TheHitavada JABALPUR „ Saturday „ September 26 „ 2020 SPORTS 7 POINTS TABLE I was not feeling in control TEAM M W L PTS NRR Firing KKR ready to meet SRH KXIP 2 1 1 2 +2.425 ABU DHABI, Sept 25 (PTI) of my , says Rahul MI 2 1 1 2 +0.993 Jab We Met RR 1 1 0 2 +0.800 SKIPPER ’s tacti- Matches KKR won 10 DUBAI, Sept 25 (PTI) He is captaining in the IPL for DC 1 1 0 2 +0.000 cal nous will once again be put the first time. CSK 2 1 1 2 -0.145 to test when Knight SRH won 7 KINGS XI Punjab KL “I still try to maintain the same RCB 2 1 1 2 -2.175 Riders take on a depleted 17 Rahul, who made a scintillating routine. Once I am in the mid- SRH 1 0 1 0 -0.500 in their sec- against Royal dle and during the toss is the KKR 1 0 1 0 -2.450 ond IPL fixture here on Saturday. Live on Star Sports: 7.30 pm Challengers , said he only time I feel like a captain and (Updated before CSK-DC match) Much was expected from a was lacking in confidence otherwise I try to balance being revamped heading into the team’s second a player and the captain,” he said. set-up but it seemed Karthik did IN 2019 IPL fixture. After Rahul starred with the Anil sir asked me to not learn from his past mistakes ■ KKR beat SRH by 6 at Rahul starred with an unbeat- bat, KXIP bowlers put a disci- and made some inexplicable Kolkata en 132 off 69 balls as KXIP out- plined performance to bundle be calm and back decisions that led to their com- ■ SRH beat KKR by 9 wickets at played RCB by 97 runs here on out RCB for 109 in 17 overs. plete capitulation against Hyderabad Thursday. “It’s as complete a team per- my skills: Bishnoi Indians. “I have actually been not so formance as it can get. We had DUBAI, Sept 25 (PTI) Once again, the batting posi- confident (hitting it this well). I few different plans going into tion of their biggest hitter Andre had a chat with Maxi (Glenn this game. KINGS XI Punjab’s young spin- Russell became the talking point NUMBER PLATE Maxwell) yesterday, he said how “We knew RCB have a power ner says head coach in their 49-run loss to Mumbai are you feeling, I said that I am packed batting line-up and we has advised him to Indians. Dinesh Karthik has won 17, not feeling completely in control had to get 2-3 wickets up front always stay calm and back his The Jamaican, who was their lost 19 and tied one in 37 of my batting, he said you must and that also meant putting runs matches as captain in IPL. He skills as a bowler. highest run-getter last season 37 be joking, you are hitting really on the board, we know what these won two and lost three in five matches The 20-year-old Bishnoi with 510 runs from 249 deliver- as skipper for KKR against SRH. well,” Rahul said at the post- guys can do if they get set. The snared three wickets in an ies and the tournament’s high- match presentation. analyst, coaches and the man- emphatic 97-run win Royal est of 204.81, was seen , who claimed 295 He had already spoken about agement will be happy.” Challengers Bangalore in the at No 6 but by then the task had wickets at an average of 25.97 in his fears leading up to the IPL, He was all praise for young leg- (IPL) on become extremely difficult. 5 303 of 331 matches, considering he was coming back spinner Ravi Bishnoi. Thursday night. World Cup winning captain needs just five wickets to become the after a five-month long break due “Something that has “Anil sir has always asked me , who was roped in ninth bowler to take 300 wickets in to the COVID-19 pandemic. impressed me in him (Bishoni’s to back strength in my bowling to bolster the wobbly middle Andre Russell plays a shot during their practice session. (Twitter) Twenty-20. —S Pervez Qaiser “Quite honestly I was nervous heart of coming back even after and skill. He asked me not to try order, also could not do much as Marsh has compounded their but I knew if I spend time in the an expensive start). I watched too many things and try to be cool the asking rate had shot past 13 his IPL ‘bunny’ lacked strength and experience misery. middle, hit a few balls from the the U-19 World Cup. He has a lot and calm in the middle,” Bishnoi by the time he came to bat at No was well set. in their middle-order, failing mis- Skipper David Warner, after middle of bat, it will all settle of fight in him. said at the post-match press 5. In bowling too, there was a tac- It really defied logic to see such erably against Royal Challengers being run out in an unfortunate down. “I try to do (the same rou- “Every time I throw the ball he conference. tical blunder by holding back a defensive strategy by a team Bangalore. Needing just 43 runs manner at the non-striker’s end, tine as I did when I was a play- wants to do well, he was a little The U-19 World Cup their ace spinner till now coached by Kiwi great from last five overs, SRH lost their will be keen to get into the act, er) but as a captain you have nervous bowling at guys like player returned impressive fig- the last over of power play. Brendon Mccullum who is last seven wickets for 32 runs to while it remains to be seen shortened time and you are run- Finchy and AB, once he got ures of 3-32 in his four overs On a day, their biggest buy Pat known for his aggressive mind- lose the game by 10 runs. whether Kane Williamson has ning around and doing a lot of through that he did well,” against a side that boasts of the Cummins failed miserably, set. Known to put up a balanced If that was not enough, injury recovered from his injury to bol- things,” Rahul said. added Rahul. likes of and AB de Narine was given a go only when side on the park, Hyderabad to their all-rounder Mitchell ster the batting department. Villiers. When asked, he sounded con- fident about bowling against the top players. Kohli takes blame for dropping Rahul twice “Since we had a long camp before the IPL, I was preparing RCB skipper says Rahul, who remained unbeaten we went wrong and I have to put myself mentally as skill level is on 132, KXIP would not have my hand up and say a couple of RCB fined Rs 12 the same for everyone here. So time to move on been able to go past the important chances being mentally strong and brave 200-run mark. went down. There are lakh for slow was my main focus.” after heavy loss “I have to stand in days when these kind “I told myself not to bowl lose front and take the brunt of things happen on the over-rate deliveries which would allow DUBAI, Sept 25 (PTI) of it, not the best day cricket field, they hap- them to attack me,” said the leg- in the office, couple of pen and we have to DUBAI, Sept 25 (PTI) spinner. ROYAL Challengers Bangalore important chances of accept them. “We prepared well in our camp captain Virat Kohli took the KL when he was set and “We have had a good ROYAL Challengers before the tournament here. We blame for his team’s 97-run that cost us 35-40 runs game (against Bangalore captain Virat Kohli were focusing on mental strength thrashing by Kings XI Punjab in at a later stage. Virat Kohli Sunrisers Hyderabad), has been fined Rs 12 lakh after and not bowling lose balls,” he the Indian Premier League here. “Maybe if we restrict- we have had a bad his team maintained a slow added. Without hesitation, Kohli took ed them to 180 we wouldn’t have game and now it is time to move over-rate during their Indian Skipper KL Rahul’s sublime the blame for dropping Kings XI been under pressure from ball on and learn from the mistakes Premier League match hundred was the highlight of an Punjab skipper KL Rahul twice, one of the chase,” said Kohli at we made,” said Kohli. against Kings XI Punjab here. all-round performance as Kings which contributed significantly the post-match presentation. The Australian wicketkeeper- RCB were thrashed by 97 XI Punjab crushed Royal to their defeat on Thursday. KXIP posted 206 for three and batsman had batted in the mid- runs in the match on Challengers Bangalore by a Kohli felt had he not dropped RCB were bundled out for 109 in dle-order in RCB’s first game Thursday night. Kings XI Punjab captain KL Rahul with his Orange cap (R) and whopping 97-run margin. two catches off the blade of 17 overs. “We know exactly where against Sunrisers. Mohammad Shami with Purple cap poses for a photo. (BCCI/IPL) BRIEFS Solskjaer hopes Bailly return adds Messi slams Barcelona BARCELONA, Sept 25 (AP) vidually — not the one they steel to shaky Man United defence gave you. But it is true that at CA postpones Afghanistan Test, NZ ODIs LIONEL Messi criticised the this point nothing surprises CRICKET Australia on Friday postponed a one-off Test against UNDATED “I think last season proved to us exit of team-mate and good me.” Barcelona decided to Afghanistan and an ODI series against New Zealand, citing how we can defend at our best, last friend Luis Suarez on Friday, overhaul its squad after the 8- complexity of scheduling international matches during the OLE Gunnar Solskjaer is hoping the week wasn’t fantastic, we conced- dealing another blow to the 2 loss to Bayern Munich in global coronavirus pandemic. return of Eric Bailly will shore up ed sloppy goals, but I think our damaged relationship the Champions League last Australia were to host Afghanistan later this year at Perth in Manchester United’s leaky defence defensive record from last season between the Argentine and month. The 33-year-old November while the Kiwis were to arrive in January 2021 but after they shipped three goals in with Eric and Harry shows how Barcelona’s leadership. Suarez was told by incoming both the assignments have been postponed to the next sum- their Premier League opener good a partnership they were.” Messi posted a photo of coach Ronald Koeman that mer (2021-22). against Crystal Palace. Saturday’s game will be the first himself with Suarez on he was no longer wanted. The The COVID-19 pandemic had also forced a postponement United’s cen- of a double header against Instagram with a message club, hard hit financially by of the T20 World Cup that Australia were to host this year. tre-back partner- Brighton, with United set to visit expressing his sadness for his the coronavirus pandemic, “Cricket Australia looks forward to working with our good ship of Harry the Amex Stadium for their League friend’s departure and his also needed to reduce its friends at the Afghanistan Cricket Board and New Zealand Maguire and Cup fourth-round tie next week. anger at how the club trans- expenditures on salaries for Cricket to deliver the matches at a time when, hopefully, the Victor Lindelof “We have to take it one game at ferred him to Atletico Madrid. its players. restrictions brought on by the COVID19 pandemic have came under fire a time, the Premier League first “It is going to be so strange Suarez bid farewell to eased,” CA’s interim chief executive officer Nick Hockley was following their and all our focus is on that. We had seeing you in another shirt, Barcelona’s fans in an emo- quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. display against a bad start last week and we want and even stranger to have to tional news conference on Palace, with the 3-1 defeat high- kick on and play a better game,” play against you,” Messi wrote. Thursday. He leaves Camp Int’l cricket season in NZ gets green light lighting the club’s need for a more Solskjaer added. “You deserved a sending-off Nou as the club’s third lead- NEW Zealand Cricket has received the green light from its gov- dynamic presence in the heart of (Reuters) fit for what you are: one of the ing scorer with 198 goals. The ernment to host international cricket during coming summer the defence. most important players in Uruguayan helped Barcelona which comprises series against the West Indies and Pakistan, A knee injury limited Bailly to 11 club history, both for what win 13 titles since arriving in CEO David White said on Friday. appearances last season but the Today’s Schedule you did for the group and indi- 2014 from Liverpool. NZC had been working to implement bio-secure bubble, sim- Ivorian looked assured in United’s Eric Bailly Brighton vs Man Utd 5:00 pm ilar to the one the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) cre- 3-0 victory against Luton Town in Crystal Palace vs Everton 7:30 pm ated successfully in their recently concluded season in order to the League Cup on Tuesday. We’ve been waiting him to be fit West Brom vs Chelsea 10:00 pm resume international cricket in the country post the coronavirus- “Eric is fit again, a big big plus and play more regularly,” Solskjaer Burnley vs Southampton 12:30 am forced hiatus. “NZC has received Government approval to pro- and looking forward to seeing him told reporters ahead of Saturday’s ceed with plans to host international touring sides this summer, develop and play more games. trip to Brighton and Hove Albion. in line with prescribed health protocols and beginning with @windiescricket and @TheRealPCB” the BlackCaps wrote on their official Twitter handle. Bottas fastest in Russian GP 1st practice NADAL CAN TIE FEDERER’S SLAM RECORD VALTTERI Bottas was fastest in the first practice session for the way. “You go into the Russian Grand Prix on Friday as his Mercedes team-mate Lewis match knowing that Hamilton was slowed down by damaged tires. even your best ten- Bottas set the pace with a time of 1 minute, 34.923 seconds, nis, even if you play beating Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo by half a second. Max it over three, four Verstappen was third quickest in his Red Bull, a further .147 back. hours, might not be Hamilton could only manage 19th fastest after locking up his enough. I mean, if you do tires and leaving them with a flat spot. Ferrari again struggled to it, you maybe have a little chance, find pace with Sebastian Vettel ninth and Charles Leclerc 11th. but you have to go to your limit on The session was briefly red-flagged when Nicholas Latifi crashed every single rally, every single point,” his Williams into the wall. Carlos Sainz Jr. Spun his McLaren back- Dominic Thiem, who won the US wards into a barrier and broke off his rear wing. Open less than two weeks ago, told The second practice session is later on Friday. ‘The Associated Press’. “That makes it not easy to go into Gurpreet, Sanju win AIFF awards Spain’s Rafael Nadal plays a the match,” Thiem said. INDIAN men’s team goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and backhand during their Italian Open “And that’s the mental part, I guess.” women’s squad’s mid-fielder Sanju were on Friday declared the quarter-final match. (File photo/AFP) When main-draw competition winners of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Footballer of begins on Sunday at Roland Garros, the Year awards for the 2019-20 season. PARIS, Sept 25 (AP) Thiem and every other player in the This is the first time Gurpreet has received the award, and in men’s bracket will be pursuing Nadal the process he became the second goalkeeper after Subrata Paul FOR all of the many qualities con- as the 34-year-old from Spain pur- in 2009 to be named the AIFF Player of the Year. tributing to Rafael Nadal’s unprece- sues history. Gurpreet was elected as the winner on the basis of votes from dented superiority at the French Open If Nadal manages to claim a 13th Indian Super League and I-League club coaches. — the bullwhip of a high-bouncing French Open championship — “There was always a desire to reach this point and this is an lefty forehand, the reflex returns, the extending his own record for the most award which I have always looked up to. Chhetri-bhai (Sunil cover-every-corner athleticism, the singles trophies won by anyone at any Chhetri) has won it so many times and I have always thought endless energy and grit — there’s one major tennis tournament — he would, when I can be worthy enough to win it,” Gurpreet said. element that stands above all the rest. more significantly, also collect his (Agencies) According to the opponent Nadal 20th Grand Slam title overall, tying beat in the last two finals in Paris, any- Roger Federer’s record for a man.