October 20 will definitely be remembered as New Zealand cricket’s day! Indeed it will be as both men’s and women’s sides conquered something special. While the BlackCaps recorded their maiden Test match win in India after 36 long years, Sophie Devine and her women upstaged South Africa in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 final. This marked New Zealand’s first-ever T20 World Cup win, in both men’s and women’s cricket. Apart from this, there were many cricketing news that came left, right and centre. While Babar Azam may be ‘rested’ again, Ruturaj Gaikwad continued his stellar form and blazed away a great hundred in just 86 balls in the Ranji Trophy. On that note, here are six of the most headline-making stories from October 20.
‘Ruturaj Gaikwad’ special!
It is all but confirmed that it will be Ruturaj Gaikwad to captain the India A side when they travel to Australia. The CSK skipper, however, has started his preparation on a superb note as he blazed away a terrific 86-ball century in a high-octane Ranji Trophy game against Mumbai. Although Maharashtra are losing the tie, Gaikwad hit 145, ending 13 first-class innings and a 21-month century drought. It will be remembered for a long time by Gaikwad.
No Babar Azam, again?
Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi are likely to be rested for Pakistan’s upcoming white-ball tour of Zimbabwe. The star duo, along with Naseem Shah, were recently rested for the final two Tests against England, but Pakistan managed to clinch the second Test in Multan. To give younger players a chance and assess their bench strength, the PCB plans to rest 4-5 players, including Babar and Shaheen. While the duo is expected to participate in the upcoming Australia white-ball tour, they won’t travel to Zimbabwe. This decision might be to ensure they are well-prepared for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be Pakistan’s first home ICC tournament in 28 years.
Mohammed Shami will be back…soon!
India’s star pacer, Mohammed Shami, is eyeing a swift return to the national team. After an ankle surgery and a recent knee injury, Shami has been putting in the hard yards to regain his fitness. Following the conclusion of the India-New Zealand Test second Test, he spent over an hour bowling at full intensity. India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, closely monitored his progress as the ODI World Cup 2023 hero bowled to Shubman Gill and even assistant coach Abhishek Nayar.
New Zealand – Women’s T20 World Cup Champions
October 20, 2024, will forever be etched in the hearts of New Zealand cricket fans. Sophie Devine’s team clinched their first-ever ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title, defeating South Africa in a thrilling final in Dubai. After a tense first innings, New Zealand’s bowlers, led by Rosemary Mair, dominated the Proteas batting lineup, securing a memorable victory by 32 runs. Amelia Kerr, meanwhile, became the only player to bag the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament award and the Player of the Match in the same competition.
A new addition to IND vs NZ
The BCCI added Washington Sundar to the Indian Test squad for the ongoing series against New Zealand. This came after India’s disappointing loss in the first Test. Sundar, who recently scored a superb century in the Ranji Trophy, could provide much-needed spin-bowling depth, especially if Ravichandran Ashwin is rested for the second Test in Pune. His ability to extract bounce from the Maharashtra pitches could pose a great deal of threat to the Kiwi batters.
Rohit Sharma-led team off to Pune
Hours after their disappointing defeat in the first Test, the Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, departed for Pune to prepare for the second match of the series against New Zealand. The Kiwis had taken a 1-0 lead after a thrilling victory in Bengaluru. Despite a strong comeback in the second innings, India’s batting collapsed late, allowing New Zealand to claim the famous win. With the series on the line, the Indian team will be looking to bounce back and level the score in Pune.
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