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The stands were inaugurated before the start of the second men’s T20I between India and South Africa at the venue

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Dec-2025India women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur and former India men’s allrounder Yuvraj Singh had stands named after them at the New Chandigarh Stadium. The stands were inaugurated before the start of the second men’s T20I between India and South Africa at the venue.Harmanpreet and Yuvraj were at the stadium, surrounded by their team-mates, family and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on the occasion. Yuvraj was also seen giving a pep talk to the Indian team during the pre-match huddle.Yuvraj retired from international cricket in 2019, having made his India debut in 2000. He has played 40 Tests, 304 ODIs and 58 T20Is, last playing for India in 2017. A solid middle-order batter and a left-arm spinner, Yuvraj was part of India’s title win at the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. He had a dream run at the 2011 ODI World Cup, finishing as Player of the Series for his 362 runs and 15 wickets in India’s successful campaign.Harmanpreet, who recently captained India to their first-ever Women’s World Cup win in November this year, is one of the most influential figures in women’s cricket. An explosive batter who made her India debut in 2009, she has so far played six Tests, 161 ODIs and 182 T20Is. She has 4409 runs in ODIs and 3654 runs in T20Is respectively.

Chasing 262, PBKS reached their target with eight balls to spare on a night of unstoppable hitting

Himanshu Agrawal26-Apr-20242:07

Rapid fire: Is this the worst time to be a bowler?

Like temperatures across the whole of India, run-scoring and six-hitting in IPL 2024 are going only one way – up. In an unbelievably ruthless display of batting, Punjab Kings hunted down 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders to record the highest successful chase in all of T20 history, and got there with eight balls to spare. They hit 24 sixes, six more than what KKR managed, and the two teams together set the record for the most sixes in any T20 game.In the process, Jonny Bairstow roared back to form to smack his second IPL hundred. Shashank Singh, one of PBKS’ finds of the season, clubbed 68* from only 28 balls, eight of which disappeared over the boundary. Amid all that, Sunil Narine stood apart with figures of 4-0-24-1 for KKR.That came after he continued his dream season with the bat, pummeling 71 off 32 deliveries in an opening partnership of 138 in 10.2 overs. Phil Salt, Narine’s opening partner, also rode on his form – and some luck – to rush to 75 from 37. But all of that went in vain.Jonny Bairstow shellacked KKR to all parts and brought up his century in 45 balls•BCCI

Prabhsimran dominates the powerplay

Eden Gardens had just taken in the enormity of the home team’s batting effort when PBKS replied in kind, pumping their highest-ever powerplay score of 93 for 1. And Prabhsimran Singh dominated this phase despite not getting to face a single ball of the sixth over. Coming on as Impact sub at the start of the chase, he hammered 54 off 20 balls, the highlight of his innings coming when he went after KKR debutant Dushmantha Chameera in a 23-run third over. There were five sixes in his innings, including a scoop over fine leg off Chameera.Bairstow then went 4, 6, 4, 4, 6 off Anukul Roy in the sixth over, before Prabhsimran, responding to the call for a quick single from the non-striker’s end, was run out off the last ball of the powerplay.

Bairstow carts KKR all around

Bairstow was dropped by PBKS after managing just 96 runs in his first six innings this season. And he took his time finding his feet in his return game, scoring just 12 off his first 10 balls. But his assault on Roy gave a hint of what was to come. He found a bit of help in the ninth over, though, when Roy dropped him while flinging himself to his left at long-off, and failed to prevent the ball from going for six. That shot off Varun Chakravarthy brought up Bairstow’s fifty, off 23 balls.Bairstow went after Varun again in the 11th over, launching him for a six over long-off, chipping a four over the bowler’s head, and swat-pulling him for another six. When Bairstow got to his hundred off 45 balls to end the 16th over, PBKS needed 52 from 24.2:07

Rapid fire: Is this the worst time to be a bowler?

Shashank helps PBKS sail through

Shashank came to the crease when Narine, who somehow conceded just two fours and a six in his four overs, dismissed Rilee Rossouw for a 16-ball 26 in the 13th over. It was the first time he had batted above No. 6 for PBKS, and he quickly made his liking for the promotion evident, hitting Varun for back-to-back leg-side sixes when he had just faced three balls.The game was tilting PBKS’ way when the last four overs began, and the 16th made them clear favourites, as Shashank thumped Chameera for three sixes – a swat, a scoop, and a pull – as PBKS’ required rate fell to less than two runs per ball. The match ended in a hurry, as Shashank clattered three more sixes, off Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh, and the crowd began to disperse even before the result was officially confirmed. Shashank was batting on 25 when Bairstow reached his hundred; the match ended with Shashank on 68 and Bairstow on 108.Phil Salt and Sunil Narine put on 137 off just 62 balls•BCCI

Salt, Narine set up daunting KKR total

PBKS dropped Salt twice and Narine once inside the first seven overs, and the two turbocharged openers ran away to 83 for no loss in that time. By the time KKR had reached the halfway point of their innings, they had added another 54 to their score. Narine reached his fifty in the eighth over, bringing it up 23 balls, and Salt got to his in the next over.At the 10-over mark, ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster predicted a KKR total of 282.PBKS finally separated the opening pair when Rahul Chahar got Narine to mishit a big shot and find Bairstow at long-on. Who knew then that Bairstow would have so much of a say later in the day?KKR promoted Andre Russell up to No. 4, and he entered in the 13th over. Facing his second ball, he upper-cut Sam Curran for four to deep third. Chahar then bowled a quiet 14th over, conceding just seven runs, but it was only a temporary bit of respite, as Russell, Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer – who hit Curran for 6, 4, 6, 6 to end the 19th over – joined hands to take 85 off the last six overs.KKR’s total of 261 for 6 would have been the second-highest in IPL history if it had been made before this season. As it happened, it was only the seventh-highest at the halfway point of this game, and the eighth highest by the time it was done.

However he added that the former coach lost ‘a fair few players’ during his tenure

AAP10-Jan-2023David Warner claims Cricket Australia’s decision to only offer Justin Langer a six-month contract was a “kick in the face”, while admitting the coach lost several key players in the team.The build up to and fallout of Langer’s exit as coach last year is a key focus of the second season of documentary, which will be released on Friday on Prime Video.Langer’s departure at the end of last summer came after Cricket Australia took on board concerns over the coach’s intensity at the end of his initial four-year deal. He was offered a new six-month contract with no chance of an extension, which he promptly rejected and resigned.Langer has since made clear his frustration over the situation, speaking out in several interviews and columns before the start of the Test summer.Related

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Warner’s comments come after after Tim Paine also labelled the short contract “embarrassing”, “unprofessional” and “a disgrace” in his autobiography, claiming CA took the easy way out knowing Langer would not accept it.”He wanted to keep coaching. It was a bit of a kick in the face to offer him a six-month contract,” Warner said in the documentary.Regardless, Warner also laid bare the situation within the squad. “He lost a fair few players, and probably the wrong players,” he said.The documentary shows the players speaking candidly on the Langer issue, with captain Pat Cummins telling AAP this week he is hopeful it can provide context and take some of the heat out of any lingering public anger over the matter.In the first episode of the series, Cummins says players were walking on eggshells around the coach, while Usman Khawaja reveals others were afraid of Langer.Nathan Lyon admits he struggled with Langer’s up-and-down nature, with the former Test opener known for riding every ball.Players, however, also make clear Langer’s significant influence in the rebuild from the ball-tampering scandal and the revival of the national team’s public image. But, Cummins is adamant the decision to move on from Langer should not have come as a shock.”The Ashes, it all came to a head because his contract came up,” Cummins told viewers. “There was nothing out of the blue. We had spoken about a lot of these things over the previous 18 months to two years He was brilliant when we needed him in those initial years.”Cummins and other players reasoned the team had wanted to create a more level player-driven environment after the 2020-21 home series loss to India.”The team had changed a lot over a four-year period,” quick Josh Hazlewood said.  “We were probably in need of a different support staff and different coach, as opposed to four years ago when JL started.”

Visitors indebted to Luke Hollman’s four wickets, Sam Robson’s 76 as Danny Lamb threatens to steal game

ECB Reporters Network03-Aug-2021Middlesex’s young bowlers just about held their nerve to secure a six-run win over Lancashire in a magnificent Royal London Cup match at Emirates Old Trafford.Defending 257, the visitors were indebted to 20-year-old leg spinner Luke Hollman, who took 4 for 56, but the visitors had to withstand a late assault from Danny Lamb, whose 21-ball 33 looked as though it might win the game until he was bowled by Ethan Bamber when four balls remained in the game.Middlesex’s total owed much to Sam Robson’s 81-ball 76 and also to Martin Andersson’s partnerships with tailenders Thilan Wallalawita and Bamber that saw 67 runs added for the last two wickets in less than ten oversThe visitors probably envisaged making an even bigger total when they were 80 for 1 in the 18th over but Stevie Eskinazi became the second of his side’s batters after Josh de Caires to be caught by Lamb when he top-edged a rank full-toss from George Balderson to fine leg where the Lancashire all-rounder dived full length to clutch the ball in his right hand.Eskinazi’s departure for 45 was followed by that of the Middlesex skipper Peter Handscomb for 14 seven overs later and once again Lamb literally had a hand in things when he dived backwards from short fine-leg to take a one-handed snare off Jack Morley.Related

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By that stage Robson had reached his fifty off 54 balls and the four-day opener continued to bat fluently despite injuring his groin and needing a runner. Robbie White was caught behind off leg-spinner Luke Wells for 18 and that wicket started a collapse that saw Middlesex decline from 154 for 3 to 190 for 8 in nine overs.Three of the five wickets were taken in eight balls by Tom Bailey, who finished with 3 for 33 and was clearly the pick of his side’s attack. Indeed Bailey was the only bowler to concede less than five runs an over and Wallalawita helped himself to two sixes and a couple of fours when Jack Morley and Liam Hurt’s radar malfunctioned. Andersson ended the innings unbeaten on 42.Lacashire’s reply began badly as both Josh Bohannon and Wells fell to Bamber and James Harris for single-figure scores but Keaton Jennings and Rob Jones had put on 63 in some comfort before Jennings injured his calf when setting off to complete a leg bye.Following treatment he was helped from the field in obvious pain but Jones and Steven Croft added a further 77 before Croft fell to Hollman for 41. Balderson then hit de Caires for two sixes over the short leg-side but both he and Jones were dismissed by Hollman, whose eighth over was crucial in deciding the outcome.Jones was caught by de Caires at long-off for a career-best List A score of 72 but that only prompted Lamb’s defiant assault that nearly brought Lancashire a famous victory. Jennings’ injury prevented him coming out to bat when Lancashire’s ninth wicket fell.

Batsman says he realises his comments could harm the CPL, which he doesn’t intend to do

ESPNcricinfo staff16-May-2020Chris Gayle has avoided sanction for his public criticism of Ramnaresh Sarwan and other Jamaica Tallawahs personnel, after the CPL Tournament Committee (CTC) said in a media release on Friday that it was satisfied with the batsman’s statement, even though he stood by his comments – calling Sarwan a “snake” and “vindictive”, and accusing the franchise owners of “playing a game”.A three-member independent tribunal had been looking into Gayle’s comments, made in a YouTube video on April 27, where he had made clear his displeasure at being abruptly ousted by Tallawahs for the 2020 season.In the statement, Gayle indicated that he realised how his words might bring disrepute to the tournament and Cricket West Indies. “I made these videos with one single intention – to explain to the fans in Jamaica the reasons behind what has now become my second departure from Tallawahs franchise,” Gayle’s statement read. “It was my greatest wish to finish my CPL career in Jamaica – playing in front of my home crowd at Sabina Park with the franchise that I had previously led to two CPL titles.ALSO READ: Tallawahs ‘weirdest’ team I’ve ever played for – Andre Russell“In so far as my resentment at the treatment, I stand by my comments in those videos. My words were spoken from the heart. Having said that, I must be honest and say that I now realize how portions of my comments may be viewed as being damaging to Cricket West Indies, and to the CPL Tournament and its brand – a tournament which I have sincerely enjoyed not just being a part of, but also helping to build and promote.”The CTC said it was satisfied that Gayle would continue to act in good faith and the tribunal, set up after a formal complaint on May 6, would no longer be needed, and that the CTC, CPL, and CWI all considered the matter closed.Gayle had returned to Tallawahs – the Jamaica CPL franchise – last season after a stint with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots for the two seasons. Gayle had been given a three-year contract and said he had always wanted to end his career in the “uniform” of Tallawahs. But in a late development late in April, he ended up signing for St Lucia Zouks. Just about a week after that, he lashed out at Sarwan, who is an assistant coach at Tallawahs, the chief executive Jeff Miller and owner Krish Persaud.With Sarwan, in particular, Gayle had indicated the issue went as far back as to their Under-19 days in 1996, when a complaint about Gayle watching TV late into the night forced head coach Gus Logie to evict him from a camp.Gayle said in his video that Tallawahs had a “good” team last season, but were “traumatised” by Sarwan, who he claimed was close to Persaud. “Sarwan wanted to be the manager, he wanted to be the coach. But Sarwan is like the owner for the team because Sarwan go back and tell the owner what transpired within the team,” Gayle had said. “Sarwan want to put curfew for players when game starts at 8 o’clock. Sarwan, when me and you play for West Indies, we used to party every night, so why you want to put curfew for players, why do you want to tie down players?”Sarwan you are a snake. You are so vindictive. You are still immature. You are still stabbing people in the back. You are still carrying news. When you gonna change, Sarwan, seriously? When are you planning to change?”Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle during their Test-playing days•Getty Images

Following the outburst, Sarwan had “categorically” denied any hand in Gayle’s ouster from the team and said that decision had come from the owners and management.”In that video, he has levelled false allegations and tarnished the good name and reputation of a series of persons,” Sarwan had said. “I was the focus of most of the onslaughts. I reply, not because I feel that Gayle’s rantings are worthy of it, but because I feel that the public’s record must be set straight and also, to protect the character and careers of so many people, whose image he sought to besmirch.”On Wednesday, CWI president Ricky Skerritt had hinted on a Trinidad-based radio station that Gayle’s comments might draw sanctions for bringing the game to disrepute, given that he was still active in the league and not a retired player speaking as an outsider.The CPL, independent from the CWI, was satisfied with the statement, which went on to say: “It was never my intention to damage the T20 Tournament, as playing in the CPL has guaranteed an opportunity for the past 7 years to play in front of the great fans of the Caribbean. This is a privilege which I genuinely appreciate and have never taken for granted.”Right now, my eyes are fixed firmly on the season ahead, and the new challenge which playing for the St. Lucia Zouks franchise will bring. I hope to see you there.”The tournament is scheduled for August-September this year.

Hardik Pandya came close to taking a wicket in Hamilton on several occasions, but instead ended up with 44 for 0

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Feb-2019
4.3
HH Pandya to Munro, FOUR, magnificent! Picks the length early and whips this up and over the infield as it bounces past Vijay Shankar at deep midwicket. Vijay covered good ground again but the ball spun away and he ended up crashing into the advertising hoardings. Seems fine though12.1
HH Pandya to Munro, 1 run, dropped by Khaleel! Slower short one, spinning away from the batsman who plays half a pull, skies it towards backward square leg where Khaleel goes reverse cups but drops12.5
HH Pandya to Munro, 4 leg byes, a bouncer on middle and leg, goes for the pull, gets an edge that goes just over the short third man fielder [Pant], another boundary for Munro. Signalled leg-byes, might have just hit the elbow17.1
HH Pandya to de Grandhomme, 1 run, slower one outside off and smashed in the air towards extra cover, Rohit dives to his right and spills

As if being England’s youngest specialist spinner for 90 years was not demanding enough, Mason Crane underwent the ritual glare from a posse of cricket experts

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jan-2018England supporters had waited all series but finally, in Sydney, Mason Crane became the youngest specialist spinner to play for England for 90 years.England’s record for producing legspinners is an abysmal one as Andrew Miller reflected in his round-up of the Not-so-Famous Five who have plugged a gap or two in the past half-century.So just to see Crane, at 20 years and 320 days, become the youngest England spinner since Ian Peebles played against South Africa in 1928 was something to celebrate.Crane might have followed Tom Curran in claiming Steven Smith as a maiden Test wicket had his edge not fallen short of Joe Root at slip. And twice, inside-edges from Usman Khawaja fell short of short leg and he also edged between wicketkeeper and slip.By the time it was all over, although Crane went wicketless in his 17 overs, a long line of former England and Australia players were queuing up to offer praise.Mason Crane bowls on debut at the SCG•Getty Images

It has become part of a legspinner’s initiation ceremony to undergo an evaluation from Shane Warne, the greatest leggie of them all. “His action is nicely balanced, there is nice momentum and he explodes through the crease,” Warne said before adding: “He’s very aggressive. He is feisty, looks to get into the batsman’s space. He won’t back down from the challenge.”On ESPNcricinfo, Graeme Swann, said: “I think it was a good day, a day that showed a lot of promise. It’s never easy bowling wrist spin, full stop, it was a hot day, a very good batting pitch, but he bowled 16 overs of very solid legspin.”Another former England spinner, Vic Marks, said: “The simple fact is Mason Crane has bowled impressively and with zest. I think he’s done pretty well.Mental strength was picked on by several observers, including the regular ESPNcricinfo contributor, Mark Butcher. Butcher said: “I’m not surprised that he’s settled quickly because one of his great strengths and, for me, one of the things that make him stand out among English spinners of many vintages is that he doesn’t seem to carry a lot of the mental fragility that his predecessors have done.”Mason Crane receives his Test cap from Graeme Swann•Getty Images

Ebony Rainford-Brent, who won the Women’s World Cup as a player, added: “Mason has got a little bit about him. I like energetic actions; I like bowlers who get through the crease. He’s very light on his feet – ballerina-esque.”Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, can be a demanding judge, but he seemed happy enough. “Mason has got the right style of energy and he gets plenty of revolutions on the ball,” he said, before adding a rider: “He’s not the kind of bowler you’d see playing every single Test match but we’ve seen enough today to know that, if England work well with him, there’s things to be worked on over the next few years.”That leaves the most trenchant observer of all – Vaughan’s fellow Yorkshireman Geoffrey Boycott. But, on second thoughts, that’s enough to be going on with. Best to let the toughest critic of all take a look for at least another day.

Masabata Klaas, Moseline Daniels and Odine Kirsten were vital to South Africa Women pulling off only their second victory over New Zealand Women in ODIs

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Mignon du Preez struck six fours during her 44 off 76 balls•ICC

Seamers Masabata Klaas, Moseline Daniels and Odine Kirsten took seven wickets between them to set up South Africa’s second win over New Zealand in ODIs. Their first had come in this series as well.After opting to bowl in the rain-reduced, 39-overs-a-side game South Africa left New Zealand at 53 for 5 in the 15th over. Daniels made the first breakthrough when she had Rachel Priest caught by Kirsten for 3. Four balls later, the other opener, Suzie Bates fell for 3 as well. Kirsten and Klaas then sliced through the batting line-up before Daniels returned to bowl New Zealand out for 130.Katey Martin stood out amid the collapse with her second ODI fifty. She stayed unbeaten on 65 off 80 balls, including five fours. Amy Satterthwaite and Holly Huddleston were the only other batsmen to reach double-figures.New Zealand felt a sliver of hope when Lea Tahuhu and Erin Bermingham took two early wickets in the chase but former captain Mignon Du Preez, who made 44 off 76 balls, and her successor Dane van Niekerk, who scored an unbeaten 36 off 61 balls, helped South Africa regain the initiative. Du Preez and debutant wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta fell in the 37th over, but van Niekerk and Suné Luus completed the chase with eight balls and five wickets to spare.The seventh and final ODI is scheduled for Monday. New Zealand, having won four matches, would take the series.

A round-up of all the Ranji Trophy Group C matches on October 3, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2015
ScorecardFile photo: After scoring 91 on a turning track, Ravindra Jadeja finished with 11 wickets in the match•Associated Press

This was Ravindra Jadeja’s match. After scoring 91 in the first innings to take Saurashtra to 307 on a turning track, he took six wickets to enforce a follow-on on Tripura. On the third morning he completed his second five-for of the match to help Saurashtra win by an innings and 118 runs. The win gives Saurashtra full seven points, and Jadeja a timely return to form and confidence at the start of India’s season. This was his third 10-wicket match haul in first-class cricket.Tripura began the day on 11 for 3, and resisted Saurashtra’s charge for what looked a certain innings win, but the other Jadeja – Dharmendrasinh – broke the back of their resistance. Once he got Maura Singh out at the team score of 56, the rest fell like a house of cards. Seven wickets fell for 30 runs, and the only contest now left was between the Jadejas: who would complete the five-for. Tripura’s ninth wicket fell to Dharmendrasinh, tying the two Jadejas at four wickets apiece. Ravindra, though, ended the proceedings with the return catch of Tushar Saha, his third such dismissal of the innings.
ScorecardThat Services would win, chasing 77 in the fourth innings, was almost a foregone conclusion at the start of the third day’s play. Their openers still began under pressure for on their staying till the end depended the extra point from the match. If Services had won by 10 wickets, they would have got seven points, otherwise just the six. Anshul Gupta and captain Soumik Chaterjee began cautiously, adding 59 in 24 overs, but Chaterjee fell to the Jharkhand quick Rahul Shukla. Thereafter Gupta and Ravi Chauhan completed the formalities to send Services to top of Group C for a couple minutes. Two minutes later Saurashtra completed their win, and went past them by one point.
ScorecardCenturies from Sachin Baby and Sanju Samson powered Kerala to a 155-run lead against Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar. Kerala, who began at 158 for 2, were dealt an early blow on day three when Rohan Prem, the overnight batsman, was dismissed for 69. Baby and Samson, though, held firm, batting through the next 57 overs and adding 177 for the fourth wicket. Samson, on his captaincy debut, struck 101 with 16 fours before being dismissed by Ram Dayal. Baby, however, hung around with the lower middle order and made his way to 151. He hit 21 fours and one six during his 310-ball knock, but was removed in the penultimate over of the day, as Kerala ended with 485 for 8.
ScorecardFour Goa batsmen chipped in with fifties, as a strong performance from the team’s top and middle order secured a first-innings lead against Hyderabad in Povorim. Goa, who began at an overnight score of 47 for 1, powered to 349 for 5 thanks to handy knocks from Swapnil Asnodkar (53), Rituraj Singh (59), Sagun Kamat (81 not out) and Darshan Misal (67). Asnodkar and Rituraj laid the groundwork, sharing a 98-run stand for the second wicket. Hyderabad fought back with two quick scalps, but Kamat strung together two more big partnerships – 69 for the fourth wicket with captain Dheeraj Jadhav, and 120 for the fifth with Misal – to ensure Goa carried a lead of 24 going into the final day.

Joe Burns’ sure-handed century took Queensland to first-innings points over Tasmania before a late burst of wickets kept the Tigers in the contest on day two of the Sheffield Shield match at the Gabba

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2013
ScorecardJoe Burns’ sure-handed century took Queensland to first-innings points over Tasmania before a late burst of wickets kept the Tigers in the contest on day two of the Sheffield Shield match at the Gabba.The Bulls quickly rolled up Tasmania’s tail on the second morning before Burns produced the spinal innings for the hosts, well supported by a typically doughty 72 from the captain James Hopes.At 6 for 250, the Bulls had a chance of building a major lead, but Luke Butterworth claimed Ryan Harris and Cameron Gannon in successive balls to keep the match finely balanced.