Sri Lanka seal semis spot with 59-run win over New Zealand

April 1, 2014

Sri_Lanka_sealChittagong, Apr 1: Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath produced a dream spell of five wickets for just three runs as Sri Lanka recorded a crushing 59-run victory over New Zealand in a dramatic Super 10 match to qualify for the semifinals of the World Twenty20 here.

Herath turned the virtual knock-out match on its head by grabbing five wickets for just three runs in a sensational spell while also being instrumental in a run-out which opened the floodgates as Sri Lanka defended a small total of 119 all out in their last Group 1 match.

New Zealand were shot out for just 60 in 15.3 overs, the third lowest total in Twenty20 International history.

Herath's 5/3 was the third best ever figures by a bowler in Twenty20 Internationals behind team-mate Ajantha Mendis' twin efforts of 6/8 and 6/16.

With today's result at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Sri Lanka finished on top of Group 1 on net run rate though they ended their Super 10 engagements on same six points with South Africa.

Sri Lanka will now take on Group 2 runners-up team, which will be decided after tomorrow's match between West Indies and Pakistan, on April 3 at Mirpur. Group 2 winners India will take on Group 1 runners-up South Africa on April 4, also at Mirpur.

New Zealand suffered a jolt even before their run chase as their key player Corey Anderson was taken to hospital after dislocating his finger while attempting a catch during Sri Lanka innings. Anderson did not come out to bat.

Chasing a small total of 120, New Zealand seemed to be on course for a semifinal spot as they reached 18 for no loss at the end of second over.

But the drama unfolded in the very first ball of the third over bowled by Herath as New Zealand opener Martin Guptill ran for a single without response from his partner Kane Williamson. Herath was lightning quick to throw the ball to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara who whipped off the bail in a flash.

Five balls later, one-down and captain Brendon McCullum was done in by a beauty of a delivery from Herath as it deceived the batsman by its flight. McCullum came out of his crease to smash the ball only to be beaten and the rest left to Sangakkara as Sri Lanka bounced back into the match.

Herath immediately came back for his second over and dismissed Ross Taylor and Jimmy Neesham for ducks in the last two consecutive deliveries of the sixth over and New Zealand were sent into the backfoot.

Taylor was adjudged LBW while Neesham's leg-stump was disturbed after he played across to a tossed-up delivery bowled from round the wicket which spun and went through the gap between pad and bat.

New Zealand, who also suffered a jolt after their key player Corey Anderson could not turn up for batting as he was hospitalised after dislocated his finger were reduced to 23 for four then as Herath bowled two wicket-maiden overs.

Herath continued his exploits and though he missed his hat-trict chance, he reduced New Zealand in tatters by dismissing Luke Ranchi (2) in his third over and overall eight to end his first spell of three overs with figures of four wickets for two runs.

Off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake then dismissed Nathan McCullum (2) in the 10th over as New Zealand run chase went haywire at 33 for six at the halfway mark.

Senanayake then dismissed Kyle Mills (4) in the 14th over and opener Kane Williamson, who top-scored for New Zealand with a 42, was run out in the first ball of the 16th over bowled by Herath who then claimed the wicket of Trent Boult (3) to end the New Zealand innings.

Earlier, pacers Trent Boult and Jimmy Neesham claimed three wickets each to wreck havoc on Sri Lankan batsmen as New Zealand shot them out for just 119 in their must-win match.

Boult (3/20) rocked the Sri Lankan top order before Neesham (3/22) sent the lower order packing as New Zealand pacers produced a brilliant performance to put their side on a strong position.

Put into bat, Sri Lanka slumped to 35 for three in the sixth over with Boult producing a brilliant pace-bowling spell and they never recovered from there on.

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News Network
July 6,2020

New Delhi, Jul 6: India's cricket chief Sourav Ganguly says improved fitness standards and a change in culture have led to the country developing one of the world's best pace attacks.

Spearheads Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah are part of a battery of five formidable quick bowlers that have helped change India's traditional reliance on spin bowling.

"You know culture has changed in India that we can be good fast bowlers," Ganguly said in a chat hosted on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Twitter feed.

"Fitness regimes, fitness standards not only just among fast bowlers but also among the batters, that has changed enormously. That has made everyone understand and believe that we are fit, we are strong and we can also bowl fast like the others did."

The West Indies dominated world cricket in the 1970s and 1980s led by a fearsome pace attack that included all-time greats such as Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner.

Recently Indian quicks have risen to the top in world cricket with Shami, Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in a deadly arsenal.

"The West Indies in my generation were naturally strong," the former India captain said.

"We Indians were never such naturally strong... but we worked hard to get strong. But I think it is the change in culture as well that is very important."

Shami last month claimed that the current Indian pace attack may be the best in Test history.

"You and everyone else in the world will agree to this -- that no team has ever had five fast bowlers together as a package," said Shami.

"Not just now, in the history of cricket, this might be the best fast-bowling unit in the world."

Shami took 13 wickets during India's 3-0 home Test sweep over South Africa last year, while Bumrah has claimed 68 scalps in 14 Tests since his debut.

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News Network
May 3,2020

New Delhi, May 3: In a startling revelation, India speedster Mohammed Shami has claimed that he thought of committing suicide thrice while battling personal issues a few years ago, forcing his family to keep a watch over him at all times.

He said his family members feared he "might jump" from their 24th floor apartment.

Shami, one of India's leading bowlers in recent years, opened up on his personal and professional life during an Instagram chat with teammate and limited overs squads' vice-captain Rohit Sharma.

"I think if my family had not supported me back then I would have lost my cricket. I thought of committing suicide three times during that period due to severe stress and personal problems," Shami revealed during the session on Saturday.

Now one of the mainstays of Indian bowling attack across formats, the 29-year-old was struggling to focus on his cricket, then.

"I was not thinking about cricket at all. We were living on the 24th floor. They (family) were scared I might jump from the balcony. My brother supported me a lot.

"My 2-3 friends used to stay with me for 24 hours. My parents asked me to focus on cricket to recover from that phase and not think about anything else. I started training then and sweated it out a lot at an academy in Dehradun," Shami said.

In March 2018, Shami's wife Hasin Jahan had accused him of domestic violence and lodged a complaint with the police, following which the India player and his brother were booked under relevant sections.

The upheaval in his personal life forced his employer BCCI to withheld the player's central contracts for a while.

"Rehab was stressful as the same exercises are repeated every day. Then family problems started and I also suffered an accident. The accident happened 10-12 days ahead of the IPL and my personal problems were running high in the media," Shami told Rohit.

Shami said his family stood like a rock with him and the support helped him get back on his feet.

"Then my family explained that every problem has a solution no matter how big the problem. My brother supported me a lot."

Speaking about another painful period in his life after his injury in the 2015 World Cup, Shami said it took him almost 18 months to get back on the field.

"When I got injured in the 2015 World Cup, after that it took me 18 months to fully recover, that was the most painful moment in my life, it was a very stressful period.

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News Network
January 29,2020

New Delhi, Jan 29: Badminton champion Saina Nehwal joined the ruling BJP today and is likely to campaign for the party ahead of the February 8 Delhi election.

"I have won medals for the country. I am a very hardworking and I love hardworking persons. I can see Prime Minister Narendra Modi does so much for the country, I want to do something for the country with him," the shuttler said, wearing the BJP scarf.

"I draw a lot of inspiration from Narendra sir".

Haryana-born Saina Nehwal, 29, is a major acquisition for the party in the middle of the Delhi poll campaign; she is one of the most popular sportspersons in India with a huge fan following and brand value. She is preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

A former world number 1, she has been honoured with the country's top sporting awards like the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award. She was also awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2016.

The Badminton player has won over 24 international titles. In the London Olympics, she won a bronze. She was world number two in 2009 and number one in 2015.

With her tweets praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Saina Nehwal was widely seen to lean towards the BJP.

One of her tweets became controversial when it was found to be identical to several others in praise of a PM Modi speech last year. Saina was trolled on Twitter with screenshots of the identical tweets. She was also among the sportswomen who put up identical tweets on Diwali thanking PM Modi for his initiative to empower women, with the hashtag #bharatkilaxmi.

The BJP roped in many famous personalities last year, including cricketer Gautam Gambhir, who was elected MP from Delhi in the national election, and wrestler Babita Phogat. Just before the Haryana assembly polls, the party roped in wrestler Sushil Kumar, Babita Phogat and former Hockey team captain Sandeep Singh. Sandeep Singh won the election and was appointed minister.

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