Pakistan targets right T20 combination against understrength New Zealand | Cricket

Shastri expects big-hitting Dube to play a key role for India at T20 World Cup

NEW DELHI, – Former India coach Ravi Shastri expects big-hitting Shivam Dube to set the T20 World Cup alight and says the 30-year-old batting all-rounder will be key to India’s hopes of racking up big totals in the tournament next month. Shastri expects big-hitting Dube to play a key role for India at T20 World Cup Dube, who is also a handy medium pacer, has established himself as one of the most destructive middle-order batters in the IPL, the Chennai Super Kings player scoring 350 runs in 11 matches at a 170-plus strike rate this season. Among the IPL’s Indian batters, only Abhishek Sharma has hit more sixes than Dube’s 26. “Please watch out for , because he is explosive, he’s devastating and he’s a match-winner,” Shastri told the International Cricket Council website. “He hits sixes for fun, and when it comes to spin bowling, he can kill you.” Shastri said that while the left-handed batter is particularly effective against spinners he had nailed down his batting approach against pace. “He’s understood the way to play and I think he holds the key at that number five-six position because if you’re in the doldrums, you want someone to change it in 20-25 balls, he’s the player to go to,” he added. The strike rate of India’s top order, which includes skipper Rohit Sharma and stalwart Virat Kohli, has been something of a concern and a fiery middle-order could be crucial to India’s hopes of winning a second T20 World Cup title. Shastri has high hopes for opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and said the presence of Dube in the middle order could help India post the big totals needed to win a major tournament. “His strike rate, which will be close to 200 most of the time, will help India immensely in going forward, getting those 190s, 200s that are needed in big competitions, especially like the World Cup,” he added. India will also be encouraged by Suryakumar Yadav’s form heading into the World Cup after his 51-ball hundred secured victory for the Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday. Suryakumar, the top-ranked batter in T20 internationals, is playing his first tournament since recovering from an ankle injury and a sports hernia operation.

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Mumbai Indians: IPL 2024 Playoff Scenario: How Mumbai Indians still have an outside chance of finishing in top four | Cricket News

Mumbai Indians: IPL 2024 Playoff Scenario: How Mumbai Indians still have an outside chance of finishing in top four | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians clinched a crucial victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a riveting IPL encounter at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday. However, despite their commendable performance, the path to the playoffs remains arduous for the defending champions.With just two games remaining in the league stage, Mumbai Indians find themselves in a precarious position, sitting ninth in the IPL 2024 standings with 8 points from 12 games and a net run rate (NRR) of -0.212.Their comprehensive victory over Sunrisers propelled them slightly upward but not enough to secure a comfortable position in the playoff race.MI’s playoff hopes hinge on their ability to win their remaining fixtures against Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants. However, victory alone might not suffice. The team’s negative NRR poses a significant challenge, demanding not just wins but convincing performances to boost their run rate.The scenario is further complicated by the standings of other teams vying for playoff berths. Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals are already on 16 points each, making it impossible for MI to catch up with them. Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants are also on 12 points each, potentially creating a logjam in the middle of the table. In such a scenario, MI’s only hope lies in multiple teams finishing with 12 points after the league stages, giving them an outside chance to progress based on a superior NRR. However, this would necessitate not only victories for MI but also losses for their competitors. The competition is fierce, with Delhi Capitals on 10 points and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings, and Gujarat Titans on 8 points each, all eyeing a playoff spot.With their playoff fate hanging in the balance, Mumbai Indians face a daunting task ahead. They must approach their remaining matches with unwavering determination, striving not only for victories but also for dominance on the field to enhance their NRR.

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Australia coach Andrew McDonald backs captain Mitchell Marsh to be fit ahead of T20 World Cup

Australia coach Andrew McDonald backs captain Mitchell Marsh to be fit ahead of T20 World Cup

Australia coach Andrew McDonald has backed captain Mitchell Marsh to be back to full fitness before the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. Marsh was pulled out of the IPL early last month due to a hamstring rupture, and his recovery has been far slower than planned since returning from India. Marsh joined a cohort of Australia’s squad members, not engaged in the IPL, for the initial three-day pre-tournament training camp in Brisbane. Another such camp is scheduled over the next two weeks before the squad leaves for the Caribbean on May 25th. Initially, Marsh wasn’t slated to attend the first camp due to his hamstring injury. However, his recovery allowed him to participate and bat in the nets over the last couple of days. Nonetheless, McDonald reiterated that Marsh’s bowling fitness would only be nearing completion closer to the tournament. “You probably won’t see him bowl in the next couple of weeks here,” McDonald told reporters at Allan Border Field on Tuesday. “It’ll probably happen the week before we leave. And then he’ll be able to ramp that up when we’re over there. We’ll be able to cherry-pick the moments during the tournament where he’ll be useful with the ball. We’ve got some all-round depth in the squad, which gives us good coverage anyway. “[His recovery was] probably a little slower than expected on the back of the hamstring. But we’ve got plenty of time now that he has been ruled out the IPL. The first game is just short of a month away now. So ample time for him to get ready. But really positive to see the skipper on the park.” McDonald said there was no concern about Marsh’s lack of match practice over the last two months, given that Australia will play some practice games before their debut match against Oman. “No real concern about match fitness,” McDonald said. “We’ve got a couple of practice games when we get to Trinidad in the support period. So he’ll likely get plenty of match opportunities. And if not, we’ll be able to simulate those through practice, which our coaching staff are pretty good at.” Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: May 7, 2024

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'Lagta hai yahi head coach, mentor sab hain': How Gautam Gambhir scripted KKR's win from dugout - Watch | Cricket News

‘Lagta hai yahi head coach, mentor sab hain’: How Gautam Gambhir scripted KKR’s win from dugout – Watch | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir‘s emotions were on full display as he celebrated Nicholas Pooran‘s dismissal with great enthusiasm in the Indian Premier League match between Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday. He was later observed providing strategic advice to KKR captain Iyer by gesturing and offering words of wisdom to the player carrying drinks during the wicket break. A video of this incident has gone viral on social media, leading fans to speculate about Gambhir’s role in the franchise. Watch: After watching the video, one fan even commented, “Kabhi kabhi lagta hai Yahi head coach mentor saab hain (sometimes it feels like he is everything – the head coach and the mentor).”Under Gambhir’s guidance, KKR have been excellent in IPL 2024, with openers Sunil Narine and Phil Salt providing strong starts at the top.Narine’s brilliant half-century and a combined effort by the bowlers led to KKR’s convincing 98-run victory over LSG in the IPL on Sunday.LSG’s decision to field first backfired as KKR became the first team to surpass the 200-run mark at the Ekana stadium.Narine (81 off 38 balls) showcased his mettle with the bat once again, smashing seven sixes and six fours to propel the visitors to a formidable total of 235/6.Faced with a daunting target, LSG batters had to attack from the outset but struggled to find the boundary consistently. They were eventually bowled out for 137 in 16.1 overs.The victory led the Kolkata-based side to the top of the table with 16 points, equal to Rajasthan Royals but having played one extra game.

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"Don't Know Which Mathematical...": Hardik Pandya's Blunt Playoffs Reply To Sanjay Manjrekar

“Don’t Know Which Mathematical…”: Hardik Pandya’s Blunt Playoffs Reply To Sanjay Manjrekar

The Mumbai Indians remain the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs hunt, though only mathematically, as they secured a 7-wickt victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday. Hardik Pandya, the Mumbai Indians skipper who hasn’t tasted much success this season, refused to get into the IPL playoffs numbers when informed about the same by former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar at the post-match presentation ceremony. For Hardik, the only focus remains is putting as many wins under the belt in the remaining two matches, as possible and see where the fate takes him and his team. (IPL 2024 Points Table) Mumbai Indians produced a much-better all-round display against the Sunrisers, with Suryakumar Yadav stepping up with a match-wining knock of 102 off just 51 balls. Hardik also looked astute with his bowling as well as captaincy decisions as MI handed SRH their 3rd defeat in last 4 matches. But, despite the win, Hardik isn’t getting carried away as far as MI’s playoffs chances are concerned. “I don’t know which mathematical situation we’re talking about, but at the same time, you want to focus on playing good cricket,” Hardik said in the post-match presentation, replying to Manjrekar’s suggestion. “The way our batters batted, that was excellent. My bowling, I like to bowl in the right areas, I bowl according to the situation. Bowled in the right areas today and it worked. I was like Chawla had to bowl from the shorter side. He (Chawla) had to be accurate, the margin of errors have become smaller these days for the bowlers. “It’s unbelievable, the best past of SKY is that he puts the bowlers under pressure. It’s sheer confidence, his game has changed, is one of the best batters. He can change a game in a different way, lucky to have him (SKY) in our side,” Hardik further said in the presentation ceremony. For MI to finish among the top 4 sides in the IPL this season, they don’t just need to win their remaining 2 matches in the league campaign but also hope for a few other results to fall in their favour. Even margins of MI’s wins in the last two matches have to be huge in order for them to remain in realistic contention.

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KKR's charter flight to Kolkata from Lucknow diverted twice due to bad weather, team stays in Varanasi overnight – India TV

KKR’s charter flight to Kolkata from Lucknow diverted twice due to bad weather, team stays in Varanasi overnight

Image Source : KKRIDERS X Kolkata Knight Riders players at Guwahati Airport after the first diversion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) may be braving teams on the field in the 2024 edition of the IPL for fun, however, they didn’t have much say in front of inclement weather as a five-day break came to their rescue. KKR team’s Kolkata-bound flight from Lucknow was diverted to Guwahati late Monday night due to bad weather in Kolkata. However, an hour later when it was ready to take off from Guwahati, it was diverted yet again and the table-toppers find themselves in Varanasi currently. KKR, who played their last game on Sunday in Lucknow, will be in action on Saturday, May 11 against the Mumbai Indians at home, so they do have a few days before their next game and weather decided to take them on a ride. The Knight Riders as per the latest update will attempt another flight in afternoon after staying in Varanasi overnight. “Travel update: KKR’s charter flight from Lucknow to Kolkata diverted to Guwahati due to bad weather. Flight currently standing at the Guwahati Airport tarmac. More updates soon,” the first update at 9:34 PM IST from KKR on Twitter (now X) read. At 10:11 PM, they were ready to take off for Kolkata from Guwahati. “Update at 1:20 AM: Flight diverted to Varanasi after another failed attempt at landing in Kolkata due to bad weather. Current status: At the Lal Bahadur Shastri International airport tarmac,” read the next update. “Update at 3:00 AM: KKR team would be checking into Varanasi hotel for overnight stay. Return flight to Kolkata TBD on Tuesday (7 May) afternoon. Stay safe, Kolkata,” the final update read. KKR are due to play in Guwahati against the Rajasthan Royals on May 19, which will be their final league stage match but they didn’t know they would land in the city 12 days before. KKR are currently at the top of the table with eight wins in 11 matches. The weather in Kolkata brought some respite to the locals from the excessive heat and is set to remain cloudy with showers in the next few days with the forecast for Saturday, the match day also not being dry.

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Suryakumar Injured Ahead Of T20 World Cup? Batter Gives Update On Limping Visuals

Suryakumar Injured Ahead Of T20 World Cup? Batter Gives Update On Limping Visuals

Suryakumar Yadav in presentation ceremony after MI’s win against SRH© BCCI/Sportzpics After playing a match-winning knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 on Monday, Mumbai Indians’ (MI) batter Suryakumar Yadav said he has done this after a long time. Suryakumar played an unbeaten 102-run knock from 51 balls at a strike rate of 200. He hammered 12 fours and 6 sixes. His stupendous knock helped MI clinch a seven-wicket win over the Hyderbad-based franchise at the Wankhede Stadium. While speaking after the match, Suryakumar pointed out that he has fielded for 20 overs and batted for 18 overs so there’s no need to worry about his injury. “I have done this after a long time. I fielded for 20 overs and batted for 18 overs, only tired (nothing else to worry about.) I feel it was the need of the hour for me. I went out to bat, needed someone to bat till the end. When the ball stopped seaming, I played all my shots that I practice in the nets. I feel the intent would have been the same, I would have definitely played in the same pattern,” Suryakumar said. Recapping the match, MI won the toss and elected to field first. SRH lost wickets at regular intervals from the beginning and it was knocks from Travis Head (48 in 30 balls, with seven fours and a six) and skipper Pat Cummins (35* in 17 balls, with two fours and two sixes) that took SRH to 173/8 in their 20 overs. In the run chase, MI lost their top order early and was reeling at 31/3. It was then that Suryakumar (102* in 51 balls with 12 fours and six sixes) and Tilak Varma (37* in 32 balls, with six fours) launched a counter attack which guided MI to a win with 16 balls left. Suryakumar took home the ‘Player of the Match’ honour. MI is at the ninth spot with four wins and eight losses, giving them eight points. SRH is at fourth with six wins, five losses and 12 points.

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'World Cup a lot different to IPL and franchise cricket': Jake Fraser-McGurk opens up on Australian squad snub | Cricket News

‘World Cup a lot different to IPL and franchise cricket’: Jake Fraser-McGurk opens up on Australian squad snub | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Australian batting sensation Jake Fraser-McGurk, hailing from Victoria, has taken his exclusion from Australia’s T20 World Cup squad in stride. Despite his impressive performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he amassed 259 runs in six matches at an astonishing strike-rate of 233.33, the 22-year-old believes he hasn’t done enough to warrant a place in the national team yet. Speaking on “The Willow Talk” podcast, Fraser-McGurk expressed his perspective on the situation, stating, “There’s two ways you can look at it. You can look at it through, ‘This is what I’ve done to prove my case,’ and then there’s also, ‘Look, a month-and-a-half ago I wasn’t even in the picture.’” The uncapped T20 international player remained unfazed by his omission, acknowledging the difference between IPL and World Cup cricket.“It didn’t really bother me a hell of a lot because I wasn’t in this position to sort of …. feel like I’ve earned that yet. World Cup cricket is a lot different to IPL and franchise cricket,” added the 22-year-old batsman.While some Australian cricket writers have criticized Fraser-McGurk’s exclusion, citing fitness and form concerns among the selected players, the young batter recognizes the challenges of breaking into a top order that features the likes of David Warner, Travis Head, and Mitchell Marsh. He also acknowledged the depth in the middle order, with players such as Tim David and Cameron Green cementing their positions.“I can’t really see myself batting (at) five or six because we’re pretty set there with Timmy David, Cam Green and those sort of blokes. That’s the way I think about it,” he added.Fraser-McGurk’s journey has been remarkable, from playing domestic cricket in South Australia and living near the Adelaide airport to rubbing shoulders with the elite in the IPL. He credits his Delhi teammate, David Warner, for taking him under his wing and introducing him to a world of luxury, including dinners at lavish mansions and rides in Ferraris. “Me and Davey having a joy ride. I love that sort of stuff. he said. Everyone knows him here (in India),” stated Fraser-McGurk.(Inputs from Reuters)

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‘Don’t know which mathematical situation we're talking about…': Hardik Pandya on MI qualifying for IPL play-offs

‘Don’t know which mathematical situation we’re talking about…’: Hardik Pandya on MI qualifying for IPL play-offs

Mumbai Indians shrugged off a four-match losing streak by beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets to keep their slender hopes of staying alive in IPL 2024. Yes, you read that right! MI still have a chance of making it to the play-offs. Their captain, Hardik Pandya, however, is not so sure about the absurd mathematical calculations. Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya “I don’t know which mathematical situation we’re talking about, but at the same time, you want to focus on playing good cricket,” Hardik said in the post-match presentation when asked by former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar about MI’s chances of making it to the next round. This was MI’s first win in five matches. But the emphatic win was enough to help them rise above the last position to No.9 in the IPL 2024 points table. Apart from MI, there are three other teams – Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings – on 8 points. All of them have played a match less than the five-time champions. Then there are the Delhi Capitals with 10 points and Chennai Super Kings, SRH and Lucknow Super Giants with 12 points. These are seven teams MI can either catch or beat, provided the results of other matches go their way. Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, with 16 points each, are way ahead in the play-off race. Let’s look at how the stars need to align for MI to make it to the playoffs MI have two matches left against Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants. To make it to playoffs, they have first to make sure to win both matches. However, the job won’t end there as they have to rely on other teams’ results to advance in the tournament. It would be crucial for them that current leaders Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals finished the league stage in the top 2 positions. Meanwhile, the result of Sunrisers vs Super Giants is also going to be crucial for MI as the loser of the tie has to lose all the remaining matches and finish with 12 points. CSK also have to lose their three remaining matches to keep MI’s playoff hopes alive by finishing the league at 12 points. Meanwhile, it will be crucial for MI that the remaining teams, who are currently placed at the bottom four, don’t get over 12 points. However, even after all that, Hardik and Co. have to rely on the NRR with multiple teams staying on the 12 points to move ahead in the tournament. Suryakumar powers MI’s emphatic win over SRH MI won the toss and elected to field first. SRH lost wickets at regular intervals from the beginning and it was knocks from Travis Head (48 in 30 balls, with seven fours and a six) and skipper Pat Cummins (35* in 17 balls, with two fours and two sixes) that took SRH to 173/8 in their 20 overs. In the run chase, MI lost their top order early and was reeling at 31/3. It was then that Suryakumar (102* in 51 balls with 12 fours and six sixes) and Tilak Varma (37* in 32 balls, with six fours) launched a counter attack which guided MI to a win with 16 balls left. Suryakumar took home the ‘Player of the Match’ honour. MI is at the ninth spot with four wins and eight losses, giving them eight points. SRH is at fourth with six wins, five losses and 12 points. “I think we were quite good with the ball today, still reckon 10-15 runs extra, but nevertheless, the way batters batted was brilliant,” Hardik said. “My bowling, I do the stuff, I do. I like to bowl in the right areas, I bowl according to the situation. Today, it was nipping around, and that worked. “SKY was unbelievable. More than him getting runs, him putting so much pressure on bowlers that even other batters get loose balls. He breaks you. He’s evolved. Lucky to have him in my team. Hope to have many more such innings,” he added.

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How will surface at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi play? – India TV

How will surface at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi play?

Image Source : BCCI/IPL Delhi Capitals will take on the Rajasthan Royals in a must-win clash at home in the 2024 edition of the IPL Delhi Capitals’ final run to attempt qualification for the playoffs in the 2024 edition of the IPL kicks off on Tuesday, May 7 against the Rajasthan Royals and the 2020 finalists need to win each of their remaining three games. Delhi suffered a massive loss against the Kolkata Knight Riders in their last game, which was a blip in their late resurgence as they were coming off four wins in the five matches prior to that clash. Rajasthan Royals dropped a game and are yet to get a ‘Q’ against their name, which is enough motivation factor for the Men in Pink, who also lost their top spot on the table. Delhi will be sweating over the fitness of their two senior players David Warner and Ishant Sharma, who have been out of the action for more than a couple of weeks due to their respective injuries. The Royals, on the other hand, will be without Jos Buttler for the latter part of the tournament and would want to try Tom Kohler-Cadmore in a few games before the playoffs to give him a sense of the competition. Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi pitch report The lowest first-innings score in Delhi has been 223, which tells you the nature of the surface in the capital so far in the tournament. It’s been 10 days since the last match took place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium and the temperatures have soared a bit in the capital since then. Like the surfaces around the country, the heat is likely to have some effect on the pitches in Delhi too as expect them to be a little drier than before. Dry means turn, which in turn means grip in the surface and assistance for the bowlers. Despite the surface being a bit slow, it might not be 150-160 slow. The small boundaries at the Arun Jaitley Stadium and the fast outfield will still favour the batters but the wicket is used one, given the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad was played on it. All three matches have been won by the team batting first so far in Delhi and with it being a used wicket, there is an expectation of it playing a bit slower in the second innings and hence the captain winning the toss is likely to bat first.

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