Asif Ali’s cameo of 25* from just 7 balls took Pakistan to victory with an over to spare against Afghanistan in the Super 12 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. Needing 24 off the last two overs, Ali used only one of those overs as he smacked Karim Janat for four sixes to get Pakistan across the line. The victory makes it three wins out of three for Pakistan. They sit comfortably on top of the Group 2 table in the Super 12 stage of the ICC…
By VINODE MAMCHAN (DUBAI, UAE) West Indies battled the odds and came up with an agonisingly close victory by three runs over Bangladesh at Sharjah on Friday, that has kept their hopes alive in the 2021 ICC World T20. Andre Russell called on every ounce of his experience to defend 11 runs in the final over, to spark a maroon celebration that keeps West Indian interest in this tournament. The 2021 World T20 has become a lottery with the team winning the toss taking the match. Of the 10 matches…
By VINODE MAMCHAN (DUBAI, UAE) Their task is as difficult as trying to get back into the Burj Khalifa while hanging from a window on the 124th floor, but West Indies have no choice to get back into the tournament starting with a battle against Bangladesh today in Sharjah from 2pm (5am Jamaica time). One can deem today’s battle as one of desperate men as both teams have not won a match at the Super 12 Stage of this World Cup. The defending champions West Indies have looked awful in…
Namibia kicked off their Super 12 campaign in style with a four-wicket win over Scotland in the second match of the day at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Scotland fought back well after losing three wickets for two runs at the start of the match and took the game to the final over of Namibia’s innings, but JJ Smit ensured that the Eagles got across the line with four wickets and five balls to spare. Namibia approached their chase with caution and, apart from a mini-collapse in the middle over,…
England went to the top of the table in Group 1 even as they consigned Bangladesh to their second loss in the Super 12 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. England’s bowlers produced their second stellar performance of the tournament to restrict Bangladesh to 124/9, before Jason Roy, in his 50th T20I, made short work of the chase. Roy’s half-century helped England complete the chase in 14.1 overs with eight wickets in hand at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Spinners Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone…
Pakistan left it late to secure a five-wicket victory over New Zealand to continue their unbeaten start in Group 2 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. New Zealand were restricted by both spin and seam, with pace bowler Haris Rauf taking four for 22 as the Blackcaps made 134 for eight from their 20 overs. Pakistan got off to a slow start in reply making 55 off their first 10 overs before Shoaib Malik, 26 not out off 20, and Asif Ali, 27 not out from 12 balls,…
By VINODE MAMCHAN (DUBAI, UAE) The game started in controversial circumstances for South Africa after top player Quinton de Kock decided not to play because the team was asked by their board to ‘take the knee’. However in the end it was the West Indies team on their knees as they lost their second game of the ICC 2021 World T20 by eight wickets at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai Sports City. This loss comes on the heels of their six-wicket defeat at the hands of England in the…
Runs are as hard to come by as rain in Dubai for both the West Indies and South Africa at the current ICC World T20 tournament. The two countries having suffered defeats in their respective first games will now meet each other looking to rebound quickly. The West Indies will all the power batters in the world, made an embarrassing 55 all out against England, while South Africa mustered only 118/9 against Australia in Abu Dhabi. The West Indian batsmen showed that they had no time to settle and build…
By VINODE MAMCHAN (DUBAI, UAE) Sunday evening around 3pm security forces had already gathered at the home of Indian captain Virat Kohli in Gurgaon, Mumbai because the war was about to start with Pakistan 931 miles away in the Gulf State of Dubai. However, three and half hours later Pakistanis were shouting Ya Salam! Ya Salam! As Pakistan romped to victory in their opening match of the ICC World T20 at the Dubai International Stadium at Dubai Sports City. It had to end and Pakistan finally won a World Cup…
By VINODE MAMCHAN (DUBAI, UAE) Dubai is a place with many millionaires and the West Indies batsmen took it literally as they played millionaire shots that saw them fall for an embarrassing 55 runs and in the process losing to England for the first time in a T20 World Cup match. England then made a meal of the target but got home at 56/4 wickets in 8.2 overs to claim the valuable points. After being sent in the West Indies batsmen all played like they had hot dates and wanted…