Sports Bulletin

BIPIN DANI Apart from their teekha Poha and khichdi with Indori chivda, Indore has one more attraction which has brought equal limelight to the city when compared to these delicacies. Yes, you’ve guessed it right we’re talking about the “Dancing Traffic Cop” – Ranjit Singh here. With more than a lakh followers on Facebook and over 2 crore YouTube views – Ranjit is arguably the “world-famous” traffic cop belonging to a small city in Madhya Pradesh. Known for his Michael Jackson styled moves and entertaining traffic management methods, the members of the Indian team were stunned to watch this world famous dancing cop near the Holkar Stadium on Thursday. "I have been posted near the stadium to manage the traffic. Team India captain Rohit Sharma had heard about me and expressed his desire to the security officer requesting me to perform the dance just before the team bus leaves for the hotel after the match on the 2nd day's play", he said over the telephone from Indore. "I was very happy to show my skill in front of the team bus. The players clapped at my show. Rohit, Jadeja and Kohli gave a smile and showed thumbs up. This has encouraged me a lot". The 45-year-old Ranjit Singh is a cricket-fan. His dance has been witnessed by several former cricketers in the past. “I’ve seen your videos on YouTube. I wanted to meet you once. The way you work is very exciting. Keep it up,” Gavaskar had told Ranjit in the past. "VVS Laman was highly impressed but concerned and had advised me to take care of my knee, to which I replied I take utmost care of my fitness and have been doing this for the last more than 15 years' '.

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE: Bismah Maroof has stepped down as Pakistan women’s national team captain but will remain available for selection as a player, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced today. Bismah was named as Pakistan’s all-format captain in September 2017 and has had the best win/loss ratio amongst all the regular players to lead the country in One-Day Internationals (1.000) and T20 Internationals (0.843). Under her leadership, the ODI team played 34 matches and won 16, while the T20I side won 27 of 62 matches. Bismah Maroof said: “It has been an honour for me to captain my country and I feel fortunate to have led an incredible and hardworking bunch of cricketers. It has been one exciting ride, which has been full of highs and lows, but, at the end of the day, I will always be thankful to Almighty for providing me this opportunity. “With the new ICC Women’s Championship cycle in its initial stages and the 2024 T20 World Cup more than a year away, I think this is the right time for me to step down and help so we have a smooth transition. “I am looking forward to continuing to play as a player and playing my role for the team.” Chair of PCB Management Committee, Najam Sethi said: “I congratulate and thank Bismah Maroof for her services as the captain of the national women’s side. “Bismah has been an inspiration for millions of girls and has been a catalyst for a positive change. With her immense dedication and hard work, she has shown that women can continue to follow their passions and dreams”.

Sports Bulletin Report Newlands (South Africa): Australia sealed their sixth ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title with a clinical 19-run victory over hosts South Africa at Newlands. Beth Mooney’s 74 not out anchored Australia's innings with a series of impressive shots, but the holders will have felt their 156 for six was below par in Cape Town. South Africa struggled to get going in response, the pressure of the home crowd perhaps weighing on them, before a 55-run partnership between Laura Wolvaardt and Chloe Tryon gave them hope. But it was not to be as serial winners Australia discovered their ruthless streak again to close out another World Cup final. Having chosen to bat, Australia made a steady start even as a sold-out Newlands roared on each dot ball. Alyssa Healy survived a review for LBW off the final ball of Shabnim Ismail’s first over but she could not withstand the pace and height of a Marizanne Kapp delivery, departing for 18 having sent a comfortable catch to Nadine de Klerk on the edge of the inner circle. Ismail made the wicket count double as she bowled a maiden over to Mooney, but Ashleigh Gardner found her groove having being promoted up the order, hitting back-to-back fours off Nonkululeko Mlaba, before smashing two sixes in a row from two De Klerk deliveries. By the halfway mark, Australia had reached 73 for one and it was up to Kapp to stop the scoring, not conceding a boundary in the 11th over. Gardner departed an over later, attempting to go down the ground but instead finding Sune Luus, who ran round to take a fine diving catch on the boundary. Australia continued however, as, even with Grace Harris at the other end, Mooney took on the power hitting, scoring back-to-back boundaries with innovative shot placement. Harris got her customary boundary before she was bowled attempting a swipe at a delivery that kept low from Mlaba to leave Australia in the balance at 103 for three after 14.1 overs. Lanning then departed for 10 as Tryon was the next to take a fantastic diving catch on the boundary, but Mooney released the pressure three balls later as she brought up her fifty with a four, becoming the first woman to hit two half-centuries in T20 World Cup finals, having also done so in 2020. Smart running and regular boundaries helped Australia past 150 but Ismail restricted them to not much more than that, dismissing Ellyse Perry for seven before getting Georgia Wareham the very next ball. Tahlia McGrath dealt with the hat-trick ball to end Australia’s innings with a single to set South Africa 157 to win. Where heroes were needed for South Africa, only hesitancy was found, with Brits the first to go for 10 from 17 thanks to McGrath’s steady pair of hands. Wolvaardt showed a sign of things to come as she hit Jess Jonassen for a six but Australia reeled them back in as Kapp mistimed an attempted big shot off Gardner to go for a run-a-ball 11. With 10 overs gone, South Africa had made 52 for two and matters were about to get worse as Luus ran herself out with poor calling. Big hitter Tryon emerged into the middle and she made a world of difference as she and Wolvaardt soon returned to the cauldron of Newlands noise it had been earlier in the day. A wayward over from McGrath went for 14 before Wareham was pumped for 15 with Wolvaardt then bring up her fifty with a beautiful shot, reaching the milestone of 43 balls. Gardner calmed Australia down, conceding only six runs, as Megan Schutt then delivered the sucker-punch, dismissing Wolvaardt LBW, the opener trudging back to the dugout having given South Africa hope with her 61 from 48. Two wickets in three balls crushed South Africa’s chances as Tryon was bowled by Jess Jonassen for 25 before Anneke Bosch was run out for one. With 26 needed off the final over, the crowd quietened as smart bowling from Player of the Tournament Gardner sealed a third T20 World Cup title in a row. Newlands rose to cheer Australia as they celebrated adding another trophy to their cabinet and another reason to be considered the greatest team in the history of women’s cricket. Australia beat South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town by 19 runs Australia 156/6 in 20 overs (Beth Mooney 74 not out, Garnder 29; Shabnim Ismail 2/26, Marizanne Kapp 2/35) South Africa 137/6 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 61, Chloe Tryon 25; Ashleigh Gardner 1/20, Jess Jonassen 1/21) Player of the Match: Beth Mooney (Australia)

Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UAE): Kim Cotton will oversee her second consecutive ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final on Sunday after being named as one of two on-field umpires for the showpiece between South Africa and Australia. New Zealander Cotton will be joined by Jacqueline Williams, with both fresh from standing in this week’s thrilling semi-finals. Cotton umpired in Australia’s five-run victory over India, with Williams taking charge of South Africa’s six-run win against England which took the Proteas into their first ever ICC World Cup final. The pair will be supported by TV Umpire Suzanne Redfern, who carried out the same role in the first semi-final, and fourth umpire Nimali Perera. GS Lakshmi is in place as the match referee for the final, which begins at 3pm local time at Newlands.

BIPIN DANI The first Test match between India and Australia in the ongoing bilateral series ended in under three days. Ditto the second Test. In the last five years, 20 Test matches have been played in India and only three of them have lasted five days.  Since 2018, two Test matches on India soil ended inside two days, 10 Test matches got over inside three days and five Tests have seen the four days. This has not surprised former India curator, Venkat Sunderam. "I am not surprised. All over the world except Pakistan, we don't see the Tests lasting five days. As far as people are enjoying themselves, no complaints are made. In the last Delhi Test also, the spectators came in large numbers to witness the five-day Test", he said. "In my view, the match-referee should be given a power to give points to both teams depending upon their play. Even the losing team should get a point if they fought hard but lost the match. In the present system, only the winning team is getting the points. In a bar of 1 to 10, both teams should be awarded the points and the World Test Championship should be played on the basis of points each team gets. The ICC should consider this". Venkat Sunderam also believes that a panel of neutral curators should be formed. "If ICC can send neutral umpires and a neutral match referee for the matches, why can't there be neutral curators", he said.  India's another former chief curator Dhiraja Parsana believes that early finish of the Test matches is because the pitches are made to suit the home team.  Speaking exclusively, he said, "My observation and view is : last few years Test matches finished in two to three days because home advantage pitches are prepared as per the team strength. And it is accepted by the match referee, media, captains of the visiting teams, their coaches, and administrators too. When the India team is touring abroad, they prepare as per their team strength and we don't complain about it either".

BIPIN DANI Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has allowed the Test players to have their wives and children on the upcoming New Zealand tour, it is learnt.  According to the well-placed sources in the SLC, this permission at present is granted to the Test team. "Yes, the players' can have their immediate family members on this tour. The immediate family members include wives and children and parents. However, generally, married players take their wives and children on a long tour. So far we have not received any intimation about any players' family joining on the tour", the source said over the telephone from Colombo. The players' training camp is getting over on Thursday and the Test team of 17-players will leave for New Zealand on 27th morning, i.e. 10-days prior to the first Test match, which will be played at Christchurch from March 9. The visiting Sri Lankan team will play two Tests, three ODIs' and three T-20I. At present only the red ball team is selected. "We still have time for the white ball matches (commencing on March 25) and the squad for the white ball game will be announced. Few of the current Test squad will return and will be replaced by white ball players", the source confirmed. "There has been no change in the present support staff of the red ball game. Those who last travelled with the team on the India tour are retained". However, few changes in the support staff are not ruled out for the white ball games. Romesh Kaluwitharana is a tour selector. 

Sports Bulletin Report Paarl (South Africa): New Zealand crushed Sri Lanka by 102 runs in Paarl to ensure Group 1 at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will go down to the wire. Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr combined for a second wicket stand of 110, their nation’s third-highest ever at the tournament, to lift their side to an imposing 162 for three. Sri Lanka were meek in reply, rolled for 60 to end their hopes of progression to the semi-finals, suffering the second-biggest defeat in T20 World Cup history in the process. The White Ferns got the big net run rate swing they desired, meaning they climbed into second with South Africa facing Bangladesh on Tuesday in Group 1’s final game. New Zealand preached positivity in the lead-up and Bernadine Bezuidenhout epitomised that approach, crushing a series of fours through the leg side when the bowling was too straight. She raced to 32 from 20 balls but played one shot too many off Achini Kulasuriya, spooning a catch to Chamari Athapaththu at mid-off. Bates and Kerr dropped anchor with the former picking up where she left off in the win over Bangladesh, piercing the field beautifully with the first two balls of the ninth over. The pair didn’t score at an express pace but Kerr chose Athapaththu’s 13th over to accelerate, cover driving for four and then whipping through square leg to make it 93 for one. Sri Lanka’s fielding was lacklustre - Bezuidenhout was given two early reprieves, Nilakshi de Silva shelling an easy chance to get Bates and a point blank run-out missed later on. Kerr brought up her maiden T20I half-century off 40 balls and Bates her 24th in the closing stages. The White Ferns rattled along to a fine total despite Bates being stumped for 56 and Kerr run out for 66 in the final over. Sri Lanka coasted to 22 without loss in reply before capitulating. Harshitha Samarawickrama holed out to deep midwicket off Eden Carson’s off-spin and then Bates took a stunner running back from mid-on to dismiss 17-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne for a duck. Nilakshi de Silva swiped at a yorker and was clean bowled for a duck to leave Sri Lanka floundering on 24 for three. Athapaththu briefly remained among the rubble but the hammer blow came when the captain was trapped in front by Amelia Kerr, given not out on field, a decision overturned on review. The collapse continued when Anushka Sanjeewani chopped onto her stumps off Lea Tahuhu and the quick got another in her next over when Kavisha Dilhari patted to extra cover. 18-year-old Fran Jonas struck in her first over, bowling Oshadi Ranasinghe for three, and Sugandika Kumari was skilfully run out by Bezuidenhout at 48 for eight. After a brief resistance from Malsha Shehani and Inoka Ranaweera, the former was bowled by the outstanding Amelia Kerr and Achini Kulasuriya not batting due to injury.

Sports Bulletin Report Cape Town (South Africa): The Windies skipper struck a decisive 66 not out and, assisted by Chinelle Henry’s critical contribution, helped haul her side to a six-wicket victory and inflict a difficult defeat on the Irish under the Friday night lights. Orla Prendergast’s impressive 61 had fired Ireland to a competitive total of 137 for nine as Shamilia Connell starred with the ball for the Windies. But Matthews and Henry (34) delivered a second innings masterclass to patiently chase down the target and help the West Indies, without Stafanie Taylor owing to a back injury, bounce back from defeats against India and England with just a single ball remaining in Group B. Laura Delany won the toss and elected to bat – but her side suffered an almost immediate blow when Amy Hunter was dismissed in the second over. Trishan Holder held a simple catch after the Irish opener had miscued and top-edged a Connell delivery. But Prendergast and Gaby Lewis set about building the foundations for a recovery, putting on 90 for the second wicket before Prendergast went for a swashbuckling 61 – off just 47 balls – in the 13th over. And the West Indies then struck twice in quick succession as Lewis (38) and Louise Little, who was unable to trouble the scorers, were removed in the space of three Karishma Ramharack deliveries. Delany and Arlene Kelly then went in similarly speedy fashion as Afy Fletcher’s leg breaks helped derail the end of the Irish innings. Eimear Richardson was caught and bowled by Matthews before Leah Paul and wicketkeeper Mary Waldron were removed from the final two balls of the innings. That left the Windies with a total of 138 to win as openers Matthews and Rashada Williams responded with a steady start throughout the opening overs. But Ireland grabbed the breakthrough from the penultimate ball of the powerplay when wicketkeeper Williams was runout after a sudden mix-up with her captain. Incoming batter Campbelle survived a review shortly after but was soon dismissed by Delany when the Irish skipper’s crafty medium pacers trapped her in front for just eight. Matthews and Henry continued to chip away at the total, however, teeing up a tantalising final five overs with a composed third wicket partnership. Kelly dropped Henry at mid-off during an economical-looking 16th over before the Windies No.4 made her pay with a much-needed boundary off the final delivery. Henry looked in the mood to finish the job as quickly as possible but she was soon dismissed by Paul as Ireland, who spilt several chances throughout a frenetic second innings, finally held on to a catch. That propelled Shabika Gajnabi into the heat of the Cape Town cauldron, who played an important brief cameo before being run out after another piece of confusion with Matthews. But the Windies skipper held her nerve to clatter Delany over the covers for four and fire her side to victory.

Sports Bulletin Report KARACHI: To provide young cricket fans an opportunity to see the cricket stars in action up close, the Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to provide 50 per cent discount to those under the age of 18 for the HBL Pakistan Super League 8 matches in Karachi. This discount is applicable for all matches and one ticket can be bought on a B-Form. Each child will be required to bring their B-Form, on which they have bought the ticket, to enter the stadium. This discount is part of the PCB's efforts to continue to inspire the next generation to take up the sport.

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD: Peshawar PD defeated Lahore PD by a huge margin of 139 runs to qualify for final of the 8th National Physical Disability T20 Cricket Championship here at Bhutto cricket ground on Thursday. They won their all three Pool B matches. Now, Peshawar will face Multan in the final in Karachi. Osama, the left-arm spin bowler, was declared the man of the match by taking 6 wickets for only 12 runs while bowling brilliantly and destructively. The special guest, Regional Head Peshawar Sajid Khan, gave Osama a cash of 1000 rupees along with the trophy. Regional Head Lahore Javad Ashraf was also present on the occasion. Playing first, Peshawar scored 188 runs for all 10 in the allotted 20 overs. Rahmat scored 39 runs with the help of 4 fours and a six, Atif scored 34 runs with 6 fours, Babar added 27 runs. Shahid Vito took 3 wickets and Bilal took two wickets. In response, team Osama of Lahore's match-winning spell returned to the pavilion with only 49 runs for 6 wickets instead of 12 runs. And Mohammad Shahbaz could score 23 runs. Osama bowled 6 out of 12 runs while Atif got 3 wickets by giving only 4 runs. In the second match, Abbottabad PD defeated Islamabad PD by 93 runs. Abbottabad PD scored 173 runs for the loss of 8 in the allotted 20 overs. Opener Faisal Hayat played an aggressive innings of 83 off 53 balls with the help of 5 fours and 5 sixes while batting well. Aftab Hussain hit 2 fours and a six in 31 runs. Mohammad Naeem scored 39 runs and took three wickets. In reply, Islamabad PD was bowled out for just 80 runs in 16.3 overs, Farman Khan scored 36 off 16 balls with five sixes. Aftab Hussain took three wickets for 21 runs while Raj Wali and Mohammad Hussain got two wickets.