Mushfiqur Rahim stars in Bangladesh's 137-run win over Sri Lanka

Agencies
September 16, 2018

Dubai, Sept 16: Mushfiqur Rahim's superb hundred complemented by a collective effort from the bowlers saw Bangladesh thrash Sri Lanka by 137 runs despite Lasith Malinga's brilliant international comeback in the Asia Cup opener here Saturday.

Mushfiqur scored a career-best 144 off 150 balls with 11 boundaries and four sixes for his sixth ODI hundred as Bangladesh scored 261 all out in 49.3 overs after opting to bat.

Save the 131-run stand with Mohammed Mithun (63) for the third wicket, the former skipper didn't get any assistance from other Bangladesh batsmen as the wily Malinga showed that he is still a force to reckon with.

Malinga, whose last ODI was against India in a home series in September 2017, took 4/23 on his return.

Chasing 262 for a win, Sri Lanka suffered a batting collapse with none of their batsmen showing intent to stay at the crease as they were all out for 124 in 35.2 overs. This was Sri Lanka's lowest ODI total versus Bangladesh.

There was no rotation of strike and no partnership worth the name. The highest partnership for Sri Lanka was the 27 for the eighth wicket.

Sri Lanka showed the intent of a strong start as opener Upul Tharanga (27) struck a six and three fours in the first two overs but he and his partner Kusal Mendis (0) perished in quick succession.

Mendis was the first to go in the final delivery of the second over bowled by Mustafizur Rahman while Tharanga departed the next over off Mashrafe Mortaza to leave Sri Lanka at 28 for 2 in the third over.

Sri Lanka needed a top order batsman to stick around but one down Dhananjaya de Silva (0) was not able to do that as he was trapped LBW off Mortaza as the ball nipped back in from off-stump. Sri Lanka were 32 for 3 then.

The next four overs gave just four runs as Sri Lanka went into a shell but Bangladesh still found a way out to get a wicket as Mehidy Hasan sent Kusal Perera (11) back in the dressing room.

Perera went forward to defend but the ball beat the bat and struck the pad for the umpire to raise his finger. Sri Lanka were in deep trouble then as they were 42 for 4 after the first powerplay 10 overs.

Sri Lanka survived for another six overs with captain Angelo Mathews (16) and Dasun Shanaka (7) trying to settle down and stitch a partnership. But just as it seems they were on course for that, Sri Lanka put themselves in further trouble with Mathews making an error of judgement. He first called and then sent Shanaka back after working the ball to the leg side off a Shakib al-Hasan delivery.

But Shanaka had already made more than half the pitch and not in a position to return when Mehidy Hasan broke down the stumps.

Mathews himself did not survive for long as he perished in the next over LBW off a delivery from Rubel Hossain to virtually end the run chase.

All the six Bangladesh bowlers got at least a wicket. Mashrafe Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman and Mehidy Hasan grabbed two wickets each while Shakib Al-Hasan, Rubal Hossain and Mosaddek Hossain took one each.

Earlier, Mushfiqur scored the bulk of the Bangladesh runs as he and Mithun took their side out of the woods after being reduced to one run for two wickets and opener Tamim Iqbal returning to the pavillion after an injury only to come back at the fag end of the innings.

Tamim's heroic act will be remembered as he came out to bat despite having retired hurt with a fractured wrist. He allowed Mushfiqur to have one final blast during the slog overs.

Once Malinga and off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva (2/38) reduced Bangladesh to 203/8, Mushfiqur shielded no 11 Mustafizur Rahaman (10) during the 26-run stand.

Once Mustafizur was out, Tamim removed his hand-cast and came out in order to allow his partner to play the final three overs.

The Tamim-Mushfiqur pair added an invaluable 32 runs in 2.4 overs and it could well be crucial in the final context of the match.

However, Malinga's superb effort was story of the initial part of the match. Coming back from semi-retirement with a slight paunch and a shorter run-up, Malinga showed his mastery as he bowled four different deliveries to get his scalps.

Liton Das (0) nicked an outswinger in the slip cordon, Shakib Al Hasan (0) was castled by his signature inswinging yorker, Mithun skied a slower delivery while Mosddek Hossain was done in by a slow bouncer.

Even Mushfiqur failed to score runs off the slinger who bowled as many as 44 dot balls and didn't concede a single boundary in his 10 overs.

However, the seasoned Mushfiqur got runs off spinners, scoring on both sides of the wicket. He used his feet well against left-arm spinner Malmiga Aponso and off-spinners Dilruwan Perera and De Silva.

However, as wickets fell at the other end, it became difficult for Mushfiqur, who considerably slowed down in his 90's. His hundred came with a glide off Suranga Lakmal off 123 balls.

But once Mustafizur was out and injured Tamim came in for support, Mushfiqur just cut loose getting 32 runs in 2.4 overs before he was the last batsman to be dismissed.

Tamim, however,, will not take any further part in the tournament as he will be out with a broken wrist.

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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 31,2020

Wellington, Jan 31: A nervous New Zealand threw it away yet again as a perseverant India prevailed in the Super Over for the second successive time to take a 4-0 lead in the T20 International series on Friday.

Needing just 11 runs off the last two overs with seven wickets in hand, New Zealand dug a hole for themselves yet again, taking the game to a Super Over two nights after doing the same in Hamilton.

New Zealand managed 13 runs in six balls and India got there effortlessly.

KL Rahul smashed 10 runs off the first two balls before he was caught. Then, a fired-up Virat Kohli and Sanju Samson finished the game in style.

Earlier, Manish Pandey proved his value to the team with an unbeaten 50 off 35 balls, taking India to 165 for eight from 88 for six in the 12th over.

India's total wasn't enough considering the batting-friendly conditions but the hosts made life a lot tougher for themselves from a commanding position before succumbing to pressure.

The entertaining knocks from Colin Munro (64 off 47) and Time Seifert went in vain (57 off 39).

Mohammed Shami, who was rested on Friday, had bowled a brilliant 20th over on Wednesday and man of the match Shardul Thakur was up to the task this time, conceding just six runs when the opposition needed seven for victory.

With the series already in the bag, India gave opportunity to Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar and Navdeep Saini for the first time in the five-match series, resting Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja and Shami. However, none of them was able to make an impact in the game.

Chasing 165, New Zealand lost Martin Guptill early. But Munro and Seifert put on 74 runs for the second wicket to put themselves on track.

Munro scored a half-century of 38 deliveries, inclusive of six fours and three sixes. He was out against the run of play as Kohli's direct hit surprisingly found the target after a relay throw from the deep.

It was the turning point as New Zealand lost regular wickets. Yuzvendra Chahal bowled Tom Bruce (0), but Seifert found a partner in Ross Taylor as they pushed the score past 150 in the 18th over.

Seifert scored a half-century off 32 balls, including four fours and three sixes. But the great choke was yet to come again. Needing 18 off 18, the Black Caps lost four wickets in the last over bowled by Thakur.

Taylor holed out of the first ball, while Seifert was run out two balls later. Daryl Mitchell (4) was caught next and Mitchell Santner (2) couldn't steal two runs off the last ball as the sides engaged in a tie-breaker for the second game running.

This was after New Zealand won a fourth consecutive toss and opted to field. Kane Williamson didn't take part in the match owing to a shoulder niggle.

Tim Southee was the stand-in skipper, with the Black Caps making two changes.

Put in to bat, the visitors were struggling at 88-6 at one stage before Pandey's lonesome rescue act took them to a respectable total. KL Rahul contributed 39 runs off 26 balls, inclusive of three sixes and two fours.

Leg spinner Ish Sodhi got into the act and ran through India's batting order. First to go was Shreyas Iyer (1) and then Shivam Dube (12) was caught at mid-wicket.

Sodhi finished with 3-26 while Santner dismissed Sundar for nought as the New Zealand spinners rounded up a good outing with 4-54 in eight overs.

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Agencies
May 31,2020

London, May 31: "Jacques Kallis, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli," replied umpire Ian Gould when he was asked to name the three best batsmen he loved watching when he was officiating as an umpire.

The former ICC elite umpire said that he was unlucky to not watch Ponting bat as much as he would have liked to.

"Jacques Kallis. I loved watching Jacques. He was a very, very fine player. Sachin. And probably Virat. I was unlucky in some respects. I didn't see the best of Ricky Ponting. He was an outstanding character, outstanding captain, such a proud Australian," ESPNCricinfo quoted Gould as saying.

"But his career was just starting to wane as I came on the scene. But he was incredibly helpful, so I'm disappointed I have to leave him out. Jacques Kallis, I could sit and watch all day, Virat, the same. And Sachin, if you want someone to bat for your life, he was the man," he added.

Gould had retired from the ICC's panel of elite umpires in 2019, after standing in more than 250 international matches over a 13-year career.

Over the years, comparisons between Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar have been growing and many have picked the current Indian skipper to break the records set by Tendulkar.

Tendulkar called time on his career after registering 100 international centuries, while Kohli has 70 centuries across all formats.

While, Kallis played 166 Tests, 328 ODIs and 25 T20Is for South Africa and he is often viewed as the greatest all-rounder the game has seen.

Many pundits of the game find it hard to pick between him and Sir Garfield Sobers.

Across his career, Kallis scored 25,534 runs in his career and he also managed to take 577 wickets.

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