Story ICC Cricket World Cup 2027: A New Era Begins with Group Stage Drama

[Kamboh]

Wasim Akram Talking to Media – After Pakistan’s Loss to Ireland (Group Stage)


​

"Yaar honestly, 28 extras? That’s just not acceptable. You’re not playing club cricket — this is international level. You can’t be gifting runs like that and then expect to win. Especially in a close game like this, it comes back to hurt you."


"But let’s not just blame the bowlers. Where were the batters? Apart from Fakhar who gave us a solid start, and Naseem Shah — a bowler, mind you — who added some important runs in the end… the rest of the batting lineup just collapsed. Poor shot selection, no partnerships, no application. You can't win like that."


"Ireland didn’t do anything extraordinary — they just played sensible cricket. Stuck to basics, waited for mistakes, and we gave them plenty. That's the truth."


"And this is a group stage match, not even a knockout, but these games matter. You lose here, and suddenly you're chasing in the points table and the pressure builds."


"I keep saying this — talent alone isn’t enough. You need match awareness, discipline, and some fight. Right now, I’m not seeing that from a lot of our players. They have to take responsibility, all of them."

 

[Till Valhalla]

Is it year 2007?

 

[Kamboh]

Is it year 2007?

History Repeat itself

 

[Kamboh]

Group Stage – ICC Cricket World Cup 2027
Match no 7: England vs New Zealand

Date: October 9, 2027
Venue: Durban, South Africa​

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Toss Result: NEW ZEALAND won the toss and elected to bat first.
- - -
NEW ZEALAND​

NEW ZEALAND INNINGS

Player              Status                              R   B   4s 6s  S/R

Rachin Ravindra    c. Latham b. Archer                  34  33   5  1 103.0 
Devon Conway       b. Curran                            16  21   2  0  76.2 
Kane Williamson    c. Williamson b. L.Wood              36  53   3  0  67.9 
Daryl Mitchell     b. Archer                            52  66   4  1  78.8 
Glenn Phillips     c. Conway b. M.Wood                  44  46   3  1  95.7 
Tom Latham (WK)    b. Rashid                            14  19   1  0  73.7 
Mitchell Santner   c. Ravindra b. Curran                22  28   1  1  78.6 
Ish Sodhi          run out (Duck)                       10  16   0  0  62.5 
Matt Henry         b. L.Wood                             7  12   0  0  58.3 
Adam Milne         not out                               7  11   1  0  63.6 
Ben Sears          not out                               3   0   0  0  0.00   


Extras: 19 (9w, 5nb, 5lb) 
TOTAL: 264/9 in 50 overs 
Run Rate: 5.28 RPO



Bowler             Overs  Mdns  Runs  Wkts  Econ

Jofra Archer         10     0     46    2     4.60 
Sam Curran           9      0     54    2     6.00 
Mark Wood            9      0     53    1     5.89 
Luke Wood            10     1     39    2     3.90 
Adil Rashid          10     0     52    1     5.20 
Liam Livingstone     2      0     15    0     7.50


Extras Conceded: 19 (9w, 5nb, 5lb) 
TOTAL: 264/9 in 50 overs 
Run Rate: 5.28 RPO

Target: ENGLAND needs 265 runs to win in 50 overs.
- - -
ENGLAND​

ENGLAND INNINGS

Player              Status                              R   B   4s 6s  S/R

Phil Salt           c. Latham b. Milne                 28  33   4  1  84.8 
Jason Roy           b. Henry                           35  44   6  0  79.5 
Ben Duckett         lbw b. Santner                     31  41   2  1  75.6 
Harry Brook (C)     c. Conway b. Sodhi                 40  47   4  1  85.1 
Jos Buttler (WK)    b. Sears                           22  30   2  0  73.3 
Liam Livingstone    c. Phillips b. Santner             18  22   1  1  81.8 
Sam Curran          c. Williamson b. Henry             25  30   3  0  83.3 
Adil Rashid (VC)    b. Milne                           10  13   1  0  76.9 
Jofra Archer        run out (Sodhi)                     7  11   1  0  63.6 
Mark Wood           c. Ravindra b. Sears                8  11   1  0  72.7 
Luke Wood           not out                             6   6   1  0 100.0 

Extras: 10 (3w, 1nb, 6lb) 
TOTAL: 240/10 in 47.5 overs 
NEW ZEALAND BOWLING

Bowler                 Overs   Maidens   Runs   Wickets   Econ
Matt Henry             10.0     1         44       2       4.40
Adam Milne              9.0     0         44       2       4.89
Ben Sears               8.5     0         47       2       5.32
Mitchell Santner (C)   10.0     1         36       2       3.60
Ish Sodhi               7.0     0         39       1       5.57
Rachin Ravindra         3.0     0         24       0       8.00


Extras Conceded: 10 (3w, 1nb, 6lb)
Run Rate: 5.02 RPO

New Zealand Take the Win, England Left Wondering in Durban​

New Zealand held their nerve and walked away with a 24-run win over England at Kingsmead — a match that had its swings but ultimately belonged to the Black Caps.


They batted first — maybe not a dream start, but it worked. Daryl Mitchell was steady with 52, Glenn Phillips added some urgency with a quick 44, and the rest... well, did enough. The pitch wasn’t the easiest — a bit dry, with bounce here and there — and England’s bowlers, particularly Archer and Wood, kept things interesting. Still, 264/9 was on the board, and in Durban, that’s not a bad effort.


England came out swinging. Phil Salt found the gaps early, and Roy looked like he was settling in. But then came the squeeze. Mitchell Santner didn’t do anything flashy — just clever, tight bowling. He finished with 2 for 36, but it felt like more. Henry and Sears also chipped away, and suddenly that chase didn’t look so easy.

​

Harry Brook stuck around, fought for his 40, but the collapse came fast after him. No one else really stepped up. England were all out for 240 in the 48th over — close, but not close enough.


Was it the most thrilling game? Maybe not. But for New Zealand, it’s a win that builds confidence. England, on the other hand, have some thinking to do.

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Final Scorecard Summary


New Zealand – 264/9 (50 overs)
England – 240 all out (47.5 overs)


Result: New Zealand won by 24 runs
Player of the Match: Mitchell Santner – 2/36 (10 overs) & 22(28)

 

[Kamboh]

South Africa vs Netherlands Playing XI Announced
Johannesburg | October 9
Match 8 – ICC World Cup 2027


The playing XIs are confirmed for the key Group Stage clash between South Africa and the Netherlands.​

South Africa XI:

• Temba Bavuma
• Ryan Rickelton
• Aiden Markram (C)
• Tristan Stubbs
• David Miller
• Kyle Verreynne (WK)
• Corbin Bosch
• Keshav Maharaj
• Kagiso Rabada (VC)
• Gerald Coetzee
• Lungi Ngidi

IN: Verreynne, Bosch, Coetzee, Ngidi
OUT: Breetzke, Marco Jansen, Nortje, Shamsi


Netherlands XI:

• Max O'Dowd
• Vikramjit Singh
• Sybrand Engelbrecht
• Bas de Leede (VC)
• Teja Nidamanuru
• Scott Edwards (C & WK)
• Logan van Beek
• Shariz Ahmad
• Aryan Dutt
• Paul van Meekeren
• Vivian Kingma

IN: Nidamanuru, Kingma
OUT: Michael Levitt, Kyle Klein


Both teams have made key changes as they look to secure vital points in a tightly contested World Cup group stage.


Question: Can the Netherlands defeat South Africa once again in the World Cup?

 

[Kamboh]

Group Stage – ICC Cricket World Cup 2027
Match no 8: South Africa vs Netherlands

Date: October 9, 2027
Venue: Johannesburg, South Africa​

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Toss Result: South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first.
- - -
South Africa​

South Africa Innings

Player                 Status                                R   B   4s  6s  SR

Temba Bavuma (C)       c. Edwards b. van Meekeren           27  38   3   0  71.1
Ryan Rickelton         lbw b. Dutt                          18  24   2   0  75.0
Aiden Markram          b. Shariz Ahmad                      61  66   6   1  92.4
Tristan Stubbs         c. Engelbrecht b. Kingma             50  67   3   2  74.63
David Miller           not out                              66  59   4   3 111.9
Kyle Verreynne (WK)    c. Nidamanuru b. van Beek            22  28   2   0  78.6
Corbin Bosch           run out (Dutt/Edwards)               14  11   2   0 127.3
Keshav Maharaj         not out                              12   9   1   0 133.3
Kagiso Rabada          did not bat
Gerald Coetzee         did not bat
Lungi Ngidi            did not bat

Extras: 20 (9w, 2nb, 9lb)
Total: 290/6 (50 overs)
Run Rate: 5.80

Bowler              Overs  Mdns  Runs  Wkts  Econ
Paul van Meekeren    9.0     0    54     1   6.00
Vivian Kingma        8.0     0    48     1   6.00
Logan van Beek      10.0     0    56     1   5.60
Aryan Dutt          10.0     1    43     1   4.30
Shariz Ahmad         9.0     0    63     1   7.00
Teja Nidamanuru      4.0     0    17     0   4.25

Extras Conceded: 20 (9w, 2nb, 9lb)
Total: 290/6 (50 overs)

Target: Netherlands needs 291 runs to win in 50 overs.
- - -
Netherlands​

Netherlands Innings

Player                Status                                R   B   4s 6s  S/R

Max O'Dowd           c. Stubbs b. Ngidi                     21  27   3  0  77.8
Vikramjit Singh      b. Coetzee                             11  19   1  0  57.9
Sybrand Engelbrecht  lbw b. Maharaj                         32  36   3  1  88.9
Bas de Leede (VC)    b. Bosch                               42  58   5  0  72.4
Teja Nidamanuru      c. Verreynne b. Rabada                 17  29   1  0  58.6
Scott Edwards (C/WK) c. Markram b. Maharaj                  28  40   2  0  70.0
Logan van Beek       c. Rickelton b. Coetzee                14  21   1  0  66.7
Shariz Ahmad         b. Rabada                              6   9   1  0  66.7
Aryan Dutt           run out (Markram/Verreynne)            7  10   0  0  70.0
Paul van Meekeren    not out                                12  14   1  0  85.7
Vivian Kingma        b. Ngidi                                3   5   0  0  60.0

Extras: 19 (6w, 3nb, 10lb)
TOTAL: 212 all out in 44.1 overs
Run Rate: 4.80 RPO

Bowler             Overs  Mdns  Runs  Wkts  Econ

Lungi Ngidi         8.1     0     41     2     5.02
Gerald Coetzee      9.0     0     38     2     4.22
Corbin Bosch        7.0     0     33     1     4.71
Kagiso Rabada       9.0     0     36     2     4.00
Keshav Maharaj      10.0    1     49     2     4.90
Aiden Markram       1.0     0     5      0     5.00

Extras Conceded: 19 (6w, 3nb, 10lb)
TOTAL: 212 all out in 44.1 overs

Proteas Too Sharp for Dutch in Uneven ODI Battle​

South Africa batted first and played it smart. No fireworks early on, just steady hands and a clear plan. Markram looked calm at the crease, ticking along for a 61 that didn’t make headlines but mattered. Then David Miller showed up, and, well, you could feel the tone shift. He does that. A clean 66 not out off 59 — not brutal, just clinical. Stubbs added 50 in there too, which helped stretch the total to a tidy 290/6.

​

Netherlands? They tried. De Leede looked like he had a point to prove — his 42 was gritty — and Engelbrecht gave it a shot with 32. But they just couldn’t hold partnerships together. South Africa kept breaking things up. Nothing flashy, no unplayable spells — just smart, suffocating bowling. Maharaj did his thing, Rabada picked his moments, and Coetzee and Ngidi quietly racked up two each.

​

The Dutch folded for 212 in the 45th over. It wasn’t a collapse, really — more like slow pressure just squeezing the life out of the chase.


In the end, South Africa walk away with a 78-run win and barely broke a sweat. Not a thriller, but a job done. Sometimes that’s all you need.

---

Final Scorecard Summary:


South Africa – 290/6 (50 overs)
Netherlands – 212 all out (44.1 overs)


Result: South Africa won by 78 runs
Player of the Match: David Miller – 66* (59 balls)

 

[Kamboh]

Australia vs Namibia Playing XI Announced
Bloemfontein | October 10
Match 9 – ICC World Cup 2027​

The ICC World Cup 2027 continues to deliver thrilling encounters as Australia and Namibia get ready to face off in a pivotal Group Stage clash at Bloemfontein. Both teams have announced their Playing XI, with Namibia making two key changes.

Batting Position	Namibia Player	Role	Australia Player	Role
1	Michael van Lingen	Left-hand Opener	Travis Head	Experienced Opener
2	Nikolaas Davin	Right-hand Opener / Fielder	Matt Short	Solid Opener / No. 2
3	Divan la Cock	Aggressive Top-order Batter	Marnus Labuschagne	Reliable Anchor
4	Gerhard Erasmus (C)	Middle-order Batter	Cameron Green	Powerful Middle-order All-rounder
5	Zane Green (WK)	Left-hand Wicketkeeper-Batsman	Josh Inglis	Aggressive Wicketkeeper-Batsman
6	JJ Smit (VC)	All-rounder (Bat & Left-arm Medium)	Tim David	Explosive Finisher
7	Shaun Fouché	Batting All-rounder	Alex Carey	Backup Wicketkeeper / Lower-middle Order Bat
8	Jan Frylinck	Left-arm Seam Bowling All-rounder	Sean Abbott	Useful All-rounder
9	Ruben Trumpelmann	Left-arm Fast Bowler	Mitchell Starc	Express Pace Bowler
10	Tangeni Lungameni	Right-arm Fast Bowler	Pat Cummins	Lead Fast Bowler
11	Bernard Scholtz	Left-arm Orthodox Spinner	Adam Zampa	Specialist Spinner

Namibia Playing XI Changes:
In: Nikolaas Davin, Tangeni Lungameni
Out: Petrus Burger, Ben Shikongo

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Pitch Report: Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein​

The surface at Bloemfontein is known for its balance between bat and ball. Expect true bounce and carry early on, with some assistance for seamers under morning conditions. Spinners may come into play in the second innings as the surface begins to dry out.

• Bounce: Consistent
• Pace: Good for fast bowlers early
• Spin: Will grip later in the day
• Par Score: 280+
• Chasing: Slight advantage due to dew under lights

Expert View:
"A fresh pitch with a hint of grass. The first 10 overs will be crucial for batters to weather the new ball storm. Once set, stroke-makers can flourish. Spinners might play a role in the middle overs."

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Toss Report​

• Toss Winner: Australia
• Decision: Elect to Bowl First

Reason:
Captain Pat Cummins chose to field first, citing favorable morning conditions for seamers and the possibility of dew making it easier to chase later in the evening.


Cummins at the Toss:
"Looks like a good wicket with a bit of grass on top. We’d like to exploit it early and chase under lights. We’re backing our bowlers to get us early breakthroughs."


Erasmus (Namibia Captain):
"Yeah, we actually wanted to bowl first too — looked like there’d be a bit in it early on. But no worries, we’re batting now, so the plan’s simple: settle in, build a solid score, and back our bowlers later."

 

[Kamboh]

Group Stage – ICC Cricket World Cup 2027
Match no 9: Australia vs Namibia

Date: October 9, 2027
Venue: Bloemfontein,South Africa​

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Toss Result: Australia won the toss and elected to bowl first.
- - -
Namibia​

Namibia Innings

Player                    Status                              R  B  4s 6s  SR

M. van Lingen         c. Carey b. Starc                      18 24  2  0 75.0
N. Davin              b. Cummins                              9 17  1  0 52.9
D. la Cock            b. Green                               27 33  3  1 81.8
G. Erasmus (C)        c. Labuschagne b. Abbott               31 38  4  0 81.6
Z. Green (WK)         b. Zampa                               22 29  2  0 75.9
JJ Smit (VC)          c. Head b. Zampa                       10 14  1  0 71.4
S. Fouché             run out (David/Inglis)                 12 18  1  0 66.7
J. Frylinck           b. Cummins                              7 10  1  0 70.0
R. Trumpelmann        c. Short b. Starc                       4  7  0  0 57.1
T. Lungameni          b. Zampa                                1  3  0  0 33.3
Bernard Scholtz        not out                                3  8  0  0 37.5

Extras: 16 (5w, 2nb, 9lb)
Total: 160 all out in 33.1 overs
Run Rate: 4.80 RPO

Bowler             Overs  Mdns  Runs  Wkts  Econ

M. Starc           6.1     0     28     2     4.54
P. Cummins         6.0     0     30     2     5.00
C. Green           5.0     0     27     1     5.40
S. Abbott          4.0     0     21     1     5.25
A. Zampa           8.0     1     26     3     3.25
M. Short           4.0     0     19     0     4.75
Extras Conceded: 16 (5w, 2nb, 9lb)
Total: 160 all out in 33.1 overs

Target: Australia needs 161 runs to win in 50 overs.
- - -
Australia​

Australia Innings

Player                    Status                              R  B  4s 6s  SR
M. Short               c. Erasmus b. Scholtz                 41 38  6  1 107.9
T. Head               not out                                77 72  7  2  106.9
M. Labuschagne        not out                                34 30  4  0 117.2
C. Green              did not bat
J. Inglis (WK)        did not bat
T. David              did not bat
A. Carey              did not bat
S. Abbott             did not bat
M. Starc              did not bat
P. Cummins (C)        did not bat
A. Zampa              did not bat
 

Extras: 09 (5w, 0nb, 4lb)
Total: 161/1  in 23.2 overs
Run Rate: 6.90 RPO
Bowler             Overs  Mdns  Runs  Wkts  Econ
R. Trumpelmann     6.0    0     36    0     6.00
T. Lungameni       5.0    0     40    0     8.00
J. Frylinck        6.2    0     45    0     7.10
B. Scholtz         6.0    0     36    1     6.00

Extras Conceded: 09 (5w, 0nb, 4lb)
Total: 161/1  in 23.2 overs

Australia won the toss and sent Namibia in — and that was pretty much the tone-setter. Namibia never got going. Bits of resistance from Erasmus (31), la Cock (27), and Zane Green (22) gave the scoreboard some life, but no one managed to anchor the innings. They were bundled out for 160 in just 33.1 overs — well below par.


Australia’s bowlers didn’t need magic, just discipline. Zampa spun through the middle with 3/26, while Starc and Cummins chipped in with two apiece. Abbott and Green each took one. Clean, sharp, and clinical — Australia barely broke a sweat in the field.

​

In reply, Australia made it look like a net session. Matt Short cracked 41 off 38 before falling, but by then, the chase was already on rails. Travis Head was the star — steady but aggressive — finishing on an unbeaten 77 off 72, while Labuschagne added a crisp 34*. They got the job done in just 23.2 overs, sealing a nine-wicket win with ruthless ease.

​

Namibia’s bowlers didn’t have much to work with, and it showed. Scholtz was the only one to grab a wicket; the rest just couldn’t apply any real pressure.

---

Final Scorecard Summary:


Namibia – 160 all out (33.1 overs)
Australia – 161/1 (23.2 overs)


Result: Australia won by 9 wickets
Player of the Match: Adam Zampa – 3/26

 

[Kamboh]

Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Playing XI Announced
Paarl | October 10
Match 10 – ICC World Cup 2027



Official: Afghanistan & Sri Lanka Playing XIs Announced for Paarl Clash!




Sri Lanka Best Playing XI (Based on Performance)
Match Analysis – Performance Based XI Changes​

Batting Position	Player	Role	Replaces
1	Pathum Nissanka	Right-hand Opener	—
2	Avishka Fernando	Aggressive Top-order Batter	Kamindu Mendis
3	Kusal Mendis (WK)	Wicketkeeper-Batsman	—
4	Charith Asalanka (C)	Middle-order All-rounder	—
5	Janith Liyanage	Middle-order Batter	—
6	Dunith Wellalage	Spin All-rounder	—
7	Wanindu Hasaranga (VC)	Leg-spin All-rounder	—
8	Maheesh Theekshana	Mystery Spinner	—
9	Dilshan Madushanka	Left-arm Fast	—
10	Matheesha Pathirana	Right-arm Fast (Death Overs)	—
11	Lahiru Kumara	Right-arm Fast	Kasun Rajitha

Sri Lanka XI Changes:
IN: Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Kumara
OUT: Kamindu Mendis, Kasun Rajitha


Afghanistan Best Playing XI (Based on Performance)
Match Analysis – Performance Based XI Changes​

Batting Position	Player	Role	Replaces
1	Rahmanullah Gurbaz	WK-Opener	—
2	Ibrahim Zadran	Opener	—
3	Hashmatullah Shahidi (C)	Middle-order Batter	—
4	Ikram Alikhil	Middle-order WK-Batter	Mohammad Ishaq
5	Darwish Rasooli	Middle-order Batter	—
6	Azmatullah Omarzai	Batting All-rounder (Seam)	—
7	Gulbadin Naib	All-rounder (Medium Pace)	—
8	Rashid Khan (VC)	Bowling All-rounder (Leg-spin)	—
9	Noor Ahmad	Left-arm Wrist Spinner	—
10	Qais Ahmad	Leg-spinner	Nangeyalia Kharoti
11	Fazalhaq Farooqi	Fast Bowler (Left-arm Medium)	—

Afghanistan XI Changes:
IN: Ikram Alikhil, Qais Ahmad
OUT: Mohammad Ishaq, Nangeyalia Kharoti​

---

Pitch Report: Boland Park, Paarl​

The surface at Boland Park in Paarl is typically dry and on the slower side. It tends to assist spinners as the match progresses, while batters will need to work hard early on due to slight uneven bounce. The outfield is quick, rewarding placement and timing.

• Bounce: Slightly low and uneven
• Pace: Slower side, rewards cutters and variations
• Spin: Significant grip and turn as innings progresses
• Par Score: 260–270
• Chasing: Slight disadvantage; gets harder under lights

Expert View:
"Looks like a dry, used wicket with some visible cracks. Batting might not be free-flowing early, but there are runs for those who apply themselves. Expect spin to dominate the middle overs, and slower balls to be very effective in the death."

---

Toss Report​

• Toss Winner: Afghanistan
• Decision: Elect to Bat First

Reason:
Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi opted to take advantage of the dry, daylight conditions, expecting the pitch to deteriorate and slow down under lights. Their spinners are expected to play a major role in the second innings.

---

Shahidi at the Toss:
"Looks a bit dry and cracked already. We want to put runs on the board and let our spinners control things in the second half. A good start with the bat will be key."


Asalanka (Sri Lanka Captain):
"We were hoping to bowl first, so it’s not a bad toss to lose. Our bowlers are up for it, and chasing here is always tricky. We’ll look to keep them under pressure from ball one."

 

[Kamboh]

Group Stage – ICC Cricket World Cup 2027
Match no 10: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka

Date: October 10, 2027
Venue: Paarl,South Africa​

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Toss Result: Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first.
- - -
Afghanistan​

Afghanistan INNINGS

Player                    Status                              R  B  4s 6s  SR

Rahmanullah Gurbaz     c. Theekshana b. Madushanka           33  28   5  1 117.9 
Ibrahim Zadran         b. Wellalage                          47  64   4  1 73.44
Hashmatullah Shahidi   c. Liyanage b. Hasaranga              41  55   3  0 74.5 
Ikram Alikhil          lbw b. Theekshana                     16  30   1  0 53.33 
Darwish Rasooli        b. Hasaranga                           9  18   1  0 50.0 
Azmatullah Omarzai     run out (Nissanka/Hasaranga)          22  40   2  1 55.00
Gulbadin Naib          c. Mendis b. Madushanka               18  20   2  0 90.0 
Rashid Khan (VC)       not out                               26  20   2  1 130.0 
Noor Ahmad             c. Asalanka b. Kumara                  5   7   0  0 71.4 
Qais Ahmad             b. Kumara                              2   4   0  0 50.0 
Fazalhaq Farooqi       run out (direct hit by Theekshana)     1   2   0  0 50.0 

Extras: 20 (6w, 2nb, 12lb) 
Total: 240 all out in 47.4 overs 
Run Rate: 5.03 RPO


Player                 Overs  Maidens  Runs  Wickets  Econ

D. Madushanka           8.4      0      45      2     5.19 
L. Kumara               7.0      0      36      2     5.14 
M. Theekshana          10.0      1      38      1     3.80 
W. Hasaranga           10.0      0      44      2     4.40 
D. Wellalage            8.0      0      42      1     5.25 
M. Pathirana             4.0      0      23      0     5.75 

Extras Conceded: 20 (6w, 2nb, 12lb) 
Total: 240 all out in 47.4 overs

Target: Sri Lanka needs 241 runs to win in 50 overs.
- - -
Sri Lanka​

Sri Lanka INNINGS

Player                    Status                              R  B  4s 6s  SR

Pathum Nissanka        c. Ikram b. Omarzai                   61  69   7   0  88.41 
Avishka Fernando       b. Rashid Khan                        28  32   3   1  87.50 
Kusal Mendis (WK)      b. Gulbadin Naib                      35  46   4   0  76.09 
Charith Asalanka (C)   c. Noor Ahmad b. Rashid Khan          45  58   3   1  77.59 
Janith Liyanage        run out (Gurbaz)                      22  31   2   0  70.97 
Dunith Wellalage       not out                               23  35   1   0  65.71 
Wanindu Hasaranga (VC) not out                               17  20   2   0  85.00 


Extras: 12 (3w, 1nb, 8lb) 
Total: 243/5 in 48.2 overs 
Run Rate: 5.02 RPO 
Player                 Overs  Maidens  Runs  Wickets  Econ

Fazalhaq Farooqi       8.0      0      43      0     5.37 
Azmatullah Omarzai     9.0      0      40      1     4.44 
Gulbadin Naib          7.0      0      39      1     5.57 
Rashid Khan           10.0      0      45      2     4.50 
Noor Ahmad            10.0      1      51      0     5.10 
Qais Ahmad             4.2      0      17      0     3.92 

Extras Conceded: 12 (3w, 1nb, 8lb) 
Total: 243/5 in 48.2 overs

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Match Recap (Quick Thoughts)​

Afghanistan went in to bat first and honestly, they started off alright. Gurbaz came out swinging and smashed a quick 33, looked like he was settling in well. Zadran was more patient, got 47, and Shahidi added 41 in the middle — nothing flashy, but steady. But after that, they kinda lost their way. Wickets just kept falling and they couldn’t really get going again. Rashid Khan did try to push things a bit at the end with a fast 26, but overall 240 didn’t feel like enough. Sri Lanka bowled smart — Hasaranga and Madushanka both picked up a couple, and even though they gave away 20 extras, they stayed in control.


Sri Lanka’s chase was smooth. They didn’t do anything crazy. Nissanka played a proper anchor role with 61.

​

Asalanka and Mendis did their jobs too. Afghanistan kept trying, Rashid got 2 wickets again, but Sri Lanka didn’t panic. It was Wellalage and Hasaranga who took them home — just played it cool. They won by 5 wickets, finished it with a couple overs to spare. Solid team effort, no drama.

---

Final Scorecard Summary:



Afghanistan – 240 all out (47.4 overs)
Sri Lanka – 243/5 (48.2 overs)


Result: Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets
Player of the Match: Pathum Nissanka – 61 (69)

 

[Kamboh]

India vs Ireland Playing XI Announced​

Bloemfontein | October 11
Match 11 – ICC World Cup 2027


Official: India vs Ireland Playing XI Announced for Bloemfontein Clash!

India Playing XI​

Batting Position	Player	Role	Replaces
1	Shubman Gill (C)	Right-hand Opener	—
2	Yashasvi Jaiswal	Left-hand Aggressive Opener	—
3	Virat Kohli	Top-order Batter	—
4	Shreyas Iyer	Middle-order Batter	—
5	Rishabh Pant (WK)	Wicketkeeper-Batsman	KL Rahul
6	Hardik Pandya (VC)	Batting All-rounder	—
7	Axar Patel	Spin All-rounder	Ravindra Jadeja
8	Kuldeep Yadav	Left-arm Chinaman Spinner	—
9	Arshdeep Singh	Left-arm Fast	—
10	Mohammed Siraj	Right-arm Fast	—
11	Mohammed Shami	Right-arm Fast	Jasprit Bumrah

​

India XI Changes:​

IN: Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami
OUT: KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah


Ireland Playing XI​

Batting Position	Player	Role	Replaces
1	Paul Stirling (C)	Right-hand Opener	—
2	Ross Adair	Aggressive Top-order Batter	—
3	Andrew Balbirnie	Top-order Batter	—
4	Harry Tector	Middle-order Batter	—
5	Curtis Campher	Batting All-rounder	—
6	Neil Rock (WK)	Wicketkeeper-Batsman	Lorcan Tucker
7	Mark Adair (VC)	Pace All-rounder	—
8	George Dockrell	Spin All-rounder	—
9	Josh Little	Left-arm Fast	—
10	Craig Young	Right-arm Fast-Medium	—
11	Ben White	Leg-spinner	—

Ireland XI Changes:​

IN: Neil Rock
OUT: Lorcan Tucker​

---

Pitch Report: Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein​

The surface at Bloemfontein offers true bounce and good pace early on, making it favorable for batting. However, under lights, it tends to dry out and slow down, bringing spinners and cutters into play. Fast outfield helps stroke-makers, but bowlers who use variations can be effective in the second innings.

• Bounce: Consistent early, slightly lower later
• Pace: Good up front, slows down in the second half
• Spin: Some grip for slower bowlers in the middle overs
• Par Score: 290–300
• Chasing: Advantage chasing due to evening dew and early ball movement

Expert View:
"Looks like a good surface with an even covering of grass. Expect batters to enjoy the new ball phase, but as the game progresses, the pitch could grip. Bowlers with variations — especially spinners and change-up pacers — will come into play later."

---

Toss Report​

• Toss Winner: India
• Decision: Elected to Bowl First

Shubman Gill (India Captain):
"We’ll bowl first. There’s a bit of freshness in the pitch and we want to use it while it lasts. Under lights, the ball could skid on more. Chasing suits us here."


Paul Stirling (Ireland Captain):
"We would’ve bowled too, but it’s fine. The pitch looks good for batting, so it’s about putting a good score on the board and then backing our bowlers to defend it."

 

[Kamboh]

Group Stage – ICC Cricket World Cup 2027
Match no 11: India vs Ireland

Date: October 11, 2027
Venue: Bloemfontein​

---

Toss Result: India won the toss and elected to bowl first.
- - -
Ireland​

Ireland Innings
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Batsman                 Status                                   R     B     4s    6s    SR      
---------------------- ---------------------------------------- ----- ----- ---- ---- ---------
Paul Stirling           c Virat Kohli b Mohammed Shami           10    20    1     0     50.00   
Ross Adair              b Kuldeep Yadav                         115   146   10    3     78.77   
Andrew Balbirnie        c Rishabh Pant b Mohammed Siraj          8     7     0     1     114.29  
Harry Tector            c Hardik Pandya b Axar Patel             86    86    8     2     100.00  
Curtis Campher          lbw b Arshdeep Singh                     18    18    2     1     100.00  
Neil Rock               c Rishabh Pant b Kuldeep Yadav           0     1     0     0     0.00    
George Dockrell         not out                                  13     19    0     0     68.42   
Mark Adair              not out                                  0     4     0     0     0.00    

Extras: 18 (wd 11, nb 1, lb 6)
Total: 268/6 (50.0 Overs, RR: 5.56)


Bowler                  O       M     R     W     Econ    WD    NB   

Mohammed Siraj          10.0    0     52    1     5.20    1     0    
Mohammed Shami          10.0    0     47    1     4.70    1     0    
Arshdeep Singh          6.0     1     24    1     4.00    1     0    
Hardik Pandya           5.0     0     37    0     7.40    2     0    
Kuldeep Yadav           10.0    0     55    2     5.50    3     1    
Axar Patel              9.0     0     47    1     5.22    3     0    

Extras Conceded: 18 (wd 11, nb 1, lb 6)

Target: India needs 269 runs to win in 50 overs.
- - -
India​

India Innings
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Batsman                 Status                                   R     B     4s    6s    SR      
---------------------- ---------------------------------------- ----- ----- ---- ---- ---------
Shubman Gill            b Josh Little                            1     3     0     0     33.33   
Yashasvi Jaiswal        c George Dockrell b Josh Little          23    27    2     2     85.19   
Virat Kohli             c Neil Rock b Ben White                  60    81    6     0     74.07   
Shreyas Iyer            c Curtis Campher b Ben White             28    29    4     0     96.55   
Rishabh Pant            Not Out                                  84    61    1     0     137.70   
Hardik Pandya           Not Out                                  54    57    7     1     94.74   


Extras: 19 (wd 8, nb 3, lb 8)
Total: 269/4 (42.3 Overs, RR: 6.33)

Bowler                  O       M     R     W     Econ    WD    NB   

Josh Little             10.0    1     50    2     5.00    3     1    
Craig Young             5.0     0     33    0     6.60    1     1    
Curtis Campher          7.3    0     54    0     7.20    0     0    
Mark Adair              5.0     0     29    0     5.80    1     1    
Ben White               10.0    2     50    2     5.00    0     0    
George Dockrell         5.0    1     45    0     9.00    3     0    

Extras Conceded: 19 (wd 8, nb 3, lb 8)

India vs Ireland – Quick Match Recap​

India won the toss and went with bowling first, and early on, it looked like the right call. Shami and Siraj got early breakthroughs, knocking out Stirling and Balbirnie quickly. But then Ross Adair walked in and changed everything. He played a cracking innings — 115 off 146 — and just took the game away for a while. Tector backed him up really well with a quickfire 86. The rest of the batting didn’t do much, but that partnership was enough to get Ireland to 268/6. Kuldeep picked up a couple, and overall the bowlers kept things in check, though 18 extras didn’t help.

India’s reply didn’t start great — both openers were gone early — but Kohli did what Kohli does, steadying things with a calm 60. Then Pant showed up and just took over. He smashed an unbeaten 84 off 61, full of intent, proper Pant-style.

​

Hardik also chipped in with a solid 54* to wrap things up nicely. India chased it down in 42.3 overs with six wickets in hand — looked in control the whole way once Pant got going.

---

Final Scorecard Summary:


Ireland – 268/6 (50 overs)
India – 269/4 (42.3 overs)

Result: India won by 6 wickets
Player of the Match: Rishabh Pant – 84* (61)

 

[malikali]

IN: Neil Rock
OUT: Lorcan Tucker​

Neil Rock c Rishabh Pant b Kuldeep Yadav 0 1 0 0 0.00

Perfect Change for Ireland

 

[Kamboh]

Toss Update and Final Playing XIs for Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe​

Bulawayo | October 11
Match 12 – ICC World Cup 2027


Official: Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe Playing XI Announced for Bulawayo Clash!

Bangladesh Playing XI​

Batting Position	Player	Role	Replaces
1	Litton Das (WK)	Right-hand Opener, Wicketkeeper	—
2	Tanzid Hasan	Left-hand Opener	—
3	Najmul H. Shanto (C)	Top-order Batter	—
4	Towhid Hridoy	Middle-order Batter	—
5	Afif Hossain	Batting All-rounder	—
6	Mehidy Hasan Miraz (VC)	Spin All-rounder	—
7	Mahedi Hasan	Bowling All-rounder	—
8	Rishad Hossain	Right-arm Leg Spinner	—
9	Taskin Ahmed	Right-arm Fast	—
10	Hasan Mahmud	Right-arm Fast	Shoriful Islam
11	Mustafizur Rahman	Left-arm Fast	—

Bangladesh XI Changes:​

IN: Hasan Mahmud
OUT: Shoriful Islam

Zimbabwe Playing XI​

Batting Position	Player	Role	Replaces
1	Innocent Kaia	Right-hand Opener	—
2	Milton Shumba	Left-hand Opener	—
3	Clive Madande (WK)	Middle-order Batter, Wicketkeeper	—
4	Dion Myers	Right-hand Batter	T. Marumani
5	Ryan Burl (C)	Batting All-rounder	—
6	Wessly Madhevere	Batting All-rounder	—
7	Tony Munyonga	Middle-order Batter	—
8	Brad Evans	Right-arm Fast Bowling All-rounder	—
9	Blessing Muzarabani	Right-arm Fast	—
10	Richard Ngarava	Left-arm Fast	—
11	Brandon Mavuta	Leg Spinner	—

Zimbabwe XI Changes:IN: Dion Myers
OUT:T. Marumani

​

---

Pitch Report: Harare Sports Club, Harare​

The pitch at Harare offers decent carry early on, assisting batters who play through the line. However, as the innings progresses, it tends to become slower and lower, aiding spinners and bowlers who vary their pace. Stroke-makers will enjoy the first 15–20 overs, while defenders will come into play later.

• Bounce: Consistent early, two-paced in the middle overs
• Pace: Fresh in the first half, slows down gradually
• Spin: Helpful for finger-spinners and wristies in later stages
• Par Score: 260–270
• Chasing: Slight advantage to chasing due to evening conditions
  
  
  
  
  
  

---

Expert View:
"Looks like a dry but well-rolled surface. The ball should come on nicely early, making it ideal for batters in the first innings. Later on, expect the pitch to slow down — cutters and spinners could find grip. It's the kind of track where setting or chasing both depends on how well the powerplay is used."

---

Toss Report​

• Toss Winner: Bangladesh
• Decision: Elected to Bowl First

Najmul Hossain Shanto (Bangladesh Captain):
"We’ll bowl first. The pitch looks fresh, and we think there’s a little help up front for our pacers. It should get better for batting under lights, so chasing makes sense."
Ryan Burl (Zimbabwe Captain):
"We were happy to bat first. It looks a good surface, and if we put enough runs on the board, our bowlers can do the job later. Just need to execute our plans with the bat."
​

 

[Kamboh]

Group Stage – ICC Cricket World Cup 2027
Match no 12: Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe

Date: October 11, 2027
Venue: Bulawayo​

---

Toss Result: Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bowl first.
- - -
Zimbabwe​

Match Summary: Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe
Result: Bangladesh won by 3 Wickets!

Zimbabwe Innings (256/10)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Batsman                 Status                                   R     B     4s    6s    SR      
---------------------- ---------------------------------------- ----- ----- ---- ---- ---------
Innocent Kaia           run out (Rishad Hossain)                 18    38    0     0     47.37   
Milton Shumba           c Mustafizur Rahman b Rishad Hossain     7     10    1     0     70.00   
Clive Madande           c Towhid Hridoy b Taskin Ahmed           43    41    5     2     104.88  
Dion Myers              c Najmul H. Shanto b Taskin Ahmed        72    78    7     2     92.31   
Ryan Burl               c Tanzid Hasan b Mahedi Hasan            3     6     0     0     50.00   
Wessly Madhevere        c Afif Hossain b Rishad Hossain          14    27    0     0     51.85   
Tony Munyonga           c Rishad Hossain b Taskin Ahmed          25    26    3     0     96.15   
Brad Evans              not out                                  13    16    1     0     81.25   
Blessing Muzarabani     c Rishad Hossain b Mahedi Hasan          25    21    2     2     119.05  
Richard Ngarava         b Mahedi Hasan                           0     1     0     0     0.00    
Brandon Mavuta          c Rishad Hossain b Hasan Mahmud          11    11    0     1     100.00  

Extras: 25 (wd 4, nb 2, b 4, lb 15)
Total: 256/10 (45.3 Overs, RR: 5.63)

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bowler                  O       M     R     W     Econ    WD    NB   
---------------------- ------ ---- ------- ---- -------- ---- -----
Taskin Ahmed            10.0    0     37    3     3.70    0     0    
Mustafizur Rahman       6.0     0     28    0     4.67    0     0    
Hasan Mahmud            3.3     0     10    1     2.86    1     0    
Rishad Hossain          10.0    0     73    2     7.30    0     1    
Mahedi Hasan            9.0     0     34    3     3.78    1     0    
Mehidy Hasan Miraz      7.0     0     59    0     8.43    2     1

Target: Bangladesh needs 257 runs to win in 50 overs.
- - -
Bangladesh​

Bangladesh Innings (257/7)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Batsman                 Status                                   R     B     4s    6s    SR      
---------------------- ---------------------------------------- ----- ----- ---- ---- ---------
Litton Das              lbw b Wessly Madhevere                   65    62    3     3    104.84  
Tanzid Hasan            c Brandon Mavuta b Blessing Muzarabani   13    36    0     1     36.11  
Najmul H. Shanto        c Tony Munyonga b Brad Evans             50    51    3     1     98.04  
Towhid Hridoy           b Richard Ngarava                        39    51    1     3     76.47  
Afif Hossain            c Tony Munyonga b Brandon Mavuta         36    43    7     0     83.72  
Mehidy Hasan Miraz      lbw b Ryan Burl                          10    10    1     0    100.00  
Mahedi Hasan            b Ryan Burl                               4     2    0     0    200.00  
Rishad Hossain         Not Out                                   10    15    0     0     66.67  
Taskin Ahmed           Not Out                                    8     8    1     0    100.00



Extras: 22 (wd 7, nb 3, b 1, lb 11)
Total: 257/7 (45.5 Overs, RR: 5.59)

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bowler                  O       M     R     W     Econ    WD    NB   
---------------------- ------ ---- ------- ---- -------- ---- -----
Blessing Muzarabani     10.0    0     43    1     4.30    0     0    
Richard Ngarava         4.0     0     30    1     7.50    2     1    
Brad Evans              5.5     0     19    1     3.45    1     0    
Brandon Mavuta          10.0    0     49    1     4.90    0     0    
Ryan Burl               8.0     0     53    2     6.63    2     0    
Wessly Madhevere        8.0     0     52    1     6.50    2     2

So, Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bowl first. Smart move? At first, yeah. The ball was gripping a bit early, and Taskin Ahmed, along with Mahedi Hasan, kept things super tight — not giving much away and taking wickets too. Zimbabwe didn’t get off to a flyer, but Dion Myers dug in well. Scored 72 off 78 — solid knock, held the innings together. Madande got 43, and then Muzarabani — outta nowhere — smashed a quick 25. Helped them reach 256 before getting bowled out in the 46th over. Both Taskin and Mahedi picked up 3 wickets. Oh, and Rishad Hossain? Lively in the field and chipped in with the ball too.

​

Bangladesh’s chase started smoothly. Litton Das was in good touch — hit 65 off 62, really gave them a fast start. Shanto anchored in the middle, calm and steady with his 50. Hridoy played his part with 39. But Zimbabwe kept fighting — they kept picking up wickets just when things looked safe for Bangladesh. With 30 needed in the last 5 overs and only 3 wickets left, it was tense. Real tense. But Rishad and Taskin got it done — kept cool, found the gaps, and finished it off in the 46th over.


Bangladesh take it — 3-wicket win. Gritty, not flashy, but a win’s a win. That’s two from two for them now.


Not gonna lie, first time using @Pinch hitter Cricsim — really smooth experience. Worked well, mate!

---

Final Scorecard Summary:


Zimbabwe – 256 all out (45.3 overs)
Bangladesh – 257/7 (45.5 overs)


Result: Bangladesh won by 3 wickets
Player of the Match: Taskin Ahmed – 3/37 (10)