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THE HINDU DELHI SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019 SPORT 17 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Another episode of the riveting duel primed to unfold India will strive to maintain its total dominance against Pakistan; the weather, oscillating between sunshine and drizzle, may have a say

ween sunshine and drizzle. ranks, Mohammad Amir and Pakistan coach Mickey Ar­ Wahab Riaz can test the best. ‘It will rain at 3 p.m. thur said that the pitch The decks are cleared, Old seemed brown but the exist­ Trafford will be packed and a ing atmospheric conditions massive television audience during the match’ might force the outfits to would further enhance the reinforce their respective contest’s halo. pace­quotient. It remains to Local cab driver’s weather prediction be seen if Virat Kohli would prefer Mohammed Shami ov­ K.C. Vijaya Kumar brooding darkness and er Kuldeep Yadav. Manchester that remains the Following Shikhar Dha­ K.C. Vijaya Kumar Manchester Exactly at 10.37 a.m., backdrop for Sunday’s wan’s left­thumb injury, In­ lumbering clouds parted much­anticipated World dia will step in with K.L. Ra­ Match­preview days for ways and through the Cup clash between India hul and Rohit Sharma atop sports scribes are all about gap, the sun, glorious in and Pakistan. the batting tree. Since a mid­ quelling the nerves, figuring its light and warmth, It rained here late on dle­order slot opens up due out the venue’s practice streaked in. Another Friday night, an insistent to Rahul’s elevation, both Di­ pitches where the teams episode of the fickle shower drenching nesh Karthik and Vijay Shan­ train and identifying the English summer was back commuters and cascading kar are in the reckoning. press box. Just as some In­ in play at Old Trafford down ancient homes and Kohli’s resources on display, dian cricket writers trudged while Virat Kohli’s men dilapidated factories. The in the games against South into Old Trafford, the setting trained here on Saturday. forecast for D­Day is: Africa and Australia, seemed for Sunday’s high­octane Rishabh Pant, who “light rain showers and a turbo­charged. Even if the The teams (from): World Cup game involving joined the squad as a moderate breeze.” washed­out Trent Bridge India: Virat Kohli (Capt.), Rohit India and Pakistan, a car stand­by, wore multiple The lone relief is that it tussle against New Zealand Sharma, M.S. Dhoni, K.L. Rahul, slowed down on the adjacent layers of apparel and doesn’t look as grim as it was a dampener, the Men in Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav, road. heated his gloves with the did at Nottingham where Blue are better placed unlike Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, thud of the white ball the game involving India a Pakistan that reiterated its Vijay Shankar, Jasprit Bumrah, Lingering confusion delivered by either Jasprit and New Zealand was perennial adjective: ‘mercu­ Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mo- The youngster at the steer­ Bumrah or Yuzvendra washed out on Thursday. rial’. hammed Shami, Yuzvendra ing­wheel leaned towards the Chahal. Just as the But ominously, as a group Sarfaraz Ahmed’s men Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and window, rolled down the bowlers wheeled their of cricket writers reached slumped against the West In­ Shikhar Dhawan. glass and said: “Whether we arms over, albeit gently, the venue, the cab driver dies, upset a fancied En­ Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed win the World Cup or not, the weather gods wavered said: “Trust me, it will gland, fumed over a washed­ (Capt.), Asif Ali, Babar Azam, doesn’t matter, but please between bright rain at 3 p.m., during the out fixture against Sri Lanka Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Ha- win tomorrow’s game.” Soon luminescence and match.” and then succumbed to Aus­ san Ali, Imad Wasim, Shoaib Malik, Wahab Riaz, Imam-ul- he merged with Saturday’s Happy frame: Virat Kohli will have every reason to be upbeat going into the Pakistan game. * AP tralia. Still, this is a unit that Haq, Mohammad Amir, Moham- morning traffic but confu­ includes robust batsmen like mad Hafeez, Mohammad Has- sion lingered. Did he speak in realise the nationality of the slights, sibling rivalry and where the sub­continental emotions swirled around the while, is referring to its ‘2017 Imam­ul­Haq, Fakhar Za­ nain, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Hindi or Urdu? There was a gentlemen he spoke to? hyper­nationalism have all diaspora has a solid pre­ joust, the teams attempted to ICC Champions Trophy’ man, Babar Azam and Mo­ Afridi. Punjabi inflexion too in his The absurdity of the situa­ combined to nearly scythe a sence. If the squad he roots silence the surround­sound. notes when it defeated the hammad Hafeez, and also Umpires: Marais Erasmus and pronunciation but it is a lan­ tion is revelatory. After the shared cultural umbilical for wins, then he gets the India has a historical grip in arch­rival by 180 runs in the has the experience of a Bruce Oxenford; Third umpire: guage spoken on either side Radcliffe Line cleaved the cord. The youth’s utterance bragging rights over his the World Cups, having won final at the Oval. Shoaib Malik to rely upon Joel Wilson; Match referee: of the border. So, was he In­ two countries apart in 1947, has another import, living as friends from the rival nation. all its six clashes with the The weather too has been even though he hasn’t fired Ranjan Madugalle. dian or Pakistani? And did he historical angst, perceived he does in an England city And as these high­strung neighbour. Pakistan, mean­ phlegmatic, oscillating bet­ yet. And in the bowling Match starts at 3 p.m. IST. Our focus is on what we need to do: Kohli If we play the perfect game, The mindset of the player is different from that of the fans, says the Indian skipper we can beat everybody: Arthur K.C. Vijaya Kumar If pace becomes an Manchester <> important option, Special Correspondent Manchester The cricketing globe may be then we will look to in a tizzy over Sunday’s explore that Pakistan coach Mickey Ar­ World Cup clash between In­ Kohli thur believes that Sunday’s dia and Pakistan but Virat World Cup game against In­ Kohli preferred to treat it as within the dressing room dia presents a glorious op­ just another contest. “A pro­ and if there is added pres­ portunity for many of his fessional approach to the sure since the opponent is wards to reiterate their cre­ game is most important. We Pakistan, Kohli replied: “We dentials. “I don’t want to say can’t get too emotional. Ob­ are a top side in the world it’s the biggest rivalry in viously, the mindset of the because of the cricket that sport, but I saw some stats player is always going to be we played. Our focus is abso­ which said the soccer World different from that of the lutely that. So the conversa­ Cup final attracted 1.6 bil­ fans. You can’t mix the two,” tion in the changing room lion viewers and tomorrow the Indian skipper said in a hasn’t changed at all from is likely to get 1.5 billion. It Scores to settle: Sarfaraz Ahmed and Hasan Ali will be keen to press conference here on the time we came to England doesn’t get bigger than that. improve Pakistan’s World Cup record against India. * REUTERS Saturday. and until now.” I am telling our players in Based on the prevailing the dressing room, ‘you do and we are confident of the tournament is really im­ Clinical display conditions that hint at rain, something incredible, you that.” portant and it’s time we Kohli emphasised that he Kohli might effect some will be remembered forev­ The overwhelming theme start that.” would prefer to focus on his changes in his playing ele­ er’,” Arthur told the media linked to Pakistan through Looking back at the 2017 team rather than worry ven: “We can’t be rigid be­ here on Saturday. this World Cup has been its ICC Champions Trophy final about the opposition’s cause if the conditions are ability to scale stratospheric in which Mohammad Amir strengths: “In the first two different, then we will have Getting ready: The Indian players attend a training session ahead of the crucial match. * AP The potential heights one day and then prised out the Indian top­or­ games that we played, we to think of different combi­ Arthur felt that if Pakistan plumb the depths over the der, Arthur hinted that it is a had very clinical perfor­ nations. If pace becomes an fecting a game and some was the 2009 Champions bad shot. I couldn’t sleep un­ performed to potential, it next 24 hours. Arthur, vulnerability his team mances. We just focused on important option, then we practice sessions. Soon the Trophy at South Africa, til six in the morning. As for could defeat any opposi­ though, stressed that too would love to exploit: exactly what we needed to will look to explore that.” media interaction acquired a where Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) the funny moment, it hap­ tion: “We haven’t put the much is being read into the “Without wanting to harp do. We are not focusing too lighter tone when Kohli was fractured a finger. I was pened during the 2011 World perfect game together yet. preceding results: “Through too much, that was two much on what the opposi­ Lighter tone probed about his most tense flown in and in two days time Cup match at Mohali. There We have been good with the a World Cup, when you are years ago, but when you get tion will bring to the table. If Kohli reiterated that all his and funny moments while I was playing against Pakis­ was an incident involving bat, been okay with the ball playing nine games, you are into the Indian top­order, we play well as a team, we players, including the fast playing against Pakistan. tan at Centurion. I hadn’t ex­ Shahid Afridi and Wahab and okay in the field. If we not going to win every you can create a little bit of can beat any side.” bowlers, are in rhythm des­ The Indian captain perienced anything like that Riaz. I can’t really elaborate put the perfect game togeth­ game. Getting that momen­ havoc. That’s something Asked about the chatter pite inclement weather af­ grinned and said: “Tense before, and I played a very but it was quite funny.” er, we can beat everybody, tum towards the back­end of that we will try to work on.” No clear favourite: Zaheer Abbas My money is on India

Shayan Acharya India has the best batting would like to chase. That cord against Pakistan. India can repair the damage. If the Manchester line­up in the world. Be­ was the case before with In­ is strong in all departments. top­order clicks, you can Former Pakistan skipper Za­ cause of the IPL, the players dia, with so many star bat­ Jasprit Bumrah is the best move Hardik Pandya up to heer Abbas believes that In­ have become more mature. smen in its ranks. But now, limited­overs fast bowler in No. 4 to get quick runs. dia, with Virat Kohli and Ro­ Of course, your captain Virat its bowling unit has also im­ the world, and Bhuvnesh­ The batting­order was hit Sharma in its ranks, has and opening batsman Rohit proved. I think this will be a war Kumar is very good too. perfectly placed before Dha­ the best batting unit in the Sharma are the best in the game of nerves. And then they have two bril­ wan’s injury. Nevertheless, world. However, he feels world. Rohit can play so ma­ Will Dhawan’s absence be a liant spinners in Yuzvendra India has batting match­win­ that when India takes on Pa­ ny strokes, he is such a skil­ concern for India? Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. ners all the way down to No. kistan on Sunday, there ful player. It is a treat to 7. If I’m in the opposition Dhawan was not in form in­ won’t be any clear favourite. watch both Virat and Rohit. Dhawan injury team meeting, I would say, itially before he scored a India has made a lot of big It’s sad to see that Shikhar “My gosh! India’s batting “If Pakistan wins the hundred against Australia. scores, but then, in this rowing up in the West In­ Dhawan is out with an inju­ problems start only at No.8”. game at Old Trafford, the fi­ India would have ideally World Cup, Pakistan too has dies, our main rival was ry. With him in the team, These are early days in nal will be between India loved to take advantage of G scored 340­odd runs. So, it England, because of our his­ you had a strong No. 4 in the World Cup, but I am yet and Pakistan, trust me,” the the left­right opening combi­ also has the potential. torical background. But the K.L. Rahul. In my opinion, to see any weakness in the 71­year­old told Sportstar. nation (Dhawan­Rohit), but India­Pakistan clash is on Rahul is the most technical­ Indian team. Excerpts then, K.L. Rahul is also very Apart from the Champions another level — it is simply ly­gifted batsman in the In­ (Tune into Select Dugout good. India and Pakistan face off Trophy final, things have amazing. When I was a dian team. In the event of a on Star Sports Select 1 on In- after nine long months. tilted India’s way Who is the favourite? player, I was very envious of top­order collapse, Rahul dia Match Days and Sundays) What are your thoughts on Selection plays a role and ex­ When Pakistan is playing the intensity that India­Pa­ Sunday’s fixture? perience counts a lot. In the against India, you cannot kistan matches generated. It is a very big game, perhaps big matches, a lot also de­ predict a clear favourite. Of course, there is a the match of the tourna­ pends on what you decide — This match will prove who is chance that the fixture could ment. I just hope we have a bat first or bowl. If you have going to win the tourna­ be affected by rain. All the very good game. Pakistan a strong batting line­up, you ment. stakeholders — the ICC, has never won against India sponsors, spectators, and in the World Cup, but let’s players — have been stung by not forget there was a time rain disruptions. when India too lost a lot of In a sport like tennis, games against us. Some­ when the rain stops, play be­ times, your team is good, gins. Cricket has to get to and there are times when that point. You have to build your team goes through a stadiums in such a way that rough phase. These things you are certain to get play af­ happen and that’s the beau­ ter rain stops. ty of the game. If rain stays away, my mo­ India looks more balanced ney is on India maintaining than Pakistan... their winning World Cup re­

CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DELHI THE HINDU 18 SPORT SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Skipper Finch punches big India takes giant step towards Tokyo 2020 Australia thumps Sri Lanka; Karunaratne’s 97 in vain A complete performance sees the host hammer South Africa 5-1 in the summit clash

WORLD CUP HSF um. Although India was the Press Trust of India favourite, South Africa was a London Uthra Ganesan tricky opponent. It got its BHUBANESWAR first chance in the 53rd mi­ Skipper Aaron Finch stroked India reserved its best for the nute — two back­to­back PCs his way to a majestic century last, registering a compre­ — and struck its only goal. as defending champion Aus­ hensive 5­1 victory against tralia crushed Sri Lanka by South Africa in the title clash Japan pips USA 87 runs in their World Cup of the Hockey Series Finals fixture here on Saturday. Earlier, Japan finished third here on Saturday with a per­ with a 4­2 win against USA in Finch forged two crucial formance that was far re­ a dramatic playoff that saw partnerships — 80 with his moved from the fumbling three goals being scored in opening partner David War­ start it had made. the final 90 seconds. USA be­ ner (26) and 173 with Steve The all­round show would gan the scoring but got the Smith (73 off 59) for the third not just be a relief for the equaliser in the 59th minute wicket — in his 132­ball 153 team and coach Graham to make it 2­2. knock. It was his 14th ODI Reid, but also a major step hundred which was laced forward in its quest for an With the game heading for with 15 fours and five sixes. Olympic spot. The host dom­ a shootout, USA decided to remove its goalkeeper and Glenn Maxwell then pro­ inated every department Kenta Tanaka scored twice vided the late charge with an against a side that had fought in the final minute. unbeaten 25­ball 46 as Aus­ its way into the final. Despite the scoreline not The results: tralia posted a challenging Launcher: Finch’s belligerent ton set up Australia’s win. * AP 334 for seven. being as massive as in pre­ Dazzling display: The Indian hockey team, which proved too strong for South Africa in the final, Final: India 5 (Harmanpreet Chasing the total, Sri Lan­ stage but it squandered the to the match with one win vious games, it was a far seen with Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik. * BISWARANJAN ROUT Singh 2, Varun Kumar 2, Vivek ka was 115 for no loss at one superb start to be dismissed from four games after its pre­ more polished display from Prasad) bt South Africa 1 (Ri­ for 247 in 45.5 overs. Skipper vious two matches were India which took charge or discipline. dia’s first penalty corner, the opposition circle and pene­ chard Pautz); 3­4 placings: Ja­ Dimuth Karunaratne (97) washed out, is however run­ from the opening minute The players advanced to team did not lose control. trate at will. Even defenders pan 4 (Kenta Tanaka 2, Kazuma was the top scorer while his ning out of time. and never relented. receive the ball instead of Manpreet Singh, named Harmanpreet Singh and Bi­ Murata, Yoshiki Kirishita) bt USA 2 (Aki Kaeppeler 2). opening partner Kusal Pere­ For Reid, that would per­ waiting for it and kept pos­ Player­of­the­tournament, rendra Lakra lurked on the ra (52) also scored a fifty. Sanction likely haps be the biggest takeaway session without rushing for was impressive as always in edge of the circle. Special awards: Player­of­the­ tournament: Manpreet Singh Mitchell Starc took four Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is like­ from the outing. the goal. the middle and the flanks, The host converted three (India); Best junior player: Vi­ wickets. This is Australia’s India pressed hard all 60 Despite taking the lead as while Vivek Prasad was bril­ out of five Penalty Corners ly to be hit with an ICC sanc­ vek Prasad (India); Best goal­ fourth win in five matches. tion after failing to fulfil its minutes, not leaving any early as the second minute, liant in holding up the all­im­ (PCs) — an area that has been keeper: Jonathan Klages (USA); Sri Lanka, which came in­ media duties after its defeat. gaps in the defence. It when Varun Kumar struck a portant centre­half position a concern for the side — and Top scorers: Harmanpreet opened up space in every perfectly placed shot in the every time he got the respon­ it was all about India in front Singh (India), Varun Kumar (In­ SCOREBOARD AUSTRALIA VS SRI LANKA area of the field – all this, bottom left corner through sibility. It was a delight to of over 12,000 fans who dia) and Semen Matkovskiy without losing its structure Rassie Pieterse’s legs off In­ watch the Indians crowd the crowded the Kalinga Stadi­ (Russia) ­ six each. AUSTRALIA mins, 48.3). Lasith Malinga c Khawaja b David Warner b Dhananjaya 26 SRI LANKA BOWLING Richardson 1 (5b), Nuwan Pra­ (48b, 2x4), Aaron Finch c Kar­ Malinga 10­1­61­1, Pradeep 10­ deep c Carey b Cummins 0 (7b); unaratne b Udana 153 ( 132b, 0­88­0, Udana 10­0­57­2, Extras (lb­2, w­6): 8; Total (in 15x4, 5x6), Usman Khawaja c Thisara Perera 10­0­67­0, 45.5 overs): 247. Indian women Dickwella designs Lankan resurgence Udana b Dhananjaya 10 ( 20b, Dhananjaya 8­0­40­2, Siri­ FALL OF WICKETS 1x4), Steve Smith b Malinga 73 wardana 2­0­17­0. 1­115 (Kusal Perera, 15.3 overs), Visitors end up sharing series with a seven-wicket victory (59b, 7x4, 1x6), Glenn Maxwell SRI LANKA 2­153 (Thirimanne, 23.5), 3­186 down Uruguay (not out) 46 ( 25b, 5x4, 1x6), Dimuth Karunaratne c Maxwell (Karunaratne, 32.1), 4­205 SL-A IN INDIA Shaun Marsh c Siriwardana b b Richardson 97 ( 108b, 9x4), (Mathews, 35.4), 5­209 (Siri­ Udana 3 ( 9b), Alex Carey run Kusal Perera b Starc 52 ( 36b, wardana, 36.2), 6­217 (Thisara The team impressive in its victory N. Sudarshan out 4 (3b), Pat Cummins run out 5x4, 1x6), Lahiru Thirimanne c Perera, 36.6), 7­222 (Kusal HUBBALLI 0 (1b), Mitchell Starc (not out) Mendis, 38.1), 8­236 (Udana, stance Schmidt­Liermann Carey b Behrendorff 16 ( 26b, FIH SERIES FINALS Niroshan Dickwella’s sub­ 5 (4b); Extras (lb­4, nb­1, w­9): 1x4), Kusal Mendis c Carey b 39.6), 9­237 (Malinga, 41.4). was upto the task and kept lime century (111, 93b, 12x4, 14; Total (for seven wkts. in 50 Starc 30 ( 37b, 2x6), Angelo AUSTRALIA BOWLING Press Trust of India the shot out. overs): 334. Mathews c Carey b Cummins 9 Starc 10­0­55­4, Cummins 7.5­ Hiroshima 3x6) helped Sri Lanka­A re­ 0­38­2, Behrendorff 9­0­59­1, gister a series­levelling se­ FALL OF WICKETS (11b, 2x4), Milinda Siriwardana The Indian women’s hockey Wasted penalty corners Richardson 9­1­47­3, Maxwell ven­wicket win over India­A 1­80 (Warner, 16.4 overs), 2­ b Starc 3 (4b), Thisara Perera c team began its campaign in In the same minute, Uru­ 100 (Khawaja, 22.6), 3­273 Warner b Starc 7 ( 3b, 1x6), 10­0­46­0. in the final one­day match at the FIH Series Finals Hirosh­ guay got two penalty cor­ (Finch, 42.4), 4­278 (Smith, Dhananjaya de Silva (not out) Toss: Sri Lanka. the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium ners but both were wasted 43.3), 5­310 (Marsh, 46.6), 6­ 16 ( 30b, 2x4), Isuru Udana c MoM: Aaron Finch. ima 2019 with an impressive here on Saturday. 317 (Carey, 48.1), 7­320 (Cum­ Finch b Richardson 8 (8b, 1x4), Australia won by 87 runs. 4­1 win over Uruguay here as the Indian defence kept it on Saturday. tight. Chasing 260, openers Dickwella and Sangeeth Coo­ Ranked No. 9 in the India’s constant pressure ray (61, 74b, 7x4) put on 165 world, India opened reaped dividends in the runs to establish a firm grip through captain Rani’s skil­ 40th minute as a nice pass over the proceedings. It ap­ A big win for South Africa ful strike in the 10th minute. from Vandana Katariya was peared to loosen slightly The South American side ably converted by Jyoti. Sports Bureau when leggie Shreyas Gopal nowhere by Mohammed Na­ De Kock, by Amla’s stan­ had four circle penetrations In the 51st minute, Uru­ Cardiff (three for 49) had both of bi at midwicket off the bow­ dards, had motored along to and two penalty corners, all guay found the back of the them stumped in back­to­ South Africa took its own ling of Gulbadin Naib to see 68 by then off 72 balls with of them kept at bay by an al­ Indian net with some indivi­ sweet time and still man­ back overs. the back of Quinton de Kock. eight boundaries. ert Indian defence. From dual brilliance from Maria Hitting back: Niroshan Dickwella was confidence personified aged to beat Afghanistan by the two circle penetrations Teresa Viana Ache. as he carved out a century. * KIRAN BAKLE nine wickets with almost 20 Firm stand SCOREBOARD SOUTH AFRICA VS AFGHANISTAN India made, Rani converted overs to spare in a rain­af­ India made it 4­1 in the But Shehan Jayasuriya (45 Oddly, the experienced kande’s late flourish, which one to give her side the lead. 56th as captain Rani gave a fected match here on AFGHANISTAN (Alikhil, 32.4), 9­125 (Rashid, n.o.) and skipper Ashan Pri­ Shreyas was introduced only included two sixes off Pri­ In the 21st minute, India smart pass in the opposition Saturday. Hazratullah Zazai c van der 33.5). yanjan (33 n.o.) stitched to­ after 20 overs and even his yanjan in the final over, got its first penalty corner ‘D’ to an unmarked Lalrem­ After leg­spinner Imran Dussen b Rabada 22 (23b, 3x4), SOUTH AFRICA BOWLING and Gurjant Kaur did not gether a 75­run partnership best efforts from there pushed India over 250. Noor Ali Zadran b Tahir 32 siami, who nudged the ball Tahir snared four wickets to Rabada 8­1­36­1, Hendricks 5­ make any mistake in con­ for the fourth wicket to lead proved inadequate. In the end, it made very (58b, 4x4), Rahmat Shah lbw b 1­25­0, Phehlukwayo 8­1­18­2, into the Uruguay goal. trigger Afghanistan’s dra­ verting it (2­0). their team home with 14 Earlier, after being put in, little difference. Morris 6 ( 22b, 1x4), Hash­ Morris 6.1­2­13­3, Tahir The result: balls to spare and complete matic batting collapse — it In the third quarter, both India was hampered by a “We were 30 to 40 runs matullah Shahidi c du Plessis b 7­0­29­4. India 4 (Rani 10, Gurjant Kaur the comeback from 0­2 was shot out for 125 in 34.1 Phehlukwayo 8 ( 22b, 1x4), teams kept losing the ball. less­than­satisfactory perfor­ short,” said Shreyas after the SOUTH AFRICA 21, Jyoti 40, Lalremsiami 56) down. overs — South African open­ Asghar Afghan c & b Tahir 0 Hashim Amla (not out) 41 (83b, India got a penalty corner bt Uruguay 1 (Maria Teresa mance by its middle­order. game. “But credit to Lanka er Hashim Amla took 83 (5b), Mohammad Nabi b 4x4), Quinton de Kock c Nabi b but Uruguay custodian Con­ Viana Ache 51). As long as Dickwella was Even as opener Ruturaj Gaik­ for batting really well. It balls to score a sedate 41 to Phehlukwayo 1 ( 2b), Ikram Naib 68 ( 72b, 8x4), Andile at the crease though, the re­ wad (74, 73b, 8x4) continued would have been better if we shepherd his side to victory. Alikhil c Amla b Morris 9 (33b), Phehlukwayo (not out) 17 (17b, sult was in little doubt. After his fine form, none of An­ had won the series 3­1 but Gulbadin Naib c Markram b The South Africans 2x4, 1x6); Extras (lb­1, w­4): 5; a steady start, the 25­year­ molpreet Singh, Ricky Bhui still it was a great experience Tahir 5 (11b), Rashid Khan c van should have won without Total (for one wkt. in 28.4 old took off in the seventh (in for Shubman Gill) and and lot of lessons to take der Dussen b Tahir 35 ( 25b, overs): 131. over, clubbing paceman Deepak Hooda could make back.” losing a wicket were it not 6x4), Hamid Hassan c du FALL OF WICKET Tushar Deshpande for four good on their starts. The scores: India­A 259 in 50 for a catch taken out of Plessis b Morris 0 ( 3b), Aftab 1­104 (de Kock, 22.5 overs). overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 74, An­ Alam (not out) 0 ( 1b); Extras successive boundaries, two AFGHANISTAN BOWLING molpreet Singh 29, Ricky Bhui (lb­4, w­3): 7; Total (in 34.1 of them cheeky upper­cuts. Excellent spell Alam 5­1­16­0, Hassan 4­1­ 38, Deepak Hooda 37, Akila Da­ overs): 125. Sandeep Warrier was wel­ Spinner Akila Dananjaya 11­0, Rashid 7­0­45­0, Naib 6­ nanjaya three for 51) lost to Sri comed in the next over with bowled an excellent late FALL OF WICKETS 0­29­1, Nabi 6.4­0­29­0. Lanka­A 260 for three in 47.4 1­39 (Zazai, 8.2 overs), 2­56 Toss: South Africa. two sixes and a four before a spell (4­0­15­3) to ensure that overs (Niroshan Dickwella 111, (Rahmat, 15.1), 3­69 (Shahidi, MoM: Tahir. swept boundary off Washing­ even the lower­middle order Sangeeth Cooray 61, Shehan 20.4), 4­69 (Zadran, 21.1), 5­70 South Africa won by nine ton Sundar got him to his fif­ didn’t click, consuming Hoo­ Jayasuriya 45 n.o., Ashan Pri­ (Afghan, 21.5), 6­70 (Nabi, wickets with 19.2 overs to spare ty (34b). The century would da, skipper Ishan Kishan and yanjan 33 n.o., Shreyas Gopal

22.1), 7­77 (Naib, 25.2), 8­111 (DLS method). Great start: The Indian players had a fine day in the field.* PTI come 44 deliveries later. Shreyas. Only Mayank Mar­ three for 49). DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Bopanna & Brazil begins with a bang Netherlands in last 16 Sarin wins SUDOKU Shapovalov Press Trust of India WOMEN’S WC past Argentina and Cristiana CHENNAI in final Girelli’s controversial VAR­ GM Nihal Sarin won the Agence France-Presse assisted hat­trick saw Italy blitz title in the Asian conti­ Sports Bureau Valenciennes (France) hammer hapless Jamaica nental chess at Xingtai, Stuttgart 5­0. Vivianne Miedema scored China, on Saturday. Sarin Rohan Bopanna and Denis The results: scored eight points from twice as the Netherlands Group E: Netherlands 3 (Mie­ Shapovalov of Canada saw off a spirited Cameroon nine rounds and finished a stormed into the doubles dema 41, 85, Bloodworth 48) 3­1 on Saturday to secure a bt Cameroon 1 (Aboudi On­ point ahead of others. Sri­ final with a 6­3, 6­4 victory place in the last 16 of the guene 43). nath Narayanan was third over Nick Kyrgios and Matt Women’s World Cup On Friday: Group C: Jamaica 0 with seven points behind Reid of Australia in the football. lost to Italy 5 (Girelli 12­pen, Le Quang Liem of Vietnam. €754,540 ATP tennis tour­ 25, 46, Galli 71, 81). nament here on Saturday. On Friday, England and Group D: England 1 (Taylor 62) The results: €754,540 ATP, Italy joined Germany and bt Argentina 0; Japan 2 (Iwa­ Stuttgart, Germany: Semifi­ France in the last 16 as Jodie buchi 23, Sugasawa 37­pen) bt Good show by nals: Denis Shapovalov (Can) On the double: Philippe Coutinho’s brace powered Brazil Taylor shot the Lionesses Scotland 1 (Clelland 88).

& Rohan Bopanna bt Nick Kyr­ home. * AFP Chitra, Jinson gios & Matt Reid (Aus) 6­3, 6­4. COPA AMERICA when Coutinho slotted Sports Bureau €137,560 ATP, Nottingham, home a VAR­assisted NIJMEGEN (the Netherlands) England: First round: Jeevan Reuters penalty. Asian champion P.U. Chitra Nedunchezhiyan & Purav Raja Sao Paulo Coutinho grabbed a se­ bagged the women’s Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku w/o Daniel Evans & Lloyd cond with a close­range 1500m gold while Asian Glasspool (GBr). Philippe Coutinho scored a second­half double and header three minutes later Games gold medallist Jin­ €92,040 Challenger, Lyon, before Everton rifled home son Johnson broke the France: Semifinals: Elias Ymer Everton added a cracking a third from outside the box men’s 1500m national re­ (Swe) bt Sumit Nagal 6­1, 6­1. third as Brazil recovered with five minutes remaining. cord in the Next Genera­ $25,000 ITF men, Hong from a sleepy start to beat Kong: Semifinals: Agustin Ve­ Bolivia 3­0 in its Copa Amer­ The match was the first of tion athletics meet here on lotti (Arg) bt Sidharth Rawat ica opener on Friday. this year’s tournament, Saturday. 6­0, 6­4. which is being held in Brazil Chitra clocked 4:13.52s $15,000 ITF men, Singapore: Both sides were poor in for the first time since 1989. while Jinson timed 3:37.62 Semifinals: Aidan Mchugh the first period but the game The result : Group A : Brazil 3 and bettered his own In­ (GBr) bt Manish Sureshkumar briefly came alive five mi­ (Coutinho 50, 53, Everton 85) Did you see that?! Cristiana Girelli became just the second dian record of 3:37.86s as 2­6, 6­3, 1­3 (retired). nutes into the second half bt Bolivia 0. Italian woman to score a World Cup hat­trick. * AFP he finished sixth. CM A ND-NDE YK