Matthew Wade Retires With Memory Of 3 Scoops
As Matthew Wade retires, let’s take a moment back into 2021. Who can forget Matthew Wade hitting a heroic knock that bailed out his teammates during the 2021 T20 World Cup in Adelaide against Pakistan? His three scoops off Pakistan spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi in the final over, however, showed nerve and skill and commitment that were characteristic of a celebrated career that has lasted 13 years. Wade Turning The Tide With Stoinis It was one of those nights that Wade would never forget. Australia was chasing 177. With the wickets falling in regular intervals, the pressure mounted. With 50 runs needed off the final four overs, Wade joined Marcus Stoinis in the middle. The two all-rounders took on Pakistan’s best bowlers and delivered a masterclass in chase-building under pressure. But it was Wade’s fearlessness against Afridi in the 19th over that etched his name into T20 folklore. The Three Scoops That Shocked Pakistan Needs 20 runs from the last two overs and Wade brazenly launched three consecutive scoops for sixes, each more outrageous than the last. First, he stepped out of his stumps to Afridi’s full-length delivery and moved across the wickets, exposing the stumps behind him. He timed the shot beautifully, taking it over fine leg. Afridi went back a fraction in length, but Wade had anticipated that as well. The second six had him on top of the bowler, scooping again effortlessly. In the third six, Australia had sealed a final ticket, with Wade finishing off the match with a style that sent both Pakistan and their supporters to stunned silence. Wade & His Resilience From this single over, Wade got Pakistan out and proved how his career had changed his journey from a utility wicket-keeper batsman to match-winner one. It was the career summit where persistence, strength and the courage at the right moment marked Wade’s passage. In some ways, Wade’s whole journey tells of his spirit of fight—a player for every role and challenge as he gripped it in grit and audacity. The Legacy of a Fearless Cricketer As Wade leaves international cricket, three scoops against Shaheen Afridi in 2021 will go down in the annals of Australian T20 history, never to be forgotten by fans. The knock epitomized his career: gritty, relentless and ultimately, victorious. His legacy will inspire future generations to play fearlessly, with belief and resolve, just like he did on that magical night in Dubai. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: A Team-by-Team Preview
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 is all set to get underway from the 3rd to the 20th of October, 2024 at Sharjah and Dubai. Ten teams would be rubbing their shoulders against each other to have their hands on that elusive title at the Dubai International Stadium on 20th October, 2024. Let’s quickly go through the 10 participating teams in this edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. India India had to face a setback in the 2023 semi-final in an incredible game against Australia at Cape Town. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 is where they will look to repeat that for a second final appearance and possibly a first title win. Australia Four times in a row, Australia come in as the tournament favorites, after dominating the competition in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, which they won for the sixth time in South Africa. The Australians have never lost since 2020 and are expected to try to maintain the grip on the trophy. England Traditionally a strong team, England made its debut as champions in 2009 and will expect an easy comeback from the loss in the semi-finals of last year. England has made it to the final thrice since winning their first title. Hence, they are again one of the favorites to win. South Africa South Africa, the runners-up of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, are going to try that little extra inch further this time round since they managed history to make it to the very first final of their lives. They have all it takes to go deep again, and a rightful push to attain their first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy. New Zealand New Zealand have been the runners-up in 2009 and 2010. The Kiwis do have a good account of World Cup performances, and they would be looking to get it to the final this time around. Qualification increased following their crushing victories against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at the fag end of last year. West Indies West Indies, champions in 2016, qualified solely based on their group play in South Africa. The Caribbean team will look to reignite the good old days with another title victory. Sri Lanka Sri Lanka qualified by winning the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Qualifier. Having done quite well in 2023, where they opened with a win over South Africa, they will look forward to delivering when it matters the most this time around. Scotland The only first-time team participating in this event is Scotland, which gained qualification through the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier. This is actually the first taste of action on the world stage for the team. Pakistan Pakistan had qualified as the highest-ranked side, not including those that had otherwise already qualified for the event. As first-timers to the semis, they will look to make it big in the 2024 edition. Bangladesh Bangladesh, who had qualified as hosts before the competition was switched to the UAE, start against Scotland at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. It is Bangladesh’s sixth visit to the tournament; however, they have failed to go beyond the group stage so far. With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 round the corner, teams are in full preparations to make their presence felt in the tournament. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Generated $1.39 Billion Economic Impact
Move over Bollywood – the real blockbuster of 2023 was the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and it didn’t just break hearts, it broke the bank too! India Cashes In On Cricket Fever A mind boggling USD 1.39 billion-that’s Rs 11,637 crore-was the economic impact of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 held across India last October-November, according to a Nielsen report commissioned by the ICC. Yes, folks, cricket isn’t just a game here – it’s an economy! Tourism Scores Big It so happened that the real MVPs weren’t just Virat Kohli or Steve Smith but the tourism. As high as $861.4 million was raked in through hotels, restaurants, and travel services. Be it a street-side ‘chai’ establishment or a buffet at a 5-star hotel, the cricket action spilled over into every other business, feeding everyone a slice of the money pie. Who needs the Taj Mahal when one gets a match at the Wankhede Stadium? This translated to nearly 1.25 million spectators in the stadiums, 75% of whom watched an ICC 50-over game for the very first time. It just seems like cricket turns casual viewers into ardent fans-or at least into experts in stadium snacks! Tourists or Superfans? Why Not Both! This also gave India’s international tourism a fillip: 19% of international visitors came onto Indian soil for the first time, simply because they love cricket! As many as 68% of them are ready to shout from the rooftops-or at least Instagram-that India is a must-visit spot. Jobs Galore – Cricket’s Economic Sixer The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 wasn’t all about swanky cricket kits, nor was it: over 48,000 jobs it created. From installing stadiums to serving dosas, cricket set many hands to work. So, the next time someone says that watching sports doesn’t pay off, show them the receipts-this cricket fest actually brought the goods! Australia’s Party Crasher Moment In the end, Australia might have taken the World Cup home and broken India’s unbeaten run, however the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 left India winning big-not just in passion, but in cold, hard cash! The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Big Blow For Australia As Hazlewood Is Ruled Out Of Scotland T20I’s
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been declared unfit to feature in the upcoming T20I series against Scotland due to a minor calf strain he suffered while training last week. While the injury is not major, Australian selectors have erred on the side of caution in treating Hazlewood’s recovery with care, given the stakes of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India later this year. However, Hazlewood is expected to be fit in time for the T20Is and ODIs against England in September. Riley Meredith Replaces Hazlewood Riley Meredith has been called up to the squad for the T20Is against Scotland in Hazlewood’s stead. Meredith is a tall right-arm fast bowler who came into the limelight due to his quick pace and ability to extract more bounce than most fast bowlers. He last represented Australia in 2021, and so far he has played 1 ODI and 5 T20Is. The tall pacer has 8 wickets in T20Is with an average of 23.50. While Meredith is a natural wicket-taker, his tendency sometimes to be a bit expensive makes his game quite unpredictable. Solid Domestic Form of Meredith While regularly featuring for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League, Meredith has also had spells in English domestic cricket. Following a recent spell with Somerset, he performed well in the Vitality T20 Blast, where he took 14 wickets at an average of 22.78, and six wickets in three matches during the Royal London One-Day Cup; he proved to be a potent white-ball bowler. Australia’s Fast Bowling Woes With Hazlewood out, Australia suffered another blow to its fast bowling, as left-arm pacer Spencer Johnson had already been declared out of the tour of the United Kingdom with an injury. Sean Abbott has been drafted as a replacement for him in the squad. Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood Key for Border-Gavaskar Trophy The Australian team was originally getting ready to unleash its three pacemen who are arguably among the world’s best — Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood — during the UK tour. However, Pat Cummins has been rested for the entire tour, and Mitchell Starc found a place only in the ODI series against England. Upcoming Fixtures It will kick off with a T20I series against Scotland in Edinburgh on September 4. Following the commitment against Scotland, the Australians will head to England to play three T20Is and five ODIs. Focus on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy The Australia management will be hoping to field its full-on pace attack in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year, an important test series against reigning champions India. Australia squad for Scotland T20Is Mitchell Marsh (C), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Riley Meredith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Steve Smith Keen On Representing Australia At LA 2028 Olympics
With the inclusion of cricket in the LA Olympics 2028, cricketers have been buzzing to be a part of the mega event. One of such cricketers is Australia’s Steve Smith. In a recent interaction with the media Smith revealed his intentions to feature in the Los Angeles Olympics which is to be held in 2028. Smith seems to be ready to prepare himself and walk in the Road To LA28 as he states to play the T20 format for a longer period of time. “I could still be playing T20 cricket in four years, so you never know. It’s a format I can see myself playing probably for a lot longer than some of the others, especially with the franchise stuff around the world. I’ve signed on here for three years so it’s only another year after that. It would be cool to be part of an Olympics,” Smith said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “I don’t have any plans. I’m just enjoying playing at the moment, I’m pretty relaxed and looking forward to this summer,” he added further. Steve Smith’s exclusion from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 came as a surprise to many, as Australia bowed out of the tournament in the Super 8 stage. Despite this setback, the Australian remains active in the Big Bash League, where he continues to represent the Sydney Sixers. Smith recently secured a three-year contract with the franchise, fueling his ambition to return to Australia’s T20I team ahead of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles—a milestone event as cricket makes its Olympic debut. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
T20 World Cup: Australia Eye Cricket’s Rare Treble, Click To Know Complete Details
When it comes to the ICC events, it is hard to look past Australia. The upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup provides Australia with a rare opportunity. If Mitchell Marsh manages to lift the title in Barbados on June 29, Australia will complete a rare treble in cricket. Australia will become the first team to hold all three ICC’s top global trophies at the same time. Also Read: T20 World Cup: Do Warm-Up Games Count in Cricket? In June 2023, Australia defeated India by 209 runs to win the World Test Championship Final at the Oval, London. Five months later, India was once again at the receiving end, this time at the 50-over-World Cup Final in Ahmedabad. Australia defeated India by 6 wickets, and with it broke over a billion hearts at the Narendra Modi Stadium. This was Australia’s sixth Men’s ODI World Cup and one that India will not forget for a very long time. There’s a good reason why Australia will go for the glory. They have picked up an aging but experienced side for the 2024 T20 World Cup. In the last edition played at home, Australia failed to defend its crown under Aaron Finch’s captaincy. The Aussies have already tasted success at the T20 World Cup. In 2021, the Men in Gold outclassed New Zealand by 8 wickets in Dubai. Coincidentally, Mitchell Marsh back then was the player of the final. Three years later, Jr. Marsh will be leading the Aussies in the West Indies. History suggests, that whenever Australia has been written off or is not deemed as favourites, they have proved everyone wrong. Be it the 2007 Men’s ODI World Cup, the 2009 Champions Trophy, or even the 2021 T20 World Cup – Australia loves playing on the big stage. Most of the Australian squad is over 30. However, former Indian cricketer Vijay Bharadwaj feels the Australian challenge at the ICC events can never be overlooked. “Australia is a champion side. Yes, they have some aged players, but I look at it in terms of experience, and not age. Australia is capable of winning the T20 World Cup and achieving a rare treble,” Vijay Bharadwaj told the SportsPlanet Australia needs a reason to play well. This time the motivation is to prove detractors wrong, that age is just a number. “Have we gone back to the tried and tested in terms of World Cups and the performers that we know can perform on that stage? There’s no doubt about that. It’s players that have been there before and done it and are still in good form,” said head coach Andrew McDonald.` Is a rare cricket treble loading? If Australia manages to achieve that, very few teams in the coming years will come even close to matching this amazing feat, that’s for sure. Australia Squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, and Adam Zampa. Reserves: Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Matt Short.