Reply With QuoteDoes India have to chance to qualify for the Test championship final just by winning series against Ban and Aus? Or the number of matches win comes into play?
Deccan Gladiators back-to-back Abu Dhabi T10 champions
Defending champions Deccan Gladiators, which featured former India and Chennai Super Kings batter Suresh Raina, once again stamped their authority in the Abu Dhabi T10 League 2022 by recording an emphatic 37-runs win over debutants New York Strikers in the final of the sixth edition at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday (December 4).
It was a brilliant show from Deccan Gladiators who had to win the Eliminator against Team Abu Dhabi and then beat Samp Army in the second qualifier on Saturday to reach the final. By winning the final too through disciplined cricket they recorded three victories in a row to display their might in crickets shortest format.
Does India have to chance to qualify for the Test championship final just by winning series against Ban and Aus? Or the number of matches win comes into play?
Let The Carnage Begin
needs to win 5/6 matches for a chance to qualify..Originally Posted by Young Mega Star
What India, Australia, South Africa need to do to make the World Test Championship final
Arjun Tendulkar scores century on Ranji Trophy debut, emulates father Sachin
The 23-year-old, turning out for Goa this season, recorded the feat against Rajasthan
Arjun Tendulkar emulated his illustrious father Sachin Tendulkar when he hit a century on Ranji Trophy debut on Wednesday in Porvorim. This was also Arjun's first-class debut, for Goa, following a decent white-ball season for his new team.
Sachin had scored his maiden first-class century on debut for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy in 1988, against Gujarat, as a 15-year-old. Thirty-four years later, Arjun, a fast-bowling allrounder, hit 120 off 207 balls on day two of Goa's Ranji opener against Rajasthan.
Unbeaten on 4 overnight, having walked in with the score on 201 for 5, Arjun stitched together a 221-run partnership with the other overnight batter Suyash Prabhudessai, who hit 212 off 416 balls.
At stumps, Goa had racked up 493 for 8 in 163.2 overs against a bowling attack that had the likes of Aniket Choudhary and Kamlesh Nagarkoti in their ranks.
Arjun had moved to Goa from Mumbai at the start of the season in search of more game time. Prior to the season, he had featured in just two T20s for Mumbai.
Arjun had a decent white-ball season. At the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s, he picked up ten wickets in seven matches with an impressive economy rate of 5.69. He was Goa's second highest wicket-taker in the tournament behind Lakshay Garg. Arjun also played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he was Goa's leading wicket-taker, returning seven wickets in eight outings at an average of 32.37 and an economy rate of 4.98.
Arjun is part of Mumbai Indians in the IPL but is yet to feature in a game for them.
They came for Covid and stayed for cricket: how Indian nurses transformed Maltese sport
The Mediterranean island owes the subcontinent for its unprecedented success on the field
Malta women's cricket team.
A group of Indian nurses have turned around the fortunes of Malta's female T20 cricket team and found fame in their adopted Mediterranean home.
The migrant medical professionals are leading a cricket revolution in the small island nation, after winning their debut T20 international match against Romania last month.
The team of unpaid sportswomen were led by captain Shamla Cholassery, a medical nurse from Kerala, when they won 3-0 to lift the Continental Cup on August 28.
Most of us work a 7am to 7pm shift and train from 9pm to midnight or 1am
Shamla Cholassery, captain of Malta's T20 cricket team
Maltas first womens cricket team has 20 members, the majority of whom are nurses from India with little or no experience in cricket. The rest of the team consists of players from Nepal, Bangladesh, the Philippines, South Africa and the UK.
None are from Malta.
Speaking to The National, the nurses-turned-cricketers said they were "bowled over" by the turn of events that led them to swap their scrubs for cricket jerseys.
This was the last thing I ever expected in my life to happen, Ms Cholassery, 29, said. "I had played some cricket with my cousins back home but had never wielded a bat for a professional match."
Like thousands of qualified nurses in India, she had dreamt of finding a job abroad for better salaries and working conditions. Coming from a hilly district in the north of Kerala, she had not even heard of Malta before.
In August 2019 Ms Cholassery landed in Malta as a care assistant, with the help of a recruiting agency that sends medical nurses abroad. Within a year she passed the written exam and qualified to work there as a nurse.
Sometime in January this year, I saw a WhatsApp message from the Malta Cricket Association saying Malta was setting up its first womens cricket team and was looking for players, she said. "I love cricket and thought it would be fun."
Ms Cuckoo, with the Continental T20 cup.
Her husband Jamsheed, who also moved to Malta and plays football for local clubs, also encouraged her to join, she said. But Ms Cholassery was not the only Indian nurse to respond to the advertisement.
Anupama Rameshan, Anvy Vimal, Cuckoo Kurian, Ramya Vipin and Aneeta Santosh all turned up for the selection process. None had played professional cricket but merely wanted to enrol for the love of the sport.
I had played with my cousin when I was in school, that was my only association with cricket, Ms Kurian, 30, told The National.
She relocated to Malta in 2018 so that she could earn enough to send money to her family in India. She said she took up cricket to break the monotony of life.
It was work and home, the care home worker said. "I did not have a social life.
After the first practice session, I got hooked on the game."
For Ms Rameshan, who was named player of the match against Romania, Malta was a destination of choice. She followed her brother and sister-in-law, who were both working as nurses in Malta.
Although they have since migrated to New Zealand, she says she wants to stay and continue playing cricket for Malta. She is currently working as a nurse at Mater Dei Hospital.
Anupama, the Player of the Match against Romania.
From rookies to professionals
The health workers said they enjoyed the sport so much that they committed to doing their best for the team. After a long, tough day at work, they still took time out for training at least three times a week.
We got selected in February 2022, and since then we have been training rigorously," Ms Cholassery said. "We have long working hours. Most of us work a 7am to 7pm shift. But we found time and trained from 9pm to midnight or even until 1am. On Sundays, we work till 2pm and train from 4pm to 8pm.
When we started off, only two people Sanjana from Nepal and Jess from the UK had experience. We had to start by learning the basics, we knew nothing.
But, she said, everyone was supportive and welcomed them warmly.
Shamla Cholassery with husband Jamsheed. Photo: Shamla Cholassery
No one looked down on us," she said. "They were happy about our enthusiasm to play.
The teams coach, Lee Tuck, told The National he was overwhelmed by the response he got when he wanted to set up a womens cricket team.
I wanted to build a team that can play quality cricket internationally," he said. "When I saw the girls for the first time, there was only one thing I told them. Show me your dedication, the rest I will facilitate. But they went over and beyond my expectations.
It blew my mind to see how much energy and time they were willing to put in for training. They inspired me to give my best. They work long hours as nurses but they turned up for every single training [session] and were willing to work as hard and as long as it took, said Mr Tuck, who is from South Africa, where cricket is hugely popular.
The Cricket Association organised everything from transport to training kits and match equipment for the team, which is 90 per cent comprised of medical nurses.
We have some others who work in the service and retail sector as well, Mr Tuck said.
Starting at a slow pace, he gave the players the time to first enjoy the game.
We used soft balls first to avoid injuries," he said. "I did not go hard on them so that no one would quit in a few weeks.
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Ranji Trophy: Abhimanyu Easwaran to play at Abhimanyu Cricket Academy Stadium
The stadium in Dehradun, where the Uttarakhand vs Bengal game will be played, is owned by Abhimanyu's father
Abhimanyu Easwaran has trained at the Abhimanyu Cricket Academy Stadium since he was a youngster
In 2005, RP Easwaran bought a large piece of land in Dehradun and started building a cricket stadium. The company running the cricket academy Easwaran owned - the National School of Cricket - was called Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, inspired by the character in the Mahabharata. And when Easwaran's son came along in 1995, he was named Abhimanyu too. And that stadium, when it was completed, was named - you guessed it - Abhimanyu Cricket Academy Stadium.
Now, on January 3, Abhimanyu, the Bengal opening batter who was an injury cover with the Test team in Bangladesh last month, will be part of the side for their Ranji Trophy match against Uttarakhand at the stadium that he shares his name with, the stadium that's owned by his father. This will be the first first-class cricket match to be held at the venue.
"It is a proud moment for me to play a Ranji game at a ground where I have learnt all my cricket as a young boy," Abhimanyu told PTI. "This is a result of his [Easwaran's] love and hard work and it is always a great feeling to come home, but once you are on the field, the focus is on winning the game for Bengal."
While the stadium is not quite named after Abhimanyu, when he plays at the picturesque ground, it will be a story unlike too many. Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, Allan Border Field in Brisbane and Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide were rechristened after the iconic players in question finished their international careers.
Daren Sammy might be the only one to have played at the venue - Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, renamed from Beausejour Cricket Ground, in Gros Islet, St Lucia - that was named after him. In that regard, Abhimanyu playing at Abhimanyu Cricket Academy Stadium will be quite an occasion for the family.
The stadium is 'not just for my son', says Easwaran
The floodlit ground in Dehradun has been used by the BCCI and the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand for some years now, and a number of domestic matches have been held there, but not one at this level.
"I don't think there are many instances [of players playing at ground named after them], but for me this is not an achievement," Easwaran told PTI. "Yes, it feels good, but the real achievement would be if my son can play 100 Tests for India. This is a stadium I built because of my passion for the game and not just for my son.
"I started constructing [it] in 2006 and I am still spending from my pocket to upgrade it constantly. There are no returns but it's all about my love for the game."
Easwaran, a chartered accountant by profession, wanted to become a cricketer but couldn't. His professional success meant that he could back Abhimanyu to make it big. Abhimanyu has led India A in the recent past and has also been a part of the Indian Test squad as a back-up opener, but hasn't made his international debut yet.
"Yes, I have practiced with a lot of them and I wouldn't deny it helps. But in today's day and age, with extensive video analysis being done, no one has any distinct advantages as such""I had been a newspaper vendor and sold ice-creams in Dehradun as I completed my CA degree," Easwaran recalled. "I wanted to give back to the game and it is my good fortune that god gave me a son who also plays cricket. But the passion to create a cricket facility was always there. Now I have left active [CA] practice and just relax."
Abhimanyu Easwaran on being familiar with the home ground of his opponents
While he is a proud father of a successful first-class cricketer, what gives Easwaran satisfaction is that his academy has helped produce five players who are in the current Uttarakhand side, including seamer Deepak Dhapola, who got eight wickets in the last game.
Easwaran hails from Tamil Nadu and his wife is from Punjab. But the family moved to Uttarakhand in 1969. Easwaran chose Bengal as the home for Abhimanyu when he was about nine years old because the junior cricket system there was good, and there were more opportunities in the age-group teams in Bengal, as he put it.
Abhimanyu still trains in Dehradun and is familiar with many of the Uttarakhand players. But with the amount of video analysis at the teams' disposal these days, he said that his presence would give Bengal no significant advantage over the opposition.
"Yes, I have practiced with a lot of them and I wouldn't deny it helps," he said. "But in today's day and age, with extensive video analysis being done, no one has any distinct advantages as such."
SA20 (South Africa new T20 league) - Team logos 😂❗😂😂😂
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