Top Stories: Things that made news in the cricket world today

India vs South Africa: Virat Kohli and Co’s number 1 Test rank at stake in the three-match series

• The ICC Test championship [2019-2021] will be back in full swing once again when Team India squares off against South Africa in a three-match Test series.
• The series also marks the beginning of the Indian home Test season which will be followed by a 2-match Test series against Bangladesh in November.
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Reports: Wrist and back injury reason behind MS Dhoni’s absence

• Millions of hearts were broken when MS Dhoni was run-out in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.
• While his dismissal India’s hopes of making it to the final, it was also deemed to be the final international game of the veteran.
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Peace and tranquility have been restored in Pakistan, says Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq

• Pakistan is currently preparing for a home ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka. The matches will be played in Lahore and Karachi.
• After a long time, international cricket is coming back to the country and ahead of the series, Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq looked positive about peace in the country after the attack on Lankan team in 2009 that had isolated Pakistan from playing international cricket on their soil.
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Rishabh Pant should look to become a performer: Virender Sehwag

• Rishabh Pant, the Indian wicket-keeper has been in the spotlight facing criticism from fans for his below-par performance playing for India.
• He was brought as a replacement of MS Dhoni, but it looks like it is getting to his mind which is making it difficult for the 21-year-old glove-man to fill the shoes of the veteran cricketer.
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Yuzvendra Chahal has only been rested to give others an opportunity, believes Sourav Ganguly

• Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has been missing from action for the past two T20I series against West Indies and now South Africa.
• This has raised many eyebrows, given that he, along with Kuldeep Yadav, was the go-to man for the Indian captain since 2017 and helped India win many matches on their own.
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Mohammad Yousuf feels even a full strength Sri Lanka team won’t challenge Pakistan

• Pakistan will welcome the return of international cricket, as Sri Lanka prepares to play the first ODI of the three-match series in Karachi on September 27.
• The terrorist attacks a decade ago on the Emerald Islanders was the reason behind a generation in Pakistan missing out on witnessing their cricketers play in front of their own eyes.
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Reports: Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri in favour of playing Wriddhiman Saha ahead of Pant in the first Test

• Team India is preparing for the first Test of the three-match series against South Africa to be played in Visakhapatnam from October 2.
• The last time these two teams played Test cricket in India was in 2015 and the visitors lost the series by 3-0, including a score of 79 in Nagpur, which is the lowest Test score by a touring team in India.
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T10 League set to get underway on November 14 this year

• The T10 League based in Abu Dhabi will see its third edition getting underway from November 14 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
• This new format could give T20s serious competition in the days to come.
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“Had to beg and plead for opening slot” – Sachin Tendulkar recounts his baptism with fire as ODI opener in 1994

• On the morning of March 27, 1994, India’s opener Navjot Singh Sidhu woke up with a sore neck. Sidhu was in the form of his life.
• His scores in the ODIs leading to the match-up read: 34, 26, 79 and 108.
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‘Am I there to play tabla?’- Ravi Shastri confident of helping Rishabh Pant arrest his slump

• Rishabh Pant has strained to find his feet in ODIs and T20Is, averaging in the low 20s in both the formats.
• The southpaw has often had to face brickbats for his poor shot selection that has led to his dismissal on numerous instances.
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All of a sudden I was being called a terrorist: Pakistan origin England cricketer Saqib Mahmood

• England is getting ready for their tour to New Zealand from 1st November where they have to play five T20Is as well as two Test matches.
• New Zealand is the same team against which England won their maiden World Cup and now after four long months, the English team will play T20Is against the same opponent.
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Reports: IPL auction for the 2020 season set to take place in December

• Although the next Indian Premier League (IPL) season is almost seven months away, the concerned authorities have started the preparations for the same.
• The franchises have already begun trading the players and have also tweaked their support staff in order to come out on top next year.
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Shadab Khan to donate match fees from Sri Lanka series for earthquake victims

• A big earthquake recently hit Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Tuesday leaving at least 22 people dead and injuring over 200.
• Photos became viral showing car-sized cracks into the roads and fallen buildings and trees in the city of Mirpur in the region.
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