The Top Order Cricket Podcast

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu look back at the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which was played at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad between the Black Caps of New Zealand and the 2024 champions India. We start with our instant reactions to India's dominant performance that made them the first team to win back-to-back titles at the Men's T20 World Cup. It's a tough one as Black Caps fans, but all credit to India for the way they played without fear in three crucial matches to finish the tournament and go all the way. There's praise for Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan at the top of the order, as we wonder what - if anything - the Black Caps could have done to stop the Indian batting blitz. For New Zealand there was a brief moment of joy when Jimmy Neesham grabbed three wickets in an over, but Shivam Dube's flurry to finish meant the home side took all the momentum into the innings break. Tim Seifert made a nice start, but once Axar Patel struck with the key wickets of Finn Allen and then Glenn Phillips, it was always going to be tough work for the Kiwis. Jasprit Bumrah finished with 4-15 to claim the player of the match, while Sanju Samson was named player of the tournament. So there we have it - a month of high-quality cricket and plenty of fun for us on the show. New Zealand hearts broken again and India well deserved back-to-back champions in this edition of the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. We'll be back to regular programming at the weekend to look back at the tournament and look ahead to what's next. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:35 New Zealand v South Africa 25:15 India v England preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

n this episode of the show we’ll review the aftermath of a brutal display of batting from both England and India which saw 499 runs scored in a T20 semi final where India prevailed by 7 runs thanks to 89 from Sanju Samson and a world class bowling performance from Jasprit Bumrah who was the only bowler to concede less than 9 runs an over in the contest. We also look forward to the final on Sunday with Binksy trying to goad Raj into admitting New Zealand have the momentum from their crushing victory over South Africa. We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:40 India Innings 11:29 England Innings 23:32 Where next for England 25:49 The Final Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu look back at the first semifinal of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which was played at Eden Gardens between the Black Caps of New Zealand and the Proteas from South Africa. We start with our instant reactions to a remarkable reversal of form as New Zealand crushed South Africa thanks to an excellent bowling performance and a dominant display by the openers, highlighted by Finn Allen's record-breaking century from just 33 balls. There's praise for the bowling group of Cole McConchie, Lockie Ferguson, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry and Jimmy Neesham, and we re-live the incredible hitting on show as Finn Allen and Tim Seifert powered New Zealand to a nine-wicket win inside 13 overs. We also reflect on South Africa's disappointment after what had been such a fantastic tournament for them up until this game. To round out the show, we also look ahead to the second semifinal between England and India at Wankhede Stadium. Who will meet the Kiwis in Ahmedabad on Sunday? We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:35 New Zealand v South Africa 25:15 India v England preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We have our semi-finalists as the last episodes of the drama series that is the Super8 stage concluded with a double feature overnight as South Africa put away Zimbabwe and India got home in their game against the West Indies. The India x West Indies was a virtual quarter-final decided by one man as Sanju Samson played the innings of a lifetime to anchor India in chasing down 199 in the final over. In a game that hung in the balance for so long a few key moments here and there proved the difference as Baldy and Raj broke down terrific batting performances by both sides. In an interesting aside Baldy and Raj break down the balance of the Indian side going forward as Axar went unused with the bat and only five bowlers were used. Is there another gear that India can go to with a tweak to their lineup? For the West Indies this concludes a terrific tournament for them - they've come oh so close to a semi-final berth but it is India that is through to the semis against England. We also recap the South Africa x Zimbabwe encounter. South Africa made several changes all of which seemed to pay off against Zimbabwe as Maphaka and Nortje made telling inroads with the ball early. Sikanda Raza did everything to keep Zimbabwe hopes alive but South Africa proved too strong with too many options in the end. Looking ahead to the semi-finals. What needs to go right for New Zealand to get ahead of South Africa? Baldy seems to think that Phillips will have something to say. The showdown at the top of the order between Seifert and Allen versus the length bowling of Ngidi and Rabada looms as a key moment. For India and England, which superstars from either side will step up in what promises to be an enticing affair? Will we see the best of Buttler and Abishek who have been quiet all tournament? We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wow. What a nail-biting encounter between Sri Lanka and Pakistan overnight. From record-breaking partnerships, to stunning collapses for both teams, to Shaheen Shah Afridi and Dasun Shanaka playing out a memorable last over, this match had everything. There was so much to talk about - almost too much for Raj and Baldy to handle in the immediate aftermath of a match that had so much to play for for Pakistan. In the end, Sri Lanka getting past 147 with a few overs to spare had Pakistan hopes vanquished and New Zealand hopes alive as the semi-finalists have been decided and Stu's blood pressure can creep back down to normal levels. What looms is a potential encounter in the semi-finals between New Zealand and South Africa. With Matt Henry heading home temporarily there's a little up in the air for New Zealand. Raj and Baldy dissect their chances and what will need to go right for New Zealand as they head back to India for the business end of the tournament. Before we get to the semi-finals there's the small matter* of the final Group 1 games between South Africa and Zimbabwe and India and the West Indies. For South Africa, it's got to be business as usual, but Zimbabwe have proven themselves dangerous and will play with nothing to lose. Their key players have already stood tall in the tournament to date and this is no lay down misere for South Africa. But the India versus the West Indies game is the big one - in essence a Quarter Final where the winner stay on and the loser exits the tournament. Do West Indies change their team? Should Hossein come into the line-up for the West Indies? Will Roston Chase play given how many left-handers India have? Raj and Baldy break down all the things that will need to go right for the West Indies to stop this Indian juggernaut from rolling through to the knockouts. * Kidding - these games are a huge deal. We can't wait. We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu look back at Day 21 of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which was a crucial day for Group 2 in the Super 8s, as the Black Caps of New Zealand took on England in Colombo. We start the show with pure emotion, as the boys react to the late drama that saw England snatch victory with three balls to spare. The Black Caps did a lot right throughout the course of the game, with Finn Allen and Tim Seifert setting a strong platform, Glenn Phillips looking good with the bat, but when Adil Rashid bamboozled Mark Chapman first ball after drinks, momentum swung back to England. With the ball in hand, it was a brilliant start from Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson as England lost two wickets inside the first two overs. But contributions from the middle order left England within striking distance, and boy did Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks strike. The 18th over, bowled by Glenn Phillips, proved crucial, as the pair added 22 to the score and then finished the job with three balls to spare. The result confirms England's spot as top qualifier from the group, while the Black Caps have a nervous 24 hours to wait to see if they're flying back to India or home to New Zealand. To round out the show, the boys look ahead to the final Group 2 game, between Pakistan and the hosts Sri Lanka. They discuss the permutations needed for semifinal qualification, and how both sides might approach the match. We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:35 New Zealand v England 26:05 Sri Lanka v Pakistan preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu look back at Day 20 of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which was a huge day for Group 1 in the Super 8s, featuring South Africa against the West Indies and India taking on Zimbabwe. We start the show with a bang, then it's straight into the action to discuss a South African victory against the West Indies that leaves them as the only unbeaten side left in the tournament and the one grabbing the tournament favourites tag. There's plenty of praise for Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada and Corbin Bosch with the ball, plus Aiden Markram and friends with the bat, but Baldy is slightly concerned by the amount of chances they are shelling in the field. For the West Indies, they simply never got going today, and all eyes turn to the final game of the Super 8s, which has essentially become a quarterfinal against India. In the second game of the day, India made a couple of changes to their lineup, and then that batting lineup fired to post a score of 256. Everyone made contributions, from Abhishek Sharma at the top to Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya at the finish, in a reminder of how destructive they can be as a group when they get going. For Zimbabwe, Brian Bennett starred again, his unbeaten 97 littered with some fantastic cricket shots in a performance that deserved a hundred. But in the end, thanks in part to another excellent spell from Arshdeep Singh, India got the chocolates and keep their World Cup dreams alive. To round out the show, the boys look ahead to the Black Caps' game against England, in which a win will see them secure a semifinal spot and top Group 2. It's not likely to be easy, though, with spin expected to play a big part again in Colombo and with the threat of England in their way. We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 0:25 South Africa v West Indies 16:00 India v Zimbabwe 28:50 New Zealand v England preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Jamie and Stu look back at Day 19 of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which saw the Black Caps of New Zealand take on the hosts of Sri Lanka. They also look ahead to a day with massive implications in Group 1 of the Super 8s, on which South Africa meets the West Indies and India & Zimbabwe look to bounce back after difficult losses. We start the show with a quick summary of Jamie's thoughts about England becoming the first side to qualify for the semi-finals, before diving deep into a big win for the Black Caps - and the nervy moments along the way. After being sent in to bat, Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips were building a partnership, before a flurry of wickets from Chameera, Theekshana and Wellalage sent New Zealand spiralling from 75-2 to 84-6. Things were looking dicey for Black Caps fans, but after a slow start, Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie - into the side in place of Jimmy Neesham - roared to the finish, taking 70 off the final 4 overs of the innings. Then, with ball in hand, Matt Henry gave New Zealand the perfect start, ripping through Pathum Nissanka, and he was backed up by 17 overs of spin that put the squeeze on Sri Lanka - highlighted by Rachin Ravindra's four-wicket haul. To round out the show, the boys look ahead to what shapes as a huge day for all the sides in Group 1. Will Keshav Maharaj be able to tame the batting power of the West Indies? And which of India or Zimbabwe will keep their World Cup dreams alive heading into the final Super 8 fixtures? We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:00 England through to the semi finals 3:55 Black Caps v Sri Lanka 20:50 Day 19 Preview: SA v WI, Ind v Zim Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Someone is listening to the Top Order Podcast. Binksy has been calling for more opportunity for Harry Brook - he was elevated to number three in this Super 8 clash against Pakistan and delivered a fine century as England chased down 164. It wasn't without a few nervous moments as late wickets triggered a little bit of a wobble. There are a few nitpicks and work-ons for England going forward, but Baldy and Binksy were impressed with the tactical changes and adjustments that England are making on the fly with their bowling in this tournament. If their batters can do the same the sky is the limit for England. For Pakistan they have it all to do - their encounter with Sri Lanka is a must win and they rely on New Zealand losing tonight against Sri Lanka and/or against England to end Super 8 play to have a chance of progressing. What will they need to change? Again it's the strike rate conversation with Babar Azam coming under the microscope as he walks the fine line between holding the innings together and pushing the strike rate forward. Tonight's clash between New Zealand and Sri Lanka will be a battle of two different batting groups. NZ's batters were great in the group stage while the SL batters are now under pressure. Can SL bounce back against a New Zealand attack that could be back at full strength? Will we see Ish Sodhi feature? NZ have plenty of spin options at the disposal. For SL - they need a rollicking good start against the likes of Henry and Ferguson to get them on the front foot in the power play. We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binsky and Stu look back at Day 17 of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, which featured the Super 8s match between the West Indies and Zimbabwe. After a watchful start and a crucial missed opportunity, the West Indies produced a barrage of sixes on their way to a massive score of 254 against Zimbabwe, which ultimately proved to be well out of reach. We talk about the start from Muzarabani and Ngarava, the dropped catch when Shimron Hetmyer was on 9 and the West Indian range hitting once the spinners came on to bowl - despite Graeme Cremer's ability to turn the ball a long way. And while it was Hetmyer and Rovman Powell who built the decisive partnership, the West Indies gave us another display of their six-hitting depth as Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder all got in on the act. From there, it was Matthew Forde who started well with the ball, and then Akeal Hosein went bang bang to make it 20-3. Hosein finished with 3 wickets and Gudakesh Motie with 4 despite a bit of fight from Brad Evans at the end, as the West Indies took the win and a big boost to their net run rate. To round out the show, the boys look ahead to Day 18, when England will be looking to make it two from two in the group as they take on Pakistan in Pallekele.   We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.  And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.  0:00 Intro 1:10 West Indies v Zimbabwe 17:15 England v Pakistan preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first two days of the Super 8s are in the books - and aside from the frustrating rain-affected NR between Pakistan and New Zealand there has been some epic results. After an historic T20 WC winning streak India will be primed for a comeback after falling to South Africa to throw Group 1 wide open. The middle order for South Africa were outstanding, and while both teams lost wickets in the Powerplay, it was the South Africans that built better momentum through the middle. Just how important will that 20-odd runs in the final over from Stubbs be in the net-run-rate stakes? India versus the West Indies now shapes as a must-win quarter-final for India. They have the firepower but will need to build back their momentum. Speaking of momentum, the loss to Zimbabwe in group play clearly affected Sri Lanka in their heavy loss overnight to England. Despite injuries their bowlers stood tall to restrict England to a gettable total. England's spinners had other ideas though and the spin trio of Jacks, Dawson, and Rashid powered England to a convincing win. Sri Lanka are pushing now to make the knockouts and will need a bounce back performance to keep their tournament hopes alive. We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.  And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Group play is all over bar the shouting at the 2026 edition of the T20 World Cup for men, and the Top Order assembled an all-star cast to recap the group stage and preview the Super 8s. Jamie and Binksy from the UK were joined by Raj and Baldy from NZ to recap the group stage and preview the key matchups and games to watch in both Super 8 groups. From India's expectations, to the West Indies excitement, to the consistency of South Africa, to Zimbabwe playing with house money, Group 1 promises to be a hotly contested group. Group 2 is wide open. All four teams have a huge opportunity to progress to the knockouts - but which team is struggling with injury and which team has a unique point of difference that might propel them into the knockouts? For the first time ever, there was consensus on both sets of semi-finalists from each group. While unbelievable, the closeness of the Super 8 groups on both sides means upsets and boilovers are sure to transpire. Finally - it wouldn't be a Top Order pod without some robust banter. Australia's shambolic campaign was under the microscope, and Baldy was off the long run. Nothing is safe from scrutiny in the aftermath of the worst T20 WC performance since 2008 and we might have seen some long-running players at a WC for the final time. We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.  And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, we wrapped up the penultimate day in the group stages with some thrilling matches. Afghanistan dominated Canada, winning by 82 runs, while the West Indies continued their unbeaten streak, showcasing their impressive talent. Afghanistan’s game plan was spot on, with a stellar performance from Ibrahim, who scored 95 not out. Their spin attack was lethal, with Rashid Khan and Mohammed Nabi wreaking havoc on Canada’s batting lineup. But as we look forward to the Super 8s will Australia manage to bring their flights forward? What are your predictions for the next phase? Let’s keep the cricket conversation going! 🔥 We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 2:00 Afghanistan v Canada 7:55 Italy v West Indies 16:40 Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka 24:13 Looking Ahead Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu look back at Day 12 of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, which featured three games: India v Netherlands, Pakistan v Namibia and South Africa v UAE. We start the show by discussing the tournament favourites, India, and their final pool match against the Netherlands. Abhishek Sharma fell early again, but starts from the rest of the top order were iced by a big contribution from Shivam Dube, who continues to be an unsung hero for India. The Netherlands batters played some quality shots during the chase, but it was Varun Chakravarthy who starred for India with the ball and helped seal a 12th consecutive T20 World Cup victory. The second game of the day saw Pakistan taking on Namibia in Colombo, with Super 8 qualification on the line. But there was barely a nervous moment as a Sahibzada Farhan hundred powered Pakistan close to 200, and then the spinners took charge with the ball - Shadab Khan and Usman Tariq in particular among the wickets. South Africa made four changes to their side, but still finished off their pool play with a comfortable win against the UAE. Corbin Bosch and George Linde were in the wickets as the Proteas put the squeeze on - bowling 53 dot balls across the innings as the UAE reached 122-6. That score was never going to be enough, and South Africa eased to the total without too much trouble. To round out the show, the boys look ahead to Day 13, which sees the West Indies v Italy, Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe and Afghanistan & Canada finish up their 2026 T20 World Cup journey. There's also a brief recap of the Super 8 qualifiers as the next phase is nearly here.   We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.  And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.  0:00 Intro 0:55 India v Netherlands 12:30 Pakistan v Namibia 21:30 South Africa v UAE 26:55 Day 13 Preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Raj and Stu look back at Day 11 of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, which featured three games: New Zealand v Canada, ZImbabwe v Ireland and Scotland v Nepal. We start the show by discussing the Black Caps' win against Canada, which confirmed their progression to the Super 8 phase of the tournament. On paper it looked like a straightforward day at the office, until Yuvraj Samra became the youngest man to score a World Cup hundred, making the Kiwi bowlers look a lot tastier than Mitchell Santner's dodgy burger along the way. We discuss what to make of it all, including a return to form for Rachin Ravindra, whether Glenn Phillips could make a first-class hundred batting left-handed and how the shift to Sri Lanka might impact New Zealand's fortunes for the remainder of the World Cup. Next up was Zimbabwe v Ireland in Pallekele, with plenty on the line for both sides, and Australia hoping the result would fall their way. But unfortunately for Ireland and Australia, the only thing that fell was rain, and the abandoned match put Zimbabwe through to the Super 8 phase. The final game of the day saw Scotland take on Nepal, with both sides looking to finish their World Cup adventure on a high. It was a see-sawing game, with runs for Michael Jones and wickets for Michael Leask, but it was Dipendra Singh Airee's unbeaten 50 off 23 balls that took Nepal to a win - much to the delight of their fantastic fans. To round out the show, the boys look ahead to Day 12, which sees South Africa take on the UAE and two fixtures that will decide the final standings in Group A - Namibia v Pakistan and India v Netherlands.   We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.  And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.  0:00 Intro 1:00 New Zealand v Canada 18:35 Zimbabwe v Ireland 22:00 Scotland v Nepal 25:40 Day 12 Preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode we tried something different. Baldy joined Binksy and Raj on the pod, with Raj and Binksy having watched the overnight games and having prepared. Baldy joined with live reactions not knowing the scores to get real-time, unfiltered feedback on the games overnight, especially Australia's must-win fixture with hosts Sri Lanka. The cricket wasn't pretty - neither were the reactions. If Australia's campaign was on a knife-edge before it has completely unravelled now. From batting collapses to bowling that was yet again unable to make inroads, the crew dissects where it all went wrong for Australia. Where were Steve Smith and Matt Renshaw again? The selection conundrums continue to perplex - but was the batting or bowling more to blame? One thing is for certain - the post WC retrospective will be one to tune into. To the England-Italy fixture we go and the Azzurri put up yet another inspired performance against England. While some big(ger) names haven't quite got going for England yet Binksy is heartened by Will Jacks with the bat, and Overton, Archer, and Curran with the ball. Have England found a winning combination with the ball? Finally, we cover the clutch victory for Afghanistan over the UAE. Omarzai's performance has us fulsome with praise. Rashid brings up 700 T20I wickets as we rue missed opportunities in what could have been a stellar campaign for Afghanistan. Let us know if you enjoyed the 'live reactions'. We did. Well, most of us... We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.  And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's 9 days into the tournament and two big guns flexed their might overnight with commands performances. Starting with India, Ishan Kishan was batting on a different surface as his 77 proved decisive in the match against Pakistan. Pakistan played all six spinners and held India through the middle overs, but key moments didn't go their way. A near hattrick for Saim Ayub, and an LBW shout could have been the turning points. As it was India's bowlers also proved too strong for the Pakistan top order. Binksy and Baldy round out this segment with praise for an unlikely Indian pace spearhead. To the other big powerhouse in group play - yes, the West Indies as they roll over Nepal in a comprehensive 9-wicket victory. The WI seamers dominated the early going - while Holder got the wickets it was Forde that was the superstar in our eyes as the WI shut down Nepal and paved the way for a comfortable chase. Finally, the USA gets some love as their campaign builds in what is shaping up as a run that has us excited for the future of cricket in that country. Going forward it's a huge night for Australia - their encounter with Sri Lanka is must-win, and we cover what needs to go right for the Aussies. Steve Smith has arrived - but is it too late? The Ireland and Zimbabwe game 24 hours later will be a decisive fixture in Group B. We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Raj and Stu look back at Day 8 of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, which featured three games: Ireland v Oman, England v Scotland and New Zealand v South Africa. We start the show by discussing the Black Caps' top of the table clash against South Africa, which unfortunately didn't go the way the New Zealanders were hoping. Tim Seifert and Finn Allen raced out of the gates, and Mark Chapman & Daryl Mitchell rebuilt the innings, but a stuttered finish left them short of a par score. And from the moment the ball hit Aiden Markram's bat, South Africa looked completely in control. We talk about the Black Caps' bowling struggles, possibly not giving Markram's brilliance enough credit as we search for answers to the powerplay problems. In the second match of the day, England took on Scotland, who built a nice platform thanks to a strong partnership between Richie Berrington & Tom Bruce, before a flurry of wickets from Liam Dawson & Adil Rashid put the brakes on. With the bat, England weren't exactly commanding, but a Tom Banton half-century led them across the line and left them well-placed for a Super 8 spot. Ireland began Day 8 of this World Cup batting like a side with nothing to lose, looking to set the tone early against an Oman team also searching for their first victory. Unfortunately for them, wickets fell as Oman's spinners found a nice length, until a lifeline for Lorcan Tucker on 18 completely flipped the game. To round out the show, the boys look ahead to Day 9, which sees Nepal face the West Indies, Namibia v USA and the blockbuster of all blockbusters between India and Pakistan in Group A.   We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.  And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.  0:00 Intro 0:50 New Zealand v South Africa 17:55 England v Scotland 27:45 Ireland v Oman 35:10 Day 9 preview: India v Pakistan the big game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baldy has had an absolute nightmare overnight as Australia fall to Zimbabwe overnight leaving their progression out of the group stage in peril. Whether it's a loss of identity, a failure to execute, or just a perfect performance by Zimbabwe, Raj, Baldy, and Jamie break down the first big upset of the tournament. There's a lot to unpack in that (lack of) performance by the Aussies - the batting effort comes under a lot of scrutiny. Also - where's Steve Smith when you need him? For Zimbabwe, we praise Bennet and the top order for getting the most out of the conditions, and their bowling for tearing through Australia. Baldy's bold 'Taking Care of Business' predictions continued to haunt him as his beloved Canadians fall to the UAE overnight. For the UAE, the young Aryansh Sharma puts himself in the franchise spotlight with a match-winning and possibly career-defining performance. Junaid Siddique also comes in for praise for his performance as the UAE build momentum during the group phase. Finally, Baldy goes 0 for 3 as the boys recap USA's thumping victory over the Netherlands. Again, the USA put in just about the perfect performance, even without Adries Gous ad Saurav Netravalkar as Mukkamalla and van Shalkwyk stand tall with bat and ball. For the Dutch it was a disappointing effort with spin and with the bat as their campaign hasn't really got going. Looking forward Baldy is on a 24-48 hour prediction standdown, but Raj is convincing and the boys give their take on the NZ vs SA, England vs Scotland (the cricket, not the Six Nations at Murraryfield) and Ireland vs Oman fixtures coming up tonight. We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy and Stu look back at Day 6 of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, which featured three games: Sri Lanka v Oman, Nepal v Italy and India v Namibia. We start the show by discussing India's cruise to victory against Namibia, which saw the return of Jasprit Bumrah and another masterclass from Varun Chakravarthy. There were runs from Ishan Kishan at the top, and a bit of a stutter at the death, mixed in with some nice bowling from Gerhard Erasmus and Bernard Scholtz, as India got the job done before their big clash with Pakistan over the weekend. In the second match of the day, it was the Azzurri of Italy who shone bright, powering to a 10-wicket win against a Nepal side fresh off pushing England so close in their opening game of the tournament. Kalugamage's three wickets led the Italian spinners, before the Mosca brothers made short work of Nepal's 124-run target. Sri Lanka began the day with a comprehensive victory over Oman, who have found it hard work in this tournament so far. Fast fifties for Pavan Rathnayake, Kusal Mendis & a record-breaking half-century for Dasun Shanaka took the home side to 225, which they defended with ease. To round out the show, the boys look ahead to Day 7, which sees Zimbabwe face Australia in Group B, Canada v UAE and a key game for the Netherlands against the USA to keep the pressure on India and Pakistan in Group A.   We'll be back in your feed again tomorrow with the next instalment of our T20 World Cup coverage. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.  And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.  0:00 Intro 2:20 India v Namibia 13:35 Italy v Nepal 20:50 Sri Lanka v Oman 28:15 Day 7 preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices