West Indies to debate taking the knee, says captain Holder

West Indies captain Jason Holder has said his side will consider whether to take the knee during next month's Test series against England in support of the Black Lives Matter campaign.

Holder's squad arrived in Manchester on Tuesday as anti-racism demonstrations, sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in the United States, continued world wide.

Kneeling has become a symbolic way for sportsmen to show support for the broader Black Lives Matter campaign.

Whether the West Indies follow suit in next month's three-match series remains to be seen.

But Holder was conscious of the "positive energy" such a move might generate.

"What has happened recently has impacted the world and the response from people around the world has been tremendous," he said on Wednesday.

"You must acknowledge it and protesting or standing up for what you believe is seen as noble and courageous and something I myself would never sit and disapprove of."

Read | Three West Indies cricketers turn down England tour

The fast bowler added: "It (taking a knee) will definitely -- probably -- be discussed amongst us and we'll decide how we'll go forward as a team with it.

"I just want to make sure whatever we do, if we do anything, that it is done the right way."

While wary of directly saying the gesture would inspire his side, Holder added: "Who knows? This could be something serious we could build on and we could get some real positive energy through the group."

Former West Indies captain Daren Sammy said this week he had been addressed using a potentially offensive nickname while playing in the Indian Premier League.

Holder, although reluctant to discuss his predecessor's case in detail, did not shy away from the wider issue.

"I haven't had any personal experience of racial abuse in cricket...But I would be foolish to sit here and say that racism is not prevalent," he said.

"It is a crime throughout the entire world and something that will probably be an ongoing discussion way past our lifetimes.

Read | Holder urges West Indies to 'grasp' England chance

"For me the greatest thing at the end of the day is unity, I just want equality to excel, so we can have less fighting, less killing, less adversity in society."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Ishara S. Kodikara

Related tags:

The Test team of the decade has some irresistible names

Test cricket in 2010s was a spectacle to behold. There were edge-of-the-seat thrillers, some extraordinary individual battles and some outstanding team performances. Here we try to identify the Test team of the decade by factoring in the following:

Test batting average
Test bowling average
Performance in Home/Away/Neutral venues

*Stats in consideration - 2010 onwards.

Openers

While there were a handful of openers who made an impression in the 2010s, two left-handers as contrasting as the sun and the moon make it to the Test team of the decade. Retired England opener Alastair Cook averaged 46.15 in the 2010s with 23 hundreds and 37 half-centuries. The century count includes a spectacular double hundred against the pink ball, underlining his abilities in modern Test cricket.

His partner would be the indomitable David Warner who ended a run of poor form in 2019 with a triple hundred against Pakistan at home. Warner averages 49.08 in Tests with 23 centuries and 30 half-centuries. The contrast the two openers offer make them must-picks in the team of the decade.

David Warner, Alastair Cook

Middle-order

Two of the Fab four - Virat Kohli and Steven Smith - are certainties in the Test middle order of the decade. While the Indian captain averages 54.97 with 27 hundreds and 22 half-centuries this decade, Smith has a stunning average of 63.14 with 26 tons and 27 fifties. Kohli is the unanimous choice for captain too given how India's Test fortunes have taken off under him. He has the best win/loss ratio and most wins as captain in this decade.

Read | What would a T20I XI of the decade look like?

Identifying the all-rounder and the two other middle-order batsmen including a keeper is an arduous task with quite a few contenders popping up - Kane Williamson, Joe Root, AB de Villiers, Ben Stokes, Shakib Al Hasan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Kumar Sangakkara, Jason Holder, BJ Watling all being worthy names in the middle-order, keeping and all-rounder categories.

AB de Villiers, for a stunning ability to switch between attack and defence and an average of 57.48 in the decade with 13 centuries makes the list as does BJ Watling as a keeper. The New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman has flown under the radar but has an average of 42.6 with seven centuries this decade batting at as low as no.7. We think he is good enough for no.6. Kumar Sangakkara, with a Test average of 61.4 and 17 centuries is in as 12th man in the team.

Jason Holder pips Stokes and Shakib for the all-rounder slot. The West Indian skipper averages 32.72 with the bat with three centuries and has 106 wickets at 26.37 with the ball this decade. His lower-order grit and bowling consistency is hard to look past.

Steven Smith, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, BJ Watling, Jason Holder

Bowlers

With Jason Holder already in the side as a pacer, we have gone in with two other pacers and two spinners in the Test team of the decade.

Read | Which players would make it to the ODI team of the decade?

While Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Pat Cummins, Stuart Broad and Neil Wagner all make sound cases, our pacers of the decade are Mitchell Starc and James Anderson. The left-arm pacer, Starc, averages 26.94 with the ball this decade and has 13 five-wicket hauls. Anderson, meanwhile, averages 24.19 with 20 five-wicket hauls and the two offer a good combination of skill and pace in the fast bowling department.

Rangana Herath and Ravichandran Ashwin are inevitable picks from the spin-bowling category. The Indian off-spinner has an average of 25.36 with the ball and nearly 30 with the bat and will slot in at no.8 behind the batsmen. He also has a whopping 27 five-wicket hauls this decade which is however, bettered by Herath's 30. The Sri Lankan left-arm spinner averages 26.41 with the ball and has 363 wickets this decade, one more than Ashwin.

Ravichandran Ashwin, Rangana Herath, Mitchell Starc, James Anderson.

Test team of the decade

David Warner, Alastair Cook, Steven Smith, Virat Kohli ©, AB de Villiers, BJ Watling, Jason Holder, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rangana Herath, Mitchell Starc, James Anderson.

12th man: Kumar Sangakkara

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Peter Parks

India vs West Indies: Who makes it to the combined T20 XI?

West Indies make the trip down to India for a limited-overs series comprising of three T20Is and three ODIs. This is the second time the teams will be facing each other in a bilateral this year, with India having travelled to the Caribbean right after the World Cup ended earlier this year.

The teams will complete the T20 series first and India clearly have the upper hand, having whitewashed the Windies 3-0 in the T20Is last time out. However, West Indies are no slouches themselves- they have won the T20 World Cup twice, the only team to do so, and have exciting young talent in their squad.

Having said that, let us have a look at which players are good enough from both teams to form a combined T20 XI: (Note: The XI comprises of players only part of the squad announced for the upcoming T20 series)

BREAKING : WEST INDIES ANNOUNCE ODI & T20I SQUADS AHEAD OF INDIA TOUR NEXT MONTH pic.twitter.com/4dti4LdAOD

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) November 28, 2019

Top order: KL Rahul/Rohit Sharma/Virat Kohli (c)

The top three is an all-Indian list and there would hardly be any debate about this. Rohit Sharma has had the time of his life in 2o19, scoring five centuries at the World Cup before revelling in his new role as Test opener against South Africa. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, is simply class-apart and is arguably the best all-format batsman in the world currently.

KL Rahul boasts of a great record in T20s, and at the moment is the better opener in the shortest format instead of Shikhar Dhawan, who is out injured for the series anyway. He is also in a great form in domestic limited-overs tournaments and should open alongside Rohit in the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2020.

Middle-order: Shreyas Iyer/Shimron Hetmyer/Nicholas Pooran (wk)/Kieron Pollard

Shreyas Iyer did more than enough in the recently-concluded Bangladesh T20s to make the no.4 spot his own in the Indian limited-overs set-up and he retains that same position in the combined XI.

Shimron Hetmyer makes it to the team on the basis of his sheer talent and unpredictability, and he is also helped by the fact that other middle-order options from India like Manish Pandey have not really done much of note in the opportunities they have got.

Nicholas Pooran, appointed vice-captain for the T20s, takes the gloves ahead of Rishabh Pant, who despite multiple chances, has not been all that impressive in the shorter formats. Kieron Pollard takes the all-rounder’s slot ahead of Shivam Dube simply because of his vast experience and proven capabilities in the international stage.

Bowlers: Jason Holder/Deepak Chahar/Yuzvendra Chahal/Sheldon Cottrell

Former Windies captain, Jason Holder comes in quite late at no.8 in the XI, considering he can hit the ball a long way and is quite an underrated T20 bowler. Deepak Chahar is an obvious choice in a T20 XI, with his recent exploits more than proving his case.

Yuzvendra Chahal and Sheldon Cottrell bring up the tail. Chahal is the lone spinner and while a case can be made for Kuldeep Yadav, he has been out of the limited-overs set-up since the World Cup and is making a comeback from injury anyhow.

Cottrell enjoyed a decent World Cup outing and his ability to hit the deck hard can prove to be useful though he will need to be mindful of his lengths.

Feature Image courtesy: AFP / Randy Brooks

Appointing Pollard is a step in the right direction, says Brian Lara

West Indies great Brian Lara has backed new captain Kieron Pollard ahead of the upcoming tour against Afghanistan.

West Indies are set to play three T20Is against Rashid Khan’s team followed by as many ODIs, where Pollard will lead the team instead of Jason Holder, who has captained the side since 2015. The tour will eventually wrap with a one-off Test.

Pollard, despite having a significant one-day experience, has not played an ODI since 2016, but Lara believes the decision has been taken for the good.

“I know he hasn’t played ODI cricket for a long time, but he has got a good experience,” Lara told Stumped during the announcement of the Road Safety World Series in Mumbai.

“I believe that other players respect him because the captain is only as good as the team, and I think he will get the support and that’s where half of the job is done. Tactically, I believe he is capable and understands what he needs to do. So overall, it’s not a bad decision.

“And if he is committed to West Indies cricket for a long period of time, then it’s a step in the right direction and let’s see how it goes.”

West Indies are coming on the back of an absolute thrashing at the hands of India at home. The defending ICC T20 World Cup champions lost all of the three T20Is against Virat Kohli’s team in August and the result continued in ODIs as well as in Tests.

When asked about his take on the performance, Lara said, “First of all, I think you need to give India the credit as their batting, bowling and fielding was exceptional. I think their fast bowlers were sometimes unplayable.

“In terms of the West Indies, we came off a win against England at home, which was very promising. So you expect the team to follow on after that.

“But there was a lot of one-day cricket happening over the last five-six months with almost the same players. So, I think the attrition level is something that the West Indies Cricket Board and management will have to see as some of the cricketers understand the shorter version of the game, but they are missing the key elements of the longer version of the game.

“I think if they are to improve, they need to play a lot of competitive first-class cricket in the Caribbean where the guys can spend time on the field.

He added that there is no shortage of talent in the Caribbean and it is the job of the management to make sure the players are playing at the highest level.

“I still believe that the talent is on the show for the West Indies. You, however, need to make sure they are playing at the highest level. I think learning the game at the international stage is not where you want to live.”

Lara, who has played 299 ODIs and 131 Tests in his career is known for his effortless batting and has hardly struggled to cope with different conditions. Speaking of which, the 50-year-old said that the key to it is the mental strength.

“To be successful anywhere in the world, you have to adapt very quickly. If you are playing in Australia, India, South Africa, the West Indies, they are all different conditions.

“First and foremost, everyone who plays international cricket has a certain level of skill and talent. How you approach it, your mental strength is key. Adaptation of the environment you are in is key. Learning all these important things will take you a step ahead.”

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Indranil Mukherjee

A World XI who could trump India at home

Such has been India's domination at home in Tests of late that all a visiting team can hope for is to draw a Test match at best. Even a drawn series is a massive boost for a visiting side these days in India.

Given the current situation, we have gone the extra mile to put together a World XI which includes the best Test players who can give a shot at trying to trump India at home.

Dimuth Karunaratne

The Sri Lankan opener has been a steady presence at the top in Test cricket of late. A sturdy batsman with a strong defensive technique, Karunaratne is a good player of pace and spin and, in particular, a fine second innings batsman. As such, in India, he is a first-choice opener.

Dean Elgar

While South Africa has struggled in India this series, Dean Elgar has been a dominating presence with his handling of Ashwin and Jadeja standing out. He will partner Karunaratne at the top for the world XI.

Kane Williamson (Captain)

The New Zealand skipper endured a poor Sri Lankan tour recently but his overall numbers in Asia and incredible temperament makes him an ideal candidate at No.3 for a series like this. Given how well he has led the Kiwis in all formats, Williamson is a sure shot presence in this team and the one who should lead the side.

Steven Smith

The World's No.1 batsman, Steven Smith made a stunning second innings hundred at Pune in 2017 to help Australia to a win in India. That remains India's last loss at home in a Test match. After his incredible Ashes, there can be no world XI without Smith and combined with his record in India, he is a no-brainer in the team.

Ben Stokes

With a massive temperament and a penchant for big knocks in crucial situations, Ben Stokes is an ideal middle-order batsman to have. He can take on the spinners to disrupt their rhythm and can also play the anchor role if needed. Add in his hit-the-deck bowling and ability to generate reverse swing, Stokes is a must pick for this team.

BJ Watling (WK)

While Wriddhiman Saha pushed his claim as best Test keeper, one name that has often flown under the radar is that of BJ Watling. The New Zealand keeper showed in Sri Lanka earlier this year that he can come good in Asian conditions. Although Tom Latham and Mushfiqur Rahim are strong contenders in this team as keeper, Watling remains the No. 1 pick.

Shakib Al Hasan

A spin bowling all-rounder of the quality of Shakib Al Hasan cannot be kept out of a World XI and in conditions where his batting and spin bowling are exceptional, Shakib is a sure shot pick. He will act as a primary spinner and mainstream all-rounder in this World XI.

Roston Chase

Roston Chase has an incredible record against India with the ball and is also an able batsman down the order in slow and low conditions. If at all Chase has a weakness, it is against pace but on Indian surfaces, the West Indian should enjoy batting. If the wicket is a harder one, he can be replaced by another West Indian all-rounder, Jason Holder.

Pat Cummins

Cummins had an incredible tour of India in 2017 and has established himself as an all-condition bowler. The Australian can swing the new ball upfront, hit the hard lengths and also bounce out batsmen in these conditions. He will lead the World XI’s bowling attack.

Nathan Lyon

Nathan Lyon and Steven O'Keefe played a major role in trumping India at Pune two years back and the off-spinner, who generates sharp turn and bounce on turners, is a must-have in a World XI tour of India. The off-spinner will have Shakib and Chase to support him in the department.

Kagiso Rabada

Despite an average outing in India this time, South Africa's strike bowler is a fantastic addition to this World XI. With Ben Stokes and Pat Cummins to aid him, Rabada will be much more potent and his old ball spells, in particular, will be handy in these conditions. He and Cummins will start off proceedings for the World XI in India.

Featured image courtesy: AFP / Ian Kington

Simmons reappointed West Indies coach three years after being axed

Phil Simmons has returned to take charge of the West Indies three years after being dismissed in controversial circumstances, Cricket West Indies announced on Monday.

In a statement CWI said that Simmons would be head coach for the next four years. He led the Windies to the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup before being booted out amid tensions with his paymasters.

"Bringing Phil Simmons back is not just righting a past wrong, but I am confident that CWI has chosen the right man for the job at the right time," said CWI president Ricky Skerritt.

Former West Indies all-rounder Simmons, 56, was sacked in September 2016 for "differences in culture and strategic approach" between with the cricket hierarchy despite their remarkable T20 World Cup triumph, won in the last over of a dramatic final against England when Carlos Brathwaite hitting four consecutive sixes.

Simmons' success in the T20 arena however was not mirrored in Test cricket. During his reign the West Indies won only one of 14 Tests.

The strains between Simmons and the West Indies cricket authorities often bubbled to the surface, most notably in 2015, when he complained about the selection of the squad for a one-day series against Sri Lanka.

He was suspended after complaining of "interference" in the selection process, reinstated after a reprimand before being forced out the following year.

Featured image courtesy: AFP/ Jewel Samad

ICC Test Rankings: Kohli loses No.1 spot, career-best high for Bumrah

Indian captain Virat Kohli, on Monday, became his country’s most successful captain in Test cricket, but the victory has come at a price of him losing the No.1 spot to Australia’s Steve Smith in the recently announced ICC Test Rankings for Batsmen.

Kohli scored 76 during his first innings of India’s second Test against West Indies, and was dismissed on a golden duck in the second by Kemar Roach. This allowed the former Australia captain, Smith, who missed the third Ashes Test at Headingley, to overtake Kohli in the rankings, which were announced on Tuesday.

Having acquired the top spot since December 2015, Smith lost his place in the standings while serving his ban over the ball-tampering controversy. The 30-year-old, however, made his way up by scoring two centuries and a 161-ball 92 in his first three innings of the ongoing Ashes series. And as Australia prepare for the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Smith has a perfect opportunity of extending his one-point lead to a comfortable margin.

Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane has returned to the Top-10 list, and acquires seventh spot in the rankings.

As far as bowlers are concerned, pacer Jasprit Bumrah has moved to his career-best ranking of No.3 after delivering a scintillating performance against West Indies. During India’s two-match Test series, the 25-year-old scalped 13 wickets in the midst of becoming the fastest Indian pacer to 50 Test wickets. He also took a hat-trick in the second Test, which made him only the third Indian to do so.

In other progressions, West Indies captain Jason Holder also gained places and now acquires the No.4 spot in the rankings.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Randy Brooks

Did Ishant Sharma do the unthinkable with the bat against West Indies?

Ishant Sharma made a maiden first-class half-century last year when playing for Sussex in the County Championship. Battling with Michael Burgess, Ishant made 66 in a 153-run partnership that lasted more than three hours. If anything, it's a testimony to how good a tail-ender the lanky Indian seamer is.

While his 2010 heroics alongside VVS Laxman at Mohali to win India a Test match by one wicket is widely acknowledged, Ishant the batsman has often come in behind the likes of Mohammed Shami. Ishant has always been a resilient batsman down the order. In that Mohali innings, India were in trouble chasing 216. At 124/8 with only Laxman in, India seemed to be losing their way until Ishant faced 92 balls for 31 to help Laxman move on from the other end. He was dismissed before India overhauled the target but the partnership set the stage for India's win.

Nine years later at Kingston, he recorded his maiden Test half-century but he had shown signs of form at Antigua too when he combined with Ravindra Jadeja to push India to a competitive total. Facing 62 balls for 19 runs, he allowed Jadeja to handle his end efficiently and get a half-century.

He has faced over 60 balls in an innings in his career seven times. Two of those came in this series against the West Indies where he found his groove with the bat.

Overall, Ishant made 76 runs in the series at an average of 38. It's the best Ishant has averaged in a Test series in his career. Some of his shots during the half-century at Sabina Park were awe-inspiring. Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara were seen applauding Ishant's batting from the dressing room.

What's even more amazing is that West Indies had only Jason Holder scoring more than a 100 runs in the series. The home skipper aside, none of the other batsmen made more runs than Ishant in the series!

Collapsing against a potent Indian bowling attack, West Indies had no batsman walking away with respectable numbers except Holder. They played 14 players in the series and the fact that 13 of them scored less than India's No.9 batsman reflects the state their batting is in.

Seven of the top eight run-scorers in the series are Indians and Ishant comes in at No.7 with his 76 run tally. Even Ravindra Jadeja scored one less than the tall Indian seamer. Ishant also shone with the ball this series and finished as the second highest wicket-taker with 11 wickets at an average of 12.27.

Watch: Virat Kohli’s thrilling reaction to Ishant Sharma’s maiden Test fifty

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Randy Brooks

Preview: Unsettled India start rebuilding in Florida

India head into their all-format tour of the West Indies this weekend with more on their mind than simply winning a couple of T20s.

For Virat Kohli's side -- and indeed for the West Indies -- it is a chance to pick up the pieces after a disappointing one-day international (ODI) World Cup in England and put behind them the recent talk of splits in the camp.

Kohli's confidant Ravi Shastri is on borrowed time before the appointment of a new coach, former captain MS Dhoni has skipped the tour to do military service while Kohli this week has had to dismiss talk of a rift with prolific opening batsman Rohit Sharma.

"It baffles you as a leader, as a coach, and as a team when lies are being floated around," Kohli told reporters this week.

"And they are made to look believable. We have had no issues."

India, unexpectedly beaten by New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final last month, are likely to find plenty of support during the first two T20s on Saturday and Sunday with expatriate Indians expected to outnumber West Indian fans at the delightful Central Broward Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.

Lauderhill, home of (USA) cricket

The stadium hosted its first internationals back in 2010 when New Zealand played Sri Lanka in two T20s.

West Indies and India played a T20 there three years ago and produced real fireworks, with KL Rahul smashing a century off 46 balls and Evin Lewis responding for the West Indies with a ton off 49 balls. The Indians won by just one run.

Rahul will be hoping to replicate that form in Lauderhill and in the third T20 and ODI series in Guyana and Trinidad but the Indians will miss the experience of Dhoni as well as all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has been rested, and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who will join the squad for the tour-ending Test matches.

The Tests in Antigua and Jamaica will have a special significance as they will mark the first round of matches for each side in the new World Test Championship.

Unlike the visitors, the West Indies went into the World Cup as one of the outsiders and despite a resounding victory over Pakistan to open their campaign, they slid down to ninth in the final standings amid much disaffection and rancour among their diehard supporters over the repeated manner in which they surrendered potential winning positions.

Their meeting with India at Old Trafford ended in a crushing 125-run defeat.

Now, with an eye on building towards the defence of their World T20 title in Australia in 15 months’ time, they have welcomed back experienced franchise globetrotters in all-rounder Kieron Pollard and spinner Sunil Narine. Carlos Brathwaite is back as captain.

There is no Chris Gayle in Florida as he is hard at work in the Global T20 event in Canada. But the big-hitting opener has been selected for the ODI leg of the tour, perhaps as a final farewell in front of home fans. Already 39, he is hardly likely to feature in the next World Cup in India in 2023.

India will start favourites across all three formats although the West Indies are expected to be at their most competitive and explosive in the T20s.

T20 Teams (probable):

West Indies – Carlos Brathwaite (captain), Evin Lewis, John Campbell, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Khary Pierre, Oshane Thomas

India – Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, K. L. Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Manish Pandey, Krunal Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Khaleel Ahmed, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar

Feature image courtesy: AFP/Dibyangshu Sarkar

Windies see off Afghanistan for their second win

Chris Gayle removed Afghanistan top-scorer Ikram Alikhil with his tame off-breaks as the West Indies secured just their second win of a chastening World Cup campaign on Thursday.

The Caribbean side scored 311 for six in their 50 overs in Leeds and although the Afghans put up a brave fight, they ultimately went down by 23 runs.

Gayle, almost certainly playing in his final World Cup match at the age of 39, failed with the bat but struck with the ball, trapping Alikhil lbw for 86 in the 36th over to put a huge dent in Afghanistan's slim hopes of victory.

Despite the victory, two-time former champions West Indies remain second-bottom of the 10-team table and will slink home with just two wins from nine matches.

Afghanistan have flickered in spells during only their second World Cup — going close against India and Pakistan — but head home with a dispiriting nine defeats out of nine.

The West Indies, who smashed 111 runs of the last 10 overs, had captain Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran to thank for their acceleration after solid contributions from Evin Lewis (58), Shai Hope (77) and Shimron Hetmyer (39).

Gayle was caught behind after a slash against Dawlat Zadran for just seven and remains 10 runs short of Brian Lara's all-time West Indian record of 10,348 one-day international runs.

Pooran picked up where he left off against Sri Lanka, hitting 58 to add to his century in a losing cause earlier this week, Holder smashed a quickfire 45 while Carlos Brathwaite lashed 14 off four balls.

In reply, Alikhil put on 133 for the second wicket with Rahmat Shah (62) and there were notable contributions by Najibullah Zadran and Asghar Afghan but ultimately they did not have the batting firepower to get them over the line.

Paceman Kemar Roach was the pick of the West Indies bowlers, finishing with figures of 3-37 in his 10 overs.

West Indies began the tournament with a comprehensive seven-wicket win against Pakistan and many tipped them as dark horses for the title, with a power-packed batting line-up and fearsome pace attack.

But they have been error-prone and lacklustre, failing to turn their promising positions into concrete results.

Afghanistan will head home with more experience under the belts but with major questions over their batting strength and their lack of quality seam bowlers.

Even highly rated leg-spinner Rashid Khan ended the tournament with just six wickets after taking 1-52 on Thursday.

Feature image courtesy: AFP Photo/ Dibyangshu Sarkar