The MLB hot stove is officially sizzling, with teams across the league wheeling and dealing to position themselves for a World Series run in 2026.

One of the biggest bats to find a new home this year was Pete Alonso, who signed a five-year deal with the Orioles after spending the first seven years of his career in the majors with the Mets.

On Thursday, Alonso posted an emotional farewell message to his fans in Queens.

“New York, thank you,” Alonso wrote. “These last few years have shaped me in ways I’ll carry for the rest of my life. This city demands your best and I’m proud to look back knowing I gave everything I had into earning the privilege of wearing that jersey.”

He closed with a simple sentiment, writing, “You believed in me, and you made me better. With love, Polar Bear.”

Alonso leaves New York as the franchise’s all-time leader in home runs with 264. It’s a mark that should hold for a while—but with Juan Soto signed through 2039, it feels like he’ll come knocking for the record eventually.

Plenty of those homers Alonso hit came in massive moments, whether during his Rookie of the Year run in 2019, or his three-run dinger in the ninth inning of the winner-take-all Game 3 of the NL wild-card series against the Brewers during the team’s OMG run in 2024.

Alonso’s next chase begins in 2026. He needs 431 to catch Cal Ripken atop the all-time home run list in Baltimore. Let’s see how far he can get.

It's a new week, which means we have a fresh slate of MLB matchups to watch and bet on Monday.

There are 12 games scheduled across the Majors today, starting with an American League matchup between the Cleveland Guardians and Batlimore Orioles at 6:35 pm. The Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants will wrap up today's slate with a game that will start at 9:45 pm.

Here on Rounding the Bases, I'm going to give you my prediction for who will win each of today's 12 games. Let's dive into it.

Guardians vs. Orioles Prediction and PickPick: Orioles -118

It's hard to pick against the Orioles with how they've been playing of late. Their offense leads the Majors in OPS over the last 30 days at .823, which is 0.24 better than the next best team over that stretch. They have a tough matchup against Tanner Bibee (3.65 ERA) today, but I'm willing to back them as slight home favorites.

Phillies vs. Tigers Prediction and PickPick: Phillies -172

I feel confident backing the Phillies when Aaron Nola is on the mound. He has a 8-3 record and a 3.54 ERA on the season. Philadelphia's offense hasn't been as hot as they were early in the season, but they're still plenty good enough to deal with a below average Tigers squad.

Mariners vs. Rays Prediction and PickPick: Rays -104

Losing their weekend series to the lowly Miami Marlins shows me that regression is coming for the Mariners, and their offensive metrics back up that motion. They're just 22nd in the Majors in OPS over the last 30 days, well below the Rays who may be a strong buy-low candidate as home underdogs tonight.

Pirates vs. Reds Prediction and PickPick: Reds -116

The Pirates offense has been abysmal of late, ranking 29th in the Majors in OPS over the last 30 days. Despite Bailey Falter (3.74 ERA) having a solid 2024 campaign, I feel much more confident backing the Reds' bats at home as slight favorites.

Blue Jays vs. Red Sox Prediction and PickPick: Red Sox -142

The Red Sox swept the Blue Jays in Toronto last week and there's no reason why they can't sweep them again in Boston. The Jays have a plethora of issues at every position and are quickly spiraling to the bottom of the American League. I wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole at this point of the season.

Braves vs. Cardinals Prediction and PickPick: Cardinals +106

The Braves offense is stumbling a bit of late, ranking one spot below the Cardinals in OPS over the last 30 days. Spencer Schwellenbach has had an up-and-down start to his MLB career and until he shows us some level of consistency, I'd hesitate to back Atlanta with my money.

Dodgers vs. White Sox Prediction and PickPick: Dodgers -136

If you're going to give me -136 odds to bet on one of the best teams in baseball against one of the worst, I'm going to take that bet 100% of the time.

Marlins vs. Royals Prediction and PickPick: Marlins +198

The Royals should certainly be favored in this game, but a -240 price point is a little out of hand considering how cold their offense has been over the last month, sporting a .662 OPS in that time frame. I'll take a shot on the Marlins as almost 2-1 underdogs on the road.

Rangers vs. Brewers Prediction and PickPick: Brewers -162

The Rangers are 26th in OPS over the last 30 days and now have a tough matchup against Freddy Peralta and the Brewers today. I'll back Milwaukee as the home favorite.

Athletics vs. Angels Prediction and PickPick: Athletics +104

Both offenses are in the bottom four in OPS over the last 30 days and neither starting pitcher has had their best stuff this season as well. At least the A's bullpen has been competent this season, a huge advantage they have over the Angels. That's enough for me to back them as slight road underdogs tonight.

Nationals vs. Padres Prediction and PickPick: Padres -215

When Patrick Corbin gets the start for the Nationals, betting on the opposing team is a given. He has a 1-7 record on the season and has been one of the best pitchers to fade over the past couple of years.

Cubs vs. Giants Prediction and PickPick: Cubs +110

I'll back Justin Steele (3.16 ERA) who is due to get his first win of the season with the Cubs. It's time for Chicago to snap out of this slump.

With the postseason looming, the Padres have lost a key piece for the short term.

San Diego outfielder Ramón Laureano has been diagnosed with a fractured finger and will miss the first round of the playoffs, manager Mike Shildt said Wednesday evening via Dennis Lin of . Laureano, 31, has hit well since being acquired from the Orioles on July 31—slashing .271/.325.492 with nine home runs and 30 RBIs.

In total, Laureano has slashed .282/.343/.514 with 24 home runs and 76 RBIs. His 3.6 bWAR are a career high, surpassing a 3.5-win campaign with the Athletics in 2019.

The Padres are squarely in the middle of the National League's crowded postseason picture; they currently trail the Dodgers by two games in the West Division race and the Cubs by two games in the wild-card race.

San Diego, sans Laureano, is scheduled to play three games against the Diamondbacks this weekend to conclude its 2025 regular season.

Righthander Dustin May has agreed to a deal with the Cardinals, according to a report from ’s Katie Woo.

He was traded to the Red Sox last season after spending his first five MLB seasons with the Dodgers. In 25 appearances with 23 starts in full last season, he went 7–11 with a 4.96 ERA, striking out 123 batters in 132 1/3 innings.

Per Woo, May’s deal with St. Louis is for one year and is pending a physical. The Cardinals add to their rotation after dealing three-time All-Star Sonny Gray to Boston on Nov. 25. May struggled last season in his return after he missed most of the 2023 season and all of ‘24 while recovering from multiple procedures, including Tommy John surgery. His ‘21 and ‘22 seasons were abbreviated as well, as he underwent Tommy John in ‘21 after tearing his UCL.

The Dodgers dealt May to Boston at last season’s trade deadline in exchange for two minor-league outfielders. In six appearances and five starts with the Red Sox, he had a 5.40 ERA and 1–4 record in 28 1/3 innings. Now, the 28-year-old righty gets an opportunity to prove himself and hit the open market once again next year. May should slot near the top of the rebuilding Cardinals’ rotation, especially after Gray’s departure.

Shohei Ohtani might not be performing up to his lofty standards at the dish thus far for the Dodgers this postseason, but there was a welcome—and rare—sight at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night.

For the first time since March, Ohtani was out on the field taking batting practice, and the Dodgers star not only got some extra hacks in, but put on a show in the process.

Ohtani's batting practice session got off to a slow start, to the amusement of his Dodgers teammates.

But it's not how you start, it's how you finish. And on one of Ohtani's last BP swings, he crushed a ball out of Dodger Stadium. The home run caromed off the top of the roof in the pavilion section en route to traveling all the way out of the park.

Even though it came in a practice session, the homer had to be a good sight for the Dodgers, given that Ohtani hasn't gone yard since Game 1 of the wild-card round against the Reds, when he belted two homers. The presumptive 2025 National League MVP has struck out 12 times in his last 25 at-bats, collecting just a pair of hits in that span as the likes of the Phillies and Brewers have been determined to either attack Ohtani with a steady diet of breaking balls or not let him beat them by intentionally walking the slugger.

Perhaps a return to Dodger Stadium, as evidenced by one batting practice swing, will be good for Ohtani. Game 3 of the NLDS is set for Thursday at 6:08 p.m. ET.

Also: who is the oldest umpire to stand a first-class match?

Steven Lynch18-Feb-2020I read that Naseem Shah was described as the youngest bowler to take a Test hat-trick. Whose record did he break? asked Steve Dillon from England

Pakistan’s Naseem Shah, who turned 17 on the weekend, took a hat-trick last week when he was still 16, against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi. He broke the record of legspinner Alok Kapali, who was 19 when he achieved the feat for Bangladesh against Pakistan, in Peshawar in 2003 (Kapali took only three more wickets in 16 other Tests). Abdul Razzaq was 20 when he took a hat-trick for Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2000.The oldest man to take a Test hat-trick was 38-year-old Rangana Herath, for Sri Lanka against Australia in Galle in August 2016. He was about three months older than the England offspinner Tom Goddard when he took one against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1938-39. For the full list, click here.Two batsmen scored 200 for Chandigarh the other day – from No. 7 and No. 8. Is this unique? And was Chandigarh’s first-innings lead of 609 a record too? asked Rahul Bhasin from India

The match in question was the Ranji Trophy Plate Group encounter between Chandigarh and Manipur in Kolkata, which had excited number crunchers even before it started, as according to the Association of Cricket Statisticians it was the 60,000th first-class match ever played.Chandigarh were in a spot of bother at 136 for 5, but Uday Kaul made 148, putting on 221 with Bipul Sharma, who then added a further 172 with Gurinder Singh. That ended when Sharma was out for 200, but Chandigarh’s captain, Manan Vohra, didn’t declare until Singh also reached 200. Singh, in his more usual role as a left-arm spinner, then took 5 for 19 as Manipur were skittled for 63.This was the first time in first-class history that Nos. 7 and 8 both scored double-centuries – but there is an instance of Nos. 7 and 9 reaching 200, again in the Ranji Trophy. For Haryana against Karnataka in Hubli in 2012-13, Amit Mishra scored 202 not out and Jayant Yadav 211, most of them during an eighth-wicket partnership of 392.Chandigarh’s first-innings lead of 609 was the fourth highest in India – on top are Holkar (912 for 8), who led Mysore (190) by 722 runs in the Ranji Trophy semi-final in Indore in 1945-46 – but the biggest in all first-class cricket remains 886, by Victoria (1107) over New South Wales (221) in Melbourne in 1926-27. In Pakistan’s Ayub Trophy in Lahore in 1964-65, Pakistan Railways scored 910 for 6 before bowling Dera Ismail Khan out for 32 (they thus conceded a lead of 878) and 27.Umpires Maurice Tate and John Langridge (right) walk out for a game in 1956•Getty ImagesR Ashwin has now taken 362 wickets in 70 Tests. Is that the most after 70? I know he held this record for a while, but does he still? asked Milind Bhaskar from India

You’re right that R Ashwin held this mark for a while. He still has the most wickets after every number of Tests from 39 (when he had 220) to 65 (342). But Muttiah Muralitharan was level with Ashwin after their 66th Tests, with 350 wickets – and 11 more in his next game put Murali in front, where he has remained. He had 382 wickets after 70 Tests, so Ashwin has a fair bit of ground to make up if he is to get back in front.I noticed that Patsy Hendren’s brother Denis umpired a first-class match when he was nearly 75. Was he the oldest umpire in any first-class fixture? asked Lawrence Cartwright from England

Denis Hendren played a few first-class matches for Middlesex between 1905 and 1919. His brother, Patsy Hendren, was much better known, scoring 170 centuries (second only to Jack Hobbs) in a career that stretched to 1937, when he was 48.Denis Hendren took up umpiring, joining the county panel in 1931 and eventually standing in 390 first-class matches. He did not officiate in the County Championship after 1949, but stood in many university games over the next eight seasons, including ten in 1957. His last was Oxford University against Leicestershire in the Parks in June, three months before his 75th birthday. The oldest known umpire in a Championship match was John Langridge, who was 73 when he stood in his 557th and last first-class game, between Leicestershire and Yorkshire at Grace Road in 1983. Before taking up umpiring, Langridge had played 574 first-class matches, all but seven of them for Sussex.Five umpires older than Hendren are known to have officiated in first-class matches. The oldest of all – and the only octogenarian – was William Bock, who was 81 when he stood in Wellington’s game against Otago at the Basin Reserve in January 1928.In a tough quiz the other day we were asked to name the batsmen who made the highest score for and against Middlesex in 50-over cricket – apparently it was the same score, and both in 2019? asked Mike Everett from England

This peculiar double was indeed achieved inside a fortnight in 2019, during the Royal London Cup. First Luke Wright blasted 166 for Sussex at Lord’s, breaking the old record by anyone against Middlesex in a List A match, Chris Adams’ 163, also for Sussex, at Arundel 20 years earlier, in a 45-over game. Then Max Holden hit 166 for Middlesex against Kent in Canterbury, breaking the county’s previous-highest – also 163 – by Andrew Strauss against Surrey at The Oval in 2008.Use our
feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

And is the Barmy Army the greatest set of travelling fans in sport ever?

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Mar-2020Best in the world
England have the greatest travelling cricket fans. Why are they the greatest? Because they damn well respect tradition, unlike the likes of you, you uncultured cretin. Traditions like getting transcendentally hammered over the course of a Test-match day, and hilariously calling Australians convicts in song, year after year after year after year. In fact, to underline their greatness, the Barmy Army is establishing brand new traditions, even now. For the third time in nine years, they have rolled out a now customary pre-Sri-Lanka-series complaint about ticket prices, alleging that Sri Lanka Cricket’s ticket distributor is “taking cynical advantage of the fact that England are the only international team that bring many thousands of overseas supporters with them on tour”. How dare these people leverage the market to their favour?The Barmy Army release adds: “For those who consider that £45 compares favourably to ticket prices in English Test venues, it needs to be borne in mind that stadium facilities in Sri Lanka can be described as basic, at best.” On top of which Galle Stadium is surrounded by the ocean on two sides, if you can believe that.Worst on show
William Shakespeare’s claim that “every action must have an equal and opposite reaction” is now understood to be about the Akmal family. Because while cousin Babar Azam has been endearing himself to millions around the world with his prolific output, the Akmals have been carefully adhering to the laws of thermodynamics by committing wonderful self-sabotage.It was Umar who had the more eventful February. He began the month by failing a fitness test (Kamran also failed it in a touching gesture of solidarity). Upon being told he had failed the test, Umar allegedly removed the remainder of his clothing, and asked the trainer, “Where is the fat?” presumably while substantial jiggling was still ongoing. Then, mid month, news broke that Umar had been suspended from all cricket-related activities under the PCB’s anti-corruption code.

Nat Sciver: "She was never going to run her out. I know that none of our team would ever do that. It's just part of the game, isn't it?"https://t.co/Wa7ihZkse5 | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/CKEklPkOje

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 24, 2020

The moral question
For the 1423rd time in a couple of years, international cricket is dealing with the same moral dilemma. When England bowler Katherine Brunt refused to run out South Africa’s Sune Luus, who was backing up too far at the non-striker’s end, the question of whether such dismissals are fair or sporting has been raised repeatedly and at great volume. This debate, clearly has only one rational winner. If the rules allow a bowler to dismiss a batsman – who gains significant unfair advantage by leaving the crease early – there is every justification for running them out this way.As it is by now insane that we even keep having this conversation, the Briefing suggests that non-strikers leaving their crease early are not only liable to be run out, they should also be shot out of a cannon into their dressing room, instead of being afforded the dignity of leaving the ground on foot. This recommendation is made in the hope that this extreme position will make non-striker run-outs seem like the reasonable middle ground.It’s also a less ridiculous idea than refusing to run out a batsman for spirit-of-cricket reasons.The president
Officially, Nazmul Hassan’s title is president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board. This should mean he is the chief big-picture policy-maker for the board. Seven years into the job, though, this is not the way Hassan operates. This month, he has stated that he insists on knowing the playing XI and the game plan the day before each match. He also called Mominul Haque – the country’s Test captain – “shy” and “soft” to justify his meddling, while he put the entire blame on a recent lost Test to Afghanistan on the players rather than taking any responsibility as board chief. Later, he also insisted that Mushfiqur Rahim, one of Bangladesh’s most senior players, travel to Pakistan in April, even though his family is uncomfortable with him doing so.It’s almost as if he’s trying to force himself on the team as a benevolent father- figure. Except he’s not a caring, supportive dad. He’s the kind who compares you to the neighbour’s kid, badmouths you in front of his friends, and blames it on you when he passes wind at dinner parties.Tundulkar truther?
By now everyone’s seen and laughed at the clip of Donald Trump, leader of the free (question mark) world, mangling the name of the most beloved batsman of the last 30 years. But was this more than just a Trumpian mispronunciation? Having come to political prominence by claiming that Barack Obama was actually born in Kenya, was Trump making a similar point about the Indian (question mark) batsman? Either way, we’re going to have to see this Su-chin’s birth certificate.Next month on the Briefing:- As Babar Azam lights up the PSL, Umar Akmal moons the nation after a sports talk show gets heated.- Nazmul Hassan begins standing on the boundary so he can personally tuck in the shirts and plant kisses on the foreheads of Bangladesh players before they get on the field.- Barmy Army appalled at higher price of alcohol in Sri Lankan stadiums. “Once again, vendors are taking cynical advantage of the fact that many of us must drink until at last partially blind at any cost.”

On several fronts things have stalled for the women’s game in India amid the Covid-19 pandemic

Annesha Ghosh26-Jul-2020It should have been a busy year for Indian women’s cricket. There was the promise of a lot of action after India’s maiden run to the T20 World Cup final in March – an expanded four-team Women’s T20 Challenge followed by a tour of England for players to get back into the ODI groove ahead of next year’s World Cup – but Covid-19 put paid to that. “Even nature has started conspiring against women’s cricket,” Shanta Rangaswamy, the former India captain who is also part of the BCCI’s Apex Council, told ESPNcricinfo. What about efforts to get things moving, though?What’s the status of the Women’s T20 Challenge?A potential clash with the Women’s Big Bash League after the rejigging of the IPL calendar might force the Women’s T20 Challenge to be shelved in its entirety this year if the BCCI is unable to host it outside its traditional slot: on the sidelines of the IPL, which will now be held in the UAE between September 19 to November 8. The WBBL is scheduled for a run between October 17 and November 29.Clarity on the fate of the T20 Challenge might arrive only after the IPL Governing Council meets. The availability of overseas stars is a concern anyway, and ESPNcricinfo understands that – pending clearances from the BCCI – at least three India players could also be WBBL-bound. The seasoned ones among them are likely to line up for new franchises and one might be in for a debut.

It is going to take some time because this needs following of protocol as interviews will need to be taken by a committee as per the BCCI’s new constitution, and this will have to be cleared by them, and it’s very difficult to do it without a face-to-face meetingSourav Ganguly on appointing a selection panel for India women

Given India haven’t played since the T20 World Cup final on March 8 and may not play now until January next year, when they tour Australia for a bilateral ODI series, the WBBL could possibly be the only opportunity for at least a handful of their players to play any top-flight cricket this year.Selection panel: ‘It is going to take some time’There is no selection panel for the women’s team since January this year. The five-member Hemlata Kala-led panel, which was handed an extension in October last year, officially finished its term on January 22, after the final of the quadrangular series featuring India A, India B, Thailand and Bangladesh in Patna. Earlier that month, the Indian board had invited applications from former national players to fill up the positions, with the deadline set on January 24 – the age limit was 60, representation at the international level was mandatory, and candidates must have retired at least five years previously. Former India batter Jaya Sharma, one of the applicants, however said that there’s been no response from BCCI as yet. “None of the applicants, including myself, seem to have heard back from the BCCI since,” Sharma told ESPNcricinfo.And nothing might happen in a hurry either, according to BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. “The BCCI will start making the appointments [in due course of time] because given there’s no cricket at the moment, and the complete lockdown, and we not being able to go to [the board headquarters in] Mumbai,” Ganguly told ESPNcricinfo. “It is going to take some time because this needs following of protocol as interviews will need to be taken by a committee as per the BCCI’s new constitution, and this will have to be cleared by them, and it’s very difficult to do it without a face-to-face meeting.”Since there is no women’s cricket at the moment till October, I think we will get it done before that.”According to the board’s constitution, a three-member Cricket Advisory Committee is in place to pick the men’s national selection committee, but no such provision is in place for the women’s panel.It is, however, worth noting that conducting interviews online is an option, and has been availed by several candidates during the appointment of the current men’s and women’s national team head coaches; the BCCI, too, has conducted its business via online meetings for the past few months.PTI An ECB proposal turned downIndia had a tour of England for a bilateral limited-overs series scheduled for July-August this year. That couldn’t happen, but the ECB had suggested tweaking it into a tri-series, also involving South Africa, tentatively in September. But it was cancelled after the BCCI opted to pull out.ALSO READ: ‘Very difficult to perform instantly’ after downtime – Poonam YadavESPNcricinfo has learnt that the Indian board withdrew primarily because – although never confirmed in an official statement – of the worsening Covid-19 situation in India. The ECB, however, is understood to have been prepared to cover costs for India’s accommodation and travel, including a charter flight if required, as the English board has done for the West Indies and Pakistan men’s teams currently touring the UK.It is unclear if concerns over players getting adequate pre-tour training played a part in the cancellation. The BCCI is expected to organise a biosecure training camp in Ahmedabad for the men’s team ahead of their tour of Australia in December, according to an report. With a women’s ODI World Cup scheduled in New Zealand in February-March, one wonders if the board has let go a chance for its women – especially ODI stalwarts Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, who haven’t played international cricket since early November last year – to get some much-needed game time under their belts.Wanted: a dedicated pointsperson for women’s cricketFollowing the retirement of Ratnakar Shetty, who had been in charge of the women’s game during his tenure as the BCCI general manager (game development) until March 2018, the responsibility of handling women’s cricket fell to Saba Karim, adding to his managerial duties in cricket operations. A role that has long warranted dedicated personnel responsible for affairs related to the women’s game has yet again come up for debate with Karim’s resignation last week and the BCCI inviting applications for Shetty’s post – not Karim’s – after over two years.ALSO READ: WC final could have sparked women’s cricket revival. Then Covid-19 happened“This [enforced] break seems a good time to consider a distinctive head who would only be in charge of all things women’s cricket,” a former selector told ESPNcricinfo. “They all have [the last three general managers], including Dr [MV] Sridhar, no doubt taken women’s cricket forward. But given the profile of the national team has grown manifold in the past three years alone, the A tours now taking place, and an inaugural [women’s] Under-19 World Cup next year, the responsibilities are plenty.”You need someone with the vision to make women’s cricket more popular, increase grassroots investments, make sure there are dedicated coaches and support at all levels, and the feeder line for the senior team is well-nourished.”Another former selector noted, “If there’s a dedicated NCA faculty of trainers, coaches and other staff for female cricketers, India would be world-beaters.”

The best bits from Shahid Afridi’s AMA on Twitter

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jul-2020The best allrounder right now

Ben Stokes

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

Two great captains – but who is his favourite?

I rate Dhoni a bit higher than Ponting as he developed a new team full of youngsters

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

His favourite batsman

Viv Richards

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

His favourite batting partner

Saeed Anwar

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

Advice for Pakistan’s future superstars

He is talented, his hardwork will determine his success

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

They have the talent of becoming great bowlers if they continue hard work

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

The best bowler right now

Cummins

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

Favourite memory of India-Pakistan games

Kanpur 2005, Chennai Test and special one Asia Cup match in Dhaka

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

Favourite Indian batsmen

Kohli and Rohit Sharma

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

Some special love for Australian batsmen

Maxwell and Finch

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

Thoughts on Junaid Khan

He should have been given more chances

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

His favourite spinner of all time

Abdul Qadir

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

Some love for bonafide legends as well

Lara and de Villiers

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

Afridi’s favourite film

Gladiator

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

And finally… the most important question

Age is just a number my friend

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 29, 2020

And what is the highest partnership by a pair of debutants in all formats?

Steven Lynch15-Dec-2020The West Indies team for the second Test appeared to have been selected using a Scrabble set – the batsmen’s surnames all begin with B or C, the wicketkeeper with D, and the bowlers with G, H or J! Has there ever been a Test XI with no one beyond J in the alphabet before? asked Anthony Pritchard from England

The West Indies team against New Zealand in Wellington, with no one’s surname starting later than the tenth letter of the alphabet – Alzarri Joseph comes last in alphabetical order – is unusual. But it’s always dangerous to say that something has never happened before in cricket, and it turns out this has: when West Indies played Pakistan in Sharjah in 2001-02, their last surname in alphabetical order was wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs.But England had already gone better still: against Pakistan in Karachi in 1987-88, all their players’ surnames came from the first seven letters of the alphabet, with Graham Gooch bringing up the rear.This set off a discussion in ESPNcricinfo Towers about the player whose surname would score you the most points in Scrabble. It’s complicated by some subcontinental names – which part do you use? – but Shiva Jayaraman of the stats team was last seen scurrying into a darkened room, coffee in hand, to work it out. My money’s on Rizwan-uz-Zaman!When I tuned in to the Wellington Test, Joshua Da Silva and Chemar Holder were batting together – which made me wonder: what is the highest partnership by a pair of debutants in all formats? asked Roger Sawh from Canada

There have so far been 12 partnerships of 100 or more (plus one of 99) by two Test debutants. Top of the list, by quite a distance, is the opening stand of 249 by Billy Ibadulla (166) and Abdul Kadir (95) for Pakistan against Australia in Karachi in 1964-65. Next comes a sixth-wicket partnership of 165, by Dave Houghton (121) and Andy Flower (59) in Zimbabwe’s first Test, against India in Harare in 1992-93.There has been only one century stand by a pair of debutants in one-day internationals – 118 for the fifth wicket (after being 20 for 4) by Ryan Watson and Neil McCallum for Scotland against Pakistan in Edinburgh in 2006.And the highest stand by debutants in a T20I is an unbroken one of 90, for Mozambique’s sixth wicket against Malawi, by Damiao Couana and Filipe Cossa in Lilongwe in November 2019. How many times has a team scored the highest total of a Test in the fourth innings and still lost? asked Francis Curro from Australia

There have now been 47 Tests in which the fourth-innings total was the highest of the match. Of those, 16 have not been enough to stave off defeat. The highest fourth-innings total that still resulted in a loss was Pakistan’s 450, after being set 490 to win by Australia in Brisbane in 2016-17.Of the rest, 24 have produced wins: the highest such total is West Indies’ 418 for 7 against Australia (who had scored 417 in their second innings) in St John’s, Antigua in 2003-04. And seven times such a score has forced a draw, most notably when England amassed 654 for 5 in the timeless Test in Durban in 1938-39.India almost fielded five players with 100 caps in the 2008 Test in New Delhi – it was VVS Laxman’s 99th Test, while Tendulkar, Dravid, Kumble and Ganguly had gone past 100•Getty ImagesWhich Test team contained the most players who had 100 caps? asked Rajiv Radhakrishnan from England

During 2006-07, Australia played five matches with four players who had 100 or more caps to their name. India equalled this late in 2007, and over the next couple of years played several Tests with four centurions in their ranks. In one of these, against Australia in Delhi in 2008-09, they came very close to fielding five, as VVS Laxman was winning his 99th cap. He made it to 100 in the next game. Anil Kumble retired after that Delhi match – his 132nd Test – leaving Laxman alongside Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar.On 13 occasions in the 1990s, Australia fielded a team containing eight players who finished their careers with 100 or more Test caps, although they had not all reached three figures at the time. The World XI that took on Australia in the Super Series Test in Sydney in 2005-06 had nine players who would finish with more than 100 caps.I just noticed that all of the Australian team from the first ODI are still living. What’s the earliest Test side in which all the players are still alive? asked Gary Reid from Australia

I’m always a little nervous about this sort of question, but it’s true to say that as I write all 11 members of Australia’s side in the first official one-day international, in Melbourne in January 1971, are still alive nearly 50 years on. Three of the England players – Colin Cowdrey, Basil D’Oliveira and John Hampshire – have sadly passed away.The oldest Test team from which all 11 members currently survive dates from around 14 months earlier: all 11 of Pakistan’s players who took on New Zealand in Lahore in October 1969 are still alive. They are all over 70 now: the oldest, Intikhab Alam, will be 79 in two weeks’ time.