Harry Brook’s World Cup hopes continue to loom large as England prepare for their T20 decider against New Zealand, with vice-captain Moeen Ali admitting a selection U-turn remains possible.
Brook was left out of a preliminary 15-man squad for next month’s 50-over title defence after Ben Stokes returned from one-day retirement to take up a place in the middle order.
That was a surprising move given the 24-year-old’s burgeoning reputation and Brook reacted in the perfect manner, crashing a stunning century in his final innings of The Hundred before adding rapid-fire knocks of 43 not out and 67 in victories over the Black Caps.
Skipper Jos Buttler appeared to leave the door ajar for the Yorkshireman by saying there was a “long time” before the official September 28 deadline and noted that Brook was not in the squad “at the moment”.
Speaking ahead of the summer’s final T20 at Trent Bridge, with England 2-1 ahead despite a 74-run defeat on Sunday, Moeen acknowledged the issue was far from settled.
“He’s been unlucky to miss out but the way he’s playing he could come back in, you never know,” said the all-rounder.
“Harry Brook is going to be a great player and he’s playing great at the minute. It’s a great headache to have as a side and I’m sure the captain and the coaches are thinking the same thing.
“It’s so difficult for the captain and the coaches, so I’m glad it’s not my call.”
Dawid Malan is the player who may find his spot under threat should Brook make another statement in Nottingham. He revealed he was relieved to see his name in the provisional announcement given the tight squeeze for batting places has scored just two runs from 15 deliveries in his last two innings to invite further pressure.
But Moeen has made it clear that his track record in limited-overs cricket, where he has been a reliable scorer for several years, will not easily be overlooked.
“One thing with Malan is, he’s never let the team down,” said Moeen.
“You’re guaranteed runs from him, he hardly ever fails. He’s been on all the tours and done really well, he’s always scored runs. He’s a top player in his own right, he’s never let England down. These last two innings, he’s obviously human and people do miss out, but he will score a lot of runs for England to come.”
Both Moeen and Malan are 36, the latter’s birthday celebrations stymied by Sunday’s heavy defeat, and form part of a seasoned side that looks ripe for renewal in 2024.
Opener Jason Roy has already suggested as much and Moeen is not shrinking from the fact that he could be approaching the end of his ODI career.
“A lot can happen still but I think not just for England, for most countries, there are a lot of players in their mid-thirties who might just think about retiring after the World Cup,” he said.
“I’ve not really fully thought about it but it potentially could be, yeah.”
In the immediate term, England will be eager to deny New Zealand a share of the spoils in the T20 finale and, while a clean sweep would have been good for confidence, Moeen sees the benefit of tuning up with a decider.
“I think it’s difficult to compare 50 overs to T20s, but it’s good being under pressure as a side,” he said.
“I think we’ll learn more in the 50-over series but still you can learn, the T20 World Cup’s not too far away and on these kind of wickets we need to adapt better. New Zealand are a top side, they have been for many years. They’re very dangerous with a lot of very good players.”
Andre Russell ventures into Bollywood music scene with SRK's support
West Indies and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell is set to make waves in Bollywood, following in the footsteps of Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo, who achieved success with his hit song 'Champion' in India.
Known for adding energy and entertainment to the dressing room, West Indian cricketers have a history of making their mark beyond the cricket field, with stars like Chris Gayle, DJ Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Darren Sammy shining in the IPL. The latest to join this list is Andre Russell, the dynamic KKR sensation.
Russell is stepping into the music world by lending his vocals to a song composed by Palaash Muchhal. He will also be featured alongside actress Avika Gor in the accompanying music video.
What makes Russell's foray into music even more exciting is the backing of Bollywood titan Shahrukh Khan, the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. Known for his larger-than-life persona, SRK is not just a team owner but also a key figure in the entertainment industry. Russell and SRK share a strong camaraderie, often seen enjoying each other's company and having fun moments together.
Recently, a video of Russell singing SRK's iconic song "Lut Put Gaya" from the movie 'Dunki' went viral, showcasing his passion for music. With SRK's support and Russell's infectious energy, fans can anticipate an exciting collaboration between the cricket star and the Bollywood icon.
Andre Russell's venture into Bollywood music adds a new dimension to his versatile talents and promises to be a delightful treat for his fans in India and across the globe.
IPL: Kumar the hero as Sunrisers stun Royals for final-ball win
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero as Sunrisers Hyderabad came back from the brink to secure a final-ball win over Indian Premier League leaders Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.
Kumar left the Royals reeling at 1-2 as they chased 202 for victory, dismissing both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for first-over ducks, flattening middle wicket to send the latter walking five balls in.
A 127-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag then seemed to have the Royals closing in on a fifth straight win, only for their chase to unravel in spectacular fashion.
Two wickets apiece from Thangarasu Natarajan and Pat Cummins left the Royals needing 20 runs off 11 balls, and Rovman Powell came up with a thrilling cameo, the highlight being an unbelievable dive to avoid being run out on the penultimate delivery, which took Rajasthan within two runs of victory and one of a super over.
However, there was one more twist to come as Powell swung at Kumar's full toss, which clipped his back leg and was confirmed as out following a review, sealing a memorable win for Sunrisers.
The Sunrisers had also found themselves in a hole in their own innings, only for Nitish Kumar Reddy (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (42) to finish unbeaten and bring up a total they were just about able to defend.
Data Debrief: Kumar bookends back-and-forth innings
For much of the Rajasthan innings, it looked like Kumar's early dismissals of Buttler and Samson would count for nought, with some expensive overs from Cummins and Marco Jansen leaving the Royals on the brink.
However, Kumar stepped up when it was all on the line on the final delivery, leaving Powell in a tangle to end Hyderabad's two-match losing streak and lift them into the top four.
Pakistan bowlers shine to hand West Indies first loss of tour in fourth T20I
West Indies Women suffered their first loss on their tour of Pakistan as the hosts secured an eight-wicket win in the fourth T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium on Thursday.
Excellent Pakistan bowling meant the tourists were restricted to just 84-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Shemaine Campbelle (26), Zaida James (19) and Jannilea Glasgow (10) were the only West Indian batters to get double-figures as Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar dominated with 3-18 from four overs and 3-19 from four overs, respectively.
Pakistan then needed only 16.3 overs to reach 87-2 and secure their first win of the series. Ayesha Zafar led the way with 42* off 48 balls while Gull Feroza finished 21* off 24 balls.
Afy Fletcher and Shamilia Connell took a wicket, each, for the Windies.
Full Scores: West Indies Women 84-9 (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19)
Pakistan Women 87-2 (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*, Afy Fletcher 1-6, Shamilia Connell 1-8)
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