There's never a dull moment when Rishabh Pant is standing behind the stumps, whether for Team India or the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL. After taking DC to the playoffs in IPL 2021, the swashbuckling left-hander resumed his services as a wicketkeeper-batsman for Virat Kohli-led India in their first warm-up encounter, versus England, in the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE, on Monday evening (October 18).

As expected, Pant left everyone in splits with his commentary from behind the stumps. When R Ashwin came onto bowl the 11th over of England's innings, after India opted to bowl first at ICC Academy Ground, Dubai, Pant hilariously asked the wily off-spinner to resort to leg-spin.&nbsp;

The 24-year-old Pant suggested Ashwin, "Armaan pura karne ka yahi mauka hai.&nbsp;Leg spin karne ka Mauka bhi hai, dastoor bhi hai&nbsp;(This is your chance to fulfil your desire of bowling leg spin). Pant's hilarious video soon became the talk of the town and&nbsp;went viral on social media. Here's what he said:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-salman-butt-suggests-ishan-kishans-batting-slot-ahttps://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-salman-butt-suggests-ishan-kishans-batting-slot-after-his-blitzkrieg-vs-england-ahead-of-pakistan-tie-422090fter-his-blitzkrieg-vs-england-ahead-of-pakistan-tie-422090">T20 WC: Salman Butt suggests Ishan Kishan's batting slot after his blitzkrieg vs England ahead of Pakistan tie</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/o3h2jskHKh">pic.twitter.com/o3h2jskHKh</a>
— pant shirt fc (@pant_fc) <a href="https://twitter.com/pant_fc/status/1450127670721744903?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-pakistani-internet-sensation-returns-with-a-hilarious-video-as-indo-pak-clash-nears-watch-422058">T20 WC: Pakistani internet sensation returns with a hilarious video as Indo-Pak clash nears - WATCH</a>

Talking about the match, India ticked many boxes in the warm-up encounter with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami being the chief wicket-takers whereas Ashwin returned with an economical spell, 4-0-23-0. England, however, posted a competitive 188-5 riding on Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone's entertaining cameos before Ishan Kishans 46-ball 70 (retired hurt) and KL Rahul's 24-ball 51 propelled the Men in Blue to an easy 7-wicket win, with an over to spare. Pant, on the other hand, also stood tall with a match-finishing 14-ball 29*.

India will take on Australia in the second warm-up encounter before facing Pakistan in their tournament-opener, on October 24 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai during the main draw of the marquee event.

There's never a dull moment when Rishabh Pant is standing behind the stumps, whether for Team India or the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL. After taking DC to the playoffs in IPL 2021, the swashbuckling left-hander resumed his services as a wicketkeeper-batsman for Virat Kohli-led India in their first warm-up encounter, versus England, in the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE, on Monday evening (October 18).

There's never a dull moment when Rishabh Pant is standing behind the stumps, whether for Team India or the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL. After taking DC to the playoffs in IPL 2021, the swashbuckling left-hander resumed his services as a wicketkeeper-batsman for Virat Kohli-led India in their first warm-up encounter, versus England, in the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE, on Monday evening (October 18). As expected, Pant left everyone in splits with his commentary from behind the stumps. When R Ashwin came onto bowl the 11th over of England's innings, after India opted to bowl first at ICC Academy Ground, Dubai, Pant hilariously asked the wily off-spinner to resort to leg-spin. The 24-year-old Pant suggested Ashwin, "Armaan pura karne ka yahi mauka hai. Leg spin karne ka Mauka bhi hai, dastoor bhi hai (This is your chance to fulfil your desire of bowling leg spin). Pant's hilarious video soon became the talk of the town and went viral on social media. Here's what he said: ALSO READ | T20 WC: Salman Butt suggests Ishan Kishan's batting slot after his blitzkrieg vs England ahead of Pakistan tie pic.twitter.com/o3h2jskHKh — pant shirt fc (@pant_fc) October 18, 2021 × ALSO READ | T20 WC: Pakistani internet sensation returns with a hilarious video as Indo-Pak clash nears - WATCH Talking about the match, India ticked many boxes in the warm-up encounter with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami being the chief wicket-takers whereas Ashwin returned with an economical spell, 4-0-23-0. England, however, posted a competitive 188-5 riding on Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone's entertaining cameos before Ishan Kishans 46-ball 70 (retired hurt) and KL Rahul's 24-ball 51 propelled the Men in Blue to an easy 7-wicket win, with an over to spare. Pant, on the other hand, also stood tall with a match-finishing 14-ball 29*. India will take on Australia in the second warm-up encounter before facing Pakistan in their tournament-opener, on October 24 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai during the main draw of the marquee event.

WATCH - 'Fulfill your desire....': Rishabh Pant's hilarious remark to R Ashwin caught on stump-mic

Ishan Kishan was given a chance at the top-order for Team India in their first warm-up fixture, ahead of the main draw of the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. Virat Kohli-led India faced England in a warm-up encounter on Monday evening (October 18) and the swashbuckling left-hander, who didn't have a memorable IPL 14 for Mumbai Indians (MI), stunned one and all with his entertaining 46-ball 70 before he voluntarily walked off, retired hurt, to give others a chance in India's successful 189-run chase.

Opting to bowl first, Kohli-led India rode on Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami's breakthroughs to keep Eoin Morgan-less England for 188-5. Jos Buttler-led Three Lions posted a competitive score courtesy Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone. However, the dew factor coupled with some sloppy fielding along with Ishan-KL Rahul's fireworks led to England's seven-wicket thrashing. Kohli &amp; Co. finished the run-chase with an over to spare, at ICC Academy Ground, Dubai.&nbsp;

Ishan, who opened the innings with Rohit Sharma being rested, has added to India's selection woes as the team management have plenty to choose from. The left-hander's innings comprised 7 fours and 3 sixes, at 152.37, as he has made a strong statement to be in India's XI for their tournament-opener, versus Pakistan on October 24 at Dubai.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-was-our-mentor-even-when-he-was-captain-kl-rahul-gives-his-take-on-ms-dhonis-mentorship-role-in-t20-wc-422076">'He was our mentor even when he was captain' - KL Rahul gives his take on MS Dhoni's mentorship role in T20 WC</a>

Ahead of the high-voltage Indo-Pak clash, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has suggested where Ishan should bat&nbsp;in the mega event. He told on his Youtube channel, "Don't disturb the opening combination. Talk about the batting line-up after that. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will open and I don't think that will change. It could be possible that they use Ishan Kishan somewhere in the middle order or at one down or even bring him in after Kohli. That is because he is in form and can play anywhere.&nbsp;

“I haven't seen him struggling against the new ball or the spinners. So, these are very good signs. He played Moeen Ali very well and he hit Adil Rashid, who is a very good leg spinner, for a plenty. But today's highlight of India's batting, someone who batted extremely beautifully, was KL Rahul. It looked like he was facing the bowling machine. He was able to hit any ball anywhere and the best part was that all of them were correct shots. He is in dangerous form currently," opined Butt.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-never-give-big-statements-virender-sehwag-explains-why-pakistan-have-failed-to-beat-india-in-world-cups-422082">'We never give big statements': Virender Sehwag explains why Pakistan have failed to beat India in World Cups</a>

It will be interesting to see if Ishan features in India's XI for their tournament-opener versus Babar Azam-led Men in Green. They have plenty of power-hitters to choose from, in the form of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, etc.&nbsp;

India are in Pool B along with Pakistan, New Zealand and Afghanistan whereas two more teams will join them from the qualifiers.

Ishan Kishan was given a chance at the top-order for Team India in their first warm-up fixture, ahead of the main draw of the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. Virat Kohli-led India faced England in a warm-up encounter on Monday evening (October 18) and the swashbuckling left-hander, who didn't have a memorable IPL 14 for Mumbai Indians (MI), stunned one and all with his entertaining 46-ball 70 before he voluntarily walked off, retired hurt, to give others a chance in India's successful 189-run chase.

Ishan Kishan was given a chance at the top-order for Team India in their first warm-up fixture, ahead of the main draw of the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. Virat Kohli-led India faced England in a warm-up encounter on Monday evening (October 18) and the swashbuckling left-hander, who didn't have a memorable IPL 14 for Mumbai Indians (MI), stunned one and all with his entertaining 46-ball 70 before he voluntarily walked off, retired hurt, to give others a chance in India's successful 189-run chase. Opting to bowl first, Kohli-led India rode on Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami's breakthroughs to keep Eoin Morgan-less England for 188-5. Jos Buttler-led Three Lions posted a competitive score courtesy Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone. However, the dew factor coupled with some sloppy fielding along with Ishan-KL Rahul's fireworks led to England's seven-wicket thrashing. Kohli & Co. finished the run-chase with an over to spare, at ICC Academy Ground, Dubai. Ishan, who opened the innings with Rohit Sharma being rested, has added to India's selection woes as the team management have plenty to choose from. The left-hander's innings comprised 7 fours and 3 sixes, at 152.37, as he has made a strong statement to be in India's XI for their tournament-opener, versus Pakistan on October 24 at Dubai. ALSO READ | 'He was our mentor even when he was captain' - KL Rahul gives his take on MS Dhoni's mentorship role in T20 WC Ahead of the high-voltage Indo-Pak clash, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has suggested where Ishan should bat in the mega event. He told on his Youtube channel, "Don't disturb the opening combination. Talk about the batting line-up after that. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will open and I don't think that will change. It could be possible that they use Ishan Kishan somewhere in the middle order or at one down or even bring him in after Kohli. That is because he is in form and can play anywhere. “I haven't seen him struggling against the new ball or the spinners. So, these are very good signs. He played Moeen Ali very well and he hit Adil Rashid, who is a very good leg spinner, for a plenty. But today's highlight of India's batting, someone who batted extremely beautifully, was KL Rahul. It looked like he was facing the bowling machine. He was able to hit any ball anywhere and the best part was that all of them were correct shots. He is in dangerous form currently," opined Butt. ALSO READ | 'We never give big statements': Virender Sehwag explains why Pakistan have failed to beat India in World Cups It will be interesting to see if Ishan features in India's XI for their tournament-opener versus Babar Azam-led Men in Green. They have plenty of power-hitters to choose from, in the form of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, etc. India are in Pool B along with Pakistan, New Zealand and Afghanistan whereas two more teams will join them from the qualifiers.

T20 WC: Salman Butt suggests Ishan Kishan's batting slot after his blitzkrieg vs England ahead of Pakistan tie

MS Dhoni, after leading Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to their fourth title in IPL 2021, has joined the Team India camp as a mentor for the T20 World Cup 2021, in the UAE. The 40-year-old's presence will help Virat Kohli &amp; Co. for the marquee event as the Indian team is looking to end their ICC-title drought after having last won a mega event in 2013.

For the unversed, India had won the last ICC title in 2013 under the astute leadership of Dhoni, when the Men in Blue won the Champions Trophy. Since then, they have reached the semi-finals on all occasions in the following ICC events, however, haven't been able to grab hold of the title. As India are gearing up for their tournament-opener versus Pakistan, on October 24, KL Rahul opened up on Dhoni's mentorship role for the T20 WC.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-pakistani-internet-sensation-returns-with-a-hilarious-video-as-indo-pak-clash-nears-watch-422058">T20 WC: Pakistani internet sensation returns with a hilarious video as Indo-Pak clash nears - WATCH</a>

During a Clubhouse session organised by&nbsp;Red Bull&nbsp;on Tuesday, Rahul -- who had his international debut under Dhoni -- revealed, "None of us are sure that IPL 2021 final was his last game. I do not think, I would love to see MS Dhoni play for a lot more years if he could. Yeah, it was great to see how CSK played in the tournament and they were the most deserving to win it. Obviously, MS Dhoni back with the team feels amazing because we have played under him and we have looked towards him as a mentor even when he was our captain."&nbsp;&nbsp;

"We loved having him in the dressing room when he was the captain, we loved the calmness. We have all looked up to him to help us out, to have him here is amazing. This gives us a sense of calmness, I have enjoyed spending time with him in the first two to three days and it has been a lot of fun. Looking forward to chewing his brain about cricket, captaincy and all things cricket," he added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dale-steyn-names-virat-kohlis-replacement-as-indias-t20i-captain-he-can-nurture-pant-others-422047">Dale Steyn names Virat Kohli's replacement as India's T20I captain: He can nurture Pant &amp; others</a>

Rahul was one of India's star-performers in their first warm-up encounter, versus England, on Monday evening (October 18). His 24-ball 51 and Ishan Kishan's 46-ball 70 propelled Kohli &amp; Co. to an easy 7-wicket win over the 2016 runners-up. They will now play Australia in their last warm-up game before locking horns with Pakistan.

India are in Pool B, along with Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan whereas two other teams will join from the qualifiers. It will be interesting to see how Dhoni contributes for Team India in his new role and helps the national side in winning the coveted trophy.

MS Dhoni, after leading Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to their fourth title in IPL 2021, has joined the Team India camp as a mentor for the T20 World Cup 2021, in the UAE.

MS Dhoni, after leading Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to their fourth title in IPL 2021, has joined the Team India camp as a mentor for the T20 World Cup 2021, in the UAE. The 40-year-old's presence will help Virat Kohli & Co. for the marquee event as the Indian team is looking to end their ICC-title drought after having last won a mega event in 2013. For the unversed, India had won the last ICC title in 2013 under the astute leadership of Dhoni, when the Men in Blue won the Champions Trophy. Since then, they have reached the semi-finals on all occasions in the following ICC events, however, haven't been able to grab hold of the title. As India are gearing up for their tournament-opener versus Pakistan, on October 24, KL Rahul opened up on Dhoni's mentorship role for the T20 WC. ALSO READ | T20 WC: Pakistani internet sensation returns with a hilarious video as Indo-Pak clash nears - WATCH During a Clubhouse session organised by Red Bull on Tuesday, Rahul -- who had his international debut under Dhoni -- revealed, "None of us are sure that IPL 2021 final was his last game. I do not think, I would love to see MS Dhoni play for a lot more years if he could. Yeah, it was great to see how CSK played in the tournament and they were the most deserving to win it. Obviously, MS Dhoni back with the team feels amazing because we have played under him and we have looked towards him as a mentor even when he was our captain." "We loved having him in the dressing room when he was the captain, we loved the calmness. We have all looked up to him to help us out, to have him here is amazing. This gives us a sense of calmness, I have enjoyed spending time with him in the first two to three days and it has been a lot of fun. Looking forward to chewing his brain about cricket, captaincy and all things cricket," he added. ALSO READ | Dale Steyn names Virat Kohli's replacement as India's T20I captain: He can nurture Pant & others Rahul was one of India's star-performers in their first warm-up encounter, versus England, on Monday evening (October 18). His 24-ball 51 and Ishan Kishan's 46-ball 70 propelled Kohli & Co. to an easy 7-wicket win over the 2016 runners-up. They will now play Australia in their last warm-up game before locking horns with Pakistan. India are in Pool B, along with Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan whereas two other teams will join from the qualifiers. It will be interesting to see how Dhoni contributes for Team India in his new role and helps the national side in winning the coveted trophy.

'He was our mentor even when he was captain' - KL Rahul gives his take on MS Dhoni's mentorship role in T20 WC

Former India cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Javagal Srinath are among 18 players who were given honorary life membership by the Marylebone Cricket Club here on Tuesday. Harbhajan is India`s third-highest wicket-taker in Tests, with 417 dismissals in 103 Tests, while Srinath is one of country`s greatest ODI players, taking 315 wickets to end his career as India`s second-highest wicket-taker in ODIs. 
 
England cricketers Alastair Cook, Marcus Trescothick and Ian Bell too were conferred honorary life memberships on Tuesday, along with wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor, who, at 32, came out of retirement this season to play for Northern Diamonds in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint and Charlotte Edwards Cups, besides competing in The Hundred for Welsh Fire. 
 
Four South African cricketers have also been awarded the honorary life membership, with Hashim Amla, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis and Morne Morkel all receiving the honour. Kallis`s 13,289 Test runs puts him third on the all-time run-scoring list.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/whats-the-point-of-playing-harbhajan-singh-takes-a-jibe-at-shoaib-akhtar-ahead-of-india-vs-pakistan-clash-421363">'What's the point of playing?': Harbhajan Singh takes a jibe at Shoaib Akhtar ahead of India vs Pakistan clash</a>

Alex Blackwell and Damien Martyn of Australia were also included. All-rounder Blackwell won over 250 caps for her country across all formats of the games, and batter Martyn scored almost 10,000 international runs. 
 
West Indies`s Ian Bishop, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan also received the honours on Tuesday. Bishop took 161 wickets in just 43 matches, while Chanderpaul is West Indies` most capped Test player (164) and only seven players have scored more than his 11,867 runs. Sarwan racked up 15 Test centuries, and his 291 against England in 2009 equalled the highest individual score by a West Indian. 
 
Rangana Herath of Sri Lanka took 433 Test wickets in a career spanning almost two decades, and features in the top ten of all time Test wicket-takers. 
 
Sara McGlashan is the sole New Zealander on the list, appearing over 200 times for the White Ferns over the course of a 14-year career and Zimbabwean allrounder Grant Flower has been recognised for his 10,000 international runs in 288 matches, completing a list that celebrates some of the greatest cricketing talent to grace the international arena. 
 
"We are absolutely thrilled to be able to welcome our newest Honorary Life Members of MCC. The cricketers announced today are among the greatest international players of their generation," Guy Lavender, chief executive &amp; secretary of MCC, said in a statement.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/now-you-can-lick-what-you-see-harbhajan-singh-to-fan-who-alleged-he-cropped-ms-dhoni-from-2007-t20-wc-pic-415667">'Now you can lick what you see': Harbhajan Singh to fan who alleged he cropped MS Dhoni from 2007 T20 WC pic</a>

The list: Hashim Amla (South Africa), Ian Bell (England), Ian Bishop (West Indies), Alex Blackwell (Australia), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies), Alastair Cook (England), Grant Flower (Zimbabwe), Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa), Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Damien Martyn (Australia), Sara McGlashan (New Zealand), Morne Morkel (South Africa), Ramnaresh Sarwan (West Indies), Harbhajan Singh (India), Javagal Srinath (India), Sarah Taylor (England), Marcus Trescothick (England).

Former India cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Javagal Srinath are among 18 players who were given honorary life membership by the Marylebone Cricket Club here on Tuesday.

Former India cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Javagal Srinath are among 18 players who were given honorary life membership by the Marylebone Cricket Club here on Tuesday. Harbhajan is India`s third-highest wicket-taker in Tests, with 417 dismissals in 103 Tests, while Srinath is one of country`s greatest ODI players, taking 315 wickets to end his career as India`s second-highest wicket-taker in ODIs. England cricketers Alastair Cook, Marcus Trescothick and Ian Bell too were conferred honorary life memberships on Tuesday, along with wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor, who, at 32, came out of retirement this season to play for Northern Diamonds in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint and Charlotte Edwards Cups, besides competing in The Hundred for Welsh Fire. Four South African cricketers have also been awarded the honorary life membership, with Hashim Amla, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis and Morne Morkel all receiving the honour. Kallis`s 13,289 Test runs puts him third on the all-time run-scoring list. ALSO READ | 'What's the point of playing?': Harbhajan Singh takes a jibe at Shoaib Akhtar ahead of India vs Pakistan clash Alex Blackwell and Damien Martyn of Australia were also included. All-rounder Blackwell won over 250 caps for her country across all formats of the games, and batter Martyn scored almost 10,000 international runs. West Indies`s Ian Bishop, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan also received the honours on Tuesday. Bishop took 161 wickets in just 43 matches, while Chanderpaul is West Indies` most capped Test player (164) and only seven players have scored more than his 11,867 runs. Sarwan racked up 15 Test centuries, and his 291 against England in 2009 equalled the highest individual score by a West Indian. Rangana Herath of Sri Lanka took 433 Test wickets in a career spanning almost two decades, and features in the top ten of all time Test wicket-takers. Sara McGlashan is the sole New Zealander on the list, appearing over 200 times for the White Ferns over the course of a 14-year career and Zimbabwean allrounder Grant Flower has been recognised for his 10,000 international runs in 288 matches, completing a list that celebrates some of the greatest cricketing talent to grace the international arena. "We are absolutely thrilled to be able to welcome our newest Honorary Life Members of MCC. The cricketers announced today are among the greatest international players of their generation," Guy Lavender, chief executive & secretary of MCC, said in a statement. ALSO READ | 'Now you can lick what you see': Harbhajan Singh to fan who alleged he cropped MS Dhoni from 2007 T20 WC pic The list: Hashim Amla (South Africa), Ian Bell (England), Ian Bishop (West Indies), Alex Blackwell (Australia), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies), Alastair Cook (England), Grant Flower (Zimbabwe), Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa), Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Damien Martyn (Australia), Sara McGlashan (New Zealand), Morne Morkel (South Africa), Ramnaresh Sarwan (West Indies), Harbhajan Singh (India), Javagal Srinath (India), Sarah Taylor (England), Marcus Trescothick (England).

Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath among 18 marquee players to get MCC's honorary life membership

India men`s football team coach Igor Stimac on Tuesday mentioned that togetherness, energy, positive attitude and a great mindset have been the biggest takeaways as Indian Football moved forward together towards the final qualification process of the AFC Asian Cup China 2023. India convincingly defeated Nepal 3-0 at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives, on Saturday to clinch the SAFF Championship trophy for a record eighth time.

"The feelings are special, and it`s all for the players. I`m happy for them. They worked really hard in very difficult circumstances as there was a lot of criticism. Some two and a half years back when we started the process, we started with a certain knowledge about what we need to do, how long it will take, and how patient we need to be in the course of time," said Stimac during a virtual press conference. "No national team coach has the budget to buy players, and every national team coach works with players that come out of the leagues. To reiterate myself - on the very first day I had mentioned that suffering will be part of the way, but that`s the only way to go where we are heading to," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/saff-championship-india-lift-eighth-title-beat-nepal-3-0-in-final-421409">SAFF Championship: India lift eighth title, beat Nepal 3-0 in final</a>

Talking about the takeaways from the SAFF Championship, Stimac said: "The togetherness, the energy, the positive attitude and a great mind set. I know we were favourites going in this tournament, and we had certain problems at the beginning. We also did not get time to prepare much in comparison to other teams. If you look at Nepal, they were in preparation for this tournament for nearly two and a half months. "We had only seven or eight days before prior to the tournament. The manner in how the lads stood out, stayed positive, fought together, and how much energy they brought on to the pitch was amazing," he added. When asked about the impact of Sunil Chhetri, Stimac said: "It`s not just the goals he scores, but it`s his leadership on the pitch that is special. He is a role model, and he is the most passionate one in the dressing room. At this age, that`s quite unbelievable. His fitness is unbelievable and we wait for someone to step forward together with a better fitness condition, and with a better scoring ability to replace him."

Stimac also expressed his views on his coaching stint with the Blue Tigers so far. "Two and a half years ago I agreed upon taking this job because I understood that the AIFF Technical Committee, comprising of former players and captains, will understand the process, and what it takes, and how long it might take. I`m grateful to them for their support. We started reconstructing the team from the very first day because we opted for more technical football. We opted for more ball possession football, and opted for more technical players," said Stimac.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-feels-good-for-all-of-them-sunil-chhetri-lauds-youngsters-in-indian-team-for-saff-championship-triumph-421640">'It feels good for all of them': Sunil Chhetri lauds youngsters in Indian team for SAFF Championship triumph</a>

"Looking back at the results, I`d say that the match where we didn`t fulfil the expectations was against Bangladesh in Kolkata. All the rest was done in very difficult circumstances. If we look back, we will see that we played only two home games instead of five in the recent Qualifiers. Our first aim was to make sure we qualify for the third round. We secured third place in the group, and from there on to qualify for the final stages of AFC Asian Cup China 2023," he added.

India men`s football team coach Igor Stimac on Tuesday mentioned that togetherness, energy, positive attitude and a great mindset have been the biggest takeaways as Indian Football moved forward together towards the final qualification process of the AFC Asian Cup China 2023.

India men`s football team coach Igor Stimac on Tuesday mentioned that togetherness, energy, positive attitude and a great mindset have been the biggest takeaways as Indian Football moved forward together towards the final qualification process of the AFC Asian Cup China 2023. India convincingly defeated Nepal 3-0 at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives, on Saturday to clinch the SAFF Championship trophy for a record eighth time. "The feelings are special, and it`s all for the players. I`m happy for them. They worked really hard in very difficult circumstances as there was a lot of criticism. Some two and a half years back when we started the process, we started with a certain knowledge about what we need to do, how long it will take, and how patient we need to be in the course of time," said Stimac during a virtual press conference. "No national team coach has the budget to buy players, and every national team coach works with players that come out of the leagues. To reiterate myself - on the very first day I had mentioned that suffering will be part of the way, but that`s the only way to go where we are heading to," he added. ALSO READ | SAFF Championship: India lift eighth title, beat Nepal 3-0 in final Talking about the takeaways from the SAFF Championship, Stimac said: "The togetherness, the energy, the positive attitude and a great mind set. I know we were favourites going in this tournament, and we had certain problems at the beginning. We also did not get time to prepare much in comparison to other teams. If you look at Nepal, they were in preparation for this tournament for nearly two and a half months. "We had only seven or eight days before prior to the tournament. The manner in how the lads stood out, stayed positive, fought together, and how much energy they brought on to the pitch was amazing," he added. When asked about the impact of Sunil Chhetri, Stimac said: "It`s not just the goals he scores, but it`s his leadership on the pitch that is special. He is a role model, and he is the most passionate one in the dressing room. At this age, that`s quite unbelievable. His fitness is unbelievable and we wait for someone to step forward together with a better fitness condition, and with a better scoring ability to replace him." Stimac also expressed his views on his coaching stint with the Blue Tigers so far. "Two and a half years ago I agreed upon taking this job because I understood that the AIFF Technical Committee, comprising of former players and captains, will understand the process, and what it takes, and how long it might take. I`m grateful to them for their support. We started reconstructing the team from the very first day because we opted for more technical football. We opted for more ball possession football, and opted for more technical players," said Stimac. ALSO READ | 'It feels good for all of them': Sunil Chhetri lauds youngsters in Indian team for SAFF Championship triumph "Looking back at the results, I`d say that the match where we didn`t fulfil the expectations was against Bangladesh in Kolkata. All the rest was done in very difficult circumstances. If we look back, we will see that we played only two home games instead of five in the recent Qualifiers. Our first aim was to make sure we qualify for the third round. We secured third place in the group, and from there on to qualify for the final stages of AFC Asian Cup China 2023," he added.

Sunil Chhetri is a role model and most passionate one in dressing room, says Igor Stimac

India shuttler PV Sindhu on Tuesday marched ahead to the next round of the ongoing Denmark Open. Sindhu defeated Turkey`s Neslihan Yigit 21-12, 21-10 in a match that lasted for 30 minutes. The ace Indian shuttler dominated the entire match and her Turkish opponent was left struggling to search for answers.

Earlier in the day, India men`s doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy progressed to the next round of the ongoing Denmark Open. The Indian duo defeated England`s Callum Hemming and Steven Stallwood 23-21, 21-15 here at Court 3.Earlier in the day, Srikanth Kidambi got the better of compatriot B Sai Praneeth in straight sets in the men`s singles 1st round of Denmark Open here at the Odense Sports Park on Tuesday.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kidambi-srikanth-sameer-verma-off-to-winning-starts-at-denmark-open-422016">Kidambi Srikanth, Sameer Verma off to winning starts at Denmark Open</a>

Playing at court-2, Kidambi inflicted a 21-14, 21-11 defeat on Praneeth in just 30 minutes. With this win, Kidambi has now moved into round-of-16 in the World Tour Super 1000 event in Denmark. Srikanth completely outclassed and dominated Praneeth in both games. This was also 3rd consecutive win for Srikanth against Sai Praneeth. Both players were last seen in action in the Thomas Cup quarterfinals where Denmark defeated the Indian team.&nbsp;

India shuttler PV Sindhu on Tuesday marched ahead to the next round of the ongoing Denmark Open. Sindhu defeated Turkey`s Neslihan Yigit 21-12, 21-10 in a match that lasted for 30 minutes.

India shuttler PV Sindhu on Tuesday marched ahead to the next round of the ongoing Denmark Open. Sindhu defeated Turkey`s Neslihan Yigit 21-12, 21-10 in a match that lasted for 30 minutes. The ace Indian shuttler dominated the entire match and her Turkish opponent was left struggling to search for answers. Earlier in the day, India men`s doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy progressed to the next round of the ongoing Denmark Open. The Indian duo defeated England`s Callum Hemming and Steven Stallwood 23-21, 21-15 here at Court 3.Earlier in the day, Srikanth Kidambi got the better of compatriot B Sai Praneeth in straight sets in the men`s singles 1st round of Denmark Open here at the Odense Sports Park on Tuesday. ALSO READ | Kidambi Srikanth, Sameer Verma off to winning starts at Denmark Open Playing at court-2, Kidambi inflicted a 21-14, 21-11 defeat on Praneeth in just 30 minutes. With this win, Kidambi has now moved into round-of-16 in the World Tour Super 1000 event in Denmark. Srikanth completely outclassed and dominated Praneeth in both games. This was also 3rd consecutive win for Srikanth against Sai Praneeth. Both players were last seen in action in the Thomas Cup quarterfinals where Denmark defeated the Indian team.

Denmark Open: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu marches into next round

After the India-Pakistan 2019 ODI World Cup clash, in England and Wales, a British-Pakistani entertain and internet sensation Momin&nbsp;Saqib’s hilarious interview got viral, where he was depicting his plight following Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Men in Green's 89 runs loss (DLS method) to Virat Kohli-led India.

As the stage is set and there are only a handful of days for the upcoming India-Pakistan clash, in the T20 World Cup 2021, the Pakistani internet sensation is back with another hilarious video for the marquee encounter, to be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Sunday (October 24). Here's the latest video from Saqib as he urges Babar Azam &amp; Co. to beat India in the forthcoming face-off in the T20 WC:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/need-to-create-cricketing-bond-with-bcci-says-pcb-chief-ramiz-raja-after-meeting-sourav-ganguly-jay-shah-421977">Need to create cricketing bond with BCCI, says PCB chief Ramiz Raja after meeting Sourav Ganguly, Jay Shah</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mrp3yOpoyAo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-india-under-pressure-thats-why-they-are-taking-ms-dhoni-as-mentor-says-former-pakistan-cricketer-422013">T20 WC: India under pressure, that’s why they are taking MS Dhoni as mentor, says former Pakistan cricketer</a>

Ahead of the India-Pakistan clash, both sides are playing a couple of warm-up encounters in a bid to finalise their team combination and get used to the conditions in the UAE. The T20 WC has commenced but the qualifying round is underway whereas the automatically-qualified teams are busy playing warm-up games.&nbsp;

Both India and Pakistan will open their campaigns against each other, being placed in Pool B along with New Zealand and Afghanistan whereas two other teams will join from the qualifiers.&nbsp;

For the unversed, India have a 5-0 lead over Pakistan in T20 WC and, thus, will be eager to extend their winning streak in the upcoming match. However, Babar-led Pakistan won't be an easy opposition for Kohli-led India by any means.&nbsp;

After the India-Pakistan 2019 ODI World Cup clash, in England and Wales, a British-Pakistani entertain and internet sensation Momin Saqib’s hilarious interview got viral, where he was depicting his plight following Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Men in Green's 89 runs loss (DLS method) to Virat Kohli-led India.

After the India-Pakistan 2019 ODI World Cup clash, in England and Wales, a British-Pakistani entertain and internet sensation Momin Saqib’s hilarious interview got viral, where he was depicting his plight following Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Men in Green's 89 runs loss (DLS method) to Virat Kohli-led India. As the stage is set and there are only a handful of days for the upcoming India-Pakistan clash, in the T20 World Cup 2021, the Pakistani internet sensation is back with another hilarious video for the marquee encounter, to be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Sunday (October 24). Here's the latest video from Saqib as he urges Babar Azam & Co. to beat India in the forthcoming face-off in the T20 WC: ALSO READ | Need to create cricketing bond with BCCI, says PCB chief Ramiz Raja after meeting Sourav Ganguly, Jay Shah × ALSO READ | T20 WC: India under pressure, that’s why they are taking MS Dhoni as mentor, says former Pakistan cricketer Ahead of the India-Pakistan clash, both sides are playing a couple of warm-up encounters in a bid to finalise their team combination and get used to the conditions in the UAE. The T20 WC has commenced but the qualifying round is underway whereas the automatically-qualified teams are busy playing warm-up games. Both India and Pakistan will open their campaigns against each other, being placed in Pool B along with New Zealand and Afghanistan whereas two other teams will join from the qualifiers. For the unversed, India have a 5-0 lead over Pakistan in T20 WC and, thus, will be eager to extend their winning streak in the upcoming match. However, Babar-led Pakistan won't be an easy opposition for Kohli-led India by any means.

T20 WC: Pakistani internet sensation returns with a hilarious video as Indo-Pak clash nears - WATCH

Virat Kohli announced his decision to step aside as the Indian captain in the shortest format ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021, in the UAE. While Kohli's decision shocked many in the cricketing fraternity, the Indian team is gearing up for the mega event with an aim to give a perfect send-off to the 32-year-old as his T20I captaincy tenure is set to end.

As Kohli is on the verge of stepping aside as T20I captain, former South African speedster Dale Steyn -- who has shared the dressing room with Kohli in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise -- suggested who should succeed the right-hander at the top post.

While many believe Rohit Sharma -- the vice-captain in shorter formats -- is best suited to succeed King Kohli, Steyn also belives Hitman will be an ideal candidate as the Indian T20I captain.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="David Warner comes up with hilarious response as Rohit Sharma flaunts India's T20 World Cup jersey">David Warner comes up with hilarious response as Rohit Sharma flaunts India's T20 World Cup jersey</a>

"They have got tons. You just have to look around in the IPL and there are so many players. You’ve got SKY, who I think will come in at some place. You've got Rishabh Pant, who is looking good. There are just so many of these guys… Iyer, Rohit. They can all do it but you just have to give somebody that responsibility and allow them to run with it. India have been really good with it. They have given the captaincy to one particular players for a long time and they have done the job," Steyn told Sports Tak.

"They have got a bunch of different people to pick from. I think the most exciting thing for India right now is that the young players that are coming through, they are all world-class players. You look at Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant… these are young guys who are doing extremely well at the international level. So if you give the captaincy to Rohit, who has been around for a while… has won numerous IPLs, it will be a great call since he can nurture the youngsters," he further pointed out.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-wasim-jaffer-michael-vaughan-engage-in-cheeky-banter-as-india-thrash-england-in-warm-up-tie-422020">T20 WC: Wasim Jaffer, Michael Vaughan engage in cheeky banter as India thrash England in warm-up tie</a>

Rohit has already led India in T20Is and ODIs, leading the Men in Blue to Nidahas Trophy and Asia Cup 2018 titles. In addition, he remains the most successful IPL captain, with 5 titles with the Mumbai Indians (MI). BCCI will take a call on Kohli's successor post the T20 World Cup.

Virat Kohli announced his decision to step aside as the Indian captain in the shortest format ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021, in the UAE. While Kohli's decision shocked many in the cricketing fraternity, the Indian team is gearing up for the mega event with an aim to give a perfect send-off to the 32-year-old as his T20I captaincy tenure is set to end.

Virat Kohli announced his decision to step aside as the Indian captain in the shortest format ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021, in the UAE. While Kohli's decision shocked many in the cricketing fraternity, the Indian team is gearing up for the mega event with an aim to give a perfect send-off to the 32-year-old as his T20I captaincy tenure is set to end. As Kohli is on the verge of stepping aside as T20I captain, former South African speedster Dale Steyn -- who has shared the dressing room with Kohli in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise -- suggested who should succeed the right-hander at the top post. While many believe Rohit Sharma -- the vice-captain in shorter formats -- is best suited to succeed King Kohli, Steyn also belives Hitman will be an ideal candidate as the Indian T20I captain. ALSO READ | David Warner comes up with hilarious response as Rohit Sharma flaunts India's T20 World Cup jersey "They have got tons. You just have to look around in the IPL and there are so many players. You’ve got SKY, who I think will come in at some place. You've got Rishabh Pant, who is looking good. There are just so many of these guys… Iyer, Rohit. They can all do it but you just have to give somebody that responsibility and allow them to run with it. India have been really good with it. They have given the captaincy to one particular players for a long time and they have done the job," Steyn told Sports Tak. "They have got a bunch of different people to pick from. I think the most exciting thing for India right now is that the young players that are coming through, they are all world-class players. You look at Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant… these are young guys who are doing extremely well at the international level. So if you give the captaincy to Rohit, who has been around for a while… has won numerous IPLs, it will be a great call since he can nurture the youngsters," he further pointed out. ALSO READ | T20 WC: Wasim Jaffer, Michael Vaughan engage in cheeky banter as India thrash England in warm-up tie Rohit has already led India in T20Is and ODIs, leading the Men in Blue to Nidahas Trophy and Asia Cup 2018 titles. In addition, he remains the most successful IPL captain, with 5 titles with the Mumbai Indians (MI). BCCI will take a call on Kohli's successor post the T20 World Cup.

Dale Steyn names Virat Kohli's replacement as India's T20I captain: He can nurture Pant & others

Virat Kohli-led India locked horns with England in the warm-up fixture on Monday evening (October 18) at the ICC Academy Ground, Dubai. While the automatically-qualified teams will start their respective campaigns in the T20 World Cup 2021 from October 23, when the main draw of the showpiece event will kick off, the major teams are playing a couple of warm-up games each to get used to the conditions and finalise their team combination.&nbsp;

Kohli-led India met Eoin Morgan-less England and opted to bowl first after winning the toss. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded 54 runs in 4 overs, Indian team management would be happy seeing the form of R Ashwin (4-0-23-0), Jasprit Bumrah (4-0-26-1) and Mohammad Shami (3 for 40) as they chipped in to restrict England to 188-5.&nbsp;

England batters such as Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone got starts but couldn't take the side beyond the 200-run mark despite some lusty blows towards the end. In reply, KL Rahul's 24-ball 51 and Ishan Kishan's 46-ball 70 (retired hurt) took India to a 7-wicket win, with an over to spare.

After the match, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer made heads turn with his viral tweet, where he pointed out three things that stood out in India's victory. However, he also hilariously mentioned former England captain Michael Vaughan. Vaughan also joined in and replied in a cheeky manner as the banter between the two former cricketers entertained one and all on Twitter. Here's how it all panned out:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-ishan-kishan-virat-kohli-reveals-indias-opening-combination-for-t20-world-cup-2021-421957">No Ishan Kishan? Virat Kohli reveals India's opening combination for T20 World Cup 2021</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
3 things stood out in this win: 
1: KL and Ishan with the bat. 
2: Boom, Ash &amp; Shami with the ball. 
3: <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MichaelVaughan</a> staying offline<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/T20WorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#T20WorldCup</a>
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) <a href="https://twitter.com/WasimJaffer14/status/1450154425822023683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Too busy drinking Rum on the beach Wasim … Btw … Warm up games are Irrelevant … <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnOn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnOn</a> <a href="https://t.co/ftxV6vgh3J">https://t.co/ftxV6vgh3J</a>
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1450250439430189060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-not-bowling-bhuvneshwar-looks-out-of-rhythm-parthiv-patel-on-indias-concerns-in-t20-wc-2021-421992">Hardik not bowling, Bhuvneshwar looks out of rhythm: Parthiv Patel on India's concerns in T20 WC 2021</a>

Coming to the warm-up game, Indian team management will be satisfied seeing the performance of KL Rahul, Ishan, Rishabh Pant (14-ball 29*), Shami, Ashwin and Bumrah. They will now lock horns with Aaron Finch-led Australia in their second warm-up game before playing their tournament-opener versus Pakistan, on October 24 (Sunday) at Dubai.

For the unversed, India are in Pool B along with Men in Green, New Zealand, Afghanistan whereas two other teams will join from the qualifiers.

Virat Kohli-led India locked horns with England in the warm-up fixture on Monday evening (October 18) at the ICC Academy Ground, Dubai. While the automatically-qualified teams will start their respective campaigns in the T20 World Cup 2021 from October 23, when the main draw of the showpiece event will kick off, the major teams are playing a couple of warm-up games each to get used to the conditions and finalise their team combination.

Virat Kohli-led India locked horns with England in the warm-up fixture on Monday evening (October 18) at the ICC Academy Ground, Dubai. While the automatically-qualified teams will start their respective campaigns in the T20 World Cup 2021 from October 23, when the main draw of the showpiece event will kick off, the major teams are playing a couple of warm-up games each to get used to the conditions and finalise their team combination. Kohli-led India met Eoin Morgan-less England and opted to bowl first after winning the toss. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded 54 runs in 4 overs, Indian team management would be happy seeing the form of R Ashwin (4-0-23-0), Jasprit Bumrah (4-0-26-1) and Mohammad Shami (3 for 40) as they chipped in to restrict England to 188-5. England batters such as Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone got starts but couldn't take the side beyond the 200-run mark despite some lusty blows towards the end. In reply, KL Rahul's 24-ball 51 and Ishan Kishan's 46-ball 70 (retired hurt) took India to a 7-wicket win, with an over to spare. After the match, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer made heads turn with his viral tweet, where he pointed out three things that stood out in India's victory. However, he also hilariously mentioned former England captain Michael Vaughan. Vaughan also joined in and replied in a cheeky manner as the banter between the two former cricketers entertained one and all on Twitter. Here's how it all panned out: ALSO READ | No Ishan Kishan? Virat Kohli reveals India's opening combination for T20 World Cup 2021 3 things stood out in this win: 1: KL and Ishan with the bat. 2: Boom, Ash & Shami with the ball. 3: @MichaelVaughan staying offline#INDvENG #T20WorldCup — Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) October 18, 2021 × Too busy drinking Rum on the beach Wasim … Btw … Warm up games are Irrelevant … #OnOn https://t.co/ftxV6vgh3J — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) October 19, 2021 × ALSO READ | Hardik not bowling, Bhuvneshwar looks out of rhythm: Parthiv Patel on India's concerns in T20 WC 2021 Coming to the warm-up game, Indian team management will be satisfied seeing the performance of KL Rahul, Ishan, Rishabh Pant (14-ball 29*), Shami, Ashwin and Bumrah. They will now lock horns with Aaron Finch-led Australia in their second warm-up game before playing their tournament-opener versus Pakistan, on October 24 (Sunday) at Dubai. For the unversed, India are in Pool B along with Men in Green, New Zealand, Afghanistan whereas two other teams will join from the qualifiers.

T20 WC: Wasim Jaffer, Michael Vaughan engage in cheeky banter as India thrash England in warm-up tie

The T20 World Cup 2021 edition has commenced in the UAE. After a year-long delay, the marquee event has kicked off in the UAE, which was earlier supposed to be held in Australia in late 2020 before Covid-19 pandemic led to its postponement.

The multi-nation tournament has started with the qualifying round and warm-up encounters being held simultaneously. However, all eyes are on the India-Pakistan game as the arch-rivals will face each other in their respective tournament-openers, on October 24 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. Ahead of the marquee face-off, former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar&nbsp;Mahmood has opined on the mouth-watering clash and stated who has an advantage going into the contest.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-cant-refuse-to-play-pakistan-under-iccs-commitments-says-bccis-rajeev-shukla-amid-calls-for-boycott-421855">India can't refuse to play Pakistan under ICC's commitments, says BCCI's Rajeev Shukla amid calls for boycott</a>

In his latest blog for PakPassion.net, former Pakistan all-rounder and Bowling Coach, Mahmood wrote, "India-Pakistan games are always special when it comes to the hype and the pressure on players and the age-old cliché of any team can win on the day does apply to the game in this T20 World Cup as well. But realistically speaking, India does have an advantage going into this game as their players have been participating in the IPL which was played in the same venues in the UAE. So apart from playing highly competitive cricket, they also will have a good understanding of the playing conditions in the UAE."

"But let us not forget that Pakistani players have also taken part in some intense Twenty20 cricket in the recently concluded National T20 Cup which was moved due to the cancellation of the New Zealand tour. Having said that, we all know that any India-Pakistan match is generally won by the side that is most able to absorb the pressure and in a format like Twenty20, it can easily come down to just one over where a batsman or bowler can totally change the complexion of the game," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/another-feather-in-king-kohlis-hat-virat-kohlis-statue-unveiled-at-dubais-madame-tussauds-421874">Another feather in KING KOHLI's hat! Virat Kohli's statue unveiled at Dubai's Madame Tussauds</a>

For the unversed, India have never lost a game to Pakistan in World Cups (including ODIs and T20Is). Thus, the Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue will be confident facing the Babar Azam-led line-up, however, they cannot take them lightly as the Men in Green are also among the top three sides in ICC T20I rankings.&nbsp;India and Pakistan are placed in Pool B, alongside New Zealand, Afghanistan whereas two other teams will join from the qualifiers.&nbsp;

Both India and Pakistan have also started their warm-up encounters with easy wins. While Kohli &amp; Co. beat England by 7 wickets, Pakistan also emerged on top of West Indies by the same margin on Monday (October 18).&nbsp;

After the qualifiers and warm-up games, the main draw of the T20 WC will commence from October 23.&nbsp;

The T20 World Cup 2021 edition has commenced in the UAE. After a year-long delay, the marquee event has kicked off in the UAE, which was earlier supposed to be held in Australia in late 2020 before Covid-19 pandemic led to its postponement.

The T20 World Cup 2021 edition has commenced in the UAE. After a year-long delay, the marquee event has kicked off in the UAE, which was earlier supposed to be held in Australia in late 2020 before Covid-19 pandemic led to its postponement. The multi-nation tournament has started with the qualifying round and warm-up encounters being held simultaneously. However, all eyes are on the India-Pakistan game as the arch-rivals will face each other in their respective tournament-openers, on October 24 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. Ahead of the marquee face-off, former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has opined on the mouth-watering clash and stated who has an advantage going into the contest. ALSO READ | India can't refuse to play Pakistan under ICC's commitments, says BCCI's Rajeev Shukla amid calls for boycott In his latest blog for PakPassion.net, former Pakistan all-rounder and Bowling Coach, Mahmood wrote, "India-Pakistan games are always special when it comes to the hype and the pressure on players and the age-old cliché of any team can win on the day does apply to the game in this T20 World Cup as well. But realistically speaking, India does have an advantage going into this game as their players have been participating in the IPL which was played in the same venues in the UAE. So apart from playing highly competitive cricket, they also will have a good understanding of the playing conditions in the UAE." "But let us not forget that Pakistani players have also taken part in some intense Twenty20 cricket in the recently concluded National T20 Cup which was moved due to the cancellation of the New Zealand tour. Having said that, we all know that any India-Pakistan match is generally won by the side that is most able to absorb the pressure and in a format like Twenty20, it can easily come down to just one over where a batsman or bowler can totally change the complexion of the game," he added. ALSO READ | Another feather in KING KOHLI's hat! Virat Kohli's statue unveiled at Dubai's Madame Tussauds For the unversed, India have never lost a game to Pakistan in World Cups (including ODIs and T20Is). Thus, the Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue will be confident facing the Babar Azam-led line-up, however, they cannot take them lightly as the Men in Green are also among the top three sides in ICC T20I rankings. India and Pakistan are placed in Pool B, alongside New Zealand, Afghanistan whereas two other teams will join from the qualifiers. Both India and Pakistan have also started their warm-up encounters with easy wins. While Kohli & Co. beat England by 7 wickets, Pakistan also emerged on top of West Indies by the same margin on Monday (October 18). After the qualifiers and warm-up games, the main draw of the T20 WC will commence from October 23.

Advantage India or Pakistan? Former Pak all-rounder makes BIG claim ahead of T20 WC face-off

Human rights activists protested as the Beijing 2022 Olympic flame was lit at Greece`s ancient Olympia on Monday, just over 100 days before the start of the Games in February.

Two women and a man entered the site of the ancient Greek stadium and temple where the Olympic flame is traditionally lit and which had been sealed off for days by police.

They unfurled a banner reading "No Genocide Games" and a Tibetan flag seconds after the torch was lit by an actress playing the role of high priestess at the Temple of Hera a few metres away, and shouted as officials looked on.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-stars-lovlina-borgohain-mirabai-chanu-pv-sindhu-feature-on-a-fashion-magazine-cover-see-pics-417703">Tokyo Olympics stars Lovlina Borgohain, Mirabai Chanu, PV Sindhu feature on a fashion magazine cover - See pics</a>

The ceremony itself, also watched by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, was not interrupted and the three activists, who did not reach the actual stadium or temple, were led away by police.

The Chinese capital will become the first city to host both the Winter and Summer Games when it stages the Feb. 4-20 event but protests and calls for boycotts over the country`s human rights record have marred the run-up.

Four other protesters were detained outside the stadium an hour before the ceremony and taken to a local police station while two more were arrested in Athens on Sunday after protesting at the Acropolis monument.

Rights groups and U.S. lawmakers have called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to postpone the Games and relocate the event unless China ends what the United States deems ongoing genocide against Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-gender-equality-to-the-participation-of-trans-athletes-a-list-of-epic-firsts-at-tokyo-olympics-404254">From gender-equality to the participation of trans-athletes: A list of epic firsts at Tokyo Olympics</a>

Chinese authorities have been accused of facilitating forced labour by detaining around a million Uyghurs and other primarily Muslim minorities in camps since 2016.

China denies wrongdoing, saying it has set up vocational training centres to combat extremism.

"The Olympic Games cannot address all the challenges in our world," IOC President Thomas Bach said in his address inside the ancient stadium prior to the protest.

"But they set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another. They inspire us to solve problems in friendship and solidarity."

It was the second time, after the Beijing 2008 Games, that the torch lighting ceremony was disrupted by protests by human rights activists. 
&nbsp;

Human rights activists protested as the Beijing 2022 Olympic flame was lit at Greece`s ancient Olympia on Monday, just over 100 days before the start of the Games in February.

Human rights activists protested as the Beijing 2022 Olympic flame was lit at Greece`s ancient Olympia on Monday, just over 100 days before the start of the Games in February. Two women and a man entered the site of the ancient Greek stadium and temple where the Olympic flame is traditionally lit and which had been sealed off for days by police. They unfurled a banner reading "No Genocide Games" and a Tibetan flag seconds after the torch was lit by an actress playing the role of high priestess at the Temple of Hera a few metres away, and shouted as officials looked on. ALSO READ: Tokyo Olympics stars Lovlina Borgohain, Mirabai Chanu, PV Sindhu feature on a fashion magazine cover - See pics The ceremony itself, also watched by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, was not interrupted and the three activists, who did not reach the actual stadium or temple, were led away by police. The Chinese capital will become the first city to host both the Winter and Summer Games when it stages the Feb. 4-20 event but protests and calls for boycotts over the country`s human rights record have marred the run-up. Four other protesters were detained outside the stadium an hour before the ceremony and taken to a local police station while two more were arrested in Athens on Sunday after protesting at the Acropolis monument. Rights groups and U.S. lawmakers have called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to postpone the Games and relocate the event unless China ends what the United States deems ongoing genocide against Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups. IN PICS | From gender-equality to the participation of trans-athletes: A list of epic firsts at Tokyo Olympics Chinese authorities have been accused of facilitating forced labour by detaining around a million Uyghurs and other primarily Muslim minorities in camps since 2016. China denies wrongdoing, saying it has set up vocational training centres to combat extremism. "The Olympic Games cannot address all the challenges in our world," IOC President Thomas Bach said in his address inside the ancient stadium prior to the protest. "But they set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another. They inspire us to solve problems in friendship and solidarity." It was the second time, after the Beijing 2008 Games, that the torch lighting ceremony was disrupted by protests by human rights activists.

Olympics: Beijing 2022 Games flame lit at Olympia amid human rights protests

India head coach Ravi Shastri on Monday said the dew factor will decide whether the team will go with an extra seamer or spinner during its upcoming ICC T20 World Cup campaign starting on October 24 against Pakistan.

Shastri, who is on his last assignment with the Indian team, also made it clear that the primary objective of the two warm-up games against England (this evening) and Australia on October 20 is to understand how the players are placed in terms of form and rhythm.

"We'll just try to see how much dew is around and accordingly decide to bat/bowl first. Also helps us decide about playing an extra spinner or seamer," Shastri told former India stumper Deep Dasgupta during an interaction for official broadcasters 'Star Sports'.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-would-be-working-at-a-petrol-pump-if-not-for-money-in-cricket-hardik-pandya-421729">I would be working at a petrol pump if not for money in cricket: Hardik Pandya</a>

India are scheduled to play all their matches in the evening, when dew becomes a major factor.

The heavier the dew, the more difficult it is for spinners to grip the ball, making stroke-play easier for batsmen.

Shastri said that IPL has been an ideal preparatory ground for the Indian players, most of whom are regulars for their respective franchises.

"Boys have been playing IPL for the last two months, so I don't think they need too much of preparation. It's more about them getting together and adapting together. Get some rhythm going, some energy going."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-amazon-delivery-man-to-scotlands-hero-chris-greaves-story-is-an-inspiration-to-all-421711">From Amazon delivery man to Scotland's hero: Chris Greaves' story is an inspiration to all</a>

Asked about the specific gains he is eyeing from the warm-up games, Shastri said: "Everyone can bat, everyone can bowl (in this game). So it will help us to get an idea about who is doing how.

"Not really (regarding any locked strategy). We'll just see how things go and work a combination around."&nbsp;

India head coach Ravi Shastri on Monday said the dew factor will decide whether the team will go with an extra seamer or spinner during its upcoming ICC T20 World Cup campaign starting on October 24 against Pakistan.

India head coach Ravi Shastri on Monday said the dew factor will decide whether the team will go with an extra seamer or spinner during its upcoming ICC T20 World Cup campaign starting on October 24 against Pakistan. Shastri, who is on his last assignment with the Indian team, also made it clear that the primary objective of the two warm-up games against England (this evening) and Australia on October 20 is to understand how the players are placed in terms of form and rhythm. "We'll just try to see how much dew is around and accordingly decide to bat/bowl first. Also helps us decide about playing an extra spinner or seamer," Shastri told former India stumper Deep Dasgupta during an interaction for official broadcasters 'Star Sports'. Also Read: I would be working at a petrol pump if not for money in cricket: Hardik Pandya India are scheduled to play all their matches in the evening, when dew becomes a major factor. The heavier the dew, the more difficult it is for spinners to grip the ball, making stroke-play easier for batsmen. Shastri said that IPL has been an ideal preparatory ground for the Indian players, most of whom are regulars for their respective franchises. "Boys have been playing IPL for the last two months, so I don't think they need too much of preparation. It's more about them getting together and adapting together. Get some rhythm going, some energy going." Also Read: From Amazon delivery man to Scotland's hero: Chris Greaves' story is an inspiration to all Asked about the specific gains he is eyeing from the warm-up games, Shastri said: "Everyone can bat, everyone can bowl (in this game). So it will help us to get an idea about who is doing how. "Not really (regarding any locked strategy). We'll just see how things go and work a combination around."

T20 World Cup: Dew factor will decide whether Team India will play extra seamer or spinner, says Ravi Shastri

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Aditya Sahay

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.