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New Zealand kept their semi-final ambitions on track with a win against Scotland in their Group 2 Super 12 fixture. Scotland showed fight with both bat and ball, but a Martin Guptill special in the Dubai afternoon heat put victory beyond their reach.  Guptill struck seven sixes in a power-packed 93 off 56 balls to lift New Zealand to 172/5. And while Scotland reached 156/5, they couldn’t deny the Black Caps a 16-run win. A double-wicket over for Safyaan Sharif in the New Zealand Powerplay, figures of 1/13 for Mark…

Pakistan cruised to a 45-run victory over Namibia as opening pair Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan again starred with the bat to all but confirm their semi-final spot.  Babar, 70, and Rizwan, 79 not out, became the first pair to share five T20I century stands with their second of the tournament as they put on 113 for the first wicket. Pakistan had started slowly but the Group 2 leaders smashed 130 from their last ten overs to register an imposing 189 for two. Namibia were always up against it and…

A blistering spell from Kagiso Rabada set South Africa up for a convincing six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi.  Rabada took three wickets in his opening spell and Bangladesh never recovered as the Proteas kept their charge for a semi-final place on track at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.  With this win, South Africa have three wins from four matches ahead of a clash with Group 1 leaders England, with Australia their most likely challengers in the battle for the last four.  Rabada finished with figures of…

New Zealand thrashed India by eight wickets in Dubai in both teams’ second match of the Super 12 stage, leaving Virat Kohli’s side still searching for their first victory of the tournament. India’s future at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 is out of their own hands after New Zealand produced a stunning win in Dubai. Set a modest target of 111 to win the Group 2 fixture, Kiwi opener Daryl Mitchell top-scored in a comfortable chase, hitting a quickfire 49 as his side chased it down with 33…

Having lost their previous game, Afghanistan made a strong comeback with a 62-run win in their Group 2 game against Namibia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. Afghanistan gave Asgar Afghan the perfect sendoff in his last match as they bowled brilliantly to restrict Namibia’s reply to 98/9, defending 161, in their Super 12 clash in Abu Dhabi. The win takes Afghanistan into second spot in the Group 2 standings, behind Pakistan who are on top with six points. Generally known for their fantastic spin bowlers, it was…

England delivered a complete team performance to thump Australia by eight wickets and stamp their authority on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. Eoin Morgan’s side chose to field and took four wickets in the powerplay for the second time in the tournament, reducing Australia to 21 for four with Chris Woakes the chief tormentor. Due solely to 44 from skipper Aaron Finch, Australia set a target of 126 which England overhauled with ease, thanks to an incredible display of power and poise from Jos Buttler. Buttler clubbed a…

South Africa claimed a tense four-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final over to keep their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup hopes alive. Pathum Nissanka led Sri Lanka’s charge making 72 as South Africa took regular wickets to restrict the Lions to 142 all out. Hasaranga halted South Africa’s steady progress taking a hat-trick to reduce them to 112 for six but David Miller provided the heroics to knock Sri Lanka out. South Africa won the toss and chose to field making one change as Quinton de Kock was…

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…