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Ipl 2021 Rr Vs Rcb We Have Struggled With Our Batting Admits Kumar Sangakkara

IPL 2021 | RR vs RCB: We have struggled with our batting, admits Kumar Sangakkara

Rajasthan Royals suffered a batting collapse despite getting a brisk start against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Dubai on Wednesday night. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Evin Lewis were on a roll and dominated the RCB bowling attack putting up 77 on the board for the first wicket. However, against an incredible by the RCB bowlers, none of the other batters got into the groove and the Royals were eventually restricted to 149/9 in 20 overs.

Expressing his disappointment on the way the batting unit has fared, RR's director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara pointed out that the side was struggling in the Power Plays during the first leg while it has been a vice versa scenario during the second phase.

"In the first-half of the tournament in India we were struggling in the power plays and the middle and late-middle order was getting us back into the games. In the second phase we've gone the opposite way," said Sangakkara during the post-match conference.

"We're winning the power plays quite comfortably, except in the Delhi game, in the sense we're getting the runs that we need. And then we're not really understanding how to manage the middle and the death. When we get the platform like we did today, 100 runs for 1 after 11 overs, how to kick on from there, get to 180-185 we need to figure,” he added.

RCB later rode on some fine batting from the top and middle-order to chase down the target by 7 wickets and in the 18th over. While captain Virat Kohli and opener Devdutt Padikkal provided them with a decent start, a partnership of 69 runs for the third wicket between Striker Bharat and Glenn Maxwell anchored the side to an easy win.

Bharat struck 44 off 35 while Maxwell remained unbeaten at 50 off 30 during the course.

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AUSW vs INDW | Day-night Test: India in front in pink-ball Test

The Indian women’s team were off to a flying start during the day-night Test against Australia in Queensland before rain halted the play. After being put into bat, openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma provided the visitors with a steady start as the two batters put up a partnership of 93 runs for the first wicket. Verma eventually departed for 31 after getting caught by McGrath off Sophie Molineux. Mandhana on the other side continued with her form and notched up a half-century. India were 101/1 after 33 overs when the first session concluded. The Indian batters were helped by some wayward bowling by the Australian pace department and the fact that they did not find much movement with the pink ball. Just when the Aussies were able to tighten the screws after the floodlights came on, rain halted the play affecting the progression of play. The Australian side bowled only 6.3 overs in the second session before the covers were called and the match was interrupted while the visiting team added 13 runs to the total with Mandhana at 70* and Punam Raut at 8* at the crease. The two teams are facing each other in a Test match after a span of 15 years. While India played a Test against England earlier this year in Bristol, the Aussies last featured in a longer format back in 2019 Ashes. Playing XI India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Punam Raut, Mithali Raj (c), Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Jhulan Goswami, Meghna Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad Australia: Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Darcie Brown, Stella Campbell

Have not received any complaints against Virat Kohli, BCCI calls out fake media reports

There were reports doing the rounds that some of the senior players had called up Jay Shah and complained about Virat Kohli after the conclusion of the World Test Championship final. But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal has rubbished the media reports and said that no Indian player made any complaints regarding the matter. “The media must stop writing this rubbish. Let me say this on the record that no Indian cricketer has made any complaint to the BCCI - written or verbal. The BCCI can't keep answering every false report that keeps appearing. The other day, we saw some reports saying there will be changes in India's World Cup squad. Who said that?", BCCI treasurer Dhumal was quoted as saying the Times of India on Wednesday. "This kind of reporting harms Indian cricket more than anything else,” he further added. According to the reports, Test mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara and vice captain Ajinkya Rahane also faced the heat after the WTC final defeat in the dressing room while another cricketer in the side had alleged that Kohli was making him feel insecure in the team. If the sources were to be believed then that player was R Ashwin. Kohli had earlier the announcement that he would be stepping down from the T20I captaincy after the World T20 is over and a number of speculations had been made since then. Though, the right-handed batsman had cited work load as the reason for taking the call.

I stood up for myself: Ashwin opens up about spat with Eoin Morgan, Tim Southee

Delhi Capitals’ R Ashwin and Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Tim Southee and captain Eoin Morgan were involved in a heated exchange of words during the course of the match. The off-spinner later faced some heat on social media and was even criticised by former cricketers. He has now opened up about the incident and explained his side of the story in a series of tweets. “1. I turned to run the moment I saw the fielder throw and don't know the ball had hit Rishabh. 2. Will I run if I see it!? Of course I will and I am allowed to. 3. Am I a disgrace like Morgan said I was? Of course NOT,” Ashwin tweeted. The right-hander further added that he didn’t indulge in a “fight” but took a stand for himself. “4. Did I fight? No, I stood up for myself and that’s what my teachers and parents taught me to do and pls teach your children to stand up for themselves,” he added. The Knight Riders eventually won the match by 3 wickets after chasing down a target of 128 runs the 19th over. The KKR side lost wickets at regular intervals and it was Nitish Rana and Sunil Narine who steadied the ship for the side with a 26-run partnership for the sixth wicket. While Rana remained unbeaten at 36 off 27, Narine chipped in with a cameo of 21 runs in 10 deliveries. Avesh Khan was the pick of the bowlers for DC as he scalped a three-for while Ashwin picked up Morgan’s wicket after the left-handed batsman was out for a two-ball duck.

IPL 2021 | RR vs RCB: My role is to get partnerships, says KS Bharat

Royal Challengers Bangalore wicket-keeper batsman Srikar Bharat played an important role in the side’s convincing 7-wicket win against Rajasthan Royals in Dubai on Wednesday night. Bharat struck an important 44 off 35 during the chase as RCB went over the line in the 18th over. Talking about his role in the side, Bharat said that he is there in the line up to stitch partnerships. “No.3 is always a beautiful spot to play," said Bharat in the post-match conference. "Everyone always asks questions if you're not ready for it. We at RCB we've always focused on keeping the strike going and getting busy from ball one. It plays a huge role in building a partnership... we have AB and Maxi coming in after that and giving them the platform for a strong finish. My role is to get partnerships,” he further added. RCB were off to a flying start during the 150-run chase but lost opener Devdutt Padikkal and captain Virat Kohli in quick succession to get reduced to 58/2. Later, Bharat along with Glenn Maxwell steadied the ship for the side and put 69 runs for the third wicket. Bharat eventually departed while Maxwell went on to score another half-century in the competition and anchored the team to a win. Mustafizur Rahman picked up a couple of wickets for RR at the cost of 20 runs in 3 overs. Earlier, RR too had a terrific start to the proceedings after being put into bat by Kohli as openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Lewis put 77 on the board for the first wicket. While Jaiswal was sent back in the hut for 31 off 22, Lewis notched up a fifty but his departure saw wickets falling at regular intervals and the Royals were eventually restricted to 149/9 in 20 overs. RCB have now won seven matches out of the 11 that they have played in the IPL 2021.