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Shane Bond will link up with Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL mega auction later this year

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2024Trevor Penney has been appointed Paarl Royals’ head coach for SA20 2025. He replaces Shane Bond, who will focus on Rajasthan Royals’ plans ahead of the next IPL auction.The owners of the Royals franchise, Royals Sports Group, took over the Barbados team in the CPL in 2021. Penney has been in charge of the team since 2022, with the runners-up finish that year their best result under him.”I’m honored to take on the head coach role at Paarl Royals,” Penney said in a statement. “The SA20 has become a major tournament on the global cricket calendar, and I’m excited to work with such a talented squad. Being part of the Royals family with Rajasthan Royals and Barbados Royals has been a wonderful journey, and I’m looking forward to continuing that experience in Paarl. I’m confident we can build on the successes of the last two seasons and make a strong push for the title in 2025.”Related

• SA20 2025: Can anyone prevent a Sunrisers Eastern Cape hat-trick?

• SA20 2025 auction: Hendricks fetches highest bid; Super Kings sign Pathirana as wildcard

• Dinesh Karthik to play for Paarl Royals in the SA20

Penney will work alongside David Miller, who has captained Royals in both the seasons of SA20 so far.Royals made a semi-final exit in the inaugural season of the SA20 (2023) and bowed out in the Eliminator earlier this year. In the auction ahead of the next edition of the SA20, Royals had just the one slot left to fill and did that by picking wicketkeeper Rubin Hermann. Before that, they had picked former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik as their wildcard player.Meanwhile, Bond, who is the bowling coach of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, will link up with new head coach Rahul Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathour to finalise the plans ahead of the auction later this year.”We’re delighted to have Trevor join as head coach of Paarl Royals,” Royals’ director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara said. “His track record with the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and with the Barbados Royals in the CPL, where he’s helped in transforming the team into consistent contenders, shows the quality of coach he is. We believe his experience, combined with the leadership of David Miller and a talented squad, will help Paarl Royals continue their rise in SA20.”Shane Bond, who has been fantastic with us in both the IPL and the SA20, will focus extensively on his continued role with the Rajasthan Royals and spend more time in India, overseeing the scouting and trial processes along with Rahul and Vikram.”

Pakistan hope to ride the wave of momentum from the ODI series win while an understrength home side are looking to build to 2026

Alex Malcolm13-Nov-2024

Big picture: Who cares wins

Australia have been lambasted in some quarters for supposedly “not caring” about the ODI format following their shock 2-1 loss to Pakistan. They are fielding an equally diminished T20I side with three first-choice T20I bowlers, the permanent T20 captain Mitchell Marsh and their best T20 opener Travis Head unavailable. It gives Pakistan the chance to complete a rare white-ball series double in Australia, with the same set of fast bowlers minus Mohammad Hasnain set to be unleashed on the same fragile batting unit in the three-match series starting Thursday.But the immediacy of results in T20I cricket are of even less importance to Australia than the ODI series was. This series is part of the early build-up towards the 2026 T20 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics after their experienced group was bounced out of the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Super Eight phase.Related

• Pakistan quicks set up famous series win in Australia

• Connolly ruled out of Pakistan T20I series with fractured hand

• CA CEO defends selectors' decision to rest players from ODI decider

The winds of change have already swept through during the five T20Is they played in the UK against Scotland and England. Josh Inglis is now the permanent wicketkeeper and will be stand-in captain for this series, as he was for the final ODI in Perth. He is also key pillar in the top four and looks set to bat at No. 3 after making a stunning century in Scotland in that position.Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk get to open together in T20Is for the first time having alternated as Head’s partner in the UK. Fraser-McGurk batted at No. 3 in his last T20I in England and made a half-century. He will be far more comfortable in the shorter form than he was in the ODIs but his method against the moving and bouncing new ball will be tested again by Pakistan’s quicks as he vies with Short to be Head’s permanent partner in T20I cricket.Nathan Ellis and Xavier Bartlett will make long-awaited returns from injury and get a chance alongside Spencer Johnson to bed down a place in Australia’s next generation T20 attack. Cooper Connolly won’t get the opportunity to play his first T20I at home after breaking his hand in the Perth ODI. Josh Philippe comes into the squad.For Pakistan, it will be their first T20I since failing to make the Super Eight at the T20 World Cup in June. The RizBar style of cricket received intense criticism in the wake of that World Cup with Babar Azam losing the white-ball captaincy to Mohammad Rizwan. Any changes to their style of cricket and long-term planning for 2026 and 2028 have been shelved after Gary Kirsten’s resignation with Jason Gillespie in temporary charge. Pakistan did not need to show any upped aggression with the bat in the ODI series given it was won off the back of a superb fast bowling performance. They will undoubtedly look to replicate that bowling success in the T20I series against a similar Australia top-order.How they structure the batting remains to be seen with Saim Ayub not named in the squad after opening in their last T20I alongside Rizwan and making 82 and 42 in the two ODI wins in Adelaide and Perth. Pakistan also hardly used a fifth bowler in the ODI series but will likely need a fifth and sixth options in the T20Is.

Form guide

Australia: LWWWW (Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan: WWLLLStrike-rate watch: what tempo will Babar Azam play with in this series?•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Tim David and Babar Azam

Tim David is in an interesting phase of his career. At 28, the T20 gun for hire has come off the boil as a finisher in recent times in what is a brutally difficult role to be consistent. He remains a key part of Australia’s middle-order in the shortest form but the team hierarchy identified that he was underused in the World Cup and would like to let him face more balls to give him more time to get set before the final overs launch. He batted at No. 5 once in the five games on the recent UK tour. He may get an opportunity in that slot during this series.Babar Azam is still the No. 4-ranked T20I batter in the world but his strike-rate was a focus of attention in the wake of the World Cup failure. Where he bats in this series remains to be seen but he will be freed up. He looked in good touch in the ODI series but was not under any scoring rate pressure in those games. It will be interesting to see whether he can go up the gears in the T20Is or whether he sticks to his methods.

Team news: Injured quicks return for Australia

Australia will have at least three forced changes from their last T20I in September with Head, Connolly and Cameron Green all unavailable. Glenn Maxwell returns after resting from the T20I portion of the UK tour. Ellis, Bartlett and Johnson are back from injury to join Sean Abbott in the squad. Three of those four will form the pace attack alongside Adam Zampa with some rotation likely to occur across the three games.Australia (probable): 1 Matt Short, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Josh Inglis (capt/wk), 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Tim David, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Aaron Hardie, 8 Nathan Ellis/Sean Abbott, 9 Xavier Bartlett, 10 Spencer Johnson, 11 Adam ZampaPakistan are set to make at least five changes from the side that last played in the T20 World Cup in June. Only Rizwan, Babar, Usman Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf remain in the squad from that XI.Pakistan squad: Mohammad Rizwan (capt/wk), Abbas Afridi, Agha Salman, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan.

Pitch and conditions

There has only been one professional game at the Gabba so far this season and it was a WBBL fixture. It was one of the highest scoring games of the season and both sides expect a good white-ball pitch with more pace and bounce for the fast bowlers. It will be warm and humid though so the ball will likely swing. There is also the small threat of rain and a thunderstorm in the forecast.

Stats and trivia

• Since the famous 2021 semi-final in Dubai, the two sides have only met once in T20I cricket and it was a one-off game in Lahore in 2022 that was tacked onto the tour schedule so late that Marnus Labuschagne was selected to play his only T20I to-date after playing the ODIs.
• Pakistan have never beaten Australia in Australia in T20Is. They have played four and lost three with one no result.
• Inglis will be Australia’s third T20I captain in as many games after Head and Marsh captained the previous two. It is the fourth time Australia have had three different leaders in consecutive T20Is after instances in 2022-23, 2016 and 2007. It is also the second time Australia have had four different T20I captains in a calendar year after Matthew Wade captained a game in New Zealand in February.

Quotes

“T20 cricket is obviously a totally different format, so I guess we’ll take our learnings from the ODI series and the information we gathered on the bowlers and their batters. But it’s a clean slate, new format. We’re really looking forward to it.”

England captain backs inexperienced debutant to thrive in unaccustomed No. 3 berth

Vithushan Ehantharajah26-Nov-20241:56

Miller: England’s Bethell selection risks alienating county performers

Ben Stokes has defended the decision to hand Jacob Bethell a Test debut at No.3 against New Zealand this week, but understands why some will query England’s latest off-the-wall punt.England announced their XI for the first Test at Hagley Oval, starting on Thursday, two days early, with Bethell replacing Jordan Cox, who had been in line for his maiden Test cap before fracturing his right thumb on Sunday. With Cox originally down to keep wicket in the absence of Jamie Smith on paternity leave, Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum decided upon a solution of handing the gloves to Ollie Pope and shifting him down to No. 6.With no intention of moving Joe Root up a spot from No. 4, it means Bethell, in just his 21st first-class appearance, will slot in at first-drop for the first time in his career. A tough ask for anyone unfamiliar with the role, let alone a 21-year-old without a professional century who averages just 25.44 in red-ball cricket. The majority of his runs for Warwickshire have come in the middle order.Related

• Cox ruled out of New Zealand Tests with fractured right thumb

• Bethell to debut for England in first Test against New Zealand

• New Zealand and England to compete for Crowe-Thorpe Trophy

• Nathan Smith ready to step up after taking scenic route to Tests

Stokes, carded at seven, revealed the decision on the layout of the top six was made after a “two, three-minute discussion” with McCullum. While the option of leaving Pope at No. 3 if England were batting first, before shifting him down the order for their second innings was considered – a move pulled in the second Test of the 2022 Pakistan tour – it was ultimately decided a set order was necessary for clarity.”We didn’t want to make it too messy,” Stokes said. “There was another way of thinking, if we bat first Popey can bat three. But again, it was just too many moving parts.”We just wanted to keep the simplicity of it where we had the batting order, and everyone knows what they’re doing throughout the week. Fair play to Popey for stepping up and doing a role he’s done before, but obviously it’s something that he’s not quite used to.”Bethell coming in gives him an opportunity up the order, as opposed to just sort of filtering down and not being able to impose himself on the game.”Bethell only joined the squad in New Zealand on Sunday, having had time off following the white-ball tour of the West Indies, thus missing the weekend warm-up match against a Prime Minister’s XI. On Tuesday, he was partnered with Stokes on the golf course – a coincidence given pairings are picked at random. Though they were defeated by James Anderson and Zak Crawley, Stokes valued the face time with the precocious youngster. “He’s an incredibly talented kid. I think when you look at someone like Jacob, you can just see the ceiling that he has.”Jacob Bethell is set for a Test debut•AFP/Getty Images

Bethell has impressed in flashes, and the selectors were encouraged by his composure in the Caribbean, having been capped in both white-ball formats against Australia at the end of the 2024 summer. On Monday, he bagged a £245,000 contract from Royal Challengers Bangalore for his first IPL. But with just five half-centuries in 30 first-class innings, he remains a work in progress.Stokes does not regard Bethell as a punt but accepts observers will question his ascension given his modest record so far. Stokes asked for patience, and an understanding that this is more than just a shot in the dark.”I mean, you can totally understand it,” Stokes answered when asked if he could see why there is trepidation about Bethell’s spot in the XI. “But you’ve got to be true to yourself when you get given the opportunity to be able to make decisions.”We’ve always done what we feel is right for the team. It’s gone in our favour quite a lot. So, I think we do know what we’re doing. There is thought and there is process towards it, even if it does raise a few eyebrows. We’re not picking people just to wind people up.”People might not quite understand it, but that’s how me and Baz have operated for a long period of time now. And we’ve got a pretty good understanding, and I feel insight and a good eye for picking players to fulfill a role if we need to.”He’s an incredibly talented kid. I think when you look at someone like Jacob, you can just see the ceiling that he has. I remember watching the one-day series. I think it was [Josh] Hazlewood; he bowled him a full ball and got smacked off the front foot, and then he got tested out, like right there, and then whacked it.”Just those tiny little things where you see that there is something very special there. I’m looking forward to him getting going this week.”

BCB president Faruque Ahmed held discussions with the team owner and several players on Monday, but the deadlock remains

Mohammad Isam15-Jan-2025Durbar Rajshahi cancelled their training session in Chattogram on Monday after their Bangladeshi players protested for remaining unpaid by the BPL franchise. Several of the players, seeking anonymity, confirmed that they took the stance after Rajshahi owner Shafique Rahman shifted the payment date several times.The players informed the team management of their reluctance to go to training on Monday morning, following which the franchise informed the media that “the team decided to opt for a rest day today”. News spread soon afterwards that Rajshahi’s local players forced the management into this decision after spending the last two weeks without payment. The overseas players and coaching staff, however, have been paid 25 per cent of their total fees after the team’s fourth match of the season, against Fortune Barishal on January 6.Related

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After hearing of the incident on Monday, BCB president Faruque Ahmed spoke to the board directors before holding discussions with Rajshahi owner Shafique Rahman, captain Anamul Haque, and several other players. The deadlock, however, remained at the time board director Manjur Alam briefed the media in Chattogram on Monday evening.”I am speaking on behalf of the BCB president,” Manjur said. “The board president called an emergency board meeting on Zoom. I was physically present, the other directors were online. Negotiations are in process. Hopefully we can come to a solution tomorrow. The president spoke directly to the team owners, captain and players. We have a positive vibe from all parties. They will attend practice tomorrow, which is the most positive part of the negotiation.”The BPL governing council have set the payment schedule for the franchises to pay all players 50% of their total fees before the start of the tournament, 25% during the tournament, and the remaining 25% after the tournament.The BPL governing council had also instructed the teams to give the BCB a bank guarantee of BDT 8 crore (USD 657,000 approx), but the franchises requested that this sum be brought down to BDT 3 crore (USD 246,000 approx). Even then, Fortune Barishal are the only team to have paid the BCB the bank guarantee.ESPNcricinfo has learned that the cheques of some of Rajshahi’s local players bounced on January 9. This lead to the players threatening to pull out of their January 10 game against Khulna Tigers. Team owner Shafique Rahman told the players they would be paid on January 14, but that didn’t come through either.The latest breakdown in communication led to the players pulling out of Monday’s training session in Chattogram. A number of them have said they will not play Rajshahi’s next game, against Sylhet Strikers on January 17, unless all the local players are given 50% of their payments.ESPNcricinfo has also found out that Rajshahi have been irregular with their daily allowance payments. The players have had to bear their own costs from January 5 to 11, the last time they were contacted by ESPNcricinfo.Anamul had sounded out the payment problem as early as December 30. In the post-match press conference following Rajshahi’s tournament opener against Barishal, Anamul had said the players were yet to be paid their first installment.”We haven’t been paid our wages. None of us have,” he said. “The BPL has just started so we don’t want to raise a negative image of the tournament. Everyone around the world is keeping an eye on BPL.”The players have been reluctant to speak on record on the payment issue after that, but the mood inside the Rajshahi camp is one of unease.

He finishes as Bangladesh’s second-highest ODI run-getter with 7795 runs at an average of 36.42

Mohammad Isam05-Mar-2025Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh’s most experienced ODI player, has announced his retirement from the format. Mushfiqur made the announcement on his Facebook page, a week after Bangladesh returned home from a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign where they failed to win a game.Mushfiqur finishes as Bangladesh’s second-highest ODI run-getter with 7795 runs at an average of 36.42, with nine hundreds and 49 fifties from 274 matches. He is one of only five wicketkeepers to play more than 250 ODIs, and his seven centuries are the fourth-most by a keeper, behind only Kumar Sangakkara, Adam Gilchrist and MS Dhoni.Mushfiqur’s form had been in the spotlight in recent times, though, and he came under more scrutiny during the Champions Trophy. Mushfiqur was out for a golden duck against India, and scored just 2 against New Zealand. His last ODI fifty was against Sri Lanka in March last year – he was injured for two ODIs against Afghanistan in November, and the West Indies tour in November and December.”I am announcing my retirement from the ODI format as of today,” Mushfiqur wrote on his official Facebook page. ” for everything. While our achievements may have been limited on a global level, one thing is certain: whenever I stepped onto the field for my country, I gave more than 100% with dedication and honesty. The last few weeks have been very challenging for me, and I have come to realize that this is my destiny.”Lastly, I would like to deeply thank my family, friends and my fans for whom I have played cricket for the last 19 years.”Widely hailed as a giant in Bangladesh’s ODI history, Mushfiqur first made a mark in the 2007 World Cup, when he was picked ahead of the veteran Khaled Mashud. He immediately repaid the selectors’ faith, scoring a fifty in the famous victory against India in Trinidad. Mushfiqur quickly became a middle-order mainstay, and barring a brief spell in 2008 when he lost his place, he was a constant presence in Bangladesh sides for almost two decades.Mushfiqur also holds the Bangladesh record for most consecutive ODIs, having played 92 matches between 2010 and 2016.He retired from T20Is following the 2022 T20 World Cup. He is currently on 94 Tests, in line to become the first Bangladeshi to reach the 100-Test landmark.

Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals won the title, winning the final by six wickets at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2025Shreyas Iyer’s SoBo Mumbai Falcons fell short in the Mumbai T20 League final on Thursday, edged out by the Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals at the Wankhede Stadium. This marked back-to-back defeats for Iyer as captain of a T20 side, coming as it did within ten days of Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the title clash of IPL 2025 in Ahmedabad.Iyer himself scored just 12 off 17 as SoBo made 157 after being put in to bat. Maratha Royals, led by Siddhesh Lad, achieved the target with four balls to spare and six wickets in hand. Iyer ended the tournament with just 62 runs in five innings, with a best of 25.”Don’t want to pinpoint any incident – overall, the boys were brilliant with their effort,” Iyer said after the final. “We just lost one game en route to the final. Just a one-off game, where you can’t single out anyone. It’s basically backstabbing [if you criticise someone], and I don’t enjoy that.”It’s pretty common to feel dejected after a final loss. It must hurt [the players]. But when they come back next year, they’ll have that extra motivation and confidence. They should be proud of their effort.”Iyer has had an excellent and highly successful time as captain. Before making the IPL 2025 final and the Mumbai T20 League final, he had led Kolkata Knight Riders to their first IPL title in a decade in 2024, and also guided Mumbai to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He was part of Mumbai’s triumphant campaigns in both the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 and the subsequent Irani Cup, and in March this year, he played a pivotal role in India’s successful run to the Champions Trophy title.

Chasing 134, Ashraf took Pakistan close from a treacherous position of 15 for 5 but it wasn’t enough

Mohammad Isam22-Jul-2025Bangladesh completed their first T20I series win against Pakistan, after prevailing in an eight-run win in the second game. The packed Shere Bangla National Stadium got a thrilling finish with the hosts staving off a late Faheem Ashraf onslaught.Pakistan’s top six couldn’t reach double digits in this game, with five having missed out in similar fashion in the previous outing too. This time it was their bottom-half that gave them some hope. Ashraf top scored with his maiden T20I half-century, having added 41 runs for the ninth wicket with Abbas Afridi.Bangladesh however kept their cool, particularly their pace trio of Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Tanzim Hasan putting pressure on the visitors. Bangladesh’s start with the ball put them well in front, which also ultimately helped them get the win in the end.

Pakistan hit new low

Pakistan couldn’t have asked for a worse start to their 134-run chase as they slumped to 15 for 5, their lowest score after losing their first five wickets. Saim Ayub was run out in the first over after Rishad Hossain fielded superbly at deep point to create a mix-up between the two openers.Tanzim Hasan Sakib made it five down in the powerplay•AFP/Getty Images

Shoriful, replacing Taskin Ahmed for the match, struck with his third ball next over. He had Mohammad Haris pinned in front with a late-moving in-ducker for a golden duck. Fakhar Zaman, who top scored in the first T20I, fell in Shoriful’s next over, caught down the leg-side for 8.Tanzim’s double blow in the fifth over put Bangladesh further ahead. He had both Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Nawaz caught behind off consecutive deliveries, both falling for ducks.

Ashraf’s valiant effort

Pakistan looked doomed at 47 for 7 in the 12th over. With batters running out at the other end, Ashraf chose this point to launch into the Bangladesh attack. He had already slammed Mahedi over long-on for his first six before smashing Rishad for a four and two sixes in a 20-run over. Pakistan were in with a chance needing 52 off the last five overs.Shoriful removed Abbas Afridi at the start of the 17th over, but three balls later Ashraf slammed his third six. Shoriful could have settled matters by the end of the over, but Tanzim dropped a straightforward chance running in from long-on, with Ashraf on 38.Jaker Ali top scored with 55•AFP/Getty Images

Debutant Ahmed Daniyal picked up two fours off Rishad before Ashraf brought up his fifty with a six over long-on but fell next ball to a delivery that kept low. With 13 needed off the final over, Daniyal struck Mustafizur’s first ball for four but was then caught at the deep midwicket boundary, with Shamim Hossain taking the all-important catch.

Rookies lead Pakistan

Ashraf had also given Pakistan their first breakthrough of the match, before their rookies Salman Mirza and Daniyal rocked Bangladesh. Mirza had Litton Das caught in the deep before Towhid Hridoy was run out in the fifth over. Daniyal got into the act in the next over when Parvez Hossain Emon struck the ball down mid-on’s throat for 13. The dangerous Shamim also fell to Daniyal, when he inside edged in the 16th over.

Jaker goes big

Bangladesh usually expect Jaker Ali to get them out of trouble, and that’s exactly what he did. He waited seven overs before looking for his first big hit, as Bangladesh were reduced to 28 for 4. He started with a mow across the line, that caught the middle of his bat, landing deep into the backward square leg stands.Jaker added 53 runs for the fifth wicket with Mahedi Hasan, who contributed with 33 off 25 balls, with the help of two sixes. After he fell to Mohammad Nawaz in the 14th over, Jaker went for broke. He walloped Daniyal over midwicket for his second six, before Bangladesh lost three more wickets. Shamim, Tanzim and Rishad fell quickly, leaving Jaker with just the last two batters to work with.He struck three more sixes, depositing two more over midwicket, and then the last one down the ground to bring up his fifty. Those last few sixes boosted Bangladesh to an above-par T20I score at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.