Shahzad swipes at Steyn, and Gayle's no-show

Andrew Miller: Frenzied Shahzad's Steyn jibe
Afghanistan v South Africa, Mumbai, March 20
A stunning week of power-hitting in Mumbai featured two classic onslaughts by a pair of Twenty20 greats, plus an awe-inspiring run-chase by a hitherto unfancied England team. But, with respect to Chris Gayle's brilliant hundred and AB de Villiers's decisive stamp of class against Afghanistan, not to mention Joe Root's T20 coming-of-age against South Africa, nothing beat the swishing blade of Mohammad Shahzad for comedy, shock, or entertainment. His pugnacious walloping had no right to succeed, but his eye for the ball and utmost faith in his ability transcended any apparent technical limitation. And then, when the fun was apparently over - 44 from 19 balls, with three fours and five sixes - he revved himself up for the encore: a riotous press conference in which he dismissed the credentials of Dale Steyn with an equally stunning wipe across the line. There's little prospect of him having to back up his words with deeds, given the paucity of bilateral engagements in Afghanistan's itinerary. But, nevertheless, up with this sort of thing.

Nagraj Gollapudi: Gould spoils Bangalore's party
Sri Lanka v West Indies, Bangalore, March 20
Looking at the West Indies dugout below, he fervently pointed one hand to his chest, indicating he wanted to walk in next. Denesh Ramdin had just been bowled. Then, Chris Gayle started walking down the ramp from the Bangalore dressing room. The TV camera caught him. The Chinnaswamy Stadium shook deliriously. The moment the almost-packed house was waiting for, the man they had paid to watch was finally walking in to bat. And then, Ian Gould, the fourth umpire, put the brakes on Gayle's march, saying he had to serve another two minutes on the sidelines as per the rule book, considering Gayle had been off the field for virtually half of the Sri Lankan innings. Andre Russell jogged in. The Chinnaswamy fell silent for a few moments. Striding up and down the narrow ramp lined by a grille fence and wall, Gayle resembled a hungry tiger caged in. Manic chants of "we want Gayle" roared around him. Goosebumps did not need any more reason to surface all around.

Arun Venugopal: Morris v Shahzad
Afghanistan v South Africa, March 20, 2016
Three delirious overs have gone by and Afghanistan have already sliced 47 runs off a target of 210. With Mohammad Shahzad laying into Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott, South Africa captain Faf du Plessis is sweating over ways to put a lid on him. He is thinking Imran Tahir but eventually brings on Chris Morris. Morris spends four legal deliveries on Noor Ali Zadran before coming up against Shahzad. He lets a 147-kph bumper fly, but it is too high and down the leg side. The next one is just as fast, a tad shorter and wide outside off. Shahzad flings his bat but makes no contact. Morris stares him down. Intently, intensely. Shahzad is clutching to his bat firmly and says something that vaguely seems like: "Just go and bowl." Morris returns fire with a 149 kph scud missile that veers in before straightening. Shahzad, stuck in his crease, finds his stumps spread-eagled, and in an instant Morris is in his face and at his ear telling Shahzad what he thinks of him. The umpire asks Morris to tone it down but Shahzad is already walking off without a care in the world, even lifting his bat to acknowledge the crowd.

Shashank Kishore: Bates's artistic touch
Australia Women v New Zealand Women, Nagpur, March 21
That the women's game isn't largely about brute force, barring a few like Ellyse Perry, Deandra Dottin and Sophie Devine, is no excuse to shun the game if you are looking for one. You only need to watch Suzie Bates lace the ball through the off side to understand the class and quality on offer in the women's game. One such stroke, on a spiteful Nagpur pitch, invoked awe from everyone watching the game - from the stands, to players in the dugout, and even in the press box. The ball was turning a mile, batsmen were seeing demons, but Bates decided she would play like she normally would. Up against a Kristen Beams delivery that pitched on middle and leg and spun away, Bates cleared her front leg, freed her arms, ensured she got to the pitch to prevent the ball from gripping and went inside-out to send the ball soaring between cover and mid-off for six. Matches between the two sides have often been known for needle and a few sledges. Therefore, there was no bigger indication than Meg Lanning's applause after the stroke to understand how special the shot was. "I guess, I just hit it well, didn't expect it to fly," Bates gushed after the match. "Special shot, feels great!"

Andrew Fidel Fernando: Afghanistan's deadly glares
Afghanistan v Sri Lanka, Kolkata, March 17

In the 11th over of Sri Lanka's innings against Afghanistan, Samiullah Shenwari bowls a flat delivery outside off stump, which evades the bat, and also somehow finds its way through the mass of flesh and pads that is wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad. The ball skims over the rope for four byes. Shenwari closes his eyes and lets out a sigh that comes from deep within his soul.

Three overs later, Noor Ali Zadran makes a mistake on the boundary and concedes a preventable four. Bowler Rashid Khan holds himself together. Captain Asghar Stanikzai does not. He lets out a yell and stares Noor Ali down. It was not quite a look that could kill. But it was a look that at least wished a skin rash on Noor Ali and his whole family.

Soon after that, Dawlat Zadran lets another ball slip through his grasp, at the square leg fence. Bowler Mohammad Nabi throws his hands in the air and looks at that moment like he would like nothing more than to dangle Dawlat upside down from a tall building.

Afghanistan are one of the dozen best cricket teams in the world, but so quick has their rise been, so many amateur streaks have been retained. They scream, they protest, they get scarily angry at team-mates. They are like you, or me, or a million kids playing on streets and parks across the world. So they are easy to like.

Melinda Farrell: The game that wasn't
India v Pakistan, Kolkata, March 19

It's March 19. The big day. The game everyone has been waiting for. The match that sparked a standoff at ten paces that was good for Eden Gardens, bad for business in Dharamsala and ugly for the whole tournament.

While everyone is checking rain forecasts in Kolkata, I jump into a car crammed with fellow journalists for the long drive to Chandigarh. It's 9.30am. Within minutes, it starts. The hailstorm; not from the heavens but from hell. The car is pelted with ferocious, deafening ice pellets that quickly cover the road and pile up on either side. Our driver insists it's okay to keep going. A WhatsApp message arrives from the Australian media manager. The roads are closed and they are stuck in their hotel, higher up the mountain, unable to get to the airport. More messages flood in from other Australian journalists, trying to make flights that won't leave for hours. Some are riding out the storm in their hotel, others are stranded on gridlocked roads, one group's car has gone off the road and everyone tries to work out who can get to their location to help. Eventually, our car makes it through to the other side, narrowly avoiding the chaos of gridlocked roads behind us. Others aren't so lucky. No planes can takeoff or land. The Australian team won't be able to leave until after 4pm.

Then it dawns on me. I imagine an alternative universe, where Pakistan agree to play India in Dharamsala at 3pm. I think of the 25,000 fans who would, at this moment, be flying, driving or bussing their way up or down the few winding access roads with more hairpins than a ballerina's bun.

I close my eyes as we leave the worst behind and, under my breath, sigh a prayer of gratitude.