Virat Kohli's rampant India overwhelm Sri Lanka, take 4-0 lead with 168-run win

Agencies
September 1, 2017

New Delhi, Sept 1: On Mahendra Singh Dhoni's landmark 300th ODI match, a rampant Indian team overwhelmed hosts Sri Lanka to extend the lead in the five-match series to 4-0 on Thursday. Batting first at the Colombo's historic R. Premadasa Stadium, India rode on Kohli and Rohit Sharma's hundreds to post a record 375 for 5. Then dismissed Lanka for a paltry 207 to inflict Lasith Malinga's side a humiliating 168-run defeat.

Chasing an improbable target, Lanka lost seventh successive match against India in the tour. They have already suffered a series whitewash in the three-match Test series, which was once again a first for India in overseas tour in a series of three or more matches. Then came those three ODI matches, which India, more or less, convincingly won leading up to today's irrelevant match.

But Dhoni, considered as one of India's greatest cricketers and probably the greatest ever captain, playing his 300th match, the focus was entirely on the 36-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman from Ranchi. And his team-mates didn't disappoint him.

As he promised in the run up to the match, skipper Kohli made three changes, bringing in Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, and Manish Pandey, with the pacer making his international debut. And it was a dream debut for the 25-year-old as he got the first Lanka wicket, that of a dangerous looking Niroshan Dickwella in the third over itself.

Yes, it was one moment Dhoni fans will talk about for some time. Thakur managed to get faintest of nicks from Lankan opener's glove, but umpire turned down India's appeal. Then, came Dhoni's famous 'DRS' act. The former India captain convinced Kohli to go for the review, and it returned positive. It was just the beginning of yet another procession of Lankan wickets.

For Lanka, former skipper Angelo Mathews played a gem of an innings amid the ruin. His 70 off 80 balls was laced with ten hits to the boundary For the record, he did managed to post fighting but fleeting partnerships with Milinda Siriwardana (39 off 43) and Wanidu Hasaranga (run-a-ball 22).

India's total was the highest posted by any visiting team in an ODI match in Sri Lanka, bettering their own record of 363 for 5 at the same ground in 2009.

Earlier in the day, Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first. But in-form Shikhar Dhawan departed in the second over itself, thus bringing the skipper in the centre.

Kohli (131 off 96 balls) then hit his 29th ODI hundred and his 219-run second-wicket stand with Rohit Sharma (104 off 88 balls), helped India post an imposing total. In the process, Kohli also became the first player to post 10 double-hundred stands in ODI cricket. He now stand third in the all-time list of most ODI hundreds, only behind Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting.

Kohli then became Malinga's 300th ODI wicket. It was indeed one moment worthy of celebration for the the Lankan legend, who was standing as the captain of a bettered team. The series has seen the ageing star fading, but Slinger whoed exmplary gumption in leading a side, which he called a young one.

For Sharma, who hit back-to-back hundreds, it was his 13th ODI hundred. While Kolhi was on song, Rohit complemented his skipper. After a worrying mid-innings crisis, the arrival of Manish Pandey and Dhoni helped India end the innings on a strong footing. Both returned undefeated, with Pandey scorign his second ODI half-century, while Dhoni was happy to compliment his partner reach the mini-landmark in the last ball of the innings.

Indian bowlers joined tha party later in the day, with chinaman Kuldeep Yadav leading the hunt with two wickets. In a disciplined bolwing display, the spinner conceded only 31 runs while accounting  the wickets of last two wickets to wrap up the match.

Pacers Japrit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya also contributed with two wickets each, while Thakur and Axar Patel returned with a wicket each.

The fifth and final match will be played at the same venue, on Sunday (September 3). Then, the two teams will engage in a lone T20I match before winding up the long series, which witnessed India thumping the hosts.

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News Network
March 13,2020

Mar 13: The start of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the world's most lucrative cricket competition, has been postponed from March 29 until April 15 over the coronavirus, the Indian cricket board said Friday.

"The Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to suspend IPL 2020 till 15th April 2020, as a precautionary measure against the ongoing Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation," the BCCI said in a statement.

The two-month Twenty20 competition is estimated to generate more than $11 billion for the Indian economy and involves cricket's top international stars.

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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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News Network
June 13,2020

Islamabad, Jun 13: Pakistan cricket team’s former captain Shahid Afridi, who has tested positive for coronavirus,  appears to have contracted the virus during his recent visit to Muzaffarabad city of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) where Pakistan has been sending its corona positive patients.

The former Pakistan cricketer was seen attending gatherings in Muzaffarabad last month without wearing a mask and not maintaining social distancing. He spewed venom against India during his rallies. 

Afridi visited PoK to also express his solidarity with the people there who have been left to fend for themselves in combating COVID-19 as Pakistan has refused to provide any COVID fighting equipment like PPE kits and ventilators to the area’s handful of hospitals. 

In fact, Pakistan has been using the PoK as a “dumping ground” for COVID-19 affected persons from all across the country as authorities want to keep Punjab province free of corona positive persons. 

The locals held massive protests against Pakistan for setting up quarantine centres and shifting patients from parts of Pakistan to PoK. 

People are immensely suffering in Pakistan occupied Kashmir due to spread of coronavirus as the region lacks proper medical facilities and has a handful of COVID-19 testing labs. There is also lack of expert medical staff to conduct COVID-19 tests. 

A large number of people here are presumed asymptomatic and they are fast spreading the virus because of lack of medical care. 

Pakistan has reported over 1,25,000 coronavirus cases and 2,463 casualties. In Pakistan occupied Kashmir, the COVID-19 cases have increased to 534, whereas in Gilgit-Baltistan 1,030 have been  reported. 

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