Friday, June 30, 2023

"India vs Pakistan Bigger Than Ashes": Windies Great's Massive Comparison

From the time the 2023 World Cup schedule was announced, one match which has expectedly grabbed the limelight is the India-Pakistan clash. The two archrivals will face each other on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India and Pakistan only play cricket against each other in international tournaments, most recently during the T20 World Cup in Australia last year. Any match between the South Asian neighbours therefore becomes one of the most-watched events on the global sporting calendar.

When they do play, cricket fans around the world are glued to their TV screens in a multi-billion-dollar bonanza for broadcasters. The 2019 50-over World Cup clash between India and Pakistan drew 273 million viewers.

All that makes West Indies great Chris Gayle feel that India-Pakistan is bigger than the Ashes. 

"India-Pakistan is bigger than the Ashes. That's humongous. At the world stage, with billions of people watching. Let's see what happens on October 15. I will be watching," Gayle said on timesofindia.com

"Who are the two player who can turn things around for India in the World Cup?" Gayle was also asked. 

"Jasprit Bumrah for sure. I am sure he going to be back. Him and Suryakumar are going to be key players for India," he replied. 

India and Pakistan have not met on either side's soil in a bilateral series since 2012.

They have also not played a Test against each other since 2007, instead meeting only in the shorter versions of the game.

India last won the ODI World Cup on home soil in 2011. Since then, Australia and England have won the title in their own backyards in 2015 and 2019 respectively.

With AFP inputs



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"India vs Pakistan Bigger Than Ashes": Windies Great's Massive Comparison

From the time the 2023 World Cup schedule was announced, one match which has expectedly grabbed the limelight is the India-Pakistan clash. The two archrivals will face each other on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India and Pakistan only play cricket against each other in international tournaments, most recently during the T20 World Cup in Australia last year. Any match between the South Asian neighbours therefore becomes one of the most-watched events on the global sporting calendar.

When they do play, cricket fans around the world are glued to their TV screens in a multi-billion-dollar bonanza for broadcasters. The 2019 50-over World Cup clash between India and Pakistan drew 273 million viewers.

All that makes West Indies great Chris Gayle feel that India-Pakistan is bigger than the Ashes. 

"India-Pakistan is bigger than the Ashes. That's humongous. At the world stage, with billions of people watching. Let's see what happens on October 15. I will be watching," Gayle said on timesofindia.com

"Who are the two player who can turn things around for India in the World Cup?" Gayle was also asked. 

"Jasprit Bumrah for sure. I am sure he going to be back. Him and Suryakumar are going to be key players for India," he replied. 

India and Pakistan have not met on either side's soil in a bilateral series since 2012.

They have also not played a Test against each other since 2007, instead meeting only in the shorter versions of the game.

India last won the ODI World Cup on home soil in 2011. Since then, Australia and England have won the title in their own backyards in 2015 and 2019 respectively.

With AFP inputs



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Diamond League Live: Neeraj Chopra Eyes Memorable Return Post Injury

Lausanne Diamond League 2023 Live: Returning to action after a one-month injury lay-off, Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will seek his second straight podium finish of the season at the Lausanne leg of the Diamond League in a star-studded field on Friday. The 25-year-old Indian superstar had made a perfect start to the Diamond League season with a top podium finish in Doha, Qatar, on May 5 with a fourth career-best throw of 88.67m but suffered a muscle strain while training later that month. Murali Sreeshankar will also be competing in the long jump event.

Here are the Live Updates of Lausanne Diamond League 2023, Javelin Throw event: 



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Thursday, June 29, 2023

Ashwin's 'Ridiculous' Retort To "Can India End ICC Trophy Drought?" Query

It has been more than 10 years of India's ICC trophy drought. In 2013, the side won the Champions Trophy and since then it has struggled to finish things off. India lost to Sri Lanka in the final of 2014 T20 World Cup before the side lost the 2015 ODI World Cup semi-final at the hands of Australia. In the 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final, India were defeated by West Indies. They then suffered a loss against arch-rivals Pakistan in the final of Champions Trophy in 2017.

Two years later, New Zealand beat India in the semi-final of ODI World Cup. Things got worse for India as the year 2021 saw them failing to advance to the knockout stage of T20 World Cup. An improved show in 2022 saw India entering the semi-final of the mega event where they lost to England.

India have also missed the ICC titles in red-ball cricket too after losing the finals of World Test Championship in 2021 and 2023.

A question that keeps popping every now and then is that 'Can India end the ICC trophy drought?'. India's veteran all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has shared his opinions regarding this.

"... India do start as favorites ahead of this 2023 World Cup," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

"Of course, the whole social media buzz will be about whether India will be able to get an ICC trophy. We have been following this theme for so many years now of asking, 'Can India end the ICC trophy drought?' If you ask me, this is ridiculous, guys.

"India is a strong team. Except for a few factors, India has a great chance this time around."

The 2023 ODI World Cup will be taking place in India across 10 venues. The tournament will kick off on October 5 with the final scheduled to take place on November 19.



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Zimbabwe Move Closer To World Cup With Oman Win In ICC Qualifier

Zimbabwe claimed a tense 14-run win over Oman on Thursday to start the Super Six stage of the World Cup Qualifier on a high, after Sean Williams' third hundred of the event. The African side racked up 332-7 from their 50 overs batting first in Bulawayo before a brave chase from Oman came up just short on 318-9. The hosts moved top of the table after adding to the two wins over the West Indies and the Netherlands they carried over from the group stage. "When I first saw the wicket, I thought 270 would be a very good score," said Williams. "Thankfully everyone chipped in there and we got up to that total."

Zimbabwe are bidding to qualify for the global one-day showpiece following an eight-year absence after missing out on the 2019 edition in England and Wales. The top two sides in the Super Six standings will secure places at the World Cup.

Oman are all but out of contention in the race to reach the main tournament to be held in India from October 5 until November 19. The underdogs, who started the match on zero points in the Super Six, pushed Zimbabwe all the way in a dramatic chase.

Opener Kashyap Prajapati crashed 103 off 97 balls to help them stay within touching distance. Blessing Muzarabani's three wickets appeared to have put Zimbabwe on the brink of victory, helped by some brilliant fielding including a remarkable catch by Luke Jongwe as he juggled the ball on the boundary while repeatedly hopping over the rope.

But some late blows from the lower order left a manageable 39 needed from the final 17 balls when Fayyaz Butt was trapped lbw by Tendai Chatara. Captain Zeeshan Maqsood hobbled back out to join Mohammad Nadeem at the crease having earlier retired injured.

Richard Ngarava's excellent penultimate over which conceded just two runs and a bye left Oman with too much to do as Maqsood fell to Chatara from the final ball. Nadeem ended 30 not out from 18 balls as Muzarabani finished with 3-57 from nine overs and Chatara with 3-73 from eight.

Earlier, Williams' wonderful 142 off 103 deliveries, featuring 14 fours and three sixes, provided the backbone of Zimbabwe's innings. Sikandar Raza added 42 and Jongwe some late impetus with a 28-ball 43 not out.

Zimbabwe, depending on other results, could secure a place in India when they face Sri Lanka on Sunday. Oman are next in action the following day against the Netherlands.



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2nd Ashes Test Day 2: Australia Stay In Game As England Gift Wickets

Australia preyed on England's determination to stick to aggressive 'Bazball' cricket as several batsmen fell into a hooking trap during the second Test at Lord's on Thursday. England, enjoying the best batting conditions of the match, were well placed at 188-1 in reply to Australia's first innings 416, with the visitors' spin bowler, Nathan Lyon, off the field with a calf injury. But England slumped to 222-4 as Australia bowled bouncers with as many as four men deep on the legside -- a tactic that could scarcely have been more obvious had it been signalled in neon lights.

However, at stumps on the second day they had recovered to 278-4 following an unbroken stand of 56 between Harry Brook (45 not out) and captain Ben Stokes (17 not out).

The pair had come together after England lost three wickets for 34 runs.

England vice-captain Ollie Pope holed out off towering all-rounder Cameron Green after a brisk 42.

Ben Duckett had batted superbly to move to within sight of a maiden Ashes hundred.

But having had a few near misses with risky hooks, the left-handed opener fell for 98 when he pulled Josh Hazlewood straight to David Warner.

Joe Root, the world's top-ranked Test batsman, could have been out caught behind on one when gloving a hook off Green, only to be reprieved by a no-ball.

But he fell for 10 when suckered into pulling a short ball from express quick Mitchell Starc, with Steve Smith taking a low running catch.

Smith had earlier returned to form with a well-made hundred after managing just 22 runs in two innings during Australia's thrilling two-wicket win in the first Test at Edgbaston.

His 110 was the 32nd Test century of the 34-year-old's brilliant career, his 12th in the Ashes and eighth in England.

England, however, recovered well on Thursday by taking Australia's last five wickets for the addition of 77 runs.

Veteran pacemen James Anderson and Stuart Broad, the two most successful quicks in Test history, managed just two wickets between them.

Instead, it was their fellow frontline seamers who did the bulk of the damage, with Josh Tongue taking 3-98 on his Ashes debut and Ollie Robinson 3-100.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon, appearing in his 100th consecutive Test, moved to within four wickets of 500 in Tests when he had Zak Crawley stumped for a run-a-ball 48 to leave England 91-1.

But he later limped off the field after trying to catch Pope.

Sublime Smith

Australia had resumed well-placed on 339-5, with Smith 85 not out, just 15 runs shy of his second Test century at Lord's following a superb 215 eight years ago.

England failed to make the most of helpful conditions for their quicks after Stokes won the toss on Wednesday.

And there were more worrying signs when Stuart Broad speared his first two balls down the legside, Alex Carey glancing both deliveries for comfortable fours.

But Broad, regaining his accuracy, had Carey lbw on review for 22.

Smith went to 99 with a fortunate nick to third man for four off Anderson, who then almost beat the batsman's defence with an excellent yorker.

Off the very next ball, Smith drove Anderson through the covers to complete a 169-ball century with his 14th four.

Smith fell soon afterwards when a booming drive off Tongue was superbly caught by a diving Duckett in the gully.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)



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Australia's Nathan Lyon Suffers Calf Injury In Ashes Blow

Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon suffered an Ashes injury scare when he limped off with a calf problem during the second day of the second Test at Lord's. Lyon appeared to hold his calf muscle after running in from the boundary Thursday to field a shot from England's Ben Duckett. The 35-year-old slowly hobbled off the field and sat down for several minutes while a member of Australia's medical team checked his injury.

Appearing to wipe away tears, Lyon eventually limped around the boundary edge towards the dressing room while a staff member held on to stop the bowler losing his balance. "Nathan Lyon suffered an injury to his right calf while fielding in the final session today," a Cricket Australia spokesman said.

"He will be further assessed after play. A further update, if available, will be shared in the morning."

Lyon's absence from the rest of the second day and potentially much longer is a huge setback for Australia's bid to retain the Ashes. Pat Cummins' side lead 1-0 after winning the first Test of the five-match series at Edgbaston.

Earlier on Thursday, Lyon had dismissed Zak Crawley to claim his 496th Test wicket and ninth of the series. Lyon's appearance at Lord's made him only the sixth man to play in 100 consecutive Tests and the third Australian after Allan Border and Mark Waugh.

His 496 Test wickets place him eighth on the all-time list and fourth among spinners. Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath are the only Australians to have taken more Test wickets than Lyon.



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Zimbabwe Move Closer To World Cup With Oman Win In ICC Qualifier

Zimbabwe claimed a tense 14-run win over Oman on Thursday to start the Super Six stage of the World Cup Qualifier on a high, after Sean Williams' third hundred of the event. The African side racked up 332-7 from their 50 overs batting first in Bulawayo before a brave chase from Oman came up just short on 318-9. The hosts moved top of the table after adding to the two wins over the West Indies and the Netherlands they carried over from the group stage. "When I first saw the wicket, I thought 270 would be a very good score," said Williams. "Thankfully everyone chipped in there and we got up to that total."

Zimbabwe are bidding to qualify for the global one-day showpiece following an eight-year absence after missing out on the 2019 edition in England and Wales. The top two sides in the Super Six standings will secure places at the World Cup.

Oman are all but out of contention in the race to reach the main tournament to be held in India from October 5 until November 19. The underdogs, who started the match on zero points in the Super Six, pushed Zimbabwe all the way in a dramatic chase.

Opener Kashyap Prajapati crashed 103 off 97 balls to help them stay within touching distance. Blessing Muzarabani's three wickets appeared to have put Zimbabwe on the brink of victory, helped by some brilliant fielding including a remarkable catch by Luke Jongwe as he juggled the ball on the boundary while repeatedly hopping over the rope.

But some late blows from the lower order left a manageable 39 needed from the final 17 balls when Fayyaz Butt was trapped lbw by Tendai Chatara. Captain Zeeshan Maqsood hobbled back out to join Mohammad Nadeem at the crease having earlier retired injured.

Richard Ngarava's excellent penultimate over which conceded just two runs and a bye left Oman with too much to do as Maqsood fell to Chatara from the final ball. Nadeem ended 30 not out from 18 balls as Muzarabani finished with 3-57 from nine overs and Chatara with 3-73 from eight.

Earlier, Williams' wonderful 142 off 103 deliveries, featuring 14 fours and three sixes, provided the backbone of Zimbabwe's innings. Sikandar Raza added 42 and Jongwe some late impetus with a 28-ball 43 not out.

Zimbabwe, depending on other results, could secure a place in India when they face Sri Lanka on Sunday. Oman are next in action the following day against the Netherlands.



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Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Tottenham Hotspur Buy James Maddison From Relegated Leicester

Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday completed the signing of creative midfielder James Maddison from relegated Leicester in a deal worth 40 million pounds (46.3m euros) plus add-ons. The 26-year-old England international signed a five-year deal. Maddison began his career with Coventry City before joining Norwich City in January, 2016. He moved to Leicester in 2018 and in five seasons made 203 appearances, scored 55 goals and helped win the FA Cup. He scored 10 goals last season as Leicester were relegated from the Premier League. He has three England caps.

Maddison's creativity will boost a Spurs squad that has lacked a player in his mould since Christian Eriksen left in 2020.

He is the club's third signing of the summer. Winger Dejan Kulusevski's loan switch from Juventus was made permanent and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario joined from another Italian club, Empoli.

Speculation continues to swirl around Tottenham's star striker Harry Kane who is entering the last year of his contract.

Bayern Munich have agreed personal terms with the England captain, German daily Bild reported Wednesday, but an initial 70-million-euro bid was rejected by Tottenham.

Kane's camp is believed to have approved the move, but Bayern need an agreement on a fee with Tottenham to seal the transfer.

Bayern submitted an offer of 70 million euros plus add-ons for Kane, according to Bild, while Spurs are demanding at least 100 million euros to part with their talismanic striker.

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Arsenal Sign Kai Havertz From Chelsea On 'Long-Term Contract'

Arsenal on Wednesday signed German attacking midfielder Kai Havertz from Chelsea on a "long-term contract". Neither club disclosed a fee but British media said Arsenal were paying Chelsea 65 million pounds or 75 million euros.  He is Arsenal's first signing of the summer but the British press reported the club had agreed a 105 million-pound fee for West Ham's England midfielder Declan Rice.

Havertz joined Chelsea in 2020 from Bayer Leverkusen. He made 139 appearances in three seasons, scoring 32 times, including the only goal in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final victory over Manchester City.

Arsenal were runners up in the Premier League last season while Chelsea, rebuilding their squad, were 12th.

"The mentality in the Arsenal squad is very high and you can feel that. That was one of the reasons why it has been so hard to play against Arsenal recently," Havertz told the Arsenal web site.

"The aim is to win trophies and I'm going to give everything to do that."

He posted a farewell message to Chelsea on social media.

He said he was writing "with a heavy heart...saying goodbye to the club that has become my second home, and to the incredible fans who have supported me throughout this amazing journey."

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said: "Kai is a player of top quality. He has great versatility and is an intelligent player. He will bring a huge amount of extra strength to our midfield and variety to our play."

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2nd Test Day 1: Smith Stars For Australia Before Root Revives England

Star batsman Steve Smith's unbeaten 85 was the centrepiece of Australia's impressive 339-5 on the opening day of the second Test against England at Lord's on Wednesday. But off-spinner Joe Root, better known as the number one-ranked batsman in Test cricket, took two wickets in four balls late in the day. His double strike ensured Ashes-holders Australia, 1-0 up in the five-match series after a thrilling two-wicket win at Edgbaston last week, did not have things all their own way at the 'Home of Cricket'.

Australia were in a commanding position at 316-3, despite being sent into bat by England captain Ben Stokes in overcast conditions and on a green tinged-pitch that promised to aid his five-strong pace attack.

But dashing left-hander Travis Head, scoring at better than a run-a-ball, then charged down the pitch only to be beaten by a sharply turning Root delivery with Jonny Bairstow, whose wicketkeeping had proved fallible in Birmingham, completing an excellent stumping.

Head was out for 77 following a stand of 118 with Smith where England were given a taste of their own 'Bazball' medicine.

But three balls later, Australia's 316-4 became 316-5 when Cameron Green fell for a duck, slicing Root to James Anderson at mid-off.

At stumps Root, the only spinner in the attack after England dropped Moeen Ali, had figures of 2-19 from eight overs.

Fast bowler Josh Tongue, recalled in place of Moeen, removed Australia left-handed openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner, who made a valuable 66, in a return of 2-88 in 18 overs.

The match was briefly halted before the second over when two Just Stop Oil protesters ran out of the Grandstand and onto the outfield, sprinkling the environmental pressure group's trademark orange powder on the square but not on the pitch.

Bairstow grabbed one of the demonstrators and carried them off the playing surface, with the other apprehended by stewards.

A third demonstrator was tackled before making it onto the outfield, with the police making three arrests.

Pope injury scare

England's aggressive 'Bazball' approach had come under scrutiny in Birmingham, but missing several chances was a bigger factor in their defeat.

On Wednesday, Stuart Broad, who has long troubled Warner in Ashes contests, had him edging into the cordon on 20, only for fourth slip Ollie Pope, who later went off injured with a shoulder injury, to drop a two-handed catch.

Warner cashed in with a 66-ball fifty completed when he pulled Tongue, in just his second Test, for six.

But off what became the last ball before lunch Tongue bowled Khawaja fresh from his hundred at Edgbaston, playing no shot.

Warner also fell to Tongue, bowled between bat and pad by a ball that cut back sharply off the pitch.

England for all Australia's playing and missing, did not help themselves by giving away 36 runs in extras, including 12 no-balls.

Smith stuck Stuart Broad through the covers for two fours off successive balls then successfully overturned a caught-behind decision off the next delivery on his way to a 102-ball fifty.

Broad also had Marnus Labuschagne lbw, playing no shot, before another successful Australian review indicated the ball would have cleared the top of the stumps.

Stokes brought himself on in the hope of a breakthrough but it was not long before Smith confidently flicked him through midwicket for four to go to 9,000 runs in Test cricket.

Smith and Labuschagne, until recently the world's two top-ranked Test batsmen, had managed just 35 runs between them across four innings at Edgbaston.

But on Wednesday their century partnership was ended when Labuschagne was caught behind for 47 off an excellent full-length delivery from Ollie Robinson to leave Australia 198-3.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)



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2nd Test Day 1: Smith Stars For Australia Before Root Revives England

Star batsman Steve Smith's unbeaten 85 was the centrepiece of Australia's impressive 339-5 on the opening day of the second Test against England at Lord's on Wednesday. But off-spinner Joe Root, better known as the number one-ranked batsman in Test cricket, took two wickets in four balls late in the day. His double strike ensured Ashes-holders Australia, 1-0 up in the five-match series after a thrilling two-wicket win at Edgbaston last week, did not have things all their own way at the 'Home of Cricket'.

Australia were in a commanding position at 316-3, despite being sent into bat by England captain Ben Stokes in overcast conditions and on a green tinged-pitch that promised to aid his five-strong pace attack.

But dashing left-hander Travis Head, scoring at better than a run-a-ball, then charged down the pitch only to be beaten by a sharply turning Root delivery with Jonny Bairstow, whose wicketkeeping had proved fallible in Birmingham, completing an excellent stumping.

Head was out for 77 following a stand of 118 with Smith where England were given a taste of their own 'Bazball' medicine.

But three balls later, Australia's 316-4 became 316-5 when Cameron Green fell for a duck, slicing Root to James Anderson at mid-off.

At stumps Root, the only spinner in the attack after England dropped Moeen Ali, had figures of 2-19 from eight overs.

Fast bowler Josh Tongue, recalled in place of Moeen, removed Australia left-handed openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner, who made a valuable 66, in a return of 2-88 in 18 overs.

The match was briefly halted before the second over when two Just Stop Oil protesters ran out of the Grandstand and onto the outfield, sprinkling the environmental pressure group's trademark orange powder on the square but not on the pitch.

Bairstow grabbed one of the demonstrators and carried them off the playing surface, with the other apprehended by stewards.

A third demonstrator was tackled before making it onto the outfield, with the police making three arrests.

Pope injury scare

England's aggressive 'Bazball' approach had come under scrutiny in Birmingham, but missing several chances was a bigger factor in their defeat.

On Wednesday, Stuart Broad, who has long troubled Warner in Ashes contests, had him edging into the cordon on 20, only for fourth slip Ollie Pope, who later went off injured with a shoulder injury, to drop a two-handed catch.

Warner cashed in with a 66-ball fifty completed when he pulled Tongue, in just his second Test, for six.

But off what became the last ball before lunch Tongue bowled Khawaja fresh from his hundred at Edgbaston, playing no shot.

Warner also fell to Tongue, bowled between bat and pad by a ball that cut back sharply off the pitch.

England for all Australia's playing and missing, did not help themselves by giving away 36 runs in extras, including 12 no-balls.

Smith stuck Stuart Broad through the covers for two fours off successive balls then successfully overturned a caught-behind decision off the next delivery on his way to a 102-ball fifty.

Broad also had Marnus Labuschagne lbw, playing no shot, before another successful Australian review indicated the ball would have cleared the top of the stumps.

Stokes brought himself on in the hope of a breakthrough but it was not long before Smith confidently flicked him through midwicket for four to go to 9,000 runs in Test cricket.

Smith and Labuschagne, until recently the world's two top-ranked Test batsmen, had managed just 35 runs between them across four innings at Edgbaston.

But on Wednesday their century partnership was ended when Labuschagne was caught behind for 47 off an excellent full-length delivery from Ollie Robinson to leave Australia 198-3.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)



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"Knew Dhoni Would Bat Ahead Because...": Muralitharan On 2011 WC Final

Former India captain MS Dhoni's decision to bat ahead of an in-form Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 ODI World Cup final against Sri Lanka turned out to be a game-changer. Knowing the Muttiah Muralitharan challenge that awaited the Indian team, Dhoni told the then-India coach Gary Kirsten that he plans to promote himself in the batting order. The rest, as they say, is history. More than a decade after the final, Muralitharan has opened up on the episode, sharing his opinion on why Dhoni did what he did that day.

In a chat during the ODI World Cup 2023 schedule announcement show, the Sri Lanka legend revealed that he already knew Dhoni would promote himself over Yuvraj Singh because of the experience he had playing against him in the Indian Premier League. For the unversed, Dhoni and Muralitharan were teammates at Chennai Super Kings at one stage.

"I knew because Yuvraj (Singh) was not very comfortable playing me, although he was the best player in World Cup at that time, middle-order number four position. I knew because I was bowling a lot against him (Dhoni) in the nets in Chennai while playing in the IPL.

"So Dhoni knew how to play me very well. So I thought he didn't want to give any wickets to me because I was wicketless despite bowling well," the iconic spinner revealed.

Having faced Muralitharan a number of times in the nets, Dhoni was best accustomed to tackle the tricky spinner's challenge. 

"There was a lot of dew at that time and we couldn't spin the ball much. Gambhir was there at the other end, so when we got the wicket, definitely I knew he will come because he knows how to play me very well as I've played for Chennai (Super Kings)," Murali further revealed.



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Tuesday, June 27, 2023

"Our Type Of Conditions...": Akram Reacts As ICC Announces ODI WC Schedule

Pakistan great Wasim Akram believes his former side has enough quality in their ranks to be a major player at this year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. Wasim was part of the famous team that helped Pakistan claim their only World Cup title at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 1992, and the legendary pacer thinks a second trophy can be clinched if their best players can remain fit and in form. Pakistan are led by the No.1-ranked ODI batter in Babar Azam and have an experienced group of players to support him.

ICC on Tuesday announced the schedule of the One Day international (ODI) of the World Cup, with the first match to be played between England and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on October 5.

India and Pakistan will square off at the same venue on October 15, the ICC announced.

The final will also be played at the same venue.

Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman will be among the key batters, while Pakistan can turn to a pace attack that includes Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah.

All the ingredients are there for Pakistan to be among the favourites to claim a second World Cup title this year and Wasim expects the conditions that teams will face in India during the tournament will also favour his former side.

"We have a good side...a very good one-day side and are led by one of the modern-day greats in Babar Azam," Wasim Akram told the ICC.

"As long as they are fit and as long as they play according to the plan, they will have a chance of doing well in that World Cup because it is played in our type of conditions in India on the sub-continent," the former Pakistan captain said.

Pakistan won five of their nine matches at the most recent edition of the 50-over World Cup, but narrowly missed out on qualifying for the semi-finals of the 2019 event due to inferior net run rate.

Their form since that tournament has been excellent, with Babar's side having lost just nine 50-over contests since then to currently be ranked second on the ODI team rankings.

Babar has been a model of consistency during that strong run, with the right-hander having scored eight of his 18 ODI centuries since the 2019 tournament to maintain his stranglehold on the premier position in the ODI batter rankings.

Wasim is a massive fan of Babar and would not be surprised to see the inspirational Pakistan skipper raise his game even further during the World Cup.

"I think he can (get better) as he is the best player we have," Wasim noted.

"The whole country follows him, everything he does. He gets people into the stadium and it doesn't matter whether it is T20, one-dayers or Test cricket and, in my opinion, he has the most beautiful cover drive in the world."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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"Our Type Of Conditions...": Akram Reacts As ICC Announces ODI WC Schedule

Pakistan great Wasim Akram believes his former side has enough quality in their ranks to be a major player at this year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. Wasim was part of the famous team that helped Pakistan claim their only World Cup title at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 1992, and the legendary pacer thinks a second trophy can be clinched if their best players can remain fit and in form. Pakistan are led by the No.1-ranked ODI batter in Babar Azam and have an experienced group of players to support him.

ICC on Tuesday announced the schedule of the One Day international (ODI) of the World Cup, with the first match to be played between England and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on October 5.

India and Pakistan will square off at the same venue on October 15, the ICC announced.

The final will also be played at the same venue.

Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman will be among the key batters, while Pakistan can turn to a pace attack that includes Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah.

All the ingredients are there for Pakistan to be among the favourites to claim a second World Cup title this year and Wasim expects the conditions that teams will face in India during the tournament will also favour his former side.

"We have a good side...a very good one-day side and are led by one of the modern-day greats in Babar Azam," Wasim Akram told the ICC.

"As long as they are fit and as long as they play according to the plan, they will have a chance of doing well in that World Cup because it is played in our type of conditions in India on the sub-continent," the former Pakistan captain said.

Pakistan won five of their nine matches at the most recent edition of the 50-over World Cup, but narrowly missed out on qualifying for the semi-finals of the 2019 event due to inferior net run rate.

Their form since that tournament has been excellent, with Babar's side having lost just nine 50-over contests since then to currently be ranked second on the ODI team rankings.

Babar has been a model of consistency during that strong run, with the right-hander having scored eight of his 18 ODI centuries since the 2019 tournament to maintain his stranglehold on the premier position in the ODI batter rankings.

Wasim is a massive fan of Babar and would not be surprised to see the inspirational Pakistan skipper raise his game even further during the World Cup.

"I think he can (get better) as he is the best player we have," Wasim noted.

"The whole country follows him, everything he does. He gets people into the stadium and it doesn't matter whether it is T20, one-dayers or Test cricket and, in my opinion, he has the most beautiful cover drive in the world."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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"Realised We Could Go Far...": Roger Binny On How India Won 1983 World Cup

On Sunday, June 25, India celebrated the 40th anniversary of its maiden ICC Cricket World Cup triumph. On the same day in 1983, India defeated two-time defending champions West Indies to win the third edition of the World Cup, known as the Prudential Cup back then. In the final, India managed to defend a low total of 183 against a star-studded West Indian side, featuring the likes of Sir Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards and others. However, the most important factor behind India's triumph was the fact that they beat West Indies not once, but twice during the tournament.

According to BCCI President Roger Binny, who was part of the World Cup-winning squad, the win over West Indies in their final group game was the deciding factor of their campaign.

"It's been 40 years since we played in that World Cup, but it does not seem like that. Everything is still so fresh in my mind. I can pinpoint a lot of things that happened back then. The greatest moment in the tournament was the turnaround in the group league game against the West Indies in Manchester. That's where it all started," Binny told Sportstar.

Binny, who was India's leading wicket-taker in the tournament, futher revealed that the win over West Indies in Manchester made the team realise that they could go all the way.

"Till then, we were not living up to our potential. That day, after we beat the West Indies, we realised we could go far. That was the most important day, besides the final on June 25, where we defeated the West Indies again," he added.

India won their second 50-over World Cup title in 2011 after they defeated Sri Lanka on home soil. Later this year, the tournament will be once again held in India.



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"Realised We Could Go Far...": Roger Binny On How India Won 1983 World Cup

On Sunday, June 25, India celebrated the 40th anniversary of its maiden ICC Cricket World Cup triumph. On the same day in 1983, India defeated two-time defending champions West Indies to win the third edition of the World Cup, known as the Prudential Cup back then. In the final, India managed to defend a low total of 183 against a star-studded West Indian side, featuring the likes of Sir Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards and others. However, the most important factor behind India's triumph was the fact that they beat West Indies not once, but twice during the tournament.

According to BCCI President Roger Binny, who was part of the World Cup-winning squad, the win over West Indies in their final group game was the deciding factor of their campaign.

"It's been 40 years since we played in that World Cup, but it does not seem like that. Everything is still so fresh in my mind. I can pinpoint a lot of things that happened back then. The greatest moment in the tournament was the turnaround in the group league game against the West Indies in Manchester. That's where it all started," Binny told Sportstar.

Binny, who was India's leading wicket-taker in the tournament, futher revealed that the win over West Indies in Manchester made the team realise that they could go all the way.

"Till then, we were not living up to our potential. That day, after we beat the West Indies, we realised we could go far. That was the most important day, besides the final on June 25, where we defeated the West Indies again," he added.

India won their second 50-over World Cup title in 2011 after they defeated Sri Lanka on home soil. Later this year, the tournament will be once again held in India.



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Sri Lanka Down Scotland To Bolster Cricket World Cup Hopes

Sri Lanka defeated Scotland by 82 runs Tuesday to advance to the Super Six stage of the Cricket World Cup qualifiers with maximum points, while Ireland secured a consolation win over the United Arab Emirates. Opener Pathum Nissanka made 75 and Charith Asalanka scored 63 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 245 in Bulawayo, with Scotland spinners Chris Greaves (4-32) and Mark Watt (3-52) combining for seven wickets.

Scotland slid to 73-5 in reply and were eventually dismissed for just 163 after two run outs in the same over sealed their fate despite an enterprising 56 not out from Greaves.

Sri Lanka, the 1996 champions, go through as winners of Group B and will start on four points in the next round ahead of matches against the Netherlands, Zimbabwe and the West Indies.

Scotland carry over two points following Sunday's win over Oman, the third team to qualify from the section. The next phase of the tournament begins Thursday when hosts Zimbabwe play Oman. The top two finishers in the Super Six will qualify for the World Cup in India in October and November.

Paul Stirling clubbed 162 off 134 balls as Ireland romped to a 138-run victory over the UAE in the other group game between two eliminated nations.

Stirling's knock comprised 15 fours and eight sixes but arrived too late for an Ireland side who lost their first three matches in Zimbabwe.

Captain Andy Balbirnie added 66 and Harry Tector struck a breezy 57 to lift Ireland to a total of 349-4 after they were put in to bat. UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem made 45 before he was bizarrely run out after wandering out of the crease having been hit on the gloves. 

His wicket triggered a collapse that spelled the end of the UAE's hopes despite resistance from Basil Hameed (39) and Sanchit Sharma (44) as they were all out for 211.

Ireland and the UAE head into the play-offs for seventh to 10th place with the United States and Nepal.



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Sri Lanka Down Scotland To Bolster Cricket World Cup Hopes

Sri Lanka defeated Scotland by 82 runs Tuesday to advance to the Super Six stage of the Cricket World Cup qualifiers with maximum points, while Ireland secured a consolation win over the United Arab Emirates. Opener Pathum Nissanka made 75 and Charith Asalanka scored 63 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 245 in Bulawayo, with Scotland spinners Chris Greaves (4-32) and Mark Watt (3-52) combining for seven wickets.

Scotland slid to 73-5 in reply and were eventually dismissed for just 163 after two run outs in the same over sealed their fate despite an enterprising 56 not out from Greaves.

Sri Lanka, the 1996 champions, go through as winners of Group B and will start on four points in the next round ahead of matches against the Netherlands, Zimbabwe and the West Indies.

Scotland carry over two points following Sunday's win over Oman, the third team to qualify from the section. The next phase of the tournament begins Thursday when hosts Zimbabwe play Oman. The top two finishers in the Super Six will qualify for the World Cup in India in October and November.

Paul Stirling clubbed 162 off 134 balls as Ireland romped to a 138-run victory over the UAE in the other group game between two eliminated nations.

Stirling's knock comprised 15 fours and eight sixes but arrived too late for an Ireland side who lost their first three matches in Zimbabwe.

Captain Andy Balbirnie added 66 and Harry Tector struck a breezy 57 to lift Ireland to a total of 349-4 after they were put in to bat. UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem made 45 before he was bizarrely run out after wandering out of the crease having been hit on the gloves. 

His wicket triggered a collapse that spelled the end of the UAE's hopes despite resistance from Basil Hameed (39) and Sanchit Sharma (44) as they were all out for 211.

Ireland and the UAE head into the play-offs for seventh to 10th place with the United States and Nepal.



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Monday, June 26, 2023

Watch: LSG Apologise To Kailash Kher. The Reason Is Shreyas Iyer's Singing

India batter Shreyas Iyer is one of the most prolific players of the current time. Making his international debut in 2017, the 28-year-old has played 42 ODIs, 49 T20Is, and 10 Tests and scored 3,340 runs for Team India, so far. Currently, Iyer has been out of action since March due to injury. Apart from shining with the bat, Iyer has also got another talent that was left undiscovered till now. IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants have showcased the singing talent of Iyer and also issued an apology.

Taking to Twitter, LSG posted a video, showing Iyer taking up the viral Instagram "Saiyaan" trend. In this trend, he was joined by DC batter Aman Khan and Mumbai Indians and LSG players Hardik Tamore and Suryansh Shedge

"We're sorry, Kailash Kher," the caption of the video read. Notably, "Saiyaan" is popular song, sung by Bollywood singer Kailash Kher and it has been viral on Instagram as people make reels on it. 

According to ESPNCricinfo, India's ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah and batter Shreyas Iyer are looking to mark their comeback in India's squad for the Asia Cup 2023. 

Bumrah has been out of action since September 2022 owing to a back injury and as a result, missed the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. He has been notably out for the last eight to nine months due to a back injury. In April, Bumrah underwent surgery on his lower back in New Zealand. 

While Shreyas, in April decided to opt for back surgery for his recurring lower-back injury. He was constantly troubled by a bulging disc in his lower back. Due to this, he had to abort playing the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in March in Ahmedabad. He then underwent surgery in London in May.

He was advised to rest and is continuing his rehab. The injury had first ruled him out of the final Test against Australia during the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy and he also missed the ODI series against the visitors.

(With ANI Inputs)



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"Virat And...": Amir Names 2 Indians Among 3 Favourite Batters. No Rohit

While there is intense competition between India and Pakistan on the cricket field, there is often huge adulation shared between cricketers of both the sides. The same is the case with Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir. Ex-India captain Virat Kohli has often lauded the fast bowler and the Pakistani has also admitted his respect for Kohli, the batter. In a recent video, Amir mentioned that he considers Virat Kohli and Babar Azam among his top-three favourite batters. Surprisingly, for his third choice he picked up the young Shubman Gill.

"Virat [Kohli], Babar is my favourite apart from T20s. He is my favourite in Tests and ODIs. Finally, Shubman Gill, as I feel he will be the next big thing for India in future, if he maintains his current form," Amir was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan on his YouTube channel.

As far as bowlers were concerned, Amir named New Zealand pacer Trent Boult as his number one choice.  "[Trent] Boult, he is number one for me, then Naseem Shah. These are bowlers, who I feel are complete bowlers and can play all formats. And third would be Mitchell Starc," he added.

The Indian cricket team will embark on a tour of West Indies next month. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the selectors over the appointment of Ajinkya Rahane as vice-captain of the Test team for the upcoming tour of West Indies. 

While Rohit Sharma will lead the team in both formats, Rahane's appointment as vice-captain has raised several eyebrows. Rahane was recalled to the side for the WTC Final against Australia, and was India's top performer with the bat in the match.

"There is nothing wrong in having him [Ajinkya Rahane] as the vice-captain, but a missed opportunity to groom a young player. At least, tell a young player that we are looking at you as a future captain. So, he starts to think as a future leader," Gavaskar said on Sports Today.

The legendary batter picked not one but three players who can replace Rohit in the future. "One is Shubman Gill and the other is Axar Patel [as future captains] because Axar comes in leaps and bounds, he just gets better every match. Giving him the responsibility as vice-captain will make them think. So, these are the two candidates in my view. If there are others, somebody like Ishan Kishan, once he cements his place in the team. He can come in the reckoning as well," he added.



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"Virat And...": Amir Names 2 Indians Among 3 Favourite Batters. No Rohit

While there is intense competition between India and Pakistan on the cricket field, there is often huge adulation shared between cricketers of both the sides. The same is the case with Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir. Ex-India captain Virat Kohli has often lauded the fast bowler and the Pakistani has also admitted his respect for Kohli, the batter. In a recent video, Amir mentioned that he considers Virat Kohli and Babar Azam among his top-three favourite batters. Surprisingly, for his third choice he picked up the young Shubman Gill.

"Virat [Kohli], Babar is my favourite apart from T20s. He is my favourite in Tests and ODIs. Finally, Shubman Gill, as I feel he will be the next big thing for India in future, if he maintains his current form," Amir was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan on his YouTube channel.

As far as bowlers were concerned, Amir named New Zealand pacer Trent Boult as his number one choice.  "[Trent] Boult, he is number one for me, then Naseem Shah. These are bowlers, who I feel are complete bowlers and can play all formats. And third would be Mitchell Starc," he added.

The Indian cricket team will embark on a tour of West Indies next month. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the selectors over the appointment of Ajinkya Rahane as vice-captain of the Test team for the upcoming tour of West Indies. 

While Rohit Sharma will lead the team in both formats, Rahane's appointment as vice-captain has raised several eyebrows. Rahane was recalled to the side for the WTC Final against Australia, and was India's top performer with the bat in the match.

"There is nothing wrong in having him [Ajinkya Rahane] as the vice-captain, but a missed opportunity to groom a young player. At least, tell a young player that we are looking at you as a future captain. So, he starts to think as a future leader," Gavaskar said on Sports Today.

The legendary batter picked not one but three players who can replace Rohit in the future. "One is Shubman Gill and the other is Axar Patel [as future captains] because Axar comes in leaps and bounds, he just gets better every match. Giving him the responsibility as vice-captain will make them think. So, these are the two candidates in my view. If there are others, somebody like Ishan Kishan, once he cements his place in the team. He can come in the reckoning as well," he added.



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Sunday, June 25, 2023

"Zaheer Khan Better Than Jimmy Anderson": India Pacer's Huge Verdict

India pacer Ishant Sharma feels that Zaheer Khan was a better bowler than James Anderson. He reasoned it by point out that the England pacer plays in a different conditions to that in India. While an average ODI career sees Anderson claiming 269 wickets across 194 games, an illustrious Test career has Anderson scalping 686 wickets from 180 games. He has registered 32 five-wicket hauls in the format with his best bowling figures in a game being 11/71. Ishant feels that Anderson would not have been so successful, had he played majority of his games in Indian conditions.

Zaheer expressed his opinions in an interview to Ranveer Allahbadia on latter's YouTube channel.

"Jimmy Anderson's bowling style and method is quite different. He plays in different conditions. He plays in England. May be if he played in India...," said Ishant before Ranveer Allahbadia smiled and said, "...maybe he (Anderson) wouldn't have found that kind of success."

In reply, Ishant said: "Zak is better than Jimmy Anderson."

Zaheer Khan played 200 ODIs for India and picked 282 wickets. In the longest format, he represented India in 92 matches and claimed 311 wickets. He ended his Test career with 11 five-wicket hauls.

While Zaheer has already called time on his international cricket career, Anderson is currently a part of England's Test team. The right-arm pacer was in the playig XI for the first Ashes 2023 Test against Australia.

Anderson had a poor outing in the first match as he could pick only one wicket and conceded 109 runs.



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Not MS Dhoni! Sunil Gavaskar Calls India Legend 'Original Captain Cool'

MS Dhoni is widely regarded as ‘Captain Cool' for his calm and composed demeanour on the field even in the toughest of conditions. Over the years, his captaincy style has been praised by experts and fans alike with the nickname becoming almost synonymous with the former Indian cricket team skipper. However, legendary India opener Sunil Gavaskar believes that there is another contender for that nickname. In a recent interaction with Times of India, Gavaskar said that Kapil Dev is the original ‘Captain Cool' and reminisced about his all-round performance in the 1983 World Cup.

"Kapil's performances with both bat and ball were dazzling to say the least. Not to forget his catch of Viv Richards in the final. His captaincy was dynamic, exactly what the format required, and his ready smile even when a player dropped a catch or mis-fielded makes him the original captain cool."

India started the 1983 World Cup as underdogs but they went on to claim the title after defeating the defending champions West Indies in the final. Kapil Dev performed brilliantly with both bat and ball and his catch to dismiss Viv Richards has gone down in the pages of history.

Gavaskar also joked that the moment India won the 1983 World Cup could have made for a great advertisement for a toothpaste as all the players and staff were constantly smiling.

"It's hard to put in words what those moments after the win felt like. It would have made a great advert for toothpaste as everybody around us were laughing and smiling and to see that was simply heart-lifting," he added.



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Kalidou Koulibaly Begins Chelsea Exodus To Saudi Pro League

Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly became the latest star name to head to Saudi Arabia on Sunday as he joined Al-Hilal from Chelsea, the Premier League club confirmed. Koulibaly joined the Blues just last year from Napoli for a reported 163;33 million pounds ($42 million). However, the 32-year-old struggled in the Premier League as Chelsea finished 12th -- their lowest league finish since 1994.

"Kalidou Koulibaly has left Chelsea after completing a permanent transfer to Saudi Professional League side Al-Hilal," Chelsea said in a statement.

"We would like to thank Kalidou for his contributions on and off the pitch during his time at Stamford Bridge and wish him well for the next stage of his career."

Backed by the nation's sovereign wealth fund, the Saudi Pro League is luring big names from the major European leagues with the promise of huge salaries.

Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr in January started the trend.

His former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema and French World Cup winner N'Golo Kante of Chelsea have recently joined Al-Ittihad.

Chelsea could be set to further profit from the Saudi investment.

Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is reportedly close to joining Al Ahli, while Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech is on the brink of a move to Al Nassr.

The English club need to sell players before the end of the month to try and comply with financial fair play regulations after spending over 163;500 million pounds on new signings over the past 12 months.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)



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'Show Your Presence Like Kohli...': Ex-Pak Star's Strong Message For Rohit

With India set to tour West Indies next month, the BCCI announced the squads for the Test and ODI series earlier this week. Rohit Sharma will lead the side in both formats, while Ajinkya Rahane and Hardik Pandya will deputise him in Tests and ODIs, respectively. In another big development, veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara was axed from the team, following his poor outing with the bat in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. While analysing India's squad, former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal shared his views on the upcoming tour.

Akmal said that while India captain Rohit Sharma has done well during his short stint as India's Test captain so far, he needs to show a bit more authority on the field, just like his predecessor Virat Kohli.

"It's a balanced team. Indian team needs to have a good start. I want Rohit Sharma to do better with captaincy. Show your presence on the ground like Virat Kohli used to do. He has got a chance. (Having said that), Rohit Sharma has done a decent job so far after what went down with the Kohli saga," Akmal said on his YouTube channel.

Despite praising the selectors, Akmal questioned the exclusion of Sarfaraz Khan and Umran Malik.

"There is always a debate regarding one or two players. One player which comes to my mind after seeing the records is Sarfaraz Khan. Playing him wasn't possible but he should've travelled with the team. You could've given him a single that we are not ignoring you and there's always a chance of you coming in in the future. There was the perfect tour to put him in the squad. Also, Umran Malik, with the pace he has got, could've been lethal. The pitch is dry in West Indies and with the Dukes ball, there will be reverse swing," he added.



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Not MS Dhoni! Sunil Gavaskar Calls India Legend 'Original Captain Cool'

MS Dhoni is widely regarded as ‘Captain Cool' for his calm and composed demeanour on the field even in the toughest of conditions. Over the years, his captaincy style has been praised by experts and fans alike with the nickname becoming almost synonymous with the former Indian cricket team skipper. However, legendary India opener Sunil Gavaskar believes that there is another contender for that nickname. In a recent interaction with Times of India, Gavaskar said that Kapil Dev is the original ‘Captain Cool' and reminisced about his all-round performance in the 1983 World Cup.

"Kapil's performances with both bat and ball were dazzling to say the least. Not to forget his catch of Viv Richards in the final. His captaincy was dynamic, exactly what the format required, and his ready smile even when a player dropped a catch or mis-fielded makes him the original captain cool."

India started the 1983 World Cup as underdogs but they went on to claim the title after defeating the defending champions West Indies in the final. Kapil Dev performed brilliantly with both bat and ball and his catch to dismiss Viv Richards has gone down in the pages of history.

Gavaskar also joked that the moment India won the 1983 World Cup could have made for a great advertisement for a toothpaste as all the players and staff were constantly smiling.

"It's hard to put in words what those moments after the win felt like. It would have made a great advert for toothpaste as everybody around us were laughing and smiling and to see that was simply heart-lifting," he added.



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'Show Your Presence Like Kohli...': Ex-Pak Star's Strong Message For Rohit

With India set to tour West Indies next month, the BCCI announced the squads for the Test and ODI series earlier this week. Rohit Sharma will lead the side in both formats, while Ajinkya Rahane and Hardik Pandya will deputise him in Tests and ODIs, respectively. In another big development, veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara was axed from the team, following his poor outing with the bat in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. While analysing India's squad, former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal shared his views on the upcoming tour.

Akmal said that while India captain Rohit Sharma has done well during his short stint as India's Test captain so far, he needs to show a bit more authority on the field, just like his predecessor Virat Kohli.

"It's a balanced team. Indian team needs to have a good start. I want Rohit Sharma to do better with captaincy. Show your presence on the ground like Virat Kohli used to do. He has got a chance. (Having said that), Rohit Sharma has done a decent job so far after what went down with the Kohli saga," Akmal said on his YouTube channel.

Despite praising the selectors, Akmal questioned the exclusion of Sarfaraz Khan and Umran Malik.

"There is always a debate regarding one or two players. One player which comes to my mind after seeing the records is Sarfaraz Khan. Playing him wasn't possible but he should've travelled with the team. You could've given him a single that we are not ignoring you and there's always a chance of you coming in in the future. There was the perfect tour to put him in the squad. Also, Umran Malik, with the pace he has got, could've been lethal. The pitch is dry in West Indies and with the Dukes ball, there will be reverse swing," he added.



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Petra Kvitova Boosts Wimbledon Bid With Berlin Triumph

Petra Kvitova boosted her status as a leading favourite for a third Wimbledon title by sweeping past Donna Vekic in the final of the Berlin WTA grass-court tournament on Sunday. The Czech seventh seed won 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) to clinch her second title of the year and 31st of her career. Sunday's victory gave her a sixth grass-court trophy for a 31st title, giving her more than any other active player besides Venus Williams' 49.  Kvitova, 33, who was Wimbledon champion in 2011 and 2014, burst out of the blocks, breaking her opponent twice in the first set.

The pair traded breaks in the second before Kvitova triumphed in a tiebreak. 

The world number nine did not drop a set on the way to lifting the title at Steffi Graf Stadium in the German capital. 

Moments after the countdown to lift the trophy, Kvitova told the crowd: "I'm in shock right now.

"I wasn't sure I could count in German, but I did it in the end so I'm happy."

Vekic praised her opponent, saying: "Your career is something we can only hope for.

"I've lost to you a few times and every time I lose to you I feel like you win the tournament."

Kvitova has now won 12 of her last 13 matches on grass dating back to her title run in Eastbourne last season. She has lost just four sets over that span.

The unseeded Vekic, 26, impressed this week, defeating reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina on her way to her first grass-court final since 2019.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)



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Saturday, June 24, 2023

"Changing Venues... Advantage For Pakistan In WC": R Ashwin's Blunt Take

India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has shared his views after reports emerged that the Pakistan cricket team is not "comfortable" playing some of the participating teams at specific venues during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, including Afghanistan in Chennai and Australia in Bengaluru. The deadlock over the Asia Cup staging has ended and now Pakistan are expected to travel to India for the World Cup in October-November. Talking about Pakistan's reported request for a change in venues, Ashwin opined that it would be considered by ICC only if the side makes any "valid security reasons".

It is worth noting that ICC is yet to announce the schedule of World Cup 2023.

"Pakistan's interesting request to switch venues. The fixture now is, Pakistan playing Australia in Bangalore and Afghanistan in Chennai. They want the venues interchanged. Only if there is a security reason, ICC will consider these requests," said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

"Pakistan, in their request letter itself, have mentioned that conditions will favor Afghanistan in Chennai. So, by changing venues, it plays into an advantage for Pakistan. So, I highly doubt that ICC will heed to this request. Maybe if Pakistan have given some valid security reasons, then it might be shifted," added the veteran India player.

Playing Afghanistan in spin-friendly Chennai would mean facing the likes of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad, who did well for Gujarat Titans in the 2023 Indian Premier League. Meanwhile, conditions in Bengaluru are usually batting friendly and it is hard to understand why Pakistan would have reservations playing Australia at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

(With PTI Inputs)



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"No Freebies For You": Gavaskar Recalls Chat During 1983 World Cup Final

Legendary Indian cricket team batter Sunil Gavaskar recalled an interesting story from the 1983 World Cup final against West Indies. India defeated West Indies by 43 runs in the final at Lord's and this is the 40th anniversary of the legendary victory. The India team members from the final came together during Adani Group's launch of 'Jeetenge Hum' campaign at Adani Day on Saturday. Gavaskar spoke about the interaction he had with West Indies legend Joel Garner who was also his teammate at English county side Somerset and how Garner made it clear that he will not give him any freebies because of their friendship.  

"Mr. (Joel) Garner had been my flatmate when I had played for Somerset. So every ball has gone past my nose, I has not been able to touch bat on ball... As I went to the non-striker end. Garner is walking past me. Because I have shared a flat with him. I said to him - 'Hey Bird how about one off the mark for your old flatmate.' I was on zero. He said -'No man! No freebies for  you. This is the World Cup final.' So that's what happened. I didn't get any freebie and got out for 2," said Gavaskar.

Roger Binny, the current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief and the star all-rounder who ended up at the top of the wicket-taking charts of the tournament with 18 scalps, also said, "Being part of the 1983 World Cup-winning team was an incredible journey filled with determination and team spirit. Together, we believe in the potential of our current players to bring back the coveted trophy. Let's unite as fans and inspire them to create history!."

On the occasion, some of the players also recalled some of their favourite moments from the tournament.

Sandeep Patil, the all-rounder who had scored a match-winning fifty in the semifinal, recalled that the day of semifinal against England (June 22) happened to his mother's birthday as well.

"It was my late mother's birthday as well on the day of semifinal. She told me that she had never asked for anything in her life from me, but wanted me to win the trophy. I told myself that no matter if its Bob Willis or his father (laughs), I was going to smash them," said Patil.

Sandeep recalled that a partnership between Jimmy (Mohinder Amarnath) and Yashpal Sharma proved to be instrumental in India's win in the semifinal.

Mohinder Amarnath, who had taken the match-winning wicket in the final, also revealed that when he ran to take the wicket as a souvenir of the memorable win, it was so stuck inside the ground that he could not take it.

"But I was too happy about us becoming world champions. Forget about the wicket, it could not have been bigger than winning World Cup for us," he added.

(With ANI inputs)



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Neymar Hit With New Fine Over Project At Brazil Mansion

Environmental authorities in Brazil fined football star Neymar a second time Saturday after their orders to halt an unlicensed construction project at his mansion outside Rio de Janeiro were ignored, officials said. The Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain star was already facing a fine of at least 5 million reais ($1 million) after authorities said they had found "various environmental infractions" Thursday at his luxury property in the resort town of Mangaratiba, where workers were building an artificial lake and beach.

The authorities cordoned off the site and ordered a halt to all activity, but Brazilian media reports said Neymar had instead thrown a party there and gone swimming in the lake.

The city government said environmental inspectors had returned Saturday and found "activity" at the site "violating the restraining order and committing further environmental infractions."

It said Neymar would have to pay an additional fine for an unspecified amount, with "the total value to be calculated after a full investigation," which it expected to conclude next week.

Inspectors found the project diverted a waterway, extracted water from a river, undertook major excavation and landscaping, and used beach sand, all without the necessary permits.

Neymar's representatives in Brazil have not responded to AFP's requests for comment.

Neymar, 31, is currently recovering from an operation on his right ankle, which he underwent in Doha, Qatar, in March. 

The striker has not played since February, and doubts have arisen as to whether he will remain at PSG.

Neymar bought the Mangaratiba mansion in 2016. According to Brazilian media, it sits on 10,000 square meters (2.5 acres) of land and includes a helipad, spa and gym.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)



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"Wild Arrogance On Part Of England...": Ex-Australia Star's Startling Take

Former Australian pace bowler Brett Geeves believes England's ultra-aggressive approach is likely to backfire during the Ashes, adding that the declaration on day one of the first Test at Edgbaston was a sign of "wild arrogance" on the part of Ben Stokes' side. England had declared their first innings on 393 for eight despite Joe Root batting on an unbeaten 118, and the home side could have easily scored a few more, which could have given them a psychological advantage. The decision to declare was criticised by several experts and Australia went on to win the thrilling Test by two wickets.

Geeves, who has played one ODI and two T20Is for Australia and has been a successful first-class bowler, said 'Bazball' -- the term coined for England's overly aggressive and result-oriented style of play -- is unlikely to work against Australia.

"It (Bazball) sets them (England) up to fail and to me it kind of feels like 'even if we lose we're playing the best cricket and we have won anyway," Geeves told Sen Radio on Saturday.

"That's not how it works. Particularly against Australia in the Ashes," opined the 41-year-old.

He said it was "disrespectful" on the part of England coach Brendon McCullum to tell his players that he was proud of them despite the defeat. Geeves opined, the coach was undermining the efforts of the Australians by saying this.

"There was (an) article that I was reading that quotes Brendon McCullum in terms of their loss, they're in the changer rooms and Brendon spoke first and he says; 'Lads, I am immensely proud of the effort you put in. We have made the game what it was. We were so close to pulling off an unbelievable victory. We played all the cricket in the game. If it wasn't for us the Australians wouldn't have even had a chance to win'." "It is just a really disrespectful approach to the performances of Pat Cummins and the performance of the run chase and their ability to hold England to 276 in the best batting conditions of the game." Australia skipper Cummins scored an unbeaten 44 and partner Nathan Lyon struck 16 not out, when the chips were down, to take the visitors to the winning target of 282 set by England.

Geeves indicated Australia have a few tricks up their sleeve and they will continue to improve as the five-Test series progresses.

"Australia's still got some improvement. They'll get a little bit more out of their batting list as the series progresses and strategically if they can get their mindset right from a fielding and strategy standpoint, I think they are going to do very well.

"In particular if England have this mindset of wild arrogance and that's what that declaration was. It was wildly arrogant to think that (8/393) was enough in the first innings on a very flat wicket.

"And yes, absolutely, they (Australia) won the game on the back of the English's ridiculously dumb declaration. There is no doubt that England played a part in their win." He said that had England not declared and scored another 50-60 runs, they could have batted Australia out of the contest.

"They (England) could have come back the next day and tried to bat for another 50 or 60 runs which would have batted Australia out of the game, only one team would have been able to win the game had they made 450 or 460 and that was England," he said.

"It's because of the arrogance surrounding their approach to the game. 8/393 declared, you don't do that in Test match cricket. You don't do that across a five-day game when Joe Root is 118 not out." The second Test begins at Lord's on Jun 28.



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Friday, June 23, 2023

Virat Kohli's Reaction To Suresh Raina's Amsterdam Restaurant Wins Hearts

Apart from his love for cricket, former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is also known for his fondness with food. Being a foodie himself, Raina has often shared pictures of him cooking at home. Having said that, the former cricketer has now decided to launch his own restaurant in Amsterdam. Taking to social media, Raina, in a detailed post, revealed that his restaurant will provide an authentic taste of Indian cuisine to the customers. 

"I am absolutely ecstatic to introduce Raina Indian Restaurant in Amsterdam, where my passion for food and cooking takes center stage! Over the years, you've seen my love for food and witnessed my culinary adventures, and now, I am on a mission to bring the most authentic and genuine flavors from different parts of India straight to Europe's heart," Raina captioned a post.

"Join me on this extraordinary gastronomic journey as we embark on a flavorsome adventure together. Stay tuned for tantalizing updates, sneak peeks of our mouthwatering creations, and the grand unveiling of Raina Indian Restaurant!," he added.

Raina, 36, a solid striker of the ball at the top of the order, played 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20Is, respectively, for India, amassing more than 7,000 runs across formats.

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He also played every season of the IPL tournament between 2008 and 2021, barring 2020 when he returned to India from the UAE -- where the IPL was held due to Covid.

Raina has played 205 IPL matches and scored more than 5500 runs, including an unbeaten century.

The India cricketer played for CSK and Gujarat Lions in the IPL and represented Uttar Pradesh in domestic tournaments.

(With PTI Inputs)



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"Wonderful Opportunity Missed": Gavaskar On India's Test Team For WI Tour

Cheteshwar Pujara, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami missed out as Team India named squad for the two-match Test series against West Indies, starting July 12. Jaydev Unadkat kept his spot while Delhi Capitals pacer Mukesh Kumar received his maiden India call-up. Navdeep Saini too was called into the team in the longest format. While some youngsters have been called in for the two matches, the team is more or less the same with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel forming the core.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that Team India has missed a "wonderful opportunity" by not giving chance to more youngsters for the Tests against West Indies. The cricket veteran suggested that the players who are certain to play ODI World Cup in October-November this year should have focussed only on playing white-ball cricket onwards.

"The World Test Championship is gone. We missed out over there. Now the next big thing really is the (ODI) World Cup in October and therefore I would have wanted for the big boys to be given a complete break from Test cricket. Now look only at the white-ball cricket, not red-ball cricket. Give them a complete break who are certain to play World Cup. They have been playing non-stop cricket for 3-4 months. They barely had a break," said Gavaskar on Sports Today.

"Had they given break to every senior player and played a few more younger players, that would have done Indian cricket a world of good. But that sadly hasn't happened. I think a wonderful opportunity was missed," he added.

The West Indies series begins a new chapter for the Indian team, as they prepare to go the distance in the WTC 2023-25 cycle.



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"Didn't Make Sense...": Ex-Pak Batter Critical Of 'Arrogant' Stokes And Co

England won a number of fans with their ‘Bazball' approach to cricket but it was not enough against Australia as they were beaten by two wickets in the first Ashes Test in Edgbaston. Even the decision by England skipper Ben Stokes to declare the first innings towards the end of Day 1 was met with a lot of criticism. Former Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt said that it was ‘arrogant' of England to declare the innings early and that came back to haunt them in the Edgbaston Test.

“You have to adapt according to the situation. There are no guarantees that all of your batters will score in every match just because you have batting depth. If you're set, you have to score big. You can't rely on others to make up for the failure. Everyone is aggressive in this England team, some are even overly-aggressive. A batsman is playing on 130, he's set, you have 10-odd overs, you're on 393, have a chance to add 50-60 runs more, so why did you declare?” Butt said on his official YouTube channel.

Butt also expressed his views on ‘Bazball' and made it clear that England should not underestimate Australia at any point of the ongoing Ashes Test series.

“It didn't make sense. You have a five-day Test. They thought they will dismiss Australia early. I think they underestimated the opponents, it was an arrogant declaration. Australia aren't walkovers. In Pakistan, our bowlers were inexperienced. Even if it was our best bowling, even they didn't have that much of experience in Tests. We had three debutants in bowling attack, our emphasis had been on shorter formats. On the other hand, Australia are Test champions, they prefer Test cricket. They are ready to leave IPL for Tests. You can't take that team lightly,” he further said.



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Fighting India Lose 4-8 To Japan To Crash Out Of AFC U-17 Asian Cup

India put up a brave fight before going down 4-8 against mighty Japan in their must-win last Group D match and crash out of AFC U-17 Asian Cup here on Friday. In a game of two halves, India clawed back into the match in the second half and gave Japan a real run for their money, before losing the match at the end. The Blue Colts came into the encounter needing to win, in order to stand a chance to qualify for the quarter-finals of the tournament, but that could not happen. India were forced to make one change to their starting XI, as Mukul Panwar was brought in as centre-back in place of the suspended Pramveer.

Japan were dominant from the very start, enjoying possession, while India played a mid-block game.

The Blue Colts looked to contain Japan and funnel them into a narrow area. Thanglalsoun Gangte was the only one in the centre circle, looking to hold up the ball for the counter-attacks.

Lalpekhlua Ralte had a couple of runs down the left, while Korou looked to cut in and give support to Gangte.

However, for all their intense runs both on and off the ball, Japan's quality showed when they came close to scoring time and again.

Gakuto Kawamura opened the scoring for Japan when he ran on to a rebound at the edge of the area and smashed it in. He came close to doubling the lead for Japan a few minutes later, when his shot from outside the box came off the woodwork.

India's only chance in the first half came when Vanlalpeka Guite chipped a ball through to Korou Singh inside the Japan box, but the latter smashed his volley straight at the opposition goalkeeper.

That missed opportunity came back to haunt India later on as Gaku Nawata went through on goal and slipped it past Sahil to double Japan's lead. Nawata added a third just seconds before half-time, to make it 3-0 in his team's favour.

India came out with a lot more vigour in the second half, and immediately clawed one goal back from a set-piece. A free-kick from the left flank was swung in by Guite, as an airborne Mukul Panwar tapped it in.

The mighty Japan, however, responded with two goals in the next couple of minutes, the first scored by Shuto Nagano, and the second by Yumeki Yoshinaga.

Despite being 1-5 down, the Indian colts didn't lose hope.

A little over the hour mark, Gangte sprung forward on the left, proceeded to the line and cut it back for Danny Meitei to tap it in.

At the other end, a foul by Mukul inside the Indian box resulted in a penalty being awarded to Japan. India keeper Sahil Poonia, however, stood tall and dived to his right to save the effort from Ryunosuke Sato.

The India keeper immediately launched a counter, that resulted in Danny sprinting into the Japan box from the left. As he attempted to cross it to Gangte, a stray deflection off a Japanese leg went in to reduce the margin to 3-5.

Japan found their way back again, when Yotaro Nakajim scored their sixth goal of the night, to take a 6-3 lead.

The Indians, however, didn't give up.

With 10 minutes left, Lalpekhlua Ralte scampered into the box and cut it back for captain Korou to tap it in and make it 4-6.

Eight minutes of injury time were added, giving further hope to the Blue Colts. For a good part of the injury time, Japan were pegged back by India's high press, unable to get out of their own half.

However, Japan showed their quality as Gota Yamaguchi and Shungo Sugiora netted back-to-back goals to secure the three points for Japan. 



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