Impact Player rule supports teams more in second innings: Mithali
Former India captain predicts a difficult road ahead for Royal Challengers Bengaluru; bats for the inclusion of Kohli and Chahal in India’s T20 World Cup squad
Former India women’s cricket captain Mithali Raj said that the new Impact Rule of substituting a player of the team management’s choice at any given point of time in the ongoing IPL had helped the teams more so in the second innings.
“It does support a team which swaps a bowler in the second innings,” Mithali said during a interaction with media on Monday.
On Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mithali felt it had a daunting task to make it to the playoffs because of weaknesses in the bowling department.
“Batting strength is good but even there except for Virat Kohli and the finisher Dinesh Karthik no one else is supporting Kohli.” “I don’t see any bowler whom you can say would win the match with one spell for RCB in this IPL. The only option for it is to shuffle around with the existing bowling resources for better results,” Mithali said. “RCB needs quality spinners badly in the later part of IPL,” she added.
Mithali said she was most impressed with 22yearold Riyan Parag’s batting for Rajasthan Royals. “He has not done that great in the last few seasons and to overcome that and perform like the way he is doing now is amazing.”
“Kohli should be there in the T20 World Cup because of his class, experience and consistency. Definitely, his form at the top of the order for RCB does throw options to the Indian team management and it is for the captain and others to take a call whether he should bat at No. 3 or as an opener as Shubman
Gill is already being there,” Mithali explained.
On leggie Yuzvendra Chahal, the former India captain said he should be picked on current form for the coming T20 World Cup but again depends on the captain’s comfort and confidence.
Sonal advances
Topseeded Sonal Paygonda Patil of Maharashtra defeated Saily Prashantkumar Thakkar of Gujarat 60, 75 in the singles first round of the FNCC AITA women’s tennis tournament at Film Nagar Cultural Centre here on Monday.
Other results: Aakruti Sonkusare (Mah) bt Sanjana Sirimalla (TS) 6-4, 6-4; Aditi Rawat (Har) bt Vanshika Choudhary (UP) 6-1, 6-4; Akanksha Nitture (Mah) bt Harshini Viswanadh (AP) 6-2, 6-3; Lakshmi Prabha Arunkumar (TN) bt Medhavi Singh(Bih) 6-3, 6-0; Sama Chevika Reddy (TS) bt A. Sreenidhi Reddy (TS) 6-3, 7-6(5); V. Abhaya (TS) bt Yubrani Banerjee (WB) 6-1, 6-1; Kashish Bhatia (Del) bt P. Chandana (AP) 6-4, 6-1; Pooja Ingale (Maha) bt T. Sai Janvi (Kar) 6-2, 7-6.
Kushagra makes the winning moves
Kushagra Mohan won the Open category title while Vedic Tolwana won the under15 title in the Varas Chess Academy rapid open chess tournament here.
Final placings: Open: 1. Kushagra Mohan, 2. Sri Sai Baswanth, 3. A. Mohan.
Boys (winners): U-15: Vedic Tolwala; U-11: Sai Ritheesh; U-19: Ch. Shaahanth; U-7: Lokaksh Sai Satwik; U-13:
Jeev Spoorthi.
Girls: U-15: K. Aadya Reddy; U-7: G. Advaitha; U-9: B. Jayaswi. Best Female: Natura Bethi; Best Veteran: Kandi Ravi; Best Unrated: Nanduri Narayana Srivathsav.
South Zone women takes the honours
South Zone won the interzonal softball championship for women defeating West 50 in the final at Salem (Tamil Nadu).
The South team, which included players from the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society including captain Mamatha and catcher Rani, was coached by Mounika.
Trisha, Ramya excels in CFC’s triumph
Centre for Cricket Excellence Academy (CFCEA) won the Next Gen women’s T20 trophy defeating Coaching Beyond by nine wickets in the final.
For the winner, G. Trisha put up a fine allround show taking three wickets and then scoring 44 (38b), while Ramya scored an unbeaten 72 off 55 balls. Trisha who scored 310 runs and claimed 11
The victorious Centre for Cricket Excellence Academy squad with its rewards. wickets was named ‘most valuable player’ of the tournament.
The scores: Coaching Beyond 121 in 20 overs (G. Trisha 3/18) lost to CFCEA 122/1 in 15.5 overs (Ramya 72 n.o., G. Trisha 44).
Abhinav’s unbeaten ton highlights CCOBCA’s triumph
Abhinav Kumar’s unbeaten 110 (37b, 19x4, 4x6) helped City College Old Boys Cricket Association score a fourwicket win over Ashwin Sooraj Cricket Academy in the final of seventh Eid Milap Trophy junior cricket tournament at SKN Ground (Boduppal) here.
Special prizes: Player of the final: Abhinav Kumar; Most valuable player: Adarsh
Best batter: Bharath Best bowler: Rehan Best fielder: Ahmed
Hussain; Best all-rounder: Adnan; Best wicket-keeper: Farhan Khan; Emerging player: Sushant; Spirit of Cricket Award: Ajayanand.
The scores: Ashwin Sooraj CA 351/7 in 30 overs (Manikanta 35, Sushant 37, Ashwin 78) lost to CCOBCA 354/4 in 28.5 overs (Bharath 49, Ahmed 39, Abhinav Kumar 110 n.o., M.A. Adnan 52).
Sky Kings and Rovers play out a draw
Sky Kings FC and Rovers FC were locked in a twoall draw in the Akash Calvin memorial (under17) football tournament organised by Shastri Soccer Club at Trimulgherry Village Ground here.
The result: Skykings FC 2 (Rohan, Ranveer) drew with Rovers FC 2 (Shiva Ganeshan 2). Sunday’s match: VV Nagar 2 (Karthik, Yogesh) bt Abbas Union 1 (Mohammed).