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
March 2,2020

Christchurch, Mar 2: India captain Virat Kohli on Monday said the under-fire Rishabh Pant has got a "lot of chances" but the team is not looking to try someone else in the youngster's place just yet as one player can't be singled out in a collective failure.

Pant has been under the scanner for the past one year because of his inconsistent run. His tally of 60 runs across four innings in the 0-2 Test series loss to New Zealand, which concluded here on Monday, has only amplified the debate whether it was prudent to leave out a keeper of Wriddhiman Saha's calibre and back Pant.

"...we have given him (Pant) a lot of chances in the home season as well starting from Australia. Then he was not playing for a bit. In turn he really worked hard on himself," Kohli came to Pant's defence after the series here.

"You need to figure out when is the right time to give someone else a chance. If you push people too early, they can lose confidence," he added.

"...collectively, we didn't perform. I don't believe in singling him out. We take the hit together as a group whether it's the batting group or as a team."

When asked if he believes Pant has taken his place in the side for granted, Kohli made it clear that the culture of this team doesn't encourage anyone to think along those lines.

"I don't see anyone taking his place for granted in this team. That's the culture we have set. People are told to take responsibilities and work hard. Whether it happens or not is a different thing. Then you can have a conversation with the players," he said.

"But no one has come here thinking I am going to play every game or I am indispensable," he added in no uncertain terms.

Kohli, just like head coach Ravi Shastri, made it clear that Pant can make a difference in overseas conditions and he won't like to deviate during future tours.

"The time that he didn't play, he really worked hard on his game. So we thought this is the right time because of his game and the way he plays because he can make a difference lower down the order.

"That was our planning behind it. We can't really fluctuate when it comes to what we planned," he added.

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News Network
March 5,2020

Mar 5: India reached a maiden women's Twenty20 World Cup final Thursday after their last four clash against England was washed out, sparking calls for the International Cricket Council to include reserve days in future events.

Harmanpreet Kaur's unbeaten side were due to face the 2009 champions at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but the rain began pouring early in the day with barely any let-up.

With a minimum 10 overs per side needed for a result and no break in the weather, the umpires called it off without a ball being bowled.

Normally, five overs per side are needed to constitute a Twenty20 match, but the rules are different for ICC tournaments.

Four-time champions Australia are scheduled to take on South Africa later in the second semi-final, with that match also under threat.

With no reserve day, the highest-ranked teams from the two groups move into the final if play is not possible

That would pit India against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, where organisers are hoping to attract 90,000 plus fans, denying Australia a chance to defend their crown.

A reserve day is allowed for the final and the lack of one for the semis has been criticised by some players, with England captain Heather Knight among those calling for change.

"If both semi-finals are lost it would be a sad time for the tournament," she told reporters ahead of the match. "It's obviously going to be a shame if it does happen and I'm sure there will be a lot of pressure on the ICC to change that."

Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts said he sought clarification from the ICC about adding a reserve day with the Sydney weather looking ominous, but the request was denied.

"We've asked the question and it's not part of the playing conditions and we respect that," he told Melbourne's SEN radio.

"It gives you cause to reflect and think about how you might improve things in the future, but going into a tournament with a given set of playing conditions and rules, I don't think it's time to tinker with the rules."

It is not the way India would have wanted to make the final, but they are deserving of being there having gone through the group phase as the only unbeaten team.

After opening their campaign by upsetting Australia, they beat Bangladesh, New Zealand and then Sri Lanka.

While the entire team played well, teenage batting prodigy Shafali Verma excelled, which saw her elevated to the top of the ICC T20 batting rankings this week aged just 16.

She is only the second Indian after Mithali Raj to reach number one, pushing New Zealand veteran Suzie Bates down to second.

Ranked four in the world, India had made three semi-finals before this year and lost every time, including against England at the last World Cup.

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Agencies
February 13,2020

New Delhi, Feb 13: Sanjiv Chawla, a key accused in the match-fixing scandal involving former South African cricket team captain Hansie Cronje in 2000, was extradited from the UK on Thursday, Delhi Police said.

The 50-year-old British national, accompanied by a crime branch team from London, reached IGI Airport this morning, a senior officer said.

He is likely to be taken to the crime branch office for questioning, he added.

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