Danijones

Virender Sehwag Schools ‘Lucky’ Shubman Gill, Triggers Another ‘Strike-Rate Debate’

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

Former India batter Virender Sehwag has suggested that Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Shubman Gill is lucky to have his name in the travelling reserves for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas. Gill did not find a place in the 15-man squad, with the selectors preferring another youngster in Yashasvi Jaiswal for the openers slot. Gil, however, is one of the four travelling reserves. Gill, who was the Orange Cap winner last season, has only scored 322 runs in 11 matches during the ongoing season of IPL. Sehwag feels Gill should focus on scoring more runs so that he doesn’t get dropped from the team in the future. “I think he’s lucky that his name is in the T20 World Cup reserves. KL Rahul and Ruturaj Gaikwad are not even in that. That’s a good point and he should be motivated by that. Next time, he should not let his place go once he gets a chance. He should focus on scoring runs at a good strike-rate so he doesn’t get replaced,” Sehwag said during a discussion on Cricbuzz. Recalling his playing days, Sehwag recalled how the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman hardly gave the selectors any solid reason to drop them. “In my days, we had Ganguly, Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman. It doesn’t matter how many runs the other guys scored, these guys didn’t go out because they never stopped scoring runs. How will you drop them if they keep scoring runs? They never gave a reason to get dropped. This is what Shubman Gill has to learn. Once he returns to Indian team and plays regularly post the World Cup, he shouldn’t let such an opportunity arise again. Improve your skills and score big, because big scores will eventually save you,” he added. Gill is having a torrid season in IPL 2024, with his team also languishing in the bottom half of the points table. He had taken over captaincy from Hardik Pandya, who returned to Mumbai Indians ahead of the season to fill in the same role. With back-to-back defeats against RCB, Gill’s GT have slumped to ninth in the points table with eights points from 11 matches. Topics mentioned in this article

Why Didn’t Harshal Patel Celebrate MS Dhoni’s Golden Duck? His Reply Wins Internet

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Harshal Patel dismissed MS Dhoni on a golden duck© X (Twitter) After dismissing former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni for a golden duck in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 on Sunday, Punjab Kings (PBKS) bowler Harshal Patel said he has too much respect for the 42-year-old legend and hence did not celebrate his wicket. Harshal picked up three wickets and gave 24 runs in his four-over spell at an economy rate of 6.00. He removed Dhoni for a golden duck in the fifth ball of the 19th over. While speaking after the first inning, Harshal commented on the pitch at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium and said the wicket was dry. The PBKS bowler added that during his first over the ball was reversing. “Wicket was on drier side. I have too much respect for him to celebrate when I get him out (on Dhoni). One of the advantages of playing a day game is that the square is quite rough. So the ball starts reversing. In my first over it was reversing. It’s all about the feel of that delivery (slower one). More you bowl the better you get. Most batters don’t pick it. Have been practicing in the nets, and when it comes out it gives you great results,” Harshal said. Ms Dhoni 0(1) vs Pbks Ball by ball Highlightpic.twitter.com/so8XWGi8W5 — ANSH. (@KohliPeak) May 5, 2024 Recapping the first inning of the match, Punjab won the toss and decided to bowl. Ravindra Jadeja (43), Ruturaj Gaikwad (32), and Daryl Mitchell (30) were the standout batters for Chennai and powered the visitors to 167/9. Rest no other batter could stand still in front of the PBKS bowling attack. Punjab displayed a stupendous performance while bowling and stopped CSK from making partnerships. Harshal Patel and Rahul Chahar led the PBKS bowling attack and bagged three wickets in their respective spells. The target of 168 proved too much for PBKS to chase, with the franchise suffering a 28-run defeat. Topics mentioned in this article

‘If Babar Azam hits three straight sixes, I will…’: Ex-Pakistan cricketer challenges current T20 captain | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has thrown down the gauntlet to current captain Babar Azam. Ali challenges Azam to hit three consecutive sixes straight down the ground against top-tier teams. If Azam succeeds, Ali has vowed to delete his YouTube channel.“If Babar Azam hits three straight sixes against top teams, not against the likes of the USA or Ireland, but against top teams, I will shut down my YouTube channel.If he accepts this challenge, he should say that he accepts it. And if he can’t hit those sixes in the World Cup, then he shouldn’t open the batting,” said Ali.The 29-year-old batsman has recently been reappointed as the white-ball captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. This decision to reinstate Azam as the captain of the T20 side came after Azam had initially stepped down from the role in November, leading to Shaheen Shah Afridi‘s appointment. SEE ALSO: T20 World Cup 2024 ScheduleThe PCB’s selection committee unanimously recommended Azam’s reinstatement, which was approved by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.In the lead-up to the World Cup, Pakistan, having drawn a T20I series 2-2 against an inexperienced New Zealand, are set to face Ireland and England in the shortest format of the game over the coming weeks.

ICC reassures robust security as T20 World Cup reportedly receives terror threat

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

The T20 World Cup in the Americas has received a terror threat, Trinidad’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has revealed even as the ICC asserted that a ‘comprehensive and robust security plan’ is in place to ‘mitigate any risks’ to the showpiece beginning June 1. The tournament — featuring 20 teams, including India — is scattered across nine venues, six of them in the West Indies. As of now, the threat, according to media reports, is specific to the West Indies, which aside from some preliminary matches, will be hosting the entire Super 8 stage along with the semifinals and the final on June 29. “Unfortunately, the threat of terrorism in its many and varied expressions is an ever-present danger in the world of the 21st century,” Rowley was quoted as saying by ‘Trinidad Daily Express’ here. Rowley did not name any organisation but reports here stated that the Islamic State made the threat through its propaganda channel. The ICC responded to the development with a statement assuring preparedness. “Safety and security of everyone at the event is our number one priority and we have a comprehensive and robust security plan in place,” a spokesperson of the global body said in a statement issued to PTI. “We work closely with authorities in our host countries and continually monitor and evaluate the global landscape to ensure appropriate plans are in place to mitigate any risks identified to our event.” Rowley said ‘extra effort in national security preparations and response readiness’ will be put in to neutralise the danger. “Given the fact that bad actors can choose to misbehave in any way possible, it makes it virtually impossible to completely seal off all opportunities,” he said. “However, in order to ameliorate these dangers, we at the local and regional levels have remained alert to many threats and singularly or together have our intelligence and other security agencies working to protect the population in countries and at venues throughout the tournament,” he added. The World Cup matches in the West Indies will be held in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago. The US leg will feature games in Florida, New York and Texas. New York will host the marquee India-Pakistan clash on June 9. Cricket West Indies said everything is being done to ensure foolproof security at the mega-event. “We work closely with authorities in the host countries and cities, and continually monitor and evaluate the global landscape to ensure appropriate plans are in place to mitigate any risks identified to our event,” CWI CEO Jonny Graves told ‘Cricbuzz’. “We want to assure all stakeholders that safety and security of everyone at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is our number one priority and we have a comprehensive and robust security plan in place,” he added. Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: May 6, 2024 Tune In

Will former MI captain play as impact player again vs SRH? – India TV

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

Image Source : PTI Rohit Sharma Mumbai Indians are set to face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 55th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) today on May 6 (Monday) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The five-time champions are virtually out of the playoffs race but they can certainly spoil the party for the Pat Cummins-led SRH side. Meanwhile, MI’s former captain Rohit Sharma played the previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as an impact player due to back spasms. Will he be part of the playing XI for the clash against SRH? Well, the latest update coming from the MI camp is that Rohit is ‘fit and fine’ but it remains to be seen if the management takes precautionary measure keeping in mind the upcoming T20 World Cup. In the pre-match press confernce on Sunday (May 5), Naman Dhir confirmed that the opening batter is fit. Moreover, Rohit Sharma also batted in the nets on Saturday and Sunday and didn’t seem to be in any visible discomfort. If he is fully fit, then the 37-year-old should make it back to the playing XI. Having said that, it also remains to be seen if Jasprit Bumrah, the purple cap holder of IPL 2024, is rested keeping his workload in mind given that MI are only mathematically in race to make it to top four. Interestingly, Hardik Pandya and his men fielded only three overseas players against KKR and even then, they couldn’t make full use of Mohammad Nabi. Squads Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Anmolpreet Singh, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Marco Jansen, Pat Cummins(c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Jaydev Unadkat, Umran Malik, Mayank Markande, Aiden Markram, Sanvir Singh, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Rahul Tripathi, Mayank Agarwal, Upendra Yadav, Jhatavedh Subramanyan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Akash Maharaj Singh Mumbai Indians Squad: Ishan Kishan(w), Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Nehal Wadhera, Hardik Pandya(c), Tim David, Gerald Coetzee, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Nuwan Thushara, Shams Mulani, Shivalik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi, Kumar Kartikeya, Luke Wood, Shreyas Gopal, Harvik Desai, Arjun Tendulkar, Anshul Kamboj, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka

We are focused on following template set by Gambhir: KKR’s Harshit Rana

Danijones6 months ago07 mins

Young pacer Harshit Rana feels Kolkata Knight Riders are reaping the rewards by following the winning template set by two-time IPL winner. File picture | Photo Credit: Deepak K R Young pacer Harshit Rana feels Kolkata Knight Riders are reaping the rewards by following the winning template set by two-time IPL winner and current mentor Gautam Gambhir as they continued their sensational run to grab the top position in the IPL points table. Gambhir had led KKR to the IPL crown twice with the team also qualifying for the playoffs five times during his stint from 2011 to 2017. He had also guided KKR to the finals of the now-defunct Champions League T20 in 2014. However, in the last seven years, KKR could reach the playoffs only twice. Gambhir’s return to the KKR camp as a mentor this year turned things around as the Kolkata-based franchise moved to the top of the table with 16 points following a dominating 98-run over Lucknow Super Giants – 8th win in 11 games – on May 6 “Not only this match, this entire season we have been focussing a lot on the style of cricket that Gautam Gambhir wants us to play. He has a lot of knowledge on how to turn games in our favour and it helps us a lot in the middle,” Rana said during the press conference. “Like today he gave the bowlers a free hand, to find the length to bowl depending on the wicket, and not to try too many things,” he added. Rana (3/24 in 3.1 overs) played a crucial role in the win by taking three wickets while defending a target of 235. “KKR read the wicket very well. The areas we had to bowl, we targeted the right places,” Rana said. IPL’s biggest buy Mitchell Starc has proved expensive this season but Rana said the team management is not at all bothered about his economy rate and has faith on the Australian speedstar. “We have not cared even for a bit on how expensive Mitchell Starc has been in IPL 2024. He have full faith in him and he won us the last game and we have no doubts on him whatsoever. “He has such a great influence on the younger players, he has such a huge wealth of knowledge,” Rana said. Rana said his dream is to play for India and is focussing on his performance. “My aim is to play for India but whatever franchise I play for I try to give my best on the day of the match. I will be selected based on my performance and performance alone,” Rana said. We’d our plans but everything went Narine’s way: Naveen It was yet another sparkling fifty by Sunil Narine (81 off 39) which helped KKR post a massive 235 for six and LSG fast bowler Naveen Ul Haq conceded that all their plans failed against the star West Indian allrounder. “I think he played quite well. We had a plan of bowling bouncers and yorkers and mixing it up and not being predictable against him. We did that but he played quite a brilliant innings to be honest,” he said. “It wasn’t like he was slogging and everything was going top edge or anything like slicing the ball. He was properly middling it and that’s the case like from the beginning of the season. “He’s been middling it. Everything going his way. So yeah, it was a great knock by him.” The Afghan seamer said LSG could have produced a better show with the bat but they can’t dwell on defeat too much as they need to focus on the next game. “The amount of games that we have played in Lucknow, I think this was the best wicket to bat on. We did not do the things in the chase that we did – say in the game at Chepauk, where the target was very high. It was not like bad or anything, there was nothing for the bowlers,” Naveen said. “Pressure is always there on whatever score you are chasing. Every team has a bad day, and we cannot keep focusing on that, we have to move on.”

There’s terror threat to T20 World Cup, reveals Trinidad PM

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

Rohit Sharma was declared the captain while Hardik Pandya will be the vice-captain of India’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by the USA and West Indies, has received a terror threat, Trinidad’s Prime Minister said. The tournament features 20 teams, including India. | Photo Credit: PTI The T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by the USA and West Indies, has received a terror threat, Trinidad’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley has revealed but asserted that “extra effort in national security preparations and response readiness” will be put in to neutralise the danger. The tournament— featuring 20 teams, including India— is due to start on June 1. As of now, the threat, according to media reports, is specific to the West Indies, which aside from some preliminary matches, will be hosting the entire Super 8 stage along with the semifinals and the final on June 29. “Unfortunately, the threat of terrorism in its many and varied expressions is an ever-present danger in the world of the 21st century,” Mr. Rowley was quoted as saying by ‘Trinidad Daily Express’ here. Mr. Rowley did not specifically name any organisation but reports here stated that the Islamic State made the threat through its propaganda channel. “It is against this backdrop that all nations, like our region, when hosting large or vulnerable gatherings, make an extra effort in national security preparations and response readiness to take seriously, all threats, expressed or implied,” he added. Mr. Rowley said the event, which is scattered across nine venues, six of them in the West Indies, will be closely monitored throughout its duration to ensure there is no security breach. “Given the fact that bad actors can choose to misbehave in any way possible, it makes it virtually impossible to completely seal off all opportunities,” he said. “However, in order to ameliorate these dangers, we at the local and regional levels have remained alert to many threats and singularly or together have our intelligence and other security agencies working to protect the population in countries and at venues throughout the tournament,” he added. The World Cup matches in the West Indies will be held in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago. The U.S. leg will feature games in Florida, New York and Texas. New York will host the marquee India-Pakistan clash on June 9. Reacting to the development, Cricket West Indies said everything is being done to ensure foolproof security at the mega-event. “We work closely with authorities in the host countries and cities, and continually monitor and evaluate the global landscape to ensure appropriate plans are in place to mitigate any risks identified to our event,” CWI CEO Jonny Graves told ‘Cricbuzz’. “We want to assure all stakeholders that safety and security of everyone at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is our number one priority and we have a comprehensive and robust security plan in place,” he added. When the ICC was contacted for a response, its representatives said that their stand is similar to CWI.

T Natarajan to make India comeback? SRH coach makes sizzling prediction after pacer misses out on T20 World Cup squad

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

T Natarajan has been simply sensational in IPL 2024. He is currently Sunrisers Hyderabad’s highest wickettaker this season and is also fourth in the Orange Cap race with 15 dismissals in eight matches. Despite his form, he missed out on a berth in India’s T20 World Cup squad, which surprised plenty of fans. But SRH bowling coach James Franklin feels that the 33-year-old is close to making his India comeback. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s T Natarajan collects a throw.(AFP) Speaking ahead of SRH’s fixture vs MI in Mumbai, Franklin said, “There are just so many quality players in India. He can only control what he can. His great strength is obviously his yorker bowling. That is where he is a huge asset for us as a team.” Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! “If he keeps going the way he is going and can hold his form throughout the rest of this IPL, those sorts of conversations around India, they tend to take care of themselves. If he keeps performing, then getting back in that Indian side won’t be too far away from it,” he added. Natarajan made his India debut during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He last represented India in a home series vs England in March 2021. He has been in good form this year, and has been injury-free. So the decision to snub him was a huge shock for many fans. The BCCI have also been accused by selection bias for not naming Natarajan in the 15-member squad. Earlier, even former India cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath echoed similar sentiments. “Why do some Cricketers from Tamil Nadu have to perform double time more to get into? They are not getting the extra backing. T. Natarajan should definitely be included in the Indian team for the World Cup,” he said on Star Sports. The pacers to assist Jasprit Bumrah in the T20 World Cup are Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj. Meanwhile, Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed have been named in the reserves. News / Cricket News / T Natarajan to make India comeback? SRH coach makes sizzling prediction after pacer misses out on T20 World Cup squad

On top of IPL standings: Kolkata Knight Riders credit Gautam Gambhir’s winning formula | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: Young pacer Harshit Rana attributed Kolkata Knight Riders’ surge to the top of the IPL points table to the winning blueprint laid down by former captain Gautam Gambhir, now serving as the team’s mentor. Gambhir’s strategic insights, derived from his successful tenure as KKR skipper, have revitalized the franchise’s performance, leading them to reclaim their dominant form in the tournament.Under Gambhir’s leadership, KKR clinched the IPL title twice and secured playoff berths on five occasions between 2011 and 2017.Rana acknowledged Gambhir’s profound understanding of the game, stating, “He has a lot of knowledge on how to turn games in our favor, and it helps us a lot in the middle.”Rana emphasized the team’s adherence to Gambhir’s preferred style of cricket, which focuses on strategic discipline and adaptability. “Not only this match, this entire season we have been focusing a lot on the style of cricket that Gautam Gambhir wants us to play,” Rana remarked during a press conference following KKR’s commanding victory over Lucknow Super Giants.In the latest triumph, KKR showcased their astute reading of the conditions, with Rana playing a pivotal role in restricting the opposition with figures of 3/24. Despite concerns over Mitchell Starc’s economy rate, Rana expressed unwavering faith in the Australian speedster, highlighting his influential presence within the team. Reflecting on his aspirations, Rana expressed his ambition to represent India while maintaining a steadfast focus on delivering consistent performances for his franchise. “My aim is to play for India, but whatever franchise I play for, I try to give my best on the day of the match,” he affirmed.Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants’ Naveen Ul Haq conceded defeat against the brilliance of Sunil Narine‘s explosive innings, which propelled KKR to a daunting total. Naveen acknowledged Narine’s exceptional batting display, lamenting the failure of their bowling plans to contain the West Indian all-rounder.Despite the setback, Naveen remained pragmatic, acknowledging the need to regroup and refocus for their upcoming fixtures. “Every team has a bad day, and we cannot keep focusing on that, we have to move on,” he concluded, echoing the sentiment of resilience required in the demanding landscape of the IPL.(With inputs from PTI)

“There’s Terror Threat To T20 World Cup”: Trinidad And Tobago PM Reveals; ICC Reacts

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has said it is working closely with Men’s T20 World Cup host countries – the West Indies and the USA – to ensure appropriate plans are in place amidst a terror threat to the showpiece event. The men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the USA from June 1-29. Reports emerged from various sections in the Caribbean media that the World Cup hosting islands in the region received terror threats from an organisation in North Pakistan. “ICC is working closely with the host countries to ensure appropriate plans are in place. We immediately spoke to the authorities as the reports emerged, and the Cricket West Indies has assured everyone that a comprehensive security plan is in place to address any risk,” an ICC official told IANS when asked about the terror threat to the Men’s T20 World Cup. Dr Keith Rowley, the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, said to Daily Express that the security agencies are working to combat terror threats to the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. “Unfortunately, the threat of terrorism in its many and varied expressions is an ever-present danger in the world of the 21st century. It is against this backdrop that all nations, like our region, when hosting large or vulnerable gatherings, make an extra effort in national security preparations and response readiness to take seriously, all threats, expressed or implied. “Given the fact that bad actors can choose to misbehave in any way possible it makes it virtually impossible to completely seal off all opportunities. However, in order to ameliorate these dangers, we at the local and regional levels have remained alert to many threats and singularly or together have our intelligence and other security agencies working to protect the population in countries and at venues throughout the tournament,” said Rowley. In the Caribbean, Kensington Oval in Barbados, Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad, Providence Stadium in Guyana, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia and Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent will be the hosts for matches of T20 World Cup. In the USA, Eisenhower Park in New York; Broward County in Lauderhill, Florida and Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas, will be the venues. 20 teams will be divided into four groups of five each for the first round. Top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super eight stage. In Super Eight, teams will be split into two groups of four each. Teams seeded first and second in their groups in the first round will retain that seeding in the Super Eight, provided they qualify. A1, B2, C1 and D2 finishers will be in one group, while A2, B1, C2 and D1 will be slotted in the other group. Top two sides from two groups of the Super eight will advance for the semi-finals. The semi-finals will be held in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago on June 26 and 27 respectively. The final will be held in Barbados on June 29. Reserve days are in place for both semi-finals and the final. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article