Shakib's blistering ton scripts Bangladesh's memorable World Cup win over West Indies

Agencies
June 18, 2019

Taunton, Jun 18: All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan struck a magnificent unbeaten 124 to help Bangladesh record a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over the West Indies and script the second highest successful run chase in World Cup history here on Monday. The 32-year-old Shakib (124 off 99 balls) produced a batting master class as he led Bangladesh to a famous win, chasing down the target of 322 with 8.3 overs to spare. He also took 2 wickets for 54 runs while bowling during the West Indies innings.

Liton Das also played a big part in the win as he remained not out on 94 off just 69 balls in a brilliant batting show. He hit 8 fours and 4 sixes in his knock.  The Shakib-Das stand for the unbroken fourth wicket yielded 189 runs from 22.3 overs to take Bangladesh to 322 for 3 in 41.3 overs and notch up their second win in the tournament after their 21-run victory over South Africa on June 2.

The highest successful run chase in World Cup history was the 329 for 7 by Ireland to beat England in the 2011 World Cup in Bengaluru while Bangladesh have also earlier managed 322 batting second, against Scotland in 2015 World Cup. Shakib's 124 not out, his ninth ODI century, was studded with 16 fours. In the process, he also reached the personal milestone of scoring 6000 ODI runs in his 202nd innings.

This was his second century in this World Cup after the 121 against England for a losing cause in Cardiff on Jun 8.  Bangladesh remained in the reckoning for a semifinal spot with five points from five matches while the West Indies will get tougher for a place in the last four as they now have three points from five matches.

The win was though not a surprise as Bangladesh had beaten the West Indies thrice in a tri-series in Ireland last month. But this was Bangladesh's first win over the West Indies in a World Cup. Bangladesh made a confident start to their run chase as they repelled the West Indies' barrage of bouncers initially before slowly beginning to dictate terms on the Caribbean bowlers. In the end, it turned out to be an easy win with Shakib and Das taking their side home with 51 balls to spare.

Opener Tamim Iqbal made a confident start to the run chase with six fours in his 53-ball innings of 48 before being superbly run out by Sheldon Cottrell.

Coming in the pivotal number 3 in the ninth over at team score of 52 for 1, Shakib stitched 69 runs with opener Iqbal for the second wicket before the 189 with Das.

Shakib, whose three innings in this World Cup read 75, 64 and 121, continued with his imperious form as he punished all the West Indies bowlers during his memorable innings. Earlier, Shai Hope hit a patient 121-ball 91 while Shimron Hetmyer produced a quick-fire fifty as West Indies posted a challenging 321 for eight after being sent into bat.

Hope shared a 116-run partnership with Evin Lewis (70) for the second wicket before adding another 83 runs with Hetmyer (50 off 26 balls) after West Indies had a sedate start following Bangladesh's decision to field first. The two-time champions seemed to be on course for a 350-plus score before Bangladesh tied things up a bit in the last five overs, which yielded just 33 for loss of one wicket.

For Bangladesh, pace duo of Mohammad Saifuddin (3/72) and Mustafizur Rahman (3/59) snapped three wickets each, while Shakib Al Hasan (2/54) took two. Earlier, West Indies lost Chris Gayle (0) early and could manage only 32 runs in the first powerplay with the Bangladesh pacers bowling in tendum.

Lewis and Hope then brought up the team hundred in 22.4 overs. The left-handed opener then exploded, smashing successive fours off Shakib before sending one from the bowler out of the park in his next over. But Shakib returned to dismiss Lewis, having him caught at long-off as West Indies slipped to 122 for two.

Hope then completed his fifty in 75 balls but new man Nicholas Pooran (25) could not stay longer as WI lost their third wicket in the 33rd over. That brought Hetmyer to the crease and he took the Bangladesh bowlers to the cleaners, smashing four boundaries and three sixes in his 26-ball whirlwind innings.

Once Hetmyer was back to the hut, captain Jason Holder blasted 33 off 15 balls with the help of four hits to the fence and two sixes to keep the flow of runs but West Indies lost their way after he was dismissed in the 44th over. Hope too holed out in the 47th over.

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News Network
May 4,2020

May 4: Yuzvendra Chahal is among the best leg-spinners in international cricket right now but he can be more effective with better use of the crease, says former Pakistan spinner Mushtaq Ahmed.

Ahmed picked Chahal, Australia's Adam Zampa and Pakistan's Shadab Khan among the top leg-spinners in white-ball cricket.

"Chahal as been impressive. He is definitely among the top leg-spinners of the world. And I feel he would be more effective if he uses the crease a lot more," Ahmed said.

Ahmed, who has coached all around the world and is currently a consultant for his native team, said India's ability to take wickets in the middle-overs in the limited overs format through Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav has been a game-changer for them.

Both the wrist-spinners were brought into India's limited overs set-up following the 2017 Champions Trophy. Though, of late, both Chahal and Kuldeep havn't been playing together.

"He (Chahal) can go wide of the crease at times. You got to be smart enough to understand pitches. If it is a flat pitch, you can bowl stump to stump," said Ahmed, one of the best leg-spinners Pakistan has produced.

"If the ball is gripping, you can go wide of the crease because you can trouble even the best of batsmen with that angle. That way your googly also doesn't turn as much as the batsman expects and you end up taking a wicket."

Chahal has taken 91 wickets in 52 ODIs at 25.83 and 55 wickets in 42 T20s at 24.34. He is not a huge turner of the ball but uses his variations very effectively.

Ahmed also feels the likes of Chahal and Kuldeep have benefitted immensely from former captain M S Dhoni's advice from behind the stumps.

"You have got to be one step ahead of the batsman. You should know your field position as per the batsman's strength. I always say attack with fielders not with the ball. If you understand that theory, you will always be successful," the 49-year-old, who played 52 Tests and 144 ODIs, said.

"India has become a force to reckon with in all three formats as it uses its bowlers really well. Dhoni was a master at getting the best out of his bowlers in limited overs cricket and now you have Virat Kohli."

He also said the art of leg-spin remains relevant more than ever.

"You need leg-spinners and mystery spinners in your team as they have the ability to take wickets at any stage of the game. I see a lot of them coming through in the next 10-15 years.

"Most batsmen now like playing express pace but with a good leg-spinner in the team, you are always in the game," added member of the 1992 World Cup-winning squad.

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Agencies
April 12,2020

London, Apr 12: Former Formula 1 legendary driver Stirling Moss died at the age of 90 on Sunday.

"All at F1 send our heartfelt condolences to Lady Susie and Sir Stirling's family and friends," Formula 1 said in a statement.

Often referred to as the greatest driver never to win the world championship, Moss contested 66 Grands Prix from 1951 to 1961, driving for the likes of Vanwall, Maserati and Mercedes, where he famously formed a contented and ruthlessly effective partnership with lead driver Juan Manuel Fangio.

In his 10-year-long stint at the tracks, Moss took 16 wins, some of which rank among the truly iconic drives in the sport's history - his 1961 victories in Monaco and Germany in particular often held up as all-time classics.

Moss won the 1955 Mille Miglia on public roads for Mercedes at an average speed of close to 100mph, while he also competed in rallies and land-speed attempts.

Following an enforced retirement from racing (barring a brief comeback in saloon cars in the 1980s) after a major crash at Goodwood in 1962, Moss maintained a presence in Formula 1 as both a sports correspondent and an interested observer, before retiring from public life in January of 2018.

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News Network
May 21,2020

Mumbai, May 21: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has chosen legendary Sachin Tendulkar over current skipper Virat Kohli as a better batsman in the ODI format, considering the changed rules of the game and the Mumbaikar's longevity of career.

Tendulkar, who retired in 2013, played 463 ODIs and amassed 18, 426 runs with 49 hundreds at an average of 44.83.

Kohli, on the other hand, has played 248 ODIs and scored 11, 867 runs with 43 tons at an average of 59.33.

"Sachin Tendulkar, because probably with one white ball and four fielders inside the circle, not five fielders outside, it will be Sachin Tendulkar for me," Gambhir said on Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'.

Nowadays, a one-day innings is played with two white balls and with three powerplays.

In the first power play (overs 1-10), two fielders are allowed beyond the 30-yard circle, while in the second powerplay (overs 10-40) four fielders are allowed. In the last powerplay (overs 40-50), five fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle.

Gambhir, who was the star performer in 2011 ODI World Cup final which India won, feels that the change in rules has helped batsmen.

"It's difficult because Virat Kohli has done phenomenally well but I think the rules have changed as well, which has helped a lot of new batters," elaborated Gambhir, who played 58 Tests and 147 ODIs.

"The new generation, with 2 new balls, no reverse swing, nothing for the finger spin, five fielders inside for the 50 overs, probably that makes batting much easier.

He said he would also go with Tendulkar, considering his longevity and flow of the ODI cricket format at that time.

"Probably I’ll go with Sachin Tendulkar if we see the longevity and flow of the one-day cricket format.

"Look at how Sachin Tendulkar has played, different rules, that time 230 to 240, was a winning total," Gambhir signed off. 

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