Indian Cricket Team Updates

Playing in his last T20I, Kumar Sangakkara propelled Sri Lanka to a six-wicket win in the 2014 ICC World T20 final against former champions, India. The former Sri Lanka captain smashed 52 not-out off 35 balls to help SL lift the coveted trophy. Virat Kohli’s 58-ball 77, to take India to 130 for four, went in vain as India lost the game in Dhaka.    (Also Read:  Stats Highlights: Final: India vs Sri Lanka – WT20 2014  ) Defending the modest target, Mohit Sharma struck on the first ball of the second over to give India an early breakthrough with the wicket of Kusal Perera. Mahela Jayawardene then came out to bat in his last T20I with his team in a similar position as the opposition at five for one in the second over.  However, in the Mohit’s next over, Tillakaratne Dilshan and his partner claimed 15 runs. While Jayawardene hit him over the ‘keeper’s head, Dilshan struck him on the leg side to up the momentum of the innings. But Ravichandran Ashwin ended th...

With a six-wicket win over South Africa, MS Dhoni’s men muscled their way to the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 final. They chased down the 173-run target with five balls to spare and will take on Sri Lanka on April 6. Although Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy helped SA post a competitive score, it wasn’t enough to beat India. Virat Kohli made the target look easy. Complemented by Ajinkya Rahane and Suresh Raina’s cameo, he led India to a semi-final win with a 72* (44 balls).  (Also Read:  Stats Highlights: SF: India vs South Africa – WT20 2014  ) Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane had dominated for the better part of the first quarter of the innings. Rahane anchored the first half of the Indian innings, before perishing to an aerial shot for 32. Rohit also took charge and picked two boundaries of Duminy to take 14 from the first over. He then guided Albie Morkel through point for four and later pulled him over midwicket. However, with India on 39, Rohit’s blitzkrieg came to an a...

India registered their fourth consecutive win in the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 with a 73-run victory over Australia. The Indian bowlers skittled the opposition out for 86 after Yuvraj Singh’s 60 off 61 balls helped them to a challenging total. Chasing 160, the Australians perished miscuing shots while taking the aerial route. Indian spinners fashioned Australia’s collapse. Ravichandran Ashwin starred with a four-wicket haul as India coasted to a win in their last league game.  (Also Read:  Stats Highlights: India vs Australia – WT20 2014  ) Earlier, opting to field first, George Bailey opened the bowling with spin from both ends. Rohit Sharma, who took first strike, began the proceedings with a boundary to deep square-leg off Brad Hodge. But two balls later, he was back to the dugout after handing a catch to point. Virat Kohli then joined Ajinkya Rahane in the middle. Rahane had replaced Shikhar Dhawan in the team, while Mohit Sharma got his T20I debut.  Kohli...

With a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Bangladesh, India posted their third consecutive win in the 2014 ICC World T20. The Indian spinners responded to their captain’s call by restricting Bangladesh to 138 for seven after MS Dhoni opted to field first.     (Also Read:  Stats Highlights: Bangladesh vs India – WT20 2014  ) While Ravichandran Ashwin (2/15) applied the breaks at the top, India’s man of the moment, Amit Mishra (3/26), spun a web around the Bangladesh batsmen later in the innings. Unfortunately, both spinners missed out on hat-tricks. Rohit Sharma (56) and Virat Kohli (56*) then helped India to an easy victory.  Earlier, with 13 runs off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the first over, the Bangladesh openers had got their team off a good start despite Ashwin’s miserly bowling at the other end. Tamim Iqbal picked a boundary through the slips, while Anamul Haque sent the pacer through the covers and claimed four runs to deep square leg. The beating forced D...

The opposition was different but the script remained similar for India as they cantered to their second victory in the 2014 ICC World T20. After the spinners restricted West Indies to 130 runs, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli took India to a seven-wicket win at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. Unbeaten on 62, Rohit anchored the innings to attain the target with two balls to spare.    (Also Read:  Stats Highlights: India vs West Indies – WT20 2014  ) Once again, MS Dhoni opted to field first, and his spin attack once again responded by keeping the defending champions to a modest total, after Bhuvneshwar Kumar posed questions early on. The wiry pacer bowled a superb initial spell of 3-0-3-0.  After surviving a chance while on the zero, Chris Gayle unleashed himself on Shami. He pulled the pacer over mid-wicket for six and then sent him racing for four in the same area. While Dwayne Smith struggled, the big-hitting opener kept the scoreboard moving. He als...

India opened their account in the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 with a seven-wicket win over archrivals Pakistan in their opening game of the tournament. In the Group 2 encounter, the Indian bowlers set up the game in their team’s favour by restricting Pakistan to 130 for seven. And later, following a 54-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina took India across the line with a 66-run unbroken partnership. (Also Read: Stats Highlights: India vs Pakistan – WT20 2014 ) Opting to field first, MS Dhoni opened the bowling with Ravichandran Ashwin. India went into the game armed with the spin trio of Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra, to complement the pace of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami. The spinners proved to be economical as India restricted Pakistan to a modest total. (Also Read: I always think about taking wickets: Amit Mishra ) Pakistan were on 115 for six till the 19th over. But Sohaib Maqsood unleashed h...

India clinched a 20-run win against England at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur in their second warm-up game before the 2014 ICC World T20. A quick-fire 54 by Suresh Raina and 74* by Virat Kohli helped set up the game in India’s favour. The duo took their team to 178 for four after the England pacers left India floundering on 39 for three.   (Also Read:  Report: India vs Sri Lanka, WT20 Warm-up, 2014 ) Earlier, after being inserted to bat first, the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan returned to the hut early in the innings. Yuvraj Singh was the next to depart, trying to pull the ball as it took the edge and was caught by the wicketkeeper.   (Also Read:  Results: ICC T20 World Cup Warm-up Matches, 2014 ) Raina then joined Kohli in reviving the innings. Both batsmen took the opposition bowlers head on with an 81-run partnership. After scoring 41 in the previous outing, Raina continued his good run as he belted the ball all across...