ICC T20 World Cup | Babar Azam steals show as Pakistan rout West Indies in warm-ups

Pakistan captain Babar Azam showed great sportsman spirit during the warm-up match against West Indies in Dubai on Monday after he called back Shimron Hetmyer after he was adjudged out by the umpire.

Hetmyer was adjudged out by the onfield umpire after he was caught Mohammad Rizwan off the bowling of Hasan Ali, however, the West Indian insisted that he didn’t touch the ball and was wrongfully given out. Babar then made a decision to call Hetmyer back on the crease and continue with his batting.

Barring Shaheen Afridi, the Pakistan bowlers were on song against West Indies during the fixture as they picked up wickets at regular intervals and left the Caribbean side tottering at 63/4 to eventually restrict them to 130/7 in 20 overs.

Imad Wasim returned with impressive figures of 1/6 in three overs while Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf scalped a couple of wickets each during the course. Shaheen also had two wickets to his name but he was hit for 41 runs in 4 overs.

Shadab Khan and Mohammad Hafeez didn’t pick any wickets but bowled at a good economy rate. While Shadab gave just 7 runs in two overs, Hafeez had figures of 0/13 in three overs to his name.

Chasing a modest total, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman starred to wrap the chase up with more than four overs remaining. While Babar scored a half century himself, Zaman contributed with an aggressive 46 off just 24 balls.

Pakistan will begin their World T20 campaign against arch-rivals India in Dubai on Sunday.

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World T20 2021 | IRE vs NED: Curtis Campher does a Malinga, scalps four wickets in four balls

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Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah lambasts batting order after awful display against Scotland

The first day of the World T20 2021 witnessed an upset after Scotland defeated Bangladesh in Al Amerat by 6 runs. Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah expressed disappointment on the way the side fared and admitted that the batting unit needs to up the game. "I am very much frustrated," Mahmudullah said. "Our batting is a concern. We have to bat better. We have to play aggressive cricket, regardless of the situation,” he added. The right-handed batsman further added that the batsmen weren’t able to hit boundaries and that eventually put the team under pressure. "We didn't deliberately bat slowly. We couldn't hit those boundaries. We have to bat better next time,” he said. The Bangla Tigers who started off the proceedings in a decent manner after the bowlers reduced Scotland to 53/6 before Chris Greaves steadied the ship along with Mark Watt as the two batsmen put 51 runs for the seventh wicket. Greaves struck a 28-ball 45 while Watt scored 22 off 17. Later, Bangladesh had a dismal start to the chase after losing openers early and were 18/2 when Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan provided the resistance and stitched a partnership of 47 runs for the third wicket. But Shakib’s dismissal broke the shackles and wickets started to tumble at regular intervals during the course of the innings. The Asian side was left tottering at 116/7 only to get restricted to 134/7 in 20 overs eventually.

India coach Ravi Shashtri eager to work with the IPL franchises

The Indian head coach Ravi Shastri, working currently on his last assignment with India in the T20 World Cup 2021 is said to be thinking about joining hands with any of the IPL franchises post his last coaching assignment for India. "He’ll be selective. He’ll be open to working with an IPL franchise. Year-round travel is something he would like to avoid now," a source was quoted as saying by the Times of India. Shastri, who started his post-playing career with stints in the commentary box and became an iconic commentator, was first chosen as the coach of Team India in 2014 after Duncan Fletcher’s contract ended. But that was a temporary assignment. However, once Anil Kumble quit as India coach post-2017 Champions Trophy, Shastri was reappointed as India coach. Now, with 10 teams in the IPL, he looking to have a role of either a coach or a mentor in either of them. The reason behind his decision is that he wants to avoid travelling for a long time outside India. Along with him, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sreedahar, who too would be ending their contracts with the Indian team post the World Cup 2021, also have shown interest in working with IPL teams.

When MS Dhoni slept on the floor to give Hardik Pandya his bed: India all-rounder reminisces days of past

Hardik Pandya, who is currently in the Indian camp at the T20 World Cup where MS Dhoni, would not be available as a player with the team for the first time in a World Cup since 2007. But Pandya is still happy that his ‘Mahi Bhai’ is still there to support him. Remembering an incident from 2019, when his one year ban by BCCI following the Coffee With Karan fiasco had ended and he was called on the New Zealand tour, Pandya said, "When I was picked for the New Zealand series (in January 2019, after the suspension was revoked), initially there were no hotel rooms (for Pandya in New Zealand). But then I get a call, saying, You just come. MS has told us, 'I don't sleep on the bed in any case. He will sleep on my bed and I will sleep on the floor.” The Indian all-rounder, whose fitness is a cause of worry as he might not be able to bowl in the T20 World Cup 2021, also expressed gratitude towards the two times World Cup-winning captain for always being there when he needed him. Talking about the incident that got him banned for a year, Pandya in an interview with Cricket Monthly said, “When all this happened, he [Dhoni] knew that I needed support. I just needed a shoulder, which he provided multiple times in my cricketing career. I never saw him as MS Dhoni the greatest. For me, Mahi is my brother. I respect and admire the fact that he was there when I needed him the most.” The 28-year-old who has not featured in a match against a big nation off late, with his last international match coming against Sri Lanka is ready to bounce back and play the role of a finisher in this World Cup. He considers that with Dhoni not in the team anymore, it adds up extra responsibility on the Baroda born to play the finisher’s role. "The biggest so far, I will say, because this time I don't have Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Everything is on my shoulders - I like to think that way because it gives me an added challenge. It is going to be exciting, a cracker of a tournament," he said.