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Former Australia captain Michael Clarke feels India have taken a huge risk heading into the T20 World Cup, saying that their heavy reliance on spinners might backfire. India have selected four spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are all-rounders while Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal are the two wrist spinners. Clarke said while India post a big threat to Australia's chances of winning the T20 World Cup, he pointed that India have made a big gamble by selecting four spinners. "I think India have taken a risk with the squad they have picked - heavily reliant on spin, very different from Australia. But in the conditions that I have played in the Caribbean I think how you play spin is going to be a huge part of whether you succeed or not. India are the biggest threat for me with regards to who is going to win the World Cup," Clarke told ESPN. Clarke, however, re-iterated that  India are the favourites based on the amount of cricket all the players have managed ...

Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma is well-known for his witty one-liners and he once again left everyone in splits with his banter with teammate Kuldeep Yadav . Rohit was asked to present the ICC ODI Team of the Year cap to Kuldeep during a promotional shoot for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 and their conversation has gone viral on social media. During the presentation, Kuldeep said that he had a good year with both the bat and ball - a remark that resulted in Rohit hilariously roasting him. Rohit said that he is the captain of the side and he has never seen Kuldeep bat. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ICC (@icc) Here's how the conversation between Rohit and Kuldeep went -  Rohit - It's my great pleasure to present this wonderful cap to a wonderful athlete and who has been a real asset for Team India, ICC ODI Team of the Year, Kuldeep. Kuldeep -  Thank you, Rohit bhai. Rohit - You want to say something? ...

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series of any sorts in over a decade. Since the two teams only meet each other at ICC and ACC events, the India-Pakistan matches are undeniably the most anticipated clashes in world cricket. India and Pakistan will face off next month in a group match at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 on June 9. Ahead of much anticipated game, former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has made a big claim that that ICC wants India and Pakistan to face off twice in the tournament. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit said that the ICC has planned the schedule in such a way that India and Pakistan can meet once again in the semi-final or final, in addition to their match in New York on June 9. "The ICC wants India and Pakistan to have two matches in the World Cup. They have made the schedule so the two teams can meet again either in the semi-final or final. The venue we will get to know in due course. Now, it all depends on performance. Pakistan is a bit low on t...

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir has showered big praise on star all-rounder Sunil Narine who helped the franchise win their Indian Premier League (IPL) title last week. Narine was named 'Most Valuable Player' of IPL 2024 as KKR defeated SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final last Sunday. Under Gambhir's mentorship, Narine regained his magical touch, scoring 488 runs and picking up 17 wickets. In a recent interaction, Gambhir opened up on his camaraderie with Narine, and recalled the latter's early days in the KKR camp. Gambhir was the captain of KKR when they won the IPL in 2012 and 2014, respectively, with Narine playing a crucial role in both the triumphs. "Me and Narine are similar characters, and so are our emotions. I still remember that when Narine first came into the IPL in 2012, it was in Jaipur, and we were going for practice, and I told him to come join for lunch. He was so shy that he did not say a single word during lunch, and the ...

A fan found himself in the limelight after he invaded the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad during the IPL 2024 match between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans to meet his idol MS Dhoni . He evaded the security at the stadium and bowed down to Dhoni who was seen having a conversation with the fan before he was apprehended. In a video going viral on social media, the fan revealed the conversation he had with Dhoni. He revealed that Dhoni hugged him and even asked him to not worry as he will take care of him and make sure that the security will behave properly. Conversation between @msdhoni and fan Fan told him he has some breathing issues and there is surgery of it. He wanted to meet him before surgery. Mahi replied "Teri surgery ka mai dekh lunga. Tujhe kuch nahi hoga, tu ghabara mat. Mai tujhe kuch nahi hone dunga" pic.twitter.com/wKz9aZOVGQ — ` (@WorshipDhoni) May 29, 2024 The fan further claimed that Dhoni asked him why his breath was uneven aft...

It could become difficult for a young player to lead a team that has veterans like MS Dhoni , Ravindra Jadeja , and Ajinkya Rahane . Yet Ruturaj Gaikad impressed many with his leadership qualities as he led the Chennai Super Kings squad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. It was right before the start of the tournament that CSK announced a captaincy change, with Dhoni passing on the baton to Gaikwad. When the CSK skipper was asked about the difficulty in leading such players, he gave an honest response. "I felt good right from the start (of the tournament). I am very approachable for all teammates whenever needed and they always support the team in whatever way the team requires," Gaikwad said of the captaincy challenge, to Times of India . "I wouldn't say it's difficult as all of them are very understanding. All the senior players that are a part of the team are great to be with. Their experience always helps with match situations," he added. Gaikwa...

Bollywood superstar and Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan delivered an emotional dressing room speech following his side's victory in the IPL 2024 final. KKR produced a sensational performance in the final to defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad and clinch their third IPL trophy. SRK was hospitalised recently after suffering a heat stroke but he was back in the ground to attend the summit clash and cheer for his side alongside his family. In a video posted by KKR on their social media handle, SRK was seen talking to the KKR players and staff as he thanked them and expressed a special wish for the IPL auction. #KnightsTV | A night full of awards CEO Venky Mysore celebrates our champion performers from the #TATAIPL2024Final pic.twitter.com/uCXCz9jKUZ — KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 27, 2024 "I just have one request, which is my special thanks to Gautam Gambhir . I have not thanked him specially. Two things we had discussed when we started that maybe we can make him ...

The decision taken by Indian cricket team selectors to exclude Rinku Singh from the T20 World Cup 2024 squad led to a lot of criticism from both fans and experts. The BCCI decided to go with Shivam Dube and Axar Patel as all-rounder options but it led to Rinku getting a place in the reserves. It was a bad IPL campaign for Rinku as he did not get many chances to bat and ended up scoring just 168 runs. However, KKR went on to win the competition and Rinku has now broken his silence over the T20 World Cup snub. In a recent interview, Rinku said that the decision to not include him the squad was due to the team composition and even revealed the conversation he had with skipper Rohit Sharma about the decision. "Yes, anyone feels a little bad if he is not selected despite good performance. However, this time I could not get selected due to the team combination. It is okay, one should not think too much about things that are not in one's hands. Yes, I was a little upset in the b...

West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell celebrated Kolkata Knight Riders' title win in IPL 2024 in style as he danced on Shah Rukh Khan's hit song 'Lutt Putt Gaya' with Bollywood actress Ananya Pandey. KKR were in tremendous form as the Shreyas Iyer -led side defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad comfortably by 8 wickets to claim their third IPL title. Russell was the pick of the KKR bowlers as the all-rounder took three wickets to bundle out SRH for just 113. In a video going viral on social media, Russell could be seen grooving to the beats of 'Lutt Putt Gaya' song from the movie 'Dunki' with Ananya Pandey. Andre Russell enjoying "Lutt Putt Gaya" Song during the IPL winning Party. pic.twitter.com/Q8sg53FuFi — Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 27, 2024 "Absolutely comprehensive. This is what we demanded from the team and every individual. They stood up to the right occasion and the feeling is hard to express. It (wait) was so long, longer than the ...

It was a night when Kolkata Knight Riders were on top of the world. After a decade-long wait, the Shah Rukh Khan-owned IPL franchise won their third IPL title defeating SunRisers Hyderabad in Chennai in the title clash of the 2024 edition. Since the time, Gautam Gambhir took over as the mentor of the KKR side, the team has looked different. In the final, KKR just stamped their authority on SRH by first restricting the latter to 113 and then reaching the target in less than 11 overs.  The win, naturally, sparked some pompous celebration from Shah Rukh Khan and his family, who were present at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. In fact, Aryan, son of Shah Rukh, suggested a prank to his father when they were taking a lap of honour. It involved going and bumping into Harbhajan Singh and Sunil Gavaskar . The prank was suggested after, in an earlier match, Shah Rukh inadvertently bumped into a TV show of the official broadcasters.  It was Aryan Khan's plan to prank an intentional bump i...

Kevin Pietersen labelled Ambati Rayudu a "joker" in a hilarious interaction on Star Sports' post-IPL 2024 Final show on Sunday night. The light-hearted remark from the former English cricketer came after Rayudu switched his outfit from orange to blue during the 2024 IPL Final between the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rayudu, who has represented Hyderabad in domestic cricket, donned orange before the match had begun. But as SRH crumbled to 113 all out after a superb KKR bowling performance, Rayudu dumped his orange outfit, prompting Pietersen's remark. "You're a joker!" said Pietersen to Rayudu on air, hinting at the latter's change of sides after the Sunrisers' defeat.  "I, at least, held firm," said Pietersen, who was himself dressed in purple, the colour of the Kolkata Knight Riders. You are a Joker Kevin Pietersen to Ambati Rayudu pic.twitter.com/GotTPdtY4o — Cheeks (@chikuone8) May 27, 2024 On the big n...

Kolkata Knight Riders are three times IPL champions now. Barring Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, no other IPL team has been as successful as KKR. The Shah Rukh Khan co-owned franchise, having previously won the title in 2012 and 2014, won their third after a gap of 10 years in some style. They absolutely dominated the proceeding against SunRisers Hyderabad and clinched the title clash by eight wickets.  Shah Rukh Khan, who suffered a heat stroke after KKR's Qualifier 1 win over SRH in Ahmedabad last week, was a happy man. Accompanying was his wife Gauri Khan. They shared a special moment as KKR chased down the 114-run target in 10.3 overs.  Mitchell Starc was magical. Andre Russell was mesmerising. Gautam Gambhir remained stoic. Shah Rukh Khan hid his emotions behind a mask. Those contrasting pictures vividly conveyed Kolkata Knight Riders' annihilation of Sunrisers Hyderabad in a lopsided final to bag their third Indian Premier League title here on Sunday. The ...

Kolkata Knight Riders finished their impressive IPL 2024 campaign on the perfect note as the Shreyas Iyer -led side comfortably defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final to clinch the title. It was the third IPL title for Kolkata Knight Riders after 2012 and 2014. Andre Russell took three wickets while Vaibhav Arora and Mitchell Starc took two each as KKR bundled out SRH for just 113. In response, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Venkatesh Iyer looked in tremendous form to guide their side to a convincing eight-wicket victory. Following the match, SRH owner Kavya Maran could not control her tears as she waved towards the crowd and the video of her reaction after the match has gone viral on social media. Kavya Maran was hiding her tears. - She still appreciated KKR. pic.twitter.com/KJ88qHmIg6 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 26, 2024 On the other hand, celebrations erupted in the KKR camp as they clinched a well-deserved victory. "Really happy, credit goes to Abhishek Naya...

Hardik Pandya 's troubles just don't seem to be ending. The India all-rounder had a torrid Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season where he was constantly abused and booed for replacing Rohit Sharma as the Mumbai Indians captain. Hardik's performances with the bat and the ball on the field also left much to desire. As the veteran cricketer now prepares for the T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, he couldn't be spotted among the first batch of players that left for the campaign in the USA and West Indies. Indian cricketers, led by skipper Rohit, were spotted at the airport as they arrived to fly to the USA and West Indies for the showpiece event. Rohit Sharma, Shivam Dube , Ravindra Jadeja , Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant were among the players spotted. but Hardik couldn't be seen. In the pictures shared by the BCCI on social media, Axar Patel , Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj could also be spotted, along with Hardik's Mumbai Indians teammate Suryakumar Yadav . ...

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Shreyas Iyer said that he was struggling with his back after the Cricket World Cup 2023 but "no one was agreeing to it". Shreyas was picked for the Test series against England after the World Cup but the batter was left out of the squad for the last three matches after he complained of back spasms. While not on national duty, Shreyas did not play domestic cricket for Mumbai despite being cleared to play by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). It resulted in BCCI not offering him a central contract as secretary Jay Shah warned players against prioritising IPL. Shreyas did play in the Ranji Trophy semi-final and final for Mumbai but it was too late as he lost the central contract and even during the final, he was not on the field for two days due to back issues. Ahead of the IPL 2024 final between KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad, Shreyas spoke about the injury once again. “I was definitely struggling after the World Cup in the longer format. When I ...

VVS Laxman 's reluctance to become the Indian team's head coach is an open secret but with the former batting stalwart's stint as NCA's 'Head of Cricket' ending in September this year, it remains to be seen how BCCI manages to retain him in the set-up. While Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir is believed to be the favourite among available options for the BCCI, it is still not clear whether secretary Jay Shah has spoken to the national team's senior stars about Gambhir's unanimous acceptability. Shah, in a statement on Friday to deny reaching out to any Australian candidates, also dropped hints that the Board is looking for an Indian coach, who has come through the ranks and knows the cricketing ecosystem inside out. Laxman seems to be the most obvious successor given that the stylish former from Hyderabad has been an interim India coach during his nearly three-year stint at NCA (National Cricket Academy). But he hasn't applied for the p...

SunRisers Hyderabad defeated Rajasthan Royals by 36 runs in Qualifer 2 game of IPL 2024 at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Friday. SRH thus set up a final clash with Kolkata Knight Riders at the same venue. The summit clash will take place on May 26. Talking about the game on Friday, pace duo of Trent Boult and Avesh Khan picked three wickets each but SRH still managed to post a competitive 175 for 9 in 20 overs. Apart from Boult (3/45) and Avesh Khan (3/27), Sandeep Sharma (2/25) also found registered his name among wicket-takers after RR won the toss and opted to bowl. For SRH, Heinrich Klaasen was the top-scorer with a 34-ball 50, while Travis Head (34), Rahul Tripathi (37) got starts but couldn't stay longer. In reply, RR were restricted to 139 for 7 in 20 overs, thanks to Shahbaz Ahmed's 3 for 23. SRH owner Kavya Maran was ecstatic as the side made it to IPL final after 6 years. She was spotted sharing a warm hug with father Kalanithi Maran as soon as SRH registered a...

When the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 started, Lucknow Super Giants' Mayank Yadav was being hailed as the breakaway star of this edition. His speed generated awe as he regularly clocked over 150kmph. His case was almost same as Umran Malik , a couple of seasons back, who broke fast bowling record in the IPL. Umran Malik has been in the shadows in the IPL 2024. Mayank also did not look the same after an injury cut kept him out for considerable time.  In the midst of such youngsters, one bowler who made a brilliant comeback was Rajasthan Royals' Sandeep Sharma . He went unsold in the auction and was inducted in the team as a replacement for injured Prasidh Krishna . But he did not let that deter him. He took a five-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians and has so far taken 13 wickets. His economy is 8.18.  Against SunRisers Hyderabad in the Qualifier 2 on Friday, Sharma returned with figures of 2/25 in four overs. He took the wickets of SRH top-scorer Heinrich Klaasen and o...

Former Australian cricket team batter Justin Langer was one of the names that were being considered to be frontrunners in the race to become India's next head coach. The BCCI were reportedly looking at several options to replace Rahul Dravid as his contract will end after the upcoming T20 World Cup. However, Langer has opted out of the race as he said that these kinds of jobs can be 'exhausting' and he also mentioned a conversation with  KL Rahul during their time with Lucknow Super Giants during IPL 2024. Langer revealed that Rahul told him that the 'politics and pressure' faced by the Indian cricket team head coach is almost 'a thousand times' that of any IPL coach. "I know that it's an all-encompassing role and having done it for four years with the Australian team, it's exhausting," Langer said during his interaction on BBC Stumped . "I was talking to KL Rahul and he said, 'You know, if you think there's pressure and p...

It was a season to forget for Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Glenn Maxwell who couldn't rise up to the occasion for the franchise. RCB were knocked out by Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator contest on Wednesday, with Maxwell incurring a golden duck. The Australian all-rounder was shown no mercy by former cricketers and fans who asked some tough questions from him over his repeated failures in the league. After a string of poor performances in the first half of IPL, Maxwell even decided to take an indefinite break from the league, but the absence of other overseas stars like Phil Salt , prompted the Aussie star's return. Against Rajasthan, Maxwell was given the task of accelerating RCB's scoring rate after the dismissals of key players like Virat Kohli and Cameron Green . But, Maxwell was undone on the first ball he faced from Ravichandran Ashwin . Seeing Maxwell depart on the first ball, former India all-rounder posted on X (formerly Twitter): "What was Ma...

Former England spinner Graeme Swann has backed India's decision to take four spinners for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. India took a lot of people by surprise by picking four spinners during their announcement for the 15-player squad of the upcoming marquee event, kicking off on June 1. During the press conference earlier this month, India skipper Rohit Sharma revealed that he wanted four spinners in the squad for the highly-anticipated tournament. Some sections of fans and former cricketers have questioned India's decision to take four spinners for the tournament. But Swann believes that India made the right call of picking four spinners in their 15-player squad. "I think taking four spinners is absolutely the way to go in the Caribbean, and I think you should never question that," Swann told ANI. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh had questioned India's decision as he feels that four spinners are a "bit too much". ...

Royal Challengers Benglauru's star finisher Dinesh Karthik might well have had his last dance on a cricket field in the Indian Premier League (IPL). After flying high with six consecutive wins, the RCB, in chasing the sun, came away with their wings charred and melted. Their hopes of a fairytale season turned into despair after the Bengaluru franchise crashed out of the tournament in the second eliminator on Wednesday. In what was billed as a clash of 'Royals', Rajasthan prevailed, inflicting a four-wicket defeat on Bengaluru in the Eliminator at the Narendra Modi Stadium. With the chants of "ee sala cup namde" falling silent and failing to go all the way to Chennai, which is set to play host to the title clash, emotions were in free flow amid the cricketing action at the world's biggest stadium. Karthik took off his gloves and acknowledged the fans who were on their feet to applaud the veteran for his contributions throughout the season. Dinesh Karthik g...

India's batting maestro Virat Kohli on Wednesday scripted history as he became the first player to score 8000 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli achieved the special milestone during an IPL 2024 Eliminator clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Kohli made history in the wealthiest T20 competition globally by topping the batting charts in the IPL 2024 and becoming the first player to reach 8,000 runs. The accomplishment is another evidence of his reliability as a batter over the years. EIGHT THOUSAND runs in the IPL. We are out of adjectives, really! #PlayBold #RCB #IPL2024 #RRvRCB #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/PxkuCF0GK9 — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 22, 2024 To surpass the 8000-run mark, Kohli needed just 29 runs, and he achieved it with his trademark grace and accuracy. Yuzvendra Chahal removed Kohli after he had scored 33 runs off 24 balls, including three boundaries and a six. His nearest rival, Shikhar ...

Rajasthan Royals ended Royal Challengers Bengaluru's roller coaster run in the Indian Premier League with a scratchy four-wicket win in the Eliminator in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. After their bowlers had done their part well to keep RCB to 172/8, RR batters stuttered in the middle overs to allow RCB back into the contest which remained hung in balance for the majority of the second half, but the 2008 winners eventually got home with an over to spare. Chasing 173, Rajasthan ended with 174/6 as Rovman Powell (16 not out) provided the finishing touches in a tense finish. As he has done several times before this season, Riyan Parag (36 off 26) showcased deep resolve in an adverse situation to help Rajasthan stay alive in the tournament. It was Royals' first win after four losses and an abandoned game. 2008 winners Royals face Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai on Friday for a place in the IPL final. The returning Shimron Hetmyer also played his part to perfection, scoring a crucial...

The Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders had a great day in office as it crashed SunRisers Hyderabad to enter the IPl 2024 final. the team chased down a 160-run target in less than 14 overs to stamp their authority.  Mitchell Starc -powered Kolkata Knight Riders' juggernaut rolled into the IPL final as the two-time champions produced a ruthless performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad for an eight-wicket win in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. Starc produced a stunning opening burst of three wickets in the powerplay to break the back of SRH's dangerous batting. They were eventually shot out for a mere 159 in 19.3 overs with Rahul Tripathi scoring a vital 55 while Heinrich Klaasen (32) and Pat Cummins (30) also fought hard. On a benign wicket in steaming hot conditions, SRH's fight petered out as KKR knocked off the innocuous 160-run target in a mere 13.4 overs with skipper Shreyas Iyer (58 not out off 24) and Venkatesh Iyer (51 not out off 28) taking them over the line. ...

The hunt for the next Indian cricket team head coach is underway with Rahul Dravid reportedly confirming that he will not be reapplying for the position. A lot of names have been making the rounds like Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming , former India cricketer VVS Laxman and even ex-Australia batter Justin Langer . One such name is that of former India cricketer and current Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir - a personality who is well known for his cricket acumen but has already courted controversy for his straightforward statements. Legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram backed Gambhir as the 'best candidate' and said that he will bring a brand of 'aggression' in the team if he is appointed. "Yeah, he is the best candidate. It depends on whether Gautam accepts it. He has also left politics because it took too much time. It is a time-consuming job. He is a very intelligent person, so he realised it's not easy. He has two lovely daughters,...

Mitchell Starc 's sheer pace and Varun Chakaravarthy 's craftsmanship with spin helped Kolkata Knight Riders bundle out Sunrisers Hyderabad on 159 in the Indian Premier League Qualifier 1 on Tuesday at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Starc made the Sunrisers regret on their decision to bat after winning the toss. SRH are known for their fearless high-scoring approach in the first six overs. But Starc's pace left the Hyderabad batters rattled in the powerplay. KKR chased down the target in 13.4 Overs to enter IPl 2024 finl.  On the second delivery of the first over, with a bit of late outward movement, Starc castled Travis Head for a two-ball duck and drew the first blood. In the next over, both openers were sitting back in the dugout. Vaibhav Arora took Abhishek Sharma by surprise as the ball didn't come as quickly as the youngster would have expected. Abhishek (3) miscued his shot and the ball fell into the safe hands of Andre Russell . Starc rode high on his sheer p...