Regrettably, Matt Henry, the paramount pace exponent from New Zealand, will be absent from World Cup proceedings owing to a debilitating rupture in his hamstring. In the midst of a brutal battle on the grand stage, fate dealt him a devastating blow a wound that seared his flesh and crushed his spirit. The injury was inflicted upon him in the heated duel against the formidable warriors from South Africa, leaving him broken and wounded in body, but undeterred in his indomitable will. A diagnostic imaging procedure employing magnetic resonance imaging has affirmed the existence of a second-degree tendon rupture, necessitating a convalescence period ranging from fourteen to twenty-eight days.

In a symphony of lament and bittersweet prose, Gary Stead, the maestro of coaching, voiced his profound disappointment; for Henry, the stalwart warrior, has graced the One-day team with his invaluable presence, conducting the melodies of victory for an eternity. Henry, the embodiment of mastery and elegance, dances with the white leather sphere in the realm of One Day International cricket, perpetually claiming his coveted spot within the elite echelons of the top 10 bowlers an unwavering testament to his unrivaled talents. The team feels a huge void in his absence; it is a significant blow to their progress.

Kyle Jamieson shall assume the mantle in lieu of Henry. He reached Bengaluru on the day of Thor’s and is all prepared to rendezvous with the squad for a training session on the following day. In a truly awe-inspiring display of determination, Jamieson, unyielding in the face of recent back surgery, has fearlessly undertaken training with the New Zealand team throughout the tournament a valiant effort in serving as a protective shield for none other than the esteemed Tim Southee. Stead has fervently proclaimed, with unwavering conviction, that Jamieson is prepared beyond measure to grace the sacred grounds of the upcoming duel against Pakistan where he shall unleash his formidable prowess upon the cricketing realm for all to behold and tremble in awe before his majestic presence.

Coach Stead expressed his profound sense of gratitude for the serendipitous acquisition of a prodigiously gifted athlete such as Kyle Jamieson, whose presence fortuitously graces the team as a secondary option. With a set of skills that rival a superhero and physical abilities that make the gods jealous; he is undoubtedly a formidable asset to the team. Jamieson displays an exuberant enthusiasm in anticipation of his inaugural endeavor in the prestigious ODI World Cup, notwithstanding his triumphant recovery from a pair of debilitating spinal afflictions.

At present, New Zealand occupies the fourth spot in the World Cup standings; making waves on the global cricket stage. They are yet to engage in a pair of additional round-robin fixtures, with a forthcoming encounter against Pakistan scheduled for this upcoming Saturday, and a subsequent match against Sri Lanka set to take place on Thursday in the city of Bengaluru.

In a heartfelt tribute to their legendary cheerleader, Percy Abeysekera, the Sri Lankan cricket team donned black armbands during their recent Cricket World Cup match against India. Percy Abeysekera, affectionately known as ‘Uncle Percy,’ died at the age of 87 after a long battle with illness, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of unwavering support for Sri Lankan cricket.

A Cricket Devotee from Yesteryears to Today
Percy Abeysekera’s connection with Sri Lankan cricket stretched back to the 1979 World Cup. However, it was the 1996 World Cup, which Sri Lanka co-hosted, that propelled him to international prominence.. He became renowned for waving a large Sri Lankan flag during matches, offering encouraging pats on players’ backs, and even accompanying them to and from the dressing room.

A Sincere Tribute
The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) made an official statement saying, “Sri Lanka players will wear black armbands during today’s game vs India to pay tribute to the late Percy Abeysekera, the legendary cheerleader.” The statement also recognized Abeysekera’s crucial role in supporting and motivating players, as well as his lasting impact on Sri Lankan cricket history.

Rohit Sharma’s Fond Memories
Indian captain Rohit Sharma shared his personal encounter with Percy Abeysekera during the Asia Cup, where he visited Abeysekera’s home in Colombo. Rohit praised Abeysekera for his sincere passion of cricket and persistent support for the Sri Lankan team.

Rohit also reminisced about his initial trip to Sri Lanka in 2006 for the U-19 World Cup, where he encountered ‘Uncle Percy’ for the first time. It was during a tour with the Indian senior side in 2008 that he truly appreciated the passion and dedication of this remarkable cricket fan.

“I got lucky as well to meet his family, his son, his grandson…their family is very sweet,” Rohit added.”It’s a sad loss to the cricketing fraternity because in my eyes, he was the number one supporter of cricket at that point in time.”

Percy Abeysekera’s memory lives on as a symbol of unflinching devotion to the game, leaving an unforgettable imprint on the hearts of cricket fans all around the world.

The Pakistan cricket team is in trouble. They lost to Afghanistan at the Cricket World Cup, making it their third loss in a row. Despite being considered a favorite before the World Cup, they are now on the edge of elimination.

Former Pakistan cricket star Shoaib Akhtar expressed his disappointment, saying that Pakistan needs to make better choices in building their cricket team and not bring in mediocre people. He emphasized the importance of building a strong institution.

Afghanistan put up a great performance, bowling tightly and hitting hard, to defeat Pakistan in a big upset at the ICC World Cup 2023 in Chennai. It was Afghanistan’s first-ever win against Pakistan in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Afghanistan’s top four batsmen and Noor Ahmed, with his three wickets, played a key role in this victory.

This was Pakistan’s second major upset in the tournament, as Afghanistan had previously defeated the defending champions, England, by 69 runs in Delhi. In their chase of 283 runs, Afghanistan’s openers made a strong start, scoring 60 runs without losing any wickets in the opening powerplay.

Afghanistan Captain Laments Missed Catches and Pitch Misjudgment
After a devastating 149-run defeat at the hands of New Zealand in a World Cup game, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi expressed his disappointment. He attributed their loss to dropping as many as five crucial catches and failing to read the nature of the pitch. New Zealand batted first, posting 288/6 in 50 overs, with Glenn Phillips (71) and Tom Latham (68) surviving key moments to produce a match-winning 144-run partnership. Afghanistan, in response, was bowled out for just 139 in 34.4 overs. Shahidi acknowledged, “Very disappointed because at this level you have to take those kinds of catches. End of the day, those catches hurt us as otherwise the team was doing well but the fielding let us down.”

Turning Point in the Last Six Overs
The turning point in the match was the final six overs, during which Afghanistan conceded 78 runs. Shahidi pointed out, “Last six overs, a lot of runs were scored by New Zealand. Before that, we dropped two catches before the 40th over, and the set batters (Latham and Phillips) were there. That’s why we couldn’t stop them, as everything went their way.” If the missed catches had a detrimental effect, choosing to field after winning the toss was also a significant factor. Shahidi stated, “The toss I can say… We couldn’t judge the pitch properly. I think in the first innings, the ball was spinning (turning) and was a bit slow. We bowled well but our fielding wasn’t good.”

Impact After a Win Against England
Shahidi acknowledged the impact of not being able to maintain momentum after defeating England. He noted, “Tonight’s game will hurt us, but we still have more games to come. Next match is against Pakistan. We will go back and discuss where we can improve and will try to come back stronger.”

New Zealand’s Optimism
On the other side, New Zealand’s stand-in skipper Tom Latham expressed optimism about his team’s performance. He mentioned, “I guess on the back of some good performances, we are stepping in the right way. We have a week or so (4 days) and then we will play India (October 22) and then Australia (October 28), we are hoping to continue the momentum.”

Crucial Partnership and Missed Opportunities
Latham was pleased with the crucial partnership he and Glenn Phillips had during the match. He said, “We were put under pressure at certain times but putting pressure back on them at the end of the innings was great. I think at that time we lost three wickets in a short span of time, we tried to get a partnership there… took it nice and deep.” He also acknowledged the significance of the missed catches, stating, “There were a few chances here and there I guess. We tried to capitalize on those chances. Glenn played a fantastic innings, took the pressure off me. The guys set the tone at the top in the first 10 overs and kept chipping in.”

Mark Chapman and Mitchell Santner’s Contribution
The Man of the Match, Glenn Phillips, praised Mark Chapman and Mitchell Santner for their crucial contribution in the final stages of the match, making 34 runs in the last 2.5 overs. He mentioned, “It was great how we were able to take it till the end, and I think we understood what we could possibly get in the last 10 overs. It was amazing how Chapman and Santner finished it. I thought 250 was par.” He also highlighted the team’s unity, saying, “We are in an environment where we keep working for each other and play as a team. Latham was really good towards the end.”

On Wednesday, India’s captain Rohit Sharma climbed to sixth place in the ICC ODI batters’ ranking due to his excellent performance in the World Cup. He scored 131 runs against Afghanistan and 86 runs against Pakistan, making him one of the top-performing batters in the tournament. South Africa’s wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock also moved up to third place after scoring centuries against Sri Lanka and Australia.

However, De Kock missed a chance to move closer to the top spot after getting out for 20 against the Netherlands. Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Netherlands’ captain Scott Edwards also rose in the rankings after their impressive innings led their teams to surprise victories.

Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam increased his rating points and extended his lead in the ODI batting rankings. India’s opener Shubman Gill remained in the second spot after starting his World Cup campaign with 12 runs against Pakistan.

New Zealand’s experienced bowler Trent Boult is close to becoming the No.1 bowler in the ODI rankings after a strong performance against Bangladesh. He finished with 2/45 and took his 200th ODI wicket. Boult is only one rating point behind Australia’s Josh Hazlewood, the current top-ranked bowler.

Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan moved up to fourth place in the bowling rankings, and South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj climbed seven spots to share the fifth position with Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Among fast bowlers, India’s Jasprit Bumrah and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada also moved up in the rankings to share the 14th spot, while Lungi Ngidi jumped six spots to 16th.

Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan maintained his position as the No.1 all-rounder in the ODI rankings with 343 rating points.

In preparation for the intense India-Pakistan Cricket World Cup match at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, security measures have been significantly increased. Drones are now being deployed near the venue to enhance security and monitor for any potential threats or anti-social activities.

Drones with Extended Surveillance

These drones are equipped to fly for up to 12 hours and reach altitudes of 120 meters. They have the capacity to cover a five-kilometer radius around the stadium. The drones are equipped with high-definition cameras and are primarily used to identify and address security concerns around the stadium and its vicinity.

Preparedness Confirmed by GCA President

Dhanraj Nathwani, President of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA), expressed the association’s readiness to host this crucial tournament. They have diligently adhered to the standards set by the International Cricket Council (ICC) with the support of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). GCA takes pride in hosting such a significant match, along with the opening and final games of the World Cup, and expresses gratitude to the BCCI for the opportunity.

Key Match Details

India has commenced their World Cup campaign with impressive victories over Australia and Afghanistan, while Pakistan has also secured wins in their first two matches against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. The fans are eagerly anticipating stellar performances from players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Mohammed Siraj as the host nation takes on their longstanding rivals.

India Squad: 

Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc),Ravichandran Ashwin, Suryakumar Yadav,Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav,Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah,Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj,  Mohammed Shami,  Ishan Kishan, Shardul Thakur.

Pakistan Squad: 

Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan,Mohammad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan,  Salman Ali Agha, Imam-ul-Haq, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Abdullah Shafique,Saud Shakeel ,Iftikhar Ahmed,Mohammad Nawaz, Fakhar Zaman.

The Goa police apprehended three individuals for engaging in illegal betting on the India-Afghanistan cricket match during the World Cup. The illegal activity occurred at a bungalow in Porvorim, just outside the state capital, Panaji. These arrests were carried out by the Porvorim police, and the suspects are all between the ages of 32 to 46. They are originally from Karnataka.

In a surprising haul, the police apprehended several individuals and seized an assortment of valuable merchandise; among the confiscated items were mobile phones, a laptop, a Wi-Fi router, and an array of other related equipment, estimated at a staggering worth of Rs 1 lakh.

The accused have been detained under the Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act for their involvement in illegal betting.

Match Results

New Delhi witnessed a magnificent display of cricket artistry as India paved their path to triumph against Afghanistan; their victory was sealed with eight wickets intact