Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 16 (ANI): After suffering an eight-wicket loss in the third T20I here at Narendra Modi Stadium, India skipper Virat Kohli on Tuesday said opener KL Rahul is a champion player and hence he will continue to be one of the main batsmen of the Indian side.
Kohli played an unbeaten inning of 77 to guide India to 156/6, but the total did not prove enough as Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow made light work of the chase to hand England a victory by eight wickets. Buttler and Bairstow remained unbeaten on 83 and 40 respectively.
Opening batsman KL Rahul has recorded scores of 1,0, and 0 but skipper Kohli has made it clear that Rahul will continue to be backed by the team as he is their main batter.
“I was going through a lean patch two days back. He (KL Rahul) has been a champions player. He’ll continue to be one of our main players along with Rohit at the top of the order. It’s a matter of five-six balls in this format,” Kohli told host broadcaster Star Sports at the post-match presentation.
Speaking about his own knock, Kohli said: “You don’t want to play knocks which don’t help the team in any way. It was a bit difficult to bat against the new ball. Their bowlers were hitting good areas. We got one little partnership, it was important for me to bat deep. The case was to get set and try to get a decent total.”
“If you lose the toss, embrace what’s been asked of you. England bowlers were brilliant with the new ball, made our lives difficult. We tried to come back, I don’t think our body language in the second innings was good,” he added.
Earlier, skipper Virat Kohli’s unbeaten knock of 77 runs off just 46 balls helped India post 156/6 in the allotted 20 overs. Down and out going into the last five overs of the innings, Kohli led from the front in all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s company as the duo added 69 runs from 30 balls to take the hosts’ total past the 150-run mark.
Hardik had joined Kohli with the score on 86/5 in 14.3 overs and what followed was nothing short of a master-class on power-hitting. Interestingly, it was Hardik who played second-fiddle in their 70-run partnership off just 33 balls as Kohli went on a hitting spree. This was India’s highest sixth-wicket partnership in T20Is.
With the win in the third T20I, England has now gained a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Both teams will now meet in the fourth T20I on Thursday which will be played at the same venue. (ANI)

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 16 (ANI): Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow played unbeaten knocks of 83 and 40 respectively as England secured a comfortable eight-wicket win over India in the third T20I here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday evening.
With this win, England has now gained a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Both teams will now meet in the fourth T20I on Thursday which will be played at the same venue.
Chasing 157, England openers Jason Roy and Jos Buttler put on 23 runs for the first wicket, but the introduction of Yuzvendra Chahal paid off straight away when he dismissed Roy (9) in the fourth over as the right-handed batsman was trying to play a reverse-sweep. This dismissal, however, did not bring about a check in the run-flow, as Buttler went berserk and the visitors’ scored read 57/1 at the end of the powerplay.
Dawid Malan and Buttler stitched together a stand of 58 runs for the second wicket, but Malan’s (18) vigil at the crease was finally cut short in the 10th over by Washington Sundar as he had the left-handed batsman stumped, reducing England to 81/2, still 76 runs away from the target.
Bairstow came out to bat at number four and he along with set Buttler ensured that England did not suffer from more hiccups and in the end, the visitors crossed the line with eight balls to spare. Buttler and Bairstow stitched an unbeaten stand of 77 runs for the third wicket.
Earlier, skipper Virat Kohli’s unbeaten knock of 77 runs off just 46 balls helped India post 156/6 in the allotted 20 overs. Down and out going into the last five overs of the innings, Kohli led from the front in all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s company as the duo added 69 runs from 30 balls to take the hosts’ total past the 150-run mark.
Hardik had joined Kohli with the score on 86/5 in 14.3 overs and what followed was nothing short of a master-class on power-hitting. Interestingly, it was Hardik who played second-fiddle in their 70-run partnership off just 33 balls as Kohli went on a hitting spree. This was India’s highest sixth-wicket partnership in T20Is.
India’s score read 87/5 going into the last five with Kohli on 28 off 29 balls and Hardik yet to open his account. And at the end of the innings, Kohli was standing unbeaten on 77 off 46 balls with eight boundaries and four sixes. It was a complete class on batsmanship as Kohli didn’t hit a single cross-batted shot and banked on his technique to send the English bowlers on a leather hunt.
Put into bat, the hosts once again had a poor start as they lost three wickets inside the powerplay. Openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma were back in the hut inside the opening five overs. While Rahul departed for his third duck of the series, Rohit playing his first white-ball match for India since February last year got out after hitting two fours as Mark Wood picked his second wicket of the day.
Ishan Kishan, who had a dream debut on Sunday, fell for just four runs as he skied one behind the wicket and Buttler made no mistake. Kohli and Rishabh Pant tried to rebuild the innings and stitched a 40-run stand. Just when things started to look good for the hosts, Pant got run-out trying to steal a third run. With India struggling at 86/4 in the 14th over, Wood was brought into the attack, and he removed Shreyas Iyer as the hosts lost half the side.
Brief scores: India 156/6 (Virat Kohli 77*, Rishabh Pant 25, Mark Wood 3-31); England 158/2 (Jos Buttler 83*, Jonny Bairstow 40*, Washington Sundar 1-26). (ANI)

By Baidurjo Bhose
New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): With an eye on the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the country, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to suspend all age-group competitions like the upcoming Vinoo Mankad Trophy and will assess the situation further post the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
In a letter to the state associations, accessed by ANI, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah informed them of the situation and the decision to suspend age-group competitions at present as that would require inter-city travel and creation of bio bubbles.
“The domestic season 2020-21 started unusually late owing to the countrywide lockdown on account of the global pandemic. The pandemic meant that we had to wait until January 2021 to start our domestic season and as discussed in the 89th AGM, we began our season by hosting the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy ahead of the IPL Auction.

“The domestic T20 tournament was followed by the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which was successfully conducted at different centres in India with New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium hosting the final between UPCA and MCA on Sunday, 14th March.

“The Women’s Senior One Day Trophy is also currently underway at different centres with the final scheduled to take place on 4th April. While our endeavour was to get in as many matches as was practicable across different age groups in the season, prevailing circumstances have now forced us to suspend all age-group tournaments. This is on account of the fact that active COVID cases are on the rise and organising tournaments requires intercity travel, strict quarantine measures and the creation and maintenance of bio-secure bubbles for the participants,” he explained.
The secretary then added that with the board exams round the corner, it would be appropriate to plan the age-group games post the IPL slated to be held between April 9 and May 30.
“Moreover, the situation is presently not conducive in some states. Considering the fact that the 10th and 12th board examinations are also around the corner across India, it is prudent that our young athletes have the opportunity to prepare and focus on these crucial examinations.
“Furthermore, our players’ health, safety and well-being are our primary concern. I assure you that we will continue exploring a window for organising the age-group tournaments post the IPL 2021,” he added. (ANI)

Johannesburg [South Africa], March 16 (ANI): Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Tuesday announced the Proteas men’s and women’s squad players who will be awarded national contracts for the 2021/22 season.
The men’s international program includes two ICC T20 World Cups in October and November of 2021 (India) and 2022 (Australia) along with a full limited-overs tour to Ireland in July of this year.
The upgraded system will again be in place this year. Those players selected for the Proteas during the 2021/22 season who are not contracted can qualify for a performance-based National Contract upgrade.
The major upcoming engagement for the women’s team is the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup in New Zealand in March and April.
“CSA is delighted to confirm that the women’s contracts have increased from 14 to 15 players, while it has been decided to remain with the 16 men’s contracts, keeping the 17th open, giving players the opportunity to qualify for it through performance,” CSA said in a statement.
“Lara Goodall is the 15th player who has been awarded a women’s team national contract after consistently good performances throughout the last couple of seasons, while Heinrich Klaasen receives his maiden men’s team contract,” it added.
“It is a matter of great pride that CSA has increased the number of women’s contracts from 14 to 15 for the very first time,” CSA Acting Chief Executive, Pholetsi Moseki, said.
“We are confident that the number of selected players for both the men’s and women’s teams is sufficient to maintain them across the formats in which they participate. We are about to enter into a very important cricket season with ICC World Cup events for both the men’s and the women’s teams and we are confident that we have the correct personnel and necessary depth within the system to produce teams that will challenge the best in the world in the coming 12 months,” he added.
Contracted women’s players: Dane van Niekerk (captain, Eastern Province), Trisha Chetty (KZN Coastal), Nadine de Klerk (Western Province), Mignon du Preez (Northerns), Lara Goodall (Western Province), Shabnim Ismail (KZN Coastal), Sinalo Jafta (Western Province), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Ayabong Khaka (Gauteng), Masabata Klaas (North West), Lizelle Lee (North West), Sune Luus (Northerns), Tumi Sekhukhune (North West), Chloe Tryon (KZN Coastal), Laura Wolvaardt (Western Province).
Contracted men’s players: Temba Bavuma (white-ball captain, Imperial Lions), Quinton de Kock (Momentum Multiply Titans), Dean Elgar (red ball captain, Momentum Multiply Titans), Beuran Hendricks (Imperial Lions), Reeza Hendricks (Imperial Lions), Heinrich Klaasen (Momentum Multiply Titans), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Aiden Markram (Momentum Multiply Titans), David Miller (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Anrich Nortje (Warriors), Andile Phehlukwayo (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Dwaine Pretorius (Imperial Lions), Kagiso Rabada (Imperial Lions), Tabraiz Shamsi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Rassie van der Dussen (Imperial Lions). (ANI)

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 16 (ANI): Down and out going into the last five overs of the innings, skipper Virat Kohli led from the front in all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s company as the duo added 69 runs from 30 balls to take the hosts to a fighting 156/6 in the third T20I of the five-match series against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.
Hardik had joined Kohli with the score on 86/5 in 14.3 overs and what followed was nothing short of a masterclass on power-hitting. Interestingly, it was Hardik who played second-fiddle in their 70-run partnership off just 33 balls as Kohli went on a hitting spree. This was India’s highest sixth-wicket partnership in T20Is.
India’s score read 87/5 going into the last five with Kohli on 28 off 29 balls and Hardik yet to open his account. And at the end of the innings, Kohli was standing unbeaten on 77 off 46 balls with eight boundaries and four sixes. It was a complete class on batsmanship as Kohli didn’t hit a single cross-batted shot and banked on his technique to send the English bowlers on a leather hunt.
Earlier, it was a poor start for India as the hosts lost three wickets inside the powerplay after English skipper Eoin Morgan won the toss and sent the hosts in. Openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma were back in the hut inside the opening five overs.
While Rahul departed for his second duck of the series, Rohit playing his first white-ball match for India since February last year got out after hitting two fours as Mark Wood picked his second wicket of the day.
Ishan Kishan, who had a dream debut on Sunday, fell for just four runs as he skied one behind the wicket and wicket-keeper Jos Buttler made no mistake. Skipper Kohli and Rishabh Pant looked to rebuild the innings and stitched a 40-run stand. Back-to-back fours from Pant brought up the fifty for India as the hosts scored 55/3 after the first 10 overs.
Just when things started to look good for the hosts, Pant got run-out trying to steal a third run. The wicket-keeper batsman fell well short of his ground as Sam Curran broke the stumps after Kohli called for a third. With India struggling at 86/4 in the 14th over, Wood was brought into the attack, and he removed Shreyas Iyer as the hosts lost half the side.
But that was the end of England’s joy as Kohli decided to take it on himself to ensure that India finished on a high.
Brief Scores: India 156/6 (Virat Kohli 77; Mark Wood 3-31) vs England (ANI)

Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 16 (ANI): Extending her dominance in the domestic circuit, Maharashtra paddler Diya Chitale clinched her second successive youth girls singles title at the UTT 82nd Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championships on Tuesday.
Diya, who had won double crown — Youth and Junior singles title — in the last edition of the national championship, got the better of Karnataka’s Yashaswini Ghorpade 8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 10-12, 5-11, 11-8, 11-2 in the summit clash.
Earlier in the semi-finals, Diya defeated Uttar Pradesh’s Radhapriya Goel 11-8, 11-8, 11-4, 11-9 comfortably while Yashaswini entered the final with a 7-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4 win against Anannya Basak of Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, another paddler from Maharashtra Swastika Ghosh bagged her maiden junior girls singles title after she notched-up a come-from-behind 7-11, 11-13, 11-7, 11-4, 11-6, 11-9 victory over Haryana’s Suhana Saini in the final.
Swastika and Suhana beat Lakshita Narang of Delhi and Nityashree Mani of Tamil Nadu respectively in the last-four clash. (ANI)