Stand-in skipper Virat Kohli says under pressure we missed Mahendra Singh Dhoni's calmness

July 1, 2013

Virat_Kohli

Kingston, Jul 1: India's stand-in captain Virat Kohli conceded that the calming presence of regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was missed during the high-pressure ODI tri-series match against West Indies which the hosts won by a solitary wicket after a nail-biting chase.

Dhoni, who suffered from cramps while batting didn't come out to field and it was Kohli who led the side in the match, which saw the Caribbeans huff and puff to a modest 230-run target.

"There were times when you are under pressure and you miss him (Dhoni) because he remains calm under pressure," a disappointed Kohli admitted at the post-match presentation ceremony here.

Kohli assessed that there was marked change in the behaviour of the wicket when West Indies batted.

"The way the wicket played in the second innings, the score wasn't enough, but it was completely different in the morning, it was damp, it became better for batting later on," he said.

Kohli praised his bowlers for keeping them in the game but felt they were unlucky as a few edges didn't carry to the fielders.

"We tried to take as many wickets as possible, one or two edges going to the fielders would have been different, we were close to winning it.

"There was a bit of spongy bounce in the morning and Narine was getting some turn. It was just a matter of one wicket. It was a great fight by us and good entertainment. West Indies had a great game," the young captain said.

West Indies' stand-in captain Kieron Pollard wasn't happy that the match went down to the wire.

"We find ways to get into these positions, but we won in the end. Teams of the past could have just fallen, that shows the belief of everyone in the team, victories such as these bring us together," a visibly satisfied Pollard said.

Pollard said the main goal was to go to Trinidad with two wins and he is happy that the team has been able to achieve that.

"We wanted to go to Trinidad with two wins, does not matter how we have done it, but we have. We should not be overconfident though, should win these sort of games easily. Thanks to the crowd for the support.

"(Dwayne) Bravo (sitting out) was precautionary, we have Pakistan coming up, he has five or six days to get ready, hopefully he should be taking the mantle in Trinidad, with Ravi we are not sure."

Man-of-the-match Johnson Charles, who struck an attractive 97, was happy that he could make amends after his struggle against Sri Lanka in the opening match of the tournament.

"This was a good innings as in the previous game, I struggled a bit. Myself and (Darren) Bravo have always batted well together as I enjoy batting alongside him," Charles said.

The 24-year-old opener admitted that the pitch flattened out in the second half.

"Wicket improved a bit as it got flatter and was more of a batting pitch. I would have liked to get a three-figure mark and carry my team to victory. I am a bit disappointed about it," he concluded.

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News Network
June 3,2020

Colorado, Jun 3: Formula One boss Chase Carey has said that races will go ahead even if a driver tests positive for coronavirus.

His remarks come as organisers revealed a revised 2020 calendar and the schedule for the first eight races was put in the public domain.

"An individual having been found with a positive infection will not lead to a cancellation of a race. We encourage teams to have procedures in place so if an individual has to be put in quarantine, we have the ability to quarantine them at a hotel and to replace that individual," the official website of Formula One quoted Carey as saying.

"Some things we'd have to talk through and work through. The array of 'what ifs' are too wide to play out every one of them, but a team not being able to race would not cancel the race. I do not think I could sit here and lay out the consequences," he said.

Carey added the organisers will be having the necessary procedures in place so that the race does not get cancelled if a driver ends up testing positive for coronavirus.

"But we will have a procedure in place that finding infection will not lead to a cancellation. If a driver has an infection, teams have reserve drivers available," Carey said.

"We would not be going forward if we were not highly confident we have necessary procedures and expertise and capabilities to provide a safe environment and manage whatever issues arrive," he added.

The Formula One 2020 season will be beginning with the Austrian Grand Prix in July.

F1 currently expects the opening races to be closed events but hopes that fans will be able to attend again when it is safe to do so.

The season will kick off with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring on July 5, followed a week later by a second race on the same track.

The Hungarian Grand Prix will follow a week after that, before a break. There will be then two back to back races at Silverstone, followed by the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

The Belgian Grand Prix will follow that, with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza a week later on September 6.

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News Network
May 9,2020

May 9: Filipina weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz noticed live-streamed concerts were collecting money for coronavirus relief and was struck by inspiration: why not raise funds with an online workout?

Since then the Olympic silver-medallist -- and strong contender for her country's first Games gold -- has made enough money to buy food packs for hundreds of hard-hit families in the Philippines.

Diaz has done it all from Malaysia, where she was training to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics when much of the world locked down against the virus in March.

"I thought (distribution) would be impossible because I'm not physically present," Diaz, 29, told news agency.

"It's a good thing that I have trusted friends and trusted family members who understand why we need to do a fundraising."

That circle of supporters has handed out the packages, which include vegetables, eggs and rice, to more than 400 families.

The food was bought with donations from about 50 people who joined sessions that lasted up to three hours, and gave them a rare chance to train with an elite athlete.

Diaz rose to fame in 2016 after snagging a surprise silver in the 53 kilogramme category in Rio, becoming the Philippines' first female Olympic medallist and ending the nation's 20-year medal drought at the Games.

Two years later, she won gold at the Asian Games in Indonesia.

However, her quest to qualify for Tokyo is on hold ahead of the Games' rescheduled opening in July 2021.

"I thought all the hard work would soon be over... then it was extended," she said. "But I'm still thankful I can still continue with (the training) I need to do."

Still, the lockdown broke her daily training regimen, keeping her away from weights for 14 days for the first time in her career.

"I felt like I was losing my mind already. I've been carrying the barbell for 18 years and all of a sudden it's gone. Those were the kinds of anxiety that I felt," she said.

But she got access to some equipment, and with her coach's urging, got back to work. She was relieved to find her strength was still there.

Instead of a Tokyo berth, the past months have been about a different kind of accomplishment for Diaz: helping her countrymen get through the coronavirus crisis.

Rosemelyn Francisco's family in Zamboanga City, Diaz's home town, is one of the first to get help from the athlete's initiative, and is deeply grateful.

Her family was not wealthy to begin with, and the pandemic has cost her husband his construction job.

"The food she donated has all everything we need, including eggs," said Francisco, 27.

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News Network
April 24,2020

New Delhi, Apr 24: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday extended wishes to the "most prolific batsman of all time" Sachin Tendulkar on his 47th birthday.

ICC took to Twitter and wrote: "Happy birthday to Sachin Tendulkar, the most prolific batsman of all time! To celebrate, we will give you the opportunity to vote for his top ODI innings in a bracket challenge! Stay tuned to join the celebrations."

The Maharashtra-born player had an illustrious career in the game, creating several records.
Tendulkar made his debut in Test cricket on November 15, 1989. In the same year on December 18, he played his first ODI match.

The legendary cricketer has the most number of runs in the longest format of the game, amassing 15,921 runs. Along the way, Tendulkar scored 51 Test centuries, most by any player.

Things are no different in ODI cricket as Tendulkar atop the list of most runs in this format as well. He has accumulated 18,426 runs in ODI which includes 49 tons.

Tendulkar represented the country in six World Cups during his career that lasted for 24 years. He was the part of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad.

This year, Master Blaster decided not to celebrate his birthday due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis in the country.

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