Latest Updates on World Cricket

[Crystal]

Cyprus Women and Estonia Women will face the 2nd T20I match of the Estonia Women Tour of Cyprus 2024. In this article, we look at CYP-W vs EST-W Dream11 Prediction Today Match, CYP-W vs EST-W Dream11 Team Today, Playing 11s, and Pitch Report.

CYP-W vs EST-W Estonia Women Tour of Cyprus 2nd T20I Preview:

Cyprus Women and Estonia Women played one match against each other in this three-match T20I series so far where Cyprus Women won that game and is currently leading the series by 1-0.

In the first game, Cyprus Women beat Estonia Women by 6 wickets. In that game, Estonia Women won the toss and decided to bat. Coming to bat, Estonia Women could put 75 runs on the board whereas Liina Sormus added 17 runs for the team.

Dinelka Koralalage picked up 3 wickets for Cyprus Women. In reply, Cyprus Women successfully chased down the target in the 12th over itself where Sasmi Jayakodi and Iresha Chathurani added 12 runs and 15 runs respectively for the team. Annemarie Vessik Liina Sormus took 1 wicket each for Estonia Women.

CYP-W vs EST-W Head-to-Head Record:

Teams	Matches Won
Cyprus Women	0
Estonia Women	0

CYP-W vs EST-W Estonia Women Tour of Cyprus 2nd T20I Weather & Pitch Report:

Temperature	28°C
Weather Forecast	Precipitation
Pitch Behaviour	Bowling-friendly
Best Suited To	Pacers
Average 1st innings score	75

Record of chasing teams:

Records	Poor
Winning %	20%

CYP-W vs EST-W Estonia Women Tour of Cyprus 2nd T20I Squads:

Cyprus Women Squad: Iresha Chathurani©, Sasmi Jayakodi, Thanuja Gedarage, Alexandra Taylor, Nilmini Liyanage, Thamara De Silva(wk), Dinelka Koralalage, Ayesha Dirannehelage, Samanthi Dunukedeniya, Chandrika Wijesinghe, Anusha Hewage

Estonia Women Squad: Helena Kerge, Liina Sormus, Natallia Zholudz, Annemari Vessik, Maret Valner©, Asma Shifa(wk), Viktoria Frey, Natalia Tykhonravova, Laima Anna Dalbina, Egelin Ellermaa, Sirli Pattenden

CYP-W vs EST-W Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Players Stats:

Player	Players Stats (last match)
Samanthi Dunukedeniya	1 wicket
Iresha Chathurani	15 runs and 1 wicket
Annemari Vessik	1 wicket
Dinelka Koralalage	5 runs and 3 wickets

Hot Picks for CYP-W vs EST-W Dream11 Prediction and Fantasy Cricket Tips:

Captaincy Picks:

Annemari Vessik

Dinelka Koralalage

Top Picks:

Iresha Chathurani

Samanthi Dunukedeniya

Budget Picks:

Viktoria Frey

Liina Sormus

CYP-W vs EST-W Estonia Women Tour of Cyprus 2nd T20I Captain and Vice-captain Choices:

Captain	Dinelka Koraralage & Annemari Vessik
Vice-Captain	Samantha Dunukedeniya & Iresha Chathurani

CYP-W vs EST-W Dream11 Prediction Team 1:

• Keeper – Thamara De Silva
• Batters – Sasmi Jayakodi, Helena Kerge, Egelin Ellermaa
• All-rounders – Annemari Vessik, Iresha Chathurani (vc), Dinelka Koralalage (c)
• Bowlers – Victoria Frey, Chandrika Wijesinghe, Maret Valner, Laima Dalbina

CYP-W vs EST-W Dream11 Prediction Team 2:

• Keeper – Thamara De Silva
• Batters – Sasmi Jayakodi, Helena Kerge, Egelin Ellermaa
• All-rounders – Annemari Vessik (c), Iresha Chathurani, Samantha Dunukedeniya (vc)
• Bowlers – Victoria Frey, Chandrika Wijesinghe, Maret Valner, Nilmini Liyanage

CYP-W vs EST-W Dream11 Prediction Today Match 2nd T20I Players to Avoid:

Players	Dream11 Credits	Dream11 Points (Last match)
Natalia Zholudz	5.5 credits	5 points
Anusha Hewage	5.0 credits	4 points

CYP-W vs EST-W Dream11 Prediction Today Match 2nd T20I Estonia Women Tour of Cyprus 2024 Expert Advice:

SL Captaincy Choice	Dinelka Koraralage
GL Captaincy Choice	Annemarie Vessik
Punt Picks	Nilmini Liyange and Samanthi Dunukedeniya
Dream11 Combination	1-3-3-4

 

[Crystal]

Australian cricketer David Warner opened up about the impact of the infamous 'Sandpapergate' scandal of 2018 on his international cricketing career. David Warner admitted that the incident will forever cast a shadow over his cricketing legacy, hoping to be remembered for his significant contributions to the sport.

Steve Smith and David Warner, captain and deputy of the Australian cricket team at the time, received one-year bans after the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Opening batter Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months. Warner was also permanently banned from taking any leadership roles in Australian cricket.

David Warner is likely to conclude his 15-year international cricket career after the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the USA. The southpaw retired from Test and ODI cricket in January 2024. He was part of Australia's three World Cup-winning campaigns in white-ball formats in his illustrious career.

There Will Always Be That Sandpaper Scandal - David Warner

David Warner acknowledged that the 2018 Sandpaper scandal will forever be linked to his achievements. Warner hoped true cricket enthusiasts would remember him for his contributions to the game, including his dynamic batting style and efforts to innovate Test cricket.

"It's going to be inevitable that when people talk about me in 20 or 30 years time, there will always be that sandpaper scandal. But for me, if they're real cricket tragics, and they love cricket, and my closest supporters, they will always see me as that cricketer. Someone who tried to change the game," Warner said.

"Someone who tried to follow in the footsteps of the openers before me and tried to score runs at a great tempo and change Test cricket in a way. Be that person who went from T20 cricket to playing Test cricket - batting at No. 6 and then opening. For me, hopefully, I can be remembered for that, but I understand 2018. It always comes up, and it's unfortunate - but it is what it is," he added.

The 37-year-old opening batter aims to conclude his career with a triumph at the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, advanced to the Super 8 stage of the tournament. Warner has scored 116 runs in four matches at an average of 29.00 and an impressive strike rate of 146.84.

Taken A Lot Of Pressure Off A Lot Of Guys - David Warner

Warner stated that he was unfairly targeted in the aftermath of the scandal. The veteran batter mentioned that he coped with considerable pressure on behalf of others, stating that he has been that person to be able to absorb that.

"Whether it's people who don't like the Australian cricket team or don't like me, I've always been that person who has copped it. It's fine if they want to do that, but I always feel like I've taken a lot of pressure off a lot of guys as well and I think understandably I've been that person to be able to absorb that."

David Warner will be next seen in action play when Mitchell Marsh's team faces Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, on Friday, June 21. Australia is grouped with India, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh in the Super 8 stage of the ongoing tournament.

Also read: Virat Kohli's special aid labels Babar Azam the best captain to lead Pakistan

 

[Crystal]

The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), a three-member committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has finally started the interview process for the high-profile role of head coach for the Indian Cricket Team.

The Ashok Malhotra-headed CAC has two other members, Sulakshana Naik and Jatin Paranjape, who reportedly conducted the first round of the interview on Tuesday, June 18, via Zoom.

BCCI plays the waiting game on Gautam Gambhir's appointment

It is being said that former Indian batter and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor, Gautam Gambhir, appeared for the online interview with CAC on Zoom from Delhi on Tuesday.

Senior PTI journalist Kushan Sarkar revealed that Gambhir will appear for the second round of the interview on Wednesday, June 19. But the BCCI can make the much-awaited announcement by Tuesday.

Some info on @GautamGambhir
1. He appeared for his interview with CAC on zoom from Delhi.
2. Apparently one round happened today and another round might happen tomorrow (May be Techical ke baad HR)
3. CAC head Ashok Malhotra is doing commentary in PUnjab T20 League and…

— Kushan Sarkar (@kushansarkar) June 18, 2024

The BCCI is currently on the hunt to find a suitable candidate to replace legendary Rahul Dravid as India’s head coach, with Gautam Gambhir emerging as the frontrunner to get the top job at the world’s richest cricket body.

Gautam Gambhir's eadership qualities and strategic acumen makes him fevourite to become India head coach

Dravid's tenure with the Indian cricket team will end after the conclusion of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States. Earlier, Dravid confirmed that he would not continue as head coach after his term ends, having served the national team since November 2021 following Ravi Shastri's departure.

On the other hand, Gambhir recently guided KKR to their first IPL title in a decade after helping Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to the playoffs in the same capacity in the back-to-back seasons. Well, Gambhir brings a wealth of experience and accomplishments to the table, having led teams at various levels.

His leadership qualities, strategic acumen, and deep understanding of the game make him a top candidate for the BCCI to replace Dravid as Team India’s next head coach. Meanwhile, the CAC will also conduct interviews to find a new selector to replace Salil Ankola after the interview for the head coach’s role.

CAC set to find a new selector to replace Salil Ankola

Since both national selector Ankola and chief selector Ajit Agarkar are from the West Zone, the new selector is expected to be from the North Zone, which currently has a vacant position. Agarkar, appointed in July last year, succeeded Chetan Sharma, who resigned after being involved in a sting operation, when Agarkar took over.

Notably, the BCCI outlined several key requirements for the new head coach. The candidate must be prepared to handle the expectations and pressures of managing high-profile players and should focus on developing a world-class Indian cricket team that achieves consistent success across all conditions and formats of the game.

Additionally, the BCCI wants the new head coach to inspire current and future generations of cricketers and stakeholders with his approach to the game.

 

[Crystal]

Cricket commentator and expert Aakash Chopra believes Rohit Sharma's Indian team has been put in a very easy group in the Super 8s of T20 WC 2024.

The Men in Blue are set to head-to-head against Afghanistan, Australia, and Bangladesh in the Super 8s of the World Cup which only takes place in the Caribbean. Rohit Sharma and Co. will be taking it one game at a time and not thinking too much about the outcome of the matches.

They reached the semi-finals of the previous T20 WC edition at the Land Down Under where they lost to England.

This time around, the hopes are slightly higher because the team is filled with serial match winners. From Virat Kohli to Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma to Hardik Pandya, there is no shortage of big names. India's test will start against Rashid Khan's Afghanis on June 20th before clashes against Bangladesh and the Mitchell Marsh-led Australian team.

Aakash Chopra says India will get through Afghanistan and Bangladesh easily

While speaking in his latest YouTube video, Aakash Chopra spoke about team India's chances in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8s. Chopra started by analyzing the game against Afghanistan wherein they won't face many issues because the track in Barbados is a flat batting track.

Chopra claimed that if the match had taken place in Guyana, then Afghanistan would have had some chances. "I see it as a slightly easy pool. What could be the challenge against Afghanistan? If this match had been in Guyana, which it's not, it would have been an even contest because it would have been a spin-to-win game. The match is in Barbados and since the pitch will be flat." - Chopra said via his latest YT video.

As for Bangladesh, Aakash Chopra stated that they have played well but not well enough to be able to beat the Indian team. "Bangladesh is a team that always troubles but this Bangladesh team is playing okay cricket. They have qualified for sure but are they playing the best cricket possible." - Chopra added.

Chopra backs India to face Australia again in the finale

Aakash Chopra concluded by talking about Australia's chances of meeting India again beyond their scheduled Super 8 clash on June 24th. The former opener said that the Aussies are looking very strong as usual as they have depth in batting and a remarkable amount of variety in the bowling department.

Chopra believes Australia will give a hard time to the Indian team and that we could be witnessing just the first installment of IND-AUS in T20 WC 2024. Before signing off, he affirmed the Aussies to take on the Indians in the finale.

"Then there is Australia, which is a title-contender team, there is no doubt about that because the team is actually very good. They have depth in batting and variety in bowling. This team is going to give a contest on the 24th and this could be the precursor to the symphony. India and Australia might face off in the final once again." - Aakash Chopra concluded.

 

[Crystal]

The T20 World Cup 2024 has reached an important stage where the groups for the Super Eight stage have been decided. The group stage sprung some surprises with big teams like Pakistan, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka not being able to qualify for the next round, and teams like USA and Afghanistan putting in some excellent performances.

Two groups have been formed for the Super Eight stage. Group 1 consists of Australia, India, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan while Group 2 involves South Africa, England, West Indies, and USA. The battle is going to be tough from here onwards as teams will be pushing for a place in the semi-finals.

Also read: Virat Kohli smashes Jasprit Bumrah for a slog sweep six in the Indian Nets; roars in celebration

Mohammad Kaif speaks on India's chances ahead of Super Eights

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif feels that India has to bat well if they want to win the T20 World Cup 2024. In a video posted by Star Sports on X (formerly Twitter), Kaif mentioned that India's bowling attack looks in good shape but the batting needs to come together in bowler-friendly conditions.

"India has to bat well if they want to beat any team in the West Indies where low-scoring games are happening and the ball is turning. Bumrah, Kuldeep, Axar Patel, and (Ravindra) Jadeja, all have key roles to play. The bowling looks fine but India has to work on its batting. Rohit Sharma will open while Virat Kohli should come at No. 3. I want Rishabh Pant to open the innings," Kaif said.

The 43-year-old also reviews the bowling attacks of Afghanistan and Australia, which are the teams that India is going to face in the Super Eights

"Talking about Afghanistan, Farooqi is in good form and Rashid Khan will bowl in the middle overs. So, they have the bowling resources. Facing Australia will be a challenge too as they have (Adam) Zampa in the middle overs. They have (Mitchell) Starc and (Pat) Cummins as well," Kaif reckoned.

"So, I think that India has to bat well to win this World Cup. In the first game against Afghanistan, the batting will be tested," he added.

India's batting performance in the Group Stage

India have had a difficult time with the bat so far in the T20 World Cup 2024. The pitches in New York were a big reason behind such performances. There was uneven bounce and excessive sideways movement throughout the eight games played at the venue.

The Men in Blue have played three matches in the Nassau County Stadium, New York while the other game in Florida was washed out due to bad weather conditions. India's highest score in these three games is 119, which they scored against Pakistan.

The bowlers, though, have lived up to the expectations. Jasprit Bumrah has led the bowling attack with some exceptional performances. Bumrah was the Player of the Match against Ireland and Pakistan.

India's first Super Eight match will be against Bangladesh on June 20 in Barbados. Afterward, they will move to Antigua to play Bangladesh on June 22. The Men in Blue will play its last Super Eight match against Australia on June 24 in St. Lucia.

 

[Crystal]

Brno and Bohemians will battle in the 10th match of ECS T10 Czechia 2024. In this article, we look at BRN vs BCC Dream11 Prediction Today Match, BRN vs BCC Dream11 Team Today, Playing 11s, and Pitch Report.

BRN vs BCC ECS T10 Czechia Match 10 Preview:

Brno has a perfect record with three wins from three games, leading the points table. Bohemians, having played and won their only game so far, are in second place.

BRN vs BCC Head-to-Head Record:

Teams	Matches Won
Brno	0
Bohemians	0

BRN vs BCC ECS T10 Czechia Match 10 Weather & Pitch Report:

Temperature	21°C
Weather Forecast	Precipitation
Pitch Behaviour	Batting-friendly
Best Suited To	Pace
Average 1st innings score	108

Record of chasing teams:

Records	Good
Winning %	76%

BRN vs BCC ECS T10 Czechia Match 10 Squads:

Brno Squad: Dylan Steyn, Mohammed Ratul(wk), Noor Khanday©, Shailendra Solanki, Neeraj Mishra, Sandeep Tiwari, Naveed Ahmed, Mahtab Khan, Satyajit Sengupta, Ajinkya Dhamdhere, Petr Ohlídal

Bohemians Squad: Zahid Mahmood, Kranthi Venkataswamy, Nirmal Kumar, Kamaldeep Singh, Ravindra Bist, Waseem Sardar, Imran Ul Haq, Abdul Farhad, Sahil Grover©(wk), Sazib Bhuiyan, Hamid Ullah

BRN vs BCC Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Players Stats:

Player	Players Stats (last match)
Hamid Ullah	2 wickets
Mohammad Ratul	NA
Sazib Bhuiyan	7 runs and 1 wicket
Noor Khanday	7 runs

Hot Picks for BRN vs BCC Dream11 Prediction and Fantasy Cricket Tips:

Captaincy Picks:

Sazib Bhuiyan

Noor Khanday

Top Picks:

Hamid Ullah

Mohammad Ratul

Budget Picks:

Suresh Ramarao

Abdul Farhad

BRN vs BCC ECS T10 Czechia Match 10 Captain and Vice-captain Choices:

Captain	Sazib Bhuiyan & Noor Khanday
Vice-Captain	Hamid Ullah & Mohammad Ratul

BRN vs BCC Dream11 Prediction Team 1:

• Keeper – Mohammad Ratul
• Batsmen – Noor Khanday, Hamid Ullah (vc), Kranthi Venkataswamy
• All-rounders – Sazib Bhuiyan (c), Riaz Afridi, Nirmal -Kumar
• Bowlers – Naveed Ahmed, Abdul Farhad, Suresh Ramarao, Neeraj Mishra

BRN vs BCC Dream11 Prediction Team 2:

• Keeper – Mohammad Ratul (vc)
• Batsmen – Noor Khanday (c), Hamid Ullah, Kranthi Venkataswamy
• All-rounders – Sazib Bhuiyan, Riaz Afridi, Vijay Bijalwan
• Bowlers – Naveed Ahmed, Abdul Farhad, Suresh Ramarao, Sandeep Tiwari

BRN vs BCC Dream11 Prediction Today Match 10 ECS T10 Czechia Players to Avoid:

Players	Dream11 Credits	Dream11 Points (Last match)
Pratik Pandey	6.0 credits	DNP
Imran ul-Haq	6.0 credits	4 points

BRN vs BCC Dream11 Prediction Today Match 10 ECS T10 Czechia Expert Advice:

SL Captaincy Choice	Sazib Bhuiyan
GL Captaincy Choice	Noor Khanday
Punt Picks	Sandeep Tiwari and Vijay Bijalwan
Dream11 Combination	1-3-3-4

 

[Crystal]

Virat Kohli's former India teammate Varun Aaron has defended the former and claimed that he will stage a remarkable turnaround in the ICC T20 WC Super 8s.

The former India captain will be in action in 2 days during the Men in Blues' opening match of the Super 8s against Afghanistan on June 20th.

Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid both will be hoping for Virat Kohli to start firing with the bat after a very quiet end to the Group stages which saw him score just 5 runs.

Of the three matches that he has played so far, Virat Kohli has not been able to replicate the form he displayed in IPL 2024.

The batting stalwart had finished as the highest run-scorer of the Premier League season which was won by the Kolkata Knight Riders. Kohli experienced his second-highest run-scoring season as he amassed a total of 741 runs from 15 matches, including a century.

The most impressive part was Virat Kohli's strike rate which was being criticized heavily by expert pundits.

Upon coming across the criticism, Kohli upped his tempo and played at his best-ever IPL strike rate of 150+, shutting off all the doubts about his hitting ability. At the moment, he has not scored runs in the tournament but Varun Aaron believes it will change in the Super 8s.

What did Varun Aaron say about Virat Kohli?

While speaking to Star Sports recently, Varun Aaron spoke about Virat Kohli's possible comeback in the second half of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

After struggling in New York, the former fast bowler believes Kohli will be bringing his A game in the Caribbean. Aaron highlighted how Kohli was able to shut off his critics with his performances in IPL 2024.

Varun Aaron is of the view that something similar is on the way as Virat Kohli has this special tendency to perform when under high pressure.

"Virat gives answers whenever questions are raised about his performance. If you see in the IPL, there were a lot of questions raised on his strike rate, and after that, Virat made such a comeback that he silenced everyone." - Aaron told Star Sports.

Aaron says Kohli will be a different batter in the Super 8s

Change of country and conditions will change the fortunes of Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup, believes Varun Aaron. That he might have remained cold in the first three games but all Kohli needs to do is turn his switch on.

Aaron also feels that Kohli will get some sort of assistance from the surfaces laid out in Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad.

"If you see now, he remained cold in the first two or three matches. It can happen with any batter on such wickets. However, people need to understand that Virat just needs to put a switch on and he starts scoring runs. Virat will definitely be disappointed with his last three matches but come the West Indies, Virat will look a different batter when he plays on such wickets." - Varun Aaron concluded.

 

[Crystal]

Former New Zealand cricketer Stephen Fleming opened up about Kane Williamson's future as a three-format player with the national cricket team. Stephen Fleming acknowledged Kane Williamson's batting skills but questioned his continuation in all three formats of the game after a disappointing T20 World Cup 2024.

New Zealand was eliminated from the group stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The Black Caps suffered losses to Afghanistan and the West Indies in their first two matches. They bounced back with victories against Uganda and Papua New Guinea but couldn't finish in the top two places of Group C in the World Cup.

The 33-year-old has been a crucial figure in New Zealand's top white-ball team for over a decade. New Zealand has reached the semi-finals seven times in World Cups since 2011 across T20 and ODI formats. He was named Player of the Tournament in the 2019 ODI World Cup, where the Kiwis lost to England in the final.

Kane Williamson led New Zealand to the ICC trophy in the Test format in 2021, defeating Team India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final match in Southampton. New Zealand also reached the final of the 2021 T20 World Cup but lost to Australia in the summit clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Hasn't Really Been Questioned - Stephen Fleming

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo's TimeOut show, Stephen Fleming said that Kane Williamson has to decide between continuing in all three formats, focusing on franchise cricket, or prioritizing family time. Fleming noted that Williamson is at a juncture where factors beyond cricket will influence his decisions.

"It hasn't really been questioned over here, due to his genius with the bat, but he has to make a decision now after a disappointing World Cup. What does his future hold? Is it all three formats, is it franchise cricket, is it family time? He will be getting to that point where he starts making decisions that have other influences, whereas before it was cricket and cricket only," Fleming said on ESPNcricinfo.

He Will Be Afforded The Luxury Of Time - Stephen Fleming

The former New Zealand captain said that Kane Williamson will have the luxury of time to decide his next steps. Fleming described Williamson as a "generational player," stating that he might move on or he'll steel himself to right the wrongs for the next one.

"He will be afforded the luxury of time because he's a generational player and he'll be hurting a lot. The older New Zealand players would have looked at this as maybe their last good opportunity, so it might be that it's time to move on, or he'll steel himself to right the wrongs for the next one. But he's not a guy that gives away a lot, so it'd be interesting to see what he does," he added.

Will Kane Williamson remain a three-format player?

#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/zAuGz59fIW

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 18, 2024

Kane Williamson resigned from the Test captaincy in 2022, and Tim Southee assumed the role thereafter. The right-handed batter is currently leading New Zealand in white-ball cricket. New Zealand is scheduled for a Test series rematch in India later this year and a home series against England in December.

Also read: Gautam Gambhir challenges BCCI in the interview: raises these demands to become India's Head Coach

 

[Crystal]

Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria lashed out at former cricketers like Wasim Akram for harshly criticizing the Pakistan cricket team's dismal performance in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

In the wake of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2024 exit, Kaneria said that former Pakistani legends should actively support the national team rather than just criticize from the sidelines.

Danish Kaneria slams Wasim Akram and Co. for criticizing Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2024 performance

Kaneria emphasized that former cricketers like Akram should step in to help the team directly. He questioned why the legendary Pakistani pacer did not address the controversial selection of Mohammad Amir, suggesting that veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik would have been a better choice.

Danish Kaneria was quoted as saying by Times Now, “See Wasim Akram and the other people can only preach from outside. Why don't they come and help the Pakistan side? Why at once Wasim Akram did not say that Mohammad Amir's selection was not justifiable? Compared to Amir, they should have asked Shoaib Malik to play. He is still a much better player than these guys.”

The former spinner also pointed out that Pakistan's preparation for the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 was not enough, and they should have started preparations for the mega event a year before.

He further suggested that the Pakistan cricket team should have identified and trained a core group of 20–22 players a year in advance, and then they should have selected the best 15 players from this pool.

They are the master of U-Turn: Kaneria on Pakistan team management

Kaneria also criticized the current Pakistan cricket team management for their inconsistent decisions and failure to take responsibility for the team's failures in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

The former Pakistani spinner added, “They should have picked 20-22 blokes in the camp and would have picked the best 15 out of them. You tell me, where were Mohammad Amir and Azam Khan 6 months ago? Did they play for Pakistan? There’s a major problem with the Pakistan team management.

They will wake up in the morning and say something and then will take U-Turn in the evening. They are the master of U-Turn. If you are making a team then own it and take that onus. If the team wins, they own it then why aren't you accepting your faults if the team loses? They are egoistic as they think they are perfect and cannot make mistakes.”

Discussing potential captaincy options for Pakistan, Kaneria suggested that Mohammad Rizwan could be a strong candidate due to his role as a wicketkeeper, or the national selectors might consider reinstating Shaheen Afridi as white-ball captain. However, he believes that the PCB should appoint a senior player as captain while designating a junior player as vice-captain.

Danish Kaneria predicts the T20 World Cup 2024, semifinalists

Looking ahead, Kaneria shared his predictions for the semi-finalists of the T20 World Cup 2024. He believes that the West Indies and India will make it to the semifinals for sure, but he also highlighted the potential of underdog teams like the USA, saying they can pull out a surprise on the global stage.

Kaneria signed off by saying, “I think the West Indies will be there, India should make the cut as well. You never know on a given day, the smaller teams play like they have nothing to lose. I feel the USA can do wonders, their players have played in the Ranji Trophy and other tournaments. The backroom staff and the coaches have worked really well, you never know, the USA might make it into the semifinals.”

 

[Crystal]

Chennai Super Kings' Kiwi head coach Stephen Fleming feels Rohit Sharma's team India is going through to the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Team India is currently grinding out in the Caribbean wherein all the teams will participate in the Super 8 stages of the tournament. Rohit Sharma's men are among the only 4 sides other than Australia, South Africa, and West Indies to enter the second round without losing a match.

The Men in Blue, who had reached the ODI World Cup final last year unbeaten, will be facing Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Australia in Super 8s. All eyes will be on the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Jasprit Bumrah among others to try and upstage their opponents in the next phase.

Stephen Fleming claims Rohit Sharma and co. have all their bases covered

While speaking to India Today recently, Stephen Fleming spoke about the Indian team's chances of reaching the T20 WC final. Fleming feels that Rohit Sharma's side has potent spinners who can dominate opposing batters. They have batsmen who are more than capable of making opposing spinners uncomfortable.

Stephen Fleming stated that spinners might not have had a big role to play in the USA leg but their importance is going to increase in the Caribbean. Fleming feels that the Indian team did their homework quite too well and that they know exactly how to reach the semi-finals and the final.

The Indians have been semi-finalists on two occasions before, first in the 2016 edition on home soil and 2022 in Australia. The Men in Blue lost to eventual champions West Indies in the home T20 WC and fell short against England in their next appearance in the semis.

Last year, the Indian team did not have one but two chances of ending their ICC trophy drought, first in June and then in November. On both occasions, they had to settle for the runners-up spot against none other than ODI and Test World Champions Australia.

"This is a team that in some ways is picked for the finals, in my view, it's a team that has spinners that can dominate, it has players that can dominate spin and we've seen spin in the West Indies play quite a big part, not so much in New York. So, I think they've got the job done and they've got quite smartly a view of mind. That is how we want to play the key games now going into hopefully, the semi-finals and final." - Stephen Fleming said.

India's schedule for the Super 8s

The Indian team will open their Super 8s with a clash against Afghanistan on June 20th at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. They will then take on neighbors Bangladesh at the Viv Richards Stadium in Antigua on June 22nd. Their last match of the second round is against bitter rivals Australia at the Darren Sammy Stadium on June 24th.

If they finish in the top 2, then India will play in the semi-finals.