June 7, 2025
Headlines

t20 world cup

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

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

Danijones03 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.

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

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

Danijones07 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.

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

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

Danijones06 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.

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

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

Danijones05 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.

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

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

Danijones07 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.”

Read More
T20 World Cup 2024: Australia faces Namibia with an eye on Super Eight; Sri Lanka in must-win situation against Nepal

T20 World Cup 2024: Australia faces Namibia with an eye on Super Eight; Sri Lanka in must-win situation against Nepal

Danijones06 mins

Living up to the favourites tag with two consecutive wins, a confident Australia will aim to secure a Super Eight berth when they face lower-ranked Namibia in their Group B T20 World Cup clash in North Sound on June 12. Australia fired in unison to become the first team in this edition of the tournament to score 200-plus runs in a one-sided 36-run win over arch-rivals England in their last group league match. It was their second win from as many matches, having started off with a 39-run triumph over Oman. Beating Nambia will be enough for them to make the cut before they take on Scotland in their concluding Group B league fixture. Scotland lead the table with five points and along with Australia, are firmly ahead in the race to make the Super Eight at the expense of defending champions England who have one point from two matches. Their opening game against Scotland was a washout. Australia defeated Namibia by seven wickets after restricting their opponents to 119/9 in their only T20 meeting, albeit in a warm-up game two weeks back. Playing his last World Cup for Australia, David Warner has been in splendid form with one half century and it was his 16-ball 39 that set the tone for their 201/7 against England. Warner incidentally scored a fifty in the warm-up against Namibia as well. He has 97 runs in the tournament at a fine strike rate of 141.79. Warner’s opening partner Travis Head has also been at his explosive best and the duo will look to give the team a fiery start. Namibia will expect their veteran all-rounder David Wiese to step up after he starred in their Super-Over win against Oman. The globe-trotting all-rounder has the experience of facing Australia four times in T20Is during his stint with South Africa. Left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz, who has been tidy conceding just one four and one six in his eight overs, will also look to make an impact. Teams (from) Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner and Adam Zampa. Namibia: Gerhard Erasmus (c), Zane Green, Michael Van Lingen, Dylan Leicher, Ruben Trumpelmann, Jack Brassell, Ben Shikongo, Tangeni Lungameni, Niko Davin, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, JP Kotze, David Wiese, Bernard Scholtz, Malan Kruger and PD Blignaut. Match starts: 6am IST. Sri Lanka in must win clash against Nepal Former champion Sri Lanka’s campaign has gone terribly haywire after defeats to South Africa and they are now faced with a do-or-die clash against Nepal in a group D fixture in Lauderhill, Florida. Sri Lanka campaign has gone terribly haywire and they now face with a do-or-die clash against Nepal. | Photo Credit: AFP Nepal, on the other hand, lost to the Netherlands by six wickets in their only match so far. South Africa have already qualified to Super Eight following their nervy win over Bangladesh. A win for the Wanindu Hasaranga-led side will further heat up the race for the second spot with Bangladesh, Netherlands, and Nepal also in the reckoning. For that to happen, the onus will be on the batters. A loss, on the other hand, would mean curtains for Sri Lanka. Teams (from): Nepal: Rohit Paudel (c), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Pratis GC, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal and Kamal Singh Airee Sri Lanka: Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka. Match starts: 5am IST.

Read More
T20 World Cup: South Africa trump Bangladesh by 4 runs in yet another low-scoring thriller

T20 World Cup: South Africa trump Bangladesh by 4 runs in yet another low-scoring thriller

Danijones07 mins

Keshav Maharaj of South Africa celebrate with teammates after dismissing Litton Das of Bangladesh during the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on June 10, 2024 in New York | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP Spinner Keshav Maharaj was lucky to defend 11 runs in the final over as South Africa held their nerves to beat Bangladesh by a mere four runs in yet another low-scoring thriller in the T20 World Cup in New York on Monday. In a contest where fortunes swung from one side to another, Bangladesh fought valiantly until the end riding on gritty knocks from Mahmudullah (20) and Towhid Hridoy (37), but could not land the killer punch in the 20th over chasing a modest 114. ALSO READ | Oceans apart: Bumrah’s searing spell takes Pakistan by storm With six needed off last two balls, Mahmudullah was caught near the ropes excellently by Aiden Markram off Keshav Maharaj (3/27), who was South Africa’s most successful bowler. The left-arm spinner bowled three full tosses in the final over but the Bangladesh batters were not able to put them away to end at 109 for seven. Anrich Nortje (2/17) continued to make the most of his form and Kagiso Rabada (2/19) and Marco Jansen (0/17) provided strong support. South Africa had recovered to post 113 for six after opting to bat on what has proved to be a challenging surface. Tanzid Hasan (9) perished early in the run chase after hitting a couple of fours while neither their skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (14 off 23) nor Litton Das (9 off 13) could convert starts. Shakib Al Hasan (3) too was beaten by Nortje’s pace when the right-armer bowled one short and the Bangladesh all-rounder mishit to lob one high in the sky. Struggling at 50 for four, Bangladesh found an excellent partnership between Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah, who put on 44 for the fifth wicket to take their side close to the finish line. Hridoy, who began with a six, did well to absorb the pressure in the company of Mahmudullah. The pair kept shaving off the target with smart rotation of strike as well as picking up the odd boundary, signalling that the wicket really has rewards for those who were able to alter their approach. Bangladesh seemed to be cruising towards the target until Hridoy’s dismissal — leg-before off Rabada in the 18th over — changed the complexion of the game. Earlier in the first half, pacers Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Taskin Ahmed excelled in favourable conditions to help Bangladesh restrict South Africa to a below-par total. Tanzim (3/18) ran through the Proteas top order in company of Taskin (2/19) while Mustafizur (0/18) too played his part well as Bangladesh produced a collective show despite strong resistance from Heinrich Klaasen (46) and David Miller (29). Klaasen and Miller looked to revive South Africa from a shaky start with a 79-run stand for the fifth wicket, but the pair could never really accelerate on a two-paced wicket on which the Bangladesh spinners also displayed control. Tanzim struck thrice in his opening burst to leave South Africa reeling at 23 for four inside the first five overs. After Quinton de Kock (18) showed aggressive intent by hitting the right-arm bowler for a six and a four in the initial exchanges, Tanzim made immediate amends to his line and length and hit Reeza Hendricks in front of the stumps for a golden duck. In fact, it was his simple yet effective tactics of bowling at the wickets paid high dividends as Tanzim cleaned up South Africa captain Aiden Markram (4), who missed a straight one with his bat coming down a bit awkwardly. Tristan Stubbs (0) had done a fine job of rebuilding the innings for South Africa in their last outing against the Netherlands, but the right-hander too had a soft dismissal to endure. Klaasen hit a couple of sixes upfront against Bangladesh spinners to push them back while Miller was content in rotating the strike. However, he was cleaned up by Taskin late in the innings after a 44-ball knock, studded with two fours and three sixes. Klaasen and Miller did find run-scoring difficult on the Nassau County pitch since they were forced to curb their attacking instinct.

Read More
Kamran Akmal apologises for distasteful religious comment on Arshdeep after being pulled up by Harbhajan Singh – India TV

Kamran Akmal apologises for distasteful religious comment on Arshdeep after being pulled up by Harbhajan Singh – India TV

Danijones04 mins

Image Source : GETTY Kamran Akmal after being pulled up for his distasteful comment on Arshdeep Singh, has apologised for hurting Sikh sentiments after the Ind vs Pak match Former Pakistan wicket-keeper batter Kamran Akmal has apologised for his distasteful comment on Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh on Live TV during the India vs Pakistan match in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. Akmal faced backlash for his comments as former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh pulled him up on social media for hurting Sikh sentiments before the ex-Pakistan cricketer admitted that he was disrespectful and his words were inappopriate. “I deeply regret my recent comments and sincerely apologize to Harbhajan Singh and the Sikh community. My words were inappropriate and disrespectful. I have the utmost respect for Sikhs all over the world and never intended to hurt anyone. I am truly sorry. #Respect #Apology,” Akmal wrote on Twitter (now X), tagging the former India cricketer. During the 19th over of the innings, Kamran Akmal on ARY News went to the extent of saying, “Kuch bhi ho sakta hai… Dekhe last over karna Arshdeep Singh ne hai. Waise uska rhythm nahi laga. 12 baj gaye hai (Anything can happen. The last over will be bowled by Arshdeep Singh; he hasn’t looked in a great rhythm. And It is already 12).” Many users on X pointed out that it was in a reference to the Nasir Shah invasion of India, which has led to several 12 o’ clock theories and jokes. As soon as the video went viral on social media, Harbhajan Singh quoted the same while shutting Akmal down and explaining a bit on the invasion story. “Lakh di laanat tere Kamraan Akhmal.. You should know the history of sikhs before you open your filthy mouth. We Sikhs saved your mothers and sisters when they were abducted by invaders, the time invariably was 12 o’clock . Shame on you…Have some Gratitude,” he wrote. Arshdeep, who was coming off taking a crucial catch in the 19th over to send back Iftikhar Ahmed, defended 18 runs in the final over and also dismissed Imad Wasim to get his side home. Arshdeep has been brilliant with the ball for India in T20 World Cup once again as he showed his new ball skills in the first game against Ireland and in the death overs against Pakistan as the Men in Green remain winless after two games.  

Read More
'Khuda ka waasta': Shoaib Akhtar urges Pakistan team to 'play out of your skin' & not chase 'individual records' vs India | Cricket News

‘Khuda ka waasta’: Shoaib Akhtar urges Pakistan team to ‘play out of your skin’ & not chase ‘individual records’ vs India | Cricket News

Danijones02 mins

NEW DELHI: As India and Pakistan gear up for the high-octane T20 World Cup clash in New York, former speedster Shoaib Akhtar has urged his team to play out of their skin and not chase personal milestones. India have a 6-1 record against Pakistan in T20 World Cups.Akhtar said that the entire country is rooting for them and Babar Azam and Co. and they have got to step up as an entire unit against the rampant Indian side.“Pakistan, play out of your skin.Play for Pakistan. Don’t play for individual records,” said Akhtar in a video posted on X. While India registered a comfortable win over Ireland in their Group A opener, Pakistan were stunned by minnows USA in their first T20 World Cup game in Dallas earlier in the week.And after Pakistan’s shock loss, the cricketing fraternity teared into the team, labelling the defeat as a ‘black day’.Playing in their maiden T20 World Cup, newcomers USA prevailed in the Super Over to stun former champions Pakistan.Points Table | ScheduleIndia currently sit at the second spot in Group A which is led by USA with two wins in 2 matches. Pakistan currently sit at the fourth spot in the group.

Read More
Skipping IPL 2024 was key to T20 World Cup success: Adam Zampa | Cricket News

Skipping IPL 2024 was key to T20 World Cup success: Adam Zampa | Cricket News

Danijones05 mins

NEW DELHI: Australia spinner Adam Zampa believes that opting out of IPL 2024 was the best decision he could have made ahead of the T20 World Cup. This move allowed him to focus on his preparations, spend time with his family, and address some nagging injuries.Zampa was instrumental in Australia’s 36-run victory over arch-rivals England at the Kensington Oval on Saturday.The leg-spinner dismissed both openers, Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, in quick succession after they had given England a solid 73-run start in their chase of 201/7.Reflecting on his decision, Zampa said at the post-match press conference, “I made that decision a little while ago to pull out of the IPL and I thought it was the best thing for me moving forward into this World Cup. I was tired, I had some niggles and I’m a family man as well, so trying to put them first over work sometimes is pretty important.”The break allowed Zampa to focus on his conditioning and fine-tune his skills. “I actually am a bit of a slow starter and I put in a little bit of extra work. My body feels great and I just did that bit of extra work. Maybe a bit more bowling than I usually would before a tournament like this. And then the practice games and everything just feels nice at the moment,” he added.With the win, Australia moved to the top of Group B with four points, while England dropped to fourth. Following Zampa’s stellar performances, comparisons with the legendary Shane Warne have emerged, particularly after his significant contributions to Australia’s title-winning run at the 2021 T20 World Cup and during the ODI World Cup last year.However, Zampa modestly dismissed such comparisons, focusing instead on his contributions to the team. “Never really thought of it that way, to be honest. I had to fight for my position in the team for a long time. And then I was lucky enough to have captains that backed me. Finch really backed me in, and it’s the same with Cummins and Marsh as well.”He emphasized the support from the team’s leadership and his growth over the years. “Under this coaching management, my role is clear. I’ve done the work over time to build up that skill level. But in terms of my role in the team, I get backed to take wickets and try and win the game for us, and I absolutely feel that with our leadership.”Zampa highlighted his development through consistent hard work. “I reckon I did the work when I was young. I went through some rough patches for sure, I got dropped, I was in and out of the team a little bit, and then I was probably in the team and not bowling that well. But in the last few years, that skill is definitely better than it was eight years ago when I started. And the leadership helps me feel at home.”(With inputs from PTI)

Read More