On many a Sunday, I realize that people have looked at the stories they have seen throughout the week with different lenses. I have my own personal take on some of these trending issues and I will share them with you. Welcome to #INCASEYOUMISSEDIT the 2021 edition with Mariah.
England is among the T20 World Cup favourites.
It is no secret that England has put a lot of focus on white-ball cricket in the last eight years. The results were clear when they trampled South Africa at the end of 2020 winning all three T20 games. It was at that point; they rose to the number one T20 team in the world.
Since then, they have dominated in this format of the game, having won their last five T20I and eight of their last T20I series overall. Despite struggles with their batting during the recently concluded Test series against India, it is evident that the English possess firepower in their T20 lineup.
In the ongoing T20I against India, opener Jason Roy appears to be in great form, having blasted 49 of 32 balls. David Malan, who averages an excellent average of 54 in T20I, is also an asset with 24 from 20 balls while remaining not out.
In this shorter format of the game, England’s rest and rotation policy has worked to their advantage and has been endorsed by England’s T20 captain Eoin Morgan.
One notable example of the benefit of their rotation policy is the performance of England’s pace bowler Jofra Archer. Having struggled with an elbow injury, the 25-year-old Archer missed two Tests in England’s 3-1 series defeat by India, he returned taking in 3 for 23 in the first T20I.
The England Cricket and Wales Cricket Board has also maximized the benefits of having their players in the Indian Premier League. The ECB has made provisions for 13 of their players in this year’s IPL even at the expense of missing the first Test of the summer.
“As a white-ball captain planning towards World Cups, certainly over the last five years, we’ve used it ( the IPL) and benefitted from it hugely in the development of our players and the confidence that we’ve built in the changing room in guys like Ben Stokes and Jos Butler going there and being MVP and bringing the knowledge they’ve learnt into our dressing room,” said Morgan is endorsing the move to allow their players the opportunity to play in the IPL.
A combination of all these factors places England among the favourites for the ICC T20 World Cup.
Welcome back Shai Hope
West Indies right-hand batsman Shai Hope announced his return to international last Wednesday with his 10th ODI century as West Indies beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
Due to a lack of form, Hope was dropped for the West Indies tour of New Zealand. He missed the tour of Bangladesh after he was infected by the Covid-19 virus.
However, while his Test form has been poor, Hope has been among the best batsmen in the world in the 50-over version of the game.
In ODIs, he continues to stamp his authority, having amassed 3483 runs at an average of 53.58. The 27-year-old hit a brilliant century in the first T20 match against Sri Lanka and maintained that form in the second match ODI, scoring 84 from 104 balls.
His maturity opening the innings for the West Indies has helped his team and the fact that the West Indies have been winning recently and he has the backing of Captain Kieron Pollard, would have helped his confidence.
“For us in the white-ball cricket Hope is the guy. He has been given a role he gives us a foundation and others can bat around him. In one day, cricket, he’s been fantastic,” Pollard said after Hope’s century in the first ODI.
Hope will now be banking transferring his form to Test cricket where he could be a boon for the West Indies for the foreseeable future.
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Timing not right for England coaching role, says former captain Morgan
Eoin Morgan says the timing is not right for him to take over as England's limited-overs coach if Matthew Mott departs.
Speculation has suggested Mott could leave his role following England's failure to defend their T20 World Cup crown in the United States and West Indies last month, losing to India in the semi-finals.
Morgan captained the side to glory at 2019's 50-over World Cup and retired from international cricket in 2022, having been credited with transforming England's white-ball culture.
The 37-year-old, who played 225 ODIs and 102 T20Is for England, has been tipped to coach his country in the future, but he is not tempted by the role at this moment.
"I've been asked a lot over the last couple of months about the role and whether I would take it on," he told Sky Sports.
"My answer has simply been, the timing for everything in my life at the moment is not right.
"Yes, I want to coach down the line, but I've got a young family and I spend a lot more time at home.
"I'm loving what I'm doing, watching cricket through this [punditry work].
"This news is news to me. It's not nice when a coach comes under fire and there is a lot of speculation about his future. Only time will tell what will happen."
England's T20 World Cup campaign followed a miserable defence of their ODI crown in India last year, where they lost six of their nine games and crashed out in the group stage.
Allen, Short hit fifties to counter Russell’s blitz and lead San Francisco Unicorns to comfortable win over LA Knight Riders in Major League Cricket
The San Francisco Unicorns opened up their 2024 Major League Cricket season with a dominant six-wicket win over the Los Angeles Knight Riders at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Sunday.
West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell hit a whirlwind 25-ball 40* to lead the Knight Riders to 165-6 from their 20 overs after being put in to bat by the Unicorns.
Russell’s innings included two fours and three sixes.
Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan chipped in with 35 off 26 balls including six fours.
Pacers Brody Couch and Haris Rauf took 2-24 and 2-38 from four overs, respectively.
The Unicorns then needed just 15.2 overs to reach 166-4 thanks to 63 from man of the match, Finn Allen and 58 from Matthew Short.
New Zealand’s Allen faced 37 balls and hit five fours to go along with five sixes while Australia’s Short hit five sixes and three fours in his 26-ball knock.
Spencer Johnson took 3-36 from his four overs for the Knight Riders.
Full Scores:
LA Knight Riders 165-6 off 20 overs (Andre Russell 40*, Shakib Al Hasan 35, Jason Roy 26, Brody Couch 2-24, Haris Rauf 2-38)
San Francisco Unicorns 166-4 off 15.2 overs (Finn Allen 63, Matthew Short 58, Spencer Johnson 3-36)
Hope emphasizes “stay ready” mentality after masterclass 82* against USA
For a long time, West Indies ODI skipper Shai Hope was looked at as a batsman who would struggle in the shortest form of the game because of what many described as an inability to score quickly.
Over the last couple years, however, Hope has rubbished those sentiments thanks to some destructive batting performances in the CPL as well as in leagues around the world.
His evolution as a T20 batsman was none more evident than during the West Indies’ game against the USA at the ICC T20 World Cup on Friday in his home country of Barbados.
Looking to bounce back from a loss to England in their first game of the Super 8 on Wednesday, the joint hosts dismissed their American counterparts for 128 after losing the toss at the Kensington Oval.
The West Indians then needed only 10.5 overs to reach 130-1, with Hope finishing 82* off just 39 balls. In a brilliant display of power hitting, Hope hit eight sixes and four fours on the way to his highest score in T20 Internationals.
“Clinical,” was how Hope described the team’s performance on Friday in a post-match press conference.
“Especially coming off the loss that we had a couple days ago. It's great to see the guys understood the assignment today and we played the cricket that we wanted to play. It's important for us to continue in this vein because we see what's at stake now. But yeah, very happy with the bounce back that we did today and there's a lot more cricket to play and we're looking forward to it,” he added.
On his own individual performance, Hope was happy to perform in front of his home crowd.
“Yeah, it was an amazing crowd. It's nice to see everyone came out and support us today. Something that we get in the Caribbean when we're doing well, we tend to see a lot more supporters out there. So that means we must be doing something right if you've got a solo crowd. But yeah, the crowd was rocking today,” he said.
“I thought that the support was amazing. Again, I'm from Barbados so playing in front of this lovely crowd meant a lot more to me. Scoring some runs and winning the game for the team felt even more special so I'm very happy to do that,” Hope added.
At the start of the tournament, Hope was on the outside of the XI looking in. He missed the first three games before coming into the side ahead of Roston Chase in the third game against Afghanistan where he 25 batting at number four.
The 30-year-old was then left out once again for the Super 8 opener against England. A side strain suffered by Brandon King during that game meant Hope was given an opportunity at the top of the order against the USA, an opportunity that he grabbed with both hands.
“Yeah, it's a great feeling. Again, whatever the team requires, that's me. Unfortunately, King had to leave us. Hopefully, he recovers quickly. But yeah, I had to go at the top this time around and the aim was just to get off to a good start. You see the importance of finishing the game early as well. So yeah, I had a good time in the middle, good surface and I enjoyed batting tonight,” he said.
“Just have to stay ready in a tournament like this. There's a reason why we have 15 players. All of them need to be ready whenever the time comes,” he added.
Finally, Hope issued a plea to the fans of the West Indies to continue supporting them on their journey to a third ICC T20 World Cup title.
“Keep rallying. That's our motto. We always talk about rallying around the West Indies. That's exactly what we need to keep doing. The team rallying around each other. The fans need to do the same. We're out there fighting for each and every one of us. So, you understand the importance and the magnitude of the tournament. We're playing a home World Cup, something that I'm sure a lot of cricketers over their careers may not get the opportunity to do. We understand the importance of this in particular and we know how much the fans really want us to win so we're fighting, we're doing it for them and it's great to see the support I hope that it continues for the rest of the tournament,” he said.
The West Indies will take on South Africa in their last Super 8 match on Sunday in Antigua.
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