the recently retired Umar Gul
  • NZ: How does one not like every player from New Zealand? Kane Williamson, Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Dan Vettori, and all the rest. Lockie Ferguson – KKR fans?
  • WI – Chanderpaul, Brian Lara, the Universe Boss, and captain Darren Sammy
  • ENG – Marcus Trescothick, Cook, Ian Bell, Jimmy Anderson, Jos Buttler, KP
  • BAN – The Fab Five
  • Associate Nations – Coetzer/Sharif (Scotland)
  • AFG – Mohammad Nabi
  • AUS – Adam Gilchrist
  • SA – Faf Du Plessis, AB De Villiers, Amla, Graeme Smith, Kallis, Morne Morkel, Quinton de Kock
  • ZIM – Tatenda Taibu, Andy Blignaut
  • IRE – Kevin O’Brien, Tim Murtagh, Porterfield, and Eoin Morgan (oops different country now)
Embed from Getty Images

Reflection

I love underdog stories and love discussing cricket at every opportunity.

Whether it is the IPL or a hard fought day of test cricket, The Ashes or the India-Pakistan rivalry, a World Cup Final or the group stage of a qualifying tournament, women’s or men’s cricket, be assured, I will be following.

Diversity is such a beautiful thing. It is completely okay to be a fan of various different players from different countries. As long as the on-field battle is competitive, the game is fair, sportsmanship moments are abundant, and cricket continues to grow, that is all we need.

LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON CRICKET, COMMENT Below on your All-Time Favorites, and SUBSCRIBE!

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

Sources: Vandit (Friend), cricket.com.au, IPLT20.com

Image Courtesy: Getty Images, Sachin Tendulkar – British High Commission, New Delhi, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Broken Cricket Dreams of the Day: IPL Edition I

Broken Cricket Dreams of the Day will be a diary of IPL 2020.

Every day, we tweet #BCDoftheDay or #BrokenCricketDreamoftheDay and capture some of the most unfortunate events of the day.

We have already had some interesting ones – David Warner run-out as a non-striker, Hardik Pandya’s hit wicket, Ishan Kishan’s and Mayank Agarwal’s broken dreams to name a few.

Highlight

In any case, the IPL is finally back! We have so much drama already.

A couple of Super Overs, Rahul Tewatia’s magic, Pooran’s effort, CSK’s downfall (too soon?), and my favorite of all – the youngsters on the show.

Devdutt Padikkal, Ravi Bishnoi, Shubman Gill, Mavi and Nagarkoti repaying KKR’s faith, and today Priyam Garg and Abhishek Sharma with SRH. Several like Yashashvi Jaiswal and Tom Banton yet to fire, but we will definitely be watching.

For every match of the IPL, we start with leading question or highlight of the day.

What was YOUR highlight of the day or do you have a response to the question?

COMMENT BELOW On YOUR THOUGHTS AND BROKEN DREAMS from IPL 2020 so far!

Well anyway, here is my take on the first two weeks of the IPL through tweets!

Broken Cricket Dreams of the Day – IPL Edition Week 1

Day 1 – The IPL is back!!! The fitness is not (except for Faf, of course)
Day 2 – Super Over Loss for KXIP. Can Punjab bounce back?
Day 3 – Unfortunate Run-out, injuries to Marsh, Rashid concussion…
Day 4 – Come on CSK…Go for the win not just the net-run rate.
Day 5 – Hit wicket anyone?
Day 6 – Kohli and dropped catches?

But in all reality, a day to mourn for the cricket community to honor Dean Jones—a life well-lived.

Day 7 – Are Delhi Capitals favorites for the tournament?

Subscribe here for more such articles!

Week 2

Day 8 – Saha struggles, Shubman succeeds
Day 9 – Does anyone have worse luck than Mayank Agarwal in Indian Cricket?
Day 10 – Ishan Kishan. Enough said.
Day 11 – Is there a better IPL death bowler than Kagiso Rabada?
Day 12 – Cool Morgan trumps Archer’s pace
Day 13 – Rohit Sharma vs KXIP (aka the new RCB)
Day 14 – CSK’s Dad’s Army vs SRH’s young guns

Sources: IPLT20.com, Twitter

Image Source: KL Rahul – Bhimappa Shivappa Badakannavara / CC BY-SA 4.0