India captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed that the team went with the same playing XI for the Super 8 game against South Africa on Sunday, which meant vice-captain Axar Patel was left out again, with Washington Sundar keeping his spot. After losing the toss, Surya admitted he wanted to bat first but accepted the toss result, calling Axar’s omission a tough call.

“I was actually looking to bat first, but it’s okay, and we’re happy to bowl first. It’s very harsh on Axar Patel, but we’re going with the same team – just a tactical decision, so no changes from the last game,” he said at the toss. The decision sparked strong reactions on social media, with many fans questioning Axar’s exclusion.“Can someone tell me, why Axar Patel is dropped with his OG T2OI performances?” One fan wrote on X.“I have another question, can somebody tell me why Washington Sundar is not bowling to David Miller, if he was selected over Axar with lefties excuse?Does anything make sense under Gambhir?”Similar sentiments among fans over the Axar Patel omission call followed.In the match, South Africa had a shaky start after opting to bat. Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh struck early, reducing them to 20/3 in just four overs. However, David Miller and Dewald Brevis staged a strong comeback, attacking India’s bowlers and shifting the momentum.Miller took on Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh with powerful boundaries, while Brevis joined in with aggressive shots against Washington Sundar and others. The pair added quick runs and pushed the scoring rate up, helping South Africa recover to 84/3 at the halfway stage. Nevertheless, South Africa posted a strong total of 187/7 in their 20 overs after choosing to bat against India. After losing early wickets, Miller (63 off 35) and Brevis (45 off 29) led a crucial recovery, while Stubbs (44* off 24) provided a late surge. Bumrah was the standout bowler with 3/15, supported by Arshdeep’s 2/28, but India still face a challenging chase.

TimesofIndia.com in Kandy: Sri Lankan fans packed the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in full voice as England’s batters obligingly threw their wickets away. The noise, however, didn’t last long. What followed was an even more miserable spectacle from the home side, a collapse so poor that it briefly resembled a contest to produce the ugliest dismissal of the night.After opting to bat first, England were still pinned down by a Sri Lankan bowling performance that, for all its discipline and variety, deserved far more than what was to come later. Despite recent injury concerns, it was close to a textbook T20 effort: left-arm pace from Dilshan Madushanka, loopy left-arm spin from Dunith Wellalage, mystery spin from Maheesh Theekshana, and raw, hostile pace from Dushmantha Chameera, who nailed his yorkers and exploited the around-the-wicket angle. England scraped to 146 for 9, a total that felt at least 20 runs short on a slow, two-paced surface.Then came the implosion. Sri Lanka’s chase unravelled almost instantly, wickets tumbling with numbing predictability. Shot selection was reckless, execution worse. After losing to Zimbabwe in their final group match, this crushing 51-run defeat in their opening game against England may not just damage their campaign; it could well bring an end to their semifinal hopes.

Salt’s masterclass

England’s innings was a study in contrast: the composure and clarity of Phil Salt set against a broader batting effort that unravelled once Sri Lanka’s spinners tightened the screws. On a surface offering just enough grip, with the outfield slowed by damp patches, England never truly escaped the chokehold, despite Salt’s fluent 62 off 40 balls while battling cramps in the humidity.For Sri Lanka, the tone was set early by Madushanka, who found a hint of swing with the new ball. He kept Salt and Jos Buttler quiet, conceding only four runs in his opening over and repeatedly probing the fourth-stump line. Buttler, under constant examination, struggled to settle. When Sri Lanka introduced Wellalage as early as the second over, the intent was clear: attack England with spin from the outset.

Salt momentarily broke the shackles, leaning back to loft Wellalage over extra cover for the first six of the innings, but the pressure rarely relented. Madushanka continued to tease Buttler with full lengths and subtle changes of pace, conceding just three runs in a miserly over. The contest ended abruptly when Wellalage trapped Buttler in front, the England skipper departing for a scratchy 7 off 14.Sri Lanka sensed an opening and doubled down with aggressive fields. Jacob Bethell walked into a leg slip and perished soon after, miscuing a slog to give Madushanka a sharp catch. At the end of the powerplay, England were 37 for 2.Spin dominated the middle phase. Wellalage and Theekshana bowled with control and imagination, varying pace and trajectory to force errors. The duo conceded 47 runs and shared five wickets. Harry Brook fell to drift and dip from Wellalage, while a needless run-out accounted for Tom Banton. At halfway, England were 68 for 4.Salt kept England afloat, reaching a well-judged fifty off 36 balls. A couple of clean strikes off Chameera lifted the tempo and brought up England’s 100, but support remained fleeting. Salt’s resistance ended when he failed to clear long-off against Wellalage, departing for a high-quality 62. Theekshana wrapped up the lower order, while Wellalage completed a three-wicket haul.

Sri Lanka imploded

Sri Lanka’s chase unravelled in a blur as England ripped through the batting with a ruthless new-ball burst and a remarkable spell of part-time spin from Will Jacks.Jofra Archer set the tone, testing Pathum Nissanka with sharp short balls. Nissanka briefly counterpunched before Archer induced a mistimed pull, safely taken by Jamie Overton.England then went bang-bang. Kusal Mendis chipped one straight back to Will Jacks, before Pathan Rathnayake charged first ball and skied one to Tom Banton. Archer removed Kamil Mishara with a thick edge, Overton taking a sharp catch at fly slip.Jacks struck twice more as Wellalage picked out Brook and Kamindu Mendis chipped Dawson straight down the ground. Chaos followed when Dushan Hemantha dragged a pull shot onto his own stumps. Sri Lanka’s last hope, Dasun Shanaka, fell after a fine relay catch by Jacks and Banton. Shanaka top-scored with 30 off 24 balls.Sri Lanka were bowled out for 95 runs in 16.4 overs. For England, Jacks (3/22), Liam Dawson (2/27), Archer (2/20) and Adil Rashid (2/13) were the standout bowlers.Brief scoresEngland 146/9 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 62; Dunith Wellalage 3/26, Maheesh Theekshana 2/21)Sri Lanka 95 all out in 15.2 overs (Dasun Shanaka 30; Will Jacks 3/22, Jofra Archer 2/20)

NEW DELHI: Former India batter Manoj Tiwary has questioned the leadership of Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi, saying a lack of clarity and freedom may be creating tension between Pakistan’s captain and coach. His comments came after a viral video showed Pakistan captain Salman Agha throwing a bottle in frustration while sitting near head coach Mike Hesson.

Tiwary believes strong leadership is needed for any team to move forward and suggested the current setup may not be giving the coaching staff enough independence. “If any country wants to move ahead, then the leader should be firm in his or her decision-making. There should be clarity, and freedom should be given. I don’t think the PCB chief has given full freedom. Mike Hesson is the current head coach, and he is trying to take the team along,” he told Cricbuzz.He also felt the bottle-throwing incident reflected deeper issues in the dressing room. “In the last game, we saw things got a bit frustrated between Hesson and the captain, Salman Ali Agha. Babar Azam was not sent out. Agha threw the bottle. It just proves that trust isn’t there,” Tiwary added.However, Hesson has dismissed claims of any rift and explained the incident differently. He said Agha was simply upset after getting out, not angry with the coach. “I’ve actually got sent that video, and you guys have really got that wrong. I’ll talk you through what happened. I was going over to talk to Salman about getting (Mohammad) Nawaz to put the pads on as a left-hander, and Agha was upset that he just got out, so he threw the bottle into the ground,” Hesson explained.He further clarified that the discussion was about batting plans, not an argument. “(It had) nothing to do with the conversation we were having… So it was a really simple conversation… So, amazing what people can interpret sometimes,” he said.

Pakistan star batter Babar Azam has had a tough T20 World Cup so far, managing just 66 runs in four matches with a modest strike rate. Because of this, he has been moved down the batting order from his usual opening slot to the middle order, a move that has sparked debate.Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has backed Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson’s decision, saying it makes sense given how fast modern T20 cricket has become. He pointed out that strike rates in the powerplay have increased massively, and batters now need to score at a much quicker pace.

“Look, I think first of all, all great players evolve their careers at different points in their careers. So someone like Babar, we have known him as one of the world’s best players for a very, very long time. I think the game of T20 cricket has moved so fast forward and towards strike rates that he’s found himself a little bit behind in terms of strike rates,” Du Plessis said.He added, “Looking at him in the last couple of years and certainly in the power play, the game has moved too fast, too forward, to be at a 120 strike rate. Now you need to be 160-190-200 plus for you to maximise that first six overs.”Despite this, Du Plessis believes Babar is still very valuable, especially on slower pitches where strike rotation is important. “So I think if you’re someone like Mike Hesson, what he’s trying to do is he’s trying to find the best way to introduce him into the game and on spinning pitches in the middle, that’s where someone like him is worth his gold,” he said.He also noted, “When you come to flat wickets, those kinds of roles these days are not as important anymore… So I can imagine he almost looked at how I can maximise the best out of Babar Azam.”

Australia coach Andrew McDonald has defended the squad he selected for the Twenty20 World Cup, saying the players were capable of progressing, but Australia now face the prospect of a rebuild ahead of co-hosting the next edition with New Zealand in 2028.The 2021 champions entered the tournament in India and Sri Lanka as contenders but were eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 2009. The early exit has drawn criticism from former players and sections of the media.Fast-bowling great Glenn McGrath pointed to the absence of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc as a key weakness.

“We said at the start of this World Cup that we were concerned about Australia,” pace great Glenn McGrath told reporters, pointing to the absence of fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc as exposing a soft underbelly.“All of a sudden, the aura of that Australian team is no longer there when other teams play it … unfortunately, not surprising.”Concerns had already surfaced in the lead-up when Australia lost all three matches against Pakistan by 22, 90 and 111 runs — the last two being their biggest defeats by runs in T20 internationals. At the time, captain Mitchell Marsh said: “Absolutely no stress from our end.” The mood later shifted to “It’s a devastated group” after defeats to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.Selectors George Bailey, McDonald and Tony Dodemaide were criticised for backing out-of-form all-rounders Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly, for not picking Steve Smith, and for dropping Matt Renshaw for the Sri Lanka match while still in contention.Former selector Mark Waugh also questioned the choices.“Look at the selections, look at (Glenn) Maxwell, Connolly, Green and (Josh) Inglis, these guys are all out of form,” lamented Mark Waugh, himself a former selector.“The selectors have their plans in place, but you’ve got to be smart enough to see which players are in form and which players are out of form.“And you’ve got to play the percentages a lot better than what our selectors have played.”McDonald rejected outside criticism, saying: “There was always going to be differing opinions from the outside,” adding that outsiders “don’t understand what the moving parts are and the conversations are on the inside”.A review of the campaign will begin after the team returns home. Only three members of the current squad — Green, Connolly and fast bowler Xavier Bartlett — will be under 30 by the next World Cup. The futures of senior players such as Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Hazlewood and Cummins remain unclear, while Starc has already retired from T20 internationals.

NEW DELHI: When India take on South Africa in their opening Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, the spotlight will not only be on the players but also on an extraordinary family duel unfolding behind the scenes.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!For the first time on such a stage, brothers Morne Morkel and Albie Morkel will stand in rival camps, serving as India’s bowling coach and South Africa’s consultant respectively, each tasked with plotting the other’s downfall in a high-stakes rematch of the 2024 final.

In a video shared by the BCCI, Albie summed up his mission with a smile and a warning. “Specialist consultant is a mouthful. In short, I have to figure out ways to beat Team India on Sunday. That’s it,” he said. “We actually coached together in our first stint; that’s where I shaped him to be a very good bowling coach. Showed him how to do it.”Morne acknowledged the intense expectations that come with his role but stressed the strength of India’s support system. “As a bowling coach, there’s always a lot of pressure on you. But we’re quite lucky that in our group, there’s a lot of experience… people that can assist and help you in that mental load,” he said.Despite the personal connection, both brothers made it clear that sentiment will not dilute their professional focus. “He works for India, I work for South Africa, and we both have the same goal — to win that game on Sunday,” Albie said. “The family will do the banter. We’re very calm and professional.”Their rivalry, however, dates back to childhood. “Most of the backyard games ended up in either argument or tears,” Albie laughed. “I remember him crying a lot because he was the youngest.”Both sides enter the contest unbeaten, raising the stakes further.

Dark clouds have loomed over Kandy this week, with rains sweeping across the Hanthana mountain range, forcing covers to stay in place at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. More showers are expected on Sunday, threatening to intrude on the Super 8 contest of this T20 World Cup between Sri Lanka and England.

If the weather relents, a fascinating duel of spin could define the clash.

England return to their familiar territory, after having brushed aside Sri Lanka 3-0 in a T20I series on these shores earlier this month.

That success provides them reassurance, especially after a stuttering group stage campaign, where they huffed and puffed their way to a 4-run win, suffered a 30-run loss to West Indies and quelled Scotland and Italy.

England captain Harry Brook conceded that his team were “too careful with the bat” in the group stage.

“We’ve been too careful with the bat. We can probably be a bit more brave in certain situations and have more faith in the guys behind us to be able to put up a decent score,” he said at the pre-match press conference.

Brook admitted England underestimated some of the teams in their group. “We probably underestimated a few of the teams and they put up a really good fight. Thankfully, we are in the Super 8s,” he said.

Sri Lanka’s journey has followed a similar arc of promise and pause. Comfortable victories over Ireland and Oman set the tone, and a commanding chase of 182 against Australia at this venue showcased their championship credentials.

Yet, a stumble against Zimbabwe in Colombo has stalled their momentum.

For co-hosts, much rests on their in-form opener Pathum Nissanka, who scored an unbeaten 52-ball century against Australia here. With 199 runs, he sits among the tournament’s leading scorers. Brook reckoned Nissanka’s form will be a threat and they have plans to remove him early.

Kusal Mendis, with three half-centuries in four innings, adds gravitas at the top of the order.

However, the absence of pacer Matheesha Pathirana, ruled out of the remainder of the competition, dented their bowling resources. Maheesh Theekshana’s six wickets underlines his importance.

With the ball, legspinner Adil Rashid remains vital to England’s plans, supported by Jofra Archer’s pace. Rashid nabbed six wickets, including 2/16 against West Indies, highlighting his threat on surfaces that grip.

Asked if Jacob Bethell is fit to bowl, Brook said: “Not sure yet, he’s got a decent cut in his finger. So, he’d have strapping, but if there’s some way we can get around that, then we’d bowl him. But at the minute, I don’t think it’s possible.”

In a contest shaped by spin, familiarity and sombre skies, composure may matter as much as skill.

NEW DELHI: As defending champions India prepare for a high-stakes Super 8 showdown against South Africa in Ahmedabad, former all-rounder Irfan Pathan has pinpointed the technical and tactical adjustments Abhishek Sharma must make to overcome his alarming slump at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Abhishek, the world’s No. 1 T20I batter, has endured a nightmare run, registering a hat-trick of ducks and struggling particularly against off-spin. Pathan believes the root cause lies in the opener’s shot selection and approach rather than his natural technique.

“Abhishek Sharma is getting out to off-spinners. Against Pakistan and the Netherlands, off-spinners got him. The problem lies in his shot selection,” Pathan said on JioHotstar.Explaining the flaw, Pathan noted that Abhishek is trying to dominate too early instead of settling in.“His bat comes down from a high angle, and he is not looking to hit straight. He is trying to play across the wicket. That is getting him into trouble,” he said. “He moves his front foot away to create room, but bowlers are not giving him room. These are not drivable balls.”

However, Pathan warned against drastic changes, urging the youngster to trust his natural game while making smarter decisions.“His bat angle is coming across, which is natural to him. He does not need to change that. If he tries to change it now, it will be a mess,” he explained. “First things first, get a single, get off the mark. Expect the spinner to come in, get to the other end, and target the fast bowlers. He does not need to bludgeon from the first ball.”While Abhishek has struggled, Pathan reserved glowing praise for fellow opener Ishan Kishan, who has been one of the tournament’s standout performers.“Ishan Kishan is in the form of his life. He is playing the leg side really well. He targets square-leg and fine-leg,” Pathan said. “If you give him leg-side deliveries at the start, it’s trouble.”But he also issued a word of caution ahead of the South Africa test.“Against South Africa, I want to see what Kishan does when they bowl wide and make him play on the off-side early. He has improved a lot, but only after getting set,” he added.

India’s formidable depth has become both their greatest strength and their only selection headache as the defending champions march unbeaten into the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. A win over the Netherlands extended their winning streak in the tournament to 12 matches and reinforced the impression of a side with few weaknesses — but according to former coach Ravi Shastri, one crucial dilemma remains.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Shastri believes India are unlikely to tinker with a winning combination when they face South Africa in a blockbuster clash on Sunday, insisting the current XI ticks nearly every box.“I think it will be pretty much the same side because you’ve got depth, you’ve got all bases covered, you’ve got options, you need options,” Shastri told ICC Review.

He stressed the importance of flexibility, particularly in conditions where dew could influence team balance.“When there’s dew around, you need that extra bowling option. Whether it’s a Shivam Dube, whether it’s Hardik bowling his full quota of overs, whether it’s Tilak Varma who might roll his arm for an over or two, you need those options. I don’t think they’ll tinker with the side. I think the team that played in the last game was a good side,” he said.India’s campaign so far has been defined by collective contributions rather than reliance on individuals, something Shastri views as a major positive.

“In every game there’s been someone who stood up. It has been Ishan Kishan, sometimes Surya in the first game. Tilak Varma has played his part… I still think the best of him is still to come,” he noted. “I look at it as a positive that Abhishek Sharma has got three zeros. So, save your best for the important periods in the tournament. Teams will be a little worried that he’s not got runs.”However, Shastri identified one key selection call: whether to play Axar Patel or Washington Sundar. Both offer spin and batting depth, but only one spot is available.Beyond selection, Shastri expects a high-quality contest between two in-form sides at the Narendra Modi Stadium.“There’s a lot of self-belief and it’s going to be a cracking contest because South Africa are no pushovers,” he said. “They’ve got depth in batting. India have got depth in batting. These are two of the strongest teams.”Familiarity with conditions could play a role, but Shastri warned dew may ultimately decide the outcome.“When you’re familiar with the ground… you know what lengths to bowl. The thing to see is the amount of dew. Toss can play a crucial role.”