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All-round Pakistan sweep series 3-0; climb atop ICC ODI World Rankings

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Colombo, Aug 26 (IANS) Superb bowling effort by Shadab Khan (3-42), Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-31) and Faheem Ashraf (2-43) after half-centuries by skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan (67) helped Pakistan beat Afghanistan by 59 runs and win their three-match series 3-0 here on Saturday.

The superb all-round performance that led to Pakistan’s clean sweep against Afghanistan saw them overtake Australia for the No. 1 spot in the  ICC Men’s ODI Rankings.

After a brief sojourn with the pole position in May, a series whitewash over Afghanistan helped Pakistan return to the No. 1 spot in the Men’s ODI Rankings. 

Pakistan went into the third and final ODI leading 2-0 and defeated their neighbours after a solid second half of the innings with the bat. 

Despite a stutter in the middle with the bat, Pakistan finished strong on a slow pitch, making 268 with Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam scoring half-centuries.

In reply, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem Ashraf snared two early wickets before the spinners struck at regular intervals to keep Afghanistan in check. 

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Mujeeb ur Rahman struck the fastest half-century for Afghanistan in ODI cricket history for a late fightback.

He hammered a 26-ball half-century to improve upon Rashid Khan’s record of reaching fifty in 27 balls against Ireland. But his  37-ball 64 was not enough as Pakistan had too much on board for Afghanistan to win. Shadab finished with three wickets to his name as Pakistan completed a whitewash.

Pakistan have dominated the ODI format over the last year. In the 2022 season, they whitewashed West Indies and Netherlands 3-0 at home and away respectively. They followed this up with a 2-1 series win over New Zealand at home in January 2023.

The Black Caps then returned for a five-game ODI contest in April. Pakistan managed to win the series 4-1. Now the 3-0 series win has helped them to the No. 1 spot in the rankings.

Before the Afghanistan series, Australia were at the top of the ranking table with 118 rating points while Pakistan were placed second with 115.8 rating points. 

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Now Pakistan sit atop with 118.48 rating points while Australia are at the second rank with no change to their points. 

With the upcoming Asia Cup and other ODI contests in the build-up to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, there remains room for movement among the top three: Pakistan, Australia and India. 

Brief scores:

Pakistan 268/8 in 50 overs (Babar Azam 60, Mohd Rizwan 67, Agha Salman 38 not out; Gulbadin Naib 2-36, Fareed Ahmad 2-70) beat Afghanistan 209 all out in 48.4 overs (Mujeeb Ur Rahman 64, Shahidullah 37; Shadab Khan 3-42, Shaheen Afridi 2-31, Faheem Ashraf 2-43) by 59 runs.

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Head released from Australia ODI and T20I squads, Bartlett to be rested for second ODI

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Sydney, Feb 3 (IANS) Australia opener Travis Head has been released from both the ODI and T20I squads to “refresh” after a strenuous Test summer, and pace bowler Xavier Bartlett has been rested for the second ODI against West Indies but is anticipated to return with vigor for the third game in Canberra.

World Cup-winning quick Josh Hazlewood has been added to Australia’s squad for the second ODI against the West Indies at the SCG.

Bartlett’s impressive performance in Melbourne, where he claimed 4 for 17, marked a memorable start to his international career. However, the management’s decision to rest him for the second ODI is part of a calculated plan to manage his workload cautiously. A Cricket Australia statement said the decision formed part of his “ongoing management” after the 25-year-old Queenslander missed the first half of the domestic season following his return from a back stress injury.

The young pace sensation, who dealt with a back injury last year, is being handled judiciously, especially considering the demanding schedule with three ODIs in five days and no prior one-day or Shield cricket this season.

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The void left by Bartlett’s absence in Sydney will be filled by the inclusion of experienced World Cup-winning quick, Josh Hazlewood. Hazlewood initially rested for the ODI series after a busy Test summer, is set to bolster the Australian squad.

Left-arm quick Spencer Johnson will join the squad as cover for the third ODI in Canberra on Tuesday.

Australia has not named a replacement after Head’s departure and that opens the door for potential changes in the lineup, with the promising Jake Fraser-McGurk in contention to make his ODI debut at the SCG.

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2nd Test: Crawley, Duckett take England to 32/0 after Jaiswal’s 209 carries India to 396

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Visakhapatnam, Feb 3 (IANS) England’s openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett came out unscathed from the small period of batting for 20 minutes in the first session after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 209 carried India to a first-innings total of 396 on day two of second Test at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

At lunch, England are 32/0 in six overs and trail India by 364 runs. After seeing off Jasprit Bumrah’s opening over, Duckett’s first boundary came off an inside edge against Mukesh Kumar, while Crawley whipped the pacer for four to get off the mark. Duckett was more assured at the crease, seen from him taking three boundaries off Mukesh in the fourth over, to make it England’s session with both bat and ball.

Earlier, Jaiswal converted his overnight score of 179 not out into a maiden double century in Tests, though India missed out on reaching 400 by just four runs. Playing in just his sixth Test match, Jaiswal mixed caution and aggression in equal measure and stood tall even as his team-mates fell from the other end.

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He become the third youngest Indian batter to score a double hundred in Test cricket, via a six and four off debutant England spinner Shoaib Bashir in the 102nd over. His incredible career-best knock of 209 from 290 balls was laced with 19 fours and seven sixes, before being dismissed by veteran fast-bowler James Anderson.

But it was a morning which made England happy as India’s last four wickets fell for only 32 runs. Anderson took three wickets in his miserly spell while Bashir and Rehan Ahmed also took three scalps each.

In the morning, Ravichandran Ashwin was exquisite in his cover drives off Bashir, while Jaiswal, who survived an lbw appeal off Anderson, whacked the off-spinner by dancing down the pitch to smack a six over long-on to enter the 190s. Anderson got the first wicket of the morning when he squared up Ashwin on defence and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes took the catch behind.

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Jaiswal brought up his double-hundred in style with back-to-back boundaries off Bashir – a slog-sweep over backward square leg for six was followed by sweeping a full toss for four. Jaiswal celebrated by removing his helmet, jumping with joy and blowing kisses to a weekend crowd giving him a standing ovation and chanting his name to applaud a magnificent knock by the youngster.

He then tried taking the attack against Anderson – a thick edge on being squared up went for four. But Jaiswal lost his wicket when he tried to slice off Anderson after coming down the pitch, only for deep cover to take the catch. It brought an end to a momentous knock from Jaiswal, who was rightfully given a standing ovation by everyone in the stadium on his way back to the dugout.

India’s innings ended swiftly after Jaiswal’s fall as Bumrah edged to first slip off Ahmed and Mukesh too fell in the same fashion off Bashir, as the hosts’ fell short of 400 by just four runs. With the pitch still playing relatively well, though there’s been some evidence of variable bounce for spinners when Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav were introduced into the bowling attack at the stroke of lunch, it sets up the platform nicely for a big second session.

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Brief scores: India 396 in 112 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 209, Shubman Gill 34; James Anderson 3-47, Rehan Ahmed 3-65) lead England 32/0 in six overs (Ben Duckett 17 not out, Zak Crawley 15 not out) by 364 runs

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2nd Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal slams career-best 209 as England bowl out India for 396

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Visakhapatnam, Feb 3 (IANS) Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal converted his overnight score of 179 not out into a maiden double century in Tests. But it wasn’t enough to take India past 400 as England bowled them out for 396 in 112 overs of their first innings on day two’s play at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Playing in just his sixth Test match, Jaiswal mixed caution and aggression in equal measure and stood tall even as his team-mates fell from the other end to become the third youngest Indian batter to score a double hundred in Test cricket, via a six and four off debutant England spinner Shoaib Bashir in the 102nd over.

His incredible career-best knock of 209 from 290 balls was laced with 19 fours and seven sixes, before being dismissed by veteran fast-bowler James Anderson. But it was a morning that would leave England happy as India’s last four wickets fell for 32 runs. Anderson took three wickets in his miserly spell while Bashir and Rehan Ahmed also took three scalps.

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In the morning, Ravichandran Ashwin was exquisite in his cover drives off Bashir, while Jaiswal, who survived an lbw appeal off Anderson, whacked the off-spinner by dancing down the pitch to smack a six over long-on to enter the 190s. Anderson got the first wicket of the morning when he squared up Ashwin on defence and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes took the catch behind.

Jaiswal brought up his double-hundred in style with back-to-back boundaries off Bashir – a slog-sweep over backward square leg for six was followed by sweeping a full toss for four. He then tried taking the attack against Anderson – a thick edge on being squared up went for four.

But Jaiswal lost his wicket when he tried to slice off Anderson after coming down the pitch, only for deep cover to take the catch. It brought an end to a momentous knock from Jaiswal, who was rightfully given a standing ovation by everyone in the stadium. The end of India’s innings came swiftly as Jasprit Bumrah edged to first slip off Ahmed and Mukesh Kumar too fell in the same fashion off Bashir, as the hosts’ fell short of 400 by just four runs.

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Brief scores: India 396 in 112 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 209, Shubman Gill 34; James Anderson 3-47, Rehan Ahmed 3-65) against England

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2nd Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal becomes third-youngest Indian to score double-hundred in Tests

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Visakhapatnam, Feb 3 (IANS) Yashasvi Jaiswal etched his name in the annals of Indian cricket history as he became the third-youngest Indian after Sunil Gavaskar and Vinod Kambli to score a double-hundred in Tests, on Day 2 of the second Test against England at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam.

Jaiswal, aged 22 years and 77 days completed his feat in 277 balls, in the process guiding India to a 350-plus total in the first innings of the match. The opener became the first Indian since Mayank Agarwal (November 2019) to breach the double-ton mark in the longest format of the game.

The young Indian opener, known for his aggressive style of play, showcased a remarkable blend of attacking prowess and composure as he navigated the challenges posed by the English bowlers. Jaiswal’s innings became a beacon of hope for the Indian team, especially as wickets tumbled at regular intervals at the opposite end.

Not only did Jaiswal reach the coveted double-ton milestone, but he also became the first Indian left-handed batsman since Gautam Gambhir in 2008 to achieve this feat in Test cricket. The former India opener had scored 206 against Australia, and now Jaiswal follows in his footsteps with an equally remarkable innings.

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Clocking in at 277 balls to reach the 200-run mark, Jaiswal’s innings demonstrated not only his attacking flair but also his ability to temper his aggression with patience when the situation demanded.

Former batter, Vinod Kambli remains the youngest Indian to hit a double century, when he achieved his feat at the age of 21 years and 32 days against England in Wankhede, back in 1993. The youngest double centurion in the history of Test cricket is Javed Miandad, who achieved his feat at the age of 19 years and 140 days.

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2nd Test: Fifty for Jaiswal as India reach 103/2 at lunch after England’s early strikes

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Visakhapatnam, Feb 2 (IANS) Yashasvi Jaiswal reached 51 off 89 (not out) as India posted 103 for 2 at lunch after an early strike from debutant Shoaib Bashir and veteran pacer James Anderson on Day 1 of the second Test here at Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Yashasvi started off well attacking Joe Root on the very first ball as the off-spinner opened the bowling from the other end with Anderson. Jaiswal got to his half-century in 89 balls and is unbeaten at 51 in 92 deliveries hitting 6 fours and a maximum.

Shoaib trapped the big fish Rohit Sharma for 14 as the Indian skipper closed the face on an off-break from the debutant and tucked his leg glance straight to Ollie Pope at leg slip.

It was the moment that young Bashir had been dreaming of, his maiden Test wicket. With a skillful delivery, he outfoxed the experienced Rohit, sending him back to the pavilion and giving England the breakthrough they craved.

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Yashasvi began to mount a comeback, putting the English spinners under pressure. Sensing the need for experience, Stokes summoned the ever-reliable James Anderson back into the attack. The veteran seamer responded emphatically, dismissing Shubman Gill scoring 34 off 46 balls just before the lunch interval, turning the tide in their favour with the dismissal.

The breakthrough injected a renewed sense of optimism into the English camp, setting the stage for an intriguing battle in the subsequent sessions.

England, equipped with the luxury of three spinners, saw Ben Stokes orchestrating a shrewd rotation of his slow bowlers. The trio of Root, Tom Hartley, and the debutant Shoaib Bashir combined forces, applying pressure on the Indian batting lineup and stifling their scoring opportunities.

Jaiswal with 51 runs led India’s attack with Shreyas Iyer, who came out after Gill’s dismissal.

Brief scores: India 103/2 at lunch (Yashasvi Jaiswal 51 not out, Shreyas Iyer 4; James Anderson 1-19, Shoaib Bashir 1-39) against England.

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