Browsing: News

Dina Asher-Smith and Sha’Carri Richardson will meet in the 200m, while a 400m hurdles field featuring Dalilah Muhammad and Femke Bol has been announced for the Bauhaus-Galan, a Wanda Diamond League meeting, in Stockholm on 4 July.

Britain’s world 200m champion Asher-Smith ran 22.06 in her second 200m race of the season at the Diamond League in Florence, while the USA’s Richardson opened with a time of 22.11 in Florida in April, and they will go head-to-head in Stockholm following their 100m clash in Gateshead where Asher-Smith claimed the win in wet and windy conditions – 11.35 to 11.44.

Bol broke the Dutch 400m hurdles record with 53.44 in Florence, a time which puts her third on this season’s world rankings behind Sydney McLaughlin and Shamier Little. The 21-year-old will be looking to build on that as she goes up against world record-holder Muhammad, two-time world champion Zuzana Hejnova and European champion Lea Sprunger in Stockholm.

The women’s long jump field also looks set to be strong, with home favourite Khaddi Sagnia taking on world champion Malaika Mihambo, world indoor champion Ivana Spanovic and world silver medallist Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk.

The women’s high jump so far features world champion Mariya Lasitskene and world silver medallist Yaroslava Mahuchikh plus Sweden’s Erika Kinsey and Erika Kinsey, while in the shot put Valerie Adams and Fanny Roos have been announced.

Joining Sweden’s already-announced world record-holder Mondo Duplantis in the pole vault will be Sam Kendricks, Renaud Lavillenie, Piotr Lisek, KC Lightfoot and Chris Nilsen, while the discus is set to include Simon Pettersson, Daniel Stahl, Fedrick Dacres and Lukas Weisshaidinger.

World Athletics

Source link

Broadcaster
Territories

Match TV
Russia

A1 BULGARIA – Sport Max
Bulgaria

ERT 
Greece

BBC
United Kingdom, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man

C MORE – TV4 /SVT
Sweden

CBC
Canada

CCTV
China, Macao

Ceska Televize
Czech Republic

Charlton
Israel

Cineplex
Thailand

Flow Sports
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba), Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States Virgin Islands

SKY- Mexico (Nova vision)
Mexico, Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic

Fox Sports
Australia

Globo / Band Sports
Brazil

Ziggo Sports /NOS
Netherlands

Measat
Malaysia

Mono Streaming / Saigon Tourist Cable
Vietnam

NBC Sports
USA

Nent
Denmark

Nordic Entertainment
Iceland

NRK
Norway

Sky
Italy and the Vatican City

RTVS
Slovakia

Ssport 
Turkey

Sky Deutschland
Germany

Spark
New Zealand

Sport TV Portugal
Portugal

SPORTALL/ L’Équipe
France

SRG
Switzerland

Starhub
Singapore

SUPERSPORT (english speaking) and CANAL + International (french speaking)
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Reunion, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Socotra, South Africa, St. Helena and Ascension, Swaziland, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Zanzibar, Algeria, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Mayotte, Morocco, Saint Helena, Somalia, Togo, Tunisia, Western Sahara

Tele Red
Argentina

Movistar
Spain

Polsat
Poland

SPORTKLUB
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia

VRT
Belgium

MTV
Finland

Sentana
Ukraine

Belarus Sport
Belarus

Wanda Diamond League YouTube / Facebook
Bhutan, Bolivia, Chile, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Mongolia, Myanmar, South Korea, North Korea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, Venezuela

Source link

There was inspiration aplenty to be found in the venue for today’s Wanda Diamond League press conference, the splendidly decorated main salon of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, with its soaring painted ceiling and marble statues.

But when it came down to athletics, the assembled world champions and world record-breakers confessed that it was their competitors who gave them the most motivation to create their own masterpieces.

World 10,000m champion Sifan Hassan could have been deflated by the news overnight that her two-day-old world record of 29:06.82 had been vanquished by her Ethiopian rival, the world silver medallist Letesenbet Gidey, who soared to 29:01.03 at the Ethiopian Olympic trial held in Hengelo last night.

But Hassan said she relished the challenge, insisting that the developing rivalry between the two women was good for the event, good for the sport, and good for her.

She revealed that her manager had told her after her triumph in Hengelo on Sunday that Gidey would “go for the world record” at the same venue two days later.

“It makes me happy,” she said of Gidey’s performance.

“I want the 10,000m to be an event that people want to watch. I want it to be an event that’s exciting.

“Letesenbet is a very good athlete, she’s a very nice athlete and I really like her. She’s really sweet. People think I am not happy (about losing the world record) but I am really happy about it because I want distance to be more exciting.”

“I’m not surprised, and I’m actually happy about it!”@SifanHassan on losing her 10,000m world record just two days after getting it. #FlorenceDL #DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/GwBppBKWGP

— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) June 9, 2021

Hassan said she hoped their respective performances would make the Olympic women’s 10,000m final one of the showpiece events of the Games.

“I am happy she ran faster than me because it will make me work harder for the Olympics and I will enter the event more excited. Congratulations to her.”

For similar reasons, Hassan is stepping down to the 1500m in Florence tomorrow, racing what she describes as her “favourite” event, even though she intends to do the 5000m-10,000m double in Tokyo.

She has not raced the 1500m since her triumph at the World Championships in Doha in 2019, and she is excited by the challenge of taking on the Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon and the European champion Laura Muir over the metric mile.

“I am really in good shape for my endurance but my speed is not yet quite good,” she said.

“I haven’t really raced the 1500 for two years but I am really happy to be here and take the opportunity, no matter what happens.”

World 5000m record-holder Joshua Cheptegei is similarly delighted by the impressive field assembled for his event, with seven sub-13 minute men assembled, alongside the young European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and the Gateshead Diamond League winner Mohammed Katir of Spain.

Cheptegei is having his first hit-out over the distance since he set the world record of 12:35.36 at the Monaco Diamond League meeting last September, and said he felt his form had improved since his season debut over 3000m at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava last month.

“I come here with new energy and new momentum,” he said.

“I am pretty sure the body is much better than in Ostrava and I can target a time of 12:40, or better.”

World 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith was asked for her reaction to dual Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s sizzling 10.63 clocking in Jamaica last week, the fastest women’s 100m time in more than 30 years, and said she was inspired by such a performance.

“Shelly-Ann is absolutely amazing and I sent her a message saying it was amazing. The run itself was phenomenal. My coach sent me a video and said, ‘Look at her leg speed. That’ is what I’m talking about. You need to move your legs like that’. Obviously I am a competitive and I am always going to back myself but you can’t ignore the fact that Shelly-Ann is an amazing athlete.”

Asher-Smith said she was “still getting back into the swing of things” after taking a year out of top-flight competition during the pandemic last year but was confident that she would arrive at the Tokyo Olympics ready to race at her peak.

High jumpers Mutaz Essar Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi already have a well-established mutual admiration club and hope their friendly rivalry will take them to greater heights tomorrow.

Asked what advice they would give each other, Tamberi, the Italian favourite, addressed his friend and said: “I don’t have anything to teach to this guy because he’s the best high jumper ever, but it doesn’t mean you are unbeatable, remember.”

World champion Barshim is still searching for his best form this year, with a best of 2.30m so far this season, but hopes his meeting with Tamberi and this year’s world leader Ilya Ivanyuk (2.37m) will help him find it.

“With a strong field you are going to perform much better,” Barshim said.

“There’s pressure, but I love that pressure – it only makes me better.”

World long jump champion Malaika Mihambo is also determined to step up a level in Florence after a subdued start to the season by her standards.

She takes on a high-quality field including fellow seven-metre jumpers Chantel Malone and Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova, two-time world triple jump champion Caterine Ibarguen, world indoor champion Ivana Spanovic and world silver medallist Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk.

“It’s the challenge that gives you the power to give your 100 percent,” she said.

Nicole Jeffery for World Athletics

Source link

Seven refugee athletes will compete in athletics at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, part of a squad of 29 announced today (8) by the International Olympic Committee.

Competing under the Olympic flag as the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, the athletes will take part in 12 sports at the postponed Olympic Games from 23 July to 8 August, with athletics represented by the largest squad.

The team includes Rose Nathike Lokonyen, the team’s flag-bearer at the 2016 Games in Rio, and Anjelina Nadai Lohalith, another veteran of the 10-member 2016 team. Originally from South Sudan, the two live and train at the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation camp in Ngong, Kenya. Lokonyen will compete in the 800m and Lohalith in the 1500m.

Loroupe, a former marathon world record-holder, three -time world champion and 2000 Olympian, will reprise her role as team’s Chef de Mission.

Heading the men’s squad is Tachlowini Gabriyesos, the 23-year-old Eritrean native who clocked 2:10:55 at the Hahula Galilee Marathon on 14 March to become the first refugee athlete to better an Olympic qualifying standard. His run in Sapporo will mark the third marathon appearance for Gabriyesos, who trains with the Emek Hefer Club in Tel Aviv.

Jamal Abdelmaji Eisa Mohammed, a Sudanese refugee who has trained with the Alley Runners Club in Tel Aviv since 2014, will compete in the 5000m. Mohammed, 27, competed on the World Athletics Refugee Team (ART) at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships and 2019 World Championships. More recently, he represented the ART at the European 10,000m Cup in Birmingham last weekend, finishing fifth in the B race in 28:52.64. He set his 5000m lifetime best of 13:54.28 in 2019.

Paulo Amotun Lokoro, another South Sudanese refugee based at the camp in Ngong, will also be making his second Olympic appearance, again competing in the 1500m. Lokoro, 29, improved his personal best to 3:47.03 in 2019, and competed on the World Athletics ART at the 2018 World Half Marathon Championships and 2019 World Championships.

Dorian Keletela, a Congolese refugee based in Portugal, will compete in the 100m. Keletela, 22, competed in the 60m at the European Indoor Championships in March, the first refugee athlete to compete at those championships. Keletela has a 10.46 lifetime best set in 2020.

James Nyang Chiengjiek, another member of the squad in Rio who will compete in the 800m in Tokyo, rounds out the squad. He’ll be moving up from the 400m event he contested at the last Olympic Games.

Three coaches will be part of the athletics delegation: Francis Obikwelu, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist in the 100m; veteran middle distance coach Joseph Domongole from Kenya; and Alemayehu Gebrmeskel from Israel, who will coach the distance events.

The athletes were selected from a group of 55 refugee athletes currently supported by the IOC through the Olympic Scholarships for Refugee Athletes programme. At the Opening Ceremonies on 23 July, the team will be the second delegation to enter the stadium, sending a powerful message of inclusion, solidarity and hope to the world while bringing further awareness to the plight of more than 80 million people who are currently displaced worldwide.

IOC President Thomas Bach announces the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Tokyo 2020

“Congratulations to all of you,” IOC President Thomas Bach said, addressing the athletes.

“When you, the IOC Refugee Olympic Team and the athletes from the National Olympic Committees from all over the globe, finally come together in Tokyo on 23 July, it will send a powerful message of solidarity, resilience and hope to the world. You are an integral part of our Olympic community, and we welcome you with open arms.”

UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi also offered his congratulations.

“I am thrilled to congratulate each of the athletes who have been named in the Refugee Olympic Team Tokyo 2020,” he said.

“Surviving war, persecution and the anxiety of exile already makes them extraordinary people, but the fact that they now also excel as athletes on the world stage fills me with immense pride. It shows what is possible when refugees are given the opportunity to make the most of their potential.”

The full delegation will meet for the first time as a team at the Aspire Academy in Doha on 12 and 13 July before flying to Japan on 14 July. During the Games, the team will be hosted by Waseda University, which will provide accommodation and training facilities, before the athletes move to the Olympic Village for their respective competitions.

The IOC Refugee Olympic Team will compete in Tokyo under the French acronym EOR, which stands for Equipe Olympique des Réfugiés. In all other competitions, refugee athletes compete as part of the World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team (ART).

Bob Ramsak for World Athletics

Source link

Axar Patel has become the highest placed India bowler in the latest ICC ODI rankings after breaking into the top-10…

Amit Mishra with teammates gestures towards the pavillion after taking five wickets. (AFP Photo) VISAKHAPATNAM: The frustration of having to…

Amit Mishra (second right) gestures towards the pavillion after taking five wickets during the fifth ODI against NZ. (AFP Photo)…

Amit Mishra holds the winner’s trophy and poses with team members. (AFP Photo) India completed a 3-2 series win over New Zealand by beating them in the decider at Vizag by 190 runs. Here we look at the several passages of play that stood out during the match.India appreciate ‘Nayi Soch’Players of the Indian team sported jerseys with their mother’s name printed on the back during the fifth ODI against New Zealand at Visakhapatnam. The gesture came in response to an ad campaign launched by Star India called ‘Nayi Soch’, that highlights the importance of mothers all over the country. Openers Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma then walked out to bat with ‘Sujata’ and ‘Purnima’ written above their jersey numbers instead of their surnames which refer to their fathers’ family names. Rohit fifty keeps India afloatRohit Sharma’s scores in the series prior to the final ODI were 14, 15, 13 and 11, a far cry from how he usually performs in the ODIs. Being the more experienced of the two openers, he was also one of the prime reasons why India’s start was sluggish throughout the series. So when it came to the series decider, ‘The Hitman’ found his old self and scored a crucial half-century. Crucial, because it wasn’t the easiest of surfaces to bat on.ALSO READ: Amit Mishra five-for spins India to series winEven though India’s start was slow, Rohit timed a couple of good hits – a six over long off and a boundary towards square leg. The floodgates though really opened when Rohit advanced to Sodhi and sent him over the sidescreen. Having twisted his ankle while diving for a single, he accelerated the innings with poised support from Kohli. With a cracking cut, Rohit brought up his 29th fifty in ODIs. A forward punch for six off Neesham stood out.Timely partnerships save India the blushesThat India put on 269 on the board owes largely to three pivotal partnerships during the innings. The first was between Rohit and Virat Kohli who put on a run-a-ball 79. The pair batted with caution when the scoring seemed difficult and later on with aggression once they got their eye in. After the fall of Rohit’s wicket, Kohli got together with India’s newest No. 4 MS Dhoni and added another 71 important runs.India found themselves at the wrong end of the tunnel once they lost Dhoni and later Kohli with the score on 220. But some lower-order blows from Kedar Jadhav and Axar Patel was equally detrimental to India’s total. Jadhav scored two fours and a six, and along with Axar, added 46 runs in the fag end of the innings.Pandey caps off disappointing series with a noughtManish Pandey was quite the cynosure of all eyes after his match-winning hundred in Australia earlier this year in January. But this series was a forgettable one for the explosive Karnataka batsman. He had a chance to cement a place in the Playing XI with the uncertainty over Suresh Raina. But his scores this series read unsatisfactory numbers: 17, 19, 28*, 12 and 0 here in Vizag. The manner on which he got out was further infuriating. India had just lost Dhoni and needed him to partner Kohli, who was going well. But off the fifth ball, he slog swept Ish Sodhi and slog swept him to Trent Boult and deep-midwicket. It’s a golden chance thrown away especially with India needing someone new to take over the role of a finisher.Umesh gets Guptill againIn the fourth ODI at Ranchi, Martin Guptill shrugged off his poor form. New Zealand would have expected him to carry it forward here as well but Umesh Yadav had other plans. He cleaned up Guptill in almost a replay from the dismissal at Kotla. Like the second ODI, Umesh bowled a similar ball, moving away at the last moment. Guptill brought his bat down but the ball shaped away slightly, beat the edge, clipped his thigh guard and disturbed the woodwork. More importantly, New Zealand lost their first wicket without a score on the board and it led to something quite dramatic.New Zealand slump to one of their worst collapsesChasing 270 to win, New Zealand dished out a rather sub-standard performance, and from 63/2, lost their final eight wickets for all of 16 runs. New Zealand were overwhelmed by the Indian spinners and folded for 79, their fifth-lowest total in ODIs. It wasn’t that the surface was that bad to bat on. In fact, for a moment Kane Willimson made batting look easy. But when he went, it all went downhill from there. Only thee batmen got to double figures, while five registered ducks.Mishra magic floors New ZealandAmit Mishra is usually warming the benches when R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are part of the squad. In this series, he has proven why India need to take him seriously even in the presence of the two premier spinners. Mishra led the Indian bowling pack with a second five-wicket-haul in ODIs that earned him the Man-of-the-Match award. He generated vicious turn on a few occasions and kept attacking the stumps. Result: 5/18. The wicket of BJ Watling in particular was a treat to the eyes. Mishra set him up well. He bowled consecutive legbreaks and followed it with a perfect googly that went between Watling’s bat and pad and crashed onto the stumps. He was also named Man of the Series for picking up 15 wickets.
Get IPL 2025 match schedules, squads, points table, and live scores for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.

Catch Lovlinaâ€s story unfold on Game On. Watch here!

Source link

Williamson was New Zealand’s top-scorer of the day with 27. (AP Photo) VISAKHAPATNAM: Bruised and battered by India after being bundled out for a meagre 79 while chasing 270 in the series-deciding fifth and final ODI, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson today termed the performance of his batting department as “frustrating”.
Williamson said the Kiwi batsmen did not justify to lose eight wickets for just 16 runs.
“That’s what’s so frustrating, because we failed as a batting unit.The spinners of the Indian side bowled very well but I don’t think it is justified to lose 8 wickets for 16 runs. We need to look at some of our plans. There was turn in the pitch in some other games too but we were able to handle it better then,” Williamson said after their massive 190-run defeat in the fifth and final ODI.
“Unfortunately, sometimes the biggest, brightest lessons come from failures and defeats. I certainly hope to learn from here. It was extremely a good effort to take it to the fifth ODI but sitting here after all that, it’s frustrating. The better team certainly won today.
“We certainly weren’t good today. No excuses. India were just the better side. They were consistent throughout the series,” he added.
Ranked ahead of India by one rung, world no. 3 New Zealand showed resilience to bounce back after a 0-3 whitewash in the Test series as they had leveled the five-match ODI rubber 2-2 with a 19-run win in Ranchi.
“Yeah, it’s extremely disappointing. You know, after a tough Test series to bounce back and show the heart that was required, the fight that we needed to go 2-all against a very good Indian side, was a superb effort,” Williamson said.
“They got above-par initially with the bat on a tough surface. There are certainly no excuses from our end, we were extremely poor with the bat today,” he said.
A win would have been made history for the Black Caps, who have never beaten India at home earlier in four contests.
The Kiwi skipper said it’s all about regrouping after going back home when they host Pakistan for two Tests before a packed ODI calendar involving Australia, Bangladesh, South Africa and the Champions Trophy in June next year.
“Yeah, it’s tough to say at the moment. We’re going to go back home and play in very different conditions. At the moment we want to reflect on our performance here. We were somewhat disappointing, barring a couple of games. We want to be showing steps of improvement everyday,” Williamson said.
He further credited India for setting up a challenging 270-run target on a tough batting surface at the Dr YSR ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium here.
“Ideally we would’ve liked to have restricted them to much less. The way the put together partnerships on a pitch that was slow was a very good effort. They kept going at 5 runs an over on this pitch, they certainly deserved to win today. They were fantastic,” he said.
Opener Rohit Sharma returned among runs with a fine 70, while an ever-consistent Virat Kohli slammed 65 before Mahendra Singh Dhoni (41), Kedar Jadhav (39 not out) contributed to take India to 269 for six after electing to bat.
“They had a good score on the board on that surface, but we knew that if we could get partnerships together, who knows, we could’ve done better,” Williamson said.
Despite the losses, Williamson pointed out at the positives they would take home from tour.
“He (Mitchell Santner) has been outstanding. Certainly a highlight from our tour. A young cricketer, who is newish to our side. Although conditions were favourable to spinners here there are a lot of spinners who come here and struggle.
“I guess it’s because of the pace of the wicket against extremely good players of spin. Mitch (Santner) has performed day in and day out. He’s a great asset to have. Not to mention his batting and his fielding as well. Look forward to seeing his progression in the future,’ he said.
“I think Tom Latham was outstanding. We need to take those little good bits and look at someone like Virat (Kohli).”
Ross Taylor has had a forgetful outing not only with his bat but with his fielding as well but Williamson came out in defence of the senior batsman.
“I think if you look at any winning performance, there are one or two significant performances. If you look at the India side, there’s Virat (Kohli). I think pretty much every game he made significant contributions for his side. Sometimes the conditions weren’t ideal to play on but someone has to step up and whoever that person is, we need a lot more,” he said.
Williamson was New Zealand’s top-scorer of the day with 27 before being dismissed by an expansive inside-out shot that triggered the collapse.
“It is a tough one. You feel like it’s a good option to play that shot and if you get out, you question it. Here I am questioning it,” he said.
“For Ross (Taylor) and I to take it deeper, it would’ve been a lot better for our cause. Obviously, it wasn’t happening for us today. We both got dismissed when we needed at least one of us to hang in there and take the game deep.”
He also praised Indian spinner Amit Mishra’s match-winning performance both in the decider and the series.
“To get fifer for any bowler on any surface is a significant performance. He (Mishra) bowled very well today. I think it’s justified in him getting the man-of-the-match and the man-of-the-series. He has been very consistent. We were poor and India were very good,” Williamson signed off.
Source link

Amit Mishra leaves the ground at the end of the fifth ODI. (AP Photo) VISAKHAPATNAM: It’s not easy if one is not an automatic choice in the playing XI but if there is a coach like Anil Kumble who can give a pat on the back during lean phase it becomes easier, feels Amit Mishra, who has been the stand-out bowler in just concluded ODI series with 15 wickets.
ALSO READ: Amit Mishra five-for spins India to series win
Mishra grabbed 5/18 in India’s 190-run rout of New Zealand and earned the Man of the Series award for his consistent performances.
“His (Anil Kumble) mental support is the biggest thing for me. I sat out for the entire Test series but he supported me mentally and told me “don’t worry, your time will come”,” Mishra, said at the post-match media conference.
Mishra also said how Kumble’s invaluable tips helped him.
“Whenever I went to bowl in the nets, he always gave me tips on how to improve your bowling, like the seam position… He told me “you can improve batting also”. He’s always there to rectify your small mistakes,” Mishra explained on Kumble’s role.
Having missed the Test spot to Indian premier spinner R Ashwin, Mishra played all five matches of the ODI series as the offspinner is rested for the ODIs.
“At this stage of career, I have to perform. I am a wicket-taking bowler. It has become a sort of ‘trademark’ that ‘Amit ayega to wicket nikalega’ (Amit will always give a breakthrough),” Mishra who will turn 34 next month, added.
Asked if he regrets about not getting fair share of chances, Mishra’s disappointment was palpable bit he tried to reason it out.
“I have stopped thinking what’s not in my hands. I can improve my fitness, batting but can’t decide on how many matches I’ve played. I’ve prepared myself mentally in such a way that whenever there’s an opportunity I give more than 100 percent.”
“I’m happy for all the hard work I’ve put in. I’ve performed well and became man of the series. It’s the second series where I’ve played five matches continuously. Highest wicket-taker and played five matches. Especially final match. It was a lot of pressure. To perform well here, it feels great.”
India had levelled the series 2-2 in Ranchi as India were under pressure to keep their clean record against New Zealand in an ODI bilateral series.
“The biggest thing was it came in the most important match of the series. Everyone contributed well, be it in batting, bowling or fielding. We’re trying our best on fitness, it all showed today. It’s about performing getting five wickets in the most crucial match and win the series.”
Asked about his recipe for success, he said: “I don’t focus on achievement. I focus on the match ahead. Focus on the match situation, on the match ahead. It adds to pressure if you think on the achievements.”
New Zealand lost eight wickets for 16 runs to be bundled out in 23.1 overs but Mishra said they were not surprised by the visitors’ abject surrender.
“We have done a lot of hard work. We knew if we take one-two wickets, we can bundle them out. Once I started there was a little concern about boundaries but Dhoni told me to bowl normal deliveries. If you get one two wickets, we will be fine’ he told me.”
Source link