Cricket news today: Latest cricket news and live match updates | July 18, 2023

Pat Cummins confirms Josh Hazlewood to replace Scott Boland for fourth Ashes Test

Cummins fell short of naming Australia’s XI for the Old Trafford Test but confirmed in the press conference that Hazlewood will come into the team for Boland. Hazlewood played the first two Tests and was rested for the third game as Australia adopted a cautious approach with the bowler returning from an injury. Cummins also confirmed that David Warner would keep his place in the team.

Usman Khawaja reveals role in ICC Test over-rate penalty change

The Australia opener revealed how he went directly to the International Cricket Council to soften penalties for bad over-rates during the Ashes. Before the change, teams were fined and docked World Test Championship points for being short of their stipulated overs. Both England and Australia were fined and docked two WTC points each for being two overs behind in the first Ashes Test, following which Khawaja contacted ICC’s general manager Wasim Khan. The match fee fines have now been capped at 50 per cent, while over-rate penalties for innings that last less than 80 overs (60 previously) have been removed.

Shan Masood hints at influence of Bazball on Pakistan

Despite Pakistan losing early wickets on day two against Sri Lanka, they continued counter-attacking the spinners, with Masood, who made a 30-ball 39, later stating that the attacking approach was a well-thought-out tactic by the Pakistan team. “One of the things lacking with us on not winning Test matches was that we weren’t scoring at such a rate as our opposition. So there has been a concentrated effort; the emphasis was to score runs just to put the opposition under pressure.”

Pakistan’s Future Tour Programme tweaked

After the end of the World Cup, Pakistan will not play a single ODI till November 2024, with a change in the FTP announced by the cricket board. The side will instead play 19 T20Is between now and the 2024 T20 World Cup, in June, with their two-Test home series against the West Indies being pushed back from February 2024 to 2025, and five away T20Is against New Zealand being added in its place.

West Indies announce their squad for the second India Test

West Indies have included uncapped spinner Kevin Sinclair in their 13-member squad that will take on India in the second Test on July 20. He replaces Raymon Reifer, who scored just two and 11 and went wicketless in the opening Test. Sinclair has played seven ODIs and six T20Is and has picked up 54 wickets from 18 first-class games. The rest of the squad is unchanged.

Beth Mooney becomes top-ranked ODI batter

Mooney replaced Chamari Athapaththu as the No.1 ODI batter after being among the runs in the first two 50-over games against England in the Women’s Ashes. Mooney made 81* and 33 as Australia retained the Ashes. Mooney currently has 769 rating points and is just six points ahead of second-placed Nat Sciver-Brunt.

BCCI unhappy with CAB for announcing World Cup price tickets

The BCCI is miffed with the Cricket Association of Bengal and Sourav Ganguly’s brother Snehahish Ganguly for making public the prices of the tickets for the World Cup games at Eden Gardens. The board is yet to announce the sale of the tickets for the event, and the early declaration seems to have irked board members.