In today’s cricket sports news, learn more about David Miller scoring an undefeated fifty and the winning runs, while Aiden Markram punished India’s fielding blunders, as South Africa defeated India by five wickets in Perth to climb to the top of Group 2 in the T20 World Cup Super 12s. Meanwhile, the third World Cup encounter generally gives answers for Australia’s final drive. Australia picked spinning all-rounder Ashton Agar above No. 3 Marsh to bolster its bowling. Australia’s top-order collapsed, and they were bowled out for 125, which England chased down with 8 wickets and 50 balls to spare. Clarity aided these performances. Lastly, with an easy victory over the Netherlands by six wickets in Perth, Pakistan were able to keep their chances of reaching the semifinals of the Twenty20 World Cup alive.
South Africa Beat India by Five Wickets in T20 World Cup to Lead Group 2
Original Source: South Africa beat India by five wickets in T20 World Cup to move top of Super 12 Group 2
Markram (52 off 41) was dropped by Virat Kohli at deep midwicket on 35 and would have been run out one run later if Rohit Sharma had hit the stumps.
Markram holed out in the 16th over with South Africa needing 34 runs off 27 balls to top India’s 133-9. His dismissal ended a fourth-wicket stand of 76 off 60 balls with Miller (59no off 46) after the Proteas were 24-3 in the sixth over.
Miller helped his side win by smashing back-to-back sixes off Ravichandran Ashwin in the 18th over and the winning runs against Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the last over.
South Africa required 6 from 6 balls in the 20th over, but Miller gloved a short ball down the leg-side for 4 before slicing the next over cover.
South Africa’s triumph gives them five points from three games – a rain-off against Zimbabwe and a 104-run demolition of Bangladesh – while India is in second place after suffering their first defeat after beating Pakistan and Netherlands.
South Africa’s triumph hurts Pakistan
Pakistan’s semi-final chances were hurt by South Africa’s win.
Their prospects are finished if they lose to South Africa in Sydney on Thursday, but even if they beat the Proteas and Bangladesh to get six points, it won’t be enough if India beats Bangladesh and Zimbabwe and South Africa beats Netherlands in their final match.
Lungi Ngidi (4-29) dismissed Rohit (15), KL Rahul (9), Kohli (12), and Hardik Pandya (2) to reduce India to 49-5 in nine overs. Suryakumar Yadav’s 68 from 40 balls powered India to a working total.
In South Africa’s reply, Arshdeep Singh dismissed Quinton de Kock (1) from the first ball of the second over and then trapped Rileee Rossouw lbw two balls later after a successful review, inflicting a duck on a player who had scored centuries in his last two T20 international innings, against Bangladesh on Thursday and previously against India on October 4.
Temba Bavuma nicked Mohammed Shami behind at the end of the powerplay for 10 from 15 balls, and the Proteas were 40-3 after 10 overs, requiring 94 from 60 balls.
Markram and Miller resumed hitting after drinks, and despite Markram and Tristan Stubbs (6) departing in the death overs, South Africa won.
Ngidi played a big part in South Africa’s win, removing India openers Rohit and Rahul in the fifth over. Rohit was caught off his own bowling, and Rahul was caught at slip by Markram.
Kohli, who came in at No. 3, blasted Ngidi past extra-cover and then clipped him through midwicket for back-to-back fours in the seventh over.
Kohli was bounced out by Ngidi three deliveries later as Kagiso Rabada pouched at deep fine leg. In the ninth over, Rabada pulled off a wonderful diving grab when Hardik dragged a Ngidi short ball in his direction.
Deepak Hooda (0) nicked Anrich Nortje behind in the eighth, putting India five down before 50. Suryakumar then sparkled, hitting a classic flicked six off his pads and over the leg-side.
Suryakumar had a sixth-wicket stand of 52 from 40 balls with Dinesh Karthik before being caught off a slower ball from Parnell.
For a time, it looked like Suryakumar would win, but his knock was in vain.
Latest World Cup Fiasco Had a Hidden Cost That Could Ruin Australia
Original Source: The latest World Cup farce came with a hidden cost. It could make or break Australia
The third World Cup match generally delivers final-push solutions.
Australia’s UAE title win last year proved it.
We may recall devastating triumphs against Bangladesh and the West Indies, Matthew Wade’s late heroics in the semi-final, and Mitch Marsh’s overpowering chase in the final.
The single game Australia lost in the competition, against England, contributed produce those performances.
Australia boosted their bowling by adding Ashton Agar over No. 3 Marsh.
England chased down Australia’s 125 with eight wickets and 50 balls remaining.
While the loss put Australia on the verge of elimination, it clarified its purpose and best XI moving ahead.
After another poor start, Australia needed answers Friday.
Australia’s third match against England was postponed owing to a damp MCG outfield.
Like last year, Australia must win its final two matches against Ireland and Afghanistan and hope for other results.
Unlike last year, certain players now face considerable uncertainty.
Aaron Finch should retire. Pat Cummins’ T20 form? Will Tim David pay off? Australia without Steve Smith? Cameron Green: wildcard?
Had Australia faced England on Friday, we might have learned some answers, but the match was rained out.
It could suggest Australia’s plans are set.
With two matches played and two to go, there’s not enough time or evidence to drop the skipper or a quality bowler.
Finch was most pressured for the England game. It’s unclear if his job is in danger, but everyone would have slept better if he’d won against England.
Now he faces Ireland on Monday with the Sri Lanka innings hanging over him.
The England match may have been an opportunity to try Finch in a new role, such as the middle-order, where he played in some build-up games and where Mark Waugh said he should shift.
Allan Border suggested Steve Smith replace him in Australia’s XI.
Coach Andrew McDonald said Finch won’t go.
His captaincy record in large events has been good, McDonald added.
So we feel captaincy is a benefit. We’re not ready to change that.”
Cummins had a lackluster start to the tournament and is falling further behind Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in T20 cricket.
Waugh suggested dropping Cummins for Cameron Green to give Australia more batting options without losing a fast bowler.
A poor performance against England may have prompted selectors to consider Cummins, but he never reached his midway moment-of-truth.
He remains a lock, although it appears doubtful that Green or T20 specialist Nathan Ellis will be risked in late tournament entries.
Smith is the second man waiting patiently.
Smith’s prospects of playing are growing slimmer, despite his talent and experience.
Australia must win its next two matches by large margins to have a chance, thus the hosts will likely stick with big-hitters.
With a stronger emphasis on boundaries, David has a better chance of keeping his spot against England.
Smith is still “talked often,” but “surface and opposition” must align for him to be called up, McDonald added.
Matches against Ireland and Afghanistan could generate false readings and reinforce selections.
Afghanistan and Ireland aren’t easy wins and could produce an upset. Irish runs aren’t the same as Trent Boult and Tim Southee runs. Afghan top order is distinct from Jos Butter and Dawid Malan.
Australia’s bed is likely set for the next two matches, barring any more rain-affected matches that could change everything.
Despite being short on solutions at this level, Australia will draw confidence from last year’s escape act.
McDonald: “It feels familiar.”
“We must enhance our game during the competition,” he said.
“We want to play the cricket we’re capable of, but we haven’t yet.” The group needs improvement.”
Pakistan Upset Netherlands to Keep Semi-final Dreams Alive
Original Source: Pakistan keep T20 World Cup semi-final hopes alive by beating Netherlands
Babar Azam’s team lost to India and Zimbabwe on the last ball in their first two matches, but they overpowered the Dutch on Sunday to claim their first T20 international win in Australia.
Even if Pakistan wins their final two Group 2 games, they’ll need other results to go their way to advance.
A third straight loss has eliminated the Netherlands from Group 2.
Babar Azam was run out for four by Roelof van der Merwe’s direct hit from mid-on, Pakistan’s third successive single-figure dismissal.
Mohammad Rizwan scored 49 off 39 balls but was caught behind off Paul van Meekeren with nine runs needed.
Shadab Khan took 3-22, Mohammad Wasim 2-15, while Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf each hit once.
Netherlands only had Colin Ackermann (27) and skipper Scott Edwards (15).
Third-ranked Netherlands Bas de Leede (6) was hit on the grille by a Rauf bouncer, causing a gash under his right eye and concussion.
Wasim was on a hat-trick in the penultimate over after bowling Tim Pringle and Fred Klaassen, but he missed Van Meekeren’s leg stump.
Summary of today’s Cricket/Sport News
Overall, Lungi Ngidi captures four wickets before David Miller and Aiden Markram score half-centuries as South Africa inflict first T20 World Cup defeat on India and go to the top of Super 12 Group 2; Suryakumar Yadav’s fifty not enough for India as Proteas prevail with two balls to spare in the match.
On the other hand, even though Australia ultimately lost the tournament, their third-place encounter versus England provided the kind of insight that aided in the development of those displays. In an effort to improve its bowling attack, Australia shuffled its batting order, promoting Ashton Agar to the third spot in the batting order and removing No. 3 Marsh. Australia’s top order quickly imploded, and the team was bowled out for 125, a score that England eventually beat with eight wickets remaining and 50 balls to spare. Australia was on the verge of elimination after the crushing defeat, but at least its purpose and best XI going forward were obvious. After getting off to another poor start, Australia needed answers on Friday. So cruelly, we may have missed our chance because the solutions never came.
Finally, Pakistan beat Netherlands by six wickets to stay in the hunt for a semi-final spot in the Twenty20 World Cup. Pakistan limit Netherlands to 91-9 in Perth before easily winning the match with 37 balls to spare. Pakistan’s previous two losses came to India and Zimbabwe on the final ball of their respective matches.