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

Zee Media Bureau

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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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ICC World T20: There are no security concerns in India, says Inzamam ul Haq

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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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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Long wait over, Rajkot set to roll out red carpet for maiden IPL game

As Gujarat Lions captain Suresh Raina got up to join his teammates for the training session after addressing a pre-match conference, he was mobbed from all corners with cameras being thrust into his face. As the locals surrounded him for selfies and photos, Raina calmly addressed every request before returning back to the field. Similar scenes greeted Dale Steyn when he made his way out from the Rajkot Airport. The team staff had to form a security cover to ensure a safe passage.

Outside the team hotel, large groups of fans wait endlessly in scorching heat for one glimpse of the superstars. A five-run victory over Kings XI Punjab two days ago at the latter’s den has given Gujarat a perfect launch pad and expectations have soared.

With the Lions set to play their maiden home game against Rising Pune Supergiants, Rajkot has been bathed in colours of yellow and orange. The beautiful Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, which has hosted three international games (two ODIs & one T20I), is all set to welcome the IPL jamboree. “It’s (a special occasion) for everyone. Gujarat never had an IPL team in the first eight years. We are looking forward to playing for Gujarat,” said Raina with excitement.

While the team has a bevy of international stars in Dwayne Bravo, Brendon McCullum, Dale Steyn and Aussies James Faulkner and Aaron Finch, it is the all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who holds a special place in the hearts of the cricket-crazy fans.
Set to tie the knot soon, crowd favourite Jadeja is not merely a star attraction, but a vital cog in Gujarat’s line-up. The team-management relies on him for clues and first-hand information about the conditions. On the eve of the match, he was dispatching the balls into the stands. “He is an important player for India and for us in the IPL. He can bat, bowl and give you good runouts. He has good brains to read the game. He bats as per situation at No.7. He is a local boy and he has a lot of information about the wicket and local conditions. He is a key member and one of the first members to take feedback from,” explained coach Heath Streak.

Though the buzz has centered around Gujarat Lions, Streak is well aware that playing at home won’t make them overwhelming favourites. MS Dhoni’s RPS have the firepower to dash Gujarat’s party on Thursday night and Streak’s role would be to ensure Gujarat remains focused.
“It is good to have a winning start as it boosts your confidence. We have got really good experienced players in all the departments, and they will be keen to put up a good performance for the Gujaratis. In IPL, every game is a hard game and you can’t get carried away,” he said.

The first home game will pit Raina and Jadeja against former franchise mates Ravichandran Ashwin and Dhoni. With both teams having enough knowledge of each other’s strength, Raina said ideally the pressure would be on RPS, but Dhoni’s presence balances the equation.
“They will be also playing their first game against us, so it is the same for both the teams. We will play positively against them. This is our first game in Gujarat, so home support will be there.

“Pressure will be there on the opposition, but MS is the type of captain who has earned respect everywhere. We too have some players who are respected everywhere, so it is going to be quite an interesting game.”

Raina added that despite the team being together for only about a week, they have started gelling. “Heath (Streak) has played many matches for Zimbabwe in India, so he knows what it takes to motivate Indian youngsters. Then when you have so many seniors like Baz (McCullum), DJ Bravo, (Dwayne) Smith, James Faulkner, you have a lot to learn in the dressing room. How to enjoy and have fun together. That makes you perfect. Coaches give us the platform to express ourselves and be calm. That’s the key to T20 success.”
source-iplt20

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Preview: M6 - GL vs RPS

Match 6 of VIVO IPL 2016 will feature a clash between the two new franchises to join the most exciting cricket league in the world.

Gujarat Lions, who started their IPL campaign with a win over Kings XI Punjab on Monday, will play host to the MS Dhoni-led Rising Pune Supergiants, who themselves were impressive in their maiden IPL outing when they defeated the defending champions Mumbai Indians.

Suresh Raina’s decision-making, Dwayne Bravo’s match-changing over in which he dismissed the deadly duo of David Miller and Glenn Maxwell, and Aaron Finch’s powerful strikes at the top of the chase were the highlights of Gujarat Lions’ victory. MS Dhoni’s midas touch which brought him a wicket almost every time he made a bowling change and Ajinkya Rahane’s serene batting were the highlights of RPS’ maiden IPL win.

When

14 April 2016, 2000 Hrs IST

Where

Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot

Weather

Temperature: Max 32°c, Min 28°c
Humidity: Max 55%
Wind: 18kmph

The Protagonists

The Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiants both have several destructive batsmen in their ranks. While GL have Brendon McCullum, Aaron Finch and Suresh Raina in their top three, RPS have the finesse of Ajinkya Rahane, and the might of Faf du Plessis, Kevin Pietersen and MS Dhoni in their top four. Given how destructive each of those batsmen are, chances are the fate of the match will be decided by the performance of one or two of those individuals. Keep an eye on Ravindra Jadeja too, for he will be playing an IPL match in front of his home crowd for the very first time.

On the bowling front, GL possibly have an edge over RPS, thanks to the presence of Dwayne Bravo – the highest wicket-taker in the T20 format, and James Faulkner, who is some kind of a limited overs specialist.

Trivia

The SCA Stadium in Rajkot will become the 32nd venue overall and the 21st Indian venue to host an Indian Premier League match.

In the ten Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches played at the SCA Stadium in the 2013-14 season, seven were won by the team chasing. The team batting first scored 170 in five of those ten matches.

The Rising Pune Supergiants captain MS Dhoni needs 14 more runs to become the seventh batsmen to reach the 3000-IPL-runs milestone. His opposite number sits atop the list of top run-getters in the IPL, with 3719 runs.

In the only T20 International played at the SCA Stadium in Rajkot, Australia scored 201-7 batting first, after which India chased down the runs to win by six wickets, with two balls remaining.

What Next

Gujarat Lions will head to Mumbai to clash with the defending champions Mumbai Indians on April 16. The MS Dhoni-led Rising Pune Supergiants will be seen in action the following day – on April 17 – when they compete against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali
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.
source-.iplt20

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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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Thunder lose in Kings' arena finale

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Rudy Gay scored 24 points, including two free throws with 1 second left, for the Sacramento Kings, who celebrated the final game at Sleep Train Arena with a 114-112 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night.

Darren Collison had 27 points for the Kings, who have played at the aging arena for 28 years. Next season, the team will move to $519 million Golden 1 Center, which is located in downtown Sacramento.
Kevin Durant had 31 points and eight assists for the Thunder, who have a division title and the Western Division's No. 3 seed locked up. Durant has scored at least 20 points in 63 straight games, tying Kobe Bryant (2005-07) for the longest such streak

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Saina Nehwal Seals Semifinal Spot, PV Sindhu Crashes Out of Indian Open Super Series

New Delhi: Defending champion Saina Nehwal upstaged Korea's Sung Ji Hyun to reach the semifinals but it was curtains for P V Sindhu in the women's singles of the India Open Super Series in New Delhi. (Read More in Badminton)
The Olympic bronze medallist Saina defeated World No. 8 Sung 19-21, 21-14, 21-19 in a women's singles match that lasted for an hour and 23 minutes at the Siri Fort stadium. The Indian will next take on Olympic champion Chinese Li Xuerui, seeded third, who saw off compatriot Wang Shixian 22-20, 12-21, 21-17 in another quarterfinal match.
However, two-time bronze medallist at World Championship Sindhu squandered a one-game lead to go down 21-15, 15-21, 15-21 against another Korean Bae Yeon Ju in another quarterfinals here. This was Sindhu's third loss to the Korean.
In a game of energy-sapping rallies sprinkled with drops and half smashes, it was Saina who emerged victories after Sung committed a series of unforced errors after being tied 17-17 in the decider.
There was hardly any winners scored as Saina too made a lot of unforced errors and wrong line judgements to lose points galore. The Indian's movements at the forecourt on the right side seemed affected by her nagging ankle injury as she failed to retrieve a lot of points in that area.
After the match, Saina said she didn't expect it to be such a tough match as she always had easy outings against Sung.
"She has played really well. I didn't expect her to do so many rallies actually. she was picking up my shots. The last moments were actually very tense. It has always been easy against her. It was never such a long match. Once I think in Denmark I guess we played close. This time it was totally different. But I guess there is lot of pressure also now on me. I am happy with the way I played," she told reporters.
"From quarters it will be tougher. She is in great shape. She won the New Zealand Open also. It was a tough match. I was not getting points on smashes, so it was either on rallies or drops, so I was sticking with it. She has got some very good drop and she is tall as well.
Saina, who has beaten Sung five times in the past six meetings, used her drops early on to catch the Korean at the forecourt. However, unforced errors and a few deceptive returns helped Sung to lead 8-4. The Indian showed her resilience to claw back at 10 before a shot from Sung left her stranded.
After the break, Saina turned the tables to lead 14-12 but soon Sung once again drew parity. The Indian managed to nose ahead to 17-15 but once again Sung fought back and grabbed a 18-17 lead after Saina made a wrong line call and then hit the net.
Another return from the Indian going to net and then her failure to retrieve a shot on her forehand gave Sung a 20-17 lead. Saina saved two but then made a wrong line call to gift the first game to her opponent.
In the second game, Saina led 3-1 when Sung took a medical time out to attend to her right ankle. When the match resumed, Saina continued her good run to lead 6-2. Sung drew level at 6-6 when a low return from Saina went to the net. However, the Indian again surged ahead and entered the break at 11-7.
After the interval, Saina extended the lead to 13-8 and then zoomed to 19-10 with the Korean crumbling. Sung grabbed three points before her another long shot gave Saina a 20-13 lead. The Korean saved one but Saina roared into contest when Sung erred at the net.
In the decider, Sung led 5-2 early on but failed to rein in her unforced errors as Saina soon turned it around at 8-6. The Korean seemed tired as she didn't even try to retrieve some of the shots as Saina reached the break with a 11-7 advantage.
However, after a change of side, Sung reeled off six straight points to grab the lead 13-11. A net error broke the rhythm but Saina again hit wide as Sung lead 14-12. Two wide shots from Sung brought Saina to an even-knell at 17-17.
She grabbed the lead when the Korean erred at the net. A couple of long shots again from Sung took Saina to a 20-19 lead. Sung saved one but Saina sealed it with a midcourt smash and threw up her arms in celebration.

India's PV Sindhu in action against Korea's Bae Yeon Ju in the quarterfinal match of Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2016

© PTI

Sindhu disappoints
In another women's singles quarterfinal, Sindhu dished out a compact game as she lead 11-6 at the break and continued her good run after the break. Eventually, Bae hit the net to give a 20-13 lead to Sindhu. After conceding two points, the Indian sealed it with a smash.
In the second game, Bae opened up an 11-8 lead at the interval and reeled off five straight points to reach 16-8. However, Sindhu slowly reduced the margin to 13-19 but another long shot gave Bae a 20-14 lead. The Indian saved one game point before she hit wide again to help the Korean make a comeback.
After lagging behind 3-5, Sindhu managed to grab the lead at 6-5 with a few stiff smashes and some superb returns. But Bae still managed to have her nose ahead at 11-7 at the interval.
At 7-13, Sindhu changed her racquet but it didn't change her fate much as even though she tried to narrow the gap to 13-16, the Indian made some errors at crucial juncture to fall behind. Soon Bae was leading 20-14 when another Sindhu's smash ended up at the net. The Indian saved one but again hit wide to end her campaign here.
Bae will now take on former All England champion Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon, who beat Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu Ying, eight seeded, 12-21, 21-14, 22-20.source-.ndtv

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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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Arsenal F.C. Not Giving up on Premier League Title, Says Arsene Wenger

London: Arsenal F.C. manager Arsene Wenger vowed that his side will not give up on the Premier League title after closing the gap on leaders Leicester City to eight points. (Arsenal, Manchester City Stroll, Martin Olsson Stuns Newcastle)
Saturday's 4-0 victory over Watford came on the back of a win at Everton before the international break and maintained the pressure on Leicester, who host Southampton on Sunday. (Tottenham Manager Urges His Side to Believe After Title Setback)
Victory also enabled Arsenal to close to within four points of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who dropped points in a 1-1 draw at Liverpool.
Wenger, whose side have seven games remaining, said: "We want to focus on the way we play and keep the quality very high. Then we'll see where we are. We will fight until the end to have a chance.
"The only way we can achieve that is by playing games with our team quality. That is based on our movement, on our technical ability to play at the highest level and at the highest pace.
"Let's focus on the next game. We know what is needed and what is needed is to keep the quality very high. Next week we go to West Ham. It's always a difficult place to go, so let's prepare for that."
The quality of Arsenal's play as they avenged last month's FA Cup defeat by Watford came after a similarly impressive performance at Everton and raised questions about the inconsistency of Wenger's side.
But the Frenchman maintained that the demands of fighting on three fronts - they also exited the Champions League at Barcelona last month can take its toll on any team.
"The title is never there for the taking. You have to work for it," he said.
"Everybody works for it and you have to respect the teams who have more points than you, and who have not played in as many competitions.
"We played Watford in the FA Cup then went to Barcelona on Wednesday and then to Everton on Saturday. It's not the same (for Leicester).
"People on the outside think it's easy, but you have to earn your points, work well in every game and recently we haven't made the most of the chances we've created. We paid for that."
Iwobi 'completely integrated'
Alexis Sanchez's early goal put Arsenal in charge at the Emirates Stadium before Alex Iwobi marked a fine display with the second. Second-half goals from Hector Bellerin and Theo Walcott completed the win.
Iwobi has now scored in successive games, either side of his competitive debut for Nigeria, and Wenger believes the teenager's emergence reflects the importance that his club place on youth development.
"We have values in our club that are maybe not rated always, but one of them is to give a chance to young people and educate them," he said.
"Every year we bring players out and not many players can say that. I'm happy Alex is one of them. He arrived here at the age of seven or eight. He's completely integrated in the way we want to play football.
"He's worked with us since the start of the season and it shows because when he came in he was used to the way we want to play.
"He's also very mobile and is a midfielder with creativity, but is also a finisher. The quality of his receptions is very good because he gets into good spaces."
Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores warned that his side cannot afford to allow the looming FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace to distract them from their bid to confirm Premier League safety."It is important not to confuse the targets," he said.
"The semi of the FA Cup is a real situation we want to live in the future. We have to live in the present and in six days we play against Everton.
"This is our target. If we think about what happens in three weeks, we are making a big, big mistake."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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