Steven Adams has turned down a chance to represent NZ at the Basketball World Cup, India beat Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup and we look ahead to the Kiwis vs Mate Ma'a Tonga this weekend
Former Victorian wicketkeeper Darren Berry lost it watching India's win over Pakistan at the World Cup overnight, blaming a series of blunders on the unnecessary accessories on some players' hands.
Virat Kohli and Co. secured bragging rights with an 89-run win on the Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-interrupted match after taking control from the start as India scored 5/336 from its 50 overs.
Former Victorian wicketkeeper Darren Berry lost it watching India's win over Pakistan at the World Cup overnight, blaming a series of blunders on the unnecessary accessories on some players' hands.
Virat Kohli and Co. secured bragging rights with an 89-run win on the Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-interrupted match after taking control from the start as India scored 5/336 from its 50 overs.
Can understand most things, you are sometimes just outskilled by your opponents but Pak’s ground fielding is inexcusable
Look at the amount of tape on the fingers tonight in this game it is staggering Shoaib Malik applying 4kg to almost every finger at the National anthems Repeat cannot catch or field with hands wrapped up like a boxer Unnatural feel no chance 😩
Pakistan's fielding was sub-par and Rohit Sharma cashed in on some ordinary bowling too. Far too often the fast bowlers dropped short and the elegant right-hander was in superb touch as he scored a brilliant 140 off just 113 balls.
He put on an opening partnership of 136 with KL Rahul (57) and the top order assault continued when Kohli arrived at the crease. India's captain compiled a sparkling 77 off 65 deliveries, making history in the process by becoming the fastest ever batsman to score 11,000 ODI runs.
Kohli needed just 222 innings to reach the mark, smashing countryman Sachin Tendulkar, who held the record previously. The Little Master took 276 innings to break the 11,000-run barrier in the 50-over format.
That Kohli smashed Tendulkar's effort by 54 innings shows just how freakish he is in one-day cricket and he became the ninth batsman in history to hit 11,000 runs in the coloured clothing.
The skipper was an outside chance to notch his 42nd ODI century as he looked to up the ante at the end of the innings, but he had nobody else to blame when he fell 23 runs short of triple figures. He missed an attempted hook shot off Mohammad Amir but walked off, believing he'd edged the ball behind to the wicketkeeper.
Rohit Sharma. Photo / Getty
Ultra Edge showed later Kohli hadn't made contact with the ball.
Pakistan started its chase brightly but just as it did against Australia, suffered a middle order collapse to have its hopes of victory dashed. The men in green lost 4/12 to be reduced to 5/129 and they never recovered.
Fakhar Zaman (62) and Babar Azam (48) put on 104 runs for the second wicket before Azam copped a beauty from Kuldeep Yadav. The left-arm wrist-spinner ripped one through the gate to bowl Pakistan's best batsman and Yadav struck again in his next over when Zaman top-edged a sweep shot to short fine leg.
Mohammad Hafeez managed just nine, Shoaib Malik was sent packing for a first-ball duck and when the rain came Pakistan was so far behind the par total required it never stood a chance of winning.
When the match ended, Mickey Arthur's men were 6/212 after 40 overs.
"We didn't capitalise on winning the toss and conceded too many runs," Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed said. "We lost so many wickets in two or three overs and that is what cost us the match.
"It is tough. We have four matches left and we will try our level best to win them all."
The Alternative Commentary Collective are podcasting their way through the World Cup. Known for their unconventional sports analysis and off-kilter banter, the ACC have come to ask the tough questions. Here's the latest episode of 'The Agenda':
