It’s been a week of rich cricketing action across the globe and so have been the trends on social media. India won the toss in the ongoing second Test against England at Chepauk. The hosts posted a staggering 329 runs in the first innings on a wicket that was turning square from day one. Opener Rohit Sharma (161) stood tall along with Ajinkya Rahane (67) and Rishabh Pant (58*). Among the English bowlers, the spin duo of Moeen Ali (4/128) and Jack Leach (2/78) dismissed the top and middle-order, while pacer Olly Stone (3/47), who is playing his second Test, dismissed opener Shubman Gill and later edged the tail-enders.
In reply, England were bowled out for only 134 runs, with wicket-keeper batsman Ben Foakes (42) being the top-scorer, followed by Ollie Pope (22) and Ben Stokes (18). The opening trio of Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley and Daniel Lawrence added a collective tally of 25 runs. Even skipper Joe Root, who played his 100th Test in the previous outing and was awarded the ‘Man of the Match’ could contribute only 6 runs to the total. In the Indian bowling attack, spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (5/43) scalped his 29th five-for in Test cricket, and with that, he now has 391 wickets and counting in 76 Test appearances.
Talking about the pitch condition in the concurrent match between India and England at Chepauk, former cricketers Michael Vaughan and Shane Warne were involved in a discussion on Twitter. Vaughan pointed out how the wicket has been turning to a great degree from the first day itself, and since the second innings has already begun on the second day’s play, it is by no means a 5-day wicket to be played upon. On the other hand, Warne has been in the favor of this wicket and mentioned that toss had not much to do in the second Test instead, England should have bowled India out earlier than expected.
Earlier in the week, Pakistan beat South Africa in the first of the 3-match T20I series by a margin of 3 runs that comprised a majestic ton from an in-form Mohammad Rizwan. The keeper-batsman was unbeaten throughout and hammered 104 runs off 64 deliveries whilst batting at a strike rate of 160-plus, with 6 fours and 7 sixes. His knock steered the hosts to 169 runs at the end of 20-overs.
Rizwan is only the second wicket-keeper batsman to date to score a century in all formats of international cricket, with former Kiwi legend Brendon McCullum being the first to achieve this feat. Rizwan was adjudged as the ‘Man of the Match’ and continued his performance with the willow in the second T20 International where he scored 41-ball 51 to assist Pakistan to reach 141 runs, although they lost 6-wickets in the end.
Here are the social media trends from the cricketing world for this week –
