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Home , Abu Hider, Arafat Sunny, Ekta Bisht, Karim Sadiq, Liam Dawson, Lydia Greenway

17 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016 Afghans have talent, just need more games: Inzaman

NEW : ’s cricketers must qualifying for the group stages by seeing off Indian legends Sachin Tendulkar and have more exposure to top-flight opposition more established teams such as Zimbabwe Rahul Dravid are among those who have if they are do justice to their undoubted tal- and Scotland. expressed their admiration for the exploits ent, Pakistani legend Inzamam ul “It feels good that people are appreciat- of a team which has to play all its matches Haq said yesterday. ing Afghanistan. Boys have worked hard. We abroad because of the security situation After defeats against and South have qualified for the world cup and played back home. Their Asghar Stanikzai Africa in their first two group matches in the good cricket,” said the former Pakistani skip- said he was “proud” to hear such praise but World , Afghanistan’s latest adven- per in a press conference. also urged the International Cricket Council ture with cricket’s big guns is drawing to a “Okay, we have not been able to win a to ensure the team, which is now based in close. But even if qualification for the semi- single game, but have played good game. , can build on their progress. finals is now all but impossible, they have So if we improve a level, we can win. “Many people believed at the start of the won new fans by giving South Africa a fright “This Afghanistan team has got all the tournament that the matches against and still have an opportunity to spring an talent, they just need more exposure. The Afghanistan would be one-sided, but we upset against England on Wednesday night. more they play international cricket, the really prepared and planned and caused a The Afghan team’s progress in the last few more their talent will improve.” bit of a scare,” he said, speaking through an years has been one of cricket’s feel-good In Sunday’s match against South Africa, interpreter. “We need their (ICC) support and stories but after the highs of competing in Afghanistan were 105 for two at one stage we are eager to play each and every world last year’s 50 over World Cup and the World in pursuit of the Proteas’ total of 210 cup and we have requested full members to T20, they have no immediate fixtures although they were ultimately comfortably play a series with us. against major teams on the horizon once beaten after a flurry of . Burly - “In one game you cannot compare the they leave India. Inzaman, who was appoint- keeper once again potential of the team but in a series you ed Afghanistan’s coach last October, said his caught the eye by smacking five sixes as he NEW DELHI: Afghanistan’s cricket team captain, Asghar Stanikzai, center, talks to can... We are a side who would like to play charges had done themselves proud after raced to 44 in just 19 balls. team coaching staff during a practice session in New Delhi, India, yesterday. — AP more series.” — AFP England Women survive spin scare to chase 91

DHARAMSALA: India Women nearly got out of to be a raging turner, announced herself with jail courtesy their trump card, spin, in conditions three fours off her first seven balls to briefly as subcontinental as it could get to lift the hopes throw India’s plans off. of a boisterous home crowd, but a turbo- Beaumont also showed she was up for the charged start from and Tammy fight by making a sprightly 20. Harmanpreet Beaumont helped England Women overcome a Kaur, who was smashed for three fours off her nervous breakdown. They eventually crossed first three balls, hit back with two wickets off the line by two wickets in a pulsating finish in successive balls. Beaumont holed out to mid- Dharamsala. wicket before Taylor was superbly by India’s 90 for 8, which seemed inadequate at . the halfway mark, was made to look bigger as From 42 for 3, England’s nervy approach was England’s pre-determined approach on a sur- reduced to a battle of push and prod as Bisht face, where the ball spun visiously, came back to exploited the slow, spinning surface to scythe bite them. It needed the calm of Natalie Sciver, through the middle order. Heather Knight, who who made a crucial 19, and to allay had earlier picked up three wickets with her off- fears of a shock loss as England squeezed home spin, was stumped, too, while Lydia Greenway with six balls to spare. was trapped plumb in front attempting an , who replaced in expansive sweep to leave the game on a knife’s the XI, injected fresh life in to India’s defence edge. India’s fielders also lifted themselves, even with a crafty display of left-arm spin to though England found scoring slightly easier finish with career-best figures of 4 for 21. But, against the pace of . England lack of application with the bat threw India’s also had a reprieve when Katherin Brunt sur- campaign in choppy waters. They need to win vived a close lbw shout, with England needing against West Indies on Sunday and hope other 11 off 23. results go their way. SCOREBOARD After misfiring with the bat, India came out England Women 92 for 8 (Beaumont 20, attacking, and received an early fillip when Bisht 4-21, Kaur 2-22 ) beat India Women 90 was dismissed by the third for 8 (Kaur 26, Knight 3-15, Shrubsole 2-12) by over. But Taylor, perhaps identifying the surface two wickets. BANGALORE: Indian cricketer talks to young cricketers after a net practice session on the eve of their match against Bangladesh at The Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday. — AFP Dhoni urges India to lift run rate against Bangladesh

BANGALORE: India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni wins while , Australia and India all have two for illegal actions, forcing them to rush in replace- urged his big-hitters to improve their run rate dra- points. However India’s run rate, which could deter- ments from Bangladesh. matically against Bangladesh today or face the mine who qualifies, is considerably worse than their There are also question marks over star batsman prospect of a humiliating early exit from the World rivals. “In the first game our run rate went down. So who is unwell and did not play against Twenty20 on home soil. it’s not only about winning but you have to take Australia. The hosts are precariously placed in fourth spot care of the run-rate at some point,” added Dhoni. of Group Two after one defeat and one win. They The hosts are seeking to become the first coun- Teams desperately need a big victory to strengthen their try to win the World T20 title twice, after clinching India (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt and bid for a semi-finals berth. the crown in 2007, and also the first to win at home. wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit India’s six-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan Bangladesh, by comparison, will be desperate for a Bumrah, , , DHARAMSALA: India’s bats against England during the Women’s ICC on Saturday will have boosted their confidence win after two straight losses, the latest to Australia Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, World Twenty20 2016 cricket match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association after a shock 47-run defeat to New Zealand in their by three wickets on Monday. Pawan Negi, , Hardik Pandya, Ajinkya (HPCA) stadium in Dharamsala, India, yesterday. — AP opening group match. Sitting at the bottom of Group Two after also los- Rahane, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, . But Dhoni said India, who were firm favourites at ing to Pakistan, the Tigers have almost no chance of Bangladesh (from): the start of the tournament to lift a second World advancing to the semi-finals, but skipper Mashrafe (capt), , , Al-Amin T20 title, needed to improve to qualify from a tough Mortaza vowed to battle on. Hossain, , , Five things learnt group that also includes Australia. “I still feel there is “We will keep fighting. We still have two matches , , Nasir still scope for improvement and in the coming two to fight hard,” he said. The Tigers were left reeling Hossain, (wicketkeeper), Sabbir games that will be our priority,” said the captain. after the ICC’s decision at the weekend to suspend Rahman, , Tamim Iqbal, so far in World T20 New Zealand top the group on four points after two their top bowlers and Shuvagata Hom, Saqlain Sajib. — AFP NEW DELHI: The group stages of cricket’s World T20. Their 230 for 8 with two balls to World Twenty20 have reached the half-way spare was also England’s record total. Morgan mark with every team having played two of will fancy his side’s chances of posting big England determined to their four matches. AFP looks at the lessons scores in their two remaining group matches learned so far: against Afghanistan and a struggling Sri Lanka. If they do, then a semi-final berth may AUSSIES STILL TO MASTER TWENTY20 be theirs which would be a massive achieve- avoid fresh humiliation World champions in ODI cricket and num- ment after defeat to the West Indies in their ber one in Tests, the Australians arrived in opening game. India determined to fill the one major gap in NEW DELHI: Skipper vowed that their trophy cabinet. But after defeat to New HARD TIMES AHEAD FOR SRI LANKA England would not take lowly Afghanistan lightly Zealand in their opener followed by a scrappy It was known that defending champions in a must-win World Twenty20 tie today after exit- win over Bangladesh, skipper Sri Lanka might struggle with the bat after the ing their last two major tournaments with egg on admits his youthful side are struggling to retirements of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela their face. adapt to different conditions and “we’ve got Jayawardene. But pace spearhead Lasith England’s 2014 World T20 campaign ended in to improve”. The experiment of dropping Malinga’s injury withdrawal and Rangana an embarrassing 45-run defeat against the down the order from his usual Herath’s lack of bite mean the holders lack Netherlands while a disastrous showing at last position as opener has not paid off with the obvious match-winners ahead of their year’s 50 over World Cup was capped by a chasten- vice captain making just six and 17 in his two tougher assignments against England and innings. The decision to leave Aaron Finch, the South Africa. Herath was one of the stand- ing loss to Bangladesh. Morgan’s side will hope to top-ranked batsman in T20s, on the sidelines outs in the 2014 triumph, taking five for three record a resounding win against Afghanistan today looks increasingly misguided. in the semi-final against New Zealand. But he in New Delhi as they seek to up their run rate in a went wicketless in Sunday’s defeat against the tight group but the captain said there would be no NEVER WRITE OFF THE BLACK CAPS West Indies where he was outbowled by taking victory for granted. After their talisman Brendon McCullum team-mate Jeffrey Vandersay, a late replace- Speaking to reporters on the eve of the match, retired on the eve of the tournament, this was ment for Malinga. did Morgan recalled the “horrific” feeling in the dress- meant to be a period of transition for New smack 83 against Afghanistan but no one else ing-room at the time of the Dutch debacle but said Zealand. In both their matches against India has passed 40 and the 39-year-old is hardly the atmosphere was totally different after Friday’s and Australia, most pundits saw their batting one for the future. morale-boosting victory over South Africa. totals as some way short of being winning “Our priority is on winning. Tomorrow is a big scores. But marshalled by astute new skipper SPIN IS KING game and we are certainly not taking Afghanistan NEW DELHI: England cricketer (L) and bowls during a practice session , their bowlers held their Indian wickets are famous for being happy for granted. First and foremost we need to get into at Feroz Shah Kotla cricket ground in New Delhi yesterday. England will play their World T20 nerve and skittled out their opponents’ illus- hunting grounds for spin bowlers and that’s that game with the right mindset,” he said. cricket match against Afghanistan today. — AFP trious top-orders cheaply. Rookie spinner certainly been the case at the World T20. “I think Holland was a unique set of circum- Mitchell Santner tops the wickets chart and Slow-armers are commanding the top posi- games, South Africa and Sri Lanka. eager to win at least one match in next two. The no one has managed to post a half-century tions in the bowling tables while even at stances, I think we were already out of the tourna- “I think he (Shahzad) is a good batsman but I guys are playing to win.” against them. Most of New Zealand’s own Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, a flatter ment. We went into the game with a particularly think it will be rude of me to single out any bats- batsman have made a start without going on ground known to favour pacemen, fast wrong mindset,” he added. man... I think as a side they can be quite strong and Teams to compile a big innings. If they can put that bowlers are finding life difficult. New “Disappointment of getting knocked out of the very destructive.” Morgan said England were con- England (from): Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen right, the Black Caps look a decent bet to win Zealand spinners Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi world cup is horrific, so coming into this game we sidering bringing in Liam Dawson as a third spin- Ali, Sam Billings, , Liam Dawson, Alex their first world cup. and Nathan McCullum all feature in the top are really fresh.” Although Afghanistan have lost ner alongside Moeen Ali and on a pitch Hales, , , Adil Rashid, Joe 10 most economical bowlers at the tourna- their two matches in the group stages, they caused that is expected to offer more turn than Mumbai, Root, , , Reece Topley, James NEW-LOOK ENGLAND WALK THE TALK ment. Santner’s figures of 4-11 against India South Africa a fright on Sunday with a brisk start to the venue of England’s first two games. Vince, David Willey. England have long struggled in cricket’s were a resounding vindication of the Black their run chase, with opener Mohammad Shahzad Although Afghanistan are effectively out of the Afghanistan (from): Asghar Stanikzai (cap- shortest form due to an inability to score runs- Caps decision to leave pacemen Trent Boult scoring 44 in just 19 balls. tournament, skipper Asghar Stanikzai said his side tain), Amir Hamza, , Gulbadin not any more. Captain Eoin Morgan promised and Tim Southee on the bench. Even South “I think they are a dangerous side. They have was determined to leave India with victory against Naib, , , Mohammad a new, “brash and aggressive” England and Africa’s lightning quick has played a really exciting brand of cricket,” said a major team under their belt. Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad, , they lived up to that billing in a thrilling win looked a sorry sight, conceding 35 runs in Morgan. “We watched the early stages of the tour- “We have played good cricket and looking to , , Samiullah over South Africa when they pulled off the just two overs against England before being nament when they played and qualified, played play well against England as well,” he said. “There Shenwari, Shafiq, , highest successful run chase by any team at a taken off. — AFP some really good cricket. And we watched both will definitely be pressure on England ... We are . — AFP