Richard Hadlee lauds New Zealand's 'magnificent achievement' of winning inaugural WTC

Will reassess & bring in right people who have right mindset to perform: Virat Kohli

India were stunned by New Zealand in the final of the inaugural World Test Championship after the Virat Kohli-led side suffered a defeat on the reserve day of the match in Southampton on Wednesday, Chasing 139, the Blackcaps went over the line by 8 wickets in the last session of play. Captain Kohli has expressed disappointment and said that the team management would look to “bring in right people who have right mindset to perform”. “We will continue to reassess and continue to have conversations around what are the things required to strengthen our side and not follow or fall prey to certain patterns,” Kohli said at the post match virtual press conference. “You have to reassess and replan and understand what dynamics work for the team and how we can be fearless. Bring in right people who have right mindset to perform,” the skipper added. Kohli further talked about the alterations required and how evolving with the game is necessary. “I think evolving with the game and improving yourself with the game is very important and when you have been a top side for few years in a row, you don’t want to suddenly drop your standards,” he said. India were bundled out for 217 in the first innings while New Zealand scored 249 taking an important first innings lead of 32 runs. The Kiwis then rattled the Indian batting line up in the second innings to bowl them out for 170 and later chased down the target pretty easily. Williamson scored an unbeaten half-century while Ross Taylor notched up 42* during the course.

PSL 2021 Final Preview: Accoutred Peshawar, equipped Multan tussle for glory

The 2021 edition of the Pakistan Super League would go down in the history books and the later generations from the country, especially those who will run the administration will probably have an inspiring chapter to read in the coming years. COVID-19 breaching the bio-bubbles, a halt to the tournament midway, criticism over arrangements, travel restrictions and financial loss scare were some of the many challenges that the Pakistan Cricket Board encountered before the tournament could reach the final destination. PSL was suspended in March due to the rise in COVID-19 cases within the franchise teams. The board faced a lot of heat from the cricketing circles after reports emerged that the players from several franchises had people over for dinner despite strict quarantine rules. Forced to suspend the competition, the PCB got denounced by the experts. But, they could not get bogged down. If the PCB had to save their face globally, they had to figure out how the tournament could be resumed and fit under a very tight calendar. As the governing body was looking for alternatives, it was thrown with another challenge. The PCB initially decided to resume the tournament on June 1 while the final to be played on June 20 with all the matches taking place in Karachi including the title clash. The franchises though were reluctant to play in Pakistan citing the COVID-19 condition in the country and requested the PCB to move PSL out of the nation. The board obliged and the franchises request to move the tournament to the UAE was worked upon. But the problems didn’t end here. The travel restrictions in the country became a major cause of concern for the board. In fact, few players including former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed were barred from taking the flight to the UAE because they did not have the required clearances. Not only the players, but there were also visa issues for the Indian and South African members of the Pakistan Super League’s broadcasting crew. "Five persons from this PSL contingent were cleared to fly, while the others had to return to their hotels where they have been in quarantine since May 24," read a report in ESPNcricinfo. “The quarantine period for the rest of the participants of the PSL 6 including Pakistani players is seven days but the PCB is worried about the broadcasting crew of Indian and South Africans because time is running out," a source said. Well, as they say, all's well that ends well. And it is ending in the best way for the PCB. The tournament is down to the wire now with Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans set to lock horns in the final showdown. Multan had a clear passage to the finale as soon as they reached the playoffs after the Mohammad Rizwan-led side defeated Islamabad United in the Qualifier. Peshawar, on the other hand, had to work a bit hard as they first won the Eliminator 1 against Karachi Kings and then defeated Islamabad in Qualifier 2. Balanced Multan Sultans Multan Sultans are probably one of the most balanced sides that the PSL 2021 have. Among the batsmen captain Rizwan has been among some runs while the young speedsters Shahnawaz Dhani and Blessing Muzurubani have been lethal with their pace. Dhani’s ability to ball short deliveries at express pace that hurries on to the batsmen has fetched him wickets in the PSL 2021. Apart from these two pacers, the experience that leg-spinner Imran Tahir brings to the table is immense and an example of this was unleashed when Multan faced Quetta Gladiators earlier in the league stage. It was pretty visible how Tahir had extracted the spin-friendly conditions and rattled the Gladiators batting apart. While Rizwan is one of the leading run-scorers in the competition, Maqsood, Charles and Khushdil were also among runs in their last outing against Islamabad and would be looking to carry on from where they left. With the batsmen looking in some fine touch and the bowling unit in good shape, the Sultans would be a pretty confident side when they go out in the middle. Dangerous Peshawar Zalmi In a very short stint with Peshawar Zalmi in this edition of the PSL, Hazratullah Zazai has made a good name for himself. The left-handed batsman’s ability to rip the bowling apart in the early stage of the innings has come handy for the side and he has given them a brisk start in the last few matches. All-rounder Shoaib Malik who wasn’t really looking in great touch in the recent past was back in some form after chipping in with a valuable amount of runs against Islamabad in Eliminator 2. While the batting looks pretty sorted for Peshawar, there is a decent balance to the bowling department as well. Captain Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Irfan have the potential to rattle any batting order on their day. The aggressive opener in the top-order, an experienced all-rounder in the middle and some world-class bowlers in the ranks make this side look steady. Match Details Match: MS vs PSZ, Final, Pakistan Super League 2021 Date: Thursday, June 24, 2021 Time: 9:30 PM Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi Pitch report The tracks in Abu Dhabi have been helpful for the bowlers, especially spinners in the later stage of the game. The slowish nature of the pitch has given some advantage to the spin bowlers but with the timing of the match set late in the evening, the dew is also going to play a major factor in this match. The fast bowlers though can exploit something in the initial stage of the innings but still if you win the toss, bowl first. Team News Multan Sultans: Multan Sultans look in fine form and would be looking to continue the momentum they have got in the all important finale. Dhani tops the chart at the moment for the highest wicket-takers while Rizwan and Maqsood take the second and third spot for scoring most runs respectively so far in the tournament. The team looks stable and the captain won’t be really looking to make any changes from the last match’s XI. Peshawar Zalmi: Peshawar Zalmi were left without the services of three of the important players, David Miller, Fabian Allen and Fidel Edwards who had to depart mid-way for national duties. South Africa and West Indies are slated to play limited-overs fixtures in the Caribbean islands. But Zalmi found an aggressive striker of the ball in Zazai who has been ruthless with the bat in the last games that he has played. While the Afghan cricketer is equipped enough to give the side a positive start especially while chasing, the presence of someone like Shoaib Malik adds to the strength. The bowling unit also looks in good shape with Wahab and Irfan in the side. The vulnerability Kamran Akmal Kamran Akmal has been facing an issue with the deliveries that certainly come into the right-hander. The gap between the bat and pad gives the bowlers a fair bit of opportunity to scalp his wicket with a delivery that comes into the batsman and if this continues, an early breakthrough will again be on the cards which the Zalmi can’t afford especially looking at the bowling attack that Multan have. Apart from this, another missing piece in Akmal’s batting is the foot movement. He is able to score boundaries through the covers on the deliveries that have width on offer but doesn’t really reach to the line of the ball. With someone like Dhani and Muzarabani up against him, the wicket-keeper batsman needs to make some adjustments. The fast bowlers are not the only concern for Akmal, Tahir is another bowler who can have a slight edge against him. The South African is pretty accurate when he bowls that wrong-un and looking at Akmal’s technical flaws, the spinner too can send him packing. Probable XI Multan Sultans: Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Sohaib Maqsood, Johnson Charles, Rilee Rossouw, Khushdil Shah, Sohail Tanvir, Imran Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Imran Tahir, Shahnawaz Dhani. Peshawar Zalmi: Kamran Akmal, Hazratullah Zazai, Jonathan Wells, Shoaib Malik, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Amad Butt, Wahab Riaz, Umaid Asif, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Irfan. Fantasy XI Shoaib Malik (C), Hazratullah Zazai (VC), Khushdil-Shah, Johnson Charles, Sohaib Maqsood, Mohammad Rizwan, Rovman Powell, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz, Imran Tahir, Blessing Muzarabani

ENG vs SL | 1st T20I: Jos Buttler, bowlers hand hosts comprehensive win

England had a perfect start to the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka on Wednesday in Cardiff after they defeated the visitors by 8 wickets to go 1-0. Chasing 130 in 20 overs, the hosts went over the line in 17.1 overs riding on an unbeaten half-century from Jos Buttler. The home side started off the chase in a comfortable manner after openers Jason Roy and Buttler put 80 on the board for the first wicket before Roy departed for 36 off 22. Dushmantha Chameera provided Sri Lanka with the first breakthrough. England then lost Dawid Malan who came in at number three for just 7 runs while the team score read 112 but Buttler and Jonny Bairstow made sure that there were further fall of wickets. Bairstow remained not out for 13. Earlier, Sri Lanka who won the toss elected to bat first but had a disappointing start to the proceedings after losing Avishka Fernando for a four-ball duck in the innings. Gunathilaka was then joined by captain Kusal Perera and the two stitched 29 runs for the second wicket before Gunathilaka was sent back in the hut for 19. The opener’s departure was followed by some fall of wickets at regular intervals and Sri Lanka were soon reduced to 96/6 before Shanaka and Udana chipped in with some runs. The two batsmen had a partnership of 33 runs for the seventh wicket. Shanaka though later was undone for 50 by Sam Curran and the visitors could only manage to score 129/7 in the allotted 20 overs. Sam Curran and Adil Rashid scalped a couple of wickets for England while Mark Wood, Chris Jordan and Livingstone had one each. Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Perera admitted that the batsmen didn’t put a good total on the board but was optimistic of making a comeback in the series. “Credit to England. They bowled well. We didn't have enough runs on the board. Our bowlers tried well. We are backing our batting to come back. Not a lot of time (before next match) and we hope to bounce back,” he said. England captain Eoin Morgan was pretty happy with his team’s performance. “Quite a comprehensive performance. The pressure the boys created at the beginning, middle and end, was impressive. Bowlers made us look really good today, reduced Sri Lanka to an under-par score. Then the openers gave us that platform upfront, Jos showing his class once again. When you get ahead in the game, we have to sit back and get the best bowlers in certain situations. He (Livingstone) is an all-rounder in the squad, it was good to see him get a wicket early,” Morgan said after the match. The two teams will now lock horns with each other in the second T20I on Thursday at the same venue.

WTC Final | It's a very special feeling: Williamson after NZ's winning triumph

It was a historic day in the lives of the New Zealand cricket fraternity which waited 46 long years (New Zealand participated in its first-ever World Cup in 1975) to become a World Champion in any format of the game. And what format they chose to do so! the purest of them all. They defeated India by eight wickets in Southampton to be crowned the first-ever World Test Champions in the game’s 124-year-old history. Their skipper, Kane Williamson, as always trod carefully on his words to describe the greatest moment in his country’s cricketing history by calling it a ‘very special feeling’. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, the 30-year-old complimented his team for showing a great fight in the rain-marred game to eke out a result in their favour. “The heart our team showed to get across the line in this great Test match. I've been part of [NZ cricket] for a short while, it's a very special feeling, the first time in our history we've come away with a world title,” he said. The Blackcaps skipper has always been referred to as a team man and he made sure that the name stuck to him as he thanked all the 22 players who were a part of the team’s two-year journey to this greatness. “We've had 22 players over the last two years, and they've all played their part and the support staff and the guys who played this match, it's a special achievement to be savoured,” said Williamson. It was after two back to back losses in the ODI World Cup Finals that New Zealand finally made it a third time lucky. “A couple of close ones [in ICC finals], nice to get one under the belt,” the skipper said on this victory. “I'd like to thank Virat and the Indian team, they're an incredible team, we know how much of a challenge it would be,” he added. Stressing upon the point how New Zealand is devoid of global stars which other big nations like India, Australia and England have the Tauranga born Kiwi captain lauded his team for showing heart in tough conditions against strong India. “We know we don't always have the stars, we rely on other bits and pieces to stay in the game and be competitive. We saw a lot of heart and commitment to our style of cricket in this game, we know how strong this Indian side is, in all conditions,” he said. Willaimson also praised the wicket for its nature and how even in hardly four days’ of play, it was able to produce a result. “It was a very sporting surface, and having only four days' cricket, there was always a chance of a result,” he said. At one point in time, when New Zealand lost both their openers in quick succession and Indian spinner Ravichandran Aswin was looking threatening, it was senior man Ross Taylor who steadied the Kiwi ship alongside Williamson. The duo added an unbeaten 96 for the fourth wicket to see their team home. Williamson praised the 37-year old for his commitment. “Ross is very experienced and very calm in those sort of situations, it was nice to be in partnership with Ross and be there at the end,’ he said. Taylor made an important 47* while Willaimson notched up his first fifty of the game, having missed out in the first innings by getting out on 49. It was the last game for New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling and he once again showcased why he is respected so much by his teammates and all Nee Zealand cricket fans, as even after a dislocated finger, he kept on keeping. Speaking on his commitment, Williamson said, “I don't know if he's retiring anymore, actually [chuckles]. He's a special member, a leader in our group, and really epitomises our team.” The 36-year-old South Africa born Watling had decided to call it quits after the WTC Final. He is now the most capped Kiwi wicket-keeper and also has the most runs, dismissals and highest individual score for a wicket-keeper batsman in New Zealand’s history. Describing Watling’s journey and how this win encapsulates it, Williamson said, “A scrappy performance, which is close to his heart, because he's a scrappy player. A great occasion to celebrate, a great game of cricket, and obviously a great career which we'll celebrate."