With only slim margins currently separating teams on the IPL table at the halfway point of the tournament, and with the number of close contests, injuries and general twists and turns the season's already seen, the race for the playoffs is only set to get hotter. In Pakistan, New Zealand drew the T20I series but the home side have drawn first-blood in the ODI series with two matches still to go. And as Sachin Tendulkar turned 50 last week, we examined his legacy, and what he meant and continues to mean for his legions of fans the world over. Here's a look back at the week that was.

Chapman hundred helps New Zealand square T20I series
Mark Chapman's 104 not out and Jimmy Neesham's 45 off 25 stunned Pakistan in the final T20I to end the series 2-2. Pakistan struck first in the ODI series though, pulling off a five-wicket win over the visitors in Rawalpindi.

The stranger we kept calling by his first name
Sachin Tendulkar turning 50 was a milestone not just for him, but for his millions of fans who grew up watching him. As Alagappan Muthu says, he was, for most of us, not just a cricketing idol but a member of our family - one we could turn to for hope and comfort. Tendulkar's exploits on the field are the stuff of legend, but how much do you know of his life off the field? Take our quiz and test yourself.

IPL trends - Close contests, 200-plus totals, and home disadvantage
At the halfway mark of the tournament, a couple of teams have emerged ahead of the pack but the mid-table logjam means the playoffs are still anyone's game. Shiva Jayaraman looks at the season's trend so far, including the reason spinners are seeing more success this season.

Dane van Niekerk: the fateful end of a storied career
The South Africa allrounder was one of the best in the game. She was all set for a World Cup where her team was expected to go far, but destiny had other plans. Firdose Moonda has her story, which was also part of the Switch Hit podcast on the future of the women's game. Listen here.

Jofra Archer: 'I want to make the most of all the cricket that is available to me'
Matt Roller spoke to the England fast bowler, who is looking ahead to another year featuring the Ashes and the World Cup - like in 2019, when he took the world by storm.

Twelve games, 11 miracles: how Nepal battled their way to the World Cup Qualifier
From the bottom of the CWC League 2 to stringing together an improbable series of wins under a new coach, it has been a surreal year for the side. Shashank Kishore follows their journey.

Does Dinesh Karthik hold the record for most ducks in the IPL?
Also: how many players have scored a hundred and taken a hat-trick on the same day in first-class cricket? Steven Lynch has the answers to all your cricket stats and trivia questions.

Celebrating Neil Harvey, the last Invincible standing
Ian Chappell on the gifted batter, exceptional fielder, and an all-round talent who represented the very best of Australia's golden cricketing era.