Danijones

“You Fooled Public, Got Friends Into The Team”: Ahmed Shehzad Blasts Babar Azam In Fiery Rant

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

Pakistan captain Babar Azam is critics’ favourite target at the moment. With his team losing the first two matches of the T20 World Cup 2024, to the USA and India respectively, Babar’s been the focal point of criticism coming from former cricketers, fans, and pundits. Even Ahmed Shehzad, an active Pakistani cricketer, tore into Babar and shredded his reputation on a television channel in Pakistan. Shehzad shed light on Babar’s poor statistics in big competitions and suggested that the Pakistan skipper averages only 27 in T20I cricket when it comes to big events. In a fiery rant on live television, Shehzad said that Pakistan have been losing to mediocre sides under Babar’s captaincy, and even also been losing to top teams’ B, C and D squads. “Jab se Babar Azam captain hain, hum bohot mediocre, sorry for using this word, teams se haar rahe hain (ever since Babar became captain, we have been losing to mediocre teams),” said. Ahmed Shehzad, “Jab ap har jaye to Babar Azam bed se chalang marne lage the, Shadab ne 4 din se roti nhi khayi. pic.twitter.com/bcCAi5LCDH — (@CallMeSheri1) June 10, 2024 Ahmed Shehzad on a TV show, in a video that has gone viral. “The kind of progress that was going on, these things were on the cards and bound to happen some day.” Shehzad feels Pakistan’s veteran players should’ve stepped up and taken responsibility of the team’s chase of 120 runs against India but they failed to do so. “There are players who are taking care of the team for the last 4-5 years, who take all the decisions. So wasn’t it their duty to take the responsibility of ensuring that the team chases down 120 to win such an important match against India?” Shehzad asked. “Aapne B, C, D teams ke khilaaf perform kar ke logon ko hallucinate kiya hai aur pagal banaya hai (you guys have performed against B, C, D teams and fooled the people),” Shehzad accused the team and further said: “Your salaries were hiked, PCB paid you to evolve yourself and your cricket…” Ahmed Shehzad, “King ka mai kya kro jisne mujhe match hi jeetwa ke nhi dena.” pic.twitter.com/kEYeuH8Nhj — (@CallMeSheri1) June 10, 2024 The discarded Pakistani batter claimed that 1400 of Babar’s runs in T20Is have come in the losing cause, which puts him at No. 3 spot in such a list. “Your (Babar) scores in big competitions…your average is 27 and strike rate is 112. And 1400 of your runs have come in a losing cause, which is at No. 3 in the world in that list. So these stats are of which king, tell me that? What should I do with this king who can’t win us the match?” said Shehzad. To conclude, Shehzad alleged that Babar got his friends into the team and fooled the entire public. “You have fooled the entire public. Aap apne dosto ke saath team bana rahe hain, dosto ko team ke andar rakh rahe hain (you are making a team with your friends, keeping your friends in the team),” said Shehzad. Topics mentioned in this article

Pakistan ‘Horrible’: Waqar Younis Rips Into Team After Letting Off India To Lose In T20 World Cup Thriller

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

Indian bowlers, led by an outstanding Jasprit Bumrah, snatched victory from the jaw of defeat against Pakistan. Chasing 120, Pakistan were 57/1 at the halfway stage before managing only 113/7 in 20 overs. Pakistan, who can oscillate between the sublime and ridiculous, seemed to have the game in the bag needing 48 runs off as many balls with eight wickets in hand. However, the pace combination of the ever-effective Bumrah (3/14) and Hardik Pandya (2/24) brought India back from the dead with incisive spells that saw Pakistan lose wickets in a heap to end at 113 for seven in 20 overs. Pakistan great Waqar Younis blasted his team after the loss. “India is such a good balanced side. If they don’t bat well, they know they have got Bumrah, they have got Siraj, they have got Jadeja. They have got their bowling also really really covered and fielding also. They are a super team. And Pakistan if you can’t win this game, then what should I say? This was in the plate given to you and you really spilled it,” Waqar Younis said on Star Sports. “It was a horrible performance from the Pakistani batters. There were few partnerships in the beginning, but could not really finish the game. The had the game was in the hand. It was run-a-ball. That shot from Rizwan was a very ordinary shot. And when his wicket went down, I knew it. I knew something very special gonna happen because we know capabilities of Bumrah and Siraj. And Hardik Pandya also bowled really good deliveries. It was more brilliance of India’s bowling than Pakistan’s poor batting.” Jasprit Bumrah showed why he’s one of the best bowlers in the world through his sensational spell of 3-14, including 15 dot balls, as India successfully defended 119 to beat Pakistan by six runs in a highly-anticipated Men’s T20 World Cup match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. After fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf took identical figures of 3-21 as Pakistan bowled out India for just 119 in 19 overs, with Rishabh Pant top-scoring via 42 off 31 balls, India clawed their way back in, thanks to Bumrah’s heroic spell, starting from him taking out Mohammad Rizwan. He also got excellent support from Hardik Pandya, who took 2-6 from two overs after conceding 18 in his first two overs. Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel took a wicket each to ensure Pakistan, who were 80/3 at one point, were restricted to 113/7, as India successfully defended their lowest total ever in T20Is in a remarkable low-scoring heist. With IANS and PTI inputs Topics mentioned in this article

“India Did Us A Favour”: Ex-PCB Chief’s Tears Into Pakistan, Says ‘Why Did You Let It Slip’

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Pakistan squandered a golden opportunity to boost their T20 World Cup Super 8 chances, going down at the expense of arch-rivals India last week in New York. After bowling India out for a paltry total of 119, the Babar Azam-led side failed to take advantage of it. Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya shared five wickets between them to restrict Pakistan to 113/6 in 20 overs, helping India put one foot in the next round of the tournament. While analysing the match, former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja said India did Babar and co. “a favour by playing poorly”. Ramiz expressed his frustration over the fact that Pakistan failed to chase down a small total. “India did them a favour by playing poorly. Actually because they were playing like mavericks, otherwise they would have easily gotten to 140-150, which would have been beyond Pakistan. But because of their faulty shot-making and some good bowling, Pakistan came back into the game,” Ramiz told Cricbuzz in an interview. Ramiz also criticised wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan for throwing away his wicket at a crucial juncture, especially when Pakistan were in control of the chase. For the record, Bumrah went through his defense after Rizwan tried to play a non-chalant pull over midwicket. Ramiz felt that Rizwan could’ve easily seen the game off and said that there was no need for him to play that shot. “Because Rizwan was the last man standing for Pakistan. You see, the thing that frustrates me is that when you’re chasing 120, even on a tricky pitch, even against a good bowling attack like India’s, all you need is one solid partnership. That’s it. No heroics were needed, no fours or sixes. You were going at six an over. Why did you let it slip? That’s got to do with temperament,” he added. Pakistan now face a must-win situation in their next game against Ireland as a defeat would put an end to their campaign in the group stage. India, on the other hand, need a win against USA to secure their passage into the next round. Topics mentioned in this article

India Vs USA: EXCLUSIVE: 18 years later, USA all-rounder Nisarg Patel aims for reunion with Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago011 mins

NEW DELHI: USA all-rounder Nisarg Patel was a mere 18 years old when he travelled to Sri Lanka for the Under-19 World Cup in 2006. The tournament had prominent players from various nations, including the likes of current Indian captain Rohit Sharma and star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.The USA team, placed in Group B with Australia, the West Indies, and South Africa, played three matches but unfortunately lost all of them, leading to an early exit from the tournament.T20 World Cup Schedule | Points TableDespite the disappointing outcome, Nisarg had the opportunity to meet the entire Indian squad, exchanging greetings with Rohit and Jadeja before returning to the United States.Now, 18 years later, Nisarg, who is part of the senior USA team, is eagerly anticipating a reunion with Rohit and Jadeja. India and the USA are set to face off in their ICC T20 World Cup 2024 match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Wednesday.With two wins in two matches, India are well placed to make the Super Eights, while the USA will have to win one of the two remaining matches – vs India or Ireland – to move to the next stage of the mega event. TimesofIndia.com caught up with Nisarg, who played 41 ODIs and 21 T20Is for the USA so far and spoke about meeting young Rohit and Jadeja during the U-19 World Cup, cricket in the US, drop-in pitches, clash against India, and much more…The USA’s performance in the T20 World Cup has been remarkable…We are very excited. We have a big opportunity to represent the US on such a grand stage. There’s nothing bigger for players than representing their country in the World Cup, and we are doing just that. We have the chance to play against big teams – Pakistan and now India. We have played against Ireland many times and also against Canada. But this is a different experience altogether. This is special for us.How does cricket’s popularity fare in the USA, a nation renowned for its passion for NBA, Baseball, and NFL?People have come in huge numbers to witness our matches. There is a lot of buzz. It is an opportunity to bring the whole community together. As players, we just want to go and play cricket and enjoy every moment. That’s it. It’s the first time we have got the opportunity to play in such a big event like this, and we are giving our best. All I want to say is that we all (the US team) are enjoying our cricket. US cricket is doing really well. USA all-rounder Nisarg Patel (AFP Photo) After defeating Pakistan, the USA’s upcoming match is against India. Do you have your sights set on any specific Indian player’s wicket?I don’t specifically target players. As a player, I love to contribute to my team’s victory. It’s a very short format game. Whether it’s keeping it tight, bowling good overs, taking crucial wickets, putting brakes on runs, scoring runs, inflicting runouts, or keeping a batsman in check, I just love it. Obviously, I’d love to dismiss Virat Kohli or take Rohit’s wicket. But it all depends on when I’ll be bowling – in the Powerplay or after. I thrive in all situations. I met and interacted with Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja during the 2006 U19 World Cup and now look forward to meeting them again.Could you highlight two pivotal players from the Indian squad?Rohit Sharma. He can perform anywhere. And in bowling, none other than Bumrah. Give him any condition or situation, he will take wickets and win you the match. He’s that type of player.Your India connection?My cricketing journey started in India. I was born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and studied in a boarding school in Vapi. I played most of my cricket in Ahmedabad before relocating to the US in 2003. I began playing cricket in the US and received my first major opportunity to represent the USA in the Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2006. I had the chance to compete against teams like Australia and South Africa, facing players such as David Warner, Aaron Finch, Matthew Wade, and many more. During the World Cup, I had the privilege of meeting and interacting with Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja as well. Experiencing international cricket at such a young age was invaluable. Subsequently, I was selected for the senior USA team and have since played around 70-80 matches for them. I aspire to continue representing the USA team for as long as possible.Who is your inspiration and why?I started playing during the era of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and Rahul Dravid. Initially, I admired Dada (Ganguly). He was my inspiration and a true leader. As time passed, I witnessed the era of players like MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, and Virat Kohli. I greatly admire MS Dhoni. I appreciate the way he conducts himself on and off the field, how he handles players, and his ability to turn matches with his batting prowess. He is simply amazing and incredibly down-to-earth. He has contributed immensely to cricket.In cricket, being an all-rounder, I look up to Ravindra Jadeja. I play a similar role to him, being a left-arm spinner and a middle-order batsman. I closely watch and follow his game. I am eagerly looking forward to meeting him.Could you share insights from your meeting with batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and the legendary Shane Warne?When the Legends Masters League took place in the USA, the great Shane Warne and the legendary Sachin Tendulkar were part of that league. We had the opportunity to meet them and learn valuable cricket lessons. I served as a net bowler in that league, bowling to the likes of Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, and many other legendary players. I learned a lot from their experiences.What are your thoughts on the drop-in pitches?I’ve never played on drop-in pitches before. This is our first time. All I’ve heard is that they are true wickets. They benefit…

We wanted to win before 14 overs but pitch was difficult: Babar Azam

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Pakistan’s Babar Azam plays a shot during a T20 Cricket World Cup match against Canada at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on June 11, 2024 in New York. Photo: Getty Images via AFP Pakistan skipper Babar Azam is relieved to have logged their first win in the T20 World Cup New York on June 11, and said they couldn’t complete their chase of 107 in lesser number of overs because of a difficult pitch. Having suffered back-to-back defeats against USA and India in their first two Group A matches, the game against Canada was a must-win tie for Pakistan. Chasing a modest target, Pakistan rode on Mohammad Rizwan’s run-a-ball unbeaten 53 and Babar’s 33 to get over the line in 17.3 overs. “Good for us, we need this win. We started well with the bowling, in the first six overs we know we had to be up to the mark,” Babar said at the post-match presentation ceremony. “It was in our mind (to get over USA’s net run rate), to win before 14 overs but the pitch made it difficult.” After making a run-a-ball 33, Babar was out caught in the slips while trying to guide a delivery down to third man, and the dismissal left the Pakistan skipper angry. “Because I got out with the same shot twice (against India)! This is my shot but sometimes you need success. I’ll try my best.” India are currently placed atop Group A with two wins from as many matches with USA following with same number of victories. Pakistan have climbed up to the third spot with two points from three games ahead of Canada and Ireland. Canada captain Saad Bin Zafar felt it was a difficult wicket to bat early on. “Definitely, it was a bit disappointing. We wanted to play a positive brand of cricket and I think the wicket was not very helpful. It was difficult to bat early on – not a good toss to lose. We were about 25 to 30 runs short,” he said.

T20 World Cup: Taking cricket to America involves a difficult culture transfer

Danijones6 months ago07 mins

Representational image of U.S. cricket fans waving flags prior to a ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup match in Dallas, Texas. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP In the 1950 football World Cup, US, a minor power in the game defeated England 1-0. US was characterised as “a team of lower-league dropouts and amateurs.” The win barely registered at home. There was a lone US reporter present and the result was received “with massive indifference,” according to a later writer. It did not signal a football revival nor was it the starting point of a popular upsurge in the game. To be fair, it wasn’t hyped thus, unlike the T20 World Cup which many see as the game coming home to the country where the first international was played in 1844. Following the U.S. win over Pakistan, the New York Times headline said, US Scores Historic Cricket Win, but only Pakistan Notices. Once again America seemed oblivious to a sporting feat. A special advisor to the Yankees, the professional baseball team, said the India-Pakistan match reminded him of the Dominican baseball league. It may have been a compliment, but I am no expert on baseball, just as the local reporter who said India beat Pakistan 119-113 is no expert on cricket. Not yet ready It might be politically incorrect to say this, but America isn’t ready to embrace cricket yet. The picture of a young boy in Michigan or New York putting his oval football away forever and carrying a cricket bat is a difficult one to conjure up. For starters, the International Cricket Council needs to market the game better, take it to the grassroots with more passion, and explore all avenues including making the commentary and visual presentation more attractive and inclusive. Right now it seems to have a single-focus policy: India versus Pakistan. Much of the criticism of the drop-in pitches could have been avoided had the ICC paid more attention to the amount of time required to nurse these to international standards. Low-scoring matches make T20 interesting, but the possibility of injury doesn’t. As former England captain Michael Vaughan said, “Trying to sell the game in the States is great, but for players to have to play on substandard surfaces is unacceptable.” To attract an American crowd (as opposed to an immigrant one), cricket should be presented in a manner Americans can identify with. It can start with television which is basically for the converted who can put up with the inanities and irrelevancies of the Indian commentators. Special set of skills Americans need more statistics, more background, more excitement (as opposed to loudness) and better conversation generally. To transfer a culture and a philosophy from an established community to one that is emerging requires a special set of skills. Just as the ICC must first coach the coaches who can then take the game forward in the US, it must spend time with the TV channels on how best to attract a new audience without losing the old one. When the American magazine Sports Illustrated sent a baseball writer to England in 1961 to write about this game called cricket, he wrote, “To appreciate cricket, an American must first understand it.” Over six decades later, that is still key. Decades of American jokes (“Cricket is basically baseball on Valium,” said actor Robin Williams) have to be countered in the public imagination with a suggestion that those who can’t enjoy the game are philistines. The ICC might have missed a trick in not involving Hollywood and sports stars in a celebrity-obsessed society. Genuine cricket lovers like Mark Wahlberg (“I love the sport, could have played it professionally”) and Gerard Butler, both of whom had stakes in teams in the Caribbean Premier League in the early days, John Hamm, Daniel Radcliffe, Ed Sheeran, Russell Crowe are some examples. Perhaps NBA and NFL stars could have been requisitioned too. Lebron James as brand ambassador? Just a thought… After scoring the winning goal for the US against England, Haiti-born Joe Gaetjens returned to his country and soon disappeared. He was killed, it is believed, by the death squad of his country’s President. Saurabh Netravalkar, hero of the Super over in US’s defeat of Pakistan, will return to his Oracle office in California when the World Cup stint is done. The difference is significant; not for the first time, sport is writing a chapter in our history.

Experience versus enterprise — a contest worth going miles to watch

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

Two sides with epic nail-biting wins will clash to see who gets to head the table in their group. Both India and USA had victories over the current runners-up Pakistan, which were nerve jangling affairs. In the two games they have played so far, the USA team have shown not only some fine skills but also great character, which is a hallmark of good temperament. In the opening game of the tournament, they were chasing a near 200 score against their neighbours Canada and at the halfway stage of their chase, it looked like a mountain to climb with no boots on. Whatever was said at the drinks interval by their coach Stuart Law, the former Australian player, must be a magic mantra for after that the pair of Andries Gous and Aaron Jones began to hit sixes as if they were practising range hitting. Jones, in particular, smote the ball far and wide and in such an effortless manner that the Canadian bowlers had no second wind. He is not a big guy, so it was jaw-dropping stuff. He hit 10 sixes. Gous wasn’t far behind as they got to their target with deliveries to spare. Patel and Jones impress Then against Pakistan chasing a good score, the skipper Monank Patel led the way with Jones again deciding to have a batting party. Their temperament was seen in the Super over where they kept their cool and stopped Pakistan well short of the score. India, too, showed they have the burning desire to bring home the trophy with some inspired bowling. Their batters seemed to have forgotten that they were playing on a pitch, which aided the fast bowlers who also had the help of a cloud cover. It is one thing looking to play the big shots on good batting pitches in the IPL and quite another when playing against world class quicks on a pitch made for them. The Indian batters did not cover themselves with glory apart from Rishabh Pant, who led a charmed life and batted with his usual chutzpah and bold way. When it came to defend the paltry total the sun was out in all its glory and there was hardly any swing available but the new ball bowlers kept a good line and length and did not let the Pakistanis get off to a flying start. Still, it was Pakistan’s game to lose and they did it big time by batting dot balls and then playing some silly shots. Bumrah deservedly was the player of the match with his deadly variety, but one mustn’t forget the crucial wickets Pandya took as well as Arshdeep’s cool in the final over. It was a win for the ages. The India-USA game will be between experience and enterprise. It is worth going miles to see. (Professional Management Group)

Pakistan crush Canada by 7 wickets to notch up first win in T20 World Cup

Danijones6 months ago06 mins

Pakistan players celebrate a wicket during the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024 match against Canada in New York on June 11, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI Pakistan batters finally rose to the occasion to beat Canada by seven wickets in their must-win Group A match and give their campaign a boost in the T20 World Cup here on Tuesday. Opting to bowl, Pakistani bowlers produced a unified show to restrict Canada for a modest 106/7. Chasing, opener Mohammad Rizwan and skipper Babar Azam took Pakistan over the line with 15 balls to spare. Rizwan aand Babar shared 63 runs for the second wicket to set up the platform for the win. Babar made a run-a-ball 33 with one six and a four, while Rizwan once again played the role of an anchor in a small chase, scoring 53 not out from as many deliveries with two fours and a six. Pakistan did appear to be making heavy weather of a modest chase when they had crawled to 28 for 1 in the powerplay with the Canadian seamers doing a fine job. However, run-scoring became much easier when Canada spinners came into the attack and with their vast experience, Babar and Rizwan brought the equation down with deft rotation of the strike and punishing the bad balls. Earlier in the first half, Aaron Johnson’s 52 was the only bright spot for Canada as an inspired Pakistan restricted their opponents to 106 for 7. On a two-paced wicket with the occasional uneven bounce making the rest of their batters struggle, Johnson waged a lone battle for Canada with a 44-ball 52, studded with four sixes and as many fours even as the Pakistani bowlers kept chipping away with wickets. While Mohammad Amir was the pick of the bowlers with 4-0-13-2, Haris Rauf returned with 2/26 while Shaheen Shah Afridi (1/21) and Naseem Shah (1/24) recovered well after wayward starts. The only Canadian batter to trouble the Pakistan bowlers, Johnson did not shy away from attacking on every available opportunity. It was his hits down the ground that caught the eye and he managed to clear the ropes with brute power even if he had not timed them well. But shortly after having completed his half-century, Johnson perished when he missed a Naseem Sham delivery to be cleaned up. With the burly Johnson dismissed at the team total of 73, Canada were in danger of being restricted for far less or even bowled out but skipper Saad Bin Zafar (10) and Kaleem Sana (13) took their team past the 100-run mark to give their bowlers a total to bowl at. The pressure was telling when Pakistan’s strike bowler Shaheen began with two full tosses on the pads and Johnson put them away for boundaries. Johnson cashed in again when Naseem began with a delivery moving away from the batter but he sent it flying over the field on the off-side for the third four. Pakistan’s first success came through Amir, who after being hit for a first-ball four, cleaned up Navneet Dhaliwal off the final delivery. Shaheen returned with a change of ends to get Pargat Singh (2) caught by Fakhar Zaman as Pakistan pulled things back by the end of the powerplay. Imad Wasim then produced a direct hit from cover to run out Nicholas Kirton (1) at the non-striker’s end, which piled up further pressure on Johnson who did all the heavylifting in the top order. Haris Rauf produced a double-wicket 10th over to have Shreyas Movva (2) caught behind and Ravinderpal Singh (0) caught in the first slip to leave Canada reeling at 54 for five, while also completing his 100 T20I wickets.

IND vs USA, T20 World Cup 2024: Team India eye better batting show against ‘Mini India‘ USA

Danijones7 months ago05 mins

Indian players celebrate a wicket during the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024 match against Pakistan. | Photo Credit: ANI When Harmeet Singh made his First Class debut for Mumbai, Rohit Sharma was his teammate. Saurabh Netravalkar took the field at the 2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup alongside K.L. Rahul and Mayank Agarwal. Nosthush Kenjige played with Ambati Rayudu for MI Emirates. Milind Kumar once shared the Royal Challengers Bangalore dressing room with Virat Kohli. Harmeet, Netravalkar, Kenjige and Milind could not quite reach the highest echelons of Indian cricket, and moved to greener pastures in the USA. For this group, and a few more in the USA squad, a shot at redemption is here. In what must feel like an unlikely dream, USA hosts India in a Group-A ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match in New York on June 12. USA, primarily made up of players with roots in India, Pakistan and West Indies, is on a roll. The side started the campaign with a win over neighbour Canada, before shocking the world with a Super Over victory over Pakistan. Dream run From rank outsider, USA is now in with a real chance of reaching the Super 8. Belief will be high that another upset, this time against India, is not beyond reach. Monank Patel, born in Anand (Gujarat), leads from the front. Monank laid the platform for USA in the Pakistan game with a classy 38-ball 50. Ali Khan, who moved to the USA from Pakistan nearly 15 years ago, is a pace threat alongside Netravalkar. Former New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson is a familiar name in the squad. The American dream faces a severe test against India. The standout side in this tournament, India has skipped over all potential potholes. Rohit Sharma’s men have passed the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium pitch test twice. Batting first or second has made no difference to the outcome. The USA batters will need to raise their game several notches to tackle the phenomenal Jasprit Bumrah. Hardik Pandya has come on well as a wicket-taking option with his steady seamers. Stacked with all-rounders, Rohit Sharma has bowling options galore. On the batting front, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel and Rohit have found form. The team management is keen to keep the batting order flexible. This led to Axar Patel being promoted to four against Pakistan – a move that bore fruit. India will hope that Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav get going. Kohli has been unable to crack the code on this challenging surface, falling for 1 and 4. Suryakumar’s penchant for big shots has not worked here, as he too has returned single-digit scores. The crowd on June 12 would love to see a Kohli or Suryakumar masterclass. A fighting effort from the underdog host will receive equal applause. SQUADS India: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj. United States: Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Nethralvakar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir. Match Starts: 8pm IST.

T20 World Cup 2024: If you showcase this to world, it’s not great selling product: Klaasen on New York pitch

Danijones7 months ago07 mins

South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen in action during the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024 match against Bangladesh. | Photo Credit: AP If the ICC wants to market T20 cricket in the USA, the pitch and outfield at the Nassau County Cricket Ground isn’t a “great selling product”, South Africa’s flamboyant batter Heinrich Klaasen said joining the chorus of criticism against the venue. The new drop-in pitch at the ground located in the Long Islands has been dual-paced with uneven bounce, making batting very difficult. India and South Africa have been able to defend totals as low as 119 and 113 respectively on back-to-back days on this track. “Obviously, if you have to showcase it to the world and sell it, I don’t think it’s a great selling product, but for cricket, it’s tight competition. It brings the other teams and the higher teams very close to each other,” Klaasen, who scored 46 off 44 balls in team’s four-run win said at the post-match press conference. The power-hitter said that all premier batters across teams would love to just get out of New York while the bowlers would love to stay put forever. The ICC has already acknowledged that the pitches here have not played as consistently as was desired. “I think all the batters are keen to get out of this place, to be fair. The bowlers would love to stay here but – no we’ve done our job that was the goal to win three out of three here. Obviously, it was a little bit harder than what we thought,” he said. “For us, it’s very nerve-wracking, because every game becomes a really big game. There’s no easy games for us especially in our group. So, it’s still good entertaining cricket. Everyone is on the edge of their seats and any team can beat any team on the down this on this field.” Klaasen was a part of the inaugural edition of Major League Cricket last year and when asked if he has enjoyed this ICC project of trying to market cricket in a new city with a temporary stadium, his answer was a mixed one. “Yes and No,” he said before elaborately explaining his take. “I played in Dallas and in North Carolina where I think there’s a little bit more cricket there. The wickets (pitches) are better so it’s easier to sell cricket in that aspect,” he said. “It’s fantastic what they’ve done with the stadium here and I think as the wicket matures, but obviously I think they’re taking it out in two – three days’ time so that doesn’t help,” Klaasen explained. “The more the wicket matures, the better these conditions will get and I think it will be a better showcase for the people. This wicket is I think, four months old, so there’s a lot of maturity that needs to go into the wicket that will produce bigger scores.” Klaasen was an integral part of a very successful Sunrisers Hyderabad batting unit which redefined Powerplay in this year’s IPL with the help of an Impact Player and flat batting decks. The towering batter said that one month is ancient history now. “Yeah, it’s a big change you see scores there — well it was a month and a half ago we were part of a score that’s 270 — 260 so it’s well off, but it’s part of the game. “It doesn’t look like the Caribbean wickets are too much better. So, we have to play smart cricket and use our cricket brain a little bit more.” He feels that once the Super Eight starts in the West Indies, the par-score will be 160 plus. “Out of us all, the thing on stats that are out of 18 games, it’s only been one score above 200. So normally in the Caribbean, it’s about 160 as par. If you get to 160-170, you’re in a good shot and you have to bowl well. “So, I reckon that’s normally the good scores there, or power scores. Depending where you play, the wickets are very different around the Caribbean.”