Christchurch [New Zealand], March 23 (ANI): Skipper Tom Latham scored a brilliant century to guide New Zealand to a five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second ODI here on Tuesday. With this win, the hosts have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Latham played an unbeaten knock of 110 runs to help New Zealand chase down the target of 272 runs. Devon Conway also scored 72 runs in the match.
Chasing the target, New Zealand witnessed a steady start as opener Henry Nicholls and Martin Guptill scored regular boundaries. Mustafizur Rahman provided Bangladesh with the first breakthrough when he caught and bowled Guptill (20). Soon after that, Mahedi Hasan sent Nicholls (13) back to the pavilion.
The fall of wickets did not stop as Hasan then removed Will Young (1). Devon Conway and Tom Latham then took over and revived New Zealand’s innings. Both took their side past the 150-run mark, with Conway completing his half-century.
New Zealand’s chase was hampered after Conway (72) got run out in the 34th over. James Neesham then joined Latham, who also went on to score his fifty. After the completion of 38 overs, New Zealand’s score read 200/4, with the hosts still needing 72 runs to win from the remaining 12 overs.
Neesham and Latham’s 73-run partnership came to an end after Rahman dismissed the former. However, it proved to be a bit late for Bangladesh to make a comeback in the game as Latham, who completed his century, took his team over the line in the 49th over.
After being asked to bat first, Bangladesh got off to a poor start with Liton Das being dismissed for a duck by Matt Henry in just the second over of the innings. Opener Tamim Iqbal was then joined by Soumya Sarkar on the field.
Both provided their side with a good start after an early blow and took the team over the 50-run mark in the 15th over. Mitchell Santner broke the partnership in the 21st over, removing Sarkar (32). Mushfiqur Rahim then came out in the middle but Bangladesh suffered a major blow after Iqbal (78) got run out, bringing Mohammad Mithun to the field.
Santner then picked his second wicket of the day when he dismissed Rahim (34). While Bangladesh kept losing wickets, Mithun continued to play brilliantly and helped his side post a respectable total of 271 with the help of his unbeaten 73-run knock.
Brief Scores: Bangladesh 271/6 (Tamim Iqbal 78, Mohammad Mithun 73*; Mitchell Santner 2/51); New Zealand 275/5 (Tom Latham 110*, Devon Conway 72; Mahedi Hasan 2/42). (ANI)

Dubai [UAE], March 23 (ANI): India opener Shafali Verma is back at the top of the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings after a fine show in the first two matches of the ongoing three-match series against South Africa in Lucknow.
The 17-year-old big-hitter, who had grabbed the top position for the first time after helping her side reach the knockout phase of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup last year in Australia, has leapfrogged Australia’s Beth Mooney with scores of 23 and 47.
South Africa opener Lizelle Lee is another one to gain in the T20I rankings even though the big-hitting opener lost her top spot in the ODI rankings within a week of replacing England’s Tammy Beaumont. Lee has gained three slots to reach 11th position among T20I batters after a match-winning 70 helped South Africa to a winning 2-0 lead.
Laura Wolvaardt has risen five places to 24th after guiding her team to victory with an unbeaten 53 in the second match while captain Sune Luus (up five places to 38th) and Nadine de Klerk (up three places to 74th) are the other South Africans to advance in the batting list.
De Klerk, who bowls medium pace, has also moved up five places to 68th among bowlers while seamer Ayabonga Khaka (up two places to 35th) and left-arm spinner Nonkululek Mlaba (up 14 places to 75th) have also progressed in the latest weekly update to the women’s rankings, carried out on Tuesdays.
For India, Deepti Sharma has moved up four places to 40th and teenager Richa Ghosh has rocketed 59 places to 85th among batters while young all-rounder Harleen Deol has progressed in both lists, up 262 places to 99th among batters and up 76 places to 146th among bowlers. Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad has advanced from 34th to 25th.
There have also been some notable changes in the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings apart from Lee’s second short tenure at number one after her three days at the top in June 2018.
In the update to the longer format, which considered performances in the last match of the preceding ODI series between the two sides, Marizanne Kapp has moved from fourth to second among bowlers and overtaken West Indies’ Stafanie Taylor to second in the list of all-rounders led by Elysse Perry of Australia.
Mignon du Preez has gained four slots to reach the 16th position after her knock of 57 while Anne Bosch has progressed in both the batting and bowling lists. She has gained 58 slots to reach 70th among batters and five places to 85th among bowlers. Tumi Sukhukhune has advanced eight places and is 37th.
For India, captain Mithali Raj, a formerly top-ranked batter, has moved up one place to eighth after an unbeaten 79 while Priya Punia has moved up to five places to 53rd. Gayakwad is up eight places to 38th among bowlers. The 4-1 series win sees South Africa overtake England to the second position in the ICC Women’s ODI Team Rankings while India remain fourth. (ANI)

Dubai [UAE], March 23 (ANI): A peep at the ongoing preparatory camp in Dubai ahead of the forthcoming FIFA friendlies against Oman and UAE brings forward a very interesting proposition — a first of its kind in Indian football. The average age of the squad currently at the camp in Dubai is just over 24.
There are 12 of them who are below 25, and a couple of them are barely 19 — a statistic that pleases national coach Igor Stimac immensely.
“It’s fantastic to see guys at 19, 20, 21, 23 making it to the national team squad. We are trying to build on the FIFA U-17 World Cup, and develop their knowledge. We are trying to make sure that in the next four years they become ready to play against the best, and win against them. It’s a long process in football, and it takes time,” the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) official website quoted Stimac as saying.
“We have 6-7 youngsters who can fight, who can chase, and pass the ball without any fear. 11 of the boys who are at the camp have come from the AIFF youth development programme. I’m really happy that these projects have been so successful, and are bringing a brighter future to Indian football,” he added.
For the record, the average age of the Blue Tigers at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 was 25. Vietnam had the youngest squad in the Continental Championship, which had an average age of 23 while Iraq were at 24. At the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, England and France had the youngest squads at an average age of 26 each.
“The young guns proved it in the Indian Super League this season. It’s now for them to prove at the international level. I will give them the chance to do so. What we are doing here is trying to make them relax, and explain to them that there is no reason for fear at the international level. They need to be themselves and prove to the world that they can play against the best,” Stimac expressed.
“The kids are a part of the family. Here we fight for each other, we live and breathe together. There is no reason for anyone to feel scared or have any kind of fear. Not a single player will be eliminated for one or two mistakes but we are trying to work on not to repeat them.”
However, the national coach also stressed that “it’s a revolving door.” “You need to perform and get selected. Age is never a bar for anyone to be in the squad. If you are good enough, you are never old enough.”
India take on Oman in Dubai on March 25 in the first of two international friendlies, with the second match against the UAE slated for March 29. (ANI)

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], March 23 (ANI): England skipper Eoin Morgan won the toss and opted to bowl first against India in the first ODI of the three-match series here on Tuesday.
Krunal Pandya and Prasidh Krishna will be making their ODI debuts in the game while KL Rahul will be keeping wickets ahead of Rishabh Pant.
At the toss, India skipper Virat Kohli said: “Very happy to bat first, we had different plans. Weather is going to drastically change in the evening. It’s a great opportunity for us to put runs on the board. The last game we played here against England is a great memory. If we believe we are a top side we should be ready to do anything, whether we decide or asked to do something. KL will bat at 5 and keep. Top four are Rohit, Shikhar, myself and Shreyas. Hardik bats at 6, Krunal at 7. Shardul 8, Bhuvi at 9, Prasidh and Kuldeep complete.”
After winning both the Test and the T20I series, India is all set for the final challenge against England in the three-match ODI series which is a part of the ODI Super League.
While India completely outplayed England in the Tests, the T20I series had a good ebb and flow to it. The series went to the decider, which the hosts clinched by 36 runs.
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(c), KL Rahul(w), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.
England Playing XI: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan(c), Jos Buttler(w), Ben Stokes, Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood. (ANI)

Manchester [UK], March 23 (ANI): Manchester United’s Fred Rodrigues, who was subjected to racial abuse on social media following the club’s FA Cup exit, has reacted sharply to the racist remarks saying that “we cannot feed that culture”.
Leicester City secured a 3-1 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup on Sunday. Rodrigues failed to perform well in the match after which fans started to criticise him.
“Social media comments filled with hate and, above all, racism: we cannot feed that culture. We cannot accept it. We have to fight it always. We are bigger and better than that. Enough!” Rodrigues tweeted.
Kelechi Iheanacho had scored twice while Youri Tielemans netted one goal to guide Leicester City to an impressive win. Mason Greenwood scored the only goal for Manchester United in the match.
With that win, Leicester City have reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup while Manchester United were knocked out of the competition. In the semi-finals, Leicester City will take on Southampton on April 17.
Manchester United will return to action on April 5 when they face Brighton in the Premier League. In the Premier League, Manchester United are placed at the second spot in the table with 57 points from 29 matches. The table is topped by Manchester City, amassing 71 points from 30 games. (ANI)

Auckland [New Zealand], March 23 (ANI): Finn Allen has been called up for the first time as part of New Zealand’s 13-man T20I squad to take on Bangladesh in the three-game series, starting this Sunday at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
The 21-year-old opener was the stand-out player of this season’s Dream11 Super Smash, amassing a league-leading 512 runs at an average of 56 and an incredible strike-rate of 193 – featuring a table-topping 56 fours and 25 sixes.
The former New Zealand Under-19 representative is one of four fresh faces in the T20 side, with batsman Will Young also called up for the first time and speedsters Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne returning after injury lay-offs. Ferguson was the star of the early part of the home summer, claiming five for 21 in the season-opening T20 against the West Indies at Eden Park, before succumbing to a partial-stress fracture in his back.
Milne has appeared 61 times for the BLACKCAPS since debuting in 2010, but has not played for the side since November 2018 and has worked his way back most recently through a stint with the Sydney Thunder in the Australian BBL and has been training with Central Districts since exiting MIQ last month.
Ferguson, Milne and Allen will depart for the IPL immediately after the Bangladesh T20 series, where they will join Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Jimmy Neesham and Tim Seifert, none of whom have been selected for this series.
Tim Southee will captain the BLACKCAPS T20I side after fulfilling the role on 15 previous occasions, while Devon Conway has been selected as the frontline wicket-keeper. All-rounder Daryl Mitchell and spinner Todd Astle also return to the T20 team after featuring in squads before Christmas.
Selector Gavin Larsen said compiling this squad, like many this summer, had been complex. “It’s certainly been a season like no other and once again we’ve had to be pragmatic in our approach. The six guys who will miss this series are incumbents in our T20 side and the decision to give them some time at home with family before they embark on a long stint in India, was principally made with their welfare in mind. We’re also very aware of the need to give others opportunities in a World Cup year and it’s great to be able to introduce Finn and Will to the set-up, as well as welcome back Lockie and Adam,” Larsen said in a statement.
“It’s especially an exciting time for Finn, who will be getting his first taste of the BLACKCAPS environment. His Super Smash campaign with the Firebirds was nothing short of outstanding and we believe he has the skills to succeed at the next level. We’re delighted to see Lockie and Adam return after working really hard to get back to this point. They are two of the premier fast bowlers in world cricket and it’s fantastic to be able to call on their services, in what is shaping as a big year of T20 cricket,” he added.
New Zealand squad: Tim Southee (c), Finn Allen, Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Ish Sodhi, Will Young. (ANI)