Bang-galore: Rohit Sharma's fireworks give India series win

November 3, 2013

Rohit_double

Bangalore, Nov 3: Rohit Sharma was always reckoned to be a special talent, and the rapturous Diwali holiday crowd marvelled at the pristine quality of his classy double century on Saturday.

The knock virtually knocked the stuffing out of a flummoxed Australian team in the seventh and final ODI at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The 57-run win gave India a 3-2 series win though the massive and unexpected resistance from the Australian ninth wicket pair of James Faulkner (116; 73b,11x4, 6x6) and Clint McKay (18) spread panic through the Indian ranks. Their 115-run partnership in just 89 balls was a credit to the never-say-die spirit of the Australians, whose response to India's mammoth 383 was rousing.

Local lad Vinay Kumar (9-0-102-1) was taken to the cleaners, but Shami Ahmed, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja struck telling blows and made the difference.

Earlier, man of the match Rohit Sharma's languid elegance was captivating and reassuring. He used the cricket bat not like a bludgeon, but like an orchestra conductor's baton. And when he is on song, like he was on Saturday, there are few better sights in the game.

The Australians, who opted to field first, were bewildered when Rohit suddenly switched to overdrive. Till then they must have been reasonably satisfied with the way the decider was going.

They had India pegged back at 250 for four at the start of the 43rd over and must have fancied chasing a target around 300 runs. It was at this stage that Rohit Sharma decided to switch to a higher gear.

Fours and sixes were sprayed into the stands with the relentless consistency of machine-gun fire as the final eight overs yielded a mind boggling 133 runs. It was an astounding demonstration of classy power-hitting. There was plenty of finesse and grace in the execution.

Crowd favourite Virat Kohli was unfortunately run out without troubling the scorers while Suresh Raina (28) and Yuvraj Singh (12) were unconvincing after Rohit and southpaw Shikhar Dhawan (60; 57b, 9x4) had given the team a head start.

Rohit's running between the wickets was not reassuring even with Dhawan. However the openers put bat to ball in telling style and their 112-run first wicket stand in 19 overs was just the launch pad the home team needed in the decider.

But with Kohli, Raina and Yuvraj falling cheaply, India at 207 for four in the 34th over were not really on top of the game. It was then that the wily Indian skipper MS Dhoni and a calculating Rohit chose to bide their time and keep the scoreboard ticking over without taking any risk.

They weathered the Australian fight back over the next six overs before the stunning counter-attack floored the men from Down Under. Rohit slammed 12 boundaries and 16 gigantic sixes in his knock of 209 (158 balls) while Dhoni was run out off the final delivery (62 in 38 balls, 7x4,2x6).

But the match was ultimately all about Rohit Sharma. And for an Australian team seeking redemption there was the depressing realisation that in this Indian team if Kohli doesn't get them, Rohit will!

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News Network
June 20,2020

Dhaka, Jun 20: Former Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza on Saturday tested positive for coronavirus.

The skipper had gone for a coronavirus Test last week, and now his reports have come back as positive, ESPNCricinfo reported.

As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, it is not known how Mortaza contracted the virus.

Mashrafe, also a member of the parliament from Narail 2 constituency, had stepped down as the ODI captain of the country in March this year.

Covid-19 cases have crossed 1,00,000 mark in Bangladesh and the government is now planning area-wise lockdown.

Bangladesh was slated to face Sri Lanka in July in a three-Test series and the side would have later hosted New Zealand in August, but both series look unlikely now.

The Asia Cup, scheduled for September, is also uncertain due to the coronavirus.

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News Network
January 15,2020

Jan 15: Australia openers David Warner and Aaron Finch both struck superb centuries to complement their bowlers’ inspired display as the touring side handed out a 10-wicket thrashing to India in the opening one-day international in Mumbai.

India, world-ranked No 2 in ODIs, suffered a middle-order collapse on their way to being bundled out for 255 in the final over of their innings after Australia captain Finch won the toss and opted to field in the first of the three-match series.

Warner and Finch then smashed the Indian bowlers to all corners of the ground, picking up boundaries seemingly at will to chase down the target with 74 balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.

Left-handed Warner successfully used the decision review system twice to overturn the umpire’s decision on his way to his 18th ODI century, hitting three sixes and 17 fours in his unbeaten knock of 128, from 112 balls. Finch completed his 16th century in the format, his unbeaten innings 110 from 114 features two sixes and 13 fours.

Earlier, Australia’s left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who made his ODI debut in India 10 years ago, picked up three wickets to set up Australia’s victory. He struck the first blow with the new ball when he sent back Rohit Sharma for 10.

India managed to recover from that early loss through a second-wicket stand of 121 between opener Shikhar Dhawan, who top-scored for the hosts with 74, and KL Rahul. However left-arm spinner Ashton Agar broke the stand by dismissing Rahul for 47 before Agar caught Dhawan off Pat Cummins in the next over.

The hosts were hoping for a solid innings from captain Virat Kohli, who batted a position lower than his usual No 3 spot to accommodate Rahul, to get them out of trouble. However, he lasted only 14 balls, hitting leg-spinner Adam Zampa for a six before offering a return catch to the bowler on the very next delivery to be out for 16.

Starc then returned to the attack, removing Shreyas Iyer cheaply as India lost four wickets for 30 runs to be reduced to 164 for five. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja then fell just short of a half-century partnership, before the remaining four wickets falling for 42 runs, with Cummins and fast bowler Kane Richardson picking up two wickets apiece for Australia.

To compound India’s woes, wicketkeeper Pant suffered a concussion after being hit on his helmet by a short-pitched delivery from Cummins. The Indian cricket board said Pant, who did not come out to keep wicket and was replaced behind the stumps by Rahul, was under observation. The two sides will meet in Rajkot for the second ODI on Friday.

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Agencies
August 9,2020

Manchester, Aug 9: Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler played knocks of 84 and 75 respectively as England gained an improbable three-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Test of the three-match series here at the Emirates Old Trafford.

England chased down a total of 277 on the fourth day of the first Test.

Chasing 277, England openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley put on 22 runs for the first wicket, but Mohammad Abbas finally provided the breakthrough to Pakistan as he had Burns (10) adjudged leg-before wicket in the 12th over.

Skipper Joe Root came to the crease next, and he along with Sibley ensured that the side does not lose any more wickets before the lunch break, and England went into the lunch break at 55/1.

Sibley and Root eventually put up a 64-run stand, but their partnership was finally brought to an end by Yasir Shah as he dismissed Sibley (36) in the 36th over. Soon after, skipper Root (42) was also sent back to the pavilion by Naseem Shah, reducing England to 96/3 in the 39th over.

All eyes were on all-rounder Ben Stokes (9), but Pakistan's Yasir Shah sent him back to the pavilion in the 42nd over, and England was left in a spot of bother. Shaheen Shah Afridi, then also got among the wicket-taking charts as he scalped the wicket of Ollie Pope (7), reducing England to 117/5 in the 45th over.

Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler then got together at the crease, and the duo played in an aggressive manner to retrieve the innings for England. The hosts went into the tea break at 167/5, still, 110 runs away from the target with five wickets in hand.

Buttler and Woakes continued their march to frustrate the Pakistan bowling attack and the duo brought the target within the grasp of England. Both batsmen put up a stand of 139 runs, however, with just 21 runs away from the target, England lost the key wicket of Buttler (75) as Yasir Shah had him trapped in front of the wicket.

With England just needing four more runs for the win, Yasir Shah dismissed Stuart Broad (4), but in the end, Woakes and Dom Bess ensured England's win by three wickets.

For Pakistan, Yasir Shah was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped four wickets.

Earlier, resuming day four at 137/8, Yasir Shah (33) along with Mohammad Abbas (3*) and Naseem Shah (4) added 32 more runs to the overnight score to give England a target of 277 to win the first Test.

Stuart Broad was the pick of England bowlers as he scalped three wickets.

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