Dwayne Bravo and Harshal Patel are the joint-holders of the record for most wickets in a single Indian T20 League season. The pacers scalped 32 wickets in 2013 and 2021, respectively.

Bravo held the record solo for eight years when he took 32 wickets at an economy rate of 7.95 in the 2013 edition. These exploits earned him the first of his two Purple Caps.

Eight years later, Harshal Patel would match Bravo’s record achievement as he bagged 32 wickets for Team Bangalore in the Indian T20 League 2021. Although Patel achieved the tally in fewer matches (15), his economy rate was a tad bit expensive in comparison to the former (8.14).

South African pacer Kagiso Rabada is third on the list of most wickets in a single Indian T20 League with 30 scalps. The former Delhi pacer, who joined Team Punjab for the 2022 campaign, took wickets on a whim that year but at a heavy cost of 548 runs. Rabada, unfortunately, is the only bowler to take the most wickets and concede the most runs in the same season.

Lasith Malinga and James Faulkner complete the top five list for most wickets in a single season. The seasoned pacers, both retired, registered 28 wickets in a single campaign in the 2011 and 2013 editions, respectively.

Malinga’s economy rate of 5.95 from 16 matches in the 2011 season is one of the best for any bowler in a single Indian T20 League season, and his performance is what keeps him apart from Faulkner.

Australian James Faulkner grabbed 28 wickets at an economy of 6.75 in the 2013 Indian T20 League and eventually lost the Purple Cap honour to Dwayne Bravo at the end of the campaign.

Most wickets in a single Indian T20 League season

Player	Runs	Wickets	Economy	Season
Dwayne Bravo	497	32	7.95	2013
Harshal Patel	459	32	8.14	2021
Kagiso Rabada	548	30	8.34	2020
Lasith Malinga	375	28	5.95	2011
James Faulkner	427	28	6.75	2013

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: AFP / ARUN SANKAR

Australia all-rounder James Faulkner has been handed a lifetime ban from playing in the Pakistan Super League after the 31-year-old accused the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of not honouring a contractual agreement.

Taking to Twitter on February 19, a day before his team’s (Quetta Gladiators) final league stage game against Karachi Kings, Faulkner first apologised to Pakistan cricket fans while blaming the PCB and the PSL for their behaviour towards the all-rounder.

What was James Faulkner’s twitter post?

"I apologise to the Pakistan cricket fans. But unfortunately, I've had to withdraw from the last two matches and leave the (PSL) due to the (PCB) not honouring my contractual agreement/payments," James Faulkner tweeted.

1/2
I apologise to the Pakistan cricket fans.
But unfortunately I’ve had to withdraw from the last 2 matches and leave the @thePSLt20 due to the @TheRealPCB not honouring my contractual agreement/payments.
I’ve been here the whole duration and they have continued to lie to me.

�?James Faulkner (@JamesFaulkner44) February 19, 2022

"I've been here the whole duration and they have continued to lie to me. It hurts to leave as I wanted to help to get international cricket back in Pakistan as there is so much young talent and the fans are amazing.

"But the treatment I have received has been a disgrace from the (PCB) and (PSL). I'm sure you all understand my position," he added.

2/2
It hurts to leave as I wanted to help to get international cricket back in Pakistan as there is so much young talent and the fans are amazing.
But the treatment I have received has been a disgrace from the @TheRealPCB and @thePSLt20

I’m sure you all understand my position.

�?James Faulkner (@JamesFaulkner44) February 19, 2022

Pakistan Cricket Board responds

Reacting to the allegations made in James Faulkner’s twitter post, PCB said they had paid 70 per cent of the contract fee to the player’s British bank account in December, the ‘receipt of which was acknowledged by Mr Faulkner�? 

The remaining 30 per cent was to be paid �?0 days after the completion of the league�? but the management has now decided to take it under consideration.

As relayed in the official statement made by the PCB and Quetta Gladiators, “in spite of the money being transferred and received in his account, Faulker continued to insist that a second duplicate payment of the same amount should be made to his account in Australia. This meant he would have been paid twice.�?/span>

Talks between the two turned into a heated argument on Friday following which the 31-year-old pulled out of a crucial game for Quetta against Multan Sultans. What followed next was an absolute catastrophe as Faulker caused deliberate damage to hotel property, throwing his bat and helmet from the lobby floor balcony onto a chandelier.

The chandelier of PC Hotel Lahore was broken by James Faulkner who threw his helmet on it in rage. Reports state he was drunk at that time. pic.twitter.com/kRbPZZdv7G

�?Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) February 19, 2022

The 31-year-old demanded an immediate release from the league and asked the board to make travel arrangements despite the assurance that his issues will be addressed. The aftermath of this forced PCB and PSL to take immediate action, resulting in a lifetime ban from playing in the future editions of the Pakistan Super League.

"Taking serious note of James Faulkner's gross misconduct that was an attempt to bring the PCB, Pakistan cricket and the Pakistan Super League into disrepute, it has been unanimously agreed by the PCB and the franchises that James Faulkner will not be drafted in future Pakistan Super League events," the board stated.

Featured photo: AFP / Punit Paranjpe

Left-handed opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan has been a consistent performer both for the Indian cricket team and Team Delhi in the Indian T20 League.

Having made his T20I debut against West Indies in 2011, the 35-year-old has established himself as a big match player for India in the shortest format of the game.

Dhawan has played 68 T20Is for the Men in Blue, amassing 1759 runs at an average of 27.92 and strike rate of 126.36. He is currently the third-highest run-getter for India in T20Is, only behind Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

The Delhi-born cricketer holds the record for most runs (689) by a batsman in a calendar year (2018) in cricket’s shortest format.

The Indian T20 League has seen Dhawan score some impressive runs for Delhi and Hyderabad. The southpaw is second on the list of most runs scored by a batsman in the Indian T20 League's history, with 5619 runs at an average of 37.77 and a strike rate of 127.27. Currently, Bangalore captain Virat Kohli leads the list with 6081 runs in 200 games.

Dhawan also became just the third batsman to score 400-plus runs in six consecutive Indian T20 League seasons between 2016 and 2021. The other two players to achieve the feat are Suresh Raina and David Warner.

Bowlers who dismissed Shikhar Dhawan the most in T20 cricket

Australia all-rounder James Faulkner, Indian pacer Mohit Sharma, Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga and other fast bowlers, including Praveen Kumar, Shane Watson and Zaheer Khan, have dismissed Shikhar Dhawan the most times (4) in T20 cricket.

 

Dhawan has been dropped quite a few times from the Indian cricket team squad, given his struggles with pace bowlers. He has often been criticised for maintaining a slow strike rate and failing to hit big shots from the beginning of his T20 innings.

Bowler	Dismissals
James Faulkner	4
Mohit Sharma	4
Praveen Kumar	4
Lasith Malinga	4
Shane Watson	4
Zaheer Khan	4
Amit Mishra	3
Harbhajan Singh	3
Irfan Pathan	3
Mitchell Johnson	3

Featured photo: Jewel SAMAD / Ian KINGTON /AFP

 

Islamabad United (ISL) take on Lahore Qalandars (LAH) in match 20 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE on Sunday, June 13.

Led by Shadab Khan, ISL have won four of their six matches this season and are currently placed second in the PSL 2021 points table. 

Lahore Qalandars, on the other hand, have been the most dominant team in the ongoing edition of the PSL. The Sohail Akhtar-led side has won five of their six matches and are positioned at the top of the standings.

ISL vs LAH Dream11 prediction

In the Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars head-to-head record in the last five matches of PSL, Islamabad have won four of the five encounters played between these two sides. However,the Qalandars defeated United by five wickets in their recent meeting at the same venue. Going by current form, LAH will start as slight favourites against ISL on Sunday.

ISL vs LAH Dream11 team

Top Tip: Best batsmen

Islamabad United opener Colin Munro smashed 90 runs off just 36 balls to help his side secure a 10-wicket win over Quetta Gladiators in their last encounter. Munro will look to continue his good form against Lahore Qalandars on Sunday.

The Qalandars will bank on their opening batsman Fakhar Zaman to provide a solid start against United. The 31-year-old failed in his last two outings in Abu Dhabi so he will look to contribute with a big score.

Top Tip: Best bowlers

In the bowling department, Hasan Ali has been the standout bowler for Islamabad since the tournament shifted to UAE. Ali has picked four wickets in their last two matches and he is likely to add a few more scalps on Sunday.

For LAH, Rashid Khan has been the wrecker-in-chief for his side. The 22-year-old claimed a five-wicket haul in their previous encounter against Peshawar Zalmi. He will undoubtedly be the bowler to watch out for once again.

Top Tip: Best all-rounder and wicket-keeper

Several quality all-rounders will be on display in the ISL vs LAH encounter, however, one must pick James Faulkner in their fantasy cricket team. Since the rescheduled PSL started, the Australian all-rounder has picked five wickets and also scored 22 runs in two matches.

For the wicket-keeper spot, Lahore Qalandars keeper Ben Dunk will be the preferred choice over inexperienced Rohail Nazir. Dunk has scored 123 runs in four innings along with fulfilling his wicket-keeping responsibilities.

ISL vs LAH probable playing XI

ISL playing XI (probable): Usman Khawaja, Colin Munro, Rohail Nazir (wicket-keeper), Shadab Khan (captain), Iftikhar Ahmed, Hussain Talat, Asif Ali, Muhammad Musa, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Akif Javed

LAH playing XI (probable): Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Akhtar (captain), Muhammad Faizan, Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Dunk (wicket-keeper), Tim David, Rashid Khan, James Faulkner, Ahmed Daniyal, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf

SportsAdda will bring you Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars live scores.

Play fantasy cricket with SportsAdda. Create your team, track your progress and win prizes. Start here.

Featured photo: Twitter/PakistanSuperLeague

An India-Australia One Day series has treated cricket fans to many exquisite performances. But amongst the many bilateral series played between the cricket giants, nothing comes close to the 2013 series.

Prior to the start of the 2013 India-Australia One Day series, the Aussies held the lead in the head-to-head record with 64 wins in 113 meetings on Indian soil. The Indian cricket team, on their part, had won only 37 matches.

The two powerhouses of cricket not only provide entertainment through thrilling encounters, but the verbal exchanges during the games add a new layer of excitement and competitiveness. 

While the current rivalry between India and Australia has been labelled ‘too friendly�?by cricket legends Michael Vaughan and Zaheer Khan, the 2013 India-Australia One Day series was, by far, a zesty affair. 

Originally planned out as a seven-game One Day affair, the India-Australia ODI series eventually saw just five games to be played in completion and it was MS Dhoni’s India who registered a nerve-wracking 3-2 win over the Kangaroos. In fact, four of the five matches played saw both the teams post 300+ totals on the scoreboard.

George anchors Aussies�?300 charge

Australia, who won the coin-toss, opted to bat first in the first ODI in Pune. This decision sat well with the Indian camp, as five of their last seven victories came while batting second. However, all smiles turned upside down when Australia, led by George Bailey’s 82-ball 85, plotted 304 on the board.

India needed a steady innings and although Virat Kohli scored a patient half-century, (61 runs in 85 deliveries), India were bowled out for 232.

Image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

When asked about the score he projected for Australia, George Bailey said, “We were looking at 300 from the start so it was important we started well.�?/span>

“There were a couple of times India got on top, but to our bowlers�?credit, they found a way to fight back,�?he added.

Rohit shuts down critics with a century

In what was perhaps the tightest fixture of the 2013 India-Australia One Day series, the MS Dhoni-led side levelled the seven-game series 1-1 in Jaipur. Rohit Sharma (141 not out), Virat Kohli (100 not out) and Shikhar Dhawan (95) engineered the Men in Blue’s push to chase down Australia’s mammoth 360. 

Apart from winning the contest by nine wickets and 39 balls to spare, Team India scripted history as they successfully chased a 300-plus score for the first time in their rivalry against Australia.

Rohit Sharma, under fire from fans and the media for his complacency in registering three-digit scores, silenced his critics with his first century since 2010 to lift India back in the series. “It took a long time coming, but I would like to say that the hard work never stopped,�?Rohit said.

Faulkner skyrockets with the bat

The third ODI in Mohali was another 300-plus affair for India and Australia, but what stood out the most from the visitors�?four-wicket victory was the never-say-die attitude with which James Faulkner championed the cause for the Kangaroos. 

MS Dhoni, who then racked up the highest score by an Indian captain against Australia (139*), smashed 20 runs off James Faulkner’s final over to help the Indian cricket team post a target of 304 for George Bailey and Co. 

But then, after a few hiccups in their run-chase, Australia turned to James Faulkner to revitalize their chase. Coming in to bat in the 42nd over, Faulkner smashed 64 off 29 deliveries. His blitz included 30 runs off an Ishant Sharma over - courtesy four sixes - to set an Australian record. It gave the series lead back to the Aussies.

Intermission

During the fourth and the fifth games of the series, unseasonal rain played spoilsport with the fixtures being abandoned. 

The fourth game, prior to it being called off in the second innings, saw Australia plot 295 for eight on the board with skipper George Bailey and Glenn Maxwell registering scores of 98 and 92 respectively. Mohammed Shami’s three-wicket haul was the best bowling performance for the Men in Blue. India batted till the fourth over, but the game was eventually called off due to rain. The fifth match was a complete washout.

Dhawan, Kohli, Rohit help India ace the chase, again

With pressure mounting over their heads, India entered the penultimate fixture of the India-Australia One Day series in Nagpur with sights solely fixed on a win. Just as their heroics in the second game, Virat Kohli (115*), Shikhar Dhawan (100) and Rohit Sharma (79) helped India chase down 350 with three balls to spare. 

Earlier in the fixture, Australia captain George Bailey (156 runs off 114 balls) registered two 100-plus partnerships to help his side score 350 for six; but his efforts fell flat in the eyes of India’s formidable trio, who showcased that a 350-plus target is easily chaseable.

Rohit Sharma’s first ODI double century

With the series tied at a tense 2-2, the seventh and final game of the series in Bengaluru saw India register their most convincing victory of the campaign, in terms of margin of runs. Australia’s decision to field first saw the visitors dig a grave for themselves as a certain Rohit Sharma plundered his maiden double-century in One Day cricket. 

To sweeten the occasion, Rohit Sharma also broke Shane Watson’s record of the maximum number of sixes in an innings (16) and held it for six strong years before Eoin Morgan went one up with 17 sixes in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup match against Afghanistan.

The 2013 India-Australia ODI series did have its share of frantic moments but given their courage and sheer will to win, the Indian Cricket Team scripted one of their biggest bilateral series victories over Australia.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

New Zealand's BJ Watling and Australia's Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner will no longer play for Lancashire this season because of the impact of the coronavirus, the English county said Friday.

Cricket fixtures in England have been cancelled until May 28 due to the pandemic, with further delays likely given the British government's announcement Thursday of a further three weeks of lockdown.

New Zealand wicketkeeper/batsman Watling was signed for the opening nine County Championship games whilst Maxwell and Faulkner would have played for Lancashire in the Twenty20 Blast competition, having both featured in last season's edition for the northwest county.

Lancashire said their contracts would be ended by "mutual termination".

"I would like to thank BJ, Glenn, James and their representatives for their total understanding of the current situation and full agreement of this decision," Lancashire director of cricket Paul Allott said in a statement.

NEWS: The contracts of the Club’s 2020 overseas signings have been mutually terminated, and we can confirm the current squad will take a 20% salary reduction for the month of May.

�?Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) April 17, 2020

The former Lancashire and England paceman explained that "uncertain and challenging times" for county finances had led the Old Trafford club to think it "prudent to mutually come to an agreement with the players we had originally signed".

Allott added Lancashire had the option to sign the trio again in 2021.

He said that one potential benefit from their absence this year would be greater opportunities for homegrown players should a truncated season eventually get underway. 

Meanwhile, Allott confirmed  Lancashire's players had "unanimously agreed" a 20 percent salary reduction for the month of May that will also apply to the Red Rose club's other staff. 

Hampshire last week announced that Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon would not play for the southern county this season because of the spread of COVID-19.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Brenton Edwards

Australian cricketer James Faulkner clarified that he was not gay on Tuesday after a post about his "boyfriend" on social media was widely interpreted as a landmark coming-out statement.

Faulkner shared the post late Monday, showing him celebrating his 29th birthday with his mother and friend Rob Jubb.

"Birthday dinner with the boyfriend (bestmate!!!)... #togetherfor5years," said on his verified Instagram account, quickly racking up 20,000 likes and around 1,000 comments.

Most believed the message was the allrounder's way of revealing his sexuality, which would have made him the first male professional cricketer in the country to confirm they were gay.

It prompted hundreds of positive messages, including from fellow Australian cricketers Glenn Maxwell, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait.

"Great courage mate, bet u feel better," Tait wrote.

But as a reaction to Faulkner's post gained momentum, he took to social media again saying "there seems to be a misunderstanding".

"I am not gay... (Jubb) is just a great friend. Last night marked five years of being house mates!" he wrote.

Credits: James Faulkner / Instagram

He also praised the response to the coming-out that never was.

"It has been fantastic to see the support from and for the LBGT community. Let's never forget love is love," he wrote.

Cricket Australia denied Faulkner's post was a misguided attempt at humour, saying both the player and the organisation recognised coming out could be "an incredibly emotional time".

"The post was not in any way meant to make light of this and, though the support from the community was overwhelming and positive, Cricket Australia apologises for any unintended offence," it said.

Faulkner has played one Test, 69 one-dayers and 24 Twenty20 matches for Australia, last representing his country in late 2017.

He was man-of-the-match when Australia won the Cricket World Cup final against New Zealand in 2015, taking three crucial wickets.

Faulkner still plays T20 for the Hobart Hurricanes in Australia and Lancashire in England. The incident comes as Australian rugby moves to sack Wallabies star Israel Folau over a social media post saying "hell awaits" gays, with the matter set to go before a code of conduct hearing this weekend.