November 6, 2021 – Page 5 – Newswire Pakistan

November 6, 2021November 8, 2021

Sodhi: Basics key to beating Afghanistan and making semi-finals

Dubai, November 06, 2021 (PPI-OT):New Zealand bowler Ish Sodhi reckons his side need to do the basics right to beat Afghanistan and secure a spot in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 semi-finals.

The Blackcaps know that victory in their final Super 12s Group 2 clash will see them progress alongside Pakistan into the last four.

Afghanistan need to win to stand a chance of qualifying on net run-rate but a victory is more likely to send India through via the same means if they beat Namibia later on Sunday.

Sodhi said: “I think if we keep it as simple as trying to adapt to the conditions best as we can, and being aware of the threats that Afghanistan pose and also taking into consideration the things we’ve done really well.

“If we can do them really well, I think then we can put on a good performance and all that other stuff takes care of itself.

“It’s quite simple for us to keep focusing on what we’ve been doing well. If we put on a good performance and we come away with a win that means we go to the semis, and that will be great.

“If we get the basics right for a long enough period of time, keep doing the things we’ve been doing well, I think we’ll give ourselves a good chance.”

New Zealand come into the all-important game full of confidence after Martin Guptill’s 93 helped them to victory over Scotland last time out, but Sodhi knows his side will have to be wary of Afghanistan’s dangerous spin attack.

He added: “I think, although regardless of the equations, we’re really aware of the strengths that Afghanistan bring both with the bat and the ball, especially in the spin bowling attack. Being a day game, I’m not too sure if dew is going to play much of a factor.

“They are spearheaded by Rashid Khan, obviously Mujeeb Ur Rahman is phenomenal as well.

“But Mohammad Nabi is a very cagey off-spinner and bowls well through the powerplay too. That’s definitely where their threat lies with their bowling attack and I’m sure all the batsmen during the scouting meeting have taken it into consideration.”

Afghanistan’s Hashmatullah Shahidi called on his side’s batters to deliver against the big teams to back up their spinners as they look to squeeze into the last four with a win at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

He said: “Our spinners are really good, especially in these conditions. We have played a lot of cricket here and we have the benefits.

“But against the big teams we should bat better and the batsmen should take responsibility to play well against them.”

“We only focus on ourselves, our team. Our main focus is how we qualify for semi-finals and we’ll do our best to qualify.”

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November 6, 2021November 8, 2021

Scotland excited for the challenge of Babar and Rizwan

Dubai, November 06, 2021 (PPI-OT):As Scotland prepare for their swansong at the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, they also have to prepare for the challenge of taking on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

Scotland are yet to register a win in the Super 12s and they are coming up against Pakistan who qualified for the semi-finals with a game to spare.

However, captain Kyle Coetzer says his side are excited for the challenge of facing Babar and Rizwan.

“What a challenge we’re going to be faced with, an exciting one as well,” Coetzer said.

“Two players at the top of their game at the moment, so it would be great to experience that and hopefully try and knock a few of them over at the same time.

“We have to go in there respecting them but also willing to go and try and take them on, too. I think we’ve taken a few learnings from our last couple of games and some special learnings from yesterday’s game.

“We’ve got plenty left in the tank yet in this group. We had a tough experience yesterday, but I firmly believe having to go through that and go through some of these performances out here to realize how far and how much further the T20 format has developed, even since the last time we played in it.

“The conversations following the game yesterday versus India have been positive; the fact that we’re so disappointed losing the manner in which we did and the opportunities that were created to go and speak to some of the finest players in the world yesterday was a really special moment.”

Scotland were joined in their dressing room by members of the India team after their match yesterday and may hope to learn some more from Pakistan who are the only remaining unbeaten team in the tournament.

For veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, he is hoping the confidence in the Pakistan group continues through their final Group 2 match.

He said: “We’re definitely looking forward to the game tomorrow against Scotland. We want to execute our skills with lots of confidence because at the moment everyone is very confident and playing good cricket.

“We want to continue. We wanted to tick all the boxes for this game also, we will take more confidence into our own performance and into the team performance.

“We all are proud of the fact that we have played wonderful cricket so far in this tournament and everyone responded to the challenges.

“As a team, we’re very confident. We support each other, we respect each other’s talent, and we wish everyone will just go out there and do well.

“That is something very special in this team for this campaign. Yes, we’re playing good cricket, but the goal is not achieved yet.

“We as a team want to win this World Cup for the whole nation, and I think everyone is putting their effort into and looking forward to the challenge coming ahead of us.”

November 6, 2021November 8, 2021

Warner: Australia picking up momentum at right time

Dubai, November 06, 2021 (PPI-OT):David Warner reckons Australia have found their winning momentum at just the right time after his unbeaten 89 helped them defeat the West Indies.

Warner’s blistering knock came from just 56 balls and together with Mitchell Marsh, 53 off 32, he put on 123 for the third wicket as Australia cruised home by eight wickets in pursuit of 158.

Justin Langer’s side are now on the cusp of the ICC Men’s World Cup 2021 semi-finals where they are set to face high-flying Pakistan, as only a heavy win for South Africa over England in the day’s late game will see them miss out after they once again boosted their net run-rate with a convincing victory.

Warner said: “I think all in all, I think we are hitting the momentum in the right stage of this tournament.

“It’s just another game of cricket. We don’t feel pressure at all. At the end of the day they [Pakistan] are playing well. We are playing well. And yeah, the best team will win on the day.

“Obviously there’s a task ahead for South Africa, and yeah, we’ll be watching with interest, and we’ll find out who we are going to be playing next game.

“If England do win, obviously we are through and we know we are going to be facing Pakistan which is going to be a good challenge.”

Warner heaped praise on teammate Marsh, who has been in and out of the side with Ashton Agar, but struck a sublime half century at a crucial stage for his country.

Warner added: “I’m seeing a very clear-minded cricketer. He’s coming out playing his natural game. He’s training the house down. He’s in peak performance, fitness.

“He’s worked really, really hard. He’s obviously come in at a young age early on and a lot of people were knocking him.

“A lot of those players that have been around for a while are peaking and are finding their straps and playing with clear minds, and that’s exactly what he’s been doing.

“His form is outstanding and he’s hitting the ball as well as anyone on this team and you can see it on the field, and it’s fantastic and I’m really pumped for him and it’s great for our team.”

After an eight-wicket humbling by arch rivals England who defeated Australia with some 50 balls to spare, Australia have bounced back and look set to join the English in the last four, thanks in large part to hammering Bangladesh which repaired the damage to their net run-rate.

Warner explained that the squad have grown close since that defeat and have managed to move on from the disappointment very quickly.

He said: “Sometimes you do get hurt and you get hurt badly. And that’s what happened to us.

“For us, it’s going and just doing what we normally do. You have to forget very fast about that, keep backing your game plan and putting your best foot forward and we have done that.

“We have a great bunch of guys here and every time we are back at the hotel or we have got some free time, the boys are gelling very well.

“We are in each other’s rooms out on the driving range, playing golf, playing PlayStation. Doing just the normal things that take your mind away from cricket and it’s been great.”

West Indies captain Kieron Pollard insisted his experienced side gave it their best shot throughout the competition but they had to accept they were just not good enough after bowing out at the Super 12 stage with a defeat.

Pollard said: “Obviously we brought in seniors and experienced players in this campaign. We thought we were going to be the ones to get us over line to try to get a title, and it didn’t happen.

“These things happen. It’s not the first time you don’t qualify in a tournament or anything like that, and it’s not the first time guys would have failed throughout the campaign.

“We gave it our best shot and our best shot was not good enough, and we accept that. So it’s about moving on now and trying to rebuild from here and using the knowledge of some of these guys and the youngsters to come. So let’s see what happens in the future.”

November 6, 2021November 8, 2021

The resilience of Rabada

Dubai, November 06, 2021 (PPI-OT):There were a lot of reasons why Kagiso Rabada could have kept a low profile as his captain. Temba Bavuma considered who should bowl the final over of their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 campaign.

As South Africa took on England needing a win by 60 runs to qualify for the semi-finals, Rabada had gone for 45 of his previous three overs, including being whacked for three sixes in a row by Liam Livingstone.

To add insult to injury, the second of those maximums had consigned South Africa to a gloomy fate.

They would not be making it through to the semi-finals, as England passed 132 runs South Africa’s net run-rate dipped below Australia’s, meaning even a victory was futile.

However, that didn’t stop Rabada from taking the ball from Bavuma, bowling the final over and achieving something only three men have done previously at a T20 World Cup.

As he took the ball and walked to his mark, England needed 14 off the final over to ensure they went into the semi-finals undefeated, and Chris Woakes was on strike having smacked his first ball for six.

That did not deter Rabada from running in at full tilt and delivering a full toss wide of off-stump.

His head may have dropped as Woakes sent a huge heave to the leg-side boundary, but then he would have missed Anrich Nortje taking a superb catch just in front of the rope to get Rabada’s first wicket of the night.

With the batters having crossed, Rabada’s night didn’t necessarily get any easier as he now had to face Eoin Morgan.

Rabada ran and delivered the same ball to Morgan who this time sent it to deep backward square-leg where Keshav Maharaj was waiting to gobble it up.

Just like that he was on a hat-trick and had perhaps an easier batter to face with Chris Jordan ready to receive his first ball of the game.

Now a tried and tested method, in came Rabada again with a full toss on the off-side, Jordan hit it low to long-off where a diving David Miller took the catch.

Rabada had a hat-trick and perhaps for the first time in the night had a smile on his face as he broke into laughter.

Only he, Wanindu Hasaranga, Curtis Campher and Brett Lee had ever taken a hat-trick at a T20 World Cup and Rabada perhaps did it under the most difficult of circumstances.

The baby-faced 26-year-old had shown resilience to come back from three sixes in three balls and being knocked out of the World Cup to take three wickets in three balls and defeat in-form England.

And while South Africa will not have their name on the trophy this time, their leading fast-bowler has etched his name into the history books.

November 6, 2021November 8, 2021

Win over England a bitter pill to swallow, says Boucher

Dubai, November 06, 2021 (PPI-OT):A narrow win over England was not enough to see South Africa through to the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.

The Proteas claimed victory by only ten runs when a winning margin of 60 was needed as England confirmed theirs and Australia’s involvements in the knockout stages despite suffering their first defeat in Group 1.

For South African coach Mark Boucher the win was no consolation as they missed out on qualification through net run-rate.

He said: “It is not successful because you’re knocked out of a World Cup, so it is a better pill to swallow.

“I think we played some very good cricket throughout the campaign cricket under a lot of pressure as well after having lost our first game.

“We put in a lot of hard work in training, our chats were good. I think we beat the in-form side in white-ball cricket for a while now.

“It’s a tough one for the guys in the changing room. We knew what we had to do today, the equation was very difficult for us to have to get through.

“I just said to the guys just try control what we can control. Unfortunately, we can’t control what other results are out there.

“We did the job today but it’s quite bitter.”

For England, their first defeat of the tournament did not stop them from topping Group 1 and confirming their place in the semi-finals next week.

However, they may be without Jason Roy who was forced off with a calf injury having made 20 off 16 balls as England looked to chase down 189.

Eoin Morgan confirmed that he will have a scan tomorrow to assess the possibility of Roy having any further involvement in the tournament.

Reflecting on the loss, Morgan said: “We’re not going to be at our best every game, but we do need to find ways to win.

“I think in the field, actually, we weren’t as intense as we have been previous game. Just small things that we didn’t do as neatly or as cleanly as we would have liked.

“But with the ball, we probably kept them to a reasonable score, in and around par. Obviously, when your premium batsman goes down, that does hurt you, particularly given the form that he’s in.

“And also, on the other hand, the other guys that haven’t batted a lot in the tournament came in, struck the ball really well which is a great sign obviously for the semi-final.”

November 6, 2021November 8, 2021

Warner proves point in style against West Indies

Dubai, November 06, 2021 (PPI-OT):If anyone needed a further reminder of what David Warner can do when he has a point to prove, then he certainly delivered one in fine style against the West Indies.

Much has been written about Warner’s failure to find his free-flowing best in the UAE, but the dogged opener channelled his critics in a vintage match-winning innings in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

With the stakes high and a win needed to put Australia on the cusp of an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 semi-final, Warner delivered when it mattered most.

The 35-year-old blitzed nine fours and four sixes in a swashbuckling unbeaten 89 from only 56 balls.

He shared a magnificent century stand of 123 with Mitchell Marsh, 53 off 32 balls, for the third wicket to steer Justin Langer’s men to a vital victory.

But only days previously, the very same Warner had looked visibly out of sorts when trying to spray the Bangladesh attack around the park.

Australia needed to romp home to a brisk victory to benefit their net run rate but Warner consistently missed the middle of the bat.

He only managed 18 off 14 balls in contrast to his skipper and opening partner Aaron Finch at the other end who was striking at 200, making 40 off 20 balls.

Warner’s 65 against Sri Lanka earlier in the tournament had been a lone hand among several failures, he made just one against England, but his second half-century had onlookers thinking back to 2008 when he exploded onto the scene in the shortest form of the game.

Back were the huge sixes, the rapid bursts of sprinting between the wickets and the steely look in the eye that have helped Warner become one of the game’s star batters.

If anything summed up that he really did have the bit between the teeth it was when Chris Gayle was brought on to bowl late on.

Wearing a cap and presumably toasting an imminent retirement notice, Gayle sent one of his part-time off-spinners down the legside which Warner attempted to play a reverse at.

Umpire Richard Illingworth decided not to give a wide given Warner’s change of shot and the decision irked the batter considerably, despite the game being long since over as a contest.

That fire and passion has arguably been lacking in Warner, who experienced a lean time of it at the IPL and was dropped by his franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.

But you don’t score over 2,000 T20I runs if you are not capable of overcoming setbacks and exhibiting mental resilience, something it is abundantly clear Warner has in spades.

Speaking after the game, Warner revealed the key to his return to form was just trying to play his natural game, something that has served him well for so long. He certainly delivered it perfectly against the West Indies, firing Australia to victory and giving his critics plenty of food for thought.

After the humbling nature of the defeat to England, plenty of attention went to the Ashes in Australia, with some down under even suggesting Warner should be back playing red-ball cricket to prepare for the series.

Despite that, both Warner and the team have shown they are still a force to be reckoned with at this tournament and barring an exceptional win for South Africa they will now take on Pakistan in the semi-finals.

They will certainly start as underdogs but with Warner back at what looks somewhere near his destructive best, you would not be shocked if he single-handedly muscled his side into the final.