The Weekly Wicket: West Indies’ ODI History to Babar-Rizwan Asia Cup Snub – Cricket's Top Highlights (PICS)

The third week of August saw the highs and lows of cricket, from West Indies scripting the ODI series win and Dewald Brevis' record T20I, to an emotional farewell to Bob Simpson and Babar-Rizwan's Asia Cup snub, with new rules adding to the drama.

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A mixed week of August for cricket fans

The third week of August has been packed with cricketing milestones from West Indies’ memorable ODI series to Dewald Brevis’ record-breaking maiden T20I century. However, the cricketing week also saw moments of controversy, an emotional farewell, and thrilling finishes, making it a rollercoaster of highs and lows for players and fans alike.

Let’s take a look at the top highlights of the week:

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West Indies’ Historic ODI Series Win vs Pakistan

Amid the crisis in West Indies Cricket, the Caribbean side brought smiles to the faces of the fans with their historic ODI series against Pakistan. West Indies secured a 202-run win over Pakistan in the third ODI and clinched their first-ever series win against them in 34 years. The hosts posted a total of 294/6, thanks to Shai Hope’s 120, and set a 295-run target for the visitors to chase. In response, Jayden Seales’ match-winning performance of 6/18 to bundle out Pakistan for a mere 92 and clinch the series 2-1.

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Dewald Brevis’ Record-Breaking T20I Century

Dewald Brevis announced his arrival in international cricket with his maiden T20I century against Australia. In the second match of the recently concluded T20I series, Brevis played a brilliant innings of 125 off 56 balls, laying the foundation for the Proteas’ 53-run win over Australia. Brevis shattered Faf du Plessis’ record for the highest individual score by a South African batter in T20Is (119 vs West Indies in 2015). In the third T20I, Brevis played a brilliant knock of 53 off 26 balls, but his effort went in vain as Australia won the series decider by a thrilling 2-wicket win.

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Harbhajan Singh calls for India vs Pakistan Asia Cup boycott

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed his displeasure over the BCCI’s decision to play the Asia Cup 2025 matches against Pakistan, especially in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 28 tourists, 26 Indians, and two foreign nationals, in Baisaran Meadows, which is 7 kilometres from the Pahalgam town of Jammu and Kashmir. Harbhajan called for a boycott of India’s matches against Pakistan, stating that the sacrifices of the soldiers who are protecting the border, as well as the nation, cannot be compared to playing cricket with Pakistan. He further urged Indian cricketers not to shake hands with their arch-rivals until the situation is resolved between the two nations.

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Bob Simpson Passes Away at 89

Former Australia captain, coach, and ICC Hall of Famer Bob Simpson passed away at the age of 89 on Saturday, August 16. The cause of death was not disclosed, but Cricket Australia was the first to break the news of Simpson’s demise, calling him a ‘true cricket legend’. Simpson played for Australia from 1957 to 1978 and was the first captain to score a triple century in Tests (311 vs England in the Ashes 1964), and then served as a head coach from 1986 to 1996, helping Australia win the 1987 ODI World Cup and the 1989 Ashes miracle in England.

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Maxwell’s thrilling finish for Australia in T20I series decider

Glenn Maxwell emerged as a hero for Australia in pulling off a narrow yet thrilling two-wicket win in the third T20I and eventually clinching the three-match series 2-1. Maxwell played an unbeaten match-winning knock of 62 off 36 balls to achieve the 173-run target. Australia’s run chase went down to the wire as Maxwell held his nerve to guide his team to a dramatic two-wicket victory. With Australia needing 10 runs off 6 balls to win, the star all-rounder calmly struck two boundaries to seal a memorable, thrilling series win.

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CSK refutes Ashwin’s claim on Brevis’s signing

Chennai Super Kings dismissed Ravichandran Ashwin’s claim that Dewald Brevis was signed by the franchise as a replacement midway through the IPL 2025 with ‘extra money’ than the South African batter’s auction base price of INR 75 lakh. CSK issued a clarification that the signing of Brevis as a replacement for Gurjapneet Singh, who was ruled out of the remaining season due to injury, was followed by adhering to the IPL regulations on the player’s replacement. Brevis’s fee of 2.2 crore was the same as Gurjaneet’s, and no additional or “extra” payment was made, contrary to Ashwin’s statement.

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Jacob Bethell’s Appointment as England’s Youngest Captain

Young and talented batter Jacob Bethell has been appointed as the England captain for the T20I series against Ireland, which will take place in September this year. At the age of 21 and 329 days, Bethell was named as England’s youngest captain to lead the national team across all formats of the game. Bethell will officially claim the record when he leads the team in the first T20I of the three-match series against England and break the 136-year record previously held by Monty Bowden, who was 23 when he captained England in 1889.

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BCCI Introduces 'Serious Injury Replacement'

Rishabh Pant's foot injury in the Manchester Test sparked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to introduce the ‘Serious Injury Replacement’ rule in domestic cricket. The rule only applies in multi-day matches, including Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Irani Trophy, and other red-ball competitions. The BCCI's decision stemmed from Rishabh Pant batting on in the Manchester Test with a fractured foot and Chris Woakes playing through a dislocated shoulder in the Oval decider, highlighting the absence of any replacement provision in multi-day matches, and prompted the urgent need for a "Serious Injury Replacement" rule.

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No Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan in Pakistan Asia Cup squad

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been excluded from the Pakistan squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. On Sunday, August 17, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced a 17-member squad led by Salman Ali Agha for the multi-nation continental tournament in the UAE. Babar and Rizwan did not find their spot in the squad, as they were not considered for the T20I series against Bangladesh and the West Indies. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's last appearance in the T20Is was in December 2024. Their exclusion from the Asia Cup squad might potentially bring an end to their careers in the shortest format of the game.