The Prince - Yuvraj Singh is back

September 16, 2013

yuvrajsinghBangalore, Sep 16: Yuvraj makes a big statement with a murderous 89-ball 123 to lead India 'A' to a 77-run win over West Indies 'A'; Pathan smashes 70 off 32.

Yuvraj Singh, quite clearly, wants to get back into the Indian team.

On Sunday, he a made his intentions clear with a brutal knock. The southpaw’s 123 and his 125-run stand with Yusuf Pathan no less than savage during his unbeaten 70 off 32 balls helped India ‘A’ beat the West Indies ‘A’ by 77 runs in the first one-day game at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here.

India scored 312 for four at 7.42 runs per over after a wet pitch delayed the start of play and reduced the match to a 42-overs-a-side affair. The visitors were never really up for the chase and were bowled out for 235 in 39.1 overs.

The 89-ball ton (8x4, 7x6) was Yuvraj’s first three-figure score in 29 innings in any format. His last ton, a 131 in Punjab colours, came against Madhya Pradesh in Gwalior in December 2013.

The dampness in the pitch may have prompted Kieran Powell to put the hosts in, and his bowlers reduced India to 47/2 in 11.4 overs. While Unmukt Chand managed just a run, Robin Uthappa batted well before falling for 23 (37 balls, 2x4). Mandeep Singh held it all together with a classy 67-run knock (78 balls, 7x4, 1x6).

Mandeep was batting with flair when Yuvraj joined him in the middle. The senior pro was, however, content playing second fiddle to his statemate. He started off cautiously, but eventually opened up to get to his half century off 60 deliveries.

Thereon, it was a different Yuvraj on display. The next 50 took just 20 balls!

Mandeep’s dismissal he was bowled by Nikita Miller brought Pathan to the crease. The Baroda right-hander, too, made a statement of intent with whirlwind knock.

With Yuvraj belting the bowlers, Pathan was in no mood to stay quiet. Spinner Ashley Nurse was dispatched for three sixes and two fours in the 37th over, which yielded 28 runs.

Later, wickets at regular intervals put the visitors on the back foot. Narsingh Deonarine scored 57 (63 balls, 6x4, 1x6) and so did Nurse (50 balls, 6x4, 2x6), but the West Indians fell well short.

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News Network
February 10,2020

Potchefstroom, Feb 10: India's under-19 cricket team manager Anil Patel says the ICC has taken a serious view of the aggressive celebrations by Bangladesh players after their World Cup triumph and will be reviewing the footage of the final game's "last few minutes".

Some Bangladeshi players got carried away while celebrating their historic three-wicket win over India in the final on Sunday. While their captain Akbar Ali apologised for the "unfortunate incident", his Indian counterpart Priyam Garg said their reaction was "dirty".

"We don't know what actually happened," Patel told 'ESPNCricinfo' on Sunday.

"Everybody was in a shock, absolutely, but we don't know what happened exactly. The ICC officials are going to watch the footage of the last few minutes and they are going to let us know," he said.

Even when the match was on, the Bangladesh players were overly aggressive while fielding and their lead pacer Shoriful Islam sledged the Indian batsmen after every delivery.

As soon as the match ended, it became tense with Bangladeshi players rushing to the ground and displaying aggressive body language. The two teams nearly came to blows before the situation was defused by the coaching staff and on-field officials.

Patel claimed that match referee Graeme Labrooy met him and expressed regret at what transpired on the field.

"The referee came to me. He was sorry about the incident. He clarified the ICC is going to take very seriously what has happened during the match and the last session. They are going to witness the footage and they will tell us in the morning (Monday)."

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News Network
March 12,2020

New Delhi, Mar 12: No foreign player will be available for this year's IPL till April 15 due to visa restrictions imposed by the government to contain the novel coronavirus threat, a top BCCI source told PTI on Thursday, casting fresh doubts on the fate of the event.

"The foreign players who play in the IPL come under the Business Visa category. As per the government's directive, they can't come till April 15," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

The government issued fresh advisory with a ban on all existing foreign visas, except a few categories like diplomatic and employment, till April 15 in the wake of new positive cases of novel coronavirus in the country.

India has reported 60 positive cases in the outbreak which has led to over 4,000 deaths globally.

The fate of the IPL itself will be decided on March 14 at the event's Governing Council meeting in Mumbai. "All decisions will be taken by the GC in Mumbai," the source said.

Having the IPL, starting March 29, played in empty stadiums is an option being explored.

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News Network
June 25,2020

Jun 25: After asserting that the 2011 World Cup final was "sold" by "certain parties" in Sri Lanka to India, the island nation's former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has now called his claim a "suspicion" that he wants investigated.

The Lankan government has ordered an enquiry into the matter and a special Police investigation unit recorded Aluthgamage's statement on Wednesday. He told the team that he was only suspicious of fixing.

"I want my suspicion investigated," Aluthgamage told reporters.

"I gave to the Police, a copy of the complaint I lodged with the International Cricket Council (ICC) on 30 October 2011 regarding the said allegation as then Sports Minister," he said.

Aluthgamage has alleged that his country "sold" the game to India, a claim that was ridiculed by former captains Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who demanded evidence from him.

Set a target of 275, India clinched the trophy thanks to the brilliance of Gautam Gambhir (97) and then skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (91).

"Today I am telling you that we sold the 2011 world cup, I said this when I was the sports minister," Aluthgamage, who was the sports minister at the time, had stated.

Sangakkara, the captain of Sri Lanka at that time, asked him to produce evidence for an anti-corruption probe.

"He needs to take his 'evidence' to the ICC and the Anti corruption and Security Unit so the claims can be investigated thoroughly," he tweeted.

Jayawardene, also a former captain who scored a hundred in that game, ridiculed the charge.

"Is the elections around the corner...like the circus has started...names and evidence?" he asked in a tweet.

Aluthgamage said that in his opinion no players were involved in fixing the result, "but certain parties were."

Both Aluthgamage and the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa were among the invitees at the final played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Following his allegations, Aravinda de Silva, the former great who was the then chairman of selectors, has urged the BCCI to conduct its own investigation.

De Silva has said he is willing to travel to India to take part in such an investigation despite the current COVID-19 threat.

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