Tag: T20 World Cup 2024

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday, announced David Reid as the national men’s side’s dedicated Mental Performance Coach for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the cricketing body announced the appointment of New Zealand’s Reid, who has been working with the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since 2021 in the same role.

Notably, David Reid was roped in by the PCB on the recommendation of the team management.

Commenting on the appointment of the Mental Performance Coach, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi underscored the critical importance of prioritising players’ mental well-being.

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“Ensuring the mental health and well-being of our elite cricketers is not just a priority, but a fundamental commitment. Recognising that their performance on the field is intricately linked to their mental state, we have taken decisive action to provide them with the best support possible.

“That’s why we’ve brought on board David Reid, a seasoned expert with nearly two decades of experience as a Qualified Mental Health Clinician.

“His track record speaks volumes, having successfully worked with world-record holders, Olympians and top-tier sports franchises like Chennai Super Kings, the Melbourne Stars and the Essendon Football Club in the AFL.

“With his expertise in enhancing both functioning and performance, we are confident that our players will receive the comprehensive care they need to thrive both on and off the field.”

Reid will join the side on 20 May and will continue till the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan are currently participating in the three-match away series against Ireland.

The Men in Green will then depart for England where they will compete with the reigning champions in a four-match series before travelling to the United States of America (USA) for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

The 2009 champions will start their campaign against co-host USA on June 6 before taking on arch-rivals India on June 9.

READ: Gary Kirsten to join Pakistan team ahead of England T20Is

DHAKA: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday announced a 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to take place in the United States of America (USA) and the West Indies.

Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead the squad in the mega-event while Taskin Ahmed will serve as his deputy.

Ahmed is currently sidelined due to a side strain he suffered during the recent series against Zimbabwe and will not be taking part in the three-match T20I series against the USA leading up to the T20 World Cup.

However, it is expected that he will recover in time for the tournament.

The Bangladesh squad also features veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who is set to make his record-ninth appearance in the T20 World Cup.

He and India’s captain Rohit Sharma are the only two players to have participated in every T20 World Cup since the inaugural edition in 2007.

Meanwhile, pacer Mohammad Saifuddin was dropped and instead, young pacer Tanzim Hasan made the cut for the World Cup.

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Chief Selector Gazi Ashraf of Bangladesh clarified that both players were assessed during the Zimbabwe series. Saifuddin failed to impress selectors due to a lack of yorkers in the death overs.

“We wanted to observe and analyse Saifuddin’s performance in the Zimbabwe series. But when we considered what the team needs at the moment, Tanzim was ahead of Saifuddin. It was a close call between the two,” Ashraf said.

“We saw Tanzim against Sri Lanka. His dedication and hunger kept him ahead. He is also a good fielder. We didn’t see enough yorkers in the death overs from Saifuddin.”

Bangladesh are placed in Group D of the T20 World Cup 2024 alongside Sri Lanka, South Africa, Netherlands and Nepal.

They will kick start their campaign on June 7 against Sri Lanka in Dallas.

Bangladesh squad for T20 World Cup

Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed (vc), Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Tanvir Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan

Traveling Reserves: Hasan Mahmud, Afif Hossain

READ: Saim Ayub opens up about his trademark ‘no-look’ shot

COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka cricket team departed for the United States of America (USA) on Tuesday to participate in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, commencing on June 1.

Sri Lanka are the first team to leave for the mega event, however, star spinner Maheesh Theekshana is not travelling with the squad, owing to his commitment to IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings.

The squad features a blend of experienced and young players and will be led by star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga.

Sri Lanka opted to rely on the experience of veteran Angelo Mathews, who made his T20I comeback in January after being away from the setup for nearly three years.

Notably, this will be Mathews’ sixth T20 World Cup appearance. He was also a part of Sri Lanka’s victorious campaign in 2014.

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Besides the experience, Sri Lanka emphasised on the team balance and thus picked multiple all-rounders in their squad for the T20 World Cup 2024.

Skipper Hasaranga is one of the spin-bowling all-rounders beside Dunith Wellalage, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Kamindu Mendis. Whereas, Matthews and Dasun Shanaka are the pace-bowling all-rounders.

Right-arm pacer Dushmantha Chameera will spearhead Sri Lanka’s pace bowling attack which features Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara.

Sri Lanka are placed in Group D of the T20 World Cup 2024 alongside South Africa, Bangladesh, Netherlands and Nepal.

The former champions will kick start their campaign on June 3 against South Africa in New York.

Sri Lanka squad: Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dilshan Madushanka

Traveling Reserves: Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Janith Liyanage.

READ: Kylian Mbappe wins award for France’s player of the year

DUBLIN: Pakistan’s left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman asserted that the national team needed a wake-up call ahead of the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to be held in the West Indies and the USA in June.

Fakhar, in a video released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Digital, asserted that the shock loss in the first T20I against Ireland fuelled every player with determination to give their best in the next fixture.

He further acknowledged the need to carry the same momentum heading into the T20 World Cup.

“We needed a wake-up call considering the way we lost the first game. So it was in the back of our minds while we were playing the second game and that is why everyone was giving their best,” Fakhar said.

“We hope to carry the same momentum till the World Cup,” he added.

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Set to chase 194 in the second T20I, Pakistan had a shaky start as they lost young opener Saim Ayub (6) and skipper Babar Azam (0) with just 13 runs on the board inside the first two overs.

Following the slump, Fakhar Zaman joined Mohammad Rizwan at the crease and the duo turned the tide in Pakistan’s favour with a marathon 140-run partnership.

Fakhar remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a blistering 78 off 40 balls, featuring six fours and six sixes while Mohammad Rizwan made an unbeaten 75 off off 46 balls with the help of six fours and four sixes, which earned him the Player of the Match award.

“Our plan was to counter attack despite losing two wickets early. There is pressure when you lose early wickets, but since we have planned to play attacking cricket, it releases all pressure,” Fakhar told PCB Digital.

“Our plan was to chase the score before the 18th over,” he concluded.

READ: Hayley Matthews crowned ICC Women’s Player of the Month for April 2024

AMSTELVEEN: The Netherlands have announced a 16-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to take place in June in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

The Netherlands have left out experienced all-rounder Roelof van der Merwe and batter Colin Ackermann from their T20 World Cup squad, in favour of younger and more promising players.

Young hard-hitting batter Michael Levitt, who rose to prominence after hitting a scintillating century against Namibia in February, made it into the Dutch squad for the mega-event.

Wicketkeeper Scott Edwards will continue to lead the squad, which also features star all-rounder Bas de Leede.

“We have been able to select a well-balanced team which we are confident will be able to perform in the conditions against the opposition we face in the US and West Indies,” Netherlands head coach Ryan Cook said.

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“All of the players have been training well and have been involved in the recent ProSeries with some exciting performances showing the growing depth and quality in Netherlands cricket.

“We have managed to perform admirably in the last two World Cups we have participated in and will be determined to rise to the challenges we face ahead to reach the next round of the tournament.”

The Dutch team is placed in Group D with South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. They will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against Nepal on June 4 against Nepal at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.

Netherlands squad for T20 World Cup

Scott Edwards (c, wk), Aryan Dutt, Bas de Leede, Daniel Doram, Fred Klaassen, Kyle Klein, Logan van Beek, Max O’Dowd, Michael Levitt, Paul van Meekeren, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, ⁠⁠Tim Pringle, Vikram Singh, Viv Kingma, Wesley Barresi

READ: Shahid Afridi lauds Pakistan batters’ strike rates in second Ireland T20I

Former Pakistani captain and renowned commentator Ramiz Raja has warned that the United States of America (USA) could pose a challenge to the national team during the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Raja expressed thoughts in a video on his official YouTube channel after Pakistan suffered a shocking loss against Ireland in the first T20I of the three-match series.

The former captain questioned Pakistan’s performance in the match against Ireland and their preparation for the T20 World Cup, scheduled in the USA and West Indies.

“You can’t defend losing against Ireland. The body language looks weak, you have made combinations that have affected the team,” Ramiz Raja said.

“The team was doing well, but the captaincy was changed and then the new captain was replaced with the previous one. In a World Cup year, the team has fallen to seventh position in the T20I rankings and this shows the actual condition of the team,” he added.

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He further raised concerns over Pakistan’s chances to win the World Cup, citing the team’s recent performances.

“How will Pakistan win the World Cup, you don’t have a combination, the opening pair is not set, the set batters lose their wickets and the middle order doesn’t function well. In the current situation, how will Pakistan go to the semi-finals?” Raja questioned.

The former PCB chairman also warned that co-hosts USA, who are set to play their first-ever T20 World Cup, might prove to be a difficult opposition for Pakistan due to the presence of expats from India and Pakistan in their squad.

“I think the USA might give tough time to Pakistan because they also have some expats from India and Pakistan playing for them,” he added.

Notably, Pakistan will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against the USA on 6 June in Dallas.

READ: Pakistan women’s team to depart for Northampton today

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Thursday, announced a strong 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to take place in the United States of America (USA) and the West Indies.

The squad features a blend of experienced and young players and will be led by star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, while middle-order batter Charith Asalanka has been named as his deputy.

Sri Lanka opted to rely on the experience of veteran Angelo Mathews, who made his T20I comeback in January after being away from the setup for nearly three years.

Notably, this will be Mathews’ sixth T20 World Cup appearance. He was also a part of Sri Lanka’s victorious campaign in 2014.

Besides the experience, Sri Lanka emphasised on the team balance and thus picked multiple all-rounders in their squad for the T20 World Cup 2024.

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Skipper Hasaranga is one of the spin-bowling all-rounders beside Dunith Wellalage, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Kamindu Mendis. Whereas, Matthews and Dasun Shanaka are the pace-bowling all-rounders.

Right-arm pacer Dushmantha Chameera will spearhead Sri Lanka’s pace bowling attack which features Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara.

Sri Lanka are placed in Group D of the T20 World Cup 2024 alongside South Africa, Bangladesh, Netherlands and Nepal.

The former champions will kick start their campaign on June 3 against South Africa in New York.

Sri Lanka squad: Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dilshan Madushanka

Traveling Reserves: Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Janith Liyanage.

READ: Pakistan eye “final touches” on T20 World Cup preparations

DUBLIN: Pakistan men’s cricket team will kick off their preparations for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 with a three-match away series against Ireland, starting on May 10.

The upcoming series marks the first time Ireland will host Pakistan for a T20I series.

The two sides have previously met only once in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2009 where Pakistan won by 39 runs with Kamran Akmal receiving the player of the match award for his 51-ball 57 and two stumpings.

Notably, Pakistan and Ireland are both placed in Group A for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and will face each other in Florida on 16 June.

Besides the two sides, India, the United States of America (USA) and Canada are also in the same group, with the top two teams advancing to the second stage.

All three T20Is against Ireland will take place at Castle Avenue on May 10, 12 and 14 respectively, before the team heads to Headingley, Leeds, on Wednesday for a four-match T20I series against England.

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Pakistan head coach Azhar Mahmood asserted that the national team’s preparations for this year’s mega event kicked off with a five-match home series against New Zealand but their Europe tour will put the final touches on those preparations.

“Our preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 began with the home series against New Zealand and now it’s all about putting the final touches on those preparations.

“We have clarity on our game plans, strategies and combinations. It’s about bringing everything together before we arrive in the United States.

“We’ve only played Ireland once, so they will be a relatively new opponent for us. However, any team in T20 cricket can be dangerous as the match can swing in one over.

“The three T20Is will provide us with good information about their players and how they approach T20 cricket.”

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir will miss the T20I series opener against Ireland due to delays in the issuance of his visa and is expected to join the side on Friday.

Pakistan Squad: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir (unavailable for first T20I), Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan.

Ireland Squad: Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.

READ: Mohammad Amir receives visa for Ireland tour

Papua New Guinea (PNG) announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to be co-hosted in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

This will be their second appearance in the T20 World Cup, having debuted in the 2021 edition held in Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

36-year-old Assadollah Vala, who led the team in the 2021 edition, will continue as captain, while all-rounder Charles Amini will serve as his deputy in the Carribean.

PNG squad features as many as ten players from the previous campaign, as well as 23-year-old Jack Gardner, who was a reserve player in the 2021 edition.

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“The energy has been great within the team. For some of the boys who went to the last T20 World Cup, it’s a different feeling now with a lot of the training because the last time was during Covid, and the preparation wasn’t as good as what we’re going through now,” said captain Assadollah Vala.

“I am looking forward to this event because I know we are going to do well.”

PNG are placed in Group C alongside co-hosts West Indies, New Zealand, Afghanistan, and Uganda. They will play their opening game in the T20 World Cup against West Indies on June 2.

Papua New Guinea squad for T20 World Cup

Assadollah Vala (c), CJ Amini (vc), Alei Nao, Chad Soper, Hila Vare, Hiri Hiri, Jack Gardner, John Kariko, Kabua Vagi Morea, Kipling Doriga, Lega Siaka, Norman Vanua, Sema Kamea, Sese Bau, Tony Ura

READ: Pakistan squad reaches Ireland for T20I series

DUBLIN: Cricket Ireland on Tuesday, named three squads for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Pakistan, T20 tri-series against the Netherlands and Scotland and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Ireland’s squad for Pakistan T20Is and tri-series feature 14 players, however, ace pacer Josh Little, currently participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, will be added as the 15th member to the T20 World Cup 2024 squad.

Right-handed explosive opener Paul Stirling will continue to lead the European nation which features experienced players like Andrew Balbirnie, and George Dockrell.

Ireland will kick start their preparations for this year’s cricket extravaganza with a three-match T20I series against Pakistan, scheduled in Dublin from May 10 to 14.

They will then travel to the Netherlands to partake in the tri-series. The all-European tri-series will run from May 18 to 24.

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The series will be played in a pure round-robin format, with no final, meaning the top team in the standings by the end of the matches to be crowned champion.

“We have an intensive block of T20 cricket coming up this month ahead of the T20 World Cup – we have seven games in 15 days as preparation for the tournament,” said Ireland head coach Heinrich Malan.

“We will not be treating those seven games as warmups, though, we’ll be aiming to win as many of those games as possible.

“The T20 format is fast-paced, think-on-your-feet style of cricket. To find a way to win – given the often frenetic and evolving game going on around you – is a skill you can truly only ever learn and develop on the field of play.

“The squad is one that we have gradually developed and tested out over the last 18 or so months – the skill sets we need to cover are there, albeit we have allowed Josh [Little] to continue in the IPL until his side end their campaign, so he will likely join us ahead of the big tournament.

“We are now entering the final stretch before the T20 World Cup begins, it will be a challenging couple of weeks, but we’re ready to tackle whatever is thrown at us.”

Notably, Ireland, placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, India, USA and Canada, will start their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign against inaugural champions on June 5.

They will then take on the USA and Canada on June 7 and 14 respectively before playing their last group fixture against 2009 champions Pakistan on June 16.

Ireland squad for Pakistan T20Is and Tri-Series:

Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.

Ireland squad for T20 World Cup 2024

Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.

READ: Bangladesh edge Zimbabwe to take an unassailable lead in T20I series