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Jacks leads his side to 176 for 3 before Lancashire finish on 81 for 9 in pre-season T10 fixture

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Mar-2019Surrey’s Will Jacks smacked his way to a 25-ball century, including six sixes in an over, during a pre-season T10 clash with Lancashire in Dubai.Jacks hit Stephen Parry for six sixes in an over en route to his ton, which, had the match been officially recognised, would have beaten Chris Gayle’s world record for the fastest century in representative cricket, achieved in the 2013 IPL, by five balls.While it will not go down in the record books, Jacks passed the top score of 87 for the 10-over format achieved by Alex Hales last year.Jacks finished with 105 off 30 deliveries with eight fours and 11 sixes to lead Surrey to an impressive 176 for 3. Lancashire managed 81 for 9 in reply as Gareth Batty, who at 41 is more than twice team-mate Jacks’ age, took 4 for 21.Will Jacks struck his maiden Surrey century at the third attempt•Getty Images

“I didn’t think about the hundred until I was on 98 – it all happened quite quickly,” Jacks said. “Once I got to 98, I thought, ‘I’ll just knock it around for these last two and start again;.”Similarly, it was a little while before Jacks contemplated his sixth maximum off Parry. “After the fourth six I was thinking, ‘I’ve got a real chance here’, and when the fifth one just snuck over I gave it everything on the last one and that just snuck over too,” Jacks said.The 20-year-old Jacks made his debut for Surrey in first-class, List A and T20 last season, scoring 121 off 100 balls in a Royal London Cup match against Gloucestershire. He spent the English winter playing for University Cricket Club in Perth, Australia, before being called up to tour India with England Lions.

Harry Brook the unlikely inspiration with the ball as home side lose 5 for 28 during evening session

Alan Gardner27-Feb-2023After the marathon, get ready for a sprint. England shot off in now-familiar style in pursuit of a series-sealing victory at Basin Reserve after New Zealand’s rearguard, underpinned by a doughty 26th Test hundred from Kane Williamson, had ended in a calamitous collapse on the fourth evening.Williamson’s efforts during an innings that spanned more than seven hours at the crease had put New Zealand in a position where they could hope to set England a target well in excess of 300 – all the more remarkable given they had been made to follow on 226 runs in arrears. But Harry Brook proved an unlikely inspiration with the ball and Jack Leach mopped up the tail as New Zealand’s last five wickets went down for the addition of 28 runs.Set 258 to win on a pitch which had become increasingly placid through the course of days three and four, England reached 48 for 1 at the close. Zak Crawley was the man to fall, having played another attacking cameo, madly hacking five boundaries in his 24 off 30 before having his stumps disturbed by a pinpoint offcutter from Tim Southee.Related

• 'It's an honour' – Williamson on becoming New Zealand's highest run-scorer in Tests

• Joe Root says he 'owed' England a hundred after lean run of scores

• From saviour to self-sacrificing leader, Stokes paves England's way to evolve as a collective

• With backs against the wall, batters provide New Zealand with an outside shot

• Stats – Williamson at the top of the Test charts for New Zealand

England had shaved 39 off the target by that point, and then sent out Ollie Robinson as a quasi-nighthawk, who unsuccessfully attempted to slog-sweep Michael Bracewell’s offspin in the final over the day. The requirement of another 210 runs with nine wickets standing is unlikely to daunt a side that has made a speciality of rip-roaring fourth-innings chases while winning 10 of their last 11 Tests.For New Zealand, who showed tremendous fight through the efforts of Williamson, Tom Blundell and Daryl Mitchell, as well as Tom Latham and Devon Conway on day three, there remained the possibility of becoming only the fourth team in history to win a Test having been made to follow on.Having made steady progress through the first two sessions, losing just two wickets along the way, New Zealand’s innings was thrown off kilter by the appearance of Brook, English cricket’s golden boy, to bowl some wobbly seamers. He quickly proved to have a golden arm, as the final ball of his third over brought a maiden Test wicket – that of Williamson, for a seemingly ironclad 132.Brook’s gentle mediums succeeded where England’s two most-prolific Test wicket-takers had failed, as Williamson attempted to leg glance only for a review to pick up the faintest of tickles through to the keeper, Ben Foakes.Harry Brook appeals for the wicket of Kane Williamson•AFP/Getty Images

England picked up a second wicket out of nowhere shortly after, as Bracewell was guilty of failing to run his bat in coming back for a third. Ben Stokes, limping for much of his day in the field, had gamely given chase out to deep midwicket and fired in a throw, with Foakes demolishing the bails one-handed as Bracewell coasted through the crease.Southee was unable to repeat his first-innings heroics with the bat, top-edging a swipe at Leach to point, and Matt Henry fell in the same over via an edge to slip. Blundell, having become a bewildered onlooker following the end of his 158-run stand with Williamson, then attempted to throw the bat only to skew an outside edge to slip ten runs short of his hundred. After toiling for 61.3 overs, Leach suddenly had a five-for – the first by a spinner in a Test in New Zealand since Keshav Maharaj in 2017.The story of the day until then had been Williamson, who overtook Ross Taylor to become New Zealand’s leading Test run-scorer during an innings that showcased all of his minimalist qualities. He was given able support by Mitchell and Blundell, the latter helping to subject England to a second wicketless afternoon session in a row as New Zealand switched from looking to erase their deficit to remorselessly building a lead.Having flicked the fourth ball of the morning through midwicket to go past his longtime former team-mate Taylor, Williamson was content to bob along at his own pace, playing with soft hands and barely giving up anything resembling a chance. The closest England came to dislodging him was an attempted stumping off Leach, but although Williamson had dragged his back foot out of the crease, his reflexes were quick enough to get a toe over the line as Foakes whipped off the bails.The former captain was joined in the trenches by Blundell, who made his sixth 50-plus score in 11 innings against England. His innings, inevitably, was the more skittish, as England ran through a range of tactics to try to unsettle the pair – including James Anderson bowling round the wicket with the keeper up and four men catching in a leg-side ring.Nothing was successful until Stokes belatedly turned to Brook, although a short-ball ploy almost brought the wicket of Blundell on 30, but his firmly struck pull was grassed by Anderson at backward square leg.England began the day with a still-new ball to aid their efforts and Robinson struck early to remove Henry Nicholls, with New Zealand still two runs from parity. Mitchell then boshed his way to a run-a-ball 54, a frenetic innings that saw him target Anderson with a series of front-foot mows and reach his fifty by hoisting Leach into the stands at long-on, before top-edging an ungainly hack at Stuart Broad to end a 75-run stand with Williamson.Nicholls had flirted with danger throughout his innings, and was eventually held in the slips at the fourth attempt by the juggling Brook – from whom there turned out to be more magic to come.

Fifties from Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, and Asghar Afghan helped them go 142 ahead before getting the wicket of William Porterfield

The Report by Varun Shetty16-Mar-2019Stumps
Ireland made a brief comeback but the late wicket of captain William Porterfield followed an Asghar Afghan counterattack to dull the effect in a session where six wickets fell. Asghar made 67, batting mostly with the lower order, and helped Afghanistan go 142 ahead. In response, Ireland were 22 for 1 with Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie at the crease.The Afghanistan captain was aggressive as his team fell from 226 for 3 to 280 for 8, before digging into the spinners and switching to a full-blown attack. He hit three sixes and a four – stepping out for each one of them and going straight – as he stretched the score to 311 before edging Stuart Thompson behind. Asghar made 31 off his last 21 balls.At the start of that collapse, Rahmat Shah fell agonisingly short of a historic maiden century – it would have been Afghanistan’s first in Tests – when he chopped Tim Murtagh on for 98, but his 130-run stand with Hashmatullah Shahidi had put Afghanistan firmly ahead by then. The pair, arguably Afghanistan’s best batsmen, used the middle session to dominate an Irish attack that had kept them to 20 off 16 overs in the first hour of the day. That plan from Ireland – full and straight – proved unsustainable as the first session went on, and completely came apart in the second.Rahmat had hit 15 boundaries and looked in complete control before chasing Murtagh’s short and wide ball, following an extended stop in play as Ireland waited for a helmet to come on for their close-in fielder. The inside edge hit off stump, a moment that left everyone in the Afghanistan camp shaking their heads.Rahmat Shah chops on•Getty Images

Just as Afghanistan had failed to manage the game in the middle session on Friday, so did Ireland on Saturday. And Rahmat made use of that period with efficiency, playing close to his body for the most part, but attacking in bursts as the spinners seemed to lose control. At one point, he hit five boundaries in four overs, including two elegant drives either side of extra-cover – shots that had earlier seemed impossible on this track. Between those cover drives, he smashed a short ball past mid-on to take Afghanistan into the lead shortly after the pair had brought up 100 for the third wicket.It was a dominant phase in the middle of the day, with even the watchful Shahidi opening up to pick up boundaries with ease. Most of these came against James Cameron-Dow who consistently bowled short deliveries through the day, allowing both batsmen to escape any pressure from a pitch that was slowly showing signs of sharp turn. So off-colour was Cameron-Dow that after going steadily for over five an over, he resorted to a leg-side line against Rahmat. In the 79th over, this cost him: umpire Richard Illingworth deemed it negative bowling and called him for wides three balls in a row.But there was an unlikely upside. Afghanistan’s willingness to push the rate opened up a vulnerability and when Andy McBrine was brought on to replace Cameron-Dow, his floaty middle-stump ball caught a sweeping Shahidi on the back leg. Batsmen found it increasingly difficult to get in after that. Immediately after Rahmat’s wicket, Mohammad Nabi flicked a leg-stump half-volley to square leg, and McBrine returned again to completely tie up Ikram Ali Khil. After a lot of indecisive footwork, the left-hander ended up yorking himself against McBrine, who looked by far Ireland’s best bowler on the day with his attacking lines to both right- and left-hand batsmen.Rashid Khan and Asghar made it clear they would look to make quick runs and push the lead up, but George Dockrell stopped Rashid in his tracks. After being hit for 10 off 2, including an inside-out six that was one of the best plays of the day, Dockrell slid an arm ball past Rashid’s inside edge to trap him in front. But Ireland couldn’t stop the bleeding and the lead – just a touch over 100 at that point – grew to an imperious figure.

Several current and former internationals were recruited for the tournament that takes place in the UAE between November 23 and December 2

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2018The second season of the T10 league received a massive boost of star power with Chris Gayle, Rashid Khan, Andre Russell, Shahid Afridi and many more joining the rosters of the eight participating teams. A player draft was held on Monday, where several current and former internationals were recruited for the tournament that will take place in Sharjah between November 23 and December 2.Gayle will be joined by his West Indies team-mate Kieron Pollard and England captain Eoin Morgan at Kerala Kings. The defending champions, they also picked up the 36-year-old Pakistan batsman Imran Nazir, whose career had suffered because of arthritis.Rashid has Dwayne Bravo and Lasith Malinga for company at Maratha Arabians. Russell, Darren Sammy and Wahab Riaz form a part of the Northern Warriors. Afridi and Colin Munro were picked up by the Pakhtoon franchise. Sunil Narine, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Morne Morkel are with Bengal Tigers.Brendon McCullum and Chris Lynn – called the Bash Brothers in the BBL – will renew their partnership with the Rajputs, who also have West Indies T20I captain Carlos Brathwaite and the explosive Afghanistan batsman Mohammad Shahzad. Shoaib Malik, Mitchell McClenaghan and Evin Lewis were acquired by Punjabi Legends. Shane Watson, Jofra Archer and Thisara Perera will play for Karachians.Kerala Kings: Eoin Morgan (Icon Player, Captain, England), Sohail Tanvir (Pakistan), Kieron Pollard (WI), Paul Stirling (Ire), Dasun Shanaka (SL), Chris Gayle (WI), Junaid Khan (Pak), Sandeep Lamichhane (Nep), Tom Curran (Eng), Fabian Allen (WI), Niroshan Dickwella (SL), Imran Nazir (Pak), Benny Howell (Eng). Coach Daniel VettoriPakhtoons: Shahid Afridi (Icon Player, Pak), Mohammad Irfan (Pak), Liam Dawson (Eng), Colin Ingram (SA), David Willey (Eng), Colin Munro (NZ), Andre Fletcher (WI), Sohail Khan (Pak), Sharafuddin Ashraf (Afg), Chadwick Walton (WI), Shapoor Zadran (Afg), Gulbadin Naib (Afg), Cameron Delport (SA). Coach: Dean JonesMaratha Arabians: Rashid Khan (Icon Player, Afg), Kamran Akmal (Pak), Alex Hales (Eng), Dwayne Bravo (WI), James Faulkner (Aus), Lasith Malinga (SL), Liam Livingstone (Eng), James Vince (Eng), Brendan Taylor (Zim), Adam Lyth (Eng), Roelof van der Merwe (Ned), Najibullah Zadran (Afg), Richard Gleeson (Eng). Coach: Wasim AkramBengal Tigers: Sunil Narine (Icon Player, WI), Jason Roy (Eng), Asif Ali (Pak), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afg), Sam Billings (Eng), Morne Morkel (SA), Aamer Yamin (Pak), Mohammad Nabi (Afg), Kusal Perera (SL), Sherfane Rutherford (WI), Kevon Cooper (WI), Rayad Emrit (WI), Ali Khan (US). Coach: Stephen FlemmingRajputs: Brendon McCullum (Icon Player, NZ), Chris Lynn (Aus), Rilee Rossouw (SA), Mohammad Shahzad (Afg), Mohammad Hafeez (Pak), Tymal Mills (Eng), Carlos Brathwaite (WI), Rahat Ali (Pak), Samit Patel (Eng), Qais Ahmad (Afg), Ben Dunk (Aus), Shan Masood (Pak), Peter Trego (Eng). Coach: Herschelle GibbsNorthern Warriors: Darren Sammy (Icon Player, WI), Wahab Riaz (Pak), Nicolas Pooran (WI), Andre Russell (WI), Dwayne Smith (WI), Ravi Bopara (Eng), Rovman Powell (WI), Harry Gurney (Eng), Chris Green (Aus), Obed McCoy, Lendl Simmons (WI), Khary Pierre (WI), Kennar Lewis (WI). Coach: Robin SinghPunjabi Legends: Shoaib Malik (Icon Player, Pak), Chris Jordan (Eng), Luke Ronchi (NZ), Liam Plunkett (Eng), Evin Lewis (WI), Mohammad Sami (Pak), Zahir Khan (Afg), Umar Akmal (Pak), Mitchell McClenaghan (NZ), Tom Moores (Eng), Anwar Ali (Pak), Jade Dernbach (Eng), Hassan Khan (Pak). Coach: Mushtaq AhmedKarachians: Shane Watson (Icon Player), Anton Devcich (NZ), Ben Laughlin (Aus), Jofra Archer (Eng), Colin de Grandhomme (NZ), Ben Cutting (Aus), Mohammad Nawaz (Pak), Dawid Malan (Eng), Fawad Ahmed (Aus), Isuru Udana (SL), Joe Clarke (Eng), Samiullah Shenwari (Afg), Mohammad Irfan (Pak). Coach: Tom Moody

Opener has overcome his post-viral fatigue issues but at present has nowhere to play ahead of the Ashes squad being picked on July 27

Alex Malcolm02-Jul-2019Australia opener Joe Burns is set to be available for Ashes selection, having been cleared to play again after recovering from post-viral fatigue disorder.Burns had been forced to go home from his stint with English county side Lancashire in May after he was was diagnosed with post-viral fatigue, stemming from a virus he suffered in October 2018.Post-viral fatigue is an umbrella term for serious fatigue symptoms that can afflict individuals following a viral infection. A number of cricketers and athletes have suffered from it, and it notably ended the career of former Australia under 19 captain and Western Australia batsman Rob Baker.Burns’ issues were not found to be as severe and after a prescribed rest period, Burns began training again on June 17. He took to Twitter on Monday to announce he has been cleared to play again.
The major issue for Burns is whether he will be able to play anywhere in the lead up to the Ashes. Despite scoring a career-best 180 in Australia’s last Test match against Sri Lanka back in February, Burns was not selected in the Australia A squad that is currently touring England.National chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns did explicitly state that players not selected in the Australia A squad, including – Burns, Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Bancroft – were all still firmly in Ashes contention as county form would be heavily considered. However, Burns was replaced as Lancashire’s overseas player by South Australia’s Jake Lehmann.Australia’s other incumbent Test opener, Marcus Harris, has traveled to England to join the Australia A four-day squad for the first of two four-day games against Sussex and the England Lions. He is the only specialist opener in the squad for those two games, the first of which starts on Sunday. There is a third four-day game between Australia and Australia A in Hampshire on July 23 that will feature Ashes contenders who are currently in the World Cup squad.There will need to be at least 22 players, possibly 24, to play in that game and the teams have not been named. The Ashes squad will be selected at the end of that game on July 27 with the first Test starting at Edgbaston just five days later.David Warner is set to return to the top of the order in the Test team following his productive return at the World Cup. Steve Smith is also a guaranteed starter barring injury, meaning at least two of the top six who played in Australia’s last Test are set to be squeezed out.

It was made official at a gala ceremony in Dublin on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2018Two-time World Cup winning captain Ricky Ponting, former India captain Rahul Dravid and 2009 ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year Claire Taylor were the newest additions into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. The three of them were inducted at a ceremony in Dublin on Sunday night.”The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame is our way of honouring the greats of our game,” said ICC chief executive David Richardson. “Only the very best players in the world are recognised for their contribution to cricket in this way and I would like to congratulate Rahul, Ricky and Claire who are wonderful additions to the list of cricketing luminaries in the Hall of Fame.”Ponting retired in 2012 as the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, behind only Sachin Tendulkar, and also sits third in the all-time list in ODIs behind Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. He captained Australia to a pair of undefeated runs at the 2003 and 2007 World Cups, and was also a member of the title-winning squad in 1999. He was named ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2006 and 2007 and has now become the 25th Australian player to find a place in the Hall of Fame.”I feel deeply honoured to be recognised by the ICC in this way,” Ponting said. “I loved every moment of my journey as a player and am so very proud of the team and personal achievements along the way.”Dravid is one of only seven players, including Ponting, to have done the double of 10,000 Test and ODI runs; the only other Indian to have done it is Tendulkar. He was the first recipient of the ICC Cricketer of the Year award in 2004, beating out a field of nominees that included Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Andrew Flintoff and Muttiah Muralitharan. The sure-handed Dravid holds the record for most catches taken in a Test career by a non-wicketkeeper, with 210 in 164 matches, and the most deliveries faced – 31,258. He is the fifth player from India to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.”It is a matter of great honour to be named by the ICC in the Cricket Hall of Fame,” Dravid said. “To find your name in a list of all-time greats across generations is something one only dreams of while setting out on a cricket career and the kind of recognition that would delight any player.”Taylor is just the seventh women’s player, and third from England, to become a Hall-of-Famer. She is one of just four players to score more than 1000 runs in Women’s Tests and 4000 runs in Women’s ODIs. Taylor propelled England to historic success in 2009 when she was named player of the tournament as her side won the championships at both the Women’s World Cup in Australia and Women’s World Twenty20 in England.”It’s a great honour to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame alongside some of the greatest names of the men’s and women’s game from across the world and throughout the generations, players who I looked up to during my playing career and hold in great esteem,” Taylor said.

Earlier on Thursday, fast bowler Taskin Ahmed was ruled out of the first ODI due to a back injury

Mohammad Isam01-Dec-2022Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has been ruled out of the ODI series against India, which begins on December 4 in Mirpur, due to a groin injury. He is also in doubt for the Test series that begins on December 14 in Chattogram. Tamim picked up the injury during a warm-up match at the same venue on Wednesday.Earlier on Thursday, fast bowler Taskin Ahmed was ruled out of the first ODI due to a back injury.Related

• Shakib Al Hasan returns to Bangladesh squad for ODIs against India

• 'It gives us a breather but it's not the ultimate goal' – Tamim on Bangladesh's World Cup qualification

• Bangladesh reaping rewards of Taskin and Litton's changed mindsets in ODIs

“Tamim has a Grade 1 strain on his right groin which has been confirmed following an MRI,” Bangladesh team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan said. “We will maintain a conservative treatment protocol for him for two weeks after which his rehab will begin. Unfortunately it means he will not be available for the ODI series and will be doubtful for the Test series.”The BCB are yet to name a captain or a replacement for Tamim. They have however called up Shoriful Islam as a back-up for Taskin from the Bangladesh A side who are currently playing against India A in Cox’s Bazar.”Taskin is out of the first ODI and we will know about his availability for the rest of the ODI series only after another fitness test,” Bangladesh’s chief selector Minhajul Abedin told ESPNcricinfo earlier on Thursday.Taskin suffered the injury during a BCL match on November 20 for which he has been taking a pain-killer injection for the last few days. He has emerged as the bowling attack leader in the last 12 months after making a stellar comeback to international cricket. But earlier this year, he was out of action for a few months due to a shoulder injury. He picked up the back injury during a BCL match on November 20.The first ODI will be held in Dhaka on Sunday followed by the second one at the same venue on December 7 and the final match on December 10 in Chattogram.

The first player to take the honour will be announced in late January

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Dec-2022Australia’s men’s Test Player of the Year award will be named in honour of Shane Warne. CA and ACA made the joint announcement at the Boxing Day Test between Australia and South Africa where both sides have honoured Warne in the first Test match to be played at his home ground of the MCG since his passing in March this year.Australia’s Test Player of the Year award is handed out each year at CA’s Awards ceremony alongside the Allan Border medal for the best men’s international cricketer across all three forms and the Belinda Clark medal for the women’s game.Related

• IPL multi-millionaire Green shows his worth in Test cricket too

• Wear the white floppy: Warne to be honoured on Boxing Day

• Rogers: 'When you batted with Warner, opposition wasn't actually concerned with what you were doing'

• Shane Warne – 1969 to 2022: full coverage

Warne, who won the Test Player of the Year award in 2006, is widely regarded as Australia’s greatest-ever Test match bowler having taken 708 wickets in 145 Tests.Warne was honoured during the pre-match ceremony ahead of the Boxing Day Test with both sets of players wearing white floppy hats when walking out for the anthems as a tribute to his trademark look in the field during his Test career. Fans had also been encouraged to wear floppy hats and zinc cream in tribute to Warne.”The happiness outweighs the sadness tenfold,” Warne’s son Jackson said on . “To see all the zinc cream on everyone’s faces, to see everyone with the floppy hats is unbelievable. To be also in front of the greatest man ever – in front of the Shane Warne stand – is just awesome.”It is the first time a Test has been played in front of the newly named Shane Warne stand at the MCG, which was renamed earlier this year. A highlights package of Warne’s career was played on the big screen just prior to the anthems. His name and Australian Test cap number of 350 has been painted on the MCG outfield for the duration of the Test match.At 3.50pm – to match Warne’s number – the game briefly paused to celebrate his life the crowd rising and doffing their floppy hats with chants of ‘Warnie, Warnie’ ringing around the ground and the players watched in the middle.CA chief executive Nick Hockley said it was a fitting honour to rename the award the Shane Warne Men’s Test Player of the Year.”As one of Australia’s all-time greats, it is fitting we acknowledge Shane’s extraordinary contribution to Test cricket by naming this award in his honour in perpetuity,” he said.

A day earlier, Naseem had to visit the hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2022Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah has tested positive for Covid-19, one day after it was announced he had contracted pneumonia. He has, however, been released from hospital, and the PCB said he was “feeling better.”Naseem is the second person in the Pakistan camp during the current series against England to have contracted Covid-19, a week after an unnamed member of the support staff tested positive. On that occasion, the individual did not travel with the squad to the National Stadium Karachi for the second T20I, and there were no delays to the game.Naseem spent Wednesday night in hospital after the pneumonia diagnosis, and the PCB announced their in-house medical panel was monitoring him. That, followed by the positive Covid-19 test, rules him out of the final two games of the ongoing series against England. However, the PCB said Nadeem would isolate at home for two days and then be available for the forthcoming tour of New Zealand*, which is due to get underway in Christchurch on October 7 as preparation for the World Cup.The Pakistan squad leaves for New Zealand on October 3 to play a T20I tri-series also featuring Bangladesh, with the final on October 14. They then depart for Australia for the World Cup, where, after a pair of warm-ups – including one against England – they play their first group game in Melbourne on October 23 against India.Naseem featured in the first match of the current series against England, and also played a full part in the recently concluded Asia Cup. In the absence of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is also currently ruled out with injury, he had taken over the left-armer’s responsibility up top as Pakistan’s premier new-ball bowler.Afridi, who has been undergoing treatment in London for a knee injury, is expected to be available for Pakistan for the World Cup.*2100 GMT – This story was updated with information from a PCB statement

Set to play for his sixth IPL franchise, the 37-year hopes the upcoming season will be his best ever

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Dec-2018Yuvraj Singh still has “fire in the belly” and is “keen to be competitive” after being signed by Mumbai Indians for IPL 2019.Released by Kings XI Punjab after managing only 65 runs in six innings in 2018, Yuvraj found no takers in the first round. However, he found himself in the shortlist during the accelerated round that featured those who went unsold earlier on auction day.”The hunger is there, I’m not playing for the sake of playing,” he told . “I am playing because I want to play and I’m passionate about playing. Hopefully in this season I will be able to deliver.”At a base price of INR 1 crore, the general perception was that Yuvraj may have pegged himself at a price too steep for someone at 37. Yuvraj, though, insisted he “had an idea” that teams wouldn’t pick him immediately.”There was no disappointment as such,” he said. “The reason is obvious. When you are putting together an IPL team, you will be looking at the youngsters. I am at the stage of my career where it could be presumed that I may be in the last stages. I had hoped that there would be buyers for me in the last round.”Somewhere within me there was a feeling that I might go to Mumbai. Frankly, I am looking at an opportunity to play this year and it has come. Akash (Ambani, co-owner) had some nice things to say about me and it feels good to have such confidence.”It will also be a familiar environment for me because Zak (Zaheer Khan, director of cricket), Sachin (Tendulkar, the mentor) and Rohit (Sharma, the captain) are there. I have played a lot of cricket with them. I’m looking forward to playing with them again. When you have support, it motivates you to do well, it brings out the best in you.”Looking back at the 2018 season, Yuvraj felt his modest returns may have been due to an unsettled batting positon. “Agreed, that the last season was not great. But the point was I played at different positions in four-five games. I was not given one position to bat. This year I am very keen to make the best of the opportunities that come my way.”Mumbai is Yuvraj’s sixth IPL team. He’s previously played for Kings XI Punjab, Pune Warriors, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad.Jayant Yadav celebrates the wicket of Eoin Morgan•BCCI

Jayant Yadav traded to Mumbai Indians

Delhi Capitals have traded the offspin-bowling allrounder Jayant Yadav to Mumbai Indians. The 28-year old had been part of the Delhi franchise since 2015, and has four wickets from 10 matches in the tournament. With this trade, Mumbai have filled their quota of 25 players, while Delhi now have one place left.Jayant recently captained the India Emerging Team in Sri Lanka, where he picked up 10 wickets in five games. He was instrumental in taking the side to the final, where he made an 85-ball 71 in a losing cause.According to a BCCI release, the trading window remains open until 30 days before the start of the tournament.Mumbai Indians (updated squad): Evin Lewis, Quinton de Kock, Anmolpreet Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Siddhesh Lad, Ishan Kishan, Aditya Tare, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Ben Cutting, Yuvraj Singh, Pankaj Jaiswal, Mayank Markande, Rahul Chahar, Anukul Roy, Jasprit Bumrah, Adam Milne, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jason Behrendorff, Rasikh Salam, Lasith Malinga, Barinder Sran, Jayant Yadav