Post the halfway mark of the IPL, the points table shuffle continues as teams fight for the top five spots, while Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad languish at the bottom with just three wins from nine games. Pakistan have emphatically asserted their authority over the ODI series with a 3-0 lead over New Zealand. Here's a round-up of this week's top stories.

Imam, Babar and bowlers help Pakistan wrap up series
Pakistan took a 3-0 lead in the ODI series to seal a win despite fifties from Blundell and McConchie in the third ODI as New Zealand fall short by 26 runs. Earlier, in the second ODI, Fakhar Zaman scored an unbeaten 180 to clinch Pakistan's second-highest ODI chase.

Mike Hesson: 'There are no soft overs now. Sides keep coming hard at you all the time'
RCB's team director spoke to Matt Roller about the side's performance in the first half of the 2023 IPL, Faf du Plessis' captaincy, and how Maxwell and Siraj have dealt with additional responsibility.

Harry Brook: 'I think I've watched my hundred back about 25 times'
After his hundred, the Sunrisers Hyderabad batter has struggled to make an impact in the IPL this year, but he's hoping to turn the second half of his season around.

At 18, Noor Ahmad is living his cricket dream
The left-arm wristspinner grew up idolising Rashid Khan. Now the two are team-mates and Noor is forever in Rashid's ear. The Afghanistan bowler spoke to Nagraj Gollapudi about his IPL season, choosing cricket over school and his family's joy at his success.

How Ali Bacher's life offers us a ringside view on South African cricket's complicated history
He led the side at their peak during apartheid, presided over their readmission, and helmed the board during some of its most momentous and difficult years. Firdose Moonda visits the Bacher exhibition that puts his life, and South Africa's cricket evolution, in perspective.

When Paul Valthaty's star burned brightly but briefly one IPL season
Matt Roller hunts down the former Kings XI Punjab batter who had the record for the highest IPL score by an uncapped Indian before Yashasvi Jaiswal overtook him.

Yashasvi Jaiswal: 'I don't want to always score in one way. I want to have options to score in all situations'
The Rajasthan Royals opener spoke to Vishal Dikshit about all the work he has put into his game, and what he has learnt from his time at the franchise.

Photo feature: Thank queue for waiting
Want to watch the cricket? There's a line for that.

Thirty terms that came into cricket since 1993
Andrew Fidel Fernando has cheat sheet of the words you need to know to decipher the game as it has been over the last three decades.

Has any side made more than Ireland's 492 in a Test and still lost by an innings?
Also: have any non-openers scored double-centuries in ODIs? Steven Lynch has the answers.