Kolkata Test ends in draw despite Kohli, Bhuvi fireworks

Agencies
November 20, 2017

Kolkata, Nov 20: The opening Test of the three-match series between India and Sri Lanka ended in a dramatic draw after the fifth day's play was stopped early due to bad light here at the Eden Gardens on Monday.

Resuming at yesterday's score of 171-1, skipper Virat Kohli smashed a brilliant knock of 104, including 12 boundaries and six fifties, off just 119 deliveries to help India post a respectable second-innings score of 352-8 declared.

It was Kohli's 18th Test hundred and 50th international century. He surpassed Dilip Vengsarkar (17) in the list of maximum centuries in the longest format of the game, but is still behind Mohammed Azharuddin (22), Virender Sehwag (23), Sunil Gavaskar (34), Rahul Dravid (36) and Tendulkar (51).

By scoring his 50th century, he is now the joint fastest to reach the milestone in terms of innings played, along with South Africa's Hashim Amla (348 innings).

Meanwhile, right-handed batsman Cheteshwar Pujara added yet another feather to his cap as he became only the third Indian cricketer to bat on all five days of a Test match when he resumed the match on Day 5 alongside opener KL Rahul.

He had joined KL Rahul at the crease yesterday when Shikhar Dhawan departed after smashing a scorching knock of 94 off 116 deliveries.

Pujara, however, failed to replicate his first-innings fireworks and went back to pavillion after scoring just 22. Rahul, who was dismissed for a duck in the first innings, finished with a brilliant 79-run knock.

Besides these three batsmen, none of the other Indian cricketers were able to contribute much to the hosts' second innings.

For Sri Lanka, Suranga Lakmal and Dasun Shanaka bagged three wickets each, while Lahiru Gamage and Dilruwan Perera finished with a wicket each.

Chasing a target of 231 runs to win, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami ran through the Sri Lankan line up and got India just three wickets short of a well-deserved victory only for poor light to stop play.

Captain Dinesh Chandimal (20) and Niroshan Dickwella (27) were the only Lankan players to contribute some runs in their side's innings.

Bhuvneshwar was the pick of the bowlers as he finished with the figures of four for eight, while Shami picked up two wickets. Umesh Yadav also chipped in with a wicket.

Earlier, Lanka posted a first innings score of 294 in reply to India's lowly total of 172 after bad light and rain played the spoilsport and forced to call off the opening Test two days early. 

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Agencies
January 26,2020

Mumbai, Jan 26: Boxing great Mary Kom has been selected for the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second highest civilian award. Olympic silver medallist and reigning badminton World Champion PV Sindhu has been named for Padma Bhushan as the names of Padma awardees were disclosed on Saturday on the eve of the 71st Republic Day.

Rated as one of the most successful amateur boxers of all time, Mary Kom won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics and has won gold at the boxing World Championships for a record six times. She has won a total of eight medals at the World Championships, the most recent of which came in October 2019 in Ulan Ude, Russia. The 36-year-old is now looking to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Sindhu became the only Indian woman to win an Olympic silver when she reached the final of the women's singles event at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazi. In August last year, the 24-year-old became the first Indian to win gold at the badminton World Championships.

She has also won two silver and two bronze medals at the World's in the past, thus making her only the second woman after Chinese two-time Olympic gold medallist Zhang Ning to win five medals in the competition.

Indian women's hockey captain Rani Rampal, who has been the face of women's hockey in the country and played a pivotal role in the team qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is among those who have been nominated for the Padma Shri award.

Women's football stalwart Oinam Bembem Devi, former cricketer Zaheer Khan, shooter Jitu Rai, former hockey captain and coach M.P. Ganesh and archer Tarundeep Rai are the other sportspersons to be selected for the Padma Shri award.

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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
March 1,2020

New Delhi, Mar 1: Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif on Sunday heaped praise on Ravindra Jadeja after the all-rounder took a spectacular catch on the second day of the Christchurch Test against New Zealand.

Jadeja grabbed a one-handed stunner at deep square leg in the 72nd over to dismiss Neil Wagner, who had to depart after scoring 21 runs.

"Sir Jadeja for a reason! Jadeja Airlines, flying high! Terrific stuff," Kaif tweeted.

In the match, Jadeja also impressed with the ball. The left-handed bowler took two wickets while giving away 22 runs.

On day two, India bundled out New Zealand on 235 runs in the second Test. However, in their second innings, Indian batsmen again struggled to tackle the New Zealand pacers and lost six wickets with a lead of just 97 runs.

India went to stumps at 90/6, with Trent Boult doing the majority of the damage with three wickets.

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