Rohit Can Lead India At 2024 T20 World Cup, Report Details Out Conditions

Rohit Sharma's request to the BCCI for a break from white-ball cricket in South Africa despite being offered T20 captaincy has been accepted, while Jasprit Bumrah has been named his deputy for the two Tests starting December 26. Virat Kohli's request for a break from limited-overs games too has been accepted as Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul will lead the national team in T20Is and ODIs respectively. However, it is understood that Hardik Pandya is no longer an automatic choice for T20 captaincy in the T20 World Cup next year if Rohit decides to play the shortest format.

"Rohit has been offered T20 captaincy but he is in UK on a holiday and wants an extended break after four months of gruelling season till end of the World Cup. But as captain, he has the highest respect for the dressing room and if he agrees to lead India in T20 World Cup, he will lead," a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

After the T20 World Cup in 2022, Rohit had actually been reluctant to play the shortest format as he focused on 50-over cricket.

Interestingly, most of the players selected for ODIs don't feature either in Tests or T20Is.

Only three players have been selected in all three squads - Shreyas Iyer, Mukesh Kumar and Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Axar Patel has been dropped from the T20 squad and Ravindra Jadeja is the new T20 vice-captain for the series.

The national selection committee, on expected lines, has not included Kona Bharat in the Test squad as KL Rahul will now don the big gloves in the Test matches.

Rahul as keeper also opens two middle-order slots -- for Shreyas Iyer and reserve batter Gaikwad -- in the Test lineup.

It is understood that Mohammed Shami has a chance to get fit before the Test series starts late in December.

"Shami's injury isn't very serious at the moment and hence he has been kept in the squad. Prasidh Krishna has been kept as his cover just in case.

ODI is the least important format right now but looking at the 2025 Champions Trophy, a new-look squad under Rahul will play the 50-over games.

Rajat Patidar, B Sai Sudharshan and Rinku Singh, all with fantastic List A records, are in the ODI squad and will form the nucleus of the next 50-over team.

Kuldeep Yadav, who couldn't be accommodated in the Test squad, is there in both the white-ball squads.

Yuzvendra Chahal, who missed the World Cup, is now back in the 50-over format while Ravi Bishnoi is in the T20 squad.

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Dominica Says 'No' To Hosting T20 World Cup 2024

Dominica will be unable to meet the deadline for completing the construction work of their stadiums and the government on Thursday announced its decision to withdraw from hosting their allotted matches of the T20 World Cup next year. Windsor Park was shortlisted to host one group match and two Super Eight games as Dominica was one of seven countries in the Caribbean shortlisted to host the T20 World Cup.

The T20 showpiece is being co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA from June 4-30 next year. "Several tangible actions were taken both at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium and at the Benjamin's Park including the commencement of upgrading and enhancement of the practice and match venues, various assessments and the creation of additional pitches where necessary," a statement from the Dominica government's read.

"However, the implementation timelines submitted by the various contractors revealed that it would not be possible to complete these works within the stipulated timeframe before the commencement of the tournament. As a result, a decision was taken not to host any of the matches in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 as it would not be prudent for the Government of Dominica to commit to hosting these games.

"In light of Dominica's sterling reputation in hosting international cricket, this decision is considered to be in the best interest of all. The Government of Dominica thanks Cricket West Indies (CWI) for its partnership over the years and looks forward to continued collaboration in the future. The Government of Dominica extends best wishes to the organisers for a successful tournament in June 2024." The ICC is yet to respond to the development.

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"You Don't Want...: Gambhir's Honest Take On Dravid's Contract Extension

Former India opener player Gautam Gambhir applauded the contract extension of Rahul Dravid as Team India's head coach and believes it is promising news for the national side as the "T20 World Cup is around the corner." The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced the extension of contracts for Dravid and the support staff of Team India (Senior Men). Dravid's second stint with Team India will be the tour of South Africa from December 10, which will have three ODIs and T20Is each and two Tests. The red-ball leg will start from December 26. Following that will be a five-match Test series against England at home, before the ICC T20 World Cup in June in West Indies/USA.

Gambhir expects Team India to continue its domination and play good cricket. The former opener emphasises that the T20 format is different it will be challenging and hope that Rahul and the supporting staff can deliver.

Batting coach Vikram Rathour, fielding coach T Dilip and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey will continue their stint with Team India as BCCI also extended contracts of the support staff of Team India.

"It's a good thing because the T20 World Cup is around the corner and you don't want to change the entire support staff, and it is good that Rahul has accepted it. Hopefully, we can continue to dominate and play good cricket, what India has done for a long period of time. The T20 format is different and challenging and hopefully, Rahul and the support staff can deliver. Congratulations to them," Gambhir told ANI.

Dravid replaced Ravi Shastri following a disappointing ICC T20 World Cup campaign in 2021, which saw India exit in the Super 12 stage. He was appointed for a two-year term, which ended with India's runners-up finish in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup at home.

On the contract extension, Dravid said, "The last two years with Team India have been thoroughly memorable. Together, we have witnessed the highs and lows, and throughout this journey, the support and camaraderie within the group have been phenomenal. I am genuinely proud of the culture we have set in the dressing room. It's a culture that stands resilient, whether in moments of triumph or adversity. The skills and talent that our team possesses are phenomenal, and what we've stressed is following the right process and sticking to our preparations, which has had a direct impact on the overall result."

"I thank the BCCI and the Office Bearers for placing their trust in me, endorsing my vision, and providing support during this period. The demands of this role necessitate considerable time away from home, and I deeply appreciate my family's sacrifices and support. Their instrumental role behind the scenes has been invaluable. As we embrace new challenges post the World Cup, we remain committed to the pursuit of excellence," he added.

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Karthik Slams Fifty As Tamil Nadu Beat Baroda In Vijay Hazare Trophy Clash

Veteran Dinesh Karthik was back at his vintage best to smash a quickfire half-century as Tamil Nadu overcame a jittery start to down Baroda by 38 runs in a low-scoring group E match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy domestic one-dayers, in Mumbai on Wednesday. Put in, Tamil Nadu were reeling at 52/5 when the skipper dig in with all his experience to rescue the team with a 51-ball 68 featuring nine fours and two sixes for his 40th List A fifty.

Tamil Nadu were soon reduced to 52/6, but Karthik held fort and put together a 75-run partnership with Shahrukh Khan (31; 39b) to help them go past 150.

Lukman Meriwala (4/21 from 7 overs) and Ninad Rathva (3/23 from 7.3 overs) were the pick of the bowlers for Baroda as Tamil Nadu's innings lasted just 33.3 overs.

In reply, Baroda were shot out for 124 in 23.3 overs with T Natarajan leading the charge in his 7-1-38-4, while spin twins Varun Chakravarthy and R Sai Kishore sharing five wickets between them.

Padikkal on song

Karnataka batter Devdutt Padikkal continued with his silken touch in the format, scoring a 57-ball 93 not out to steer them to a seven-wicket win over Bihar in a group C contest at Ahmedabad.

Batting at No 4, Padikkal hit nine boundaries and five sixes as Karnataka made short work of Bihar, chasing down the 218-target in just 33.4 overs.

This was the India A batter's fourth fifty-plus score in as many matches and he also has a century to his name to be the leading rungetter of the meet.

Openers Mayank Agarwal (28) and Ravikumar Samarth (4) got out cheaply but Padikkal and Nikin Jose (69) effortlessly took their team over the line.

Jagadeesha Suchith was the pick of their bowling as he returned with a tidy 10-2-27-3 as Bihar were restricted to 217/7 after Karnataka skipper Agarwal opted to bowl.

Sakibul Gani waged a lone battle for Bihar with a 100-ball 113 not out as wickets kept on falling around him.

Shashank slams 152, grabs five-for

Shashank Singh produced a spectacular all-round effort —152 (113b) and 5/20 in five overs — as Chhattisgarh thrashed Manipur by 88 runs in a group B match at Jaipur.

Chhattisgarh lost their top three for only 16 inside nine overs after Manipur chose to bowl, but thereafter it was all about their No 5 batter Shashank who smashed 12 fours and seven sixes in his counter-attacking knock.

Skipper Amandeep Khare (88) also provided a fine support as the duo consolidated after the anxious start.

After the pair's departure, Ajay Mandal (43 not out; 20b) propped them to an imposing 342/6.

Shashank returned to shine with the ball, grabbing a five-wicket haul as Manipur managed 254/9.

Samson flops again but Kerala win

Sanju Samson failed with the bat yet again as he was dismissed for a five-ball one, but Kerala had it easy in defeating Tripura by 119 runs in a group A clash at Alur.

Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammed Azharuddeen top-scored for Kerala with a 61-ball 58 as he, along with Rohan Kunnummal (44; 70b), gave Kerala a strong start with a 95-run opening alliance.

But Kerala suffered a middle-order collapse to be bowled out for 231 in 47.1 overs. In reply, Tripura folded for 112. Akhin Sathar, Akhil Scaria and Vaisakh Chandran took eight wickets between them.

J&K stun Delhi

Jammu and Kashmir's new ball bowler Rasikh Salam (4/23) dismantled Delhi's top order to complement opener Shubham Khajuria's splendid 109 as they stunned Delhi by 75 runs in another group C clash at Ahmedabad.

Put in, J&K rode on their skipper's century to post 299/7. In reply, Delhi were bundled out for 224 in 45.3 overs. Lalit Yadav was Delhi's top-scorer (67) but none of their other batters could provide any resistance.

Brief Scores Group A: Odisha 99; 29.1 overs (Sandeep Pattnaik 42; Dharmendrasinh Jadeja 5/16) lost to Saurashtra 102/6; 24.4 overs (Arpit Vasavada 20 not out; Rajesh Mohanty 3/48, Debabrata Pradhan 3/34) by four wickets.

Kerala 231; 47.1 overs (Mohammed Azharuddeen 58, Rohan Kunnummal 44, Shreyas Gopal 41; Bikramjit Debnath 3/41) b Tripura 112; 27.5 overs (Rajat Dey 46; Akhin Sathar 3/27, Akhil Scaria 3/11) by 119 runs.

Puducherry 67; 24.4 overs (Tushar Deshpande 4/11, Shams Mulani 3/19) lost to Mumbai 69/3; 12.3 overs (Jay Bista 17, Suved Parkar 16 not out) by 7 wickets.

Sikkim 103; 44 overs (Palzor Tamang 19; Raj Choudhary 3/13, Akash Pandey 3/30) lost to Railways 104/2; 21.4 overs (Shivam Chaudhary 58 not out) by eight wickets.

Group B: Jharkhand 107; 33.1 overs (Anukul Roy 25; Yash Thakur 3/27) lost to Vidarbha 110 for no loss; 13.4 overs (Atharva Taide 70 not out, Akshay Wadkar 33 not out) by 10 wickets.

Meghalaya 227; 47.5 overs (Kishan Lyngdoh 41; Sachin Bhosale 3/27, Pradeep Dadhe 2/23) lost to Maharashtra 228/6; 40.3 overs (Siddharth Mhatre 87, Nikhil Naik 71 not out) by four wickets.

Hyderabad 210; 50 overs (Rahul Buddhi 80, Tanmay Agarwal 45; Nitin Yadav 3/53) lost to Services 211/4; 40.5 overs (Vineet Dhankhar 78, Rajat Paliwal 77 not out) by six wickets.

Chhattisgarh 342/6; 50 overs (Shashank Singh 152, Amandeep Khare 88, Ajay Mandal 43 not out) beat Manipur 254/9; 50 overs (Prafullomani Singh 67, Langlonyamba Meitan Keishangbam 61; Singh 5/20) by 88 runs.

Group C: Bihar 217/7; 50 overs (Sakibul Gani 113 not out; Jagadeesha Suchith 3/27) lost to Karnataka 218/3; 33.4 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 93 not out, Nikin Jose 69) by seven wickets.

Haryana 315/6; 50 overs (Himanshu Rana 136, Rahul Tewatia 80; Lalhruai Ralte 3/67) b Mizoram 125; 38.4 overs (Harshal Patel 5/24) by 190 runs.

Jammu and Kashmir 299/7; 50 overs (Shubham Khajuria 109, Abhinav Puri 46, Auqib Nabi 44 not out; Mayank Yadav) b Delhi 224; 45.3 overs (Lalit Yadav 67, Yash Dhull 49; Rasikh Salam 4/23) by 75 runs.

Chandigarh 305/8; 50 overs (Bhagmender Lather 66, Ankit Kaushik 60, Arslan Khan 54, Manan Vohra 50; Agrim Tiwari 4/71) lost to Uttarakhand 309/4; 47.4 overs (Aditya Tare 79 not out, Dikshanshu Negi 64, Avneesh Sudha 60, Yuvraj Chaudhary 58) by six wickets.

Group D: Assam 121; 33.3 overs (Rishav Das 32; Rishi Dhawan 4/30, Mayank Dagar 4/20) lost to Himachal Pradesh 122/2; 16.3 overs (Sumeet Verma 51 not out, Ekant Sen 42) by eight wickets.

Uttar Pradesh 232/8; 50 overs (Dhruv Jurel 77, Saurabh Kumar 43; Chintan Gaja 4/27, Jayveer Parmar 3/40) lost to Gujarat 235/5; 37.4 overs (Urvil Patel 86, Kshitij Patel 83 not out; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3/47) by five wickets.

Rajasthan 290; 50 overs (Abhijeet Tomar 124, Ram Chouhan 52; Pinninti Tapaswi 4/47) b Andhra 252; 47.4 overs (Ashwin Hebbar 68, Hanuma Vihari 60; Aniket Choudhary 4/49, Manav Suthar 3/46, Rahul Chahar 3/43) by 38 runs.

Punjab 289; 49.3 overs (Ramandeep Singh 80, Sanvir Singh 74; Lakshay Garg 4/47) b Goa 222; 47.5 overs (Krishnamurthy Siddharth 70; Mayank Markande 3/41) by 67 runs.

Group E: Tamil Nadu 162; 33.3 overs (Dinesh Karthik 68; Lukman Meriwala 4/21) b Baroda 124; 23.3 overs (Vishnu Solanki 25; T Natarajan 4/38, Varun Chakravarthy 3/17) by 38 runs.

Bengal 254/8; 50 overs (Abhimanyu Easwaran 73; Kumar Kartikeya 4/34) lost to Madhya Pradesh 61; 20.4 overs (Shubham Sharma 14; Shahbaz Ahmed 4/7, Akash Deep 3/8) by 193 runs. 

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Watch: 16 Needed Off 4 balls, Glenn Maxwell Unleashes Mayhem vs Prasidh

It was Glenn Maxwell show yet again at an Indian cricket ground. This time the venue was the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati and Indian cricket team was at the receiving end. India posted a huge 223-run target for Australia. While the visitors lost wickets at regular intervals, they stayed in chase with Glenn Maxwell playing the lead role. The Australia star scored 104* off just 48 balls, with eight fours and eight sixes. But what he did in the last over by Prasidh Krishna is going to be remembered for a long time to come. 

Australia needed 21 runs off six balls to win. On the first ball of the last over by Prasidh Krishna, Australia captain Matthew wade hit a boundary and then took a single. The equation was then 16 needed off four balls. Maxwell first hit a six and then three straight fours to take Australia to their first win of the five-match series. 

MAXWELL DOES IT AGAIN

bounce back in the #IDFCFirstBankT20ITrophy and HOW! #INDvAUS #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/MUeoURfFWT

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) November 28, 2023

Talking about the game, Glenn Maxwell's fiery unbeaten hundred carried Australia to a five-wicket win over India in the third T20I in Guwahati on Tuesday.

With this win, Australia managed to cut India's series lead to 2-1 in the five-match rubber. Maxwell made 104 off 48 balls (8x4, 8x6) as the Aussies went past India's 222 for 3 in the last ball of the match.

Skipper Matthew Wade remained not out on a crucial 28 off 16 balls. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi took two wickets for India.

Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad's maiden international hundred was the cornerstone of India's big total. Gaikwad made a rollicking unbeaten 123 off 57 balls.

Brief scores: India: 222 for 3 in 20 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 123 not out, Suryakumar Yadav 39, Tilak Varma 31 not out; Jason Behrendorff 1/12) lost to Australia: 225 for 5 in 20 overs (Glenn Maxwell 104 not out, Matthew Wade 28 not out, Ravi Bishnoi 2/32) by 5 wickets.

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PCB Unwilling To Grant NOC To WC Star, BBL Participation Delayed

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to delay the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) of pacer Haris Rauf for his participation in the Big Bash League (BBL). Rauf's NOC certificate is likely to be delayed till December 11, four days after the start of the league. However, there is no confirmation that the NOC will be issued to the pacer immediately after, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo. The PCB wants the 30-year-old pacer to take part in the National T20 Cup in Pakistan, which will end on December 10, for which the apex body of the 'Men in Green' is holding the NOC certificate of the fast bowler, as per ESPNcricinfo.

Recently, Pakistan chief selector Wahab Riaz attacked speedster Haris Rauf for backing out from the forthcoming Australia Tests and said that it would hurt the 'Men in Green'.

While announcing the 18-member squad of Pakistan for their tour of Australia, the chief selector revealed that Rauf agreed to play Test cricket but later changed his mind.

"We spoke to Haris Rauf for this tour. When we spoke to him two days ago, he gave his consent to play Test cricket for Pakistan. But last night he changed his mind, and now he doesn't want to be part of this Test series. I'm revealing this because we should be honest with officials, teammates, and the public. We spoke to Haris and he was worried about his body and fitness, as well as his workload. Mohammad Hafeez and I sat with him and tried to facilitate him in every way. We told him even if he didn't perform well there, we would accept it," Wahab said earlier.

In the ODI World Cup 2023, Rauf failed to put up a quality performance. He played nine matches and scalped 16 wickets. However, he gave away 533 runs and had an economy rate of 6.74.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Iceland Cricket's Hilarious Request To ICC On Hosting CT 2025 Goes Viral

Iceland Cricket took to social media to express their interest in hosting the Champions Trophy 2025 in a hilarious post amid rumours of Pakistan losing on the hosting rights due to India's stance on not travelling. India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series for around a decade due to political tensions and several reports have claimed that the tournament can be shifted to Dubai. Iceland Cricket wrote an entire letter with jokes regarding their challenging weather conditions and lack of standard cricket grounds in a bid to host the competition amid the ongoing reports and rumours. "We are not people who hold back. We have today issued our bid to host the Champions Trophy of 2025, and we look forward to hearing what Greg Barclay of ICC has to say about it," the post read on X.

Earlier, Iceland Cricket took a fresh aim at Pakistan star batter Babar Azam, who recently stepped down as captain of the team across formats.

We are not people who hold back. We have today issued our bid to host the Champions Trophy of 2025, and we look forward to hearing what Greg Barclay of @ICC has to say about it. pic.twitter.com/EsRzsikCqF

— Iceland Cricket (@icelandcricket) November 27, 2023

Babar relinquished his captaincy amid backlash over Pakistan's early exit from the Cricket World Cup 2023. Babar had a below par tournament with the bat as Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals.

He scored 320 runs in the nine matches, averaging less than 40. Taking to social media platform X, Iceland Cricket trolled Babar over his average.

Responding to a post, which read "What is something that still hasn't gone back to normal after the pandemic?", Iceland Cricket replied, saying: "The batting average of Babar Azam".

Babar's captaincy came under the spotlight after Pakistan lost to minnows Afghanistan in the World Cup. Pakistan lost five of their nine matches and finished fifth in the points table.

Team director Mickey Arthur and head coach Grant Bradburn have been removed from their positions with former skipper Mohammad Hafeez taking over both their roles.

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"I Know You Will...": Hardik's Message To MI After Sealing Return From GT

Hardik Pandya, who made his return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Mumbai Indians (MI), on Monday reflected back on his journey with the five-time champions. After tasting success with Gujarat Titans in the past two years, the experienced all-rounder on Monday returned to the franchise where his career began in 2015."I am back. Rohit, Bumrah, Surya, Ishan, Polly (Pollard), Malinga. Come on let's begin. Obviously, the feeling of coming back to Mumbai is very special for a lot of reasons. How my cricketing journey started in 2015 with MI, them noticing me in 2013...when I look back...how my span of 10 years has been something very special. It has not sunk in yet that finally, I am back where my whole cricketing journey started. I have achieved all the possible things. They have been the most important part of my life," Hardik said in a video posted by MI on X

Watch talk about his happy homecoming, teaming up with his and resuming his journey with #MumbaiIndians#OneFamily #MumbaiMeriJaan @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/sm6dXGJYCI

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) November 27, 2023

He talked about the special bond he shares with the MI owners as well as the fans.

"Special bond with Akash and the whole family. They have been with me through thick and thin and it is much more emotional because it feels like I am coming back to my home. I am coming back to my family where it all started. Paltan, you supported me the first time and all the memories have a special place in my heart and all the memories have a special place in my heart. I know you will back me once again. We created history as a team and now I am looking forward to creating some wonderful moments with the boys once again. Mere hardik swagat ke liye, thank you," Hardik added.

Hardik played 92 matches for MI from 2015-2021, scoring 1,476 runs at an average of 27.33 at a strike rate of over 153, with four half-centuries and best score of 91. He also took 42 wickets for the team, with the best bowling figures of 3/20.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Said Sorry To Ruturaj": Jaiswal Opens Up On Gaikwad's Bizarre Dismissal

Team India thrashed Australia by 44 runs in the second T20I of the five-match series on Sunday in Thiruvananthapuram. The main architects of India's victory were opening batters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj, who scored 53 and 58 runs respectively and propelled India to a whopping total of 235/4. Later, the hosts restricted Australia at 191/9 with Ravi Bishnoi and Prasidh Krishna taking three wickets each. It was a memorable match for Jaiswal, who brought up his half-century in just 24 balls. 

After the match, Jaiswal spoke about the tragic mix-up which handed Gaikwad his diamond duck in the first T20I on Thursday. In the first match, Jaiswal and Gaikwad were caught in a mix-up while trying to take a double. Resulting which, Gaikwad had to depart without even playing a ball. 

Jaiswal revealed that he admitted his mistake and went on to apologize to Gaikwad. He also praised his co-opener for being "humble" and "caring".

"It was my mistake in the last game and said sorry to Ruturaj. Accepted was my mistake. Rutu bhai is so humble and very caring," said Jaiswal in a post-match presentation. 

About this win, he said, "It was really special for me. I was trying to play all my shots. Was trying to be fearless. I was sure of my decisions. I have been told by Surya bhai and VVS sir to go and play freely. I have been asked to express myself. For me, what I think I can develop and not think about anything else."

Talking about the match, opener Jaiswal led the charge of India's young brigade with a sparkling 53 off 25 balls, guiding India to a massive 235 for four in the company of Ishan (52 off 32 balls) and Gaikwad (58 off 43 balls).

Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (3/32) then muffled the Australian top-order with two quick blows, and the visitors were eventually limited to 191 for nine despite aggressive knocks by Tim David (37 off 22 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (45 off 25 balls).

Pacer Prasidh Krishna grabbed three wickets to accentuate Australia's fall as they lost five wickets for 16 runs.

Both the teams will now meet again on Tuesday for the third T20I match of the five-match series in Guwahati.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Did Rinku 'Remind' SKY Of Dhoni? His 'You Know The Answer' Says It All

After a rollicking 25-ball 53 against Australia, Yashasvi Jaiswal said on Sunday that being “fearless” while playing his natural game is his mantra for success. Fifties by Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan had pushed India to 235 for four, and eventually to a facile 44-run victory over Australia in the second T20I here. “It's really special for me. I was trying to play all my shots. I was trying to be fearless as I was sure of my decisions,” said player-of-the-match Jaiswal during the post-match presentation. The left-handed opener said head coach VVS Laxman and captain Suryakumar Yadav have backed him to play his style of cricket. “I have been told by Surya bhai and VVS sir to go and play freely. I have been asked to express myself. “For me, I think I can develop (as a cricketer) and I am not thinking about anything else. I am still learning,” said Jaiswal.

“I am trying to develop all my shots. The mental stuff is something I am working on as it is important at this level.” Jaiswal said he apologised to his opening partner Gaikwad for the mix-up in the first T20I at Vizag, which resulted in the latter's run out.

“It was my mistake in the last game and I said sorry to Rutu bhai. I accepted that it was my mistake. Rutu bhai is so humble and very caring,” he added.

Suryakumar said the players have been taking responsibility against a tough side like Australia and that has made his leadership role a lot easier.

“The boys are not putting too much pressure on me. They are taking onus. I told them to be prepared to bat first here,” he said.

Suryakumar was pleased to see the maturity shown by Rinku Singh at the death overs while playing useful cameos twice in as many matches.

“When I saw Rinku come in to bat in the last game, the composure he showed was brilliant. It reminded me of someone. Everyone knows the answer,” said Suryakumar, with the reference obviously pointing to the legendary MS Dhoni.

I train to bat at death: Rinku

Rinku made a 9-ball 31 not out at a strike-rate of 344 and it went a long way in pushing India to a massive total.

The left-hander said he has been training with such situations in mind.

“I bat in this number a lot. So, I am calm knowing this position. I know sometimes I'll get 5-6 overs (to bat) or sometimes two overs.

“That's exactly how I practice, as if I'm batting in the last five. That's what VVS sir has also told me to train in the nets,” said Rinku.

Rinku's madness has a method to it – play the ball by its merit.

“I like to play each ball according to where it lands. I try to notice whether it's a slower ball or fast ball and I respond accordingly.” Andre Borovec, the Australian coach, said: “If you look at the bowling, there was a fine line with execution. We weren't able to make inroads in the first six overs.”

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How Hardik Was Traded To MI Despite Being Retained By GT - Explained

Indian cricket team all-rounder Hardik Pandya completed a sensational move from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, according to sources. The news came as a surprise for many fans as Pandya was named in the retention list submitted by Gujarat Titans on Sunday. November 26 was the deadline for the IPL franchises to submit their retention lists and although many reports claimed that Pandya will be returning to MI, he featured in the GT list. However, multiple sources confirmed that his move to MI was completed as part of an all-cash deal. This was possible because although the retention deadline had ended, the trading window will close on December 12.

In this period, all trades between the IPL franchises will be valid and as a result, Pandya's trade to MI was completed despite GT naming the all-rounder in their list of retained players.

Pandya had joined Gujarat Titans as their captain in 2022 and led them to title in the maiden season itself, besides guiding them to the IPL 2023 final, where they lost to the Chennai Super Kings.

The IPL 2024 mini-auction will take place on December 19 in Dubai.

Mumbai Indians:

Retained: Rohit Sharma (Capt), Dewald Brevis, SKY, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Cam Green, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jason Behrendorff, Romario Shepherd (trade).

Released: Arshad Khan, Ramandeep Singh, Hrithik Shokeen, Raghav Goyal, Jofra Archer, Tristan Stubbs, Duan Jansen, Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith, Chris Jordan, Sandeep Warrier.

Gujarat Titans: Retained: Hardik Pandya (Captain), David Miller, Shubman Gill, Matthew Wade, Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, Abhinav Manohar, B Sai Sudharsan, Darshan Nalkande, Vijay Shankar, Jayant Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmad, R Sai Kishore, Rashid Khan, Josh Little, Mohit Sharma.

Released: Yash Dayal, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Pradeep Sangwan, Odean Smith, Alzarri Joseph, Dasun Shanaka.

(With PTI inputs)

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2nd T20I: India Beat Australia By 44 Runs, Take 2-0 Lead In 5-Match Series

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad gave a telling manifestation of their talent with twinkling fifties, the catalyst of India's 44-run win over Australia in the second T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. India are now leading the five-match series 2-0. Opener Jaiswal led the charge of India's young brigade with a sparkling 53 off 25 balls, guiding India to a massive 235 for four in the company of Ishan (52 off 32 balls) and Gaikwad (58 off 43 balls).

Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (3/32) then muffled the Australian top-order with two quick blows, and the visitors were eventually limited to 191 for nine despite aggressive knocks by Tim David (37 off 22 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (45 off 25 balls).

Pacer Prasidh Krishna grabbed three wickets to accentuate Australia's fall as they lost five wickets for 16 runs.

Australia needed to score at 11.8 runs per over to hunt down India's total. Openers Matthew Short and Steve Smith made an urgent beginning, procuring 31 runs in the first two overs.

But Bishnoi jettisoned Short in the third over and Josh Inglis, who made a hundred in the first match at Visakhapatnam, in the fifth over as Australia slipped to 39 for two.

It soon transpired to 58 for four after Smith fell to Prasidh and left-arm spinner Axar Patel gobbled up Glenn Maxwell, as the Indian bowlers produced a disciplined effort.

However, Australia found some fight through David and Stoinis, who pummelled the Indian attack for 81 runs for an entertaining fifth wicket stand that came in just above seven overs.

Both David and Stoinis are capable of clearing the fence at will, and the Aussie duo did exactly that.

David hammered pacer Mukesh Kumar for 19 runs in the 10th over as Australia made 104 for 4 in the 10 overs and looked good for a comeback.

But Bishnoi bagged the crucial wicket of David, who lifted him to Gaikwad at long-on.

Stoinis too did not last long as his attempted heave off Mukesh ended with Axar near the straight boundary.

From that point, an Indian victory was a mere formality.

But for all that, the Indian camp should profusely thank three young, talented batters - Jaiswal, Kishan and Gaikwad.

Australian captain Matthew Wade's decision to bowl first keeping in mind the dew factor did not pay off as his bowlers faltered against the Indian troika.

The ball came off the pitch a tad slow but the Aussie bowlers were wayward, offering width to Indian batsmen.

They were happy to oblige, especially Jaiswal. He took on Sean Abbot in a breathtaking fashion.

The Australian pacer rightly took the pace off his deliveries but he erred in the line and length, offering a chance for the Indian opener to free his hands.

In the fourth over, the left-hander punished Abbot with a sequence of 4, 4, 4, 6, 6 for 24 runs, coming through two square cuts, a late cut and two pulls as India motored on in the Power Play segment which produced 71 runs.

Jaiswal brought up his fifty in 24 balls, but he could not extend the innings as a rather wild slash off pacer Nathan Ellis was grabbed by Adam Zampa at backward square leg.

But that did not really affect the Indian innings as Gaikwad combined with Kishan, who made his second fifty in as many matches, to garner 87 runs for a bruising second wicket alliance.

After the return of Jaiswal, the visitors might have hoped to slow down India's march, but the right-hand-left-hand combination never allowed them to dictate the pace of the match. India touched 101 for 1 after 10 overs.

India progressed at around 11.5 runs per over in the middle phase of the innings despite spinners Zampa and Tanveer Sangha bowling relatively better spells.

Kishan reached his half-century in 29 balls with a massive pulled six off leg-spinner Sangha over mid-wicket.

Gaikwad, whose lofted shot over bowler Zampa's head was a treat to watch, too reached his fifty off 39 balls with a double off pacer Ellis.

It might appear an industrious innings, but Gaikwad's solidity allowed others to launch into the Australian attack.

Kishan too could not build on his innings as he lost balance while trying to wallop Stoinis out of the ground, hoicking a simple catch to Ellis in the deep.

However, Rinku Singh chipped in with his customary cameo (31 off 9 balls) and ensured that India finished strongly.

The left-handed Rinku robbed 25 runs off the 19th over bowled by Abbot as he leaked 56 runs off three overs in total.

The final over bowled by Ellis went for 20 runs as India reached a total that remained out of Aussies' reach.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Rajasthan Royals' Joe Root Opts Out Of Indian Premier League 2024

England batter Joe Root has opted out of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, announced his franchise Rajasthan Royals on Saturday. "England batter Joe Root will not be taking any further participation in the IPL, it was confirmed on Saturday," said a statement from the team. Root, one of the most decorated international cricketers for England, made his foray into the IPL set up last season, when the Royals picked him at the 2023 mini-auction. He made his IPL debut in the 2023 edition, playing 3 matches for the franchise. Root scored 10 in only one inning he played.

Kumar Sangakkara, Royals' Director of Cricket, said, "During our retention conversations, Joe informed us of his decision to not take part in IPL 2024. Even in a short span of time, Joe was able to create such a positive impact on the franchise and the players around him. His energy around the group and the experience he brought to the Royals will be missed. We respect his decision totally and wish him success in everything he does."

Joe Root has opted out of IPL 2024.

The dressing room will miss you, Rooty.

More on: https://t.co/VNdWoeFrkt pic.twitter.com/1u93iyyI2y

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) November 25, 2023

The 32-year-old's addition to the Royals squad brought in plenty of depth and experience, which served as a learning experience for a lot of youngsters in the side like Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yashasvi Jaiswal in the team. His camaraderie with his England teammate Jos Buttler and his bonding with Yuzvendra Chahal was also one of the memorable highlights of the former England Test skipper's stint with the Royals.

RR finished at number five last season, with seven wins and 14 points in 14 matches.

Root has scored 2,235 runs in 97 T20 matches at an average of over 31, with 14 fifties in 87 innings.

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Ex-Pakistan Captain Wants This Star To Come Out Of Retirement

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif urged all-rounder Imad Wasim to reverse his retirement from international cricket. The 34-year-old all-rounder brought curtains down his cricket career on Friday with a post on social media stating that he feels it is the right time to retire. Latif on Saturday took to X, labelling Wasim as Pakistan's "best spinner" and urging him to reverse his retirement from international cricket.

"Imad Wasim should withdraw his retirement decision, Pakistan team's best spin bowler is Imad and can help a lot in batting. In the World Cup, if the most effective player of the team will not be there, it is not a loss for Imad, it is a loss for Pakistan. Mohammad Hafeez wants them to bring Imad back. If you want to play leagues, then separate from the central contract, but keep yourself available for the Pakistan team," Rashid wrote on X.

... pic.twitter.com/hmrIUPdAB0

— Rashid Latif | (@iRashidLatif68) November 25, 2023

Wasim made 55 ODIs and 66 T20I appearances for Pakistan and amassed 1472 runs in total claiming 109 wickets.

He played his final international match against New Zealand earlier this year in a T20I game where he played a rapid-fire knock of 31 in just 14 balls and picked two wickets. He was also part of Pakistan's Champions Trophy-winning side in 2017.

Wasim shared a heartfelt note to announce his retirement thanking the PCB as well as the fans for the support that they showed him throughout his career.

"In recent days I have been doing a lot of thinking about my international career and I have come to the conclusion that now is the right time for me to announce my retirement from international cricket," he said in a statement.

"I would like to thank the PCB for all their support over the years - it has truly been an honour to represent Pakistan. Thank you to the Pakistan fans for always supporting me with such passion. A final thank you to my family and friends who have been so important in helping me achieve at the highest level. I now look forward to focussing on the next stage of my playing career away from the international stage," Wasim added.

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Rinku's Last-Ball Six That Did Not Count - Here's What ICC's Rule Says

Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy debut got off to a dream start as India defeated Australia by three wickets in a high-scoring thriller at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Chasing a target of 208, Suryakumar played one of his trademark T20I knocks, hitting 80 off just 42 balls to put India in control. However, after his departure, India lost three wickets in the space of 14 runs, only for Rinku Singh to seal the deal for India. With Australia pacer Sean Abbott left to defend one run off one delivery, Rinku stayed calm and hit the ball over long-on for a huge six.

However, a few second later, the umpire signalled for a no-ball and India's victory was sealed right before that six came off Rinku's bat.

While Rinku hit Abbott for a six, the runs were not added to India's final score.

What does ICC's rule says?

According to ICC Men's T20I Playing Conditions 16.5.1, "As soon as a result is reached ...match is at an end. Nothing that happens thereafter, except as in clause 41.17.2 (Penalty runs), shall be regarded as part of it."

Had India needed more than one run to win the match, the six run would've reflected in their final score.

"If a boundary is scored before the batters have completed sufficient runs to win the match, the whole of the boundary allowance shall be credited to the side's total and, in the case of a hit by the bat, to the striker's score," as per the ICC playing conditions.

With the win, India took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The second game will be played at Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

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Women's Premier League Auction To Be Held In Mumbai On December 9

The players' auction ahead of the 2024 edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL) will be held on December 9 in Mumbai, the BCCI announced on Friday. The second edition of the WPL could take place in February-March next year. Mumbai Indians are the defending WPL champions, as they had beaten Delhi Capitals by seven wickets in the final on March 26 at the Brabourne Stadium earlier this year. Mumbai were led by Harmanpreet Kaur, while the recently-retired Meg Lanning captained Delhi in 2023.

The five franchises -- Mumbai, Delhi, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz -- had retained 60 cricketers, including 21 from overseas, ahead of the auction.

A total of 29 players were released from contract from the existing squads.

These are the following players from the five WPL franchises who were retained and released from the squads: Delhi Capitals: Retained Players: Alice Capsey, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jess Jonassen, Laura Harris, Marizanne Kapp, Meg Lanning, Minnu Mani, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Shafali Verma, Shikha Pandey, Sneha Deepthi, Taniyaa Bhatia, Titas Sadhu.

Released Players: Aparna Mondal, Jasia Akhter, Tara Norris.

Gujarat Giants: Retained Players: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harleen Deol, Laura Wolvaardt, Shabnam Shakil, Sneh Rana, Tanuja Kanwer.

Released Players: Annabel Sutherland, Ashwani Kumari, Georgia Wareham, Hurley Gala, Kim Garth, Mansi Joshi, Monica Patel, Parunika Sisodia, Sabbineni Meghana, Sophia Dunkley, Sushma Verma.

Mumbai Indians: Retained Players: Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Chloe Tryon, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Humairaa Kaazi, Isabelle Wong, Jintimani Kalita, Natalie Sciver, Pooja Vastrakar, Priyanka Bala, Saika Ishaque, Yastika Bhatia.

Released Players: Dhara Gujjar, Heather Graham, Neelam Bisht, Sonam Royal Challengers Bangalore: Retained Players: Asha Shobana, Disha Kasat, Ellyse Perry, Heather Knight, Indrani Roy, Kanika Ahuja, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine.

Released Players: Dane Van Niekerk, Erin Burns, Komal Zanzad, Megan Schutt, Poonam Khemnar, Preeti Bose, Sahana Pawar.

UP Warriorz: Retained Players: Alyssa Healy, Anjali Sarvani, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris, Kiran Navgire, Lauren Bell, Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, S. Yashasri, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia Mcgrath.

Released Players: Devika Vaidya, Shabnim Ismail, Shivali Shinde, Simran Shaikh.

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India 'A' Tour of SA: Some Seniors May Play In 1 First-class Game

Some of the senior team Test specialists might be sent early to South Africa to take part in India 'A' side's three-match 'shadow tour' of the country, which will be a pre-cursor to the all-important two-match Test series, starting on December 26. The BCCI has always arranged 'A' team tours to countries where the senior team is supposed to travel for Test matches but after last year's Bangladesh series, the pathways cricket (A team tours, U-19 series) didn't happen as the sole focus was on the ODI World Cup.

However, the domestic performers will have a chance to showcase their skills as there will be as many as five or six 'A' games in first-class format between December and January.

There will be three 'Tests' (four-day games) against South Africa 'A' set to happen next month and another two to three against England Lions (England 'A') in January before India's five-match mega series against the senior English side.

"Yes, there are three four-day Tests between India 'A' and South Africa 'A' next month. The team for that will be announced in some days. Most of the consistent young performers along with those (seniors) who need some game time before the two Test matches in Centurion (December 26 to 30) and Cape Town (January 3-7) will be there," a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

While the likes of Abhimanyu Easwaran, B Sai Sudharsan, Yash Dhull, Kona Bharat, Upendra Yadav and Saurabh Kumar are certainly going to be in the scheme of things, it would be interesting to see if seniors like Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin and Jaydev Unadkat get to play at least one four-day game as a tune-up to the African challenge.

Test discard Jayant Yadav and Services off-spinner Pulkit Narang, the two red-ball off-spinners, who are often summoned at India nets during Test series, could also be discussed.

Among the young pacers, Vidwath Kaverappa, Kuldeep Sen, Harshit Rana and Umran Malik could well be in the mix with old guards like Navdeep Saini.

Mayank Agarwal was Ranji Trophy's highest scorer last season but with Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jasiwal, Shubman Gill in the scheme of things, whether the Karnataka veteran will get a recall is there to be seen.

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Pakistan All-rounder Imad Wasim Retires From International Cricket

Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim on Friday announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing curtains to his eight-year international career. Wasim took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce his decision, having played 121 international matches across ODIs and T20Is for Pakistan. Imad's final outing for his country was in April this year in a T20I against New Zealand at Rawalpindi. The Welsh-born Wasim made his international debut with the Men in Green in May 2015 in a T20I against Zimbabwe at Lahore.

"In recent days, I have been doing a lot of thinking about my international career, and I have come to the conclusion that now is the right time for me to announce my retirement from international cricket," the 34-year-old Wasim wrote in his retirement note.

"I would like to thank the PCB for all their support over the years - it has truly been an honour to represent Pakistan. Each of my 121 appearances across the ODI and T20I formats was a dream come true." Wasim, a left-handed batter, played 55 ODIs scoring 986 runs averaging 42.86 and he plucked 44 wickets with his left-arm spin.

From 66 T20Is, Wasim made 486 runs and took 65 wickets.

"Each of my 121 appearances across the ODI and T20I formats was a dream come true. It's an exciting time for Pakistan cricket going forward with new coaches and leadership incoming. I wish all involved every success and I look forward to watching the team excel." However, Wasim said he would continue to focus on his playing career as a non-international player.

"Thank you to the Pakistan fans for always supporting me with such passion. A final thank you to my family and friends who have been so important in helping me achieve at the highest level. I now look forward to focusing on the next stage of my playing career away from the international stage."

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Life Continues: Kuldeep, Siraj And Rahul React After World Cup Heartbreak

Some of India's World Cup heroes, including Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj, opened up after the heartbreak at the last hurdle following a glorious run in the showpiece. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav on Thursday admitted that the pain of World Cup final defeat to Australia will linger and push him to work harder for the "next opportunity". Reactions from Mohammed Siraj and KL Rahul followed, as the players tried to cope up with the six-wicket loss to Australia in the summit clash in Ahmedabad on November 19.

"Our journey from Chennai to Ahmedabad ended in a disappointing result, but we take pride in our achievements over the six weeks. Despite the pain, we're determined to work harder for the next opportunity," Kuldeep said in a post on 'X'.

"While the pain of defeat lingers, we must move forward; life continues, and healing takes time," said the wrist spinner.

He said dealing with the setback was tough.

"The Cup was beautiful, but it seems God had other plans. Navigating this moment, it's time to switch off and recharge. Dealing with this setback is tough, but we hold onto faith, believing in the journey ahead," he said.

Kuldeep played all of India's 11 matches in the World Cup and took 15 wickets at an average of 28.26.

India won 10 matches on the trot before losing the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in front of over one lakh supporters. "Thanks to our dedicated support staff, we were fully prepared for every opponent, and their commitment reassured us as players," said Kuldeep.

"The love from fans at each of the 9 venues touched our hearts and motivated us to exceed our limits. We're grateful to passionate fans worldwide and in every Indian Household for their support." Siraj, who was seen crying after India's loss, took 14 wickets in 11 matches at an economy rate of 5.68 and was part of a formidable new ball attack that ran through opposition batting line-ups right through the group stages of the tournament.

"Our campaign did not end like we wanted it to but representing India is the biggest honour and moment of pride for me. All I have ever wanted to do is represent my country," Siraj tweeted.

"Heartbroken! Words can't express the disappointment and hurt. It's been a tough loss to take. This time might not have been god's will but we aim to work harder each day to chase glory for our country!" The pacer added, "Thank you to all our fans for your support. Seeing a sea of blue in the crowd is a feeling that can't be matched. Grateful! The energy you provided was amazing, backing us all the way. Jai Hind!" Siraj thanked the team's support staff for ensuring the players remained at their best during the showpiece.

"A big credit to our support staff, the unsung heroes who work so hard behind the scenes to provide us the care we need and help us prepare for games. Your contribution is immense to this team." Rahul, who also kept wickets besides playing some elegant knocks that define his batting, summed up everything in two words, "Still hurts".

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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IND vs AUS, 1st T20I: Surya Shines But Rinku Once Again Finishes Off

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav shrugged off the disappointment of a World Cup final defeat with a captain's knock but it was Rinku Singh's composure that took a young Indian team to a thrilling two-wicket victory in the opening T20 International in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. This was India's highest successful chase in T20 Internationals. The skipper was in belligerent mood making a mockery of a 209-run chase with 80 off just 42 balls but Rinku's 22 not off 14 balls saved India from the blushes. 

India needed 14 off 12 balls after Surya departed but Axar Patel bungled big time and the likes of Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh also were run-out in a jiffy.

With a single needed off the final delivery, Sean Abbott was deposited into the stands by Rinku but to everyone's delight, it turned out to be a big no-ball and hence the maximum wasn't counted. India thus won with a ball to spare.

However, what stood out was Rinku's fearlessness and the sense of occasion and execution under pressure.

Ishan Kishan also brushed aside initial rustiness to smack five sixes in his 39-ball-58 and was an ideal companion for his skipper in a run-chase which became easy due to a flat batting track, short boundaries and lot of dew during the second innings.

What the 112-run stand in 10 overs between Surya and Kishan did for India was keep them at par with Australia and in the hunt for a win.

Rinku, the 'designated finisher' of T20 team, showed little nerves while lending the finishing touches with some lusty blows after Axar Patel's 2 off 6 balls seemed like increasing tension in the dug-out.

Kishan initially had only two runs off his first eight deliveries but once Surya played his customary pick-up short off Jason Behrendorff behind the keeper for a six, the keeper-batter seemed to gain some confidence as he lofted Sean Abbott over deep mid-wicket for a huge six.

Surya lofted Abbott for a maximum and both got going as Kishan found his match-up in leg-break bowler Tanveer Sangha, who was sent on a leather-hunt.

Sangha's leg-breaks were literally long-hops coming into left-hander and three of Kishan's five sixes were muscled in the same region but it was the hunger for a sixth six over extra cover that brought about his downfall.

His skipper, however, hit the best six of the match when he brought about his first half-century with a lofted on-drive off Abbott.

Earlier, India's young bowling attack got a rude reality check as a dominant Josh Inglis smoked them to all parts of the ground with a cracking 110 off 50 balls, taking Australia to a healthy 208 for three. Surya's decision to bowl first on a batting featherbed turned out to be a nightmare for the inexperienced Indian attack. They were taken to the cleaners by Inglis (110 off 50 balls), who hit as many as eight sixes, half a dozen of them off googly bowler Ravi Bishnoi.

The century, his first across international formats, came off 47 balls and there were 11 boundaries as well, including an audacious reverse sweep off pacer Arshdeep Singh (0/41 in 4 overs) and an arrogant slash over point off the same bowler.

Only pacer Mukesh Kumar (0/29 in 4 overs) held his own amid the onslaught from both ends.

The stockily built keeper-batter, brimming with confidence of an altogether different level, took a special liking for Bishnoi (1/54 in 4 overs), who for the first time looked exposed due to his one-dimensional skill-set of consistently bowling fast googlies, with an occasional straighter one slipped in between.

Inglis had the seasoned Steve Smith (52 off 41 balls) for company as the former skipper kept nudging and pushing apart from his eight boundaries in a stand of 130, dominated by the junior partner.

Prasidh Krishna (1/50 in 4 overs), who travelled around with the World Cup squad for a month, clearly didn't find any rhythm as it was Smith, who first creamed him for successive boundaries and then when his end was changed by Suryakumar, the fate didn't change as he was hit for three fours and a six by Inglis, who went on a rampage.

In fact, it was Bishnoi who drew the first blood getting Matthew Short cleaned up with a straighter one but then Inglis devised a plan that worked wonderfully well for him.

Knowing that Bishnoi primarily bowls fast googlies or just pushes one with the angle, he just moved away from stumps, hitting him over extra cover, leave aside pulling those half-trackers into the mid-wicket stands.

There were slog sweeps to fuller deliveries and Bishnoi looked out of sorts on a day when Yuzvendra Chahal, smarting after an unceremonious omission from T20I squad, took six wickets for Haryana in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the national one-day championship. 

Having been used to a stellar bowling show through the better part of the World Cup, the pasting that this second string attack received from Australia must have shaken the likes of Bishnoi and Krishna, both of whom had 'half-centuries' to their names, albeit of a different kind.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Why Was Rinku Singh's Last-Ball Six vs Australia Not Counted - Explained

India started the T20I series against Australia in some style as they notched a two-wicket win on Thursday. There was no shortage of thrill in the match. Courtesy Josh Inglis' 110, Australia notched a huge total of 208/3 in 20 overs. In reply, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan hit half-centuries as India cruised towards the target. However, both got out and it was left to Rinku Singh to take India over the line as India needed seven runs off six balls. 

More drama ensued as India lost the wickets of Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh in the last over by Sean Abbott to go eight down. With India needing one off one ball, Rinku Singh hit a huge six to take India to win. However, the six was not counted and there was confusion over India's final score. The umpires then adjudged the delivery as no-ball. Since it was a no-ball, and India had got the required one run and had already won by its courtesy. Hence, the six was not counted. India ended on 209/8 in 19.5 overs.

Half-centuries by Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan helped India secure a two-wicket win over Australia in the first T20I of a five-match series at Visakhapatnam on Thursday.

This is India's highest T20I run-chase, outdoing chase of 208 against West Indies back in 2019.

India is 1-0 up in the series.

In the chase of 209, India started off well with Yashasvi Jaiswal hitting a four and six in the first over, but a miscommunication with Ruturaj Gaikwad ran out the latter for zero. India was 11/1 in 0.5 overs.

Jaiswal looked to up the attack in the next over, but Matthew Short got his first T20I wicket, removing Jaiswal for 21 off 8 balls, with two fours and two sixes. India was 22/2 in 2.3 overs.

Ishan and Suryakumar Yadav, the skipper were the fresh pair. After a brief lull, they both started hitting shots. Pacer Sean Abbott went for 20 runs in the fifth over and was hit for a four and two sixes.

India reached the 50-run mark in 4.5 overs.

At the end of the powerplay, India was 63/2, with Suryakumar (26*) and Ishan (14*) unbeaten.

The ninth over pulled India back in the game big time, with young spinner Tanveer Sangha hit for two sixes and a four by Ishan. India reached the 100-run mark in 9.1 overs.

Halfway through the innings, India was 106/2, with Suryakumar (39*) and Suryakumar (40*) unbeaten.

Ishan reached his half-century, his fourth in T20Is in just 37 balls, with two fours and four sixes. The left-hander attempted to punish Sangha with a four and six. However, a third attempt to clear the ropes was caught by Short. Ishan walked back for 58 off 39 balls, with two fours and five sixes. India was 134/3 in 12.3 overs.

India reached the 150-run mark in 14.2 overs.

Tilak played some good shots but lost his wicket to Sangha after being caught by Stoinis at extra cover for 12. India was 154/4 in 14.5 overs.

A knuckle ball was delivered by Jason Behrendorff and Suryakumar skied it, got caught by Aaron Hardie. Surya went back for 80 off 42 balls, with nine fours and four sixes. India was 194/5 in 17.4 overs.

India reached the 200-run mark in 18.5 overs with the help of a four from Rinku Singh.

With ANI inputs

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On India's Batting In WC 2023 Final, Gambhir's 'Not Brave Enough' Verdict

Former Indian cricket team batter Gautam Gambhir was not pleased with the approach taken by Rohit Sharma and Co while batting in the Cricket World Cup 2023 final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. India were all out for 240 and in response, Travis Head played a phenomenal knock to guide the Aussies to a record-extending sixth World Cup title. Gambhir pointed out that it is the 'most courageous' team who have the advantage in games like the World Cup final and the Indian batters were not aggressive or courageous in their approach after a good start.

“I have always maintained this - the most courageous team will go on to win the World Cup. I can understand that for some time you want to build a partnership. But 11-40 overs is a very long period of time. India should have accelerated and taken a risk at that stage," Gambhir told Sportskeeda

“I actually would have liked India going really aggressive with the top six, seven batters. Even if they got all out for 150, I would have been fine. But you scored 240 and thought you can fight. In World Cup finals, you don't fight - it has to be either this way or that way. That is the approach I would have taken. Either we go 150 all out or 300. That is what India has lacked and this is why India has not gone on to win ICC tournaments,” the former Indian cricket team opener added.

Rohit scored a quickfire 47 to provide a brilliant foundation for the Indian batters but a sluggish run rate meant that despite Virat Kohli and KL Rahul's half-centuries, they failed to post a competitive total.

“Probably Rohit should have sent that message before the start of the game that even if I get out, we are going aggressive. Virat's role is to anchor the innings from one end, but rest all the other batters go hard. If you are able to take five singles in an over, that is also called positive cricket. But, if you are playing 4-5 dot balls in an over, the game is going nowhere."

“If Virat was in, KL should have gone. He should have said that, I am going to take those risks. We might have got out for 150, but imagine if we were brave and had scored 310, you could have won the World Cup. India were not brave enough, courageous enough and that's where we lost the finals,” Gambhir concluded.

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Perth Scorchers Women vs Melbourne Stars Women: Fantasy XI

Perth Scorchers Women will lock horns with Melbourne Stars Women in Match 50 of the Women's Big Bash League 2023 on November 22. The Western Australia Cricket Association Ground in Perth will host this clash, scheduled to begin at 2:40 PM IST. Talking about teams' performances, the Perth Scorchers have been in superb form in WBBL 2023, winning eight and losing four of their 12 matches so far. Currently, they stand second in the points table and can reclaim the top spot with a win in their upcoming match. On the other hand, Melbourne Stars have endured a poor campaign with just four wins out of 12 matches thus far. They have managed to collect just eight points, resulting in their elimination from the ongoing campaign.

Weather conditions

The temperature at the WACA Stadium in Perth is anticipated to be around 38C accompanied by 19% humidity.

Pitch report

The wicket at the WACA Stadium in Perth is renowned for its pace and bounce, which assists the fast bowlers in getting the breakthroughs for their teams.

In the five Women's T20Is played at the venue, the teams fielding first have won on four occasions.

PS-W vs MS-W predicted playing XI

Perth Scorchers Women: Sophie Devine (c), Beth Mooney (wk), Maddy Darke, Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Amy Edgar, Amy Jones, Alana King, Piepa Cleary, Lilly Mills, Taneale Peschel, Chloe Ainsworth

Melbourne Stars Women: Annabel Sutherland (c), Sophia Dunkley, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Sophie Reid (wk), Nicole Faltum, Kim Garth, Olivia Henry, Sasha Moloney, Milly Illingworth, Sophie Day

PS-W vs MS-W fantasy XI WBBL 2023

Wicket-keepers: Beth Mooney

Batters: Sophia Dunkley

All-rounders: Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Amy Edgar, Sophie Devine, Annabel Sutherland, Alice Capsey, Kim Garth

Bowlers: Alana King, Sophie Day, Chloe Ainsworth

It's a 6:5 combination featuring six Perth Scorchers players.

Beth Mooney is a no-brainer pick among wicket-keepers. The Southpaw is the leading run-getter in the ongoing campaign with 535 runs at a staggering average of 66.87, including one ton and five half-centuries.

Sophia Dunkley will be the sole batter in this lineup dominated by the all-rounders. Even though the right-handed batter hasn't been at her aggressive best, she has amassed 130 runs in 12 innings while chipping in as a part-time bowler with three wickets.

Three all-rounders each from Perth Scorchers (Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Amy Edgar & Sophie Devine) and Melbourne Stars (Annabel Sutherland, Alice Capsey, Kim Garth) will make it to our XI.

The trio of Sciver-Brunt, Edgar and Devine have played an instrumental role in Scorchers' stellar form this season. While Sciver-Brunt has piled up 117 runs in five innings, Edgar has picked up 19 wickets at an economy of 6.50 and also has 59 runs to her credit

Captain Sophie Devine has led by example, accumulating 446 runs and taking 11 wickets in 12 fixtures.

Annabel Sutherland, Alice Capsey and Kim Garth have been the positive takeaways from a rather underwhelming season for the Melbourne Stars.

Australian duo Annabel Sutherland and Kim Garth have combined for 27 wickets. Sutherland has also contributed significantly with the bat, scoring 243 runs at a strike rate of 120.29. Meanwhile, Alice Capsey has accounted for 240 runs and seven wickets in 12 matches.

Alana King, Sophie Day and Chloe Ainsworth will be our three bowlers expected to provide points through wickets.

Sophie Day, the 25-year-old spinner from Melbourne Stars, has had a breakthrough WBBL 2023 season and is currently the top wicket-taker in the tournament with 23 wickets.

Captain: Sophie Devine

The Perth Scorchers skipper has been a major force to reckon with throughout the competition and will once again look to display her all-round heroics against the Melbourne Stars.

Vice-captain: Annabel Sutherland

In Meg Lanning's absence, the onus will be on Sutherland to add important runs with the willow and help her side with the ball as well. Moreover, she has yielded an average of 88.42 fantasy points over the course of WBBL 2023 and hence, will be a good pick for vice-captaincy.

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"Preparing A Pitch Like This...": Cricket Greats Call Out Final 'Blunder'

Well before the names of the two teams in the Cricket World Cup 2023 were final, the 'pitch talk' had taken over the chatter around the tournament. From the semi-final onwards, there were plenty of discussions around the nature of the pitch that will be seen in the knockout matches of the World Cup. Seeing India pay the price of a slow and sluggish wicket at Ahmedabad in the final against Australia, the great Ricky Ponting called out the hosts' 'tactical blunder' when it comes to preparation of the pitch for the final.

It was Australia skipper Pat Cummins who won the toss and chose to field first. When India skipper Rohit Sharma was asked about his preference, he said he would've wanted to bat first. While both captains got what they wanted to from the toss, it was the Australian side's assessment that paid dividends.

"It was very, very sub-continental conditions today," said Ricky Ponting while commentating during the match. "A wicket preparation that has probably ended up backfiring on India to be totally fair."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan feels it was the nature of the pitch that gave Australia a chance to beat India, who were unbeaten in the tournament until the final.

"Strategically they are a very clever team," Vaughan said in commentary of Australia. "They've clearly got a very clever think tank. I don't think they are a 320 side, they are a 280 side and preparing a pitch like this gave Australia a chance."

"They did exactly what Pat Cummins said they would, they've silenced the crowd. They've done it in great fashion. I don't know anyone who thought the game would be done in 43 overs with Australia coasting to the target," Vaughan asserted.

On Sky Sports, another former England captain, Nasser Hussain weighed in on the result. He feels it was because of India's long tail that the likes of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul couldn't go hard in the middle overs. Lack of all-round options is what, as per Hussain, hurt India's case.

"India are still a great side - but the pitch brought Australia into it," Hussain said on Sky Sports.

"India's four bowlers not being able to bat that well came back to haunt them. That's why Rahul and Kohli couldn't go hard.

"They were worried about Shami at No 8."

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