Women's T20 World Cup: India, who have already qualified for the semifinals, face Sri Lanka in their final Group A match on Saturday.
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India will look to bounce back hard when they take on New Zealand in the 2nd Test at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. New Zealand's meticulous planning systematically dismantled India in the first Test in Basin Reserve and it also meant that Black Caps would go unbeaten in six consecutive series at home.
The sour taste of a 10-wicket loss to New Zealand in the first Test had been a good lesson for India’s cricketers and there was no doubt they would be far more competitive in the second in Christchurch, coach Ravi Shastri said.
The visitors had won their previous seven International Cricket Council World Test Championship matches to lead the standings on 360 points before they were hammered at the Basin Reserve.
Shastri, however, said his side had learned a lot about how New Zealand would bowl to them at Hagley Oval when the game starts on Saturday and the sting of defeat was on their minds as they look to level the two-match series.
“We were outplayed in the first Test but I always believe that a shake-up like that is good. It opens your mindset,” Shastri told reporters in Christchurch on Friday.
“If you have not tasted defeat you can have a closed or fixed mindset. Here, when you see what has happened, it is good, it gives you opportunities to learn.
“You know what New Zealand are doing and what to expect. It’s a good lesson and the boys are up for the challenge.”
Shastri did not confirm the playing XI on Friday but hinted there was some debate over whether Ravindra Jadeja or Ravichandran Ashwin would occupy the spinning all-rounder spot in the side.
A final decision would be made just before the toss on Saturday, although Shastri said that Ashwin’s batting had slipped.
The off-spinner, who has four Test centuries along with his 365 wickets, has not passed 50 since Aug. 2017 and has scored a total of 126 runs in his last 10 matches.
“He is a world class bowler,” Shastri said. “There is absolutely no doubt about it. But ... he will be disappointed in the way he has batted and he will need to improve that.”
New Zealand pace bowler Trent Boult, who was eyeing a green Hagley Oval wicket on Friday, said the Indians would definitely have learned and adapted after the hosts bogged them down in Wellington.
Boult and his new ball partner Tim Southee took 14 of the 20 wickets to fall in Wellington and will welcome back Neil Wagner after he missed the first game to attend the birth of his first child.
“We’re definitely expecting them to adapt pretty quickly and be positive coming into this Test match. Their records speak for themselves,” Boult said.
“They’re number one in the world for a reason and that’s solely because they can adapt to any conditions.”
Here's all you need to know about the 2nd Test between India and New Zealand at Christchurch.
When is the 2nd Test between India and New Zealand?
The 2nd Test between India and New Zealand will take place from 29 February to 4 March, 2020.
Where is the match being played?
The match will be played at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
What time does the match begin?
The match begins at 4 am IST with toss taking place at 3.30 am IST on Day 1.
Which TV channels will broadcast India vs New Zealand 2nd Test?
The match will be telecast on Star Sports Network in both standard as well as HD format.
How do I watch online the match online?
The match will be live-streamed on Hotstar. You can also catch the live score and over-by-over updates on Firstpost.com.
India team players: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Wriddhiman Saha, Virat Kohli(c), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Umesh Yadav
New Zealand team players: Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Henry Nicholls, Kyle Jamieson, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner
With inputs from Reuters
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New Zealand pace great Sir Richard Hadlee is not a fan of T20 cricket and has no qualms in asserting that the shortest format will not survive if Tests are not taken care of.
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India will look to continue their winning run when they take on Sri Lanka in their final Group A match in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The Indians are on a roll, having sealed their semi-final berth with wins over defending champions Australia (by 17 runs), Bangladesh (by 18 runs) and New Zealand (by 4 runs).
India women's Shafali Verma has bagged two Player of the Match awards in three outings so far. Twitter @ICC
The clash will be inconsequential as the Lankans are already out of the semi-final race, having lost in both their previous outings — against New Zealand (by 7 wickets) and Australia (by 5 wickets).
India have plenty of positives going into Saturday’s clash. Playing quick-fire knocks of 29, 39 and 46, 16-year-old Shafali Verma has looked in good touch and got India off to flying starts in their previous games. Meanwhile, Poonam Yadav has bamboozled the batswomen with her leg-spin, picking up eight wickets so far. The middle order-batting, however, remains an area of concern.
A defeat wouldn’t do any damage to the Indians. However, knowing this unit, they would still bring their A-game to finish the group stages on a high.
Here's everything you need to know about the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup match between India and Sri Lanka:
When will the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup fixture between India and Sri Lanka take place?
The India-Sri Lanka clash in the ICC Women’s T20I World Cup will take place on 29 February, Saturday.
Where will the match be played?
The match will be played at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.
What time does the match begin?
The Women’s T20I World Cup clash between India and Sri Lanka will begin at 9:30 AM IST.
Which TV channel will broadcast the Women’s T20I World Cup clash between India and Sri Lanka?
The match will be telecasted on Star Sports Network in both standard as well as HD format.
How do I watch the match online?
The match will be live-streamed on hotstar.com. You can also catch live updates on firstpost.com.
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Canberra: Opener Lizelle Lee smashed a blistering century before South African bowlers put up an outstanding effort to register an emphatic 113-run victory over debutants Thailand in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, here on Friday.
Electing to bat, the Proteas posted 195 for three, the highest team total in the tournament's history, on the back of opener Lee's 60-ball 101 and Sune Luus' unbeaten 61.
In response, Thailand were bundled out for 82 in 19.1 overs.
Sune Luus today
▶️ 61* (41)
▶️ 3/15An excellent day for the all-rounder 👏 #SAvTHA | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/gJgyqpxDmH
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 28, 2020
With the win, South Africa strengthened their grip on Group B as they get ready to take on Pakistan on Sunday with the semifinals in sight.
Thailand, who have a knack for nabbing early wickets, were gifted one when Dane van Niekerk (2) patted Ratanporn Padunglerd's full toss to mid-on.
Lee, 10th in the ICC T20I batting rankings, dominated the scoring and slog-swept Onnicha Kamchomphu for a 75-metre six.
Thailand were forced to use seven different bowlers inside nine overs but none could withstand Lee's assault. She reached her 50 from 35 balls with a straight six.
Luus, featuring in her fourth women's T20 World Cup aged 24, then swung Chanida Sutthiruang's full toss for six over fine leg.
Lee came in without a half-century in nine international innings but glided towards a century in 59 balls, showing her touch with a late cut for four before bringing up a ton fittingly with a four.
No sooner had she raised her bat to salute a jubilant South Africa dugout than she chipped a catch back to Suleeporn Laomi to end the partnership on 131.
Luus soon registered her fourth T20I fifty and Chloe Tryon then carted Tippoch over the leg-side fence twice in the penultimate over that cost 20, to lift South Africa to a record total.
It didn't take long for Thailand to lose their first wicket as Natthakan Chantam was run out by a fine throw from keeper Trisha Chetty.
Shabnim Ismail (3/8) tore apart the Thai batting attack, beating Nannapat Khoncharoenkai and then Naruemol Chaiwai with sheer pace in successive balls to complete a team hat-trick.
Tippoch and Nattaya Boochatham played out two maidens before a world-class catch from Laura Wolvaardt at midwicket accounted for the Thailand captain.
Kamchomphu (26) led a lone resistance, hitting Ayabonga Khaka for back-to-back boundaries and striking Thailand's first six of the tournament off Van Niekerk.
She nicked Luus behind in the 12th over before Chetty whipped off Boochatham's bails to end her 31-ball vigil and also stumped Wongpaka Liengprasert (6) for the seventh wicket.
Chanida Sutthiruang was given out lbw on review off Nadine de Klerk, while Laomi looped a catch to Van Niekerk and Ismail castled Padunglerd to complete a comprehensive win.
Brief Scores
South Africa: 195-3 in 20 overs (Lizelle Lee 101, Sune Luus 61 not out; Ratanporn Padunglerd 1-19)
Thailand: 82 all out, 19.
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New Delhi: Former India captain Kapil Dev has backed Virat Kohli-led team to come out strongly in the second Test match starting in Christchurch on Saturday. India lost the series-opener in Wellington’s Basin Reserve by ten wickets in just over three days and are now staring at a potential series defeat.
Kapil Dev said people should not be worried over the form of Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah. Image courtesy: HCL Grant
The Kiwis executed their short-ball strategy to perfection in the first Test, and the inclusion of Neil Wagner in the squad suggests Kane Williamson would like to continue with that line of attack. Despite his lack of express pace, Wagner has troubled batsmen — most famously and recently, Australia’s run machine Steve Smith — with his lengths and angles, and is an expert exponent of the short ball. Pacers Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and debutante Kyle Jamieson accounted for 19 of the 20 Indian wickets in the first Test — Rishabh Pant’s run-out being the sole aberration.
“Honestly, I don’t know the gameplan they should adopt to counter the short-ball strategy,” Kapil, India’s first World Cup-winning skipper, said on the sidelines of an HCL Grant event in Noida. “But we have won on bouncy wickets before, be it Perth, Melbourne or Durban. We have done it before, so I am not concerned if they target us with the short-pitch ball. They are one-up in the series, so just come back hard.”
India started the New Zealand tour with a 5-0 clean sweep in the T20I series, but were blanked 0-3 in the ODI series that followed. Considering the team played the first T20I on 24 January and the first Test started almost a month later (21 February), many expected India to come into the series suitably attuned to conditions. The team, however, was found wanting on every count, continuing with their unwanted tradition of losing the first Test of an away series.
“I felt bad when we lost the first Test because we had already played a T20I series and an ODI series (in New Zealand). Had the tour started with Test matches and we would have lost the first one, I could have understood. But I’d only say that all credit must go to the Kiwis,” Kapil said.
India’s vaunted batting line-up failed to fire in both innings of the first Test, getting dismissed for 165 and 191 runs respectively. While the majority of India’s top-seven got starts, none could post a substantial total, resulting in below-par scores.
“They lost because they were under-prepared; there’s nothing to talk about. Had they worked hard on that (playing short-pitch bowling), they wouldn’t have lost the Test match. They are professionals, they understand their game, and I think they’ll come back harder. If not, you have to give all the praise to the Kiwis.
“New Zealand bowled much better than our boys. Our boys’ lines and lengths were not right. New Zealand used the conditions well,” Kapil said.
Among the visitors’ biggest worries will be lack of runs from skipper Virat Kohli. A prolific scorer across formats, Kohli has uncharacteristically failed to fire on the tour so far.
In the ODI series preceding the Tests, Kohli returned with scores of 51, 15, and 9 runs and struggled to find his signature fluency. He got starts in the four T20I matches he played at the start of the tour, but failed to go on.
Then, after conceding the ODI series in Auckland, Kohli had said that ODI matches were not as important this year, with T20 World Cup slated in October and the ongoing World Test Championships.
Asked to comment on that line of thought, Kapil said the team should have accepted the loss and not “looked for excuses.”
“I think the team management should not have looked for excuses. You didn’t play well, that’s the reason you lost. As a cricket lover, to me, every match is important. What management said is up to them, but as a former cricketer, I’d say every Test match, ODI, and T20I is important. If you say it is not important, then we should never talk about statistics. Why talk about statistics if they don’t matter? I think winning is the most important thing. If you have not played well, just accept it and give due credit to the opponents,” he said.
The veteran of 131 Tests and 225 ODIs, however, threw his weight behind the Indian captain's ability with the bat. “We shouldn’t be worrying about Virat’s form. He is a great player and great players come back stronger. He is one of the all-time greats of the game and I am sure he will bounce back. I have no doubts he will come back with the ability and talent that he has. He has lots and lots of cricket left in him.”
Apart from Kohli, pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s slump in form proved detrimental to India in the ODI series and the first Test. The 26-year-old, coming back from an injury layoff, failed to pick up a single wicket in the five ODIs and managed just one scalp in the Wellington Test.
Kapil, who once held the world record for most Test wickets (434), said there’s no need to worry over Bumrah’s form, and the pacer needs just one good spell to get back to wicket-taking ways.
“There is no need to worry about Bumrah’s lack of wickets. He is a very fine bowler and he has proved it before. A person who has played at that level and proved himself doesn’t take very long to come back to form.
“As batsmen, you need one innings to get back in form. Likewise, bowlers need just one good spell to find their rhythm. All you need is few wickets in one spell, and you are back. Champion players have it in them to come back faster.”
As of now, Ishant Sharma, India's lone bright spot in the Wellington Test — he returned a five-wicket haul — has been ruled out from the second match owing to recurrence of his ankle injury. Ishant had injured his ankle during a Ranji Trophy match and had undergone rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. His breakdown, after just one match on return, raises questions over India's injury management that had, in recent past, come under the scanner over handling of injury-prone Wriddhiman Saha, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.
Young Prithvi Shaw, also on the comeback trail, missed a training session due to swelling on his left foot on Thursday, but coach Ravi Shastri has declared the opener fit for the second Test. With injury scares piling on, the issue of burnout and scheduling assumes great importance, something Kohli had alluded to at the start of the tour.
Kapil, one of the fittest cricketers of his generation, said the players should be ready to skip the Indian Premier League (IPL) to prevent themselves from burnouts.
“If they think there’s a threat to burnout, don’t play IPL. It’s not as if you’re representing your country in IPL. I don’t want to know how much (money) they are making or not making, but your feelings for your country should be different from what you feel for your club. If you feel more strongly for your club than your country, I don’t know how to react to that,” he said.
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Yuvraj Singh and wife Hazel Keech are celebrating her 33rd birthday in New York.
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