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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June 9,2020

Jun 9: Former West Indies skipper Darren Sammy has released a video, alleging racism within the SunRisers Hyderabad camp. Last week, Sammy had lost his cool after learning the meaning of the word "Kalu", which he alleged was directed at him during his Indian Premier League (IPL) stint with the SunRisers Hyderabad. The T20 World Cup-winning Windies skipper had said that he along with Sri Lanka player Thisara Perera were sometimes called that word when they played for SunRisers Hyderabad. However, Sammy did not specify as to who directed these slurs at him, but now the player has released a video, saying he will message all those who called him that word.

"I have played all over the world and I have been loved by many people, I have embraced all dressing rooms where I have played, so I was listening to Hasan Minhaj as to how some of the people in his culture describe black people," Sammy said in a video posted on his Instagram account.

"This does not apply to all people, so after I found out a meaning of a certain word, I had said I was angry on finding out the meaning and it was degrading, instantly I remembered when I played for SunRisers Hyderabad, I was being called exactly the same word which is degrading to us black people," he added.

Sammy said that at the time when he was being called with the word, he didn''t know the meaning, and his team-mates used to laugh every time after calling him by that name.

"I will be messaging those people, you guys know who you are, I must admit at that time when I was being called as that word I thought the word meant strong stallion or whatever it is, I did not know what it meant, every time I was called with that word, there was laughter at that moment, I thought teammates are laughing so it must be something funny," Sammy said.

"Now, I realise it was degrading, I will be texting you guys and I will ask you as to when you called me with that name, did you all mean it in any bad way or form? I have had great memories in all my dressing rooms, so all those who used to you call me with that word, think about it, let's have a conversation, if it was in a bad way then I would be really disappointed," he added.

The former Windies skipper has been a vocal supporter of the protests that are currently going on in the United States over the death of an African-American man named George Floyd.

Sammy had also made an appeal to the ICC and other cricket boards to support the fight against social injustice and racism.

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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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January 8,2020

Indore, Jan 8: Skipper Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 30 as India beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second Twenty20 international in Indore on Tuesday.

The hosts rode a 71-run opening stand between KL Rahul, who hit 45, and Shikhar Dhawan, who made 32, to chase down their target of 143 in 17.3 overs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after the first match was rained off.

Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga took the wickets of the Indian openers but Shreyas Iyer, who scored 34 before falling to paceman Lahiru Kumara, and Kohli, who hit the winning six, got the team home.

The third match is on Friday in Pune.

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