Virat Kohli completes decade in Test cricket

Currently leading the Indian team in the final of the first ICC World Test Championship against New Zealand, Virat Kohli has completed a decade in the longest format after making his debut against West Indies in 2011 at Sabina Park, Jamaica.

Kohli played the game batting at number six in the batting lineup that was without Sachin Tendulkar in the middle order. He could not cash in on the opportunities in the three-match series against West Indies and was dropped from the next Test series against England.

He cemented his place in the Indian Test team with series of good knocks including his maiden Test hundred on the tour of Australia at the end of that year and has not looked back since.

In the 91 matches he has played so far before the WTC final, he has amassed 7,490 runs at a staggering average of 52.37 runs per innings with 27 centuries and 25 half-centuries.

He also took over the reins of captaincy from MS Dhoni after his retirement mid-series on the tour of Australia in 2013-14 and has gone on to become the most-capped Indian skipper in Tests.

One decade into his Test career, Kohli has established his position among the greats of the game and certainly one of the best this generation has produced.

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WI vs SA | 2nd Test | Day 2: West Indies batting woes continue as visitors take mammoth lead

West Indies batting woes continued against South Africa in the first innings of the second Test at St Lucia after they were bundled out for 149 in reply to the visitors’ 298 and now trail by 149 runs. The hosts had a terrible start after they lost captain Kraigg Brathwaite for a golden duck and South African bowlers took full advantage of the early breakthrough to rip apart the West Indies batting. The home side was left tottering at 97/5 before getting bundled out. Jermaine Blackwood and Shai Hope showed some resistance. Blackwood top-scored with 49 while Hope notched up 41 before getting out. For South Africa, it was Wiaan Mulder who scalped a three-wicket haul while Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj picked up a couple of wickets apiece. Anrich Nortje had one to his name. Earlier, Quinton de Kock who had struck a century in the first match missed out on a consecutive ton after he was undone for 96 by Mayers. South Africa eventually put up 298 before they were bowled out. Kemar Roach and Mayers shared a total of 6 wickets for West Indies. Hope later admitted that the batsmen didn’t really apply themselves well. “Pretty average (day) for us. We want to be in a better position than this obviously. We worked very hard yesterday to limit them to that score overnight. And to undo all that hard work with the bat .... unfortunate position we are in at the moment. I must commend the bowlers for the job they have done. We worked very hard yesterday, it was nice to see the bowlers finish the job today. But the batsmen didn't do the job today. I have been spending so much time in the field, obviously would want to have a stretch, probably an ice bath if you can, but that's the way cricket goes,” Hope said after the day’s play. West Indies trail the two-match series 0-1.

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Shafali Verma is very important to Indian batting unit in all formats: Mithali Raj

India batter Shafali Verma began her Test career with some brilliant performance with the bat after she struck fifties in both the innings as the visitors managed to draw the one-off Test against England in Bristol. Hailing the youngster’s efforts, captain Mithali Raj lavished praise on Shafali and said that she is going to be a very important player across all formats for the team. “She will be very, very important to the Indian batting unit in all formats. She beautifully adapted to this format,” Mithali said in a virtual media interaction. Mithali further appreciated the way Verma stitched her innings. “She didn’t go like how she would go bonkers in the T20 format. She played sensibly against the new ball and it’s great to have her,” Mitahli said. “She has great range of shots, and she can be very, very, effective in a format like this if she gets going. In no time, we could see that the score would be somewhere else if she gets going,” she added. Shafali scored 96 in the first innings and was involved in a 167-run partnership for the first wicket with Smriti Mandhana who also notched up 78. But the two batters' departure saw a flurry of wickets and the Indian batting was soon bundled out for 231 and the host enforced a follow-on. Opener Mandhana got out early in the second innings but Verma scored 63 while Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana scored fifties and Punam Raut and Taniya Bhatia chipped in with crucial runs as India ended the last day’s play at 344/8 to end the match in a draw.

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PSL 2021 | MS vs ISU: In dress rehearsal before the Qualifier, Islamabad hand Multan its first defeat in Abu Dhabi leg

Islamabad United defeated Multan Sultans by four wickets to end the league stage of the Pakistan Super League 2021. With this win, United ended up with eight wins from 10 games and earned 16 points from the possible 20 to top the points table. Sultans on the other hand suffered their first defeat of the Abu Dhabi leg of the tournament, having won four games in a row to qualify for the Playoffs. The match went up to the last over thanks to some lethargic approach by both the teams. Chasing a modest total of 150 to win the game, United got off to go a start as the new openers Umar Amin and the wicketkeeper-batsman Muhammad Akhlaq added 39 for the first wicket before the latter was removed by Larkana express Shahnawaz Dhani. The highest wicket-taker in the tournament so far, Dhani also picked up the wicket of Amin in his next over. United skipper Shadab Khan finally found some form as he hit 35 off 27 balls to get the team closer to the total. He was removed from Muhammad Umar, who was playing just his second game of the season. Asif Ali and Hussain Talat then got the men in red near the target just before a mini-collapse unfolded to create some drama at the end. When Sultans needed less than run a ball, Brandon King was removed by a ripper of a top spinner by Usman Qadir, who was playing his first game of the Abu Dhabi leg. Before that Qadir had already removed Asif Ali. In the last over, with four to defend, Blessing Muzarabani was called in by Mohammad Rizwan. According to the set plan, Muzarabani bowled bouncer and Talat top-edged to deep fine leg where Dhani pulled a blinder of a catch to set the Sultans dug out on fire and made them stand and applaud his fielding. However, Iftikhar Ahmed completed the three required runs even as a leg before the wicket appeal was made and rejected on the last delivery as Ahmed and Mohammad Wasim Jr. scampered through for the winning run. Reacting to the win, United skipper Shadab praised his rookie bowler Wasim Jr. for a great performance. “It was his (Wasim) effort that has paid dividends. He wanted to prove himself and I just backed him,” he said. Talking about the challenge of facing Multan once again in the Qualifiers, he said, “ They are a tough team, they are in good form and it's about who handles pressure better. We'll try to ensure that we do the simple things right.” Earlier in the evening, Multan Sultans were invited to bat after losing the toss. Both teams, secured of a 1-2 finish at the points table, chose to test their bench strength. Multan, after a steady start by openers Shan Masood and Rizwan, faltered in the later phase of the innings. Even after Masood’s 59, the Sultans could manage only 149 as they got bundled out in 20 overs. Wasim Jr. was at his very best for United, finishing up with 4-31 in his four overs spell and then going on to win the Man of the Match award. Reacting after the loss, Multan skipper Rizwan said, “I am happy with the effort as we kept fighting till the end and that's the kind of quality we expect from the team. Hopefully, we can beat them in the next game.” Courtesy finishing second on the points table, Rizwan and his team would indeed meet United in the very next game, which would be the Qualifier of the tournament and will be played on June 21 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.