October 3, 2018 issue
Cricket
India retained the Asia Cup with a three-wicket win off the last ball against a fighting Bangladesh who were anchored by a maiden hundred from opener Liton Das in Dubai on Friday.
India made heavy weather of a modest 223-run target as Bangladesh fought for every run before the title holders achieved victory off the last ball watched by a capacity 25,000 holiday crowd at Dubai stadium.
Das held the innings together during his 117-ball 121 which featured a dozen boundaries and two sixes but Bangladesh, who were put in to bat, were all out in 48.3 overs despite a solid opening stand of 120 with Mehidy Hasan.
With their settled opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, India were expected to run away with victory, like they did in the previous matches but Bangladesh were not ready to give up without a fight.
Dhawan was dismissed for 15 and Sharma for a punishing 55-ball 48, studded with three sixes and as many boundaries.
Dinesh Karthik (37) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (36) added 54 for the fourth wicket but once both were dismissed Bangladesh looked like pulling off an upset.
Ravindra Jadeja (23) and Bhuvenshwar Kumar (21) brought the target within India's reach through a 45-run stand for the sixth wicket but Bangladesh removed them both with eight runs still needed.
India then required six off the last over and one off the final delivery which came as a leg-bye. Kedar Jadhav finished with 23 not out.
India won the Asia Cup — under a Twenty20 format — in Bangladesh in 2016.
Friday's result meant Bangladesh lost in a second Asia Cup final after coming up just short by two runs in the 2012 final against Pakistan at home.
Earlier Bangladesh lost all their wickets for 102 runs in a major middle-order collapse after a brisk opening stand of 120.
Hasan was promoted to open the innings and he and Das attacked India's pace-cum-spin attack.
But once Hasan was caught off Jadhav in the 21st over the innings collapsed with Bangladesh losing four more wickets by the time the score reached 151.
Hasan hit three boundaries in his 59-ball 32 while Soumya Sarkar made a 45-ball 33 with a boundary and a six.
Former captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who scored 144 and 99 earlier in the tournament, also holed out off Jadhav who finished with 2-41. Rahim made just five.
Bangladesh's cause was not helped by three run-outs while left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav returned with the best figures of 3-45.
Bangladesh innings
After Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to field first, Mehidy Hasan and Liton Das opened the innings for Bangladesh, whereas Bhuveshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah shared the new ball for India.
While the Indian pace pair's opening spells had almost always troubled opposing pairs in the tournament, Hasan and Das had few such problems.
Das, in particular, seemed in fine nick, smacking Kumar for back-to-back boundaries in the 4th over, which forced Indian captain Rohit Sharma to introduce spin earlier than he'd have liked.
By the end of 5 overs, Bangladesh were 33-0 and looking quite comfortable.
Das went after Yuzvendra Chahal in the 8th over, launching him for two maximums and accelerate the scoring.The usually reliable Bumrah was also struggling against the Bangla basher; he was hit for a four in the 9th.
With Das on a roll, Hasan did the right thing by playing the facilitator rather than attempting to replicate what his partner was doing so well on the other hand.
At the end of the 10th over, Bangladesh were 65-0, with Das having raced to 47 off just 31 balls.
Following a brief lull, Das struck Jadeja for a 4 to open the 12th over – bowled by Ravindra Jadeja – before being dropped by Chahal two balls later.
Hasan drove Kuldeep Yadav for a four in the 15th, at the end of which the scoreboard read 86-0.
Das edged one to the third-man boundary to bring up Bangladesh's 100 in the 18th over, following which the teams took a drinks break.
Das played two fantastic sweep shots in the 20th over bowled by Jadeja and entered his 80s but the next over saw his opening partner Hasan depart as India finally found the elusive breakthrough.
Imrul Kayes walked in to join Das but his stay at the crease didn't last long as Chahal trapped him in front of the wickets in the 24th over. Kayes took the review but the umpire's call was upheld.
At the halfway mark, Bangladesh were 133-2, reeling from the twin setbacks but still confident of posting a sizable total.
However, their optimism flailed some more in the 27th and 28th overs when the in-form Musfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun both departed to leave their side reeling.
Das brought up his maiden ODI century in the 29th over but the job was far from done; his side needed him to carry the bat.
The burden to carry on increased on Das some more in the 33rd over when Bangladesh lost their fifth wicket, this time Mahmudullah the one to depart.
Das and Soumya Sarkar plugged the leak and batted responsibly for the next seven overs, taking the score to 178-5 at the end of 40 overs.
The centurion's brilliant 121-run innings (off 117 balls) finally came to an end in the 41st over when he was stumped by Dhoni off the bowling of Yadav.
The decision was referred to the third umpire, who ruled in the bowler's favour despite there being considerable visual evidence to give the benefit of the doubt to Das.
Yadav was hit for a six in the 43rd over by Moshrafe Mortaza, who then tried to repeat the trick but instead fell for the bowler's repeat trick: a stumping dismissal.
The final three batters dragged Bangladesh to 222 before being all-out.
After Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to field first, Mehidy Hasan and Liton Das opened the innings for Bangladesh, whereas Bhuveshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah shared the new ball for India.
While the Indian pace pair's opening spells had almost always troubled opposing pairs in the tournament, Hasan and Das had few such problems.
Das, in particular, seemed in fine nick, smacking Kumar for back-to-back boundaries in the 4th over, which forced Indian captain Rohit Sharma to introduce spin earlier than he'd have liked.
By the end of 5 overs, Bangladesh were 33-0 and looking quite comfortable.
Das went after Yuzvendra Chahal in the 8th over, launching him for two maximums and accelerate the scoring.The usually reliable Bumrah was also struggling against the Bangla basher; he was hit for a four in the 9th.
With Das on a roll, Hasan did the right thing by playing the facilitator rather than attempting to replicate what his partner was doing so well on the other hand.
At the end of the 10th over, Bangladesh were 65-0, with Das having raced to 47 off just 31 balls.
Following a brief lull, Das struck Jadeja for a 4 to open the 12th over – bowled by Ravindra Jadeja – before being dropped by Chahal two balls later.
Hasan drove Kuldeep Yadav for a four in the 15th, at the end of which the scoreboard read 86-0.
Das edged one to the third-man boundary to bring up Bangladesh's 100 in the 18th over, following which the teams took a drinks break.
Das played two fantastic sweep shots in the 20th over bowled by Jadeja and entered his 80s but the next over saw his opening partner Hasan depart as India finally found the elusive breakthrough.
Imrul Kayes walked in to join Das but his stay at the crease didn't last long as Chahal trapped him in front of the wickets in the 24th over. Kayes took the review but the umpire's call was upheld.
At the halfway mark, Bangladesh were 133-2, reeling from the twin setbacks but still confident of posting a sizable total.
However, their optimism flailed some more in the 27th and 28th overs when the in-form Musfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun both departed to leave their side reeling.
Das brought up his maiden ODI century in the 29th over but the job was far from done; his side needed him to carry the bat.
The burden to carry on increased on Das some more in the 33rd over when Bangladesh lost their fifth wicket, this time Mahmudullah the one to depart.
Das and Soumya Sarkar plugged the leak and batted responsibly for the next seven overs, taking the score to 178-5 at the end of 40 overs.
The centurion's brilliant 121-run innings (off 117 balls) finally came to an end in the 41st over when he was stumped by Dhoni off the bowling of Yadav.
The decision was referred to the third umpire, who ruled in the bowler's favour despite there being considerable visual evidence to give the benefit of the doubt to Das.
Yadav was hit for a six in the 43rd over by Moshrafe Mortaza, who then tried to repeat the trick but instead fell for the bowler's repeat trick: a stumping dismissal.
The final three batters dragged Bangladesh to 222 before being all-out.
Stockily built Mohammad Shahzad knocked a brilliant hundred as spirited Afghanistan pulled off a last over tie against India in the Super Four match in Dubai last week Tuesday.
Shahzad's 124 laid the foundation of Afghanistan's fighting total of 252-8 in a50 overs before bowling out India in 49.5 overs for the same total at Dubai stadium.
Needing seven to win off the final Rashid Khan over, Ravindra Jadeja hit a boundary off the second ball before taking a single off the next. Last man Khaleel Ahmed then took a single but Jadeja holed out off the fifth to give Afghanistan a morale-boosting tie with the defending champions.
India rested five top players – skipper Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar – as they had already qualified for last Friday's final.
India were helped to 110 by openers Lokendra Rahul (60) and Ambati Rayudu (57) and at 166-3 they looked on course for an easy win but Afghanistan pulled back through key wickets.
Rahul hit five boundaries and a six in his 66-ball knock while Rayudu's 49-ball innings had four sixes and as many boundaries.
Dinesh Karthik made 44 and Jadeja scored 25 to bring India closer but India could not cross the finish line. Spinners Rashid and Mohammad Nabi, and paceman Aftab Alam finished with two wickets apiece.
Despite crashing out with two defeats Afghanistan can hold their heads high as they beat Sri Lanka and Bangldesh in the first round and only lost to Pakistan in the final over.
Earlier, Shahzad knocked a fighting hundred and Mohammad Nabi scored 56-ball 64 to lift Afghanistan after they won the toss. The 31-year-old Shazad smashed seven sixes and 11 fours in his 116-ball 124 – his fifth one-day century but first against a top nation.
So dominant was Shahzad that fellow opener Javed Ahmadi was only five in a stand of 65, before India struck four times within the space of 17 runs.
Left-arm spinners Jadeja (3-46) and Kuldeep Yadav (2-38) derailed the innings but Shahzad held one end, adding 50 for the fifth wicket with Gulbadin Naib who made 15 and another 48 for the sixth with Mohammad Nabi.
Shahzad was finally out in the 38th over but by then had given a good platform to his team.
Shahzad's 124 laid the foundation of Afghanistan's fighting total of 252-8 in a50 overs before bowling out India in 49.5 overs for the same total at Dubai stadium.
Needing seven to win off the final Rashid Khan over, Ravindra Jadeja hit a boundary off the second ball before taking a single off the next. Last man Khaleel Ahmed then took a single but Jadeja holed out off the fifth to give Afghanistan a morale-boosting tie with the defending champions.
India rested five top players – skipper Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar – as they had already qualified for last Friday's final.
India were helped to 110 by openers Lokendra Rahul (60) and Ambati Rayudu (57) and at 166-3 they looked on course for an easy win but Afghanistan pulled back through key wickets.
Rahul hit five boundaries and a six in his 66-ball knock while Rayudu's 49-ball innings had four sixes and as many boundaries.
Dinesh Karthik made 44 and Jadeja scored 25 to bring India closer but India could not cross the finish line. Spinners Rashid and Mohammad Nabi, and paceman Aftab Alam finished with two wickets apiece.
Despite crashing out with two defeats Afghanistan can hold their heads high as they beat Sri Lanka and Bangldesh in the first round and only lost to Pakistan in the final over.
Earlier, Shahzad knocked a fighting hundred and Mohammad Nabi scored 56-ball 64 to lift Afghanistan after they won the toss. The 31-year-old Shazad smashed seven sixes and 11 fours in his 116-ball 124 – his fifth one-day century but first against a top nation.
So dominant was Shahzad that fellow opener Javed Ahmadi was only five in a stand of 65, before India struck four times within the space of 17 runs.
Left-arm spinners Jadeja (3-46) and Kuldeep Yadav (2-38) derailed the innings but Shahzad held one end, adding 50 for the fifth wicket with Gulbadin Naib who made 15 and another 48 for the sixth with Mohammad Nabi.
Shahzad was finally out in the 38th over but by then had given a good platform to his team.
Indian opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan has been dropped from India’s Test squad for the upcoming West Indies series, the country’s cricket board announced on Saturday.
Dhawan – who was the player-of-the-tournament during the just-ended Asia Cup in the UAE – had a forgettable England tour with the left-handed opener managing just 162 runs in eight innings as top-ranked India lost the Test series 1-4.
Uncapped batsman Mayank Agarwal and rookie fast bowler Mohammed Siraj were included in the 15-man team that will be led by Virat Kohli, who was rested in the Asia Cup 50-over tournament won by India.
The national selectors decided to rest fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar due to their ‘recent workload’, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a statement.
“Both Ishant Sharma and Hardik Pandya were not considered for selection, as they are yet to recover from their injuries,” the BCCI added.
The first Test will be held in Rajkot starting on Oct 4, with the second in Hyderabad from Oct 12.
The two teams will also play five One-day International and three Twenty20 Internationals after the Test series.
The world’s top Test side will then head to Australia for a full series starting November.
Dhawan – who was the player-of-the-tournament during the just-ended Asia Cup in the UAE – had a forgettable England tour with the left-handed opener managing just 162 runs in eight innings as top-ranked India lost the Test series 1-4.
Uncapped batsman Mayank Agarwal and rookie fast bowler Mohammed Siraj were included in the 15-man team that will be led by Virat Kohli, who was rested in the Asia Cup 50-over tournament won by India.
The national selectors decided to rest fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar due to their ‘recent workload’, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a statement.
“Both Ishant Sharma and Hardik Pandya were not considered for selection, as they are yet to recover from their injuries,” the BCCI added.
The first Test will be held in Rajkot starting on Oct 4, with the second in Hyderabad from Oct 12.
The two teams will also play five One-day International and three Twenty20 Internationals after the Test series.
The world’s top Test side will then head to Australia for a full series starting November.
botched agreement
Pakistan and India squared off at the legal crease at a hearing at the International Cricket Council (ICC) headquarters in Dubai on Monday after the two sides failed to honour a deal to compete in several bilateral series.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is demanding $70 million in compensation from India, claiming that a memorandum of understanding signed in 2014 had guaranteed six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023.
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have said they are unable to play against Pakistan until the Indian government gives them permission and dismissed the agreement as not legally binding. The hearing is set to last until today (October 3).
ICC chief executive David Richardson last week urged the two nations to resolve the matter between themselves rather than seeking arbitration.
“It is a matter between India and Pakistan. We would like the resumption of [cricket] ties between the two nations on a bilateral basis,” said Richardson.
“We will facilitate any settlement decision if we can. Other than that, it is up to the two nations.”
India-Pakistan ties, including sports and cultural contacts, plummeted after the 2008 militant attacks in Mumbai, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistani militant groups.
There has been just one bilateral tour since, when Pakistan visited India to play two Twenty20s and three one-day internationals in December 2012 and January 2013.
Pakistan and India continue to play each other in international events at neutral venues, including the just concluded Asia Cup in Dubai. India won that event while Pakistan failed to reach the final.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is demanding $70 million in compensation from India, claiming that a memorandum of understanding signed in 2014 had guaranteed six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023.
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have said they are unable to play against Pakistan until the Indian government gives them permission and dismissed the agreement as not legally binding. The hearing is set to last until today (October 3).
ICC chief executive David Richardson last week urged the two nations to resolve the matter between themselves rather than seeking arbitration.
“It is a matter between India and Pakistan. We would like the resumption of [cricket] ties between the two nations on a bilateral basis,” said Richardson.
“We will facilitate any settlement decision if we can. Other than that, it is up to the two nations.”
India-Pakistan ties, including sports and cultural contacts, plummeted after the 2008 militant attacks in Mumbai, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistani militant groups.
There has been just one bilateral tour since, when Pakistan visited India to play two Twenty20s and three one-day internationals in December 2012 and January 2013.
Pakistan and India continue to play each other in international events at neutral venues, including the just concluded Asia Cup in Dubai. India won that event while Pakistan failed to reach the final.
World T20
Former West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been selected to be an ambassador by Cricket West Indies (CWI) for the upcoming ICC Women’s World T20. Chanderpaul, 44, has joined the Windies Ambassador Programme and along with other selected ambassadors will make a variety of appearances between September and November.
The ICC Women’s World T20 will be held in the Caribbean from November 9 to 24 and will feature ten of the world’s best teams. The West Indies women are the defending champions.
Chanderpaul, who started playing for the Windies at 19 and led them in 14 Tests and 16 ODIs, said he was delighted to have been selected.
”I want to thank Cricket West Indies for inviting me to participate in this fantastic tournament. It is another great opportunity to serve my country, the region and the sport that I love so much. Everyone knows I am a student of the game and what better way to be involved than to be an ambassador for this prestigious event.
“I am also a huge fan of women’s cricket and I jumped at the opportunity. I have played cricket all over the world and I enjoyed every moment, especially meeting fans and entertaining the crowds,” Chanderpaul said.
“This tournament is for the fans of the West Indies and I want to urge everyone to come out. It will be a great few weeks of brilliant performances by some of the best women players to ever play the game. I’m delighted I will be part of it.”
Tournament director Jennifer Nero said Chanderpaul’s addition to the programme would be well-received.
”This is an incredible opportunity for our present and former players to interact with each other and with fans at all levels. Our main aim to support the women with filled stadiums across the region for the tournament and the reach of the Ambassadors, we hope, will help us achieve that,” Nero said.
The ICC Women’s T20 will be held at the Providence Ground in Guyana, the Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia and the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
The ICC Women’s World T20 will be held in the Caribbean from November 9 to 24 and will feature ten of the world’s best teams. The West Indies women are the defending champions.
Chanderpaul, who started playing for the Windies at 19 and led them in 14 Tests and 16 ODIs, said he was delighted to have been selected.
”I want to thank Cricket West Indies for inviting me to participate in this fantastic tournament. It is another great opportunity to serve my country, the region and the sport that I love so much. Everyone knows I am a student of the game and what better way to be involved than to be an ambassador for this prestigious event.
“I am also a huge fan of women’s cricket and I jumped at the opportunity. I have played cricket all over the world and I enjoyed every moment, especially meeting fans and entertaining the crowds,” Chanderpaul said.
“This tournament is for the fans of the West Indies and I want to urge everyone to come out. It will be a great few weeks of brilliant performances by some of the best women players to ever play the game. I’m delighted I will be part of it.”
Tournament director Jennifer Nero said Chanderpaul’s addition to the programme would be well-received.
”This is an incredible opportunity for our present and former players to interact with each other and with fans at all levels. Our main aim to support the women with filled stadiums across the region for the tournament and the reach of the Ambassadors, we hope, will help us achieve that,” Nero said.
The ICC Women’s T20 will be held at the Providence Ground in Guyana, the Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia and the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.