Cricket

BAN-W vs IND-W: Asha Sobhana becomes oldest India debutant in Women’s cricket

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Asha Sobhana became the oldest debutant for India in women’s internationals during the fourth T20I against Bangladesh on Monday, May 6 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. At the age of 33 years and 51 days, the leg-spinner got her maiden chance to don the national colours. She broke the record of Seema Pujare, who debuted for India at the age of 31 in an ODI against Sri Lanka back in 2008 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. Interestingly, apart from Sobhana and Pujare, no other Indian women’s cricketer made debuts under the age of 30. Having already taken a 3-0 lead in the 5-match series, India made a couple of changes to their playing XI. Even as Titas Sadhu was roped in as a replacement for Renuka Singh Thakur, Sobhana replaced the talented Shreyanka Patil. Sobhana recently earned her maiden India call-up after she performed exceptionally while playing for Smriti Mandhana’s RCB in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024. In one of the games against Alyssa Healy’s UP Warriorz, she picked up a 5-wicket haul. Habiba Islam debuts at 14 Habiba Islam Pinky made her debut at the age of 14. Courtesy: Bangladesh Cricket. Along with Sobhana, right-arm pacer Habiba Islam Pinky made her debut at the age of 14 years and 340 days. Pinky became the second-youngest Bangladeshi to debut in international cricket. Back in 2019, Rabeya Khan wore the national jersey for the first time against Nepal in the South Asian Games. She was 14 years and 268 days back then. Rabeya, 19 now, is currently a part of the Bangladesh squad along with Pinky for the T20I series against India. Habiba Islam Pinky (14 years 340 days) was born after Asha Sobhana Joy (33 years 51 days) started playing domestic cricket. They made their T20I debut in the same match today, against each other. — Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) May 6, 2024 Pinky was not even born when Sobhana started playing domestic cricket. Pakistan’s Ayesha Naseem (15 years and 209 days), Bangladesh’s Nahida Akter (15 years and 212 days) and India’s Shafali Verma (15 years and 239 days) also made their debuts at a young age. Published By: sabyasachi chowdhury Published On: May 6, 2024

Harshit Rana ‘taunts BCCI’ with unmissable act in LSG vs KKR match after one-match suspension

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

Kolkata Knight Riders fast bowler Harshit has twice been severely punished by the BCCI for his on-field celebrations during the ongoing IPL 2024. He was fined 60 per cent of his match fees for a flying-kiss send-off to Mayank Agarwal during a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad before being handed a 100 per cent fine on his match fee along with a one-match suspension for breach of the IPL Code of Conduct. However, in the match against Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday at the Ekana Stadium, Harshit chose not to pull off the same act, but rather “taunted” BCCI with a different gesture. Kolkata Knight Riders bowler Harshit Rana celebrates the wicket of Lucknow Super Giants batter Kurnal Pandya during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders(PTI) Harshit was among the pick of the bowlers for KKR in the match against LSG as he picked three crucial wickets to help the visitors bundle the home team for just 137 in the chase of 236 with 23 balls to spare. During one of his wicket celebrations on Sunday, Harshit celebrated with a finger-on-the-lips gesture. KKR later posted it on social media, which left fans thinking if it was a message directed at the BCCI. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! It is yet not known whether BCCI will take action against Harshit for his new celebration. Earlier on Sunday, before the match against LSG, KKR player Nitish Rana teased Harshit by asking whether he was going to give another ‘flying kiss’ during the tournament. The right-armer smiled sheepishly and then burst into laughter saying that he would not do that again. Harshit faced a stringent punishment from BCCI earlier last week for his animated send-off gesture towards Delhi Capitals batter Abhishek Porel after he dismissed him. While he did stop himself from another flying-kiss act, he gestured with his hand showing the batter the way back to the pavilion. “Rana committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct. He admitted to the offence and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction. For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding. The player was earlier penalised under the same level and article of the IPL Code of Conduct,” the IPL said in a statement. News / Cricket News / Harshit Rana ‘taunts BCCI’ with unmissable act in LSG vs KKR match after one-match suspension

Harmanpreet Kaur becomes second Indian women’s player to achieve rare milestone during IND vs BAN 4th T20I – India TV

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Image Source : GETTY Harmanpreet Kaur. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur has achieved a pretty rare milestone during her team’s clash against Bangladesh in the 4th T20I at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Kaur, who made her India debut in March 2009, has become the second-ever Indian women’s player to feature in 300 International matches. India are taking on Bangladesh in a five-match T20I series as they prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 in October. The Women in Blue have already bagged the series as they have an unassaibale lead of 3-0 going into the fourth game. The game marks Harmanpreet Kaur’s 300th International game as she joins Mithali Raj as the only two Indians to have played over 300 games. Former skipper Mithali was part of 333 matches across formats in her glittering 23-year career. Kaur is overall the fifth player to feature in over 300 matches in women’s cricket. Most matches played in International cricket: 1 – Mithali Raj: 333 matches 2 – Suzie Bates: 317 matches 3 – Ellyse Perry: 314 matches 4 – Charlotte Edwards: 309 matches 5 – Harmanpreet Kaur: 300 matches In the fourth T20I between the two sides, Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana won the toss and asked the visitors to bat first. The Women in Blue made two changes to their Playing XI. Titas Sadhu and Asha Sobhana come in for Shreyanka Patil and Renuka Singh Thakur. Notably, this is WPL star Asha’s International debut. At 33 years and 51 days of age, Asha has become the oldest Indian player to make a debut in women’s T20Is. She has shattered this record earlier held by Seema Pujare, who made her T20I debut at the age of 32 years and 50 days. Bangladesh’s Playing XI: Dilara Akter, Murshida Khatun, Rubya Haider, Nigar Sultana (c & wk), Ritu Moni, Shorifa Khatun, Shorna Akter, Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, Habiba Islam, Marufa Akter India’s Playing XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), S Sajana, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Asha Sobhana, Titas Sadhu, Radha Yadav

What Is Hybrid Pitch? The Innovation That Is All Set To Make Its IPL Debut

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

India’s first-ever ‘hybrid pitch’ was unveiled at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium in a grand ceremony on Monday. The event was attended by IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal and cricket dignitaries including Paul Taylor, a former England cricketer and SIS’s international cricket director. “The introduction of hybrid pitches is set to revolutionize cricket in India, following their success in iconic venues like Lord’s and The Oval in England,” said Dhumal, who hails from Himachal Pradesh. The hybrid pitch, which combines natural turf with synthetic fibres, promises enhanced durability and consistent playability, reducing the strain on ground staff and maintaining quality playing conditions. With only 5% synthetic fibres, the pitch ensures that the natural characteristics essential for cricket are preserved. Taylor expressed gratitude towards the HPCA for their collaboration on this pioneering project. “With the ICC’s approval, we’re excited to see the positive impact these pitches will have on the sport, starting with installations in Mumbai and Ahmedabad next,” he said. The ‘Universal Machine’, a critical component in installing the hybrid surface, was developed by SISGrass in 2017 and has been instrumental in the rollout of similar pitches across England’s county cricket grounds. This innovation aligns with the ICC’s recent sanctioning of hybrid pitches for T20 and one-day international matches, with plans to expand their use in four-day county championships starting this year. The integration of technologies like SISAir, a root aeration system, further underscores the commitment to enhancing cricket infrastructure in India. This system improves the pitch’s health and resilience, benefiting players with better and safer playing conditions. (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

RCB star Asha Sobhana creates all-time record for India in T20Is – India TV

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Image Source : BCCI Asha Sobhana Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Asha Sobhana finally got her chance to make a debut for India in the fourth T20I against Bangladesh. She had received a maiden call-up for the five-match T20I series but was benched in the first three matchs. With India sealing the series with a 3-0 lead, the visitors decided to test their bench strength and accordingly, handed a debut to leg-spinner Asha who was one of the most impressive bowlers in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) earlier this year. Interestingly, even before delivering her first ball at the international level, Asha created an all-time record for India as she became the oldest debutant in the shortest format. The leggie is 33 years and 51 days old as she was handed over her cap by Smriti Mandhana. Asha broke the long-standing record Seema Pujare in this aspect who had made her T20I debut in 2008 at the age of 32 years and 50 days. Overall, she ended up playing 8 ODIs and one T20I in her career. Coming back to Asha Sobhana, her maiden call-up to the Indian team followed after a brilliant show in WPL where she ended as the second highest wicket-taker of the season with 12 scalps to her name. Her role was crucial in RCB lifting the trophy for the first time in its 17-year history, including the IPL. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Women also handed a debut to 14-year-old medium pacer in Habiba Islam in the fourth T20I as they will be hoping that the youngster steps up in her first ever international match. This is also a landmark game for India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur who is playing her 300th international match. Playing XIs for 4th T20Is India Women – Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, D Hemalatha, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, S Sajana, Pooja Vastrakar, Asha Sobhana, Titas Sadhu, Radha Yadav Bangladesh Women – Nigar Sultana Joty (c & wk), Nahida Akter, Dilara Akter Dola, Rubya Haider Jhelik, Murshida Khatun, Rabeya, Marufa Akter, Mst Shorifa Khatun, Habiba Islam Pinky, Mst Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter

‘100-200 zyada lelo par next IPL…’: Fan’s special request for CSK legend MS Dhoni | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

NEW DELHI: In what is rumoured to be his last Indian Premier League season, the MS Dhoni mania continues to grow along the length and breadth of the country.Whereever Dhoni has gone to play for Chennai Super Kings this season, his fans and supporters have gathered in huge numbers across stadiums to catch a glimpse of their cricketing idol. And to go with that, there have also been requests from fans, asking the 42-year-old to continue playing for another season.The requests have even spread to non-CSK matches, where Dhoni fans have showered love for him in different ways, using placards and slogans. One such unique request came from a fan during the Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders game. Playing their last game of the season, a LSG fan requested skipper KL Rahul to ask Dhoni to play another season. “Rahul bhai, Dhoni sir se kahdo, 100-200 zyada lelo par next IPL season khel lo,” the fan’s placard read. In the 11 matches played in the season thus far, Dhoni has delighted fans with quite a few incredible cameos at the death having hit the ball at a strike rate of over 224. Dhoni has only been dismissed a couple of times this IPL season. With 6 wins and 5 losses in 11 matches, the defending champions currently sit at the 3rd spot on the points table.

India’s first-ever ‘hybrid pitch’ unveiled in Dharamsala

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal and former England Cricketer Paul Taylor during a press conference SISGrass Hybrid Pitches at HPCA Ground in Dharamshala on May 06, 2024. | Photo Credit: Moorthy RV India’s first-ever ‘hybrid pitch’ was unveiled at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium in a grand ceremony here on May 6. The event was attended by IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal and cricket dignitaries including Paul Taylor, a former England cricketer and SIS’s international cricket director. “The introduction of hybrid pitches is set to revolutionize cricket in India, following their success in iconic venues like Lord’s and The Oval in England,” said Dhumal, who hails from Himachal Pradesh. The hybrid pitch, which combines natural turf with synthetic fibres, promises enhanced durability and consistent playability, reducing the strain on ground staff and maintaining quality playing conditions. With only 5% synthetic fibres, the pitch ensures that the natural characteristics essential for cricket are preserved. Taylor expressed gratitude towards the HPCA for their collaboration on this pioneering project. “With the ICC’s approval, we’re excited to see the positive impact these pitches will have on the sport, starting with installations in Mumbai and Ahmedabad next,” he said. The ‘Universal Machine’, a critical component in installing the hybrid surface, was developed by SISGrass in 2017 and has been instrumental in the rollout of similar pitches across England’s county cricket grounds. This innovation aligns with the ICC’s recent sanctioning of hybrid pitches for T20 and one-day international matches, with plans to expand their use in four-day county championships starting this year. The integration of technologies like SISAir, a root aeration system, further underscores the commitment to enhancing cricket infrastructure in India. This system improves the pitch’s health and resilience, benefiting players with better and safer playing conditions.

Has any team reached IPL playoffs on 12 points? Decoding MI and RCB’s chances for knockout qualification – India TV

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

Image Source : BCCI/IPL MI and RCB players. The IPL 2024 league stage is nearing its end. Out of the 70 league matches, teams have played 54 games but there is still no one officially qualified for the playoffs nor anyone has been knocked out in this race. Even Mumbai Indians have a little door ajar and are trying to find some luck to see if they can make it to the knockout stages. Currently, MI are placed on the 10th spot with six points in 11 matches and if they win all of their remaining three contests, the five-time champions will have 12 points. However unlikely it might sound but looking at the current situation, MI still have a chance to qualify for the playoffs. They will need to win all of their matches and will then hope for some results to go their way. For them to sneak through, MI will need a maximum of three teams to go above 12 points and the other six (excluding MI) to stay on 12 or below. This way they can qualify through Net run rate. Has any team qualified on 12 points in IPL ever? But has any team qualified on 12 points before in the history of the tournament or are these hopes worth nothing? Yes in the history of IPL, Sunrisers Hyderabad are the only team to have reached the knockout stages on 12 points after the league stage. This was in IPL 2019 when an eight-team middle-table muddle was so tight that one of the teams reached the knockout stages on 12 points. While Mumbai Indians topped the group with 18 points, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals were second and third, respectively with 18 points too. SRH were placed fourth with only six wins, followed by Kolkata Knight Riders with a similar number of wins too. But as the Sunrisers had a better NRR, they pipped KKR to reach the knockouts. Notably, the IPL 2024 is not an eight-team event but a ten-team one. However, there is still a chance that a team can qualify on 12 points which can make MI fans happy. How can RCB still qualify for playoffs? As far as RCB are concerned, they have four wins in 11 matches and are placed seventh in the points table. They have to face Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings in their next games and if they manage to win all of the three, they will end up on 14 points. RCB are better placed than MI at the moment as they have two more points in a similar number of matches. If the Bengaluru-based franchise manages to win all of their games, they would still need some other results to go their way. For RCB’s cause, no more than three teams shall go over 14 points with the other six (excluding RCB) finishing on 14 points or lower than that. This is possible and a little more likely than what MI need at the moment.

Mohammad Amir’s Ireland visa not issued yet due to his jail term post spot fixing case in 2010 – India TV

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Image Source : GETTY Mohammad Amir Pakistan are set to depart for Ireland today for the three-match T20I series starting from May 10. The series is crucial in terms of preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup starting from June 1 in West Indies and the USA. But the visitors will have to fly out without one of their premier bowlers – Mohammad Amir as his visa is yet to be issued for the travel and is still being processed. According to PCB source, Amir’s jail term and subsequent ban post the spot-fixing case in 2010 has come back to haunt him. For the same reason, the visa has not been issued to him yet but the board is confident that the issue will be solved soon. The source further stated that Amir might be able to join the Pakistan team in Ireland in the next couple of days. Notably, Amir had faced a similar issue back in 2018 as well when the team was embarking on the tour of Ireland and England but was later issued visa. “Because of the spot-fixing case of 2010 and his subsequent jail term and ban his visa is still being processed. We are hopeful he will get his visa in a day or two and he can join them later,” the source said according to PTI. This is a crucial tour for some of the players in Pakistan squad as the board is yet to officially announce the team for the T20 World Cup. Pakistan are also scheduled to play four T20I matches against England away from home which will also be their last assignment before the mega event. The deadline to announce the final squad for the World Cup is May 25. Pakistan tour of Ireland schedule May 10 – 1st T20I May 12 – 2nd T20I May 14 – 3rd T20I Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (C), Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Iftikhar Ahmed, Irfan Khan, Agha Salman, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Azam Khan, Usman Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi

Babar Azam expresses confidence in Gary Kirsten’s appointment, assures team unity ahead of T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: Pakistan‘s limited overs captain, Babar Azam, shared his positive outlook on the recent appointment of Gary Kirsten as the head coach of Pakistan’s white-ball side, expressing optimism about the potential impact on the team’s performance.“Gary Kirsten is a very experienced coach, and his presence should be beneficial for us all. He is already taking a lot of interest in the planning for the World Cup and discussing strategy with the team management,” Babar stated during a media conference in Lahore.Babar emphasized Kirsten’s active involvement in strategizing for the upcoming World Cup, highlighting his regular communication with the team management and indicating a collaborative approach towards planning and preparation.”Babar assured that Kirsten’s arrival would enhance the team’s coordination and planning, with a clear focus on optimizing the squad’s performance in the global tournament. He dismissed concerns over selection issues, affirming that decisions would prioritize the team’s interests and cohesion,” the captain added.Addressing the integration of young players into the squad, Babar stressed the importance of providing them with ample opportunities to settle into international cricket, reaffirming the team management’s commitment to supporting and nurturing emerging talents ahead of the World Cup.“I think there is little time for rotation now because the World Cup is around the corner, and in the remaining matches. We will try to give the team we want to play with in the World Cup a proper opportunity,” Babar commented.Looking ahead to potential matchups, Babar acknowledged the challenge posed by India’s Virat Kohli but affirmed the team’s comprehensive planning against all opposing players, emphasizing the team’s collective strategy and preparation to counter the strengths of each opponent.“The thing is, we plan against all eleven players of a team, and we don’t know much about how the conditions will be in New York. But yes, he [Kohli] is one of the best players, and we will plan against him as well,” Babar said.Babar also dispelled any rumors of internal rifts within the team, emphasizing unity and mutual support among players. Expressing his excitement for his second stint as Pakistan captain, Babar credited the team’s success to collective effort and emphasized the backing received from the cricket board.(With inputs from PTI)