The Top Order Cricket Podcast

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy and Stu look back at India's triumph in the Men's T20 World Cup final. We bounce around a bit during this discussion, but start the show by talking simply about what a great game of cricket it was - a game where the momentum swung back and forth throughout the match, with key players stepping up to turn the match all the way down to the final over as India defeated South Africa by 7 runs. In a show filled with praise for both sides, we pay special attention to Virat Kohli's innings, Jasprit Bumrah's continued excellence, Suryakumar Yadav's catch, Axar Patel's growing importance, Heinrich Klaasen's power hitting and the two captains Aiden Markram and Rohit Sharma for their part in this thrilling encounter. We also hit on the main narratives - the fairytale finish for Kohli, Sharma and also Rahul Dravid, plus whether South Africa choked in their first men's ICC final. It's been a lot of fun covering this tournament over the past month, and we'll be back later in the week to take a wider look at the tournament and a few other things going on in the world of cricket. 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 - A fantastic way to finish the tournament 3:20 Virat Kohli laid the platform for India's innings 8:50 Was 176-7 par, under par or above par? 10:35 South Africa really targeted India's spinners 14:45 Heinrich Klaasen took South Africa so, so close 17:50 Jasprit Bumrah is fantastic 20:15 Suryakumar Yadav's catch was remarkable 24:20 A word on both captains 27:10 Did South Africa choke? 29:40 The fairytale finish for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu look back at the two semi finals at the Men's T20 World Cup with one eye on the final, which will see India take on South Africa. We start the show by discussing India's win against England, which was set up by an excellent partnership from Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, then finished off by India's brilliant bowlers. We talk about setting the tone at the top, underrated Axar Patel, more Jasprit Bumrah magic and who from England might be saying farewell. Next we move to South Africa's dominant win against Afghanistan, which takes them to their first-ever final. Marco Jansen gets a shout out, as well as Afghanistan's tournament as a whole, before the conversation focuses on whether the pitch was up to standard for such a crucial game and what the Proteas can take from such a one-sided fixture. To finish, we look ahead to the final in Bridgetown. Will Rahul Dravid go out on a high thanks to a Virat Kohli special? Or will South Africa's well-balanced bowling lineup and powerful middle order see them lift the trophy for the very first time? We'll find out the answers to those questions on Sunday morning New Zealand time, and we'll be back in your feed after that to celebrate the champions and take a wider look at the tournament and the past month of cricket. 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 - Two dominant semi final wins 1:20 India v England - Rohit Sharma sets the tone again 14:50 South Africa v Afghanistan - Marco Jansen delivers 24:25 Final Preview - Redemption for India or is it finally South Africa's time? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Raj and Stu look back at the final four games of the Super 8 stage at the Men's T20 World Cup with one eye on the semi finals, which will see India take on England and South Africa vs Afghanistan. We start the show by discussing India's win against Australia, which sent the Aussies home. There's huge praise for Rohit Sharma's impressive performance, plus a brilliant catch from Axar Patel, a remarkable swivel from Hardik Pandya and a Kuldeep Yadav googly to get excited about. For their semi final opponents, England, it was a much cruisier stroll into the knockout stages, with a hat trick from Chris Jordan and the power hitting of Jos Buttler taking them to a dominant win against the USA. Are they shifting into top gear at the right time? Will it be enough to defeat India? From there we move to two nail-biting finishes - South Africa almost choking but then coming through when it mattered most against the West Indies, and then Afghanistan finding a way in between the rain against Bangladesh. Can this new South Africa be relied on? Who thought the dream was over when Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen collapsed in a heap? How did Rashid Khan not win player of the match? Will Gurbaz be available? Do fairytales come true? And Gulbadin fell over!!!!!! We are planning to record regularly throughout the next phases of the tournament, so expect to be in your feed every few days through to the final match - our next show will be a review of the semi-finals/look ahead to the final. 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 - have we enjoyed the Super 8s? 2:15 India v Australia - Rohit Sharma's rampage 12:10 England v USA - Jos Buttler and Phil Salt key to England's chances 19:50 South Africa v West Indies - South Africa win a close one AGAIN! 26:50 Afghanistan v Bangladesh - Gulbadin fell over!!!! 37:45 Final words Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, we look back at the latest four games of the Super 8 stage at the Men's T20 World Cup, which saw India all but book a semi-final berth while all other sides fight for their tournament lives. We start the show by discussing Afghanistan's historic win against Australia. Captain Cummins got another hat trick, but it was first Gurbaz and Ibrahim and then Gulbadin who flexed their muscle and secured a famous victory. Was it a mistake to leave out Mitchell Starc? And could this win propel Afghanistan all the way to the title? From there we move to India's game against Bangladesh, which resulted in a fairly comfortable win and India putting one foot in the next round. There were positive signs for Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shivam Dube, wickets for Kuldeep Yadav and even positives for Bangladesh to take from the performance of Rishad Hossain throughout this tournament. Third up in our match review was South Africa's win against England. Quinton de Kock looked like he was batting on a different pitch than everyone else, but it was a game that went right down to the wire and looked like it could go either way when Ottniel Baartman was bowling full tosses and Liam Livingstone and Harry Brook were hitting them over the rope. In the fourth and final game covered, we discuss the impact of the West Indies' big win against the USA, and how it has set up a potential knockout game against South Africa in the final round of the Super 8. There's also praise for both Shai Hope and Darren Sammy as this comprehensive victory rounds out the show. We are planning to record regularly throughout the next phases of the tournament, so expect to be in your feed every few days through to the final match - our next show will be a preview of the semi-finals, on Tuesday night NZ time. 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 1:50 Australia v Afghanistan - Gulbadin flexes his muscles 16:10 India v Bangladesh - positive signs for Rohit and Virat? 24:05 England v South Africa - South Africa win a close one AGAIN! 35:20 West Indies v USA - Run rate boost as Shai Hope goes boom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, we look back at the first four games of the Super 8 stage at the Men's T20 World Cup, which saw Australia, England, India and South Africa record victories. We start the show by discussing Australia's win against Bangladesh - a game that included a 'Pat trick' as Captain Cummins collected three wickets from three balls across two overs. We also saw Adam Zampa and David Warner continue their good form, and explored Baldy's nervous nature despite Australia's history of success. From there we move to India's game against Afghanistan, which was highlighted by Suryakumar Yadav's impressive fifty and then Jasprit Bumrah reducing Afghanistan to 23-3 in the early stages of their innings. We pile praise on these two T20 stars, and marvel in particular at Bumrah, whose ability to sum up conditions in an instant is second-to-none. Third up in our match review was England's performance against the West Indies. Was it a statement win? How fun is it to watch Jonny Bairstow and Phil Salt in full swing? Do both sides need to make changes to their bowling lineups? And can the West Indies still make the semi-finals? In the fourth and final game covered, we saw South Africa's top order finally hit some form - this time against the USA, despite a strong start from Saurabh Netravalkar. Quinton de Kock got busy, and the Proteas kicked off the Super 8s in style. We round out the show with more praise for the USA, some crystal ball gazing about what the future might hold for them, and also discuss the news that Kane Williamson and Lockie Ferguson are set to decline Black Caps contracts. Is the sky falling for New Zealand? Or could this actually be a good thing? We are planning to record regularly throughout the next phases of the tournament, so expect to be in your feed every few days through to the final match. 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 1:30 Australia v Bangladesh 7:15 India v Afghanistan 15:48 England v West Indies 26:35 South Africa v USA 37:15 Kane Williamson and Lockie Ferguson decline NZ central contracts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, we look back at the final group games at the T20 World Cup, which saw the USA qualify for the next round and the Black Caps limp out of the tournament. We also look ahead to the Super 8 phase, previewing the two groups and the chances of heavy hitters like India, Australia, England and South Africa, as well as the two hosts. We start the show by discussing Australia's win against Scotland, which had Binksy reaching for the tinfoil hat and Baldy drifting off to Tatooine. Brandon McMullen shone, but ultimately a partnership from Marcus Stoinis and Travis Head secured England a spot in the next round. From there we try to wrap our heads around South Africa's performances so far - four wins from four, winning all the big moments, but not reaching 120 yet with the bat. Is this a different South Africa than we've seen before? Is their batting about to fire? Or will their top order woes continue in what looks like a challenging Super 8 group? We discuss the Heinrich Klaasen's run out against Nepal, Binksy hands out the turquoise cap and we attempt to fix a flaw in the DRS procedure that may have cost Bangladesh a victory. In the second half of the show, Stu is put under the microscope to review the Black Caps' early exit from the tournament, and what the next steps are for this side. Has Trent Boult played his final game for New Zealand? Do the Black Caps have a T20 identity? Is it time for change? We finish the show with some praise for the West Indies, with Nicholas Pooran leading the charge against Afghanistan and backed up by a deep batting line up and some quality spin options. There's also talk about India's quiet week/tournament so far, and whether that might actually be great for their prospects over the next 10 days or so as this World Cup makes its way towards a conclusion. We are planning to record regularly throughout the next phases of the tournament, so will hopefully be in your feed every few days. 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 - Super 8 groups confirmed 3:20 Australia do England a big favour by beating Scotland 16:12 Pitches and the jeopardy of the tournament 21:52 South Africa coming through in the clutch! 27:15 DRS controversy 33:17 New Zealand's limp exit - will this be a turning point? 51:12 West Indies looking dangerous 54:35 India's quiet tournament so far - a good thing? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, we look back at a busy week of games at the T20 World Cup, which saw India and the USA beat Pakistan, Afghanistan beat New Zealand, plus Australia and South Africa take control of their groups. We start the show by discussing the low-scoring thriller between India and Pakistan, which saw Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and others shine as India roared home to secure a crucial victory in Group A. We discuss Saurabh Netravalkar and USA's Super Over tactics, whether there's still a chance for Pakistan and wonder why teams are unable to turn good batting starts into big scores. In Group B we heap praise on Scotland's performances so far, before turning our attention to the marquee matchup between Australia and England. Baldy enjoyed David Warner's control of the powerplay, Binksy couldn't understand England's tactics and Adam Zampa's consistency came into the spotlight. As attention turned to Group C, it was Stu and Raj's turn to show their frustration, as we looked back at an uncharacteristically poor performance by the Black Caps, particularly in the field. We talked team selection, build up, whether they can bounce back against the West Indies or if their tournament is as good as over already. To round out the show, we try to predict who will make it out of Group D, with South Africa taking charge and the Netherlands perhaps the most impressive of the other sides so far. Can Sri Lanka find a way back? What about Bangladesh? We are planning to record regularly throughout the tournament, particularly as we approach the Super 8 and knockout stages. 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 1:05 Group qualification looking harder to predict than the seedings suggested 2:15 India's win against Pakistan 5:50 Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance 10:45 Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel 14:15 Why are teams not capitalising on strong positions? 17:40 Are Pakistan gone? USA in the box seat 21:10 USA v Pakistan Super Over 23:10 Group B - Scotland top the group 26:10 Australia v England - David Warner controlled the powerplay 28:10 Did England get their tactics wrong? 33:25 Adam Zampa's consistency 36:50 Group C - NZ's shocker against Afghanistan 53:15 Group D - Who will join South Africa in the Super 8s? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, the team are all in the same room to review the first few days of the ICC T20 World Cup hosted by the West Indies and USA. We discuss our early impressions, throw out a few hot takes and share our favourite performances from the opening week. Are the pitches no good? Is it already time to write off Sri Lanka? How good is Aaron Jones’s bat?! Is Anrich Nortje back? What's going on with the Super 8 groups? Are Afghanistan a danger side? Could Ireland upset India And much more! We are planning to record regularly throughout the tournament, particularly as we approach the Super 8 and knockout stages. All going well, we’ll have at least one more episode available by Sunday night. 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 1:20 Super 8 seedings are ridiculous 10:25 USA v Canada - How good is Aaron Jones's bat? 18:25 West Indies v PNG - The importance of a gameplan against spin 23:50 Bowlers on top so far 30:45 South Africa v Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka in trouble already? 34:40 Afghanistan's impressive start 37:30 Namibia v Oman Super Over drama 41:00 Are the low scoring games fun to watch? 43:45 Can Ireland upset India? 46:50 New Zealand's build up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, the team are all in the same room to preview the ICC T20 World Cup hosted by the West Indies and USA. We discuss the 20-team format, what overall tournament success looks like for the ICC, the quick turnaround from the IPL and the type of cricket we might see played throughout the month of June. We then look at the 4 groups in more detail - will India and their star-studded line-up cruise through Group A? How much pressure is there on England to bounce back from their ODI World Cup disappointment? Will the Black Caps make it to the knockout stages yet again? Is this South Africa's moment? Or is a home win for the West Indies written in the stars? Which teams hold the biggest upset potential? And prediction time! We won't be doing daily updates of this World Cup, but are hoping to record regularly throughout the tournament, particularly as we approach the Super 8 and knockout stages. 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 - when and where? 3:29 Do we like the 20-team format? 7:10 What does success look like for the ICC? 10:07 Short turnaround from the IPL 14:43 Expectations for pitches and scores? 19:00 Group A preview - India, Pakistan, Ireland, USA, Canada 29:15 Group B preview - Australia, England, Namibia, Scotland, Oman 41:15 Group C preview - West Indies, New Zealand, Afghanistan, PNG, Uganda 52:50 Group D preview - South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Nepal 1:01:55 Predictions! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, the team are all back in the same room to discuss the IPL 2024 final, which saw a dominant performance from the Kolkata Knight Riders that reflected their dominant season. We discuss Mitchell Starc’s magic delivery to Abhishek Sharma, and how his best performances of the season came in the biggest games. There’s praise for Venkatesh Iyer and the young bowling pair of Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana, plus special mention for Sunil Narine’s outstanding campaign. We also discuss Sunrisers Hyderabad and what they need to improve to go one step further next year, as well as some general thoughts about the length of the tournament, the impact player rule and global fan engagement with such a big window carved out for the IPL. . This episode ends our IPL coverage, but the T20 action doesn’t stop - we’ll back in your feed in a couple of days with a full preview of the ICC T20 World Cup, which starts on 2 June. 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 1:05 KKR win IPL 2024 2:30 KKR's dominant bowling attack 3:53 Mitchell Starc's peach and how he stepped up 5:15 Complete team effort from KKR 9:30 Sunrisers season - where did they come up short? 11:45 Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head 17:10 Gautam Gambhir's impact and potential India coach? 23:50 Impact player rule 30:13 Is the length of the window too long? 31:30 How can the IPL improve global fan engagement and buy in? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu look back at the final week of the IPL 2024 regular season before previewing the upcoming knockout fixtures. Recorded on 20 May, we talk about a week that saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru storm into the playoffs, Sunrisers Hyderabad snatch second place, Kolkata Knight Riders watch some rain fall, Rajasthan Royals extend their losing streak and missed opportunities for Lucknow Super Giants and the Chennai Super Kings. We discuss the epic match between RCB and CSK, which essentially became a quarterfinal thanks to LSG's slip up earlier in the week, and then take a closer look at all four playoff teams as we move to the business end of the season. KKR have been superb all season, but will Phil Salt's absence and consecutive washouts leave them vulnerable? The Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling attack has improved throughout the season, but are their chances tied heavily to the success of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head at the top of the order? With the Rajasthan Royals in a slump and Jos Buttler gone - is Ravichandran Ashwin at 5 really the answer? Virat Kohli's form has been immense all season for RCB, but have they become an all-round threat during this six-game win streak? Plus predictions and much more! We might be back again later in the week with more news and views if there's an incredible game we can't wait to talk about, but if not we'll be in your feed again about this time next week to wrap up the final and also look ahead to the T20 World Cup. 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 1:30 RCB beat CSK to roar into the playoffs 5:20 Rachin Ravindra's contribution 7:45 Virat Kohli's fantastic season 10:50 RCB's all-round game 14:50 Rajasthan's losing streak - can they turn it around? 21:15 Rajasthan's middle order struggles 24:05 KKR fully deserve their number-one spot 29:20 Potential for KKR v SRH to be a run-fest 31:30 Do the Sunrisers chances rest solely on whether Head and Sharma fire? 36.50 Predictions 40:30 Final general thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Stu look back at another week that was in IPL 2024. Recorded on 13 May, we rank all 10 teams into 3 tiers, as we unpack the key themes emerging from this tournament as a whole as during the lead-in to the playoffs. Are the Kolkata Knight Riders in a tier of their own now? The Rajasthan Royals keep losing! Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head hit 30 boundaries from 58 balls in a big Sunrisers Hyderabad win - is this a sign of things to come at the T20 World Cup? The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won 5 in a row and look like a completely different team now from the start of the tournament - can they sneak into the playoffs? Are the Chennai Super Kings good? David Warner is back for the Delhi Capitals, but they need a lot to go their way in the final week Lucknow Super Giants have fallen out of the top 4 after a crushing loss against SRH Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan provided a rare highlight for the Gujarat Titans in 2024 Should Team India be worried about the form of Mumbai Indians' stars Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya? The Punjab Kings are an IPL team And much more! We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, but 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 4:00 KKR - Are they in a tier of their own now? 8:50 SRH - Will Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma's approach carry through to the T20 World Cup 12:40 RR - How much will momentum matter in the knockout games? 22:10 RCB - Five wins in a row 25:10 CSK - Are they good? Or not? 31:55 DC - A long shot now 32:40 LSG - Still a chance, but a huge run-rate hit against SRH 36:00 GT - Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan's partnership - are hundreds even special anymore? 39:45 MI - Should Team India worry about the form of Hardik and Rohit? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy and Stu look back at another week that was in IPL 2024. Recorded on 6 May, we review all 10 teams, handing out the power rankings along the way, but with a much bigger focus on the top half of the table this week. Is the Kolkata Knight Riders bowling attack now good enough to win the competition? And has Sunil Narine changed T20 cricket forever? A quiet week for the Rajasthan Royals, but no reason to panic Sunrisers Hyderabad vault back into the top 4 thanks to Bhuvneshwar Kumar's magic moment in the game of the week Marcus Stoinis has found a level of consistency for the Lucknow Super Giants Will the mounting injury toll prove costly for the Chennai Super Kings? The Delhi Capitals, still have a chance, but they're in must-win territory now It's great to see Mohammed Siraj smiling for Royal Challengers Bengaluru Rahul Chahar had an impressive week for the Punjab Kings, who have built a strong core of local players, but what about their overseas talent? The Gujarat Titans are a team lacking in firepower right now Why hasn't Nuwan Thushara seen more game time for the Mumbai Indians? And much more! We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, but 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 1:45 KKR - Varun Chakravarthy's improvement is rounding out KKR's bowling attack 8:55 KKR - Has Sunil Narine's batting success changed T20 cricket? 13:20 RR - A loss this week against SRH, but still plenty of positives 17:40 SRH - Sunrisers at their best are serious contenders 24:55 LSG - Right in the playoff picture, but still a tier below the top 3 29:50 CSK - Injuries mounting up 35:10 DC - Net run-rate is an issue 39:15 RCB - Mohammed Siraj is back! And what's Cameron Green's best role? 46:30 PBKS - An impressive week for Rahul Chahar 49:50 GT - What else is there left to say?! 51:40 MI - Batting woes this week, and where has Nuwan Thushara been? 57:25 Players leaving the IPL for international cricket Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Raj review the past two days of IPL 2024 action - Lucknow Super Giants vs Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings - as well as discussing the India and England provisional T20 World Cup squads that were named this week. We'll be back again early next week with more news and views in the next instalment of the power rankings, but 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 1:35 Mumbai v LSG 8:25 CSK v Punjab 16:15 T20 World Cup squads - India 20:20 T20 World Cup squads - England Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Raj, Binksy and Stu look back at another week that was in IPL 2024. Recorded on 30 April, we review all 10 teams, handing out the power rankings along the way. In a topsy-turvy week, the Rajasthan Royals march on thanks to big contributions from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sandeep Sharma, Dhruv Jurel & Sanju Samson The Kolkata Knight Riders are up to second, and Varun Chakravarthy is showing signs of improvement Ruturaj Gaikwad has the Chennai Super Kings well placed for the top 4 Matt Henry's unbeaten run with the Lucknow Super Giants has ended, but he has made the Black Caps' T20 World Cup squad Are the Sunrisers Hyderabad too reliant on Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma? The Delhi Capitals, powered by Jake Fraser McGurk at the top, are surging - but have they left their run too late? Finally a great week for Royal Challengers Bengaluru! And how about that Will Jacks innings?! Punjab Kings chase down 261 thanks to Jonny Bairstow brilliance and power hitting from Shashank and Prabhsimran The Gujarat Titans are struggling, and what's happened to Mohit Sharma? Mumbai's run to the finals looks over, and is Hardik Pandya's form a concern for India? And much more! We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, but 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 1.40 RR - The Royals march on, thanks to contributions all throughout the squad 7:05 KKR - Can Varun Chakravarthy's strong performance kickstart his season? 13:35 CSK - Ruturaj Gaikwad leading the way 22:05 LSG - Right in the playoff picture, but why are we struggling to believe in them? 31:20 SRH - Are they too reliant on their openers? 36:25 DC - A side hitting form, but is it too late? 42:45 RCB - Finally a good week! 49:25 PK - Bairstow, Shashank and Prabhsimran power Punjab in an epic chase 56:30 GT - A difficult week for Gujarat, and for Mohit Sharma 59:50 MI - Bowling is still a mess, and what's going on with Hardik Pandya? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Stu and Raj review the past three days of IPL 2024 action - Rajasthan vs Mumbai, CSK v LSG and the most recent game between the Gujarat Titans and the Delhi Capitals = which saw 3 hundreds, a couple of thrillers and some results that could be hugely impactful come playoff time.  Recorded on 25 April, we discuss hundreds from Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Marcus Stoinis, plus the power hitting from the likes of Nehal Wadhera, Nicholas Pooran and Rishabh Pant in particular, who has been oh so impressive since returning from serious injury. There are also shout outs for Sandeep Sharma and Shivam Dube, the regular 'Get MS Dhoni up the order' conversation and questions about CSK and Mumbai's title credentials - and how far the game has swung in favour of the batter in the death overs. Plus much more! We'll be back again early next week with more news and views in the next instalment of the power rankings, but 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 0:30 Delhi Capitals v Gujarat Titans - How far have the death overs swung in favour of the batters? 3:10 Rishabh Pant - What a comeback it has been from serious injury! 8:00 Jake Fraser McGurk 9:55 Worries for the Gujarat Titans? 13:35 Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians - Sandeep Sharma takes 5 17:50 Yashasvi Jaiswal's brilliant century 19:40 Mumbai Indians - tough loss, but nice to see Nehal Wadhera 22:00 Mumbai's bowling is a problem 25:15 Chennai Super Kings v Lucknow Super Giants - Huge back-to-back wins for LSG 26:15 Ruturaj Gaikwad's century lifts CSK over 200 28:30 Get MS Dhoni up the order! 29:30 Matt Henry contributing for LSG 31:20 Marcus Stoinis's match-winning performance 35:30 LSG's finishing on point 37:00 Where does this leave LSG and CSK going forward? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NOTE: The introduction of this episode was cut off from our recording, so the show jumps straight into team number one to start this podcast and there's odd sound glitch. In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy and Stu look back at another week that was in IPL 2024. Recorded on 22 April, we review all 10 teams, handing out the power rankings along the way. Jos Buttler scored an incredible hundred, but is he going to leave the IPL right when the Rajasthan Royals need him the most? An incredible week for Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and the Sunrisers Hyderabad Sunil Narine and Andre Russell continue to play match-winner for the Kolkata Knight Riders Are the Chennai Super Kings too balanced? KL Rahul's captain’s knock keeps the Lucknow Super Giants in the playoff picture The Mumbai Indians are working their way up the table, but apart from Jasprit Bumrah are still struggling with the ball Can the Gujarat Titans recover from the net run-rate hit they took against Delhi? Has Jake Fraser McGurk's form for Delhi Capitals vaulted him into Australia's T20 World Cup plans? Ashutosh Sharma is one of the few bright spots for Punjab Kings Royal Challengers Bengaluru's woes continue - but was Virat Kohli's dismissal fair? And much more! We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, but 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 RR - Jos Buttler's outstanding hundred 7:40 SRH - A powerful week for the Sunrisers 15:30 KKR - Sunil Narine and Andre Russell matchwinners 20:10 Waist-high controversy? 23:50 CSK - Are they true contenders? 30:35 LSG - KL Rahul's captain's knock 37:25 MI - Big string of games coming up 41:45 GT - Will their net run rate prove costly? 46:00 DC - Jake Fraser-McGurk making an impact 52:50 PK - Ashutosh Sharma the bright spot 57:55 RCB - Complete shambles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Binksy and Baldy review the past three days of IPL 2024 action - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals and the Gujarat Titans v Delhi Capitals. Recorded on 18 April, we discuss the record-breaking runfest at the Chinnaswamy, which saw a Travis Head century, plus excellent innings and giant sixes from Heinrich Klaasen, Dinesh Karthik and many others. There's also praise for Jos Buttler's remarkable effort for Rajasthan, as they chased down KKR's 223-6 off the final delivery, meaning Sunil Narine's hundred was in a losing cause. The trend of praising wicketkeepers continues with Dinesh Kathik also mentioned in despatches for his effort in a losing cause against the Sunrisers. Some sides are making a run (we're looking at you Sunrisers and the resurgent Delhi Capitals) whereas the Gujarat Titans look to be in a big hole. Are they done for the season, or is there life yet? We'll be back again early next week with more news and views in the next instalment of the power rankings, but 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Baldy, Binksy, Raj and Stu look back at another week that was in IPL 2024. Recorded on 15 April, we review all 10 teams, awarding the turquoise cap and handing out the power rankings along the way. Is the biggest threat to the Rajasthan Royals actually the Rajasthan Royals? Will the Kolkata Knight Riders ever slow down? Can the Chennai Super Kings get even more from MS Dhoni? Are the Sunrisers Hyderabad batters struggling? Can Shubman Gill carry the Gujarat Titans to the playoffs? Are the Lucknow Super Giants slumping? Why is the Mumbai Indians' bowling so bad when Jasprit Bumrah is so good? Are the Delhi Capitals the scariest team in the bottom half of the ladder? Will a Punjab Kings game ever finish outside of the final over? Has Faf du Plessis given up on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru bowling attack? And much more! We'll be back again later in the week with more news and views, but 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 RR - Are they over-complicating things? 8:45 KKR - Full speed ahead 15:20 CSK - MS Dhoni sixes and a statement week 24:50 SRH - Bowlers getting into a rhythm 30:50 GT - Are they about to go on a winning streak? 37:50 LSG - Is Quinton de Kock having fun? 44:00 MI - Jasprit Bumrah is awesome but the other bowlers are struggling 51:45 DC - Are they becoming a dangerous side? Kuldeep Yadav & Rishabh Pant pushing for India spots 56:25 PK - A lack of matchwinners hurting them 61:50 RCB - Bowling attack at rock bottom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the show, Stu and Baldy provide a midweek IPL update to discuss CSK's win against KKR and two final-over thrillers that saw points go to Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Gujarat Titans. We discuss standout performances from Rashid Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shashank Singh, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Shubman Gill as well as the key moments of these three games. Are the Gujarat Titans back? Will the Punjab Kings ever give up on a chase? Is spin going to be a major factor for the Chennai Super Kings from now on? Have Sunrisers Hyderabad found some consistency? Was it just a bad day at the office for Kolkata Knight Riders? Should the Rajasthan Royals have regrets about only bowling two Trent Boult overs? And much more! We'll be back again early next week with more news and views as we go through the next instalment of our Power Rankings, but 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 a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars 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 CSK v KKR - Chennai are a force at home 4:45 Crucial wickets for Ravindra Jadeja as spin plays a big part 8:00 Was it just a bad day at the office for KKR? 10:00 Jadeja pranking the Chennai crowd with MS Dhoni 11:50 SRH v PK - Sunrisers local players step up 14:45 Punjab Kings love a close game 15:30 No score is safe anymore - batters hitting the go button 19:50 Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh do it again (almost) 21:05 GT v RR - Are Gujarat back? 22:50 Excellent day for Rashid Khan 24:40 Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag's partnership 26:15 What went wrong for Rajasthan's bowling? 30:40 Upcoming games Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices