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But for that to happen, their batting needs serious improvement considering at least one of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will be back after spending three months being “rested” or “rotated”

The Preview by Sidharth Monga15-Nov-20174:34

Chopra: Dhawan to open, Ishant over Bhuvneshwar

Match facts

November 16-20, 2017
Start time 0930 local (0400 GMT)

Big Picture

India v Sri Lanka again? Didn’t they play last week? Or was it last month? Might have been last season. Who could care?Such is the apathy towards the contest that it is almost forgotten that Sri Lanka were last invited to play Test cricket in India, during “prime time”, was a full eight years ago. For purposes of rhythm no doubt, they played the matches on exact same dates – November 16, November 24 and December 2, 2009 – while the country was busy celebrating Sachin Tendulkar’s 20 years in international cricket. Only immigration officers knew Sri Lanka had been in the country for a week when the pre-match press conferences began.If India were stuck in the past in 2009, it would appear they already have their minds in the future – in South Africa. Hardik Pandya, whose only Tests have come against Sri Lanka, has been rested because he is believed to be the one to make the difference overseas. If India seal this Sri Lanka series in the first two Tests, it is possible even captain Virat Kohli might give the rest of the tour a miss. Why, even the green pitch for the first Test at Eden Gardens might suggest South Africa has come in earnest.The last time Sri Lanka came to India, they caught the hosts by surprise and had them 32 for 4 on the first day of the series, the last bit of ascendency they enjoyed. They will now hope not only to catch India on the hop but for a longer period of time.The last time Sri Lanka came to India, the hosts would become the No. 1 side in the world. Now, they are already on top of the rankings, a more ruthless, bowler-oriented version of MS Dhoni’s team. And Sri Lanka? Well, they were the No. 2 side in 2009 but in the lead up to 2017, they lost Sangakkara, Jayawardene, Dilshan, Samaraweera, Muralitharan and their prominence in international cricket. Not only have Sri Lanka lost legends as players but, until as recently as last month, also as possible advisors to take them into the next era.A more pressing concern is the batting, which needs a lot of work to stand up to India’s bowling might, which will be further accentuated on home surfaces. Even though they won the series in Pakistan 2-0, Sri Lanka are keeping their ambitions realistic: they will be happy if they can win a Test, their first, in India.The Eden Gardens was wrapped under covers on the eve of the Test•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
India: WWWWD
Sri Lanka: WWLLL

In the spotlight

It is safe to assume it has been uneasy for R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to come to terms with life outside India’s national sides. Since they last played Sri Lanka in August, they were “rested” then “rotated” – who needs fake news when there are India selections? – but the fact remains two of India’s big match winners in Tests are not wanted in limited-overs cricket. They will be itching to come back to Tests with a vengeance.Angelo Mathews has spent two years without a Test century. Sri Lanka have beaten Pakistan twice without Mathews. Once the captain, once the man to lead Sri Lanka into the next era, once the chosen one, Mathews is now just another one. What better time to go back to being the special one?

Team news

The Eden Gardens pitch is green and expected to help the quicks. The last time India played a Test here – on a similar pitch last year – they went in with an extra batsman. With the seam-bowling allrounder missing, India might possibly go that way again. If they do so, they might come face to face with a choice they will anyway have to make in South Africa: who out of Ashwin and Jadeja makes way for a third specialist fast bowler? That fast bowler if selected is most certainly going to be Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took a five-for in his last Kolkata Test.The other choice to be made for India is one that will cause them a dilemma in South Africa too. While it might be harsh to drop either Shikhar Dhawan or KL Rahul after the year they have had, M Vijay might be a valuable asset overseas.India (probable): 1 KL Rahul, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt.), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 R Ashwin/ Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Umesh Yadav.Even though Sri Lanka won both their Tests in the UAE, changes are expected. Kusal Mendis is out, Mathews is in, possibly to bat at No. 4; Kaushal Silva is out, Dhanandaya de Silva is back. The tricky permutations will have to be carried in the bowling department with Mathews still not expected to bowl. And Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by playing five bowlers in both Tests. An overcast Kolkata in November is rather different to the UAE, though, and a green pitch might also necessitate playing an extra batsman.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 3 Dhananjaya de Silva, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (capt.), 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 7 Lahiru Thirimanne/ Dasun Shanaka ,8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Suranga Lakmal, Rangana Herath, 11 Lahiru Gamage/ Vishwa Fernando

Pitch and conditions

The Eden Gardens pitch is green and expected to be two-paced; it seems this Test will be played in similar conditions as the last Kolkata Test when 26 of the 40 wickets fell to pace. Any chances of the pitch drying out might have been laid to rest by persistent rain on the day before the Test. There is more expected on the first three days of the match.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka have never won a Test in 17 attempts in India, but this is not the longest wait for a Test team to register a maiden win in a particular country: New Zealand went 28 Tests before they finally won one in England.
• One of Rohit Sharma’s two Test centuries has come in two Tests in Kolkata. Even when he didn’t score a century, he scored a crucial second-innings 82 to help India beat New Zealand in conditions that were almost home-like for the visitors. In all international cricket at Eden Gardens, Rohit averages more than 90 per dismissal.
• Angelo Mathews and Rangana Herath are the only ones in the Sri Lanka squad to have played Test cricket in India.
• R Ashwin is eight short of 300 wickets. He has played 52 Tests; Dennis Lillee is the fastest to the mark, in 56 Tests.

Quotes

“I feel every match you play is important. Every series is huge. It’s not like we lose this series and you’re going to say nothing to us. Everything is important when you play for the country. We don’t like to differentiate, we simply want to do well as a team.”

Zimbabwe have chosen an A team full of first-choice picks to play against Pakistan A in Bulawayo from Sunday in an effort to help them prepare for the Tests against Sri Lanka, which begin on October 29

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2016Zimbabwe have chosen an A team full of first-choice picks to play against Pakistan A in Bulawayo from Sunday in an effort to help them prepare for the Tests against Sri Lanka, which begin on October 29.Out of the 24 men picked to play two four-day matches only three have yet to play international cricket – batsman Tarisai Musakanda and seamers Carl Mumba and Victor Nyauchi – and 16 had been involved in Zimbabwe’s most recent Tests, against New Zealand in July and August.The A series also presents opportunity for Brian Vitori, the 26-year old fast bowler, to end a three-month streak without competitive cricket. It has been a lot longer since he played for Zimbabwe; his last match was in January 2016. But he is part of the 12-member squad to play the first four-day game against Pakistan A at Queens Sports Club. He has Donald Tiripano, Chris Mpofu and Michael Chinouya as seam-bowling partners. With a host of part-time spinners available, only one specialist has been picked – Graeme Cremer, the Zimbabwe captain.The second game – scheduled for October 15 – could feature Elton Chigumbura who had been left out of senior team when they played New Zealand in July. Also in the mix is medium-pacer Njabulo Ncube, who had come back from a three-year break from first-class cricket in July 2016. He had also been in the squad for the Tests against New Zealand but did not play.Tendai Chatara and Tinashe Panyangara, who were unable to play in that New Zealand series as a result of ankle and back injuries respectively, were not among the 24 men named to take on Pakistan A.Squad for First unofficial Test: Tino Mawoyo, Hamilton Masakadza, Craig Ervine, Peter Moor, Sikandar Raza, Malcolm Waller, Richmond Mutumbami, Graeme Cremer, Michael Chinouya, Donald Tiripano, Chris Mpofu, Brian VitoriSquad for second unofficial Test: Brian Chari, Chamu Chibhabha, Tarisai Musakanda, Sean Williams, Prince Masvaure, Elton Chigumbura, Regis Chakabva, John Nyumbu, Victor Nyauchi, Carl Mumba, Njabulo Ncube, Taurai Muzarabani

The new points system proposed for the Ranji Trophy will not be implemented this season, as the BCCI’s working committee is yet to discuss it

Amol Karhadkar29-Sep-2015The new points system proposed for the Ranji Trophy by the Anil Kumble-led technical committee in May will not be implemented for the 2015-16 season, as the BCCI’s working committee is yet to discuss the system. The working committee was due to look into the proposal on August 28, but then that meeting was adjourned within minutes due to N Srinivasan’s presence.The technical committee had proposed major changes to the points system, the most prominent amendment being to do away with points for the first-innings lead. That decision had raised a few eyebrows, with some of the BCCI member units expressing apprehension over the possibility of both teams earning no points after a four-day game. As a result, the proposal was to be looked into by the working committee.But the working committee meeting on August 28 was adjourned due to confusion surrounding Srinivasan’s attendance – despite being requested to stay away from the meeting due to his complicated legal status, he attended in his capacity as Tamil Nadu Cricket Association head.As a result, the BCCI now has no option but to stick to last season’s points system.Quick comment – BCCI makes its priorities clearCricketers make a proposal. Four months and ten days later, just two days before the start of a new season, it emerges nobody has even debated that proposal.At times of crisis, when you can’t possibly look after everything, your priorities become clear. The BCCI administrators, who spare no money or effort in calling “emergent” meetings and hiring high-profile lawyers to stay in power to “safeguard the interests of the game,” have made their priorities clear.In the interest of the game a technical committee, comprising men of integrity and cricketing acumen and led by Anil Kumble, suggested this change to the points system to reward positive cricket in India’s premier domestic tournament. The BCCI power struggle, though, has successfully managed to push this into the background. A meeting where the ratification of the new system would have been debated was adjourned because N Srinivasan decided to land up, but no one found it fitting to find a way to discuss the new points system before the start of the Ranji season.You won’t find such a lackadaisical approach towards finding Jagmohan Dalmiya’s successor as BCCI president. A special general meeting has already been called within the deadline. Sticklers to the BCCI constitution will point to the clause that deals with deadlines for calling such meetings, but isn’t the start of a new season a deadline for a matter as crucial as a points system? By Sidharth Monga

BCB medical staff are not happy with the amount of injuries they have had to contend with, through players pushing themselves in the BPL

Mohammad Isam27-Feb-2013The injury management of Bangladesh cricketers has come under sharp focus after two players who were injured during the BPL had to withdraw from the touring party to Sri Lanka.Chief selector Akram Khan has called for better monitoring of injuries, along with greater communication between the clubs and franchises, and the national board. “In the national team, we can think of a replacement as soon as someone is injured,” Akram said. “It is the opposite in the BPL or for Dhaka club cricket, [because] nobody will listen to the player if he says ‘I am injured’. They will always tell him to play. Everyone has to be accountable, but there are gaps in the system which should be plugged.”Akram also held the players responsible for not giving their injuries enough attention. It is perceived that the local players’ desire to play all BPL matches stems from the pay disputes from the tournament’s first season; none of the local players are willing to take a chance, lest the injuries are used as reasons not to pay, although Mushfiqur Rahim said on Wednesday that BPL franchises are liable to play the players regardless of injuries.”I have not been in such a position as a selector in the last five years, where so many players [have] turned up injured from a domestic tournament.” Akram said. “The physical pain will not go away if you continue to play, [it only] gets worse. Those who had minor injuries have now broken down. There is a proper medical structure in Bangladesh cricket, so the players should take advantage of it.”One of the two players who got injured was Naeem Islam, who hurt his quadriceps while playing for Chittagong Kings just two weeks before the Bangladesh team was scheduled to leave for Sri Lanka. He accidentally stepped on the ball while attempting to stop it, and ended up being stretchered off as a result of the mishap. Chittagong physio Bayezid Ahmed said he did not clear Naeem, but Naeem ended up playing in the second semi-final four days later.”The decision to play with injury was Naeem’s,” Bayezid said. “He said he felt better but I never cleared him as fit. I informed the Bangladesh team physio [Vibhav Singh] of his condition, but four days later he decided to play. After February 20, he was no longer in my hands.”Shakib Al Hasan continued to play in the BPL despite minor injuries, and later had to be sent to Australia in order to reduce pressure on his right shin bone, an injury he has had since November last year. Ziaur Rahman also suffered a shoulder injury during the BPL. Only Tamim Iqbal pulled out of Duronto Rajshahi’s BPL campaign towards the end, after injuring his left wrist.Enamul Haque jr was also ruled out of the Test series in Sri Lanka with a hamstring injury he suffered during the BPL final, but neither Enamul nor Naeem informed Vibhav Singh of their injuries after the BPL.During the domestic Twenty20 competition, the national-team physio asked the franchises to give him player fitness updates, but only a few replied. It left him and the rest of the team management in the dark about the pile-up that landed at their feet just a few days before they were to pick the 15-man Test squad.”Had we known of them [the injuries] before, it would have been different,” Vibhav said. “In the next BPL, the franchises and the medical team need to work together with the national medical staff.”I did send the franchises an email requesting feedback from their medical staff, but I did not get anything. So it made it a bit difficult for us to gauge where players were because we had no control over their medical concerns. We can make recommendations but at the end of the day it’s a separate tournament, so we can just advice.”

Pakistan’s top order gave a better display in their second attempt to chase under lights in Abu Dhabi, but stuttered after a good opening partnership to reach 108 for 3 after 25 overs

The Report by Andrew McGlashan15-Feb-2012England 250 for 4 (Cook 102, Bopara 58) beat Pakistan 230 all out (Misbah 47, Finn 4-34) by 20 runs
ScorecardSteven Finn ended with 4 for 34 – the same as his figures in the first ODI – this time cleaning up the Pakistan tail•Getty Images

England’s revival in the one-day format continued as impressive death bowling secured a 20-run victory in Abu Dhabi and a 2-0 series lead to ensure another hundred from Alastair Cook laid the foundations for success. Pakistan made it a much tighter chase than two days ago, but paid the price for not having a batsman convert into something substantial, as Cook had managed for the second innings in a row.The game was England’s when Misbah-ul-Haq was breathtakingly caught by Craig Kieswetter as the wicketkeeper ran back under a spiralling top edge and clung on despite needing to dive full length. The other crucial moment had come two overs earlier – in the 45th – when Shahid Afridi, who was dropped at long-off when Stuart Broad couldn’t hold a tough chance, then took two boundaries off Samit Patel’s last over to threaten a charge. However, he swung and missed at James Anderson who then completed a maiden against the hapless Abdur Rehman.Misbah could only watch on as Rehman was beaten delivery after delivery by England’s quick bowlers to turn the closing stages of the chase from tough to near impossible. He only managed 1 from 12 balls despite being given a free hit by Steven Finn who then responded by hitting the stumps twice in two deliveries; the second ending Rehman’s forlorn stay. Finn cleaned up the final two wickets to replicate his opening-match figures of 4 for 34 in another reputation-enhancing display.Pakistan didn’t help their cause with some gifted wickets. They had played sensibly to see off Finn’s early threat – his first spell was five overs for six – but Mohammed Hafeez chipped Anderson to midwicket from the second ball of the bowling Powerplay. His opening partner, Imran Farhat, was run out when he lost awareness of where the ball had gone following an lbw appeal. Broad swooped from his follow through and hit with an under-arm flick.Patel then underlined how useful he is becoming to England’s one-day team. On a wearing surface he proved difficult to score off (until Afridi’s brief foray) and claimed the key scalp of Younis Khan who missed a paddle sweep. Nine overs later, as Azhar Ali and Misbah were starting to build a partnership, Patel beat Azhar’s attempt to cut with a ball that skidded through.Each time Pakistan threatened England found the breakthrough and Patel’s impact on the match extended to his often-derided fielding when he held a fiercely struck cut from Umar Akmal low down at cover. Akmal wasn’t sure it had carried but, unlike as is often the case, the third umpire was happy the catch was clean.Cook’s role in the field should not be underestimated either. He switched his bowlers around confidently and reacted to situations more swiftly than has previously been seen. The last three days couldn’t really have gone much better for him as he became the first England captain to score back-to-back one-day hundreds.Cook’s timing and placement stood out. Early on he punched Aizaz Cheema off the back foot between mid-off and cover then, when spin was introduced after surprisingly being overlooked for five overs, collected consecutive boundaries off Hafeez with a flick through midwicket and another drive. He survived one chance, on 28, when Akmal dropped an edge off Afridi to highlight the risk of not playing a specialist wicketkeeper. It became very costly.Kevin Pietersen again failed to make a convincing case as an opener before falling to Saeed Ajmal•AFP

A strong slog-sweep took him to 49 and his fifty came from 66 balls. For lengthy periods he was content to keep the scoreboard ticking with nudges and flicks, but would occasionally kick-start the scoring with a small flurry of boundaries as was the case during the batting Powerplay when he dispatched Umar Gul. Having reached his hundred off 118 balls, he couldn’t quite take his innings as deep this time when a leading edge looped back to Afridi.It wasn’t only Cook’s innings that produced similarities to the opening match. Kevin Pietersen was again out-scored in the opening stand which ended on 67 when he was trapped lbw by Saeed Ajmal from around the wicket. He had previously survived a close lbw shout on 23 against Afridi which led to Pakistan using up their one referral. Significantly for England, however, this was the first innings of the tour where they weren’t dominated by Ajmal as he ended with a moderate 1 for 54.Jonathan Trott, who fell first ball to Afridi in the opening match, again didn’t look entirely convincing against the legspinner but settled in alongside Cook in a partnership that always has the potential to spark debate. The stand produced 49 runs in 11 overs until Trott edged a short, wide delivery from Cheema to Akmal.It was then over to Team Essex again. Ravi Bopara took time to play himself in and his innings never became an onslaught even in the closing overs, but the pitch was not conducive to free-flowing scoring. He and Eoin Morgan, who finally spent some time at the crease, ensured no late collapse and the way England batted throughout suggested they had a clear total in mind that they were confident of defending. Their calculations proved astute.

South Africa Under-19 completed a 5-0 spanking of Zimbabwe Under-19 with a 71-run win in the fifth match at Newlands

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2011
Scorecard
South Africa Under-19 completed a 5-0 spanking of Zimbabwe Under-19 with a 71-run win in the fifth match at Newlands. Home captain Keaton Jennings opted to bat first after winning the toss, and half-centuries from Quinton de Kock and Malcolm Nofal boosted South Africa to 276 for 6. The Zimbabweans were never really in the running, but some gritty batting from Brian Chari and Ryan Burl did at least give them the satisfaction of passing 200 against opponents who have proved stronger in every discipline in the course of the series.Jennings, who was named Man of the Series for his 208 runs and three wickets, had a torrid time negotiating Vuyisile Mapala’s outswing early on but settled in and contributed 26 to a 64-run opening stand. His dismissal barely slowed de Kock down as he soon raced to fifty, and after he ran past one of Liberty Nherera’s offspinners to be bowled for 69 Nofal took up the attack.He had made 78 before he was caught at long-on in the final over, and with support from Shaylin Pillay (40) and a brutal 12-ball 31 from Johan du Preez – who hit the last three balls of the innings for a six and two fours – South Africa reached a total that appeared well out of reach of Zimbabwe.Chari and Matthew Bentley put together a bright 44-run partnership for the second wicket to help their team weather the early loss of Kevin Kasuza, but after Bentley got an edge to an attempted dab down to third man South Africa chipped steadily away at the Zimbabwean line-up. Nofal, who was named Man of the Match, did most of the damage with three quick wickets that ripped the heart out of the middle order.Chari’s defensive knock reached fifty in the 34th over, by which time the asking rate had edged close to nine-an-over. But for a couple of lusty hits from Chari and Burl thereafter, Zimbabwe might not have reached 200 at all and once they were dismissed the innings quickly capitulated.The teams now face up in two Twenty20s, with the first being played at Paarl on Saturday.

Ruhuna, Kandurata, Wayamba and Basnahira South qualified to play in the semi-finals of the Inter-provincial Limited Overs to be played on Friday

Sa'adi Thawfeeq17-Feb-2010Ruhuna, Kandurata, Wayamba and Basnahira South qualified to play in the semi-finals of the Inter-Provincial Limited Overs to be played on Friday (February 19). Ruhuna will take on Basnahira South at Moratuwa while the other semi-final will be a repeat of the final round-robin match between Kandurata and Wayamba. It will be played at the NCC.At the completion of the round-robin league stage, Ruhuna ended on top of the standings after their final game at P Sara Oval against Basnahira South ended in a no-result due to rain. Chasing Basnahira South’s total of 230 for 8, Ruhuna were not happily placed being 61 for 4 after 15 overs when the interruption occurred. Basnahira South and Basnahira North tied with 10 points for fourth spot. But as Basnahira South had won the round-robin league match against their opponent they qualified for fourth place, although Basnahira North had a better net run-rate.It was hard on Basnahira North because they had beaten SLC Combined XI in their final match by three wickets at De Zoysa Stadium and had all but qualified to play in the semi-finals.Kandurata, who had held onto the lead right from the start of the competition eventually ended in second place when they suffered their second defeat. Kandurata was unfortunate to lose on the D/L method by two runs at Pallekele after rattling off an impressive 312-4, during which opener Kaushalya Weeraratne hit a brilliant 143 off 158 balls (16 fours, three sixes) and Chamara Kapugedera an attractive 88. Wayamba scored their runs at a good pace keeping an eye on the weather and when rain stopped play they were 147 for 3 off 25 overs which under the D/L method was two runs ahead of the target. The final is scheduled for Sunday (February 21) at Moratuwa.

Robinson was also impressed by the composure showed by Jacobs in his maiden international game

Firdose Moonda16-Jul-2025Tim Robinson has only done it once (maybe twice if you consider this game) but already, he can tell he won’t be able to get enough of being the player that seals the deal for his team.”It’s a great feeling contributing to a win for your country and it’s an addicting feeling and one that I hope to replicate later on,” Robinson said after his career-best 75 not out contributed to New Zealand’s 21-run win in the Zimbabwe T20I tri-series.Related

• Robinson, Duffy, Henry step up as NZ subdue South Africa

Robinson and debutant Bevon Jacobs shared a sixth-wicket stand of 103 – New Zealand’s second highest in that position – and took the innings from a stuttering 70 for 5 for a competitive 173 for 5. While the Harare Sports Club is known for being fairly flat and conducive to run-scoring, Robinson credited South Africa’s four-seam attack with making things difficult for New Zealand upfront.”The Proteas bowling was exceptional,” he said. “Their lengths and the use of the long side was really impressive and they bowled really well with the newer ball. It was hard to find momentum when we were continuing to lose wickets but as we got on and took it deeper and deeper, we could capitalise.”Bevon Jacobs and Tim Robinson gave New Zealand late impetus•Zimbabwe Cricket

It was, in fact, against South Africa’s seamers that Robinson and Jacobs found runs. Robinson took 27 runs off 20 balls he faced from Corbin Bosch, including five fours, and 23 off 15 balls from Gerald Coetzee, off whom he hit both sixes, but that was only once they were together for some time and had worked out their run-scoring strategy.”The way we thought about it was that the longer we spent at the crease, the easier runs would come,” Robinson said, “and we couldn’t quite afford to lose many more wickets. We tried to take it as deep as we possibly could and then run hard to the long side.”New Zealand ran 29 singles and six twos to what Robinson referred to as the longer side, compared to South Africa’s 21 singles and three twos, which was ultimately the difference between the two sides. They both hit 13 fours and six sixes but New Zealand’s fielding kept South Africa quieter than they would have liked when they needed to counterattack with quick singles. New Zealand also managed to finish their innings strongly, with 95 runs from the last nine overs and 43 from the final three.The composure shown by Jacobs, in his first match, was a highlight and Robinson was full of praise for his batting partner. “He’s an amazing guy. You look at him and he’s quite the big guy and you think he should hit a big ball and he sure does,” Robinson said. “It was fantastic batting with him. What stood out for me was when he came out he was very calm and looked to really enjoy it. He looked completely comfortable out there and played a really really good knock. He’s going to play a lot of cricket and it’s very exciting watching him bat.”New Zealand will next play hosts Zimbabwe, who lost to South Africa in the series opener on Monday, in two days’ time and expect they will have to change their approach slightly.”Zimbabwe are going to pose a different challenge on Friday and we pride ourselves on trying to adapt as quick as we possibly can,” Robinson said.

Afghanistan have nine wickets left as they seek to wipe out the 42 runs remaining in their deficit

Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Feb-2024Afghanistan came surging back into the Test on day three, first polishing off the Sri Lanka tail quickly, before Ibrahim Zadran put up big stands with Noor Ali Zadran and Rahmat Shah, as he completed a valiant maiden Test century.Ibrahim and Shah remained unbeaten at the close, which means Afghanistan have nine wickets left as they seek to wipe out the 42 runs remaining in their deficit, and establish a lead that will test Sri Lanka. The surface had not yet begun to take ripping turn, and remained excellent for batting. But Afghanistan do have two spinners in their attack – albeit very inexperienced – who may be able to exploit what assistance there is.Sri Lanka will rue their missed chances. Ibrahim had been on 39 when he came down the pitch to smash a Prabath Jayasuriya delivery straight back to the bowler, who let it burst through his fingers and on to the boundary for four. The easier of the chances came to Nishan Madushka at short mid on when Ibrahim was on 63. This was again struck hard, but at a catchable height near his head. He got his hands up, but couldn’t quite wrap his fingers around the ball.Related

• Karunaratne's next target: 100 Tests, 10,000 runs and Usman Khawaja

• Chamika Gunasekara concussed out on Test debut after blow to the head

Sri Lanka’s bowlers were largely disciplined, even if they could not coax life out of a pitch that had become good for batting. Asitha Fernando was the best of them, delivering some excellent bursts of short-pitched bowling, as well as some outstanding fuller deliveries, one of which yielded the only Afghanistan wicket to fall – that of Noor, for 47.But the day belonged to Ibrahim. He had his outside edge occasionally beaten with the new ball and was scoreless for 14 deliveries, but once he got moving, he kept a steady tempo. His first runs were via a glance to the fine leg boundary, but early in his innings he was mostly strong in the arc between cover and mid off. Between the boundaries, which came principally off full and slightly wide deliveries, there was a substantial diet of singles all around the wicket. Ibrahim took 84 balls to get into his 30s. During his 106-run partnership with Noor, the primary goal seemed to be to bat time.The half-century came off the last over before tea, and in the evening Ibrahim consolidated. He was hitting boundaries through long on and midwicket now. Sri Lanka attempted all sorts of catching men to try and lure a mistake, but aside from that dropped chance on 63, Ibrahim found ways to progress without taking risks. He was mostly only trying to hit fours off the bad deliveries – usually ones that were overpitched. He got to his hundred – the fourth ever for Afghanistan – off the last over of the day.Asitha Fernando removed Noor Ali Zadran•AFP/Getty Images

Noor’s innings, in contrast to Ibrahim’s was troubled, but he nevertheless stuck it out for 136 deliveries and fell only three runs short of what would have been a maiden fifty on debut. He was particularly uncomfortable against Asitha’s burst of bouncers soon after lunch, but he survived it narrowly, and it would only be in the third session that Asitha would get him out, pinging him in front of leg stump with a fast, full delivery. Noor made the majority of his runs behind the wicket – a reflection, partly, of how short Sri Lanka bowled to him.Rahmat, who got to 46 off 98 before stumps, and was part of a 93-run unbeaten partnership with Ibrahim, made all but 11 of his runs on the offside. He was strong down the ground, especially, finding thre of his five boundaries there.Sri Lanka’s attack was upset by a blow to Chamika Gunasekara, who in the morning was hit on the head, seemed to suffer the effects a few overs after he was hit, and was taken off the field and to further tests in hospital. Kasun Rajitha, who replaced him as concussion substitute, was the most expensive of Sri Lanka’s bowlers on Sunday, going at 4.30 across his 10 overs.The others were more disciplined, even if only Asitha seriously threatened to take wickets through much of the day. Jayasuriya will be especially disappointed he has nothing in the wickets column after delivering 32 overs, though nine of those were maidens.Early in the day, Afghanistan had claimed three wickets for 39 to close out Sri Lanka’s first innings at 439. The most important wicket of the morning was the first – that of Sri Lanka’s last recognised batter Sadeera Smarawickrama, who edged Naveed Zadran to gully.The two next wickets were not long in falling. Naveed hit the top of Jayasuriya’s off stump before, next over, Nijat Masood bowled Asitha Fernando first ball, with Asitha having come in after Gunasekara retired hurt.Naveed’s take for the innings was 4 for 83. Masood and Qais Ahmed claimed two wickets apiece.

India crashed to their first defeat in the last 17 chases in T20Is at home

Himanshu Agrawal04-Oct-20221:32

Jaffer: India should have played a full-strength XI and pushed for a 3-0 win

Rilee Rossouw smashed his first T20I century as South Africa put up their fourth-highest total in the format, and India crumbled in their chase of 228. The 49-run reversal was the first defeat in their last 17 chases in T20Is at home.Rossouw cracked 100* – a score he reached off 48 balls – and added 90 free-flowing runs for the second wicket with Quinton de Kock. That partnership came off just eight overs, and included seven fours and six sixes, most of which were hit in the arc between deep midwicket and fine leg. De Kock hit 68 from 43 deliveries, starting off by flicking Mohammed Siraj for four and six in the second over.In their reply, India went hard, too, as they had to looking at the target, despite losing Rohit Sharma for a duck to the second ball of the innings. They lost four wickets after only seven overs, but managed to post 78 with exactly as many fours and sixes as Rossouw and de Kock had. In the end, the target proved far too big.Rilee Rossouw and Quinton de Kock added 90 runs for the second wicket in quick time•Getty Images

Rossouw and de Kock’s redeem themselves
After failing to score a single run in the first two matches of the series, Rossouw started with three dots, before making up rapidly; by the end of the ninth over, he was on 30 off 15 balls, going after each of Siraj, Umesh Yadav and R Ashwin.He flicked, pulled, swiped and hoicked at will, with neither the fuller lengths nor the shorter ones bothering him. A lot of luck went Rossouw’s way, too: first, when on 24, he slog-swept Ashwin, only for the ball to pop out of Siraj’s hands and go for six at fine leg.At the other end, de Kock made up for taking his time in the second T20I in Guwahati, where his 69* from 48 balls hurt South Africa in their chase. He raced to his fifty off 33 balls this time, pulling Umesh over fine leg to get to the landmark. The first ten overs raised 96, as the two raced along.The partnership ended when de Kock was run-out at the beginning of the 13th over.India had held back their left-arm spinner Axar Patel until 13 overs with two left-hand batters going gung-ho at the crease, and Rossouw just proved India’s fears right by slogging Axar’s third ball for six to reach his fifty off 27 balls.Rossouw then pulled Harshal Patel in the 15th over, with the ball just going over a leaping Umesh at fine leg. In the next over, he bisected long-on and deep midwicket as Deepak Chahar attempted a yorker. The last three overs fetched 50 runs for South Africa, including Tristan Stubbs’ cameo of 23 and David Miller’s final-over onslaught.Miller crashed three sixes off Chahar, as South Africa hit 24 off the final over. Their total boosted to 227.1:59

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India, thin on batting, fall well short
In the chase, at 4 for 2 after the first ten balls – having lost Rohit and Shreyas Iyer – India promoted Dinesh Karthik, the designated finisher, to No. 4 despite the presence of Suryakumar Yadav [Virat Kohli and KL Rahul had been rested for the game].He declared his intentions first ball by pulling Wayne Parnell for four to deep midwicket. Next over, Rishabh Pant – who had opened alongside Rohit – hit Kagiso Rabada for four. The early boundaries gave India hope, and the full house at the Holkar Stadium something to cheer about after the Indian bowlers had been carted around earlier.With only 25 on the board after four overs, Pant went 4, 6, 4, 6 off Lungi Ngidi, before Stubbs’ brilliant catch at cover-point sent him back for 27 off 14 balls. India were three down after five overs, with another 183 to get at a required run-rate of over 12.That’s when Karthik brought out his full repertoire of strokes, attacking Parnell for 6, 4, 6 in the final over of the powerplay. He then deposited Keshav Maharaj for consecutive sixes next over, but in an attempt to be too creative, he was bowled trying to reverse scoop the spinner.An innings of 46 from 21 deliveries came to an end, and with it India’s hopes too. Their allrounders were slotted in as early as No. 6, with Axar followed by Harshal, Ashwin and Chahar.Harshal, Chahar and Umesh entertained with 17, 31 and 20* respectively, but India folded with nine balls left.