South Africa shine, India and Australia juggle joy and gloom
In our second batch of team report cards for 2024: India, Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh, West Indies, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe
02-Jan-2025
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It was mostly downhill for India after the World Cup win in July • BCCI
India
by Sidharth Monga
It was almost like India used up a year's worth of luck on one afternoon in Barbados. It brought the country immense joy. What the T20 World Cup, their first ICC title in 11 years, meant to India really hit home when parts of the financial capital of the country came to a standstill for the victorious team's trophy tour. It was as though not just the players but the entire country let themselves release their emotions after the heartbreak of the defeat in the last year's ODI World Cup final.
It was almost like India used up a year's worth of luck on one afternoon in Barbados. It brought the country immense joy. What the T20 World Cup, their first ICC title in 11 years, meant to India really hit home when parts of the financial capital of the country came to a standstill for the victorious team's trophy tour. It was as though not just the players but the entire country let themselves release their emotions after the heartbreak of the defeat in the last year's ODI World Cup final.
However, the tears of joy soon turned into anguish when India ended their dominant home run of 18 unbeaten series with not just any series defeat but their first-ever whitewash at home.
As after the ODI World Cup in 2011, India hurtled towards a transition, with R Ashwin announcing retirement and pressure building on some others. Only the relentless genius of Jasprit Bumrah kept the men's team from resembling the side that sleepwalked to eight straight Test defeats in England and Australia in 2011 and 2012.
At the end of the year, needing a win in Sydney to stay alive in the World Test Championship, the memories of the T20 World Cup win and the home series win against England seemed so distant they might as well have been nostalgia.
You can't take away from those victories, though. Especially the T20I one, where the younger batters kept going from strength to strength. India scored at 9.55 an over in 2024, the third-fastest by any Full Member side in a calendar year in T20Is. Their batters made seven centuries in the format, and they lost just two games out of 26 all year, truly entering the modern T20 age.
That they lost three times as many Tests should tell you which format needs their leadership's utmost attention.
The year was much more temperate for the women, lacking dramatic ups and downs. While they won the only Test they played, they kept losing to Australia. The surprise defeat to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup T20 final will remain a disappointment.
High point
When Heinrich Klaasen hit Axar Patel out of Kensington Oval during a 24-run over, South Africa were left needing just 30 off 30 balls in the World Cup final. The replacement ball, though, began to reverse, and all of a sudden, everything started to go India's way. Everything needed to be inch perfect to be able to pull off that defence, and that is exactly what it turned out to be, ending years of agony for a trophy-starved nation.
When Heinrich Klaasen hit Axar Patel out of Kensington Oval during a 24-run over, South Africa were left needing just 30 off 30 balls in the World Cup final. The replacement ball, though, began to reverse, and all of a sudden, everything started to go India's way. Everything needed to be inch perfect to be able to pull off that defence, and that is exactly what it turned out to be, ending years of agony for a trophy-starved nation.
Low point
Later in the year, everything started going against India to result in the snapping of their 12-year unbeaten run in Test series at home. Unseasonal rain in Bengaluru created a seaming track that helped New Zealand, and a Rishabh Pant six hit out of the Chinnaswamy brought out a ball that started seaming afresh. In a panic, India demanded extreme turners for the remaining Tests, lost the tosses, and for once, their spin-bowling allrounders failed to bail them out. The streak was ended by the unlikeliest of opponents, who last won a Test in India in 1988, and ended up more than doubling their tally of wins in India.
Later in the year, everything started going against India to result in the snapping of their 12-year unbeaten run in Test series at home. Unseasonal rain in Bengaluru created a seaming track that helped New Zealand, and a Rishabh Pant six hit out of the Chinnaswamy brought out a ball that started seaming afresh. In a panic, India demanded extreme turners for the remaining Tests, lost the tosses, and for once, their spin-bowling allrounders failed to bail them out. The streak was ended by the unlikeliest of opponents, who last won a Test in India in 1988, and ended up more than doubling their tally of wins in India.
Results
Australia
by Andrew McGlashan
Australia's men saved their best for last, taking a 2-1 lead over India with a race-against-time victory at the MCG in a Test that saw record attendances. It was a significant turnaround after a crushing defeat in Perth to start the series. They will head into 2025 with hopes of a first series win over India in a decade and a good chance of defending their World Test Championship title.
Australia's men saved their best for last, taking a 2-1 lead over India with a race-against-time victory at the MCG in a Test that saw record attendances. It was a significant turnaround after a crushing defeat in Perth to start the series. They will head into 2025 with hopes of a first series win over India in a decade and a good chance of defending their World Test Championship title.
There was a sense of renewal, too, after the sparkling debut of 19-year-old Sam Konstas amid what had become a churn of openers following David Warner's retirement at the start of the year - first Steven Smith and then Nathan McSweeney were tried at the top of the order. Regardless of how Konstas' career pans out, it will be fascinating to watch.
The shock defeat to West Indies at the Gabba (against an inspired Shamar Joseph) and a Super Eight exit at the T20 World Cup meant it wasn't quite a year to match the highs of 2023.
The women's team, too, fell below their usual heights - although they had set a bar very hard to stay above forever. Going out in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup was a surprise, and doubts grew over the future of captain Alyssa Healy, who has been beset by injury, but the question was also about how to make the best use of the abundance of talent available in the likes of Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, and latterly Georgia Voll.
High point
The MCG on the penultimate day of the year. Pat Cummins and many of his team-mates termed the victory against India as among their greatest. A game that began with the thrilling debut of Konstas, who took the attack to Jasprit Bumrah, came down to Australia needing seven wickets at the start of the final session and surging over the line with 12 overs to spare. Cummins, as so often, led from the front with an immense all-round performance.
The MCG on the penultimate day of the year. Pat Cummins and many of his team-mates termed the victory against India as among their greatest. A game that began with the thrilling debut of Konstas, who took the attack to Jasprit Bumrah, came down to Australia needing seven wickets at the start of the final session and surging over the line with 12 overs to spare. Cummins, as so often, led from the front with an immense all-round performance.
Low point
Both Australia teams were eliminated from their respective T20 World Cups early, but given their legacy it was the women's exit in Dubai that was the more surprising. They were bundled out by eight wickets against South Africa, missing injured captain Healy, and it ended a run of seven consecutive finals for them in the competition. Was it a sign of a decline, or a defeat that was inevitable at some point? With an Ashes early in 2025 and an ODI World Cup later in the year, the coming 12 months will tell us a lot.
Both Australia teams were eliminated from their respective T20 World Cups early, but given their legacy it was the women's exit in Dubai that was the more surprising. They were bundled out by eight wickets against South Africa, missing injured captain Healy, and it ended a run of seven consecutive finals for them in the competition. Was it a sign of a decline, or a defeat that was inevitable at some point? With an Ashes early in 2025 and an ODI World Cup later in the year, the coming 12 months will tell us a lot.
Results
South Africa
By Firdose Moonda
Three finals in one year screams success (even if two were lost and one has yet to be played) and points to a consistent upward trajectory for the South African game. But there is a caveat: 2024 was a year where South Africa won when it mattered and lost, often badly, when it didn't.
Three finals in one year screams success (even if two were lost and one has yet to be played) and points to a consistent upward trajectory for the South African game. But there is a caveat: 2024 was a year where South Africa won when it mattered and lost, often badly, when it didn't.
Their Test year started poorly, with a defeat to India in a 107-over aberration at Newlands and a first series loss to New Zealand, where they were forced to take a second-string sidebecause the first-choice players were committed to the SA20. But they roared back for series wins against West Indies and Bangladesh away, and Sri Lanka at home to put themselves on the brink of the World Test Championship final. Before the year was out, South Africa secured their spots for that match in a nerve-shredding two wicket win in the Boxing Day Test. A feature of their performances has been the upturn in century-scoring. In 2024, eight South Africa Test batters reached hundreds; Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne twice each.
Their white-ball performances peaked when they reeled off eight successive wins to reach the T20 World Cup final - a first for the men's team - but a narrow loss by seven runs to India left the trophy cabinet bare.
In ODIs, South Africa lost series to Afghanistan in Sharjah and Pakistan at home, the latter the first time any team has whitewashed South Africa in their own backyard. They also lost their first four T20I bilateral series in 2024 - and were blanked 3-0 by West Indies either side of the World Cup - before beating Pakistan in December. It is difficult to assess these results on numbers alone because South Africa played most of their bilateral white-ball cricket without first-choice players due to various factors.
The women's team reached a second successive T20 World Cup final, after losing series to Australia away and Sri Lanka at home, but against expectation, thrashed defending champions Australia in the semi-final. They then they took on much less fancied New Zealand in the final but it wasn't to be, again.
An all-format visit by England in the summer brought more misery: South Africa won only one out of seven matches and were dismissed for their lowest Test total, 64. But there are signs things are steadying. In the last three weeks of the year, the South African women's team finally got a new head coach, Mandla Mashimbyi, who has promised to advocate for red-ball cricket at domestic level. In 2025 the focus will be on the ODI World Cup, for which South Africa have qualified after ending the women's championship in fourth place.
High point
Reaching the WTC final is a testament to consistent high performances. South Africa recovered from early lows to peak in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, which they won by two wickets. A thrilling fourth day also saw South Africa do what they've rarely managed before - hold their nerve in a chase.
Reaching the WTC final is a testament to consistent high performances. South Africa recovered from early lows to peak in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, which they won by two wickets. A thrilling fourth day also saw South Africa do what they've rarely managed before - hold their nerve in a chase.
Low Point
While its understood that financial reasons compelled CSA to make room for the SA20 in the calendar (and it turned a profit again in its second year), the consequences were alarming. South Africa named a Test squad with seven uncapped players for their tour of New Zealand, and they duly lost the series 2-0l. That was the first time South Africa had lost a Test series to New Zealand, and at the time it threw their WTC hopes into disarray.
While its understood that financial reasons compelled CSA to make room for the SA20 in the calendar (and it turned a profit again in its second year), the consequences were alarming. South Africa named a Test squad with seven uncapped players for their tour of New Zealand, and they duly lost the series 2-0l. That was the first time South Africa had lost a Test series to New Zealand, and at the time it threw their WTC hopes into disarray.
Results
West Indies
by Shashank Kishore
A seminal Test win at the Gabba, West Indies' first in Tests against Australia in 21 years and their first in Australia in 27, set the tone, but their Test year got tougher from there, with an away sweep in England and losses at home to South Africa (1-0) and Bangladesh (1-1).
A seminal Test win at the Gabba, West Indies' first in Tests against Australia in 21 years and their first in Australia in 27, set the tone, but their Test year got tougher from there, with an away sweep in England and losses at home to South Africa (1-0) and Bangladesh (1-1).
Though the results were a mixed bag, there were flashes of individual brilliance from time to time, like Kevin Hodge's maiden Test hundred at Nottingham in the face of some serious heat and hostility from Mark Wood.
In T20Is West Indies underachieved by crashing out of their home World Cup without making at least the semi-final. England inflicted further agony by beating them 3-1 in the T20Is in the Caribbean in November. A win in the ODI leg over England may have been a temporary balm, but it meant little, given they don't have a Champions Trophy to look forward to, having failed to qualify for the eight-team event.
The women's team achieved far more than they were expected to, reaching their first T20 World Cup semi-final since 2018. That campaign marked the international return of superstar Deandra Dottin, who contributed wholesomely to their success.
High point
The Gabba Test win, which came on the back of a ten-wicket drubbing in under three days in Adelaide.
The Gabba Test win, which came on the back of a ten-wicket drubbing in under three days in Adelaide.
Equally massive was them knocking off tournament favourites England to qualify for the semi-final of the women's T20 World Cup. Having last beaten England in 2018, they broke a 13-match losing streak against them. It was only the second time England failed to make a T20 World Cup semi-final since 2010.
Results
Bangladesh
by Mohammad Isam
Bangladesh men's 3-0 win against West Indies in the T20I series capped a hot-and-cold year for them. It was hard to gauge exactly where the team stood at the end of a year in which they beat Pakistan 2-0 in a historic overseas Test series, but they were also beaten by USA 2-1 in a T20I series.
Bangladesh men's 3-0 win against West Indies in the T20I series capped a hot-and-cold year for them. It was hard to gauge exactly where the team stood at the end of a year in which they beat Pakistan 2-0 in a historic overseas Test series, but they were also beaten by USA 2-1 in a T20I series.
They also had their share of controversies and drama. The year began with an ill-tempered multi-format home series against Sri Lanka. Then came the series defeat to USA in Houston, which caused much trepidation for the T20 World Cup, but Bangladesh made it to the tournament's second stage for the first time in its history. Still, their exit caused controversy as they gave up a potential semi-final spot chasing just 114 runs against Afghanistan.
When they beat Pakistan two months later, Bangladesh looked like a different side. However, they then had series defeats against India, South Africa and Afghanistan. They went to West Indies an injury-hit side, but ended up winning a Test in Jamaica, and then beating the home side in the T20I series in St Vincent.
The women's team, meanwhile, had a poor year, struggling in the T20 World Cup and in the format overall, culminating in a 3-0 defeat to Ireland at home in December.
High point
Bangladesh's sweep of Pakistan - their first ever - was their best performance in an away Test series in years. Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das starred with the bat, and the pace attack carried the side when the batters couldn't. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was stunning with both bat and ball.
Bangladesh's sweep of Pakistan - their first ever - was their best performance in an away Test series in years. Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das starred with the bat, and the pace attack carried the side when the batters couldn't. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was stunning with both bat and ball.
Low point
USA beating Bangladesh in a T20I series was a real low, but they were also bossed at home in a Test series by an inexperienced South African side.
USA beating Bangladesh in a T20I series was a real low, but they were also bossed at home in a Test series by an inexperienced South African side.
Results
Afghanistan
by Danyal Rasool
In 2024, Afghanistan continued their inexorable rise in white-ball cricket as demonstrated by an ODI series win against South Africa and their run to the T20 World Cup semi-final. There were also T20I series wins over Ireland and Zimbabwe, which showed signs Afghanistan were building depth, slowly but surely moving on from the generation that first oversaw their emergence in international cricket.
In 2024, Afghanistan continued their inexorable rise in white-ball cricket as demonstrated by an ODI series win against South Africa and their run to the T20 World Cup semi-final. There were also T20I series wins over Ireland and Zimbabwe, which showed signs Afghanistan were building depth, slowly but surely moving on from the generation that first oversaw their emergence in international cricket.
There remain bouts of inconsistency, as is perhaps inevitable for a side still early in their development. Test matches remain few and far between, and Afghanistan lost the two they played in 2024. Plus, an ODI whitewash by Sri Lanka indicated there is work they still need to do in the 50-over format as well.
But the wider story of Afghanistan cricket continues to be marred by the complete absence of a women's team, with the ruling Taliban having banned women from playing cricket. It has led to social isolation of Afghanistan cricket, most notably with Australia refusing to play them in bilateral series, though the sides have competed multiple times in ICC tournaments.
High point
Afghanistan seem to improve with every ICC tournament they play, but the 2024 T20 World Cup was the real breakthrough. They blitzed New Zealand and stunned Australia to qualify for the semi-final for the first time in their history. While South Africa eased to victory in that game, it showed the progress Afghanistan have made in all these years.
Afghanistan seem to improve with every ICC tournament they play, but the 2024 T20 World Cup was the real breakthrough. They blitzed New Zealand and stunned Australia to qualify for the semi-final for the first time in their history. While South Africa eased to victory in that game, it showed the progress Afghanistan have made in all these years.
Low point
Test cricket is not Afghanistan's forte, but even so, they were expected to beat Ireland in the UAE, where the conditions favoured them. They paid the price for a poor first innings and never quite recovered, as Ireland secured a six-wicket victory.
Test cricket is not Afghanistan's forte, but even so, they were expected to beat Ireland in the UAE, where the conditions favoured them. They paid the price for a poor first innings and never quite recovered, as Ireland secured a six-wicket victory.
Results
Zimbabwe
by Firdose Moonda
A continuing sparse run of fixtures means it may be a while yet before Zimbabwe's assessment on one of these report cards can improve, but at least 2024 was not quite as disastrous as the year before.
A continuing sparse run of fixtures means it may be a while yet before Zimbabwe's assessment on one of these report cards can improve, but at least 2024 was not quite as disastrous as the year before.
There were no tournaments the men's side could qualify for, though they remain in the running for the 2026 T20 World Cup after winning their sub-regional qualifier. The women's team took part in the T20 World Cup qualifiers and recovered from an embarrassing loss to Vanuatu to beat UAE, but finished fourth in their five-team group. There was some success at continental level for both sides: a Zimbabwean men's Emerging side won gold after beating Namibia at the Africa Games in Accra, and a full-strength women's side also finished as champions after beating the South African Emerging side. Neither of those matches were classed as T20Is though.
The games that do qualify don't make for pretty reading. The men lost the only Test they played, in Ireland, and won only one ODI, against Pakistan. Their T20I form was slightly better: they had one-off wins over Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan but have not won a bilateral series since beating Ireland in early 2023. The women's team had better fortunes, notching up an ODI series wins against Papua New Guinea (PNG) and USA, a T20I series win over PNG and have been included in the new women's FTP.
Off the field, Zimbabwe appointed a new men's coach - Justin Sammons - and began work on a couple of infrastructure projects, expected to be ready in time for the 2027 men's ODI World Cup, which Zimbabwe will co-host with South Africa and Namibia.
High point
Against the run of play, Zimbabwe racked up a world record, and a good one. They have the highest score in men's T20I cricket, 344 for 4 against Gambia, in the Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier to win by 290 runs. They topped the points table in that qualifying tournament and advance to the eight-team regional final, which will be played in 2025. The top two teams from that tournament will go through to the 2026 World Cup.
Against the run of play, Zimbabwe racked up a world record, and a good one. They have the highest score in men's T20I cricket, 344 for 4 against Gambia, in the Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier to win by 290 runs. They topped the points table in that qualifying tournament and advance to the eight-team regional final, which will be played in 2025. The top two teams from that tournament will go through to the 2026 World Cup.
Low point
Some of Zimbabwe's batting collapses in 2024 were nothing short of spectacular. They were bowled out for 54 by Afghanistan in an ODI - their joint fourth-lowest total in that format - and lost the game by a massive 232 runs. They were also dismisssed for 57 by Pakistan in a T20I - their lowest total in the format. The women's team lost to 32nd-ranked Vanuatu in the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier; they were bowled out for their lowest T20I score: 61 in that game.
Some of Zimbabwe's batting collapses in 2024 were nothing short of spectacular. They were bowled out for 54 by Afghanistan in an ODI - their joint fourth-lowest total in that format - and lost the game by a massive 232 runs. They were also dismisssed for 57 by Pakistan in a T20I - their lowest total in the format. The women's team lost to 32nd-ranked Vanuatu in the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier; they were bowled out for their lowest T20I score: 61 in that game.
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