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England have Alex Hales, Jason Roy and Chris Jordan fit to select from as they get started in the tri-series following Australia’s emphatic opening win

The Preview by Alan Gardner06-Feb-20182:22

Farrell: Stanlake the talk of the build-up for England T20

Big Picture

The tri-series began with something of a whimper, though Australia certainly roared to victory in between the Sydney showers. A team packed with Big Bash talent pinned New Zealand to the ropes, keeping them to just 9 for 117 from their 20 overs, before Chris Lynn and Glenn Maxwell applied the finishing blows with the bat.Standout among a clutch of impressive performances was that of the skyscraping Billy Stanlake, whose speeds pushed above 150kph (90mph) during an opening three-wicket burst that effectively scuppered New Zealand’s chances of a more competitive total. Australia’s T20 form has been indifferent – arguably since their World T20 final appearance in 2010 – but with Stanlake, AJ Tye and Ashton Agar impressing alongside contributions from the more experienced Lynn and Maxwell, this was an exciting glimpse into a possible future.David Warner, the stand-in captain, does remain in a rut with the bat against the white ball, but he marshalled Australia well in the field, bringing his IPL experience to bear and energetically celebrating his team’s success. A chance to exact some revenge after their drubbing by England in the ODI series should add to Australia’s motivation.For England, this extended spell of T20 is an opportunity to rediscover some focus, two years after they came within the width of Carlos Brathwaite’s bat of lifting the trophy in Kolkata. Their record reads P9 W4 L5 since then, as they have taken the opportunity to experiment with the line-up and blood new players. To an extent, without Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali, that will again be the case – but the tri-series provides a window to further embed England’s aggressive white-ball approach, with Sam Curran (brother of Tom) the newest potential inductee.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia WWLWL
England LWLWL

In the spotlight

David Warner spoke passionately about turning around Australia’s T20 fortunes before the start of the series and his captaincy was central to orchestrating their impressive victory at the SCG. His limited-overs form continues to be a concern, however, with a tentative 6 off 11 balls following five ODI innings against England in which he tallied 73 runs. It is almost two years since Warner made so much as 30 in a T20I (although he has only batted nine times in that period) and a reminder of his abilities in this format seems long overdue.His ODI role has become more one of providing squad support but David Willey remains a key asset for England in T20. His ability to swing the new ball for a couple of overs while the opposition are looking to go hard and then return to deliver his variations later in the innings gives his bowling a sharper focus, while the knock of 79 off 36 at opener that saw him hit Nathan Lyon for 6-6-6-6-6-4 in the warm-up match in Canberra suggested England could do worse than throw him up the order as a pinch-slogger.

Team news

Australia got off to a flying start against New Zealand on Saturday and there may be a temptation to stick with the same XI. Travis Head, fresh from leading Adelaide Strikers to the BBL title, is an option to bolster the batting.Australia (possible): 1 David Warner (capt), 2 D’Arcy Short, 3 Chris Lynn, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Andrew Tye, 9 Kane Richardson, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Billy StanlakeAlex Hales, Jason Roy and Chris Jordan are all expected to be fit after injury but Liam Plunkett is still working his way back from a hamstring strain suffered during the ODIs. England’s main dilemma is how to best deploy their resources: Sam Billings would strengthen the batting (and fielding), Tom Curran the bowling, while the uncapped Sam Curran offers a bit of both.England (possible): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Sam Billings/Tom Curran/Sam Curran, 7 Liam Dawson, 8 David Willey, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Mark Wood

Pitch and conditions

Hobart traditionally offers something for seam bowlers, though a T20 track is likely to be much flatter; Morgan said the pitch “looked completely different” on Tuesday to Monday and would likely change again come the start of the match, with a warm forecast for the day. The long straight boundaries may also encourage spin bowling.

Stats and trivia

• Morgan is set to captain England for the 28th time in T20s, taking him past Stuart Broad into second behind Paul Collingwood (30).
• Chris Lynn’s 44 against New Zealand was his best score in six international innings for Australia.
• Australia beat England by 13 runs in their most recent T20I at Bellerive Oval, in 2014, a match in which Lynn made his debut.
• England have only won one of their six T20s in Australia, at Adelaide Oval in 2011.

Quotes

“I’m still trying to adjust to international cricket but I definitely have confidence in what I’ve done out here throughout the last couple of weeks.”
“In a tournament basis you have the carrot of a final at the end, so I’m all for them. If we could play more, we would but I don’t think it’s viable with travel schedules around the world.”

Harbhajan Singh, the India offspinner, has been named Punjab’s captain for the upcoming Ranji season

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2012

Replacements for North Zone Duleep trophy squad

• Virender Sehwag (ankle injury) – ID Singh (J&K)

• Yuvraj Singh (not cleared for four-day cricket by NCA) – Bipul Sharma (Punjab)

• Virat Kohli (asked for rest) – Uday Kaul

• Gautam Gambhir (Champions League) – Rahul Dewan (Haryana)

• Harbhajan Singh (Champions League) – Gurvinder Singh (Himachal Pradesh)

• Rajat Bhatia (Champions League) – Sunny Singh (Haryana)

• Amit Mishra, who had originally been deemed unfit, has now been cleared, and will travel with the squad as the 16th member.

Harbhajan Singh, the India offspinner, has been named Punjab’s captain for the upcoming Ranji season. He has been out of the Indian Test side for more than a year, but returned to the Twenty20 squad for the World T20 last month.Harbhajan flew back home after sustaining an injury during the tour of England last year. He led Mumbai Indians to the Champions League trophy, proof of his ability to perform in T20, but picked up a shin injury around the time he was omitted from India’s squad for Australia.That injury also curtailed his Ranji season to three matches, when as Punjab captain he only took two wickets for 204 runs. He also led Punjab in the one-day Vijay Hazare tournament and the Twenty20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.This year, he signed a county contract with Essex, where he played steadily if not spectacularly (13 first-class wickets at 33).His presence in the side will be a boost to Punjab, who are without a head coach after Vikram Rathour vacated the post to become a national selector.Punjab Ranji squad: Harbhajan singh (capt), Mandeep Singh (vice-capt), Karan Goel, Jeevanjot Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Uday Kaul, Mayank Sidhana, Amitoze Singh, Rahul Sharma, Siddarth Kaul, Manpreet Gony, Sandeep Sharma, Gurkirat Mann, Bipul Sharma and Rajwinder Singh

Holland stretched their lead at the top of Group A with a 43-run victory over Leicestershire at Grace Road.

04-Jun-2012
ScorecardHolland stretched their lead at the top of Group A with a 43-run victory over Leicestershire at Grace Road. Put in to bat, Netherlands posted their competition-best total of 304 for 3, with Michael Swart making a maiden one-day century and sharing a record second-wicket stand of 152 with Tom Cooper.Despite a brilliant 115 from Ramnaresh Sarwan, bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire were unable to end their dismal run in the competition, finishing on 261 for 9 to slump to their fourth defeat in five games. For Netherlands it was their fifth win in seven matches having already beaten Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Lancashire and Essex. Swart followed up his century by taking 3 for 55.Stephan Myburgh gave the visitors a flying start, hitting a massive six off the fourth ball of the innings from Alex Wyatt. Another followed off Nathan Buck as Myburgh raced to 37 off 27 balls before being brilliantly run out by Josh Cobb – he made a great diving stop off his own bowling, and then whipped the ball back to wicketkeeper Ned Eckersley before Myburgh could regain his ground having set off for a single.But Myburgh’s quick-fire knock set the tone and the partnership between Swart and Cooper took the innings to another level as Leicestershire were left chasing the ball to all parts.Swart survived a difficult chance to Michael Thornely at cover and reached his 50 off 63 balls with three boundaries.Then he began to cut loose, hitting three sixes off Claude Henderson as the stand surpassed the previous best of 132 against Worcestershire at Kidderminster. Cooper was no slouch either, pulling Nathan Buck to the ropes to reach 50 off 53 balls.The next landmark was Swart’s century, reached off 96 balls with three sixes and five other boundaries. But he was out two runs later, skying a catch to long on off Wayne White. Cooper followed at 229 giving a return catch to Cobb having scored 68 off 67 balls.But Cameron Borgas, with an unbeaten 61 off 33 balls, and Mudassar Bukhari kept the runs flowing, 74 coming off the last six overs as Holland posted their biggest score against county opposition.Thanks to Sarwan, Leicestershire made a brave effort to chase down the target but once he had gone for 115 off 89 balls with nine fours and a six they had little hope. Jacques du Toit was the next highest scorer with 48 and White hit an aggressive 32 but Holland deservedly chalked up their third win in a row.

A round-up of the fifth match day of the Faysal Bank Super Eight T20 Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-2011Karachi Dolphins moved into the semi-finals of the Faysal Bank super Eight T20 tournament with the biggest win in Pakistan’s domestic Twenty20 history, thrashing Faisalabad Wolves by 124 runs at the Iqbal Stadium. Opener Shahzaib Hasan was the chief destroyer, muscling 69 off just 28 balls to power Karachi to a massive 231. In reply, Faisalabad were rolled over for 107, bowled out in the 14th over with fast bowler Sohail Khan and offspinner Haaris Ayaz taking three wickets each.The carnage began in the third over after Karachi chose to bat, with Shahzaib slamming Mohammad Talha for 26 runs. Shahzaib reached his fifty as early as the fifth over, and Karachi’s 100 came up in the eighth. Khalid Latif took over once Shahzaib was dismissed in the seventh over, clubbing five sixes in a 26-ball 46. Faisalabad hit back with four wickets in two overs, but cameos from Mohammad Sami and Ayaz pushed Karachi to the biggest total of the tournament.Faisalabad’s chase was rocked early as the openers were dismissed in the second over, and the big names, Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah-ul-Haq, also perished cheaply. They moved to 84 for 4 in the eighth over before the challenge petered out, the final six wickets going down for 23 runs.

Rawalpindi Rams joined Karachi in the semi-finals by cruising to a seven-wicket victory over Multan Tigers in the final league match of Group B. Left-arm spinner Raza Hasan ran through the Multan middle order to set up the win.Multan began what was virtually a quarter-final match steadily, if not spectacularly, reaching 51 for 0 in the seventh over. It was mostly downhill for Multan after that; first they lost both openers in the space of five deliveries as they slid to 54 for 3. Naved Yasin and Zeeshan Ashraf crafted a patient recovery before another collapse. This time the damage was 7 for 26 as Raza struck four times.That left Rawalpindi needing only 129 to make the semi-finals. They had a bit of a stutter as their openers departed after a bright start. It was easy for Rawalpindi after that, losing only one more wicket before Jamal Anwar and Sohail Tanvir put on 73 to confirm Multan’s exit.

A round-up of the latest action from the MetBank Pro40 Championship in Zimbabwe, with wins for Southern Rocks and Mashonaland Eagles

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jan-2011With Zimbabwe well into its rainy season, both games in the latest round of the MetBank Pro40 Championship were shortened due to the inclement weather. Masvingo Sports Club has a reputation as a batting paradise and that certainly seemed to be the case in the midst of Sikandar Raza and Chamu Chibhabha 161-run opening stand that helped set up a massive total of 253 for 6 in just 32 overs for Southern Rocks. Matabeleland Tuskers’ batsmen failed to build any notable partnerships in reply as the visitors fell 45 runs short.Chibhabha and Raza, both of whom have been included in Zimbabwe’s preliminary World Cup squad, have put together several useful opening partnerships for Rocks in Twenty20 cricket, and they appeared to be operating in a similar mode as they rocketed along at close to eight an over after being put in to bat by Tuskers. Raza was the quicker of the two, sprinting past fifty and reaching a career-best 80 – including five fours and four sixes – before he was trapped lbw by Keith Dabengwa’s left-arm spin.Chibhabha and Elton Chigumbura took their team past 200, and though wickets fell regularly after they were dismissed Rocks still managed to reach a formidable total. Despite enterprising innings from captain Gavin Ewing and Paul Horton, Tuskers stumbled through the early stages of their reply and slipped to 63 for 4 in the ninth over. Offspinner Hilary Matanga ensured there would be no fightback, taking a career-best 4 for 30 as Tuskers closed on 208 for 8.The rain was even more extensive up north, and Mashonaland Eagles’ match against Mid West Rhinos at Harare Sports Club was reduced to a 25-overs-a-side affair. A disciplined performance from Eagles’ new-ball bowlers, Douglas Hondo and Chad Keegan, with competent back-up from Andrew Hall and Ray Price kept Rhinos to 120 for 7. After Cephas Zhuwawo’s boundary-laden 34 launched the innings, Regis Chakabva’s unbeaten 47 guided Eagles home to a seven-wicket win in the 21st over.Eagles captain Forster Mutizwa opted to field after winning the toss and the move soon paid off as the home attack proved a handful in the damp conditions. Hondo removed both openers, including Gary Ballance for a four-ball duck, and when Price had Malcolm Waller caught by Innocent Chinyoka for his second wicket Rhinos were 52 for 5 in the 13th over. That they eventually scored as many runs as they did was almost entirely due to Riki Wessels’ unbeaten 43.Rhinos threatened to fight back with the ball when both Eagles openers were removed in the space of five balls with the score only just past 40, but Chakabva couldn’t be tied down and found helpful support from Mutizwa and Greg Lamb to seal the win.It was a sorely needed result for Eagles, who remain at the bottom of the Points table despite their win after losing five of their first six games. Rocks’ victory takes them to second position, edging ahead of Tusker by virtue of their superior net run-rate.

Australian cricketers could be barred from participating in this year’s IPL, after the right-wing political party, Shiv Sena, warned that they would not be welcome in parts of the country in retaliation for a series of attacks on Indian students in Melbou

Cricinfo staff14-Jan-2010Australian cricketers could be barred from participating in this year’s IPL, after the right-wing political party, Shiv Sena, warned that they would not be welcome in parts of the country in retaliation for a series of attacks on Indian students in Melbourne.The Australian Cricketers’ Association, a body which is not recognised by the IPL, requested access to the tournament’s security plans but was denied, and has consequently refused to recommend this year’s event to its members. This has led to the prospect of 25 players, including Ricky Ponting, Brett Lee and Shane Warne, sitting out of the tournament in March and April, and missing out on an estimated total of A$9.2m.”The players rely on us to ensure that security is properly assessed and a recommendation is provided to them,” Paul Marsh, the ACA’s chief executive, told the Age. “If the IPL won’t allow us to review arrangements for this year’s event, how can we recommend to our players that they play in the event?”Shiv Sena’s leader, Bal Thackeray, recently declared that “kangaroo cricketers” would not be welcome in the state of Maharashtra, but a spokesman, Diwakar Raote, subsequently qualified those remarks. ”We are not against Australians, we are not against Australian tourists, but this agitation is because of how we feel about what is happening,” he said.”We will respect any guest who comes but we will not allow Australians to play until the attitude is changed in Australia. What we are hearing is that they are killing our people, they are burning our people, they are stabbing our people. For what? The students are going there. Do you think we are going to do the same thing? No. But we will not allow you to play.”Ponting, who is currently involved in the third Test against Pakistan in Hobart, felt there was still sufficient time to sort the issue before the IPL gets underway in March.”I’m sure CA and all the players and the players’ association will do everything they have done for every tour we have been on for the last 10 years to check out some of these threats and most importantly keep the players up to date with everything they are finding out,” he said. “That happens on every tour we go on and we will be expecting and demanding that happens again.”

Fast bowler admits age may be slowing his recovery after recurrence of knee issue

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2025Mark Wood has cast doubt on his availability for the third Ashes Test and admitted concerns that, at 35, his body is no longer coping with the rigours of bowling 90mph/145kph.Wood had surgery on his left knee after hobbling out of England’s Champions Trophy campaign in February, and the series opener in Perth was his first Test match in 15 months. He bowled 11 wicketless overs across the match but was sent to a specialist after reporting more pain and has been wearing a knee brace since arriving in Brisbane.Speaking to Channel 7 at the tea break during the second Test at the Gabba, Wood suggested he was unlikely to be in contention for the Adelaide Test, which starts on December 17: “I think there’s a chance there, but more realistically, it’s probably more Melbourne and then [Sydney] after that… I need to get out of this [brace] first to get moving around.”Related

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Wood said that he has had painkilling injections in his knee since the first Test, and suggested that age is catching up with him. “Throughout my career, I’ve tried to show resilience and keep coming back and keep trying to push it where I can bowl faster and faster, but I’m getting older now.”I don’t know if my body’s not coping with it as well [as it used to] but I’ll keep trying. That’s something I pride myself on, to keep running in for the team and be a good team man. I’m hoping I can get this right and can charge in again.”I’m trying to just get through day-to-day at the minute. Later in the series is what I’m aiming for, but I can’t do that much at the minute. I’ve had a couple of injections, resting up, and slowly but surely, running [will] start soon, then back into bowling.”It’s more mentally difficult than physically. You’ve got to try and build it back up and come back again, and that’s probably the more difficult thing.”Ben Stokes, England’s captain, said on the eve of the Brisbane Test that Wood would do “everything” possible to remain in contention for selection in this series: “We’ve got a lot more time to go on this tour, and we’ll just see how things play out with that.”

Barbados Royals stay rooted to the bottom of the table after their third loss in four games

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Aug-2025

Colin Munro and Nicholas Pooran put on a match-winning stand•CPL T20 via Getty Images

Colin Munro and Nicholas Pooran led a clinical chase as Trinbago Knight Riders brushed aside Barbados Royals by seven wickets in Tarouba to rise to the top of the CPL 2025 table. Chasing 179, Munro set the tone with a typically aggressive 67 while Pooran finished the job in style with an unbeaten 65, wrapping up the target with 13 balls to spare. With three losses and a no-result in four matches, Royals are bottom of the table.The foundation of the chase was laid early, as Munro and Alex Hales added 55 for the opening wicket inside the powerplay. Munro, who was the early aggressor, raced to his half-century off just 30 balls. Even after Hales fell for a 14-ball 19, off the final delivery of the sixth over, the momentum remained firmly with Knight Riders.Related

• Colin Munro: 'If you don't score, it's not the end of the world'

Pooran started off in a brutal fashion, launching an attack against both pace and spin. His unbeaten 65 came at a brisk pace, studded with boundaries and calculated risks towards the end of the chase. The highlight was him hammering Rovman Powell for three consecutive sixes in the tenth over.Royals briefly kept Knight Riders quiet, conceding just 20 runs between overs 10 and 14, but it didn’t shift the momentum.Pooran and Munro added 93 for the second wicket, off just 54 balls, before the latter was run out in the 15th over. But by then, the equation was down to a run-a-ball 30 and Kieron Pollard ensured there were no hiccups, smashing two sixes and a four in his nine-ball stay. The winning runs came in the 18th over, sealing a dominant performance.Earlier, Royals posted 178 for 6, a total that looked competitive at the halfway mark but ultimately proved well below par. They began cautiously after losing Quinton de Kock early but were steadied by a 56-run stand between Brandon King and Kadeem Alleyne. King chipped in with a 23-ball 29 while Alleyne made 41 off 37.Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for Barbados Royals with 45 off 22 balls•CPL T20 via Getty Images

Once King fell, Sherfane Rutherford’s late surge – 45 off 22 – offered Royals some hope. He began with a four off his second ball against Andre Russell, and then took McKenny Clarke for a four and a six in the following over. He smashed two more sixes, off Mohammad Amir in the 16th over, before the fast bowler dismissed Alleyne.From 105 for 2 at the end of 14 overs, Royals accelerated with 73 runs in the final six overs. Captain Powell was particularly merciless against Ali Khan as he scored 23 runs off him in the 18th over, which included three sixes and a four.Russell and Amir were the standout bowlers for Knight Riders. Russell picked up 3 for 37 while Amir’s 2 for 35 ensured control through the middle and death overs.The win puts Knight Riders in a commanding position at the top of the table while Royals are left needing a spark to reignite their faltering campaign. St Lucia Kings are also on eight points alongside Knight Riders, but occupy the second spot owing to an inferior net run-rate.

Lea Tahuhu, Georgia Plimmer named in T20I squad only; Hannah Rowe, Molly Penfold picked just for ODIs

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Nov-2022New Zealand are set to hand a debut to Wellington wicketkeeper-batter Jess McFadyen in the upcoming home series against Bangladesh, after she was named in the 15-member squad for the three T20Is and ODIs. McFadyen’s selection in place of fellow wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze, who is India with the Under-19 team, was the only change to the squad that had recently toured the West Indies.Coach Ben Sawyer said playing Bangladesh would be a great opportunity for McFadyen, especially with the T20 World Cup to be held next year.”Debuting for your country is always a special moment, so we’re delighted to be welcoming Jess into the side for what will be an exciting series,” Sawyer said. “Jess brings great energy – when we worked together at the Commonwealth Games, I was really impressed with what she brought to the team environment – and she has good experience with the bat, especially in that middle order.”McFadyen, 31, had been picked in the New Zealand squads earlier for last year’s tour of England and the Commonwealth Games this year but didn’t get to play.”We used the recent series in the West Indies to try different combinations with bat and ball and we also want to do that with the wicketkeepers; we want to see what Jess can bring to the team,” Sawyer said. “We’re also in a fortunate position that we have a New Zealand Development team touring India, which Izzy (Gaze) is involved in, so we’re able to give both players experience in different conditions and against different opposition.”McFadyen herself was eyeing a spot for the T20 World Cup, looking to “put her name forward” for the big tournament after missing out on a debut in the Commonwealth Games in England.”Ben was there as well… to be in that environment, see how he wanted to run things and to spend time with the established players – they are world class,” McFadyen said. “I am lucky to be playing for [Wellington] Blaze, and have a dozen of them around me for training. [I am] super lucky to have those experiences.”Both the T20I and ODI sides will be led by Sophie Devine, with pace bowler Lea Tahuhu and batter Georgia Plimmer named in the T20I squad only, while seamers Hannah Rowe and Molly Penfold picked just for the ODIs.It will be New Zealand’s last official series before the T20 World Cup next year in South Africa.”Over the last couple of months we’ve put together a blueprint of how we want to play, particularly in the T20 format, with an eye on the World Cup next year,” Sawyer said. “This tour will be a great opportunity to continue working and refining those plans and making any necessary adjustments.The series against Bangladesh begins with the first T20I on December 2 in Christchurch, with Dunedin and Queenstown to host the other T20Is. The ODIs begin on December 11 in Wellington, before Napier and Hamilton stage the last two matches of the tour. The series will be the first time Bangladesh play a bilateral series in New Zealand but will be their second visit this year, following the World Cup in March.Squad: Sophie Devine (capt), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Jess McFadyen, Molly Penfold (ODIs only), Hannah Rowe (ODIs only), Georgia Plimmer (T20Is only), Lea Tahuhu (T20Is only)

He also defended Pakistan’s performance at the Women’s World Cup, and called for a stronger domestic women’s structure

Danyal Rasool14-Mar-2022The Pakistan Super League could ditch the draft system, which it has operated under since its inception, as early as next year, with PCB chairman Ramiz Raja keen to replace it with an auction. At the National Stadium in Karachi, Ramiz said Pakistan needed to “elevate the concept” of the PSL, and an auction system could provide it the financial clout to rival the IPL.”We need to create new properties to be financially independent. We have nothing for now but the PSL and ICC funds. There’s an argument over the model from next year; I want to switch it to an auction model from next year,” he said. “The market forces are conducive, but we’ll sit down with the franchise owners to discuss it.”This is a game of money. When the cricket economy grows in Pakistan, our respect will rise. The main driver of that financial economy is the PSL. If we take the PSL to auction model, increase the purse, then I’ll put it in the IPL bracket. And then we’ll see who goes to play the IPL over the PSL.”The financial health of individual franchises and the willingness of the owners to invest further capital into their sides will go a long way to gauging support for the dramatic shift in the PSL’s model. When the league was launched, the PCB opted for a draft system over an auction to afford similar opportunities to franchises with inferior financial clout, preventing them from being locked out of acquiring the best talent because of an inability to pay for it. The draft was designed to allow every side a chance to assemble as strong a squad as possible, with the egalitarianism allowing more competition.That theory has, so far, worked in practice. It has taken just seven years for all six sides to win the competition at least once. In an auction system, most famously employed by the IPL, it would be up to the individual franchises to compete for the signature of every player, with the side willing to offer the most lucrative salary securing their services. The IPL does have a mechanism to level the playing field, however, with all teams assigned the same spending purse at the auction. Teams were allowed a purse of INR 90 crore (USD 12 million approx) at the 2022 auction.’We want to regularise the women’s cricket calendar. The more they play the better they’ll be’ – Ramiz Raja•Associated Press

Ramiz also said the PCB wanted to host the PSL across more than the two venues it was played at over this season, going so far as to say the league might adopt a home-away structure from next year. “We want the PSL to be on a home and away basis from next year. The gate money will be excellent, and we want to elevate the concept of the PSL.”Every side’s purse will increase, and if they want to improve they’ll have to spend money. When you go from a draft system to this, the world’s talent suddenly becomes available to you. I’ve spoken to a couple of the franchise owners; they’re quite happy to experiment with this. I’ll talk to the others, too. It’s in the embryonic stages, but it’s top of my wish list.”Ramiz bats for first-class matches in women’s domestic calendar
Ramiz, meanwhile, defended Pakistan’s performance at the Women’s World Cup, where they have lost all four of their games so far. He said women’s cricket needed more investment, and reiterated his desire to see Pakistan become the first Asian country to host a women’s T20 league.”We want to regularise the women’s cricket calendar. The more they play the better they’ll be,” Ramiz said. “You can’t just go into hibernation and then expect them to beat Australia. It’s not going to happen. We have our limitations and cultural issues, and to get out of that we have to fix their calendar. They need to play first-class-style three-day matches. Then look at selection and U19 structure.”We want to sign up young girls and develop them. Right now, the excitement is we might launch a T20 league before India, and the world can’t believe that because there’s a particular perception around Pakistan that needs to be broken.”The shape a women’s PSL would take is not immediately clear. Pakistan currently have just 12 centrally contracted women cricketers, with a further eight listed in the emerging category. A league, even if, as ESPNcricinfo understands, it were initially to include just four sides, would require at least 60 cricketers, meaning even if there was a significant international presence, Pakistan would have to dig deep into their reserves of local talent to fill the squads.”In January-February, we’re thinking of the women’s PSL,” Ramiz said. “There’s a lot of traction and a lot of takers for it. Pak women’s cricket needs to improve a lot, and that will only happen when we give them an environment where they can make money and share the dugout with world-class players.”We are also thinking of making first class women’s teams and attaching them with provincial teams. They don’t play much cricket and operate on a trial-and-error basis.”