T20 World Cup | Kieron Pollard voluntarily walks off the pitch after struggling against Bangladesh

Arun Jaitley’s son Rohan elected DDCA Prez, former CM’s son elected Secretary

In what was a foregone conclusion even before the elections in the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association, incumbent President Rohan Jaitley, son of former Finance Minister of India, late Arun Jaitley was re-elected as the Association president. He defeated senior advocate Vikas Singh by a massive margin of 996 votes. While Jaitley polled 1658 votes, Singh could only get 662. In another former politician’s son getting the big-ticket, Delhi’s former Chief Minister late Saheb Singh Verma’s son and former first-class player Siddharth Verma claimed the secretary's post. His was a close fight against corruption-tainted Vinod Tihara for the position. On two other posts too, it was the victory of nepotism as a former India player and Delhi legend as well as a Member of Parliament, Gautam Gambhir's maternal uncle Pawan Ghulati was elected treasurer of DDCA while former BCCI acting president CK Khanna's wife Shashi Khanna retained her vice-president's post. "It is a great victory for me personally. I would like to extend all my co-operation towards Rohan and work for the betterment of Delhi cricket. I have been a cricketer and working for their cause would be the priority," Siddarth Verma, a first-time office-bearer in the administrative department was quoted as saying by PTI.

When you ride the highs, you've got to ride the lows: David Warner after regaining form in T20 World Cup

Australia opener David Warner finally got back to some form after hitting 65 off 42 balls against Sri Lanka in a Super 12 clash in the ongoing T20 World Cup in UAE. It was the southpaw’s first-ever score of 50 since coming to UAE at the start of the second leg of the Indian Premier League in September. Asked whether it was a good enough knock to shut the critics who have been making a point to dissect every Warner innings as low and slow and lacking confidence even during the warm-up games, the New South Wales man said that he doesn’t believe in shutting critics. "Shutting the critics down? No, never. That's the world of sport. When you ride the highs, you've got to ride the lows and you've got to stay confident, keep a smile on your face, and never let it get to you,” said Warner in the post-match press conference after Australia’s seven-wicket win over the Lankans while chasing down 155. Tackling Maheesh Theekshana, the mystery spinner who has a good combination of carrom ball and traditional off-spin was not going to be easy for a left-hander. But Warner said that he had a plan and was glad that it came off. "When they're [off spinners] coming over the wicket, they've obviously got their carrom ball to come straight down the line. For me, it's actually a low-risk shot to go with the spin and because you've only got two [fielders] out to protect, you've got to back yourself. It's a shot that I favour. You've got to apply pressure and that's how I start my innings against spin," he said. "I got criticised when I got out to Ashwin in the practice game playing the same shot. We know which bowlers are bowling what, we know where the fields are and we know how to try and apply pressure. If it comes off, it comes off,” the 35-year-old added. Warner getting back to form is crucial in the sense that Australia now play arch-rivals England in the Super 12 clash on Saturday in Dubai and looking at the kind of form the English are in, it would be nothing short of sensational.

Playing T20 World Cup final against India will be good for relations between neighbours: Saqlain Mushtaq

Pakistan interim coach Saqlain Mushtaq feels that if India and Pakistan play in the T20 World Cup 2021 final, it would be a huge occasion, not only for both the teams, but for the International Cricket Council, cricket fans across the world and especially for relations between the two neighbours. "If India makes it to the final with us, it would be a great thing because I feel -- and this is not because we became big-headed after beating them -- but because they are a strong team, everyone considers them a favourite,” Mushtaq said in a pre-match press conference in Dubai ahead of his side’s clash against Afghanistan. “If India comes in the final, then it would be very good for the ICC, fans around the world and for world cricket -- everyone will enjoy it. They are our neighbouring country and playing one more match would only improve our relations,” added the former off-spinner, who is also credited to have invented Doosra. Talking about his team’s preparedness against the Mohammad Nabi led side who beat Scotland comprehensively in their opening game, Mushtaq said that they are not taking the Afghans lightly whatsoever. "It's a strong unit. We can't really say that it's very easy and you will roll over them. It's not like that. They have a wonderful bowling attack, especially the spinners. When they bat, they just play, the way they feel it, what's in their heart, what they think. They just go and execute the plan. They just play a sort of fearless cricket and I think that kind of team can be dangerous,” said the 44-year-old who was given the job to handle the team after Misbah-Ul-Haq resigned from the position of head coach of the Pakistan unit just ahead of the World Cup in September.

T20 World Cup | Nicholas Pooran confident of Windies batting against Bangladesh

West Indies' vice-captain Nicholas Pooran admitted that the Caribbean batters didn’t come to the pastry in the first two games of their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign, but was equally vocal in assuring that come the game against Bangladesh and the batters would be ready to put their best foot forward. "I think we're really hurt at losing those two games and we have only ourselves to blame. But the mood is still good. We know what we have to do and everyone is up for the challenge,” Pooran said in the pre-match press conference in Sharjah. "We just didn't rise to the occasion, to be honest. I think as batsmen and as a team, we've already accepted that we didn't come to the party and we're looking forward to moving forward and hopefully we can do much better,” added the 26-year-old. Asked if changes are expected in the next game given that Lendl Simmons didn’t really add much to the team’s progress in the last two games and Jason Holder, who can bat very well has been brought in as a replacement for injured Obed McCoy, Pooran said that whoever plays the next game will give his 100%. “We back our batsmen 100%. Doesn't matter if it's a right-hand or left-hand batsman. We back them to do the job for us - whoever is playing in that XI tomorrow, they'll have specific roles,” he said. Bangladesh have lost two in two as well in the Super 12 stage and are in the same boat as the Windies and thus Pooran felt that they too would be feeling the heat. "I think Bangladesh after losing two games - they are in the same situation as us as well. So, I think it's going to be a good challenge for us tomorrow. We need to get that victory and play in Sharjah. We know Bangladesh have a lot of spinners as well. It's definitely going to be a challenge for us as well and it's how bad we actually want it,” he said. This game is virtually a do or die for both the teams as a loss in it would end their campaign once and for all.