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DELHI THE HINDU 20 SPORT WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Gritty India holds Asian champ Qatar The opening conundrum Panchal, Abhimanyu on the radar; will Rohit get a new lifeline? Outstanding goalkeeping by Gurpreet Sandhu thwarts the host; the contest ends goalless TEAM SELECTION WC QUALIFIER Amol Karhadkar Press Trust of India MUMBAI Doha India may have justifi ed its A gritty India survived a top ranking by returning wave of attacks from Qatar to from the West Indies with hold the reigning Asian optimum points in its mai champion to a goalless draw den assignment of the World and steal an unexpected Test Championship. point from its away match of However, as the national the FIFA World Cup quali selection panel sits down on fi ers here on Tuesday. Thursday to select the squad Despite playing without for the home Test series ver talismanic captain Sunil sus South Africa, M.S.K. Pra Chhetri — laid low by fever — sad & Co. will be in a dilem India denied Qatar, which ma on how to resolve the Once the selectors moved of the selectors for more won the Asian Cup in Janu opening combination on from the combination of than two seasons now. ary, despite the home side conundrum. Dhawan and M. Vijay, K.L. While Panchal, the Gujarat having more than a dozen Despite Virat Kohli’s men Rahul was supposed to step captain, has the experience shots on target. having triumphed in its last into the role of the senior and a mature head on his India goalkeeper Gurpreet three Test series in the last 12 opener. However, let alone shoulders, Bengal’s Abhima Singh Sandhu, who also months — a rare series win in leading the charge, the Kar nyu has been in sensational wore the captain’s armband, Australia sandwiched bet nataka batsman has strug form for IndiaA and in the was the star as he single ween home and away victo gled to even maintain his Duleep Trophy. handedly baulked Qatar in ries versus West Indies — place in the team. His State However, if the selectors, the Group E match. opening combination has mate Mayank Agarwal, who in consultation with the India, which had suff ered been far from being stable debuted in Australia, has teammanagement, decide a heartbreaking 21 loss to during this period. looked the most assured wil to present Rohit Sharma the Oman in its opening match lowwielder at the top of the role of the Test opener, then on September 5 at Guwahati, Heroic performance: With Qatar unleashing over a dozen shots on target, ’keeper Gurpreet Sandhu had a busy night, Five batsmen tried out order. both Panchal and Abhima now has one point from two one which he handled with aplomb. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Ever since the selectors and With Rahul running out of nyu’s wait for the India jer matches while Qatar has four the team management de time, Dhawan and Vijay not sey will be prolonged. after its 60 win over Afghan ings, on the other hand, had as he was called into action Rao Desai in the 14th minute cided to look beyond Shik in contention and Prithvi Considering Rohit’s ex istan in its fi rst match here. just two shots on the opposi several times but he re just outside the penalty box har Dhawan after the series Shaw serving doping sus ceptional run in the World India next plays Bangla tion goal in the entire match. mained fi rm. fell for Abdul Aziz Hatem, in England exactly a year pension, it would be inter Cup — he scored a record desh on October 15 in In the fi rst half, India ex but his curling strike fl ew ago, the Indian team has esting to see if the national fi ve hundreds as an opener — Kolkata. pectedly sat deep and de Fingertip save just above the crossbar. tried out fi ve batsmen as selectors decide to blood in a section of the selectors and fended its citadel. Qatar captain Hassan AlHay A free header off Boualem openers. a specialist opener for the the teammanagement feel Meagre shots The home side had at least dos had two shots early into Khoukhi in the 26th minute What’s worse is none of South Africa Test series, set Rohit should be asked to Qatar, ranked 62nd in the half a dozen ontarget shots the match but Gurpreet was was also off the target as In the four opening combina to begin in Visakhapatnam open in Tests as well. world, had more than two and seven corners in the fi rst up to the task, including the dia escaped unscathed in the tions has worked. The fi rst on Oct. 2. It would be interesting to dozen shots out of which at half while India did not have brilliant fi ngertip save in the fi rst half. wicket stand averaged 28.07 Priyank Panchal and Ab see if the Mumbaikar gets a least a dozen were on target. any. 20th minute. The result: in the 14 innings over the last himanyu Easwaran have new lifeline for his topsytur India, 103rd in the FIFA rank Gurpreet was a busy man A mispass from Mandar Qatar 0 drew with India 0. 12 months. been knocking on the doors vy Test career. This is All India Radio... now ‘We strongly believe in Quinton’s leadership skills’ tune in to live commentary While praising du Plessis’ contribution, Nkwe insists on infusing fresh blood in T20s SA IN INDIA said on Tuesday. ly believe in Quinton, who is is a formidable team, Nkwe is de Kock feels adaptability BCCI announces a twoyear rights arrangement While du Plessis is still the going to be leading the team confi dent that this upcoming is the key and believes the captain of the Test side, going forward,” Nkwe told threematch T20I series, be track will help batsmen. Vijay Lokapally game of India’s upcoming Hindi commentators, it is, Press Trust of India Nkwe gave enough indica reporters. ginning on Sunday, will help “I have been here before NEW DELHI Paytm T20I series against “throwback to those great Dharamshala tions that South Africa wants “We have a good leader them assess the Proteas. but haven’t played here. The Cricket fans will once again South Africa in Dharamsala times when cricket fans re South Africa’s cricket esta to infuse fresh blood going and it’s an opportunity to “It’s the start of a new last time we were here, the be regaled by radio commen on Sept. 15. In addition to in mained glued to radio or blishment acknowledges Faf into next year’s World T20 in start building for the future.” chapter and focus will be the wicket did play very well,” he tary following an arrange ternational matches, AIR will transistor sets. The commen du Plessis’ contribution both Australia. “We know where While admitting that India coming series against India.” said. ment between the BCCI and also provide coverage for the tator was the eyes and ears of as a player and captain but Faf stands as a captain and as the All India Radio (AIR). men’s and women’s domestic the fans who would visualise it’s about time it looks at the a player. He has done great The BCCI on Tuesday said, tournaments. The twoyear the game from what they future with belief in Quinton things for SA cricket. But we “in an initiative to enhance tenure starts on Sept. 10. heard. My seniors like Anant de Kock’s leadership skills, also need to look at what fu the coverage of Indian crick Setalvad and Suresh Saraiya interim director Enoch Nkwe ture looks like and we strong et and take it to the nook and Move welcomed were pillars who contributed corner of the country,” it was The move was welcomed by to popularize the game. Ace announcing a twoyear radio the fraternity of commenta cricketers like Vijay Mer rights arrangement with AIR. tors. “It is a wonderful news chant and Lala Amarnath “This initiative will off er for us. Radio is a powerful would enrich the commen millions of listeners across medium and it reaches out to tary box with their wisdom.” India the opportunity to fol so many remote places. Fol The BCCI had had issues low their favourite sport via lowing the game live from the with the AIR related to rights live radio commentary,” the ground adds to the excite and the latter was compelled BCCI informed. It will be spe ment that a cricket fan expe to have the commentators cialy benefi cial for the visual riences even at work,” said work from studios. lyimpaired fans. Sachin Chatte, an English “We did commentary only The audio commentary commentator based in Goa. when India played overseas,” will commence from the fi rst For Vineet Garg, a veteran said Chatte. Get, set, go: Interim director Nkwe says it’s the start of a new chapter for South Africa.* AP Knighthood U Mumba has the measure of Titans When romance and results unite, it is special for Boycott Ahmedabad to host PKL playoff s and fi nal has spent half his life in refugee camps. like their counterparts in other coun He announced his retirement from Test tries. “The game is becoming increas and Strauss Y.B. Sarangi half, also cashed in from zel, who not only garnered cricket before the start of his country’s ingly structured,” wrote Tim Wigmore KOLKATA Deshwal’s contribution. fi ve tackle points in the se third Test which they won this week in in Second XI : Cricket in Its Outposts, ad U Mumba benefi ted from its Deshwal, who had opened cond half but also guided his Bangladesh. A gifted off spin bowler ding, “There are 80 grounds in Afghan captain Fazel Atrachali’s ex Mumba’s account with a two team brilliantly to seize mo and a hardhitting batsman, Nabi, a gen istan, and more than 50 turf wickets.” cellent tackles and Arjun point raid, claimed Vishal mentum at the right time. BETWEEN WICKETS tle, articulate man, is unique in other All this sounds perfectly normal till Deshwal’s fi ne allround Bhardwaj and C. Arun to help Deshwal infl ated his per ways too. He is the only player to hit the you realise just what it means for a showing to beat Telugu Ti his side take a 1513 lead. sonal score to 10 while ex suresh menon fi rst ball he faced in both innings on his country to have achieved it despite hav tans 4127 in a rescheduled However, Farhad Milagh tending Mumba’s lead. Ti First Class debut for six. ing been at war since 1979 when the So match of the ProKabaddi ardan conducted a successful tans, which experienced two orget the back story, cynical sports viets moved in. Hillary Clinton put it in League here on Tuesday. raid with a bonus point to le more all outs, could never Feditors would repeat in the old days, Wonderful gesture perspective when she said, “If we are Geoff rey Boycott. * REUTERS Mumba’s seventh win vel the scores just before the really recover. judge a team purely by its performance As Rashid Khan picked up his eleventh searching for a model of how to meet pushed it up into the topsix break. Mumba applied pres EKA Arena at Ahmedabad on the fi eld. Were the players good wicket of the match to bring Afghanis tough international challenges with on the points tally. sure as Titans got all out with will host the two eliminators, enough to score runs, good enough to tan victory — their second in three Tests skill, dedication and teamwork, we Titans banked on Sidd in a minute of resumption. semifi nals and the grand fi take wickets and hold catches? Did they to match the early record of Australia — need only to look to the Afghan national harth Desai and Rakesh Gow Fazel’s solid tackling and its nale from Oct. 14 to 19. score at least one run more than their he took off in the manner of the mod cricket team.” da’s praiseworthy eff orts to raiders’ successful forays en opponents at the end of the match? ern bowler, running across the fi eld. It is possible that Afghanistan has The result: U Mumba 41 (Arjun lead 139 before Mumba, abled Mumba to establish a Deshwal 10, Rohit Baliyan 7, Fa That’s all that matters. Don’t romanti Then he collected himself, and found emerged as everybody’s second favou which was all out in the 13th sevenpoint lead at 2518. zel Atrachali 6, Sandeep Narwal cise origin stories. If someone had to he was closer to the dressing room than rite team after their own. minute, made a strong come Titans rode on the Gow 4) bt Telugu Titans 27 (Rakesh walk barefoot to school and began by his teammates. At this moment, Rashid, back. Mumba, which gave a da’s allround performance Gowda 7, Siddharth Desai 4, throwing stones at distant objects, that 20, the youngest Test captain ever, Onfi eld performance Andrew Strauss. * REUTERS close fi ght due to Rohit Bali to narrow the margin, but Farhad Milaghardan 4, Vishal is interesting but not crucial to a team’s chose to wait till senior man Nabi So much for the romance. What of the Agence France-Presse yan’s fi ve points in the fi rst Mumba was boosted by Fa Bhardwaj 4). success. caught up, and gestured for him to lead performance on the fi eld of play? In London Yet, sports without romance is in the team in. It was a wonderful gesture, ODI, they have played 123, won 59 and England cricket greats Ge complete. In fact, sport is romance. a tribute to both men and testimony to lost 60; in T20 it is 49 won versus 22 lost off rey Boycott and Andrew Scores and results are important, of how much more Afghanistan had learnt in 71 matches. There is something about Strauss have been given course, but they aren’t everything. Of about the game beyond batting and white ball cricket that seems to suit knighthoods by Theresa ten the struggle, and the sheer improb bowling. their approach which favours risktak May in her resignation ho ability of a group playing together is the Rashid Khan is already their best ing over safetyfi rst, and lays greater nours list. Boycott and more interesting aspect of the competi known player, their richest, and easily store by the unorthodox. That they Strauss both received the tion. And when romance meets perfor their fi nest bowler. In three Tests he al made the switch to Test cricket without honour for their services to mance, the joy is complete. Afghanis ready has 20 wickets, fi veplus in his too much trouble is merely one more sport after outstanding ca tan’s elevation to the highest reaches of last three innings. Afghanistan lost their astounding fact about a team that deals reers for England. cricket is perhaps the most romantic debut match against India, but beat Ire in astounding facts. Boycott, 78, amassed story in contemporary sport. land and the more experienced Bangla The early wins mean Afghanistan ask 8,114 Test runs at 47.72 in desh. But the format of the new World to be judged on their game rather than an England career that ran No real tradition Test championship, where only nine of on history and the past. At some point between 1964 and 1982. They imbibed the game in refugee 12 teams earn points, means they might in the evolution of teams in sport, the Strauss hit 7,037 runs in camps while their country was at war. not play as much Test cricket as they focus shifts from what was considered 100 Tests from 2004 to They have no real tradition in the game deserve to. improbable to what is seen as possible. 2012. Strauss captained En like the other members of the Com This usually takes time. gland to Ashes triumphs in monwealth. A quarter century ago they Test hero Rahmat Afghanistan, despite their poor 2009 and 201011, the lat had fewer than 30 people who played Rashid apart, the team’s Test hero is showing in this year’s World Cup, have ter campaign making him cricket. Rahmat Shah, who made his country’s earned the right to be treated as an in the fi rst English skipper to Their players have been shot, their fi rst century, after having made 98 and ternational team without condescen win a Test series on Austra fi rst national hero, Mohammad Nabi, 76 in the earlier win against Ireland. He sion. And that has been their greatest lian soil since Mike Gatting was on a cricket tour when his father is 26. Afghanistan players graduate achievement in a decade of internation in 198687. Inspiring: Fazel Atrachali, right, led from the front for U Mumba on Tuesday.* RAJEEV BHATT was kidnapped back home. Nabi, 34, from the Under19 levels to the A team, al cricket.
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