Stumped

We speak to Afghanistan women’s cricketer Firooza Afghan who fled the country following the takeover of the Taliban in 2021 and now resides in Melbourne, Australia. The 18-year-old, says the team have not yet received any support from the International Cricket Council and hopes that they will take action to enable them to represent Afghanistan from their base in Australia.After scoring his first Test century since November 2019, is Virat Kohli finally returning to form? The former India captain has scored over 100 in the main three formats of the game in the last six months, having endured a century drought in the three years prior. Alison Mitchell, Charu Sharma and Jim Maxwell praise his performance in India’s final series match with Australia and look ahead to the World Test Championship final between the two sides in June.Plus, are New Zealand rivalling England to be Test cricket’s great entertainers? Within the last month, New Zealand have beaten England by a single run and edged past Sri Lanka on the last ball of the match, in two of the greatest ever finishes to a Test match.Photo: Afghan girls celebrate after a cricket match at a school in Herat on September 2, 2013.(Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

The Women’s Premier League is finally underway. Sunil Gupta tells us what it is like in India, the stand out stars and the team discuss the tournament so far. Plus will the final Test match between India and Australia is underway. Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in attendance alongside India’s prime minister Narendra Modi who took part in a series of events before the Test. The team debate the pageantry and whether the World Test Championship is making Test Matches shorter.And we are joined by Jenny Thompson who is a former cricket writer and currently lives in Adelaide. She is about to begin a mammoth journey across the world to experience the impact women's cricket is making in many different countries around the world and the lessons we can all learn.Photo: Tara Norris of Delhi Capitals celebrates the wicket of Heather Knight of Royal Challengers Bangalore during the WPL 2023 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals. (Credit: Getty Images)

On this week’s episode of Stumped, Jim Maxwell tells us that he believes England would not enforce a follow-on against Australia in the Ashes. England became only the second national side ever to lose a Test match having enforced the follow-on, as New Zealand won by a single run in Wellington to draw the two-match series. Would they Brendon McCullum's side be as bold against their great rivals in an Ashes series?Charu Sharma dismisses Alyssa Healy’s claims that Harmanpreet Kaur’s run-out in India’s Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final loss to Australia was a result of “lazy running”. Australia went on to the win the tournament for a sixth time, beating South Africa in the final. We hear from South Africa’s star batter Laura Wolvaardt about the experience of playing a home World Cup.Plus the head coach of Spain, Corey Rutgers joins us to discuss his side’s dismantling of the Isle of Man. Spain bowled them out for just 10 runs, which is the lowest total ever in a men’s T20 match. They then hit two sixes from the first two legitimate balls they faced to reach their target.Image: England coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes leave the field at the end day five of the Second Test Match between New Zealand and England at Basin Reserve. (Credit: Getty Images)

India have retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy after thrashing Australia in the first two Tests of the series. Jim Maxwell tells Alison Mitchell where it all went wrong for the tourists, as their attempts to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy end in premature failure. Elsewhere in India, the chairman of their national selection committee has resigned following a sting operation by a local television channel. We discuss Chetan Sharma being caught on camera talking about the likes of Virat Kohli and Sourav Ganguly. Plus, Sunil Gupta speaks to the founder of Khelo Kricket, Hadeel Obaid. It started as a website aiming to cover men’s grassroots cricket in Pakistan but has turned into an organisation which hosts tournaments for both men and women throughout the night. The player of the tournament in the first ever female edition, Fatima Sana, was named as the ICC’s Women’s Emerging Cricket of the Year in 2022.Image: Khelo Kricket

In a momentous week in women’s cricket when the Women’s Premier League Auction took place Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss the big signings and the players that were unsold.Plus we are joined by Ben Gibson who is the Director of Financial Planning at UK based Wealth Management business Evelyn. He tells us how players should manage their newfound wealth. And we discuss where it has all gone wrong for New Zealand in the Women's T20 World Cup.Photo: Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur (C) of India celebrate the victory during the T20 International series between India and Australia at Dr DY Patil Cricket Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

On this week’s episode of Stumped, R Sridhar takes us into the heart of the India dressing room. The former fielding coach for the men’s national side worked alongside the likes of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Ravi Shastri between 2014 and 2021 and in his new book, ‘Coaching Beyond: My Days with the India Cricket Team’, he reveals details of conversations between the trio which have never previously been reported. He tells us about Shastri’s integrity as head coach, Kohli’s unbeatable work rate as a player and captain, and having to keep Dhoni’s retirement a secret.Eleanor Oldroyd speaks to Pakistan all-rounder Nida Dar ahead of their Women’s T20 World Cup opener with India in South Africa. Dar, who has recently been named in the ICC’s Women’s T20I Team of the Year for 2022, says they're aiming to reach at least the semi-finals.Plus, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss the thrilling Big Bash League final which saw Perth Scorchers win their fifth title.Photo: The India fielding coach Ramakrishnan Sridhar looks on prior to game one of the Twenty20 International series between Australia and India at Manuka Oval in Canberra, Australia. (Credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

India beat England by seven wickets in an exciting one-sided final held in South Africa to clinch their first world title. Could India winning the Under 19 World Cup be a landmark moment in the women's game? Alison Mitchell, Charu Sharma and Jim Maxwell all reflect on India's success.Kim Garth has played in two World Cups for Ireland but in 2020, she quit the country to pursue her dream of playing professional cricket in Australia – Kim joins us on the programme to discuss her move and how she's now been selected for the Australian national team that aims to defend its title at the upcoming T20 World Cup.Photo: India players celebrates after winning the ICC Women's U19 T20 World Cup following the 2023 final between India and England at JB Marks Oval on January 29, 2023 in Potchefstroom, South Africa. (Credit: ICC via Getty Images)

On this week’s episode of Stumped, Pakistan batsman Tayyab Tahir joins Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma to discuss his first call-up to the men’s national side, which he found out about when his name was read out on television. He impressed as a substitute in their One Day International series with New Zealand and is now gearing up for a debut stint in the Pakistan Super League with Karachi Kings. He tells us about his three years playing club cricket in England and sharing a dressing room with the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year, Babar Azam.We also hear from the Afghanistan women’s cricketers who fled the country following the takeover of the Taliban in 2021 and have been living and playing in Australia ever since. They’ve called on the ICC to support them and have backed the Australia Cricket Board’s decision to withdraw from their ODI series with the Afghanistan men’s team.Plus, we discuss Ashleigh Gardner’s criticism of the ACB’s decision to schedule a match on Australia Day, the public holiday which marks the arrival of the first British fleet in Sydney, 235 years ago. Gardner, who is from the indigenous Muruwari people, said it is a day of “hurt”, and that the scheduling "doesn't sit well" with her or the people she is representing.Image: Credit - Billingham Synthonia Cricket Club

On this week’s episode of Stumped, Shukri Conrad joins Eleanor Oldroyd, Jim Maxwell and Sunil Gupta for his first interview since being appointed as the coach of South Africa men’s Test side. It’s been a disappointing period for the Proteas after heavy defeats in Australia and England, and Conrad admits that it’s not going to be easy to fix their issues. We discuss their batting frailties, whether Dean Elgar will remain as captain, and we pay tribute to legendary batsman Hashim Amla after he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.Is India’s Shubman Gill realising his potential? After coming under pressure from Ishan Kishan for his place in the side, the 23-year-old repaid the faith shown in him as he became the youngest man to score a double century in a One Day International, helping his side beat New Zealand in the process. Plus, we ask how much pressure is on Virat Kohli ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with Australia?We also take a look at the competition that Sachin Tendulkar says could transform the landscape of women's cricket. The Women’s U19 T20 World Cup is in full swing, and we look back on impressive wins for Bangladesh and Rwanda, while there’s yet more Mankad controversy.Image: Dean Elgar of South Africa walk off after being dismissed during day one of the First Test match between Australia and South Africa at The Gabba on December 17, 2022 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde - CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

Former Australia captain Belinda Clark joins Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma after a statue was unveiled of her at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the first of any female cricketer in the world. She gives her thoughts on the current state of the women’s game, including Meg Lanning’s return to the Australia side after a five month break, and the upcoming inaugural women’s edition of the Indian Premier League.With just months to go until the start of the Women’s IPL, uncertainty remains over just about every detail…including the name! Charu brings us up to speed on the latest developments.We also discuss the news that Australia have withdrawn from their ODI series with Afghanistan, following the Taliban's recent announcement regarding further restrictions on women and girls' education and employment. The chief executive of the International Cricket Council, Geoff Allardice, has told the BBC that no women’s or girl’s cricket is being played in the country to their knowledge.Image: Belinda Clark poses for a photo with her newly revealed statue during day two of the Second Test match in the series between Australia and South Africa at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 05, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brett Hemmings - CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)