CRICKET NEWS

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kick off their campaign against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 2 of the Indian Premier League on Saturday at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. With captain Shreyas Iyer out for the tournament due to a back injury, stand-in skipper Nitish Rana will have a point or two to prove as he looks to take his team to the playoffs against all odds. While the job won't be an easy one, head coach Chandrakant Pandit's presence could be beneficial for the franchise. Ahead of their first game of the season, here's what we think could be KKR's playing XI against PBKS: Rahmanullah Gurbaz : After being drafted to the team from Gujarat Titans, the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter will look to get opportunities this time around. Despite hardly played last season, Gurbaz can help KKR in sorting out their top-order issues. Venkatesh Iyer : Keeping in mind the left-right combination, Venkatesh is likely to open the innings, alongside Gurbaz. After enjoying a breakt...

Pakistan's World Cup-winning captain and former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, has said that the players of the nation should not worry about India not allowing them to play in the Indian Premier League. It is worth noting that the Pakistani players were part of the inaugural edition of IPL in 2008, but the terror attacks in Mumbai later that year increased the political tensions between the two nations. It eventually saw India putting a ban on the participation of Pakistani players in the cash-rich T20 tournament. "I find it strange that the Indian cricket board would take it out on the Pakistan cricket players (by not allowing them to feature in the IPL) and it just reeks of arrogance," said Imran while speaking to Times Radio . "If India doesn't allow Pakistan players (to play IPL) so be it. Pakistan should not worry about it," he added. Imran also said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India has become 'arrogant' now because of its ability...

Under the leadership of new captain Shikhar Dhawan , Punjab Kings are all set to begin their campaign for the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday. Led by the veteran opening batter Dhawan, the Kings will be guided by World Cup-winning coach Trevor Bayliss, as they eye their maiden IPL title. PBKS will also keep high hopes from England all-rounder Sam Curran , who became the costliest buy with a sum of Rs 18.50 crore at IPL auctions 2023. The team will miss the service of star pacer Kagiso Rabada in the first game as he is on national duty. In his absence, Arshdeep Singh will have more responsibilities on his shoulders. However, PBKS are likely to rope in Nathan Ellis in the playing XI to fill the void of Rabada. PBKS will also be missing Liam Livingstone in their first game and this might see their new recruit Sikandar Raza getting a chance to feature in the playing XI. He was bought for Rs 50 lakh at IPL auctions 2023. Bhanu...

MS Dhoni is one of the most-loved cricketers in the world and star singer Arijit Singh is also a fan of the veteran wicket-keeper batsman. The duo shared a heartwarming moment during the opening ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday and the picture has already gone viral. In the picture doing the rounds, Arijit could be seen touching Dhoni's feet as the two of them met after the performances. Arijit thrilled the fans with his hit songs during the opening ceremony and he was joined by actresses Rashmika Mandanna and Tamannah Bhatia.  Arijit Singh touched MS Dhoni's feet during IPL 2023 opening ceremony. pic.twitter.com/8DeX3mRb9N — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 31, 2023 Shubman Gill eclipsed Ruturaj Gaikwad's high-quality knock with a dazzling half-century as Gujarat Titans began their title defence with a convincing five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings.  Gaikwad was all class in his 92 off ...

Shubman Gill eclipsed Ruturaj Gaikwad 's high-quality knock with a dazzling half-century as Gujarat Titans began their title defence with a convincing five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL opener in Ahmedabad on Friday. Gaikwad was all class in his 92 off 50 balls before Titans pulled things back in the middle overs to limit Chennai Super Kings to 178 for seven after opting to bowl first in front of a near capacity crowd at the world's largest cricket stadium. In the form of his life over the past three months, Gill played some jaw-dropping strokes in his 63 off 36 balls to set up a fine win for the home team. Titans got home in 19.2 overs. Gill's opening partner Wriddhiman Saha showed he has still got it as he smashed a couple of sixes and as many fours in his 16-ball 25 that got the Titans going in the run chase. Gill's best shot of the innings was the back foot punch off CSK's impact player Tushar Deshpande and he followed with a pick up shot o...

One of the finest cricketers of all time, MS Dhoni has done wonders in the Indian Premier League, both as a captain and a player. It was in 2008 that Dhoni first led the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team, having been bought as the franchise's marquee player in the inaugural auction. Into the 16th edition of the T20 league, Dhoni stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the captains of the other franchises ahead of the start of the IPL 2023 season. It is incredibly difficult for a player to be playing at the highest level for 15 years. Dhoni hasn't just done that as a wicket-keeper batter but also as a captain who remains one of the most successful in the league's history. As the picture of the 2023 IPL captains came out, another picture of the 2008 IPL captains surfaced on social media, with Dhoni being the only constant. The longevity of MS Dhoni. The GOAT is still going strong. pic.twitter.com/miVe0hCrht — Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 30, 2023 There remains a small questi...

After defying all odds to lift the Indian Premier League (IPL) title in their maiden season last year, Gujarat Titans look to kick off their title defense in style when they go up against the Chennai Super Kings in the opening game of IPL 2023. Captain Hardik Pandya led the team by example with his all-round performances last season. His form will be key once again, while in-form Shubman Gill 's presence at the top of the order will be pivotal too. David Miller , who played a crucial role with the bat in the middle-order last season, will miss the opener due to international commitments. GT roped in Kane Williamson during the IPL auction and it will be interesting to see how many games he will have under his belt. Here's what we think could be Gujarat Titans' playing XI for the IPL 2023 opener against CSK: Shubman Gill: Fresh from scoring a double hunred for India recently, Shubman Gill will look to improve on the 483 runs he scored last season.  Matthew Wade : The vet...

Set to miss at least first leg of the IPL due to an Achilles (heel) problem, Royal Challengers Bangalore's Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood would reach India by April 14 but would take another week to be match-fit. While Hazlewood will miss at least seven IPL games, his Australian teammate Glenn Maxwell is doubtful for RCB's opening match against Mumbai Indians on April 2 in Bengaluru as he is yet to fully regain strength post leg fracture. "Everything is ticking along according to plan, so I'll be heading over on the 14th (of April) depending on how the next two weeks go," Hazlewood was quoted as saying by The Age. "I probably won't be quite ready to go right then, but (after) another week in India to touch things up skills wise I should be ready to go hopefully." Hazlewood, who had to opt out of Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, is hoping to get ready for the Ashes via the IPL. "You don't need a lot of workload for T20. It's more...

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 is set to kick off with a grand opening ceremony on Friday at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. While the cricketing focus is on the match between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Gujarat Titans, the curtain-raiser event is also going to be mesmerising, considering a drone show will be conducted, together with some celebrity performances. Ahead of the opening ceremony, a video emerged on social media, showing a glimpse of the drone show that will be held on Friday. As per reports, around 1,500 drones will be used at the opening ceremony, creating a unique light show that has not been seen in the IPL before. The drones will form different shapes in the sky, one of them being the IPL trophy. The rehearsals for the drone show have reportedly been going on for a couple of days. Here's a glimpse: This is simply magnificent - the drone show tonight will be mesmerizing. pic.twitter.com/43XmTMNczd — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) ...

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 3rd Odi Live Updates:  Keeping an eye at securing automatic qualification for the World Cup, Sri Lanka will look to win the third ODI against New Zealand and hope for some other results to go in their favour. Their hopes took a major blow on Tuesday when heavy rain and gusting winds forced the second ODI against New Zealand to be abandoned without a ball being bowled. Having also lost the first ODI in the three-match series, Sri Lanka are now ninth in the Super League table with 82 points, six points behind West Indies. (LIVE SCORECARD) from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/9cbKf0W via IFTTT

'Workload management' is an important contributor to players' performances. With the gruelling 2-month-long Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season set to start on March 31, many are worried about the Indian players' workload, especially keeping the World Test Championship final against Australia in mind. Rohit Sharma , who is the captain of both the Indian team and Mumbai Indians, was asked about taking 'rest' from IPL during the course of the season. His didn't just dodge the bullet himself but put head coach Mark Boucher in the spotlight. In an interaction for Mumbai Indians ahead of the start of the new season, Rohit was asked about sitting out from a few matches.  He said: "I think Mark will give you an answer to that." Boucher, who is the new MI head coach, said: "Do you want to rest? He is the captain," said, before adding "Hopefully, he (Rohit) gets into some good form and hopefully, he doesn't want to rest. We will a...

Star India batter Virat Kohli on Thursday shared a photo of his Class 10th marksheet. Kohli, who ended his Test century drought in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, is gearing up for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. The 34-year-old will be part of Royal Challengers Bangalore's squad for the 16th straight season, having joined them as an 19-year-old in 2008. Taking to Koo, Kohli shared a photo of his Class 10th marksheet, with a quirky caption. "It's funny how the things that add the least to your marksheet, add the most to your character," Kohli posted. Koo App It's funny how the things that add the least to your marksheet, add the most to your character. #LetThereBeSport View attached media content - Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) 30 Mar 2023 RCB will start their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season with a match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at their home arena, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Last year, RCB qualified ...

Royal Challengers Bangalore fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is set to miss the initial stages of the Indian Premier League beginning in Ahmedabad on Friday. According to a report in cricket.com.au, Hazlewood is, however, hopeful of playing a part in the later stages of the T20 tournament. The 32-year-old is currently recovering from an Achilles problem which kept him out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India. Hazlewood will consult Cricket Australia's medical staff before deciding on his participation in the IPL, the report said. In another big development, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who missed Australia's final two ODIs against India earlier this month, is also doubtful for RCB's opening game against Mumbai Indians on April 2 in Bengaluru as he is yet to recover from a leg injury. Australia national selector George Bailey said Maxwell, who broke his leg in a freak accident last November, found the comeback to ODI "more demanding than he had expected". from NDTV...

Social media is a place where people are free to express their views. However, on occasions, incidents are seen where banter between a few people gets ugly. Such was the instance in two sets of fans on social media. The fans of Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan went loggerheads with each other on Twitter, arguing over who is better than the other. Comparisons between cricketers or two actors are often seen among fans on social media, but one between a cricketer and an actor was certainly new. "Who is a bigger personality and achiever globally?" a Twitter user asked on March 28 through a poll on the micro-blogging website. The options were: a) Shah Rukh Khan and b) Virat Kohli. This was the start of a crazy fan war on social media. Who is a bigger personality and achiever globally ? — Slog Sweep-189 (@SloggSweep) March 27, 2023 Fans highlighted random facts to draw inferences that would leave the neutrals scratching their heads. Her...

A horrific accident in December, 2022, has forced Rishabh Pant out of action for quite sometime now. In the early hours of December 30, 2022, Pant, 25, miraculously survived after his Mercedes car collided with a divider and caught fire on the Delhi-Dehradun highway while he was on the way to his hometown Roorkee. The star India wicketkeeper-batter has started his rehab process, and recently shared videos of him walking again. His absence means that Delhi Capitals will be missing a very impactful player when they begin their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 campaign against the KL Rahul -led Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday. In a promotional video, which has been doing the rounds on social media, Pant on Wednesday said "if everyone is playing, why not me? I am still in the game boss! I am coming to play". It's an advertisement for a food delivery app, but it got the internet buzzing.    "Cricket and food. Two things I can't live without. I haven't been abl...

Starting from Sunday, when Royal Challengers Bangalore gets down to action in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with a match against the Rohit Sharma -led Mumbai Indians, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli and whether he can fly gets his hands on the trophy. RCB is one of the four teams that has not won the IPL. Kohli, former RCB skipper, despite some terrific performances with the bat could not lead the team to the title. However, with a great from leading up to the franchise leagues, RCB fans can hope big things from the batting great. Ahead of the two month long tournament, Kohli had a fun interaction, a video of which has been uploaded on RCB's social media handles.   "Is there any impulsive buys that you hardly use?" the presenter asked on RCB Bold Diaries.  "Most of the cars I owned. They were all impulsive buys. I ended up hardly driving them or actually travelling in them. Beyond a point I felt that is is actually pointless. ended up selling most of them. ...

Bangladesh vs Ireland, 2nd T20I, Live Updates:  Ireland skipper Paul Stirling won the toss and opted to field against Bangladesh in the second T20I of the three-match series on Wednesday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram. Earlier, top-knock from Rony Talukdar, followed by a four-wicket haul from Taskin Ahmed guided Bangladesh to a 22-run victory in a rain-curtailed first T20I match against Ireland on Monday. Bangladesh have taken 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. ( Live Scorecard ) Ireland  (Playing XI): Paul Stirling(c), Ross Adair, Lorcan Tucker(w), Harry Tector, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Curtis Campher, Mark Adair, Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Benjamin White Bangladesh  (Playing XI): Litton Das(w), Rony Talukdar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shamim Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan(c), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud Here are the Live Updates of the 2nd T20I match between Banglade...

Indian cricket team legend Anil Kumble is no stranger to the Indian Premier League. The spinner was a part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team as a player and later, he also coached the Punjab Kings franchise. While he had the chance of watching hundreds of players – both domestic and international – perform at the competition, he picked West Indies star Chris Gayle as the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) in IPL history. Kumble praised his destructive style of batting and how he could change any game.  "There are plenty of them; it's difficult to pick just one. I can certainly look back and say probably Chris Gayle, someone who is larger than life. The way he came across as a player! What he brought to RCB and the way he sorts of changed the whole powerplay and the power he brought to batting," Kumble said during a Q&A session on JioCinema ahead of the new season of the IPL.  Earlier, in an episode of 'My Time with Virat', available on Jio Cinema, Chris ...

Former Indian cricket team opener Aakash Chopra had a warning for Chennai Super Kings ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 opener against Gujarat Titans. Ruturaj Gaikwad is a crucial member of the MS Dhoni -led side with many experts considering him the future caption of the franchise. However, Chopra was not impressed by his approach towards building the innings slowly and the ex-cricketer made it clear that he will have to “hit the ground running” in order to benefit his side more.  “It is possible that Ruturaj Gaikwad hits the ground up and running. Right now, he starts slowly and picks pace as he builds the innings. But the days of diesel engines are over, we have EVs now. Ruturaj has to become an electric vehicle,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.  Chopra was also not convinced by the inclusion of England international Ben Stokes in the CSK ranks as he believes that the all-rounder's style of play may not help the side. Stokes was bought for a massive Rs ...

The 16th edition of Indian Premier League will kick-start from Friday with defending champions Gujarat Titans taking on four-time winners Chennai Super Kings, at the Narendra Modi Stadium. With new season, Royal Challengers Bangalore will be in search of their first-ever title, as they take on Mumbai Indians in the opening match. The Faf du Plessis -led side had a decent outing in the previous season, where they won eight out of 14 matches. RCB entered the playoffs and defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 14 runs in the Eliminator. However, their happiness could not last long as they faced a seven-wicket defeat against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 and lost another big opportunity of claiming the coveted trophy.  The major strength of RCB in the previous season was their skipper du Plessis, who smashed a whopping total of 468 runs in 16 matches, laced with three half-centuries and a highest score of 96. Apart from him, Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga turned out to be the bigges...

March 31 will be a memorable moment for many fans out there as the day not only marks the beginning of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League but Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni will be back in action on the field. As the upcoming edition of IPL has brought back the concept of home and away matches, which was earlier stopped due to Covid-19, the crowd will see MS Dhoni back at CSK's fortress, Chepauk. The four-time IPL champions will be squaring off against defending champions Gujarat Titans in the season opener on Friday and preparations for the much-awaited clash have begun with Dhoni, sweating it out in the nets at Chepauk. Recently, CSK posted a video, where the crowd welcomed the former India skipper to the practice ground, with wild cheers and chants of Dhoni's name. As the video went viral on social media, former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris retweeted it with a mindblowing caption. "Still the big dog around town!!" Styris, who was also a...

Indian cricket team has had some extraordinary batters over the years. If one is to pick the name that sits atop the list, most would arguably go with Sachin Tendulkar . However, former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has revealed that it wasn't Tendulkar the Pakistan cricket team most feared while playing against India during his time as an active cricketer. It was Virender Sehwag that the Pakistan team considered the 'most dangerous', with Tendulkar occupying the second spot in the list. "Virender Sehwag was the most dangerous player. After that Sachin Tendulkar. Pakistan used to plan against Sehwag and Tendulkar. Our plan used to be like - if we get these two wickets - Sehwag and Tendulkar - we will win the match. In bowling, our batsmen used to plan against Zaheer Khan . Irfan Pathan was there too for some time. Harbhajan Singh was there. These were the big names who played big matches and performed for their country," Razzaq revealed in a chat with the ...

Australia's Steve Smith will debut as a commentator at the upcoming Indian Premier League, the tournament's broadcaster said Tuesday, ending the mystery about his return to the event. The 16th edition of the cash-rich Twenty20 extravaganza begins Friday in Ahmedabad, with 10 teams and a host of global stars in attendance for the eight-week tournament. "Steve Smith has joined the expert panel for the marquee tournament. Smith will be making his broadcast debut with Star Sports, adding his invaluable insights and expertise to Star Sports' already impressive roster of panelists," the broadcaster said in a statement. Smith, 33, announced his return to the tournament on Twitter on Monday, saying in a teaser video: "Namaste, India. I've got some exciting news for you: I'm joining IPL 2023." That post sparked speculation he might return to the tournament as a player. The video drew considerable mirth on social media for Smith's robot-like performa...

No matter how many times the International Cricket Council and the Marylebone Cricket Club labelled the 'non-striker run-out' as a legal form of dismissal, some still remain against it. In a domestic match in Australia, a non-striker became the victim of bowlers' awareness but what happened later was truly unexpected. In a match between Claremont and New Norfolk, the batter Jarrod Kaye was run-out at the non-striker's end as he left his crease before the bowler was to deliver the ball. The decision was referred to the third umpire, who told the on-field umpires that the non-striker had to depart. Fuming over the decision, Kaye threw his bat and gloves away while returning to the pavillion, leading to some never-seen-before visuals on the field. A Tasmanian cricketer was NOT happy after getting out via a Mankad and launched his bat, helmet and gloves into the air! pic.twitter.com/y64z4kwpE3 — Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) March 28, 2023 Coming out to bat first, New Nor...

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq can be called controversy's "favourite child". Razzaq stays in the limelight with his harsh comments on players and teams. The 43-year-old cricketer, who played his last match for Pakistan in 2013, invited a lot of criticism after he stated that the India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is nowhere near Kapil Dev . However, Razzaq has made headlines once again but this time he opened up on his statement regarding Pandya and claimed that his words were wrongly portrayed by the critics. In a recent interview with the Times of India , Razzaq said, "My earlier statement on Hardik Pandya was taken the wrong way. I didn't mean it. As a cricketer, I just said there is scope for improvement in him (Pandya). I didn't comment on a player who is from India, England, or Australia. I just said things as a cricketer. If Kapil Dev says that he wants to give advice to Abdul Razzaq, I will take this statement positively." “He can wor...

The 16th season of the Indian Premier League is all set to kick off, but Delhi Capitals' hunt for a maiden title continues. The side was earlier known as Delhi Daredevils before the owners of the franchise decided to change its name to Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2019. After that, the team has shown a noticeable improvement but the title keeps eluding them. They have played the final only once. It happened in the year 2020 when Mumbai Indians got better of them. Comes another IPL season and DC will once again hope to win their first-ever title. However, this is definitely not an ideal start for the side. Their skipper Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the season as he continues to recover from a horrific car crash he met with in December last year. David Warner will be leading the side in Pant's absence. Star opener Prithvi Shaw will again be a key batter for the side, while Mitchell Marsh will provide power to the middle order. What would worry DC is the fact that Pant...

New Zealand and Sri Lanka square off in the second match of the ODI series in Christchurch on Tuesday. The Kiwis went 1-0 up in the series after a comprehensive 198-run victory in the first match on Saturday. After New Zealand put a total of 274 runs on the board, the Lankans were bowled out for just 76 runs. Henry Shipley was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts, picking up 5 wickets for just 31 runs in the match. Rain has delayed the start of the second ODI in Christchurch. ( LIVE Scorecard ) Here are the LIVE updates of the New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 2nd ODI from Christchurch: from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/QxgVuD9 via IFTTT

Veteran opening batter Shikhar Dhawan has dropped down in the pecking order due to the rise of youngsters, Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan , as far as the Indian team is concerned. Dhawan, who was a mainstay in the team for nearly seven years, was dropped from the side following a lean patch with the bat. Sharing his views on the sudden axing, Dhawan said that since he was only playing ODIs, Gill's heroics across formats were too good to be ignored. The 37-year-old suggested that while he had the backing of head coach Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma , Kishan's double hundred against Bangladesh in December last year made him realise that he could lose his spot in the Indian team. "When Rohit took over the captaincy he along with Rahul Dravid backed me enough. They told me they wanted me to focus on my cricket and that my vision should be the next World Cup. 2022 was very good for me, I was consistent in ODIs. But there is this young guy who has been doing well in two forma...

Batter Shikhar Dhawan is known for taking Team India across the line on numerous occasions with his heroics on the field. Making his debut in 2010 in an ODI against Australia, the Delhi-based cricketer went on to smash 6793 runs in 167 matches in the 50-over format. Apart from international cricket, Dhawan has made a separate mark in the Indian Premier League and is all set to lead Punjab Kings in the 16th edition of the tournament. Fans are excited to see Dhawan leading the side, who also earlier captained the national side multiple times. During a recent interview, Dhawan was asked about his plans of joining politics ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Dhawan stated that currently he is not having any such plans but he will also not shy away if he gets any opportunity in the future.  "Right now, I don't have such plans but if it is written in my destiny then definitely I will go for it. Which ever field I will go, I will be giving my 100 per cent and I know that succes...

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has changed the rating for the third Test between India and Australia, which was held in Indore's Holkar Stadium. The apex body had given 'poor' rating to the pitch after the match ended well within three days, in a 9-wicket victory for the tourists. The ICC has now changed its verdict on the pitch, calling it 'below average'. In a statement, the ICC said: "The pitch for the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar series was initially rated as 'poor' and received three demerit points. However, after an appeal from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the rating has been changed from 'poor' to 'below average'." The ICC appeal panel consisting of Wasim Khan, ICC General Manager - Cricket, and Roger Harper , ICC Men's Cricket Committee Member, reviewed footage from the match after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had lodged an appeal on the rating. The Indian team was...

Afghanistan secured a historic series triumph over Pakistan, beating Shadab Khan & Co. in the first and the second T20I series to take an unassailable 2-0 lead. Having sealed the fate of the series with one match to spare, Afghanistan drew plaudits from the entire cricketing fraternity. Even Pakistan legend Shoaib Akhtar said that he was 'very happy' by Afghanistan's win and backed them to do well at the forthcoming ODI World Cup which is to be held in India. "I am very happy," Akhtar said in a video posted on his YouTube channel . "If Pathans and Bengalis channelise their energy, they can become the world's leading communities. Because both have extremism in them. If extremism can be channelised positively, with maturity, they can become the world's best. I am very happy that our Pathan brothers have won." Akhtar held special praise for Afghanistan's spinners who have made a name for themselves with their 'mystery' bowling. ...

Mumbai Indians became the first team to lift the title of the inaugural Women's Premier League on Sunday. MI's skipper Harmanpreet Kaur revealed what this moment meant for her as a captain and a player in the post-match conference. "Personally I was waiting for this moment for a long time when I can as a captain win something which is so important for women's cricket and this time we were able to do it and I think I just want to keep doing this in future also and I hope the momentum we got in this tournament we want to continue for the next season also and all the Indian players who ever did well and I am hoping that whenever they join Indian team they will also give their 100% for the Indian team also," said Harmanpreet Kaur. MI bowlers played a crucial part at the end of the day to hand MI victory over Delhi Capitals. Their ruthless aggressive bowling kept the pressure on Delhi Capitals throughout the first innings. Harmanpreet shed some light on why their bowl...