Sport
Bhogle has high hopes for India at knockout stage of World Cup
Renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle believes India are in a better place to win the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup title this year than they were in the previous two editions of the tournament.
India have won nine straight matches at this year’s event to enter the knockout stage of the World Cup on a high and in the box seat to add a third title to their collection after previous successes in 1983 and 2011.
But India will be wary of the fact they were also on an unbeaten run when entering the semi-finals in Australia in 2015 and had lost just once at the last edition of the World Cup in England and Wales, before being unceremoniously dumped from the event at the final four stage.
Bhogle discussed India’s progress at this World Cup with host Brian Murgatroyd on the latest episode of The ICC Review podcast and the respected commentator thinks the tournament hosts are in a strong position to defeat New Zealand in the semi-finals and go on and claim a third title.
“I wonder with a fair bit of cricket (at Wankhede Stadium) recently whether it will grip a bit and If it does then it is a big advantage for India,” Bhogle said.
“Funnily, at the Wankhede, the toss has become a big factor because under the lights in the first 10 overs the ball is doing alarming things.
“Seventeen wickets have fallen in four games in the first 10 overs.
“The ideal recipe there would be to bat first, make 330 or 340 and try and pick up two or three wickets in the first Powerplay.
“India should fancy their chances.”
It was New Zealand that proved India’s conquerors at the most recent edition of the World Cup in 2019 as the Black Caps clinched an 18-run victory at Old Trafford and Rohit Sharma’s side will be out for revenge on Wednesday when they host the Kiwis in a cut-throat match in Mumbai.
New Zealand looked like world beaters when they won their first four matches in India, but a quartet of consecutive losses and a host of injuries to key players meant they only qualified for the semi-finals with their victory over Sri Lanka in their final group game.
While Bhogle is a long-time admirer of the way New Zealand play their cricket, he wonders whether they will have enough firepower to upset India this time around.
“New Zealand have struggled a lot in this tournament and have not beaten a team that has qualified for the semi-final, but they hadn’t in 2019 either,” Bhogle said.
“They most of what they have is probably good enough to make the semi-finals and the final and then they need a dash of inspiration at some stage which maybe they have fallen short of over the years,” he said.
Bhogle is also concerned by the lack of depth in New Zealand’s bowling.
While Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson head up an impressive pace trio and Mitchell Santner is an accomplished spinner, Bhogle wonders whether the Kiwis can afford to try and obtain another 10 overs of bowling from the likes of all-rounders Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra.
“Santner is bowling very well, but do they have a fifth bowler?” Bhogle pondered.
“That could be a weakness and there are a few holes in that side.
“So many things have gone wrong for New Zealand since they started the World Cup – especially to their endearing popular captain Kane Williamson – so maybe this is the day it will all come right, who knows.”
Sport
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan set for friendly cricket clash in Khost
The match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that it will host Uzbekistan’s national cricket team for a one-off T20 international on July 10 at the Rahmat Wali Masroori Cricket Ground in Khost province.
According to the ACB, the match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The friendly match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM, with an Afghan XI taking on the visiting Uzbek side. The game will be broadcast live across Afghanistan and internationally through various linear and digital platforms.
Quoted by the ACB, Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan said the board remains committed to supporting emerging cricket nations such as Uzbekistan and is ready to extend similar assistance to other countries seeking to develop the sport.
He noted that the ACB has already organized capacity-building programs and training workshops for members of the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan, while several Uzbek fast bowlers also participated in the ACB’s specialized Fast Bowling Camp last year.
Khan added that Uzbekistan has consistently maintained a friendly policy toward Afghanistan and that the two countries have strengthened cooperation in healthcare, politics, and trade in recent years. He said closer collaboration in cricket development would further deepen relations between the two neighboring nations.
Sport
Serbian Dejan Dedovic appointed head coach of Afghanistan national futsal team
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) has appointed Serbian coach Dejan Dedovic as the new head coach of the national futsal team on a two-year contract.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by AFF officials, futsal committee members, technical staff, and sports journalists.
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The federation also announced several additions to the national team’s coaching staff. Iran’s Javad Asghari Moqaddam has been appointed technical director, while Morteza Mansour Samaei will serve as goalkeeping coach. Spain’s Uriel Masana has joined as assistant coach, Iran’s Sadeq Amani as fitness coach, and Brazil’s Joao Lira as team analyst.
In addition, the AFF renewed the contract of Mohammad Nasir Sedaqat as manager of the national futsal team.
The federation said it expects the newly assembled coaching staff to contribute to the continued development of Afghan futsal and strengthen the team’s competitiveness at the regional and international levels.
Sport
India clinch ODI series against Afghanistan
The India national cricket team defeated Afghanistan in the third and final One Day International (ODI), sealing the series with a 9-wicket victory and lifting the series trophy.
Afghanistan won the toss in the final match and opted to bat first.
Batting first, Afghanistan were bowled out for 218 in 44.2 overs, setting India a target of 219 runs.
Hashmatullah Shahidi played a superb innings, scoring 102 runs off 131 deliveries, anchoring the Afghan batting effort.
In reply, India made light work of the chase, reaching 219 for the loss of just one wicket in 28.4 overs, completing a dominant run chase.
India had already taken an unassailable lead in the series by winning the first ODI by 7 wickets and the second by 170 runs, before sealing a comprehensive 3–0 series sweep in the final match.
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