In Case You Missed It: India-Australia test their best, New Zealand eye another series win
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ESPNcricinfo staff
19-Dec-2020
It was a dream debut for Jacob Duffy (left) who took 4 for 33 in the first T20I against Pakistan • Getty Images
Can India do a 2018 again? It's the question everyone's asking as the first Test gets underway in Adelaide against an Australia determined to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Meanwhile New Zealand's top form continues after their 2-0 defeat of West Indies in Tests, and now it's Pakistan at the receiving end in the T20I series. The LPL has wound up its remarkable inaugural season just as the BBL's building steam and teams are figuring out how to best turn the new rule changes to their advantage. It's building up to be an exciting end to 2020, at least in cricket, and there's a fair bit to catch up on, so get stuck in.
Debutant Jacob Duffy and Tim Seifert the difference as New Zealand guts it past Pakistan
It was a fast bowler's game as Pakistan took on New Zealand in the first T20I and came up short, despite a fight back by Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. Debutant Duffy finished with 4 for 33, the best figures by a New Zealand bowler on debut. Pakistan seemed to keenly feel the loss of main man Babar Azam, who injured his thumb last week and had to sit out the T20I series - and Danyal Rasool was just wondering what Azam's team would do without him. Also a non-performer in this match was Mohammad Hafeez, who, at least before this match, picked this year to become a T20 giant, as Osman Samiuddin notes.
It was a fast bowler's game as Pakistan took on New Zealand in the first T20I and came up short, despite a fight back by Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. Debutant Duffy finished with 4 for 33, the best figures by a New Zealand bowler on debut. Pakistan seemed to keenly feel the loss of main man Babar Azam, who injured his thumb last week and had to sit out the T20I series - and Danyal Rasool was just wondering what Azam's team would do without him. Also a non-performer in this match was Mohammad Hafeez, who, at least before this match, picked this year to become a T20 giant, as Osman Samiuddin notes.
Shoaib Malik, Thisara Perera fire Stallions to inaugural LPL title
Thisara Perera's 39 off 14 balls and Shoaib Malik and Dhananjaya de Silva's partnership of 69 took the Jaffna Stallions to a solid 188 that the Galle Gladiators didn't seem to be close to chasing down after losing three wickets in the first two overs.
Thisara Perera's 39 off 14 balls and Shoaib Malik and Dhananjaya de Silva's partnership of 69 took the Jaffna Stallions to a solid 188 that the Galle Gladiators didn't seem to be close to chasing down after losing three wickets in the first two overs.
Kohli vs Smith, Bumrah vs Hazlewood, Ashwin vs Lyon, and other key battles
The first of Australia's four Tests against India has kicked off in Adelaide - Varun Shetty busts some myths and lays down some facts about day-night Tests - and some key battles have already begun. Andrew McGlashan maps the ones to watch and weighs up the two squads. How will Australia's makeshift opening pair cope in the absence of David Warner? And can India lean on Cheteshwar Pujara once Virat Kohli goes on paternity leave? Aakash Chopra reckons there's one big question India will be asking - how should you bowl to Steven Smith? - while Daniel Brettig is just happy the series is happening at all in an unpredictable year.
The first of Australia's four Tests against India has kicked off in Adelaide - Varun Shetty busts some myths and lays down some facts about day-night Tests - and some key battles have already begun. Andrew McGlashan maps the ones to watch and weighs up the two squads. How will Australia's makeshift opening pair cope in the absence of David Warner? And can India lean on Cheteshwar Pujara once Virat Kohli goes on paternity leave? Aakash Chopra reckons there's one big question India will be asking - how should you bowl to Steven Smith? - while Daniel Brettig is just happy the series is happening at all in an unpredictable year.
Mohammad Amir retires from international cricket claiming 'mental torture'
The Pakistan fast bowler made the announcement in an interview he gave a TV channel, in which he claimed he had been "mentally tortured" by the team management, taunted frequently and was being deliberately sidelined by them.
The Pakistan fast bowler made the announcement in an interview he gave a TV channel, in which he claimed he had been "mentally tortured" by the team management, taunted frequently and was being deliberately sidelined by them.
Ashwin or Lyon? Hazlewood or Shami? Who makes it to our combined current Australia-India XI?
They're the top two teams in Test cricket. What if circumstances demanded a combined Australia-India Test team and you had to pick them out of current players? Our panelists, Raunak Kapoor, Andrew McGlashan, Shamya Dasgupta and Shashank Kishore, took a crack at it for this edition of Dream Team. Who would you pick to open with David Warner? And would you leave out Mitchell Starc?
They're the top two teams in Test cricket. What if circumstances demanded a combined Australia-India Test team and you had to pick them out of current players? Our panelists, Raunak Kapoor, Andrew McGlashan, Shamya Dasgupta and Shashank Kishore, took a crack at it for this edition of Dream Team. Who would you pick to open with David Warner? And would you leave out Mitchell Starc?
How have the Big Bash League's rule changes affected the season?
The Big Bash's tenth season has swung into action, but do the three new major rule changes still confound you? Matt Roller has the breakdown of the Power Surge, Bash Boost and X-factor and how they might be strategically used.
The Big Bash's tenth season has swung into action, but do the three new major rule changes still confound you? Matt Roller has the breakdown of the Power Surge, Bash Boost and X-factor and how they might be strategically used.
Look, there are 18 holes in your cricket bubble
What will it take to keep a tour on right now? And which England captain is the real alpha? Alan Gardner takes a nine-iron to England's truncated tour of South Africa in this month's Light Roller.
What will it take to keep a tour on right now? And which England captain is the real alpha? Alan Gardner takes a nine-iron to England's truncated tour of South Africa in this month's Light Roller.
How Mitchell Starc went from 'f*** you' to 'I can't hear you'
Daniel Brettig on how the Australian fast bowler tuned out the clamour to get clarity and lots of wickets.
Daniel Brettig on how the Australian fast bowler tuned out the clamour to get clarity and lots of wickets.
'If the batsman doesn't think they can score off the front foot, you're bowling too short'
Ahead of the India-Australia Test series, Nagraj Gollapudi got Jason Gillespie to rate the fast bowlers on both sides and break down their key areas of focus.
Ahead of the India-Australia Test series, Nagraj Gollapudi got Jason Gillespie to rate the fast bowlers on both sides and break down their key areas of focus.
Trevor Griffin: 'I'd love to be the England women's head coach'
The coach with WBBL and Women's Super League titles talks to Matt Roller about how he came into the game and his plans for the future.
The coach with WBBL and Women's Super League titles talks to Matt Roller about how he came into the game and his plans for the future.
Whatever happened to Craig Simmons, maker of the fastest BBL hundred?
The man who made a century in 39 balls in his first season looks back at that golden summer and after.
The man who made a century in 39 balls in his first season looks back at that golden summer and after.
Chamari Athapaththu: 'Sanath aiya inspired me. I hope he reads this'
The Sri Lanka batter on the first sportsperson she wanted to be - Sanath Jayasuriya.
The Sri Lanka batter on the first sportsperson she wanted to be - Sanath Jayasuriya.