We are back with another edition of Cricket.com Weekly.
So, let’s not waste any time and get right into it.
Controversies
Pakistan, where’s the talent at?
What happens if the team isn’t winning anything? You start bringing in different players, right?
Well, that’s not the case with Pakistan. This is not coming from us. This is what PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi believes.
After Pakistan lost the first Test against Bangladesh, Naqvi said: “The problem is the selection committee has no pool to turn to. We want to fix our problems. But when we look at how to resolve them, we don’t have any solid data or (elite) players pool which we can draw from.”
Dulip Samaraweera in trouble
The former Sri Lanka batter, who played seven Tests and five ODIs between 1993 and 1995, is reportedly facing a Cricket Australia (CA) probe amid allegations of serious misconduct towards a female player.
According to the Herald Sun, the 52-year-old has been accused of alleged historic conduct relating to the said player. Samaraweera, however, is yet to comment on the matter.
County clash abandoned due to dangerous pitch
The Division 2 County Championship match between Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire in Bristol, which involved Indian opener Prithvi Shaw, was called off mid-way through Day 1 after officials deemed the pitch ‘dangerous’.
Northamptonshire batter Rob Keogh got hit dangerously on the gloves after a good length delivery from Ajeet Singh Dale took off unexpectedly. The blow suffered by Keogh proved to be the final straw as earlier in the day, Northants opener Ricardo Vasconcelos was forced to retire hurt after suffering a suspected broken finger.
Weekly recap
In the spotlight
Mayhem in DPL
South Delhi Superstarz’s Ayush Badoni and Priyansh Arya wreaked havoc in Match 23 of the Delhi Premier League 2024. The two went crazy against North Delhi Strikers, shattering multiple T20 records in the process. 308/5, six sixes in an over, 286-run partnership – Badoni and Priyansh put on a brutal show against the Strikers.
Who is Priyansh Arya who smashed six sixes in an over in DPL 2024?
Badoni smashed 165 off 55, studded with eight fours and nine maximums. Meanwhile, Priyansh smacked 120 off 50 deliveries, including six maximums in an over, taking on the left-arm spinner Manan Bharadwaj. South Delhi eventually ended up posting the seventh-highest T20 total of all time (official and Unofficial T20s considered).
Harmanpreet finds no takers in WBBL
The WBBL and BBL drafts took place on September 1, with five Indian Women cricketers getting picked. Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika Bhatia, Shikha Pandey and Dayalan Hemalatha all found takers in the overseas draft of WBBL 2024, but no team showed interest in Harmanpreet Kaur and Shreyanka Patil.
In the men’s draft, Lockie Ferguson, Ollie Pope, Shai Hope, Fabian Allen and Sherfane Rutherford bagged their maiden BBL contract. Bangladesh legspinner Rishad Hossain, who impressed everyone during the 2024 T20 World Cup, was picked by Hobart Hurricanes.
Retirements keep coming
There were multiple retirements this week, with Will Pucovski being forced to retire at the age of 26. Former India seamer Barinder Sran also announced his retirement from professional cricket, while Dwayne Bravo will retire from CPL after the 2024 edition.
England’s former top-ranked T20I batter, Dawid Malan also retired from international cricket. West Indies’ Shannon Gabriel is done with international cricket.
Also read – Magical Malan and his record-breaking T20I career in numbers
Performers of the week
Stat of the week
Too much cricket, can’t keep track? Our roundups have got you covered!
Buchi Babu Round 3
Karun Nair’s record-breaking Maharaja campaign
Editor’s picks – September 2
Gus Atkinson does a Mankad at Lord’s
Rana, Mahmud & a watershed moment for Bangladesh in Tests
‘Mr Dependable’ Mehidy looks ready to take the baton from Shakib
No longer a run machine, Abdullah Shafique’s slump continues
Pakistan cricket and the Multiverse of chaos
Michael Vaughan, Allan Donald & others you may not know played T20 cricket
Jay Shah’s achievements at BCCI & what lie ahead
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