Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been nominated for the prestigious ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year award, competing against the likes of England's Joe Root and Harry Brook. Known for his exceptional performance in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he has taken 30 wickets in just four Tests, Bumrah has also been the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket in 2024 with a total of 71 wickets. Described as a dominant force in all conditions, Bumrah's return to the Test arena after recovering from a back injury has been nothing short of remarkable.
In a dominating performance, New Zealand defeated England by 423 runs in the third Test at Hamilton. This was a fitting farewell for veteran pacer Tim Southee, who claimed two wickets in his final Test to finish with 391 wickets. Despite this win, New Zealand lost the series 2-1 to England, who have now been eliminated from the World Test Championship finals race due to their poor performance. Mitchell Santner was named the Player of the Match for his all-round performance, while Jacob Bethell and Joe Root showed some fight for England.
On the second day of the third Test, New Zealand proved their dominance over England as the hosts ran through their lineup and dismissed them for a disappointing 143 runs. With their first innings ending at 347, New Zealand took control of the match with a lead of 340 and only seven wickets in hand. An impressive performance by Matt Henry (4-48) and Mitchell Santner (3-7) prevented England from making a comeback, as Joe Root (32) and Harry Brook (0) were dismissed early.
England cricketer Joe Root praises teammate Harry Brook for his consistent performances and contributions to the team's recent success in New Zealand with both bat and ball. The 25-year-old Brooks has already scored over 1000 runs in Tests in 2024 and is seen as a force to be reckoned with in all three formats of the game. Despite England's series win against New Zealand, they will be looking for a whitewash in the upcoming final Test match, where Brook will be a key player.
Star Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has joined the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in scoring 2000 runs for India in the World Test Championship. Despite dealing with injuries, Pant has achieved this feat in just 30 matches. The overall record for most runs in the WTC currently belongs to England's Joe Root who has over 5000 runs.
In the second Test match between Pakistan and England, Kamran Ghulam stole the show on Day 1 with an impressive century on his Test debut. The young batter stepped up to fill the shoes of Babar Azam, who was not selected for the match, and performed brilliantly under immense pressure. Meanwhile, controversy arose as England captain Joe Root was seen rubbing the ball on spinner Jack Leach's head, sparking a debate on the spirit of the game.
England’s bowlers led by spinner Jack Leach secured victory for England in the first Test against Pakistan in Multan with a record partnership between Harry Brook and Joe Root. The partnership, which saw Brook smashing 317 runs and Root scoring a record 262, helped England declare with a massive score of 823-7. This gave the visitors a 267-run lead, which proved too much for Pakistan as they collapsed on the fifth day, giving England an innings and 47-run win.
England's strong performance in the first Test against Pakistan showcases their dominance on the Pakistani soil, with a record-setting partnership between Harry Brook and Joe Root leading them to victory. England's bowlers led by Jack Leach ensured a quick dismissal of the hosts on the fifth day, securing an innings and 47 runs win and drawing first blood in the three-match series. This win marks England's fourth consecutive Test triumph against Pakistan on their home ground, with several new milestones achieved by the team including their highest and second-highest individual scores by Brook and Root respectively.
Harry Brook, the young cricketer from Yorkshire, took the cricket world by storm as he smashed an incredible 317 runs on the fourth day of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan. This stunning performance not only led to the tourists declaring at 7-823, but also eclipsed some of English cricket's biggest names including Joe Root, who has never reached 300 runs in a single inning. However, for Brook, his most desired achievement was to surpass his father's highest score of 210, which he accomplished with ease.
On a third day of the first Test between Pakistan and England, Joe Root and Harry Brook shined with their unbeaten centuries to lead England's strong reply. Earlier, Pakistan's total of 556 was boosted by a fiery century from Agha Salman and steady contributions from Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique. Despite a second-ball duck from stand-in captain Ollie Pope, England remains in a solid position to avoid a follow-on with 261 runs still needed.