The Week - Sports

rohit-stars-mumbai-indians-49-run-win-over-kkr

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 05:15:36 GMT

Skipper Rohit Sharma's effortless batting formed the cornerstone of Mumbai Indians' resounding 49-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League match on Wednesday.

On a big Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Rohit pummelled the KKR bowlers into submission for a 54-ball 80 and powered Mumbai to an imposing 195/5. The night belonged to Rohit, the great white-ball exponent, whose knock was laced with six sixes. Then the Jasprit Bumrah-led Mumbai attack did most things right to restrict KKR to 146 for nine and end their winless streak in the UAE.

KKR were never on course for a comfortable chase as they lost openers Shubhman Gill (7) and Sunil Narine (9) cheaply to be in a spot of bother at 25 for two.

One-down skipper Dinesh Karthik (30 off 23) and Nitish Rana (24 off 18) tried to up the ante but they were still playing the catch-up game with 125 runs needed from the last 10 overs.

Kolkata were dealt a double blow in quick succession first Karthik was trapped by Rahul Chahar (2/26) in front of the wicket and then Hardik Pandya grabbed a running catch on the fence to send back Rana.

Bumrah (2/32) in the 16th over sealed the game for Mumbai as he removed Andre Russell (11), who was bowled, and then forced Eoin Morgan (20) to edge to the wicket-keeper.

Pat Cummins (33 off 12) launched into Bumrah with four sixes in a very expensive 18th over, but it was too late for Kolkata, who failed to put up a contest. Bumrah went for 27 runs.

Kieron Pollard (1/21), Trent Boult (2/30), James Pattison (2/25 ) played their roles to perfection.

Earlier, put into bat, after Shivam Mavi (2/32) removed opener Quinton De Kock (1) cheaply, Rohit (80 off 54 balls; 3 fours, 6 sixes) and Suryakumar Yadav (47 off 28; 6 fours, 1 six) added 90 runs for the second wicket to pull the team out of trouble.

Rohit, who began with a maximum, displayed his languid grace and elegance as he took the Kolkata attack to the cleansers.

Surya effortlessly smashed four boundaries off Sandeep Warrier (0/34), including a cover-drive and a flick, in the third over. Rohit got going after smashing pacer Pat Cummins (0/49) for two maximums both being his trademark pull-short. With the two looking good and hitting sixes and fours at will, Mumbai raced to 94/1 after 10 overs.

Kolkata, however, cut short Surya's stay when he was run out.

Rohit continued his brutal onslaught against chinaman Kuldeep Yadav (0-39), smashing him for two maximums. Saurabh Tiwary (21), Hardik Pandya (18) played perfect second fiddle to Rohit, who literally bulldozed the opposition bowlers. Kolkata tried to pull things back by removing Rohit, Hardik in quick succession even as Mumbai added 48 runs in the last five overs.

ipl-2020-rohit-sharmas-54-ball-80-powers-mi-to-195-5-against-kkr

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 20:38:56 GMT

A 54-ball 80 from skipper Rohit Sharma and a 28-ball 47 from Suryakumar Yadav powered Mumbai Indians to a challenging total of 195/5 against Kolkata Knight Riders, in an IPL 2020 match in Abu Dhabi.

Put into bat by KKR captain Dinesh Karthik, MI lost opener Quinton de Kock (1) in the second over of the match bowled by Shivam Mavi. But Sharma and Yadav put on 90 runs for the second wicket to put their team in a position of strength.

Though Sharma looked exhausted towards the latter half of the innings, useful contributions from Saurabh Tiwary (21) and Hardik Pandya (18) ensured the MI came close to the 200-run mark.

KKR tried to pull things back by dismissing Sharma and Pandya in quick succession but Mumbai managed to add 48 runs in the last five overs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

For KKR, spinner Sunil Narine was the pick of the bowlers, taking 1/22 off his four overs. Australian pacer Pat Cummins leaked runs, conceding 49 in three overs. Leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav’s poor form continued, going wicketless yet again, and giving away 39 runs in his four overs.

not-surprised-at-all-by-devdutts-aggressive-hitting-finch

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 19:39:01 GMT

Australian limited overs captain Aaron Finch seems to have settled down well in his new team, Royal Challengers Bangalore. In their first outing, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the senior batsman played the anchor role, backing and supporting young Devdutt Padikkal, who tore into the SRH attack from the word go. The duo put on 90 runs for the first wicket, with the youngster being the aggressor, scoring 56 runs.

Finch, in a media interaction on Wednesday evening from Dubai, hailed Padikkal's composure and self-belief. "His composure under pressure was really important. At the start of the innings, he was obviously a little bit nervous but he played his natural game and the way he structured his game and plans, the way he carried himself, it was really impressive. Once his innings started, he grew in confidence. It was impressive, too."

Asked whether he was surprised at the aggressive batting style of the 20-year-old, Finch said, "No, I wasn’t surprised at all, having seen footage of his in domestic cricket. He is an aggressive opening batsman, and he has done really well in U-19 and domestic cricket. I was just very happy he played his natural game. The conversations we had in the middle were about the game scenario, who we were matching up against and where and what areas we would target."

So, would this be the template for RCB—to have him play an anchor's role while Padikkal continues to be the aggressor? "Whatever the team needs me to do, I try to do the best I can,” Finch said. “My job was to get him back on strike and let him keep playing. But there will be some days when the roles will be reversed. I will get off to a flier then our partnership becomes really important again. I think my game has evolved probably by playing more and more T20 cricket—you understand roles, game scenarios little bit more. Hopefully, I will contribute heavily for RCB."

Finch has been part of several IPL franchises. He started with Rajasthan Royals, then went to Delhi Daredevils followed by a stint with Pune Warriors India and then, Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was with Mumbai Indians since 2015. A hard-hitting, explosive batsman himself, he is relishing the idea of playing with lot more freedom, considering the ones to follow him in the batting line-up are AB De Villiers and Virat Kohli. "Obviously, it’s very exciting, and it’s something I have been looking forward to. They are great players. We have a lot of strength in our team; we are not just relying on two players.”

However, with Kohli clearly the boss of the team, aided by new support staff comprising former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson as director of cricket operations, and former Aussie all-rounder Simon Katich as head coach, Finch does not see a big leadership role in RCB, thus allowing him to focus on his role. "Having quite a few senior players there, who have played a lot more international cricket and IPL, it’s just about helping each other. If there is an opportunity where we can give an input, great. But sometimes, too many inputs can confuse a little bit. It’s about making all plans and preparations beforehand. It’s great to be able to worry just about playing and not captain the side."

Having played their first match and assessed the conditions, Finch said that dew would end up playing a major role as the IPL progresses. "Dew will play a big part in the tournament. As games go on, wickets will get slower and dew will become an important factor. We have to play, no excuses, and have to adjust and come up with plans and processes to be successful in all conditions."

Finch also brushed aside concerns related to the sandy surfaces which has made it tough for cricketers to slide or field on. He gave full credit to the ground staff of all three stadiums in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah and said that the sandy grounds could not be blamed for injuries. "No, I think they are doing as well as they can. Mitchell Marsh’s injury was a freak accident; nothing to do with the ground. We are very grateful just to be able to play in these three venues."

RCB will play their second match of the IPL 2020 against Kings XI Punjab in Dubai on September 24.

ball-hit-by-dhoni-for-iconic-six-that-won-the-2011-world-cup-located

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 16:20:59 GMT

In 2011, Mahendra Singh Dhoni fulfilled the dream of a billion people when he hit the six to seal India’s victory in the Cricket World Cup final against Sri Lanka. In honour of the then captain, the Maharashtra Cricket Association recently proposed to dedicate the seat, where the ball would have landed, to Dhoni by naming it after him.

Dhoni’s iconic six off Nuwan Kulasekara helped India win its second World Cup title by six wickets, 28 years after Kapil Dev’s team lifted the trophy in 1983. The captain scored an unbeaten 91 and was declared the man of the match.

The ball that was hit into the stands by the Indian captain on that momentous night, however, was not found.

After Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket last month, Ajinkya Naik, a member of the Mumbai Cricket Association Apex Council, wrote a letter, proposing that the seat where the ball would have landed be named after the former captain.

“As an act of gratitude and tribute to Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s immense contribution to Indian cricket, the MCA can devote a permanent seat on his name at the stand where his famous World Cup-winning six had landed,” read the letter Naik wrote to the governing body, as per the report in the Indian Express.

“We can find out the area where the ball landed—and which seat it was flying to—after Dhoni smashed it to win the 2011 World Cup.

“We can paint and decorate the seat in a unique way to celebrate Dhoni’s association with Wankhede Stadium… We can have a plaque on that seat with some special text to honour that moment,” the letter further read.

Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, in the meantime, expressed his desire to help the MCA locate the ball. The former captain informed the MCA that the person who caught the ball at the Wankhede Stadium that night was someone a friend of his knew.

The seat has now been identified as seat number 210 in the L Block of the MCA Pavilion, with the person in possession of the ball, the IE report said.

The report said that the MCA could request Gavaskar to help them get in touch with the person who has ball. The spectator has reportedly kept the ball in a display case along with the laminated match ticket.

In India, the practice of naming or dedicating a single seat to honour cricketing greats has not caught on, with stands in stadiums usually zeroed in for the purpose. However, the tradition to name seats to cricketers is seen outside the country.

In 2015, Grant Elliot hit a six off Dale Steyn to help New Zealand reach the ICC World Cup final for the first time. A seat was named in Elliot’s honour, with the plaque at the seat reading, “Here Lies the Resting Place of Grant Elliott’s Mighty Six That Propelled the Blackcaps on March 24, 2015, into their maiden World Cup Final.”

The Big Bash League franchise Melbourne Renegade honoured former Australian cricketer Brad Hodge at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne in 2018. A three-tier seat where the six hit by Hodge, who was playing his last match, landed.

Dhoni is likely to be honoured in the same manner in what will be a first in India.

Apart from guiding India to its second World Cup title, Dhoni has also led the team to win the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, making him the only captain to win all three ICC trophies.

ipl-2020-injured-marsh-ruled-out-srh-name-holder-as-replacement

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 16:17:47 GMT

Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of the remainder of the IPL because of the ankle injury he suffered during the game against RCB.

Sunrisers Hyderabad have named West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder as replacement.

Playing for SRH, Marsh, while bowling the fifth over, twisted his ankle while trying to stop a drive by Aaron Finch in his follow through. He managed to bowl two more balls before hobbling out.

Marsh, whose career has been marred by a series of injuries, later came out to bat at number 10 in SRH's chase but he was seen in considerable pain. SRH lost the game by 10 runs.

This is the second time he is missing the entire tournament because of an injury. In 2017, while playing for Rising Pune Supergiants, he was ruled out because of a shoulder problem.

Marsh was picked by the SRH for his base price of Rs 2 crore. Meanwhile, it will be Holder's second stint with the Sunrisers—first being in 2014-15—and fourth overall in the IPL, having played for the Chennai Super Kings and the Kolkata Knight Riders.

gambhir-pans-dhoni-for-last-over-sixes-calls-it-useless-personal-runs

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 14:00:28 GMT

Chennai Super Kings fans may have celebrated enthusiastically the return of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his hat-trick of sixes, but former India opener Gautam Gambhir is not too happy about the captain’s last-minute rush for runs. The Chennai team lost by 16 runs, having needed 38 in the last over.

Gambhir criticised Dhoni for coming in at number seven in the batting order, and said that the skipper should have led from the front when CSK was chasing a target of 217 against Rajasthan Royals in Tuesday’s Indian Premier League match.

“I was a bit surprised, to be honest. M.S. Dhoni batting at No. 7? And sending Gaikwad before him, Sam Curran before him. Makes no sense to me. In fact, you should be leading from the front. And this is not what you call leading from the front. Batting at number seven when you're chasing what 217? The game was over. Faf was probably the lone warrior,” ESPNCricinfo quoted Gambhir as saying.

Dhoni came out to bat in the 14th over of the CSK innings, but waited till the last over to belt out three consecutive sixes off Tom Curran. Many questioned what had stopped Dhoni from batting in the same manner earlier in the innings.

Gambhir said the mad rush for runs in the last over was of no use.

“There is nothing wrong if you end up getting out early, at least start leading from the front, trying to inspire the team as well. What you did in the last over, probably if you’d done that coming in at No. 4 or 5, alongside Faf, you could have made a game out of it. But probably there was no such intent to make a game out of it,” the cricketer-turned-politician said.

“You can talk about M.S. Dhoni’s last over when he hit three sixes, but it was of no use, to be honest. It was just all personal runs. See, if someone else would have done this, some other captain had batted number seven, he would have got a lot of flak. It is M.S. Dhoni… Probably why people don’t talk about it.

“When you don’t have Suresh Raina, you’re making people believe that Sam Curran is better than you. You’re making people believe that Ruturaj Gaikwad, Curran, Kedar Jadhav, Faf du Plessis, Vijay, all these guys are better than you,” Gambhir added.

sanju-samson-performance-against-csk-draws-praise-from-tendulkar

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 12:57:31 GMT

Sanju Samson’s brilliant knock of 74 off 32 balls in the match against Chennai Super Kings helped Rajasthan Royals register a commendable victory in their first Indian Premier League match of the season. And the young batsman’s performance has won the praise of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.

Samson hit fifty runs in just 19 balls, smashing nine sixes and a four during his innings.

“Clean striking by @IamSanjuSamson. They were all proper cricketing shots and not slogs,” Tendulkar tweeted, adding that Lungi Ngidi displayed some smart bowling.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir, too, took to Twitter to say that Samson is the best young batsman in India.

“Sanju Samson is not just the best wicketkeeper batsmen in India but the best young batsman in India! Anyone up for debate?” he tweeted.

In another tweet, Gambhir expressed his surprise that the Kerala batsman has not been able to find a place in the Indian team.

“It’s weird that the only playing eleven Sanju Samson doesn’t find a place is that of India, rest almost everyone is ready for him with open arms,” Gambhir tweeted.

Samson has played only four T20 Internationals and is yet to establish himself in the Indian national side.

In Tuesday’s match against CSK, Samson was declared player of the match following his praiseworthy knock, his performance behind the stumps, effecting two stumpings and as many catches as the Royals won by 16 runs.

bianca-andreescu-to-miss-remainder-of-season-to-focus-on-health-training

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 12:19:58 GMT

Last year’s US Open champion Bianca Andreescu announced that she is pulling out of the 2020 French Open and taking the rest of the season off to focus on her “health and training”.

In a statement, the Canadian tennis player said that she is looking forward to improving her game and the 2021 season.

“I have come to the difficult decision to skip the clay court swing this year and will be taking the remainder of the season off to focus on my health and training,” the statement read.

“As hard as it was to come to this conclusion, I have so much to look forward to in 2021, including the Olympics. I want to use this time to focus on my game so I can come back stronger and better than ever.”

The 20-year-old has not played on tour since the WTA Finals in Shenzhen last year where she retired with a knee injury. She also missed the Australian Open in January due to the injury.

Andreescu was unable to defend her US Open crown, having withdrawn from the event citing lack of preparation and “unforeseen challenges” including the COVID-19 crisis.

The French Open is scheduled to begin on September 27 after being postponed from its original slot in May due to the coronavirus pandemic. Around 5,000 fans will be allowed to attend the grand slam event at Roland Garros as opposed to 11,500 that was decided earlier, organisers have confirmed.

Apart from Andreescu, defending champion and world number one Ashleigh Barty and newly crowned US Open champion Naomi Osaka will also miss this year’s French Open.

(With inputs from agencies)

dhonis-six-lands-outside-sharjah-stadium-lucky-man-keeps-the-ball

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 11:16:39 GMT

Chennai Super Kings may have lost the match against Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday in the ongoing Indian Premier League in the UAE, but fans welcomed the return of Mahendra Singh Dhoni as he smashed three consecutive sixes, one of which went all the way outside the stadium, off Tom Curran in the last over.

Though it wasn’t enough for CSK and the match ended in heartbreak for fans, one “lucky man”, as the official Twitter account of the IPL put it, walked off with the ball hit by Dhoni for a six that ended outside the Sharjah Stadium.

After the Royals piled on 216/7, thanks to some explosive batting by Sanju Samson (74) and Steve Smith (69), Chennai Super Kings displayed a decent start to the run chase, having put up 50 for no loss in six overs. However, even with Faf du Plessis’ 37-ball 72, it was still not enough for CSK as it needed 38 runs off the last over.

The captain stepped up and, despite knowing CSK won’t be able to win this one, smashed three sixes off the last three balls off Tom Curran. One of the sixes landed outside the stadium and a fan picked it up and kept it for himself.

“He’s one lucky man. Look who has the ball that was hit for a six by MS Dhoni,” read the tweet by IPL’s Twitter account as it played a short five-second clip of the man picking up the ball hit for a six by the former India captain.

Meanwhile, Dhoni fans were thrilled at their hero’s comeback and hat-trick of sixes, having scored no runs in the opener against Mumbai Indians. Several Twitter users shared the clip of Dhoni hitting the three sixes, exalted at the CSK captain’s return to cricket.

ipl-2020-morgan-happy-to-add-muscle-to-kkr-middle-order

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 19:04:37 GMT

Kolkata Knight Riders are a team brimming with talent and experience. In fact, it will be a problem of plenty for skipper Dinesh Karthik and new coach Brendon McCullum to pick their playing XI for their first match of the Indian Premier League 2020 against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.

This season will see some changes in the batting order, with the addition of England’s World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan, who will also be the KKR vice-captain. KKR are also bolstered by the availability of fit-again young Indian pacers like Kamlesh Nagarkoti and all-rounder Shivam Mavi, along with new recruit Ali Khan.

KKR go into their first match with a better idea of the conditions having seen how the wicket behaved at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, plus the dew factor. The team will have a new opening pair in Sunil Narine and Shubman Gill and while Andre Russell has been the danger man in the middle-order for KKR, the addition of Eoin Morgan makes the batting order ultra-strong. All players arriving from England post the concluded ODI series against Australia, are available for selection for tomorrow's game.

Morgan is back at KKR after cameos at Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad. His return to KKR was initiated by coach McCullum, a close friend and kindred spirit when it comes to aggressive and fearless approach to the game. Speaking about his friendship with the former Kiwi captain, Morgan said, "We are very good friends, and have known each other for some years now. The friendship started on tours and finding things you enjoy in common, and making memories together through enjoying those things. Horse racing is one of them, rugby as well. Both of us have enjoyed together with our families as well. We are good mates."

When asked whether he is ready to take on the role of the finisher in the side in place of the tried and tested Andre Russell, Morgan said, "I think, with this squad that we have, it gives us a lot of options in batting and bowling. Within the squad, we have number of cricketers with varied style of play that can fit specifically in the batting department. Guys have played significant roles. I know Andre Russell has played that role for a number of years now at Kolkata and done it exceptionally well. If I get a go at that, hopefully I will be able to aid that."

Monday night saw leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal delight everyone with his bowling, snapping up key wickets for Royal Challengers Bangalore in their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. All eyes will be on Chahal's leg-spin mate Kuldeep Yadav, who will turn out for KKR. The Kanpur lad has had a tough last season. Coach McCullum expressed confidence in the young leg-spinner's ability to bounce back, saying, "In any cricketer's career, there will be periods of peak performance or times which are challenging. Kuldeep has been challenged a little bit. He has come back stronger, and is very determined. When given an opportunity, I am sure he will put up a very bold show."

KKR captain Dinesh Karthik described the team's new opening pairing unique. "I like it. Narine does not have a complicated batting style and Shubman is a gun—a quality player and there are lot of expectations from him around the world. I am sure he will exceed those expectations. They are a unique opening pair that we are proud of."

Meanwhile, Karthik also suggested allowing teams and players some leeway for exuberant celebrations (barred for now as per COVID-19 protocols) like those by RCB after the match against SRH. "Sometimes, it’s hard to hold emotions. Off the field, all are social distancing, but on ground, sometimes, you need to allow these emotions to come through. We are all in a bubble, and it should give us a little bit of leeway," he said.

when-the-going-gets-tough-the-ipl-finds-a-way

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 21:09:54 GMT

You ask former India captain and left arm spinner Bishen Singh Bedi about the Indian Premier League and his response is curt: “It’s not cricket”. Well, we all know that it’s a lot more than cricket!

For a start, the IPL has been a tournament dipped in dubiety for multiple reasons over the years—selfish interests, petty politics, big egos, conceit, corruption charges and security reasons have all created chaos and jeopardised the event at various times but the marquee tournament won every time. Even elections in the world’s largest democracy could only test it and not stall it.

The Indian Premier League was born out of resilience and it continues to have that trait. Remember Lalit Modi? The former commissioner of the league, who always kept a confident and smiling face, made us believe that it’s all too easy. The fact, however, is that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which prioritises the IPL ahead of everything else these days, had firmly shut the door on him when he first proposed the idea of the league in 1998—ten years prior to its inception. Now, when the world realised that “living with the virus” is the way forward, the Indian Premier League was quick to find a way.

India’s biggest annual cricket carnival is here and it does put a smile on faces during these difficult days. But still, there are fears and apprehensions. Like most other things, the world of sports is going through a period of reinvention and it remains to be seen, how it comes through the test. Accepting the “new normal” is the key, and adaptation is the buzzword here.

Being comfortable with the ‘bio-bubble’ environment and not letting the pervasive fear of infection dominate their psyche and performances would be a major challenge for the players. Then comes the far from ideal situation of action sans the fans in the stadium. Fans make the stadiums come alive with their fervour and antics, and playing without their presence could be a bit like a rock band performing with no audience! Whether the players will have the same motivation playing in front of empty stands remains to be seen.

Most Indian cricketers would be used to playing domestic matches in the presence of just the fellow players and a handful of officials, but most of them would rue the absence of the spectators in the stadium. Although the absence of fans doesn’t make much of a difference economically, with only 5 per cent of the revenue coming from gate receipt, it does pose a serious challenge to the broadcasters. Deprived of the spectators’ drama, which they cut to every now and then during the telecast, the broadcasters will be forced to improvise and come up with novel ideas to make the coverage attractive and appealing.

The entire tournament this time will be played out in just three stadiums as opposed to the variety of venues when it happens in India. It means that the teams will have to re-work their combinations as they would have been originally formed keeping in mind the Indian conditions. It will be interesting to see how the teams would adjust to the pitches in the UAE, which are likely to get slower as the tournament progresses. It’s also a blessing in disguise for the players as the travel time will be reduced considerably which means there is more time for rest and recovery. Perhaps the hardest part of playing the IPL in India is having to board an airplane every other day and the amount of packing and unpacking a player has to do. So, what can we expect from the teams this time?

Notwithstanding the fact that the Mumbai Indians have won the title four times, the most consistent team in the history of IPL is the Chennai Super Kings. For a team which has three titles and a place in the play off every time, there is no better time for the team to give the people of Chennai a ‘Whistle Podu’ moment than now. The city has been one of the worst-hit by the pandemic. As always, ‘Thala’ Dhoni holds the key and it will be interesting to see how he performs given all the talk about his retirement from international cricket and also in the absence of ‘Chinna thala’ Suresh Raina, his trusted lieutenant. If the par scores aren’t considerably low owing to the slow nature of the pitches, the team would want to dominate a bit more in the powerplay. If the ageing CSK warriors could produce the magic of the past once again, there will be smiles and whistles again in the streets of Teynampet, Triplicane, Adyar and T. Nagar.

Mumbai Indians would be hoping to start better and they would want to get rid of the habit of starting slow and leaving themselves with too much catching up to do in the second half of the tournament. With four titles in the last seven years, MI has been a fabulous team and much of its credit goes to Rohit Sharma, the best captain in the history of IPL in my book. They had a forgettable outing in the UAE in 2014, when a part of the tournament was held there, but they would want to put that behind them. With a strong Indian presence, the Delhi side looks a predominantly ‘Desi’ outfit and with a realistic chance of all top five batsmen being Indians. In slow conditions in the UAE, finger spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel might play a crucial role. With Ricky Ponting as its coach, the Delhi Capitals are in with a chance of making a big impact.

If ever there was an award for the most optimistic fans, the Royal Challengers Bangalore fans would win it hands down. Such has been the faith and support extended by them despite their team failing to win the title even once. RCB needs to go beyond their two main pillars, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers and perform as a single unit. Isuru Udana, the Sri Lankan all-rounder, might just be a dark horse given the conditions in the UAE.

You talk Hyderabad and you talk Warner and Bairstow, but much will depend on how Bhuvneshwar Kumar performs. Like in 2016, when Sunrisers Hyderabad became champions, Bhuvi’s bowling will be a key factor determining how far the team will go this time. In spite of having Rashid Khan in its line-up, the team is sure to miss Shakib Al Hasan.

Andre Russell holds the key for the Kolkata Knight Riders, but all eyes will be on Pat Cummins. The history of the tournament suggests that the players with big price tags have failed to live up to the expectations and it will be interesting to see how the Australian pacer manages the pressure of his Rs 15.5 crore billing. If KKR can forge a good partnership between Dinesh Karthik, Eoin Morgan and coach Brendon McCullum, we might hear “korbo, lorbo, jeetbo re” deep into the tournament.

Kings XI Punjab will feel positive about the way the team performed in the UAE in 2014 and the hero of that edition, Glenn Maxwell, is in the mix again. Much will depend on how K.L. Rahul goes about his business, both as captain and as a player, and the presence of Anil Kumble as coach will be a huge plus for the Kings.

Last but not the least, my favourite team of the IPL: Rajasthan Royals. There is something about underdogs in sports that we support them and that’s how it all started 12 years ago. But, by the end of the tournament, it was all about the charisma, leadership and shrewdness of an all-time great of the game. By extracting the best out of some hitherto unknown players, Shane Warne showed to the world that you don’t necessarily need to have big names and big purchases for being successful. He gave the likes of Swapnil Asnodkar and Naman Ojha an address and made a star out of Ravindra Jadeja. Warne was the best captain Australia never had, and the picture of him with a victorious Rajasthan Royals team will always be one of the profound memories of the IPL. With a good overseas contingent and most of them available through the tournament, the Royals will be looking forward to making a real impact this time.

Prodded by necessity, the IPL has managed to find a way again. Despite the odds, many believe that this edition of the IPL will be the biggest ever. Will it be? We shall soon find out. Let’s wish ourselves a safe and an exhilarating season of IPL. We deserve it more than ever before!

ipl-in-numbers-a-look-at-statistical-highlights

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 21:06:10 GMT

With the IPL set to kick off from September 19, here is a look at the event's statistical highlights from the past editions.

TEAM

· Royal Challengers Bangalore holds the record of amassing the highest totals in IPL history, scoring 263-5 and 248-3 against now-defunct teams—Pune Warriors and Gujarat Lions respectively in 2013 and 2016. Chennai Super Kings holds the third position in the list with a score of 246-5 against Rajasthan Royals in 2010.

· RCB is also the team with the lowest total in IPL, having being dismissed for 49 by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017, while RR and Delhi Daredevils (DD) are second and third in the list with totals of 58 and 66 against RCB and Mumbai Indians in 2009 and 2017.

· MI's 146-run win over DD in 2017 is the biggest in terms of runs' margin in IPL. RCB and KKR hold the second and third place with 144-run and 140-run wins over Gujarat Lions and RCB in 2016 and 2008.

· Eight matches have been decided on the basis of Super Over with with KKR being involved in three such ties, while RR have won two Super Over matches—the most in IPL. All eight teams participating in IPL 2020 have played at least one Super Over but CSK and KKR are yet to win one.

· The dubious record of conceding most extras in a match belongs to KKR, who gave away 28 against Deccan Chargers in 2008, followed by KXIP and CSK, who conceded 27 and 26 extras against RCB and MI in 2011 and 2009.

BATTING

· RCB skipper Virat Kohli is the highest run-getter in IPL history, having amassed a total of 5,412 runs in the last 12 editions of the tournament. He is followed by Chennai Super Kings' Suresh Raina (5,368) and Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma (4,898).

· West Indies batsman Chris Gayle, who will play for Kings XI Punjab, has hit a whopping 326 sixes in IPL to top the list of players with most sixes. RCB's AB de Villiers and CSK's Mahendra Singh Dhoni occupy the second and third spots with 357 and 297 sixes respectively.

· Gayle also posted the highest individual score in IPL, piling up an unbeaten 175 off 66 balls against Pune Warriors in 2013 which is also the fastest hundred in the tournament. Former Kolkata Knight Riders batsman and current coach Brendon McCullum (158 not out) and de Villiers (133 not out) are in the second and third positions in the list of highest score respectively.

· Gayle also holds the record for most number of centuries, having scored six tons, followed by Kohli (5) and Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper David Warner (4), who has the most number of 50s, a whopping 44.

· Kings XI Punjab skipper K.L. Rahul's 51 off 14 balls against Delhi Capitals in 2018 is the fastest fifty in IPL, followed by the KKR duo of Yusuf Pathan and Sunil Narine, who achieved the feat in 15 balls in 2014 and 2017 respectively.

BOWLING

· MI's Lasith Malinga, who has opted out of this year's IPL, is the highest wicket-taker in IPL with 170 scalps in 122 matches at an average of 19.8 and economy of 7.14. He is followed by Delhi Capitals' Amit Mishra (157) and CSK's Harbhajan Singh (150), who has also pulled out citing personal reasons.

· MI's Alzarri Joseph recorded the best bowling figures in IPL, taking six wickets for 12 runs in 3.4 overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad last year. Former Rajasthan Royals pacer Sohail Tanvir and Adam Zampa, who played for the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants, also captured six wickets, giving away 14 and 19 runs against CSK and SRH in the 2008 and 2016 editions respectively.

· DC's Amit Mishra has the most number of hat-tricks in the IPL. He has so far taken three hat-tricks in 147 matches. Former Mumbai Indians all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and CSK's Sam Curran occupy the second and third spots with two and one hat-trick respectively.

· KKR's Sunil Narine holds the record for most four-wicket hauls. He took four wickets or more six times in 110 matches at an economy of 6.67. Malinga, who also took six four-wicket hauls, is in the second position with an economy rate of 7.14.

Former India seamer Praveen Kumar, who has played for multiple IPL teams, bowled 14 maidens in 119 matches, the most by a bowler in the history of the tournament. Former pacer Irfan Pathan (10) and Mumbai Indians' Dhawal Kulkarni (8) are second and third in the list.

barcelona-president-bartomeu-to-face-vote-of-no-confidence

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:03:18 GMT

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is set to face a vote of no confidence after club members gathered over 20,000 signatures to force a referendum on his future with the club.

The Mes que una Mocio (More than a motion) petition collected 20,731 signatures from club members on Thursday. It required only 16,520 signatures to trigger a vote, but comfortably cleared the needed numbers.

The Twitter account of Mes que una Mocio tweeted on Thursday, “We could, we wanted, we’ve done it! 20,731 signatures.”

The campaign was launched in July by club presidential pre-candidate Jordi Farre who had said that it was “the only possibility to save the club”.

The vote will be held after the club verifies all the signatures. Bartomeu will be forced to step down and new elections will be scheduled if two-thirds of the voting members vote against him. A member of Barcelona, the Catalan Football Federation and the campaign will have 10 days to validate the signatures.

“Member Jordi Farre, promoter of the vote of censure against the FC Barcelona board of directors, has delivered the signatures of the club members who support his request to the offices of the Barcelona Supporter Services Office [OAB],” Barcelona said in a statement.

Captain Lionel Messi had earlier criticised Bartomeu and other directors of the board for their mismanagement, making it clear the players’ distrust in the club president. Following Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 loss against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League and sacking of Quique Setien, pressure on Bartomeu increased.

By then, Messi expressed his desire to leave the club and after the manner in which Bartomeu handled the situation, opposition members decided to take action to remove the president from his post.

Referendums have been held on two occasions in the history of Barca, and both times the presidents—Josep Lluis Nunez in 1998 and Joan Laporta in 2008—survived the vote of no confidence.

naomi-osaka-withdraws-from-french-open-due-to-hamstring-injury

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:05:14 GMT

US Open champion Naomi Osaka announced on Thursday her decision to withdraw from the French Open beginning later this month due to a hamstring injury. The Roland Garros event will be held from September 27-October 11 after being moved from May due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taking to social media, the 22-year-old thanked her fans for their support and said that they will see her “sooner than later”.

“Hey guys, first and foremost thank so much for all the support over the last 3 weeks. I couldn’t have done it without you!,” she wrote in the post.

“Unfortunately I won’t be able to play the French Open this year. My hamstring is still sore so I won’t have time to prepare for the clay – these two tournaments came too close to each other for me this time. I wish the organizers and players all the best.

“Miss you guys but you’ll see me sooner than later! Love Naomi,” she concluded the note, which is also posted in Japanese.

The Japanese player had her left hamstring taped during her US Open final against Victoria Azarenka at Flushing Meadow. Osaka defeated the Belarusian player 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 to win her third grand slam title.

The former world number one was on top of her game during the US Open, but it was also her activism on court that made her win at Flushing Meadows even sweeter. Osaka wore a different mask with the names of Black people who were victims of racial injustice in the US before each match.

When asked in an on-court interview after the US Open final about the message she was sending with the masks, Osaka’s reply was powerful enough to understand that she is committed to social justice causes despite many telling her to “stick to tennis”.

“Well, what was the message that you got? That was more the question,” she answered.

In light of Osaka’s latest announcement, and the absence of world number Ashleigh Barty, the French Open women’s singles event is wide open with many including 23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams vying for a chance to reign on clay.

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) has also said that it would allow 5,000 spectators per day down from 11,500 that was announced earlier.

(With inputs)

maxwell-sets-new-record-as-fastest-man-to-score-3000-odi-runs

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 11:14:54 GMT

Australia’s Glenn Maxwell has become the fastest man to score 3,000 ODI runs in terms of balls faced during the third One Day International against England. He reached the milestone on his 2,440th ball—92 fewer balls than his nearest rival, Jos Buttler.

Maxwell is only the sixth man to reach 3,000 ODI runs at a strike rate of over 100. The 31-year-old has a strike rate of 122.95.

Centuries from Maxwell (108) and Alex Carey (106) guided Australia to a three-wicket win in the final ODI in Manchester and a 2-1 series victory. England suffered their first home ODI series defeat in five years.

“Everything pretty much went to plan tonight, the way our partnership built was outstanding,” Maxwell said, after scoring just his second century in 113 matches.

“I feel like I’ve always batted better for Australia when we’ve been in a bit of trouble.”

Maxwell, who has faced a number of setbacks in the past year, made his first appearance in international cricket with the tour of England, almost a year since withdrawing from the home T20I series against Sri Lanka. He took a break to deal with mental health issues before returning to domestic cricket earlier this year.

Australia named him in the squad for the white-ball tour of South Africa in February, but Maxwell had to withdraw due to an elbow surgery.

His latest record puts Maxwell ahead of those who have reached the mark at better than a run a ball. England trio Jos Buttler (2,532 balls), Jason Roy (2,824) and Jonny Bairstow (2,842) all managed it at better than run-a-ball pace, as did Indian legend Kapil Dev (2,957) and South African power hitter David Miller (2,997).

(With inputs)

Silverwood-wants-England-players-in-IPL-to-guard-against-burn-out

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 09:14:42 GMT

England head coach Chris Silverwood has no doubt that competing in a world class event like IPL will help his players prepare well for the T20 World Cup but is worried about players burning themselves out.

As many as 10 England players, including seven cricketers who were involved in the recent limited over series against Australia, reached UAE on Thursday from the United Kingdom ahead of the IPL which begins on Saturday.

Silverwood said the players need to be cautious against burn-out as they have to stay in the bio-bubble for another seven weeks.

"It's their decision really but we'll have to keep an eye on them," he said after England's three-wicket defeat in the third ODI at Manchester.

"Obviously, the contracts are good for them but equally as well we're looking forward at a T20 World Cup. The more high-class T20 they can play will be a good thing for us."

"The one thing that I have encouraged is that they keep talking to us. We need to make sure that they don't burn out as well."

The next T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in India next year in October-November.

England trio of Jos Buttler, Tom Curran and Jofra Archer will play for Rajasthan Royals, while England white-ball skipper Eoin Morgan will turn up for Kolkata Knight Riders, alongside Tom Banton.

Moeen Ali (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Jonny Bairstow (Sunrisers Hyderabad) and Sam Curran (Chennai Super Kings) are among other England players who will feature in the IPL this year.

Archer, who was sanctioned for breaching the bio-bubble during the Test series against the West Indies, has hinted that the white-ball leg was more enjoyable than the Test camps.

Silverwood said: "Jofra's found being locked up difficult at times. He's not the only player, there's been quite a few. We have to do it and I'm very proud of how the guys have dealt with it."

"It's a juggling act of keeping people fresh in the mind. When people have asked to get out of the bubble, we've got them out. We said we would and we have. It's a case of making sure we don't burn people out."

ipl-2020-ca-says-steve-smith-following-concussion-protocols

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 17:29:30 GMT

Cricket Australia on Thursday revealed that Steve Smith is following "concussion protocols" which are crucial for his return to cricket in the IPL and asserted that it is "not willing" to compromise with the fitness of the Rajasthan Royals skipper.

CA said it is working in tandem with RR to ensure his smooth return to competitive action after missing the entire England ODI series due to the concussion suffered during training.

"Cricket Australia has strict protocols when it comes to head impacts and concussions and, as we've seen over the last 12 months, we're not willing to compromise on those," CA's head of sports science Alex Kountouris said in a statement.

"Steve is making progress and working with our medical team through the concussion protocols required to return to play," he added.

Smith along with other England and Australia cricketers will arrive on Thursday night (UAE time) and undergo a six-day quarantine which means they will all miss action till September 23. RR's first match is on September 22 against Chennai Super Kings.

Smith was hit on the head during a net session prior to the first ODI in Manchester and since then recovered well but not enough to play.

Kountouris said the franchise and CA will be working together to monitor Smith's fitness upon his arrival in the UAE.

Smith had also endured a concussion during last year's Ashes game at the Lord's and subsequently missed a Test match.

"The conservative management of Steve through this injury is consistent with our approach to put the player's welfare first, as we did with him during the Ashes last year," Kountouris said.

The former physio, who has had a long association with the Sri Lankan national team followed by Australians, hinted that CA will not like Smith to be rushed into a match situation.

"We are striving to create environments where players trust that our medical team will always put their welfare first and therefore speak openly with them, whether this is about concussion, other injuries or mental health," he stated.

Kountouris said that a lot of research has gone into studying concussions and its related effects.

"We have done a lot of research over the last few years to better understand head impacts and concussions specific to cricket, and that has helped up in how we manage our players.

"We place the welfare of the player before the game because we strongly believe that is what’s best for the player."

sports-ministry-welcomes-sc-order-on-granting-recognition-to-nsf

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 17:03:12 GMT

The Sports Ministry on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court's go-ahead to it on grant of recognition to National Sports Federations (NSFs) and said it would intimate the court about the process in a week's time.

The Supreme Court said the ministry and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) are not required to seek the nod of the Delhi High Court before granting recognition to sports federations in the country.

The apex court was hearing the sports ministry's appeal against the High Court order which prohibited it from taking decision on granting recognition to NSFs without its prior approval. A total of 57 NSFs were rendered de-recognised because of the HC order.

"As per the Honourable Supreme Court's order today, the sports ministry can now give recognitions to NSFs which will help in the preparations for our Olympic-bound athletes," a ministry source told PTI.

The High Court order was passed on a 2010 PIL, filed by lawyer Rahul Mehra, seeking observance of the National Sports Code, which put a cap on the age and tenure of office-bearers.

"...as per the guidelines, we will have to intimate the Hon'ble courts before taking any action on this matter. We are working on it and by next week we will be in a position to intimate the court," the source said.

Because of their de-recognised status, NSFs have not been able to manage the day-to-day affairs of crucial sports such as boxing and hockey.

The national camps for are being conducted by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

The Delhi High Court order on prohibition of recognition came on June 24.

It subsequently turned down the ministry's petition seeking modification of its February 7 order which had barred the centre and the IOA from taking any decision regarding the NSFs without informing it.

The sports ministry and the IOA then decided to approach the Supreme Court to challenge the Delhi High Court order.

On August 7, the ministry had requested the High Court to modify the order but the court rejected that plea as well and asked for a National Sports Code compliance report.

The ministry then sent across a questionnaire to the NSFs seeking the age and tenure details of their office-bearers. The NSFs had responded to it and a report was filed before the Delhi HC.

andy-murray-supports-views-to-remove-margaret-court-name-from-arena

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 13:48:08 GMT

British tennis player Andy Murray has said that Australian Open officials should consider removing Margaret Court’s name from the arena at Melbourne Park over her anti-LGBT stance, adding that her values are at odds with “what tennis stands for”.

Murray stated that Court, who holds the all-time record of 24 grand slam titles, has often courted controversy over her views on race and homosexuality, opposing same-sex marriages and transgender athletes.

Court is said to have once praised South Africa’s apartheid system. She has also said “tennis is full of lesbians” and described transgender children as “the work of the devil”.

The 24-time grand slam champion has been heavily criticised, especially by WTA founder and tennis great Billie Jean King, who urged Australian Open officials in 2018 to change the name of the arena because of the derogatory comments Court has made about gay and transgender people.

“If I were playing today, I would not play on it,” King had said ahead of the 2018 Australian Open. “I was fine until lately when she said so many derogatory things about my community; I’m a gay woman.”

Murray said that players want to concentrate on tennis when they get to the Australian Open. “Court’s views detract from that.”

Speaking to British LGBT lifestyle magazine Pride Life, Murray said the decision to rename the arena should be seriously considered. “As far as renaming the venue. I think that yes, it’s something the sport should consider. I don’t know who makes the final decision on that but I don’t think her values are what tennis stands for.”

“I think the players certainly have spoken up, which is a positive thing,” the three-time grand slam champion said.

“Court was given a ceremony at the Australian Open this year to mark her achievements in the game, but the reception she received from the public was lukewarm,” Murray said.

Tennis Australia had invited Court to Melbourne Park early this year to recognise the 50th anniversary of her 1970 calendar grand slam, while adding that it disagreed with her “personal views”.

barcelona-waiting-to-see-if-suarez-leaves-or-not-says-koeman

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 12:57:57 GMT

Amid speculations over Luis Suarez’s future in Barcelona, new manager Ronald Koeman has said that he, along with the club, is waiting to see if there is a “way out or not” before the close of the transfer window.

“I was talking to Luis this morning. We are waiting to see if there is a way out or not. We respect the contracts and from day one we have said that if he stays on the squad, he will be one more,” Koeman said after Barcelona’s 3-1 friendly win over Girona on Wednesday.

Koeman once again did not include Suarez in the matchday squad as doubts over the Uruguayan striker’s future at Camp Nou continue. Suarez is in the final year of his contract at Barcelona.

The 33-year-old had said last month that he wanted to remain at Barca for now.

“(I want to stay), as long as I am counted on, I want to continue contributing as much as I can,” he said, adding that if he is no longer wanted, the club should tell him.

Soon after replacing Quique Setien, Koeman had made it clear that Suarez had no place in his plans for the club, but lately the Dutchman has suggested that he would be willing to work with the striker.

Various clubs, including Juventus and Ajax, have shown interest in the Barcelona forward, with the Serie A champions closing in on a deal with Suarez for a three-year deal worth 10 million euros.

However, Goal reported that Suarez’s move to Juve may not happen due to a prolonged process of securing an Italian citizenship and passport to allow him to move there.