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New Zealand 38 for 1 (Seifert 23*) vs England – match abandoned England claimed the spoils in their T20I series against New Zealand, after the third and final match at Auckland went the same way as the series opener in Christchurch – lost to the weather as steady early-season rain swept in to curtail the contest after just 3.4 overs.In the limited time available, Tim Seifert made the running for New Zealand with an enterprising knock of 23 not out from 11 balls. He launched his innings with two fours off Luke Wood in the three balls that were possible prior to the evening’s first hour-and-a-half-long delay. Then – after the match resumed as 14 overs a side – he struck two sixes off the extra pace of Brydon Carse, including an outrageous reverse-scoop over fine leg that was well caught in the crowd.Carse did hit back at the other end, removing Tim Robinson for 2 as Jacob Bethell clung on well to a top-edged pull at deep midwicket. Wood then bowled an effective over to the left-handed Rachin Ravindra, finding sharp late movement in the seam-friendly conditions. Ravindra got going with a pulled six off Carse, but moments after Seifert had landed the second of his sixes off the same bowler, the rain returned once more.Despite a planned resumption at 10pm local time – with the match further reduced to eight overs a side – the grim weather returned just as the players were preparing to take the field, and the match was abandoned soon afterwards.It completed an unsatisfactory early-season foray for New Zealand, whose curtain-raising series against Australia at the start of the month had similarly been affected by the weather. They had made the running in the series opener, limiting England’s hard-hitting line-up to 153 for 6 on a seaming wicket at Hagley Oval, but were blown away in the return fixture two days later, losing by 65 runs after England had smashed the ground record with their total of 236 for 4.England chose to bowl first having named an unchanged XI for this decider. Despite the grey weather and unusually short boundaries at Eden Park, they decided to trust the balance that had impressed in Christchurch, with Liam Dawson retained as a second spinner ahead of an extra seam option.New Zealand, meanwhile, made one change – Zak Foulkes coming in for Kyle Jamieson. But in the end, it was all academic, as attention now turns to the ODIs which get underway in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.”It’s very frustrating,” Brook said at the post-match presentation. “The weather hasn’t been ideal. But great for the boys to get some time out there.”It’s a great place to tour, we’ve had an amazing time so far. We’ve got the ODIs coming up and we’re looking forward to it. We’ve got a few big names coming back and hopefully we can keep that momentum in the next few weeks.”Mitchell Santner, New Zealand’s captain, rued his team’s missed opportunities, both with the weather and their own performances: “I guess this time of the year it (rain) is always a potential. It’s always nice to play England, no matter what time of the year you play.”The way we bowled in that first game [was good], especially on a Hagley wicket that did give us a little bit. The second game, we were put under a lot of pressure on a good wicket, so when we come across that again, we’ll have learnings from that.”

Hampshire hope to give Adi Birrell “the send-off he deserves” by winning the T20 Blast and Metro Bank Cup double after announcing he will leave the club at the end of the season. Birrell, 64, joined Hampshire ahead of the 2019 season but will complete his tenure later this month and return to his native South Africa to spend time with his family.After a convincing win at Durham in the quarter-finals, Hampshire head to Edgbaston on Saturday targeting a record fourth Blast title ahead of their semi-final against Northamptonshire. They will then face Worcestershire at Trent Bridge in the Metro Bank Cup final the following weekend, eyeing a first List A trophy since 2018.Hampshire have been competitive across formats under Birrell, winning the Blast in 2022 and finishing runners-up in the County Championship on three separate occasions. They have struggled in the Championship this year in the absence of James Vince, but have still thrived in both white-ball formats.Birrell also deputised as Southern Brave coach in the men’s Hundred this year, but is now unlikely to return to that role next summer. Hampshire are expected to lean on the global network developed by the GMR Group – their new Indian owners, who co-own Delhi Capitals – in recruiting his successor.”All good things come to an end, and we are sad to see Adi go,” Giles White, Hampshire’s long-serving director of cricket, said in a club statement. “It’s been a fantastic seven years at the club, during which he has become a hugely popular figure and overseen a successful period across all formats.”Under his leadership, the team has reached numerous finals, come close in Championships, and lifted the Blast title in 2022. His contribution has left a lasting mark, and he will be deeply missed by players, coaches, and fans alike at the Utilita Bowl.”We hope to give him the send-off he deserves, with two pieces of silverware still up for grabs in the next two weeks and important days ahead in the Championship. Everyone at Hampshire Cricket and the Utilita Bowl wishes Adi the very best as he looks forward to spending more time at home on the farm.”

Nathan Lyon says he was disappointed with being left out of Australia’s final Test of the recent Caribbean tour, but he understood why the selectors made the decision, and that in hindsight, it was the right call.Lyon had not been left out of Australia’s Test XI for any reason other than injury since 2013, but the selectors made the bold decision to leave him out for the third pink-ball Test at Sabina Park. They picked four fast bowlers instead, because the conditions were set to be so extreme.Lyon spoke for the first time since missing the Test on Tuesday in Melbourne, during an appearance with a corporate partner of his BBL club Melbourne Renegades. He did not hide his disappointment, revealing that much of it was driven by missing out on playing in close friend Mitchell Starc’s 100th Test.”There’s no point hiding behind it, I was disappointed with the decision, but I totally understood it,” he said. “Disappointed on a number of levels that: One, I believe I can play a role in any conditions, and I still honestly believe that. And then honestly, the other one was not to walk out on the field with Starcy. I’ve played 90-odd Test matches with Starcy, so to be able to walk out there with him in his 100th would have been amazing. But I was still there, running the drinks, and still part of it.Related

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“I want to play every game for Australia, and I’ve just got that belief that I can play a role in any conditions, as every cricketer should have that belief.”But at the end of the day, we can sit here and say hats off to them, they made the right call. And if I’m going to miss a game, Scott Boland is probably the guy you want to see go out there and perform. And for him to go out there and bowl like he did, like we always know he does, to take a hat-trick, was pretty special. And to witness the guys bowl them out for 27 that was pretty amazing.”The decision to leave Lyon out – and the dominance of Australia’s quicks as a quartet – has naturally led to discussion about whether it could happen again in the Ashes this summer, if similarly extreme conditions presented themselves.Part of the reasoning for Lyon’s omission was that he did not bowl a single over in the 2022 Ashes pink-ball Test in Hobart. He also bowled just one over in last year’s pink-ball Test in Adelaide against India.He did not play a part in Starc’s 100th Test•ICC via Getty Images

But Lyon was adamant he would be a lock for all five Ashes Tests, particularly given his record at the first three Test venues: Perth’s Optus Stadium, the Gabba and Adelaide Oval.”I’m definitely not thinking about my place in the team,” Lyon said. “I know my role in the side, and the conditions really was the reason why I missed that Test match. But I’m fully focused on making sure that fitness levels are high, skill levels are high, leading into the first three Shield games and then into the Perth Test match. I love bowling in Perth. Love bowling all around Australia if I’m being honest with you, so no, I’ve got no doubts there.”There are doubts, however, about who will be Australia’s opener for the Perth Test alongside Usman Khawaja, after Sam Konstas endured a nightmare tour of the Caribbean. But Lyon, who has been a big supporter of Konstas in his brief time around the Australian team – including inviting him to a private training camp in Brisbane prior to the WTC final – implored the critics not to be too hard on the 19-year-old.”I think it’s been a massive learning curve for Sam,” Lyon said. “I don’t think we need to be so hard on him. I think he’s obviously young, and he’s still learning his game. And I think we’ve all, as Test cricketers, been through those periods throughout our career. It’s about, especially our senior players, making sure that we’re getting around him and making sure that he knows he’s got full support.”I’m not a selector but I’d be surprised if he didn’t go on the [Australia A] tour to India. So, I think he’s going to have some cricket there, but then he’s obviously got Shield cricket as well. And like everyone, we want to go out there and perform for our states and make sure that we’re putting our hands up for national selection. No one’s got a given right to be picked for Australia. And so, it’s about us putting our arms around him, making sure that he goes out there and backs his skill and finds a method that he wants to bat with.”Lyon expects to feature in all the Ashes Tests•AFP/Getty Images

Lyon also expected Marnus Labuschagne to bounce back from his axing during the Caribbean tour.”Marn’s upbeat, and so he should be,” Lyon said. “His Test record speaks volumes. He absolutely put a couple of coaches into the ground over there with the amount of training that he was doing. But that’s Marn. That’s the way he prepares. And he’s still a class player, and he will be for a long period of time. So I’m still expecting bigger and better things from Marnus.”Lyon will now do a two-month pre-season with New South Wales ahead of the summer and expects to play at least three of the four Sheffield Shield games before the first Test, although his workloads will be managed by Cricket Australia in conjunction with NSW.He is also hopeful of finally making his BBL debut for Renegades in his third year on the list as Renegades have four games, plus finals if they get there, after the Ashes series is completed. One of those games is at Adelaide Oval against Adelaide Strikers, where he started his professional and BBL career. He said he is looking forward to bowling to close friends Travis Head and Alex Carey.”We’ve already spoken about that, but that’s all in good fun,” Lyon said. “I’ve obviously got a massive summer ahead of that. But if we get the opportunity to play each other in the Big Bash I’ll have to put all my notes in the back of the memory.”

Matt Kuhnemann admitted he briefly feared his thumb injury could have ended his hopes of touring Sri Lanka but both he and Steven Smith completed full training sessions on the squad’s arrival in Galle for the Test series.Australia’s premier left-arm spinner Kuhnemann is now pain-free after wearing a ball on his non-bowling hand playing for Brisbane Heat earlier this month. He reunited with the squad in Sri Lanka at the weekend and completed Sunday afternoon’s first full session since arriving on the island for the two-match series.Related

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Stand-in captain Smith, who suffered a minor elbow injury in the BBL, spent as much time batting in the nets as anyone else and did not appear hampered.Every team member attended the optional session, with conditions so humid that top-order option Sam Konstas removed his helmet to finish batting in the nets.Apparently in preparation for the turning conditions, allrounder Beau Webster bowled the right-arm offspin of earlier in his career rather than the medium pace trotted out on Test debut at the SCG earlier this month.Kuhnemann is continuing to wear a brace on his right thumb and medical staff will monitor him. His injury appeared more serious than Smith’s, but Kuhnemann feels fit ahead of the first Test that begins on January 29.Matt Kuhnemann bowls at training with a protection on his injured thumb•Getty Images

“I had a couple of sessions back home and I was obviously cautious batting and fielding and everything but bowling, I haven’t had a problem whatsoever,” Kuhnemann said prior to the first training session. “I did this same thumb a couple of years ago and it was real painful but this one has been fine from the get-go.”As he awaited surgery, Kuhnemann said he was unsure whether he would have the chance to add to his three Test caps in Sri Lanka. The 28-year-old was a late call-up when Australia toured India in 2023, and the lack of subcontinent visits since had robbed him of further chances.”Definitely there were times when I was disappointed. It’s not great timing,” Kuhnemann said when asked whether he feared for his ability to tour. “There was a couple of hours. But I believe everything happens for a reason and you sort of move on. Obviously you do everything you can because these tours don’t come around very often as a spinner.”Kuhnemann could not attend the squad’s preparatory camp at the ICC Academy in Dubai but managed a hit-out with a Cricket Australia XI against England Lions at Allan Border Field last week.”The boys said I didn’t miss out on too much and what I was bowling on back in Brisbane was an eight-day old wicket so it worked out pretty good,” Kuhnemann said. “If it was the off-season then maybe it would be a blow to miss Dubai but we’re in the middle of summer and the workloads and confidence are high. Everything is all good.”

Ben Dwarshuis hit Sydney Sixers to an unlikely last-ball win over Sydney Thunder, taking 15 from the last over to take his team past the victory mark.On the same night that Sam Konstas was bowled for a duck in his last innings before a likely Boxing Day Test debut, Dwarshuis hit Sixers home at Engie Stadium.Chasing 164 for victory, Sixers looked shot when they needed 47 from the final four overs. But Jordan Silk (36* off 25 balls) helped them take 17 from a Nathan McAndrew over, before Dwarshius provided the late heroics with 20 not out from eight balls.After launching Lockie Ferguson for six from the first ball he faced, Dwarshuis took charge with 15 needed from Chris Green’s final over. Green’s first three balls were hard to get away but he was hurt by two straight wides outside off. Then with seven needed from two balls, Dwarshuis smashed Green over the long-on rope for six, before taking a quick single off the last ball to finish the job.Earlier, Cameron Bancroft hit an unbeaten 70 from 52 balls to help Thunder reach 163 for 5. Bancroft was the favourite to return to the Test team when Cameron Green was ruled out for the season, before a nightmare summer with the bat pegged him back.Cameron Bancroft top scored for Sydney Thunder with 70 off 52•Getty Images

In his past 15 innings across all formats before Saturday night, Bancroft passed 20 twice as Nathan McSweeney and Konstas both went past him in the pecking order. But Bancroft looked back to being in good touch against Sixers, hitting three sixes and five fours. His innings helped keep Thunder’s innings together, as Oliver Davies also banged 47 from 34 for the hosts and hit three straight sixes off Todd Murphy.Playing for the first time since being called into Australia’s Test squad, Konstas went to cut a short ball from Akeal Hosein and bottom-edged it on to his stumps. The 19-year-old’s duck came after he had set the BBL alight on debut five days earlier, smashing the fastest 50 in Thunder’s history against Adelaide Strikers.It has been one of the few times he has missed out on making a score this summer, since making a splash with twin tons to start the Sheffield Shield season for New South Wales.Konstas said axed Test opener McSweeney had been among the first to congratulate him, following an initial call from chief selector George Bailey.”I was so thrilled and called my parents straight away, and they were very emotional,” Konstas said on Fox’s BBL coverage. “Mum was in tears so I was trying not to cry. Dad was super proud. It’s been an amazing journey with all the ups and downs.”I’m very excited. I want to be challenged and I’ve got a few plans against [India’s] bowlers. I feel like I’m moving really nicely so hopefully I get that opportunity.”

England 329 for 5 (Livingstone 124*, Salt 59, Bethell 55, Curran 52, Forde 3-48) beat West Indies 328 for 6 (Hope 117, Carty 71, Rutherford 54) by five wicketsIn the battle of captain’s centuries, there was one clear winner. Liam Livingstone’s devastating 124 not out from 85 balls trumped Shai Hope’s far more sedate 117 as England sealed victory in the second ODI by five wickets.That it was Livingstone’s maiden 50-over century is one thing. But leading an inexperienced group, the responsibility he assumed to see England home in a chase of 329 – and thus square the series at 1-1 – in such jaw-dropping fashion is worthy of the highest praise.The tourists looked up against it after Phil Salt’s 59 and Jacob Bethell’s 55 – his maiden international half-century – had beenthe only scores of note in the top four. But a watchful stand between Livingstone and Sam Curran (52) evolved into a match-twisting epic of 140 from just 107 balls.The acceleration at the end that brought victory with 15 balls to spare is showcased best in the breakdown of Livingstone’s approach into the final 10 overs, with 100 still to get. He headed into this period on 46 from 57, before striking 78 off his final 28 deliveries.Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie – 4 for 41 in the first ODI – was taken down for 14 and 16 at the start of the back straight to nurse his worst figures of 0 for 71. Jayden Seales was carted for 26 in an over, before debutant Shamar Joseph was thumped for 24. No one was safe. All in all, Livingstone thumped nine sixes among his 14 boundaries.Aside from a hacked edge from Livingstone on four that flew between Hope and a wide first slip, there was little Hope could do to turn back the tide. Earlier in the day, his 17th century had seemingly done the main graft to put West Indies at a commanding position at the halfway stage with 328 for 6, meaning England needed to complete the second-highest ODI run-chase in the Caribbean.Hope arrived at the start of the fourth over and batted through to the end of the 47th. There was vital support from Keacy Carty – whose 71 came in a third-wicket stand of 143 – and Sherfane Rutherford – his punchy 54 providing the majority of 79 for the fourth. Cameos from Shimron Hetmyer and Matthew Forde helped ransack 93 from the final 10 overs, even if Livingstone’s final flourish make that look well below par.Shai Hope made his 17th ODI century to propel West Indies to 328 for 6•Getty Images

Livingstone’s decision to bowl after winning the toss was immediately vindicated by the removal of both West Indies openers in the first 19 deliveries. John Turner was responsible for both initial strikes for his first wickets in international cricket, the second of which was the prized wicket of Evin Lewis. The hero of the first ODI was snared down the leg side for just four following Thursday’s match-winning 94.But things unravelled, characterised by England’s use of nine bowlers for only the second time in ODIs. That they could have dismissed Hope on 60 also cut them deep.From 12 for 2, consolidation was the initial aim for Hope and Carty, who could have been removed on eight. An English squeeze involved three fielders at backward point, but Bethell – the middle of them – could only palm a skewed drive from Carty which would have given Turner a third dismissal.The pair made it out of the Powerplay on 41 for 2, a figure bumped up in the 10th over by Hope’s first boundary – a stunning back-foot launch over extra cover for six off Turner. A brace of straight drives off Saqib Mahmood – the only change to the XI from the first ODI, with Jamie Overton sitting out – and a second six, lofting Adil Rashid over cover, was then followed by some quiet rotation.Once satisfied the early losses had been offset, risks were taken to lift the run-rate. However, having cleared midwicket after Bethell dropped short to bring up his 42nd fifty-plus score, from 66 deliveries, it was a botched defensive push that should have brought his innings to an end on 60. A edge of Bethell bounced out of the hands of Salt behind the stumps.Carty was soon moving to his fourth ODI fifty from 62 deliveries. He was then given two lives when a top-edge took Turner over the boundary at deep fine leg, then the fielder dropped a far simpler chance off the very next ball. Both came as Archer nailed his short-ball plans.That miss would only cost three runs, as Rashid returned to bowl Carty through the gate at the start of the 31st. But that brought Rutherford to the crease, who ended up striking seven boundaries – three of them sixes – for a fifth half-century from just 35 deliveries.Though he was dismissed a ball later – caught at deep cover attempting to replicate the six over the same region that took him to fifty – Hetmyer’s breezy 24 off 11 kept the pressure on. He was also dropped on 2 by Will Jacks down at long-on.Related

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Once Hetmyer was dismissed, caught by Archer at gully off a Rashid googly, Hope pressed down on the accelerator. After leaning into a drive off his 118th delivery to move to 100, he smeared Rashid for a four and six to wide long-on as 13 was taken off the 36-year-old’s final over.Hell-bent on throwing his bat at everything sent his way, Hope misread a slower delivery from Archer that was well-taken by Livingstone charging in from long-off. Forde then picked up the baton for the final straight, striking three successive sixes off Mahmood in the final over to lift the hosts to 328 for 6.Though England shot themselves in the foot with four drops, they were also guilty of spurning opportunities to make immediate amends with the bat. Salt looked on his way to redemption, carrying the start of the innings on his back, shrugging off the loss of Jacks in the fifth over to contribute 36 of England’s first fifty runs.When Shamar Joseph, making his ODI debut with his namesake Alzarri rested, bounced out Jordan Cox for an agonising 4 off 19 deliveries, Bethell arrived to take England to 107 for 3 by the 20-over mark.Both were culpable for relinquishing control. Salt skied the first ball of Forde’s new spell at the start of the 21st for 59, then Bethell dumped Roston Chase into the hands of long-off after reaching a maiden international fifty.But the duo of Livingstone and Curran, players still with much to prove despite their experience, refused to panic. Curran initially took the reins as the aggressor, starting smartly with a six off Motie having noticed an extra fielder in the outfield meant the umpires would call it a no-ball. He contributed 31 of the initial 50 for the fifth wicket before Livingstone, after five overs without a boundary heading into the final 10, decided it was going to be all on him.The starter pistol was set with a charge off Motie down the ground to bring up Livingstone’s fifty from 60 deliveries, before he signed off the 41st over with a slog-sweep over deep midwicket off the very next delivery. Back-to-back sixes in Motie’s next over – the second bringing up the century stand from 92 – also found the grass banks.Pace was then put back on the ball, which played further into Livingstone’s favour. When Curran was dismissed a ball after the skipper had nudged his 77th ball down the ground to move to 100, Dan Mousley played his part to a tee – simply dabbing singles. The most important came at the start of the 48th over, giving Livingstone the strike for the honour of hitting the winning run.

Australia allrounder Cameron Green’s chances of playing any part in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy have all but disappeared with back surgery emerging as a possibility following his latest injury.Surgery is a legitimate option but it is among a host of recovery plans that are still being worked out by Cricket Australia’s medical and high performance team following Green’s injury on the UK limited-overs tour.Green flew home from the UK after complaining of back soreness following the third ODI against England at Chester-le-Street. He had a scan in England and in Australia on return but CA’s medical team have taken their time in assessing how to move forward with no formal plan yet released.Related

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Green, 25, has had four previous stress fractures but none since 2019 and has been managed very carefully through his first four years in international cricket.If surgery is decided as the option, it would rule him out of the entire summer. If a non-surgical recovery plan is taken there is a possibility he could still play cricket this summer as a batter only, but the timeframe on when he would be available is still to be determined.Green’s absence from the series would pave the way for Australia to reshuffle the batting order and allow Steven Smith to move back to No.4. An indication of his batting position for the series is set to come when he returns to Sheffield Shield cricket for New South Wales on Sunday October against Victoria at the MCG.If Green is unavailable, and Smith moves to four, it opens the door for an opener to be picked from Shield cricket with Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Matt Renshaw all in the running as they were last summer before Smith put his hand up to open.Harris made the perfect start to the Shield season scoring 143 for Victoria against Tasmania, but it has come on a very placid pitch at the Junction Oval where in-from Tasmania allrounder Beau Webster has also scored a century. Bancroft and Renshaw both made low scores in the first innings of the match between Western Australia and Queensland at the WACA ground.

Essex’s seamers bowled Warwickshire out for just 78 to take immediate control of their Vitality County Championship match at Edgbaston.Put in on a bowler-friendly track, the home side was skittled in 27.4 overs by Shane Snater – with 5 for 13 – Jamie Porter and Sam Cook. Sustained resistance came only from Will Rhodes (29) on his last home appearance before joining Durham.Essex then dipped to 50 for 5 but recovered to close the opening day on 189 for 9 thanks to astute contributions from Michael Pepper (37), Snater (33 not out) Matt Critchley (32) and Simon Harmer (31). Ed Barnard took 3 for 36 and Craig Miles 3 for 53 but a lead of 111 already looks decisive.Essex have laid the platform for a second successive emphatic win while Warwickshire’s supporters digest one last moderate instalment of a deeply uninspiring home championship campaign.Porter and Olly Hannon-Dalby started the day as the country’s joint leading wicket-takers on 46 and the former took just 16 balls to move to 48 by removing Warwickshire’s openers; Rob Yates lbw and Alex Davies caught at third slip. When Sam Hain, trapped in the crease, was lbw to Cook, Warwickshire were 18 for 3.Eighteen-year-old Hamza Shaikh got stuck in for 37 balls for eight runs before Snater struck twice in seven balls. Shaikh’s off-stump was sent flying and Barnard’s would have been if his pads hadn’t been in the way.Rhodes, warmly applauded to the crease by supporters aware of the void he will leave in Warwickshire’s top order, eked 29 from 98 minutes of toil before edging a peach of an away-cutter from Snater to wicketkeeper Pepper. Any Bears’ hope of recovery vanished with the last ball of the morning when Cook knocked out Michael Burgess’s middle stump.From 73 for 7 at lunch, the innings imploded in another 16 balls, Snater wrapping it up with an lbw decision against Hannon-Dalby to secure his eighth first-class five-for.Batting remained troublesome at first when Essex replied and they lost Robin Das, lbw to Hannon-Dalby, to the 13th ball. Westley decided that positivity was the solution and struck seven fours in a 22-ball 30 but was then also trapped in front by the big Yorkshireman.When Barnard broke through twice in three balls – Dean Elgar caught at first slip and Paul Walter played on – and Noah Thain edged Chris Rushworth airily to second slip, Essex were 50 for 5, but the lower order batted wisely and patiently as the pitch eased in the late afternoon sunshine.Critchley reined in his attacking instincts, taking 23 balls to get off the mark, and with Pepper added 55 in 18 overs against an attack which lost Rushworth injured. Critchley edged Barnard to second slip and Pepper leading-edged a return catch to Miles but Harmer and Snater added a valuable 39.Miles removed Harmer and Cook in three balls but Snater’s cameo, including three successive fours off Miles, lifted the lead over 100.

Big picture: Chance to make amends

Pakistan are two places ahead of Bangladesh in the World Test Championship table but both teams are in the bottom half. And both are playing their first series since the T20 World Cup. Bangladesh exited from the Super Eight while Pakistan couldn’t even reach that stage, leaving both sets of fans disappointed with their performances. This Test series will be a chance to make amends. Luckily, there has been a considerable gap from the World Cup, which will allow the teams to play with a fresh perspective.Given their record, Pakistan are the clear favourites. Their captain Shan Masood has a new red-ball coach in Jason Gillespie. It is an interesting combination as they can look back at their respective recent county stints to bring stability to Pakistan’s Test team.Barring Aamer Jamal, Pakistan have all first-choice players available. In fact, they named their XI two days before the Test. They are going with an all-pace attack on this Rawalpindi pitch, while Saim Ayub has been given another chance as an opener.Related

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Bangladesh faced a different type of challenge in the lead-up to the series. They were not able to train in Dhaka, so the BCB took up PCB’s invitation to train for three extra days in Lahore before three more sessions in Rawalpindi. While Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusinghe is satisfied with his team’s preparation, he remained cautious about their batting, which has been on a downward swing for the last 12 months.Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto hasn’t been in form, while Litton Das, whom Masood called his favourite batter in the Bangladesh side, has also been struggling for a long time. That leaves senior batters Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque with a lot of responsibility.Pakistan, though, will not take Bangladesh lightly as the visitors’ in-form weapon is their pace attack. It may be short on experience but the likes of Khaled Ahmed and Shoriful Islam have done well with the new ball. Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana are also quick and energetic. So it will be an interesting battle against the home batters.Naseem Shah had kick-started his Test career with a hat-trick against Bangladesh•Associated Press

Form guide

Pakistan LLLWW (last five Tests, most recent first)
Bangladesh LLLWWNajmul Hossain Shanto and Shan Masood pose with the trophy at the hilltop garden of Daman-e-Koh•PCB

In the spotlight: Naseem Shah and Najmul Hossain Shanto

Those who saw Naseem Shah bowl in the four-day match against Bangladesh A last week felt he was beginning to look like the red-ball bowler who last played in July 2023. His three wickets in the first innings included Mominul Haque and Anamul Haque, and in the second, he bowled seven overs in one spell. This was his only first-class outing in the last 12 months but Bangladesh know he will be a major threat. On their previous tour to Pakistan, he had rocked them with a hat-trick on debut.In 2023, Najmul Hossain Shanto scored 440 Test runs, including three hundreds, at an average of 55.00. But he could manage only 32 in four innings against Sri Lanka earlier this year. He has struggled for form in the other formats as well. He has the added responsibility of being the captain but a tendency of driving away from the body seems the main concern. Can he show a bit more discipline and provide Bangladesh with top-order runs?Shadman Islam is likely to replace the injured Mahmudul Hasan Joy•AFP/Getty Images

Team news: Shadman in place of injured Joy

Pakistan are going in with four fast bowlers. Saud Shakeel has been named the vice-captain.Pakistan: 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Ali Agha, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Khurram Shahzad, 11 Mohammad AliShadman Islam is likely to replace the injured opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy, while Mushfiqur Rahim returns to the Test side after missing the Sri Lanka series.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Khaled Ahmed, 11 Hasan Mahmud/Nahid Rana

Pitch and conditions: Rain could play spoilsport

The pitch has a bit of grass but there is a strong belief that it could be favourable to batters. The last two Tests here have been high-scoring with teams posting totals of 657, 579, 476 for 4 dec, and 459 in their first innings. Rain, however, could play a major role as showers are forecast for all five days.

Stats and trivia: Bangladesh still to beat Pakistan

• Bangladesh are yet to win a Test against Pakistan.
• There are four players from the Bangladesh side that played their last Test in Pakistan, coincidentally also in Rawalpindi, in 2020.
• Among the current players, Shakib (508) has scored the most runs in Bangladesh-Pakistan Tests, while Taijul Islam (22), who is unlikely to play, has taken the most wickets.

Quotes

“We raise our hands to say that we didn’t win in Australia. But we did a lot of things right, a lot of things that we want to take forward with us. We made some mistakes that cost us the Melbourne and Sydney Tests but as a team, we are heading in the right direction.””We had a good series against New Zealand but not a good time against Sri Lanka. We have a very good opportunity this time playing against Pakistan. We have a balanced side. We hope to play good cricket here.”

Shubman Gill played the classic anchor. Ruturaj Gaikwad the disruptor at No. 4. And Washington Sundar proved simple offspin can be sexy.At the end of it all, India took a big step towards winning the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe with a 23-run win in the third match to take a 2-1 lead.Gill scored a 49-ball 66 opening the batting and Yashasvi Jaiswal, his partner, slammed 36 from 27, setting the platform for a 28-ball 49 from Gaikwad that helped India to 182 for 4. Washington then picked up three wickets, including two in his first over, for 15 runs to quell chances of a Zimbabwe fightback.Zimbabwe managed to delay the inevitable thanks to a fantastic half-century from Dion Myers, his first in T20Is, and his 77-run partnership with Clive Madande.Yashasvi Jaiswal got India off to a flying start•Associated Press

Gill and Jaiswal reunite at the top

The return of three players from the T20 World Cup-winning squad forced a change in India’s tactics. Jaiswal has been the incumbent opener – whenever India have played without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – and he slotted back at the top with Gill. As a result, Abhishek Sharma, fresh from his maiden international century in the second T20I, and Gaikwad had to play out of positions at Nos. 3 and 4.Jaiswal started with two fours and a six in the opening over. Gill did the same in the second over. India were 29 in two overs, and then 49 in four. Then Blessing Muzarabani found his length and the pace to bowl on a two-paced surface. Sikandar Raza’s spin was tough to put away. And from 54 for 0 in five overs, India crawled to 67 for 0 at the end of eight. Which brought about Jaiswal’s dismissal – miscuing the switch hit to backward point.

Gill anchors, Gaikwad bludgeons

Abhishek had a brief stay in the middle, which brought together Gill and Gaikwad in the 11th over. Wessly Madhevere’s only over – the 13th of the innings – allowed India to change gears. Gill first hit the legspinner for a six before Gaikwad hit him for a six and a four. Gaikwad regularly used his feet even against pace to put Tendai Chatara and later Richard Ngarava, who replaced Luke Jongwe in the Zimbabwe XI, off their lengths.Gill sped up to bring up a 36-ball fifty, his first as India’s T20I captain. However, despite a long batting order – Washington was carded in at No. 8 – India were in danger of finishing with a below-par score when they were 130 for 2 after 16. Which is when an 18-run over from Raza – featuring four byes and a six each from Gill and Gaikwad – lifted them. But the extra bounce on the surface consumed Gill in the 18th, when he looked to loft Muzarabani over the covers but miscued it to Raza tracking back. Gaikwad hit a few lusty blows but fell one short of fifty.Dion Myers hit an unbeaten 65 to lead Zimbabwe’s fight•AFP/Getty Images

India ended on 182, not below par at all. Two half-century partnerships – 67 off 50 between Gill and Jaiswal and 72 off 44 between Gill and Gaikwad – had taken India there, and Jaiswal, at the innings break, felt it was enough.What aided them were a few missed half-chances, two dropped catches – one each of Jaiswal and Gaikwad – and a plethora of misfields.

Fielding lets Zimbabwe down again

When Chatara failed to get a hand to Jaiswal’s pull in the opening over, little did Zimbabwe know it was a sign of things to come. In the next over, Myers was a bit late in reacting to a top edge from Gill and the ball landed short of him running in from midwicket. Jaiswal and Gaikwad received reprieves. A few half-chances were missed. The mishaps on the field were mostly regulation efforts, which meant India raced away to a fast start despite facing 22 dots in the powerplay. Overall, India were beneficiaries of 31 runs according to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data. The eventual win margin was just 23.Ravi Bishnoi is mobbed after pulling off a stunning catch at point•AFP/Getty Images

Zimbabwe lose their way, and find it again too late

Tadiwanashe Marumani replaced Innocent Kaia, who had a split webbing, at the top of the order and started enterprisingly. He belted a couple of fours in the opening over bowled by Khaleel Ahmed – in for Mukesh Kumar – but fell trying to repeat the dose in his next over. From the other end, Avesh Khan first dismissed Madhevere, who patted one to short cover, and then Brian Bennett, thanks to a spectacular flying catch from Ravi Bishnoi at backward point.When Raza swung across the line to hole out to deep square-leg off Washington’s second ball, the writing seemed to be on the wall. It got better for India – and worse for Zimbabwe – when substitute fielder Riyan Parag took a sharp catch at slip to dismiss Johnathan Campbell four balls later off Washington.But Myers and Madande had other plans. India’s decision to accommodate all of their T20 World Cup returnees left them thin on bowling resources. As a result, Abhishek and Shivam Dube had to combine to bowl four overs. Myers and Madande didn’t let them settle and hit a combined six fours and two sixes off them. Those four overs cost India 50. Thanks to the early inroads, it did not cost them on the day.