Cricket

New Zealand's bowlers have put them on the cusp of a historic Test victory in India, but pacer William O'Rourke has warned against complacency despite the seemingly achievable target of 107 runs.O'Rourke and Matt Henry shared six wickets between them to dismiss India for 462 in their second innings, setting up a tantalizing chase for the Kiwis. However, O'Rourke emphasized the need for caution, acknowledging the quality of the Indian team."I wouldn't say it's an easy win from here," O'Rourke said. "We've got a world-class team going up against us. But we've got to be confident going out there tomorrow."O'Rourke, who is on his first tour of India, has relished the experience, particularly the pace and bounce offered by the Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch. He singled out the dismissal of Virat Kohli in the first innings, where he induced the star batter to jab at a steep bouncer, resulting in a catch to Glenn Phillips at gully."It's obviously pretty special getting someone so great, one of the greats of our game, out like that," O'Rourke remarked. "Obviously, you grow up watching those guys. So, to come here and take that wicket, it's probably right up there."The young pacer acknowledged the pressure put on the Kiwis by Sarfaraz Khan (150) and Rishabh Pant (99), who added 177 runs for the fourth wicket. However, he credited the second new ball for helping them gain some momentum, with Tim Southee getting the breakthrough by dismissing Sarfaraz, followed by O'Rourke's dismissal of Pant."I've been pretty hot and cold with the ball," O'Rourke said. "Pant and Sarfaraz have batted very well for a long time, but that second new ball started doing a little bit for us.""So, good to Timmy (Southee) getting that first breakthrough (Sarfaraz) and then lucky enough to get a chop (Pant) there to sort of give us a bit of momentum going through."O'Rourke also expressed gratitude towards his mentor, Kyle Jamieson, who is currently recovering from a back stress fracture. "Kyle's been a bit in the background," he said. "So, learning from him and, obviously, he's had a hell of a start to his international career and he's one of the best bowlers in the world."

Sarfaraz Khan's scintillating century in the second innings of the first Test against New Zealand has reignited his hopes of cementing a place in the Indian Test team. The 25-year-old right-hander, who was drafted in as a replacement for the injured Shubman Gill, seized the opportunity with both hands, scoring a magnificent 150 runs to lead India's fightback.After a disappointing duck in the first innings, Sarfaraz showed his class and determination in the second, playing a series of eye-catching strokes to bring up his maiden Test century. He reached the milestone with a boundary off Tim Southee and celebrated with a jubilant sprint, his teammates and the support staff joining in the celebration from the dressing room.Sarfaraz's century was a testament to his hard work and perseverance. He has been in impressive form in domestic cricket for several years, but had yet to translate that success into the international arena. This knock has undoubtedly put him on the radar of the selectors and will give him confidence for the rest of the series.The BCCI shared a montage of two moments separated by more than nine years, featuring Sarfaraz and Virat Kohli. In the first clip, from IPL 2015, a 17-year-old Sarfaraz scored a cracking 21-ball 45 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. As soon as he finished his innings, Kohli came onto the field with a big smile and bowed to him, a gesture that left a lasting impression on the young batsman.Recalling the moment, Sarfaraz said, "I met him at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for the first time. I had scored 45 runs in 21 balls here and he bowed at me. I had a lot of fun that day. It was a dream to share an Indian team dressing room with him it will come true in the future if I get the opportunity."Sarfaraz also spoke about his experience of playing alongside Kohli in RCB, highlighting his passion and love for the game. "His (Virat Kohli's) passion and spirit are unmatched. Whenever I saw him, even in the pre-match meetings, he'd take charge and tell everyone how many runs he'd score off a particular bowler and break that down for everyone. To be gutsy enough to stand up and talk with such positivity in front of everyone and then deliver the next day is a very unique ability," Sarfaraz said.Sarfaraz's century has given India a glimmer of hope in the first Test against New Zealand. The hosts still trail by a significant margin, but Sarfaraz's knock has shown that they have the batting firepower to compete with the world champions.

Rishabh Pant's valiant 99-run knock on Day 4 of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru was a testament to his exceptional batting prowess. Despite agonizingly missing out on a well-deserved century by just 1 run, Pant's innings was a masterclass in strokeplay and determination.After being sidelined for the entire third day due to a knee injury, Pant returned to the crease with a vengeance. Alongside Sarfaraz Khan, he forged an indomitable 177-run partnership that propelled India into the lead. Pant's innings was a whirlwind of boundaries, with 9 fours and 5 sixes peppering the Kiwi bowlers.Pant's dismissal on 99 was a cruel twist of fate. A short-of-length delivery from William O'Rourke kicked up and surprised him, forcing him into a defensive shot. The ball crashed into his leg stump, ending a magnificent knock that had brought India to the brink of a commanding position.Despite the disappointment of falling short of a century, Pant's innings was a reminder of his immense talent and fighting spirit. He now joins an elite group of Indian batters to be dismissed most times in the 90s in Tests, a testament to his ability to consistently perform at the highest level.Pant's knock also highlighted the growing maturity and resilience of the Indian team. Despite facing a daunting deficit of 356 runs, they fought back with determination and skill. Pant's innings was a catalyst for this resurgence, inspiring his teammates to believe in their ability to overcome adversity.As the Test match enters its final day, India will be looking to build on Pant's momentum and secure a crucial victory. With the series level at 0-0, every run and wicket will be vital in determining the outcome.

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has heaped praise on Sarfaraz Khan, comparing him to legendary Pakistani batter Javed Miandad. Manjrekar's comments came after Sarfaraz's impressive performance in the first Test between India and New Zealand in Kanpur.Sarfaraz, who replaced the injured Shubman Gill in the Indian team, scored a half-century in the first innings and remained unbeaten on 70 off 78 balls at the end of Day 3. Manjrekar was particularly impressed with Sarfaraz's approach to batting, both offensively and defensively."Sarfaraz reminds me of a Javed Miandad of the 1980s but this is a 2024 version of a Javed Miandad," Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo's YouTube channel. "Really impressed with the way he played. We know he plays spin well but I liked the way he played fast bowlers."Miandad, who played for Pakistan from 1975 to 1996, is considered one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He scored over 16,000 international runs, including 8,832 in Tests at an average of 52.57.Manjrekar also praised Sarfaraz's game awareness, particularly towards the end of the day's play. "Towards the end of the day's play, he was looking to play defensively and wanting bad light when there was actually bright light," Manjrekar said. "I loved the way he was ducking to bouncers, just trying to play the day out so he has that game as well and that augurs well for India and Sarfaraz Khan for Australia because he has shown that element of batting as well."Sarfaraz stitched a 136-run partnership with Virat Kohli in the second innings, before the latter departed on the final ball of Day 3. India will resume their innings on Day 4 with Sarfaraz looking to convert his half-century into a century.

New Zealand's White Ferns have secured their place in the Women's T20 World Cup final after a thrilling eight-run victory over the West Indies in Sharjah on Friday.Despite a valiant effort from Deandra Dottin, who limited New Zealand to 128-9 with her impressive 4-22 bowling performance, her powerful 33 from 22 balls, including three sixes, was not enough to carry the West Indies to victory.New Zealand's innings got off to a promising start with Suzie Bates (26) and Georgia Plimmer (33) putting on 48 for the first wicket. However, Dottin's bowling prowess proved too much for the White Ferns, as she dismissed Amelia Kerr, Brooke Halliday (18), Maddy Green, and Rosemary Mair. Isabella Gaze's late flourish of 20 from 14 balls gave the New Zealand bowlers a total to defend.The West Indies faced a difficult start against New Zealand's precise bowling, and their chances seemed slim when captain Hayley Matthews was out for 15. Dottin's explosive innings brought the West Indies back into contention, but her dismissal left Afy Fletcher (17 not out) and Zaida James (14) to continue the battle.New Zealand only secured the win in the final over of the match, with Eden Carson, the New Zealand off-spinner, being awarded Player of the Match for her impressive figures of 3-29 from four overs.The White Ferns will now face South Africa, who knocked out defending champions Australia on Thursday, in Sunday's final at Dubai. New Zealand, who were runners-up in the first two tournaments in 2009 and 2010, will be hoping to secure their first T20 World Cup title.

Kuldeep Yadav, India's left-arm wrist spinner, expressed optimism about the pitch's increasing turn and emphasized the importance of the batters building a substantial lead in the second innings to provide the spinners with an advantage.After the third day of the first Test, India trailed by 125 runs with a score of 231 for three. "The spinners were getting some assistance when we were bowling, and we hope to get more spin on Day 5," Kuldeep stated in the post-day press conference. "However, we need a good total to defend."Kuldeep acknowledged the need for a competitive target, given India's potent bowling attack. "We can't predict a specific total right now because we still have a lot of batting to do," he added.The spinner expressed confidence in Sarfaraz Khan, who was unbeaten on 70, to contribute significantly. "We witnessed his 200-run knock in the Irani Trophy," Kuldeep said. "We expect him to deliver another big score here. His technique is irrelevant as long as he keeps scoring runs."Kuldeep praised Rachin Ravindra's century for New Zealand. "He batted exceptionally well," he said. "I missed a few opportunities to dismiss him, but he's a talented player who has improved significantly in recent years."Regarding the Indian bowlers' strategy against the Ravindra-Southee partnership, Kuldeep explained, "My plan was to get them out by any means necessary. Southee was fortunate to survive some close calls, but he played well and contributed valuable runs. I focused on bowling good lengths."Kuldeep's three wickets in 18.3 overs helped restrict New Zealand to 402 in their first innings, giving India a 356-run lead.

West Indies and New Zealand Battle for a Spot in the Women's T20 World Cup FinalIn a highly anticipated semi-final clash at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, New Zealand captain Sophie Devine called the shots and elected to bat first against the West Indies. Both teams are eager to secure a place in the final of the Women's T20 World Cup 2024.West Indies, the 2016 champions, are determined to make their second appearance in the final. New Zealand, on the other hand, is aiming to break their 14-year drought and reach the final for the first time since 2010.With the tournament favorites, Australia, eliminated in the previous semi-final, the remaining teams have a renewed sense of optimism. West Indies and New Zealand have a history of competitive matches, with the West Indies emerging victorious in their 2016 semi-final encounter.The match promises to be a thrilling contest between two evenly matched teams. West Indies boasts a formidable batting lineup led by Hayley Matthews and Stafanie Taylor, while New Zealand relies on the explosive batting of Devine and Suzie Bates.On the bowling front, West Indies will look to Shakera Selman and Aaliyah Alleyne to restrict New Zealand's scoring. New Zealand, in turn, will count on the experience of Lea Tahuhu and the spin of Amelia Kerr.The winner of this semi-final will face either India or England in the final, scheduled for February 26th at the same venue.

India's spirited fightback on the third day of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru was overshadowed by Virat Kohli's unfortunate dismissal off the last ball of the day. Kohli, who reached the milestone of 9,000 Test runs during his innings, shared a 136-run partnership with Sarfaraz Khan, who remained unbeaten on 70 at the close of play.India's second innings began with a solid opening stand of 72 between Yashasvi Jaiswal (35) and Rohit Sharma (52). However, spinner Ajaz Patel made inroads into the Indian top order, dismissing both openers. Rohit's dismissal came shortly after he had smashed Matt Henry for a sequence of four, six, and four to bring up his half-century.The day belonged to New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra, who scored his second Test century and was the last man out in the tourists' first innings total of 402. Ravindra, resuming on his overnight score of 22, reached his hundred with a boundary off Ravichandran Ashwin before lunch. He shared a crucial 137-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Tim Southee, who contributed a quickfire 65.India's pace duo of Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah struck early in the morning session, while spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav claimed three wickets each. The hosts were without the services of wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who remained off the field after injuring his knee. Dhruv Jurel took over as the substitute wicketkeeper.India's second innings got off to a solid start, with Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan putting on a century partnership. Kohli reached his fifty at his adopted home ground, where he represents the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. However, his dismissal off the last ball of the day to Glenn Phillips, caught behind by Tom Blundell, left India at 231 for three at stumps, still trailing the Black Caps by 125 runs.