SPORTS

India captain Virat Kohli on Monday revealed that the team management asked the players to take a knee before their ICC T20 World Cup 2021 opener on Sunday to show their support in the fight against racism.

Indian players took a knee while Pakistani cricketer kept a hand on heart just before their Super 12 clash begin in Dubai. Kohli later explained that he and his teammates participated in the gesture after Babar Azam's team agreed to "pay their tribute towards the same cause".

Taking a knee or raising a fist in support of racial equality became a common gesture in the world of sports ever since the Black Lives Movement gained strength following the death of African-American George Floyd Minneapolis in May last year.

Pakistan ended their winless run against India in World Cup matches in spectacular fashion on Sunday, winning the opening fixture of the 2021 T20 World Cup by 10 wickets. Captain Babar Azam and opening partner Mohammad Rizwan helped Pakistan chase down a target of 152 without losing a wicket after the bowlers led by Shaheen Afridi limited India to 151/7.

Both Indian and Pakistani former players congratulated Babar Azam's men. Former Pakistan captain and the country's Prime Minister Imran Khan were among those that congratulated the team.

The fifth Test between England and India which was postponed indefinitely after a Covid-19 outbreak in the Indian camp will now be played in July 2022 at Edgbaston, following an agreement between the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The ECB also announced that the game has been moved to Edgbaston from Manchester and will be part of India’s white-ball tour and the match will be held from July 1.

In a statement the ECB said, “The fifth match of the LV= Insurance Test Series between England Men and India Men has been rescheduled and will now take place in July 2022.”

Former Australia opener and current Pakistan batting coach Matthew Hayden says leadership will be key in the much anticipated India-Pakistan T20 World Cup 2021 clash in 'dogfight conditions' in Dubai on Sunday (October 24). Terming the match a real dogfight, Hayden who is working with the Pakistan team as batting consultant, margin for error will be very little in the big match so leadership will be the key to the outcome of the match.

Hayden cited examples of MS Dhoni and Eoin Morgan, who led their respective IPL franchises with success when their own individual performances were not at expected levels.

Virat Kohli announced his decision to step aside as the Indian captain in the shortest format ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021, in the UAE. While Kohli's decision shocked many in the cricketing fraternity, the Indian team is gearing up for the mega event with an aim to give a perfect send-off to the 32-year-old as his T20I captaincy tenure is set to end.

As Kohli is on the verge of stepping aside as T20I captain, former South African speedster Dale Steyn -- who has shared the dressing room with Kohli in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise -- suggested who should succeed the right-hander at the top post.