Cricket

South Africa's resilience was on full display on the second day of the one-off Test against India in Chennai. Despite trailing by a mammoth 603 runs, the Proteas fought back to reach 236 for 4 at stumps, thanks to half-centuries from Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp.After India declared their first innings at a record-breaking 603 for 6, South Africa's openers Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch started cautiously, adding 30 runs before Wolvaardt was dismissed lbw by Sneh Rana. Bosch and Luus then steadied the ship, putting on 63 runs before Bosch fell to Rana's spin.Luus and Kapp then combined for a crucial 93-run partnership, showcasing their determination and skill. Luus played with patience and precision, scoring 65 off 164 balls, while Kapp was more aggressive, reaching her half-century off just 87 balls.However, Deepti Sharma broke the partnership, trapping Luus lbw. Delmi Tucker also fell cheaply to Rana, but Kapp remained resolute, fighting through cramps and a stiff back to remain unbeaten on 69. Nadine de Klerk provided valuable support, scoring an unbeaten 27 off 28 balls.South Africa still face an uphill task, trailing by 367 runs with one day remaining. However, their performance on the second day has given them hope that they can salvage a draw or even pull off an unlikely victory.

Unbeaten India and South Africa, two formidable cricketing nations, are poised to clash in the highly anticipated T20 World Cup final at the iconic Kensington Oval. Both teams have showcased exceptional performances throughout the tournament, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown.India, led by the enigmatic Rohit Sharma, has been a dominant force in the Caribbean. They have effortlessly dispatched every opponent they have faced, including cricketing giants like Australia, Pakistan, and England. Their comprehensive victories have been a testament to their well-rounded squad and unwavering determination.South Africa, under the leadership of Aiden Markram, has also displayed resilience and skill. Despite facing close calls against Bangladesh and Nepal in the group stage, they have managed to overcome adversity and reach the final. Their narrow escape against the West Indies in the Super 8 stage further highlighted their ability to perform under pressure.The contrasting journeys of India and South Africa have added an intriguing dimension to the final. India's dominance has made them the favorites, but South Africa's fighting spirit and ability to overcome challenges cannot be underestimated.For India, the T20 World Cup final represents an opportunity to break the semi-final jinx that has haunted them in previous ICC tournaments. Head coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit Sharma will be eager to guide their team to victory and etch their names in cricketing history.South Africa, on the other hand, will be looking to play the role of spoilers and deny India a triumphant end to their tournament. They will be determined to avenge their heartbreaking losses to Australia in the ODI World Cup and World Test Championship.The absence of Australia, who have often been India's nemesis in major tournaments, adds a unique twist to the final. India will be relieved to not face their arch-rivals, but South Africa will be equally motivated to prove their worth against the tournament favorites.As the two teams prepare to take the field at Kensington Oval, the stage is set for an unforgettable encounter. India's dominance and South Africa's resilience will collide in a battle that promises to deliver excitement, drama, and a fitting conclusion to the T20 World Cup.

India's captain, Rohit Sharma, stands on the cusp of a historic milestone as his team prepares to face South Africa in the T20 World Cup final on Saturday. With just six runs separating him from surpassing Virat Kohli's record of 1,216 runs, Rohit Sharma is poised to become the highest run-getter in T20 World Cup history. This achievement would coincide with India's potential triumph in the tournament, marking their first T20 World Cup title under Sharma's leadership.Rohit Sharma's impressive T20 World Cup record boasts 1,211 runs, including 248 runs in the ongoing edition. His consistent performances have yielded 12 half-centuries and a century across the tournaments. In the recent matches, he has played a pivotal role with two crucial fifties against Australia and England, making him the third-highest run-scorer in this tournament.Under Sharma's guidance, India has reached their third consecutive ICC final in less than 13 months. Despite falling short against Australia in the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup finals, India has remained unbeaten in this tournament, showcasing their resilience and skill under Sharma's leadership.The final on Saturday presents India with an opportunity to end their 11-year-long ICC title drought, with their last victory coming in the 2013 Champions Trophy. Rohit Sharma aims to join MS Dhoni as the second Indian captain to lift the T20 World Cup trophy.

Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has taken a light-hearted jab at star pacer Arshdeep Singh ahead of the T20 World Cup final against South Africa. Arshdeep, who is India's leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 15 scalps, will have a chance to claim the top spot on Saturday when India takes on the Proteas in the T20 World Cup summit clash.Arshdeep needs two wickets to go past Afghanistan's Fazalhaq Farooqi (16) in the list of the tournament's leading wicket-takers. However, ahead of the final, Sidhu trolled Arshdeep over his batting skills.In a video posted on Instagram, Arshdeep can be seen shuffling across the stumps, trying to aim for a big shot. He left his stumps unguarded in order to oversmart the bowler, but ended up missing his pull. The video of the same was from the match against Pakistan in the group stage of the ongoing tournament.Sidhu shared a video on Instagram, which read: "Confidence 100 per cent, skills 0 per cent".Since Sidhu has been praising Arshdeep for his exploits with the ball throughout the tournament, there wasn't any malice intended at the player in the post shared by him.Arshdeep, who went wicketless in the semi-final against England, will look to return to wicket-taking ways in the all-important final.Arshdeep attributed much of his success to pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. "I guess a lot of credit goes to Jassi bhai (Jasprit Bumrah) because he puts a lot of pressure on the batters - he gives, what, three or four runs in an over - so batters are coming hard against me, and I just have to try and bowl my best ball and there are a lot of chances of getting wickets there," Arshdeep said."On the other end they see the runs are not coming and the asking rate is going high, so they take more risks against me. [There's a] chance always of getting a wicket there. So a lot of credit for my wickets goes to Jassi bhai," he added.

South Africa, a team historically known for crumbling under pressure in major tournaments, has shown remarkable resilience in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Their captain, Aiden Markram, attributes this newfound confidence to their ability to pull off close wins, instilling a belief that victory is possible in any situation.Ahead of the highly anticipated final against India, Markram acknowledged the team's past struggles but emphasized their determination to break free from that burden. He highlighted the team's recent victories over Nepal, Bangladesh, and West Indies, which were all decided by narrow margins."To have done them two, three, maybe four times throughout the competition so far has sort of given the team the belief that you can win from any position," Markram said. "I think that's quite important for a team to have."While India remains the overwhelming favorite, South Africa has several factors in their favor. They are eager to create a new chapter in their cricketing history and are not letting the pressure of the occasion overwhelm them."We're kind of used to it now," Markram said of the team's frequent travel and schedule disruptions. "There's no point sulking around and making it more miserable than what it might already seem to be."Markram also emphasized the team's hunger to win the title, regardless of the result. "I think there's still a massive hunger for us to go out and win tomorrow's game," he said. "We'd love to get to our first final and be able to win that first final."South Africa's newfound confidence and resilience will be put to the ultimate test against a formidable Indian team. However, the Proteas are determined to prove that they are no longer the team that crumbles under pressure and are ready to make history in Barbados.

Sri Lanka's Under-19 team secured a resounding 65-run victory over England's Under-19s in the first of three one-day internationals at Chelmsford.Sri Lanka's middle-order trio of Dinura Kalupahana, Sharujan Shanmuganathan, and Mahith Perera played pivotal roles in their team's success. Kalupahana's aggressive 52 off 37 balls, Shanmuganathan's steady 57 off 75 balls, and Perera's composed 58 off 60 balls propelled Sri Lanka to a formidable total of 294 for 6.England's chase got off to a promising start with a 90-run partnership between Noah Thain and Luc Benkenstein. Thain anchored the innings with a well-crafted 58 off 69 balls, while Benkenstein provided the fireworks with two sixes in his 51 off 50 balls.However, England's hopes were dashed when Thain and Benkenstein departed in quick succession. Praveen Maneesha then dealt a devastating blow to England's batting, claiming three wickets in seven deliveries, including Thain and Haydon Mustard.Rocky Flintoff, the son of former England captain Andrew Flintoff, was among Maneesha's victims. Middlesex's Noah Cornwell also made a significant contribution with three wickets for 54 runs, including the dismissals of Sri Lanka's openers.Despite a defiant 26 from Harry Moore, England fell well short of their target, finishing on 229 all out with 27 balls remaining.

Virat Kohli, the talismanic Indian batter, has endured a disappointing run in the ongoing T20 World Cup, with a string of single-digit scores in seven outings. This has raised concerns about his suitability for the shortest format of the game.Kohli, known for his dominance and consistency, has struggled to adapt to the bowler-friendly conditions in the United States and West Indies. The opening batsman has been uncharacteristically aggressive, attempting wild swings and failing to play late on sticky surfaces.His dismissal against England, where he was bowled after walking down the track and heaving across the line, highlighted his struggles. Kohli's inability to adjust his batting style has led to questions about his effectiveness in T20 cricket.However, head coach Rahul Dravid remains optimistic about Kohli's form. "I don't want to jinx it, but I think there's a big one coming up," Dravid said after India's semifinal victory over England.Kohli's return to form is crucial for India's chances in the final against Pakistan on Sunday. In the previous edition of the tournament, Kohli played a memorable knock against Pakistan, silencing critics who doubted his ability in T20 cricket.To regain his old form, Kohli needs to revert to his strengths of timing and neat batsmanship. These qualities were evident in his match-winning innings against Pakistan in the previous edition. Only a repeat performance can silence critics and prove his worth in the shortest format of the game.

Over the past three years, B. Sai Sudharsan has emerged as a rising star in Indian cricket. From his breakout performance in the TNPL in 2021 to his debut for India in One-Day Internationals in December 2023, the 22-year-old's journey has been remarkable.Sudharsan's rise to prominence began with a brilliant 96 in the 2023 IPL final for Gujarat Titans against Chennai Super Kings. He followed that up with an impressive tour of Sri Lanka with India-A in the Emerging Teams Asia Cup, a short but fruitful county stint with Surrey, and an eye-catching performance in the Irani Cup, which fast-tracked him into the Indian set-up.This year, the Tamil Nadu left-hander went one better in the IPL, topping the run-charts for GT (527 in 12 games) and, in the process, becoming the fastest Indian batter to 1,000 runs (25 innings), beating Sachin Tendulkar and Ruturaj Gaikwad's record (31 innings).In an interview with The Hindu, Sudharsan spoke about his growth as a cricketer. "It's been a great experience, for sure," he said. "There were so many learnings, and I think I have good things to take forward. It's definitely been a dream."Sudharsan's journey has not been without its challenges. He missed the under-19 bus before COVID and spent a year without cricket. However, he used that time to work on his game, and it has paid off handsomely."The one good thing was I had one-and-a-half years of work behind me," he said. "There was completely undistracted work or complete, deliberate practice each and every day, waking up, getting fitter, getting better as a batsman, as a person. There was more focused practice because we couldn't do much else."Sudharsan's success has been built on his ability to adapt to different levels of cricket. "I feel there is not much difference as you go up," he said. "Yes, there is definitely a slight difference in quality. Just the consistency of the people or the bowlers executing is better. But it's more about external things. You get more pressure with 100,000 people watching you."Sudharsan's game awareness has also improved significantly. "Sometimes, you practise a lot, even some particular shots," he said. "But you don't know where to use it. I think that has gotten better in three years. Exposure to difficult conditions and better opponents has helped my game awareness, and my judgement has gotten better because of that."As a batter, Sudharsan relies on timing and placement rather than power. "The game moves very quickly, but there will be instances where you need both," he said. "We definitely need to adapt as a batter. At the same time, we must not sacrifice or trade off our strengths. If my strength is timing, we should not trade it off for power-hitting."Sudharsan's goals for the future include improving his decision-making and risk-taking. "I felt my approach could have been better in the first half and that I could have taken more risks," he said. "I got that understanding after a few games of experience. Now, I want to get better at it so that I can do that from the first game of the season, which can directly help the team."Sudharsan's rise has been a testament to his hard work and dedication. He is a role model for young cricketers across India, and his story is sure to inspire many more to follow their dreams.

India's legendary cricketer Yuvraj Singh ignited social media with a witty tweet following India's emphatic semi-final victory over England in the 2024 T20 World Cup. As India emerged as convincing winners by 68 runs, Yuvraj took to Twitter to post "Goodnight in-laws," a humorous reference to his wife Hazel Keech, who hails from Britain.Yuvraj, a key member of India's triumphant 2007 T20 World Cup squad, will now eagerly support Rohit Sharma and his team as they strive for a second title. After the semi-final, Yuvraj tweeted: "Well played boys. Goodnight in-laws."Batting first, India posted a competitive 171 runs on the board in 20 overs. England's batting lineup was then dismantled by India's bowlers, who restricted them to a mere 103 runs. Axar Patel emerged as the Player of the Match with three wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah also claimed three and two wickets, respectively.Earlier, Rohit Sharma's 57 off 39 balls and Suryakumar Yadav's 47 off 36 balls propelled India to a respectable total on a slow, spin-friendly pitch at Guyana's Providence Stadium. Despite rain interruptions, India managed to accumulate a substantial score.Yuvraj has a history of tormenting England in T20 World Cups. In the 2007 edition, he famously struck Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over, en route to a blistering 12-ball half-century.During the ongoing T20 World Cup, Yuvraj has been present in the USA and has participated in the commentary panel for some of India's matches.India will now face South Africa in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Similar to the 2023 ODI World Cup, India will enter the final with an unblemished record in the tournament. Notably, South Africa also boasts a 100% win rate, setting the stage for an intriguing final.The championship match will be held at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 29.