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India A win series after Gurnoor Brar demolishes Sri Lanka A
Gurnoor Brar did his burgeoning reputation a lot of good as he ran through Sri Lanka A to set up a simple 33-run chase for India A, who completed the formalities without fuss to win the two-match series of unofficial Test matches 1-0 in Galle. Brar picked up six wickets – to go with four in the first innings – as Sri Lanka A, starting their second innings on Sunday morning 177 in arrears, folded for 209. The 10 for 145 was by far Brar’s best in his short first-class career.
The day began with India A at 541 for 8 in their first innings after B Sai Sudarshan’s 168 and half-centuries from Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel and Saransh Jain, who was in the middle alongside Yash Thakur. The innings ended soon after when Thakur became left-arm spinner Keshara Nuwantha’s fifth victim – Ruturaj Gaikwad didn’t come back out to bat after retiring hurt on the third day.
Then the Brar show began, though there was help for him up top with Aaqib Nabi and Thakur picking up a wicket each to Brar’s two, as Sri Lanka A were 49 for 4 at the start of the 11th over, captain Sahan Arachchige, their century-maker from the first innings, among the wickets to fall.
The fightback for Sri Lanka A was a solo effort, courtesy Ashen Bandara, a white-ball international between 2021 and 2023, as he smashed the bowlers around for 87 in 86 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes. His partnership with the other Bandara, Anjala, was worth 70 runs, with Anjala contributing 17 of those.
The resistance ended when Brar returned to send back Anjala Bandara and followed it up with the wicket of Ashen Bandara to leave Sri Lanka A at 141 for 6, still well behind. Contributions from lower-order batters Nuwantha (26), Dilum Sudeera (21) and Asanka Manoj (12 not out) did help Sri Lanka A wipe out the deficit and get a lead, but only just. Brar completed his five-for when he sent back Sudeera, and then the six-for when he finished the innings with Dulaj Samuditha’s wicket. Jain, meanwhile, picked up two wickets.
Sai Sudharsan and Aman Mokhade knocked off the required runs in just 6.2 overs to complete the win, India A adding to their win in the 50-overs tri-series, with Afghanistan A the third team, earlier on the tour.
Scores:
India A 543 for 9 decl in 143.3 overs (B Sai Sudharsan 168, Devdutt Padikkal 94, Dhruv Jurel 53, Saransh Jain 70*; Keshara Nuwantha 5-159, Dilum Sudeera 3-102) and 36 for no loss in 6.2 overs (B Sai Sudharsan 25*, Aman Mokhade 11*) beat Sri Lanka A 366 in 110 overs (Sahan Arachchige 127; Gurnoor Brar 4-77, Saransh Jain 4-92) and 209 in 48.3 overs (Ashen Bandara 87; Gurnoor Brar 6-68, Saransh Jain 2-66) by ten wickets
[Cricinfo]
The Rose Bowl, which has been awarded to the winner of ODI series between the women’s teams of Australia and New Zealand since 1985, has now been expanded to include T20Is as well.
New Zealand’s three match T20I tour of Australia, which begins on Sunday at the North Sydney Oval, will be the first T20I edition of the Rose Bowl. The teams will get to face off again for the trophy in March 2027 when they meet again for three ODIs, also in Australia.
For Rose Bowl series that include matches in both white-ball formats, the trophy will go to the team with the most wins overall. In case of a drawn series, the current holder will retain the trophy.
“The Rose Bowl is a prestigious trophy that holds a lot of meaning to current and past players, and it’s a series we’ve always taken a lot of pride in competing in,”Catherine Campbell, NZC’s chief cricket operations officer and a former New Zealand player, said. “With so much T20I cricket now being played, this is a brilliant opportunity to keep the Rose Bowl relevant and to build on the history between us and our Australian rivals.”
New Zealand captain Melie Kerr was excited by the broadening of opportunities to compete for the Rose Bowl.
“We’re all aware of what the Rose Bowl represents and the importance it holds in the White Ferns whakapapa [genealogy],” said Kerr. “Great players and teams have fought for it over the years and we’d love the opportunity to claim our own piece of that history.”
Australia have held the Rose Bowl continuously since wresting it back from New Zealand in 2000. Since that 3-0 win, Australia have won 18 times with one series – in 2008-09 – shared 2-2. Overall, Australia have won 26 of the 31 ODI series played for the Rose Bowl, with New Zealand winning three times and three series drawn.
North Sydney will host all three T20Is of the upcoming Rose Bowl series, on October 18, 20 and 22.
[Cricinfo]
US President Donald Trump claims the US Navy’s “effective” blockade has stopped all Iranian ships from crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy says a supertanker carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil has struck a sea mine while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz through an “unauthorised” route.
The collision caused a huge explosion and a major fire on board the vessel, the IRGC said in a statement reported by semi-official Tasnim news agency.
It alleged that the tanker had turned off all tracking and radar systems, attempting to pass through the strait using deception and with US military support.
‘The Strait of Hormuz is closed’, the IRGC navy warned, adding that vessels violating Iranian regulations would face severe consequences for relying on US backing.
[Aljazeera]
Squad for the first three ODIs: Shubman Gill [C], Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer [VC], KL Rahul [WK], Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan [WK], Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna*, Kuldeep Yadav
Squad for fourth and fifth ODIs: Shreyas Iyer [C], Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan [WK, VC], Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra [WK], Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav
[Cricbuzz]
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