India extend domination with 9-wicket win in rain-marred tie

Agencies
October 8, 2017

New Delhi: Rain almost ruined the effort of Indian bowlers before letting up just in time to allow the hosts an easy nine-wicket win by D/L method in the first T20I of the five-match series in Ranchi on Saturday.

Clouds opened up when India had crippled Australia, leaving them at 118/8 in the 18.4 overs. But the rain gods showed mercy five minutes before cut-off time to allow India chase a re-worked target of 48 in 6 overs.

India achieved the mark in the last over of their shortened innings in an exciting finish, where they needed six runs to win in six balls. But captain Virat Kohli (22* off 14) didn't allow Australia to take it to the last ball, finishing in style with a boundary off Dan Christian.

Shikhar Dhawan remained unbeaten on 12. Rohit Sharma (11) was the only wicket India lost. He was bowled by Australia's lone wicket-taker Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Earlier, led by Kuldeep Yadav's 2/16 and Jasprit Bumrah's toe-crushing spell of 2/17, India reduced the visitors from 76/3 in 9.5 overs to 114/8 in 18.1.

Barring Aaron Finch's 42 in 30 balls, none of the Australian batsmen could get the measure of either the pitch or the Indian bowlers after Kohli opted to bowl due to overcast conditions.

India welcomed left-handed opener Dhawan back into the eleven, while replacing Axar Patel - who played the fifth ODI - with chinaman spinner Yadav. Dhawan took Rahane's place.

Australia received a blow ahead of the series opener when their regular skipper Steve Smith was ruled out for the rest of the tour with a shoulder injury. He was replaced by David Warner as skipper.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave India the perfect start when, after being hit for two consecutive boundaries, he castled Warner (8) who chopped an outswinger onto his stumps.

Finch and a scratchy Glenn Maxwell then added 47 runs for the second wicket. That partnership was ended by the introduction of Chahal, who dismissed the dangerous Australia allrounder for the fourth time on this tour.

Maxwell (17 off 16) hit a rank short ball straight into the hands of Bumrah at short mid-wicket, bringing a wry smile on Chahal's face.

Finch was then joined by Travis Head but the two could take the score only to 76 in the 10th over when Yadav outfoxed Finch with a straight delivery that beat the opener's bat to rattle the stumps.

The innings was then reduced to a procession of batsmen as Moises Henriques (8) and Head (9) fell within the space of two runs.

Wicketkeeper Tim Paine showed some spark hitting a six and a four in his 16-ball 17 but didn't have an answer to death-over specialist Bumrah, who cleaned him up and followed that by Coulter-Nile's (1) wicket.

The two wickets also made him the second highest Indian wicket-taker in T20Is, after off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

In all, six of the eight Australian batsmen were bowled.

Bhuvneshwar, Hardik Pandya and Chahal took a wicket each and Australia had Adam Zampa (4*) and Andrew Tye (0*) at the crease when the umpires signalled for the covers to be brought on.

The second T20I will be played on Oct 10 in Guwahati.

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News Network
March 31,2020

New Delhi, Mar 31: Australia batsman David Warner on Tuesday decided to shave off his head to show support towards all those people who are working relentlessly on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

After shaving off his head, Warner also challenged his Australian team-mate Steve Smith and India skipper Virat Kohli to do the same.

Warner, shared a time-lapse video on Instagram, of him shaving his head, and captioned the post as: "Been nominated to shave my head in support of those working on the frontline #Covid-19 here is a time-lapse. I think my debut was the last time I recall I've done this. Like it or not".

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Australia's death toll stands at 19, as per the Sydney Morning Herald.

As of 8 am today, 4460 people across Australia have tested positive for COVID-19.

The World Health Organisation had termed coronavirus as a 'pandemic' on March 11.

Earlier in the day, Australia Test skipper Tim Paine also confirmed that the side's tour of Bangladesh is unlikely due to the virus spread.
"You don't have to be Einstein to realise (the Bangladesh tour) is probably unlikely to go ahead, particularly in June. Whether it's cancelled or pushed back, we're not quite sure at the moment," cricket.com.au quoted Paine as saying.

Currently, Australia has 296 points in the WTC from 10 matches, while India has 360 points from nine matches.

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News Network
June 10,2020

Kingston, Jun 10: "Enough is enough", said West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as he opened up on the raging issue of racism and called for "respect and equality" for black people, who have faced discrimination for years.

Bravo joined the likes of his former captain Darren Sammy and Chris Gayle in denouncing racism in the wake of African-American George Floyd's killing at the hands of a white police officer in the USA.

"It's sad to see what's going on around the world. As a black man, we know the history of what black people have been through. We never ask for revenge, we ask for equality and respect. That's it," Bravo told former Zimbabwe cricketer Pommie Mbangwa in an Instagram live chat on Tuesday.

"We give respect to others. Why is it that we are facing this over and over? Now enough is enough. We just want equality. We don't want revenge, war.

"We just want respect. We share love and appreciate people for who they are. That's what is most important."

The 36-year-old, who has played 40 Tests, 164 ODIs and 71 T20Is for West Indies, said he wants the world to know that they are powerful and beautiful people and gave the example of greats such as Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan.

"I just want our brothers and sisters to know that we are powerful and beautiful. And at the end of the day, you look at some of the greats of the world, whether it is Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan we have had leaders who paved the way for us," he said.

Two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain Sammy had earlier alleged that a racist nickname was used to address him during his IPL stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad and demanded an apology.

Sammy said he was called 'Kalu' while he was in India. 'Kalu' is a derogatory word to describe black people.

Gayle, who too plays in the IPL, took to Twitter to back Sammy, saying that racism does exist in cricket.

"It's never too late to fight for the right cause or what you've experienced over the years! So much more to your story, @darensammy88. Like I said, it's in the game!!," Gayle tweeted.

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Agencies
August 9,2020

Manchester, Aug 9: Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler played knocks of 84 and 75 respectively as England gained an improbable three-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Test of the three-match series here at the Emirates Old Trafford.

England chased down a total of 277 on the fourth day of the first Test.

Chasing 277, England openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley put on 22 runs for the first wicket, but Mohammad Abbas finally provided the breakthrough to Pakistan as he had Burns (10) adjudged leg-before wicket in the 12th over.

Skipper Joe Root came to the crease next, and he along with Sibley ensured that the side does not lose any more wickets before the lunch break, and England went into the lunch break at 55/1.

Sibley and Root eventually put up a 64-run stand, but their partnership was finally brought to an end by Yasir Shah as he dismissed Sibley (36) in the 36th over. Soon after, skipper Root (42) was also sent back to the pavilion by Naseem Shah, reducing England to 96/3 in the 39th over.

All eyes were on all-rounder Ben Stokes (9), but Pakistan's Yasir Shah sent him back to the pavilion in the 42nd over, and England was left in a spot of bother. Shaheen Shah Afridi, then also got among the wicket-taking charts as he scalped the wicket of Ollie Pope (7), reducing England to 117/5 in the 45th over.

Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler then got together at the crease, and the duo played in an aggressive manner to retrieve the innings for England. The hosts went into the tea break at 167/5, still, 110 runs away from the target with five wickets in hand.

Buttler and Woakes continued their march to frustrate the Pakistan bowling attack and the duo brought the target within the grasp of England. Both batsmen put up a stand of 139 runs, however, with just 21 runs away from the target, England lost the key wicket of Buttler (75) as Yasir Shah had him trapped in front of the wicket.

With England just needing four more runs for the win, Yasir Shah dismissed Stuart Broad (4), but in the end, Woakes and Dom Bess ensured England's win by three wickets.

For Pakistan, Yasir Shah was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped four wickets.

Earlier, resuming day four at 137/8, Yasir Shah (33) along with Mohammad Abbas (3*) and Naseem Shah (4) added 32 more runs to the overnight score to give England a target of 277 to win the first Test.

Stuart Broad was the pick of England bowlers as he scalped three wickets.

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