India vs Australia: Spick and span Indore brings old world charm to modern cricket

Indore: The city of Indore sleeps and sweeps, sweeps and sleeps and the story continues. Over the last few days, I have seen them sweep like there’s no tomorrow. Every particle of dust is taken care of and the condition of the roads and pavements continues to be spick and span.

Welcome to Indore – the “cleanest city of India”. It is on the signboard at the airport and the city leaves no stone unturned to back that claim.

A sign at the Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Image: Sahil Malhotra/Network18

About 25 minutes from that signboard is the Holkar Cricket Stadium. Located in the heart of the city, it is possible to miss the venue as it doesn’t really scream right into your face. Nestled between a sports club, EPFO building and a government school, the stadium has that lazy old world vibe to it.

Upon entering through the Satish Malhotra gate, one can spot the structure with a lot of signage. Some painted on the walls while some are getting an upgrade with uniform flex boards.

READ | In Indore, India have an eye on The Oval, via Ahmedabad

The stands are named after former legendary cricketers and they continue to find mention on the various walls, staircases and passages.

Amay Khusariya Practice Area inside Indore’s Holkar Cricket Stadium. Image: Sahil Malhotra/Network18

The walls have that old-school texture under the paint, most likely to avoid the structure getting damp.

It doesn’t wear a gigantic sports complex look as the walkways between the stands are narrow on the sides but the meticulous labelling job ensures you don’t lose way while navigating between the numerous stands, staircases and walkways.

One of the beautifully placed walkways under the press box leads to the Amay Khurasiya Practice Area which is a state-of-the-art caged net facility with a lot of practice strips. Right next to that is the Sanjay Jagdale Academy and opposite it is a makeshift hut where star of the venue spends most of his time.

Read | Rohit Sharma and Co aim to seal WTC final spot as visitors seek revival

Sanjay Jagdale Academy in Indore. Image: Sahil Malhotra/Network18

Fondly referred to as Ashok ji, the warm worker has been part of the MPCA setup since 1979, as he likes to remind you repeatedly.

Just hearing the date, I pulled a chair and sat down with him to know all about the venue, the cleanliness and how things were back in the day. As we speak, an army of sweepers continue to sweep the passage and Ashok keeps a close watch.

Ashok, part of the diligent team at Indore’s Holkar Stadium, has been with the MPCA since 1979. Image: Sahil Malhotra/Network18

“Jo aage ka hai sab saaf ho jaaega, hum khud hi ganda nahi rehne dete. Hume accha nahi lagta (Whatever we see, we clean. We don’t like the venue to be in a bad shape). Match ho ya na ho, kaam roz chalu hai. Mai 10-12 log ki team se pura stadium bahar se chakak karwata hu roz (whether match day or not, we clean it every day from the outside),” says Ashok.

Read | Starting an innings in India is more difficult than anywhere: Steve Smith

The veteran at the facility has seen the venue transform from a “jungle with wild bushes” to a proper cricketing facility. He has witnessed all the international fixtures in Indore – both at this venue and Nehru Stadium (the other cricket stadium in Indore) – and vividly remembers the fixtures and the exact dates they were played on.

Indore’s Holkar Stadium was once nothing but a jungle and wild bushes. Image: Sahil Malhotra/Network18

“Sab dekha hu sir. Ye jungle tha. Aao dikhata hu (pointing towards a field with wild grass next to the stadium). Aisa tha ye. Bahut mehnat kiya sabne isko itna bada stadium banane mein. (I have seen everything. It was like a jungle. Let me show you. It was like this. Everyone has worked very hard to make it into a big venue),” Ashok adds.

For him, money was never a priority. “Daal aur roti chahiye bas,” he says. Ashok started working at Rs 60 a month and his biggest regret remains to not take MPCA membership which started out at just Rs 5.

“Tab idea nahi tha bilkul. Bahut dukh hai ki us samay 5 rupay ka membership nahi liya. Aaj bahut mushkil hai member banna, aur tab mai 5 rupay mai ban jaata (Had no idea back then. Still feel sad that I didn’t become MPCA member when the subscription fee was just Rs 5),” says Ashok.

Just like the flashbacks Ashok was undergoing while recalling the old days, many parts of the ground continue to give the old-world aura and yet present a modern look. Some of the seating arrangements, the ones under the Sachin Tendulkar Stand in particular, continue to have benches. Not a common sight in cricket stadiums anymore but certainly very old school yet appealing, and very well maintained.

Cleaning work has been going on inside Indore’s Holkar Stadium ahead of the India-Australia 3rd Test. Indore’s Holkar Stadium was once nothing but a jungle and wild bushes. Image: Sahil Malhotra/Network18

It was clearly a refreshing change from the chaos and mismanagement in Delhi as the staff worked relentlessly to get the stadium ready. There was constant cleaning of the stadium seats and pigeon poop was being cleared before the spectators start coming in on 1 March for the third India-Australia Test.

“Everything is on contract right now. So people come on contract and clean everything inside, but outside it’s my job and responsibility. I arrange bai (maids) for outside cleaning from my locality and double the number for match days. Match waale din sab zyaada saaf rehna chahiye (things should be extra clean on matchdays),” says Ashok.

Moment after explaining everything in detail, Ashok heads to his little army of cleaning staff and explains the next steps very clearly and then goes back into the makeshift hut to oversee proceedings.

The spectators, players and broadcasters will start ferrying to-and-fro the venue starting Wednesday and Ashok is working to ensure they have the cleanest cricketing experience possible. The sweeping will continue even when the match is on but it remains to be seen whether it would be just restricted to the outside pathways and staircases or trickle down to the batters of the two teams too.

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India vs Australia Live Score Updates 3rd Test Day 1: Gill likely to replace Rahul; India eye WTC final spot

08:42 (IST)

IND vs AUS LIVE

Will Gill replace KL Rahul?

India captain Rohit Sharma did not reveal anything yesterday.

“As far as 11 is concerned, I would like to do it at the toss. I prefer it that way considering last minute injuries are a possibility,” he said.

08:38 (IST)

IND vs AUS LIVE

Smith to captain Australia

Steve Smith will be captaining Australia in Indore Test in the absence of Pat Cummins who has flown back home due to her mother's illness. Smith was also the captain when Australia toured India in four Tests in 2017. There's no news on whether Cummins will return for the fourth Test.

08:32 (IST)

WTC final spot on te line

All India need to secure a spot in the final of WTC final is to win the Indore Test. One more Test victory will push India into the final while Australia will get a direct pass if they manage to avoid a defeat in thrid or fourth Test.

08:24 (IST)

Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the third Test between India and Australia which starts today in Indore. With a victory in Indore, India will not only clinch the four-match series but also earn a spot in the WTC final which is scheduled for July this year. Big game coming up and we will be bringing everything live. Stay tuned for the latest updates...

India vs Australia 3rd Test preview: India will have an eye on the spot in the World Test Championship final when they take on Australia in the third Test at Indore which starts on 1 March. Having already won the first two matches and retained the Border-Gavaksar Trophy, it’s also an opportunity for India to capture the four-Test series. Winning the series with the Ahmedabad match to go, India would be able to focus on preparing for the WTC final in the fourth Test.

Both the matches so far in the series, in Nagpur and Indore, finished inside three days each with Indian spinners ruling the proceedings. It’s to be seen if Indore presents a similar track that assists spinners. Yet, despite the nature of the pitch, India may still be forced to make a change given the poor form of KL Rahul. The opener was removed as vice captain but was retained in the squad for Indore and Ahmedabad Tests. He has only scored 38 runs in three innings so far in the Test series and could make way for Shubman Gill who has been in great form in ODIs and T20Is since the start of the year.

IND vs AUS: Live streaming details

India captain Rohit Sharma, however, was in no mood to give away his playing XI for the Indore Test.

“I spoke about it after the last game as well. Players who are going through a tough time, given their potential they will be given enough time to prove themselves,” Rohit said in a media interaction ahead of the match. “Being vice captain or otherwise doesn’t tell you anything. At that point in time he was the vice captain. His removal as vice captain doesn’t indicate anything.”

“As far as 11 is concerned, I would like to do it at the toss. I prefer it that way considering last minute injuries are a possibility.”

Apart from Rahul, India are not expected to make any changes to their side.

Australia, on the other hand, will be making a few changes. Skipper Pat Cummins has gone back home due to his mother’s illness and opener David Warner is out injured. Mitchell Starc is expected to play his first match of the series, while Travis Head is expected to open in place of Warner.

IND vs AUS: Kasprowicz wants Australia to play three pacers in Indore

The sweep shot led to the downfall of multiple Aussie batters in Delhi, but stand-in skipper Smith backed his teammates to continue playing the shot.

“Delhi was probably a difficult place to play the sweep with the variable bounce, more than anything else. A couple of us (including Smith) went away from our plans. That was disappointing.

“For a few players, the sweep is a very productive shot. They have got to stick to it a 100 percent. If they are going to play it, they’ve to commit to it a 100 percent,” he said.

Smith also revealed his plan to put Indian spinners under pressure.

“For us, it’s about sticking to our plans and methods for long periods of time. In the second innings in Delhi, a lot of us went away from our plans and got undone by them.

“We can hopefully apply pressure on the spinners and post good totals on the board. That’s key for us. Hopefully, we can put that into practice in the middle and execute under pressure,” said Smith.

India will seal a WTC final spot with a win in Indore.

Squad:

Australia: Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (captain), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson.

India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat, Ishan Kishan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Suryakumar Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

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Shubman Gill or KL Rahul: A cricket selection masterclass with the 'instinct' man Sanjay Jagdale

It was around 1:30 pm when former First-Class cricketer, BCCI office bearer and senior selector Sanjay Jagdale was done with his gym session at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. It’s a routine he has been following for a long time now and the gym session is preceded by a regular visit to the Yeshwant Club which is right opposite the cricket stadium.

Hard to miss Jagdale in a crowd as he patiently sat in the canteen area of the stadium. Still dressed in the gym gear – T-shirt, shorts and training shoes – the 72-year-old looked supremely fit and was waiting for his cup of tea, without sugar.

The tea arrived and with every sip, a story from his days as BCCI administrator and selector was shared. He would speak at length about how things used to be back in his day and shared his take on the “professionals” being roped in as selectors these days. He would talk about the next generation of Indian players and why it’s important to select teams with past, present and future in mind. As per him, everything must be taken care of and the obsession with runs and numbers is not necessarily required.

“(click of the tongue with a nod of disapproval) Stats and numbers are not necessarily required. I mean to a certain extent yes but those can’t be your everything. He scored here, there. So much numbers not needed. Just ask the simple question: ‘Is this player going to be my future?’. If yes, then go ahead with it, listen to the instinct and go for it,” says Jagdale, who served as Indian selector from 2000 to 2007, in a freewheeling chat with News18 CricketNext.

Future plans are key

Stats teams around the country are right now dishing numbers out to bat for Shubman Gill’s inclusion in the third Test vs Australia and the case against KL Rahul is only getting stronger by the day. While Rohit Sharma was tight-lipped on match eve, Jagdale strongly feels Gill is the right choice, and he backs his choice with another story.

“I have only watched Gill bat on TV but he has looked good, very good. For me, if a player has scored in Australia he has to be in every team. Simple. Format, this format, that format, it doesn’t work like that, if a player has quality to do well in Australia, he should be in your Playing XI straight away. And just look at Gill, how young he is. He is only going to get better and is going to serve the country for a long time. Again, if you are picking a player today, make sure he is part of the future plans,” says Jagdale.

If he plays, Indore Test would be the first time Jagdale will watch him bat from a venue but he has been hearing about Gill’s talent right from his junior days in Punjab. Just when he was about to share that story, a couple of office bearers from the Haryana Cricket Association arrive to meet him. Jagdale politely greets the two before relaxing back into his chair and returning to the Gill story.

“I remember getting a call from Karsan Ghavri who was long time back handling a fast bowlers camp or academy with the Punjab team. Ghavri would tell me how this young boy (Gill) would pad up and face those bowlers with ease. Jo bhi bowler waaha the, Ghavri made Gill play all of those,” says Jagdale.

Through the course of this nearly an hour-long interaction, Jagdale would share anecdotes from his time as a selector and administrator. He was a widely respected BCCI administrator and served as the secretary of the Indian cricket board from 2011 to 2013. He would constantly remind why instinct has to play a major role while picking teams.

“For me it was simple. See the player and if you like him just go with your instinct and have a clear dialogue with everyone. I clearly remember the selection of Harbhajan Singh before the famous series against Steve Waugh’s Australia. Not everyone was on the same page back then but Sourav wanted him and the moment I saw him in the nets, I was convinced too,” recalls Jagdale.

“We saw a future match-winner in Harbhajan moment we saw him in the nets and look what he did in that series and for the country in years to come,” he adds.

The Dhoni touch

Jagdale was part of the Dilip Vengsarkar-led panel which appointed Dhoni the captain for 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa. India went on to win the title and it was the first of the many ICC trophies Dhoni would go on to lift as captain of the country, across formats. Jagdale had been hearing about Dhoni from his U-19 days, in the Cooch Behar Trophy for Bihar.

“I remember getting calls about this boy from Bihar who hits the ball hard. I mean he didn’t score big (84) in that Cooch Behar Trophy final vs Punjab but whatever he scored, it was said that this boy hits the ball very hard and is an effective wicketkeeper,” says Jagdale.

Rest they say is history as Dhoni went on to play the various zone tournaments, featured in the A series where he did really well and then finally made his debut for the country in 2004 ODIs against Bangladesh.

The obsession with numbers, stature

India is a country obsessed with numbers and the cricketing ecosystem continues to be stat-driven. Season after season, players continue to dish out 1000s of runs in the domestic circuit and then wait for the opportunity to come their way. For Jagdale, it was never about the numbers obsession, and more about what he saw in the player. The tea has now reached the half-way mark and the former selector talks about the basic ingredients a selector needs to have.

“Honesty, integrity, clear thinking and good communication. Simple. That’s it. No more no less. It’s not that selectors don’t have difference of opinion with the team management, coaches or selectors. I have had my share of cricketing differences with both Sourav (Ganguly) and John Wright. But one must respect everybody’s opinion and think for the betterment of cricket and players. Yes, I did have good relationship with everyone and that helped but again, that is not everything right” says Jagdale.

Jagdale was part of selection panels which were chaired by heavyweights Chandu Borde, Brijesh Patel, Syed Kirmani, Kiran More and Dilip Vengsarkar. Nowadays, the bigger names are missing from the selection panel so is there a need to have a chairman or probably selector with stature?

“Not really, why? A person must know his basics and be very clear about thought process. Only that is required. Nothing guarantees success. Selection has become a professional job now with people getting a good amount of money. Is there a guarantee that a person who has played more matches for India or at First-Class will do a better job than the one who hasn’t?” adds Jagdale.

Jagdale’s tea was now finished and he exchanged pleasantries with more office-bearers who would come to the canteen for food. This author, too, had a look at the generous buffet spread but no non-vegetarian option was the cue to take leave with a bagful of stories and anecdotes from a decorated BCCI administrator and former selector.

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Ben Stokes confirms availability for IPL 2023 despite knee troubles

England skipper Ben Stokes has confirmed that he will be available for this season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), despite his knee troubles. The 31-year-old, who was one of the costliest players in this year’s IPL auction, has said that he will honour his commitments to the cash-rich league. The England all-rounder was seen struggling in the recent Test against New Zealand and could not bowl more than two overs in the game. He was also unable to perform well with the bat. Despite his niggling knee issues, the Chennai Super Kings player has said he will not miss out on his league matches or consider taking a break ahead of the Ashes in June-July this year.

“I’m going to the IPL. I’ve had conversations with ‘Flem’ (CSK coach Stephen Fleming) and he’s fully aware of the situation with my body. It’s a week by week case at the moment. I’m not going to lie, it’s very frustrating to know that something has been holding me back from performing as I’d like to. I’ve been working hard with the physios and the medics to try and get myself to a place where I can fulfil my role just as I have done for the last 10 years,” Stokes said in an interview to the Daily Mail.

He added that he will do everything possible to fulfil his role in the Ashes. “I’ve got a four-month period now to get it better before the Ashes because I want to be turning up for the first Test in Birmingham able to fulfil my role properly. I’ll be doing everything I can to give myself the best opportunity not to have to worry about it,” the England captain added.

Stokes was bought by Chennai Super Kings for a humongous Rs 16.25 crore in this year’s IPL auction. The all-rounder is expected to be a pivotal part of Chennai’s attempt to bounce back in this year’s competition after a dismal run last year.Coming back to the second England vs New Zealand Test, the Black Caps edged out the Ben Stokes-led side by just 1 run in the fixture at Wellington. England scored 435 in the first innings, thanks to Harry Brook and Joe Root’s centuries. The hosts were bowled out for 209 and had to follow-on. Despite a dismal performance with the bat the first time around, the Tim Southee-led brigade managed to put up 483 on the scoreboard.

England had to score 258 runs to win the contest, but Black Caps bowler Neil Wagner ensured that the team could not reach past the victory line. The two-match Test series ended in a 1-1 draw with New Zealand’s victory in the game.

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'Pleasant surprise': Sachin Tendulkar on his life-size statue at Wankhede Stadium

Legendary cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday said that it was a ‘pleasant surprise’ that his life-size statue was going to be unveiled at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai later this year, during the ODI World Cup in India.

It was in fact at the iconic Wankhede Stadium that Tendulkar won the ICC World Cup in 2011, and played his 200^th and final Test in 2013.

“Well it’s a pleasant surprise. The president is here, Mr. Kale and the other committee members are going to join us in a while. We’ve come here to identify a spot. The idea was shared with me, and as I said it is a pleasant surprise. My career had started here and this is like the completion of a big circle,” he told news agency ANI.

#WATCH | Mumbai: On his life-size statue being erected inside Wankhede stadium by MCA, Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar says, "Pleasant surprise. My career started here. It was a journey with unbelievable memories. Best moment of my career came here when we won 2011 World Cup…" pic.twitter.com/OAHPP7QkSB

— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2023

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Amol Kale announced the news on Tuesday. It will be the first instance of a player’s statue being installed at the iconic stadium.

“We will unveil the statue during the World Cup as a lot of members from the cricket fraternity will be here and will try to make it a grand occasion,” Kale said.

In cricket stadiums across the country, there are only a handful of life-size statues. Only three different statues of the former Indian captain Colonel CK Nayudu have been erected thus far. They are located at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) stadium in Nagpur, and the VDCA stadium in Andhra.

Sachin has featured in 200 Tests, 463 ODIs, and 1 T20I for India, scoring 34,357 runs across all formats. The Master Blaster holds the record for most international centuries with 100 hundreds to his name.

With inputs from ANI

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India vs Australia: In Indore, India have an eye on The Oval, via Ahmedabad

Shubman Gill? KL Rahul? Who will open? This was the only question on everyone’s mind when Rohit Sharma sat for the pre-match presser at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. The Indian captain was the first to enter the “optional” practice session this morning and batted for a long time. In the adjacent net, he had Gill for company.

A good buzz gripped the press box and most felt assured.

“Ye hi khel raha hai (He’s definitely playing),” was the popular sentiment around.

Gill validated the mood and sentiment as he put on another, excuse me for repeating it for the umpteenth time, masterclass with the bat. Pure class laced with precise footwork, fast hands and excellent judgment of length. Let’s not dive deep into this matter anymore as Rohit dead batted the debate in the presser. Most, including yours truly, were looking for cues in press releases and net sessions but Rohit continued to keep cards close to his chest.

“Being vice-captain or not being vice-captain doesn’t indicate or tell you anything. All 17-18 are in reckoning, it’s not just about Gill or anyone else. I prefer announcing XI at toss, will keep it interesting for you guys too (laughs),” Rohit dished out another classic before moving on to the bigger picture he has his eyes on.

IND vs AUS: Team India look to seal WTC final spot

If India manage to beat Australia in this Test, they will secure the final berth of the World Test Championship, scheduled for a June 7 start at The Oval in England. With India not playing a Test after the Ahmedabad fixture, Rohit hinted at the possibility of using that match as a dress rehearsal of sorts for the title clash later this year.

“There is definitely a possibility of that. We have already spoken about it. We need to get the guys ready for it as well,” said Rohit.

The Shardul reveal

The Indian captain also revealed that Shardul Thakur is in the plans for that WTC Final. With conditions being seamer-friendly in England, India could possibly look at beefing up the pace department and Shardul brings both bat and ball to the table.

“The important one is Shardul Thakur because he comes into that plan for us. I don’t know how ready he is… knowing that he just got married yesterday. How much overs he has bowled. That thought process is definitely there. If we do what we do here and get the result we want, we might think of doing something different in Ahmedabad for sure,” said Rohit.

Shardul Thakur is part of that plan (WTC Final) don’t know how ready he is since he just got married (laughs) : Rohit Sharma #INDvAUS #BorderGavaskarTrophy @cricketnext

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) February 28, 2023

India lead the series 2-0 and a win in the Indore Test will allow them the liberty to try various things – a seamer-friendly surface, different combinations and different players. The team management certainly has The Oval locked as their target but are also mindful of the job at hand, the current fixture starting March 1.

Wary of collapse, panic

Speaking on the collapse Australia suffered in the second innings of the Delhi Test, Rohit said the pitches have been challenging and batting hasn’t been easy. He also spoke at length about his Nagpur hundred and asserted that even after playing so many balls, he never felt in on that surface.

“You are never in on pitches like these. Not just them, but us too. We can’t take anything for granted or lightly when we bat,” said Rohit.

You are never in on pitches like these. Not just them, but us too. We can not take it lightly or for granted when we bat : Rohit Sharma #INDvAUS #BorderGavaskarTrophy @cricketnext

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) February 28, 2023

Collapse or not, a lot is at stake for both sides. India have all to play for with the World Test Championship final berth a win away and Australia would use these fixtures to get momentum back on their side before the two sides, potentially, meet again in June. Who walks out to bat with Rohit in the WTC final if it happens? Well, the question could well be answered at the toss tomorrow.

IND vs AUS: Live streaming details

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India vs Australia: Rohit Sharma and Co aim to seal WTC final spot as visitors seek revival

Indore: With a 2-0 lead in the four-match series, India, who look unbeatable at home, will aim to clinch the series with another comprehensive performance in the third Test which begins from Wednesday in Indore. Having already retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy, India are expected to complete a record-extending 16th straight series win at home in the third Test and secure a spot in the World Test Championship final in June. On the other hand, Australia will need a complete turnaround in their fortunes to avoid another defeat which would be enough for them to reach the WTC final.

There’s only one issue for India going into the match in Indore. Who to pick between KL Rahul and Shubman Gill?

Rahul is no more the vice-captain of the side but the team management has shown tremendous faith in him and he might well get another opportunity to get back among the runs.

IND vs AUS: Live streaming details

The only hundred of the series, which has been dominated by spinners, has come from the bat of Rohit Sharma. If India get to bat on day one, the conditions will be ideal for the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli to pile on the runs.

The trio of Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin and Axar Patel has not just delivered with the ball, it has also scored the bulk of the runs so far in the series. Since they can’t be expected to get runs in the lower order regularly, the onus lies on the top-order.

Contrary to Australia’s inexplicable sweeping tactics, Indian batters have adopted the conventional approach against the impressive Australian spinners.

The ⚔️ intensifies and #TeamIndia‘s spot in the WTC Final is on the line.

Will 🇮🇳 come back stronger after a break and seal the series with a win?

Tune-in to the 3rd Mastercard #INDvAUS Test

March 1 | 8:30 AM onwards | Star Sports & Disney+Hotstar#BelieveInBlue #TestByFire pic.twitter.com/EnBSQZ3hH4

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 24, 2023

Rohit has been brilliant with his feet movement, Kohli too has looked assured in the middle and an unbeaten 31 from Cheteshwar Pujara in his 100th Test must have made him more confident going into the third Test.

The square at the Holkar Stadium houses pitches with both black and red soil. The curators have decided to go with the black soil, which usually doesn’t offer as much turn and bounce compared to red soil tracks.

Their battered and bruised opponents, Australia, have got a lot of time to reflect on their defeats in Nagpur and Delhi. The debacle in Delhi, where they effectively lost the game in session, should hurt more.

IND vs AUS: Kasprowicz wants Australia to play three pacers in Indore

In terms of their squad composition, a lot has changed with Pat Cummins back in Australia to be with his ailing mother. Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood and David Warner too are back home. Steve Smith will lead the side.

The visitors could not be faulted for the amount of effort they are putting in to stage a comeback in the series.

They seem ready to shun the inexplicable sweeping tactics they employed in Delhi and are expected to take a more conventional approach to counter the rampaging Ashwin and Jadeja.

Such has been their domination that Patel has only got to bowl 26 overs.

How the Australians defend against the spinners will be key to their chances here. Runs are always vital but their batters need to bat long. It has to be a mix of caution and aggression as the over attacking style of play is likely to be counter-productive.

Travis Head is expected to open alongside Usman Khawaja.

Khawaja struck a well-made 81 in Delhi and Head briefly put pressure on the spinners with his aggressive play. Trust head to continue in the same fashion while Khawaja will be expected to play the waiting game.

The fulcrum of their batting, Smith and Labuschagne, average less than 30 so far in the series and without their runs, an Australia fightback will be highly unlikely.

All-rounder Cameron Green is fit again alongside Mitchell Starc and both are expected to start on Wednesday. Australia are likely to continue with three specialist spinners in Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann.

Squad:

Australia: Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (captain), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson.

India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat, Ishan Kishan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Suryakumar Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

Match starts at 9.30 am IST.

With PTI inputs

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Sachin Tendulkar's life-size statue to be installed at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium

A life-size statue of Sachin Tendulkar will be installed at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium, his home ground. Officials are hoping to unveil the statue of the Indian legend either on 24 April, the occasion of Tendulkar’s 50th birthday, or during the ICC Men’s World Cup later this year, as per a report by Indian Express. The move comes almost a decade after his retirement from international cricket. Sachin Tendulkar played his final Test at the Wankhede Stadium against the West Indies in 2013.

With this, Tendulkar will join an elite league of cricketers with life-size statues inside stadiums globally. Late Australia legend Shane Warne has a life-size statue at Melbourne’s MCG. Closer back home, there are three life-size statues of former India batter CK Nayudu at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, the VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam and the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.

“Tendulkar is a Bharat Ratna and everyone knows what he has contributed to cricket. As he turns 50, it will be a small token of appreciation from the Mumbai Cricket Association. I spoke to him three weeks ago and received his consent on the matter,” Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Amol Kale told Indian Express.

Tendulkar already has a stand named after him at the stadium. Apart from that former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has a corporate box and former batter Dilip Vengsarkar have a stand named after them at the Wankhede.

Sachin Tendulkar remains the inspiration for dozens of cricketers across the globe even after his retirement from the game. Fondly known as the ‘Master Blaster’ for his attacking style, Tendulkar has several records to his name. The Mumbai-born batter is the only player in the world to slam 100 centuries in international cricket.

Tendulkar also holds the record for the most Test centuries (51), number of Test appearances (200 fixtures) and most number of runs scored in the longest format of the game (15921).

During his career, Sachin Tendulkar also played 463 One-Day Internationals, scoring 18426 runs in the format.

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India vs Australia: Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and another day of guesswork

Right under the Sachin Tendulkar stand, Shubman Gill padded up and took guard for his first hit of the day. Rest of his teammates were busy warming up but Gill was itching to bat. It was not going to be his only hit of the day as he would keep switching nets for the remainder of the session.

All this while, he wasn’t alone and had KL Rahul either in the adjacent net or waiting for his turn. The two walked out to bat at the same time, after Gill’s session earlier in the day, under the watchful eyes of coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma. Both were stationed in the center and had good vision of the two openers.

Rohit had just finished batting but he stayed back with pads on to watch the right-handers in action. Gill would start against a spin-heavy line-up featuring Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja while KL Rahul faced a seam-spin combination led by Mohammed Shami.

With Gill, it was instant impact and he looked all at ease against Jadeja. There was a mini-contest of sorts between the two and Gill clearly had the upperhand as he hit a couple of delightful inside-out drives and looked to dominate the left-arm spinner.

Shubman Gill (L) and KL Rahul (R) in the nets. #INDvsAUS #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/iQ1WuVkPDg

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) February 27, 2023

The approach was similar against Ashwin and he looked comfortable going aerial against the spin-twins. When it was Rahul’s turn to face spin music, he was tentative and little unassured to start with but when he got his eye in, he too looked to play his shots and swept well in the process.

Both Gill and Rahul were clearly not done with batting and the former rushed to the corner net where Ishan Kishan was facing some side-armers. Kishan made way for Gill and KL Rahul, after a quick hydration break, followed Gill to the corner net. The two would take turns for short batting bursts before calling it a day.

There weren’t any clear signs of who would play but chorus for Gill’s inclusion is getting louder by the day. The only change in the Indore XI, if any, will be who opens with Rohit in the third Test. Rahul has faced a lot of flak for his underwhelming returns at top of the order and him not being the vice-captain anymore will make the management call much easier now.

Kohli, Rohit and a spin masterclass

The experienced pair of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli put on a masterclass of how to bat against spin. The two were precise with their footwork and didn’t shy away from getting to the pitch of the turning deliveries often. They took turns to face the pair of Ashwin and Jadeja but both were equally impressive.

#INDvsAUS

Ash comes from around the stumps, Kohli dances down the track and lofts it over the bowler's ahead. Intent remains the keyword as far as Kohli is concerned. Looking very busy. As if itching to score off every ball. #BorderGavaskarTrophy @cricketnext

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) February 27, 2023

For most of the session, Ashwin remained around the wicket and Kohli countered it well by dancing down the track and lofting it over the bowler’s head. It was something he was working on judiciously in the marathon session on Sunday and connected a few nicely.

The former India skipper clearly looked very busy in the session as he kept exploring scoring options on both sides of the wicket and hardly looked to defend.

Rohit too looked positive with his footwork and approach and kept jumping out of the crease. If Kohli was stepping out, Rohit was quite literally jumping. Even while defending Ashwin, he would hop out of the crease and dab the ball down right under his nose with soft hands. Soft hands, yes that was the key when he defended deliveries directed towards the body or pads.

🏏Australia trains hard at the Holkar Stadium in Indore

🏏Mitchell Starc looks raring to go

🏏Top order faces spin #INDvsAUS | #BGT @Sahil_Malhotra1 shares some exclusive footage⤵️https://t.co/tU5qV52vMY

— News18 CricketNext (@cricketnext) February 27, 2023

The cover comes off

The Indore strip was covered for most of the day but the covers finally came off around 4:20 pm when coach Dravid inspected the 22 yards with other members of the support staff. From the distance, it looks better than what was offered in both Nagpur and Delhi, not suggesting they were bad pitches.

During the little bounce test by the support staff, there were some patches where it kept really low around the short of good length area but that could well be due to the watering and some time under the sun could settle matters there.

Covers came off the pitch and it did look better than what we saw in Delhi and Nagpur. There are few spots where ball was keeping a tad low (they did a bounce test near the short of good length area) but some sun, water should settle matters there. Roller is out too. #INDvsAUS

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) February 27, 2023

The ground staff rushed the roller to the middle after the bounce test and gave the strip a nice roll under generous sunshine. The players by then also vacated the practice nets and eased back to the dressing room.

Yes, both KL Rahul and Shubman Gill didn’t return for another hit with the bat but the eyes will firmly remain on the pair when they jog out on eve of the match as the question of ‘Who will open with Rohit?’ remains unanswered, for now.

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T20 World Cup 2023: Richa Ghosh only Indian in team of tournament, four Australians included

Cape Town: Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh was the only Indian to find a place in the ICC’s Most Valuable Team of Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 which was announced on Monday. Richa, 19, was the second-highest run-getter for India in the tournament as the team reached the semi-finals. Richa scored 136 runs from five matches at a strike rate of 131. Her scores of 31 not out vs Pakistan, 44 not out vs West Indies and 47 not out vs England played a big role in helping India reach the last-four stage.

India’s World Cup campaign ended with a five-run defeat against Australia.

The Most Valuable Team of Women’s T20 World Cup includes four from the champions Australia.

They are wicketkeeper-opener Alyssa Healy, who scored 189 runs at 47.25 and effected four dismissals, all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, who scored 110 runs at 36.66 and grabbed 10 wickets at 12.50, Darcie Brown (seven wickets at 15.00) and Megan Schutt (10 wickets at 12.50).

The team was chosen by a panel of experts, including commentator and former West Indies player Ian Bishop and ex-Australian woman cricketer Melanie Jones, among others.

Most Valuable Team of the Women’s T20 World Cup (in batting order): Tazmin Brits (South Africa) 186 runs at 37.20; Alyssa Healy (wk) (Australia) 189 runs at 47.25 and four dismissals; Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa) 230 runs at 46.00; Nat Sciver-Brunt (c) (England) 216 runs at 72.00; Ashleigh Gardner (Australia) 110 runs at 36.66 and 10 wickets at 12.50; Richa Ghosh (India) 136 runs at 68.00; Sophie Ecclestone (England) 11 wickets at 7.54; Karishma Ramharack (West Indies) 5 wickets at 10.00; Shabnim Ismail (South Africa) 8 wickets at 16.12; Darcie Brown (Australia) 7 wickets at 15.00; Megan Schutt (Australia) 10 wickets at 12.50; 12th player: Orla Prendergast (Ireland) 109 runs at 27.25 and 3 wickets at 26.00.

With PTI inputs

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Watch: Umpire collapses to ground after shot by batter strikes him in head during President's Cup match

A shocking incident took place during the Mumbai Cricket Association President’s Cup A & B Division match on Sunday, 26 February, when an umpire was hit on the head in a freak accident. During the Parsee Gymkhana vs Apollo CC game, umpire Vinod Shivpuram was struck by a blinder from batter Shams Mulani and collapsed to the ground. A video of the accident has been doing the rounds on social media.

Shivpuram was wearing just a hat over his head, so it could not be ascertained from the video how much he was injured.

The clip shows players and staff members from both teams rushing to Shivpuram’s aid. The umpire can be seen lying on the ground and struggling to get up while people around him try to help him. As per reports, Parsee Gymkhana’s physio Dr Saloni gave first aid to Shivpuram and helped him recover.

Scary, very scary!
This happened in a local club match in Mumbai. BCCI umpire Vinod Shivpuram got smacked on the head after a blinder of a shot from Shams Mulani. It is understood that Parsee Gymkhana’s ace physio Dr Saloni did a fab job. MRI scan is clear. pic.twitter.com/tzkm7jJ5vZ

— Harit Joshi (@Haritjoshi) February 26, 2023

As for the game, the Parsee Gymkhana won a decisive victory over Apollo CC. The team was able to set a target of 184/5 in 20 overs, guided by Shams Mulani’s 79-run knock.  Kevin D’Almeida also put up a splendid performance. He lost out on his half-century by a whisker and was dismissed for 49 runs. For Apollo CC, Vijay Kumavat had the best bowling figures, scalping three wickets for 29 runs.

When it was time for Apollo CC to bat, they could not stand against the bowling attack of Shams Mulani. The all-rounder took a five-wicket haul, giving away just 17 runs. While Abhinav Jagtap did try to steady the innings, his score of 67 went in vain, as the side were bowled out for 143 runs in 18.3 overs.

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Australia defeat South Africa by 19 runs to win T20 World Cup for a sixth time

The victorious Australian team poses with the trophy at the picturesque Newlands after winning the T20 World Cup for a record-extending sixth time. Reuters

Beth Mooney top-scored for Australia with an unbeaten 74 off 53 balls, helping Australia cross the 150-mark in the process. Reuters

Australia all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner struck a lively 29 and was also economical with the ball, returning figures of 1/20 after bowling out her quota. Reuters

Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner were adjudged the Player of the Match and the Player of the Tournament respectively. Reuters

Shabnim Ismail dismissed Ellyse Perry and Georgia Wareham off consecutive balls in the final over of the Australia innings to become the most successful bowler of all time in the T20 World Cup. Reuters

Laura Wolvaardt kept South Africa in the hunt in their chase of the 157-run target until getting dismissed for 61 by Megan Schutt. Reuters

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T20 World Cup Final: Australia's record-extending triumph, Mooney and Ismail's individual feats and other stats

Australia won the Women’s T20 World Cup for the sixth time when they beat South Africa by 19 runs in the final at Newlands on Sunday.

Opening batter Beth Mooney anchored the Australian innings, scoring an unbeaten 74 in a total of 156 for six.

South Africa were never up with the required run rate and were restricted to 137 for six despite opener Laura Wolvaardt hitting 61 off 48 balls.

Wolvaardt and the hard-hitting Chloe Tryon gave a near-capacity crowd of about 15,000 hope with an attacking fourth wicket partnership of 55 off 37 balls but the match was effectively over when Wolvaardt was leg before wicket to Megan Schutt in the 17th over.

The left-handed Mooney played a measured innings, scoring her 74 runs off 53 balls while a succession of partners batted aggressively.

Ash Gardner and Grace Harris both batted ahead of captain Meg Lanning and appeared to be under instructions to go for their shots.

South Africa’s bowlers performed steadily and were backed up by enthusiastic fielding. Stalwarts Shabnim Ismail and Kapp both took two wickets each.

But Australia showed their quality in defending their total with athleticism and commitment that put the South African batters under constant pressure.

With the Southern Stars emerging triumphant yet again, we take a look at some of the records broken and some of the milestones achieved during the T20 World Cup final:

— Australia have now won a record-extending sixth T20 world title, completing a second T20 World Cup hat-trick (2018, 2020 and 2023) with this victory. England and West Indies, both of whom have one title each, are the only other sides to have won the tournament while India, South Africa and New Zealand have finished runners-up.

— With this victory, Meg Lanning now becomes the most successful captain in the history of cricket in terms of ICC trophies — having led the Aussies to four T20 World Cup triumphs along with last year’s ODI World Cup victory.

In last 3 Women’s T20 World Cups
Player of the Match in final:
2018 – Ashleigh Gardner
2020 – Alyssa Healy
2023 – Beth Mooney

Player of the Tournament:
2018 – Alyssa Healy
2020 – Beth Mooney
2023 – Ashleigh Garner

The same 3 players in both lists, in different order.

— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) February 26, 2023

— With her unbeaten knock of 74, Australia opener Beth Mooney became the first batter ever to score a fifty in back-to-back T20 World Cup finals.

— Shabnim Ismail collected two wickets off consecutive deliveries in the final over of the Australia innings, going past Anya Shrubsole (41) to become the most successful bowler in the history of the T20 World Cup with 43 wickets to her name.

— Additionally, South Africa became the first team to lose a World Cup final — T20 or ODI — as the host nation.

With inputs from AFP

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Highlights, Australia vs South Africa, T20 World Cup 2023 Final, Full Cricket Score: Australia win sixth T20 world title

22:22 (IST)

That brings us to the end of our coverage of the 2023 T20 World Cup final, with Australia ultimately emerging triumphant yet again to complete a second hat-trick of T20 World Cup titles and take their count to six, making winning appear a mundane, everyday task with their remarkable consistency and never-say-die attitude. The Sune Luus-led Proteas, too, deserve to hold their heads high for achieving what no South African team had ever done before and giving Meg Lanning's side a spirited fight before eventually going down by 19 runs.

With that, this is Amit signing off, bidding you all a good night!

22:05 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

Meg Lanning, Australia captain: It's a pretty special effort from the group. Super proud. We felt like it was a good score. To put South Africa under pressure, I thought the powerplay went well. It's about enjoying the opportunity. We knew it was going to be an amazing atmosphere, which it was. Thoroughly enjoyed it, to go out and see what this beautiful country has to offer. Nice to finish off with a win here. It's a special group, not just the players but the support staff who also work so hard.

22:02 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

Sune Luus, South Africa captain: It’s been absolutely amazing, to play at a home ground with so many watching. Thank you Newlands and every single supporter. It has been amazing. I think obviously at the halfway stage we were confident. They have a brilliant bowling attack as well. It’s very exciting for the coming months. I know there are so many girls who want to pick up a bat or a ball. Firstly, you are very annoying, but congratulations to you all! You showed your class again today. So well deserved! Just to keep on growing, we’ve set the platform today. We can’t go backwards.

21:51 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

Beth Mooney is the Player of the Match for her unbeaten 74!

BM: Incredible being in South Africa and playing in front of a crowd like this one was special. I am glad I can fake it. I was not calm and the crowd was impressive and not many cheering for us. I walked off thinking we hadn't gotten on the board. Never judge a wicket till both the teams had batted and we did well.

21:48 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Score

Ashleigh Gardner is the Player of the Tournament!

AG: I guess we've been longing for this moment since the last World Cup. We weren't in a winning position for a lot of time, but we scrapped and fought through. My role within the team is try and change the game with whatever I can do. What I'm most excited for is that we are World Cup champions.

21:45 (IST)

How special have the Proteas been in this tournament!

This will hurt but it will also bring so much hope. This team have done something incredibly special. Not only are they first to reach a senior World Cup final but they've captured the hearts of a nation - and we saw almost 14,000 of those inspired here today. #T20WorldCup

— Firdose Moonda (@FirdoseM) February 26, 2023

21:43 (IST)

Summing it up
 

Tremendous fight from SAfrica in this final but like most nations up against the Aust system in this era, it's basically cavalry versus tanks #T20WorldCupFinal

— Daniel Brettig 🏏 (@danbrettig) February 26, 2023

21:36 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

After 20 overs,South Africa Women 137/6 ( Nadine de Klerk 8 , Sinalo Jafta (W) 9)

AUSTRALIA WIN BY 19 RUNS TO COLLECT THEIR SIXTH T20 WORLD TITLE! And with this victory, they also complete a second hat-trick of T20 world titles!

The South Africans did put up an admirable fightback in the middle overs through the Wolvaardt-Tryon partnership, but ended up losing wickets in a heap in the business end to eventually fall short!
 

21:27 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

OUT! Superb piece of fielding by Ellyse Perry in the deep and with that, Corbin Bosch is run out for 1! Australia inch closer to their sixth T20 world title! SA 122/6; need 35 off 12

Bosch run out (Perry/Healy) 1(2)

21:25 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

OUT! And just like that, Australia get another wicket with Jonassen breaching Tryon's defence and rattling her leg stump! And with that, South Africa's hopes are now as good as over! SA 121/5; need 36 off 15

Tryon b Jonassen 25(23)

21:24 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

SIX! Smashed down the ground by Tryon off Jonassen, a much-needed strike for the Proteas that keeps their hopes hanging by a thread! SA 121/4; need 36 off 16

21:22 (IST)

SA vs AUS LIVE Score

OUT! Body blow to South Africa's hopes as Megan Schutt traps Laura Wolvaardt LBW, resulting in the opener having to march back to the pavilion after an excellent 48-ball 61! Wolvaardt trires tries reviewing, but gets three reds on HawkEye. SA 109/4

Wolvaardt LBW Schutt 68(41)

21:17 (IST)

SA vs AUS LIVE Score

After 16 overs,South Africa Women 104/3 ( Laura Wolvaardt 61 , Chloe Tryon 14)

We're into the final four overs of the T20 World Cup! Darcie Brown bowls out a slightly expensive final over, conceding 10 runs, to finish with 1/25 while Ash Gardner concedes just six in her third over, leaving the Proteas needing 53 off 24

21:10 (IST)

AUS vs SA LIVE Score

FOUR! What a way for Laura Wolvaardt to bring up her half-century, getting down on one knee and absolutely smoking the ball through the covers off Brown! Brings up her seventh T20I fifty, and her first against the Aussies, taking 43 balls to bring up the milestone. SA 92/3

21:06 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Cricket Score

After 13 overs,South Africa Women 73/3 ( Laura Wolvaardt 41 , Chloe Tryon 5)

SIX! Muscled into the grass bank beyond deep midwicket in the free hit after Tahlia McGrath oversteps for a second time in her second over. While Perry managed to prevent the boundary in the previous free hit, there was little stopping this from going over the rope.

21:03 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Score

OUT! Huge mix-up between Wolvaard and Luus, and the latter has to walk back to the dressing room for just two as the Proteas lose their third wicket! Wolvaardt had taken a couple of steps from the non-striker's end after responding to Luus' call, only to change her mind in the last second. Unless Wolvaardt is able to conjure up a miracle from here, there should be little stopping Australia from a sixth T20 world title! SA 54/3

Luus run out (Mooney/Healy) 2(5)

20:58 (IST)

Sweet revenge

When Kapp When you
gets you get Kapp pic.twitter.com/bTTN3AEoav

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 26, 2023

20:51 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Score

After 10 overs,South Africa Women 52/2 ( Laura Wolvaardt 28 , Sune Luus (C) 1)

FOUR! Muscled away towards the midwicket fence by Wolvaardt off Wareham, bringing up the fifty for the Proteas in the process! South Africa, meanwhile, are way behind Australia at the halfway mark of the chase and will need something special from Wolvaardt and Luus if they are to emerge winners tonight.

20:48 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Score

OUT! Another big wicket for the Aussies, with Marizanne Kapp getting a thick leading edge while attempting a slog-sweep off Ash Gardner, resulting in a simple catch for Darcie Brown at short third man. SA 46/2

Kapp c Brown b Gardner 11(11)

20:45 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

After 8 overs,South Africa Women 41/1 ( Laura Wolvaardt 20 , Marizanne Kapp 9)

The Proteas certainly are mounting a fightback at the moment! Wolvaardt and Kapp collect a boundary each off Brown right after the powerplay, with the former charging down the track and smashing Jess Jonassen for a maximum in the following over.

20:42 (IST)

Another reason why this game is unique

South Africa never defeated Australia in women's international cricket.

An ICC event finalist never winning against the other finalist earlier - its happening for the first time.#AUSvSA

— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) February 26, 2023

20:37 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

After 6 overs,South Africa Women 22/1 ( Laura Wolvaardt 7 , Marizanne Kapp 4)

Marizanne Kapp manages to collect a boundary after walking out to bat in place of Tazmin Brits, muscling the ball through the covers off Schutt. The Proteas, however, will need a lot more of that if they are to chase 157 down as they are 14 short of what the Aussies managed at the end of the powerplay.
 

South Africa need 135 off 84 with nine wickets in hand

20:31 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

OUT! Tazmin Brits, hero of the semi-final win over England, is the first to depart as she barely clears the circle while looking to go downtown. McGrath pedals back and ends up safely pouching the ball. SA 17/1

Brits c McGrath b Brown 10(17)

20:26 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

FOUR! Another misfield by the Aussies, this time at short fine and Ellyse Perry will not be one bit amused by the sloppiness. A much-needed bit of luck for the Proteas after the barrage of dots. SA 12/0

20:24 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

After 2 overs,South Africa Women 6/0 ( Laura Wolvaardt 4 , Tazmin Brits 1)

Both Wolvaard and Brits are off the mark in the first two overs, the former opening her and the team's account with a boundary. Australia, meanwhile, have opted for seam and spin in tandem, starting with Schutt and Gardner.

20:18 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

FOUR! Wolvaardt opens the Proteas' account with a boundary, courtesy a misfield at mid on, after four dot deliveries by Schutt in the first over! SA 4/0

20:18 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

Right then, Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits walk out to begin South Africa's chase. The pair have been outstanding in their last two outings and will hope to get off to another strong start today. Megan Schutt will open the bowling for the Aussies.

20:16 (IST)

What a beast of a player

Beth Mooney in finals:

74*(53) in 2023 T20 WC final.
61(41) in 2022 CWG final.
62(47) in 2022 ODI WC final.
78*(54) in 2020 T20 WC final.

A Player born to perform in finals for Australia. pic.twitter.com/8PTC9gXkGp

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 26, 2023

20:16 (IST)

Can the Proteas end a long wait today?

South Africa have never won against Australia, or scored more than 141 against Australia, nor have they been quicker than 7.1 runs per over.

If you're going to choose a time to do it, this is probably it.

— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) February 26, 2023

20:07 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Cricket Score

After 20 overs,Australia Women 156/6 ( Beth Mooney 74 , Tahlia McGrath 1)

Superb comeback by Ismail after getting hit for a six and a four in the first two balls by Mooney, dismissing Perry and Wareham off successive deliveries to ensure the defending champions are restricted below the 160-mark.

Can the hosts chase down 157 and end Australia's dominance? Or will Lanning and Co win a sixth world title? Stay tuned for the chase...

20:01 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Cricket Score

BOWLED! Shabnim Ismail is on a hat-trick! Castles George Wareham, who is sent ahead of Tahlia McGrath due to her clean-hitting abilities, first ball! Ismail now has 43 T20 World Cup wickets to her name to become the most successful bowler ever in the tournament's history. AUS 155/6

Wareham b Ismail 0(1)

19:59 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Score

OUT! Ellyse Perry perishes in the final over, getting a thick top edge that results in a simple catch for Brits at mid on as Ismail finally has a wicket to her name in the final. AUS 155/5

Perry c Brits b Ismail 7(5)

19:51 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Score

After 18 overs,Australia Women 134/4 ( Beth Mooney 56 , Ellyse Perry 5)

FOUR! Beth Mooney brings up her 18th T20I half-century in style, smacking the ball over extra cover off Marizanne Kapp, taking 44 deliveries to bring up the milestone today. She also becomes the first batter to score a half-century in two T20 World Cup finals!

19:48 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

OUT! The Proteas certainly have had their moments on the field today! Tryon pulls off a superb catch this time to dismiss Aussie captain Lanning, who decides to pull Kapp towards the square leg fence looking for a maximum. AUS 122/4

Lanning c Tryon b Kapp 10(11)

19:44 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

After 16 overs,Australia Women 118/3 ( Beth Mooney 47 , Meg Lanning (C) 9)

Four more overs to go, and the Aussies appear well set to post a total in excess of 160 with a fairly well set Mooney at the centre. The left-handed opener, who is three short of her half-century at the moment, collects a boundary off the third delivery of the 16th, taking the aerial route over point off Ismail.

19:36 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

BOWLED! Mlaba breaches Harris' defence with one that stays a tad low, hitting the leg stump in the process, as Australia lose two wickets in quick succession! AUS 103/3

Harris b Mlaba 10(9)

19:33 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

After 14 overs,Australia Women 103/2 ( Beth Mooney 41 , Grace Harris 10)

FOUR! Grace Harris brings up the 100 for the Southern Stars with a boundary, advancing and muscling the ball towards long on off Tryon! Big over for the Aussies, with 11 coming off Tryon's second.

19:30 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

OUT! Superb catch by Sune Luus at long off as Chloe Tryon gets the prized wicket of Ashleigh Gardner, who departs after an attacking 29! The ball nearly disappeared in the blue sky, and it took real focus for the Proteas skipper to pull this off. AUS 83/2

Gardner c Luus b Tryon 29(21)

19:15 (IST)

AUS vs SA LIVE Score

After 10 overs,Australia Women 73/1 ( Beth Mooney 25 , Ashleigh Gardner 27)

Australia suddenly are looking a lot more settled at the halfway mark than they did at the end of the powerplay, going at over seven-an-over with nine wickets in hand and Gardner taking the attack to the Proteas. As long as she's around, Australia have a genuine shot at crossing 160 today.

19:12 (IST)

AUS vs SA LIVE Score

After 9 overs,Australia Women 66/1 ( Beth Mooney 19 , Ashleigh Gardner 26)

SIX! SIX! And now back-to-back maximums — the first of the final — for Ashleigh Gardner, who steps up for the Southern Stars in yet another crunch game! Smashes the first one straight over de Klerk's head before going inside out over wide long off!

19:07 (IST)

AUS vs SA LIVE Score

After 8 overs,Australia Women 53/1 ( Beth Mooney 18 , Ashleigh Gardner 14)

FOUR! FOUR! A boundary after a space of 21 balls for Australia, and a welcome one at that, as Ash Gardner rocks back and muscles a half-tracker from Mlaba towards the midwicket fence. She makes it back-to-back boundaries with an inside out lofted drive towards the wide long off fence.

19:00 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Cricket Score

After 6 overs,Australia Women 36/1 ( Beth Mooney 15 , Ashleigh Gardner 0)

Maiden over for Shabnim Ismail, with in-form opener Beth Mooney unable to pierce the off-side cordon. The seamer ends the over with a steep bouncer to the southpaw to collect a maiden inside the powerplay!

18:57 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Cricket Score

OUT! Kapp draws first blood for the Proteas, bouncing Healy out as the Aussie wicketkeeper-batter tamely chips the short delivery towards cover to depart for 18! AUS 36/1

Healy c de Klerk b Kapp 18(20)

18:49 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Score

After 4 overs,Australia Women 25/0 ( Alyssa Healy (W) 13 , Beth Mooney 10)

FOUR! Tickled away through the gap between backward point and third man by Mooney, who moves to double figures in the process, off Khaka at the end of the fourth over. The Aussie opening stand is starting to look ominous now for the Proteas.

18:42 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

After 2 overs,Australia Women 13/0 ( Alyssa Healy (W) 10 , Beth Mooney 1)

FOUR! Shabnim Ismail, bowling the second over, bowls one short and wide to Healy, who promptly slaps it over cover to collect her second boundary. Later in the over, the Proteas burn a review after an unsuccessful LBW appeal against Healy, with the ball easily missing leg.

18:38 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

After 1 over,Australia Women 5/0 ( Alyssa Healy (W) 5 , Beth Mooney 0)

Tidy first over from Nonkululeko Mlaba barring the boundary in the second ball, with the left-arm spinner bowling four dots that elicit a few cheers from the Newlands crowd. Healy collects a single off the last ball to keep the strike.

18:35 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

FOUR! Healy gets down on one knee and sweeps Mlaba towards deep square leg to open Australia's account with a boundary! AUS 4/0

18:33 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

The national anthems have been sung (with South African all-rounder Marizanne Kapp overcome with emotion, barely able to sing Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika), and it's time for one final round of action in what has been a remarkable tournament so far.

Healy and Mooney walk out to open the Aussie innings, with left-arm spinner Mlaba opening the bowling for the Proteas.

18:11 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

Pommie Mbangwa and Lisa Sthalekar analyse the Newlands pitch ahead of the final:

PM: What a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky. This is the exact conditions you want in a final. This tournament has been the highest scoring of all Women’s T20 World Cups, and that’s something. Chasing will be a bit more difficult.

LS: I see a used pitch from the two semi-finals, and that will help the spinners. The fast bowlers have been exceptional. Shabnim Ismail and Darcie Brown are the two to watch out. Whoever can cope with short-pitched deliveries will come out better.

18:10 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

Teams:

Australia:  Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (c), Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus (c), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Anneke Bosch, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba

Australia vs South Africa preview: South Africa’s women cricketers will go where none of their male counterparts have gone when they contest their very first World Cup final at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday.

The hosts reached the final of the women’s T20 World Cup with a thrilling six-run win over England but now they will be up against Australia, a team of proven World Cup winners, who have won five of the previous six T20 finals.

The Aussies also had a tight semi-final when they edged past India by just five runs but they are loaded with experience which their captain Meg Lanning believes will help them in the pressure moments.

“Having been in pressure situations before helps a lot,” said Lanning on Saturday.

“We’re not going to be the team that everyone’s cheering for.

“We’re expecting South Africa to come out to play to their full strength and they’re riding a wave of emotion as well.

“I expect an incredible atmosphere and an incredible game at an amazing venue. It’s a World Cup final and there’s nowhere to hide.”

Lanning said there would be pressure on both teams.

“It comes down to holding your nerve under pressure,” she said.

Following South Africa’s dramatic upset of England in Friday’s semi-final, there were queues outside the ground on Saturday as new-found followers of the women’s game sought to buy tickets.

That win was accompanied by scenes of unbridled joy as 7500 spectators inside the ground cheered them on.

Sunday’s crowd is expected to be considerably bigger with the game marking a watershed moment at an iconic venue that hosted its first men’s Test match in 1889.

No South African team, men or women, had previously gone beyond the semi-finals of either a 50-overs or T20 World Cup.

“We’ve always known we had the ability to get to a final, I think it was just to get through that semi-final,” said South African captain Sune Luus.

‘The Best v The Best’

While Australia stormed through the group stages before being pushed all the way by India in the semi-finals, South Africa lost two of their first three games.

They looked anything but championship contenders when they lost the tournament opening match against Sri Lanka and they went down by six wickets in a group match against Australia in Gqeberha.

“We were 20, 30, 40 runs short in that game,” said Luus.

“We know they (Australia) have a very strong batting line-up and they bat extremely deep.

“Whether we bat first or second we know we have to put up a good fight. We know they’re going to keep fighting. We saw that in their semi-final against India.”

Luus said South Africa had a strong pace bowling attack and she expected an “even contest” between her bowlers and the Australia batters.

“It’s going to be the best in the world against the best in the world.”

Luus, 27, said the discussion before the semi-final had been on how to handle the big occasion.

“Everybody was hyped up and excited but we said before the game that the team that is the calmest is going to get over the finish line. I think tomorrow is going to be no different.”

Tazmin Brits, 32, who until the retirement of big-hitting Lizelle Lee last year was not an automatic choice for the team, made herself a national heroine by hitting top score of 68 and holding four catches in a remarkable display of big-match temperament.

She found herself on the front and back pages of Saturday’s newspapers.

“She’s got a lot of self-belief. It’s been years of hard work that finally came together,” said coach Hilton Moreeng.

Probable teams:

South Africa: Sune Luus (captain), Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Anneke Bosch, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta (wkt), Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba

Australia: Meg Lanning (captain), Alyssa Healy (wkt), Beth Mooney, Ash Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

With inputs from AFP

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