Indian left-handed batter Tilak Varma has established himself as a key player in India's top-order following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from T20I cricket. With a knack for rotating the strike and finding boundaries at will, Varma has already made a mark in the international scene. Let's take a closer look at his top five highest scores in T20I cricket, including a half-century against the West Indies and an unbeaten knock against Bangladesh.
India's Jasprit Bumrah has been named the ICC Cricketer of the Year 2024 at the prestigious ICC Awards, becoming the fifth Indian cricketer to receive this accolade. The award, named after former West Indies great Sir Garfield Sobers, is a testament to Bumrah's exceptional performances in both Test and T20 formats for India. Despite facing a back injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Bumrah has been pivotal in India's recent successes and is expected to be a vital player in the upcoming Champions Trophy.
West Indies' Jomel Warrican took five wickets in the second Test against Pakistan, securing a historic win for his team on Pakistani soil for the first time in 35 years. Warrican's nine wickets in the match helped the visitors level the series 1-1, after losing the first Test in Multan by 127 runs. Warrican's masterful spin bowling on a sharply turning pitch proved to be too much for Pakistan, leading to their defeat by 120 runs on day three of the match.
On the opening day of the second Test in Multan, Pakistan was dismissed for 154 runs, trailing 163 by 9 runs after the West Indies' first innings. Spinners Jomel Warrican and Gudakesh Motie dominated the attack for the West Indies, taking a combined 7 wickets, while Pakistan's Noman Ali achieved a rare hat trick, taking 6 wickets. The two-match series currently stands at 1-0 in favor of Pakistan.
On day one of the second Test between Pakistan and West Indies, spinner Noman Ali made history by taking the first ever Test hat-trick for Pakistan against the visiting team. Noman dismissed Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach, and Kevin Sinclair from successive balls to help his team take control early in the match. This was also the first hat-trick by a spinner for Pakistan, with previous ones being achieved by seamers.
Babar Azam's struggle with the bat continues as he falls for just one run in the ongoing second test between Pakistan and West Indies. The right-hander's dismissal comes after two low scores in the series opener. His recent form in South Africa has raised expectations, but he has failed to deliver against the West Indies so far. Kemar Roach has been the main threat for Pakistan, taking two wickets in the first innings.
Noman Ali made history as he became the first Pakistani spinner to take a hat-trick in Test cricket during the second Test against the West Indies. Ali dismissed Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach, and Kevin Sinclair from successive balls, with only seamers having previously achieved this feat for Pakistan. Ali's impressive bowling figures of 6-41 also helped him secure his eighth five-wicket haul in Tests. This is the first Test hat-trick since 2021, with England's Gus Atkinson being the last to take one in December 2024 against New Zealand.
Rohit Sharma, an Indian cricketer, arrived at the Wankhede Stadium to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The stadium, which was constructed in 1974 under the guidance of politician S. K. Wankhede, opened in time to host the last Test of the 1975 series between India and the West Indies. Many guests, including former India and Mumbai cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, have been invited to the event. Rohit, who had started his cricket career at this very ground, expressed his pride in seeing it complete 50 years. He will also lead India in the 2025 Champions Trophy and the preceding ODI series against England.
After a delayed start due to fog and mist, Pakistan faced an early setback with fast bowler Jayden Seales taking three quick wickets. However, half-centuries from Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan helped Pakistan make a comeback, ending Day 1 at 143/4. The two batsmen put on an unbeaten 97-run partnership to rescue Pakistan on a dry and spin-friendly pitch. Another bowler, Hasan Ali, also impressed with a five-wicket haul for Pakistan.
After a disappointing first day for both teams, Pakistan and West Indies are gearing up to give their fans an exciting match in the 1st Test in Multan. Pakistan's bowlers will look to take early wickets and put pressure on the West Indies batting line-up, while the visitors will aim to solidify their position and put up a strong total. Stay tuned for live updates and commentary as the two teams battle it out on Day 2.