Indian tour of Sri Lanka will not ahead as per the original schedule after the Board of Control for Cricket in India communicated to their Sri Lankan counterparts that holding a series as per the original plan will not be feasible thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, an SLC press-release said on Thursday.

According to the original schedule, Team India was to lock horns with their Asian neighbors for three One-day Internationals and as many Twenty20 Internationals in the month of June.

The release, however, stated that both BCCI and SLC will continue to work together to possibly stage a series in August.

“The India National Team Tour of Sri Lanka, which was scheduled to take place during the month of June, 2020 will not go ahead, as scheduled,” SLC said in a media release on Thursday.

“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informed Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) that due to the prevailing circumstances revolving around Covid – 19 pandemic, the cricket series, which included 03 ODIs and 03 T20i matches will not be feasible.” the press-release said.

Also Read: PCB Hands Over Asia Cup 2020 Hosting Rights To Sri Lanka

Both BCCI and SLC will work towards staging the India-Sri Lanka series in August

The release further stated that the BCCI remains committed to the Future Tour Program and towards its fellow members.

“The BCCI “remains committed to the FTP and towards its fellow members, it will have to seek the advice from the Government of India and the health regulatory authorities before taking any decision for the resumption of Cricket” the release stated.

If the series does go ahead in August, the Sri Lankan government would have to ensure the Indian government and also chalk out a medical plan in order to ensure the security of the visiting players.

Cricket, however, is set to make a return next month with England hosting West Indies for a series of three Test matches at two biosecure centers in Southampton and Manchester.

Also Read: BCB Pessimistic About Bangladesh’s Tour Of Sri Lanka Going Ahead

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly agreed to tour Sri Lanka in August, subject to clearance from both governments. Team India has not played any game since the tour of New Zealand ended in early March. They were set to play a three-match ODI series against South Africa before the IPL.

But after the first match was washed out without a ball being bowled, the series was called off in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The pandemic has caused cricket activity around the world being halted. The Australia-New Zealand ODI on March 13 was the last international game before every event was called off.

But the situation is finally improving and cricket looks set to start within few days. If everything goes well, international cricket can resume next month with a Test series between England and West Indies. The Caribbean outfit has already landed in England for the three-match series.

On the other hand, Team India could be seen in action in August, according to a report in The Island. The report said the BCCI confirmed their readiness to Sri Lanka Cricket on Tuesday.

The Sri Lankan cricket board will now seek permission from the country’s Ministry of Sports to resume bilateral cricket in the country. India were scheduled to play three ODIs and as many T20Is in Sri Lanka in June, which didn’t happen due to the pandemic.

Once the Sri Lankan government gives clearance, the SLC will work on the schedule and other details of the series. The report further added that SLC is hopeful of hosting the series with a few spectators in the stands while ensuring social distancing norms.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka are also hoping to host the Asia Cup this year. The tournament is originally scheduled to be held in Pakistan. However, the BCCI has made it clear that the Indian team would not be able to play there due to the poor bilateral relation between the two countries.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief Shammi Silva has said that Pakistan Cricket Board is fine with SLC hosting the event.

“We had a discussion with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and they have already agreed to our hosting this edition due to the present world situation,” Shammi Silva was quoted as saying by Sri Lankan media outlet ‘Ceylon Today’. “We had an online ACC meeting and they basically gave us the green light to host the tournament.”

Also Read: Ziva Posts Adorable Pictures Of MS Dhoni Saving A Bird

Also Read: Former Ranji Trophy Player Jayamohan Thampi Murdered By His Son, Says Police

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India is scheduled set to tour Sri Lanka for a limited-overs series in mid-July but it’s looking pretty difficult that the series will go ahead, given the current situation around COVID-19. And, at a time when due to the proliferation of the coronavirus and the current lockdown imposed in most of the countries around the world, cricket boards have been postponing tours, the Sri Lankan cricket board has requested the Board of Control For Cricket in India [BCCI] to consider touring the island nation for the limited-overs fixtures scheduled in mid-July.

But according to a top BCCI official, it is almost impossible for the Indian tour of Sri Lanka to go ahead considering the current situation. The board official, in an interview to IANS, said that the first and foremost priority of the BCCI currently is to ensure cricketers stuck in the red-zone to move to the green zone so that they can resume their training, which, considering the gravity of the situation in Mumbai and Bengaluru looks difficult as of now.

“I would say it is close to impossible at present. Firstly, we need to take one step at a time in the current scenario and you do realise that some of our players are stuck in Mumbai and Bengaluru — two zones which are highly affected by the pandemic,” a BCCI official told IANS.

He added: “Without even going into the question on whether the Indian team would travel without the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma among others, I would say will international travel be permissible? So, we all need to wait and watch how things unfold,”

Also Read: No T20 World Cup, IPL 2020 Will Take Place In October, Feels Mark Taylor

I doubt we will be in a position to travel outside the country by mid-July: BCCI official on India-Sri Lanka series

The official added that considering the current situation, he doesn’t think it will be feasible to travel outside the country by mid-July. The official said that the BCCI will try its best to honour all its commitments, if not now, then at a later date.

“But keeping in mind how efficiently the government has looked to fight the battle against the pandemic, I doubt we will be in a position to travel outside the country by mid-July. The BCCI will obviously try to honour all its commitments, if not now, then at a later date which suits both boards involved,” the official added.

He added; “But looking at the current scenarios, safety is priority. Also, to get cricketers in the red zone to come out and travel to a green zone is currently not allowed. So, if the government does in the near future allow that, we will have to see what happens from there on and if we can then start domestic cricket. Domestic cricket is the way forward at present,”

According to a report published in The Island’, Sri Lankan Cricket Board had sent an e-mail to their Indian counterparts, requesting the BCCI the possibility of Virat Kohli’s side travelling to Sri Lanka for three ODIs and as many T20Is in mid-July.

 “when contacted by The Island, an official said that they would have to follow strict quarantine rules and the series might take place behind closed doors considering the safety of fans.” the report further stated.

Earlier, Sri Lanka had also offered to host the IPL but the BCCI turned it down, stating in the current situation, it is not possible for players to travel and so the question of shifting the tournament does not arise.

Also Read: India Open To Playing All Tests At The Adelaide Oval On The Australian Tour: Arun Dhumal

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The coronavirus pandemic has accounted for yet another cricket series as the ongoing ODI series between India and South Africa has been called off. It was first decided that the remaining two games of the series will be played behind closed doors and fans would not be allowed inside the stadium.

However, the BCCI has now decided to entirely call off the series, keeping in mind the seriousness of the situation. The first match of the series in Dharamsala was abandoned without a ball being bowled. The next two matches were scheduled to be played in Lucknow and Kolkata on March 12 and 15 respectively.

On Thursday, a woman was tested positive for coronavirus in Lucknow. It was the eleventh case in Uttar Pradesh. But the Indian players still arrived in Lucknow on Friday before the BCCI decided to call off the series, according to PTI. The series against South Africa was set to be India’s last international assignment before the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The outbreak has started taking a toll on cricket. Earlier in the day, the Indian Premier League was postponed until April 15. The thirteenth edition of the league was set to get underway on March 29 in Mumbai. England’s upcoming two-match Test series in Sri Lanka has been called off too.

The Road Safety World Series was recently called off too. On the other hand, the Australia-New Zealand ODI series are being played behind closed doors. In addition to the aforementioned series and tournaments, a number of other competitions have been postponed or cancelled too.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to continue the Pakistan Super League but a number of overseas have already left the tournament. The PCB later announced that they have cut short the competition and it would now end on March 18 instead of March 23.

Also Read: Without “Kohli-Kohli, Dhoni-Dhoni” Chants, IPL Would Become Dull: Virender Sehwag

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India finally gave Sanju Samson a chance in the playing eleven for the third T20I against Sri Lanka on Friday. India made as many as three changes to the playing eleven that beat Sri Lanka in the second T20I. Along with Sanju Samson, Manish Pandey and Yuzvendra Chahal got a chance in the playing eleven too. The right-handed batsman played just his second game for India.

Sanju Samson had earned a recall from the national team after a long gap of four years during the Bangladesh T20Is in November. However, he did not play a single game and was surprisingly dropped for the series against West Indies.

But an injury to Shikhar Dhawan led to another recall although he did not play any game against West Indies either. He managed to retain his spot for the ongoing series too but was not named in the playing game for the first two games. But on Saturday, India finally gave him a chance to show his potential on the field.

Also Read: Not My Headache, Says Shikhar Dhawan On Team India’s Preferred Opening Combination

Well, it was an interesting return to the playing eleven for Sanju Samson. He started his innings on the best possible note by dispatching Lakshan Sandakan for a maximum. But the very next ball he faced from Wanindu Hasaranga, he was trapped in front of the wicket and had to depart.

Reason behind promotion:

While the experiment to send Sanju Samson at number three failed, India went on to win the game by 78 runs. After the game, senior opener Shikhar Dhawan explained the reasons behind India’s decision to play Sanju Samson as well as Pandey.

Samson was surprisingly included ahead of Rishabh Pant who is being tipped to play the role of wicketkeeper-batsman in the T20 World Cup. Shikhar Dhawan said that the team-management wants to try out different players till the T20 World Cup.

“I’m sure the management wants to try players. Today also we wanted to try other players who haven’t batted in the series and give them a fair chance because we’re only left with five T20 (actually over 12) games.

“As a team, we wanted to give chance to everyone and that’s why they’ve been rotating players. Till World Cup comes, everyone is refined and know their job as well.

“It is more to give players (time), like how Sanju Samson came in today (at number 3), then Shreyas (Iyer), so they can get more time in the middle, because it is a totally different field when you are batting in the match and having more overs and so that was the reason today,” he added.

Also Read: Glenn Maxwell Credits Indefinite Break For Sensational Form In Big Bash League

The post Shikhar Dhawan Reveals Why Sanju Samson Played Ahead Of Rishabh Pant In Third T20I appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Manish Pandey, the Indian middle-order batsman, is ecstatic about team India’s win over Sri Lanka and his contribution in the victory. Team India won the third and final T20I of the three-match series against Sri Lanka by 78 runs to lift the series 2-0. After the first game was washed out, India dominated the next two games and won both of them in a comprehensive manner.

Captain Virat Kohli made some changes for the final T20I that included Manish Pandey returning to the Indian side along with Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal.

Manish Pandey played an important role in the win, playing a crucial knock of 31 runs off just 18 balls and stayed until the very end. He was also impressive on the field as he grabbed a catch and also affected a runout. Talking to Chahal TV after the match, Manish Pandey expressed his views about his performance.

I Am Happy To Contribute In The Victory: Manish Pandey

“After a long time, I got a chance to play for India. I was talking with the coaches during training about how to grab opportunities and making sure that I deliver. It felt like I was playing after a long time and I am happy to contribute to the side’s winning cause,” Pandey said on ‘Chahal TV’.

He added, “Batting and fielding are equally important, and it is important to give each aspect, a proper time during training. In a close match, catches and good fielding helps a lot.”

India clinch yet another series against Sri Lanka

Team India won the final T20I of the three-match series against Sri Lanka and clean swept the series 2-0. The first game of the series was washed out due to heavy rain and India had won the second game. This was the decider.

Having won the toss, Sri Lanka bowled first. India started in a rock-solid manner and had a 97 run stand for the first wicket between Shikhar Dhawan and K.L. Rahul. Both the openers scored half-centuries and laid the foundation of a big score for team India. Manish Pandey and Shardul Thakur played quick-fire knocks to end the Indian innings at 201-6.

The Lankan batsmen never seemed comfortable since the start of their innings. Indian bowlers kept on clinching wickets at regular intervals and gave the Lankans no chance of dominating the game. Eventually, the Lankan innings bundled up for 123 runs in 15.5 overs and this led to India winning another bilateral series by a handsome margin. Shardul Thakur was adjudged the man of the match due to his all-round performance. Navdeep Saini received the man of the series award.

It is India’s 13^th victory against Sri Lanka out of the 19 games played between both sides. India now has the most wins against a team in T20Is. Team India will now face Australia in a three-match ODI series at home, beginning from 14^th January.

Read More – India vs Sri Lanka 2020 T20I Series: India Players’ Performance Ratings

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At a time when Team India is brimming with world-class fast-bowlers, Navdeep Saini has given the team-management a good headache. The exciting fast-bowler from Delhi has shown he can do well at the highest stage of the game. Navdeep Saini impressed with his pace once again in the recently-concluded T20I series against Sri Lanka and walked away with his first Man of the Series award.

The highly-rated pacer, who made his T20I debut last year, bowled consistently over 140 kmph and made life difficult for Sri Lanka’s batsmen. He picked up 2 for just 18 off his four overs in the second T20I and backed it up with figures of 3 for 28 in the third game on Saturday, helping India clinch the three-match series 2-0 after the first game was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

“When I used to play with the red ball earlier, I used to find bowling with the white ball difficult. But now after practicing, I have been finding it easier and have been getting better. My seniors have been helping me as well as to how to bowl in different situations. Bowling fast comes naturally to me. I look after my gym, my diet and playing for India is a big deal. I have been playing with the red ball only for the last four-five years and before that I was playing with the tennis ball only,” said Navdeep Saini after the game.

The deadly yorker:

In the second match of the series, Navdeep Saini bowled a thunderbolt at the speed of 147.5 kmph that had left Danushka Gunathilaka clueless. And Saini came up with another such brilliant yorker in the third game with Kusal Perera being the victim this time around.

Chasing an improbable 202, Sri Lanka were already 26 for 3 when Kusal Perera was beaten for pace. Saini fired in a well-directed yorker at Perera right in the blockhole on the middle stump and the batsman could not do much as the ball went on to disturb the timbers.

Here is a clip of that wicket:

The post Watch: Navdeep Saini Destroys Kusal Perera’s Stumps With Deadly Yorker appeared first on CricketAddictor.

India comprehensively beat Sri Lanka in the third T20 international to win the three-match series by 2-0. The men in blue wrapped up the victory in the final game in Pune by 78 runs after gunning down the visitors by seven wickets in Indore. The first game finished as a no-result in Guwahati due to excessive rains and wet outfield.

Also Read: “I Believe I Have The Ability With Bat,” Says Shardul Thakur After Heroics In Pune T20I

With the home side resting Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami for this series, the fringe players stepped up beautifully to script two resounding victories. This T20 leg played a big part in for India assembling their best combination ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year. The likes of Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur, and Manish Pandey have made compelling cases for their inclusion in the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand and the mega event in Australia.

Meanwhile, we take a look at the rating for each player at the end of the series against their sub-continent rivals:

Shikhar Dhawan – 7/10

Prior to this series, Shikhar Dhawan’s spot was under scrutiny, mainly because Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul flourished well leading up to this series. However, the southpaw may have locked his place for the series against the Kiwis with scores of 32 and 52. Hence, he gets a rating of seven for his exploits on his comeback.

The post India vs Sri Lanka 2020 T20I Series: India Players’ Performance Ratings appeared first on CricketAddictor.

It was just his second game after an injury lay-off, and Jasprit Bumrah is already up and running to break those records in International cricket. On Friday, he added yet another feather to his illustrious hat by picking the wicket of Danushka Gunathilaka in his first over with the new ball. He became the highest wicket-taker for India surpassing Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin, who are jointly holding the top position.

Bumrah was tied on 52 wickets with Chahal and Ashwin at the top spot in the elite list before the start of this match. He had picked up a wicket in the Indore T20I.  Now, Jasprit Bumrah has 53 T20I wickets to his name from 45 T20 internationals. Wrist-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (52 wickets from 37 matches) and ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (52 wickets from 46 matches) are the joint second-highest on the list.

Jasprit Bumrah has also moved past Mustafizur Rahman:

With his 53 wickets in T20Is, Bumrah has also moved past Mustafizur Rahman, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine and Graeme Swann in the overall list of highest wicket-takers in the format, that is ruled by Lasith Malinga with 106 wickets.

Jasprit Bumrah has not played any competitive cricket ever since being laid low by a stress fracture to his back after the tour of the West Indies. He made an outstanding comeback with classy performance- 1/32 in the second T20I in Indore, which the hosts had won by seven wickets. The Gujarat pacer returned with figures of 1-5 in two overs in the third and final game.

All in all, it is a piece of good news for India, as Bumrah got his rhythm back. His return will be a welcome boost to the Indian pace bowling department that has been rotated effectively in the last couple of months. Jasprit Bumrah started off from where he had left before being laid low by a stress fracture.

Read More – Virat Kohli Becomes Fastest Captain To Score 11000 Runs In International Cricket

Meanwhile, Team India displayed yet another clinical show as they defeated Sri Lanka by 78 runs in the third T20I. With this win, India clinched the series 2-0. India posted a mammoth 201/6 in stipulated 20 overs with the help of KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan half-centuries. In reply, the collective bowling effort helped India seal a massive 78-run victory.

The post Jasprit Bumrah Becomes Highest Wicket-taker For India In T20I appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Shikhar Dhawan has been facing a lot of criticism in recent time. Not only the fans but even some former cricketers had taken shots at him, saying that they would prefer KL Rahul ahead of the southpaw. Things have not really gone Shikhar Dhawan’s way since he injured his thumb during his stunning century knock against Australia in the World Cup.

The injury ruled him out of the competition and KL Rahul made the most of the opportunity by scoring two fifties and a century after being asked to open. Since then, Rahul has continued to impress while Shikhar Dhawan looked rusty. An unfortunate injury before the West Indies series dealt another blow to the senior opener.

Also Read: ‘Abe Meri Nakal Karta Hai’: Fans Brutally Troll Rishabh Pant After Sanju Samson Fails On Return

While he was on the sidelines, Rahul made the most of it by scoring two fifties in the T20I series and a century in the subsequent ODI series. And as Rahul went on impressing, former cricketers like Gautam Gambhir and K Srikanth said that they would like to see the right-handed batsman opening the batting for India instead of Shikhar Dhawan.

Sanjay Manjrekar on Shikhar Dhawan:

Shikhar Dhawan, on Saturday, finally returned to form and scored an impressive fifty to help India beat Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I in Pune. The senior opener matched Rahul shot for shot and scored 52 runs off 36 balls while adding 97 runs with his opening partner for the first wicket. And as Shikhar Dhawan impressed against Sri Lanka, former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar took to Twitter to praise him.

The ex-cricketer-turned-commentator lauded Shikhar Dhawan for showing character in tough times, writing:

“Nothing but respect for Shikhar Dhawan. When pushed to the wall, shows his character. Incidentally his greatest strength that, his character.”

Nothing but respect for Shikhar Dhawan. When pushed to the wall, shows his character. Incidentally his greatest strength that, his character.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) January 10, 2020

India, meanwhile, beat Sri Lanka by 78 runs to win the three-match series 2-0. After being asked to bat first, the hosts rode on fifties from Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul to post 201 for 6. In reply, Sri Lanka were all out for a paltry 123.

The post Sanjay Manjrekar Posts Brilliant Message For Shikhar Dhawan After Latter Shuts His Critics Up appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Sanju Samson finally got the chance in India’s playing eleven when the Men in Blue took on Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I on Saturday. India made as many as three changes to the playing eleven that beat Sri Lanka in the second T20I. Sanju Samson highlighted the inclusions while the other two players who got the chance were Manish Pandey and Yuzvendra Chahal.

The fans were delighted for Sanju Samson who finally got a chance in the team. Sanju Samson had earned a recall from the national team after a long gap of four years during the Bangladesh T20Is in November. However, he did not play a single game and was surprisingly dropped for the series against West Indies.

But an injury to Shikhar Dhawan led to another recall although he did not play any game against West Indies either. He managed to retain his spot for the ongoing series too but was not named in the playing game for the first two games. But on Saturday, India finally gave him a chance to show his potential on the field.

Also Read: Not My Headache, Says Shikhar Dhawan On Team India’s Preferred Opening Combination

Well, it was an interesting return to the playing eleven for Sanju Samson. He started his innings on the best possible note by dispatching Lakshan Sandakan for a maximum. But the very next ball he faced from Wanindu Hasaranga, he was trapped in front of the wicket and had to depart. And as soon as Samson departed, the fans took to Twitter to remember Rishabh Pant in order to come up with some hilarious memes.

Through the memes, the fans wanted to say that Rishabh Pant must have been delighted to see his competitor failing to do well.

Here are some reactions:

https://twitter.com/Abhijee22691599/status/1215653952017989632

After seeing Sanju Samson getting out on 6 #INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/ARqdUMyBBF

— ADULTING😈 (@adultmemes4u) January 10, 2020

MS Dhoni advising both Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant, how to get him back in the team.. pic.twitter.com/Xs2zGMIaZT

— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) January 10, 2020

Sanju Samson hits first ball six..

Rishabh Pant : pic.twitter.com/DjbAnBLZjj

— Subhasish 🇮🇳 (@i_mPups) January 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/Aneelgs/status/1215657001193050113

Pant's reaction :
Sanju Samson. Got out
hits 6 in 1st ball. in very next ball #INDvsSLT20 pic.twitter.com/H2BN2PgQYm

— வாத்தி (@DrVaathi) January 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/moneyheistwale/status/1215643856546467846

https://twitter.com/nishant4_king/status/1215649966565183488

India, meanwhile, beat Sri Lanka by 78 runs to win the three-match series 2-0. After being asked to bat first, the hosts rode on fifties from Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul to post 201 for 6. In reply, Sri Lanka were all out for a paltry 123.

The post ‘Abe Meri Nakal Karta Hai’: Fans Brutally Troll Rishabh Pant After Sanju Samson Fails On Return appeared first on CricketAddictor.

When the third T20I between India and Sri Lanka ended, skipper Virat Kohli once again failed to give a clear cut answer on the team’s opening combination once Rohit Sharma returns. The team-management faces a huge dilemma as they will have to choose one between Shikhar Dhawan and in-form KL Rahul. In the last few months, Rahul has definitely been the better performer but one cannot write off Shikhar Dhawan straightaway as he showed on Friday that he has still got it.

Having faced criticism in recent times for his form, Shikhar Dhawan matched his younger opening partner shot for shot and slammed 52 off 36 balls, helping India win the match by 78 runs. The southpaw has been getting the starts in T20Is but he was not really making them count before scoring a fine fifty on Saturday.

Also Read: Virat Kohli Hints Shikhar Dhawan’s Spot Not Safe, Form To Decide Rohit Sharma’s Partner

Rahul, on the other hand, continued his stunning run of form and scored 54 from 36 balls. It would now be interesting to see the opening combination in the upcoming ODI series against Australia when Rohit Sharma returns to action. But for the time being, Shikhar Dhawan is not worried about it at all as he praised himself as well as Rohit and Rahul. He made it clear that he is just focussed on performing and not on the work of the team-management.

“All 3 players are doing very well. Rohit Sharma had a terrific 2019. KL Rahul has been performing very well since last 1-2 months, he’s a very good player. Now I have come in to the picture, I performed well today.

“But it is not my headache, so I will not think much about it because it is not in my hands. Performing well is in my hands. Rest of the things are in the hands of the coaches and the captain,” said Shikhar Dhawan after the match.

Also Read: Virat Kohli Comes Up With Priceless Reaction As Sanju Samson Hits First-Ball Six On Return To International Cricket – Watch

The post Not My Headache, Says Shikhar Dhawan On Team India’s Preferred Opening Combination appeared first on CricketAddictor.

It was yet another forgettable day at the office for the Sri Lanka Cricket Team. They were knocked down by Virat Kohli-led side once again in a comfortable manner. Though Sri Lanka were brilliant in patches, it was India, who eventually dominated the series. Speaking of the same, Lasith Malinga feels the youngsters of his side must learn from the mistakes.

Apart from Dhananjaya de Silva and the spinners, none of the Sri Lanka players looked comfortable in the middle. Even Lasith Malinga went for runs alongside the poor show from the senior players like Kusal Perera and Danushka Gunathilaka.

We have to get the maximum out of them – Lasith Malinga

Speaking after the match, Lasith Malinga asked his team to learn from the mistakes, which they committed in the series and also expressed his hope to come good in the upcoming series. Further, Malinga felt Wanindu Hasaranga and Sandakan are the positives to take out from this tour.

”I think in these kinds of situations when the conditions were wet, we needed to control the ball better. They (India) got away in the last three overs. But our top-order batsmen got out quickly, and Dhananjaya and Mathews showed us how easy it was to bat here,” Lasith Malinga said.

”We need to learn how to handle these situations better. This is the talent we have in Sri Lanka, and we have to back them and get the maximum out of them in the World Cup. All teams in the world are using wrist spinners, and we have good bowlers in Hasaranga and Sandakan. These are the two bowlers we are looking at going into the World Cup,” he added.

All in all, it was an unsuccessful series for the visitors, with the players failing to match up to the skills of India. Now, the team will travel to Zimbabwe for a couple of Test matches, which will be followed by the home Series against England.

Read More – Virat Kohli Becomes Fastest Captain To Score 11000 Runs

The post We Need To Learn How To Handle These Situations – Lasith Malinga appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Shardul Thakur once again showed his all-round abilities and his gutsy 22 of 8 deliveries saw India touch the score of 200. Apart from showing his hard-hitting abilities, Shardul also scalped two wickets to help India clinch the series and win the Player of the Match award.

Reacting to his batting performance in the third T20I, Shardul said seemed confident and said that he believes in his ability to do well with the bat as well.

“I believe I have the ability with the bat and I have been practicing well. If I can contribute at number eight, it is always crucial for the team. With regards to my action, I can bowl outswingers, so the focus is to swing the ball early. I have spent quite some time in the team ever since I broke in in 2016. I get a homely feeling and don’t feel left out, so credit to the captain and the management. I am preparing myself to bat when I am waiting outside and that takes pressure off me when I come in,” he said.

Asked to bat first, the Indian openers provided a solid start to the home team by putting up 97 runs for the first wicket in 10.5 overs. Shikhar Dhawan took the charge early in the start and was the first of the two openers to reach the half-century. He scored 52 off 36 before getting dismissed in the 11th over. Rahul scored 54 off 36 before getting stumped.

WATCH: Virat Kohli Comes Up With Priceless Reaction As Sanju Samson Hits First-Ball Six On Return To International Cricket – Watch

The middle-order batsmen did not live up to the expectations but Manish Pandey (31* off 18) held one end. Shardul Thakur hogged the limelight at the end of the with his 22* off eight deliveries to help India reach the 200-run mark.

Chasing the target, Sri Lanka suffered early jitters and lost four wickets in the first powerplay. Dhananjay de Silva did his best by scoring 57 off 36 but in the end, the target wasn’t in the visitors’ reach as they were bowled out for 123. With a victory in Pune, India won the three-match series 2-0.

The Men in Blue now face Australia in a three-match ODI series starting January 14.

The post “I Believe I Have The Ability With Bat,” Says Shardul Thakur After Heroics In Pune T20I appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Virat Kohli led India to their first series win of the year as the Men in Blue thrashed Sri Lanka by 78 runs in the third and final T20I to win the series 2-0. After the first game in Guwahati was abandoned without a ball being bowled, the hosts had won the second one in Indore by seven wickets. Just like the second game, the third game was also a lopsided contest.

Sri Lanka won the toss but just could not pose any challenge for India. KL Rahul continued his fine form and Shikhar Dhawan also bounced back to form as the openers added 97 for the first wicket. Dhawan was the first to depart after scoring 52 while Rahul departed for 54. In between them, Sanju Samson fell for 6 while Shreyas Iyer failed too as India lost four wickets in quick succession to find themselves reeling at 122 for 4.

Virat Kohli and Manish Pandey then took the score past the 150-run mark before the skipper was run out for 26. Pandey, on the other hand, remained till the end and scored 31 from just 18 while Shardul Thakur played a fine cameo of 22 from 8 balls to help the host post 201 for 6.

Another clinical display from #TeamIndia to clinch the series 🇮🇳#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/t2sABuvgAB

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 10, 2020

In reply, Sri Lanka were all out for a paltry 123 inside 16 overs. Their chase looked very much done and dusted when they lost Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando and Kusal Perera for just 26 runs. Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva stopped the rot by adding 68 runs for the fifth wicket. But once Mathews was dismissed by Washington Sundar, the floodgates opened again and Sri Lanka were soon bowled out.

Speaking after the game, Virat Kohli started by pointing out that the team has started the year on a good note. He was also full of praise for the likes of Manish Pandey and Sharduk Thakur who helped the team finish the inning strongly after a middle-order collapse.

“A good start to this year. We started on the right track, chasing one game and setting the other. Very clinical as well, so I am very happy. Just the confidence of getting that 200 mark will help us. The middle collapse was challenging but what Manish and Shardul did in the end really helped. We saw guys who turned up and who put their hands up when the senior guys don’t perform and need more of this in the coming games as well.

We wanted to plug some of the gaps. I think today as well, we thought 180 at one stage and crossed 200. In Mumbai as well, we thought 200 and crossed 230. We don’t want to be a team which is tentative while batting first, and we want to show the same attitude which we bring in chases while batting first as well,” said Virat Kohli.

The skipper was also asked about the opening combination the team could opt once Rohit Sharma returns. In reply, he made it clear that while Rohit is a guaranteed choice, the team will have to pick one between Rahul and Dhawan based on form.

“All three (Rohit, Dhawan and Rahul) are solid players, it all boils down to who is batting better. Rohit has been a consistent performer. People must stop pitting people against each other and I don’t believe in doing that at all,” said Kohli.

Also Read: Twitter Reacts As Openers And Bowlers Help India Seal A Series Victory

The post Virat Kohli Hints Shikhar Dhawan’s Spot Not Safe, Form To Decide Rohit Sharma’s Partner appeared first on CricketAddictor.

The Indian National Cricket Team led by Virat Kohli registered yet another easy-peasy victory on Friday to seal the series against Sri Lanka. The opening batsmen Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and the collective bowling effort helped India to seal the game in the third and final T20 of the series.

Chasing 201 on the board, Sri Lanka got the worst possible start with openers, Fernando and Kusal Perera walking back for a cheap score. However, Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva showed some resistance in the middle to avoid further hiccups.

Sri Lanka Rolled Out For 123 Runs –

Just when things looked to settle in the middle for Sri Lanka, the experienced Angelo Mathews played a poor show to help India trigger a collapse. Following the wicket of Angelo Mathews, none of the batsmen stood in the middle for Silva. Dhananjaya was the only batsman, who looked solid in the middle with his brilliant fifty.

Earlier, the Indian openers went berserk in the middle to find the boundary fence more often than not. They both added 97 runs for the first wicket before Shikhar Dhawan being dismissed for 54 on the board. He was quickly followed by Sanju Samson and KL Rahul, which turned things for Sri Lanka. Shreyas Iyer also followed the duo to help further Sri Lanka to make a comeback into the game.

However, the skipper Virat Kohli came to the party for India, who smashed Sri Lanka to all corners of the park. His fantastic knock in the death overs helped India to finish the game on top with a massive tally on the board.

Just when things looked out of the hand got Sri Lanka, the run out of Virat Kohli helped Sri Lanka to stage a comeback into the game. The decent spell in the final overs helped India to restrict for a low score than what was expected earlier. The regular wickets in the middle overs helped Sri Lanka to stay on top of the game before Shardul Thakur showing his skills. In the end, all they managed was 201 on the board.

Here are a few Tweets:

Deepavali before Pongal! #WhistlePodu #INDvSL 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/PZbVYJMx1v

— Chennai Super Kings – Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) January 10, 2020

India in 3-match T20I series:

Played – 15
Won – 13
Lost – 1
Drawn – 1

Only loss was vs NZ in 2019. #IndvSL

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) January 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/NkMalviya10/status/1215676069782507521

India have now won 19 bilateral series against Sri Lanka on the trot across all formats. That's a tale of incredible dominance in last 11 yrs. Sri Lanka are bread & butter for Team India. #INDvSL

— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra) January 10, 2020

In this series, we have found two future stars, navdeep saini and @imShard; hope that the team will be a big competitor in #wc20 and probably the winner of the tournament. @imVkohli , @klrahul11,@im_manishpandey and @SDhawan25 are really brilliant. #INDvSL #TeamIndia

— Abhishek Bhattacharjee (@Abhishe60302449) January 10, 2020

Shardul Thakur is making most of the limited opportunities coming his way. Some crucial runs. Wickets. And while there’s a lot of cricket left today, I’m already picking him as my Man of the Match…i.e. if India wins. #IndvSL

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 10, 2020

Sri Lanka won the Toss. India bossed the match. Navdeep Saini, once again, shown that we’ve got a special talent on our hands. #IndvSL

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 10, 2020

India wins the match by 78 runs and the series comprehensively, great performance with both bat and ball! Navdeep Saini what a gun bowler, will be a great asset for India if he plays the T20 World Cup.

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 10, 2020

@bhogleharsha wow navdip Saini
Looks fantastic
Another bumrah in making if taken care properly

— Amit Bansal (@amitbansal109) January 10, 2020

Sanju Samson comeback to the Int'l Cricket with a Six. Big night for him. Virat Kohli is really happy..#INDvSL #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/UnOCTtynQi

— 𝐉.𝐈.𝐓.🚩 😷 (@JitRo45) January 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/biswajeet_137/status/1215679342514040832

Why did you start and finish like Pant, @IamSanjuSamson? 😒 #INDvSL

— Ovi (@Abhijit_19) January 10, 2020

Another clinical display from #TeamIndia to clinch the series 🇮🇳#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/t2sABuvgAB

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 10, 2020

SL clearly don't have the firepower of India's batting unit. Why do you want to bowl first even if there is dew around? #INDvSL

— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) January 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/BhauIndian/status/1215679858635833346

The post Twitter Reacts As Openers And Bowlers Help India Seal A Series Victory appeared first on CricketAddictor.

On Friday, the skipper of the Indian National Cricket Team Virat Kohli added yet another milestone in his kitty to show his calibre to the world. He completed 11,000 runs in international cricket as captain across formats during the ongoing third and final T20 international against Sri Lanka in Pune.

Kohli needed just one run before this game to reach the landmark which he did in the 13th over of India’s innings after they were put in to bat by Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga. Virat Kohli got to the milestone in his 169th international match and in the process, also broke Ricky Ponting’s record to become the fastest captain to achieve the feat in terms of both matches and innings played.

Virat Kohli is the sixth captain to achieve the feat:

The 31-year-old has 7202 runs from 84 Tests and has scored 11609 ODI runs from 242 games at an average of over fifty across all the formats. Kohli is the second Indian captain after MS Dhoni to score 11,000 runs across all the forms and has the highest average among all captains in the 11000 club.

Overall, Kohli is the sixth captain to achieve the feat after Ricky Ponting, Graeme Smith, Stephen Fleming, MS Dhoni and Allan Border. Kohli got to the feat in just his 196th innings. Ponting had previously held the record for being the fastest captain to 11000 runs. He had done it in 252 innings. Kohli’s predecessor Dhoni had taken 324 innings.

It is no surprise that Kohli has broken this record. The right-handed batsman is regarded as one of the best batsmen cricket world has seen, and he is not done yet. Kohli averages over 50 in all three formats. Interestingly, last year, he became the fastest batsman to score 11,000 runs in ODIs.

Watch – Kohli’s Priceless Reaction To Samson’s Six

In the second T20I at Indore, Kohli becomes the fastest to score 1000 T20I runs as captain, and he achieved the feat in his 30th innings as skipper. Not only that, but he also overtook Rohit Sharma to become the leading run-scorer in T20I cricket during his unbeaten knock off 30 off 17 balls as India won the game by seven wickets.

The post Virat Kohli Becomes Fastest Captain To Score 11000 Runs In International Cricket appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Yet again the batting department displayed top-notch skills in the middle against Lasith Malinga-led Sri Lanka. The openers Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul scored brilliant half-centuries while Virat Kohli and Manish Pandey gave a perfect finish to the game.

Getting into the details, initially, it was Lasith Malinga, who won the toss, opted to bowl first. Accepting the challenge, the Indian openers went berserk in the middle to find the boundary fence more often than not. They both added 97 runs for the first wicket before Shikhar Dhawan being dismissed for 54 on the board.

Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul added 97 runs for the first wicket;

He was quickly followed by Sanju Samson and KL Rahul, which turned things for Sri Lanka. Shreyas Iyer also followed the duo to help further Sri Lanka to make a comeback into the game.

However, the skipper Virat Kohli came to the party for India, who smashed Sri Lanka to all corners of the park. His fantastic knock in the death overs helped India to finish the game on top with a massive tally on the board.

Just when things looked out of the hand got Sri Lanka, the run out of Virat Kohli helped Sri Lanka to stage a comeback into the game. The decent spell in the final overs helped India to restrict for a low score than what was expected earlier. The regular wickets in the middle overs helped Sri Lanka to stay on top of the game before Shardul Thakur showing his skills. In the end, all they managed was 201 on the board.

Once again, Shardul Thakur displayed his incredible batting skills to help India cross 200 runs on the board. For Sri Lanka, Sandakan Was the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets.

Here are a few Tweets:

India's unusual approach has set it up for a very good match

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 10, 2020

Virat Kohli came at no 6. Gets run out when there were no two runs. Literally, he didn't want to bat today. #INDvsSL

— Sunil The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) January 10, 2020

Never seen Kohli run out by a mile. Have you? Was pushing for the second perhaps realising that if India would be vulnerable less than 190-odd they

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) January 10, 2020

Shardul Thakur and Manish Pandey hit the ball to all parts in the last two overs, adding 34 runs to India's total. Sri Lanka are to chase 202!#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/xGjZeV4hdH

— ICC (@ICC) January 10, 2020

BREAKING NEWS: Shardul Thakur's bathwater to be sprinkled on Indian batsman.

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) January 10, 2020

When the Indian middle order is weak but Shardul Thakur and Manish Pandey still take India to 200+ pic.twitter.com/lRYcA4dL1X

— Relatable Indian 🇮🇳 (@Relatable_India) January 10, 2020

Sanju Samson Fans in span of two balls ;-)#SanjuSamson #INDvSL #SLvsIND pic.twitter.com/lfJjjVdZo8

— TauTumhare🏹🚜 (@TauTumhare) January 10, 2020

🇮🇳 Finishes at 201/6 🔥🔥

Hold On! Take a Breath! That was Some Innings from Indians which we are not used to See! What aggression Man! Thakur's Inning at the End could turn out to be Game Changing!#INDvSL #INDvsSL #SLvIND #TeamIndia #T20 @OfficialSLC @BCCI #SanjuSamson

— Sportzride Cricket – #IPL2021 (@SportzrideCric) January 10, 2020

After 14 months, Dhawan scores a fifty in T20I.

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/imprakhararyan/status/1215653817489838080

Rarest of rare, but this too happens 😭 #INDvSL https://t.co/00SrfvWMeT

— Kuntala Karkun (@KuntalaKarkun) January 10, 2020

While he tears it up on field, can't help but tear up here. Goose-was-bumping. Dhool da kanna! :') @imShard #WhistlePodu #INDvSL 🦁💛

— Chennai Super Kings – Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) January 10, 2020

A truly roller coaster of an innings #INDvSL

— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) January 10, 2020

The post Shikhar Dhawan & KL Rahul Help India Reach 201, Twitter Reacts appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Sanju Samson made a glorious comeback to international cricket. Playing his first international match after almost five years, Samson hit the first ball he faced for a six over long-off. Everyone in the stands was dumbfounded, including Virat Kohli. The Indian skipper came up with a priceless reaction and lauded Samson for his first-ball six.

Also Read: Twitter On Fire As India Finally Include Sanju Samson In Playing XI

Although, Samson couldn’t convert his bright start into a big one as he was trapped in front of the stumps on the very next ball he face. Spinner Wanindu Hasaranga bowled a googly to trap him and Samson had no answer to his delivery.

At first, it looked like Samson had nicked it but replays showed that the had ball missed the bat. But Samson did enough to hog the limelight in his two-ball stay. Here is how Kohli reacted to Samson’s six –

https://twitter.com/Yadneshkene1/status/1215641910884225025?fbclid=IwAR2zW2YefJFxTpkpaDvCWPLGxTSRG8ODPH44COhY4L0Jb7EPZDNH6ovNiEY

With his comeback, Samson also created a record of missing most matches for India between two T20Is. The 25-year-old missed 73 T20Is between his two appearances.

He was dropped following the tour of ZImbabwe in 2015. Samson was in the scheme of things but his inconsistent run in domestic cricket meant he also lost his place in India A team. He did make a comeback in India A side in 2018 but was dropped for failing the yo-yo test.

Samson hit the purple patch in the ongoing season and scored a double-century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Kerala to earn a recall into the national team. He did not get a chance during Bangladesh T20Is before being dropped for the West Indies series.

Also Read: Ex-CSK Batsman Subramaniam Badrinath Named Dindigul Dragons Head Coach

A thigh injury to Shikhar Dhawan saw Samson make his comeback for West indies T20Is but he did not get a chance in that series as well. After sitting out of the playing XI for the first two T20Is against Sri Lanka, he was included in the playing XI for the final T20I but is unlikely to be the first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman against New Zealand.

Samson, along with other players, is confirmed to keep his spot in the T20I squad for the series against New Zealand.

The post Virat Kohli Comes Up With Priceless Reaction As Sanju Samson Hits First-Ball Six On Return To International Cricket – Watch appeared first on CricketAddictor.

India wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson finally got his chance as he was included in the playing XI for the third and the final T20I against Sri Lanka in Pune. Apart from Samson, Manish Pandey and Yuzvendra Chahal also walked into the playing XI in place of Shivam Dube and Kuldeep Yadav. But it was Samson’s inclusion which hogged the limelight.

Also Read: Twitter On Fire As India Finally Include Sanju Samson In Playing XI

On his comeback, Samson created a record of most matches missed between two T20I appearances for India. Samson, who had played his previous T20I back in 2015, missed 73 T20Is before making a comeback in the playing XI.

Overall, the list is topped by England’s Joe Denly, who missed 79 T20Is between two appearances. Though he is only a member of the Test side now. Liam Plunkett (74 T20Is) and Mahela Udawatte (73 T20Is) are above Samson on the list.

The 25-year-old had come into the limelight back in 2013. He was first selected in the limited-overs team for the tour of England in 2014. Samson was later dropped but made a comeback for the tour of Zimbabwe in 2015.

He finally got a chance to make his debut in the second T20I of the series, where he scored 19 off 24. Samson was again from the national team and only made his comeback for the home T20Is against Bangladesh in 2019. After sitting out for eight T20Is, he was finally included in the playing XI in the third T20I of the series against Sri Lanka.

Also Read: Ex-CSK Batsman Subramaniam Badrinath Named Dindigul Dragons Head Coach

He will surely be part of the T20I squad for the tour of New Zealand but his inclusion in the playing XI will heavily depend on his performance in the ongoing T20I.

With MS Dhoni still in the scheme of things for T20 World Cup, Rishabh Pant isn’t a confirmed selection in the squad and only one of him and Samson is expected make it to the final squad for the tournament.

The post Sanju Samson Creates Record Of Missing Most T20Is Between Two Appearances For India appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Having taken an unassailable lead in the three-match series, India made as many as three changes to the playing eleven that beat Sri Lanka in the second T20I. Sanju Samson highlighted the inclusions while the other two players who got the chance for the ongoing third game in Pune are Manish Pandey and Yuzvendra Chahal.

India made light work of Sri Lanka in the second game. Virat Kohli’s decision to bat first turned out to be spot on as the bowlers came up with a fine show. Led by young pacers Shardul Thakur (3 for 23) and Navdeep Saini (2 for 18), the hosts restricted Sri Lanka to a below par total of 142 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs. In reply, India chased down the total with utmost ease.

Openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan set the platform for the easy chase by adding 71 runs in 9 overs for the first wicket. Both of them departed in quick succession but Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer made sure India do not stutter in their chase. The skipper scored a quick-fire 30 off 17 balls to take his side over the finishing line.

Twitter delighted for Sanju Samson:

The fans, nonetheless, were delighted for Sanju Samson who finally got a chance in the team. He had earned a recall from the national team after a long gap of four years during the Bangladesh T20Is in November. However, he did not play a single game and was surprisingly dropped for the series against West Indies.

But an injury to Shikhar Dhawan led to another recall although he did not play any game against West Indies either. He managed to retain his spot for the ongoing series too but was not named in the playing game for the first two games. But on Saturday, India finally gave him a chance to show his potential on the field.

And while only time will tell how Samson performs, the fans were delighted to see him in the playing eleven. Here are some reactions:

https://twitter.com/FarziCricketer/status/1215624980274339840

Sanju Samson gets a match at last!

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) January 10, 2020

After seeing sanju samson in the playing 11. #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/pDezmStBjD

— Marwadi (@gaitonde07) January 10, 2020

Sanju Samson:

2015: Made T20I debut

2020: Will play his 2nd T20I

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) January 10, 2020

That is some news, never saw coming, Sanju Samson replaces Pant. Sanju was sitting on the bench for the last 8 T20 matches.

Sanju Samson last played for India in 2015 against Zimbabwe.#INDvSL

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 10, 2020

Wow! Sanju Samson has been picked in the playing XI.

Waiting for L K Advani to become PM anytime now. #INDvSL

— Shridhar V (@iimcomic) January 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/impandeyy143/status/1215623787573432320

https://twitter.com/Sketch_Buzz/status/1215624254651109376

Sanju Samson and Manish Pandey in playing 11 omg #INDvSL

— Kush Mufc (@kushmufc) January 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/imhari_77/status/1215625753791877122

Most T20Is missed for a team between appearances:

79 : Joe Denly (2010-18)
74 : Liam Plunkett (2006-15)
73 : Mahela Udawatte (2009-17)
73 : Sanju Samson (2015-20)*
72 : Farveez Maharoof (2008-16)#INDvsSL

— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) January 10, 2020

https://twitter.com/Asli_Khushi/status/1215623922999287808

The post Twitter On Fire As India Finally Include Sanju Samson In Playing XI appeared first on CricketAddictor.

High-flying India will be looking to wrap up their first series of 2020 on a high when they take on Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I in Pune. The hosts will be firm favourites for the clash especially after making light work of the visitors in the second game. India totally dominated the contest in the previous game to win it by seven wickets.

Virat Kohli’s decision to bat first turned out to be spot on as the bowlers came up with a fine show. Led by young pacers Shardul Thakur (3 for 23) and Navdeep Saini (2 for 18), the hosts restricted Sri Lanka to a below par total of 142 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs. In reply, India chased down the total with utmost ease.

Openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan set the platform for the easy chase by adding 71 runs in 9 overs for the first wicket. Both of them departed in quick succession but Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer made sure India do not stutter in their chase. The skipper scored a quick-fire 30 off 17 balls to take his side over the finishing line.

The Virat Kohli-led side will be keen to make the most of the momentum and will back themselves to get the work done. On the other hand, Sri Lanka will be looking to correct the mistakes they made in the previous game and put on a good show to level the series.

In Action 📸📸
Bowlers going full tilt ahead of the final T20I in Pune 💪#TeamIndia #INDvSL @Paytm pic.twitter.com/4ufGEXsNAN

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 9, 2020

Toss report:

Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bowl first against India in the third and final T20I at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune.

Here is what the captains said:

Virat Kohli:

We wanted to bat first as we wanted to do something different today. Trend is going towards team batting second. You can’t go into the match thinking you can only do well when you chase. We want to embrace difficult things also. We have made three changes today. Sanju Samson comes in place of Rishabh Pant. Chahal replaces Kuldeep and Manish Pandey gets a game in place of Shivam Dube.

Lasith Malinga:

We will bowl first. There might be dew in the second innings. Our top-four batsmen need to get big runs. We have discussed that. We have two changes. Angelo and Sandakan come in.

Teams:

India (Playing XI):

Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli(c), Manish Pandey, Sanju Samson(w), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal

Sri Lanka (Playing XI):

Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Perera(w), Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Lakshan Sandakan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lasith Malinga(c), Lahiru Kumara

The post India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I: Toss Report appeared first on CricketAddictor.

India skipper Virat Kohli has started 2020 on a good note as he led the team to a convincing win over Sri Lanka in the second T20I in Indore. After the first game in Guwahati was abandoned without a ball being bowled, the Virat Kohli-led side made light work of the visitors in the second game and won the contest by seven wickets to take an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Virat Kohli’s decision to bat first turned out to be spot on as the bowlers came up with a fine show. Led by young pacers Shardul Thakur (3 for 23) and Navdeep Saini (2 for 18), the hosts restricted Sri Lanka to a below par total of 142 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs. In reply, India chased down the total with utmost ease.

Openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan set the platform for the easy chase by adding 71 runs in 9 overs for the first wicket. Both of them departed in quick succession but Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer made sure India do not stutter in their chase. The skipper scored a quick-fire 30 off 17 balls to take his side over the finishing line.

Also Read: Jos Buttler Fined By ICC For Swearing At Vernon Philander

Virat Kohli will be hoping that he and his teammates perform in the same manner when India take on Sri Lanka in the third and final game in Pune on Friday. And ahead of the game, the star batsman has shown that he is in high spirits. On the eve of the clash, Virat Kohli had some fun at his own expense.

The India batting mainstay posted a hilarious tweet in which he compared looking at the ball and one of his favourite cuisines chholle bhature. Kohli has become a fitness freak and thus rarely eats any oily or junk food.

“Ball out of the Bowlers hand and Chholle Bhature for a cheat meal deserve the same kind of focus. ??,” Virat Kohli wrote while posting a picture of himself batting in the nets.

Ball out of the Bowlers hand and Chholle Bhature for a cheat meal deserve the same kind of focus. 👀😄 pic.twitter.com/ctEs96bvQa

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 9, 2020

Virat Kohli, meanwhile, became the leading run-scorer in T20Is as soon as he scored 1 run in the last game. He has now amassed 2,663 runs in 77 matches for India and is followed by his deputy Rohit Sharma in the elite list of T20I top scorers.

The post Virat Kohli Trolls Himself Ahead Of Third T20I Against Sri Lanka appeared first on CricketAddictor.

If the Indian team were looking forward to getting some stiff competition from the Lankans, they were wrong. A depleted Sri Lanka beat a near full-strength Pakistan at their home which flagged that they can throw a surprise on the Indian shores as well. At Indore, the first five overs or so felt like it, but as the game progressed, the tourists couldn’t survive the wrath of the Indian bowling attack or withstand the onslaught launched with their bat.

Also Read: India vs Sri Lanka 2020: 3rd T20I, Pune – India’s Predicted Playing XI

Despite playing an under-strength bowling attack, it hardly seemed like it. The first five overs may have pegged their bowlers marginally backwards; however, like most situations, the hosts fought their way back to restrict Sri Lanka to a gettable score. And the fact that the likes of Navdeep Saini and Shardul Thakur stood tall when Jasprit Bumrah didn’t have an entirely desirable day poses ominous sings for the Australians. The batting department also stepped up to chase 143 without much trouble. All that came together in the second T20I forms a big part of their World Cup plans too.

Meanwhile, the visitors have a tough task ahead of them to stop the Indian juggernaut after an inauspicious start to 2020. Same old problems haunted Sri Lanka, having their batsmen not being able to convert starts to something substantial. Ahead of the series decider, they have also suffered a blow in terms of Isuru Udana’s back injury, who is set to miss the game. The think-tank may also consider bringing in Angelo Mathews for Bhanuka Rajapaksa to blood some experience and to get an anchor batsman in the side. But Lasith Malinga’s men need more than a textbook coaching to level the series.

Date and venue: January 10th, 2020, 7:00 pm, Maharashtra Cricket Association, Pune

Playing combinations:

Sri Lanka:

As already stated, Isuru Udana will miss the series decider in Pune. In the absence of the left-arm seamer, Kasun Rajitha may take his place in the side. Additionally, Sri Lanka could also find a way to slot in Angelo Mathews to get some stability in the middle-order.

Predicted XI: Avishka Fernando, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Perera (wk), Oshada Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa/Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Kasun Rajitha, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Lasith Malinga (c)

India:

The home side has got no reasons to tinker with the playing eleven. If anything, they may want to obtain a bit more discipline and alertness on the field after some minor fielding lapses in Indore.

Besides that, they have all their bases covered to secure a series win.

Predicted XI: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (c), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini.

Pitch report:

The official from the MCA Stadium in Pune has promised to serve a deck that will assist both the bowlers and batsmen. Sri Lankan bowlers largely outclassed the Indian batsmen in this venue back in 2016. Hence, if the track is green yet again, one can expect a surprise from the tourists.

Weather report:

The weather is expected to remain cloudy in the afternoon on Friday. However, no showers are on the cards. The maximum temperature will range around 29-30 degrees while the minimum temperature will oscillate between 15-16 degrees.

Head to Head:

Played: 18

India won: 12

Sri Lanka won: 5

No result – 1

Stats that matter:

With 52 wickets, Jasprit Bumrah is tied along with Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin for most wickets in T20 internationals for India.

Lasith Malinga has played 22 T20I matches for Sri Lanka as captain along with Kumar Sangakkara. Both the Sri Lankan greats come second in the list which is topped by Dinesh Chandimal, who has captained the team in 26 games.

Virat Kohli has 37 catches in 77 T20I fixtures. Two more catches will put him ahead of Rohit Sharma, who has 38 in 104 games.

Match Prediction:

Given how the second T20 international panned out, the men in blue look in perfect shape to put a seal on the series. Nevertheless, they need to be wary of Lasith Malinga’s men, who can outclass any team on their day.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma Contradicts Virat Kohli Over India’s Team Composition For T20 World Cup

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India vs Sri Lanka 2020: 3rd T20I, Pune – Sri Lanka’s Predicted XI; As the two sides move on to Pune for the climax of the series, they will have different objectives in their minds. While India, who already have one hand on the trophy, will look to extend their winning run in 2020. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, would seek to break the shackles and recover from their seven-wicket drubbing in Indore.

Also Read: India vs Sri Lanka 2020: 3rd T20I, Pune – Match Prediction

Following a thrashing in the second T20 international on Tuesday, the tourists have plenty of headaches. As their coach, Mickey Arthur pointed out, Sri Lanka need to adopt consistent performances and convert their starts to something substantial. Ahead of the final T20 international, left-arm seamer Isuru Udana has also been ruled out due to a back injury. Hence, they will be forced to carry out changes to level the series.

We look at the predicted XI for Sri Lanka for the third T20 international:

Danushka Gunathilaka:

Danushka Gunathilaka played some delightful strokes in his 21-ball 20 in the second game. He negotiated the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, and Washington Sundar ideally to collect one boundary each off their bowling. Navdeep Saini, in his second over, castled him with an unplayable full delivery that uprooted his stumps. He is expected to retain his place but has to capitalise on the start he made in the previous game.

Avishka Fernando:

Avishka Fernando’s innings of 22 off 16 balls painted a similar picture to that of Gunathilaka, having crunched five boundaries before hitting the ball to mid-off. He was in an attacking spree, but couldn’t be level-headed enough to propel his side to a challenging score. Along with his opening partner, Fernando has a responsibility to build on a promising start.

Kusal Perera:

Sri Lanka’s gloveman Kusal Perera was the top-scorer for his team in the last game, compiling a well-made 34 which included three sixes. Kuldeep Yadav claimed his wicket at a crucial juncture and that supposedly became the turning point of the encounter. Perera will retain his spot in the side, but this was another classic case of a batsman getting off to a start only to throw it away.

Oshada Fernando:

Oshada Fernando gave a hand to a 28-run stand along with Kusal Perera. He shimmied down the deck in front of Kuldeep Yadav and lost his stumps to Rishabh Pant who whipped it. He did look promising for the most part and should retain his place for the third match.

Angelo Mathews:

The veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder may make a comeback in the national team after playing his last game in the format back in 2018. Given the collapse, the visitors suffered in Indore, the 32-year old can anchor the batting and bowl some overs, if required. The Colombo-born all-rounder may replace Bhanuka Rajapaksa. He averages 78 against India in India in T20Is.

Dasun Shanaka:

Dasun Shanaka was a victim of Jasprit Bumrah, as he got his stumps clattered for 7 while trying to heave it over cover. He played his part during Sri Lanka’s bowling, bowling four tidy overs for 26 runs in the absence of Isuru Udana. He should retain his place in the team as a competent finisher in the line-up.

Dhananjaya de Silva:

One of the all-rounders in the line-up, Dhananjaya de Silva played his part while batting at number seven. He was one of the victims of Shardul Thakur in the 19th over, having lost his wicket for 17 off 13 balls trying to bunt it through the infield. De Silva should retain his place, considering his useful contribution. He can be promoted up the order and could play a strong hand.

Wanindu Hasaranga:

Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers in the previous game, having picked up two wickets for 30 runs in four overs. The leggie bagged the prized scalps of KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan to give his side a small chance at winning. Unfortunately, the other bowlers couldn’t make further inroads. He is most likely to keep his place in the team.

Kasun Rajitha:

The right-arm speedster will most likely walk in for the injured seamer Isuru Udana. Kasun Rajitha endured a forgettable outing against Australia in his last T20 international, going for 75 runs in four overs at the Adelaide Oval. However, his performance against India is best out of all the opponents. In two games, he has three wickets at 24.67.

Lasith Malinga:

Not often it happens that Lasith Malinga goes wicketless in any game. But in Indore, it did happen and was the crucial factor in Sri Lanka’s loss. In recent times, Malinga’s strikes in the initial overs has set the tone for Sri Lanka’s victory in low-scoring games. However, in their defeat to the men in blue, the 36-year old conceded 41 runs in four overs with no wickets. He will have to pull up his socks and lead from the front to level the series.

Lahiru Kumara:

Lahiru Kumara picked up the wicket of Shreyas Iyer which came when India were only six runs adrift of the target. He was one of the only two bowlers to snap a wicket in India’s convincing victory. Along with Kasun Rajitha and Lasith Malinga, Kumara has to find a way past the Indian top-order with the new ball to put pressure on the side.

Also Read: India vs Sri Lanka 2020: 3rd T20I – Weather Forecast

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India vs Sri Lanka 2020: 3rd T20I, Indore – Dream 11, Fantasy Tips, Predicted XI, Pitch Report And Injury Update; After a one-sided game in Indore, the Indian National Cricket Team and Lasith Malinga-led side set to lock horns in the final T20I of the series. Both the teams have enough reasons to go hard against each other to deliver the best in the middle at Pune.

The Indian team will enter the game as favourites to win and have no concerns whatsoever. All the players in the unit are in fine form to make things fall in place for the team. The batting department looks solid with KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer in fine form. Bowlers are also coming good for the team when it matters the most.

On the other hand, the Sri Lankan team led by Lasith Malinga have got a lot of concerns to make things work for them. Angelo Mathews might be back in the side while it is interesting to see the replacement of Isuru Udana in the playing XI.

India vs Sri Lanka 2020: 3rd T20I – Dream 11, Fantasy League Tips

First of all, it is crucial to select a team which has players who will surely play in the game. As they say in cricket, you don’t score any runs in the dressing room.

Similarly, a player who is not playing cannot score points for you. In fact, Dream 11 has brought a change in its rule by which you can alter your team even after the toss. Thus, you can pick your team according to the playing XI of both sides.

Secondly, it is pivotal to pick the right combination of captain and vice-captain. A captain gets twice the points whereas the deputy of the team will 1.5 times the points. Thus, it is imperative to select the big in-form players as your respective captain and vice-captain.

It is also crucial to get top-order batsmen in the team as they are likely to score the major chunk of the score. Furthermore, it is pivotal to check the pitch conditions and select the team accordingly.

Injury News:

Isuru Udana is unlikely to play the final game of the series. Apart from Udana, all the players are fit and raring to go.

Pitch Report:

The pitch at MCA has always been unpredictable. The uneven bounce is never an exciting sign for the batsman. It is something which, the bowlers would like to use during the progress of the game. Batting second on account of dew will be gainful, and that is the thing that both the skippers would need to do if the coin falls in support of them.

Predicted XI:

India: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (C), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini

Sri Lanka: Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Perera(w), Angelo Mathews, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Kasun Rajitha, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Lasith Malinga(c)

India vs Sri Lanka 2020 : Dream 11, Fantasy Tips:

Team 1:

Team 2:

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India vs Sri Lanka 2020: 3rd T20I, Pune – Match Prediction; Following a one-sided clash in Indore, both the teams travel to Pune for the final T20I of the series. Both the teams look for a victory, as the series result is at stake. India would like to seal it with 2-0 while Lasith Malinga-led side looks to draw the series with a win.

India have an unassailable lead now as they can’t lose the series from here. However, the series can still be levelled, and India would want to avoid any sort of complacency, considering the fact that they haven’t had the best of times in T20 cricket in the last 12 months.

India will go with unchanged XI:

Batting first on a flat wicket, Sri Lanka played a lot of dot balls as India bowled very accurate lines right through the innings. It’s not going to be any easier for the visitors as they travel to Pune for the last match of the series. Sri Lanka will probably want to look at other options as their batting stagnated in the middle overs in Indore and they couldn’t get the scoreboard ticking. Angelo Mathews can be brought in as he is an excellent option to bat in the middle order.

For India, all the bowlers did well in the match. Jasprit Bumrah made a decent comeback and took one wicket. Kuldeep Yadav did very well in the middle overs and took two important wickets. Thakur, Saini and Sundar also started the new year with a great display and took 3,2 and 1 wickets respectively. Batsmen also did well collectively. Shikhar Dhawan wasn’t able to find the batting touch, but he scored a struggling 31 odd runs. Shreyas Iyer promoted up the order while Virat Kohli finished the game.

Even the teams premier bowling all-rounder Isuru Udana was also injured during the fielding in Indore. There is no update on his comeback. So he will miss the match which will be a big upset for the visitors. The visitors might consider the possibility of a second spinner, given the fact that Wanindu Hasaranga was able to make some impact against the Indian batsmen in the second T20I.

India vs Sri Lanka 2020 – 3rd T20I – Match Prediction

There was no match to the duo in the previous game at Indore. Mostly, it would be the same scenario in the next game at Pune. Indians dominated Sri Lanka when it comes to the bilateral T20I series. The Islanders are yet to win a series against their neighbours. In 6 series played so far, India have won 5 while Sri Lanka have managed a draw. Overall, India have managed to win 11 out of 16 meetings in T20Is.

The stats will clearly say that the Indians will enter into the game as the favourites to win. Even on the paper, the Indian team looks solid with the likes of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan in the lineup. Besides that, the Indian team will enjoy home advantage.

Read More – India vs Sri Lanka 2020: 3rd T20I – Weather Forecast

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India vs Sri Lanka 2020: 3rd T20I, Pune – India’s Predicted Playing XI; As expected, the Indian National Cricket Team has dominated Sri Lanka thoroughly in the second game of the three-match T20I series. The bowling department, alongside the top-order batsman, delivered goods to make things fall in place. They have no concerns whatsoever, with all the players showing their class in the middle.

Following a crunching victory in Indore, the team will head to Pune with an aim to seal the series. Meanwhile, a few youngsters would like to utilise the chance to make things fall in place in their personal careers.

India’s Predicted Playing XI:

1. Shikhar Dhawan:

The flamboyant batsman is under the scanner after failing to score runs at a higher strike rate in the second game in Indore. He scored 32 runs off 29 balls, which furtherly gave strength to his critics. However, Dhawan would want to prove his mettle in the final game of the series.

Read More – Sporting Pitch For Third India-Sri Lanka T20I In Pune

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India will be looking to continue their winning start to the year 2020 when they take on Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I on Friday (January 10). After the series-opener in Guwahati was abandoned without a ball being bowled, India thrashed the visitors by seven wickets in the second game in Indore to take an unassailable lead in the three-match series.

It was a clinical performance from Team India as they remained on top of the proceedings for most part of the game. Virat Kohli once again won the toss and elected to bowl first. The bowlers totally justified the decision by restricting Sri Lanka to a below par total of 142 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs on a good batting surface. The likes of Shardul Thakur (3 for 23) and Navdeep Saini (2 for 18) were the pick of the bowlers. For Sri Lanka, Kusal Perera was the top run-scorer with 34.

In reply, India chased down the total inside 18 overs and with seven wickets in hand. In-form KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan laid the foundation for the easy chase by adding 71 runs for the first wicket before the former departed for 45. Dhawan departed soon too after scoring 32 before Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer added 51 runs to help India win the game.

Sporting pitch:

The action now shifts to Pune for the third and final T20I and one can expect a run-fest. An official from Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has insisted that the association will prepare a sporting pitch for the upcoming game.

“We will be providing a fantastic wicket and it will definitely have something not just for the batsmen but to the bowlers as well. We still have two more days before the match starts,” the MCA official was quoted as saying by Mumbai Mirror.

This will be the second game between India and Sri Lanka in Pune. They had first played at the venue in 2016 and Sri Lanka had made light work of the hosts. The islanders had bowled out India for just 101 and had gone on to win the game by five wickets. But unlike the last time, one can expect a better contest this time around as the association has pledged to prepare a sporting pitch.

There are also some apprehensions over the weather. The conditions would be overcast on Thursday evening and for a few hours on Friday afternoon. However, an MET official has said that the chances of any unseasonal showers are unlikely.

“It will be partly cloudy on Friday afternoon but there won’t be any rains. The maximum temperature would be around 29-30 degrees whereas the minimum would be around 15-16 degrees celsius, which is around four degrees higher than normal and ideal,” said the official.

Also Read: Ravindra Jadeja Brutally Trolls Umesh Yadav Over Weightlifting Video

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Last night in Indore, the opening batsman KL Rahul showed his class against Sri Lanka with his 45-run knock. During his knock, he not only helped his side to get a good start but also added weight to his fan base with his oozing class. One of those special fans was Gautam Gambhir, who showered words of praise on the Karnataka batsman. He calls KL Rahul is in the form of his life.

KL Rahul is enjoying a good run in limited-overs cricket having hit two centuries and three half-centuries in the ODIs and to top it up, three more fifty-plus scores in T20s in 2019. He picked up where he left off last year with impressive innings in Indore against Sri Lanka.

Chasing 143, India defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second T20 on Tuesday, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. KL Rahul scored 45 off 32 balls. He completely dominated Shikhar Dhawan in the partnership before being dismissed to Wanindu Hasaranga.

KL Rahul got superb strokes – Gautam Gambhir

Speaking of KL Rahul, Gautam Gambhir praised KL Rahul for his commitment to play in the domestic circuits and carrying the form into international cricket. He also believes that KL Rahul can easily score a century in just 50 balls even in Test form of the game. Gambhir added that Rahul got all the shots in the cricket books.

“KL Rahul is in unbelievable form. It amazes me every time I see Rahul bat that why didn’t he play the same way in Test cricket. It’s not about only white-ball cricket; it is about Test cricket too. He just got into a shell too much. With the kind of quality he posses, he is someone who can get you a 50-ball 100 in Test cricket as well. The kind of shots he has is superb,” Gambhir told the host broadcasters after India chased down the target with 15 balls to spare.

“Rahul played the entire domestic season. He played Syed Mushtaq Ali, he played Vijay Hazare. Though he was playing well in white-ball cricket he still went there and continued playing, getting runs for his side. Well, the results are there for everyone to see,” Gambhir added.

Read More – I know how to build my innings – Rahul

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Karnataka batsman KL Rahul has enjoyed a fruitful few months in limited-overs cricket. He replaced Shikhar Dhawan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 and scored 361 runs which included a century and two fifties. Post that; Rahul also impressed in the ODI and the T20I series against West Indies and Bangladesh. The 27-year old earmarked to replace Shikhar Dhawan permanently cited that he has understood the knack of building an inning.

Also Read: Shubman Gill And Sanju Samson In Scott Styris’ India Squad For T20 World Cup 2020

On Tuesday in the first T20 international against Sri Lanka, the right-hander plundered a stroke-filled 45 off 32 deliveries in India’s victory that saw them take a lead in the three-match series. In the absence of Rohit Sharma, the onus was on him to set things in motion and he did that to perfection. Several experts have built Rahul to replace Dhawan as the opener since the latter has suffered a lean run of late.

Speaking of his knock that set the tone in the chase of 143, Rahul stated that he has captured a proper reading of the game during his run-scoring. He further said that by adequately interpreting the situation, he has understood how to build an innings and that it was just a matter of spending time on the crease.

“I’ve just been getting the runs and the reading of the game has gotten a lot better and knowing how to build my innings again. I felt that I was lacking and I always knew that I had the game to get the runs and it was just a matter of spending time in the middle. Really happy to carry on the same way.” Rahul said as quoted by Times of India.

KL Rahul showers praises on the bowlers:

Along with the captain Virat Kohli, the opening batsman didn’t shy away from giving credit to the bowlers for restricting the tourists to an achievable score. He also said that 170 would have been challenging, but in the pursuit 143, his sole objective was to spend time in the middle.

“It was a smaller target and my plans were simple which is to spend time in the middle. Our bowlers bowled really well and anything around 170 on this wicket would have been par. A lot of credit must go to the bowlers.” he added further.

Navdeep Saini received the man of the match award for picking up two wickets in four overs from 18 runs. The third and the final T20I begins on the 17th of January in Pune.

Also Read: I Worked Hard On My Bowling – Shardul Thakur

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The head coach of Sri Lanka Mickey Arthur showered words of praise for the Indian National Cricket Team after their dominant performance in the second T20I of the series at Indore. He praised the Indian cricket for giving the opportunities to the youngsters, who are showing their dominance in the middle.

Be it in the bowling or batting department; cricketing powerhouse India have built a solid bench strength in all formats under Virat Kohli’s leadership. It impressed the head coach of Sri Lanka Mickey Arthur, who believes that the Indian team is in the great shape at the moment. He stated that India is the best unit in the world at the moment.

India and Australia are the flag bearers in the world cricket – Mickey Arthur

Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur feels that international cricket teams can learn from India on how to nurture young players and empower them with responsibilities at critical junctures. He praised the youngsters for utilising the opportunity to perfection on the international stage.

“It has been interesting watching them introduce young players and giving them responsibility at critical times, that has been so good. And seeing those young players respond has been amazing. I think India in cricket is in really, really good shape at the moment,” said the 51-year-old Arthur in response to a PTI query.

”You look at someone like KL Rahul – he hit some absolutely amazing shots. India along with probably Australia now – I think Australia have found their mojo again – are certainly the flagbearers in world cricket. They are a great cricket team, and there are no apparent weaknesses,” he added.

On Tuesday, Sri Lanka lost the game by seven wickets as India trampled them to take 1-0 lead in the three-match series at the Holkar Stadium. The first match in Guwahati was called off without a ball being bowled due to rain and damp pitch. The final game of the series will be played in Pune on Friday.

Read More – Isuru Udana ruled out of final T20I against India

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The fast bowler from Mumbai Shardul Thakur had a stellar night on Tuesday in Indore for the Indian National Cricket Team. He bowled a brilliant spell against the young Sri Lanka side to strengthen his case for the upcoming tour to New Zealand. Speaking of the same, Shardul Thakur credited the success to all the hard work he put in the domestic circuit, IPL and with Bharat Arun during national duty.

After Virat Kohli won the toss to field first, Shardul Thakur (3/23) along with Navdeep Saini (2/18) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/38) restricted Sri Lanka to a below-par total of 142 at a venue that was supposed to witness a run-fest on Tuesday evening. Chasing the tally, the Indian batsmen made it look like a walk in the park.

I keep bettering my skills – Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur feels that he has become a “better T20 bowler” compared to what he was a couple of years back. The figures of 3/23 showed that there had been a marked improvement in his death bowling since the 2018 Nidahas T20 Trophy in Sri Lanka. He stated that regular match-practice has helped him sharpen his white-ball skills.

“Pretty much. I have been working hard for it and in an international game, when it pays off, it really makes me happy. So whenever you practice, you need to add to your strengths and keep bettering your skills. Over a period of time, while practising I have been developing my skills and brushing it up. Playing last two-three years in the IPL, and domestic cricket, I have gotten better,” Thakur said in the post-match press conference.

Navdeep Saini is bowling with some gas –

Further, he also praised his fellow fast bowler Navdeep Saini, who is delivering goods at an extreme pace. Shardul Thakur showered words of praise on Saini for using bouncers and yorkers to perfection. He also felt that Sri Lanka scored a below-par total on a nice batting wicket.

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Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has said that India need to look beyond misfiring opener Shikhar Dhawan. Gautam Gambhir’s comments came moments after Shikhar Dhawan failed to deliver in yet another T20I. Making his comeback in the second T20I against Sri Lanka, Shikhar Dhawan just could not get going as he struggled with the strike-rate again.

While his fellow opening partner KL Rahul was striking at 173 in the powerplay, Dhawan could only manage a strike-rate of 100 during the fielding restrictions. With time running out for the southpaw, the innings against Sri Lanka would have done more damage to his chances of retaining his spot in T20I. Dhawan managed to score only 32 runs off 29 balls before being sent back.

Before the second T20I against Sri Lanka, Dhawan had scored just 272 runs at a below-par strike-rate of 110.56 in his last 12 T20I innings. On the other hand, KL Rahul has been in stunning form in the shortest format of the game. Before his 45-run knock in the second T20I, he had scored 356 runs in 9 innings at an impressive strike-rate of 142.40. A few weeks ago, he also helped Karnataka win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

And with Dhawan failing to grab his chances once again, Gautam Gambhir said that it is time for India to look beyond the southpaw. He also said that Dhawan has not really managed to make an impact in the shortest format of the game.

“In one-day cricket, not in T20 cricket,” said Gautam Gambhir when the Star Sports anchor said that the southpaw is a player for the grand tournaments.

“He has not done a lot in T20 cricket if you see the entire stat. I am not a big believer in number and stats he has not had that impact, the kind of impact that people like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul has had on T20 format. So probably, India needs to look beyond Shikhar Dhawan.

India, meanwhile, beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second T20I to take an unassailable lead in the three-match series.

Also Read: The Folded Finger Gesture: The Touching Story Behind Ben Stokes’ Hand Gesture

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The visitors Sri Lanka has suffered a significant blow with their ace all-rounder Isuru Udana being ruled out of the final T20I of the 3-match series in Pune. The left-handed all-rounder sustained an injury in Indore while fielding at the third-man region in powerplay overs. The Sri Lanka head coach Mickey Arthur revealed the news to PTI on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka missed Udana’s services while defending a moderate 143 against India in Indore on Tuesday after the bowler injured his back in the powerplay. His slide to stop the ball didn’t go right as he ended up walking back to the pavilion without a single over to his name.

I just hope the best for Isuru Udana – Mickey Arthur

Speaking of the intensity of the injury, Mickey Arthur stated that Isuru Udana was in severe pain and revealed that doctors giving him the much-required assistance. The head coach Arthur hopes that Isuru Udana would be fine for the series against West Indies or even before. He doesn’t want the injury of Isuru Udana to be a lengthy one, with a lot of series in the lineup.

“Look, I’m no doctor. He was in a hell of a lot of pain in the dressing room. What the diagnosis is I honestly don’t know. I just hope we can get him back for the West Indies series,” Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur said.

“We’ve got so much cricket… the middle of February. I even think that could be a push. So, yeah, I just hope the best for him. It’s something in the back,” added the South Africa, who was appointed Sri Lanka’s head coach last month.

The absence of Isuru Udana will further weaken the team, as he is one of the best-performed players for Sri Lanka in 2019. He not only delivers with the ball but also plays those crucial knocks down the order to make things fall in place for his side.

Read More – Bowlers did well – Lasith Malinga

On Tuesday, Sri Lanka lost the game by seven wickets as India trampled them to take 1-0 lead in the three-match series at the Holkar Stadium. The first match in Guwahati was called off without a ball being bowled due to rain and damp pitch. The final game of the series will be played in Pune on Friday.

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With the T20 World Cup just a few months away, former India batsman VVS Laxman has announced his India squad for the marquee event. He revealed his team when India were busy playing against Sri Lanka in the second T20I on Tuesday at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. The Men in Blue started the T20 World Cup year with a stunning seven-wicket win over the Islanders.

Virat Kohli once again won the toss and elected to bowl first. The bowlers totally justified the decision by restricting Sri Lanka to a below par total of 142 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs on a good batting surface. The likes of Shardul Thakur (3 for 23) and Navdeep Saini (2 for 18) were the pick of the bowlers. For Sri Lanka, Kusal Perera was the top run-scorer with 34.

A clinical performance by #TeamIndia in Indore.

Will the boys clinch the series in Pune? #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/6Hm0jPVYC1

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 7, 2020

In reply, India chased down the total inside 18 overs and with seven wickets in hand. In-form KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan laid the foundation for the easy chase by adding 71 runs for the first wicket before the former departed for 45. Dhawan departed soon too after scoring 32 before Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer added 51 runs to help India win the game.

VVS Laxman snubs Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni:

VVS Laxman, meanwhile, did not pick senior opener Shikhar Dhawan and former captain MS Dhoni as he announced his India team for the T20 World Cup on Star Sports. But while both Dhawan and Dhoni are big names, their omission from VVS Laxman’s squad is not quite surprising.

Dhawan has not really managed to get going in T20Is in recent months and has struggled with the strike-rate. In his last 12 T20I innings, Dhawan has scored just 272 runs at a below-par strike-rate of 110.56. In his absence, KL Rahul has done extremely well. Even in the just-concluded T20I against Sri Lanka, Rahul did better than Dhawan. While Rahul scored 45 off 32 balls, Dhawan managed only 32 from 29 balls.

As far as MS Dhoni is concerned, there is absolutely no clarity over his future. However, speculations are rife that he could play the T20 World Cup and can make a return to the team after the IPL. Barring the omission of Dhoni and Dhawan, VVS Laxman’s team had expected names.

Here is VVS Laxman’s Team for the T20 World Cup 2020:

Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Manish Pandey, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Also Read: ‘F***ing k******d!’: Jos Buttler Launches Stunning X-Rated Rant At Vernon Philander: Watch

The post No Place For Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni In VVS Laxman’s India Squad For T20 World Cup 2020 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

While Virat Kohli never shies away from venting his frustration on teammates after their mistakes, he also never fails to praise them when they do well. And it was witnessed once again on Tuesday when India were taking on Sri Lanka in the second T20I at Indore’s Holkar Stadium.

The Men in Blue won the game by seven wickets to take an unassailable lead in the three-match series after the first game was abandoned without a ball being bowled. Virat Kohli once again won the toss and elected to bowl first.

The bowlers totally justified the decision by restricting Sri Lanka to a below par total of 142 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs on a good batting surface. The likes of Shardul Thakur (3 for 23) and Navdeep Saini (2 for 18) were the pick of the bowlers.

A clinical performance by #TeamIndia in Indore.

Will the boys clinch the series in Pune? #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/6Hm0jPVYC1

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 7, 2020

In reply, India chased down the total inside 18 overs and with seven wickets in hand. In-form KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan laid the foundation for the easy chase by adding 71 runs for the first wicket before the former departed for 45. Dhawan departed soon too after scoring 32 before Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer added 51 runs to all but seal the win.

Shreyas Iyer sees both sides of Virat Kohli:

Coming to Virat Kohli never shying away from criticising and praising his teammates, Shreyas Iyer experienced both the facets of his captain during the second T20I. Virat Kohli was not at all impressed when Shreyas Iyer missed an easy run-out chance while fielding.

Also Read: Watch: Virat Kohli’s Animated Reaction After Shreyas Iyer Misses Easy Run-Out Chance

However, when the youngster smashed a huge 101 meter six, the skipper could not help but show his admiration with a brilliant reaction. On the final ball of the 15th over, Shreyas Iyer hit India’s first six and it was a stunning one.

Wanindu Hasaranga bowled a full-length delivery to Iyer and the batsman moved slightly leg-side before getting underneath the ball to send it on the third-tier. And as Iyer was admiring his shot, Virat Kohli too did the same with a stunned look.

Here is a clip of that moment:

The post Watch: Shreyas Iyer Stuns Virat Kohli By Hitting Humongous 101 Meter Six appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Navdeep Saini once again had a brilliant day at the office for the Indian National Cricket Team. He received the man of the match award for his glorious performance with the ball against Sri Lanka at Indore. Speaking of the same, Navdeep Saini revealed that he gained the confidence to bowl with white ball alongside the red ball.

India’s chase looked a mere formality, thanks to the bowlers who began the new season on a positive note. While Shardul Thakur topped the wicket-takers chart with 3 wickets, Navdeep Saini was the pick of the bowlers as he rattled the Sri Lankan batsmen with pace and finished with figures of 2/18 in 4 overs.

Firstly, Saini bowled a pinpoint yorker to dismiss the Sri Lankan opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka. Later, he delivered a stunning bouncer to get the better off  Bhanuka Rajapaksha.

I practiced well and I was confident – Navdeep Saini

Speaking of the same, Navdeep Saini, in the post-match presentation, stated that he understood the importance of the slower balls in this format of the game. Navdeep also added that he liked the yorker, which rattled the defence of Danushka Gunathilaka.

 I practised well and I was confident. It’s important to be confident and it’s also important to use the variations. I was more happy to take a wicket with the yorker (wicket of Danushka Gunathilaka). I am gaining confidence with both white-ball and red-ball. When I made my T20I debut, I wanted to bowl fast, but now I know the importance of the slower deliveries.

All in all, it was a fine performance from Navdeep Saini in Indore. Now, he would like to finish the series on a high note in Pune. Having sealed a 1-0 lead, India will look to clinch the series when they take on Sri Lanka in the 3rd and final T20I on Friday in Pune.

Read More – Virat Kohli hails Bowlers After Win in Indore.

The post I Understood The Importance Of Slower Balls – Navdeep Saini appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Virat Kohli and his teammates started 2020 on a stunning note as India thrashed Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second T20I at Indore’s Holkar Stadium. Living up to the tag of favourites, India remained ahead in the game throughout as they took an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The series-opener was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Virat Kohli once again won the toss and elected to bowl first. The bowlers totally justified the decision by restricting Sri Lanka to a below par total of 142 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs on a good batting surface. The likes of Shardul Thakur (3 for 23) and Navdeep Saini (2 for 18) were the pick of the bowlers.

A clinical performance by #TeamIndia in Indore.

Will the boys clinch the series in Pune? #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/6Hm0jPVYC1

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 7, 2020

In reply, India chased down the total inside 18 overs and with seven wickets in hand. In-form KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan laid the foundation for the easy chase by adding 71 runs for the first wicket before the former departed for 45. Dhawan departed soon too after scoring 32 before Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer added 51 runs to all but seal the win.

Also Read: Watch: Virat Kohli’s Animated Reaction After Shreyas Iyer Misses Easy Run-Out Chance

Secret weapon for Australia:

While India’s bowling lineup looks more or less settled, Virat Kohli has said that the team could have a secret weapon when it travels to Australia later this year for the T20 World Cup. The captain mentioned the name of uncapped bowler Prasidh Krishna and lavished praise on him.

While Krishna is yet to make his India debut or earn call from the national team, he has been doing well for Karnataka and in IPL. He hogged the limelight for the first time in 2018 IPL by impressing for Kolkata Knight Riders after being signed up as an injury replacement.

“I think one guy will be surprise package going to Australia. Prasidh Krishna is someone who has bowled really well in domestic cricket,” said Virat Kohli.

“We need balance, and you need more than five bowlers in T20 cricket. It was a really good surface, and we pulled things back really well. We kept picking wickets, and we didn’t let them to 170-175, which I thought would have been a par score,” he added.

Well, if Prasidh Krishna keeps performing in the same manner like he has done in the past couple of seasons, he can make it to Australia. He has already impressed Kohli and now only needs to deliver even more.

Also Read: Watch: Virat Kohli’s Animated Reaction After Shreyas Iyer Misses Easy Run-Out Chance

The post Virat Kohli Names The Uncapped Bowler Who Can Be Picked For T20 World Cup appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Yet again same story for Sri Lanka on the International stage. They were outsmarted by the Virat Kohli-led Indian National Cricket Team in all departments of the game. Speaking of the same, Lasith Malinga feels the bowlers did the job but stated that they were at least 30 runs short on the beautiful batting track.

The likes of Avishka Fernando, Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Perera started things well but failed to capitalise the start. The rest of the batsmen never looked comfortable in the middle, especially, facing the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Navdeep Saini in the middle overs.

We were 25-20 runs short – Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga also mentioned the loss of Isuru Udana early in the innings, which made an impact for the team. He added that Udana had got experience under his belt in this format, but unfortunately, he suffered an injury when the team wants him the most. He also gave an update saying that Isuru Udana is doing fine.

Further, Lasith Malinga believes that youngsters must deliver the goods in the middle. Malinga played a few youngsters ahead of Angelo Mathews in the playing XI. Speaking of the same, Malinga stated that team management has decided to give chances to the youngsters.

”We were around 25-30 runs short. We tried to bowl consistent lines and lengths. The bowlers did well to drag the match till the 18th over. He’s (Udana) our main bowler and is very experienced in this format. He got injured just before we went out to bowl. He’s recovering now. We need to give opportunities to the youngsters,” Lasith Malinga said in the post-match presentation.

All in all, it was a tough loss for Sri Lanka team at Indore. Now, they will travel to Pune to lock horns with India in the final T20I of the series.

Read More – Virat Kohli hails the Indian bowler for the win at Indore.

The post Bowlers Did Well To Drag The Match To 18th Over – Lasith Malinga appeared first on CricketAddictor.

While Shreyas Iyer is one of the finest fielders in the Indian team right now, he ended up making a big mistake during the just-concluded second T20I against Sri Lanka at the Holkar Stadium, Indore. And as usual, India skipper Virat Kohli was not at all impressed with the mistake although he did get angry this time around.

The incident occurred in the eighth wicket when Oshada Fernando hit a Navdeep Saini delivery towards the backward point and ran straightaway for a single. From the very first moment, it looked like a tight single and Shreyas Iyer had a big opportunity to affect a run out.

Also Read: Scott Styris Taunts Virat Kohli For Picking Three RCB Bowlers In Playing XI For Indore T20I

A throw at the striker’s end would have ended Kusal Perera’s innings. But Shreyas Iyer surprisingly decided to throw the ball at the non-striker’s end and also missed the target. With no one backing up either, Oshada made his ground safely. Virat Kohli, in the meantime, did not shy away from showing his emotions and he expressed his surprise over Shreyas Iyer’s baffling decision.

Here is a clip of that whole incident:

https://twitter.com/crickethustler/status/1214552274975916032?

Well, the miss from Shreyas Iyer did not prove costly for Team India as the Men in Blue won the series-opener by seven wickets. Virat Kohli’s decision to bowl first was totally justified by his bowlers as India restricted Sri Lanka to 142 for 9. The Islanders started well with their openers Danushka Gunathilaka and Avishka Fernando adding 38 runs for the first wicket in less than five overs.

But after the powerplay, Sri Lanka’s innings never got the impetus as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Kusal Perera was the top-scorer for his side, scoring 34 while Shardul Thakur was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 23.

In reply, India chased down the total inside 18 overs and with seven wickets in hand. In-form KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan laid the foundation for the easy chase by adding 71 runs for the first wicket before the former departed for 45. Dhawan departed soon too after scoring 32 before Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer added 51 runs to all but seal the win.

The post Watch: Virat Kohli’s Animated Reaction After Shreyas Iyer Misses Easy Run-Out Chance appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Virat Kohli-led Team India started 2020 on a perfect note by dismantling Sri Lanka by wickets in the second T20I at Indore’s Holkar Stadium. With the first match abandoned without a ball being bowled, India also took an unassailable lead in the three-match series with an impressive seven-wicket win.

Virat Kohli’s decision to bowl first was totally justified by his bowlers as India restricted Sri Lanka to 142 for 9. The Islanders started well with their openers Danushka Gunathilaka and Avishka Fernando adding 38 runs for the first wicket in less than five overs.

But after the powerplay, Sri Lanka’s innings never got the impetus as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. In an attempt to up the scoring rate, their batsmen played some rash shots and thus they eventually ended on 142 for 9. Kusal Perera was the top-scorer for his side, scoring 34 while Shardul Thakur was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 23.

That's that from Indore.#TeamIndia win by 7 wickets. Lead the three-match series 1-0.#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/5mtCxcHFHr

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 7, 2020

In reply, India chased down the total inside 18 overs and with seven wickets in hand. In-form KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan laid the foundation for the easy chase by adding 71 runs for the first wicket before the former departed for 45. Dhawan departed soon too after scoring 32 before Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer added 51 runs to all but seal the win.

Speaking after the game, Virat Kohli expressed his delight over the performance. He pointed out the performance of the bowlers especially Navdeep Saini as he said that the team has gone from strength to strength.

“Very happy. It was a clinical performance. We have gone from strength to strength. It’s a very good sign for the team. Navdeep has come into the ODI circuit as well, he gaining more confidence. You can really seem letting himself go. It’s great to see getting him take wickets with yorkers and bouncers.

“Good to see Burmah back too. I think one guy will be surprise package going to Australia. Kuldeep takes the ball away so does Washington. As a captain, you need more than five bowlers. Beautiful surface, we bowled beautifully well. As a bowler, no one like bowling here. You want to see guys stepping up,” he added.

Also Read: Scott Styris Taunts Virat Kohli For Picking Three RCB Bowlers In Playing XI For Indore T20I

The post India vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli Hails Bowlers After Win In Indore T20I appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Once again, the Indian National Cricket Team had a fabulous time at work in Indore against the Sri Lankan team. The excellent display of bowling followed by the solid batting show from KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer helped India to go 1-0 up in the 3-match series.

In reply to the chase, the openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan never allowed Sri Lanka bowlers to settle in the middle. KL Rahul, in particular, went against the bowlers with his oozing class. The duo added 71 runs for the first wicket before Wanindu Hasaranga dismissing KL Rahul on his score of 45.

Virat Kohli finishes off in style:

Shikhar Dhawan followed him quickly, which gave Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli a chance to show their class in the middle. Both the batsmen finished the task with ease in the end. For Sri Lanka, Hasaranga was the only bowler, who delivered the goods for the team.

Earlier, after losing the toss, the openers Avishka Fernando and Danushka Gunathilaka started things off in style by knocking boundaries more often than not in the powerplay overs. However, Washington Sundar gave a crucial breakthrough for the team to settle things in the middle.

Danushka Gunathilaka followed Avishka Fernando when Navdeep Saini delivered a peach of the delivery to rattle the defence of Gunathilaka. Following the dismissals, Kusal Perera tried his best to get runs at a quick pace. Much like the openers, Kusal also failed to capitalise the start.

Indian bowlers never allowed the Sri Lanka batsmen to score runs at the higher rate, which helped India to bundle out the opposition for a low tally of 142 on the board. Shardul Thakur picked three wickets while Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep picked a couple of wickets each.

Here are a few tweets:

https://twitter.com/Aditya_k168/status/1214588220392058885

Dhawan missed golden opportunity today#INDvSL #AskStar @StarSportsIndia

— Nishant Kumar (@Nishant92786233) January 7, 2020

India win by 7 wickets and take 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series!#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/Qeh2Fgi2eu

— ICC (@ICC) January 7, 2020

That's that from Indore.#TeamIndia win by 7 wickets. Lead the three-match series 1-0.#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/5mtCxcHFHr

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 7, 2020

Can we have real match with real team. Easy win dosent excit us. Need to have real T-20 with NZ, Eng, Aus #INDvSL

— SHREYA (@Shreya2202) January 7, 2020

Congratulations @imVkohli for fastest 1000 runs in T20 and Team India for taking 1-0 lead in #INDvSL series. Spell of Navdeep Saini was moment of the match. pic.twitter.com/zsXKL7kit6

— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) January 7, 2020

That's the win of the first T20 match of 2020.!#INDvSL

— Arun Kumar (@arun_kumarkp) January 7, 2020

First T20 win of the decade in the 🎒#INDvSL #TeamIndia @BCCI pic.twitter.com/O1AEHuEP6Q

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) January 7, 2020

HUM JEET GAYE 🇮🇳 #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/XDmLZw3RsX

— सुयश स्वरूप சுயஷ் ஸ்வரூப் 🏏🇮🇳🕉️卐🚩📽️ (@sscomp32) January 7, 2020

https://twitter.com/Aditya_k168/status/1214589679904804864

When #shardulthakur takes 3 wickets in one over….

INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/2pXJqq2fzw

— अक्की (@akkisarcasm) January 7, 2020

People trolling dhawan should understand that, he was making a comeback after the injury so please give him some time. Bumrah also didn't have a great match as a bowler, he was also making a comeback.

So please give some time to dhawan
He will troll his haters soon #INDvSL

— ° (@Rohits_warrior_) January 7, 2020

Stunning shot for 6 by @imVkohli to seal match. India would have chased even 180 on this pitch so Lanka actually let down by batsmen, not bowlers. Strong start to 2020 by #TeamIndia. Bumrah’s return, form of Rahul and Iyer adds to heft.

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) January 7, 2020

Not being arrogant but with the current Bangladesh and Srilanka sides as an experiment we should play our India U-19 side. 8 out of 10 times I think India will win :)

— Vikram Sathaye (@vikramsathaye) January 7, 2020

#SportsTak wale kya discuss karenge aaj? Rishabh Pant ki to batting bhi nahi aayi 😂😂 #IndvSL

— Wanderer (@DisDatNothin) January 7, 2020

https://twitter.com/_Sakshi16/status/1214573324711256066

The post KL Rahul And Bowlers Help India Seal A Comfortable Win At Indore – Twitter Reacts appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Former Chennai Super Kings and New Zealand allrounder Scott Styris last played in the IPL way back in 2011 but it looks like he has still not forgotten the rivalry with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). And his recent tweet regarding India’s team selection for the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Indore pretty much proved that.

Scott Styris questioned Virat Kohli and Indian team-management’s decision of including three RCB bowlers in the playing eleven of the second T20I against Sri Lanka. Navdeep Saini, Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar were the three RCB bowlers in the playing eleven and Scott Styris was not impressed with it.

He took to Twitter to question the decision, saying that it was surprising to see that since RCB were the worst bowling side in the last couple of seasons of IPL. Not only that, Scott Styris also questioned the hosts’ decision of resting star leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, saying:

“I’m a little surprised India have gone into this match with THREE @RCBTweets bowling options plus Y Chahal in reserve when theyve been consistently the worst @IPL bowling side over the last couple of seasons ?”

I'm a little surprised India have gone into this match with THREE @RCBTweets bowling options plus Y Chahal in reserve when theyve been consistently the worst @IPL bowling side over the last couple of seasons 🤔

— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) January 7, 2020

RCB bowlers do well:

Incidentally, Navdeep Saini was one of the best bowlers for India in the second T20I while Washington Sundar also did well. Saini conceded just 18 runs in his four overs and picked up two crucial wickets. On the other hand, Sundar gave India the first breakthrough by dismissing the dangerous Avishka Fernando.

India eventually restricted Sri Lanka to a modest total of 142 for 9 in the stipulated 20 overs. Shardul Thakur was the most successful bowler for the hosts, picking up 3 for 23. For Sri Lanka, Kusal Perera was the top run-scorer with 34.

Also Read: Watch: Navdeep Saini Castles Danushka Gunathilaka With 147.5 kmph Yorker

The post Scott Styris Taunts Virat Kohli For Picking Three RCB Bowlers In Playing XI For Indore T20I appeared first on CricketAddictor.

The bowling department of the Indian National Cricket Team once again did their job to the perfection on Tuesday. They delivered the required goods on a batting-friendly wicket to restrict Sri Lanka for only 142 runs on the board. For Sri Lanka, Kusal Perera was the top scorer with 34 runs.

Initially, it was Virat Kohli, who won the toss, asked the visitors to bat first on a batting-friendly wicket. Both the openers Avishka Fernando and Danushka Gunathilaka started things off in style by knocking boundaries more often than not in the powerplay overs. However, Washington Sundar gave a crucial breakthrough for the team to settle things in the middle.

Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav picked two wickets each:

Later, Danushka Gunathilaka followed Avishka Fernando when Navdeep Saini delivered a peach of the delivery to rattle the defence of Gunathilaka. Following the dismissals, Kusal Perera tried his best to get runs at a quick pace. Much like the openers, Kusal also failed to capitalise the start.

After hitting a couple of sixes, Kusal Perera smashed Kuldeep straight to Shikhar Dhawan while Navdeep Saini got rid off Bhanuka Rajapaksha. The collapse of wickets never helped Sri Lanka to get a big tally on the board.

Though Bumrah failed to pick wickets in his first spell, he proved his class in the death overs apart from the last three unfortunate deliveries. Indian bowlers never allowed the Sri Lanka batsmen to score runs at higher rate, which helped India to bundle out the opposition for a low tally of 142 on the board.

For India, all the bowlers delivered the goods at the right time. Each bowler showed his class whenever he was given task in the middle. Shardul Thakur picked three wickets while Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep picked a couple each. Sundar and Bumrah chipped in with one wicket each.

Here are a few tweets:

This is a little embarrassing 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️ Tooo easy for India #Indvsl

— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) January 7, 2020

https://twitter.com/Aoshnar1/status/1214563216572895235

With the seamers bowling so well (the yorker from Saini was one for the ages) Sri Lanka have to attack Kuldeep, which is exactly what he prefers.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 7, 2020

Early days in this game but Avishka Fernando has a lot of class about him

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 7, 2020

Stokes on one screen, Bumrah on another. Different game, different styles, two modern champions.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 7, 2020

Shardul thakur after taking 3wkts in the same over: #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/x9z8FZBsVa

— Marwadi (@gaitonde07) January 7, 2020

Now #Thakur joins the party!
Strikes thrice in an over back to back!
Don't forget he's on #hattrick!#INDvSL #SLvIND #INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/SP6bg24F6H

— BlueCap 🇮🇳 (@IndianzCricket) January 7, 2020

https://twitter.com/devdasindia/status/1214563964907950080

A little flourish for Sri Lanka at the end but the batsmen have still left the bowlers a bit too much to do. India ahead at this stage.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 7, 2020

BOOM BOOM… 🔥#bumrah#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/tljcHjJbHd

— Sai._.Karthik (@NormiKid) January 7, 2020

https://twitter.com/Jinxxxx18/status/1214563377378316290

Innings Break!

A great field day for our bowlers as Sri Lanka lose 9 wickets with a total of 142 on the board.

Scorecard 👉https://t.co/OExOCS35VC #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/Mk1k6qNN0h

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 7, 2020

When #shardulthakur takes 3 wickets in one over….#INDvsSL #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/Hvg7QJyFsh

— Vishal (@vishal_saini_vs) January 7, 2020

Navdeep Saini Taking wickets..

RCB fans pic.twitter.com/BqznSRCOqA

— Rahul 🇮🇳 (@Rahul__Tweet) January 7, 2020

The post Twitter Reacts As India Restrict Sri Lanka to 142/9 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

There is no denying to the fact that Harbhajan Singh has got one of the classic bowling actions in the world cricket. A lot of cricketing fans have tried his action to show their love to the veteran off-spinner. On Tuesday, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli also did the same by imitating Harbhajan Singh’s action at Indore right in front of him.

Ahead of the second T20I at Indore, India captain Virat Kohli was seen in a jovial mood when he was spotted imitating former cricketer Harbhajan Singh‘s bowling action. The video surfaced on the internet and has instantly become a hit among fans. The fans present at the venue were also delighted to see Kohli do that.

Virat Kohli, Harbhajan Singh share a light moment:

The two cricketers have played a lot of cricket together and also share a great bond too. The Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore witnessed the chemistry between the two and the Indian skipper’s hidden talent left everyone in splits.

Harbhajan, who is the part of the expert panel in the ongoing match, came to greet the Indian captain on the ground and Virat hilariously greeted the spinner. He mimicked the offie while seeing the former close to him and his imitation also tickled the funny bones of Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan himself.

Watch – Navdeep Saini Castles Gunathilaka

Getting into the details of the game, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli managed to win the toss and chose to bowl first, with the dew expected in the second half of the game. Though it wasn’t a great comeback for Jasprit Bumrah in the powerplay, Washington Sundar and Navdeep Saini gave the breakthroughs for the team.

For Sri Lanka, Avishka Fernando and Danushka Gunathilaka got the starts, but unfortunately, failed to make it big for the team. However, Kusal Perera and Oshada Fernando have found their feet moving in the middle before Kuldeep Yadav knocked them out.

Here is the video:

Who was @imVkohli imitating here?
Wrong answers only in the replies, GO!

Watch more funny outtakes only on #Nerolac #CricketLIVE, on Star Sports & Hotstar!#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/IXD1j4xEKU

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 7, 2020

The post Watch – Virat Kohli Imitates Harbhajan Singh’s Bowling Action At Indore appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Navdeep Saini, on Tuesday, gave yet another example of the devastation he can cause with the ball in his hand. The right-arm pacer came up with a stunning yorker to send back Sri Lanka opener Danushka Gunathilaka in the ongoing second T20I at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.

It was a brilliant set up by Navdeep Saini. On the third delivery of the eighth over, he bowled a bouncer that was clocked at more than 141 kmph. Danushka Gunathilaka, who had scored 20 from 19 balls at that stage, chased the ball but could not make any contact whatsoever.

Also Read: IPL 2020: Early Start, No Double Headers, Final To Be Held On May 24: Report

And on the very next ball, Navdeep Saini castled the left-handed batsman. After he was making his way to the bowling mark following the bouncer, skipper Virat Kohli was seen advising him. The India skipper perhaps asked the pacer to surprise Danushka Gunathilaka by bowling a yorker.

Well, the bowler duly obliged and the result was there for everyone to see. It was a 147.5 kmph bullet right at the base of middle that left Danushka Gunathilaka speechless. He tried to bring his bat down in time but the ball was just too quick for him.

Earlier, Sri Lanka started well after being asked to bat first. Avishka Fernando went for the big shots right from the word go and perished while playing one such shot. Before departing, he slammed 22 runs off 16 balls and added 38 runs with Gunathilaka for the first wicket. By the end of the powerplay, the visitors were well placed at 48 for 1.

Gunathilaka was struggling to get going before Navdeep Saini ended his knock. The left-handed batsman departed after managing only 20 runs in 21 balls.

Here is a clip of his wicket:

The post Watch: Navdeep Saini Castles Danushka Gunathilaka With 147.5 kmph Yorker appeared first on CricketAddictor.

After the disappointing turn of events in Guwahati, India and Sri Lanka will be looking to finally kickstart 2020 when they lock horns in the second T20I in Indore. The first game in Guwahati was abandoned without a ball being bowled. While the rain stopped within an hour of the scheduled start, the ground staff could not get the pitch ready for the game to go ahead.

India, nonetheless, will be looking to start 2020 on a good note keeping in mind the T20 World Cup later this year. The Men in Blue have not really managed to deliver consistently in the shortest format of the game and skipper Virat Kohli has also accepted that.

The hosts will be favourite against Sri Lanka but the Islanders cannot be taken lightly. Just over a couple of months ago, they had whitewashed top-ranked T20I team Pakistan in a three-match series in their own backyard and do have the ability to spring a surprise against India too.

Match Day!#TeamIndia will take on Sri Lanka in the 2nd T20I at the Holkar Stadium, Indore.

Live action starts at 7 PM IST.

Your predictions for the game? #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/MQC7aEFn76

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 7, 2020

Toss report:

India won the toss and decided to bowl first against Sri Lanka in the second T20I at the Holkar Stadium, Indore.

India:

Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli(c), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(w), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah

Sri Lanka:

Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Perera(w), Oshada Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Isuru Udana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Lasith Malinga(c)

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Lack of proficiency among the ground staff saw the first T20I between India and Sri Lanka being called off at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday. In a bizarre scene, water seeped in through the covers onto the pitch making it impossible for the game to be played.

It started pouring 15 minutes before the scheduled time after India captain Virat Kohli won the toss and invited the opposition captain to bat first. The rain spell lasted less than an hour but the ground could not be prepared in time as the dampness on the pitch prevented the start of the game.

The ground staff then resorted to various measures, ranging from using hair-dryers to steam irons, in order to dry the wet patches near the middle of the pitch, but to no avail. And almost three hours after the game was about to start, the umpires called off the game.

Ever since the game was called off, there has been criticism from all around for BCCI and Assam Cricket Association for the way the entire matter was handled. Former India cricketers Zaheer Khan and Aakash Chopra had also ridiculed the measures taken to dry the pitch during an international match.

50,000 was all it needed:

Well, the BCCI could have avoided the embarrassment in Guwahati by spending only INR 50,000. It is being said that the cost of the best quality covers for covering the pitch would have cost just Rs 50000 but since it was not there, the ground staff used a poor quality plastic which resulted in rainwater seeping into the pitch and the richest board in the world became the butt of all jokes on the social media for its negligence.

A BCCI official said that it was elementary and is a direct effect of the lack of experience among the new state association officials. He also pointed at the lack of preparedness of chief curator Ashish Bhowmick and BCCI CEO Rahul Johri.

“These things will happen as there is a learning curve that officials of all associations are faced with after the implementation of the Lodha reforms. No association had the opportunity to plan for succession and continuity,” the official told IANS.

“In this day and age continuity strategies remain one of the biggest concerns for stakeholders across the globe.The associations were never given the opportunity to address this concern. I think a lot of blame lies with the BCCIs curator and ultimately with the CEO who should at least had the foresight to ensure the basics were in place,” he added.

The second T20I will take place in Indore on Tuesday (January 7). Unlike Guwahati, there is no prediction of rain in Indore and thus the game is likely to go ahead without any interruptions.

Also Read: India vs Sri Lanka: Chemicals Being Used To Minimise Effect Of Dew In Second T20I

The post India vs Sri Lanka: BCCI Could’ve Prevented Embarrassment In Guwahati By Spending Just Rs 50000 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

All eyes will be on the upcoming second T20I between India and Sri Lanka now after the series-opener in Guwahati was abandoned without a ball being bowled. Despite rain lasting less than an hour after the toss, the ground staff could not prepare the pitches for the game to go ahead.

At first, it looked like the game would go ahead after the toss took place without any rain interruption. But just moments before Virat Kohli and his men could take the field, rain arrived. The showers lasted less than an hour and the ground staff immediately covered the pitch – and the bowlers’ run-ups.

However, it did not stop the water from falling onto the pitch. The ground staff then resorted to various measures, ranging from using hair-dryers to steam irons, in order to dry the wet patches near the middle of the pitch, but to no avail. And almost three hours after the game was about to start, the umpires called off the game.

Also Read: The Series Against India Is Going To Be ”Awesome” – Tim Paine

Dew counter method:

After the disappointing end to the first T20I, the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) has been taking all sorts of measures to make sure the second game is played without any issue. While there is no prediction of rain in Indore, dew could make things tougher for the players and thus the association has been spraying a special chemical on the outfield at the Holkar Stadium here.

MPCA chief curator Samander Singh Chauhan said on Monday that to beat the effects of dew, a special chemical was being sprayed over the ground since the last three days. He also revealed that no water is being sprayed on the grass since the last three days to minimise the effects of dew.

“We sincerely hope the spectators will get to see fours and sixes raining in the match,” he was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

More often than not, the dew plays a decisive role in deciding the outcome of the games. Teams batting second get an unfair advantage since the bowlers find it tough to grip the balls.

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