The world of cricket will never be the same after the T20 World Cup 2024. Beyond the exciting games and amazing performances, the competition has had a huge impact on cricket in many ways, from nurturing new talent to growing the game’s international reach. This blog examines the significant effects that the 2024 T20 World Cup will have on many facets of cricket across the globe.
1. Elevating the Global Profile of Cricket
Cricket became the most popular sport in the world after the 2024 T20 World Cup. The tournament demonstrated cricket’s capacity to enthrall people everywhere with matches televised in more than 180 countries and a viewership that surpassed one billion. Due to its greater exposure, cricket has drawn sponsorships and new followers, which has expanded its popularity beyond the traditional cricketing nations and boosted its financial growth.
2. Development of Emerging Cricket Nations
Emerging cricket nations’ success at the T20 World Cup 2024 was one of its most notable aspects. With multiple upsets and competitive performances against seasoned cricketing behemoths, teams like Afghanistan, Nepal, and the Netherlands showed tremendous growth. These nations’ cricket development initiatives have benefited from this success, which has encouraged young players and drawn funding for infrastructural improvements.
3. Technological Advancements and Innovations
Advanced technology were implemented for the 2024 T20 World Cup, improving both the on-field decision-making accuracy and the spectator experience. Key innovations included enhanced DRS (Decision Review System), ultra-motion cameras, and real-time data analytics. In addition to guaranteeing fair play, these technologies involved tech-savvy spectators and improved accessibility and enjoyment of the game.
4. Women’s Cricket on the Rise
In addition to the men’s competition, the women’s T20 World Cup was a major factor in advancing gender parity in cricket. The feats of female cricket players attracted unprecedented attention, setting records for both media coverage and viewership. Because of its increasing awareness, women’s cricket has gained more backing, which has opened up professional options and inspired more young girls to take up the sport.
5. Economic Impact and Tourism Boost
The host nations of the T20 World Cup in 2024 benefited economically greatly. Local economies were stimulated by the influx of foreign tourists who spent money on travel, lodging, and hospitality. Furthermore, it is anticipated that host towns’ increased visibility as dynamic, interesting travel destinations would benefit tourism in the long run.
6. Grassroots Development and Youth Engagement
Several nations have launched grassroots development programs in response to the hype around the T20 World Cup. Local cricket clubs and academies have seen a rise in enrollment as young fans look up to their idols. A new generation has been motivated to pick up the bat and ball by the tournament’s success stories, especially those of young players, which has ensured a bright future for the sport.
7. Strategic and Tactical Evolution
The 2024 World Cup lived up to the fast-paced, inventive reputation of the T20 format. Teams used fresh approaches, such as forceful powerplays and creative bowling techniques. These tactical developments are probably going to have an impact on other game types as well, promoting a more lively and engaging style of play in cricket at all levels.
Conclusion
The T20 World Cup 2024 has undeniably transformed global cricket in multifaceted ways. From elevating the sport’s global profile and aiding the development of emerging cricket nations to introducing technological advancements and boosting women’s cricket, the tournament’s impact is far-reaching. The economic benefits for host countries and the inspiration it has provided for grassroots development and youth engagement further highlight its significance. As cricket continues to evolve, the T20 World Cup 2024 stands as a milestone event that has propelled the sport into a new era of growth and innovation.
FAQ
1. In what ways did the 2024 T20 World Cup aid in the growth of developing cricket nations?
The 2024 T20 World Cup has spurred increasing investment in cricket infrastructure and development programs in rising nations such as Afghanistan and Nepal. Their competitive performances have garnered support and attention from all around the world.
2. Which technical innovations made their debut at the 2024 T20 World Cup?
Real-time data analytics, ultra-motion cameras, and an upgraded Decision Review System (DRS) were all implemented during the tournament to improve the watching experience overall and the accuracy of choices made on the field.
3. What effects did the 2024 T20 World Cup have on women’s cricket?
Held concurrently with the men’s competition, the women’s T20 World Cup broke attendance and media records. More young girls are being inspired to play women’s cricket as a result of this increased awareness, which has also expanded the professional chances available to female cricket players.
4. What financial gains did the 2024 T20 World Cup provide the host nations?
Significant economic gains were realized by the host nations, including higher expenditures on lodging, travel, and hospitality from foreign guests. It is anticipated that the host towns’ increased exposure to the world will benefit tourism in the long run.
5. How has the development of grassroots cricket been impacted by the T20 World Cup 2024?
Cricket academies and local clubs are seeing an upsurge in enrolment as a result of the excitement around the T20 World Cup. Many young players have been motivated by the tournament’s success stories, which means cricket has a bright future at the grassroots level.
With those little pals of mine Ramadhin and Valentine
Their great Test teams were built around fast bowlers, but West Indies have a proud history of spin-bowling partnerships: Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine were immortalised by Lord Beginner’s calypso; Lance Gibbs would bowl offspin at one end while Garry Sobers bowled his left-arm variations from the other; and more recently, West Indies’ T20 World Cup successes were built around a pair of spinners too.
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Samuel Badree was the constant – bowling his flat, fast wristspin in the powerplay. In 2012, Sunil Narine would take over from him through the middle overs; four years later, with Narine still sorting out his bowling action, the towering left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn took over and bowled containing spells through the middle, finishing the tournament with an economy rate below seven.
And when West Indies had faced England last December, they landed on another such pair: selecting Guyana’s Gudakesh Motie to play alongside Trinidad and Tobago’s Akeal Hosein. Both are left-arm fingerspinners, but are very different bowlers with complementary strengths. They have played 11 matches together since, taking 35 wickets at 15.57 between them, 16 of which came in their group stages of this World Cup.
The formula is simple: Hosein takes the new ball and often bowls three of the first five overs. He flights some balls but also relies heavily on his arm ball, which drifts sharply into the right-handers. “He’s a very, very integral part [of the side], especially for controlling the powerplay for us,” Rovman Powell, West Indies’ captain, said.
When the field spreads, Powell brings Motie on and empowers him to flight the ball, varying his pace and looking to spin the ball hard. “Right as we come out of the powerplay is Gudakesh Motie time,” Powell said. “It’s like Akeal Hosein passing the baton onto Gudakesh Motie, and it’s been very good so far.”
West Indies geared their selection to conditions, knowing that their pitches can play slow and low, and may turn more as the World Cup wears on. “We’ve been playing our entire career on these pitches: we’re not surprised when it’s slow, it’s low and it’s low-scoring,” Nicholas Pooran said. “The reason why most of our averages are 20-25 is because we bat on pitches like this.”
“[It’s been] pleasantly pleasing to me to see how [the] same type of bowlers – two left-arm spinners turning the ball in the same direction – have complemented each other so well. That’s something that is new to me”
Ian Bishop to ESPNcricinfo
In St Lucia, where West Indies face England on Wednesday night, conditions have been much more favourable for batters: against Afghanistan on Monday, Pooran hit 98 in a team total of 218, the highest score of the T20 World Cup so far. But with England likely to field a batting line-up filled with right-handers, Hosein and Motie should still play a role.
In terms of average and economy rate, they were West Indies’ best bowlers in their 3-2 series win against England in December too, and Powell said they would “definitely” match-up well against England’s batters in a few days’ time: “When we pick the two left-arm spinners, we know that in West Indies conditions, whether the wickets are good or the wickets are bad, they’re going to be a handful because they’re world-class.”
Hosein has reached an intriguing stage where he has played enough T20 cricket around the world – over 150 matches in his career, one-third of which have come in the last 12 months – that his arm ball no longer takes teams by surprise. Batters know the cues: he tends to bowl it from significantly wider on the crease, and with a slightly lower trajectory.
“[It’s been] pleasantly pleasing to me to see how [the] same type of bowlers, two left-arm spinners turning the ball in the same direction – although Akeal Hosein has the arm ball – have complemented each other so well,” Ian Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “That’s something that is new to me.
“They’ve got Roston Chase there [as well] as the option to turn the ball the other way. Ideally, in a perfect world, they’d like a wristspinner. They don’t have that, so they’ve gone with the two left-arm spinners. I wouldn’t mind seeing them change it up though at some point, because teams are planning for Akeal Hosein in that powerplay.”
England are well aware of Hosein and Motie’s strengths, to the extent that they chose an uncapped slow left-armer in Tom Hartley as their back-up spinner ahead of Rehan Ahmed’s legspin following December’s tour. “There’s no question both teams know a lot about each other,” Sam Curran said. “The two spinners are probably one of their strengths.”
Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, England’s openers, both have good head-to-head records against Hosein, and Salt in particular has made huge strides since he was dismissed by left-arm spin five times in six innings on a tour to Bangladesh last March. Salt has become much more confident playing through the off side, and scored two hundreds against West Indies in December.
Motie is more of an unknown for England, though. He has an extensive first-class record but is relatively new to T20 cricket, only making his debut in the format in 2021, aged 26. He has never played in a franchise league outside of the CPL, where none of this England squad feature regularly, and only played against them during the December tour.
Motie is short, and has a low release point, but puts significant overspin on the ball, meaning some balls are quick and skiddy, while others turn sharply off the pitch. In the group stages, he bowled arguably the ball of the tournament to date, which drifted into Daryl Mitchell from a wide angle at 62mph/99kph, before turning sharply to hit the off bail.
It is rare for teams to pair left-arm spinners together in modern T20 cricket, but West Indies believe they have found a winning formula and look set to stick with it in pursuit of an unprecedented third men’s T20 World Cup. If they achieve it, it might even be enough for Hosein and Motie’s names to feature in a calypso.
It is rare for teams to pair left-arm spinners together, but West Indies look set to stick with them in pursuit of a third T20 World Cup
With those little pals of mine Ramadhin and Valentine
Their great Test teams were built around fast bowlers, but West Indies have a proud history of spin-bowling partnerships: Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine were immortalised by Lord Beginner’s calypso; Lance Gibbs would bowl offspin at one end while Garry Sobers bowled his left-arm variations from the other; and more recently, West Indies’ T20 World Cup successes were built around a pair of spinners too.
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Samuel Badree was the constant – bowling his flat, fast wristspin in the powerplay. In 2012, Sunil Narine would take over from him through the middle overs; four years later, with Narine still sorting out his bowling action, the towering left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn took over and bowled containing spells through the middle, finishing the tournament with an economy rate below seven.
And when West Indies had faced England last December, they landed on another such pair: selecting Guyana’s Gudakesh Motie to play alongside Trinidad and Tobago’s Akeal Hosein. Both are left-arm fingerspinners, but are very different bowlers with complementary strengths. They have played 11 matches together since, taking 35 wickets at 15.57 between them, 16 of which came in their group stages of this World Cup.
The formula is simple: Hosein takes the new ball and often bowls three of the first five overs. He flights some balls but also relies heavily on his arm ball, which drifts sharply into the right-handers. “He’s a very, very integral part [of the side], especially for controlling the powerplay for us,” Rovman Powell, West Indies’ captain, said.
When the field spreads, Powell brings Motie on and empowers him to flight the ball, varying his pace and looking to spin the ball hard. “Right as we come out of the powerplay is Gudakesh Motie time,” Powell said. “It’s like Akeal Hosein passing the baton onto Gudakesh Motie, and it’s been very good so far.”
West Indies geared their selection to conditions, knowing that their pitches can play slow and low, and may turn more as the World Cup wears on. “We’ve been playing our entire career on these pitches: we’re not surprised when it’s slow, it’s low and it’s low-scoring,” Nicholas Pooran said. “The reason why most of our averages are 20-25 is because we bat on pitches like this.”
“[It’s been] pleasantly pleasing to me to see how [the] same type of bowlers – two left-arm spinners turning the ball in the same direction – have complemented each other so well. That’s something that is new to me”
Ian Bishop to ESPNcricinfo
In St Lucia, where West Indies face England on Wednesday night, conditions have been much more favourable for batters: against Afghanistan on Monday, Pooran hit 98 in a team total of 218, the highest score of the T20 World Cup so far. But with England likely to field a batting line-up filled with right-handers, Hosein and Motie should still play a role.
In terms of average and economy rate, they were West Indies’ best bowlers in their 3-2 series win against England in December too, and Powell said they would “definitely” match-up well against England’s batters in a few days’ time: “When we pick the two left-arm spinners, we know that in West Indies conditions, whether the wickets are good or the wickets are bad, they’re going to be a handful because they’re world-class.”
Hosein has reached an intriguing stage where he has played enough T20 cricket around the world – over 150 matches in his career, one-third of which have come in the last 12 months – that his arm ball no longer takes teams by surprise. Batters know the cues: he tends to bowl it from significantly wider on the crease, and with a slightly lower trajectory.
“[It’s been] pleasantly pleasing to me to see how [the] same type of bowlers, two left-arm spinners turning the ball in the same direction – although Akeal Hosein has the arm ball – have complemented each other so well,” Ian Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “That’s something that is new to me.
“They’ve got Roston Chase there [as well] as the option to turn the ball the other way. Ideally, in a perfect world, they’d like a wristspinner. They don’t have that, so they’ve gone with the two left-arm spinners. I wouldn’t mind seeing them change it up though at some point, because teams are planning for Akeal Hosein in that powerplay.”
England are well aware of Hosein and Motie’s strengths, to the extent that they chose an uncapped slow left-armer in Tom Hartley as their back-up spinner ahead of Rehan Ahmed’s legspin following December’s tour. “There’s no question both teams know a lot about each other,” Sam Curran said. “The two spinners are probably one of their strengths.”
Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, England’s openers, both have good head-to-head records against Hosein, and Salt in particular has made huge strides since he was dismissed by left-arm spin five times in six innings on a tour to Bangladesh last March. Salt has become much more confident playing through the off side, and scored two hundreds against West Indies in December.
Motie is more of an unknown for England, though. He has an extensive first-class record but is relatively new to T20 cricket, only making his debut in the format in 2021, aged 26. He has never played in a franchise league outside of the CPL, where none of this England squad feature regularly, and only played against them during the December tour.
Motie is short, and has a low release point, but puts significant overspin on the ball, meaning some balls are quick and skiddy, while others turn sharply off the pitch. In the group stages, he bowled arguably the ball of the tournament to date, which drifted into Daryl Mitchell from a wide angle at 62mph/99kph, before turning sharply to hit the off bail.
It is rare for teams to pair left-arm spinners together in modern T20 cricket, but West Indies believe they have found a winning formula and look set to stick with it in pursuit of an unprecedented third men’s T20 World Cup. If they achieve it, it might even be enough for Hosein and Motie’s names to feature in a calypso.
Suryakumar smashed 56 from just 36 deliveries as India fell short in the exciting clash in Gqeberha and the attacking right-hander gained a total of 10 rating points as a result to further increase his lead as the No.1 ranked batter in the shortest format of the game.
The India star now has a total of 865 rating points, which is well clear of his nearest rivals in Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan (787 rating points) and South Africa’s Aiden Markram (758) less than six months out from the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Suryakumar famously claimed the premier ranking during the most recent edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia towards the end of last year and on current form it appears the India batter is likely to hold that position into next year’s tournament in the West Indies and USA.
World No.1 Suryakumar Yadav reflects on reaching the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Rankings summit.
South Africa opener Reeza Hendricks is one player to make ground on Suryakumar after he moved up one place to eighth following his innings of 49 against India, while Tilak Varma (up 10 spots to 55th) and Rinku Singh (up 46 places to equal 59th) also catch the eye alongside their more seasoned teammate.
With newly-crowned No.1 T20I bowler Ravi Bishnoi missing selection on the tour of South Africa so far it has paved the way for Afghanistan ace Rashid Khan to join the India young gun at the top of the rankings for T20I bowlers, with Proteas spinner Tabraiz Shamsi also making some eye-catching ground in rising two places to 10th following an economical spell of 1/18 in their most recent contest.
India left-armer Kuldeep Yadav rises five places to 32nd on the same list, while Markram improves two places to second behind only India’s Ravindra Jadeja on the latest T20I rankings for all-rounders.
There was also some movement on the latest Test rankings this week following the completion of the exciting series between Bangladesh and New Zealand that finished tied at 1-1 after a tight second Test in Mirpur.
Glenn Phillips was adjudged Player of the Match in that Test and the 27-year-old was rewarded by climbing from outside the top 100 to 55th on the updated rankings for batters and improved 42 places to 24th on the list for all-rounders.
Teammate Ajaz Patel jumped seven places to 33rd on the list for Test bowlers, while Bangladesh duo Mehidy Hasan (up two spots to 21st) and Nayeem Hasan (up five places to 44th) also made good ground behind top-ranked bowler Ravichandran Ashwin.
Salt was one of a number of players from the high-scoring West Indies v England T20I series in the Caribbean to enjoy a jump after the latest update on Wednesday.
The England opener’s scores of 119 and 38 in Trinidad moved him up 18 places, with a career-high rating of 802, 15 rating points clear of Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan in third (787).
Despite Salt’s jump, it’s daylight between the rest of the field and Suryakumar Yadav in top spot, with the India batter still well clear on 887.
World No.1 Suryakumar Yadav reflects on reaching the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Rankings summit.
Fellow English batter Liam Livingstone also enjoyed a batting rankings jump, moving 27 places to 38th after knocks of 54* and 28 across the same matches. Livingstone’s work also helped in the all-rounder category, moving four spots up to eighth (175). His move meant compatriot Moeen Ali and Shadab Khan of Pakistan share equal-ninth spot (173).
West Indies claimed the five-match T20I series 3-2, claiming victory in the final match, largely on the back of their bowling, keeping England to just 132 before completing a chase in the final over six wickets down.
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein took 2/20 from four overs in the victory, and moved two spots up to fourth (683), overtaking the Sri Lankan pair of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana (679 and 677 respectively). Gudakesh Motie jumped 75 spots after claiming 3/24 (4) in the same outing, while Reece Topley on the England side has moved into the top 10 bowlers with a 13-spot jump thanks to five wickets across the two matches across the week.
Meanwhile the ODI series between New Zealand and Bangladesh, as well as India’s trip to South Africa, has led to a number of minor shuffles.
Shoriful Islam’s fine performance with ball in hand saw him climb 24 spots to 35th, while young India left-armer Arshdeep Singh moved up 41 spots, though still outside the top 100.
Shoriful Islam bowled Liam Livingstone for a golden duck at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023
On the batting side, Najmul Hossain Shanto (up nine spots to equal-49th) made a move, while South Africa’s Tony de Zorzi jumped into the top 100 with a move of 39 spots.
Soumya Sarkar’s electric innings of 169 (151) against the Black Caps helped him climb 52 spots, while Sanju Samson also jumped up 54 spots to a rating of 405.
Sarkar broke Sachin Tendulkar’s 13-year record for the highest ODI score by a sub-continent player in New Zealand, beating The Little Master’s 163* in Christchurch.
Samson made 108 (114) batting at No.3 in Paarl, as India defended 296 in the third ODI against the Proteas.
Chris Gaffaney and Richard Kettleborough will be the on-field umpires for the USA’s historic first-ever knockout match at an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
They will officiate the clash against South Africa on June 19, along with Joel Wilson, who will be the TV Umpire.
Wilson then joins Gaffaney on the field for USA v England in Barbados on June 23.
Jomboy’s cricket guide for baseball fans watching the T20 World Cup 2024
Kettleborough and Richard Illingworth will officiate the clash between Australia and India, and then Illingworth and Michael Gough will oversee Australia v Bangladesh.
Nitin Menon and Ahsan Raza are the on-field umpires for England’s meeting with the West Indies, with Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid as TV Umpire. He will then be one of the on-field umpires alongside Chris Brown for England’s second Group 2 game against South Africa.
Huge hits: Watch every six greater than 100m so far | T20WC 2024
Super 8s – Match Official appointments
June 19: USA v South Africa (Antigua)
Referee: Ranjan Madugalle
On-field Umpires: Chris Gaffaney and Richard Kettleborough
TV Umpire: Joel Wilson
Fourth Umpire: Langton Rusere
June 19: England v West Indies (St Lucia)
Referee: Jeff Crowe
On-field Umpires: Nitin Menon and Ahsan Raza
TV Umpire: Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid
Fourth Umpire: Chris Brown
June 20: Afghanistan v India (Barbados)
Referee: David Boon
On-field Umpires: Rodney Tucker and Paul Reiffel
TV Umpire: Allahudien Paleker
Fourth Umpire: Alex Wharf
June 20: Australia v Bangladesh (Antigua)
Referee: Richie Richardson
On-field Umpires: Richard Illingworth and Michael Gough
TV Umpire: Kumar Dharmasena
Fourth Umpire: Adrian Holstock
June 21: England v South Africa (St Lucia)
Referee: Jeff Crowe
On-field Umpires: Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and Chris Brown
TV Umpire: Joel Wilson
Fourth Umpire: Chris Gaffaney
June 21: USA v West Indies (Barbados)
Referee: David Boon
On-field Umpires: Paul Reiffel and Allahuddien Paleker
TV Umpire: Rodney Tucker
Fourth Umpire: Alex Wharf
June 22: India v Bangladesh (Antigua)
Referee: Ranjan Madugalle
On-field Umpires: Michael Gough and Adrian Holdstock
TV Umpire: Langton Rusere
Fourth Umpire: Richard Kettleborough
June 22: Afghanistan v Australia (St Vincent)
Referee: Richie Richardson
On-field Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena and Ahsan Raza
TV Umpire: Richard Illingworth
Fourth Umpire: Nitin Menon
June 23: USA v England (Barbados)
Referee: David Boon
On-field Umpires: Chris Gaffaney and Joel Wilson
TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel
Fourth Umpire: Allahudien Paleker
June 23: West Indies v South Africa (Antigua)
Referee: Ranjan Madugalle
On-field Umpires: Rodney Tucker and Alex Wharf
TV Umpire: Chris Brown
Fourth Umpire: Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid
June 24: Australia v India (St Lucia)
Referee: Jeff Crowe
On-field Umpires: Richard Kettleborough and Richard Illingworth
The incident took place during Bangladesh’s final group fixture against Nepal at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Bangladesh seamer Tanzim Hasan Sakib has been fined 15 percent of his match fee for his code of conduct violation on Sunday.
The incident took place in the third over of the Nepal chase, where amidst a spirited spell Tanzim had a mid-pitch conversation with Nepal skipper Rohit Paudel.
Tanzim bowled exceptionally well in the game and finished with a match-winning spell of 4/7. Bangladesh took the game by 21 runs.
Tanzim was found to have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match”.
The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Sam Nogajski, along with third umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal and fourth umpire Kumar Dharmasena.
Tanzim admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, and there was no need for a formal hearing.
With dogged self-belief and a proven blueprint for success against the world’s best, Aaron Jones and USA look ahead to a Proteas Super Eights challenge in Antigua.
USA’s Aaron Jones insists his side will carry the same mentality that helped them into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight stage ahead of their meeting with South Africa in Antigua on Wednesday.
USA stun Pakistan in a dramatic Super Over finale in Dallas at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Moving off home shores after a successful group stage push in Dallas, New York and Lauderhill, the Americans travel into the Caribbean now with aspirations of claiming a semi-final spot.
On the crest of the World Cup wave Jones says the camp is buoyant, with the mantra of fearless cricket he vowed before the tournament to continue.
“The boys are happy, the boys are excited to play against the best teams in the world.
“We wanted to do that (come in with energy). We’ve been speaking about that over the last couple of years. And here we are now. We’re just going to enjoy our cricket and, as I said (before matchday one), play fearless cricket all the time.”
Compilation of the best moments for USA’s Aaron Jones in the Group stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Headlined by a win over Pakistan with a Super Over on the scoresheet that if anything undersold their dominance, the Americans also held their nerve on opening night against North American rivals Canada, and gave tournament frontrunners India a push in New York.
Also beating Bangladesh in a bilateral series coming into the tournament, USA’s somewhat measured celebrations after their Pakistan toppling suggested more is expected, with winning against more-fancied teams merely a product of their meticulous process.
“I think it starts with the belief that we could beat anybody,” Jones continued, speaking on the side’s mentality.
“Even before the World Cup we’ve had a few series and obviously everybody knows we came out on top against Bangladesh, who are a really good team to be honest.
“We always believed before the World Cup that we could beat bigger teams or better teams and obviously we showed it against Pakistan. It’s going to be the same mindset going into the Super Eights now.
“We want to play hard cricket and if you come out on top it’s good, if you don’t come out on top then we learn.”
The American success has not gone unnoticed by the best in cricket, with arguably the best observer of the game, ICC Hall of Famer and Australian legend Ricky Ponting, suggesting the match could go either way if South Africa are “five per cent off their game.”
For the Americans, a key part of more success will likely be Jones’ explosiveness with the bat, having flourished even when walking out to bat in difficult circumstances.
Striding out at 42/2 in the seventh over in a chase of 195, Jones plundered 10 sixes to make 94 not out from 40 balls, racing past the target in the 18th over. A knock of 36* (26) and a cool head in the Super Over against Pakistan followed, as the right-hander finished as the most prolific run-scorer in Group A, making 141 runs at strike rate of 160. Of those to pass 100 runs at the tournament, only Marcus Stoinis (190) and Brandon McMullen (170) boast better scoring rates.
The stretch of form belies Jones’s career T20I strike rate that sat at just 105.79 before the tournament began, though the 29-year-old suggests the figure is a red herring, having been forced to play in different ways, dictated by match situations.
“I like to play the situation. I like to play for my team always.
“If it’s the case I’m playing a game and we need five runs an over, I’ll bat to suit. If we need 15 runs or over, I’ll bat to suit.
“I don’t really worry about the whole talk about strike rate and all that other stuff.”
A contingent of travelling American fans is expected, but for the fans back home, new and old, Jones hears their support in the Caribbean as they continue their dream run.
“Over the last few years, we’ve been talking about growing a bigger following as it relates to US cricket and I think it’s growing slowly right now so we definitely thank them for sure.
“Just keep supporting us, keep following us, keep watching our games and we’ll definitely put on a good show for everybody for sure.”
In very tricky conditions for batting, Anrich Nortje burst open Sri Lanka’s batting unit with amazing figures of 4 for 7 as South Africa began their T20 World Cup campaign on the right note with a six-wicket win. The African nation chased down the target of 78 in the 17th over.
Right from the start of Sri Lanka’s innings, it was quite evident that South Africa’s tall pace bowlers would enjoy the conditions. Marco Jansen troubled the Island nations’ openers, and Ottneil Baartman reaped the reward by removing Pathum Nissanka. Nortje then took over by dismissing Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka and Angelo Matthews.
It was a combination of hard length and a couple of shots that went straight to the fielders patrolling the leg-side boundary that did the damage against the Sri Lankan batters. In fact, none of them crossed the 20-run mark. Kusal was the top-scorer with 19 runs, while Matthews contributed 16. Eventually, Sri Lanka were bundled out in the final over.
South Africa, too, found the conditions rather tough. If Sri Lanka had added another 30 runs or so, they might have even emerged victorious. For South Africa, Quinton de Kock compiled a patient 27-ball 20. Heinrich Klaasen, lower down the order, smacked a four and a six off Wanindu Hasaranga as South Africa inched closer to victory. David Miller then provided the finishing touches.
Sri Lanka will play their next fixture versus Bangladesh on June 7. South Africa lock horns against their bogey team, the Netherlands, the following day.
Ireland will hope to put up a good show in the T20 World Cup. PC – Abu Dhabi Cricket
Ever since Ireland punched above their weight to usurp Pakistan, Bangladesh and England in the 2007 and 2011 50-over World Cups, there has been a sense of intrigue surrounding the European nation. But in the last few years, despite achieving full-member status, Ireland have kind of lost momentum. Yes, there was a defining win over the eventual world champions, England, in 2022, but that has been the only time they have progressed to the main round of the T20 mega event since the 2009 edition.
So, how will Ireland fare this time around in the upcoming T20 World Cup? Can they cause an upset? For starters, Ireland are placed in a tough group, which also has the Asian giants, Pakistan and India. In particular, India have an amazing record against supposedly weaker cricketing nations. So, logically, Ireland’s best hope could be a third-place finish, ahead of Canada and the United States of America.
What about the squad that they have picked? Who are the potential game-breakers, ahead of their all-important clash versus India? Ireland depends more on collective strength than individual brilliance, but in Paul Stirling they have a player who can disrupt the powerplay overs. He is a fine player against spin bowlers who take the ball away from the right-hander, especially in the first six overs.
The one issue with Stirling is that he is known to get cute 20s and 30s without converting them into big scores. It shouldn’t come as a major surprise that his last three scores in the shortest format have been 21, 36 and 32. Harry Tector, the middle-order bat, is a good-looking player and has a noteworthy record in the 50-over format. Having said that, his T20 numbers aren’t great – 1345 runs at an average of just over 23 and strike-rate of 121.06. Andy Balbirnie, the captain, and Lorcan Tucker too haven’t exactly scorched the T20 format with their willowy prowess.
George Dockrell, lower down the order, has turned into a fine striker of the ball. Just under two years ago, Dockrell and Curtis Campher had shared a game-changing stand versus Scotland in Hobart. The interesting part of that partnership was the taller Dockrell targeting the straight boundaries and Campher being adept at bisecting gaps square of the wicket on both sides.
The one positive sign for Ireland’s batting unit was that in the recently concluded three-match series versus Pakistan, they notched up totals in excess of 175 in all the games. And they even hunted down a target of 183 in one of those contests, with Balbirnie and Dockrell’s contributions proving to be the difference.
Incidentally, this is what Heinrich Malan, the current coach head, had told yours truly after Ireland’s decent showing in the 2022 World Cup. “I guess, the way the summer was set up for us, we knew that we had a lot of T20 cricket, obviously the focus was on creating some clarity around that space,” he said. “And if you look at where we are at now, we probably have done that nicely, we have got a real understanding how we want to operate. Process driven. How we develop consistency around these behaviours.
“The way we started off against India, it probably gave a lot of surprise in the way we struck the way we said we wanted to play. Then when we were playing against New Zealand, there was a little bit of disappointment in the way we played, so that second part of our learning was probably, the real disappointment.”
Bowling-wise, too, their performance is subject to a group of players putting up a good show. Josh Little, with his waspish pace and left-arm angle and swing, will have to provide heft to the seam attack, alongside Mark Adair. Craig Young extracts some bounce while Barry McCarthy is a disciplined bowler. Ben White, Dockrell and Gareth Delany complete the spin attack. The one small silver lining is that they will open their World Cup campaign against India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
During the Sri Lanka-South Africa encounter, the track offered enough assistance for the pace bowlers and, to an extent, to the spinners as well. Yes, India clearly have the better pace and spin attacks of the two. However, India’s spin threat might be negated to some extent, and it also gives Ireland a window of opportunity to strike upfront versus India’s top order. Will Ireland progress to the next round? Unlikely. The European nation, though, would believe they can give a couple of established nations a run for their money.
Rishabh Pant in action vs Ireland (PC: Debasis Sen)
Rishabh Pant is a born fighter, everyone knows that. Yet, what the Delhi-born wicket-keeper came up with against Ireland on Wednesday at the dirt-track type drop-in pitch at the Nassau County Stadium, was sensational.
There has been plenty of chatter around Pant for years. He is indeed blessed, a term which now sticks to him even more, after his miraculous recovery from a major car accident in December 2022 near Roorkee.
To come out of that high-speed car accident, undergo three reconstruction ligament surgeries on his right knee and bounce back has been defining. If people say there is a divine touch to this audacious wicket-keeper batter, Pant bouncing back to form has been mind-blowing.
The sceptics thought, when he was named captain for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, it was risk-laden. No, Pant used it not just as an opportunity to test his knees, in terms of flexibility and the ability to bend and “keep” for 20 overs in a match, he was also mastering his shot production.
What has come across as a revelation is how the team management, captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid, have used Pant at the No.3 position, high up the batting order. If the first practice match against Bangladesh was an experiment of sorts, it was bold. Pant responded, smacking a half ton.
Would that be prudent, to experiment in the ICC T20 World Cup, sending Pant up the order? Well, Pant has always been brave and bold as a batter, red ball cricket or white ball cricket. The pitch was dicey, batters like Rohit and Pant himself, took blows on their elbows. It was testing, more in the mind. But then, when was Pant ever scared in his life?
Rishabh Pant vs Ireland with his reverse scoop (PC: BCCI/X)
His fightback from knee reconstruction, after being taken care of by well-known ortho surgeon Dinshaw Pardiwalla is well documented. It is in rehab and strengthening, Pant defied the odds. He had put on weight, yet he knew how to shed weight, so that it was not harder on his knees. The kind of agility which Pant has shown is captivating.
A wicket-keeper job is not easy at all, more so when the pitch is playing tricks. Pant was alert, his reflexes fantastic. He was ready to do his job and even leap high when the fast bowlers were extracting bounce which was so different from feather-bed tracks prepared for the IPL.
It was, as if, a trial for Pant to show his skills as a ‘keeper and then come out smoking with the bat. Yes, the Ireland bowling attack is not the best in the world but Pant still showed that to be promoted to No.3, he was not going to be weak. His response was similar to that of a heavyweight boxer’s mindset, no fear, just smash the white ball. His reverse scoops and that final six left fans in awe.
“It was sheer rhapsody watching Pant play. I mean, we came from Boston to New York to see India and Pant was such fun,” M.Gopinath, a Boston-based NRI told RevSportz. Gopi is in his mid-50s, played club cricket in New Delhi and has followed Indian cricket for more than 45 years as a fan. “I have been a wicket-keeper myself, so to watch Rishabh Pant leap in the air, grab the ball and then bat like a possessed man was awesome,” gushed Gopi.
Indeed, for Team India, Pant arriving in international cricket after that major car accident has been nothing short of a miracle. To score 36 runs not out off 26 balls was beautiful to watch. So what if it was Ireland as opposition.
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