Tag: Steve Smith

MELBOURNE: A video of Pakistan batter Babar Azam joking with his Australia counterpart Steve Smith on Day 4 of the Boxing Day Test is making rounds on social media. 
The viral video showed Babar Azam taking guard to face off-spinner Nathan Lyon just after the tea break. Steve Smith, who was fielding in the slips, told something to the former Pakistan captain while pointing at the wickets. 

Babar Azam reacted to Steve Smith’s banter by sarcastically offering him his bat. The latter refused the offer by folding his hands at the Pakistan batter.

Incredible banter!

Look at how Babar asks Smith only to bat, when he is getting ready to take guard and Smith goes 🙏

😂 😂 😂#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/SYnsDFP7ao

— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) December 29, 2023

 

The right-handed batter added just six more runs to his tally after the moment as he was clean bowled off pacer Josh Hazlewood’s bowling.

Australia captain Pat Cummins took 10 wickets in a masterclass of clutch bowling to end stout Pakistan resistance and lead his side to a 79-run victory on the fourth day of the second Test on Friday, locking up the three-match series 2-0.

Just when it looked like the Boxing Day test would go down to the wire on the final day, the paceman stepped in to remove Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s last recognised batter, and claim his 250th Test wicket.

Pat Cummins (5-49) followed that up with the wicket of Aamer Jamal for a duck to trigger an extra half an hour of play, during which he claimed his fifth wicket of the innings and 10th of the match to help mop up the tail.

It was his second 10-wicket match haul in 57 tests and concluded a glorious year in which he led Australia to the World Test Championship, a 50-overs World Cup triumph and the retention of the Ashes in England.

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Set an imposing victory target of 317 runs after bowling Australia out for 262 before lunch, the tourists had put together a series of partnerships that frustrated the potent Australian attack.

There were some home nerves when the last substantial stand of 57 between Mohammad Rizwan (35) and Agha Salman (50) got the target under 100 runs but the match turned for good when Pat Cummins separated the pair.

Pakistan had threatened to take control of the match on several occasions over the first four days only to let the Australians off the hook.

Fired by an innings of 96 from Mitchell Marsh, Australia had dragged themselves back from 16-4 after lunch on Thursday and resumed on 187-6 on a sunny morning at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey scored 52 to help extend the lead before he was trapped leg before by seamer Mir Hamza (4-32) to bring an end to the innings.

Pakistan were always going to be up against it given the fact that only one team had successfully chased more than 300 runs in the fourth innings in 146 years of test matches at the MCG.

The tourists were dismissed for 89 in the fourth innings when Australia won the first test by 360 runs in Perth and the early indications were that Melbourne would witness something similar.

READ: Abdullah Shafique backs Babar Azam amidst struggles on Australia tour

Australian batter Usman Khawaja heaped high praise on former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and termed him ‘the best batter in all three formats’ on par with Australia’s Steve Smith and India’s Virat Kohli.

In a recent interview, Usman Khawaja drew parallels between the upcoming clash of batting titans, Babar Azam and Steve Smith during the Test series between Pakistan and Australia.

“Babar Azam is one of the best batsmen in all three formats. Steve Smith is the greatest batsman of our era,” said Khawaja.

“When they both will be playing here in the Benaud-Qadir series, it would be exciting. Matching Babar with Smith is almost like matching Smith with Kohli.”

He commended Babar Azam’s ability to perform consistently both at home and overseas.

“One of the great things about Babar is he does not score only in Pakistan; he scores runs overseas as well. He has scored a hundred here in the past.”

Usman Khawaja also shared his thoughts on the last series played between Australia and Pakistan, highlighting the excellent spirit of cricket displayed during the Lahore Test encounter between Shaheen Shah Afridi and David Warner.

“The last series between Australia and Pakistan was an excellent series. It went very well on and off the field. Shaheen was bowling excellent in the Lahore test, and Warner was playing really well.”

“Even when Warner got out, he got pat on the shoulders with a smile on Shaheen’s face. It was the epitome of the spirit of cricket. That’s what Australians want; you play hard, and when the game is over, you are all good and mates off the field,” Khawaja remarked.

Expressing his admiration for the Pakistani team, Usman Khawaja praised their batting skills and the strength of their fast-bowling attack.

“Pakistan is one of the better teams in the world. They have good batting and always have great fast bowlers.”

“Looking at the past teams, I think this is the strongest Pakistan batting lineup coming over. Babar Azam is one of the best batsmen in the world. Imam ul Haq and Abdullah Shafique have scored a lot of runs. I am very excited about this challenge.”

Khawaja also acknowledged the challenge posed by Pakistan’s fast bowlers in Australian conditions.

“I think Shaheen Shah and Mitchell Starc, both are very fast bowlers, and both can bowl up to 145. We know Starc can swing the new ball. Shaheen has a very good wrist. He definitely swings the ball.”

“When it’s overcast in Australian conditions, if a fast bowler is swinging the ball, it makes our job as an opener a bit tough. This is what you rebel for, this is what you play for,” Khawaja concluded.

READ: Pakistan Test squad to reach Australia tomorrow

DUBAI: New Zealand’s all-format captain Kane Williamson got a fortunate push in the latest ICC Test Batting Rankings which propelled him to the summit.

Despite Kane Williamson reaching the supreme spot, Australia’s veteran Steve Smith is on the verge of regaining his place as the best Test batter in the world following a major shakeup in the Test Batting Rankings after a dramatic Lord’s Test.

Steve Smith scored his 32nd Test century in a Player of the Match performance in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s and it helped push the classy right-hander within one rating point of the top ranking in second place on the updated batter rankings.

England star Joe Root relinquishes the premier position following scores of 10 and 18 against Australia, with injured New Zealand veteran Kane Williamson sliding up one place to claim the top ranking just one rating point ahead of Smith.

It is the first time Kane Williamson has held the No.1 ranking since August 2021, with the Kiwi having first risen to the top back in November 2015.

Australia batters now occupy four of the top seven places on the Test batter rankings, with Marnus Labuschagne (third), Travis Head (fourth) and Usman Khawaja (seventh) all within striking distance of the No.1 spot ahead of the eagerly awaited third Ashes Test against England this week at Headingley.

Meanwhile, the shakeup also affected Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who descended in the Test Batting Rankings, slipping to the sixth position with 862 rating points.

In the Test Bowling Rankings, Australia’s captain Pat Cummins closed the gap with the top-ranked Ravichandran Ashwin by jumping two places to second overall on the latest Test rankings for bowlers, while teammate Mitchell Starc also gains two spots to rise to 14th.

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Australia captain Pat Cummins has forecast a “big week” for leading batsmen Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne in the second Test against England at Lord’s.

Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne managed just 35 runs between them across four innings in the first Test at Edgbaston last week, yet Australia still won a thrilling encounter by two wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Ashes series.

This week will mark Steve Smith’s first match at Lord’s since he was felled by a Jofra Archer bouncer during the 2019 Ashes Test at the ground.

Marnus Labuschagne replaced Steve Smith as a concussion substitute and made 59, an innings that proved the launchpad for a run spree in Test cricket.

“I don’t think we played the complete game last week by a long shot,” Cummins said at Lord’s on Tuesday, on the eve of the second Test.

“I think that is one of the most pleasing things, that we weren’t at our best but still managed to get over the line. That is not always going to be the case.

“History would suggest Marnus and Smithy rarely miss out, so I am expecting a big week from them.”

Pat Cummins, unlike England, has yet to name his side, although he did reveal Mitchell Starc has been drafted into the squad, with the left-arm quick seemingly competing for a place in the final XI with fellow paceman Scott Boland.

“We will have another look at the wicket and make a final decision tomorrow,” said the skipper.

England, with the pitch at Lord’s showing a green tinge, have opted for an all-seam attack and have decided against selecting a specialist spinner — Moeen Ali suffered a finger injury at Edgbaston.

Fast bowler Josh Tongue, who made his Test debut against Ireland at Lord’s earlier this month, has been chosen in Moeen’s place, with England having the option of Joe Root’s occasional spin.

By contrast, Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon is set to become the first specialist bowler to appear in 100 consecutive Tests, with the 35-year-old also in sight of the landmark figure of 500 Test wickets.

“I think it’s a testament not only to how good Nathan is in terms of longevity and fitness and form, but to be able to play 100 Tests means you are getting picked in all conditions,” said fast bowler Cummins.

He added: “I couldn’t imagine a side without Nath in there.

“I’ve seen they have gone with four quicks, which is probably as we expected after seeing Moeen’s injury last week, but I feel really lucky we’ve got Nathan.

“Hundredth consecutive Test match, (potentially) 500 Test wickets, it’s incredible all the milestones he keeps ticking off. This is a really special place in cricket but for Australia as well. We’ve had some success at this ground in recent years so yeah, a big one for the memory bank.”

READ: Wasim Akram believes Pakistan should play WC matches as scheduled

Veteran Test batter Steve Smith has spoken highly of Pakistan captain Babar Azam and star pacer Shaheen Afridi, calling them the players the home side must ‘look out for’ when Pakistan tour Australia later this year. 

In a video shared by Cricket Australia, Steve Smith lauded the Pakistan skipper for his exceptional batting records and improvement over the years.

“Babar Azam is a wonderful player. In the last few years, he has got better and better. He is someone we have to look out for. He is dangerous, he makes big scores and he usually does it at a pretty good pace as well,” said Steve Smith.

Babar Azam is currently the fifth-ranked batter in the longest format, scoring 3696 runs in 47 Tests for Pakistan at an average of 48.6.

In the same breath, Steve Smith also praised the left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and warned that Australian batters had to be careful while facing him.

“Shaheen Shah Afridi, he came out here [Australia] last series. Since then, he’s got better and better. The ability to swing it back is obviously a big key for him so he’s certainly one we’ll have to look out for this year,” he said.

The right-hand batter also lauded the Pakistani cricket fans for coming out in numbers to support their team in every part of the world.

“Pakistan is such a proud cricketing nation. They have got supporters all around the world. Their fans come in numbers to watch the match which gives real excitement,” Steve Smith concluded.

Pakistan tour to Australia schedule

December 14-18: First Test, Perth Stadium

December 26-30: Second Test, Melbourne Cricket Ground

January 3-7: Third Test, Sydney Cricket Ground

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NEW DELHI: Steve Smith will lead Australia in the upcoming one-day international series against India as David Warner returns to the side after recovering from an elbow injury, selectors said Tuesday.

The three-match series beginning Friday will give the Australians more useful practice on local wickets ahead of the ODI World Cup in India later this year.

Smith will stand in for Pat Cummins, who returned home after leading Australia in the first two Test matches to care for his ailing mother who died last week.

The visitors lost the series 2-1 — the fourth straight defeat to India — with the last match in Ahmedabad ending in a draw on Monday.

Star batsman Warner played in the first two Tests but returned to Australia after a blow to the head and injuring his elbow.

He was due to rejoin the squad in Mumbai on Tuesday following “two final rehabilitation sessions on his elbow”, Cricket Australia said.

Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Sean Abbott, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar and Nathan Ellis — coming in for Jhye Richardson — arrived in India on Friday and trained in Ahmedabad.

Squad:

Steve Smith (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

READ: Misbah, Afridi star as Asia Lions thrash Finch-led World Giants

Australia have confirmed that stand-in captain Steve Smith will continue to lead the visitors in the final Test against India in Ahmedabad. 

Pat Cummins, who left India following the second Test in Delhi last month, will remain in Sydney to be with his mother Maria, who is in palliative care due to breast cancer.

In Cummin’s absence, Smith stood in as Australia skipper in Indore Test and led the team to their first win of the tour. Spinners, Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann, were on charge in the third Test when Australia defeated India by nine wickets inside three days.

With the win, Australia also secured a spot in the ICC World Test Championship Final,  scheduled from June 7 to 11 at the Oval, London.

Although the outcome of the final match of the Border-Gavaskar Test series, starting from Thursday, will not affect Australia’s standing in the Test Championship, a draw or a loss, can impact India’s chances to qualify for the final.

Meanwhile, Cummins’ availability for the ODI leg of the India series, which begins on 17 March in Mumbai, is still unclear yet. He was appointed the ODI captain last year after Aaron Finch decided to step down.

Earlier, Australia confirmed one change to the ODI squad, with Nathan Ellis filling the void for the injured Jhye Richardson, who was ruled out due to hamstring issues.

Australia’s ODI squad for ODI series against India: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

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SYDNEY: Sydney Sixers’ batter Steve Smith joined an elusive list of batters with back-to-back centuries in T20s following his unbeaten 125 against city-rivals Sydney Thunder in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) 12.

Australia’s veteran batter Smith carried on his red-hot form in the ongoing BBL 12 to rack up another century in the ongoing extravaganza as he struck a scintillating century in the Sydney Smash on Saturday.

The right-handed batter went berserk against the Thunder’s bowlers as he amassed the triple figures in just 56 deliveries and remained unbeaten 125 off 66, laced with six fours and nine sixes.

Notably, Smith had displayed alike performance in his side’s fixture against Adelaide Strikers on Tuesday when he piled 101 off 56 balls.

Following his consecutive centuries, Smith became only the second batter to achieve the feat in Australia’s BBL after Ben McDermott.

Notably, he also became the 10th player overall to score back-to-back tons in T20 cricket.

Meanwhile, France’s Gustav McKeon is the only batter with back-to-back centuries in T20 Internationals.

It is pertinent to mention that Smith’s astounding knock powered the Sixers to accumulate 187/2 in their set of 20 overs in the Sydney Smash.

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LAHORE: Australia’s experienced batter Steve Smith has replaced Sri Lanka’s legendary batter Kumar Sangakkara to become the fastest batter to score 8,000 runs in Test cricket, here on Thursday.

Smith, 32, reached the exceptional milestone in the second innings of the ongoing third Test between Pakistan and Australia here. The right-handed batter took only 151 innings to achieve the milestone.

Smith has replaced Sangakkara as the fastest batter to the 8,000 Test runs, bettering the former’s 152 innings.

The list of the batters – fastest to 8,000 Test runs, features three Australian, three Indian, two West Indian, and only Pakistan batter Javed Miandad, who took 162 innings to achieve the milestone.

It is pertinent to mention here that Australia is currently in command of the third and deciding Test of the series as the touring side is leading by 325 runs against Pakistan.

READ: Australia’s white-ball squad reaches Pakistan for historic series

LAHORE: Australia’s experienced batter Steve Smith heaped praises on Babar Azam and claimed that the Pakistani skipper is among the top-five batters in world cricket.

Smith, while talking to the media through a virtual press conference lauded Babar and shared that he considered the top Pakistan batter as one of the five best batters in world cricket.

“The way Babar played in Karachi Test, was simply exceptional. I think he played an extraordinary knock,” he said.

“Babar set many records during his outstanding innings and I think he is one of the top five batters. The way he tackled our spinners was a great sign for him,” he added.

Smith then praised Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique, said they also played well in the fourth innings.

The right-handed batter then commented about his individual performance in the last two matches, said he felt disappointed for not scoring big on these pitches.

“I tried to play long innings on these pitches but could only score around 70. It was quite disappointing for me as I kept getting out despite the hard work,” he shared.

“Hopefully, I will be able to play long innings in Lahore,” he added.

Smith then further opined about the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore’s pitch and said he is not expecting it to be a bouncy pitch.

“I have not seen Lahore’s pitch but I think it would be somewhat similar to those of Karachi and Rawalpindi. I am not expecting it to be a bouncy one,” he said.

The right-handed batter also expressed his desire of winning the series by securing the victory in the upcoming Lahore Test.

It is pertinent to mention here that Gaddafi Stadium will host the third and last Test of the ongoing Benaud-Qadir Trophy from March 21 to March 25.