Cricket

Arshdeep Singh, India's lethal pacer, is not content with his bowling prowess alone. He aspires to become a reliable lower-order batter, a goal he is diligently pursuing with the guidance of batting coach Vikram Rathour.In India's emphatic seven-wicket victory over the spirited USA team in the T20 World Cup group stage, Arshdeep wreaked havoc with the ball, claiming four wickets for a mere nine runs. This performance propelled India into the Super Eight stage with their third consecutive victory."We are constantly learning and striving to improve in all aspects of the game, including bowling, batting, and fielding," said Arshdeep, who was named Player of the Match. "You never know when the team needs those runs, even if it's just two or four. So, you have to give your all. I'm working hard with Vikram Bhai to enhance my batting skills as well."In the high-voltage clash against Pakistan on June 9, Arshdeep batted at No. 9, scoring nine runs off 13 balls before being run out. The left-arm pacer revealed that he insisted on batting ahead of Jasprit Bumrah in that match."Jassi Bhai (Bumrah) was supposed to go before me, but I asked Rohit (Sharma) and went in. They were surprised, but I told them I would go up regardless," he said. "I'm confident about my batting. Whether it's fielding or bowling, I'm always trying to improve."Regarding the tournament, Arshdeep emphasized the importance of adapting to the varying conditions across different venues. India played their first three games in one location and will now travel to Lauderhill, Florida for their final Group A match against Canada on Saturday. The tournament will then shift to the Caribbean."Adapting to the conditions and situations is crucial," he said. "If the wicket offers assistance, we try to take early wickets and restrict the opposition to a low total. If we bat first, we aim to score as many runs as possible to give our bowlers a good chance to defend."The 25-year-old expressed satisfaction with his bowling performance against USA, which helped India restrict them to 110/8. When asked about the team's mood after three consecutive wins, Arshdeep said they are trying to maintain a steady mindset regardless of results."The emotions stay the same... We try to be stable, whether we win or lose, and whether we have a good or bad day," he said.

Pakistan's dismal performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup has drawn severe criticism from former players, with Imran Nazir and Ahmed Shehzad lambasting the team for their lack of courage and poor statistics.After losing to co-hosts USA and arch-rivals India, Pakistan's hopes of advancing to the Super 12 stage are hanging by a thread. Nazir, a former Pakistan batter, has slammed the team for making excuses after their defeats."I am sorry but I am forced to say that cricket is a game of the fearless. I haven't seen anyone as coward as this team," Nazir said on a Pakistani TV show. "There are no excuses in cricket. No matter what pitch or conditions you are getting, you are bound to perform."Nazir also criticized the team's lack of a solid middle order, saying, "In a team, where there's no middle-order batter who can rotate the strike, how can you expect that team to win the World Cup?"Ahmed Shehzad, another former Pakistan batter, echoed Nazir's sentiments, highlighting Babar Azam's poor record in big competitions. "Your (Babar) scores in big competitions...your average is 27 and strike rate is 112. And 1400 of your runs have come in a losing cause," Shehzad said. "What should I do with this king who can't win us the match?"Pakistan's last hope of salvaging their World Cup campaign lies in their final Group A match against Ireland on Sunday. However, with their confidence shattered and their batting lineup struggling, the team faces an uphill battle to secure a victory.

In a thrilling encounter at Tarouba, West Indies secured their berth in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup with a hard-fought 13-run victory over New Zealand.Sherfane Rutherford emerged as the hero for the hosts, smashing an unbeaten 68 off just 39 deliveries. His innings, which included six towering sixes and two boundaries, propelled West Indies to a competitive total of 149 for 9 after they had slumped to 76 for 7 in the 12th over.In response, New Zealand's chase was derailed by the brilliance of Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie. Joseph, the pacer, claimed 4 for 19, while Motie, the left-arm spinner, returned with impressive figures of 3 for 25.New Zealand's openers, Devon Conway and Finn Allen, were dismissed cheaply in the powerplay. Motie then played a pivotal role, dismissing Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson in quick succession. Glenn Phillips kept the Kiwis in the hunt with a 33-ball 40, but Joseph's late burst of wickets extinguished their hopes.With three consecutive wins, West Indies have booked their place in the Super Eight stage. New Zealand, on the other hand, are on the brink of elimination after suffering back-to-back defeats.

Mohammad Amir, the Pakistani pacer, has faced renewed criticism for his involvement in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal. Despite serving a five-year ban and expressing remorse, Amir's integrity has been questioned by fans and former players.During the ongoing T20 World Cup in the Americas, a fan heckled Amir with the word "fixer" as he walked near the boundary line. The incident sparked outrage on social media, with many condemning the fan's behavior.Amir has previously expressed frustration over the continued criticism, stating that he has paid the price for his mistake. He has also defended his selection in the T20I side, citing his performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL)."I have done penance for that big mistake," Amir said. "I have lost nine years of my career, but I accept it as God's will and I have moved on."Amir's critics argue that his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal has tarnished his reputation and that he should not be representing Pakistan. However, others believe that Amir has served his punishment and deserves a second chance.The incident highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the redemption of athletes who have been involved in scandals. While some believe that athletes should be forgiven for their past mistakes, others argue that their actions should have lasting consequences.

The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, a temporary venue constructed for the ongoing T20 World Cup in the United States, is set to be dismantled. The stadium, which hosted India's three group matches, including the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash, will be demolished to make way for future development.Bulldozers have been spotted at the venue, ready to tear down the temporary structure that had a seating capacity of 34,000. India's match against co-hosts USA on Wednesday marked the final game to be played at the stadium.The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium was one of three venues in the United States to host group-stage fixtures for the T20 World Cup. The other two venues were the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas and the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Florida.With the group stage now complete, the tournament will move to the Caribbean islands for the "Super 8s" stage. The final will be held on June 29 in Barbados.The dismantling of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium marks the end of an era for cricket in the United States. The stadium was a symbol of the growing popularity of the sport in the country and hosted some of the most memorable matches of the T20 World Cup.

Pakistan's cricket team has faced a tumultuous start to the T20 World Cup 2024, losing its first two matches against the USA and India. However, they managed to secure their first victory by defeating Canada on Tuesday. Despite this win, Pakistan's qualification for the Super 8 remains uncertain, as they rely on favorable results from other teams.Amidst the team's struggles, accusations have been hurled at the players by the Pakistani media and former cricketers. A TV anchor recently criticized Iftikhar Ahmad for liking a video that praised Imad Wasim's slow innings against India. The video's caption labeled Wasim's performance as a "masterclass," despite Pakistan's failure to chase a low target of 120.Former Pakistan captain Saleem Malik has also accused Wasim of deliberately wasting balls during the match against India. Malik claimed that Wasim's 23-ball 15 appeared to be an attempt to sabotage the team's run-chase. However, former Australia wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist has criticized Malik's comments, calling them ironic given Malik's own history of match-fixing.The accusations against the Pakistan team have sparked controversy, with former captain Rashid Latif sharing Gilchrist's video and condemning Pakistani ex-cricketers for their "international embarrassment." The team's performance and the ongoing allegations have cast a shadow over Pakistan's hopes of advancing in the tournament.

Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has dismissed concerns over Virat Kohli's recent string of low scores in the T20 World Cup, emphasizing the need for patience and faith in the veteran batter.Kohli, who entered the tournament with an impressive Orange Cap-winning season in the IPL, has struggled to find his rhythm, registering scores of 1, 4, and a golden duck in the group stage. However, Gavaskar believes that these setbacks are not indicative of a decline in Kohli's form."There's nothing to worry about," Gavaskar said. "He has done so well for India over the years and won so many games. He recognizes that. We are in the early phases of the tournament. There's Super 8s, semi-finals, and hopefully the final. All he needs to do is show patience and faith in himself."Gavaskar pointed out that Kohli's dismissals have been due to good deliveries rather than poor form. "Any other day, the ball would've gone wide or over the slip for a boundary, today it didn't," he said. "So, there's nothing to worry about."With India safely into the next round of the tournament, Gavaskar believes that Kohli will have ample opportunities to regain his touch. "We have to show faith in him," he said. "Much believe that he is going to come good, sooner rather than later."Kohli's poor start to the tournament has extended to three matches, but Gavaskar remains confident that the Indian superstar will bounce back. "When you get three low scores, it doesn't mean he is not batting well," he said. "He is going to come good."

Virat Kohli's struggles in the ongoing T20 World Cup continued on Wednesday as he fell for a golden duck against USA in New York. This marked his second consecutive duck in the tournament, following his dismissal for 1 against Ireland and 4 against Pakistan. Kohli's poor form has raised concerns about his place in the Indian team, especially considering his recent struggles in the Indian Premier League (IPL).Kohli's golden duck against USA was his second-ever in T20Is and his first in a T20 World Cup. It was also the sixth time he has been dismissed for a duck in the shortest format of the game. The Indian batting maestro has not managed to reach double figures in his last four T20I innings, a worrying sign for a player of his caliber.Despite Kohli's struggles, India managed to restrict USA to a modest total of 110/8 in their Group A match. Arshdeep Singh was the star performer for India, claiming impressive figures of 4-9. Hardik Pandya also chipped in with two wickets, while Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah picked up one wicket each.In response, India chased down the target with relative ease, thanks to a solid opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. Sharma scored 41 off 34 balls, while Rahul contributed 30 off 29 deliveries. Suryakumar Yadav provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 26 off 18 balls, guiding India to a comfortable victory.Kohli's poor form remains a concern for India, but the team will be hoping that he can rediscover his touch in the upcoming matches. With the knockout stages approaching, India will need their star batsman to fire if they are to lift the T20 World Cup trophy.

USA Captain Aaron Jones Reflects on Narrow Loss to India in T20 World CupIn the wake of a 7-wicket defeat to India in the ICC T20 World Cup, USA stand-in captain Aaron Jones expressed his belief that a total of 130 would have posed a significant challenge for the "Men in Blue."Despite a valiant bowling effort that saw India struggle to chase down a modest target of 111, Jones acknowledged that his team fell short in the batting department. "10-15 runs short. If we got 130 then it would have been a tough total," he said.Jones praised his bowlers for their discipline and determination, particularly in the early stages of India's chase. However, he lamented the missed opportunities that prevented them from capitalizing on the early dismissals of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma."We were very disciplined and really proud of the bowling unit," Jones said. "Ali Khan came in and dismissed Rishabh Pant with a magnificent delivery, but we couldn't build on that."Looking ahead, Jones emphasized the need for restructuring and recalibration before their crucial match against Ireland on Friday. "We will have a few meetings and come back strong," he added.Jones also provided an update on captain Monank Patel, who missed the India clash due to a niggle. "Mostly he should be fit for the last game," he said.In their final group stage match, the USA will face Ireland with the aim of securing a berth in the Super 8.