'Unbelievable' – Virat Kohli thrilled after pulling off back-to-back Super Over wins

“We gave them a chance and they took them with both hands,” said Tim Southee

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jan-2020Having not played a Super Over until Wednesday, and then clawing their way back in to chase 17 and 14 in back-to-back Super Overs in the third and fourth T20Is against New Zealand, was an “unbelievable” experience, according to India captain Virat Kohli.”There’s something new I’ve learnt in the last couple of games, which is: when the opposition is playing that well, you’ve just got to stay calm in the game, observe what’s happening and if an opportunity comes your way, you capitalise on it and try and make the most of it,” Kohli told after the match. “What happened in the last two games is unbelievable, being involved in the game and from the fans’ point of view as well.”You couldn’t have asked for more two exciting T20s back-two-back. We had never played Super Overs before these two games and now we’ve played two back to back. It feels good when you’re out of the game, and then you come back… it shows the character of the team.”ALSO READ: Report – NZ contrive to lose in Super Over again as India go 4-0 upKohli didn’t have a great time with the bat in the regular game, making only 11, but sealed the Super Over by hitting the winning runs with a pull for four off Tim Southee. However, Kohli revealed he wasn’t even planning to go out alongside KL Rahul.”Initially we decided Sanju [Samson] and KL [would open in the Super Over] because both of them can strike the ball really well,” Kohli said. “But then KL and I had a chat [and decided] that I should walk in with him because I have more experience and if there is a pressure situation, I will find more options to figure out what needs to be done.”His two strikes [a six and a four in the first two balls] were crucial, and then the bit of experience did come into play where you knock the ball into the gaps and make the team go past the line and do the job. It’s exciting for me, having not been part of Super Over for a long, long time, but yeah, two back-to-back exciting wins for us.”Tim Southee led in Kane Williamson’s absence•Getty Images

The two unlikely victories, according to Friday’s star performer Shardul Thakur, was a lesson in perseverance, the first win in particular sending out a never-say-die message in the dressing room.”That’s all we play for – such nail-biting finishes and two games in a row… I think you couldn’t ask for anything more,” Thakur said of the last over of the main game, when he picked up two wickets and two New Zealand batsmen were run-out, resulting in the tie. “After the last game’s win, we learnt that you should never lose hope, and I think the first-ball wicket was crucial. If I bowl a dot ball or take a wicket, then the pressure is on them. And, that’s what happened, and that changed the game a bit.”ALSO READ: New Zealand’s Super Over heartbreaksSouthee, who delivered both Super Overs and captained New Zealand in the absence of the injured Kane Williamson on the day, summed up the dejection among the home side. “It’s very tough, especially in the positions we put ourselves into,” he said. “We gave them a chance and they took them with both hands. I guess when you’ve got a young bowling attack, and you sort of trying to get a clear decision from a number of people, yeah it’s tough we keep getting ourselves in these positions.”It is [difficult] when you lose a couple of games like we have. When you’re winning games, you just find ways to win them with balls to spare, but when you haven’t won and you’re playing against quality opposition against India, you give them a sniff in, then you do you make it tough for yourselves.”Having taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, Kohli’s decision to bring in Samson, Washington Sundar and Navdeep Saini in the fourth T20I didn’t quite return intended results. An impetuous hoick brought Samson’s five-ball 8 to a close two balls after he whipped Scott Kuggeleijn for a wristy six, Washington gave away 24 in two overs, and Saini conceded 29 runs in four overs without putting himself on the wickets column. Kohli, though, took heart from the fact that the trio, especially Saini, were “in the right kind of headspaces” in the face of pressure.”Sanju was fearless at the top of the order,” Kohli said. “We didn’t quite read the pitch that well; having got one six I think he thought this is his chance to get the momentum going and really take things away. That’s the kind of player he is, so he should keeping backing himself.”Washy has played a lot anyway. Saini was particularly impressive with his pace he really rushed the batsman. I think all in all, all of them looked in a good headspace. If the opposition plays that well against them, against them, there’s no harm in saying, ‘You guys were playing well in that situation’. But we were very proud with the way we went about it and pulled it back, and those three guys looked to be in the right kind of headspaces.”

Kohli and Pujara forge strong position for India

Australia hurled everything they could at India but were facing a daunting run chase after the visitors took control

Andrew McGlashan07-Dec-20183:37

Laxman: Rahul has lost ability to build a Test innings

The scoreline and history was firmly against Australia at the end of the third day in Adelaide with India having forged a lead of 166. In a compelling final session, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, who was continuing a personal tour de force, put together a stand of 71 and despite Kohli’s late dismissal to Nathan Lyon India remained in a position to bat the home side out of the match.They may be close to that already even though Australia were boosted by Lyon who ended a day of frustration with the biggest of scalps when Kohli gloved to short leg. Chasing statistics are not always the best way to judge a fourth-innings scenario – overall totals can offer a better view of what’s possible – but Australia have chased over 200 to win in Adelaide once, and that was in 1902. R Ashwin posed problems for them in the first innings and will be a major threat again, whenever his time comes. Kohli, though, is unlikely to have thoughts of bowling before tea tomorrow.The first innings were almost level after a truncated morning session, Australia’s last three wickets adding 44 to the overnight total, leaving one of those third-innings scenarios where the game can shift quickly if the batting side is not careful. The role of India’s openers, KL Rahul and M Vijay, was therefore vital even if both would end up being dismissed in familiar style. Unlike the first innings, though, they did not expose the middle order to the new ball: it was the 19th over before Pujara walked in and the 25th when Kohli emerged.India’s main pair – their leader and the first-innings century-maker – resumed after tea for a session that had the feeling of being match-defining. There was little fluency in the batting, but lessons had been learnt from the first innings: batting time was the first port of call. Australia strained every sinew to find the breakthrough, Josh Hazlewood challenging the outside edge with his line, Pat Cummins testing techniques with shorter deliveries – one to Kohli was fended into a vacant short leg area – and Lyon finding considerable help from the rough.Lyon thought he had removed Pujara twice – on 8 and 17 – only for DRS to overturn Nigel Llong’s out decisions. The first came when he was given caught behind and the second when lbw, adjudged playing no shot when padding Lyon away as he did multiple times, but the bounce was taking the ball just over the stumps.Lyon became a little frustrated during his 18-over spell before being replaced by Travis Head, with India latching on to loose deliveries from the part-time offspinner whose stint was terminated after just two overs. Whereas India’s early collapse in the first innings meant they only belatedly stretched the stamina of the Australia attack, this time the top order was firmly intact as workloads increased. Australia have one session to keep themselves in the match.The individual scores of Vijay (18) and Rahul (44), plus their manner of dismissals playing expansive drives, will leave India followers, and perhaps the coaching staff, exasperated but taken in the context of the match their contributions could yet prove a key passage of play. When play resumed after lunch, the break having been taken early due to further rain, conditions felt good for pace bowling. Instead of taking the attack to Australia straightaway, as they had tried in the first innings, Rahul and Vijay gave the early exchanges to Mitchell Starc and Hazlewood as the opening eight overs brought just eight runs, four of them leg byes.Then Rahul flicked a switch heralding 54 runs off the next 10 overs, a rare period of free-flowing batting in a game where the run-rates have been below three. It was a significant momentum-grab from India, including a cover-driven six against Cummins by Rahul, although he was given a life on 32 when Aaron Finch spilled a tough chance at leg slip off Lyon.Vijay, who couldn’t break free in the same way, edged to slip driving at Starc, then six overs later Rahul had a wild mow at Hazlewood and Kohli was welcomed to the crease by some significant booing. He would dearly have wanted to walk off unbeaten at the close, able to define the innings himself tomorrow, but his side remains strongly placed for something very significant.

Usman Khan replaces injured Amir for Sri Lanka ODIs

The left-arm quick has been an integral member of the Karachi Kings side in the Pakistan Super League for the last two years, and was retained by the franchise for the third season of the tournament

09-Oct-2017Pakistan have called up left-arm fast bowler Usman Khan to replace the injured Mohammad Amir for the five-ODI series against Sri Lanka in the UAE.Amir, who has been an automatic selection for Pakistan in all three formats since his return, picked up a stress-related injury of his right shin during the ongoing Test in Dubai. He went off the field towards the end of the first evening of the second Test, halfway through his 17th over. He returned to bowl next day, only to break down again, visibly discomfited. He was sent for an MRI scan, which revealed the extent of his shin injury. He was subsequently advised to rest for three weeks, ruling him out of the ongoing Test and the ODI series that follows.Usman Shinwari has been on the selectors’ radar for the last two years, having made his T20I debut in 2013. He announced himself with a memorable spell against a Misbah-ul-Haq led SNGPL in the final of the departmental T20 Cup at Gaddafi Stadium in 2013, picking up five wickets for nine runs in 3.1 overs, helping his side Faysal Bank crush SNGPL by 78 runs.He has played four T20Is for Pakistan, during one of which he sustained a back injury, missing a major chunk of the 2014-15 season. Since his return, the quick has taken 44 wickets in 12 first-class matches, becoming a prominent name on the domestic circuit. He has been an integral member of the Karachi Kings side in the Pakistan Super League for the last two years, and was retained by the franchise for the third season of the tournament. However, he is yet to play ODI or Test cricket.The ODI series begins on October 13, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Loved every minute of captaincy – Warner

David Warner said he enjoyed his international captaincy debut, in the 3rd ODI against Sri Lanka, but hopes he can regain his batting form soon

Brydon Coverdale30-Aug-2016Captain David Warner and incoming batsman Usman Khawaja will both be searching for a turnaround in their personal fortunes even as Australia aim to seal the ODI series against Sri Lanka in Dambulla on Wednesday. Australia enter the fourth match of the five-game series with a 2-1 lead and a win, though far from making up for their humiliation in the Test series, would at least allow them to lift some sort of trophy on this trip.Khawaja will come into the XI for the first time in this series, after Shaun Marsh was ruled out of the remainder of the tour having broken a finger while fielding during Australia’s win on Sunday. The recall provides an opportunity for Khawaja to regain some pride after he was axed for the final Test of the Sri Lanka series, following scores of 26, 18, 11 and 0 in the first two Tests.”It was a difficult time for everyone, not just Usman himself,” Warner told reporters in Dambulla on Tuesday. “We all have to have a bit of a reality check sometimes in regards to the way we play our game. It’s such a tough environment to be over here. Unfortunately he did get dropped from the Test series. He took that very, very well. He’s been training his backside off in the nets.”He’s been doing everything he can to put his hand up for selection. He accepts that he didn’t have the runs on the board and he’s been doing everything he can to get back in the team. I’m really looking forward to seeing him come out and play the way he does. He scored a lovely 90 in the Caribbean and he played fantastic there, I’m hoping he can come out here and do the same thing tomorrow.”Khawaja is expected to be Australia’s third No. 3 this series, after captain Steven Smith filled the role for the first two games but then flew home for a break and was replaced by Marsh. Warner and Aaron Finch have been the opening combination all series but Warner is yet to make a contribution with the bat, with scores of 8, 1 and 10 in the first three games.”If you can find the answer, I’ll take it,” Warner said when asked how he could turn his form around. “That’s just what happens with cricket. Sometimes you’re in form, sometimes you’re not. I feel like I’m hitting the ball well. I’ve had some good dismissals, I’ve had a couple of poor shots here and there.”But that’s the challenge you face over here in these conditions. You always have to back your game plan and back your skills. Every time I’ve gone out there, I’ve done that. Unfortunately I haven’t got the runs on the board that are necessary. I’ll be aiming to come out here and play my role as I normally do, try and have that intent from ball one.”Despite his own lack of runs, Warner captained Australia effectively on Sunday in his first match in charge, juggling his bowlers well and showing an attacking mindset in the field. He said one of the challenges was to keep on top of the over rate given Australia’s reliance on fast bowlers, but that he had loved the experience of leading his country.”I loved every minute of it,” Warner said. “I feel that the guys have taken it on board very, very well. You always have the respect from your peers, which is always fantastic. And I felt that the guys did everything I asked of them in the last game, and everything I’ve asked of them at training. They’ve done everything I’ve asked for, and I couldn’t be any more pleased.”The fourth ODI will be played on the same Dambulla surface as Sunday’s match, meaning it could be slow and dry right from the outset. Offspinner Nathan Lyon is likely to come under strong consideration after being left out of the previous game.

Political tension puts India-Pakistan series in doubt

Anurag Thakur, the BCCI secretary, has said that any bilateral series between India and Pakistan was unlikely until the political relationship between the two countries was stable

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jul-20151:13

No good relations, no good cricket – Anurag Thakur

Anurag Thakur, the BCCI secretary, has said that any bilateral series between India and Pakistan was unlikely until the political relationship between the two countries was stable.Thakur was speaking on Monday soon after a gunfight in the Gurdaspur district in Punjab – close to India’s border with Pakistan – led to several civilian casualties. Though security agencies in India were yet to determine who was responsible for the attack, Thakur, who is also a Member of Parliament from India’s ruling BJP, cited the incident as an example of why he believed the time was not right for a cricket series with Pakistan.”Even today there is a terrorist attack, in Gurdaspur. On one hand there is a rise in terrorist activity from Pakistan, on the other you can’t expect to play a cricket series with Pakistan,” Thakur told ESPNcricinfo. “For me the safety and security of my countrymen is more important than a cricket series. This is not the way to go ahead. I was never against the dialogue process. At the same time, if you do not have good relations, you can’t have good cricket.”Last month the PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, while visiting India, had said Pakistan had a “Plan B” should the series not go ahead. “We know there is always such a possibility when it comes to Indo-Pak relations but we think the situation will be clear in two months time,” Shaharyar had said. “We have a plan B in case the series (against India) cannot be held but I can’t share the details of that now. If such a situation is created we can call alternative teams.”India have not played a bilateral Test series against Pakistan since 2007, though they did host them for two T20Is and three ODIs between December 2012 and January 2013.

Bailey predicts Indian duty for Doherty

Xavier Doherty’s place as Australia’s lead limited-overs spin bowler may soon be augmented by a place on the looming Test tour to India

Daniel Brettig25-Jan-2013Whatever the format, whatever the venue, it is clear George Bailey believes in Xavier Doherty. Occasionally, as in the final over of the West Indies innings during last year’s World Twenty20 semi-final in Colombo, that belief has seemed extreme, but there is something to be said for a captain willing to give his spin bowler a chance.Following the unfortunately timed shoulder injury to befall Michael Beer, Doherty’s place as Australia’s lead limited-overs spin bowler may soon be augmented by a place on the looming Test tour to India, a long-awaited moment for the left-armer to atone for an ordinary showing at the first time of asking, during the last Ashes series.Most of Bailey’s domestic cricket for Tasmania has been played alongside Doherty, and he knew well the sense of emptiness the bowler felt when he was tossed into and then out of Test matches with three wickets at a cost of more than 100 runs apiece after two appearances in 2010. For now Bailey is glad to have Doherty at his disposal in the two Twenty20 matches against Sri Lanka, but he is also hopeful of seeing him bowling on the subcontinent in February.”I’ve got no doubt he’d like to have another crack at Test cricket,” Bailey said. “I don’t think he was particularly happy with how he bowled in that situation. The circumstances weren’t great for him either, so he’d be looking to another opportunity to rectify that and prove a lot of people wrong. He’s a good age for a spinner in terms of not getting too flustered if things don’t go his way, he’s pretty confident in his own game and got a good knowledge of where he’s at.”In recent times Doherty’s best role has been as a foil for Tasmania’s seam and swing bowlers, bottling up an end or frustrating batsmen into error on Bellerive Oval surfaces that have seldom offered him as much assistance. The Sydney Olympic Stadium pitch is likely to be a slow one, offering Doherty the chance to demonstrate the unflappability that Bailey admires.”What I see in him is someone who’s very settled,” Bailey said. “There’s times in the Tassie Shield side when playing at Bellerive where he’s had to change the way he’s had to bowl. There’s wickets where he can be quite attacking and wickets where he has to be a little more defensive. “I think he’s worked that into his game. He can sum situations up pretty quickly, depending on whether the batsmen are coming hard or if it’s X’s turn to push for wickets.”Doherty and Bailey are two players in the curious position of auditioning for places on the India Test tour via T20 matches. Given that the World T20 was only recently decided and the next event in Bangladesh is still two years away, the players selected will have differing goals. The likes of Shaun Marsh, Ben Laughlin and Adam Voges will seek to resurrect international careers that had seemed over or close to it, while Glenn Maxwell is in search of at least one display of substance.”It’s a little bit of a transition period, but having said that I think some of the newer players are still very experienced with games under their belt and their ages and whatnot, so we’re having a look at some players,” Bailey said. “But in terms of the balance of the side it is pretty similar to what we were starting to get together from just prior to the World T20. Not a bad result there in terms of where we got to in those conditions.”I certainly think we are still underachieving in T20 cricket, more so than any of the other formats. There’s no reason why with the players we have, the depth we have that we shouldn’t have a side that are consistently in the top couple teams in the world.”

Waheed, openers set up Pakistan Under-19s' win

Pakistan Under-19s registered their third win in as many matches in the Tri-Nation Under-19 tournament, beating Zimbabwe Under-19s by 90 runs in Franschhoek

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jan-2012
ScorecardPakistan Under-19s registered their third win in as many matches in the Tri-Nation Under-19 tournament, beating Zimbabwe Under-19s by 90 runs in Franschhoek.Pakistan chose to bat, and piled up 305 for 5 in their 50. The total was set up by a fine opening stand between Sami Aslam and Babar Azam: they both made scores in the 70s and strung together a 148-run stand in 26 overs. Umar Waheed built on the start, hitting 68 not out of 55 balls at the death.Three of Zimbabwe’s top five got starts in the chase, but could not carry on to make significant contributions – Ryan Burl was the top scorer with 40. Despite maintaining a brisk-scoring rate all through, the regular loss of wickets resulted in Zimbabwe being bowled out for 215 in the 41st over. Quick Ehsan Adil was the most economical and incisive of Pakistan’s bowlers, taking 3 for 29. Waheed was named the Man of the Match.

Kanitkar, Bist build platform for Rajasthan

Rajasthan built a solid platform with bat on the first day of the Ranji Trophy final, albeit at a snail’s pace

The Bulletin by Abhishek Purohit at Moti Bagh11-Jan-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsHrishikesh Kanitkar scored 61 to help Rajasthan build a solid platform on the first day of the Ranjit Trophy final•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Baroda did what Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu had done against Rajasthan, opting to bowl, and just like in those two matches, the visitors built a solid platform on the first day of the Ranji Trophy final, albeit at a snail’s pace. On a dry and flat wicket that, contrary to expectations, played low and slow, Rajasthan set themselves up for a big score on the second day, though captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar’s late dismissal evened things out a bit.Kanitkar and Robin Bist led a calculated batting effort, in which each of the four specialist batsman played more than 100 deliveries. The Rajasthan batsmen blunted the inexperienced Baroda attack and inched along at around two runs per over for the first two sessions. Playing themselves in was the target, and Rajasthan’s intent to bat big was evident from the fact that only one boundary came in the first 20 overs. But Baroda did not possess the venom to prise out the watchful openers on the flat deck.The wind that was expected to aid movement did not arrive, the bald wicket offered no help either, and left-arm seamer Sankalp Vohra’s first delivery died down on its way to wicketkeeper Pinal Shah. Pinal ultimately stood up to two of the three Baroda seamers, Vohra and debutant Abhijit Karambelkar. Only Murtuja Vahora managed to get decent carry, running in hard whenever he was given the ball. It was too much to expect 20-year-old left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt to take the wickets on a first-day track that did not take much turn, though he toiled for 23 overs.The openers fell against the run of play after having played themselves in. Aakash Chopra and Vineet Saxena had looked in no trouble from the outset, looking to leave as many deliveries as possible outside the off stump, and defending when they had to. Chopra, in fact, did not hit a boundary till his 64th delivery. He fell trying to sweep a delivery from Bhatt that was a touch full for the shot, and Saxena was run out freakishly, having walked out of the crease to do some gardening while the ball was adjudged to be still in play.Coming together at 73 for 2, Kanitkar and Bist consolidated, adding 117 in a partnership that had begun to assume threatening proportions when Kanitkar fell four overs before stumps, looking for a scoring opportunity and guiding an Aditya Waghmode delivery to a diving Connor Williams at slip.Kanitkar was the most positive of the batsmen, driving and cutting cleanly whenever he got a loose delivery, and offering a dead bat to the others. Bist was extremely cautious to begin with, remaining on 7 for 26 deliveries before he gave Waghmode a sudden charge and lifted him over midwicket for his first boundary. Both batsmen looked to step out against the spinners, especially after tea, as the ball was not coming on to the bat.Despite Kanitkar’s fall, Bist was in complete control at the other end, and his wicket will be key. If Baroda find a way to bundle Rajasthan out quickly and take strike early on Wednesday, they could make the visitors pay for their slow approach.

Shakib and Shahadat dominate 'ordinary' India

Shahadat Hossain and Shakib Al Hasan completed five-fors, while Sachin Tendulkar completed his 44th Test hundred as India were bowled out for 243 early on day two

The Bulletin by Sidharth Monga17-Jan-2010
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Bangladesh, all pumped up and incisive, roared back “extraordinarily”, taking eight Indian wickets for 130 runs and forcing Sachin Tendulkar to dig deep to try and take India towards a respectable total. Shakib Al Hasan, who bowled 25 overs unchanged for 48 runs, and Shahadat Hossain, who bowled in hostile spurts, were at the centre of the comeback, taking four wickets apiece for 103 runs between them, and proving the Indians “still are human beings”. Every wicket pumped Bangladesh up more, every wicket was met with wild celebrations, special one among those being Shahadat’s after Dinesh Karthik’s wicket – a finger on his lips, telling his opponents in no unsubtle terms to watch their mouth.Virender Sehwag, who had called Bangladesh an “ordinary” side in the lead-up to the Test, got off to an aggressive start in a curtailed first session after fog and murky light delayed the start of the match. When he went into lunch, despite the balls stopping and coming and the turn available for the spinners, Shakib would have wondered if he had made the right decision by putting India in. India had raced to 63 for 0 in 13 overs, and immediately after the break Sehwag hit Shahadat for three boundaries in one over, reaching his fifty at more than a run a ball.Yet, Sehwag wasn’t totally in control. He had hit Shakib for a first-ball four, but the turn had had Sehwag in an edgy frame of mind. Off 12 balls of spin, Sehwag was forced to abort attacking shots because he was beaten in flight, rapped on the pads by arm balls, and had one bat-pad fly wide of forward short leg. He eventually lost patience and hit a shortish delivery straight to short cover. Shakib 1, Sehwag 0.Sehwag’s dismissal kick-started a period of aggressive and smart bowling and captaincy, which eventually resulted in soft dismissals. Gautam Gambhir, who had been circumspect in playing outside off, went to cut a wide delivery from Shahadat and the extra bounce caught the edge. Rahul Dravid came to bat in a situation tailor-made for him, but played all around a swinging yorker, and 79 for 0 became 85 for 3 in a matter of 17 deliveries.Shakib then kept his fast bowlers fresh by rotating them from one end, and keeping the pressure up bowling unchanged until stumps. With Rubel Hossain getting reverse-swing from the other end, there were no free hits, boundaries were plugged away, and Laxman, especially, struggled to get off strike. For 13.4 overs not a single boundary came.Shakib mixed the offbreaks and the arm balls well, also varied the degree of the flight. After a series of near dismissals – leaving alone an arm ball that almost shaved the off stump, hitting uppishly one bounce to short cover, and scoring 7 off 29 balls, Laxman finally over-balanced when looking to drive Shakib. The ball went straight on, took the inside edge onto the pad, and then rolled along to an alert Mushfiqur Rahim, who found Laxman short of his crease.There was no counterattack forthcoming from Yuvraj, who prodded and nudged Shakib dangerously for 30 deliveries, before the lack of clarity of thought consumed him. Caught completely in the defensive frame of mind, Yuvraj could have done many things with a gentle leg-side fulltoss, but lobbing it down mid-on’s throat wouldn’t have been high on the agenda. Immediately Shakib got Shahadat back, and as if on cue, Karthik drove at a wide delivery and edged low to gully.All the batsmen who got out had a lesson to learn from the man they passed when they walked back. Tendulkar, dropped on 16 by Imrul Kayes at wide slip, respected that the pitch was not flat, Shakib and Shahadat were bowling really well, and cut out undue risks. He didn’t play away from the body, worked the singles, found the gaps for twos, and even the edge that flew to the left of slip came against the run of play. Tendulkar capitalised on that, and without taking risks, maintained a strike-rate of 50-plus in reaching his 98th score of 50 and above.The other end, though, remained vulnerable. The tea break came just at the right time, and Shakib and Shahadat came back fresh. Tendulkar and Amit Mishra added 32 for the seventh wicket, but Shahadat came back to produce a reversing low full-toss to Mishra. Unlike Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan couldn’t make the most of a dropped catch, and the 27-run eight wicket ended when an arm ball got him.Before bad light kept India’s first innings fighting for another day, two statements were made that suggested that Bangladesh were not as ordinary as India had thought. Tendulkar was forced to try and farm strike, and more often than not Shakib bowled smartly enough to keep him at the other end and expose the tailender for a complete over to Shahadat. And just before stumps, Shakib, not lacking in a sense of drama, bowled with three slips, a silly point, a forward short leg, and a leg gully to Ishant Sharma.

Ackermann fireworks light way as Durham crush Notts

Colin Ackermann hits 83 not out, Alex Lees 77 as home side run up 231 for 5

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Jul-2025Colin Ackermann made 83 off 33 balls and Durham made their record T20 score as they returned to Vitality Blast action with a 49-run defeat of Nottinghamshire Outlaws at the Banks Homes Riverside.On a run-stuffed evening in the North East, the home side made 231 for 5 and the visitors replied with 182 all out, Kasey Aldridge, who had only taken two T20 wickets previously, finishing with a career-best 5 for 29 from 2.4 overs. The win is Durham’s fifth in this year’s Blast and clearly strengthens their bid to qualify for the knockout stages.The home openers, Alex Lees and Graham Clark, began in uncompromising fashion, by putting on 70 runs in six overs. They were particularly hard on Olly Stone, who was playing in his first match of the season after recovering from injury and conceded 27 runs in his first two overs.Joe Clarke’s decision to use the spinners, Farhan Ahmed and Calvin Harrison, in tandem slowed the run rate but it was Matthew Montgomery who took the first wicket on 83 when he had Clark caught on the cover boundary by Daniel Sams for a 27-ball 40Nevertheless, Durham’s hundred came up in the 11th over and Lees reached a 34-ball fifty a few deliveries later. By now faced with a battery of slow bowlers that also included Liam Patterson-White, Lees and his partner Ackermann sought to attack at every opportunity.Stone was reintroduced and was whacked for three successive boundaries before gaining his revenge with the next ball when he had the Durham skipper caught by Harrison on the deep backward square leg boundary for a 46-ball 77 that included 11 fours and one six.The dangerous Jimmy Neesham was bowled by Harrison for 3 and Ben McKinney was caught on the long-on boundary by Harrison off Montgomery for 3. Nevertheless, Durham had been well placed on 154 for 3 after 16 overs and despite the loss of three wickets for ten runs, they were able to pillage an astonishing 77 runs in the final four overs.Those efforts were assisted by two no-ball beamers from Sams, which necessitated the Australian being withdrawn from the attack. And the wheels really came off the Nottinghamshire attack in the 19th over when Ackermann smashed 32 runs of Montgomery, reaching a 25-ball fifty in the process.The Durham batsman was eventually caught at deep midwicket by Sams off Harrison but by then he had done the damage, hitting 83 off 33 balls with seven fours and six sixes, all those maximums being scored off the last 11 balls he received. Harrison escaped with the least punishment, taking 2 for 33, but every other visiting bowler conceded at least ten runs an over.Nottinghamshire’s pursuit of their distant target began poorly when Freddie McCann was dismissed off the fourth ball of their innings, caught by Will Rhodes off Callum Parkinson for 5, but the visitors were going well on 37 for 1 after 3.2 overs until Jack Haynes was brilliantly caught by Lees off Aldridge for 14, the Durham skipper running back 20 yards from mid-off to take the steepling chance.But the fall of wickets could make no difference to Outlaws’ approach. Lyndon James hit his first two balls for four and Neesham’s first over cost 19 runs. Nottinghamshire scored 76 runs in their powerplay, six more than their hosts, but their onslaught was halted by Nathan Sowter, who conceded five runs in his first six balls and had James caught at deep midwicket by McKinney for 30.Clarke was the next to go, caught at short third man by Sowter for a 25-ball 41 when attempting to ramp Neesham and the visitors reached the midpoint of their innings on 112 for 4, still needing 120 to win. That task seemed tougher still when Aldridge struck twice in four balls, bowling Moores for 5 and having Patterson-White caught at long off by Rhodes for 8.Parkinson conceded 19 runs off his next over as Outlaws dispensed with any scrap of caution but Sams was bowled by Sowter for 9. With seven overs remaining, 76 runs were still required and that was reduced to 61 off six thanks to Montgomery taking 14 off three deliveries from Parkinson.Aldridge took his fourth wicket when he had Harrison caught at backward point by Clark for 7 and Stone was run out for nought next ball after a complete mix-up. Aldridge completed his career-best figures when he had Montgomery caught behind by Ollie Robinson for 41.