1st ODI: Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal's tons guide Bangladesh to rare win over Pakistan

April 18, 2015

Dhaka, Apr 18: Bangladesh outplayed Pakistan by 79 runs in the first one-day international in Dhaka on Friday, in only their second win over their rivals in 48 games across all three formats.

BangladeshTamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim set up the rare win with impressive centuries as the hosts piled up 329 for six after electing to take first strike at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.

Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed and spinner Arafat Sunny claimed three wickets each as Pakistan were shot out for 250 runs in 45.2 overs to give Bangladesh the lead in the three-match series.

The only other time Bangladesh have beaten Pakistan was during a group match in the 1999 World Cup in England, but the fired-up Tigers dominated Sunday`s day-night game from start to finish.

Left-handed opener Tamim hit 132 off 135 balls and Rahim smashed a 77-ball 106 to steer Bangladesh past their previous best total of 326 for three against the same rivals in 2014.

The pair added 178 runs for the third wicket -- their country`s highest partnership for any wicket -- improving upon the 175 by Habibul Bashar and Rajin Saleh against Kenya in 2006.

"It was a real professional performance by the team," said Shakib Al Hasan, who led Bangladesh in the absence of Mashrafe Mortaza, who served a one-match ban for slow over-rates during the World Cup.

"It was a good pitch to bat on and Tamim and Mushfiq batted really well. After that we just wanted to contain their batsmen and I think our bowling unit rose to the occasion."

Tamim and Rahim ruined off-spinner Saeed Ajmal`s comeback to international cricket after an absence of eight months due to an illegal bowling action.

Ajmal conceded 74 runs in 10 wicketless overs with his remodelled action to finish with his worst one-day bowling figures.

Bangladesh scored only seven runs in Ajmal`s first four overs, before Tamim and Rahim lashed out at the spin spearhead.

Tamim hit 15 boundaries and three sixes in his fifth one-day century and Rahim smashed 13 fours and two sixes after being dropped by Junaid Khan when he was on 35.The match marked the start of a new era for Pakistan cricket following the one-day retirement of skipper Misbah-ul Haq and senior all-rounder Shahid Afridi after the World Cup.

The current team comprised just four players who took part in the World Cup, giving new ODI captain Azhar Ali a relatively inexperienced bunch of tourists.

Azhar led Pakistan`s batting charge with 72 off 73 runs after first two wickets had fallen for 59 runs.

Azhar shared a third-wicket stand of 89 runs with Haris Sohail to give Pakistan a glimmer of hope, before Taskin removed both batsmen.

Haris hit 51 off 64 balls, but after his departure only debutant Mohammad Rizwan defied the Bangladesh bowlers with a fluent 67.

The match swung decisively Bangladesh`s way when Sunny dismissed Fawad Alam (14) and debutant Saad Nasim in the 40th over.

Taskin finished with three for 42 and left-arm spinner Sunny took three for 47 runs.

Azhar promised a better outing in the next match.

"We made some mistakes in the field and dropped catches at the wrong time, but the credit goes to the Bangladesh batsmen," he said. "I think we conceded 30 to 40 runs more than we should have.

"But there were some positives for us too. I thought Rizwan batted soundly in his first match. We will rectify our mistakes and come back strongly in the next game."

The second and third one-dayers will also be held at the same venue on April 17 and 22.

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February 24,2020

Feb 24: India captain Virat Kohli had no qualms in admitting that his team was outplayed by New Zealand in the opening Test but said they "can't help" if a few want to make a "big deal" out of the 10-wicket defeat. Hosts New Zealand thrashed India by 10 wickets at the Basin Reverse on Monday to go 1-0 ahead in the two-match series. This was India's first defeat in the World Test Championship, coming after two inept batting efforts. "We know we haven't played well but if people want to make a big deal out of it, make a mountain out of it, we can't help it as we don't think like that," the skipper said at the post-match media interaction.

Kohli said he fails to comprehend why one Test match defeat should be made to look like the end of the world for his team.

"For some people, it might be the end of the world but it's not. For us, it's a game of cricket that we lost and we move on and keep our heads high," Kohli said.

It is the acceptance of defeat that defines the character of a side, the world's premier batsman said.

"We understand that we need to play well to win, also at home. There's no cakewalk at international level as teams will come and beat you. You accept it and that defines our character as a side."

It is the acceptance of defeat that defines the character of a side, the world's premier batsman said. "We understand that we need to play well to win, also at home. There's no cakewalk at international level as teams will come and beat you. You accept it and that defines our character as a side."

If he had given credence to the "outside chatter", he said the team wouldn't have been where it is now.

"That's why we have been able to play this kind of cricket. If we would have paid attention to the outside chatter, we would again be at No. 7 or 8 in the rankings. We don't really bother about what people are saying on the outside," the skipper said.

One defeat can't make a team, which has been winning games of Test cricket, "bad overnight".

"If we have lost then we have no shame in accepting that. It means we didn't play this game well. It doesn't mean that we have become a bad team overnight. People might want to change our thoughts, but it doesn't work like that."

The self-belief is intact and Kohli was confident the team would come back stronger in the second Test, to be held in Christchurch in four days time.

"We will work hard, and after four days play just like we have played all these years. Just because we have lost one match in between all wins, doesn't mean that the belief is gone. The dressing room thinks differently and team atmosphere is different."

Kohli felt that there is a very thin line between being ultra-defensive and over-attacking, something that his team didn't get it right in this Test match.

"New Zealand got into the mind of the batsmen and make the batsmen do something that they don't want to. think that's a very thin line and a very delicate balance of when to attack and when to put bowlers under pressure which we failed to do in this match and there is no harm in accepting that."

According to Kohli, it was a combination of both good bowling from the Kiwis and Indian batsmen not putting the pressure back on bowlers, which led to the drubbing.

"That has got to do with partly good bowling from New Zealand and partly us not pressing that momentum on to them when required. "It was perfect for them because they bowled well and we allowed them to bowl well for longer periods rather than doing something about it in a partnership."

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January 29,2020

Hamilton, Jan 29: India defeated New Zealand in the third T20 International via Super Over to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series here on Wednesday.

India posted a competitive 179 for five at Seddon Park after being sent into bat. Opener Rohit Sharma top scored for India with a 65-run knock while skipper Virat Kohli contributed 38 runs in team's total.

Later, skipper Kane Williamson smashed a 48-ball 95 but New Zealand faltered in the final over to take the match into the Super Over.

Needing nine runs of the last over, New Zealand lost Williamson and Ross Taylor to finish at 179 for six and tie the match.

In the Super Over, New Zealand scored 17, a target which India overwhelmed in the final ball with Rohit smashing Tim Southee for two consecutive sixes.

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January 29,2020

New Delhi, Jan 29: Badminton champion Saina Nehwal joined the ruling BJP today and is likely to campaign for the party ahead of the February 8 Delhi election.

"I have won medals for the country. I am a very hardworking and I love hardworking persons. I can see Prime Minister Narendra Modi does so much for the country, I want to do something for the country with him," the shuttler said, wearing the BJP scarf.

"I draw a lot of inspiration from Narendra sir".

Haryana-born Saina Nehwal, 29, is a major acquisition for the party in the middle of the Delhi poll campaign; she is one of the most popular sportspersons in India with a huge fan following and brand value. She is preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

A former world number 1, she has been honoured with the country's top sporting awards like the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award. She was also awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2016.

The Badminton player has won over 24 international titles. In the London Olympics, she won a bronze. She was world number two in 2009 and number one in 2015.

With her tweets praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Saina Nehwal was widely seen to lean towards the BJP.

One of her tweets became controversial when it was found to be identical to several others in praise of a PM Modi speech last year. Saina was trolled on Twitter with screenshots of the identical tweets. She was also among the sportswomen who put up identical tweets on Diwali thanking PM Modi for his initiative to empower women, with the hashtag #bharatkilaxmi.

The BJP roped in many famous personalities last year, including cricketer Gautam Gambhir, who was elected MP from Delhi in the national election, and wrestler Babita Phogat. Just before the Haryana assembly polls, the party roped in wrestler Sushil Kumar, Babita Phogat and former Hockey team captain Sandeep Singh. Sandeep Singh won the election and was appointed minister.

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