Inspirational Rashid Khan leads Sunrisers Hyderabad to 13-run win over Kings XI Punjab

Agencies
April 27, 2018

Hyderabad, Apr 27: IPL 2018: Riding on wonder spinner Rashid Khan’s brilliant effort, Sunrisers Hyderabad produced an inspired bowling display to eke out a fighting 13-run win over in-form Kings XI Punjab in a low-scoring IPL match here today.

Rashid (3/19)) turned out to be the star for Sunrisers once again as he along with Shakib (2/18) turned the tables around for the hosts in the middle overs after Manish Pandey’s fighting 54 propelled them to 132 for six.

Besides Rashid and Shakib, Basil Thampi (2/14) and Sandeep Sharma (2/17) also rose to the occasion for the home team.

Earlier, young Kings XI pacer Ankit Rajpoot (5/14) registered his career-best bowling figures to restrict Sunrisers to the modest score.

But the total proved enough for Sunrisers as Kings XI batsmen crumbled like a pack of cards to fell short eventually and slump to their second loss in the tournament.

Chasing the modest target, openers KL Rahul (32) and Chris Gayle (23) got Kings XI’s off to great start as the duo stitched quick 55 runs in just 47 balls.

But just when it looked Kings XI will run away with the game, Afghan leg-spinner Rashid got the big breakthrough when he cleaned up Rahul with a gem of a delivery.

Big-hitting Gayle then miscued a short delivery off Thampi in the next over and the pacer accepted the chance of his own bowling.

The two wickets derailed Kings XI’s chase as Rashid and Shakib bowled brilliantly in the middle overs to keep Sunrisers afloat with wickets at regular intervals.

Rashid, in particular, was unplayable as the Kings XI batsmen completely failed to read his variations.

Shakib accounted for Mayank Agarwal in the 13th over before Rashid outfoxed Karun Nair with a googly, caught plumb in front of the wicket.

Shakib then came back to dismiss dangerous Aaron Finch in the next over to make life difficult for Kings XI.

Sandeep then dismissed Manoj Tiwary and Andrew Tye in the same over as Kings XI’s chase fell apart.

Earlier, Rajpoot produced a dream opening spell, which included three important wickets, to dismantle Sunrisers innings after Kings XI opted to bowl first.

The young pacer from Kanpur then returned back to pick up two more wickets in the final over to single-handedly destroy the home team.

For Sunrisers, Pandey (54 off 51) scored a fighting half-century, while Shakib (28) and Yusuf Pathan (21 not out) made useful contributions.

On a roll, Kings XI had a dream start as they reduced Sunrisers to 27 for three by the end of the fifth over with Rajpoot reigning havoc.

Sunrisers top-order failed to cope up with Rajpoot’s extra bounce and swing which resulted in the dismissal of Sunrisers captain Kane Williamson in the fourth ball of the innings, caught by skipper Ravichandran Ashwin.

The pacer then removed Shikhar Dhawan (11) and Wriddhiman Saha (6) in his consecutive overs to put Sunrisers in serious trouble.

Rajpoot’s extra bounce and swing first induced an edge from Dhawan which Nair gleefully accepted in the only slip and then in his next over the pacer removed Saha caught by Tye as the batsman went for a terrible cross-batted slog.

It could have been more trouble for the hosts but Tye dropped a dolly from Pandey off Rajpoot’s next delivery to deny the bowler a hat-trick chance.

Sunrisers received another reprieve when Shakib was caught off Barinder Sran in the next over off a no ball.

Riding on their luck, Pandey and Shakib then steadied Sunrisers sinking ship with a toiling 52-run partnership for the fourth wicket that came off 53 balls before young Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman (1/17) cut short the association, getting the wicket of Shakib in the 14th over.

Even though Pandey toiled to his fifty but it was not enough as Rajpoot returned back in the final over to cut short his stay and then accounted for Mohammad Nabi a ball later to help Kings XI restrict Sunrisers to a chaseable target.

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News Network
June 22,2020

Zadar (Croatia), Jun 22: Grigor Dimitrov took to Instagram to announce that he has tested positive for coronavirus. The tennis star was one of the players who took part in the Adria Tour with the likes Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem among others.

Taking to Instagram, the player wrote: "Hi Everyone-I want to reach out and let my fans and friends know that I tested positive back in Monaco for Covid-19. I want to make sure anyone who has been in contact with me during these past days gets tested and takes the necessary precautions. I am so sorry for any harm I might have caused. I am back home now and recovering. Thanks for your support and please stay safe and healthy."

He also urged those who had come in contact with him over the last few days in Monaco should also get tested for the deadly virus.

Meanwhile, World no.1 Djokovic reached the final of his exhibition tournament in Zadar, Croatia, after easing through the round-robin group stage on the first day. This is the second stage of the Adria Tour with Austrian Dominic Thiem winning the first leg in Belgrade, Serbia.

Djokovic started by saving three set points in his 4-3, 4-1 win over fellow Serb Pedja Krstin. He then beat home favourite Borna Coric 4-1, 4-3 in front of several thousand fans at the Visnjik tennis complex.

The tournament in Zadar is being played on red clay over two days. In the other group, Russian Andrey Rublev is in pole position to advance into the final after wins over 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic and Serb Danilo Petrovic. He faces German star Alexander Zverev in the final round robin match on Sunday who stayed in contention after beating Cilic 4-3, 0-4, 4-3.

Djokovic''s own inconsequential final group match is against Croatian Dino Serdarusic who replaced Grigor Dimitrov after the Bulgarian pulled out of the tournament with sickness following his opening 4-1, 4-1 loss to Coric.

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News Network
January 27,2020

Auckland, Jan 27: : K.L. Rahul made an unbeaten 57 Sunday to steer India to a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the second Twenty20 international and to a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Rahul and Shreyas Iyer put on 86 for the third wicket as India cruised past New Zealand's total of 132-5 with 2.3 overs to spare. Shivam Dube (13 not out) hit a six from the bowling of Tim Southeein in the 18th over to lift India to 135-3.

Iyer made 58 not out and Rahul 56 as India beat New Zealand by six wickets with an over to spare in the first match of the series.

New Zealand made 203-5 batting first in that match but on Sunday, on the same pitch, it struggled to achieve any real momentum. During the second match the pitch played much slower and India bowled expertly to restrict New Zealand's total.

Martin Guptill made 33 in a 48-run opening partnership with Colin Munro and Tim Seifert made an unbeaten 33 at the end of the innings but New Zealand wasn't able to reach a total that could stretch India's deep batting lineup.

Rohit Sharma (8) and captain Virat Kohli (11) were out relatively cheaply but Rahul and Iyer (44) sped India towards a comprehensive victory.

Dube came to the crease shortly before the end and quickly brought the match to a conclusion.

"I think we backed up the first match with a very good performance today, especially with the ball," Kohli said. "We demanded that the bowlers stood up and took control of what we wanted to do out there.

"I think our line and length and the way we wanted to bowl on that wicket, sticking to one side of the wicket and being shorter was a very good feature of us as a team and helped us restrict a very good New Zealand team."

New Zealand's total was inadequate, even on a slower pitch, and India almost toyed with the home side as it made its way to a comfortable win.

New Zealand named the same team that lost the first match of the series and batted after winning the toss, just as it batted when it was outplayed in the first match of the series.

The match raised further questions about the coaching and captaincy of the New Zealand team after its humiliating test series loss in Australia last month. New Zealand showed again Sunday it hasn't the talent to compete with the best teams in the world.

"As a batting unit we probably needed another 15 or 20 to make that total more competitive," said New Zealand captain Kane Williamson. "But credit to the way the India side bowled, they're a class side in all departments and they put us under pressure throughout that middle period."

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News Network
May 14,2020

New Delhi, May 14: Mahendra Singh Dhoni is an unconventional and unique leader, whose biggest strength is his incredible gut feeling, says his Chennai Super Kings teammate Faf du Plessis.

The former South Africa skipper has spent considerable time with Dhoni after joining the Indian Premier League (IPL) side in 2011 and has been an integral part of its successful journey.

"He reads the others player really well and he uses that to make instinctive decisions on the field. He's got an incredible gut feeling on the game and I think that's his biggest strength," du Plessis said in a Facebook live session with Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal.

The 35-year-old said Dhoni changed his perception of how a captain should be.

"It was amazing for me to see how different M S was as a captain. I used to think a captain must speak all the time in team meetings etc but M S was completely different.

"He doesn't believe a lot in team meetings. He's a very instinctive captain he's got such a good cricket brain that he relies on it to make the right decisions on the field," du Plessis said of former India skipper.

Dhoni last played for India in World Cup semifinal last year and was expected to be back to playing competitive cricket at now-postponed IPL.

Calling Dhoni the best finisher he has played with, Du Plessis said no one can emulate what the dasher from Ranchi can do with the bat.

"He's extremely calm. I haven't played with someone who is a better finisher than him. It's just remarkable to watch him from the side of the field."

"If someone else tries to do it like him they won't be able to. He's just so unique like he times the ball so late he's got an incredible calmness. He knows his game and he picks a bowler and goes for it."

Du Plessis said that playing for CSK alongside Dhoni and under the guidance head coach Stephen Fleming has taught him a lot about leadership.

"I'm lucky to have started my journey there at CSK because I have really learned a lot from a leadership point of view. I tried to learn as much as possible from Dhoni and Stephen Fleming because both are great captains."

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