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ESPNcricinfo staff11-Apr-2015Dwayne Smith struck four fours and a six in his 27 before being run out by Trent Boult, leaving Super Kings at 75 for 1•BCCIIshant Sharma did not help Sunrisers’ cause as he bowled four no balls and conceded 46 runs in three overs•BCCISuresh Raina was run out in the 13th over but McCullum continued to lay into the bowling•BCCIMS Dhoni promoted himself up the order and blasted fours fours and as many sixes for his 29-ball 53•BCCIMcCullum played some outrageous shots and raced to his second IPL ton off just 53 balls to help Super Kings finish on 209 for 4•BCCISunrisers started the chase brightly but lost the key wicket of Shikhar Dhawan for 26 in the fourth over•BCCIR Ashwin stifled the Sunrisers and returned figures of 1 for 22 in his four overs even as David Warner brought up his fifty•BCCIIt took a special catch to dismiss Warner as Smith timed his jump perfectly at the boundary•BCCIRavi Bopara hit some late blows but Sunrisers were left with too many to get in too little time and slumped to a 45-run loss•BCCI

New Zealand are eyeing their first Test win of the year after their top-order began well on a grassy pitch and Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum sealed that advantage by registering long awaited centuries

Andrew McGlashan in Dunedin03-Dec-2013

Taylor benefits from Crowe’s advice

A pre-match chat with his mentor, Martin Crowe, helped Ross Taylor score his first Test hundred in a year after he was reminded to “enjoy the battle.”
“I had a chat to him last night and he told me a few things which was good. He was just telling me to relax and get out there and enjoy the battle. There’s different times during the innings where you need to do that and it was a nice timely reminder.”
Taylor was able to enjoy the moment of his hundred alongside Brendon McCullum who had brought up his own cathartic ton a few moments earlier. They have often been seen as rivals within their own team, especially since the controversial change of captains, but New Zealand are undoubtedly stronger with them as a united force.
“It’s been well documented that Brendon’s been under the pump and it’s nice for him to score a hundred after he has been in a lean patch and nice for him to do it in front of family and friends.
“There’s always going to be that comparison with us until he retires or I retire,” he added. “But we can’t control that. We just have to do our best every time. We’re not going to score runs every time, but if we do our best shot then hopefully that’s enough.”

New Zealand could barely have dreamt of a better start to their home season. Despite losing the toss, one where they too would have inserted the opposition, they hurtled along at four runs an over with their captain and former captain laying markers for the summer ahead with much-needed hundreds. Already they are in a position from which they should not lose and can push to register their first Test victory of the year.West Indies were a gentle opposition in the opening forays, with the honourable exception of the wholehearted Tino Best whose early afternoon spell was the most impressive of the day. Their slow start was hardly unexpected, and though they pulled themselves together briefly either side of lunch – largely through Best and Shane Shillingford – New Zealand had been given a head start that they did not relinquish. Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum consolidated in forceful fashion during the evening session, which brought 173 runs in 35 overs.It was a day that ticked many boxes for New Zealand, from the start given by Hamish Rutherford and Peter Fulton (reminiscent of their 158-run stand against England in March) and then the way Taylor and McCullum ensured they did not waste that platform when the pair joined forces at 185 for 3 – a score from which New Zealand’s innings could still have fallen away.They were fed some rubbish as Darren Sammy, not for the first time in recent weeks, spread his field with little impact. Only Shillingford, in a commendable effort given the cloud over his action, gave him a semblance of control, although McCullum profited against him later, and New Zealand’s batsmen knew they could just play the offspinner out and feed off the poor deliveries that regularly came their way.The hundreds for Taylor and McCullum had been long awaited and were vital for different reasons. Taylor hadn’t reached three figures since losing the captaincy last year, his batting having become studded with racy fifties that did not do justice to his talent or provide the ballast the middle order needed. His previous hundred was in Colombo, which was both New Zealand’s most recent Test victory and the last match for Taylor as captain, although the die had been cast before that win.McCullum, meanwhile, had waited three years to score his seventh Test hundred. He had recently spoken about the “dark thoughts” he experienced after returning early from the Bangladesh tour with a flare-up of his chronic back condition after a period where his runs dried up. Last week he played a club game in Dunedin for local side Albion where, by all reports, he looked horribly scratchy and troubled by his back. He was bowled by a New Zealand Under-19 seamer; the difference between that attack and today’s may not be as vast as you would envisage.Even two days out from this Test, during New Zealand’s first practice day, McCullum had a horrid net session according to Taylor, who offered his captain some words of advice.”The way Brendon was batting on Sunday, I think he was trying very hard in the nets and sometimes when you really want to do well you over-train and he was doing that,” Taylor said. “His balance was all over the place. Obviously there were a couple of words from other people and I just said keep your balance. That was the only thing I was going through and his balance was beautiful. He played the strokes that he’s famous for and he was back to the Brendon of old.”McCullum is a batsman who lives on his instincts and if there were any doubts when he walked in, they did not show. This was also an opportunity gift-wrapped for him: a solid position forged by the top order, a soft ball, a shallow bowling attack and a fast outfield. He regularly played in similar fashion against England earlier this year, but either fell in the team push for quick runs or was left with the lower order for company.There was the occasional flex of the back, as there will be for the rest of his career – Taylor said his captain was “cooked” at the end of the day – but he was moving well enough to deposit Shillingford twice down the ground for six and pull Shannon Gabriel over midwicket for another. There was also the sight of two reverse sweeps, the second of which took him into the 90s.Taylor, as so often, was fierce on the cut and strong on the drive. He also had injury concerns leading into the series – a knee problem picked up during training after being rested from the Sri Lanka one-day tour – but for him, long considered the classiest batsman of this New Zealand generation and labelled as one of the country’s best ever, it is about producing the volume of runs his talent demands. He will make far tougher hundreds than this one, although he admitted having to battle out of one-day mode for his first 20-30 runs, during which he gloved one over the slips from Best.”My first initial reaction was to hit the ball,” he said. “Obviously Test cricket, that’s not what it’s about. I was working through my head the right tempo to play and just slow myself down. I was battling and trying to hit every ball for four. It was nice to come through the other end and felt pretty good.”There will have been few positive emotions in the West Indies camp. They wasted a chance in helpful morning conditions although Taylor believed the pitch would develop into the usual comfortable batting surface seen here for Tests. New Zealand’s cricket is not consistent enough for anyone to get too giddy, but already this match has the feeling of another lost cause for West Indies.

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan08-Jul-2012
Chris Gayle went past Brian Lara’s West Indian record of 19 ODI centuries•WICB Gayle’s century is his 20th in ODIs. It takes him past Brian Lara on the list of West Indian batsmen with the most ODI centuries. While Lara scored 19 centuries in 295 matches, Gayle has surpassed him in 228 matches. The century is only his fourth in home matches. It is his second century at his home ground (Kingston) after the 123 against India in 2006. Gayle now has an equal distribution of centuries in the first and second innings (ten each). Gayle’s 125 is the fifth-highest score by a West Indian batsman against New Zealand. Brian Lara holds the record with 146 in Trinidad in 1996. Gayle’s 125 is also the third-highest score in Kingston. Imran Nazir leads the way with 160 against Zimbabwe during the 2007 World Cup. Gayle hit nine sixes during his knock of 125. It is the third-highest number of sixes hit by a West Indian batsman in an ODI innings after Xavier Marshall (13) and Kieron Pollard (ten). Only Matthew Hayden has hit more sixes in an ODI against New Zealand (ten). West Indies’ score of 315 is their highest total in ODIs against New Zealand. The previous time they had scored over 300 against New Zealand was in Guwahati in 1994. It is also West Indies’ third-highest score in ODIs played in Jamaica. Marlon Samuels’ century is his third in ODIs and his first since his century against Pakistan in Multan in 2006. Samuels has now scored three centuries and 22 fifties at an average of 30.62. For the eighth time in ODIs, two West Indian batsmen scored a century in the same innings. The last time this happened was in the Champions Trophy game against England in 2006. It is also the eighth time two centuries have been scored in a team innings against New Zealand. The previous occasion this happened was against Australia in Perth in 2007. The number of sixes in the first innings (13) is the joint second-highest on the list of most sixes hit by West Indies in an ODI. The record is 14 against Canada in 2008. However, there have been three other matches when more sixes have been hit in an innings against New Zealand. The 129-run stand between Gayle and Samuels is the third-highest third-wicket stand for West Indies against New Zealand. It is also the third-highest third-wicket stand for West Indies in Jamaica and the highest such stand since 2000.

Stats highlights from the first day’s play between India and Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad

Siddhartha Talya16-Nov-2009 India’s 385 for 6 on the first day in Ahmedabad is their second-highest total in a single day of a Test. They fell one short of the 386 against South Africa, which they achieved on the third day of the Chennai Test in 2008. On a flat deck, they reached 468 for 1 at stumps after beginning the day on 82 without loss. Earlier this year, India managed 375 for 9 on the opening day of the third Test against New Zealand in Wellington, their second-highest overseas total in a day, behind the 378 against England on the third day of the Oval Test in 1936. (They began the day on 156 for 3, were bowled out for 222 and made 312 during the follow-on).Rahul Dravid’s 27th Test century was only his second against Sri Lanka in 15 Tests. He’s edged ahead of Mahela Jayawardene and Garry Sobers – who have 26 Test centuries to their name – in the list of players with most hundreds in Test cricket.Dravid, upon getting to 177, reached 11,000 runs in Test cricket, the fifth batsman, and the second Indian, to do so. He is now fourth on the list of highest run-getters in all cricket (Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals) with 21,765.Dravid also reached a personal best of most runs scored in a single day of a Test. He went past the 156 (43 to 199) he scored against Australia on the third day of the Adelaide Test in 2003 during his epic 233.Dravid was involved in two century stands today, with Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni, which took his Test tally to 78 and stretched his lead against Ricky Ponting (who has 75) by three. Ponting reached 75 by being involved in five century-stands this year; Dravid, too, has five to his name in 2009, but in fewer Tests – four, as opposed to Ponting’s nine. Sachin Tendulkar is third on the list of batsmen with most century-stands, 71, followed by Steve Waugh (64).The 224-run sixth wicket stand with Dhoni was Dravid’s 12th in excess of 200. It ranks No.3 in the highest sixth-wicket stands for India, overtaking Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin’s 222 against South Africa in Cape Town in 1997.Dhoni’s 159-ball 110 was only his second century in 38 Tests, and his first in more than three years. Among Indian batsmen who have played 40 or fewer Tests with more than 2000 runs, only two other batsmen have done worse: Chetan Chauhan and Ajit Wadekar. However, Dhoni’s career is still ongoing unlike most others in the list.Dravid was his most aggressive against the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, Chanaka Welegedara, scoring 44 off 40 balls. He took Muttiah Muralitharan for 45 off 61, and was most watchful against Angelo Mathews, who conceded 26 off 45. Dhoni was harsh on Dammika Prasad, scoring 26 off 24, but was eventually dismissed by him. He took the two frontline spinners, Murali and Rangana Herath, for 66 in 106.

Messi and Alba missed two mandatory training sessions for the MLS All-Star team, with some MLS players surprised by their absence

• Messi, Alba have missed both training sessions
• Participation for both in All-Star activities are in doubt
• Carles Gil and Diego Luna among those surprised

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  AUSTIN, Texas – The MLS All-Stars took the training ground at Austin FC's impressive St. David’s Performance Center on Monday, and 28 of the 30 selections were accounted for – ranging from San Diego's Mexico star Hirving 'Chucky' Lozano to the Vancouver Whitecaps' Brian White.

  Yet, two absentees were glaring as Inter Miami's Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba were not present. It was more of the same Tuesday, as again the former Barcelona stars were again no-shows. It's a development some other MLS All-Stars acknowledged was a bit surprising.

  "I know they are on obviously on the roster, and I don't know if they are coming in today or tomorrow, but, yeah, hopefully they can come like everyone here," New England Revolution All-Star Carles Gil said. "It's just two training days, so this is difficult to have a chemistry."

  Real Salt Lake and USMNT star Diego Luna echoed those sentiments.

  "Am I surprised? Maybe a little bit because they were on the roster, but they've got their own individual things going on," Luna explained.

  Still, Gil and Luna remained optmistic despite the no-shows of the two Miami stars.

  "The only cool thing is they get here tomorrow and we can play together and have fun," Luna said.

  Gil added, "In the end, here you have the best of the best. Everyone has the quality, and everyone has the quality, and in the end is football."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite Luna's comments, there has been no official confirmation at to when, or if, Messi and Alba are arriving. There has been uncertainty as to whether either will participate in any All-Star event this week, as alluded to by MLS head coach Nico Estevez Monday.

  “That’s a question for his club. I just coach and use the players I’m given. I hope so – I’m very optimistic and I hope he can be there," he said.

  It is unclear whether or not Messi or Alba will face discipline for missing Media Day or the two training sessions that have been considered mandatory in the past. One report has mentioned Messi is expected to arrive Wednesday. According to MLS rules, unless there is a medical reason, Messi and Alba need to play to avoid being suspended for Inter Miami's match against FC Cincinnati this Saturday.

  Still, if Messi and Alba are available to play, other All-Stars believe it will be fairly straightforward to integrate with the two Miami stars.

  "We're not developing very much chemistry in two days, to be fair. I mean, it takes, it takes months and months, if not years, to develop, like, really good chemistry with the guys," Austin FC All-Star Brad Stuver said with a smile. "But right now, it's just, we're really enjoying on guys that are here. We know that those guys, like they'll be here at some point. But right now, we're just enjoying the group that we have, like bantering, like it's good to have guys that you're normally competing against."

  Orlando City SC star Marco Pašalić added, "For me, it's this no problem. For some reasons, they're not here. I don't know why, but it's up to them. Like we train here, we have fun, so tomorrow we play together, and it's OK."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Messi was also selected to the 2024 All-Star game but missed it due to the injury he sustained in the Copa America final. If he plays, it will be his first appearance as an MLS All-Star.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MLS ALL-STARS?

  The Skills Competition, which features Alba as one of the headliners, kicks off Tuesday night before the main event takes place Wednesday at Q2 Stadium.

The Kolkata Knight Riders captain talks about leadership in T20, and developing his own methods to succeed

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi03-May-2018What is the best thing about being in charge of a franchise that is successful?
Responsibility. And with responsibility comes a lot of happiness if you look in the right direction: the joy of seeing a lot of young guys perform well, the joy of allowing the senior players to be their own selves. The owners and the coaches have given me absolute freedom and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being part of this team till now, touch wood.Were you surprised when the offer came?
From the team they had picked, I wasn’t too surprised. Venky Mysore [Kolkata Knight Riders CEO] called me up and said that they were looking at me leading the team. I knew I would be a leader of some sort, because I am a senior pro. Maybe a vice-captain or a captain – I was expecting that at some stage. There were not many senior India players in the squad so I was expecting it.How did you react?
I was all guns blazing. I was like, “Yes, wow!”  Because it is a great opportunity for me, where I stand in my life, it is something important and [something] I would love to do.What things were you clear about wanting when you took up the captaincy?
We had a good, long discussion, me and Venky. More than me bringing a certain way of what and how I do things, I thought it was important to hear him out in terms of what the culture at Knight Riders is. Gautam Gambhir led the franchise for seven years and he left a big legacy.

*Stats up to May 2, 2018There have been a few successful wicketkeeper-captains in the IPL. MS Dhoni and Adam Gilchrist are the prominent ones. What advantage do wicketkeeper-captains have?
We stand at a vantage point in the ground. We have a good view of everything – what’s the batsman doing, what are the kind of fields that can be set? Off the field, it depends on the type of person you are.Are you someone who likes forming a leadership group?
It is important to have leadership groups, but at the end of the day I need to be taking the call because I’m responsible for the team and I should know exactly what I’m doing and I believe in that.A lot of times while being a keeper, it is very hard to run up to the bowler frequently. So I have told Robin [Uthappa, vice-captain] the kind of things I want to achieve in the death overs and he speaks to the bowler every time it’s necessary. Initially I was trying to run to the bowler myself, but we were way behind the over rate and it wasn’t helping. So giving responsibility to someone who you feel can share the responsibility.

“One of my strengths as a person is, I’m very easy-going. You know me by now, I’m a restless, fidgety kind of guy who is always laughing, playing and monkeying around”

Mentoring youngsters is a key element in franchise-based tournaments. We have heard you have reached out to youngsters like Shubman Gill and Shivam Mavi, the India Under-19 players, and helped them settle into the roles assigned to them. How did you go about that?
One of my strengths as a person is, I’m very easy-going. You know me by now, I’m a restless, fidgety kind of guy who is always laughing, playing and monkeying around. It is the same with the young guys – I kind of like being friends with them. At least I would like to think I give an image where they don’t feel, “Oh god, he is a senior.”Youngsters like Gill and Mavi have a free-flowing spirit. It is important for me to show them the path while letting them take the right decisions. I feel they have a beautiful journey ahead of them and [it shouldn’t be a case of them] trying to do things that I tell them, what I feel is better. You give them the knowledge and insight, but always allow them to take the decision. I believe in empowering people rather than advising them and forcing them in a direction which I feel is right. It is important to throw the right questions at them and they find the right answers.Did you see AB de Villiers bat against Delhi Daredevils? What goes through your mind when you watch a performance like that?
I did watch that innings. I genuinely wish I play some day like him, but I guess it won’t happen in this new, short life of mine.Yet earlier the same afternoon, you yourself played a fluent, strokeful innings that helped your team win.
It was a typical good Dinesh Karthik innings: hitting gaps, running hard, pushing people.Look, I’ve got to be happy with how I am as a cricketer. I would love to do special things and keep doing them consistently. What is important is to win matches and I should try to find a way to win matches the Dinesh Karthik way. I have always admired these great players, but I know what I am capable of and I will stick to that.Still, you are batting with more freedom, appear more relaxed, expressing yourself more, both in the IPL and when you played for India recently.
Expression comes from confidence. I’m able to go and play freely because of the confidence I am trying to gain after every game. It is important that if I do that consistently, touch wood, then obviously things start falling in place. AB de Villiers does what he does because he is confident of whatever he is doing, he has done it over and over and over again, so he knows exactly how to play, how to set a bowler up, what are the kind of shots he could play. It comes with basically doing well. You then just repeat your skills.By your own admission you are a restless person, who has a lot of tics and routines while batting or keeping. You usually come in to bat in high-pressure situations. Do you think you need to feel anxious to perform?
Most days I am nervous as it is. The days when I’m not, I try and keep my adrenaline up by doing some running etc. The adrenaline is very important for me when I go in to bat. That makes me tick, makes me think better. When your energy is up and running, you have a much better chance of doing well.”I do have the skill to score a century. More important than that is the fact that I can win matches, and that is the skill that I want to master”•BCCIYou have played for various franchises. Which is the best position in the batting order for you, in the mind space you are in now?
I just fit in anywhere. Why restrict myself when I feel versatility is one of my strengths. Why restrict myself to a certain number? I will try and focus on what I can do on a given day in a certain situation rather than putting a number to my batting and saying I’m comfortable here. I would much rather go out and use my brains a bit, assess the situation, and try and do the best I can with my batting.Fourteen fifties from 140-odd innings in IPLs, but no century. You are a batsman easily capable of scoring one. You must think about it, for sure?
Everybody wants to hit a century. [However] to hit a century you have to bat in the top three – that is the best chance of getting to the landmark. I don’t know a lot of No. 4s who have got a century. In most teams I have played in, people don’t want me to bat in the top three, they want me to finish an innings, create impetus in the middle. Those are the kind of roles they are looking at. Yes, I would love to score a century. And I do have the skill to score a century. I believe in that. More important than that is the fact that I can win matches, and that is the skill that I want to master. If you ask me: do you want me to score a century or be a middle-order finisher – middle-order finisher every day of the week.The year 2013 was your best in terms of runs (510), but your strike rate was hovering around the early 120s till 2016. Over the last two seasons you have increased it to the late 130s, and you average around 35. That is a significant improvement. Did you consciously work on your power game, or has it just been that you are hitting the ball much better?
It is just the way the game has changed. Before, 140 was a winning total. [Now] coaches want you to go in and smack it. Go in and express yourself and play shots with good intent throughout the innings. Does it sound like a very clichéd answer?Look, 190 is the new 140. Today, even 190 is not safe. Before, getting 40 or 42 in the first six overs was the norm. The other day Mumbai [Indians] were 0 for 2 and then they were 60 by the end of the Powerplay. The wickets are better to bat on, there is a lot more power in the game.You don’t use so much muscle, though?
I am not as powerful as [Andre] Russell. As I said, I have to find the DK way of doing things, which is run hard, find the gaps, run hard, beat the field.And like you said, the game has evolved, bowlers have become clever and have been plugging the points batsmen pick to hit at death. What is the Karthik way of finishing?
Four overs for 40 [at the death] was unthinkable a few years ago. Now four overs 40 is unthinkable for a bowler to restrict. There is no Karthik’s way or Dhoni’s way, it is just about finishing the game. It is just about knowing your game, what are the shots you can play, how are the shots you can get executed on that day, on that wicket. Those are the questions you need to answer.And how do you keep a clear mind like you did to win India the Nidahas Trophy recently?
Yes, that was clarity. That can be achieved by trying to get into the zone consistently, for which you ought to prepare and practise.How much of your captaincy is by instinct?
Ninety-five per cent. There is not much planning you can do. It is a very fluid game. If you want to produce results on the field, the way you practise is going to give you the answers on the field.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo está escalado para enfrentar o Corinthians no primeiro Majestoso do ano. Como esperado, Rogério Ceni optou por uma escalação diferente da vista no clássico com a Portuguesa. A bola rola no Morumbi, às 18h30.

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Arboleda, desfalque contra a Lusa por conta de uma tendinite, está de volta e terá Alan Franco como seu companheiro na zaga são-paulina. Outra novidade é o novo reforço Caio Paulista. Embora não esteja entre os titulares, foi relacionado e pode estrear. Na lateral-direita, Orejuela. Na esquerda, Welington mais uma vez começa.

Veja tabela do Campeonato Paulista

André recebe proposta da Inglaterra, São Paulo se interessa por zagueiro do Porto… o Dia do Mercado!

Quanto aos estrangeiros, Giuliano Galoppo – autor de dois gols contra a Portuguesa -, foi poupado. Gabriel Neves também não foi relacionado.

O São Paulo vai a campo com: Rafael; Orejuela, Arboleda, Alan Franco e Welington; Méndez, Pablo Maia e Rodrigo Nestor; Wellington Rato, David e Calleri.

No banco de suplentes estão: Felipe Alves, Jandrei, Luan, Luciano, Caio Paulista, Pedrinho, Talles Costa, Liziero, Beraldo, Juan, Marcos Paulo e Vinícius.

A partida será transmitida pelo Youtube, Premiere, Paulistão Play e no tempo real do LANCE!

“When you take a break, people gossip about it a lot. But I feel it’s important to understand not everything is in players’ hands,” Kishan says

Edited PTI copy12-Apr-20241:55

Moody: Kishan is getting his career back on track

Having returned to competitive cricket after a break for personal reasons, Ishan Kishan is not thinking about his spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad.Kishan, who last played for India in November, had asked for a break during the South Africa tour in December-January. He returned to action in February during the DY Patil T20 Cup. Currently, he is the leading run-scorer for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024 with a tally of 161 at a strike rate of 182.95.”About the World Cup, it is not in my hands and I am taking things very easy right now,” he said on Thursday, after starring with a 34-ball 69 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru to help Mumbai win by seven wickets. “You have to take one match at a time. One needs to understand that a lot is not in the hands of the players.Related

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Bumrah five-for and express Kishan, SKY fifties take MI to bruising win over RCB

Dravid to Iyer, Ishan: 'Score runs, force selectors to pick you'

“It [the IPL] is a long big tournament and you do not want to overstep. I am just taking one game at a time and [my motto is] however I can help the team, let’s do it.Talking about his time away from the game, Kishan said: “I was practising [during the break]. When you take a break, people gossip about it a lot, they say a lot of things on social media. But I feel it’s important to understand not everything is in players’ hands. We can only make the best use of the break. This is what adopting a good mindset is.”Kishan, along with Shreyas Iyer, was not considered for the BCCI central contract for the period between October 2023 and September 2024. However, Kishan is not thinking about proving a point to anyone.Ishan Kishan smashed a 23-ball fifty against RCB•Associated Press”There is nothing like that [that] I want to prove to someone,” he said. “I just have to go there and enjoy. I have learned that you do not have to add pressure on yourself about these things, which are not in your hand. You have to figure out what are [your] controllables and what are [your] uncontrollables.”If I were the old Ishan Kishan, I might not have left the good deliveries in the first two overs [against RCB]. I would have been in pressure. But with time I have learned that even 20 overs are a lot and you can take your time. You can have the belief and move forward. So all these things helped me in that break also. Now we lost some games here, but I feel most of the players, not just me, were keen to work with everyone. It was never about us individually performing well for the team and not knowing what other players were going through. So I also know if someone is not doing well, how they feel.”So these things also changed in me that even when I am not performing, if I know someone isn’t feeling good, let’s talk to them, let’s know what their mindset is. So these things have happened after that break.” Hardik ‘loves challenges’, fans ‘will start loving him’Hardik Pandya might have been at the receiving end of fans’ ire in this IPL, but Kishan has little doubt that the Mumbai captain is “enjoying the challenge” of winning them over.Hardik, who replaced Rohit Sharma as captain before the start of this IPL, has been consistently getting booed by the fans and the situation was no different on Thursday night at the Wankhede.”He [Hardik] loves challenges, he has been in this situation before and he is in that situation right now,” Kishan said.” He is not someone who will come out and talk about it and say let’s stop this or that. I know that he must be enjoying it. I know him personally. I have spent a lot of time with him. He is ready for the challenges because you cannot complain to the fans, they will come up with their explanations and their point of view.”Kishan said Hardik could turn around fans’ anger with his performances.”Knowing how Hardik Pandya thinks, he is happy with people doing it but I know that in the coming games, he will do it with the bat and people will start loving him [again]. People also recognise your hard work, what you are going through and still you are doing so well for your team.”Our fans will be a little harsh on you but at the same time when you do well, or when you show that it is [still] not bothering you and [that] you are in a good headspace, that might change. If not today, tomorrow. If not tomorrow, the day after tomorrow.”

Arsenal are reportedly relaxed over the future of Ethan Nwaneri and believe the wonderkid will sign a new contract extension in north London.

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Arsenal confident on Nwaneri extensionCurrent deal expires next summerEnjoyed breakout campaign in 2024-25Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal are confident young star Nwaneri will sign a new contract with the club, according to . The England Under-21 international is said to be interesting Chelsea and clubs from Germany after a breakout season which saw the 18-year-old score nine goals in 37 appearances in all competitions.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Concern over Nwaneri's future was said to have emerged given the teenager can talk to other clubs in January and last season's Premier League runners-up are keen to get their wonderkid tied down to fresh terms before then. Arsenal have, however, managed to announce a new contract for Myles Lewis-Skelly, another 18-year-old who has quickly become an important part of Mikel Arteta's squad.

DID YOU KNOW?

Arsenal are hoping to complete a deal for Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres and Nwaneri recently got fans excited by wearing a Sporting CP shirt in a picture posted on social media. However, talks are said to have hit an "impasse" as the Gunners try to recruit the prolific central forward they so desperately need.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR NWANERI AND ARSENAL?

Arsenal will hope to get a long-term contract for Nwaneri sorted in the near future. They'll be looking to claim some silverware during the 2025-26 season, having come close in both the Premier League and Champions League last term.

Josh Hazlewood: “I think this is bigger [than 2015]. Obviously we had won at home in front of our home fans, but the challenges we’ve been through in the last couple of months – coming here, and playing in those conditions against India, which is a pretty special team. Again, to win on a day like this is amazing. Such a great crowd; the Indian fans are second to none. A couple had started leaving there towards the end, but some crowd! I think that’s just the belief that’s in the squad. The first two games [against India and South Africa] were against probably two of the better teams in the competition, but to sort of be knocking on wood the whole tournament basically, and [we’ve] just been on a run. I think tonight was our perfect game just about. We put it together when it counts.”Marnus Labuschagne: “What we’ve achieved today is unbelievable. It’s the best achievement I’ve ever been part of. Just to come to India… ten from ten with one to play – they’ve been the team of the tournament, they’ve played unbelievably. But you knew if we played our best cricket, we had a chance. Our bowlers were sensational, and then Travis [Head] put on a hell of a display. It’s great to be a part of it. I know you guys know I’m a man of faith, and believe in god. The way everything’s happened is unbelievable to me. It’s just amazing; I’m lost for words. The amount of times I thought I’m done – even last night the team didn’t get named until about 10.10 [pm]. Coaches went to the ground – might be dewy, I might be out. I’m very thankful to them for sticking with me. I don’t have many words to explain. Few months ago, I wasn’t even in South Africa in the one-day team; and to play 19 games straight is truly a miracle. I don’t know how; I give thanks to god for that.”Related

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Travis Head: “Yeah, would’ve been sitting on the couch at home [if he had not recovered from injury in time]. So yeah, very lucky that everything went well. And I was able to get back here… Yeah, I was a little bit nervous. Marnus was quite exceptional. That really soaked up the pressure and yeah, it was just an amazing partnership [of 192 runs for the fourth wicket].”Felt like the way when Mitch Marsh came out and took the game on, albeit didn’t go on with, it sort of set the tone and that was the energy that we wanted, and we knew that the wicket may get tough. It was a great decision to bowl first when we won the toss, and the wicket got better as the day went on.”Probably [Rohit Sharma’s] the unluckiest man in the world. Again, it’s something that I’ve worked on. I couldn’t imagine being 100 but could imagine probably holding on to that one [catch]. Again, nice to hold on to something that’s important… To be able to do that on a big stage in front of the full house and all that pressure is a nice thing.”Travis Head took a truly stunning catch to dismiss Rohit Sharma•Associated Press

Mitchell Starc: “He [Cummins] was phenomenal. I think he’s been phenomenal all tournament. His decision making, his leadership, at times he’s needed to step up with the ball when it’s a bit flat. He’s been phenomenal for us and he’s just capped off an unbelievable eight weeks with this group.”Between Pat, Ron [Andrew McDonald], all that coaching staff, all the players across the formats, it’s been an incredible winter. I don’t think you could write a script to top the winter we’ve had. To win a World Cup in India – it’s been a fantastic eight weeks, bit tough but gee whiz! It’s been bloody successful and bloody enjoyable.”David Warner: “Our bowlers were fantastic, the sort of flow from last game, they set the tone from ball one and the fielding again tonight supported that. To bowl them [India] out for 240 in the final is absolutely exceptional. There was a bit of nervous energy up in the change room [during the chase]. We sat in the dressing-room part, we sat in the lunchroom part, came in at one stage for a look. Fantastic partnership there with Marnus and Heady. What an incredible comeback from Heady, [got] injured in South Africa, come back in and score his hundred in his first game and a hundred here tonight in front of a jam-packed crowd. He was just absolutely phenomenal.”Steven Smith: “It’s incredible, the atmosphere was amazing here today. It was just a great performance. As Davey just said, our bowlers really set the tone, fielding was great this evening. Travis Head, the show he put on was just incredible. [He] took the game on even when we were 3 for 60-odd [47 for 3], just kept going, kept playing to his strengths. I thought Marnus played an unbelievable knock at the other end in a supporting role. It was a great partnership, and yeah, another one [World Cup title].Two-time ODI World Cup winners – Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, David Warner, and Mitchell Marsh – strike a pose with the trophy•ICC/Getty Images

“Wasn’t the ideal start for us [in the tournament]. Yeah, we had belief that we got a good group of players here, great staff and we had belief that we were going to turn around and, fortunately, we were able to do that and get ourselves into the top four, and then it’s a whole new ball game from there. Australia typically plays pretty well in those moments, and yeah, it’s another dream come true today to win another final. It’s been a pretty big year for us, winning the Test championship and then this, and it’s been great fun.”Glenn Maxwell: “It feels amazing. I think we all pretty much got excited when it got down to 20 [required]. I had sort of resigned to the fact that I wouldn’t have to bat – much like [in] 2015 – but unfortunately Heady got out. But it was nice to be out there with Marnus [at the end], and have the guys come out, and what a win! It’s a bit different when you watch Heady take on [Jasprit] Bumrah; not so often you’re next in… but how good were those two! Marnus soaked the pressure out there – he was absolutely outstanding – and Heady, that ball-striking under pressure in a final was second to none.”Mitchell Marsh: “Pure elation. I said to a few boys just earlier – it’s been hard. We won when Sri Lanka were 0 for 120; that feels like a lifetime ago. But to be here with this group, it’s unbelievable.”