Pakistan thrash depleted West Indies for second biggest win in T20Is

Agencies
April 2, 2018

Karachi, Apr 2: Pakistan thrashed a depleted West Indies side by 143 runs in the first Twenty20 International on Sunday at the National Stadium in Karachi, the first such match in the city for nine years.

Pakistan, the world's top-ranked T20I side, equalled their highest total in the format of 203/5 in 20 overs before bowling the West Indies out for their lowest-ever T20I total -- 60 runs -- in 13.4 overs.

The West Indies, missing their regular skipper Carlos Brathwaite and stars like Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, could not handle Pakistan's varied bowling attack.

Only Marlon Samuels (18), Rayad Emrit (11) and Keemo Paul (10) reached double figures.

Pakistan's margin of victory is the second-biggest in T20Is, behind Sri Lanka's 172-run win over Kenya in Johannesburg in 2007.

Previously, the hosts' biggest victory in T20Is was a 102-run win against Bangladesh in Karachi in 2008, after scoring 203/5.

Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz and Shoaib Malik got two wickets each.

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed praised his team's performance in the series-opener. "I think we were excellent today," said Ahmed. "We have an important match tomorrow and with another win we can seal the series win."

The West Indies' new T20 skipper Jason Mohammad blamed the defeat on poor batting. "It was a tough day. We did well with the ball till the last two overs. It was a good wicket, but our shot execution wasn't good," said Mohammad, who fell for nought.

The West Indies' previous lowest T20 total was 79/7 against Zimbabwe at Port of Spain in 2010.

Debutant Hussain Talat top-scored for Pakistan with a 37-ball 41, hitting a six and two boundaries. He added 75 for the third wicket with Sarfraz, who scored a 22-ball 38 with a six and four boundaries.

Opener Fakhar Zaman hit a 24-ball 39, while Shoaib Malik played a fiery knock of 37 not out, facing 14 deliveries and hitting two sixes and four boundaries. The charge helped Pakistan get 66 runs in the last five overs.

Despite this being the first international match in Karachi -- Pakistan's largest city -- only 18,000 people watched the match in the 33,000-capacity stadium.

But those present were in a celebratory mood. "It's something we've been trying to prove, that it's safe to play here," said Zehra Kazmi, a housewife.

Aftab Khan, a student, said he was hoping for more top-level cricket on Pakistani soil. "I can't express my feelings in words so we welcome all the players from the international cricket," he said.

"They should come to Pakistan and play... because Pakistan is a very peaceful country."

The three-match T20I series against the West Indies is seen as a big step towards reviving international cricket in Pakistan, which was suspended following a 2009 militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore.

Pakistan hosted five limited-overs internationals against Zimbabwe in 2015 before last year's final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), followed by a T20I series against a World XI and a T20I against Sri Lanka.

This year Pakistan staged two PSL play-offs in Lahore before last Sunday's final of the T20 tournament in Karachi.

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News Network
May 1,2020

Melbourne, May 1: Reclaiming the top spot in Test cricket has brought smiles back on their faces but Australia coach Justin Langer says beating India in their own den remains the ultimate test and their numero uno status will be put to test when they clash with the Virat Kohli-led team.

After a tumultuous transition phase post the ball-tampering scandal, Australia on Friday displaced India as number one side in Test format but Langer is aware that it does not take long for the situation to change.

"We recognise how fluid these rankings are, but at this time it was certainly nice to put a smile on our faces," Langer told Cricket Australia website. "We've got lots of work to do to get to be the team that we want to be, but hopefully over the last couple of years not only have we performed well on the field, but also off the field," Langer added.

The former left-handed opener underlined what he felt will be the ultimate test of character.

"Certainly a goal for us has been the World Test Championship ... but ultimately, we have to beat India in India and we've got to beat them when they come back (to Australia).

"You can only judge yourself as being the best if you beat the best and we've got some really tough opposition to come," Langer put his priorities in place. The team he insists needs to get better as now others will come gunning for them.

"Getting to No.1 is a great thing, but when you're No.1, you're always the hunted," Langer said. "We've been the hunters for a while, now we're the hunted and we need to get better and better."

Langer also hoped that white ball team under Aaron Finch will win the World Cup. "I know how hard it is to win World Cups ... everything has to go right. One day, I'd love to see Aaron Finch with all his mates lift that T20 World Cup above his head."

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News Network
March 12,2020

Miami, Mar 12: The NBA has suspended its season "until further notice" after a Utah Jazz player tested positive Wednesday for the coronavirus, a move that came only hours after the majority of the league's owners were leaning toward playing games without fans in arenas.

Now there will be no games at all, at least for the time being. A person with knowledge of the situation said the Jazz player who tested positive was center Rudy Gobert. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the league nor the team confirmed the test.

"The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight's schedule of games until further notice,'' the league said in a statement sent shortly after 9:30 p.m. EDT. "The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.''

The test result, the NBA said, was reported shortly before the scheduled tip-off time for the Utah at Oklahoma City game on Wednesday night was called off. Players were on the floor for warmups and tip-off was moments away when they were told to return to their locker rooms. About 30 minutes later, fans were told the game was postponed ``due to unforeseen circumstances."

Shutdown for two weeks?

Those circumstances were the league's worst-case scenario for now -- a player testing positive. A second person who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity said the league expects the shutdown to last a minimum of two weeks, but cautioned that time-frame is very fluid.

"It's a very serious time right now," Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "I think the league moved appropriately and prudently and we'll all just have to monitor the situation and see where it goes from here."

The Jazz released a statement saying a player -- they did not identify Gobert -- tested negative earlier Wednesday for flu, strep throat and an upper respiratory infection. That player's symptoms diminished as the day went along, but the decision was made to test for COVID-19 anyway. That test came back with a preliminary positive result.

"The individual is currently in the care of health officials in Oklahoma City," the Jazz said, adding that updates would come as appropriate.

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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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