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He got there in his 64th T20I, getting rid of Oman’s Vinayak Shukla. Here’s a stats highlight of Arshdeep’s T20I career

Shubh Agarwal19-Sep-2025In a flash…Having made his T20I debut in July 2022 against England, Arshdeep has completed 100 wickets in only three years and 74 days. It is the second-quickest for a fast bowler after Bahrain’s Rizwan Butt, who reached the milestone in two years and 240 days. No other bowler has completed 100 T20I wickets in under four years.Arshdeep, however, pipped Butt in terms of balls bowled and matches played for a fast bowler (see graphic below). Overall, Arshdeep is only behind Rashid Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane and Wanindu Hasaranga on that parameter.In terms of average, Arshdeep’s 18.37 is the best for a seamer from a Full Member nation and the third-best behind Butt (16.68) and Oman’s left-arm quick Bilal Khan (16.95) overall.Vinoo Mankad, Kapil Dev, Arshdeep SinghVinoo Mankad was the first India bowler to reach 100 wickets in Test cricket, getting there in his 23rd Test. In ODIs, Kapil Dev was the first India bowler to bag 100 wickets, getting there in his 77th game in 1986. Arshdeep has reached the 100-wicket mark in his 64th T20I. Among the Full Member sides, only South Africa, West Indies and Zimbabwe don’t have a bowler in the T20Is 100-wicket club.ESPNcricinfo LtdA consistent wicket-takerArshdeep has picked up 43 wickets in the powerplay in T20Is, averaging 20.06 at an economy of 7.50 in that phase. No other bowler has more wickets than him in powerplays since his debut.Arshdeep is also very reliable at the death. His 48 wickets in the last four overs are nine more than the next best, Hong Kong offspinner Ehsan Khan. In terms of fast bowlers, next in line after Arshdeep is Pakistan’s Haris Rauf.Defying tough home conditionsThe surfaces in India have generally been high-scoring in T20I cricket and while Arshdeep’s economy at home has suffered, his wicket-taking ability still remains unmatched. Only six fast bowlers have over 20 T20I wickets in India. While Arshdeep (28) is third on the wickets’ list, behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar (34) and Hardik Pandya (31), his average of 21.00 is the best among them.Left is rightThirty-eight of Arshdeep’s 100 wickets are of left-hand batters, comfortably the highest for any bowler since Arshdeep’s debut. In fact, only six other bowlers have more than 20 left-hand batters’ wickets in this time frame.In the powerplay, Arshdeep averages only 13.36 against left-hand batters as compared to 25.37 against right-hand batters. His 19 wickets in the powerplay against left-hand batters are the joint-highest, alongside Tim Southee.There are seven batters Arshdeep has dismissed three or more time in T20Is. Four of them are left-hand batters, all from the top order. His numbers against Rilee Rossouw stand out. Arshdeep has dismissed Rossouw three times in five balls without conceding a run. Former New Zealand offspinner Nathan McCullum had earlier done that against Zimbabwe’s Charles Coventry: 5 balls, 3 dismissals, 0 runs.A star in T20 World CupsThe 2024 T20 World Cup has been the most productive competition for Arshdeep so far, bringing him 17 wickets in eight innings. His contribution was overshadowed by Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliance, but Arshdeep’s economy of 7.16, coupled with an average of 12.64, was vital in India’s title run. His nine wickets in the death overs were the joint-highest for any bowler.He also picked up ten wickets in the 2022 T20 World Cup, becoming the highest wicket-taker for India in both the World Cup editions he has featured in.

While hosts were indecisive with the bat, England bowlers were good at varying pace and length

Sruthi Ravindranath09-Dec-2023A batting-friendly Wankhede surface. Shorter boundaries. At the pitch report, the broadcasters said it should be a “belter”. But a great display of control and adaptability from England’s bowlers – and misjudgements from India’s batters – took all of that out of equation.It was a case of India’s batters being indecisive on a pitch where there wasn’t much turn. Players from both sides admitted that the ball was “skidding on” but it was also about the England bowlers being so good at varying their pace and lengths. For Charlie Dean, there were “no real demons” in the pitch. For Deepti Sharma, it was a “tricky pitch”.Offspinner Dean was told on Saturday morning that she’d have to open the bowling as a match-up for the left-handed Smriti Mandhana. She ended up doing more than was expected of her. She was also coming into the game having missed the first T20I with a stomach bug. But her impact was felt instantly as she put India in trouble in the span of just eight deliveries.Related

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After playing the first delivery – a length ball on off stump – straight back to Dean, Shafali Verma, next ball, played a similar delivery for the turn and looked to guide it into the leg side. She was pinned straight in front and departed for a duck. That also made it Verma’s 20th dismissal to an off-spinner in 43 T20Is.Mandhana looked somewhat settled, having hit a couple of boundaries off the quicker bowlers. Heather Knight, after giving the ball to Lauren Bell and Nat Sciver-Brunt to bowl the second and third overs, gave the ball back to Dean to bowl to the left-hander. Mandhana, expecting the ball to turn, rocked back to cut a length delivery outside off but got rapped on her pads instead and was given out by the umpire. Even a review couldn’t save her.”There were quite a lot of wickets today in the game,” Dean said after the match. “I wouldn’t have any complaints on the pitch myself. Of course I wouldn’t, I’m a bowler, I didn’t get a chance to have a bat out there but that’s good. A lot of our guys were saying it’s skidding on a bit but no real demons in the pitch. I guess just pressures and weaknesses in certain areas.”We executed our plans really well and so did India, to be fair they set really aggressive fields. They had to because of the way that game was dictated.”Harmanpreet Kaur injected some positivity into the innings by scooping fuller deliveries off Sciver-Brunt for back-to-back boundaries over fine leg. But Sciver-Brunt quickly changed her length, getting a length ball on off to nick sharply back into Harmanpreet’s knees to seal her dismissal. She went for the DRS but got three reds, and India had burnt both their reviews by the fifth over.And the misery continued for India. There was Deepti going for a drive only to edge the ball to the wicketkeeper. With the introduction of another spinner – Sophie Ecclestone – came another wicket, a brilliant caught-and-bowled dismissal that sent Richa Ghosh back for 4.It was then legspinner Sarah Glenn’s turn as she pulled back her length to remove Pooja Vastrakar. Vastrakar, having played Glenn out in the eighth over, charged down the track early to play for turn but the ball went through her bat and pad to hit the off stump. India at that point, were 45 for 6, Jemimah Rodrigues their only hope.Ecclestone, with her subtle variations and stump-to-stump deliveries, made sure to squeeze India in the middle overs, where they did not hit a boundary for 40 balls. It was Rodrigues who broke the pressure with two quick boundaries, in hopes of giving India a boost. But it all came crashing down when she was out lbw trying to play one into the leg side against Glenn, who changed her length after two tossed up deliveries.It did not take too long for England to finish proceedings as they bundled India out for 80, their lowest T20I score against England.According to Deepti, who was playing her 100th T20I, the pitch wasn’t exactly “difficult” to play on.”It wasn’t a 70- or 80-run wicket; we could have scored a bit more, around 110-115,” she said. “But it happens sometimes when conditions are not in your favour. You try to play well as a team but everyone can have an off day.”I think it was not difficult. We just had to play to the merit of the ball. We had a lot of takeaways but it was not as difficult. We will see what we can take away to make it better in tomorrow’s game.”India have lost 10 out of their 16 wickets to fall across the two T20Is to spinners. England had their plans in place and exploited India’s weakness with relative ease. With the next T20 World Cup set to be played in Bangladesh – where slower bowlers will play a big part – in less than a year, England will be glad their spin department is shaping up well.India’s batters, meanwhile, will have to work on changing their patterns against spinners.

One was an intended bit of magic, while the other was a reward from the cricketing gods

Karthik Krishnaswamy30-Dec-20211:23

Cullinan all praise for ‘disciplined’ Bumrah, Siraj and Shami

Look through this website’s list of the 20 balls of this century, and ask yourself this: how many of them did exactly what the bowler had planned at the top of his mark?Most are simply a happy confluence of delivering the ball with a great degree of physical and technical skill – perfect wrist and seam positions, or high RPMs along the perfect axis – onto a good area, getting a little bit (or a lot) of help from the pitch, and maybe the batter not quite being up to dealing with what happened next.And that’s no slight on those balls or the bowlers who delivered them. Test cricket is mostly about hitting good lines and lengths over and over again, doing so at high pace or while giving the ball a big rip, and hoping that the excellence of the process will bring about good outcomes.Related

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Sometimes, though, a magic ball is really a conjuror’s trick. Jasprit Bumrah to Shaun Marsh, for example. A moment of genius almost entirely orchestrated by the bowler.He has only played 25 Tests, but Bumrah has already built up a collection of these moments. There was Keaton Jennings in Southampton, wrung completely out of shape by what seemed to be the world’s first sighting of a new weapon – Bumrah’s inswinger to the left-hander. There was Ollie Robinson at Lord’s, feet cemented in place with a series of short balls, and back pad thudded into with a slower offcutter from around the wicket.And then, on Wednesday, as day four of the Centurion Test drew towards an exhausted close in fluctuating light, Bumrah delivered two in the space of 14 balls. First, a perfectly good leave from Rassie van der Dussen rendered not-so-good by wicked break-back exaggerating the angle from wide of the crease. A beaming Bumrah clapped his hands as he ran towards his team-mates, a thing he does when he is especially pleased with himself. You probably did the same thing at the same time.6:41

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Bumrah didn’t clap after delivering what turned out to be the last ball of the day, a searing yorker that nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj had no answer to. He turned around instead, and stared at the non-striker Dean Elgar, who had said something to Bumrah earlier in the over when Maharaj had punched him off the back foot through the covers.Before Bumrah’s late burst, India had spent 103 frustrating minutes attempting to break a stubborn third-wicket partnership between van der Dussen and Elgar, throwing everything at the pair, often getting the ball to deviate sharply or confound the batters with steep or low bounce, but not quite managing to create that one chance.With rain expected on day five, there may have been a sense of anxiety among India’s players. Bumrah had blown it all away.As much as he is a bowler of great balls, Bumrah is a great bowler too. A supremely persistent hitter of good lines and lengths, who happens to hit those areas harder, and at greater pace, and with more backspin on the ball than most.His one wicket on day five was a triumph of this sort of persistence, though it contained a brand of magic of its own.Bumrah had harried Elgar all morning, mostly testing his outside edge and on one occasion getting him to edge thickly between second slip and gully. But as is often the case, making Elgar look uncomfortable and dismissing him were proving to be entirely different things. He had survived the first 9.5 overs of the day alongside Temba Bavuma, and moved to 77 in the process.Jasprit Bumrah celebrates after dismissing Rassie ven der Dussen•Associated PressThe sky over Centurion was clear, but rain was still forecast for the afternoon. Elgar had already been reprieved once in the morning, Mohammed Shami dropping him off his own bowling.Then Bumrah, delivering from around the wicket, got one to veer sharply towards the stumps. Elgar, having been made to worry constantly about balls in the corridor outside off stump, found himself in the wrong position, head well outside the line. The ball kept a touch low too, and Elgar, hopping across his stumps and playing all around the ball, was struck on the front pad, right in front.Was this movement in the air, or off the deck? It turned out to have been both. Bumrah was probably looking for the inswinger, but the seam came out of his hand ever so slightly wobbly. Then the ball seemed to hit a crack and deviate, and as it did so, the seam emerged miraculously unscrambled, canted towards fine leg, with the ball’s rough side facing the leg side.There wasn’t a whole lot of distance between where the ball pitched and where it hit Elgar’s pad, but the ball swung inwards over that brief duration, ensuring Elgar was in no danger of inside-edging it.Not an intended bit of magic, but a reward from the cricketing gods.

Pep Guardiola remains coy, but the plain truth is that Manchester City have closed ground on Premier League table-toppers Arsenal ahead of the Christmas period, and Sky Blue supporters know they would be wise to buckle in.

But then, another truth would be that this is simply not Pep’s strongest City squad. That said, there is enough quality within the Etihad Stadium to challenge for and potentially win the league title, especially with Erling Haaland in such impudent goalscoring form.

However, Haaland can’t do it alone all year long, with the list of the club’s top scorers underscoring the need for more firepower.

Phil Foden is going from strength to strength, and that could be a defining factor in City’s revival, but it’s understandable that Guardiola and the board are hoping to sign a new wide forward.

City's winter transfer plans

Haaland continues to defy expectations. Even his soaring expectations. But there’s no question that Guardiola’s side could pack a few more angles into their punches, and that’s something that may need to be fixed in January if the Premier League title is to return to the blue side of Manchester.

Given that the Norwegian goal machine is fixed into his starting berth at number nine, perhaps a goalscoring wideman could be what Pep needs.

According to TEAMtalk, Man City still have a strong interest in signing Antoine Semenyo despite Liverpool’s ostensible lead in the race. All the pointers suggest the 26-year-old is inching toward an exit from Bournemouth in 2026.

Semenyo has been one of the standout players in the Premier League this season, and with his £65m release clause switching on in January, City will need to pounce quickly to beat off the thick competition for his signature.

Why Pep wants to sign Semenyo

Most of the noise surrounding Semenyo and his future centres around struggling Premier League champions Liverpool, but City know they have it in their power to convince him to join their project.

A big-game player and with six goals and three assists to his name in the English top flight this term, Semenyo is riding the crest of a wave, with a skillset that looks perfect for a team fighting at the top.

His potency and pace could lead him to rival Jeremy Doku as City’s new version of Leroy Sane, who is fondly remembered to this day for his exploits in Manchester.

But, more accurately, Semenyo could actually emerge as Pep’s own version of Sadio Mane, the former Liverpool attacker.

Liverpool analyst Josh Williams has actually suggested that the Ghana international is “the closest you’ll find to peak Mane right now” , and given the terrorising of Premier League defences – including City’s – that the Senegalese winger used to inflict, Pep could do a lot worse than add a new version to his ranks.

Looking at the former Liverpool man during the 2021/22 campaign, leading to a second-place finish at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, in comparison to Semenyo this season, you can perhaps see why such a claim was made, with the Cherries star boasting a completeness that few can claim they have within their locker.

Both players are combative and dynamic and deadly in the final third, and while Semenyo has the pace and athleticism to rekindle memories of a star like Sane, it is the one-time Liverpool icon, who he bears a more striking tactical likeness.

Two-footed and able to play across both wings, Semenyo is the real deal, and though Bournemouth are struggling for form at this moment in time, he remains a beaming beacon for Andoni Iraola in the final third, having been named the “best winger in the country” by Chris Waddle for his efforts this season.

How City could do with a fleet-footed winger in their mix like Sane right now, someone to contrast with the electric Jeremy Doku.

Semenyo, with all his hustle and bustle, could be the perfect man for the title-chasing task at hand.

Worse than Nunes: Pep must drop Man City star who "doesn't have the legs"

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola should drop this star who was worse than Matheus Nunes against Fulham.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 3, 2025

Dhaka Capitals and Rangpur Riders are the only surviving teams from the 2024-25 season

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Nov-2025Five teams, down from seven last year, will take part in the 2025-26 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Dhaka Capitals and Rangpur Riders are the only surviving teams from the 2024-25 season, with three other franchises – Chattogram, Rajshahi and Sylhet – having gone through ownership changes.This means Chittagong Kings, Durbar Rajshahi and Sylhet Strikers are out of the competition, with Chattogram Royals, Rajshahi Warriors and Sylhet Titans taking their place.Fortune Barishal, who won the last two editions of the BPL, and Khulna Tigers are out of the tournament entirely.The BCB’s media department announced the list of participating teams on Thursday, but did not reveal any details of the new ownership.The BPL player draft is set to take place on November 17. The tournament is likely to be held from mid-December 2025 to mid-January 2026.

Manchester United’s spell under Ruben Amorim has been largely unsuccessful, with the 40-year-old’s job even coming into question before his one-year anniversary in the role.

From 15th-placed Premier League finishes to Carabao Cup exits against League Two opposition, his tenure at Old Trafford has been far from what many supporters expected.

However, over the last couple of weeks, the 40-year-old has finally started to show glimpses of being a success in the role in the immediate and long-term future.

His men have now won three league games in a row, with Saturday’s match against Nottingham Forest presenting the manager with the chance to extend such a run.

Some of the recent success has been down to the impact of the new summer additions, but also the transformation of numerous players already on the books prior to his appointment.

Man Utd players who have had a resurgence under Amorim

Amad Diallo was a player with a huge future at United after they forked out a reported £36m for his signature back in January 2021, but the early days of his stint in England were limited to say the least.

He was often utilised as a bench player under the guidance of former manager Erik ten Hag, but Amorim’s arrival sparked a newfound sense of belief in the Ivorian.

Since the manager’s arrival, the 23-year-old has operated in an unnatural wing-back role, but it’s allowed for consistent first-team minutes and a total of 20 combined goals and assists in his last 52 outings.

He’s not alone in turning his career at Old Trafford around, with centre-back Matthijs de Ligt often struggling to make the immediate impact many hoped for after his switch from Bayern Munich last summer.

The Dutch international was often called into question for his lack of defensive dominance, but he’s been a key component of Amorim’s side this campaign – subsequently playing every minute in the Premier League to date.

He’s made 1.7 tackles per 90 so far this campaign, along with 3.1 aerial duels won, tallies which have provided the side with the steel they were missing at the back last campaign.

Other players such as Luke Shaw and Mason Mount have also been regular starters throughout the early days of the season – potentially a surprise after being hounded by fans in 2024/25.

Such situations highlight the manager’s individual management with the players at his disposal, which has allowed for the Red Devils to endure a somewhat unfamiliar winning feeling as of late.

The United player who’s becoming one of their best in 2025/26

When you think of some of United’s best players in the current campaign, the imagination no doubt goes directly towards the £200m attacking trio who arrived this summer.

Bryan Mbeumo is just one of the attacking stars who has made an immediate impact at Old Trafford, as seen by his tally of five goals in his first ten outings for the club.

Bruno Fernandes is no doubt another that springs to mind, and understandably so, especially after the club captain registered 37 combined goals and assists last season.

However, the Portuguese international has since dropped into a deeper role, subsequently allowing the likes of Mbeumo to operate in the number ten role in the 3-4-2-1 system.

As a result, Amorim has had to find a dominant ball-winner to operate alongside Bruno, with the 40-year-old decided to utilise the experienced Casemiro in such a role.

The 33-year-old joined in a £60m deal from Real Madrid back in the summer of 2022, with real hope of handing the Red Devils the top-level star they craved in the middle of the park.

However, his stint in England has been largely topsy-turvy, with his disciplinary record of four red cards often holding him back from being a reliable option.

Former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher even called the Brazilian “terrible” back in September 2023 – before his infamous ‘leave the football’ quotes in May 2024 – with many expecting the player to depart the Theatre of Dreams during the recent window.

Despite such criticism, Casemiro has managed to transform his career in the Premier League, now appearing in all but one league outing of the 2025/26 campaign.

Whilst working out of possession is largely his responsibility, he’s managed to star with the ball at his feet – scoring twice and notching one assist in his eight appearances.

He’s also managed to make 3.1 tackles and 5.3 ball recoveries per 90 – highlighting his defensive talent, which has so often been called into question in recent years.

Other tallies, such as 60% duels won and 1.6 aerials won per 9,0 further showcase his dominant ability – making him the perfect partner alongside Bruno at present.

Casemiro deserves huge credit for his recent revival under Amorim, subsequently going from a certain exit to now being one of the club’s most important players.

The duo’s partnership at the heart of the side could allow for a successful 2025/26 campaign and kickstart the manager’s tenure at Old Trafford.

Not Cunha or Mbeumo: Man Utd gem is becoming one of the "best in the world"

Manchester United have yet another world-class star on their hands under Ruben Amorim.

2

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 30, 2025

Neser and Bartlett impress with the ball on a day when Abbott was withdrawn from the Ashes squad

Tristan Lavalette12-Nov-2025
Michael Neser and Xavier Bartlett bowled with trademark accuracy on a day where Australia’s fringe quicks were in the spotlight. But wickets were hard to produce on a relatively sedate WACA surface as Cameron Green batted fluently to keep Western Australia afloat against Queensland.On a dramatic day in Australian cricket, Sean Abbott was withdrawn from the Ashes squad after scans on his left hamstring confirmed a moderate grade strain. If a replacement for Abbott is needed for the first Test squad, Neser would likely head the queue while Bartlett might also come under consideration.Neser probed away outside the off stump and was finally rewarded when he had Hilton Cartwright plumb lbw for 37. He finished with 1 for 37 from 15 overs. Even though he was wicketless, Bartlett similarly nagged away in his Shield season debut having played in the white-ball series against India.”You can’t look at those things too much,” Bartlett said about a potential Ashes squad call-up. “Hopefully perform for Queensland over the next couple of days and that’s all you can really do.”Related

• Hazlewood cleared of injury, Abbott out of first Test after hamstring scans

WA were held together by opener Cameron Bancroft’s 76 and then Green, who finished 49 not out, until losing three late wickets.Josh Inglis, the reserve wicketkeeper in the Ashes squad, fell for 4 just before stumps after edging quick Gurinder Sandhu to second slip in a reckless dismissal having slashed hard at a delivery well outside off stump. It was a disappointment for Inglis in his first red-ball match since the West Indies Test series.Queensland’s late rally has them slightly in the ascendancy in a match that has see-sawed over two days.After a hard-fought opening day, Queensland resumed on 323 for 6 and faced a WA attack without the services of Green, who bowled two four-over spells on day one in his return to bowling following a side injury that ruled him out of the India ODI series.With a target of bowling 15-20 overs across the match, Green kept the powder dry until Queensland’s second innings but he was in the action after holding on to a stinging blow from Bartlett at midwicket.It was a relief for Green, who had uncharacteristically dropped a relatively straightforward chance in the gully late on day one. It was a desperately needed wicket for WA after Bartlett and Lachlan Hearne counterattacked to great effect to lift Queensland to a solid first-innings total.A cavalier Hearne appeared to be powering to a second century in as many Shield matches until being the last batter to fall for 87 off 134 balls.Michael Neser trapped Hilton Cartwright lbw for 37•Getty Images

Bancroft and skipper Sam Whiteman had to survive a testing period before lunch as Neser and Bartlett bowled an unnerving length outside the off stump. A confidence-boosting century against South Australia in the last match has rejuvenated Bancroft, who was again proactive and cleverly rotated the strike with quick singles.The openers were again under pressure after lunch, but Neser and Bartlett were left frustrated and could not create any clear cut opportunities as Whiteman and Bancroft notched a half-century stand.Skipper Marnus Labuschagne needed a spark and he turned to emerging quick Tom Whitney, playing in his fourth first-class match, who responded by trapping Whiteman for 26.Whitney on the next delivery had a big lbw shout against Cartwright turned down, but Bancroft steadied WA with calm batting punctuated by the occasional sweet drive through the off side.Bancroft had started the season slowly with just 21 runs from his first four innings, falling out of the Ashes selection race. But he has turned back the clock since and soon lifted his bat after notching a classy half-century.Neser’s luck changed after tea when he dismissed Cartwright before Bancroft uncharacteristically threw his wicket away after smashing a full toss from legspinner Mitchell Swepson straight to a jubilant Labuschagne at midwicket.But Green rattled along at swift pace. He was ruthless against Swepson, smashing a rank long hop that landed on the vacant grassbanks.Disaster struck for WA late in the day when Cooper Connolly was run-out at the bowler’s end after a mix-up with Green. Connolly had turned for the second run only to be sent back as a hustling Labuschagne fired a quick throw to Sandhu who effected the run-out.

Beaten in their first three games, Thunder remain seventh on the table but are now back in the hunt after a convincing win over Scorchers

AAP19-Nov-2025Sydney Thunder have breathed life back into their WBBL season, recording their first win of the summer with a convincing nine-wicket victory over Perth.Set 151 to win at Sydney’s Drummoyne Oval, Tahlia Wilson’s unbeaten 55 from 44 balls helped Thunder cruise to victory with ten balls to spare.Phoebe Litchfield then finished the game with a big six to bring up her 35-ball half-century, while Georgia Voll hit 43 from 31 at the top.Beaten in their first three games, Thunder remain seventh on the table but are now back in the hunt ahead of their clash with last-placed Brisbane on Friday.After being given a life early when Freya Kemp put down a sitter when on five, Thunder opener Wilson was clinical from there on.She sat at the other end while Voll was the main aggressor, before taking over the innings when the right-hander was caught behind.Leading run-scorer in the 50-over WNCL last summer, Wednesday’s knock marked only Wilson’s third half-century in 80 WBBL games.Earlier Katie Mack threatened to make the Thunder pay for a missed chance of their own, when the opener was dropped first ball at slip by Heather Knight before reaching 79.She hit Voll for three straight boundaries a few overs later, kicking off an innings where she drove through the covers at will and pulled the ball to the boundary regularly.Signed by Scorchers to offer more support to Beth Mooney, it was Mack that was the lead act on Wednesday night.But no other Scorcher passed 20, with the innings stagnating when Kemp was run out and Paige Schofield trapped lbw in the space of two balls in the 12th over.That ultimately proved decisive with the Scorchers’ 150 for 7 never looking like enough once Thunder got going.

The duo shared an unbeaten 212-run stand at Adelaide Oval after the defending champions slumped to 58 for 3

AAP04-Oct-2025Centuries to Henry Hunt and Jake Lehmann have defending champions South Australia early control of their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at Adelaide Oval.Victoria captain Peter Handscomb’s decision to bowl looked the right call when Mitchell Perry took his third wicket in the morning session, leaving the home side in trouble at 58 for 3.That brought together Hunt and Lehmann, who steadily took the game away from Victoria and at stumps SA were 270 for 3. Hunt carried his bat through the day and scored a grinding 121 from 300 balls, with 10 fours and one six. Lehmann’s 107 from 180 balls, featuring only seven fours on a slow outfield, was his fourth century in as many Shield games going back to last season.Victoria could have had South Australia in even bigger early trouble. Hunt had reached 33 and the score was 114 when he drove at a wide delivery from pacer David Moody and edged straight to Blake Macdonald at first slip. But the chance was grassed and it proved costly for Victoria.It was the slowest of Hunt’s 11 Shield centuries and he said Lehmann’s innings had been pivotal.”The momentum shifted when he came out – his presence at the crease, to put some pressure back on [Victoria],” Hunt said. “To be 270 for 3, that’s almost a perfect day for us.”Perry finished with 3 for 61 from 20 overs while Test quick Scott Boland went wicketless from 18 overs and Fergus O’Neill also failed to a scalp from his 21 overs.

Sri Lanka were unable to chase down a target of 242

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Sep-2025

Bangladesh edged out Sri Lanka by the narrowest of margins – one run – in the Women’s World Cup warm-up match in Colombo on Saturday.Sri Lanka stumbled early in a chase of 243, slipping from 56 for 1 to 86 for 4, but Kavisha Dilhari and Nilakshika Silva steadied the innings, both scoring half-centuries. Dilhari’s 63 came to an unfortunate end when her bat slipped off her hand and hit the stumps after a shot over midwicket. Nilakshika continued the fight, making 75 off 78 before falling in the penultimate over.At 218 for 5 with 46 overs gone, Sri Lanka seemed in control, needing 25 from 24 balls. However, a collapse followed, left-arm spinner Nahida Akter triggering the slide, dismissing Piumi Wathsala and Anushka Sanjeewani in the 47th over before removing Nilakshika in the 49th. In the final over, Marufa Akter defended nine runs as Sri Lanka lost three wickets, including a run out, and fell short.Earlier, Sri Lanka made an early breakthrough with Udeshika Prabodhani dismissing Fargana Haque in the second over. Rubya Haider and Sharmin Akhter rebuilt with a 90-run stand, but Dilhari struck twice to remove both. Dewmi Vihanga, Malki Madara, and Dilhari all took two wickets as Sri Lanka restricted Bangladesh to 242 for 8, with Sharmin’s 71 being the highlight.