Big Picture: NZ face unfamiliar opponents One misstep against Afghanistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup derailed New Zealand’s entire campaign. Two years later, New Zealand flipped the script despite injuries and illness, their opening win against Afghanistan in the group of death, which also includes South Africa, raising their chances of making the next…
Big picture: Sanju Samson or Ishan Kishan? When India’s squad for the T20 World Cup was announced, Ishan Kishan was supposed to be a back-up for Sanju Samson. He had last played a T20I in 2023 and was picked only because the selectors decided to change the team combination at the last moment. A lot…
Big picture – India flex their muscle and depth India ticked some key boxes in the second T20I in Raipur: Suryakumar Yadav ended his T20I fifty drought and Ishan Kishan seamlessly slotted into Tilak Varma’s slot. In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested, and Axar Patel, who is nursing a finger injury, Kuldeep…
Big picture – Last hurdle before World Cup New Zealand have pulled off series wins over India in India for the first time in Tests and ODIs in the span of just over a year. Can they pull off a first in a proper T20I series too, discounting the one-off match they won in 2012?…