The Buzz
The man behind Ibrahim Zadran's century
Zadran revealed a pre-match pep talk inspired him to greater heights
ESPNcricinfo staff
08-Nov-2023
Afghanistan have had their best World Cup campaign so far, despite their loss to Australia on Tuesday at the Wankhede. One player had an especially momentous match - Ibrahim Zadran became the first Afghanistan batter to score a hundred in the 50-over World Cup. Turns out he drew inspiration from the legend whose home ground he was playing at.
Camera buggy chooses India's best fielder
Who's the winner?
ESPNcricinfo staff
06-Nov-2023
India are enjoying a dream run in this World Cup, but perhaps more than the emphatic wins, what the players are relishing is getting the best fielder medal, a dressing-room award given by their fielding coach, T Dilip. He has announced the winners in a creative fashion and it was no different at Eden Gardens after the 243-run victory over South Africa. The four contenders for the medal were asked to stand in a circle by the sight screen and a camera buggy panned on each player before freezing on the eventual winner, captain Rohit Sharma. Below are the other the medal-winning announcements.
In Mumbai, after a massive win over Sri Lanka, local boy and World Cup winner Sachin Tendulkar announced the medal winner - Shreyas Iyer.
Full post'Best player in the world' signs autograph for kids
ESPNcricinfo staff
06-Nov-2023
Lovely to see Nat Sciver-Brunt wowing the future generation on as well as off the field.
"I just got signed by the best cricket player in the world"
— Weber Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) November 5, 2023
You said it, Taj! Great to have you here @natsciver #BlastRound @woolworths #WBBL09 pic.twitter.com/3oV1IQzICH
The most bizarre way to get your debut wicket?
ESPNcricinfo staff
06-Nov-2023
A debut is special for every player, but 18-year-old fast bowler Mahli Beardman will not easily forget his first game for Western Australia, given how he got his first wicket. In the Marsh Cup game against New South Wales in Sydney, Beardman bowled a delivery to Moises Henriques, who smashed it straight at Blake McDonald, the non-striker. McDonald tried to evade the shot, but it hit his helmet and was caught by the fielder at mid-on, and a disappointed Henriques had to walk off.
You are kidding?!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 4, 2023
WA's Mahli Beardman picks up his maiden #MarshCup wicket in bizarre fashion! #PlayOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/XbcueVZ9Hw
Virat Kohli dances to Anushka Sharma's song at Eden Gardens
ESPNcricinfo staff
06-Nov-2023
After equalling Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI hundreds during India's World Cup game against South Africa in Kolkata, Virat Kohli enjoyed his time on the field, grooving to a song from a movie - 2010's Band Baaja Baaraat - his wife, actor Anushka Sharma, starred in. There was plenty of time for India to dance and party as they bowled out South Africa for 83 and won by 243 runs.
He also entertained the crowd by doing Shah Rukh Khan's signature move when the DJ played the actor's song "Chaleya" from Jawan.
Full postTeam India gets superstar to announce best fielder award
Who's the winner?
ESPNcricinfo staff
03-Nov-2023
India have entered the World Cup semi-finals after an emphatic win over Sri Lanka in Mumbai. And since the match was at the Wankhede, it felt right that the much-anticipated best fielder medal, a dressing-room award given by fielding coach T Dilip, should be announced by local boy and World Cup winner Sachin Tendulkar. Shreyas Iyer took back the medal from KL Rahul, who had won it in Lucknow after the win over England.
Dilip has been very imaginative in how he has delivered the medals to his players, who in turn have been eager to receive them, often gesturing in the field about winning one after taking a catch.
In Lucknow after India's 100-run win over England, Dilip plunged the whole stadium into darkness before lighting up the winner's name.
Full postVVS Laxman gets cakefaced
Rishabh Pant made quick, messy work of what has now become a birthday tradition in Team India
ESPNcricinfo staff
02-Nov-2023
Rishabh Pant may have been far from the action as he recovers from his injuries, but action is never far away from Pant. VVS Laxman got a faceful of a cake as his birthday gift, with emcee Pant being the chief instigator. Laxman was a sport about it all though and even got some gentle payback on Pant. Commiserations to the clean-up crew that had to pick up after the players.
Happy birthday @VVSLaxman281 sir pic.twitter.com/7xtoeBsuBf
— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) November 1, 2023
Bazball added to dictionary
Cricket's trendiest term makes it big
ESPNcricinfo staff
01-Nov-2023
Brendon McCullum may not be a fan of it, but it's clear that the term named after him, Bazball, has captured the zeitgeist. It has now entered the Collins dictionary in which it's described as: "a style of Test cricket in which the batting side plays in a highly aggressive manner."
We're especially chuffed by the news because "Bazball" was coined by Andrew Miller, ESPNcricinfo's UK editor. On an episode of the Switch Hit podcast recorded before the start of England's series against New Zealand in June 2022, he used it to describe the positive style of play that McCullum's old side had adopted under his captaincy.
Bazball is now official, lexicologically at least. (Well done @miller_cricket!) https://t.co/OBpXMu3TSW
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) November 1, 2023
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