Tag: australia

Australia middle-order batter Marnus Labuschagne opened up about his poor form with an Ashes spot looming, admitting that he had been trying too hard instead of relying on his natural batting strengths.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Fox Sports, Marnus stated that he wants to enjoy his game and play with freedom.

“It’s always nice when you’re scoring runs. The only thing I really wanted coming into this summer — take everything out, selections, everything else — I just wanted to be back playing cricket the way I want to be playing, playing with that freedom,” he said.

“It’s nice to have come out and started the way I have. Coming into this summer, runs was going to be the currency and that was probably the big focus point,” he continued.

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With Ashes looming, Marnus has picked form and scored four hundreds in his last six innings in Australia’s domestic competition.

He was going through a poor run of form from last couple of year, eventually sidelining him from the Test squad ahead of their three-match series against West Indies across June and July earlier this year.

“It doesn’t matter how you score them or what it looks like; just find a way to keep scoring runs. Since then, my technique moulded into whatever the game needs,” he explained.

The right-hander lamented diving too deep into the technical aspects of his game instead of focusing on what natural ability he had in his batting.

“There’s a few technical things that I’ve ironed out of my game and had a bit of time to work on.

(I was) getting too deep into my technique and trying to be too perfect instead of just playing with what I’ve got; just going out there, reading the game and then using my technique to adjust to whatever they’re bowling and how they’re trying to attack me,” he concluded.

Australia has started its action-packed summer on a high note with a thumping seven-wicket victory over India.

Meanwhile, the first of the five Ashes Tests against England will begin on November 21 at the Perth Cricket Stadium.

READ: Marsh, bowlers power Australia to win in rain-hit ODI opener

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh guided his side to a comfortable seven-wicket win against India in a rain-affected first one-day international in Perth on Sunday.

Chasing 131 for victory in a match that was reduced to 26 overs a side, Marsh scored 46 not out as the home side cruised to an easy win to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Matt Renshaw was unbeaten on 21 alongside Marsh as Australia reached 131-3 with 29 balls remaining. Josh Philippe contributed 37, batting at number four.

“I was proud of the way our young guys came out and got the job done.”

Marsh, who was also named player of the match, won the toss and chose to field due to the inclement weather around the Western Australia city.

It paid dividends as India’s innings was hampered by rain delays, which frustrated the visitors who struggled to build any momentum.

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A quickfire 38 off 31 balls from KL Rahul helped India to recover to 136-9, with Australia set 131 to win after the total was adjusted on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system.

Australia’s opening bowlers, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, troubled the Indian batters with a good line and movement.

Hazlewood had Rohit Sharma caught at second slip for eight before Starc claimed Virat Kohli without scoring, leaving the visitors 21-2.

India skipper Shubman Gill was caught by wicketkeeper Philippe off Nathan Ellis for 10 before the first rain delay, with India 23-3 after 8.5 overs.

Hazlewood grabbed his second victim when Shreyas Iyer gloved a ball to Philippe before another long delay with India at 45-4.

When they eventually resumed, the game was reduced to 26 overs.

Rahul smashed two huge sixes but fell on the boundary going for a third.

Nitish Reddy blasted 19 runs off the last two overs, but the reduced total was never enough.

The two teams meet again in Adelaide on Thursday before the final match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.

READ: Did Starc break Shoaib Akhtar’s record for world’s fastest delivery?

PERTH: India batting maestro Virat Kohli return to international cricket was cut short by Australia ace pacer Mitchell Starc, who bowled a terrific delivery to send the right-hander back for a duck in the first ODI here on Sunday.

After opting to bat first, India did not have the best of a start as returning Rohit Sharma perished for just eight from 14 balls.

As a result, the visitors were 13-1 at the end of the fourth over with Virat Kohli coming at his long-occupied No. 3 spot.

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The right-hander’s much-awaited return was highly anticipated; however, he could not open his account after playing eight deliveries and was caught at backward point.

Notably, this was Virat Kohli’s first duck on Australian soil in 65 matches played from 2011 to 2025. Overall, the right-hander has scored 3616 runs at a stellar average of 51.65 with 11 centuries and 19 fifties to his name.

Yet, India set Australia a 137-run target in a match reduced to 26 overs per side, courtesy of KL Rahul and Axar Patel’s 39-run stand, which lifted the visitors out of trouble.

Rahul made 38 from 31 balls with the aid of two sixes and two fours, whereas Patel struck three fours on his way to 31 from 38 balls.

For Australia, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, and Josh Hazlewood scalped two wickets each.

Playing XIs:

India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshdeep Singh.

Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Matthew Short, Josh Philippe (wk), Matt Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, and Josh Hazlewood.

READ: Did Starc break Shoaib Akhtar’s record for world’s fastest delivery?

JOHOR BAHRU: Pakistan junior hockey team made a strong comeback to secure a 3-3 draw against Australia here at the Taman Daya Stadium in the Sultan of Johor Hockey Cup 2025.

Pakistan will now face Great Britain tomorrow for the third spot in the tournament.

The 15th match of the tournament between Pakistan and Australia ended in a 3-3 draw. The Kookaburras started the match in dominant fashion, with Oscar Sproule and captain Toby Mallon scoring the goals in the first quarter.

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Meanwhile, Green Shirts made a much-needed comeback in the third quarter with captain Hannan Shahid scoring their first goal. Australia, who were 2-1 till the third quarter, notched another in the 47th minute of the game to consolidate their position.

However, Shahid Hannan struck for Pakistan again in the next minute, followed by an equalizer from Saif Ullah. Both teams tried hard in the last quarter, yet the last group stage fixture for Green Shirts ended in a stalemate.

 

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Pakistan had a topsy-turvy campaign as they opened their account dominantly with a win against hosts Malaysia; however, they suffered defeats against Great Britain and New Zealand.

The final will be played between unbeaten Australia and India, who topped the group standings.

READ: WATCH: Pakistan, South Africa squads arrive in Rawalpindi ahead of second Test

Australia have been hit by a double blow ahead of the opening ODI against India, with leg-spinner Adam Zampa and wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis ruled out of the series opener in Perth.

Cricket Australia (CA) has added Matthew Kuhnemann and Josh Philippe to the squad as replacements.

Zampa will miss the match due to paternity reasons, as his wife, Harriet, is expecting their second child.

The 32-year-old has opted to remain in northern New South Wales with his family, given the logistical challenge of travelling back from Perth on short notice.

The leg-spinner is expected to rejoin the team for the second and third ODIs in Adelaide and Sydney, and will also be available for the upcoming five-match T20I series, all set to be played on the east coast.

Inglis, meanwhile, continues to recover from a calf strain sustained during a running session in Perth. The injury had already sidelined him from the New Zealand tour, and he is also expected to miss the second ODI in Adelaide.

With Inglis unavailable, Josh Philippe is set to don the gloves for the first time in ODIs.

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The 27-year-old has been in fine form on the domestic circuit and recently impressed for Australia A. This marks his return to the national setup after last representing Australia during the 2021 Caribbean tour.

Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann also makes a comeback to the ODI side after three years.

He last featured during Australia’s 2022 tour of Sri Lanka and has since remained on the fringes of national selection, turning out consistently in domestic one-day cricket for Tasmania.

Selectors are keeping a close eye on player workloads with the Ashes approaching.

All-rounder Cameron Green is expected to feature in the first two ODIs but may skip the third in Sydney to play a Sheffield Shield fixture in Perth. Green is also unlikely to bowl in the India series as he gradually builds up his workload.

Regular wicketkeeper Alex Carey is expected to rejoin the side for the second ODI after completing his Shield commitments for South Australia.

READ: Noman Ali breaks Iqbal Qasim’s long-standing record in Lahore Test

England Test team vice-captain Harry Brook believes Australia ace bowler Pat Cummins’ injury could play into their hands, giving them an extra advantage going into the Ashes 2025.

Cummins is in a race against time to be fit for the first Ashes Test, and according to some reports, he could be ruled out of the series due to a lower back stress injury, suffered earlier this year.

Earlier today, Australia’s head coach, Andrew McDonald, also hinted that Cummins needs at least “four, four-and-a-half weeks” of bowling in the nets to get ready, which has not started yet.

Speaking ahead of the New Zealand tour, Brook hailed Cummins’ bowling and stated that his exclusion from the playing XI will give England an advantage.

“Obviously he is an amazing bowler and has been for many years; he bowls at high pace with high skill,” Brook said at the Professional Cricketers’ Association Awards on Thursday.

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“With him out of their side for the first game, from [the reports] we’ve seen, hopefully that plays into our hands.”

However, the right-hander also mentioned Australia’s bowling depth, emphasizing the threat the likes of benched players pose for them.

“But they have a hell of a lot of good, quick bowlers out there. Guys who can come into the side and, when their tails are up, they can plough through teams. So we can’t take anybody lightly.”

Brook also backed Ben Stokes to feature in all five Tests despite having fitness concerns in the past year. He praised the skippers’ character and mentioned their performances despite having injuries.

“It’s an honour to have any leadership role. But it’s not something that I’m biting at the bit to do. If you want it too much, then it’s not a good thing. And I see Stokesy playing all five Tests, if I’m being honest. I think he’ll power through even if he has a little niggle.

“Everybody in the world knows what he’s like, his character, and the way that he just cracks on. That is the way that the team is built now; everybody keeps going. If you do have a little niggle, just power through – and that is what he does so well.

He further mentioned about Stokes’ bowling long spells and revealed what he would say if it gets too much on him.

“Because he wants to bowl long spells, that can sometimes be to his detriment. But he told us last year as a group that if he gets into a position like that again, then go up and have a word with him.”

The opening Ashes Test between England and Australia will commence on November 21 at Perth Cricket Stadium.

READ: ‘Age is just a number’: Azhar Mahmood on Asif Afridi’s inclusion in Pakistan’s squad

England ace batter Joe Root has shut down the noise ahead of the 2025  Ashes in Australia, stating that his side is ready to ‘bring the urn home’.

England’s ace batter Joe Root has shut down the noise ahead of the 2025 Ashes in Australia, stating that his side is ready to “bring the urn home.”

Root has 39 Test hundreds to his name; however, the batting maestro is yet to score a ton in Australia. He has nine fifties and has a decent average of 35.68 in 14 Tests.

The Three Lions have not won the Ashes since 2015, and their last Test series victory in Australia dates back to 2010-11.

Speaking on the much-anticipated series, Root admitted to the Ashes drought and sees this time around as a great opportunity.

“It does feel like a long time, and it’d be nice to put that right and bring the urn home. I just see it as a great opportunity for the group,” Root said.

“There’s no other way to look at it, really. It’s a beautiful country, it’s a great place to go and play cricket.

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Joe Root has been under the spotlight from former Australian cricketers, who have highlighted his record in Australia, including Matthew Hayden, who has issued a bold statement.

Hayden had stated that he would “walk nude” around the Melbourne Cricket Ground this summer if Root does not scratch his Australian century itch.

“Just soak it all in and expect a little bit of ‘abuse’ or ‘banter’. It could be six weeks that live long in the memory if we get it right.” “At the end of the day this tour is not about me,” Root continued.

“They are going to say what they want to say anyway, so why bother worrying about it?

“When we look back in five years’ time no-one is going to remember what Matthew Hayden said to me, or Greg Blewett, or Mark Waugh, whoever it is,” Root remarked.

“If I am scoring runs and scoring heavily it gives us a great opportunity to win a series out in Australia and that is the main focus,” he concluded.

READ: Cummins, Head knock back Rs 2.8 billion offers to quit international cricket

COLOMBO: Beth Mooney’s rescue act for the ages, followed by Kim Garth’s three-wicket haul, sealed a comfortable win for Australia against Pakistan in the ninth fixture of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 here at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Set 222, Pakistan were skittled for a mere 114 runs in 36.3 overs.

The loss marked Pakistan’s third consecutive defeat in the World Cup and their 17th overall against Australia in ODIs. Meanwhile, the defending champions are now at the top of the points table with three wins.

Pakistan started the chase on a shaky note as opener Sadaf Shamas was caught after scoring just five in the second over.

Muneeba Ali (3) also fell in the fifth over, whereas Sidra Nawaz (5) and Natalia Pervaiz only scored one run. Eyman Fatima player her first game of the tournament also went back without scoring while attempting a wild slog.

As a result, Pakistan slumped to 31-5 in 8.4 overs.

After early wickets, Australia never allowed Pakistan to make a comeback and took wickets in quick succession, which bundled them out for a mere score.

Sidra Amin remained the standout batter for Pakistan, making 35 from 52 balls with the aid of five fours.

For Australia, Kim Garth picked up three wickets, whereas Annabel Sutherland and Megan Schutt scalped two apiece.

Earlier, A dominant bowling display from Pakistan women had defending champions Australia women reeling, before Beth Mooney’s rearguard century lifted them to a respectable total.

Put into bat first, Australia managed to score 221-9 in their 50 overs

Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield added 30 runs for the opening wicket before both openers got dismissed in the span of three balls.

Healy made 20 from 23 balls with the aid of three fours, while Litchfield made 10 from 22 deliveries with the help of a boundary.

As a result, seven-time champions Australia were reduced to 30-2 in 7.3 overs.

Pakistan continued to chip away at Australia’s middle order with wickets at regular intervals; however, Beth Mooney held firm and ensured that Australia posted a respectable total.

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Ellyse Perry was stumped for five, Annabel Sutherland and Ashleigh Gardner were bowled for one run respectively. Tahlia McGrath could add only five to the total, whereas Georgia Wareham fell for nought.

Consequently, Australia were left reeling for 76-7 in 21.2 overs. Kim Garth provided Aussies some respite with a 39-run stand on the seventh wicket, however, Pakistan bowlers also removed her to take complete control of the game.

The architects of Australia’s middle over collapse were Nashra Sandhu and Rameen Shamim. Both combined to pick up five wickets with economical bowling spells.

However, Alana King and Beth Mooney forged a 106-run partnership for the eighth wicket. King scored 51 from 49 balls, striking three sixes and three fours.

Mooney, on the contrary, soaked up all the pressure and went on to score her fifth ODI century. She eventually departed after making 109 from 114 balls, studded with 11 fours.

For Pakistan, Nashra Sandhu was the standout bowler, picking up a three-wicket haul in her quota of ten overs.

READ: Imran Farhat appointed batting coach for South Africa Tests

COLOMBO: Pakistan women have won the toss and opted to bowl first against Australia women in the ninth fixture of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 here at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Playing XIs

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Alana King, Megan Schutt

Pakistan XI: Muneeba Ali, Sadaf Shamas, Sidra Amin, Eyman Fatima, Natalia Pervaiz, Fatima Sana (capt), Rameen Shamim, Diana Baig, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal

Head to Head

Both teams have faced each other 16 times in Women’s ODI matches, with the Green Shirts remaining winless in all of these encounters.

Matches Played: 16  Australia, 16 Pakistan, 0

READ: BCCI responds to call for scrapping India-Pakistan matches

MELBOURNE: Top-order batter Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped from the Australia ODI squad against India, which is set to begin on October 19 at Perth Cricket Stadium

Labuschagne has been dropped on the back of his poor run in the format, while Matt Renshaw has been added to the squad and is lined up to make his debut after having impressive outings for Australia ‘A’.

Renshaw was also named in the ODI squad against Pakistan in 2022; however, he didn’t get a game.

Meanwhile, ace pacer Mitchell Starc’s addition to the squad has also bolstered Australia’s pace attack. The left-arm pacer will be playing his ODI after a year.

Glenn Maxwell is not included in the squad as he is recovering from a wrist injury, which also kept him out of New Zealand T20Is.

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Following the squad announcement, chair of selectors George Bailey emphasized the Ashes and home season, hinting at workload management at the back end of the series.

“We have named a squad for the ODI series and first two games of the T20 series as there will be some management through the back end of the series as individuals prepare for the summer through Sheffield Shield cricket,” he said.

The majority of the T20 squad will remain together as it’s an important period in the build towards the World Cup next year, however we are trying to strike a balance to ensure we simultaneously prepare certain individuals for the Test series ahead,” he explained.

The three-match ODI series will begin from October 19 and end on October 25 followed by a five-match T20Is, starting from October 29.

Australia ODI squad vs India

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Mitchell Owen, Matt Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Australia T20I squad vs India (first two matches)

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

READ: Markram picks THIS batter as game-changer against spin-slaught on Pakistan tour