Sports

4th T20I: Hardik and Dube Propel India to 181/9 Despite Mahmood’s Record Triple Wicket Maiden

Published

1 year ago

February 3, 2025

In a thrilling performance during the fourth T20I at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Hardik Pandya (53) and Shivam Dube (53) formed a pivotal counter-attacking partnership that elevated India to a competitive score of 181/9 in their allotted 20 overs, after facing early setbacks against England, wherein Saqib Mahmood captured 3 wickets for 35 runs.

The final 10 overs proved crucial, as the duo launched an aggressive assault on England’s pace bowlers, although late wickets dampened their momentum.

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Jofra Archer kicked off the innings with an exciting first over, allowing Abhishek Sharma to hit a six and a four. However, the day belonged to Saqib Mahmood, who achieved a historic triple-wicket maiden— a first in men’s T20 internationals.

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The Indian side struggled early on, as Sanju Samson (1), Tilak Varma (0), and Suryakumar Yadav (0) fell quickly, leaving the team at a precarious 12/3 within two overs. Samson was dismissed after directing a rising delivery to deep square leg, Varma sliced his first ball to Archer at deep third man, and Suryakumar fell into a trap with a catch to short mid-on.

While Mahmood wasn’t as fast as Mark Wood, his skidding deliveries troubled the Indian top order. Each of the dismissed players made seemingly appropriate shot selections, but the ball rushed onto them during their proactive attempts. Rinku Singh, however, countered Mahmood’s onslaught with a well-timed pull shot for six, possibly setting the tone for the innings.

With the top order collapsing, Abhishek Sharma steadied the innings, showcasing elegant ground strokes rather than his typical aggressive style. He hit consecutive boundaries off Mahmood and Carse, while Rinku Singh launched a powerful cover drive and pull shot for six against Archer, lifting India to 47/3 by the end of the PowerPlay.

Captain Jos Buttler introduced Adil Rashid shortly after, and the experienced leg-spinner kept the Indian batsmen in check with his clever variations. Rashid’s effective use of the googly kept both Rinku Singh and Abhishek Sharma guessing. Sharma welcomed Rashid with a four but eventually fell after slog-sweeping a delivery straight into the hands of Bethell at deep square leg, departing for a commendable 29 off 19 balls (4 fours, 1 six).

Meanwhile, Archer continued to test the Indian middle order with his well-directed bouncers, while Rashid maintained pressure using his googly to outsmart the left-handed batsmen.

After a drinks break, India resumed at 72/4 after 10 overs, struggling against England’s disciplined attack. Rinku Singh aimed to counter Brydon Carse but fell for 30, top-edging a short delivery into the hands of Adil Rashid at deep third.

With India at 98/5 in 13 overs, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube took it upon themselves to stabilize the innings and generate a strong finish.

As Rashid continued bowling, Dube took command, hitting a four and a six off the leg-spinner, bringing India past 100 runs. Hardik found his rhythm, smashing Carse for consecutive boundaries before launching Mahmood for two massive sixes in the next over. Their partnership reached fifty, as India’s innings gained crucial momentum.

When Overton returned to bowl, Hardik did not hesitate to capitalize on a waist-high full toss, sending the ball soaring over third man for four. A free hit followed, which Pandya launched straight back for a six, marking his half-century in style. Unfortunately for India, Overton got his revenge, forcing Hardik into a mistimed shot that was caught behind by Jos Buttler. Hardik departed after a commendable 53 off 30 balls, injecting energy into the innings.

Despite Hardik’s departure, Dube continued the onslaught, reaching his fifty with consecutive boundaries against Carse. India inched closer to the 190-run mark; however, Overton’s final over ensured England had the last say. Axar Patel fell early, and Arshdeep Singh bravely sacrificed his wicket to give Dube a chance to strike back. Nevertheless, Overton’s effective strategy limited India to just three runs in the last over, leaving them at 181 for 9 in their 20 overs.

Brief scores: India 181 for 9 in 20 overs (Hardik Pandya 53, Shivam Dube 53; Saqib Mahmood 3-35, Jamie Overton 2-32) against England.

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Related Topics:hardikpandya shivamdube Sports

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Spain Beat France 2-0 to Reach FIFA World Cup 2026 Final

Published

4 days ago

July 15, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports: Spain defeated France 2-0 in the first semi-final of the FIFA World Cup 2026 to book their place in the final. The defeat ended France’s title hopes under captain Kylian Mbappe.

Spain took the lead in the 20th minute. Young star Lamine Yamal was fouled by France’s Lucas Digne inside the penalty area. Spain was awarded a penalty, and Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted the spot kick to make it 1-0.

The goal was Oyarzabal’s fifth of the tournament. He equalled David Villa’s record for the most goals scored by a Spanish player in a single FIFA World Cup.

Spain doubled its lead in the 58th minute. Right-back Pedro Porro scored after receiving a fine pass from Dani Olmo. The goal gave Spain complete control of the match.

France suffered an early setback when central defender William Saliba left the field with an injury in the first half. Despite having stars like Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, France failed to score. It was the team’s first match of the tournament without a goal.

Spain also created history in the World Cup semi-finals. It became the first team to start two teenagers, 19-year-olds Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, in a World Cup semi-final.

The victory sent Spain into the FIFA World Cup final for the second time and for the first time since 2010.

Spain will face the winner of the second semi-final between England and Argentina in Sunday’s final.

France, meanwhile, missed the chance to reach a third straight World Cup final. The defeat also marked the end of coach Didier Deschamps’ long and successful journey with the national team.

Sports

Passenger Turns Flight into FIFA Watch Party during Match

Published

7 days ago

July 12, 2026

Namma Kudla

FIFA World cup: A football fan turned a regular flight into a memorable FIFA World Cup watch party by streaming the Argentina vs Egypt match for fellow passengers.

The fan paid for the airplane’s WiFi and stood at the front of the cabin with his laptop. He streamed the live match so that everyone on board could watch it.

The flight had 187 passengers. Many leaned into the aisle, while some stood up to get a better view of the screen. The passengers watched the exciting match together and cheered for the teams.

Argentina made a stunning comeback after trailing 2-0. Led by Lionel Messi, the team fought back to defeat Egypt 3-2 in a thrilling contest.

A video of the moment was shared on X and quickly went viral. Social media users praised the fan for bringing strangers together and creating a special experience during the flight.

The match also ended with a controversial VAR decision. Egypt believed they had scored a second goal after taking a 1-0 lead. However, the goal was disallowed after a VAR review.

Match officials ruled that an Egyptian player had fouled Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez before the goal was scored. As a result, the goal was cancelled, leaving Egypt’s players and many fans disappointed.

Sports

Yuvraj Singh Set to Begin Coaching Career with Delhi Capitals

Published

4 weeks ago

June 20, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports: Former India all-rounder and cricket legend Yuvraj Singh is set to begin his coaching career in the Indian Premier League (IPL) from the 2027 season, according to reports.

Sources say that Yuvraj Singh is likely to join the Delhi Capitals coaching staff for the 20th edition of the IPL. He is expected to take up the role of batting coach for the franchise.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is also expected to return to the Delhi Capitals setup. Reports suggest that Ganguly wants Yuvraj Singh to be part of the team’s support staff.

The Delhi Capitals franchise is jointly owned by GMR Group and JSW Group. The two groups manage the team on a rotational basis for two-year periods. GMR Group was in charge during the 2025 and 2026 seasons. From 2027, JSW Group will take control of the franchise for the next two years.

Reports indicate that major changes are being planned within the team. Yuvraj Singh’s appointment is believed to be one of those changes.

During the previous JSW management period, Sourav Ganguly served as the Director of Cricket for Delhi Capitals. Recently, under Ganguly’s guidance, the Pretoria Capitals reached the final of the SA20 league. This success has increased the possibility of his return to a key role with Delhi Capitals.

Delhi Capitals had disappointing campaigns in IPL 2025 and IPL 2026. Despite having several star players, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs in both seasons under captain Axar Patel.

Hemang Badani is currently the head coach of the team. However, reports suggest that his position could be under pressure after two unsuccessful seasons.

Fans are now eager to see whether the experience of Sourav Ganguly and the aggressive cricketing approach of Yuvraj Singh can help Delhi Capitals achieve better results in IPL 2027.