Hours ahead of the marquee clash between Indian and Pakistan in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, former Pak pacer Shoaib Akhtar's tweet on the match will make your day. He tweeted a popular phrase that was once used by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan when he was addressing the public. &nbsp;

Taking to his official Twitter, the legendary pacer wrote in Hindi, "Sab se pehle, Aap nay ghabrana nahi hai :)". The words can be loosely translated in English as: "First of all, you don't have to worry."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-exclusive-john-buchanan-shares-his-predicted-playing-xi-for-india-vs-pakistan-clash-423546">T20 World Cup: Exclusive! John Buchanan shares his predicted playing XI for India vs Pakistan clash</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Important baat <a href="https://twitter.com/babarazam258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@babarazam258</a> : 
Sab se pehle, Aap nay ghabrana nahi hai :)
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1452185972242780161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 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/people-are-trying-to-dig-something-virat-kohli-on-decision-to-leave-t20i-captaincy-423328">'People are trying to dig something': Virat Kohli on decision to leave T20I captaincy</a>

The pressure is high, India have beaten Pakistan in all of their 12 matches at the T20 and 50-over formats. The neighbouring countries now square off only in the multi-nation ICC tournaments as the bilateral series between the two has been suspended due to political reasons. They last met in the 2019 ODI World Cup and India last hosted Pakistan in a bilateral series in 2013.&nbsp;

However, both the skipper are not dwelling in the past as they are focused on the match. Indian skipper Virat Kohli, during the pre-match presser, said that they will need to be at their very best to overcome Babar Azam's side.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-mohammad-kaif-weighs-in-on-virat-kohli-vs-babar-azam-debate-ahead-of-indo-pak-clash-423263">T20 World Cup: Mohammad Kaif weighs in on Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam debate ahead of Indo-Pak clash</a>

Like Kohli, Babar too refused to dwell on the past in his first global tournament as Pakistan skipper.

"We are not focused on what happened in the past, but looking forward to what lies ahead. It's important to start well, and make an early impact. We are excited to be here," he said.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/virat-kohli-addresses-press-conference-ahead-of-india-vs-pakistan-match-of-t20-world-cup-2021-423281/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Hours ahead of the marquee clash between Indian and Pakistan in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, former Pak pacer Shoaib Akhtar's tweet on the match will make your day.

Hours ahead of the marquee clash between Indian and Pakistan in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, former Pak pacer Shoaib Akhtar's tweet on the match will make your day. He tweeted a popular phrase that was once used by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan when he was addressing the public. Taking to his official Twitter, the legendary pacer wrote in Hindi, "Sab se pehle, Aap nay ghabrana nahi hai :)". The words can be loosely translated in English as: "First of all, you don't have to worry." ALSO READ | T20 World Cup: Exclusive! John Buchanan shares his predicted playing XI for India vs Pakistan clash Important baat @babarazam258 : Sab se pehle, Aap nay ghabrana nahi hai :) — Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) October 24, 2021 × ALSO READ | 'People are trying to dig something': Virat Kohli on decision to leave T20I captaincy The pressure is high, India have beaten Pakistan in all of their 12 matches at the T20 and 50-over formats. The neighbouring countries now square off only in the multi-nation ICC tournaments as the bilateral series between the two has been suspended due to political reasons. They last met in the 2019 ODI World Cup and India last hosted Pakistan in a bilateral series in 2013. However, both the skipper are not dwelling in the past as they are focused on the match. Indian skipper Virat Kohli, during the pre-match presser, said that they will need to be at their very best to overcome Babar Azam's side. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup: Mohammad Kaif weighs in on Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam debate ahead of Indo-Pak clash Like Kohli, Babar too refused to dwell on the past in his first global tournament as Pakistan skipper. "We are not focused on what happened in the past, but looking forward to what lies ahead. It's important to start well, and make an early impact. We are excited to be here," he said. ×

T20 WC: Shoaib Akhtar channels inner Imran Khan to advise Babar Azam & Co. ahead of India vs Pakistan clash

The stage is set as the Virat Kohli-led team India is set to face a 'talented' Babar Azam & Co. at 7:30pm IST in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Super 12 round, which is underway in UAE and Oman.

The stage is set as the Virat Kohli-led team India is set to face a 'talented' Babar Azam & Co. at 7:30pm IST in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Super 12 round, which is underway in UAE and Oman. The frenzy around India vs Pakistan clashes are unparalleled in the cricketing world as critics and cricket pundits were busy speculating Playing XIs, the probable winner, expected runs score, how players will perform in UAE, etc. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup, IND vs PAK live streaming: When and where to watch India vs Pakistan match? The two-time World Cup-winning coach John Buchanan has shared his Playing XI exclusively with WION for the Indo-Pak match. John Buchanan's Playing XI Pakistan: Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Haider Ali India: Virat Kohli (C), KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Varun Chakravarthy, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah ALSO READ | 'Please, not this match': Pakistan fans urge Dhoni, Rahul to spare Babar & Co. ahead of India clash Buchanan also predicted India's batting order: 1 KL Rahul 2 Rohit Sharma 3 Virat Kohli (capt) 4 Suryakumar Yadav 5 Rishabh Pant (wk) 6 Hardik Pandya 7 Ravindra Jadeja 8 Shardul Thakur 9 Varun Chakravarthy 10 Mohammed Shami 11 Jasprit Bumrah A Super Sunday treat for Sports fans. Catch all the buildup to the T20 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan on #DesertStorm on WION at 6.30pm@DiggySinghDeo pic.twitter.com/d2pxvzrBYs — WION (@WIONews) October 24, 2021 × ALSO READ | 'People are trying to dig something': Virat Kohli on decision to leave T20I captaincy As far as the stats are concerned, India have beaten Pakistan in all of their 12 matches at the T20 and 50-over formats. The neighbouring countries now square off only in the multi-nation ICC tournaments as the bilateral series between the two has been suspended due to political reasons. They last met in the 2019 ODI World Cup and India last hosted Pakistan in a bilateral series in 2013. Commenting on the match, Indian skipper Kohli, during the pre-match presser, said that they will need to be at their very best to overcome Babar Azam's side. "We never discussed it within the team — what our record is, or what we achieved in the past. They distract you. What matters is how you prepare and how you perform on that given day regardless of opposition. These things are added pressure." ALSO READ | T20 World Cup: Mohammad Kaif weighs in on Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam debate ahead of Indo-Pak clash "The current Pakistan team is very strong, they always have been so. They are very talented, with several players who can change the game anytime," Kohli said. "Against a team like that, you need to arrive with your best plans, and make sure you execute it well. We definitely have to bring our A game tomorrow." Like Kohli, Babar too refused to dwell on the past in his first global tournament as Pakistan skipper. "We are not focused on what happened in the past, but looking forward to what lies ahead. It's important to start well, and make an early impact. We are excited to be here," he said. ×

T20 World Cup: Exclusive! John Buchanan shares his predicted playing XI for India vs Pakistan clash

Ahead of the India vs&nbsp;Pakistan T20 World Cup clash on Sunday (October 24), former India batter Mohammad Kaif weighed in on the epic rivalry, sharing his thoughts on the marquee clash. Exuberant fans in both the cricket-crazy nations have been eagerly waiting for this high-voltage match. While cricket pundits are busy speculating probable playing XI and the expected result, Kaif, during an exclusive chat with Zee News English in a Facebook Live session, revealed how the pressure will be on Pakistan.&nbsp;

On being asked about the match, Kaif said, "First of all, I would like to tell everyone that it'll be a great match of cricket I guarantee that. India vs Pakistan matches have become rare now so it’ll be really great to see them compete."

"Look the people who love cricket they want to see the game being played. I’ve been a player of India too, so I would like to see how to India play the game and how Pakistan play the game of cricket," he added.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/mentor-ms-dhoni-and-billion-cheers-jersey-why-indias-t20-world-cup-2021-campaign-will-be-remembered-forever-422991">Mentor MS Dhoni and Billion cheers jersey: Why India's T20 World Cup 2021 campaign will be remembered forever</a>

India have beaten Pakistan in all of their 12 matches at the T20 and 50-over World Cups and citing the same stats, Kaif said, "In terms of speaking about pressure, I think Pakistan are under more pressure because of their past record against India in the ICC tournament against India — they've lost 12 games."

"Look pressure is always there if you're playing for India even if it's an IPL match or state team match. The pressure is always there and if you play for India at any stage the pressure is there&nbsp;but look, this team of Virat Kohli is a very, very strong team because of the depth in every position that this team has, every position has lots of talent in it," the Delhi Capitals assistant coach said.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-pakistan-in-world-cups-with-12-0-record-pakistan-has-yet-to-win-a-match-in-50-and-20-overs-formats-423081">India vs Pakistan in World Cups: With 12-0 record, Pakistan has yet to win a match in 50 and 20 overs formats</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/t20-world-cup-what-makes-virat-kohli-led-team-indias-campaign-special-and-unique-423083/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

The Virat Kohli &amp; Co. will lock horns with the Babar Azam-led Pakistan team at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Sunday. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30pm IST.&nbsp;

Ahead of the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup clash on Sunday (October 24), former India batter Mohammad Kaif weighed in on the epic rivalry, sharing his thoughts on the marquee clash.

Ahead of the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup clash on Sunday (October 24), former India batter Mohammad Kaif weighed in on the epic rivalry, sharing his thoughts on the marquee clash. Exuberant fans in both the cricket-crazy nations have been eagerly waiting for this high-voltage match. While cricket pundits are busy speculating probable playing XI and the expected result, Kaif, during an exclusive chat with Zee News English in a Facebook Live session, revealed how the pressure will be on Pakistan. On being asked about the match, Kaif said, "First of all, I would like to tell everyone that it'll be a great match of cricket I guarantee that. India vs Pakistan matches have become rare now so it’ll be really great to see them compete." "Look the people who love cricket they want to see the game being played. I’ve been a player of India too, so I would like to see how to India play the game and how Pakistan play the game of cricket," he added. IN PICS | Mentor MS Dhoni and Billion cheers jersey: Why India's T20 World Cup 2021 campaign will be remembered forever India have beaten Pakistan in all of their 12 matches at the T20 and 50-over World Cups and citing the same stats, Kaif said, "In terms of speaking about pressure, I think Pakistan are under more pressure because of their past record against India in the ICC tournament against India — they've lost 12 games." "Look pressure is always there if you're playing for India even if it's an IPL match or state team match. The pressure is always there and if you play for India at any stage the pressure is there but look, this team of Virat Kohli is a very, very strong team because of the depth in every position that this team has, every position has lots of talent in it," the Delhi Capitals assistant coach said. ALSO READ | India vs Pakistan in World Cups: With 12-0 record, Pakistan has yet to win a match in 50 and 20 overs formats × The Virat Kohli & Co. will lock horns with the Babar Azam-led Pakistan team at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Sunday. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30pm IST.

T20 World Cup: Mohammad Kaif reveals which team will be under more pressure between India and Pakistan

Mohammad Amir, who is a former star pacer of Pakistan, has lauded an Indian bowler ahead of India vs Pakistan clash in the T20 World Cup, which is underway in UAE and Oman.&nbsp;

Amir praised speedster Jasprit Bumrah, hailing him as the best T20 bowler in the world. The 29-year-old also opened up on the ongoing debate between Pak's Shaheen Afridi and Bumrah as he called it "foolish".

On the YouTube channel 'Uncut', Amir said, "See, comparing Shaheen with Bumrah at this point would be foolish because Shaheen is young and he is learning. And Bumrah has been doing well for India since so long and currently, I think he is the best T20 bowler, especially in the death over."

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/mentor-ms-dhoni-and-billion-cheers-jersey-why-indias-t20-world-cup-2021-campaign-will-be-remembered-forever-422991">Mentor MS Dhoni and Billion cheers jersey: Why India's T20 World Cup 2021 campaign will be remembered forever</a>

"But Shaheen is Pakistan's best bowler at the moment, given the way he has been performing in the last year, year-and-a-half. So, this promises to be a good contest. Bumrah bowls brilliantly with the new ball and among youngsters, Shaheen is the best when the ball is new."

"As far as fast bowling is concerned, Pakistan are better. Hasan Ali and Shaheen are doing well and Haris Rauf too. These are the best T20 bowlers in the death overs. From India's point of view, Bhuvi was struggling in the IPL, so Bumrah is the only one you can say is bowling well," added the former pacer.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-javed-miandads-mimicry-to-gautam-gambhir-shahid-afridi-spat-5-epic-moments-from-indo-pak-ties-422722">From Javed Miandad's mimicry to Gautam Gambhir-Shahid Afridi spat: 5 epic moments from Indo-Pak ties</a>

Pakistan's bowling department is led by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali, which looks potent to trouble any opposition in the Super 12 stage.

India and Pakistan are set to lock horns in a high-octane clash on Sunday (October 24). &nbsp;

Mohammad Amir, who is a former star pacer of Pakistan, has lauded an Indian bowler ahead of India vs Pakistan clash in the T20 World Cup, which is underway in UAE and Oman.

Mohammad Amir, who is a former star pacer of Pakistan, has lauded an Indian bowler ahead of India vs Pakistan clash in the T20 World Cup, which is underway in UAE and Oman. Amir praised speedster Jasprit Bumrah, hailing him as the best T20 bowler in the world. The 29-year-old also opened up on the ongoing debate between Pak's Shaheen Afridi and Bumrah as he called it "foolish". On the YouTube channel 'Uncut', Amir said, "See, comparing Shaheen with Bumrah at this point would be foolish because Shaheen is young and he is learning. And Bumrah has been doing well for India since so long and currently, I think he is the best T20 bowler, especially in the death over." IN PICS | Mentor MS Dhoni and Billion cheers jersey: Why India's T20 World Cup 2021 campaign will be remembered forever "But Shaheen is Pakistan's best bowler at the moment, given the way he has been performing in the last year, year-and-a-half. So, this promises to be a good contest. Bumrah bowls brilliantly with the new ball and among youngsters, Shaheen is the best when the ball is new." "As far as fast bowling is concerned, Pakistan are better. Hasan Ali and Shaheen are doing well and Haris Rauf too. These are the best T20 bowlers in the death overs. From India's point of view, Bhuvi was struggling in the IPL, so Bumrah is the only one you can say is bowling well," added the former pacer. ALSO READ | From Javed Miandad's mimicry to Gautam Gambhir-Shahid Afridi spat: 5 epic moments from Indo-Pak ties Pakistan's bowling department is led by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali, which looks potent to trouble any opposition in the Super 12 stage. India and Pakistan are set to lock horns in a high-octane clash on Sunday (October 24).

T20 World Cup: Former Pak pacer opens up on Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Afridi's comparison

Will Pakistan beat India? Or will, there be a similar result favouring India? Well, the time will tell but as of now, the hot gossip in the cricket community is the high-powered and much-anticipated T20 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan, scheduled to take place on&nbsp;Sunday (October 24).&nbsp;

Fans in both the cricket-crazy nations go berserk over the Indo-Pak matches and their frenzy spreads like a fever. Although, the neighbouring countries now square off only in the multi-nation ICC tournaments as the bilateral series between the two has been suspended due to political reasons.&nbsp;The two teams last met in the 2019 ODI World Cup in England and India last hosted Pakistan in a bilateral series in 2013.&nbsp;

The question here is, who will win on Sunday? Will Indian skipper Virat Kohli open the campaign on a winning note? Or will Pakistan captain Babar Azam end the losing streak? The stats are favouring India as Men in Blue have beaten Pakistan in all of their 12 matches at the T20 and 50-over World Cups.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/mentor-ms-dhoni-and-billion-cheers-jersey-why-indias-t20-world-cup-2021-campaign-will-be-remembered-forever-422991">Mentor MS Dhoni and Billion cheers jersey: Why India's T20 World Cup 2021 campaign will be remembered forever</a>

However, the in-form Azam believes his team can break the World Cup jinx as commenting on the match, he said, "Definitely we have played a lot of cricket in the UAE. These conditions suit us and we know how to play here. We need to keep things simple in all the departments."

The Indian captain Kohli, on the other hand, has downplayed the hype as he said "it's just another game" of cricket. "I have always approached this game as just another game of cricket. I know there is a lot of hype created around this game more so with ticket sales and the demands for tickets. The environment, you can say, is different. From the fans' point of view, it is definitely louder. From the players' point of view, we stay as professional as we can."

With two-time World Cup-winning skipper MS Dhoni as the mentor of the team in World Cup 2021, the chances of Virat Kohli &amp; Co. are higher to win the marquee clash. In the Indian dressing room, the morale will be boosted with the presence of Dhoni, who led India to the inaugural T20 World Cup win in 2007.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-javed-miandads-mimicry-to-gautam-gambhir-shahid-afridi-spat-5-epic-moments-from-indo-pak-ties-422722">From Javed Miandad's mimicry to Gautam Gambhir-Shahid Afridi spat: 5 epic moments from Indo-Pak ties</a>

However, one can't ignore Pakistan form as they come into the Super 12s contest with 10 wins in a row in the United Arab Emirates. For the team, the skipper himself in top form with two T20 centuries this year. Bowlers like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali can trouble any opposition.&nbsp;

Overall, India hold a 7-1 advantage in the shortest format as Pakistan's only win came in a bilateral series which ended 1-1. But the result of India vs Pakistan on October 24 will be a new chapter in the career of Azam and Kohli.&nbsp;

Kohli has already announced that he that he will give up the India Twenty20 captaincy after the World Cup, so winning the title and the clash against Pakistan will be of huge significance. On the other hand, the Sunday is an opportunity for Babar Azam to script history.&nbsp;

Will Pakistan beat India? Or will, there be a similar result favouring India? Well, the time will tell but as of now, the hot gossip in the cricket community is the high-powered and much-anticipated T20 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan, scheduled to take place on Sunday (October 24).

Will Pakistan beat India? Or will, there be a similar result favouring India? Well, the time will tell but as of now, the hot gossip in the cricket community is the high-powered and much-anticipated T20 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan, scheduled to take place on Sunday (October 24). Fans in both the cricket-crazy nations go berserk over the Indo-Pak matches and their frenzy spreads like a fever. Although, the neighbouring countries now square off only in the multi-nation ICC tournaments as the bilateral series between the two has been suspended due to political reasons. The two teams last met in the 2019 ODI World Cup in England and India last hosted Pakistan in a bilateral series in 2013. The question here is, who will win on Sunday? Will Indian skipper Virat Kohli open the campaign on a winning note? Or will Pakistan captain Babar Azam end the losing streak? The stats are favouring India as Men in Blue have beaten Pakistan in all of their 12 matches at the T20 and 50-over World Cups. IN PICS | Mentor MS Dhoni and Billion cheers jersey: Why India's T20 World Cup 2021 campaign will be remembered forever However, the in-form Azam believes his team can break the World Cup jinx as commenting on the match, he said, "Definitely we have played a lot of cricket in the UAE. These conditions suit us and we know how to play here. We need to keep things simple in all the departments." The Indian captain Kohli, on the other hand, has downplayed the hype as he said "it's just another game" of cricket. "I have always approached this game as just another game of cricket. I know there is a lot of hype created around this game more so with ticket sales and the demands for tickets. The environment, you can say, is different. From the fans' point of view, it is definitely louder. From the players' point of view, we stay as professional as we can." With two-time World Cup-winning skipper MS Dhoni as the mentor of the team in World Cup 2021, the chances of Virat Kohli & Co. are higher to win the marquee clash. In the Indian dressing room, the morale will be boosted with the presence of Dhoni, who led India to the inaugural T20 World Cup win in 2007. ALSO READ | From Javed Miandad's mimicry to Gautam Gambhir-Shahid Afridi spat: 5 epic moments from Indo-Pak ties However, one can't ignore Pakistan form as they come into the Super 12s contest with 10 wins in a row in the United Arab Emirates. For the team, the skipper himself in top form with two T20 centuries this year. Bowlers like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali can trouble any opposition. Overall, India hold a 7-1 advantage in the shortest format as Pakistan's only win came in a bilateral series which ended 1-1. But the result of India vs Pakistan on October 24 will be a new chapter in the career of Azam and Kohli. Kohli has already announced that he that he will give up the India Twenty20 captaincy after the World Cup, so winning the title and the clash against Pakistan will be of huge significance. On the other hand, the Sunday is an opportunity for Babar Azam to script history.

India vs Pakistan in World Cups: With 12-0 record, Pakistan has yet to win a match in 50 and 20 overs formats

With Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach of the Indian cricket team set to end after the Twenty20 World Cup, fans in the cricket-crazy nation are waiting for a formal announcement on who will be the next coach. However, if reports are to be believed, former Test cricket stalwart Rahul Dravid is set to succeed Shastri.&nbsp;

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to reveal the name with Dravid reportedly being the favourite. However, he is not the only one BCCI had approached as previously, media reports revealed that the Indian cricket board considered Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman names as well.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-reacts-as-rahul-dravid-reportedly-set-to-succeed-ravi-shastri-as-indias-head-coach-421378">Virat Kohli reacts as Rahul Dravid reportedly set to succeed Ravi Shastri as India's head coac</a>h

But rumours that BCCI even approached Australian legend Ricky Ponting has grabbed everyone's attention as a report published by Times of India confirmed that Ponting name was also considered but the two-time World Cup-winning captain refused the offer, reason unknown so far.&nbsp;

Ponting's coaching career can be defined by his remarkable stint with the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Delhi Capitals (DC). His guidance as the coach is credited for DC's growth in the cash-rich cricket league in the past few years.&nbsp;

On the other hand, Dravid is credited for India's steady supply of young talent as head of the National Cricket Academy. He has been in charge of the national 'A' and U-19 set-up for the past six years. He has played 164 Tests and 344 one-dayers between 1996 and 2012 for India.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-india-vs-pakistan-to-manchester-united-vs-liverpool-could-october-24-get-any-better-420711">From India vs Pakistan to Manchester United vs Liverpool: Could October 24 get any better?</a>

Dravid currently heads the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and was in Dubai during the just-concluded IPL to meet his former teammate and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly and Board secretary Jay Shah for an elaborate discussion.&nbsp;

As far as the T20 World Cup is considered, India will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai. The tournament was scheduled to be held in India but the COVID-19 situation in the country forced organisers to shift it to the United Arab Emirates and Oman.&nbsp;

Ahead of the tournament, India tweaked its squad as Shardul Thakur has been added to the 15-member squad as he replaced Axar Patel, who will now be on the list of standby players.&nbsp;

With Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach of the Indian cricket team set to end after the Twenty20 World Cup, fans in the cricket-crazy nation are waiting for a formal announcement on who will be the next coach.

With Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach of the Indian cricket team set to end after the Twenty20 World Cup, fans in the cricket-crazy nation are waiting for a formal announcement on who will be the next coach. However, if reports are to be believed, former Test cricket stalwart Rahul Dravid is set to succeed Shastri. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to reveal the name with Dravid reportedly being the favourite. However, he is not the only one BCCI had approached as previously, media reports revealed that the Indian cricket board considered Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman names as well. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli reacts as Rahul Dravid reportedly set to succeed Ravi Shastri as India's head coach But rumours that BCCI even approached Australian legend Ricky Ponting has grabbed everyone's attention as a report published by Times of India confirmed that Ponting name was also considered but the two-time World Cup-winning captain refused the offer, reason unknown so far. Ponting's coaching career can be defined by his remarkable stint with the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Delhi Capitals (DC). His guidance as the coach is credited for DC's growth in the cash-rich cricket league in the past few years. On the other hand, Dravid is credited for India's steady supply of young talent as head of the National Cricket Academy. He has been in charge of the national 'A' and U-19 set-up for the past six years. He has played 164 Tests and 344 one-dayers between 1996 and 2012 for India. ALSO READ | From India vs Pakistan to Manchester United vs Liverpool: Could October 24 get any better? Dravid currently heads the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and was in Dubai during the just-concluded IPL to meet his former teammate and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly and Board secretary Jay Shah for an elaborate discussion. As far as the T20 World Cup is considered, India will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai. The tournament was scheduled to be held in India but the COVID-19 situation in the country forced organisers to shift it to the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Ahead of the tournament, India tweaked its squad as Shardul Thakur has been added to the 15-member squad as he replaced Axar Patel, who will now be on the list of standby players.

Did Australia legend Ricky Ponting refuse BCCI's offer to coach Team India?

Millions of cricket fans in India and Pakistan are eagerly waiting for the upcoming T20 World Cup clash between the two nations, which is scheduled to take place on October 24. The Virat Kohli-led team will start their campaign with the heavyweight clash, with an aim to keep their winning streak. India has emerged victorious in all the previous five matches against Pakistan in T20 World Cup since its inception in 2007.&nbsp;

Cricket rivalry between the two nations goes above and beyond and when it comes to cricket in the World Cup, it is like no other. From TV ads to social media trends, this particular battle dominates the charts.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-india-vs-pakistan-to-manchester-united-vs-liverpool-could-october-24-get-any-better-420711">From India vs Pakistan to Manchester United vs Liverpool: Could October 24 get any better?</a>

Cricket fanatics would remember the epic "Mauka Mauka" ads that are released by the organisers ahead of the India vs Pakistan clash. They go viral like a fever. Even this time, a new edition of the commercial has been produced and commenting on the same, India's spin legend Harbhajan Singh has taken a jibe at former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar.&nbsp;

In a video shared by Star Sports, Harbhajan can be heard speaking in Hindi, which can be loosely translated in English as, "I have told Shoaib Akhtar that what is the point of playing against us? You should just give us a walkover."

"You will play against us, lose again and get disappointed. What's the point? Shoaib Akhtar, there's no chance. We have a very solid team, very strong team. It will blow your team away," he added.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/saurav-ganguly-met-pcb-chairman-ramiz-raja-personally-ahead-of-ipl-2021-final-pakistan-media-claims-421350">Saurav Ganguly met PCB chairman Ramiz Raja personally ahead of IPL 2021 final, Pakistan media claims</a>

The bilateral series between the two has been suspended due to political reasons and previously, the arch-rivals met at the 2019 World Cup in England, where India won against Pakistan and maintained their unbeaten record in World Cups.&nbsp;

Millions of cricket fans in India and Pakistan are eagerly waiting for the upcoming T20 World Cup clash between the two nations, which is scheduled to take place on October 24.

Millions of cricket fans in India and Pakistan are eagerly waiting for the upcoming T20 World Cup clash between the two nations, which is scheduled to take place on October 24. The Virat Kohli-led team will start their campaign with the heavyweight clash, with an aim to keep their winning streak. India has emerged victorious in all the previous five matches against Pakistan in T20 World Cup since its inception in 2007. Cricket rivalry between the two nations goes above and beyond and when it comes to cricket in the World Cup, it is like no other. From TV ads to social media trends, this particular battle dominates the charts. ALSO READ | From India vs Pakistan to Manchester United vs Liverpool: Could October 24 get any better? Cricket fanatics would remember the epic "Mauka Mauka" ads that are released by the organisers ahead of the India vs Pakistan clash. They go viral like a fever. Even this time, a new edition of the commercial has been produced and commenting on the same, India's spin legend Harbhajan Singh has taken a jibe at former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar. In a video shared by Star Sports, Harbhajan can be heard speaking in Hindi, which can be loosely translated in English as, "I have told Shoaib Akhtar that what is the point of playing against us? You should just give us a walkover." "You will play against us, lose again and get disappointed. What's the point? Shoaib Akhtar, there's no chance. We have a very solid team, very strong team. It will blow your team away," he added. ALSO READ | Saurav Ganguly met PCB chairman Ramiz Raja personally ahead of IPL 2021 final, Pakistan media claims The bilateral series between the two has been suspended due to political reasons and previously, the arch-rivals met at the 2019 World Cup in England, where India won against Pakistan and maintained their unbeaten record in World Cups.

'What's the point of playing?': Harbhajan Singh takes a jibe at Shoaib Akhtar ahead of India vs Pakistan clash

As the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is approaching, experts are busy predicting the result of the showpiece event. Now, former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee has also joined the list and weighed in on the possible winner.&nbsp;

"Obviously with Kohli and the captaincy, it's probably his last crack at it so he'll want to go out on a high. India would definitely be one of the top picks and could definitely win this thing," Foxsports.com.au quoted Lee as saying.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-india-vs-pakistan-to-manchester-united-vs-liverpool-could-october-24-get-any-better-420711">From India vs Pakistan to Manchester United vs Liverpool: Could October 24 get any better?</a>

Former pacer also shared his view on India's star batter, KL Rahul, as he said, "I've backed KL Rahul to get the most runs in the competition. I think KL Rahul coming off a great IPL, he's the pillar that the guys can build around him because it takes the pressure off Kohli if Rahul is scoring runs. It allows Kohli to just play his natural game."

Despite backing Kohli-led Team India to reach the finals, Lee also&nbsp;praised the Australian side and said that he wants his country to win the World Cup and considers that it is the best chance for the Aaron Finch-led side to clinch the coveted trophy.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-team-indias-jersey-for-t20-world-cup-displayed-at-burj-khalifa-with-a-breathtaking-light-show-420660">Watch: Team India's jersey for T20 World Cup displayed at Burj Khalifa with a breathtaking light show</a>

"I'm very patriotic, I want Australia to win and I think they can, but India definitely will be in the final and I think Australia has their best chance," he added.&nbsp;

Men's T20 World Cup will get underway from October 17 and Kohli-led team India will start their campaign with a heavyweight clash against Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai.&nbsp;

As the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is approaching, experts are busy predicting the result of the showpiece event. Now, former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee has also joined the list and weighed in on the possible winner.

As the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is approaching, experts are busy predicting the result of the showpiece event. Now, former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee has also joined the list and weighed in on the possible winner. "Obviously with Kohli and the captaincy, it's probably his last crack at it so he'll want to go out on a high. India would definitely be one of the top picks and could definitely win this thing," Foxsports.com.au quoted Lee as saying. ALSO READ | From India vs Pakistan to Manchester United vs Liverpool: Could October 24 get any better? Former pacer also shared his view on India's star batter, KL Rahul, as he said, "I've backed KL Rahul to get the most runs in the competition. I think KL Rahul coming off a great IPL, he's the pillar that the guys can build around him because it takes the pressure off Kohli if Rahul is scoring runs. It allows Kohli to just play his natural game." Despite backing Kohli-led Team India to reach the finals, Lee also praised the Australian side and said that he wants his country to win the World Cup and considers that it is the best chance for the Aaron Finch-led side to clinch the coveted trophy. ALSO READ | Watch: Team India's jersey for T20 World Cup displayed at Burj Khalifa with a breathtaking light show "I'm very patriotic, I want Australia to win and I think they can, but India definitely will be in the final and I think Australia has their best chance," he added. Men's T20 World Cup will get underway from October 17 and Kohli-led team India will start their campaign with a heavyweight clash against Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai.

Former Australian pacer Brett Lee predicts winner of T20 World Cup

The unveiling of Virat Kohli-led Team India's jersey for the T20 World Cup got bigger and better with a breathtaking light show at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is one of the host cities for the tournament that will get underway from October 17.

The unveiling of Virat Kohli-led Team India's jersey for the T20 World Cup got bigger and better with a breathtaking light show at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is one of the host cities for the tournament that will get underway from October 17. On Wednesday (October 13), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the Indian team's jersey, which is inspired by the fans and called the 'Billion Cheers Jersey'. It comes in shades of prussian blue and royal blue. IN PICS | Iconic shades of blue: Evolution of Team India's jersey from 1985 to 2021 "This is the first time in the history of Indian cricket that fans have been memorialised on a jersey. It carries their chants and cheers from iconic past matches, transformed into unique soundwave patterns," stated a release from ML Sports. Now, in a video posted on the official Twitter handle of BCCI, India's new kit can be seen on Dubai's iconic Burj Khalifa. "The Team India World Cup jersey unveil gets bigger and better with a projection on the iconic Burj Khalifa. Watch the historic moment here!" BCCI wrote as the caption. Watch the video here: The Team India World Cup jersey unveil gets bigger and better with a projection on the iconic Burj Khalifa. Watch the historic moment here! 🇮🇳 @mpl_sport #BillionCheersJersey #ShowYourGame #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/Ee8S6rGD6c — BCCI (@BCCI) October 14, 2021 × ALSO READ | Babar Azam makes BIG claim ahead of marquee face-off between India and Pakistan in T20 World Cup The Men in Blue will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai. The tournament was scheduled to be held in India but the COVID-19 situation in the country forced organisers to shift it to the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Ahead of the tournament, India tweaked its squad as Shardul Thakur has been added to the 15-member squad as he replaced Axar Patel, who will now be on the list of standby players.

Watch: Team India's jersey for T20 World Cup displayed at Burj Khalifa with a breathtaking light show

Chris Gayle slammed former West Indies cricketer Curtly Ambrose for saying "negative things" in the press and asked him to support the team ahead of the T20 World Cup. Mentioning Ambrose, Gayle said that he had "no respect" as the iconic fast bowler recently said that the 'Universe Boss' shouldn't be an automatic pick in the starting XI for the team in the upcoming T20 WC squad, which begins on Sunday (October 17).&nbsp;

"I can tell you personally and you can let him know that Chris Gayle, the Universe Boss, have no respect for Curtly Ambrose whatsoever," Gayle (42) told a radio station, The Island Tea Morning Show, in St Kitts on Tuesday (October 12). Ambrose had said Gayle is not an automatic choice in the West Indies XI for the World Cup.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-extends-deadline-for-purchasing-tender-document-for-new-ipl-teams-420394">BCCI extends deadline for purchasing tender document for new IPL teams</a>

During his conversation, Gayle said, "I am speaking about Curtly Ambrose. I am singling out Curtly Ambrose, one of your own. I highly respected him when I came into the West Indies team. When I just joined the team, I looked up to this man. But I am now speaking from my heart."

"I don't know what, since he retired, what he had against Chris Gayle. Those negative things he has been saying within the press, I don't know if he is looking for attention but he is getting the attention. So I am just giving back the attention which he requires and which he needs," Gayle added.&nbsp;

Gayle, who was part of the 2012 and 2016 World Cup-winning teams, added that if former West Indies players "continue to be negative" and not support the team, then the Universe Boss is going to be disrespectful, disrespectful verbally in their face."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-dravid-politely-turns-down-bccis-offer-to-succeed-ravi-shastri-as-team-india-coach-reports-420351">Rahul Dravid politely turns down BCCI's offer to succeed Ravi Shastri as Team India coach: Reports</a>

"I am finished with Curtly Ambrose. I have no respect, any time I see him I will tell him as well — 'Stop being negative, support the team ahead of the World Cup.' This team has been selected and we need past players to support us".&nbsp;

It is important to note that Gayle has accumulated just 227 runs in 16 T20Is, averaging 17.46 with a single fifty to his name.&nbsp;

During the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League 2021 tournament, Gayle had decided to leave the bio-secure environment due to "bubble fatigue". The 42-year-old had mentioned that he wants to "mentally recharge" and refocus on helping the West Indies in the T20 World Cup, which begins on October 17. &nbsp;

Chris Gayle slammed former West Indies cricketer Curtly Ambrose for saying "negative things" in the press and asked him to support the team ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Chris Gayle slammed former West Indies cricketer Curtly Ambrose for saying "negative things" in the press and asked him to support the team ahead of the T20 World Cup. Mentioning Ambrose, Gayle said that he had "no respect" as the iconic fast bowler recently said that the 'Universe Boss' shouldn't be an automatic pick in the starting XI for the team in the upcoming T20 WC squad, which begins on Sunday (October 17). "I can tell you personally and you can let him know that Chris Gayle, the Universe Boss, have no respect for Curtly Ambrose whatsoever," Gayle (42) told a radio station, The Island Tea Morning Show, in St Kitts on Tuesday (October 12). Ambrose had said Gayle is not an automatic choice in the West Indies XI for the World Cup. ALSO READ | BCCI extends deadline for purchasing tender document for new IPL teams During his conversation, Gayle said, "I am speaking about Curtly Ambrose. I am singling out Curtly Ambrose, one of your own. I highly respected him when I came into the West Indies team. When I just joined the team, I looked up to this man. But I am now speaking from my heart." "I don't know what, since he retired, what he had against Chris Gayle. Those negative things he has been saying within the press, I don't know if he is looking for attention but he is getting the attention. So I am just giving back the attention which he requires and which he needs," Gayle added. Gayle, who was part of the 2012 and 2016 World Cup-winning teams, added that if former West Indies players "continue to be negative" and not support the team, then the Universe Boss is going to be disrespectful, disrespectful verbally in their face." ALSO READ | Rahul Dravid politely turns down BCCI's offer to succeed Ravi Shastri as Team India coach: Reports "I am finished with Curtly Ambrose. I have no respect, any time I see him I will tell him as well — 'Stop being negative, support the team ahead of the World Cup.' This team has been selected and we need past players to support us". It is important to note that Gayle has accumulated just 227 runs in 16 T20Is, averaging 17.46 with a single fifty to his name. During the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League 2021 tournament, Gayle had decided to leave the bio-secure environment due to "bubble fatigue". The 42-year-old had mentioned that he wants to "mentally recharge" and refocus on helping the West Indies in the T20 World Cup, which begins on October 17.

'I have no respect': Universe Boss Chris Gayle slams former West Indies legend for saying 'negative things'

Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has expressed his opinion on one of the most-awaited clashes in the upcoming T20 World Cup — India vs Pakistan. The cricket rivalry between the two nations is epic and when it comes to the World Cup, the frenzy among fans can't be compared.&nbsp;

Last, the arch-rivals met at the 2019 World Cup in England, where India won against Pakistan and maintained their unbeaten record in World Cups. The bilateral series between the two has been suspended due to political reasons.&nbsp;

In the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is set to begin from October 17 in the UAE and Oman, both teams will lock horns with an aim to win the coveted trophy. As Pakistan have never defeated India at the Cricket World Cup, stakes are high for the Babar Azam-led team, on the other hand, the Virat Kohli-led team will also have the pressure of&nbsp;maintaining their unbeaten record.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fresh-dls-rules-icc-makes-changes-in-playing-conditions-for-t20-world-cup-2021-semi-final-final-419667">Fresh DLS rules: ICC makes changes in playing conditions for T20 World Cup 2021 semi-final &amp; final</a>

Now, weighing in on the match, Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi said that India vs Pakistan is always a "high-pressure" game and teams should be able to handle it.&nbsp;

"On his official YouTube video, Afridi said, "See, India vs Pakistan is always a high-pressure game. And whichever team handles pressure better will win. Also, whichever teams make the smallest of mistakes has a better chance of winning."

On the inclusion of Shoaib Malik into Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad, Afridi has said that it will hold the side in good stead once the tournament starts.&nbsp;

"Good to see Shoaib Malik recalled for the T20 World Cup. As a senior and experienced player, he can contribute big time for Pakistan. All the best," tweeted Afridi.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/with-an-aim-to-win-back-the-urn-england-name-strongest-available-squad-for-ashes-tour-419655">With an aim to win back the urn, England name strongest available squad for Ashes tour</a>

The Pakistan squad for the ICC men's T20 World Cup 2021 will depart for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on October 15. They will play two warm-up matches against the West Indies and South Africa on October 18 and 20 respectively before taking on India in a Group-2 fixture on October 24 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has expressed his opinion on one of the most-awaited clashes in the upcoming T20 World Cup — India vs Pakistan. The cricket rivalry between the two nations is epic and when it comes to the World Cup, the frenzy among fans can't be compared.

Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has expressed his opinion on one of the most-awaited clashes in the upcoming T20 World Cup — India vs Pakistan. The cricket rivalry between the two nations is epic and when it comes to the World Cup, the frenzy among fans can't be compared. Last, the arch-rivals met at the 2019 World Cup in England, where India won against Pakistan and maintained their unbeaten record in World Cups. The bilateral series between the two has been suspended due to political reasons. In the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is set to begin from October 17 in the UAE and Oman, both teams will lock horns with an aim to win the coveted trophy. As Pakistan have never defeated India at the Cricket World Cup, stakes are high for the Babar Azam-led team, on the other hand, the Virat Kohli-led team will also have the pressure of maintaining their unbeaten record. ALSO READ | Fresh DLS rules: ICC makes changes in playing conditions for T20 World Cup 2021 semi-final & final Now, weighing in on the match, Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi said that India vs Pakistan is always a "high-pressure" game and teams should be able to handle it. "On his official YouTube video, Afridi said, "See, India vs Pakistan is always a high-pressure game. And whichever team handles pressure better will win. Also, whichever teams make the smallest of mistakes has a better chance of winning." On the inclusion of Shoaib Malik into Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad, Afridi has said that it will hold the side in good stead once the tournament starts. "Good to see Shoaib Malik recalled for the T20 World Cup. As a senior and experienced player, he can contribute big time for Pakistan. All the best," tweeted Afridi. ALSO READ | With an aim to win back the urn, England name strongest available squad for Ashes tour The Pakistan squad for the ICC men's T20 World Cup 2021 will depart for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on October 15. They will play two warm-up matches against the West Indies and South Africa on October 18 and 20 respectively before taking on India in a Group-2 fixture on October 24 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

T20 World Cup: Shahid Afridi weighs in on 'high-pressure' game between India and Pakistan

Men's T20 World Cup will get underway from October 17 and Virat Kohli-led team India will begin their campaign with a heavyweight clash against Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai.&nbsp;

A clash between India and Pakistan in any sport sees a fierce rivalry, but in cricket, it goes above and beyond. But when it comes to cricket in the World Cup, the frenzy is unparalleled among fans in the South Asian cricket-crazy countries.&nbsp;

The bilateral series between the two has been suspended due to political reasons and previously, the arch-rivals met at the 2019 World Cup in England, where India won against Pakistan and maintained their unbeaten record in World Cups.&nbsp;

It's difficult to predict the possible outcome of the match as both the teams have included top-class players in their squad, eying the coveted trophy. As Pakistan have never defeated India at the Cricket World Cup, stakes are high for the Babar Azam-led team to salvage their reputation.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-man-of-many-talents-rohit-sharma-imitates-mi-legends-shares-video-on-instagram-watch-418679">IPL 2021: Man of many talents! Rohit Sharma imitates MI legends, shares video on Instagram - WATCH</a>

In the same context, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has been quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan that a "blank cheque is ready" for the PCB if Pakistan beat&nbsp;India in the upcoming T20 World Cup.&nbsp;

As per the site, Raja was stressing the importance of making PCB self-sufficient in a meeting with the Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC).&nbsp;

He said, "PCB runs 50 per cent on the funding of ICC. 90 per cent of funding to ICC comes from India. I’m afraid that if India stopped funding ICC, then PCB might collapse because PCB gives zero per cent funding to ICC. I’m determined to make Pakistan cricket strong."

"One strong investor told me that a blank cheque is ready for the PCB if Pakistan beats India in the upcoming T20 World Cup," he added.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/western-arrogance-michael-holding-slams-england-for-pulling-out-of-pakistan-tour-says-would-not-have-done-that-to-india-418704">'Western arrogance': Michael Holding slams England for pulling out of Pakistan tour, says 'would not have done that to India'</a>

The showpiece event has become extremely important for the Pakistan team because of the recent embarrassment inflicted by the New Zealand and England cricket boards, when they cancelled their Pak tour citing security reasons.&nbsp;

The decision caused humiliation for the South Asian country, which is largely shunned by top teams in the wake of an attack by Islamist militants on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 that killed six policemen and two civilians.&nbsp;

Reflecting on the same, Raja said, "If our cricket economy is strong, we won’t be used and then binned by teams like England and New Zealand. Best cricket team and best cricket economy are two big challenges."

Men's T20 World Cup will get underway from October 17 and Virat Kohli-led team India will begin their campaign with a heavyweight clash against Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai.

Men's T20 World Cup will get underway from October 17 and Virat Kohli-led team India will begin their campaign with a heavyweight clash against Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai. A clash between India and Pakistan in any sport sees a fierce rivalry, but in cricket, it goes above and beyond. But when it comes to cricket in the World Cup, the frenzy is unparalleled among fans in the South Asian cricket-crazy countries. The bilateral series between the two has been suspended due to political reasons and previously, the arch-rivals met at the 2019 World Cup in England, where India won against Pakistan and maintained their unbeaten record in World Cups. It's difficult to predict the possible outcome of the match as both the teams have included top-class players in their squad, eying the coveted trophy. As Pakistan have never defeated India at the Cricket World Cup, stakes are high for the Babar Azam-led team to salvage their reputation. ALSO READ | IPL 2021: Man of many talents! Rohit Sharma imitates MI legends, shares video on Instagram - WATCH In the same context, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has been quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan that a "blank cheque is ready" for the PCB if Pakistan beat India in the upcoming T20 World Cup. As per the site, Raja was stressing the importance of making PCB self-sufficient in a meeting with the Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC). He said, "PCB runs 50 per cent on the funding of ICC. 90 per cent of funding to ICC comes from India. I’m afraid that if India stopped funding ICC, then PCB might collapse because PCB gives zero per cent funding to ICC. I’m determined to make Pakistan cricket strong." "One strong investor told me that a blank cheque is ready for the PCB if Pakistan beats India in the upcoming T20 World Cup," he added. ALSO READ | 'Western arrogance': Michael Holding slams England for pulling out of Pakistan tour, says 'would not have done that to India' The showpiece event has become extremely important for the Pakistan team because of the recent embarrassment inflicted by the New Zealand and England cricket boards, when they cancelled their Pak tour citing security reasons. The decision caused humiliation for the South Asian country, which is largely shunned by top teams in the wake of an attack by Islamist militants on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 that killed six policemen and two civilians. Reflecting on the same, Raja said, "If our cricket economy is strong, we won’t be used and then binned by teams like England and New Zealand. Best cricket team and best cricket economy are two big challenges."

If Pakistan beat India in T20 World Cup, PCB to get blank cheque: Ramiz Raja reveals investor's BIG claim

Former Pakistan's fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has made quite an interesting prediction regarding the winner of the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place from October 17 to November 14 this year in the UAE and Oman. India and Pakistan are slated to play in the group stage as they are in the same pool, however, the former cricketer has predicted the arch-rivals will play the final clash also and not just that, Pakistan will end up defeating India.&nbsp;

While speaking to a media house, Akhtar said, "I have a feeling Pakistan and India will play in the T20 World Cup final and India will lose to Pakistan. Conditions in UAE will favour both India and Pakistan."

Pakistan team has never defeated India in World Cup matches as the Indian team boast a stunning 11-0 record. It is worth noting that India and Pakistan have not played any bilateral series in over a decade due to political tensions, however, they have faced each other in ICC tournaments. Despite the ban, India vs Pakistan is considered one of the fiercest rivalries in the cricket world. Particularly this year, as both the teams will contest to get the trophy for a second time.

Previously, India was supposed to host the T20 World Cup but owing to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, the entire event has been shifted to UAE.&nbsp;

'Today's batmen are fortunate...'

Recently, Akhtar commented that the batsmen of today's generation are "fortunate" as they haven't faced some of the legendary bowlers like Shane Warne, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and himself. During an interview with an India-based media house, the 45-year-old former fast bowler spoke about how the game of cricket has deteriorated over the past few years. He said that cricket has "not evolved", only the shots have "evolved". Akhtar said, "The quality of the game has deteriorated in the last 10 years. The deterioration has happened."&nbsp;

Former Pakistan's fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has made quite an interesting prediction regarding the winner of the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place from October 17 to November 14 this year in the UAE and Oman.

Former Pakistan's fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has made quite an interesting prediction regarding the winner of the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place from October 17 to November 14 this year in the UAE and Oman. India and Pakistan are slated to play in the group stage as they are in the same pool, however, the former cricketer has predicted the arch-rivals will play the final clash also and not just that, Pakistan will end up defeating India. While speaking to a media house, Akhtar said, "I have a feeling Pakistan and India will play in the T20 World Cup final and India will lose to Pakistan. Conditions in UAE will favour both India and Pakistan." Pakistan team has never defeated India in World Cup matches as the Indian team boast a stunning 11-0 record. It is worth noting that India and Pakistan have not played any bilateral series in over a decade due to political tensions, however, they have faced each other in ICC tournaments. Despite the ban, India vs Pakistan is considered one of the fiercest rivalries in the cricket world. Particularly this year, as both the teams will contest to get the trophy for a second time. Previously, India was supposed to host the T20 World Cup but owing to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, the entire event has been shifted to UAE. 'Today's batmen are fortunate...' Recently, Akhtar commented that the batsmen of today's generation are "fortunate" as they haven't faced some of the legendary bowlers like Shane Warne, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and himself. During an interview with an India-based media house, the 45-year-old former fast bowler spoke about how the game of cricket has deteriorated over the past few years. He said that cricket has "not evolved", only the shots have "evolved". Akhtar said, "The quality of the game has deteriorated in the last 10 years. The deterioration has happened."

Shoaib Akhtar predicts winner of T20 World Cup, says 'India will lose to Pakistan'

July 9, 2019, ICC Cricket World Cup semi-final, India vs New Zealand. Result: resurgent Kiwis beat Kohli's Men in Blue by 18 runs(the result was never in doubt, except for Dhoni and Jadeja fans).

Fast forward to Cricket World Cup to be held in India in 2023.&nbsp;India vs Pakistan at Eden Gardens in a semi-final encounter. India has the historic record of never being beaten against their arch-rival. But wait, the unthinkable happens. Kohli's India slips to defeat on a disastrous day and he resigns as captain and Shastri steps down.

Last year, coach Shastri even said India's Test victory in Australia was&nbsp;"bigger" than India's maiden&nbsp;1983 World Cup triumph. Remember it was a depleted Australian team without the services of Smith and Warner and their morale was at an all-time low. India's victory was almost on a platter. This time it is different, Aussies are red hot at home.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Watch Shastri's comments here:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indias-victory-in-australia-bigger-than-1983-world-cup-win-says-shastri-188749/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Today, however, is December 19, 2020, the&nbsp;World Cup moment above is still years away and if India and its selectors want to avoid this&nbsp;fate the time to act is now. It is time to groom a new captain and bring in a new coach (a foreigner preferably). The Shastri-Kohli duo have had their day and India is grateful&nbsp;but cricket needs to move on. It is time for the BCCI to ensure a change of guard - if not now, when?

MS Dhoni, India's 2011 World Cup-winning captain had his eye set on the Mumbai final in 2008&nbsp;- three years prior to the big match and he began culling the seniors - Ganguly, Dravid etc from the one-day team. The result was pure fury as fans erupted, but history only remembers the final result: India beat Sri Lanka in the final.

The question to be asked is do&nbsp;Shastri and Kohli have a&nbsp;gameplan for 2023? Is Indian cricket set to humiliate its fans at home when the next World Cup will be&nbsp;played in front of 100,000 fans at Eden or Wankhede?

Now, the ball is in BCCI's court, if the search for a new coach does not begin it will be too late since 2021 is already upon us. India's coach Ravi Shastri has had his day.&nbsp;

The "Champion of Champions" who began his superstardom in Australia in 1985 is clearly out of depth and not the man the country can lean on to get us another World Cup. Indian cricket does not need a Big Brother, it needs a 'high performance' professional&nbsp;coach in the same league as Gary Kirsten and John Wright. The young Team India needs a new approach and a new way of life. Late night parties and lack of will gets us nowhere. It should be obvious with India's listless stay currently in Australia.

Presently Team India is neither a world-beater in Tests nor ODIs. So why do we need a captain or a coach? The BCCI has the remedy but is it ready to take the bitter pill and administer it to Mr. Kohli and his coach? The answer is Maybe No, because there is a fear of repercussion. The question to be asked is - fear who? fans and Twitterati? They won't win us the World Cup, but the right decision will.

The greatest thing which perhaps Shastri can do for Indian cricket is to resign himself - fans and cricket will respect him&nbsp;and Kohli&nbsp;steps aside and showcases his talent just as a batsman - as Sachin once did!&nbsp;Virat&nbsp;is the best in the world with the willow in his hand.&nbsp;

However, it doesn't seem the script will be as&nbsp;simple for the emotional Indian fan and the paying public because nobody wants to take the first step towards victory.

July 9, 2019, ICC Cricket World Cup semi-final, India vs New Zealand. Result: resurgent Kiwis beat Kohli's Men in Blue by 18 runs(the result was never in doubt, except for Dhoni and Jadeja fans).

July 9, 2019, ICC Cricket World Cup semi-final, India vs New Zealand. Result: resurgent Kiwis beat Kohli's Men in Blue by 18 runs(the result was never in doubt, except for Dhoni and Jadeja fans). Fast forward to Cricket World Cup to be held in India in 2023. India vs Pakistan at Eden Gardens in a semi-final encounter. India has the historic record of never being beaten against their arch-rival. But wait, the unthinkable happens. Kohli's India slips to defeat on a disastrous day and he resigns as captain and Shastri steps down. Last year, coach Shastri even said India's Test victory in Australia was "bigger" than India's maiden 1983 World Cup triumph. Remember it was a depleted Australian team without the services of Smith and Warner and their morale was at an all-time low. India's victory was almost on a platter. This time it is different, Aussies are red hot at home. Watch Shastri's comments here: Today, however, is December 19, 2020, the World Cup moment above is still years away and if India and its selectors want to avoid this fate the time to act is now. It is time to groom a new captain and bring in a new coach (a foreigner preferably). The Shastri-Kohli duo have had their day and India is grateful but cricket needs to move on. It is time for the BCCI to ensure a change of guard - if not now, when? MS Dhoni, India's 2011 World Cup-winning captain had his eye set on the Mumbai final in 2008 - three years prior to the big match and he began culling the seniors - Ganguly, Dravid etc from the one-day team. The result was pure fury as fans erupted, but history only remembers the final result: India beat Sri Lanka in the final. The question to be asked is do Shastri and Kohli have a gameplan for 2023? Is Indian cricket set to humiliate its fans at home when the next World Cup will be played in front of 100,000 fans at Eden or Wankhede? Now, the ball is in BCCI's court, if the search for a new coach does not begin it will be too late since 2021 is already upon us. India's coach Ravi Shastri has had his day. The "Champion of Champions" who began his superstardom in Australia in 1985 is clearly out of depth and not the man the country can lean on to get us another World Cup. Indian cricket does not need a Big Brother, it needs a 'high performance' professional coach in the same league as Gary Kirsten and John Wright. The young Team India needs a new approach and a new way of life. Late night parties and lack of will gets us nowhere. It should be obvious with India's listless stay currently in Australia. Presently Team India is neither a world-beater in Tests nor ODIs. So why do we need a captain or a coach? The BCCI has the remedy but is it ready to take the bitter pill and administer it to Mr. Kohli and his coach? The answer is Maybe No, because there is a fear of repercussion. The question to be asked is - fear who? fans and Twitterati? They won't win us the World Cup, but the right decision will. The greatest thing which perhaps Shastri can do for Indian cricket is to resign himself - fans and cricket will respect him and Kohli steps aside and showcases his talent just as a batsman - as Sachin once did! Virat is the best in the world with the willow in his hand. However, it doesn't seem the script will be as simple for the emotional Indian fan and the paying public because nobody wants to take the first step towards victory.

India's self destructive duo: Fire Shastri and axe captain Kohli, save India please BCCI

Remembering the 1983 World Cup triumph, former India all-rounder Kapil Dev on Thursday said that the tournament win made a big difference in the country as parents started inculcating values of sport in the minds of their children. India had defeated West Indies in the finals of the 1983 World Cup to win their first 50-over World Cup.

The Kapil Dev-led side was not given a chance by many people prior to the tournament, but in the end, the side defied all odds.

"I can say we were proud about our team, we made ourselves proud by winning the tournament, the World Cup win is a wonderful thing, because of that the entire nation celebrated," Dev told ANI.

"I think any big achievement affects the next generation, the 1983 win made a big difference, in our country, parents also started inculcating the value of sports, so it was a big thing. We have been producing doctors and engineers in large numbers as parents support that profession," he added.

When asked about the pressure Virat Kohli is put under for not winning the World Cup title yet, Dev replied: "There is no pressure on the current Indian team, in my opinion, they are doing well, it`s not like that you need to win a World Cup to be called a good team."

"Virat Kohli is doing well, Sourav Ganguly did well, how can we forget Sunil Gavaskar? He was a great captain too. Lifting the cup is not everything, how you shape up the team matters," he added.

In the finals between India and West Indies, the latter won the toss and opted to bowl first.

The Kapil Dev-led side managed to score just 183 runs as Andy Roberts took three wickets while Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, and Larry Gomes picked up two wickets each.

Defending 183, India did a good job of keeping a check on the Windies run flow, reducing the side to 57/3.

Soon after, the team from the Caribbean was reduced to 76/6 and India was the favourites from there on to win the title. Mohinder Amarnath took the final wicket of Michael Holding to give India their first-ever World Cup title win.I

n the finals, West Indies was bowled out for 140, and as a result, India won the match by 43 runs. Kapil Dev lifting the trophy at the balcony of Lord`s Cricket Ground still remains an image to savour for all the Indian fans.

In the finals, Mohinder Amarnath was chosen as the Man of the Match as he scored 26 runs with the bat and also picked up three wickets with the ball.

Remembering the 1983 World Cup triumph, former India all-rounder Kapil Dev on Thursday said that the tournament win made a big difference in the country as parents started inculcating values of sport in the minds of their children.

Remembering the 1983 World Cup triumph, former India all-rounder Kapil Dev on Thursday said that the tournament win made a big difference in the country as parents started inculcating values of sport in the minds of their children. India had defeated West Indies in the finals of the 1983 World Cup to win their first 50-over World Cup. The Kapil Dev-led side was not given a chance by many people prior to the tournament, but in the end, the side defied all odds. "I can say we were proud about our team, we made ourselves proud by winning the tournament, the World Cup win is a wonderful thing, because of that the entire nation celebrated," Dev told ANI. "I think any big achievement affects the next generation, the 1983 win made a big difference, in our country, parents also started inculcating the value of sports, so it was a big thing. We have been producing doctors and engineers in large numbers as parents support that profession," he added. When asked about the pressure Virat Kohli is put under for not winning the World Cup title yet, Dev replied: "There is no pressure on the current Indian team, in my opinion, they are doing well, it`s not like that you need to win a World Cup to be called a good team." "Virat Kohli is doing well, Sourav Ganguly did well, how can we forget Sunil Gavaskar? He was a great captain too. Lifting the cup is not everything, how you shape up the team matters," he added. In the finals between India and West Indies, the latter won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Kapil Dev-led side managed to score just 183 runs as Andy Roberts took three wickets while Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, and Larry Gomes picked up two wickets each. Defending 183, India did a good job of keeping a check on the Windies run flow, reducing the side to 57/3. Soon after, the team from the Caribbean was reduced to 76/6 and India was the favourites from there on to win the title. Mohinder Amarnath took the final wicket of Michael Holding to give India their first-ever World Cup title win.I n the finals, West Indies was bowled out for 140, and as a result, India won the match by 43 runs. Kapil Dev lifting the trophy at the balcony of Lord`s Cricket Ground still remains an image to savour for all the Indian fans. In the finals, Mohinder Amarnath was chosen as the Man of the Match as he scored 26 runs with the bat and also picked up three wickets with the ball.

Parents started thinking about inculcating values of sport after 1983 triumph: Kapil Dev

"First love cannot be forgotten," is how one member of Kapil Dev's team describes India's debut cricket World Cup win in 1983 -- a victory that aroused passions so fierce they would change the game forever.

When 'Kapil Devils' stunned the West Indies at Lord's, the traditional home of cricket, it triggered an obsession with the sport in India and created its biggest market -- ultimately making India's board the richest and most powerful in the world.

India was previously a hockey-loving nation, owing to their five Olympic gold medals between 1948 and 1980. But on June 25, 1983, India's cricketers became world-beaters.

Nobody saw the victory coming, after India came into the one-day tournament with just one win -- against East Africa -- in the previous two editions.

"We never, ever imagined we would reach the quarter-final or the knockout stage," Syed Kirmani, the team's flamboyant wicketkeeper-batsman, told AFP.

"A few of my colleagues in that team had expressed themselves that 'we are going to have fun, enjoy ourselves and that's it'.

"But we laid a very strong foundation by winning the Cup. It is like the first love cannot be forgotten. Thirty-seven years have gone, people still remember our victory."

He added: "The younger generation are also keen to know when we won the first World Cup and who were the players. Oh God, it is a fantastic, nostalgic feeling."

<h2>- Watershed moment -</h2>

India's run to the title is soon to get the Bollywood treatment, with popular actor Ranveer Singh playing Dev.

MS Dhoni later led India to the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup title in 2007 and their second ODI world trophy in 2011, but the victory in England will always remain a watershed moment.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India is now the wealthiest association in the game and players like Sunil Gavaskar, part of the 1983 team, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli have been instrumental in taking Indian cricket to greater heights.

"The board started getting commercial benefits only after the World Cup win and for us it was a game-changer," Sunil Valson, who was part of the 14-member squad, told AFP.

"Understand nowadays whenever the Indian team goes for a World Cup the expectations are so high on them. But in '83 nobody expected it, but the way we played was just amazing.

"'83 will be '83, that changed the passion, the trend. Money came into the sport much later, but certainly it was a great victory that came against any expectations."

<h2>- 'One man's genius' -</h2>

India were reeling at 17 for five in a crucial group match against Zimbabwe when Dev's unbeaten 175 won the game and proved to be the turning point for their campaign.

Kapil's Devils outplayed hosts England in the semi-finals and then defended a modest total of 183 in the title clash.

Roger Binny, who sent back West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd for eight in the final, said Dev's leadership and India's all-rounders were key to the team's success.

"I think it has got be the all-rounders. If you see the scores in all the matches, contributions came from the latter half of the team," Binny told AFP.

"Definitely one strong point was (Dev's) captaincy. Also when we beat the West Indies in the first game in Manchester, that lifted the spirit of the guys."

Veteran journalist Ayaz Memon, one of the half-a-dozen Indian journalists that travelled to the World Cup's third edition, said optimism was non-existent at the start.&nbsp;

"Expectations were zero when we went, because India's past record in the World Cups had been dismal," Memon told AFP.

"I did not even see the first match, India v West Indies, because I thought they would lose easily, but a lot of things conspired to make it India's tournament.

"I was witness to Kapil Dev's innings at Tunbridge Wells (against Zimbabwe). BBC was on one-day strike, so there was no radio or TV commentary.&nbsp;One man's genius gave India the direction to go for glory. It lifted up the self-belief in the team."&nbsp;

He added: "In 1983, what India did was turn the game upside completely on its head in the power matrix. Suddenly you found India were champions, therefore their participation in the sport became greater and bigger."

"First love cannot be forgotten," is how one member of Kapil Dev's team describes India's debut cricket World Cup win in 1983 -- a victory that aroused passions so fierce they would change the game forever.

"First love cannot be forgotten," is how one member of Kapil Dev's team describes India's debut cricket World Cup win in 1983 -- a victory that aroused passions so fierce they would change the game forever. When 'Kapil Devils' stunned the West Indies at Lord's, the traditional home of cricket, it triggered an obsession with the sport in India and created its biggest market -- ultimately making India's board the richest and most powerful in the world. India was previously a hockey-loving nation, owing to their five Olympic gold medals between 1948 and 1980. But on June 25, 1983, India's cricketers became world-beaters. Nobody saw the victory coming, after India came into the one-day tournament with just one win -- against East Africa -- in the previous two editions. "We never, ever imagined we would reach the quarter-final or the knockout stage," Syed Kirmani, the team's flamboyant wicketkeeper-batsman, told AFP. "A few of my colleagues in that team had expressed themselves that 'we are going to have fun, enjoy ourselves and that's it'. "But we laid a very strong foundation by winning the Cup. It is like the first love cannot be forgotten. Thirty-seven years have gone, people still remember our victory." He added: "The younger generation are also keen to know when we won the first World Cup and who were the players. Oh God, it is a fantastic, nostalgic feeling." - Watershed moment - India's run to the title is soon to get the Bollywood treatment, with popular actor Ranveer Singh playing Dev. MS Dhoni later led India to the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup title in 2007 and their second ODI world trophy in 2011, but the victory in England will always remain a watershed moment. The Board of Control for Cricket in India is now the wealthiest association in the game and players like Sunil Gavaskar, part of the 1983 team, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli have been instrumental in taking Indian cricket to greater heights. "The board started getting commercial benefits only after the World Cup win and for us it was a game-changer," Sunil Valson, who was part of the 14-member squad, told AFP. "Understand nowadays whenever the Indian team goes for a World Cup the expectations are so high on them. But in '83 nobody expected it, but the way we played was just amazing. "'83 will be '83, that changed the passion, the trend. Money came into the sport much later, but certainly it was a great victory that came against any expectations." - 'One man's genius' - India were reeling at 17 for five in a crucial group match against Zimbabwe when Dev's unbeaten 175 won the game and proved to be the turning point for their campaign. Kapil's Devils outplayed hosts England in the semi-finals and then defended a modest total of 183 in the title clash. Roger Binny, who sent back West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd for eight in the final, said Dev's leadership and India's all-rounders were key to the team's success. "I think it has got be the all-rounders. If you see the scores in all the matches, contributions came from the latter half of the team," Binny told AFP. "Definitely one strong point was (Dev's) captaincy. Also when we beat the West Indies in the first game in Manchester, that lifted the spirit of the guys." Veteran journalist Ayaz Memon, one of the half-a-dozen Indian journalists that travelled to the World Cup's third edition, said optimism was non-existent at the start. "Expectations were zero when we went, because India's past record in the World Cups had been dismal," Memon told AFP. "I did not even see the first match, India v West Indies, because I thought they would lose easily, but a lot of things conspired to make it India's tournament. "I was witness to Kapil Dev's innings at Tunbridge Wells (against Zimbabwe). BBC was on one-day strike, so there was no radio or TV commentary. One man's genius gave India the direction to go for glory. It lifted up the self-belief in the team." He added: "In 1983, what India did was turn the game upside completely on its head in the power matrix. Suddenly you found India were champions, therefore their participation in the sport became greater and bigger."

'First love' - how 1983 World Cup win triggered India's obsession with cricket

Somewhere after the interval, a scene in 'Bharat' has its leading man Salman Khan walking the streets of Malta with friend and confidante Vilayti (Sunil Grover) and wondering about his journey so far. A bit overwhelmed by the view, Bharat reminisces about the years have gone by and says, 'So much I have seen, sometimes I feel I am living a dream,' as his friend nods in agreement. The line perhaps sums up how director Ali Abbas Zafar, who also serves as the writer of the film, weaves an exhaustive story keeping in mind the nation's sentiments but not so much logic.&nbsp;

An official adaptation of South Korean film 'Ode To My Father', Zafar narrates the story a principled, do-gooder Bharat, who along with his family has had to shift to Delhi and take refuge at his aunt's house during partition. While boarding the train from Attari at the time of independence, his father had asked Bharat to take his mother and siblings to Delhi and wait at Hind Store, owned by his aunt as the patriarch of the family ran off to look for his lost daughter. His parting words to the young Bharat was that he would meet the family at the store in a few days.&nbsp;

Days turn into months and then to years- as Bharat and his family wait for their father and sister to return but no avail. Meanwhile, a newly independent India slowly comes to term with its freedom and the responsibilities that come with it. Bharat grows up doing odd jobs along with his best friend Valayti till they decide the join the Russian circus where Bharat is a motorcyclist performing daredevil stunts. Things are hunky dory until one day an accident forces Bharat to re-assess his career choice and eventually leave the circus to join a more stable job. Valayti and Bharat then join the oil field- part of the Indian envoy there where he meets officer Kumud (Katrina Kaif) a strong headed, no-nonsense girl and the two fall in love.&nbsp;

Zafar tries to narrate parallelly the highlights of each decade with references to unemployment in the 60s, to the discovery of oil in the Arab states, to India winning the world cup in 83, to even rise of SRK and liberalisation in the early 90s. Each decade had its challenges and triumphs much like Bharat's personal life.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ea_GKoe81GY" width="560"></iframe>

Mounted on a grand scale, Zafar tries to incorporate the look and feel of each decade pretty well and while the adaptation Indianises a few of its plot points, the premise of the film remains the same as that of the original where Bharat bound by duties and the promise that he had made to his father, sacrifices own happiness to make his family live a good life. But while the emotional quotient of the story is high, the film also has obscure scenes which completely play to the gallery.&nbsp;

Of course, any Salman Khan movies will have its usual trappings as the star overrides the script, as in some scenes, Bharat breaks into monologues about desh, desh bhakti and nationalism arbitrarily. Like a scene where Bharat breaks into a long monologue about earning in dollars to improve the country's economy and then even sings the national anthem in front of an employment officer or the scene where he tries to compare Africa and India (continent and country) as both poor nations and then breaks into a dance to impress the pirates on board a ship he works in. Such scenes are of course written to bring in the needed lump in the throat, make one feel proud of the country etc- and they completely play to the gallery.&nbsp;

<img alt="bharat" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="20d4887f-1481-4868-a0e5-4b1b18dc6a53" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/salman%20bharat.jpg" />

Yet, despite a whole of illogical plot points, (he is not shown to study yet manages to find high paying jobs that require some degree at least) 'Bharat' works for its emotional quotient and how it deals with partition. Zafar does not take sides, instead highlights the pain that millions endured due to the partition and how till date people yearn for their loved ones who they had to leave behind years back. The film redeems itself purely on that basis- on how it captures these sentiments.&nbsp;

Salman Khan, of course, remains the star and lines, scenes are written keeping in mind his persona. But it is Katrina Kaif and Sunil Grover who perform and ably support the narrative. Over the past year, Katrina Kaif has clearly come into her own and now holds her own in big budget films. She shined in 'Zero' and in 'Bharat'too she is a revelation- making Kumud a joy to watch. She is strong willed, ahead of her times and Kaif plays the character perfectly. Grover, who has created a niche in comedy on TV, gets a meaty role as the faithful best friend and doesn't disappoint.&nbsp;

<img alt="b" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c6c3670b-fa87-4ae4-b08d-0962581819ab" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/90477-new-2019-04-18t160103606.jpg" />

The other actors, Jackie Shroff, Sonali Kulkarni, Tabu, Nora Fatehi, and Disha Patani have limited screen time.&nbsp;

So does 'Bharat' work? Yes, it has its usual trappings, you see a 70-year-old Salman taking on goons alone and coming out of it unscathed, you see him flexing his muscles ever so often, but the film's story evokes emotions and weaves an emotional tale of a man who eventually learns to let go. It may be exhaustive, but still worth a watch.&nbsp;

Somewhere after the interval, a scene in 'Bharat' has its leading man Salman Khan walking the streets of Malta with friend and confidante Vilayti (Sunil Grover) and wondering about his journey so far.

Somewhere after the interval, a scene in 'Bharat' has its leading man Salman Khan walking the streets of Malta with friend and confidante Vilayti (Sunil Grover) and wondering about his journey so far. A bit overwhelmed by the view, Bharat reminisces about the years have gone by and says, 'So much I have seen, sometimes I feel I am living a dream,' as his friend nods in agreement. The line perhaps sums up how director Ali Abbas Zafar, who also serves as the writer of the film, weaves an exhaustive story keeping in mind the nation's sentiments but not so much logic. An official adaptation of South Korean film 'Ode To My Father', Zafar narrates the story a principled, do-gooder Bharat, who along with his family has had to shift to Delhi and take refuge at his aunt's house during partition. While boarding the train from Attari at the time of independence, his father had asked Bharat to take his mother and siblings to Delhi and wait at Hind Store, owned by his aunt as the patriarch of the family ran off to look for his lost daughter. His parting words to the young Bharat was that he would meet the family at the store in a few days. Days turn into months and then to years- as Bharat and his family wait for their father and sister to return but no avail. Meanwhile, a newly independent India slowly comes to term with its freedom and the responsibilities that come with it. Bharat grows up doing odd jobs along with his best friend Valayti till they decide the join the Russian circus where Bharat is a motorcyclist performing daredevil stunts. Things are hunky dory until one day an accident forces Bharat to re-assess his career choice and eventually leave the circus to join a more stable job. Valayti and Bharat then join the oil field- part of the Indian envoy there where he meets officer Kumud (Katrina Kaif) a strong headed, no-nonsense girl and the two fall in love. Zafar tries to narrate parallelly the highlights of each decade with references to unemployment in the 60s, to the discovery of oil in the Arab states, to India winning the world cup in 83, to even rise of SRK and liberalisation in the early 90s. Each decade had its challenges and triumphs much like Bharat's personal life. Mounted on a grand scale, Zafar tries to incorporate the look and feel of each decade pretty well and while the adaptation Indianises a few of its plot points, the premise of the film remains the same as that of the original where Bharat bound by duties and the promise that he had made to his father, sacrifices own happiness to make his family live a good life. But while the emotional quotient of the story is high, the film also has obscure scenes which completely play to the gallery. Of course, any Salman Khan movies will have its usual trappings as the star overrides the script, as in some scenes, Bharat breaks into monologues about desh, desh bhakti and nationalism arbitrarily. Like a scene where Bharat breaks into a long monologue about earning in dollars to improve the country's economy and then even sings the national anthem in front of an employment officer or the scene where he tries to compare Africa and India (continent and country) as both poor nations and then breaks into a dance to impress the pirates on board a ship he works in. Such scenes are of course written to bring in the needed lump in the throat, make one feel proud of the country etc- and they completely play to the gallery. Yet, despite a whole of illogical plot points, (he is not shown to study yet manages to find high paying jobs that require some degree at least) 'Bharat' works for its emotional quotient and how it deals with partition. Zafar does not take sides, instead highlights the pain that millions endured due to the partition and how till date people yearn for their loved ones who they had to leave behind years back. The film redeems itself purely on that basis- on how it captures these sentiments. Salman Khan, of course, remains the star and lines, scenes are written keeping in mind his persona. But it is Katrina Kaif and Sunil Grover who perform and ably support the narrative. Over the past year, Katrina Kaif has clearly come into her own and now holds her own in big budget films. She shined in 'Zero' and in 'Bharat'too she is a revelation- making Kumud a joy to watch. She is strong willed, ahead of her times and Kaif plays the character perfectly. Grover, who has created a niche in comedy on TV, gets a meaty role as the faithful best friend and doesn't disappoint. The other actors, Jackie Shroff, Sonali Kulkarni, Tabu, Nora Fatehi, and Disha Patani have limited screen time. So does 'Bharat' work? Yes, it has its usual trappings, you see a 70-year-old Salman taking on goons alone and coming out of it unscathed, you see him flexing his muscles ever so often, but the film's story evokes emotions and weaves an emotional tale of a man who eventually learns to let go. It may be exhaustive, but still worth a watch.

'Bharat' review: Salman Khan's film may be exhaustive but it still works

This is what Indians searched most on Google in 2019

Married to the Indian cricket team's captain, Virat Kohli, actress Anushka Sharma has often been subjected to unwarranted criticism. And while Anushka always maintains a stoic silence on the controversies, on Thursday she slammed former cricketer Farokh Engineer with a powerful post on social media.&nbsp; 
 
Earlier, Engineer had told a newspaper that members of the Indian cricket team selection committee fetched cups of tea for Sharma during ICC World Cup 2019. 
 
Taking to her social media, the actress said that while she has maintained her silence on such matters over the years, the reason she has decided to speak out now isn`t because she`s upset over the latest incident but because she doesn`t want her silence to be mistaken for weakness."I have always been of the opinion that maintaining silence on false and fabricated news and stories against one is the best way to deal with your detractors. This is how I have handled my career for 11 years now. I always saw the dignity and truth embedded in the shadow of my silence," she said.&nbsp; 
 
The PK actor signed off her statement with a cheeky remark, setting the record straight by highlighting that she drinks coffee.&nbsp; 
 
The 31-year-old actor said that people spread lies repeatedly so that it looks like the truth and she was afraid of that."They say, say a lie so many times repeatedly that it starts to look like the truth and I am afraid this is what has been happening with me. My silence has made the lies spitted against me seem true but that ends today. I have stayed quiet through all the times I was blamed for the performance of my then-boyfriend, now-husband Virat and continue to take the blame for the most baseless things involving Indian cricket. I kept quiet then," Anushka wrote.

"My name has been used in fabricated stories claiming that I am part of closed-door team meetings and influenced selection processes and I have kept silent. My name has been wrongfully used to say how I have been given preferential treatment or how I have overstayed my authorised time with my husband on foreign tours which if anyone really cared about finding facts from the board, would know that I have always and always followed protocol but yet. I kept quiet," she added.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4SECdpJ40p/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4SECdpJ40p/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4SECdpJ40p/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4SECdpJ40p/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma)</a> on <time datetime="2019-10-31T12:15:56+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Oct 31, 2019 at 5:15am PDT</time>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Soon after the statement was issued, Engineer while speaking to a channel set records straight and apologised to the actress. "I just said it in a jest and it's being made a mountain out of a molehill. Poor Anushka has been dragged into it, she is a lovely girl. Virat Kohli is a brilliant captain and coach Ravi Shastri is extremely good. The entire matter is being blown up unnecessarily. It turned out to be a selector as he was wearing an all India blazer," Engineer said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Anushka friends from Bollywood including actors Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Parineeti Chopra hailed the actress for her classy retort to the fabricated report.

<img alt="ANUSHKA" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d403265f-ca25-4773-9c5a-08831153735d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202019-11-01T093821.837.jpg" /> 
 
Even before Kohli and Anushka tied the knot, she was made the scapegoat for Kohli`s poor performance on an Australian tour, with bizarre suggestions which linked her mere presence in the stands to Kohli`s inability to perform.

Married to the Indian cricket team's captain, Virat Kohli, actress Anushka Sharma has often been subjected to unwarranted criticism. And while Anushka always maintains a stoic silence on the controversies, on Thursday she slammed former cricketer Farokh Engineer with a powerful post on social media.

Married to the Indian cricket team's captain, Virat Kohli, actress Anushka Sharma has often been subjected to unwarranted criticism. And while Anushka always maintains a stoic silence on the controversies, on Thursday she slammed former cricketer Farokh Engineer with a powerful post on social media. Earlier, Engineer had told a newspaper that members of the Indian cricket team selection committee fetched cups of tea for Sharma during ICC World Cup 2019. Taking to her social media, the actress said that while she has maintained her silence on such matters over the years, the reason she has decided to speak out now isn`t because she`s upset over the latest incident but because she doesn`t want her silence to be mistaken for weakness."I have always been of the opinion that maintaining silence on false and fabricated news and stories against one is the best way to deal with your detractors. This is how I have handled my career for 11 years now. I always saw the dignity and truth embedded in the shadow of my silence," she said. The PK actor signed off her statement with a cheeky remark, setting the record straight by highlighting that she drinks coffee. The 31-year-old actor said that people spread lies repeatedly so that it looks like the truth and she was afraid of that."They say, say a lie so many times repeatedly that it starts to look like the truth and I am afraid this is what has been happening with me. My silence has made the lies spitted against me seem true but that ends today. I have stayed quiet through all the times I was blamed for the performance of my then-boyfriend, now-husband Virat and continue to take the blame for the most baseless things involving Indian cricket. I kept quiet then," Anushka wrote. "My name has been used in fabricated stories claiming that I am part of closed-door team meetings and influenced selection processes and I have kept silent. My name has been wrongfully used to say how I have been given preferential treatment or how I have overstayed my authorised time with my husband on foreign tours which if anyone really cared about finding facts from the board, would know that I have always and always followed protocol but yet. I kept quiet," she added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Oct 31, 2019 at 5:15am PDT × Soon after the statement was issued, Engineer while speaking to a channel set records straight and apologised to the actress. "I just said it in a jest and it's being made a mountain out of a molehill. Poor Anushka has been dragged into it, she is a lovely girl. Virat Kohli is a brilliant captain and coach Ravi Shastri is extremely good. The entire matter is being blown up unnecessarily. It turned out to be a selector as he was wearing an all India blazer," Engineer said. Meanwhile, Anushka friends from Bollywood including actors Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Parineeti Chopra hailed the actress for her classy retort to the fabricated report. Even before Kohli and Anushka tied the knot, she was made the scapegoat for Kohli`s poor performance on an Australian tour, with bizarre suggestions which linked her mere presence in the stands to Kohli`s inability to perform.

Anushka Sharma slams Farokh Engineer's claim that selectors served her tea during World cup, cricketer apologises later

Phil Simmons has been appointed coach of the West Indies for a second spell on a four-year deal, the country's cricket board (CWI) has said.

Simmons, who takes over from interim coach Floyd Reifer, was first named coach after the 2015 World Cup but was suspended for a period later that year for questioning selectors.

The 56-year-old former batsman returned to lead the team to the World Twenty20 title in 2016 but was sacked five months later before subsequently receiving an apology and a financial settlement from the CWI.

"Bringing Phil Simmons back is not just righting a past wrong but I am confident that CWI has chosen the right man for the job at the right time," CWI President Ricky Skerritt said.

"I want to also thank the very talented Floyd Reifer for the hard work he put in while he was the interim coach."

Reifer was named interim coach in April as part of a number of administrative changes less than two months before the World Cup in England and Wales.

Simmons first assignment will be West Indies' series against Afghanistan in November, which will be played in India. The teams will play three T20 internationals, followed by three one-day internationals and one test match.

Phil Simmons has been appointed coach of the West Indies for a second spell on a four-year deal, the country's cricket board (CWI) has said. Simmons, who takes over from interim coach Floyd Reifer, was first named coach after the 2015 World Cup but was suspended for a period later that year for questioning selectors.

Phil Simmons has been appointed coach of the West Indies for a second spell on a four-year deal, the country's cricket board (CWI) has said. Simmons, who takes over from interim coach Floyd Reifer, was first named coach after the 2015 World Cup but was suspended for a period later that year for questioning selectors. The 56-year-old former batsman returned to lead the team to the World Twenty20 title in 2016 but was sacked five months later before subsequently receiving an apology and a financial settlement from the CWI. "Bringing Phil Simmons back is not just righting a past wrong but I am confident that CWI has chosen the right man for the job at the right time," CWI President Ricky Skerritt said. "I want to also thank the very talented Floyd Reifer for the hard work he put in while he was the interim coach." Reifer was named interim coach in April as part of a number of administrative changes less than two months before the World Cup in England and Wales. Simmons first assignment will be West Indies' series against Afghanistan in November, which will be played in India. The teams will play three T20 internationals, followed by three one-day internationals and one test match.

West Indies reappoint Phil Simmons as coach

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced that the overthrow incident involving Ben Stokes and Martin Guptill in the World Cup final will be reviewed in September this year.

"The WCC (World Cricket Committee) discussed Law 19.8 in relation to overthrows, in the context of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Final. WCC felt that the Law was clear but the matter will be reviewed by the laws sub-committee in September 2019," the MCC said in an official statement.

England had scripted history as it claimed its first-ever World Cup title on July 14. The final will be remembered for ages as it did not have a winner after the 50-over and super over action, as both were tied.

In the end, England were announced as the winner as they had hit more boundaries (26) as compared to New Zealand (17) in the match.

New Zealand had set up 242 for England. As the hosts needed nine runs off three balls, all-rounder Ben Stokes hit the ball into the deep and ran for a double. New Zealand's Martin Guptill threw the ball in an attempt to run out Stokes but the ball bounced off Stokes'&nbsp;bat and reached the boundary.

As a result of the overthrow, England were awarded six runs - two for a double and four for an overthrow.

Taufel, who had umpired during the 2011 World Cup final, had confirmed that the officiating umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Marais Erasmus made a mistake.

"There was a judgment error on the overthrow. The judgment error was the timing of when the fielder threw the ball. The act of the overthrow starts when the fielder releases the ball. That's the act. It becomes an overthrow from the instant of the throw," Taufel had said.

Law 19.8 related to an "overthrow or wilful act of fielder", states: "If the boundary results from an overthrow or from the willful act of a fielder, the runs scored shall be any runs for penalties awarded to either side, and the allowance for the boundary, and the runs completed by the batsmen, together with the run in progress if they had already crossed at the instant of the throw or act."&nbsp;

However, Taufel also defended the officiating umpires, saying they have to consider a number of things while examining every ball.

"In this particular case, the umpires have got a lot on their plate, because like every ball, they've had to watch the batsmen complete the first run, they've had to watch the ball being fielded, to understand how it's in play, whether the fielder's done the right thing. Then they've got to look to see when the ball is released, in case there is an overthrow. And that happens every delivery of the game. And then they've got to back to see where the two batsmen are," he had said.

The retired Australian umpire had said that there was a judgment of error as Stokes and Adil Rashid had not crossed for the second run. The replays showed that the England batsmen had not crossed at the time of the throw.

As a result, five runs should have been awarded to England and Stokes should have been at the non-striker's end for the next ball.

"So it's unfortunate that there was a judgment error on the timing of the release of the ball and where the batsmen were. They did not cross on their second run, at the instant of the throw. So given that scenario, five runs should have been the correct allocation of runs, and Ben Stokes should have been at the non-striker`s end for the next delivery," he had said.&nbsp;

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced that the overthrow incident involving Ben Stokes and Martin Guptill in the World Cup final will be reviewed in September this year.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced that the overthrow incident involving Ben Stokes and Martin Guptill in the World Cup final will be reviewed in September this year. "The WCC (World Cricket Committee) discussed Law 19.8 in relation to overthrows, in the context of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Final. WCC felt that the Law was clear but the matter will be reviewed by the laws sub-committee in September 2019," the MCC said in an official statement. England had scripted history as it claimed its first-ever World Cup title on July 14. The final will be remembered for ages as it did not have a winner after the 50-over and super over action, as both were tied. In the end, England were announced as the winner as they had hit more boundaries (26) as compared to New Zealand (17) in the match. New Zealand had set up 242 for England. As the hosts needed nine runs off three balls, all-rounder Ben Stokes hit the ball into the deep and ran for a double. New Zealand's Martin Guptill threw the ball in an attempt to run out Stokes but the ball bounced off Stokes' bat and reached the boundary. As a result of the overthrow, England were awarded six runs - two for a double and four for an overthrow. Taufel, who had umpired during the 2011 World Cup final, had confirmed that the officiating umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Marais Erasmus made a mistake. "There was a judgment error on the overthrow. The judgment error was the timing of when the fielder threw the ball. The act of the overthrow starts when the fielder releases the ball. That's the act. It becomes an overthrow from the instant of the throw," Taufel had said. Law 19.8 related to an "overthrow or wilful act of fielder", states: "If the boundary results from an overthrow or from the willful act of a fielder, the runs scored shall be any runs for penalties awarded to either side, and the allowance for the boundary, and the runs completed by the batsmen, together with the run in progress if they had already crossed at the instant of the throw or act." However, Taufel also defended the officiating umpires, saying they have to consider a number of things while examining every ball. "In this particular case, the umpires have got a lot on their plate, because like every ball, they've had to watch the batsmen complete the first run, they've had to watch the ball being fielded, to understand how it's in play, whether the fielder's done the right thing. Then they've got to look to see when the ball is released, in case there is an overthrow. And that happens every delivery of the game. And then they've got to back to see where the two batsmen are," he had said. The retired Australian umpire had said that there was a judgment of error as Stokes and Adil Rashid had not crossed for the second run. The replays showed that the England batsmen had not crossed at the time of the throw. As a result, five runs should have been awarded to England and Stokes should have been at the non-striker's end for the next ball. "So it's unfortunate that there was a judgment error on the timing of the release of the ball and where the batsmen were. They did not cross on their second run, at the instant of the throw. So given that scenario, five runs should have been the correct allocation of runs, and Ben Stokes should have been at the non-striker`s end for the next delivery," he had said.

CWC 2019 final: Overthrow incident to be reviewed in September

Indian skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-eggs-on-rishabh-pant-to-unleash-potential-in-ms-dhonis-absence-240379">Virat Kohli</a> said after World Cup ouster, the first few days were difficult but like professionals, the team moved on and recovered from the shock World Cup semi-final defeat by New Zealand last month.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli-led T20 side is all set to take on West Indies in a three-match series, starting in the United States on August 3.&nbsp;

During the pre-match media conference, Kohli reflected on Team India's World Cup exit. He said, "Obviously the first few days after we exited the World Cup were quite difficult."

"Every time we woke up it was the worst feeling in the morning and through the day you do things and you know sort of get on with your life. But now look, we're professionals, we move ahead, every team has to move on so we're quite ok with what happened in the World Cup, Kohli added.&nbsp;

Ms Dhoni has opted out and India will also miss the services of all-rounder Hardik Pandya for the trip to the Caribbean, where India will play three T20s, three ODIs and two Tests.&nbsp;

"Yesterday the fielding session and a little bit of time we spent on the field was really good, everyone was excited, looking forward to just playing, just being on the field again. Everyone's looking forward to these games which I think is the most important thing."

Kohli also said it was a chance for the fringe players to make their case ahead of next year's World T20 in Australia.

"It will just give us an opportunity to have some fun together, understand why we've been so successful as a team and really focus on the things that matter, rather than focusing on the things that are not in our control," Kohli added.&nbsp;

Indian skipper Virat Kohli said after World Cup ouster, the first few days were difficult but like professionals, the team moved on and recovered from the shock World Cup semi-final defeat by New Zealand last month.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli said after World Cup ouster, the first few days were difficult but like professionals, the team moved on and recovered from the shock World Cup semi-final defeat by New Zealand last month. Virat Kohli-led T20 side is all set to take on West Indies in a three-match series, starting in the United States on August 3. During the pre-match media conference, Kohli reflected on Team India's World Cup exit. He said, "Obviously the first few days after we exited the World Cup were quite difficult." "Every time we woke up it was the worst feeling in the morning and through the day you do things and you know sort of get on with your life. But now look, we're professionals, we move ahead, every team has to move on so we're quite ok with what happened in the World Cup, Kohli added. Ms Dhoni has opted out and India will also miss the services of all-rounder Hardik Pandya for the trip to the Caribbean, where India will play three T20s, three ODIs and two Tests. "Yesterday the fielding session and a little bit of time we spent on the field was really good, everyone was excited, looking forward to just playing, just being on the field again. Everyone's looking forward to these games which I think is the most important thing." Kohli also said it was a chance for the fringe players to make their case ahead of next year's World T20 in Australia. "It will just give us an opportunity to have some fun together, understand why we've been so successful as a team and really focus on the things that matter, rather than focusing on the things that are not in our control," Kohli added.

Team moved on from disappointing World Cup semi-final defeat, says Virat Kohli

Uncapped fast bowler Jofra Archer has been included in England's 14-man squad announced Saturday for next week's Ashes opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cameron-bancroft-joins-steve-smith-and-david-warner-in-australias-ashes-squad-238644">against Australia</a>, with all-rounder Ben Stokes re-appointed as vice-captain.

The pair both enjoyed starring roles in England's stunning World Cup final win over New Zealand at Lord's on July 14, with all-rounder Stokes ensuring England drew level with the Black Caps total in regulation play before Archer bowled the decisive Super Over that sealed victory.

Archer, 24, who only became England qualified earlier this year, could now make his Test debut when the first of a five-match series starts at Edgbaston on August 1.

He carried a side strain throughout the World Cup but reported fit after a brief holiday in his native Barbados, with Archer returning to action for Sussex on Friday, where he took 2-21 in a tied Twenty20 Blast match with Surrey.

Meanwhile Stokes was restored to his position as Joe Root's deputy after being stripped of the vice-captaincy following a late night brawl in September 2017. He was subsequently cleared on a charge of affray last year, with Jos Buttler acting as vice-captain.

Both Buttler and Stokes were rested from a see-saw Test against Ireland that England eventually won by 143 runs at Lord's on Friday, with veteran spearhead James Anderson also returning to the squad after missing the match with a side injury.

But while 10 of the 11 players who defeated Ireland were included, there was no place for left-arm spinner Jack Leach following his man-of-the-match heroics that saw the nightwatchman make a career-best 92 in England's second innings. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad finished the Ireland match in spectacular style, the seamers taking six for 17 and four for 19 respectively as the visitors collapsed to 38 all out.

England squad for 1st Ashes Test:

Joe Root (Yorkshire, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire, wkt), Sam Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)

Uncapped fast bowler Jofra Archer has been included in England's 14-man squad announced Saturday for next week's Ashes opener against Australia, with all-rounder Ben Stokes re-appointed as vice-captain.

Uncapped fast bowler Jofra Archer has been included in England's 14-man squad announced Saturday for next week's Ashes opener against Australia, with all-rounder Ben Stokes re-appointed as vice-captain. The pair both enjoyed starring roles in England's stunning World Cup final win over New Zealand at Lord's on July 14, with all-rounder Stokes ensuring England drew level with the Black Caps total in regulation play before Archer bowled the decisive Super Over that sealed victory. Archer, 24, who only became England qualified earlier this year, could now make his Test debut when the first of a five-match series starts at Edgbaston on August 1. He carried a side strain throughout the World Cup but reported fit after a brief holiday in his native Barbados, with Archer returning to action for Sussex on Friday, where he took 2-21 in a tied Twenty20 Blast match with Surrey. Meanwhile Stokes was restored to his position as Joe Root's deputy after being stripped of the vice-captaincy following a late night brawl in September 2017. He was subsequently cleared on a charge of affray last year, with Jos Buttler acting as vice-captain. Both Buttler and Stokes were rested from a see-saw Test against Ireland that England eventually won by 143 runs at Lord's on Friday, with veteran spearhead James Anderson also returning to the squad after missing the match with a side injury. But while 10 of the 11 players who defeated Ireland were included, there was no place for left-arm spinner Jack Leach following his man-of-the-match heroics that saw the nightwatchman make a career-best 92 in England's second innings. Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad finished the Ireland match in spectacular style, the seamers taking six for 17 and four for 19 respectively as the visitors collapsed to 38 all out. England squad for 1st Ashes Test: Joe Root (Yorkshire, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire, wkt), Sam Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)

World Cup-winner Jofra Archer in England squad for Ashes opener

After coming out as the losing side in the ICC Men's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-world-cup-final-umpire-admits-error-report-237434">Cricket World Cup final</a>, New Zealand's opening batsman Martin Guptill posted an emotional message on Instagram saying it was the best and worst day of his cricketing life.

"Hard to believe it's been a week since that incredible Final at Lords. I think it was both the best and worst day of my cricketing life! So many different emotions, but mainly proud to represent New Zealand and play for the @blackcapsnz alongside a great group of mates. Thank you to everyone for all your support, it has been amazing," Guptill wrote on Instagram.

In another post, Guptill thanked his family for always being with him through thick and thin.

"I couldn't have been more proud to have my 2 best supporters with me for the ride. @lauramcgoldrick13 you are my rock. Thank you and Harley for being there through the good times and the tough. Love my girls more than anything," Guptill posted.

The final between New Zealand and England at the Lord's Cricket Ground on July 14 could not separate the two sides despite the 50-over match and subsequent super over as both ended in a tie.

England have finally declared the champions on the basis of boundary countback rule.

New Zealand had set up a target of 242 for England to win the World Cup.

As the hosts needed nine runs off three balls, Ben Stokes hit the ball into the deep and ran for a double. Guptill had thrown the ball in an attempt to run out Stokes but the ball bounced off Stokes'&nbsp;bat and reached the boundary giving England six runs.&nbsp;

Former ICC Elite umpire Simon Taufel had said that there was a judgement error by the on-field umpires and the six runs should not have been awarded."There was a judgment error on the overthrow.

The judgment error was the timing of when the fielder threw the ball. The act of the overthrow starts when the fielder releases the ball.

That's the act. It becomes an overthrow from the instant of the throw," Taufel had said.

In the super over, New Zealand needed two runs of the final ball for the win, but Guptill was run-out, ending the over in a tie and leaving the batsman distraught.

Many former cricketers had criticised the ICC for deciding the World Cup winner on the basis of boundary countback.&nbsp;

After coming out as the losing side in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final, New Zealand's opening batsman Martin Guptill posted an emotional message on Instagram saying it was the best and worst day of his cricketing life.

After coming out as the losing side in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final, New Zealand's opening batsman Martin Guptill posted an emotional message on Instagram saying it was the best and worst day of his cricketing life. "Hard to believe it's been a week since that incredible Final at Lords. I think it was both the best and worst day of my cricketing life! So many different emotions, but mainly proud to represent New Zealand and play for the @blackcapsnz alongside a great group of mates. Thank you to everyone for all your support, it has been amazing," Guptill wrote on Instagram. In another post, Guptill thanked his family for always being with him through thick and thin. "I couldn't have been more proud to have my 2 best supporters with me for the ride. @lauramcgoldrick13 you are my rock. Thank you and Harley for being there through the good times and the tough. Love my girls more than anything," Guptill posted. The final between New Zealand and England at the Lord's Cricket Ground on July 14 could not separate the two sides despite the 50-over match and subsequent super over as both ended in a tie. England have finally declared the champions on the basis of boundary countback rule. New Zealand had set up a target of 242 for England to win the World Cup. As the hosts needed nine runs off three balls, Ben Stokes hit the ball into the deep and ran for a double. Guptill had thrown the ball in an attempt to run out Stokes but the ball bounced off Stokes' bat and reached the boundary giving England six runs. Former ICC Elite umpire Simon Taufel had said that there was a judgement error by the on-field umpires and the six runs should not have been awarded."There was a judgment error on the overthrow. The judgment error was the timing of when the fielder threw the ball. The act of the overthrow starts when the fielder releases the ball. That's the act. It becomes an overthrow from the instant of the throw," Taufel had said. In the super over, New Zealand needed two runs of the final ball for the win, but Guptill was run-out, ending the over in a tie and leaving the batsman distraught. Many former cricketers had criticised the ICC for deciding the World Cup winner on the basis of boundary countback.

World Cup final was the best and worst day of my cricketing life: Martin Guptill

The umpire who awarded England six runs from a freak overthrow in the last over of the World Cup final has admitted he made an "error" and should have given one run fewer, a report said Sunday.

A throw to the stumps deflected off the bat of a diving Ben Stokes as he tried to complete a second run and raced to the boundary, with Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena awarding six.&nbsp;

Three balls later the scores at 50 overs were tied as England reached 241 all out replying to New Zealand's 241-8.&nbsp;

It took the nail-biting final to a Super Over which again was tied but England lifted the trophy by virtue of having scored more boundaries.

Critics, including former leading umpire Simon Taufel, said England should have been awarded five runs, not six, as the batsmen had not crossed for the second run at the moment the ball was thrown.

Former Sri Lankan Test player Dharmasena told the Sunday Times he did not have the benefit of television replays which showed the batsmen had not crossed.

"I agree that there was an error of judgement when I see it on TV replays now," Dharmasena, who was umpiring the final with South Africa's Marais Erasmus, told the local Sunday Times.

"But we did not have the luxury of TV replays at the ground and I do not regret the decision I made."

Dharmasena said he signalled six after consulting the other match officials. "So, I did consult the leg umpire (Erasmus) through the communication system which is heard by all other umpires and the match referee," he told the newspaper.

"While they cannot check TV replays, they all confirmed that the batsmen have completed the second run. This is when I made my decision."

Taufel had told Fox Sports Australia the umpires made a "clear mistake" as the batsmen had not crossed for their second run.

But the Australian also defended the match umpires, who he said had to make a complicated judgement, and said it would be "unfair" to say the decision altered the outcome of the tournament as it was impossible to now what would have happened in the final balls had five been awarded.

The umpire who awarded England six runs from a freak overthrow in the last over of the World Cup final has admitted he made an "error" and should have given one run fewer, a report said Sunday.

The umpire who awarded England six runs from a freak overthrow in the last over of the World Cup final has admitted he made an "error" and should have given one run fewer, a report said Sunday. A throw to the stumps deflected off the bat of a diving Ben Stokes as he tried to complete a second run and raced to the boundary, with Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena awarding six. Three balls later the scores at 50 overs were tied as England reached 241 all out replying to New Zealand's 241-8. It took the nail-biting final to a Super Over which again was tied but England lifted the trophy by virtue of having scored more boundaries. Critics, including former leading umpire Simon Taufel, said England should have been awarded five runs, not six, as the batsmen had not crossed for the second run at the moment the ball was thrown. Former Sri Lankan Test player Dharmasena told the Sunday Times he did not have the benefit of television replays which showed the batsmen had not crossed. "I agree that there was an error of judgement when I see it on TV replays now," Dharmasena, who was umpiring the final with South Africa's Marais Erasmus, told the local Sunday Times. "But we did not have the luxury of TV replays at the ground and I do not regret the decision I made." Dharmasena said he signalled six after consulting the other match officials. "So, I did consult the leg umpire (Erasmus) through the communication system which is heard by all other umpires and the match referee," he told the newspaper. "While they cannot check TV replays, they all confirmed that the batsmen have completed the second run. This is when I made my decision." Taufel had told Fox Sports Australia the umpires made a "clear mistake" as the batsmen had not crossed for their second run. But the Australian also defended the match umpires, who he said had to make a complicated judgement, and said it would be "unfair" to say the decision altered the outcome of the tournament as it was impossible to now what would have happened in the final balls had five been awarded.

Cricket World Cup final umpire Kumar Dharmasena admits 'error': Report

England fast bowler Jofra Archer said teammate Ben Stokes'&nbsp;advice helped him during the super over of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-defeat-new-zealand-to-win-the-cricket-world-cup-2019-title-235973">ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final match</a> against New Zealand at Lord's on Sunday night.

As the 50-over match tied, England scored 15 runs in the super over. Archer managed to take his side over the line as England restricted New Zealand to 15 runs.

Since both the 50-overs match and super-over action ended up in a tie, England came out triumphant as they had scored more boundaries.

Stokes came up to him before he bowled the super over, and said the over will define him.

"Before we started Stokes came to me and said today is everything that will define you as a player. I guess as him being in a similar situation (World T20 2016 final) couple of years ago, he really wanted to come and tell me that. After that I don't think I was too nervous," Archer said.

During the World T20 2016 final between England and West Indies, Carlos Brathwaite hammered 24 runs off Stokes in the final over to win the tournament.

Archer, who was not named in the preliminary squad for the World Cup, came into the team just before the commencement of the tournament and went onto making it the most memorable World Cup for himself.

"It is mostly for the team than for me. I am probably the last person to come into this team. I was together for four years. I think this will help me be deeper into this team," he said.

England fast bowler Jofra Archer said teammate Ben Stokes' advice helped him during the super over of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final match against New Zealand at Lord's on Sunday night.

England fast bowler Jofra Archer said teammate Ben Stokes' advice helped him during the super over of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final match against New Zealand at Lord's on Sunday night. As the 50-over match tied, England scored 15 runs in the super over. Archer managed to take his side over the line as England restricted New Zealand to 15 runs. Since both the 50-overs match and super-over action ended up in a tie, England came out triumphant as they had scored more boundaries. Stokes came up to him before he bowled the super over, and said the over will define him. "Before we started Stokes came to me and said today is everything that will define you as a player. I guess as him being in a similar situation (World T20 2016 final) couple of years ago, he really wanted to come and tell me that. After that I don't think I was too nervous," Archer said. During the World T20 2016 final between England and West Indies, Carlos Brathwaite hammered 24 runs off Stokes in the final over to win the tournament. Archer, who was not named in the preliminary squad for the World Cup, came into the team just before the commencement of the tournament and went onto making it the most memorable World Cup for himself. "It is mostly for the team than for me. I am probably the last person to come into this team. I was together for four years. I think this will help me be deeper into this team," he said.

World Cup final: Jofra Archer reveals Ben Stokes' pre-super over advice

The final match of&nbsp;ICC Men's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-defeat-new-zealand-to-win-the-cricket-world-cup-2019-title-235973">Cricket World Cup</a>&nbsp;between England and New Zealand at Lord's and the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/novak-djokovic-vows-to-win-fans-love-with-roger-federer-record-in-view-236099">Wimbledon</a>&nbsp;men's singles final between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic&nbsp;went down to the wire.

England won the title&nbsp;after a dramatic Super Over.&nbsp;England was announced as the winner as they had hit more boundaries in the match.

While in Wimbledon final defending champion, Djokovic saved two match points to clinch a fifth Wimbledon title and 16th major&nbsp;in a five-set thriller.&nbsp;

At four hours and 57 minutes, it was the longest Wimbledon final and the first to be settled by a final set tiebreak.

Spectators and&nbsp;fans across were glued to the edge of their seats, waiting to find out the results of the nail-biting matches.

However, amid all the tesnsions, ICC and Wimbledon made complete use of the opportunity to find out how things are going for one another.

"Hello @ICC - how are you coping your end? #Wimbledon #CWC19Final," read a tweet posted on Wimbledon's official handle.

ICC's official handle was quick to respond to the enquiry, and wrote, "Things are a bit hectic here right now, we`ll get back to you #CWC19 | #Wimbledon | #CWC1FINAL".

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Things are a bit hectic here right now, we'll get back to you 😅<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wimbledon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Wimbledon</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC1FINAL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC1FINAL</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1150469283673235457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</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>

Fans also reacted to to the banter and expressed&nbsp;their excitement. Here are some fan reations.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
I can’t decide what to watch..
— Raj Kumar Jha (@Thisisraaj) <a href="https://twitter.com/Thisisraaj/status/1150463880293863426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</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" data-lang="en">
If you're asking the ICC, they'd probably tell you that you stretched that final too long. Just decide the champion on some silly statistic such as number of aces served, why bother having a clear winner?
— Max (@Maxx_Force) <a href="https://twitter.com/Maxx_Force/status/1150487374956122112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</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" data-lang="en">
How did you get your Duke and Duchess to watch tennis between a Swiss and a Serb and not England's best chance to win a world cup? Just how?
— Chandler Sing (@chandler_sing) <a href="https://twitter.com/chandler_sing/status/1150473625880817665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</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" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/ICC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ICC</a> is still clueless, best world cup final ever<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvNZ</a>
— SleepyOwl (@Nav_tweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nav_tweets/status/1150466079354867712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</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>

The sporting action did not end with these two events, as Lewis Hamilton won his sixth British Grand Prix on Sunday.&nbsp;

The final match of ICC Men's Cricket World Cup between England and New Zealand at Lord's and the Wimbledon men's singles final between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic went down to the wire.

The final match of ICC Men's Cricket World Cup between England and New Zealand at Lord's and the Wimbledon men's singles final between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic went down to the wire. England won the title after a dramatic Super Over. England was announced as the winner as they had hit more boundaries in the match. While in Wimbledon final defending champion, Djokovic saved two match points to clinch a fifth Wimbledon title and 16th major in a five-set thriller. At four hours and 57 minutes, it was the longest Wimbledon final and the first to be settled by a final set tiebreak. Spectators and fans across were glued to the edge of their seats, waiting to find out the results of the nail-biting matches. However, amid all the tesnsions, ICC and Wimbledon made complete use of the opportunity to find out how things are going for one another. "Hello @ICC - how are you coping your end? #Wimbledon #CWC19Final," read a tweet posted on Wimbledon's official handle. ICC's official handle was quick to respond to the enquiry, and wrote, "Things are a bit hectic here right now, we`ll get back to you #CWC19 | #Wimbledon | #CWC1FINAL". Things are a bit hectic here right now, we'll get back to you 😅#CWC19 | #Wimbledon | #CWC1FINAL — ICC (@ICC) July 14, 2019 × Fans also reacted to to the banter and expressed their excitement. Here are some fan reations. I can’t decide what to watch.. — Raj Kumar Jha (@Thisisraaj) July 14, 2019 × If you're asking the ICC, they'd probably tell you that you stretched that final too long. Just decide the champion on some silly statistic such as number of aces served, why bother having a clear winner? — Max (@Maxx_Force) July 14, 2019 × How did you get your Duke and Duchess to watch tennis between a Swiss and a Serb and not England's best chance to win a world cup? Just how? — Chandler Sing (@chandler_sing) July 14, 2019 × @ICC is still clueless, best world cup final ever#ENGvNZ — SleepyOwl (@Nav_tweets) July 14, 2019 × The sporting action did not end with these two events, as Lewis Hamilton won his sixth British Grand Prix on Sunday.

'How are you coping your end': ICC-Wimbledon Twitter banter is unmissable

England won the World Cup for the first time as they <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-final-england-vs-new-zealand-235710">beat New Zealand</a> in a Super Over after a nerve-shredding final ended in a tie at Lord's on Sunday.

After Eoin Morgan's side finished on 241 all out in pursuit of New Zealand's 241-8, the final came down to a six-ball shootout for each team.

England's Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler took 15 off Trent Boult's over.

Jofra Archer bowled England's over against Martin Guptill and Jimmy Neesham, who smashed a six off the second ball.

With two runs required off the final ball, wicketkeeper Jos Buttler and Jason Roy combined to run out Guptill as he came back for the second.

Both sides finished on 15 so England won due to a tie-break rule because they hit more boundaries.

After defeats in previous finals against Pakistan in 1992, Australia in 1987 and the West Indies in 1979, it was a cathartic moment for English cricket.

Morgan and his team-mates were cheered to the rafters by the ecstatic capacity crowd at Lord's as they joined Bobby Moore's 1966 footballers and Martin Johnson's rugby union team of 2003 as England's World Cup winners.

England's triumph was the culmination of a remarkable rise over the past four years.

Following their dismal first round exit at the 2015 World Cup, England's then director of cricket Andrew Strauss embarked on a root-and-branch reform of their one-day international set-up.

Adopting an aggressive game-plan under Morgan and Australian coach Trevor Bayliss, England's rebuilding plan paid off spectacularly.

They had already climbed to the top of the ODI rankings heading into the tournament and, after plenty of highs and lows over the past six weeks, they eventually justified their tag as the bookmakers' pre-tournament favourites to win the World Cup.

It was not an easy ride for England, whose defeats against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia in the group stage put them on the brink of elimination.

But Morgan's men kept their cool to defeat India and New Zealand and book a last-four spot before crushing Australia in the semi-finals and surviving one final test of their nerve against New Zealand.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Jofra Archer made his England debut less than three months ago, and has just bowled the winning Super Over in a World Cup final. 
 
Has there ever been a better start to an international career?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreEngland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreEngland</a> <a href="https://t.co/qjQLRriDUP">pic.twitter.com/qjQLRriDUP</a>
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup/status/1150475556053561344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</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>

While England celebrated, it was another heart-breaking loss for New Zealand, who also finished as runners-up in the previous World Cup in 2015 after losing to Australia in the final.

England won the World Cup for the first time as they beat New Zealand in a Super Over after a nerve-shredding final ended in a tie at Lord's on Sunday. After Eoin Morgan's side finished on 241 all out in pursuit of New Zealand's 241-8, the final came down to a six-ball shootout for each team.

England won the World Cup for the first time as they beat New Zealand in a Super Over after a nerve-shredding final ended in a tie at Lord's on Sunday. After Eoin Morgan's side finished on 241 all out in pursuit of New Zealand's 241-8, the final came down to a six-ball shootout for each team. England's Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler took 15 off Trent Boult's over. Jofra Archer bowled England's over against Martin Guptill and Jimmy Neesham, who smashed a six off the second ball. With two runs required off the final ball, wicketkeeper Jos Buttler and Jason Roy combined to run out Guptill as he came back for the second. Both sides finished on 15 so England won due to a tie-break rule because they hit more boundaries. After defeats in previous finals against Pakistan in 1992, Australia in 1987 and the West Indies in 1979, it was a cathartic moment for English cricket. Morgan and his team-mates were cheered to the rafters by the ecstatic capacity crowd at Lord's as they joined Bobby Moore's 1966 footballers and Martin Johnson's rugby union team of 2003 as England's World Cup winners. England's triumph was the culmination of a remarkable rise over the past four years. Following their dismal first round exit at the 2015 World Cup, England's then director of cricket Andrew Strauss embarked on a root-and-branch reform of their one-day international set-up. Adopting an aggressive game-plan under Morgan and Australian coach Trevor Bayliss, England's rebuilding plan paid off spectacularly. They had already climbed to the top of the ODI rankings heading into the tournament and, after plenty of highs and lows over the past six weeks, they eventually justified their tag as the bookmakers' pre-tournament favourites to win the World Cup. It was not an easy ride for England, whose defeats against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia in the group stage put them on the brink of elimination. But Morgan's men kept their cool to defeat India and New Zealand and book a last-four spot before crushing Australia in the semi-finals and surviving one final test of their nerve against New Zealand. Jofra Archer made his England debut less than three months ago, and has just bowled the winning Super Over in a World Cup final. Has there ever been a better start to an international career?#CWC19 | #WeAreEngland pic.twitter.com/qjQLRriDUP — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 14, 2019 × While England celebrated, it was another heart-breaking loss for New Zealand, who also finished as runners-up in the previous World Cup in 2015 after losing to Australia in the final.

England win Cricket World Cup 2019 after super over thriller

Kane Williamson admitted New Zealand's agonising <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-defeat-new-zealand-to-win-the-cricket-world-cup-2019-title-235973">World Cup final defeat</a> against England was "hard to swallow" after his team were beaten on Sunday because they scored less boundaries than the new champions.

Williamson's side came desperately close to winning the World Cup for the first time at Lord's after both the match and the Super Over shoot-out ended tied.

England had finished on 241 all out in pursuit of New Zealand's 241-8, then both sides scored 15 in their six-ball Super Overs.

A curious tie-breaker rule meant the World Cup winners would be decided by the number of fours and sixes hit and that meant England were the ones celebrating.

Williamson conceded it was the most painful way to lose, but he refused to condemn tournament organisers the International Cricket Council.

"What did they win it on, boundaries? While the emotions are raw it's pretty hard to swallow when two teams work so hard to get to this moment in time," he said.

"We had two attempts to separate us and still couldn't -- it is what it is, the rules are there at the start and they probably never thought they would have to use them."

New Zealand's angst was exacerbated as they also lost the 2015 World Cup final against Australia and have never won the tournament.

It was especially traumatic for Williamson and company after they twice came close to beating England in the match and then the Super Over.

"Gutted, obviously. We put in a huge amount of work to get to the final and to pretty much do all we could," he said.

"I have spoken a lot about uncontrollables and there were a couple today which were hard to swallow.

"England are deserved winners, take nothing away from them. It's one of those things."

Having only qualified for the semi-finals on net run-rate after finishing level on points with Pakistan, the Black Caps were seen as outsiders in the last four.

But they stunned India in the semi-finals and came within a whisker of stopping England winning their maiden World Cup.

Williamson was dismissed for a disappointing 30 in the final, but he was still named player of the tournament for his prolific run-scoring and astute captaincy.

Insisting he was proud of his team's battling against-the-odds run to the brink of glory, he added: "The margins are so small but what you walk away with is the amount of heart that the guys have shown throughout the campaign."

Kane Williamson admitted New Zealand's agonising World Cup final defeat against England was "hard to swallow" after his team were beaten on Sunday because they scored less boundaries than the new champions.

Kane Williamson admitted New Zealand's agonising World Cup final defeat against England was "hard to swallow" after his team were beaten on Sunday because they scored less boundaries than the new champions. Williamson's side came desperately close to winning the World Cup for the first time at Lord's after both the match and the Super Over shoot-out ended tied. England had finished on 241 all out in pursuit of New Zealand's 241-8, then both sides scored 15 in their six-ball Super Overs. A curious tie-breaker rule meant the World Cup winners would be decided by the number of fours and sixes hit and that meant England were the ones celebrating. Williamson conceded it was the most painful way to lose, but he refused to condemn tournament organisers the International Cricket Council. "What did they win it on, boundaries? While the emotions are raw it's pretty hard to swallow when two teams work so hard to get to this moment in time," he said. "We had two attempts to separate us and still couldn't -- it is what it is, the rules are there at the start and they probably never thought they would have to use them." New Zealand's angst was exacerbated as they also lost the 2015 World Cup final against Australia and have never won the tournament. It was especially traumatic for Williamson and company after they twice came close to beating England in the match and then the Super Over. "Gutted, obviously. We put in a huge amount of work to get to the final and to pretty much do all we could," he said. "I have spoken a lot about uncontrollables and there were a couple today which were hard to swallow. "England are deserved winners, take nothing away from them. It's one of those things." Having only qualified for the semi-finals on net run-rate after finishing level on points with Pakistan, the Black Caps were seen as outsiders in the last four. But they stunned India in the semi-finals and came within a whisker of stopping England winning their maiden World Cup. Williamson was dismissed for a disappointing 30 in the final, but he was still named player of the tournament for his prolific run-scoring and astute captaincy. Insisting he was proud of his team's battling against-the-odds run to the brink of glory, he added: "The margins are so small but what you walk away with is the amount of heart that the guys have shown throughout the campaign."

Kane Williamson says World Cup final defeat hard to swallow

England pacer Liam Plunkett is hopeful that the hosts can chase down the target given by the New Zealand team in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-final-england-vs-new-zealand-235710">final match of Cricket World Cup&nbsp;2019</a> on Sunday at Lord's.&nbsp;

Opting to bat first, New Zealand posted 241 for a loss of eight wickets in their bid to win the title for the first time.&nbsp;

Plunkett took three key wickets as England restricted the Black Caps to a modest total.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Sometimes it doesn't feel real," said Plunkett during the innings break.&nbsp;

"It's a good pitch, we bowled tight lines and restricted New Zealand. It's nice to know my role," he added.&nbsp;

"I tried to smash the pitch, use my variations and hope for the batsman to make a mistake," said Plunkett.&nbsp;

"I look to use cross-seamed deliveries a lot and the seam up is more of a variation for me. It's something that has worked for me for the last four years so I'm not going to change that," said the pacer on his bowling technique.&nbsp;

"New Zealand are a good batting team and hopefully we can chase that down now," he concluded his chat.&nbsp;

Both sides, desperate to win the tournament for the first time, retained the same XI from their contrasting semi-final victories.&nbsp;

England pacer Liam Plunkett is hopeful that the hosts can chase down the target given by the New Zealand team in the final match of Cricket World Cup 2019 on Sunday at Lord's.

England pacer Liam Plunkett is hopeful that the hosts can chase down the target given by the New Zealand team in the final match of Cricket World Cup 2019 on Sunday at Lord's. Opting to bat first, New Zealand posted 241 for a loss of eight wickets in their bid to win the title for the first time. Plunkett took three key wickets as England restricted the Black Caps to a modest total. "Sometimes it doesn't feel real," said Plunkett during the innings break. "It's a good pitch, we bowled tight lines and restricted New Zealand. It's nice to know my role," he added. "I tried to smash the pitch, use my variations and hope for the batsman to make a mistake," said Plunkett. "I look to use cross-seamed deliveries a lot and the seam up is more of a variation for me. It's something that has worked for me for the last four years so I'm not going to change that," said the pacer on his bowling technique. "New Zealand are a good batting team and hopefully we can chase that down now," he concluded his chat. Both sides, desperate to win the tournament for the first time, retained the same XI from their contrasting semi-final victories.

World Cup final: 'Hopefully we can chase that down,' says Liam Plunkett during innings break

England captain Eoin Morgan admitted he believed his side's shot at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-defeat-new-zealand-to-win-the-cricket-world-cup-2019-title-235973">World Cup glory</a> had gone on Sunday before a thrilling twist saw the hosts lift the trophy for the first time after a Super Over.

Morgan's men needed 39 runs off the final 23 balls to win when Chris Woakes holed out.

But thanks to Ben Stokes's 84 not out and some fortune when a deflection off Stokes's bat went for four overthrows, England tied New Zealand's target of 241 off 50 overs.

Both sides could not be separated on runs either after hitting 15 off an extra six balls each, so England won by virtue of hitting more boundaries throughout the course of the match.

"Absolutely unbelievable, I still can't quite believe it," said Morgan.

"I thought it was over when Chris Woakes got out but then Liam Plunkett got us back into the game and we had the rub of the green, with Ben's overthrows -- I don't know how you described that on commentary.

"In the Super Over, Ben continued to have a great day out with Jos. A day to remember."

Victory completed a four-year path to redemption for Morgan, who captained the side to a humiliating group-stage exit at the 2015 World Cup.

England have since recovered to become the number one ranked side in the world, but were on the verge of failing to make the semi-finals once more after losing to Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia in the group stage.

However, they steadied the ship by beating India and New Zealand to complete the round robin phase before thrashing Australia in the semi-finals.

And in front of a packed house at Lord's and a huge television audience with the final the only match of the tournament shown on free-to-air television in the UK, the World Cup got the buzz it craved with a thrilling finale.

"The support has been incredible from the very beginning of the tournament and we've managed to pull it off. It's such a good feeling," added Morgan.

"I've said 'incredible' 50 times since lifting the trophy. Our fans are the best people on the planet.

"We had two must-win games and we scraped through and we continued it on to today. Thank you for the support over the last four years."

England captain Eoin Morgan admitted he believed his side's shot at World Cup glory had gone on Sunday before a thrilling twist saw the hosts lift the trophy for the first time after a Super Over.

England captain Eoin Morgan admitted he believed his side's shot at World Cup glory had gone on Sunday before a thrilling twist saw the hosts lift the trophy for the first time after a Super Over. Morgan's men needed 39 runs off the final 23 balls to win when Chris Woakes holed out. But thanks to Ben Stokes's 84 not out and some fortune when a deflection off Stokes's bat went for four overthrows, England tied New Zealand's target of 241 off 50 overs. Both sides could not be separated on runs either after hitting 15 off an extra six balls each, so England won by virtue of hitting more boundaries throughout the course of the match. "Absolutely unbelievable, I still can't quite believe it," said Morgan. "I thought it was over when Chris Woakes got out but then Liam Plunkett got us back into the game and we had the rub of the green, with Ben's overthrows -- I don't know how you described that on commentary. "In the Super Over, Ben continued to have a great day out with Jos. A day to remember." Victory completed a four-year path to redemption for Morgan, who captained the side to a humiliating group-stage exit at the 2015 World Cup. England have since recovered to become the number one ranked side in the world, but were on the verge of failing to make the semi-finals once more after losing to Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia in the group stage. However, they steadied the ship by beating India and New Zealand to complete the round robin phase before thrashing Australia in the semi-finals. And in front of a packed house at Lord's and a huge television audience with the final the only match of the tournament shown on free-to-air television in the UK, the World Cup got the buzz it craved with a thrilling finale. "The support has been incredible from the very beginning of the tournament and we've managed to pull it off. It's such a good feeling," added Morgan. "I've said 'incredible' 50 times since lifting the trophy. Our fans are the best people on the planet. "We had two must-win games and we scraped through and we continued it on to today. Thank you for the support over the last four years."

'I still can't believe it': England captain Eoin Morgan thought World Cup was lost

cricket-world-cup

Cricket World Cup, News on Cricket World Cup, stories on Cricket World Cup, articles on Cricket World Cup, Cricket World Cup stories at Wion, Cricket World Cup news, Cricket World Cup latest news

cricket world-cup