Top Trending Cricket News & Highlights
Gautam Gambhirs Serious Pre-IPL 2024 Message To KKR
Before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, which begins on March 22, Kolkata Knight Riders coach Gautam Gambhir had a direct message for his team. During a Star Sports conversation, Gambhir clarified that the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a fantastic chance for young players to demonstrate their abilities in the "toughest league in the world," not about Bollywood or the post-match celebrations. The former Indian batter, who captained KKR to the IPL title in 2012 and 2014, added that since the league is most similar to international cricket, there is extra pressure on players and teams to perform well. "I stated unequivocally on Day 1 that I take the Indian Premier League seriously. It has nothing to do with Bollywood, you, the after-party, or other such things. It's about getting out there and playing competitive cricket, which is why I think this league is the hardest in the world because it's authentic cricket," stated Gambhir. "It is probably closest to international cricket as compared to any other league and if you want to be known as a successful franchise, you should be able to deliver on the cricket field," he stated. Gambhir stated that the players must put in a lot of effort for the team's ardent fan base after KKR finished seventh in the previous season and missed out on the play-offs. "I believe there are ardent supporters. We must tell them the truth. We should probably try to put a smile on their faces because, in my opinion, Kolkata fans have been the most devoted because they have endured a lot over the first three IPL seasons," Gambhir remarked.
Published 04 Mar 2024 05:55 PM
A Look Into The Numbers: Steve Smith: Is The "Best Since Bradman" On Decline
During the first Test match against New Zealand in Wellington, star Australian batter Steve Smith continued his downward spiral as an opening batsman. He was removed by Matt Henry for 31 in 71 balls during the first Test, and Kiwi captain Tim Southee later dismissed him for a three-ball duck in the second inning. Smith's lean run, which began right at the beginning of the new ICC World Test Championship cycle, has been further enhanced by this. Smith has scored 12, 11*, 6, 91*, 31, and 0 since the opening, for a total of 151 runs at an average of 37.75 in six innings. Even with such a small sample size, Smith hasn't exactly had his best opening performance. Regarding his total test results since the beginning of the WTC cycle 2023–25, they have been comparatively lackluster for someone who is widely regarded as the standard by which excellence and consistency in tests are measured. Smith has scored only 718 runs at an average of 37.78 across 22 innings in 11 Tests played under the new cycle, with just one century and four fifties. His highest rating is 110.Usman Khawaja (916 runs in 11 matches at an average of 43.61), Zak Crawley of England (808 runs in nine matches at an average of 47.52), and most recently Yashasvi Jaiswal, the young opening sensation from India (971 runs in eight Tests at an average of 69.35), have all scored more runs than him, even though he is still the fourth-highest run scorer in the current cycle.Smith hasn't been able to sustain most of his excellent starts during this time, frequently faltering in his 30s and 40s or failing to reach a century without reaching a half-century. Additionally, Smith's strike rate over this entire period has been 50.42, which is less than his career strike rate of 53.54. His average has also suffered, dropping from 60.04 to 57.52 shortly after he hit the game-winning century against India in the ICC World Test Championship final.
Published 02 Mar 2024 06:16 PM
Indian player sent to London for treatment; uncertain for Englands fifth test
Star batsman for the Indian cricket team, KL Rahul, has been sidelined by injury for the last three Test matches in the current series against England. Cricbuzz reports that he may miss the final match in Dharamsala. According to the report, Rahul's quadriceps injury from the first Test is still bothering him, so the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sent him to London to get an expert opinion. Although Rahul was supposedly "90%" cleared to play in the third Test match, the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and team management made the decision to reevaluate the matter. Rahul was included in the India team for the series' final three games, but his availability will depend on how well he recovers. The five-match series is already 3-1 in favour of India, so the selectors might decide to give him more time to heal in anticipation of the T20 World Cup.On Monday, former captain Nasser Hussain stated that India's team, led by Rohit Sharma, deserved to win the Test series because of their superior skill set and mental toughness, and that England should not feel guilty about their defeat. After India defeated England by five wickets in the fourth and penultimate Test in Ranchi to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, England suffered their first Test series defeat of the 'Bazball' era. "India deserve credit for the way they've played throughout the series, they have been without some star names...Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah in this one, Mohammed Shami, KL Rahul for most of the series and Rishabh Pant," Hussain said on Sky Sports."India has a long list of missing persons, but they continue to produce impressive performances. You have to give India credit for their mental toughness in winning another home series in addition to their skill."Their performance at home is simply outstanding.
Published 28 Feb 2024 10:19 AM
Rohit Sharma chastises Sarfaraz Khan for this reason: Hero Nahi Banne Ka
The captain of the Indian cricket team, Rohit Sharma, chastised youngster Sarfaraz Khan for not donning a helmet on Sunday during Day 3 of the fourth Test match between India and England in Ranchi. In an attempt to exert pressure on the batter, Rohit wanted Sarfaraz to field at silly point with Shoaib Bashir at the crease, but the fielder assumed his position without a helmet. "Aye bhai, hero nahi banne ka (hey brother, don't be a hero here)" was Rohit's quick way of saying that he cannot field at such a dangerous position without a helmet. Play soon resumed, and the 12th man handed Sarfaraz a helmet. On the third day of the fourth Test, India bowled England out for 145, thanks to five wickets from Ravichandran Ashwin, setting up a 192-run chase to win the series. India needed another 152 runs to win the five-Test series and their third consecutive match after reaching 40-0 at stumping. Yashasvi Jaiswal was on 16 and skipper Rohit Sharma was undefeated on 24.Prior to this, England's top scorer, Zak Crawley, amassed a total of 60 runs, but the rest of the batting collapsed against India's spin attack, as Ashwin returned figures of 5-51 and Kuldeep Yadav 4-22. It was up to the bowlers to level the series and send it to a fifth-Test decider in Dharamsala after England lost wickets frequently to end their innings in the final session. After wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel struck 90 in the morning session to cut the hosts' deficit from 219-7 at the start of the day, India's bowlers performed their job.
Published 26 Feb 2024 10:35 AM
Cricket
Cricket is one of the most followed sport in World after Football and particularly Asian countires are fond of Cricket and every young kid wants to go to cricket due to its popularity and the kind of money they will get after getting a professional cricketer tag.
When David Warner plays Pakistan in his final test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, everything revolves around him
When David Warner plays Pakistan in his final test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, everything revolves around him.Warner has contributed to the build-up to what is essentially a game in which Australia has already secured the three-test series with wins in Perth and Melbourne. At the SCG, the visitors still have something to aim for because Pakistan last defeated Australia in a test match back in 1985.At a press conference on New Year's Day, Warner declared that one-day internationals will now be included on his retirement list. However, in true Warner manner, he stated that if requested, he will return for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. With HT, close off the previous year and get ready for 2024! Go here to go there. Following Australia's recent World Cup victory in India, when he led the winning team in runs scored, he stated that the time had come to call it a day for his ODI career to end. At least until the Twenty20 World Cup in the United States and the Caribbean in June, Warner will keep playing Twenty20 cricket for Australia. "I was extremely at ease with the (ODI) decision," Warner, 37, stated to the Australian Associated Press. "To prevail in
Sports World, January 2, 2024: As It Happened: India U-19 Thunderbolt South Africa
Additionally, with the January transfer market being open, Kylian Mbappe's future at Paris Saint-Germain is still uncertain as he is free to meet with other teams. What transpired in the world of sports on Tuesday, January 2, 2024Now that New Year's Day has passed, athletic activity is intensifying. Prior to the second Test match between South Africa and India in Cape Town, the Indian men's cricket squad faced the media. After winning the third and final ODI match against India, the Australian women's cricket team solidified their triumph in the ODI series and carried that success into the New Year. In the meantime, the India U-19 team defeated South Africa in a World Cup practice match. Here is a summary of everything that happened in sports on January 2, 2024. (football news | cricket news)9:00 p.m.: India U-19 wins decisively The India U-19 men's cricket team defeated South Africa in their U-19 Tri-Nation Series, which will act as a qualifier for the next U-19 World Cup, thanks in part to Arshin Kulkarni's 91 off 106 balls. With four wickets in 46.1 overs, Aaradhya Shukla was the standout bowler for India as they restricted South Africa to 240 runs. After that, India reached the target with just three wickets lost, with to the scores of 50 and above shared by Adarsh Singh and Aravelly Rao with Kulkarni.8 p.m.: India Goes All Out! In the 33rd over, India's dismal batting display has come to an end, as Deepti Sharma is the only player left standing after an Australian thrashing. Australia would not allow their standards to slip after winning the series the last time around. Against a target of 339, the Aussies brought the whole Indian squad back to the pavilion for a mere 148 runs, with three wickets taken by Georgia Wareham. Smriti Mandhana scored the most runs for India with 29, followed by Jemimah Rodrigues and the undefeated Sharma with 25 apiece. Consequently, Australia won the series 3-0 after defeating India by 190 runs.
PKL 2024: Ashu guides Dabang Delhi past Gujarat Giants, 35-28.
In the Pro Kabaddi League here on Tuesday, Dabang Delhi defeated Gujarat Giants 35–28 to extend their winning run to four games. Manjeet secured nine raid points, but stand-in captain Ashu Malik emerged as Delhi's standout performer with a Super 10.Delhi got off to a fast start, leading 4-0 until Rakesh HS's outstanding multi-point raid helped Gujarat get back into the game. Look at this Pro Kabaddi League 2024 point chart. Parteek Dahiya also devised a two-point raid right away, which left Delhi down to just a defender and caused chaos.Soon after, Gujarat led 11–9 as Delhi went into a 'All Out' while without its captain Naveen Kumar. Gujarat captain Fazel Atrachali achieved an incredible feat during the half, leading his team 16–14. He trapped Ashu in one of his signature ankle holds and hit the 450-tackle points milestone. In the meantime, Ashu took over at the half as Manjeet of Delhi gave his squad a flying start. Gujarat was having trouble, so Ashu outwitted four defenders in a few of raids, including Fazel. Delhi was leading 28–24 as he made a tackle on Sonu Jaglan to put his team ahead and then went for the 'All Out'.In the final five minutes, both teams traded awards, but Delhi's advantage proved too great for Gujarat to overcome. Delhi pulled off a valiant comeback victory as Ashu completed his Super 10 by outlasting Fazel once more on his penultimate raid. With this victory, Delhi moves up to third place on the points table, while Gujarat maintains their second-place ranking.
Rafael Nadal Prepares for Brisbane Round of 32 Match ICC Announces T20I Cricketer of the Year Nominees
In cricket, the second Test of India's visit of South Africa was played; in the two-game series, South Africa led 1-0. Australia, who had already won the series, played Pakistan in the same style elsewhere. In his last Test match as an Australian, David Warner started to bat, getting ready to call it a day on an incredible career. One of the four contenders for ICC Men's T20I Cricket Player of the Year is Suryakumar Yadav. In the meantime, preparations were underway for the other major tournaments of the month, which included the Australian Open, the Africa Cup of Nations, and the AFC Asian Cup. This is a brief summary of the news and athletic events from January 3, 2024.McIlroy Open To Play LIV Golf at 10:00 p.m. The second-best player in the world right now, Rory McIlroy, stated, "I would love for LIV to become the IPL of golf." "They require two calendar months. You go and carry out this teamwork, which is a little bit different in format. "If they were to do something like that I would say 'yeah that sounds like fun' because you are working within the ecosystem." Previously, McIlroy had been adamantly against the Saudi Arabian-backed project.
Lot To Do With Pitch: An Ex-Indian Stars Unambiguous Opinion On 23-Wicket Day
There are obviously going to be questions when 23 wickets fall in one day in a Test match—just two short of the all-time record. There must be something more going on than just bad batting or excellent bowling. There will be additional questions if those 23 wickets are lost on the opening day of a Test. That is the situation following Wednesday's first day of the second Test between South Africa and India in Cape Town.First, the Indian cricket team was dismissed for 153, and then South Africa was all out for just 55. With 62/3, South Africa concluded the day. 23 wickets fell in total. The greatest number of wickets lost on the first day of a test is 25, which occurred in an Ashes test in 1902. When asked why such a dramatic day transpired, former Indian cricket team player Sanjay Manjrekar gave a very basic response. "The pitch plays a big part in it. It is somewhat related to modern batting. Perhaps they shouldn't be concentrating on defenses, which makes sense given that Test cricket is currently the third format in terms of importance.
NBA Player Props - Evaluation and Forecast
See which NBA players are the best prop bettors to take under or above the given point total in this article. "Basketball Sphere" gives all of its readers daily forecasts for the games that are happening today.In case this is your first time reading our analysis, let us clarify that we provide our readers with a free "Acca of the Day" every day.Karl-Anthony Towns is having trouble maintaining a steady form. He occasionally performs at his level, but he has struggled and been unable to establish a consistent rhythm for the majority of the season.The New Orleans Pelicans will be hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves. This squad appears to have a great defensive record, which is essential to their success—especially while playing in front of their home crowd. The tempo of play is a little slower for both teams. This means that there should be fewer possessions and points in the game. It is obvious that he will face a difficult task in securing a favorable match when taking this into account along with the Dominican player's performance.
Brisbane International semifinal pairing features Yuki Bhambri and Robin Haase.
On Friday, Yuki Bhambri of India and his Dutch partner Robin Haase advanced to the Brisbane International ATP Tour semifinals after defeating Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow of the United States in straight sets.In an hour and thirty-six minutes, the eighth-seeded Indo-Dutch team prevailed 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6) in the quarterfinal encounter. In the semifinals, the Bhambri-Haase team will play the second-seeded English players Lloyd Glasspool and Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands.Along with South African Lloyd Harris, the 31-year-old Bhambri of New Delhi took home his first ATP trophy at the Mallorca Championships doubles event last year.
January 5th, India TV Sports Wrap: Today's top 10 popular news articles
Sports Wrap-Up for India TV on January 5: Here are the top 10 trending sports news articles and the most recent events from the world of sports on January 5, including everything from the football action to the cricket circuit. The Indian women's cricket team is ready to play Australia in the opening game of the three-match T20I series at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai after losing the ODI series despite having a clean sweep. Conversely, as they are ready to play Adelaide Strikers in their home ground, Perth Scorchers aim to continue their winning run in the ongoing Big Bash League. That and a lot more are covered in today's sports wrap.
To stay ahead, Srihari LR upsets GM Savchenko.
In the ninth round of the Chennai Open International Grandmaster Chess tournament on Saturday, Russian GM Boris Savchenko was defeated by talented Indian youngster Srihari LR, who also holds a Grandmaster norm. This victory extended his impressive streak.Srihari traded his rook for a knight in an exciting game that saw him tear apart Savchenko's kingside. Savchenko gave up on the 42nd move after suffering a significant loss of reinforcement on the board.Now that he is in the championship match, Srihari will take on Belarusian GM Alexei Fedorov on Sunday in the final round. Vietnamese Grandmaster Nguyen Duc Hoa, with 7.5 points, is second behind Srihari. Ten players, including Laxman RR of India, Nithin Babu, Abhishek Kelkar, Aakash G, Vijay Shreeram P, and Pawar Harshit, shared third place with 7.0 points.GM Savchenko is upset by Srihari LR to keep his advantage at the top. CHENNAI: In the ninth round of the Chennai Open International Grandmaster Chess competition here on Saturday, talented Indian youngster Srihari LR, who also holds a Grandmaster norm, extended his impressive run by defeating Russian GM Boris Savchenko.
Ek bihari sab pe bhari Virat Kohli gives Vaibhav Sooryavanshi particular recognition
Virat Kohli's heartfelt praise for young Bihar cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has become one of the most talked-about moments after the IPL 2026 season. Following Royal Challengers Bengaluru's title-winning campaign, Kohli met the 15-year-old sensation and shared words of encouragement that quickly went viral on social media.In a video released by RCB, Kohli advised Vaibhav to stay focused on hard work and self-belief rather than outside opinions. He told the youngster that his success had come through dedication and confidence and urged him to keep aiming higher. The highlight of the conversation was Kohli's special line, "Ek Bihari, sab pe bhari", praising the Bihar-born batter for his remarkable performances throughout IPL 2026. .Vaibhav emerged as one of the biggest stars of the tournament, earning widespread admiration for his fearless batting and maturity at such a young age. His performances attracted praise from former cricketers and fans alike, with many viewing him as one of Indian cricket's brightest future prospects.The interaction between Kohli and Vaibhav was widely appreciated by cricket fans, who saw it as a passing-of-the-torch moment between one of India's greatest batters and a rising teenage talent. Kohli's message of humility, hard work, and self-belief has since been shared extensively across social media platforms.
Virat Kohli changes once more incorporating elements of Abhishek and Sooryavanshi into his game
The cameras showed Kohli putting his arm over Sooryavanshi's shoulder and conversing with him for several minutes. Although the topic of the talk is unknown, rest assured that Sooryavanshi returned home much wealthier than he would have if he had only received a few honors. Less than a day has passed since Sooryavanshi was recommended for Test cricket by none other than the great Sachin Tendulkar. He had also complimented his batting style earlier.It is important to note that earlier in the 2026 IPL season, Kohli signed Sooryavanshi's cap and gave him an autograph after the left-handed hitter destroyed the RCB bowlers all over the field during the match at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.Sooryavanshi won five awards when the IPL 2026 concluded. The 15-year-old was named Super Striker, Super Sixes of the Season, Orange Cap, Emerging Player of the Season, and Most Valuable Player. Sooryavanshi broke Chris Gayle's record for the most maximums in a single IPL season with 72 sixes during the 19th T20 competition. In the competition, he also became the fastest Indian to reach 1000 runs. In addition, he became the youngest player in the tournament to hit 1000 runs, surpassing Rishabh Pant.Sooryavanshi acknowledged that he would need to improve his fitness going forward if he wanted to have a lengthy career after receiving so many honors. "I need to improve my fitness if I want to avoid getting hurt. Everyone is really encouraging. In an interview with Ravi Shastri, Sooryavanshi stated, "Everyone supports me, including the senior players and support staff. It's a good atmosphere." Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar has praised Sooryavanshi as well. According to the renowned Indian hitter, the young player possesses all the necessary skills to participate in the game's longest format.In relation to Sooryavanshi, the next tri-series in Sri Lanka will include him. The left-hander will play for India A against Afghanistan A and Sri Lanka A.In relation to Sooryavanshi, the next tri-series in Sri Lanka will include him. The left-hander will play for India A against Afghanistan A and Sri Lanka A.
For the first time in an IPL season Indian hitters outpace foreign batters
IPL 2026 had the highest batting strike rate of any season at 156.34. For the first time in an IPL season, Indian hitters (157.10) scored more runs than foreign batters (154.71). 237.30 strike rate, 776 runs, and 72 sixes In an IPL season, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became just the second hitter to score the most runs, hit the most sixes, and have the greatest strike rate (minimum 50 balls faced). Like Sooryavanshi, Chris Gayle was named Most Valuable Player in 2011.In the previous nine seasons, none of the highest run-scorers were among the top 15 strike rates in that season. The difference between Sooryavanshi's IPL 2026 run total and the next highest total for a batsman with a strike rate of 235 or more in any IPL season (Romario Shepherd's 70 runs in 2025) is 706 runs. IPL 2026 saw 65 totals of 200 or more, the highest in a T20 competition and 13 more than the previous record of 52 in IPL 2025. Individual teams also set new records in IPL 2026: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Rajasthan Royals (RR) all scored nine runs of 200 or more, the most in a Twenty20 competition.In terms of bowling, PBKS and RR gave up 200-plus totals nine times, which is also the most in a Twenty20 competition. IPL 2026 saw the highest number of sixes struck in a season, 1426, up 10.2% from the previous record of 1294 sixes in 2025. Thanks to 72 sixes from Sooryavanshi, who established the individual record for most sixes in a T20 competition, RR struck 181 sixes, the most of any team in a T20 event.
Ramakrishna Ghoshs injury has been replaced by Macneil Noronha.
Macneil Noronha, an all-rounder from Karnataka who recently won the MA Chidambaram Trophy at the Naman awards for being the highest run-getter in the 2024/25 Colonel CK Nayudu Trophy, will join Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for INR 30 lakh as a replacement for Ramakrishna Ghosh, who injured his right foot during their game against Mumbai Indians on May 3rd and is out for the season. He will not play this season.Macneil Noronha will take Ghosh's place at CSK for INR 30 lakh.Noronha, a Karnataka all-rounder, has won the MA Chidambaram Trophy at the Naman Awards for scoring the most runs in the Colonel CK Nayudu Trophy for 2024–2025. Noronha was called up by the Karnataka team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after an outstanding season, and he played in three games for his state.For the remainder of the 2026 Indian Premier League season, the Chennai Super Kings have selected Karnataka all-rounder Macneil Noronha to replace injured uncapped player Ramakrishna Ghosh.He was called up to Karnataka's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad as a result of his domestic achievements, and he played in three games. Noronha made an impressive 34 off 21 deliveries in his most recent match against Tripura in December 2025. He also contributed a wicket. The move comes after Ghosh was sidelined for the rest of the season due to a right foot injury he sustained during Chennai's match against Mumbai Indians on May 3. Ghosh had just made his eagerly anticipated IPL debut in that match, contributing to Chennai's decisive eight-wicket victory. Introduced into the attack in a high-pressure match, the young player returned figures of 1 for 24 from his three overs, taking the crucial wicket of Suryakumar Yadav, who had looked dangerous after reaching 21 off just 12 balls. In that match, Ghosh made his eagerly anticipated IPL debut and contributed to Chennai's convincing eight-wicket victory. The youthful player, who was brought into the attack in a high-stress match, recorded figures of 1 for 24 from his three overs, taking the crucial wicket of Suryakumar Yadav, who had appeared dangerous after reaching 21 off only 12 balls.Chennai will be hoping that Noronha will offer valuable depth as they continue to strive for a play-off position in spite of the setback.
Twenty four hours before to the Indias Got Latent controversy, Kapil Sharma forewarned Samay Raina that something bad is going to happen.
The highly anticipated special episode of Netflix's The Great Indian Kapil Show, which included Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia as guests, was finally released on Saturday. This is the podcaster's and YouTuber's first joint appearance following the India's Got Latent controversy that caused both of them to deal with legal problems and put their careers on hold. With their jabs at one another, host Kapil Sharma and the pair had everyone in stitches. Samay recalls receiving a warning call from the Kapil the day before the incident broke out in the show. Additionally, he disclosed that the comedian-actor was the first to contact him immediately following the beginning of it all.Kapil said, "I have watched many episodes," in response to Ranveer's question about whether he had seen any episodes of India's Got Latent. I even gave Samay a call. "How is there not a single case against you?" I asked him over the phone. "And I swear, the day my show shut down, sir called me a day before that, he told me something bad is going to happen to you," Samay continued. "I warned him to exercise caution since you are now in the spotlight. I mentioned that I'm not clairvoyant based on my personal experience. The host remarked, "You can become famous by saying anything, but once you're famous, you can't just say anything." He also mentioned how his late-night tweets and jokes had landed him in legal trouble.In February of last year, Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia saw a tremendous overnight transformation in their lives. They faced several financial, legal, professional, and personal problems as a result of the dispute. Samay recalled the trying time, saying, "To be honest, Kapil sir was the first person to call me at that time." I'm still not sure if it was an insult or a worry. "Samay, your bad days will end soon too, just as your good days did," he remarked. "We were waiting for something to happen," the YouTuber went on. Around that time, Kapil Sir also ceased tweeting. It was rather quiet over the first few weeks. Everyone burst out laughing when Udit Narayan likewise stopped kissing people.
IPL 2026 DC vs. KKR Live Score, Playing 11 Updates Delhi and Kolkata want to make it to the playoffs at Kotla
IPL 2026 DC vs. KKR Live Cricket Score, Delhi Capitals vs. Kolkata Knight Riders Playing 11 Today Match Updates: The 50th match of the season will take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi today between two teams that have had difficulty maintaining team combinations throughout the season. After losing four straight games at home in less than a month, Axar Patel's DC has collapsed for unknown reasons. Delhi can only hope to reach 14 points with victories in all of the remaining games after shooting themselves in the foot.Even a well-rounded bowling arsenal hasn't helped Delhi's cause this season due to tactical errors and the captain's bad batting record. Not far from that is KKR, who have had trouble finding rhythm but have managed to regain some balance thanks to their strong spin attack. Delhi will have a difficult test on worn-out fields at home in Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Anukul Roy.On May 8, 2026, Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium will host the crucial 51st IPL match between the eighth-place Delhi Capitals and the ninth-place Kolkata Knight Riders. Both teams are fighting for their lives. DC is looking to end a bad home run drought, while KKR is coming off a three-game winning run. The high-stakes game for the playoffs begins at 7:30 PM IST. The Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders are theoretically still in the running to make it to the IPL-19 playoffs. However, a perfect run must be maintained until the very conclusion of the league phase in order for mathematical possibilities to become tangible reality. Only one of the two struggling units will have control over its fate at the end of Friday's fight at Arun Jaitley Stadium.With DC sitting in seventh place with eight points from ten games and KKR, who has played less games, in eighth place with seven points, this is almost a do-or-die situation. Although the Knights have already won three straight games, their current situation can be attributed to their terrible start to the campaign. Naturally, the type of surface will have a significant impact on how the competition unfolds. Although high-scoring games have been possible on the Kotla's grass in recent years, the 2026 edition has called for a more nuanced interpretation. Because the pitches have shown different qualities, DC is as uncertain about what to anticipate from the 22-yard strip as the opposition is.
GT defeats tenacious Punjab thanks to a calm performance from Washington Sundar and traditional Test bowlers.
When Washington Sundar twisted Marcus Stoinis's penultimate ball of the final over on one knee over fine leg, a chase of slow-burning thrills and twists came to a fitting conclusion. Because of the Punjab Kings' tenacity and fear setting into the Gujarat Titans' middle order, the chase of 163 wasn't supposed to be this thrilling.It was arguably the most crucial move in Washington's start-stop T20 career; in retrospect, he might claim that it rescued his career in the shortest format. Both the knock (40 off 23 not out) and the shot had redemptive qualities. His function seemed to be unclear to almost everyone, including himself. He has provided clarification. He may lead a challenging chase as a middle-order finisher with cool demeanor and ice veins. Perhaps not for reckless pursuits, but those that call for hearts that don't falter in an emergency.Because Punjab would attack whenever Gujarat Titans appeared to strengthen their hold on the match. The Titans' concerns about a power-play wobble were allayed by Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler's 51-run partnership following Shubman Gill's dismissal for 16. However, panic was sparked by Buttler's departure with the score at 69. With just 15 runs off 11 balls, Nishant Sindhu crushed the nerves of a rookie.However, Sudharsan offered tranquility and serenity. After the respite, Sudharsan pummeled Yuzvendra Chahal for a pair of fours, cutting the need to an unpleasant 61 off 42 balls. Vijayakumar Vyshak's lofted-driven four from Sundar further narrowed the margin, but in keeping with the cat-and-mouse style of the chase, Vyshak ejected Sudharsan with a shortish ball, revealing his locked shoulders that impede the bat's clean movement.Xavier Bartlett's four-run over placed the game on the verge, but Washington's back-to-back fours off Marco Jansen restored the Titans' dominance. Rahul Tewatia, the Impact Sub, was removed by Jansen's short ball, but Punjab continued to come back.With 17 needed from 12 balls, the game was suddenly even. However, Punjab's top bowlers had used up all of their supply. Knowing this, Jason Holder and Washington scored five runs off the first four balls without much fuss. Then, driven by ambition, Holder attempted to hit Arshdeep Singh over mid-wicket but missed Cooper Connolly. Washington, however, prevented further twists.
Gautam Gambhirs Serious Pre-IPL 2024 Message To KKR
Before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, which begins on March 22, Kolkata Knight Riders coach Gautam Gambhir had a direct message for his team. During a Star Sports conversation, Gambhir clarified that the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a fantastic chance for young players to demonstrate their abilities in the "toughest league in the world," not about Bollywood or the post-match celebrations. The former Indian batter, who captained KKR to the IPL title in 2012 and 2014, added that since the league is most similar to international cricket, there is extra pressure on players and teams to perform well. "I stated unequivocally on Day 1 that I take the Indian Premier League seriously. It has nothing to do with Bollywood, you, the after-party, or other such things. It's about getting out there and playing competitive cricket, which is why I think this league is the hardest in the world because it's authentic cricket," stated Gambhir. "It is probably closest to international cricket as compared to any other league and if you want to be known as a successful franchise, you should be able to deliver on the cricket field," he stated. Gambhir stated that the players must put in a lot of effort for the team's ardent fan base after KKR finished seventh in the previous season and missed out on the play-offs. "I believe there are ardent supporters. We must tell them the truth. We should probably try to put a smile on their faces because, in my opinion, Kolkata fans have been the most devoted because they have endured a lot over the first three IPL seasons," Gambhir remarked.
A Look Into The Numbers: Steve Smith: Is The "Best Since Bradman" On Decline
During the first Test match against New Zealand in Wellington, star Australian batter Steve Smith continued his downward spiral as an opening batsman. He was removed by Matt Henry for 31 in 71 balls during the first Test, and Kiwi captain Tim Southee later dismissed him for a three-ball duck in the second inning. Smith's lean run, which began right at the beginning of the new ICC World Test Championship cycle, has been further enhanced by this. Smith has scored 12, 11*, 6, 91*, 31, and 0 since the opening, for a total of 151 runs at an average of 37.75 in six innings. Even with such a small sample size, Smith hasn't exactly had his best opening performance. Regarding his total test results since the beginning of the WTC cycle 2023–25, they have been comparatively lackluster for someone who is widely regarded as the standard by which excellence and consistency in tests are measured. Smith has scored only 718 runs at an average of 37.78 across 22 innings in 11 Tests played under the new cycle, with just one century and four fifties. His highest rating is 110.Usman Khawaja (916 runs in 11 matches at an average of 43.61), Zak Crawley of England (808 runs in nine matches at an average of 47.52), and most recently Yashasvi Jaiswal, the young opening sensation from India (971 runs in eight Tests at an average of 69.35), have all scored more runs than him, even though he is still the fourth-highest run scorer in the current cycle.Smith hasn't been able to sustain most of his excellent starts during this time, frequently faltering in his 30s and 40s or failing to reach a century without reaching a half-century. Additionally, Smith's strike rate over this entire period has been 50.42, which is less than his career strike rate of 53.54. His average has also suffered, dropping from 60.04 to 57.52 shortly after he hit the game-winning century against India in the ICC World Test Championship final.
Rishabh Pant looks unstoppable as he trains hard ahead of IPL 2024
"IPL 2024: In his most recent exercise video, Rishabh Pant is shown lifting weights while wearing an elevation training mask. Beginning on March 22, Pant will serve as the captain of the Delhi Capitals in the 17th IPL season. The recent Instagram post by India's top wicketkeeper-batter, Rishabh Pant, indicates that he is eager to return to competitive cricket. After missing the 16th season of the competition in year, Pant will be captain of the Delhi Capitals in the 2024 Indian Premier League. Pant's Instagram profile can serve as a source of motivation for anyone in need of inspiration or who wants to understand how to get back up after reaching their lowest point. Significant progress in his recuperation, about a year after Pant shared his first-ever Update: Following the vehicle collision, he has been spotted working out hard at the gym. It is anticipated that Pant will make his competitive comeback following the December 2022 automobile accident when he joins the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024), as head coach Ricky Ponting stated earlier in February. Pant will captain the Delhi Capitals in the 2024 Indian Premier League and play the first half of the season as a pure batter, according to comments made by co-owner Parth Jindal last week. "Barrio is at bat. He is sprinting. He has begun to take wickets. For the IPL, he should be totally recovered, according to Parth Jindal We will only use him as a hitter for the first seven games, and then we'll decide whether to use him for the remainder of the IPL based on how his body responds,"" he continued. Pant shared an Instagram photo of himself walking on crutches on February 10, 2023. A month later, he was seen making small progress toward being able to walk unassisted. Pant was able to walk independently without the need of crutches in May 2023. In June, Pant demonstrated how his ""never-say-die"" mentality enabled him to overcome obstacles by climbing stairs with ease. He had begun training at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru by July. From that point on The star player continued without pausing; he made great progress and didn't look back on his journey to rehabilitation. Pant was able to run effortlessly in 2024 and began practicing his batting and wicket-keeping techniques. ""Rishabh will lead from match one, and I am expecting him to participate in the IPL. Pant worked out with a lot more intensity on Tuesday, February 27, doing both strength training and heavy lifting. Pant appeared to need less assistance this time, as his hand movements and lifts appeared much more fluid. Seeing Pant with an elevation training mask during his most recent exercise video was something unique. The mask promised to replicate the advantages of training at altitude."
Ranji Trophy: Makeshift opener Hardik Tamore’s ton against Baroda makes Mumbai almost certain of semis spot
"Although Bashir had no first-class experience prior to this series, two months ago Ben Stokes managed to come upon a video of Bashir bowling to Alastair Cook on Twitter. Day 2 saw young Shoaib Bashir shine with his off-spin. The bowler's cunning and ball revs deceived the Indian batting order. Speaking following Day's play, Joe Root, his teammate, disclosed that he had not previously witnessed much of Bashir bowling. ""It was great to see him keep coming at the batters. I hadn't seen much of him (Bashir) before this series but he is a great character and has a sense of humor,"" Root remarked following the game. The fact that the first question posed to centurion Joe Root during the post-match media briefing following the second day of play in this fourth India-England Test was about the 20-year-old off-spinner is a good indicator of how good Shoaib Bashir was. The seasoned player Root, who spared England's blushes on the opening day, was all praise for Bashir, who held India to four wickets (four for 84) in just his second Test match. "Since joining the squad, he has performed exceptionally well,"" stated Root. ""His bowling style provides a useful window into his personality and temperament. He's hilarious and a little cheeky. He obviously possesses a great deal of skill in what he does. Bowling 31 of his 32 overs in a row, Bashir Eighteen of those were in tandem with Tom Hartley, the left-arm spinner (two for 47). The fact that the first question posed to centurion Joe Root during the post-match media briefing following the second day of play in this fourth India-England Test was about the 20-year-old off-spinner is a good indicator of how good Shoaib Bashir was. The seasoned player Root, who spared England's blushes on the opening day, was all praise for Bashir, who held India to four wickets (four for 84) in just his second Test match. ""Since joining the squad, he has performed exceptionally well,"" stated Root. ""His bowling style provides a useful window into his personality and temperament. He's hilarious and a little cheeky. "
After Shoaib Bashir picks four wickets in 4th IND vs ENG Test, Joe Root reveals he hadn’t seen much of him play
"Although Bashir had no first-class experience prior to this series, two months ago Ben Stokes managed to come upon a video of Bashir bowling to Alastair Cook on Twitter. Day 2 saw young Shoaib Bashir shine with his off-spin. The bowler's cunning and ball revs deceived the Indian batting order. Speaking following Day's play, Joe Root, his teammate, disclosed that he had not previously witnessed much of Bashir bowling. ""It was great to see him keep coming at the batters. I hadn't seen much of him (Bashir) before this series but he is a great character and has a sense of humor,"" Root remarked following the game. The fact that the first question posed to centurion Joe Root during the post-match media briefing following the second day of play in this fourth India-England Test was about the 20-year-old off-spinner is a good indicator of how good Shoaib Bashir was. The seasoned player Root, who spared England's blushes on the opening day, was all praise for Bashir, who held India to four wickets (four for 84) in just his second Test match. "Since joining the squad, he has performed exceptionally well,"" stated Root. ""His bowling style provides a useful window into his personality and temperament. He's hilarious and a little cheeky. He obviously possesses a great deal of skill in what he does. Bowling 31 of his 32 overs in a row, Bashir Eighteen of those were in tandem with Tom Hartley, the left-arm spinner (two for 47). The fact that the first question posed to centurion Joe Root during the post-match media briefing following the second day of play in this fourth India-England Test was about the 20-year-old off-spinner is a good indicator of how good Shoaib Bashir was. The seasoned player Root, who spared England's blushes on the opening day, was all praise for Bashir, who held India to four wickets (four for 84) in just his second Test match. ""Since joining the squad, he has performed exceptionally well,"" stated Root. ""His bowling style provides a useful window into his personality and temperament. He's hilarious and a little cheeky. "
