The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the dates of the T20 World Cup matches on Tuesday, which will be held in the United Arab Emirates and Oman from October 17 to November 14. As 8 teams will participate in the qualifying round of which 4 will reach the Super 12 stage, which will start from October 23. The long-awaited India-Pakistan match, will kick off on October 24 in Dubai. Both India and Pakistan are entered in Group Two of the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup, which also includes Afghanistan and New Zealand as other two automatic qualifiers. India plays a total of 4 matches in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi. None of their Super 12 matches in Sharjah have been scheduled. Meanwhile, Super 12 of first group move begins with two heavyweight battles. South Africa and Australia kick off the Super 12 in Abu Dhabi, which will be followed by the repeat of 2016 T20 World Cup final between England and the West Indies in Dubai on 23 October.India's fixtures at T20 World CupIndia vs Pakistan - October 24 - 6 pm local time in Dubai India vs New Zealand - October 31 - 6 pm local time in Dubai India vs Afghanistan - November 3 - 6 pm local time in Abu Dhabi India vs B1 (qualifier) - November 5 - 6 pm local time in Dubai India vs A2 (qualifier) - November 8 - 6 pm local time in Dubai. Overview of teams for T20 World CupRound 1 (Top 2 teams from each group qualify for Super 12)Group A: Ireland, Netherlands, Sri Lanka and Namibia Group B: Oman, Papua New Guinea, Scotland Bangladesh Super 12 (Top 4 teams qualify for semi-final) Group 1: Australia, South Africa, England, West Indies, A 1, B2 Group 2: India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan, A2, B1 The tournament will kick off with the Group B first round match between hosts Oman and Papua New Guinea at 2:00 p.m. local time on October 17, with Scotland and Bangladesh, the other teams from Group B match start in evening 6pm. Ireland, Netherlands, Sri Lanka and Namibia, which make up Group A, will play in Abu Dhabi the next day, with first-round matches continuing till October 22. The top two teams in each group will move to the Super12 stage of the tournament, starting on October 23. Top 4 teams from the Super 12 will make it to the semi-final. Reserve days for semi-finals and finalThe first semi-final will take place in Abu Dhabi on November 10 at 6pm local time. Dubai will host the second semi-final on November 11. Both semifinals have backup days. The finalThe final of the tournament will take place in Dubai at 6pm local time on November 14, Sunday, with Monday being the reservation day for the final.Also Read- KL Rahul becomes 10th Indian to hit Test hundred at Lords
Pakistan national team coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis resigned from their positions with the national team on Monday due to citing bio-bubble fatigue The decision helps to raise the eyebrows, since there is only one month left for T20 World Cup. Misbah and Waqar had one year left on their contracts after being appointed in September 2019. Notably, on Monday Pakistan announced their squad for the T20 World Cup and home series against New Zealand and England. Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis reported their decisions to the PCB on Monday.Meanwhile, Pakistan has appointed former spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and former all-rounder Abdul Razzak as temporary coaches for New Zealand Series. The Black Caps team, currently in Bangladesh, will play 3 ODI and 5 T20I matches in September and October. The Pakistani team is scheduled to assemble for their training camp on September 8. The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that the support staff for the T20 World Cup will be appointed in the near future.'Don't think I am in the right frame of mind for upcoming challenges'Misbah-ul-Haq, who had to be quarantined in the West Indies for an extended period after testing positive for Covid-19, admitted that the timing of his decision was not right but he had to take the call to spend time with his family. "The quarantine in Jamaica post the West Indies series provided me with an opportunity to reflect on the past 24 months as well as the schedule for international cricket ahead. Considering that I would have had to continue to spend considerable time away from my family and that too in a bio-secure environment, I have decided to step down from the role," Misbah said, as quoted by a PCB statement. "I understand that the timing may not be ideal, but I don't think I'm in the right frame of mind for the upcoming challenges and it makes sense for someone new to step in and take the side forward."Also Read- ICC T20 World Cup 2021 complete schedule: India to face Pakistan on October 24 Decided to step down together: Waqar YounisWaqar Younis said he decided to step down after Misbah communicated his decision to him. “After Misbah informed me of his decision and his future plans, it was easy for me to resign as we had walked into the roles together, we worked collectively as a pair and now also step down together. "Working with Pakistani bowlers, including young people, has been more satisfying because now they are started to show progress. Bio secure safe environments in the last 16 months have had their impact, something we have never seen during our playing days.". Misbah and Waqar step down from coaching rolesMore details https://t.co/PHRwRNazCH— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) September 6, 2021Pakistan announced its 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup on Monday. While Babar Azam named captain, Fakhar Zaman, Faheem Ashraf, and Sarfaraz Ahmed were notable omissions.Also Read- England vs India, 4th Test Day 1: Shardul Thakur breaks Ian Botham's record, hits fastest Test fifty in England
There were many surprises come when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Indian team for the T20 World Cup, which kicks off on October 17 in Oman and the UAE. The biggest of them all was the addition of MS Dhoni to Ravi Shastri-led support staff as mentor of the team. MS Dhoni, who led India to victory in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, will take on the role of support staff role for the first time at the international level. India T20 World Cup Squad Big misses Shikhar Dhawan Yuzvendra Chahal Surprise inclusions R Ashwin Axar Patel India's 15-man squad: Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami. Standby players: Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar.Also Read- ICC T20 World Cup 2021 complete schedule: India to face Pakistan on October 24No place for Chahal and Dhawan Yuzvendra Chahal, who was India's No. 1 spinner in the limited-overs format from last couple of years, was left out along with his wrist-spin partner Kuldeep Yadav. India also ruled out opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan, who led the team India in Sri Lanka in July in the absence of Test regulars. Washington Sundar, who will miss out on the remainder of IPL 2021, was not picked even as he is recovering from an injury setback. R Ashwin is back after a 4-year hiatus India did not pick Chahal but went with two left-arm spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. The most important story to announce by the Indian team for the T20 World Cup was R Ashwin. The off-spinner returned to the limited-overs set-up for the first time since 2017.The former selection committee, headed by MSK Prasad and team management had looked towards grooming two wrist spinner Chahal and Kuldeep after a after a dismisal shown from Indias finger-spinners Ashwin and Jadeja at the Champions Trophy in 2017 when India lost to Pakistan in the final. R Ashwin last played for India in T20I format in July 2017, where he appeared against the West Indies in the West Indies. Ashwin has 52 wickets in 46 matches with an impressive economy rate of less than 7. Ashwin has been a consistent performer for Delhi Capitals in the IPL. The off-spinner has been grooming his ability to bowl inside the powerplay as well in the crunch middle overs. Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar named in stand-by group Shreyas Iyer, who recently recovered from a shoulder injury after surgery, has not found a place in the top 15 but he is part of the 3 stand-by group. Deepak Chahar, who has been a constant member of the limited-overs squad, is also part of the stand-by group. Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur, who played a crucial all-round role in India's victory over England in the Oval Test, is also part of the stand-by group. Krunal Pandya misses out Krunal Pandya, who was a regular player for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, had traveled to Sri Lanka in July for the Limited Series, but India have gone with Axar Patel as the team's second left-arm spinner in the squad. Axar last played T20I for India in March against England in Ahmedabad after making his record debut in the Test earlier this year.Also Read- Ayesha Mukherjee confirms divorce with Shikhar Dhawan after 8 years of marriage
The two new IPL teams will be auctioned on October 17. The league's ninth and tenth teams will be decided just two days after the IPL final in Dubai and the day the T20 World Cup begins.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced a tender for owning and operating two new Indian Premier League franchises.“The Governing Council of the IPL invites bids to acquire the right to own and operate 1 (one) of the 2 (two) new teams proposed to be introduced to take part in the Indian Premier League from the IPL 2022 season, through a tender process,” the BCCI said in a statement.Also Read- IPL 2021: RCB to wear blue jersey against KKR on September 20 to honour frontline workersThe deadline for the purchase of tender document is October 5.Among the venues where the teams could be based include Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Pune. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Ekana Stadium in Lucknow the larger-capacity could be an option for franchises. This effectively indicates that the IPL will be a 10-team tournament starting in the 2022 season.Also Read- T20 World Cup: Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal among big names missing from India's 15-man squad
South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock has advanced four places to reach a career-best eighth position in the ICC Men's T20I Player Rankings after some fine performances in the series against Sri Lanka, which his team won 3-0. The left-hander led the series total with 153 runs, including unbeaten 59 off from 46 deliveries in the final in Colombo that his team won by 10 wickets. This is the first time that he has been in the top ten of the T20I rankings, but he is ranked high in his career, third in the ODI and sixth in the Test. India captain Virat Kohli moved to fourth place while KL Rahul has held on to his sixth slot.Also Read- T20 World Cup: Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal among big names missing from India's 15-man squad Gains for Quinton de Kock Mustafizur Rahman rises up This week's @MRFWorldwide ICC Men's T20I Player Rankings has some big movements Details https://t.co/rxcheDGCjM pic.twitter.com/83AUWRMqwf— ICC (@ICC) September 15, 2021Aiden Markram is another South African player on the rise, move to 11 positions from 12, while Bjorn Fortuin up from 103 places to 43 and Anrich Nortje up 29 places to 71 have made rapid progress in the bowlers list. Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera climbed 10 places to 38th after scoring 69 runs in two innings in the latest weekly update which also includes the last two games of the Bangladesh and New Zealand series. Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman has moved up two places to eighth after finishing with eight wickets in the series while Nasum Ahmed (up 25 places to 15th) and Mehedi Hasan (up four places to 20th) have also made notable progress. However, Shakib Al Hasan has conceded the top spot for all-rounders to Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi. New Zealand's Tom Latham has advanced 22 places to 44th after his 50 not out in the final match and Finn Allen has moved up 23 places to 66th with 41 in the same match. In the ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings for batsman, Ireland William Porterfield advanced seven places to 66th, Craig Ervine of Zimbabwe moved up five places to 72 and Jaskaran Malhotra of the United States, who hit six sixes in an over from Papua New Guinea's Gaudi Toka in an ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League 2 match, has rocketed 169 places to 132nd. In the bowlers' list, the Ireland pair of Andy McBrine (up seven places to 27th) and Simi Singh (up 11 places to 38th), Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane (up 19 places to 91st) and Charles Amini of Papua New Guinea (up 11 places to 96th) are among those to advance.Also Read- IPL 2021: RCB to wear blue jersey against KKR on September 20 to honour frontline workers
Virat Kohli confirmed on Thursday that he will step down as captain of India's T20I team after the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in October-November. The bat star said that he will continue to lead India in Tests and ODI cricket."I've decided to step down as the T20 captain after this T20 World Cup in Dubai in October," Kohli said in a statement that he shared on his social media handles. pic.twitter.com/Ds7okjhj9J— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 16, 2021Virat Kohli has led India in 45 T20I internationals since taking over from MS Dhoni in 2017. He has a winning percentage of 64.44 with 29 victories and 14 defeats.Also Read- ICC mens T20I rankings: Indian captain Virat Kohli moves to No 4, KL Rahul retains sixth spotFor some time, there has been speculation about Kohli's future as white-ball captain especially in the backdrop of Rohit Sharma's brilliant track record of winning five IPL titles for Mumbai Indians.Discussed decision with Ravi Shastri, Rohit Sharma: Virat Kohli"Understanding workload is a very important thing and considering my immense workload over the last 8-9 years playing all three formats and captaining regularly for last five to six years, I feel I need to give myself space to be fully ready to lead Indian team in Test and ODI cricket," Kohli said in a statement on his Twitter page."I have given my everything to the Team during my time as T20 captain and I will continue to do so for the T20 captain and will continue to do so for the T20 team as a batsman moving forward," he further added.The decision, Kohli said, was taken after consulting head coach Ravi Shastri, his heir apparent Rohit, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah."Of course, arriving at this decision took a lot of time. After a lot of contemplation and discussions with my close people, Ravi bhai and also Rohit, who have been an essential part of the leadership group...," Kohli stated."I have also spoken to the secretary Mr Jay Shah and president of BCCI Mr Sourav Ganguly along with the selectors about the same. I will continue to serve Indian cricket and Indian cricket team to the best of my ability," Kohli said.The T20 World Cup begins on October 17.Also Read- T20 World Cup: Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal among big names missing from India's 15-man squad
Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to groom KL Rahul to be India's next captain.Gavaskar wants to appoint KL Rahul as T20 vice-captain for India, with Rohit Sharma appointed as captain after Virat Kohli decided to leave the captaincy after the T20 World Cup.“It's a good thing that the BCCI is looking ahead. It's important to think ahead,” said Sunil Gavaskar“If India are looking to groom a new captain, then KL Rahul can be looked at. He has performed well. Even now in England, his batting was very good. He has been performing well in IPL and 50-overs cricket as well at the international stage. He can be made vice-captain,” said Gavaskar.Gavaskar praised Karnataka's batsman for his quality of leadership shown in the IPL. Rahul is the captain of Punjab Kings in the IPL.Also Read- Virat Kohli to step down as India T20 captain after World Cup“He has shown very impressive leadership qualities in the IPL. He hasn’t let the burden of captaincy affect his batting. His name can be taken into consideration,” said Gavaskar.The 34-year-old Rohit is Kohli's deputy in the white ball formats and is likely to take the lead role when India meets New Zealand in a home series in November that will feature three T20 Internationals along with two Test matches.Current head coach Ravi Shastri and the tenure of the support staff are coming to an end with the T20 World Cup and as things stand, there are indications that they won't seek an extension.“There is a CAC that will make the decision. If you want to think about the new coach, then you can’t keep talking to the captain. Yes, there needs to be an understanding between the captain and the coach. But you can’t ask a student who his principal or professor can be,” said Gavaskar.Also Read- ICC mens T20I rankings: Indian captain Virat Kohli moves to No 4, KL Rahul retains sixth spot
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, the seventh T20 Cricket World Cup, has been scheduled between October 17, 2021 and November 14, 2021 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman. Initially, the tournament was scheduled to take place in Australia from October 18 to November 15, 2020. However, in July 2020, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that the tournament would be postponed to 2021, due to the Covid pandemic. In August 2020, the ICC reaffirmed India's hosting of the 2021 tournament.ICC T20 World Cup 2021The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made the final decision on the host country for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 and has clarified that BCCI will retain the hosting rights regardless of where the event takes place. Due to the COVID pandemic situation in India, IPL 2021 second leg is shifted to UAE. BCCI will host the T20 World Cup 2021 in UAE & Oman. A final decision on the T20 World Cup 2021 venue has been taken. The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that the tournament will take place in the the UAE and Oman.Tournament T20 World Cup Year 2021 Match Type Twenty-20 Host Country UAE Organizer ICC Starting Date 17 Oct 2021 Last match date 14 Nov 2021 T20 World Cup 2021 Stage, Group and Team Details:Stage Group Teams Round 1 Group A Sri Lanka, Ireland, the Netherlands and Namibia Round 1 Group B Bangladesh, Scotland, Papua New Guinea and Oman Super 12 Group 1 England, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, A1 and B2 Super 12 Group 2 India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan, A2 and B Also Read- ICC T20 World Cup 2021 complete schedule: India to face Pakistan on October 24 T20 World Cup 2021 ScheduleThere are 8 teams in round 1 playing matches into 2 groups. Group A has Sri Lanka, Ireland, the Netherlands, Namibia and Group B has Bangladesh, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, Oman. From each group, 2 teams will qualify. These 4 teams later will join already qualified 8 teams (India, West Indies, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Afghanistan) in Super 12. Semi-finals to be played on 10 and 11 November. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 Final is likely to be played on November, 14. T20 2020 World cup was postponed due to the Covid-19 until 2022 but T20 World Cup 2021 schedule should be the same as announced.All the match start times (hours) are given in India Standard Time (IST)Round 1 Fixture:Match No Date Match Centers Time Venue 1 17-Oct-21 Oman Vs Papua New Guinea 3:30 PM Muscat 2 17-Oct-21 Bangladesh Vs Scotland 7:30 PM Muscat 3 18-Oct-21 Ireland Vs Netherlands 3:30 PM Abu Dhabi 4 18-Oct-21 Sri Lanka Vs Namibia 7:30 PM Abu Dhabi 5 19-Oct-21 Scotland Vs Papua New Guinea 3:30 PM Muscat 6 19-Oct-21 Oman Vs Bangladesh 7:30 PM Muscat 7 20-Oct-21 Namibia Vs Netherlands 3:30 PM Abu Dhabi 8 20-Oct-21 Sri Lanka Vs Ireland 7:30 PM Abu Dhabi 9 21-Oct-21 Bangladesh Vs Papua New Guinea 3:30 PM Muscat 10 21-Oct-21 Oman Vs Scotland 7:30 PM Muscat 11 22-Oct-21 Namibia Vs Ireland 3:30 PM Sharjah 12 22-Oct-21 Sri Lanka Vs Netherlands 7:30 PM Sharjah Super 12 – Group 1 Fixture:Match No Date Match Centers Time Venue 1 23-Oct-21 Australia Vs South Africa 3:30 PM Abu Dhabi 2 23-Oct-21 England Vs West Indies 7:30 PM Dubai 3 24-Oct-21 A1 Vs B2 3:30 PM Sharjah 4 26-Oct-21 South Africa Vs West Indies 3:30 PM Dubai 5 27-Oct-21 England Vs B2 3:30 PM Abu Dhabi 6 28-Oct-21 Australia Vs A1 7:30 PM Dubai 7 29-Oct-21 West Indies Vs B2 3:30 PM Sharjah 8 30-Oct-21 South Africa Vs A1 3:30 PM Sharjah 9 30-Oct-21 England Vs Australia 7:30 PM Dubai 10 01-Nov-21 England Vs A1 7:30 PM Sharjah 11 02-Nov-21 South Africa Vs B2 3:30 PM Abu Dhabi 12 04-Nov-21 Australia Vs B2 3:30 PM Dubai 13 04-Nov-21 West Indies Vs A1 7:30 PM Abu Dhabi 14 06-Nov-21 Australia Vs West Indies 3:30 PM Abu Dhabi 15 06-Nov-21 England Vs South Africa 7:30 PM Sharjah Super 12 – Group 2 Fixture:Match No Date Match Centers Time Venue 1 24-Oct-21 India Vs Pakistan 7:30 PM Dubai 2 25-Oct-21 Afghanistan Vs B1 7:30 PM Sharjah 3 26-Oct-21 Pakistan Vs New Zealand 7:30 PM Sharjah 4 27-Oct-21 B1 Vs A2 7:30 PM Abu Dhabi 5 29-Oct-21 Afghanistan Vs Pakistan 7:30 PM Dubai 6 31-Oct-21 Afghanistan Vs A2 3:30 PM Abu Dhabi 7 31-Oct-21 India Vs New Zealand 7:30 PM Dubai 8 02-Nov-21 Pakistan Vs A2 7:30 PM Abu Dhabi 9 03-Nov-21 New Zealand Vs B1 3:30 PM Dubai 10 03-Nov-21 India Vs Afghanistan 7:30 PM Abu Dhabi 11 05-Nov-21 New Zealand Vs A2 3:30 PM Sharjah 12 05-Nov-21 India Vs B1 7:30 PM Dubai 13 07-Nov-21 New Zealand Vs Afghanistan 3:30 PM Abu Dhabi 14 07-Nov-21 Pakistan Vs B1 7:30 PM Sharjah 15 08-Nov-21 India Vs A2 7:30 PM Dubai T20 World Cup 2021 Final & Semifinal Fixture:Date Teams Semi-Final | Final Time 10 Nov 2021 TBC vs TBC 1st Semi-Final 7:30 PM 11 Nov 2021 TBC vs TBC 2nd Semi-Final 7:30 PM 14 Nov 2021 TBC vs TBC Final 7:30 PM Also Read- Virat Kohli becomes first Indian batsman to score 10,000 runs in T20 format
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed the new jersey of the Indian cricket team for the men's T20 World Cup tournament to be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman from October 17 to November 14.The new jersey is named 'Billion Cheers Jersey' and the patterns on the jersey are inspired by the billion cheers of the fans."Presenting the Billion Cheers Jersey! The patterns on the jersey are inspired by the billion cheers of the fans," the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) tweeted as the board shared the picture on social media.Presenting the Billion Cheers Jersey! The patterns on the jersey are inspired by the billion cheers of the fans. Get ready to #ShowYourGame @mpl_sport.Buy your jersey now on https://t.co/u3GYA2wIg1#MPLSports #BillionCheersJersey pic.twitter.com/XWbZhgjBd2— BCCI (@BCCI) October 13, 2021The jersey was released by MPL Sports, the official kit sponsors of the Indian cricket team till December 2023. The new jersey will replace the navy-blue retro jersey with blue, green, white and red stripes, inspired by the 1992 World Cup kit which the team has been sporting since the tour of Australia in November last year.The Indian team will enter the field wearing the new jersey for the first time in their practice match against England on October 18 and then against Australia on October 20. The jersey will then be worn during India's opening match in the men’s T20 World Cup against Pakistan on October 24.India are bidding to end their 8-year-long wait for an ICC title when they take the field under Virat Kohli's captaincy at the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. The Asian giants last won a major title in 2013 and their last T20 World Cup title in the inaugural edition of the tournament.India's squad for T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd Shami. Standby players: Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar.Also Read- T20 World Cup: Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal among big names missing from India's 15-man squad
Their preparations for the T20 World Cup off to a smooth start, and India will look to finalize their batting order for the tournament-proper when they face Australia in their second and final warm-up match on Wednesday. India will clash against Pakistan in their main event lung-opener on Sunday. The tournament will be Virat Kohli's last as skipper in the format besides being the swan-song for head coach Ravi Shastri. As Kohli pointed out before the preparation game against England on Monday, India's top three is already settled when KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma opening the batting and the skipper coming in at the crucial no.3 position. Having made a stroke-filled 70 before retiring in the seven-wicket win over England, the young Ishan Kishan has also staked his claim for a place in the playing eleven. Rishabh Pant (29 not out) was promoted ahead of SuryaKumar Yadav and it remains to be seen where the latter bats on Wednesday. Rohit didn't bat against England and come Wednesday the right-hander is expected to get a go against the Australians. The talking point, however, remains all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who did not seem comfortable in his short stint against England. With Pandya not bowling, it remains to be seen whether the Indian think-tank will play him purely as a batter. India will also miss the sixth bowling option if one of the five strong attacks has an off day on the field. Bhuvneshwar Kumar had one against England on Monday, but Jasprit Bumrah was at his best. Mohammed Shami picked up three wickets, while Rahul Chahar was taken to task by the England batters. And come Wednesday, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy are expected to get a look in before the main business begins. On recent form, since losing the home series against Australia 2-0 before the 2019 ODI World Cup, India was unbeaten in eight series in a row. Since the 2016 T20 World Cup, India have played 72 T20 matches and won 45. Australia also began with winning start to their preparations with Josh Inglis hitting two fours in the final over to help his team beat New Zealand by three wickets a warm-up match in Abu Dhabi on Monday. There was mixed news for Australia in their first warm-up as David Warner's horror run continued after he was dismissed for a first-ball duck. Adam Zampa (2/17) and Kane Richardson (3/24) impressed with the ball, but a middle-order collapse meant the Australians needed late cameos from Ashton Agar (23 off 18 balls), Mitchell Starc (13 not out off 9) and Inglis (8 not out off 2) to secure the win. The Aussies have never exactly been a huge force in the shortest format and it remains to be seen whether they are able to finally get thngs going at the biggest stage. Teams (from): India: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur. Australia: Aaron Finch (C), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins (VC), Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.Also Read- Yuvraj Singh Arrested, Released on Bail Over Casteist Remark on Yuzvendra Chahal
India produced an energetic performance with the bat on Monday to beat England by 7-wickets in their first T20 World Cup warm-up match in Dubai. Chasing 189 for victory, the 2007 champions rode on destructive half-centuries from Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul to cross the finish line with 6 balls to spare. Kishan and Rahul opened the batting and added 82 for the first wicket to lay a solid foundation for the run chase before the latter got out against the run of play for 51 to Mark Wood. Virat Kohli, who dropped to No. 3 to accommodate Rahul at the top, suffered a rare failure with the bat, scoring just 11 off 13 balls. Kishan carried on attacking the England bowlers and top-scored with 70 not out of 46 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes before being replaced by Suryakumar Yadav, but this move did not work because he couldn't fire as according to expectations and got out for 8 with India needing 21 off 15 balls. Fortunately, the duo of Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya did what was needed and knocked off the required runs without much trouble. Pant finished the match with six and finished with 29 not out while Pandya scored 12 not out.Impressive batting performance Fine bowling display #TeamIndia beat England & win their first warm-up game. #INDvENG #T20WorldCup : Getty Images pic.twitter.com/jIBgYFqOjz— BCCI (@BCCI) October 18, 2021Earlier, Mohammed Shami snapped three wickets but Jonny Bairstow smashed a 36-ball 49 to help England post a challenging 188 for 5 after being asked to bat first by Virat Kohli. Besides Shami (3/40), fellow pacer Jasprit Bumrah (1/26) and spinner Rahul Chahar (1/43) were also among wickets at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai. Bairstow hit one six and had four hits to the fence in his knock, while Liam Livingstone (30) also contributed with the bat. But it was Moeen Ali's whirlwind 20-ball 43 which powered England to a good score in the end. India will next face Australia in their second warm-up match at the same venue on Wednesday (October 20) while England will lock horns with New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. India will face Australia in their second warm-up match at the same venue on Wednesday (October 20) while England will face New Zealand in Abu Dhabi.Also Read- Yuvraj Singh Arrested, Released on Bail Over Casteist Remark on Yuzvendra Chahal
England captain Eoin Morgan said Tuesday he would be prepared to drop himself at the T20 World Cup if he cannot turn around his poor form. The 35-year-old left-hander has scored a mere 82 runs in seven Twenty20 innings for England this year. And he only managed 133 runs at an average of 11.08 in the recently concluded IPL, although he did lead Kolkata Knight Riders to last week's final. At his best, Morgan is a dynamic ball-striker with the ability to up the scoring rate quickly as indicated by a strike-rate of 138.25 in 107 Twenty20 internationals. But asked if he might drop himself, the middle-order batsman told an online news conference: "It's always an option. I'm not going to stand in the way of a team winning the World Cup." Former Ireland international Morgan, who led England to 50-over World Cup glory two years ago, added: "I've been short of runs but my captaincy has been pretty good. "I've always managed to compartmentalize both and treat them as two different challenges. Not being a bowler and being a bit older and not contributing as much in the field, I've loved the role of captain. You get two bites at the cherry (in) impacting the game."'High-risk options'After sitting out England's warm-up defeat by India on Monday, Morgan is set to lead the team against New Zealand on Wednesday before the tournament opener against the West Indies in Dubai on Saturday. "As regards my batting, I wouldn't be standing here if I hadn't come out of every bad run of form that I'd ever had," he said. "The nature of T20 cricket and where I bat means I always have to take quite high-risk options and I've come to terms with that... so I'm going to continue taking those risks if the team dictates, they need them. If they don't, I won't." Morgan revealed Tuesday it had taken him "about six or seven months" to come to terms with what had happened, saying: "It was one of the most incredible sporting events in isolation that you'll ever watch. "It's not something that you can just let run off your back. For a guy to come in and hit four consecutive sixes to win the game for his team is just an incredible feat within itself, that's the way I've understood it." Morgan has spent most of the past two years operating under strict bio-bubble regulations designed to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Although buoyed by the presence of some players' families at the tournament in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, he queried how long the current restrictions could remain in place. "Yes, they are getting more lenient but it's coming up to a quite considerable period of time we have been adhering to all of these," he said. "I don't think they can last much longer because it's just not sustainable to ask human beings to do this and then go on and perform well at a high level."Also Read- Yuvraj Singh Arrested, Released on Bail Over Casteist Remark on Yuzvendra Chahal
The T20 World Cup 2021 has started and one of the mouth-watering contests between India-Pakistan is round the corner. Virat Kohli led India and Babar Azam guided Pakistan will cross swords at the Dubai International Stadium on October 24, Sunday. As the two teams gear up for the shortest format of the game scheduled to be played this weekend as a part of the T20 World Cup 2021, we look at the quick stats to rekindle the buzz ahead of the India-Pakistan contest.India vs Pakistan T20I statisticsHead to headTotal matches 8India won 6Pakistan won 1Tied 1Most runs/ Top run-getters India Player name Innings/ Runs Virat Kohli 6/ 254 Yuvraj Singh 8/ 155 Gautam Gambhir 5/ 139 PakistanPlayer name Innings/ Runs Shoaib Malik 8/164 Mohammad Hafeez 7/ 156 Umar Akmal 6/ 103Most wickets/ Top wicket takersIndiaPlayer name Innings/ RunsIrfan Pathan 3/6Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3/5 Hardik Pandya 3/5 PakistanPlayer name Innings/ RunsUmar Gul 6/11 Mohammad Asif 2/ 5 Mohammad Amir 2/ 4 Most hundredsNo player from either side- India or Pakistan has ever scored a century whenever the two sides have played T20Is in the history.Most fiftiesIndia Player name Number of fiftiesVirat Kohli 2 Robin Uthappa 1 Gautam Gambhir 1 PakistanPlayer name Number of fiftiesMohammad Hafeez 2 Misbah-ul-Haq 1 Shoaib Malik 1 Most Man of the Matches AwardIndia Player name Number of matches Virat Kohli 3 Irfan Pathan 1 Yuvraj Singh 1 Pakistan Player name Number of matchesMohammad Asif 1 Mohammad Hafeez 1Also Read- IPL 2022: Ranveer Singh And Deepika Padukone To Bid For Two New IPL Teams- Reports
A torrent of social media abuse was targeted at the only Muslim player in the Indian playing XI, Mohammed Shami, after his side were thrashed by arch rivals Pakistan at the T20 World Cup. Violence against Muslims in India was also reported after the emphatic 10-wicket win on Sunday, Pakistan first victory against India at any World Cup. Cricket clashes between India and Pakistan frequently heighten tensions between the neighbours, who have fought three wars since their independence in 1947. The 31-year-old Shami became the main target after the defeat in Dubai, even though India captain Virat Kohli admitted that his team had been "outplayed". Hundreds of messages were left on Shami's Instagram account saying he was a "traitor" and should be thrown out of the Indian team.Also Read- Virat Kohli becomes first India captain in 29 years to lose World Cup match vs Pakistan Former India batsman Virender Sehwag slammed online trolls for abusing fast bowler Mohammed Shami after India's defeat to Pakistan in the t20 WorldCup on Sunday. "The online attack on Mohammad Shami is shocking and we stand by him. He is a champion and Anyone who wears the India cap has India in their hearts far more than any online mob. With you Shami. Agle match mein dikado jalwa," said Sehwag in a tweet. The online attack on Mohammad Shami is shocking and we stand by him. He is a champion and Anyone who wears the India cap has India in their hearts far more than any online mob. With you Shami. Agle match mein dikado jalwa.— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) October 25, 2021Sehwag's fellow former India opener said that the online trolls are the ones who earlier used to burn players' effigies after a defeat. Online trolls are the ones who earlier used to burn effigies and throw paint-stones at player’s houses…with an online profile without a face worthy of a profile pic. — Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 25, 2021Former cricketer Irfan Pathan also spoke up in support of Shami. “Even I was part of #IndvsPak battles on the field where we have lost but never been told to go to Pakistan!” he tweeted.Even I was part of #IndvsPak battles on the field where we have lost but never been told to go to Pakistan! I’m talking about of few years back. THIS CRAP NEEDS TO STOP. #Shami— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) October 25, 2021Fans and politicians also urged support for him, calling on Indian players to reject the hate messages just as they had backed the Black Lives Matter movement by taking a knee. "Team India your BLM knee-taking counts for nothing if you can't stand up for your teammate who is being horribly abused and trolled on social media," Omar Abdullah, a former chief minister of Kashmir, said on Twitter. "Ignore the haters, most of India's grateful for your effort," said another supporter on Instagram. Gautam Gambhir, a former India Test cricketer who has become an MP for the Bharatiya Janata Party, said it was "shameful" that people were celebrating Pakistan's win. India was defeated by Pakistan in their first match of 2021 T20 World Cup. Shaheen Afridi was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan, taking the three crucial wickets of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. His efforts helped Pakistan restrict India to 151/7. Pakistan openers Mohammad Rizwan and captain Babar Azam made light work of the 152-run chase, getting to the target in the 18th over to break the World Cup jinx and register their first-ever 10-wicket win in a T20I match.Also Read- Manchester United owners show 'interest' in IPL franchise
Virat Kohli became the first Indian captain to lose a World Cup match against Pakistan in 29 years as his team went down by 10 wickets in their first opening game of the Super 12s in Group 2 in Dubai. Pakistan kicked off their T20 World Cup campaign with a resounding win over their arch-rivals, scoring 152 in 17.5 overs to register their first-ever 10-wicket win in the shortest format of international cricket. It was Pakistan's first-ever win by 10 wickets against any opposition in a T20, while India also confronted the ignominy of losing by such a margin for the first time. 152 is also Pakistan's highest opening stand against India in the format.This Pakistan team has a combined experience of 625 matches - making it the most experienced team ever to take the field in a T20 international. It is also one of the oldest Pakistani teams, with an average age of 30 + years. The match also saw Kohli get out for the first time in T20I against Pakistan after scoring 226 runs. Kohli's 57 team helped India reach 151 for 7 in 20 after being put in to bat first at the Dubai International Stadium. Virat Kohli scored 226 runs against Pakistan in the t20 WorldCup and was sent off just once. Kohli headed into the T20 World Cup having scored 169 runs in 3 innings without getting dismissed in the showpiece T20I events against their arch-rivals. It was another high-quality innings against one of his favorite opponents as the India captain led the way with the bat but the end result was not enough to stop Pakistan.Also Read- IPL 2022: Ranveer Singh And Deepika Padukone To Bid For Two New IPL Teams- Reports
Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik is at the end of his career, but his fan following hasn’t taken a dip by any means. On Sunday, October 24, he played his first game for Pakistan after almost 14 months and fans cheered for him. The veteran was a part of the marquee clash between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the T20 World Cup 2021. He didn’t get a chance to bat as Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan led Pakistan to 10 wickets win. Virat Kohli team asked the Men in Green to chase down 152 after which Babar and Rizwan made a mockery of the run-chase. Apart from cheering for Malik, the fans also poked fun at him. Malik got married to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza on April 12, 2010.Fans cheer for Shoaib MalikFor over a decade, Shoaib and Sania have given young couples plenty of couple goals. They also have a son, named Izhaan Mirza Malik, who was born in 2018. When Malik was fielding near the boundary, a few fans called him ‘jeeja ji’, which means brother-in-law. The cheers for Malik were loud and clear. A fan uploaded the video on Twitter on Monday. Mirza, who has won six Grand Slam titles in his illustrious career, reacted to the fan video. The 34-year-old posted a couple of ‘laughing’ emoticons followed by two ‘heart’ emotions. https://t.co/NE46xoSKfu— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) October 25, 2021Prior to that, he also played a few matches for Central Punjab in the National T20 Cup. In 117 T20Is for Pakistan, Malik has churned out 2335 runs at an average of 31.13 and a strike rate of 124.20. He has also picked 28 wickets in the format since his debut back in 2006. Malik doesn’t play Test and ODI cricket anymore.Also Read- T20 World Cup: Mohammed Shami faces vicious online abuse after India loss to Pakistan
After India were made to eat humble pie on Sunday when they lost to Pakistan in the T20 World cup, former left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir took a dig at Harbhajan Singh on social media. Amir taunted Harbhajan after Pakistan's ten-wicket victory over cricket India on Sunday night, Amir took to Twitter on Monday and asked, “Harbhajan Paa ji ne TVto nai toda apna?” which loosely translates to “Did Harbhajan break his TV.” The comment was made over the taunts of Indians about Pakistani fans breaking their television sets after losing to India in the past editions of world cups.hello everyone woh pochna yeah tha @harbhajan_singh paa ji ne TV to ni tora apna koi ni hota hai end of the day its a game of cricket .— Mohammad Amir (@iamamirofficial) October 25, 2021To this, Singh replied on Twitter saying, “Ab Tum bi bologe @iamamirofficial. yeh 6 ki landing tumhare ghar k tv par to nahi hui thi ?? Koi nahi hota hai end of the day it’s a game of cricket as u rightly said” which loosely translates to “Now you will also say things? Did this six land on your TV at home?” With this tweet he attached a video of him hitting a last over six against Pakistan. Ab Tum bi bologe @iamamirofficial yeh 6 ki landing tumhare ghar k tv par to nahi hui thi ?? Koi nahi hota hai end of the day it’s a game of cricket as u rightly said https://t.co/XqSnWhg9t3 pic.twitter.com/4IuWpPOpF1— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 26, 2021It was Amir who stirred things up by sharing a clip from an old cricket match where former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi smashed Harbhajan for a few sixes. https://t.co/tZGLtwBKCa me busy tha @harbhajan_singh apki bowling dekh raha tha test jab LaLA ne apko 4 bowls pe 4 sixes mare thay but cricket hai lag sakte but test cricket me thora ziada ho gia tha— Mohammad Amir (@iamamirofficial) October 26, 2021To this particular tweet of Amir, Harbhajan shared a still from the Lord's 2010 Test between Pakistan and England where Amir was found guilty of spot-fixing. "Lords mai no ball kaise ho gya tha ?? Kitna liya kisne diya ? Test cricket hai no ball kaise ho sakta hai? Shame on u and ur other supporters for disgracing this beautiful game," tweeted Harbhajan. Lords mai no ball kaise ho gya tha ?? Kitna liya kisne diya ? Test cricket hai no ball kaise ho sakta hai ? Shame on u and ur other supporters for disgracing this beautiful game https://t.co/nbv6SWMvQl— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 26, 2021Replying to this tweet from Harbhajan, Amir stooped low and used derogatory language towards the legendary Indian spinner. However, the Turbanator did not relent in his opinion of Amir. Taking to Twitter, Harbhajan said: "For people like you @iamamirofficial only Paisa paisa paisa paisa .. na izzat na kuch aur sirf paisa..bataoge nahi apne desh walo ko aur supporters ko k kitna mila tha .. get lost I feel yuk talking to people like you for insulting this game and making people fool with ur acts." For people like you @iamamirofficial only Paisa paisa paisa paisa .. na izzat na kuch aur sirf paisa..bataoge nahi apne desh walo ko aur supporters ko k kitna mila tha .. get lost I feel yuk talking to people like you for insulting this game and making people fool with ur acts https://t.co/5aPmXtYKqm pic.twitter.com/PhveqewN6h— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 26, 2021In his last tweet, Harbhajan shared a video from an old match where he is seen smashing Amir for a six and he captioned the post as: "Fixer ko sixer.. out of the park @iamamirofficial chal daffa ho ja." Fixer ko sixer.. out of the park @iamamirofficial chal daffa ho ja pic.twitter.com/UiUp8cAc0g— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 26, 2021IND vs PAK t20 worldcup 2021 HighlightsHaving won the toss, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam sent India to bat and Pakistan dominated the match right from ball one. India got off to the worst possible start with openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul sent back to the pavilion by Shaheen Afridi within three overs with just six runs on the board. Shaheen Afridi had Rohit trapped in front of the wicket for a duck and then bowled Rahul through the gate. Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant then joined forces to add 53 runs in quick time before the latter was caught out by leg-spinner Shadab Khan off his own bowling in the 13th over. Kohli was finally dismissed by Afridi after scoring a 49-ball 57. India was restricted to 151 in their 20 overs. Chasing 152 to win, Pakistan openers had no trouble in making light work of the target as Indian bowlers failed to get the breakthrough. Skipper Babar Azam stroked his way to unbeaten 68 runs while his opening partner, Mohammad Rizwan, smashed an unbeaten 79 runs to take the team past the finish line.Also Read- T20 World Cup: Mohammed Shami faces vicious online abuse after India loss to Pakistan
In the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE, Pakistan have emerged as the strongest team in Group 2. Out of the six teams which are in this group, India, Pakistan and New Zealand (ranked 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively in the ICC T20I team rankings) are the three higher ranked teams, while Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia (ranked 8th, 14th and 19th respectively in the IC T20I team rankings) are the three lower ranked teams. Pakistan, in their first two matches have beaten the other two highest ranked teams in their group, India by 10 wickets and New Zealand by 5 wickets. This gave them a solid NRR of +0.738. They sit at the top of the group with 4 points from two games and are top of the group. Their remaining three matches will be against the lower ranked teams - Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia, which they are expected to win. Therefore, Pakistan looks in good shape to set a perfect record of 5 wins in the Super 12 stage and advance to the semi-finals. On the other hand, both India and New Zealand have yet to open their accounts. Both teams have played one match so far and both have lost, both of course to Pakistan. And this makes their clash against each other, which incidentally will be the next match for both these teams, a potential do or die affair.Assuming Pakistan, India and New Zealand defeat Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland, the team that wins the India-New Zealand match will be the team that joins Pakistan in the semi-finals. After Pakistan beat New Zealand on Tuesday, there are now only two scenarios possible as far as Group 2 is concerned - either India beat NZ or NZ beat India. In scenario 1 - If India beat NZ - then India will finish on 8 points (assuming they beat Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia) and NZ will finish on 6 points (assuming they beat Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia). In this scenario, Pakistan and India will be the two teams going into the semi-finals from this group. This of course is based on the hypothesis that Pakistan, India and NZ will all beat Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland. In scenario 2 - If New Zealand beat India - then India will end on 6 points (assuming they beat Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia) and NZ will finish with 8 points (assuming they beat Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia). And if this happens, then the Kiwis will be joining Pakistan as the second team from Group 2 to qualify for the knockouts. This of course is based on the hypothesis that Pakistan, India and NZ will all beat Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland. Of course, T20 is the most fickle format of the sport and an upset is not going to be surprising. The team which loses on Sunday could still make the semis, provided the other team is upset by a lower ranked team or teams and they themselves win their remaining matches. The Men in Blue play the Black Caps on Sunday, October 31. While India vs Pakistan was a keenly followed clash for obvious reasons, India vs New Zealand will be perhaps the most crucial encounter for both these teams. India is ranked higher than NZ in the team rankings in T20I cricket, but history favours New Zealand in their more recent encounters vs India in ICC tournaments. Incredibly, the last time India beat the Kiwis in an ICC tournament was way back in the 203 ICC ODI World Cup. In fact, in the last 5 meetings between these two teams in ICC tournaments, NZ have beaten India four times In T20 clashes overall as well it's the Black Caps who hold the edge. In 16 T20I meetings between the two teams, NZ have won 8, while India won 6 of these matches. Two matches were tied. The Men in Blue team is looking forward to their second t20 worldcup title. They will have to be at their best to keep those hopes real and good.Also Read- India vs Pakistan: Harbhajan Singh and Mohammad Amir engage in war of words on Twitter
After Afghanistan beat Scotland in the opening Super 12 T20 World Cup match on Monday, the winning captain, who was in jolly mood but clearly out of place, wondered whether his English would last through the press conference that was about to start. In the video that has now gone viral, a nervous Nabi is seen looking here and there as he waits for the post-match press conference to start before saying out loud, “Sabse mushkil kaam hai bhai yeh. Kitne questions hain? 5 minutes mei meri English khatam ho jayegi bhai (This is the most difficult job to do. How many questions are there? My English will be over in 5 minute).”"5 mint main meri English Khatam hojye gi"#T20WorldCup2021 pic.twitter.com/ugbmHFLeL4— Abdul Wahab (@abdulwahabdr02) October 26, 2021Afghanistan team captain Mohammad Nabi came up with a self-deprecating remark before the start of a press conference on Monday. Nabi-led Afghanistan thrashed Scotland by 130 runs at the ICC T20 World Cup. Earlier, Nabi was in tears when Afghanistan lined up for the national anthem. Questions have been raised about the future of the team since the Taliban took control of the country on August 15 this year. Scotland piled up 27 runs in the first three overs before Mujeeb scalped Scotland skipper Kyle Coetzer and Calum MacLoed off successive balls. Mujeeb didn’t get his hat-trick but two balls later he trapped Richie Berrington to reduce Scotland to 28 for three after four overs.Also Read- T20 WC Ind vs Pak: Sania Mirza reacts hilariously after Team India fans call Shoaib Malik jeeja ji
The T20 World Cup 2021 has been an eventful affair so far. The fans have been all raring to watch the action unfold in the mega event. However, in the middle of the ongoing tournament, a fan asked former India cricketer Virender Sehwag who he thinks will clinch the title this year. Sehwag is always super active across his social media platforms. The former batter never shies away from expressing his opinions on the game. Thus, whilst answering the question of the fan, Sehwag was quick enough to back the Virat Kohli-led side in the marquee event. He pinned his hopes on team India to lift the trophy this year and also asked the people to support the team at times of defeat.India only have to play better cricket here onwards: Virender Sehwag“According to me, it’s Team India who will win this T20 World Cup. They’ll only have to play better cricket here onwards. We always cheer for our team when it wins but when it loses we have to support it even more. So, I believe that India can win the T20 World Cup,” Sehwag said in his latest episode of Virugiri Dot Com on Instagram. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag)Team India did not have a positive start to their t20 worldcup campaign. The team locked horns with Pakistan in their opening fixture. Although Men in Blue entered the competition as favorites to win considering their record against Pakistan in ICC events, the team faced defeat by ten wickets. The Babar Azam-led side exuded some great character to break India’s 12 matches winning streak and registered a thumping victory. Shaheen Shah Afridi was clinical with the ball as he sent back both the openers early on. Chasing down the target of 152, Pakistan’s openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan played belligerent knocks to take the team past the victory. India's next mission is against New Zealand. Both sides have lost their previous encounters with Pakistan and will be keen on getting to winning ways. It will be a crucial match for both teams as a loss here will affect their chances of reaching the semi-finals.Also Read- Neeraj Chopra, Ravi Dahiya, Lovlina Borgohain among 11 recommended for Khel Ratnas
Australian opener David Warner tried to recreate the ‘Cristiano Ronaldo Coke bottle moment’ in the post-match press conference after the match between Australia and Sri Lanka. Ronaldo had removed the Coke bottles from his table in the press conference earlier this year, and this resulted in a loss of $4 Billion for Coca Cola. Warner tried to do the same, but was asked to put the Coke bottles back on the table. In fact, Warner even asked whether he needs to put the Coke bottles back as well. The 35-year-old also cheekily stated ‘If it is good enough for Cristiano, it is good enough for me’..@davidwarner31 trying to be @Cristiano “if it’s good enough for Cristiano, it’s good enough for me” pic.twitter.com/Nyc7NfyKEs— Thakur (@hassam_sajjad) October 28, 2021David Warner’s superb half-century helps Australia trounce Sri LankaIn the encounter between Australia and Sri Lanka in t20 worldcup on October 28, 2021, Sri Lanka scored a decent total of 154/6 on the scoreboard. In reply, David Warner was in red hot form with the willow and scored a whirlwind 65 off 42 deliveries at the top of the order to help Australia breeze past the target with 7 wickets and 3 overs to spare. The left-handed batting dynamite struck 10 fours in his enterprising innings. Apart from Warner, Australian captain Aaron Finch and veteran hitter Steven Smith have also contributed useful runs. While Finch scored an impressive 23 balls 37, Smith stayed till the end and helped himself to a patient 28*. David Warner is one of the best hitters to ever play for the Australian team in the T20I format of the game. Warner is currently the second top scorer for the Australian team's in T20I cricket and has plundered 2344 runs in 83 innings at an average of 31.67 and a strike rate of close to 140. Warner has also scored 1 hundred and 19 fifties in T20I cricket as well. Warner will next take the field for the Australian side on 30th October 2021, when the kangaroos clash against their arch-rivals England at the Dubai International Cricket StadiumAlso Read- I believe that India can win the T20 World Cup: Virender Sehwag
Indian captain Virat Kohli on Saturday hit out at the social media abuse that was aimed at pacer Mohammed Shami after the team loss to Pakistan in the ICC Men’s t20 worldcup. The 31-year-old Shami was abused on social media after the 10-wicket defeat in Dubai, even though Kohli acknowledged that his side had been outplayed as a team. In a virtual press interaction ahead of India’s October 31 clash with New Zealand, Kohli brushed aside the “spineless” trolls, suggesting that those on the inside do not care about the “outside voice”. “There’s a reason we are playing on the field and not those spineless people,” Kohli said. “It’s unfortunate and sad to see people getting entertained. That is why we are doing what we are and those spineless people are doing what they are.” “Many people hide their identity in social media then try to troll the players and it is the lowest point in their life – all dramas outside due to the lack of self-confidence of them, we know how to back the players, there is no value from the outside voice.” Regrettably, Shami, the only Muslim player in the playing XI against Pakistan, was targeted over his religious beliefs, whereas incidents of communal harmony being disrupted in a few parts of the nation were reported the same day. “To me attacking someone over their religion is the most pathetic thing a human being can do. Everyone has the right to voice their opinion but I personally have never even thought of discriminating someone over their religion,” Kohli said. “This is literally the lowest potential as a human being one can operate at.” “That [religious beliefs] is a very sacred and a personal thing to every human being and that should be left there. People take out their frustrations because they obviously have no understanding of what we do as individuals. They have no understanding of how much effort we put on the field. They have no understanding of the fact that someone like Mohammed Shami has won India a lot of matches in last few years and he’s been our primary bowler with Jasprit Bumrah when it comes to making an impact. “We are doing what we are doing on the field and none of these people [trolls] are even in the vicinity to even imagine doing something like that. They do not have the courage or the spine to do that. That is how I see things. “As a group, we understand how we need to stick together and how we need to back individuals and how need to focus on our strengths and whether people on the outside portray the fact that India cannot afford to lose a game of cricket is none of our business because we play sport and we understand how sport goes. So, how people think on the outside adds no value whatsoever. We never focussed on it and we will never focus on it going forward either.” “If people can overlook that and his passion for the country, honestly I don’t even want to waste one minute of my life to give any attention to the people, neither does Shami and neither does anyone else in the team. We stand by him fully. We are backing him 200% and all those who attacked him can come with more force if they want to. “Our brotherhood, our friendship within the team and nothing can be shaken. I can guarantee you as a captain of the team that we have built a culture where these things will not even be infiltered into this environment at all and that is a absolute guarantee from my side. A slew of former indian cricketer stood in solidarity with Shami. “The online attack on Mohammad Shami is shocking and we stand by him. He is a champion and anyone who wears the India cap has India in their hearts far more than any online mob. With you Shami. Agle match mein dikado jalwa,” tweeted former India opener Sehwag. Sachin Tendulkar, too, lauded Shami for his commitment, while he reckoned that like any other player, it was merely an off day for the pacer. “When we support #TeamIndia, we support every person who represents Team India. @MdShami11is a committed, world-class bowler. He had an off day like any other sportsperson can have. I stand behind Shami & Team India.”Also Read- I believe that India can win the T20 World Cup: Virender Sehwag
It's not the first-time cricket fans in the country have had to sit with calculators and figure out permutations and combinations in a cricket season. But for the first time in recent memory, fans of the Indian cricket team will be eagerly awaiting as Virat Kohli's men are on the brink of a shocking early exit in T20 World Cup 2021. Billed as one of the pre-tournament favourites, India have shocked quite a few with their listless performances so far at the T20 World Cup. India's body language, their mental strength has all come into question after two humbling defeats. India's campaign at the t20 worldCup got off to a terrible start as they lost to arch-rivals Pakistan by 10 points. It was Pakistan's first win over India in a World Cup match and they got it in style by chasing down a 152-run target without losing a wicket and with 13 balls to spare. A week-long break did India no good, it seems as they were hammered by 8 wickets by New Zealand, who restricted a listless indian cricketer batting line-up to just 110 in 20 overs during which they went without a boundary for 70 balls. New Zealand got past the finish line in 14.3 overs. The two big defeats meant India's Net Run Rate has taken a massive beating. Only 2 teams will qualify from each of the two Super 12 groups and India's chances are looking bleak at the moment.What does the T20 World Cup 2021 points table look like?Did you see this coming? #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/fxK4E0eHW7— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 31, 2021Pakistan is on top of the 6-team table with 3 wins in as many matches. The 2009 champions are all but through to the semi-final, as their last two matches are against associates, Scotland and Namibia. Pakistan made a statement by beating India, New Zealand and Afghanistan in their first 3 matches. It is safe to say that 3 teams are still in the race for the second spot in Group 2 of the Super 12 - Afghanistan, New Zealand and India and pretty much in that order.T20 World Cup: How can India still hope to qualify for the semi-final? India's upcoming matchesVs Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on November 3 Vs Scotland in Dubai on November 5 Vs Namibia in Dubai on November 8New Zealand's upcoming matchesVs Scotland in Dubai on November 3 Vs Namibia in Sharjah on November 5 Vs Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on November 7 Afghanistan's upcoming matchesVs India on November 3 in Abu Dhabi Vs New Zealand on November 7 in Dubai India's only chance of reaching the semi-finals is hope for a 3-way (or 4-way tie) for the semi-final spots at 6 points. If Pakistan wins one of the next two matches, it will guarantee them a place in the semi-finals. While India can't reach 8 points from hereon, Afghanistan and New Zealand can get to 8 points. Provided the more fancied teams avoid shocks in Group 2 from here on, the November 7 match between Afghanistan and New Zealand will assume a lot of importance.What do India need to reach the semi-finals?It's simple. Win all their next 3 matches and win them by big margins to boost their Net Run Rate which is reeling at -1.609. Scenario 1 India will hope they can beat Afghanistan by a big margin on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi and Mohammad Nabi's men go on to beat New Zealand in their final Super 12 match. However, if India are tied on points with Afghanistan, it's less likely that they will be able to overtake Nabi's side on Net Run Rate. Scenario 2 India should beat Afghanistan by a big margin and hope New Zealand beat Afghanistan in their final Super 12 match -- meaning, Afghanistan don't get to 6 points from here. However, New Zealand should lose to one of Namibia or Scotland as it gives Virat Kohli's men an opportunity to overtake the Black Caps' NRR.Can Scotland and Namibia help India?Well, there are more ways that India can qualify for the semi-finals. There are two unexpected as India needs Scotland and Namibia to pull off a couple of big upsets. For example, if Pakistan loses its next two games to Scotland and Namibia and India wins its next three games by a big margin, there is a chance that India going through and their arch-rivals getting knocked out in the Super 12 stages. Well, doesn't it look unlikely? India can benefit from Scotland and Namibia's victory over New Zealand, with India winning the remaining matches by a wide margin. All said and done, India have failed to live up to their reputation so far at T20 World Cup 2021. As former cricketer Vinod Kambli wrote on social media, this has been one of India's worst-ever World Cup performances, if not the worst-ever, given the talent and potential the side has been able to develop over the years.Also Read- CSK reward Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra with Rs 1 crore
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has now become the first-ever captain to notch up three half-centuries in a single T20 ICC World Cup.The prolific Pakistan captain is in red-hot form with the bat in the ongoing tournament. The right-handed batter scored a risk free 49-ball 70 against Namibia in Abu Dhabi. Unbeaten Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat against Namibia. The pair of Babar and Mohammed Rizwan put on 113 runs for the opening wicket. Babar scored a brisk 68 not out in Pakistan’s 10-wicket victory over arch-rival India. This victory was Pakistan's first win against India in the t20 worldcup, which dates back to 2007 when India won the inaugural tournament by beating Pakistan in the final. Pakistan won the 2009 edition. Babar scored a feisty 51 against Afghanistan, before Asif Ali smashed four sixes in an over to help pakistan cricket register a five-wicket win. Interestingly, the duo of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam also became the first pair ever to aggregate 1,000 runs in a calendar year in T20 Internationals. The duo have also put on 4 century stands in 2021, most in a calendar year, including three 150 plus stands. Pakistan continued their team unchanged for the fourth consecutive game after defeating arch-rival India, New Zealand and Afghanistan in the Super 12 by successfully chasing. Captain Babar Azam said at the toss he wanted to test his bowlers ahead of the knockout stage, but warned his team “not to get complacent” against Namibia, which defeated Scotland.Also Read- Yuvraj Singh hints at comeback from retirement next year
Pakistan Television (PTV) has slapped a Rs 100 million defamation notice on former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar for walking out of a show on air last month after a heated argument with the host Nauman Niaz. Shoaib Akhtar had walked out of a PTV programme and resigned from his job as a cricket analyst after being told to leave the set by the host of the show at the state-owned channel while analysing Pakistan's victory over New Zealand at the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. PTV has now sent a defamation notice to the mercurial sports star as his on-air resignation violated the clause and also resulted in financial losses for the channel. "As per clause 22, both sides shall have right to terminate his agreement by serving three months' written notice or payment in lieu thereof. Whereas, Shoaib Akhtar resigned on air on October 26 which has resulted into huge financial losses to PTV," the notice read. "Shoaib Akhtar also left Dubai during T20 World Cup transmission without any prior information to PTVC management. Besides, appearance on an Indian TV show along with Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh, which also caused irreparable losses to PTV," the notice further added.Also Read- Babar Azam Becomes First Captain To Score 3 Fifties In T20 World CupAkhtar has been asked by the PTVC to pay an amount of Rs 100 million as damages along with an amount of Rs 33,33,000, equivalent to a three-month salary to the organisation, otherwise, PTC "reserves its rights to initiate legal proceedings" against Akhtar before the court of competent jurisdiction, said ARY News. "Utterly Disappointed. After miserably failing to safeguard my respect & repute while i was working for PTV, they have now sent me a Recovery Notice. I am a fighter & will not give up & fight this legal battle. My lawyer @SalmanKNiazi1 will take this forward according to law," Akhtar tweeted. Utterly Disappointed. After miserably failing to safeguard my respect & repute while i was working for PTV, they have now sent me a Recovery Notice. I am a fighter & will not give up & fight this legal battle. My lawyer @SalmanKNiazi1 will take this forward according to law.— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 7, 2021On Tuesday, October 26 Akhtar had been treated badly and insulted on air by the host on the show. Discussing the match on PTV Sports' 'Game on Hai', Akhtar credited the Pakistan Super League's Lahore Qalandars team for discovering Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf. Host Nauman Niaz took issue with Akhtar's comments and said: "You're being a little rude and I don't want to say this, but if you're being over smart, you can go. I am saying this on air." Akhtar, who was on the show alongside former players David Gower and Viv Richards, said he could not continue. "A lot of apologies guys, a lot of apologies," Akhtar said before storming off the set. "I am resigning from PTV. The way I have been treated on national TV, I don't think I should be sitting here right now.Also Read- Yuvraj Singh hints at comeback from retirement next year
