https://www.scmp.com/rss/317943/feed The ICC Cricket World Cup is the flagship event of the international cricket calendar and takes place every four years, with matches contested in a 50-over format. The 2019 edition was the 12th edition of the tournament and was hosted in the United Kingdom. The first tournament took place in England in 1975 which was won by the West Indies. The 2019 World Cup was won by England, who edged out New Zealand in a pulsating finale. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Skipper Litton Das top-scored with 59 as Bangladesh beat a spirited Hong Kong by seven wickets in their first match of the Asia Cup on Thursday. Hong Kong posted 143-7 after Nizakat Khan made 42 in the T20 meeting in Abu Dhabi, where the minnows were invited to bat first. Bangladesh lost two early wickets in their chase to raise Hong Kong hopes of an upset, but Litton put on a stand of 95 with Towhid Hridoy, who made an unbeaten 35, to reach 144-3 in 17.4 overs. Litton reached his 50 in 33 balls... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3325376/asia-cup-hong-kong-lose-second-match-litton-das-guides-bangladesh-t20-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3325376/asia-cup-hong-kong-lose-second-match-litton-das-guides-bangladesh-t20-win?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 12:00:21 +0000 Uganda cricketer Alpesh Ramjani has revealed that a handful of Indian superstars will cheer on his team during their Challenge League B campaign in Hong Kong. Ramjani, who was in the 2023 ICC T20 Internationals team of the year after claiming a record 55 wickets in a single calendar year, moved to Uganda in 2021 after his construction job in India became a casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic. The slow-left-arm bowler was instrumental in Uganda’s qualification for the 2024 T20 World Cup, which was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3297680/india-cricket-stars-backing-ambitious-uganda-during-hong-kong-challenge-league-campaign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3297680/india-cricket-stars-backing-ambitious-uganda-during-hong-kong-challenge-league-campaign?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Feb 2025 01:30:19 +0000 An imperious unbeaten 90 from in-form opener Anshy Rath guided Hong Kong to a comfortable seven-wicket Cricket World Cup Challenge League B victory over Singapore on Thursday. Playing their opening match of the 11-day competition, Hong Kong reduced Singapore to 62 for five, before a gutsy 58 from Janak Prakash helped lift the visitors to a total of 171 in 46.3 overs. The hosts slipped to 47 for two in reply, after losing Martin Coetzee and Babar Hayat to successive balls. But Rath, who scored... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3297649/hong-kong-stamped-authority-challenge-league-b-easy-win-over-singapore-rath-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3297649/hong-kong-stamped-authority-challenge-league-b-easy-win-over-singapore-rath-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:24:52 +0000 Yasim Murtaza said critical victories over Tanzania and Singapore had left Hong Kong nicely poised to exploit home advantage when the Challenge League rolls into the city early next year. The all-rounder delivered pivotal performances with bat and ball, as Hong Kong wrapped up the first leg of the six-team competition with successive wins. Their campaign had been in the balance after a heavy loss to Italy, which prompted clear-the-air talks at the team hotel, was sandwiched by a win over Bahrain... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3286886/hong-kong-match-winner-murtaza-relishing-home-advantage-cricket-world-cup-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3286886/hong-kong-match-winner-murtaza-relishing-home-advantage-cricket-world-cup-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2024 01:00:16 +0000 Zeeshan Ali says Hong Kong are aching to escape the backwaters of Challenge League cricket and “show what we are capable of” on the world stage. Hong Kong begin the latest three-year Challenge League B cycle with five one-day matches over the next nine days in Uganda. Head coach Simon Willis and captain Nizakat Khan have united to emphasise the importance of the competition, which provides a potential gateway to Hong Kong recapturing their one-day international status and all the benefits that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3285326/hong-kong-cricket-fighters-craving-global-spotlight-ahead-crucial-uganda-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3285326/hong-kong-cricket-fighters-craving-global-spotlight-ahead-crucial-uganda-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2024 00:45:08 +0000 Uganda are training hard for their first-ever Twenty20 World Cup, a “dream come true” in a nation where cricket is overshadowed by football as the most popular sport. But they have a tough road ahead in the tournament, which is being jointly hosted by the United States and West Indies and runs from June 1 to June 29. Among their opponents are New Zealand and West Indies, as well as Afghanistan and Papua New Guinea, with the fixtures being held in Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago. Time is not on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3264373/cricket-t20-world-cup-uganda-enjoy-dream-come-true-they-prepare-face-new-zealand-west-indies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3264373/cricket-t20-world-cup-uganda-enjoy-dream-come-true-they-prepare-face-new-zealand-west-indies?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 May 2024 07:00:10 +0000 Former Zimbabwe captain and current Papua New Guinea head coach Tatenda Taibu wants sides like Hong Kong to have more playing opportunities against Test match countries. Taibu also wants an expansion of the 50-over World Cup, from its current 10 teams, and supports the growth of this year’s T20 World Cup, which will feature PNG, from 16 to 20 nations. PNG won a tri-series tournament in Hong Kong last week, recovering from a whacking by Nepal, to comfortably defeat the hosts, then emphatically... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3255758/former-test-cricket-star-taibu-wants-world-cup-expansion-icc-give-more-elite-chances-sides-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3255758/former-test-cricket-star-taibu-wants-world-cup-expansion-icc-give-more-elite-chances-sides-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Mar 2024 10:00:22 +0000 The drivers of a train that missed a signal and ploughed into another train, killing 14 people, were distracted because they were watching cricket on a phone, India’s railways minister said Monday. The fatal collision in Andhra Pradesh state in October took place as hosts India played England during the one-day World Cup. “The recent case in Andhra Pradesh happened because both the loco-pilot and co-pilot were distracted by the cricket match,” Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3254081/india-says-train-crash-caused-drivers-watching-cricket-killing-14-andhra-pradesh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3254081/india-says-train-crash-caused-drivers-watching-cricket-killing-14-andhra-pradesh?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Mar 2024 07:32:14 +0000 Rohit Dev, a banking professional living in New Delhi, has booked his flights. Mumbai-based writer Ismat Amin has reserved a hotel. Rakesh Patel, founder of The Bharat Army, one of the largest Indian cricket supporters groups, is sitting in London waiting for confirmation of match tickets. In a time when politics and religion divide the country there’s one thing that unites India: cricket. The passion for the sport is so pervasive that the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 (October 5 to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3230633/why-ahmedabad-host-india-vs-pakistan-world-cup-match-well-worth-visiting-besides-cricket?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3230633/why-ahmedabad-host-india-vs-pakistan-world-cup-match-well-worth-visiting-besides-cricket?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Aug 2023 03:15:08 +0000 Asia Cup matches involving India could be played in Sri Lanka after the cricketing powerhouse refused to visit arch-rival and official host Pakistan, a board official said on Sunday. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is due to make a formal announcement in the coming week after calls for a different venue for India’s games in the 50-over tournament in September, a Sri Lankan official said. Neighbours India and Pakistan have not met on either side’s soil in any version of the game since 2012, and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3223764/sri-lanka-likely-venue-india-matches-crickets-asia-cup-after-refusal-visit-pakistan-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3223764/sri-lanka-likely-venue-india-matches-crickets-asia-cup-after-refusal-visit-pakistan-official?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jun 2023 05:29:19 +0000 A television miniseries dramatising the life of the late Shane Warne was described as “beyond disrespectful” on Thursday by the Australian cricket legend’s children. The spin king died of natural causes at a luxury resort in Thailand in March aged 52, eliciting shock and grief from millions of fans around the world, along with celebrities and politicians. Barely six months later, Australia’s Nine Network – which employed him for years as a commentator – announced this week it plans a two-part... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3192636/shane-warnes-children-slam-beyond-disrespectful-tv-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3192636/shane-warnes-children-slam-beyond-disrespectful-tv-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Sep 2022 12:16:17 +0000 Shane Warne was remembered as a cricketing genius and maverick entertainer at a state memorial at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday where tens of thousands of people gathered to pay tribute to one of the game’s finest players. Australian Warne, whose talent and personality transcended cricket, died of a suspected heart attack about three weeks ago at the age of 52 while on holiday in Thailand. A private funeral was held for Warne’s family and closest friends in Melbourne last week but... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3172442/australia-bids-farewells-legend-shane-warne-state-memorial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3172442/australia-bids-farewells-legend-shane-warne-state-memorial?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Mar 2022 11:56:04 +0000 Family, sportspeople and entertainers bid farewell to Australian cricketing legend Shane Warne at a private funeral held at his hometown in Melbourne on Sunday. Warne, one of the finest bowlers of all time whose talent and personality transcended cricket, died about two weeks ago at the age of 52 while on holiday on the Thai resort island of Koh Samui. Thai authorities said an autopsy showed his death was from natural causes and Warne’s family later accepted the findings. Shane Warne’s body... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3171186/australian-cricketing-legend-shane-warnes-family-and-friends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3171186/australian-cricketing-legend-shane-warnes-family-and-friends?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Mar 2022 13:47:04 +0000 Widely regarded as one of the greatest cricket players of all time, Shane Warne’s sudden passing on March 4 sent shock waves throughout the global sporting world. Warne, 52, succumbed to natural causes while on a tropical holiday in Koh Samui, Thailand. The Australian cricket legend is survived by his children, Brooke, 24, Jackson, 23, Summer, 20, and his ex-wife Simone Callahan. Away from the game, Warne was also known to be a champion father. Let’s get to know his three wonderful children as... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3169985/who-are-shane-warnes-3-children-brooke-jackson-and-summer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3169985/who-are-shane-warnes-3-children-brooke-jackson-and-summer?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Mar 2022 22:00:12 +0000 Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison led a cascade of tributes to Shane Warne as the country woke up on Saturday to the news the cricket great had died from a suspected heart attack while on holiday in Thailand. As many in the sporting world and beyond expressed shock and grief, Morrison said Warne’s family had been offered a state funeral for the sportsman known to his compatriots simply as “Warnie”. One of the finest bowlers of all time whose talent and personality transcended cricket,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3169350/shane-warne-australia-mourns-loss-cricketing-great-officials-consider?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3169350/shane-warne-australia-mourns-loss-cricketing-great-officials-consider?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Mar 2022 02:37:34 +0000 The Philippines is better known for boxers than batters and its cricket team have not played for three years, but the side of amateurs hope to make their mark in T20 World Cup qualifiers. As the lowest-ranked side in the eight-team qualifying tournament taking place this month in Oman featuring the likes of Nepal, Ireland and United Arab Emirates, few are more surprised than the Philippines to be pulling on the pads at global level. “It’s like a fairy tale,” said skipper Jonathan Hill, a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3166994/t20-world-cup-cricket-fairy-tale-philippines-indian-expats-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3166994/t20-world-cup-cricket-fairy-tale-philippines-indian-expats-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Feb 2022 10:20:11 +0000 Bollywood’s retelling of the 1983 World Cup hit cinemas on Friday, recalling a stunning underdog victory that was instrumental in turning India into the cricket-crazy nation it is today. Captained by Kapil Dev, seen now as one of cricket’s best-ever players, India began the tournament in England as rank outsiders but ended up triumphing over the all-conquering West Indies in the final at a raucous Lord’s. Ahead of the release of 83 on Friday, The Indian Express daily said: “[The victory] was the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3161041/bollywoods-83-retells-story-indias-stunning-1983-world-cup-victory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3161041/bollywoods-83-retells-story-indias-stunning-1983-world-cup-victory?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Dec 2021 04:33:34 +0000 Staging the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia this year in the midst of a global coronavirus pandemic is “unrealistic”, Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings admitted on Tuesday. The tournament is expected to take place from October 18 to November 15, and officials have previously said they are planning for it to proceed on those dates. But with many global borders still shut due to virus-related travel restrictions, Eddings conceded that was looking increasingly unlikely. “While it hasn’t been... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3089223/covid-19-cricket-australia-admits-twenty20-world-cup-plans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3089223/covid-19-cricket-australia-admits-twenty20-world-cup-plans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Jun 2020 04:34:49 +0000 Home-field advantage is an accepted truth in the sporting world, but it does not always come to pass and China’s men’s basketball team are the latest to find that out the hard way. After losing 72-59 to Venezuela on Wednesday night, the hosts of the Fiba 2019 Basketball World Cup moved on to the 17-32 place draw, missing out on the second round and the knockouts beyond that. Instead, China move on to the wooden spoon group with South Korea, Nigeria and Ivory Coast in Guangdong. They don’t even... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3025872/does-china-crashing-out-fiba-basketball-world-cup-make-them-worst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3025872/does-china-crashing-out-fiba-basketball-world-cup-make-them-worst?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Sep 2019 00:00:06 +0000 Joy was in short supply for Mohammad Imran. The high school senior studies in Afghanistan’s Gardez city, capital of the eastern province of Paktia; needing a break, he planned a short trip to his home village in the province’s Zurmat district. Once there, however, he was almost caught up in a battle between the Afghan government and Taliban insurgents, and his trip back to Gardez was a struggle. His next attempt at recreation proved a lot more fruitful and a lot less potentially deadly – a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/3021788/how-cricket-gave-afghanistan-its-hope-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/3021788/how-cricket-gave-afghanistan-its-hope-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Aug 2019 01:30:14 +0000 One of the big attractions of top sporting events is their ability to provide a little escapism – a temporary diversion from the world’s problems. Sport, at its best, is exciting, uplifting and inspiring. All these attributes were on display during a day of extraordinary sporting drama in Britain on Sunday, witnessed by millions of viewers around the world. Many stayed up late – or in some cases all night – to witness the finale. The Cricket World Cup final between hosts England and New Zealand... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3018706/day-drama-sports-should-inspire-us-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3018706/day-drama-sports-should-inspire-us-all?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jul 2019 13:58:23 +0000 “We got a slice of luck,” said jubilant England captain Eoin Morgan in the giddy afterglow of the most pulsating sporting finale in living memory, delivering an assessment that may also be in the running for biggest understatement in the history of sport. Has a victorious team ever felt the benefit of so many crucial, game-defining strokes of good fortune on their way to victory? Liverpool got awfully fortunate in the 2005 Uefa Champions League final against AC Milan. The no-look save by Jerzy... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3018683/was-englands-cricket-world-cup-triumph-over-new-zealand-luckiest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3018683/was-englands-cricket-world-cup-triumph-over-new-zealand-luckiest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jul 2019 10:22:38 +0000 Queen Elizabeth led the tributes to England’s cricketers after they lifted the Cricket World Cup in a dramatic final at Lord’s on Sunday. The game was tied after both sides scored 241 from their 50 overs and went to a winner-takes-all Super Over. The Super Overs finished with the scores tied once more. Both teams scored 16 runs from the six balls, although England were helped by a freak four from Martin Guptill’s throw deflecting off the bat of Ben Stokes as he dived for the crease. A message... https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3018607/cricket-world-cup-queen-leads-tributes-twitter-reacts-englands-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/cricket/article/3018607/cricket-world-cup-queen-leads-tributes-twitter-reacts-englands-win?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jul 2019 04:51:32 +0000 In India, a politician’s son or daughter has a fair chance of getting elected, a business house may actively promote hereditary succession and even the children of film stars can aspire and succeed on joining their parents’ profession, but a Test cricketer’s son cannot wear the India cap without being one of the 11 most talented players in the country. I am a living example of this. Famous surnames don’t work in cricket, that’s why there are no cricketing dynasties in India. Seventy years after... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2126173/how-cricket-bats-democracy-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2126173/how-cricket-bats-democracy-india?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Dec 2017 05:30:45 +0000 Michael Clarke hit 74 in his last one-day international to lead Australia to their fifth Cricket World Cup title with a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in a disappointing final on Sunday. A record crowd of 93,013 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground saw power-packed Australia bowl out the Black Caps for 183 and then gallop to victory in the 34th over. Clarke, who announced his retirement from the one-day format on the eve of the final, added 112 runs for the third wicket with his likely successor... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1750427/big-brother-australia-rules-over-new-zealand-cricket-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1750427/big-brother-australia-rules-over-new-zealand-cricket-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2015 14:42:43 +0000 After 48 matches involving teams from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, cricket's global showcase has distilled itself into a local derby. Australia and New Zealand welcomed 12 other nations to the Cricket World Cup, but saved the final for themselves, ensuring Sunday's championship match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground will feature the tournament's two best teams and will be permeated by one of world sport's most heart-felt rivalries. In trying to characterise that rivalry, commentators have evoked a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1749846/no-brotherly-love-lost-co-hosts-vie-glory-cricket-world-cup-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1749846/no-brotherly-love-lost-co-hosts-vie-glory-cricket-world-cup-final?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2015 15:56:39 +0000 Steve Smith's golden summer just keeps on getting better. Australia's new run-scoring machine just can't seem to do any wrong and now he is off to the World Cup final. Smith has been piling up the runs and breaking records all summer. And on Thursday, in one of the biggest matches of his blossoming career, he did it again, scoring a match-winning century in the semi-final against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Smith's 105 was a composed and perfectly constructed innings. He came to the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1748037/aussie-run-machine-steve-smith-does-it-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1748037/aussie-run-machine-steve-smith-does-it-again?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2015 14:48:41 +0000 Australia skipper Michael Clarke is confident his side will have no problem handling the weight of local expectation when they meet reigning champions India in a blockbuster World Cup semi-final on Thursday. Australia's four titles make them the most successful team in World Cup history but only Clarke, Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson survive from their last triumph in 2007 and they have never won the trophy on home soil. They can remove that anomaly in Melbourne on Sunday, but first they need... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1747311/australia-can-handle-pressure-india-clash-says-captain-michael?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1747311/australia-can-handle-pressure-india-clash-says-captain-michael?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2015 16:05:32 +0000 Grant Elliott struck a six from the penultimate ball on Tuesday for New Zealand to beat South Africa by four wickets in a cliffhanger and reach their first Cricket World Cup final. New Zealand came to the last over of a rain-shortened match needing 12 runs to reach their Duckworth-Lewis target of 298 from 43 overs, and made it with just one ball left at Eden Park. "I don't even know where the ball went," Elliott said after hitting a length ball from Dale Steyn over the long-on boundary. We've... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1746530/black-caps-edge-south-africa-cliffhanger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1746530/black-caps-edge-south-africa-cliffhanger?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2015 14:45:15 +0000 Steve Smith piled up a lot of runs against India leading into the World Cup, and reckons the defending champions still have a few scars from their underwhelming tour against Australia. The teams meet again in a World Cup semi-final on Thursday, with India on a seven-match winning streak that started with a 76-run win over arch-rival Pakistan on February 15. They didn't beat us once. So I think that's going to be playing on their mind a little bit Steve Smith That's of no great concern to Smith,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1746552/australia-have-edge-over-india-says-steve-smith?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1746552/australia-have-edge-over-india-says-steve-smith?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2015 14:30:15 +0000 The four best one-day teams have made the semi-finals of the World Cup and New Zealand's clash with South Africa at Eden Park is going to be "one heck of a show", according to coach Mike Hesson. Hesson's side advanced to their third successive semi-final, and seventh overall, with a 143-run victory over West Indies in Wellington on Saturday, courtesy of batsman Martin Guptill's record 237 not out. South Africa were also impressive in their nine-wicket destruction of Sri Lanka last Wednesday at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1744776/black-caps-and-proteas-set-heck-show-cricket-world-cup-semis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1744776/black-caps-and-proteas-set-heck-show-cricket-world-cup-semis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2015 13:47:23 +0000 Australia's World Cup semi-final against India is still days away but the mind games are already in full swing. With the stakes so high, neither side are wasting any opportunity to get a crucial edge. The Australians flew into Sydney yesterday, two days after their emphatic win over Pakistan in Adelaide, and into a debate over the sort of pitch that would best suit each team. The state of the Sydney Cricket Ground pitch could play a pivotal role in the outcome. It is normally a spinner's... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1744791/australia-hoping-fast-scg-pitch-against-india-cricket-world-cup-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1744791/australia-hoping-fast-scg-pitch-against-india-cricket-world-cup-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2015 13:31:05 +0000 Martin Guptill's record-shattering double century and Trent Boult's four-wicket haul sent New Zealand sailing into the World Cup semi-finals as they trounced the West Indies by 143 runs on Saturday. Guptill, dropped on four by Marlon Samuels, finished on 237 not out, the highest individual score in World Cup history and the second largest one-day international innings ever, as he led New Zealand to 393 for six in their 50 overs at Wellington Stadium. Faced with a barrage of questions after the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1744141/new-zealands-martin-guptill-modest-about-double-century?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1744141/new-zealands-martin-guptill-modest-about-double-century?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2015 16:32:49 +0000 New Zealand will stick with their crash, bang, wallop brand of cricket in today's World Cup quarter-final against West Indies because it gives them the best chance of winning, captain Brendon McCullum said on Friday. The 33-year-old McCullum has electrified the tournament with his belligerent attacking style, both with bat in hand and through his tactics in the field, as New Zealand reached the last eight unbeaten. "I think it's safe to assume that we'll still try to play an entertaining and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1743522/its-all-out-attack-black-caps-says-captain-brendon-mccullum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1743522/its-all-out-attack-black-caps-says-captain-brendon-mccullum?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2015 15:46:14 +0000 Australian Shane Watson admitted he was fortunate to escape Wahab Riaz's classic spell of intimidating, eyeball-to-eyeball fast bowling in Friday's World Cup quarter-final, which the home side won by six wickets. Watson finished on an unbeaten 64 off 66 balls, but he was dropped on four by Pakistan's Rahat Ali at fine leg off a 145km/h Riaz bouncer as the veteran all-rounder was under siege. Riaz charged in, peppering the Australian batsman with a series of short-pitched deliveries and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1743530/shane-watson-relieved-after-nasty-spell-pakistan-quick-wahab-riaz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1743530/shane-watson-relieved-after-nasty-spell-pakistan-quick-wahab-riaz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2015 15:15:00 +0000 India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni praised his team for their spirited revival after storming into the World Cup semi-finals on Thursday. India's Rohit Sharma stroked an authoritative century and Umesh Yadav claimed four wickets to help defending champions India advance with a 109-run win over Bangladesh at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. We can't shy away from the fact that we are playing some good cricket Mahendra Singh Dhoni Sharma scored 137 off just 126 balls with 14 boundaries and three... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1742181/mahendra-singh-dhoni-hails-spirit-india-cruise-semi-finals-cricket?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1742181/mahendra-singh-dhoni-hails-spirit-india-cruise-semi-finals-cricket?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2015 13:45:45 +0000 History favours Australia, but Pakistan's astonishing ability to conjure magical wins promises enthralling cricket during their Cricket World Cup quarter-final at the Adelaide Oval on Friday. Misbah-ul-Haq's men are determined to replicate the success of their predecessors under Imran Khan who won the tournament Down Under in 1992 - and their paths bear an uncanny similarity. Imran's team won just one of their first five matches, but bounced back to win the next five, including the final against... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1742142/form-pakistan-eye-magical-world-cup-victory-over-favourites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1742142/form-pakistan-eye-magical-world-cup-victory-over-favourites?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2015 13:15:00 +0000 Defending champions India steam into Thursday's quarter-final against first-timers Bangladesh with the momentum of an unbeaten six-game pool run as the World Cup becomes cut-throat. India have reached the knockout rounds in unexpected ebullient form after their dismal winless test and one-day tour of Australia just prior to the World Cup. They join New Zealand as the only unbeaten teams left. It would be a considerable upset if ninth-ranked Bangladesh, who muddled through most of last year... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1741286/india-have-momentum-sweep-bangladesh-aside-cricket-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1741286/india-have-momentum-sweep-bangladesh-aside-cricket-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2015 14:26:34 +0000 South Africa stormed into the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday with a nine-wicket rout of Sri Lanka, which brought the curtain down on the ODI careers of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Off-spinner JP Duminy (three for 29) took a hat-trick and leg-spinner Imran Tahir claimed four for 26 as South Africa, who had never before won a World Cup knockout match, set up a clash against either New Zealand or West Indies for a place in the March 29 final. Chasing just 134 to win, the Proteas... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1741334/sri-lanka-not-south-africa-choke-cricket-world-cup-quarter-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1741334/sri-lanka-not-south-africa-choke-cricket-world-cup-quarter-final?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2015 13:45:45 +0000 Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews hopes his side can feed off yet more passionate support from their fans in today's World Cup quarter-final against South Africa in Sydney. When Sri Lanka played tournament co-hosts Australia at the SCG during the pool stages, the vast number of supporters from local expatriate communities, as well as travelling fans, generated so much noise and colour it made the match seem like a home game for the Islanders. "If you play at the MCG [Melbourne Cricket Ground] or... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1740513/sri-lanka-captain-angelo-matthews-banks-home-support-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1740513/sri-lanka-captain-angelo-matthews-banks-home-support-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2015 14:45:00 +0000 Pakistan and the West Indies secured the two remaining places in the Cricket World Cup quarter-finals after coming through must-win matches in the last of the tournament's group games on Sunday. Pakistan, the 1992 champions, beat Ireland by seven wickets in a winner-takes-all clash in Adelaide. Earlier, the West Indies saw off the United Arab Emirates by six wickets in Napier. West Indies' win saw the 1975 and 1979 champions edge out Ireland for a last-eight place on net run rate. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1738571/pakistan-and-west-indies-complete-quarter-final-line-cricket-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1738571/pakistan-and-west-indies-complete-quarter-final-line-cricket-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2015 14:13:49 +0000 India and Australia wrapped up their World Cup group campaigns in style yesterday, paving the way for a knife-edge finish today when Pakistan, West Indies and Ireland will tussle over the last two quarter-final spots. Defending champions India, who had already made the last eight, ruined Brendan Taylor's farewell party with a hard-fought six-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in Auckland for their sixth win in six games in pool B. Suresh Raina survived two dropped catches during his unbeaten 110 - his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1737909/india-ruin-brendan-taylors-farewell-party-cricket-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1737909/india-ruin-brendan-taylors-farewell-party-cricket-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2015 15:22:11 +0000 John Mooney is perhaps an honest man, a very honest man. Perhaps. Mooney is an integral part of Ireland's national cricket team, the quintessential interlopers at this year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The Irish are on the verge of becoming the only non-test playing country to advance to the final eight of cricket's most prestigious tournament Despite the low profile of the game in the Emerald Isle, the Irish are on the verge of becoming the only non-test playing country to advance... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1737697/right-field-no-con-honest-john?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1737697/right-field-no-con-honest-john?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2015 12:56:42 +0000 Opener Martin Guptill and paceman Tim Southee praised New Zealand's fightback in their hard-earned win over Bangladesh in Hamilton on Friday, hoping it will stand them in good stead in the knockout stage. New Zealand won by three wickets after being tested in both batting and bowling with Guptill making his first hundred of the tournament and Southee hitting the winning six and the boundary to seal the win. Bangladesh were lifted to 288-7 by Mohammad Mahmudullah's unbeaten 128 - his second... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1737010/new-zealand-respond-testing-challenge-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1737010/new-zealand-respond-testing-challenge-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2015 15:15:32 +0000 South Africa's 146-run victory over UAE in their final World Cup pool B clash yesterday was exactly what the team needed heading into the quarter-finals, captain AB de Villiers said. De Villiers' side have experienced an inconsistent campaign and were still to secure qualification for the last eight before the match at Wellington Regional Stadium. South Africa had displayed their best form when twice registering scores of more than 400 runs, but also appeared vulnerable in losses to India and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1736156/uae-victory-boosts-south-africas-confidence-ahead-last-eight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1736156/uae-victory-boosts-south-africas-confidence-ahead-last-eight?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2015 15:45:00 +0000 Pakistan and Ireland will relive nightmarish memories of the World Cup's most tragic moment eight years ago when they clash at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday. It was on March 17, 2007 - St Patrick's Day - that the unheralded Irish team stunned Pakistan in a group match at Sabina Park, Jamaica. The loss knocked Pakistan out of the tournament but a bigger shock awaited them a day later when their coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in the bathroom of his hotel room in Kingston. I remember Bob a lot, he... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1736166/bob-woolmer-death-2007-casts-long-shadow-over-match?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1736166/bob-woolmer-death-2007-casts-long-shadow-over-match?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2015 15:00:00 +0000 Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said he had gone down on his knees to beg record-breaking batsman Kumar Sangakkara not to quit after the Cricket World Cup. Sangakkara, 37, will call time on his ODI career at the end of the tournament but he is still in a rich vein of form – on Wednesday he became the first batsman to score four consecutive one-day centuries as Sri Lanka thrashed Scotland by 148 runs in Hobart. The left-hander hit 124 off 95 balls and 38-year-old Tillakaratne Dilshan made 104 as... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1735297/sri-lanka-skipper-begs-kumar-sangakkara-not-quit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1735297/sri-lanka-skipper-begs-kumar-sangakkara-not-quit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2015 13:30:45 +0000 "We thought 275 was chaseable. We shall have to look at the data." With those words, uttered following a defeat by Bangladesh in Adelaide that knocked England out of the Cricket World Cup, Peter Moores appeared to write his own epitaph for his second spell as coach of the national side. We would have to have an absolute stinker not to make the quarter-finals Stuart Broad in January It did not require great statistical analysis to understand why England had gone down by 15 runs to Bangladesh -... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1734541/fundamental-change-crucial-england-one-day-cricket-teams-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1734541/fundamental-change-crucial-england-one-day-cricket-teams-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2015 15:30:00 +0000 Mahendra Singh Dhoni says his bowlers have brought about India's "remarkable difference" between a fruitless tour of Australia and the Cricket World Cup and are making him look good as a captain. India were heavily beaten by Australia in a four-test series in December and January, and finished last behind Australia and England in a one-day tri-series going into the defence of their world title. But India on Tuesday recorded their fifth victory in a row at the current World Cup with a thumping... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1734564/indias-dhoni-praises-bowlers-big-turnaround?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1734564/indias-dhoni-praises-bowlers-big-turnaround?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2015 13:55:03 +0000 England’s woeful record at the Cricket World Cup continued yesterday as they were dumped out of the competition after crashing to a 15-run defeat against Bangladesh. Mohammad Mahmudullah became the first Bangladeshi batsman to score a World Cup century faced with a dismal England bowling attack at the Adelaide Oval. It was pretty poor, to be knocked out of the World Cup is unbelievably disappointing Eoin Morgan Mahmudullah scored 103 and brother-in-law Mushfiqur Rahim made 89 as the Tigers... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1733663/toothless-england-limp-away-world-cup-after-defeat-bangladesh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1733663/toothless-england-limp-away-world-cup-after-defeat-bangladesh?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2015 13:33:31 +0000