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New Zealand win big after blowing away Uganda for 40

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Trent Boult produced a double-strike in his first over [ICC]

Trent Boult delivered searing, full inswing, Tim Southee went at the stumps as well, before Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra tested both edges of the bat with their left-arm spin.

The result was another Uganda collapse at the T20 World Cup,  their inexperienced batters simply unable to contend with the quality of New Zealand’s bowling.

Uganda were all out for 40 in the 19th over, with only one of their batters – Kenneth Waiswa – having made double figures. They struck three boundaries all through their innings, and were unable to find scoring options, the New Zealand bowlers frequently beating their bat.

New Zealand ran down the target in 5.2 overs, with the loss of just one wicket.

Even top batters from more established teams would have been tested by Boult’s first over. He began with a couple of inswinging yorkers to Ronak Patel, who managed to to get off strike second ball.

Boult’s next two deliveries were big-swinging, and pinpoint. First he had left-hander Simon Ssesazi plumb in front, before cleaning up Robinson Obuya with a delivery that curved in through the gate.

After Boult delivered that double-wicket over, conceding just one run, Southee bowled a maiden, then Boult delivered another maiden – Uganda’s top order often unable to make contact.

The pair bowled right through the powerplay, and left Uganda 9 for 3, with Southee having trapped Alpesh Ramjani in front in his second over.

Then it was over to Santner, Lockie Ferguson, and Ravindra. Santer struck first, drawing the outside edge of Ronak, held nicely by wicketkeeper Devon Conway.

Ferguson then took out Waiswa’s stumps. Even Riazat Ali Shah, and Dinesh Nakrani looked incapable of scoring against New Zealand, and by the end of the 14th over, Uganda were seven down for 27.

Their only minor consolation was getting past the 39 – their lowest T20 total ever – they had slumped to against West Indies.

The chase was largely smooth, and the only wicket Uganda got had a touch of good fortune about it – Riazat getting Finn Allen caught down the legside with a full delivery.

New Zealand had trouble hitting boundaries too, finding the rope only twice in the first four overs. But with such a small target, singles and twos would work too. Conway finished the game with back-to-back boundaries off Jumo Miyagi.

Brief scores:
New Zealand 41 for 1in 5.2 overs  (Devon Conway 22*; Riazat Ali Sha 1-10) beat Uganda 40 in 18.4 overs (Kenneth Waiswa 11; Tim Southee 3-04, Trent Boult 2-07, Mitchell Santner 2-08, Lockie Ferguson 1-09, Rachin Ravindra 2-09) by nine wickets

[Cricinfo]



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Former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrested by CIABOC

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Former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was  produced before the Hulftsdorp court, after  being  arrested by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and produce

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Smriti Mandhana appointed India captain across formats

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Smriti Mandhana looks on in the field [Cricinfo]

Smriti Mandhana has been named India’s all-format women’s captain on the same day Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from the role after nearly a decade since she first took over.

Mandhana – vice-captain to Harmanpreet for much of this period – has previously led India in four ODIs and 18 T20Is, apart from captaining Maharashtra in domestic cricket and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League.

Mandhana’s first assignment will be the limited-overs series against Zimbabwe beginning with the three T20Is in Raipur from October 16. On Tuesday, Mandhana was part of the selection meeting chaired by Amita Sharma to pick the squad for the tour.

Terming the appointment a “special honour”, Mandhana also acknowledged the contributions of her predecessor in her welcome note.

“I would also like to acknowledge Harmanpreet and the contribution she has made as captain over the years,” she was quoted as saying by the BCCI. “She has led the team with great commitment and has been an important part of our journey.

“I understand the responsibility that comes with this role and look forward to working with the team, learning along the way and giving my best to take Indian cricket forward.”

Mandhana’s appointment comes on the back of a review meeting held on Monday in Guwahati. Chaired by secretary Devajit Saikia, the meeting was also attended by Mandhana, Harmanpreet and head coach Amol Muzumdar to chart a roadmap forward, with an eye on next year’s inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in February as well as the T20 World Cup and Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Mandhana, India’s best all-format batter, has been knocking on the doors for a while. Earlier this year, she led RCB to their second WPL title, in which she also top-scored in the final.

In September, she overtook Mithali Raj to become the leading run-scorer in women’s international across formats. Her 18 international hundreds are also the most in women’s cricket. She is also the first Indian woman to score centuries in all formats.

[Cricinfo]

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Ronaldo apologizes for Portugal walkout; says Jesus broke promise

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Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal's leading scorer (Aljazeera)

Cristiano Ronaldo has accused Portugal ‌coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word, saying a failed agreement to publicly ⁠explain his omission ⁠against Norway drove him out of the camp, but insisting he remained available after any punishment.

In a lengthy statement, the 41-year-old gave his account of the dispute ⁠that prompted his departure  from Copenhagen before Portugal’s Nations League match versus Denmark last week.

Ronaldo said Jesus had agreed a plan under which the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark ⁠matches to manage his fitness. However, on the day of the Norway game, the coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.

“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from halftime onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said.

“The manager had broken his word to me.”

Portugal’s ‌captain and all-time leading scorer said a subsequent meeting with Jesus, attended by his club side Al Nassr’s sporting director Simao Coutinho, produced an agreement for the coach to clarify events at his next news conference.

According to Ronaldo, an eight-point document was prepared saying he had never demanded playing time, had respected Jesus’s decisions and that the coach asking him to warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake.

Ronaldo said the agreed notes did ⁠not require Jesus to apologise to him but said the coach’s ⁠public remarks bore no resemblance to their private discussion.

“It was the second time he had broken his word to me,” Ronaldo said. “I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.”

The statement provided Ronaldo’s account⁠, but on Sunday, after Portugal’s win over Norway, Jesus denied he had made any agreement with the player, nevertheless leaving the door open  ⁠for his return.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) did not immediately respond ⁠to a request for comment about Ronaldo’s statement.

Ronaldo apologised for failing to greet supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his teammates,  accepting that his captaincy made his conduct more serious.

“The consequences of my actions must be assessed ‌and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation,” he said.

Despite the rupture, Ronaldo said he was not limiting his international ambitions to a farewell appearance.

“If I’m physically fit, playing for my club – scoring ‌goals, ‌I hope – after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I’ll be available, as I’ve always been until now, to compete and win for our national team,” he added.

(Aljazeera)

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