The Twenty21 Lineup

Presenting the Slipstream Cricket Line-up from the year 2021 AD.

1. The Ever-changing Schedule 

Games are scheduled. But till the toss is held, you have no idea if the game would actually go ahead. That’s the level of uncertainty created by Covid. Even the most secure of bio-bubbles have been breached by the virus. All the major leagues were disrupted, to varying degrees. International calendar became more lopsided, team sizes have ballooned. England replaced an entire team. India played a T20 with just 4 batters (off whom 3 made their debut). And yet the administrators and players gamely move on. They prioritized the tournaments/series which generate the most moolah. But that has been the harsh reality. Kudos to the organizers, players, support teams who got us as much cricket as possible. 

2. World Champions 

Finally, Test Cricket has a World Champion - New Zealand. They won a proper final in a proper manner. Although the qualification route was convoluted and covid-ravaged! But they certainly were deserving champions. By the way, just how convoluted was the Championship – South Africa and West Indies played a series which was part of the Championship group stage AFTER the Finals! 

3. One More Step

The guardians of the game have changed the term Batsman to Batter. Just that one more tiny little step towards gender equity. It is still a long way to go. Just look at the disparity in number of games across levels between men and women. And the pandemic has just increased the gap in many ways. 

4. Debutantes 

• Women’s ODI: Zimbabwe (personally I was surprised to learn that Zimbabwe women have never played an ODI) 
• Men’s T20I: Bahamas, Cameroon, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Hungary, Lesotho, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra leone, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania 
• Women’s T20I: Belgium, Cameroon, Eswatini, Italy, Sweden 

5. They Were Robbed 

Thailand gave a super performance to reach the Super 6 of the Women’s World Cup qualifiers only for the tournament to be scrapped because of Omicron cases rising. Not only the World Cup they also missed out on ODI status for the next qualification cycle! Meanwhile, a team which doesn’t exist (Afghanistan women) has Test status! The mandarins at ICC really need to get rid of some of the classism which still exists in the global cricketing ranks. A major step would be to de-link on-field performance of Men & Women sides. 

6. Performance of the Year

Ajaz Patel became just the 3rd bowler to take all 10 wickets in an innings, and the first in overseas Test match and promptly got dropped for New Zealand’s next Test. And this after being involved in a match-saving last-wicket stand in the game before! 

Special mentions - Frederique Overdijk – 7/3 for Netherlands vs France which are the best T20I figures ever. And Jaskaran Malhotra 6 sixes in an over USA vs Papua New Guinea in an ODI. 

7. The fortresses breached 

• Pakistan finally after 3 decades of trying beat India in a Men’s World Cup game with a thumping 10-wicket margin in the T20 World Cup. That record had to go some day. Well, we are still unbeaten in the Men’s ODI World Cup. 
• Then there was the greatest breach of all. Australia losing at Gabba for the first time in 32 years. As if this wasn’t a big event in itself, India achieved this with a depleted lineup and a bowling unit with a combined experience of 12 Test wickets! 

8. Picture of the Year 

Rakheem Cornwall with 2 teammates hanging on to him. He literally is the size of 2 humans!

9. Freak Injury of the Year

These are times in which players miss games because they had lunch at the same place where a covid positive case was also present. But Ben Foakes’s case is unique. He slipped on a sock, in the dressing room, in a county game and went on to miss England’s international summer. 

10. Comeback of the Year 

Indian women’s team returned to the Test arena with two matches including one Pink-ball game. But with no actual plans in place for domestic first-class games, these just seem marketing gimmicks. Although good to see that BCCI mandarins see the women’s game as worth marketing. 

11. The New Format 

Every year cricket throws in some new format, to win new fans but just ending up confusing the existing ones further. And spare a thought for the statisticians of the game. So, this year we have The Hundred! Why couldn’t they just have packaged T20 better! 

The 12th: The longest innings – Eileen Ash. She represented England on wither side of the Second World War. And in 2021 moved on at 110. RIP! 

And off the field – South Africa’s mixed messages on taking the knee and the revelations of the SJN report. Hopefully they take some real steps while maintaining a competitive team at the same time. And the Tim Paine scandal which just blew off the Elite Honesty façade of Cricket Australia. 

That was cricketing year 2021. And we are already in some nice action in 2022. Hopefully (fingers crossed), the cricketing schedule is less Covid disrupted this year.

Wishing all readers a Happy, Healthy & Safe 2022 filled with lots of on-field cricketing action.

The Twenty20 Lineup

2020 – the year in which a virus stopped play. But we are a resilient lot and found out ways to keep the beloved game running. It was also the year, in which cricket acknowledged a global, political issue. Although how much impact it made beyond the symbolism is to be seen. Presenting the the Slipstream Cricket XI for the year 2020. 

1. Bio bubbles & breaches 

Coronavirus stopped play but some fabulous work from the administrators, the support staffs and the players saw some games being played. The fans were happy for every single game which could be held. There were some hiccups here and there, but the tremendous work done behind the scenes in setting up these bio-bubbles for play must be really appreciated. We also saw the first instance of players getting suspended due to breach of bio bubble. Having personally experienced a quarantine I can vouch for how difficult it is, so really admire the people who have been moving from one bubble to the next for the last few months to keep us fans entertained. 

2. BLM 

Even cricket was no left untouched by the killing of Georg Floyd. Before the game restarted, there was speech by Michael Holding and Ebony Rainford-Brent on their experience of racism. Those interviews really hit hard and gave the viewers a perspective of what people have had to experience in different parts of the world just because of the colour of their skin. There were symbolic gestures like taking the knee and raising a fist. Even debates were ignited of the issues in South Africa and the need for educating players (especially Asians). The fact that we are talking about it is a step in the right direction. Let’s hope to see real world results beyond the cricket field as well. 

3. 3TC 

South Africa cricket was in its own unique turmoil with the country’s government stepping in and ICC close to banning it. But they managed to add a new variety to the game. 3 Teams of 8 players each playing in the same match! Let’s see what further innovations/complications are in store for the Gentleman’s Game. They also got a silver lining in the form of Brexit which chokes (:P) the Kolpak talent drain. 

4. 86174 

That was the number of people watching the game live at the Women’s T20 Final. It was supposed to be the stepping stone for something big. But unfortunately, that was the last match played in “normal” times. And just like that women’s cricket slipped out of the limelight again (Very unfortunate) 

5. Debutante of the Year 

It wasn’t just about the Final though. Thailand made their first appearance at the world’s biggest stage. They might not have won a single game but their presence lit up the Womens T20 World Cup. BCCI, not usually known for doing the right things for the womens’ game, showed remarkable thinking in inviting Thai star player Natthakan Chantam to play in the Womens T20 Challenge. Chantam put in an extraordinary diving save at the boundary line which certainly made into all highlights packages for the year. 

6. Fake match 

There is a growing concern with the increasing visibility of fantasy (betting) games in cricket. They are now sponsoring leading tournaments and even organizing random ones in far flung corners of the cricketing world. They even have a live feed many times. And there was one such event where a match was conducted near Mohali, with masked players, pretending to be former Sri Lankan stars! Truly a fantasy game in every sense of the word! ICC really needs to keep a close watch on these fantasy sites. 

7. Never give up 

Fawad Alam hit a century on debut, played 2 more Tests and then was dropped. Over a decade later he makes a comeback and a couple of Tests later adds another Test century. Yes, patience pays off! 

8. Retro Live 

With all play suspended what do the live scoring websites do? They run retro live commentary! i.e. do a ball-by-ball commentary of a game from yore as if it is happening in real-time with even reader comments flowing in! That is some innovation. 

9. Doing a Tewatia 

Every IPL brings some unheralded names to the forefront. This year it was Rahul Tewatia. It was not just his performances but how he rebuilt an innings. From being unable to get bat on ball, suddenly turning the match on its head by smashing 5 sixes in an over off an international bowler. And a few days later, he pulled off another such heist, or as it is called now – he did a Tewatia 

10. The Nomad 

Aaron Finch is the Australian limited overs captain. Yet he hasn’t really hit it off in the IPL. But a solid reputation keeps him in good stead. So, he has now played for 8 different IPL teams! 

11. To sum up the year 2020

The Zimbabwe batsman makes his Test debut. Gets hit on the head fielding at short leg and is substituted out. Recovers from concussion. Plays the next Test. Again gets hit on the head fielding at short leg. Again the batsman is Kusal Mendis. And again he gets substituted. Somehow, sums up the year 2020. 

12. The 12th Man 

Yuzvendra Chahal becomes the first substitute to end up getting Man of the Match! 

So that was it for 2020, a truly bizarre year in all respects. Now lets see how 2021 picks up the pieces of the cricketing schedules that have been thrown haywire. 

Wishing all readers a Very Happy New Year!