NEWSLETTER
Follow UsMissed the entire week’s cricketing action? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered – right from India’s comprehensive win over England to Australia’s series triumph over New Zealand, all the Women’s Premier League (WPL) action and everything in between. Let’s dive right into it.
What’s happening OFF the field?
>The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 will be Dinesh Karthik’s final season in the tournament. The wicketkeeper-batter has played every season since the tournament’s inception in 2008.
>Sticking with the IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have named Phil Salt as Jason Roy’s replacement. Roy has backed out of the tournament, citing personal reasons.
>Gujarat Titans (GT) wicketkeeper Matthew Wade will miss his side’s first match against Mumbai Indians on March 24, as he is set to play in the Sheffield Shield final for Tasmania.
>Scotland have appointed Doug Watson as their permanent head coach following a period as interim coach.
>Veteran spinner Shahbaz Nadeem has announced his retirement from professional cricket in India to seek opportunities to play in T20 leagues across the globe.
>After standing in 82 men's Tests, 124 men's ODIs, 43 men's T20Is, and 18 women's T20Is, South African umpire Marais Erasmus has called time on his career. The Christchurch Test between New Zealand and Australia was his final game in charge.
>The BCCI have introduced a 'Test Cricket Incentive Scheme' where players with more caps during a season will be paid more, according to the slab they fit in.
>Former India all-rounder Yusuf Pathan will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election from Trinamool Congress from the Baharampur constituency.
>Bangladesh batter Towhid Hridoy has been fined 15 percent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the third T20I against Sri Lanka in Sylhet on Saturday (February 9)
>New Zealand skipper Tim Southee, on the back of his side’s 0-2 whitewash at the hands of Australia at home, has conceded that it’s not a given that he will remain the Blackcaps’ Test captain going forward.
>BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has stated that wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is still on India’s radar for the T20 World Cup and has revealed that the 26-year-old could still take part in the mega event if he can keep wickets.
What’s happening ON the field
>India beat England by an innings and 64 runs in Dharamsala to clinch the series 4-1. They go top of the WTC table and are now the top-ranked side in Tests as well. Consequently, they are the No. 1 side across all three formats.
>In the ongoing WPL 2024, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals have qualified for the playoffs. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and UP Warriorz are in with a chance to occupy the final spot.
>Australia beat New Zealand by three wickets in a closely-contested Test in Christchurch to clinch the series 2-0. The Blackcaps’ last won a Test against Australia back in 2011.
>Sri Lanka register 2-1 T20I series win over Bangladesh in Sylhet in the three-match series.
>Multan, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta book their place in the playoffs. The playoffs will get underway on Thursday (March 14) onwards.
>After winning their maiden Test, Ireland lost the first ODI to Afghanistan by 35 runs, and the second one was washed out in Sharjah.
>Canada have made a perfect start in League 2, winning all their four games in the tournament thus far. Meanwhile, Scotland's game vs Canada has been postponed due to rain
>Mumbai are in command of the Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha at the Wankhede Stadium with a lead of 260 runs and eight wickets in hand. Vidarbha were bowled out for just 105 in the first innings in response to Mumbai’s 224.
In the spotlight
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Gurbaz slammed his sixth hundred in the first ODI against Ireland to take his side to a match-winning total of 310 for 5, with eight fours and six sixes punctuating his innings.
Harry Tector
Tector fought a lone battle for Ireland in pursuit of 311 against Afghanistan in Sharjah, scoring 138 off 147, and also put up 113 runs for the fourth wicket with Lorcan Tucker (85). Ireland went on to lose by 35 runs.
Alex Carey
Carey played one of the finest innings of his Test career, scoring an unbeaten 98 in Australia’s three-wicket victory over New Zealand in Christchurch. He hit as many as 15 boundaries and put on an unbeaten 61 for the eighth wicket with Pat Cummins (32*).
Nuwan Thushara
The pacer became just the fifth Sri Lankan to pick up a hat-trick in T20Is. He sent back Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah off consecutive deliveries on Saturday (March 9).
Richa Ghosh
RCB’s Richa Ghosh almost took her team over the line with her 29-ball 51 against DC on Sunday (March 10), but with two required off the final delivery, she was run-out looking for a run, in pursuit of 182.
Harmanpreet Kaur
The MI captain played out of her skin to help her side to a seven-wicket victory over the struggling Gujarat Giants on Saturday (March 9). She smashed an unbeaten 48-ball 95, which included 44 off her last 14 deliveries as MI chased down 191 – the highest-ever successful chase in WPL.
Shardul Thakur
With Mumbai in a spot of bother at 111 for 6 in the Ranji Trophy final, Thakur counter-attacked with a brilliant 69-ball 75 to take his side to a competitive 224. Moreover, he also struck early with the ball getting rid of Dhruv Shorey for a duck.
Matt Henry
New Zealand may have lost the series against Australia, but Matt Henry ended up with the player of the series with 17 wickets at 15.71 in the series, including nine wickets in the second Test in Christchurch.
Usman Khan
Usman Khan is having the time of his life at the PSL, with scores of 96, 106* and 100* in his last three innings. His latest century came against Islamabad United in Rawalpindi on Sunday (March 11). He has scored 316 at a strike-rate of 185 in his four innings so far.
Deepti Sharma
The Indian all-rounder put up an incredible all-round performance against DC, scoring a 48-ball 59 and then finished with a four-wicket haul, which included a hat-trick – the second-ever in WPL.
Harsh Thaker
With back-to-back centuries against Scotland and UAE, Canada’s Harsh Thaker became the sixth player from an associate cricket team to achieve this feat.
CDC moment of the week
No stopping Jimmy
With the wicket of Kuldeep Yadav, 41-year-old James Anderson became the first-ever pacer to pick up 700 wickets in Test cricket. What a feat!
Picture of the week
By the barest of margins
*Screengrab from Jio Cinema
Controversy of the week
Trouble in paradise?
Tamil Nadu head coach Sulakshan Kulkarni has made an explosive remark after losing the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy semi-final against Mumbai, saying his team lost the game right at the toss. Kulkarni, who has played and coached Mumbai in the past, wanted Tamil Nadu to bowl but skipper R Sai Kishore opted to bat and the move backfired.
CDC Features & interviews of the Week
How to manipulate spin ft. Jemimah Rodrigues
Women’s Premier League: Raw, unfiltered, but mighty impactful
Kushal Bhurtel, Nepal’s vital cog in the Monty Desai era
4, 0, 6, 4, 4, 4, 6 - When Harmanpreet 'Thor' arrived
India series win: What changed between Hyderabad and Dharamsala?\
Shams Mulani makes things happen for Mumbai
Video of the week
