IPL 2021: RCB rope in Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have new recruits for the remainder of the IPL 2021 after the franchise roped in Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga in place of Australia’s leg-spinner Adam Zampa who will be unavailable and fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera in place of Daniel Sams.

The leggie had made headlines recently during the series against India at home where he scalped a four-wicket haul in the last T20I helping the side to a 2-1 series win.

The right-hander has played a total of 60 T20s so far and has picked a total of 80 wickets during the course. Apart from this, he has also notched up 762 runs at a strike-rate of over 133.

Australia’s Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson had decided to pull out of the tournament earlier due to personal reasons.

“Adam Zampa & Kane Richardson are returning to Australia for personal reasons and will be unavailable for the remainder of IPL season. Royal Challengers Bangalore offers complete support to them in all the possible way we can,” the franchise said in a statement earlier.

On the other hand, Chameera was also among wickets against India in the bilateral tie.

RCB have had a decent run in the tournament so far after they won five out of the seven matches that the side played and were placed at number three position in the points table before the IPL 2021 was halted.

The second leg of the IPL is slated to begin on September 19 in the UAE where Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings will lock horns with each other.

The cash-rich league was suspended on May 4 after there was a Covid-19 outbreak within the franchises but the tournament will now resume in the UAE and the final of the competition will be played on October 15, a couple of days before the start of the T20 World Cup.

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England tour win in 1971 put India on cricketing map: Farokh Engineer

Former cricketer Farokh Engineer went down memory lane while talking to TOI and said the series against England away from home in 1971 put India on the cricketing map. “Do people still remember that victory? I’d like to think that we put India on the cricketing map. 1971 was a great year for Indian cricket. Earlier that year, we beat the West Indies in their own den for the first time,” he said. India were in a spot of bother in the first innings of the third Test at Kennington Oval when Engineer and Eknath Solkar chipped in with an important partnership to help the visitors come out of a tricky position. While Farokh notched up a half-century, Solkar scored 44 during the course. Talking about the stand with Solkar, the former India cricketer explained how the two batsmen resisted against the English bowling attack. “What a series that was, especially that Oval Test. We had a great chance to win on the last day. I remember we were in trouble in the first innings before my partnership with Eki [Solkar] saw us through. I told Eki, let’s fight for every run and he responded brilliantly,” Engineer added. After the first two matches ended in a draw, India registered a win by 4 wickets in the third and final Test to clinch the series 1-0.

PCB puts national camp, squad selection on hold for Afghanistan series

The Pakistan Cricket Board had put a hold on the training camp and announcement of the squad for the Afghanistan series. The PCB is seeking a confirmation from the Afghanistan Cricket Board for the fixtures that are slated to take place in Sri Lanka. “Once they give us the complete series travel plans and itinerary we will have the camp and also release our squad,” the PCB has said. Afghanistan is facing the worst crisis in the last two decades after the Taliban took over the reigns but the ACB is in talks with the authorities and US troops who are controlling the flights in and out of Kabul. Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) CEO, Hamid Shinwari, has said that the team will play the three-match ODI series. "Cricket is doing very well. We are going to the office of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). The cricket team is preparing for the Pakistan series in Sri Lanka. It is confirmed. We are committed to sending a team to Sri Lanka as soon as possible," said Shinwari to ESPNcricinfo. If the series goes ahead as planned, Pakistan would be resting some of its key players which include the likes of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and pacers, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Parvez Rasool seeks BCCI's intervention to resolve tiff with JKCA over roller theft allegations

The tiff between Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) and all-rounder Parvez Rasool has escalated and the 32-year-old cricket who is the lone player from the state to represent the country at the highest level now wants the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to intervene in the matter according to a report in The Indian Express. “I think BCCI should intervene now. Please see my work. I’m trying to promote cricket on my part. I had spent from my own pocket to build that ground and meet daily expenses. I don’t take any money, I help players,” Rasool said. Rasool also revealed that one of the officials had made a social media post where he wrote that the cricketer needed to be given a longer rope so that he could hang himself. However, the post was later deleted. “The official deleted it but I have the screenshot of it. Can anyone tell me what wrong I have done that I need to be hanged? If you have any doubts, they have my phone number, they can call me. It took mere seconds to clarify but it seems they wanted to victimize me,” he said. The controversy began after JKCA had issued a notice to Parvez asking him to return a cricket roller that had gone missing or face “police action”. The all-rounder, in his reply to the board denied possessing any roller and further asked the administrators, “Is this the way to treat an international cricketer who has given life and soul to J&K cricket?”.

Birmingham vs Southern Brave, Final: When & where to watch match LIVE, Probable XI, Fantasy XI

Birmingham Phoenix will face Southern Brave in the final of the inaugural The Hundred tournament at Lord’s on Saturday (August 21, 2021). The Southern Brave side made a place for themselves in the final after beating Trent Rockets in the eliminator on Friday at Kennington Oval by 7 wickets. The Southern bowling attack ripped through the Rockets’ batting order to bundle them out for 96 first and then chased down the target pretty convincingly in 66 balls riding on an unbeaten 45 from captain James Vince off just 27 deliveries. Birmingham Phoenix on the other hand, were the top-placed side in the points table during the league stage as they won six out of the 8 matches and had 12 points under their belt. Phoenix too would be coming into this game on the back of a comprehensive 8-wicket win over Northern Superchargers in their last match after they chased down a stiff total of 144, courtesy an unbeaten 92 off 40 balls from Liam Livingstone who led the side in the absence of Moeen Ali. The all-rounder had missed this match as he was with the England team for the second Test against India at Lord’s which the home side eventually lost. Interestingly, in the encounter where the two sides met, Southern Brave stood at the winning podium after they chased down a difficult target of 152 runs by 4 wickets. Livingstone and Hammond were among the runs for Birmingham in this match while Vince and Devon Conway chipped in with an important stand for the Southern Brave who eventually won the game. Ali would be returning to lead the Birmingham side in the final against Southern Brave. "I've loved every minute of The Hundred and captaining Birmingham Phoenix, as my home team in the tournament, has been an honour," Ali said. Both the teams have some aggressive batsmen in the line up and a high-voltage drama can be expected in this all important finale. Match Details Match: Birmingham Phoenix vs Southern Brave, Final Date: Saturday, August 21, 2021 Time: 11:00 PM Venue: Lord's, London Live Stream: FanCode Pitch Report In the previous encounters of The Hundred tournament, the batsmen have scored some runs especially batting first but the track has something on offer for the bowlers too in the later stage of the game. So, if you win the toss, elect to bat. Probable XI Birmingham Phoenix: Will Smeed, Miles Hammond, Moeen Ali (capt), Liam Livingstone, Tom Abell, Chris Benjamin (wk), Benny Howell, Adam Milne, Dillon Pennington, Tom Helm, Imran Tahir Southern Brave: Paul Stirling, Quinton de Kock (wk), James Vince (capt), Alex Davies, Tim David, Ross Whiteley, George Garton, Chris Jordan, Craig Overton, Tymal Mills, Jake Lintott Fantasy XI Miles Hammond, Moeen Ali (C), Liam Livingstone, Paul Stirling, Quinton de Kock (VC), James Vince, Tim David, Ross Whiteley, George Garton, Tymal Mills, Imran Tahir