We are not scared of any opponent, says J&K skipper Rasool

January 3, 2014

JK_skipper_Rasool

Pune, Jan 3: He has led from the front when it mattered the most and Jammu and Kashmir skipper Perveez Rasool says his team's historic feat of reaching the quarter finals of the Ranji Trophy was a "special one" and will motivate the players more.

"I can't explain you my feeling at the moment. We are among the top eight states in Ranji Trophy. The boys are just itching to meet Punjab and let me tell you that we are not scared of any opponents although they have Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh in their ranks. We are ready for a fight," Rasool said over phone from Agartala.

For Rasool, the qualification for the quarter-final and the fact that they will be playing in 'B' group was a "matter of pride".

"This performance promotes us to B group next year in which we will be locking horns with the teams which were in 'Elite' group earlier. This means that we would need to work even harder as a team. From here, the challenge to elevate ourselves to the next level starts," says Jammu and Kashmir's first international cricketer.

Rasool played a stellar role in Jammu and Kashmir's qualification as he first scored 83 to get the first innings lead and then ran through the Tripura line-up to take seven wickets which ensured that they enjoyed a better run quotient of (+1.006) than third placed Goa (+1.005).

"As a captain, it is my duty to perform in crunch situation. I am happy that I could peak at the right time," said 24-year-old Rasool, who has taken 21 wickets and scored 550 runs in the current season.

Asked about the run quotient, Rasool laughed: "You can't believe that I was sitting with a pen and paper and doing all sorts of calculations about how we can qualify for the knock-outs. I was doing all sorts of permutations about what score we can get Tripura out. I am happy that our plans worked well today," Rasool said.

For Rasool, the team has some quality players, who need more exposure at the top level as they have the ingredients to get better.

"This is a team which thrived on enjoying each other's performance. I have got a taste of top level cricket by playing for India A and IPl and sharing the Indian dressing room. We have players like Adil (Rishi), Hardeep (Singh) and Bandeep (Singh), who have all done well. The pacers Samiuallah Beigh and Mohammed Mudhasir have bowled their hearts out," the skipper said.

"Considering other state associations, we don't even get 15 percent of those facilities. This speaks of the volumes of determination that these boys have showed in reaching this level. The quality of cricket at the first-class level has gone up and to measure up you need the best infrastructure," Rasool explained.

For him, these Jammu and Kashmir boys have done it because they are passionate about the game more than monitary gains. Jammu and Kashmir players' match fees are blocked because there is inquiry going on in Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association regarding a financial bungle. Subsequently BCCI has blocked the money pending inquiry.

"You know, we haven't got any match fees for the last two years. But none of the players have ever complained although cricket is our livelihood. I believe this is the dedication, determination and discipline that has made us believe that we can beat any team," Rasool concluded.

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Agencies
February 7,2020

New Delhi, Feb 7: It was on February 7, 1999, that Anil Kumble became just the second bowler in the history of cricket to take all ten wickets in an innings of a Test match.

He achieved the feat against Pakistan at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, now known as Arun Jaitley cricket stadium in Delhi during the second Test of the two-match series.

India had set Pakistan a target of 420 runs in the match and the visitors got off to a steady start as openers Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar put on 101 runs for the first wicket.

It was then Kumble who came into the attack and wreaked havoc on the Pakistani batting line-up.

The spinner, also known as 'Jumbo' first dismissed Afridi (41) in the 25th over. After the right-handed batter's dismissal, India kept on taking wickets through Kumble and Pakistan was reduced to 128/6 in no time.

Kumble then kept on taking wickets at regular intervals and he got his tenth scalp in the 61st over after dismissing Wasim Akram.

This effort enabled India to register a win by 212 runs, and Kumble became the second bowler after England's Jim Laker to take all ten wickets in a single Test inning.

Kumble finished with the bowling figures of 10-74 from 26.3 overs.

Kumble announced his retirement from international cricket in 2008 and finished with 619 wickets in the longest format of the game.

He has the third-highest number of wickets in Tests, only behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Australia's Shane Warne (708).

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Agencies
May 9,2020

Tokyo, May 9: As the world continues to grapple with coronavirus pandemic, the organisers of Tokyo Game Show have cancelled 2020 showpiece event.

TGS 2020 was slated to be played from September 24 to September 27 at the Makuhari Messe convention center. However, there now talks going on for holding an online event instead.

According to the Verge, this is the first time that TGS has ever been cancelled since it started in 1996.

TGS 2020 gained more attention because of its status as the last major trade show before the launch of the upcoming next-gen consoles, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

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News Network
March 2,2020

Madrid, Mar 2: Real Madrid won El Clasico and might have saved their season as they ended their slump in the best way possible last night by beating Barcelona 2-0 and returning to the top of La Liga.

Vinicius Junior's deflected finish and a stoppage-time goal from Mariano Diaz decided a frenzied contest at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Madrid found new life after a Champions League defeat by Manchester City had left them on the brink of crisis.

"It's been a tough week," said Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane. "We talked about how we had an opportunity this weekend and we took it."

Victory put them one point clear at the top of the table and shifts focus back to Quique Setien's Barcelona, who were outfought and, at times, outplayed.

"The reality is we lost a lot of confidence with the ball," said Setien. "We entered a nervous spell and that's when the goal came."

Lionel Messi's rasping shot was saved by Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the first half but it was the Argentine's opposing captain, Sergio Ramos, who was thrashing his arms in celebration after the final whistle.

His reaction was an indication of the importance of this victory, not only for the effect it has on the standings but on the dynamic of the title race, which had seemed to be switching firmly in favour of Barca.

Opportunity missed

Cristiano Ronaldo, now of Juventus, was watching from an executive box and Madrid could have done with him during a period in which they had won only one of their last five games.

Zidane said on Saturday this match would not decide who lifted the trophy in May but a Barca win and a five-point gap might well have been difficult to close.

Yet from the start Barcelona seemed keener to kill the game than win it, playing for time in the hope of keeping the contest tight, when they might have been better off attacking their opponents' fragility.

The Madrid we faced in the first half was one of the worst Madrids I have faced at the Bernabeu. I don't say it as a criticism, we also have our problems, but we've missed an opportunity.

--Gerard Pique, Barcelona defender

There was more tension than creativity in the early stages as Fede Valverde crashed into Arthur Melo before fellow Spain full-backs Dani Carvajal and Jordi Alba were both booked after a disagreement.

Madrid had the better of the play and regularly broke at speed through Vinicius down the left but constantly they failed to make the final pass, with Isco once left with his head in his hands after Marcelo opted not to pull the ball back.

Slow Barca

Barcelona's passing was slow and their lack of urgency obvious. At one point Messi bent to tie his bootlaces and re-spotted the ball before taking a corner.

But the visitors also created chances as Antoine Griezmann drove over from Alba's cutback and then Madrid had Courtois to thank for two excellent saves.

First, Arthur held off Toni Kroos to go clear but his finish was blocked by teh foot of Courtois and then the Belgian palmed away Messi's shot after he had skipped in behind Madrid's defence.

Ramos was lucky to get away with an error that allowed Nelson Semedo to break past him while Alba risked a second yellow when he checked Valverde but referee Mateu Lahoz was unmoved.

Barcelona were sloppy after half-time and Madrid should have capitalised. Instead, Isco's header beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen but not Pique on the line and Karim Benzema volleyed over after a sloppy pass from Arturo Vidal.

Vidal was replaced by Martin Braithwaite, Barca's emergency signing, and he sprinted in behind Marcelo twice in his first minute.

But Madrid remained in the ascendancy and in the 71st minute they took the lead.

Benzema came short and pointed right to encourage Vinicius to run in behind. Kroos found him and Vinicius's shot deflected off the sliding Pique to beat Ter Stegen at his near post.

The game opened up as Barcelona chased an equaliser. Marcelo celebrated when Messi's surge through was stopped by Raphael Varane. Pique headed Messi's cross over at the near post. Messi picked up a yellow card for a frustrated slide on Casemiro.

In injury time, Ter Stegen ventured up for a late free-kick but it was Madrid that struck again. Mariano sped past Semedo and finished from the angle.

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