September 1, 2023 – https://bhartiyanews24x7.com

1Sep

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An Island town stops to watch India and Pakistan clash today

PALLEKELE IS a small, quiet town, just a half-an-hour’s drive from Kandy, the second largest city in Sri Lanka dotted with tea plantations. The locale is so quiet that even the chirp of a bird could wake you up in the morning. Perched on the hillside, tourists flock here to unwind and soak in the greenery, with a cup of tea or a swig of arrack with ginger ale by their side. But since Friday morning, the town, with a population of only 1,11,701, has been buzzing, witnessing something new, with the inflow of cricket tourists from the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, bringing some parts of the town to a standstill. The occasion thus is set for the first of the five potential encounters in the next two months, from Asia Cup to the World Cup, between rivals India and Pakistan o...

1Sep

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‘Milenge hi milenge, bhai’: Mohammed Siraj’s assurance to Haris Rauf on bowlers having the say in IND-PAK Asia Cup match

Humidity levels in Pallekele on the eve of the India-Pakistan match were as high as 77 percent. Bathed in sweat, India’s Mohammed Siraj and Pakistan’s Haris Rauf stood on the green they might share on Saturday. Divided by colors, united in their thought of how the conditions favor fast bowlers. “At night, you can bowl six-seven overs more,” Siraj says to Rauf. “If you get a wicket then, that’s that,” responds the latter. Pakistan and India players meet up ahead of Saturday’s #PAKvIND match in Kandy ✨#AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/iP94wjsX6G — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 1, 2023 There’s an assurance that comes from the Indian quick, “Milenge hi milenge, bhai (They’ll definitely come, brother).” The Sri Lanka-Bangladesh game on Thursday acts as a conclusive proof of the surfac...

1Sep

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‘Bahot acche yaar’: Virat Kohli applauds Haris Rauf’s rise from India’s net bowler in reunion ahead of IND-PAK Asia Cup clash

Opposite to the wind of general talks on the outside with an India-Pakistan contest around the corner, the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma on the eve of their Asia Cup game would make it clear on record. “Rivalry is there for people to talk about but for us, we don’t want to look into all those things.” That sentiment echoed around the Pallekele Cricket Stadium in Kandy as the two sets of players shared mutual respect and bonhomie in their pre-match training session meet ups, captured in a video shared by Pakistan Cricket on social media. Starting from the two protagonists of their last match. “Jidhar se gujarta hu, ‘Kohli-Kohli’ kehte hai (Wherever I go, people say ‘Kohli-Kohli’),” Haris Rauf would tell the former India captain as the duo met on the ground that’ll see them both go up again...

1Sep

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Watch: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma meet Pakistan players on the eve of Asia Cup clash | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: In a delightful gesture, former India skipper Virat Kohli on Friday caught up with Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf among others players on the eve of the marquee Asia Cup clash between the arch-rivals. Skipper Rohit Sharma too had a chat with his Pakistan counterpart Babar Azam and opener Imam-ul-Haq during the practice session in Pallekele on Friday. In a video posted by PCB on X (formally Twitter), Kohli can be seen having a chat with pacer Rauf. Kohli later also caught up with the other Pakistan players Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan outside their dressing room. India begin their Asia Cup campaign against Pakistan on Saturday. The last time India and Pakistan faced each other was during the Super 12 encounter of the T20 World Cup in 2022 when Rohit Sharma and co. won the match b...

1Sep

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Asia Cup 2023 | High-voltage India-Pakistan clash all set to produce sparks

Indian cricket players are seen during a practice session ahead of the Asia Cup 2023 one-day international match against Pakistan in Pallekele on September 1, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP Fitness test for one side, carrying the form for another. And the last leg for the World Cup preparations for both the teams. All these objectives will be paused for eight hours at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on the outskirts of hilly Kandy on Saturday afternoon. After all, it’s India vs Pakistan time. That too in the Asia Cup. And the same stands and grass banks that wore a deserted look on Thursday for Sri Lanka’s game against Bangladesh — the other fierce inter-continental rivalry — will be choc-a-bloc. The tournament may have already witnessed two games, but the Asia Cup will actually ...

1Sep

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India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup: Virat Kohli vs Shaheen Afridi and other player battles to watch out for | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The mother of all cricket battles is back. India and Pakistan will face each other in a One-Day International for the first time since the 2019 World Cup in England. The much-awaited contest on Saturday in the Asia Cup group stage will set the ball rolling for many such clashes between the two arch-rivals this year.There is a chance of India and Pakistan playing each other as many as three times in the Asia Cup itself - first in the group stage, then in the Super Four stage and if all goes as petr cricket fans' wishes, again in the summit clash too. Then there is the ICC ODI World Cup in India, starting on October 5 in Ahmedabad, where the two teams are again in the same group. Fans have a full menu this year after a long wait.It will be a clash of two extremely talented team...

1Sep

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Asia Cup 2023: For India-Pakistan blockbuster, thousands descend onto the quaint island town of Pallekele

Pallekele is a small, quiet town, just a half-an-hour drive from Kandy, the second largest city in Sri Lanka dotted with tea plantations. The locale is so quiet that even the chirp of a bird could wake you up in the morning. Perched on the hillside, tourists flock here to unwind and soak in the greenery, with a cup of tea or a swig of arrack with ginger ale by their side. But since Friday morning, the town, with a population of only 1,11,701, has been buzzing, witnessing something new, with the inflow of cricket tourists from the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, bringing some parts of the town to a standstill. The occasion thus is set for the first of the six potential encounters in the next two months, from Asia Cup to the World Cup, between rivals India and Pakistan on S...

1Sep

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‘Openers already know my gameplan’: Shaheen Afridi ahead of India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the highly-anticipated India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash, ace Pakistani pacer Shaheen Afridi has voiced his opinion that the opposition openers are familiar with his game plan and there is nothing special about it.This acknowledgment reflects the intense rivalry and the meticulous preparation that accompanies matches between these two cricketing giants.Elaborating it further Shaheen said: "I always try to get an early breakthrough for the team which eventually puts the opposition on the backfoot.""The middle-order batters haven't faced the new ball enough like the openers, and that ultimately put them under a lot of pressure," added Shaheen.Earlier India skipper Rohit Sharma, on the eve of the match, lauded the Pakistan pacers, stressing on the fact that his side will ba...

1Sep

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Banking on our experience of these conditions to do well against India, says Babar Azam

Pakistan’s cricket captain Babar Azam speaks to media ahead of the Asia Cup Cup one-day international cricket match against India in Pallekele, on September 1, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP Pakistan captain Babar Azam on September 1 played down the talks of pressure on his side and said they were banking on their experience in Sri Lankan conditions to do well against India in their Asia Cup match. Pakistan had played a two-match Test series in Sri Lanka in July and then several players, including Babar, stayed back for the Lanka Premier League (LPL). After the LPL, Pakistan took on Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series, which they won 3-0. Babar said the whole trip would stand the side in good stead. "We have been here since July. We have played Test matches, some league (LPL) matches and...

1Sep

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Asia Cup: Pakistan name unchanged XI for marquee clash against India | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: A day before the blockbuster clash against arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup in Pallekele, Pakistan on Friday announced their playing XI.Continuing with their tradition of announcing the XI on the eve of the match, Pakistan in a non-surprising move left the team unchanged. The same side crushed Asia Cup debutants Nepal in the tournament opener in Multan on Wednesday.The match saw skipperBabar Azam firing a sensational 151 while middle order batter Iftikhar Ahmed (109*) too scored his maiden ton of the format as Pakistan beat Nepal by a mammoth 238 runs.In the pre-match press conference, Pakistan captain Babar informed that the PCB would reveal the playing XI against India.Babar also hoped that there could be a bit more contribution from the middle-order to support the top thr...

1Sep

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Rohit keen on finding balance between solidity and high-risk approach

Captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid attend a practice session ahead of their Asia Cup ODI against Pakistan in Pallekele on September 1, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP Daddy hundreds. That’s the term associated with Rohit Sharma, the ODI batter.In the recent past though, the India captain — the only batter with three double hundreds in the 50-over-a-side format — has adopted a different strategy of preferring strike rate improvement over putting a price tag on his wicket.However, ahead of the marquee clash against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, Rohit has hinted at returning to his old self for the big stage.“I have played for so long, it’s important to use that experience and give the team what it needs from my end. My effort is to do that. In the last two years, I have played a different ...

1Sep

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Pakistan captain Babar Azam relies on experience for Asia Cup clash with India | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Pakistan's cricket captain, Babar Azam, has shrugged off talks of pressure ahead of their Asia Cup match against India, highlighting the team's confidence in their experience on Sri Lankan turf to perform well.Pakistan had an extended stay in Sri Lanka, starting with a two-match Test series in July. Subsequently, several players, including Babar, participated in the Lanka Premier League (LPL).Following the LPL, Pakistan faced Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series, which they convincingly won 3-0. Babar Azam believes that this extensive experience in Sri Lankan conditions will benefit the team in their match against India."We have been here since July. We have played Test matches, some league (LPL) matches, and then the ODIs (against Afghanistan). We are hoping that this wil...

1Sep

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Rohit Sharma downplays hype ahead of Asia Cup clash with Pakistan | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India captain Rohit Sharma has opted to downplay the pre-match excitement ahead of the highly awaited Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan. He has instead emphasised that their primary focus is to use the tournament as an opportunity to refine their preparations for the upcoming home World Cup later this year.The rivalry between arch-rivals India and Pakistan is renowned for its emotional intensity.However, these encounters are now primarily limited to multi-team events due to the longstanding political tensions between the two neighbouring nations.With the possibility of facing each other up to three times in just two weeks during the Asia Cup, including a potential final showdown on September 17, Rohit is determined to keep emotions in check."Rivalry is there for peopl...

1Sep

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I was competing with myself, not with Neeraj Chopra: Arshad Nadeem | More sports News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, the World Championships silver medallist on Friday said does not view ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra as a rival and instead focuses on competing with himself. Nadeem achieved this historic feat in Budapest last Sunday, becoming the first Pakistan athlete to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships. In the same event Neeraj, the Olympic champion, secured the gold.Asked if Chopra was his main rival in the World Championships, Nadeem said, "No.I myself is the only competitor to Arshad Nadeem. I did not think I was competing to win against anybody."Chopra won gold with a throw of 88.17m while reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallist Nadeem took the silver with his season's best throw of 87.82m.Nadeem said he was happy at Chopra winning the g...

1Sep

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Former European champions Ajax and Marseille in Europa League group with Brighton and AEK Athens

Former European champions Ajax and Marseille were drawn Friday to play Premier League club Brighton and AEK Athens in one of the toughest Europa League groups. Brighton will be playing in the competition for the first time. Ajax won the UEFA Cup, the Europa League’s predecessor, in 1992 to become the first club to win the three major European trophies of the time. Liverpool, a three-time winner of the second-tier European competition, was drawn to face Union Saint-Gilloise, Toulouse and LASK of Austria, while Europa Conference League champion West Ham will play Olympiakos, Freiburg and TSC of Serbia. Roma, coached by Jose Mourinho, will be trying to reach its third straight European final in a group with Slavia Prague, Sheriff and Servette, while 2021 Europa League champion Villarreal l...

1Sep

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Rohit Sharma banking on ‘experience’ to negate Pakistan pace trio threat | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: With less than 24 hours to go for the blockbuster India-Pakistan clash, the biggest talking point ahead of the contest has been how the star-studded India batting line-up will fare against the Pakistan pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf. In recent years, the pace trio has been outstanding and has played a crucial role in taking their side to the no.1 rankings in ODIs.India skipper Rohit Sharma, on the eve of the match, praised the Pakistan pacers, stressing on the fact that his side will bank on experience to counter the threat posed by the likes of Shaheen, Naseem Shah and Rauf."Look, in the nets, we don't have Shaheen, Naseem or Rauf. We practise with who we have. They are all quality bowlers. We just have to use our experience to play them tomorrow," R...

1Sep

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Middlesex sign Indian all-rounder Jayant Yadav for County Championship | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Middlesex County Cricket Club has secured the services of Indian off-spin all-rounder Jayant Yadav for the crucial final four matches of the ongoing county championship season. This move comes as Middlesex aim to strengthen their squad for the pivotal encounters in September.In his previous county stint during the 2022 season, Jayant Yadav showcased his skills by claiming 12 wickets in just two appearances for Warwickshire. Now, the 33-year-old cricketer is ready to don the Middlesex colours and make an impact in the upcoming games."I am honoured and excited to join the prestigious Middlesex County Cricket Club for the upcoming Championship games and be a part of its rich cricketing history. I enjoyed my experience of playing County cricket last year and am eagerly looking fo...

1Sep

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‘Mother, father & grandfather of all contests’: Legends weigh in on India-Pakistan blockbuster meet-up | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: With no bilateral cricket between the two nations for over a decade now due to political tensions, arch-rivals India and Pakistan gear up for a rare Asia Cup contest in Pallekele. The face-off between India and Pakistan is limited only to multi-nation tournaments and Saturday's high-octane match between the two nations will be their first since the T20 World Cup last year in October. In the run-up to the marquee clash Pakistan great Wasim Akram and former Team India coach Ravi Shastri advocated for more contests and talked about the pressure of expectations players go through ahead of the titanic game.“Cricket is massive in Pakistan and India, that’s the only sport left. Hockey disappeared, squash disappeared. When you guys talk about Ashes, England has 60 million people, Aus...

1Sep

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Seasoned Rohit leads strongest Indian team since 2011 but Pakistan have narrowed gap, says Ravi Shastri

Fans with their bodies painted as national flags of India and Pakistan hold a cut-out of the Asia cup trophy in Ahmedabad on September 1, 2023, on the eve of the Asia Cup match between the two Asian Giants in Pallekele on September 2, 2023. | Photo Credit: AFP A seasoned leader like Rohit Sharma understands the "terrain" of an Indo-Pak contest better than most but Babar Azam's unit won't be mere pushovers as it has managed to narrow the gap with the arch-rivals in the past few years, said former India head coach Ravi Shastri. India and Pakistan will be meeting in an ODI game after four years when they face-off on September 2."I would say India start as favourites. This is their strongest team since 2011, this mix of players. And a captain who is seasoned, who understands the terrain be...

1Sep

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Seasoned Rohit Sharma leads strongest Indian team since 2011 but Pakistan have narrowed gap: Ravi Shastri

A seasoned leader like Rohit Sharma understands the “terrain” of an Indo-Pak contest better than most but Babar Azam’s unit won’t be mere pushovers as it has managed to narrow the gap with the arch-rivals in the past few years, said former India head coach Ravi Shastri. India and Pakistan will be meeting in an ODI game after four years when they face-off on Saturday. “I would say India start as favourites. This is their strongest team since 2011, this mix of players. And a captain who is seasoned, who understands the terrain better than most,’ Shastri told ESPN Cricinfo on Friday. “Having said that, Pakistan have narrowed the gap. Seven-eight years (ago), there was a gap if you looked at the strength of both teams and man to man. But Pakistan have narrowed it down. They are a very good ...