Danijones

“MS Dhoni Is Playing Father’s Role In My Cricket Life”: CSK Star’s Massive Praise

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana said that the legendary MS Dhoni plays a “father’s role” in his cricket life and urged the cricketing icon to play for one more season in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The five-time champions will be locking horns with Punjab Kings at Dharamshala on Sunday. This will be a crucial game for CSK as far as their playoff chances are concerned. The Yellow army is at the fifth spot in the points table with five wins and five losses, giving them a total of 10 points. On the other hand, PBKS is at the seventh spot with four wins, six losses and a total of eight points. In their previous game, PBKS won by seven wickets against CSK in Chennai on Wednesday. Speaking at the Lions Upclose show by CSK, Pathirana said that Dhoni cares for him always, and gives him valuable advice as a cricketer. “After my father, in my cricket life, mostly he (Dhoni) is playing my father’s role because he is always taking care of me, giving me advice, what I have to do, similar to my father when I am at home. He tells just small things, but it makes a lot of difference. So those little things, I take a lot of confidence,” said the Sri Lankan pacer. Pathirana said that even though they do not talk much off the field, he would often go to Dhoni and ask him for whatever he needs. “Every time he is telling me, ‘Enjoy your game and take care of your body,’ Mahi bhai, if you can play one more season, please play with us. If I am here,” he concluded. After impressing with his slingy action reminiscent of Sri Lankan pace legend Lasith Malinga, Pathirana made his debut for Lankan Lions following the IPL 2022. In 12 matches of the IPL 2023, he took 19 wickets at an average of 14.63, with best figures of 3/15 and played a crucial role in CSK’s fifth title win. In the ongoing season, Pathirana has played just six games owing to injury and taken 13 wickets at an average of 13.00, with the best figures of 4/28. CSK missed Pathirana’s services as he returned to his home country to sort out visa issues ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup this year, starting in the West Indies/USA from June 1 onwards. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

IPL 2024: Mohammed Siraj’s good show for RCB a shot in the arm for Team India | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago07 mins

NEW DELHI: Mohammed Siraj‘s turn-around has been instrumental in Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s late-inning comeback in this IPL, and the pacer’s impressive form may have also helped calm Indian nerves ahead of the T20 World Cup next month.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLEIn the most recent manifestation of his transformation, Siraj destroyed the Gujarat Titans with a two-wicket burst in the Power Play, taking the wickets of Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill.Siraj took an incredible 2-0-9-2 at that point, and as he is expected to share the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah in the ICC final, it is also a huge boost for the national side.After working with Siraj for the past five years, assistant coach Adam Griffith of the RCB attributed that change to him “swinging the ball again.”“He’s the leader of our group. He’s played a lot for India in the last few years and has done really well. It’s not just him bowling well. It’s his aggression, his body language, him taking the batters on to try and get wickets is such an important part of what we’re trying to do.“Having him up and going, swinging the ball again, bowling with good pace, and being aggressive is so important to us,” said Griffith in the post-match press meet in Bengaluru on Saturday after RCB defeated GT by four wickets. The bowling performance of the Royal Challengers, with a combined economy rate of 10.28 and 45 wickets, was the lowest in the IPL season.As the leader, it was Siraj’s job to sort of galvanize the others, and he raised his hand.Maybe the nine days off he received between April 12 and April 20 helped him refocus and become more alert.The Sunrisers Hyderabad game in Bengaluru, where they amassed an IPL record 287 for three, was the one he missed in the meantime.Griffith outlined the reasoning behind allowing Siraj some free time.“He’s like any other player when they are fatigued. It’s very important to give them that break. That’s just as important as the training component, sometimes even more important.“He is a rhythm bowler – his run-up is so important to what he does. So, we want him fresh and running in hard,” he said. Siraj participated in four games against the Kolkata Knight Riders, SRH, and two against GT after his comeback from the break. In a high-scoring game against the Knight Riders, RCB lost by one run, but they won the other three.In those three matches, Siraj had figures of 4-0-20-0, 4-0-34-1 and 4-0-29-2.Griffith said Siraj has found a good balance between off-time and preparation.“He knows his body really well. He knows what he needs to do to prepare and every now and then we might need to give him a little bit of a push in that direction.“I’ve been with him now for five or so years, so I can tell when he’s going well and when he needs a rest,” he added.This version of Siraj was a throwback to IPL 2023 when he picked up 19 wickets and 10 of them were in the Power Play.The energy of Siraj seemed to have percolated to other bowlers too as the young Yash Dayal dished out a frugal and productive spell upfront – 4-0-21-2.It meant that the Titans were restricted to the lowest Power Play score of this IPL season – 23/3.Griffith said the RCB bowlers have collectively managed to hit a better line as they notched up three wins on the bounce.“We’ve swung the ball all tournament upfront. We talked about bowling a lot straighter and attacking the stumps as much as we can to challenge the batters’ defence and make them play aggressive shots if they want to come at us.“That’s the challenge for them to do and the boys put them exactly where we wanted them (against GT),” he explained.(With PTI inputs)

Ajay Jadeja Sums Up RCB’s Situation With Award-Worthy ‘Ventilator To ICU’ Remark

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

Former India all-rounder Ajay Jadeja believes Royal Challengers Bengaluru bowlers have started to click together to take their side “off the ventilator” but the team still remains “in the ICU” following their nervy win over Gujarat Titans. RCB got over the line with four wickets and 38 balls in hand chasing a paltry 148 against GT on Saturday, a win which was set up by the bowlers. Faf du Plessis (64) and Virat Kohli (42) shared 92 runs inside the powerplay but RCB lost wickets in a heap — slipping from 92/0 to 117/6 — to give Gujarat a real hope of pulling off an unlikely win. “The chinks in the armour are visible, what happened at the end. But the chance is there. They’re off the ventilator but they’re still in the ICU,” Jadeja told Jio Cinema. “We are excited about today’s match after seeing Virat and Faf bat. But the real work that was done, was by the bowlers, an aspect RCB has historically struggled at. “The bowling department has started to click for them now, and we’re talking about the business end of the season, this is the point where realistic chances of winning comes from momentum….” Jadeja said RCB may have got the momentum after their win which took them to the seventh spot in the IPL points table, but qualifying for the playoffs remains a “very tough ask”. “More than momentum, it’s about the mentality of the team where you know if you’re in a bad situation, someone will take you out of it… Today, it seemed like RCB picked the right road while Gujarat was on the other side. Who will reach their goal? It’s a very tough ask still,” he said. The former India cricketer, however, was impressed with RCB’s aggressive approach with the bat in a small chase. “They came into the game differently from the start. I haven’t checked the statistics, but I have never seen them start a game with a six. Not one, but two of them, in the first over, when there was no need,” he said. “What Faf did, he was operating at a different pace. Later, there was some excitement in the match but at no point did it seem like this was (GT win) going to be successful,” (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

Heinrich Klaasen left fuming after being mobbed by SRH fans as chaotic scenes from Hyderabad mall go viral

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Heinrich Klaasen has been in sensational form in IPL 2024. The wicketkeeper-batter, considered by many to be the best active T20 batter, has showcased his power-hitting abilities this season, and has destroyed bowlers with ease. He is SRH’s second-highest run-scorer this season with 337 runs in 10 matches, at a strike rate of 189.32, and has also bagged three fifties. Heinrich Klaasen gets mobbed by fans. Klaasen has won over fans in India with his boundary-hitting capabilities and it was perfectly summed up in a recent incident. Klaasen was in a shopping mall in Hyderabad with his teammates, and the crowd went berserk when they saw the cricketers. Klaasen, who was Jaydev Unadkat, was surrounded by fans, who were also chanting his name. The South African was visibly taken aback, as he is not used to such interactions with fans. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media and Klaasen looked visibly frustrated. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Here is the video: In the video, Klaasen can also be seen requesting the crowd to calm down. SRH are currently fourth in the IPL 2024 points table with 12 points in 10 matches. They face Mumbai Indians in their upcoming fixture on Monday, and will be aiming for a win. SRH sealed a narrow one-run win against table-toppers Rajasthan Royals in their previous fixture, which further showcased their ambitions for this season. Speaking after the match, SRH captain Pat Cummins said, “I am good, was an amazing game. That’s T20 cricket. Anything can happen, Bhuvi executed that last ball. You try to take some wickets in the middle. Natarajan is a good yorker bowler, fortunately we got some wickets. Played some games here, thought 200 could have been chased down. He (Nitish Reddy) sums up the conditions pretty well, he’s amazing, great in the field, gives some overs with the ball as well.” News / Cricket News / Heinrich Klaasen left fuming after being mobbed by SRH fans as chaotic scenes from Hyderabad mall go viral

Sunil Gavaskar lambasts Star Sports amid ongoing debate over Virat Kohli’s strike rate – India TV

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

Image Source : GETTY IMAGES Sunil Gavaskar. Sunil Gavaskar lambasted Star Sports, the official broadcaster of IPL 2024 after they aired Virat Kohli’s response to commentators who have been critical of his strike rate in the 17th edition of the cash-rich league. Gavaskar, who is commentating for Star Sports in the ongoing season, was a part of their build-up to RCB’s (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) clash with Gujarat Titans, the 52nd game of the season. He slammed Star for repeatedly airing Virat’s response to the commentators who have raised questions over his strike rate. “That particular post-game interview has been shown on this channel earlier as well, right now, on this particular program it has probably been shown half a dozen times,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports ahead of the game between RCB and Gujarat. “I hope that Star Sports recognises that when that is being shown, asking where are the critics, the critics are the commentators. Your Star Sports commentators are the ones from whom the questions are being asked.” “If you have a strike rate of 118, you come and face the first ball, and then you get out in the 14th or 15th over and your strike rate is 118 – if you want applause for that, then that’s a little bit different,” he said. “But for Star Sports to show the person belittling their own commentators, I’m not sure that’s a great thing. So I think Star Sports needs to understand that they have shown it enough times, everyone’s got the message. Gavaskar also cautioned Star not to show the clip of Virat Kohli slamming the commentators again. “We’ve all played a bit of cricket, not a lot of cricket, but we speak about what we see. We don’t necessarily have any likes and dislikes. Even if we have likes or dislikes, we actually speak on what’s happening. So, I would be very disappointed if Star Sports show this once more because that will be questioning all us commentators,” he concluded. For the unversed, Virat had expressed dissatisfaction over the constant talk regarding his strike rate after scoring an unbeaten 70 off 44 balls against Gujarat Titans. “I think all the people who talk about strike rates and me not playing spin well are the ones who love talking about this stuff,” Virat said after RCB’s nine-wicket win over Gujarat in Ahmedabad on April 28. “But, for me, it’s about winning the game for the team. And there is a reason you have done this for 15 years,” Kohli said after his match-winning knock against Gujarat in the presentation ceremony. “You have done this, day in and day out. You have won games for your team. And I am not quite sure if you have not been in that situation yourself, to sit and speak about the game from a box. “I don’t think it’s the same thing. For me, it’s about doing the job for the team. People can sit and talk about their own ideas and assumptions of the game. But those who have done it, day in and day out, they know what they are doing. It’s kind of muscle memory for me,” he added.

‘Babar Azam se meri koi ladai…’: clarifies Pakistan allrounder | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Pakistani all-rounder Imad Wasim addressed concerns about his relationship with captain Babar Azam ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Wasim dismissed reports of any rift between them, stating that they have a cordial relationship and are focused on winning the tournament for Pakistan. Speaking to the media, Wasim said. “We were just fighting (laughs). No, there are ups and downs everywhere, but I never had a serious fight with Babar, and communication was never stopped. We have to play for Pakistan. We have a population of 25-27 crore, he is our captain, why would we fight? Whoever is the captain of the Pakistan team, you should respect him the same way. So I respect Babar in every case. “Babar k saath meri koi ladai nhi hai (I have no fights with Babar). We just had a meal together. There is no such tension. We are going to play the World Cup, so we can’t even think about these things,” added the all-rounder, who recently chose to take his retirement back in a bid to feature for Pakistan in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The Pakistani team has undergone several changes, with Wasim and Mohammad Amir reversing their retirements to be included in the World Cup squad. Additionally, Babar Azam has been reappointed as the team’s captain, taking over from Shaheen Afridi.Pakistan are diligently preparing for the marquee event, having recently drawn a T20I series against New Zealand. They will face Ireland and England in additional warm-up matches before the World Cup commences in the United States and the Caribbean in June.

Today’s IPL Match: LSG vs KKR Preview, Prediction, Head-to-Head, Lucknow Pitch Report and Who Will Win?

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

LSG are set to face KKR in their reverse fixture of the Indian Premier League on Sunday, May 5. Both teams are coming off strong wins against MI from their previous matches and are playing for a stronghold in the top 4 in the league table. KKR and LSG are at No. 2 and 3 respectively with just 2 points between them. That difference will be wiped out if KL Rahul’s LSG manage to win at home on Sunday. LSH will do well to remember the thrashing they received at the hands of KKR in Kolkata earlier in the tournament. After that demoralising victory, Rahul had said that they needed to have some hard conversations with the team. Since then, LSG have managed to beat CSK twice in two matches and thrashed MI at their own home. IPL 2024 Full Coverage | IPL 2024 Points Table and Standings | 2024 IPL Full Schedule The likes of KL Rahul and Marcus Stoinis have been in good form off late and at the back end, LSG have the support of the incredible Nicholas Pooran who has been sensational for the better part of the season. The challenge will be steep against KKR though, as they will face one of the most complete teams in the tournament. KKR have been impressive with both bat and ball, and their openers have spin attack have been their highlight throughout the tournament. The likes of Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and Phil Salt can take the game away on their day and with Mitchell Starc back in form, KKR can be a handful. KKR vs LSG: Match Report LSG vs KKR: Head to Head KKR won their first game in the IPL against LSG this season when the KL Rahul side visited Eden Gardens. KKR will hope to bring that deficit of 3-1 closer this time around. LSG vs KKR: Team News LSG have suffered a major set back as Mayank Yadav has been ruled out for the season. The speedster was tremendous for LSG this season but unfortunately with his hip injury flaring up once again, LSG have tried not to risk him further. KKR pacer Harshit Rana will return to the side after serving his one-match ban. Rana will slot right into the side. LSG vs KKR: Pitch Report Different Lucknow strips have offered different conditions this season. But it is safe to say that there has been some help for either the pacers or the spinners in this track. Both teams have strong bowling line-ups and the competition is expected to be quite exciting today. LSG vs KKR: Predicted XIs KKR Probable XI: Philip Salt (wk), Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy Impact Player: Manish Pandey LSG Probable XI: KL Rahul (c & wk), Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Ashton Turner, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan, Yash Thakur Impact Player: Arshin Kulkarni Published By: Kingshuk Kusari Published On: May 5, 2024

Today’s top 10 trending news stories – India TV

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

Image Source : GETTY IMAGES AND BCCI/IPL India TV Sports Wrap. IPL 2024 brings yet another exciting double header for cricket fans around the world as Punjab Kings, Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders gear up to make a strong case for themselves for the playoffs. On the other hand, Aryna Sabalenka lost a thrilling final to Iga Świątek and lost the chance to claim the Madrid Open. All of that and much more in today’s sports wrap. Today’s Top 10 Trending Sports News Stories RCB remain in contention for playoffs after domineering display against Gujarat RCB won their fourth game of IPL 2024 as they defeated Gujarat Titans by four wickets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB make progress on IPL 2024 points table RCB have moved to the seventh spot on the IPL 2024 points table after registering a four-wicket win over Gujarat Titans. Punjab Kings to face Chennai Super Kings Punjab Kings will lock horns with Chennai in the 53rd game of IPL 2024 in Dharamsala on Sunday (May 5). LSG to meet KKR in Lucknow Lucknow Super Giants will square off against Kolkata Knight Riders in the 54th fixture of IPL 2024 on Sunday. Bangladesh to battle Zimbabwe in 2nd T20I Bangladesh will be up against Zimbabwe in the second game of the five-match series on Sunday. Pakistan Super League set to clash with Indian Premier League in 2025 due to ICC Champions Trophy The 10th season of PSL is likely to clash with IPL 2025 due to the ICC Champions Trophy. Mayank Yadav likely to miss remainder of IPL 2024 LSG’s head coach Justin Langer feels that Mayank Yadav may not play for LSG again in the ongoing season. Iga Świątek beats Aryna Sabalenka to win thrilling final Iga Świątek defeated Sabalenka in a three-set thriller 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 to clinch the Madrid Open 2024 title. Andrey Rublev to compete against Felix Auger Aliassime in Madrid Open 2024 men’s singles final Rublev will take the court against Felix in the Madrid Open final on Sunday. Ronaldo shines in Al-Nassr’s victory in Saudi Pro League season Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Al-Nassr hammered Al-Wehda 6-0.

‘Let’s not get into that topic’: Ashwin’s blunt refusal on ‘Sunil Narine’ query while discussing Jasprit Bumrah’s action

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

Sunil Narine has been simply sensational for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024. He is their second-highest run-scorer with 380 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 179.24. During the ongoing campaign, he has also smacked a ton and two fifties. Even in the bowling department, batters have found it hard to deal with him this season, and is fifth in the Purple Cap race with 13 wickets in 10 matches, at an economy of 6.72. R Ashwin spoke about Jasprit Bumrah and Sunil Narine. This year, bowlers have found it tough to outperform batters and runs have come in plenty. In the leaderboard for the Purple Cap race, among the top-five wicket takers, only Jasprit Bumrah (6.25) and Narine have an economy less than 7. Bumrah is on top of the Purple Cap race with 17 dismissals in 11 games at an economy of 6.25. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Speaking on YouTube, Rajasthan Royals star R Ashwin hailed Bumrah and Narine, but also took a slight dig at the former West Indies player’s bowling action, which has been questioned in the past and didn’t want to explain further. “Bumrah has a really good unique point – He has got a distinct advantage compared to other pacers due to his release point. I won’t talk about Sunil Narine. It’s wrong according to my policy. Narine was also getting hit 2-3 seasons ago. This season he’s been outstanding. But let’s not get into that topic,” he said. Wickets have rarely come for the India veteran this season and he has only managed two wickets in nine games, at an economy of 9.00. But he has proved to be key in important moments and RR are also on top of the IPL 2024 points table. Meanwhile, Bumrah’s sizzling form hasn’t resonated with Mumbai Indians’ performance this season. MI are bottom of the table with six points in 11 games. Meanwhile, Narine’s KKR are second with 14 points in 10 fixtures. News / Cricket News / ‘Let’s not get into that topic’: Ashwin’s blunt refusal on ‘Sunil Narine’ query while discussing Jasprit Bumrah’s action

Real Madrid Claim 36th Spanish Title After Girona Stun Barcelona

Danijones6 months ago07 mins

Real Madrid earned what coach Carlo Ancelotti said was a “deserved” La Liga title on Saturday after beating Cadiz 3-0 and Girona sealed it with a stunning 4-2 victory over Barcelona. Ancelotti’s side did their homework by beating Cadiz and after last season’s champions stumbled against Girona, Los Blancos were crowned champions for a record-extending 36th time. Girona’s dramatic victory saw the Catalan minnows qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history, in only their fourth season in Spain’s top flight. Ancelotti rotated heavily ahead of the Champions League semi-final second leg clash with Bayern Munich next week, but his players still got the job done. Brahim Diaz netted in the 51st minute to put Madrid ahead and then set up Jude Bellingham, with Joselu tapping home a third. “We’ve had a spectacular Liga campaign,” Ancelotti told reporters. “We’ve made few errors and the advantage is deserved.” Madrid’s comfortable win over Cadiz sent them 14 points clear of last season’s champions Barcelona, in third, with only 12 left to play for. Girona, second after their second 4-2 win over Barcelona this season, trail Madrid by 13 points. “We leave our skins out there on the pitch to live moments like today’s,” Madrid striker Joselu told Real Madrid TV. “There are young players who are very hungry for titles, veterans who are delighted to be here… and these are special moments.” With the Bayern second leg in mind, Ancelotti only selected captain Nacho Fernandez from the starting line-up that earned a 2-2 draw in Bavaria this week. Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois started for the first time after a nine-month lay off after a knee injury and kept a clean sheet. Madrid midfielder Luka Modric became the oldest player to appear for the club in La Liga, at 38 years and 238 days, breaking late Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas’ record from 1965 by five days. The visitors, 18th and still battling to stay up, shaded the first half but Madrid’s goals came in the second. Courtois made a superb save to deny Chris Ramos early in the second half and Madrid took the lead immediately afterwards. Diaz received from the evergreen Modric on the edge of the area, turned slickly and curled an effort into the top corner. Bellingham, on as a substitute for Turkish teenager Arda Guler, added the second soon after entering the fray at the end of a fine team move. It was the England international’s 18th league goal of the season, keeping him in contention to finish as the top scorer. Madrid put the cherry on their cake after a superb run by Nacho. Poised to depart at the end of the season, the Spaniard was hailed by the Bernabeu after setting up Joselu for a simple finish in stoppage time. ‘Impossible to compete’ Los Blancos were able to celebrate after Girona came from behind twice to defeat Barcelona in a wild clash, moving second. Barca took the lead through Andreas Christensen’s fine volley after three minutes but La Liga’s top scorer Artem Dovbyk levelled with his 20th goal of the campaign just a minute later. Robert Lewandowski sent Barcelona ahead with a penalty after Lamine Yamal was felled, but substitute Portu made a huge impact in the second half for Girona. Michel Sanchez’s side netted two goals in two minutes to turn the game on its head. Portu netted the equaliser moments after coming on and then set up Miguel Gutierrez to put Girona ahead. Portu sensationally volleyed home the fourth to ignite Girona’s tiny Montilivi stadium and get the party started. “The players have entered Girona’s history books, what we’ve done this year is incredible,” said Sanchez. Girona played Champions League music over the stadium sound system to give their fans a taste of things to come. “I want to play against Liverpool, I want a historic giant here, there are many, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Inter.” For Barcelona, third, the summer will be for self-reflection rather than dreams. “It’s a shame, we sink with any negative situation,” said Barcelona coach Xavi after Barcelona lost their crown. “Like this it’s impossible to compete.” Elsewhere Rodrigo Riquelme’s early goal earned fourth-place Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win at Mallorca to extend the gap on Athletic to six points. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article