Tuesday, May 05
Prenelan Subrayen ripped through Durban Super Giants (DSG) with a superb new-ball spell as Joburg Super Kings (JSK) cruised to a six-wicket, bonus-point win at Kingsmead. After DSG were bowled out for 86, Rilee Rossouw made the most of two reprieves to score 43 and guide JSK to their second straight SA20 victory.
Andries Gous smashed a historic unbeaten 120 as Desert Vipers crushed MI Emirates by 45 runs in Qualifier 1 to reach their third ILT20 final. Gous’ record-breaking knock powered Vipers to 233/1 before debutant Usman Tariq’s three-wicket burst dismantled the chase, leaving MI Emirates with another chance via the Eliminator
Magnus Carlsen secured his ninth World Blitz title, defeating Nodirbek Abdusattorov 2.5-1.5 after a dramatic final. Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, who led the qualifying rounds, fell in the semifinals and secured a bronze medal, his second of the championship.
The Indian squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand will be selected on January 3. The series begins on January 11 in Vadodara. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to feature. Shubman Gill will lead the team. Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah may be rested for workload management. Dhruv Jurel is a potential wicketkeeper choice.
The platform was laid by openers Nitya Pandya and Amit Pasi, who put together a 230-run stand for the first wicket. Nitya scored 122 from 110 balls, while Pasi made 127 from 93 deliveries, taking Hyderabad’s bowlers out of the game early.
Michael Vaughan urged Usman Khawaja to decide his own Test cricket future, suggesting the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG could be a fitting farewell. Vaughan also highlighted the need for England to win strongly in Sydney to solidify Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's positions, emphasizing acceptance of tour mistakes and team maturity.
Australian opener Travis Head expressed his hope for a return to the tradition of post-Ashes drinks between England and Australia. He believes mutual respect exists despite past tensions, particularly after the Jonny Bairstow stumping incident in the 2023 series. Head looks forward to sharing a beer, highlighting the positive relationships between players on both sides.
Pacer Fazal Haq Farooqi, who missed the recent Bangladesh series and featured only in the final T20I against Zimbabwe, has also been included in the 15-player squad for both the West Indies series and the World Cup. The inclusion of Mujeeb Ur Rahman is another key highlight, with AM Ghazanfar being named among the reserves along with middle-order batter Ijaz Ahmadzai and emerging fast bowler Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.
Damien Martyn was also part of Australia’s triumphant 2003 ODI World Cup squad, playing a decisive role in the final against India with an unbeaten 88 in a match-winning partnership with Ricky Ponting. He retired from international cricket in 2006 during the Ashes series and has largely kept a low profile since.
Watched by Tim Paine in a T10 tournament in Melbourne, Indian-origin batter Jerrssis Wadia’s fearless hitting has fast-tracked his rise in Australian cricket. From losing his U-19 years to COVID to smashing a 16-ball 34 in the BBL, the Mumbai-born 24-year-old is now tipped as the 'Next Travis Head' in South Australia.
