Specials – Associate nations at the World Cup, Part 2

Having revisited the fortunes of Associate nations at the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979 in Part 1 of this five-part series, we move ahead to the next three editions – held in England in 1983, in India and Pakistan in 1987-88, and in Australia and New Zealand in 1991-92. The decade […]

Specials – Associate nations at the World Cup, Part 1

Thanks to the International Cricket Council’s retrograde decision to reduce the number of the teams at the World Cup, the 12th edition of the showpiece event, set to begin in England on May 30, will feature only ten teams – the least number of teams since the 1992 edition. More tellingly, it will […]

Specials – Best of the 1999 World Cup, Part 1

With the 2019 World Cup almost upon us, it is great time to rewind to two decades back, when England last hosted the showpiece event. Besides featuring some riveting contests and quality performances, the 1999 World Cup, played primarily in England with a few fixtures in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Netherlands, was also […]

Record Book – West Indies’ highest successful ODI chases

The fourth game of the ongoing Ireland Tri-Series saw the West Indies chase down a target of 328 against hosts Ireland at The Village in Malahide to complete a five-wicket win. Leading the way was Sunil Ambris, who struck 148, his first ODI hundred, to help the Windies record their highest successful ODI chase […]

Specials – When Namibia held their own against England

Namibia played their first ODI in more than 16 years when they squared off against Oman in the final of the ICC World Cricket League Division Two at Windhoek’s Wanderers Cricket Ground on April 27. It was also the first instance of an ODI being played on Namibian soil, and the hosts made it […]

Record Book – Namibia’s highest List A totals

The final edition of the ICC World Cricket League Division Two culminated on a triumphant note for hosts Namibia, who secured the title by beating Oman by 145 runs in the final. The summit clash was Namibia’s first ODI in more than 16 years, and the win that confirmed their ODI status for the […]

Who Would Have Thought It – Auckland rout Pakistan for 48

Close on the heels of an insipid World Series Cup campaign in Australia in 1988-89, where they failed to reach the finals after having won only two out of eight league games, Pakistan hopped across the Tasman Sea for a full tour of New Zealand. After warming up against a National Second XI in a […]

Specials – Australia’s one-match ODI grounds

The arrival of Perth’s Optus Stadium on the international scene in January 2018 increased the total number of men’s ODI grounds in Australia to 19. Of these, as many as seven grounds have ended up hosting just a solitary ODI each. Here is a look back at these forgotten venues’ trysts with the international […]

Famous Test Matches – West Indies v England, Kingston, 1989-90

England came into the 1989-90 Caribbean tour on a streak of 29 winless Tests against the West Indies. Their last win against the islanders had come in 1973-74; since then, they had lost 20 and drawn nine Tests. This miserable run included two back-to-back 5-0 drubbings, at home in 1984 and away in 1985-86, […]

Record Book – Sri Lankan Test centurions in Australia

Sri Lanka have begun the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy off the wrong foot, as they got skittled for 144 on the first day at the Gabba. The Lions now face an uphill task if they are to succeed in Australia, where they have lost 11 and drawn two Tests so far. However, despite the winless record, […]