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It’s too early to judge but Dinesh Karthik and Wasim Jaffer’s average of 88.50 is the best for an Indian pair who’ve opened at least five times in Tests
George Binoy28-Jul-2007
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Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik survived James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom’s testing opening spells, and posted 147 for the opening wicket on the second day at Trent Bridge. It was a partnership that beat the odds, for India’s openers have had a horrendous record in England in the last three decades. The last time India had a first-wicket partnership of more than 100 in England was when Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan added 213 at The Oval in 1979. Since then, the openers had added more than 50 only five times in 29 innings with Kris Srikkanth and Gavaskar’s 64 at Leeds in 1986 being the highest.India have a history of makeshift opening pairs and Jaffer, the specialist, and Karthik, who averaged 56 in six innings as opener before Trent Bridge, are a relatively new combination. They began impressively, adding 153 against South Africa at Cape Town in January and since they’ve put on 0, 0, 175*, 18, 38 and 147. It’s too early to judge but Karthik and Jaffer’s average of 88.50 is the best for an Indian pair who’ve opened at least five times in Tests.You cannot fault an opening stand that produces 147 but Karthik and Jaffer had large doses of luck on the second day at Trent Bridge. England’s fast bowlers swung and seamed the new ball considerably and both openers played and missed regularly. In fact, Karthik and Jaffer had a higher in-control percentage – that is, they middled the ball more regularly – at Lord’s, where India lost their first wicket on 18 and 38 in the two innings.
| Batsman | % at Lord’s | % at Trent Bridge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wasim Jaffer | 19.6 | 22.76 | |
| Dinesh Karthik | 25.62 | 37.5 |
Chris Tremlett has been England’s best fast bowler so far in the second Test. He bowled predominantly on a good length or just short of a length and got the ball to bounce sharply. India scored 109 runs off 29 overs between lunch and tea but the batsmen managed to score only 15 runs off Tremlett’s eight overs, while Anderson and Sidebottom’s economy-rates during this session were five and 4.60 respectively.Anderson and Sidebottom were England’s most effective bowlers at Lord’s but their swing has produced no wickets so far at Trent Bridge. In the first innings at Lord’s, Anderson not only took 5 for 42, but also built immense pressure with his economy rate of 1.72. The difference so far at Trent Bridge has been a positive approach from the Indians compared to Lord’s, and a little bit of luck.More stats from the second day
Down 1-2 in the series, this was a must-win game for Pakistan, and the pressure of the situation showed in the manner in which they approached their innings
On the Ball with S Rajesh16-Feb-2006Down 1-2 in the series, this was a must-win game for Pakistan, and the pressure of the situation showed in the manner in which they approached their innings. The Indian bowlers showed exemplary discipline early on, but Pakistan contributed with their attitude. The first couple of overs were maidens, and when the runs came, they were in trickles, interspersed with plenty of dot balls. The early defensive mindset of the batsmen allowed the bowlers to settle into a rhythm on a pitch which didn’t offer them too much assistance.The batsmen’s approach eventually resulted in a rash of poor strokes, so that after 15 overs their total read a miserable 38 for 4, from which there was no coming back. The pie-chart below shows just how much of a stranglehold the Indian bowlers had in the first 15: there were 32 defensive shots, while 18 balls were left alone. A comparison with the number of deliveries left alone in the earlier three games tells the story: in the previous match the number was six, while the figure from the first two games was three. Pakistan played 75 dot balls and managed just three fours in the first 15, and ultimately, that’s where the match was decided.
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A calm dressing room environment is making the finisher play better
Hemant Brar18-Jun-20224:29
Steyn: Karthik will be among the first names in India’s T20 World Cup squad
Certain statistics in cricket feel straight out of , and Friday produced not one but two of those. First, England posted nearly 500 in a 50-over game in Amstelveen. Then, in Rajkot, Dinesh Karthik scored his maiden T20I half-century – more than 15 years after making his debut in the format.When Karthik made his debut, in what was also India’s first T20I outing, he was playing with a different generation of players. For instance, Graeme Smith, who was the opposition captain in that match, was one of the commentators for Friday’s game. Charl Langeveldt, who picked up 2 for 20 then, is now South Africa’s bowling coach.But Karthik got to play only 34 T20Is in the intervening years, and there was a seven-year period from 2010 to 2017 when he didn’t play a single T20I for India. That’s because he was a second-choice wicketkeeper behind MS Dhoni during this time, and wasn’t always deemed good enough to play as a pure batter.But over the years, the format has evolved so much that there are opportunities for super-specialists. And in the last few months, Karthik has emerged as one in closing a T20 innings. He has taken his finishing skills to such a level, as he showed during IPL 2022, that India’s team management had to make space for him in the playing XI.India probably plan to use him mainly in the last five overs of the innings. Therefore, in the second T20I of this series, when they lost their fourth wicket in the 13th over, Axar Patel walked in ahead of Karthik. The move, though, didn’t prove as successful, with Axar consuming 11 balls for his ten runs.In Rajkot too India’s fourth wicket fell in the 13th over. But the pitch was playing a few tricks. It was slightly on the slower side, because of which the ball was not coming onto the bat easily. Then there was uneven bounce to deal with. Anrich Nortje’s first ball in the ninth over scooted underneath Hardik Pandya’s bat; the fifth stung Rishabh Pant on the gloves.Perhaps considering all that, India decided to send Karthik, and not Axar, at No. 6. Hardik told him straightway to take his time as it was much easier to score once set. He took four balls to open his account, and was on 6 off 8 at one point. But that allowed him to assess the conditions and settle down.Dinesh Karthik infused the much-needed impetus to India’s innings•BCCIWith five overs left in the innings, Temba Bavuma brought Nortje back into the attack. By this time, the game had entered Karthik’s territory. He skipped down the track and smashed him over mid-off. Two balls later, he cut him in front of point for another four.From the other end, he swept, drove and reverse-pulled Keshav Maharaj for three more boundaries. “He scores in very unorthodox areas, which makes him difficult to bowl to,” the left-arm spinner would say later.Dwaine Pretorius had conceded only nine off his first two overs. But now he was up against a rampaging Karthik, who stood deep inside his crease and shuffled across to hit 6, 4, 4 off the seamer in successive deliveries. With another six off Pretorius on the first ball of the 20th over, Karthik raised his half-century.When Pant had got out, leaving India 81 for 4 in 12.5 overs, ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster predicted a total of 149. But Karthik’s 27-ball 55 lifted them to 169 for 6, which turned out to be almost double of what South Africa could manage.Since the start of IPL 2022, on more than one occasion Karthik has spoken about how he has worked hard with his coach behind the scenes. All that work, he says, has allowed him to assess situations better and play accordingly. But after Friday’s game, he also talked about how the atmosphere in India’s dressing room has been of great help.”I am feeling very secure in this set-up,” he said at the post-match presentation. “In the last game, things didn’t go exactly according to the plan for me [Karthik was out for 6 off 8], but the way I felt in the dressing room post the game was very comforting. Right now, the dressing room is a very safe, secure place. It feels warm, it feels fuzzy when things go well, and it feels the same when they don’t go as well. There is a certain sense of calmness.”Rahul [Dravid, India’s coach] has been very clear about how we should approach the series. I don’t think he has been saying we should beat South Africa. What he has been saying is what he expects batters and bowlers to do. I think that clarity is very, very important.”After his IPL exploits, Karthik forced his way into the Indian side. Now, he is strengthening his case for inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad as well.
The U.S. may need some help in midfield, and the answer to the team's problems may lie in Spain
The fear was already there, but Gregg Berhalter's recent comments only added to it. It's been a question that has been lingering for quite some time: what will the U.S. men's national team do if captain Tyler Adams isn't available this summer?
It's a big concern, for sure. The U.S. will play in not one, but two big competitions over the next few months. First will be the Nations League in March and, after that, the big one: the Copa America. As things stand, it's been about a year since we've seen Adams fully fit and, with those games looming, there's no guarantee we'll see the best version of him this summer.
So, with that being the big question, does the USMNT have an answer? It seems so, in the form of two players currently killing it in La Liga. Both Johnny Cardoso and Luca de la Torre could be the natural cover for Adams, and both have stepped up massively for their clubs in recent matches.
There's no replacing skipper Adams; no player in the pool is quite like him. However, a quick glace at what Cardoso and De la Torre are doing in Spain proves that the U.S. has two players that could capably fill in if Adams isn't good to go.
Bismah Maroof and Sidra Ameen ensured Pakistan aced their chase against Bangladesh, beating them by nine wickets with over three overs to spare in Delhi
The Report by Mohammad Isam24-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBismah Maroof and Sidra Ameen put on a record-breaking partnership for Pakistan•IDI/Getty Images
Bismah Maroof and Sidra Ameen ensured Pakistan aced their chase against Bangladesh, beating them by nine wickets with over three overs to spare in Delhi. The second-wicket pair added 99 runs in their unbroken partnership, Pakistan’s highest in World T20s for any wicket and best for the second wicket in T20Is.Ameen made 53 off 48 balls while Maroof struck five fours in her 43 after coming to bat at No. 3. They ensured Pakistan remained in contention for the knockouts. On four points from three games, they have a match against England in hand; a win in that game will put them directly in the semis should West Indies lose their final game to India; if both Pakistan and West Indies win, it will be a three-way tie with England on six points and come down to net run rate. Even if Pakistan lose their final group game, they might still go through if West Indies are defeated by a big enough margin on their last group game. As of now, West Indies’ NRR is better than Pakistan’s.Bangladesh bowed out of the competition having lost four out of four group matches. They have a lot to improve on overall in their cricket, but this evening in Delhi they managed an early breakthrough in their defence of 113, Salma Khatun removing Nahida Khan in the second over after she struck her for two fours. But Ameen, who started off with a beautiful pull shot off the Bangladesh captain Jahanara Alam, hardly put a foot wrong.The boundaries did not come often for her and Maroof, but the pair was steady and Ameen broke a dearth of big shots with two consecutive fours in the tenth over that brought the required rate plummeting down to below five. Maroof smashed her five boundaries between the 12th and 15th overs, including three on the trot between long-on and midwicket off Rumana Ahmed.In the field, Pakistan were at times clumsy but still effected four run-outs – a couple of these were due to wicketkeeper Sidra Nawaz’s great collection around the stumps. Bangladesh, though, reached their second highest score batting first in T20s – 113 for 9 in 20 overs. Fargana Hoque top scored with 36 off 37 balls with two fours that came through a smack to midwicket and a heave over long-on.She shared a 43-run third wicket stand with opener Sharmin Akhter, who made 19 off 34 balls. The pair batted for 9.1 overs, ensuring Bangladesh got past the 50-run mark. But once Sharmin fell in the 14th over, through a soft dismissal when she swept Sana Mir to Nida Dar at short fine leg, Pakistan took control.Nigar Sultana was run out for a duck while attempting a second run in the following over before Anam Amin had Rumana play on to give her second wicket in the 16th over. Fahima Khatun and Fargana were Bangladesh’s second and third run-out victims, before Lata Mondal smacked the slow legspin of Maroof for two consecutive fours in the penultimate over. In the end, that proved to be not near enough to overcome Pakistan.
The hosts pulled off one of the great tournament victories after some early setbacks, but others weren't so lucky
In a tournament overflowing with underdogs stories, it's fitting that Ivory Coast's name has ended up on the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations trophy. On the surface, it may not seem that uplifting that the hosts and 2015 winners came out on top, but that assessment does not take into account just how shambolic their group-stage campaign was, with the Elephants becoming the first team to lose two games and still win a major international tournament – excluding any league formats.
Ivory Coast's unlikely victory only scratches the surfaces of the myriad of captivating storylines the tournament cooked up, too. We had footballing backwaters cutting the giants of the continent down to size, some huge names of African football failing to turn up and even some new stars seemingly emerging on the biggest stage.
GOAL reviews a staggeringly good tournament by breaking down all the winners and losers from the 2023 AFCON…