CARDIFF: England and Pakistan’s Twenty20 World Cup preparations were again dented by bad weather as the third international in Cardiff on Tuesday was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The woeful scenes in the Welsh capital followed another complete washout in the first of this four-match T20 series at Headingley.
England remain 1-0 up with one to play at The Oval on Thursday after a 23-run win in at Edgbaston but this latest abandonment came just a week before they begin their T20 World Cup title defense against Scotland in Barbados on June 4.
Rain in Cardiff on Tuesday started to fall steadily an hour before the scheduled 1730 GMT start, with a capacity 15,600 crowd expected at Sophia Gardens.
But the bad weather delayed the toss, with the pitch and square at Sophia Gardens remaining fully covered.
And minutes after a 1910 GMT inspection, the umpires abandoned the match due to a saturated outfield and persistent rain.
The teams will now travel to London for Thursday’s finale at The Oval in the hope of one last chance for competitive action ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan, the 2009 T20 World Cup winners, start this year’s tournament against co-hosts the United States in Dallas on June 6.
England and Pakistan’s T20 World Cup preparations blighted by fresh wash-out
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England and Pakistan’s T20 World Cup preparations blighted by fresh wash-out
- The woeful scenes in the Welsh capital followed another complete washout in the first of this four-match T20 series at Headingley
- England remain 1-0 up with one to play at The Oval on Thursday after a 23-run win in at Edgbaston
Pooran’s brilliance guides MI Emirates to victory over Gulf Giants in ILT20
- Captain’s innings seals impressive triumph
DUBAI: MI Emirates secured a five-wicket victory over the Gulf Giants in the DP World ILT20 at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday, with skipper Nicholas Pooran leading from the front with a match-winning unbeaten 58 off 37 balls, earning him the Player of the Match award as his side claimed their first win of the season.
Batting first, the Gulf Giants made a strong start, with openers Gerhard Erasmus and James Vince regularly finding the boundary.
However, their momentum was dented in the third over when Akeal Hosein dismissed Erasmus for 12. Vince, undeterred, found an able partner in Jordan Cox, and together they pushed the score to 52 for one at the end of the powerplay.
Cox and Vince put together a solid 51-run stand before Alzarri Joseph dismissed Cox in the 10th over. Tom Curran chipped in with 13, while Vince continued to anchor the innings, reaching his half-century in style.
With the Giants poised for a strong finish, Vince was joined by Shimron Hetmyer, and the duo accelerated in the 16th over, hitting 19 runs. However, MI Emirates fought back, removing Hetmyer (15) and Vince (86 off 50 balls) in quick succession. Late contributions from Tim David and Chris Jordan (both 10 not out) took the Gulf Giants to 173 for six in 20 overs.
Chasing 174, MI Emirates got off to a flying start as openers Andre Fletcher and Muhammad Waseem took the attack to the bowlers. Waseem smashed a rapid 26 off 10 balls before departing, while Tom Banton added 11 before falling to Aayan Khan.
Despite a run-out setback that saw Kusal Perera dismissed for just one, Fletcher continued to hold the innings together, scoring 31 before being castled by Blessing Muzarabani, who impressed with figures of one for 17 in four overs. At 102 for four, MI Emirates faced an uphill task, needing 72 runs off the last five overs.
Pooran, however, took control of the chase alongside Bevon Jacobs, forging a crucial 53-run stand off 33 balls. Jacobs’ departure for 18 brought Romario Shepherd to the crease, but Pooran remained composed under pressure.
Reaching his half-century in the 18th over, Pooran shifted gears as Shepherd’s late blows further eased the equation. With six runs needed off the final over, the MI Emirates skipper finished the job in style, smashing a six over cow corner to seal the victory.
Reflecting on his match-winning knock, Pooran said: “I knew I had to get the job done and be there until the end. I am more experienced now and know what’s required. The key is to trust yourself to absorb the pressure.”
Vince, captain of Gulf Giants, admitted that missed opportunities cost his side. “We didn’t feel it was that straightforward out there. There was some turn for the slower bowlers, but we dropped a catch and it ultimately cost us tonight,” he said.
Charles and Zampa propel Warriorz closer to ILT20 playoffs with victory over Knight Riders
- Despite a late stumble, Sharjah hold their nerve to secure four-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi that moves them from bottom of the table into 3rd place
SHARJAH: Sharjah Warriorz delivered a commanding performance in the DP World International League T20 on Thursday as they secured a crucial four-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.
Powered by a match-winning 65 from Johnson Charles and an inspired bowling display led by Adam Zampa and Adam Milne, the Warriorz moved from sixth to third in the standings, boosting their playoff chances no end.
Chasing 162, Sharjah’s openers wasted no time asserting their dominance. Charles and Tom Kohler-Cadmore launched an aggressive assault, hammering Ibrar Ahmad for 24 runs in the fourth over.
Kohler-Cadmore then took on Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, smashing 18 runs in just four balls before falling for a quickfire 39 off 21 deliveries. The Warriorz stormed to 75 for one at the end of the powerplay, nearly double the required run rate.
As Charles continued to attack, Rohan Mustafa played a supporting role before falling to Sunil Narine for six. Despite a slight dip in momentum, Charles kept the scoreboard ticking over.
The Knight Riders had a chance to turn the tide but were let down by sloppy fielding. Charles was dropped in the 11th over and made the most of the reprieve, racing to his half-century in style with a boundary. Another dropped catch during the following over spared Jason Roy, further frustrating Abu Dhabi.
Charles’ aggressive stroke play was on full display, including a standout moment where he scooped David Willey for a stunning boundary. Just as he seemed poised for a big score, however, Narine struck again, removing him for 65.
The chase, which had seemed comfortable, took an unexpected twist when Jason Holder bowled a sensational wicket maiden in the 16th over. With only 16 runs needed from 24 balls, Sharjah suffered a mini-collapse, losing three wickets for just two runs as Tim Seifert and Ethan D’Souza fell in quick succession.
At 148 for six, the nerves appeared to have set in, but Ashton Agar stepped up to ensure there were no further hiccups. The Aussie smashed a six off Terrance Hinds in the 19th over, leaving just two runs needed in the final over. Harmeet Singh sealed the win off the first ball, wrapping up a crucial four-wicket triumph for the Warriorz.
Earlier, Milne struck during the Knight Riders’ first over at bat when he dismissed Andries Gous for a golden duck. Though Joe Clarke countered with three successive boundaries, Milne had the final say, forcing Clarke to nick one behind. With both their openers back in the pavilion, the Knight Riders were reeling on 33 for two after three overs.
A 58-run stand between Roston Chase and Kyle Mayers stabilized the inning but Zampa broke the partnership, removing Chase for 28. Mayers powered his way to a 29-ball 50 and looked set to propel his side to a big total. Zampa struck again, however, dismissing the dangerous Mayers for 56.
With the Knight Riders on 130 for six in 16 overs, Holder provided the late fireworks as he hammered Tim Southee for 17 runs in the penultimate over to help push the total to a more competitive 161.
Player of the match Zampa credited strategic bowling for his success.
“I was trying to play my role and get the key wickets to help the team,” he said. “I love competing and bowling against the best, and it’s always a great battle with Andre Russell. He’s got me a few times but I got him tonight, and that was crucial. We planned for this match-up and, luckily, it worked.”
Knight Riders captain Narine was left to rue missed opportunities.
“We fought till the end but we should have finished our batting innings better,” he said. “We were on course for 200 but ended with 160. We also needed to control the powerplay better.
“They played aggressively and put us on the back foot early. We came back into the game but left it too late. We’re still in the tournament and have a lot to play for.”
While the victory moved the Warriorz into third place on eight points, the Knight Riders dropped to fifth on six points and will need to regroup quickly to remain in the playoff race.
Australia confirms its dominance of women’s cricket
- In the ongoing Ashes series against England, the Australian players have displayed an unmatched athleticism and indomitable will to win
Amongst the plethora of men’s cricket tournaments being played around the world, it might seem easy to overlook a number of women’s events also taking place — which are indicative of the latter’s remarkable growth over the last decade.
At present, a Women’s Ashes series is being played in Australia and an International Cricket Council Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup in Malaysia. And Bangladesh’s women are touring the West Indies for a three-match series in both T20Is and One-Day Internationals.
In Australia, the 50-over Women’s National Cricket League resumed after the final of the Women’s Big Bash League on Dec. 1, 2024, which concludes on March 2. In New Zealand, the final of the women’s Super-Smash tournament is scheduled for Feb. 1.
One of New Zealand’s most prominent players and captain, Sophie Devine, will take no further part in that tournament. She is to take an immediate break from the game. This means she will miss the Women’s Premier League 2025 in India, in which she is part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
According to New Zealand Cricket, this is to “prioritize her well-being” after receiving professional advice. The statement added that a “decision on Devine’s playing future will be announced in due course.”
This all sounds a little ominous for Devine, who is now 35. Since October 2024, when she was part of the T20 World Cup winning team, Devine has played in an ODI series against India, in the WBBL for the Perth Scorchers and in an ODI series against Australia in late December.
In her career, she has played almost 300 international games. The amount of cricket now played by top players, albeit well rewarded, takes its toll, both mentally and physically.
Such a toll is being felt very keenly by England’s women’s cricketers in Australia. The Ashes series consists of three ODIs, three T20 matches and a single Test match. A points-based system is used to determine the winning team. Two points are awarded for an ODI and T20I win, one point each for a tie or no result.
Victory in a Test match earns four points, with two each in a draw. The England team has suffered the chastening experience of being beaten in all three ODIs and in all three T20Is. This provides Australia with 12 points and, going into the Test match which started on Jan. 30, were in determined mood to complete a clean sweep.
This would be historic. England won the first series under the points-based system in August 2013 and then defended that position in Australia in early 2014. However, Australia regained the trophy in England in 2015 and, since then, have not let hold in five consecutive series.
The series in 2017/18 and 2023 were drawn at eight points each, Australia retaining the Ashes as holders. A clean sweep in 2025 would be an embarrassment for England.
It will place increased pressure on both the coach, Jon Lewis and the captain, Heather Knight, who has led England 199 times in international matches. There has been a focus on why England’s performances have been so disappointing. One suggestion came from a recent former England player, Alex Hartley, now working as a commentator and pundit.
After England’s surprise elimination in the Women’s T20 World Cup last October, she questioned the physical fitness of some team members. In Australia, she has reiterated this theme. It has been clear throughout the series that the Australian players are super-fit, display an unmatched athleticism and an indomitable will to win.
Hartley’s comments have brought her into conflict with some of her former teammates, who have shunned her, even refusing to be interviewed. Although there have been denials that fitness is an issue, a siege mentality appears to have developed within the squad.
This does not augur well for an improved performance in the Test match. It also brings into sharp focus the boundaries between what constitutes acceptable criticism from former teammates. Hartley wants England to do better and justifies her criticism as a push for them to achieve improvement.
It will require a big push to catch up with the Australians. The current coach of the Australian under-19 women’s team is in no doubt that the current senior squad have pushed performance and athleticism to new heights. In the U-19 Women’s World Cup, Australia have reached the semifinals, along with South Africa, whom they will play on Jan. 31, England and India. All four teams deserve their places but, in a possible pointer for the future, the Nigerian team came within a point of reaching the semifinals.
On this evidence alone, there is proof that the women’s game is growing both in geographical reach and playing numbers. This is one of the achievements of which the ICC is proud. A prime mover behind this has been its CEO, Geoff Allardice.
This week it was announced that Allardice would be stepping down after four years in the post, to “pursue new challenges.” His departure, in the early days of Jay Shah’s tenure as chair, follows those of the heads of the anti-corruption unit, events and the general manager of marketing and communication.
Under Shah’s watch, women’s cricket is set to reach new levels. These will be driven not just by ICC tournaments but by national boards. They need to attract and develop higher quality talent to the game, all in competition with other sports.
Australia is helped by having a stable domestic structure, whereas that in England and Wales has changed three times since 2015. Attracting talent is also driven by salary levels.
Significantly, within the last 10 years, the cricket boards in Australia and England introduced professional central contracts for women. In Australia’s case, a new five-year deal has increased salaries by two-thirds.
The top international players now have the opportunity to boost their incomes through domestic and franchise tournaments, plus endorsements.
One can understand the frustrations of commentators — such as Hartley who are aware of the similar rewards for top women players in both England and Australia — watching the latter being so dominating.
Desert Vipers dominate Gulf Giants to clinch DP World ILT20 top 2 finish
DUBAI: The Desert Vipers restored their authority as table-toppers with a comprehensive five-wicket victory against the Gulf Giants.
A composed knock of 70 runs in 54 balls from Max Holden ensured they cruised home in 19 overs at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday. Having already sealed a playoff spot, the win ensured the Vipers cemented a top two finish.
Earlier in the contest, three-wicket hauls from Wanindu Hasaranga and Sam Curran limited the Giants to a meagre score of 129/8 despite Tom Curran’s late flourish of 64 runs in 34 balls, with nine fours and a six.
The Desert Vipers lost both openers in the powerplay, as Mark Adair removed Alex Hales and Blessing Muzarabani picked up Fakhar Zaman within the first four overs. Both wickets were the result of spectacular catches by Chris Jordan and Tom Curran respectively, leading the Vipers to finish the fielding restrictions at 42/2.
While Dan Lawrence fell cheaply to Jordan, Holden, who came in at number three, found the middle of the bat consistently. He joined Sam Curran in a 45-run partnership in 42 balls until Curran holed out to a great catch by James Vince, off Muzarabani.
Though the run chase stayed heavily skewed in favor of the Vipers, they were never significantly ahead of the equation, needing 33 runs in the final five overs. Holden reached a 42-ball 50, including six fours and a six, but Muzarabani’s third wicket in Azam Khan offered the Giants a glimmer of hope.
However, Holden remained unbeaten alongside Adam Hose in a composed alliance of 32 runs in 21 balls to steer the Vipers home in 19 overs.
Batting first, it was a tough outing for the Gulf Giants. James Vince was dismissed for 15 runs by Sam Curran as the Giants only mustered 31 runs in the powerplay.
Wanindu Hasaranga emerged as the most potent threat, slicing through the Giants’ top order. He bowled Tom Alsop for 17 off 26 balls in the seventh over, then trapped Jordan Cox LBW for a mere three runs, reducing the Giants to 44/4 at the halfway mark.
Khuzaima Tanveer added to the Giants’ woes by removing Shimron Hetmyer in the ninth over. Sam Curran compounded their troubles with a sharp return catch to dismiss Gerhard Erasmus.
Tim David briefly rallied, launching Lockie Ferguson for a six in the 13th over, but he was dismissed on the very next ball looking for the same outcome, leaving the Giants reeling at 58/6.
Hasaranga struck again, pinning Cox on the pads for his third wicket of the night. The Giants seemed on the brink of collapse but Tom Curran reinvigorated the innings, smashing a 30-ball fifty. He took his brother Sam apart in the 19th over, clobbering two fours and a six in what turned out to be the most productive over of the innings. Another 14 runs from Tom Curran in the final over pushed the Giants to a total of 129/8 at the end of their turn.
Player of the Match Hasaranga said: “I tried to stick to my basics and the wrong ones; that’s my plan for success. I love to bowl here, even in the Asia Cup as well I took wickets. The fast bowlers did a great job, and the batters did their jobs, so as a team we have done our things well.”
Gulf Giants captain James Vince said: “It wasn't a great performance with the bat; 130 was always tough to defend. The first 10 overs of the batting innings put us on the back foot. At one stage we were looking at less than 100, until Tom Curran and Aayan’s partnership gave us some relief. We fought well with the ball and took it as far as we could but a little short with the bat.”
Brief Scores
Desert Vipers beat Gulf Giants by five wickets
Gulf Giants 129/8 in 20 overs (Tom Curran 64 not out, Tom Alsop 17, James Vince 15, Wanindu Hasaranga 3 for 10, Sam Curran 3 for 28, Khuzaima Tanveer 1 for 12)
Desert Vipers 130/5 in 19 overs (Max Holden 70 not out, Sam Curran 16, Fakhar Zaman 14, Blessing Muzarabani 3 for 35)
Johnson Charles’ quick-fire 71 helps Sharjah Warriorz overwhelm Dubai Capitals by 9 wickets
- Adam Zampa shines with the ball with 2 for 28 to help restrict Dubai Capitals
DUBAI: Johnson Charles ignited the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday night by leading the Sharjah Warriorz to a resounding nine-wicket victory.
His breathtaking knock of 71 runs in 33 balls set up a flawless run chase in only 11.5 overs as the Warriorz maintained their undefeated record against the Dubai Capitals in the DP World ILT20.
An impactful show from the spinners, including two wickets for 28 runs from Adam Zampa in the first innings, restricted the Dubai Capitals to 131/9. The result gives the Warriorz’s net run rate a significant boost, keeping them firmly in the fray for a playoff berth.
The powerplay made the chase a mere formality as Charles and Tom Kohler-Cadmore dominated the bowling to set the highest powerplay score of the season. The pair raced to 79 runs in just six overs, with Charles smashing five towering sixes, including a remarkable 24-run over off Zahir Khan.
Charles brought up his 50 in 21 balls, studded with six sixes and two fours. Halted by Sikandar Raza in the 11th over, he departed after striking three fours and eight sixes, which included a combination of power hitting, deft touches and switch-hits.
Kohler-Cadmore wrapped up proceedings in the next over with a clever boundary off Dushmantha Chameera. The Englishman finished with 54 runs in 32 balls, smashing eight fours and two sixes.
Earlier in the day, Adam Rossington bludgeoned a six and two fours as the powerplay saw 55 runs for the Capitals. Shai Hope played second fiddle to Rossington until the latter was accounted for by Zampa in the seventh over for 37 runs in 23 balls.
Following the powerplay there was a steep drop in the run-rate. While Hope occupied one end, batting with restraint, the wickets tumbled around him as the spinners dominated the middle overs.
Zampa claimed another when he dismissed Gulbadin Naib, and skipper Sikandar Raza was removed by Ashton Agar. In the same over, Najibullah Zadran was run out to leave the Capitals in hot water at 85/4 in 12 overs.
The UAE’s Rohan Mustafa kept the pressure on with the wickets of Khalid Shah and Dasun Shanaka to expose the tail. Meanwhile Hope’s stint at the crease came to an end for 45 runs in 52 balls at the hand of Tim Southee in the 18th over.
Rovman Powell provided a flicker of hope with an unbeaten 32 runs in only 16 balls, peppered with three fours and two sixes but the Dubai Capitals finished the innings at a below-par score of 131/9 in 20 overs.
Player of the match Charles said: “They got off to a bit of a flier, but I love playing in Dubai because the conditions tend to get a bit skiddier, which suits my style.
“I thought Ashton Agar and Rohan Mustafa bowled exceptionally well and complemented each other perfectly. We managed to put the opposition under pressure.
“Ash and I have played a lot together in the past, and it’s always a pleasure to play alongside him. It felt almost nostalgic since we haven’t had many opportunities to play together recently.”
The Dubai Capitals’ captain Raza said: “I thought we were traditional in our batting. We needed more sweeps, reverse sweeps and switch-hits. We went into a shell rather than being aggressive.
“Johnson is a fantastic player and done that to many teams; it was quite hard to bowl at him. He played a lot of great shots. One bad game is not going to derail us. We will try to get this game out of (our) system and winning the next two is the target.”
Brief scores
- Sharjah Warriorz beat Dubai Capitals by 9 wickets
- Dubai Capitals 131/9 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 45, Adam Rossington 37, Rovman Powell 32 not out, Rohan Mustafa 2 for 12, Adam Zampa 2 for 28)
- Sharjah Warriorz 135/1 in 11.5 overs (Johnson Charles 71, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 54 not out, Sikandar Raza 1 for 9)
