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Haris Rauf gets hammered by Australian openers, bowls third most expensive over by Pakistan bowler

This was the third most expensive over by a Pakistan bowler in the ODI World Cup, only behind Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Akhtar.

Oct 20, 2023, 10:51 AM2 min read

Rauf conceded the third most expensive over in the ODI World Cup by a Pakistan bowler. Image- NDTV Sports

Australia's opener batsmen David Warner and Mitchell Marsh made a stellar start against Pakistan in the 18th match of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. Both the batsmen opened their hands against the Pakistani pace bowlers from the very first over. Especially in Haris Rauf's over. Rauf, who is considered to be the best bowler of Pakistan, got hit in the very first over of this match. He gave away 24 runs in his very first over.

Also Read: ODI World Cup 2023: Records by Virat Kohli during the match against Bangladesh

 Haris Rauf was taken apart by Australian openers in Bengaluru. Image- India Today
Haris Rauf was taken apart by Australian openers in Bengaluru. Image- India Today

Haris Rauf came to bowl the 9th over for Pakistan. He started giving runs as soon as he came. Warner hit Rauf for a brilliant four on the first ball. After this a six on fine leg. Warner gave strike to Mitchell Marsh after scoring 10 runs. The fourth ball went wide. While bowling again, Marsh hit a four to Rauf. Mitchell Marsh hit a brilliant four on the fifth and sixth balls also. In this way, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh scored a total of 24 runs from Haris Rauf's over.

Moreover, this was the third most expensive over by a Pakistan bowler in the ODI World Cup, only behind Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Akhtar. Both Razzaq and Akhtar put their name on the unfortunate list in the 2011 edition of the tournament. Razzaq was hit for 30 runs against New Zealand, while Shoaib was hit for 28 runs in the same game.

Also Read: ODI World Cup 2023: Hardik Pandya is set to miss the match against New Zealand

Haris Rauf has played 3 matches in this World Cup so far. During this period he has been able to take only 5 wickets. Haris Rauf has bowled a total of 28 overs so far in this tournament. In which he has given 168 runs. His best is 3 wickets. Haris Rauf not being in rhythm is a danger sign for Pakistan. This may create problems for them in the future in the tournament.

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IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

There have been many great batsmen in the IPL who have hit a lot of sixes so far. There are some batsmen who are no longer a part of this league and some are playing in it. Let's talk about the top 10 batsmen who have hit the most sixes in IPL.

Mar 17, 2025, 1:08 PM7 min read

IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

The 18th season of the IPL will begin from March 22 and once again a fierce battle between bat and ball will be witnessed in this league. Everyone's eyes will be on who hits the most sixes this season, but let us tell you about which batsman has hit the most sixes in the last 17 seasons of IPL so far.

There have been many great batsmen in the IPL who have hit a lot of sixes so far. There are some batsmen who are no longer a part of this league and some are playing in it and they can go higher in this list.

Also Read: Most runs in IPL since 2018

Let's talk about the top 10 batsmen who have hit the most sixes in IPL so far, which also includes many Indians.

Most Sixes in IPL | Top 10 List

10. Suresh Raina | 203

IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

Mr. IPL, Suresh Raina grabs the tenth position in this elite list. The southpaw has 203 sixes in 200 IPL innings. He takes around 19.91 deliveries for every six.

He is only among ten batters to hit 200+ maximums in the league. Raina has accumulated 5528 runs at an average of 32.51 and a strike rate of 136.73. He also has 39 fifties and a century in the league.

9. Sanju Samson | 206

IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

The captain of Rajasthan Royals (RR), Sanju Samson is the ninth batter to find a spot in this list. He has 206 six in 163 IPL innings. On average, he hits a six every 15.43 balls in the league.

Overall, Samson has 4419 runs at an average of 30.68 and a strike rate of 138.96. He also has 25 fifties and three centuries. Samson will also step up to this list and add more to his tally in the upcoming edition.

8. Andre Russell | 209

IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

Among the most fearsome batters in the history of the league, Andre Russell’s name is no surprise. Russell’s association with six-hitting is well known. He has amassed 209 maximums at an unbelievable 6.79 balls-per-maximum ratio.

The Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder has 2484 runs at an average of 29.22 and a strike rate of 174.92 in 105 IPL innings. He also has 11 fifties to his name.

Russell had even hit 11 sixes during 2018 in an innings against Chennai Super Kings.

7. Kieron Pollard | 223

IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

Kieron Pollard, a powerhouse in the middle order for Mumbai Indians, comes seventh in this list with 223 sixes. The former West Indies all-rounder played several memorable knocks for the Mumbai Indians in the 189 matches that he played for them.

Pollard was known for depositing the ball back into the stands and did so quite frequently in the league. His ability to change the course of a game in a few overs has made him one of the most dangerous finishers in IPL history.

He has 3412 runs at an average of 28.67 and a strike rate of 147.32. Further, Pollard has also hit 16 fifties in the league. 

6. David Warner | 236

IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

David Warner has hit 236 sixes in his IPL career. The former Australia batter has played a total of 184 matches in IPL, featuring for the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals.

Warner has a terrific record in the league and was known for hitting big shots throughout his successful career in the league. His aggressive start at the top often sets the tone for his team's innings.

Warner has scored 6565 runs at an average of 40.52 and a strike rate of 139.77 in 184 innings. He also has 62 boundaries and four maximums. 

However, Warner went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega-auction.

5. AB de Villiers | 251

IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

AB de Villiers finished his IPL career with 251 sixes and he is the fifth highest six-hitter in the T20 league. de Villiers retired from the T20 league after IPL 2021. He had a long stint with RCB.

AB started his IPL career with Delhi Capitals (then known as Delhi Daredevils). He joined RCB in the IPL 2011 mega-auction and was retained by them in 2014 and 2018. de Villiers never captained RCB.

Overall, the Proteas batter has 5162 runs at an average of 39.70 and a strike rate of 151.68. Further, he also has 40 fifties and three centuries.

Also Read: IPL Facts: Which player has lost the most games in IPL history?

4. MS Dhoni | 252

IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

MS Dhoni sits at the fourth spot in the list of batsmen with most sixes in IPL. The former Indian skipper has 252 sixes of 264 matches in this cash rich league.

Dhoni started his IPL career with Chennai Super Kings. He also played for Rising Pune Supergiant in IPL 2016 and 2017.

Overall, Dhoni has 5243 runs at an average of 39.12 and a 137.53 strike rate. Further, he also has 24 fifties in the league.

Dhoni will make his on-field return in IPL 2025. CSK retained Dhoni in the uncapped category for Rs 4 crore. He will continue to play under Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Dhoni captained CSK to five IPL title wins before stepping down.

3. Virat Kohli | 272

IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

Rohit Sharma is followed by Virat Kohli. The IPL legend sits at the third spot with 272 sixes in 252 matches. One of Virat and Rohit can become the first Indian to hit 300 sixes in IPL.

Virat also holds the record for playing for the same franchise, RCB, in every IPL season and while doing so, he has scored more than 8000 runs at an average of 38.66 and a strike rate of 131.97. Further, he also has 55 boundaries and eight maximums. He is also the leading run-scorer in the league

Kohli started his career as a rookie and is now the biggest star in the T20 league. He will play under Rajat Patidar's captaincy in RCB for IPL 2025.

2. Rohit Sharma | 280

IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

Indian team captain Rohit Sharma sits at the second spot in this list. The right-handed batsman has cleared the ropes 280 times in 257 matches. Rohit has been a regular in IPL since the league's inception.

Rohit started his IPL career with Deccan Chargers. He joined Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2011 mega-auction and has been with them since then.

Rohit captained MI to 5 IPL title wins. He now plays under Hardik Pandya's captaincy.

Rohit has also been a prolific run-scorer, with 6628 runs at an average of 29.72 and a strike rate of 131.14, including 43 half-centuries and two centuries. 

1. Chris Gayle | 357

IPL Facts: Who was hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

Chris Gayle tops the list of batsmen with most sixes in IPL history. The left-handed batsman finished his IPL career with 357 big hits at a sixes-per-match ratio of 2.53 in the league. No other batsman has managed to hit more than 300 sixes in this T20 league.

Gayle started his IPL career with Kolkata Knight Riders. After going unsold in the IPL 2011 mega-auction, Gayle joined RCB as a replacement player and had a memorable stint with them. He also played for Punjab Kings from IPL 2018 to 2021.

Overall, Gayle has scored 4965 runs at an average of 39.72 and a strike rate of 148.96, including 31 fifties and six centuries in IPL. 

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India's performance in every ICC tournament

Indian Men's Cricket team have won a total of 7 ICC trophies so far in their history. Here is a detailed article on India's performance in every ICC tournament.

Mar 10, 2025, 2:35 PM4 min read

India's performance in every ICC tournament

India's performance in the ICC events has been mixed in recent years. The title win over South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 ended India’s 11-year-long ICC title drought after it last won a global tournament back in 2013 - the ICC Champions Trophy.

Their latest triumph came via Champions Trophy 2025, as they defeated New Zealand by four wickets in Dubai in the final. It was the second consecutive ICC trophy for India under Rohit Sharma's captaincy.

So far, India have collected 7 ICC trophies including two 50 over World Cups, three Champions Trophy, and two T20 World Cups in 2007 and 2024.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has won 3 ICC events as a captain and Rohit Sharma has 2 in those 7 ICC trophies that India won so far. In this article, SportzPoint will give you  details on India's performances in every ICC tournaments so far.

ICC Cricket World Cup (1975 - 2023):

India's performance in every ICC tournament | sportzpoint.com
India lost the 2023 ICC World Cup final against Australia. 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) started the ODI World Cup back in the year 1975. From then, ICC organized the tournament a total of 13 times. Australia are the most successful in the format as they won 6 titles so far.

India won their first World Cup under Kapil Dev back in 1983 and next under Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 2011. With 2 titles India are the second most successful team alongside West Indies in the 50 overs format after Australia. 

Read Also: Most ICC Trophy wins by any team

Indian Men's Cricket team also lost two ODI World Cup finals, one under Sourav Ganguly in 2003 and another one under Rohit Sharma in 2023. Here is how India performed in the each of the 13 editions of the ICC Cricket World Cup.

India's performance in every ICC Cricket World Cup

Year Result
1975 6th
1979 7th
1983 Champions
1987 Semi-Final
1992 7th
1996 Semi-Final
1999 6th
2003 Runner's up
2007 9th
2011 Champions
2015 Semi-Final
2019 Semi-Final
2023 Final

ICC Champions Trophy (1998 - 2025):

India's performance in every ICC tournament

ICC started a new tournament of the 50 overs format in 1998 called the Champions Trophy. It was also referred as a "Mini World Cup". Till 2006 the Champion's Trophy was held every two years. After that, it continues with a gap of 4 years from 2009.

In 2003, India reached the Finals of the tournament along with Sri Lanka. As the match got washed out and India were declared joint winners.

However, India finally won the ICC Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni in 2013 after defeating England by 5 runs.

In 2025, India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in Dubai to lift the trophy for the third time. It was the second consecutive ICC trophy for India under Rohit Sharma's captaincy.

Let's take a look at India's performance in the tournament so far.

Read Also | ICC Men's Champions trophy winners list

India's performance in Champions Trophy so far

Year Result
1998 Semi-Final
2000 Runner's up
2002 Co-Champions with Sri Lanka
2004 Group Stage
2006 Group Stage
2009 Semi-Final
2013 Champions
2017 Runner's up
2025 Champions

ICC T20 World Cup (2007 - 2024):

India's performance in every ICC tournament | sportzpoint.com
India won their latest ICC T20 World Cup in 2024. Image | ICC

International Cricket Council introduced a new format marquee tournament in 2007 as T20 Cricket started to grow globally. ICC started the T20 World Cup in the year 2007. India defeated their arch-rival Pakistan in the final that year and won the inaugural T20 World Cup under MS Dhoni.

Read Also: India's performance in every T20 World Cup 

Since then, the Indian cricket team became runners-up in 2014 and then finally lifted the trophy again in 2024 under Rohit Sharma.

India's performance in every T20 World Cup

Year Results
2007 Champions
2009 Super 8
2010 Super 8
2012 Super 8
2014 Runner's up
2016 Semi-Final
2021 Super 12
2022 Semi-Final
2024 Champions

ICC World Test Championship (2019-2025):

India's performance in ICC tournaments - sportzpoint.com

ICC World Test Championship started in the year 2019 as New Zealand won the inaugural WTC after defeating India in the ICC World Test Championship 2021 Final.

India once again qualified for the Test Championship final in 2023 and this time, it was Australia who challenged them. India bottled their chance to win an ICC trophy after waiting for a decade and lost the match by a huge margin of 209 runs. 

In 2023-25 World Test Championship, India failed to qualify for the final.

India's performance in every WTC

WTC Championship Results
2019-21 Runners-up
2021-23 Runners-up
2023-25 Did not qualify for final
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Winners list of last 10 ICC Tournaments (men's)

India won their first 50-over ICC title in 12 years as they won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The Men in Blue won their third ICC Champions Trophy title, and went past Australia’s tally of two. Here are the past winners of the last 10 ICC tournaments.

Winners list of last 10 ICC Tournaments (men's)

Indian men's cricket team finally won their first 50-over ICC title in 12 years as they defeated New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025 final by four wickets in Dubai. Here are the past winners of the last 10 ICC tournaments.

Read also: Every inaugural ICC tournament winners

1. T20 World Cup- West Indies (2016)

Remember the game: the last six balls of the 2016 T20 World Cup relived

Eden Gardens, Kolkata hosted the 2016 T20 World Cup on 3rd April between England and West Indies. West Indies defeated their opponent by 4 wickets and won the final with 2 balls remaining. Carols Braithwaite with four sixes in four balls to Ben Stokes became an overnight hero for the West Indies team. Marlon Samuels scored 85* off 66 balls and became the Man of the Match.

Read also: Virat Kohli records as captain in white ball Cricket

2. Champions Trophy- Pakistan (2017)

Most ICC Trophy wins by any team - sportzpoint.com

The Oval, London hosted one of the biggest cricket rivalries on 18 June 2017. The match was the 2017 Champions Trophy final between India and Pakistan. Pakistan sent the Indian squad back to the pavilion in less than 31 overs and won the final by 180 runs. Fakhar Zaman won the man of the match award.

Read also: 5 Youngest Captains to lift the ICC Cricket World Cup

3. ICC World Cup- England (2019)

ICC World Cup 2019 - England - sportzpoint.com

The night of 14th July 2019 has to be one of the most interesting and different in cricket history. Both England and New Zealand scored the same during their innings and also in the super-over. The result of the match was decided in an interesting method; the team with the superior number of boundaries was the winner. Hence, England won the tournament.

Read also: WTC Final: ICC Event winners since 2000

4. World Test Championship- New Zealand (2021)

Winners list of last 10 ICC Tournaments - WTC 2021 - New Zealand - sportzpoint.com

Winning the World Test Championship has to be New Zealand's biggest victory in cricket history. Southampton hosted the final from 18 June to 23rd June 2021. Kane Williamson led the team to victory and the final test match by 8 wickets. With bowling figures of 5/31, 21 & 2/30, Kyle Jamieson was the Man of the match in the final.

Read also: T20 World Cup 2021: Man of the Series, highest wicket-taker, and highest run-getter

5. T20 World Cup- Australia (2021)

Winners list of last 10 ICC Tournaments - sportzpoint.com

Australia once again proved its dominance and worth on the night of the 2021 T20 World Cup final. The entire Australian team contributed their best and clinched the trophy last night to beat New Zealand by 8 wickets. David Warner chose the best platform to prove himself after a humiliating IPL season. Mitchell Marsh scored an unbelievable knock of 77* in 50 balls and won the Man of the Match award.

6. T20 World Cup - England (2022)

England won the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 - sportzpoint.com

England won their third ICC trophy as they clinched the T20 World Cup 2022 title after beating Pakistan in the final by five wickets. Sam Curran was adjudged the player of the tournament for his 13 wickets in the tournament. Curran was also the player of the final as his 3/22 helped England restrict Pakistan to 137 in the first inning. This was England's second T20 World Cup title.

7. World Test Championship - Australia (2023)

World Test Championship 2023 - sportzpoint.com

India again failed to win any ICC trophy since 2013 as Pat Cummins-led Australia defeated India by 209 runs. Australia scored a massive 469 in the first inning as Steve Smith and Travis Head scored tons for the Aussies. The first-inning score proved to be too much for India as they scored only 296 in the reply and Australia put more pressure with 270 in the second inning.

Despite starts for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, India failed to get close to the score and eventually suffered the defeat. 

With this win, Josh Hazlewood, David Warner, Pat Cummins, Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc became the only players to win all ICC Trophies. 

8. ICC World Cup - Australia (2023)

Two-time ODI World Cup winners - Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, David Warner, and Mitchell Marsh - strike a pose with the trophy, India vs Australia, Men's ODI World Cup final, Ahmedabad, November 19, 2023 - sportzpoint.com
Two-time ODI World Cup winners.

Pat Cummins and Australia's dream run continued as they won the ICC Men's World Cup for a record sixth time in 2023 defeating India, again. In one of the most visited and watched World Cup finals in Ahmedabad, Australia defeated India by six wickets.

Despite a great start with the bat, India lost captain Rohit Sharma and post that kept on losing wickets. They could only score 240 in the first inning and though Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami tried their level best, Travis Head's excellent ton (137) took Australia over the line. Head was player of the match in back-to-back ICC Finals. 

Read Also: India's Finals at ICC Men's Tournaments Since 2013 

9. T20 World Cup - India (2024)

India's performances in every T20 World Cup - India won the T20 World Cup 2024 - sportzpoint.com

India finally broke their jinx of ICC finals after beating South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final in Barbados. They clinched their second T20 World Cup title as Rohit Sharma's men defeated the Proteas team by seven runs in the final.

Read Also: Every Player of the Tournament winners in T20 World Cup History

Virat Kohli (76) and Axar Patel (47) played some solid knocks to take India to the highest total (176) in a T20 World Cup final. Though South Africa were cruising for an easy win, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Arhsdeep Singh managed to pull things back for India with the ball. Virat Kohli was adjudged the player of the final and Jasprit Bumrah was named the Player of the tournament for his 15 wickets in the tournament. 

10. Champions Trophy - India (2025)

Winners list of last 10 ICC Tournaments (men's)

India made it back-to-back global cricket tournaments with a four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy final in Dubai.

Chasing 252 against the Blackcaps, India reached home in 49 overs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The spinners put up a splendid show, helping India restrict the Blakcaps for 251 for 7 after the side latter team won the toss and opted to bat first. 

Kuldeep Yadav (2 for 40) and Varun Chakravarthy (2 for 45) picked two wickets apiece while Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami scalped one wicket each. Daryl Mitchell (63) and Michael Bracewell (53) played crucial knocks for the Blackcaps. 

In the chase, India got off to a flying start, thanks to Rohit Sharma's dominating 76. Shreyas Iyer (48) and KL Rahul (34 not out) also played crucial knocks as India edged past New Zealand to win the Champions Trophy for the third time.

This was India’s second consecutive ICC title win - it had won the T20 World Cup crown in June last year. India has now won two ODI World Cups, two T20 World Cups and three Champions Trophy titles.

Note: The article was first written by Shreya Ghosh and then got updated by Koushik Biswas.

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Every results from India vs New Zealand match in ICC events

India and New Zealand have clashed twice in ICC Champions Trophy tournaments. Each team has won once, making their head-to-head record in the tournament evenly balanced. Let’s take a look at every results from India vs New Zealand match in ICC events.

Mar 7, 2025, 3:48 PM3 min read

Every results from India vs New Zealand match in ICC events

New Zealand has made it to the finals after defeating South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Now they will clash with India at the Dubai ground. 

India and New Zealand have so far clashed in the ICC Knockout Trophy, ODI World Cup 2019 semi-final and World Test Championship 2019-2021 final. Where the Indian team has had to face defeat every time.

However, the situation for India seems different in the Champions Trophy. Both teams are strong, so an interesting match can be witnessed.

Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025 Final: India vs New Zealand match preview | Head-to-head stats, Possible XI, match prediction, streaming details

So, before these two teams once again share the field on Sunday, let’s take a look at every results from India vs New Zealand match in ICC events.

Results from India vs New Zealand match in ICC events

ODI World Cups

India and New Zealand have shared victories in their World Cup history, making this rivalry an exciting one.

In the early years, New Zealand had the upper hand, winning multiple encounters, but India bounced back in the late 1980s and early 2000s.

The 2019 semi-final remains one of the most memorable matches, where New Zealand eliminated India with an 18-run victory. Rain played a role in the 2019 group-stage match, which was abandoned.

India have performed well in some editions, but New Zealand have been more successful in knockout games.

Date Venue Winner Margin
14-Jun-75 Manchester New Zealand 4 wickets
13-Jun-79 Leeds New Zealand 8 wickets
14-Oct-87 Bengaluru India 16 runs
31-Oct-87 Nagpur India 9 wickets
12-Mar-92 Dunedin New Zealand 4 wickets
12-Jun-99 Nottingham New Zealand 5 wickets
14-Mar-03 Centurion India 7 wickets
13-Jun-19 Nottingham No Result Match abandoned
09-Jul-19 Manchester New Zealand 18 runs

Champions Trophy

India and New Zealand have clashed twice in ICC Champions Trophy tournaments. Each team has won once, making their head-to-head record in the tournament evenly balanced.

India and New Zealand faced off in a match on March 2, 2025, where India posted a total of 249/9 in 50 overs. In response, New Zealand was bowled out for 205 in 45.3 overs, giving India a 44-run victory.

Their first encounter was in the 2000 edition, where New Zealand won by four wickets, securing their only Champions Trophy victory against India.

Date Venue Winner Margin
15-Oct-00 Nairobi New Zealand 4 wickets
04-Mar-25 Dubai India 44 runs

Also Read: Most ICC Finals as captain

T20 World Cups

New Zealand have been dominant over India in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup encounters, winning all three matches convincingly.

The first meeting in 2007 was closely contested, with New Zealand winning by just 10 runs. However, in later encounters, New Zealand won more comfortably, including a massive 47-run victory in 2016 and an eight-wicket win in 2021.

India have struggled against New Zealand’s bowling attack in T20 World Cup games, often failing to chase or post competitive totals.

Date Venue Winner Margin
16-Sep-07 Johannesburg New Zealand 10 runs
15-Mar-16 Nagpur New Zealand 47 runs
31-Oct-21 Dubai New Zealand 8 wickets
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"Use of saliva on ball," Mohammed Shami wants the ban to be lifted on applying saliva on the ball

The ban on the use of saliva on ball was first imposed in May 2020 as a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, in September 2022, the ICC made the ban permanent.

Mar 7, 2025, 12:36 PM3 min read

"Use of saliva on ball," Mohammed Shami wants the ban to be lifted on applying saliva on the ball

Indian bowler Mohammed Shami recently demanded the ICC to lift the ban on applying saliva on ball. Now former New Zealand bowler Tim Southee and former South African all-rounder Vernon Philander have supported Shami's demand.

Shami, while talking to reporters after Team India's 4-wicket win over Australia in the first semi-final of the Champions Trophy, had requested the ICC to lift the ban on the use of saliva on ball.

Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025 Final: India vs New Zealand match preview | Head-to-head stats, Possible XI, match prediction, streaming details

Use of saliva on ball should be allowed to bring back reverse swing

"We are trying (to get reverse swing), but the usage of saliva on the ball is not allowed," Shami told reporters.

"We keep appealing that we should be allowed to use saliva so that we can bring reverse swing back into the game and it becomes interesting."

Southee and Philander backed Shami

Supporting Shami's statement, Southee said on ESPNcricinfo's Match Day, "That was a rule brought around Covid with the virus going around the world, but I think as a bowler, you want to have a slight advantage," 

"We see the game going the way it's going and seeing sides score 362 and more often than not over 300 in this format. I think there needs to be something in the bowlers' favour, and whether that's a little bit of saliva, then yeah, I don't see why they couldn't afford to get that back in."

At the same time, Philander said that in the second semi-final played against New Zealand, the South African bowlers could have benefited from applying saliva and using reverse swing, particularly in the later half of the innings. New Zealand amassed 362 for 6 in their 50 overs.

"If we look at the state of that ball, I mean towards the back end, it was really scuffed up, and I think had you used the saliva [to polish one side of the ball], the element of the reverse swing might have come into play," Philander said.

"So it certainly does play a part. You can get it to shine up and you use the elements to swing it a little longer."

Also Read: Most ICC Finals as captain

Use of saliva banned during COVID 19

The ban on the use of saliva on ball was first imposed in May 2020 as a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, in September 2022, the ICC made the ban permanent.

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