Stumped
Jay Shah: A new era in world cricket at the ICC?
A new era in world cricket is imminent as Jay Shah has been elected unopposed as the next Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council. He will be the youngest ever ICC chair. Alison Mitchell, Clint Wheeldon and Sunil Gupta discuss what this means for the sport.
Preparations for next month's Women's T20 World Cup have stepped up a level with holders Australia, England, India and Pakistan all naming their squads for the tournament in the UAE. It was moved from Bangladesh following civil unrest in the country. England spinner Linsey Smith joins us on the programme to give us her reaction to being back in the England squad.
We also reflect on a historic moment for Bangladesh as they beat Pakistan for the first time in Test cricket.
Photo: Jay Shah of the BCCI at the T20 World Cup Final. (Credit: Getty Images)
- Duration:
- 38m
- Broadcast on:
- 29 Aug 2024
- Audio Format:
- mp3
Welcome to Stumped, a podcast that talks about cricket. Yep, that's about it. Cricket, how to play it, watch it, and love it, whether you're in England, India, Australia, and everywhere in between. Share it, review it, and rate it please. Podcasts from the BBC World Service are supported by advertising. Explaining football to the friend who's just there for the nachos? Hard. Tailgating from home like a pro with snacks and drinks everyone will love? Any easy win. And with Instacart helping deliver the snack time MVPs to your door, you're ready for the game in as fast as 30 minutes. So you never miss a play, or lose your seat on the couch, or have to go head to head for the last chicken wing. Shop Game Day faves on Instacart and enjoy $0 delivery fees on your first three gross reorders. Offer valid for a limited time, other fees in terms apply. Hey, I'm Ryan Reynolds. Recently, I asked Mint Mobile's legal team if big wireless companies are allowed to raise prices due to inflation. They said yes. And then when I asked if raising prices technically violates those onerous to your contracts, they said, "What the f*ck are you talking about? You insane Hollywood f*ck." So to recap, we're cutting the price of Mint Unlimited from $30 a month to just $15 a month. Give it a try at mintmobile.com/switch. $45 up front for three months plus taxes and fees. Promoting for new customers for limited time. Unlimited more than 40 gigabytes per month slows. Volterns at mintmobile.com. BBC World Service in association with ABC and Acash Fanny. This is Stumped. Hello and welcome to Stumped, your intercontinental hit of news features and debate from the quirky world of cricket. I'm Alison Mitchell and I am in the surrounds of the commentary box at Lords. You can't see it on the camera, but I'm looking out over this amazing ground. It is a stunning day, blue sky, not a cloud to be seen. The terracotta, a pavilion, is looking back at me and the grass is green and pristine as we're waiting. England and Sri Lanka is meant to get underway for the second of their three test matches in England. I got that win at Old Trafford in the first game, but I mean, Sri Lanka really put up a decent showing and who knows what might have happened if their top order hadn't failed with the bat. England got over the line and they'll be trying to make it 2-0 here this week. I'm Clint Wilden for the ABC in Perth and I'm incredibly jealous of where Ali happens to be. It's a tough couple of weeks coming up for those of us here in Western Australia. Neither of our football teams have made the finals in the AFL once again, but that does mean that we're starting to get really excited about the return of the BBL with the Perth Scorchers hopefully flying the flag for WA and it will be fantastic to have cricket back. It's starting to feel a little bit like spring and summer just around the corner. And I'm Sunil Gupta for Rata Shpani, very, very, very wet New Delhi. So the grass is definitely greener on the other side, Ali, right there where you are in lords. But of course in India, the news is from the ICC predominates and I'm sure that we're going to be talking about that as we get along. And Clint, you'll be happy about this. There are already stray opinion pieces appearing in the newspapers and other media about the border Gavaskar Trophy coming up at the end of this year and team selections and so on and so forth and what Nathan Lyon is saying about the spinners and about your Shasvi Jeswal especially. So I'm very, very heightened excitement in winter. That is a big series for sure, isn't it? India, the Australia. In Australia they've had some success there in recent times as India. Later in the show this week, we're going to be talking about the historic test win for Bangalore dashes and then. But first of all, I am here at what is known as the home of crickets, but it is no longer where the power lies. There is a new man at the top of the International Cricket Council which is based in Dubai and the new chief of the game's global governing body comes from India. Jay Shah has been elected unopposed to be the next independent chair of the ICC. So he'll step down from his role with the BCCI, the board of control for cricket in India where he's been in charge since 2019. He's just 35 years old, so the youngest ICC chair the game has had. He's also been chair of the Asian Cricket Council since 2021. Now Shah replaces New Zealander Greg Barkley who decided not to seek a third term and he starts his position on December the first. Now, Sunil, no one stood against Jay Shah. What can we expect from this appointment? Do you think? Well, I must start by saying that it's a proud moment for us here in India. A young man like him, 35 is young comparatively, has taken over as the head of the ICC. But we must remember that he's a seasoned administrator. He has been in cricket administration since 2009. That's a long time. First with the Equatrath Cricket Association, then of course with the BCCI, he really has done a lot of good work in terms of professionalization of the women's game with the WPL equal paid for women. The Olympic Games in Los Angeles, he's had big role to play in cricket making a comeback there. Now, he's introduced prize money for domestic cricket. I think that's absolutely terrific because they really were not paid that well. But I think prize money for domestic cricket, including junior tournaments for both men and women. I think that is a very far-sighted step that he has taken. And I think to me, certainly personally, the fact that he is supporting the test cricket fund that has been mooted recently, that's I think really the icing of the cake because he knows, we all know, the test cricket is, let's say, shaky with all the T20 leagues and all coming up and a lot of players. I look what happened in South Africa. Half of them didn't go to New Zealand to play the test matches. And if that is possible, including higher pay for the test players, I think that is really a big move for this young man to make. So I'm looking forward to really exciting times in the cricketing world with Vijesha. Yeah, in the first statement, Clint, that he made upon the appointment was all about global reach, new markets, cricket in the Olympics. And then later came the quotes about protecting test cricket, advancing the women's game and differently abled cricket as well. He's a powerful man with the power to make big things happen. How do you view the appointment and how is it being viewed in Australia? Personally, cautiously optimistic. I like what he's done with test cricket. I like that he's also at times, despite coming from India where we know how powerful the IPL is, he seems to have said on enough occasions that he favours international cricket over franchise cricket. And as an Australian, I think that's incredibly important. I'd like to see that continue. There's been a fair amount of skepticism about the appointment and the way that it was handled. And I think the best way for him to do with that is for the decisions that he makes going forward. And there's a couple of big ones in the immediate future. One is what does he do with the 2025 Champions Trophy? I mean, the ICC chair now, does he look at the greater good regarding how did he impact a star? What pressure comes from India in playing there? And what does he do if say India refuses to go, which when he was in charge of India would have been a really interesting question. So there's a couple of things there that he'll have to do with early on. How does he continue to try to grow the game? How does he go about that in terms of America? Now, I think having the the Olympics on board is fantastic. And we know that he's had a big role in there. So with the ability to sell the codes, to sell this sport to places that haven't really seen it or embraced it, the Olympics give that opportunity. So what does the ICC do along those to expose cricket to a broader audience? I'm cautiously optimistic, but I also understand why there is from certain parts of the media here a cynicism about how he came to be elected. I mean, Sunil, some on social media, when I was just scrolling through, you know, after the appointment was saying, you know, this means the ICC stands even more so for the Indian Cricket Council. But he has to be independent, doesn't he? Oh, absolutely. And I think he understands that. I said he's a seasoned administrator. And he's certainly made all the right noises, said the right things, but it's Clint said, you know, now there are big things coming up and how he handles those will really be a marker in the way that he tends to proceed. But, you know, taking the game global, yes, I mean, we've seen some vestiges of that taking place with the World Cup in America and the West Indies. We understand that Indian cricket drives revenues. We all understand that in most parts of the world. So I think he's got to be able to play both cards well in how he drives revenues for the Indian board and how he actually drives them for the ICC. He will put on his other hat. Definitely. No question about that. I mean, when it comes to say the growth of the game, Clint, and you're mentioning, you know, the Olympics and USA, I mean, you know, how much influence Jay Shah can have because, you know, USA cricket will need to drive the development of the sport in that country. And that governing body had to be sort of disbanded and suspended in the lead up to the T20 World Cup that was recently held there. Majorly cricket is a successful league, a growing league, lots of high profile Aussies involved at the moment, but that sort of separately run a private entity. He can't control everything, can he? No, he can't. And I do wonder, Ali, whether or not he had more power to make those sort of decisions, those changing decisions about the amount of money that can be poured into those boards when you're actually in charge of India. And if you decide to send India to a tour, the masses of money that comes with that. And we know that so many of the smaller nations are so reliant on the Indian money. So as the ICC, you can't force India to tour, but as the head of Indian cricket, you can decide to go there. I think he does have challenges, and I would hope that the ICC has a role to play in this about making sure that in, well, let's say America, for example, in the most recent World Cup, we saw the problems that we had with some of the playing arenas and the playing surfaces. So perhaps the ICC, not just about putting money in, but need to put the ability to have the very best people who prepare the pitches to go over there and have some sort of a role in making sure that if we don't have quality pictures, we're not going to have a quality competition, which means there isn't going to be that sort of an interest. And I think that will be a challenge again for the Los Angeles Olympics. And hopefully we don't see the situation that we did have, particularly New York and those games there in the most recent World Cup. So I think he does have a role to play. He definitely has an enormous amount of power. I hope that he continues to do it. He's obviously going to look after India, of course, we understand that, but to grow the game, to make the game bigger and to ensure the primacy of Test Cricket, I think that's super important. Yeah. And Test Cricket strikes me as probably the biggest thing in his intro, along with that wider piece about the future tours program, as it is known, the scheduling of all this cricket that needs to be knitted together, the international game with the rise of the franchise leagues. But that global test fund that you mentioned, Sunil, it seems, I think, very important that he has previously voiced his support to that, which would top up match fees to support those smaller nations. And some are already starting to do it individually that England and Wales Cricket Board are offering and will be paying Zimbabwe a fee when they play an historic test match the first for years and years and years. First since 2003 was Zimbabwe come to England next year. And that seems to be something that's been talked about in the game for a long time, hasn't it? Calls for a global test fund, certainly from the likes of West Indies. Johnny Graves, CEO there, has been calling for something like this for a long time, whether it will come into fruition. But if there's a driving force, like Jay Shah behind it, as chair, there's a much stronger chance of it coming through. Oh, I completely agree. And that's exactly what I meant when I said that he has got a broad vision. He does not just because of his administrative experience, but he also realizes, you know, exactly what we're saying, that he will be looked at, right? He'll be watched and he understands that. I don't think that he thinks that this is going to be a piece of cake. It's not going to be and therefore every step that he makes, especially with some of the stuff that he was saying Clint about people talking or the news, I think he'll be up to that. Certainly he will look after Indian interests, but he also realizes that his tenure at the top of the ICC will eventually be judged in history by what he does for the ICC and what he does for the world of cricket. He gets that. He gets that. I don't think that he will look to make it smaller than it is. In fact, I think he will look to make it bigger than it is. And he's really, I think, making the right moves already. Well, he's a man with power. And then the question is, how is that power used? And if he does want to put a focus on women's cricket, then a starting point could be looking at doing something to support the Afghanistan women cricketers, who we've talked about so much on this program because he says our goal is to make cricket more inclusive and more popular than ever. And at the moment, there is that group of young women, Afghan refugees who are desperate to play formally together and be role models to others who are displaced around the world. So he's a man with power. And that question is just how he uses it. Now preparations for next month's Women's T20 World Cup have stepped up a level with holders Australia, England, India and Pakistan, all naming their squads for the tournament in the UAE. It's been moved from Bangladesh because of the civil unrest in the country. And so we've now had a revised tournament schedule as well with all the games in Dubai and Shahja. And unlike the recent men's competition in the USA and the West Indies, where one semi-final was very early in the morning and then didn't have a reserve day, both semis in Dubai and Shahja will have reserve days for this women's comp as will the final, which is scheduled for Sunday, October the 20th. As was the case with the men's event though, India already know which semi-final they will play in. Should they get there? That's the first one in Dubai gives them a three-day lead in, then an extra day to prep for the final, both of those matches at 6pm local time. Now England have named a strong squad includes four frontline spinners, Sophie Eccleston, Sarah Glenn, Charlie Dean and Lindsey Smith. Earlier this year, the left arm spinners Smith was recalled to England after a five-year absence. And I'm delighted to say that she joins us now. Lindsey, welcome to Stumped. And congratulations on making the World Cup squad. What does it mean to be back in that England squad and going to a World Cup after the time you had out of the team? Thank you. Morning. Thanks for having me on. Yeah, it's just obviously really exciting. I think I got caught up to the team back in January out in New Zealand. And I got the call from John Lewis and it was a real shock, but definitely one full of happiness. Like you say, had a long time away from the England set up. So, yeah, I think just really happy to kind of get back in there and be back at another World Cup. And what has this change of venue sort of been like for all of you players, sort of not knowing what was going to happen exactly? And is that much of a hindrance that it's been moved to the UAE? How do you view it as a spinner as well? Oh, yeah. Obviously, it's a shame to be moved away from Bangladesh. But I think safety of the players is that the forefront of that. So, trust the decisions being made in the right one. But, yeah, there were a few whispers going around that it could potentially be the UAE. And, yeah, we've played a bit of cricket there in the last few years. So, we're not telling we're not too unfamiliar with. So, I think, yeah, everyone's really excited. Hopefully, get some family and friends over and have a really good competition out there. And those conditions should still favour this England spin quartet that you've got? Yeah, hopefully. I mean, Lewis made the decision on the squad and gone with the fourth spinners. So, yeah, hopefully, spin will be a big part in those games. And hopefully, we can bowl well together. Means that you've featured for England before at a World Cup back in 2018. And you've played in the 100. You've played in the Big Bash. How pivotal is all that experience when you come to play at a World Cup? Yeah, huge. It definitely helped me coming back in January. I was a lot less nervous than what I was in 2018. I think just getting the exposure around the ground and around the countries and just playing with big players, I think. I was probably the most nervous actually rocking up and playing for Cygnus Xs because I wasn't an international established player then. And they'd signed me and I felt like I had a lot to prove kind of people thinking, "Who's this girl that we've just picked up?" But, yeah, so it definitely helps you, I guess, with that exposure and playing those big games. So, yeah, hopefully, puts me in good stead. I have to ask this question. The Australians are the defending champions. How do you view the team heading into this tournament? Because there was the odd surprise omission. It's obviously a strong squad, even the players that haven't been picked, obviously, top spinners in Jess Johnson and Amanda J. Wellington. So, yeah, they're a strong side. Whatever the 11 they put out, I know, will be one of depth and high class. So, by similar with most squads, really, all the squads are looking pretty strong. The ones that have been announced. So, yeah, but like ourselves, we've had a really successful summer here, obviously unbeaten. So, yeah, that puts us in really good stead. A lot of confidence in the group. So, hopefully, we can go out there and do very well. Well, actually, this brings me to the question about three players being named in the squad for the first time, Freya Kemp, Bess Heath and Daniel Gibson. What will they bring to the team, especially now the tournament has been shifted to the UAE? Yeah, lots of different options. Obviously, Freya Kemp and Danny Gibson give you that kind of all-rounder role. Freya Kemp, I know very well through my domestic team back here. She's had a tough 12 months or so with a stress fracture in the back, but seeing her first hand, how hard she works and she's a real graphter. So, if anyone deserves the call up, it's her. And Bess Heath as well, very exciting young keeper batter. So, yeah, it just adds, I guess, another dynamic to our team and yeah, very exciting youngsters. Ali was talking about the spin quartet, including yourself, and it's frankly rated amongst the best in World Cricket earlier. So, conditions with spinning tracks, let's say, or slower tracks in the UAE. How much could that be a factor? Because there's a tough pool, actually. Both the pools are slightly different in composition. How do you view this as an advantage for the England team? Yeah, obviously, it's nice to be referred to a quartet now. But, yeah, those three, their records speak to themselves, obviously, they've performed so well for so long for England, all having slightly different roles, and I'm hoping that I can obviously just add to that and bring, obviously, a little bit of a different aspect. I mean, in T20s, I do most of my bowling in the power play and at the death. So, those three can carry on working hard throughout the middle and taking lots of wickets for not many runs. And, yeah, hopefully, if I get a go, hopefully, I guess, get the team off to a good start in the power play. Yeah, that's one of the things I've really enjoyed about watching you, Bowl Lindsey, is that that power play role that you have. How do you approach it as a spin? What's your mentality, bowling, in those particular roles at the start and the end? I love it, to be honest. I think it really makes me switch on and focus, that, you know, in the power play, you can only have two outs. So, if you miss, then, you know, nine times out of ten, you're going to be punished. So, for me, yeah, it just helps me focus and it gives me a real direction of where I'm wanting to bowl and especially at different batters. Yeah, I really enjoy it and hope, like, in the 100, it came off quite well, which was nice. So, yeah, hopefully, it's one that I can carry on in England and just finally, I mean, what were those five years like for you when you had had your taste of international cricket and then struggling to force your way back in again? It's pretty hard. Obviously, it was, yeah, five, six years ago now, so I can look back and think, yeah, I've done a lot of things right, but coming out of that, yeah, it was pretty tough. I mean, you doubt yourself, you doubt whether you're ever going to be good enough or if you can do it in an England shirt, but I just went away and kind of tried to enjoy my cricket again, not put too much pressure on myself and just, yeah, just enjoy what I'm doing and going out there with teammates and putting in good performances and, yeah, done that consistently. So, I'm over the moon to be back in an England shirt and hopefully, I can do things a lot better this time around. Yeah, it's worked for you. Congratulations, Lindsay, and enjoy the World Cup. Hopefully, see you out there. Thanks very much, Cheers. So, that was Lindsay Smith, England left arm, spinner heading to the Women's T20 World Cup. Now, Clint, Australia, yes, named their squad this week, and we heard a bit from Lindsay, their her thoughts. Yes, Jess Jonathan, she's won five T20 World Cups with Australia, but left out. I mean, what has the reaction been like back in Australia to that? Well, Ali, it's been the headline as you would understand that Jess Jonathan wasn't picked in the squad. We know she'd missed out from international selection, the last couple of internationals the Australian Women's played, but had really responded to it on the overseas circuit. She was the equal top wicket taker for the Delhi capitals and the WPL had made a couple of important knocks with the bat, finished the third highest wicket taker in the 100 earlier this month, had 12 wickets for the Welsh fire at 14.16, hit 176 runs at a strike rate of above 130, taken more T20 international wickets than any other Australian spinners. So it was certainly a surprise even though she hadn't played an international game since October in 2023. So they've said that the door is still open for her. I do wonder whether or not that that is actually going to be the case. Phoebe Lichfield has been the player who really has come in. She does add an X factory in the middle of the order. It was certainly somewhat of a surprise, and I guess that's the question where you go, well, who do you leave out? But nonetheless, when someone has had the success that she's had at an international level, and you know she's a proven winner, that it was understandably going to be the major talking point about that squad. Sophie Molinew back as well to a worker after so many injury problems. Yeah, that's great news. I'm really also keen to see what happens Taylor Volemic and Darcy Brown. We know Darcy Brown's had some injury problems. Volemic has missed a couple of T20 tournaments 2020 and 2023 and missed the World Cup in New Zealand, the One Day International World Cup due to injury. So she gets to play in a World Cup for the first time in some time, and I reckon those two with their pace will be a real problem. But yeah, there's good stories across the Australian team, and we know that they're so dominant. One is that they're past three. I think now looking for four straight and yeah, whatever you do, there is going to be quality players who missed out. And we didn't even mention, as I know, Lindsay did, Amanda Jade Wellington and her ability in the WBBL, she just takes Wicket after Wicket. So she's not in the frame as well. Whoever plays for the Australian team, whoever gets selected in that squad, they're going to take some beating. Yeah, and we obviously had about the England squad from Lindsay there. But you know, I suppose there was a bit of a headline around no Lauren Filer for England. So they could have had that express pace option, and she's been left out. They've sort of gone with the bowling all-rounders. They've got with Freya Kemp and Danny Gibson, but obviously with that spin-heavy attack. And they've got a nice story for, you know, Sophia Dunkley, who was left out of the England team at the start of this summer. She's forced her way back in, and of course, all led by Heather Knight in England will be pushing, pushing to get to that final, and yes, get a trophy again, because it feels like it's been a little while since they were here at Lords in 2017, lifting the World Cup. Sunil, what about India? Because they've made some finals in recent years, haven't they? Harman Preekkor has been selected to lead the team as well. They're still looking for that first World Cup win. Do you reckon they could do it in the UAE? Well, I guess the type of pitches that are there. I mean, we'll suit the Indian team, the Indian spinners. But, you know, recently, I'm sure you know about this, and they're lost in the final of the Asia Cup, the Sri Lanka. And that was a big shot. That was headline news exactly as you said, Clint, because India won almost all the Asia Cups, and certainly beaten Sri Lanka, almost all wizards, certainly never beaten in the final by Sri Lanka. But this is something I think that India should take as a wake-up call, because India put up a decent score to 160+, and yet they lost by about six or seven wickets. And I find this happens sometimes when somebody bosses them in terms of a batter, batter bossing, and that's what Shamari Atapatu did. And I was watching that game, and I saw her body language, and that body language was, hey, you've got nothing that can hurt me. You know, I'm going to take this game away from you. And that sometimes phases the team. It's happened before, and I dare say it'll happen again, though I hope it won't. That is what I actually, it's more mental than anything else with the Indian team. As you said, they've made so many finals, they haven't gone through. You don't throw away. So you've got to think about what it is to get them over the line, that mental, little mental thing, which happened to the Indian men's team as well. That one thing to get them over the line. I think they have the team, but do they have the mental fortitude to take them all the way? What about Pakistan? They've named their squadron a new captain for their tournament, fast bowl of Fatima at Sana. Again, not too often if fast bowl, it gets a chance to captain the country. A little nod to Kate Cross, by the way, who's going to step in for Heather Knight. She's captaining an England team going out to Ireland for a white ball series in the coming weeks. But yeah, Fatima Sana for Pakistan. Oh, yes, absolutely. And I think it's really where, oh, it proves how the women's game has, you know, moved up leaps and bounds in Pakistan for where it was. And of course, for my son, actually has a very good track record. She was the women's emerging cricket of the year in 2021, the ICC. Pakistan hasn't done well. We all know international tournaments, but they have a capability. They've beaten India once, I remember, in India, in the T20 game, they've beaten other teams as well. I think they really have to put it all together. But UAE is almost like the second home. You know, there's going to be a lot of crowd support, which they will have there because there's a lot of expats there. This is their opportunity. Yeah. Clint, I mentioned earlier, reserve days for the semis and the final. But again, this question of India already knowing where they will play in the semi-final, if they get there. It's just the norm, the accepted norm. It has to be because the India market is just so strong, television schedules, et cetera. No, I can't stop that. I understand who or they who pay the Piper call the tune. I get that. And I know how big the market is. I'm not against that. That's just not right, is it? It's about an integrity, isn't it? There is definitely a piece about that. That's where you shouldn't know anything until things have panned out. You shouldn't know in any way where the tournament is going to go apart from what is immediately fixed it in front of you. And no matter the millions and billions who are going to watch, and no matter the money that your point, your line, which it's just about the integrity of the competition, you shouldn't have that. There shouldn't be the slightest advantage to any team knowing about where they're going to play and the conditions at that ground. I know it's easy to say when I'm not paying the bills, but I just can't cop it. I don't think it's good enough. We're going to let Sunil come in. You might not want to comment on it. I don't know. Mum's the word. I've got to be very diplomatic, very diplomatic. I mean, I mean, he said it all. There's nothing that I can add. India has to reach the same analytics. Yeah, quite. Yeah, well, it has become the norm, hasn't it? And India v Pakistan, of course, there is an India Pakistan match. And yeah, put that one in your diary to bring up exactly when it is, because yeah, somehow India and Pakistan always get drawn together. But that blockbuster India Pakistan is Sunday the 6th of October. So put that one in your diary, India v Pakistan and the Women's T20 World Cup. Now you are listening to Stumped on the BBC World Service. Explaining football to the friend who's just there for the nachos, hard tailgating from home like a pro with snacks and drinks everyone will love, any easy win. And with Instacart helping deliver the snack time MVPs to your door, you're ready for the game in as fast as 30 minutes. So you never miss a play or lose your seat on the couch or have to go head to head for the last chicken wing. Shop game day faves on Instacart and enjoy $0 delivery fees on your first three grocery orders. Offer valid for limited time, other fees in terms apply. Hey, I'm Ryan Reynolds. At Mint Mobile, we like to do the opposite of what Big Wireless does. They charge you a lot. We charge you a little. So naturally, when they announce they'd be raising their prices due to inflation, we decided to deflate our prices due to not hating you. That's right. We're cutting the price of Mint Unlimited from $30 a month to just $15 a month. Give it a try at mintmobile.com/switch. $45 up front for three months plus taxes and fees promoting for new customers for limited time unlimited more than 40 gigabytes per month slows. Full turns at mintmobile.com. I'm Alison Ritchel and if you've missed anything from Stump, you can download and subscribe to the podcast via your usual podcast provider and you can look us up on YouTube as well and watch the show there if you go to the BBC World Service YouTube channel. On last week's show, we heard from Northern Superchargers chair Kirsty Bashforth about breaking down barriers for women in cricket boardrooms. So I think it's a number of angles. I think more women in leadership positions in the media, talking, commentating, discussing, punting on cricket is important. And then middle management, moving up, but I think also the women at the top, mentoring, guiding and giving back to those who are on their way up as well. There's nothing worse than women getting to the top and then pulling up the ladder and going, "Thanks, I'm here." So giving back, it's a number of factors and each of the environments is very unique. I don't think there's one path and there's a lot more to do. Finally on Stump to a moment of history as Bangladesh's men beat Pakistan for the first time in test cricket and it was at the 14th time of asking. They had a 10 week victory in Royal Pindy. Pakistan collapsed to 146 all out on what was a dramatic final day in the first test. It meant that Bangladesh needed just 30 to win and they knocked those off inside seven overs. Now, some of that victory comes against this backdrop of all the political unrest back in Bangladesh that we've referred to with the rescheduling of the Women's T20 World Cup and even though they're captained, Najmoh Hussein Shanto dedicated the win to the people who lost their lives in those recent political protests. Just how significant then is this for a victory for the country? Well, you said it. I leave the first time in 14 tests in Pakistan as well to beat them at home. I think it's a big thing. It's a huge Philip for the country, the country men, the country women, especially the cricket players there to say, "Hey, listen, we have the ability." Because remember, Pakistan had put up a good score for 150 or thereabouts and then declared. So they already had that huge sort of wall in their face which then they surmounted, scaled with that magnificent 197 by Mishvika Rahim. That really showed not just the fact that they have the ability, but they have the mentality to go to that distance. And then to come back and bold them out, as you said, with that 146. I think Pakistan were startled by the way that Bangladesh should turn things around in that first innings because they declared with six or seven wickets down. And that means, hey, listen, I think we've both this game covered. I think that will really make them think, but it was a big moment. No question. This is what can happen and this is what we can do for our test cricket, especially the subcontinent. And again, just on the people of Bangladesh because Mishvika Rahim, the veteran wicket keeper, also said afterwards that he was donating his prize money to the people affected by the floods in the country. I mean, the people have had it tough, haven't they? Very, very tough. Really, very tough, I can tell you. This really brings just some light on the horizon. And I think maybe you know, they take this as an omen, you know, that, hey, you know, things are going the right way. Maybe that's the way that they're going to look at it, but it's a big thing. Absolute, you know, question. Yep, cricket can bring joy. That is for sure. Clint, for Pakistan, though, that defeat means they haven't won a test match on home. So since February 2021, now five defeats and four draws. I mean, oh, it's a big job for Jason Gillespie, the Aussie who's the coach now, isn't it? It's an enormous job for him. I know they've lost four tests in succession now, so Perth, Melbourne, Sydney are now this against Bangladesh, but the home tests, so important, they're the ones you're expected to win. You're expected to be able to build. The condition should be in your favor. And I do wonder, what's the problem? Are they not picking the right scene for the conditions? Are the conditions not what you want? How have they got to a situation where you can, as you say, go nine tests without a win at home, and the fast bowling at home for whatever the conditions have been hasn't been good enough in recent times. If you have a look through at the statistics, Baba has lost the brilliance that he had. Sean Masoud must be a captain under pressure who was put in there and has still has had some reasonable knocks, but without really just taking one game itself and winning it on his own bat. They've got some enormous problems. It's really disappointing for Pakistan to have had this run, because we want the test playing nations around the world and the test fans around the world. You want Pakistan to be, like most other nations are, a really tough nation to go and win in. And from that, they build and hopefully can get some success away from home as well. It's a remarkable run of outs. Yeah, I mean, you mentioned team selection. I mean, it's been quite a bit of a backlash from former Pakistan players questioning why Pakistan used for fast bowlers. Did that surprise you? It completely surprised me. It took me back to the World Test Championship final at the Oval in 2023. In India, in a week that was so hot, I was there at the Oval, and I was in shorts, and I finished a bottle of sunscreen, really. I thought you were going to say something else, then. It was so hot. The pitch was baking, and India went in with four frontline seamers and a seaming all rounder. That was perhaps not the right way to go. And I was surprised to travel, when you have the number one bowler in the team, at least the number one spin on it. In Ravi Chandran, Ashwin in your team, and so many left-handers in the Australian team, you do not have the ability to knock him out or the capability. You should not have. You should be able to, and that's what happened to Pakistan. I mean, they said, you know, we're going to prepare a green top. I was reading about this in Ralph Bindi, and we're going to put four fast bowlers after that. It does not work, because we all know, on the fourth day and the fifth day, the pitch does tend to slow down. It does tend to break up. There is spin, and Bangladesh had three very good spinners, and they demolished the Pakistan team. The team selection was a huge cause for concern. Takes me back to England's tour not so long ago. Clint, when Tom Hartley was a star spinner for England, almost out of nowhere, and they're going back to Pakistan for three tests in October. So things are not necessarily going to get any easier for Pakistan. No, but I do know that they have called up a leg spinner again in Abra Ahmed back into the squad for that second test. So maybe they've learned from their mistakes, and we might see a bit more spin available for Pakistan. Yes, let's see. Something we'll need to change out there, because the fans don't tolerate losing for too long, that's for sure, that the passion is heightened. Good luck, Dizzy. Good luck to Dizzy, indeed. We know him well, don't we? Friend of the program. Good luck, Dizzy. Well, that's all we've got time for on this week's Stumps. So I'll say thanks to Clint Wielden and to Sunil Gupta, and we'll see you again same time again next week. Bye for now. Stumped is a BBC sport production for the BBC World Service in association with ABC and Akash Vani. This podcast is brought to you by E-Harmony. The dating app to find someone you can be yourself with. Why doesn't E-Harmony allow copy and paste in first messages? Because you are unique, and your conversations should reflect that. E-Harmony wants you to find someone who will get you. How are you going to know who gets you? If people sing you the same generic conversation starters, they message everyone else. 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