Virat Kohli minces no words as RCB lose against SRH in Hyderabad

Agencies
May 8, 2018

Hyderabad, May 8: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) successfully defended a low score for the fourth time in the Indian Premier League and defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by five runs on Monday.

After being bowled out for 146, SRH proved yet again it has the best bowling unit in this IPL by restricting Bangalore to 141-6.

Needing 19 off the last two overs, seamers Sidharth Kaul (1-25) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-27) didn't concede a boundary by bowling yorker-length deliveries.

Colin de Grandhomme (33) and Mandeep Singh (21) gave RCB a glimmer of hope with their 57-run sixth wicket stand. But with six required off the last ball, Grandhomme was clean-bowled by Kumar.

"Bhuvi and Sid Kaul have done it for a long period of time, did very well last year, doing well this year," SRH captain Kane Williamson said.

"Hope we can continue to back them at the death. It's just about trying to adapt to the surfaces at a number of venues."

SRH widened its lead at the top of the table with eight victories in 10 matches.

RCB, with only three wins so far, has only an outside chance of qualifying for the playoffs.

Experienced spinners Shakib Al Hasan (2-36) and Rashid Khan (1-31) earlier strangled RCB's run chase when they removed star hitters captain Virat Kohli (39) and AB de Villiers (5) in successive overs.

Kohli, dropped on 33 at first slip by Williamson, tried to pull the left-arm spin of Shakib and got the leading edge. De Villiers misread Rashid's googly and chopped on to his stumps as RCB slipped to 80-4 in the 11th over.

Moeen Ali, making his IPL debut, followed in the next over when Kaul had the left-hander caught behind. Kumar returned and choked Bangalore's chase in the end.

Earlier, after being sent in to bat, Williamson (56) anchored SRH's innings with his fifth half-century of the campaign.

But SRH's middle order faltered yet again once Williamson attempted an ambitious shot at Umesh Yadav and holed out at fine leg in the 16th over and the total on 112.

Fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj (3-25) and Tim Southee (3-30) benefited as SRH lost five wickets in the last two overs, including two run outs in the 20th over.

“It was a (tough loss) but that is how the game goes. We deserve to lose this game. We were not good enough on the day. 60-odd runs in the first six overs and then we ended up like that. I don't think we showed enough application. The kind of shots we played, they were not on at that stage. I think we threw it away. I think we let the opposition get back in the game. That has been the story of the season so far,” said Kohli during his post-match interview.

“The fielding was up to the mark but I think 10-15 runs less would have been ideal for us. This was a tough wicket (to bat). We should have done a better job with the ball but in the field we were up to the mark,” added the RCB skipper.

SRH, in this season, had defended the scores of 118 (vs Mumbai Indians), 132 (vs Kings XI Punjab) and 151 (vs Rajasthan Royals) before emerging triumphant, defending 146 against RCB on Monday. Kohli also stated that SRH have the strongest bowling unit in IPL 2018.

“If you have strong characters in the team you can always do well in such a tournament. Sunrisers have quite a few guys in the team - that has been the story of their season. They understand their team and that's why they have been so successful. They understand their strengths, know their limitations. That's been their story and this has been ours. As an all-round team Chennai and Punjab are good. As a bowling team, Sunrisers are the strongest team,” concluded Kohli.

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News Network
April 30,2020

New Delhi, Apr 30: Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday mourned the demise of veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor, called his death 'unreal and unbelievable' loss.

"This is unreal and unbelievable. Yesterday Irrfan Khan and today Rishi Kapoor ji. It's hard to accept this as a legend passes away today. My condolences to the family and may his soul rest in peace," Kohli tweeted.

Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
"It's shocking to hear about the sudden demise of #RishiKapoor ji. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. May his soul rest in peace," Dhawan tweeted.

Earlier today, actor Amitabh Bachchan confirmed the news of the demise of the 67-year-old Rishi Kapoor. Rishi Kapoor was admitted to the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday.

In September 2019, the veteran actor returned to Mumbai after staying in New York for almost a year for cancer treatment.

He was last seen in the 2019 film 'The Body' alongside Emraan Hashmi and Shobita Sobhita Dhulipala.

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News Network
May 9,2020

May 9: Filipina weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz noticed live-streamed concerts were collecting money for coronavirus relief and was struck by inspiration: why not raise funds with an online workout?

Since then the Olympic silver-medallist -- and strong contender for her country's first Games gold -- has made enough money to buy food packs for hundreds of hard-hit families in the Philippines.

Diaz has done it all from Malaysia, where she was training to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics when much of the world locked down against the virus in March.

"I thought (distribution) would be impossible because I'm not physically present," Diaz, 29, told news agency.

"It's a good thing that I have trusted friends and trusted family members who understand why we need to do a fundraising."

That circle of supporters has handed out the packages, which include vegetables, eggs and rice, to more than 400 families.

The food was bought with donations from about 50 people who joined sessions that lasted up to three hours, and gave them a rare chance to train with an elite athlete.

Diaz rose to fame in 2016 after snagging a surprise silver in the 53 kilogramme category in Rio, becoming the Philippines' first female Olympic medallist and ending the nation's 20-year medal drought at the Games.

Two years later, she won gold at the Asian Games in Indonesia.

However, her quest to qualify for Tokyo is on hold ahead of the Games' rescheduled opening in July 2021.

"I thought all the hard work would soon be over... then it was extended," she said. "But I'm still thankful I can still continue with (the training) I need to do."

Still, the lockdown broke her daily training regimen, keeping her away from weights for 14 days for the first time in her career.

"I felt like I was losing my mind already. I've been carrying the barbell for 18 years and all of a sudden it's gone. Those were the kinds of anxiety that I felt," she said.

But she got access to some equipment, and with her coach's urging, got back to work. She was relieved to find her strength was still there.

Instead of a Tokyo berth, the past months have been about a different kind of accomplishment for Diaz: helping her countrymen get through the coronavirus crisis.

Rosemelyn Francisco's family in Zamboanga City, Diaz's home town, is one of the first to get help from the athlete's initiative, and is deeply grateful.

Her family was not wealthy to begin with, and the pandemic has cost her husband his construction job.

"The food she donated has all everything we need, including eggs," said Francisco, 27.

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News Network
May 6,2020

May 6: They have similar impact on their teams but Virat Kohli is driven by sheer passion to subdue the rivals while Steve Smith just enjoys batting, says Australia opener David Warner.

India skipper Kohli and top Australian batsman Smith are arguably the top two cricketers of the current era. They achieve new milestones consistently, invoking debates, who is better between them.

"Virat's passion and drive to score runs is different to what Steve's would be," Warner said while speaking to Harsha Bhogle on 'Cricbuzz in Conversation'.

"Steve is going out there for a hit in the middle, that's how he sees things. He's hitting them out in the middle, he's having fun, he's enjoying himself, just does not want to get out."

Warner feels, while Kohli is batting he is aware that if he sticks around the middle his team will be on top of the proceedings.

"Virat obviously doesn't want to get out but he knows if he spends a certain amount of time out there, he's going to score plenty of runs at a rapid rate. He's going to get on top of you. That allows the guys coming in, especially in the Indian team you've got a lot of players who can be flamboyant as well."

The Australian opener added that both men are mentally strong and a good knock by them boosts the morale of the entire team.

"When it comes to cricket, they both have got the mental strength, the mental capacity to score runs. They both love spending time in the middle.

"They stabilise, they boost morale - if they score runs, everyone else's moral is up. If they are out cheaply you almost sense that on the field that everyone is (down on morale and thinking) 'now we all have to step up'. It's a very bizarre situation," he added.

Asked about the similarities between himself and Kohli, who are both live wires on the field, Warner said the passion to do better than the opponent keeps him going.

"I can't speak for Virat, obviously, but it's almost like we got this thing in us when we go (out to the middle) we need to prove people wrong, prove someone wrong."

"If you're in that contest, and if I'm going at him for example, you're thinking, 'Alright, I'm going to score more runs than him, I'm going to take a quick single on him'. You are trying to better that person in that game. That's where the passion comes from."

Warner also explained how he breaks down a match into smaller competitions.

"Obviously you want to win the game but you almost break it down to: If I can score more runs than Virat, or if Pujara scores more runs than Steve Smith, you have these little contests and that's how you try to narrow the game in the sense that if we do these little things, we can be ahead of the game or we can be behind the game.

"The passion is driven by...I know my sense - one, the will to win and two, wanting to do better than that person in the opposition," said Warner.

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