Jofra Archer undergoes elbow surgery, England fret over availability in Tests

ICC ODI Rankings: Mehidy Miraz becomes number two in world, Rahim achieves his best-ever rank

Bangladesh’s success as a team in winning their maiden ODI series against Sri Lanka has helped layers individually as well. The biggest gainer has been Mehidy Hasan Mirza, jumping three places to reach his career-best ranking of number two in the latest release by the International Cricket Council. Miraz’s figures of four for 30 and three for 28 in the two ODIs so far has been instrumental in the country’s victory alongside Mushfiqur Rahim’s 209 runs including a century. Rahim also reached his career-best batting ranking of 14th, moving four places ahead on the list. Rahim hit his career’s eighth ODI century in the second ODI to add to his unbeaten 84 in the first. Mustafizur Rehman, the left-arm speedster also moved eight places to break into the top 10 of the ODI bowler’s ranking. The 25-year-old has picked up six wickets in the two ODIs, continuing from his great form in the IPL. The Fizz’s best-ever ranking however is five, achieved in 2018. The rankings were compiled by considering the two ODIs between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as well as the two-match series between Scotland and Netherlands.

Ben Foakes out of New Zealand Test series, Sam Billings, Haseeb Hameed earn call up

England wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Foakes’s wait for a Test match on home soil gets longer as a hamstring injury has ruled him out of the upcoming Test series against New Zealand. Foakes tore his left hamstring after slipping in the dressing room while representing his county side Surrey in the County championship. In his place, England have called up wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings from Kent and top-order batsman Haseeb Hameed from Nottinghamshire. Hameed will join England camp on Sunday, May 30. Billings has been a regular member of the England white-ball squads but is yet to debut in the longest format. He will join Ollie Robinson and James Bracey as uncapped players in the squad for the New Zealand series On the other hand, Hameed last played for England in 2016 against India. He was touted as one of the players for England’s future before a hand injury cut short his career. He has been in red-hot form with the bat in the ongoing county championship for Nottinghamshire. England will be without their big players such as Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer which paved way for the entry of new faces such as James Bracey, and Robbinson in the Test squad.

Umar Akmal pays PKR 4.5 million fine to PCB, could rejoin professional cricket

Pakistan’s controversial kid Umar Akmal, after several attempts to get any rebate in paying his 4.5 Million Pakistani Rupees fine to the Pakistan Cricket Board for breaching the anti-corruption code, has finally submitted the amount in total. With this, the Lahore born would now be able to join PCB’s Anti-Corruption rehabilitation program and get back to professional cricket. Earlier in February this year, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) had shortened his 18-month ban, imposed on him by PCB in February 2020, to just 12 months on the condition that he paid PKR 4.5 Million to the board. "Umar has deposited the full amount of 4.5 million rupees with the board which means he is now eligible to start the rehab program of the Anti-Corruption code of the board," a source close to PCB was quoted as saying by Cricket.com However, the junior Akmal who celebrates his 31st birthday today, May 26, would have to wait sometime before he begins to play professionally. "Practically it will take some time before Akmal can resume his cricket career as his rehab program would take a while to be completed as the anti-corruption unit of the PCB is presently busy with the Pakistan Super League matches to be held in Abu Dhabi next month," the source revealed. Umar, who debuted in 2009, has so far played 221 matches for Pakistan, scoring 7887 runs across all formats.

2nd England vs New Zealand Test at Edgbaston to have 18,000 spectators at ground

The seating capacity at the Edgbaston ground for the Test match between New Zealand and England scheduled to start on June 10 has been upgraded to 75 per cent of overall seating capacity, Warwickshire county said. The approved seating limit has been approved as the Test match has been recognised as a pilot event of the UK government. As per the approved limit, as many as 18,000 fans will be watching the game live from the stadium while the booking for the last two days will open shortly. The minimum age of spectators to enter the stadium has been capped at 16 years while they will also have to carry negative Rapid Lateral Flow Test, completed within 24 hours in advance of the day they are looking to enter the stadium. This will be the first instance of England international games to be played in front of the crowd and the Chief Executive at Edgbaston is ecstatic at cricket’s return to some sort of normalcy. “Whilst public health is the priority, the first stage pilots have shown how people can safely start to enjoy the things they love; live sport and music. It will be great to welcome cricket fans to Edgbaston and give the England team a huge boost as nothing beats the atmosphere that crowds create here,” Stuart Cain, Chief Executive at Edgbaston said. ECB chief executive Tom Harrison also welcomed the development and said that the ECB can’t wait any longer to see the fans coming back to the stadiums in the country. "Having crowds back into cricket grounds is so important for the game and for our fans too. The last 15 months have shown just how big a role cricket plays in many people's lives, and we cannot wait to welcome a growing number of fans back to our stadia over the coming months,” Harrison said. The Test series between England and New Zealand will commence on June 02 at Lord’s followed by one in Southampton.