THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU Q MONDAY Q OCTOBER 26, 2020 11

'We're trying to make winning a habit', RCB score 145-6 against CSK in IPL DUBAI, OCTOBER says Kings XI Punjab skipper KL Rahul 25: The celebrated pair of and AB de Vil- DUBAI, OCTOBER chance to make it to the liers were briefly entertain- 25: Kings XI Punjab skip- play-offs and for that to ing but Chennai Super per KL Rahul said his side is happen they will need to Kings managed to restrict trying to make winning a win their remaining three Royal Challengers Banga- habit, after a fourth straight games with good net run lore to 145 for 6 in an In- victory kept its play-offs rates. dian Premier League game hopes alive in the ongoing "Yeah it does (hurt a lot). here on Sunday. . Our bowlers did a fantastic Sam Curran was once KXIP made an incredible job to restrict them. After again brilliant up-front and comeback at the death, tak- the start we got, we took our also at the death, finishing ing five in the final foot off the pedal. Felt on with figures of 3/19 in three two overs to beat Sunrisers that it was going to overs. Hyderabad by 12 runs and get tougher once the spin Credit to the CSK stay afloat in the tourna- came into it," SRH bowlers as they conceded ment. said. only 20 runs in the last Chasing a modest 127- now to be honest. Very "After me and Mandeep "For us it was about try- three overs and managed run target on Sunday, SRH happy with the show from (Singh) played the first ing to apply pressure up- to take four wickets. made a mess of it after a the boys," he said after the we know it's not a high scor- front, negate the swing IPL’s most prolific bat- solid 56-run opening stand low-scoring contest. ing wicket. We were think- , but obviously we ting pair of Kohli and De between skipper David "The work done is always ing close to 160. They went didn't get across the line." Villiers added 82 runs with 36 balls. De Villiers hit four and first consolidated with Kohli’s off-side play was Warner (35) and Jonny behind the scenes, not just hard in the first six. But I Despite the loss, Warner some great technique boundaries. their “tap and run” strat- another lesson for all Bairstow (19) to be all out the players, but the support knew we could pull things said his bowlers did well in against CSK spinners Im- The CSK bowlers did well egy. youngsters as he would just for 114 in 19.5 overs. staff. You can't change back if we don't leak many the match. ran Tahir (1/30 in 4 overs) enough to take the pace off However, whenever adjust his wrists at the last The win helped them much in a player in two runs in the powerplay as we "They bowled well with and Mitchell Santner (1/23 the ball which made it dif- Tahir flighted the ball, his moment to hit those inside- jump to fifth spot in the months but you can always have two leggies. the new ball. Didn't get all in 4 overs) who kept a tight ficult for RCB batsmen to country-mate De Villiers out shots off the spinners. eight-team standings with make them mentally better "We sat down and the wickets upfront but we leash during the middle score. Yet, Kohli and De was quick to reach to the With ball stopping and 10 points from 11 games. and that's what coach Kum- thought about the things brought it back well. Today overs. Villiers did manage to take pitch of the deliveries to coming off the surface, "Yes we are making it ble, Andy, Charl, Jonty and that the bowlers would need our bowlers executed the Deepak Chahar was once control of the proceedings drive elegantly through the Kohli never looked out of (winning) a habit. In the Wasim have done." Rahul in conditions like these and plans well, very happy with again steady, finishing with but failed to finish with a covers. control during his third first half we somehow said soon after being sent in it's good to see the work them. Just have to forget 2 for 31 in his four-over flourish. Kohli had one bowler’s half- of the season. couldn't make this a habit. I to bat, he realised it was go- paying off," he said. this game and move for- spell. While Devdutt Padikkal backdrive off Tahir and for It took a tremendous div- am just speechless right ing to be a low-scoring tie. SRH still have an outside ward," he signed off. Kohli scored 50 off 43 (22 off 21 balls) and Aaron a good measure lifted ing catch at long-ff from balls with a four and a six Finch (15) couldn’t convert for a Faf du Plessis off Sam Cur- while De Villiers helped their starts, Kohli and De straight maximum which ran to dismiss Kohli as RCB Confident Kings XI Punjab look to sustain himself to a polished 39 off Villiers got together at 46 was his 200th six. fell short of 150-run mark. momentum against rejuvenated KKR Team’s belief has been great since SHARJAH, OCTOBER 25: Be- tish Rana revelled in his new role and latedly getting into the groove with smashed a whirlwind 81 while sharing four wins on the trot, Kings XI Punjab a game-changing 115-run stand with the Super Over win: Arshdeep will hope to keep the juggernaut Sunil Narine (64). Leg- spinner Varun DUBAI, OCTOBER 25: The one wicket during the match and gave rolling when they take on a resurgent Chakravarthy then tore apart the DC nervy double Super Over win against away only 13 runs from his four overs. in a mid-table middle-order with a five-wicket haul. defending champions Indi- “Ravi has been really exceptional for IPL clash here on Monday. If KKR wish to seal a play-off spot, ans sky-rocketed Kings XI Punjab’s us. He has been bowling really well. KXIP are placed fifth on the points their batsmen need to step up, shrug belief and played a role in effecting a The main thing is that his overs are table having won five games from 11 off their inconsistency and win turnaround in their fortunes in the very economical. And when he gets a outings, while KKR are a notch better, matches for the team. Barring Rana IPL, according to the team’s left-arm chance, he gives us a major break- occupying the fourth spot with 12 (81) and Narine (64), everyone else fast-medium bowler Arshdeep Singh. through,” Arshdeep said at the post- points. failed against DC. Arshdeep played a pivotal role in match press conference. A win for Punjab will elevate them The KKR bowlers have done well to KXIP’s 12-run win over Sunrisers Hy- also claimed three to the top four, while a victory for KKR fashion victories and the addition of derabad on Saturday night, returning wickets and was named the Man of the will take them to 14 points, the same Lockie Fergusen has only strength- two overs to eke out an incredible win. impressive figures of 3/23 to help Match. as the top three teams in the contest, ened the pace attack, which also in- them defend 126. With the win, KXIP have taken their strengthening their playoff chances. KXIP have the in-form batsmen in cludes Australian . skipper Rahul, who is the leading run The win kept them afloat in the tour- points tally to 10 and are placed at the With the race to play-offs heating Teams (from): nament. fifth spot in the standings. up, both sides know the value of a win scorer of the tournament, and Mayank Kolkata Knight Riders: Eoin Mor- “We are not looking that far and tak- The 21-year-old Arshdeep, a former on Monday. Agarwal. The presence of flamboyant gan ©, , , ing it game by game. After we won that U-19 player, added,” The score KXIP had roared back to form, has inspired the team, and , (wk), Super Over, the belief has been great wasn’t big so we thought we’d give it snapping their five match losing- since his inclusion in the playing XI, , , Lockie in the squad. We believe that we can our best. But in the end, we saw an op- streak with a win over third-placed the Punjab-based outfit has not lost a Ferguson, Pat Cummins, Varun do anything that is needed for the portunity for the win. The plan was to Royal Challengers . Since single game. Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Tom then the KL Rahul-led side has not , too, has looked Banton, Siddhesh Lad, Kamlesh Na- team. We just stuck to our plans and dig it into the wicket and make them dangerous but the shaky form of it paid off,” he said. hit to the big side. looked back, defeating the top two garkoti, , Sandeep longed struggle. sides in the tournament—Mumbai In- remains a concern. Warrior, , , The win over MI came after KXIP “I’ve been backed up really well by Arshdeep lauded the “exceptional” dians and —besides Agarwal missed the match against Chris Green, M Siddharth and Nikhil had gone through a lean patch. the management, and I’m enjoying performance of teammate Ravi Bish- Sunrisers Hyderbad. SRH due to a bruised knee but the Naik. Thanks to their bowlers, KXIP secured this moment. The plan was to just hit noi. The miserly leg-spinner picked up However, they must also win their opener is expected to be back for the Kings XI Punjab: KL Rahul ©, their fourth win on the trot after a pro- the hard lengths.” remaining matches for a shot at the clash against KKR. , , Mandeep playoffs. KKR will also be all fired up after Singh, , Tajinder KXIP’s bowling has been their their comprehensive win over the for- Singh, Chris Jordan, , Pujara, Vihari, coaching staff to join weakest link. Barring Mohammad midable Delhi Capitals and would be , , Ar- Shami and Ravi Bishnoi, none of the desperate to keep the winning mo- shdeep Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Mujeeb bowlers have inspired confidence, es- mentum going. Ur Rahman, Sarfaraz Khan, Sheldon others in UAE ahead of Australia tour pecially in the death overs. After the embarrassing eight-wicket Cottrell, , Mo- But when their unit failed to loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore, hammed Shami, , NEW DELHI, OCTO- are yet to be announced by put runs on the board on Saturday, the the two-time champions did well to re- Nicholas Pooran, Chris Gayle, Muru- BER 25: With the Indian the Indian selectors. KXIP bowlers produced an excellent group and inflict a 59-run defeat on gan Ashwin, , Kr- team support staff for com- “It is understood that the display of death over bowling against the Capitals, who occupy the second ishnappa Gowtham, Hardus Viljoen, pany, Test specialists selectors did not want to fi- . They defended spot in the points table. Simran Singh. and nalise the squads without a 126 by taking five wickets in the final Promoted to open the innings, Ni- Match starts at 7:30pm. are leaving final approval from the for Dubai on Sunday to join BCCI to the CA schedule,” rest of the squad members the report stated. for the tour of Australia. “The selectors, though, are MS Dhoni a fantastic finisher Head coach is understood to have already expected to join the others had informal discussions on Monday, according to a and are expected to meet of the game: report in ESPNCricinfo. early next week to finalise Apart from Pujara and Vi- procedures put in place by leg of India’s tour of Aus- the three squads,” it added. SYDNEY, OCTOBER early, it’s (about) remaining hari, batting coach Vikram the BCCI for the IPL, includ- tralia after the New South Pujara and Vihari are the 25: Australian batswoman in a calm mindset,” Harris Rathour, bowling coach ing a six-day quarantine in Wales government allowed only two first-choice Test Grace Harris has heaped was quoted as saying after Bharat Arun and fielding Dubai and COVID-19 tests the visiting team to train specialists who are not par- praise on MS Dhoni, saying the match by coach R Sridhar will be trav- at regular intervals. during its mandatory quar- ticipating in the ongoing In- the former Indian skipper cricket.com.au. elling alongside the duo be- However, the group won’t antine upon arrival. dian Premier League in is a “fantastic finisher of the “I’ve been watching a lot fore the tour of Australia. be a part of the IPL bio-bub- India are scheduled to UAE. game” and has been taking of MS Dhoni’s innings re- On reaching UAE, the ble and will be staying sepa- play three T20s, three ODIs The duo will join the rest inspiration from him. ally, I took a bit of inspira- group will have to follow the rately. Sydney and Canberra and four Tests in Australia. of the Indian players se- Harris on Sunday ham- tion from him. He’s a fan- the same standard operating are set to host the white-ball The squads for the tour lected to travel to Australia. mered 53 from 37 deliver- tastic finisher of the game ies to help Brisbane Heat and he might get behind register a seven-wicket win but at the end of the day, CM lays foundation stone of sports varsity in Patiala over the Perth Scorchers on they win games and he’s the opening day of the sixth ahead of the count,” she PATIALA, OCTOBER ject for Patiala city (Rs 503 been allotted. The Chief Min- the initial phase for the devel- edition of the Women’s Big added. 25: Punjab Chief Minister crore), development of a her- ister extended Dussehra opment of academic and ad- Bash League (WBBL). Currently, Dhoni is lead- Amarinder Singh on Sunday itage street near Qila greetings to the people of Pa- ministrative blocks and hos- During their chase of 133, hitting 39 runs from 18 “I’ve found it’s really just ing Chennai Super Kings in laid the foundation stone of Mubarak (Rs 43 crore), new tiala and urged them to take tels. The Chief Minister Harris started off slowly, balls to quickly bring the working for me, the game the 13th edition of the In- the state's first dedicated bus stand (Rs 65 crore) and all precautions amid projec- recalled the contribution of collecting 11 runs from her chase to heel, and while she plan I’ve got. I can catch up, dian Premier League (IPL) sports university along with widening of the roads (Rs tions of a second coronavirus his grandfather Maharaja first 18 deliveries. However, departed with 10 runs re- it doesn’t matter how many in the UAE. The three-time various developmental pro- 6.74 crore). The Chief Minis- spike in November-Decem- Bhupinder Singh, in whose just as the required run rate quired, dot balls I have - it’s not champions have registered jects in his hometown Pa- ter also handed over keys to ber. The Maharaja Bhupin- memory the university has started to climb above (37*) and Laura Harris (7*) ideal and you want to rotate just three wins in 11 tiala. The projects, launched few selected beneficiaries of der Singh Sports University been named, and whose seven in the 11th over, Har- were able to seal the win the strike as much as possi- matches and they are all but virtually at two separate the EWS housing scheme at will be constructed at a cost 129th birth anniversary falls ris -- just like Dhoni -- with three overs to spare at ble - but in situations like out of the contention of events, including surface wa- Haji Majra. Of the 174 flats of Rs 500 crore, of which Rs on Sunday, coinciding with launched a brutal attack, the North Sydney Oval. today where I struggle making it to the playoffs. ter-based water supply pro- constructed there, 124 have 60 crore will be invested in Dussehra.