Khawaja near certainty for World T20 squad

Usman Khawaja is a near certainty to be chosen in Australia's squad for the World T20 in India despite being overlooked for both the upcoming T20s against India and the ODI squad to tour New Zealand. Australia's national selector Rod Marsh said Khawaja would be better off playing a Sheffield Shield match to prepare for the Tests against New Zealand, though, rather than potentially being only a backup in the ODI group.

Australia chose 17 men for the three T20s against India, starting in Adelaide on Tuesday, but Marsh said it was likely that several of those players would not make the final 15 for the World T20, a squad that will be named after the ODIs in New Zealand. Khawaja scored 345 runs in the Big Bash League at the phenomenal average of 172.50, and was Man of the Match in the final for his 70 in the Sydney Thunder triumph.

We didn't use our brains in death overs - Grant Flower

In a frank post-mortem after the 70-run loss, Pakistan's batting coach Grant Flower has said the visitors "didn't use [their] brains" towards the end of New Zealand's innings, in which 71 runs were plundered off the final five overs. Those runs had largely come from New Zealand's No. 9 and 10 batsmen, Mithcell McClenaghan and Matt Henry, who put on 73 together, before No. 11 Trent Boult edged the final ball of the innings through the vacant slip region.

Pakistan had used the short ball well, to have New Zealand 99 for 6 by the 23rd over, but Flower said the death overs required a different approach.

"We didn't use our brains at all towards the end," he said. "Bowling yorkers is skill execution, and we didn't do that. They played well at the end. The short ball worked to a certain extent, but we overdid it, and we didn't learn and we just didn't bowl enough yorkers.

"If we're going to be honest we should have got them out for 200-odd, seeing the start we had."

Pakistan's seamers were guilty of bowling lengths that allowed New Zealand's tailenders get under the ball. Matt Henry and Mitchell McClenaghan struck six sixes and seven fours in what was a record 73-run ninth-wicket stand for New Zealand against Pakistan.

4 in a row for Australia

India's captain MS Dhoni has taken the burden of responsibility for a traumatic defeat in the fourth ODI against Australia at Manuka Oval, admitting it was his wicket so soon on the heels of Shikhar Dhawan's departure that changed the complexion of the match.

For many years Dhoni has taken responsibility for bringing run chases to a successful conclusion, and his third ball duck at the hands of John Hastings allowed momentum to swing violently from India to Australia. His wicket combined with an inexperienced Indian lower order left the visitors 25 runs in deficit at the end of the night; Dhoni seemed unsurprised that the remainder of the batting had folded under the pressure of the occasion.

"I think it was my wicket because that specifically is my role in the team from that kind of position to make sure we finish off the game well," Dhoni said. "So my wicket really was the turning point at that point of time, we lost quite a few there but it was my wicket because according to the role and responsibility that everybody has, that specifically is my role.

A privilege to be called-up at this stage of career - Tait

Fast bowler Shaun Tait had planned to spend Australia day with a few beers at a pub in Port Elliot in South Australia, but is now in the selection mix for the T20s against India starting January 26 at the Adelaide Oval, after getting his first international call-up in five years.

"Like I said on the social media, I was going to a pub to have a few beers at Port Elliot," Tait said. "That's probably the second place, this is probably the first place (with the Australia team) I would rather be."

Tait, who further joked that his old Australia shirt had got loose and doesn't fit him, lends pace and firepower to a bowling group hit by injuries and the retirement of Mitchell Johnson. Pat Cummins (back), Nathan Coulter-Nile (shoulder) and James Pattinson (shin) have all joined Mitchell Starc (ankle) on the injury list.

Having last played an international match in 2011, Tait admitted that some injuries and good fortune paved way for his comeback, and termed it a privilege to be called up at this stage of his career.

Maxwell's finish gives Australia 348

Australia piled up an enormous tally of 348 for India to chase after batting first for the first time this series, in the fourth ODI at Manuka Oval in Canberra.

In front of a sold-out crowd in the region of 12,500 as Canberra pitches for an inaugural Test match next summer, David Warner and Aaron Finch added 187 to set the perfect platform before Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell added plenty of late-innings pyrotechnics to pile up 111 from the last 10 overs of the innings.

In addition to their bowling travails, Ajinkya Rahane suffered split webbing in his right hand when fielding and a spokesman said he would bat "if required". Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma shared seven wickets between them, but at a cost of 144 runs. Ravindra Jadeja was more successful at limiting the scoring rate, but lacked a spin-bowling offsider.

The hosts had included Nathan Lyon for his first ODI appearance since he faced Pakistan in Dubai in late 2014, while Warner returned in place of Shaun Marsh at the top of the order following the birth of his second child.

ICC WT20 tickets yet to go on sale

The tickets for the World Twenty20 are likely to go up for sale by the end of this week, with the BCCI saying it doesn't think it is too late for the tickets to be made available.

The first qualifier starts on March 8, but the Indian board is happy to have the tickets up for grabs a little under two months from the first match of the "main" tournament on March 15. However, when the schedule of the World Twenty20 was announced, the ICC insisted that the qualifying part of the tournament be called the first round of the tournament.

At any rate, India have set the record for putting the tickets up for sale with least amount of planning time available for the fans when it comes to world events.

Chris Gayle hits 12-ball Big Bash League fifty

Melbourne Renegades needed to chase down Adelaide Strikers' 170 in 16 overs to set up a rematch in a Big Bash League semi-final at Adelaide Oval on Thursday. An outrageous 12-ball 50 from Chris Gayle, equalling Yuvraj Singh's fastest-ever T20 half-century, looked to be carrying them to an unlikely victory, before the Strikers' spinners fought back to strangle the Renegades, who at one stage lost seven for 37, and win the game. As a result, Sydney Thunder qualified for their first semi-final in BBL history.

Gayle had 51 of his team's first 60 runs, including seven sixes. But by then, Renegades had already lost three wickets. Tom Cooper - who had watched Gayle pummel four consecutive Greg West deliveries for four sixes in the innings' first over - was the first to go when he nicked the first ball off Michael Neser to the wicketkeeper. Travis Head then dismissed Cameron White and Dwayne Bravo off consecutive deliveries to derail the chase.

Watson not ready to go quietly

On Saturday, Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin will be conveyed around the SCG in open-topped cars to say farewell to the Sydney faithful at the end of their international careers. In Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth the same courtesy has been extended to Ryan Harris, Chris Rogers and Mitchell Johnson.

Missing from all this pageantry has been Shane Watson, also retired from Tests but not yet done with the limited-overs forms of the game. Omission from the 50-over side to face India had Watson concluding that his ODI days were done, but inclusion in the Twenty20 squad for the three fixtures that follow mean he is well and truly in line for a role at the World T20 in India. The open-topped car can wait.

Chandila banned for life, Hiken Shah for five years

Former Rajasthan Royals offspinner Ajit Chandila has been banned for life from all official cricketing activities for his role in the IPL 2013 spot-fixing case. Former Mumbai batsman Hiken Shah, who had been suspended by the BCCI in July 2015 for making an "illegal approach" to a player, was handed a five-year ban.

Bumrah replaces Shami in T20 squad

Jasprit Bumrah has been named as Mohammed Shami's replacement for the three Twenty20 Internationals in Australia starting January 26.


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Source: cricinfo

Another Rohit ton, another Australia win

In the first ODI in Perth, India batted first, Rohit Sharma scored a century, and Australia were set 310 for victory. In the second ODI in Brisbane, India batted first, Rohit Sharma scored a century, and Australia were set 309 for victory. In Perth, Australia won with four balls to spare. In Brisbane, Australia won with six balls to spare. In both cases, and both chases, George Bailey was key. It was expected that the Gabba would serve up something similar to the WACA, but not this similar.

Pakistan win Amir's comeback game

New Zealand threatened Pakistan's total of 171 for 8 through fifties to Colin Munro and Kane Williamson, but the many strands of Pakistan's varied attack came together to truss up the hosts, 17 runs short of their target. The pace trio of Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul and Mohammad Amir created chances, while the spin of Imad Wasim, and Shahid Afridi provided economy. Mohammad Hafeez had earlier provided the base for Pakistan's innings, with 61 from 47 balls from the top of the order.

Moeen withdraws from IPL over workload concerns

Moeen Ali has withdrawn from the IPL auction after the ECB raised concerns over his workload.

Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, contacted Moeen and his representatives today to discuss his involvement in the tournament after papers were lodged to confirm his inclusion in the auction on Thursday.

Amir in focus as Pakistan run into red-hot New Zealand

New Zealand have batsmen in a record-breaking mood. Pakistan are hoping reignite their T20 game after losses against England. There is a World T20 in two months. But none of this is as compelling as the return of one of cricket's exiles. Friday will mark a major step in Mohammad Amir's quest for redemption.

Every no-ball he delivers over the next few years will probably bring to mind that infamous second day at Lords, in 2010. But he seems a little more mature now. In this recent interview, Amir spoke of having a fast bowler's anger "in the blood", yet of having accepted the fact that even his teammates have a right to express displeasure at his inclusion. He spoke of "learning about life" during tough times, and of wanting to convince his critics, and win over fans.

Khawaja keen to establish white-ball credentials

At a time when Australia's ODI fast-bowling depth is being tested, they seem to have no shortage of quality batsmen to call on. Centuries to George Bailey and Steven Smith won Australia the first ODI against India in Perth on Tuesday, and for the second game they will likely bring in a bloke with a List A batting average of 72.86 in the past three years. And one of the most in-form batsmen in the country probably still won't get a game.

The former is Shaun Marsh, the back-up batsman in the squad and the likely beneficiary of David Warner's absence for paternity leave over the next two games. The latter is Usman Khawaja, who is joining the squad for the Brisbane and Melbourne ODIs, and is enjoying a remarkable run of form whatever the colour of the ball: not since October has Khawaja been dismissed below 50 in any format.

De Villiers unsure of long-term future

AB de Villiers has refused to commit his long-term future to Test cricket despite being named South Africa's stand-in captain and has warned that leading players will leave international cricket behind unless there are significant changes within the game. De Villiers, who was reported to be considering early retirement at the start of the England series when he also spoke about managing his workload, has once again emphasised the need for time off and explained his own uncertainty in the current set-up.

"There have been a few rumours floating around, and in most rumours there is always a little bit of truth," de Villiers said. "It's not just in the last while; it's for two or three years I've been searching for the right answers, to play a little bit less cricket in one way or another, to keep myself fresh and to keep enjoying the game. Every now and then in the past few years I've found myself on the pitch not enjoying myself as much as I should be, and that raises concerns within myself. I've been searching for answers and speaking to people and obviously that's leaked a bit."

'Still not convinced about DRS' - Dhoni

MS Dhoni, India's limited-overs captain and a staunch cynic in DRS matters, has offered yet another trenchant defence of his stance. Just like in the first international of their last summer in Australia, India could, if DRS was in place, have easily overturned a critical decision that went against them.

In a chase of 310, Australia were 2 for 21 when George Bailey gloved the first ball he faced down the leg side, but was reprieved by umpire Richard Kettleborough. Bailey went on to a score a hundred that helped turned the chase into a stroll, and later didn't shy away from cheeky gamesmanship. "Would've been interesting to see on DRS, but we're not the team that doesn't want it," he said.

ICC World Twenty20 (Men) India 2016

The ICC World Twenty20 is the international championship of Twenty20 cricket. Organized by cricket's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), the tournament currently consists of 16 teams, comprising all ten ICC full members and six other associate or affiliate members chosen through the World Twenty20 Qualifier. The event has generally been held every two years, although there is a four-year gap between the next two scheduled tournaments (2016 in India and 2020 in Australia). All matches played are accorded Twenty20 International status.

Five tournaments have so far been played, and no team has yet won the tournament on multiple occasions. The inaugural event, the 2007 World Twenty20, was staged in South Africa, and won by India, who defeated Pakistan in the final at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. The 2009 tournament took place in England, and was won by the previous runner-up, Pakistan, who defeated Sri Lanka in the final at Lord's. The third tournament was held in 2010, hosted by the countries making up the West Indies cricket team. England defeated Australia in the final in Barbados, which was played at Kensington Oval. The fourth tournament, the 2012 World Twenty20, was held in Asia for the first time, with all matches played in Sri Lanka. The West Indies won the tournament by defeating Sri Lanka in the final, winning its first international tournament since the 2004 Champions Trophy. The fifth tournament, the 2014 ICC World Twenty20, was hosted by Bangladesh, and was won by Sri Lanka, who became the first team to play in three finals.