Sports

Champions Trophy: Latham and Young’s Centuries Lift New Zealand to 320/5 Against Pakistan

Published

3 months ago

February 21, 2025

In the opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Tom Latham and Will Young each scored centuries, propelling New Zealand to an impressive total of 320/5 against Pakistan at the National Bank Stadium.

New Zealand concluded their innings strongly, amassing 131 runs in the final 10 overs, thereby establishing a challenging target for the home team.

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After being invited to bat first, New Zealand faced early difficulties as Pakistan’s pace bowlers made their mark. Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah maintained pressure on openers Will Young and Devon Conway, finding little swing but Naseem managed to extract some movement off the pitch.

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The first breakthrough came in the ninth over as leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed dismissed Conway (10) with a stunning delivery that pitched on middle and leg, spun past the bat, and hit the off-stump. In the following over, Naseem produced an exceptional outswinger that sent Kane Williamson back for just 1, leaving New Zealand struggling at 48/2 by the end of the powerplay.

The Kiwis’ woes continued when Haris Rauf, returning from injury, claimed the wicket of Daryl Mitchell in the 17th over. Mitchell managed just 10 runs from 24 balls before miscuing a pull shot to mid-on, leaving New Zealand at 73/3 and in need of a strong partnership to stabilize their innings.

Young and captain Latham took the reins, rescuing the innings with a vital 118-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Young, in fine form heading into the tournament, played fluently, elegantly driving through covers and skillfully handling Pakistan’s spinners. Latham approached his innings cautiously at first, focusing on rotation of strike and maintaining a steady run rate.

Young reached his century in style, bringing up his maiden international ton away from home by sweeping Abrar for a boundary, finishing with a composed 107 off 119 balls, including 12 fours and a six. Unfortunately, his innings ended in the 36th over while attempting to accelerate, as he mistimed a lofted shot off Naseem, caught by Ashraf at deep square leg.

Despite struggling for form leading into the tournament, Latham capitalized on his solid start and continued to build on the innings after Young’s departure. Using effective sweeps and reverse sweeps against the spinners, Latham exerted pressure on Pakistan’s bowlers. He reached his century off just 95 balls, marking his first ODI hundred since 2022, and remained unbeaten to ensure a strong finish for New Zealand.

Glenn Phillips came in next and launched an aggressive assault on the Pakistani bowlers, hitting Haris Rauf for a massive six over long-on before racing to fifty off just 34 balls. His explosive innings of 61 off 39 balls ensured New Zealand capitalized on the closing overs.

Pakistan’s bowlers, who had initially controlled the match, lost their grip during the death overs. Abrar, who had bowled economically earlier, conceded 16 runs in his final over, while Haris and Shaheen faced the brunt of New Zealand’s onslaught. The visitors piled on 131 runs in the last 10 overs, and although Pakistan managed to dismiss Phillips late in the innings, the damage had already been inflicted.

New Zealand’s total of 320/5 marks only the second time a team has scored over 300 against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, following India’s 319/3 at Edgbaston in 2017. This strong performance set Pakistan a daunting record chase to kick off their campaign.

Even though Pakistan started strong, their bowling attack faltered in the final overs. Naseem Shah (2/63) and Haris Rauf (2/83) were the standout bowlers, but while they struck early, they couldn’t maintain control later. Shaheen Afridi (0/68) bowled well initially but became expensive as the innings progressed. Abrar Ahmed (1/47) showcased moments of brilliance, including his wicket of Conway, but faltered in his final overs.

A major challenge for Pakistan was the absence of a reliable fifth bowler. Unlike teams such as India with Ravindra Jadeja or Australia with Glenn Maxwell, who often disrupt middle-order partnerships, Pakistan lacked a similar impactful option, allowing Latham and Young to construct a crucial stand that swung momentum firmly in New Zealand’s favor.

Brief scores: New Zealand 320/5 in 50 overs (Tom Latham 118 not out, Will Young 107; Naseem Shah 2/63, Haris Rauf 2/83) against Pakistan

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Sports

New Zealand All-Rounder Hayley Jensen Announces Her Retirement from International Cricket

Published

1 hour ago

May 23, 2025

Namma Kudla Editorial

Hayley Jensen, an all-rounder for New Zealand, announced her retirement from international cricket on Friday after representing her country in five ICC championships, according to the ICC official website.

Throughout her 11-year international career, Jensen played 88 matches for New Zealand (35 ODIs and 53 T20Is), achieving a total of 76 wickets across all formats. She participated in four ICC Women’s T20 World Cups in 2014, 2018, 2020, and 2023, as well as the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup on home soil in 2022.

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Her standout performance came in 2020, when she emerged as New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament with seven wickets, including a three-wicket haul that earned her the Player of the Match title against Sri Lanka. At 32, Jensen decided to retire from international cricket following her last game in February 2023. “I’ve dreamed of being a White Fern since I was ten, when I returned home from my first cricket match. I will always treasure the chance to live that dream,” Jensen remarked, as reported by ICC.

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“It’s been an incredible journey filled with growth, challenges, and unforgettable moments, all shared with the most remarkable people. Leaving something that has meant so much is never easy, but I know deep down that the time has come. I am proud of what we’ve achieved together and even prouder to have been a part of the White Ferns family,” she added.

New Zealand’s coach, Ben Sawyer, praised Jensen’s significant contributions throughout her career.

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Sports

Wriddhiman Saha Joins Siliguri Strikers as Mentor for Bengal Pro T20 Season 2

Published

1 hour ago

May 23, 2025

Namma Kudla Editorial

Wriddhiman Saha, the former batsman and wicketkeeper for Bengal and India, has been named the mentor for the Siliguri Strikers (SS) as they gear up for the second season of the Bengal Pro T20 League in June 2025.

Saha will oversee both the men’s and women’s teams while also offering talent development guidance to Servotech Sports. He has extensive experience, having played 40 Test matches, 9 ODIs, and 255 T20s.

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As the Siliguri Strikers aim to excel in the upcoming season, Saha’s wealth of experience will be invaluable. In a statement from SS, he expressed his excitement about joining the team, saying, “I’m thrilled to join the Siliguri Strikers as a mentor. I look forward to sharing my insights with the talented players and helping them shine on the big stage.”

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Rishabh Bhatia, director of Servotech Sports, stated, “His technical expertise and leadership will significantly benefit our team. We are excited to welcome him to the Strikers family, as his dedication resonates with our objectives for Season 2.”

During the women’s player draft earlier this month, the Siliguri Strikers built a formidable women’s team, signing Indian cricketer Priyanka Bala as their marquee player. Bala has previously played for the Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).

From a selection pool of 188 players, 128 female cricketers were chosen in the draft, and SS succeeded in assembling a strong team.

Representing the pride and cricketing spirit of North Bengal, the Strikers will encompass the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, and Kalimpong.

With a solid foundation established in Season 1, the franchise now aims to enhance its performance and take it a step further this year.

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Sports

Table Tennis: Lin Gaoyuan and Lin Shidong Knocked Out in Men’s Doubles at World Championships

Published

2 hours ago

May 23, 2025

Namma Kudla Editorial

China’s table tennis team will not achieve a gold-medal sweep at the upcoming Paris Olympics, as third-seeded Lin Gaoyuan and Lin Shidong faced elimination in the men’s doubles at the World Table Tennis Championships on Thursday.

The sixth-seeded duo from Chinese Taipei, Kao Cheng-Jui and Lin Yun-Ju, defeated Lin Gaoyuan and Lin Shidong with scores of 11-5, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8. The Chinese pair struggled to establish a rhythm and displayed limited creativity throughout the match.

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Earlier in the tournament, Kao and Lin also eliminated China’s Liang Jingkun and Huang Youzheng with a 3-1 victory in the second round.

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This marks the first time since 1975 that China has failed to reach the semifinals in the men’s doubles event at the World Championships.

Meanwhile, Olympic champions Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha overcame a sluggish start to defeat Japan 3-1 in the mixed doubles quarterfinals.

The second-seeded Chinese pair managed to excel during crucial moments, beating fifth seeds Sora Matsushima and Miwa Harimoto 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9, according to reports from Xinhua.

Matsushima remarked, “I thought we would lose this match easily. We played better than we expected and felt the depth and tenacity from each of the Chinese players. The gap between us is quite significant.”

He also noted that at one point, he and Harimoto saw a potential opportunity: “If we had secured the third set, we might have had a chance to win. However, we fell short. That highlights the difference between the Chinese players and us.”

On Wednesday, Lin Shidong bounced back from an unexpected morning defeat to win both his singles and doubles matches. He and Kuai Man, the top seeds in mixed doubles, were upset 3-1 (8-11, 11-5, 13-11, 12-10) by Japan’s 16th-seeded pair Maharu Yoshimura and Satsuki Odo, leaving Olympic champions Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha as the only Chinese duo still in the competition.

The third-seeded Chinese pair achieved a convincing 3-0 victory over South Korea’s Jang Woo-jin and Cho Dae-seong (11-5, 11-9, 11-9). Earlier, world No. 1 Lin Shidong rebounded from a slow start to defeat 74th-ranked Kristian Karlsson of Sweden in a five-set match (8-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9).

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