The most open World Twenty20 so far

There was a time when the subcontinent was mystery, assigned dark and exotic shades. It was the land of the unknown, rendered even more so by inventive prose. You got the feeling that visiting teams were waiting for the unexpected, that, peculiarly, they expected it, and were almost ready to succumb to it. Either they weren't aware of how to combat the conditions or, more likely, they were just unwilling to. A tour to this part of the world brought out the best in cricket writers, rarely in cricketers.

A couple of days ago I saw two giant New Zealanders, they of the land that had seemed beyond the unknown to us, understand the subcontinent like it was their own. And it struck me that the mystique

Ireland face up to difficult task

Ireland have a huge challenge ahead of them in the World Twenty20, having been grouped with one of the favourites, West Indies, and a team with a reputation for doing well on the world stage, Australia. They had made a splash in the 2011 World Cup with a thrilling defeat of England, and their captain Williams Porterfield was certain Ireland would not be pushovers in Sri Lanka.

"We are confident with ourselves, with what we've got in terms of player potential," Porterfield said. "Craig McDermott (who

Multi-tasking Taylor ready for challenge

All 12 captains at the upcoming World T20 will have issues on their mind ahead of the big event, none more so than Zimbabwe's leader Brendan Taylor. He will have the treble role of leading the side, anchoring the batting and playing as the first-choice wicketkeeper. Taylor has done all three jobs before but never all at the same time. That makes this tournament as stern an examination of his ability as multi-tasker as it will of his team and the progress they have made since their return to Test cricket last August.

Taylor took over the captaincy shortly before Zimbabwe were ready to re-enter the elite club of the game and has shown himself to be creative, unafraid and a strong performer while in charge. He led

Bangladesh 'never better prepared' - Ashraful

Mohammad Ashraful has pointed to Bangladesh's intensive preparation across three continents as their biggest asset as they head into the ICC World Twenty20. They have played a quarter of all their Twenty20 internationals this year, as well as two competitions where they played unofficial matches, all targeted towards a proper build-up to the event, a factor that went missing ahead of two of the three previous tournaments.

Ashraful has steadied himself as an opener during the past four months, having played 11 out of the 13 games and averaging a shade above thirty. He was also a late call-up for the Ruhuna Royals in the Sri Lanka Premier League, a tournament which also featured Bangladesh

Dhoni stresses importance of part-time bowlers

MS Dhoni  feels India's batsmen have contributed well as part-time bowlers in the absence of a genuine allrounder in the squad. Dhoni also said conditions in Sri Lanka had changed over the years and there wasn't much help for spinners during India's limited-overs tour to the country in July and August.

"We are a team who rely strongly on batting. But some of the top batsmen play the role of part-timers," Dhoni said after arriving in Colombo for the World Twenty20. "In T20 cricket, part-timers are very important. Our part-timers have been doing well.

Hafeez banks on Pakistan's T20 experience

Mohammad Hafeez, the Pakistan Twenty20 captain, has said that experienced Twenty20 players, Pakistan's past record in the World Twenty20, and familiarity with Sri Lankan conditions give his side confidence ahead of the upcoming world event.

"Winning the World Cup is always something special for the nation," Hafeez said after arrival in Colombo. "We have done it two times earlier and this time we've got a good chance and have a good team. We have also got good momentum after winning the [Twenty20 international] series against Australia [in the UAE] and that has

NZ come back to steal one-run win

A solitary Twenty20 it was, but it featured multiple narratives, an emotional return for Yuvraj Singh and his fans, an anti-climax for India and an incredible comeback from New Zealand. After Brendon McCullum had punched a furious 91, Virat Kohli counter-punched with a majestic 70, leaving India with 49 to get off 42 deliveries with seven wickets remaining.

That is when the Chennai pitch started to behave more like a typical Chennai pitch; the ball had come on nicely till then. MS Dhoni and Yuvraj struggled to get the ball off the square, James Franklin and Jacob Oram took all pace off the ball to make it harder, and the asking-rate surged suddenly. Dhoni, having promoted himself ahead of

Australia slide below Ireland in T20 rankings

Australia's captain George Bailey has conceded it does not look good for his team to have slipped below Ireland in the ICC's Twenty20 rankings ahead of the World T20 later this month. Australia dropped to tenth on the rankings after their Super Over loss to Pakistan in Dubai on Friday, and it was far from the ideal situation less than two weeks before their World T20 opener - against Ireland.

However, the T20 rankings points are accumulated from such a small pool of matches that it is difficult to read too much into them. In the current rankings period, which began on August 1, 2010, Australia have won only four of thier 13 games , which have all come against South Africa, Pakistan, England,

Pakistan take series after Super Over

Seldom has the fickleness of Twenty20 been more evident. Pakistan claimed the series against Australia, but did so in circumstances as far removed from the hiding dealt out in the first match as could be imagined. Mohammad Hafeez's team celebrated their victory in the minutes after midnight in Dubai, yet George Bailey's Australians could also take solace from a much-improved display.

Two days after being routed for 89 on the way to a seven-wicket hiding, Australia scrapped to an enthralling tie. They owed much to the captain George Bailey, who on his 30th birthday compiled the most critical and substantial innings of his T20 career to

Pakistan could boycott ICC awards over Ajmal omission

PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has reopened the debate surrounding Saeed Ajmal's exclusion from the ICC awards shortlists by hinting that Pakistan's players could boycott the awards function, to be held in Colombo on September 15, as a "robust protest". The ICC, responding to the PCB's protest on Monday, had ruled out a rethink and the matter seemed to have ended there.

However, Ashraf's comments, made during an interview to ESPNcricinfo, suggest the issue is still alive for Pakistan. "We are facing a lot of pressure from the public and from our former players to push for his inclusion," Ashraf said. "I think the ICC should

Australia make changes for must-win T20

Big Picture

The first game was dominated by Pakistan's outstanding bowlers, especially the spin of Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez and the debutant Raza Hasan, although the fast men Sohail Tanvir and Umar Gul were also very effective. They bowled Australia out for 89, their second lowest T20 total of all time, and the chase was a doddle. Again, Pakistan's bowlers will be a handful for Australia's long batting line-up. The big boundaries at Dubai won't help, and Australia will need far more than the three fours they struck in the first game if they are to avoid losing the series in this match. More than anything they need runs from the top order but worryingly David Warner is struggling for form, having scored at less than a run a ball in all three ODIs against

Bailey floored by heavy defeat

Australia's captain George Bailey has admitted his side stands no chance of winning the World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka if their performances mirror a shattering first-up loss to Pakistan in the series in Dubai.
 

The seven-wicket hiding was Australia's heaviest in terms of balls to spare for the chasing team, after Bailey's men were shot out for a measly 89, their lowest total since England rolled Ricky Ponting's team for 79 in only their second T20I, at the Rose Bowl in 2005.

What's more, the Australians can now slip to 10th in the ICC's T20 rankings before the global event begins. Should Pakistan sweep the series - a possibility given the lopsidedness of the opening match

There was something oddly relevant about England's abject cricket at Trent Bridge on Wednesday evening. Greed forced the game into the schedule - the summer's 14th of 17 limited-overs internationals, there are still three Twenty20s to come - and that greed cost the public the occasion they deserved for their unwavering support.

Everything was in place, even the weather for goodness sake, but sunshine was the only bang the good folk of Nottingham got for their buck. The England batting was dreadful and the match, bar a brief period by James Anderson with the new ball, a non-event. Too much of a good thing never did anyone any good and boy, do we

Trott found to have broken finger

Jonathan Trott has been ruled out of action for three to four weeks meaning he will miss the end of the English domestic season, after scans revealed a fracture to his right hand, but is expected to be fit for the start of the tour to India.

Trott took a blow from Dale Steyn during the fourth ODI against South Africa at Lord's on Sunday and although initial x-rays did not reveal serious damage further investigation has found an undisplaced fracture on his middle finger.

It means Trott will be unavailable for the CB40 final against Hampshire at Lord's and the final round of Championship matches, although

A meaningful prelude

Big Picture

The ICC's rankings would suggest that Pakistan (6th) and Australia (9th) will be competing for the minor placings at the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka that follows this series. Yet the talent and aggression contained within both sides is considerable, and will be on full display over the next three matches in Dubai as Mohammad Hafeez and George Bailey, the two captains, decide on their best T20 combinations before the big tournament.

Pakistan's best in the format has been proven good enough to lift the world title, as proven over a joyous three weeks in England in 2009. At the last tournament in the West Indies they looked good for another tilt, only to be humbugged by an extraordinary innings from

England look to extend winning home run

The Big Picture

England's victory at Lord's ensured their unbeaten run at home continues - they have not lost an ODI series at home since 2009 when Australia won by a country mile. But that was After the Lord Mayor's Show since the Ashes were already won and South Africa will cast this series off as just the same, particularly if they lose the final rubber. 

With the No. 1 ranking secure until the new year, England have at least a major achievement to take away from this summer and are building well. The test of their progress will come in India but for the time being they can be content with several plus points that bode well for their