Third-time lucky: Punjab Warriors are HIL Champions after thrashing Kalinga Lancers

February 23, 2016

Ranchi, Feb 23: Jaypee Punjab Warriors were on Sunday crowned Hockey India League champions as they clinched their maiden title after thrashing Kalinga Lancers 6-1 in a lop-sided summit clash.

HILThe Punjab-based side were third time lucky as they had finished runners-up in the last two editions. They lost to Delhi Waveriders in 2014 and to Ranchi Rays last year.

The Warriors, who had finished second in the round-robin league phase, totally dominated the final match of the fourth edition of the tournament at the Astroturf Hockey Stadium.

They led 2-1 at the end of the second quarter but pumped in two field strikes -- with each field goal counting as two -- in the final two quarters to take the game away from the reach of Kalinga Lancers.

Armaan Qureshi (4th minute), Matt Gohdes (39th) and Satbir Singh (42nd) found the target for Punjab Warriors while captain Moritz Fuerste scored the consolation goal for Kalinga Lancers in the 24th minute.

The Warriors' forward line was too good to handle for the Lancers who had to defend their citadel for most part of the final two quarters.

The match started on an attacking note as Kalinga Lancers were straightaway put under pressure by a series of attacks from Jaypee Punjab Warriors.

The Warriors struck early in the game through a field goal in the fourth through talented youngster Armaan Qureshi to take a 2-0 lead. This was followed by Kalinga Lancers launching some good attacks but the Warriors' defenders stood upto their reputation denying their opponents any opportunity to score. The first quarter came to an end with the Warriors leading 2-0.

The second quarter began with Kalinga Lancers launching successive attacks on the Warriors but were unsuccessful in converting any opportunity to their favour. The Warriors showcased impeccable defence but the Lancers finally broke the

deadlock in the 24th minute through a penalty corner conversion by captain Moritz Fuerste. The Warriors led 2-1 at the end of the second quarter.

The third quarter began with the Warriors keen to extend their lead. Their consecutive attacks on the Lancers goal finally yielded results through back-to-back field goals in the 39th and 42nd minutes through Matt Ghodes and Satbir Singh respectively.

With the Warriors leading 6-1, the pressure was on the Lancers to bring themselves into the game. But the Warriors' defenders were in no mood to let go off their lead in the match.

The Warriors created some good moves on the counter but the Lancers were successful in foiling all their attempts to score any further.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Waveriders got the better of defending champions Ranchi Rays 2-0 in the bronze medal play-off match to finish third.

The Warriors walked away with a winners cheque of Rs 2.50 crores alongwith the winner's trophy.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das presented the winner's trophy to Jaypee Punjab Warriors captain Sardar Singh and Mark Knowles.

Kalinga Lancers pocketed a cheque of Rs 1.25 crores for finishing as runners-up.

The Player of the Tournament Award of Rs 50 lakh was awarded to Rupinder Pal Singh of Delhi Waveriders.

Mark Knowles of the Warriors walked away with the Man of the Match Award, which carried Rs 50,000. The Goal of the Match award of Rs 50,000 was awarded to Armaan Qureshi of the Warriors.

The Emerging Player of the Match award of Rs 25,000 was awarded also to Armaan Qureshi.

The Dhruv Batra Maximum Goals award of Rs 20 lakh was awarded to Kalinga Lancers' Glenn Turner. The Ponty Chadha Upcoming Player of the Tournament award of Rs 20 lakh went to Sumit of Ranchi Rays.

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News Network
July 3,2020

Karachi, Jul 3: Pakistan limited overs captain Babar Azam is tired of his constant comparisons with India skipper Virat Kohli and says he would rather be compared to the greats at home.

Babar, six years younger to Kohli, has a long way to go in getting close to Kohli's staggering numbers across formats. The India skipper has 70 hundreds to his name and averages more than 50 in all three formats.

"I would be more happy if you compare to me say a Javed Miandad, Muhammad Yousuf or Younis Khan. Why compare me to Kohli or any Indian player?" asked the 25-year-old, who is in England with the national team, said in an online media interaction on Thursday.

Babar has scored 16 international hundreds and averages more than 50 in ODIs and T20s. In 26 Tests, he has scored 1850 runs at 45.12.

He also said that he is not targeting any English bowler for the series next month.

"I don’t see who the bowler is or his reputation. I just try to play each ball on merit. England no doubt has a top bowling attack and they have advantage of playing at home but this is a challenge I want to score runs in," he said.

Before the squad’s departure for England, Pakistan batting coach Younis Khan said that pacer Joffra Archer will be a handful for the Pakistani batsmen.

Babar said that he would try to play every English bowler on merit but conceded that after getting runs in Australia last year, he was keen to leave his footprint in the coming Test and T20 series in England.

Reminded that some former Test players had already written off Pakistan for the England series, Babar said they were entitled to their opinion.

"But we don’t have a bad team and already we have been enjoying our training. It is good to be back on the field after such a long lay-off. I think we have the bowlers to trouble them like Abbas, Naseem, Shaheen and others while we have some experience in our batting line-up."

Babar said he would love to get a triple century in a Test match.

"When you score a century, you naturally want to go on and convert that into a double or a triple century. This is something I would like to do during the Test series.

"I like to play my natural game but my selection of shots depends on the conditions and bowlers."

Babar also ruled out any problems in the Pakistan dressing room due to the presence of former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was sacked last year.

But he said that since Muhammad Rizwan had been playing in all formats for Pakistan in recent times, he would be the starting keeper in the Test series ahead of Sarfaraz.

"I think we first have to give Rizwan a proper chance and Sarfaraz is there as back up."

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News Network
January 29,2020

Hamilton, Jan 29: India defeated New Zealand in the third T20 International via Super Over to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series here on Wednesday.

India posted a competitive 179 for five at Seddon Park after being sent into bat. Opener Rohit Sharma top scored for India with a 65-run knock while skipper Virat Kohli contributed 38 runs in team's total.

Later, skipper Kane Williamson smashed a 48-ball 95 but New Zealand faltered in the final over to take the match into the Super Over.

Needing nine runs of the last over, New Zealand lost Williamson and Ross Taylor to finish at 179 for six and tie the match.

In the Super Over, New Zealand scored 17, a target which India overwhelmed in the final ball with Rohit smashing Tim Southee for two consecutive sixes.

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News Network
January 8,2020

Indore, Jan 8:  India skipper Virat Kohli has added yet another feather to his cap by becoming the fastest player to score 1,000 runs in T20I cricket as a captain. Kohli played an unbeaten knock of 30 during India''s seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series on Tuesday evening.

Kohli achieved the milestone of scoring 1,000 runs as captain in his 30th T20I inning. He is the second Indian and sixth overall after MS Dhoni to have achieved the feat. Dhoni had scored 1112 runs in 62 T20I games as captain.

Faf du Plessis (1273 runs from 40 games), Kane Williamson (1083 runs in 39 games), Eoin Morgan (1013 runs in 43 games) and Ireland''s William Porterfield (1002 runs in 56 games) are other captains on the list.

During India''s emphatic victory at the Holkar Stadium, Kohli also surpassed team-mate Rohit Sharma, who has been rested for the series, as the top run-getter in the T20Is. Kohli now has 2663 runs from 71 innings.

Both had finished 2019 as joint top-scorers in T20Is, with 2633 runs each.

India, already with an unassailable lead of 1-0 in the series, will now face Sri Lanka in the final T20I on Friday in Pune. The first match between the two teams was called off without a ball being bowled due to wet patches on the pitch in Guwahati last Sunday.

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