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Kagiso Rabada and Temba Bavuma win Test player of the year and ODI player of the year awards respectively

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2023Quicks Anrich Nortje and Shabnim Ismail were named South Africa’s men’s and women’s cricketer of the year respectively at the Cricket South Africa (CSA) awards that were held in Midrand on Friday. The pair had previously won big at the CSA awards in 2021. In all, this was the third time that Ismail had taken top honours.The recently-retired Ismail had picked up eight wickets in six matches at an economy rate of 5.86 in South Africa’s run to a home T20 World Cup final in February. Nortje has been a strike force for South Africa across formats while his partner-in-crime Kagiso Rabada was named men’s Test cricketer of the year. Temba Bavuma scooped up the men’s ODI player of the year award while the men’s T20I award went to Reeza Hendricks who had struck back-to-back half-centuries against West Indies at home in March.Related

• Shabnim Ismail retires from international cricket

Nonkululeko Mlaba was named women’s T20I player of the year while Laura Wolvaardt claimed the women’s ODI player of the year award. Mlaba, 23, often fronts up to bowl in the powerplay in T20Is and in the home T20 World Cup earlier this year, she came away with six wickets in as many games at an average of 24.16 and a strike rate of 6.59.The MLC-bound Gerald Coetzee was adjudged men’s newcomer of the year. Coetzee had made both his Test and ODI debuts in March this year. In only his second Test, the 22-year-old fast bowler bagged a match haul of six wickets to cap South Africa’s home Test summer and their World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with a 284-run victory over West Indies in Johannesburg. Coetzee was also Faf du Plessis’ go-to bowler at Joburg Super Kings during the inaugural SA20 earlier this year.”On behalf of Cricket South Africa, I would like to congratulate all the winners on their awards,” Chief Executive Officer Pholetsi Moseki said. “There were so many strong performances and outstanding candidates for awards over the past season; it really made the task of the judges exceptionally tough.”We have seen a real improvement of all our national teams over the past season, the proof of which are in the results.”

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: NATIONAL

SA Women’s Player of the Year: Shabnim Ismail
Women’s T20I Player of the Year: Nonkululeko Mlaba
Women’s ODI Player of the Year: Laura Wolvaardt
Women’s Players’ Player of the Year: Nonkululeko Mlaba
SA Men’s Player of the Year: Anrich Nortje
Test Player of the Year: Kagiso Rabada
ODI Player of the Year: Temba Bavuma
T20I Cricketer of the Year: Reeza Hendricks

International Men’s Newcomer of the Year: Gerald Coetzee

SA Men Players’ Player of the Year: David Miller

SA Fans’ Player of the Year: Sinalo Jafta
Best Delivery Fuelled by KFC: Kagiso Rabada

The second season to have an extra game; each team to also sign a rookier player, aged 22 or under, who has never played in SA20 before

Firdose Moonda14-Jun-2023The second season of the SA20 will see one additional match – a mirror of the IPL’s knockout phase – and a salary purse increase of R5.1 million (USD 276,000 approx) – per team. That takes the total number of fixtures to 34, with each side playing the other five teams both home and away before the knockout stage. Instead of two semi-finals and a final, as was the case in the inaugural edition, the SA20 will have two qualifiers and an eliminator before the final.Each of the six teams can contract an additional player, bringing the total squad size to 19. The additional player must be a South African rookie, who is 22 or younger and has not played in the SA20 previously.These changes have been made after what league commissioner Graeme Smith told ESPNcricinfo was a debut season that “exceeded expectations across the board,” and with a view to growing the league “in a way that benefits South African cricket.”Related

• SA20 2024 starts on January 10, will clash with Test series in NZ

• SA20 2024 mini-auction to take place in Johannesburg on September 27

• T20 leagues: ICC mulls hard cap of four overseas players in XI

• Justin Ontong named head coach of Paarl Rocks

Smith envisages a “mini-auction” towards the end of September 2023 and no major changes to the franchises, most of whom contracted local players on two-year deals. “The position around that was that we wanted the fan base to get to know their teams,” Smith said. “And that was one of the major successes we had in season one – how fast fans got behind their teams. But with teams also getting to know South African cricket, you want a bit of space to manoeuvre and so we expect some South African players will move between franchises.”To accommodate that, an official trading window for South African players opened on June 1. Teams can pre-sign, trade, buy-out or retain players until the end of July when the SA20 will have a full audit of the squads and plan for the auction.There is a mixture of one and two-year deals for international players contracted to the SA20 and there is also expected to be some movement in that area, albeit likely before the auction. Teams will be allowed to pre-sign four overseas players in their squad, an increase by one from the last edition. This means that players who were unavailable previously can be contracted even before the auction. There will also be the opportunity to contract a wildcard player as was the case last season.The inaugural SA20 was a roaring success•SA 20

With some player movement likely, teams will need to dip into the extra salary allowance, which has gone up from R34 million (USD 1.84 million approx) last season to R39.1 million (USD 2.1 million approx) for the edition. The organisers feel the extra incentive will allow squads to “attract the best talent” and help assemble “powerhouse squads”. Smith foresees another big auction ahead of the third season.In total, each of the six teams is required to have a minimum of 11 South African players in their squads. On match day, the teams can field a maximum of four overseas players and a minimum of seven local players.The inaugural SA20 season was a roaring success in South Africa, which saw Sunrisers Eastern Cape crowned as champions. The second season will be played in the same January window in 2024 and could also see some changes to the playing conditions.After the SA20 became the first league to allow teams to name 13 players at the toss and whittle that down to 11 afterwards, it is now mulling whether to keep that or explore an IPL-style Impact Player Rule instead. “The committee will debate strategies on how we think the game can move forward,” Smith said. “The regulations today are related to squad composition and how teams can build their squads and we will look to other matters in the months to come.”

London Spirit had earlier made 104 for 5 after the game had been reduced to 85 balls per side due to constant drizzle

Valkerie Baynes08-Aug-2023Maia Bouchier’s classy, unbeaten half-century guided Southern Brave to victory in their Women’s Hundred clash with London Spirit, who finally made it onto the park after two washouts.Dank, gloomy conditions hung over Lord’s in the lead-up to the match, but the light – if fairly constant – drizzle cleared in time for the match to go ahead, only slightly reduced to 85 balls per side and hour later than scheduled at 4pm local time before a crowd of 13,081.Heather Knight, the England and Spirit captain batted like player raring to go but also one who had never been away following the Women’s Ashes, with an excellent 44 off 27 balls. But it was Georgia Adams, a player for whom national duty has proved elusive so far but who has been an influential allrounder on the domestic circuit in recent years, who shone with the ball for Brave.Legspinner Sarah Glenn, playing her first match since having emergency surgery to remove her appendix the night after England’s second Ashes ODI in Southampton last month, wrested back control for the hosts, but Bouchier’s innings kept Brave afloat while some clever late hitting by Australian Maitlan Brown put them firmly back on top.The 29-year-old Adams came into the match with six wickets in the competition so far, one ahead of Manchester Originals’ Fi Morris, who took all five of hers in Monday’s win over Birmingham Phoenix. Adams proceeded to extend her lead at the top of the wicket-takers’ charts with four Spirit scalps for 11 runs from her 20 balls to contain the hosts to 104 for 5.Lauren Bell made use of the conditions from the outset, her inswing accounting for Grace Harris on the fifth delivery of the match. Harris had already been struck by a bouncer which ricocheted off her arm into her helmet grille and, three balls later, missed her attempt to drive at one which came in from outside off and crashed into the top of middle stump.Dani Gibson, pulled and cut Bell for back-to-back fours early on and after the powerplay, reduced to 21 balls, Spirit were 30 for 1, closed out by another boundary carved away between point and cover point by Gibson, who played well for her 29 off 20 balls until she dragged an Adams delivery onto leg stump.Knight was in fine touch, her shot-making and placement sublime as she reverse-swept, reverse-lapped and cut her way to the top score for her side who, besides Gibson, were perhaps a little rusty with the bat, Grace Scrivens the only other Spirit player to reach double-figures with 10 not out.Georgia Adams finished with 4 for 11•Getty Images

When Amelia Kerr gave Adams her second wicket, spooning a catch straight to Smriti Mandhana at mid-off for just 6, and then Richa Ghosh holed out to Bouchier at long-on – also off Adams, Knight stepped on the gas. She dispatched Kalea Moore’s high full toss in front of square leg for the first of three fours in Moore’s set of five, following up with another reverse-sweep then a lofted drive over cover.With England’s Under-19 captain Scrivens batting opposite, her senior counterpart Knight picked out Moore just inside the rope at deep square leg to give Adams her fourth.Gibson’s handy contribution continued when, having seen her on-field lbw dismissal of dangerous Brave opener Mandhana overturned when the ball was found to have pitched outside leg, she had Mandhana out for a three-ball duck with her next delivery, well caught by Kerr at backward square leg.Five boundaries shared between Bouchier and Danni Wyatt in the space of seven balls eased the pressure from Brave and by the end of the powerplay, they were level with Spirit at 30 for 1.Glenn broke a 38-run stand between the two with the last ball of her opening set of five when Wyatt mistimed a pull to Tara Norris at mid-on. But Bouchier forged ahead, moving from 23 off 18 balls to 48 off 32 by the time Glenn struck again, twice in three balls to regain some control for Spirit. Glenn had Adams caught by Harris at long-on then Freya Kemp edging to Ghosh behind the stumps and Brave needed 32 off 26 balls.Gibson was back in the action with a strong catch running in from deep midwicket to remove explosive hitter Chloe Tryon off the bowling of Charlie Dean for just 4. But then Bouchier brought up her half-century with a single off Glenn.It was Brown who chewed through the rest of the run chase, sending an inside edge off Kerr through Ghosh’s legs for four and then scooping over the keeper’s head before a third boundary in a row over short fine leg made it three needed off eight balls. Fittingly, Bouchier finished the job, with one run needed of the last five, she cut Gibson’s second ball of the set to the boundary to seal victory.Bouchier said the rain delay hadn’t proved a distraction before play.”We came on the pitch ready to play and that’s what we did,” she said. “We bowled really well and, and kept them down to fairly decent score and to go out there and play the way we did was really good.”They had a, a little disadvantage not being able to play any games but in this cricket you have to be ready and I don’t think they were as ready as we were. It came down to the batting mainly. I think especially with the ball, we’ve bowled really well in our last couple of games and we’ve come back really well. So for them to come out and they were a little bit rusty with the bat, but we took advantage of that and you need to do that to keep them down to that sort of score.”Glenn admitted there was an element of rustiness in Spirit’s first game of the tournament.”It was the first time we were out there, but we did a real good middle practice yesterday to get us used to it so I thought we actually adapted really well and the communication was really good,” she said, adding that her side chose to ignore the rain during the morning.”It was like, ‘no, no, we’re getting on with it’. I think we were in denial a little bit, which I think helped our mindset because we were just so eager to out there, and luckily we did.”

Side strain denies fast bowler chance of England debut as selectors overlook proven back-up

Andrew Miller21-Aug-2023John Turner, the uncapped Hampshire fast bowler, has been ruled out of England’s T20I squad for this month’s series against New Zealand after sustaining a side injury during his Men’s Hundred stint with Trent Rockets. He will be replaced by the Durham quick, Brydon Carse.Turner, 22, had been the surprise call-up for England’s 20-over squad when it was unveiled last week, having made his professional debut in the format as recently as June.His ability as a 90mph-plus bowler was highlighted in his most recent outing, when he bowled Jonny Bairstow on his Hundred debut against Welsh Fire in Cardiff. However, he has not featured in the competition since.Related

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• Ben Stokes returns to England ODI squad ahead of World Cup defence

• John Turner on the fast track after rapid England elevation

• Jos Buttler: 'Badgering' Ben Stokes into World Cup comeback would not have worked

• Brook 'trying not to think about' World Cup omission

Carse, a fellow South Africa-born quick, steps into the vacancy created by Turner’s injury. Despite claiming a solitary wicket in six outings for Northern Superchargers in this year’s Hundred, he remains highly rated by the selectors, having played nine ODIs in the past two years, most recently against South Africa on his county home ground at Chester-le-Street – the same venue where he could now make his T20I debut against New Zealand on August 30.He has been preferred in the T20I squad to several proven competitors, not least Chris Jordan and Tymal Mills, both of whom have been in fine form with the ball for Southern Brave.However, with England’s white-ball squad focussed on the forthcoming 50-over World Cup, which gets underway in India in October, the 20-over series is being used by the selectors to explore the team’s bench-strength, with Josh Tongue and Luke Wood also named in the squad, alongside Gus Atkinson, who is England’s surprise pick for the 50-over set-up in the absence of the injured Jofra Archer.John Turner removed Jonny Bairstow on his Hundred debut•Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Explaining the desire to test the strength of England’s pace reserves, Luke Wright, the national selector, acknowledged that the risk of injury was a constant concern, therefore broadening the experience of the available resources was a priority, with the next T20 World Cup looming in June next year.”It’s something we’re really excited about, to see the amount of pace that is going around in county cricket with these guys that have come through,” Wright said last week. “We have to look ahead to that T20 World Cup next year as well, and try and get as much depth as possible. And we know with these fast bowlers, there’s going to be injuries with them.”So to have that depth but give them that exposure as well is obviously going to be hugely important. I think it’s really exciting to see these guys coming through. It’s been hugely impressive watching them in the Hundred and I look forward to seeing them go against New Zealand.”

Former England opener set to discuss playing future at end of season

Matt Roller21-Sep-2023Essex have played down suggestions that Alastair Cook will announce his retirement from professional cricket this week, saying they will hold talks with him about his future at the end of the season when his contract with the club expires.The reported on Thursday morning that Cook will call time on his career at the age of 38, five years after his final international appearance, and suggested that an announcement could come after Essex’s ongoing Championship fixture – also their final home game – against Hampshire at Chelmsford.Cook signed a two-year contract with Essex ahead of the 2022 season and has yet to agree a new deal, prompting rumours in recent weeks about an impending retirement. ESPNcricinfo understands that the club have discussed Dean Elgar as a potential overseas signing for next summer, who would represent a like-for-like replacement.But the club responded to the ‘s story by issuing a statement saying that no decision had been reached: “Essex Cricket would like to clarify that, contrary to news articles published today, Alastair Cook will be discussing his playing future with the club at the end of the current season.”The club said that both Cook and the rest of the squad were “fully focused on the last two LV= Insurance County Championship matches and on being involved in a close-fought race for further honours.”Essex started this round of games 18 points behind leaders Surrey, but were on top against Hampshire at lunchtime on the third day while Surrey struggled against bottom-placed Northamptonshire.Cook has been a mainstay of Essex’s Championship side since his England retirement, playing 62 first-class games across the last five seasons, including this week’s fixture against Hampshire. In that time, he has averaged 42.67 with 11 hundreds, and was part of sides that won the Championship in 2019 and the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020.This season, he is the eighth-highest run-scorer in Division One with 808 at 36.72, including six half-centuries and one hundred.

South Africa’s tight finish at odds with team’s fluency when batting first, as captain admits ‘conversations’ are needed

Andrew Miller27-Oct-20231:24

Pujara: South Africa seem to lack a clear game plan while chasing

South Africa are top of the World Cup standings, and firmly on course for a top-four finish, but their captain Temba Bavuma acknowledged that “conversations” would be had about their approach to run-chases, after they had an almighty scare in their one-wicket win over Pakistan in Chennai.South Africa have been a team of two distinct characters in the tournament to date. When batting first, they have been imperious – rattling off totals of 428, 311 and 399 and 382 in four imposing victories over Sri Lanka, Australia, England and Bangladesh.When chasing, however, it has been a different matter. They tripped up in embarrassing fashion against Netherlands in Dharamsala, losing by 38 runs after being bowled out for 207, and it was so nearly a similar tale in their pursuit of 271 against Pakistan. From a comfortable 206 for 4 with 17 overs remaining, they lost 5 for 54 in the next 12.3 overs, before the last pair of Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi dragged them over the line with an unbroken 11-run stand.”It was a nail-biting finish,” Bavuma said at the post-match presentations. “Obviously, if you are a South African fan, you’re a little bit happier at the outcome.”With the batting, there’s obviously been pressure with us chasing, and we haven’t done well to rectify that. We’ll obviously have conversations, but it will be easier now to have those conversations with the win. But it was due to our doing that we allowed the game to get to that point.”Given the ease with which South Africa have been blitzing the death overs when batting first, the manner of their collapse will have been noted by their rivals – not least their next two opponents, New Zealand and India, at least one of whom they are likely to encounter again in the knockouts.The wobble set in when David Miller, on 29 from 32, edged behind off Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was the pick of Pakistan’s seam attack with 3 for 45 in his ten overs. Marco Jansen then spooned a simple chance to backward point off Haris Rauf, one ball after driving a powerful straight six, to depart for 20 from 14.South Africa’s last pair – Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj – rejoices after sealing a one-wicket win•AFP/Getty Images

“The guys who were there in the pressure situations [would need to] truly speak out as to what they were thinking in terms of emotions, in terms of their game-plans,” Bavuma added. “It’s hard to say now, I’m still enjoying the victory myself, but those conversations will happen.””It’s something that we’ve spoken about, it’s obviously something that has been thrown about,” he added. “We obviously have a blueprint when batting first, and we’ve shown that in terms of the scores we have been able to post.”We can’t say with conviction that we do have the blueprint when we are chasing. We’re going to get into this situation again, that I do know, and we obviously want to show a lot more of a clinical display with the bat.”Even so, a win is a win, and Bavuma admitted that the scenes in the dressing-room were “chaos”, with “the guys picking up Shamsi” after his starring role as an unlikely allrounder. His four wickets in Pakistan’s innings included the key scalp of Babar Azam for 50 and looked to have broken open the contest. But in the end, his unbeaten four from six balls proved to be his critical intervention.”I’m ecstatic for Shamsi,” Bavuma said. “It started with the ball, he came on in conditions that were in his favour and he exploited them, and then with the bat … you’ll have seen Shamsi on social media gloating about his batting. We needed that today. Fortunately for us, he came through, but we are not going to stop hearing about for probably two weeks.”Shamsi, the Player of the Match, credited his team-mates for setting the game up for him with their early wickets, but admitted that his four runs were “probably all I’ve scored this whole year… they came at the right time.””Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it doesn’t,” he added. “So while it’s going for me, I’m happy to be able to help the team win, but I didn’t think I’ll be able to it with my pads on.”In terms of soaking up the pressure of the chase, Shamsi showed the fight that his team required, and said that “it actually feels nicer” to have come through the match the hard way.Related

• Temba Bavuma hamstring injury gives South Africa cause for concern ahead of semi-final

• South Africa gear up for free hit, a World Cup final somewhere at the back of their minds

• Marco Jansen, South Africa's Magnificent No. 7

• Ghosts of Chepauk's past don't spook South Africa

• South Africa rise to the top by the barest of margins in thriller against Pakistan

“These are the type of moments that you train for, you want the big stage,” he said. “Kesh was unbelievable out there, and Lungi [Ngidi] as well before him. If I’d tried to play a big shot then and it didn’t come off, the boys wouldn’t welcome me back in the change-room. So there was never a doubt in my head that I’m not going to play a big shot.”For Pakistan, the emotions were rather more downcast. Despite an unprecedented fourth World Cup loss in a row, they are not yet out of the running for the top four, but Babar Azam, their captain, was resigned to the likelihood that their tournament challenge is over.”We were very close but we did not finish well, it’s very disappointing,” he said. “In the batting, we were 10-15 runs short. The way we were bowling, the fast bowlers and spinners, we fought very well. But unfortunately it was not our night. We had the opportunity to win this match and stay in the tournament, but I think we are missing [out].”Pakistan might well rue their luck in the closing overs, however, after an excruciatingly close lbw shout against Shamsi off Haris Rauf’s final ball of his spell. Umpire Alex Wharf turned down an appeal that was shown to be umpire’s call on leg stump, although it did arguably even things up after Rassie van der Dussen had himself been given out to a delivery that was shown to be clipping the top of the leg bail – and was briefly shown to be missing by an on-screen graphic that the ICC later confirmed had been shown in error.”DRS is part of the game,” Babar said. “If they [had given it] out, it’s in favour for us, but umpire’s call is part of the game.”

Bangladesh’s captain scored the only half-century of the match and finished it with a last-ball boundary

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2023A tense Super-Over victory at the Shere Bangla National Stadium kept Bangladesh alive in their three-match ODI series against Pakistan. Captain Nigar Sultana was Bangladesh’s match-winner with the bat, scoring the game’s only half-century before hitting the winning boundary in the Super Over.Chasing eight to win the one-over eliminator, Bangladesh needed two off the last ball, with Sultana on strike for the first time after Sobhana Mostary had been stumped off Nashra Sandhu’s bowling. Sultana stepped out and lofted Sandhu over mid-off for four, bringing the series scoreline to 1-1 with the third and final ODI to be played on Friday.Having chosen to bat first, Bangladesh were in a solid position at 92 for 2 in the 32nd over, with Fargana Hoque having put on 49 for the third wicket with Sultana. Hoque’s run-out dismissal, however, sparked a slump, with Bangladesh losing seven wickets while scoring just 77 runs off the last 18.1 overs of their innings. Sultana was ninth out, in the final over, having scored 54 off 104 balls. Left-arm spinners Sandhu and Sadia Iqbal were Pakistan’s most successful bowlers with two wickets apiece.Pakistan’s chase got off to a strong start with Sadaf Shamas and Sidra Ameen putting on 41, but both openers fell in the 20s. It was a sign of things to come: in all, five Pakistan batters got into the 20s but none of them got to 30, as Bangladesh chipped away at the wickets, legspinner Rabeya Khan leading the way with 3 for 29.In a match of small margins, Bangladesh batted through their 50 overs as well as all six balls of their Super Over, while Pakistan were bowled out in 49.5 overs and lost both their Super-Over wickets with one ball still remaining. The match went into a tiebreaker after Sandhu was run out while trying to take the winning single in the last over of normal play, bowled by Fahima Khatun.

It is however not yet officially confirmed that Naseem will be fully fit for the start of the PSL

Danyal Rasool02-Dec-2023Naseem Shah has moved from Quetta Gladiators to Islamabad United in one of the most sensational trades of the PSL, ending weeks of speculation about his destination next season.After a tussle in which at least three teams competed for his signing, United won out, ending the battle for one of the most in-demand fast bowlers in Pakistan cricket. In return, Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Wasim Jnr have moved from United to Gladiators before the transfer window shuts.Just days ago, Multan Sultans appeared to have beaten United to Naseem’s signature, and ESPNcricinfo understands they were on the cusp of making an official statement announcing the move. However, United’s interest in Naseem predated Sultans’, and ended up outlasting it.It’s understood Naseem’s move away from the Gladiators was partially influenced by the player pushing for the move himself after several frustrating years at the franchise. While the Gladiators were the most consistent team of the PSL over the first four years of its existence, reaching three finals and winning the title in 2019, it’s been a dramatic reversal since. They are the only side to have missed out on the playoffs each of the last four years, finishing fifth twice, and propping up the table in the other two seasons. It has meant Naseem, who has only ever played for the Gladiators and made his debut in 2020, has never reached the playoff stages of the PSL in his career.While Naseem is now recognised as a generational talent across formats in Pakistan, the PSL is yet to truly see evidence of that ability. His 29 matches have produced 26 wickets – nine of them in two individual games in 2022 – and his economy rate, strike rate, and average are all worse at the PSL than his T20 career in general.It is not yet officially confirmed that Naseem will be fully fit for the start of the PSL after a shoulder injury that ruled him out of the final part of the Asia Cup and all of the World Cup. He will also miss Pakistan’s tour of Australia and New Zealand, and is currently in the United Kingdom as he works his way back. While he is believed to be on track to ensure he is available for the PSL, this has not been officially confirmed.

Nicholas Pooran takes over MI Emirates captaincy from Pollard in the ILT20

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jan-2024MI Cape Town captain Rashid Khan has been ruled out of the upcoming season of the SA20 as he continues to recover from a back surgery. The ace legspinner was named in the Afghanistan squad on January 6 for the three-match T20I series in India, but is unlikely to play, according to a statement from his cricket board (ACB). Rashid had also missed Afghanistan’s most recent T20I series in the UAE and the Big Bash League (BBL).Kieron Pollard will captain MI Cape Town in Rashid’s injury-enforced absence and will make his debut in the SA20. Pollard was also retained by MI Emirates for the ILT20 in 2024, but with its dates clashing with the SA20’s, Nicholas Pooran will take over MI Emirates captaincy from Pollard. It remains to be seen whether Pollard will join MI Emirates for the last leg of the ILT20 in the UAE.Related

• Rashid Khan ruled out of T20I series against India

• SA20 2024 kicks off on Wednesday. Here's what to expect

• Mujeeb back in Afghanistan squad for T20I series in India

• Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, Kyle Mayers turn down WI central contracts

• Pooran joins Durban's Super Giants ahead of SA20 auction

Pollard was recently in action for New York Strikers in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, where his side won the final against Deccan Gladiators. Pooran, who is Pollard’s CPL team-mate at Trinbago Knight Riders, had turned down his West Indies central contract in December 2023 to become a free agent. Pooran was unveiled as Durban’s Super Giants’ wildcard pick in September 2023, and is likely to play three matches in the SA20 before linking up with MI Emirates for the second season of the ILT20.MI Cape Town also announced the signing of Sri Lanka fast bowler Nuwan Thushara, who will take Jofra Archer’s place in the upcoming season.The SA20 will run from January 10 to February 10, and the ILT20 from January 19 to February 17. The two leagues will also clash with New Zealand’s Super Smash and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Bumrah took charge of India in his absence

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Mar-20241:35

Manjrekar: Rohit had an answer to all of Stokes’ plans

India captain Rohit Sharma, suffering a stiff back, did not take the field at the start of the third day of the the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala. The designated vice-captain, Jasprit Bumrah, took charge of the team.Rohit has enjoyed rich returns over the back end of the series, scoring centuries in two of the last three Tests. He was instrumental in establishing India’s advantage in Dharamsala, bringing up his 12th Test century and his 10th at home. With all five of the top-order making fifty-plus scores, the hosts were able to take a lead of 259 as the game moved forward.Related

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Rohit had partnerships of 104 and 171 with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill respectively as India took hold of the game despite losing the toss. Jaiswal made 57, his fifth score of 50 or more in this series – two of which he converted into double-centuries. Gill went on to score his second century of the series.India have faced a spate of injuries over the course of the series. Mohammed Shami (ankle injury) and Virat Kohli (birth of his second child) have not been involved at all. KL Rahul has missed all but the first Test, recovering from a quadricep tendon injury. Ravindra Jadeja wasn’t available for the second Test with a hamstring injury. R Ashwin had to leave the team in Rajkot briefly to attend to a family emergency. Bumrah was rested for the fourth Test in Ranchi. And Rajat Patidar has been nursing a sore ankle. All of India’s first-choice players have the IPL coming up, on March 22 through to May, which then leads into the T20 World Cup in June.India are leading the series against England 3-1, bouncing back from a defeat in Hyderabad to win three on the trot.