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Sarfraz leads Pakistan to Champions Trophy semi-final

Agencies
June 13, 2017

Cardiff, Jun 13: Pakistan marched into the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy after recording a dramatic three-wicket victory against Sri Lanka here at Sophia Gardens on Monday.

Sarfraz

The fast bowlers set up the win before fifties from rookie opener Fakhar Zaman and skipper Sarfraz Ahmed sealed it. But above all, it was a horrible fielding display from Sri Lanka that allowed Pakistan to set a date with title-favourites England in the last-four on Wednesday (tomorrow).

With a place in the semi-finals at stake, there were many twists and turns in the match. Sri Lanka squandered a chance of posting a big total as they slipped from 160-3 in 30 overs to 167-7. Then Pakistan allowed them to inch to a somewhat respectable 236.

Later, Pakistan seemed cruising towards a comfortable win as they raced to 92-1 in just over 11 overs on the back of a blazing 50 off just 36 balls from Fakhar Zaman. But they slumped to 162-7 before Sarfraz and Mohammad Amir resurrected the chase with an unbeaten 75-run partnership for the eighth wicket to take them past the finish line.

Sarfraz, Pakistan’s hero with an unbeaten 61 off 79 balls, lived dangerously but was given a series of reprieves by the Sri Lankan fielders. They could have ran him out, caught him out but kept wasting the chances. Sri Lanka’s worst moment in the game came in the 39th over when Thisara Perera dropped a dolly after Sarfraz had hit a Lasith Malinga delivery straight into the hands of the all-rounder at mid-on.

In the end, it weren’t Pakistan who won the match. It were Sri Lanka who lost it. The winning shot came from Sarfraz as he hit Malinga to the third-man boundary and then celebrated as if Pakistan had won the Champions Trophy. It was certainly was a big moment for Sarfraz, who is captaining Pakistan for the first time in an ICC event. “I can’t believe it,” Sarfraz said. “Dropped catches are part of the game. Allah helped us and that’s why Pakistan won today,” he added.

Earlier, Amir woke up from his slumber with a fiery spell that put Pakistan on top at the end of the first innings. Having gone wicketless in his team’s first two games of the event, Amir scalped the dangerous duo of Niroshan Dickwell (73) and Angelo Mathews (39) in quick succession as the rest of Pakistan’s pace attack also sizzled to dismiss Sri Lanka for 236 in 49.2 overs in what was a virtual quarter-final of the eight-nation spectacle. Junaid Khan (3-40) and Hasan Ali (3-43) had better figures than Amir (2-53) but it was the left-armer’s twin strike that squeezed the life out of Sri Lanka’s innings.

The Sri Lankans, who took the field in Cardiff after a sensational win against defending champions India at The Oval, were undone by some superb swing bowling by Pakistan’s pace quartet that included debutant Faheem Ashraf (2-37). Apart from Dickwella who hit 73 from 86 balls and Mathews, no Sri Lankan batsmen could offer any worthwhile resistance. Pakistan opted to bowl on a fresh wicket that had a tinge of green. They chose uncapped Fahim over leggie Shadab and didn’t regret the move.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 236, 49.2 overs (N Dickwella 73; Junaid Khan 3-40, Hasan Ali 3-43)

Pakistan 237-7, 44.5 overs (Sarfraz Ahmed 61 no, Fakhar Zaman 50; N Pradeep 3-60)

Result: Pakistan won by three wickets.

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Agencies
August 3,2020

Silverstone, Aug 2: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton on Sunday won his seventh British Grand Prix title after a dramatic last-lap at the Silverstone Circuit.

Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas were at the first and second spot respectively until tyre drama struck.

Second-placed man Bottas was the first to suffer as his tyre deflated on lap 50, resulting in 11th place finish. Hamilton also suffered a similar issue before the final few seconds of the race.

However, with Max Verstappen having opted to pit a few laps from the end to try and claim the fastest lap, Hamilton had enough time in hand to just cross the line first, five seconds ahead of Verstappen and the third-placed Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

McLaren's Carlos Sainz had been set to finish fourth, but his own last lap tyre issue saw him eventually come home P13, allowing Renault's Daniel Ricciardo to claim fourth, following a late pass on the sister McLaren of Lando Norris.

Renault's Esteban Ocon finished sixth, having enjoyed a race-long battle with Lance Stroll's Racing Point, with Pierre Gasly having enjoyed a fine race to finish seventh for AlphaTauri.

Alex Albon finished eighth for Red Bull, having recovered from a lap 1 tussle with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen that saw him fall to last, while Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel rounded out the top 10, Vettel holding off a late charge form the recovering Mercedes of Bottas.

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Northamptonshire, Jul 31: Mexican Formula One driver Sergio Perez has tested positive for coronavirus, and as a result, he will miss the British Grand Prix.

The Racing Point driver was absent from the circuit on Thursday after self-isolating following what his team called an "inconclusive" test. Perez then re-tested later in the day and it returned positive.

Formula 1 is following a strict testing regime as part of the safety protocols put in place when racing resumed earlier this month, and this is the first time a driver has tested positive.

"Perez has entered self-quarantine in accordance with the instructions of the relevant public health authorities, and will continue to follow the procedure mandated by those authorities," Formula 1 and the FIA said in a statement.

"With the assistance of the local organiser of the British Grand Prix, local health authorities and the FIA COVID-19 delegate, a full track and trace initiative has been undertaken and all close contacts have been quarantined," the statement added.

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News Network
May 6,2020

May 6: They have similar impact on their teams but Virat Kohli is driven by sheer passion to subdue the rivals while Steve Smith just enjoys batting, says Australia opener David Warner.

India skipper Kohli and top Australian batsman Smith are arguably the top two cricketers of the current era. They achieve new milestones consistently, invoking debates, who is better between them.

"Virat's passion and drive to score runs is different to what Steve's would be," Warner said while speaking to Harsha Bhogle on 'Cricbuzz in Conversation'.

"Steve is going out there for a hit in the middle, that's how he sees things. He's hitting them out in the middle, he's having fun, he's enjoying himself, just does not want to get out."

Warner feels, while Kohli is batting he is aware that if he sticks around the middle his team will be on top of the proceedings.

"Virat obviously doesn't want to get out but he knows if he spends a certain amount of time out there, he's going to score plenty of runs at a rapid rate. He's going to get on top of you. That allows the guys coming in, especially in the Indian team you've got a lot of players who can be flamboyant as well."

The Australian opener added that both men are mentally strong and a good knock by them boosts the morale of the entire team.

"When it comes to cricket, they both have got the mental strength, the mental capacity to score runs. They both love spending time in the middle.

"They stabilise, they boost morale - if they score runs, everyone else's moral is up. If they are out cheaply you almost sense that on the field that everyone is (down on morale and thinking) 'now we all have to step up'. It's a very bizarre situation," he added.

Asked about the similarities between himself and Kohli, who are both live wires on the field, Warner said the passion to do better than the opponent keeps him going.

"I can't speak for Virat, obviously, but it's almost like we got this thing in us when we go (out to the middle) we need to prove people wrong, prove someone wrong."

"If you're in that contest, and if I'm going at him for example, you're thinking, 'Alright, I'm going to score more runs than him, I'm going to take a quick single on him'. You are trying to better that person in that game. That's where the passion comes from."

Warner also explained how he breaks down a match into smaller competitions.

"Obviously you want to win the game but you almost break it down to: If I can score more runs than Virat, or if Pujara scores more runs than Steve Smith, you have these little contests and that's how you try to narrow the game in the sense that if we do these little things, we can be ahead of the game or we can be behind the game.

"The passion is driven by...I know my sense - one, the will to win and two, wanting to do better than that person in the opposition," said Warner.

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