"Mind Your Business": Afridi Slams PCB Chief For Statements Against Babar

The Pakistan cricket team is going through a tough phase. The Babar Azam-led side has won only three out of seven games at the Cricket World Cup. A semi-final berth, though not impossible to achieve, will be very tough for the side. In the midst of this, a huge controversy has broken out with an alleged WhatsApp chat leak of Babar Azam. A Pakistan tv channel shared a screenshot of the alleged chat. The text, as displayed by the Pakistani channel, read: "Babar, there's also been this news circulating on TV and social media that you have been calling Chairman and he's not answering. Have you called him recently?", the sender by the name of Salman wrote.

The receiver, whose name was saved as 'Babar Azam New', responded saying,"Salam Salman bhai, ma ny to sir ko koi call nai ke (Hello Salman brother, I did not call sir)."

It has now been revealed by the news anchor, who displayed the WhatsApp message on live TV, that it was the PCB chief himself who asked him to display the WhatsApp message during the show.

The news host Waseem Badami, said that about 7 minutes before the show was to start, the channel received a clip in which Ashraf asked them to show the message.

"About five to seven minutes before the show, we received a clip where Zaka Ashraf said: 'I am giving you this screenshot and I am asking you to show it live on screen'. Ashraf also gave us permission to share that. He was taking responsibility on TV; we thought we could share it. But it wasn't the ideal decision. We conveniently forgot that Babar Azam's consent was also important," Badami said in a video he shared on X (formerly Twitter).

"I'm saying this on behalf of my team and the management. I am not proud of it, we are not proud of it. When something like this happens, you learn from it and try not to repeat the same in future."

After this, a video has been widely shared on social media where former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is asking Zaka Ashraf to mind his own business. 

"Zaka Ashraf is not a club chairman. He is the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. He should observe many things. I am surprised that you are calling up owners of media houses that 'he is saying so and so about me." You are the chairman. You do your job and deliver. People are saying things about you because you have given them the opportunity to do so," a visibly angry Shahid Afridi said on Samaa TV. 

"You focus on your work. The team is playing World Cup and you are giving statement after statements. Sometimes you are saying something about Babar, sometimes about someone else. First strengthen your position. Work on what we as cricketers expect from you. Leave aside what people are saying against you. You are giving the opportunity yourself. Mind your own business." 

pic.twitter.com/eymFE6KdXK

— Sports Ka SULTAN (@SportsKaSultan_) October 31, 2023

This comes amid reports that the relationship between Pakistan captain Babar Azam and PCB chief Zaka Ashraf is not alright. In fact, after a string of losses at the Cricket World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board had released a statement where it said "the board will make decisions" based on the team's performances in the World Cup.   

"Addressing the media scrutiny directed at captain Babar Azam and the team management, the board's stance, echoing that of former cricketers, is that successes and defeats are part of the game. Captain Babar Azam and Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq were given freedom and support in forming the squad for the ICC World Cup 2023," the statement read.

"Looking ahead, the board will make decisions in the best interest of Pakistan cricket based on the team's performances in the World Cup. At present, the PCB encourages fans, former players and stakeholders to rally behind the team as they strive to make a triumphant comeback in the mega-event."

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WC 2023: Shreyas Works On 'Weakness'; Rohit, Virat Skip Optional Practice

With his vulnerability against the short ball coming to the fore once again, India number four Shreyas Iyer trained with the aim of overcoming his longstanding struggles ahead of the Cricket World Cup 2023 game against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on Thursday. None of the top-order guns — captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill — were in attendance for the optional session. Iyer versus the short ball was the focal point. The team's famed bowling attack, which delivered a fabulous 100-run victory over England last Sunday, also opted for rest.

Perched at the top of the World Cup points table and with a spot in the semifinals virtually sealed for Rohit and Co, it is only imperative that the team keeps ironing out the areas of concern along the way.

Iyer's troubles against the short ball, combined with the lack of big scores as the preferred No 4, is certainly something that the team management and the player want to overcome and it was evident as far as his approach to the session on Tuesday was concerned.

The right-handed batter, who is back to his homeground that he shares with skipper Rohit, Suryakumar Yadav and Shardul Thakur in this Indian squad for the World Cup, faced plenty of short balls from throwdown specialists in the session that lasted for nearly two hours under the sun.

While he did face some local net bowlers to begin with, the focus point of the session soon turned into having Iyer facing innumerable short balls hurled at him by India's throwdown specialists D Raghavendra, the left-handed Sri Lankan Nuwan Seneviratne and batting coach Vikram Rathour along with a few others.

Having long batting stints on either side of the strip on which India will take on Sri Lanka, Iyer was also seen sporting a chest guard while he kept on pulling and hooking the short balls.

To his credit, Iyer responded deftly with powerful strikes, sending the ball into the stands or clearing the ropes mostly.

Towards the end, Iyer also had India head coach Rahul Dravid feeding him throwdowns and for a change, the batting great also fed a few deliveries to Iyer to drive while the bowling coach Paras Mhambrey watched from a distance.

Also among the throwdown bowlers for Iyer was the team's fielding coach T Dilip, whose famous award ceremonies for the best fielder after every match have become a unique feature that fans have been glued to.

Iyer fell to the short ball in Dharamsala as well as the last game against England in Lucknow.

Apart from Iyer's strenuous effort, all-rounder Shardul Thakur also had a long batting session while the others in Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul and Suryakumar had a regulation hit in the nets.

All-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja did more batting practice than bowling.

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Australia's Interim Captain Matthew Wade Unsure Of Featuring In T20I WC

Australia's interim T20I captain Matthew Wade admitted that he is not 100 per cent sure of being the first-choice wicketkeeper for the upcoming T20I World Cup which is slated to begin on June 4, 2024. The recent rise of Josh Inglis and Alex Carrey has put Wade's place in doubt in cricket's shortest format for the Baggy Greens. After the conclusion of the ODI World Cup, Australia will face India in a five-match T20I series. Both wicketkeepers have been included in Australia's squad for the series which is slated to be played from November 23 to December 3.

"We've got the T20 World Cup coming up, whether I'm the number one keeper there and play, whether that be that I go as a spare bat/keeper I'm not 100 per cent sure. I don't know if the selectors and the coaches are 100% sure. But I want to be there. I want to play. If it ends up being that No.7 role as the wicketkeeper, I feel like I've probably nailed that spot down in the last few years for the Australian T20 side. So fingers crossed I get the nod in that but if I don't I'm really comfortable going and playing my role," Wade said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

Wade has been Aaron Finch's long-time vice-captain having led Australia in seven T20I matches. He also led Australia from the front when Finch got injured during their final game of last year's T20 World Cup against Afghanistan.

But his performances were not enough as he was not initially selected for the South Africa series as the selectors decided to give Inglis a few opportunities with the gloves. He did end up touring South Africa as an injury replacement for Glenn Maxwell but did not get a chance to play.

Even though Wade is unsure of his chances to feature in the World Cup, he asserted that he is not looking to strive for leadership and said, "I've never really strived so much for leadership," he said. "I think you kind of look after your own backyard and those things kind of take care of themselves. With the relationships that I've got with [coach] Andrew McDonald and obviously [head selector] George Bailey and all the coaching staff around the Australian team and selectors, whatever situation I was going to be going over to India in it would have been in a senior role anyway."

"So it's just a bit of a cherry on top after a long career I suppose, to get another chance to go and captain in a country that is so much fun to play, it's going to be a hell of a time," Wade added.

It will be interesting to see whether Wade will get a chance to feature in the five-match T20I series against India.

Australia T20 squad: Matthew Wade (c), Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott, Tim David, Nathan Ellis Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner and Adam Zampa.

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Afghanistan Beat Sri Lanka To Boost Cricket World Cup Semi-final Bid

Afghanistan defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in Pune on Monday to record their third win of the World Cup and maintain their hopes of a semi-final place. Set 242 to win after a disciplined bowling display, Afghanistan finished on 242-3, with Azmatullah Omarzai unbeaten on 73 and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi 58 not out, the pair sharing an unbroken stand of 111. Afghanistan now have six points and sit in fifth place in the table, two behind New Zealand and Australia with the top four guaranteed to make the semi-finals. (World Cup points table)

Victory also meant Afghanistan, who'd already beaten champions England, had won back-to-back matches at the World Cup for the first time after they defeated Pakistan by eight wickets last time out.

Prior to this edition, they had managed just one win -- against non-Test nation Scotland in 2015 -- from their appearances at two previous World Cups.

Yet they have now beaten three World Cup winners in England, 1992 champions Pakistan and 1996 kings Sri Lanka. An impressive all-round effort was set up by recalled left-arm fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi's 4-34 in 10 overs as Sri Lanka were held to 241.

Shahidi and Omarzai saw their team home with nearly five overs to spare. Afghanistan lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz just four balls into their chase when he was bowled by a swinging delivery from Dilshan Madushanka.

But Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah (62) then shared a stand of 73. Omarzai added fresh impetus with three sixes in a run-a-ball fifty.

Shahidi had got to the landmark in 67 balls but his runs were just as valuable all the same. Sri Lanka, who've now lost four of their six matches, missed a couple of chances and their day was summed up when Omarzai scored the winning run after being dropped at deep midwicket.

Victory was another notable triumph for Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott, with this success coming against a Sri Lanka team coached by another former England international in Chris Silverwood

Farooqi had been recalled in place of Noor Ahmad despite the teenage spinner's three wickets against Pakistan. But on a pitch offering less turn, Afghanistan's judgement was vindicated as Farooqi struck throughout the innings, while off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman kept things tight with 2-38 in 10.

Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka made 46 but no other batsman managed more than skipper Kusal Mendis' (39) after they were sent into bat.

Nissanka, fresh from his unbeaten 77 in an eight-wicket rout of England, was in sight of his fifth fifty in six innings this World Cup. But he was caught behind for 46, trying to cut Omarzai.

Mujeeb then struck in successive balls, removing Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama (36) after both batsmen had made starts.

Farooqi then cleaned up late on, expertly yorking tailender Maheesh Theekshana (29) before he had Angelo Mathews well caught in the deep by Afghanistan veteran Mohammad Nabi.

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"India Too Hot To Handle": Pak Great's Ultimate Praise For Rohit And Co

Team India defeated England by 100 runs to register their sixth victory on the trot at the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023. The hosts posted a total of 229/9 in 50 overs with skipper Rohit Sharma playing a crucial knock of 87 runs. Later, pacers Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah scalped four and three wickets respectively as England got bundled out for 129. This was England's fifth defeat out of six matches, which brought them down at the bottom of the points table.

Team India has been receiving praises from all over the world for their exemplary performance in the ongoing event. Former Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis also did not shy away from praising the 2011 champions.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Waqar wrote, "Batters Win you matches but bowlers Win you Trophies. India too Hot to handle. Rohit Sharma excellent Leader."

Batters Win you matches but bowlers Win you Trophies. India too Hot to handle. Rohit Sharma excellent Leader. #CompletePackage #CricketWorldCup23 pic.twitter.com/M8dl5FQUEO

— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) October 29, 2023

Chasing a tricky 230 for victory in Lucknow, England collapsed to 129 all out in 34.5 overs to suffer their fifth defeat in six matches and leave their title defence at the mercy of a mathematical miracle.

The hosts have six wins in as many games and are virtually assured of a semi-final place.

Skipper Rohit Sharma led the charge with 87 as India posted 229-9, a total that looked below par but proved enough for a struggling England side on a sluggish pitch.

"It was a great performance and we would take that win any day," said man-of-the-match Rohit.

Shami returned figures of 4-22 while fellow quick Jasprit Bumrah took three wickets to wrap up the match as fireworks lit up the sky.

(With AFP inputs)

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Gujarat vs Uttar Pradesh: Fantasy Tips, Prediction, Captaincy Pick

Gujarat will take on Uttar Pradesh in Pre-Quarterfinal 1 of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 2023 on October 31 at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, India. The match is scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM IST. The Gujarat cricket team found themselves in the pre-quarterfinal 1 after finishing third in Group C with 20 points from seven matches. They registered five wins and suffered two defeats in the group stage. Despite finishing equal on points with Saurashtra, Gujarat finished third with a low net run rate compared to Saurashtra.

Saurav Chauhan, Aarya Desai and Chirag Gandhi have been the top three run-getters for Gujarat. Ravi Bishnoi and Arzan Nagwaswalla have shone with the ball for the Gujarat team.

On the other hand, Uttar Pradesh finished second in Group E with 14 points. In six matches, UP won three matches while losing two. One match yielded no result.

India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the star of the Uttar Pradesh team in the group stage. The speedster racked up 11 wickets in 5 matches. He also wrote his name in the history books when he claimed the final five Karnataka wickets to secure his fifth five-wicket haul in T20 cricket.

As of now, Namibia cricketer David Wiese holds the record with six T20 five-fers, while former Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga, Pakistan speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Bangladesh cricket team captain Shakib Al Hasan have also accomplished this feat five times each in the T20 format.

GUJ vs UP pitch report

The pitch at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali is a bowlers-friendly track. The pacers will be able to get movement and bounce with the new ball. The batters can also play strokes freely as the ball will come onto the bat nicely. The average score by the team batting first in the last 10 matches in T20s at the venue is 175.

Bowling first is recommended at this stadium, with the team batting second winning 70 per cent of its contests.

Pace or Spin?

The venue is suited for bowlers. Pack your fantasy team with bowling all-rounders.

GUJ vs UP weather report

The temperature at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium is predicted to be 29 degrees with 29% humidity.

GUJ vs UP Fantasy Prediction: Top captain and vice-captain picks

Saurav Chauhan: Gujarat batter Saurav Chauhan has amassed 219 runs in 7 matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 at an average of 36.5 and a strike rate of 190.43. He has scored two half-centuries and has the highest score of 61.

Sameer Rizvi: Uttar Pradesh's Sameer Rizvi has made 205 runs in 5 matches and is the team's number-one run-getter this season. He enjoys a strike rate of 157.69 and averages 68.33. He also has two half-centuries to his name in this campaign.

Arzan Nagwaswalla: The Gujarat bowler has scalped 13 wickets in 7 matches. Arzan Nagwaswalla's best spell for this edition is 6/13 and he averages 15.23.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar: The bowler from Uttar Pradesh has racked up 11 wickets in 5 matches so far at an average of 9.63. Bhuvneshwar Kumar's 5/16 is his top bowling performance of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 2023.

GUJ vs UP squads

Gujarat: Aarya Desai, Chirag Gandhi, Kshitij Patel, Priyank Panchal, Umang Kumar, Axar Patel, Hemang Patel, Ripal Patel, Vishal Jaiswal, Saurav Chauhan (wk), Urvil Patel (wk), Arzan Nagwaswalla, Chintan Gaja, Hardik Patel, Piyush Chawla, Ravi Bishnoi and Shen Patel

Uttar Pradesh: Abhishek Goswami, Madhav Kaushik, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh (c), Sameer Rizvi, Swastik Chikara, Karan Sharma, Prashant Veer, Prince Yadav, Aaradhya Yadav (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Atal Bihari Rai, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasmer Dhankar, Kartik Tyagi, Mohsin Khan, Shiva Singh and Yash Dayal

GUJ vs UP Dream11 team

Wicket-Keeper: Urvil Patel

Batters: Sameer Rizvi, Aarya Desai, Abhishek Goswami, Priyank Panchal, Rinku Singh

All-Rounders: Axar Patel, Karan Sharma

Bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arzan Nagwaswalla, Moshin Khan, Piyush Chawla, Ravi Bishnoi

Captain: Saurav Chauhan

Vice-Captain: Sameer Rizvi

Gujarat vs Uttar Pradesh head-to-head record in T20s

Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh have battled against each other on two occasions in T20s. While Gujarat have won one match, Uttar Pradesh have emerged victorious on one instance.

The highest score in these two games is 184 by Gujarat whereas the lowest has been 150 by Uttar Pradesh.

Gujarat vs Uttar Pradesh T20 records

Highest score: Gujarat's total of 184/4 at Rajkot in 2014 is their highest score against Uttar Pradesh in T20 cricket.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh's 167/3 at Mumbai in 2016 is their highest score against Gujarat in T20 cricket.

Lowest score: Gujarat's 165 at Mumbai in 2016 is their lowest score in T20s against the UP.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh's 150 at Rajkot in 2014 is their lowest total in T20 cricket against Gujarat.

Average score: The average score for Gujarat in Gujarat vs Uttar Pradesh T20s is 143, while Uttar Pradesh averages 141 runs against their rivals.

Gujarat vs Uttar Pradesh Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 prediction

Between the two teams, Gujarat are the most in-form team, given their dominance in the group stages of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy 2023. They go into the pre-quarterfinal 1 as favourites.

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Afghanistan's Predicted XI vs Sri Lanka: Afghans To Stick With 3 Spinners?

Giant-killers Afghanistan go up against Sri Lanka in match no. 30 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Monday, October 30, from 2:00 PM IST at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. With wins against the Netherlands and England, Sri Lanka are currently fifth on the World Cup 2023 points table with four points and a net run rate of -0.205. The island nation lost their first three games - vs South Africa, Pakistan and Australia - but bounced back to win two in a row.

The Afghanistan team, meanwhile, had two unexpected victories against England in Delhi and Pakistan in Chennai, respectively, from their five matches in the tournament. Their net run rate, however, took a big hit in defeats against India and New Zealand, which sees them placed seventh in the points table.

In their latest match, Afghanistan spinners, headlined by Noor Ahmad, restricted Pakistan to 282/7 on a good batting surface at Chennai. Half-centuries from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah along with an unbeaten 48 from captain Hashmatullah Shahidi helped them make light work of the run chase to win by eight wickets.

Considering the conditions on offer at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, Afghanistan might be tempted to field the same playing XI against Sri Lanka in a must-win encounter for the two Asian sides.

Openers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran

Afghan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are their team's top run-getters in this tournament with 224 and 173 runs, respectively, in five matches.

Gurbaz smashed half-centuries in both of their wins in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. He averages 44.80 while striking at over a run a ball so far.

Zadran, meanwhile, slammed a match-winning 113-ball 87 against Pakistan in the side's latest win. The opening duo will be key on a track where run-scoring is at its best with the new ball.

Middle order: Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ikram Alikhil

Rahmat Shah has piled on 150 runs at an average of 37.50, providing a calm and steady influence at no. 3. Skipper Shahidi, too, has been rock-solid with the bat, scoring 168 runs at an average of 42.00. The duo have amassed fifty, each, in this World Cup.

Wicketkeeper-batter Ikram Alikhil, on the other hand, has only batted twice in this tournament, scoring 58 in the win against England and staying unbeaten on 19 against New Zealand.

The middle order will be vital in laying the platform and keeping up the tempo ahead of the finishing stages of the innings.

All-rounders: Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan

Seam bowling all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai has been very successful at the World Cup 2023. The 23-year-old has scalped four wickets, a dismissal once every five overs, and scored 130 runs at an average of 32.50. He will be sharing the new ball with Naveen-ul-Haq in the powerplay and entrusted with the responsibility of finishing the innings off with the bat.

Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan are the two mainstays for Afghanistan. While Nabi has registered 41 runs and three wickets so far, Rashid has notched 56 runs and picked up six wickets in the tournament. The duo will be key in the middle and death overs in both innings.

Bowlers: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad

Mujeeb Ur Rahman has picked up four wickets in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and is only three wickets away from 100 ODI scalps. He bowled a decisive spell of 3/51 at Delhi, guiding Afghanistan to a victory against reigning champions England.

Noor Ahmad was the match-winner against Pakistan, taking three wickets at an average of 16.33. Spinners will rejoice bowling in Pune, courtesy of the pitch and boundary dimensions.

Naveen-ul-Haq, meanwhile, is the ace pacer in this Afghanistan team. While he went wicketless against India, the 24-year-old scalped two, each, against Pakistan and New Zealand and took one wicket, each, versus England and Bangladesh. The Afghan team will rely on his skills with the new ball to break the Sri Lankan top order in the first powerplay. 

Afghanistan Predicted Playing XI
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)

Ibrahim Zadran

Rahmat Shah

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c)

Ikram Alikhil

Azmatullah Omarzai

Mohammad Nabi

Rashid Khan

Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Naveen-ul-Haq

Noor Ahmad

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Bharat Army Comes Up With Stunning Replies After Barmy Army Trolls Kohli

The battle between fans is quite common during the Cricket World Cup 2023 and it was in full display during the high-profile match between India and England in Lucknow on Sunday. It was a rare off day for Virat Kohli as he was dismissed for a duck and England's official fan army - Barmy Army - took to social media to taunt the veteran batter. While India were able to post a modest total, the bowlers were in full form and the duo of Joe Root and Ben Stokes also lost their wickets without scoring a single run. India's fan army - Bharat Army - wasted no time in coming up with hilarious replies to the earlier taunts.

Earlier, England bowlers led by David Willey kept India down to 229-9 despite skipper Rohit Sharma's 87 in a must-win Cricket World Cup 2023 match for the defending champions on Sunday.

Just out for an evening walk https://t.co/G0P54UrpRB pic.twitter.com/SugpLAQPbB

— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) October 29, 2023

Willey, a left-arm quick, returned figures of 3-45, including the prized wicket of Virat Kohli for a nine-ball duck, after England elected to bowl at Lucknow in search of a victory to cling on to their slim hopes of making the semi-finals.

Fast bowler Chris Woakes and leg-spinner Adil Rashid picked up two wickets each and a spirited performance by the fielders, who threw themselves around to stop runs, made England look a like a different side.

Just give us some time to make the edits. @TheBarmyArmy https://t.co/G0P54UrpRB pic.twitter.com/qBZDz1E04Z

— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) October 29, 2023

The 2019 champions sit bottom of the 10-team table with four defeats from five matches.

"I missed my lengths early in the tournament, and I'm my own biggest critic," Woakes said in the innings break.

"Fielding set the tone for us. It took a bit of spin, and it's a bit two-paced, but hopefully under lights it'll slide on. But we'd have taken that at the start. Hopefully we can bat well and chase it down."

Suryakumar Yadav made a fighting 49 before becoming Willey's third wicket but the tail played out the full 50 overs.

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India's Predicted XI vs England, WC 2023: Will R Ashwin Get A Chance?

An unbeaten India face England in the 29th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Sunday, October 29, at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, starting at 2:00 PM IST. England, after three defeats in a row, are ninth in the points table at the World Cup 2023. The reigning champions lost the tournament opener against New Zealand but bounced back to beat Bangladesh. However, the Three Lions have since lost to Afghanistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

India, meanwhile, are the only unbeaten team in the tournament with five wins in five matches. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team are second in the points table with 10 points and a healthy net run rate of 1.353.

The Indian team has chased successfully in all matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Their latest game saw a four-wicket victory against 2019 edition runners-up New Zealand.

While Daryl Mitchell smashed a ton for the Kiwis, Mohammed Shami scalped five wickets as some good death bowling restricted New Zealand to 273. The Indian openers - Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill - set the platform for the run chase with a 71-run stand. Virat Kohli's 104-ball 95 supported ably by cameos from KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja guided India to a win with 12 balls to spare at Dharamsala.

India, earlier, beat Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Australia in the tournament.

Ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya was injured in the victory against Bangladesh and remains sidelined for the upcoming match against England. Ravichandran Ashwin, meanwhile, is expected to feature in the playing XI as the pitch at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium is conducive to spinners.

Openers: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has amassed 311 runs in five matches in this tournament. The Hitman has slammed a fifty and a century while striking at 133.47, maximising the scoring in the powerplay. Rohit has hit 17 sixes in five matches, the most by an Indian batter in this tournament.

Shubman Gill, on the other hand, has been a more steady influence atop the innings. He notched 53 runs off 55 balls against Bangladesh, his best World Cup score. Shubman is equally adept at scoring freely against pacers and spinners as the slower pitch conditions at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium are expected to suit his batting style.

Middle order: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul

Virat Kohli is India's leading run-scorer at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 with 354 runs. He smashed his 48th ODI ton against Bangladesh and was tantalisingly close to hitting another against New Zealand in India's latest victory. Kohli has scored at an average of 118.00 in this tournament.

Shreyas Iyer has been key in driving the tempo in the middle overs, which will be crucial at Lucknow. He has notched 130 runs while averaging 43.33 in five games.

KL Rahul has also been vital in the run chases for India. He remained unbeaten on 97 in the win against Australia and chipped in with cameos against Bangladesh and New Zealand. The Indian wicket-keeper batter plays franchise cricket at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium and is expected to pile on the runs in familiar conditions.

All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravindra Jadeja has been exceptional with the ball in the tournament. He has picked up seven wickets at an average of 27.14 and an economy rate of 3.97, restricting the opposition in the middle overs. His best spell of 3/28 came in spin-friendly conditions in Chennai and the pitch at Lucknow is expected to be similar. Jadeja also remained unbeaten on 39 in India's recent successful run chase against New Zealand.

On the other hand, Ravichandran Ashwin has played just once this World Cup, taking one wicket in the team's tournament opener against Australia in Chennai. With Hardik Pandya injured and spinners expected to dominate at Lucknow, Ashwin is expected to make the playing XI against England on Sunday.

Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

Kuldeep Yadav will be another Indian spinner to watch out for against England. He has scalped 10 wickets in six ODIs against the English side and has registered eight wickets in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 so far.

Jasprit Bumrah, meanwhile, is India's leading wicket-taker with 11 dismissals. He has a stunning economy rate of 3.80 alongside an average of 16.27. Bumrah's powerplay and death bowling have baffled batters in this tournament.

Mohammed Shami's figures read 5/54 against New Zealand in his first outing of the tournament. He is expected to partner Mohammed Siraj, who has scalped six wickets in this tournament. The duo will be key to breaking partnerships early on in the innings.

India's Predicted Playing XI

Rohit Sharma (c)

Shubman Gill

Virat Kohli

Shreyas Iyer

KL Rahul (wk)

Ravindra Jadeja

Ravichandran Ashwin

Jasprit Bumrah

Kuldeep Yadav

Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Siraj

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World Cup 2023: David Warner-Travis Head Pair Registers Big ODI Record

Australian openers David Warner and Travis Head created a new batting record in their World Cup match against New Zealand at Dharamshala on Saturday. Warner and Head stitched a partnership of 175 runs in just 19.1 overs (115 balls). The opening duo achieved a run rate of 9.13 per over, which is the highest run rate for any 150-run plus opening stand in ODIs. Warner and Head overtook England duo of Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy, who scored 159 in 105 balls, with a run rate of 9.08 against Pakistan in Bristol back in 2019.

This is the second-highest partnership for the first wicket by Australia in an ODI against New Zealand. The highest partnership is by Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh, of 189 runs against Kiwis in 2000.

Travis Head is also the fifth Australian to register a World Cup hundred on his debut in the tournament. Other names to do so are Trevor Chappell, Geoff Marsh, Andrew Symonds and Aaron Finch.

Coming to the match, a 175-run opening stand between Travis Head (109 in 67 balls, with 10 fours and seven sixes) and Warner and contributions from lower middle-order such as Glenn Maxwell (41 in 24 balls, with five fours and two sixes), Josh Inglis (38 in 28 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and skipper Pat Cummins (37 in 14 balls with two fours and four sixes) powered Aussies to 388 in 49.2 overs.

Glenn Phillips (3/37) and Trent Boult (3/77) were the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand. Mitchell Santner got two wickets while Matt Henry and James Neesham took one each.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Had He Given It Out...": Babar's Honest Verdict On Crucial DRS Decision

A disappointed Pakistan captain Babar Azam took it on his stride despite being on the wrong side of a DRS call during his team's gut-wrenching one-wicket loss to South Africa in a Cricket World Cup 2023 match in Chennai on Friday. It could have been all over in the 46th over for South Africa when a Haris Rauf delivery, bowled wide off the crease, stuck Keshav Maharaj on the pads and Pakistan went for the DRS call after on-field umpire ruled it not out. Ball tracking showed that the ball would have kissed the leg stump but Maharaj survived the DRS appeal, courtesy Umpires' Call, leaving the entire Pakistan unit distraught.

"It's part of the game. This is umpire's call so I think it's just part of the game. Had he given it out, it would have favoured us," Babar said during the post-match presentation when asked about the DRS call.

With Pakistan almost out of the tournament, Babar seemed drained with the opportunity lost.

"I think it's disappointing everyone, we had the opportunity to win this match and stay in the tournament but we missed it. We will try our best in our next three matches and put our effort so let's see where we stand after the three matches."

Babar blamed his batters for falling 20 runs short what could have been a winning score on the Chepauk track.

"Very disappointing, we fought back well but we were 10-15 runs short. I think the way fast bowlers bowled, they did well but unfortunately the result was not in our side." South Africa captain Temba Bavuma didn't mince words while pointing out that they need to address the issue of losing close games and was glad that they could win a tight contest.

"Pressure with us chasing, we haven't done well to rectify that. It will be easier to have those conversations especially after the win. You need to have the guys in the best situations and truly speak out as to what they were thinking.

"Hard to say now but those conversations will happen. It is something we have spoken and something which has been thrown about.

"We have a blueprint when we bat first, we can't say with conviction we have that when we are cashing. We want to be a lot more clinical with the bat." Giving an update on their premier bowler Kagiso Rabada, Bavuma said: "KG (Rabada) is good. It was more precautionary. He is experiencing lower back issues and a couple of days rest before New Zealand and he will be in contention." He also praised Tabraiz Shamsi, who was adjudged the Player of the Match award for his four wicket haul.

"Ecstatic for Shamsi. Started with the ball, came in when conditions were helpful and then with the bat.

"We have seen Shamsi gloating on social media about his batting. It won't stop for the next two weeks but it's nice for a senior guy like Shamsi to come out with the bat like that."

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World Cup Points Table: What Loss Against SA Means For Under-Fire Pakistan

The Pakistan cricket team's disappointing show at the Cricket World Cup 2023 continued on Friday as they were defeated by South Africa in a thriller at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The Babar Azam-led side came agonisingly close to victory but were ultimately defeated by just one wicket. As a result, Pakistan are sixth in the points table and with just four points from six matches, they will find it extremely difficult to book their berth in the knockout stages. On the other hand, South Africa claimed the top spot as they leapfrogged the unbeaten Indian cricket team. While both sides have 10 points in the competition, South Africa have the better Net Run Rate (NRR). New Zealand are third at the moment while Australia and Sri Lanka are fourth and fifth respectively.

Here is the updated Cricket World Cup 2023 points table:

South Africa defeated Pakistan by one wicket in a tense finish to push their Asian rivals to the brink of elimination from the Cricket World Cup 2023 on Friday.

South Africa bowled out Pakistan for 270 and then returned to overhaul the target, scoring 271 for 9 in 47.2 overs with Aiden Markram top-scoring with a 93-ball 91.

Earlier, opting to bat, skipper Babar Azam made a 65-ball 50, while Saud Shakeel scored a run-a-ball 52. Shadab Khan also chipped in with a 36-ball 43.

However, Pakistan couldn't build partnerships as South Africa managed to take wickets with Tabraiz Shamsi (4/60) emerging as the most successful bowler.

Marco Jansen (3/43), Gerald Coetzee (2/42) and Lungi Ngidi (1/45) shared six wickets among them.

(With PTI inputs)

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Steamed Dim Sums, Tofu, And..." Virat Kohli's World Cup Meal Revealed

Team India superstar Virat Kohli is in the form of his life in the Cricket World Cup 2023, emerging as the top-scoring batter in the tournament with 354 runs in 5 matches. While Kohli's hunger for runs and to succeed with the Indian team has seen him go from strength to strength in the tournament, the 34-year-old has also taken good care of the sort of food he eats to remain in optimum shape. Now a chef from one of the hotels where Team India stayed has revealed what has Kohli been eating during this World Cup.

The executive chef of a hotel revealed that most players have been opting for high-protein and low-carb diets during the course of the World Cup. While some players prefer grilled fish and chicken, being a vegan, Virat has been relying on tofu and soy-based meals for his protein requirements.

"The buffet has all kinds of meat but the players opt for steamed or grilled chicken or fish," Anushman Bali, executive chef at Leela Palace, told the Times of India.

"Virat doesn't eat meat and so we went for steamed foods, like vegetarian dim sums, and other vegetable-based proteins, like soya, mock meats, and lean proteins, like tofu for him. We include as little dairy as possible in his meals," says Anushman.

He revealed that Australian and New Zealand teams usually take steamed or sauteed vegetables with steamed fish or chicken as lunch. Devon Conway, however, would sometimes like to have parathas.

"Many of the teams have stayed with us for the IPL earlier so we know their preferences. The New Zealand team stays away from curries, but there are players such as Devon Conway, for example, who have tried Indian food before and will ask for parathas once in a while. Or dosa for breakfast," says Anshuman.

With the Indian team, Ragi doas is something that has been a favourite, according to the hotel's chef.

"We have millet dosas, millet idlis and quinoa idli on the menu. All the players know it's healthy protein, so they all tried it. Ragi dosas were a favourite with the Indian team for breakfast," he said.

"For New Zealand, it was Pavlova, their national dessert, which is a meringue-based dessert made with egg white, filled with fresh fruits," he further said.

When it comes to alcohol, it's a complete no-no among teams unless there's a post-win party.

"And there is no alcohol unless there is a win when there will be a little party," the chef said.

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"They Underestimated Our Team": Sri Lanka Star's Jibe At England After Win

Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana took a jibe at England saying the defending champions underestimated the Islanders at their own peril, and suffered a heavy eight-wicket defeat which could end their semifinal aspirations in the World Cup. Sri Lankan bowlers were spot-on on a spongy-bounced wicket and skittled out England for 156, and then emerged the winner riding on fifties by Sadeera Samarawickrama and Pathum Nissanka. "I think they underestimated our team because we also lost three games and we only won against the Netherlands.

"That's why the result went our way because we backed our strength. We went in with a simple plan, so that's why we won the game today," said Theekshana in the post-match press meet in Bengaluru.

Sri Lankan bowlers had a woeful time in the first four matches, leaking runs aplenty and South Africa had even mustered a 400-plus total.

Theekshana said the Lankans executed their plans much better in this match.

"In the first four games, we didn't bowl well in the middle overs. I think we lost three games because of our bowling. So, we did some practice sessions to get more discipline, all the fast bowlers did their hard work before the game so they know what they have to do in the game (today)," he said.

Theekshana admitted that the surface at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, often batsmen's ally, changed its character a bit during this match as the bowlers too got some purchase.

"I have played an IPL match (here) and the pitch was different. (Today) there was a bit of turn, pace and bounce. In that IPL match, the pitch was flat and scoring runs was relatively easy.

"I'm not implying that it was tough to accumulate runs in this match, as we managed to score 150 runs with just two wickets down," he said.

The mystery spinner lauded pacers Angelo Mathews and Lahiru Kumara for getting some important England wickets.

"In the initial four or five overs, we conceded a few runs due to our inability to find the right length. However, when Angelo took the ball, he used his experience to adjust the length. This allowed us to regain our discipline in bowling.

"Lahiru then maintained it. We took constant wickets as England went into a defensive mode. So, we had a chance to take wickets, that's what we'd planned here," said Theekshana.

The victory over England, Theekshana said, will help Sri Lanka to approach upcoming matches with more confidence.

"Our confidence as a team has increased a lot. In this match we got a very big victory. We are looking to play well in the upcoming four matches and reach the semifinals," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Watch: England's Bad Day Turns Worse As Star Gets Run Out In Bizzare Way

The England cricket team has had a poor outing with the bat on Thursday. During a Cricket World Cup 2023 match against Sri Lanka at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, England captain Jos Buttler won the toss and opted to bat first. The side was bundled out for 156 with Ben Stokes being their best performer with a score of 43. While majority of the England batters found their own way to lose their wickets, the dismissal of Adil Rashid was certainly the most bizzare one.

Maheesh Theekshana bowled a wide ball down the leg stump to England batter David Willey. Kusal Mendis collected the ball behind the stumps and showed superb awareness to notice that Adil Rashid, the non-striker, was wandering out of his crease.

Mendis cashed in on the opportunity by hitting the stumps at the other end with a brilliant throw, catching Rashid short of the crease. 

Watch the video here:

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A post shared by ICC (@icc)

England needed a return to their aggressive ways but they produced a cagey batting effort to get bowled out for a modest total against a confident Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Having logged just two points from four games, England were expected to show some urgency but the defending champions struggled massively on a pitch that offered spongy bounce after batting by choice.

But more than the surface or the enterprising Sri Lankan bowlers, the English batsmen battled inner demons, save Ben Stokes who made a gritty 43 off 73 balls.

Opener Dawid Malan who milked 45 runs with Jonny Bairstow, could be excused though.

Angelo Mathews, an injury replacement for pacer Matheesha Pathirana, put him in two minds with a delivery that bounced from the length just enough to take an edge off his bat to Kusal Mendis behind the stumps.

However, Malan during his 25-ball 28 showed that the pitch is not a hard one to bat on while essaying some gorgeous drives through the off-side.

Unfortunately, the route was not taken by several subsequent batters and they were also culpable of playing some really poor cricket.

(With PTI Inputs)

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NZ Great Picks Netherlands Star Ahead Of Babar As 'ODI World Cup Captain'

The captaincy of Babar Azam has come under severe scrutiny since Pakistan's eight-wicket loss to Afghanistan in Cricket World Cup 2023. With it, the Babar-led side suffered its third consecutive defeat in the ongoing tournament. It was a good start for Pakistan in the tournament with two wins in as many games but Rohit Sharma-led Indian team broke the Asian neighbour's winning run before the side also suffered defeats at the hands of Australia and Afghanistan. Babar has been at the receiving end of all the backlash.

Amid the ongoing criticism of Babar's captaincy, former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond picked Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards ahead of Babar when he was asked to pick the 'ODI World Cup captain' between the two. Bond revealed his choice during an interaction with ESPNcricinfo.

Pakistan are in a must-win situation against a marauding South Africa in Chennai on Friday and a loss will virtually end their hopes of progressing to the semifinals, as they have suffered three consecutive defeats in five matches so far.

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday hinted that skipper Babar's captaincy could be on the line if the team's campaign in the ongoing World Cup fails.

"Addressing the media scrutiny directed at captain Babar Azam and the team management, the board's stance, echoing that of former cricketers, is that successes and defeats are part of the game. Captain Babar Azam and Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq were given freedom and support in forming the squad for the ICC World Cup 2023," said PCB in a statement.

"Looking ahead, the board will make decisions in the best interest of Pakistan cricket based on the team's performances in the World Cup. At present, the PCB encourages fans, former players and stakeholders to rally behind the team as they strive to make a triumphant comeback in the mega-event."

Pakistan have four points from five matches, having suffered consecutive defeats against arch-rivals India, Australia and Afghanistan.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Glenn Maxwell 'Wasn't Expecting' To Hit Record 40-Ball World Cup Century

Glenn Maxwell admitted he "wasn't expecting" to hit a record 40-ball Cricket World Cup century on Wednesday. Maxwell, nicknamed 'The Big Show' for his flamboyant hitting, clubbed eight fours and eight sixes in his run blitz as Australia piled up 399-8 against the Netherlands in New Delhi. On a record-shattering day, five-time champions Australia went on to bowl out the Dutch for just 90, completing a World Cup record 309-run rout. Maxwell's stunning assault bettered the record of South Africa's Aiden Markram who blasted a century off 49 balls against Sri Lanka at the same venue 18 days ago.

"It feels pretty good. I have been pretty cooked today so I wasn't expecting much but it probably cleared my head a little bit to be able to go out there and play," said Maxwell.

It was also the fourth fastest century in all ODIs.

South Africa's AB de Villiers leads the way with his 31-ball century against the West Indies in Johannesburg in 2015.

New Zealander Corey Anderson reached three figures off 36 balls against the West Indies at Queenstown in 2014 while Shahid Afridi of Pakistan made a century from 37 deliveries facing Sri Lanka in Nairobi back in 1996.

The 35-year-old Maxwell, playing in his 133rd ODI, was eventually out for 104, just short of his career best 108 made against England in Manchester in 2020.

It was also comfortably his best score of this World Cup -- his highest before Wednesday was 31 not out against Sri Lanka in Lucknow.

"I was just trying to get a read on the bowlers because I felt like I had enough time to change and adapt. Generally I am just trying to get any reverse sweeps over the infield.

"I thought the Netherlands were outstanding. It felt like they saved some certain boundaries in the first 25-30 overs."

After being named man of the match, Maxwell added: "It's like a perfect game, when you get 400 and bowl a team out for under 100. We've had three good wins now and will look to build on that momentum."

Australia skipper Pat Cummins, who was at the crease with Maxwell as he launched the Dutch bowlers to all parts of the stadium, described his teammate as "a freak."

Dutch bowler Bas de Leede ended with figures of 2-115 -- the worst ever ODI performance.

"That was crazy," said Cummins of Maxwell. "That was just a freak show, you've got no options as a bowler when someone is running as hot as that.

"It's the cleanest hitting you're going to see."

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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"Dumbest Idea": Maxwell Fumes At WC Light Show, Says It Causes "Headache"

Australia's record-breaking batsman Glenn Maxwell blasted mid-match, nightclub-style light shows at the Cricket World Cup as "the dumbest idea" on Wednesday, claiming they cause "shocking headaches". Maxwell struck the fastest World Cup century in just 40 balls to lead Australia to a tournament record 309-run win over the Netherlands at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley stadium. But a pounding sound and light show in the middle of the Dutch reply did not amuse Maxwell, who covered his eyes with both hands during the near two-minute spectacle.

"Well, I had something like that light show happen at Perth Stadium during a Big Bash game," Maxwell said after his man-of-the-match knock of 106 off 44 balls in a team total of 399-8.

"And I just felt like it gave me shocking headaches and it takes me a while for my eyes to readjust and I just think it's the dumbest idea for cricketers."

Arun Jaitley Stadium today's match lights show . #AUSvsNED pic.twitter.com/9hUutVNm93

— Sports Addict (AJ) (@AJpadhi) October 25, 2023

He added: "So I just try and cover up as much as I possibly can and ignore it but it's a horrible, horrible idea. Great for the fans, horrible for the players."

Australian bowlers led by leg-spinner Adam Zampa dismissed the Dutch for 90 in 21 overs for the biggest margin of victory in World Cup history.

Maxwell, nicknamed "The Big Show" for his swashbuckling batting, said he had been unwell on the eve of Wednesday's game.

He said he was sick from a sleepless night after being joined by his family ahead of his team's fifth match of the tournament. "Yeah, not great. I was sitting in the changing room and I didn't really want to bat, which is a bit different than the last game where I was way too eager to get out there," Maxwell told reporters.

"But yeah, I was a little bit more chilled when I got out there. Didn't have many high hopes, I think. But I've been pretty cooked the last couple of days. Coincided with the sleepless night last night with the family over."

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"As Far As Captaincy Is Concerned...": Babar Azam Answers The Big Question

There arguably isn't a person in cricket who is more under pressure than Pakistan captain Babar Azam. Following a dismal campaign in the Cricket World Cup 2023 -- losing three of the first five matches -- Pakistan see their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread. The situation is such that Babar's captaincy skills have also come in the line of fire, with fans, experts, and many former cricketers questioning if he even has what it takes to succeed as a skipper.

There are those who feel that the captaincy responsibility is the reason behind Babar's poor show with the bat in the World Cup. When he was asked about the same in the post-match press conference, the Pakistan skipper played down the talks.

Reporter: Your emotions are telling us that you are sad just like the whole nation is sad. What message would you give to the crores [millions] of people in Pakistan who are following this team? The question from this team is incomplete, do they have any expectations? And the additional burden of the captaincy, is it affecting your individual performance? What do you think about the team's incomplete performance and the captain's extra weight?

Babar Azam Complete Press Conference after shameful loss to Afghanistan : -#PAKvAFG pic.twitter.com/t6LeHfiXi0

— Sohaib (@Sohaib_Iqbal_) October 23, 2023

Babar Azam: You never know. It's cricket. Anything can happen. We will try to play our best cricket till the end. There are a lot of matches left, we will try to win all the matches. We will try to overcome our mistakes.

As far as captaincy is concerned, I don't have much pressure on me or on my batting. I try to give my best in batting. I am 100% and I have been doing that. During fielding, I think about captaincy and during batting I just think about the batting. How I should run and how I should run for the team.

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Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC With Generative AI Features, Wi-Fi 7, 240 FPS Gaming Support Launched

Qualcomm announced its latest flagship mobile platform, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, on Tuesday at the Snapdragon Summit. The successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC promises to bring a host of new upgrades and claims to be the first mobile platform focusing on generative AI. The SoC's AI engine supports multi-modal generative AI models, including popular large language models (LLMs). The Qualcomm Hexagon NPU promises 98 percent faster and 40 percent more efficient performance. It also promises 240 fps gaming on supported displays, featuring global illumination with ray tracing. The Qualcomm Adreno GPU is claimed to be 25 percent faster and more efficient than the one on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. The 5G-ready chip supports Wi-Fi 7 and dual Bluetooth.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Availability

According to Qualcomm, flagship Android devices powered by its latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC are expected to be available in the coming weeks. The chip will be adopted for flagship devices by global OEMs and smartphone brands, including ASUS, Honor, iQOO, MEIZU, NIO, Nubia, OnePlus, OPPO, realme, Redmi, RedMagic, Sony, Vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 features

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC comes with the Qualcomm AI engine, featuring an improved hexagon process claimed to be 98 percent faster and 40 percent more efficient. The chip brings generative AI capabilities, promising the world's fastest stable diffusion for image generation. The chip is based on the 4nm processing technology, with the Qualcomm Kryo CPU delivering up to 3.3 GHz at 30 percent faster and 20 percent more efficient rates. The CPU comes with five Performance cores, up to 3.2 GHz, and two Efficiency cores, up to 2.3 GHz.

The chip also promises high-end gaming performance, featuring hardware-accelerated ray tracing with global illumination. The chip promises 240 fps gaming on supported displays, with the Qualcomm Adreno GPU claimed to be 25 percent faster and more efficient.

The new chip also promises a bunch of new camera features powered by AI. The chip comes with a Video Object Eraser by Arcsoft that removes unwanted elements and people from a video. It also gets new zoom capabilities, powered by Samsung's 200-megapixel image sensor optimized for Snapdragon, allowing multiple video capture, object tracking and 2X and 4X zoom. It supports Dolby HDR and features Photo Expansion, which fills up photos with the help of AI.

For connectivity, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 brings the Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 System, the same as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with support for Wi-Fi 7 802.11be, 802.11ax, 802.11ac, 802.11a/b/g/n, and Bluetooth 5.4. The latest chip features the Snapdragon X75 5G Modem-RF System. The mobile platform is claimed to feature the world's first 5G modem with an integrated AI tensor hardware accelerator.

The chip also supports 24-bit 96 kHz lossless music over Bluetooth, USB Version 3.1 Gen 2, USB Type-C, and UFS 4.0 storage.

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Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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WC Points Table: SA Make Big Gains, Surpass New Zealand To Be Placed 2nd

Riding on Quinton de Kock's ton, some brutal late hitting from Heinrich Klaasen and bowlers' brilliance South Africa registered a massive 149-run victory over Bangladesh in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 match at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. The Proteas also garnered a massive net run rate boost with another emphatic win. Defiant Mahmudullah was the only batter who stood tall today for Bangladesh but his vigilant knock of 111 runs went in vain as other batters failed to score big.

Gerald Coetzee was the destructor-in-chief as he returned with a 3-wicket haul while Lizaad Williams and Marco Jansen bagged two wickets respectively.

With the win, South Africa have climbed up to the second spot in the points table. 

While chasing a whopping total of 383, a promising start to Bangladesh's reply came to an end when Tanzid Hasan (12) gloved behind a short ball from Marco Jansen.

Jansen then strangled Najmul Hossain Shanto along the leg side on the next delivery.

Bangladesh's chase lay in tatters as three wickets fell in the space of an eight-ball blitz during the first powerplay.

The all-rounder fell short of a hat-trick when his attempted yorker was converted into an easily defended full ball, but Lizaad Williams kept the wickets coming by dismissing Shakib Al Hasan (1). The wickets continued to fall as Gerald Coetzee dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim for 8.

Litton Das' valiant battle came to an end when he was caught leg-before by Kagiso Rabada for a 44-ball 22. Keshav Maharaj joined the wicket-taking frenzy when he caught Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the deep for 11, ending Bangladesh's pursuit before it had even begun.

With a superb knock from number six, Mahmudullah restored Bangladesh's pride and helped his team avoid a record defeat. In a pressure run chase, Mahmudullah brought up his 67-ball World Cup fifty with Bangladesh seven wickets down.

Bangladesh veteran Mahmudullah slammed his fourth one-day international hundred; his third in ODI World Cups. With the help of the tail, Mahmudullah reached his own personal milestone with a high-class century against South Africa's weary attack, coming off 104 balls.

Bangladesh did have reason to celebrate at the finish when Mahmudullah hit a century and the fans cheered in encouragement. However, the centurion's exit ignited a string of quick wickets as South Africa won by 149 runs.

Earlier, a 20th ODI hundred from de Kock and some brutal hitting from Klaasen guided South Africa to a huge first-innings total of 382/5. De Kock finished with the second-highest World Cup score by a South African batter, while Klaasen was also at his savage best to give the Proteas a resounding total. A mind-boggling 217 runs were scored in the final 20 overs, with 144 coming in the final 60 deliveries.

Brief score: South Africa 382/5 (Quinton de Kock 174, Heinrich Klaasen 90; Hasan Mahmud 2-67) vs Bangladesh 233 (Mahmudullah 111, Litton Das 22; Gerald Coetzee 3-62).

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Sarfaraz, Shaheen, Rizwan Among Candidates To Replace Skipper Babar

Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi are being discussed as potential candidates who could replace Babar Azam as captain when the national team returns home from the World Cup in India. Pakistan are scheduled to tour Australia immediately after the World Cup. The team also needs to plan for the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

There is a clear consensus developing in the Pakistan Cricket Board that Babar has had his chance to prove himself and he has failed to deliver as captain.

Pakistan have four more league games left in the World Cup, having lost their last three including against Afghanistan on Monday. They can still qualify for the semifinals.

"Only if Pakistan can stage a miracle and win all their remaining matches to qualify for the semi-finals of this World Cup does Babar stand any chance of surviving as captain and even then he might be relegated to skipper in just the red ball format," one reliable source close to the developments said.

The source said that the knives were out for Babar and he might as well announce his resignation as captain if the team returns home without playing in the World Cup semifinals.

"It is over for Babar because he has been given unbridled power and authority as captain and more importantly he has always had players of his choice in the team.

"There has never been any attempt to reduce his authority and so he is now being held solely responsible for the Asia Cup and World Cup defeats," the source added.

He noted that even for the Asia Cup and World Cup, despite advice from former captains Misbah ul Haq and Muhammad Hafeez to make some changes for the event in India, Babar had got all the 18 players he asked for and chief selector, Inzamam ul Haq had also supported him completely.

"The PCB Chairman, Zaka Ashraf ignored the advice of Misbah and Hafeez and some other former players whom he consulted as Babar was adamant he didn't want changes in the team for the World Cup," the source said.

Misbah also confirmed on a television channel that he had advised Babar to include mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed in the World Cup but Babar refused and only agreed to take him as a travelling reserve to India.

The interesting part is that lobbies for the possible candidates including Sarfaraz, Shaheen, Rizwan and Shan Masood have started their work to get their candidate selected as captain with the board now likely to name different captains for the red and white ball formats.

"Sarfaraz might win the nod to captain the Test and ODI sides again while Shaheen may get a chance to be the T20 captain," the source added. Sarfaraz is currently not part of the World Cup squad.

The source also disclosed that the support staff of Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn, Mornie Merkel, Andrew Puttick and manager Rehan ul Haq are also under the scanner and will be asked to step down after the World Cup.

"They are very bright chances that Pakistan will have a new coaching staff and captain when they embark on the Test tour of Australia and for the white ball series in New Zealand after the WC," the source said.

The source said that the board was also not happy with reports leaking out of some differences and disputes in the dressing room, something that PCB rubbished on Monday.

Babar was initially named T20 captain in late 2019 but by 2021 he had taken over captaincy of all three formats.

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Irfan Pathan Equates Mohammed Shami To 'Ferrari', Wins Internet With Tweet

Former pacer Irfan Pathan compared Mohammed Shami with "Ferrari" after the 33-year-old bagged a five-wicket haul against New Zealand at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday. "Mohammed Shami is like Ferrari. Whenever you take it out of garage it will give you same speed thrill and joy to ride every time," Irfan Pathan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Following his brilliant performance against New Zealand, Shami broke plenty of records. He became the first Indian to bag two five-wicket hauls in the history of the ODI World Cup. Shami's stupendous performance helped the 'Men in Blue' to restrict New Zealand at 273 on Sunday.

Shami also overtook legendary spinner Anil Kumble to become the country's second-highest wicket-taker in the history of the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Mohammed shami is like Ferrari. Whenever you take it out of garage it will give u same speed thrill and joy to ride every time. @MdShami11

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) October 22, 2023

In the ODI World Cup, Shami made his debut in the 2015 edition. His current tally in World Cup wickets stands at 36. His best figures in the prestigious tournament are 5/54.

Coming to the match, India put New Zealand to bat first. 'Men in Blue' was off to a good start, reducing Kiwis to 19/2 in powerplay. But a partnership of 159 runs between Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra (75 in 87 balls, with six fours and a six) helped NZ come back in the game.

However, India made a comeback in later stages, bundling out Kiwis for 273 runs in 50 overs.
Shami (5/54) was the pick of the bowlers for India. Kuldeep Yadav (2/73) was also fine with the ball. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj took a wicket each.

India won the match by 4 wickets with Virat Kohli scoring a brilliant 95.

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"No Room For Error": Jos Buttler After England's Loss To South Africa

England captain Jos Buttler accepted the champions "have no room for error from here on in" at the World Cup after a record 229-run defeat by South Africa. The Proteas piled up 399-7 after Buttler sent them into bat in Mumbai on Saturday, with Heinrich Klaasen defying the hot and humid conditions at the Wankhede Stadium to post a gutsy hundred. England, having conceded their highest one-day international total, then collapsed to 170 as they suffered what was also their record loss at this level.

They have now lost three of their first four games -- a nine-wicket hammering by New Zealand and shock defeat by Afghanistan also on their record -- with another defeat likely to scupper their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals.

"It certainly leaves us in a tough position," said Buttler, whose side next play Sri Lanka on Thursday.

"There's no room for error from here on in.

"It's going to be incredibly difficult. We haven't left ourselves any margin from this point in. But we'll keep the belief. We'll sit down and go again."

England's bowlers were powerless to resist as Klaasen (109) and Marco Jansen (75 not out) shared a sixth-wicket stand of 151 in just 77 balls.

Faced with an enormous chase, England's batsmen felt compelled to go for their shots against a proven South Africa pace attack.

But there was still something alarming about the way in which they were dismissed in 22 overs.

"I think it's obvious that we're not performing to our best," said Buttler.

"It's my job as captain, along with the rest of the team, to work out how we can get back to playing that brand of cricket, playing to our potential and getting back to our best.

"It certainly won't be anyone giving up or having those kind of thoughts. We'll just have to dust ourselves down and stick our chests out and go again."

Saturday's result might have been different had Buttler opted to bat first after winning the toss.

As it was, his decision to field exposed the whole of England's XI to the energy-sapping conditions, with the temperature soaring to 36 degrees.

"With hindsight, with the physicality of that innings, potentially batting first would have been a better decision," Buttler said.

"It's a decision I took at the time. I thought it was the right one and I still believe if we were chasing 340, 350, we would have done really well in those conditions."

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Klaasen-Jansen Post Highest 6th Wicket Partnership For SA In ODIs

South Africa players Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen stitched a brutal partnership of 151 runs from 77 balls in the first inning and took the Proteas at 399/7 in the 20th match of the ODI World Cup 2023 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. Following the pair's 151-run partnership in the first inning, they have made their name into the history book after they made the highest partnership for the sixth wicket or below for South Africa in ODIs surpassing 138* between Justin Kemp and Andrew Hall against India in Cape Town in 2006.

Klaasen played a 109-run knock from 67 balls with a strike rate of 162.69 in the first inning. On the other hand, Jansen scored 75 runs from 42 balls with a strike rate of 178.57.

Klaasen contributed 69 runs in the 151-run partnership. While Jansen made 74 runs for the partnership. Heinrich Klaasen smashed 12 fours and four sixes in the first inning on Saturday. Meanwhile, Jansen slammed three fours and 6 sixes.

Coming to the match between South Africa and England, South Africa displayed a powerful performance in the first inning. Reeza Hendrick played an 85-run knock after opening for the Proteas. Van der Dussen also scored 60 runs. But Klaasen's iconic knock deserved all the limelight.

The English had a disappointing performance in the game. They failed to keep the run rate in check and take early wickets.

In the second inning, England needed 400 runs to win the game in Mumbai.

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'India Favourites To Win The Cricket World Cup Irrespective Of...': Taylor

Ahead of the clash between India and New Zealand, former New Zealand batter Ross Taylor lauded New Zealand and its stand-in skipper Tom Latham for their performances, but also warned that Men in Blue in their home conditions is a "different beast" and will remain favourites to win the tournament irrespective of the result of the match. India will lock horns against New Zealand at Dharamshala on Sunday. Both teams are undefeated in the tournament, having won four matches each and having eight points. New Zealand is at the top due to a better net run rate.

"I arrived in India on Friday and it is fantastic to be here in time for what is set to be a great match between the two remaining unbeaten teams," said Ross in his exclusive column as quoted by ICC.

"Of course, the fact New Zealand are one of them is particularly pleasing and I have been really impressed with how they have gone about it so far. They have played fantastically well. The first game would have come as a bit of a surprise to some - not necessarily beating England, but the manner in which they did so," he added.

Ross said that other than some overs of being put under pressure against Afghanistan, Kiwis have played some "very consistent and dominant cricket".

"Everyone has stood up at different stages. A lot has been made of the injuries to Tim Southee and Kane Williamson but the people who have come in have stepped up, particularly Will Young and Rachin Ravindra," he said.

Ross lauded Rachin for his performances, saying that he has taken his chance and looks all set to become a key part of the Kiwi side for years to come.

"If you had said two or three weeks before the tournament that Rachin would have been in the starting line-up, I do not think anyone would have picked that," said Ross.

"He pushed himself in there with his performances in the warm-up games and even then, I do not think people thought he would have batted as high up the order as he has," he continued.

"But he has taken his chance and he looks set to be a key part of the New Zealand side not only in this tournament but also in the years to come," concluded Ross about the all-rounder.

Ravindra (215 runs in four matches at 71.66, one century and fifty, three wickets) and Will Young (124 in three innings with two fifties) have been standout batters for the Kiwis.

"Tom Latham has stepped up too and shown fantastic leadership. Kane is obviously a big part of the team but they have played well without him for a while through this year and they know they can win without him, which is important," said Latham.

Kane had made a comeback against Bangladesh but an injury to his thumb after being hit by a ball while running has put his further participation in doubt again.

Ross said that NZ will have to get off to fine starts as they have some tough games coming up, starting with the Indian fixture.

"India in their home conditions are a different beast and they have started unsurprisingly strongly - I see them as favourites to win the competition at this stage, no matter what happens in Dharamshala tomorrow," said Ross.

The former batter lauded pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Jadeja and the top-order consisting of skipper Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli for their performances.

"Jasprit Bumrah has led the attack brilliantly, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Jadeja are bowling really nicely and their top three have been fantastic for a long time," said Ross.

"You cannot expect your top three to score runs all the time but they also now seem to have found a nice combination at four and five with Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul. New Zealand will need early wickets to put that middle order under pressure," he added.

Ross said the crowd, the majority of which will have Indian supporters will play its part in the match but also thinks that Kiwis will thrive there.

"The crowd will naturally play a part but I think New Zealand will thrive in that atmosphere. Every time you come here, you play in front of full crowds and you know you will be up against it. But at the same time, that's what you like about playing at World Cups, you want to play in front of full stadiums and test yourself against the best. The crowds here are very vocal but very fair at the same time," said Ross.

Ross noted that NZ has a strong record against India, having not lost a fixture at an ICC event for 20 years to them.

"I am not sure quite what explains why New Zealand keep beating India at these tournaments but if you talk to a lot of Indian supporters, New Zealand are their second favourite team - maybe that has something to do with it, who knows?!."

"Four years ago, we played them in the semi-final in Manchester and it was an iconic occasion. There was the Martin Guptill run out of MS Dhoni, the game going over two days because of the rain and ultimately, New Zealand coming out on top," recalled Ross about the 2019 semifinal and Dhoni runout that cost India the game.

"Hopefully, there will be a similar result tomorrow - top of the table at the halfway stage would be a great place to be," he concluded.

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"Put The Team First": Pujara On Virat Kohli Slowing Down To Reach 100

Indian batting icon Virat Kohli reached a new milestone in his illustrious career, notching up his 48th century in ODI cricket as India hammered Bangladesh in a World Cup 2023 match. As the cricketing fraternity celebrated Kohli's new milestone, there were a few who wondered if Kohli slowing down to reach his hundred at the end of the game was the right move. There were moments in the match where his non-striking partner KL Rahul would even deny singles to ensure Kohli get the strike. Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara, however, wasn't happy with this approach.

"As much I wanted Virat Kohli to score that hundred, you have to keep in mind, you want to finish the game as early as possible. You want your Net Run Rate to be at the top. If you are in a position where you are fighting for the Net Run Rate, then you don't want to look back and say 'you could have done that'," Cheteshwar Pujara told ESPN Cricinfo.
 
Pujara is of the opinion that Kohli and other Indian players should be putting the tem first. As far as personal milestones, Pujara feels it's the mindset of the player that also matters.

"That's where I feel that as a collective decision, maybe you have to sacrifice a bit. You want to look at the team, you want to put the team first, that's how I look at it. You want your milestone, but not at the cost of the team. As a player, you always have a choice. But some players feel if they get a hundred, it helps them in the next game. So it depends on what kind of mindset you have," he added.

Australia legend Matthew Hayden also opined on the subject, saying form can bite the player if he starts flirting with it.

"My initial reaction was he has earned the right to get to his hundred. You have got to be very careful in these tournaments. These things matter. The great Ian Bishop often talks about this, these things matter. The sporting gods are sinister-like, if you start flirting with that sort of form, then it can bit you. But it's a decision that they both took. I don't really have a problem with that." Hayden said.

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