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India overcame Mohammad Hafeez’s masterclass to win by 11 runs and level the two-match series

The Report by Siddhartha Talya28-Dec-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Ashok Dinda’s second spell swung the game India’s way•BCCIIndia overcame a Mohammad Hafeez masterclass to win by 11 runs and level the two-match series. His wristwork and effortless clearing of the ropes would have inspired admiration from those he tormented today. But Ashok Dinda bowled an excellent second spell at a time when Pakistan, led by Hafeez, were on track to chase down 193, a target set up by a dominating innings by Yuvraj Singh, who treated a packed house in Ahmedabad to an airshow that included seven sixes.Dinda was at the receiving end of a last-ball six that sealed victory for England in their T20 against India less than a week ago, but he came back well despite being put under pressure early in each of his two spells. He conceded 13 in his first over, during a promising opening stand of 74 between Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad, and was struck for two consecutive fours by Mohammad Hafeez in the 15th over that began with Pakistan needing 68 to win off 36 balls.The conditions in Ahmedabad were pitted against the seamers, with no movement on offer and thereby forcing them to rely on variations to contain the batsmen. Dinda not only did that, he was largely accurate and picked up three wickets, including Hafeez, in a three over spell that yielded 23 when Pakistan still had wickets in hand and the target appeared within reach. A slower ball that bowled Umar Akmal ended a 62-run stand with Hafeez that had given Pakistan the edge in the chase, and Dinda got Hafeez and Kamran Akmal to hole out in the penultimate over at the start of which Pakistan required 26.India’s spinners, R Ashwin, part-timer Suresh Raina and Yuvraj, slowed down Pakistan’s openers between overs six to 11, resulting in their wickets at the cost of just two boundaries. The required rate had climbed to more than 12 in the 12th over, when Hafeez began his charge with a scoop for four that highlighted the feature of his innings, swift but skilful and interspersed with some wonderful touch-play, but little brute force.Smart stats

India’s score of 192 is their third-highest total in T20 internationals, and their highest against Pakistan. Pakistan’s 181 is also their highest against India.

Yuvraj Singh’s 72 is his fifth half-century, and his highest score, in T20 internationals. It’s also his first against Pakistan. Among Indians, only Gautam Gambhir has more fifty-plus scores.

Yuvraj’s seven sixes is the joint sixth-highest in a T20I innings, and the highest by an Indian. It’s the second time he has struck seven sixes in an innings. His tally of 54 sixes is the fourth-highest in T20Is.

Mohammad Hafeez’s 26-ball 55 (strike rate 211.53) is the fastest 50-plus score by a Pakistan batsman. He reached his half-century in 23 balls, the second-fastest for Pakistan.

Umar Gul picked up his fifth haul of four or more wickets in T20Is, which equals Ajantha Mendis’ record. Saeed Ajmal has four.

Hafeez deftly guided Yuvraj past point, then proceeded to dispatch Ashwin for two straight sixes over midwicket before driving and paddling Dinda for two consecutive boundaries, all in successive overs. A flat six over extra cover off Ishant Sharma showed the confidence he was playing with, but Dinda’s comeback was vital in preventing Pakistan from pushing on. Two wickets in the penultimate over brought the equation to 20 required off the last, too much for Umar Gul and Shoaib Malik against Ishant.India’s middle order played a prominent role in the win, after having squandered an excellent foundation laid by openers Gautam Gambhir and Ajinkya Rahane in the opening encounter in Bangalore. The openers did their job again, and Yuvraj and MS Dhoni, in a stand of 97 off 44 balls, ensured their work wasn’t laid to waste.Yuvraj , who was struck a painful blow to the toe off a Mohammad Irfan yorker early in his innings, recovered well and seemed to be in his element, striking the ball cleanly, with a lovely flourish. Afridi and Saeed Ajmal were deposited towards cow corner, and two successive short balls were pulled over the square-leg boundary. Ajmal was targeted in the penultimate over, as Yuvraj took him for three consecutive sixes, the last of them smacked over long-on.The last five overs yielded 74 and though Dhoni played the supporting role, he wasn’t left far behind. He ran well between wickets, and pulled and drove Umar Gul for two straight fours. Though Gul picked up four wickets, accounting for India’s openers and the pair that took them towards 192, he was short of support from the rest of his attack and bowled a no-ball in the final over that yielded a boundary off the free-hit. Tanvir, Ajmal and Afridi each went for over 10 an over, leaving their batsmen too much to compensate for.

Manchester United have been boosted in their efforts to bring in Mauricio Pochettino as manager due to his relationship with Leonardo at Paris Saint-Germain, according to a report in The Telegraph.

The Lowdown: Ole no more

The inevitable end to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign as United manager took place on Sunday, with the Norwegian relieved of his duties after a run of dreadful form. Just one win in seven Premier League outings was rightly deemed not good enough and the search is now on to find his successor.

Pochettino appears to be at the front of the queue at the moment, although that would mean the Argentine upping sticks and leaving his current post at Paris Saint-Germain.

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The Latest: Fresh Pochettino update

United have received a fresh boost in their attempts to appoint Pochettino, with The Telegraph’s Jason Burt and James Ducker claiming his relationship with PSG sporting director is not strong.

It is stated that the ‘growing friction’ between the pair could ‘open the door’ for Pochettino’s exit to Old Trafford.

The Verdict: Not perfect, but a good candidate

With each passing day, the more it feels as though Pochettino is the man to become United’s latest manager, and he has the potential to be a strong appointment.

The biggest thing working against the 49-year-old is a lack of trophies, with none coming his way in five impressive years at Tottenham. Pochettino’s spell in north London was undoubtedly successful, though, with a Champions League final reached, good football played and a strong bond formed with the players and supporters.

The case for the former Argentina international coming to Old Trafford appears to be strengthened by his frosty relationship with Leonardo at PSG – the hope is that, if he does swap Paris for Manchester, the same scenario won’t develop between him and the much-maligned Glazer ownership.

In other news, some United fans are fuming over one managerial rumour that has emerged. Read more here.

The potential sale of Newcastle United target Luis Diaz could be the biggest deal in both FC Porto and Magpies history, according to a report from A Bola (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

As it stands, the departure of Eder Militao is Porto’s most lucrative. The Brazilian moved to Real Madrid for £45million ahead of the 2019/20 season.

The Portuguese outfit have somewhat made their name from farming and selling big talents in recent years, including James Rodriguez to Monaco for around £40m, Radamel Falcao to Atletico Madrid for £36m and Pepe to Real Madrid for £27m (Transfermarkt).

Now, Diaz has the suitors queuing up after netting 11 goals in his first 16 appearances of 2021/22.

He’s won some pretty lofty praise from his team-mate Sergio Oliveira, who labelled him ‘extraordinary’.

The latest

The report from the Portuguese newspaper, translated by SW, states that Diaz’s potential sale could eclipse that of Militao.

He has a release clause of €80million – about £67.6million – but Porto may be willing to accept lower offers, and Newcastle are one of a host of clubs in the race to land the Colombian.

Fellow Premier League sides Liverpool, Everton and Chelsea are also named, along with two continental giants in Real Madrid and AC Milan.

Liverpool and Milan have clearly been impressed by Diaz when coming up against him in the Champions League group stages.

The verdict

It may not only be the Militao record that falls here. Newcastle’s biggest signing remains £39.6million buy Joelinton.

It surely won’t be long until they surpass that under their new regime, one of the wealthiest in the game, as the new owners will surely want to make a splash before too long in order to signal their ambition to the Toon Army.

But the bigger challenge comes in persuading Diaz to join, when he might also have offers from sides that have already established themselves in European competition.

In other news, Newcastle are ready to offer this target ‘huge money’.

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford has provided a key update on his injury progress, admitting that his return has been slow but the end is now in sight.

The Lowdown: Bamford missing; Leeds keep it quiet

The 28-year-old was a strong contender for the Whites’ Player of the Year last season, scoring 17 goals in the Premier League and leading the line superbly.

Bamford’s campaign has been affected by an ankle injury this time around, however, with the England international not featuring since the middle of September.

He has been a big miss, with Marcelo Bielsa’s side languishing in 17th place in the table without him.

Paul Robinson bemoaned the latest news on his recovery earlier this week, lamenting the fact that Leeds have ‘kept that quiet’ (MOT Leeds News) after injury expert Ben Dinnery revealed it is likely to be a late November return.

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The Latest: Striker provides update

Bamford has given some much-needed clarity on his injury to MOTDx [via the Yorkshire Evening Post], with a nine-word verdict not exactly full of positives…

“Taking a little bit longer than I first thought.”

That being said, the Englishman did also add that “now I am seeing improvements”, so hopefully he will be back not too long after the international break.

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The Verdict: Season-changing return?

Bamford’s influence on this Leeds team is enormous, so much so that he has the potential to turn his team’s season around.

Not only are the Whites missing his potency in front of goal, netting just 10 times in as many league games, but his hold-up play brings others into the game and he works tirelessly for the cause, even averaging 1.6 clearances per game in the league this season before his injury.

That sort of work ethic is a necessity in Bielsa’s system, with Dan James recently criticised for failing to adapt to that intensity.

Bamford’s return should see his teammates improve as well – he has created nearly a chance per game for club and country combined this season – with Bielsa’s attack having a completely different feel to it at the moment and the likes of James and Jack Harrison struggling for form.

In other news, a pundit has urged Leeds to drop one player ahead of the Leicester game. Read more here.

West Ham United have been dealt a potential double injury blow regarding Nikola Vlasic and Andriy Yarmolenko ahead of their upcoming Premier League fixture.

What’s the talk?

According to a report by Football.London, both attacking midfielder Vlasic and right-winger Yarmolenko are once again doubts for the visit of Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, after both players missed the Hammers’ 2-2 Europa League draw with Genk on Thursday due to injury.

Speaking about the current state of his first-team squad, David Moyes said: “At the moment we seem ok. Yarmolenko had a bit of an injury before we left, Vlasic as well. We’ll see how they are. It’s a quick turnaround between the games but hopefully we’ll be ok.”

Moyes would be gutted

While neither Vlasic nor Yarmolenko have been regular starters for West Ham so far this season, with the duo having featured from the off in just one Premier League game between them this term, the potential absence of the pair on Sunday would nevertheless leave Moyes gutted.

Indeed, Yarmolenko has proven during his time in East London that he is an extremely useful option for Moyes to call upon when his side are chasing a match, having scored seven goals and registered three assists over 54 appearances in the league – with only 16 of these fixtures coming as starts.

Meanwhile, although Vlasic’s game time has been rather limited since his £27m summer move to West Ham, the attacking midfielder demonstrated last season that, when he is fit and firing, he has the potential to become an incredibly important player within Moyes’ first-team squad, scoring 12 goals and registering six assists over 34 appearances in all competitions for CSKA Moscow.

As such, being without either player for the fixture with Liverpool will undoubtedly come as a blow to the 58-year-old Hammers manager, who will certainly be hoping to maintain his side’s current run of six games without defeat in all competitions come full time against the Reds.

In other news: Imagine him & Antonio: WHU can secure dream duo with “very talented” £22.5m-rated ace

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left fuming as some early team news emerged ahead of their game away at Motherwell at Sunday lunchtime.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match in the Scottish Premiership, Steven Gerrard has now revealed that his team will be without Borna Barisic, Ryan Kent and Ryan Jack for the trip.

Jack seems to be suffering setback after setback, and so many members of the Ibrox faithful are desperate to see him back on the pitch again.

Kent has still not recovered from an ongoing hamstring injury, and the Light Blues have only managed to win three of their last six games in the SPFL without him (Transfermarkt).

Barisic has been rated as the Bears’ joint-second best player in the division so far this season with a 7.16 average rating from WhoScored, while he also ranks highly among his teammates in terms of average tackles (1.5), clearances (three), key passes (2.3) and crosses (3.2) per match.

Rangers fans on team news

These Gers fumed as the team news was shared on Twitter, with one RFC supporter claiming that it is a ‘blow’:

“A blow”

Credit: @legendsofibrox

“Hello darkness my old friend”

Credit: @scottfraser1972

“Sigh.”

Credit: @C0nnor1992

“Too soon… He was supposed to be back by Aberdeen.. How much longer 7-10 days?”

Credit: @Rangers4life_

“He told us Kent would be ready for Aberdeen that was 3 weeks ago”

Credit: @JUDSTER53

“You knew that was coming our record at getting players back from injury is nothing short of abysmal”

Credit: @coplandbear1872

In other news, find out what Rangers B update had Gers buzzing here!

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left excited as some news emerged involving Nikica Jelavic and Sasa Papac.

As per the official website of the Ibrox faithful, Light Blues supporters now have the chance to spend an evening with the two former players in April next year as they will talk about what it was like to play for the Teddy Bears, and how they worked as players and friends both on and off of the pitch.

Jelavic instantly became a cult hero over just two seasons with the Gers, in which he scored no fewer than 36 goals and made a further 15 assists in 56 games in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

Papac was at RFC much longer, and made over 200 appearances across six consecutive campaigns (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, it is no surprise to see so many fans excited by the prospect of sitting down with them.

Rangers fans on Jelavic and Papac news

These Rangers supporters could not hide their excitement as the news was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that they were ‘buzzing’:

“I would love that”

Credit: @weelas57

“Take my money”

Credit: @beardedbawbag

“Oh go on then”

Credit: @JJMRFC72

“What a duo to have on btw.”

Credit: @JaffaGer

“I cannot put into words how buzzing I am for this”

Credit: @Carzy1994

“A thousand times YES”

Credit: @heyitsk_stew

In other news, find out which Premier League club are targeting Steven Gerrard here!

Crystal Palace staged a dramatic second-half fightback to secure a point against Leicester City in their Premier League clash at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

The visitors raced into a two-goal lead going into halftime thanks to strikes from Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy, but Patrick Vieira’s substitutes proved pivotal, with Michael Olise and Jeffrey Schlupp coming off the bench to rescue a 2-2 draw.

Palace largely dominated proceedings in the opening half an hour, yet a mistake from one of their usually more reliable stars turned the game on its head.

Summer signing Joachim Andersen took a heavy touch when receiving a pass from centre-back partner Marc Guehi under no pressure, allowing Leicester forward Iheanacho to capitalise on his mistake and put the Foxes ahead.

The 25-year-old was then unable to cut out Harvey Barnes’ pass to Vardy for the second, compounding a tricky six-minute spell for the Denmark international.

As per SofaScore, Andersen received a measly match rating of just 5.8 out of 10 for his underwhelming showing, the lowest total awarded to any player on the pitch over the weekend.

It was an out-of-character display from the former Lyon ace who usually bullies his opponents, with Andersen losing three of his seven duels and failing to make a single tackle during the 90 minutes.

But he was especially sloppy when in possession. He lost the ball on a whopping 22 occasions and completed just six of his 17 attempted long balls, leading to an overall pass completion of only 77%.

Andersen proved to be a liability for Palace as he let Vieira down in south London. However, his previous displays for the capital club have been full of promise, meaning the former Nice boss should keep faith with his £20m acquisition following the international break.

And, in other news…Forget Schlupp: Palace beast who won 75% of his duels was Vieira’s real hero 

Cricket South Africa has agreed to go ahead and resolve its ongoing tussle with the Gauten Cricket Board over the stripping of the Wanderers’ international status

Cricinfo staff24-Jul-2009Cricket South Africa (CSA) has agreed to go ahead and resolve its ongoing tussle with the Gauteng Cricket Board (GCB) over the stripping of the Wanderers’ international status. In response to the GCB’s request for mediation and their criticism of the management of the IPL, CSA has asked the sports ministry to appoint a mediator to amicably resolve the situation.”CSA has informed the GCB that it is keen to resolve this matter amicably, and that we agree with GCB that it should be referred to mediation,” Gerald Majola, CSA chief executive, said. “In the circumstances, CSA has asked the Minister of Sport and Recreation to appoint a mediator as a matter of urgency in this regard, and we will inform GCB of the outcome of our request to the Minister.”Last week the GCB expressed its willingness to hold meetings with the CSA in the presence of a mediator and requested the board to appoint one if it desired. In order to prepare for such a meeting, the GCB asked the board to send it a copy of the CSA president’s statement demanding an apology, the reasons why its letter was sent to the board’s Members’ Forum, why the Risk and Audit Committee wasn’t suitable for tackling the issue, why its letter was dismissed and why the hosting conditions were linked to the removal of matches when none of the other boards had accepted.If the issue is not resolved, Wanderers’ is set to lose out on three matches during England’s tour to South Africa in November-December.

The Preview by Andrew Miller20-Jun-2009Match factsSunday June 21
Start time 1500 local (1400 GMT)Sport’s great gift for reinvention has delivered a contest that flicks two fingers at the perpetrators of the Lahore atrocity•AFPBig PictureOn the morning of March 3 in Lahore, the world of cricket was shaken to the core. The horrific attack on the Sri Lankan team bus, as it pulled into the Gadaffi Stadium ahead of the third day of the second Test against Pakistan, was the moment a thousand preconceptions were destroyed. Cricket’s presumptions to diplomatic immunity had been mocked by the forces of evil, and as Pakistan spiralled into sporting exile and Sri Lanka’s traumatised players rushed home to the bosom of their families, the obvious reaction was to wonder “what now?” for the great game.Three and a half months later, and sport’s great gift for reinvention has delivered a contest that flicks two fingers at the perpetrators of the Lahore atrocity, and proves that – without wishing to overload the sentiment – the human spirit cannot be crushed by cold calculation. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will take centre stage at Lord’s on Sunday for the final of the most joyful international tournament the game has arranged in years. Twenty20 may be cricket for hedonists, but after everything these two teams and their respective nations have been through of late, the need to lay on a party suddenly feels like the only serious obligation.”It is a fitting reward for the courage of the team in the way they have played the tournament,” said Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka’s statesmanlike captain. “All the players have got through Lahore, but what it brought home to us is that we are just the same as everyone else. Sometimes it is nice to be reminded of your mortality, especially when the press and everyone else blows you up to be more than that in this sporting culture. But we’ve shown no fear and we’ve gone to play cricket, and it’s a fitting reward for that attitude.”If Sri Lanka enter the final as favourites, it is only by dint of their exceptional consistency throughout the tournament. Unlike South Africa, the one-dimensional steamrollers who were spectacularly upstaged by the mercurial Pakistanis at Trent Bridge, Sri Lanka’s unbeaten run owes itself, if you like, to a Barcelona-style carousel system, in which the identity of the day’s gamebreaker is impossible to call until the damage has already been done. One day, Ajantha Mendis will sweep through the midfield, the next it’s Lasith Malinga, while Muttiah Muralitharan’s enduring class allows no liberties to be taken against his four overs. And then, every once in a while, up will pop a totally random destroyer, such as Angelo Mathews, the three-wicket wrecking ball against West Indies on Friday.And yet, Pakistan have developed some serious momentum in the latter stages of the tournament. Their captain, Younis Khan, laughed in the face of their group-stage trouncing against England, dismissing Twenty20 cricket as “fun”, and later likened it to WWF wrestling as well. His comments caused consternation at the time, particularly for the thousands of passionate Pakistan fans whose presence and exuberance at all matches have been among the highlights of the competition. But internally, his words had a soothing effect on a side that had lacked meaningful match practice since a low-key one-day series in UAE. As soon as they hit their stride with a walloping of New Zealand at Lord’s, Younis’ impassioned defence of his star bowler, Umar Gul, in the face of ball-tampering insinuations, left no-one in any doubt as to the galvanised nature of their campaign.Gul’s peerless death bowling remains one reason why Pakistan have the potential to go one step better than in 2007, when Misbah-ul-Haq’s traumatic aberration delivered India a five-run victory and instigated a Twenty20 revolution. Shahid Afridi’s big-game mentality and bamboozling legspin is another. Set against their wiles is the sensational form and innovative eye of Tillakaratne Dilshan, who produced his most orthodox innings of the tournament on Friday and still came within ten yards of posting the second century in Twenty20 international history.But whatever happens, it’s all about to come down to 40 overs of fiesta cricket in front of a packed house at Lord’s, and on this occasion, the old adage “to the victors, the spoils” somehow doesn’t seem fitting. Sunday’s final is not merely a celebration of cricket, it is a celebration of life. And that’s a very serious reason to abandon any lingering hang-ups about the place of 20-over cricket in the grander scheme of the game, and simply get on with the important business of letting the hair down. Joie de vivre has carried these two teams into the final, and it will sustain them in victory or defeat.Tournament record (most recent first)
Pakistan WWWLWL
Sri Lanka WWWWWW
Watch out for…Dilshan has been in outstanding form, and has played the “Dilscoop” to great effect•AFPTillakaratne Dilshan has been the tournament’s outstanding run-maker, and one of the format’s great innovators as well, with his so-called “Dilscoop” turning back-of-a-length dot-balls into undefendable boundaries over the keeper’s head. His tally of 317 runs – almost double the number of any other player in the final – have come at an average of 63.40 and a strike rate of nearly three runs every two balls, but his magnificent 96 not out in the semi-final victory over West Indies was especially notable for its normality. He simply middled every shot he attempted, and with 14 boundaries to 15 dot-balls, it reeked of a serious batsman in princely form.Umar GulDaniel Vettori was so bewildered by Gul’s mastery of line, length and late swing during New Zealand’s Super Eight derailment that after the game he (unwittingly or otherwise) called into question the honesty of the methods employed. Younis’ reaction was apoplectic, as he demanded an end to the suspicions that habitually surround Pakistani success, and instead called for an acknowledgment of a bowler at the absolute peak of his powers. Gul’s figures that day of 5 for 6 may prove to be Laker-esque in their endurance in the record-books, but subsequent performances have shown it was no one-off. His appearance, invariably in the second ten overs of an innings, can bring all momentum to a shuddering halt.Team newsBoth teams may want to retain their winning line-ups.Pakistan (probable) 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Shahzaid Hasan, 3 Shahid Afridi, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Younis Khan (capt), 6 Misbah-ul-Haq, 7 Abdul Razzaq, 8 Fawad Alam, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Mohammad Aamer.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Chamara Silva, 6 Jehan Mubarak, 7 Angelo Mathews, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Ajantha Mendis.Stats and Trivia Pakistan and Sri Lanka have both contested two 50-over World Cup finals in the past, with one victory and one defeat apiece. Pakistan beat England in the final at Melbourne in 1992, then lost to Australia at Lord’s in 1999. Sri Lanka beat Australia at Lahore in 1996, then lost to the Aussies at Bridgetown in 2007. Pakistan, of course, contested the inaugural World Twenty20 final as well, when they lost by 5 runs against India at Johannesburg. All five of the tournament’s leading wicket-takers will be on display in the final. Mendis, Gul, Malinga and Ajmal have all taken 12 wickets, Afridi is tucked in behind them on 10.Click here for more stats.Quotes”Sanath is always a big-match player. He’s won a lot of matches for us in the past, and I think he’s going to win a lot more in the next few years as well. As long as he’s fit and is performing, we are happy to have him in the side. I think he’ll do something special in the final.”
Sri Lanka’s captain Kumar Sangakkara talks up the form and focus of Sanath Jayasuriya, who was off-colour during the semi-final victory over West Indies.“I used to think of myself as a batsman three to four years ago because that is how everyone started to think of me. But I was moved around so much the order that I just went back to concentrating on bowling. I told Younis I wanted to bat up the order and it worked.”
Shahid Afridi concedes that bowling is his strongest suit these days, despite his destructive batting against South Africa at Trent Bridge.