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Taskin Ahmed (4-16) claimed three wickets in an over as Bangladesh kept their cool under pressure to beat Ireland by 22 runs in a rain-affected first T20I in here on Monday. Bangladesh posted 207-5 in 19.2 overs before rain ended their innings, halting the game for more than an hour and forcing match officials to set Ireland a revised target of 104 runs in eight overs. Ireland finished with 81-5 despite making a flying start to their run chase with 18 runs scored in the first over. Also read: Bangladesh thrash Ireland to win series 2-0 This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
28 March,2023 07:29 AM IST | Chittagong | AgenciesAfghanistan overcame late nerves in the closing overs to beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the second T20I on Sunday and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-game series. Needing 30 off the last three overs, and 22 from the last two, Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi hit a six each off pace bowler Naseem Shah in the penultimate over to reduce the target to five runs. Also read: Shadab admits young side were nervous after Pak lose to Afg for 1st time in 11 years Zadran then hit the winning boundary off Zaman Khan’s last over to chase down the 131-run target with one ball to spare. “It’s a great honour and pleasure to lead this wonderful team,” said Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
28 March,2023 07:27 AM IST | Sharjah | AgenciesKolkata Knight Riders on Monday named left-handed batter Nitish Rana as the team’s new skipper for the upcoming season of the IPL. Rana will replace Shreyas Iyer , who is likely to undergo back surgery and is in danger of missing the entire season. In fact, KKR’s statement was an indicator that Iyer’s chances of an early return to play looks improbable at the moment. Also read: Shreyas Iyer suffers lower back pain again, doubtful for ODIs This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
28 March,2023 07:24 AM IST | Kolkata | AgenciesThe International Cricket Council (ICC), following an appeal by the BCCI, has now rated the Indore Test pitch “below average” from “poor.” The ICC said in a press release yesterday that their appeals panel consisting of Wasim Khan ICC General Manager-Cricket and former West Indies spinner and coach Roger Harper, ICC Men’s Cricket Committee Member, were of the opinion that, “while the guidelines had been followed by the Match Referee in accordance with Appendix A of the Pitch Monitoring Process, it was deemed that there was not enough excessive variable bounce to warrant the “poor” rating. Instead, the appeal panel concluded that the pitch should be rated as “below average”. Indore now gets one demerit point. Former England batsman Chris Broad was the match referee for this game. He said in his report that there was excessive and uneven bounce throughout the match which Australia won by nine wickets. The series ended 2-1 in favour of India with the fourth and final Test ending in a dull draw at Ahmedabad. India clinched their fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy on the trot. Also read: Border Gavaskar Trophy: With Warner yet to recover, Australia have to take big calls for Indore Test It can be recalled that batting legend Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his Sunday mid-day column that the BCCI had good grounds to appeal against the rating. “So three demerit points for the Indore pitch is a bit harsh simply because if the pitch was such an unplayable one, then the Australians would never have been able to have an unbeaten partnership of 76 on Day Three nor the 96 runs stand for the second wicket on Day Two. The BCCI would do well to present these points in their appeal to the ICC to reduce the demerit points for the Indore pitch,” Gavaskar wrote earlier this month.
28 March,2023 07:21 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentDelhi Capitals coach and former Derbyshire wicketkeeper Jonathan Batty looked upset at the way his team lost their top three batters at a score of 35 by the fifth over against Mumbai Indians in the final. But he credited his players for making it a close contest despite having a low total on the board. “Losing three early wickets hurts you. The partnership [of 38 runs for the fourth wicket] between captain Meg [Lanning] and Marizanne [Kapp] got us back, but then [we] lost a flurry of wickets. That made it really hard, but full credit [to the players] for going into the last over [and losing with] three balls left. We still had a chance of winning there at the end,” said Batty. Also read: WPL 2023: Teen Alice’s wonder lands Delhi Capitals in final
28 March,2023 07:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureThe captaincy rivalry among India’s Harmanpreet Kaur and Australian Meg Lanning was a battle within the battle for Women’s Premier League supremacy. Though World Cup-winning Lanning has dominated Harmanpreet in ICC tournaments, Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Harmanpreet outclassed the Lanning-led Delhi Capitals by seven wickets to win the inaugural WPL final at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday. Harmanpreet revealed how she scored over Lanning this time and proved herself en route to MI attaining glory. “It’s [WPL triumph] quite important. We have seen Lanning doing so well for her country for so many years. But it was a different scenario here and the teams were different. For me, it was important to get everybody together and make them understand why they are here and what they can do best for the team. Everybody was so mature,” said Harmanpreet at the post-match press conference when mid-day asked her how she managed to beat Lanning’s team in the decider. She was quick to point out that the players always understood what the seniors and support staff were talking about along the way. Also read: 'Was waiting to win something as a captain': Harmanpreet Kaur on MI's WPL triumph Riding on Nat Sciver-Brunt (60 not out), Harmanpreet’s 37 and their match-winning 72-run third wicket partnership, MI chased down DC’s 131-9 with three balls to spare. For Harmanpreet, it was a memorable evening. “I was waiting for this moment for a long time—when I could win something as a captain. It is also very important for women’s cricket,” Harmanpreet remarked. The MI captain lavished praise on DC’s Radha Yadav [12-ball 27 not out] and Shikha Pandey [17-ball 27 not out], who added 52 runs in just 24 balls for the last wicket and made the final more interesting. “I was very happy the way they [Pandey and Yadav] were batting. I’ve always told Radha that you don’t need to take singles because singles jiska kaam hai woh le lega [leave it to others to take singles]. I was actually happy when she hit those sixes towards the end. After the match I spoke to her and said I want to see the same [kind of] batting when you join the Indian team. Shikha bowled brilliantly throughout the tournament. And today [Sunday] when the team needed [her] batting, she took time and executed things brilliantly,” Harmanpreet added.
28 March,2023 07:14 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureHayley Matthews (MI) Matches: 10, Runs: 271, Wickets: 16 The Mumbai Indians all-rounder was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament as well as the Purple Cap holder (most wickets). The West Indian, who is No. 2 in the T20I all-rounder rankings, collected four three-wicket hauls and crossed the 30-run mark four times which shows her remarkable consistency with both bat and ball. The off-spinner also boasts of a superb economy rate of 5.94. To top it all, she took three wickets in the final to help MI win. Nat Sciver-Brunt (MI Matches: 10, Runs: 332, Wickets: 10 The all-rounder emerged as the mainstay of the MI batting line-up, pulling them out of adversity on multiple occasions, including match-defining innings in both the Eliminator as well as the Final where she scored an unbeaten 72 and a 60 not out respectively. The English woman was the player of the match in both games. She also has the highest batting average of the tournament at 66.40 with three fifties and five thirty-plus scores. Without her contribution with the bat in the final, MI would not have got their hands on the trophy. Meg Lanning (DC) Matches: 9, Runs: 345 The DC skipper and opener finished as the Orange Cap (most runs in the tournament) holder. She was extremely consistent throughout, going past 30 runs in six out of the nine matches she played, reaching double figures every time. Her key decisions as captain combined with her ability with the bat, helped DC reach the final as table toppers at the end of the league stage. Then, despite posting a low total in the summit clash, the Australian’s sharp captaincy and bowling changes saw DC in with a chance right up to the last over. Saika Ishaque (MI) Matches: 10, Wickets: 15 MI’s left-arm tweaker from Bengal lit up the WPL with some scintillating spin bowling. She has emerged as the most impressive uncapped player of the season. For much of the tournament, Ishaque was leading the list of wicket-takers thanks to two three-wicket hauls and a four-wicket show in the first four matches. The three-wicket hauls came against DC and UPW, both of whom qualified for the playoffs. Interestingly, each time Saika picked a wicket, MI ended up winning the match. Sophie Ecclestone (UPW) Matches: 9, Wickets: 16 The UPW all-rounder, who is the No. 1 ranked T20I bowler, finished tied with Hayley Matthews for most wickets in the season despite having played a match less. The English left-arm spinner did not go wicket-less in a single match. She picked a four-wicket haul against RCB as well as six wickets in three outings against eventual champions MI. Harmanpreet Kaur (MI) Matches: 10, Runs: 281 The MI and India skipper was the second highest run-getter for her side, starting hot with three fifties in the first five matches. Kaur’s aggressive batting saw MI take off with a five-match winning streak and end up securing a playoff spot before any other team. Kaur’s hands-on captaincy ensured MI won eight out of 10 matches, the most by any team. Another testament to Kaur’s leadership is the fact that four of the five top wicket-takers in the WPL are from MI. In the low-scoring final, Kaur’s 37 came as a crucial contribution. Also read: 'Was waiting to win something as a captain': Harmanpreet Kaur on MI's WPL triumph
28 March,2023 07:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure | Karan ShankarMahendra Singh Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings (CSK) remain among top favourites in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, primarily for the man at the helm. The 41-year-old remains a top draw even though his batting heroics hasn't had a requisite return. Yet, his mere presence makes the opposition tremble with fear. In what could be his last season as a professional cricketer, Dhoni might still have some aces up his sleeves. With IPL returning to its familiar home and away format, CSK is all set to play seven games at 'Fortress Chepauk' this season. After failing to qualify for the play-offs last season, Dhoni, who took back the captaincy from Ravindra Jadeja, would certainly like to go out on a high. After parting ways with the likes of Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa and Chris Jordan, the franchise signed as many as seven players for the new season. Besides roping in England Test captain Ben Stokes for a whopping sum of INR 16.25 crore, Chennai also acquired the services of New Zealand all-rounder Kyle Jamieson and former Indian vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane for IPL 2023. Also Read: Watch: MS Dhoni spray paints seats at Chepauk ahead of IPL 2023 opener Strengths It is no secret that the mere presence of Ben Stokes will give the side a different but enigmatic look as his power-hitting could change outcome of any game. Also, one must watch out for the England star as he can deliver a magical over or two on slow Chepauk track. Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali could also prove to be very effective on tacky tracks where run-scoring could be difficult. In the opening slot, Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad look one of the most settled pairs among all teams. Ambati Rayudu, Stokes, Dhoni and Jadeja will make for a strong batting core and for low-scoring games, they can turn to Ajinkya Rahane, who could well be used as an 'Impact Player'. Weaknesses The absence of Mukesh Chaudhary in their ranks is a big setback after his exceptional performance last season. Deepak Chahar, who is down with recurring back and hamstring issues, also remains untested in match conditions, having missed the entire domestic season. The biggest threat for CSK is their ageing unit and Dhoni hasn't yet produced any second line of potent Indian batters. A Rayudu or a Rahane may most certainly find it difficult to cope with pressure in high-scoring games. Lack of quality Indian spinners could be a major cause of worry for the CSK management. One of the reasons is Jadeja's slightly underwhelming T20I record in recent times. There are innumerable examples where Dhoni hasn't used Jadeja's quota of overs. There are a few left-arm spinners like U-19 World Cup winner Nishant Sindhu and Chattisgarh's Ajay Mandal but it is unlikely that Dhoni will try a rookie in a high-pressure tournament if he is not convinced. Match-winners One must look out for the young Simarjeet Singh and Lasith Malinga's 'action doppelganger' Matheesa Pathirana in the fast bowling department. Apart from the likes of Dhoni, Jadeja, Ashwin, Rahane, and Rayudu, 'Captain Cool' could also use 'Impact Player' rules better than many in case of overseas recruits given his strategic skills. In that case, someone like a Mitchell Santner could step up on a track like Chepauk's. (With PTI inputs)
27 March,2023 06:48 PM IST | Chennai | mid-day online correspondentThe Women's Premier League made a captivating debut and promised a bright future for the aspiring female cricketers in India but the hurriedly organised first season also left a lot of scope for improvement going forward. The WPL, played entirely across two venues in Mumbai, witnessed special performances from some of the best cricketers in the world but leaving aside left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque, did not unearth a plethora of local talent like it was expected to. The five-team competition culminated on Sunday with Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur finally leading her side across the line in the summit clash against a team captained by Australian legend Meg Lanning. The tournament began with plenty of scores over 200 with boundaries as short as 42-44 metres, but pitches tired out eventually and became spin-friendly.Mumbai's Hayley Matthews won the Purple Cap for her 16 wickets ¿ including four in the final ¿ but Nat Sciver-Brunt was the overall top performer with 10 wickets and 332 runs. Also Read: WPL 2023: Oh MI Champs, you made history! Apart from Mumbai Indians' Ishaque, who took 15 wickets, Shreyanka Patil and Kanika Ahuja of Royal Challengers Bangalore made their mark on the big stage but there was a clear gap between those from the Indian domestic circuit and the world's best. While Patil lit up the field with her energy and enthusiasm, 20-year-old Ahuja showed tremendous promise at a young age with her explosive batting. Harmanpreet acknowledged that little-known Indian players did not get many roles and opportunities to play, but added value to their teams with their fielding, citing the examples of MI's Amanjot Kaur and Jintimani Kalita. The Indian skipper hoped that young and uncapped Indian players would emerge wiser from the experience, knowing what they need to do in order to bridge the gap. Delhi's head coach Jonathan Batty left with the message, challenging young Indian players to work on their game and fitness for season two. While Mumbai Indians achieved the high of recording five consecutive wins en route to the title triumph, a team led by another Indian star, Smriti Mandhana's Royal Challengers Bangalore, endured a five-game losing streak when the competition got underway and the tournament ended for them even before it began. Mandhana admitted facing difficulties handling a team full of players with bigger stature and more experience than her. Her own form with the bat failed to inspire RCB, who also had the likes of Ellyse Perry, Heather Knight, Sophie Devine, Megan Schutt and Renuka Singh to name a few. No doubt Mandhana, a leadership prospect with the Indian team, will emerge better from her first WPL stint as captain and player but it remains to be seen how the team responds after a horrendous first season. Lanning's Delhi Capitals did not instill fear in the opposition as Harmanpreet's MI did but the Australian Lanning led from the front and ended as the tournament's leading run-getter. But if Lanning was consistent with the bat at the top, Shafali Verma blowing hot and cold remained an issue which Delhi Capitals could not do much about. If RCB had to bear with Mandhana's poor run with the bat, Delhi Capitals experienced the same with their vice-captain Jemimah Rodrigues. The right-handed batter failed to score even a fifty, but entertained the crowd with her athleticism in the field taking some stunning catches. Gujarat Giants began with losing their preferred captain Beth Mooney halfway into the first game and endured a largely disappointing campaign, but Deol's contributions mixed with Ashleigh Gardner's prowess give them hope for the future. Sneh Rana did her best as stand-in captain, but overall, GG were not good enough to advance to the knockouts. Alyssa Healy's UP Warriorz got outplayed in the Eliminator by Mumbai Indians, but they were the first side to beat the eventual winners and showed a lot of promise with Navgire, Grace Harris, Anjali Sarvani and Sophie Ecclestone ¿ who took joint highest 16 wickets in their ranks. The 22-game competition spread over as many days this March was held entirely in Mumbai, and like many, both Healy and Ecclestone also wished for home and away games from next season onwards. It remains to be seen if the BCCI decides to organise the next WPL in the home-away format like the Indian Premier League, as crowd support plays a big part in the success of teams and also helps in creating a much needed fan base. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 March,2023 06:16 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIAs the world gears up to witness another set of nerve-wracking 20-over encounters starting March 31, the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) promises to bring back all the intensity, rivalries, and buzz among cricket fans from across the globe. Defending champions Gujarat Titans led by Hardik Pandya will look to maintain their winning streak as they take on MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings in the much-awaited tournament opener at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. The IPL fervour is at an all-time high with speculations seeming to suggest this edition will be Dhoni's last IPL appearance. Meanwhile, the former India captain was spotted enjoying spray painting at the Chepauk stadium in Chennai. Accompanied by CSK manager Russell Radhakrishnan, Dhoni took a quick stroll around one of the stands at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, which is gearing up to host the games for the first time since 2019. 'Captain Cool' was then spotted painting chairs with yellow and blue spray paint cans. The official page of CSK took to Twitter to share a video of Dhoni spray painting chairs at the stadium, with the caption that read, 'Definitely looking Yellove' Anbuden Awaiting for April 3'. Watch the video below. “π«πππππππππ πππππππ πππππππ”Anbuden Awaiting for April 3π¦π pic.twitter.com/eKp2IzGHfm — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 27, 2023 The clip so far has amassed over 200,000 views and over 15,000 likes. One user wrote, "I hope whoever gets them (the painted seats) doesn't take them back home with them.(sic)." "Can anyone book that seat for me?" wrote another. Also Read: CSK skipper MS Dhoni teaches Dwayne Bravo how to whistle ahead of IPL 2023: Watch In a video shared by the franchise recently, Dhoni was seen to be poking fun at teammate Dwayne Bravo, while teaching him how to whistle. The wicketkeeper-batsman was in a jovial mood and it reflected in the video as he and Bravo could not stop laughing at each other's attempts to whistle properly.
27 March,2023 05:34 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHaving guided Mumbai Indians to their inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) trophy after a seven-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on Sunday, captain Harmanpreet Kaur feels that focussing on winning crucial moments of matches and not the ultimate prize worked well for her side. Mumbai successfully chased down the target of 132 with three balls to spare in the low-scoring but tense summit clash at the Brabourne Stadium, with star England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt playing sheet-anchor with an unbeaten 60. "(Right from start) we were talking about winning the moments. We were not looking for the trophy, we were looking to win all the moments. (We thought) if we win the moments, the trophy will come automatically," Kaur told the media. "It feels very good personally also. I was waiting for this moment for a long time when I could win something as a captain. It is also very important for women's cricket. Many times we were there but could not make it. But here the tournament was different, the teams were different. Every side is so balanced and did well in the tournament," she added. Also Read: DC vs MI: Nat Sciver-Brunt steers Mumbai Indians to inaugural WPL title Her run-out against Capitals reminded fans of her dismissal in the T20 World Cup semifinal against Australia, but she said there was enough in her team's tank to overhaul the target. "Both the run outs were quite disappointing. I was confident in the last match (India versus Australia) because we had so many wickets in hand. I thought we would be able to do it. But the scenario was a lot different here, we had Nat in the middle and she was well settled. I knew who was going to bowl and how. We were quite positive to finish the game one or two overs left. But when I got out we thought we had to go by the situation," she said. The Eliminator against Gujarat played a pivotal role in Mumbai gaining momentum into the final. "When we were doing well, the only thought in mind was to not get into the elimination round. But after losing two matches we were in search of momentum. It went in our favour that we got one more match to play before the final and everybody got into the rhythm. It worked well in our favour. If you play after a long gap, it is tough to get back into momentum," Kaur explained. Moreover, Kaur was also impressed with how Delhi Capitals players Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav added 52 runs from just 24 balls for the unbroken 10th wicket, and asked them after the game to play similarly for the national team. "I told Radha after the match that the way they were playing, I want to see the same approach when you come and play for India. She promised to come with the same approach," she said. (With PTI inputs)
27 March,2023 02:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
