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Pakistan left-arm seamer Junaid Khan has been signed by Lancashire

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jun-2011Lanchashire have signed Pakistan left-arm seamer Junaid Khan as an overseas player for the remainder of the Friends life t20 tournament, subject to his registration.”Junaid is a hot prospect who was recommended to us by Wasim Akram,” Lancashire Cricket director Mike Watkinson said. “He is initially with us for our Friends Life t20 campaign but there may be some scope for him to feature in our County Championship squad later in the summer.”The 21-year-old fast bowler has played seven ODIs and one Twenty20 game for Pakistan and was part of their Test squad on the recent tour of West Indies. He was Pakistan’s second-highest wicket-taker in the recent two-match ODI series against Ireland.”Junaid is an extremely talented cricketer,” head coach Peter Moores added, “who will supplement our seam attack. He bowls with good pace and variation and we look forward to working with him.”Lancashire had earlier signed Sri Lankan allrounder Farveez Maharoof for the season.

Cricket Australia has agreed to the BCCI’s proposal to convert the seven-match ODI series scheduled for October to two Tests and three ODIs

Cricinfo staff24-Jun-2010Cricket Australia has agreed to the BCCI’s proposal to convert the seven-match ODI series scheduled for October to two Tests and three ODIs. The Indian board’s Tour, Programme and Fixtures committee announced the new itinerary today, with the first Test to be played at Mohali beginning October 2.

Tour itinerary for India v Australia

October 2-6 First Test – Mohali
October 10-14 Second Test – Bangalore
October 19 First ODI – Kochi
October 22 Second ODI – Goa
October 24 Third ODI – Vishakapatnam

The second Test will be played in Bangalore, followed by three one-day matches to be held in Kochi, Goa and Vishakapatnam. Australia will also play a three-day practice match at Mohali in September to begin the tour.This is not the first time the Indian board has made changes to a tour itinerary. Earlier this year, Cricket South Africa agreed to replace a five-match ODI series with two Tests and three ODIs. The board’s determination to schedule more Tests has come in the wake of India ascending to the No.1 Test ranking for the first time.The BCCI also announced the schedule for New Zealand’s tour of India in November. The teams will play three Tests and five ODIs. The first Test starts on November 4 and will be played in Ahmedabad. The second and third Tests will be played in Kanpur (November 12) and Mumbai (November 20).The schedule for the ODIs will be decided later based on logistics but the venues are Bangalore, Mohali, Chennai, Guwahati and Hyderabad.

ECB’s director of business operations says board is willing to wait for the right fit for competition

Vithushan Ehantharajah25-Sep-2024Private investment into the Hundred may not be finalised by next year if the right bids and suitors are not found, according to Vikram Banerjee, director of business operations at the England & Wales Cricket Board, and the man tasked with selling off stakes in the Hundred franchises.The ECB announced at the start of September that they had officially opened the process to secure private investment into the eight Hundred teams. Though the initial plan was to have sales ratified ahead of the 2025 edition of the tournament, the process could roll on to find appropriate valuations and owners.Each of the eight hosting counties are set to be given a 51 percent stake, which they can hold or sell, with the remaining 49 percent in each side available to be sold by the ECB. Any money raised from that 49 percent will then be distributed between first-class counties, Marylebone Cricket Club and the recreational game. Financial advisers Deloitte and Raine Group have been recruited to ensure fair market value, with legal co-counsel provided by Latham & Watkins and Onside Law LLP.Though the ECB are collaborating with host venues to assess the suitability of prospective partners, they are doing so with vigilance. A report in City AM on Tuesday stated the governing body have warned Hampshire they will be stripped of their stake in Southern Brave if their prospective new buyers GMR Group – owners of IPL side Delhi Capitals – do not pay a fair market price for the Hundred franchise.The Telegraph reported in August that GMR Group had agreed a £120 million deal to buy Hampshire, which could see them pocket the 51 percent gifted to the county as part of that deal. If that were the case, investors could view purchasing counties outright as a cheaper gateway into the competition, although that would first require a process of demutualisation by the member-owned clubs concerned, with Hampshire and Durham the only exceptions at present.Yorkshire, who host Northern Superchargers at Headingley and are subject to a bid from Sun Group, who own Sunrisers Hyderabad, are currently seeking to undergo a process of demutualisation, with a super-majority of 75 percent in favour required from at least 50 percent of the club’s 6,000 members.The ECB are understood to have had promising conversations with investors throughout the summer. A number from India and from further afield, including the US, were entertained at Hundred matches this season. As well as capital, the ECB want buyers to bring their expertise to the table, particularly around global engagement, sporting operations and in-ground experience.While the plan remains to announce investments into the Hundred in early 2025, Banerjee explained that the onus on finding the right price and partner for the teams lends itself to a longer, more drawn-out process.Lord’s-based London Spirit is expected to be the most lucrative team in the Hundred•Alex Davidson/Getty Images

“The most important thing is we get the right partners,” Banerjee told the Business of Sport podcast. “If that takes a bit of time, that takes a bit of time. I think it’s fine.”We have been running for four years and so, if in this first round, we [find that] either the values aren’t there for one or all of the teams, or the right partner isn’t there for one or all of the teams, it’s fine. We’ll just carry on running it, we’ll do another year. My priority is to get the eight partners and make them amazing and help us grow.”Banerjee did not rule out a partial sale, whereby only some of the teams are under new ownership, though he believes the scale of interest at this stage suggests that will not come to pass.”I don’t think so, at this point of where we are in the process,” he said. “You know, the amount of people, the amount of interest, the breadth of interest – there’s some really exciting names in there, some of which haven’t been leaked to the press, funnily enough.”London Spirit is expected to be the most sought-after component of the Hundred, given the prestige of its host venue Lord’s, but Banerjee insisted the ECB would not be rushed into a decision for any of its teams.Related

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“But if we don’t get the right partners for [eg] London Spirit, we’ll hold it and we’ll work with the MCC for another year and try again in a year’s time. I think that’s possible.”Having said that, in terms of a timeline on what we’re looking for, we are hoping these are done over the next six months, so that whatever this new world looks like for the competition, those deals have transacted by the 2025 season.”Having all investors on board by next summer is integral to ensuring next summer’s competition is as seamless as possible, not least ahead of the opening of ticket sales and the player draft, which are expected in February and March, respectively. Though a partial sale of teams is far from ideal, the competition’s current media rights – which make up around 80 percent of the revenue for the competition – are fixed until 2028, and the presence of a salary cap should in principle ensure a level playing field for the coming seasons.Banerjee also revealed any expansion of the number of teams in the Hundred is only likely to take place in 2029. Durham and Somerset were two host venues mooted for an introduction as early as next year to give the competition a greater presence in the North-East and South-West. However, the need to see how the Hundred evolves after investment has shifted the goalposts.”We’ve talked about 2029 being the earliest to give us time to bed in and see how this thing grows and there’s a whole set of criteria to make sure a) that the player pool is there so it’s still best versus best on men’s and women’s, and b) the competition has grown.”So an investor today doesn’t lose out, but actually benefits from that, as well as the whole game. And then see that, if a venue wants to come in to be a new team, it’s ready.”

He also hoped Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran would get called up to the Test squad in the future

PTI29-Jun-2023Sourav Ganguly cannot understand the process behind Ajinkya Rahane getting the Test vice-captaincy after spending nearly 18 months on the sidelines. The former India captain has called for “consistency and continuity” in the selection process.Rahane, 35, was out of favour for one-and-a-half years but was India’s best batter in the World Test Championship final against Australia earlier this month, with scores of 89 and 46 at The Oval.Related

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• Gavaskar defends 'loyal servant' Pujara

Just one Test after he had made a comeback – he played his previous Test in January 2022 – the national selection committee headed by interim chief Shiv Sunder Das re-appointed Rahane as Rohit Sharma’s deputy for the West Indies Test series.So was it not ideal to groom someone like Shubman Gill for the role?”Yeah I think so,” Ganguly told during an exclusive interaction from London.Ganguly suggested that the allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, a certainty in India’s Test XI both home and away, could have been considered for the role.”I won’t say it’s a step backward,” Ganguly said. “You have been out for 18 months, then you play a Test and you become a vice-captain. I don’t understand the thought process behind it. There is Ravindra Jadeja, who has been there for a long time and a certainty in Test matches, he is a candidate.”… but to just come back and straightway become vice-captain after 18 months, I don’t understand. My only thing is that selection shouldn’t be hot and cold. There has to be continuity and consistency in selection.”The Indian selectors have hit the transition button by excluding Cheteshwar Pujara from the squad for the West Indies tour. Ganguly wants the selectors to have clear communication with Pujara, who has played 103 Tests for India, about his future.”Selectors should have a clear idea about him [Pujara],” Ganguly said. “Do they need him to play Test cricket anymore or do they want to continue with youngsters, and communicate it to him. Somebody like Pujara can’t be dropped, then picked, dropped again and then picked. Same with Ajinkya Rahane also.”Ganguly feels Yashasvi Jaiswal has proven himself not just in the IPL but in first-class cricket as well•Bangladesh Cricket Board

‘I feel for Sarfaraz Khan’

The selections of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad for the West Indies tour suggests the selectors have emphasised IPL performances over those in domestic cricket, but Ganguly doesn’t believe this is the case. He hopes, however that Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran, who have been prolific in the Ranji Trophy over recent seasons, will get their chance too.”I think Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored tons of runs in Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy. I think that’s why he is in the squad,” Ganguly said. “I feel for Sarfaraz Khan. At some point he should get an opportunity for the amount of runs that he has scored in past three years.”And same thing for Abhimanyu Easwaran for the tons of runs he has scored in last five to six years. I am surprised that both of them have been omitted but they should get a chance in future. But Yashasvi Jasiwal is a good selection.”Ganguly has observed Sarfaraz from close quarters as director of cricket at Delhi Capitals. He rubbished the idea that Sarfaraz has a weakness against fast bowling.”If you don’t play him against fast bowling, how do you know?” he asked. “If he had problems he wouldn’t have scored so many runs all around [India]. I personally feel he has no problems against fast bowling and he should be given an opportunity.”

Political rallies scheduled in Islamabad – the twin city of Rawalpindi – has forced the change

Danyal Rasool18-Mar-2022Pakistan’s white-ball matches against Australia will now be played in Lahore, and not Rawalpindi, Pakistan’s interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad said on Friday. On Saturday, the two boards agreed on the shift, and the three ODIs and one-off T20I will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium.The move was forced on the PCB because of a political situation surrounding prime minister Imran Khan, who is set to face a no-confidence vote next week.ESPNcricinfo understands that the final decision was a matter for the two boards – the PCB and Cricket Australia – and not the government to finalise. However, the boards have now mutually agreed to the recommendation of the minister.The political atmosphere in the country has led to both the ruling party, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), promising to bring massive numbers in support for their respective causes towards Islamabad, which adjoins Rawalpindi.PTI has announced it will bring one million people to D Chowk, a square in Islamabad known for hosting political rallies, on March 27 “to express solidarity with the prime minister Imran Khan”. The spot is less than two kilometres from the hotel where the two teams were expected to stay during the series. PDM has also given a call to its workers and the public at large to begin a long march towards Islamabad on Pakistan Day – March 23.The dates for the four games remains unchanged. Lahore will host the three ODIs on March 29, March 31 and April 2, and a one-off T20I on April 5. The PCB is understood to have been reluctant to shift venue, concerned about the message it might send to the cricketing world. It appears, though, that circumstances may have forced their hand.Australia are currently in Lahore to play the third Test of a three-match series, starting March 21. The first two Tests – in Rawalpindi and Karachi – were drawn. It is the first Australia tour to the country since 1998.

Her return to the 15-player squad had not been approved by the tournament technical committee

Andrew McGlashan22-Nov-2020The Sydney Sixers have been fined A$25,000, of which $15,000 is suspended for 12 months, after they erroneously named pace bowler Hayley Silver-Holmes in their XI to face the Melbourne Renegades on Saturday, despite her not officially being part of the squad.Having been replaced in the squad due to a foot injury, Silver-Holmes was fit again for the weekend’s matches but her return to the 15-player squad had not been approved by the tournament technical committee.The error was spotted, and self-reported, by the Sixers after the match against the Renegades had started and she was withdrawn from the match without batting.A hearing took play before Cricket Australia’s senior conduct commissioner, Alan Sullivan QC, on Sunday and the breach was termed “serious”. He could have imposed a fine of up to $50,000 plus other sanctions but took into account the fact the Sixers lost the game and that Silver-Holmes had not played any part in the contest”Cricket Australia places a significant emphasis on the integrity of all competitions, including the compliance with its player contracting rules and regulations,” Sean Carroll, CA’s head of integrity and Security, said. “This breach by the Sydney Sixers, while serious in nature, had a reduced impact due to the club’s actions during last night’s game.”As such, we support the findings of Alan Sullivan QC, including the suspension of $15,000 of the $25,000 fine imposed.”Alistair Dobson, CA’s head of Big Bash Leagues, said: “We commend the Sydney Sixers for their swift action and cooperation in addressing this error. In particular, we echo Alan Sullivan QC’s praise for the Sixers’ self-reporting and actions undertaken to minimise the impact of the breach on last night’s match.”The defeat against the Renegades on Saturday left the Sixers with only the slimmest of chances of making the semi-finals and for the second season in a row they missed the knockouts when they couldn’t overturn an almost-impossible net run-rate calculation against the Stars.”We made a regrettable administrative error for which there are understandably stringent rules,” Jodie Hawkins, Sydney Sixers’ general manager, said. “We were given a fair opportunity to present our case in the hearing and accept the findings and sanction. As a club we will learn from this and put processes in place for the future.”

Mohammad Mithun fell nine short of a hundred, while Mushfiqur Rahim struck a 46-ball 50 as Bangladesh handed Sri Lanka Board President’s XI a five-wicket defeat

The Report by Madushka Balasuriya23-Jul-2019Bangladesh got their tour of Sri Lanka off to a winning start with a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Board President’s XI in their one-off warm-up game at the P Sara Oval. The visitors added pace bowler Shafiul Islam to their squad for the three-match ODI series which begins on June 26. Shafiul is expected to join the team in Colombo on Wednesday.Set a target of 283, fifties from Mohammad Mithun and Mushfiqur Rahim ensured the visitors remained in control through their chase.Mithun’s 100-ball 91 in particular will please the Bangladesh coaching staff, after he was given a chance in the No. 3 position vacated by Shakib Al Hasan. Scoring 11 boundaries and a six, the 28-year-old right-hand batsman put on partnerships of 73 and 96 for the fourth and fifth wickets respectively, with the rest of the Bangladesh line-up batting around him.Mithun’s calm approach also allowed Mushfiqur to take on a more attacking role on his way to a 46-ball 50, built on a threatening 37 from Tamim Iqbal at the top of the order. Mahmadullah (33) and Sabbir Rahman (31) kept the Bangladesh innings on track, as Sri Lanka’s bowlers – apart from Lahiru Kumara, who impressed with figures of 2 for 26 in six overs – struggled to gain any foothold in the game. Mithun fell with Bangladesh only 21 runs shy of the target, but some lusty hitting from Mosaddek Hossain and Sabbir made sure there were no late scares.For the hosts, Dasun Shanaka was arguably the only Sri Lankan player to come out of the game with his reputation significantly enhanced. Having come in to bat at 127 for 5, his 63-ball 86, studded with six boundaries and as many sixes, put a significant dampener on what was an otherwise stellar bowling performance from Bangladesh. The hosts put on a respectable 282 for 8 in 50 overs.Shanaka was aided by 21-year-old legspinning allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga, who bolstered his case for selection in the first ODI with a quickfire 28 that included three fours and a six to go with his bowling figures of 1 for 39.Earlier, Shehan Jayasuriya’s 56 off 78 deliveries had helped the hosts recover from a top-order collapse during which Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka and Oshada Fernando fell by the eighth over of the game. Shehan put on 82 for the fourth wicket with Bhanuka Rajapakse and helped steer Board President’s XI past 100.Of the Bangladesh bowlers, on a wicket that didn’t offer much assistance, fast bowlers Rubel Hossain and Taskin Ahmed struck early after the hosts opted to bat. Alongside Rubel, medium-pacer Soumya Sarkar stood out, taking the two crucial middle-order wickets of Jayasuriya and Rajapakse.

Somerset’s young skipper just survived relegation in his first season in charge and his defiance at Taunton suggested he has no wish to repeat the experience

ECB Reporters Network29-Apr-2018
ScorecardTom Abell produced a captain’s innings to guide Somerset into a strong position on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Yorkshire at Taunton.The 24-year-old skipper rescued his team from 24 for 4 in their second innings, making 82 off 137 balls, with 8 fours and a six, as they recovered to 200 all out. Ben Coad claimed 4 for 61 and Jack Brooks 3 for 44.That set Yorkshire a testing target of 321 to win on a pitch still offering assistance to the seamers. By the close of a day interrupted three times by bad light, the visitors had reached 49 for 1, with Adam Lyth unbeaten on 25, and trailed by 271.The day began with Somerset six without loss, leading by 126. They soon plunged into trouble as Coad and Brooks made good use of the new ball to pick up four cheap wickets between them.Coad had Marcus Trescothick caught at second slip and George Bartlett taken by wicketkeeper Andrew Hodd, while Brooks bowled Matt Renshaw and James Hildreth, both driving.With their lead only 144, Somerset needed a partnership. It was supplied by Abell and Steve Davies, who added 66 before Davies, on 33, edged Coad to first slip where Cheteshwar Pujara took the catch.Lewis Gregory got off the mark with a six over midwicket off Brooks and followed up with a four off the next delivery before Matthew Waite had him lbw playing no shot for 14.At lunch the scoreboard read 113 for six and Somerset had extended their advantage to 233. Craig Overton contributed a bright 18 before being bowled by a full, swinging delivery from Brooks to make it 129 for seven.Abell stood firm, playing an innings of sound technique and good judgement to reach his half-century off 103 balls, with 6 fours. Dom Bess (14) shared an important stand of 42 before driving at Waite and edging a catch to second slip.Yorkshire gave Abell two lives, Hodd dropping a touch chance off Coad when the Somerset captain was on 24 and Jack Leaning spilling a more straightforward catch at gully off Tim Bresnan with the batsman on 69.Abell hit a rare six, clipping Waite over backward square as Somerset’s lead passed the 300-mark. Josh Davey made a useful 11 before driving Bresnan to Gary Ballance and the innings ended when Abell was bowled by Coad, aiming a big shot.Yorkshire were 13 without loss when bad light brought an early tea. On the resumption they had doubled that score when Harry Brook, on 15, edged a drive off Davey to Trescothick at second slip.At 44 for one bad light intervened again and, although the players returned briefly while five more runs were added, the umpires soon took them off again. After 25 minutes of consultation, aided by a light meter, they abandoned play for the day.

South Africa have little time to recoup after their series against Sri Lanka and their travel across several time zones to get to New Zealand, before they take the field there

Firdose Moonda11-Feb-2017While Australia are still navigating their way through a calendar that sees them start a Test in India the day after a T20 at home, South Africa have scheduling challenges of their own. They will play a warm-up match in New Zealand less than 48 hours after their final ODI against Sri Lanka at Centurion and a T20 within a week of their series win. The difference between them and Australia is that South Africa are taking the same group that was on duty at home across 11 time zones to New Zealand.”It’s not ideal. Usually we have a seven to ten day period to acclimatise,” Mohammad Moosajee, South Africa’s team manager, who is also a medical doctor, said. “We will have some tricks up our sleeve to help players deal with the jet lag.”But that was as much as Moosajee would give away about how he is planning to help the players adjust. Not even the men themselves seem to know what’s in store. “We will sleep a lot on the plane I guess,” Faf du Plessis joked. “I’m not too sure but we have an amazing team doctor, so I’m sure he has got a plan.”South Africa will play a T20 and five ODIs in New Zealand, with only one change to the squad that beat Sri Lanka 5-0, and that change is only for two matches. Cobras’ quick Dane Paterson has been included as cover for Dwaine Pretorius, who will remain at home to welcome his first child, before flying over.The T20 series, in which du Plessis will captain, will not have as much emphasis placed on it as the ODIs, which form an important part of preparations for the Champions Trophy. South Africa want to be tested, not least because Sri Lanka did not present an adequate enough challenge but they also want to banish some bad memories. The last time South Africa were in New Zealand was at the 2015 World Cup and their semi-final defeat against the hosts still stings.”We have got a bit of unfinished business there form the 2015 World Cup,” AB de Villiers, ODI captain said.While a bilateral series in no way compares to a major tournament, South Africa will use the matches as a barometer to justify their newly gained No. 1 ranking. They took the spot from Australia, who have just been beaten by New Zealand, who sit third. “Being the No. 1 team in the world, people expect you to play a certain level of cricket all the time. With what we’ve got going at the moment, I think we will thrive under that kind of pressure,” de Villiers said. “We’re very positive, we have a great culture and we go there with a lot of confidence and belief in our ability.”The same can be said of the Test outfit, who will play three matches after the limited-overs fest, by which time South Africa will definitely have adjusted to the time difference – any additions to the squad would have enough time too. South Africa will fly over a fresh attack for the three Tests but they need to hope they are all fit. Vernon Philander is nursing a slight ankle impingement and Morne Morkel, who has been out of action since the CPL in mid-2016 with a back concern, will play in domestic one-day matches to determine his availability. Duanne Olivier, who has taken over 50 wickets in this season’s first-class competition, also has a good chance of playing but du Plessis hinted they may also hang on to a few players from the one-day outfit.”The only gap available in our Test team is the third seamer. Morne is coming back. I faced him the other day in the nets and he is bowling beautifully but we’ve also got guys like Chris Morris and Wayne Parnell, who have been bowling well.”Both Morris and Parnell are part of the limited-overs’ squad that depart South Africa on Saturday. On Monday, they will be in action again. No rest.

Mohammad Shahzad displayed trademark brute force and timing to make a record-breaking ton and lead Afghanistan to an 81-run win against Zimbabwe in the second T20I in Sharjah

The Report by Nikhil Kalro10-Jan-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMohammad Shahzad’s 118 was the highest individual T20I score from an Associate nation and fourth overall•Chris Whiteoak

Mohammad Shahzad displayed trademark brute force and timing to make a record-breaking ton and lead Afghanistan to an 81-run win against Zimbabwe in the second T20I in Sharjah. Shahzad clobbered a 67-ball 118, the highest individual score from an Associate nation in T20Is and fourth overall. By the time he was done, Zimbabwe had conceded 215 and were deflated.That the next highest contribution after Shahzad’s blitzkrieg was Mohammad Nabi’s brisk 22, was symbolic of the ascendancy he had over Zimbabwe’s helpless bowling attack. He got stuck into the medium-pacers as well as the spinners after a slow start, peppering the midwicket region with pulls and slog-sweeps. Within 14 overs, he reached his century and had batted Zimbabwe out of the series.The Afghanistan innings had begun in amateurish fashion – a lot of shots but few runs. Both Shahzad and Usman Ghani looked to hit the cover off the ball, and thereby lost their shape and failed to find any timing. The first five overs produced 30.Spin was introduced after the Powerplay and Shahzad used his technique with success – dancing down the pitch, going deep in the crease or down on one knee after a premeditated shuffle. Afghanistan had 59, and Shahzad 50. He connected with most of his sweeps and swipes, using his muscle to clear the boundary with ease.Zimbabwe’s bowlers repeatedly landed deliveries in Shahzad’s hitting arc. Under duress, yorkers were attempted but were dispatched after ending up as low full-tosses. Legspinner Graeme Cremer went around the wicket to try and take the ball away from the right-hander. Shahzad shuffled across, bent down on one knee and slog-swept him to the midwicket boundary. When he got to his hundred, his joy was evident in his celebration as he removed his helmet and did the .When Zimbabwe’s bowlers created a rare opportunity, their fielders let them down. At least three chances were spilled, including two off Shahzad – a hard running catch at long-on was parried to the boundary, and wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami, failed to get much glove on a skier. Shahzad was given another reprieve in the 16th over, on 101. Nabi had called him for a quick single but Shahzad failed to make his ground at the striker’s end when the bails were whipped off. The third umpire, however, was not called upon.Shahzad had laid the platform for the other batsmen to launch from the get-go. Despite struggling for timing, all the batsmen barring Ghani had strike-rates over 130 and at least one boundary.Zimbabwe, who had never won a T20I series comprising more than one game, were never in the chase. Save Hamilton Masakadza, the rest of the top six contributed a total of five runs, as they slumped to 34 for 5 in the sixth over. Mutumbami and Sikandar Raza were comfortably stumped off deliveries that slid in with the arm and sneaked past the inside edge. Malcolm Waller misjudged a skidder and captain Elton Chigumbura was run out after looking for a run during an lbw appeal. The chase was done.Masakadza and Peter Moor displayed a range of strokes and found a boundary almost every over, but the required run rate had touched 20. Masakadza, Zimbabwe’s best batsman on the tour, looked comfortable for the duration of his stay. He lofted a Dawlat Zadran delivery with such splendid timing that it cleared the midwicket boundary and took him past Chigumbura as the Zimbabwe batsman with the most T20I sixes.Masakadza struck his eighth fifty but it barely had any impact on the game. By the time he was bowled for 63, an innings that featured two fours and five sixes, Zimbabwe required 102 from 26 balls. The lower order could not achieve much, and slogged catches to fielders. Zimbabwe’s misery ended when a casual Tendai Chisoro was run out after failing to ground his bat.