26 Established 1961 Sports Tuesday, October 16, 2018 India ready to unleash ‘fearless’ Shaw, on Australia Shastri compares Shaw to Tendulkar and destructive Sehwag and Lara

HYDERABAD: “Fearless” young stars Prithvi performances with a call-up for the first two one-day Shaw and Rishabh Pant will be India’s special weapons internationals against the West Indies. during their upcoming tour of Australia, according to But it is Shaw who has stood out, with some pundits . Hailing the roles of 18-year-old comparing him to the great . He Shaw and 21-year-old Pant in the two-Test victory over scored 237 runs in three innings against the West Indies the West Indies, Kohli said they had been given free to get the Man of the Series award. rein to play their natural games. India coach Ravi Shastri compared Shaw to “We were looking at them playing with a lot of free- Tendulkar and the destructive Virender Sehwag and dom, which they did,” Kohli said after India’s three-day, . 10- win on Sunday. “Prithvi was outstanding, The diminutive right-hander aggressively attacked Rishabh was really fearless. I am really happy that these the West Indies bowlers and showed quick reflexes guys have grabbed their chances.” while fielding at forward short-leg-a dangerous posi- Shaw became the youngest Indian batsman to score tion close to the batsman. a century on his Test debut, smashing 134 in the first “He has been playing since the age of eight in the Test against the West Indies in Rajkot. He followed it maidans (open spaces) of Mumbai. You can see all that up with a quickfire 70 in the first innings of the second hard work showing. There’s a bit of Sachin there, a bit Test in Hyderabad. of Viru in him-and when he walks there’s a bit of Lara Left-hander Pant, who hit a century during this as well,” said Shastri. year’s Test tour of England, followed up with scores of Kohli said: “It’s great to have a guy who is so fear- 92 in both the first and second Tests against the West less. He is not reckless, he is very confident about his Indies. “I know the conditions were not as challenging game. He’s a rare talent. I don’t think any of us were as they might get in future, but in Test , the first even 10 percent of what he is when we were 18, 19.” and the most important thing is confidence and under- India will play five ODIs and three inter- standing that you can score runs at the Test level,” said nationals against the West Indies before starting a tour Kohli. “From that point of view, (I’m) very happy that of Australia in November. these guys have taken their chance so well.” After series defeats in and England this year, India will take on Australia in three ODIs, four HYDERABAD: File photo shows Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw (2R) gesture with his teammates during a training SHADES OF TENDULKAR, LARA Tests and three T20 matches in what is being seen as a session ahead of the second match between India and West Indies at the Rajiv Gandhi International Pant, who shows an audacious range of strokes as a critical examination of their position as the world’s top Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on October 10, 2018. —AFP middle-order batsman, has been rewarded for his Test Test side. —AFP

Australia target first Asia series win since 2011 ICC charges Sri Lankan legend Jayasuriya in ABU DHABI: Australian skipper vowed his team would do its utmost to win the anti-corruption probe second Test against Pakistan starting in Abu Dhabi from today for a first series win in Asia since 2011. The trying conditions of the pitches DUBAI: Dashing former Sri Lankan batsman and ex-chief selector and hot weather have stopped Australia from Sanath Jayasuriya has been charged for not cooperating with a winning a series since they beat Sri Lanka 1-0 match-fixing probe and concealing information, the International in 2011. Cricket Council said yesterday. Since then they have lost 4-0 in India (2013), “The International Cricket Council (ICC) has charged 2-0 in United Arab Emirates to Pakistan (2014), Jayasuriya on two counts of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption 3-0 in Sri Lanka (2016), 2-1 in India (2017) and Unit (ACU) and have given him 14 days to respond,” the ICC said drew 1-1 in Bangladesh last year. But Paine’s in a statement. side snatched a morale-boosting draw on the Jayasuriya, 49, was reportedly asked to cooperate with an fifth and final day in the first Test in Dubai, the inquiry from ACU chief Alex Marshall who visited Sri Lanka last skipper and number 10 seeing out month. “The charges include failure or refusal, without compelling the final 12.2 overs after being set a daunting justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the target of 462 runs. ACU, including failure to provide accurately and completely any “We want to win every series we are involved information and/or documentation requested by the ACU as part in,” Paine said yesterday. “We are focusing on of such investigation,” the ICC said. what we do and if we can do well for five days The other count included “obstructing or delaying any investi- gation that may be carried out by the ACU, including concealing, then we have a really good chance of winning it. DUBAI: File photo shows Australian crickter Tim Paine (C) plays a shot during day five of the first Test “We are reasonably confident. After the last tampering with or destroying any documentation or other informa- cricket match in the series between Australia and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai tion that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be few days we got a little bit of relief and a little bit on October 11, 2018. — AFP of mileage, so we know if we play our best crick- evidence or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt con- et we have got a chance to win this Test match. duct under the Anti-Corruption Code”. The ICC’s ACU is acting further on their previous investigation “We are coming into this Test with a bit more Zaman for his first Test. They also left out fast scored runs and bowlers have also taken which in January 2016 saw Galle stadium curator Jayananda momentum and guys know what to expect a bit bowler Wahab Riaz, who went wicketless in the so we are very much hopeful of performing well Warnaweera banned for three years after he failed to cooperate more in these conditions,” said Paine, who first Test, and will pick one from uncapped pacer to win the series.” with the ACU. announced paceman will play in Mir Hamza or leg-spinner Shadab Khan. ACU head Marshall last month said: “The ACU works to uphold Abu Dhabi. That is hint enough that Australia are Pakistan’s only series loss in United Arab TEAMS (FROM) integrity in cricket and this includes conducting investigations likely to keep the same starting XI. Emirates-their neutral venue since attacks on the Australia: Tim Paine (capt), Ashton Agar, where there are reasonable grounds to do so. “There is currently Sri Lankan team bus in 2009 forced them to play , Aaron Finch, , Jon an ICC (ACU) investigation under way in Sri Lanka. Naturally as A ‘VERY GOOD TEAM’ here-was last year. They lost to Sri Lanka 2-0, Holland, , , part of this we are talking to a number of people.” Paine admitted Pakistan were a “very good their first series loss in 10 attempts. Nathan Lyon, , Shaun Marsh, Jayasuriya played 110 Tests, 445 one-day internationals and 31 team”. “They have some good batters, particular- But Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed dispelled , Matthew Renshaw, , for Sri Lanka and was also a former captain during his ly in these conditions. We know what we are up any fear of losing. “There is nothing like that Mitchell Starc. illustrious career between 1989-2011. He is also a former member against and we know they are an excellent team (fear) and you would see that with the way we Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Azhar Ali, of Sri Lanka’s parliament. —AFP and even better in these conditions.” played the first Test. Throughout we played good Mohammad Hafeez, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Pakistan have been forced into making two cricket but unfortunately we couldn’t get across Azam, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail,Yasir Shah, changes after opener Imam-ul-Haq fractured his the line,” Ahmed said. Shadab Khan, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Abbas, finger in Dubai. He will be replaced by Fakhar “The team morale is high, batsmen have Mir Hamza. — AFP S Africa’s WCup De Villiers included for plans take shape S African T20 league : South Africa’s time for experimentation ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup is coming to an end, according to coach Ottis Gibson. Speaking after rain washed out his team’s final Twenty20 interna- JOHANNESBURG: South African batting star AB de Villiers was yester- tional against Zimbabwe in Benoni on Sunday, Gibson said a short limited day named among 12 leading players for South Africa’s new Mzansi Super overs tour of Australia, starting later this month, would be a crucial part of League Twenty20 tournament. Six South African and six overseas players the build-up to next year’s World Cup in England. were named as marquee players at a media briefing. “We want to go there with an attitude of trying to win,” said Gibson. Six teams will be competing for their services in a draft in Johannesburg “The squad that we pick will reflect that and reflect our feeling on the for- tomorrow. mula and the way we want to play cricket.” England one-day captain Eoin Morgan and fellow England players South Africa were seldom under pressure in three limited overs and two and Dawid Malan will join West Indians Chris Gayle and Twenty20 internationals against Zimbabwe but tried to play the kind of Dwayne Bravo and Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan as the leading positive cricket that will be needed for more demanding encounters. overseas players. “There is a lot being said about being positive. The key is having the will Six teams will be competing for their services in a draft which will take to stick with it even when things get tough,” said Gibson. The Barbados- place in Johannesburg tomorrow. De Villiers, who retired from international born coach said leading batsman Hashim Amla would miss the tour of cricket earlier this year, heads the list of designated South African players. Australia because of a finger injury but indicated that veteran bowlers Dale He will represent the Tshwane Spartans, who will be based at his long-time Steyn and Imran Tahir would make the trip, adding to the strike power of home ground in Centurion. fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. National captain Faf du Plessis will play for the Paarl Rocks team in the “I know what Rabada and Ngidi can do but for me the real excitement Cape Winelands, Hashim Amla for Durban Heat, JP Duminy for Cape Town was watching Dale Steyn in the second game in Bloemfontein,” he Blitz, Kagiso Rabada for Jozi Stars in Johannesburg and Imran Tahir for the said. “It was fantastic to see him back to that level again, bowling quickly Port-Elizabeth based Nelson Mandela Bay Giants. AB de Villiers with that skill and accuracy.” The league, named after a colloquial term for South Africa, will run from “There are a lot of guys we have in our thoughts who will be in the November 15 to December 16. Cricket South Africa chief executive squad to Australia,” said Gibson. “For the last 12 months we have been Thabang Moroe said there had been a big response from players from lapsed in 2017, leading to the axing of then chief executive Haroon Lorgat looking at players. In the next couple of months, the players have been around the world who wanted to be included in the league. and a loss of an estimated $14 million. told that the window is closing all the time.” “We have received applications from over 200 top international players It appeared doubtful that the concept would be revived in time for the After three one-day internationals in Australia, South Africa will have five- who expressed interest in playing in this inaugural tournament and will current season before CSA announced on September 8 that it would go match home series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. “In those series we want to have their names in the hat ahead of the player draft process,” said Moroe. ahead. South Africa’s national broadcaster, SABC, has been granted the be focusing on a core of 17 to 18 players we will be looking at,” he said. South South Africa’s first attempt at staging a major Twenty20 tournament col- rights to televise the tournament. — AFP Africa’s squad for Australia will be announced on Thursday. —AFP