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Given the presence of four Full Members and the high-stakes nature of the tournament, good viewership figures can be expected, but bringing it to that audience might not yet be a cost-effective undertaking

Nagraj Gollapudi03-Mar-20181:41

All you need to know about the World Cup Qualifiers

For the first time ever, the ICC is set to broadcast matches from its World Cup qualifier event. Ten of the 34 games have been earmarked, including all of the Super Six stage and the final. Still, the ICC will be asked why it is not telecasting the rest of the matches.The interest in this qualifier is far greater than for previous editions, partly because of the participation of four Full Members – two old ones in West Indies and Zimbabwe and two new ones in Afghanistan and Ireland – in a pool of 10 teams. Only two will advance to join the eight Full Members already booked for the 2019 World Cup. With the additional presence of established Associates like Netherlands, Scotland, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and the UAE, wider interest is a given.And given that cricket is still attempting – with however much conviction – to enter the Olympics fold, it would seem to make good sense to showcase its popularity and reach by streaming the qualifiers over a digital platform.Obviously, right? Not so much. This will be the third qualifier of its kind the ICC has hosted, but the previous two – in 2009 and 2014 – were not broadcast. The ICC had actually streamed four matches, including the final, during the 2014 Qualifier in New Zealand.* But the viewership, it is understood, was not so strong. However, four years later, with the likes of Afghanistan climbing into to the upper echelons of international cricket and the smaller Associates aspiring to take bigger steps, the appetite to consume is bigger. So by actually committing to broadcasting ten matches from this event, the ICC Board (which is made up of the various member boards, remember) feels it has already taken a forward-looking step and, based on its success, the next qualifier in 2022 could have even more matches available for the world to see.Though the ICC owns the production rights for its global tournaments, the digital rights are with Star Sports, which has rights till the 2023 World Cup. The ICC could stream in partnership with Star and is also aware of the advantages of streaming matches live over a digital platform.ICC

According to one official from a prominent member board, the way the ICC’s digital live streaming rights are split geographically is unique. In most territories the digital rights are owned by Hotstar, according to the official, but there are pockets where Star will not stream and where the ICC can do if it so wishes.The ICC is capable of streaming matches and has the resources. Even during last year’s women’s World Cup, ten matches were broadcast live on TV. The remaining 21 were streamed live and the ICC produced content good enough for it to distribute it to different countries. Yet tournaments like the women’s World Cup, the Under-19 World Cup and the World Cup qualifiers are not, ultimately, profit-making tournaments.To stream matches for a tournament like a qualifier – with limited commercial appeal for now – is not cost-effective, especially when as many as four matches per day are scheduled during the group stages, played at four venues – two in Bulawayo and two in Harare. It is not just the cost of having the technology in place, but also the cameras, crews, commentators and graphics team.Ultimately, all these add up to costs that the members do not want to contribute to because it cuts into the percentage of profits the ICC distributes to them from global events. The budget for organising a global event comes from the subscription money member boards pay. So if the qualifier does not generate any revenue, and the broadcaster does not want to stream the matches, the ICC has to bear the costs, which consequently will affect member revenues.But, keeping in mind the sizeable and growing interest in smaller countries like Afghanistan and Nepal, the ICC has hired crews who will shoot 90-second clips of the matches that are not being broadcast but will be shared globally with fans.

Southampton are well-known for churning out talent from their academy setup and selling them on for huge profits in the future.

James Ward-Prowse is the most recent of those to have demonstrated the quality being produced from the Saints' academy having followed in the footsteps of the likes of Luke Shaw, Theo Walcott and five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, Gareth Bale.

While the relentless production of talent coming from their academy is impressive – as emphasised this season through 17-year-old Samuel Amo-Ameyaw being rewarded with a chance in the first team – Southampton have also become renowned for signing young players at comparatively small fees and nurturing their development before selling at a significant profit.

The most blatant example of that fact was their £13m acquisition of Virgil van Dijk from Celtic in 2015 with the Dutchman quickly rising to prominence as one of the best defenders in the league, as the Saints pocketed a hefty £75m from Liverpool two and a half years later.

In 2022, Ralph Hasenhuttl unearthed a gem from Manchester City as Romeo Lavia joined the club for £10.5m and although the South Coast club were relegated from the Premier League, Lavia's impressive performances earned him a £58m move to Chelsea this summer, making them a cool £48m on their investment.

Southampton are experts when it comes to signing young players for a cheap and turning a huge profit, but have buckled under the pressure of spending big money on more experienced talents, wasting millions on Dani Osvaldo, who demonstrated that the Saints haven't always been smart with their business.

How much did Southampton pay for Dani Osvaldo?

During Mauricio Pochettino's tenure at the club, the Argentine was in desperate need of a striker to help them become more ruthless in front of goal and after managing him at Espanyol, where he chalked up 20 goals in 45 appearances, Pochettino decided to break the bank to lure Osvaldo to the Premier League.

Joining from Roma for a club record fee of £15m in 2013, the Italian promised to live up to the price tag having amassed an eye-watering 34 goal contributions in 55 appearances in the Serie A.

Despite his impressive rate of scoring, Roma's coach at the time, Rudi Garcia, questioned Osvaldo's attitude during a friendly with Turkish side Bursaspor in 2013, stating that the 27-year-old's behaviour would cause serious problems unless he changed his attitude.

He said: “He is a great striker, but his personality is a serious issue.

“[For instance], in my opinion, he shouldn’t have reacted to the fans’ jeers, although I do understand it’s hard not to do when you’re being insulted."

In that one moment, warning signs were thrown towards Southampton, but they chose to ignore them. Indeed, Pochettino thought his attitude wouldn't get in the way of his performances, and it turned out he was wrong.

What happened to Dani Osvaldo next?

As a club record signing, a lot is expected, especially as a striker. Supporters were expecting Osvaldo to become their next heroic goalscorer, following in the footsteps of Rickie Lambert, but how his Southampton career unravelled instead left supporters pulling their hair out.

In 13 appearances for the club in the 2013/14 campaign, Osvaldo's only moment of brilliance came against Manchester City, as his superbly curled effort helped the Saints to a point against the eventual champions.

"From now on I can show how much I can do, and how well I can perform,” the Italian said, after scoring his third – and last – Southampton goal.

Although he offered words of encouragement to supporters, he failed to kick on from there, headbutting Jose Fonte in training, an incident that ultimately ended his career in England.

Osvaldo spent just 166 days at the club before he was shipped out of the club to Juventus on loan, failing to impress at the Old Lady before Southampton released him in 2015 after he'd bled the club dry of £25m, including fees and wages, across two years.

After retiring at 30-years-old in 2016, the Italian outlined his hatred towards football in an interview with Fox Sports, saying: “Football was not happy, it is a world full of ****." You can imagine the ending of that.

As far as record signings go, Osvaldo will go down as one of the worst in Premier League history.

Liverpool have embarked on a major rebuild of their midfield this summer, and now an update from a reliable source has revealed that the Merseyside giants could still yet add even more depth in the centre of the pitch.

Will Liverpool sign another player before the transfer window closes?

According to Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool are continuing to monitor Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch's situation ahead of the transfer window closing on Friday.

Romano revealed on social media:

"Ryan Gravenberch on his future: “I don‘t know what will happen in the next days”, told @cfbayern"

"Manchester United and Liverpool both asked to be informed on the situation until end of the window, in case Bayern will allow him to leave"

Will Liverpool sign another midfielder?

There is no doubt that Liverpool have undergone huge changes to the squad at Anfield this summer, with the club sanctioning exits for some of their most experienced players.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner, Naby Keita, Roberto Firmino and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all moved on, whilst Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo have been acquired to freshen up the centre of pitch.

Whilst Jurgen Klopp will be delighted with the results tallied up over the opening games of the Premier League season, there is still a definite opportunity to add quality depth to the midfield over the dying days of the transfer window.

As a result, the signing of Gravenberch – who has a reported £22m price tag – would be a great piece of business for the Reds, as the young talent could be a huge prospect for the future of the team and possesses the profile needed to improve performances.

The Ajax academy graduate – once dubbed "outstanding" by former Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić – has gone from strength to strength over his short career so far and has become one of the hottest youth prospects in Europe, despite finding himself lacking in game-time since joining the Bundesliga giants.

As per FBref, Gravenberch has ranked in the top 20% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for shots on goal, shot-creating actions, progressive passes, successful take-ons and tackles per 90 minutes played, with both former Liverpool target Jude Bellingham and Mac Allister named as his most comparable players over the last 12 months. That is fine company indeed.

The 21-year-old's diverse range of skills would make him the perfect partner for Szoboszlai in the centre of the pitch, as he can not only provide the Liverpool midfielder with opportunities to progress the ball, but can give the Hungarian more freedom to impact the attacking third by providing solid defensive cover.

Szoboszlai has quickly become an extremely popular addition at Anfield with the 22-year-old a stand-out performer over his three league appearances so far – tallying up an 88% pass completion rate, a team high 1.7 key passes per match and won 5.3 duels per game, according to SofaScore.

It's frightening to think, therefore, that those numbers would increase with another strong midfielder such as Gravenberch beside him.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see whether Liverpool will look to add more depth to their midfield and make a move for the Bayern starlet over the remaining days of the window, as he could be an incredibly valuable asset to Klopp over the season ahead and beyond.

Arsenal have already enjoyed a fruitful summer window, yet could be set to take one huge step towards truly usurping Manchester City with another big purchase.

How much would Douglas Luiz cost?

Whilst last weekend marked the third piece of silverware for the Gunners under Mikel Arteta’s regime, there was an element of fortune about the late equaliser that led to the penalty shootout.

There are still a number of gears they can go up before they can claim they have surpassed Pep Guardiola’s outfit, with some late movements in the market sure to aid that pursuit.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Being linked with Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz just last month showcased one such option who would bolster an already impressive side, adding some much-needed attacking impetus to the engine room.

However, having signed a new long-term contract at Villa Park back in October, FootballTransfers now value the Brazilian at €39.8m (£34m).

How good is Douglas Luiz?

To add some firepower to the midfield would not only help in their pursuit of that coveted Premier League title but also help elevate many of the squad seeking to reach new personal goals.

Bukayo Saka was the only player in the division other than Mohamed Salah to hit double figures for both goals and assists, whilst Martin Odegaard was the top-scoring midfielder too.

However, both of their efforts were somewhat overshadowed by the Cityzens, with the latter in particular losing out on many plaudits due to yet another stellar campaign from Kevin De Bruyne.

The Belgian was once again creatively mesmeric, scoring ten goals and assisting a further 31 across all competitions of the 2022/23 season.

This even led Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp to suggest:

“His football brain and IQ make him no.1 for me, and hopefully we can find a little bit more about what makes him tick because every young footballer should watch him and the way he plays in midfield.

“Right now, he's the best midfield player in the world.”

However, it is worth noting that the 32-year-old did so surrounded by far more quality, with plenty of experience at competing at the top level.

Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden all combined from the midfield to aid De Bruyne’s exploits, as they boast an attacking impetus paired with relentless hard work.

There are arguably few players in the English top-flight that exemplify such a play style more than Luiz, who has shone ever since trading the Etihad for the Midlands.

Just last season saw the 25-year-old maintain a 7.10 average rating of his own, buoyed by his 12 goal contributions, 86% pass accuracy, two tackles and 1.2 key passes per game, via Sofascore.

This, paired with the fact that journalist Ashley Preece branded him an “enforcer”, paints the picture of an ideal asset to help Odegaard surpass the levels set by De Bruyne.

After all, the Norway international did post 22 goal contributions in the league, maintaining 2.1 key passes per game too. Meanwhile, his rival would post 23 goal contributions, yet saw his key passes per game rise to 3.1.

The disparity between the two is minimal, and the addition of someone as attack-minded as Luiz could be the catalyst that shifts the dynamic between the two.

He can create from deep, burst forward to score, and yet still offers balance and solidity in the midfield. All of these assets are certain to help Odegaard finally announce himself as the new best-attacking midfielder in the league.

Manchester United have already made some high-profile additions in this summer window. As September 1st edges closer, Fabrizio Romano has filled GIVEMESPORT in on the latest regarding their pursuit of Bayern Munich and France defender Benjamin Pavard.

Will the Frenchman arrive in Manchester?

Manchester United didn’t look at their best on Monday Night Football but were still able to get the job done and start the new season with three points. A Wolverhampton Wanderers side in limbo visited Old Trafford and left empty-handed after Raphael Varane headed home the only goal of the game.

Talking of Varane and it was a social media post of his after the game, which Benjamin Pavard commented on, that really added fuel to this fire.

Erik ten Hag has made three major signings thus far and Pavard could well become the fourth. Andre Onana was acquired from Champions League finalists Inter, Rasmus Hojlund also arrived from Serie A and of course Mason Mount made an eyebrow-raising switch over from his boyhood club Chelsea.

Pavard has enjoyed the finer things in Munich, winning four league titles and the 2019/20 Champions League as well as a littering of domestic cups. On top of that, he has played a part in France getting to the last two World Cup finals, one of which saw them beat Croatia whilst the more recent one saw Lionel Messi and Argentina lift the iconic Jules Rimet trophy.

The defender, who has been hailed as "outstanding", seems keen to force his way out of the Bavarian region after four seasons there, having joined from fellow Bundesliga side Stuttgart.

What is Fabrizio Romano's update on Pavard?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano tells GIVEMESPORT all about the future of Benjamin Pavard and where his head is at.

“Currently, Bayern are not keen on this move, but my feeling is that there is a chance for Pavard to join Man Utd because the player wants to go.

“Over the weekend and the last few days, Pavard has spoken to Bayern and told them he won’t extend his contract and wants to join Manchester United to try this opportunity. So, let's see now what happens between the clubs.”

Other developments at Old Trafford…

As previously mentioned, United have added a goalkeeper, a midfielder and a forward. Defence is now the position with the most going on in terms of both incomings and outgoings.

Former captain Harry Maguire may well fit into the latter category come the end of the window although his proposed transfer to West Ham United seems to be dead in the water.

Alex Crook is now reporting that Ten Hag wants to retain the services of the Englishman and that the centre-back is likely to stay and fight for his place alongside the likes of Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof.

Meanwhile, there could be a second new signing in the attacking third to accompany the young Hojlund.

Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix is the man in question following rumours that the relationship between him and manager Diego Simeone is on the ropes. The Portuguese international was on loan with Chelsea last year and despite their clear struggles on the field, he showed moments of brilliance.

To say it's not been a great summer for Paris Saint-Germain would be an understatement. It began with the departure of Lionel Messi to Inter Miami, before Kylian Mbappe revealed that he's not planning to put pen to paper on a new deal, leading to his exile to train with the rest of the Ligue 1 side's unwanted players.

Now, as if things couldn't get any worse, Neymar has asked to leave the club, according to Sky Sports, with the Brazilian keen to rejoin Barcelona this summer, as per ESPN.

The winger's father has attempted to squash the rumours by telling PL Brasil, via Fabrizio Romano: “I can not confirm a news that did not happen."

Given that Manchester City are refusing to sell Barcelona target Bernardo Silva this summer, according to Romano, it wouldn't be unwise for the Spanish giants to turn their attention towards former star Neymar this summer, though.

With that said, we've taken a look at how Barcelona could line up with Neymar this season.

RB: Joao Cancelo

Joao Cancelo's Manchester City future still reportedly remains uncertain, after spending last season on loan at Bayern Munich. And this could open the door for a move back to La Liga and to Barcelona this summer.

According to Romano, the Portugal international has agreed personal terms with the La Liga champions, and both Manchester City and Barcelona are now working on a deal which will see Barcelona use part of the budget gained through the reportedly pending sale of Ousmane Dembele to PSG.

The winger looks set to join Goncalo Ramos on PSG's list of reinforcements this summer.

Cancelo's potential arrival could see Joules Kounde pushed back into central defence, with Andreas Christensen linked with a move away to Manchester United this summer to free up a position next to Ronald Araujo.

CM: Ilkay Gundogan

In arguably one of the smartest deals of the summer, Barcelona welcomed Ilkay Gundogan on a free deal, and have themselves one of the most technically advanced midfielders in Europe.

Potentially partnered with Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, the former Manchester City man should get off to a solid start at the Nou Camp, forming a trio capable of dictating games against the majority of the world's best sides.

It will certainly be an interesting watch this season.

LW: Neymar

When we think of dream combinations that we never thought we'd see, Neymar and Robert Lewandowski is undoubtedly an option that springs to mind. Yet, we could finally see it this season.

The Brazilian has had the privilege of playing with some of the best strikers of all time in Luis Suarez, and Mbappe – who will no doubt be among the greats in years to come.

Now, however, it could be the turn of Lewandowski to enjoy the creative genius of Neymar, who scored 105 goals, and assisted a further 76 in his first Barcelona spell, before making the move to PSG for a reported world-record £200m deal in 2017.

If the La Liga side can secure Neymar's return, then Xavi will have himself an incredible side for the forthcoming campaign.

With that said, here's how Barcelona could line up this season in full:

Harry Maguire could stay at Manchester United now following a discussion with current boss Erik ten Hag, according to Alex Crook.

The England international originally looked set to depart Old Trafford this summer, however a U-turn could be on the cards.

What is the latest news about Harry Maguire?

The Maguire saga has seemingly taken another turn.

The expectation was that the former Leicester City man would leave this summer, especially after it was announced that he had been stripped of the Red Devils captaincy, with David Moyes and West Ham United being the most interested side in the defender. However, it seems that a potential switch to the London Stadium is off the cards after the Hammers opening offer of £20m was rejected, with reports stating that a second offer is unlikely due to a combination of Maguire's wage demands, the clubs reported £50m asking price as well as his seeming unwillingness to make the move to West Ham.

Now it seems that the stance on Maguire has changed, with the defender now being seen as an important member of the United squad ahead of next campaign despite being limited to just 759 minutes of Premier League action last term and effectively becoming the sides fifth choice central defender behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof and even natural left-back Luke Shaw.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Crook stated that Maguire has been informed by ten Hag during discussions that he can stay at United for the upcoming season. Crook also believes that the Red Devil's focus will switch onto Sofyan Amrabat, as the England international remaining at the club means the club do not need to buy another centre-back this summer.

He said: "From what I'm told, ten Hag is content for Maguire to stay. In fact, he has told him that. He thinks Maguire has still got a job to do. I think if they sign anybody else, it'll be Amrabat now."

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

Should Maguire stay at Manchester United?

There are arguments for both sides regarding this question.

Should Maguire leave the club this summer, he could potentially have the chance to reinvigorate a career that has slowly begun to stall at Old Trafford by playing regular first team football at another Premier League side, whilst also being able to do it away from the pressure cooker that is Man United. This season could also be the perfect time to make the switch as with Euro 2024 next summer, a strong individual campaign across both the Premier League and the Europa League should he make the switch to West Ham could potentially secure himself a starting spot in Gareth Southgate's team for the tournament. Another reason to make the switch is the point in his career that the defender is at, because at 30 years of age, the Englishman should be in his prime years, and one could believe that he would not want to spend the prime years of his career as a fifth choice option.

Should Maguire stay at United, he gets the chance to be a part of a squad competing for top honours both domestically and continentally for one of the most historic sides in the world. Maguire may also keep his spot for the upcoming Euros should he stay at the Red Devils, with the player being called up to the World Cup last season despite his dramatically reduced game time. There is also the possibility that the defender could earn his spot back should he be given the opportunity due to injuries and suspensions to the clubs current options. But, nothing is guaranteed, as Ten Hag isn't afraid to make big calls.

Wolves are believed to be closing in on the signing of Borussia Monchengladbach centre-back Nico Elvedi in the very near futrue, according to a fresh transfer update.

Who is Nico Elvedi?

The 26-year-old has been at his current club since way back in 2015, when he joined from Zurich as a teenage defender with a bright future ahead of him in the game.

Elvedi has enjoyed an excellent spell at Monchengladbach as the years have passed, becoming a key figure at the heart of their defence and making 270 appearances in total. Last season, he started 32 Bundesliga matches, chipping in with three goals for good measure, highlighting an ability to have an impact in the attacking third.

The 47-cap Switzerland international only has one year remaining on his current deal, however, so Monchengladbach could find themselves in a tricky situation when it comes to whether they choose to sell him this summer or not. That would allow them to get good money for the defender, rather than risk losing him for free this time next year and making no profit whatsoever on him.

Wolves are eyeing up centre-back reinforcements ahead of the new Premier League season, and it looks as though Elvedi could be the man to come in and bolster their options.

Could Wolves sign Nico Elvedi?

According to Football Insider, Wolves are now in "advanced talks" to acquire Elvedi's signature, also reporting that Gladbach director Roland Virkus has admitted they have no choice but to sell if no new deal is signed:

"Wolves are in advanced talks to sign Borussia Mochengladbach star Nico Elvedi, sources have told Football Insider. The Premier League club are closing in on a deal for the Swiss centre-back, 26, and are confident of securing an agreement.

"Wolves have made their move for Elvedi, who is out of contract at the Bundesliga club in the summer of 2024. They are expected to pay £7.7million for the defender."

Elvedi looks like a fantastic incoming signing for Wolves, with the Swiss ace someone who has picked up a huge amount of experience in his career, but is also a long way from being past his best, considering he is still only 26 years of age.

The Monchengladbach hero completed a hugely impressive 91.7% of his passes in the league last season, which was higher than anyone who started a top flight game at Molineux, showing how much quality and consistency he possesses on the ball. But he can also muck-in in a defensive sense, averaging 4.5 clearances and 2.3 aerial duel wins.

Elvedi has been compared to England and Manchester City star John Stones in the past, which says a lot about his classy style of play, considering how good the treble-winner was last season, and former coach Dieter Hecking has hailed his "great positional play", too, painting the picture of a calm head who is good on the ball and smart off it.

Signings such as these will help Wolves go up a level next season, with the Switzerland star someone who would surely come in as a regular starter alongside Max Kilman, assuming the latter remains at Molineux beyond this summer, and be an instant hit with his all-round quality, potentially going up another level through working under Julen Lopetegui and alongside superior players to those at his current club.

In Antigua, West Indies got a bit of a leveller when they won the toss on a damp pitch and kept India to 251, but their batsmen still fell short by 93

The Report by Sidharth Monga30-Jun-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Kedar Jadhav played innovative shots in a rapid 40 which allowed India to amass 254•AFPLooking at how West Indies struggled in the chase of 310 in Trinidad, you felt they would need a leveller to compete with India. In Antigua, they got a bit of a leveller when they won the toss on a damp pitch – the start was delayed by 45 minutes because of torrential rain a day before the match – and kept India to 251, but their batsmen still fell short by 93.It was also a leveller that ODI cricket can do with every now and then: slips in place, value on short singles, premium on playing long innings. Reaching the run rate of four only in 43rd over, India’s 251 for 4 was the third-lowest total this decade for a side batting first and losing four wickets or fewer. Ajinkya Rahane, auditioning for the opener-cum-middle-order reserve role, batted through 42 overs for 72; his strike rate of 64.28 was the second-slowest since 2010 for openers batting first and facing 110 balls.However, that helped set the base for an MS Dhoni assault, who in Kedar Jadhav’s company, added 81 in the last 7.4 overs to take India well past 220, which might have been about par, considering West Indies’ inexperienced bating. Rahane’s wicket seemed to have come at the right time: Jadhav got 26 balls to smack 40 runs in, and Dhoni matched it with 50 off the last 29 balls he faced.Devendra Bishoo was again the pick of the bowlers, going for 38 runs for the wicket of Yuvraj Singh and adding a stunning catch to it. He, though, was introduced after Ashley Nurse had bowled five overs. The focus was clear: despite a helpful pitch and a start that had reduced India to 34 for 2, West Indies were happy to contain and take the wickets that came their way instead of actively going out looking for them.Those of Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli came their way. They didn’t display the required patience to weather this mode of bowling. Dhawan ramped a short ball but lack of pace did him in. Despite struggling against the unpredictable bounce, Kohli went to steer a rising delivery and gave the man at gully a catch. Yuvraj Singh’s wicket would have come West Indies’ way earlier than it did, but they neither appealed strongly nor reviewed when Yuvraj should have been out. By the time they got Yuvraj – thanks to a review again – he and Rahane had added 66, taken India to 100 and into the 27th over.Rahane had slowed down after scoring 19 off the first 19 balls he faced, and Dhoni himself struggled against the spin of Bishoo. The two batted on, but West Indies kept squeezing through defensive bowling. By the 39th over, it seemed Dhoni had decided it was time to go. He went after Bishoo, in his ninth over. One slog fell short of long-on, and the other lobbed towards short third man, to debutant Kyle Hope, who had earlier taken an excellent catch to dismiss Kohli. This time, though, the ball seemed to hold up in the wind, and started to dip just short of him. He dived after having committed to go one way, but couldn’t control the catch. Dhoni was only 28 off 50 at that point.Rahane didn’t enjoy similar luck when he decided it was time to go, against Miguel Cummins’ pace in the 43rd over. Bishoo judged his upper-cut perfectly, ran in from deep point, and dived at the right moment.Rahane had gone after Cummins not just because there was finally pace on the ball but also because debutant Kesrick Williams, charged with bowling five overs out of the last nine, was doing well. So Dhoni targeted Jason Holder, and took 17 off his last over, stunningly fetching one length ball from wide outside off and depositing it flat over square leg for six. Jadhav saw Dhoni’s innovation, and raised him a sweep shot off Cummins, having gone on a knee and well outside off well before Cummins released, and then pulling off the shot with surprising ease thanks to his still head.Steady heads was what West Indies needed at the top, but Umesh Yadav broke through the defence of Ewin Lewis in his first over, skidding the ball under his bat from round the wicket. That brought together brothers Hope, Kyle and Shai, who added 45 for the second wicket before they both fell to bouncers from Hardik Pandya. West Indies continued to misread Kuldeep Yadav, who bowled Roston Chase with a wrong’un, before R Ashwin premiered a new bowling action and struck in his first over.Ashwin shaped up to bowl a bit like a legspinner would but focused on his offbreaks more than he did in the previous match. In his first over, he had an overbalanced Jason Holder stumped with a wide down the leg side. You can’t be certain if Holder did actually play for a legbreak. You can be certain West Indies were now looking at their last hope: the partnership between Jason Mohammed and Rovman Powell.Powell played a couple of attractive strokes to go with a couple of streaky ones as the two added 54 together, but India slowed down the pace of the game. Spin came on at both ends, four runs came in 23 balls, and Powell finally tried the big slog to give Kuldeep his second wicket. Ashwin soon had his second with the trigger-happy Ashley Nurse caught at square leg. West Indies still needed 104 at that point. Only finishing touches were left, which the spinners duly did.

Before departing for what will be her last World Cup, India women’s captain Mithali Raj said she would want to lift the trophy as it would be a ‘revolution’ for Indian women’s cricket

Annesha Ghosh in Mumbai11-Jun-20173:02

Hopefully, Smriti Mandhana will be among runs again in England – Mithali Raj

When a 23-year old Mithali Raj captained the India women’s team for the first time at a World Cup, in 2005, little would she have imagined of leading the side to their best finish – runners-up to Australia – in a global tournament till date. Twelve years, three World Cups, a stockpile of records and a belated central contract later, Raj continues to have her mind hinged on the elusive encore with hopes of “destiny repeating itself…hopefully, for the better” in the eleventh edition of the World Cup, starting June 24 in England.Even as a personal milestone beckons – she needs 212 runs to overtake Charlotte Edwards as the leading run-scorer in women’s ODIs – in what will be her last World Cup, Raj’s opening words at the team’s departure press conference in Mumbai on Saturday offered a glimpse into what the attempt to winning the trophy means to her. “We want to win the World Cup because it would be a revolution kind of a thing for Indian women’s cricket,” she said. “It would give a big impetus for young girls to take up the sport.”For India to get anywhere close to accomplishing their first objective – “to get into the semis” – or “showcase the brand of cricket the girls have been playing for the past couple of years”, much will rely on the efficacy of their pace contingent, as will on its durability.However, with only three genuine quick bowlers in the squad – Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey and Mansi Joshi – for conditions that have traditionally favoured seam and swing bowling, India have opted to go into the World Cup with a pace attack quantitatively weaker than all other seven teams. Raj, though, isn’t fretting over it; she believes India’s persistence with spin irrespective of conditions have borne fruit.”The three fast bowlers have done well in the last two series,” she explained. “We can’t really predict that anybody would get injured during the World Cup. But, yes, it’s important that all three are fresh and they are at their fittest. So, I am sure that we’ll not have any kind of an injury in the World Cup for the pacers or, for that matter, for any player from the side.”Honestly, everybody prefers to have extra fast bowlers in the side. But India have always banked on spinners, irrespective of the wicket that we’ve played on. Whether it’s Australia or South Africa [or elsewhere], spinners have done exceptionally well.”Raj was unambiguous in her assertion of the role she expects the seniors – not only her and Goswami but also others like vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Pandey and Veda Krishnamurthy – to play in the tournament.”There are a few seniors already aware of the expectations and the pressures that one faces during the World Cup,” she said. “But the youngsters are the ones that we, as seniors, always make sure we can be there for them during the pressure situations because for all the first-timers playing the World Cup, I’m sure the expectations and pressures are huge for them as youngsters.”India seem to have more options for openers’ positions now as compared to the past•Getty ImagesIronically, though, over the past 15 months, during which India scripted 16 successive victories – equalling the second-longest winning streak in women’s ODIs – it is the side’s younger crop of players that has eased pressure off Raj. Much of this is due to the steadfastness of youngsters as much as it has been because of Raj’s inimitable batting prowess.Winning the quadrangular series in South Africa last month “made a lot of difference” to the team’s mindset, according to Raj, particularly for “comeback player” Punam Raut, who forged a record 320-run partnership with the 19-year old Deepti Sharma.”It sorted a lot of issues for us, because India has always struggled with the opening pair. But, in that series, and even in the [World Cup] Qualifiers, we had very good starts,” she said. “So, I guess in the last two series we’ve seen the openers doing their bit, giving us the right kind of start, whether posting a total or chasing a huge total like 270. And South Africa is a side which has a good bowling attack and playing them, beating them at home is exceptional.”The one area India have struggled with in recent times is to find a wicketkeeper who can contribute with the bat. Sushma Verma, who has featured in 40 internationals, has a high score of 4* in eight ODI innings and 12 in six T20I innings, batting mostly at No. 8 or 9. The inclusion of Nuzhat Parween, the second wicketkeeper, is an attempt to plug this gap.While emphasing the need for the middle order to step up and close out games, Raj underlined the value of the under-utilised, and mostly under-rated batting acumen of 28-year old allrounder, Shikha Pandey. To Raj, it is the security that Pandey offers as an aggressive accumulator, with the flexibility of playing second fiddle to the set batsman at the other end, that makes her an important cog.”She can open with the new ball and even come in and bat in the lower-middle order,” Raj said. “She can be a good support for a batter out there, for someone like Harman or Veda, if they are around. With Shikha there, we can still think of a victory, needing 70-80 runs.”It is of significance that Raj made mention of Pandey, for the last time India recorded a victory in England – albeit in a different format – it was Pandey who had hit the winning runs in Raj’s company to seal the Test win in Wormsley. The picture of Pandey holding her bat aloft in utter delight after hitting the winning four, remains one of the most defining images in the history of Indian women’s cricket.It is a moment that Raj and the rest of the team would want to remind themselves of when they take on hosts England in the tournament opener on June 24, and a tableau they will hope to recreate in coloured clothing probably on July 23 too, at Lord’s.