PORT OF SPAIN , Trinidad and Tobago: Virat Kohli’s 29th Test century highlighted a solid batting effort by India in getting to 438 batting first against the West Indies on the second day of the second and final Test at in Trinidad on Friday.
In response, on a Queen’s Park Oval pitch offering little assistance for the bowlers, the home side were well placed at 86 for one in reply at the close. A repeat of the swift demolition West Indies suffered in the first Test in Dominica a week earlier seemed unlikely.
With a sense of occasion befitting someone of his vast experience and considerable success, Kohli reached three figures within minutes of the start of the day from his overnight score of 88.
A square-driven boundary off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel took Kohli to the landmark in his 500th international match and his determined demeanour throughout the innings suggested a monumental effort was in the making by the 34-year-old.
He was undone by an error of judgment when he was run out for 121. Alzarri Joseph’s direct hit at the non-striker’s end from square-leg found Kohli just short of his ground as he scampered a single.
Kohli’s innings spanned four-and-a-half hours. He faced 206 deliveries, stroking 11 fours. He dominated an important 159-run fifth-wicket partnership with Ravindra Jadeja which restored India’s ascendancy after a mid-afternoon wobble on the first day when they slipped to 182 for four.
“This was an opportunity for me to stand up for the team and these are the sorts of occasions where I switch on completely,” said the former captain on his first Test hundred outside of India for more than four years.
“The stats and milestones and all of that are for others to talk about,” he emphasised. “If I do it in a situation where the team needs me that is more special because in 15-20 years’ time the milestones won’t matter but what will remain is the impact you left on the field and how you were able to help your team.”
Jadeja’s was the other wicket to fall in the morning session for a composed 61. He was adjudged caught behind off Kemar Roach, television umpire Michael Gough overturning the “not out” verdict by on-field official Marais Erasmus.
Ravichandran Ashwin held the rest of the innings together before being last out to Roach for a 78-ball knock of 56. Roach and left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican led the bowling effort with three wickets each.
Destroyer of the West Indies at Windsor Park Stadium, Ashwin, like all the Indian bowlers, found the placid pitch much less responsive.
It was only a poor shot by Tagenarine Chanderpaul in the final session which brought about his demise to Jadeja, leaving captain Kraigg Brathwaite and debutant Kirk McKenzie to carry the home side into the third day.
Kohli hits landmark ton but West Indies fight back
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Kohli hits landmark ton but West Indies fight back
- Kohli reached three figures within minutes of the start of the day from his overnight score of 88
Bengaluru win five in row to keep IPL play-off hopes alive, Chennai victorious again
- Bengaluru, who moved to fifth, have mounted a late charge to make the play-offs
BENGALURU: Rajat Patidar's attacking fifty and inspired bowling set up Royal Challengers Bengaluru's fifth straight win to improve their IPL play-off hopes with a 47-run thrashing of Delhi Capitals on Sunday.
Bengaluru posted 187-9 after Cameron Green hit an unbeaten 24-ball 32 and bowlers then combined to bowl out Delhi for 140 in 19.1 overs at their home M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Bengaluru, who moved to fifth, have mounted a late charge to make the play-offs but will need to win their last league match and other results to go in their favour to be in the top four.
Delhi slipped to sixth and go into their final match with 12 points. Bengaluru have also 12 points from 13 matches, but boast a better run-rate.
"Brilliant, we put in some good performances and I'm really pleased. It's just confidence," Bengaluru skipper Faf du Plessis said.
"First half of the season, things didn't quite come together and from that batting perspective and bowling perspective we have been able to put it together now."
In the first match of the day, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad led holders Chennai Super Kings to a five-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals and boost their play-off hopes.
Chennai moved to 14 points and third place with seven wins in 13 matches.
Rajasthan remain second in the 10-team table led by Kolkata Knight Riders, who are the only team to have already qualified for the next stage.
The top four teams will make the play-offs with the final on May 26 in Chennai.
In match two, star batsman Virat Kohli took charge after he smashed 27 off 13 balls to lay the foundation of Bengaluru's total in a match where Delhi missed skipper Rishabh Pant, who was suspended after a slow over-rate offence.
Kohli remains the leading batsman this season with 661 runs including one century and five half-tons.
Patidar, who hit 52, soon took control in a 88-run stand with England batsman Will Jacks, who smashed 41, before a late charge by Green.
Delhi faltered in their chase after they lost David Warner for one off left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh.
Left-arm quick Yash Dayal took down Abishek Porel and then ran out Jake Fraser-McGurk in successive balls and soon Delhi slipped to 30-4.
Stand-in-skipper Axar Patel put up a fight with his 57 off 39 balls but fell to Dayal in the 16th over and the wheels came off the chase.
Australia's Green took a wicket and ran out Tristan Stubbs to add to his batting cameo and was named player of the match for the first time this season.
"When your main players are run out and you lose four in powerplay, you're chasing the game," said Patel. "Anything can happen (in the race to the play-offs), but we haven't thought that far ahead."
In the earlier match, five-time champions Chennai restricted Rajasthan to 141-5, a total they overhauled with 10 balls to spare in their last home game at MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Gaikwad anchored Chennai's tricky chase as they lost wickets at regular intervals including when Ravindra Jadeja was called out for "obstructing the field".
Jadeja was sent back by Gaikwad while attempting a second run and he changed direction on the pitch when the throw from wicketkeeper Sanju Samson hit his hand and the third umpire ruled him out after an appeal from the opposition.
Gaikwad kept his cool and put on an unbeaten 24-run stand with impact substitute Sameer Rizvi, who hit the winning boundary.
Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan centuries send Gujarat to vital win over Chennai in IPL
- Captain Gill, left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad, made 104 off 55 balls
AHMEDABAD: Centuries by Shubman Gill and opening partner Sai Sudharsan spearheaded Gujarat Titans to a 35-run win over Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
Captain Gill, left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad, made 104 off 55 balls and left-hander Sudharsan was equal to the task in raising his maiden IPL hundred with a splendid 103 off 51 balls.
Their total of 231-3 was briefly challenged while Daryl Mitchell (63) and Moeen Ali (56) were batting, but Chennai fell short at 196-8.
Medium-pacer Mohit Sharma dismissed both half-century-makers in his 3-31.
Chennai’s loss tightened up the race to the playoffs. Chennai remained in the fourth and last playoff spot while Gujarat was just outside but needs to win its last two matches by big margins to drastically improve its net run rate.
Chennai sorely missed its frontline injured pacer Matheesha Pathirana and departed Mustafizur Rahman as Gill and Sudharsan paced the Gujarat innings.
Except for Shardul Thakur, who conceded only 25 runs, the other Chennai bowlers couldn’t stem the flow. Fast bowler Simarjeet Singh, in his second game of the season, was smashed for 60 off his four overs and Ravindra Jadeja was taken out of the attack after conceding 29 off his two overs of left-arm spin.
Both Gujarat openers reached their centuries off 50 balls and raised the joint-highest first wicket stand of 210 runs in IPL history. Chennai recovered briefly in the death overs and conceded just one boundary in the last three overs.
Tushar Deshpande dismissed both century-makers in the 18th over. Sudharsan, who hit seven sixes and five fours, holed out at extra cover and Gill was deceived by a slower ball and holed out at deep midwicket after hitting six sixes and nine fours.
Chennai slumped to 10-3. David Miller ran out Rachin Ravindra in the first over, Sandeep Warrier dismissed Ajinkya Rahane, and Gaikward went for a duck after a splended catch by Rashid Khan on the boundary.
Mitchell and Ali shared a 109-run stand for the third wicket but they were bagged by Sharma in his first two overs and Chennai couldn’t recover.
DP World ILT20 season 3 to begin Jan. 11 next year
Dubai: The third season of the DP World International League T20 will begin on Jan. 11 next year, organizers have announced.
The 34-match tournament will run for a month with the final to be played on Feb. 9.
The season three window announcement follows the hugely successful second season, which concluded with the MI Emirates lifting the iconic DP World ILT20 trophy in front of a capacity crowd at the Dubai International Stadium in the final on Feb. 17 this year.
The broadcast numbers for season two received a major boost with a total of 348 million unique viewers from around the world via the linear and online platforms of tournament broadcast rights holder Zee Network, and its broadcast syndication partners in different territories.
Season two also saw a major increase in crowds across the three tournament venues in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. There was a phenomenal increase in crowd numbers across the three sites, with a cumulative increase of almost 300 percent in comparison to the first season of the tournament.
Season three will once again provide spectators at the three stadiums and fans from around the world — using the Zee Network and partner platforms — enthralling cricket action with a lineup of world-class T20 talent and exciting entertainment offerings for fans from all age groups.
DP World ILT20 CEO David White said: “We are delighted to confirm the window for DP World International League T20 season three. The window has been finalized after discussions with our stakeholders. We have begun our preparations for season three with an aim of making the league even bigger and better.
“Season two was a massive success in terms of all relevant metrics and helped further strengthen the league’s reputation, making it one of the most sought after T20 leagues for players, fans and broadcasters from around the world. Having considered all aspects, the January-February window for season three has turned out to be the most suitable.
“The DP World ILT20 is also proving to be a successful platform for the development of the UAE players as seen in their recent outstanding performance in the ACC Premier Cup in Oman, which helped them qualify for the prestigious Asia Cup (2025, T20 format) for the first time in eight years. Most of the players who excelled in Oman had gained invaluable experience and exposure in season two.
“The cricket fans in the UAE and those who travel to our wonderful destinations Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah from across the globe will have a lot to look forward to in season three. We have a series of exciting announcements lined up as our six world-class franchises and their coaching staff put their heads together for retention of players while eying new local and international talent for season three signings.”
Kohli knock keeps Bengaluru in the hunt
- Virat Kohli (92) rode his luck and shared two crucial partnerships with Rajat Patidar (55) and Cameron Green (46) as Bengaluru scored a big 241-7
- After Rossouw’s dismissal in the ninth over, none of the Punjab batsmen could stand up to the challenge, with the team being bowled out for 181 in 17 overs
DHARAMSALA: Virat Kohli slammed 92 to set up a 60-run win for Royal Challengers Bengaluru over Punjab Kings and keep their slim playoff hopes alive in the Indian Premier League on Thursday.
Kohli, 35, rode his luck and shared two crucial partnerships with Rajat Patidar (55) and Cameron Green (46) as Bengaluru scored a big 241-7 at the Dharamsala stadium.
Punjab paid the price for some sloppy fielding, dropping Kohli twice on zero and 10 off debutant seamer Vidwath Kaverappa.
Punjab suffered their eighth loss in 12 games and bowed out of the competition.
Kohli said he is always aiming to improve his game.
“I brought out the slog-sweep to the spinners. I know I can hit it as I’ve done it in the past,” he said.
“I know I need to take risks. Takes more conviction and to remove the thought ‘what if I get out?’ Means I can improve my strike rate in the middle overs.”
Punjab skipper Sam Curran said it had been a “frustrating and disappointing” end to their campaign.
“A lot of positive signs but not enough to get over the line and get the wins we needed. Gutted but lots to learn.”
Bengaluru bowler Swapnil Singh, who took two wickets, said the victory meant a lot to the side.
“Enjoyed it a lot. The ball was swinging initially, so I looked to swing it. Pressure is less when everybody is (scoring) runs. Mentally it relaxes you,” he said.
Rilee Rossouw gave Punjab a promising start, putting on 65 runs for the second wicket with Jonny Bairstow (27).
Rossouw, who belted his first half-century of the season, looked set for a bigger score but took a hit on his chin and was out the next ball off Karn Sharma for 61.
He hit three sixes and nine fours in his 27-ball innings.
After Rossouw’s dismissal in the ninth over, none of the Punjab batsmen could stand up to the challenge, with the team being bowled out for 181 in 17 overs.
Earlier, Kohli stitched a 76-run partnership with Patidar for the third wicket after Bengaluru were put in to bat.
Patidar looked in fine touch, hitting six sixes and three fours before being caught behind off Curran.
The leading run-getter of the season, Kohli went on to play some delectable shots including an imperious one-handed six over long off.
Kohli also put on 92 runs with Green but fell short of a century after he was caught at deep extra cover off Arshdeep Singh.
He smashed six sixes and seven fours during his 47-ball 92 at a strike rate of 196.
Bengaluru, who registered their fourth win in a row, saw their innings being interrupted briefly by a spell of rain and hailstorm.
Artificial Intelligence in cricket’s landscape is here to stay
- AI is transforming the way that matches are approached, played, and, increasingly, how teams are managed
The revelation that the England’s women’s cricket team used artificial intelligence in its selection process has attracted attention in the English press. It should not have done so. During the announcement of the England women’s squads to play Pakistan in May, the head coach, Jon Lewis, said that during the Ashes series in 2023, AI proved to be very helpful in several selections. As an example, a decision was made in relation to two players who were in very good form. They were equally selectable, but AI guided a borderline decision which proved to be crucial.
Purists will, no doubt, wring their hands at the thought of selectors abrogating responsibility to a machine outcome. If they fear that teams are being selected entirely by a machine rather than humans, they are likely to have to wait a little longer. Selectors and coaches remain people oriented, needing to understand a player’s individual state and motivation at any given time. Data about performance is used to supplement that knowledge. This has always been the case. Averages, though not perfect, have long been used to guide selection and many a captain and coach has kept a “black book” to record the strengths, weaknesses and idiosyncrasies of opponents.
However, enhanced computing power and programs, coupled with the recording of longer runs of historic data, have combined to create an explosion of analytical capability over the last 15 years. AI’s simulation of human intelligence, based on quick processing of large data sets, generates learning on which intelligent decisions can be made. Such outcomes can provide an objective view of what could happen in certain situations between a batter and a bowler, based upon what happened in previous encounters. This leads to so-called “matchups,” in which one or the other is targeted by someone they do not perform so well against. There is nothing new in this approach, but data analysis allows much more precise assessments to be made.
There are now armies of data analysts in cricket and T20 franchise tournaments have been at the root of their proliferation. This has been especially prevalent in India, driven by the Indian Premier League, the fervent interest in the game amongst the Indian population and the country’s ever burgeoning IT capabilities.
The use of AI outcomes is transforming the way that matches are approached, played, and, increasingly, how teams are managed. It is argued that better informed decisions will enhance human capabilities, particularly in situations where split-second decisions determine the outcome of a game. It is not easy to comprehend how AI is going to help a captain make a split-second decision on the last ball or two of a match. Surely, it is then down to human instinct and calculation.
In terms of selection, AI is already being used, especially in terms of attempting to generate matchups. One area in which it could present clarity is in assessing pitch conditions, a variable which can confound captains and match planners. Those who may resent AI’s growing influence must realize that it is already ubiquitous in the game.
An early manifestation was Hawk-Eye, back in 2001. This multi-camera setup tracks the flight of a ball and predicts what will happen to it next. It has been used in cricket for more than 20 years and is an integral part of the Decision Review System, now a fixture of cricket’s international landscape. Under this, a batter or fielding side can request that a decision of the on-field umpire can be reviewed by an off-field umpire using off-field technology. None of this would be possible to achieve without prior analysis of multiple previous examples of ball tracking.
There are less obvious applications of AI, at least to the spectator. Wearable technology is one. In cricket and other sports, wearables are used to monitor health and fitness. AI algorithms analyze the data to provide intelligence on a player’s health, injury potential and an appropriate training regime. In recruitment, much more detailed and extensive data is available for analysis than ever before about a player’s performance and suitability for a team.
One aspect of AI which fans will recognize is that of ever-increasing efforts to engage them more. Algorithms generate personalized content, manage ticket pricing and generate chatbots to provide real-time, personalized responses to queries, all aiming to enhance the overall fan experience. A part of this revolves around score and result prediction. These have become increasingly prevalent and accurate, of particular relevance to the betting community. They base calculations on how players and teams have performed against opposition previously and train the model accordingly.
If this is sounding too unlike some people’s previous understanding, association and understanding of cricket, in which uncertainty and unpredictability loomed large, then best gear up for the future. There, we can expect a leveraging of the most advanced technologies to T20 cricket. In-play algorithms will analyze in-game strategies, predict outcomes and suggest strategic adjustments. The age of the commentator is under threat.
Customized training programs for players will be augmented by their emotional and psychological state. They will train in virtual environments which simulate match conditions, including crowd noise. Wearables will incorporate sensors which provide real-time data on player health, performance and potential injury areas, with personal treatment plans and diets designed to ensure faster recovery. Clothing will adapt to weather conditions so as to maintain optimal temperatures (spectators might do the same!). Smart helmets will monitor impacts and send back data. Sensors on helmets and other equipment will provide more detailed data.
Already, every movement of every player is monitored on the field. Off-field monitoring is likely to increase. The players are well paid, so most are likely to accept. There has been concern in the 2024 IPL about the domination of bat over ball. One unnamed player suggested that a bowling machine should replace bowlers. However tongue in cheek the comment, the IPL seems headed toward a robotic future. The rest of the world needs to wake to this prospect.
