IPL 2025: 3 notable uncapped youngsters who can make it big in the mega-auction ft. Ayush Badoni

Ankaj Jha
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The IPL 2025 is about to be one of the most highly anticipated seasons, especially with the mega-auction sight. While in the ongoing series’, Ayush Badoni slammed a stunning 165 run knock. Teams are on the verge of announcing their retained players by the first half of September.

Several teams have hinted, on the likes of targeting many big players, like KKR, have shown an inclination towards having Suryakumar Yadav, while reportedly Jonty Rhodes suggested a keen interest over skipper Rohit Sharma.

While several teams, like the Gujarat Titans, will be in search of players in several roles, the Punjab Kings will look for the replacement of Shikhar Dhawan, one of their most reliable batters.

The last season proved that uncapped players can be of immense use, as SRH’s Abhishek Sharma was one of the lead examples with his awestruck form. Also, players like Shashank Singh, Riyan Parag, and Tushar Deshpande proved to be valuable assets to the team.

3 notable uncapped players who can be targeted in the mega-auction:

Priyansh Arya

The young Delhi batter is currently playing for the South Delhi Superstarz in the first season of the Delhi Premier League. The batter has sparked his sinister presence in the competition as he was also a part of his team’s incomparable 308-run total, batting first against the North Delhi Strikers.

Arya posed a serious threat to the opposition as he came to open the innings for the Superstarz and batted stunningly for his hundred alongside the skipper. Arya scored 120 runs off just 50 balls, striking at 240 in which he hit a total of 10 sixes, of which he hit 6 alone in a single over of Manan Bhardwaj.

Many teams are in the hunt for an opener, and Arya will be their best for the role. Equally capable of playing pace and spin, he can be targeted by teams like the Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans, Kolkata Knight Riders, as well as the Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers.

Abhinav Manohar

Abhinav Manohar Maharaja T20
Abhinav Manohar has smashed a record 52 sixes in the season of Maharaja T20 Trophy (Image Credit: The Federal News)

Manohar has played for the Gujarat Titans since the first season of the team’s debut in 2022. Abhinav Manohar has batted fair enough down the order, but the Karnataka player has evolved to be in sublime touch in the Maharaja T20 this season.

Playing for the Namma Shivamogga, Manohar has scored 507 runs in 10 innings, averaging 84.50. All his runs have come at an unbelievable strike rate of 180+. A player in such form is often the target of many franchises, especially when they build a team for the shortest format of the game that demands aggressiveness.

Teams like Royal Challengers Bangalore, previous franchise Gujarat Titans, and also Rajasthan Royals might be looking to rope in a player of his caliber. Especially, RCB will look for a talent to fill in the shoes of Dinesh Karthik, who often played the role of a finisher in the side, and Manohar, having scored most of his runs down the order at the Chinnaswamy, which is RCB’s home ground, will be in his books.

ALSO READ: PAK vs BAN: Pakistan all out for 274 runs as Mehidy Hasan Miraz picks up a five-wicket haul

Ayush Badoni

Badoni is playing as a skipper for the South Delhi Superstarz and the way he batted in the last game against the North Delhi Strikers. Badoni has been scoring in the entire season of the inaugural DPL season.

Ayush scored a historic 165 off just 55 deliveries, striking a remarkable 300, which was unbelievable as it was very near to breaching Chris Gayle’s iconic 175-run knock, which came almost a decade before in the IPL.

Badoni, however, broke all records as he hit 19 sixes in his innings and entered the elite list of hitting most sixes in a T20 game. Badoni has evolved to be a batter in the middle order and can be featured by different teams, like the Royal Challengers, Lucknow Super Giants, or likely the Punjab Kings.

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 All Teams’ Full Squad And Captains

Rahul Chaube
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ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 All Teams’ Full Squad And Captains

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: The countdown is on! In just one month, the world will witness the pinnacle of women’s T20 cricket: The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. A total of 10 elite teams have secured their spots, ready to compete for the ultimate glory in the sport, and here are ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 All Teams’ Full Squad And Captains.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 is set to kick off on October 3rd in the UAE. Originally scheduled to be hosted by Bangladesh, the tournament was relocated due to political unrest in the country.

Australia, the reigning champions, will enter the competition with high expectations, having won the previous edition in South Africa and securing three consecutive ICC Women’s T20 World Cup titles. They will be aiming for a remarkable fourth consecutive victory this year.

Australia to face South Africa in final: Women's T20 World Cup Final on 26 February | SA vs Aus World Cup Final
Australia Women (Getty Image)

India is still in pursuit of their first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title. They reached the closest to the title in 2020 but Australia defended their title by 85 runs and Indian Women could only smell the success not taste it. England and the West Indies have each claimed the title once, marking significant achievements in their cricketing histories.

With 2024 already a landmark year for India after their triumph in the Men’s T20 World Cup, the nation is eagerly hoping for a double celebration with a win in the Women’s T20 World Cup as well. India has announced a formidable squad, featuring a blend of experienced veterans and promising talent, raising expectations that this could be the year they finally lift the trophy.

Women's Aisa Cup 2024: INDIA IN FINAL! India Women defeated Bangladesh Women and Qualified for the Finals
India Women (Getty Images)

The tournament is set to have 10 competitors and they will play 20 matches among them to reach the playoffs. The tournament is scheduled to start on 3 October and the final will be played on 20 October.

The 10 teams are divided into two groups- GROUP A and GROUP B. Below is the groups and teams for the tournament:

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Groups

Group A

  • India Women
  • Australia Women
  • New Zealand Women
  • Pakistan Women
  • Sri Lanka Women

Group B

  • South Africa Women
  • England Women
  • West Indies Women
  • Bangladesh Women
  • Scotland Women

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Squads

India Women: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia (subject to fitness), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil (subject to fitness), Sajana Sajeevan.
Travelling Reserves: Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwar, Saima Thakor
Non-Travelling Reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra

Australia Women: Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

Pakistan Women: Fatima Sana (c), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sundhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal (subject to fitness), Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan.
Traveling reserve: Najiha Alvi (wk). Non-traveling reserves: Rameen Shamim, Umm-e-Hani

West Indies Women: Hayley Matthews (c), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Shemaine Campbelle (vc, wk), Ashmini Munisar, Afy Fletcher, Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Chedean Nation, Qiana Joseph, Zaida James, Karishma Ramharack, Mandy Mangru, Nerissa Crafton

England Women: Heather Knight (c), Danni Wyatt, Sophia Dunkley, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alice Capsey, Amy Jones (wk), Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Linsey Smith, Freya Kemp, Dani Gibson, Bess Heath

Scotland Women: Squad yet to be announced

South Africa Women: Squad yet to be announced

New Zealand Women: Squad yet to be announced

Sri Lanka Women: Squad yet to be announced

Bangladesh Women: Squad yet to be announced

READ: Babar Failed Again! The Poor Run Of Babar Azam Continues Leaving Pakistan Critical | PAK vs BAN 2nd test

SOURCE: ICC OFFICIAL

Babar Failed Again! The Poor Run Of Babar Azam Continues Leaving Pakistan Critical | PAK vs BAN 2nd Test

Rahul Chaube
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Babar Failed Again! The Poor Run Of Babar Azam Continues Leaving Pakistan Critical | PAK vs BAN 2nd Test

PAK vs BAN 2nd Test: Babar Azam, arguably the best batter of the Pakistan Cricket team, has again failed to meet the expectations of the team, fans, and probably even himself. In the ongoing PAK vs BAN 2nd Test, the former skipper Babar Azam got out after getting a good start and this is a real disappointment for the team and fans.

Pakistan and Bangladesh Are Slapped With Punishment After 1st Test; Check the Full Story, Why?
Babar Failed Again! The Poor Run Of Babar Azam Continues Leaving Pakistan Critical | PAK vs BAN 2nd Test 5

In the first Test, the former skipper got a duck in the first innings and scored 22 runs in the second innings. The fans were expecting some big innings from the Pakistani king but he could just manage to score 31 runs in the second test of the series.

He was caught in front of stumps by Shakib al Hasan and walked to the pavilion in distress. Not only in this series but from the last 15 innings, Babar hasn’t scored a single half-century. His last 15 innings’ scores are: 31, 22، 0, 23, 26, 41, 1, 14, 21, 39, 24, 13، 27، 24، 14 (The latest being in the first).

As we mentioned in our pitch report, there was plenty of swing and assistance for pacers at the start. Taskin and Hasan Mahmud made good use of it and Pakistan lost their first opener in the very first over. Shan and Saim stitched a 100+ runs partnership for the second wicket. Both those got knocked out back to back. Babar, Saud and Rizwan were the only hope for Pakistan then. Both Babar and Saud got good starts but failed to capitalize on it.

Both together added 53 runs and then the in-form Rizwan got his bat flowing. He smacked a half-century. Somehow, Pakistan managed to reach 274 just before the Stumps.

Bangladesh batted two overs in the second day and they are going to have a big day tomorrow.

READ: SAI SUDHARSAN got maiden century in county ahead of duleep trophy 2024

PAK vs BAN: Pakistan all out for 274 runs as Mehidy Hasan Miraz picks up a five-wicket haul

Aryan Malik
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PAK vs BAN: Pakistan all out for 274 runs as Mehidy Hasan Miraz picks up a five-wicket haul

The second test match of the two-match test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh is being played at Rawalpindi’s Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

While the first day of the second test got washed out due to rain, the second day was a really good one as Bangladesh, who won the toss and opted to field first, dominated the Pakistani batting unit completely as the home side got all-out for a total of 274 runs.

Off-Break bowler Mediy Hasan Miraz was the pick of the Bangladeshi bowlers as he took a really good five wicket haul with figures of 5-61 next to his name while seamer Taskin Ahmed played a good supportive hand as well as he picked up three important wickets of Abdullah Shafique, Salman Ali Agha and Saud Shakeel and ended the first inning with figures of 3-57 next to his name.

The Green Shirts got off to a horrible start as Bangladeshi seamer Taskin Ahmed sent the stumps of Abdullah Shafique for a walk and the opener was sent back to the pavilion without scoring a single run.

But, the home side executed the recovery process in a good fashion as opener Saim Ayub and skipper Shan Masood stitched a partnership of 100+ runs for the second wicket and ended the first session of the second test match in a dominating fashion. Shan was going after the Bangladeshi bowlers from one end while his partner Saim Ayub kept hold of the other end.

However, post the conclusion of the lunch period, both the set batters got dismissed after scoring their respective half-centuries as the visitors executed a comeback. Mehidy Hasan Miraz trapped Shan Masood for 57 runs in front of the stumps while Saim Ayub got stumped after playing a good inning of 58 runs.

Following the dismissals of both the set batters, the duo of Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel joined hands at the crease but the latter wasn’t able to stay for a long time as he nicked the ball directly into the stumps off the bowling of Taskin Ahmed and thus he got out very cheaply. 

In the final over before tea, experienced left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan foxed Babar Azam in front of the stumps and he too went back after playing a decent knock of 31 runs in 77 deliveries.

This dismissal against Bangladesh meant that Azam has not scored a half century in his last 15 Test Cricket innings and he will have to find a way to return to his best if he wants to help his team to stay alive in the race of qualifying for the final of the World Test Champion (WTC) 2023-2025 cycle.

After losing Babar before the tea break, things got even worse for the Shan Masood-led team as the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led team’s bowling attack continued with their attacking intent and kept on picking important wickets in the final session of Day two of the second test.

Fast bowler Nahid Rana got the better of the previous game’s centurion Mohammad Rizwan (29 runs in 63 balls) as he balled a beautiful back of a length delivery that managed to clip the edge of Rizwan’s bat.

Salman Ali Agha came into bat at number seven and he started the revival process of the Shaheen’s embarrassing inning and played an important knock of 54 runs in 95 deliveries.

However, he didn’t find any support from the batters at the other end as Mehidy Hasan Miraz sent the duo of Mohammad Ali (2 runs in 16 balls) and Khurram Shehzad packing to the dugout (12 runs in 41 balls) which put Salman under a lot of pressure.

After bringing up his half-century, Agha wanted to play aggressive strokes but in the process of carrying on with his aggression, he gave his wicket away to Taskin Ahmed as Shakib Al Hasan held on to a difficult catch.

Once Salman Ali Agha got dismissed, things became easier for the bowling unit of the visitors as Abrar Ahmed was the final Pakistani batter to fall after he got stumped and his dismissal meant off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Meraz picked up his 10th five-wicket haul in the longest format of the game.

Talking about the batting performance of Bangladesh, the opening duo of Zakir Hasan (0* runs in 3 balls) and Shadman Islam (6 runs in 9 balls) played out the first two overs successfully at the stroke of stumps. Najmul Hossain Shanto and his men trail by 264 runs.

Pakistan 1st Innings 

BATTING RB4s6sSR
Abdullah Shafique b Taskin Ahmed06000.00
Saim Ayub st †Litton Das b Mehidy Hasan Miraz581104252.72
Shan Masood (c)lbw b Mehidy Hasan Miraz57692082.60
Babar Azam lbw b Shakib Al Hasan31772040.25
Saud Shakeel b Taskin Ahmed16282057.14
Mohammad Rizwan †c Najmul Hossain Shanto b Nahid Rana29632046.03
Salman Agha c Shakib Al Hasan b Taskin Ahmed54953256.84
Khurram Shahzad c Shakib Al Hasan b Mehidy Hasan Miraz12410029.26
Mohammad Ali c Shadman Islam b Mehidy Hasan Miraz2160012.50
Abrar Ahmed st †Litton Das b Mehidy Hasan Miraz9701128.57
Mir Hamza not out0000–
Extras(lb 4, nb 1, w 1)6
TOTAL85.1 Ov (RR: 3.21)274
BOWLINGOMRWECONWDNB
Taskin Ahmed1725733.3500
Hasan Mahmud1416004.2801
Nahid Rana1515813.8610
Mehidy Hasan Miraz22.126152.7500
Shakib Al Hasan1733412.0000

Bangladesh 1st Innings 

BATTING RB4s6sSR
Shadman Islam not out691066.66
Zakir Hasan not out03000.00
Extras(b 4)4
TOTAL2 Ov (RR: 5.00)10/0
Yet to bat: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das †, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana 
BOWLINGOMRWECONWDNB
Mir Hamza10505.0000
Khurram Shahzad10101.0000

Also Read: Sai Sudharsan scores a century for Surrey before Duleep Trophy 2024

For more information, visit the official website of PCB

PAK vs BAN 2nd Test: Day 2 Rawalpindi Weather Forecast, Rain Prediction Today, Pitch Report and More

Rahul Chaube
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PAK vs BAN 2nd Test: Day 2 Rawalpindi Weather Forecast, Rain Prediction Today, Pitch Report and More

PAK vs BAN 2nd Test: It wasn’t the best opening day for a test match as it was raining all day yesterday. The day’s play was called off and now, it is just a FOUR day test match where toss will play the critical role. This post reads the Rawalpindi Weather Forecast for PAK vs BAN 2nd Test Day 2, Rain Prediction Today, Pitch Report, and More.

Pakistan have been the upset home side for quite a long time now. They haven’t won any home Test series in the last year and lately, they have lost to Bangladesh (first time in the history of Pakistan Cricket).

The 10-wicket defeat occurred on one of the most favorable batting tracks at home, following Pakistan’s confident declaration in the first innings with a formidable total of nearly 450 runs. However, after conceding a 117-run lead, Pakistan’s batting lineup faltered in the second innings, collapsing for just 146 runs.

PAK vs BAN: Bangladesh scripts history with a first-ever Test match win over Pakistan at Rawalpindi
Bangladesh script history with maiden test win over Pakistan (Image: myKhel)

This loss not only exposed the vulnerabilities within Pakistan’s batting order but also highlighted the strategic miscalculation of fielding an all-seam attack. Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan exploited this tactical error effectively, taking seven wickets between them to orchestrate a comprehensive victory — Bangladesh’s first ever against Pakistan and on Pakistani soil.

Despite making history and following a successful strategy, Bangladesh must be cautious of not becoming overconfident in their pursuit of further success. This is especially important given that a wounded Pakistan is likely to go to great lengths to level the series and regain their footing.

PAK vs BAN: Mushfiqur Rahim breaks multiple records with his 191-run marathon innings in 1st Test in Rawalpindi
PAK vs BAN

Let’s take a look at the Rawalpindi Weather Forecast for PAK vs BAN 2nd Test Day 2, Rain Prediction Today, Pitch Report, and More:

PAK vs BAN 2nd Test Day 2: Rawalpindi Weather Forecast

The most disappointing news for cricket fans is the disruption of play. Rain was predicted for the opening day of the Test match, and it arrived as expected, with unrelenting intensity. The heavy and persistent downpour left the outfield at the Pindi Stadium waterlogged and unfit for any cricketing action.

PAK vs BAN 2nd Test: Day 2 Rawalpindi Weather Forecast, Rain Prediction Today, Pitch Report and More
PAK vs BAN 2nd Test: Day 2 Rawalpindi Weather Forecast (weather.com)

But here is the Good News as it is going to be a sunny day! Some clouds might float overhead but no need to worry for them. The temperature is going to peak at 33°C in the afternoon and high humidity will test the players’ physical health as well.

No rain forecast has been made by any weather channel and it is going to be a nice day of Cricket. We are going to have extra time in all the remaining days and a minimum of 98 overs will be bowled in those days.

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Pitch Report

PAK vs BAN 2nd Test: Day 2 Rawalpindi Weather Forecast, Rain Prediction Today, Pitch Report and More
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Pitch Report

It looked like a lush green surface a couple of days before. The grass might have been chopped off but still, Rawalpindi surfaces are known as good batting surfaces. Here again, it could be a good batting surface, but with all the rain around, there could be some moisture and some early help for the pacers.

READ: Harsha Bhogle picks his all-time IPL XI with seven Indian players and an Indian skipper – And it’s not Rohit Sharma

Sai Sudharsan scores a century for Surrey before Duleep Trophy 2024

Aryan Malik
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Sai Sudharsan scores a century for Surrey before Duleep Trophy 2024

Indian Cricket Team’s highly talented youngster, Sai Sudharsan who recently returned to play two Vitality County Championship Division One 2024 matches for the Surrey County Cricket Club got off to a flying start as he went on to score his maiden century for his county club in the ongoing match against Nottinghamshire at the iconic Trent Bridge Stadium.

Batting at number six, the 22-year-old played a phenomenal knock of 105 runs in 178 d which included 10 fours and one big maximum and helped his side post an outstanding score of 525 runs on the board. This century was just the fourth one of his first-class career and this was also the first time he scored a hundred in the county championship of England.

The 22-year-old brought up his century by hitting a good-looking six off the bowling of 16-year-old Farhan Ahmed. However, much to the delight of the off-spinner, Farhan managed to get the better of Sai on the fourth ball of his over as the Southpaw in search of scoring yet another maximum hit the ball directly into the hands of Freddie McCann and had to go back to the pavilion.

Sudharsan has started his first-class career on a good note and by scoring this century, he has given concrete indications that his career is going to be a really outstanding and bright one.

The Southpaw has also played three One Day International matches for the Indian Cricket Team as he made his ODI debut in last year’s tour of South Africa where he scored two fifties in 3 matches. He has so far managed to score 127 runs with the bat at a really good average of 63.50 in three ODI games. 

Many fans were expecting Sai to get picked in India’s squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka but he was overlooked in favour of experienced players. But, by scoring this century against Nottinghamshire, he has begun knocking on the doors of the selectors and he will surely be seen wearing the blue jersey of Team India once again.

The County stint with Surrey will be helpful for the 22 year old as he will be representing Team C in the upcoming Duleep Trophy matches under the leadership of Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Also Read – Harsha Bhogle picks his all-time IPL XI with seven Indian players and an Indian skipper – And it’s not Rohit Sharm

For more information, visit the official website of Surrey Cricket Club.

Harsha Bhogle picks his all-time IPL XI with seven Indian players and an Indian skipper – And it’s not Rohit Sharma

Subhomoy Datta
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Harsha Bhogle picks his all-time IPL XI with seven Indian players and an Indian skipper – And it’s not Rohit Sharma

Legendary Indian commentator and sports analyst Harsha Bhogle has been the iconic voice behind many such cricket moments, which hold a special place in the hearts of several cricket enthusiasts, placed a recent interest over his IPL XI.

Bhogle has been one of the finest cricket brains who knows the game to the core, and his experience reflects on his nearly perfect team. He picks a perfect delve of players who suit the best role they have been placed in Harsha’s team.


However, what seemed remarkable in his team was that seven Indian players were included in the team, and despite that, Rohit Sharma was not placed in his side.

Harsha depended on the IPL’s most explosive batting opening pair, Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli, from his IPL days and entrusted them with the role of openers. The duo were undoubtedly believed to be the most exclusive set of players during the RCB playing days.

Next at no. 3, he picked the IPL wonder man often referred to as Mr. IPL, Suresh Raina. The CSK superstar had almost written the position to his name as he was the first-ever to score 5000 IPL runs in the tournament. Raina was also a fielding gem for his lightning effect on the field.

All time IPL greats min
All-time greats of the Indian Premier League (Image: X.com)


Bhogle rightly placed current Indian skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, as his no. 4, as the batter only kept getting better with time since he joined the franchise of Mumbai Indians in 2017. His strike rate gives him a spot above all.

Legendary Indian skipper and CSK veteran MS Dhoni begins the list of finishers in his team, as the batter has played the role best of anyone in the world for decades. He has also been placed as the skipper in his team after his exemplary IPL record.

Hardik Pandya is the only probable picked all-rounder in his team, as the MI skipper who enjoyed extensive success with the Gujarat Titans earned slowly the name of a finisher and added to his finesse in his bowling prowess.

ALSO READ: PAK vs BAN: 3 Key Player Battles to Look At in the Second Test at Rawalpindi

Bhogle also kept a tally of fine spinners as well as pacers in his team, as he had Rashid Khan and Sunil Narine as the top-choice spinners in his team and probably the two finest in the IPL.

Following them came the pace bowling duo of Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah, as the two had been the death bowling choices for long in the MI camp and have often led to glory with their heroics. The last name that concludes this perfect team is Yuzi Chahal, the IPL highest wicket-taker who went past CSK legend Dwayne Bravo in the Ellite list and also turned the first to pick 200 wickets.

PAK vs BAN: 3 Key Player Battles to Look At in the Second Test at Rawalpindi

Subhomoy Datta
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PAK vs BAN: 3 Key Player Battles to Look At in the Second Test at Rawalpindi

PAK vs BAN: Pakistan will be taking on Bangladesh for the second test at Rawalpindi after their initial humiliating loss in the first game. The first game saw many blunders at the end of the Pakistan team management as they failed to meet the demands of the pitch.

Pakistan played with a new strategy of introducing an all-pace attack under the reign of head coach Jason Gillespie; however, the one that comprised Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Ali ended as a complete disaster as the Bangladeshis took on them, scoring 565 in their first inning.

On the contrary, the Bangladeshi spinners played a major role in their success in the second innings as they ended the Pakistan innings before even a 150, thus winning the first-ever test. As a result, Pakistan has also brought back their red ball specialist spinner Abrar Ahmed for such a role while they have let go of their most experienced and ace bowler Shaheen.

Let’s take a good look at the important player battles

Babar Azam vs. Shoriful Islam

The Pakistani legend has seen a major drop in his career ranking in the longest format as he slipped 6 positions to drop to the 9th spot from his 3rd previously held spot. Babar could not make use of the pitch, as he scored 0 and 22.

Babar has often been seen suffering against left-arm seamers as their natural angle of shaping the ball away and often into him causes trouble to the batter, as Babar has a liking for being bowled out or LBW. Shoriful is the perfect blend of all qualities that will pose a major threat to the Pakistani legend.

Mohammad Rizwan vs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz

Rizwan has emerged as Pakistan’s only consistent performer with the bat for quite some time now, since when Babar has underperformed. Rizwan also emerged as Pakistan’s best batter in the 1st Test, as he contributed with a stunning 171* in the first and was the team’s only reliable batter to score a fifty in the next inning as well.

However, the middle-order batter has often been seen struggling against spin, and Mehidy Miraz has been Bangladesh’s go-to spinner in wicket-taking situations even before the legendary Shakib Al-Hasan. If the track is the same as the first Rawalpindi test, Miraz will be an area of concern for the batter.

ALSO READ: ENG vs. SL: Joe Root enters record books as England’s joint-highest centurion in Test cricket at the end of 1st innings at Stumps

Mushfiqur Rahim vs. Abrar Ahmed

Mushfiqur vs Abrar min
Mushfiqur Rahim v/s Abrar Ahmed (Image: Crictoday and x.com)

Rahim is undoubtedly a Bangladesh legend, as he is their highest-ever run-getter in the format, and coming down the order, he often is the rescue man for Bangladesh or the perfect cherry on the cake of a good solid innings. His historic 191 will always remain an iconic innings for even the Pakistanis to remember.

Now, with Abrar Ahmed brought back into the side, his leg-spin might be the only answer to the Bangladeshi wall. Often Mushfiqur has been seen struggling with leg-spin as he is very good to handle pace.

ENG vs. SL: Joe Root enters record books as England’s joint-highest centurion in Test cricket at the end of 1st innings at Stumps

Subhomoy Datta
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ENG vs. SL: Joe Root enters record books as England’s joint-highest centurion in Test cricket at the end of 1st innings at Stumps

England cricketer Joe Root scored his 33rd century in the history of Test cricket, and he emerges as the joint-highest century-getter for England with the same number of hundreds as former skipper Alastair Cook.


Joe Root played a wonderful inning, while he came in with both opener Dan Lawrence and skipper Ollie Pope back to the pavilion with very few runs. Root kept the innings at an end until Gus Atkinson, who came in at 8, stood firm alongside him.

Root played the best of his innings with 143 runs, and Atkinson scored a stunning maiden Test fifty under pressure as he shared a partnership worth remembering.

Joe Root scored his 33rd century, which adds to his 16 centuries in the last 44 months of cricket. Root was placed behind all the players from Fab-4, as he just had 17 tons at the start of 2021 and now has surpassed all of them to lead the chart with 33 centuries ahead of Smith’s (32), Williamson’s (32) and Kohli’s (29).

ALSO READ: PAK vs BAN: Shaheen Shah LEFT OUT As Pakistan Announced Playing11 for 2nd Test

Root emerged as England’s highest run-getter on English soil as he now went past the likes of Alastair Cook, who had 6568 runs, and also English legend Graham Gooch.

Joe Root is now behind the likes of Alastair Cook and Kumara Sangakara, who have 12472 and 12400 runs, respectively, and Root is just behind by 198 and 126 runs to these legendary batters.

He is also considered the best contender, to have been the best to break the invincible record of the great Sachin Tendulkar, who has 15921 runs in the format the modern legend is behind by just 3500+ runs, and the 33-year-old has much of a wide career awaiting him.


England ended their tally of runs at a score of 358/7, as Brook and Jamie went early this time with Atkinson’s maiden fifty still making him unbeaten on 74* off just 81 deliveries. He will come to bat in the 2nd day as England resume their innings.

PAK vs BAN: Shaheen Shah LEFT OUT As Pakistan Announced Playing11 for 2nd Test

Rahul Chaube
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PAK vs BAN: Shaheen Shah LEFT OUT As Pakistan Announced Playing11 for 2nd Test

PAK vs BAN 2nd Test: Pakistan have announced their twelve-man squad a day before the second test. The board dropped a banger as they dropped Shaheen Afridi from the side and cited it as a strategic move.

As we discussed earlier, batting was not a concern for Pakistan in the first test. Their major concern was bowling as they lost a match from a very dominating position at the stumps of DAY 3. It was their bowling that cost them the first-ever test loss against Bangladesh.

PAK vs BAN: Bangladesh scripts history with a first-ever Test match win over Pakistan at Rawalpindi
Bangladesh script history with maiden test win over Pakistan (Image: myKhel)

Following that, Pakistan have shown signs of being confident for the second test and announced their twelve-men squad for the PAK vs BAN second test before in the pre-match conference.

They were playing with their best batting combination possible from the squad they have for the series but a spinner to the unit could have been game-changing for them. They have made the correction now and added two spinners to the twelve-men playing squad.

PAK vs BAN 2nd Test: Pakistan Squad

Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood(c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan(w), Agha Salman, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mir Hamza, Kamran Ghulam, Abrar Ahmed, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Huraira, Aamer Jamal

The skipper and management have not touched the TOP 7 of the playing 11 from the first test which was expected. Now the BIG news is that SHAHEEN SHAH Afridi has been dropped from the second test.

PAK vs BAN: 3 Changes Pakistan must do to win second Test in Rawalpindi
PAK vs BAN

Shaheen bowled 32 overs in the first test and got two wickets leaking at a rate of just less than 3. This wasn’t a poor performance but the coach Jason Gillespie cited it as a strategic move. The two spinners Abrar Ahmed and Mir Hamza have been added to the 12-membered squad.

PAK vs BAN 2nd Test: Pakistan 12-men Squad

Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (C), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Ali Agha, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Mir Hamza

What Jason Gillespie Said?

“Shaheen will sit out of this game. I had a good conversation with him, and he fully understands and appreciates the reasoning behind this decision. We’re looking for the best combination for this game, and this is our direction.”

“As I mentioned, we will assess the conditions in the morning and decide on the exact makeup of our bowling attack. Shaheen has received some feedback, and he’s had an interesting couple of weeks—he’s a new father, and we’re seeing an opportunity to allow him to spend time with his family as well.”

“He’s working on a few aspects of his bowling to ensure he’s as fit as possible. He’s been collaborating well with Azhar Mahmood, which has been fantastic. We certainly want to see Shaheen at his best because we have a lot of cricket ahead in all formats, and he’s going to play a big role in that.”

“However, right now, we feel that we have all our bases covered for this particular game. But, make no mistake, Shaheen is a quality player and will play a significant role in the next 6-7 months.”

READ: PAK vs BAN: Weather Forecast of Rawalpindi

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