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The Hindu
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Mathews bows out as a stalwart who gave it his all for Sri Lanka
Muttiah Muralitharan was hoisted by his teammates on their shoulders amid raucous cheer from a captivated crowd when he signed off in Test cricket with 800 scalps and a resounding 10-wicket victory against a star-studded India in Galle in July 2010. When Kumar Sangakkara hung up his boots in August 2015, also against India in Colombo, he was Sri Lanka's highest-ever run-scorer and widely feted as one of the greatest batters from the subcontinent. A few months prior to Sangakkara's exit, his close friend Mahela Jayawardene bid adieu with a half-century in his final innings in an emphatic 105-run win over Pakistan at Colombo. In terms of longevity and straining every sinew for Sri Lanka, Angelo Mathews, fourth on the list of the country's most capped Test players with 119 appearances over a 16-year span, is right up there with the illustrious names just mentioned. But it is symptomatic of Sri Lanka's corrosive decline over the past decade that Mathews' Test career came to a close last Saturday after a drab draw against Bangladesh in Galle even as the attention of the cricketing world was firmly fixed on a mouthwatering battle between heavyweights England and India at Headingley. When the 38-year-old walked out to bat for the final time in his Test career, Sri Lanka was 34 for two on day five and attempting to salvage a stalemate in a contest where both teams piled on big first-innings totals. He chewed up 45 deliveries and scored eight runs before an inside-edge onto his pad off left-arm spinner Taijul Islam popped to Mominul Haque at silly point. In the first essay, after getting a guard of honour from the Bangladesh players, he fell to Mominul's slow left-arm orthodox on 39. Having been dropped from the T20I team a year ago and the ODI team after the 2023 World Cup in India — where he became the first batter in international cricket, incidentally against Bangladesh, to be dismissed timed out — Mathews' decision to announce his Test retirement ahead of the Bangladesh series was a matter of practicality rather than necessarily losing the drive to train and compete. With Sri Lanka's next Test assignment against the West Indies in the Caribbean being a year away — a grim reality about the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP) that highlights the chasm between the 'Big Three' and the other Test-playing nations — he saw little point in carrying on beyond the Galle Test. He remains available for selection in the white-ball formats. 'I played my 100th Test in Galle, so I thought I'd say goodbye in Galle. But the main reason was because we don't have any games coming up, at least for now. After this, we'll be having our next assignment in Test cricket after a year's time, that is a very long wait,' Mathews told the media ahead of his Test farewell versus Bangladesh. 'I thought it's good to give an opportunity to whoever is going to replace me in the second Test, because he's not going to get an opportunity till the next year. And in that year, you don't know what's going to happen. So I thought I'd just play one game and then try and give an opportunity to the other guy who's replacing me in the second Test.' A beautiful tribute to a cricketing icon. Before his final Test, Angelo Mathews was honored in a special ceremony on the hallowed grounds of Galle, joined by his proud family.#ThankYouAngelo# — Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) June 17, 2025 It may not be the ideal way to walk into the sunset, but that shouldn't take anything away from Mathews' stellar Test career. To finish with 8214 runs at an average of 44.4 with 16 centuries, including a best of 200, means he will go down as one of Sri Lanka's most prolific run-makers behind Sangakkara and Jayawardene. He was also a shrewd medium-pacer before a body battered by injuries compelled him to cut down on his bowling. All-round skill Right from the moment that he burst onto the international scene in 2009, it felt like Sri Lanka had found a pot of gold. In a nation traditionally starved of genuine pace-bowling all-rounders, much like neighbouring India, Mathews was a ray of sunshine with all the right ingredients to become one of the best of his breed in the business. Certainly in the first half of his career, as part of a highly-skilled and eclectic Sri Lankan outfit shaped by the sharp minds of Sangakkara and Jayawardene, Mathews' performances were on par with the high expectations. Sample his numbers till the end of 2015: after 56 Tests, he had tallied 4015 runs at 50.18. With the ball as well, 30 of the 33 scalps that he has ended with came in this period. He was at his peak as a Test batter across 2013 and 2014, averaging more than 70 in both years and producing stupendous knocks that embodied his game awareness and sublime range. A case in point is a Test against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi that began on December 31, 2013. Across two innings, Mathews, who had become captain earlier that year, showcased starkly contrasting and yet equally effective approaches. In the first, he strode in at 76 for four with Jayawardene already back in the pavilion. Soon, Sri Lanka would be 82 for five with Sangakkara, too, making the long walk back. Mathews' riposte was a brilliant, counterattacking 91 off just 127 balls in a modest total of 204. Second time around, with Pakistan amassing a lead of 179 runs, the Lankans were effectively seven for four and on the cusp of defeat when Mathews marked his guard at the start of day four. What followed was a show of supreme defiance as Mathews dug in for seven hours and 34 minutes, scoring 157 off 343 deliveries without getting dislodged to help his side eke out a hard-fought draw. Best knock As marvellous as these two innings in the desert were, it is hard to look beyond his 160 against England at Headingley in the summer of 2014 as his greatest knock. After scraping a nerve-wracking draw against Alastair Cook's men in the opener at Lord's, where Mathews hit a first-innings ton, the visitors seemed to have no escape route when they were reduced to 277 for seven, an overall lead of just 169 runs, in the second dig in Leeds. But Mathews, once again, stood up to be the saviour. With Rangana Herath willing to put a price on his wicket at the other end, Mathews, all nous and nerves of steel, delivered a masterclass in batting with the tail. He cobbled together a 149-run stand for the eighth wicket with the left-arm spinner against an English attack led by James Anderson as Sri Lanka stretched its total to 457 and secured a memorable 1-0 series win. That he had figures of 16-4-44-4 in the first innings was a testament to his all-round prowess. In the shorter formats, too, Mathews was irrepressible. Just how significant he was to the set-up can be understood from Sangakkara's assertion that the all-rounder's absence for the 2011 ODI World Cup final against India due to injury was a major factor in Sri Lanka's defeat. 'If you take our entire campaign, whatever we did, Mathews' overs and his ability to bat with the tail and read situations was an incredible bonus to us. He was a young chap who came into the side and from day one he could read situations. It's just instinct, how to up the rate, how to control the bowler, when to accelerate. The composition of the side and the fact that we were forced to make the change was to me the turning point,' Sangakkara said in a chat with ace off-spinner R. Ashwin in 2020. Besides the 2011 50-over World Cup, Mathews was also a core member of the team that finished runner-up in the 2009 and 2012 T20 World Cups. The curse of losing a spree of finals came to an end in the 2014 edition when the islanders got past India by six wickets to give Sangakkara and Jayawardene a perfect swansong from the shortest format. Mathews, as ever, played his part with figures of one for 25 in four overs. In these years, Mathews was able to feed off the imposing presence of Sangakkara and Jayawardene and do his thing. But once the two grizzled veterans walked away in quick succession, Mathews had to bear a bulk of the burden as the skipper and senior statesman. Curiously, he played more matches than anyone else in international cricket from 2010 to 2015, which perhaps resulted in the spate of injuries and fitness issues in the latter half of his career. Mathews hit rock bottom in 2018 when he was sacked as limited-overs captain, removed from the team altogether and mocked for his fitness and running between the wickets by then coach Chandika Hathurusingha. Some others may have found the challenge of bouncing back and silencing detractors at that stage too demanding, but not the man from Colombo. 'It was in 2018 that I sat down with Dilshan Fonseka (men's team trainer) and looked at the amount of injuries that I had. He told me that my body couldn't bear it. So I changed everything — the way I eat, my lifestyle, and my training,' Mathews recollected in a recent interview to ESPNCricinfo. And to underline that he isn't the sort of character to take things lying down, he celebrated a rearguard Test hundred against New Zealand in Wellington in December that year by doing push-ups and flexing his right bicep in the direction of Hathurusingha in the Sri Lankan dressing room. Looking back, Mathews says he doesn't have much to regret in his career except the fact that he didn't join the 10,000-run club in Tests. 'I couldn't achieve the 10,000-run mark. But every other thing, I've given my best in every situation,' Mathews reflected in that interview. 'I've tried to win games for my country in every situation. Giving 100% to your team in every single game is another thing, so I was wanting to play all three formats and contribute with bat, ball, and in the field, in every single game. I was absolutely going for it.' Anybody who watched him over these years will attest to that last bit. Just as Sri Lanka has found it impossible to fill the proverbial big shoes of Muralitharan, Sangakkara and Jayawardene then, Mathews will be an extremely hard act to follow.
Express Tribune
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Pak to make two changes for BD tour
The Pakistan team is expected to have two new additions for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh for a three-match T20I series, which is likely to take place in July. According to reports, left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi and spinner Sufiyan Muqeem are likely to return to the national side. Shaheen last featured in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand in March this year, where his performance was below expectations — taking just two wickets in four matches at an economy rate of 10.23. Sufiyan, who also played in the same series, appeared in only one match but impressed with two wickets at a remarkable economy rate of just 3.00. Meanwhile, the door remains open for star batter Babar Azam regarding his inclusion in the national squad, as he has reportedly been assured of future opportunities. The preliminary schedule for Pakistan's T20I tour of Bangladesh has been finalised, with the team expected to arrive in Dhaka on July 18, sources confirmed on June 1. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has drafted the initial itinerary and shared it with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The T20I series will commence on July 20, followed by the second and third matches on July 22 and 24, respectively. All three matches are scheduled to be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka. This tour is not part of the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP). The series was arranged following discussions between senior officials of the PCB and BCB on the sidelines of the ICC Champions Trophy preparations, which Pakistan is set to host later this year. For context, Pakistan's white-ball team recently entered a new chapter under the leadership of Mike Hesson, the former New Zealand coach. The 50-year-old made an immediate impact, guiding the team to a 3-0 T20I series whitewash over Bangladesh - Pakistan's first home series victory since December 2021. Hesson holds in-depth discussion with Shaheen The second day of the national training camp in Lahore saw seven players participate in the Wednesday morning session, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Mehran Mumtaz, Khurram Shehzad, Haider Ali, Khawaja Nafi, and Ahmad Daniyal. Additional training also took place during the afternoon session, under the supervision of head coach Mike Hesson and the coaching staff specialising in bowling, batting, and fielding. According to sources, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi did not participate in ground drills. Having returned from abroad after the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Afridi arrived in Lahore on Wednesday morning, specifically to meet head coach Mike Hesson. The two held an in-depth discussion regarding future plans for the team. In a social media post, Mike Hesson expressed his satisfaction with the session at the National Cricket Academy, calling it an important opportunity for both coaches and players to familiarize themselves with one another. He shared images from the training session, emphasising its significance in building rapport within the squad. Babar Azam had attended the opening day of the camp, while Mohammad Rizwan will join on the final day. The three-day camp, involving 22 of Pakistan's top white-ball cricketers, commenced at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) Ground, as announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday. Players were divided into three groups, reporting to camp on June 3, 4 and 5, respectively. The first groupcomprising Babar Azam, Abbas Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Salman Mirza, Shahid Aziz, and Usman Khantook part in various sessions on Tuesday under the guidance of the national team management, led by Hesson. According to sources, the PCB is using the camp to inform players about the team's future direction, while also assessing their fitness levels and recent performances. Furthermore, head coach Hesson is scheduled to meet with top-performing players individually to discuss the roadmap ahead for Pakistan's white-ball squad. Pakistan's white-ball team recently entered a new chapter under the leadership of Hesson, the former New Zealand coach. The 50-year-old made an immediate impact, guiding the team to a 3-0 T20I series whitewash against Bangladesh — Pakistan's first home series victory since December 2021. Following this series win, the team is expected to take a brief break before potentially returning to Bangladesh next month for another T20I series.
Express Tribune
28-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
BCCI considering to expand IPL season
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is actively exploring the possibility of expanding the Indian Premier League (IPL) to a 94-match season starting in 2028. However, there are currently no plans to add new franchises to the league, despite interest from investors. The IPL, which grew to its current 74-match format in 2022 with the inclusion of Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), was initially expected to expand to 84 matches by 2025. However, due to a tight schedule and concerns from broadcasters over the number of double-headers, the expansion was postponed. The league's current window in the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP) is fixed from mid-March to the end of May for the next two years. Speaking to a cricketing website, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal said that the BCCI will seriously consider switching to a full home-and-away 94-match format when the next media rights cycle begins in 2028. "Definitely, that might be an opportunity," Dhumal said. "We've been discussing in ICC, we've been discussing in-house in BCCI. Given how the interest of the fan is changing with regard to bilateral and ICC events, in regard to franchise cricket and T20 cricket, we'll have to talk more seriously about it and see how we can create maximum value for the stakeholders of the game," he added. "Ideally, we'd want a larger window, or to maybe go on from 74 to 84 or 94 at some point So that every team gets to play against every team home and away, for that, you need 94 games," he further added. "Given the window and the kind of commitments that we have with regards to bilateral cricket and ICC events, that may not be possible in the short term. But given the landscape, how it is changing and evolving over the years, maybe at some point in time we would look and take that option," he explained. "There's been so much cricket: we came back from Australia from a Test series, we had this Champions Trophy, and on top of that we have this IPL. That is why it was decided that it doesn't make sense from going from 74 to 84 [in 2025], but whenever we think that the time is opportune, we'll take that call," Dhumal further said. The length of the IPL season will be a key discussion point during next year's FTP negotiations. Some franchise officials have already expressed support for a 94-match season. However, the final decision is likely to depend on broadcaster interest, especially after the recent merger between Reliance and Disney to form JioStar in India. Broadcasters have previously raised concerns about viewer fatigue, as TV and streaming numbers tend to dip midway through the IPL season. The 2025 edition is scheduled to run for nine weeks with 12 double-headers. Expanding to 94 matches would likely require adding two more weeks to the tournament's window. Despite investor interest, the BCCI has no immediate plans to increase the number of teams. "Ten is a good number for now," Dhumal said. "Paramount is the interest in the tournament and the quality of cricket that we play I don't see any scope in the short term. Going forward, with how this whole landscape evolves, we'll take a call accordingly," he added. Dhumal described the 2025 IPL season as a success, praising the level of competition and the emergence of new Indian talent. He also expressed hope that a first-time champion could lift the trophy this year, with teams like Delhi Capitals (DC), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) all currently in playoff contention. "Every year, it's been growing," Dhumal said. "We are very glad how the fans have loved this tournament, and the broadcast numbers and in-stadia numbers are all phenomenal. We are hoping to carry on with this being a special edition, the 18th edition. We are very sure that it'll continue to grow in the way we've seen over the last 17 years," he further added. "Definitely, I would want somebody who has never won the tournament to lift the trophy this year. DC has done exceptionally well over the last few years, but they've not won. Punjab Kings made it to one final, and RCB, off and on, have done well. If some of these teams compete against each other in the final, we'll know for sure that we will have a new winner, then I'll be very happy for the tournament," he concluded.
Express Tribune
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Pakistan to tour Bangladesh for white-ball series in July
The Pakistan men's cricket team will tour Bangladesh for a white-ball series in July outside the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP), according to reports. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have finalised the arrangement, with schedule and venue details to be announced later. The development follows discussions between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and BCB President Faruque Ahmed during Ahmed's recent visit to Dubai amid the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy. Bangladesh is already scheduled to tour Pakistan in May for a three-match ODI and three-match T20I series under the FTP. BCB Cricket Operations Head Shahriar Nafees previously stated that both boards were in positive discussions regarding an additional white-ball series in July. Bangladesh's upcoming commitments include a two-Test series against Zimbabwe in April, a home series against Sri Lanka in June-July, and a series against India in August-September. The team will also compete in the Asia Cup in September before hosting the West Indies and Ireland later in the year.
