£120,000 Raised for Pitchero Clubs Through The Fundraising Club
Fundraising is a constant challenge for sports clubs. Rising costs, stretched volunteers, and busy members can make traditional fundraising feel like hard work. That’s why The Fundraising Club Lottery has become such a valuable income stream for clubs using Pitchero.
Thanks to the ongoing efforts of clubs promoting their lottery pages to members, parents, and supporters, over £120,000 in grants has now been paid directly to Pitchero clubs. This milestone shows just how powerful simple, digital fundraising can be when it’s easy to run and easy for supporters to get involved.
At 3:30 AM, I woke up with a jolt. First instinct: check Cricinfo. Were Kohli and Rohit still batting? Had I overslept my the innings-break nap?
Kohli was in the 20s, Rohit nearing his fifty. Phew. Relief. Breathe. They were still alive.
With one eye half-shut and one thumb on Twitter, I watched the duo bat on, one ball at a time.
At 4:47 AM, Rohit brought up his century, moments after Kohli reached his 50. Kohli gave him a hug. Both smiled. The crowd erupted. For that moment, the world seemed to pause. As if nothing else mattered.
Through the series, I celebrated each run, every fist bump, every catch and dive of Rohit and Kohli. My dad and brother would talk before and during each game as if the world’s luck depended on us.
I’d pray that India win the toss and bat. And shut off the TV after Kohli’s ducks.
But why was I acting like this? Growing up, you wouldn’t called me RoKo’s #1 fan. I used to watch every ball of any international game, follow all the T20 leagues, and stay up for a Bangladesh-Zimbabwe Test. So, why did this meaningless ODI bilateral series suddenly matter so much?
Maybe it was the realization that the end is near. Maybe because Australia appreciated these two players and knew how to give a proper farewell.
Both Kohli and Rohit retired from T20Is after winning the T20 World Cup. Expected.
Both retired from Tests. Slightly unexpected.
Then Rohit was replaced by Gill as ODI captain. Shocking. Questions started to murmur: Are they going to make it two more years? Will every series be an examination? Why is Jaiswal waiting in the wings?
And then Kohli scored two consecutive ducks for the first time in his career and waved goodbye to his beloved Adelaide supporters. All hell broke loose. Was the 3rd ODI going to be his last? Is his form dropping off the cliff? Was our childhood finally coming to an end?
We have seen transitions before. Father Time waits for no one.
Gavaskar and Kapil faded, Tendulkar and Dravid retired, Dhoni left (kinda). With each passing generation, India found new heroes, leaving behind a tinge of nostalgia for the past.
But for that one hour and seventeen minutes, Father Time paused, letting Rohit and Kohli shine, giving us a glimpse of what two upcoming emotional years could look like.
The post-match interviews ended. The sun rose. I drifted back to sleep. Time had moved on, but the memory of that morning will stay with me forever.
Thank you all for reading!
This is part of a new series of short articles, all under 500 words, where I try to make every word count. This one ended up at 429 words.
“The King Is About to Arrive”
I will leave you with these pieces of commentary gold from SEN cricket.
🗣️ “The King is about to arrive!”- @White_Adam
🗣️ There’s seismic shifts in cricket and this guy has been at the centre of many of them.” – @copes9
Virat Kohli walks out for the final time in Australia wearing Indian colours 👑 #AUSvIND 🏏 pic.twitter.com/z9zJY9hg8L
— SEN Cricket (@SEN_Cricket) October 25, 2025
Absolute privilege to be on @SEN_Cricket again for a special night at the @SCG alongside @GerardWhateley @sthalekar93 @copes9 & @White_Adam. And like the long-haired fellow says, there’s no way #ViratKohli #RohitSharma weren’t going to sign off in style pic.twitter.com/jbejk8O8J3
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) October 26, 2025
A australian commentator was crying when Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma finish their last innings in Australia soil at SCG. ♥️🥹 (SEN Cricket).
KING & HITMAN – THE EMOTIONS..!!!!! pic.twitter.com/jdGX2szsJA
Rob Key hasn’t been having a dynamite time of late and it just got worse. King Cricket reader Paul writes…
As a long time reader, I’m aware you are a huge supporter of Rob Key and his contribution to cricket, so I thought it wise to bring to your attention a low point in his career that may have been overlooked by the media who have since been distracted by irrelevant events in Perth, Brisbane and Noosa.
As the self proclaimed talisman of my side (something that is apparently heavily disputed by my peers), I took it upon myself to organise the annual team awards night. As expected, it was a stellar night in the ICC’s calendar and included the most high quality trophies available for under £4.99 that are sure to be treasured by the winners for years to come.
Understandably the team was distracted by the razzle dazzle that accompanies an amateur cricket team’s awards night, but in the build up I spotted what I can only assume is a calculated snub (and attempt to besmirch Rob Key’s name before a ball had been bowled in the Ashes) by one of Manchester’s most popular dining spots.
In the process of organising the event and deciding on the venue I frantically searched for the contact number to book a table. In doing so I stumbled upon numerous sporting heroes who had enjoyed a pleasant evening at the establishment. Bolstered by the knowledge that Stephen Hendry, of snooker notoriety, had given the food a big thumbs up, I hurriedly dialled the reservations number.
Safe in the knowledge I had achieved my one aim of providing food for the end of season bash I looked again at the hall of fame and saw a photo proudly showcasing Nasser Hussain’s endorsement of their food. Rob Key’s cherub-like face was on the periphery looking like the new boyfriend/girlfriend at a family event who isn’t sure if they should be in the group photo or not.
Rightly or wrongly, the restaurant decided Rob Key was so insignificant it wasn’t worth typing the six letters of his name alongside Nasser’s.
Even before England’s capitulation in Australia, the restaurant had the foresight to distance itself from the Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket. History will tell us if it was the right decision.
As the saying goes, lightning has struck the same place twice. Quinton de Kock’s personal-best of 115 from 49 has made a chase of 222 seem like a walk in the park for the hosts. And this is the first ever T20I series win for the Proteas under Markram’s captaincy. Interestingly enough, it’s been the same big contribution from the same player at the same venue against the same opponent – the West Indies.
Just like the previous game, Aiden Markram won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat at SuperSport Park.
Early on, the decision was proving to be a good one, with Shai Hope falling in the second over. But the joy was short-lived, as Brandon King and Shimron Hetmyer hit the ground running and built a towering 126-run 2nd-wicket partnership. Hetmyer was particularly more aggressive and took apart tearaway quick Anrich Nortje, who would give away a deluge of 59 runs in 3 overs.
The Windies were going at 11 an over, but the seasoned Keshav Maharaj managed to stage a brief fightback with the wickets of Hetmyer and Powell. But that was the last real success for any South African bowler, as Sherfane Rutherford continued the blitz. The strong left-handed reached a superlative 21-ball half-century in the final over, as the men in maroon posted a colossal 221/4 at halftime.
The Proteas innings got off to a healthy start, but Markram was the first to go after playing a couple of attractive shots.
However, Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton not only bounced back, but delivered one knockout punch after another. It was de Kock leading the way, while Rickelton took a back seat for much of the partnership. After the Powerplay, SA were in sync with the asking rate.
Things went from bad to worse for the Windies, as a dropped catch off Rickelton would prove very costly. In the meanwhile, de Kock continued to torment the bowlers, all of whom received a fair dose of maximums all over the ground.
In the 14th over, de Kock notched up his second T20I ton in 43 balls with a six off Jason Holder. Over the course of his knock, he took no prisoners whenever there was an error in line or length, and he impressed with his skillful touch from time to time.
The entertainment came to an end when he holed out to long-on, but Rickelton began to open up almost immediately after. The SA20 star notched up his personal-best as well: an unbeaten 77 from 36.
What looked to be a difficult chase got aced with 15 balls to spare, bringing about a well-earned series victory for SA.
WI 221/4 in 20 overs (Hetmyer 75, Rutherford 57*, King 49 – Maharaj 4-0-22-2)
SA 225/3 in 17.3 overs (de Kock 115, Rickelton 77* – Hosein 4-0-41-2)
A decent crowd of 12,562 was officially in attendance to watch SL v SA at the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York. This was the opening match of Group D, and the Proteas won the game by six wickets.
Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga won the toss and opted to bat first, a decision that backfired badly as the four pronged Proteas pace attack made life difficult for the Lankan batsmen.
Anrich Nortje finished with figures of 4/7 in his four overs while Ottneil Baartman, who became the first South African bowler to take a wicket off his maiden World Cup delivery, conceded just 9 runs in his 4.
South Africa’s batsmen found the chase tricky, but 78 was never going to be enough for the Lankans, and Proteas eventually got home with four odd overs to spare.
Sri Lanka misread the conditions- an extra pacer in the form of Dushmantha Chameera would’ve been very helpful in these conditions, and they didn’t help their own cause with dropped catches, notably one of Tristan Stubbs when the latter was on a duck.
With Team India as the clear outlier, explore the likely best playing 11 ranking of each team for the T20 World Cup 2026.
Almost a decade later, the T20 World Cup finally returns to India, and what a moment this is for the Indian Cricket team fans. The current T20I Indian team is the greatest the game has ever seen, and playing a World Cup with this team in India will be a treat for fans. What’s more, India are also the defending champions, so not only does India have a chance to become the first team to win back-to-back T20 World Cup trophies, but also become the first team to win a trophy as hosts.
The T20 World Cup 2026 is certainly a spectacle that will witness 20 teams in action. Wooofff, seeing 20 teams in action for a month, with 55 matches in place, brings a festival kind of environment in India. While India is the primary host, Sri Lanka will also host many matches, including those of Pakistan. With the tournament featuring some really new and interesting teams like Italy, USA, UAE, etc., the focus will once again be on Super 8, which in general now has 9 contenders after Bangladesh’s exit.
20 teams are divided into four groups, and from each group, we will see 2 teams qualifying for the Super 8. Each team is filled with superstar players. So be it the likes of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh for Australia, Abhishek Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah for India, Jos Buttler and Phil Salt for England, and many more. But how does the best playing 11 shape up for each team? Well, let’s analyze the current squad and players list for each team, and find out the best playing 11 ranking for T20 World Cup 2026.
T20 World Cup 2026 Ranking Each Team Likely Best Playing 11
#9: Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2026 Best Playing 11
Ibrahim Zadran
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)
Darwish Rasooli
Sediqullah Atal
Azmatullah Omarzai
Gulbadin Naib
Mohammad Nabi
Rashid Khan (c)
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Noor Ahmad
For number 9, we have the Afghanistan team, who will see Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran as openers. Alongside a tried and tested opening combination, Afghanistan will see Darwish Rasooli and Sediqullah Atal at 3 and 4. These four will be followed by All-rounders till 7. The bowling lineup shall. Include 3 spin and 1 pace combo. Overall, Afghanistan’s strength is their bowling, and if they can contain the opposition with their bowling, it will open the doors for the Afghan team.
#8: West Indies T20 World Cup 2026 Best Playing 11
Brandon King
Shai Hope (c&wk)
Shimron Hetmyer
Roston Chase
Sherfane Rutherford
Rovman Powell
Romario Shepherd
Jason Holder
Akeal Hosein
Jayden Seales
Gudakesh Moti
Number 8 belongs to the West Indies team, and their playing 11 looks okay on paper. Brandon King and Shai Hope should most likely be one for WI. For number 3, we should see Shimron Hetmyer, and he should be followed by Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, and Romario Shepherd. With a good batting till 7, Jason Holder should add batting and bowling depth. Whereas the primary bowling should depend on Jayden Seales, Gudakesh Moti, and Akeal Hosein. Overall, the West Indies lack consistency in batting, and bowling seems decent on paper.
#7: Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 Best Playing 11
Sahibzada Farhan
Saim Ayub
Salman Agha (c)
Babar Azam
Fakhar Zaman
Usman Khan (wk)
Mohammad Nawaz
Shadab Khan
Shaheen Afridi
Abrar Ahmed
Salman Mirza
Number 7 belongs to the Pakistan team, and honestly, this must be the weakest side Pakistan has ever played in T20I cricket. The Pak team should see Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan as openers. Salman Khan should be the new number 3, and Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman should take care of the middle order. Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, and Mohammad Nawaz add the firepower in the lower order. Whereas primary bowling shall rely on Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, and Abrar Ahmed. It’s a decent team, but winning a tournament with this team will take something extraordinary.
#6: Sri Lanka T20 World Cup 2026 Best Playing 11
Pathum Nissanka
Kamil Mishara
Kusal Mendis (wk)
Charith Asalanka
Kamindu Mendis
Janith Liyanage
Dasun Shanaka (c)
Wanindu Hasaranga
Maheesh Theekshana
Matheesha Pathirana
Dushmantha Chameera
For number 6, we have the Sri Lankan team, and their key advantage is playing in home conditions. Sri Lanka will mostly see Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishra opening the innings with Kusal Mendis at 3. Charith Asalanka and Janith Liyanagea should complete the middle-order. Whereas Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, and Wanindu Hasaranga should take care of finishing duties. Finally, for primary bowling, we should see Matheesha Pathirana, Dusmantha Chameera, and Maheesh Theekshana. Overall, Sri Lanka have a few good match winners that will play a key role throughout the tournament
#5: England T20 World Cup 2026 Best Playing 11
Jos Buttler (wk)
Phil Salt (wk)
Jacob Bethell
Tom Banton (wk)
Harry Brook (c)
Will Jacks
Sam Curran
Jamie Overton
Liam Dawson
Jofra Archer
Adil Rashid
For number 5, we have the England team, and one can blame the bowling lineup of England for having such a ranking. England’s bowling lineup includes Archer and Adil Rashid as primary bowlers, with Sam Curran as the next best. But the other three, most likely Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, and Will Jacks, aren’t threatening at all. So, unless the pitch assists bowlers, it will be a hard time for the batters, including Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, and Tom Banton. Overall, England need more from their bowlers to be able to be competitive.
#4: New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 Best Playing 11
Finn Allen
Tim Seifert (wk)
Rachin Ravindra
Glenn Phillips
Daryl Mitchell
Mark Chapman
Michael Bracewell
Mitchell Santner (c)
Ish Sodhi
Jacob Duffy
Matt Henry
Number 4 belongs to the New Zealand team, and they are a slightly better version of England. New Zealand have a good bowling lineup, and that’s what differentiates them from England. The likes of Mitchell Santner, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, and Michael Bracewell make the NZ bowling strong and among the best. However, batting it where New Zealand lack a punch, and the form of Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, and Finn Allen will be crucial in determining if New Zealand goes to Semi final and beyond.
#3: Australia T20 World Cup 2026 Best Playing 11
Mitchell Marsh (c)
Travis Head
Josh Inglis (wk)
Cameron Green
Tim David
Glenn Maxwell
Marcus Stoinis
Cooper Conolly
Xavier Bartlett
Adam Zampa
Nathan Ellis
Moving on to number 3, and this could surprise a few. Ideally, Australia should be the number 2 team on the table. However, the loss of Pat Cummins and injuries to Nathan Ellis and Josh Hazlewood make things worrisome for Australia. The batting is still pretty dangerous, and can take apart any bowling lineup. But if Ellis doesn’t gain full fitness, it will be very difficult to beat South Africa as well, and forget about beating India. Overall, Australia needs A-level cricket from Head, Marsh, David, Zampa, Stoinis, Green, etc., to make up for the decent bowling.
#2: South Africa T20 World Cup 2026 Best Playing 11
Ryan Rickelton
Quinton de Kock (wk)
Aiden Markram (c)
Dewald Brevis
David Miller
Tristan Stubbs
Marco Jansen
Corbin Bosch
Anrich Nortje
Kagiso Rabada
Keshav Maharaj
So, the suspense for number 2 is now closed, and we have the mighty South African team in this position. South Africa have a well-potent squad, and the addition of Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton has come as a blessing in disguise for them. With the line-up of Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch at 7 and 8, the batting depth is quite sorted for South Africa. The only concern is the second pacer for South Africa, and they will need Anrich Nortje or Lungi Ngidi to step up to support Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj. If they do that, there is no doubt South Africa will be a dangerous team to beat.
#1: Team India T20 World Cup 2026 Best Playing 11
Abhishek Sharma
Ishan Kishan (wk)
Suryakumar Yadav (c)
Tilak Varma
Axar Patel
Hardik Pandya
Shivam Dube
Rinku Singh
Arshdeep Singh
Jasprit Bumrah
Varun Chakravarthy
Finally, the Best of the lot is the Indian team, and there should not even be a debate about this. The current Indian team is miles ahead of any other team in the competition, and one can not even point out a weakness in this lineup. Be it batting depth, aggressive approach, cautious approach, wicket takers, or tight bowling, the Indian team has it all. The fact that the team can play on any kind of wicket, and has many match-winners in the side makes this team the Invincible team of the competition. Unless God’s plan, this team should win the T20 World Cup 2026 without a doubt.
ALSO READ: T20 World Cup 2026 All 20 Teams Full Squad and Best Players List
So, that’s the full best playing 11 ranking of each team for the T20 World Cup 2026. Thanks for reading! Looking at the playing 11 ranking of each team, which team looks the best for the T20 World Cup 2026? Please email your thoughts to business@cricalytics.com, or in the comments section below.
Not really an Ashes preview, but I thought it was as good a time as any to pick up the keyboard.
It’s the Ashes Down Under. The pinnacle of the game in my eyes. The ultimate location for the oldest test contest. The one that brought the mysticism of Radio 3 coverage, the “how did they get the highlights from Australia to England in that short a time” wonderment (I was a kid, I didn’t know about satellites) and being concerned that neither Hobart or Darwin got a test match when all the other state capitals did, and Melbourne twice in 1978/9. The memories of watching the first live coverage – no, not Sky in 1990, but BBC in 1983 – from the warmth of home and that decision against England when Mel Johnson blatantly cheated in not giving John Dyson out.
Sadly not where it will start – I was there in 2006
These memories are lost in time, like tears in rain. To quote Rutger Hauer. What do we have now? A farce within a charade within a comedy. An England team turning up, playing one practice match against themselves, and then straight into the first test. I seriously do not care if they somehow get it right on the night. This is bizarre stuff. You can give me all the assurances under the sun that you are taking this seriously, but that doesn’t exactly ring true. Hope is not a strategy.
For the first time since the Ashes were fully televised live I will not be able to watch. I don’t have TNT or Discovery + or whatever, and have no intention of getting it. Sky Sports is so infrequently switched on in my house it actually makes no sense keeping that. It’s not that I’m not interested in cricket, far from it, it is just that I am not THAT interested. I have had practice of following other series on text or maybe the radio, so not that arsed to see it. This isn’t just for cricket, but pretty much all sport these days. I was a total sports nut, now, although still of interest, I just can’t raise the enthusiasm any more.
A dozen years ago we were setting out on the test series that changed my life, and I never left my home to watch it. In fact, I really couldn’t watch us get annihilated. I think the most I got out of that actual series was liking one of the songs used in a montage. What happened after, well, the impacts are still being felt by me on a personal level even now. Even after a long time out of the cricket blogging game.
There is a lot about How Did We Lose In Adelaide and Being Outside Cricket of which I am immensely proud. I stood up for a lot of people, and realised I wasn’t alone in the way I felt about how cricket was run and the scapegoating of Pietersen after a diabolical tour. I don’t regret feeling the way I did, even though KP has been a less than sympathetic “hero” since that day. Indeed, another crass tweet which had the unfortunate problem of being true confirmed this. The establishment pulled in favour of the nice boy, and not the temperamental one. It promoted the posh figure and demonised the ostracised. It turned cricket supporters against each other. It put me on the path to mental gymnastics that I could not fathom. I’m paying for it now. One of the contributors if not the cause.
When I think of what went on, it seems mad. Like being woken up at 8am on a Sunday morning by a DM from Jonathan Agnew saying “Ha! You missed that didn’t you…”. Like one prominent journalist asking for a meet up, and for me to name the location, and I couldn’t be 100% sure if it wouldn’t involve violence. Like another meeting me for a drink and saying “I don’t know why you let Pam Nash bother you. No-one who matters reads her. They read you.” The interactions with clowns like Andy Bull, Russell Jackson, the chap from Liverpool Echo, Harry Gurney (now that was a man with an outsized opinion of his own genius), Derek Pringle and more besides. The mystery blocking by Simon Wilde. The friends on the up and then turned on you when you weren’t looking which included a lot of those who took the instruction to “move on” when told, lest it disrupt their ability to make money out of the game. Revolutions that lasted as long as their attention spans, and who were about a quarter as funny or perceptive as they thought they were. Their little clique, where we weren’t so much a noisy neighbour, as the nuisances to tell them they were who we knew they were.
I am ashamed of a lot I did. People who know me will tell you I am an introvert, someone who doesn’t like people feeling bad vibes towards me. For me to invite the attacks was massively out of character and the attention I got was as powerful a narcotic as any cigarette or alcohol. I wanted the anger to fire my anger, because my writing was better as a result. But did I need to be so bloody arrogant? So off with people? So trenchant. Nice pieces, things I genuinely loved about the game, never resonated. My rage machine did. I was, even I confess, a really good angry writer. I am a pretty decent emotional writer. When neither matter, I am ordinary. The fact is, I’m bluffing now. Although I love to write, I don’t and never have, thought I am any good. Other people tell me I am.
What I suspected at the time, and which has been confirmed, certainly post-pandemic, is I have mental health issues. I suffered a breakdown during covid, and since then I have had bouts of chronic and serious anxiety. It is a terrible feeling knowing that unless a miracle occurs I will never be able to go to a test match in England again – it was hard enough going to a county game last summer. I am terrified of crowds. Of Waterloo Station. Of people bumping in to me. Of queues. Of people. That means I just can’t face a test match, nor the airport for a tour if I could afford it. It’s absolutely crippling, and I hope solvable, but the issues have been with me for a long time now.
What I recognise now from the post Ashes in 2014 was a mania borne out of anger, and I was out of control. I knew that this wasn’t me, but the focus I put on it turned me into a character that I wasn’t. The amount of people who looked at the actions through their prism telling me I wanted attention, I wanted to be a journalist, I wanted fame, were so wrong. I wanted attention from my crowd, no-one else. I never wanted a job in cricket, and as most of the snipers appeared to want to be in the game they couldn’t understand why I was doing what I was doing. As for fame, Lawrence Booth will tell you how I had to be convinced to meet him, and he wasn’t what he expected. That first meeting with him terrified me. I’d been horrible to him, and he was kind to me. I felt worse than I expected. The same with Nick Hoult and Chris Stocks. Both really good company, both I had been rude to as a keyboard warrior.
I changed my writing as my interest in test cricket waned, and the Tom Harrison, Andrew Strauss and all the others revolution has put in place the utter fustercluck we have now. Test cricket is still the best form of the game, and it’s not even close, but T20 and its bastard offspring the Hundred have led pretty much where we thought they would. 50 over cricket is arguably in worse shape than tests. In ten years, tops, we’ll probably see next to no test cricket, and we’ve been so conditioned to the arguments that we probably won’t be bothered when it happens.
I went to non-league football. I persuaded myself I really cared about it, but then the club that I fell for stabbed me in the back. I deserved it, for being a sucker enough to believe them. With it friendships were shattered, the seven or eight of us who went with the club through a couple of turbulent seasons were cast aside. The board has since been replaced with a soulless entity that has no clue what that club meant. While I had moved away, I still went up to see them, but when I was told to leave in October 2024 (or get a thump, if I didn’t), I saw two things. My angry writing (and believe me, it was toned down compared to before) still strikes nerves in a way I never understood, and that I can’t do that any more. I like my team down my way, but in the words of a song “I’ll never fall in love again” with something that can stab you in the back and the heart.
Which brings me back to the Ashes. A friend of mine is on the aeroplane out as I write to get his first taste of the Ashes in Australia. There are pangs of jealousy. I did that 20 years ago, and while the first trip was great, the second one was after both my parents passed away and I was a human wreckage. Then there is huge huge embarrassment. Even if I wanted to, even if I had the money, I could not do it. I could not get on the aeroplane, not because I am scared of flying, I am scared of the crowds at the gate. I would breathe faster. I would shake. I would shiver. I would get emotional. I would feel pain in the chest, nausea, stomach pain, ankle pain. Pure panic. It hinders my work, it hinders my recreation. If I don’t know where to park for a football match, I don’t go. I have become someone who can’t take advantage of what life has to bring.
Do England have a chance? Probably not. There is a lot of hopium about, but I don’t see it. Maybe the first test is a good opportunity, but there will still be four more. The bowling looks weak. Both in terms of recent performance (Gus Atkinson has to revert to mean) and in durability. Sure, Australia are down Cummins and Hazlewood, but they still have home advantage. The batting will do well for Australia, but there are too many question marks on this England team. I think it is more likely to be 5-0 than it is a 3-2 win to England, for example. We don’t play for draws, the weather probably won’t save us anywhere, and when the wheels fall off this England team, away from home, it becomes a procession. Especially in Australia. I hope I’m wrong, but hope is not a strategy.
The other stuff that surrounds it is dull to me. Malcolm Conn is still an irredeemable arse, and how British journos don’t just ostracise him, I will never know. It’s not an act. It’s the show. TNT’s coverage will probably be as awful as everybody else’s. The tests will probably last 4 days apiece, unless we make Australia bat again. We’ll see, as always, that we might be the whingeing Poms, but christ, it takes one to know one. They are still moaning about murray mints and ball changes. No, we aren’t moaning about a run-out. Without fail, Aussies seem to mention it first. No Australia, facts are facts. We may have been humped on out last three visits, but we have won an Ashes series overseas more recently than you have, But yes, you are a better cricket nation than us, which will always make us underdogs.
A mixture of me and cricket. Always what blogging was about. Deeply personal, life impacts, the pleasure, and there was some, and the pain. The pleasures have been working with Sean, Danny and Chris to make BOC required reading for a while, knowing it had a limited shelf life. The pleasures were the commenters, who saw what we were doing, who were fiercely protective of the “brand” and would provided a ferocious response to anyone brave enough to challenge us. You had to have your A game. Of course, this became “why would I bother with those idiots” in some quarters. We know. We saw you. We got to know what type of people you were. The pleasures were the camaraderie with certain bloggers and social media types. The pleasures were in watching test matches and knowing that this blog brought daily reports to you of them. Of our attempts to cover the women’s game. Of live blogging opening days of series. Of being a source of our views, that we knew resonated.
I am ashamed and proud at the same time. I know I did things I should not have, I know I was playing a role. I was scared and excited. I feared reaction, and yet needed it. All contradictions. If you asked me now would I have done it if I’d known what would happen? I honestly can’t answer that, but probably yes. Knowing that what praise we got was through gritted teeth, like getting pages in the Almanac. That was decent. I remember I pulled HDWLIA and was on the bus home when Lawrence DM’s me to ask me what the hell I was doing, as he’d just sent the Almanac to print, and we had a large part of the blog report. No word of a lie, I told him to delete it. He ignored me, but he did edit it! Because it mentioned that HDWLIA had gone. Crazy times. The shy attention seeker.
So it is time to sit back and watch the cricinfo score updates and see stupid stuff on Twitter. That’s the Ashes now. For me a sideshow. An outlier. A game that matters to someone who doesn’t. As the title of the song from the lyrics of this article bame goes, I am just spinning around. My head is all over the shop. Life is really nice outside of London, but the hubbub is not when I am in it. That’s where we are right now. If you are still excited I am truly envious of you. I wish I could care as much as that again. Maybe I will if it is close. But life is so different now, sport is so commercial and so not for me any more, that it just doesn’t seem likely.
Thanks for reading my self-indulgent claptrap. Be well everyone. I can be found on my various non-league blogs, a load of nonsense called Stuff, and on Twitter. Thanks to all. Not goodbye, but maybe more of see you if it gets better. The prospect of that is slimmer than my chances of getting back down to under 92kg (which I did 18 months ago).
The WPL 2026 auction delivered one of the most dramatic bidding sessions in Women’s Premier League history. With multiple surprises, unexpected outcomes, and tense bidding wars, the event kept franchises and fans on edge throughout. The biggest headline came when star all-rounder Deepti Sharma became the most expensive signing of the day, while Australian great Alyssa Healy failed to receive a single bid, leaving viewers stunned.
Deepti Sharma – The most valued player of the auction
Deepti entered the auction with a modest base price, but once her name appeared on the board, teams immediately began competing fiercely. Her value kept rising, and after an intense battle, her price closed at a massive ₹3.2 crore. UP Warriorz, unwilling to let go of their most reliable performer, used their Right-to-Match card to bring her back into the squad.
Her return gives UPW a powerful combination of consistency, leadership, and match-winning versatility. With the next season approaching, Deepti’s skillset in both batting and bowling could shape the team’s campaign significantly.
Alyssa Healy unsold — the unexpected twist
In one of the most shocking moments of the WPL 2026 auction, Alyssa Healy remained unsold. Despite being one of the most celebrated wicket-keeper batters with multiple World Cup titles, none of the franchises raised the paddle for her. This decision triggered debate across cricket circles, as fans expected her to be a top pick.
The outcome also highlights a shifting trend — teams are now prioritizing recent form, long-term availability, and balance over past achievements and star profile.
What this means for WPL 2026
The WPL 2026 auction showed how quickly the dynamics of women’s cricket are evolving. Young players and consistent performers gained high demand, while reputational picks were approached cautiously. The event also signals a more strategic future for franchises, where every signing aligns closely with long-term planning rather than just star attraction.
As the tournament approaches, fans will keep a close watch — can Deepti Sharma justify her record-breaking price, and will Alyssa Healy bounce back stronger?
After a 12-year streak of 18 consecutive home series wins, India’s dream run ended with a whimper. India was stunned by New Zealand’s remarkable 113-run victory in the second Test in Pune. Indian batsmen considered better players of spin were clueless against Santner, which raised many eyebrows. The retirement of senior players like Rohit and Kohli has been a hot topic on social media.
Former New Zealand fast bowler turned commentator, Simon Doull said, “I think it is a misconception around the world now that these modern Indian players are better playing spin than anyone else. They are not. They are the same as everyone else around the world. Gone are the days of Ganguly, Gambhir, Laxman and Dravid. Sachin was so, so good against spin, and the era before them”. Was Simon Doull, right?
As Simon Doull said, are the current Indian batsmen less skilled than the former Indian greats in tackling spin bowling? Did Kiwi batsmen devise a new technique to counter quality spinners like Ashwin and Jadeja on Indian pitches? Will this series loss end the invincibility of the Indian team in the subcontinent aided by spin-friendly pitches in test cricket? Questions are varied, and there is no definitive answer for all these questions.
Those who criticise the current Indian batsmen and compare them to the former Indian greats have missed a major silent revolution that happened in international cricket recently, the Decision Review System, or in short, DRS. Pads and foot movements were critical in tackling spinners, and a batsman trying to defend or play a shot in the front foot was rarely adjudged leg-before-wicket in pre-DRS days. With the advent of DRS, batsmen have been compelled to make changes in their techniques to avoid getting trapped leg before wicket. This changed technique involved a different style of foot movement, and the predominant use of the bat to counter spin led to batsmen getting bowled and caught by fielders close to the bat.
Photo Credit : X
The DRS (Decision Review System) became a double-edged sword during the Pune test, where the ball behaved unusually. This situation highlighted some drawbacks of DRS, particularly the “Umpire’s Call” rule. Several instances in the Pune test raised questions about this rule. For example, Shubman Gill was not given out, while Virat Kohli was adjudicated out after the appeal was referred to the third umpire, even though the DRS indicated that the ball was brushing the stumps in both cases. The “Umpire’s Call” was the issue on both occasions. Was this fair? It is time for the ICC to reconsider this rule.
Photo Credit X
Despite being caught at the forward short leg, Jadeja managed to get away because the umpire failed to spot the faint edge, and the New Zealand players did not appeal. Batsmen will suffer if the ICC issues further revolutionary decisions, such as having the third umpire decide dismissals, as is the case with no ball, without taking the player’s appeal or the field umpire’s judgement into account. This will be comparable to how hockey was changed by changes to the rules and surface. It took years to establish themselves as a major force in international hockey because Indians, who once dominated the sport with their dribbling prowess on grass, found it difficult to adjust to the revolutionary changes.
In the future, the other visiting teams might improve on the Kiwi batsmen’s approach to neutralising the threat posed by Indian spinners. Due to technological advancements in the sport, players will need to adapt their methods. This precludes comparison to the game’s past greats. The purpose of this DRS debate is to alert those naysayers of the subtle changes taking place in the game that they are unaware of, not to disparage the skills of past great players.
Now, what can the BCCI do to reclaim the Indian batsmen’s superiority against spinners? Making all Test players play first-class cricket, though necessary, is not good enough. The board needs to introduce the DRS in all the first-class matches starting from the preliminary level, which will enable the players to improve their techniques to avoid LBW through DRS. The captains will learn how and when to refer a decision to the third umpire. Thus, the BCCI can help the new talents adapt to the rigours of international cricket easily.
Several critical opinions and facts supported the doubts raised about the Indian players’ poor performance, which resulted in the series defeat to New Zealand. Statistics-based comparisons with past game greats are another foolishness that has infiltrated. In summary, we must conclude that statistics don’t always provide the complete picture, as the DRS example above illustrates.
