MONDAY, MARCH 21, 2016 SPORTS Dhoni lauds India as turnaround kings KOLKATA: Mahendra Singh Dhoni hailed prise to veteran skipper Dhoni who was cap- of Australia ended with India beating their class”, with The Times of India saying he shrug off their world cup jinx against India. India as cricket’s bounceback kings after they tain when India won the inaugural World T20 hosts 3-0 in the T20s. “To have a very bad “appeared to be batting in a different zone”. Pakistan have lost all their 11 matches to again followed up an early defeat in a major in 2007 and the 2011 ODI World Cup after stut- game or a very bad series and to come back “No batsman in the recent past has looked India in six 50-over World Cup meetings and tournament with an emphatic win and kick- tering starts to their campaign. strong, it’s the kind of character the boys have. more assuring than him, calmer and com- five T20 clashes, but senior batsman Shoaib started their bid for World Twenty20 glory. India’s prospects looked grim in 2011 after “And I feel it’s very important to back them posed, or more classy and skillful,” said the dai- Malik did not read much into it. After their shock defeat on Tuesday to New their first two matches against a traditional and have confidence in them that they will ly. The Indian Express said the 37-ball knock “We would have fared badly against many Zealand in their first match, the hosts cruised powerhouse included a tie with England fol- bounce back and will come back strong.” “was a special innings even by Kohli’s hugely other teams as well in the world cup, but the to a six-wicket victory over arch rivals Pakistan lowed by defeat to South Africa. Dhoni hit the winning runs at the finale in lofty standards”. India will now look to pick up India bit gets highlighted more,” said Malik. in Kolkata late Saturday. India also got off to a slow start in 2007 Kolkata where he played second fiddle to bat- the run-rate in their remaining group matches Invited to bat on a moisture-laden pitch, The defeat against New Zealand had put a when they tied with Pakistan before winning a ting maestro Virat Kohli. Kohli appeared against Bangladesh and Australia, two teams Pakistan made 118 for five in a match reduced question mark over India’s status as red-hot bowl-out and then lost to New Zealand. supremely calm during his unbeaten knock of who also lost their openers. to 18 overs a side due to rain. Apart from favourites and triggered accusations of com- “If you see we have been in this position 55, which was more than double the next “I still feel there is still scope for improve- Ahmed Shehzad (25) and Malik (26), no other placency. But in a cauldron-like atmosphere of many times. We know how to turn it around,” highest score by a batsman on either side. ment and in the coming two games that will batsmen got going against an Indian attack a packed Eden Gardens, Dhoni’s men held Dhoni told reporters at Eden Gardens. After India lost three early wickets, Kohli be our priority,” said Dhoni. which utilised the conditions to their advan- their nerve and reached the target of 119 with The man known as “Captain Cool” pointed and Yuvraj Singh then put together a 61-run tage. “It was a tough pitch to bat on but we 13 balls remaining. out that India followed up their defeat in a partnership before Yuvraj fell to Wahab Riaz, PAKISTAN’S JINX could have put on a better target than this,” The bounceback from the humiliating 47- 2014 Test series against England with victory bringing Dhoni to the crease. Pakistan, who started the tournament with said Malik. “Our total wasn’t enough to defend run reverse against the Kiwis came as no sur- in the ODIs and an otherwise poor recent tour Indian newspapers hailed Kohli’s “master- a bang by thrashing Bangladesh, failed to against such a great batting line-up.” — AFP S Africa survives early scare to beat Afghanistan MUMBAI: South Africa avoided another Dawlat Zadran in his last over. The South bowling nightmare to revive its World African pace proved too much for Twenty20 campaign and beat inexperi- Afghanistan’s middle-order batsmen as enced Afghanistan by 37 runs in the Group they kept losing wickets with wicketkeeper 1 match yesterday. Chasing South Africa’s de Kock holding onto four catches and also daunting 209-5, opener Mohammad stumping Noor Ali Zadran. Shahzad smashed 44 off just 19 balls “This experience will be good for us,” before medium-fast Chris Morris grabbed Stanikzai said. “Shahzad started well but 4-27 to dismiss Afghanistan for 172 in 20 unfortunately we gave some quick wickets overs. “We need to be a lot better, it’s as and that’s why we lost the match.” simple as that,” said South Africa captain Faf Earlier, de Kock and du Plessis set the du Plessis, who won the toss and chose to pace of the South Africa innings by adding bat. “It’s a big challenge for the bowlers ... I 65 off 42 balls after Hashim Amla was dis- guess we are a bit soft in our execution missed in the third over. which we need to improve on.” Afghanistan came back briefly when du AB de Villiers had earlier capitalized on Plessis was run out in the 10th over and two dropped catches to hit 64 off 29 balls. two overs later de Kock was caught behind. Left-handed opener Quinton de Kock made De Villiers took his time to settle down and 45 and du Plessis contributed 41. Samiullah Shenwari twice dropped him - South Africa lost the first match against on 26 and 35 - before the batsman England, which chased down a WT20 launched a brutal counter-attack which record 230-8 at the same venue on Friday saw South Africa scoring 78 runs in the last to win by two wickets. It was Afghanistan’s five overs. second loss in succession after it was beat- De Villiers lofted 17-year Rashid Khan for en by defending champions Sri Lanka at four sixes and a four in the 17th over which Kolkata. Shahzad followed the England- cost the leg-spinner 29 runs before he style run rampage when he smashed five holed out in the deep in the next over. JP sixes and three fours in the first three overs Duminy (29) and David Miller (19) ensured from fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Kyle South Africa crossed the 200-run mark Abbott. when they hit medium fast Dawlat Zadran Morris cut short the cricketing carnage for 20 runs in the last over. and knocked back the middle stump of “Two dropped catches of de Villiers and Shahzad, before following it up with the conceding around 50 runs in the two overs wicket of captain Asghar Stanikzai. He at the end made the difference,” Shahzad BANGALORE: West Indies’ Johnson Charles, right, is bowled out by Sri Lanka’s Jeffrey Vandersay during their ICC World Twenty20 0162 cricket returned to clean bowl Rashid Khan and said. —AP match in Bangalore, India, yesterday. — AP SCOREBOARD Fletcher shines as W Indies MUMBAI: Scoreboard of the World Twenty20 match between South Africa and Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai yesterday: South Africa: N. Ali Zadran st de Kock b Tahir 25 down S Lanka without Gayle Q. de Kock c Shahzad b Hamza 45 A. Stanikzai c de Kock b Morris 7 H. Amla c Stanikzai b Shapoor Zadran 5 G. Naib c de Kock b Abbott 26 F. du Plessis run out 41 M. Nabi c de Villiers b Tahir 11 BANGALORE: Andre Fletcher powered the AB. de Villiers c Noor Ali Zadran b Nabi 64 S. Shenwari c Wiese b Abbott 25 West Indies to a comprehensive seven-wicket SCOREBOARD JP. Duminy not out 29 N. Zadran c de Kock b Rabada 12 victory against Sri Lanka in their World D. Miller c Naib b Dawlat Zadran 19 R. Khan b Morris 11 Twenty20 match in Bangalore yesterday, even BANGALORE, India: Scoreboard of the World Twenty20 match between the West Indies and Sri Lanka at the M. D. Wiese not out 0 D. Zadran b Morris 0 Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday: Extras (lb 2, w4) 6 A. Hamza not out 3 without destructive opener Chris Gayle. Total (for 5 wickets, 20 overs) 209 S. Zadran b Rabada 1 The 28-year-old smashed an unbeaten 84, Sri Lanka 0, Brathwaite 4-0-36-1, Bravo 4-0-20-2 Did not bat: C. Morris, K. Abbott, K. Rabada, I. Tahir Extras (lb 1, w 6) 7 including five sixes and six fours, as the D. Chandimal run out 16 Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Amla) 2-90 (du Plessis), 3-97 Total (for 10 wickets, 20 overs) 172 Windies successfully chased down Sri Lanka’s T. Dilshan lbw b Brathwaite 12 West Indies (de Kock), 4-173 (de Fall of wickets: 1-52 (Shahzad), 2-60 (Stanikzai), 3- paltry score of 122 for nine. Fletcher spear- L. Thirimanne c Fletcher b Badree 5 A. Fletcher not out 84 Villiers), 5-203 (Miller) 105 (Naib), 4-109 (Noor Ali Zadran), 5-140 (Nabi), C. Kapugedera st Ramdin b Badree 6 headed the attack with his 64-ball knock in J. Charles b Vandersay 10 Bowling: Hamza 3-0-25-1, Dawlat Zadran 3-0-46-1, 6-156 (Najubullah Zadran), 7-156 (Shenwari), 8- A.