Cricket
Zaheer Khan s Epic Reply To Hardik Pandya s Distasteful Birthday Wish Zaheer Khan responded to Hardik Pandya s birthday wish, severely criticised by the fans, with a sarcastic jibe that sent Twitter into a frenzy. On Monday, Hardik Pandya had wished Zaheer Khan happy birthday along with an unpleasing video, in which he can be seen hitting the pacer out of the park . While Hardik Pandya s tweet irked fans within no time, Zaheer Khan didn t lose his temper and responded calmly, reminding the all-rounder the next delivery he faced in that match. Hahahaha....thank you for the wishes @hardikpandya7 my batting skills can never be as good as yours but the birthday was as good as the next delivery you faced from me in this match, Zaheer Khan said in a tweet.
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Happy birthday Zak ... Hope you smash it out of the park like I did here @ImZaheer, Pandya had tweeted earlier.
Hahahaha....thank you for the wishes @hardikpandya7 my batting skills can never be as good as yours but the birthday was as good as the next delivery you faced from me in this match https://t.co/anhQdrUBN7
— zaheer khan (@ImZaheer) October 8, 2019Recently, Pandya underwent a lower back surgery in the United Kingdom. He shared his journey towards full recovery via a video on Twitter.
Pandya had left for the UK to get his back treated by the same doctor who treated him during India s tour of England in 2018 and the 2019 World Cup.
The all-rounder had aggravated his back injury during the three-match T20 International (T20I) series against South Africa.
Baby steps .. but my road to full fitness begins here and now. Thank you to everyone for their support and wishes, it means a lot, Pandya captioned the video on Twitter.
Baby steps .. but my road to full fitness begins here and now Thank you to everyone for their support and wishes, it means a lot pic.twitter.com/shjo78uyr9
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) October 8, 2019Pandya was not part of the squad for the ongoing three-Test series against South Africa. He is also set to miss the T20I series against Bangladesh, which will be played in India, starting November 3.
Dean Jones Criticises Pakistan s Policy Of Handing Misbah Dual Roles Pakistan suffered a 35-run loss in the second Twenty20 International (T20I) to Sri Lanka in the three-match series on Monday. After the loss, former Australia cricketer, Dean Jones took to Twitter and expressed his displeasure over Pakistan Cricket Board s decision to hand Misbah-ul-Haq the role of head coach and chief selector. Misbah-ul-Haq began his tenure on a positive note with a 2-0 win in the One-Day Internationals but in the shortest format, his team failed to deliver the goods. Dean Jones said that players will not be honest with their coach if he is the selector of the team.
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In my opinion in cricket, you cannot have both roles as a Head Coach and a Selector. Imagine if you were a player with some technical or mental problems.. would you be honest with your Coach as you are more likely to be sacked! #Mumstheword, Dean Jones tweeted.
In my opinion in cricket, you cannot have both roles as a Head Coach and a Selector. Imagine if you were a player with some technical or mental problems.. would you be honest with your Coach as you are more likely to be sacked! #Mumstheword #
— Dean Jones AM (@ProfDeano) October 7, 2019Former New Zealand cricketer, Scott Styris and Royal Challengers Bangalore s director of cricket, Mike Hesson did not agree with Jones views on Misbah.
So you re happy being coach, with results being your form of accountability and you cant pick the team you want? Can you imagine Sir Alex Ferguson, Craig Bellamy, Bill Belichick NOT having a say on who is on the field! Yeah right, Scott Styris tweeted.
So you re happy being coach, with results being your form of accountability and you cant pick the team you want? Can you imagine Sir Alex Ferguson, Craig Bellamy, Bill Belichick NOT having a say on who is on the field! Yeah right
— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) October 7, 2019I agree with a lot of what you say Deano but not in this instance. As a Coach your lifespan is dependent on performance,a huge part of performance is having the right players to play a certain style and then developing a culture to suit. The Culture deals with your last point, Mike Hesson s tweet read.
I agree with a lot of what you say Deano but not in this instance.
As a Coach your lifespan is dependent on performance,a huge part of performance is having the right players to play a certain style and then developing a culture to suit. The Culture deals with your last point... https://t.co/eSj46tXyIe
Dean Jones later clarified that he wants Misbah to do well but it is hard for one man to do all the jobs properly .
Re my comments today. Misbah is a dear mate of mine. I genuinely want him to do well. With 3 formats of the game and a new First Class system... it s hard to do all the jobs properly and well. I want Misbah to do well. He needs support and patience, he tweeted.
Re my comments today. Misbah is a dear mate of mine. I genuinely want him to do well. With 3 formats of the game and a new First Class system... it s hard to do all the jobs properly and well. I want Misbah to do well. He needs support and patience.
— Dean Jones AM (@ProfDeano) October 8, 2019After the loss in the second T20I, Pakistan will aim for a consolation victory in the final T20I that will be played in Lahore on Wednesday.
He ll Go Down As One Of Our Greatest Players : Shastri On Dhoni s Future MS Dhoni hasn t played a single match after India s exit from the World Cup on July 9, 2019. The former India captain missed away series against the West Indies and the ongoing home series against South Africa as he opted for a sabbatical from cricket. While many fans and critics are curious to know MS Dhoni s future plans and if he would make a comeback to cricket anytime soon, India coach Ravi Shastri said he hasn t met the wicketkeeper-batsman after the World Cup but that s for him to decide if he wants to make a comeback.
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In an interview to The Hindu, when asked if the team has an open mind about MS Dhoni s return, Ravi Shastri said: He will go down as one of our greatest players, very, very high up the list.
Whether he wants to come back, that s for him to decide. I have not met him after the World Cup. He has to first start playing and let s see how things go, he added.
The 38-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, who led India to the title victories in the 50-over World Cup and T20 World Cup, is currently enjoying his time off the field.
He recently participated in a charity football match along with tennis star Leander Paes in Mumbai.
After the World Cup 2019, Dhoni had made himself unavailable for the India s tour of the West Indies and took a two-month sabbatical from cricket to serve his territorial army unit in Kashmir.
After completing his army stint, Dhoni was seen enjoying a game of billiards at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in his hometown of Ranchi.
Before that, the 2011 World Cup-winning captain s pictures of driving his newly-bought Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk had also gone viral.
Stokes Wife Dismisses Report Claiming The England All-Rounder Choked Her The wife of England cricket star Ben Stokes has dismissed reports of a physical altercation between the couple after pictures emerged which appeared to show her husband grabbing her face during last week s Professional Cricketers Association awards. Clare Stokes defended her husband in a Twitter post which included a photo of her pushing the cricketer s face in apparent mockery of the images that surfaced from the awards night, held in London on Wednesday. Unbelievable what nonsense these people will make up! she said.
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Me and Ben messing about squishing up each other s faces cos that s how we show affection and some pap tries to twist it into a crazy story! And all before we then have a romantic McDonalds 20 mins later!
Unbelievable what nonsense these people will make up! Me and Ben messing about squishing up each other s faces cos that s how we show affection and some pap tries to twist it in to a crazy story! And all before we then have a romantic McDonalds 20 mins later! @benstokes38 pic.twitter.com/1HmPV1ZfxG
— Clare Stokes (@clarey_11) October 8, 2019The New Zealand-born cricketer responded to his wife s tweet with a face blowing a kiss emoji.
https://t.co/TFVFK1Vknn
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) October 8, 2019The 28-year-old Durham man won the players player of the year award at the ceremony.
The all-rounder played a starring role in England s maiden World Cup win in July, hitting an unbeaten 84 in the final. He repeated his heroics in the Ashes with a sensational 135 not out to win the third Test against Australia at Headingley.
Watch: Hardik Pandya Begins His Journey To Full Fitness After Surgery Hardik Pandya, who underwent a lower back surgery in the United Kingdom (UK), shared his journey towards full recovery via a video on Twitter. Hardik Pandya had left for the United Kingdom to get his back treated by the same doctor who treated him during India s tour of England in 2018 and the 2019 World Cup. The all-rounder had aggravated his back injury during the three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series against South Africa. Baby steps .. but my road to full fitness begins here and now. Thank you to everyone for their support and wishes, it means a lot, Hardik Pandya captioned his Twitter video.
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Baby steps .. but my road to full fitness begins here and now Thank you to everyone for their support and wishes, it means a lot pic.twitter.com/shjo78uyr9
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) October 8, 2019Hardik Pandya was not picked in the India squad for the ongoing three-Test series against the visiting South Africans.
Hardik Pandya is also set to miss the Twenty20 International (T20I) series against Bangladesh which will be played in India, starting November 3.
The 25-year-old, who has played 11 Tests, 54 ODIs and 40 T20Is, will be an integral part of the Indian team during the next year s World T20 slated to be held in Australia.
India began their Test campaign at home with a win over South Africa. With the win, India added 40 more points to take their World Championship tally to 160 and consolidate their top spot.
India will host South Africa for the second Test in Pune from Thursday. The third and final Test will be played in Ranchi from October 19.
Mandhana Ruled Out Of South Africa ODI Series With Fractured Toe The Indian women s team was on Tuesday dealt with a major blow as opener Smriti Mandhana was ruled out of the three-match ODI series against South Africa beginning here on Wednesday due to an injury. The 23-year-old suffered a fracture in her right toe after being struck by a ball during a net session on Sunday forcing her out of the series. Seam bowling all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar has been drafted in as her replacement. Head coach WV Raman said a call on Mandhana s return will be taken based on the assessment of the physios at the NCA.
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It is a mild fracture. It s difficult to fix the timeline as she still needs to get an MRI done. There is some swelling and it has to die down for the MRI to be taken. An assessment can be made only after that, Raman said at the pre-match a press conference.
Captain Mithali Raj said Mandhana s absence will give opportunities for other players.
She (Mandhana) is an experienced player. But other players have scored a lot of runs in the domestic games. This series is not part of the ICC Women s Championship. So that way it s a chance for us to try out new players. And I am positive that whoever gets a chance will utilise it fully.
India won the recently concluded Twenty20 International series 3-1 against South Africa in Surat.
However, Mandhana struggled during the series, scoring 21, 13, 7 and 5 in her four innings.
Playing on familiar home conditions, the Indian women would definitely have an edge over the visitors in the upcoming series.
The onus will be on veterans like Raj and Jhulan Goswami to guide the team with their experience. Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues and Veda Krishnamurthy will have to come good with the bat in the absence of Mandhana.
The Proteas will be brimming with confidence after registering a 105-run victory in the sixth and final T20.
They will be depending on opener Lizelle Lee, who scored a quick 84 in the sixth T20I, and skipper Sune Luus to take the responsibility of their batting department.
Steyn Follows AB De Villiers To Big Bash League, Joins Melbourne Stars Veteran South African pacer Dale Steyn will represent Melbourne Stars in this year s Big Bash League. Steyn, who retired from Test cricket in August, will be playing six matches in what will be his debut season in the Australian T20 league. According to ESPNCricinfo, Cricket South Africa has cleared Steyn to play six matches but the pacer indicated that there is an option to extend that period if he is not selected for South Africa s limited overs series against England in February.
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Steyn thus joins fellow South Africans AB de Villiers and Chris Morris in the BBL, with the pair earlier joining Brisbane Heat and Sidney Thunder respectively.
Here we go! #teamgreen https://t.co/YSr8q0LduE
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) October 8, 2019Steyn, who is South Africa s highest wicket taker in Test cricket with 439 scalps, retired from the longest format after a series of injuries that kept him out of action for the better part of the last three years. He remains available for the ODI and T20I series and although he was ready to be part of the team that recently toured India, the selectors decided that he was not medically ready.
You Bowl, I Bat : Kevin Pietersen Challenges Jofra Archer, Fans Go Crazy Kevin Pietersen, the former England skipper, engaged in a Twitter banter with new fast bowling sensation Jofra Archer and challenged him for a bat and bowl contest in South Africa, the country where he was born. It all started with Jofra Archer s tweet on October 6, which read: I am ready to play cricket again . Kevin Pietersen, who last played for England in 2014, didn t take much time to challenge the Barbados-born England fast bowler, saying: So am I! You bowl and I bat? .
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So am I! You bowl and I bat?!
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) October 6, 2019Archer didn t hesitate to accept the challenge by the batsman, who has 13,797 international runs to his name, saying: Come on then.
Come on then https://t.co/DCfxTaTofN
— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) October 6, 2019Pietersen continued the banter by asking Archer if England have a South Africa tour scheduled in their upcoming fixture. Archer didn t take much time to respond: Pencil it in .
Pencil it in https://t.co/uLbgptfwnK
— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) October 7, 2019The 39-year-old cricketer has spoken time and again on his international comeback with South Africa, when he requalifies to do so.
Pietersen will become eligible to play for South Africa at the age of 40, having not been selected for England after being sacked in the aftermath of the 2013-14 Ashes defeat in Australia.
Recently, 24-year-old Archer made headlines with impressive performances in the Ashes and 50-over World Cup in England s own backyard. Having played just 14 ODIs and four Tests so far, Archer has cemented his place in the team within a short span of time.
In the recent Ashes 2019, which ended in a 2-2 draw, Archer claimed 22 wickets in four Test matches. He couldn t have asked for a better show on his Test debut.
Indian Pacers Have Skills To Excel In Any Condition, Says Bowling Coach India s fast bowlers have the skills to succeed in any kind of condition, the team s bowling coach Bharat Arun said on Tuesday. Speaking ahead of India s second Test against South Africa in Pune, he said that the Indian pacers have the ability to generate reverse swing on flat tracks, which is necessary for a bowler to be successful. He said that playing domestic cricket, where the wickets are generally flat, has helped Indian quicks to develop the skills to reverse the ball.
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Our bowlers are skillful at reverse swing as when they play domestic cricket, wickets generally are flat, he told reporters. The outfield is also not at times great. For a bowler to be successful, he needs to learn how to reverse the ball and that s where our domestic cricket contributes a lot, Arun added.
There is definitely a chance for the pacers on any track provided they have the necessary skills, and our fast bowlers have done extremely well over the last couple of years, abroad and at home, he said.
From January 2018, India have toured South Africa, England, Australia and West Indies, winning the latter two series.
While the performances with the bat in overseas conditions sometimes left something to be desired, the quicks impressed with their wicket-taking ability on different types of pitches.
Mohammed Shami was one of India s strike bowlers during the team s travels from last year, especially in the second innings with the ball.
Of the 58 wickets that he picked up in this period, 37 of them came in India s second innings with the ball, which constitutes a staggering 63.8%.
Bharat Arun heaped praise on Mohammed Shami for his devastating performance with the ball in the fourth innings of the first Test match in Visakhapatnam.
Shami once again starred with the ball in the fourth innings of the match. Having gone wicketless in India s first innings with the ball, he went through South Africa s batting order with a magnificent 5-wicket haul on Day 5 of the Test match.
He first bowled out Temba Bavuma, Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock, causing a South Africa batting collapse. He then came back to break the South Africa rearguard as he removed Dane Piedt and Kagiso Rabada as India ran out comfortable winners.
It was a magnificent spell by Shami that put us back in the game. Otherwise given the conditions, it would have been very difficult. We were aware we needed to work really hard to get the result. On that wicket it needs lot of patience, Arun said.
South Africa batted exceptionally well in the first innings. In the second innings, there was assistance to Shami s kind of bowling. And then he came up with a magnificent spell, he said.
The second Test of the India vs South Africa series will begin on Thursday in Pune. India lead the three-match series 1-0.
(With input from IANS)
Air Force Day: Sachin Tendulkar Pays Tribute To IAF On 87th Anniversary Sachin Tendulkar, who was conferred with the honorary rank of Group Captain in 2010, attended the celebration of the Air Force Day on their 87th anniversary at the Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad on Tuesday. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar also paid tribute to the Indian Air Force (IAF) by tweeting, On the occasion of Indian Air Force Day, best wishes to all. I thank all the soldiers and officers for always keeping India safe. Seeing the excitement regarding the Prime Minister Modi-initiated Swacch Bharat Mission, I hope India forever remains healthy, clean, and safe. Jai Hind .
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pic.twitter.com/6eYrZDrYgE
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) October 8, 2019During the celebration, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman on Tuesday led a formation of the MiG-21 Bison at Hindon Air Force Station. Tendulkar said in a tweet that, he had goosebumps seeing Abhinandan Varthaman lead the parade.
Wing Commander #AbhinandanVarthaman leading the flying parade in the MiG-21 Bison at the 87th Anniversary of the @IAF_MCC!
His spirit and courage is an inspiration to all of us. Had goosebumps seeing him lead the parade today.#AFDay19 pic.twitter.com/FZOU0CHueS
The Air Force Day is celebrated at Hindon base in presence of the Indian Air Force or IAF chief and senior officials of the three armed forces every year.
The IAF was founded on October 8, 1932, and has participated in several crucial wars and landmark missions.
Tendulkar had represented the nation in 200 Tests and 463 One-day Internationals (ODIs). He had also scored a massive 15,921 Test runs and 18,426 ODI runs for India with a total of 100 centuries under his belt.
Tendulkar was bestowed with the Arjuna Award in 1994. The 45-year-old is also a recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (1997-98), Padma Shri (1999) and Padma Vibhushan in 2008.
Rohit Sharma Bats For Trees In Mumbai s Aarey Colony Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma on Tuesday said nothing was worth cutting down trees for in Mumbai s Aarey Colony as that part of the city is slightly greener and there s a slight difference in temperature because of Aarey Colony. Even if there is more to the story, nothing is worth cutting down something so vital. Part of Mumbai being slightly greener and slight difference in the temperature is mainly because of Aarey Colony. How can we take that away, not to mention the thousands of animals who will displace, Sharma tweeted on Tuesday.
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The Bombay High Court had on October 4 allowed the Maharashtra government to go ahead with the felling, following which the state moved swiftly to cut trees to make way for a shed for the upcoming Metro project in the city.
The Mumbai Metro Rail Corp. (MMRC) had planned to cut some 2,600 trees for the proposed shed.
However, the Supreme Court on Monday prohibited the cutting of any more trees in Mumbai s Aarey Colony and directed the state government to maintain status quo till October 21, the next date of hearing.
The apex court recorded the Maharashtra government s undertaking that no more trees would be cut in Aarey.
Harbhajan Singh, Veena Malik Spar On Twitter Over Imran Khan s UN Speech Veteran Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh refused to relent in his critisicm of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for issuing despicable threats and speaking about hatred during his speech at the UNGA last month as he took on actress Veena Malik on social media. Harbhajan had tweeted, At UNGA speech, there were indications for India of potential nuclear war. As a prominent sportsperson, Imran Khan s choice of words bloodbath fight to the end will only increase hatred between the two nations. As a fellow sportsperson, I expect him to promote peace.
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At UNGA speech, there were indications for India of potential nuclear war. As a prominent sportsperson, Imran Khan s choice of words bloodbath fight to the end will only increase hatred between the two nations. As a fellow sportsperson I expect him to promote peace
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 2, 2019Taking a jibe at him, Veena retorted: PM Imran Khan did talk about peace in his speech. He talked about the reality and the horror that will surly occur when the curfew is lifted and sadly there s gonna be a bloodbath. He clearly states that it s not a threat but a fear. Don t you understand English? (sic)
The Indian off-spinner on Tuesday shot back again, mocking Veena s English. What do u mean by surly? Oh is it surely ?? chill pill next time try and read before u put something in English. (sic)
What do u mean by surly? Oh is it surely ?? lo ji dekho yeh Angreji Inki.. chill pill next time try and read before u put something in English https://t.co/dgaTOJplDU
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 8, 2019Speaking at the UNGA on September 27, the Pakistan Prime Minister had held out threats of a conventional war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours spinning out of control.
If a conventional war starts between the two countries, anything could happen. A country seven times smaller than its neighbour what will it do -- either surrender or fight for its freedom, he had said.
Relations between the two Asian neighbours have been on a downhill ever since Indian government s decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir Wish Fans On Dussehra With the entire nation immersed in the festivities of Dussehra, several sports personalities took to social media to extend wishes to their fans on the occasion. Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar wished his fans on Dussehra and wrote, Wishing everyone a very Happy Dussehra. May this festival bring the best of health, happiness and success in our lives. May the spirit of Dussehra bring in courage, hope and many auspicious beginnings in your life #HappyDussehra, wished former cricketer Virender Sehwag on Twitter.
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Wishing everyone a very Happy Dussehra. May this festival bring the best of health, happiness and success in our lives.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) October 8, 2019May the spirit of Dushhera bring in courage, hope and many auspicious beginnings in your life #HappyDussehra pic.twitter.com/8OOLWUmj5Y
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) October 8, 2019Cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir wished his fans a happy Dussehra and emphasized on women s security on the auspicious occasion.
#Dussehra pic.twitter.com/krmPUunnM2
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) October 8, 2019Men s cricket team coach Ravi Shastri wished his followers a Happy Dussehra and wrote, Enjoy the victory of good over the evil. May you have a fun-filled and blissful.
Enjoy the victory of good over the evil. May you have a fun-filled and blissful #Dusshera #HappyDussehra #VijayaDashami pic.twitter.com/rzWd36Cbnn
— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) October 8, 2019Harbhajan Singh also took to social media account to wish his fans on the auspicious occasion of Vijay Dashmi. May the good in you always emerge victorious happy Dussehra, he tweeted.
May the good in you always emerge victorious happy Dussehra pic.twitter.com/ZLNA7Us9SB
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 8, 2019Enjoy the victory of good over evil. May you have a fun-filled and blissful Dussehr #HappyDussehra, tweeted Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara.
Enjoy the victory of good over evil. May you have a fun-filled and blissful Dussehra #HappyDussehra pic.twitter.com/mvkrkyHmhF
— cheteshwar pujara (@cheteshwar1) October 8, 2019The holy festival of Dussehra is being celebrated throughout the country on Tuesday.
Pakistan Umpire Dies Of Heart Attack During Match A local umpire in Pakistan died while supervising a club-level tournament match on Monday in Karachi.
According to a report in Pakistan s Samaa TV, umpire Nasim Sheikh suffered a heart attack while officiating in the match played in the Gulberg area of the city.
He passed away on the way to the hospital.
Sheikh, 52, was a heart patient and had undergone an angiography earlier this year.
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Pandya Faces Fans Wrath For Disrespectful Birthday Wish For Zaheer Zaheer Khan celebrated his 41st birthday on Monday with wishes pouring in on Twitter from his former teammates and current India cricketers. Among the well-wishers was Hardik Pandya, who in his birthday post tweeted a video of him hitting a six off the bowling Zaheer Khan. The India all-rounder, who recently underwent a lower back surgery, captioned the video: Happy birthday Zak ... Hope you smash it out of the park like I did here. Soon the comments section was flooded by angry fans who slammed Hardik Pandya for being disrespectful and showing no class .
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Here is Pandya s birthday wish for Zaheer Khan that left fans fuming:
Happy birthday Zak ... Hope you smash it out of the park like I did here@ImZaheer pic.twitter.com/XghW5UHlBy
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) October 7, 2019While many fans spoke of Zaheer Khan s achievements and his contribution to Indian cricket, others directly attacked Pandya.
That s very disrespectful...
— Dilshaad (@ImDilshaad) October 7, 2019@aayaam_pandey Pandya is the classic example of how fame+money does not guarantee you class! Gawaar aadmi hai ye
— Shabdika Pandey (@shabdtweets) October 8, 2019oye Sir Jadeja ke Pirated version jab Zak bhai ka time tha na to tere jaison ko ek bowl pe do baar bold karte the.. thoda tameez seekh.
— Magneto (@RahulGa35742224) October 7, 2019Over confidence! Lagta hai coffee ka nasha abhi tak utra nahi.. Respect the legend
— Sameeksha(@Maahii_way) October 7, 2019Leading wicket taker for India:
2003 World Cup: Zaheer Khan
2007 World Cup: Zaheer Khan
2011 World Cup: Zaheer Khan
Pandu bhai firr coffee piine chala gya Karan k pass
— ANUJ KAJAL (@Anujkajal7) October 7, 2019Bhagwaan ne sab kuch de diya ... But class
Happy birthday @ImZaheer ... The hanging in the air action followed the Lethal swing pure class ... Lend him some if possible
Bless you
Please show respect to Zak Xpress... You were fortunate he wasn t in his prime when he bowled to you.
— Harry (@cricfreac) October 8, 2019With this kind of maturity,i wonder how you got placed in indian team.With this attitude nd character Even when you perform well it s hard to be people favourites.Respect Legends
— BiGil Mani (@mani03396) October 7, 2019KL Rahul sahi bola tha.. Brain Surgery bhi kara lo.
Paisa, Sohrat aa gaya lekin tameez nahi aayi pic.twitter.com/BkDmzRW59C
Says a mediocre all rounder more (in)famous for his antics off the field than on it to a champion bowler who s taken 600 combined ODI/Test wickets!
— Kaustubh Pethe (@kauspet) October 7, 2019Uneducated fellow.. please learn some manners and basic etiquettes FYI he is not ur friend or junior. he is the chief architect behind our many missions just like 2011wc and role model for millions. . When r u gonna learn ?? It seems like the coffee hangover is yet to be over
— srd (@srviki87) October 7, 2019Thanks Mr. Nobody. Here s your 20 sec of Fame.
— Hitman (@HitmanRS45) October 7, 2019This is what happens when someone get fame and money so easily. Akad aur ghamand dekho jara. You have everything except manners and ethics. Kisi ne sach kaha h, paisa tameez nahi sikha sakta, wo in born quality hoti h aur no doubt you lack it.
— Aparna (@AppeFizzz) October 7, 2019This is for @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/mMy7EtfaSf
— Sameer Dubey (@sameerdbhakt) October 7, 2019Many fans used Graeme Smith s wish for Zaheer to further slam the current India all-rounder.
What a jerk or he just doesn t understand class. His sense of humour is more like a sense of tumour. Learn from Graeme Smith
— Asim Ansari (@afa_ansari) October 7, 2019We have @GraemeSmith49 and we have @hardikpandya7pic.twitter.com/cNWZ8pc7JO
— Ambuj Kumar (@Buji_Boy) October 7, 2019Seekho Kuchh Insehttps://t.co/xXw4UqwgT3
— Rohit (@RoHitman45_) October 7, 2019Former teammates like VVS Laxman and Shikhar Dhawan tweeted their birthday greetings for the left-arm pacer. Happy Birthday @ImZaheer. Wishing you a wonderful day and the most amazing year Zak, Laxman tweeted, referring to Zaheer Khan by his popular nickname.
Happy birthday Zak Bhai! Have a fabulous year ahead with loads of happiness and good luck, Dhawan wrote on the micro-blogging site.
Zaheer Khan played in 92 Tests and 200 ODIs for India and picked up 311 and 282 wickets respectively in the two formats.
He made his debut for India in an ODI against Kenya in Nairobi in October, 2000. He made his Test debut a month later. Since then, he went on to establish himself as one of India s best ever left-arm pacers. Zaheer Khan was notorious for his ability to swing the ball.
He was part of the Indian team that won the World Cup in 2011. In the final against Sri Lanka, Zaheer Khan managed to pick up two wickets and bowl three maiden overs.
His last appearance for India was the Test match against New Zealand in Wellington in 2014.
Hardik Pandya, meanwhile, last featured in the three-match T20I series against South Africa where he aggravated his back injury.
He was not picked in the India squad for the ongoing three-Test series against the visiting South Africans.
Hardik Pandya is also set to miss the Twenty20 International (T20I) series against Bangladesh which will be played in India, starting November 3.
Where Should I Send Bill : Gambhir To Wife After Washing Daughters Feet Gautam Gambhir was seen enjoying the ongoing festive season as he shared a picture of himself seeking the blessings of his daughters on Ashtami Kanjak . The holy festival of Dussehra is being celebrated throughout the country on Tuesday, while the penultimate day of the just-concluded Navaratri marked as Ashtami on Sunday. Gautam Gambhir was seen washing the feet of his daughters as a ritual for the Ashtami Kanjak . However, the former India batsman decided to grace it with an amusing afterthought much to the delight of his fans on Twitter.
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As a dad of two young girls, I am gradually mastering my pedicure skills...besides seeking blessings on Ashtami Kanjak!!! @natashagambhir2 where should I send the bill for my services? Gambhir captioned the photograph on Twitter.
As a dad of two young girls, I am gradually mastering my pedicure skills...besides seeking blessings on Ashtami Kanjak!!! @natashagambhir2 where should I send the bill for my services? pic.twitter.com/tjtP7yWBl6
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) October 8, 2019Gambhir retired from all forms of cricket in December 2018, later joined politics and was elected as a Member of the Parliament from East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency.
Recently, the 37-year-old former opener was all over the news after Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan claimed that he ended Gambhir s white-ball career.
Irfan said that Gambhir struggled against him during Pakistan s tour of India in 2012/13 and was afraid of even making eye contact with him. I think his career ended because of me. After that he never returned to the team, Mohammad Irfan told SAMAA TV.
He was getting bowled off full-length deliveries and his pull shots against my shorter balls also didn t work. He got out thrice to me on that tour.
He was scared of me clearly. He wouldn t look me in the eye even in the nets. There are people who when scared avoid you, don t make eye contact and walk the other way.
Pakistan had toured India in 2012/13 to play a two-match T20 International series and a three-match One-Day International series.
Shoaib Akhtar Reveals Shami Sought His Advice But Sad Pak Pacers Didn t Pakistan s legendary fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar heaped praise on Mohammed Shami after the Indian seamer claimed a five-wicket haul in India s 203-run win over South Africa in the first Test in Vizag on Sunday. In a video on his YouTube channel, Shoaib Akhtar revealed that Mohammed Shami had called him for advice after India s World Cup exit in the semi-finals in the United Kingdom and he had predicted the Indian bowler s success at home at that time. However, Shoaib Akhtar was disappointed with Pakistan fast bowlers, who have not sought any advice from him.
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After India s World Cup disappointment, Shami called me up and said he was feeling sad that he could not do well for India. I told him not to lose heart but to maintain his fitness, Akhtar said.
I told him that I want him to become an out and out fast bowler, he has a reverse swing, which is a luxury in the sub-continent, I told him you can become king of reverse swing, he added.
Akhtar was disheartened by the current scenario of his country s fast bowlers but added that he is happy for Shami.
Now, you see what he has done, he has got wickets on a flat pitch in Visakhapatnam. I am very happy for him. Sadly, our Pakistani fast bowlers do not ask me how they can improve their bowling but the Indian bowlers like Shami are doing that. It is a sad scenario as far as my country is a concern, he said.
After declaring successive innings for 502/7 and 323/4, and bowling out South Africa for 431, India set a tough 395-run target for the visitors to chase in a day and nine overs.
Shami continued with his magical spells in the fourth innings and claimed five wickets, including four bowled dismissals, to help India wrap up South Africa for 191.
Australia Recall Smith, Warner For T20Is Against Sri Lanka, Pakistan Steve Smith and David Warner completed their return from the wilderness on Tuesday when Australia recalled them to a 14-man Twenty20 squad to play Sri Lanka and Pakistan with a firm eye on next year s T20 World Cup. The star batsmen were both banned for a year for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal but have returned to Australia s Test, one-day and now Twenty20 sides. We are delighted to welcome Steve Smith and David Warner back into the T20 international fold, chief selector Trevor Hohns said.
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Steve is a world-class batsman in all formats, while Warner is Australia s highest ever T20I runs scorer. He was also the leading runs scorer at this year s Indian Premier League with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The Twenty20 squad named Tuesday will face Sri Lanka and Pakistan in coming weeks but Hohns said the focus was firmly on next year s World Cup, which will be held in Australia.
It is almost a year to the day until Australia hosts the men s Twenty20 World Cup and we have selected this squad with that in mind, he said.
We have looked to put a squad together that we think can take us through to that tournament.
Despite their success in other formats, Australia have never won a Twenty20 World Cup, with an appearance in the 2010 final their best showing.
They are currently ranked fifth in the world but will be desperate to succeed on home soil in October-November next year.
Aaron Finch retains the skipper s armband, with wicketkeeper Alex Carey and paceman Pat Cummins sharing vice-captain duties.
Ashton Turner returns from a finger injury to bolster the batting, while Adam Zampa edged out Nathan Lyon as the preferred spinner.
Cummins and Mitchell Starc will likely open the bowling attack, backed up by Andrew Tye, Kane Richardson and Billy Stanlake.
The three-match series against Sri Lanka will begin in Adelaide on October 27, followed by another three Twenty20s against Pakistan opening on November 3 in Sydney.
Australia:
Aaron Finch (capt), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
Sri Lanka Beat Pakistan In Second T20I To Clinch Series Newcomer Bhanuka Rajapaksa hit a whirlwind half-century while Nuwan Pradeep and Wanindu Hasaranga recorded career-best bowling figures as Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 35 runs in the second Twenty20 international in Lahore on Monday. Rajapaksa s 77 off 48 balls lifted Sri Lanka to a challenging total of 182/6 -- the left-hander blasting six sixes and four fours in a maiden fifty that came in only his second T20 international. Pradeep finished with 4/25 while leg-spinner Hasaranga took 3/38 -- collecting his wickets in the space of just four balls -- as Pakistan were bowled out for 147 in 19 overs.
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We played quality cricket and that s why we won, said Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka, standing in for regular captain Lasith Malinga who was one of 10 players missing the tour over security fears.
Rajapaksa played a masterclass innings. These youngsters should get a good chance after the series and I am sure (the) selectors will look at it.
Victory gave Sri Lanka their first T20 series win over Pakistan in seven attempts as they clinched an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Sri Lanka won the first match by 67 runs, also in Lahore. The last match will be at the same venue on Wednesday.
We didn t play good cricket. Congrats to Sri Lanka, who batted, bowled and fielded better than us and I think they deserved to win, said Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed.
Pakistan were again jolted by the pace duo of Kasun Rajitha, who dismissed Fakhar Zaman for six, while Pradeep removed top-ranked T20 batsman Babar Azam for three.
But it was Hasaranga who dismantled Pakistan s middle order as he dismissed Ahmed Shehzad for 13, Umar Akmal for a golden duck, and Sarfaraz (26) in the eighth over.
Umar, also out first ball on Saturday, equalled the unwanted record for most T20 ducks (10) in a career shared by Sri Lanka s Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Rajapaksa sets tone
Earlier, Rajapaksa set the tone for Sri Lanka after the visitors won the toss and opted to bat.
Rajapaksa, who modelled his batting on Australian great Adam Gilchrist, led Sri Lanka s fightback after they lost first-match hero Danushka Gunathilaka for 15 and Avishka Fernando for eight by the fifth over.
Rajapaksa added 94 for the third wicket with Shehan Jayasuriya (34 off 28 balls) as they cut loose against some short bowling from the Pakistani bowlers.
The two left-handers hit a pair of sixes and a boundary off leg-spinner Shadab Khan before both fell in the space of seven runs.
Jayasuriya was run out while Rajapaksa holed out off Shadab.
Shanaka contributed another vital cameo, swatting three fours and a six off in his 15-ball 27 as Sri Lanka added 47 runs in the final five overs.
Pakistan s spearhead Mohammad Amir went for 40 runs in his four overs while fellow pace bowler Mohammad Hasnain -- who on Saturday became the youngest bowler to achieve a hat-trick in a T20 match -- conceded 39 in his four. Both went wicketless.
Shadab, Imad Wasim and Wahab Riaz claimed a wicket each.
Umar Akmal s Consecutive Golden Ducks On T20I Return Irks Pakistan Fans Umar Akmal became the top trend on Twitter after he was dismissed for consecutive golden ducks on his Twenty20 International (T20I) return for Pakistan. Umar Akmal was sent back without scoring in the first and the second T20Is between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Umar Akmal s horrendous batting display comes after he made a return to Pakistan s T20I set up after three years. Pakistan fans were left disappointed with Umar Akmal after he was dismissed for a first ball duck on Monday and they took to Twitter to vent out their frustrations.
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Some fans also think that it is was a horrible mistake to bring back Umar Akmal to the T20I set up.
Here are some of the reactions from the Pakistan fans:
#PAKvSL
Umar Akmal to Pakistani fans: pic.twitter.com/Iyz2YiQ6Pe
#misbahulhaq
How much favour will you give to your old expired guns. Ahmed shehzad and Umar akmal.........??????? If you still back them up, then you might go home as well. No need of you also.
#SriLanka have won the 2nd T20 Umar Akmal once again gone for duck #PAKvSL
Pakistanis: pic.twitter.com/USOADFotRd
Well played Sri Lanka - job well done!! As for Pakistan, I don t even know where to start.. but I will start with Umar Akmal - he needs to go already. #PAKvSL
— (@Saniya_A) October 7, 2019Misbah-ul-Haq face when Umar Akmal produced another Golden #PAKvSL pic.twitter.com/SJXfGIT9LB
— Abhijeet (@TheYorkerBall) October 7, 2019Back to back golden ducks for Umar Akmal! The most disastrous of all comebacks... #PAKvSL pic.twitter.com/QfDG2MS2VU
— Bilal (@Bilal_Arif_) October 7, 2019Umar Akmal just missed his second century by 100 score.. only..
Damn poor luck...#PAKvsSL pic.twitter.com/eOyRMT5cSE
Sir Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shezad
We can t see you again...#PAKvSL #UmarAkmal #AhmedShezad pic.twitter.com/1p3FWDpBiC
Umar Akmal lost his place from the T20I set-up in 2016 for an outburst against the then Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur. He was handed three-match ban and given a fine of one million rupees ($10,000).
Umar Akmal had a verbal confrontation with Arthur in Lahore. He had then went to the media and alleged that Mickey Arthur had used foul language against him during a practice session in a training camp in Lahore, an accusation Arthur denied.
The PCB had said Umar Akmal had violated three clauses of his contract, mainly giving interview to media without permission. The board had also said Umar will not be allowed to play abroad for two months.
Umar Akmal has played over 80 T20Is for Pakistan and averages 26.40 in the shortest format of the game.
