Ex-Liverpool and Bayern Munich player Markus Babbel criticised Jobe Belligham's father's behaviour after his heated conversation at Borussia Dortmund.
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Some England stars have changed clubs, some are trying to earn a recall from Sarina Wiegman's squad and others are out to force their way into her XI
Less than six weeks after England's incredible triumph at Euro 2025, the majority of Sarina Wiegman's victorious squad will be back in action for the first time since that dramatic win over Spain this weekend, as the 2025-26 edition of the Women's Super League gets underway.
There hasn't been too much transfer activity when it comes to the 23 Lionesses who reigned supreme in Switzerland, though Grace Clinton and Jess Park have been part of one of the most stunning deals of the summer, that which sent Clinton from Manchester United to Manchester City on deadline day, with Park going the opposite way. Many of those on the fringes of Wiegman's squad have been on the move, though, and there have been other transfers that could impact some of England's biggest stars.
It all means there are plenty of Lionesses who have particularly interesting stories to follow in the 2025-26 WSL season. Here, GOAL picks out 10 narratives to follow over the next nine months…Â
Depending on the pitch, outfield size and batsmen at the crease, spin could be a good alternative to the traditional death-over tricks by pace bowlers
Gaurav Sundararaman10-May-2018Spinners play a vital role in every edition of the IPL. The likes of R Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Sunil Narine, Rashid Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman can control the run rate at any phase of an innings and build pressure by not conceding boundaries. However, they are the exceptions: in the death overs, most captains still go to their seamers, who mix it up with the slower balls, bouncers and wide yorkers.There have been a few instances of spinners bowling the last few overs in this IPL. And the results were rather contrasting. Mujeeb got hit for 19 and 14 runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, while Rashid bowled a maiden over and conceded just seven runs against Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. Both these instances came while defending totals.Over the years, Kolkata Knight Riders have used this strategy quite effectively with Narine leading from the front. In the match against Chennai Super Kings, he and Chawla bowled the last two overs with MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease.Now Narine had never conceded a boundary to Dhoni in 57 deliveries in the IPL. Given that history, it made sense to use spin at that stage, but is there a case for spinners to bowl more during the death even without such obvious match-ups?When bowling first in the last five overs of IPL 2018, spinners have conceded 8.65 per over and averaged 24.87, while pacers have gone at 9.98 and averaged 19.21. When defending, pacers have gone at 10.41 runs per over compared to 8.87 for spinners.ESPNcricinfo LtdBut what kind of spinners do well in such high-pressure situations? Considering data from the last two years of the IPL, both fingerspinners and wristspinners have managed to build control in this phase but the wristspinners have been the ones taking wickets. Do wickets really matter in this state though? Possibly, depending on match situations and the batsmen playing.
ER Ave SRWrist Spinners 8.81 19.13 13.02Finger Spinners 8.31 22.8 16.46The most successful spinners in the death in the last two IPLs – based on economy-rate – are Narine and Rashid. Chawla and Axar Patel have also kept runs down, but have rarely bowled in this stage of an innings. The stats suggest that spinners have done reasonably well in the final overs, but then they have also been used carefully by captains, sometimes in situations when the batting team has already lost wickets and isn’t in a position to attack. Still, depending on the pitch, outfield size and batsmen at the crease, spin could be a good alternative to the traditional death-over tricks by pace bowlers, whether in the first innings or the second.
ER Ave SRSunil Narine 7.86 57.66 44Rashid Khan 8.26 31.4 22.8Imran Tahir 9 57 38Kuldeep Yadav 9.58 16.42 10.28Only twice in 74 overs has a spinner gone for more than 20 runs this IPL in the death. The corresponding figure for seamers is nine in 284 overs. If a team is reliant on overseas batsmen to be their finishers, there is definite merit in bringing a spinner on to bowl the final overs. This season the top seven overseas batsmen across teams have gone at a strike-rate of 128.1 against spinners compared to 150.7 against pacers. With most players not picking the googly as well, wristspinners can be a very good asset.ESPNcricinfo LtdAlthough the sample size isn’t enough to draw definite conclusions, captains should not look at bowling out spinners before the death overs. Depending on the skill of the bowler and the match-ups that are likely to happen, teams could be more open to using spinners at the end instead of relying on average pacers. With any innovation, however, comes risk, which was evident on Wednesday when Chawla went for 22 runs in the 20th over against Mumbai.
Meg Lanning, Australia women’s captain, on her legacy, her mentor Alex Blackwell, and the World T20 in West Indies in November
Annesha Ghosh22-Mar-20185:20
‘We need to play aggressive cricket consistently’
There’s cricket. There’s women’s cricket. And between the two dwells Meg Lanning.In her seven-year international career, her accomplishments blur the differences between the men’s and women’s games. In 66 ODI innings, she averages 53, the best in the women’s game, and has 11 hundreds, the most in the format. Her hundreds come every six innings, the most frequent in the game after Virat Kohli’s 5.71. She holds the record for the highest women’s T20I score, already has three Belinda Clark Awards, and holds the distinction of being the youngest Australian – male or female – to lead the country in ODIs or to score an international century in the format.Lanning knows the impact she has had. “I’m a really competitive person, so I think that is something that comes across quite openly,” she says when we meet in Mumbai during Australia’s tour of India.”A really important part of elite sport is to make sure you’re in the contest all the time. The other thing is the way I go about my cricket: it’s [about] always trying to move the game forward and have an impact on the game. I like to think that the people coming into our team really feel that it’s an important part of playing.”Among her wide-ranging feats, making “big hundreds” in ODIs at No. 3 is an acquired ability she values highly. “I sort of pride myself in making sure when I get a start, I want to go on with it.”How big is a “big hundred” for her? She allows herself an unreserved smile. “Pretty much what wins us the game, I guess.”On Australia’s last bilateral series in India, in 2012, 19-year-old Lanning made a rampaging 128, but her scores in the recent three-match ODI series in Vadodara weren’t big. Australia whitewashed India, but she managed only innings of 33, 24 and 18.
“The real key for me is making sure that the game’s exciting and it’s a great product to watch, and ensuring that people want to come and watch women’s cricket”
Lanning, who turns 26 this week, during the T20I tri-series featuring India and England in Mumbai, had an emotionally taxing seventh-month layoff due to a shoulder reconstruction surgery.”It was a tough seven months. I sort of knew it was going to happen. I thought I had prepared myself, but it was very different when I got into the thick of it. Watching such a big series as the Ashes from the sidelines was tough.”Initially I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to watch all of it, not being a part of it, but I’m a bit of a cricket snuff. I found myself wanting to watch all of it and I was around the squad for the Test match as well. I was also really keen to try and help where I could.”It’s little surprise that she found her time away from cricket difficult to deal with. Since her international debut on December 30, 2010, Lanning has featured in 70 of 76 Australia T20Is, 66 of 74 ODIs, and three of four Tests.”I never had really been injured before in cricket, never missed cricket.” The hiatus, she says, gave her an opportunity to look both within and without, cultivate greater empathy, and evolve into a more competent leader.”The good thing to come out of it is that I feel like I have improved, especially off the field as a leader and as a person. It’s given me a chance to step back from the intensity of international cricket, just to see what I could do better or differently. In the long run, when I look back [on this period], there will be some positives that come out of it.”It’s really easy when you’re in the thick of international cricket to get caught up in the next training or the next game. I’ve been really lucky. I came into the squad really young, did quite well, and [have] never been dropped, never really had to deal with anything too difficult, so this gave me a chance to understand what it’s like to be slightly on the outside.”It’s not an easy place to be. That’s the biggest understanding I got – how the players in the team are feeling and thinking in that position.”Meg Lanning is the third fastest batsman in all cricket to reach 3000 ODI runs•Getty ImagesEven though her figures on her return to the side have been somewhat underwhelming, you could glimpse her imperious form in shots through the last two weeks. There was that straight-faced ruthlessness, during the second warm-up match, in the six she hit over bowler Anuja Patil’s head and the four consecutive boundaries she hammered to get to her fifty.You also saw it during a menacing display of technical brilliance when she muscled three pulls past a diving midwicket in the second ODI, and lofted Ekta Bisht inside out twice over cover in the third.She started the one-day series by getting her 3000th ODI run, in only her 64th innings – the third fastest by any batsman after Hashim Amla and Belinda Clark.The reconstruction of the shoulder, Lanning says, still makes her “a little bit nervous” diving around. During the series, she used her left hand for much of the carrying and dragging of the bat while running between the wickets, and even while high-fiving team-mates.”I’m about seven and a half months post-surgery now, so batting’s been really good. Fielding is not quite back to 100%. It will take another six to 12 months for it to be completely normal.”At a time when Australia have picked a robust mix of young talent, coming in via the Women’s Big Bash League and the WNCL (the 50-over domestic league) and appointed former Australia allrounders like Ashley Noffke and Shelley Nitschke in coaching capacities, Lanning says her role in nurturing talent fits organically into the team management’s scheme of things.After wrapping up her own training in the nets, she almost always lines herself up next to Noffke or Nitschke to watch youngsters like Belinda Vakarewa, Ashleigh Gardner, Nicola Carey or the uncapped Sophie Molineux go about their business.”The key is to make everyone feel comfortable, want to be around the group. I think we’ve got a really good set-up. The players coming to the squad deserve their spot. The main thing for me is to maximise the impact that they can have.”Firstly, you’ve got to ensure that they are comfortable in the environment and willing to be themselves. I think a really important part of a team is making sure you’re working towards a common goal, but everyone’s different and you want to try and embrace that as much as you can. That probably is my biggest role – off-field is really big, and then the on-field stuff sort of takes care of itself.”
“I think we’ve got a really good set-up. The players coming to the squad deserve their spot. The main thing for me is to maximise that impact that they can have”
In comparison to current vice-captain Rachael Haynes, who led the side in Lanning’s absence in a few World Cup matches and in the Ashes, the captain describes herself as being less planned.”I plan a little bit, but most of it’s on the run and adapting to what’s happening in the game. I think cricket’s a funny game where you can plan all you want but often the plans actually never happen in the game, so it’s very important to adapt.”Rachael’s probably a lot more planned than me and we deliberate, which means we’ll work well as team. I don’t think it really matters what your style is as long as you stick to it all the time, especially under pressure, if you can. That’s when you get most effective.”Lanning and Australia are missing a mentor on this trip after Alex Blackwell, the side’s most capped international player, retired last month. Blackwell was Lanning’s deputy when she first became captain.”I sort of came into the captaincy having not done much before at all, so she played a big role for me there, and we were different again, which worked well. She challenged me and would ask questions, but at the end of the day she would back my decisions when I made it, which was really important. Off the field, she was a great role model as well. The kids coming in loved spending time with her. She would always add some funny things as well. She’s had a great career and she’s certainly going to be missed within our team.”When Lanning was appointed captain, many felt that Blackwell had been overlooked for the captaincy. Asked whether Blackwell had been suitably rewarded for all her on-field accomplishments, Lanning said her former deputy “has been a great not just for Australian cricket but for world cricket”.”I guess winning the World Cup last year probably would have finished it off, but I think she’s had a very decorated career and she’s been an important part of our side, on and off of the field, over a long period of time.” Blackwell represented Australia in four 50-over World Cups and five World T20s. “We’ve lost a lot of experience there, so it’s a big hole to fill. But Alex has gone out on top, I guess – she was still really playing well.”In the last two years, Australia have relinquished their world titles in both limited-overs formats, but Lanning is upbeat about their chances in the World T20 in West Indies in November.”Now there’s a number of teams who can win any tournament, we need to be playing more aggressive cricket and consistently, so we’ve spoken about that a lot and as a team over the last few months.”I thought the Ashes was a good starting point for us. We’re aware that we need to be playing very close to our best to beat every team out there. It’s no longer sort of 80% is good enough. We need to be as close to 100% as we can be, and that’s what we’re working towards.”How big does she want her legacy to be?”I guess with the women’s game moving forward, the players who are playing now are really leading that charge, and are going to have a really big impact on where it ends up when we retire and where it moves forward to.”My philosophy of playing cricket has been very competitive and wanting to push the game forward a lot, and I suppose the real key for me is making sure that the game’s exciting and it’s a great product to watch and ensuring that people want to come and watch women’s cricket.”
Also reveals that Shakib Al Hasan’s workload management for the series will be left on the senior player
Mohammad Isam28-Feb-2023
Tamim Iqbal and Chandika Hathurusingha head to training•BCB
Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha belives that his full-strength Bangladesh side are slightly ahead of an England side that is missing some key batters due to the Test series in New Zealand. Even while praising England’s depth, calling them the “envy” of the rest of the world, he said that he backed his own side’s skill levels in home conditions.”We are playing full strength,” Hathurusingha told reporters on the eve of the ODI series. “I don’t think they have come with their full strength. Some of them are playing Test cricket. I back our skills and strength. Saying that, they have incredible strength in the last ten years or so.”England have one of the best pace attacks in the world. They have five fast bowlers and three spinners on this tour. The challenge will be to play their fast bowlers in this series. They have developed great depth in English cricket. They are the envy of every Test-playing nation. I am hoping that by the end of my tenure, we can leave something behind.”Related
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Currently in the first week of his second stint as Bangladesh coach, Hathurusingha has also observed that his players are taking up responsibilities.”They have improved in terms of understanding their roles,” he said. “Mainly I was impressed with how they take the ownership of how they want to prepare. I am very pleased about it. Even the youngsters, you don’t need to guide them too much. They know how to prepare and know their various roles.Hathurusingha also revealed that he will allow Shakib Al Hasan to decide whether he is mentally and physically fit for the first ODI, after he arrived from the USA just 48 hours before the first game.”There’s so much cricket being played. The opposition just arrived two days before, and you have to play,” he said. “That’s the nature of the scheduling. Shakib had a family emergency, so he is back from a long flight.”He said he is feeling good. He practice yesterday and today. I think you have to back him, because of his experience and who he is. He knows his body. I have to go by his judgement.”Hathurusingha said that he will be lurking in the background for the first two games of the series since he wants to see the processes in play. He also said that Bangladesh’s XI for the first ODI will be quite close to the side that beat India in the ODI series in December.”I am not going to talk much at all as I have been around for seven days,” he added. “They have been playing good cricket lately, so my job is to see what they are doing. Their process to be successful. If it is working well, I don’t need to say something. I will probably observe in the first two games, then take it from there.”
“He has blown the house down,” says Bangladesh’s fast bowling coach, while praising his bowling group for their showing these past 12 months
Mohammad Isam22-Mar-2023Allan Donald, the Bangladesh fast bowling coach, has said that Ebadot Hossain’s extra pace is making the difference in the team’s bowling line-up. Ebadot’s career-best figures in the first ODI against Ireland helped Bangladesh win by a record margin of 183 runs.The second game was a washout, which means Ebadot now has 17 wickets in his first seven ODIs. That is one wicket behind Mustafizur Rahman at the same stage of his career, in 2015.Related
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“He has blown the house down,” Donald said of Ebadot’s explosive start in ODIs. “From the moment I met him in Johannesburg exactly 12 months ago, he has been impressive. He is an athlete. He has a great engine on him. The ‘Syhet Rocket’.”We are working on small things which are more tactical. We are working on game intelligence in every game. I am still trying to find the area that he needs to work on.”What stands out for Ebadot is the stark difference in the way his Test and ODI careers got going. He had picked up seven wickets after his seventh Test, averaging 90.71 and with a strike rate of 139.70.But the turning point was his 6 for 46 against New Zealand in Bangladesh’s famous win in the Mount Maunganui Test in January 2022. His wicket counter went up and his bowling average and strike rate improved significantly. Ebadot became a much-improved bowler, making his ODI and T20I debut later in the year.”What has impressed me the most is that Ebadot is always in the game,” Donald said. “He will be in the wickets column in every single game. He bowls 145-148 [kph], so you know the pace factor will have a massive impact on the game. He showed it the other night [first ODI].”He is a wonderful talent; from a guy who won a fast-bowling competition to where he is now, he could consistently be a member of all three formats.”Mustafizur Rahman chats with Allan Donald at a training session•AFP/Getty ImagesDonald praised the entire bowling group for their performances in the last 12 months, which has included two four-fors by Ebadot and one each from Shoriful Islam and Mustafizur. Taskin Ahmed’s 5 for 35 against South Africa last year gave Bangladesh a historic series win over the hosts.”It has been a terrific performance collectively. We have been speaking about this pack mentality for a while,” Donald exclaimed.”I just think great plaudits should go to the mindset of the group. It was wonderful to see how we bowled the other night [first ODI]. All three of them were very potent. All had an impact, asking questions and creating chances. Very happy to see that.”
“Hathu [Hathurusingha] has been brilliant around the group. He has expressed his freedom to the group. I think they have unshackled themselves and played aggressive cricket.”Allan Donald
Donald also welcomed the addition of head coach Chandika Hathurusingha to the team for the second time. The former South Africa fast bowler said that his style matches with that of Hathurusingha’s and that is helping in the players’ development.”I have been here for 12 months. My work with that group and the stuff that I have done with them has never changed. Hathu [Hathurusingha] is an attacking, aggressive coach. It is my style as well. What he has told the whole group as well is to take the game on, not be afraid to win. I think it is a great message,” Donald said.”Hathu has been brilliant around the group. He has expressed his freedom to the group. I think they have unshackled themselves and played aggressive cricket. My mindset has never changed since I was 16-17. It is to be aggressive but someone has to give me an expansive role. It is exactly what I have done to the bowling group.”Mushfiqur Rahim cracked 100* off 60 balls, Bangladesh’s fastest in ODIs in the second game•AFP/Getty ImagesBangladesh’s aggressive intent has come to the fore in the ongoing series against Ireland where they have put up scores of 338 and 349 in the first two ODIs. Mushfiqur Rahim scored Bangladesh’s fastest century in the the format in the second ODI, while Shakib Al Hasan and Towhid Hridoy got quickfire nineties in the first game. Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das also scored fifties in the second ODI.Donald added that Bangladesh are now looking to breach the elusive 400-plus mark in the third ODI, given their batting form and stocks.”It is definitely achievable. A couple of guys got nineties in the first game, couple of guys got seventies in the second game. Mushy [Mushfiqur] obviously converted it into a magnificent knock. We want to take those partnerships deeper, we want the hurt to feel even more. Take Ireland to the last ten overs with six or seven wickets in hand, so we can pile it on.”
Manchester United icon Patrice Evra has joked that Sir Alex Ferguson would "end up in jail" if he was still in management due to his "evil" antics.
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Eberechi Eze struggled to find the words to describe the feeling of striking home the winning goal in an FA Cup final against Manchester City.
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Eze scores only goal in 1-0 winPalace win the FA Cup for the first timeScorer hails Palace performanceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The midfielder stroked home a Daniel Munoz cutback to put the Eagles ahead after just 16 minutes in an effort that proved to be the winning goal. Palace would hold on for the next 74 minutes, courtesy of Dean Henderson heroics, and lift their first ever FA Cup trophy. After the game, Eze was full of praise for his team-mates and their performance against one of the world's best sides.
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Speaking to of the counter-attack that resulted in his goal, Eze said: "I couldn't breathe! City keep the ball so well, you have to work so hard to get anything from them. When you get in their box you have to make the chance count.
"I've come a long way. To be in this position now – it's hard to use the right words here."
He added: "This is special, I don't even know what to say. Thank God, only God could do this.
"Facing the team that's been the best in the world for years, to show that type of spirit and energy… only God."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Since his switch to Palace from QPR in 2020, Eze has become Palace's talisman and raised his performance levels with every season. His role in this Palace FA Cup run will not be forgotten by the Eagles faithful any time soon. Eze scored four goals and registered an assist in five FA Cup games this season with no goal more important than his effort on Saturday.
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The midfielder has been linked with moves away from Palace, but with the Eagles qualifying for Europa League football through this success in the cup, he may be persuaded to remain at the club. With his contract expiring in 2027, clubs may look to wrap up a bargain deal should he not renew.
Also planned are discussions surrounding the Future Tours Programme, a new revenue distribution model and governance review
Osman Samiuddin and Tristan Lavalette17-Mar-2023
The PCB is expected to raise questions about India travelling to their country for the Asia Cup (and beyond)•Getty Images/ICC
Afghanistan, the continuing complexities of India-Pakistan and a new revenue distribution model will all be on the agenda at what is shaping up to be a portentous ICC board meeting this weekend in Dubai.The quarterly meeting, the first of this year, began on Thursday with the women’s cricket committee and the men’s committee on Friday. But all eyes will fall on the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) meeting on Saturday, before the ICC Board and Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee meet over Sunday and Monday.It is in and around the sidelines of those meetings that the most pressing topics will be discussed:Afghanistan’s membershipThe ICC’s working group on Afghanistan will present an update to the ICC board on the situation in Afghanistan since the Taliban took power in the country in August 2021. Imran Khwaja, the ICC’s deputy chair and head of the working group, has met with officials from the ACB and Taliban in Doha twice since November. They’ve been provided assurances that the government has not interfered in cricket affairs, but also acknowledge that any women’s cricket while the Taliban are in power is near impossible.Consequently, the working group will argue that the issue of women’s cricket is beyond the control of the ACB and so the board should not be punished. Full membership at the ICC requires the member to have a functioning women’s team but that status is unlikely to be under threat. There is, however, a growing resolve among members to act, or at least for a clear policy statement to be made.Even the ICC management is desperate to act, not least since some Afghan women cricketers reached out to them. There has been informal talk of funding a women’s team outside of Afghanistan and without implicit ACB approval. But the working group will make the board aware that such options could prove counterproductive, even dangerous, for those on the ground in the country. It is a tightrope, in not wanting to punish Afghanistan while also wanting some progress with the women’s game.Related
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A new revenue distribution modelThe F&CA will begin discussions on a new model to divvy up the ICC’s broadcast money (and commercial earnings) over the next rights cycle. It is not going to be a simple discussion – it wasn’t for the current cycle, where the rights were sold in 2014 for eight years as one bundle to one broadcaster, for approximately USD 2.1 billion.This time round, the ICC is selling rights separately in different regional markets, as well as unbundling them into different packages – one for TV only, one for digital only, one for both, over four and eight years – and men’s and women’s events treated separately. That has already brought a much greater value than the last cycle, even accounting for there being more events. Last August, Disney Star* secured the rights to broadcast ICC events in India for four years from 2024 to 2027. That deal is said to be worth just north of USD 3 billion. The ICC has also recently sold rights in the UK market to Sky Sports for eight years, in a deal worth around USD 260 million. On Friday, the ICC announced the US rights going to Willow, leaving the subcontinent rights (excluding India) to go.So, much more money, but also more challenges in distributing it. The F&CA is headed by the BCCI secretary Jay Shah and given that the India market now has a tangible separate value, it will only strengthen the longstanding BCCI belief that they should receive a lion’s share of it. Smaller members are also wanting enhanced shares, especially as they ended up with less than the expected amounts from the last cycle after ICC projections fell slightly short.The battles over the financial model last time round were epic, not least because of the tumult caused by the Big Three takeover and then eventual rollback. The BCCI, ultimately, wasn’t happy with its share. The global calendar is more fractured and complicated now, only adding to the difficulties in navigating this. The discussions will start this weekend but the expectation is to not expect a new model anytime soon.India-PakistanThe BCCI says India will not travel to Pakistan to play in the Asia Cup in September. The PCB says if they don’t, then Pakistan might not travel to India for the World Cup in October-November. This has been the status quo between the two members for a while now.”We have complex issues on hand but for me when I go to the ACC (Asian Cricket Council) and ICC meetings I have kept all options open for us and we have to take a clear position now,” said the PCB head Najam Sethi at a press conference earlier this week. That is in line with the PCB belief that the Asia Cup and ICC events are linked: if India refuse to play in Pakistan for the Asia Cup, what is the guarantee they visit for the ICC’s Champions Trophy in 2025?That is the question the PCB will be raising this weekend, though it will do so with the wriggle room that ultimately a decision on whether Pakistan travels to India for a World Cup will be made by the Pakistan government. There were reports in Pakistan earlier this week that the government had refused PCB permission to send a team to India. But state officials indicated to ESPNcricinfo that not only had no such decision had been made but that it was far too early for them to be making it.Holder: ‘Apart from the big three, every team is barely playing any Test cricket’•AFP/Getty Images
The Future-Tours ProgrammeA working group looking into current and future FTP bilateral planning arrangements will be ratified at the meeting.The group is led by Zimbabwe head Tavengwa Mukuhlani and includes the ECB’s Martin Darlow and New Zealand Cricket’s Martin Snedden and are expected to meet formally for the first time. The group is open for Full Members to address concerns heightened amid international cricket’s shrinking calendar as T20 leagues sprout worldwide.Given the concerns about the dearth of Test matches expressed expressed recently, the group is likely to hear those concerns sooner rather than later. “The way world cricket is going now, apart from the big three, every team is barely playing any Test cricket,” Jason Holder said after their recently concluded Test series in South Africa. He was echoing comments made by Angelo Mathews, playing a two-Test series in New Zealand, as well as the MCC.Governance ReviewDiscussions over ICC constitutional reforms have been ongoing for years in what has been a thorny subject.It seemed to gain momentum during meetings last year with informal discussions over several proposals, including a single tier of ICC membership and a push for more independents to sit on the governing body’s board.Currently Indra Nooyi, chair Greg Barclay and ICC CEO Geoff Allardice are the only independent directors on the 18-person board. But board directors have been unable to get on the same page and no such proposal was tabled last year. Discussions are set to resume in Dubai.
As redemption stories go, India Women overturning the disappointment of 2020 to secure another chance at T20 World Cup glory would do nicely. The only problem is, they have to make it past Australia – again.After winning their opening match in Sydney during the last T20 World Cup, being outplayed when it counted most in an 85-run thrashing at a packed MCG for the final stung India. They can cling to key successes against the title favourites – the 2017 ODI World Cup semi-final, clinching one of the five T20Is in a Super Over during their recent home bi-lateral series, or their only other win over Australia at this event, in the group stages of the 2018 edition – or they can take the fight to their opponents now. With Australia having won 22 of their 30 T20I meetings overall and India only six, not to mention the Australians winning 54 of the 63 T20Is they’ve played against all opposition since the start of 2018, looking ahead may well be the way to go for an Indian side seeking an upset.Related
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Harmanpreet: India need to address high dot-ball count
McGrath answers the call when it matters to drive Australia to knock-outs
Both teams are probably yet to strike the perfect performance in this tournament. While each have gone largely unchallenged they have made some of their matches look slightly harder than they were or needed to be, but both boast enough depth to have gotten the job done. Richa Ghosh has performed well with three unbeaten knocks in the middle order, although Australia bat deeper, and India need more than one of their top four to fire on this occasion. Renuka Singh has been potent with her lethal inswingers while Australia have balanced their strong seam and spin options nicely. India know they need everything to click if they are to topple the title favourites.
India WLWW (most recent first)
Australia WWWW
Shafali Verma heads into the match with scores of 33, 28, 8 and 24 so far at this event and with India needing a flawless batting performance from their top order. India could do with their Under-19 World Cup-winning captain, who scored a half-century against Australia in a losing cause during their third T20I in December, reprising or improving on that performance. Harmanpreet Kaur pushed herself up the order against Ireland seeking some touch after a similarly lacklustre tournament with the bat so far, putting even greater importance on India getting a good start through their young opener. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues have both put in match-winning performances during this competition. Imagine what India can do with an on-song Shafali and Harmanpreet too.Alana King hasn’t had her chance to shine in the tournament•Getty Images
Legspinner Alana King is a proven match-turner but has gone wicketless at this World Cup. Used sparingly in the last group match against South Africa and the opening clash with New Zealand, where offspinner Ashleigh Gardner bagged five, it is a testament to Australia’s spin-bowling depth – they’ve also had the world-class left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen sitting on the bench since after their first game – that she hasn’t yet had her chance to shine. With India’s batters performing far better against pace than they have against spin compared to all other opposition at this event, King has the potential to cause them some problems if she takes her chance.
India may be tempted to swap out Devika Vaidya for an additional bowler or allrounder as they look to contain Australia. Radha Yadav is a gun fielder and a safe choice with India likely to opt for another spin option over seam. She made way for Vaidya against Ireland since she was unwell but could force her way back in if fit.India (possible): Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh.Alyssa Healy is fit and available for selection after missing Australia’s final group game against South Africa when she felt some discomfort in her left quad and all precautions were taken given that she has only recently returned from a calf injury to the same leg. Australia coped ably without her, moving Ellyse Perry to the top of the order and bringing in allrounder Annabel Sutherland, but everyone knows what an asset a fit Healy is to her side.Australia (possible): Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (capt), Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown
Newlands has been playing slow this summer but there was considerably more pace on the surface during the last of the group games on Tuesday. Cape Town had some rain in the lead-up to those matches which would have helped with that given that the square has been baking for a good couple of months now. Thursday’s semi-final is likely to be played on a fresh pitch with the fine, sunny but not-too-hot conditions of match eve forecast to continue into game day.
“As a group, we are very calm and we know that teams are going to come pretty hard at us and they have done over the last few years, and just to be able to absorb some pressure, I think is really important. You’re not going to have it all your own way… big games, there’re key moments that come up and tomorrow will be no different. I feel like we’re in a really good spot to be able to stay nice and calm and composed in those moments and hopefully get the job done.”
“They attack a lot so, whatever happens to them, even if the batter is out, they don’t stop attacking because they have batters from top to bottom. We also have batters from top to bottom so we will play an attacking game.”