<p>India lost openers Rohit Sharma and&nbsp;Shikhar Dhawan early in chase of 231 set by Australia in the third and final ODI at the Melbourne cricket ground on Friday.</p>

<p>India's score stands at 69 for the loss of two wickets after 19 overs.</p>

<p>Earlier, spinner Yuzvendra Chahal displayed a fiery spell of bowling to clinch six wickets and restrict Australia for a mere 230 runs in the third and final ODI against India on Friday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The legspinner picked up 6 for 42 and was well supported by Bhuvi and Shami, who picked two each.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Just when the hosts recovered from the early losses, Chahal clinched three wickets in quick intervals - of two set batsmen and another - to make India dominate the game.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Both Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh were dismissed off Chahal while trying to hit a shot. While Marsh was stumped by MS Dhoni, Khawaja caught and bowl by the bowler. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Marcus Stoinis was the third player to be dismissed by the right-arm leg spinner.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
However, it was Peter Handscomb crucial 58 runs that helped Australia revive their inning. He too was dismissed by Chahal at a point when he was all set to take the game away from the Men in Blue. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Handscomb is also the highest scoring player with the bat as the rest nine failed to reach the fifty digit mark. Marsh contributed 39 runs and Khwaja made 34 before giving away their wickets. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar too struck twice after the rain break to dismiss Australian openers Alex Carey and Aaron Finch early. &nbsp;He also took a brilliant catch of Glenn Maxwell to hand Shami his first wicket of the game.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from Kumar, Mohammed Shami also clinched two wickets and gave away 47 runs in his 9.4 overs bowled.</p>


India lost openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan early in chase of 231 set by Australia in the third and final ODI at the Melbourne cricket ground on Friday. India's score stands at 69 for the loss of two wickets after 19 overs.

India lost openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan early in chase of 231 set by Australia in the third and final ODI at the Melbourne cricket ground on Friday. India's score stands at 69 for the loss of two wickets after 19 overs. Earlier, spinner Yuzvendra Chahal displayed a fiery spell of bowling to clinch six wickets and restrict Australia for a mere 230 runs in the third and final ODI against India on Friday. The legspinner picked up 6 for 42 and was well supported by Bhuvi and Shami, who picked two each. Just when the hosts recovered from the early losses, Chahal clinched three wickets in quick intervals - of two set batsmen and another - to make India dominate the game. Both Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh were dismissed off Chahal while trying to hit a shot. While Marsh was stumped by MS Dhoni, Khawaja caught and bowl by the bowler. Marcus Stoinis was the third player to be dismissed by the right-arm leg spinner. However, it was Peter Handscomb crucial 58 runs that helped Australia revive their inning. He too was dismissed by Chahal at a point when he was all set to take the game away from the Men in Blue. Handscomb is also the highest scoring player with the bat as the rest nine failed to reach the fifty digit mark. Marsh contributed 39 runs and Khwaja made 34 before giving away their wickets. Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar too struck twice after the rain break to dismiss Australian openers Alex Carey and Aaron Finch early. He also took a brilliant catch of Glenn Maxwell to hand Shami his first wicket of the game. Apart from Kumar, Mohammed Shami also clinched two wickets and gave away 47 runs in his 9.4 overs bowled.

IND vs AUS, 3rd ODI: Rohit, Dhawan depart early in chase of 231

<p>India will continue to target Australia's under-pressure openers Alex Carey and Aaron Finch as they seek to add a one-day series win to their first ever Test series victory in the third and final match in Melbourne on Friday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Carey and Finch's best opening partnership in the first two matches of the series is the 20 runs they achieved in Adelaide on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Carey, the team's vice-captain, has scored a total of 42 runs while captain Finch has tallied just 12 and been bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in both games of the series, which is locked at 1-1.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Finch was also dropped from the test squad after he struggled in that series and India have concentrated on the 32-year-old, who has 11 one-day international centuries and two in Twenty20 internationals.</p>

<p>"We respect that Finch is a great player ... we make sure our guard is up always," Indian opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan told reporters on Thursday.</p>

<p>"The boys must have seen his weakness and they are implementing their plans quite nicely. They're not giving him singles that easily or even boundary options.</p>

<p>"Once you're creating that pressure to a batsman, especially in limited overs, that batsman is going to do something extra or take more risk to rotate the strike or to score more runs. That's where we're having the opportunity."</p>

<p>Dhawan added that the pressure the bowlers were placing on the Australians at the top of the order meant they were not capitalising on the fielding restrictions during the first 10-over power-play.</p>

<p>Australia slumped to 41-2 in 9.5 overs in the first game in Sydney, while they were 38-2 after 10 overs in the second match in Adelaide, although that total was only boosted by scoring 11 runs in the 10th.</p>

<p>"Bhuvi (Kumar) is very experienced as well as (Mohammed) Shami," Dhawan said. "That's why in the first 10 overs we have been dominating."</p>

<p>Finch, however, said he had been reviewing footage of his dismissals in the series and comparing it to more successful periods, which has contributed to 3,430 one-day international runs at an average of 36.88.</p>

<p>"Maybe I've been too tentative in the last couple of games, letting a bit of pressure build up," Finch said.</p>

<p>"It's always a fine balance between attack and hanging in there and waiting for the right time to be aggressive and take on the game.</p>

<p>"I still feel that I'm a very good player ... 13 international hundreds suggests that I do know what's required."</p>


India will continue to target Australia's under-pressure openers Alex Carey and Aaron Finch as they seek to add a one-day series win to their first ever Test series victory in the third and final match in Melbourne on Friday.

India will continue to target Australia's under-pressure openers Alex Carey and Aaron Finch as they seek to add a one-day series win to their first ever Test series victory in the third and final match in Melbourne on Friday. Carey and Finch's best opening partnership in the first two matches of the series is the 20 runs they achieved in Adelaide on Tuesday. Carey, the team's vice-captain, has scored a total of 42 runs while captain Finch has tallied just 12 and been bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in both games of the series, which is locked at 1-1. Finch was also dropped from the test squad after he struggled in that series and India have concentrated on the 32-year-old, who has 11 one-day international centuries and two in Twenty20 internationals. "We respect that Finch is a great player ... we make sure our guard is up always," Indian opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan told reporters on Thursday. "The boys must have seen his weakness and they are implementing their plans quite nicely. They're not giving him singles that easily or even boundary options. "Once you're creating that pressure to a batsman, especially in limited overs, that batsman is going to do something extra or take more risk to rotate the strike or to score more runs. That's where we're having the opportunity." Dhawan added that the pressure the bowlers were placing on the Australians at the top of the order meant they were not capitalising on the fielding restrictions during the first 10-over power-play. Australia slumped to 41-2 in 9.5 overs in the first game in Sydney, while they were 38-2 after 10 overs in the second match in Adelaide, although that total was only boosted by scoring 11 runs in the 10th. "Bhuvi (Kumar) is very experienced as well as (Mohammed) Shami," Dhawan said. "That's why in the first 10 overs we have been dominating." Finch, however, said he had been reviewing footage of his dismissals in the series and comparing it to more successful periods, which has contributed to 3,430 one-day international runs at an average of 36.88. "Maybe I've been too tentative in the last couple of games, letting a bit of pressure build up," Finch said. "It's always a fine balance between attack and hanging in there and waiting for the right time to be aggressive and take on the game. "I still feel that I'm a very good player ... 13 international hundreds suggests that I do know what's required."

India must keep the pressure on Australia openers, says Shikhar Dhawan

<p>Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma gave India a solid start while chasing a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-shaun-marshs-patient-131-powers-australia-to-mammoth-298-in-2nd-odi-190409">mammoth 298 set by Australia in the second ODI </a>on Tuesday, before the visitors lost the left-handed batsman, who was trying to hit a big shot.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dhawan departed off Behrendorff after making 32 runs, which included five boundaries. Rohit, who slammed a brilliant century in the first ODI, was also going strong but lost his wicket at 43.</p>

<p>After 23 overs, India's score stands at 121 for the loss of two wickets.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, Shaun Marsh slammed a patient century to lift Australia while wickets kept falling at the other hand in the second ODI against India on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Playing at an economy of 106.5, Marsh hit 131 runs in123 balls to set India a target of 299 runs. The 35-year-old, however, lost his wicket by giving an easy catch to Ravindra Jadeja while trying to hit a six off Bhuneshwar Kumar. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Marsh found an ally in Glenn Maxwell, who got lucky twice but was finally dismissed for 48 runs off Bhuneshwar. Australia, who stood at 218 for the loss of five wickets at 42 overs, lost four more wickets in the following eight overs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Australia lost its third wicket in the form of Usman Khawaja, who was run-out by Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. The fourth damage was caused after Peter Handscomb was dismissed by Dhoni off Jadeja only</p>

<p>Indian pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami on Tuesday struck early to dismiss Australian openers Aaron Finch and Alex Carey respectively, not allowing them to cause much damage with the bat.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bhuvneshwar drew the first blood for his side as he bowled skipper Finch for just 6 runs. In the next over of Shami, wicketkeeper-batsman Carey was sent back to the pavilion for 18 runs.</p>

<p>Bhuvneshwar, who is a death-over specialist, ended his 10 overs with four wickets and giving away 45 runs. Mohammed Shami to clinched three wickets and gave away 58 runs in his 10 overs.&nbsp;</p>


Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma gave India a solid start while chasing a mammoth 298 set by Australia in the second ODI on Tuesday, before the visitors lost the left-handed batsman, who was trying to hit a big shot.

Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma gave India a solid start while chasing a mammoth 298 set by Australia in the second ODI on Tuesday, before the visitors lost the left-handed batsman, who was trying to hit a big shot. Dhawan departed off Behrendorff after making 32 runs, which included five boundaries. Rohit, who slammed a brilliant century in the first ODI, was also going strong but lost his wicket at 43. After 23 overs, India's score stands at 121 for the loss of two wickets. Earlier, Shaun Marsh slammed a patient century to lift Australia while wickets kept falling at the other hand in the second ODI against India on Tuesday. Playing at an economy of 106.5, Marsh hit 131 runs in123 balls to set India a target of 299 runs. The 35-year-old, however, lost his wicket by giving an easy catch to Ravindra Jadeja while trying to hit a six off Bhuneshwar Kumar. Marsh found an ally in Glenn Maxwell, who got lucky twice but was finally dismissed for 48 runs off Bhuneshwar. Australia, who stood at 218 for the loss of five wickets at 42 overs, lost four more wickets in the following eight overs. Australia lost its third wicket in the form of Usman Khawaja, who was run-out by Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. The fourth damage was caused after Peter Handscomb was dismissed by Dhoni off Jadeja only Indian pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami on Tuesday struck early to dismiss Australian openers Aaron Finch and Alex Carey respectively, not allowing them to cause much damage with the bat. Bhuvneshwar drew the first blood for his side as he bowled skipper Finch for just 6 runs. In the next over of Shami, wicketkeeper-batsman Carey was sent back to the pavilion for 18 runs. Bhuvneshwar, who is a death-over specialist, ended his 10 overs with four wickets and giving away 45 runs. Mohammed Shami to clinched three wickets and gave away 58 runs in his 10 overs.

IND vs AUS, 2nd ODI: Rohit and Dhawan depart, India 121/2 after 23 overs

<p>Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the BCCI for allowing the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni to skip domestic cricket ahead of a hectic six months culminating into the World Cup in England.</p>

<p>Dhawan, who was dropped from the Test team, is spending time with family in Melbourne following the T20 leg of Australia while Dhoni has had no cricket since the ODI series against the West Indies ended on November 1.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The former captain is a certainty only in the 50-over format after he was ignored for the T20s against the West Indies and Australia. He retired from Tests in 2014.</p>

<p>"We shouldn't ask Dhawan and Dhoni 'Why you are not playing domestic cricket?'. We should, in fact, ask the BCCI and selectors why are they allowing players to skip domestic cricket when they are not on national duty," Gavaskar told 'India Today'.</p>

<p>"If the Indian team has to do well, players have to be in prime form and for that they have to play cricket," he added.</p>

<p>Gavaskar wants the two players to compete in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, especially Dhoni, who is facing constant criticism for his waning batting form.</p>

<p>"He (Dhoni) didn't play the T20Is against Australia, before that he didn't play the West Indies Tests, and then he is not playing the Test series against Australia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"So, he last played in October (November 1) and will next play in January, which is a huge gap. But if he doesn't do well on tours of Australia and New Zealand, then there will be more questions asked on his place in the World Cup.</p>

<p>"As you grow older and if there is a gap in your cricket, your reflexes will slow down. If you play any form of cricket at the domestic level, you get an opportunity to play long innings, which serves as a good practice for you," Gavaskar added.</p>


Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the BCCI for allowing the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni to skip domestic cricket ahead of a hectic six months culminating into the World Cup in England.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the BCCI for allowing the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni to skip domestic cricket ahead of a hectic six months culminating into the World Cup in England. Dhawan, who was dropped from the Test team, is spending time with family in Melbourne following the T20 leg of Australia while Dhoni has had no cricket since the ODI series against the West Indies ended on November 1. The former captain is a certainty only in the 50-over format after he was ignored for the T20s against the West Indies and Australia. He retired from Tests in 2014. "We shouldn't ask Dhawan and Dhoni 'Why you are not playing domestic cricket?'. We should, in fact, ask the BCCI and selectors why are they allowing players to skip domestic cricket when they are not on national duty," Gavaskar told 'India Today'. "If the Indian team has to do well, players have to be in prime form and for that they have to play cricket," he added. Gavaskar wants the two players to compete in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, especially Dhoni, who is facing constant criticism for his waning batting form. "He (Dhoni) didn't play the T20Is against Australia, before that he didn't play the West Indies Tests, and then he is not playing the Test series against Australia. "So, he last played in October (November 1) and will next play in January, which is a huge gap. But if he doesn't do well on tours of Australia and New Zealand, then there will be more questions asked on his place in the World Cup. "As you grow older and if there is a gap in your cricket, your reflexes will slow down. If you play any form of cricket at the domestic level, you get an opportunity to play long innings, which serves as a good practice for you," Gavaskar added.

'Why aren't Dhoni, Dhawan playing domestic cricket?' asks Gavaskar

<p>Back amongst runs following a prolonged bad patch, Shikhar Dhawan has "moved on" after initially feeling sad about his omission from the Indian Test team for the Australia series.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Yes, I was a bit sad but I have moved on and I am in a good frame of mind. I am in a happy positive mood. I am enjoying my game. I have got a bit off time and I am going to enjoy my training and get myself fitter. I am happy and once I am happy things go well for me," Dhawan, who was adjudged 'Man of the Series' in the recently concluded T20 series, told 'ESPN Cricinfo'.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-australia-2018-19-schedule-teams-time-and-venue-177740">India vs Australia 2018-19: Schedule, Squad, Time and Venue</a></p>

<p>The Delhi opener is confident that India will do well in the four-Test series beginning December 6 at Adelaide.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I think we have got a very good chance to win the series here. We have to play good complete cricket in all three departments whether it's batting, bowling or fielding and also catching. We have to be consistent and then we will have a good chance of beating Australia," said Dhawan, who will be turning 33 in a week's time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the World Cup is still six months away, the focus will be on the process for the veteran of 115 ODIs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I am going to give my best. I am a big believer in process and once I get it right, other things will follow on its own. Of course, we would like to bring the World Cup back home," he exuded confidence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>What makes him confident about his success in England is his past record in limited overs cricket.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I have done well in both Champions Trophies in England and with my experience, I hope to score a lot of runs in World Cup and give good starts and sail through so that we can get the Cup back."</p>


Back amongst runs following a prolonged bad patch, Shikhar Dhawan has "moved on" after initially feeling sad about his omission from the Indian Test team for the Australia series.

Back amongst runs following a prolonged bad patch, Shikhar Dhawan has "moved on" after initially feeling sad about his omission from the Indian Test team for the Australia series. "Yes, I was a bit sad but I have moved on and I am in a good frame of mind. I am in a happy positive mood. I am enjoying my game. I have got a bit off time and I am going to enjoy my training and get myself fitter. I am happy and once I am happy things go well for me," Dhawan, who was adjudged 'Man of the Series' in the recently concluded T20 series, told 'ESPN Cricinfo'. India vs Australia 2018-19: Schedule, Squad, Time and Venue The Delhi opener is confident that India will do well in the four-Test series beginning December 6 at Adelaide. "I think we have got a very good chance to win the series here. We have to play good complete cricket in all three departments whether it's batting, bowling or fielding and also catching. We have to be consistent and then we will have a good chance of beating Australia," said Dhawan, who will be turning 33 in a week's time. While the World Cup is still six months away, the focus will be on the process for the veteran of 115 ODIs. "I am going to give my best. I am a big believer in process and once I get it right, other things will follow on its own. Of course, we would like to bring the World Cup back home," he exuded confidence. What makes him confident about his success in England is his past record in limited overs cricket. "I have done well in both Champions Trophies in England and with my experience, I hope to score a lot of runs in World Cup and give good starts and sail through so that we can get the Cup back."

Was a bit sad but moved on: Shikhar Dhawan on Test omission

<p>Hosts Australia won the first of the three T20I to be played against India, after the 'Men in Blue' fell just four runs shorts of the target readjusted under the Duckworth-Lewis method. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p>

<p>Australia rode on a collective top order effort to post 158/4 in 17 overs before the target was readjusted to 174, due to heavy showers, for India under the D/L method.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Talking about the team's performance, Indian skipper Virat Kohli said, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant's wicket was the turning point of the game.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dinesh Karthik and Pant were responsible for bringing India's chase back to life after hammering Andrew Tye for 25 runs in the 14th over. However, the latter's dismissal bought the home side back in contest.</p>

<p>"It was a close game, was a see-saw battle. Started well with the bat, fumbled in the middle overs, in the end we thought we`ll win with Pant and Karthik but it changed again with Pant`s dismissal," Kohli said at the post-match presentation.</p>

<p>The India skipper also praised opener Shikhar Dhawan, who top-scored for the tourists with a 42-ball 76, laced with 10 fours and two sixes.</p>

<p>"He's (Dhawan) a very strong player at the top of the order. Hasn't got a T20 hundred yet, but the way he plays it really benefits the team," the 30-year-old opined.</p>

<p>"That's how it goes in the game. What we can do is to learn from them (mistakes) and get back better," Kohli added.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Australia skipper Aaron Finch felt his bowlers performed well in crunch situation, resulting in their win.</p>

<p>"Thought the boys played really well, especially in the middle overs with the bat. Showed a lot of courage to take it on. Some of our bowling was outstanding under pressure," Finch said.</p>

<p>The two sides will play the second T20I on Friday in Melbourne.</p>


Hosts Australia won the first of the three T20I to be played against India, after the 'Men in Blue' fell just four runs shorts of the target readjusted under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Hosts Australia won the first of the three T20I to be played against India, after the 'Men in Blue' fell just four runs shorts of the target readjusted under the Duckworth-Lewis method. Australia rode on a collective top order effort to post 158/4 in 17 overs before the target was readjusted to 174, due to heavy showers, for India under the D/L method. Talking about the team's performance, Indian skipper Virat Kohli said, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant's wicket was the turning point of the game. Dinesh Karthik and Pant were responsible for bringing India's chase back to life after hammering Andrew Tye for 25 runs in the 14th over. However, the latter's dismissal bought the home side back in contest. "It was a close game, was a see-saw battle. Started well with the bat, fumbled in the middle overs, in the end we thought we`ll win with Pant and Karthik but it changed again with Pant`s dismissal," Kohli said at the post-match presentation. The India skipper also praised opener Shikhar Dhawan, who top-scored for the tourists with a 42-ball 76, laced with 10 fours and two sixes. "He's (Dhawan) a very strong player at the top of the order. Hasn't got a T20 hundred yet, but the way he plays it really benefits the team," the 30-year-old opined. "That's how it goes in the game. What we can do is to learn from them (mistakes) and get back better," Kohli added. Meanwhile, Australia skipper Aaron Finch felt his bowlers performed well in crunch situation, resulting in their win. "Thought the boys played really well, especially in the middle overs with the bat. Showed a lot of courage to take it on. Some of our bowling was outstanding under pressure," Finch said. The two sides will play the second T20I on Friday in Melbourne.

Pant's dismissal changed first T20I's outcome: Kohli on India's loss to Australia

<p>Opener Shikhar Dhawan smashed 92 as India completed a six-wicket Twenty20 international win on the last ball against West Indies on Sunday to sweep the three-match series.</p>

<p>Dhawan put on a crucial 130-run third wicket stand with Rishabh Pant, who hit 58, to bring India close to their target of 182 before West Indies hit back in Chennai.</p>

<p>Pant was out in the 19th over and Dhawan lost his wicket on the penultimate ball of the match, but Manish Pandey hit the winning run to deny West Indies any chance of a consolation victory. A tie would have taken the match into a super over.</p>

<p>The result caps off a complete domination by India, who had won the Tests 2-0 and then the one-day international series 3-1 against the visiting West Indians.</p>

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<p>Paceman Keemo Paul took two wickets including the dangerous Pant in a penultimate over that yielded just three runs, leaving India needing five from the final six balls.</p>

<p>Nicholas Pooran stood out with the bat for West Indies in the final game of a tough tour, with a 25-ball 53 that guided the visitors to 181-3 after electing to bat first.</p>

<p>But the left-handed pair of Dhawan and Pant put the hosts' chase on track after they had lost two early wickets including their in-form skipper Rohit Sharma for four.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">India win a last-ball thriller, what a finish!<br />
<br />
Somehow, needing seven off the last 11 became needing one off one, but they scrambled home. A pair of brilliant knocks from Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant proved just enough.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvWI</a> SCORE 👇<a href="https://t.co/VsssOXxhh3">https://t.co/VsssOXxhh3</a> <a href="https://t.co/KyOObkdIsx">pic.twitter.com/KyOObkdIsx</a></p>
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<p>Dhawan registered his first fifty of the series across formats as he batted with assurance, hitting 10 fours and two sixes during his 62-ball knock.</p>

<p>Pant, 21, complimented his senior partner with some lusty hitting in his 38-ball stay at the crease.</p>

<p>Earlier Pooran put on a key 87-run unbeaten stand with Darren Bravo, who made 43, to give the tourists a competitive total.</p>

<p>The left-handed Pooran, who was playing his fifth match, came in to bat with West Indies in a bit of trouble at 94-3 but took the attack to the opposition bowlers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He hit four fours and fours sixes during his blitz, with Bravo at the other end playing a calculated 37-ball knock.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shikhar Dhawan collects the Paytm Man of the Match award for his match winning knock of 92 💪👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvWI</a> <a href="https://t.co/TQP7HxhAFP">pic.twitter.com/TQP7HxhAFP</a></p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1061674810386706433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Openers Shai Hope, who made 24, and Shimron Hetmyer, who hit 26, gave the West Indies a strong start with their 51-run partnership before Yuzvendra Chahal struck back for the hosts.</p>

<p>Chahal got Hope on his very first delivery and then cut short Hetmyer's brisk knock to check the opposition surge. The leg-spinner returned figures of 2-28.</p>

<p>India will now head to their all-important tour of Australia that begins November 21 with the first of the three T20 matches in Brisbane. The two sides will also play four Tests and three ODIs.</p>


Opener Shikhar Dhawan smashed 92 as India completed a six-wicket Twenty20 international win on the last ball against West Indies on Sunday to sweep the three-match series.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan smashed 92 as India completed a six-wicket Twenty20 international win on the last ball against West Indies on Sunday to sweep the three-match series. Dhawan put on a crucial 130-run third wicket stand with Rishabh Pant, who hit 58, to bring India close to their target of 182 before West Indies hit back in Chennai. Pant was out in the 19th over and Dhawan lost his wicket on the penultimate ball of the match, but Manish Pandey hit the winning run to deny West Indies any chance of a consolation victory. A tie would have taken the match into a super over. The result caps off a complete domination by India, who had won the Tests 2-0 and then the one-day international series 3-1 against the visiting West Indians. × Paceman Keemo Paul took two wickets including the dangerous Pant in a penultimate over that yielded just three runs, leaving India needing five from the final six balls. Nicholas Pooran stood out with the bat for West Indies in the final game of a tough tour, with a 25-ball 53 that guided the visitors to 181-3 after electing to bat first. But the left-handed pair of Dhawan and Pant put the hosts' chase on track after they had lost two early wickets including their in-form skipper Rohit Sharma for four. India win a last-ball thriller, what a finish! Somehow, needing seven off the last 11 became needing one off one, but they scrambled home. A pair of brilliant knocks from Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant proved just enough.#INDvWI SCORE 👇https://t.co/VsssOXxhh3 pic.twitter.com/KyOObkdIsx — ICC (@ICC) November 11, 2018 × Dhawan registered his first fifty of the series across formats as he batted with assurance, hitting 10 fours and two sixes during his 62-ball knock. Pant, 21, complimented his senior partner with some lusty hitting in his 38-ball stay at the crease. Earlier Pooran put on a key 87-run unbeaten stand with Darren Bravo, who made 43, to give the tourists a competitive total. The left-handed Pooran, who was playing his fifth match, came in to bat with West Indies in a bit of trouble at 94-3 but took the attack to the opposition bowlers. He hit four fours and fours sixes during his blitz, with Bravo at the other end playing a calculated 37-ball knock. Shikhar Dhawan collects the Paytm Man of the Match award for his match winning knock of 92 💪👏#INDvWI pic.twitter.com/TQP7HxhAFP — BCCI (@BCCI) November 11, 2018 × Openers Shai Hope, who made 24, and Shimron Hetmyer, who hit 26, gave the West Indies a strong start with their 51-run partnership before Yuzvendra Chahal struck back for the hosts. Chahal got Hope on his very first delivery and then cut short Hetmyer's brisk knock to check the opposition surge. The leg-spinner returned figures of 2-28. India will now head to their all-important tour of Australia that begins November 21 with the first of the three T20 matches in Brisbane. The two sides will also play four Tests and three ODIs.

IND vs WI: Shikhar Dhawan hits 92 as India sweep T20 series

<p>India's stand-in captain Rohit Sharma said it was important for Shikhar Dhawan to return to form ahead of the crucial tour of Australia, which will be a completely "different ball game".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dhawan, who struggled throughout the preceding ODI series against West Indies, returned to form with a smashing 92 off 62 balls to help India beat the visitors by six wickets in the final T20 and complete a 3-0 series sweep.</p>

<p>Dhawan and young Rishabh Pant (53 off 25) stitched 130 runs off 80 balls for the third wicket on Sunday to lay the foundation for the win after India were in a spot of bother at 45 for 2 while chasing 182.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It was important from the team's perspective and for the players to get some runs ahead of the important Australia tour. Shikhar especially was batting well in the ODI series but he was not able to get big scores. I am glad that he could play a match-winning knock and get some form under his belt before the crucial tour," Rohit said.</p>

<p>"Rishabh was also hungry to go out and get some runs. It was the perfect situation. We were two down inside the first six overs. There was a bit of pressure as well. They handled it well and it was a match-winning partnership. It is important in the team's perspective that both these guys got runs," he said.</p>

<p>India's tour of Australia starts with the three-match T20 series at Brisbane on November 21.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rohit said the upcoming tour of Australia will be a completely "different ball-game" and India must take confidence from the 3-0 win.</p>

<p>"It is always challenging when it comes to going out there and performing. Every time you go there, you are tested as a player, as an individual and as a team. Australia will be a different ball game," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"When you win a series like this, you are high on confidence and it is all about taking that confidence there. We have to keep repeating the performances. It is a never-ending story," added Rohit.</p>

<p>He said the team had ticked quite a few boxes during the just-concluded series and fielding was one of them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We ticked a lot of boxes. Particularly, I am happy how we fielded. I think we fielded really well in the tournament. In batting and bowling, there will be mistakes and there will be some good performances," Rohit said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rohit has also been picked in India's Test squad to face Australia, but he said he wasn't thinking that far.</p>

<p>"I think there is still time before that. We have the T20Is and practice games before the first Test match. I am not thinking about the Test match. I am someone who doesn't think too far ahead. All I am thinking of is going back, taking a few days off, and take the flight to Australia and prepare for the T20 series," Rohit said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We will have enough time to think about Test matches after that. If I try and stay in present, it works for me. Test matches are something I was looking forward to for a long time and it will be nice to go out there and play a Test match for India."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rohit, who led India to victory in the Asia Cup recently before the T20 series triumph over the West Indies, said the secret of his captaincy success was to keep things simple.</p>

<p>"Every game is a new game. Every time I go out there in the middle, I keep things simple. This game is simple and you need to keep it simple," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rohit praised newcomer Krunal Pandya and said India will benefit immensely from fearless cricketers like him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Krunal is a street-smart cricketer who is never afraid of any doing stuff on the field. I am impressed with how he approached these three games. He has got great ability to play for India for a long period of time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"He is fearless like his brother (Hardik). At the end of the day we need characters in the team. You need players like Hardik, Krunal who are not afraid to express themselves," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Asked about the absence of legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind the stumps during the T20 series, Rohit said: "MS (Dhoni) was not part of the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka also.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"MS not being in any team is a big miss. His presence in the team itself is a huge boost for a lot of the players, not just me, especially the younger players."&nbsp;</p>


India's stand-in captain Rohit Sharma said it was important for Shikhar Dhawan to return to form ahead of the crucial tour of Australia, which will be a completely "different ball game".

India's stand-in captain Rohit Sharma said it was important for Shikhar Dhawan to return to form ahead of the crucial tour of Australia, which will be a completely "different ball game". Dhawan, who struggled throughout the preceding ODI series against West Indies, returned to form with a smashing 92 off 62 balls to help India beat the visitors by six wickets in the final T20 and complete a 3-0 series sweep. Dhawan and young Rishabh Pant (53 off 25) stitched 130 runs off 80 balls for the third wicket on Sunday to lay the foundation for the win after India were in a spot of bother at 45 for 2 while chasing 182. "It was important from the team's perspective and for the players to get some runs ahead of the important Australia tour. Shikhar especially was batting well in the ODI series but he was not able to get big scores. I am glad that he could play a match-winning knock and get some form under his belt before the crucial tour," Rohit said. "Rishabh was also hungry to go out and get some runs. It was the perfect situation. We were two down inside the first six overs. There was a bit of pressure as well. They handled it well and it was a match-winning partnership. It is important in the team's perspective that both these guys got runs," he said. India's tour of Australia starts with the three-match T20 series at Brisbane on November 21. Rohit said the upcoming tour of Australia will be a completely "different ball-game" and India must take confidence from the 3-0 win. "It is always challenging when it comes to going out there and performing. Every time you go there, you are tested as a player, as an individual and as a team. Australia will be a different ball game," he said. "When you win a series like this, you are high on confidence and it is all about taking that confidence there. We have to keep repeating the performances. It is a never-ending story," added Rohit. He said the team had ticked quite a few boxes during the just-concluded series and fielding was one of them. "We ticked a lot of boxes. Particularly, I am happy how we fielded. I think we fielded really well in the tournament. In batting and bowling, there will be mistakes and there will be some good performances," Rohit said. Rohit has also been picked in India's Test squad to face Australia, but he said he wasn't thinking that far. "I think there is still time before that. We have the T20Is and practice games before the first Test match. I am not thinking about the Test match. I am someone who doesn't think too far ahead. All I am thinking of is going back, taking a few days off, and take the flight to Australia and prepare for the T20 series," Rohit said. "We will have enough time to think about Test matches after that. If I try and stay in present, it works for me. Test matches are something I was looking forward to for a long time and it will be nice to go out there and play a Test match for India." Rohit, who led India to victory in the Asia Cup recently before the T20 series triumph over the West Indies, said the secret of his captaincy success was to keep things simple. "Every game is a new game. Every time I go out there in the middle, I keep things simple. This game is simple and you need to keep it simple," he said. Rohit praised newcomer Krunal Pandya and said India will benefit immensely from fearless cricketers like him. "Krunal is a street-smart cricketer who is never afraid of any doing stuff on the field. I am impressed with how he approached these three games. He has got great ability to play for India for a long period of time. "He is fearless like his brother (Hardik). At the end of the day we need characters in the team. You need players like Hardik, Krunal who are not afraid to express themselves," he said. Asked about the absence of legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind the stumps during the T20 series, Rohit said: "MS (Dhoni) was not part of the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka also. "MS not being in any team is a big miss. His presence in the team itself is a huge boost for a lot of the players, not just me, especially the younger players."

Dhawan's return to form was important ahead of Australia tour: Rohit Sharma

<p>After weeks of speculation over Shikhar Dhawan being unhappy at Hyderabad due to the amount he is being paid, the IPL franchise on Monday swapped the southpaw in favour of three players from Delhi - Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem and Abhishek Sharma.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dhawan's induction is a homecoming for the left-hander who is not only a Delhiite, but also began his IPL career with Delhi in the inaugural IPL season in 2008.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dhawan's association with Hyderabad began in 2013, who went on to become the team’s top-scorer with a tally of 2768 runs from a total of 91 innings.</p>

<p>Going into the IPL 2018 auction, Hyderabad had chosen to retain David Warner and Bhuvneshwar Kumar but paid Rs 5.2 crore to eventually buy Dhawan back using the Right to Match (RTM) card.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the press release too, the franchise confirmed that the left-handed batsman was unhappy with the price tag.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We have traded Shikhar Dhawan to Delhi Daredevils for Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem and Abhishek Sharma. We thank Shikhar for his contribution to the team over the years and wish him the very best. <a href="https://t.co/oEqwJ61yw1">pic.twitter.com/oEqwJ61yw1</a></p>
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) <a href="https://twitter.com/SunRisers/status/1059363002539958272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Subsequently, Dhawan was rumoured to be joining Mumbai to partner Rohit Sharma as the two openers share a great chemistry on the cricket pitch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The deal with Delhi has still not been disclosed but his association with the franchise for the 2019 edition is confirmed.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Brace yourselves, for he has returned, where it all began!<br />
<br />
Welcome Home, Shikhar Dhawan. 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DilDilli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DilDilli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dhadkega?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dhadkega</a> <a href="https://t.co/LFGMxs1bEk">pic.twitter.com/LFGMxs1bEk</a></p>
— Delhi Daredevils (@DelhiDaredevils) <a href="https://twitter.com/DelhiDaredevils/status/1059355975453425664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


After weeks of speculation over Shikhar Dhawan being unhappy at Hyderabad due to the amount he is being paid, the IPL franchise on Monday swapped the southpaw in favour of three players from Delhi - Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem and Abhishek Sharma.

After weeks of speculation over Shikhar Dhawan being unhappy at Hyderabad due to the amount he is being paid, the IPL franchise on Monday swapped the southpaw in favour of three players from Delhi - Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem and Abhishek Sharma. Dhawan's induction is a homecoming for the left-hander who is not only a Delhiite, but also began his IPL career with Delhi in the inaugural IPL season in 2008. Dhawan's association with Hyderabad began in 2013, who went on to become the team’s top-scorer with a tally of 2768 runs from a total of 91 innings. Going into the IPL 2018 auction, Hyderabad had chosen to retain David Warner and Bhuvneshwar Kumar but paid Rs 5.2 crore to eventually buy Dhawan back using the Right to Match (RTM) card. In the press release too, the franchise confirmed that the left-handed batsman was unhappy with the price tag. We have traded Shikhar Dhawan to Delhi Daredevils for Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem and Abhishek Sharma. We thank Shikhar for his contribution to the team over the years and wish him the very best. pic.twitter.com/oEqwJ61yw1 — SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) November 5, 2018 × Subsequently, Dhawan was rumoured to be joining Mumbai to partner Rohit Sharma as the two openers share a great chemistry on the cricket pitch. The deal with Delhi has still not been disclosed but his association with the franchise for the 2019 edition is confirmed. Brace yourselves, for he has returned, where it all began! Welcome Home, Shikhar Dhawan. 🙌#DilDilli #Dhadkega pic.twitter.com/LFGMxs1bEk — Delhi Daredevils (@DelhiDaredevils) November 5, 2018 ×

IPL 2019: Hyderabad trades 'financially unhappy' Shikhar Dhawan to Delhi

<p>The fourth one-day International between India and West Indies saw all-rounder Keemo Paul dismissed Shikhar Dhawan. The dismissal was followed up with a celebration, similar to that of Indian opener&nbsp;whenever he takes a catch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Dhawan got caught out while trying to hit a boundary, Paul imitated Dhawan's trademark 'thigh five' celebration, leaving people in splits.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The video of the same also went viral on social media.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Keemo Paul celebrates in Gabbar style. Mocks Shikhar Dhawan with a thigh-five.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvWI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PaytmODI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PaytmODI</a> <a href="https://t.co/ab1dPNMyE6">pic.twitter.com/ab1dPNMyE6</a></p>
— ShadabAkhtar Rabbani (@shadabarabbani) <a href="https://twitter.com/shadabarabbani/status/1056835344673386496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Dhawan's struggle with converting his starts into big scores continued as he was again dismissed for 38.</p>

<p>Dhawan, who has represented India in 114 ODIs, registered scores of 4, 29, and 35 in the first three matches of the ongoing five-match series.</p>

<p>Indian captain Virat Kohli, after becoming the first Indian to score three consecutive centuries in the ODIs, got out for a paltry 16.</p>

<p>Rohit Sharma, who already has three double-centuries to his name, notched up his 21st ODI century.</p>


The fourth one-day International between India and West Indies saw all-rounder Keemo Paul dismissed Shikhar Dhawan. The dismissal was followed up with a celebration, similar to that of Indian opener whenever he takes a catch.

The fourth one-day International between India and West Indies saw all-rounder Keemo Paul dismissed Shikhar Dhawan. The dismissal was followed up with a celebration, similar to that of Indian opener whenever he takes a catch. After Dhawan got caught out while trying to hit a boundary, Paul imitated Dhawan's trademark 'thigh five' celebration, leaving people in splits. The video of the same also went viral on social media. Keemo Paul celebrates in Gabbar style. Mocks Shikhar Dhawan with a thigh-five.#INDvWI #PaytmODI pic.twitter.com/ab1dPNMyE6 — ShadabAkhtar Rabbani (@shadabarabbani) October 29, 2018 × Dhawan's struggle with converting his starts into big scores continued as he was again dismissed for 38. Dhawan, who has represented India in 114 ODIs, registered scores of 4, 29, and 35 in the first three matches of the ongoing five-match series. Indian captain Virat Kohli, after becoming the first Indian to score three consecutive centuries in the ODIs, got out for a paltry 16. Rohit Sharma, who already has three double-centuries to his name, notched up his 21st ODI century.

Watch: Windies' Keemo mocks Shikhar Dhawan with 'thigh five' celebration

<p>Ashley Nurse, who was awarded player of the match for his all-round performance in West Indies' <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-wi-3rd-odi-virat-kohli-completes-half-century-india-are-119-2-after-23-overs-173870">43-run win over India</a> in the third one-day, hailed his team's efforts for the victory.</p>

<p>The lower batting over of West Indies squad made the difference, also Indian bowlers leaked plenty of runs in death overs that helped the guests to level the series 1-1.</p>

<p>Nurse, who played a crucial role in his side's win, said his team was showing the people that they are here to play.</p>

<p>"It was a very good performance by the boys. No one gave us a chance when we came but I think we're showing the public out here that we are here to play," Nurse told reporters at the post-match media conference.</p>

<p>Nurse's 22-ball 40 helped the visitors post a competitive 283-9 on the board after losing quick wickets.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also took two crucial wickets in the middle overs with his off-spin, including that of the opener Shikhar Dhawan, helped them successfully defend the total.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It's all over here in Pune. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> all out for 240<br />
<br />
Windies win by 43 runs.<br />
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The series now stands at 1-1 with two games to go <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvWI</a> <a href="https://t.co/drnpfUqfHx">pic.twitter.com/drnpfUqfHx</a></p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1056212459634061312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>"I guess it was my day. I guess I played with a lot of free spirit. When Shai got out, I had to do something because the score was not that big," said Nurse.</p>

<p>"Sometimes you can be the hero, sometimes it can go down to zero as well. If I get a 50-50 chance to win the game, I back myself to do it," he added.</p>

<p>Nurse also talked about Pune's wicket.</p>

<p>"It's just good to see the boys play consistent cricket and giving India a run for their money," he said.</p>

<p>"It was a good wicket but a bit on the slower side. Don't think the wicket had any devils in it. I just thought from our side Shai got a nice 95 and Virat got a hundred for India. It wasn't a belter. You had to work for your runs but it was a pretty good wicket," he added.</p>


Ashley Nurse, who was awarded player of the match for his all-round performance in West Indies' 43-run win over India in the third one-day, hailed his team's efforts for the victory.

Ashley Nurse, who was awarded player of the match for his all-round performance in West Indies' 43-run win over India in the third one-day, hailed his team's efforts for the victory. The lower batting over of West Indies squad made the difference, also Indian bowlers leaked plenty of runs in death overs that helped the guests to level the series 1-1. Nurse, who played a crucial role in his side's win, said his team was showing the people that they are here to play. "It was a very good performance by the boys. No one gave us a chance when we came but I think we're showing the public out here that we are here to play," Nurse told reporters at the post-match media conference. Nurse's 22-ball 40 helped the visitors post a competitive 283-9 on the board after losing quick wickets. He also took two crucial wickets in the middle overs with his off-spin, including that of the opener Shikhar Dhawan, helped them successfully defend the total. It's all over here in Pune. #TeamIndia all out for 240 Windies win by 43 runs. The series now stands at 1-1 with two games to go #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/drnpfUqfHx — BCCI (@BCCI) October 27, 2018 × "I guess it was my day. I guess I played with a lot of free spirit. When Shai got out, I had to do something because the score was not that big," said Nurse. "Sometimes you can be the hero, sometimes it can go down to zero as well. If I get a 50-50 chance to win the game, I back myself to do it," he added. Nurse also talked about Pune's wicket. "It's just good to see the boys play consistent cricket and giving India a run for their money," he said. "It was a good wicket but a bit on the slower side. Don't think the wicket had any devils in it. I just thought from our side Shai got a nice 95 and Virat got a hundred for India. It wasn't a belter. You had to work for your runs but it was a pretty good wicket," he added.

We are showing public that we are here to play: Ashley Nurse

<p>Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh has not been included in India's squad for quite&nbsp;a long time but that hasn't deterred him from being in headlines.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With his humour and comments on social media platforms, the 38-year-old is surely setting the stage on fire.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Recently, Shikhar Dhawan, who is also out of action from India's test squad against Windies, shared a picture on his official Instagram account.</p>

<p>In the image, Dhawan is relaxing on a chair with the caption "Sheeran wale rob yaaran saanu hi faban ge #tuesdaymorning #potd".</p>

<p>After seeing the picture, Harbhajan gave him a new name by calling the Indian opener 'Daaku'.</p>

<p>In reply, Shikhar Dhawan rechristened Harbhajan Singh by calling him 'Jagga Jatt'.</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bos1gT9BZ6A/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Sheeran wale rob yaaran saanu hi faban ge 👊🏼 #tuesdaymorning #potd</a></p>

<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 post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shikhardofficial/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Shikhar Dhawan</a> (@shikhardofficial) on <time datetime="2018-10-09T05:26:08+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Oct 8, 2018 at 10:26pm PDT</time></p>
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<p><br />
<img alt="Harbhajan Singh and Shikhar Dhawan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d949bb06-0253-4402-bd07-7992292f650d" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Dhawan%20and%20Harbhajan.jpg" /></p>

<p>Harbhajan has played 103 Tests for India taking 417 wickets at an average of 32.46. In the limited-overs format, Harbhajan has 269 ODI wickets and 25 T20I wickets.&nbsp;</p>


Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh has not been included in India's squad for quite a long time but that hasn't deterred him from being in headlines. With his humour and comments on social media platforms, the 38-year-old is surely setting the stage on fire.

Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh has not been included in India's squad for quite a long time but that hasn't deterred him from being in headlines. With his humour and comments on social media platforms, the 38-year-old is surely setting the stage on fire. Recently, Shikhar Dhawan, who is also out of action from India's test squad against Windies, shared a picture on his official Instagram account. In the image, Dhawan is relaxing on a chair with the caption "Sheeran wale rob yaaran saanu hi faban ge #tuesdaymorning #potd". After seeing the picture, Harbhajan gave him a new name by calling the Indian opener 'Daaku'. In reply, Shikhar Dhawan rechristened Harbhajan Singh by calling him 'Jagga Jatt'. View this post on Instagram Sheeran wale rob yaaran saanu hi faban ge 👊🏼 #tuesdaymorning #potd A post shared by Shikhar Dhawan (@shikhardofficial) on Oct 8, 2018 at 10:26pm PDT × Harbhajan has played 103 Tests for India taking 417 wickets at an average of 32.46. In the limited-overs format, Harbhajan has 269 ODI wickets and 25 T20I wickets.

Harbhajan calls Shikhar Dhawan 'daaku'

<p>Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan has been dropped from India's Test squad for the upcoming West Indies series, the country's cricket board announced Saturday.</p>

<p>Dhawan had a forgettable England tour with the left-handed opener managing just 162 runs in eight innings as top-ranked India lost the Test series 1-4.</p>

<p>Uncapped batsman Mayank Agarwal and rookie fast bowler Mohammed Siraj were included in the 15-man team that will be led by Virat Kohli, who was rested in the recent Asia Cup 50-over tournament won by India.</p>

<p>The national selectors decided to rest fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar due to their "recent workload", the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Alert: Indian team for the <a href="https://twitter.com/Paytm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paytm</a> Test series against Windies announced.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvWI</a><br />
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Details - <a href="https://t.co/q3PsWeZnzm">https://t.co/q3PsWeZnzm</a> <a href="https://t.co/aJG5n8JbKm">pic.twitter.com/aJG5n8JbKm</a></p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1046055518228353024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">Indian team: Virat Kohli (captain), KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, C Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), H Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, M Shami, Umesh Yadav, M Siraj, Shardul Thakur</p>
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<p>"Both Ishant Sharma and Hardik Pandya were not considered for selection, as they are yet to recover from their injuries," the BCCI added.</p>

<p>The first Test will be held in Rajkot starting October 4, with the second in Hyderabad from October 12.</p>

<p>The two teams will also play five one-day international and three Twenty20 matches after the Test matches.</p>

<p>The world's top Test side will then head to Australia for a full series starting November.</p>

<p>Squad: Virat Kohli (captain), KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur</p>


Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan has been dropped from India's Test squad for the upcoming West Indies series, the country's cricket board announced Saturday. Dhawan had a forgettable England tour with the left-handed opener managing just 162 runs in eight innings as top-ranked India lost the Test series 1-4.

Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan has been dropped from India's Test squad for the upcoming West Indies series, the country's cricket board announced Saturday. Dhawan had a forgettable England tour with the left-handed opener managing just 162 runs in eight innings as top-ranked India lost the Test series 1-4. Uncapped batsman Mayank Agarwal and rookie fast bowler Mohammed Siraj were included in the 15-man team that will be led by Virat Kohli, who was rested in the recent Asia Cup 50-over tournament won by India. The national selectors decided to rest fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar due to their "recent workload", the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement. Alert: Indian team for the @Paytm Test series against Windies announced.#TeamIndia #INDvWI Details - https://t.co/q3PsWeZnzm pic.twitter.com/aJG5n8JbKm — BCCI (@BCCI) September 29, 2018 × Indian team: Virat Kohli (captain), KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, C Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), H Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, M Shami, Umesh Yadav, M Siraj, Shardul Thakur — BCCI (@BCCI) September 29, 2018 × "Both Ishant Sharma and Hardik Pandya were not considered for selection, as they are yet to recover from their injuries," the BCCI added. The first Test will be held in Rajkot starting October 4, with the second in Hyderabad from October 12. The two teams will also play five one-day international and three Twenty20 matches after the Test matches. The world's top Test side will then head to Australia for a full series starting November. Squad: Virat Kohli (captain), KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur

Shikhar Dhawan left out of India's Test squad for West Indies series

<p>Ahead of the Asia Cup final against <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-final-india-ready-tame-depleted-bangla-tigers-167952">Bangladesh, Indian opener Shikhar</a> Dhawan said the Bengal tigers know how to play under pressure and do not fear playing against big teams.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/gritty-bangladesh-stun-pakistan-37-runs-set-asia-cup-final-date-india-167869">Also Read:&nbsp;Gritty Bangladesh stun Pakistan by 37 runs to set up Asia Cup final date with India</a></p>

<p>Bangladesh entered the Asia Cup final by beating Pakistan comprehensively by by 37 runs in the last Super Four match. The Bangaldesh onslaught was led by Mushfiqur Rahim who struck 99 and Mustafizur Rahman picked up 4 wickets for 43 runs to skittle Pakistan.</p>

<p>Dhawan remained cautious about the final asserting that Bangladesh knows the "strategies well" as they have got experienced player in their side.</p>

<p>"We are going to carry the momentum in the finals and we will give our best shot," Dhawan declared, adding, "it's a big final for us ll the teams are quite competitive, everyone was thinking it's gonna be India-Pakistan final but Bangladesh, you know, won a great match against Pak and we cannot take Bangladesh lightly."</p>

<p>Dhawan emphasised that in the absence of Virat Kohli's absence there was "additional responisbilities" on players, asserting that the tournament was an ideal platform for new players.</p>

<p>"We could get to know that which of the other new players could fit into our middle team in the long run," he said.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Mahrafe Mortaza said although "India was a far better team" but if the top order clicks then it could be a tough match for India.</p>

<p>"India is the number one team in the world but just a good day and anything can happen, so we have to be mentally strong and fight till the last ball," Mortaza said.</p>


Ahead of the Asia Cup final against Bangladesh, Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan said the Bengal tigers know how to play under pressure and do not fear playing against big teams.

Ahead of the Asia Cup final against Bangladesh, Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan said the Bengal tigers know how to play under pressure and do not fear playing against big teams. Also Read: Gritty Bangladesh stun Pakistan by 37 runs to set up Asia Cup final date with India Bangladesh entered the Asia Cup final by beating Pakistan comprehensively by by 37 runs in the last Super Four match. The Bangaldesh onslaught was led by Mushfiqur Rahim who struck 99 and Mustafizur Rahman picked up 4 wickets for 43 runs to skittle Pakistan. Dhawan remained cautious about the final asserting that Bangladesh knows the "strategies well" as they have got experienced player in their side. "We are going to carry the momentum in the finals and we will give our best shot," Dhawan declared, adding, "it's a big final for us ll the teams are quite competitive, everyone was thinking it's gonna be India-Pakistan final but Bangladesh, you know, won a great match against Pak and we cannot take Bangladesh lightly." Dhawan emphasised that in the absence of Virat Kohli's absence there was "additional responisbilities" on players, asserting that the tournament was an ideal platform for new players. "We could get to know that which of the other new players could fit into our middle team in the long run," he said. Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Mahrafe Mortaza said although "India was a far better team" but if the top order clicks then it could be a tough match for India. "India is the number one team in the world but just a good day and anything can happen, so we have to be mentally strong and fight till the last ball," Mortaza said.

Watch: Cannot take Bangladesh lightly in Asia Cup finals, says Shikhar Dhawan

<p>Indian openers have given a terrific start in reply to Pakistan's 237-run target in the Super Four, match 3 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Sunday.</p>

<p>Skipper Rohit Sharma played from the front and Shikhar Dhawan struck a magnificent century to bring team India closer to victory.</p>

<p>In the first innings, the fielding unit of India produced a clinical performance and kept taking wickets to build pressure on the batsmen and restrict the Men in Green at an achievable score.</p>

<p>However, Shoaib Malik struck an attractive half-century to salvage Pakistan's innings. His 90-ball 78 included four boundaries and two sixes.</p>

<p>Opener Fakhar Zaman looked dangerous at a moment but lost his wicket to India's spin sensation Kuldeep Yadav after scoring 31 runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After opting to bat, Pakistan lost Imam-ul-Haq (ten), Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam (run out for nine) in an unimpressive start to their innings before Malik and skipper Sarfraz Ahmed added 107 for the fourth wicket.</p>

<p>Jasprit Bumrah finished with 2-29 in his ten overs.</p>

<p>The top two teams from the Super four will play the final on September 28 in Dubai.</p>


Indian openers have given a terrific start in reply to Pakistan's 237-run target in the Super Four, match 3 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Sunday.

Indian openers have given a terrific start in reply to Pakistan's 237-run target in the Super Four, match 3 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Sunday. Skipper Rohit Sharma played from the front and Shikhar Dhawan struck a magnificent century to bring team India closer to victory. In the first innings, the fielding unit of India produced a clinical performance and kept taking wickets to build pressure on the batsmen and restrict the Men in Green at an achievable score. However, Shoaib Malik struck an attractive half-century to salvage Pakistan's innings. His 90-ball 78 included four boundaries and two sixes. Opener Fakhar Zaman looked dangerous at a moment but lost his wicket to India's spin sensation Kuldeep Yadav after scoring 31 runs. After opting to bat, Pakistan lost Imam-ul-Haq (ten), Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam (run out for nine) in an unimpressive start to their innings before Malik and skipper Sarfraz Ahmed added 107 for the fourth wicket. Jasprit Bumrah finished with 2-29 in his ten overs. The top two teams from the Super four will play the final on September 28 in Dubai.

Asia Cup, India vs Pak: Shikhar Dhawan's century brings India closer to victory

<p>With two tons and one half-century, India ended the day 1 of the historic one-off Test against Afghanistan at 347 runs for the loss of six wickets.</p>

<p>Openers Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay gave India the required start to have an upper hand over the Test debutants. The two established a partnership of 168 runs before Dhawan gave away an easy catch to Mohammad Nabi off Ahmadzai.</p>

<p>Dhawan downplayed the Afghan attack and started hitting from the very first ball to reach his century in just 87-balls. A stat which we generally see in ODI's.</p>

<p>His 107 runs inning included 19 fours and three sixes.&nbsp</p>

<p>Vijay then took charge and punished Afghanistan's three-pronged spin attack of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nabi on both sides of the wicket.</p>

<p>Vijay fell leg-before after offering no shot to a Wafadar delivery to depart for 105. The right-hander`s 12th test century included 15 boundaries and a six.</p>

<p>Two balls later, Lokesh Rahul, promoted to number three ahead of Cheteshwar Pujara, chopped an innocuous Ahmadzai delivery onto his stumps to depart after a fluent 54.</p>

<p>Afghanistan, who became the 12th test playing nation, clawed their way back in the final session at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium with some lion-hearted efforts by the bowlers against their top-ranked hosts.</p>

<p>Hardik Pandya was batting on 10 with Ravichandran Ashwin on seven at the other end when stumps were drawn.</p>

<p>Earlier, Dhawan became the first Indian to smash a century in the first session of a test as he and Vijay capitalised on Afghanistan`s limited bowling resources built around their spinners.</p>

<p>Left-handed Dhawan batted in the limited-overs mode to smash 107 off 96 balls, studding his blistering knock with 19 fours and three sixes.</p>

<p>Seamer Yamin Ahmadzai claimed Afghanistan's first wicket in test cricket after the lunch break when Dhawan edged him to Rahmat Shah, who parried it towards the safe hands of Mohammad Nabi at first slip.</p>

<p>Leading the Indian side in the absence of regular skipper Virat Kohli, who is recovering from a neck injury, Rahane made 10 before becoming Rashid's maiden test victim.</p>

<p>Pujara scored 35, while stumper Dinesh Karthik, playing his first test in eight years, made four before being run out in the frantic third session.<br />
&nbsp</p>


Openers Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay gave India the required start t

With two tons and one half-century, India ended the day 1 of the historic one-off Test against Afghanistan at 347 runs for the loss of six wickets. Openers Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay gave India the required start to have an upper hand over the Test debutants. The two established a partnership of 168 runs before Dhawan gave away an easy catch to Mohammad Nabi off Ahmadzai. Dhawan downplayed the Afghan attack and started hitting from the very first ball to reach his century in just 87-balls. A stat which we generally see in ODI's. His 107 runs inning included 19 fours and three sixes. Vijay then took charge and punished Afghanistan's three-pronged spin attack of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nabi on both sides of the wicket. Vijay fell leg-before after offering no shot to a Wafadar delivery to depart for 105. The right-hander`s 12th test century included 15 boundaries and a six. Two balls later, Lokesh Rahul, promoted to number three ahead of Cheteshwar Pujara, chopped an innocuous Ahmadzai delivery onto his stumps to depart after a fluent 54. Afghanistan, who became the 12th test playing nation, clawed their way back in the final session at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium with some lion-hearted efforts by the bowlers against their top-ranked hosts. Hardik Pandya was batting on 10 with Ravichandran Ashwin on seven at the other end when stumps were drawn. Earlier, Dhawan became the first Indian to smash a century in the first session of a test as he and Vijay capitalised on Afghanistan`s limited bowling resources built around their spinners. Left-handed Dhawan batted in the limited-overs mode to smash 107 off 96 balls, studding his blistering knock with 19 fours and three sixes. Seamer Yamin Ahmadzai claimed Afghanistan's first wicket in test cricket after the lunch break when Dhawan edged him to Rahmat Shah, who parried it towards the safe hands of Mohammad Nabi at first slip. Leading the Indian side in the absence of regular skipper Virat Kohli, who is recovering from a neck injury, Rahane made 10 before becoming Rashid's maiden test victim. Pujara scored 35, while stumper Dinesh Karthik, playing his first test in eight years, made four before being run out in the frantic third session.

One-off Test: India end day one at 347/6 against Afghanistan

<p>Two-time champions Kolkata will host Kane Williamson-led Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens stadium on Friday, May 25 to book a berth in the Indian Premier League 2018 finals.</p>

<p>The winner of tonight's match will meet MS Dhoni-led Chennai in the IPL's finale on May 27 as team Chennai has already through to the finals after defeating Hyderabad in the Qualifier 1.</p>

<p>It's very ironic when the table toppers at the end of league matches, struggle&nbsp;to reach the finals, now call it carelessness or the lack of performance from their middle-order, Hyderabad have lost four straight games, something that will be a cause of concern for Williamson's side in tonight's game.</p>

<p>Although, Hyderabad have the best bowling unit in the presence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma and Rashid Khan. The bowling side will try to take benefits from the Eden Gardens track but it is not easy to face Dinesh Karthik's side&nbsp;as the batsmen coming at the 6th and 7th position have potential to score runs.</p>

<p>In the presence of crazy fans at the Eden Gardens, Dinesh Karthik&nbsp;side definitely has an upper hand against Hyderabad.</p>

<p>In the first Qualifier, when Hyderabad had their match in the pocket with Chennai struggling at 62-6 while chasing 140 runs but the bowling strategy backfired in the death overs when Carlos Brathwaite leaked too many runs.</p>

<p>Also, Hyderabad's problem has been their batting which is heavily reliant on skipper Kane Williamson, the current 'Orange Cap' holder with 685 runs at 57.05 average.</p>

<p>In order to resolve it, Shikhar Dhawan will have to rise to the occasion but it is the middle order that has created problems, Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan will have to score in order to help the bowling unit to bowl without pressure.</p>

<p>On the other hand, Dinesh Karthik who will look to go unchanged unless there's an injury in the lineup.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Their biggest strength has been the team's ability to stand up and perform in case someone fails. That we have seen in the Eliminator match when the top batting order was out bowled then middle batting order scored to reach the target.</p>

<p>The clash is going to be very interesting as the result will give another finalist of the tournament.</p>

<p><em>Watch the preview:</em></p>

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<p><strong>Playing XI (TBC):</strong></p>

<p><strong>Kolkata:</strong> Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik, Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.</p>

<p><strong>Hyderabad:</strong> Shikhar Dhawan, Shreevats Goswami, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Carlos Brathwaite, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul</p>


Two-time champions Kolkata will host Kane Williamson-led Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens stadium to book a berth in the IPL 2018 finals

Two-time champions Kolkata will host Kane Williamson-led Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens stadium on Friday, May 25 to book a berth in the Indian Premier League 2018 finals. The winner of tonight's match will meet MS Dhoni-led Chennai in the IPL's finale on May 27 as team Chennai has already through to the finals after defeating Hyderabad in the Qualifier 1. It's very ironic when the table toppers at the end of league matches, struggle to reach the finals, now call it carelessness or the lack of performance from their middle-order, Hyderabad have lost four straight games, something that will be a cause of concern for Williamson's side in tonight's game. Although, Hyderabad have the best bowling unit in the presence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma and Rashid Khan. The bowling side will try to take benefits from the Eden Gardens track but it is not easy to face Dinesh Karthik's side as the batsmen coming at the 6th and 7th position have potential to score runs. In the presence of crazy fans at the Eden Gardens, Dinesh Karthik side definitely has an upper hand against Hyderabad. In the first Qualifier, when Hyderabad had their match in the pocket with Chennai struggling at 62-6 while chasing 140 runs but the bowling strategy backfired in the death overs when Carlos Brathwaite leaked too many runs. Also, Hyderabad's problem has been their batting which is heavily reliant on skipper Kane Williamson, the current 'Orange Cap' holder with 685 runs at 57.05 average. In order to resolve it, Shikhar Dhawan will have to rise to the occasion but it is the middle order that has created problems, Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan will have to score in order to help the bowling unit to bowl without pressure. On the other hand, Dinesh Karthik who will look to go unchanged unless there's an injury in the lineup. Their biggest strength has been the team's ability to stand up and perform in case someone fails. That we have seen in the Eliminator match when the top batting order was out bowled then middle batting order scored to reach the target. The clash is going to be very interesting as the result will give another finalist of the tournament. Watch the preview: × Playing XI (TBC): Kolkata: Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik, Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna. Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Shreevats Goswami, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Carlos Brathwaite, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul

IPL 2018, 2nd Qualifier: Karthik-led Kolkata have advantage at Eden against Hyderabad

<p>Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to reach the finals of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League. Chennai won the first Qualifier by two wickets in a neck-to-neck encounter against Hyderabad. There was a moment when Chennai was 62-6 but South African star batsman Faf du Plessis played a responsible innings and snatched the match from the hands of Hyderabad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shardul Thakur's 15-run knock off 5 balls did the icing on the cake and confirmed the victory. Earlier in the match, MS Dhoni had won the toss and opted to bowl at the Wankhede stadium.</p>

<p>Batting first, Hyderabad had a shaky start as Hyderabad team suffered an early jolt in the form of Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on the first ball of the innings but thanks to Windies player Carlos Brathwaite, who played a 43-run knock to help Hyderabad team to set a decent target of 140 runs for MS Dhoni-led Chennai.</p>

<p>Still, the score is a bit less than what it was expected in such a crucial match and that too for a team whose batting unit is massive.</p>

<p>That is what exactly happened but while chasing the target of 140 runs, Chennai's batting line was thrashed in front of the Hyderabad's bowling unit but in the 17th and 18th overs, Hyderabad leaked too many runs.</p>

<p>Apart from Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina and Shardul Thakur none of the batsmen score more than 10 runs.</p>

<p><strong>Chennai's scoreboard</strong></p>

<p>Shane Watson 0, Faf du Plessis 67*, Suresh Raina 22, Ambati Rayudu 0, MS Dhoni 9, Dwayne Bravo 7, Ravindra Jadeja 3, Deepak Chahar 10, Harbhajan Singh 2, Shardul Thakur 15</p>

<p>For Hyderabad, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul and Rashid Khan took 2 wickets each that gave a ray of finale hope but efforts went in vain.</p>

<p>Apart from them, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the most economical bowler for the Hyderabad. He gave 14 runs in his 3.1-over spell with 4.42 ecomnomy. Although, he failed to defend the six runs in &nbsp;the last over as Faf hit a splendid six on the first ball of last over to win the match.</p>

<p>Earlier, Deepak Chahar who dismissed Dhawan played an important role in restricting the Hyderabad team. He gave 31 runs in his 4-over spell and took the most impost wicket also of Shikhar Dhawan.</p>

<p>Shreevats Goswami and Manish Pandey scored 12 and 8 runs respectively before losing their wickets to Lungi Ngidi and Ravindra Jadeja.</p>

<p>Skipper Kane Williamson tried to push the run rate but lost his wicket to Shardul Thakur after scoring 24 runs.</p>

<p>Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 12 and 24 runs for the team but Dwayne Bravo out bowled both of batsmen.</p>

<p>Carlos Brathwaite salvaged the team as he scored 43 runs off just 29 balls in a very crucial time.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to reach the finals of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League

Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to reach the finals of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League. Chennai won the first Qualifier by two wickets in a neck-to-neck encounter against Hyderabad. There was a moment when Chennai was 62-6 but South African star batsman Faf du Plessis played a responsible innings and snatched the match from the hands of Hyderabad. Shardul Thakur's 15-run knock off 5 balls did the icing on the cake and confirmed the victory. Earlier in the match, MS Dhoni had won the toss and opted to bowl at the Wankhede stadium. Batting first, Hyderabad had a shaky start as Hyderabad team suffered an early jolt in the form of Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on the first ball of the innings but thanks to Windies player Carlos Brathwaite, who played a 43-run knock to help Hyderabad team to set a decent target of 140 runs for MS Dhoni-led Chennai. Still, the score is a bit less than what it was expected in such a crucial match and that too for a team whose batting unit is massive. That is what exactly happened but while chasing the target of 140 runs, Chennai's batting line was thrashed in front of the Hyderabad's bowling unit but in the 17th and 18th overs, Hyderabad leaked too many runs. Apart from Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina and Shardul Thakur none of the batsmen score more than 10 runs. Chennai's scoreboard Shane Watson 0, Faf du Plessis 67*, Suresh Raina 22, Ambati Rayudu 0, MS Dhoni 9, Dwayne Bravo 7, Ravindra Jadeja 3, Deepak Chahar 10, Harbhajan Singh 2, Shardul Thakur 15 For Hyderabad, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul and Rashid Khan took 2 wickets each that gave a ray of finale hope but efforts went in vain. Apart from them, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the most economical bowler for the Hyderabad. He gave 14 runs in his 3.1-over spell with 4.42 ecomnomy. Although, he failed to defend the six runs in the last over as Faf hit a splendid six on the first ball of last over to win the match. Earlier, Deepak Chahar who dismissed Dhawan played an important role in restricting the Hyderabad team. He gave 31 runs in his 4-over spell and took the most impost wicket also of Shikhar Dhawan. Shreevats Goswami and Manish Pandey scored 12 and 8 runs respectively before losing their wickets to Lungi Ngidi and Ravindra Jadeja. Skipper Kane Williamson tried to push the run rate but lost his wicket to Shardul Thakur after scoring 24 runs. Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 12 and 24 runs for the team but Dwayne Bravo out bowled both of batsmen. Carlos Brathwaite salvaged the team as he scored 43 runs off just 29 balls in a very crucial time.

Faf du Plessis shines as Chennai beat Hyderabad to reach IPL final

<p>MS Dhoni-led Chennai has reached the finals of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League as batsman Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to defeat Hyderabad by two wickets in the first Qualifier match on Tuesday at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.</p>

<p>There was a moment when Chennai was 62-6 but South African star batsman Faf du Plessis played a responsible innings and snatched the match from the hands of Hyderabad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For his splendid batting at a crucial time, Faf was given "Player of the Match" award.</p>

<p>"It's nice to make a contribution tonight. I reflected on the games I've played here in Mumbai. It's a stadium I've enjoyed playing," said South African batsman Faf du Plessis.</p>

<p>He also added that he shocked that how the team "win that game."</p>

<p>He praised the bowling attack of Hyderabad's team with a special mention to spinner Rashid Khan.</p>

<p>Although, du Plessis' 67-run knock was the sole reason for Chennai's victory but Shardul Thakur's 15-run knock off 5 balls did the icing on the cake and confirmed the victory. Earlier in the match, MS Dhoni had won the toss and opted to bowl.</p>


Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to defeat Hyderabad by two wickets in the first Qualifier match

MS Dhoni-led Chennai has reached the finals of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League as batsman Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to defeat Hyderabad by two wickets in the first Qualifier match on Tuesday at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. There was a moment when Chennai was 62-6 but South African star batsman Faf du Plessis played a responsible innings and snatched the match from the hands of Hyderabad. For his splendid batting at a crucial time, Faf was given "Player of the Match" award. "It's nice to make a contribution tonight. I reflected on the games I've played here in Mumbai. It's a stadium I've enjoyed playing," said South African batsman Faf du Plessis. He also added that he shocked that how the team "win that game." He praised the bowling attack of Hyderabad's team with a special mention to spinner Rashid Khan. Although, du Plessis' 67-run knock was the sole reason for Chennai's victory but Shardul Thakur's 15-run knock off 5 balls did the icing on the cake and confirmed the victory. Earlier in the match, MS Dhoni had won the toss and opted to bowl.

Don't know how we 'win that game', says Faf du Plessis after Chennai reach IPL final

<p>Hyderabad set a 140-run target for Chennai team in the first Qualifier of Indian Premier League 2018.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The score is a bit less than what it was expected in such crucial matches and that too for a team whose batting unit is massive.</p>

<p>Hyderabad team suffered an early jolt in the form of Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on the first ball of the innings but thanks to Windies player Carlos Brathwaite, who played a 43-run knock to help Hyderabad team to set a decent target for MS Dhoni-led Chennai.</p>

<p>On the other hand, Deepak Chahar who dismissed Dhawan played an important role in restricting the Hyderabad team. He gave 31 runs in his 4-over spell and took the most impost wicket also of Shikhar Dhawan.</p>

<p>Shreevats Goswami and Manish Pandey scored 12 and 8 runs respectively before losing their wickets to Lungi Ngidi and Ravindra Jadeja.</p>

<p>Skipper Kane Williamson tried to push the run rate but lost his wicket to Shardul Thakur after scoring 24 runs.</p>

<p>Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 12 and 24 runs for the team but Dwayne Bravo out bowled both of batsmen.</p>

<p>Carlos Brathwaite salvaged the team as he scored 43 runs off just 29 balls in a very crucial time.</p>


Hyderabad team suffered an early jolt in the form of Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on the first ball of the innings but thanks to Windies player Carlos Brathwaite, who played a 43-run knock to help Hyderabad team to set a decent target for MS Dhoni-led Chennai

Hyderabad set a 140-run target for Chennai team in the first Qualifier of Indian Premier League 2018. The score is a bit less than what it was expected in such crucial matches and that too for a team whose batting unit is massive. Hyderabad team suffered an early jolt in the form of Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on the first ball of the innings but thanks to Windies player Carlos Brathwaite, who played a 43-run knock to help Hyderabad team to set a decent target for MS Dhoni-led Chennai. On the other hand, Deepak Chahar who dismissed Dhawan played an important role in restricting the Hyderabad team. He gave 31 runs in his 4-over spell and took the most impost wicket also of Shikhar Dhawan. Shreevats Goswami and Manish Pandey scored 12 and 8 runs respectively before losing their wickets to Lungi Ngidi and Ravindra Jadeja. Skipper Kane Williamson tried to push the run rate but lost his wicket to Shardul Thakur after scoring 24 runs. Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 12 and 24 runs for the team but Dwayne Bravo out bowled both of batsmen. Carlos Brathwaite salvaged the team as he scored 43 runs off just 29 balls in a very crucial time.

IPL 2018: MS Dhoni-led Chennai restricts Hyderabad to 139 runs in 1st Qualifier

<p>Australian batsman David Warner has wished the Hyderabad team ahead of the first Qualifier of Indian Premier League 2018 which is against Chennai.</p>

<p>In the previous seasons, David Warner has played the skipper's role of Hyderabad but due to his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, he was subsequently banned from the IPL by the BCCI.</p>

<p>Even though he is not the part of Hyderabad team still, he has always given his support throughout the season.</p>

<p>Just before the first Qualifier, Warner has tweeted, "Good luck to @SunRisers tonight, keep playing well gentlemen. Been simply outstanding and being well lead by The great man himself Kane."</p>

<p>In the absence of David Warner, Kane Williamson&nbsp;is leading the squad and has proved his calibre&nbsp;and leadership skills.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Good luck to <a href="https://twitter.com/SunRisers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SunRisers</a> tonight, keep playing well gentlemen. Been simply outstanding and being well lead by The great man himself Kane ??</p>
— David Warner (@davidwarner31) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidwarner31/status/998901613816299520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Warner was replaced by an explosive opener Alex Hales of England.&nbsp;</p>


Just before the first Qualifier, Warner has praised Kane Williamson's leadership qualities

Australian batsman David Warner has wished the Hyderabad team ahead of the first Qualifier of Indian Premier League 2018 which is against Chennai. In the previous seasons, David Warner has played the skipper's role of Hyderabad but due to his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, he was subsequently banned from the IPL by the BCCI. Even though he is not the part of Hyderabad team still, he has always given his support throughout the season. Just before the first Qualifier, Warner has tweeted, "Good luck to @SunRisers tonight, keep playing well gentlemen. Been simply outstanding and being well lead by The great man himself Kane." In the absence of David Warner, Kane Williamson is leading the squad and has proved his calibre and leadership skills. Good luck to @SunRisers tonight, keep playing well gentlemen. Been simply outstanding and being well lead by The great man himself Kane ?? — David Warner (@davidwarner31) May 22, 2018 × Warner was replaced by an explosive opener Alex Hales of England.

IPL 2018: David Warner wishes Hyderabad team 'good luck' ahead of first Qualifier

<p>Chennai won the toss and opted to bowl&nbspin the first Qualifier of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League 2018 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Tuesday.</p>

<p>After winning the toss, MS Dhoni said, "We have chased well in the tournament." He also mentioned that chasing is a bit easier in the second innings.</p>

<p>There is only one change in the Chennai's squad, Shane Watson has been included at the place of Sam Billings.</p>

<p>On the other hand, Kane Williamson said that the Hyderabad team is trying their best to adapt the conditions of Wankhede Stadium.</p>

<p>A few hours back, it was found that there were some wear and tear in the good length area of the pitch, which means spinners will have an upper hand in the match, especially in the second innings.</p>

<p>Pressure is definitely on both the sides as the winner will book a finale berth.</p>

<p>Hyderabad has entered the field with the same squad.</p>

<p><strong>Playing XI:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Chennai:</strong> Ambati Rayudu, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Lungi Ngidi</p>

<p><strong>Hyderabad:</strong> Shikhar Dhawan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Carlos Brathwaite, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma</p>


There is only one change in the Chennai's squad, Shane Watson has been included at the place of Sam Billings

Chennai won the toss and opted to bowl&nbspin the first Qualifier of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League 2018 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Tuesday. After winning the toss, MS Dhoni said, "We have chased well in the tournament." He also mentioned that chasing is a bit easier in the second innings. There is only one change in the Chennai's squad, Shane Watson has been included at the place of Sam Billings. On the other hand, Kane Williamson said that the Hyderabad team is trying their best to adapt the conditions of Wankhede Stadium. A few hours back, it was found that there were some wear and tear in the good length area of the pitch, which means spinners will have an upper hand in the match, especially in the second innings. Pressure is definitely on both the sides as the winner will book a finale berth. Hyderabad has entered the field with the same squad. Playing XI: Chennai: Ambati Rayudu, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Lungi Ngidi Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Carlos Brathwaite, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

IPL 2018: MS Dhoni opts to field in Qualifier 1 against Hyderabad

<p>Ambati Rayudu slammed a ton to help&nbsphis team achieve the 180-run target set by Hyderabad at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune, on Sunday.</p>

<p>Although, Hyderabad have already qualified for the play-offs in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League,&nbspteam Chennai are just an inch closer in contention.&nbsp</p>

<p>The clash between the 'best chasers' (Chennai) and 'best defenders' (Hyderabad) gave an essence of the IPL 2018 finale with some bittersweet moments. And one cannot expect a dull moment when MS Dhoni is on the ground.&nbsp</p>

<p>One such&nbsphilarious incident happened in the seventh over of the first innings when Hyderabad&nbspbatsman Shikhar Dhawan played a shot and wicket-keeper MS Dhoni ran after the ball.</p>

<p>He picked up the ball and gestured to throw on the face of Ravindra Jadeja, who was also approaching the ball at the same time. For a while, Jadeja got scared but ended up laughing on the funny act of skipper Dhoni.</p>

<p><em>Watch the video here:</em></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cutest moment ???<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dhoni?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jadeja?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jadeja</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvSRH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvSRH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SRHvCSK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SRHvCSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/9sNzH9PNgi">pic.twitter.com/9sNzH9PNgi</a></p>
— மகிழன் (@omagasiya) <a href="https://twitter.com/omagasiya/status/995658958303039494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dhoni funs Jadeja On Field & Smiled After That. Video Shows Funny Side Of Dhoni.. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvSRH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvSRH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/9p5Ti3g7zH">pic.twitter.com/9p5Ti3g7zH</a></p>
— HiFi Talkies ™ (@HiFiTalkies) <a href="https://twitter.com/HiFiTalkies/status/995656396891803649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp</p>


A hilarious incident happened in the seventh over of the first innings when MS Dhoni gestured to throw on the face of Ravindra Jadeja

Ambati Rayudu slammed a ton to help&nbsphis team achieve the 180-run target set by Hyderabad at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune, on Sunday. Although, Hyderabad have already qualified for the play-offs in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League,&nbspteam Chennai are just an inch closer in contention. The clash between the 'best chasers' (Chennai) and 'best defenders' (Hyderabad) gave an essence of the IPL 2018 finale with some bittersweet moments. And one cannot expect a dull moment when MS Dhoni is on the ground. One such&nbsphilarious incident happened in the seventh over of the first innings when Hyderabad&nbspbatsman Shikhar Dhawan played a shot and wicket-keeper MS Dhoni ran after the ball. He picked up the ball and gestured to throw on the face of Ravindra Jadeja, who was also approaching the ball at the same time. For a while, Jadeja got scared but ended up laughing on the funny act of skipper Dhoni. Watch the video here: Cutest moment ???#Dhoni #Jadeja #CSK #CSKvSRH #SRHvCSK pic.twitter.com/9sNzH9PNgi — மகிழன் (@omagasiya) May 13, 2018 × Dhoni funs Jadeja On Field & Smiled After That. Video Shows Funny Side Of Dhoni.. #CSKvSRH #IPL2018 pic.twitter.com/9p5Ti3g7zH — HiFi Talkies ™ (@HiFiTalkies) May 13, 2018 ×

Caught on cam: MS Dhoni threatens Ravindra Jadeja in IPL match against Hyderabad

<p>Ambati Rayudu slammed a century off 62 balls and helped his team in achieving the 180-run target against Hyderabad at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Sunday.</p>

<p>It was a clash between the 'best chasers' (Chennai) and 'best defenders' (Hyderabad) but team Chennai displayed an outstanding performance and chased down the target at home ground.</p>

<p>The openers, Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu scored 57 and 100 runs respectively to give the necessary start to the team and defeated Hyderabad by eight wickets.</p>

<p>Chennai's batsmen Ambati Rayudu was given Man of the Match award for his magnificent performance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from the openers, MS Dhoni scored 20 runs to mark the much-needed victory, on the other hand, Suresh Raina lost his wicket after scoring just two runs.</p>

<p>Known for their massive bowling strength, Hyderabad struggled in taking wickets and none of the bowlers performed.</p>

<p>Sandeep Sharma took one wicket of Suresh Raina in his 4-over spell.</p>

<p>Earlier, MS Dhoni had invited the guests to bat first after winning the toss.</p>

<p>Shikhar Dhawan scored 79 runs off 49 balls, his innings included ten 4's and three 6's playing at a strike rate of 161.22.</p>

<p>Another opener Alex Hales did not perform and lost his wicket to Deepak Chahar after scoring just two runs off nine balls.</p>

<p>Skipper Kane Williamson slammed his 10th IPL fifty and found a determined ally in Shikhar Dhawan on the other end to put up a decent target for the opponents.</p>

<p>Deepak Hooda played some beautiful shots in the death overs and scored 21 crucial runs. Manish Pandey and Shakib Al Hasan scored 5 and 8 runs respectively.</p>

<p>In search of wickets, MS Dhoni took help of seven bowlers but apart from Deepak Chahar, none of the bowlers were economical. Chahar took one key wicket of Alex Hales and gave 16 runs in his 4-over spell.</p>

<p>Also, Shardul Thakur took two wickets of Kane Williamson and Manish Pandey.&nbsp;</p>


Ambati Rayudu was given 'Man of the Match' award for his magnificent performance

Ambati Rayudu slammed a century off 62 balls and helped his team in achieving the 180-run target against Hyderabad at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Sunday. It was a clash between the 'best chasers' (Chennai) and 'best defenders' (Hyderabad) but team Chennai displayed an outstanding performance and chased down the target at home ground. The openers, Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu scored 57 and 100 runs respectively to give the necessary start to the team and defeated Hyderabad by eight wickets. Chennai's batsmen Ambati Rayudu was given Man of the Match award for his magnificent performance. Apart from the openers, MS Dhoni scored 20 runs to mark the much-needed victory, on the other hand, Suresh Raina lost his wicket after scoring just two runs. Known for their massive bowling strength, Hyderabad struggled in taking wickets and none of the bowlers performed. Sandeep Sharma took one wicket of Suresh Raina in his 4-over spell. Earlier, MS Dhoni had invited the guests to bat first after winning the toss. Shikhar Dhawan scored 79 runs off 49 balls, his innings included ten 4's and three 6's playing at a strike rate of 161.22. Another opener Alex Hales did not perform and lost his wicket to Deepak Chahar after scoring just two runs off nine balls. Skipper Kane Williamson slammed his 10th IPL fifty and found a determined ally in Shikhar Dhawan on the other end to put up a decent target for the opponents. Deepak Hooda played some beautiful shots in the death overs and scored 21 crucial runs. Manish Pandey and Shakib Al Hasan scored 5 and 8 runs respectively. In search of wickets, MS Dhoni took help of seven bowlers but apart from Deepak Chahar, none of the bowlers were economical. Chahar took one key wicket of Alex Hales and gave 16 runs in his 4-over spell. Also, Shardul Thakur took two wickets of Kane Williamson and Manish Pandey.

IPL 2018: Ambati Rayudu's 62-ball century helps Chennai defeat Hyderabad by 8 wickets

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