In today’s cricket sports news, learn more about the T20 World Cup encounter India and Pakistan at the MCG was one of the best games, but it wasn’t just the cricket game that made it stand out as one of the most memorable. Also, even though India was down 4-31, Kohli led them to a miraculous triumph and one of the best T20 World Cup outcomes ever. Lastly, Kawory Berthé, president of the Malian Cricket Federation, is “convinced” that the country will have a team in the Accra 2023 African Games.
India Vs. Pakistan Was a Post-covid Celebration for Diasporas
Original Source: More than a cricket game: India v Pakistan felt like a post-Covid celebration for hard-hit diasporas
The cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan is fierce. While Australians value sport, Indians and Pakistanis consider cricket a religion. With the T20 World Cup in Australia for the first time, over 90,000 people flocked to the MCG. If not the largest South Asian gathering outside South Asia, it was close.
The rivalry between the two nations is often political. They last played a bilateral series over a decade ago and now only play globally. Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, unilaterally declared that India would not play the next Asia Cup in Pakistan. Anger was absent from the MCG stands on Monday.
On the way to Melbourne Park, two groups sold India and Pakistan jerseys. India fans in royal blue posed with Pakistan fans in green. This was the trend in the sea of blue and green around the precinct, and instead of the social media-fueled rivalry, it felt like a celebration of the diaspora in Australia.
Covid-19 hit the Indian and Pakistani diaspora hard. The two nations were among the hardest-hit by the pandemic, with most suffering loss. With two years of lockdowns, travel bans, and increased discrimination against these communities, there wasn’t much to cheer about. Both sets of fans felt they were in it together on Monday, and camaraderie grew around the grounds.
Indian and Pakistani bands simultaneously blasted the MCG. In the lines to enter the stadium, fans joked and laughed as they watched the teams warm up in the practice nets. The diasporas are two of the fastest-growing in Australia, so the audience was young; many were attending their first India vs. Pakistan game, including myself.
Both sets of fans sang and played music throughout the match as their chants filled the stadium. The roar of thousands singing the Indian national anthem gave me chills. Rohit Sharma was near tears by the end of the anthem.
As the players entered, the MCG transformed into a modern-day colosseum, with baying spectators awaiting gladiatorial combat. The excited murmur turned into a visceral roar when Arshdeep Singh trapped Babar Azam in the second over. The sound was so loud it made the stands shake.
Pakistani band horns blared when it seemed Kohli couldn’t win. When Delhi’s man hit Haris Rauf for six in the penultimate over, the crowd cheered again. When the winning run was hit, time seemed to stop. It was chaos then.
Many say this was the greatest T20 game. On cricket alone, other games may be better. With the crowd, atmosphere, drama, and overall narrative, this was arguably one of the most iconic cricket matches of the 21st century. It made Virat Kohli’s career. Perhaps it defined a generation of fans, too.
The most fervent Indian and Pakistani fans cheered throughout the match. Both groups shook hands with us and each other after the final ball was hit. The occasion called for a display of camaraderie. It was more than a game. I celebrated. And one nobody will forget.
Kohli’s MCG Miracle Explodes in Final Over Madness
Original Source: Kohli pulls off unthinkable in MCG miracle as bitter rivalry explodes in final over madness
Time passes, man arrives.
KL Rahul bowled Virat Kohli at 1-7. He was there when Rohit Sharma snuck off, bringing back memories of last year’s first-match loss to Pakistan.
He was there when India fell to 4-31 and looked like cricket’s chokers.
Hardik Pandya (40 off 37) was out first ball of the last over, leaving India 16 runs off five balls.
While Kohli was in, India still had hope as they chased 9-159.
Dinesh Karthik was stumped with two needed off the final two balls, but Kohli stood tall.
When he hit Mohammad Nawaz into the stands, the umpire signaled a no ball, turning the match yet again. India needed six off three.
Again, the pressure rose.
Kohli was bowled off a re-bowled free hit, and the batters scrambled three runs as Karthik returned to bat.
Ravi Ashwin needed two off Nawaz’s last ball to win after Karthik’s bizarre dismissal.
Ashwin watched the umpire’s arms spread when Nawaz bowled wide.
After the final over’s chaos, Ashwin played a clean drive over mid-off and India won by four wickets.
Harsha Bhogle, a cricket expert, thought he saw a tear roll down Kohli’s cheek as he slammed the ground.
“India wins. I think this is one of the greatest wins in history. Virat Kohli saved it. What a champion!
“Pakistan must be devastated.”
“I think Virat Kohli has a tear. I’ve seen Virat Kohli play for years and some of his best innings, but I think I spotted a tear.
Kohli led India from 4-31 to one of the greatest T20 World Cup victories.
He scored 15 from his first 24 deliveries, then 67 from his final 29 balls.
Former captain called it his best T20 innings.
“Until today, Mohali was my best Australia innings. Kohli told Ravi Shastri, his former coach, that he scored 82 off 52 and 53 today.
“I’ll count this one higher because of the game and situation. It seemed impossible, but Handik pushed me in that partnership, and we went deep.
KL Rahul (4) and Rohit Sharma (4) were out in the first four overs of India’s run chase.
Suryakumar Yadav was next to go, edging behind for 15, before Kohli ran out Axar Patel for 2, leaving India 4-31.
Before Kohli sent Patel back, both men left. Babar Azam and wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan fumbled the ball, but the third umpire ruled that the ball removed the bails before the keeper’s gloves.
Kohli and Pandya, a man Shane Warne thought was a superstar, started slowly before belting 20 off Nawaz’s third over with three sixes.
Nawaz ended Pandya’s 113-run stand in the final over.
Kohli and Sharma’s cool batting led India to a thrilling victory, forcing Pakistan to win their remaining matches to advance.
Sharma won the toss and sent Pakistan into bat. India struck early and took Azam and Rizwan’s wickets.
Shan Masood (52 not out) and Ahmed (51) put on 76 before Mohammed Shami trapped the right-hander.
India took 3-7 as all-rounder Pandya took three quick wickets, bringing Pakistan to 5-98.
It was worse Ashwin fine-legged Masood.
Ashwin claimed a catch in the outfield, but replays showed the ball hit the ground after Shan stood his ground.
Masood skied a ball off Ashwin, but it hit the spidercam and fell safely.
Rizwan was hit on the thumb by Bhuvneshwar Kumar after Pakistan won the toss and batted.
India’s quicks were relentless on a wicket that was doing plenty.
Singh followed up by trapping Azam first ball of the second over, leaving them 1-1.
Kohli missed the stumps from metres out after Masood hit and ran to mid-off.
Rizwan (4) was caught at fine-leg after missing a short ball from Singh. Pakistan was 2-15 after his dismissal.
In the 12th over, Ahmed told Pakistan to pick their bowler and attack after listening to Hayden during the drinks break. Ahmed hit three sixes off Patel’s left-arm spinner for 21 runs.
Pakistan posted a competitive total thanks to Shaheen Shah Afridi (16 off 8) and Haris Rauf (6 off 4).
Singh took 3-32, while Kumar (1-22) and Shami (1-25) were excellent with the new ball. Pandya’s medium pace took 3-30 overs.
Ashwin and Patel bowled just four overs.
Malian Cricket Federation President Optimistic About Accra 2023
Original Source: Malian Cricket Federation President confident of featuring at Accra 2023
The Mali cricket team is training for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup qualifiers next month in the West Indies and the United States.
Berthé is excited, but Mali is focused on “another project” closer to home.
“We’re preparing the Africa zone qualifiers for November 30-December 9, 2022 in Kigali,” Berthé said.
And Mali is invited; we’ll play.
“It won’t be like before.
We trained with an Indian team of Mali-based workers.
We see them twice a week.
Raising the level of the Rwanda team.
In 2023, we have another project.
Because cricket was once banned from the Olympic Games.
Cricket will debut at the African Games in 2019.
Cricket will debut at the African Games in 2019.
And Cricket is coming back. In Accra, Cricket will be played.
I’m sure Mali will have a men’s team by 2023.
Berthé praised CNOSM’s support of cricket.
He thanked CNOSM President Habib Sissoko for promoting cricket “out of pocket.”
For our competitions, we give him a budget.
It’s true he doesn’t cover all the costs, but he doesn’t hesitate.
Habib Sissoko and his team always give us money.
“The CNOSM has been very helpful.”
Men’s and women’s tournaments with eight teams each will debut at the 2019 African Games.
Accra 2023 is from August 4 to 19.
Summary of today’s Cricket/Sports News
Overall, India and Pakistan have perhaps one of the strongest sporting rivalries in the world. For Indians and Pakistanis, cricket transcends passion and is more related to a religion than it is to a sport in Australia, where sport is highly valued. With the inaugural T20 World Cup being contested in Australia, over 90,000 spectators poured upon the MCG. If it wasn’t the largest gathering of South Asians outside of South Asia in recorded history, it would have been close.
On the other hand, after India’s score fell to 4-31, Kohli led them to a miraculous triumph and one of the greatest T20 World Cup results ever. He scored just 15 runs off his first 24 balls before exploding for 67 runs off his final 29 balls in the second half of his innings. The former skipper stated that the performance was his greatest in T20 cricket. “Until tonight, I’ve always claimed that my best innings against Australia occurred in Mohali. Kohli told his former coach and Indian legend Ravi Shastri, “I scored 82 off 52 balls and 82 off 53 balls today, so they were identical innings.”
Finally, the Mali cricket squad is currently preparing for next month’s qualifying for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States. While Berthé anticipates this, Mali is concentrating on “another project” closer to home. “We are preparing for the Africa zone qualifiers, which will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from November 30 to December 9, 2022,” Berthé remarked.