ICC World Twenty20

tomorrow, 6:30 pm

Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka

32nd Match, Group 2 - Pakistan v West Indies

World T20: Saqlain's presence in West Indies camp makes Pakistan uneasy

The presence of former Pakistan spinner, Saqlain Mushtaq in the West Indies camp has made the Pakistan management and players uneasy ahead of a clash between the two teams in the World T20 which is expected to decide the semifinals line up.

Saqlain, 37, who took 208 Test and 288 one-day wickets for Pakistan has been working with the West Indies board as spin consultant and is with the West Indies team in Bangladesh.

His role has so far got praise from West Indian spinners, Samuel Badree and Sunil Narine.

And in return, Saqlain who has also worked with the Bangladesh and New Zealand teams has described Badree and Narine as world class operators.

Badree said Saqlain had a calming influence on the team and that helped their performance.

"To be honest Saqi has been a wonderfully calming influence on the team. He is one who does not get worked up or anxious over any situation. He does not panic at all and has a calming influence on us," Badree said ahead of the match against Australia that his team won yesterday.

Sources in the Pakistan team said that having played with Saqlain for a long time, head coach, Moin Khan was aware the influence the former off-spinner could have on the coming match.

"Moin has been advising his players to pay a lot of respect to the West Indian spinners because of Saqlain`s presence and has pointed out that with conditions helping slow bowlers in Bangladesh they must be well prepared for the coming match," one source told PTI.

"Moin is also aware that Saqlain could play a big role in helping the West Indians tackle the Pakistani spinners particularly, Saeed Ajmal and Zulfiqar Babar competently," he added.

Saqlain, who is seen as a trend setter and was perhaps the first off-spinner to fully master the "Doosra" delivery, said he was a professional and his primary job as spin consultant was to see the West Indian spinners deliver their best against any opponent.

"Yes, I am a Pakistani and obviously I follow Pakistan cricket and love to see them do well. But as a coaching professional when West Indies plays Pakistan in the tournament it will be my job and wish to see Badree, Narine and the other spinners do well and help the team win," Saqlain said.

Saqlain said he was now enjoying the challenge of coaching bowlers for T20 cricket as the format brought out the winning streak in every player. "When we played I went in with the desire to win and to win I knew I had to do well. That passion remained with me till the end. Today I see that sort of passion missing in some of the bowlers and in T20 cricket it is needed the most for bowlers," Saqlain told a Pakistani television channel.

The off-spinner, who rued that the Pakistan cricket Board had never tried to utilize his experience and coaching skills, said more than in any other format T20 cricket required the bowlers to be remain calm and composed at all times.

He said he was expecting a close match between the two teams.

"As a spinner it is great to see the slow bowlers dominating this tournament. Because in T20 cricket you still require lot of skill and a calm presence to deliver under pressure when the batsmen have lot of things in their favor," he said.

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Bangladesh will look for its first win against Pakistan in Twenty20 Internationals when the two teams face off in a Group 2 clash at Dhaka.

Tamim Iqbal requires 30 runs to become the first ever batsman from Bangladesh to reach 700 T20I runs.

Bangladesh is still in search of its first win in the Super 10 stage and the host will head into the game against Pakistan facing a do-or-die situation as a loss would certainly put it out of the race for a spot in the knockouts.

Pakistan, on the other hand, is coming in on the back of a morale-boosting win against Australia and will look to carry that momentum into Sunday’s match.

Ahead of their clash, here are some key facts.

Facts:

Pakistan has won all six of the previous T20Is between these teams, most recently at the ICC World Twenty20 in September 2012.

Five of the last six T20Is involving Bangladesh have been won by the team batting second.

Anamul Haque is the leading run-scorer in T20Is in Bangladesh, with 270 runs in eight innings.

Tamim Iqbal requires 30 runs to become the first ever batsman from Bangladesh to reach 700 T20I runs.

Approaching Milestones:

Shoaib Malik needs 69 runs to become the fourth player to hit 1,000 T20I runs for Pakistan.

Mushfiqur Rahim needs 46 runs to become the third player to score 500 T20I runs for Bangladesh.

Key Battles:

Umar Gul v Anamul Haque

Anamul Haque has developed into Bangladesh’s most potent T20I batsman. With Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan struggling, a lot now depends on a player who had played just three T20I matches before this tournament. Anamul’s average of 38.6 and strike rate of 130.4 compare favourably with the star batsmen in the format and the opener’s task now is to convert the starts he regularly makes – he has reached 20 in seven of his eight innings but has hit one half-century, with a top score of 58.

Umar Gul is one of the most experienced Twenty20 bowlers around and showed plenty of nous as he helped his team put the squeeze on Australia in Pakistan’s last match. His figures of 2-29 from four overs showed he is close to his best form after a long period of injury problems.

Gul is the ultimate Twenty20 strike bowler, having taken four wickets in a T20I innings on six occasions, more than any other bowler.


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Big match for Pakistan vs Bangladesh important match for Pakistan team. 

At: Sunday Venue: Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur .

Match 27 of ICC World Twenty20 2014 between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

He is Pakistan’s go-to man against all opposition, in all conditions. Every time any Pakistani captain has looked for a breakthrough, or sought out a bowler to control things, in all formats of the game, he has turned to Saeed Ajmal. More often than not, the off-spinner with easily the best doosra in world cricket has delivered.

A late bloomer – he didn’t play his first international game till he was past 30 – Ajmal has been quickly making up for lost time since his debut in July 2008. In 33 Tests, he has winkled out 169 batsmen at 27.46, inclusive of nine five-wicket innings hauls, while 110 One-Day Internationals have fetched him 182 scalps at a frugal 22.24 and a wonderful economy of 4.14.

Ajmal, though, is at his most effective in the Twenty20 International version, where he is thus far the highest wicket-taker, with an astonishing 83 victims from just 61 games. His average of 17.22, economy of 6.27 and a wicket every 16.4 deliveries are second overall only to Dale Steyn, who, it must be kept in mind, has only played 36 T20Is.

The top three wicket-takers in T20I cricket are all Pakistanis – Umar Gul occupies the second spot with 77 wickets from 54 games while Shahid Afridi has 75 from 72 – and are involved in a personal battle to determine which one of them is the first to 100 international Twenty20 victims. Ajmal clearly has a headstart, and is determined to be the first to get there.

“I am now 17 short, I want to become the first bowler to take 100 wickets in Twenty20 (international) cricket,” proclaims Ajmal.

Pakistan is training at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium nets on a sweltering Friday (March 28) afternoon and Ajmal is busy perfecting his craft, wheeling away with a smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eye.

But as personally ambitious as he is, he has the team’s interests paramount, with Pakistan needing to win against West Indies and Bangladesh in its bid to maintain a wonderful record of having made the semi-final of every edition of the ICC World Twenty20 since its inception in 2007: “My aim is to bowl Pakistan into the semi-final. And we have very good chance of reaching the semifinal.”

Ajmal is one of nine spinners among the top 10 in the ICC ratings for T20I international bowlers, the sole exception being Nuwan Kulasekara, the Sri Lankan medium pacer. The spinners have particularly enjoyed themselves here in Bangaldesh, and especially in Mirpur where they have found no little assistance from the tracks. Ajmal has a record-equalling four four-wicket hauls in T20I cricket, but unlike Gul and Ajantha Mendis (twice each), or Lasith Malinga, Darren Sammy and Tim Southee (one each) among others, he doesn’t have a five-for in this version of the game.

“The wickets here are made for spinners,” announces Ajmal, a sprightly and energetic 36. “That’s why spinners like Amit Mishra and all other spinners have been very effective. I want to take five wickets in an innings during this tournament. It does not matter who my opponents are; be it Bangladesh or West Indies, my aim it to pick as many wickets as possible.”

Ajmal has figures of 4-0-18-1 and 4-0-33-1 against India and Australia respectively, but will fancy better, more productive returns in the two remaining Super 10 matches now that he has a better understanding of conditions, and now that he has bowled in a couple of games at the Sher-e-Bangla.

That he will soon come up against Chris Gayle, the most feared T20 batsman in the world, doesn’t faze him one bit. “I don’t bother who I bowl to because for me, all batsmen are the same,” he says with that lop-sided grin. “Be it Chris Gayle or anyone else, I won’t change my bowling. I will bowl the way I have always bowled. All that I aim for now is to become a consistent performer.”

As if he is already not consistent enough. This threat of becoming a more ‘consistent performer’, now, that’s a frightening thought for batsmen the world over.
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Super 10 stage starts on Friday with another clash between the South Asian giants.

The Indo-Pak cricket rivalry traditionally lived up to the Orwellian concept of serious sport - war minus shooting - but India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is glad the tension has finally eased.

The bitter South Asian rivals have fought three wars in their brief independent histories and remain deeply mistrustful of each other.

Cricketers from both countries have performed under unnerving pressure from unforgiving fans who often did not care how the team performed as long as they won the battle against the arch-rivals.

The Super 10 stage of the fifth World Twenty20 starts on Friday with another India-Pakistan match and Dhoni was glad it would be without the hysteria of the past.

"An India-Pakistan match always caught the imagination of people from either side," Dhoni told reporters at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

"But I feel it has mellowed to some extent whatever the reason may be. You don't see many altercations on the field but you still see good competitive cricket which I feel is very important."

Dhoni said he once enjoyed on-field friction among players from both sides but felt it was important that cricket was played in the true spirit.

"It used to get quite tense with plenty of things happening apart from cricket on the field," he added.

"I used to enjoy it as a kid but I'm glad that it doesn't happen any more because when you talk about promoting cricket and promoting it the right way, I think more often than not it's being played in the right spirit."

Dhoni's Pakistan counterpart Mohammad Hafeez said a match against India was always special but there was life beyond it.

"An India-Pakistan game is always important but this is not the whole tournament," Hafeez said. "We want to put up a good show in the whole tournament."

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Unpredictable format has produced four different champions in the past.

Virat Kohli of India makes his ground to score the winning run during the ICC Champions Trophy match between India and Pakistan at Edgbaston on June 15, 2013 in Birmingham, England.

The World Twenty20 steps up a gear Friday as cricket's top eight sides enter the fray, with Pakistan seeking a historic win against India in the second round's standout clash.

Minnows of international cricket have been slogging it out in the expanded 16-nation tournament, with two qualifying spots and a chance to join the big boys up for grabs from round one.

In the Super-10 stage, Asian giants Pakistan and India will be joined in Group Two by the West Indies, Australia and one of the successful qualifiers.

The other qualifier will join South Africa, Sri Lanka, England and New Zealand in Group One with two sides from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

The identity of the two qualifiers from round one will be known just hours before Pakistan bid to defeat arch rivals India for the first time at the World Twenty20.

“It has nothing to do with history,” Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez told a packed media conference in Dhaka on Thursday.

“Beating India will be important because a good start will give us momentum in the tournament.

“I am glad we are playing India first up. We are all excited about this game. The morale is good because we beat them in the Asia Cup. But we have to be at our best to win.”

Pakistan qualified for the semi-finals in all four editions of the World Twenty20, winning the tournament in 2009 in England after being runners-up to India in the inaugural event in 2007.

India, however, have not made the semi-finals since their title win despite the popularity of the T20 Indian Premier League over the last six years.

For Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, previous results will be irrelevant when the teams take to the field at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in the Bangladeshi capital on Friday evening.

“Nothing of the past matters in this game,” he said, reminding critics that India lost just one game at the 2012 edition and yet failed to make the knock-out rounds.

“The matches to follow are as important as the one on Friday, but we are not looking beyond our first game yet.”

True to the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket, there have been different champions each time. England won in 2010 and the West Indies triumphed in 2012, adding to the victories for India and Pakistan.

Darren Sammy's West Indies, who open the defence of their title on the back of a confidence-boosting T20 series win against England, boast one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket - opener Chris Gayle.

Sri Lanka - the top-ranked T20 side - have prepared by spending more than six weeks in Bangladesh, winning bilateral contests in all three formats before taking the Asia Cup.

Australia, hoping to add a first World T20 title to their packed trophy cabinet, have opted for experience, bringing in 39-year-old batsman Brad Hodge and 43-year-old spinner Brad Hogg.

But the Aussies will miss fearsome fast bowler Mitchell Johnson due to an infected toe, while England will be without the injured Joe Root and Ben Stokes.

England are also missing batsman Kevin Pietersen, who was the star of their lone title triumph four years ago.

England's all-time leading run-scorer across all formats was controversially axed following a 5-0 Ashes series loss Down Under, even though he was their highest scorer.

South Africa, starting a new era after the recent retirements of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis, and New Zealand will also be strong contenders in the wide open tournament. The final is on April 6.

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Hosts boost their prospects of advancing to the super 10 stage.

Hosts Bangladesh thrashed Nepal by eight wickets on Tuesday t

o climb to the top of qualifying Group A and boost their prospects of advancing to the super 10 stage of the World Twenty20.

In the day's other match, a gritty 68 off 53 balls from opener Mohammad Shahzad and an unbeaten 51 from 24 balls from Shafiqullah helped Afghanistan to a seven-wicket win over Hong Kong to keep their hopes alive in the tournament.

The winners of qualifying groups A and B will join the eight top-ranked countries in the next stage of the March 16-April 6 tournament.

Bangladesh, who beat Afghanistan in their first match, chased down a paltry 127-run target with 27 balls to spare, powered by a 33-ball 42 from opener Anamul Haque.

Anamul, who hit five fours and two sixes, gave Bangladesh a brisk start and added 63 for the first wicket with Tamim Iqbal (30) after the bowlers restricted Nepal to 126 for five in their 20 overs.

Anamul's run-out brought all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan to the crease and he ensured the home team significantly improved their net run rate with a 18-ball 37, studded with four sixes and four.

Paceman Al-Amin Hossain led the Bangladesh bowlers with figures of two for 17 runs as Nepal, who beat Hong Kong in their opening match, struggled for momentum after being put into bat.

Earlier, Shahzad and Shafiqullah, who hit five fours and three sixes, added 47 for the third wicket to lift Afghanistan, who chased down their target of 154 with two overs to spare.

Afghan captain Mohammad Nabi, spinner Hamza Kotak and paceman Shapoor Zadran picked up two wickets each to restrict Honk Kong to 153 for eight in their 20 overs.

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Jury picks Indian legend over Warne and Kallis. Johnson, Afridi, Rohit, Dhawan win performance awards for 2013.

 Sachin Tendulkar has been voted the cricketer of the generation by a 50-member jury of current and former cricketers and journalists.

Tendulkar beat strong competition from Shane Warne and Jacques Kallis to win the award, presented to mark the first generation of the existence of ESPNcricinfo, which has been online since 1993.

The jury that decided on the award included Michael Holding, Ian Chappell, Martin Crowe, Mark Taylor, Younis Khan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Barry Richards, John Wright and Jeff Dujon, among others.

Mitchell Johnson's series-defining 7 for 40 in the Ashes Test in Adelaide won the Test bowling title for 2013 in the annual ESPNcricinfo Awards, over performances from Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, James Anderson, and Johnson's own Brisbane four-for in the Ashes opener, which kicked off a scarcely believable streak in which he took 59 wickets in eight Tests at a little over 15 runs each.

Shahid Afridi won the ODI bowling award with his 7 for 12 against West Indies - a match he also dominated with the bat, making 76 off 55 balls. It was Afridi's second ESPNcricinfo Award; he won in the same category for 2009.

"I remember this game because I was not picked for the Champions Trophy, and that was my comeback and that was my first game in Georgetown," Afridi said about the award, "and [I produced an] awesome performance in batting and bowling as well, so I am very happy for this."

Indian players took the two batting prizes. Shikhar Dhawan won the Test batting award for his rollicking 187 on debut against Australia in Mohali last year. Rohit Sharma's ODI double-century in Bangalore, also against Australia, was picked as the ODI batting performance of the year.

"It is really a special award, and it was a very special performance, and it is very close to me," Rohit said about winning. "I am very happy that ESPN has recognised this performance of mine. Getting 200 every day is not easy. More than anything else it was a match-winning performance and it helped us win the series. It was a decider game, we wanted to win the game and win the series, so I am happy that it came at the right time and we won the series."

The jury for the performance awards included Mark Butcher, Sanjay Manjrekar, Daryll Cullinan, Russel Arnold, Ian Bishop, Rahul Dravid, and a number of ESPNcricinfo's senior writers.

A new category, the Debutant of the Year, voted on by ESPNcricinfo users, was won by India's Mohammed Shami, who took 17 wickets in his four Tests in 2013, and 30 ODI wickets. Shami beat the likes of Kusal Perera, Ashton Agar, Kyle Abbott, Sohaib Maqsood and Jason Holder to the title.

Also new this year, the Contribution to Cricket Award went to Tarak Sinha, head coach of the Sonnet Cricket Club in Delhi, who has been involved in the development of a remarkable number of Indian Test and first-class players, among them Aakash Chopra, Ashish Nehra and Manoj Prabhakar. Sinha, who was nominated for the award by Rahul Dravid, has coached Ranji Trophy-winning Delhi and Rajasthan teams, and was the coach of the India women's team the first time it won a Test series overseas.

ESPNcricinfo also introduced an award to acknowledge the efforts of cricketers that helped people outside the sport. Rahul Dravid won the Cricket for Good award for his mentorship of junior and paralympic athletes in India in his association with the GoSports Foundation.

South Africans AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn dominated the Statsguru Awards, which are adjudged based purely on statistical data. De Villiers won Batsman of the Year, Best Test Batsman, and Most Consistent Batsman. Steyn was the Bowler of the Year and the Best Test Bowler.

The ESPNcricinfo Awards are now in their seventh year. Past winners have included Dale Steyn, Kumar Sangakkara, Virender Sehwag and Lasith Malinga.
                             

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It's clear that the methods of bowling coach Mohammad Akram (in the white hat) are not working.

 The batsmen performed. The bowlers didn't. That's an unusual post mortem for Pakistan in any series or tournament, but it is the atypical verdict that keeps recurring however you choose to dissect the Asia Cup. One tournament, on flat wickets with short boundaries, is dangerous to draw strong conclusions from. But an important underlying trend in recent years is the steady decline in Pakistan's bowling attack. For a country that stands on the shoulders of its bowling heroes this is sombre news.
Since the 1980s at least, high-class fast bowling has come naturally. When the chips are down, the bowlers, especially the fast bowlers, step up. Partly they have had to. Pakistan's batting has been so unreliable that the bowlers have grown familiar with defending small totals. Success has generally been achieved in alliance with quality spin bowlers, but pace bowling has been fundamental to Pakistan's competitiveness.


The loss of Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif in 2010 certainly hurt Pakistan, but Junaid Khan and Mohammad Irfan were once worthy replacements. Now, Irfan is unfit and Junaid is struggling for form. Umar Gul's powers have dwindled and Mohammad Talha is new to international cricket. In the Asia Cup, despite heroics from the batsmen and Saeed Ajmal, the pace bowling carried an unfamiliar ordinariness.
Form is temporary, we know, but class has dwindled. Pakistan's bowlers were once unerring in their ability to hit the right areas, as commentators love to describe. It was almost taken for granted. Yorker, bouncer, length ball, you name it, the ball was on a string. As Sri Lanka chased down the victory target in the Asia Cup, yorkers were absent. There was no pressure on the batsmen, the kind of pressure that brings wickets. There was no sense of attack or threat. The plans were poor, and if the plans were good the execution was abysmal.
Unlike his more illustrious contemporaries, Mohammad Akram wasn't known for his attacking style. His trade was containment, or what passed for it in a bowling line-up that knew only how to attack. The difficulty is that this decline in Pakistan's pace bowling coincides with his tenure as bowling coach. Let's be clear that despite many pointless coaching appointments, Pakistan's bowling maintained its sense of threat. Bowling is a natural skill, which was executed with verve.
This doesn't mean that Akram doesn't know what the bowlers need to do, but it does mean that his methods aren't working. The outcome is there for all to see. The steady decline in fast bowling has been a matter of disbelief but the Asia Cup exposed it. Yes, the wickets were lifeless in Bangladesh but that sequence of bowling performances was as docile as I can remember, on any track.
There was plenty to inspire in this Asia Cup and it all came from those scoundrels, the batsmen. How could they fail us for years on end only to deliver, in the space of a few days, some of the most thrilling performances ever by a Pakistani batting line-up? In Ahmed Shehzad and Fawad Alam there is real hope, while Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi showed what can be achieved if they channel their craziness.

But why do we have to suffer such uneven performances? When the bowlers excelled, the batsmen didn't. Now the batsmen impress and the fast bowlers capitulate. Pace bowling comes easy to Pakistan's cricketers. It's been a defining feature of the country's cricket. It will be a tragedy to make an ordinariness out of a strength.

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Johannesburg : Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has backed his team”s bowlers to perform well in the ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh as they have plenty of experience playing in similar conditions in domestic T20 matches.

The Indian bowling attack has been slammed by critics for its failure to win matches on foreign soil and the team also failed to make the final of the recent Asia Cup in Bangladesh, which was played in the 50-over format. According to Sport24, however, the wicketkeeper-batsman did not appear to be worried and he said that they have bowlers who have played a lot of T20 matches, especially in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in similar conditions, adding that they have also played against the best players in the world in a high-standard IPL.

However, Dhoni admitted that his bowlers need to execute their plans well if they want to achieve success in the mega event, although he added that the tournament would be a good challenge for his bowlers. Dhoni, who missed the Asia Cup with an injury, refused to pick a favourite for the tournament as he felt the shortness of the format gives every team an opportunity to win a match. India will open their campaign against archrivals Pakistan next Friday at Mirpur”s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, the report added.

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Islamabad :  Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has said that he is hopeful of a quick recovery from injury in time for the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh next week. Afridi hurt his groin during the recent Asia Cup tournament, in which the defending team lost the finals to Sri Lanka. According to the Express Tribune, Afridi, who will travel early next week for the World T20 cup, said that he is ‘recovering well’ and is hoping to play at least one warm-up match.

One of cricket’s hardest hitters, Afridi, helped beat Pakistan beat arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup, and the all-rounder is hopeful that the Asia Cup win over India would benefit them in the first proper match of the World T20 tournament in Dhaka on March 21, the report added. Afridi is reportedly set to miss out Pakistan’s first warm up match against New Zealand early next week.

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Tendulkar will lead MCC XI while Warne will captain the Rest of the World XI in the July 5 event.

Pakistan batsman Shahid Afridi reacts after winning the sixth match of the Asia Cup one-day cricket tournament between India and Pakistan at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on March 2, 2014

Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal have joined several other leading international cricketers in being confirmed for this year’s Lord’s bicentenary match, it was announced on Monday.

Bangladesh batsman Tamim Iqbal will also take part in the July 5 fixture which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the current Lord’s ground in north-west London.

The match will be between Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns Lord’s, and a Rest of the World XI.

The MCC XI will be captained by India hero Sachin Tendulkar while the Rest of the World side will be led by Australia great Shane Warne.

All the three Asian stars confirmed Monday for the fixture have enjoyed previous success at Lord’s.

Afridi, arguably the most dynamic batsman of his generation, produced a match-winning performance when he made 54 not out in Pakistan’s 2009 ICC World Twenty20 final victory over Sri Lanka at Lord’s and also played his last Test at the ‘home of cricket’ a year later.

Off-spinner Ajmal also played in the 2009 World Twenty20 final.

Meanwhile Iqbal has a coveted place on the Lord’s honours board having, as a 21-year-old, made 103 in the second innings of the first Test against England in 2010 - the first century at the ground by a Bangladeshi batsman.

That match, his only previous appearance at the ground, also saw Iqbal make 55 in the first innings. 

“Lord’s is always a wonderful place to play cricket and I’m really looking forward to going back there,” said Afridi in a MCC statement.

“It’s going to be great to be involved in the Lord’s Bicentenary celebrations and I’d like to thank MCC for inviting me to take part in the game.

“There are plenty of great players on the team sheet for this match and I can’t wait to share a pitch with them again - especially in such an amazing setting.”

MCC president Mike Gatting, the former England captain, added: “The latest names to be confirmed for this match make it even more of an exciting prospect.

“MCC has asked the best players in world cricket to come and celebrate the Lord’s Bicentenary by playing in this match and I’m delighted that three more have accepted.

“It shows the standing of the club and this marvellous ground that players of the quality of Shahid, Saeed and Tamim want to come and be part of these celebrations.”

Australia wicket-keeping great Adam Gilchrist, India’s Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh, West Indies’ mainstay Shivnarine Chanderpaul and New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori are all due to play in the match as well.

MCC, founded in 1787, moved to its present site in the north-west London suburb of St John’s Wood in 1814, with the ground owned by entrepreneur Thomas Lord - hence its name.

Although it is more than 40 years since MCC ceased to run English cricket, it retains worldwide responsibility for the game’s ‘Laws’, as cricket’s rules are known.

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South Africa are only unbeaten side in competition.

Pakistan players celebrate during the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2014 semifinal match between England and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on February 24, 2014 in Dubai.

South Africa will aim to break the title drought when it will lock horns with two-time former champion Pakistan in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup UAE 2014 final at Dubai International Stadium on Saturday.

South Africa finished runner-up in the 2002 and 2008 tournaments while Pakistan remains the only side to win back-to-back titles when it triumphed in 2004 and 2006 in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka respectively. In addition this, Pakistan also reached the finals in 1988 and 2010.

On head to head, the two sides have met only once in the history of this competition when South Africa defeated Pakistan by 98 runs according to the Duckworth-Lewis Method in Kuala Lumpur in the 2008 tournament.

Their match in the 2000 tournament in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka, was washed out without a ball being bowled.

In the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2014, South Africa is the only side which is unbeaten so far.
It defeated the West Indies by 94 runs, Canada by 45 runs, Zimbabwe by seven wickets, Afghanistan by nine wickets in the quarter-final and Australia by 80 runs in the semi-final.

In contrast, Pakistan started its campaign with a 40-run defeat against India and then achieved victory from the jaws of defeat against England in the semi-final by three wickets.

In between, it beat Scotland by 146 runs, Papua New Guinea by 145 runs and Sri Lanka in the quarter-final by 121 runs.

Pakistan’s run in the tournament has been dominated by captain Sami Aslam and Imam-ul-Haq, the two openers who have featured in three century partnerships to date.

The left-handers, who also played in the 2012 tournament in Townsville where Pakistan finished eighth, have hit one century and five half-centuries between them.

Imam, who has recovered from a hamstring injury and will play on Saturday, is the tournament’s second leading run-getter with 370 runs, while Sami sits in 11th position with 242 runs.

Hasan Raza with 135 runs and Saud Shakeel 123 runs are the other notable Pakistan batsmen.

In the bowling, only Karamat Ali has been a consistent performer with 11 wickets so far. He is followed by Zafar Gohar and Zia-ul-Haq, who have picked up eight wickets apiece. Zafar and Zia are also playing in their second World Cup.

Sami, speaking at his pre-final media conference at the ICC Headquarters, insisted his side was peaking at the right time.

“Imam and I may have done bulk of the scoring at the top of the order, but the middle and lower middle-order fired in the crucial match against England and got us home. I think everything is coming together and we’re peaking at the right time,” Sami said.

“Saturday will be the day in which we’ll feature in the most important match of our lives. Yes, there will be pressure but I think we have the players who can sustain it and perform to their potential. We will enjoy this match and try to give our best shot.

“We have utmost respect for South Africa. It is the only unbeaten side in the tournament and any team that reaches the final deserves appreciation and respect. I know they’ll try to win the tournament they’ve never won before, but we would also like to win it for the third time so that we can match the achievement of Australia and India.”

Talking about the Kagiso Rabada bowling effort against Australia, Sami said: “Obviously, he bowled very well against Australia. He was quick, fast and accurate, but on Saturday he’ll have to start all over again. We’re ready for the Rabada challenge and I think it will be a good contest.

“The team is encouraged by the support it has received from home as well as in the UAE. I’m confident that we’ll live up to the expectations of our supporters and fans,” Sami concluded.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram is the man who has struck form at right time. The 19-year-old from Centurion hit back-to-back centuries against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan and now has 304 runs against his name.

Yaseen Valli is the other batsman who has shown consistency with the bat. He has hit a century and two half-centuries in four innings.

Fast bowler Kabada was almost unplayable in the semi-final against Australia where he picked up six for 25.

Justin Dill has provided excellent support to the South Africa bowling attack and has claimed 10 wickets so far, while Valli has displayed his all-round skills by also claiming nine wickets.

Markram, talking to the media at the ICC Headquarters, said he was looking forward to Saturday’s final.

“Its massive for us to be playing in this final,” he said, adding: “We acknowledge that history has not quite gone our way, but I still feel that we can’t really focus too much on winning. Our focus is on the process and getting there. Execution of our game plan tomorrow and our skills will be vital and hopefully the result can take care of itself.

“We don’t have any superstars or first-class players in our side. But that works to our advantage because each day it is an opportunity for a player to do well and win us the game. It works better for us because it also means that we don’t have to rely on just one or two players. All players do their bit.”

Markram admitted his fast bowlers will be targeting the in-form Pakistan openers. “Hats off to the opening batsmen from Pakistan, they have played really well. We have some good bowlers who bowled very well in the semi-final. We’re going to look for their weaknesses and we know where our strengths are,” he concluded.

Teams (to be selected from):

Pakistan – Sami Aslam (captain), Ameer Hamza, Hasan Raza, Hussain Talat, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Rafiq, Irfanullah Shah, Kamran Ghulam, Karamat Ali, Mohammad Aftab, Saifullah Khan, Salman Saeed, Saud Shakeel, Zafar Gohar and Zia-ul-Haq

South Africa - Aiden Markram (captain), Bradley Bopp, Corbin Bosch, Dirk Bruwer, Kirwin Christoffels, Justin Dill, Clyde Fortuin, Dayyaan Galiem, Sibonelo Makhanya, Greg Oldfield, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Ngazibini Sigwili, Jason Smith, Yaseen Valli

Umpires – S.Ravi and Ranmore Martinesz

Third umpire - Chris Gaffaney

Fourth umpire - Enamul Hoque-Moni

Match referee – Graeme La Brooy

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The world’s best tennis players took some time out for fun and relaxation during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships at the ATP Players’ Party.

Players mingled with dignitaries and guests and enjoyed the entertainment, which included a performance by Josh Berry. Josh impersonates tennis players and took to the stage with commentator David Mercer and Novak Djokovic, much to the amusement of Novak and the guests. The players also signed a painting by graffiti artist Steffi Bow.

Roger Federer (C)

Tomas Berdych (C)

Tennis player Andreas Seppi took a spin in an Audi RS7 SB 4.0 TFSI quattro yesterday, after defeating Florian Mayer in his first round match in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 

Tournament number 3 seed and 2013 Dubai finalist Tomas Berdych enjoyed the deluxe fitness facilities of the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel.

After winning an ATP tournament title in Rotterdam last week, Berdych is in great form and is a contender for the title this year. Berdych describes the Dubai tournament as one of his favourites on the world tour, with great hospitality and excellent onsite facilities.

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships ATP tournament saw over 700 children from local schools participate in this year’s ATP Kids’ Day. 

 

Tournament mascots Ace and Annette with top double players Daniel Nestor (left) and Nenad Zimonjic.

Held at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, participating students were treated to entertainment, a tennis clinic for all ages and skill levels, and a special visit from top ATP players. 

 

Five time Dubai champion Roger Federer took some time out from his busy schedule yesterday to visit one of his favourite destinations in Dubai, the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel.

Del Potro was invited by Emirates to experience the ultimate in luxury with their private Airbus A319 aircraft, Emirates Executive.

Roger was interviewed by well-known tennis commentator Annabel Croft and reflected on his experiences in Dubai over the years and his impressions of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Tournament number 2 seed and ATP world ranked number 4 Juan Martin del Potro took a trip to the airport yesterday ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships this week.

Del Potro was offered traditional Arabic hospitality from two of Emirates Executive’s cabin crew with dates and Arabic coffee.

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Five time Dubai champion Roger Federer took some time out from his busy schedule yesterday to visit one of his favourite destinations in Dubai, the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel.

Del Potro was invited by Emirates to experience the ultimate in luxury with their private Airbus A319 aircraft, Emirates Executive.

Roger was interviewed by well-known tennis commentator Annabel Croft and reflected on his experiences in Dubai over the years and his impressions of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Tournament number 2 seed and ATP world ranked number 4 Juan Martin del Potro took a trip to the airport yesterday ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships this week.

A regular visitor to Dubai, Roger praised the tournament, saying he believed it was voted the best ATP 500 event nine times in the last ten years because it is so well organized and the players are so well cared for.

Del Potro was offered traditional Arabic hospitality from two of Emirates Executive’s cabin crew with dates and Arabic coffee.

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The winter Olympics are underway in Sochi, Russia right now, and depending on your location, local broadcasters are airing hour upon hour of coverage. Who’s got time for that, though? GIFs only take a few seconds and you can get the gist of what’s going on. Plus, no commercial breaks!
Click the gallery above to see each one of the animated pics and then check out the full explanations of each animation below, without your browser being weighed down by all those hefty GIFs.

Sochi construction

Sochi was a mid-size resort town before it won the right to host the Olympics. That set off a feverish race to build an Olympic complex beginning in 2005. There has been a lot of chatter about how rushed parts of the complex feel (some parts of it are still not finished), but this GIF puts things in persepective.

Snowboarding fall

This is the first year women are getting to compete in snowboarding events at the Olympics. In the slopestyle event, Sarka Pancochova from the Czech Republic was in contention for a medal until this fall. She got up and finished the course, but ended up with a concussion. The helmet probably saved her life.

Luge POV

The one-person luge is a risky sport. Broken bones and concussions are not uncommon. The GIF above shows you how fast racers can get going. There are actually uphill portions of the track that prevent help slow the racers down. Without this a luge sled could reach speeds of 100mph.

Creepy Sochi Mascot

Sochi has a number of quirky mascots including a leopard, a hare, and an anthropomorphized ray of light. There is also a polar bear, which is what you see in the GIF above. This character was at the opening ceremony, and it’s downright creepy. Who decided to make it blink like that? This thing is pure nightmare fuel.

Superman jump

This GIF shows Swedish skier Per Spett pulling off a Superman jump in the Men’s Mogul Final. Mogul is a type of freestyle skiing for displaying tricks, jumps, and turns. Impressive as this jump is, Spett still only managed an 11th place finish.

Opening ceremony fail

Something seems off about that logo…

An array of five glowing snowflakes suspended over the stadium at Sochi was supposed morph into five rings — the Olympic logo.

However, one failed to expand. Russian broadcasts switched away from the failed spectacle to a pre-recorded video of the rings working correctly.

Luge is dangerous

Hitting a turn in the luge places the rider under extreme g-forces. Even a small mistake can cause them to lose the sled and tumble off at over 50mph. This GIF makes it look pretty unpleasant.

Figure skating spins

Julia Lipnitskaia is only 15, but she’s seen as one of the most promising skaters in the world. I’ll wager most Geek readers don’t follow figure skating, but the GIF in the gallery up top is still cool. That’s Lipnitskaia completing about 35 full spins in 12 seconds. That works out to 175 rpm.

Skiing fall

Like the matching snowboarding event, slopestyle skiing is a freestyle event based on tricks and jumps. Canadian Yuki Tsubota was in fourth place when this fall happened, but she still managed to finish in sixth. The Sochi course has been heavily criticized for being too fast with aggressive slopes. You can see Tsubota’s right ski snap off as she lands.

Putin is pleased

This one is only tangentially related to the Olympics, but it did technically take place at the games. It would simply be nice if this became a reaction GIF. It’s just odd to see Putin offering a polite golf-clap.
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Smith was unbeaten on 91 sharing an unbroken stand of 199 to steady the tourists.

Steven Smith and Shaun Marsh of Australia leave the field at the end of play during day one of the first Test between South Africa and Australia on February 12, 2014 in Centurion, South Africa. (GETTY)

Late call-up Shaun Marsh scored an unbeaten century in his first Test in two years to lead a middle-order recovery as Australia closed at 297 for four on the first day of the first Test against South Africa on Wednesday.

Marsh, who arrived only on Sunday as an emergency replacement for the injured Shane Watson, was on 122 not out from 232 balls, and will resume at SuperSport Park on Thursday with Steven Smith, unbeaten on 91.

The pair put on an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 199 to steady the tourists, who had been 98-4 just after lunch.

Marsh, beset by injury problems and a lack of runs over the past year, was something of a gamble by the Australian selectors, but after offering a difficult catch on 12, he saw off South Africa's vaunted attack on a piping hot day.

It was his second Test century, after his first on debut against Sri Lanka in 2011.

Smith provided ample backing, matching Marsh with 12 fours in his innings.

"It took the rest of us a week to get over the jet lag, so it must have been hard for him being here only three days," Smith said of Marsh's effort.

"He was amazing all day, he let the ball come into his areas and then capitalised on it.

"We knew it would be tough initially but it has turned into a good wicket and there are now a couple of cracks developing. So we will want to get a big first-innings total and then hope the cracks begin to play a part in the game."

The pair pushed the run rate up considerably after an uneasy start for the tourists, who were 83 for three at lunch and then lost captain Michael Clarke soon after.

Clarke was caught at deep fine leg off a short delivery from Dale Steyn for 23 as the much-anticipated clash between the highly rated batsman and bowler went Steyn's way. But it was one of few highlights for the quicks on a fast track.

Early on it looked as if South African captain Graeme Smith had made the right decision by asking Australia to bat, but by the end of the day that was in the balance. He had admitted at the toss he was uncertain.

After a fast start from Australia, South Africa removed both openers quickly to leave the tourists on 24-2.

First David Warner (12) chopped a Steyn delivery on to his stumps, before Chris Rogers (four) was brilliantly caught by a diving JP Duminy at short leg off a rising Morne Morkel ball that rapped him on the gloves.

Debutant Alex Doolan (27) was out 15 minutes before lunch, caught at mid-wicket by Robin Peterson as he tried to pull Ryan McLaren to the on-side.

South Africa's best bowling return came from Steyn, with two wickets for 54.

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SLC chief Dharmadasa argued the proposed changes take away power from the 10 Full members.

Sri Lanka Cricket president Jayantha Dharmadasa. (FILE)

Pakistan and Sri Lanka are likely to maintain their opposition to giving more power to India, England and Australia in cricket when the world body meets and possibly votes on proposals for change on Saturday.

The positions of South Africa and Bangladesh, initially opposed to the changes, are unclear.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said it has “serious concerns” over the proposals which were “neither in line with the principle of equity nor in the interest of the game of cricket.”

Sri Lanka have insisted plans for wholesale reform of the International Cricket Council (ICC) are in conflict with the organisation's "fundamental principles".

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said it will oppose them at the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in Singapore following a unanimous decision by its executive committee.

“The SLC executive committee was firmly of the view that all endeavours should be made to safeguard the current rights and privileges of Sri Lanka Cricket as a full member of the ICC,” the country's cricket board said after inviting former national team captains, past board presidents and representatives of the country's sports ministry to join a meeting and give their opinion.

“All present at this meeting were in unanimous agreement ... to oppose the revised proposals.”

Sri Lanka, together with Pakistan and South Africa, had already objected to the proposals when they were leaked ahead of an ICC board meeting in Dubai.

Soon after the talks, it became clear several countries still had concerns ahead of Saturday's follow-up meeting in Singapore, which could see a vote on implementing the plans.

In a letter seen by AFP in London, SLC president Jayantha Dharmadasa has written to the ICC's head of legal affairs, Iain Higgins, warning the reforms are "not valid" in law.

The letter, sent to the ICC's Dubai headquarters on February 5, states that one of the objects for which the ICC was established was to regulate and promote the game worldwide "in co-operation with its members".

However, Dharmadasa argued the proposed changes take away power from the 10 full members and vest it "in an inordinately disproportionate manner in just three full members, namely the boards of India, England and Australia".

"The purported resolutions also have the effect of taking a disproportionately large share of the funding available from the ICC and distributing it among these three full members," Dharmadasa added. "This is contrary to the equal revenue share model that is enshrined in the constitution."

The other major proposed change is the end of the current Future Tours Programme, designed to give all 10 leading countries a regular diet of international cricket, and a return to 'bilateral' series.

Critics such as former England captain Michael Atherton have said the plans represent "the end of the notion that a fair and principled and just body can govern cricket in the interests of all".

But the 'Big Three' have insisted their scheme is about more than their own self-interest, with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke saying: "If the status quo was so successful, why were so many countries in a perilous financial state?"

He added: "All countries earn more through this proposal. No member would earn less and, if our predictions are correct, most will earn an awful lot more. How can that be bad for cricket?"

After initially rallying the opposition, Cricket South Africa hasn't stated its stance since the proposals were tweaked and is in discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India and other ICC member countries – an apparent toning down of its opposition after rejecting the initial proposals by the BCCI, England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia as “fundamentally flawed.”

“We have carefully considered the proposals,” CSA President Chris Nenzani said in the latest statement.

“And we have declared that we will engage further with the ICC and other members to try and reach any consensus ahead of Saturday's ICC board meeting and that position still stands,” he added.

CSA, which initially said it wouldn't comment on the “sensitive matters,” broke its silence to deny media reports that it was planning to side with the big three in return for favours from the BCCI.

Wealthy India and its partners in England and Australia have to win over five of the other seven Test nations for the eight votes they need to approve the sweeping changes to the ICC that will clear the way for them to, among other things, earn more money and deregulate the international cricket calendar.

That will allow the big three to pick and choose their opponents and turn down unprofitable or inconvenient series against smaller teams.

New Zealand, West Indies and Zimbabwe seem to have been won over already, with New Zealand the most open in its reasons for backing the changes; guarantees that it'll receive money-spinning tours from the big teams.

“We've got strong commitments from Australia, from India, from England,” said Martin Snedden, New Zealand Cricket's representative on the ICC.

“So on the field I think we're getting close to getting a really, really good result out of this.”

Like South Africa, Bangladesh could also be wavering after the BCCI, ECB and CA adjusted its proposals to suggest that no country would lose its Test status.

That was likely to be the biggest issue for Bangladesh and its struggling Test team.

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More than 400 runs made for an entertaining start to the Twenty20 series – and a tough night for the bowlers – but Australia were more comfortable winners than the 13-run margin suggested in Hobart.
By the time Ravi Bopara went on a late six-hitting surge, England (who would dearly have loved one of those blows the other night in Adelaide) were out of contention although Australia will have been grateful that they had as many as 4 for 213 to work with.
Their total, on a pristine pitch and with one boundary of barely 50 yards towards the building site, was set up by an opening stand of 106 in less than 10 overs between Aaron Finch and Cameron White. Who needs David Warner?
For a while it looked like Finch would replicate his record-breaking hundred at the Ageas Bowl last year, when he slammed 156, so there will have been a degree of relief from England when he was cut-off for the small matter of 52 off 31 balls but considerable damage had already been done.
White top-scored on his return to the international scene with 75 off 43 balls to strengthen claims for a place in the World Twenty20 squad. He was given a life on 11, when Joe Root was late to react to a low edge at slip off Broad and went on to produce a crisp innings, including four sixes, with his driving over extra cover a particular highlight. Again, a simple fielding error hurt England badly.
England began positively through Alex Hales, who timed the ball beautifully square of the wicket and has good cause to be eyeing a top-bracket IPL deal, but when faced with a target over 200 every lean over sees the asking rate shoot up and the requirement to exploit the Powerplay comes with risks.
Moises Henriques, who is on a plane to South Africa tomorrow, put Australia on course for victory by removing Luke Wright and Hales in his first over. When Eoin Morgan gave himself too much room against Glenn Maxwell it was quickly becoming a lost cause.
It did not take long for Australia to get going after winning the toss. The first six of the innings went to White, when he swung Jade Dernbach over midwicket, but Finch’s soon followed and it was timing, as well as brute force, which allowed the ball to sail over long-on. After the six-over Powerplay, Australia were 0 for 52, which did not represent a disaster for England, but the major issue for them was the lack of wickets, which just gave already free-flowing batsmen even more freedom.
Finch’s fifty came from 26 balls, the same number as it took him on that heady night in Southampton. Bopara’s first over cost 12 and Danny Briggs’ 14 as Broad’s plan to take pace off the ball had little effect. But it was not just bludgeoning, especially the way White played Briggs with deft deflections and strong sweeping.
The hundred stand came up inside 10 overs – Australia’s sixth three-figure opening stand in T20s – and it ended as their third highest when Finch picked out deep midwicket. White had plenty of time to reach his own hundred, but fell in a curious two-ball period against Wright which firstly involved being caught off a waist-high no-ball – checked lengthily by the third umpire – before he was pinned lbw next delivery.
Maxwell appeared more interested in reverse rather than conventional hitting. He nailed one switch hit over deep point for six but fell trying a similar effort off Bopara in an over that cost just three to follow one from Broad that went for four.
It was, perhaps, no surprise that Briggs and Dernbach were among the most expensive bowlers – neither have played any cricket of late. At the toss, Broad said he wanted to show faith in the players who had performed well last year, but the absence of Ben Stokes, especially, was a surprise. Dernbach’s first two overs had cost 25 and his last two cost the same (including another full-toss no-ball) as Australia found a late kick just as England threatened to pull them back.
Chris Lynn, who was handed his debut alongside 20-year-old legspinner James Muirhead, launched his fourth ball into the stands and added two more to ensure there was no let-up as the total crossed 200. It was the type of striking that has made his name in the Big Bash League over the last couple of years and another example of the confidence surging through Australia’s young players at the moment.
Muirhead, meanwhile, was given a gentler introduction than may have been expected when he was brought onto bowl with England’s top order but he had to contend with a boundary that was barely a drop-kick away. He still gave the ball a decent rip as he had done during his tour match appearances and had the joy of a first wicket when Tim Bresnan missed a slog.
Bopara dented a few figures with some meaty blows – his seven sixes meaning both sides hit 11 in their innings – and kept a full house entertained with only the fifth half-century to come from No. 7 in a Twenty20 international but it came too late for England.

AUSTRALIA INNINGS
CL White lbw b Wright   75
AJ Finch c Hales b Broad                52           46
GJ Maxwell c Bresnan b Bopara 20
GJ Bailey* c Bresnan b Dernbach              14
CA Lynn                not out 33           21
DT Christian not out        6
EXTRAS (b 1, w 6, nb 6)  13
TOTAL (4 wickets; 20 overs)         213
DID NOT BAT MC Henriques, MS Wade†, NM Coulter-Nile, JR Hazlewood, JM Muirhead
FALL OF WICKETS 1-106 (Finch, 10.4 ov), 2-134 (White, 12.5 ov), 3-157 (Maxwell, 15.1 ov), 4-200 (Bailey, 19.1 ov)
BOWLING
SCJ Broad 4-0-25-1, JW Dernbach 4-0-50-1, TT Bresnan 4-0-40-0, RS Bopara 3-0-26-1, DR Briggs 4-0-53-0, LJ Wright 1-0-18-1
ENGLAND INNINGS
AD Hales lbw b Henriques            22
MJ Lumb c Lynn b Coulter-Nile   9
LJ Wright  b Henriques   9
JE Root c Finch b Coulter-Nile     32
EJG Morgan b Maxwell  4
JC Buttler† c Muirhead b Coulter-Nile     20
RS Bopara not out            65
TT Bresnan  b Muirhead                11           20
SCJ Broad* b Coulter-Nile            13
JW Dernbach run out (Finch/†Wade)      5
DR Briggs not out             0              5-
EXTRAS (lb 3, w 7)            10
TOTAL (9 wickets; 20 overs)         200
FALL OF WICKETS 1-14 (Lumb, 1.3 ov), 2-44 (Wright, 4.3 ov), 3-45 (Hales, 4.6 ov), 4-51 (Morgan, 6.3 ov), 5-98 (Buttler, 11.1 ov), 6-100 (Root, 11.4 ov), 7-147 (Bresnan, 16.3 ov), 8-162 (Broad, 17.4 ov), 9-176 (Dernbach, 18.6 ov)
BOWLING
GJ Maxwell 3-0-30-1, NM Coulter-Nile 4-0-30-4, JR Hazlewood 4-0-46-0, MC Henriques 3-0-36-2, JM Muirhead 4-0-34-1, DT Christian 2-0-21-0
Match details
Toss Australia, who chose to bat
Series Australia led the 3-match series 1-0
T20I debuts CA Lynn and JM Muirhead (Australia)
Player of the match CL White (Australia)
Umpires SD Fry and JD Ward
Match referee AJ Pycroft (Zimbabwe)
Reserve umpire MW Graham-Smith

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