IPL 2019: MS Dhoni credits bowlers for easy win over Delhi Capitals in Qualifier 2

Agencies
May 11, 2019

Visakhaptanam, May 11: Defending champions Chennai Super Kings Friday entered their eighth IPL final and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni credited the clinical effort of his bowing unit for setting up the platform for the comfortable win over Delhi Capitals in the Qualifier 2 here.

Opting to bowl, CSK first restricted DC to 147 for nine and then chased down the target with six wickets in hand to set up a clash against Mumbai Indians in the IPL final in Hyderabad on Sunday.

"The crucial part was to keep getting wickets. The credit needs to go to the bowlers. The captain only asks this is what I need. Then it's up to them to figure out how to bowl, and they have to put in the hard yards," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

"Thanks to the bowling department for where we are this season. I would have preferred it if the openers finished it off. Once they got the required rate below 6 an over, there was no reason to play big shots and get out. They did the hard yards," he added.

Dhoni also lauded the entire CSK team for producing a clinical performance when it mattered.

"It's the usual route, last year was the exception. The kind of response from the boys today was brilliant. The way we batted to get 140-plus runs was very nice," he said.

"The spinners got some turn, and we kept getting wickets at the right time."

DC captain Shreyas Iyer, on the contrary, blamed his batting department for the loss.

"We had a disappointing start, losing two wickets in the powerplay, and it was hard to recover from that. They have amazing spinners. But we've had a great season," he said.

"None of the batsmen took the initiative to take the team through and there wasn't a partnership buidling. Disappointing for us but a good learning."

Iyer, though, was about the pitch on offer this season at their home turf at the Feroze Shah Kotla Stadium.

"It's something to think about (the Delhi pitch). We didn't win too many home games, but we can't complain about pitches. We've been practising a lot on slow wickets. As professionals we can't give excuses," he said.

"I think we've learned a lot, looking at seniors like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma leading their teams. It's a proud moment for me, standing with them at the toss. They talk to me, share their experiences, and that's great for me."

Shedding more light on his experience of leading the team, Iyer said: "I've heard Rohit and many of them talk about how difficult it is to be captain, and yeah, it's not an easy job to do, but I'm happy to be the captain.

"Really proud of the boys. Loving the way we've gelled as a family. The coaches and support staff have been amazing. A lot more to come next season. We've found the base, now is the time to grow," he said.

Man-of-the-match Faf du Plessis, who hit a 39-ball 50 during the chase, said CSK's experience of winning big games did the trick even though they didn't have a very good outing in the last phase of the tournament this season.

"We didn't have the best run in the last five or six games, but we do have a lot of confidence as a team that's won a lot of big games. We drew a lot of strength from that," he said.

"Our strength is to get partnerships going and extend that, even if we take our time initially. We've got a lot of good batsmen down the order, and we back them to catch up with the required rate."

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Agencies
January 25,2020

Headingley, Jan 25: England have become the first team in the world to score 500,000 runs in Test cricket. They achieved the feat during the ongoing fourth and final Test against South Africa being played at The Wanderers.

On Friday - the opening day of the Test match -- England captain Joe Root's single through the covers took the Three Lions to a landmark 500,000 run-mark in the longest format of the game. They achieved the feat in their 1022nd Test match.

Australia comes second in the list, with 432,706 runs in 830 Tests. India, meanwhile, are third, with 273,518 runs in 540 Tests, followed by West Indies (270,441 runs in 545 Tests).

In the third Test played at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth, England had become the first team to play 500 Test matches on foreign soil. Australia are the second team to play the most away Test with 404 matches they have played so far.

India have played 268 Tests on foreign soil in which they have won 51, lost 113 and 104 have ended in a draw.

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Agencies
January 19,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 19: Opening batsman Rohit Sharma on Sunday became the third-fastest batsman to register 9,000 runs in the 50-over format.

He achieved the feat in the ongoing third ODI against Australia here at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Only Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers have achieved the feat faster than Rohit.

Sharma brought up the milestone in the first over of the Indian innings as he clipped Mitchell Starc away for a single.

With this, the right-handed batsman has become just the sixth Indian to achieve the milestone.

Apart from Sharma, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and Sachin Tendulkar have more than 9,000 runs in the 50-over format.

Overall, 20 batsmen have more than 9,000 ODI runs to their name.

In the match between India and Australia, the former won the toss and elected to bat first.

Steve Smith played a knock of 131 runs to propel Australia to 286/9 in the allotted fifty overs.

 

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News Network
January 20,2020

Jan 20: Both Steve Smith and Rohit Sharma made sparkling centuries in Bengaluru, but it was the Indian who finished on the winning side, leading his team to a 2-1 series win.

Smith, having run out his captain Aaron Finch early on, dug in to bring up his ninth ODI century, his 131 off 132 balls setting India a target of 287 on Sunday, 19 January. Continuing the dazzling display of batting at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, Rohit struck 119 in 128 balls, and skipper Virat Kohli chipped in with 89, as the hosts chased down the target with seven wickets to spare in 47.3 overs.

With Shikhar Dhawan hurting his shoulder in the fifth over of the day and sidelined for the rest of the match, Rohit was reunited with KL Rahul – who had a chance to open the innings after coming in at No.3 and No.5 in the first two matches, while also standing in as wicket-keeper. The vice-captain was on the ball right away, dominating the scoring as India raced to 61/0 in the first 10 overs.

The introduction of spin gave Australia a vital breakthrough: Ashton Agar trapped Rahul in front on review, and although the new pair of Rohit and Kohli weren't unduly troubled, the run-rate slowed down. Josh Hazlewood, playing his first ODI in India and his first match in the format in 14 months, was especially miserly, conceding just 10 runs in his first five overs.

But, having settled in, the duo built a useful partnership of 137 and gave themselves the chance to hit out with wickets in hand. The part-time bowling of Finch and Marnus Labuschagne was punished, Rohit lapping up the short balls and sending them soaring into the stands. His century, his eighth against Australia, came with a single to third man.

Zampa finally got the breakthrough, having him caught in the deep going for another big one. But with Kohli having loosened his arms with a couple of beautiful fours off Pat Cummins to go past his half-century, India remained on course.

The skipper missed out on a hundred, but with Shreyas Iyer too clearing the ropes, there were no hurdles as India wrapped up an entertaining series win.

Earlier, the Indian bowlers struggled to find their lines after Australia chose to bat, but Australia weren't able to fully capitalise. David Warner was thrown by the movement to nick Mohammed Shami to the wicket-keeper, while Finch was caught short after Smith pulled out of a run, to leave the hosts at 46/2.

Labuschagne and Smith, though, combined for another special partnership, going at a brisk rate and showing delectable timing against spin. They had guided their side to 173 in the 32nd over when the a sharp piece of fielding from the home captain and strong bowling pulled things back.

Kohli, at cover, plucked a drive from Labuschagne soon after the batsman had reached his maiden fifty. Ravindra Jadeja had his second of the over when the experiment to send Mitchell Starc at No.5 lasted just three balls.

Alex Carey gave Smith company as he brought up a well-earned century, having fallen just short the previous game. The former skipper stepped up the scoring once he crossed three figures, a wristy helicopter six over deep square leg the highlight of his innings. But, excellent death bowling by Shami, who finished with four wickets, ensured the tourists were kept to under 300 – a total that proved below par.

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