"The opposition seem to be doing a lot of the talking at the moment about it. We just concentrate on what we do," Ben Stokes had replied to Dean Elgar's comments a day before the Lord's test between England and South Africa reached its start.&nbsp;



The ongoing series against South Africa was always going to be crucial for England. More so, after RSA skipper Dean Elgar had discarded their BazBall approach as something sans 'longevity'.&nbsp;



Days ahead of RSA's tour of England, Elgar had said, "The New England style is quite interesting. But I do not see that there's longevity in brave cricket because I see things evening out over time in Test cricket. I think it can go one of the two ways for them and it can go south very quickly."



It did go pretty 'south' for Stokes and co. in the first test against the Proteas.&nbsp;



Put in to bat first for the first time since their adoption of the BazBall approach, England never had a clue.&nbsp;



On a Day 1 deck with overcast conditions, the English batters were exposed against the pace quartet of Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje.&nbsp;



England were bundled for 165 in the first innings as Rabada claimed 5 by his bowling trickstery and Nortje took three scalps, including that of in-form <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/jonny-bairstow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jonny Bairstow</a> who played all over Nortje's rocket of an in-swinger that shattered his stumps.?



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2022/08/bairstowengvsa_1200x768-1024x576.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-93112"/><figcaption>Jonny Bairstow failed to fire in both the innings and had no answer to the searing pace of Nortje (Photo Credit: AP)</figcaption></figure>



Though the SA bowlers definitely put on a class act, England's overly attacking theme also turned out to be a major cause of their downfall. The dismissals of Crawley, Lees, Bairstow, and Stokes were rash.&nbsp;



England's second innings wasn't much better either as the side could only manage 149. Once again, half the cause of demise was the attacking intent: Crawley got LBW while sweeping off a full ball, Foakes poked at a delivery very far off the stumps, and Ben Stokes launched Kagiso Rabada straight to long-on.&nbsp;



Obviously, there was some probing bowling from the SA pacers during the hosts' 2nd innings. <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/anrich-nortje/" target="_blank" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/anrich-nortje/" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nortje</a> and Marco Jansen, in particular, orchestrated some testing spells.&nbsp;



Regardless, it was the never-back-down style of England even during these testing phases that caused their disgraceful downfall. Not once did the batters collectively try to save their wickets and respect the bowlers (something they did both against NZ and India).&nbsp;



Except Ollie Pope in the first and Lees in the second innings, none of the knocks from the English camp lasted more than 30 balls.&nbsp;



Death by BazBall: 165 all-out off 45 overs in the first outing (3.67 rpo), and 149 all-out off 37.4 overs in the second (3.96 rpo).&nbsp;



<h2>South Africa outperform England with the bat</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2022/08/images-1-edited.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-93114"/><figcaption>Dean Elgar led with example with his tone-setting 47 (Photo Credit: AP)</figcaption></figure>



Sandwiched between the double-bust from England was a sensible batting clinic that the Proteas staged.&nbsp;



Elgar ?who had spoken so much before the game? showed that he could talk with his bat as well. Combining with Sarel Erwee, the southpaw added 83 runs for the opening wicket before getting undone by Anderson on 47.



Thereon, Sarel Erwee (73 off 146) held one end up as every batter contributed a little from the other end.&nbsp;



However, at one point, they weren't much ahead in the game at 192 for 5 and a long tail ahead.&nbsp;



But Stokes read too much into his bouncer that dismissed Sarel, and the team strategy started to revolve around bodyline bowling. South Africa's lower-order smartly made use of the loose deliveries on offer as Jansen and Maharaj batted attackingly to score 48 and 41 respectively.&nbsp;



England eventually did realize they should've bowled fuller, but by that time, Elgar and co. had already run away with the match, putting 326 runs on the board. The total was enough to help them win the game with an innings and 12 runs.

ENG vs SA: England face death by BazBall to sink to an innings defeat in 1st test against South Africa

eng-vs-sa-england-face-death-by-bazball-to-sink-to-an-innings-defeat-in-1st-test-against-south-africa

Underestimating Pakistan isn't a mistake Rohit Sharma and his men are going to re-commit and starting off with a win in the high-octane first game will help the Men in Blue build early momentum in the 2022 Asia Cup. 



The playing eleven that India fields for their 2022 Asia Cup opener is going to be itching to prove themselves after the 10-wicket mauling they received from Pakistan in the T20WC 2021. In this article, I am going to predict that playing XI is divided into three sections: The Top Order, The Middle order, and the Bowling attack.



<h2>i) The Top Order</h2>



Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul/Rishabh Pant, and Virat Kohli.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized td-caption-align-center"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2022/08/pjimage_-_2021-12-09T220511.642_-1-edited.jpg" alt="Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will carry the onus of playing through the innings for India." class="wp-image-92578" width="1000" height="625"/><figcaption>Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will carry the onus of playing through the innings for India. (Image Credit: BCCI)</figcaption></figure>



Indian skipper Rohit Sharma will open the batting and if KL Rahul recovers from his fitness issues in time, he's gonna be the one partnering Hitman at the top.



The right-handed batter has scored 1832 T20I runs at an average of over 40 and no other batter in the Indian lineup barring King Kohli averages more than him in the format. In case Rahul doesn't make the cut for the 2022 Asia Cup, <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/should-rishabh-pant-open-for-india-in-the-2022-asia-cup/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rishabh Pant</a> is expected to open with Rohit to make the much-effective right-hand left-hand combination.



Slotting in at number three will be a returning Virat Kohli who has made his intentions of helping India win the tournament extremely clear. Though<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/nation-in-unrest-as-virat-kohli-chooses-rest-over-india-tour-of-zimbabwe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> his recent form has been a concern</a>, Kohli's record against Pakistan suggests that he'll be dangerous.



<h2>ii) The Middle Order</h2>



SKY, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik(wk), and Ravindra Jadeja.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full td-caption-align-center"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2022/08/images-2022-08-05T210210.674-1-edited.jpeg" alt="Dinesh Karthik scores 41*(19)." class="wp-image-92576"/><figcaption>DK made a brilliant 41*(19) against the Windies. (Image Credit: AP)</figcaption></figure>



Hardik has benefited a lot from leading Gujarat Titans to the 2022 IPL title and his international second-coming has been a total kill. He'll be batting at 5, following India's Mr. 360 Suryakumar Yadav. SKY has been in sublime touch during the recent tour of the Caribbean and is placed 2nd on the T20I batting rankings.



Dinesh Karthik&nbsp; --following an insane IPL season has made himself undroppable-- and has played some match-turning cameos since his return to the team.



He'll be the designated finisher for not only the game against Pakistan but throughout the Asia Cup 2022. Ravi Jadeja will be his support.



Hardik and Ravindra Jadeja will also share the bowling duties for the team. DK is likely to be the wicket-keeper if KL Rahul opens the batting.



<h2>iii) Bowling attack</h2>



Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, and Yuzvendra Chahal.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full td-caption-align-center"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2022/08/post_image_1046444-2.jpg" alt="Jasprit Bumrah will be pivotal in breaking the Rizwan-Babar opening partnership." class="wp-image-92574"/><figcaption>Bumrah will be pivotal in breaking the Rizwan-Babar opening partnership. (Image Credit: Getty) </figcaption></figure>



The class duo of Bumrah and Bhuvi has not played many T20Is together after the 2021 edition. However, both of them are a certainty for all the 2022 Asia Cup games India will feature in.



In the tournament opener, they're going to test the defences of the Pakistan openers Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam with the new ball.



Harshal Patel is set to partner them at the death and is expected to take wickets with his barrage of slower balls as the yorkers of Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah choke the batters from the other end.



Then there's the spin-wizard Yuzvendra Chahal. The primary spinner of the team, Chahal is a trickster through and through and has taken 79 T20I wickets from just 61 games at an average of 23.95. The match-up of a leggie in Chahal against the right-hand heavy batting line-up of Pakistan may end up being the decisive battle of India and Pakistan's first game in the <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2709745">2022 Asia Cup</a>.

2022 Asia Cup: India playing eleven versus Pakistan (predicted)

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<h2>The Trent Rockets finished third in the last edition of The Hundred and have the pedigree to do even better in The Hundred 2022.</h2>



Though the Trent Rockets finished only behind title-winners Southern Brave and Birmingham Phoenix in the previous edition of The Hundred, the Trent Bridge side has the pedigree to do even better this time around. 



They have strengthened their squad even further by signing two in-form players in Colin Munro (878 runs off his last 28 T20 innings) and rising England all-rounder Ben Mike (15 wickets and 213 runs in T20 Vitality Blast).&nbsp;



The Rockets are going to play the first game of their Hundred 2022 campaign against the Birmingham Phoenix on 06 August. 



If the new additions perform well and the 3 proper game-changers listed here are able to hit form, the Trent Rockets have a great chance of lifting The Hundred 2022 title.



<h2>Trent Rockets: Players to watch out for</h2>



<h3>3. Alex Hales</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2022/08/alexhalesTR2-edited.webp" alt="Alex Hales" class="wp-image-92545"/><figcaption>Image Credit: Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



England Cricket Team's first-ever T20I centurion, 33-year-old Alex Hales is the batsman around which the whole batting line-up of the Trent Rockets will revolve for The Hundred 2022.



Following his lean run in the previous edition of The Hundred, Hales found a lot of success in the 2021 BBL where he scored 384 runs ?including 59 boundaries? at an average of 32.&nbsp;More recently, Hales scored a blistering <a href="https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/watch-magician-alex-hales-smashes-91-off-33-balls-including-17-boundaries-in-t20-blast-3039336" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">91 off 33</a> in the 2022 Vitality Blast.



Trent Rockets will rely on the destructive batter for the bulk of their scoring, especially inside the first 25 balls. Trent's odds of winning The Hundred 2022 title aside, a successful campaign may also see him make it to England's T20 WC 2022 squad at the expense of an out-of-form Jason Roy.



<h3>2. Marchant de Lange</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2022/08/marcahnt-edited.jpg" alt="Marchant de Lange" class="wp-image-92546"/><figcaption>NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - JULY 24: Marchant de Lange of Trent Rockets Men celebrates after taking his fifth wicket during The Hundred match between Trent Rockets Men and Southern Brave Men at Trent Bridge on July 24, 2021, in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



Second on our list of Trent Rockets players to keep an eye out for The Hundred 2022 is the South African pacer, Marchant de Lange.&nbsp;



The imposing quick was the heart and soul of the Rockets' bowling attack last season, taking 12 wickets from 7 matches to end the tournament as the 2nd highest wicket-taker.



The out-and-out pace of de Lange can hurry the best of the batsmen as it did last season. In addition, the RSA-born bowls some deceptive slower ones that often catch the batters by surprise.&nbsp;



He is the only player to have taken a five-for in the T10 league and The Hundred, and that speaks volumes about the lesser-known but highly-effective Marchant de Lange. He'll spearhead Trent Rockets' pace-bowling department.



<h3>1. Rashid Khan</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2022/08/rashidTR-edited.webp" alt="Rashid Khan" class="wp-image-92548"/><figcaption>Rashid Khan (Image Credit: TOI)</figcaption></figure>



Rashid Khan is always the player to watch out for, no matter which league or side he features in. The same will be the case when he represents Trent Rockets in The Hundred 2022.



The 23-year-old Rashid scalped 12 and 19 wickets in the last edition of The Hundred and IPL 2022 respectively. By a comfortable margin, the <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/gujarat-titans-gt-appoint-rashid-khan-as-their-vice-captain-for-ipl-2022/" target="_blank" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/gujarat-titans-gt-appoint-rashid-khan-as-their-vice-captain-for-ipl-2022/" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gujrat Titans vice-captain</a> was the best overseas spinner in both the franchise-cricket leagues.&nbsp;



Rashid is economical, takes wickets, and more importantly-&nbsp; has made it habitual to churn out some game-changing cameos with the bat.&nbsp;



The Afghan spinner will be replaced by SA's Tabraiz Shamsi for the last few games. But until then, he will be the trump card of the Rockets in the middle overs.&nbsp;Most of the batters in the competition are non-Asian and thereby likely to be sub-par against quality spin. They may find it hard to read the subtle variations of 'Karamati Khan', as they like to call him.



Rashid Khan was one of the 10 players that the Trent Rockets retained for The Hundred 2022.

The Hundred 2022: 3 brilliant Trent Rockets players to watch out for

the-hundred-2022-3-talented-trent-rockets-players-to-watch-out-for

<h2>India is all but sure that Rishabh Pant is a regular T20I starter for them. However, he has not found any success in the format as a middle-order batsman.</h2>



Ever since his international debut in February 2017, Rishabh Pant has been a hot topic of discussion in India. He already has more overseas test centuries than every other Indian wicket-keeper combined, and his 89* played a primary role in the famous Gabba Heist. More recently, a Pant hundred helped Rohit and co. trample England in their own backyard in an ODI series.&nbsp;



But apart from that unbeaten 113-ball-125, the southpaw has been very mediocre in limited overs cricket. In his 70 innings across ODIs and T20 internationals, Pant averages just 27.89. These returns diminish to 806 runs from 46 innings if we consider only T20 internationals.&nbsp;



There is a consistent and meritful demand of dropping Rishabh from the shortest format of the game.&nbsp;



India is, regardless, all but sure that Rishabh Pant is a regular T20I starter for them. But is there any space for him?&nbsp;



Hardik Pandya has found his touch back and is the team's primary middle-order batsman. Dinesh Karthik is all set to be the finisher after an IPL 2022 where he smacked 284 runs at an average and strike rate of 57.40 and 191.33 respectively. King Kohli and Suryakumar are irreplaceable as the numbers three and four.&nbsp;



<h2>The case for Rishabh Pant as India's opener for the 2022 Asia Cup</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-style-default"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2022/08/panttwitter2-2.jpg" alt="Rishabh Pant is yet to make a batting spot his own." class="wp-image-92391"/><figcaption>PHOTOGRAPH: BCCI</figcaption></figure>







There is no slot available, except the one at the top and Pant, was tried there for the last two T20Is against England. He replied with an attacking 24 and a poor 1 off 5.&nbsp;



Though he is playing at number 4 during the ongoing tour of the Caribbean, Rishabh Pant more or less faced the new ball during the second T20I and looked like a game-changer for his 12-ball-24 on a pitch where every other Indian batter struggled.&nbsp;He also slogged an <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/obed-mccoy-takes-the-first-ever-five-for-against-india-in-t20-internationals-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unplayable Obed McCoy</a> for a maximum.



The takeaway is that Rishabh Pant has shown some impact in the powerplay. Though the impact has surely been small, it still serves the team better than his confusion and mediocrity as a middle-order bat.&nbsp;



There aren't any opening options in the Indian squad for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Asia_Cup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2022 Asia Cup</a>. Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson are surely a part of it, but Ishan doesn't seem to be a part of the T20WC plans and Sanju throws it away even in domestic cricket. First-choice opener KL Rahul is down due to fitness issues.



Therefore, the 2022 Asia Cup is the perfect time for Rishabh Pant to get a few games as Rohit's opening partner.&nbsp;



If he manages to utilize the field restrictions in the powerplay, he is a better option than Kishan (who often starts off slow). If he fails, KL Rahul can get a direct entry into India's 2022 World Cup XI and the management can drop Rishabh Pant for the time being.&nbsp;



Since India really wants to fit him in the playing eleven for the upcoming T20 World Cup, taking a punt on Pant as an opener for the 2022 Asia Cup is a pretty sensible option.

Should Rishabh Pant open for India in the 2022 Asia Cup?

should-rishabh-pant-open-for-india-in-the-2022-asia-cup

There was all this commotion regarding the logistics issue at St. Kitts and the resultant late start of the 2nd T20I between India and West Indies. However, just three hours after the game, the chatter limited itself to just one phenomenon: Obed McCoy.



Lets me give those who missed the spell a live coverage of the McCoy masterclass and its preceding events.



The match referee is out for the toss and so are the captains of both the sides. Nicholas Pooran calls it right and chooses to bowl first, their 68-run loss in the previous game notwithstanding. But don't criticize the decision from the Caribbean skipper. The first delivery itself is enough to prove him right.



McCoy comes running in, bowls a chest-high delivery that takes off the pitch and takes Rohit Sharma ?who watches his outside edge balloon to backward point? with it.&nbsp;



The next five balls are all no less in quality as all Shreyas Iyer manages to do is defend them and save himself. The first over from Obed McCoy is a maiden.



McCoy returns to bowl the third over of the innings and he strikes again, this time removing an aggressive Suryakumar and reducing the Men in Blue to 2 for 17.&nbsp;Following this, Pooran decides to do Indian batsmen a favour and takes his strike-bowler off the attack for a long while.



Obed McCoy is introduced back into the attack only in the 17th over as India looks for their final flourish from Dinesh Karthik and Ravindra Jadeja. Sadly, McCoy denies it by slipping in an unrecognizable slower slot-ball. Tricked, Ravindra goes into his slog early and miscues it to Powell- who is patrolling the long-on fence.



18.1, McCoy sees Karthik winding up. He also knows that DK likes it pacey and full. Thus, he slips in a slower, length-delivery, which DK mistimes straight to short fine-leg.&nbsp;Two balls later, another slower one and another wicket as Ravichandran Ashwin ?striking it at 200? fails to escape Odean Smith at point. Fifer done.



But that isn't enough for Obed McCoy. The left-armer gives Bhuvneshwar Kumar a taste of his own medicine: a good-length normal-paced delivery around off stump. Result? BK follows DK to the dugout after feathering it to the Caribbean wicket-keeper.&nbsp;



That how it went. Obed started with a wicket, ended with a wicket, and bowled one of the greatest T20 international spells to finish 6 for 17. He also bagged the Player of The Match, won his team the game, and created multiple records.



<h2>The best-ever T20I bowling figures against India, and much more</h2>



Here is a list of records that Obed McCoy owns after his unbelievable bowling performance-



<ol><li>Best-ever T20I figures against India: The previous best bowling performance versus India came from Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga. However, McCoy's 6 for 17 has outshone it by two wickets. Hasaranga's figures read 4 for 9.</li></ol>



<ol start="2"><li>Best-ever T20I figures for West Indies: The Man of The Match winning spell from Obed McCoy is now the best one in West Indies' cricket T20I history, beating Keemo Paul's 5 for 15 against Bangladesh in 2018.</li></ol>



<ol start="3"><li>First-ever West Indies bowler to take a T20 international six-for.&nbsp;</li></ol>



<ol start="4"><li>First-ever bowler to take a T20I five-for against India.</li></ol>

Obed McCoy 6 for 17 in 2nd T20 match against India

Obed McCoy takes the first-ever five-for against India in T20 internationals history

obed-mccoy-takes-the-first-ever-five-for-against-india-in-t20-internationals-history

The day before, when the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) announced the 15 member squad that will tour the Zimbabwean Republic, all eyes waited for Virat Kohli's name to be a part of it. In vain though.



The squad that will see Shikhar Dhawan as the captain for his consecutive ODI tour does not feature Kohli's name.



It is reported by PTI, that the decision of resting against Zimbabwe was the right-hander's own, and not a part of BCCI's plan.



One unnamed BCCI source quoted, "Virat had spoken to selectors that he would be available from the Asia Cup onwards. This is a two-week window after the Windies tour when they can rest."



<h2>Fans are disappointed in Virat Kohli</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2022/07/Virat-Kohli-1-1024x641.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli" class="wp-image-92309" /><figcaption>Virat Kohli (Image Source: BCCI Tv)</figcaption></figure>



The former Indian skipper last played an int'l game on 17 July, and the next one he plays is going to be in the Asia Cup which commences on August 27. Kohli is, as a result, having a rest of more than 40 days; a 'rest' that has now put the nation to unrest.



The majority of the Indian cricket followers have been of the opinion that this attitude from Virat Kohli isn't going to help him. The frustrated fans have taken to Twitter to share their concerns about the same.



"How much rest does Virat need," reads one of the Tweets while another hilariously terms Kohli as 'restli'.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/Rg86037221/status/1553391763607367681
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<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/PeakRohit/status/1553391783832215552
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<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/RipNeutral/status/1553595596610609152
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Nonetheless, there's nothing hilarious about the unrest in India. Just that the nation is getting more and more concerned with every series that the swashbuckling batter misses. Since the 2021 T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli has missed six such international series. It all just adds up to the disappointment.



There's the Asia Cup, and then more importantly, the 2022 T20 World Cup coming up. His form is crucial. However, he is yet to be anywhere near his best and has not been able to score a hundred ever since November 2019. Though Kohli was somewhat amongst the runs earlier, the situation got alarming during the latest limited overs tour of England where he accumulated just 45 runs across 4 innings.



This isn't the Virat Kohli that the nation knows. The beast that smacks a ton every alternate game is the one it is habitual to.



There was this argument that a hundred in the three-ODI series against Zimbabwe may have helped Kohli get back to being that pre-2019 beast he deserves to be. Regardless, with him allegedly choosing to sit the tour out, that argument also goes to rest.

Nation in unrest as Virat Kohli chooses rest over India tour of Zimbabwe

nation-in-unrest-as-virat-kohli-chooses-rest-over-india-tour-of-zimbabwe

On July 29, 2022, when New Zealand took on an associate cricketing nation in Scotland for the 2nd T20I of NZ's tour of the latter, even laymen knew that a Black Caps win was the only possible outcome. However, not a single soul had predicted the degree of carnage that the hosts were to undergo at Edinburgh.



NZ batter Finn Allen (first T20I's Man of The Match) fell for six after his side had decided to bat first. The start was rather bright for Scotland. But the start of their 'bright' was also the end of it.



Mark Chapman served as the lynchpin for the highest T20I cricket total that New Zealand then went on to record.



First, Mark participated in a 35-run-partnership alongside opener Dane Cleaver. Then, the left-hander went on to sweep, swipe, and loft his way to add a quick 62 and 53 with Daryl Mitchell (31 off 19) and Michael Bracewell respectively.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2022/07/New-Zealand-Team-1024x581.jpg" alt="New Zealand Team" class="wp-image-92251"/><figcaption>New Zealand Team</figcaption></figure>



The 28-year-old was eventually dismissed by legbreaker Chris Greaves for a 44-ball-83 ?that included 7 sixes? in the 16th over of the first innings. The scorecard? 175 for 4.



Easier to control runs with the set batter gone. Not really. For strange as it sounds, the actual gung-ho began only after Chapman fell. Michael Bracewell, coming into the series after owning the Irish side in his last international assignment(s), met a hard-hitting Jimmy Neesham. The onslaught followed.



Bracewell sent the ball rolling to all parts of the ground and Jimmy joined the carnage with three maximums of his own. Together, the duo looted a whopping 79 runs off the last 28 deliveries.



Though it was all Chapman for two-thirds of the innings, the closing assault from Bracewell (61* off 25) was of a similar significance.



Both the efforts, combined with several cameos, rewrote the record books of Black Caps cricket: New Zealand scored 254 for 5. It is now their highest-recorded total in T20 international cricket.



The previous highest T20I total from NZ was 243 for five that came against the West Indies back in 2018. Ironically, the centurion and half-centurion of that game ?Colin Munro and Martin Guptill? weren't even a part of the July 29 game. Dane Cleaver was given a go at the expense of Guptill while Munro is nowhere near the international Kiwi cricket scene at present.



Coming back to the New Zealand versus Scotland game, a collective bowling effort saw Mitchell Santner and co. restrict the hosts to 152 for 9 in their quest of 255 runs to earn a comprehensive 102-run-win over the Men in Purple. Neesham and Rippon took two wickets apiece.

New Zealand make record win|New Zealand Team

New Zealand record their highest-ever total in T20 International cricket

new-zealand-record-their-highest-ever-total-in-t20-international-cricket

The wait for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is all set to be over. The tournament will begin on 19th February, and the final will take place on 9th March. The India team, no doubt, will be one of the hot favourites to win the tournament, which will be played in a hybrid model. 
India will be playing all their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 games in Dubai. The Rohit Sharma-led side will be beginning their campaign against Bangladesh on 20th February, and, after that, will be playing Pakistan on 23rd February, followed by New Zealand on 2nd March. 
The departure date of India for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 also has been revealed. As per the reports in Times of India, it is learned that the Rohit Sharma-led side will be travelling to Dubai on 15th February. The reports added that more clarity on the same will come in the coming days. 
<h2>India won't be playing any warmup matches ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025</h2>
Not only this, it is learned that India also won't be playing any warmup matches ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This is because all the teams will be in Pakistan, and hence, it will be difficult for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to arrange the warmup match. 
The reports added that India team management is happy with the net session ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This is because they will be playing the three-match ODI series against England, which will begin on 6th February across three venues in India. 
Apart from this, it is reported that the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 won't be having a captain photoshoot because of the different challenges along with the different arrivals of the team. This means that Rohit Sharma won't be travelling to Pakistan for this and will be staying in Dubai with the team. 
The opening ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be held in Lahore. There were talks of having the event in Karachi but the Pakistan Cricket Board decided to host it in Lahore.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/icc-champions-trophy-2025-babar-azam-s-batting-position-decided-selectors-not-in-favour-of-giving-him-this-role-/#google_vignette">ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Babar Azam's batting position decided; selectors not in favour of giving him this role</a>

India will be playing all their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 games in Dubai.

It is learned that India also won't be playing any warmup matches ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India to travel to Dubai on this date; unlikely to play warmup game

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India batter Shubman Gill has started his preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The premier batter has returned to nets for the white-ball practice as he was named in the Indian team for the ODI series against England and the ICC tournament. 
Shubman Gill has been under a lot of pressure for his poor outings with the bat, especially in Test cricket. With the emergence of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who delivered consistent performances, there were a lot of questions about the place of Gill, even in the ODIs. 
Several fans and experts also have backed Yashasvi Jaiswal to open the innings for India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 along with Rohit Sharma. However, amid all this Shubman Gill is making sure that he gives his best to train for the tournament. 
With England ODIs and ICC Champions Trophy 2025 around the corner, Shubman Gill was seen batting in the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium. He was seen batting with the white-ball ahead of the tournament and the video can be seen at the end of the article. 
Shubman Gill looked in golden touch with the bat as he played a pull towards the four before blocking the balls. The batter would be eager to make a strong comeback and reply to all the criticism in style with his performances in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. 
Shubman Gill recently played the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 for Punjab. The batter was the lone warrior for his team as he hit a magnificent century and returned to form after having a poor outing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, where he played just three games. 
Shubman Gill would want to carry on his form and help a team win. He has been one of the best batters for India in ODIs. He also has been named as the vice-captain of the team for the tournament and with added responsibility under his belt, a lot will be reliant on him.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/watch-dewald-brevis-turns-into-superman-as-he-takes-a-stunner-in-sa20-2025-/#google_vignette">Watch: Dewald Brevis turns into ‘SUPERMAN’ as he takes a stunner in SA20 2025</a> 
<h2>Watch: Shubman Gill begins preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025:</h2>

Shubman Gill gets ready for ICC Champions Trophy 2025 {PC:X}

India batter Shubman Gill has started his preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Shubman Gill has been under a lot of pressure for his poor outings with the bat, especially in Test cricket.

Watch: 'Under pressure' Shubman Gill looks solid in nets ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025

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Pakistan batter Babar Azam has been in the news for the last few days, especially with the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 around the corner. The batter's name has been discussed a lot related to making him open, especially with no clarity over Saim Ayub. 
Pakistan is the only team that has yet to announce the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Since the last few days, he has been in the news as there have been a lot of reports that have suggested that there are chances that he might open the innings for the team. 
However, the fresh reports in Cricket Pakistan have revealed that there are no plans to make Babar Azam open the innings. The reports added that the selection committee has not given the green signal to the development as they feel that batter will be best suited in the middle order. 
<h2>Selectors want a proper opener in the role; Babar Azam to at in middle-order</h2>
The reports claimed that selectors want a proper opener in the role. One of the openers that has been finalized by the management is Fakhar Zaman. However, with Saim Ayub likely to miss out, it is learned that Imam-ul-Haq is also in contention to take the role. 
Babar Azam has been the best batter for Pakistan in ODIs. The batter has mustered truckloads of runs for the team in the format while batting at No.3 and he will be extremely crucial for his team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be played in Pakistan with India games to be played in India. 
Babar Azam also has been a decent opener as well. He has been opening for the team in T20Is and has achieved massive success as well. He also opened in Test cricket during the recent South Africa series and aced that challenge as well, slamming two half-centuries in two innings. 
But, in white-ball cricket, Babar Azam has been criticised a lot for opening in T20Is. This is because he has failed to maximise the powerplay and has been batting with a low strike rate. It remains to be seen where he will be batting for the team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/watch-dewald-brevis-turns-into-superman-as-he-takes-a-stunner-in-sa20-2025-/#google_vignette">Watch: Dewald Brevis turns into ‘SUPERMAN’ as he takes a stunner in SA20 2025</a>

Babar Azam has been the best batter for Pakistan in ODIs.

Pakistan batter Babar Azam has been in the news for the last few days, especially with the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 around the corner.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Babar Azam's batting position decided; selectors not in favour of giving him this role

icc-champions-trophy-2025-babar-azam-s-batting-position-decided-selectors-not-in-favour-of-giving-him-this-role-

India assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate has provided a massive fitness update about batter Rinku Singh ahead of the fourth IND vs ENG T20I. He mentioned that the left-hander has gained full fitness and will be playing the next match of the five-match T20I series. 
India and England are all set to lock horns with each other in the fourth match of the T20I series. The game is all set to be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Thursday (30th January). The series is currently at 2-1, with hosts in the lead. 
India has been without the services of Rinku Singh for the last two games of the IND vs ENG series. The left-hander sustained a low back spasm while fielding in the first game and was then ruled out of the next two games of the series as he was under the observation of the BCCI medical team. 
In his place, the India team added Dhruv Jurel to the XI, and the move didn't pay off. The keeper-batter batted lower down the order and struggled to get going in both games, and it potentially cost them the last match of the series. 
<h2>Rinku Singh is fit and ready to play tomorrow - Ryan Ten Doeschate</h2>
However, in what will be a massive boost, Rinku Singh has been declared fit for the next two games. The development was confirmed by assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate, who said that the batter hit nets and will be playing. He told reporters. 
"Rinku Singh is fit and ready to play tomorrow. He batted yesterday night" 
Rinku Singh has been India's one of the best batters in the T20Is. His absence was felt in the last two games as well, but now, with him being fit, it is expected that he would walk straight into the XI and is likely to add Dhruv Jurel to the team. 
The fourth IND vs ENG T20I will be a great opportunity for India to to seal the series, but they need to make some corrections before heading into the next IND vs ENG match. 
India faced a disappointing 26-run loss in the last match at Rajkot. Their batting was one of the main reasons behind the loss and they would be hoping to make a strong comeback.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/watch-dewald-brevis-turns-into-superman-as-he-takes-a-stunner-in-sa20-2025-/#google_vignette">Watch: Dewald Brevis turns into ‘SUPERMAN’ as he takes a stunner in SA20 2025</a>

India assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate has provided a massive fitness update about batter Rinku Singh ahead of the fourth IND vs ENG T20I

India has been without the services of Rinku Singh for the last two games of the IND vs ENG series.

Rinku Singh to play fourth IND vs ENG T20I? India's assistant coach makes a massive statement

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On Thursday morning, the scene outside New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium was nothing short of extraordinary. A massive crowd had gathered well before the match, eager to witness Kohli in action. Long queues stretched for nearly 2 km, with fans patiently waiting for entry. Given his status as Indian cricket biggest crowd-puller the frenzy was hardly surprising. A huge crowd is gathered to see king kohli in  Arun Jaitley Stadium to watch kohli. Reports says that 2KM long queue was showing outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium for virat kohli.
Ranji Trophy action was peaked on January 30 when Virat Kohli, top  star of Indian crickete team, show in his first Ranji Trophy match after a 12-year. Crowd that was shown 2KM away from Arun Jaitley Stadium to see live playing virat kohli. That shows the fan base that kohli and love for indians.
Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji Trophy after more than a decade has ignited immense excitement among cricket fans, drawing fresh attention to India’s premier domestic tournament. Virat Kohli’s played his last match  in 2012, that was named in Delhi’s starting XI for their clash against Railways.
According to ANI sports  reports Vipul Kashyap, more than 15,000 fans showed up to see Kohli playing in a Ranji Trophy match after 12 year . That  momentous was return after 12 years for cricket fans. The crowd erupted in excitement the moment Kohli stepped onto the field with his teammates. The roar of the fans was deafening, a testament to their admiration for the former India captain. Kohli acknowledged their love, expressing his gratitude with a warm gesture to there fans.
Virat Kohli last played in the Ranji Trophy when Delhi still had former players like Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag. In that match against Uttar Pradesh, he scored 57 runs across two innings, falling to Bhuvneshwar Kumar both times.
Kohli has featured in 23 Ranji matches between 2006  to 2012 debut against Tamil Nadu, scoring 1,574 runs at an impressive average of 50.77, including five centuries. His highest score—173—came against Bengal. A stellar 2009-10 season earned him a Test call-up, and in 2011, he made his debut in whites against the West Indies. 
Reports says that Virat Kohli’s plays more domestic tournament matches to do practice for future matchs and inspire young generation as well. In future we see more such matchs and India top player's to plays such a match in domestic ground.

Huge Crowd Coming To See Virat Kohli In Ranji Trophy

Ranji Trophy action peaked on January 30 when Virat Kohli, the star Indian cricketer, featured in his first Ranji Trophy game after a 12-year gap.

Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji Trophy after more than a decade

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