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THAT’S IT! THE MATCH WAS ABANDONED DUE TO RAIN! On Tuesday, May 28, the third T20I in Cardiff was called off without a ball being thrown because of rain. Two of the three T20Is in the two teams’ four-game series have been rained out. It is the second abandonment of the series after the rain wrecked Wednesday’s series opener in Leeds. There were only 39.2 of the 120 planned overs bowled thus far. England stays 1-0 ahead with one game remaining at The Oval on Thursday after a 23-run win at Edgbaston. But this latest cancellation comes just a week before they begin their T20 World Cup title defense against Scotland in Barbados on June 4. Pakistan enters the series having won the three-match T20I series against Ireland 2-1. Jos Buttler’s Absence Effect The England Team England’s skipper, Jos Buttler, did not go to Cardiff for personal reasons. If the game had gone place, Moeen Ali would have headed their side instead. Buttler left the squad on Saturday night after England’s 23-run victory

Haris Rauf, Pakistan’s paceman, thinks the three months he spent on the sidelines with a dislocated shoulder might be a “blessing in disguise” as he prepares for the Twenty20 World Cup. On Saturday, the 30-year-old fast bowler made an encouraging comeback to competitive cricket by collecting 2-34 in Pakistan’s second warm-up match against T20 world champions England in Birmingham. “I’ve been injured for a few months, but if you believe in yourself, the layoff can be a blessing in disguise,” Rauf said during a pre-match news conference in Cardiff on Monday, ahead of the third T20. “Because you have time to recoup and rethink your strategies. I felt wonderful returning to cricket. When you play for your nation, you feel quite proud." Rauf’s Performance and Team Confidence Haris Rauf’s comeback at Edgbaston was strong, if not remarkable. He was the best of the fast bowlers, taking two wickets for 34 in his allotted time. It includes an ill-advised Powerplay over Rauf’s weakest phase,

England Test captain and our favourite, Ben Stokes, will make his first Durham appearance in two years.  He’s going to face Ashes rival Nathan Lyon, later this week. Ben has withdrawn from next month’s T20 World Cup. And he is focused on his red ball game—a return to all-rounder responsibilities after spending most of the previous year as a specialist hitter. Just after the completion of England’s Test tour of India, the 32-year-old all-rounder took a one-year vacation. He misses the first five games of his country’s return to the top division. But he is now ready for his comeback. Ben Stokes’ Great Return to Cricket The England Test captain’s last competitive match was the final match of the tour of India in early March. After withdrawing from the IPL, Ben Stokes declared himself unavailable for next month’s T20 World Cup. It was a guarantee he could play a full role in the Test summer. Both with bat and ball.  After his surgery in November to remove a problematic left knee that had s

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants India to play all their matches in Lahore for the Champions Trophy next year. This Champions Trophy is a big cricket tournament with many teams. Pakistan is supposed to hold it in 2025. The report says PCB is thinking about hosting it in mid-February. Lahore is picked because it’s close to the Wagah Border, where India and Pakistan meet. The report also says Lahore will have the final match. Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore are where the matches will happen. However, PCB chose Lahore for India because it’s easier for planning and security. Moreover, it’s better for Indian fans since they won’t have to travel much. PCB, ‘India-Pakistan Only Meet in ICC Events’ PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said earlier this week that the board had sent a draft schedule of the tournament. It will most likely be staged at the ICC in mid-February next year. Discussions involving the eight participating members will take place. The major sticking point is whether the India

Defending champions England won its second T20 World Cup title by defeating India in the semi-finals. And Pakistan in the final. On Tuesday, Jos Buttler’s England side announced their 15-man preliminary squad for the showpiece event. Fit-again pacer Jofra Archer and rookie all-rounder Tom Hartley have featured in the 15-member preliminary T20 World Cup squad. The England Cricket Board also announced the return of T20 World Cup-bound players in the Indian Premier League on Tuesday. The apex board released its statement for England’s upcoming T20 series against Pakistan. That will be underway on May 22 at Headingley. “Selected players, currently playing in the Indian Premier League, will return in time for the series against Pakistan, which gets underway at Headingley on Wednesday 22 May 2024,” the ECB stated. How Can England Players’ Absence Impact IPL The release of the ECB’s statement means that the IPL teams will be playing without the services of English players in the playoffs.  Th

Surprisingly, Hardik Pandya was renamed vice-captain of the Indian T20 World Cup squad. That was announced by the BCCI on Tuesday, 30 April. After this announcement, legendary India cricketer, Sunil Gavaskar revealed the few gods and bads of the WC squad. He feels there is no reason to get overly worried about Hardik Pandya’s bowling form going into the T20 World Cup. He stated the all-rounder would be a “different player” in national colours.  Despite the ordinary form of Hardik Pandya for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL. The MI captain has scored 197 runs. And took just four wickets in 10 games. Due to his efforts, his team is now in the ninth spot. Hardik Pandya’s Performance and Mindset “There’s a big difference between playing in the IPL and playing for your country. Playing for your country brings out something different in every player and Hardik Pandya will be a different player,” said Gavaskar on Sports Today. “He’s had to face a lot of issues in this particular tournament (