Rohit Sharma looks forward to working with 'inspirational' Kumble

"He (Kumble) will always be there for you as a mentor and coach." - Rohit Sharma © BCCI

Welcoming the appointment of Anil Kumble as the new India head coach, star India batsman, Rohit Sharma, has said that the team would greatly benefit from the former leg spinner's attacking instincts. The flamboyant batsman also showered praise on Ravi Shastri, who was named first as the manager and then as the team director, in a stop-gap arrangement by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), following Duncan Fletcher's exit post-World Cup 2015.

"He (Shastri) took up the responsibility when we were in (a) shambles," Rohit said, interacting with the media on the sidelines of the 'Express Adda' event on Monday (June 27), in Mumbai. "Kumble's thinking about the game is so different from the rest... It just amazes you... the kind of stuff he talks about and what he brings to the table is absolutely brilliant", Sharma added, when asked about Kumble's appointment.

Shastri held the team director's post for a span of 18 months, during which India recorded series wins in Sri Lanka and then vanquished South Africa at home. Under him, India reached the semi-final of the 2016 World Twenty20 at home, but also lost a home One Day International (ODI) series to South Africa and were beaten by Bangladesh as well. Having been backed by the Test captain, Virat Kohli, Shastri was the odds-on favourite to be named as India's head coach, only to be pipped at the post by Kumble. Describing Shastri as a big influence on Indian cricket, Rohit said: "As soon as he came, he created a positive atmosphere around us."

Rohit, who has worked under Kumble in the past, is confident that the champion leg-spinner will take the nation to new heights with his wisdom and inspiration. "I have two years of experience at Mumbai Indians and I know the kind of things we spoke about. I was the captain and he was the coach and mentor of the team. I got to learn a lot from him," he said.

"I was fortunate enough to play with him during the last months before he retired. I remember in 2008, I was part of the Test squad to Sri Lanka and he (Kumble) was the captain. And he always had this attitude of never giving up, which as a young player is so inspiring. He is someone who is very inspiring with the way he's played his cricket... he's trying to inspire people to try and take up the challenge which is lying in front of you, and react to those challenges. He will always be there for you as a mentor and coach," he added.

Talking about Kumble as a role model, Rohit recalled the playing days of the man fondly called 'Jumbo' and hoped that he would bring the same attributes to the coaching table. "You have to keep fighting no matter what. If the game is slipping away from your hands, don't give up till the last ball is bowled. That's how he played his cricket. You will get the feeling that he was someone who wouldn't let go too easily. That's the kind of message that he wanted to send across. That's the kind of message we also want as young players. He's very inspiring," Rohit said.

With a record number of 13 consecutive Tests to be played at home, all eyes have been cast on the nature of pitches, especially after the BCCI came under fire for the 'spinning tracks' which were on offer for the visiting South African team late last year. In a frank admission, Rohit said it was a tactical strategy from the team management to exploit the opposition's weakness against spin and all but ruled out similar kind of tracks when the New Zealanders come calling later this year.

"As a group, as Team India, we decided that we wanted to dominate this series (against South Africa) and the first way of domination was to use our home advantage, which every team does around the world. We go to Australia, they are not going to give us what we want. They will prepare pitches according to what they want. South Africa, England, anywhere you go," said Sharma.

"Firstly, I don't understand why there was so much of an issue made with the conditions. It's the home conditions, we have to use it. As a group, we all sat down and decided what we were going to do with the pitches... All we wanted was to get results. We knew that the South African team lacked in their spin department and we had a gem of a spin attack. We wanted to use that," he concluded.

Eoin Morgan seeks sustained England improvement

Eoin Morgan believes Joe Root is just one innings away from rediscovering his touch. © Cricaction

Eoin Morgan, England's limited-overs captain, is on an agenda to keep his team on an upward curve as they seek to complete a series win against Sri Lanka, when the two teams meet at the Kennington Oval on Wednesday (June 29). Under Morgan, England have shown plenty of improvement in the 50-over format of the game following their disastrous campaign in the 2015 World Cup, that saw them exit the showpiece event in the group stage. Since then, they have beaten New Zealand at home, Pakistan away and fought hard in losing campaigns against Australia and South Africa.

Tipped as the favourites against Sri Lanka, England go into the fourth match with a 1-0 advantage. They fought back superbly to tie the first match at Trent Bridge, thumped their opponents at Edgbaston and then watched helplessly as rain thwarted their chances of chasing down 248 in Bristol. Even with more rain forecast in London ahead of the fourth ODI, Morgan wants his team to keep up with their good work and not worry about external influences.

"We want to play as much cricket as we can, and I suppose (the weather) has halted a little bit of the momentum we've had," he said on Tuesday (June 28), ahead of the fourth ODI. "Tomorrow is about regaining that a little bit," he added.

Another washout at the Oval will mean England cannot lose the series, but Morgan is wary of taking things for granted. "I think the cricket we've played, bar the first game, has been pretty good," he said. "The first game was a kick up the backside more than anything - so bouncing back from that at Edgbaston, I thought, was brilliant. Then backing that up with our bowling performance at Bristol was also very good," he added.

By his own high standards, middle-order batsman, Joe Root, has had a quiet time, both in the Tests and the ongoing ODI series, but Morgan backed his class batsman to come good in the near future. "He looks in magnificent touch. I pair up with him in the nets, and it doesn't make me feel any better. Joe (Root) is a class act who has scored a huge amount of runs," Morgan concluded.

Trinbago Knight Riders seek fast start to title defence

Dwayne Bravo will once again be central to Trinbago Knight Riders' chances in CPL 2016. © Cricaction

The caravan of T20 leagues moves to the West Indian islands as reigning champions Trinbago Knight Riders begin their Caribbean Premier League title defence on Wednesday (July 29) against Darren Sammy's St. Lucia Zouks at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

With only four wins from 14 games in the first two seasons, followed by a fifth placed finish last year, St Lucia Zouks have, thus far, failed to break the consistency of failures. On paper, they boast of some of the finest T20 players, besides the only two-time World T20 winning skipper - Sammy. However, in a young man's game, most of their key players - Sammy, Shane Watson, Michael Hussey, Morne Morkel, Denesh Ramdin, Grant Elliot and Shane Shillingford - are over the age of 30.

Taking on one of the best sides in the tournament, the Zouks have their work cut out and will have to make the most of the experience on offer. What works in their favour, however, is the lack of expectation, with Betfair placing the odds at 23/20 on them as compared to 4/6 on their counterparts. 

However despite all of that, beating the defending champions will take some doing. In Brendon McCullum, Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo, the hosts have, arguably, the best T20 batsman, bowler and all-rounder respectively in their ranks. Apart from McCullum, the Knight Riders also managed to get Hashim Amla in their side to boost the foreign reserve.

Besides the the star attractions, CPL will also serve as a good platform to take note of the players who will be making their transition from the Under-19 World Cup-winning team to top class cricket. The big-hitting Gidron Pope, who plays for the Zouks and who played a key role in Bangladesh, will be one such player to watch out for.

When: Trinbago Knight Riders vs St Lucia Zouks, June 29, 9:00 PM local time (June 30, 6:30 AM IST)

Where: Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad

What to expect: A quick-of-the-blocks start to the league.With most players involved in T20 action since the turn of the year, there will be no dearth of format specific match practice.

What they said

"I'm very happy we've pinned down McCullum. He's one of the world's most dangerous players and a few years ago, when we were both playing for Chennai (Super Kings), I even asked him to come and play for Red Steel back then. Now the name has changed. He was part of the KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) family back in IPL and it's good that he joined the TKR team. So I'm happy to be team-mates with him, also with Hashim Amla who is another great player"

- Dwayne Bravo was rather pleased with his foreign imports in his team.

Squads:

Trinbago Knight Riders: Dwayne Bravo (C), Brendon McCullum, Sunil Narine, Hashim Amla, Umar Akmal, Kevon Cooper, Suleiman Benn, Colin Munro, Anton Devcich, Ronsford Beaton, Nikita Miller, Javon Searles, William Perkins, Yannic Cariah, Darren Bravo, Ramnaresh Sarwan,Hamza Tariq, Anderson Phillip.

St Lucia Zouks: Darren Sammy (C), Shane Watson, David Miller, Michael Hussey, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Morne Morkel, Denesh Ramdin, Derone Davis, Grant Elliot, Keron Cottoy, Shane Shillingford, Delorn Johnson, Kyle Mayers, Keddy Lesporis, Kristopher Ramsaran, Nitish Kumar, Gidron Pope.

Pat Cummins ruled out of Australia A assignment

Pat Cummins resumed bowling in February this year, hoping to return to the national side for the West Indies and Sri Lanka series © Cricaction

Australian pacer Pat Cummins, who was set to return to competitive cricket following a lower lumbar stress fracture, on Wednesday (June 29) was ruled out of Australia A's quadrangular home series, also featuring India A and South Africa A.

The 23-year old pacer had suffered the injury during the One-Day International series against England in September 2015. Even as his recovery pleased the medical staff, he hasn't played competitive cricket since then. The Australian selectors are adopting a cautious approach with regards to the young pacer and have pushed his comeback to the competitive cricket by a few more months.

Cricket Australia admitted that while Cummins's fitness was still not up to the standards required for taking on the rigours of international cricket, the pacer hadn't picked up any new injury. Even while selecting the squad for the A tour in May, Rod Marsh, CA's national selector, had mentioned that Cummins's participation in the series would depend on the clearance from the medical staff.

"Pat is going really well with his rehabilitation but is unlikely be ready to play at full match intensity during the Australia A tour," Marsh was quoted as saying bycricket.com.au,"After discussions with Pat and the medical staff, we have decided to wait an extra month and look for him to return for New South Wales in the Matador Cup."

Cummins had returned to bowling in February this year, hoping to make it to the Australian squad for the tours to West Indies and Sri Lanka. After getting selected initially in the Australia A squad, Cummins had even expressed confidence of returning to bowl at over 150 kmph, but said the mental challenges of dealing with rehab was doing some damage.

"It's each little win, each little step being back in the gym for the first time, back running or having my first bowl trying to get to that next goal. But certainly the more breaks I've had the harder it's gotten."

Tharanga eager to deliver for Sri Lanka in new batting role

Upul Tharanga is eager to learn batting tricks that'll aid him in his new position. © Cricaction

Upul Tharanga, Sri Lanka batsman, is eager to extend his good run against England, regardless of where he finds himself in the batting order. The 31-year-old left-handed batsman has an impressive One-Day International record against England teams, having scored 674 runs, including three hundreds, in 14 matches at an average of nearly 57 - a start contrast to his career average of 33.

Most of Tharanga's runs have come as a top-order batsman, but his last two innings in the ongoing ODI series against England have seen him score a total of 93 runs batting at number seven in the order. Tharanga is expected to occupy the same position at The Oval on Wednesday (June 29) when Sri Lanka try to come from 1-0 down with two to play in the five-match series.

"I have played 14 matches against England and I am lucky against them. I've done well here, and in Sri Lanka," Tharanga said on the eve of the match. "Playing at number seven is not new to me. Yes, most of the time I have played as a top-order batsman, but I am enjoying it (the new role)."

Part of the reason for Tharanga's demotion is the team management's decision to blood the relatively inexperienced members of squad at the top order with Tharanga anchoring the middle-order along with captain Angelo Mathews. Sri Lanka's top three have only 72 ODI caps between them, and 56 of those belong to opener Kusal Perera.

Tharanga, who has played as an opener in 156 of his 185 ODIs to date, said he was happy to do a job for the team in his new position, even if it required him to adapt his game slightly. The stylish left-hander has shown promise of learning the tricks of the lower-order trade with innings of 53 and 49 at Edgbaston and Bristol. 

"It is up to the management, but they need this from me," Tharanga said. "They need me to bat in the middle order, so I'm happy with that. We have lots of new players and we (need some) experience. I'm just happy to be here and doing something for the country.

"If I bat from the 30th over, I think I can play my normal game. If I go in for the last few overs, obviously I have to change my game. In the nets I'm trying different things," he said. As a cricketer, I always want to play for my country. In the last few years, I am in and out of the team. So I am happy to be here. The last domestic season, I did well, so that's why I got the opportunity - even batting six-seven. So I'm happy to do something for my country."

So far in the series, Sri Lanka's batsmen have struggled to produce the major innings around which a challenging total can be built. Tharanga urged his fellow batsmen to convert their starts inorder to post total in the range of 300 - widely considered the new par score in the 50-over-format.

"We are just needing a big score. Players are getting 40 or 50, and we are getting 240 to 260. As a batting side, some of the top four need to get a big score - get that, and I think we can get 300. There are still two ODIs left, and we are looking forward to winning those games and the series," he summed up.

Kumble's stint begins with training camp in Bengaluru

Anil Kumble will ease into his role as head coach with a week-long training camp in Bengaluru. © Cricaction

Anil Kumble has been a regular visitor to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the garbs of player, spectator, administrator and team mentor. On Wednesday (June 29), he will return to his home ground in a new avatar - as head coach of the Indian cricket team. Nearly eight years after calling time on his international career, the legendary spinner hits the road again, kicking off his stint with a week-long camp for the West Indies-bound team at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

It's his first opportunity to get down to brass tacks with Virat Kohli's side which has a heavy schedule ahead. The importance of the camp cannot be overstated. Kohli and his men are set to feature in 17 Tests matches, 13 of which will be played at home. This apart, they will play eight ODIs and two T20s.

Kumble faces an extraordinary challenge. While there is no doubt that he will bring the tireless work ethic that he followed as a player to his coaching role, he cannot influence the fortunes of the team directly on the field. He will have to steer a young and talented team towards high standards he had set for himself.

The time to fine-tune skills will be limited at the camp but it will give Kumble enough opportunity to ease into his role, study his players first-hand and unveil a short-term plan. Although handed a one-year contract, Kumble had showcased a three-year vision document at the time of his interview with the Cricket Advisory Committee. It is fair to say, he already knows his players pretty well.

His players too are bound to be in awe of his achievements and the onus is on him to replace that feeling with a sense of ease and comfort. The last time India played a Test series in the Caribbean was back in 2011 and only four from that squad - Kohli, Ishant Sharma, Murali Vijay and Amit Mishra - are travelling for this four-Test series which begins on July 21 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. Kumble in his prime was a tormentor of West Indies. As coach, he will try to inspire his players to follow suit.

The camp will also see Kohli reunite with his former Royal Challengers mentor. It will be interesting to see the coming together of the flamboyant and aggressive Kohli and the genial spin ace, who for all his aggression, seldom wore his emotions on his sleeve. What Kumble has been handed is a bunch of players with talent in abundance. Positivity is their USP.

The next week will go a long way in setting the tone for a hectic season ahead.

Move to reinstate SP Bansal as DDCA president irks Chetan Chauhan

Chetan Chauhan & Co. have threatened not to work with SP Bansal if the latter is reinstated as DDCA president. ©Cricaction

A move to bring back suspended Delhi & Districts Cricket Association president SP Bansal, who was accused of financial irregularity, has created unease in some DDCA circles. Working president Chetan Chauhan and members of his team have threatened not to work with Bansal if he gets his position back. According to Chauhan, there also is a move to increase the number of signatories for allotting funds which could lead to more 'financial irregularity' in DDCA.

Speaking to TOI, an upset Chauhan said, "An email informing the executive committee members about a motion about reinstating Bansal which apparently was cleared by 16-17 out of 27 members on June 21 was given to us on Monday (June 27) night. I was shocked to see the document which talks about how Bansal helped the association to earn more money through interests and even terming it not illegal or irregular. I will not function under a tainted official like Bansal. He has siphoned off money from the association. CBI inquiry is going on. We have been able to stop the misuse of money and that is troubling some of the people in the association."

Chauhan also said that he won't sign a resolution that backs a "a shameful man like Bansal" to come into the association and transfering money to outsiders without taking prior approvals of the executive body. "I have approval from concerned government authorities to prove that he doesn't deserve a place in DDCA," Chauhan added.

DDCA sources said that the association would need at least two-third majority to pass the motion, provided the rest of the factions don't oppose the move. "There is also an effort to change the signing authority of the DDCA just when the internal audits are getting cleared through a process initiated by the current team," Chauhan said.

When TOI got in touch with Bansal, he was unfazed. "When was I not the DDCA president? I have court orders to function as the DDCA president. There is no post in the constitution for working president," he added.

No Day-Night Test for India during New Zealand visit

India might have to wait longer to host its first Day-Night Test © Cricaction

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the fixtures for New Zealand's upcoming tour of three Tests and five ODIs in India but the much anticipated Day-Night Test hasn't found a mention in it. Anurag Thakur, the board president, had announced that the board was keen on hosting a Test played with the pink ball under lights against New Zealand. It seems, the board has realized it does not have sufficient time to organize the pink-ball match with it's unique demands.

The board had planned to use the pink ball in this year's Duleep Trophy tournament and get feedback of regular India players. Plans to have a Day-Night Test was to be based on that feedback. The Duleep Trophy format was also tweaked and it was decided the tournament would be played between four teams instead of the usual five zones under lights. The teams are also due to be picked by the selectors.

But it appears the board couldn't wait for the Duleep Trophy to get over which could only be played in September as the Indian team is slated to come back from the West Indies tour in the last week of August. The board is yet to announce the dates and venues of the Duleep Trophy games which should ideally be played before the New Zealand series.

However, according to a BCCI official, the rejigged Duleep Trophy still remains very significant. "It was said that the Duleep Trophy will be used to get feedback on pink ball. So, it is still important to get the players' feedback for future plans," an official told TOI on Tuesday (June 28), while insisting that a Day-Night Test can't be ruled out of the remaining season at home which will see another 10 Tests to be played. "A call on having a pink-ball Test can only be taken after the Duleep Trophy. So, one has to wait till then," the source said.

The opinion of India players on the pink ball is vital. With the board planning a two-week long mini IPL, it will leave the top stars very little time to recover from the four-Test series in West Indies for the New Zealand series if they also play in the Duleep trophy. With the ball manufacturers suggesting a certain amount of grass on the pitch to retain the gloss and shape of the pink ball, playing under lights at home against superior seam bowlers in the ranks of England and Australia could be hazardous if the players don't have an idea about how the pink ball behaves.

World T20 main draw likely to be expanded to include 12 teams

The main draw of 2016 World T20 featured two groups of five teams each. © Cricaction

When the International Cricket Council (ICC) started its annual conference in Edinburgh on Monday (June 27), there was a genuine swirl of excitement that something momentous was brewing. A groundswell over the past two years hit a crescendo at the conference, which is viewed as perhaps the most important meeting in modern cricket history. Fronting the media before the conference started on Monday, you could sense the optimism of Dave Richardson, ICC chief executive. Indeed, he used the word "optimistic" to describe his sentiment over whether major change would be ratified at the conference and kick-start a more inclusive and equitable era in international cricket.

Two days into the conference, that positivity and confidence has seemingly slightly eroded. According to a report on ESPNCricinfo, two teams are likely to be added to the main draw of the reinstated World Twenty20 in 2018 which would create a Super 12 style tournament. It is believed a set number has not been validated but if that figure does remain at 12, it would be viewed as hardly revelatory. There were those within Associates circles hoping for up to 16 teams to be involved at future Twenty20 tournaments.

A major talking point this week will focus on the restructuring of the contentious 'Big Three', which was introduced in 2014 and concentrated power and money in the hands of India, Australia and England. "(There is) a mood to address what happened two years ago (the conference that ratified the Big Three)," Richardson said on Monday. "We are a body that addresses 105 members."

Inclusion has been a central theme behind this push to restructure cricket's governance and structure with there being some genuine hopes that eventually the ICC will have a 105-member federation with votes. While that appears a way off, three Associates representatives on the ICC are set to have full voting privileges, according to ESPNCricinfo.

According to Cricbuzz sources, discussions on the conference's opening day appealed to "direct democracy" and a proposal for all 57 Affiliates to be given the opportunity to attend and vote at future conferences. This would be a notable contrast to the "representative democracy" practiced currently. Under the proposal, the ICC would maintain its current arrangement of paying for the travel costs of five Affiliate representatives, while the remaining 52 Affiliates would have to bear their own expenses.

There were also discussions over a need to revisit the "stringent" criteria associated with Affiliate membership, according to sources. The current criteria is viewed as hindering potential new members and discouraging them, with Ukraine cited as a prime example, as it has a thriving cricket league but can't become an ICC member because it do not fulfil certain membership criteria.

As per Cricbuzz sources, there was also talk of implementing ICC sub-regional development offices, such as having one in Eastern Europe to bridge the vast gulf from Russia, an ICC member, to its ICC European headquarters in London.

As the conference rolls into the halfway stage, discussions are set to intensify with a number of major talking points set to be thrashed out. It will be intriguing to see what unfolds.

Family played a huge role, admits Anil Kumble

"I took a conscious decision of staying away from IPL this season," said Kumble. © Cricaction

Anil Kumble, who has worn many hats since retiring from all formats of cricket in 2010, has taken over the national coaching role a year after former teammate Rahul Dravid was roped in to groom the India Under-19 and 'A' teams.

That he put his hand up for the top job was a surprise, but once in, his application was immensely hard to ignore. And not just for his exploits on the field. In tune with his character, his application for the coaching role was well thought out and planned. A man devoted to his family and home, the decision was taken in consultation with his family. "I took a conscious decision of staying away from IPL this season," Kumble told Times of India on Friday (June 24) when asked when he made up his mind to apply. "The family went on a holiday in April-May and we had a lot of discussions there about the role. Around the time we were heading back home, I saw BCCI had called for applications. I spoke to my wife and family and they said I should go ahead. At the end of the day, it is they who I have to ask and not anybody else. For me to commit again to be back on the road it is a huge sacrifice the family is making and it is challenge for them as well."

Kumble also pointed out that he had applied well before the June 10 deadline. "I looked at the application process and filed a formal application well within the stipulated time. Then the process took over and I was one among the 57 applicants," he said.

Although he had his plate full with being an entrepreneur, ICC cricket committee chairman and commentator, the former India Test skipper believes the time is right for him to give back to the sport."I've always loved challenges and this is a huge one," Kumble said. "I thought this was the right time for me to give back to Indian cricket. I believe in being among the youngsters and sharing experience with them. I have the energy and the will to go through the grind again. This team has quality players and great potential and has already achieved wonderful results."

Lalchand Rajput appointed head coach of Afghanistan

Lalchand Rajput with CEO of Afghanistan, Shafiq Stanikzai

Lalchand Rajput, former Indian opening batsman, has been roped in by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) to replace Inzamam-ul-Haq as the head coach of the national set-up on Saturday (June 25). Inzamam stepped down from the post in April this year. 

"Mr. Rajput, who has coached the Indian Under-19 Cricket side as well as the Mumbai Indians franchise in the IPL, 54-year-old's experience is a key asset for Afghanistan Cricket," said Nasimullah Danish Chairman of Afghanistan Cricket Board.

"Mr. Rajput is technically and professionally strong coach in cricket, I am sure his presence with Afghan national cricket team will benefit the team; he will be joining team in Scotland, Ireland and Netherland tour," Danish added.

After retiring from the game, Rajput served as the Joint Honorary Secretary of the Mumbai Cricket Association. He had a successful stint as the coach of the Under-19 Indian cricket team. Rajput also was the manager of the Indian set-up when they won the inaugural World T20 in South Africa in 2007. Recently, he applied for the post of India coach, but lost out to Anil Kumble.

According to reports, Mohammad Yousuf, former Pakistan middle-order batsman, Herschelle Gibbs, former South African opener and Corey Collymore, former West Indies pacer, were the other applicants. Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif was also in the reckoning for the post, but lost out to Rajput in the final round.

Rajput is slated to join the side for their upcoming tours of Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands in July and August.

England seek unassailable lead against Sri Lanka

The hosts will be eager to take a 2-0 lead in the third game of the five-match series at Bristol. © Cricaction

After handing Sri Lanka an embarrassing 10-wicket defeat two nights ago, hosts England would look to extend their dominance and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the third of the five-match One-Day International series at Bristol on Sunday (June 26).

Having won the preceding 50-over series against Ireland courtesy some strong performances both with the bat and the ball, Sri Lanka put up a spirited fight, defending 286, on a batsmen-friendly Nottingham pitch in the series opener that culminated in a dramatic tie. However, their bowling looked pedestrian in the following encounter as the opening duo of Alex Hales and Jason Roy plundered easy centuries and single-handedly managed to overhaul Sri Lanka's total of 254 with more than 15 overs to spare.

Hales and Roy started cautiously but switched gears soon enough and smashed bowlers all over the park to shatter numerous records during their opening stand of 256 which gave the hosts a lead of 1-0. Sri Lanka's problems don't end here. The visitors have concerns in the batting department too. Barring the captain and vice-captain duo of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, and cameos from Seekkuge Prasanna and Upul Tharanga, others are yet to make significant contributions that can give their team a commanding total to defend.

After a phenomenal debut in the series opener against Ireland earlier on the tour, Dasun Shanaka failed to make an impact in the next two games and faced the axe in the second ODI, suggesting that the visitors are leaving no stone unturned as they chase the elusive win against the hosts. With just three games left and a deficit of 1-0, it wouldn't come as a surprise if Sri Lanka alter their playing XI. They would, however, be hoping that their captain regains full fitness.

England, on the other hand, have put up one dominating show after another. When the top-order collapsed, in the first game, Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes stepped up and Liam Plunkett's last-ball heroics denied Sri Lanka a deserving win. Hales and Roy then wrapped up the chase all by themselves to back up a good show by their bowlers that restricted the visitors to just 254. The home team would like to carry forward the momentum and build an unassailable lead rather than leaving it to the final two games.

When: England vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI on June 26 at 10:30 AM Local Time, 3:00 PM IST

Where: County Ground, Bristol

What to expect: Not an ideal weather forecast for the day with showers expected just ahead of the start of play. But it is likely to improve as the day progresses.

Team News:

England: The home team fielded an unchanged XI for the second game and are unlikely to tinker with their winning combination unless they encounter a last-minute unforeseen situation.

Sri Lanka: Mathews's hamstring remains an area of concern. The skipper picked up an injury during the 17th over of England's chase in the tied game and took no further part in the game. Though he was declared fit to lead the side in the second match, his hamstring issue cropped up once again during his batting. Chandimal, too, battled similar issues in the second game. With series on the line, losing both their senior pros is something Sri Lanka can't afford.

Did you know?

- England have won three and lost five ODIs in Bristol. They haven't played here since July 2010. Sri Lanka are yet to play an ODI here.

- Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal have put together four 50-plus partnerships in as many innings in 2016 - 93, 88, 64 and 82.

- Liam Plunkett needs one more wicket to become the 24th English bowler to reach 50 ODI wickets. Graeme Swann is the only one who took more time from debut than Plunkett to reach the landmark.

- Dinesh Chandimal last scored a century against a Test-playing nation against England at Lord's in July 2011 in what was his sixth ODI. He has played 89 innings since without adding to the tons tally.

Who said what:

"That chase was absolutely remarkable. I've never experienced anything like it. We were so in control without being reckless. The two boys were outstanding. They were very imposing and they played brilliant, very entertaining cricket," Eoin Morgan, England captain, on Hales and Roy's record partnership in the 2nd ODI

Squads:

England: Jason Roy, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, Chris Jordan, Jos Buttler, Eoin Morgan (Captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Joe Root, James Vince, Chris Woakes, David Willey

Sri Lanka: Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews (Captain), Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Farveez Maharoof, Danushka Gunathilaka, Seekkuge Prasanna, Suraj Randiv, Upul Tharanga

Buoyant West Indies target upset in summit clash

Australia will look to continue their dominance in the 50-over format. © Cricaction

Before the start of the tri-nation series in the Caribbean, heavyweights Australia and South Africa were expected to trade punches and reach the final. On the other hand, despite entering the tournament in the afterglow of a World Twenty20 triumph, West Indies were the rank outsiders. However, they stitched together a performance of skill and sinew to flatten South Africa by 100 runs in a do-or-die encounter at Bridgetown, Barbados, to progress to the summit clash, where they will lock horns with the World Champions Australia on Sunday (June 26).

At 21 for four, it was West Indies who looked set to be routed. Just in the nick of time, Darren Bravo sculpted an eye-popping century and Kieron Pollard crunched a belligerent fifty to provide the launchpad for the hosts to net in a substantial total. Shannon Gabriel, playing only his second ODI, then ripped through South Africa's line-up to put the outcome of the game beyond doubt.

West Indies had their share of heart-stopping highs and lows in the round-robin phase. Despite a couple of deflating losses, however, they showed admirable tenacity to bounce back. The West Indies back-room staff will hope that the team can churn out another such collective performance in the final as they hope to win their first multi-nation ODI tournament since 2008.

The likes of Marlon Samuels, Pollard, Bravo and Denesh Ramdin have lit up the tri-series with sparks of individual brilliance to take the Caribbean side out of the treadmill of losses they have been accustomed to in recent times. The West Indies think-tank has also shown the flexibility to ring in the changes when required. To encapsulate the point, for the key clashes against Australia and South Africa at the cathedral of pace bowling, Kensingnton Oval, they picked Gabriel and the move paid off.

Gabriel rocked South Africa with pace and bounce and was rewarded with three scalps. With the final, too, being played at Bridgetown, Jason Holder will expect a similar performance from the tall fast bowler. Sunil Narine and Carlos Brathwaite have been among the wickets, but the former might not find the track at the Kensington Oval to his liking.

Australia also have had a roller-coaster ride to the final, but peaked at the right time to overcome West Indies in a must-win clash at Bridgetown and book a place in the final. Australia would be buoyed by the fact that Glenn Maxwell manufactured a volley of boundaries and found his touch in the pivotal game against the hosts. Mitchell Marsh also played with poise and balance to compose a fifty. In the final, the visitors will look up to Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith to lay the platform for the dashers lower down the order.

Mitchell Starc has been Australia's go-to-man in the tri-series. Pace, copious swing augmented by the left-armer's angle makes him a dangerous prospect in the abridged versions of the game. He is one of the few swing bowlers going around in the international circuit, who prefers the white Kookaburra to the red ball. The metronomic, Josh Hazlewood, should also enjoy the extra bounce on offer at the Kensington Oval. Australia's fielding has surprisingly been a touch below par, but in the big clash, one expects the tourists to lift their game by a few notches.

When: West Indies vs Australia, June 26, 1:00 PM local (10:30 PM IST)

Where: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados

What to expect: Teams are usually greeted by rock-hard surfaces at Bridgetown. It should make for an even contest between bat and ball. As per the weather forecast, rain is expected to stay away for the duration of the match.

Did you know? Hybrid Bermuda grass is used by the groundsmen, which in turn facilitates the outfield to drain rapidly.

Team News:

After Samuels belted Adam Zampa for three sixes in St. Kitts, the legspinner has not featured in any of the games at Barbados so far. Zampa, however, has artfully varied his pace and flight to snare nine wickets in the tournament, and might earn a recall for the final. Smith has had an ongoing issue with his thigh, but is set to take part in the summit clash.

Despite West Indies' captain Holder struggling with a hamstring issue, he is confident of partaking in the match. The home team also would be fretting over the fitness of Gabriel, who injured his leg after bowling five overs against South Africa.

Stats:

- WI last beat Australia in the final of a tournament way back in 1993. The last time the two teams met in a final was in Champions Trophy 2006 in India, where Australia won by 8 wickets. West Indies last beat Australia in an ODI in Bridgetown way back in April 1999.

- Mitchell Starc needs two more wickets to reach 100 wickets in ODIs in his 51st match - the fastest by any to the landmark.

- Australia have taken 40 wickets in the series at an average of 27.35 and an economy rate of 4.82. The corresponding figures for WI are 37.66 and 5.07.

Who said what?

"I haven't spoken to Lara for some time now, but last night before I went to bed I looked at some of his clips on YouTube. That's my boy, that's my role model, so when I'm struggling I always go back to him," said Darren Bravo, after compiling a game-changing century against South Africa at the Kensington Oval.

"Probably, on the surface, we lacked a bit of variation [against West Indies], we looked quite samey. But that's okay. It was good to play the game on that wicket, now it gives us the best opportunity to pick the best XI for the final," said Justin Langer, Australia's interim coach, hinting that Zampa might get an opportunity.

Squads:

West Indies (From): Andre Fletcher, Johnson Charles, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin(w), Kieron Pollard, Jason Holder(c), Carlos Brathwaite, Sunil Narine, Sulieman Benn, Jonathan Carter, Shannon Gabriel, Ashley Nurse

Australia (From): Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith(c), George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade(w), James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa

N Srinivasan unanimously re-elected as president of TNCA

The 71-year-old will be serving as the chief of the state association for the 15th consecutive time. © Cricaction

N Srinivasan, the former president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), was unanimously re-elected as the president of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) during the Annual General Meeting in Chennai on Saturday (June 25). Srinivasan, who has been at the helm of TNCA affairs since the year 2002-03, will be serving as the chief of TNCA for the 15th consecutive time.

During the meeting, KS Viswanathan was also re-elected as secretary of TNCA for the 10th time as he too did not face any opposition. "N Srinivasan and KS Viswanathan have been elected as President and Secretary of TNCA for the 15th and 10th time respectively," TNCA announced.

Srinivasan, who has been the chief of TNCA since the end of the reign of AC Muthiah in 2002-03, has had a tough time since the spot-fixing and betting scandal broke out in 2013. The 71-year-old, whose son-in-law was found guilty of betting on IPL games by a Supreme-Court appointed panel, was forced to step down as the chief of the Indian cricket board and was subsequently removed as the chairman of ICC.

The announcement of Srinivasan holding on to his presidential post in the TNCA comes a day after the Madras high court refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought to stall the poll process. The plea was on the ground that Justice RM Lodha Committee's recommendations on restructuring state cricket associations had not been fulfilled by TNCA.

Proud of team's transformation; disappointed at missing out: Shastri

Ravi Shastri had a great rapport with the Indian Test captain, Virat Kohli © Cricaction

Ravi Shastri, the former team director of the Indian cricket team, has expressed his disappointment at losing out on the job of coach of the national side. Shastri, who had served as the team director for more than 18 months, added that Sourav Ganguly, one of the members of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), tasked to select the coach of the Indian cricket team, was absent when during his interview for the top post.

Shastri, who was in Thailand at the time of the interview, interacted with the CAC via a Skype conversation. VVS Laxman, one of the committee members, and Sanjay Jagdale, the chief coordinator of CAC, were present in Mumbai while Sachin Tendulkar, the other member of CAC, also used Skype during the interview as he was present in London. But the third member of CAC, Ganguly, was absent during the meeting as he had to attending a Cricket Association of Bengal meeting.

"Well, actually he wasn't there," Shastri told Indian Express, when asked about his meeting with Ganguly. The former director went on to add that his interaction with the rest of the CAC members proceeded smoothly. "(The) meeting was great. Some great questions from VVS, Sachin and Sanjay. I put my way forward for the team. They wanted to know how do I plan to do well in all formats, how we should look at fast bowlers, and things of that sort."

Following the appointment of Anil Kumble as coach of the Indian team, Shastri, who had taken over as team director in August 2014, said he was disappointed at missing out on the job, having served the team well and helping India improve in all formats of the game.

"I was very disappointed. Disappointment because the hard work the entire unit had put in in the last 18 months. To see where they were when the support staff and I took over and to where they reached in 18 months makes me feel proud. They got up, threw punches and ended up where they were. No. 1 in Test cricket, No. 1 in T20, No. 2 in ODI. You can't ask for more. Even I didn't expect such a transformation in 18 months with this young team. I feel really proud," Shastri said.

"I was honest, worked hard along with the support staff, and the players were fantastic. During those months, with the BCCI being hammered in the court and media for various reasons, cricket was the shining light. People really took to watching the way the Indian team was playing," he added.

India were without a head coach following the end of Duncan Fletcher's contract at the conclusion of the 2015 World Cup. During Shastri's tenure, India had occupied the top spot in the Test rankings for a period of eight weeks while they also made it to the semi-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and the ICC World T20 in 2016. Shastri's contract though came to an end after the World T20, 2016, as did that of the assistant coaches - Bangar (batting coach), Bharat Arun (bowling coach) and R Sridhar (fielding coach). Bangar was the interim coach during India's tour of Zimbabwe, but the BCCI is yet to zero in on the support staff that will work under the Kumble regime.

Shastri, meanwhile, wished Kumble luck and is hopeful that the Indian team will grow from strength to strength. "I think Anil inherited a damn good team, a fantastic team in all formats. And his job would be to take it forward. I am proud of the boys and I would miss their company because I will treasure the joy and enjoyment they gave me in those 18 months. I am always there for them. That's how I was even in the 23 years of broadcasting career. They know that."

India will tour West Indies for a four-Test series in July-August 2016. Following that, they have a long home season, which includes as many as 13 Tests, against New Zealand, England, Australia and Bangladesh. During their 2016-17 home season, India will also play eight One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) before the start of the 2017 Indian Premier League season. Kumble, who has been handed a one-year contract, will also be in charge of the team when they head to England in June 2017 in their bid to defend the ICC Champions Trophy.

Sanjay Bangar, Abhay Sharma named as support staff for West Indies tour

Sanjay Bangar was the interim coach of team India for the tour of Zimbabwe. © Cricaction

Sanjay Bangar and Abhay Sharma will travel with the Indian squad as support staff for the upcoming tour of West Indies, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced.

"In consultation with Mr. Anil Kumble, Head Coach, Indian Cricket Team, the BCCI has appointed the following assistant coaches for theIndia tour of West Indies, 2016 -Assistant Coach (Batting) - Mr. Sanjay Bangar,Assistant Coach (Fielding) - Mr. Abhay Sharma," a BCCI release stated.

Bangar, former India all-rounder, was the interim coach of the national set-up for the just concluded tour of Zimbabwe. Bangar also was appointed as the assistant coach of the Indian team during the five-match One-Day International (ODI) series in England in 2014, but his contract expired at the end of the World T20 that was held in India this year. In addition to it, he is currently the head coach of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Kings XI Punjab.

Abhay Sharma, former Railways and Delhi wicket-keeper batsman, will also accompany the side. Abhay, who has held coaching positions with Under-19, India 'A' and Rest of India units, had recently served as the fielding coach for the ODIs and T20Is played against Zimbabwe.

The Indian team will embark on a tour to West Indies in July and August, where they are scheduled to play four Tests. It will also be the first assignment for the newly appointed coach of team India, Anil Kumble.

What Brexit means to cricket in the UK

Brendan Taylor's days as a Kolpak player in the United Kingdom could well be numbered © Cricaction

The Great British public has decided that it wants to leave the European Union. This isn't something that any country has decided to do before, and the details of how a nation state goes about removing themselves from this political and economic supra-national union are only briefly covered in The Treaty of Lisbon that came into force in late 2009. As with anything that has never happened before there are swathes of uncertainty. No one really knows what will happen, and what happens to cricket in the United Kingdom is a long way down that list of what people consider to be important. 

However, there are some very far reaching consequences for professional cricket in the United Kingdom. 

The European Communities Act, 1972 means that workers from other member states of the European Union can live and work in the UK without any restriction. Players like Somerset's Roelof van der Merwe and Glamorgan's Timm van der Gugten, both Netherlands internationals, can ply their trade in county cricket. However, once the UK has left the EU, in theory, they become overseas players.

Right now, each county is allowed just one overseas player, increased to two for Twenty20 cricket, and they are subject to the sportsman's visa requirements. It is highly doubtful that a county would use up a treasured overseas spot on a Dutch or Irish player, they will instead want a big name. In theory, these players will disappear from the county game at some point over the next 18 months to two years.

There is that massive degree of uncertainty though. What the UK government will do with the EU with regard to access to the common market and if that deal will allow free movement of EU citizens with be debated over the coming months.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will have a say, too. It is their policy that restricts counties to one overseas player so they could decide that EU passport holders don't count in that category. Again, the uncertainty is writ large but the fact remains that as and when the European Communities Act is repealed, the legislation that allows EU passport holders to work as cricketers in the UK disappears.

The other group of cricketers who could well find themselves ineligible to work in the UK are those that are here under the Kolpak ruling. In reality, they are under much more of a threat than those that have an EU passport. All this stems from a 2003 European Court case that was brought by Slovakian handball player, Maros Kolpak. He argued that as his country had a European Union Association Agreement - in effect a trade deal with the EU - saying that he couldn't play as he was a foreigner was a restriction of trade.

The European Court agreed, and as a result, cricketers from Caribbean countries, South Africans and Zimbabweans have been allowed to come to the UK to play as long as they renege their ambitions to play for their national team. Many decided that a steady income from the English county game was far more attractive than earning less for their country, and in purely economic terms it is very hard to argue against that logic.

The Kolpak ruling has been hugely controversial, with many arguing that the influx of southern African cricketers that followed this ruling was restricting the chances of young English talent from getting a go in the county game. Others haven't seen it this way, suggesting that having these experienced and talented cricketers within the system has made the domestic game more competitive and has benefitted the national team.

If the ECB decides that they agree with the assessment of Kolpak players having a detrimental impact on the game in the UK, the effects could be seismic. There have been moves in the past to make it harder to be in the UK as a Kolpak and the ECB have been at the centre of that agenda.

In 2009, they successfully lobbied the UK government so that only those who have played a Test within the last two years or who have had a UK work permit for the last four years could be a Kolpak player. They have also increased the funding that counties get for playing young English qualified cricketers, which has seen the number of Kolpak players reduce from its peak in 2008.

There is not a single county that doesn't have at least one important first team player that is in the country on this basis. Names like Brendan Taylor, Tino Best, Ravi Rampaul, Colin Ingram, Keaton Jennings, Richard Levi and Sean Ervine could be lost to the county game. Whether you consider this to be a good thing or a bad thing, if they do lose their position as professional cricketers, it will change the face of English cricket more than any other event in the 21 st century.

The ECB are far more likely to be magnanimous about those that have an EU passport than those that are here as a result of an obscure European Court ruling brought by an Eastern European handball player; the position of these players is significantly under threat.

The coming weeks, months and even years as the British public and its politicians try to work out just what they vote means will be both fascinating and a bit frightening, and as the tangled ball of string that is the UK's membership of the EU is unwound, we will know more.

But as and when a "Brexit" is achieved, county cricket will look very different.

BCCI to conduct mini IPL overseas

The tournament is expected to be held in the US or UAE in September © BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has announced on Friday (June 24) that a mini Indian Premier League will be conducted overseas. The tournament which will feature all eight teams is to be played in the month of September. 

BCCI president Anurag Thakur made the announcement at the end of the board's working committee meeting in Dharamsala, terming it the 'mini IPL' or 'IPL overseas'.

"In the month of September, the BCCI is willing to host a mini IPL or IPL overseas with all the eight teams participating," Thakur said. "[It will be] a shorter format, not home and away matches but a lesser number of matches; in a two-week window we will be able to complete it."

Since the Champions League T20 got scrapped last year, a small window has been left vacant and hence the decision to conduct this tournament every year in September has been taken. But this time, India's home season is set to begin in September as well with the Duleep Trophy scheduled to be played under lights with a pink ball. 

It was already announced that some of India's biggest names would be featuring in it in order to get used to the ball before they play their first ever day-night Test. It will be interesting to see how the board manages this situation.

Stats highlights: India wrap up Zimbabwe tour on a high with narrow win

MS Dhoni has now captained India in 324 international matches. © Cricaction

India completed another series victory in Zimbabwe as they rounded off the three match Twenty20 International series 2-1 after a thrilling last-ball finish in Harare on Wednesday (June 22). The hosts put up a much better fight in the 20-over leg of the competition compared to the One-Day Internationals (ODI). India scored just 138 in 20 overs propelled by a late flourish by Kedar Jadhav and Axar Patel who added 43 off the last three overs which, in turn, turned out to be the difference in the end.

Stats highlights from the final T20I between India and Zimbabwe from Harare.

324 - Number of international matches captained by MS Dhoni, the joint-highest with Ricky Ponting. He has captained India in 194 ODIs, 70 T20Is and 60 Tests.

50 - Hamilton Masakadza became the first player to feature in 50 T20Is for Zimbabwe. He made his debut in November 2006 against Bangladesh in his country's inaugural T20I at Khulna. He has featured in all but four T20Is of Zimbabwe.

1 - This is the first time in seven T20Is against Zimbabwe India have not fielded any debutant. In the six previous games, India played as many as 17 debutants.

19 - T20Is played by India in 2016 - the most by a team in a calendar year. The previous most was 18 by Pakistan in 2010. MS Dhoni and Jasprit Bumrah are the ones to play in all 19 matches which is the most T20Is by any player in a year.

3 - Indian players getting run out off the first ball in T20Is including Manish Pandey today. Piyush Chawla against England in Mumbai in 2012 and Ambati Rayudu against South Africa in Dharamsala in 2015 were the others.

27 - Runs for which India lost their third wicket, the third-lowest score for which they lost their first three wickets but still ended up winning. They lost 3 for 8 and 23 against Pakistan at Mirpur and Kolkata respectively earlier this year but still ended up winning.

58 - Kedar Jadhav's seventh fifty in 20-over cricket and first for India. It is also his third-highest score in T20s after an unbeaten 63 for Delhi Daredevils in 2015 and 60 not out for Maharashtra in 2009.

3-20 - Donald Tiripano's best figures for Zimbabwe in T20Is and second-best in all T20s after 3 for 19 for Mountaineers against Mashonaland Eagles in Bulwayo in 2016.

4.83 - Jasprit Bumrah's economy rate in the entire T20I series - the best for an Indian bowler in a series (minimum 12 overs bowled).

6 - Number of wickets for Barinder Sran after his first two T20Is - the joint-most for an Indian bowler along with Pragyan Ojha who also had six wickets after his first two T20Is.

138 - The lowest total successfully defended by India in T20Is. The previous lowest was 146 against Bangladesh in Bangalore in ICC World Twenty20 2016.

3 - Winning margin for India - their third-closest in a T20I when they batted first. They won by a solitary run against Bangladesh in the match mentioned above and also against South Africa in Colombo (RPS) in 2012.

India eke out narrow win to clinch T20I series against Zimbabwe

Kedar Jadhav scored a 42-ball 58 to help India post a total of 136 for 6. © Cricaction

For a long time in Wednesday's run-chase at the Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe looked set to upset India and seal a memorable series victory. In a heavily see-sawing fixture, the equation narrowed down to the last over where Zimbabwe required 21 off the final over. Timycen Maruma raised hopes of the wildly-cheering crowd by narrowing it down to eight off two. It further went down to getting four of the last delivery, but Barinder Sran held his own to help India eke out a three-run victory and seal the three-match Twenty20 International series 2-1.

After Kedar Jadhav's vital half-century helped India post a par total on a tricky track, Dhawal Kulkarni's (2 for 23) two key strikes and Axar Patel's stingy spell (1 for 18) in the crucial middle overs ensured Zimbabwe didn't run away in chase despite their promising start. The nerves seemed to have gotten the better of Sran in the final over, as he conceded a six off the first ball and then bowled a waist-high full toss that was dispatched for four. However, he regained his composure in time to take his team over the line.

With 139 to defend, Sran began well as his natural ability to swing the ball in troubled the Zimbabwe opener. Chamu Chibhabha was dealt a blow off the second ball, when he tried to pull a short delivery and got hit on the hip. The two batsmen looked to get Zimbabwe off the blocks early but Sran struck in his second over to end Chibhabha's stay. Vusi Sibanda, who recovered in time for the decider and replaced Sikandar Raza in the line-up, walked out and carted three successive boundaries off Kulkarni, shifting the pressure back on to the Indian pacers who haven't defended a total all through the tour.

MS Dhoni was forced to make an early bowling change to put a lid on the scoring. Jasprit Bumrah arrived in the final over of the powerplay to push the batsmen onto the back foot. At 43 for 1 in seven overs, Zimbabwe were on course but then arrived the real test for them as Dhoni unleashed spin from both ends with Axar and Yuzvendra Chahal. The move paid off as India broke the partnership that was starting to look like it could define the chase. Masakadza fell prey to Axar's flatter trajectory as he was trapped in front of the stumps while trying to play a sweep. It was even-stevens at the halfway stage, with Zimbabwe on 58 for 2, needing 80 off the last 60 deliveries.

Kulkarni helped India edge ahead as he returned to dismiss the dangerous Sibanda in the 11th over. Peter Moor and Malcolm Waller came together to keep Zimbabwe afloat, with the former taking a liking for Chahal's poor long hops. Yet, it was Chahal who had the last laugh, dismissing Moor and putting the hosts on tenterhooks again.

Bumrah returned with Zimbabwe needing 51 off 36 balls and bowled a phenomenal over to concede just three while Axar completed his spell with a commendable over, conceding just six runs under a lot of pressure. The pendulum of momentum swung viciously in favour of India again as Kulkarni struck a body blow on Zimbabwe, getting rid of Malcolm Waller in the 18th over. Timycen Maruma and Chigumbura took the chase down till the final delivery but Zimbabwe had to contend with finishing second-best in yet another thriller.

Under bright sunshine and beautifully-clear skies, Zimbabwe decided to ask India to bat for the first time on tour. Tendai Chatara, playing in his first T20I since March, began with a maiden over to show that the hosts meant business in the series-decider. After the victory on Monday, Mandeep Singh had admitted that the prospect of setting a target for the first time in the series could be a tough one. Zimbabwe's early accuracy with the ball made their job harder.

Donald Tiripano did not offer any width early on as India crawled to 4 for 0 in two overs. KL Rahul took on Chatara in his second, scoring two fours and a six off successive deliveries to get the ball rolling for the visitors. Mandeep looked to follow suit by attacking Tiripano, but his mistimed shot over cover was exceptionally taken by Maruma.

Rahul took the onus upon himself to unsettle Neville Madziva, the hero of the first T20I, but after having scored a boundary off the first ball, the Indian opener chopped a length delivery onto the stumps. Elton Chigumbura turned India's shaky start to a proper struggle as his fine effort in the field resulted in Manish Pandey's run out off the very next ball.

At 27 for 3, Jadhav got the opportunity to make the selectors take notice by steadying the ship, delivering to perfection. He and Ambati Rayudu arrested India's slide by putting on a partnership, during which the former took Graeme Cremer's legspin apart. Runs off the Zimbabwean captain allowed India to get back on track for a decent total, before Rayudu holed out to Chigumbura at long on. Dhoni walked out with the score at 76 for 4 in 12.5 overs, needing to give his side a flourishing finish.

As India struggled at 87 for 4 in 15 overs, Zimbabwe were doing a lot more than the lyrics of the Bee Gees' song from 1977 - Stayin' Alive - blaring through the speaker, suggested. An over and a half later, Dhoni's struggled stay at the crease was brought to an end by Tiripano, sending the home crowd into a tizzy.

With Axar for company, Jadhav decided to find the next gear in his essay in a bid to help the team finish well and give the bowlers something to defend. He charged down against Chatara to carve a majestic hit over long on before collecting two more fours off the same over that helped India go past 100-run mark. The second boundary also took Jadhav to his first maiden T20I fifty, off 38 balls.

Jadhav departed in the penultimate over but 16 runs off Madziva in the last helped India reach 138 for 6, that turned out to be just about sufficient to help India lift the trophy.

Brief scores: India 138-6 in 20 overs (Kedar Jadhav 58; Donald Tiripano 3-20) beat Zimbabwe 135-6 in 20 overs (Vusi Sibanda 28; Dhawal Kulkarni 2-23) bythree runs.

Hong Kong will be tough to beat at home: Charlie Burke

HK Women?s National players Emma Lai Wing-ki (left) and Mariko Hill (right). (Image credit: Hong Kong Cricket)

Charlie Burke, the Hong Kong women's coach, has said that playing the International Cricket Council Women's World Cup Qualifiers at home would prove to be an advantage for the side. Hong Kong will host an ICC women's tournament for the first time featuring China, Nepal and Thailand in October this year.

"For the team to get the opportunity to play in front of family, friends and Hong Kong supporters should be a big motivator," Burke said on Wednesday (June 22). "Having never hosted an ICC Women's tournament, this is really exciting. We had a number of big changes in the squad a number of years ago and threw in some young or inexperienced players to develop and take the Women's squad onto global tournaments."

The former men's coach and current director of cricket believes that the team has improved over the years and expects the tournament to be closely fought despite China being the top-ranked team.

"We had a number of big changes in the squad a number of years ago and threw in some young or inexperienced players to develop and take the Women's squad onto global tournaments," Burke said.

"We are no longer young in cricket terms and we now have a core group of 16-18 players that understand what is required at this level. The tournament will showcase a very competitive and close competition, if we can be the fittest and show our cricket maturity I have no doubt we will be tough to beat.

"Majority of our players work or study so trying to balance the pressure of work and study with cricket isn't easy," Burke said about the women's squad, after the men's team were recently accepted into the Hong Sports Institute.

"I want the players turning up to training with a purpose and to enjoy being together as a group. The support the players have is better than ever, nine of our players have committed to support contracts to assist them to get to training and get away from work early or miss a shift without it affecting their income."

The squad will now leave to India for a preparation tour in September. The team that finishes on top in the qualifiers will then progress to the global qualifying group.