Sports culture in the Caribbean – The myth buster

West Indies Cricket Team, with the plethora of talent and the great fervour with which they played the game left fans and rivals alike in awe for the best part of two decades in the 20th century. Right from the era when they were given the Test status produced some brilliant cricketers. Even in the first ever Test series against England in 1928, West Indies had the likes of George Challenor, Freddie Martin, Herman Griffith and above all Learie Constantine. The earlier unofficial matches which the team played against the county teams and other unofficial tests from the 1890s certainly helped the game develop in the Caribbean.

While athletics and other sports have its own fan following, cricket holds a special place in hearts of the people.©Sky Sports 

Misbah, The Savior - A Fan's view

Misbah has been the savior of Pakistan Cricket Team for years now © Getty Images

He smiled, he half shrugged and started to walk off. Misbah-ul-Haq just thought he was sold the dummy by his partner and was run out. The replays showed that he wasn’t. But it did not matter. Misbah had done his job. Had it not been for Misbah’s knock of 61, Lahore would have battered Islamabad a couple of weeks ago on Saturday and nobody would have complained.

PSL fixing: Irfan, Babar and Hasan interrogated

The inquiry on Mohammad Irfan will continue by PCB's ACU © AFP

A day after Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were suspended by PCB's Anti-Corruption Unit, 3 more players - Islamabad United left arm seamer Mohammad Irfan, Quetta Gladiators spinner Zulfiqar Babar and Karachi Kings opening batsman Shahzaib Hasan were questioned by Anit-Corruption Unit of Pakistan Cricket Board.

Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif suspended on corruption charges

Pakistan openers Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif have been suspended by PCB over corruption charges by PCB's Anti-Corruption Code for what PCB describes as “an ongoing investigation into an international syndicate which is believed to be attempting to corrupt the Pakistan Super League”.

Khalid Latif (L) and Sharjeel Khan (R) have represented Pakistan in 18 and 41 matches respectively (AP)

Azhar Ali quits ODI captaincy

Azhar Ali also quit his role as Vice Captain of the Test Team © Getty Images  

Mohit Ahlawat: First triple centurion of T20 cricket

There has been a lot of talk about cricket having become a batsmen friendly game and how there is very little room for bowlers to make an error especially in T20 cricket however despite the game being heavily dominated by the batsmen not many would have thought they would live to see a day when a batsman would score a triple century in T20.

A 21 year old player named Mohit Ahlawat became the first player in all levels of T20 cricket to score a triple century in the format. His innings was recorded at a club tournament in New Delhi, India where the wicket keeper batsman hit 300 runs off just 72 balls which included mindboggling 39 sixes and 14 fours. He came close to doing a Yuvraj Singh when he hit 5 consecutive sixes in last over of the innings reaching the 300 run mark also remaining unbeaten in the process.

Mohit's extraordinary innings helped his side Maavi XI to finish at whopping 416 runs at the end of the allotted 20 overs against Friends XI club.

Mohit who plays for the same club that India discard opener Gautam Gambhir used to play for has represented Delhi in 3 first class matches in October 2015 before being overlooked due to poor performances.

Associate Cricket's big talent drain

For a country like Bermuda, losing a young player of Rawlins' calibre is nothing short of a disaster  © ICC

In recent times, we have seen a good number of players from South Africa sign on to play as Kolpak players in English county cricket, either for financial security or due to uncertainty over their roles in the national side as a result of South Africa's transformation policy which requires a minimum of six colored players in a playing XI. Among those that have signed such deals in the recent past include Kyle Abbott, Simon Harmer, Colin Ingram, Rilee Rossouw, Dane Vilas, David Wiese, Stiaan van Zyl and Hardus Viljoen. This move has effectively ended their international careers for South Africa, or risked a lengthy delay between their previous international appearance and their next if they were to have a change of heart in the future.

However, despite their losses, South Africa remain a very powerful unit in all formats of the international game as a result of having many talented players to pick from among those that have chosen to stay behind and represent their country. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for associate nations such as Bermuda or Namibia, who only have a handful of talented players to pick from, which makes losing such players to another country nothing short of a disaster.

Alastair Cook quits as England captain

Cook led England in 59 Test matches © Getty Images 

Australia's key to success in India

As published on Cricket World

Australia just lost their seventh consecutive ODI match away from home but there is something to be worrying them more than that. When you look at the next fixture for Australia, one cannot blame them. Australia are scheduled to play four test matches in India between Feb 23-Mar 29 It was one thing to play India away and another to lock horns with them in their own homeground.

A lot of talk has been done well before the start of the big series and even the mind games have began. Australia's recent record in the subcontinent has been underwhelming as well.Just three victories from 20 Tests played since 2005(including two of those in Bangladesh more than a decade ago) and only two batsmen in the current squad with a Test average above 40 in Asian conditions [Skipper Steve Smith (41.57 from 7 matches) and Shaun Marsh (78.6 from 3 matches)]. While captain Smith has made himself sound positive and asked his in form David Warner to attack the Indian bowlers, the latter's record in Asia is not so encouraging with just one century in 9 Test matches averaging 33.17. 

NZ thumps Australia to win Chappell-Hadlee Trophy

On the back of Ross Taylor's record equaling 16th ODI hundred for NZ followed by Trent Boult's career best figures of 6/33 saw a depleted Australia lost the three match series and with that the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy 2-0 after NZ batted first like the first match of the series. The difference though was that this time the home team had won the toss.

They showed that it was the correct decision as the veteran Ross Taylor scored a century equaling the record for most centuries ODIs by a New Zealand player along side Nathan Astle to help the hosts post a challenging score of 281. Taylor also equaled AB de Villiers' record for most ODI centuries (14) batting at #4.  

Getting Pakistan on top

August 2016, against all odds and with no home support Pakistan had risen to Number 1 in ICC Test rankings, a remarkable feat when you realize that they have been playing all their cricket overseas for the past few years and Zimbabwe's visit to Pakistan in 2015 aside, no full member has visited Pakistan since March 2009.

Just six months later, Pakistan cricket finds itself on a low. Pakistan are not even in the top 5 of the Test team rankings, a lot of questions have been asked about to leadership, the mindset and ability of the players and calls have been made to get a new captain for the side.

Two Year Test League likely to be a reality

The new Test league might see teams like Afghanistan and Ireland play Test Cricket
© AFP/Getty Images

New Date for IPL 2017 Player Auction declared

Fans eagerly await the IPL 2017 Player Auction © BCCI

Former Test Umpire Lou Rowan no more

Rowan wanted bouncers to be banned in cricket
Pic by Gerard Walsh

Kevin Pietersen gives IPL 2017 a miss

Pietersen has represented five teams in IPL history © AFP

The top order dilemma for India

"You didn't say anything when I scored four centuries in last year's IPL as an opener." Virat Kohli replied when asked about his poor run of form in the recently concluded T20I series as opener against England. One would think the captain of a national cricket team would know the difference of playing in the regional league and at the international arena. Surely IPL has its fair amount of cricketers from all over the world but that does not mean you take up the role you are not used to lightly.

World Cup T20I-Turning a blind eye over blind cricket

While the pictures and videos of India cricket captain Virat Kohli and his team celebrating the victory over England in all three formats of the game were going viral hardly anyone noticed India losing to arch rivals Pakistan. Yes! India were playing a match against Pakistan, a World Cup match no less on home ground.

Former India Captain speaks during a press conference for T20 World  Cup for the blind as
 G K Mahantesh, Senior Vice President of World Blind Cricket Limited looks on (Source: PTI)   

David Miller out of the SL series

Miller suffered a cut on his little finger while fielding against Sri Lanka ©ICC

Chahal gains 92 places in latest T20I rankings

Yuzvendra Chahal, he 26 year old leggie from India improved 92 places after his spell of 6/25 in the series decider against England on Wednesday. He now sits at 86th position while his team mate Jasprit Bumrah who bowled emphatically in the last two T20Is has further improved his rating at second position and is now only 4 rating points away from taking away the pole position from South Africa's Imran Tahir.

IPL10 Player Auction Delayed

IPL 2017 auctions which were previously scheduled to be held on February 4, 2017 have been delayed following the Supreme Court of India's decision to dismantle BCCI house at the beginning of the year. The delay is being blamed on the Court's indecision to appoint a committee of administrators to run the IPL.

2017 player auctions are likely to be held in third week of February © BCCI

However, with a four-member committee of administrators taking charge on Monday, the air will now be cleared quickly. The committee of administrators met with the BCCI management team to discuss the immediate decisions that need to be taken concerning IPL.