A duck on debut, followed by a stunning 46-ball century in the second match—fortunes can turn quickly in T20 cricket, especially for players who adopt a ‘high risk, high reward’ approach. Abhishek Sharma embodies this style of play. Less than 24 hours ago, the left-hander faced disappointment on his international debut, getting out for a duck in the first T20I against Zimbabwe. As the first batter dismissed in a run chase of 116, India ultimately fell short by 13 runs. On his fourth ball, Abhishek miscued a pull shot straight to the backward square-leg fielder, sparking criticism that Indian batters were playing too aggressively too early in a manageable chase.

However, for Abhishek, this aggressive approach is his signature style, the very tactic that earned him recognition in the 2024 IPL season. Despite the early setback, he remained unfazed. His explosive century in the second match showcased his fearless batting and ability to bounce back. This performance not only redeemed his debut duck but also demonstrated his potential to turn games around with his aggressive play, reaffirming his position as a key player for India in T20 cricket.

See Also: IND vs ZIM: Match Analysis: What led to the collapse of India’s young guns on Harare’s Spin-friendly track?

In-depth Evaluation of Abhishek Sharma’s Ton via True Sigma Value

The 23-year-old Abhishek Sharma backed his innate aggressive approach, scoring a sensational hundred in just 46 balls, dramatically turning his fortunes around. After a four-ball duck in his debut match the previous day, he made a fitting statement by hitting a six off the first ball he faced, marking his first runs in international cricket. Abhishek reached his half-century in the 11th over with a six and continued his rampage, bringing up his century only three overs later with three consecutive sixes.

During his innings, Abhishek had a brief period of consolidation. Between the fourth and eighth overs, he managed just 10 runs off 15 balls and survived a scare when he was dropped by Wellington Masakadza in the eighth over while on 27. This dropped catch proved costly for Zimbabwe as Abhishek seized the opportunity and accelerated, scoring an explosive 72 runs off his next 22 balls.

Abhishek shifted gears particularly against Sikandar Raza, the Player of the Match from the previous game with figures of 3/25, hitting him for a four and a six. In the 11th over, he unleashed his fury on medium pacer Dion Myers, smashing three fours and two sixes. The Punjab-born cricketer’s blitz from 50 to 100 came in just 13 balls, making it the joint second-fastest century in T20I history.

True Sigma Value (tSV) is a metric that quantifies a player’s performance in terms of runs per ball relative to other players in the same match. For instance, in a recent match between India and Zimbabwe, the average runs per ball for the entire match was +1.4. Abhishek, however, scored at a rate of 2.1 runs per ball. This performance gives Abhishek a tSV of +0.7, highlighting his superior contribution compared to the overall match context.

Evaluating Abhishek Sharma’s century through True Sigma Values reveals a dynamic and adaptive innings. In the first 10 balls, Abhishek scored a brisk 18 runs with an impressive 60% True Shots, setting a strong foundation. However, he faced a challenging phase in the next 10 balls, managing only 6 runs with a lower 30% True Shots, indicating a struggle to find his rhythm.

Abhishek’s performance saw a dramatic turnaround from balls 31 to 40, where he accelerated significantly, amassing 36 runs with a remarkable 80% True Shots, showcasing his ability to dominate the bowlers. In the final 7 balls of his innings, Abhishek maintained his aggressive approach, scoring 23 runs with a 71.4% True Shots rate. This evaluation through True Sigma Values highlights Abhishek’s adaptability and strategic acceleration throughout his innings, culminating in a match-defining century.

See Also: INDW vs SAW: Player Analysis: Tazmin Brits Capitalizes on India’s Sloppy Performance

The cricketing world received news of Zimbabwe all-rounder Sean Williams’ retirement from T20 Internationals (T20Is) with surprise and nostalgia. Left-hander made his decision after the just-concluded five-match T20I series in Bangladesh.

Player Background

Sean Williams, a prominent figure in Zimbabwe cricket, has decided to bid farewell to T20Is after the conclusion of a five-match series in Bangladesh. The left-handed all-rounder has been a stalwart for the Zimbabwean team, showcasing his skills across formats. His retirement from T20Is marks the end of an era for Zimbabwe cricket and leaves a void in the team’s lineup.

See Also: KKR into Playoffs; Golden touch of Gautam Gambhir in IPL

Retirement Announcement

A Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official confirmed Williams’s decision to retire from T20Is. The official revealed that Williams informed his teammates about his retirement following the final match of the series. Despite Zimbabwe’s defeat in most of the matches, Williams managed to secure a consolation victory in his farewell game, providing a fitting end to his T20I career.

Williams’ contributions to Zimbabwe cricket extend beyond his on-field performances. As a seasoned campaigner, he was a mentor and role model for younger players, imparting invaluable knowledge and experience to the team.

“He(Williams) decided to retire from T20I and informed about his decision to his team mates following the game,” a BCB official working with the Zimbabwean confirmed Cricbuzz on Sunday.

Statistical Analysis

Throughout his T20I career, Sean Williams showcased his versatility as an all-rounder, accumulating 1691 runs at a commendable strike rate of 126.38. Additionally, his left-arm spin fetched him 48 wickets, further highlighting his value to the team. Williams’ ability to contribute with both bat and ball made him a valuable asset for Zimbabwe in the shortest-game format.

Future Plans

While Williams bids farewell to T20Is, he reassures fans that he will continue to represent Zimbabwe in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Test matches. His experience and leadership will be crucial as Zimbabwe aims to rejuvenate its cricketing fortunes in the upcoming series and tournaments.

Following the T20 World Cup 2024 in June, Zimbabwe is set to welcome India for a thrilling five-match T20I series starting July 6. All the action will unfold at the Harare Sports Club in Harare, culminating in the series finale on July 14. Zimbabwe Cricket has confirmed this exciting development through a press release, along with the release of the complete series schedule.

Notably, India’s last visit to Zimbabwe was in 2022 for a three-match ODI series, where they secured a clean sweep victory of 3-0 against the hosts. This upcoming T20 series promises to be captivating, marking the Men in Blue’s return to Zimbabwe for T20 after several years, adding an extra layer of anticipation to the cricketing spectacle.

India’s Tour of Zimbabwe: Five-Match T20I Series Schedule Revealed

The Complete Schedule:

Zimbabwe Cricket has officially announced the series schedule following productive discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Tavengwa Mukuhlani, Chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, expressed his excitement in unveiling the series schedule. He emphasized that hosting India represents Zimbabwe’s premier international cricket event at home this year, acknowledging India’s significant contributions and influence on the sport. Mukuhlani also extended gratitude to the BCCI for their continued commitment to touring Zimbabwe.

Expressing his excitement, he stated, “We are incredibly excited to welcome India for a T20I series in July, marking our premier international event at home this year. India’s unwavering dedication and influence have greatly enriched the game of cricket. A heartfelt thank you to the BCCI for their steadfast commitment to touring Zimbabwe once again. This tour holds immense significance, especially as we endeavor tirelessly to reclaim our position as a formidable force in the highest echelons of the sport.”

The last T20I series between India and Zimbabwe took place in 2016, featuring three thrilling matches that ended in a 1-1 draw, with India clinching victory in the final game. Zimbabwe displayed commendable competitiveness throughout the series, narrowly losing by a margin of only two runs in the first match and three runs in the third. Additionally, in 2015, India engaged in a two-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, which also ended in a 1-1 draw.

The anticipation lies in whether prominent Indian players such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, and Jasprit Bumrah will participate in the upcoming series. With the T20 World Cup final scheduled for June 29, 2024, the Indian cricket team faces a hectic schedule if they advance to the final, adding further excitement to their potential involvement in the Zimbabwe series.

SEE ALSO:IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma dissects Team India’s stunning fielding display in the 2nd Test

In the T20I series, Bangladesh defeated world champion England 3-0, winning the final match in Dhaka by 16 runs.

Bangladesh beat England in the T20I series by a historic score of 3-0 on Tuesday

The Shakib Al Hasan-drove side staggered the title holders, enrolling a 16-run dominate in the last match of the series as Britain neglected to pursue down a 159-run focus in Dhaka. After a 3-0 victory over the English team in 2014 under the leadership of George Bailey, this was England’s first T20I series defeat in nine years. In the shortest format of the game, this was Bangladesh’s first whitewash against a full member nation.

Wasim Jaffer, the batting consultant for the Bangladesh U19 team, sent a vicious tweet about former England captain Michael Vaughan following their crushing victory. Over the past few years, Jaffer and Vaughan had been tweeting jokes.

As a result, Bangladesh’s strong home performances in limited-overs formats have continued. In the lead-up to the T20 World Cup last year, the team had defeated Australia (4-1) and New Zealand (3-2) in the T20I series, as well as India 2-1 in the ODI series in December.

“We talked about showing character ahead of the series and that’s what we showed, We were put into a tough position but won the game. That’s the thing that will give us the confidence as we are building a team for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

” Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said after their win over England. 

On a slow Mirpur surface, opener Liton Das scored a career-high 73 runs, and Najmul Hossain Shanto’s unbeaten 47 runs helped Bangladesh score 158-2. Before being run out in consecutive deliveries, captain Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan had England on track to avoid being swept. In the end, England fell to 142-6 in 20 overs.

The English team did win the ODI series against Bangladesh last month, winning 2-1, but the hosts won the series finale by 50 runs. On March 18, when it hosts Ireland, the team led by Shakib will resume play in the game’s shortest format.

IND vs NZ, 3rd T20I: India 234 for 4 (Gill 126*, Tripathi 44, Pandya 30) beat New Zealand 66 (Mitchell 35, Pandya 4-16, Malik 2-9, Mavi 2-12, Arshdeep 2-16) by 168 runs

Shubman Gill’s year is this one. We are simply residing there. He started the second by becoming the fifth Indian to score hundreds in all three international formats, adding to his three ODI centuries in the first month of the year. India bowled New Zealand out for 66 in an innings that was nearly flawless, with Gill anchoring at a rate of two runs per ball and India playing near-perfectly around him.

The highest margin of victory in any T20I between two Full-Member teams was India’s 168 runs, which was the most.

India bowled when the ball moved around, which was not by accident. Even though his team had won the IPL final chasing, Hardik Pandya decided to bat first because the ball moved more during the night in that match. India was able to make the most of the conditions for batting before getting just enough help in the night to reduce New Zealand to 7 for 4 and 21 for 5. It turned out to be the right decision.

India maintained their unbeaten home series record since March 2019 with the come-from-behind victory.

HIGHLIGHTS

The powerplay symphony

When New Zealand made the decision to bowl first and used Michael Bracewell to take the wicket of Ishan Kishan, they saw immediate results, but that was their last happy moment. It brought Gill and Rahul Tripathi together, one batter with great control and the other making use of his intent. Gill caressed Lockie Ferguson through the covers as Tripathi ramped up the short fine. Tripathi bludgeoned and ramped Ferguson in the sixth over, whereas Gill took Blair Tickner apart with what appeared to be paper cuts in the fifth over. At the end of the powerplay, India were 58 for 1, with Gill scoring 34 on 20 shots and Tripathi scoring 20 on 13.

Tripathi races away

Gill put in a great innings, but Tripathi also deserves some credit for India’s performance. Gill scored just 16 runs off the first 15 balls he faced after the powerplay for his first T20I fifty thanks to him and, in part, Suryakumar Yadav.

Tripathi, the intent monster, played around with bowling that wasn’t really bad while Gill took his time in the middle overs. In the middle overs, he scored 24 runs on the nine balls he faced, fulfilling precisely his role: score quickly in the powerplay, and try to score faster without worrying about his wicket.

Suryakumar scored 24 runs out of 13, including a six off Ish Sodhi that was slog-swept, to leave India with 125 for 3 in the 13th over.

The Gill show

Pandya made 30 runs off 17 balls, but he never looked more like a spectator than he did at the end of this innings. When Suryakumar’s wicket fell, Ferguson came back and bowled short to try and get the bigger square boundaries into play. The boundaries were insufficiently broad. In the fourteenth over, Gill pulled him for a six and a four.

Gill played the pick-up and the whip for sixes off length balls, and debutant Ben Lister, who had bowled well up until that point, bowled an ordinary 16th over. Additionally, Tickner’s legcutters failed to grip, and he was driven and pulled for sixes. Gill reached his century, a 50-to-100 increase in just 19 balls, after Ferguson attempted to go fuller only to be driven wide mid-off.

Gill hit two excellent deliveries for fours in the 19th. Lister nailed the yorker, but Gill drove it all the way along the ground, straight of long-on, after he missed his length by six inches. The juicy full toss had no chance if this was happening to good balls; it would have gone wide long-on.

One of only three overs in the innings without a boundary was bowled by Daryl Mitchell in the final over, which he did exceptionally well to only concede six runs. In just 40 balls, Gill and Pandya added 103 runs. To challenge the total, New Zealand now required the pitch’s complete flatness and dew.

Fast bowlers kill the chase

When Pandya the bowler caught Finn Allen at slip in the first over, he immediately proved Pandya the captain wrong. Arshdeep Singh defeated Devon Conway and Mark Chapman in the second over to go one better. Chapman’s edge appeared to be taken by the length ball, which would have been appropriate for a Test match.

Glenn Phillips and Pandya repeated the dismissal of Allen: shorter than a length, with more bounce and movement, and the same overhead catch at slip for the jumping Suryakumar. With only half of their wickets remaining, New Zealand still needed 214 when Umran Malik beat a hoick from Bracewell in the fifth over.

ALSO READ: IND vs NZ: Gill creates history, joins Kohli & Raina records

After that, Mitchell and Mitchell Santner added 32 runs for the sixth wicket; however, when Santner fell, the game came to an abrupt end.

In the series-deciding third T20 International against New Zealand on Wednesday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India’s young top order will be under pressure to perform.

In the absence of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and K L Rahul, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, and Rahul Tripathi have not made the most of their chances.

India will not play a T20I for a long time after Wednesday’s game, giving the younger players a chance to make a statement before the focus shifts to Test cricket, with the four-Test series against Australia coming up next month.

Since his double century in Bangladesh, Kishan has struggled to find a rhythm in his batting, and Gill has struggled to replicate his ODI form in the shorter format due to the turning ball. In the absence of regular number three Kohli, Tripathi has also squandered opportunities.

India would have struggled to reach 100 in Lucknow on Sunday if it weren’t for Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya

The series’ surfaces have received a lot of attention, and it is unknown if the players will be able to navigate a second turning track at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav’s collaboration in the bowling department has helped India exert more pressure on the opposition. It was surprising that Chahal was only used for two overs after he struck out opener Finn Allen because the pitch had a lot of turn.

ALSO READ: Murali Vijay- The Monk of The Indian Batting Line-up

Arshdeep Singh was back to his frugal best in Lucknow after struggling with no-balls, which should give him a lot of confidence going into the decider.

Despite the desire to include Prithvi Shaw, who made a national comeback with this series, Pandya is unlikely to alter the playing eleven with the series on the line.

On the other hand, New Zealand will have higher expectations for their middle order. recognizing a chance to win an uncommon series in India. For the challenge, the Blackcaps will be extremely motivated.

Glenn Phillips hasn’t been as destructive lately, but you can count on him to play a knock that will win the match on Wednesday. Michael Bracewell, a sensation in the ODI series, is also due for a game-altering injury. Mark Chapman, number three, will also try to make a big difference.

In the previous match, New Zealand utilized as many as eight different bowling options, with four spinners completing their allotted number of overs.

After the low-scoring match in Lucknow, fans would hope that normal service is resumed, as the most recent Twenty20 game played at this location nearly two years ago saw over 200 runs scored.

Teams:

India: Hardik Pandya (captain), Suryakumar Yadav (vice-captain), Ishan Kishan (w/k), Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Jitesh Sharma (w/k), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (w/k), Dane Cleaver (w/k), Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Benjamin Lister, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips (wk), Michael Rippon, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner.

NZ vs IND, 2nd T20I: India 191 for 6 (Suryakumar 111*, Kishan 36, Southee 3-34) beat New Zealand 126 (Williamson 61, Hooda 4-10, Siraj 2-24) by 65 runs

On Twitter, Virat Kohli referred to it as “another video game innings,” and with good reason: Suryakumar Yadav faced just 51 balls and scored 111 unbeaten runs out of the team’s 191 total, hitting 11 of India’s 18 boundaries and seven of their nine sixes. Suryakumar helped India score 72 off the final five overs in a fantastic display of his fearless and creative T20 hitting. This despite the fact that Tim Southee scored a hat trick in the final over and did not face a delivery. 

Suryakumar experimented with an international bowling lineup that Hardik Pandya just watched from the opposing end. And with only 192 to go, New Zealand’s chase began by crawling: Their powerplay produced just 32 runs and only three goals, which may have provided them with the perfect foundation for failure; And with Glenn Phillips out at 85 for 3 after 12 overs and the required run rate of more than 13 an over, the match was almost decided.

HIGHLIGHTS

Suryakumar defies logic, the bowling, and everything else

Suryakumar’s second T20I century of the year was perhaps unique in that it came in a winning cause. He is already the highest run-getter in T20Is in 2022, making this an important year for him.

Even though Suryakumar had been bowled for two deliveries in a row before the fourth ball, he pulled out his signature scoop and hit it over the wicket keeper’s head for four. Common T20 stuff: swing and miss, but no concern for the subsequent ball.

After Rishabh Pant fell for a low score for which he had jostled, Ishan Kishan continued to struggle, but Suryakumar knew he had to go one way, especially with the rain in the air. The remainder of India’s batting scored 69 runs in as many deliveries, including 11 extras, indicating how far ahead of Suryakumar his teammates were.

His first six came from Mitchell Santner, who snatched a ball from far outside and swept it over fine leg after he caught it. The lofts on the opposite side followed: Ish Sodhi’s first ball of the 12th over was placed to deep extra cover with high elbows, and Santner’s first ball of the 11th over was scythed behind point.

However, Suryakumar had given Lockie Ferguson special treatment: He drove and whipped the fast bowler for fours and sixes with eight overs remaining and India’s total still below 100.The first act of Suryakumar vs. Ferguson was that.

In the 16th over, Suryakumar hit fifty off 32 balls and, with time running out, got in Southee to start the 17th: despite the assistance of a misfield, a six was swung across the line over midwicket and a whip to the same area for four. He got used to thrashing at a short ball outside off after two balls, even though he had made room early.

Runs came from everywhere

Whips and flicks over fine leg, inside-out lofts over cover and mid-off, andThe foundation for Suryakumar vs. Ferguson’s Act 2 had been established: In the 19th over, 4, 0, 4, 4, 4, 6,His hundred off 49 balls came from the third boundary, but three other shots were jaw-dropping: After opening the bat face very late, the first four was sliced over short third, the fifth was tickled over the wicketkeeper despite the short length and the ball rising close to his shoulder, and the sixth was flung over short third once more as he opened the bat face to a length that appeared to be too full to even try.

New Zealand limp in big chase

To score 61, Kane Williamson used 52 balls. The fact that India’s powerplay new ball swung significantly in their favor, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar throwing out Finn Allen’s second pass, did not help matters either.

After the first six overs, New Zealand’s required rate had soared past 11 and they only showed signs of attacking after that. Williamson and Devon Conway scored 17 runs in Washington Sundar’s first over, but Conway was run out on the first ball of the ninth, giving him a manageable 25 runs off 22 deliveries.

Glenn Phillips hit his first ball for four and even threw a six off Yuzvendra Chahal to show early aggressive intent. However, in the tenth over, Chahal teased him by slowing down the pace on the ball, and Phillips ended up going for 12 off six balls.

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Not a single boundary was hit between Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham and Mitchell Santner for 33 balls after that six from Phillips, by which time, New Zealand’s destiny was almost fixed. After 17 overs, they were 111 for 6 and Williamson hit his fifty off his 48th delivery.

With the outcome clear, Deepak Hooda bowled the penultimate over, dismissing Sodhi, Southee, and Adam Milne in four deliveries to end the hosts’ timid day.

Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is on the verge of setting a significant record in the game’s shortest format with India’s three-match T20I series against New Zealand. Bhuvneshwar will be the bowler with the most wickets in a calendar year if he takes four against New Zealand in the series.

He has taken 36 wickets in 30 matches so far in 2022.

Joshua Brian Little of Ireland holds the record for the most wickets taken in a calendar year.Little, who performed admirably at the T20 World Cup, has taken 39 wickets in 2022. Bhuvneshwar became India’s all-time leading wicket-taker in the shortest format during the T20 World Cup.In the game’s shortest format, Bhuvneshwar has taken 89 wickets in total. He has represented Team India in 85 T20Is.

India will play three T20Is, followed by as many ODIs, against the Kiwis.

The first T20I will be played at the Sky Stadium in Wellington on Friday, November 18.

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Squad for New Zealand T20Is: Hardik Pandya (C), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson (wk), W Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umran Malik.
New Zealand T20I squad: Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee and Blair Tickner.

NZ VS PA, T20I, Tri-series, final: Pakistan168 for 5 (Nawaz 38*, Rizwan 34, Bracewell 2-14) beat New Zealand 163 for 7 (Williamson 59, Rauf 2-22, Naseem 2-38) by five wickets

In the tri-series final at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Friday, Pakistan defeated New Zealand by five wickets thanks to an audacious attack by Haider Ali and Mohammad Nawaz.

Their stand included hitting 33 in eight balls starting in the 15th over to help Pakistan chase down 164 and offset a power play slowdown. Nawaz and Ifthikar Ahmed finished the game for Pakistan for the second day in a row, even though Haider and Asif Ali ran out of time.

After Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and chose to field first against New Zealand in the tri-series final at Hagley Oval on Friday, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf struck inside the powerplay to dismiss Finn Allen and Devon Conway.

Earlier, Haider Ali and Mohammad Nawaz’s 56-run stand for the fourth wicket was ended in the 16th over when Tim Southee removed Haider Ali. Mohammad Nawaz starred with the bat. Asif Ali was bowled out by Blair Tickner in the very next over, setting up a thrilling conclusion to the match. In the 11th over of the innings, Shan Masood was bowled out by Michael Bracewell, and Mohammad Rizwan was bowled out by Ish Sodhi in the very next over as New Zealand took the lead. Before that, Michael Bracewell took Babar Azam’s wicket in the fourth over of the innings, ending the 29-run first stand.In the preceding tri-series final, skipper Kane Williamson scored 59 as New Zealand defeated Pakistan for 163/7 in 20 overs. Prior, Glenn Phillips was sent back to the pavilion by Mohammad Nawaz in the 12th over, ending a 50-run partnership between Kane Williamson and Phillips. 

Nawaz stepped up and hit an unbeaten 38 off 22 balls in a pinch-hitting role after hitting an unbeaten 45 off 20 balls at No. 4 against Bangladesh on Thursday. 4 once more, giving Pakistan a lot of flexibility for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia.

ALSO READ: Why Ben Stokes Warrants a Place in the England T20I Team

When Nawaz and Haider came together in the 12th over, Pakistan were 74 for 3.With 2 for 14 in four overs, Michael Bracewell had ended yet another miserable spell. Haider, on the other hand, hit Ish Sodhi’s first ball for six, and he and Nawaz combined to score 25 runs off Sodhi in the 15th over. From that point on, Pakistan could only win their final T20I before the World Cup, which they did by winning.

AUS vs ENG, 2nd T20I: England 178 for 7 (Malan 82, Moeen 44, Stoinis 3-34, Zampa 2-26) beat Australia 170 for 6 (Marsh 45, David 40, Curran 3-25) by eight runs

England won the T20I series by eight runs in Canberra, with Dawid Malan scoring a blistering 82 and Sam Curran once more maintaining his composure with the bat. England defeated a full-strength Australia to build momentum for the upcoming T20 World Cup after winning by the same margin in the series opener in Perth.

After the visitors were sent to bat on a seaming pitch in chilly conditions, Malan’s blistering 49-ball knock helped England dig themselves out of an early hole. Australia threatened to score 179 to win the series, but a composed Curran stopped them, and the defending T20 World Cup champions were constantly questioned about a bad batting order. The final episode of the series will air on Friday at the same location.

Malan was the casualty as England sought flexibility and promoted a slew of big-hitters up the order after Jos Buttler and Alex Hales’ record century opening stand in Perth.

This indicated that the graceful left-handed batter moved down to No.7 and only had to deal with two deaths. Malan, on the other hand, returned to his usual No. 1 position against a full-strength Australia attack under lights on a seaming Manuka Oval pitch. 3 slot and saved England’s 54-for-4 start.

Malan demonstrated once more that he is well-suited to the faster conditions of Australia by combining his signature beautiful cover drives with more aggressive strokes. Moeen Ali, who was saved early by a rare drop from Glenn Maxwell at the backward point, gave him a lot of support. With a quick partnership of 92 runs with Malan, he made Australia pay with 44 runs off 27 deliveries.

Malan put his foot down after Moeen left in the 17th over to lead England to a competitive total and show what might be in store for the 35-year-old at the T20 World Cup. Starc sat back, while Stoinis stole the show. Their star bowlers returned after missing the long trip to Perth, but Australia tinkered with spearhead Mitchell Starc, who did not open the T20I for the first time since 2014.

It appeared to be paying off, as all-rounder Marcus Stoinis continued his strong start to the series by removing Hales shortly after. In the fourth over, Pat Cummins took the major wicket of Buttler. 

In the sixth over, Starc finally entered the attack, but Malan immediately launched a freewheeling counterattack.The left-armer and his fellow star quicks gave up runs, but Australia got strong help from Stoinis, who got three wickets for the first time in his T20I career, and Adam Zampa, a reliable leg spinner, slowed England down in the middle overs.

However, a sloppy fielding display resulted in several missed catches for them

After recently shifting away from his usual opening role, Aaron Finch returned to the top, but it failed to solve Australia’s batting problems, with the skipper being run out to mid-off for 13.

Maxwell, who had been rested for game one, had a golden chance to break out of a long slump when he entered the game at 22 for 2 after David Warner’s wicket.

However, Maxwell has scored only 16 runs in his last six T20I innings after failing to get going once more and being caught for just eight. The competition for spots is intense with Steve Smith in the wings after failing to make the lineup this series. Big men Mitchell Marsh and Tim David appeared to be in great shape, but they couldn’t keep Australia in the game long enough to win.

Curran does it again England’s attack appeared vulnerable without speedster Mark Wood, who ignited game one with rapid bowling and a three-wicket haul. This was made worse by Chris Jordan’s struggles on his return from injury.

ALSO READ: NZ vs BAN, T20I: NZ beats BAN by 48 runs!

Curran does it again

Curran was under a lot of pressure, and he delivered with the wickets of Maxwell and Stoinis in the middle of the innings. He maintained his composure when he returned in the 18th over to snag the crucial wicket of David, who was on the verge of flipping the match on its head, much like his clutch death bowling in Perth. The 24-year-old, who is getting ready for a big T20 World Cup, put on another strong performance.