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PSL 2021 | QTG vs MS: Shan Masood, Imran Tahir and a frustrated Sarfaraz is all it took to knock Quetta out

Quetta Gladiators journey in this year’s Pakistan Super League ended as they were marauded by 110 runs by Multan Sultans in the 25th match of the PSL. This is by far the biggest defeat for any team (margin of runs) in the PSL history. Needing to win this game to stay alive in the competition, Gladiators started too slow for the liking in their chase of 184. 

Imran Khan and Imran Tahir were the picks of the bowlers for Sultans. The two Imrans shared five wickets in themselves with Khan picking the first two and Tahir the penultimate three. Shan Masood was the hero with the bat for Sultans. 

With Usman Khan and Jake Weatherlad trying to find their feet as openers in the Gladiators’ chase, Imran Khan struck twice in the fourth over to send off Weathrald and Cameron Delport. 

Usman Khan was run out, more by the fault of Gladiators skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed’s wrong calling than his own fault. With the required run rate mounting up, Azam Khan tried to slash one of Blessing Muzrabani’s delivery way too hard, he ended up handling an easy catch to wicketkeeper and Sultans skipper Mohammad Rizwan. In the very next over, trying to up the ante, Srarafaz played a wayward hook shot and was caught at the third man off the bowling of Sohail Tanvir. 

Post Sarfaraz’s wicket, it was all formalities that were completed by Tahir with his three dismissals. The entire Gladiators team were bundled out for 78, the joint second-lowest total in the competition. 

Srarafarz, as frustrated as he seemed in the game, was a bit toned during the post-match interview where he said, “We didn't have a lot of our foreign players available due to various reasons and it did upset our playing combination a little bit and unfortunately nothing went to plan today.”

Earlier in the evening, it was all Masood with the bat as the tall left-hander demolished the Gladiators bowling, scoring a 42 ball 73, his highest individual score in PSL history. In the process, the ‘Test match specialist’ as he is known, hit four humungous sixes alongside seven glorious fours. The 31-year-old Kuwait born was adjudged Man of the Match for his performance. 

Johnson Charles, laying his first game for Sultans this season was also right at the money, fetching 47 off 24 balls. And even as Rizwan, Sohaib Maqsood and Rilee Rossouw, the usual power hitters failed, Multan was able to get to a winning total of 183. 

Reacting to the third win in a row, Rizwan said, “When there are 10 games in such a tournament, you need to catch momentum somewhere and in our team, someone or the other puts the hand up and gives us that much-needed momentum.”

While Quetta are now out of the Playoff’s race they can still turn out to be a party pooper for Karachi Kings when they face them on the last day of the group stages on June 19. The Sultans would now try and climb the uphill to make sure they finish in the top two by winning their last two games, the first one of which is against Lahore Qalandars on June 18 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

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PSL 2021 | KRQ vs LHQ: With back against the wall, Karachi find itself in do or die situation against Lahore

In the post-match presentation ceremony in the last game, the Karachi Kings skipper said, “If we think we can't make it, there's no point in playing, so we'll give it our best shot.” This was said immediately after their third consecutive loss in the Pakistan Super League 2021, this time at the hands of Peshawar Zalmi. But now is the time that the ‘best shot’ that Imad Wasim was talking about, needs to be delivered. For Karachi to qualify, they can still do with a loss mathematically, but morally, they need this win to tell themselves that we are here to compete and we are here to win and we are indeed the defending champions. However, it is not going to be one bit easy as they would be up against a Lahore Qalandars side who themselves are reeling from two consecutive losses after a great run in the opening two games. Sohail Akhtar’s side has not been able to chase their targets in the last two games and have rather collapsed at the top and in the middle, leaving many a loophole to be exploited by the opposition sides. Karachi need to find its mojo again What Karachi did well in the first leg of the tournament was score big and then bowl well enough to contain the opposition teams. In this leg in the three games that they have played so far, there has been a problem in both the batting and bowling and the two haven’t been able to click together. The likes of Mohammad Amir and Babar Azam, two of the most precious Kings weapons haven’t been able to fire as much as the team would have liked, especially Amir. Babar only failed in the last game but was not able to take his team home against Sultans either, even after scoring more than 80 runs. Lahore batting must fire In the four games that Lahore have played, it has been Tim David, Rashid Khan and Ben Dunk that have been able to score runs for the team, all of them overseas players. Their domestic heroes like Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez and skipper Sohail have not been able to get going and thus when both Dunk and Rashid failed in the last two games, David was not able to get his team past the target even if he wanted to. Thus senior batsmen from Lahore need to get back in the form if they are to make any amends in their fortunes and the points on the table as well. Karachi Kings vs Lahore Qalandars; Match Details Match Number- 27 Date and Time: June 17, 2021, 11: 30 pm IST, 06:00 pm GMT, 10:00 pm Local Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi Live Stream and Broadcast: Sony LIV and Sony Ten Pitch Report The pitch used for this game will be the same on which two t20 matches would have been played already. Thus it would naturally have some wear and tear and help the spinners. The ball would grip the surface and change in pace by bowlers could be vital as well. Weather and Toss The weather in Abu Dhabi as usual would be hot and humid as it is in the month of June. With humidity at 58% and dew point at 23, heavy dew can be expected and thus winning the toss would naturally mean bowling first. Team News Karachi Kings Martin Guptill hasn’t been able to fire in all the three games that he has played so far. Thisara Perera really hasn’t got a real chance with all that chopping and changing and hence he deserves a chance instead of Gutill for sure. He would also provide a bowling option, badly required by the Kings. Aamer Yamin can make way for him as Danish Aziz can take up the place of Guptill. Probable XI Babar Azam, Sharjeel Khan, Danish Aziz, Najibullah Zadran, Chadwick Walton (wk), Noor Ahmad, Imad Wasim (c), Thisara Perera, Abbas Afridi, Waqas Maqsood, Mohammad Amir Lahore Qalandars The Qalandars have played Muhammad Zaid Alam and Zeeshan Ashraf and both have failed in the two chances given to them. Now they no one else but Agha Salman the all-rounder to try, who could bat at number seven even as Dunk, Hafeez and David move up in the order. Instead of Ahmed Daniyal, who hasn’t really been able to bring any positive change in the tournament, Dilbar Hussain can be tried as well. Probable XI Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Akhtar (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Dunk (wk), Tim David, Agha Salman, Rashid Khan, James Faulkner, Dilbar Hussain, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf Dream XI / Fantasy XI Babar Azam (c), Sharjeel Khan, Najibullah Zadran, Ben Dunk (wk), Tim David, Imad Wasim, Rashid Khan, James Faulkner (vc), Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi

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Two Indian teams in two locations a permanent feature in covid ridden world: BCCI Treasurer

The Board of control for Cricket in India is not averse to having two different Indian national teams competing in two different series at different locations at the same time. BCCI Treasurer Arun Kumar Dhumal stressed upon this point saying, "It is a definite possibility that India could play another limited-overs tour with a younger squad while the main team players are playing elsewhere or need a break. The COVID-19 related restrictions also need to be factored in.” Further, the veteran administrator feels that with such a policy the strong Indian bench strength would also get the key exposure instead of warming the bench. Along with that, this move would also help those boards which are facing financial problems due to Covid. "It (two India squads) also shows the solid bench strength of the Indian team and gives us an opportunity to organise more bilateral cricket and help other boards which are facing financial challenges amid the pandemic," Dhumal was quoted as saying to PTI. "It is imperative to come up with new ideas to deal with the loss of bilateral cricket that has happened over the last 18 months," he added. The Indian board will be sending a side led by Shikhar Dhawan to play Sri Lanka in a three-match each ODI and T20I series starting July 13. All the matches would be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. While the second-string Indian side would be in Sri Lanka the main team is already in England and would be playing the World Test Championship Final against New Zealand starting June 18. The Virat Kohli led side would then play a five-match Test series against hosts England as well.

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WTC Final: Top 5 batting performances

The stage is all set for the final of the inaugural World Test Championship. India and New Zealand will lock horns with each other in the title clash scheduled to take place in Southampton from June 18. The Virat Kohli-led side marched into the WTC final in a dramatic manner. They had a dismal start to the tour DownUnder earlier and were bundled out for 36 in the first Test to go 0-1 down in the four-match series. Moreover, the regular skipper Kohli had to return back home for the birth of his first child. The Indian team then suffered some injury blows with key players like Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Hanuma Vihari, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul getting ruled out during the course of the series. The visitors were also racially abused. But the side faced all the hurdles in the most brilliant way. The youngsters took the onus on themselves and led India to a series win by 2-1. The Indian team then faced England at home and lost the first match of the four-match tie. Kohli’s troops turned the fortunes for themselves in the rest of the fixtures and eventually etched a win in the series by 3-1 margin. On the other hand, Kane Williamson’s New Zealand faced Pakistan at home and defeated them 2-0 with the captain starring for his side in the series and India’s 2-1 win against Australia was enough to make them register a berth in the final. Well, the WTC witnessed a number of incredible performances with the bat and here we bring you some fascinating knocks from the tournament that left a mark. Rishabh Pant in Australia Whenever one would talk about the Border-Gavaskar trophy and how India managed to defend it in 2021, discussion about wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant’s contribution to this victorious triumph would top the charts. The aggressive left-handed batsman produced a magic not once but twice on the Australian soil and showed why the pundits rate him so high. A few years back when Pant was bursting onto the scene, he had a tendency of going after the bowlers right from the starting and used to give away his wicket. But a little tweak in the series against Australia did wonders for this young lad. He first got his eye in and then began to play his strokes which didn’t just help him score runs but also made him play a vital part in India’s win. There were two instances where Pant showed his calibre and class. The first one came in the second Test in Sydney where he notched up 97 as India managed to end the match in a draw. India were already trailing 0-1 in the series and were handed a target of 407 runs in the second innings. After getting reduced to 102/3 with the likes of stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane and experienced opener Rohit Sharma back in the hut, the responsibility of providing the resistance to the side was on Cheteshwar Pujara and Pant. The two stitched a stand of 148 runs for the fourth wicket before Pant departed for 97. India eventually ended the proceedings at 334/5 as the match was drawn. The second instance of his brilliance came in Brisbane in the fourth and final Test. The series was levelled at 1-1 and a draw in this game would have meant that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy would remain with India as they had won it in 2018-19. But Rishabh had other plans. India were asked to chase 328 and had a disappointing start after losing Rohit early in the innings. But another youngster Shubman Gill showed his skills and chipped in with a crucial 91 and built a partnership of 114 runs for the second wicket with Pujara. While Gill’s departure saw wickets falling at regular intervals, Pant stood strong at the other end and eventually remained unbeaten at 89 to hit the winning runs for the team. India won the match by 3 wickets and wrapped up the series in their favour. Ben Stokes vs Australia (Ashes 2019) There are moments that become a nightmare for a player and then there are some events which he/she cherishes for life. England all-rounder Ben Stokes is a perfect example of how this game plays a balancing act. In the 2016 World T20 final against West Indies, Stokes was hit for four maximums by Brathwaite. England had lost yet another tournament final and Stokes was down in dismay. Cut to 2019, England were in the final of the 50-over World Cup against New Zealand at Lord’s. While England looked to be on the backfoot at one stage, Stokes’ unbeaten 84 helped them to somehow take the match in the Super Over. England eventually won the World Cup in the Super Over on the basis of boundary county, a rule that was later scrapped by the ICC. A month later, the left-handed batsman was once again writing his name in the record books. This was the third Ashes Test at Leeds between England and Australia and the hosts needed 359 to win. They have had a dismal run in the match so far after getting bowled out for 67 in the first innings and no one really expected to see what unfolded next. Chasing 359, England were reduced to 286/9 with Stokes and Jack Leach out there in the middle. The two shared a stand of 76 runs for the last wicket as the home side went on to win the match by just one wicket. Leach impressed everyone with his defence as he scored just one run in 17 balls that he faced. David Warner vs Pakistan Australia opener David Warner is the only batsman to score a triple-hundred in the World Test Championship. The left-hander achieved the feat against Pakistan the Day-Night against the Asian side in Adelaide in 2019. Batting first, the hosts put up a mammoth 589/3 (D) after Warner remained unbeaten at 335 while Marnus Labuschagne scored 162 in the first innings. Later, the Australian seamers rattled Pakistan before tai lender Yasir Shah notched up a ton during the course while Babar Azam fell short of a century by just three runs. Starc picked up six, Cummins had three wickets to his name while Hazlewood scalped one as Australia bundled out the visitors for 302 enforcing the follow-on. Nothing much changed for Pakistan in the second innings too as Nathan Lyon ripped apart their batting unit to bag a fifer. The visitors were bowled out for 239 to suffer a defeat by an innings and 48 runs. Virat Kohli vs South Africa India are simply ruthless when they play at home and this Test match against the Proteas in Pune in October 2019 was another example of something similar. Batting first, India rode on some fine piece of batting from opener Mayank Agarwal, captain Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja to post a huge total of 601/5 (D). While Agarwal scored a ton, Jadeja missed out on a century by 9 runs. But captain Kohli was in a different zone altogether. He was eyeing the ball perfectly and had precision in every stroke that he played. The right-hander notched up 254* which is also his best Test score till date before declaring the innings. Kohli’s knock of an unbeaten 254 is the third highest individual score so far in the WTC. India later bowled out South Africa for 275 and 189 in the first and second innings respectively to win the match by an innings and 137 runs. Kohli holds the record for the highest number of double-centuries in Test cricket for India. The swashbuckling batsman has seven double tons to his name. Kane Williamson vs West Indies New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is probably one of the finest batsmen across the format that world cricket has ever seen. The right-handed elegant batsman has almost every shot in his textbook that has made him a successful player at the highest level. One of Williamson’s greatest knocks ever in Test cricket came against West Indies in Hamilton in December 2020 when he struck 251. Williamson’s 251 is also the fourth highest individual score in WTC so far. The Kiwi skipper’s double-century helped his side post 519/7 (D) in the first innings while the bowlers did the job and cleaned up West Indies for 138 and 247 in the first and second innings respectively. The hosts won the match by an innings and 134 runs. While these were the top five batting performances according to us, there were few more magnificent knocks which couldn’t make it to the above tally and one of them came from Kyle Mayers. The West Indian struck 210* in the second innings against Bangladesh in Chattogram earlier this year to take his side over the line by 3 wickets. Chasing 395, West Indies were reduced to 59/3 before Mayers and Bonner joined hands and put up 216 runs for the fourth wicket to eventually win the game. Well, all said and done, India and New Zealand are all set for the summit clash that begins on Friday. You all stay with us for the live coverage of this much awaited clash and all the latest updates from the world of cricket.