Amid the ongoing tension in Afghanistan, the Taliban has entered Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB?s) headquarters in Kabul. A group of Taliban supporters along with former Afghanistan cricketer Abdullah Mazari were seen in the country's cricket headquarters in the Capital city Kabul.



Ever since the US backed out its troops from the South Asian country, the Taliban has caused chaos in the country leading to the issue of human rights and created a dreaded situation in the country. The Taliban has now taken over the reins of Afghanistan after Ashraf Ghani, former president, fled the country.



The images of Taliban fighters inside the Afghanistan Cricket Board?s premises surfaced all over the internet. The pictures are predominantly seen on Twitter. A group of Taliban fighters with heavily loaded guns were seen in the conference room of the country?s cricket office headquarters.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2021/08/Taliban.jpg" alt="Taliban entered Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) headquarters in Kabul." class="wp-image-67561" /><figcaption>Taliban entered Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) headquarters in Kabul.</figcaption></figure></div>



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Taliban entered Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) headquarters in Kabul.



<h2>Taliban loves Cricket:</h2>



ACB CEO Hamid Shinwari has assured the supporters and fans of cricket about the Taliban?s love towards cricket. He further said the ongoing turmoil will not hinder any cricketing activity in the country.



Shinwari had claimed that members of the Afghanistan national cricket team and their families are safe after the Taliban took over the reins of the Asian country. "Taliban loves cricket. They have supported us since the beginning. They did not interfere in our activities," Shinwari was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.



"I don't see any interference and expect support so that our cricket can move forward. We have got an active chairman, I remain CEO until further notice," the top Afghanistan Cricket Board official had said.



The uncertainty has been looming over the country's cricket commitments. A few Afghanistan cricketers are scheduled to play the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 in the UAE following which the all-important T20 World Cup 2021 is scheduled.



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Taliban entered Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) headquarters in Kabul

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The Pakistan-Afghanistan One Day Internationals (ODI) series has been postponed due to the unsettling flight operations in the capital city of Afghanistan after the takeover of the Taliban in the country.



The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that the three matches ODI series has been postponed after the two cricket boards mutually agreed to reschedule the ODI series next year. The series which was earlier slated to be played between 1-8 September is now pushed to 2022.



The development came weeks after the Taliban seized control of Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan. At present almost every land belonging to Afghanistan is under the reign of the Taliban.



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"The ACB had contacted the board on Monday evening, requesting to postpone the series for 2022 citing disruption of flight operations in Kabul, increased COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka, the mental health of their players, and non-availability of broadcast equipment," the PCB said in a statement.



"We have worked very closely with the Afghanistan Cricket Board to make this series happen and were keen to play them in the inaugural bilateral series, but we understand their challenges and have, therefore, agreed to reschedule the series for 2022," PCB director international Zakir Khan said.



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Pakistan-Afghanistan ODI series postponed after the Taliban takeover in the country.



"The PCB historically enjoys an excellent relationship with the ACB and will do everything to ensure the series is played in 2022 as it is critical for both sides in terms of direct qualification for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023," he added.



Although the Taliban has confirmed that there will be no hindrance in the cricketing operations in the country, there is no certainty over player?s availability. A few popular cricketers of the country have been in a fix to evacuate their families from the country.?



A couple of days back, Taliban people stormed into the headquarters of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in Kabul along with a former cricketer of the country. The people were seen with loaded weapons as the picture of ACB?s conference room flooded with Taliban troops went viral over the internet.



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Pakistan-Afghanistan ODI series postponed after the Taliban takeover in the country

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Mohammad Nabi appointed as Afghanistan?s T20I captain for World Cup.



ICC T20 World Cup 2021: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Friday appointed senior all-rounder Mohammad Nabi as the captain of the T20I side of Afghanistan for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021. The cricket board on Thursday also released its squad for the World Cup 2021.



Nabi accepted the role in spite of a rift between the players and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). He wrote, "At this critical stage, I admire the decision of ACB for the announcement of leading the National Cricket Team in T20 Format. InshaAllah together we will present a great picture of the Nation in the upcoming T20 World Cup."



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It is noteworthy that initially, ACB took Rashid Khan on board as the leader of the side, however, the all-rounder stepped down from the honour minutes after ACB released its squad.&nbsp;



According to the statement of Rashid Khan on social media, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) didn?t find it worth taking Khan?s consent for the team selection for the T20 World Cup 2021.



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Mohammad Nabi appointed as Afghanistan?s T20I captain for World Cup. ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/bangladesh-t20-world-cup-2021-squad-announced/">Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2021 Squad Announced</a>



"As the captain and responsible person for the nation, I reserve the right to be part of the selection team. The selection committee and ACB has not obtained my consent for the team which has been announced by ACB media," Rashid wrote in his statement on Twitter.



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"I am taking the decision of stepping down from the role as the captain of Afghanistan T20 side effective immediately. It?s Always my proud playing for Afghanistan," he added.&nbsp;



According to the report of Cricbuzz, Rashid Khan was not happy after he was not called for the selection procedure despite being the skipper of the T20I side of Afghanistan. The cricketer was furious and after seeing the squad he decided to step down from the captaincy roles.



Afghanistan?s T20 Squad includes the likes of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Gulbadin Naib, Asghar Afghan and Mohammad Shahzad besides skipper Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan.



<h2>Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2021 Squad:</h2>



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Mohammad Nabi (c), Rashid Khan, Hazratullah Zazai, Usman Ghani, Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Shahzad,? Hamid Hassan, Najibullah Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Naveen ul Haq,? Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Dawlat Zadran, Shapoor Zadran, Qais Ahmed.



Reserved Players: Afsar Zazai and Farid Ahmad Malik.

ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Mohammad Nabi appointed as Afghanistan?s T20I captain for World Cup

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Team India will host Afghanistan for three matches ODI series in March 2022: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to welcome Taliban led Afghanistan for a short cricket tour next year just before the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.



According to the Future Tour Programme (FTP) revealed by Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), the team will travel to Bangladesh for the white ball tour of three T20Is and as many ODI matches post which team India will host Afghanistan for three matches ODI series in March 2022.



The tour to India will be a part of the ICC T20 World Cup 2023 Super League. The win points of the series will be counted to rank the teams which will be used to determine the qualifying teams of the ODI World Cup. India becomes the first automatic qualifier as it is the host of the tournament while the other seven teams will be determined as per the ranking in the ICC Super league points table.



?The two Boards are regularly in discussion. The exact dates and the venues are being worked on. The Indian team will be playing against Afghanistan in a bilateral ODI series for the first time and it will be a good exposure for the young cricketers,? sources, aware of the development, said.



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Team India hosted Afghanistan back in 2018 for the short test series and since then the two sides haven?t met in bilateral tournaments. It is interesting to note that Afghanistan made its test debut in 2018 only during the India tour.



?Over the years, several Afghanistan players have featured in the IPL and this series will definitely be a big occasion for the Afghanistan team, which hasn?t played top-tier teams for a while due to various reasons. The players are looking forward to this opportunity,? the source said.



The itinerary for the tour is not yet revealed by any of the two cricket boards. It is learnt that the schedule and fixtures will be finalised after the completion of India?s tour to South Africa.



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INDvsAFG: Team India will host Afghanistan for three matches ODI series in March 2022

team-india-will-host-afghanistan-for-three-matches-odi-series-in-march-2022

Rashid Khan appointed Afghanistan?s T20I captain replacing Mohd Nabi: Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Rashid Khan as the new leader of the national T20I side. The spinner will replace fellow all-rounder Mohammad Nabi from the highest role.



Notably, Nabi had stepped down from the captaincy position following his side?s elimination from the ICC Men?s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.&nbsp;



Rashid has two previous experiences of being Afghanistan?s captain. The spinner was handed over the leadership duties back in 2019 when he led his side to four wins, including a series win against West Indies.



His second stint as the Afghanistan skipper came in the lead-up to the ICC Men?s T20 World Cup 2021, however, Khan resigned from the role after assuming it for a month as he stated that the selection committee didn?t take his consent in the team selection.



Meanwhile, Rashid Khan is now convinced to lead his team in the shortest format and said the team would work hard to put things back on track.



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"Captaincy is a huge responsibility. I have the experience of leading my country before, there is a great bunch of guys with whom I have a good understanding and feel pretty comfortable,? said Rashid Khan after taking up the leadership onus for the second time.



"We will try to stick together, will work hard to put things on the right track and bring pride and joy to our country and nation.?



This time, the spin wizard has received all backing of Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chief Mirwais Ashraf.



"Rashid Khan is a massive name in Afghanistan Cricket," Ashraf said. "He has colossal experience of playing the format around the world which will help him take the team to a new level in the format.



"Rashid Khan has the experience of leading AfghanAtalan in all three formats before and we are happy to have him as our skipper for the T20I format again. I am sure he will come out on top and will bring more glory to the nation".



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Rashid Khan appointed Afghanistan?s T20I captain replacing Mohd Nabi

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Afghanistan Cricket could face a major setback, as reports from various media handles have often speculated that the Taliban leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan might be considering putting a ban on the sport in the nation. Afghanistan has been the most widespread team as per growth in international cricket. After their successful campaign at the Cricket World Cup in 2023, where they defeated the likes of great sides like England and also Pakistan and an inching victory against the Aussies, which was denied by Maxwell?s heroics. Next was their stunning campaign in the T20 World Cup in the United States, where they emerged as semi-finalists for the first time in an ICC event. On the way, they defeated the likes of huge teams like Australia and New Zealand, which took them to the first-ever knockouts of a World Cup. 



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 Cricket Afghanistan was immensely supported by their fans, who have seen them through all their highs and lows. However, for now, if reports are to be believed, then the leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Hibatullah Akhundzada, is about to announce a gradual ban on cricket. It is well known that since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, they have barred women from participating in any type of sport, and now men are about to face a similar situation. However, nothing has been officially confirmed over the speculation. As per the speculation, the Taliban believe that the sport has harmful effects and is against the Sharia Law. However, some have confirmed that two different lobbies from Akhundzada and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirajuddin_Haqqani">Sirajuddin Haqqani</a>, the major investor in Afghan cricket, have different perspectives on the game's existence. 



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 Afghanistan Cricket has produced several world-class talents in Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Naveen ul-Haq, as these players have emerged to be great talents for the nation but also for several global franchises. Currently, the Afghanistan team is in India, as they were scheduled to play a one-off test against New Zealand at the Greater Noida newly built stadium. However, the team faced disappointment, as the first test match was called off without a ball being bowled for the first time in 26 years. 



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Rumours over the Taliban could be banning cricket in Afghanistan|

Rumours over the Taliban could be banning cricket in Afghanistan

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The Afghanistan Cricket Team, under the captaincy of Hashmatullah Shahidi, scripted history as they defeated the Aiden Markram-led South Africa by six wickets in the first One Day International of the three-match ODI series.&nbsp;



The duo of Fazalhaq Farooqi (4-35) and 18-year-old wonderkid Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar (3-20) were the heroes as the Afghans secured their first ever victory over the Proteas in any format of International Cricket.&nbsp;



The Aiden Markram-led team had a horrific day with the bat as the Afghan bowlers kept picking up wickets at regular intervals and eventually, the South Africans got all-out for a really shambolic score of 106 runs.&nbsp;



The Proteas managed to avoid their lowest-score in a One Day International game as their team's batters were not able to find any answers to the bowling brilliance of the home side.&nbsp;



Markram had opted to bat first after winning the toss. The opening duo of Tony de Zorzi and Reeza Hendricks added 17 runs for the opening wicket before left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi clean bowled Hendricks for nine runs which started a really embarrassing and shocking batting collapse of the Proteas as they slumped to 36-7.



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Farooqi took the scalps of De Zorzi (11 runs in 18 balls) and skipper Aiden Markram (2 runs in 5 balls) while Ghazanfar added the wickets of Jason Smith (0 runs in 5 balls) and Tristan Stubbs (0 runs in 5 balls) to his tally before dismissing Kyle Verreynne for 10 runs.&nbsp;



The problems for the visitors increased even more when Andile Phehlukwayo got run out off the bowling of Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar as Nabi's quick reaction time was enough to send him back to the pavilion.&nbsp;



With just 10 overs bowled out of 50, it looked like the South Africans lowest-score record in One Day Internationals of 69 runs, scored versus Australia in 1993, would be in danger of getting broken.&nbsp;



However, much to the dismay of Afghanistan fans, the sinking ship of the Proteas was steadied by the duo of Bjorn Fortuin and Wiaan Mulder, as they stitched a partnership of 39 runs for the eighth wicket.&nbsp;



The partnership between the two was broken by Rashid Khan, who was playing his first One Day International match since the 2023 ODI World Cup, as he cleaned bowled Fortuin, but Wiaan helped his team go past the 100 runs mark and in the process, brought up his maiden half-century as well.&nbsp;



However, after bringing up his fifty, Mulder didn't stay at the crease for a long time and he was sent packing by Farooqi. Wiann scored 52 runs in 84 deliveries which consisted of a maximum and five fours.&nbsp;



Rashid Khan took the final South African wicket as caught Lungi Ngidi plumb in front of the stumps in the 34th over and ended the game with figures of 2-30 next to his name.&nbsp;



The hosts were expected to cruise to an easy victory without facing any difficulties but that was not the case as both the openers fell early.&nbsp;



Rahmanullah Gurbaz got dismissed for a three ball duck off the bowling of Lungi Ngidi and Rahmat Shah followed suit as he was caught in front of the stumps by Bjorn Fortuin as the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led team were struggling at 15-2 after the end of eight overs.&nbsp;



Aiden Markram and his men tried their best to inflict a comeback as Fortuin registered his second wicket by getting rid of Riaz Hassan (16 runs in 35 balls) while stand in skipper Aiden Markram accounted for the wicket of Afghanistan captain Hasmatullah Shahidi (16 runs in 29 balls).&nbsp;



However, the duo of Gulbadin Naib (34* runs in 27 balls) and Azmatullah Omarzai (25* runs in 36 balls) helped their get over the line by six wickets.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Afghanistan vs South Africa 1st ODI Scorecard:</h2>



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For more information, visit the official websites of <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/afghanistan-script-history-with-first-ever-win-over-south-africa" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/afghanistan-script-history-with-first-ever-win-over-south-africa">ICC</a> and <a href="https://cricket.af/post/afghanatalan-secure-maiden-international-win-over-south-africa" data-type="link" data-id="https://cricket.af/post/afghanatalan-secure-maiden-international-win-over-south-africa">Afghanistan Cricket Board</a>

Farooqi and Ghazanfar star Afghanistan defeat South Africa by 6 wickets in the first ODI

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The 2025 ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup begins January 18 in Malaysia, featuring 16 teams in four groups competing for the coveted title. India aims to defend their championship.

A thrilling U19 Women’s T20 World Cup kicks off in Malaysia, with 16 teams battling for glory in four groups.

ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup 2025 Schedule, Full Fixture, Teams, Venues and All You Need to Know!

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The 5th &amp; Final Test-Match in Sydney between Fierce-Rivals Australia and India ended today and the home team secured an easy six-wicket win and this win allowed them to secure the series by 3-1.This win of the Aussies has also made some significant changes in the overall standings of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. 
Talking about the contest, the Jasprit Bumrah-led team were at 124-4 in their 2nd inning and they were looking set to set a big target for the Pat Cummins-led team. However, the Australian bowlers were in deadly mood as their perfect bowling display led to Team India suffering a batting collapse and they lost wickets in quick succession and eventually got bundled out for a mere score of 157 runs. 
Wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant fought the lone warrior's battle as he played an impressive inning of 61 runs in just 33 deliveries but he didn't get any kind of support from his fellow batters at the other end and the Kangaroos took full advantage of this and eventually the game turned in the favour of the Defending Champions. 
For the Australian team, Scott Boland took 6 wickets while giving away 45 runs while skipper Pat Cummins also played a good hand with figures of 3-44 next to his name. 
The Aussies were given a target of 162 runs to win the Sydney Test-Match but they lost wickets unnecessarily as Sam Konstas (22 runs in 17 deliveries), Marnus Labuschagne (6 runs in 20 deliveries), and Steve Smith (4 runs in 9 balls) went back to the pavilion cheaply, leaving the Australian team suddenly in a dire position of 58/3.
Next, opening batter Usman Khawaja played a good knock of 41 runs in 45 deliveries which allowed his team to initiate a comeback in the contest. If Bumrah wouldn't have got injured, then Khawaja wouldn't even get the chance to go past the 10 runs mark. 
Without the availability of Bumrah, the Aussie batters started to play their shots freely and theu began creating a lot of pressure on the Indian bowling unit. While Prasidh Krishna did his best to help his team stay alive in the contest, he began to falter and this worked in the favour of the Australians. 
As a result, the duo of Beau Webster &amp; Travis Head got involved in a strong partnership for thethe fifth wicket and added 58 runs in just 53 balls and this turned out to be winning factor. They helped their team reach a score of 162-4 and the Kangaroos won the encounter by a margin of six wickets.
<h2>WTC Final Chance:</h2>
Pat Cummins-led Aussies have successfully qualified for the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) Final after securing the BGT series 3-1. Temba Bavuma-led South Africa have already secured their tickets for the Final after defeating Pakistan in the first Test-Match. 
Keeping the statistics in mind, Team India have failed to qualify for the WTC Final for the first time since 2021. They are ranked third in the overall Standings with a PCT of 50. South Africa are the table toppers with a PCT of 66.67 while the Kangaroos are ranked 2nd with 63.73 PCT next to their name. They are followed by the likes of New Zealand (48.21) and Sri Lanka (45.45) respectively.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/india-vs-pakistan-will-the-two-rivals-play-a-test-match-versus-each-other-this-english-legend-wants-them-to-play-in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India vs Pakistan: Will the two rivals play a test match versus each other? This English legend wants them to play in</a>

Indian Captain Rohit Sharma couldn't really have a say in the way things panned out in the Sydney Test-Match| Image: Getty Images

Can Team India still qualify for the WTC Final after suffering an embarrassing defeat in the Sydney Test-Match Or have they been eliminated completely?

Team India lost the Sydney Test Match, do they have any chances of qualifying for the WTC Final? Explained!

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Day 3 of the fifth and final test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground ended India's one-and-a-half-month-long tour of Australia. With that, Australia also ended their long wait to clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and won it with a margin of 3-1.
Apart from the first test, Australia dominated India throughout the series, including the third day at SCG. As a result, the Australian crowd was also animated and tried to put pressure on Team India. But Virat Kohli, who is known for his passionate persona, came up with his own way to answer.
<h2>IND vs AUS: Virat Kohli mocks Australian crowd with "Sandpapar" gesture on Day 3</h2>
The Australian crowd has a history of involvement with visiting teams time and time again, and this BGT 2024-25 was not new. There were many instances during the series when they targeted Indian players. Especially when it comes to Virat Kohli, the Australian crowd often welcomes him or reacts to his actions with boos. But Virat has always been the approach of giving it back.
Something similar happened on Sunday as well. Notably, Virat was the stand-in captain in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. Responding to Australian crowds, Virat gestures with his "empty pocket." This incident happened just when Steve Smith got out on Day 3. Smith was part of the infamous "Sandpapergate" incident during a Cape Town test against South Africa in 2018.
Australia used sandpaper in order to tamper with the cricket ball to get more reverse swing from the ball. Unfortunately for them, it was caught on camera, and players involved in it, Smith, along with David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, faced bans. As a result, Virat was seen doing the "sandpapar" gesture after Smith's wickets to provoke the Australian fans.
As soon as it happened, the video of the incident went viral, and everyone was talking about it on social media. Speaking of the game, India started Day 3 at 142/6 and were bowled out for 157 runs, setting a target of 161 to win. Australia reached the target with six wickets in hand and registered the 3-1 series win. It was their first BGT win since 2014-15. With this, they also qualified for the final of the World Test Championship 2023-25.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-big-positives-for-team-india-from-the-embarrassing-bgt-series-loss-against-australia/">3 Big Positives for Team India from the Embarrassing BGT Series Loss against Australia</a>

Virat Kohli was the Stand-in captain for Team India in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.

Watch: Virat Kohli teases the over-aggressive Australian crowd with "Sandpapar" gesture on Day 3

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The Australian Cricket Team, under the leadership of Pat Cummins successfully defeated Team India in the Sydney Test-Match by a margin of six wickets and this wicket helped them to seal the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series by 3-1.
While the Aussie players are going to be really happy with this series win, the Indians on the other hand, are facing a lot of criticism following the series defeat especially the Indian batters. Senior players like Virat Kohli are the main targets of the critics. 
In the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, Kohli got dismissed on the outside off-stump line eight times and versus the Aussie bowlers, the former Indian skipper looked helpless &amp; cluseless versus the them. Now, AB De Villiers, the South African legend has made a huge revelation regarding how the former Indian and RCB skipper can tackle the outside off-stump deliveries.
<h2>'Every Batsman in the world struggles with some weakness'</h2>
AB De Villiers said, "He (Virat) can definitely find a solution to the the outside off-stump deliveries. Every batsman out there has a weakness and if I talk about myself, then the deliveries which used to come towards the pads in a straight line used to trouble me a lot. But I learnt from it and scored a lot of runs in the remainder of my career. 
I still remember the Test-Series versus England (ENG). The series kicked off on a positive note and I scored good amount of runs in the Durban Test-Match and everything was going smoothly. But, then the duo of Stuart Broad and James Anderson started dismissing me on a successive note and especially, with the new ball, I got out constantly".
<h2>What's the solution to the problem of Virat Kohli? </h2>
AB de Villiers believes that old balls keep running in the mind of the 36-year-old, which automatically affects the next forthcoming delivery. What happened before on the previous ball doesn't matter... He (Virat) should play every ball like a new and fresh one, he should just forget thinking about the previous deliveries. If finds success in doing this properly, then he can play the outside off-stump deliveries in a much better way.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-big-positives-for-team-india-from-the-embarrassing-bgt-series-loss-against-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3 Big Positives for Team India from the Embarrassing BGT Series Loss against Australia</a>

Scott Boland got the better of Virat Kohli for the fourth time in the BGT 2024-25 series | Image: Getty Images

Virat Kohli has struggled a lot with the outside off-stump deliveries in the ongoing BGT Series

Will Virat Kohli stop getting dismissed on the outside off stump line now? AB De Villiers gives a solution

will-virat-kohli-stop-getting-dismissed-on-the-outside-off-stump-line-now-ab-de-villiers-gives-a-solution

India batter Virat Kohli has been at the receiving end of heavy criticism after his failures in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The batter looked torrid with the bat in the majority of the series and there have been calls related to his retirement as well. 
Virat Kohli, who hit a century in the first Test, looked absolutely torrid with the bat in the rest of the games of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The premier batter was troubled by the balls outside off stump as it brought his downfall in almost every match of the five-match Test series. 
When Virat Kohli hit a century in Perth, it was expected that he would have a breakthrough series and would be setting the stage on fire. But that wasn't the case, as, after the ton in the opening match, he failed in the entire series and ended up getting just around 90 runs in the rest of the games. 
Since 2020, Virat Kohli has looked extremely torrid with the bat and has been averaging just in the 20s. This has seen him getting a lot of criticism for his poor outings. Many fans and experts have lashed out at him for his poor performances and hence they want him to make way for youngster. 
One of the heavy criticism came from Irfan Pathan, who pointed out the batter's poor average, saying that Virat Kohli averaged just 15 in the first innings of the Test. He said that the players with these low averages don't deserve a place in the Indian Team. 
<h2>He has made a lot of runs, but in 2024, batting in the first innings where you set up the match, Kohli averages just 15 - Irfan Pathan</h2>
Irfan Pathan added that it's time for Virat Kohli to make way for youngsters and that even young players will maintain a batting average of 25-30. Speaking to Star Sports, he explained: 
"He has made a lot of runs, but in 2024, batting in the first innings where you set up the match, Kohli averages just 15. If we take out his stats for the last five years, he barely averages 30. Does the Indian team deserve that from its senior player? It's better to give a youngster a long run, tell him to get ready; even that guy will maintain a batting average of 25-30." 
India's next Test series will be against England. It remains to be seen if he will be part of the series or not.
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India batter Virat Kohli has been at the receiving end of heavy criticism after his failures in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.