The West Indies faced a tumultuous opening day at Brisbane in the second Test against Australia, with the score standing at 266-8 at stumps. The day/night match showcased the brilliance of Mitchell Starc, who claimed four crucial wickets, including his 350th Test scalp, to rattle the West Indies top order.

The day began with the West Indies winning the toss, offering them a golden opportunity. However, Starc had different plans, dismantling the top order in the opening session. He took three wickets, while Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins each contributed with one. The West Indies' top six struggled to adapt to the extra bounce, with five of them nicking deliveries that could have been left alone.

Just when it seemed like the West Indies might squander their chance, Kavem Hodge and Joshua Da Silva orchestrated a remarkable fightback during the middle session. They batted through the twilight period, frustrating the Australian bowlers on what was considered a good batting pitch at the Gabba. The duo forged a resilient partnership of 149 for the sixth wicket, showcasing excellent defense and decision-making.

As the pink ball softened and the pitch flattened out, Da Silva and Hodge capitalized on any overpitched deliveries, driving with control through cover and down the ground. Despite Australia cycling through seven bowlers in the session, including Marnus Labuschagne, the West Indies' batsmen stood firm, forming the highest and longest stand of the series to date.

Da Silva's valiant effort eventually came to an end when he fell for 79 to a delivery from Nathan Lyon. Attempting to flick the ball, he missed and was adjudged plumb in front. Hodge, on the other hand, continued his impressive innings, reaching 71 before edging to slip off Mitchell Starc.

The lower order then contributed, with Kevin Sinclair and Alzarri Joseph adding a valuable 41 runs. Joseph played the aggressor, striking seven fours in his quick 22-ball knock. However, Josh Hazlewood induced a thick edge off the last ball of the day, dismissing Joseph for 32. Kevin Sinclair was not out on 16 at the close.

Earlier in the day, the top order struggled to display the same discipline. Kraigg Brathwaite was the first to fall, enticed into a half-hearted drive by Hazlewood. Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kirk McKenzie steadied the ship briefly, but McKenzie's aggression led to his downfall as he nicked to slip while trying to cut Cummins off the front foot.

Starc returned before the first break to claim three wickets in quick succession. Chanderpaul, Alick Athanaze, and Justin Greaves all fell victim to Starc's skillful bowling. Athanaze's dismissal marked a milestone for Starc, as he secured his 350th Test wicket, becoming the fifth Australian to achieve this feat and leaving him just four wickets behind Dennis Lillee on Australia's all-time list. The West Indies will look to regroup and build on their total on the second day of this captivating Test match.

England were given a sharp reality check on the opening day of their Test series in India, spun out for 246 in Hyderabad before a bruising introduction for debutant Tom Hartley.

India have lost just three times in their last 46 games on home soil and were quick to offer a reminder of the task that faces England’s Bazball brigade over the next seven weeks.

England captain Ben Stokes, who was on crutches after knee surgery in November, struck a vital 70 to give his side a fighting chance in their first innings but on a predictably helpful surface eight of his team-mates fell to spinners Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.

England, who were dismissed for less than 200 six times in eight attempts on their last visit in 2021, had loaded their own attack with three slow bowlers of their own but they were unable to replicate the same threat as India made 119 for one in reply.

Left-armer Hartley, a selectorial hunch fancied to flourish in the sub-continent, had never opened the bowling in his first-class career but accepted Stokes’ challenge to do so. It proved a gamble too far.

The 24-year-old’s first delivery in the Test arena was brutally smashed for six by Yashasvi Jaiswal, reaching to drag it high into the leg-side in what looked a pre-meditated assault. Four balls later, Jaiswal cleared the ropes again.

Stokes backed his man, keeping him on for an extended spell and keeping the field up, and the runs continued to flow. He struggled to hold both line and length, dragging a couple of long hops into the middle of the pitch and drifting down the leg side as Jaiswal continued to feast.

In amongst the carnage he showed glimmers of promise, and one promising appeal, but his nine-over spell cost a damaging 63 – including 44 in boundaries. It was impossible not to ponder the fate of Hartley’s Lancashire predecessor, Simon Kerrigan, who shipped 53 runs in eight overs on debut in the 2013 Ashes and never played for his country again.

The current regime are less likely to cut players adrift but it was a painful welcome. England’s only wicket came from the more established finger spin of Jack Leach, who had Rohit Sharma caught by Stokes trying and failing an elaborate strike down the ground.

Jaiswal, seen as an up and coming star, finished 76 not out from 70 balls having cashed in on his takedown of Hartley.

England’s day started positively, Stokes batting first after winning a handy toss and watching as Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett shared an opening stand of 55.

Despite some evident swing, the pair backed themselves and picked up an early flurry of fours before Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj made way for spin after eight unsuccessful overs.

The change was profound, with England losing three wickets for five runs in the space of 21 deliveries. Ashwin removed both set batters, Duckett lbw propping forward for 35 and Crawley driving low to mid-off for 20.

In between, the returning Ollie Pope lasted 11 skittish balls and edged Jadeja to slip for just one. Pope has not played since dislocating his shoulder in the second Test of last summer’s Ashes and the cobwebs accrued over six months were there for all to see.

Jonny Bairstow led a restorative partnership of 61 with his fellow Yorkshireman Joe Root, securing a promising lunch score of 108 for three, but further trouble arrived in the middle session. Bairstow (37) had his off stump taken by a cracker from Patel, moments before Root (29) top-edged a sweep to fine leg.

However, Stokes shepherded things impressively at the back end of the innings, which seemed to be disappearing swiftly when Ben Foakes’ nick behind made it 155 for seven. Having played his way in smartly with a secure defence, Stokes began to make his presence felt as he ran out of partners.

The reverse sweeps came out of his bat sweetly, he got value when he opted to drive and after tea he reached his half-century with back-to-back sixes off Jadeja.

Before he was finished he dealt Ashwin a similar blow, but he was last man out in the 65th over when Bumrah got one to jag away off the pitch and part his stumps.

As he walked off England’s score felt close to competitive but Indian aggression and the failed experiment with Hartley made it look slimmer and slimmer. Worse still, England used all three reviews unsuccessfully in just 14 overs – two in an attempt to win Hartley a first scalp.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has congratulated West Indies women’s captain Hayley Matthews on winning the prestigious title of ICC Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year 2023, a fitting accolade for a player of her calibre who has had enjoyed an outstanding year, consistently performing with bat and ball.

2023 was a year of dominance, nothing short of phenomenal. Her performances were not just about the numbers; they were about the impact she had in turning games around and stepping up when her team needed her the most.

Matthews' batting in 2023 was a testament to her technical prowess and mental strength. She accumulated a historical 700 runs at a strike rate 132.32, the first time a women’s player had reached this figure in a single calendar year.

The highlight innings of the year was the 132 runs she scored in the historical 213 run-chase against Australia in the second T20 International (T20I) at the North Sydney Oval, this followed 99 not out in the first match. In the third T20I she struck 79 to accumulate 310 runs, the most by any player in a women's T20I bilateral series. She took on the opposition's bowlers with a mix of traditional and innovative shots. Her ability to anchor the innings and accelerate when required makes her one of the most feared batters in the T20I circuit.

Bowling-wise, Matthews was equally impressive. Her right-arm off-spin deliveries, characterized by their flight and turn, baffled many top-order batters across various teams. She picked up 19 wickets with an economy rate of 6.84.

Matthews' recognition as the ICC Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year 2023 is not just a personal achievement but also a significant boost for West Indies women's cricket. It highlights the talent and potential within the team and the region, inspiring many young players in the Caribbean islands.

“It’s nice to see all the hard work paying off. It’s been a long two or three years to get to this point, it’s been really nice to have a good time with the bat and the ball in the last year to help the team as best as I can. I am very grateful for this award and it’s something that growing up I saw my role models achieving so to win one myself definitely means a lot,” said the West Indies Women’s captain.

Matthews was also named as a member of the ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year 2023.

CWI’s Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe in offering his congratulations stated, “Hayley has been remarkable by any standard and has embodied leadership by example. Beyond her obvious talent, her professionalism and work ethic certainly underpin her performance and should be a source of inspiration to aspiring cricketers in the West Indies and the world over.“

As Hayley Matthews continues her journey in international cricket, her eyes are set on more victories and accolades. With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and other international fixtures on the horizon this year, Matthews is undoubtedly eager to continue her impressive form.

Ben Stokes hit a counter-attacking half-century in tricky conditions as England were spun out for 246 on the first day of the first Test against India.

While far from an imposing total it was higher than seven of England’s eight innings on their previous tour of the country in 2021, bolstered by a gutsy effort of 70 from the captain.

Stokes struck three sixes and six fours in his first appearance since undergoing knee surgery, balancing sound technique with blasts of raw power and was last man out midway through the evening session.

India’s trio of spinners shared eight of the 10 wickets, with familiar foes Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja taking three apiece and Axar Patel claiming two. Although there was nothing outrageous from the surface, the amount of movement was significant for a first day pitch and is only likely to head in one direction.

England, who gambled on three spinners of their own, will be hoping to take advantage in a similar way.

Stokes would have been mightily relieved to win the toss and bat first and, for 45 minutes at least, everything fell England’s way as Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett kicked off the tour with an opening stand of 55.

But their fortunes nosedived as soon as the hosts swapped out seam for spin, losing three wickets in 21 balls for the addition of just five runs.

The hosts devoted the first eight overs of the game to pace but despite a hint of swing for Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, Crawley and Duckett took their chance to get on top with a handful of boundaries.

Crawley produced a pair of beautifully balanced on-drives, with Duckett riding the odd play-and-miss as he attacked the off side. At 41 for nought, India skipper Rohit Sharma had seen enough and sent for spin.

Almost instantly, things began to happen. Duckett swept a couple of fours before he became the first wicket of the series, pushing forward with a straight bat and falling for 35 as Ashwin won a tight lbw.

Ollie Pope, playing his first innings since the second Ashes Test in June, followed close behind. He lasted 11 uncomfortable deliveries before nicking Jadeja tamely to slip for one. After six months on the shelf, the cobwebs were clear to see.

A big lbw shout against the newly-arrived Root came moments later but after a long delay DRS appeared to show a thin edge before impact with the pad.

England’s relief lasted just a matter of seconds with Crawley driving Ashwin low to mid-off. At 60 for three it was a tense time but Bairstow’s arrival at his former IPL home ground shifted the tone.

He led the way in his stand of 61 with Root, seeing England to 108 at lunch. There was a growing sense of calm as they resumed but Patel produced a cracker to dismiss Bairstow, spearing it in on a leg-stump line and ripping it into the top of off.

Bairstow (37) was nearly blameless but Root (29) took a share of the blame when a hard-handed sweep at Jadeja looped high to short fine-leg.

Ben Foakes nicked Patel behind for four on his return to the side, Rehan Ahmed was done by an off-cutter as Bumrah returned for a second spell and debutant Tom Hartley was cleaned up by Jadeja after a sparky knock that included a swatted six off Ashwin.

Stokes resumed after tea on 43 not out and made the most of the time he had left, leathering Jadeja for back-to-back sixes to reach his fifty and later dishing out some of the same treatment to Ashwin.

The innings subsided when he was bowled by a Bumrah yorker, beaten through the air as he made room outside leg.

India’s spinners dialled up the heat on England on the first day of the first Test, leaving the tourists 215 for eight at tea on a turning track in Hyderabad.

Although the movement was not yet extreme, it was enough for the slow bowlers to share seven wickets in two sessions, with England captain Ben Stokes making a late charge on 43 not out.

Stokes’ hopes of batting first were realised when he won a crucial toss and, for 45 minutes, everything went England’s way as openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett kicked off the tour with a busy stand of 55.

But their fortunes nosedived as soon as the hosts swapped out seam for spin, losing three wickets in 21 balls for the addition of just five runs as familiar foes Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took hold.

The Yorkshire duo of Joe Root (29) and Jonny Bairstow (37), both experienced campaigners in these taxing conditions, worked hard to repair the damage with a 61-run partnership but trouble resurfaced after lunch.

England lost both in quick succession, Bairstow finding a good rhythm before falling to the ball of the day from Axar Patel and Root top-edging a sweep to short fine-leg.

India snapped up another three before the break, including debutant Tom Hartley for a lively 23, but could not shut down Stokes.

He collected five boundaries, turning up the aggression with some neat reverse sweeps and crisp drives to carry his side past the 200 mark.

England lost three wickets in quick succession against India’s spinners after the tourists enjoyed a bright start to the first Test in Hyderabad.

At lunch the tourists were 108 for three, with Yorkshire duo Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow in the midst of a repair job following India’s triple breakthrough.

A bullish opening stand of 55 between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett gave England the upper hand for the first 45 minutes, but once the seamers gave way to the slow bowlers it was a different story.

India picked up three wickets for five runs in the space of 21 balls, Ravichandran Ashwin picking off both set batters and Ravindra Jadeja making short work of an uncomfortable Ollie Pope.

The game was moving away from England quickly, as it has many times before in this part of the world, but they found stability in their experienced middle-order pair.

Root survived an lbw scare off his second ball to reach 18no and Bairstow, resuming life as a specialist number five after ceding the wicketkeeping gloves to Ben Foakes, found a nice flow for 32no.

With a side containing a solitary seam option and four spinners, England captain Ben Stokes would have been mightily relieved to win the toss and surprised nobody by choosing to bat.

The hosts devoted the first eight overs to pace but despite a hint of swing for Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, Crawley and Duckett took their chance to get on top with a handful of boundaries.

Crawley produced a pair of sweet on-drives off, with Duckett riding the odd play-and-miss as he flashed eagerly through the off-side.

At 41 for nought, India skipper Rohit Sharma had seen enough and sent for spin. Almost instantly, things began to happen. Duckett swept a couple of fours before he became the first wicket of the series, pushing forward with a straight bat and falling to a tight lbw as Ashwin squeezed one through.

Pope, playing his first innings since the second Ashes Test in June, followed close behind. He lasted 11 uncomfortable deliveries before nicking Jadeja tamely to slip for one. There was a big shout against the newly arrived Root moments later, but after a long delay DRS appeared to show a thin edge before impact with the pad.

England’s relief lasted just a matter of seconds with Crawley driving Ashwin straight to mid-off, where Siraj scooped a low catch. At 58 for three, it was a tense time but Bairstow’s arrival at his former IPL home ground shifted the tone.

Jewel Andrew continued his rich vein of form at the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, as he posted another unbeaten knock in a five-wicket beating of Scotland, which gifted West Indies their first win of tournament at Senwes Park, in South Africa, on Wednesday.

After blasting a 96-ball 130 in a losing cause against the host in West Indies’ opening fixture, Andrew again displayed confidence and poise in his unbeaten 64 off 60 balls, which ensured West Indies successfully chased down Scotland’s 205.

Andrew’s knock includes eight boundaries, as he starred in an unbroken 95-run sixth-wicket stand with Nathan Edward, who capitalised on a promotion up the order, with a patient 27 off 55.

Scores: Scotland 205-9 (50 overs); West Indies 206-5 (35.1 overs)

The two came together with the regional side in a spot of bother at 111-5. This, as Adrian Weir (seven), Captain Stephan Pascal (26), Joshua Dorne (11), Jordan Johnson (24) and Mavendra Dindyal (29), all again failed to make a lasting impression.

Fortunately, Edwards patiently occupied one end, and that allowed Andrew to play with some degree of freedom against the Scottish seamers.

“It was a great knock, and I must say thanks everyone to come out and support us. They (Scottish seamers) are quick, but I like the challenge, so it was just all about learning, improving and ticking the boxes that the coaches have for us,” Andrew said in a post-game television interview.

Earlier, Pascal’s decision to insert Scotland proved right. Apart from Jamie Dunk, who made an 87-ball 57, as well as Adi Hedge (32) and Alec Price (31), the opponents offered very little resistance with the bat, as they found Isai Thorne, in particular, too hot to handle.

Thorne, a right-arm medium fast, bagged a career-best 4-46 from nine overs, with Nathan Sealy 2-38 from then, being the next best figures.

The win, which was also West Indies’ fourth over Scotland at this level, saw them to second in Group B on two points, behind England (four points).

Spinner Shoaib Bashir has been granted an Indian visa and can now rejoin the England squad, the England and Wales Cricket Board has confirmed.

The uncapped 20-year-old, a British Muslim with Pakistani heritage, was unable to travel to India for the start of England’s upcoming five-Test series due to delays with his visa application.

He initially remained in Abu Dhabi after the team’s recent training camp but was later forced to return to the UK to complete the process.

It was confirmed on Wednesday that the Somerset youngster had belatedly received the necessary stamp of approval in London and would now be able to fly out to India.

The news comes too late for him to be involved in the first Test in Hyderabad, which begins on Thursday, but he should be back with the team in the coming days.

An ECB spokesperson said: “Shoaib Bashir has now received his visa and is due to travel to join up with the team in India this weekend. We’re glad the situation has now been resolved.”

England captain Ben Stokes expressed his frustration over the episode, but said initial thoughts the team should not travel until the issue was resolved were quickly dispelled.

Stokes said: “When I first found the news out in Abu Dhabi, I did say we shouldn’t fly until Bash gets his visa, but that was a little bit tongue in cheek.

“I know it’s a way bigger thing, doing that. That was probably just (my) emotions around the whole thing. There was never a chance that we were not going to travel around this, but Bash knows he’s had our full support.

“I’m pretty devastated that Bash has had to go through this. As a leader, as a captain, when one of your team-mates is affected by something like that you do get a bit emotional.”

Bashir, who was called up for the tour after making just six first-class appearances, is not the first player to encounter difficulties receiving a visa for India.

Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood, whose parents hail from Pakistan, had to be withdrawn from an England Lions tour of India in 2019 after similar delays, while Australia opener Usman Khawaja was a late arrival on his country’s Test trip in 2023.

Last year the Pakistan Cricket Board also wrote to the International Cricket Council to express concerns over waiting times for World Cup visas.

England had called for assistance from counterparts at the Board of Control for Cricket in India for Bashir, with new operations manager Stuart Hooper leading negotiations in the United Arab Emirates, but were informed the player needed to present his passport in person at the Indian high commission in London.

England have gone all in on spin for their first Test in India, handing Tom Hartley a debut alongside Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed in a major selection gamble.

Clearly expecting more of the lavish turn that saw them blown away on their previous visit in 2021, the tourists have picked all three of their specialist slow bowlers in Hyderabad and will also utilise Joe Root’s off-breaks as an additional option.

With captain Ben Stokes unable to bowl after knee surgery, they have settled on Mark Wood as the solitary pace bowler, meaning record wicket-taker James Anderson sits out.

England are placing a lot of trust in Wood’s fitness, with their fastest bowler bullish about his fitness despite a history of injury problems.

England last named a trio of frontline spinners in their 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka in 2018, when Leach was the junior man to the more established pair of Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, but Stokes was on hand then as an all-rounder.

They have not restricted themselves to just one seamer in recent memory, but their commitment to doing things differently in the ‘Bazball’ era remains unchecked.

Within the camp they do not see this as a rogue move, instead viewing it as a willingness to react to conditions.

“I don’t necessarily think it’s bold or brave, it’s just me and Baz (head coach Brendon McCullum) looking at the wicket and picking the XI that we think will give us the best chance,” Stokes said.

“You have always got to think that the ball is going to turn in India, but you don’t want to go in with any pre-conceived ideas. We have to adapt to whatever we have presented in front of us, with bat and ball.

“It’s just being true to yourself, making selections and decisions. It comes easier as I’ve done more of this… If I think the decision is best for the team, then it’s probably the right one.

“India are an absolute beast in their home conditions, there’s no doubt about that. But that presents us with an opportunity. This team loves opportunities. We take opportunity head on and we run towards it – we don’t back away from from anything.”

Hartley comes into the reckoning despite a slim red-ball record with Lancashire. He has played 82 T20s compared to just 20 first-class games but was identified several months ago for his height, lively speed through the air and skiddy trajectory.

All of those are factors England feel are better suited to a Test match in India than a regulation county championship pitch, but the 24-year-old remains an unknown quantity.

“It’s very exciting for Tom to make his Test debut,” said Stokes.

“I’m looking forward to seeing him out there and captaining him. He’s been very impressive in the build-up in Abu Dhabi. He bowls at a very difficult pace to be able to handle out here and he’s someone who gets a lot of natural variation. In India, that is sometimes the hardest thing to face.”

Ahmed wins his second cap 13 months after becoming England’s youngest ever men’s Test cricketer in Karachi – an occasion that saw him claim a five-wicket haul in the second innings.

Despite going it alone, Wood has been told not to expect to carry a huge workload. Instead, he has been asked to use his express speed to make big contributions in brief cameos.

“What Woody brings with his high pace makes him a real impact bowler,” said Stokes.

“He’s a weapon we can use in short, sharp spells. We’ve already said that to him – bowl as fast as you can in short periods. There’s no worries about thinking about long spells. That’s how I envision using Woody before we’ve bowled a ball.”

England captain Ben Stokes floated the idea of not flying to India until Shoaib Bashir’s visa problems were resolved but admitted there was “never a chance” of putting the first Test at risk.

Bashir, a British Muslim with Pakistani heritage, was ruled out of contention for a Test debut in Hyderabad on Thursday due to delays with his application.

The 20-year-old was ultimately forced to fly home from Abu Dhabi, where England held a pre-series training camp, after his team-mates travelled on to India.

Stokes’ instant reaction when he found out the Somerset spinner had become the latest player of Pakistani descent to experience hold-ups entering India was for the squad to remain with him in a show of solidarity.

The notion did not last long, with the tight turn around effectively meaning the game would have to be postponed, but reflected Stokes’ clear disgruntlement at the treatment of a young colleague.

“When I first found the news out in Abu Dhabi, I did say we shouldn’t fly until Bash gets his visa but that was a little bit tongue in cheek,” he said at his pre-match press conference.

“I know it’s a way bigger thing, doing that. That was probably just (my) emotions around the whole thing. There was never a chance that we were not going to travel around this but Bash knows he’s had our full support.

“I’m pretty devastated that Bash has had to go through this. As a leader, as a captain, when one of your team-mates is affected by something like that you do get a bit emotional.

“I know he’s back in London and a lot of people are jumping through hoops to try and get this through quicker. Hopefully we’re going to see him here over the weekend.”

India captain Rohit Sharma expressed sympathy for Bashir, who has been thrust into the spotlight and compelled to fly almost 10,000 additional miles to secure the paperwork other players received as a matter of course.

“I feel for him honestly,” said Sharma.

“Unfortunately I don’t sit in the visa office to give you more details on that but hopefully he can make it quickly, enjoy our country and plays some cricket as well.

“It’s not easy for anyone, it could be one of our guys wanting to come to England and being denied.”

Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood, whose parents hail from Pakistan, had to be withdrawn from an England Lions tour of India in 2019 after similar delays, while Australia opener Usman Khawaja was a late arrival on his country’s Test trip in 2023.

Moreover, the Pakistan Cricket Board wrote to the International Cricket Council late last year due to express concerns over waiting times for World Cup visas.

England had called for assistance from counterparts at the Board of Control for Cricket in India, with new operations manager Stuart Hooper leading negotiations in the United Arab Emirates, but were informed that Bashir needed to present his passport in person at the Indian high commission in London.

Tom Hartley will make his Test debut as one of three spinners as England took a major selection gamble for their series opener against India in Hyderabad.

Hartley, the Lancashire left-armer, joins the established Jack Leach and teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed in an attack that suggests the tourists expect lavish turn.

Mark Wood has been picked as the only seam bowler in the side, meaning England’s record wicket-taker James Anderson sits out.

With Wood operating best in short, rapid bursts, England are ready to embrace an entirely different rhythm of cricket. Joe Root’s off-breaks are also likely to feature heavily and Stokes has even suggested he could open the bowling with the part-timer.

Ben Foakes returns as wicketkeeper, with Jonny Bairstow reverting to a specialist batting role at number five.

India captain Rohit Sharma has expressed sympathy for England’s Shoaib Bashir after visa complications delayed his arrival in the country.

Bashir, a British Muslim with Pakistani heritage, has experienced difficulty having his application approved and was forced to fly back to London from Abu Dhabi to resolve the issue, ruling him out of Thursday’s first Test.

It is not the first time players with links to Pakistan have experienced hold-ups in India, with Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood and Australia opener Usman Khawaja among that number. The Pakistan Cricket Board wrote to the International Cricket Council late last year due to delays over visas for their World Cup squad.

England skipper Ben Stokes said on Tuesday he was “devastated” for the uncapped 20-year-old and his opposite number offered solidarity.

“I feel for him honestly,” said Sharma.

“Unfortunately I don’t sit in the visa office to give you more details on that but hopefully he can make it quickly, enjoy our country and plays some cricket as well.

“It’s not easy for anyone, it could be one of our guys wanting to come to England and being denied.”

Nicholas Pooran produced another captain’s knock that spurred his MI Emirates team to a second-consecutive victory, as they hammered Andre Russell’s Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by nine wickets in International League Twenty20 (ILT20) action on Tuesday.

Chasing a meagre 96, Pooran laced an unbeaten 16-ball 39, including one four and five sixes, as MI Emirates comfortably go to their target in a mere 8.1 overs. The aggressive left-hand batsman, who scored a half-century in his team’s first win over the weekend, starred in an unbroken 54-run second wicket partnership with Pakistani Muhammad Waseem.

Waseem was also unbeaten on 26 off 20 balls, after he earlier partnered with Kusal Perera (22) in a 42-run opening stand that laid the platform for the successful chase.

Scores: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 95 all out (14.1 overs); MI Emirates 96-1 (8.1 overs)

Earlier, New Zealand seamer Trent Boult (3-14), UAE’s Muhammad Rohid (3-25) and West Indian spinner Akeal Hosein (2-21) ran amok through Abu Dhabi Knight Riders' innings in which Russell was one of only two batsmen to get into double figures.

The explosive Russell, marched to the middle in the seventh over with Abu Dhabi Knight Riders reeling at 22-5, and restored a bit of parity with a 25-ball 48, but the damage was already done. His counter-attacking innings included three fours and four sixes, with opener Alishan Sharafu (10) the other batsman in double figure.

With the win, MI Emirates assumed pole position on the standings with four points from three games, while Knight Riders are in fifth position on two points with a win and a loss.

Unease over the treatment of young England spinner Shoaib Bashir has escalated on the eve of the Test series in India after he was forced to fly home to resolve visa complications.

Bashir, a 20-year-old British Muslim of Pakistani heritage, was the only member of the touring party to experience a significant delay over his application and remained grounded after a training camp in Abu Dhabi while his team-mates transferred to Hyderabad.

The England and Wales Cricket Board had hoped the matter could be resolved in the United Arab Emirates – where its managing director of operations Stuart Hooper remained with Bashir – but a solution was not found.

The ECB called in assistance from its counterparts at the Board of Control for Cricket in India and it is understood Bashir was told he needed to return to London with his passport to receive the correct approval at the Indian embassy.

Although Bashir had been unlikely to feature in Thursday’s first Test, he has formally been taken out of contention for a debut due to the setback. It is hoped he will be reunited with the squad at some point over the weekend.

The England camp has been left disappointed by events, with captain Ben Stokes expressing his own regret at Bashir’s maiden voyage in international cricket turning sour.

“I didn’t want this type of situation to be his first experience of what it’s like to be in the England Test team. Especially for a young lad, I’m devastated for him,” he said.

“As captain I find it particularly frustrating. We announced the squad in mid-December and now Bash finds himself without a visa to get here.

“He’s not the first cricketer to go through this. I have played with a lot of people who have had the same issues. I find it frustrating that we have picked a player and he’s not with us because of visa issues. It’s a frustrating situation to be in but a lot of people have been trying to get it through.

“It’s unfortunate and I’m very frustrated for him. With Bash unfortunately not able to be here, it rules him out of this game.”

The Somerset prospect is the latest cricketer of Pakistani descent to face difficulty getting into India, with Usman Khawaja belatedly joining Australia’s tour of the country last year and Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood withdrawn from an England Lions trip after similar problems back in 2019.

The Pakistan Cricket Board, meanwhile, wrote to the International Cricket Council ahead of the recent World Cup to complain about hold-ups in its squad’s visas for the tournament in India, while some of the country’s media representatives also had trouble.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “I can’t speak to the process and what’s happened in this individual case. I’m not aware we’ve had the details of this case raised with us by individuals involved and individual cases would be a matter for the Indian government themselves. But we have raised the issue more broadly and our position is that British citizens should be treated fairly when going through this process.”

England head coach Brendon McCullum appeared relaxed about the situation at the start of the week, when a quick fix was still thought to be on the cards.

“We’re confident on the back of the help from the BCCI and the Indian government that it will sort itself out pretty quickly,” he said.

“Things take time, don’t they? Everyone is doing what they can. It’s a process we need to go through and we’re pretty confident that we’re close.”

That confidence ultimately proved to be misplaced, leaving England with a diplomatic headache they did not need and a young player in the glare of a news story he had no part in creating.

Ben Stokes is weighing up an England debut for spinner Tom Hartley in Thursday’s first Test against India and is even considering throwing the new ball to Joe Root as he tries to find a winning formula in Hyderabad.

England have promised to do things differently as they look to unseat a team who have lost just three of their past 46 Tests on home soil and captain Stokes remains fully committed to pushing the boundaries of ‘Bazball’.

Stokes is not yet fit to bowl after recovering from knee surgery and his confirmation that Ben Foakes would return as wicketkeeper and bat at seven means there are only four bowling slots to play with.

While James Anderson and Mark Wood are still likely to share pace duties, the possibility of going all in on spin by picking Hartley as well as the established Jack Leach and teenager Rehan Ahmed is being openly discussed.

So too, improbably, is the idea of using Root’s part-time off-breaks as a wildcard at the start of the innings.

“It would be a complete and utter ‘gut’ thing, as most of my decisions like that are,” said Stokes.

“You might even see Rooty taking the new ball, depending on what I feel. If (left-hander) Yashasvi Jaiswal opens the batting, you might see Rooty opening the bowling because it’s spinning away from the bat.

“When picking the team it’s about what you think is going to give you the best chance of winning and who is going to offer you more in certain conditions.

“India is one of those places where you’ve got to think about selection a lot more than anywhere else in the world because of what you can get from the wicket.”

Hartley was identified as a player who could cause problems with his height and skiddy trajectory and Stokes appears increasingly tempted to put the selectors’ hunch to the test.

“I’ve done plenty of tours here and think I would have some idea around what a bowler can look like here who will be successful,” he said.

“Tom is someone who’s obviously very tall, he bowls at a very difficult pace to be able to handle out here and he’s someone who gets a lot of natural variation. In India that is sometimes the hardest thing to face.”

On a personal level, Stokes is feeling in good order after undergoing surgery in November to remedy a long-standing left knee problem. While precise details have been vague in the past, Stokes confirmed he had stitches in his meniscus and a “big bone spur” removed.

He has since lost around 10 kilograms in a bid to ease the pressure on the joint and, although he is not planning to bowl competitively again until the summer, hopes to be conquering the fitness struggles which have dogged him for at least two years.

“Obviously the less weight you’re carrying, the less weight you’ve got going through your knee and the quicker your recovery is,” he explained.

“I’ve worked very hard to get myself into this condition. Hopefully it is something that will give me a little bit longer. We’re getting to that point you know, I’m 32 now, sport and everything like that isn’t here forever. I want to play for England as long as I possibly can. The older you get, the harder you work.

“I think it’s allowed me to progress a lot quicker than we actually thought. It’s been a long one, but something that I’m proud of myself for, with how hard I’ve worked to get into this position.

“Surgery is always the last option. Some can go very well, but they can also sometimes not go too well, set people back even further and potentially even end careers.”