IPL 2024

David Warner opens up on getting blocked by SRH on social media: ‘It was bizarre, it did hurt’

Danijones6 months ago6 months ago04 mins

Australia opener David Warner feels it was bizarre when Sunrisers Hyderabad blocked him from social media after releasing him from the squad. Warner led the Hyderabad-based franchise to their lone IPL title in 2016 and was their most successful captain. The left-handed batter was sacked as SRH captain midway in IPL 2022 after his relations with the franchise went sour. Kane Williamson took over the captaincy charge midseason, but they finished the season with three wins in 14 games. David Warner left Sunrisers Hyderabad after IPL 2021.(IPL/Twitter) Warner won Orange Cap twice while playing for Sunrisers as he ended his association with them after scoring 4,014 runs. He led them to 35 wins in 67 matches as captain. Last year, Warner got to know, he was blocked by SRH on social media when he was trying to tag them on his Instagram story. In a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel, Warner talked about his tainted relationship with SRH, however, he didn’t reveal anything about his exit but admitted he was hurt when they blocked him. “It did (hurt) because it was a sense of like hurt for fans. The fans are the most important relationship you could have. With the engagement with the fans that I had, with the team had was very good,” Warner said. The swashbuckling opener said that engaging with fans is most important to him, and it felt bizarre when SRH blocked him from social media, but he still stays connected with the fans. “Not sure why I was blocked. But, I did engage with a lot of fans on the social media side for SRH. I did feel it was my duty to engage with the fans, making sure they keep coming back. That’s what is most important. But from the blocking point of view, I don’t know. I have been sitting on it for about 5 years. It was bizarre. At the end of the day, I still got fans who come onto my page and talk to everyone. So it’s great,” he added. Meanwhile, Warner is going through a lean patch in IPL this season and scored just 167 runs in 7 matches for Delhi Capitals and has scored just one half-century. Capitals have been inconsistent so far, winning five and losing six of their last 11 games. While winning the remaining three games is a must for Pant’s men, even that will only take them to 16 points which might not be enough to qualify for the last four stage of the tournament.

Owning a house in India? David Warner opens up on his special love for the country, cricket-crazy fans | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

NEW DELHI: Renowned Australian opener David Warner has always had a special place in his heart for India.An IPL title winner with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016, Warner, over the years, has been showered with immense love from the fans across the country.The 37-year-old too has been kind in sharing his love and appreciation for the fans over social media and meet-ups with fans.And it won’t be exaggerating to say that the Australian, to an extent, is more popular in the country than some of the local stars.Warner, recently opened up on the love he has received in the country and said that it has been overwhelming. Amid such popularity, there have also been jokes around Warner owning a place here.Putting all the speculations to a rest, Warner in an interview to Ashwin said, he indeed looked for a place some time back and would like to spend more time in the country.“I don’t (have a house in India). I did look at some stages. I get a lot of people asking me if I want a house here. One day, maybe when I finish my cricket, I would like to come here and spend some time. Lifestyle is good. I am a people’s person. I go to the malls with my girls and I embrace everything,” Warner said in the latest episode of R Ashwin’s YouTube show.“People say I am mad for going out without security and all that. But, at the end of the day, people have a lot of respect. I think people come and ask for photos, yes. But when you are out without your kids and embracing the culture, I think people understand and keep their distance. Sometimes though, in some smaller villages, it can get a little difficult. We do take security with us. But it’s great, I love it. You walk down the street in India and there’s always a game of cricket on,” he added.Warner’s feud-filled exit from Sunrisers, despite winning a title for them, was also a major talking point in his IPL career.From his exit to him being blocked by the franchise, Warner also spilled the beans on his relationship with the franchise.“It did (hurt) because it was a sense of hurt for fans. The fans are the most important relationship you could have. With the engagement with the fans that I had, with the team I had was very good,” Warner said.“Not sure why I was blocked. But, I did engage with a lot of fans on the social media side for SRH. I did feel it was my duty to engage with the fans, making sure they keep coming back. That’s what is most important. But from the blocking point of view, I don’t know. I have been sitting on it for about 5 years. It was bizarre. At the end of the day, I still got fans who come onto my page and talk to everyone. So it’s great,” he added.

IPL-17: MI vs SRH | Mumbai Indians opt to bowl against Sunrisers Hyderabad; MI hands Kamboj debut cap

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

Mumbai Indians Rohit Sharma have a chat with Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Mayank Agarwal during a practice session. | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini Mumbai Indians won the toss and opted to field against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their do-or-die IPL match in Mumbai on May 6. The five-time champions also handed a debut to 23-year-old all-rounder Anshul Kamboj, replacing pacer Gerald Coetzee. As for the visitors, the 2016 champion brought back Mayank Agarwal, with skipper Pat Cummins stating that he will be their number three batter. A loss in this encounter for the hosts will make them the first team to be eliminated from the playoffs race. Playing XI Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Tim David, Anshul Kamboj, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah and Nuwan Thushara. Sunrisers Hyderabad; Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Mayank Agarwal, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Marco Jansen, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan.

IPL 2024: Ravindra Jadeja’s returns a timely assurance for India

Danijones6 months ago6 months ago06 mins

There was no whirlwind innings, not at least in comparison to what has been passing for absurdly belligerent in this edition of the IPL. Nor did he take the most vital wickets, Tushar Deshpande ticked this box by scalping Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Rossouw. Yet in grubby affairs with middling scores, Ravindra Jadeja stands out excelling in doing the mundane—firefighting collapses with balanced batting, wielding tireless control over the ball and throwing himself around to save every run possible. Chennai Super Kings’ Ravindra Jadeja celebrates the wicket of Punjab Kings’ Ashutosh Sharma during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings in Dharamshala(AP) The last facet has long been taken for granted. But this may be a good time to once again point out how significant Jadeja’s latest uptick has been for Chennai Super Kings. Wicket-taking was never his forte. But if economy is a suitable indicator of the difficulty to hit a bowler, Jadeja’s 7.26 sits third among all Indian bowlers with at least 200 balls in this IPL, behind Jasprit Bumrah’s 6.25 and Axar Patel’s 7.26. Taking into consideration that he generally comes on after the end of the first Powerplay, that’s a comforting statistic for any franchise. Perhaps more for India, going into a T20 World Cup pretty low on the allrounder quotient because of Shivam Dube’s relative inexperience and Hardik Pandya’s disappointing returns. The possibility of Axar Patel and Jadeja fielded in the same eleven being next to zero, this has been an assuring preview of what can be expected from Jadeja. None of this should deflect from Jadeja’s actual performance as bowler on Sunday—wheeling away, attacking the stumps to not allow any room to maneuver till Punjab Kings finally gave in. The rub of green probably went Jadeja’s way when Sam Curran reached out for a wide ball but couldn’t clear long-off. But enticing Prabhsimran Singh into a lofted shot with a fuller ball is what makes Jadeja such an unpredictable bowler. Jadeja the economical bowler with stifling lengths is one thing, Jadeja the wicket-taking bowler in addition to stifling lengths becomes a different game altogether. Punjab Kings got to experience that side of Jadeja, ratcheting the pressure with every dot, prising out wickets and making life miserable. India will play day games at the T20 World Cup. Which means dew won’t be a factor on slow pitches in the US and Caribbean. So, when you take that into factor, Jadeja’s performance on Monday becomes all the more indicative of how India could stand to benefit. This still doesn’t cover Jadeja’s batting, which statistically speaking, doesn’t set the stage on fire. CSK’s gamble to send him at No 4 thrice in this IPL too has had mixed returns. But when the chips are down, no one probably does a better salvaging job at No 6 than Jadeja. Jadeja knew what he wanted to do. “The wicket was slow, and it was expected to be slow because it was quite warm,” said Jadeja after CSK’s 28-run win on Monday. “Wanted to build a partnership of 30-40 so that we have a platform for the end. My role is to build a partnership if we lose early wickets.” If taking three wickets on a less responsive surface is a trait any team would kill to possess, scoring a 26-ball 43 in an innings where no one else crossed 32 comes a close second. By reverting to the natural order of things—letting Jadeja thrive in a batting role he knows and relishes best—CSK has not only helped themselves come out of a knot but also given Jadeja much-needed simulation for the upcoming T20 World Cup. There may not be any dazzling array of strokes, or a bagful of wickets, but trust Jadeja to quietly get the job done.

‘It’s for MS Dhoni…’: Preity Zinta speechless as Punjab Kings home venue turns yellow for CSK legend | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

NEW DELHI: There was a sea of yellow at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala as fans wore yellow jerseys to cheer for the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the Punjab Kings’ home game on Sunday.And when Shardul Thakur was cleaned up by Harshal Patel, the picturesque Dharamsala stadium seen buzzing with the chants of Dhoni, Dhoni as the talisman made his way to the middle. The crowd hoped for a thrilling display and powerful hits from the legendary cricketer, but their excitement was soon dashed when Dhoni was dismissed for a golden duck as Harshal’s slower yorker deceived Dhoni and knocked over his stumps.This marked the first time in IPL 2024 that Dhoni left the field without scoring.Chennai Super Kings secured a 28-run victory in the match. Following the game, Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta held a question-and-answer session on social media that had an indifferent query from a fan. A fan asked: “Your franchise should conduct some activities to lure home fans more to the stadium because yesterday at Dharmasala is full of ?? yellow. #advice #pzchat”.To this, Preity replied: “It’s for Dhoni and what can I say … everyone loves him.” Chennai Super Kings are third in the points tally with 6 wins in 11 matches. They will next face Gujarat Titans on May 10.

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

‘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.

Rohit Sharma gets eye-catching mention from Preity Zinta days after quashing fake news about wanting him as PBKS captain

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

A little over two weeks after Preity Zinta dismissed reports of wanting Rohit Sharma as captain of the Punjab Kings, the PBKS owner took to social media platform X to describe the former Mumbai Indians skipper. Taking questions from her fans, Zinta called Rohit ‘a powerhouse of talent’, indicating that if she ever were to seek him as leader of PBKS, it wouldn’t be a bad call after all. Preity Zinta had nothing but praise for Rohit Sharma (Agencies) Rohit, captain of the Indian team, is a bonafide legend of Indian cricket. The only batter in history to score three ODI double-centuries and a winner of six Indian Premier League titles, Rohit has taken Indian cricket to great heights and then some since taking over as captain. In the IPL, despite being tied with MS Dhoni for the most trophies – five – Rohit is the most successful captain for winning them in a span of 10 years. A proven behemoth of modern-day cricket, one can’t help but wonder if there can even be a more perfect term to sum up Rohit than how Zinta described him. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Speculations are rife about Rohit’s future at MI. In December, the franchise removed him as captain and replaced him with the returning Hardik Pandya. And as it turned out, the move has backfired immensely. MI are languishing at the bottom of the IPL 2024 points table and on the verge of being the first team officially get eliminated from the race to the Playoffs. Rohit’s own form has been a bit of a letdown as well. With 326 runs from 11 matches, including a century, Rohit has an average of 32.6 and a strike rate of 154.5. While he may be set to better his previous season, Rohit is still not on par with the standard he has set for himself and cricket fans all over the world. When asked if she would entertain having MS Dhoni aboard Punjab Kings, Zinta also spoke about her love and admiration towards the CSK captain. Reflecting on Sunday’s game, the actor revealed she underwent a bittersweet emotion as PBKS emerged second best in the return match-up. “Everyone wants him, and everyone is his fan, including me. Yesterday was bittersweet. I wanted us to win and him to hit some big sixes, but we lost, and he got out. The only bright spot was that our bowlers did so well in restricting them, but eventually, it was not enough,” she added. Zinta’s PBKS is one of the original eight franchises to have never won an IPL title – Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru being the other two. In 16 years, PBKS have qualified for the Playoffs just twice, with their best show coming in 2015, where they finished runner-up to Kolkata Knight Riders. The wait to land an elusive IPL title can be painstakingly long, but Zinta manages to keep her spirits high. “Trust me, no one wants to know that more than I do, but I believe we will win it one day… Hopefully sooner than later,” she wrote.

‘The one who completes me’: Jasprit Bumrah’s heartfelt birthday note to wife Sanjana Ganesan | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah took a break from the rigors of the IPL to celebrate a special occasion, penning a heartfelt note for his wife, Sanjana Ganesan, on her birthday.In a touching gesture shared on social media, Bumrah expressed his love and appreciation for his wife, emphasizing her role in completing him and making the world a wonderful place. “Happy Birthday to my person, the one who completes me and with her by my side the world is a wonderful place. Angad and I wish you have the best birthday, with lots of love and cuddles from us,” Bumrah wrote, accompanied by a beautiful photo. Amidst Bumrah’s personal celebration, the Mumbai Indians find themselves in a precarious position in the ongoing IPL 2024, battling to salvage their pride after a disappointing season. With eight defeats in eleven matches, including four consecutive losses, Mumbai Indians languish at the bottom of the tournament table, struggling to replicate their past successes.Despite the team’s struggles, Bumrah has been a standout performer, leading the Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack with distinction, claiming 17 wickets in 11 matches at an impressive average of 16.11. However, Mumbai Indians’ reliance on Bumrah underscores the collective underperformance of their star players, contributing to their dismal season.In contrast, Sunrisers Hyderabad, currently positioned at No. 4 with 12 points in 10 matches, are poised for a playoff berth, rejuvenating their campaign with promising performances. As they face off against Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad aim to further solidify their playoff aspirations, presenting a formidable challenge to their opponents.

MS Dhoni and Jitesh Sharma repeat 12-year-old unwanted feat in PBKS vs CSK clash – India TV

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Image Source : BCCI/IPL MS Dhoni and Jitesh Sharma Chennai Super Kings (CSK) might have won the match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 28 runs but the fans were disappointed to see their talisman MS Dhoni bag a golden duck. As expected, there was a huge roar when the former CSK skipper came out to bat at number nine in the 19th over but the joy was short-lived for the fans with Harshal Patel becoming the first bowler to dismiss Dhoni in IPL 2024. This was also only the fourth golden duck for Dhoni in his much-celebrated IPL career. It was a brilliant delivery from Harshal that uprooted the batter’s stumps with even the 42-year-old appreciating the delivery while walking back to the dugout. Interestingly enough, Punjab Kings wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma also bagged a golden duck with pacer Simarjeet Singh getting rid of him in the 10th over of the innings. Overall, this was only the second time that both wicketkeeper-batters bagged a golden duck in the an IPL match. Dhoni and Jitesh registered this unwanted record after 12 years with the first such instance happening way back in IPL 2012. Dinesh Karthik and Sreevats Goswami were the ones to do it for the first time in the MI vs RR clash 12 years ago. Instances when both wicketkeeper-batters bagged a golden duck in IPL Players Match IPL Season MS Dhoni, Jitesh Sharma PBKS vs CSK IPL 2024 Dinesh Karthik, Sreevats Goswami MI vs RR IPL 2012 As far as the overall record is concerned, this is only the fifth time that wicketkeepers of both teams bagged a duck with the bat in an IPL match. It last happened in the clash between Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad last year. Both wicketkeepers dismissed for a duck in an IPL game RR vs MI, Jaipur, 2010 MI vs RR, Mumbai WS, 2012 MI vs SRH, Mumbai WS, 2018 GT vs DC, Ahmedabad, 2023 PBKS vs CSK, Dharamsala, 2024