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Asia Cup 2022: Nawaz wins hearts with match-turning knock against India
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Nawaz stayed calm and scored his T20I career-best of 42 off 20 balls against India -
With last night’s 54-run defeat against Punjab Kings (PBKS), defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have endured their worst start in IPL history. Before this season, the Chennai-based outfit had never opened its campaign with two consecutive losses. However, the 15th edition has been their worst start to the season. They have suffered three consecutive losses in as many games and it has left them languishing second from bottom in the 10-team IPL 2022 points table. View this post on Instagram Having restricted PBKS to 180 for eight on a batting paradise, the CSK bowlers had done a tremendous job. The onus was on their batters to get them over the line, but all of them, barring Shivam Dube, put up a horrendous show, which included their former skipper MS Dhoni. Half of CSK was back in the hut with only 36 runs on the board and it forced Dhoni to rebuild the innings with a cautious knock. With each dot ball, the required run-rate was going through the roof but the former CSK skipper showed no intention whatsoever and kept on playing a ‘Test’ knock. View this post on Instagram When 107 runs were required off the last seven overs, it was evident that runs were from both ends but Dhoni was in no mood to go through his gears. With each dot ball, the pressure was mounting on Dube and he finally perished after a valiant effort, smashing 57 off 30 balls. The required run-rate was well above 15 runs an over and Dhoni was batting on 11 off 21 deliveries. Watching his knock, it seemed like he was playing on a different surface altogether. He made batting look so difficult and dug up a huge hole for himself. View this post on Instagram More than the defeat, what hurt the fans the most was Dhoni’s lack of intent. It seemed as if he had already given up on the match and was playing to reduce the margin of the humiliation. Obviously, the supporters were pissed at Dhoni’s ‘useless’ knock and they trolled him brutally for his Test-match-like knock. Some fans even joked that through this knock he wanted to popularise the longest format of the game. Testendra singh dhobi continues to play test cricket even after retiring a true gem who kept test cricket alive — Avinash_18 (@Avinash_vk_18_) April 3, 2022Dube and dhoni partnership pic.twitter.com/WcxboHHzdW — Navneeth (@NavneethKarun) April 3, 2022*Dhoni takes a single when Required RR is 15* Commentators - pic.twitter.com/SZckooo2Xm — Mayur (@thehumourholic) April 3, 2022Dhoni applied something on his hands and changed the bat just to get out on next ball on 23(28) pic.twitter.com/vqB2XCJuyE — akshat (@ReignOfVirat) April 3, 2022Great Knock thala... Changed the bat before the over... — Srishanth (@srishanth_rock) April 3, 2022Such a comedy when commentators call MSD dangerous man — Arup Paul (@ArupPau08309862) April 3, 2022With the arrival of two new teams in IPL 2022, the competition has intensified and if CSK want to defend their title, they need to perform a lot better on the field. View the full article
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MS Dhoni continued his fine run with the bat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) as he began his innings with a six over cover boundary off Avesh Khan. Dhoni played just six deliveries, coming in to bat at number seven, but scored 16 runs with the help of two boundaries and a maximum. Dhoni's strike rate of 266.67 was the highest across both teams in a high-scoring clash at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai on Thursday (March 31). First ball six by Dhoni over cover.#IPL2022 #CSKvLSG pic.twitter.com/ZtOKrpoBod — Ashmin Aryal (@AryalAshmin) March 31, 2022 Fans were already in awe of Dhoni as he turned back the clock with his fearless batting, but his approach towards the game, even at the age of 40, impressed his first-ever batting partner in international cricket Mohammad Kaif. Though Dhoni's debut ended in a disappointing way as he was run out for a duck after a mix-up with Kaif, what the wicket-keeper went on to achieve in the international during his nearly 16-year-long career earned him a legendary status in Indian cricket and not only fans, even former cricketers admire his love and passion towards the game. Dhoni finish nahi, finisher hai. Not out again, picture aabhi bahut baaki hai. @msdhoni — Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) March 31, 2022 Impressed with Dhoni's fearless batting, Kaif took to Twitter to praise the former India skipper by using a dialogue from Shah Rukh Khan's blockbuster movie Om Shanti Om. "Dhoni finish nahi, finisher hai. Not out again, picture aabhi bahut baaki hai. @msdhoni," Kaif tweeted. Fans also echoed his opinion as social media was filled with congratulatory messages for the Indian cricket legend. Golden Words https://t.co/JvApvh8UnQ — Anusua || Theseptembergirl (@AnusuaGanai) March 31, 2022Kaif Sahab https://t.co/PJuty0oFZK — Sky best t20 indian no3 player currently (@lolianskabaap) March 31, 2022Flower Samjhe Kya, Fire Gai Apun @msdhoni .. https://t.co/hWfDpVfKcr — Shrish Shrivastav (@iamshrish2205) April 1, 2022#IPL2022 (025) This tweet from @MohammadKaif made me nostalgic. @msdhoni and "Match Finishes" is a love story. Bahut toh nahi, par haan, picture abhi (surprisingly) baaki hai !! https://t.co/oV0hH0CLK0 — Subham Agarwal (@SkyHigh0830) April 1, 2022Dhoni bhai ko thoda upar aana chahiye.. — Tanay Pandey (@TanayPa29283441) March 31, 2022Remember the name Finisher Dhoni — Ganesh Hader (@GaneshHalder01) March 31, 2022 To everyone's surprise, MS Dhoni has scored 66 runs this season in the two matches that he has played without being dismissed. He is seventh in the list of Orange Cap, only 27 runs behind the current leading run-scorer Faf du Plessis. It is safe to say with the kind of form Dhoni is in, if he comes up the order to bat, he might give a serious challenge to all the batters in the tournament for that Orange Cap. 𝐌𝐬ile #LSGvCSK #WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/UbgrFUess2 — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 31, 2022One thing working for the former CSK captain is that he has relinquished the leadership role and can now focus on his batting and play freely, a style that made him a household name in Indian cricket when he made his debut back in 2004. View the full article
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?Babar Azam lived up to his reputation when his country needed him the most,? Wisden says as he also made his first Test hundred since 2020
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Mohammad Haris smashes half-century in just 18 balls; goes on to score 70 runs off 32 balls
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In thrilling match against Islamabad United, Qasim Akram scored an aggressive 51 off just 26 balls
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The Singaporean cricketer scored 71 runs off just 29 balls, with the help of six fours and an equal number of sixes
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PSL 2022: Twitterati praise Will Smeed for his entertaining knock
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Will Smeed plays a sensational 97-run knock off just 62 balls -
"Definitely Rizwan is a team man. The way he played today, it was exceptional," says skipper Babar Azam
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It ain’t over until it’s over. The Australians proved this adage right as they defeated Pakistan by five-wickets in a thrilling T20 World Cup semi-final in Dubai. pic.twitter.com/sP6OeIHoib — ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 11, 2021 Chasing a stiff total of 177 for a place in the final, the Aussies had half of their side back in the hut in the 13th over with only 96 runs on the scoreboard. With their backs against the wall, the experts called it Pakistan’s match to lose. But what transpired next showed why the Aussies are one of the most dangerous sides in the world and why counting them off can make you look like a fool. Cometh the hour, cometh the man #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/0k3nnmLBmg — ICC (@ICC) November 11, 2021 In Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis, the Kangaroos found their heroes, with the former turning the match on its head, blasting 41 off just 17 balls. His innings was studded with two fours and four maximums, three of which came off successive deliveries bowled by Pakistan’s premier pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi as Australia finished the match with six balls to spare. Matthew who?MATTHEW WADE #T20WorldCup | #PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/G1gzs7Gg5n — Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) November 11, 2021 Wade, who was adjudged the Player of the Match, said that he knew this match could be the last outing for Australia and it gave him the extra motivation to seal the deal for his side. There's no shortage of motivation for Matthew Wade to perform for #Australia#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/dHiZZ57Gln — ICC (@ICC) November 12, 2021 “I was a little bit nervous coming into the game and knowing that potentially this could be the last opportunity I get to represent Australia. I just wanted to do well and really wanted us to win this game to give us an opportunity to win the whole thing. We've got a great bunch of guys in that dressing room and guys that I've played for a long, long period of time with,” Wade said after the match, reflecting on his unbeaten run. Good morning, Australia pic.twitter.com/Z8pdmC1L0E — ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 11, 2021 The match that started at 1 am in most parts of Australia might not have attracted enough eyeballs Down Under as it did in India, with more than 40 lakh people streaming the match on the digital platform while millions watched it live on their TV sets. As soon as Wade scooped Afridi for a six over fine leg, the fans in India were over the moon because their arch-rival, who had dealt the Men In Blue a heavy blow, were finally knocked out of the tournament. Australia are through to the final of the #T20WorldCup 2021 #PAKvAUS | https://t.co/JDqHSywro7 pic.twitter.com/kPP8Ztu246 — ICC (@ICC) November 11, 2021 The Men In Green had a terrific run to the semi-finals as they were the only unbeaten side in the tournament. The PCB chairman was so confident of his side that he had described them as invincibles and was sure of them not only reaching the final but also lifting the trophy. As Indians celebrated Australia’s remarkable victory, they also mocked the Pakistani team for being confident and taking the opposition lightly. Aussie Aussie Aussie #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/L4Cvx1tOJt — ICC (@ICC) November 11, 2021 Not just that they also found a ‘desi connection’ to the Aussie win and used it to troll the neighbouring country. The connection was nothing but the similarity between the two shots that crashed Pakistan’s dreams of winning the T20 World Cup. In the inaugural edition back in 2007, it was Mishab-ul-Haq’s attempted ramp shot that broke millions of Pakistani hearts and more than a decade later it was Wade’s ramp shot that ended Pakistan’s unbeaten run in the ongoing T20 World Cup. This shot will continue to haunt #Pakistan till the end of this world ; BTW overconfidence drown you'll Pakistanis! #maukamauka #PAKVSAUS#Australia#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/FP8md2lP9p — Arslan Malik (@Arslan_jk) November 11, 2021Matthew Wade's Lap Shot Salting Pakistan's old Wound #PAKVSAUS #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/2exqVIhBOz — Q. (@Johannesburg149) November 11, 2021The Indian fans, who were trolled heavily after their side’s defeat in the opening match, were in no mood to let this golden opportunity slip away and gave it back to their counterparts a taste of their own medicine. The micro-blogging site was flooded with hilarious memes, including the famous ‘Mauka Mauka’ references. #maukamauka pakis have forgotten they're still 12 - 1 against India https://t.co/ll0hra5Maj — Karthik Gaur (@KarthikGaur4) November 11, 2021This is the shot helped a lot to Pakistan to reach the bus stop. Flight ke ticket ka paisa bhi hona chahiye bhai#PAKVSAUS#maukamauka #PakistanTeam #Pakistan #SemiFinals pic.twitter.com/Xn8GIASlNB — 🅜🅐🅨🅐🅝🅚 🅢🅞🅝🅘 (@May_Ank_26) November 11, 2021Me when I realize that I busted more crackers when Pakistan lost than on diwali #maukamauka #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/o0rEF7QOss — ding_dong17 (@17_dong17) November 11, 2021Most unhappy person right now #maukamauka #T20WorldCup21 pic.twitter.com/N9PflFZLjA — Shivam Pratap Singh (@Shivampratap018) November 11, 2021Back to this #PAKVSAUS #maukamauka pic.twitter.com/U98V9GKN61 — Praveen Naik (@praveencn77) November 11, 2021Indians right now #maukamauka pic.twitter.com/7J8GirR3bk — Neil Goswami (@Neilgoswami07) November 11, 2021Never Let your Success get to your Head! Rightly said. He is a great bowler. He will realize soon. #Pakistan #maukamauka #ShaheenShahAfridi p.c.- world of cricket trolls (fb) pic.twitter.com/iCzEBA3J7z — Gaurav Kumar (@sikku1999) November 11, 2021Boys played well.. #PAKVSAUS #PKMKBForever #fixing #maukamauka pic.twitter.com/6UjaDPmw9V — D.M.Kiran (@DMKIRAN) November 11, 2021Fans even reminded Afridi, whose video of mocking Indian players’s dismissal had gone viral, why it was important to not get his good days to his head because this sport is a great leveller and no one is guaranteed to be at the top of their game forever. View the full article
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Shahid Afridi played five balls and scored 16 runs as Rawalkot Hawks defeated Mirpur Royals
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The year 2020 was a hard one for everyone, but especially for actor Rhea Chakraborty who has had to deal with a lot on her plate since the demise of Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput last year. © Instagram Rhea was a victim of a nationwide witch-hunt after being accused of abetting Sushant's suicide by his family, following which she has chosen to stay away from the limelight and has barely been seen on social media. © India Times However, according to reports, the 28-year-old "Jalebi" actress is now looking to work in Hyderabad after seeing a lack of opportunities in Bollywood. As per a source talking to The Indian Express, the actress has been knocking on every door to get opportunities in order to restore some normality. “The multiple events of the last year took a massive toll on Rhea. It has taken her a humongous amount of effort to try starting all over again. She has been knocking on every door she can, asking for work, trying to get her life back to normal.” “This is not going to be an easy task for Rhea but she needs to do this to move on and start her life again, from scratch,” said the source. Rhea, who started her career as a video jockey on MTV India, was arrested last year in a drug case linked with the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who she had been dating at the time. © Telly Chakkar In what is a sign of the actor looking to move on from the past incidents, Rhea was seen sharing a social media post featuring a picture of the cover of the Hanuman Chalisa book from her Instagram handle. "Give us the power to fight this storm , Give us the strength to withstand this misery. Give us your blessings to heal. Jai Bajrangbali." the post said. View this post on Instagram View the full article
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Pak vs SA: After stellar knock, Fakhar Zaman earns place in Pakistan's T20 squad
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Pakistan captain Babar Azam, head coach Misbah look to Fakhar Zaman in upcoming T20 series, T20 World Cup -
Pak vs SA: India is searching for Babar Azam after heroic knock
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Pakistan's Babar Azam dominates Google and Twitter searches in India after scoring century against South Africa in 1st ODI -
Despite a slow start to the batting innings of the first of three ODIs against the touring England side, Shikhar Dhawan proved to be the strong anchor for the Men in Blue, at least for two-thirds of the innings. After establishing a decent base with opening partner Rohit Sharma in the first 15 overs, Dhawan went on to play alongside skipper Virat Kohli for an incredible 105-run partnership, while driving up the run rate and targeting pacers and spinners alike. View this post on Instagram Kohli, who also found his form during the recently concluded T20I series, looked sturdy on the other side of the pitch until threw ended up tossing his wicket on an unexpected shot out of nowhere. Nonetheless, Dhawan stuck around hoping to look for another solid partnership but the back-to-back fall of Kohli and Iyer set him awry. In his nineties, Dhawan was visibly nervous to go for bigger shots like he was during the early stages of the match, after all, he had been dismissed within touching distance of a ton on five occasions previously. View this post on Instagram Then came England’s super-man allrounder Ben Stokes as the bearer of bad news for the 35-year old southpaw, who spoilt his innings and took away yet another century from him after removing him from the crease in the 39th over off an Eoin Morgan catch - a disappointed Gabbar had to return to the dressing room at 98. And even though fans were equally disappointed to see the big-hitter his his 18th century by just two runs, they were thoroughly convinced of the fact that Dhawan still has a lot in the tank: Heartbreak for Shikhar #Dhawan as he is dismissed for 98 🥺 Looked in magnificent touch right from the beginning and dot balls from the other end might have put pressure on him. Still an outstanding innings by #Gabbar #INDvENG#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/NbFbHrinap — Raghav Acharya (@raghavacharya95) March 23, 2021This was a serious comeback by Dhawan, Shows he still has alot to offer for Indian cricket. Well played @SDhawan25 gabbar #INDvsENG_2021 pic.twitter.com/BYEKETJSxw — Deepak Jalwal (@DeepakJalwal14) March 23, 2021How is a 100 a better landmark than 98. Still dhawan proved me wrong and contributed to possibly an indian win. Cricket fans and their obsession with landmarks!!!! Ufff https://t.co/sqxNRGbcWN — Arhan Vyas (@VyasArhan) March 23, 2021Dhawan is still the man though — Thelliam666 (@Thelliam666) March 23, 2021For England, Ben Stokes has been simply magnificent with the ball as he removes three of their top batsmen in Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Dhawan himself. He has also been economical. In the first 8 overs that he has bowled, Stokes has only given away 34 runs and even has a maiden over under his name. Apart from the one drop by Moeen Ali early in the match, England’s fielding has also been on-point throughout the Indian innings and has given away very few runs off of unfocused errors. View the full article
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One of the most celebrated and talked-about batsmen in the history of England cricket, Kevin Pietersen allowed fans to go back in time as he put on a show during the ongoing Road Safety World Series tournament in Raipur. Batting at the top of the order for the England Legends’ team, the 40-year old instantly became the best batsman on the field even while locking horns with the India Legends side that included names like Virender Sehwag and the master baster, Sachin Tendulkar himself. 40 year old Kevin Pietersen Today 75(37) - 6(4s),5(6s) 🤯 Absolute Legend !#RoadSafetyWorldSeries2021 pic.twitter.com/Uv9oHm3ggE — COLONEL (@CloudyCric) March 9, 2021 Off 37 deliveries, Pietersen smashed a quick 75 which included six 4’s and five 6’s while sending bowlers like Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, and Munaf Patel over the ropes one after the other. And even though the younger of the two Pathans went on a late rally and played a stunning 61-run innings while coming to bat at the number seven spot, there just weren't enough deliveries for him to drive his team to victory. India Legends lost the match by six runs. What a fightback from Irfan Pathan and Gony - India Legends was down and out then both added 63* runs from 26 balls but lost the match by 6 runs to England Legends - Irfan Pathan 61*(34) and Gony 35*(16). pic.twitter.com/PSTB1RAswO — Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 9, 2021 Watching Pietersen put on a show, fans of the Indian cricket team found a new way to mock the current England squad who got dominated in Test cricket on India soil, losing the series 3-1. They asked the England and Wales Cricket Board to allow Kevin Pietersen to play for the team once again: Saw Kevin Pietersen’s fantastic innings yesterday against the Indian legends. He still looks to be in shape as a batsman. And I honestly feel he would’ve got more runs than the current English top order had he played the recent test series. @KP24 legend #DoddaMathu #INDLvsENGL — ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ | Dodda Ganesh (@doddaganesha) March 10, 2021At this rate @KP24 could be playing the first T20 in Ahmedabad. #INDLvsENGL #kevinpietersen — Sportoraid Culture (@sportoraid) March 9, 2021Tonight was a very special evening. Sharing the field with superstars. I loved it. Thank you for all being so nice! Proper little England team show! pic.twitter.com/FxMJhSyBra — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) March 9, 2021At this rate, @KP24 can make his England comeback before Alex Hales.#RoadSafetyWorldSeries2021 #INDLvsENGL — AA (@preeelax) March 9, 2021Can KP make his comeback in ENG national team according to his current form?? Irrespective of fact that he is retired#LetsCrackIt#UnacademyAskTheExperts @ramanbhanot @KP24 — ANKIT PANWAR (@ankit_panwar1) March 9, 2021What made the case worse for the current Joe Root-led side was the sheer magnitude with which they lost those games. While the fourth and final Test ended on the third day, the third Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad saw the touring side getting wrapped up twice in just a day and a half, making it the shortest Test match since World War II. Despite Pietersen’s stellar performance which got his side the win, India Legends are still ahead of the rest of the teams participating in the Road Safety World Series with 12 points and the second-highest Net Run Rate in the tournament. England are now on the third spot with 8 points, followed by South Africa (4 points), Australia, West Indies, and Bangladesh respectively. View the full article
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In what seems to have become a habit for the dashing all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja once again rose to the occasion and aided the Indian cricket team in dire situations, this time at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). During India's ongoing tour of Australia, Jadeja has been in sublime form with the willow and has stepped up for his team more often than not in recent months. While his spin bowling and electric fielding have often earned him plaudits, Jadeja's ever-improving batting has further made him an indispensable asset for India. © AP The left-hander was pivotal during India's consolation win in the 3rd ODI where his blazing fifty was lauded by all. The 1st T20I also saw him in decent touch before a hamstring injury ruled him out for the remaining two matches. But, after regaining his fitness, Jadeja is back and seems to have picked up from where he left. Sir Ravindra Jadeja "The All-Rounder". pic.twitter.com/y3EUvT18JJ — Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 27, 2020 Coming out to bat, with India reeling at 173/5, Jadeja showed great temperament and maturity while negating the Australian bowling attack. As Ajinkya Rahane (104*) anchored the innings for India, the left-hander contributed to his team and captain in the supporting role. Remaining unbeaten at 104-ball 40, Jadeja partnered Rahane for a key 104-run stand. While Rahane earned plaudits for a brilliant ton, Jadeja, too, garnered praise for his resolve in the middle. How good is @imjadeja ! What a cricketer ! — Vikram Sathaye (@vikramsathaye) December 27, 2020A captains solid , gritty and calm just like his personality @ajinkyarahane88 sharp mind in field setting aswell ! @imjadeja looking great how good has he become batting lowerdown the order for🇮🇳 ! Great start for @RealShubmanGill ! We are looking good for a decent lead 🏽 — Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) December 27, 2020Jadeja’s belief in his own batting abilities has gone to another level....no longer playing as a bowler who could bat. But plays as a proper batsman whenever he has the bat in hand. Responsibility and confidence. #AusvInd — Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 27, 2020Don’t forget @imjadeja’s contribution in India’s splendid performance today. Played equal part with Rahane in blunting Aussie bowlers with patience, concentration and a stout heart. His batting has improved by leaps and bounds in last couple of years — Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) December 27, 2020Clearly one of his finest hundreds. Leading a team bowled out for 36 and written off by the world, this innings is defined by the word character. Superbly played @ajinkyarahane88 and brilliant support from @imjadeja India inching closer to a sizeable lead. — Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) December 27, 2020Jadeja's spot shouldn't be questioned in any format. — Heisenberg (@internetumpire) December 27, 2020I think jaddus inning was the highlight of the day 2 he gave the solidarity to the partnership with jinks which have made the significant difference and may be it would be the outcome of the test match... — Yateen (@Yateen0403) December 27, 2020 View the full article
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Kolkata Knight Riders have been on a roll since the beginning of this year's Indian Premier League. Earning a comfortable victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their first match, they scored an exceptional 218 at home, against Kings XI Punjab to win with a margin of 24 runs. As a matter of fact, the veteran Robin Uthappa has played a big part in winning both. Getting a good start against SRH, he was unfortunately bowled out by Siddharth Kaul in the 12th over with a decent score of 35. © Instagram/KKR But this time he entered the field with more conviction and made sure he didn't do any silly mistakes, which eventually took him to the score of an unbeaten 67 in their share of 20 overs. Adding both the scores of 35 and 67, Uthappa has bagged 102 runs till now, which puts him at the third spot in the quest for the 'Orange Cap,' while his teammate Nitish Rana sits on the top. The trio of Rana, Uthappa and Dinesh Karthik provides KKR with some solid middle order base, later backed up by the young Shubhman Gill and the power-house Andre Russell, making them one of the most dangerous batting sides in the tournament.
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Arguably one of the most feared openers in limited-overs cricket, Shikhar Dhawan has proved to be a vital cog for India while batting at the top in international cricket. The left-handed batsman, alongside Rohit Sharma, also forges a deadly opening pair that is more than capable of giving the opposition bowlers a run for their money. But, for someone who is bestowed with the responsibility of getting his team to a flying start, Dhawan has struggled to get going, let alone aid Team India with consistent knocks. If his last five One-Day International (ODI innings read: 1, 21, 0, 6 and 13, the fact that he hasn't scored a hundred in the 50-over format after 17 matches and nearly six months, goes on to highlight his misery. And, as India continue to find the right team balance ahead of the ICC World Cup, Dhawan's dip in form was a major concern for the selectors. In fact, Dhawan's inconsistency with the willow earned him a lot of flak and saw him getting demoted from an A-plus (Rs 7 cr) contract to an A (Rs 5 cr) grade category in the players' annual contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Twitter/@BCCI However, on 10th March, none of those things mattered as the left-handed batsman played one the best ODI knocks of his career. The 33-year-old smashed a blistering 143 runs off just 115 balls, including 18 fours and three sixes to power India to a formidable total of 358 runs during 4th ODI against Australia. It was Dhawan's 16th ODI hundred and third (in the 50-over format) against the Aussies. For someone who scored his last ODI hundred during the 2018 Asia Cup last September, Dhawan looked in ominous form right from the start as he hammered the Australian bowlers all around the park with relative ease. He also stitched a mammoth 193-run opening partnership with Rohit who missed out on a potential ton by a mere five runs. Twitter/@BCCI Dhawan was eventually bowled by Pat Cummins in the 38th over after his effort to heave the ball over midwicket failed miserably. Following his dismissal, the likes of Rishabh Pant (36), KL Rahul (26) and Vijay Shankar (26) all played a crucial role in ensuring India didn't lose momentum later in the match. While Dhawan would surely rue missing out on his 150, the Indian opener strokeful innings and return to form had the Indian fans lauding his effort. So happy for Shikhar Dhawan! He is a fantastic one day batsman and now he has got a big score under his belt. And yes, well done to the selectors for picking him this game. ðð#INDvAUS — Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) March 10, 2019 This is simply sensational striking from Shikhar Dhawan. Only seeing the gaps, oblivious to the presence of fielders — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 10, 2019 Dhawan and Mohali. The story continues. Much needed century.... ðð #IndvAus — Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 10, 2019 Dhawan's preferred cricket: *ICC tournaments *Tests at Galle *Australia at Mohali #AUSvIND — Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) March 10, 2019 Century for @SDhawan25. Relief and joy for him, team managment and selectors — Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 10, 2019 Such a relief to see Shikhar among runs again. If he continues, Indian middle order will be in a very comfortable position! #INDvAUS @SDhawan25 — R P Singh रà¥à¤¦à¥à¤° पà¥à¤°à¤¤à¤¾à¤ª सिà¤à¤¹ (@rpsingh) March 10, 2019 Love it when a player is under the microscope and he pulls out a gem of an innings. @SDhawan25 well batted. Australia have a fight on their hands tonight. #AUSvIND #cricket — Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) March 10, 2019 Well played @SDhawan25 Much awaited innings. Keep going. Onwards and upwards. #INDvsAUS — Unmukt Chand (@UnmuktChand9) March 10, 2019
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In the last two months, on a couple of occasions, former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has found himself in one of the most tricky scenarios for any batsmen. When the middle order collapses faster than melting ice, Dhoni's ability to stay on the crease has forced him to try and build partnerships with tailenders, especially when the Indian cricket team is not doing so well coming up with a respectable total to pose a real threat to the opposition. Under such 'Do or Die' circumstances, Dhoni is known to often stick with the third option: stay on the line and try to build a good total, even if it means that his knock is relatively slower than how it should have been; the alternative being getting out while going for a hasty shot. During the first Twenty20 match against the visiting Australian cricket team, Dhoni was put under a similar situation yet again. With Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik and Krunal Pandya sent back to the dressing room for cheap, Dhoni had one and only one objective in his head: Help India play till the end. Agreed, his pace was too slow, especially for a T20I match, even then India played all 20 overs and were able to put a number which was a lot more than it could have been if Mahi had gotten out in foolishness. If we had won the game, the narrative towards Dhoni's batting would certainly have been a lot different but because all wasn't rosy at the end, he was scrutinised by the self-proclaimed cricket pundits online: Ball to Dhoni ð #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/XPqVIHoh3B — Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRai) February 24, 2019 #INDvAUS Waiting for Dhoni to hit his first boundary of the innings pic.twitter.com/zzZ2kh6I3s — Faking News (@fakingnews) February 24, 2019 Does MSD think only he can bat..?.. Doesnt good sight to see that he can't even give strike to #9 and he himself won't score.. not good at all..#Dhoni #INDvAUS — Akshay Hegde (@AAkshayHegde) February 24, 2019 However, Aussie all-rounder Glenn Maxwell came to the veteran's rescue when he said it was “fair enough” for Dhoni to turn down singles with his innings coming to an end, especially due to the slow and low nature of the pitch. According to cricket.com.au, Maxwell said: "MS is obviously a world-class finisher and even he was finding it hard to hit the middle of the bat… I think it was right of him to try and farm the strike and he hit a six in the last over… If you're holding MS to one boundary in the last few overs it's a pretty good effort and also a sign of the conditions as well.” There is not doubting Dhoni's abilities to finish games for the Men in Blue. More often than not, we have seen the man perform to the best of his abilities in clutch situations while also winning games with massive sixes on the last ball. It was just one of those days when things didn't turn out to be the way one hoped for. Even then, the fact that the Indian side was able to hold off the Australians to a nail-biting last-ball game winner was made possible with a great deal of credit going to MS Dhoni.
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It felt like smooth sailing for the Indian cricket team as the score read 'Australia 26/2'. Enter Shaun Marsh, who had scored 54 but was caught out by Mohammed Shami off Kuldeep Yadav in the first ODI, and oh, how things changed. The way the wickets were falling for the Indian bowlers, Marsh was presumed to be no more than a small curb in their way. Boy, were they wrong. A brilliant performance from Shaun Marsh to post his 7th ODI hundred!#AUSvIND | @toyota_aus pic.twitter.com/ikonMqRz99 — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 15, 2019 Forgetting the batting woes of his past, especially in the longest format of the game, Marsh looked a new man. Putting up massive partnerships, first with Usman Khawaja (53 runs) and later on with Glenn Maxwell (93 runs), Marsh was reaching for the boundary at will. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and even debutant Mohammed Siraj were all taken to school as the Aussie batsman hit a total of 11 fours and three sixes in his 131-run innings, which makes it his best innings in Australia till date. The ton is his seventh overall and also makes him the first Australian to score in three digits in any international format of the game, since Marsh had scored 106 in the third ODI in South Africa on 11th November, last year. His performance against India comes at the best possible time, especially when the selectors at Cricket Australia are looking for in-form players to prepare the best team that they can for the upcoming 2019 ICC World Cup. With Australia's best cricketers namely Steve Smith and David Warner having suspended contracts under Cricket Australia for the infamous ball-tampering case against South Africa in March, last year, and Tim Paine's excruciating failure as the skipper during the Border-Gavaskar cup against India, the team is desperately searching for a good leader and Shaun Marsh fits all the categories like a glove. While the Australian fans are head over heels after the batsman's exceptional knock, the Indian fans didn't shy away either from commending his efforts: More than enough. This Indian side is not capable of chasing 200. — Mrityunjay (@BhartiyeBeta) January 15, 2019 Congrats Shaun ðð — Anuva Samantsinghar (@AnuvaAnushka) January 15, 2019 Brilliant to see this guy , back in form — Abhishek (@AbhishekAFCx) January 15, 2019 Wao! Good contribution. — Jahangeermalik (@Jhangeermalik78) January 15, 2019 Virat kohli and his team selection for India - pic.twitter.com/AOfjKPEm7l — El chapo (@rohitraut59) January 15, 2019
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In the world of club football, a wise man once said: “it's more difficult to stay at the top, rather than getting there”. And, nothing describes the state of affairs at Liverpool in the Premier League better than the quote mentioned above. Giving their opponents a run for their money on the back of consistent performances, Liverpool's title charge suffered a rather noticeable blow when they lost 2-1 to Manchester City at the Etihad. And, if that wasn't enough, the fact that they've now lost to Wolves by the same margin in the FA Cup, further dents their reputation as the 'invincibles'. While the FA Cup holds little value for EPL title-chasing giants like Liverpool, their loss, still, highlights their frailties, even if Jurgen Klopp was forced to rotate his flu-hit squad against the Wolves. As many as nine changes were made to Liverpool's starting XI, that was later deemed as a 'fringe side' on the social media. © Reuters “After the Man City game, we had immediately a few players who were ill, who showed [a] sore throat and what you can have in this period of the year. So, they were not even in after the City game. Pretty much all the players who were not here today had flu problems - apart from Ali [Alisson]. And, so, we had late changes,” Klopp defended the changes he made against Wolves. Opting for Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi up front, Liverpool lacked teeth in their attack which is generally carried on by the lethal trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane. Amid lack of options, Klopp also handed competitive debuts to 17-year-old Curtis Jones and 18-year-old Rafa Camacho. Few minutes into the game, the Reds were dealt with a major blow as Dejan Lovren limped off the field with a hamstring injury, paving way for Ki-Jana Hoever who, at the age of 16, became the third youngest player in club's history. A youthful side, as many might call them, still had senior players including Simon Mignolet, Alberto Moreno and Sturridge. But the fact that these three stars have hardly featured for Liverpool this season, was clearly on display during their lacklustre show against Wolves. Raul Jimenez opened the scoring for Wolves in the 38th minute to send the home crowd into delirium. But, Origi restored parity in the second half to level the proceedings for his side with his 51st-minute goal. But, in the end, it was Ruben Neves' strike that clinched the win for the Nuno Espirito Santo side and knocked the Reds out of the FA Cup. © Reuters Despite fielding a young team and inefficiency of senior players, things could have still gone their way if it wasn't for a James Milner error or Xherdan Shaqiri hitting the post with a well-guided free-kick. But, it wasn't meant to be. Having lost two games on the trot, Liverpool will be eager to pick themselves up when they travel to Falmer stadium to take on Brighton in their next Premier League. Yes we played a bad line-up but this defeat is good for us, we can focus on the CL and the prem — Y.N.W.A (@xMiczz) January 7, 2019 Wonder why Klopp never takes this Cup seriously? Every other team does but us? If we were playing a league 2 team or below I'd understand the youth players but that team vs a full strength Wolves team? What's the point #WOLLIV — Tom (@_TomLFC_) January 7, 2019 I'm honestly piping with rage. How could we let this opportunity slip through our fingers like that? Absolute group of bottlers we have on our hands. Really shocking. #KloppOUT — #KloppOUT (@KloppMustGo) January 7, 2019 HAHAHA Another trophy-less season, #KloppTheFlop — Joey (@TammyBaebraham) January 7, 2019 Top of the table pic.twitter.com/itwJHlqKzX — Top Football (@TopFootballYt) January 7, 2019
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Kolkata Knight Riders' Piyush Chawla (L), captain Dinesh Karthik (C) and Kuldeep Yadav celebrate after taking the wicket of Rajasthan Royals' Sanju Samson during the 2018 IPL at The Eden Gardens in Kolkata on May 23, 2018. Photo: AFPKOLKATA:...
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Over the years, MS Dhoni has earned plaudits from cricket bigwigs and wowed fans through his ever-increasing contribution to the game. The Indian cricket team has benefitted immensely from his leadership skills, while his explosive batting and lightning-quick glovework made him their prized possession. But, in the recent years, Dhoni lost his Team India captaincy to Virat Kohli and his finishing abilities in the middle-order noticeably came a notch down. Seeing Dhoni struggle with the willow did leave the fans disheartened, but their broken hearts would have undoubtedly received some much-needed healing after witnessing their favorite cricketer's exploits in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Not only are his leadership skills taking the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to places, Dhoni's long-lost finishing abilities, too, seem to have come to the fore. After his unbeaten 79 in the losing cause against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in Mohali, Dhoni turned the clock back to unleash his inner 'The Finisher' that his fans have missed all these years. © BCCI Walking in to bat with Chennai requiring 132 runs off 66 balls, Dhoni gave adequate support to Ambati Rayudu in the middle as the duo stitched a 101-run partnership for the fifth wicket to keep Chennai in the hunt. The two Chennai batsmen took calculated risks and targeted specific bowlers for playing the big shots. And, even after Rayudu fell prey to Umesh Yadav's direct hit, Dhoni carried the mantle for his side. With 31 runs needed off 13 balls, Dhoni remained calm and continued his barrage of explosive strokes. He rattled the nerves of Mohammed Siraj in the penultimate over after clobbering him for a towering six which was followed by three consecutive wides by the youngster. The legend grows. #MSDhoni — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 25, 2018 If Dhoni's ability to efficiently pace the innings and accelerate in the right moments of the game didn't capture the imagination of the fans, his towering six over the cow corner to seal the game for Chennai, took everyone back to his iconic 2011 World Cup final hit that led Team India to the title. An unbeaten 70 off 34 balls, coming at a strike-rate of over 200, Dhoni's brutal knock was decorated with a four and seven sixes - the most he has ever hit in a single IPL innings. It was an innings that reminisced Dhoni of the yesteryears, proving that the former Indian captain might be getting old, but he has not forgotten how to wield a bat. And, the reactions of some of the biggest names in cricket summed it all. 'The King Is Still Alive' The King is still alive ..... Incredible @msdhoni ..... #IPL2018 — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) April 25, 2018 'The Real Universe Boss' Oh my God....please let me sleepð why did you have to make @ChennaiIPL so awesome, @msdhoni the real universe boss and @RayuduAmbati Mr Iceman you have me so excited for the rest of this years @IPL I can't sleep #WhistlePodu #unbelievable @StarSportsIndia — Matthew Hayden AM (@HaydosTweets) April 25, 2018 'The Match Stick Dynamite' MSD Match Stick Dynamite! He's the firestarter and he's the fire! BOOMð¥ð¥ð¥ð¥#CSK — Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) April 25, 2018 'I Am Legend' He writes his own scripts.@msdhoni “I Am Legend”#RCBvCSK @IPL #KentCricketLive #SelectDugout — Alan Wilkins (@alanwilkins22) April 25, 2018 The Ultimate Compilation SWEET!#RCBvCSK #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/0Wwpbmrjtx — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 25, 2018
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Ahead of the Nidahas Trophy final, cricket fans or pundits wouldn't have even bothered about the future of Dinesh Karthik in the Indian team, let alone praise him for one of the best finishes in a T20 match. But, during India's thrilling contest against Bangladesh on Sunday, Karthik's artistry with the willow propelled him to one of the rare moments of glory in his, otherwise tumultuous, career. His manic eight-ball 29 meant that India pulled an emphatic win from the jaw of a certain defeat, while Bangladesh - who dominated the better part of the second innings - were left stunned and, later, red-faced. His blistering knock didn't just earn him the Man of the Match award but also allowed the Indian wicket-keeper to find a special place in the hearts of a billion emotional cricket fans across the country. © Twitter From cricket bigwigs to Bollywood celebrities, the congratulatory messages poured in from every corner of the country. But, amidst all the praise, there was a special message from arguably one of the most important people in Karthik's life - his wife Dipika Pallikal. â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸ pic.twitter.com/E7HQHWEVAF — Dipika Pallikal (@DipikaPallikal) March 19, 2018 The acclaimed squash player was over the moon and couldn't hide her excitement before tweeting out hearts to laud her husband. The duo, who got married in 2015, make one of the most glamorous couples in the country. Pallikal, being an acclaimed squash player herself, knows too well the effort it takes to succeed at the international level. #proudwife â¤ï¸ A post shared by Dipika Pallikal Karthik (@dipikapallikal) on Mar 18, 2018 at 11:19pm PDT Later, she took to Instagram and shared her happiness following the heroics of her husband. She posted a picture of Karthik and added the hashtag 'proud wife'. Karthik's explosive innings will also serve as a major boost to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the upcoming eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) teams. After former skipper Gautam Gambhir moved back to Delhi Daredevils, the right-hander will be seen calling the shots as the KKR captain this season.