In 1964, Pakistan all-rounder Mustaq Mohammed changed the course of cricketing history. Playing in a club match for Rotherham’s Cavaliers, Mustaq faced up to the esteemed Fred Titmus. The England and Middlesex off-spinner was bowling neatly to a tight field. Out of scoring options, Mushtaq eyed the only gap – third man. “My shot was premeditated, but it connected and went for four,” he told the Indian Express. Bewildered, Truman appealed. “Poor old Freddie. He went wild and pulled...
Today we’re joined by Saurabh Nagpal, a new contributor from Swansea University who’s dived into the statistics and discovered a key to England’s recent World T20 triumph… Generally in life, running away from your problems is ill-advised but in the recently-concluded men’s T20 World Cup in Australia, running hard between the wickets proved to be a primary recipe for success. Teams that compiled more runs by running twos and threes emerged victorious in ‘close matches’*...
Another ICC final has come and gone with Ben Stokes the man who, once again, we owe everything to. This time around, it was the box-office all-rounder’s 52 from 49 balls that guided us home after Pakistan threatened to pull off an incredible feat by defending a low score. Indeed, Babar Azam’s men were on course for a famous victory in Melbourne until Stokes walked out to bat and then proceeded to do what he does best: win cricket matches for England when all hope looks lost. Thanks to...
Yesterday morning was one of the more enjoyable ones. I woke up, made a brew, quickly whipped up some poached eggs with smoked salmon – how stereotypically middle class – and then returned to bed to watch England win the World T20 final at the MCG. It was precisely the morning I had in mind; and probably the very last thing that the tournament organisers, neutrals, and the whole of Australia were hoping for. Tee-hee. Well, England cricket tours down under usually end in disaster, so...
Today, new writer Kaukab Abid brings us a different perspective on the World T20 final. No player will be under greater scrutiny, not to mention pressure to perform, than Pakistan’s superstar captain… The term ‘tragic hero’ has been used throughout history to describe a variety of characters. A tragic hero is typically a person of high status who falls from grace due to a tragic flaw. This flaw can be anything from hubris to greed to lust. The fall from grace often leads...
Well, that was easy. There were none of the usual jitters, no brainless dismissals, no worries about Duckworth Lewis, and no getting tangled up in a web of spin. England cantered over the line without breaking sweat. Imagine what the mighty Ireland might have done to India? In a way, I felt a bit sorry for Kohli and Co. After all, games like this can happen in T20. Their main sin was getting off to a slow start – understandable considering big game nerves – and thereafter they were...
