Rayudu quits first-class, focus on limited overs
NEW DELHI: India middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu has quit first-class cricket to focus on shorter formats.
A press release from the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) on Saturday said he will continue to play international and domestic matches of shorter formats, ODIS and T20s.
Rayudu has never played Test cricket and has featured in 45 ODIS and six T20 Internationals.
The Hyderabad batsman has been slotted at No 4 in the ODI batting line-up by the Indian team management in preparation for the 2019 World Cup.
He scored 217 runs, a century and a half-century in the recent ODI series against West Indies.
The performance drew praise from captain Virat Kohli who said the batsman has shouldered the responsibility at No 4, a spot which had bothered India for some time.
Rayudu had been part of India’s ODI plans even prior to the tour of England. However, he failed the Yoyo fitness test and could not travel to England.
SEHWAG PARTS WAY WITH KINGS XI
CHANDIGARH:FORMER India opener Virender Sehwag announced his departure from Kings XI Punjab on Saturday. The swashbuckling batsman was associated with the team first as a player and later as mentor. This comes after the team named former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson as coach, replacing Brad Hodge.
Sehwag put out a statement on Twitter thanking the team for the opportunity. He wrote: “All good things must come to an end and I’ve had a wonderful time at Kings 11 Punjab, for 2 seasons as a player and 3 as a mentor. My association with Kings 11 comes to an end and I am thankful for the time I have had here and wish the team all the very best for the times ahead.”
Sehwag and Hodge were supposed to guide IPL laggards KXIP, who are yet to win the title. This year with the team once again failing collectively there were reports of a verbal spat between co-owner Preity Zinta and Sehwag.
In 104 IPL matches, Sehwag scored 2728 runs at an average of 27.56. He mentored KXIP from
2016 to 2018.
WILLIAMS, MASAKADZA DEFY B’DESH
SYLHET: Sean Williams and skipper Hamilton Masakadza slammed a fifty each as Zimbabwe made 236-5 on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet on Saturday.
Williams made highest 88 off 179 balls after Masakadza hit 52 off 105 balls to lay the initial foundation for Zimbabwe at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, which was hosting its maiden Test.
Bangladesh made some regular breakthroughs, mostly by their spinners, but lacked the penetrating power to completely unsettle the visiting side playing their first Test in 2018.
Brief scores: Zimbabwe (1st inngs) 236-5 (H Masakadza 52, S Williams 88, P Moor 37*; Taijul 2-86) DUBAI: Pakistan lived up to their billing as the world’s best T20 team with a six-wicket victory over New Zealand in Dubai on Friday to clinch the three-match series 2-0.
Mohammad Hafeez (34 not out) and Shoaib Malik (10) added 34 quickfire runs to help Pakistan overhaul the 154-run target in 19.4 overs at Dubai stadium, pocketing their 11th consecutive series and eighth successive T20.
New Zealand were lifted to 153-7 by Corey Anderson and Colin Munro who made 44 each after Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to bat on a slow paced pitch.
Pakistan won the first match by two runs in a last-ball finish in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Hafeez, who hit Adam Milne for the winning boundary, and Malik came together with 50 needed off the last five overs. Hafeez hit two towering sixes off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi in the 17th
over to bring the target down to 23 in the last three overs.
Hafeez hit two sixes and a boundary in his 21-ball innings. Babar Azam (40), Asif Ali (38) and Fakhar Zaman 924) also chipped in with useful runs.
Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed described the win as a team effort. “It’s down to the effort of the players,” said Sarfraz. “We have a good balance, with Hasan Ali at 10. We know we
can get 150-160.”
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson gave credit to Pakistan. “Credit to the way Pakistan played. They have a clear pattern of play which they’ve executed here in the UAE,” said Williamson.
Brief scores: Pakistan 154-4 in 19.4 overs (B Azam 40, A Ali 38, M Hafeez 34*; A Milne 2-25), bt New Zealand 153-7 in 20 overs (C Anderson 44*, C Munro 44; S Afridi 3-20) by 6 wkts