The Fourth Innings

Cricket | Test | Australia Tour of Pakistan, 2022 | Australia | Pakistan | Preview It's been 24 years since an Australian cricket team last toured Pakistan. It was quite the tour for them, winning their first series in the country since 1959. With both the teams coming off recent series wins, we can expect some fierce action and thrilling drama as the teams walk out on the fourth of March. Let us see how the Australians are shaping up for this one. Australia's new (and old) opening pair David Warner and Usman Khawaja, a partnership that goes way back, 28 years to be precise. Not long ago was Khawaja looked upon as a middle-order batsman. There came the fourth Ashes Test and he stunned the world with a century on comeback. Then he did it again , both times batting at number five. He was pretty much undroppable after that, but so was Travis Head who he had replaced in the first place. So come Hobart , Australia left out Marcus Harris to accomodate both Khawaja and Head, the for...

Cricket | Test | Ashes 2021-22  | England | Australia | Fourth Test, Sydney 6 balls to survive. 1 wicket in hand. Fading light and pride at stake. Test cricket's leading wicket-taker among pacers set to go up against a batter, who many consider second only to the Don. Cricket doesn't get any better. But, hold on, the roles have been reversed. It's Steve Smith with the cherry in hand and Jimmy Anderson taking his guard to face him. Still, whoaaa....!!! Anything could happen. Test cricket doesn't get any better..... When Zak Crawley and Haseeb Hameed walked out to bat this morning, they had already put on England's best opening partnership on this tour. But their team needed more. After all, surviving over 90 overs on a Day 5 Sydney pitch is not considered easy in cricket.  India managed to do it  around the same time last year, but that was down to immense grit and fortune. To be honest, this England batting line-up doesn't give too much confidence to its fans. W...