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IND v SA, 1st T20I: Miller, Van der Dussen, Pretorius make it an evening to remember for South Africa

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2 years ago

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On a belter of a pitch at Arun Jaitley Stadium, with some help for pacers and spinners, chasing 212 was going to be an enormous task for South Africa. But the impossible was made possible by the troika of Dwaine Pretorius, David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen unleashing knocks in contrasting ways to secure a seven-wicket win and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

On the eve of the match, captain Temba Bavuma had said to reporters that the pitch had become better to bat as the game progressed, as seen from their intra-squad practice match. On match day, despite occasional fumbles and asking rate touching either 12 or 13, Pretorius, Miller and van der Dussen ensured that South Africa hunted down 212 with five balls to spare.

When Bavuma fell to a leg-cutter from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, South Africa sprung a surprise by sending Pretorius at three, whose career-best knock in the format, an unbeaten 77, laced with seven fours and three sixes, came at the same position against Sri Lanka in March 2019.

Though his stay was of just 14 balls against India, Pretorius justified his move by punching Bhuvneshwar crisply through cover on his second ball.

But it was a clean slog-sweep off Yuzvendra Chahal for a huge six over cow corner that signalled Pretorius’ intentions to go for the kill. He muscled Pandya for three sixes — one over fine leg, others over mid-wicket, as South Africa soared to 60/1 in five overs.

Though he was undone by a slower, dipping full toss from Harshal Patel, Pretorius’ clean strikes had done the job of giving the chase early impetus.

“Dwaine is probably one of the guys in world cricket who hits the ball hardest. If you look at his domestic as well as international statistics, number three has been the position where he’s been successful at. Tonight, there was a clear instruction to go in and put the bowlers under pressure.

“With a total of that nature, you gotta almost go hard for 20 overs,” said van der Dussen to reporters after the match.

“When Dwaine gets it right, it’s really, really tough to bowl to him as he’s a very powerful hitter of the ball. He played brilliantly and got out to a really good ball from Harshal, but he will take a lot of confidence from it going into the series and will definitely put the bowlers under pressure,” added the right-hander.

At the half-way mark, South Africa needed 126 runs off the last 10 overs. It was a gettable target, mainly due to Miller’s rich vein of form. Miller, coming after enjoying a prolific season in Gujarat Titans’ trophy run in IPL 2022, teed off with successive boundaries off Harshal before taking four and two sixes off Axar to pave the way for South Africa’s chase.

Bhuvneshwar tried to stop him with slower balls, but were duly dispatched by Miller for boundaries.

But the real game-changer for South Africa came when van der Dussen, who was struggling to time the ball, broke the toe-end of his bat and signalled for a new one. At that time, he was 22 off 25 balls and with the new bat, it seemed that the timing which deserted van der Dussen, had come back.

Luck also helped him as Shreyas Iyer spilled a catch at deep mid-wicket, giving van der Dussen life at 29 off 30 balls.

“I think I had put myself and the team under a bit of pressure by not being able to get boundaries early on in my innings. But it wasn’t through lack of intent, or lack of planning, or lack of clarity of mind. You know, sometimes it just doesn’t come off. When Shreyas dropped it, I knew I had to make them pay because I took the balls to get myself in,” revealed van der Dussen.

Miller and van der Dussen looted 22 runs from overs 17 and 18, slamming five gigantic sixes and three crisp boundaries off Harshal and Bhuvneshwar.

Fittingly, van der Dussen finished off the chase with a reverse sweep off Chahal on the first ball of the final over to secure the highest successful chase made by South Africa in the format, with the duo sharing an unbroken stand of 131 runs for the fourth wicket.

“When David came in, I said to him, ‘You can play it as you see it but I’m pretty happy to take between 12 and 13 an over in the last ten.’ Because if you were in on this wicket, you could really capitalise. So, we didn’t panic at all. We knew even if the asking rate got up to 14-15, we could use that one short boundary with the right-left combination. We knew we could target the bowlers,” signed off van der Dussen.

In an ideal world, Pretorius wouldn’t have been promoted to three if Aiden Markram wasn’t down with Covid-19 and van der Dussen could have batted at three. But on Thursday, the personnel on positions shuffled, with Pretorius, Miller and van der Dussen playing chief roles in making Thursday a memorable evening for the Proteas.

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International

PM Narendra Modi Departs For 5-Day Tour Of Nigeria, Brazil, & Guyana

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6 days ago

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November 16, 2024

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday left for his five-day visit to Nigeria, Brazil, and Guyana. He will be on his three-nation tour from November 16 to 21, where he will be attending the G20 Summit in Brazil.

In his departure statement ahead of his visit, PM Modi stated that he would be first visiting Nigeria at the invitation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with a focus on reinforcing the strategic partnership between the two nations. The Prime Minister will also be meeting with the Indian community in Nigeria during his visit. He will be there in the African nation from November 16 to 17.

“At the invitation of H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, this will be my first visit to Nigeria, which is our close partner in the West African region. My visit will be an opportunity to build upon our Strategic Partnership that is based on shared belief in democracy and pluralism. I am also eagerly looking forward to meeting the Indian community and friends from Nigeria who have sent me warm welcome messages in Hindi,” the statement read.

About PM Modi’s Visit To Brazil

Following this, he will be travelling to Brazil to attend the 19th G20 Summit as a member of the Troika. PM Modi stated that after India’s successful presidency in the G20 Summit last year, Brazil is expected to continue efforts to advance the Global South’s priorities. He will be there in the South American nation from November 18 to 19.

“In Brazil, I will attend the 19th G-20 Summit as a Troika member. Last year, India’s successful presidency elevated the G-20 to people’s G-20 and mainstreamed the priorities of the Global South into its agenda. This year, Brazil has built upon India’s legacy. I look forward to meaningful discussions in keeping with our vision of “One Earth, One Family, One Future.” I will also use the opportunity to exchange views on furthering bilateral cooperation with several other leaders,” the statement added.

About PM Modi’s Visit To Guyana

In the final leg of the trip, PM Modi will be going to Guyana, at the invitation of President Mohamed Irfaan Ali. This marks the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Guyana in over 50 years.

In addition, the Prime Minister will attend the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit, where he will meet with leaders from the Caribbean nations to renew historical ties and explore opportunities for deeper cooperation.

“My visit to Guyana, at the invitation of H.E. President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, will be the first-ever visit of an Indian Prime Minister in over 50 years. We will exchange views on giving strategic direction to our unique relationship, which is based on shared heritage, culture, and values. I will also pay my respects to one of the oldest Indian diaspora, who migrated more than 185 years ago, and engage a fellow democracy as I address their Parliament,” the statement read.

“During this visit, I will also join leaders from the Caribbean partner countries for the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit. We have stood together through thick and thin. The Summit will enable us to renew historical ties and expand our cooperation into new domains,” it added.

During his visit to Guyana, PM Modi will receive the highest national award from the Commonwealth of Dominica. The Caribbean nation will bestow the Dominica Award of Honour, on PM Narendra Modi, in recognition of his contributions to Dominica during the COVID-19 pandemic and his dedication to strengthening the partnership between India and Dominica.

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International

₹136 Crore Per Year To Luxury Suite At Training Ground: All About Kylian Mbappe’s Bumper Deal At Real Madrid

Published

4 months ago

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July 16, 2024

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In a move that has captivated football enthusiasts worldwide, Kylian Mbappe has officially transferred from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid as of Tuesday.

This long-anticipated switch concludes months of speculation and excitement among fans.

Real Madrid’s Exciting Acquisition

Real Madrid announced on Monday that they had secured a deal with the French superstar for the next five seasons, merging one of football’s brightest talents with its most illustrious club.

This deal follows years of interest from Madrid, eager to bring in the player seen as the heir to Lionel Messi’s throne in the sport.

Financial Details of Mbappe’s Move

The 25-year-old Parisian will reportedly earn 15 million Euros net per season at Real Madrid, translating to over ₹136 crores annually. This figure breaks down to an impressive ₹2.6 crore per week.

While this is a significant reduction from the €75 million net per year he received at PSG, the shortfall will be offset by a massive signing bonus. The bonus, around €150 million, will be disbursed over the course of his contract.

Perks and Anticipated Debuts

Aside from his substantial salary, Mbappe will enjoy a private luxury suite at Real Madrid’s training facility and will sport the iconic No.9 jersey, previously worn by legendary striker Karim Benzema.

His anticipated debut for Real Madrid will occur during the preseason, with their first friendly against AC Milan at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 31.

His competitive debut is expected in the UEFA Super Cup, where Real Madrid will take on Europa League winners Atalanta in Warsaw, Poland, on August 14.

Mbappe’s Stellar PSG Legacy

Mbappe joined PSG from Monaco in 2017 for €180 million and has since become the club’s all-time leading scorer.

Throughout his seven-year tenure in Paris, he consistently demonstrated his scoring prowess, netting at least 30 goals in six of those seasons. His move to Real Madrid marks the next chapter in an already illustrious career, as he aims to further his legacy at one of the world’s most storied football clubs.

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ENG vs ESP, Euro 2024 Final: Spain Become The 1st Four-Time Champions Of Europe After Beating England 2-1 In Berlin

Published

4 months ago

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July 15, 2024

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Match Result:

Spain triumphed over England with a 2-1 victory in the Euro 2024 final, held in Berlin, becoming the first team to win the championship four times.

The match saw a tense first half ending goalless, but Spain took the lead shortly after the break. Williams Jr. netted the opener in the 47th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by England.

England fought back, with Palmer leveling the score in the 73rd minute, igniting hopes for the Three Lions. However, Spain maintained their pressure, and in the 86th minute, Oyarzabal clinched the winner with a decisive strike.

This historic win cements Spain’s status as Europe’s most successful team, while England’s wait for a major international trophy continues. The final was a showcase of high-quality football and strategic mastery, ultimately seeing Spain emerge as deserved champions.

This historic win cements Spain’s status as Europe’s most successful team, while England’s wait for a major international trophy continues. The final was a showcase of high-quality football and strategic mastery, ultimately seeing Spain emerge as deserved champions.

Preview of Euro 2024 Cup final:

A strong Spanish outfit will meet a pesky England side in the final of Euro 2024 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Spain battled France and defeated them by 2-1 in the semi-final, while England overcame the Netherlands by the same margin.

However, it wasn’t without a contentious penalty call that went in England’s favour. Despite not starting the contest as favourites, England’s ability to hang in there could work against Spain, who are seeking a 4th Euro title. By contrast, England are yet to lift the trophy.

A crucial stat which is in favour of England is the head to head battle, which the former lead by 13-10 against Spain in 27 outings.

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