September 6, 2024

Ireland allrounder Simi Singh seriously ill

Irish allrounder Simi Singh is seriously ill, according to a statement from the Irish board on Thursday. Singh, 37, has played 35 ODIs and 53 T20Is for Ireland, where he bowls spin and bats in the lower-middle order. His last appearance for Ireland was at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, and his most recent competitive match was a year ago for Leinster Lightning in the Inter-Pro List A tournament.

“We have received shocking news that our friend Simi Singh is currently dealing with life-threatening health circumstances,” a statement signed by Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom read. “On behalf of Cricket Ireland, and indeed the wider Irish cricket community, I would like to extend our best wishes and prayers to Simi as he takes on this new fight.

“After moving to Ireland, Simi has become a central figure within Irish cricket – whether at international, provincial or club level – he has shown a desire and drive to succeed. We now hope that this same drive will see him come through the current circumstances.”

The specifics of Simi Singh’s illness have not yet been disclosed.

In his career, Singh has taken 39 ODI wickets at an average of 25.92, with a commendable economy rate of 3.99. In T20Is, he has 44 wickets at an average of 27.84 and an economy rate of 7.61. His standout year was 2021, when he took 19 ODI wickets at an average of 20.15 and scored his highest ODI total of 100 not out off 91 balls in a chase against South Africa, although Ireland fell short by 70 runs. His impressive performance earned him a spot in iplwin365 men’s ODI Team of the Year for 2021.

Musheer Khan’s Stellar Knock Rescues India B from 94 for 7

Musheer Khan scored an unbeaten 105 in India B’s total of 202 for 7 against India A, forming a crucial 108-run partnership with Navdeep Saini after India A’s pace bowlers had dismantled the top order.

Musheer’s batting style bears a striking resemblance to his older brother Sarfaraz, from his stance to his technique, although their approaches are quite different. While Sarfaraz is known for his aggressive play, Musheer is more methodical and effective. On the first day of the Duleep Trophy match in Bengaluru, Sarfaraz showcased his aggressive style with a stylish ramp shot off Khaleel Ahmed. In contrast, Musheer’s more subdued approach has proven successful, as seen in his impressive performances earlier this year. He finished as the second-highest run-scorer at the Under-19 World Cup and followed it up with a double-century, a crucial half-century, and a match-winning hundred during Mumbai’s victorious Ranji Trophy campaign.

Musheer Khan’s Resilient 105 Anchors India B’s Recovery Amidst Intense Pace Attack

India B needed a strong performance from Musheer Khan when they were struggling against the pace attack of Khaleel, Akash Deep, and Avesh Khan. Musheer delivered by batting for over five hours to score an unbeaten 105, helping India B recover from a precarious 94 for 7 to finish at 202 for 7 by stumps.

Musheer came in at No. 3 and witnessed the top-order batsmen—Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz, and Rishabh Pant—fall quickly after lunch. The fast bowlers put the batsmen under pressure, leading to mistakes. Easwaran chased a wide delivery, Jaiswal was caught while trying to play a shot, Sarfaraz was dismissed lbw, and Pant was out to a superb catch by Shubman Gill. Nitish Reddy was the only top-order batsman to fall to a well-bowled delivery that hit the top of off-stump.

Musheer observed all this from the other end, facing a series of challenges from the bowlers. He was tested repeatedly, nearly getting out to a slip catch off Akash’s second delivery. During his first half-hour, he struggled with the fast, green-tinged pitch that offered significant seam movement.

In a bid to counter it, Musheer tried to walk down the pitch to the fast bowlers.

“It was based on the wicket and the conditions,” he later explained. “The ball was cutting off the wicket and swinging too, so I was trying to get as close to the [pitch of] the ball as possible, not give it the chance to swing.”

Although his approach wasn’t flawed in theory, Musheer struggled with execution early on, particularly against Khaleel and Akash, who made the ball move both ways. Even Shivam Dube’s length deliveries came in faster than Musheer expected, resulting in a close lbw decision.

Musheer’s Patient Approach Pays Off as He Finds Rhythm Against Persistent Bowlers

By lunchtime, Musheer had scored just 6 runs off 52 balls and appeared uncertain about where his runs would come from. While other batsmen fell trying to accelerate, Musheer focused on staying at the crease. Even when he struggled to find his rhythm, he prioritized survival over scoring, which ultimately helped him stay in and build a significant innings.

Musheer explained his thinking at the end of the day’s play: “I was looking to collect whatever runs were coming my way, and not going searching for runs.”

Akash was occasionally unstoppable, surprising everyone with his pace and movement. For example, his delivery to Nitish in his second spell was particularly effective. Although Akash could have easily taken three wickets in his opening spell, he finished with figures of 8-3-7-0.

Avesh continued the pressure as the first change bowler, hitting the pitch hard and getting significant seam movement. This relentless pressure kept the batters on edge for most of the first two sessions.

Musheer only found his rhythm when spin was introduced. He eased into his innings with a delicate paddle shot against his Mumbai teammate Tanush Kotian. Despite a few close calls, like a loose drive off Kuldeep Yadav that narrowly missed the slip, Musheer adjusted his approach. As he settled in, his fluency returned, and he started playing more confidently with powerful sweeps and attacking shots against Kotian, moving steadily towards his century.