WTC Final: With Dukes ball, swinging and cold English conditions, Hadlee favours Kiwis to lift the cup

Kohli goes hard at any batsman batting against him, was happy that he sledged me: SKY

A photo of India skipper Virat Kohli and the new recruit Suryakumar Yadav during the IPL 2020 had gone viral. During the match between RCB and MI, Kohli was seen sledging Surya. Recalling the incident during a recent Instagram live session with Mumbai Indians, SKY said that he felt good about the face-off. “It's not just me, he goes hard at any batsman batting against him. I was happy that he sledged me. It means even Kohli knew that if I bat on, we will win the match and if they got my wicket, then maybe they could slow us down and create a chance to win,” Suryakumar said. The right-handed batsman further added that he is generally a calm and cool customer while he is out there in the middle. “I am a cool and calm customer on the pitch, so I don't get into these rivalries. But there was that moment in Abu Dhabi, so I guess that can go down as one,” he added. Surya made his debut for the Indian team during the T20I series against England at home earlier this year. He began his international career with authority after scoring a fifty on his debut. While Kohli is now with the Indian team that will travel to the UK for the WTC final against New Zealand and the Test series against the English team, SKY is likely to be a part of the other Indian side that will fly to Sri Lanka for limited-overs fixtures. The team for the Sri Lanka tour is yet to be announced by the selectors.

Eden Gardens to provide shelter to ground staff during Cyclone Yaas

Kolkata’s Eden Gardens stadium will serve as the shelter for the ground staff as the approaching cyclone Yaas strikes the city. The had made the announcement on Monday that the space under the Eden Gardens’ galleries will be used for the purpose. There are sports clubs and institutions who have tents in Maidan and come under a highly vulnerable zone. "There are many sports clubs and institutions which have their tents in the Maidan which could be vulnerable and prone to high risk due to the cyclonic activity,” a release from CAB said. "Therefore as a precautionary measure, the CAB has decided to make a shelter arrangement along with provision for food and other amenities in the under galleries of Eden Gardens from Tuesday evening to Thursday morning," the statement added. The cyclone is expected to hit Kolkata on Wednesday evening with a wind speed of 150kph-plus which might result in heavy rainfall for the next few days in the city. The office bearers have therefore decided to make the arrangements including the provision of food and other requirements from May 25th to 28th morning. “Groundsmen form an integral part of our system and we must ensure their safety in this hour of crisis,” said CAB President Avishek Dalmiya.

PSL 6: Naseem Shah released from PSL for non-compliant RT-PCR result

Pakistan and Quetta Gladiators fast-bowler Naseem Shah has been released from the remaining games of the Pakistan Super League’s sixth edition. The young bowler came to the designated hotel in Lahore with a non-compliant RT-PCR result and thus forced the PSL authority to have no choice but release him. As per the Covid-19 protocols for the remaining HBL Pakistan Super League 6, all the players were asked to assemble at the hotel with an RT PCR negative report for Covid-19. The report needed to be at most 48 hours old, however, Naseem presented a PCR report from a test that was conducted on 18 May. Reacting to the sequence of events, Babar Hamid, Director – Commercial and head of HBL PSL 6 said, “The PCB doesn’t take any pride in releasing a young fast bowler from its marquee event but if we will ignore this breach, then we will potentially put at risk the entire event.” “We appreciate Quetta Gladiators for accepting this decision as it confirms we are all aligned to strictly following and implementing the protocols,” he added. Naseem, who was part of the Gladiators pace attack alongside Mohammad Hasnain and Usman Shinwari has so far played nine Tests and 14 T20s. PCB further went on to assure all that no compromise with health and Covid-19 would be tolerated. “This decision will also send out a loud and clear message to all involved in the remaining matches that the PCB will not compromise on any violations and will expel the player or player support personnel irrespective of his stature and standing in the game if they are found to be flouting the prescribed protocols or regulations,” Hamid said. For the remaining 20 matches of the PSL that would be conducted at the Shiekh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Pakistani players would leave for the destination on May 26 in charter flights.

Ravichandran Ashwin reveals incident when teammate refused to Mankad batsman

Mankading in cricket is not considered in the spirit of the game by many cricketers while a fair chunk thinks that it is within the rights for a bowler to run out a batsman if he constantly backs up too much. Ever since Ravichandran Ashwin ‘Mankaded’ Jos Buttler during an IPL game in 2019, the debate surrounding whether it is within the spirit if the game has sprung up. During a recent conversation with former Indian spinner Murali Kartik on a youtube show DRS with Ash, the off-spinner recalled how his Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) teammate Ankit Rajpoot refused to Mankad a batsman when the game was on the line. More than the dismissal, Rajpoot felt that his image would be tarnished. During the show, Ashwin again reiterated certain aspects why bowlers shouldn’t be criticised for running out a batsman in that manner. "The batsman are so used to meandering along. Someone asking them to stay inside the crease itself looks like a hindrance to them. This is so wrong asking a bowler not to run batsmen out at the non-striker’s end. Especially, when the game is so competitive, I firmly believe that a bowler shouldn’t be stopped,” Ashwin said. Further disclosing the details of the discussion he had with Ankit Rajpoot during a game against the Mumbai Indians, Ashwin said that Rajpoot was scared when he asked him to warn the batsman for not backing much. The last pair Rahul Chahar and Alzarri Joseph were at the crease with just 2 required of the final delivery. "After the incident happened against Rajasthan (Jos Buttler Mankading controversy), we played Mumbai in the next match. The last-wicket pair of Rahul Chahar and Alzarri Joseph were batting. One ball and two runs to win. I went to the bowler Ankit Rajpoot and told him, ‘these batsmen will be charging out to run. Just stop and send them back in if he (non-striker) starts running before you deliver’. He was scared and said, ‘No way, I won’t do that,” Ashwin said. Ashwin further revealed the nerves shown by Rajpoot during that particular game recalling the fact that how Rajpoot came up to him and said that he will be considered a villain if he tried out mankading the batsman, especially in that situation. "He (Rajpoot) froze when he came to deliver. He came and said to me, ‘If I do this, it will create controversy and I will be made the villain. I told him, ‘what you are doing here is correct. The non-striker is at fault here,” he said. Coming back to that particular match, Mumbai Indians managed to register a nerve-wracking victory chasing the target of 198 down in the final delivery of the match.