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Ramiz Raja Lashes Out At Sri Lanka Batting Line Up For Failing To Chase 164 In Opening T20

Ramiz Raja lashes out at Sri Lanka batting line-up for failing to chase 164 in opening T20

Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja has lambasted Sri Lanka for their under-par performance against India in the opening T20I after they failed to chase down 165 to win the match. Raja questioned Sri Lanka’s approach and intent in a video posted on his youtube channel. Raja felt that there was zero strategies or planning from Sri Lanka as none of the set batsmen took the responsibility of tracking their team over the finishing line.

It was an impressive bowling performance from the hosts restricting India to just 164 in their 20 overs. However, the batting line-up was nowhere close to where they needed to be and despite some useful knocks from the blade of Charith Asalanka and Avishka Fernando, they folded out for 126.

“When India scored 160-odd, they would have thought of winning this because you can expect Sri Lanka to commit mistakes frequently. To chase a target like this, you needed one or two partnerships. At least one batsman should have scored 70-odd runs and you could have crossed the line. If you can’t chase 160 at home, where will you? And losing a game shatters the confidence of the team,” Ramiz Raja said.

On the back of two impressive knocks from Suryakumar Yadav and Shikhar Dhawan, India managed to score 164 runs in their allotted 20 overs. Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga were the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers bagging two wickets each.

In the second innings, Sri Lanka got off to a steady start courtesy Avishka Fernando. He played some delightful shots en route to his brief knock of 26 before his dismissal. It was Asalanka who kept Sri Lanka in the game with some lusty blow. His dismissal was the final nail in the coffin as Sri Lanka kept losing wickets at regular intervals eventually losing by 38 runs.

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It doesn't seem that Suryakumar Yadav is playing his first season for India says Ramiz Raja

Former Pakistan batsman and a popular face in the commentary box, Ramiz Raja has showered praises on Suryakumar Yadav, India’s new sensational in the white-ball format. Riding on a brilliant half-century from the blade of SKY, India managed to take a 1-0 lead in the 3 match T20 series. He scored a quickfire half-century which happens to be his second in his brief T20 career. Raja was impressed with Suryakumar Yadav’s ability to keep playing the fearless brand of cricket despite conditions not being the best for batting. In a latest Youtube video, Raja said that given his composure at the highest level, it never looked that he was playing his first season for India. “Suryakumar Yadav played a brilliant innings. It doesn't seem that he is playing his first season for India because he has almost instantly announced himself on the international stage. To bat with a certain tempo and to improvise without taking risks is really difficult. Be it a slower bowl, or a Yorker or a bouncer – nothing can harm him as he has a lot of options to attack,” Ramiz Raja said. Suryakumar Yadav is regarded as one of the very batsmen in India who can play shots all around the park. He starts his innings with flair and confidence and never shies away from taking on the opposition bowlers. “He is temperamentally strong. He scored a fifty off 34 balls which isn’t easy at all, especially when the conditions are tough to bat on. He played a top-quality innings. He has consistency as well. To maintain consistency in white-ball cricket is very tough because you need to take chances,” he added “Suryakumar takes chances with lesser risk. He has an array of shots – he smashes out of the park for a six and also plays grounded shots. He is surely a great find,” Raja further added. India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after registering a convincing victory against the hosts. After batting first, India scored 164 in their allotted 20 overs with Suryakumar Yadav top-scoring with a 50. He shared a good stand of 62 runs with Shikhar Dhawan to help India post a competitive score. Riding on Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s brilliant spell of bowling, India bowled out Sri Lanka for 126 runs, registering a 38 runs victory.

The Hundred: Jemimah Rodrigues notches up second half-century on the trot

India batter Jemimah Rodrigues who is a part of Northern Superchargers side in ‘The Hundred’ tournament is in some fine form with the bat after she notched up a couple of fifties on the trot in the first two games that she played for the franchise. Jemimah scored a 41-ball 60 against Trent Rockets to anchor her side to a total of 149/7 in 100 balls. Batting first, Jemimah along with captain Lauren Winfield-Hill put up a partnership of 64 runs for the first wicket before Lauren departed for 33 off 29. Superchargers then lost another wicket in a quick succession and were 69/2 when Laura Kimmince came out to bat. Jemimah and Kimmince stitched a stand of 64 runs for the third wicket. Kimmince scored a quick-fire 13-ball 31 before she was sent back to the pavilion by Johnson. But Jemimah continued with her brilliant display of batting and notched up another half-century. Later, Trent Rockets were restricted to 122/7 while chasing 150 in 100 balls. Katherine Brunt top-scored with 43* while Nat Sciver notched up 33 off 23. Alice Davidson-Richards and Katie Levick picked up two wickets each. Jemimah started off the the tournament with an unbeaten 92 against Wesh Fire to win the match for the team in Leeds.

Kieron Pollard lambasts pitch at Barbados, says unacceptable for international standards

West Indies limited-overs skipper Kieron Pollard lashed out on the pitch at Kensington Oval in Barbados which hosted the 3rd and the final ODI against Australia and termed it ‘absolutely ridiculous’ following his side’s six-wicket defeat against Australia in the series decider. The T20I series proved to be a high scoring one but the ODI series have seen several low scores. Australia managed to score 252 in the opening encounter and managed to defend that quite convincingly. In the second encounter, West Indies chased down 188 with relative ease and again in the 3rd encounter, we witnessed a low scoring match. The wicket at Barbados was two-paced with some of the deliveries taking off from a length. The dry nature of the surface also assisted the spinners which were evident from the fact that even Pooalrd resorted to bowling off-spin in this pitch. The swashbuckling all-rounder accepted that his side wasn’t up to the mark in the ODI series but he blamed the surface on offer and said that it was unacceptable for international cricket. "Coming here to Barbados, I think both teams struggled on the pitch and I think that's unacceptable for international cricket. We're not going to make excuses. We accept that we batted badly but I don't think the scores that we have gotten in this three-match series, for two top international teams, I think that's very embarrassing for us as a people. Coming from St Lucia to this, I think it's absolutely ridiculous,” Pollard said at the post-match presentation ceremony. Pollard further added that Windies needed to start moving forward in every aspect of the game starting from regional cricket. "It was plain for the world to see. If I continue going on about it, it's going to be headlines, 'Pollard this, Pollard that.' That's fine with me. "But the reality is, we as players sometimes we get the brunt of the accusations and all the bad stuff. But give guys the opportunity to come and play on some good cricketing wickets. It goes back even to our regional cricket as well. I think as a whole we need to do better, and we as individuals need to do better as well. So we're not going to cast blame. We're going to accept responsibility as well. But I think as a holistic approach and holistic view to move forward," he further added.

Shreyas Iyer resumes training, expected to be fit by IPL

Shreyas Iyer has returned to his training regime and is hoping to get fit in time for the remainder of the 14th season of the IPL. As per reports in the Cricbuzz, Iyer started his training just five days ago at the indoor BKC facility in Mumbai with Pravin Amre. Iyer was slated to ply his trade for Lancashire in the Royal London One-Day Cup but was ruled out as he had not fully recovered from the shoulder injury which he sustained during the limited-overs series against England at home earlier this year. Iyer is expected to work in the BKC till July 31 after which he has to report at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore. "They have been working indoors mainly because there is no permission to do so outside. And there has been rain in Mumbai too," a franchise source was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. The source further added that NCA will provide the go-ahead regarding his fitness but given his progress in the last five days, it is expected that Iyer will be fit by the time IPL restarts on 19th September. Delhi Capitals is slated to play their first match in the second leg against Sunrisers Hyderabad on September 22. It was Rishabh Pant who led the Delhi Capitals in the first leg of the 14th season and led his franchise to 6 wins in 8 outings. They are currently at the top of the points table. Iyer is expected to return as DC’s skipper for the second leg despite Pant’s impressive showing. Iyer underwent surgery on his left elbow which he partially dislocated during the limited-overs series against England at home.