Tag: ICC Men's T20 World Cup

USA vs South Africa – T20 World Cup Super Eight: Teams, pitch, weather | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

Who: USA vs South Africa
What: ICC T20 World Cup Super Eights
When: Wednesday, June 19, 10:30am (14:30 GMT)
Where: Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda
How to follow: Al Jazeera’s live coverage begins at 11:30 GMT

The Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup opens with an unexpected competitor.

Team USA have entered the Caribbean leg of the tournament as a surprise package and are determined not to bow out any time soon.

“We are not going to go down without a fight,” coach Stuart Law told Al Jazeera after the USA’s qualification for the Super Eights was confirmed.

The diverse USA squad includes two players of Caribbean origin who have played the game in the region in the past, and one of them, Aaron Jones, believes his side will get good support from the crowd in the West Indies.

“Me and Steven [Taylor] have a lot of support in the Caribbean, so we will definitely have some support tomorrow,” Jones said on Tuesday in his pre-match news conference.

The USA vice captain, who hit the joint highest number of sixes (13) in the group stage, said his team are excited to rub shoulders with the biggest sides in the world.

“The boys are excited to play against the best teams in the world. We wanted to do that. We’ve been speaking about that over the last couple of years. And here we are now, so we’re just going to enjoy our cricket and, as I said, play fearless cricket all the time.”

South Africa will be wary of the threat the Americans pose, and captain Aiden Markram agreed that his side will have to “be on their best game” against the co-hosts in Wednesday’s game.

“A lot of the people will say [the USA are one of the] smaller nations, but they are not, and they have proved it,” Markram told reporters.

With the Super Eight games spread across multiple venues in the Caribbean, Markram said it will be vital for his side to gather as much information as they can about each ground.

Pitch condition

The Antigua pitch has produced a mix of low- and high-scoring matches, but conditions remain favourable for batting, and the pitch is vastly different from the one in New York, where all team struggled to score.

There will still be some assistance for bowlers, especially wrist spinners and bowlers with high accuracy and control.

Weather forecast

The forecast for this week is cloudy and humid with negligible chances of rain.

Head-to-head

The teams have never met in any format of the game.

Form guide

While the USA lost their last completed match of the tournament against India, they would have gained confidence from their competitive display against the South Asian powerhouse. The debutants showed plenty of grit and control in their historic super over win against Pakistan.

South Africa are one of the four unbeaten sides in the tournament so far, but were nearly at the receiving end of a huge upset against Nepal in their last group match.

USA: L W W L W
South Africa: W W W W L

USA team news

The USA will welcome back their captain, Monank Patel, who missed the match against India, and left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige, who showed plenty of control with the ball against Pakistan.

Squad: Monank Patel (captain), Shayan Jahangir, Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Nitish Kumar, Steven Taylor, Harmeet Singh, Corey Anderson, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan, Jessy Singh, Saurabh Netravalkar, Nosthush Kenjige

South Africa team news

The Proteas may look to play two spinners and call up the wily Keshav Maharaj in place of one of their three pace bowlers.

Squad: Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Maharaj, Bjorn Fortuin, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi



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Teams, format, match-ups: All to know about the T20 World Cup Super Eights | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

The ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2024 – cricket’s biggest tournament – has reached the Super Eights stage in the United States and the West Indies.

The 20-team competition has slimmed to eight teams and there have already been major shocks and eliminations in the group stages.

Here’s what you need to know about the next phase of the tournament:

Which teams have qualified for the Super Eights?

The top two teams from each of the initial four groups have qualified, with the most notable omissions being Pakistan and New Zealand:

  • India (Group A winners)
  • USA (Group A runners-up)
  • Australia (Group B winners)
  • England (Group B runners-up)
  • West Indies (Group C winners)
  • Afghanistan (Group C runners-up)
  • South Africa (Group D winners)
  • Bangladesh (Group D runners-up)

How does the format work?

Following the four groups of four that began the tournament, the structure now reduces to two groups of four – the Super Eights.

Each team will play each other once in their respective groups with the top two teams from each qualifying for the semifinals.

  • Group 1: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, India
  • Group 2: England, South Africa, USA, West Indies

When and where are the Super Eights and the final?

The Super Eights will be played from June 18 to June 25.

The tournament, which opened on June 2 at the Grand Prairie Stadium, Grand Prairie, Dallas, has moved from the United States and will now be fully played in the Caribbean. Four venues will be used in Barbados, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Saint Vincent.

The semifinals will be played on June 27 in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana respectively. The final in Barbados will take place on June 29.

[Al Jazeera]

Which are the biggest matches to watch out for in the Super Eights?

In an edition littered with shocks and upsets, including the biggest in the tournament’s history when USA beat Pakistan, every game appears to have an even greater value placed on it now.

The USA, much as they did in the group stage, will open the next round against South Africa on Wednesday. The Proteas claimed four wins from their four games in the group but each was a tight scrap rather than the stroll the table may suggest. Their top order has failed to fire and USA will bank on pushing another of the global cricketing giants all the way.

Fellow co-hosts West Indies, also one of our five pre-tournament favourites, face holders England in the second match of the Super Eights stage on Thursday. That is followed by India, the defeated finalist at the 2023 Cricket World Cup, against Afghanistan, now one of the dark horses for the trophy. Both matches are likely to set down the path that the two groups will take.

By the time England play South Africa on Friday, we could be looking at an eliminator for one of the powerhouses.

Australia must wait until Friday to begin their tournament and must beware of Bangladesh’s spinners in Antigua. The same will be true, if not more so, for Mitchell Marsh’s Aussies on Sunday when they face Afghanistan.

The key face-off in Group 1 will be in the final round of Super Eights matches between Australia against India – a repeat of the 2023 Cricket World Cup and Test Championship finals. It is a match that is likely to decide first and second in the group, and therefore, seedings for the semifinals.

Holders England follow up their opener against West Indies by facing South Africa in their second match before finishing against USA. The co-hosts’ match against the Proteas looks to be a clear eliminator by that stage – unless the USA can provide another upset when they face the defending champions.

Who are the favourites for the T20 World Cup 2024 semifinals?

India are the number one ranked T20 team. The tournament has been uncomfortable so far, though, and the matches against USA and Canada were more troublesome than hoped, while their Pakistan match went to the wire. Rohit Sharma’s men will be desperate to make up for the heartbreak of losing the 2023 Cricket World Cup final to Australia on home soil and will hope their players can take their form of the recently finished Indian Premier League into the final stages of this tournament.

Australia can become the undisputed kings of cricket if they can unify the world titles by lifting the T20 World Cup. The Aussies lifted the World Test Championship in 2023, beating India at the Oval, England, before retaining the Ashes on English soil and then completing a whirlwind year by beating India in Ahmedabad to be crowned 50-over champions. A clean sweep of Test, ODI and T20 titles would be the most remarkable turnaround for a team that was humiliated by the sandpaper ball-tampering controversy of 2018.

England’s defence of their T20 trophy looked as though it were heading for a similarly disastrous end as their 50-over title did last year. The washout in their opening game against Scotland was followed by a 36-run defeat by Australia and left them praying the weather was kind for their final two must-win matches against Oman and Namibia. The latter proved a nervy wait and a tight contest in a reduced match but Jos Buttler’s side scraped through. Carlos Brathwaite’s heroics in the last over of the 2016 final will still haunt the English when they come up against West Indies – both sides are targeting a record third T20 title – while the other Group 2 contenders South Africa can never be written off.

The Proteas seam attack is led by fit-again Anriche Nortje, who holds the best economy (5.02) of any bowler at a T20 World Cup, but they will have to shake their hoodoo of never making it past the semifinal stage of a major International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament. West Indies, meantime, cannot be written off but have yet to be truly tested at this edition after coming through a group with Uganda, Papua New Guinea and a desperately below-par New Zealand.

Here’s Al Jazeera’s quick walk through the history of the tournament.

(Al Jazeera)

What are the fixtures in full for the Super Eights?

Group 1: Afghanistan vs India (June 20, Barbados), Australia vs Bangladesh (June 21, Antigua), India vs Bangladesh (June 22, Antigua), Afghanistan vs Australia (June 23, Saint Vincent), Australia vs India (June 24, Saint Lucia), Afghanistan vs Bangladesh (June 25, Saint Vincent)

Group 2: United States vs South Africa (June 19, Antigua), West Indies vs England (June 20, Saint Lucia), England vs South Africa (June 21, Antigua), West Indies vs United States (June 22, Barbados), United States vs England (June 23, Barbados), West Indies vs South Africa (June 24, Antigua)

How much is the prize money for the T20 World Cup?

The ICC has not confirmed the prize money for the 2024 edition of the tournament, but previous winners England walked away with $1.6m in 2022.

Where can I follow the T20 World Cup Super Eights?

The ICC has allotted rights to various broadcasting and online streaming outlets across the world.

Al Jazeera is running extensive coverage of the tournament with news, previews, key information, as well as live updates for all the biggest matches, followed by post-match reaction, analysis and everything else you’d need to know about the T20 World Cup.



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How Team USA became the unexpected darlings of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

When USA opened the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 with a seven-wicket win over Canada on June 1, the result was met with a metaphorical warm applause.

Five days later, their thrilling super-over win against Pakistan made cricket fans and experts sit up and take note. It was a moment that turned Group A – and the tournament – on its head.

When cricket’s powerhouse India scraped past them in New York the following week, USA were still alive in the tournament and favourites to qualify for the Super Eights – a feat they later achieved thanks to a washed-out match against Ireland.

As with most underdog stories, USA’s progression was received by rousing cheers around the world.

In some ways, it is fitting that the USA squad is representative of a multicultural country defined by the tales of immigrants chasing the fabled American dream.

Some of the players were born in the United States.

Others, born overseas, tasted domestic success in their countries of birth and even dreamt of playing international cricket until they seemingly failed and all but gave up.

This group of cricketers draws its experience from playing in India, Pakistan, the Caribbean, South Africa and New Zealand.

An Australian coach, who linked up with them two weeks ahead of the tournament, has led them on this unprecedented run where, against the most formidable odds, they have made it past the first round in their first major international tournament.

But that’s not how the story began.

It began with a combination of timing, luck and shrewdness.

The motley crew that became world beaters

Shortly after USA Cricket (USAC) was granted one-day international (ODI) status by the ICC in 2019, the waiting period for players to qualify for associate countries dropped from five years to three.

USAC immediately went on a recruitment drive to attract talent from across the globe.

Several players heeded the call, while others were scouted from domestic competitions within the country.

Former New Zealand star Corey Anderson, who has a wealth of T20 franchise experience, became eligible to represent USA in 2023.

It was also the year that Harmeet Singh joined the team USA bandwagon. The Mumbai-raised all-rounder shone for India in two ICC Under-19 World Cups and played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) until he was dragged into a damaging fixing scandal, only to be cleared of any wrongdoing. It was enough to stagnate his career but – unwilling to give up – Harmeet moved to the US during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shayan Jahangir was a promising young batter growing up in Karachi who, at one point, represented Pakistan at the under-19 level. He plied his trade in the US domestic leagues during the cricket off-season period in Pakistan before moving permanently to Houston in 2018.

Former South African domestic cricket star Shadley van Schalkwyk made Seattle his home after being unable to break into the Proteas’ side despite taking almost 500 wickets and scoring more than 4,000 runs across formats in the domestic system.

Aaron Jones, USA’s hero with the bat in the tournament thus far, was born in Queens to Bajan parents and represented Barbados until a few years ago.

Steven Taylor, who hails from Florida, has been a key member of team USA since 2019 but once represented Jamaica.

Despite the players’ vastly diverse backgrounds, their head coach Stuart Law – who was appointed in April and took charge in May – emphasises that this is very much a US team.

“These kids came here from other parts of the world for a better life,” Law told Al Jazeera shortly after USA sealed their trip to the Caribbean, where all Super Eights and knockout matches will be played.

“Whether they came here for their children’s education, or their own, not many came purely to play cricket.”

Aaron Jones hit the winning runs in USA’s win over Canada at Grand Prairie Stadium on June 1 [Julio Cortez/AP]

How to ‘Americanfy’ cricket

Law insists that while the players may have been lucky that their arrival in the US coincided with cricket’s emergence in the country, they are united in their cause to play as team USA.

“We have got to try and ‘Americanfy’ this whole cricket thing here in the States,” he adds.

“We need to play aggressive, attractive-looking cricket to make sure that people sit back and go: You know what, these kids are up for a fight.”

The 55-year-old coach, who has been at the helm of several international teams, says team USA’s motto of “fearless but intelligent cricket” suits most of the players.

“They are trying to get better all the time, trying to play the way [they] will be successful in not only winning, but also putting the game of cricket under a spotlight.

The players, with their individual experiences in other countries, have a lack of awe while playing World Cup matches, which was wonderfully demonstrated by their nerve-jangling victory over 2009 champions Pakistan.

Law recounts one of several stories about his players: “Shayan came up to me before the World Cup and said, ‘Coach, we can beat Pakistan!’ I think that belief filtered through to each one of us and we showed it. The belief was there to go and execute under immense pressure, in front of a full house and screaming fans in Dallas.”

The former Australian international cricketer says he has been taken aback by the squad’s ability to be “cool and calm” under pressure.

“They just stand up and fight against teams that we have no right to actually be on the same park as – as some people think – yet we find a way to get the job done.”

Law believes that Anderson, a veteran of three World Cups for New Zealand, has played a vital role in keeping players calm on the pitch.

He describes Monank Patel – who captained the side for the first two matches before sustaining a shoulder injury – as a deep thinker. And Jones – who led the side against India – has impressed Law with his cool-headedness and forthrightness. Both leaders are fiercely competitive.

USA fans thronged the Nassau County Stadium in New York for their team’s match against India [Timothy A Clary/AFP]

Saurabh Netravalkar: From ‘rocket scientist’ to cult hero

The biggest cult hero, by far, is Saurabh Netravalkar – the Mumbai-born left-arm quick who successfully defended 18 runs in the super over against Pakistan. Netravalkar’s heroics, combined with his day job as a principal engineer for tech company Oracle, spawned an online frenzy and made him an overnight hero.

Netravalkar played alongside Harmeet at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2010, and was India’s leading wicket-taker in a tournament featuring the Australian trio of Mitchell Marsh, Josh Hazelwood and Adam Zampa, as well as England’s Ben Stokes.

However, by 2015, Netravalkar had relinquished the hope of establishing himself at the senior level and packed up his bags to study computer science in New York.

Law calls Netravalkar a “rocket scientist” compared with the rest of the squad.

“He’s very structured and disciplined, works out his plans in the nets and then asks questions.

“For a guy who doesn’t bowl as fast as some others, he’s got fantastic skills which get batsmen in a lot of trouble. His execution in that super over [against Pakistan] was outstanding.”

The USA coach reveals how the 32-year-old came up to him after the game and said: “Coach, thank you so much for trusting me.”

“I said, ‘Mate, I knew you could do it. You show that in the nets all the time, you show it in the middle. It was a no-brainer.’”

While the USA players are all aged between 29 and 36, they are still young in international cricket – men who have waited a long time for a lucky break or received a second chance. And Law believes more USA cult heroes will surface during the Super Eight stage.

“Ali Khan is another one – he’s got pace, fire and passion,” Law reveals.

“Keep an eye on Harmeet Singh. He’s a warrior on the field. He’s skilful with the bat and with ball.”

The widely experienced coach says the band of brothers assembled under the USA flag are going to put up a stiff fight in the rest of the tournament.

“We are not going to go down without a fight.”

Saurabh Nethralvakar (right) dismissed India’s top batters Virat Kohli (left) and Rohit Sharma in their Group A match [Adam Hunger/AP]



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T20 World Cup: Pakistan’s failure down to poor batting, Babar says | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

The Pakistan captain apologises for his team’s World Cup performance after they were knocked out at the group stage.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has said the team’s batting let them down at the Twenty20 World Cup as he apologised to fans for failing to reach the Super Eight stage.

Pakistan fell to the tournament’s biggest upset when the USA, a tier-two member of the game, beat the 2009 champions via Super Over. The defeat by archrivals India then left Babar’s side with a mountain to climb to advance.

India and USA bagged the two Super Eight slots from Group A while Pakistan finished third after Sunday’s laboured three-wicket victory against Ireland.

“Thank you so much for supporting us, and sorry for that performance,” Babar said after the match in Florida.

“I know the fans and the team are saddened by this. It is not any one player’s fault. We all made a mistake.”

Babar had stepped down as captain of all three formats after Pakistan failed to make the knockout stage of the 50-over World Cup in India last year, but was reinstated as white-ball skipper ahead of the 20-overs showpiece in the US and the West Indies.

Amid subpar performances at the tournament, talk of rifts within the camp surfaced, while Pakistan Cricket Board’s chief promised “major surgery” on the team after their exit was confirmed last week.

Pakistan’s batting was a huge disappointment as they failed to make the most of the powerplay overs and could not get partnerships established.

“The pitches here helped the fast bowlers a little but I think overall our batting did not click,” said Babar.

“We lost two crucial matches even when we were in charge.”

All-rounder Imad Wasim has said the team needed a complete reset of their approach to white-ball cricket and Babar agreed.

“Every player has to think because cricket has become very fast. With modern cricket, you must have game awareness,” he said.

“You know that the strike rate here is [low] … I think it’s about game awareness and common sense.”

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USA vs Ireland – T20 World Cup 2024: Florida weather, points table, teams | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

Who: USA vs Ireland
What: ICC T20 World Cup Group A match
When: Friday, June 14, 10:30am local time (14:30 GMT)
Where: Broward Park Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida, US
How to follow: Al Jazeera’s live coverage begins at 11:30 GMT

The majority of the attention in Group A has been on the pitches with New York, in particular, coming in for heavy criticism. As the group reaches its finale in Florida on Friday and Sunday, the spotlight is now on the skies. The weather forecast for both USA’s match against Ireland on Friday, and Pakistan’s match against the Irish on Sunday, looks grim with regards to there being much chance of play.

India have already qualified as group winners while USA are in the box seat in second spot with two wins, including against Pakistan, to their name already. Pakistan remain hopeful of progressing in the second qualification spot but matters could be taken out of their hands before Sunday’s meeting with the Irish.

It is all to play for and, weather permitting, we could be in for a nerve-jangling final two rounds in Group A.

Weather forecast

The streets in Broward County have been flooded, and weather warnings have been issued to locals.

Local weather forecast shows an 80 percent chance of heavy rainfall that could cause further flooding. It does not bode well for players and fans of both sides – as well as those of Pakistan.

What happens if it rains in Florida?

If play begins, both teams will need to play at least five overs each to constitute a game. There’s an added time of 90 minutes to finish the game should play be possible.

If the weather remains true to its forecast, the game could be washed out without a ball being bowled.

An abandoned game will leave both teams with a point each, giving USA five points from their four games and ensuring their Super Eight qualification ahead of Pakistan, Canada and Ireland.

Even if the 2009 champions beat Ireland in the last game, they will not be able to bag more than four points in total.

Pitch condition

The pitch will come into play for the first time in the tournament after the Nepal vs Sri Lanka game was washed out without a ball being bowled.

While the venue has produced par scores in the past, a run of showers and thunderstorms could make it a more even contest between bat and ball.

Head-to-head

Each side has won a game apiece in their two T20 meetings thus far.

Form guide

Despite their loss to India, USA will be encouraged by their performance against some of the biggest stars of the game. They also have a string of good results to boost their confidence.

Ireland have had a forgettable tournament so far, losing to India and Canada, and will look at this match as a turning point.

USA: L W W L W
Ireland: L L W W W

USA team news

The hosts could go with the same team that has won them two matches, which means captain and top-order batter Monank Patel could replace Shayan Jahangir if the former is fit to play.

Squad: Monank Patel (captain), Shayan Jahangir, Andries Gous, Nitish Kumar, Steven Taylor, Harmeet Singh, Corey Anderson, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan, Jessy Singh, Saurabh Netravalkar, Nosthush Kenjige.

Ireland team news

Ireland could make a change or two to the side that has lost two games in two, but it is unclear where that shuffle will come.

Squad: Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.

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Bangladesh vs Netherlands – T20 World Cup 2024: Teams, form, head-to-head | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

Who: Bangladesh vs Netherlands
What: ICC T20 World Cup Group D match
When: Thursday, June 13, 10:30am local time (14:30 GMT)
Where: Arnos Vale Stadium, Kingstown, Saint Vincent
How to follow: Al Jazeera will have live coverage from 11:30 GMT.

When Bangladesh and Netherlands meet for their third group match of the T20 World Cup, the winners will walk away with a greater likelihood of qualifying for the Super Eight stage of the tournament.

Group D action now moves to the Caribbean, with the match on Thursday being held at the Arnos Vale Stadium in Kingstown, Saint Vincent.

Both teams have two points each from their two games and are sandwiched between leaders South Africa – who have qualified for the Super Eights – and bottom two sides Nepal and Sri Lanka, both of whom are unlikely to go through.

It leaves these two sides to battle it out for the second qualifying spot, and Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto believes the side that tackles the conditions better will come out on top.

“It is very difficult to say how many runs will be scored on this wicket, so it is very important to read the wicket quickly,” Shanto told reporters on Wednesday.

He expects Bangladeshi fans to continue supporting them in the West Indies, as they have done in the US leg of their matches.

“Wherever we play, [our] supporters will come, especially in the West Indies. It feels good.”

Bangladesh fans will hope their team’s qualification for Super Eights does not come down to prayers. One fan asked the men in green to do their bit while the fans do theirs, with a placard reading: “You play, we pray” during their match against South Africa.

‘We play do-or-die matches all year’

The Netherlands are also aware of the importance of the clash and their bowler Logan van Beek said the team have had “very nice” preparations ahead of it.

“This is the biggest match that we are probably going to play for this tournament,” van Beek said.

He said he expects the wicket to be flat, with no dents but the ground still has plenty of “unknowns” for both sides.

The men in orange are confident of bagging an important win over their group rivals.

“The confidence that we’ve got over the last few years of beating big teams at big competitions and in do-or-die matches, we’ve stood up at right times and that’s how the Dutch play. We kind of find ourselves in these do-or-die matches all year round and so we’re used to that pressure and excited to do it again.”

Pitch and weather conditions

The Arnos Vale Stadium has plenty of unknowns surrounding it as it has not hosted an international cricket match in 10 years. In the past, the pitch has produced an even contest between bat and ball, with spinners finding plenty of success.

While there is no rain forecast, weather conditions will be typically hot and humid.

Head-to-head

The two sides have met four times in the T20 format. Bangladesh have won three of those matches, including the most recent one at the T20 World Cup 2022.

The only T20 win for the Netherlands against Bangladesh came in 2012.

Form guide

Both sides have won one each and lost one game – against South Africa – in the tournament so far.

Bangladesh have relied on their power-hitting batters and calm lower-order veteran Mahmudullah to see them through with the bat. Rishad Hossain has also played an invaluable role with the ball.

The Netherlands have been tidy with the ball and excellent on the field. All they need is for their batting to step up a gear.

Bangladesh: L W W L L
Netherlands: L W L L L

Bangladesh team news

Shak Mahedi Hasan could be in line for his first T20 World Cup game, as his tidy off-break bowling and batting abilities could come in handy in the Caribbean.

Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

Netherlands team news

They are unlikely to change their playing XI.

Squad: Scott Edwards (captain), Aryan Dutt, Bas de Leede, Daniel Doram, Fred Klaassen, Logan van Beek, Max O’Dowd, Michael Levitt, Paul van Meekeren, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, ⁠⁠Tim Pringle, Vikram Singh, Viv Kingma, Wesley Barresi.

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Bangladesh vs South Africa – T20 World Cup: Team news, head-to-head, form | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

Who: Bangladesh vs South Africa
What: ICC T20 World Cup Group D match
When: Monday, June 10, 10:30am local time (14:30 GMT)
Where: Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, US
How to follow: Al Jazeera’s live text and photo coverage begins at 11:30 GMT

South Africa go into their clash against Bangladesh knowing a win will all but seal their spot in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup.

The Proteas have had two contrasting encounters on the tricky pitch at New York’s Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, but they will take the experience of playing two matches when they meet Bangladesh on Monday.

Should Aiden Markram’s side win, they will consolidate their top position in the so-called group of death which also includes Sri Lanka, the Netherlands and Nepal.

But Markram is wary of the threat Bangladesh pose, especially with their all-round bowling attack.

“It’s going to be a proper challenge for us [against] a really strong Bangladesh team,” the South Africa captain told reporters on Sunday.

The Proteas have played all their matches in New York so far and have a slight edge over Bangladesh, who last played at the venue in a June 1 warm-up match against India, and Markram said the greater knowledge of the conditions will help them plan better.

“We can develop plans [on] how to get to a score of maybe about 140 if we bat first and hopefully then our bowlers can do the rest.”

Bangladesh enjoyed great support in their first match against Sri Lanka in Dallas, and Markram expects more of the same in New York but said his side will focus on the action inside the boundary ropes and not beyond.

“I think there are quite a few South Africans living [here] – so for them to come out in their numbers and get behind us has been quite cool.”

A Bangladesh fan holds a placard during the T20 World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas, United States [LM Otero/AP]

Bangladesh ready for a ‘good fight’

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s coach Chandika Hathurusinghe said his team was “relieved” to have got over the line against Sri Lanka in their first match, but he expects them to perform better in their remaining three group games.

“Lately, we have been inconsistent,” the coach said, blaming it on a lack of confidence.

“Confidence plays a big part in T20 cricket and it’s a difficult format because you have to [be on the] get-go from the start.”

Bangladesh’s batting has been poor in recent games but middle-order batters Liton Das and Towhid Hridoy have hit form in the T20 World Cup. Both batters were top scorers for the Tigers against Sri Lanka. Hridoy hit four sixes in his 20-ball-40.

However, the conditions in New York will be different and Hathurusinghe expects batters to still find it difficult to hit big shots despite the recent improvement in the playing surface.

“If they [batters] can’t adapt to the conditions, it’s difficult for them. [Their] success depends on their ability to adapt.”

Hathurusinghe said the South African bowling attack can pose problems for his side but they are ready for “a good fight”.

Pitch and weather conditions

The much-talked about New York pitch seems relatively settled since its opening match between India and Ireland, although bowlers should still find plenty of assistance.

The India-Pakistan game a day earlier saw both teams surpass 100 runs on the new surface that was unveiled for the match.

The weather forecast is partly cloudy with a light breeze. Intermittent light showers could disrupt the game for a brief period.

Head-to-head

South Africa enjoy dominance over their South Asian opponents in the T20 formats, having won all of their eight encounters comfortably.

Three of these wins have come in the T20 World Cup.

Form guide

Bangladesh squeezed past Sri Lanka in their opening game, but only just. Prior to the World Cup, they lost a T20 series against co-hosts USA and won a closely-fought T20 series at home against Zimbabwe.

South Africa were able to overcome a strong Dutch challenge in their second game, largely thanks to David Miller’s heroics with the bat. The game was played in New York and the Netherlands’ disciplined bowling had the Proteas on the ropes. Markram’s men won their opening match against Sri Lanka, in New York as well, with relative ease. However, they lost a T20 series against West Indies 3-0 shortly before the World Cup

Bangladesh: W W L L W
South Africa: W W L L L

Bangladesh team news

Bangladesh are expected to field the same side that beat Sri Lanka on Friday.

Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

South Africa team news

Despite the challenge posed by the New York pitch and their stutter against the Netherlands, South Africa are unlikely to change the XI that brought them their second win of the tournament.

Squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Bjorn Fortuin, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Bjorn Fortuin, Tabraiz Shamsi

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India vs Pakistan – T20 World Cup match: Teams, head-to-head, form, pitch | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

Who: India vs Pakistan
What: ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Group A match
When: Sunday, June 9, 10:30am local time (14:30 GMT)
Where: Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, United States
How: Follow Al Jazeera’s live text and photo coverage

Gary Kirsten had his first taste of the agony associated with being a Pakistan cricket supporter when the new head coach of the men’s side saw the team crumble to a super over loss against USA in their opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Pakistan’s defeat against the tournament debutants and co-hosts was amongst the biggest shocks in the game’s history, but Kirsten believes his players have “moved forward” and are now focused on the challenge ahead.

The challenge, incidentally, cannot get any bigger than a must-win World Cup match against historic rivals India.

“There’s no need for me to motivate the team for this game,” Kirsten told reporters on Saturday.

The South African, who was in charge of the Indian team when they won their second ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, said the atmosphere could be “a little bit different” because the game is not being played in India or Pakistan but expects plenty of support for both teams at the New York venue.

Kirsten admitted that the pitch will be difficult to bat on, and bowlers from both sides will have an advantage.

“The batters are going to have to play with courage, assess the conditions, assess what a good score could be on this wicket [if we bat first] and then make sure we get a competitive total.”

India’s captain Rohit Sharma agreed with Kirsten’s assessment, and said his team will have to assess the wicket “very quickly” and adjust accordingly.

Rohit’s side has the advantage of having played two games on the pitch, one of which was their tournament opener against Ireland. India completed the tricky chase thanks to Rohit’s half-century, but the captain had to retire hurt after being hit on the arm.

The experienced batter said he will play his innings in “a very balanced way”.

“I don’t want to be too aggressive or too cautious, but someone has to put pressure on the bowlers to try and do something different.  Otherwise, it’s a very easy game [for the bowlers].”

Pitch and weather conditions

The condition of the pitches at the Nassau County Stadium has steadily improved over the past four games, but it still has an element of unpredictability. However, it is still expected to favour seam bowlers and both sides have plenty of those in their lineups.

Following criticism from fans and ex-players, the International Cricket Council (ICC) admitted the pitches were not up to standard and that ground staff were working on remedying them.

The India-Pakistan match is expected to be played on a new surface.

Weather could have a say in the match as there is a forecast for rain in the morning.

Form guide

Both teams enter the match with contrasting forms.

India have won two of their last three T20I series at home and away, and managed to beat Ireland in their opening game.

Pakistan couldn’t have had a worse start to their campaign, which also comes on the back of a 2-0 series loss against England and 2-1 scrape past Ireland.

India: W W W W W
Pakistan: L L L W W

India team news

India are unlikely to tinker with the XI that got them past Ireland in the opening game, but there could be a case for bringing in Kuldeep Yadav in place of Axar Patel given the former’s success against Pakistan’s captain.

Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Pakistan team news

Pakistan’s coach Kirsten evaded questions about his side’s playing XI and also stopped short of Wasim’s inclusion in the side despite the all-rounder being declared fit.

Azam Khan’s poor run of form could see him drop out in favour of young opener Saim Ayub, while the vastly experienced Wasim could slot in for Iftikhar Ahmed.

Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abbas Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

Key match-ups

  • Virat Kohli vs Mohammad Amir
  • Rohit Sharma vs Shaheen Shah Afridi
  • Babar Azam vs Kuldeep Yadav
  • Rishabh Pant vs Shadab Khan
  • Mohammad Rizwan vs Arshdeep Singh

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India vs Pakistan at T20 World Cup: Time, security, pitch, tickets, history | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

Cricket’s fiercest rivals India and Pakistan will come face to face in a highly anticipated T20 World Cup 2024 match for the first time in the United States.

India head into the Group A match on the back of a comfortable win over Ireland, while Pakistan are under pressure after suffering a shock defeat to co-hosts USA in the opener.

Security arrangements in Long Island have been increased to an unprecedented level for a sports event, multiple screening events are planned across the world and tickets are selling like hotcakes.

Here’s everything you need to know about cricket’s marquee fixture:

When is India vs Pakistan?

The match will be played on Sunday, June 9. It will start at 10:30am local (14:30 GMT). For viewers in India and Pakistan, it would be at 8pm and 7:30pm respectively.

Where is India vs Pakistan?

The match will be held at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Long Island, New York. It has a capacity of 34,000.

How’s the New York pitch?

The temporary Nassau County International Cricket Stadium has hosted three games so far. The first two were low-scoring encounters that favoured seam bowlers due to the nature of the drop-in pitch. Batters found it difficult to hit big shots due to the movement and bounce.

Following criticism from fans and ex-players, the International Cricket Council has said the pitches have not been up to standard and ground staff are working on remedying them for the rest of the tournament.

The third match, between Ireland and Canada, saw both teams post scores above 100 but the pitch remained tricky.

The India-Pakistan match is expected to be played on a new surface.

[Al Jazeera]

Are there any security concerns for India vs Pakistan?

The Governor of New York State, Kathy Hochul, said last week that security arrangements in New York would be “elevated” for the tournament, especially before the marquee clash between India and Pakistan.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said his teams are not taking the match lightly and termed it like the “Super Bowl on steroids” when it comes to fan interest.

Ryder told Indian newspaper Deccan Herald that the security for the match “is possibly more than the one we offer the president”.

Where can I get tickets for India vs Pakistan?

General tickets for the match have been sold out, but limited premium tickets are still available on the official ICC platform, ranging from $1,500 to $10,000.

Ticket resale websites are offering tickets for the “hottest event” as well, with prices starting at $980 and reaching up to a whopping $17,475.

How is New York gearing up for the match?

The ICC has arranged official fan parks for fans who could not travel to the host city.

In New York, India vs Pakistan will be broadcast live for fans at Oculus World Trade Center and Cedar Creek Park. Fan parks will also be arranged at Epic Central in Texas and Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center. Most of these venues have been sold out as well.

Apart from the US, the ICC has arranged fan parks in New Delhi, India and Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom and South Africa.

What’s the weather going to be like in New York?

There is a forecast for rain in the morning, which could interrupt the fixture.

What happens if rain interrupts a T20 World Cup match?

In case of adverse weather conditions or other interruptions, an additional 90 minutes will be allotted to all morning and afternoon fixtures, and 60 minutes to all evening fixtures.

In case of a shortened match, each team will have to complete five overs for a result to be declared.

There is no reserve day for group-stage games.

What happens if the India vs Pakistan match is tied?

All tied matches will proceed to a super over. And if that too is tied, subsequent super overs will be played until a winner emerges.

How to watch and follow India vs Pakistan?

Al Jazeera will have live text and photo coverage of the match from 09:00 GMT.

The match will be broadcast and streamed live through various rights holders. Disney Star will broadcast the match in India, while PTV and Ten Sports have the rights in Pakistan.

Who is the favourite to win?

India are favourites to win this match owing to their dominant head-to-head record.

In the seven times the teams have met at the T20 World Cup, India have won six times, including a bowl-out, while Pakistan have won only once.

  • 2007 (group match) – Johannesburg: India edged Pakistan in a bowl-out after the match was tied at the end of both innings.
  • 2007 (final) – Johannesburg: India won the first T20 World Cup after defeating Pakistan by five runs in the final. The inexperienced Joginder Sharma bowled a fantastic final over, while Irfan Pathan and RP Singh also played key roles, picking up three wickets each.
  • 2012 – Colombo: India registered a comfortable eight-wicket win over Pakistan in the group stage, as the bowlers bundled out Pakistan for just 128 runs, with Lakshmipathy Balaji bagging three wickets. Virat Kohli, aged 22 at the time, scored an unbeaten 78 runs.
  • 2014 – Mirpur: India strolled to an easy seven-wicket win in the group stage after their spinners restricted Pakistan to 130-7. Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina’s unbeaten 66-run partnership took India home.
  • 2016 – Kolkata: In a rain-affected contest, India’s bowlers restricted Pakistan to 118-5 before Kohli struck an unbeaten 55 as India won the group game by six wickets.
  • 2021 – Dubai: Pakistan defeated India for the first time in the tournament when they won by 10 wickets in a group game. Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali picked five wickets between them to restrict India to 151-7 before Mohammad Rizwan (79 not out) and Babar Azam (68 not out) closed out a historic result.
  • 2022 – Melbourne: India defeated Pakistan by four wickets in front of more than 90,000 fans in a group game, as Kohli smashed an unbeaten 82 for a thrilling finish.
(Al Jazeera)



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Australia vs England at T20 World Cup: Head-to-head, form, team news, pitch | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

Who: Australia vs England
What: ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Group B match
When: Saturday, June 8, 1pm local time (17:00 GMT)
Where: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
How to follow: Al Jazeera will have live text coverage of the match from 14:00 GMT.

After rain played spoilsport in their opening T20 World Cup match, defending champions England will be under pressure to seek a win against rivals Australia when they meet for their all-important Group B match at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

England and Scotland shared a point each after their match at the same venue was washed out on Tuesday. Jos Buttler’s side, aiming to become the first team to retain the trophy, looked below their best, allowing the Scots to race to 90-0 in 10 overs.

England are fourth in Group B with one point, while Australia are second with two points after beating Oman in their opener. The group is led by Scotland, who have three points from two games, while Namibia are third with two points from two games and Oman sit at the bottom after losing two games.

A defeat to ODI world champions Australia on Saturday could leave England’s Super Eight qualification in jeopardy, but batter Jonny Bairstow does not want the permutations to affect him.

“It doesn’t derail us either way,” Bairstow told reporters on Friday. “We know we’ve got to win more games than we lose in tournament cricket, that’s just part and parcel of it.

“A win puts you in a position in the group, but at the end of the day, the other two games [against Oman and Nambia] are must-win games anyway.

“It will be good for momentum and confidence [to beat Australia],” he added.

Bairstow described the contest between the Ashes rivals as “a great spectacle”.

“The guys have played against each other for a long time now, which in many ways is really exciting because you know each other’s games,” he said. “Hopefully it will be a fantastic atmosphere like it always is in Barbados.”

Australia ‘pumped’ for England face-off

Australia had a shaky start in their match against Oman before all-rounder Marcus Stoinis shone with the bat and ball as they recorded a comfortable 39-run win.

Captain Mitchell Marsh said his side felt a bit nervous in that game, but were happy with the win and looking forward to Saturday’s clash with familiar foes England.

Marsh expects England fans to outnumber the Australians for the match at Barbados, jokingly adding that the atmosphere would be the same as Headingley in Leeds.

“I dare say this will be full and it’ll be mostly English fans so it’ll be like playing at Headingly all over or anywhere in England where you get sprayed,” Marsh said. “But just the atmosphere, the vibe of the game, there’s always a lot riding on it. And I think as a team we always want to challenge ourselves against the best.

“England have been exceptional in this format for a long period of time now, so there’s certainly going to be a lot on the game and we’re pumped.”

(Al Jazeera)

Head-to-head

Australia and England have played 23 T20 internationals, with England winning 11 games, Australia 10 and two contests ending in no result.

Form guide

Australia started their campaign with a win over Oman. Before the tournament, they played two series in February, celebrating a 3-0 series whitewash over trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand and a 2-1 series win over the West Indies.

England’s first World Cup match with Scotland ended in no result after rain wrecked the contest. Before the tournament, England won 2-0 in a rain-affected four-match series against Pakistan.

Australia: W W W W L

England: W W L W W

Pitch and weather conditions

Kensington Oval has hosted four matches, all producing varied results. The first contest was a low-scoring match, the second was washed out, while the third and fourth fixtures saw targets in the region of 155-165.

Saturday’s match, which starts in the afternoon, will played on a new surface. Rain is forecast in the morning and around the match time.

Australia team news

Pat Cummins will return for this match after being rested against Oman. Mitchell Starc, who left the field in the last game with cramp, is expected to be fit.

Both players had a long stint in the Indian Premier League and played the final on May 26.

Squad: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (captain), Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis.

England team news

England do not have any injury concerns.

Squad: Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.

(Al Jazeera)

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