Hardik Pandya

Rohit Sharma’s hug to young Rinku Singh wins hearts following KKR’s victory – WATCH | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

NEW DELHI: Venkatesh Iyer’s impressive half-century outshone a similar effort from Suryakumar Yadav, as Mitchell Starc’s four-wicket haul helped Kolkata Knight Riders defeat Mumbai Indians by 24 runs in a low-scoring IPL 2024 match. This victory marked KKR’s first win at the Wankhede Stadium since 2012 and their second ever at the iconic venue.In a match that was largely dictated by bowlers, Iyer saved KKR from a challenging 57/5 with his gritty 70 off 52 balls, guiding them to a modest total of 169. In response, Starc’s four-wicket burst, coupled with the two wickets each from KKR’s spin duo Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, secured a historic win for the two-time champions. Following the game, Mumbai Indians’ star batsman Rohit Sharma was seen giving a hug to KKR’s batting sensation Rinku Singh. Though Rinku did not make India’s main 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA, he has been named as a reserve player. India’s T20 World Cup journey kicks off against Ireland on June 5 at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.Mumbai Indians’ social media account shared a video capturing the moment of Rohit’s embrace after the match. Despite his impressive record of 356 runs at an average of 89 and a strike rate of 176.24 in T20Is for India, Rinku’s exclusion has sparked significant debate since the Indian team’s announcement and has created a stir on social media.

IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians can still qualify for playoffs – Here is how | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians (MI) are currently struggling in the IPL 2024 standings, occupying the ninth position with six points and a net run rate of -0.356 after winning only three out of their eleven matches. Although their chances of finishing in the top three have diminished, they still have an opportunity to qualify for the playoffs.In their recent encounter against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday, MI suffered a 24-run defeat.To secure a playoff berth, Pandya’s team must win their remaining three matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), KKR, and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), accumulating 12 points from 14 matches.However, their qualification also depends on the results of other teams. MI cannot surpass Rajasthan Royals (RR) and KKR in the standings, as they have already amassed 16 and 14 points respectively after playing 10 matches each. Similarly, they will remain below SRH and LSG, who have already secured 12 points. MI’s only chance of finishing fourth is if LSG loses all their remaining four matches against KKR, SRH, Delhi Capitals (DC), and MI.Furthermore, MI will closely monitor the performance of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), DC, Gujarat Titans (GT), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), hoping that they do not exceed the 12-point mark and maintain a lower net run rate in IPL 2024.In the match between MI and KKR, Mumbai opted to field first. A strong partnership of 83 runs between Venkatesh Iyer (70 off 52) and Manish Pandey (42 off 31) propelled KKR to a total of 169. Jasprit Bumrah’s impressive spell of 3 for 18 in 3.5 overs, including a double-wicket over, was a highlight for MI. In response, MI were bowled out for 145. Starc made a remarkable comeback, claiming 4 wickets for 33 runs in just 3.5 overs, leading KKR to a 24-run victory. Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine also contributed with identical figures of 2/22, taking crucial wickets in the first half of the chase, which put KKR in a commanding position.Following their victory, KKR now hold the second position in the IPL 2024 standings with 14 points, while MI remain in ninth place with 6 points. MI’s next match is against SRH on Monday at the Wankhede Stadium.(Inputs from ANI)

IPL-17 | Hardik Pandya looks flattened, drained and under pressure: Aaron Finch

Danijones6 months ago07 mins

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya walks off the ground during the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Friday, May 3, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI India vice-captain Hardik Pandya looks drained, flattened, under pressure and Mumbai Indians looks like a confused unit under him, reckons former cricketers Aaron Finch and Greame Smith as five-time champions continue to struggle in the IPL. Pandya once again walked out to loud boos around the Wankhede Stadium here on Friday during Mumbai Indians’ yet another disappointing outing, which they lost by 24 runs to Kolkata Knight Riders. Mumbai Indians had begun the contest on a positive note by snaffling five quick wickets to leave KKR reeling at 57 for five, but the visitors fought back to post 169 on the board. In reply, Mumbai crashed out for 145 in 18.5 overs despite Suryakumar Yadav’s 56. Pandya lasted only two deliveries as Mumbai’s batters once again cut a sorry figure on a two-paced track to succumb to their eighth defeat in 11 matches this season. “He just looks really flattened at the moment, he looks really drained and someone who is feeling the pressure. I feel for him; I have been in that situation myself where everything that you’re trying personally doesn’t seem to be working,” Finch was quoted as saying by Star Sports. “When the team isn’t performing as well, that is a very difficult place to be. It one thing where you’re not performing and the team is winning — that is something you’d take as a captain. You bear all responsibility as captain for the team’s performance and that is an incredibly hard place to be, particularly in this competition where it’s so brutal,” Finch added. The former Australia opener conceded Mumbai Indians should have got over the line chasing 170 at a ground considered a haven for batters. “You would expect them to chase 170 with the dew falling at the Wankhede stadium. It’s a beautiful place to bat, generally. Yes, it was a bit uncharacteristic in the way it turned a bit more two-paced than what we have seen in the past,” Finch said. South Africa’s legendary captain Graeme Smith said MI have been a ‘confused team’ under Pandya with plenty of changes being made with the personnel. “Hardik has really struggled, he’s looked like a man under pressure. That has created a little turmoil in the air, who knows how that has affected the people. But even the batting lineup, they look like they’re confused,” he said. “Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir were fighting in the middle order, Dhir was batting at No 3, and Hardik moving all over the place. They should have had Tilak at (No) 3, Sky at (No) 4, and Hardik batting at (No) 5 throughout the season, with David at (No) 6. Then, figure out your bowling units,” he said. “All over and all around, they’ve been a very confused team this season and it’s been hugely disappointing from one of the mega franchises of the IPL. A lot of people in the MI fanbase and camp will be very sore,” Smith added. Former Australia vice-captain Shane Watson was also critical of Pandya’s captaincy calls, saying MI allowed KKR back into the game by not deploying their best bowler when they were 57 for five. “To keep bowling Naman Dhir when it was so critical (KKR were at 57-5), it was a big mistake from the leadership of the Mumbai Indians, whether it was Hardik Pandya making the decisions or information coming from the sideline,” Watson told Jio Cinema. “(Jasprit) Bumrah had bowled only one over at that stage, so (they needed to) get him in the game again to try and break the partnership of Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey, but they didn’t. They just let them cruise and build momentum in the partnership.” “Before you know it, they hadn’t played a shot in anger and that built the partnership to a point where it was too late when he came in. There were a lot of baffling decisions from the Mumbai Indians’ leadership, which is going to be hard to explain,” Watson added.

IPL 2024: Why Rohit Sharma played as an impact sub in Mumbai Indians-Kolkata Knight Riders clash | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

NEW DELHI: Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla stated that India captain and Mumbai Indians opener Rohit Sharma was compelled to play as an impact substitute in the IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders because of a “mild back stiffness”.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLETheir 24-run defeat against KKR, in which Rohit was an impact substitute, saw him score just 11 runs in 12 balls in the second innings. This loss almost saw the five-time winners eliminated from the IPL this year.“He just had a mild back stiffness so it was just a precautionary thing,” Chawla told the media after the match here at the Wankhede Stadium.Mumbai’s eighth loss in 11 games has put an end to the Hardik Pandya-led team, and Chawla also acknowledged that their only remaining motivation is “pride”. “For the pride and the reputation, because sometimes when you enter on the field, you don’t think whether you are going to qualify or you are not going to qualify,” he said.“You have to play for your name and that’s what we are playing for,” he added.MI’s lack of momentum throughout this IPL season, according to Chawla, is the cause of their subpar play.“You must have often heard about that T20 is all about momentum and just that we didn’t get that momentum going this season and it can happen to any team,” he said. “It’s not like it’s happening to us for the first time or any other team for the second time. It can happen to anyone and it’s just that that momentum was not our way.”On Friday, the 35-year-old Chawla overtook Dwayne Bravo to claim 184 wickets, becoming him the second-highest wicket-taker in the IPL.“It has been a beautiful journey because IPL started 17 years back and at that time nobody gave that much preference to the spinners, but now if you see that in top few wicket takers in India, especially all the spinners, Ashwin, Yuzhi, myself (are there), so it’s a good feeling,” he said. In addition, Chawla commended Manish Pandey for his performance in his first game of the season despite being under pressure. As KKR scored 169 all out in 19.5 overs, Pandey (42) and Venkatesh Iyer (70) shared 83 runs for the sixth wicket.“It was a good partnership and credit has to go to them because they batted beautifully. Well, T20 is something in which experience plays a big role, (which is) what we saw today.“When Manish walked in, maybe if somebody walks in who must have played few games, he would have panicked that runs are not coming.“But he read the situation and the way he handled the situation because if you see in starting, he was hardly going at run a ball. But later on, he knew that he has to stand there with Venky.” (With PTI inputs)

Watch: As Mumbai Indians lose again under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy, ‘Rohit, Rohit’ chants echo in Wankhede | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Hardik Pandya‘s captaincy was once again questioned after Mumbai Indians (MI) succumbed to their eighth defeat of IPL 2024, as the five-time champions failed to chase a below-par target of 170 on their home ground, Wankhede Stadium, against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday.IPL 2024: Results | Points Table Frustratingly enduring one of their worst seasons, the MI fans at the Wankhede broke into loud chants of ‘Rohit, Rohit’ during the match, a video of which has gone viral on social media. KKR put up 169 on the board, thanks to a half-century by Venkatesh Iyer (70 off 52 balls) and an equally crucial 31-ball 42 by Manish Pandey, despite MI having the visitors on the ropes at 57/5 in just the seventh over.WATCH VIDEO Mitchell Starc, the most expensive player in IPL history, finally did justice to his price tag with match-winning figures of 4/33 as Mumbai folded up for 145 in 18.5 overs despite Suryakumar Yadav’s 35-ball 56. Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell took two wickets each.Former India pacer Irfan Pathan came down heavily on Hardik’s decisions as captain, especially when KKR had lost half their side inside the seventh over.“When you had KKR’s five wickets for just 57 runs, there was no need to give Naman Dhir three overs in a row. You should have got your main bowlers on, but you had your sixth bowler deliver three overs. That allowed Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey to put a partnership together….Where you could have bowled KKR out for 150, they went on to make 170, and that turned out to be the difference,” said Irfan. “In cricket, captaincy has a huge effect and it’s very important to manage, which did not happen. Mumbai Indians isn’t looking like a team that is playing as a unit, and this aspect needs to be looked at going forward for Mumbai Indians. Players need to respect the captain and also accept him appreciably, this is very important. That, I think, could not be seen on the field,” he added.

‘Mumbai Indians ki kahani khatam’: What went wrong for five-time IPL champions | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians are all but out of the race to IPL 2024 playoffs. Going through one of their worst seasons in IPL history, Hardik Pandya & Co. faced their eighth defeat in 11 matches, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders by 24 runs on their home ground, Wankhede Stadium, on Friday.IPL STANDINGS: Points Table | Orange Cap | Purple Cap The defeat, which was MI’s first against KKR at the Wankhede in 12 years, once again brought Hardik ‘s captaincy in focus. “This was such a good team on paper but was not managed well. The questions that were being raised about Hardik Pandya’s captaincy were absolutely correct,” said former India pacer Irfan Pathan, analysing the game in a video on social media. KKR put up 169 on the board, thanks to a half-century by Venkatesh Iyer (70 off 52 balls) and an equally crucial 31-ball 42 by Manish Pandey, despite MI having the visitors on the ropes at 57/5 in just the seventh over.WATCH VIDEO “When you had KKR’s five wickets for just 57 runs, there was no need to give Naman Dhir three overs in a row. You should have got your main bowlers on, but you had your sixth bowler deliver three overs. That allowed Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey to put a partnership together….Where you could have bowled KKR out for 150, they went on to make 170, and that turned out to be the difference,” added Pathan, raising questions on captain Hardik’s decisions on the field. Mitchell Starc, the most expensive player in IPL history, finally did justice to his price tag with match-winning figures of 4/33 as Mumbai folded up for 145 in 18.5 overs despite Suryakumar Yadav’s 35-ball 56. Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell took two wickets each. “KKR now looks like a ‘khatarnak’ (dangerous) team after Mitchell Starc’s return to form. They had just one weak link in fast bowling, which was Mitchell Starc’s bowling. The way he bowled to Tim David must be appreciated,” analysed Irfan.The win took KKR to No. 2 on the points table with seven wins in 10 matches. Coming back to MI captaincy, which had changed hands from Rohit Sharma to Hardik before the start of this season, Irfan said MI is not playing as a unit under Hardik’s captaincy. “In cricket, captaincy has a huge effect and it’s very important to manage, which did not happen. Mumbai Indians isn’t looking like a team that is playing as a unit, and this aspect needs to be looked at going forward for Mumbai Indians. Players need to respect the captain and also accept him appreciably, this is very important. That, I think, could not be seen on the field,” the former cricketer cum commentator said. “Whatever the reason is, they have to think about it and improve.”

Andre Russell nearly slams bat in Wankhede railing after horrible mix up as Hardik Pandya pulls off incredible run out

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya may not have been economical with the ball, conceding 44 runs in four overs against Kolkata Knight Riders in their do-or-die IPL 2024 clash at the Wankhede Stadium, but he did pull off an incredible run out dismissal on Friday as Andre Russell paid the price of a horrible mix up with Venkatesh Iyer. The dismissal left Russell fuming as he almost smashed his bat on the Wankhede railing. Hardik Pandya pulls off incredible run out during MI vs KKR It happened in the final ball of the 17th over of KKR’s batting innings when Iyer executed the reverse sweep against the fuller delivery outside off but it was found the short third man. As soon as the shot was played, Russell took off for a quick single and did not have his eyes on the fielder. Iyer, on the other hand, kept his eyes on the ball. He did take a few steps down the wickets, but quickly returned to position. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Russell, realising it late, quickly turned back to save his wicket and he did stand a chance to continue his knock after Nuwan Thushara threw the ball well wide off the stumps at the non-striker’s end. But Hardik showed incredible awareness and athleticism as he collected the ball well, turned back, dived and took the bails off with one hand to dismiss Russell for 7 off just 2. Although Russell did not react initially as he sprinted towards the pavilion even as the umpires had a look at it, he was seen infuriated as he walked up the stairs towards the pavilion and he almost smashed his bat on the Wankhede railing in frustration. On a sluggish Wankhede track, KKR’s aggressive approach with the bat came a cropper as they were bowled out for just 169 runs in 19.5 overs. Iyer scored 70 off 52 balls but his selfish act of trying to preserve his own wicket by sacrificing enforcer Russell certainly cost visitors 20 runs. Veteran Manish Pandey scored 42 off 31 balls in a stand of 83 for the sixth wicket with Iyer. Just like the top-order was blown away before the total reached 60, the last five fell for just 29 runs as Jasprit Bumrah, who picked three wickets for 18 runs to reclaim the Purple Cap, was too hot to handle with his toe-crushers at the death. News / Cricket News / Andre Russell nearly slams bat in Wankhede railing after horrible mix up as Hardik Pandya pulls off incredible run out

Pakistan targets right T20 combination against understrength New Zealand | Cricket

India unperturbed by Pandya’s form, Kohli’s strike rate ahead of World Cup

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

May 2 – India are not losing sleep over all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s form or batting stalwart Virat Kohli’s strike rate heading into the T20 World Cup in June, chief selector Ajit Agarkar said on Thursday. India unperturbed by Pandya’s form, Kohli’s strike rate ahead of World Cup Pandya, when fit and in form, is India’s preferred seam-bowling all-rounder and has also been retained as vice-captain of the Rohit Sharma-led squad for the T20 showpiece co-hosted by the United States and West Indies. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Returning from an ankle injury suffered during the 50-overs World Cup last year, the 30-year-old has struggled with bat and ball in the Indian Premier League . Under his captaincy, five-times champions Mumbai Indians have slipped to ninth place in the 10-team league and will need a miracle to make the playoff. “The good part is he’s got through all the games for MI and we’ve got another month and a little bit till we play our first game,” Agarkar told reporters in Mumbai. “As long as he stays fit, we know what he brings, how much balance he gives the team. “I don’t think there’s a replacement for the things that he can do as a cricketer, especially with the ball. He really gives Rohit the option to play different combinations. “So his fitness for us is critical and so far, fortunately, he’s gone okay in this IPL.” CONSISTENT KOHLI Unlike Pandya, Kohli has been consistent in the IPL with 500 runs so far this season and only Ruturaj Gaikwad has scored more runs than the former India captain. Many find Kohli’s strike rate of 147.59 not impressive enough but Agarkar and Rohit laughed off that criticism. “He’s been in great form in the IPL, no concerns there at all,” Agarkar said stressing the need for experience in a World Cup campaign. “You’ve got to prepare knowing there’s a gap . That’s where experience does matter a lot.” “There’s no point over-thinking it.” While the IPL provides a glimpse into the form and fitness of the players, Agarkar said performance in the league alone did not influence team selection. With the ball likely to turn in West Indies, India have picked two specialist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal along with spin-bowling all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. “I wanted four spinners, three seamers and Hardik as the fourth one,” Rohit said. “Based on the combination of our opponents, there’s a good chance that Kuldeep and Chahal will play together…” Inaugural champions India will begin their campaign against Ireland in New York on June 5 and also face arch-rivals Pakistan, the United States and Canada in Group A. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

‘I expect him to play like a…’: Former India cricketer’s advice for Hardik Pandya | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Pragyan Ojha has urged Hardik Pandya to embrace the role of a “true leader” and rise to the occasion. Despite facing criticism, Hardik was appointed as the vice-captain of India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup.Ojha expressed confidence in Hardik’s leadership capabilities and his prowess as an all-rounder. He stressed the significance of mental preparedness, highlighting the need for Hardik to be ready to take charge when circumstances dictate.Ojha’s endorsement underscores the belief in Hardik’s potential to excel not just as a player but also as a leader on the cricketing stage.“I expect him to play like a leader because he is next in command. If something happens to Rohit, we don’t want that, if anything happens, he (Hardik) will be leading the side, so he has to be prepared, he has to take that responsibility when he is batting,” Ojha said on Jio Cinema.Hardik’s journey since the October 2023 ODI World Cup match against Bangladesh has been marked by both triumphs and challenges. After recovering from an ankle ailment, he assumed the captaincy of Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024 season, replacing Rohit Sharma. However, this decision sparked significant social media criticism, which evidently impacted the all-rounder’s confidence.Despite the adversity, Hardik has showcased glimpses of his batting prowess in the 2024 IPL season, scoring 197 runs at an impressive average of 150.38 in 10 games. However, his bowling performance has been less stellar, with only six wickets claimed at an economy rate of 11.0.Navigating through the highs and lows, Pandya’s resilience will be key as he seeks to regain his form and silence the critics, both on and off the field.Ojha, acknowledging Hardik’s significance in the Indian setup, lauded his ability to provide balance to the team. Despite the IPL ordeal, Hardik’s place in the T20 World Cup squad was never in doubt. His versatility as an all-rounder offered India the flexibility they needed, a fact not lost on selectors or fans.“For me, he is someone who will create that balance for the side. Every time we talk about Indian team selection, Hardik’s name always comes in. He creates that balance, he will give you that cushion. That you can have an extra batter or a bowler, wherever he is needed. That’s what we want him to do, to be mentally ready for the World Cup and just forget what is happening in the IPL and focus on the World Cup, that is more important,” Ojha added.(With IANS inputs)

Was vice-captaincy point of discussion? Chief selector Ajit Agarkar spills beans on Hardik Pandya’s form ahead of T20 WC – India TV

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Image Source : BCCI/IPL BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar spoke at length about Hardik Pandya and his form in IPL 2024 for the Mumbai Indians Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and Indian skipper Rohit Sharma addressed the press conference in Mumbai on Thursday, May 2 following the T20 World Cup 2024 squad announcement. The questions ranged from being about Rinku Singh’s absence to the reason for picking four spinners in the squad of 15 and about Hardik Pandya’s form, who has been chosen as vice-captain. Agarkar was asked if there was any discussion regarding the vioce-captaincy and the former India pacer denied it while elaborating on Hardik’s form. “Not really, nothing discussed as regards to vice-captaincy. Form, I mean you want all guys to be in good form. I think he [Hardik] has come after a long-ish layoff but the good part is he has gotten through all the games so far for MI. We have got a month and a little bit [more] till we play our first game. We know he is doing that and the hope is that he keeps building on that form. “As long as he is fit, we know what he brings, the balance he gives to the team. I don’t think there’s a replacement for things he can do as a cricketer at the moment, especially when it comes to the way he bowls really gives balance. I think it’ll give Rohit options to play different combinations. So it’s his fitness for us is critical and so far, fortunately, he’s gone okay in this IPL,” Agarkar added while Rohit beside him nodded. Hardik hasn’t had the best of outings in IPL 2024 leading the Mumbai Indians as he has scored 197 runs in 10 matches averaging 22, at a strike rate of 150. With the ball too, Hardik has had a mixed-0bag taking just six wickets in the competition at an economy of 11. As Agarkar said, Hardik is invaluable to the balance of the side and both the captain and the team management will hope to see the Mumbai Indians skipper slowly building up to his best.