2021 Valletta Cup
{{short description|International cricket tournament}}
{{use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox cricket tournament
| name = 2021 Valletta Cup
| fromdate = 21
| todate = 24 October 2021
| administrator = Malta Cricket Association
| cricket format = Twenty20 International
| host = {{flag|Malta}}
| champions = {{cr|MLT}}
| runner up = {{cr|SUI}}
| participants = 4
| matches = 8
| player of the series = {{cricon|GIB}} Avinash Pai
| most runs = {{cricon|GIB}} Louis Bruce (222)
| most wickets = {{cricon|SUI}} Ashwin Vinod (9)
| website =
| previous_year = 2019
| previous_tournament = 2019 Valletta Cup
| next_year = 2022
| next_tournament = 2022 Valletta Cup
}}
The 2021 Valletta Cup was a Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket tournament held in Malta between 21 and 24 October 2021.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketswitzerland.ch/news/2021/t20i-series-in-malta/ |title=T20 international series in Malta |work=Cricket Switzerland |access-date=14 October 2021 |archive-date=19 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019204920/https://www.cricketswitzerland.ch/news/2021/t20i-series-in-malta/ |url-status=dead }} It was the second edition of the Valletta Cup. The matches were played at the Marsa Sports Club in Marsa.{{cite web|url=https://czarsportzauto.com/switzerland-malta-t20i-series/ |title=Swiss men's team to make T20I debut in 4-nation quadrangular tournament in Malta |work=Czarsportz |access-date=10 September 2021}} The participating teams were the hosts Malta along with Bulgaria, Gibraltar and Switzerland.
This was the first international tournament for Switzerland since the introduction of global T20I status in January 2019,{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/672322|title=All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status|work=International Cricket Council|date=26 April 2018|access-date=10 September 2021}} and their re-admittance to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in July 2021. Cricket Switzerland (previously known as the Swiss Cricket Association), had been suspended by the ICC in 2012 due to non-compliance following the formation of a second organization also claiming to oversee cricket in the country.{{cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1100054/cricket-switzerland-icc-membership-bid |title=Cricket Switzerland bidding to regain ICC associate member status - eight years after suspension |work=Inside the Games |access-date=27 October 2020}} They were one of three nations to gain Associate membership after the ICC's annual general meeting in July 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2190752 |title=Get to know the ICC's three newest Members |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=16 July 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://emergingcricket.com/news/three-new-icc-members-russia-suspended-zambia-terminated/ |title=Three new ICC Members, Russia suspended, Zambia terminated |work=Emerging Cricket |access-date=18 July 2021}}
Switzerland finished on top of the round-robin stage with three wins.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketswitzerland.ch/news/2021/t20i-series-in-malta-report/ |title=Valletta Cup - iT20 series in Malta |work=Cricket Switzerland |access-date=31 October 2021 |archive-date=24 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024162844/https://www.cricketswitzerland.ch/news/2021/t20i-series-in-malta-report |url-status=dead }} Malta defeated Switzerland in the final,{{cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/malta-cricket-beat-switzerland-to-lift-valletta-cup-at-marsa-oval.910794 |title=Malta Cricket beat Switzerland to lift Valletta Cup at Marsa Oval |work=Times of Malta |access-date=27 October 2021}} after Bulgaria defeated Gibraltar in the third-place playoff.{{cite web|url=https://emergingcricket.com/news/malta-crowned-2021-valletta-cup-champions/ |title=Malta crowned 2021 Valletta Cup champions |work=Emerging Cricket |access-date=31 October 2021}} After the tournament, Malta and Gibraltar played a rain-affected two-match bilateral T20I series that was shared after one game was lost to the weather and the other finished as a DLS method tie.{{cite web|url=https://www.chronicle.gi/gibraltar-cricket-match-against-malta-ends-in-tie-due-to-rain/ |title=Gibraltar cricket match against Malta ends in tie due to rain |work=Gibraltar Chronicle |access-date=25 October 2021}}
Squads
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; margin:auto" |
| {{cr|BUL}}
!{{cr|MLT}} |
|---|
valign=top|
|valign=top|
|valign=top|
|valign=top| |
Valletta Cup
=Points table=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||||
| style="width:175px;"|Team{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/valletta-cup-2021-22-1282263/points-table-standings |title=Valletta Cup 2021/22 Table |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=23 October 2021}}
! style="width:20px;"|{{Abbr | P | Played}} ! style="width:20px;"|{{Abbr | W | Won}} ! style="width:20px;"|{{Abbr | L | Lost}} ! style="width:20px;"|{{Abbr | T | Tied}} ! style="width:20px;"|{{Abbr | NR | No result}} ! style="width:20px;"|{{Abbr | Pts | Points}} ! style="width:65px;"|{{Abbr | NRR | Net run rate}} | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:#cfc"
| style="text-align:left" |{{cr|SUI}} | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | +3.067 |
| style="background:#cfc"
| style="text-align:left" | {{cr|MLT}} | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | +1.379 |
| style="text-align:left" |{{cr|GIB}}
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | –1.274 |
| style="text-align:left" | {{cr|BUL}}
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | –3.662 |
=Fixtures=
{{Single-innings cricket match
| date = 21 October 2021
| time = 14:00
| daynight =
| team1 = {{cr-rt|MLT}}
| team2 = {{cr|GIB}}
| score1 = 213/5 (20 overs)
| runs1 = Heinrich Gericke 64 (25)
| wickets1 = Avinash Pai 2/28 (4 overs)
| score2 = 152/2 (20 overs)
| runs2 = Louis Bruce 57* (55)
| wickets2 = Bilal Muhammad 1/24 (4 overs)
| result = Malta won by 61 runs
| report = [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1282272.html Scorecard]
| venue = Marsa Sports Club, Marsa
| umpires = Andrew Naudi (Mlt) and Tim Wheeler (Mlt)
| motm = Heinrich Gericke (Mlt)
| toss = Malta won the toss and elected to bat.
| rain =
| notes = Aaftab Alam Khan, Kalki Kumar (Mlt), Philip Raikes and Andrew Reyes (Gib) all made their T20I debuts.
}}
----
{{Single-innings cricket match
| date = 22 October 2021
| time = 10:00
| daynight =
| team1 = {{cr-rt|GIB}}
| team2 = {{cr|SUI}}
| score1 = 133/9 (20 overs)
| runs1 = Louis Bruce 31 (27)
| wickets1 = Aidan Andrews 3/21 (4 overs)
| score2 = 134/1 (14.4 overs)
| runs2 = Osama Mahmood 58* (46)
| wickets2 = Charles Harrison 1/19 (2 overs)
| result = Switzerland won by 9 wickets
| report = [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1282273.html Scorecard]
| venue = Marsa Sports Club, Marsa
| umpires = Tony Slater (Mlt) and Tim Wheeler (Mlt)
| motm = Osama Mahmood (Sui)
| toss = Gibraltar won the toss and elected to bat.
| rain =
| notes = Noorkhan Ahmedi, Aidan Andrews, Stefan Franklin, Nicolas Henderson, Asad Mahmood, Osama Mahmood, Anser Mehmood, Ali Nayyer, Idrees Ul Haque, Arjun Vinod and Ashwin Vinod (Sui) all made their T20I debuts.
}}
----
{{Single-innings cricket match
| date = 22 October 2021
| time = 14:00
| daynight =
| team1 = {{cr-rt|BUL}}
| team2 = {{cr|SUI}}
| score1 = 81 (19.3 overs)
| runs1 = Jacob Albin 19* (30)
| wickets1 = Aneesh Kumar 3/3 (2.3 overs)
| score2 = 82/2 (6 overs)
| runs2 = Arjun Vinod 43* (20)
| wickets2 = Delrick Varghese 1/21 (1 over)
| result = Switzerland won by 8 wickets
| report = [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1282275.html Scorecard]
| venue = Marsa Sports Club, Marsa
| umpires = Ghose Roy (Mlt) and Tony Slater (Mlt)
| motm = Aneesh Kumar (Sui)
| toss = Bulgaria won the toss and elected to bat.
| rain =
| notes = Ahsan Khan, Andrey Lilov (Bul) and Aneesh Kumar (Sui) all made their T20I debuts.
}}
----
{{Single-innings cricket match
| date = 23 October 2021
| time = 08:30
| daynight =
| team1 = {{cr-rt|GIB}}
| team2 = {{cr|BUL}}
| score1 = 217/4 (20 overs)
| runs1 = Avinash Pai 107* (52)
| wickets1 = Sulaiman Ali 2/38 (4 overs)
| score2 = 180/5 (20 overs)
| runs2 = Hristo Lakov 80 (63)
| wickets2 = James Fitzgerald 2/37 (4 overs)
| result = Gibraltar won by 37 runs
| report = [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1282274.html Scorecard]
| venue = Marsa Sports Club, Marsa
| umpires = Ashok Bishnoi (Mlt) and John Grima (Mlt)
| motm = Avinash Pai (Gib)
| toss = Bulgaria won the toss and elected to field.
| rain =
| notes = Dave Robeson (Gib) made his T20I debut.
- Avinash Pai became the first player for Gibraltar to score a century in T20Is.{{cite web|title=Centuries in Twenty20 International cricket – innings by innings|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=3;filter=advanced;orderby=start;runsmin1=100;runsval1=runs;size=100;template=results;type=batting;view=innings|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=23 October 2021}}
}}
----
{{Single-innings cricket match
| date = 23 October 2021
| time = 11:45
| daynight =
| team1 = {{cr-rt|SUI}}
| team2 = {{cr|MLT}}
| score1 = 150/9 (20 overs)
| runs1 = Asad Mahmood 33 (25)
| wickets1 = Bikram Arora 3/20 (4 overs)
| score2 = 142/9 (20 overs)
| runs2 = Bilal Muhammad 35* (17)
| wickets2 = Ashwin Vinod 3/30 (4 overs)
| result = Switzerland won by 8 runs
| report = [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1282276.html Scorecard]
| venue = Marsa Sports Club, Marsa
| umpires = John Grima (Mlt) and Ghose Roy (Mlt)
| motm = Osama Mahmood (Sui)
| toss = Switzerland won the toss and elected to bat.
| rain =
| notes = Matthew Martin (Sui) made his T20I debut.
}}
----
{{Single-innings cricket match
| date = 23 October 2021
| time = 15:00
| daynight =
| team1 = {{cr-rt|BUL}}
| team2 = {{cr|MLT}}
| score1 = 150/6 (20 overs)
| runs1 = Omar Rassol 63* (36)
| wickets1 = Varun Thamotharam 2/30 (4 overs)
| score2 = 153/4 (17 overs)
| runs2 = Basil George 41 (27)
| wickets2 = Sulaiman Ali 2/26 (3 overs)
| result = Malta won by 6 wickets
| report = [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1282277.html Scorecard]
| venue = Marsa Sports Club, Marsa
| umpires = Jitesh Patel (Mlt) and Ghose Roy (Mlt)
| motm = Heinrich Gericke (Mlt)
| toss = Bulgaria won the toss and elected to bat.
| rain =
| notes = Zoheb Malek and Deon Vosloo (Mlt) both made their T20I debuts.
}}
=Third-place play-off=
{{Single-innings cricket match
| date = 24 October 2021
| time = 10:00
| daynight =
| team1 = {{cr-rt|GIB}}
| team2 = {{cr|BUL}}
| score1 = 177/9 (20 overs)
| runs1 = Avinash Pai 71 (37)
| wickets1 = Prakash Mishra 3/22 (4 overs)
| score2 = 178/4 (20 overs)
| runs2 = Aravinda De Silva 62 (40)
| wickets2 = Charles Harrison 2/31 (4 overs)
| result = Bulgaria won by 6 wickets
| report = [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1282278.html Scorecard]
| venue = Marsa Sports Club, Marsa
| umpires = Jitesh Patel (Mlt) and Ghose Roy (Mlt)
| motm = Hristo Lakov (Bul)
| toss = Gibraltar won the toss and elected to bat.
| rain =
| notes =
}}
=Final=
{{Single-innings cricket match
| date = 24 October 2021
| time = 14:00
| daynight =
| team1 = {{cr-rt|MLT}}
| team2 = {{cr|SUI}}
| score1 = 176/7 (20 overs)
| runs1 = Bikram Arora 42 (39)
| wickets1 = Aneesh Kumar 2/26 (4 overs)
| score2 = 170/8 (20 overs)
| runs2 = Idrees Ul Haque 42 (23)
| wickets2 = Varun Thamotharam 3/25 (4 overs)
| result = Malta won by 6 runs
| report = [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1282279.html Scorecard]
| venue = Marsa Sports Club, Marsa
| umpires = John Grima (Mlt) and Jitesh Patel (Mlt)
| motm = Varun Thamotharam (Mlt)
| toss = Malta won the toss and elected to bat.
| rain =
| notes =
}}
Bilateral series
{{Infobox cricket tour
| series_name = Gibraltarian cricket team in Malta in 2021–22
| team1_image = Flag of Malta.svg
| team1_name = Malta
| team2_image = Flag of Gibraltar.svg
| team2_name = Gibraltar
| from_date = 25 October 2021
| to_date =
| team1_captain = Bikram Arora
| team2_captain = Avinash Pai
| no_of_twenty20s = 2
| team1_twenty20s_won = 0
| team2_twenty20s_won = 0
| team1_twenty20s_most_runs = Varun Thamotharam (50)
| team2_twenty20s_most_runs = Kieron Ferrary (35)
| team1_twenty20s_most_wickets = Waseem Abbas (1)
Bilal Muhammad (1)
| team2_twenty20s_most_wickets = Louis Bruce (4)
| player_of_twenty20_series =
}}
=1st T20I=
{{Single-innings cricket match
| date = 25 October 2021
| time = 10:00
| daynight =
| team1 = {{cr-rt|MLT}}
| team2 = {{cr|GIB}}
| score1 =
| runs1 =
| wickets1 =
| score2 =
| runs2 =
| wickets2 =
| result = Match abandoned
| report = [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1282280.html Scorecard]
| venue = Marsa Sports Club, Marsa
| umpires = Andrew Naudi (Mlt) and Les White (Mlt)
| motm =
| toss = No toss.
| rain = No play was possible due to rain.
| notes =
}}
=2nd T20I=
{{Single-innings cricket match
| date = 25 October 2021
| time = 14:00
| daynight =
| team1 = {{cr-rt|MLT}}
| team2 = {{cr|GIB}}
| score1 = 145 (19 overs)
| runs1 = Varun Thamotharam 50 (27)
| wickets1 = Louis Bruce 4/13 (3 overs)
| score2 = 57/2 (7.2 overs)
| runs2 = Kieron Ferrary 35* (25)
| wickets2 = Waseem Abbas 1/15 (2 overs)
| result = Match tied (DLS method)
| report = [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1282281.html Scorecard]
| venue = Marsa Sports Club, Marsa
| umpires = Andrew Naudi (Mlt) and Les White (Mlt)
| motm = Louis Bruce (Gib)
| toss = Gibraltar won the toss and elected to field.
| rain = No further play was possible due to rain. Gibraltar had been set a revised target of 98 runs from 12 overs.
| notes = Jojo Thomas (Mlt) and Kieron Ferrary (Gib) both made their T20I debuts.
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/series/1282263.html Series home at ESPN Cricinfo (Valletta Cup)]
- [https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/series/1282264.html Series home at ESPN Cricinfo (Gibraltar in Malta)]
{{International cricket in 2021–22}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2021 Valletta Cup}}
Category:Associate international cricket competitions in 2021–22