The WPL pipeline
The best cricket stories of the week, 8th to 14th February 2025
1
The WPL pipeline
ESPNcricinfo’s Shashank Kishore & Vishal Dikshit trace how the WPL has created incentives for women’s cricket industry in India, including world class academies and pathways for young female players.
“Charlotte Edwards, the former England captain and Mumbai Indians head coach, says the WPL has "raised the bar" like nothing else. "For someone who's new to Indian cricket, to see the difference from year one to year three now in the calibre of players, the impact it's having on the domestic cricket and the quality that comes through... At the trials recently if I compare that to year one, it's on a different level and it's hugely exciting for Indian cricket.”
ESPNcricinfo’s Vishal Dikshit talks to Harmanpreet Kaur about how the WPL has affected players at the highest level; “Harmanpreet Kaur: 'If a player can handle the pressure in the WPL, they can handle it anywhere”
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2
Khan breaks through 1000
ESPNcricinfo’s Nagraj Gollapudi talks to Rashid Khan about breaking the T20 wicket record, and how he has succeeded by sticking to the basics.
“I will give you an example of Mohammed Shami - he is bowling length balls at the death and still it's hard for the batters to go after him because he is pitching on the right line and right length. For me it's the same: it's just the length and line and as long as I stick to that I don't think I should change much. Yes, I can think about varying the pace and the grips, but not about change my line and length.”
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3
How can we have too many and too few?
ESPNcricinfo’s Karthik Krishnaswamy traces cricket’s history of wristspin abundance and droughts, and wonders how we’re living through an era that is both abundant and dry.
“Wristspin droughts, then, aren't uncommon; what's different about the one we're living through is that wristspin is everywhere in the shorter formats.”
4
The best of the rest
Al Jazeera’s Abid Hussain writes about the 30-year wait for an ICC tournament; “Champions Trophy 2025: Is this Pakistan sport’s moment to shine, finally?”
The Cricket Monthly’s Karthik Krishnaswamy remembers a spin pioneer; “Jack Iverson's carrom ball”
The Cricketer’s Nick Friend reports on the counties that were denied a Tier-1 Women’s team, and how they are improving their facilities; “We can soften the players' sacrifice": How counties are gearing up for Project Darwin's tier two”
The Telegraph’s Nick Hoult & Will Macpherson report on the shenanigans behind the scenes in England; “The fortnight cricket became a game show – the definitive story of the great Hundred sell-off”
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5
The best videos and podcasts
Test Match Special’s Henry Moeran, Dan Roan & Stephan Shemilt talk to new London Spirit owner Nikesh Arora about his consortium’s plans for the team, and why fans continue to be front and center for them. [Apple Podcasts]
Cricket by JB’s Aswin Anil breaks down India’s wicketkeeper options, with a focus on which of Samson, Pant & Rahul are actually the best behind the stumps.
IWM’s Cyrus Broacha talks to ex-India fielding coach R. Sridhar about the rise of Jasprit Bumrah over the last decade.