Inzamam-ul-Haq takes heavy paycut for Pakistan coaching job: Report

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New Delhi: In order to become the next coach of the Pakistan cricket team, former cricketer Inzamam-ul-Haq has agreed to take a heavy pay cut.

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Inzamam-ul-Haq quits as Afghanistan coach to become Pakistan chief selector

According to a report in The Indian Express, Inzy took a hefty pay cut of 4 lakh rupees from existing monthly salary of 12 lakh that he drew from Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).
Earlier, the Pakistani legend resigned after almost eight months before the expiry of his contract with the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
According to a statement ACB, Inzamam resigned from his post considering his national obligations, pointing towards upheaval in Pakistan cricket.

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The statement by ACB further added that Inzamam has hailed the professional co-operation of the Afghan team and cricket board, khaama. com reported on Sunday.
ACB also added that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan spoke regarding Inzamam’s resignation as Afghanistan cricket head coach had requested Shafiqullah Stanikzai to cooperate in this regard.
Under Inzamam, Afghanistan had a decent outing at the ICC World Twenty20, where they defeated West Indies, who went on to win their second title.
Source-- zeenews.india.

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Indian Premier League, Match 13: Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Preview

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Mohali: Having notched up their first victory against Pune Supergiants, an upbeat Kings XI Punjab face the all-round might of two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League cricket tournament encounter, here on Tuesday.

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While KKR have four points from three games with two wins under their belt, Kings XI opened their account with a six-wicket win against Pune yesterday.
On paper, KKR are overwhelming favourites against Punjab with a more balanced outfit but reputations count for little in the shortest format as most of the contests are won on the day.
Expect an interesting battle between KKR's much vaunted batting line-up against KXIP's bowling which has looked disciplined during their last match against Pune on a two-paced wicket.

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So there could be some intriguing smaller battle within the battles. How Gambhir tackles Mohit Sharma's slower deliveries or how Sandeep Sharma can stop Andre Russell from hitting those towering sixes.
It will also be a challenge for KXIP spinners like Axar Patel as KKR is one side which has quality batsmen against slow bowlers.
For Knight Riders, the best part about their journey since Gambhir taking over in 2011 is the amount of consistency that they have shown over the years.
Not only have they won the title twice in 2012 and 2014 but more importantly have stuck with their core group of players in thick and thin during these years.
Skipper Gambhir, opener Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have all settled down in their respective roles in the past few years giving them a dangerous look despite the absence of a huge star in the ranks of a Kohli, Dhoni or AB de Villiers.
They have been more or less clinical in their two wins against Daredevils at home and Sunrisers in an away game. The loss against Mumbai Indians could be attributed more to Rohit Sharma's individual brilliance backed up nicely by Jos Buttler's pyrotechnics.

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IPL 2016: Probably we should have got 200 runs, says KKR's Manish Pandey after MI loss

The best part about KKR's campaign so far has been Gambhir's form as he is on top of the run-getters' table with 192 runs at a healthy strike-rate of 125.49. He has been playing the role of sheet anchor to perfection as has forged a good opening partnership with Robin Uthappa.
Uthappa's 81 runs in three matches may not look big in terms of volume but in both the wins, his contributions have been 35 and 38.
While it may not actually be a cause of worry, the nine-wicket win against Daredevils and eight-wicket win against Sunrisers but KKR's middle-order has not been put to test during the three matches that they have played.
However with a three-pronged spin attack of Narine, Piyush Chawla and Shakib Al Hasan, KKR can put the KXIP batting to test which has not been very consistent in their three matches so far.
Apart from these three, KKR also have veteran chinaman bowler Brad Hogg, who has also done well in the two matches that he has played.
The pace duties are expected to be shared between Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav and Russell.
In KXIP team, Manan Vohra, who has scored 38, 32 and 51 in the three matches, the others have not lived upto the expectations. Glenn Maxwell's 14-ball-32 did help in their win against Pune Supergiants but Maxwell has had a struggle on Indian pitches since the start of the World T20.
The big shots have not come off as frequently as he would have expected. The worrying factor for KXIP is Maxwell's 34 runs in 3 matches and skipper David Miller's 31 in 3 games.
That has put the team under lot of pressure with another seasoned campaigner Shaun Marsh scoring only 17 in 2 games.
But in the three games, the shining light for KXIP has been their two pacers Sandeep Sharma (4 wickets) and Mohit Sharma (3 wickets), especially Mohit, who is also coming back from an injury. They have had decent economy rates of 5.55 and 6.57 respectively in the three matches so far.
He has shown the ability to mix and match his deliveries, varying the pace effectively during death overs. Sandeep has also bowled in good areas.
The problem area for KXIP in their bowling has been spinners Axar Patel and Pardeep Sahu, both of whom have leaked runs in the three matches that they have played. KXIP will certainly look at trying out someone in place of Sahu -- may be mystery spinner KC Cariappa or India discard all-rounder Gurkeerat Singh Mann.
Teams (from):
Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautham Gambhir (capt), Piyush Chawla, John Hastings, Brad Hogg, Jason Holder, Sheldon Jackson, Kuldeep Yadav, Chris Lynn, Manan Sharma, Morne Morkel, Colin Munro, Sunil Narine, Manish Pandey, Yusaf Pathan, Ankit Rajput, Andre Russell, Rajgopal Satish, Shakib Al Hasan, Jaydev Unadkat, Robin Uthappa, Suryakumar Yadav and Umesh Yadav.
Kings XI Punjab: Kings XI Punjab: David Miller (Capt.), Kyle Abbott, Murali Vijay, Manan Vohra, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Anureet Singh, Axar Patel, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Pardeep Sahu, Sandeep Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Marcus Stoinis, Swapnil Singh, Armaan Jaffer, Farhaan Behardien, KC Cariappa, Rishi Dhawan, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Nikhil Naik, Shardul Thakur.
Match Starts at 8 pm.
Source- zeenews.india.

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ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016 schedule announced

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the schedule of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016, which will be held across eight venues in four Bangladesh cities from 27 January to 14 February 2016.

Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka and Sylhet will share 48 matches between them during the 19-day tournament, which will open with the match between defending champion South Africa and host Bangladesh at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong.

The tournament will culminate with the final at the iconic Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. All matches will be day fixtures and will start at 0930 local time. The Super League semi-finals and final will have reserve days.

For the first time in the history of this competition, ICC will produce live broadcast coverage of an unprecedented 20 matches. The matches which will be shown around the world by ICC broadcast partner, Star Sports and its licensees. include four from Chittagong, nine from Mirpur and seven from Fatullah. In the 2014 event in the UAE, Star Sports and its licensees had broadcast 11 matches, while 10 matches each were televised from the 2008, 2010 and 2012 events in Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia respectively. More details on broadcast coverage of the event will be announced in due course.

This increased broadcast coverage is a clear reflection in the enhanced profile of the event, which is billed as the platform for future stars. This claim can be substantiated by the fact that nine of the 10 current Test captains have previously played in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cups, while Pakistan’s One-Day International captain Azhar Ali participated in the 2002 tournament in New Zealand.

Announcing the schedule, ICC General Manager – Cricket, Geoff Allardice, said: “The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup an event which provides talented youngsters an early taste of international cricket in a global setting. Countless players have come through this event, and emerged shortly afterwards on to the international arena.


“It is at this tournament that the players also receive important education on topics such anti-doping and anti-corruption, which provides them a head start on the challenges that lie ahead for professional sportsmen.

“Bangladesh has staged a number of ICC events in the past and all these have been hugely successful because of the passionate and enthusiastic crowds as well as high quality playing facilities.”

According to the event format, the 16 sides have been equally divided into four groups of four each, with the top two from each group progressing to the Super League stage and the bottom two to feature in the Plate Championship.

Apart from the 10 Test playing countries, six Associate and Affiliate Member sides – Afghanistan, Canada, Fiji, Namibia, Nepal and Scotland – will also participate after winning the various regional qualifying events.

Reflecting on his time at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2006 in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, said: “I played in the 2006 event and it prepared me for the international stage. So, when I went to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 the following year, I had a fairly good idea of what to expect.

“The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is like a dress rehearsal for the senior level.  It is the first stepping stone for every international cricketer. You can actually get a reasonable picture of the future. The genuine articles, the ones that are going to proceed to the next level and beyond can be identified here if you take a good look.”

Previous winners

1988 – Australia	1998 - England	2000 - India
2002 – Australia	2004 – Pakistan	2006 - Pakistan
2008 - India	2010 – Australia	2012 - India
2014 – South Africa

Groups

GROUP A	GROUP B	GROUP C	GROUP D
South Africa	Pakistan	England	Australia
Bangladesh	Sri Lanka	West Indies	India
Scotland	Afghanistan	Zimbabwe	New Zealand
Namibia	Canada	Fiji	Nepal

Warm-up matches
22 Jan – West Indies v Scotland, Fatullah; South Africa v Fiji, Fatullah Outer
23 Jan – Pakistan v Nepal, BKSP-1; Sri Lanka v New Zealand, BKSP-2; Afghanistan v Australia, BKSP-3; India v Canada, BKSP-4; England v Namibia, MAAS, Chittagong; Bangladesh v Zimbabwe, ZACS, Chittagong
24 Jan – South Africa v West Indies, Fatullah; Scotland v Fiji, Fatullah Outer
25 Jan – Afghanistan v New Zealand, BKSP-1; Sri Lanka v Nepal, BKSP-2; Australia v Canada, BKSP-3; Pakistan v India, BKSP-4; Zimbabwe v Namibia, MAAS, Chittagong; England v Bangladesh, ZACS, Chittagong

Tournament matches
Group matches
27 Jan – England v Fiji, MAAS, Chittagong; South Africa v Bangladesh*, ZACS, Chittagong
28 Jan – Australia v India*, Mirpur; New Zealand v Nepal, Fatullah; Pakistan v Afghanistan, SICS, Sylhet; Sri Lanka v Canada, SDS, Sylhet
29 Jan – Zimbabwe v Fiji, MAAS, Chittagong; England v West Indies*, ZACS, Chittagong; Scotland v Namibia, Cox’s Bazar (main)
30 Jan – India v New Zealand*, Mirpur; Australia v Nepal, Fatullah; Sri Lanka v Afghanistan, SICS, Sylhet; Pakistan v Canada, SDS, Sylhet
31 Jan – West Indies v Fiji, MAAS, Chittagong; England v Zimbabwe*, ZACS, Chittagong; Bangladesh v Scotland, Cox’s Bazar (main); South Africa v Namibia, Cox’s Bazar (second)
1 Feb – India v Nepal*, Mirpur; Australia v New Zealand, Fatullah; Afghanistan v Canada, SICS, Sylhet
2 Feb – West Indies v Zimbabwe*, ZACS, Chittagong; Bangladesh v Namibia, Cox’s Bazar (main); South Africa v Scotland, Cox’s Bazar (second)
3 Feb – Pakistan v Sri Lanka*, Mirpur

Plate Championship
4 Feb – Plater quarter-final 1 (AA3 v DD4), Cox’s Bazar (main); Plate quarter-final 3 (DD3 v AA4), Cox’s Bazar (second)
5 Feb – Plate quarter-final 2 (BB3 v CC4), Cox’s Bazar (main); Plate quarter-final 4 (CC3 v BB4), Cox’s Bazar (second)
7 Feb – Plate play/off semi 1 (loser PQF1 v loser PQF4), Cox’s Bazar (main)
8 Feb – Plate semi-final 1 (winner PQF1 v winner PQF4), Cox’s Bazar (main); Plate play/off 2 (loser PQF2 v loser PQF3), Cox’s Bazar (second)
9 Feb – Plate semi-final 2 (winner PQF2 v winner PQF3), Cox’s Bazar (second)
10 Feb – Plate play/off for 13^th/14^th positions (winner plate play/off semi-final 1 v winner plate play/off semi-final 2), Cox’s Bazar (main)
11 Feb – Plate play/off for 15^th/16th positions (loser plate play/off semi-final 1 v loser plate play/off semi-final 2), Cox’s Bazar (second
12 Feb – Plate final (winner plate semi-final 1 v winner plate semi-final 2), Cox’s Bazar (main); plate play/off for 11^th/ 12^th positions (loser plate semi-final 1 v loser plate semi-final 2), Cox’s Bazar (second)

Super League
5 Feb – Super League quarter-final 1* (AA1 v DD2), Mirpur
6 Feb – Super League quarter-final 3* (DD1 v AA2), Fatullah
7 Feb – Super League quarter-final 4* (CC1 v BB2), Mirpur
8 Feb – Super League quarter-final 2* (BB1 v CC2), Fatullah
9 Feb – Super League semi-final 1* (winner Super League quarter-final 1 v winner Super League quarter-final 4), Mirpur; Super League play/off semi-final 1* (loser Super League quarter-final 1 v loser Super League quarter-final 4), Fatullah
10 Feb – Super League play/off semi-final 2* (loser Super League quarter-final 2 v loser Super League quarter-final 3), Fatullah
11 Feb – Super League semi-final 2* (winner Super League quarter-final 2 v winner Super League quarter-final 3), Mirpur; Super League play/off 7^th/8^th positions* (loser Super League play/off semi-final 1 v loser Super League play/off semi-final 2), Fatullah
12 Feb – Super League play/off for 5^th/6^th positions* (winner Super League play/off semi-final 1 v winner Super League play/off Super League semi-final 2), Fatullah
13 Feb – Super League play/off four 3^rd/4^th positions* (loser Super League semi-final 1 v loser Super League semi-final 2), Fatullah
14 Feb – Super League final* (winner Super League semi-final 1 v winner Super League semi-final 2), Mirpur
 source-.tigercric

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Know the Premier League Teams, post-draft

The Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2016 will be starting from April 22nd. This is the most prestigious cricket league of Bangladesh, with 12 clubs participating in it for the ultimate glory.  The Players' Draft was held and here are the teams after the draft.

Prime Bank Cricket Club

Sabbir Rahman, Taibur Rahman Parvez, Md. Nazmul Islam Apu, Rubel Hossain, Yasir Ali Rabbi, Monir Hossain Khan, Shenaz Ahmed, Md. Azim, Jony Talukdar, Yasir Arafat Mishu, Nurul Hasan Sohan (retained), Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury (retained)


Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club

Nasir Hossain, Farhad Reza, Rakibul Hasan (Jnr.), Al-Amin Hossain, Rahatul Ferdous, Imtiaz Hossain Tanna, Sahagir Hossain Pavel, Md. Ziaur Rahman, Md. Zakaria Masud, Rony Talukder (retained), Sanjamul Islam (retained)


Dhaka Abahani Ltd

Tamim Iqbal Khan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Taski Ahmed, Saklain Sajib, Abul Hasan Raju, Avishek Mitra, Jubair Hossain Likhon, Taposh Baishay, Amitav Kumar Noyon, Abu Bakker Siddique, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Kumar Das (retained), Mosaddek Hossain (retained)


Kalabagan Cricket Academy

Irfan Sukkur, Bishonath Haldar, Mayshukur Rahman, Abu Jayed Chowdhury, Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi, Ad. Abdul Halim, Prosonjit Das, Nur Hossain Munna, Taposh Ghosh, Rifat Pradhan, Didar Hossain Imran, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (retained), Md. Mahmudul Hasan Leemon (retained)


Mohammedan Sporting Club

Mushfiqur Rahim, Saikat Ali, Ezaz Ahmed, Nayeem Islam (jnr.), Enamul Haque (jnr.), Nazmul Hossain Milon, Shuvashish Roy Chowdhury, Hamidul Islam Himel, Habibur Rahman Jony, Nazmul Hossain, Sayed Golam Kibria, Mustafizur Rahman, Nayeem Islam (retained), Mr Ariful Haque (retained)


Legends of Rupganj

Soumya Sarker, Taijul Islam, Asif Ahmed Ratul, Abu Haider Rony, Zunaed Siddique, Alauddin Babu, Mizanur Rahman, Mehede Hasan Rana, Nahidul Islam, Sajjadul Haque Ripon, Murad Khan, Shaheen Hossain, Mithun Ali, Jahurul Islam (retained), Khandokar Musharraf Hossain (retained)


Victoria Sporting Club

Mominul Haque, Dhiman Ghosh, Al-Amin (jnr.), Abdul Majid, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Fazle Rabbi Mahmud, Anamul Haque, Jubair Ahmed, Dollar Mahmud, Mahamdul Haque Setu, Humayan Kabir Shahin, Nadif Chowdhury (retained), Sohrawardi Shuvo (retained)


Brothers Union

Imrul Kayes, Md. Zakir Hasan, Shahriar Nafees Ahmed, Mohammad Shahid, Nabil Samad, Ahmed Sadikur Rahman, Sanjit Saha Dip, Tushar Imran, Nur Alam Saddam, Nafees Iqbal Khan, Rumman Ahmed, Sheikh Najmul Hossain, Asif Hassan (retained), Iftekhar Sazzad Rony (retained)


Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Ltd

Mahmudullah Riyad, Marshall Ayub, Moktar Ali, Joyraz Sheikh, Shafiul Islam, Nazmus Sadat, Zabid Hossain, Rasel Al Mamun, Mahbubul Karim Mithu, Abdur Rahman Rony, Shohag Gazi (retained), Arafat Sunny (retained)

Kalabagan Krira Chakra

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Md. Sharifullah, Md. Sadman Isam Anik, Md. Tanvir Haider Khan, Mehrab Hossain (jnr.), Nihad Uz Zaman, Md. Jashimuddin, Dewan Sabbir Ahmed, Md. Hasanuzzaman, Robiul Islam Shiblu, Shoriful Islam, Abdur Razzak (retained), Tasamul Haque Rubel (retained)


Cricket Coaching School

Nasum Ahmed, Saeed Sarkar, Rajin Saleh, Amit Majumdar, Saleh Ahmed Shawon Gazi, Salman Hossain Emon, Refatuzzaman Ovi, Ali Ahmed Manik, Mehrab Hossain Joshi, Md. Saif Hassan (retained), Md. Saifuddin (retained)


Gazi Group Cricketers

Anamul Haque Bijoy, Shamsur Rahman Shuvo, Mehedi Hasan, Mohammad Sharif, Md. Farhad Hossain, Delwar Hossain, Mr. Furkan, Abu Sayeem Chowdhury, Nasir Uddin Faruque, Sajedul Islam, Imamul Mustakin Russell, Alok Kapali (retained), Mohammad Elias (retained)
source-ww.tigercricke

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Tigers dominate the WT20 2016 stat charts

Despite Bangladesh exiting the ICC Wt20 2016 from the Super 10 stage, the Tigers have been pretty dominant in the tournament stat charts. A few of the feats of Bangladesh players have stayed unbeaten at the end of the event.

Tamim Iqbal was the first to score a century for Bangladesh in T20Is, and he chose the occasion of WT20 2016 to do that. He was also the first to score a century in the tournament. Tamim carried his bat during the century and stayed not out at 103, the feat of being the highest individual scorer being unbroken throughout. Chris Gayle also scored an unbeaten century, but he scored exactly 100 in the match against England. Tamim Iqbal bagged two Player of the Match awards for his unbeaten 83 in Bangladesh’s first match and then again for his 103* against Oman.

The dashing opener from Bangladesh is also the highest run getter of WT20 2016 with 295 runs in 6 matches, sitting above Player of the Tournament Virat Kohli of India, who scored 273 runs in his 5 matches. Tamim hit the most sixes (14) in the process, another feat of his which stays at the top of the charts. He has hit 24 boundaries, sharing the third position with Joe Root, sitting below Kohli (29) and Samuels (26). Tamim Iqbal is also positioned number four with most fours (10) and sixes in an innings (5), both feat achieved in that devastating innings he played against Oman.

Mustafizur Rahman played only three matches in WT20 2016, but holds the feat of the Best Bowling Figures of the tournament, with 5-22 against New Zealand. He is one of the two bowlers who clinched a fifer in the event, Faulkner being the other one (5-27). Mustafizur took 9 wickets in the 3 matches he played for his side and also has the best strike rate (8.00) among the bowlers.

Shakib Al Hasan also enlisted his name at the top five in the bowling charts. He took a total of 10 wickets in 7 matches and positions himself among the top five most wicket-taking bowlers. With the best bowling figures of 4-15 against Oman in Bangladesh’s last match of the first round of matches, the all-rounder from Bangladesh also kept his name in the best bowling figures of the tournament.

There had been a good lot of individual achievements for the Tigers in ICC WT20 2016. Bangladesh came close to winning against India and had a close encounter against Australia, but this years’ journey at WT20 ended in a rather disappointing manner against New Zealand. Bangladesh started off their WT20 2016 venture on a high, beating Netherlands, then saw the Ireland match washed away to rain and won the Oman-game convincingly to qualify to the Super 10s.
source-- tigercricket

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English Star forced to retire due to a heart condition

England and Nottinghamshire batsman James Taylor’s has unfortunately retired from cricket after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition. Taylor originally withdrew himself from last week’s fixture against Cambridge MCCU with an illness then thought to be a viral condition. Following the withdrawal, specialist scans revealed yesterday that the 26-year-old has been suffering from a very serious heart condition, ARVC (Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Arrhythmia). 

England Team Director Andrew Strauss said, "It is both shocking and saddening to hear that James' career has been cut short in such a sudden and unexpected manner. Throughout his career, he has constantly impressed with his determination to make the absolute most of his ability, and it is immensely cruel that such a hard working player will be unable to fulfil his great potential in the international arena.

“The ECB will work closely with Nottinghamshire and together we will do everything possible to help James through this difficult period, and aid him in his recovery."

James Taylor made his debut against South Africa in 2012 and played his last of the seven Tests against the same opposition last winter. He debuted against Ireland in ODIs in 2011, the side he captained his side against last May during England's trip, and played his last ODI against Pakistan in November 2015.


Nottinghamshire Director of Cricket Mick Newell added, "Myself and all of James’ teammates and colleagues are terribly sad to hear this news, which comes as a big shock to us all. He is a model professional, the most hard working I’ve ever known in cricket, making it all the more difficult to accept that his career has been cut short in this way.

“It goes without saying that he has the very best wishes of us all in terms of recovering from his operation, and that we are looking forward to seeing him back at Trent Bridge when he is fit and able.”

The news of James' saddening retirement and illness did come as great shocks to the whole cricket fraternity. Taylor is currently being treated in hospital in Nottingham. The whole cricket world does hope that the attacking English middle order batsman comes back to a normal life soon with a surgery scheduled to take place coming Thursday or Friday.

According to the British Heart Foundation, ARVC is an inherited heart condition that causes the walls of the organ's muscle to stretch, restraining blood flow and progressively worsen over time. As well as causing palpitations, light-headedness and fainting, it carries a risk of sudden death due on exertion. It is not curable but most of the symptoms can be managed using medicine.

Sports Reporter at TigerCricket. He is a Marketing Graduate, and was involved with Cricket at University level. He is extremely passionate about the game and loves to write and perform analytics of the matches at times.
source--tigercricket

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Mustafiz shines in his maiden IPL stint

Despite a defeat for his side, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mustafizur Rahman played his part with the ball in brilliant fashion. The Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 45 runs, posting 227-4 on board, a bit too much for Sunrisers Hyderabad to chase down.

Ashish Nehra dropped down in a groin injury, as the second big blow for the side after Yuvraj missing out. The rest of the bowlers all gave out runs at an economy over 10, whereas Mustafiz kept his economy even below 7, at an innings that yielded 227 runs in 120 deliveries! Mustafizur Rahman’s bowling figures showed 4-0-26-2, which stands that RCB picked up 201-2 in the other 16 overs-absolutely devastating stuff from the devastating batting line-up consisting of Gayle-Virat-AB-Watson-Sarfaraz.

Mustafizur initially was introduced in the powerplay, to bowl the third over and then the sixth. He gave away only 4 runs in his first over, and 6 runs in the second-RCB yielding only 10 runs in the two overs Muustafiz bowled in the powerplay. Warner kept him reserved for the end part of the innings, which was probably not the thing to do with Virat and AB settling down in a pretty easy manner, hitting away all around the grounds. One over in between and then the nineteenth would have been an ideal ask.

The Virat-AB partnership of 157 runs took the game away from Sunrisers, and then the stormy knock from Sarfaraz in the end. Warner looked dangerous in the fight back, but to little effect. Wickets kept on tumbling on frequent basis for his side and the middle order failure brought in tremendous pressure for the lower orders to carry on the run flow to a win, thus resulted in a loss. The next game for Sunrisers Hyderabad is against Mumbai Indians on April 18^th.

About the Author

Minhaz Ali Khan Plabon

Sports Reporter at TigerCricket. He is a Marketing Graduate, and was involved with Cricket at University level. He is extremely passionate about the game and loves to write and perform analytics of the matches at times.
source-.tigercricke

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The ‘switch-story’ with Colin Munro

The Eden Gardens is lit up and the Kolkata Knight Riders are going full throttle in their practice session. In one corner Andre Russell and Yusuf Pathan are giving the white ball a sound thrashing. Coach Jacques Kallis is keeping a keen watch over the nets and alongside him is New Zealand’s Colin Munro. He is having a chat with his ‘cricketing idol’, someone he admired growing up as a young kid in South Africa. “He is one of my biggest cricketing idols. In my opinion he is probably the world’s best all-rounder and the best cricketer the world has ever seen,” Munro says as we take a seat beside the boundary ropes.

He goes on to talk about Kallis with a glint in his eye and in the same breath says, “My intention is to become an all-rounder, not just a batsman who can bowl a couple of overs here and there. I want to be a fine all-rounder and I am working on it really hard. I have had some good interactions with Jacques about playing in different situations and going about my routines. Sometimes I can just go to the nets and have a bit of a slog and feel happy. Sometimes it is about going out there with a specific target that you want to work on. It is nice to have him behind the nets and give me inputs.”

Munro realizes he has walked into the IPL with a reputation of being a big-hitter. After all, he has the record for the second-fastest fifty in international cricket (second only to Yuvraj Singh); against Sri Lanka at Eden Park in Auckland early in January this year he scored a half-century that came off just 14 balls. “I have always had hard-hitting abilities because I don’t have the greatest technique to hang around for too long. I have to try and score my runs really quickly,” he says with a reassuring smile. “But I am working on hitting the ball in different areas and to be able to soak up pressure,” he quickly adds. “You don’t have to always hit the ball over the ropes. I am working really hard to try and build an innings which is something I did during a couple of T20 World Cup games.”

The T20 World Cup saw Munro’s inventive and daring stroke-play. His reverse smash for a six against India and the switch cut and a switch dab against Australia and Pakistan got everyone talking. Not that he hadn’t done it in the past in a few games back home where bowlers have been completely dumb founded by his ability to execute the switch hit to perfection. “The first time I saw someone play the switch hit was in an India-Australia game. I saw David Warner playing it in SCG where he just turned around and hit R Ashwin over long on (for the right-hander) for a six. I also saw Kevin Pietersen executing it a few times to good effect. That is when I thought why not I give it a go. I just stumbled across it in a club game as well where I was finding it hard to get the spinner away. He brought up his fielder at point and I thought why not I just turn around and hit it right-handed? It worked and since then it has been a shot that I have progressed on.”

But is it all planned in his head before going for the switch hit or is it pure instinct? “It is a hundred percent pre-meditation,” pat comes the reply. “It is a shot that I am looking to hit for a six. If it is not there to be hit and it is outside of my eye line then I can play it for a late cut or try and keep along the ground if it is a very short ball. Against someone that is really quick, I would probably put it away but it depends a lot on the wicket. If it is a really good wicket then I wouldn’t play it as often. If it is a slow turning wicket where it is hard to rotate the strike then I would use the switch hit as a boundary option. You want the ball coming on to your bat a little bit so you can just hit through the line. I am also working on a switch hit that will help keep the ball along the ground and doesn’t get me out often. It is a work in progress and we will see how it goes.”

Munro felt his fondness to play hockey helped him in executing the switch hit to good effect. “Hockey plays a big part in my power game. It helps my switch hit and when it comes to sweeping the ball. The natural hand-eye coordination in hockey helps me with my batting. It helps me to get my hands to the ball a lot quicker as well. It is about getting really low to the ground and in hockey you are horizontal the whole time in terms of getting the stick down to your ground and having a steady motion whether you are passing or taking a stroke to strike a goal. It is all in one motion.”

Though happy to play the switch hit, Munro wants to keep his options open and not go big on improving just one aspect of his game. “I don’t practice it often at the nets. Obviously you want to evolve your game once you come to India and learn to play with the straight bat first and hit the ball down the ground and be open to other options. The switch hit is always there but against wrist spinners I want to get into good positions and look nice and solid. I want to rotate the strike, understand the pace of the wicket and look to hit over the ropes.”

As we continue to talk about hard-hitting batsmen around the world, Munro flips back the years and speaks about how he wants to hit the ball like the former South African all-rounder Lance Klusener. “Lance Klusener was right up there when it came to hitting the ball hard. He could just stand still and hit the ball straight and hard. He didn’t move his feet a heck of a lot but he could hit them really hard. It is just about standing still and trusting the preparations that you have done leading into your game and getting your hands through the ball as hard as you can. He was a big hitting left-hander and bowled good medium pace with nice change up deliveries. I want to model my bowling on those lines.”

Talking about his current contemporaries he says, “Chris Gayle has to be there. When he hits sixes they just don’t go over the ropes, they go into the second or third tier of the stands. Then you have Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Carlos Brathwaite who can hit the ball soaring into the stands. Most of the West Indian boys are big and strong and can hit them far. I don’t think you need to be big and strong to hit sixes but it definitely helps. To hit the ball continuously over 90 meters being strong definitely helps. There are plenty of guys who hit the ball hard like Corey Anderson and Jos Buttler. You have guys who hit the ball hard, but you also have guys who can time the ball really well as well. By all means I am not the biggest or the hardest hitter of the cricket ball,” he chuckles.

Munro believes over the years he has developed as a player and is beginning to come to terms with his own game. He wants to make the most of this IPL experience and use it to nurture his game and become a better cricketer. “In the past I would just go out there, whack it and get a good 20 or 30 and be happy with myself. But I think I have progressed to be a better player than that. For me to be successful I need to bat for longer which means I don’t take those risks early on. I want to build an innings and capitalise on it. Ideally on a good wicket, I would want to generate a healthy strike-rate early on in the innings. It is about reading situations and playing on merit.

“It is good to be alongside some great guys in the KKR setup. I am also getting some help from Gautam Gambhir who is one of the best players of spin in the world. I am trying to pick his brain on boundary options and the way he can play off the backfoot to cut into gaps and rotate the strike. I am trying to develop some different slower balls as well and it is a work in progress along with Wasim Akram.”
source-iplt20

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When Rohit lit up Eden - yet again!

An earthquake measuring 6.9 in magnitude hit Myanmar on Wednesday evening that triggered a few tremors in parts of Kolkata. The tremors were felt in the Eden Gardens as well by a section of the media before the start of the game. On a sporting note, tremors of a different kind were to be experienced later by the Kolkata Knight Riders on the cricket field, courtesy some fine hitting from the Mumbai Indians batsmen who creamed a run-chase of 188 with finesse.

At the helm of it was, no prizes for guessing - Rohit Sharma, who sure has fond memories of the Eden Gardens. Time and again he has said that there is just something very positive about this ground that eggs him to put up his best bat forward. Wednesday night against KKR was no different. There were shots that were pure joy to watch.

A flick for six, some glorious drives through the covers and that straight bat with the elbow high up in line with the eye - it was classic Rohit Sharma on display. The nineteenth over that Andre Russell bowled was a treat to watch in particular as Rohit completely dismantled the bowler thrashing four boundaries in that over. And, just like that it was the final nail in the coffin - it was Game, Set and Match Mumbai Indians. Captain leading from the front, two vital points, some stellar performances and the smiles were back in the Mumbai Indians dugout. Here’s man of the moment Rohit Sharma taking IPLT20.com through the run-chase and talking about his love for his second home - the Eden Gardens.

A win after the loss in the first game; this has to be a satisfying victory isn’t it?

It is a satisfying victory. The win was important and we have been talking about it a lot and today was a perfect day. Getting those two points was very crucial. We have worked really hard for this. We wanted to do well in Mumbai as well but things didn’t go accordingly. I always believe that this team has got a lot of potential and we came and proved it here today. We will happily take these two points with us to Mumbai.

The opening pair put up 50 runs in five overs, just the kind of start that the team needed?

When you are chasing big scores like that, you have to understand and plan your innings with your partner. Myself and Parthiv Patel talked about it at the start of the innings and we got off to a good start in the power play. As soon as we lost Parthiv, Hardik Pandya tried to rotate the strike but he couldn’t unfortunately. But Mitchell McClenaghan and Jos Buttler changed the course of the game.

A perfect performance from you as well, just the kind of innings you would want to play going ahead in the tournament?

Absolutely! It is important that someone from the top three bats as deep as possible and today it was me. Once I got to a decent start, I made sure that I was there as long as possible. There is nothing like starting off well and then finishing it off for your team. It is more pleasing when you do that. What I did pretty well was that I planned my innings and my shot selection was pretty good. I have played a lot of cricket here and I understand the wicket really well. I know what my scoring shots are here and where I can get runs. I planned it all well and it worked for me.

And obviously, your Eden Gardens romance continues. You sure know how to play here in particular, don’t you?

I understand how to score runs here. The outfield here is fast and you have to just time the ball really well; that is all you have to do when you are playing at the Eden Gardens. You don’t need to over hit it and sometimes when you do that you tend to lose shape and there are chances of you getting out. I select my shots and the bowlers I have to target. It works well for me here but I know that it won’t happen always. As long as it keeps happening it is good and I am going to take it no matter what.

Tell us about the thought process behind Mitchell McClenaghan’s promotion at number four.

It was Ricky Ponting’s idea. He is the one sitting in the dugout and having those ideas going around. He sent us a message inside asking if sending Mitch was a right move. I said, why not - they have two chinaman bowlers bowling who were at most times bowling googlies. We wanted to just upset their rhythm and we did it perfectly.

Also Jos Buttler coming into his own should augur well going ahead in the tournament.

Jos is going to be a very important member of our team going ahead. He is going to be a key factor for us. I thought he batted brilliantly. He got us that momentum we were looking for. Scoring 41 in 22 balls was some effort. We know that he is that kind of a player and he has done it for England many times. Today was a perfect day - he came and smashed it all round the park. I look forward to performances like those from him in the future as well.

Going forward, what are the areas that you would be looking to work on?

Going ahead I would expect the same kind of performance although there is room for improvement in the bowling department. We have to understand that taking wickets is very important in this format. We didn’t do that and that is the reason why we had to chase such a steep target. The Kolkata Knight Riders batted really well and looked like getting 200 at one point. Our bowlers bowled well at the death and got back us into the game.

A special feeling to put up a match-winning performance in front of Sachin Tendulkar, who was present in the Mumbai Indians dugout?

Sachin Tendulkar is vital as far as Mumbai Indians is concerned. His presence gives us the kind of motivation we need. He is someone who is always there to help, share his thoughts and advice people if needed. He congratulated me after the game and I am sure he was happy to see us win the game more than anything else.
source-.iplt20

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Quick Stats: M5 - KKR vs MI

2 Number of captains to aggregate 2500 runs in IPL. Gautam Gambhir joined MS Dhoni, who has scored 2986 runs as captain.

7 Number of batsmen to aggregate 1,000 runs at a particular ground in IPL. Gautam Gambhir has now scored 1,023 runs at Eden Gardens. Chris Gayle- with 1,326 runs at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangaluru- tops the list.

10 Number of times Harbhajan Singh has caught a batsman off his own bowling in IPL – most such dismissals for any bowler. Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard are second with six caught & bowled.

12 Number of times Kolkata Knight Riders have lost to Mumbai Indians in IPL. This equals the record of most losses against a particular team in IPL. Royal Challengers Bangalore also have 12 losses against Chennai Super Kings. Chennai Super Kings on the other hand have lost to Mumbai Indians 12 times.

27 Number of times Gautam Gambhir has scored 50 or more in an IPL match- most for any batsman. David Warner and Suresh Raina have 26 such scores (later in the match Rohit Sharma also joined Warner and Raina).

55.86 Rohit Sharma’s average in IPL matches at Eden Gardens.

80% Mumbai Indians’ win-percentage at Eden Gardens (8 wins out of 10) – best for any side playing more than one match here.

84* Rohit Sharma’s score – highest for any Mumbai Indians captain in a chase in IPL. Sachin Tendulkar had made 72 against Chennai Super Kings at Mumbai Brabourne in 2010.

188 Mumbai Indians’ total – there has been only one higher successful chase at Eden Gardens in 49 matches. Kings XI Punjab had made 204 for two in 2010.
source--.iplt20

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Preview: M7 - DD vs KXIP

Match 7 of the VIVO IPL 2016 will feature the Delhi Daredevils playing host to Kings XI Punjab. Both teams are yet to open their account this season. While DD were decimated in their opening match against the Kolkata Knight Riders, KXIP took no points from their home match against debutants Gujarat Lions.

The Delhi Daredevils will need a huge improvement in their performance from the opening game. The batsmen fielded by the team, especially in the top five, were largely youngsters who have impressed in recent times and have earned their place in the XI. They will need to apply better and be better in their shot selection and one can expect this will have been addressed by coach Paddy Upton and mentor Rahul Dravid.

KXIP were good in parts in their opening game. The openers set up the innings very nicely, before the team lost the wickets of the dangerous David Miller and Glenn Maxwell in the same over. The team will be particularly disappointed about their bowling performance in the opening match; despite having set a target of 162, the team couldn’t defend the target, with the opposition running away with the match in 17.4 overs. The KXIP management could face a selection dilemma ahead of the match; if according to reports, Shaun Marsh has recovered from the bug that rendered him unavailable for the opening clash, it will interesting to see if he is picked in place of Marcus Stoinis.

When

15 April 2016, 2000 Hrs IST

Where
Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi

Weather
Temperature: Max 35°c, Min 31°c
Humidity: Max 27%
Wind: 13kmph

The Protagonists

Quinton de Kock is the only international cricketer in the Delhi Daredevils top five. The South African left-hander has been hitting the ball well recently; he was South Africa’s top run-getter in the recently-concluded World T20 and was named by the ICC in the Team of the Tournament. He will need to cause pile on the runs along with Shreyas Iyer, who was in scintillating form in this season’s Ranji Trophy. It will be interesting to see if DD propel Shreyas back to the top of the order – where he had plenty of success last season. Among the bowlers, DD will expect skipper Zaheer Khan and Amit Mishra to tie down the opposition batsmen. Given the history of the conditions in Delhi, one could also expect the team to bring in the South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir, possibly at the expense of Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Murali Vijay timed the ball very well in KXIP’s match against the Gujarat Lions. The Tamil Nadu batsmen is among few batsmen around who has the talent, temperament and skills to succeed in longer version of the game as well as in T20s – all this without taking any undue risks. David Miller and Glenn Maxwell can cause plenty of damage in very little time and hence they will be important characters in KXIP’s batting plans. On the bowling front, KXIP lack experienced international spinners in their ranks, and hence they will rely heavily on the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Chris Morris to provide them breakthroughs.

Trivia

Among the six teams who have been in the IPL from before this season, Delhi Daredevils is the only team to have lost more matches than they have won at HQ. Off the 44 matches DD have played at the Feroz Shah Kotla, they have won only 16, giving them a success rate of 37.2.

In the last 18 IPL matches played at the Feroz Shah Kotla, starting with the 2013 seasons, teams chasing down targets have been extremely successful, winning 13 matches. The average first innings total in those 18 matches was 153.
source--.iplt20

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Daredevils geared to go all out against KXIP: Amit Mishra

The Delhi Daredevils have been training at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground for the past few days in an effort to turnaround their fortunes. The Zaheer Khan-led side, which lost their first game of the tournament to the Kolkata Knight Riders, will be taking on Kings XI Punjab in their first game at home.

Under the watchful eyes of mentor Rahul Dravid and coach Paddy Upton, the Daredevils have been honing their skills in the sweltering Delhi heat. Keen to get a win under their belt, the team will be looking to take the opposition head-on in Friday’s clash. Speaking to the media ahead of the match, DD leg-spinner Amit Mishra said, “We will have a positive approach. The preparations are going well. We have been working hard at the nets. We are confident and we want to do well. We are going to go all out with an aggressive approach.”

Speaking about his own preparation while looking forward to the season, he said, “My effort would be to remain in the top 10 wicket-takers list this season. Daredevils didn't do well in the last two years and we want to finish in the top four. We are looking to start that journey from here in Delhi. We have been working hard and you can see that in the net sessions.”

Speaking about the young DD team, he elaborated, “This team has a lot of good players. We have some big hitters in Carlos (Brathwaite). Sanju (Samson) is there in the middle-order along with Karun Nair and Rishabh Pant. We have players who have been doing well in the domestic circuit. We need to click as a unit. We have a good team composition and we have been discussing and working on how to come up with the results we want.”

While preparing for various situations they will encounter in a match, the players are being guided by the mentor, coach and assistant coaches. The sessions are being monitored carefully while the players work on their skills diligently. Speaking about Dravid’s inputs during these sessions, Mishra said, “Rahul Dravid is a great player and respected by all. He shares his experiences and tells the batsmen what shots to play while keeping their styles and what suit their style of play. He tells the bowlers to go for the wickets, be positive and not worry about going for runs.”

Having done the hard yards over the past few days, it will be time for the Delhi Daredevils to put their plans to action and execute them well when they come up against David Miller’s side on March 15. 

source--.iplt20

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Match Report: M6 - GL vs RPS

The Gujarat Lions notched up their second win in two games in VIVO IPL 2016 after they defeated Rising Pune Supergiants by 7 wickets on Thursday. The win was a special occasion for Suresh Raina and co., for it was the team’s first outing at their home ground - the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot, and also propelled them to the top of the standings.

Set to chase 164 for their first home win, the Lions were off to an explosive start, with both openers Aaron Finch and Brendon McCullum dealing in boundaries in their 85-run association. When they were separated in the ninth over, the opening pair had brought the required run rate, which was 8.20 at the start of the innings, to a more manageable 6.77.

Finch, who struck 74 in the Lions opening match, brought up his second half-century of the season when he slammed 50 from 36 balls. The Australian was cautious against RP Singh and R Ashwin, but took on the other bowlers; he scored 15 from 10 off Ishant, 16 from 8 off the leg-spinner Ashwin and 12 from 5 off Bhatia. He was dismissed in the ninth over when an attempted sweep was pouched by Ishant Sharma patrolling the fence.

Shortly after Finch was dismissed, McCullum took the cudgels and hit the off-spinner Ashwin for a four and six off consecutive deliveries. The Kiwi batsman was dismissed shortly after, for 49 from 31 balls and aided with three fours and as many sixes.

Suresh Raina creamed one boundary through cover in his run-a-ball 24 before he was stumped off the bowling of the leg-spinner. Bravo (22) and Jadeja (4) thereafter completed the job, steering their team past the finish line in the 19th over.

For RPS, the off-spinner Ashwin bowled his four overs for 26 but couldn’t pick up a wicket; he should have had the wicket of McCullum, but Dhoni missed a straightforward stumping opportunity. The leg-spinner Ashwin finished with figures of 2-31, while Ishant (1-39) was the only other wicket-taker.

Earlier in the evening, after MS Dhoni won the toss and decided his team would bat first, the Rising Pune Supergiants were steady off the blocks. Ajinkya Rahane and Faf du Plessis helped the visitors to 23 after three overs, when the former was foxed in the air by the leg-spinner Pravin Tambe and trapped in front of the stumps.

Kevin Pietersen, who walked out to bat at three, stamped his authority almost from the word go; his first aggressive stroke was a whip to midwicket, after which he welcomed Dwayne Bravo with a pull six. After the sixth over, which was bowled by Bravo, RPS had raced to 57 for 1. The duo kept the foot on the pedal for the next two overs from which they realized 19 runs.

However, between overs 9 and 14, the hosts pulled things back splendidly, conceding only 37 runs, while also picking up the wicket of a well-set Pietersen (37 from 31 balls). The second-wicket pair added 86 for the Supergiants.

du Plessis, who brought up his half-century off 33 balls, hit Pravin Tambe for a four and a six off consecutive deliveries, but was stumped as he charged down the ground in search of a third big hit; he made 69 from 43 balls before his dismissal in the 16th over.

Ravindra Jadeja bowled two splendid overs – the 17th and 19th of the innings – in which he gave away only four runs while also picking up the wickets of Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh, while the 18th over bowled by Bravo only saw five runs being scored.

In the final over of the innings, MS Dhoni imposed himself, winning the battle against his ex-teammate Bravo; apart from sprinting like a hare to pick up three twos, he also hit two fours and a six. He remained unbeaten on 22 from 10 balls, and RPS finished their innings with a competitive 163-5.

Jadeja, who bowled 14 dot balls, was the pick of the hosts bowlers, returning with figures of 2 for 18 from his four overs. Praveen Kumar bowled two quiet overs at the start but didn’t get to bowl his complete quota. Tambe (2-33) and Bravo (1-43) were the other wicket-takers for the home side.

source--iplt20

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Quick Stats: M6 - GL vs RPS

83.33 Win-percentage for teams chasing a target in VIVO IPL 2016. Five out of six games played so far have been won by sides batting second.

81 Number of matches Suresh Raina has been part of a winning team in the IPL – most for any player. MS Dhoni is second with 79 wins.

41 Number of times MS Dhoni has remained not out in IPL – most such instances for any player. Irfan Pathan is distant second with 29 not outs.

32 Number of grounds that have hosted an IPL match. Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot also became 21st Indian ground to host an IPL match.

24 Number of stumpings made by Dinesh Karthik in IPL – most by any keeper in the tournament’s history. However, MS Dhoni equalled his tally later in the match.

7 Number of players with 3000 runs in IPL. MS Dhoni joined Suresh Raina (3743), Rohit Sharma (3476), Gautam Gambhir (3235), Virat Kohli (3212), Chris Gayle (3200) and Robin Uthappa (3039).

6 Number of times Suresh Raina has got out stumped in IPL – joint-most for any player with Ambati Rayudu and Robin Uthappa.

1 Number of IPL matches Suresh Raina had won as a captain before 2016 (out of three). He has now won two out of two.
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Play Bold – the Brendon McCullum way

When the top 10 international teams were locked in a battle to assert T20 supremacy in the ICC World T20, the format’s superstar was missing from the action. The return to the big stage in Mohali against Kings XI Punjab after a hiatus was low key and lasted just two balls. His fans were beginning to get a tad nervous, but before they would get impatient, Brendon McCullum reassured them that his charm had not withered away with a breezy 49 off 30 balls on a windy Thursday night.

The opening batsman rekindled the old magic and handed the packed house a bagful of joyous moments as Gujarat Lions kicked off their home campaign on a promising note with a seven-wicket win against Rising Pune Supergiants.

The Trans-Tasmanian opening pair of Aaron Finch-McCullum put on 85 for the first wicket and by the time both returned back to the dug-out, the match was firmly sealed. Despite being stumped for a duck in the first game, McCullum stepped out again and dispatched the first ball he faced for a four.

When the affable Kiwi settled down for a chat with IPLT20.com on some aspects of his batting, he underlined the need to back one’s instinct. The former Black Caps captain made it clear that aggression is his forte and he is in no mood to cut down his destructive game. Bowlers, please note.

It was a tremendous knock on a pitch that had a fair bit grass cover and was assisting swing bowling early on.

I was really pleased to make a contribution. I didn't do anything in the last game and was a bit of a passenger. The partnership Aaron Finch and I were able to create gave us a very good platform. He is in incredible form and has got back to back (half-centuries) for us. He is proving to be a very vital cog in our wheel.

It must feel special to secure a win in your first home game

It is really special. We were not sure how many fans were going to turn up. We knew we would get a good crowd. The stadium was full; they were loving every minute of it. To be able to get an impressive win over a very good Pune side in your home conditions is a good sign for the remaining home games. I hope they enjoy the upcoming games too.

You got out without scoring in the first game. Did that dismissal bother you at all as you attacked from the first ball again?

Look, that's the way I play. With a strong batting line-up, my role is to be aggressive. Sometimes you are going to miss out, but the key is to not change your approach. You’ve got to maintain that intensity and that to me, is to be aggressive. You’ve got to keep doing it.

You keep coming down the track. Is it to generate momentum or play with a bowler’s psyche?

At times, I am trying to create the momentum, but at times, you are also sending a message that you are trying to attack. Sometimes you come down, sometimes you sit back and try and play aggressive. You’ve got to be pro-active in T20. You may get out, but at least you are taking the aggressive approach.

Your bat swing is probably the swiftest in world cricket. Have you ever thought about it?

I am having a sore back, maybe because I swing the bat so hard!

Gujarat Lions have won both their games. What do you think of Suresh Raina’s captaincy?

I think in these first two games; his captaincy has been outstanding. In both the games, we got off to a rough start with the ball, but he has remained calm, composed under pressure and made sound decisions. He has been able to motivate the team when the game is on the line and it is not an easy skill to do. His leadership includes other leaders as well, it works well with the coach and he is always trying to create an environment and culture for the group. He is new to captaincy, but I think he has a massive future.

New Zealand and Australia are fierce rivals. How is opening the batting with an Aussie for a Kiwi?

The fierce rivalry is made out to be bigger than what it is. We're trying to do the same thing. That's the beauty of the IPL. It brings guys from different countries and cultures together to try and achieve a common goal. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but one thing you take back from the IPL is great friendships, which lasts a long time after you've finished playing.

Are James Faulkner and Dwayne Bravo the best T20 bowlers?

Faulkner is going to get better and better as he plays more. He is a world class bowler and he is just getting his stride back. He is going to be a big player for us. He will play a role with the bat at some point and we know how devastating he can be.
In my opinion, Dwayne Bravo is the best overseas player in the IPL. He is so valuable with ball, bat and in the field and is a leader. We are very lucky to have him.

What was your training like coming into the IPL?

After the Test match against Australia, I had about five-six weeks off because I had a bad back, which I nursed through the summer. I was trying to get that right and it is still troubling me a little bit. Luckily, we've got an outstanding physio and masseur. My training wasn't much. I was trying to do aerobic fitness. I have just come over here looking to enjoy the experience of playing with the new team and playing in the IPL again.

You get so much love from fans all over the world. They want you to keep playing. Did that ever make you reconsider your decision?

(Laughs) I definitely won't be coming out of retirement. I had a great 14 years playing international cricket. I toured the world with best mates and represented my country for a long time. All good things must come to an end. I am now on the T20 circuit and enjoying that as well. It comes with different experiences and probably not the same pressure as you are under when you are playing for your country.

I am just enjoying being here. I love India. It is an incredible country. The IPL is an amazing initiative, which has captivated not only this country, but countries all over the world. I feel very lucky to be a part of it.
source-- .iplt20

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Tottenham Hotspur Manager Mauricio Pochettino Urges His Side to Believe After Title Setback

London: Mauricio Pochettino was disappointed at seeing his Tottenham Hotspur side squander two points in an entertaining 1-1 draw at Liverpool but insisted they must still believe they can overtake Premier League leaders Leicester City. (Arsenal, Manchester City Stroll, Martin Olsson Stuns Newcastle)
With Leicester not in action until 24 hours later, second-placed Spurs could have closed the gap to two points.
But Philippe Coutinho put Liverpool ahead and Harry Kane's 22nd league goal of the campaign rescued a point.
"I know they have a very tough game tomorrow," said Pochettino, referring to Leicester's match against Southampton.
"There are six games ahead of us and four points (between Spurs and Leicester) now so we need to believe. In football all can happen. To be honest, I hope that Southampton can pass (beat Leicester) and leave it at four points like now."source-ndtv

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Cristiano Ronaldo Winner Helps Real Madrid End FC Barcelona's 39-Game Unbeaten Run

Barcelona: Cristiano Ronaldo struck the winner as 10-man Real Madrid came from behind to end FC Barcelona's 39-game unbeaten run 2-1 in El Clasico at the Camp Nou on Saturday night. (Read more football stories here)
Gerard Pique's towering header put the hosts in front on the night they honoured legendary former player and coach Johan Cruyff.
Yet, Karim Benzema quickly levelled before Ronaldo fired home five minutes from time after Madrid captain Sergio Ramos had seen the 21st red card of his career.
Victory reduces Barca's lead over third-placed Madrid to seven points with seven games remaining.
Atletico Madrid closed the gap on the leaders to six points with a 5-1 thrashing of Real Betis earlier on Saturday.
"I liked everything from my players both defensively and offensively against a great team with very good players," said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane after a successful first Clasico in charge.
"When I see the team like this, fighting for their teammates, it is the best thing for a coach."
There was an emotive homage to Cruyff before kick-off with over 90,000 fans holding up a display reading "Thank you Johan" alongside a Barca jersey with the number 14 the Dutch great adorned during his playing career.
Yet, it was a sad end to a spectacular run for the European champions as they tasted defeat for the first time since losing at Sevilla in October.
"Their first goal damaged us and disorientated us and caught us out of position," said Barca coach Luis Enrique.
"One day it had to happen and it happened today. Now we have to prepare for the Champions League, rest and keep going."
Tired Barca Lose Steam
Barca started by far the better and only an incredible miss by Luis Suarez let Madrid off the hook on 10 minutes.
Neymar unselfishly squared for his Uruguayan strike partner, but Suarez failed to make any connection from his low cross with the goal at his mercy.
The hosts were enraged midway through the half when Lionel Messi looked to have been brought down by Ramos right on the edge of the area, but referee Alejandro Jose Hernandez waved play on with Ramos already having been booked.
Madrid grew into the game as the first half progressed and finally threatened the Barca goal when Ronaldo's shot was beaten away by Claudio Bravo before Gareth Bale blazed a volley over from a narrow angle.
Barca started on the front foot again after the break and Navas made a brilliant save to prevent Messi's cheeky chipped effort floating in at the far post.
But that save only momentarily denied Barca as Pique rose highest to power home Rakitic's corner on 56 minutes.
The lead lasted just six minutes, though, as Benzema swivelled to blast home Toni Kroos's deflected cross into the bottom corner.
Bale had the chance to turn the game on its head, but his tame effort on his favoured left foot was easily held by Bravo as Madrid again threatened on the counter-attack.
The Welshman did have the ball in the net nine minutes from time, but was incredibly unfortunate to be penalised for a push on Jordi Alba as he headed in.
Ronaldo then fired against the bar and Bravo saved a one-on-one with Bale as Madrid's pace on the break began to tear a tired-looking Barca apart.
The visitors' hopes of a famous win looked to have gone when Ramos was finally given his marching orders for a second booking after chopping down Suarez seven minutes from time.
However, just two minutes later Ronaldo struck the winner as he controlled Bale's cross to the far post before slotting under Bravo.source-.ndtv

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Rahul Dravid Approached For Team India Coaching Job

Rahul Dravid has been approached to become Team India's head coach, according to a member of the cricket advisory committee to NDTV on Sunday. (BCCI to Take a Call on New Coach as Shastri's Contract Ends)
The committee comprises of batting greats Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman.
The position of the head coach has been lying vacant ever since Duncan Fletcher's contract expired at the end of the 2015 ODI World Cup
Ravi Shastri was handling the support staff as Team India director.
Dravid, who has been India A and India U-19 World Cup coach, is currently the mentor of Indian Premier League (IPL) team Delhi Daredevils.
A decision on India's head coach is likely to be taken on Tuesday.
According to reports, Michael Hussey was approached to become the head coach but the Aussie declined.
Shastri's contract as team director expired at the end of the ICC World T20. India crashed out in the semifinals after losing to the West Indies by seven wickets in Mumbai on Thursday.
Shastri is also in the frame to become head coach but reports suggest that Dravid will be the first choice if he agrees to take up the assignment.
In an recent interview to NDTV, Dravid had said that he was unwilling to take up long-term assignments and preferred shorter assignments like the IPL.
India will play more than 15 Test matches from June 2016, and therefore, Dravid's experience as a Test batsman is being considered and is the reason why he is the number one candidate for the coach's job.
Dravid played 164 Tests for India, scoring 13,288 runs at an average of 52.31 - including 36 hundreds and 63 half-centuries. He made 344 appearances for India in the ODIs, where he scored 10,889 runs - notching 12 centuries and 83 fifties.source-ndtv.

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Shahid Afridi Steps Down as Pakistan T20 Captain, Will Continue Playing

Karachi: Shahid Afridi, facing criticism for Pakistan's dismal show in the ICC World T20, on Sunday stepped down as captain of the team but will continue to play in the shortest format of the game. (Shahid Afridi Indicates he Would Retire After World T20)
The Afridi-led Pakistan failed make it to the semifinals of the World Twenty20 in India, where his comments also drew the ire of former players. (Shahid Afridi Does a U-Turn on Retirement Rumours)
The 36-year-old all-rounder and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had hinted that World T20 could well be be his last as skipper. (Shahid Afridi Was 'Absolutely Clueless' During World T20, Alleges Pakistan Team Manager Intikhab Alam)
"Today, I wish to inform my fans in Pakistan and all over the world that I am relinquishing the captaincy of the T20 Pakistani team of my own volition," Afridi said in a statement, released on his twitter account.
"On this day, I thank Allah (SWT) for His Kindness and Mercy which enabled me to discharge my leadership duties, to the best of my abilities for the sake of honour and prestige of my motherland. For me it was a great honour to lead my country in all three formats of the game," Afridi wrote in his statement.
'Will be available for selection'
Afridi, however, asserted that he will be available for selection as a player in the team even though PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan has made it clear that the all-rounder is no longer a surety in the side.
"My profound thanks to the PCB and its Chairman Shaharyar Khan who gave me the honour to lead the national team. I would also like to inform that InshaAllah I intend to continue to play the game for my country and league cricket etc. and request my fans for kindly keep praying and supporting for my best future performances for Pakistan (as a player); and in all other arenas of the game, world over."
The mercurial cricketer played 27 Tests for Pakistan before retiring from the format in 2010 with 1716 runs and 48 wickets.
In 398 ODIs, he has 8064 runs and 395 wickets, while 98 T20 International appearances have fetched him 1405 runs and 97 wickets.
Mired in controversy
Afridi found himself mired in controversies during Pakistan's World T20 campaign. First, he drew flak in Pakistan for stating that he and his players were loved more in India than back home.
Later, Pakistan lost three of their four group stage games, including a high-voltage clash against arch-foes India, to bow out of the tournament.
Amid the dismal on-field run, Afridi stirred up another controversy by specifically thanking Kashmiris for cheering his team in Mohali.
The remark was criticised by the BCCI with Board Secretary Anurag Thakur saying that the cricketer should avoid making political statements.
Post the World T20 debacle, Afridi had sought forgiveness from the people of his country for failing to live upto their expectations.
"I don't care what other people say about me but I am answerable to you (people of Pakistan). I, Shahid Afridi, seeks forgiveness from the people of Pakistan for not living upto the expectations that you had from this team and me," Afridi had said in a brief video message on his Twitter page.source-ndtv

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Pakistan Women under Sana Mir have the best chance to win ICC Women’s T20 2016

Pakistan Women’s captain Sana Mir has always led from the front, and has turned the side into one of the most formidable units in the world. Her off-spinners and useful contributions with bat down the order have taken Pakistan a long way. They are one of the firm favourites to win the ICC World T20 2016 and after beating West Indies Women in their opening match, the team will surely be oozing with confidence for the remaining matches. Sana has led Pakistan Women in 62 Women’s T20Is out of a total of 64 matches since 2009. She has lead Pakistan to great heights during her tenure as captain. Full Scorecard: India Women vs India Women, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2016, Match 7 at Delhi

Sana led Pakistan to a Gold Medal in 2010 Asian Games. She not only flourished as a player, but she has let the others too come up the ranks. She is the eighth-ranked bowler in Women’s ODI ranking, and has consistently been in the top 20 of Women’s T20I rankings for the past nine years.
Under Sana’s leadership, over eight players have broken through to the top 20 of ICC rankings. This shows that Sana is someone who can carry the team along with her. Pakistan have already suffered a major setback after losing their star opening batter Javeria Khan after she was struck on the jaw in the opening match of the tournament, and how Sana inspires her team will define things for Pakistan Women through the tournament.
Pakistan Women have a strong squad, but will rely in Sana, who idolises the likes of Imran Khan and Waqar Younis. She recently revealed that MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are her favourite contemporary: cricketers “There are couple of names. If I just talk about my players, I think Virat Kohli is the favourite cricketer. Personally, Dhoni is my favourite player because he had led India. He has handled himself well on and off the field. He has transformed a team of juniors into an effective unit.”
Just like under Dhoni, many players have blossomed under her. Pakistan Women may not have tasted a lot of success but are certainly heading in the right path under Sana’s leadership.source-intoday

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