India complete series sweep with another emphatic win

Agencies
August 14, 2017

Pallekele, Aug 14: An authoritative India today completed a 3-0 clean sweep of Sri Lanka with an innings and 171-run annihilation in the third and final Test, bringing to an early end to one of the most lopsided series in recent years.

None of the three matches lasted five days, with the final one being the shortest, lasting just two and a half days.

With Sri Lanka resuming the day at 19 for one after following-on and facing a 352-run deficit, the final outcome was a foregone conclusion.

The hosts were eventually bundled out for 181 in 74.3 overs in their second innings shortly before tea on day three to hand the visitors a first-ever series clean sweep on overseas soil.

The pace duo of Umesh Yadav (2/21) and Mohammed Shami (3/32) provided the early breakthroughs for India before the spinners Kuldeep Yadav (1-56) and Ravichandran Ashwin (4/68) made further inroads.

Shami was most impressive as he bowled with pace and precision, carrying on from his showing in the first innings where he had struck twice.

With Sri Lanka struggling at 82 for four at lunch, it became certain that the game will not stretch to the fourth day, ensuring an extra day's rest for the Indian team ahead of the five-match ODI series starting Sunday.

Post lunch, Dinesh Chandimal (36) and Angelo Mathews (35) took their fifth wicket partnership to 65 runs. Their stand was the bare minimum resistance to the Indian attack on this third day, and it only helped in delaying proceedings a tad as the duo brought up Lanka’s 100 in the 49th over.

Kuldeep got the breakthrough asChandimal was caught at short leg in the 51st over. Three overs later, it became a double blow as Ashwin trapped Mathews lbw to end all hopes of a stronger Lankan fightback.

Niroshan Dickwella (41) played some aggressive strokes but wickets kept falling regularly at the other end.

Dilruwan Perera (8) was caught off Ashwin at midwicket, like in the first innings, and then Mohammed Shami (3-32) had Lakshan Sandakan (8) caught behind. Ajinkya Rahane took a sharp catch at gully to dismiss Dickwella off Yadav in the 70th over.

Shortly afterwards then, Ashwin bowled Lahiru Kumara (10) to wrap up a comprehensive series win for the world number one side.

In the morning session, Shami bowled a fiery opening spell while Ashwin removed opener Dimuth Karunaratne (16) at the other end.

The ball took extra bounce and lobbed off his glove as the batsman was caught at slip in the third over of the morning.

Shami then had nightwatchman Malinda Pushpakumara (1) caught behind in the 21st over. Two overs later, he got the big dismissal as well, trapping Kusal Mendis (12) lbw with a sharp inswinger.

The hosts lost three for 13 in the first passage of play this morning.

Thereafter, Sri Lanka crossed 50 in the 26th over, with Chandimal and Mathews holding fort together. The duo gave up on the attack-minded tactic against the Indian bowling, instead looking to play for time.

In the 35th over, Mathews survived a shout for caught behind off Umesh Yadav (0-23), even as India appealed for DRS against the original not out decision. But there was no evidence to over-turn the decision as Mathews continued his innings.

On day one, Shikhar Dhawan (119) and KL Rahul (85) put on the highest opening stand of 188 runs on Lankan soil as India finished at 329/6 at stumps.

On day two, Hardik Pandya scored his maiden Test hundred off 86 balls to help India reach 487 in their first innings. Sri Lanka then collapsed to 135 all out in their first innings with Kuldeep Yadav picking 4-40.

India won the first Test in Galle by 304 runs and the second Test in Colombo by an innings and 54 runs.

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News Network
January 23,2020

Jan 23: Quinton de Kock has been named as the new captain of the South Africa One-Day International side, taking over from Faf du Plessis, who is dropped altogether from the three-match series against England next month.

Du Plessis led South Africa in their disastrous 2019 World Cup campaign and has hinted at international retirement from all formats following the Twenty20 global finals in Australia later this year.

"We all know the quality of the player that Quinton de Kock has grown to become," CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Over the years we have watched him grow in confidence and become one of the top ODI wicket-keeper batsmen in the world. He has a unique outlook and manner in which he goes about his business and is tactically very street smart."

De Kock leads a 15-man squad with five uncapped players in seamers Lutho Sipamla and Sisanda Magala, left-arm orthodox spinner all-rounder Bjorn Fortuin, opening batsman Janneman Malan and wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne.

Magala, leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, seamer Lungi Ngidi and hard-hitting opening batsman Jon Jon Smuts must pass fitness tests before they can join the squad.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will be rested for the series, while allrounders Chris Morris and Dwaine Pretorius have also not been able to force their way in.

"The road towards the 2023 Cricket World Cup starts now and we want players doing well in our domestic structures to see the rewards of the hard work that they have put in," CSA Independent Selector Linda Zondi added.

The first ODI will be staged in Cape Town on Feb.4th, with the second in Durban three days later and the final match of the series to be held in Johannesburg on Feb.9th.

Squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Jon Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Janneman Malan, Kyle Verreynne.

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News Network
June 22,2020

New Delhi, Jun 22: Claiming to be saddled with faulty equipment from China, the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) on Monday called for a boycott of sports apparatus made in that country after the violent face-off in eastern Ladakh killed 20 Army personnel last week.

The IWLF ordered four weightlifting sets, comprising barbells and weight plates, from Chinese company 'ZKC' last year. The body said that the equipment turned out to be faulty and the weightlifters are no longer using them.

"We should boycott all Chinese equipment. The Indian Weightlifting Federation has taken the decision that it will not use any equipment made in China," IWLF secretary general Sahdev Yadav said.

The IWLF, in a letter, has informed the Sports Authority of India (SAI) about its decision to stop using any equipment made in China.

"In a letter to SAI we have written that IWLF won't be using the Chinese equipment," he said.

"In future also we will not use made in china sets. We will use sets made by Indian origin companies or any other company but not from China," Yadav added.

National coach Vijay Sharma revealed that the plates were found to be sub-standard when the lifters started training again earlier this month following the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

"The sets were spoilt. We can't use them now," Sharma said.

"All the weightlifters in the camp are against China. They have stopped using Chinese apps like Tik Tok. Even while ordering things online, they check where the product has been manufactured," he added.

Asked why the sets were even ordered, Sharma said they had no option as the equipment from China is to be used in the Tokyo Olympics and lifters needed to be familiar with it.

"We had ordered four sets from China for Olympic training a year ago. Now, since we have resumed training post the lockdown we haven't used them. All the lifters are against the use of Chinese equipment," he said.

He said equipment was ordered from China for the first time.

"We don't order equipment from China as the quality is very bad. This was the first time we got it."

The weightlifters are currently training with equipment made in Sweden.

"Post the lockdown we started training on sets from Swedish company 'ELICKO'. SAI has issued 10 sets for us. The main training takes place with those. Maximum international competitions have sets from ELICKO," Sharma said.

Yadav also said that there are ready alternatives to Chinese equipment.

"We have a lot of alternatives. We already have good Indian sets and we also have equipment from Sweden. We will use that, why should we use Chinese?" Yadav said.

Calls to boycott China-made goods erupted across India after the Galwan valley clash last Monday. It was the most violent face-off between the troops from the two countries in more than four decades.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has said it is open to boycotting Chinese products in the wake of the incident.

The BCCI will also review IPL's sponsorship deals, including the title deal with Chinese mobile manufacturing company Vivo later this week.

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News Network
January 18,2020

New Delhi, Jan 18: There was not much rustiness but just the initial nervousness, which a “pleasantly surprised” Sania Mirza shook off to win a title in her first tournament in 27 months, capping off her comeback from a maternity leave in style.

Partnering Ukraine's Nadiia Kichenov, the trailblazing Indian tennis player annexed the Hobart International trophy with a straight sets win over second seed Chinese pair of Shuai Peng and Shuai Zhang.

She worked hard to get into shape but the way she moved, it seemed Sania was never away from the courts.

“It's something I did not expect totally, so to say, but I am excited to be able to do this in my first tournament on comeback," Sania told PTI in an exclusive interview from Melbourne.

“I honestly thought I would be a bit more rustier than I was. I was pleasantly surprised that I was not. But there are things I can improve and that is what makes a champion. You always want to get better in what you are doing, no matter how well you do."

The 33-year-old winner of six Grand Slam titles said she played without pressure, and insisted there was no secret to the swift success on comeback.

“There is no key, I wish I knew, there was one key to winning. I just enjoyed my game. You have to work hard, play your game. I was playing with a new partner, new gear after two-and-a-half years. There was no pressure and no expectations.

"The first match was the only one when I felt a bit nervous because I did not know how my body would react and how I would play. That match was difficult but it set the tone and momentum. I was happy to come though that one and after that things kept getting better and better," she said.

Sania said her body has certainly changed after giving birth to son Izhaan but she did not have to tweak her post-match recovery process much.

“It does change. I was dealing with a calf injury, from last month and I aggravated a bit today. I am still icing it as we speak but it should not be serious.

“The body is a lot different now. It recovers different. But recovery (process) has not changed so much, it's similar."

Asked if she could go for her shots as she was doing before the break, she said, “I was able to do enough, I can improve, no matter how I play."

"My serve was decent but I can improve. I the first match I was not serving that well and was not returning well on important points but by the time I was playing the final, I was doing both of those little better. It is a process, it does not happen overnight. It's something will keep working on."

Serena Williams set an example in 2018 when she came out playing highly competitive tennis after giving birth to her daughter Olympia. There are other tennis moms like Victoria Azrenka and Evgeniya Rodina.

Sania said she did not seek any input from tennis moms but their presence on the Tour is inspiring enough.

“I did not speak to anyone but it is inspiring to see so many moms around, playing well in different sports."

Sania will play the Australian Open mixed doubles with compatriot Rohan Bopnna after her original first-choice Rajeev Ram opted out due to health reasons.

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