Holder claims 4 wickets in 4 balls as Windies clinch T20s vs Eng
BRIDGETOWN (BARBADOS), Jan 31: Pacer Jason Holder took four wickets in four balls to blow up the last over of England’s run chase as West Indies won the fifth Twenty20 game by 17 runs to capture the series 3-2. West Indies won the toss, chose to bat and scored 179/4 at the Kensington Oval. In reply, England was all out for 162 with one ball left after entering the final over at 160/6 and needing 20 runs to win. In that last over, Holder first claimed the wicket of Chris Jordan (7) caught on the fence, immediately followed by the key dismissal of Sam Billings (41 runs off 28 balls) before golden ducks for Adil Rashid and Saqib Mahmood. Lasith Malinga, Rashid Khan and Curtis Campher are the only other bowlers in men’s cricket to take four-in-four in a T20 international. (AP)
Indian squad in Ahmedabad for ODI series against West Indies
AHMEDABAD, Jan 31: Members of the Indian cricket team have arrived here for the three-match ODI series against the West Indies beginning on February 6. All players entered the bio bubble between Sunday and Monday. “They will undergo a three day quarantine,” a BCCI official said. The series will be the first for Rohit Sharma as white-ball captain of the side. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav has made a comeback into the team while leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi has received a maiden call up. Due to COVID threat, the BCCI reduced the venues of three ODIs and as many T20s to two. The three T20s will be played in Kolkata. (PTI)
Hetmyer to miss T20 series in India over fitness issues
ST JOHN’S, Jan 31: The big-hitting Shimron Hetmyer remained unavailable due to fitness issues as the West Indies named a 16-member squad for the T20 series against India, keeping faith in the outfit that defeated England in a five-match home contest earlier this month. The three T20Is against India will be played in Kolkata on February 16, 18 and 20, following a three-match ODI Series which will be held in Ahmedabad on February 6, 9 and 11. West Indies have already named the ODI squad under Kieron Pollard.Eleven players feature in both the limited-overs squads – Kieron Pollard, Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith and Hayden Walsh Jr. Hetmyer was left out of the squad on fitness grounds once again. (PTI)
Ranji Trophy league phase to start from February 16
NEW DELHI, Jan 31: The league stage of the Ranji Trophy is set to be held from February 16 to March 5, as per a revised scheduled prepared by the BCCI. The BCCI was forced to postpone the premier domestic tournament due to rising COVID cases in the country. It was originally scheduled to start from January 13. The likely venues for the 38-team event are Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Trivandrum, Cuttack, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Rajkot. The format has been tweaked and there will be eight groups of four teams each with the plate group comprising six teams. Domestic cricketers had expressed elation when BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced last week that the red ball event will be held in two phases. The knockouts will be held in June. (PTI)