Latest News
Precocious Ravindra steals the show, as New Zealand post 401
A 180-run stand between Rachin Ravindra (108) and Kane Williamson (95) propelled New Zealand to 401/6 against Pakistan in a crucial World Cup fixture in Bengaluru.
Williamson, back in the side after his thumb fracture, fell short of his hundred but Ravindra at the other end managed to zoom past it, raising his third ODI hundred which was also his third in the 2023 World Cup.
The duo got together after a 68-run opening stand, the highest by the Black Caps at this World Cup. It took a short ball for Hasan Ali to bounce out Devon Conway, break the stand and pick his 100th ODI wicket. At the time, it looked like Pakistan would find a way back into the game and restrict New Zealand’s run-rate after a fluent start, but Williamson and Ravindra put paid to that and added runs rather easily.
Iftikhar Ahmed and Agha Salman, who combined to made up Pakistan’s sixth bowler, were targeted by the duo and returned combined figures of 10-0-76-1. The only wicket was picked by Iftikhar, when Williamson made room to clear long-off but holed out instead. It helped that Fakhar Zaman took a fantastic catch in the deep and helped provide the breakthrough for Pakistan after a long wait.
Williamson finished on 95 off 79, hitting 10 fours and 2 sixes in yet another sublime knock which accelerated after his 49-ball fifty.
Ravindra followed Williamson to the dressing room in the next over, falling to another good catch taken by Saud Shakeel this time. For Mohammad Wasim Jr, it was a reward for bowling some tight overs after Hasan Ali had been taken apart for 29 runs in his two-over spell.
From 261/3 then, New Zealand zoomed to 318/4 in quick time, thanks to an attacking stand between Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman, just the kind the team needed while bringing up 300 runs inside 40 overs. Both were out bowled, with Mitchell perishing to a slower ball from Haris Rauf and Chapman bowled by a hint of reverse from Wasim.
Pakistan had picked four quicks for this match but found little comfort in the performance of their senior pacers. Shaheen Afridi (0 for 90), Haris Rauf (1 for 85) and Hasan Ali (1 for 82) were all expensive, with the only Wasim Jr. looking the part. The 22-year-old was the pick of the bowlers and finished with three wickets.
Glenn Phillips employed the long handle towards the end, hitting 4 fours and 2 sixes in his 25-ball 41 and helping New Zealand add 54 runs in the last five overs.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand 401/6 in 50 overs (Devon Conway 35, Rachin Ravindra 108, Kane Williamson 95, Daryl Mitchelle 29, Mark Chapman 39, Glenn Phillips 41, Mitchelle Santner 26*; Mohammed Wasim Jnr 3-60) vs Pakistan
Foreign News
Former UN rapporteur who investigated Israeli abuses interrogated in Canada
A former United Nations special rapporteur who investigated Israeli abuses against Palestinians says he was interrogated by Canadian authorities on “national security” grounds as he travelled to Canada this week to attend a Gaza-related event.
Richard Falk, an international law expert from the United States, told Al Jazeera that he was questioned at Toronto Pearson international airport on Thursday alongside his wife, fellow legal scholar Hilal Elver.
“A security person came and said, ‘We’ve detained you both because we’re concerned that you pose a national security threat to Canada,’” Falk, 95, said on Saturday in an interview from Ottawa, the Canadian capital. “It was my first experience of this sort – ever – in my life.”
Falk and Elver – both US citizens – were travelling to Ottawa to take part in the Palestine Tribunal on Canadian Responsibility when they were held for questioning.
The tribunal brought together international human rights and legal experts on Friday and Saturday to examine the Canadian government’s role in Israel’s two-year bombardment of the Gaza Strip, which a UN inquiry and numerous rights groups have described as a genocide.
Falk said he and his wife were held for questioning for more than four hours and asked about their work on Israel and Gaza, and on issues of genocide in general. “[There was] nothing particularly aggressive about his questioning,” he said. “It felt sort of random and disorganised.”
But Falk said he believes the interrogation is part of a global push to “punish those who endeavour to tell the truth about what is happening” in the world, including in Gaza.
[Aljazeera]
Latest News
Pakistan opt to field in 3rd ODI, Asalanka out with illness
Pakistan have won the toss and elected to field first. The game is played on the same wicket the first ODI was played on, with a high-scoring affair expected.
With the series already wrapped up, the home side have rung the changes in Rawalpindi, with four men who played the second game sitting out. Haseebullah Khan makes his ODI debut at the top as Saim Ayub sits out, while Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed all drop to the bench. Faheem Ashraf, Muhammad Wasim and Faisal Akram all come in as well.
Sri Lanka, too, have made four changes, with captain Charith Asalanka sitting out because of illness. Middle-order batter Pravan Ratnayake, fast bowler Eshan Malinga and spinner Jeffrey Vandersay play their first games this series.
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Afridi (capt), Haris Rauf, Faisal Akram
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk, capt), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Pavan Rathnayake, Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Pramod Madushan, Eshan Malinga, Jeffrey Vandersay
[Cricinfo]
Latest News
Bavuma, Harmer and Jansen script sensational South Africa win at treacherous Eden Gardens
South Africa started the day staring at defeat, only 63 ahead with three wickets in hand, but registered a stunning win, their first in India in 15 years and the second-smallest successful defence in Asia. The whooping and cheering among the South Africa players echoed amid a shocked Sunday crowd at Eden Gardens as the visitors bowled India out for 93 in the absence of their injured captain Shubman Gill.
Temba Bavuma was ever present, scoring the only half-century of the match and taking South Africa to a formidable lead of 123 on a pitch with extravagant sideways movement and variance in bounce. He was helped a little by some ordinary spin bowling on the third morning, but he had earned the errors after defending resolutely on the second evening.
The target of 124 was always going to be tricky with Simon Harmer outbowling India’s spinners in the country where he had a forgettable tour in 2015-16. The uneven bounce made Marco Jansen a handful, causing the double jeopardy you need to defend small totals.
Brief scores:
South Africa 159 in 55 overs (Aiden Markram 31; Jasprit Bumrah 5-27, Mohammed Siraj 2-47, Kuldeep Yadav 2-36) and 153 in 54 overs (Temba Bavuma 55*, Corbin Bosch 25; Ravindra Jadeja 4-50, Mohammed Siraj 2-2, Kuldeep Yadav 2-30) beat India 189 in 62.2 overs (KL Rahul 39: Marco Jansen 3-35, Simon Harmer 4-30) and 93 in 35 overs (Washington Sundar 31, Axar Patel 26; Simon Harmer 4-21, Marco Jansen 2-15, Keshav Maharaj 2-37) by 30 runs
[Cricinfo]
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