Pat Cummins on Kohli, ICC trolls Pakistan fans and more - Cricket News Today, 19th November 2018
There is no dearth of cricketing action right now, as evident from the abundance of fixtures that have lined up in front of our very eyes. On one hand, we have the upcoming mouthwatering specials the India-Australia series, while we also have the Women's ICC World T20I going on in another part of the world. There is the ongoing Pak-NZ series as well, and we also have the Indian domestic season slowly kicking in, along with the much-awaited MSL.
In this special daily-running column here, we bring you the top cricketing news on and off the pitch every day. Right now, take a look at the stories that made the most headlines, in the past 24 hours.
#1 Kiwis completes a spectacular turnaround as ICC troll Pakistan fans
In a low-scoring thriller, visitors New Zealand managed to defend a target of just 175 runs, as Pakistan made yet another entry into their long history of slumping with a win at sight.
In the first Test of the Pak-NZ series held in Abu Dhabi, New Zealand could make just 153 batting first, owing to good bowling by the hosts, who then replied back with 227 runs. The Kiwis performed better in the second innings, scoring 249 runs, though the eventual target of 175 seemed easy for Pakistan.
Ajaz Patel, who picked two wickets in Pakistan's first innings, made his debut Test memorable with a fifer in the second chance, and that also earned him the match ball. Ajaz removed top-scorer Azhar and captain Sarfraz, while Babar Azam ran himself out, to see the scoreline reduced from a winning position of 130/3 to 154/6. That is when the Kiwis started hoping again as they ran through the rest of the Pakistan lineup while giving away 17 runs, eventually winning by just four runs.
The next Test will begin on 28th November 2018, in Dubai.
Meanwhile, the Women's World T20I is going on at the Caribbean, and India, Australia, West Indies and England have emerged semi-finalists after some hotly contested group stage encounters. The ICC's Twitter handlers hence decided to ask the fans how they thought the finals would pan out:
The poll did not exactly please fans from Pakistan, owing to the absence of their team in the list. But that was because they crashed out in the group stages itself, having secured no points apart from a solitary win over Ireland. The fans seemed to have confused the Men's team, who are no.1 in the format, with the Women's team.
The overload of replies finally made ICC respond and clarify the situation, while at the same time taking a massive dig at the ignorance of some fans out there:
What a folly to happen, that too in such public space. Everyone is going to remember this for a while.