Why is Virat so animated? Please ask him, says Pollard
Visakhapatnam: India skipper Virat Kohli has been a bit more charged up than he usually is during the ongoing West Indies series and rival captain Kieron Pollard is "clueless" as to what's been the trigger.
During the T20 series, Kohli's imitation of Kesrick Williams' 'notebook tick' celebration was 'television gold', and then he seemed agitated when on-field umpire Shaun George referred Ravindra Jadeja's run-out in the first ODI in Chennai.
In fact, Kohli was very animated after Pollard's first-ball dismissal.
"You have to ask him why he is so animated. I can't answer that for you. It is what it is. You ask him that question and let him answer that. I don't know. I have no clue," Pollard replied with a wry smile.
In pursuit of 388, the West Indies were 192 for three in the 30th over, but lost five wickets for 18 runs to eventually lose the second ODI by 107 runs here on Wednesday.
But more than the middle order collapse, Pollard was concerned about the 120 plus runs conceded in the last 10 overs.
"We were in a good position and if you lose wickets frequently, you put yourself on the backfoot. That's where we faltered in the chase and we accept that," Pollard admitted.
"Chasing 388, guys had to go out and express themselves, rather than trying to get in. I thought, where the game changed was in last 10 overs (of Indian innings), we went for a 127 runs, that's where we lost the momentum in the entire game.
"Before that, it was neck and neck and we knew it was a good track. We haven't really executed in the back-end which has been really the storyline for us when there has been a flat track."
On the day, Rohit Sharma was dropped on 70 by Shimron Hetmyer but Pollard defended his team's catching, saying that the overall standard has been pretty good.
"For me, personally, fielding is an attitude. The intensity with which you go out on the field, your anticipation and awareness of what is taking place at that point in time. Both teams have been guilty of dropping catches and making some basic errors," observed one of the finest fielders in the game.
Pollard also wants the broadcasters to cut them some slack as showing their bloopers again and again doesn't really help.
"But overall throughout the ODIs and T20s, we have been pretty good. Standards have risen a bit, but we are human beings. We tend to make mistakes. I keep saying in conversations that our mistakes are broadcast so that people can have opinion on it."
Shai Hope, on Wednesday, pipped Virat Kohli and is only behind Rohit Sharma in the top ODI run-getters list for 2019, with a match left in the calendar year.
Pollard was not too worried about Hope's none-too-impressive strike rate of 75 as he knows what the keeper-opener brings to the table.
"Sometimes we get carried away by so many stats and so many datas that we don't give importance to how we build a team. You don't build a team with guys who only play shots. You got to have an anchor who would hold one end," Pollard defended his colleague.
"If you look at how we played cricket in past few years, we have been losing a lot of wickets early up and so you have to build a foundation. You can't build the top part of the house and then build the bottom. We have identified Shai as someone who opens the batting and has been phenomenal."
It's all about knowing the roles and responsibilities rather data crunching, which Pollard believes is the media's job.
"You go up and down and that's how you find a middle ground. It's work in progress for us and we don't want to get into details about that strike rate. We leave that to you guys to write about and we would enjoy reading the articles," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
9 killed as protesters try to storm US Consulate in Pakistan's Karachi city
Karachi (PTI): At least nine persons were killed and several injured on Sunday after clashes broke out between police and protesters as they tried to storm the gates of the US Consulate in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi.
The clashes broke out following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday in a joint US-Israeli air strike.
Edhi Welfare Organisation's information wing confirmed that nine persons have been killed and several injured near Mai Kolachi Road during the firing and unrest.
They have been transferred to the Civil Hospital Trauma Centre, The Express Tribune reported.
At least thirty-two people have been injured and brought in and are receiving medical treatment, authorities at the Trauma Centre said. The identification of the bodies is currently underway, they added.
A large number of demonstrators were gathered around the consulate, and police opened fire on them while they were attempting to break into the US Consulate.
Sindh Minister for Interior Ziaul Hasan Langar has requested immediate details from the Additional IG Karachi, stressing that "No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands."
He called for enhanced security at sensitive installations. He added that alternative routes should be determined to maintain traffic flow during the protests.
"Law enforcement agencies are fully alert and monitoring the situation closely," the minister added.
The minister concluded that action will be taken against those disrupting law and order in accordance with the law.
Shia organisations had announced a march towards the US Consulate in Karachi in protest of the Khamenei’s death and voiced their intention to march towards the mission.
Edhi Information confirmed that several injured were shifted to Civil Hospital after reports of firing. A heavy police contingent remained deployed on MT Khan Road.
Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, while protesters responded with stone-throwing, according to reports.
Traffic police said routes leading to Numaish Chowrangi had been closed and alternative routes were being provided to motorists.
Meanwhile, protests have also been reported in Islamabad and Lahore on Sunday following the assassination of Khamenei.
In Islamabad, Tehreek-e-Jafaria Pakistan announced a protest and a planned encirclement of the US Embassy. Authorities have responded by sealing the Red Zone and deploying additional personnel on all roads leading to it, the report added.
Security checkpoints have been intensified, with every vehicle and motorcycle being thoroughly inspected. Armoured vehicles and extra forces have also been deployed. The Islamabad Police urged citizens not to travel towards the Red Zone.
Section 144 has been enforced in Islamabad, said the district administration. Under Section 144, all types of gatherings will be considered illegal.
The district administration urged citizens not to participate in any gatherings or assemblies. It warned that strict legal action would be taken in the event of any protest, demonstration, or gathering.
In Lahore, protests have continued outside the Press Club against Israel and the United States’ actions against Iran. Security at the US Consulate has been tightened, and fresh police units have arrived to reinforce the area.
Protesters began a sit-in, carrying placards bearing the image of Iran's Supreme Leader. Anti-US slogans were reportedly raised, while the Anti-Riot Force maintained a strong security presence at the protest site.
The United States and Israel said an air strike killed Khamenei as part of what they described as the most ambitious series of attacks on Iran in decades. Iranian state media confirmed the 86-year-old leader’s death on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump said the air strikes on Iranian targets were aimed at ending a decades-long threat from Iran and ensuring it could not develop a nuclear weapon, as he sought to justify a risky move that appeared to go against his professed opposition to American involvement in complex overseas conflicts.
