Rest of the World

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KP_fan wrote:

msp83 wrote:So India is getting back on the field tonight, kicking off their WTC campaign. Rohit has already confirmed Jaiswal will open, and Gill drop down to 3. When all the talk of Yashasvi taking over from Pujara at 3 was going on, I felt he should open, particularly since the team views Gill as the eventual successor to Virat Kohli at 4. Going forward, I see a top 4 of Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran/Devdutt Padikkal/Rohan Kunnummal, Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Eswaran has been hard done by......Jaiswal was jumped over him
Mayank Agarwal should not be ruled out...he has batted very well in FC and has a decent test match showing also.

And don't forget the favorite boy of seniors and BCCI in KL Rahul...as soon as he is fit he will walk back into the 11

Its been tough on Easwaran. Think Mayank and KL might find it difficult to now fight their way back in. Particularly if Yashasvi has a good start to his career. KL might still make a comeback when Rohit leaves, but I hope Easwaran, Rohan and even Padikkal will make better cases for themselves.
As for Yashasvi jumping over Abhimanyu, though its tough on the latter, think is the right call. Jaiswal scored hundreds on his Ranji, Duleep and Irani trophy debuts. He's versatile and has shown adaptability as indicated by his IPL success. And, its not much noted these days, but he's a handy parttimer with the ball, he very much was for the U-19s, hope he'll get a few chances right away to work on that secondary skill of his...

They should, almost certainly be fine. But...stranger things have happened.

Pak's lost top4 and still 44 runs behind.
Nahid Rana touching almost 150kph

6 down Pak 12 runs still in arrears.
It was not easy to commit this harakiri but Pak is the test nation most likely to have achieved this.....perhaps alongside WI

Oh dear, that first innings is looking like a terrible declaration now, probably even worse than the one in the first Ashes Test last year

And Rizwan was caught off the gloves, excited Bangladeshis arguing among themselves were a second too late to call for DRS

118-8 now Pakistan, as Shakib gets Naseem. Only a lead of 1, Rizwan is still there but surely Bangladesh will see this over the line now. Incredible performance

Ah, looks like those stranger things have happened. This will be an utter embarrassment for Pakistan if they lose, as looks likely, while it'll be Bangladesh's best test win (and they don't get many!) since beating NZ in NZ in early 2022.

Still 57 overs left in the game according to Cricinfo, so while there's currently some resistance in this 9th wicket stand, Pakistan are so far away from safety.

Just one wicket left, now.

Supporting Pakistan at cricket must be the most frustrating thing for sports' fans. One minute they are brilliant, the next they collapse in a heap. They don't usually collapse at home, though.

Job done, 30 for Bangladesh to win. Mehidy taking Pakistan's lower order apart.

This will make it an astonishing nine home tests in a row without a win for Pakistan, encompassing four different opponents.

And Bangladesh complete an amazing win by ten wickets.

Pakistan's run of tests starts with an absolute nightmare. Nine tests without a win at home*! Staggering. And one of the worst declarations ever seen.

*So you would have thought they would have turned away from these lifeless wickets by now!

All over, with B enjoying a thumping 10-wicket win.

Pakistan will rue their first-innings declaration. Was it a misjudgment or were they being disrespectful to their opponents?

Wow. Pakistan can self destruct in a manner no-one else can approach... Dig someone dig the pitch up overnight ? I know pitches can change rapidly in this part of the world ; but 4 days 1036/17 ...and then this ? Bizarre...

BD is a good test side......good fast & FM pacers, couple of spin bowling all-rounders, a WK who can bat and averages ~40 & plenty of 3rd spinner options when needed.
Their weakness would be their top order in seaming conditions.

Ind's test season starts with two tests vs BD who cannot be taken for granted.
If I remember correct India has played just one 2 test series in BD,& one 2 test series in India.
That's an appalling low number of tests & I can't remember when Ind played SL last.

In the only series in India ...BCCI arranged to leave  a thick grass cover and played 3 seamers in India & that 's what I expect BCCI to do this time also....can't take a chance preparing a spinning pitch. Last test in BD was a spin friendly and India won a precariously close game chasing 140 odd by 3 wkts and Ashwin had to take Ind thru with 42 n.o.

However BD's seamers are quite decent.....but this will be a banana peel series.

alfie wrote:Wow.  Pakistan can self destruct in a manner no-one else can approach...  Dig someone dig the pitch up overnight ?   I know pitches can change rapidly in this part of the world  ; but 4 days 1036/17 ...and then this ?  Bizarre...

Not really as far as I can see on the highlights - also according to CricViz this was a wicket that in their models was basically a replica of the one England/Pakistan played on in Rawalpindi. Just a great performance from the Bangladesh bowlers and quite the collapse by Pakistan.

Also as said many times on these boards, it's a crying shame England seemingly have no interest in either hosting or touring Bangladesh. Both last series against them produced some wonderful cricket (Tamim in England, the away series a close close series too).

Would really like to see something on the calendar sooner rather than later

WTC standings as of now.
Water seeks it's own level applies to two years test cycles.
Teams end up at their level eventually.

-If India gets the par wins in 4 out of 5 home tests( highly likely) , then they are  thru to final....even if they lose but not get thrashed in Aus
-However if India win or draw with Aus in their home, which India has done on last two tours, then:
  --Eng has a chance if they beat NZ and assuming they will easily dispose off Lanka & Pak.
--SA has 4 easy tests vs SL & Pak, but even if they win all four they are not catching up with Eng.
So if there are no unexpected upsets, and Ind win or draw the series in Aus.... the NZ-Eng series will be like the semifinal to WTC

Australia and England definitely need to play Bangladesh more. Australia have played Bangladesh a pathetic six times in the two and a half decades, nearly, since Bangladesh became a test team. Bangladesh haven't played tests in Australia since 2003! Australia have since made two visits to Bangladesh, the last one seven years ago.

England, not much better, nothing since 2016, and no Bangladeshi visits since 2010. I think a missed opportunity to play Bangladesh in May/June 2025, maybe as a tri-test series with Zimbabwe? Something a bit different. Oh well. I do think England visiting Bangladesh this winter would be more interesting than Pakistan.

World Test Championship? It's going to be an India-Australia final, barring snookers.

Rashid Khan hasn't been named in Afghanistan's test match squad vs nZ

The opening day of the second #PAKvBAN Test has been washed out!

Great news for Bangladesh. One day closer to their greatest ever test series win!

Pakistan wobbling at 179/5 after being put into bat.

Pak beginning to crumble inspite of a few dropped catches.
BD bowling is well rounded and deep

Pak dropping into a hole at 235-7 as BD keep chipping away
You can't judge a pitch until both sides have batted but from little i saw it's a 400 run first inning surface.

274ao, which I think is well short, then Pakistan compounded their misery by dropping a fairly simple chance off the first ball of Bangladesh's innings!

Shaheen has also been dropped, which is a brave selection call from Pakistan, but his test form has been lacking recently.

Bangladesh safely to 10/0 at stumps. Bat the day tomorrow and they will take a huge step to a series win.

Medium pacers khurram and Hamza have taken all 6 and BD is 43-6.
The follow on is a difference of 150 runs in 3 and 4 day games , this being reduced to 4 days.
There is plenty of time left and without more rain all scenarios look bleak for BD right now

Mehndy Hasan has been rising as an all-rounder everytime I see him

What is going on in Pakistan ? Crazy pitches or just rotten batting ?

The new ball period was quite wild. Since then, it has calmed down, hence Bangladesh moving from 26/6 to 130/6!

They've avoided the follow on and need to keep pushing close to Pakistan's score.

In the world of cricket today
Atkinson and Mehndy Hasan making waves with their No. 8 batsmanship

193-8 now, Mehidy out for 78 and Litton still in on 83*, trailing by only 81 runs now. If the tail can stick with Litton, maybe they get that below 50 and bat into day four.

Looks like they will have to bat out a final day to save a draw, or maybe they can bowl Pakistan out for 120-150 odd and set a chase within realistic zone

Heading towards a single inning shoot out with 2 days to go.
Where on resilience and fighting spirit you'd have to put BD ahead

Bangladesh bowling out for 262. After a terrible start against the new ball, which saw them 26/6, the lower order put together a combined 236/4, which I think shows the true nature of the pitch!

Pakistan have a lead of 12, but they have a very tricky equation to balance. They need a win, but they must also be mindful of the forecast threatening some further rain.

Pak have lost their spine and stomach to fight.
9-2

But for now, Pakistan will have to put thoughts of winning out of their mind. They lost two wickets in the 22 balls before stumps, though one was a nightwatchman.

Leaves them with just a lead of 21, two down, going into day four. Could be an astonishing ten consecutive home tests without a win for Pakistan.

Some great 25 min highlights on YouTube - pitch is greener and was some swing, but also some extremely ordinary dismissals from the Bangladeshi top order contributed to their collapse.
Great knock by Das, looked chanceless

If you fancy a chuckle, watch Nahid’s dismissal. He looks a proper bunny!

Hasan Mahmud looks a good prospect with the ball - Bangladesh in a good position tomorrow

Pak collapsed again to 81-6 but have now a lead of 129
if they can get the chase for BD up to 200 , the game is quite open

P only 148 ahead with just two wickets left. Another scarcely believable collapse.

Ironic that all these poor home performances have now come when they really are at.....home.

Nine down now, lead just 157. All nine wickets have succumbed to pace, not spin.

TV umpire is Pakistani Asif Yakoob, tried very hard to find doubt in a DRS that black & white looked going against Pak
Did not succeed
185 to win

Good effort from Salman, gives Pakistan something to bowl at.

If they replicate the first innings new ball effort, aided by these murky conditions, then they might stop Bangladesh. But for now the visitors look likely to take a 2-0 series win.

I came across a stat 3 out of Liton das' s 4 centuries have come when team score was 24/5, 49/4, and 26/6.
Pure stats won't be able to evaluate the worth of runs many times

Rana hit 90mph many times & his fastest being 92mph.

man to man BD is markedly better

Pitch had a tinge of green...clouds on and off...ball has nipped all thru and swung occasionally

Sad to see the "medium paceness" of Pak new ball bowlers
Hamza is 123-127kph & Khurram low 130s

Faster men Afridi & Hasan dropped & rested repectively.
Reports were that there was a fist fight between captain Masood & Afridi in the dressing room at the end of T1

Opener Zakir has decided to slash & swing & a quick 35 odd will ease the chase significantly

Yeah, really good approach from Zakir. Knocking the top off the chase and they're already 37/0 after 6.

There is a threat of rain tomorrow, and bad light in the evening, so it might be prudent to chase this as quickly as possible. Either way, though, it's looking like a Bangladesh series win.

Pakistan heading for ten home tests in a row without a win, barring a big comeback, with England looking to stretch it to 13! Worst Pakistan test team ever? If the reports of unrest are true, it could be problematic with this long test run ahead of them.

If BD win they will jump over SA & Eng to stand at No. 4 in WTC table...and if Eng beat Lanka in T3 they will jump back up again.

Dark clouds have stopped play.....rain is imminent and even if Rain clears it's dark for cricket by 530PM local time & it's already 3:30 pm there.
BD need a solid 30 overs more to put it across

Five off the first over after tea, then the umpires take the players off for light.

This is an example of where cricket can be more sensible. Why not postpone the tea break? It was obvious that not much play was going to be possible tonight because of the worsening conditions, so why not play through the 20 minute interval in the knowledge that conditions were inevitably going to darken?

Rain appears to be forecast for tomorrow morning, but it's set to brighten up in the afternoon. Bangladesh might only need a couple of hours of play to complete a 2-0.

Just watched the highlights on YouTube - Bangladesh even dropped Rizwan first ball (regulation slip chance), so could have been even better for them.

Extremely impressed by Nahid - looks to have great raw pace and bounce, albeit his action is a bit “he’s gonna have multiple back stress fractures”. Constantly around 145kph and above 140kph though, touching 150kph at times. Looks quite a prospect.

Hasan seemed to be more 130-140kph range and more controlled.

Zakir with some lovely stroke play to get the Tigers off to a flier. Tbh watching the body language in the field, they probably would’ve liked to stay on as Pakistan looked finished.

Mohammed Ali must be one of the worst players to play for Pakistan, totally ineffective with the ball and a bunny with the bat. I know they wanted to make a point to Shaheen but that is just actively hurting your XI with that selection

No rain this morning, bright and sunny (contrary to 96% chance of precipitation forecast)
Think there will be a full session and that should be enuf for BD.
There next two tests are vs Ind and they will be hard nut , given they have quality pace and spin bowling for whatever pitch India prepares

Pak's bowled tight this morning. Pitch is holding up a bit and no exaggerated movement but slight nip off the seam off the length.

As I've often said, weather forecasting is barely more advanced than horoscopes.

Bangladesh happy to tick gradually to their target. 12 away from a two niler.

Comfortable in the end, Historic
Pathetic from Pak, 11 individuals clubbed in 3 or 4 camps they are not one team.
Eng is who they take on next, in what should be easy for Eng.

Ind plays BD in a few weeks and that would be a difficult series for India.
BD are equal in pace and spin bowling and with bowling all-rounders.