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Pakistan targets right T20 combination against understrength New Zealand | Cricket

Stoinis powers Lucknow to 6-wicket win over Chennai in IPL | Cricket

Danijones8 months ago04 mins

CHENNAI, India — Marcus Stoinis’ century canceled out Ruturaj Gaikwad’s hundred as Lucknow Super Giants beat Chennai Super Kings by six wickets in the Indian Premier League on Tuesday. Stoinis powers Lucknow to 6-wicket win over Chennai in IPL Stoinis scored 124 not out off 63 balls, including 13 fours and six sixes, as Lucknow put dewy conditions to good use to successfully chase down the highest IPL total at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. HT launches Crick-it, a one stop destination to catch Cricket, anytime, anywhere. Explore now! Rituraj Gaikwad was 108 not out as the hosts finished with 210-4 in 20 overs. Lucknow finished with 213-4 with three balls to spare. Stoinis’ maiden hundred spearheaded the chase for the Super Giants after their openers fell cheaply — Quinton de Kock was out bowled for a three-ball duck, while Lokesh Rahul scored 16 runs. Stoinis then countered with 50 off 26 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes. Impact player Devdutt Padikkal was a spectator at the other end, contributing only 13 runs in a 55-run partnership for the third wicket. The latter was out in the 11th over, and Nicholas Pooran walked out to smash 34 off 15 balls. He put on 70 off 34 balls with Stoinis and their partnership changed the game for Lucknow. Pooran fell after the strategic timeout, but Stoinis stayed on to the end to finish the job along with Deepak Hooda . In doing so, Stoinis brought up his maiden IPL century off 56 balls, finishing with the highest individual score in an IPL run-chase. Earlier, Gaikwad had powered his way through a second IPL century off 56 balls. He hit 12 fours and three sixes in his 60-ball knock, anchoring the Chennai innings after Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell fell cheaply. Ravindra Jadeja was promoted up again, but he was caught behind for 16 runs. Gaikwad was then aided by in-form Shivam Dube, who scored 66 off 27 balls. Dube hit seven sixes as he put on 104 runs off 47 balls with Gaikwad for the fourth wicket, taking Chennai past the 200-mark. It was in vain though, as the five-time champions lost a second game to Lucknow this season. Chennai is now down to fifth with eight points from eight games. Lucknow jumped over Chennai into fourth, with 10 points from five wins in eight games. cricket: /hub/cricket This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

IPL 2024: Rohit becomes first Indian to hit 500 T20 sixes, hits 2nd IPL ton in losing cause | Cricket

Danijones8 months ago8 months ago03 mins

Mumbai [India], : India and Mumbai Indians star batter Rohit Sharma became the first Indian to smash 500 sixes in T20 cricket. The ‘Hitman’ achieved this milestone during his side’s Indian Premier League match against Chennai Super Kings at Wankhede Stadium. Rohit was at his vintage best in the match, scoring 105* in 63 balls. His knock was studded with 11 boundaries and five sixes. Amid the fall of wickets around him, the former Mumbai Indians skipper held the fort at one end, blazing away at a strike rate of 166.67. With these sixes, Rohit’s six tally has gone up to 502 sixes. The highest number of sixes in T20 cricket is by West Indies legend Chris Gayle , followed by WI all-rounder Kieron Pollard , Andre Russell and Colin Munro . In six matches this IPL season, Rohit has scored 261 runs at an average of 52.20 and a strike rate of over 167, with a century. Coming to the match, MI won the toss and put CSK to bat first. After Ajinkya Rahane and Rachin Ravindra did not make much impact, Gaikwad and Shivam Dube stitched a 90-run partnership. Later, MS Dhoni came during the final over and a hat-trick of sixes took CSK to 206/4 in 20 overs. Hardik Pandya was the pick of the bowlers for MI. Shreyas Gopal and Gerald Coetzee got a wicket each. In the run-chase, MI was off to a fine start, with Ishan Kishan and Rohit having a 70-run partnership. Rohit managed to score his second IPL ton, but did not get much support from the other end, except for another fifty-run stand with Tilak Varma . The Blue and Gold franchise ended with 186/6 on the board, losing by 20 runs. Matheesha Pathirana was the pick of the bowlers for CSK. Mustafizur Rahman and Tushar Deshpande also got a wicket. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

No Ishan Kishan In Mohammad Kaif’s India Playing XI For T20 World Cup

Danijones8 months ago03 mins

File photo of Ishan Kishan.© AFP With less than two months left for the T20 World Cup 2024, the discussion about India’s squad for the tournament has picked up a lot of pace. While the core team is almost certain, there are some spots that are there for the grabing in the team. Experts and former cricketers have already stated putting forward their opinions regarding the players they think should be chosen for the mega event. Ex-India batter Mohammad Kaif too has picked his India XI and interestingly, omitted swashbuckling opener Ishan Kishan. Rising pace sensational Mayank Yadav also failed to find a spot in the playing XI. Kaif instead went with Yashasvi Jaiswal as an opener with India captain Rohit Sharma for the upcoming tournament. He picked the team on Star Sports’ show ‘Follow The Blues’ as quoted by Sportskeeda. “Yashasvi Jaiswal will open alongside Rohit Sharma. Then Virat Kohli at No. 3, Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4, Hardik Pandya at No. 5, and Rishabh Pant at No. 6,” said Kaif. To make sure there is enough batting firepower in the team, Kaif opted to pick more and more all-rounders. “I will keep a lot of all-rounders because you need batting depth. So I will say Axar Patel at No. 7 and Ravindra Jadeja at No. 8. After that, Kuldeep Yadav, who is a skillful bowler, at No. 9. Then two fast bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh. That makes it your XI,” Kaif explained. The T20 World Cup 2024 will kick off on June 1 with a match between United States and Canada in Texas. Meanwhile, the high-octane encounter between India and Pakistan will be played in New York on June 9. A total of 20 teams will be participating in the tournament with four groups of five-team each. The semi-finals of the tournament will be played on June 25 and 27 while the summit clash will be played on June 29. Topics mentioned in this article

"It's good news for Punjab as well as India": Aakash Chopra on Arsdeep Singh's performance | Cricket

IPL 2024: CSK-MI set to battle in a high-octane clash | Cricket

Danijones8 months ago05 mins

Mumbai [India], : As the Indian Premier League arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians meet in the high-stakes match at the Wankhede Stadium, all eyes will be on two of league’s biggest hitters, Shivam Dube from the Yellow Army and Suryakumar Yadav from the Blue and Gold side. HT Image MI and CSK will battle in a high-stakes ‘El Clasico’ of the IPL at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. CSK is in the third spot, with three wins and two losses, giving them six points. They had registered a win over Kolkata Knight Riders in their last game. On the other hand, MI is also picking up momentum, winning two games after three losses and is placed in the seventh spot. They had hammered Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their previous game. Unlock exclusive access to the story of India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Now, coming to Suryakumar, he has had a solid start to his IPL 2024 campaign. After a duck against Delhi Capitals , he scored a hard-hitting 52 in just 19 balls, with five fours and four sixes against RCB recently. Suryakumar has been successful for Mumbai, scoring 2,693 runs in 87 matches at an average of 34.97 with a strike rate of 147.40. He has scored a century and 21 fifties for the franchise. His overall IPL run tally is 3,301 runs in 141 matches at an average of 31.74 and a strike rate of 144.27, with a century and 22 fifties. But ‘Mr 360’ of Mumbai has had some struggles while tackling CSK. In 17 matches against the Yellow Army, he has scored 340 runs at an average of 26.15 and a significantly low SR of 117.24. He has scored just two fifties in 14 innings, with the best score of 71*. His last five innings against CSK are: 3, 3, 32, 1 and 26. Though CSK has a very good chance to keep their upper hand over Surya intact, they are playing in his territory this time around, where he has a fantastic record. Since 2023, the batter has scored 421 runs in nine innings at the venue at an average of 60.14, with a century and four half-centuries. His strike rate has been above 210. Chennai Super Kings Squad: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, Sameer Rizvi, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mustafizur Rahman, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Moeen Ali, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Mukesh Choudhary, Devon Conway, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Prashant Solanki, Simarjeet Singh, RS Hangargekar, Matheesha Pathirana, Aravelly Avanish Mumbai Indians Squad: Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi, Shreyas Gopal, Jasprit Bumrah, Gerald Coetzee, Akash Madhwal, Dewald Brevis, Naman Dhir, Nehal Wadhera, Harvik Desai, Piyush Chawla, Kwena Maphaka, Shams Mulani, Luke Wood, Arjun Tendulkar, Kumar Kartikeya, Shivalik Sharma, Nuwan Thushara, Anshul Kamboj. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Pat Cummins’ cold-blooded ‘World Cup 2023’ throwback provokes Indian fans: ‘We paid him 20 crore in return’ | Cricket

Danijones8 months ago04 mins

Australia skipper Pat Cummins added salt to the Indian cricket fans’ wounds from last year as he revealed his favourite memory in India. Cummins, who is currently leading Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League 2024, hosted an Ask me a question session on Instagram as one fan asked him about his favourite memory in India. Pat Cummins led Australia to ODI World Cup glory last year.(REUTERS) Cummins posted the photo of the Australian team celebrating the ODI World Cup 2023 triumph over India in the final. Unlock exclusive access to the story of India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! The premier pacer led the Aussies to their record-extending sixth World Cup trophy on November 19 with a clinical 6-wicket win over India in front of a jam-packed Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The fans on social media reacted to Cummins’ Instagram story. The Aussie team put up a collective effort and outclassed India, who were enjoying an unbeaten streak before the final, as Cummins also managed to silence the Ahmedabad crowd by dismissing the hosts’ best batter Virat Kohli. Meanwhile, Cummins has also been impressive in his first stint as captain for Sunrisers Hyderabad thus far. He has led the Orange Army to three wins in five matches. SRH edged past Punjab Kings in their last match which was a last-ball thriller. After the win over PBKS, Cummins said it was a great game of cricket and despite PBKS bowling well in the start, SRH did well to reach 182 and defend it. He also pointed out that the ‘Impact Player’ rule deepens the batting. “If you get 150-160, you are going to lose nine out of ten games anyway. We knew the new ball was going to be a key time. We were pretty happy (with our score). We saw what happened with the new ball for them, so thought if me and Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) could start off with a wicket of wickets, it would be good. We have plenty of left-armers and right-armers, so just trying to give the bowlers the best chance of success,” Cummins said after the clash in Chandigarh. SRH will next clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Cummins and Co will enter the match as the favourites as RCB have been struggling miserably this season and currently placed at the bottom of the points table.

“What Have They Identified?”: CSK Coach Stephen Fleming’s Blunt T20 World Cup Message To BCCI

Danijones8 months ago06 mins

Former New Zealand captain and five-time IPL-winning coach Stephen Fleming believes that India should decide on their style of play for the upcoming T20 World Cup and pick the in-form players accordingly. India will head into this year’s T20 global showpiece in the Caribbean and the USA to make yet another bid to end their wait for an ICC trophy, which extended further after they lost to Australia in the final of the 50-overs World Cup last year. It has been more than 10 years since India last won a global competition, which has, in a way kept ageing stars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the mix despite growing calls for the T20I side to be blooded with young talent. “The thing for me is, what type of game plan do they want to play during the World Cup? What have they identified as the right style of play for India in an away condition?,” Fleming said when asked if CSK’s all-rounder Shivam Dube is primed for India call-up for the World Cup. “Then put players into that rather than just picking players and trying to find a game plan. I would be looking at the style of play that I would want, and then pick the players that are in-form and can perform the role that will best win that design,” Fleming said on the sidelines of CSK’s training session ahead of their IPL match against Mumbai Indians. Fleming said the amount of sheer power which Dube generates is good enough to compel the selectors into looking at him as one of the prospects for the T20 World Cup. “It’s probably one of the hardest jobs in world cricket, isn’t it, being an Indian selector. On one hand, very jealous as a New Zealander looking at the amount of talent that is on show and new players every game sort of pop up,” he said. “I love his power. I’m biased, aren’t I? But I think when you have a bit different power like that; I would have him in the side,” Fleming said. The former Kiwi skipper said Dube is reaping the benefits of the work that he has put in to face different kinds of bowlers, which has complemented CSK in return given the rule changes in the IPL such as the introduction of the impact player. “A lot of work last year to be honest, working him into that role and trying to use the change of rules to our advantage. He did a lot of work mentally last year on what that would look like, and then it was about opportunity. How long an opportunity would take for us to realise his potential,” Fleming said. “Or more importantly, for him to realise how good he could be. Since then, he has gone to another level. He works hard on all aspects. I know there’s a short-ball aspect that has been much publicised. But there’s a lot more to him than that,” he added. Fleming once again mentioned Dube’s power-hitting which has been a standout factor in his batting. “If anything, it deflects away from other areas. He uses that predictability to his advantage now. I haven’t seen a guy hit it harder (and) consistently hit it harder.” “Some of the power he can generate both from spin and from seam bowling is quite unique. When he’s in form like this, he’s a real weapon for us during those middle overs,” the CSK head coach added. (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

From Virat Kohli To Hardik Pandya: 5 T20 World Cup Selection Calls That Could Storm The World

Danijones8 months ago010 mins

It’s that time of the year again when India will get an opportunity to end their ICC trophy drought. The T20 World Cup 2024 is just around the verge with its participants gearing up for the marquee event scheduled to be held in the United States and the West Indies in June later this year. Whatever you say about prioritising domestic cricket or not, the ongoing IPL 2024 season will be more important for the T20 World Cup selection than any other domestic tournament. So, the high-profile T20 league will be crucial for contenders to stake claim in India’s 15-member T20 World Cup 2024 squad because there isn’t even a week between the IPL and the upcoming ICC T20 event. (IPL 2024 Points Table) Nearly a third of the IPL is over with a few contenders already making their mark in the league. Let’s first look at a few players that are reasonable certainties. Any such list should always begin with skipper Rohit Sharma, he will open the proceedings with Yashasvi Jaiswal. And once you bring back Rohit, there is no point in leaving Virat Kohli behind, knowing that India’s batting still revolves around him. The only other batter who will certainly fly to the West Indies and the United States is Suryakumar Yadav, considering his 17-ball fifty against RCB on his comeback. In addition to these star batters, Jasprit Bumrah is also a no-brainer for the ICC event. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja are most likely to cement their places in the spin department. Meanwhile, the return of Rishabh Pant and the rich form of Yuzvendra Chahal has also perplexed the Indian think tank. Ahead of the squad announcement, the selectors will be keenly looking for a handful of answers from IPL to their questions. Keeping that in mind, let’s take a look at a few debate-stirring points on T20 WC squad selection. Seam-bowling all-rounder as sixth bowling option If fully fit and in form, Mumbai Indians’ new skipper Hardik Pandya is a definite starter. But the selectors will want to see what kind of role he plays for his IPL team. After five games this season, Hardik has scored 129 runs and has leaked runs at 11.12 in three innings. Meanwhile, Shivam Dube has had a wonderful start to the IPL 2024, with 176 runs in five innings at an impressive strike rate of 160, but he is yet to bowl in this IPL and that is what has thrown challenges to the selectors. However, it will be interesting to see how Shivam Dube will be accommodated in the playing XI. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant ready for T20 World Cup? PBKS batter Jitesh Sharma was the closest contender for the wicketkeeper role at the start of the IPL but the decision-makers would ideally have liked to see him a little more in international outings. However, the return of Rishabh Pant has cleared the doubts concerning his recent form in the IPL. The southpaw smashed 196 runs in six innings at 157.72. Pant has competition from the likes of Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, and Ishan Kishan, who are likely to be vying for the second wicketkeeper slot in the squad. “Yeah look it’s great for Indian cricket, but it’s also great for Rishabh Pant. I think the work that has gone into his rehab to get back to that level of play at any standard is an amazing achievement. “He deserves a lot of credit for his hard work and it’s great to see him on the field, captaining and playing well, batting and keeping,” former Australia captain Michael Clarke was quoted as saying to IPL broadcaster Star Sports. Pant, who had surgery on his knee, has shown that he is ready to bat and keep. Does Virat Kohli deserve a place in the squad? Former India captain Virat Kohli is currently leading the Orange Cap list after amassing 319 runs in six matches at 79.75, including a century. There is no way he is going to be left out, despite some talks to the contrary about his ‘anchoring’ strike rate. Virat has been an absolute match-winner for India since his international debut. In T20 World Cups, he has accumulated 1,141 runs in 25 innings at an impressive average of 81.50 and a strike rate over 130. With an immense experience of 117 T20I matches, Virat’s presence in the middle order as an anchor will only provide balance alongside the swashbuckling and aggressive styles of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Rinku Singh, and Shivam Dube. Pace bowlers apart from Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah is there for sure. He will be leading India’s pace battery in the T20 World Cup. But, India needs two more quicks in the starting XI for the ICC event. With Mohammed Shami out of contention due to injury and Bhuvneshwar Kumar not in India’s T20 schemes since the 2022 edition of the T20 World Cup, no one is closer to Bumrah in terms of quality and experience. The last squad that played against Afghanistan featured Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, and Mukesh Kumar. One of the all-format pacers, Mohammed Siraj has been conceding runs at 10.40 in the ongoing IPL with only four scalps to his name after six matches. Lucknow Super Giants’ pace sensation Mayank Yadav was somewhere in the talks of making the squad but he still needs a handful of international matches to prove his worth. With India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 likely to be announced in the last week of April, these contenders have limited opportunities to impress and partner Bumrah in the fast bowling department. Who are the death-over hitters? Finishers auditioning for the aforementioned role must be able to strike 180 or more in overs 17 to 20. For that role, no one can go beyond Rinku Singh, at least in the T20 format. The southpaw has smashed 356 runs in 11 T20I innings at a whopping strike rate of 176.23. There is no reason to keep him…

Riyan Parag For “T20 World Cup”? Ex-India Star Says He ‘Won’t Be Surprised’

Danijones8 months ago03 mins

Wasim Jaffer feels Riyan Parag might be considered for a place in the T20 World Cup.© BCCI Former India batter Wasim Jaffer suggested that he won’t be surprised if Rajasthan Royals (RR) all-rounder Riyan Parag is considered for a place in the 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in West Indies and the USA. For years, the young right-handed batter faced trolls and criticism for his poor performances for RR. However, Parag has looked like a completely different player this season, and he is second in the list of highest run-scorers with 261 runs to his name in five matches. Read here: IPL 2024 Points Table Jaffer believes Parag might be on the list of names being considered for India’s T20 World Cup squad. “Looking at his form, I won’t be surprised if selectors are considering him for the T20 World Cup. The way he has played shows consistency, and I won’t be surprised if we see him there,” the former PBKS batting coach said on ESPNcricinfo. Jaffer also explained the reason behind Parag’s redemption arc and how the players has manage to shine this season, unlike the previous editions. “Riyan Parag is emerging to be a sensational player in this IPL. It’s pretty refreshing to see a young player performing like this. He has performed in the domestic cricket for Assam, and he’s carrying that form. The no.4 suits him better, as he gets some time to settle.” “The hard work is showing. He is fitter, and he looks composed. His shot selection is good; he has faced significant trolling over the past few years; he also played the difficult role of a finisher, but the Royals kept their faith in him. It feels like he has the right number now, and he is in the right frame of mind, too. He looks dedicated to proving everyone wrong,” he added. Only Virat Kohli (319) has scored more runs than Parag (261) in the ongoing IPL season. However, he will have a chance to overtake him when RR take on Punjab Kings on Saturday. Topics mentioned in this article

Is ‘Vice-Captain’ Pandya Really A Certainty For T20 World Cup 2024?

Danijones8 months ago08 mins

Hardik Pandya’s possible inclusion in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad has sparked debate among cricket experts and fans of late. The 30-year-old has been a major talking point during the first three weeks of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Ever since Pandya was announced as Mumbai Indians’ new captain in place of India’s all-format skipper Rohit Sharma ahead of IPL 2024, the controversial decision has received widespread disappointment from fans. MI’s newly-appointed captain has been booed heavily at various stadiums, including at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad as well at Mumbai’s home ground – the Wankhede Stadium. Furthermore, MI started their IPL 2024 campaign with three consecutive losses under Hardik’s leadership although the five-time IPL winners have bounced back with back-to-back wins in their next two games. Fitness and finishing ability concerns Apart from Hardik’s captaincy, his all-round form and finishing ability have been under scanner in the ongoing IPL. Indian cricket team’s limited-overs vice-captain, Hardik has scored 129 runs in five matches for MI this season. The hard-hitting batter showed glimpses of regaining form after he slammed an unbeaten 21 runs off just six balls against Royals Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to help MI chase down 197 in just 15.3 overs at the Wankhede on Thursday. Additionally, there have been questions about Hardik’s fitness for ICC’s marquee T20 tournament. The Indian all-rounder has endured his fair share of fitness concerns over the years and has cut down on his workload with the ball to get the best out of him from an all-round perspective. The Gujarat-born cricketer has bowled just eight overs in five matches in IPL 2024, picking just a solitary wicket at an economy of 11.13. Hardik recently made a comeback in IPL 2024 after he was ruled out of ICC ODI World Cup 2023 having sustained an ankle injury against Bangladesh in October. The Rohit Sharma-led India, of course, will need a fully-fit Hardik at the T20 World Cup 2024 to be held in the West Indies and the United States. In-form Shivam Dube could pip Hardik Pandya While Hardik’s all-round capabilities provide Team India great balance in the T20 format, if he’s not fully fit then the likes of Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh could be better picks as finishers in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad. Former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad has voiced support for Shivam Dube’s inclusion in the upcoming T20 World Cup squad. “Shivam Dube for his striking ability against spinners, Surya for being the best T20 international batter and Rinku Singh for his exceptional finishing ability. It will be great if India finds a way to have these 3 in the 11 in the T20 WC. With Virat and Rohit, this will leave a spot for just a keeper batsman. Interesting to see how it pans out,” Prasad posted on X (formerly Twitter). Chennai Super Kings’ Shivam Dube has been in impressive form in IPL 2024. Batting in the middle-order, Dube has amassed 176 runs in five matches at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 160. He has hit 10 fours and 13 sixes so far. Apart from Prasad, former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has stated that Dube must be included in India’s T20 World Cup squad. “Good to watch@IamShivamDube clearing the field with ease!! I feel he has to be in the World Cup squad. Has got the skill to be the #gamechanger,” Yuvraj wrote on X. Earlier, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin urged India to pick Dube in the T20 World Cup squad after his brilliant performances against Afghanistan in a three-match series in January. “Hardik Pandya is an indispensable member of the Indian team. However, with Shivam Dube’s emergence, especially in conditions similar to CSK in the West Indies, he becomes a spin-hitting monster,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “I can proudly call him a ‘Yuvraj Singh lite’ package. There are so many facets of Yuvraj Singh that I see in his game – the downswing, the height, and the reach. I’m not saying he’s exactly like Yuvraj Singh, but he reminds me a lot of him. The beauty here is that he hits spin straight down the ground,” Ashwin added. With Hardik facing strong competition from Shivam Dube, he will need to prove his fitness as well as impress the selectors with his all-round game in the remaining games for MI before the squad is finalised. The Indian cricket team’s 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup is likely to be announced in the last week of April and vice-captain Hardik’s spot still remains uncertain as of now. While a return to form and maintaining his fitness will most likely see Hardik make the cut for the T20 World Cup, judging by the all-rounder’s recent form when batting in death overs as well as his fitness issues, it’s safe to say that the 30-year-old’s inclusion in the squad is certainly not a given. Topics mentioned in this article

“Picture Of The Year”: MS Dhoni Re-United With World Cup At The Venue Of 2011 Triumph. Internet On Overdrive

Danijones8 months ago04 mins

MS Dhoni is one iconic cricket captain. Recently, a video of Gautam Gambhir went viral where he said that Dhoni would remain the most successful Indian cricket team captain. The former star had every reason to say so. No other captain has won the ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup, Champions Trophy and also taken the team to No. 1 ranking in Tests. From 2007, MS Dhoni’s charisma on the field meant that Indian cricket team was an indomitable force. Read here: IPL 2024 points table While MS Dhoni won many accolades, the one ever-lasting image that the great produced was in the final of the 2011 ODI World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai when he hit Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Kulasekara for a six to win the marquee event for India. He stayed unbeaten on 91 as India clinched their second-ever ODI World Cup title. That was the last time India won the ODI World Cup. MS DHoni is back at the Wankhede Stadium. This time he will be playing for Chennai Super Kings against Mumbai Indians in an IPL 2024 match. Ahead of the match, MS Dhoni came fact to face with the 2011 World Cup trophy on Saturday and the image has gone viral. Some are referring to it as the ‘picture of the year.’ Dream of many captains MS Dhoni with iconic 2011 World Cup Trophy – Picture of the year. pic.twitter.com/cszhlEjy4j — (@AloneSoul_ABU) April 13, 2024 91K likes needed for this picture. MS Dhoni pic.twitter.com/uhurOHjOuH — Sexy Cricket Shots (IPL’24) (@sexycricketshot) April 13, 2024 MS Dhoni World Cup Trophy Made for each other#MSDhoni #IPL2024 pic.twitter.com/snvG6Ok9gM — Jetharam Godara (@Jethara39738387) April 13, 2024 The IPL 2024 season started with Dhoni stepping down from CSK captaincy just ahead of the tournament and Ruturaj Gaikwad assuming the role. Ravindra Jadeja had earlier tried and failed to replace Dhoni as the CSK captain in 2022 but the support from fans and team management made one thing very clear – Gaikwad is the choice for the future and the entire ‘Yellow Army’ was behind him this time. However, what did not stop was the chatter on how much influence Dhoni will have on the pitch. Hailed as one of the master tacticians of the game, Dhoni had proven in the past that he is capable of changing any game just by his acumen. As a result, the conversations never stopped and it even led to some experts wondering out loud about how much Gaikwad will be able to exercise his control over the team. Topics mentioned in this article