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The FATA region in Pakistan has almost no cricket infrastructure, but officials hope the sport will improve in the region and consequently strengthen cricket in the country

Umar Farooq27-Nov-2015In 2010, fast bowler Abdul Haq was spotted at a Pakistan team camp in Abu Dhabi. He came from the drone-hit Mirali region in North Waziristan, and was working as a driver of heavy-duty vehicles and supervisor at a local construction company. He caught the eye briefly before fading back into his livelihood of labour. There’s been no trace of him around Pakistan camps since.Haq was passionate about cricket and wanted to bowl fast. He was impressive in the nets in Abu Dhabi, where he troubled the Pakistan batsmen, but was unfortunate because he hailed from a troubled area, Waziristan in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) – a place he escaped to to earn a living in the UAE. His dream to play cricket never materialised because there was no cricket infrastructure at home.FATA is a tribal region in northwestern Pakistan, bordering the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to the east and south, and Afghanistan to the west. It has seven tribal agencies and six frontier regions, directly governed by Pakistan’s federal government from Islamabad. The territory is devastated by drone attacks and regularly appears in the news for its links to militancy, and is seen as a war-torn area.There is no organised cricket there and the journey to any good cricket centre is at least a 12-hour journey and involves passing through a rigorous army check post.In 2013, the PCB under Zaka Ashraf’s chairmanship recognised FATA as a full member of the domestic circuit and allowed them to try and qualify for first-class cricket. They eventually made it to the main round of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament, and have not done badly so far.FATA have tried to make sure they do not lose any more players like Abdul Haq. There are as many as 194 clubs in the region, which is divided into 10 districts and tribal agencies – Kuram, Bajour, Mohmand*, Khyber along with major cities like Banu, Tank, Kohat, DI Khan. They had qualified for the QEA with their own players, despite cricket being under developed in the region.”We have beaten all the major teams, which have been playing first-class from decades, and our qualification isn’t just a fluke or something like a direct entry,” Noor ul Haq Baloch, the FATA president who lives in Tank, told ESPNcricinfo. “We came up with serious competition, not just this year but we have been trying from last three straight years. However for last few years we have been shunned, but this time we have been finally given a written commitment that once we win the qualifying round we will be given a straight line to the main round. We are happy now.”Cricket in the region is the main sport that drives not only young but old people as well. Although we don’t have facilities there, no grounds at all, and the people are poor with no livelihood … when they have nothing to eat, no reason to live then obviously they will go off-track in life and do what they shouldn’t be doing.”‘There are issues within the region but mainly in the outskirts … there is a genuine love for cricket … They might have lost their way but the game is bringing them back’•ESPNcricinfoLast year the Pakistan army launched a military operation against various militant groups to try and make the region stable, improve the overall security situation in the country, and reduce the number of terrorist attacks. While there has been such a reduction, the upshot is that many families based in the FATA region have had to leave and move to other parts of Pakistan, mainly Peshawar.”There are issues within the region but mainly in the outskirts … there is a genuine love for cricket … They might have lost their way but the game is bringing them back. If one is poor and has no business and livelihood then what can he do? But now the region playing at top of the Pakistan domestic circuit is a reason for them to return. In the future the entire team will be from this part of the region.”The top 15 FATA players are on monthly retainers. Five players in category A earn PKR 20,000 per month, with PKR 15,000 and 10,000 for players in category B and C. Each player also earns PKR 10,000 per first-class match, in addition to travelling expenses.”We have a lot of Pathan players already playing for Pakistan and they are the main inspiration for the regional players,” Noor ul Haq said. “The talent is raw around here but they have the true spirit and heart for the game because they are not spoiled with the fanciness of internet and commercial world. They play for the interest and love for the game and they are loyal to their land, and that is the best feature.”Also they are strong, growing up in hills, they have solid build-up and are mentally strong. But what required is attention to the region. So far the boys are on their own, they are coming to the big city Peshawar to play and train, 13 hours away.”Within their region they have to travel at least eight to ten hours to reach from one point to the other. I can assure the talent is there. If they can beat any bigger team like Lahore and big departments – it means they have something in them.”The PCB had a plan, three years ago, to unearth the talent from the FATA region. Shahid Afridi grew up in Karachi but he was born in Khyber Agency. Younis Khan was born in Mardan, a major hub of the Yousafzai tribe. In the recent past the number of players from the northern regions of Pakistan has been growing – Junaid Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imran Khan jr, Yasir Shah and Imran Khan have played for the country.”Geographically the region is very big but scattered all over and many players from the area had been adjusted into either Peshawar or Abbottabad previously,” Shafiq Ahmed, PCB domestic manager, told ESPNcricinfo. “But cricket in recent years has been getting popular and many cricketers from that part of the area couldn’t make into the top team and remained deprived, hence we converted them into an independent region to cover the major chunk of the northern side.”Also, we understand the boys coming from that part of the region are physically fit and fulfilling the basic requirement of fitness. Since we have given them the regional status we have been monitoring them closely and the results are encouraging. We have selected their young boys at under-16 and under-19 to connect them with the national circuit. Since the shorter version is the most popular these days, they are the right ones to adapt to the format easily.”Ahmed said fitness had been the major concern for Pakistan and players from FATA could help improve that. “Unfortunately, fitness has been the main concern … but players from the FATA region are rough, tough and are mentally very strong, so we can get the best fit players from the region. In the last three years we have seen the players are stepping up in the game as well, after being physically fit.”We understand they are not getting the conditions and environment back home because of the reported law and order situation but they have the potential and they are improving rapidly.”The facilities in FATA are poor and the PCB has offered the locals umpire and referee courses so that they can officiate in games, because no one from Punjab and Sindh is willing to stand in games in the region. There is a local tournament arranged by Cadet College Razmak for their students, but the PCB does not own a single cricket facility in the region.”It’s not the PCB’s responsibility to get them a ground as it’s the duty of their districts and cricket board to give them the required technical assistance and provide them the ground equipment,” Ahmed said. “Unfortunately since [international] teams are not touring Pakistan, which brings down the expenditure on infrastructure and development, otherwise we have done a lot in past.”* 1.52pm GMT, November 29, 2015. This article has been updated to include Mohmand as one of the tribal agencies. It was previously erroneously stated as Mamood

Stats preview of the Test series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Bharath Seervi09-Dec-201511 Number of consecutive home Tests in which New Zealand have been unbeaten. The last time they lost a Test at home was against South Africa in Hamilton in 2012. At the time, that defeat was their fifth in ten previous Tests.1 Series Sri Lanka have won in New Zealand, in seven attempts. Their only series win came in 1994-95 when they won 1-0. Also Sri Lanka have won only two of 15 Tests in New Zealand.4 Test series wins for Sri Lanka outside Asia [they have played 26 series of two or more matches in the past]. Two of those series wins came against Zimbabwe and one each against New Zealand and England.93.16 Kane Williamson’s average in Tests against Sri Lanka, his best against any opposition. He has played four Tests against them – two in Sri Lanka and two at home – scoring 559 runs in eight innings with two hundreds and two fifties. In the previous series against Sri Lanka, he scored 396 runs in four innings at an average of 198.00. He averages 53.52 against the Asian teams compared to a career average of 48.36. Also six of his 12 Test centuries have come against the Asian teams, in 33 innings.2365 Williamson’s aggregate runs in international matches in 2015, the most by a batsman this year. He is 469 runs short of going past Ricky Ponting’s record of most international runs in a calendar year. Williamson averages 63.91 this year and has two Tests and three ODIs to play before the end of 2015.65.91 Angelo Mathews’ average as captain in Tests, the best among all captains who have batted 40 or more innings. Since January 1, 2014, he has scored 1899 runs in 37 innings at 61.25 which is the fourth highest aggregate and the highest by any captain in this period. He had averaged only 39.71 before becoming the captain of the Sri Lanka Test team and had scored only one century. He has since scored six centuries as Test captain.97 Consecutive Tests played by Brendon McCullum for New Zealand since his debut. If he plays both matches of the series, he will go past AB de Villiers’ record of 98 consecutive Tests. McCullum made his Test debut against South Africa in Hamilton in 2004. He has also hit 97 sixes in Tests and is four short of Adam Gilchrist’s record of most sixes in Test cricket.1408 Runs scored by teams the last time a Test was played at the University Oval, Dunedin – between New Zealand and West Indies in December 2013. This is the sixth highest aggregate scored in any Test in New Zealand. Including that match, the last three Tests at this venue have ended in a draw.104.80 Ross Taylor’s batting average in eight innings at this venue. In his last Test here, against West Indies in December 2013, Taylor made 233 runs without being dismissed, including a score of 217* in the first innings. Apart from his double-hundred, he has made two fifties – scores of 94 and 59 – at this venue. Taylor has made 524 runs at the University Oval – the most by a New Zealand batsman at this venue.

Darren Sammy talks about how the region’s cricket is suffering for want of communication and decision-making

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi11-Feb-2016Being back as West Indies T20 captain must come as a shot in the arm for you?
People see it as a surprise, but I have been captain of the T20 team since 2010. It is just a continuation. It is my fifth World Cup, in a format which we won, and we stand a good chance of winning again. I am always excited about leading, especially the T20 team. It gives me pleasure and joy to captain some of the most sought after T20 players in the world.Brian Lara has said: watch out for West Indies in the World T20. Between the last tournament and now, what has changed for the team?
We are not often called favourites. The difference now is we have barely played any T20Is since the last World T20. Most of us have not been selected for ODI cricket as well. It is only by playing in different leagues that we continue keeping ourselves match ready.It is good that we are playing in Dubai [in the PSL], which is similar conditions to India. The experience we have in the dressing room, especially playing in India [in the IPL], will take us a long way. Take it one game at a time and believe we are the best. When it comes to T20 cricket, we are a confident bunch. I remember in 2012 when we won, it was about believing that we could win the World Cup. That was the goal. That was the mission.As a captain how do you deal with the challenge of leading players who have not played as a team for a long time?
It is always a challenge, but the plus for me is that the core of the team remains the same. If I recall, probably eight or nine of us were in the team that won in 2012 and the team that lost in the semi-final in 2014. These guys are very clear about their roles now in the team. It is a team that is very experienced, and it shouldn’t be too difficult for them to play the role that they have been asked to.

“One minute you say the best players should play and then three months later the same players are not selected”

It must be difficult to keep a positive mind, considering you have not been given a WICB contract?
At the end of the day West Indies cricket is not about one individual. Since the inception of retainer contracts, I have always had one. To not be offered a contract is disappointing. But I have moved on. Last year I have played probably the World Cup and a few T20s. And now we have only been selected for T20s. I have not really represented the West Indies. So I ply my trade in different T20 leagues around the world. That is how I provide for my family.Any sportsman, their passion, their desire is to represent their county. That is where your ultimate pride is. That has always been the case for me. I have learned throughout my career that nothing lasts forever. It is about me keeping myself fit and, when given the opportunity, like in this World Cup, going out and representing my region, hopefully we could win the World Cup. Because I believe we could.Our cricket is suffering because we are not making the right decisions. And it did not start with me, it did not start with Pollard, Bravo, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder. It started decades ago, way back. We have been known to manage situations poorly.How would having a contract help you?
Having a retainer contract is [recognising] what you do in the field. If you noticed, only the guys who are playing Test cricket got retainer contracts. There are guys who play one-day and T20 cricket, formats West Indies does well in. You can safely say T20 is the format we are best at. There are criteria based on which you are supposed to get a contract. I believe what I have done, what some of the other players have done, merits a contract. Simple. I also don’t believe that if you are a senior [player] you are supposed to get a contract. It should be based on what you have done in the matches you have been asked to play.”I made myself unavailable [to T20 leagues] for so many years just to make sure I stay home and play for West Indies”•BCCIWhy are you not part of the West Indies’ Players Association?
They [WIPA] are the ones WICB negotiates with on player issues. But 14 of the 15-member World Cup squad is not part of WIPA. West Indies cricket has gone through a lot and it will continue to go through a lot. I don’t see things changing anytime soon.What exactly is the issue that has disturbed you? Is it related to the contracts dispute that flared up during the India tour?
We players are not happy with the remuneration offered by the WICB to participate in the World T20. We have not given any authorisation to WIPA to negotiate on our behalf. A large number of players in the squad do not receive any significant remuneration from WICB at all, so we want the opportunity to negotiate fairly the financial terms within the contract.In the past, 25% of the income received by the WICB for participating in ICC tournaments was distributed to the squad. The remuneration being offered now compared to previous World Cup events is shocking, to say the least. We are being offered now just $6900 per match across the board, irrespective of experience. Players are being asked to start providing services from nearly four weeks ahead of the World Cup and be guaranteed just $27,600 if they play all the guaranteed matches, which is a staggering reduction. What happens to a player who does not feature in a match?The WICB say they cannot figure out what 25% of the participation fee is as the ICC’s formula has changed. Surely they must know a figure. What is it? We want the match fees to be doubled. I have also written to the WICB, asking if they have got a sponsor for the team, and what is the sponsorship revenue. We need answers.Is there a danger of West Indies pulling out of the World T20 in case the WICB does not want to negotiate?
Under my watch players have never said they would strike or not take part in the World Cup. All we’ve said is, we don’t accept the terms given or agreed by an association that doesn’t represent us.Considering that Jason Holder was denied a chance to play in the PSL and Rayad Emrit lost the Trinidad captaincy for playing in the Bangladesh Premier League, do you reckon that the WICB and domestic boards have shown themselves to be poor negotiators with Caribbean players who play in T20 leagues worldwide?
Not only in T20, in our Test team, in our one-day team. It just shows the state of West Indies cricket. We are stagnant. We are not going anywhere. The only team that has shown that they could win cups is the T20 team. They call us all sorts of names, but yes, when selected, we still turn up to play for our country.You cannot ignore the rise of T20 cricket. It is crazy to ignore how T20 cricket has taken the world by storm. [Dwayne] Bravo and myself were talking the other day. Look at how many players like Bravo have come through since he made his Test debut. Remember, West Indies believed in five bowlers, a wicketkeeper and five batsmen; or a wicketkeeper, four fast bowlers and six batsmen. Since Bravo was selected back in 2004, I remember thinking: “Wow, they have selected Bravo, that means allrounders could get a chance. Since Bravo you have had Dwayne Smith, you have myself, Jason Holder, now you have Carlos Braithwaite and Andre Russell.Braithwaite just got an IPL contract worth probably $600,000. In this day and age how are you going to manage that? There must be a medium in which all parties can be happy. Because first of all we can’t compete with Australia, India and England in terms of the pay structure for their players, who could say, “Okay, this year I don’t want to or I can’t play the IPL”, because they are well looked after by their boards. What happens to other boards that cannot do that? So there must be a medium where both parties are happy.

“Once I retire, that’s it for me. And it is not far. I have three kids. I have not seen them losing their front teeth. I have missed so many first days of their school”

What about the argument that Test cricket in the Caribbean is suffering as players are giving up the longer format to play T20? Is there a way out where Test cricket remains strong and players play all three formats?
I played Test cricket. I was given the captaincy at a time when they said they needed stability in West Indies cricket. Four years later I was told I was not needed as a captain and as a player. I was 29, 30 years old. That was the message sent to me. You know, I made myself unavailable [to T20 leagues] for so many years just to make sure I stay home and play for West Indies. I am retired from Test cricket. It is a decision that I don’t regret. So I thought I should commit myself to ODI and T20 cricket. Our Test cricket is a reflection of our first-class cricket.How good is the first-class cricket in the Caribbean?
They have professionalised the league. Guys are getting paid way much better at the expense of international players, but the cricket itself has not improved. Leeward Islands have probably lost 14 out of the 16 matches, with probably one being rained out. Matches are finishing inside two days. It is a reflection of our Test cricket. Spinners dominate the first-class season because the pitches are turning from day one. You don’t get that in Test cricket.What is the solution?
Ask the guys in charge, who make the decisions. There are people in place for that. I am here to play and try to win matches.If these men in charge sit down with the players, is there a way out?
Of course. There is plenty of information. The relationship has always been a broken one.How concerned were you by WICB CEO Michael Muirhead’s statement that players like you, who did not play in the just concluded Super50, but appeared in the Big Bash – might not be considered for the tri-series against Australia and South Africa in a few months?
Yes, and he also said he wants the best available players to compete in the Super50 one-day tournament, knowing that some of us were given no-objection certificates to play in the Big Bash. Also, three months ago the so-called best players were available for the ODI series against Sri Lanka. None of them were selected. So what message are you sending? One minute you say the best players should play and then three months later the same players are not selected. Look, I am 32 years old. I am not an Under-19 player anymore. Priorities change with difference situations.”The only team that has shown that they could win cups is the T20 team”•Getty ImagesShivnarine Chanderpaul, who claims he was forced to retire, recently said he fears for the Caribbean youngsters, given the way the WICB has treated players. Do you relate to his feelings?
For years now they have been calling the guys who play T20 around the world mercenaries, money grabbers. At the end of the day, this is our job. I can’t go to Dubai Mall and collect everything in the store and say, I’m Darren Sammy, West Indies cricketer, and everything will be paid for. No, it is not going to happen.I know and I can vouch for all the guys here that there is no better feeling than representing your country. There are many ways things can be resolved, but you need proper communication. Too many people with big egos, man.How then does West Indies cricket some day utilise the services of Darren Sammy?
Oh, no, no. Once I retire, that’s it for me. And it is not far. I have three kids – 11, six, and my youngest daughter will be three soon. I have not seen them losing their front teeth. I have missed so many first days of their school, so many birthdays…That is what I do – cricket is my job. Cricket has been my life. You miss so many other important aspects of your personal life. And people label you so many different things. I am a professional. My passion is cricket. The day I have lost that passion is the day I am done. It is not far.Did it hurt to go unsold in the IPL auction?
Not really. I believe international cricket is the window to the IPL. I have barely played international cricket. Last time, the day before the auction I got 80-odd against Ireland in the first game of the World Cup. Everybody was watching.Life goes on. I told my wife there is an opportunity that I’ll be home for two months. April is a big month for me: it is my wife’s and my mom’s birthday – both of them were born on the same day. My daughter’s birthday is also in April. I get to be home for one of the occasions I have missed for the last five or six years.Are you looking forward to pairing up with Phil Simmons, the West Indies head coach?
I have been looking forward to it for a long time. He is well respected. I can’t wait to start with the camp in Dubai immediately after the PSL, and then the World Cup. We picked the best possible 15 that we could have. We gave [Sunil] Narine the best opportunity to be in the squad, even though he needs to go for the ICC test [to clear his action]. We also gave Pollard, who is injured, the best opportunity to get fit. He has been training and his knee is getting better after the surgery.

ESPNcricinfo staff02-May-2016ASHISH NEHRA
Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
Status: Ruled out of the IPL with two league games left to play, having injured a hamstring during Sunrisers’ game against Kings XI Punjab on May 15•BCCIKANE WILLIAMSON
Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
Status: The New Zealand batsman missed Sunrisers’ first six games with a hamstring injury, before returning to action against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 30•BCCIJOEL PARIS
Team: Delhi Daredevils
Status: The Australian fast bowler was ruled out with a shin injury before the tournament began•BCCIJP DUMINY
Team: Delhi Daredevils
Status: Missed Daredevils’ first match as he recovered from a hamstring strain suffered during the World T20, returned for four games, then was not fit again for their match against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 30. He was back in action on May 3•BCCISAMUEL BADREE
Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Status: The West Indies legspinner is out of the tournament without having played a match, courtesy a shoulder injury picked up during the World T20 final•AFPMITCHELL STARC
Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Status: Retained by RCB ahead of the season, but yet to play in any format in 2016 after undergoing surgery on his problematic right ankle•CAADAM MILNE
Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Status: Another fast-bowling blow for the team, with the New Zealand pacer heading home with a torn hamstring in his right leg after playing just one game•BCCILASITH MALINGA
Team:Mumbai Indians
Status: Out of the tournament without making an appearance. He is yet to fully recover from the knee injury that has kept him out of top-flight cricket since February•ICCLENDL SIMMONS
Team: Mumbai Indians
Status: The opener was ruled out of the tournament after just one match due to lower-back trouble•BCCIKEVIN PIETERSEN
Team: Rising Pune Supergiants
Status: The first of a string of injuries for Pune, Pietersen pulled a calf while batting against RCB and that was the end of his tournament. He turned out for Pune in four games•BCCIFAF DU PLESSIS
Team: Rising Pune Supergiants
Status: A broken finger put South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis out of action for six weeks on April 28, ending his IPL season after only six matches•AFPMITCHELL MARSH
Team: Rising Pune Supergiants
Status: The third Rising Pune Supergiants player to be ruled out in the same week. He exited with a side strain, after playing three games•BCCISTEVEN SMITH
Team: Rising Pune Supergiants
Possibly the biggest blow so far to a struggling Pune side, Australia’s captain headed home with a wrist issue a few days after striking his first T20 ton•BCCIM ASHWIN
Team: Rising Pune Supergiants
Status: The last of Supergiants’ injuries, before they were dumped out without making it to the playoffs: legspinner M Ashwin, who played 10 games in the season, was ruled out with a side strain•BCCISHAUN MARSH
Team: Kings XI Punjab
Status: A day after his brother was ruled out of Pune’s campaign, Shaun Marsh had similar bad news at Kings XI. He was ruled out after picking up a back injury•BCCIGLENN MAXWELL
Team: Kings XI Punjab
Status: After struggling with injury (and patchy form) over the IPL season, Maxwell left for Australia to get treatment for an apparent side strain, thereby missing Kings XI’s last two games•BCCIJOHN HASTINGS
Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
Status: The Australian fast bowler had to fly home after injuring an ankle during KKR’s warm-ups ahead of their game against Mumbai Indians on April 13, just their second of the tournament•Getty ImagesANDRE RUSSELL
Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
Status: While he was never officially ruled out of the tournament, a leg injury – picked up when he slipped in his follow-through – put the in-form West Indies allrounder out of action for Knight Riders’ final three games, including the eliminator that they lost•AFP

The India A squad travels to Australia on Thursday, but the composition remains unknown thanks to last-minute changes the BCCI has neither acknowledged nor explained

Arun Venugopal03-Aug-2016On June 25, the India A squad to tour Australia for a quadrangular one-day series and two four-day matches was announced through a BCCI press release, but late changes have been made to that squad.The selectors had named the same squad for both formats with Naman Ojha as captain. With less than a week before the team’s departure, reported that Naman Ojha had been replaced by Manish Pandey for the limited-overs leg; Pandey would be the captain for the quadrangular series and Ojha would lead the side in the four-day games.The team departs for Australia on Thursday, but the BCCI has neither confirmed nor denied the story. There is no acknowledgement that last-minute changes have been made, its media manager has not responded to ESPNcricinfo’s queries, and nobody outside the BCCI is sure which players are travelling to Australia for which format. ESPNcricinfo has independently verified that the change has been made, and that Pandey for Ojha is not the only change in the squads.Akhil Herwadkar, who initially featured in the squad for both legs, will now be a part of only the four-day matches, while Hardik Pandya, who wasn’t part of the initial 16-member squad, will now replace the injured Vijay Shankar in both formats. Mandeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal have also been drafted into the limited-overs side.A BCCI source attributed the late changes to a “communication gap” in the selection process, and said the original idea was to pick two separate squads. “We started off with two teams but in the middle there was a communication gap that’s why we kept certain boys in the standby list,” he said. “(The) information has come a little late. Definitely it’s a little embarrassing for someone like Naman Ojha.”It is understood the selectors were initially in favour of players for specific formats, and had a few players like Mandeep and Hardik on stand-by. However, unclear communication apparently led to a delay in the board signing off on the changes made to the team. The board source, though, denied there was lack of clarity while naming the initial squad.”Everybody was clear (about the players to be selected),” he said. “(But) subsequently different sides were picked for (multiple) day matches and one-dayers after considering the future options (for the Indian team), like whether Naman Ojha is in the race for one-day spot or the Test spot. Accordingly, the changes were made. Suddenly Vijay Shankar got injured, so there are quite a few things, which happened but otherwise we were very clear. Players like Hardik and Mandeep Singh are future prospects and they need to be given exposure to white-ball cricket.”Ojha said on Tuesday he was informed of the decision “five-six days” ago. “There are 15 (13) Test matches this season so it (playing the four-day games) is good for me,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I have time to prepare well on my batting and keeping, and I will not burn out. I can now train harder for two more weeks (before leaving for Australia for the four-day leg).”By all accounts it is possible there is nothing sinister about the changes. The logic might even be sound: Ojha is 33, he is not the next India limited-overs wicketkeeper, and like Tests and ODIs it makes sense to have two different squads. There might be logic to it but there was no communication or explanation behind the changes, or knowledge of when the BCCI realised these changes were necessary. The fact that nobody from the BCCI has owned up to this on the record just forces observers to look for reasons other than cricket logic.

The first of a new series in which club players talk about their encounters with the gods

Warren Thornton22-Aug-2016I was playing for Stone Cross, a second-division team in Sussex, against premier-league side Eastbourne in a county-wide T20 Cup game at Eastbourne.Andy Flower opened the batting with Richard Halsall, former England fielding coach, currently with Bangladesh. Halsall was captain. Darren Stevens, later of Kent, was in the Eastbourne side too.We thought that Eastbourne might reverse their batting line-up, but then we saw Flower and Halsall march out. Terrific.It was a fairly breezy day, going across the ground. I thought it would help my left-arm inswing – outswing to the left-hander. Until I bowled the first one at Flower, that is.We’d heard that Flower had been reverse-sweeping medium-pacers, bowlers who at our level would have been quick bowlers. Guys we would struggle to play normally.First two balls of the game, I bowled two perfectly good, on-a-length awayswingers to the left-hander and they went through the covers for four before anybody moved. It was a typical Flower cover drive, on the up, just leaned into it. Picked up the line and swing so easy. Opened the face of the blade and it came off the bat like a bullet.After that you get a bit nervous, don’t you? One of those days when you think. “I’m going the distance, here.” When you know you’re out of your league.I said to Halsall down the other end: “What’s going to happen when I bowl him a bad ball?” He just laughed.Next ball I tried to bowl one that swung back the other way. I’ve never been able to do that and it ended up a wide half-volley. Flower was down on one knee trying to reach it, got an under edge and cannoned onto his stumps.As I followed through, he mumbled “Shit ball.” Our captain, mumbled back. “Shit ball, shit wicket.”Eastbourne piled up a good 220 in 20 overs. We were about 70 for 9.I said to Halsall in the bar, afterwards, “I really, really want to say something to Flower.” And Halsall said “I wouldn’t.”One of the Eastbourne players said to me. “However many shit balls you bowl for the rest of the time you play cricket, you’ll always have ‘A Flower, bowled Thornton 8’ on your CV.”

Given the lack of ODIs in their schedule before next year’s Champions Trophy, India will be happy with the results of some of their experiments during the series against New Zealand

Arun Venugopal30-Oct-20164:57

India v New Zealand: the hits and misses

Ahead of the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, India had a total of eight ODIs to cover all their bases ahead of the Champions Trophy next year. MS Dhoni, who usually cringes at any suggestions of ‘experimentation’, admitted the series was an opportunity to try out different players and fill a few slots. By the time India clinched the series 3-2 in Visakhapatnam, Dhoni would have been happy with the progress made on a few fronts.Amit Mishra’s 15 wickets earned him his first Man of the Series award•Associated PressMishra returns, againBefore the start of the series, Amit Mishra had played 31 ODIs in 13 years. Apart from the palindromic symmetry of these numbers, two things stand out: a) He has been around for ages without ever being a permanent fixture in the limited-overs side; b) Despite that, his talent and persistence have always kept him in the reckoning.In the absence of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who were rested, Mishra was the lead spinner by default. By the end of the fifth ODI, Mishra had earned the right to be the leader of the entire bowling unit, picking 15 wickets to claim his first man-of-the-series award. His wickets arrived through a seductive blend of flight, dip, aided by plenty of revs on the ball, and turn. Just look up the dismissals of Ross Taylor and Luke Ronchi in Mohali, and James Neesham in Visakhapatnam.Mishra, who is a month shy of turning 34, knows he has to perform every time an opportunity comes his way. He acknowledges that the key to this lies, apart from his fizzing leg-breaks, in improving his fielding and batting.MS Dhoni was India’s second-highest run-getter in the series behind VIrat Kohli•Associated PressDhoni moves to No 4One of the things MS Dhoni has endlessly fretted over in the last few years has been identifying a finisher. With the search remaining futile, Dhoni had no choice but to bat at No 5 or 6, from where bashing the bowling from the outset proved difficult. Dhoni eventually bit the bullet, and in giving himself a promotion, challenged the inexperienced middle-order batsmen to learn the finisher’s job on the fly.The results were instant. His 80 in Mohali was fashioned from a younger Dhoni’s template of accumulate and accelerate. Dhoni’s shift in batting position is less of a concession to a senior pro than an arrangement that optimises his value as a batsman. He would want his younger colleagues in the middle order to ensure they hold up their side of the bargainApart from the surprise he sprung with his bowling, Kedar Jadhav did his prospects of a long-term place at No. 6 no harm•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesThe Jadhav surpriseAhead of this series, Kedar Jadhav was known as a batsman who could keep wicket occasionally. It is believed Dhoni wanted someone who could play Suresh Raina’s role as a middle-order bat who could send down a few overs, and Jadhav appeared the closest alternative. He was then given an extended bowling session in the nets on the eve of the first ODI, which was followed by Dhoni identifying him, along with Rohit Sharma, as one of his part-timers.As it turned out, Jadhav, with his subtle pace variations and low-arm release, became a compulsive partnership-breaker, and finished with six wickets in the series at an economy rate of 4.05. To Dhoni’s credit, he never over-bowled him, and ensured he retained the surprise element. Jadhav’s biggest challenge, however, was to prove himself with the bat. While he scored an enterprising 40 in a losing cause in Delhi, it was the calm and selfless manner in which he batted at the death in Visakhapatnam that must have pleased Dhoni the most.Hardik Pandya’s ability to swing the new ball at pace was a revelation•BCCIThe new-ball punt with PandyaWhen Hardik Pandya was picked for the New Zealand ODIs, there were several groans of disapproval. Admittedly, there was a case for scepticism: Pandya had had a poor IPL followed by a mediocre tour to Australia with the India A team. The numbers weren’t in his favour, but the selectors were excited by his pace with the ball, and the spunk he showed in his counter-attacking 79 in Brisbane.Dhoni put Pandya’s “deceptive pace” to good use when he gave him the new ball on ODI debut in Dharamsala. Pandya’s 3 for 31 won him the man of the match award, but the bigger takeaway was that he could swing the ball at upwards of 135 kph. Pandya also nearly won the game for India in Delhi with a thrilling late-innings assault.In the last few years, India have tried out a few players such as Rishi Dhawan, Stuart Binny and Pandya himself, for the seam-bowling allrounder’s slot. Should Pandya sustain his form and not bowl waywardly – as in Ranchi where he conceded eight wides – he will be one of Dhoni’s go-to men in England next year for the Champions Trophy.Axar Patel was tight with the ball, conceding only 4.30 runs per over, and scored 79 lower-order runs at a strike rate of 98.75•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesUmesh , Axar and other unsung heroesUmesh Yadav’s contribution to India’s series win went beyond his eight wickets. His initial thrust with the new ball usually brought the big wickets, which then helped the spinners bore into the middle order. Umesh, in fact, got Martin Guptill out three times in the series, twice in the first over of the innings. Umesh regularly delivered from close to the stumps, and, apart from in Mohali where he went for runs, this appeared to give him greater control.Axar Patel may not yet be in Jadeja’s class, but he did everything that’s part of the Saurashtra allrounder’s job description. While he was Dhoni’s designated run-choker at different stages in the innings, he rose to the occasion with the bat by scoring a gutsy 38 when promoted to No.5 in Ranchi. In the final ODI, he hit an 18-ball 24 to rev up the scoring rate in the slog.That Jayant Yadav and Mandeep Singh were among the most tireless workers at net sessions pointed to a happy and motivated bench. Jayant would often bowl for more than an hour, and spend most of his time talking shop with coach Anil Kumble. Jayant was the only player in India’s squad to not play a single game on the Zimbabwe tour, and it looked like he’d have to wait even longer to get his maiden international cap. But, when he was given an opportunity in Visakhapatnam, he did his prospects no harm.Mandeep still remains uncapped, but showed tremendous athleticism when he substituted for Rohit in Visakhapatnam. A string of diving stops inside the circle denied New Zealand’s batsmen boundaries and added to the pressure they were under.

Stats highlights from Gujarat’s maiden Ranji Trophy victory, which they achieved by chasing a target of 312 in the final against Mumbai in Indore

Bharath Seervi14-Jan-20171 Ranji Trophy titles for Gujarat – this is their first. They had played a Ranji final only once previously, in 1950-51, when they lost to Holkar by 189 runs. Incidentally, both their finals were in Indore. Gujarat are the 17th team to win the Ranji Trophy. The last team to win a maiden title was Rajasthan in 2010-11.1990-91 The last time Mumbai lost a Ranji Trophy final, against Haryana at the Wankhede, where they fell short by two runs chasing 355. The loss to Gujarat was only Mumbai’s fifth out of 46 Ranji Trophy finals. Holkar, Delhi, Karnataka and Haryana are the other teams to have won finals against Mumbai.312 Gujarat won their title by pulling off the highest successful chase in a Ranji Trophy final. The previous highest was Hyderabad’s 310 against Nawanagar in 1937-38. There has been only one other successful chase of over 250 in a Ranji Trophy final – 255 by Baroda against Holkar in 1949-50.

259 The previous highest target successfully chased by Gujarat, against Assam in 2003-04. Their fourth-innings score in the final – 313 for 5 – was only their second 300-plus score when chasing, and both have come in Ranji Trophy finals. They made 356 in their first final in 1950-51, when they were set a target of 546 by Holkar.294 The previous highest successful chase against Mumbai – by Punjab in 2004-05. Gujarat beat that, after taking a first-innings lead in both their matches against Mumbai this season – 15 runs in Hubballi and 100 in the final. They are the first side to take a first-innings lead twice in a season against Mumbai in the last ten years.143 Parthiv Patel’s score in the fourth innings – the highest in a successful chase in a Ranji Trophy final, beating Edulji Aibara’s 137 not out for Hyderabad in 1937-38. He had scored a century in last season’s Vijay Hazare Trophy final as well – 105 against Delhi, his maiden List-A century.5 Centuries for Parthiv against Mumbai in first-class matches – his most against any team. He hasn’t scored more than two hundreds against any other team. He has 1283 runs in 25 innings against Mumbai, at an average of 53.45 with five centuries and five fifties.6 for 121 Chintan Gaja’s figures for Gujarat in the second innings. He had taken only one wicket in his two first-class games, bowling 63 overs, before this final. He took 2 for 46 in the first innings before taking his maiden five-for in the second innings. He had not played the quarter-final and the semi-final.3 Domestic titles for Gujarat in the last three seasons. Before this Ranji Trophy title, they had won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2014-15 and Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2015-16. The only other major domestic title they had won was the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2012-13. Tamil Nadu, Baroda, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh are the only other teams to have won all these three trophies.

A quick recap of Pakistan’s successful campaign down under in 1992

Illustration by Girish TS

In today’s age when analytics and reason underpin most aspects of life, all the data indicated that Pakistan did not have a chance. How then did their Champions Trophy win happen?

Osman Samiuddin19-Jun-20175:25

Samiuddin: Title will help Sarfraz settle as leader

Improbability, like Rome, isn’t built in a day. You don’t suddenly up and arrive at a situation of no hope, thinking: “Well, no hope here.” No, if an achievement that was once probable has now become improbable, then it stands to reason that there was a journey, and it must, by definition, have been a dispiriting one. To understand that something is now improbable is to acknowledge that each moment on that road would have sapped the soul a little. This could be done. Now, no way. With each step forward, eyes would have opened wider. The destination would have begun to take clearer shape. And anger would have grown as it approached.Why are things so bad? Why are we coming here? Why is nobody stopping this? And then, when the destination is clear, the anger would have bubbled over, not burning like fire but flowing like lava. That point, at the end of the road, represents the final defeat of the spirit: from there, very little is probable. Almost everything is improbable and the only difference is in the degree.The improbability of Pakistan’s Champions Trophy triumph (I watched it, slept and woke up, and it still happened) began, in earnest, two years ago. Actually it began many years ago, but right after the 2015 World Cup was when it escalated. In that tournament, Pakistan were showing clear signs of lagging. After it, as the game went boldly forth, Pakistan meekly retreated. They made Azhar Ali the captain, and though it wasn’t on him entirely, they looked like a side that didn’t know the 1990s were over.At first, the batting appeared to be the issue. Good sides were making 350 for fun, and Pakistan were happy with 300. In England last year, they made 260, 251, 275, 247 and 304; in Australia this year they made 176, 221, 263, 267 and 312. Too many dot balls, 270-degree batting, and no power-hitters; in the time of Tinder, Pakistan were a bricks-and-mortar marriage bureau.The real kicker was that their bowling became outdated. Once every four games, they were taken for over 300, and usually it wasn’t just over but well past it: in the last two years Pakistan conceded 329, 334, 368, 355, 444, 353, 369 and 319. There was no diversity, no personality. The spinners were not Saeed Ajmal. The fast bowlers were not express. They did little with the new ball, less through the middle, and the less said about the death the better.You don’t need to be told about the fielding.When they dumped Azhar as captain and put Sarfraz Ahmed in his place, it was two series too late and two years too late. They came into the Champions Trophy ranked eighth, thanks mostly to a bit of manipulative scheduling. And the ranking flattered them. It had taken two years – or 20 – but anything beyond a group-stage exit was highly improbable, if not out of the question.

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Fakhar Zaman was one of three debutants for Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. No other team had even one•Getty ImagesSix years ago, jolted by an improbable Pakistan victory against Sri Lanka in Sharjah, I determined to write a bigger piece on the nature of the win. Sri Lanka were 155 for 3, coasting to a target of 201, until suddenly they weren’t. Pakistan, I felt that night, had done this too many times for it not to mean something. Of course it meant something, and what’s more, it warranted deeper study.I went wide rather than deep, though, drawing on Sufism, pop culture, sports psychology, Qawwali, reverse swing, and politics to produce a kind of loose thesis: what happened in these moments in matches, on days and even over entire tournaments when Pakistan did the improbable, was the appearance of – the ecstatic state of being in which, as Idries Shah explained in his book , “Sufis are believed to be able to overcome all barriers of time, space and thought. They are able to cause apparently impossible things to happen merely because they are no longer confined by the barriers which exist for more ordinary people.” This – it created something special, a synchronicity between the team, the spectacle in that state, and the observer, also within the trance.Truth be told, as the years have passed I have become a little embarrassed by the article. Partly it is because I can see holes in it I wish I had filled. But as Pakistan struggled to regularly produce such moments, I have seen it as, at best, a jinx, and at worst an absolute fantasy. One commenter on the piece said it was, “Orientalism at its best”, and it still stings because, you know what, there is truth to it. I justified it by saying it was an exploration of a very personal sensation.But I can’t deny that the further I have got from it, the greater the sense of guilt that I overlooked a more rational, analytical way of understanding Pakistan. One of the ways of growing older is to cede to rationalism: resigning to the truth that there is, sadly, reason behind everything. It just needs to be found. happens because happened, and we can measure and explain – and not just feel – as well as . One of the best things to have happened to cricket in recent years is that it has been opened up to rigorous analytical and data-based scrutiny. That has peeled off a layer, allowing a changed understanding of each game, contest, even each ball.I haven’t fully embraced it, but I don’t deny it. I understand it underpins everything and for explanations, it must be the first recourse. If it hasn’t already, science, reason and data will one day render redundant as theory.

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Mohammad Hafeez almost never bats outside the top four; he fired from No. 5 in the final•AFPPakistan have better than to be further enshrouded inside mysteries and riddles, bouncing between states of and otherwise, to be the subject of lazy stereotyping. They are not magicians or Sufis. They are professional athletes.One of the truest joys of the Misbah-ul-Haq era was that on the occasions Pakistan did pull off the improbable, Misbah was there to tell you exactly why it happened. And he would tell you that some inexplicable, elemental force had not seized the day, but that his side had planned this, off and on the field.So I’m here to tell you, and myself, that there is a reason for this Pakistan win, the mightiest of which is that they bowled their way to it. Break it down to how they have fought off a modern trend by attacking it and exposing it for what it is. The middle overs are no longer the stretch where batting takes stock and sets itself up for a final ten-over tilt. The middle the tilt, especially between overs 30 and 40, where power-hitters have begun to take games away.Pakistan called this bluff. What happens if attack, with our lengths, fields and skills? If we get wickets, will you blink first? They have been happy to bowl softer overs up front, and then attack when batsmen are set to attack. This ten-over stretch is where Pakistan cut sides off: taking eight wickets while conceding just 3.53 per over. That rate is nearly a run better than all other sides. Other than a few overs from Imad Wasim and Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan used their fast bowlers and legspinner: Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan.The return of Hafeez as bowler has been a safety net, but they have been smart about that. He bowled 18 overs against South Africa and England, but just six against India and Sri Lanka. And Shadab, with turn both ways, has been a game-changing find: the wicket-taking option that coach Mickey Arthur so dearly wanted in the middle overs.Then in two matches, against Sri Lanka and England, Pakistan got used pitches, slower and lower, which they would have been familiar with. Still, familiarity doesn’t mean adeptness – in the UAE, on similar tracks, they have lost six of their last eight bilateral series.They also got to bowl first in four games out of five, and by getting sides out cheaply in three, their batting orders made sense. No Pakistan batsman has worked harder to expand and develop his game than Azhar Ali, in Tests but especially in ODIs. He may still not be the ODI opener for this age, but he was perfect for Pakistan’s plans: if you bowl sides out cheaply, Azhar is exactly the kind of opener Pakistan – as nervy, awkward and neurotic at chases as Woody Allen, without any of the intelligence – need. An unlikely hero of this campaign sure, but not an inexplicable one.The despair of Azhar Ali at dropping Virat Kohli barely lasted more than a minute; Kohli was caught the next ball•Getty ImagesSo far, so reasonable, which is about as far as I can take it.Here’s a list, on the other hand, of things I’m having trouble explaining in full, or at all.1. If it was the bowling that won it, then how? Because by no metric has it been good since the 2015 World Cup. In matches where they bowled first, Pakistan’s average between overs 11-40 was the worst (53.68) of all teams, including Zimbabwe, and their economy fourth worst. They took the fewest wickets per innings. Between overs 30 and 40, their average put them ahead of only Ireland, Scotland and Papua New Guinea, and economy ahead of Sri Lanka and Scotland. In two weeks they have gone from being among the worst for two years to being the best. Light switches take more time.Wahab Riaz was their first-choice third seamer. Junaid didn’t start because in the six matches since he returned in January, he’d gone at 6.45 an over and averaged 42. Rumman Raees, palpably the kind of bowler Pakistan have needed in limited-overs cricket, was not even in the squad.Wahab’s injury, unforeseen, set into motion a chain of events that led to Junaid ending as the Champions Trophy’s third highest wicket-taker, and Raees’ ice-cool and incisive debut in the semi-final.2. I can partially explain Fakhar Zaman, in that nobody in Pakistan said abracadabra and out he came (no one ever does, not even Waqar Younis or Wasim Akram). He has been prominent in domestic cricket for a couple of seasons, as well as in the 2017 PSL.But he was not their first-choice opener, because of Ahmed Shehzad. Pakistan went to Zaman only in desperation, having convinced themselves for the umpteenth – and probably not last – time that they were done with Shehzad. And he was debuting, so yeah, go figure, 252 runs – sixth-highest in the tournament – and runs against three of the world’s best sides.While there, let me know how it is that a domestic limited-overs set-up as archaic as Pakistan’s produced a batsman with the highest strike rate in this global tournament (of the top 20 run scorers)? Higher than Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Eoin Morgan, Virat Kohli, David Warner, Aaron Finch, David Miller, Martin Guptill, Quinton de Kock: true LOLs for the irrationals.3. Three players debuted for Pakistan in this tournament. No other side had even one debutant. Imagine thrusting one into the world’s sharpest tournament. Three? And each of the three contributed a defining moment. I can stretch reason to its tether, and offer the PSL as some kind of explanation for the readiness of Raees and Zaman. Faheem Ashraf has never played the PSL. You may never hear of him again, yet try and erase his imprint – that Dinesh Chandimal wicket.4. I find no rationale for the two chances in six Lasith Malinga balls granted to Sarfraz. I can try – the dolly to Thisara Perera may have swerved a touch (I could be totally wrong, imagining a light breeze of destiny). And the Seekkuge Prasanna drop happens, especially to a side fielding as poorly as Sri Lanka. To be granted luck twice is no big deal. To be granted it twice in such quick succession is about credible too. For it to arrive when it mattered most, when this was literally the wicket that would have ended the game and Pakistan’s tournament? I’ll leave it there.A no-ball, when Pakistan needed it most in the final•AFPAnd then, in chronological order, events of the final, which means Jasprit Bumrah’s no-ball first, off his ninth ball of the day. There is a reasonable explanation. Bumrah is not a surprising culprit. He has 11 no-balls in 16 ODIs, which in the age of free hits is like pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement. It is a commitment to waste. In this tournament he had bowled just one until then. But it was Zaman, the one man more than any other Pakistan would have wanted to be the beneficiary of such fortune (just as later he was the more important partner who wasn’t run out).Then, 338. Casually they strolled to their highest 50-over total since the 2015 World Cup (excluding games against Zimbabwe). In the final of a global event, against India, who even if they did have a bad day, have only needed to be inked down by the ICC as an opponent for Pakistan to have already lost. I’ll take no recourse to reason here, none whatsoever.Especially because the innings formed in such a way it meant demoting Hafeez and delaying his entry until the 40th over. Neither Pakistan nor Hafeez like that. And yet, in a small sample since 2010, of 14 innings, his strike rate in the death overs (before the final) was 8.63 per over. Out he came in the 40th, and did exactly what those numbers suggest he could. It was exactly the right thing to do and there’s no suggestion Pakistan had planned it. It was the first time since January 2013 that Hafeez had batted outside the top four.Pakistan might never have made the semi-final if luck had not gone their way against Sri Lanka•Getty ImagesAnd where to seek reason in the mini-opera of Amir-Kohli? Amir’s little skip of anticipation at the edge, cut short by Azhar’s slow tumble and spill; the look on Amir’s face, of instant death upon Azhar; Azhar flinging his cap. Buried. Gone. And then again, and Shadab Khan, of such conviction, at point, a little skip to his right and in. Alive. No, not alive, soaring.Targeting Kohli’s fourth stump is a tactic and the left-arm angle makes it more legit, but the world’s best batsman, the most fearsome slayer of chases, twice in two balls, on this stage? Give me relief in numbers.There is some. If the general feeling around Amir has been that he is somewhat dimmed from how we remember him, know that since his return, with a minimum cut-off of ten wickets, he has the joint-most wickets, the third-best average and best economy of bowlers in the first ten overs.

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You could analyse and reason each of the above. I try, but I’m not even including Pakistan dropping at least seven catches in five games and Ahmed Shehzad actually running someone out. And for all of this to have come together over the course of five games, four knockouts, in 14 days, I can’t.This may not be and there may not be any such thing on a cricket field. If at all there is something from that article that remains striking, it is Waqar Younis talking about Pakistan locating a surge and then riding it for all its worth.There is one other thing. I ended then by arguing that Pakistan make you – opponents and observers – submit to the world they create in these moments. I’m not saying this happened. But look around of what’s left of this tournament. Look at how Pakistan took teams back to the 1990s and beat them. Look at the strength of feeling it has aroused around the world. Look at the incredulity that the improbability of it has borne. Listen over and over to Nasser Hussain’s voice as he calls the Kohli dismissal.I don’t know what more to tell you.