India, Pakistan share honours in U-19 Asia Cup

July 2, 2012
IndvsPK

Consistently scoring big in big matches isn't an easy habit to inculcate. But India under-19 captain Unmukt Chand is fast proving be the one the team looks up to at big moments. Soon after cracking a century in the semifinal against Sri Lanka, the Delhi boy's calculated 121 in the under-19 Asia Cup final against Pakistan almost pulled off the match. The job, though, was only half-finished as the game ended in a thrilling tie on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur.

Chasing Pakistan's 282/9, Unmukt shared a 175-run stand with Baba Aparajith (90) for the second wicket to keep India in the hunt. After Aparajith, who dominated the partnership, was dismissed, Unmukt took over and took India closer to the target before falling off the fourth ball of the final over with three wickets and five runs remaining. While it seemed the pair's hard work would be undone, left-arm medium-pacer Rush Kalaria, who had earlier claimed 5/37, slammed a boundary off the next ball to equal scores. But he could only chip the last ball to mid-off to be caught as both teams left with something to celebrate.

Unmukt, thus, maintained his record of not losing in any event he has captained the team in. India had earlier won two quadrangular events in India and Australia under his captaincy.

Unmukt had hit a 94 and a century in the semifinal and the final respectively in the last event the colts played, the quadrangular in Australia in April this year, which shows how he responds to big challenges. A regular opener for his state team Delhi, he came down at three in Australia and then curbed his natural attacking instincts in Kuala Lumpur to bat through the innings because the middle-order was looking shaky. For those who have followed him, a strike rate in the late 70s and early 80s throughout a limited-overs tournament is hard to believe.

Often critcised for his flashy play during the last first class season — in which he failed to convert any of his starts into hundreds — Unmukt has reveled as captain of the junior national team. "I need to play a different role in this team. Being the seniormost player, I had to bat responsibly and let the middle-order play around me. That's why I modified my game," Unmukt told TOI from Kuala Lumpur after the final while adding that the team had taken the tied final in its strides. "It happens. We'd have loved to win because we lost to Pakistan by just one run in the league stage. But it's okay."

With the Under-19 World Cup a little more than a month away, the preparations have lived up to the expectations. "We have matured as a team by being together. We have learnt to adapt to different conditions. All of us have contributed in the wins. All eyes are on the World Cup now. Even in this tournament, Vijay Zol scored a superb century, allrounder Baba (Aparajith) has consistently done well and the bowlers have been great. Kalaria was superb today and the left-arm spin of Vikas Mishra has been amazing," said Unmukt who is now enjoying the leadership role.

"I am loving every bit of it. The team is really supportive. They have been pretty obedient," he said tongue-in-cheek.

Brief scores: Pakistan U-19 282/9 (Sami Aslam 134, R Kalaria 5/37) vs India U-19 282/8 (U Chand 121, B Aparajith 90; Md Nawaz 3/45)



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News Network
April 25,2020

New Delhi, Apr 25: The love and loyalty of the fans will never let him leave Royal Challengers Bangalore till the time he is playing IPL, skipper Virat Kohli said on Friday.

RCB have reached the IPL final thrice but have not gone on to win the trophy.

During a live session on Instagram with former South African captain and RCB teammate AB de Villiers, Kohli said winning the tournament remains the goal but he would not leave the team irrespective of the results.

"It has been such an amazing journey. It is always going to be our dream, winning the IPL together. There is no scenario where I could think of leaving the team ever.

"You can feel emotional about the season not going well but till the time I am playing IPL, I am never leaving this team. The fans, their loyalty has been amazing," said the India skipper.

Responding to Kohli's feelings towards RCB, De Villiers too acknowledged the support of fans over the past nine years. Kohli, on the other hand, has been with RCB since 2008.

"Same for me. I never want to leave RCB but to do that I got to keep scoring runs. I am not the captain you see," said the South African in jest.

Both recalled their early days in international cricket and their growth as cricketers and friends.

Kohli said at times, the youngsters coming in have too much regard for the "system" and he wants to see them break the norm.

"I want to see youngsters coming in scoring 500-600 runs. I want people to break the norm. Sometimes I feel people have too much regard for the system in sport. When you break the shackles, you do something special."

Kohli also acknowledged contribution of Mark Boucher, Gary Kirsten and Duncan Fletcher early on in his international career.

"Gary always gave me positive feedback. Boucher told me in 2008 to improve my game against the short ball. He had the vision. Then Fletcher, he had a keen eye for the game. So many people who have contributed (to my growth)," said Kohli.

De Villiers picked the 119 at Wankhede in the 2015 series decider as his best knock against India. Kohli picked the 119 he scored in Johannesburg Test in 2013.

"I was always really motivated to win the series after 2-2 . I was incredibly motivated to do something special," de Villiers said.

They also picked their combined South Africa and India ODI team. It included Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ab de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, M S Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dale Steyn, Jasprit Bumrah and Kagiso Rabada.

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News Network
January 23,2020

Melbourne, Jan 23: Sania Mirza's return to her first Grand Slam after a two-year break was cut short on Thursday when the former world number one was forced to retire midway through her first round match in women's doubles at the Australian Open due to a calf injury.

India's Mirza, who won six Grand Slam doubles titles, took a break from the game after the China Open in October 2017 and gave birth to her son a year later.

The 33-year-old made a winning return to the WTA Tour at this month's Hobart International with Ukrainian Nadiia Kichenok, picking up her 42nd WTA doubles title and the first since winning the women's doubles in Brisbane in 2017.

Mirza said she strained her calf muscle in her right leg during the Hobart final.

"It just got worse in the match. It was bit of a bad strain, but I had a few days off," she told reporters. "So I obviously had to try to do whatever I could to try to get on the court.

"It felt okay when I went on the court, but it was tough to move right. I just felt like I'm gonna tear it or something pretty bad."

Mirza won her first Grand Slam in mixed doubles at the Australian Open in 2009 and also bagged the women's doubles in 2016.

Mirza always believed there was tennis left in her which inspired her comeback, she told Reuters on Sunday.

She had already pulled out of the Australian Open mixed doubles, where she was to partner compatriot Rohan Bopanna.

Mirza and Kichenok were trailing the Chinese pair of Xinyun Han and Lin Zhu 6-2 1-0 on Thursday when the Indian had to call it quits due to the injury.

"As a tennis player you want to compete, it is the Grand Slam. If it's any other tournament, you would probably take a call and be like 'I don't want to risk it'," she said.

Mirza, who is married to former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, said she would take two weeks to recover and was hoping to play at next month's Dubai championships.

"When you play a professional sport, injuries are really part of it. And it's something that you have to accept," she said. "Sometimes the timing is really not ideal, it's tough that it happened in a Grand Slam, or just before a Grand Slam."

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News Network
January 24,2020

Auckland, Jan 24: K L Rahul and Shreyas Iyer smashed quick-fire half-centuries, while skipper Virat Kohli made 45 as India defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the first T20 International to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series here on Friday.

Chasing a challenging 204-run target, Rahul smashed 56 off 27 balls and together with Kohli shared 99 runs for the second wicket to lay the foundation for the chase.

Later, Iyer (58 not out off 29 balls) and Manish Pandey (14 not out) remained unbeaten as India chased down the target with an over to spare.

Earlier, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor smashed scintillating half-centuries to power New Zealand to a challenging 203 for five.

Opener Munro blasted six fours and two sixes in his 42-ball 59, while skipper Williamson treated the Indian bowlers with equal disdain, hitting them out of the park four times in his 26-ball 51.

Taylor then clobbered an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls. His innings was laced with three sixes and as many fours.

Opener Martin Guptill also chipped in with a 19-ball 30.

Earlier, India skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and decided to field.

For India, Jasprit Bumrah (1/), Shardul Thakur (1/44), Yuzvendra Chahal (1/32), Shivam Dube (1/24) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/18) snapped one wicket each.

Brief Score:

New Zealand: 203 for 5 in 20 overs (Colin Munro 59, Kane Williamson 51, Ross Taylor 54; Jasprit Bumrah 1/31).

India: 204 for 4 in 19 overs (Shreyas Iyer 58 not out, K L Rahul 56, Virat Kohli 45; Ish Sodhi 2/36).

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