Josh Hazlewood

9 Finals, 9 wins: Josh Hazlewood’s unbeaten streak lives on | Cricket News

Danijones3 days ago03 mins

Josh Hazlewood of Royal Challengers Bengaluru celebrates with teammate Virat Kohli(Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) When Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted their maiden IPL trophy on a historic Tuesday night in Ahmedabad, one man silently extended a personal legacy—Josh Hazlewood, cricket’s ultimate “final boss.” With the 2025 IPL Final win, Hazlewood maintained his perfect record in major finals, winning 9 out of 9 – a feat unmatched in modern cricket.The calm and clinical Aussie pacer is no stranger to the biggest stages. From the U19 World Cup in 2010, where he was Player of the Final, to the 2025 IPL Final, Hazlewood has played a defining role in nearly every championship clash he’s entered:2010 U19 World Cup Final – Player of the Match with 4/30 vs Pakistan2012 CLT20 Final – Part of Sydney Sixers’ 10-wicket demolition of Highveld Lions2015 ODI World Cup Final – Took 2 wickets as Australia beat New Zealand2020 BBL Final – Won the title with Sydney Sixers IPL 2025 Final | Rishi Sunak Interview: ‘I am a big Virat Kohli fan… RCB is my team’ 2021 IPL Final (CSK) – Played a key role in Chennai’s triumph2021 T20 World Cup Final – 3/16 vs New Zealand in a clinical win2023 ODI World Cup Final – Helped Australia sink India in Ahmedabad2023 WTC Final – Part of the side that defeated India at The Oval2025 IPL Final (RCB) – Bowled a tight final over to seal a 6-run winQuiz: Who’s that IPL player?In the 2025 final, Hazlewood’s experience shone through as he gave RCB their first breakthrough and bowled the nerve-wracking final over, defending 29 runs. His second dot ball of the last over effectively ended Punjab Kings’ hopes, despite a late onslaught by Shashank Singh (61* off 30). RCB’s total of 190/9, anchored by Kohli’s gritty 43, proved just enough on a night driven by relentless bowling, sharp fielding, and raw emotion.Hazlewood, often unassuming in his celebrations, quietly stamped yet another page in cricketing folklore. Nine finals, nine wins – no defeats, no errors. In an era of pressure and unpredictability, he remains the cool-headed constant.

Drake bet $750,000 on RCB to win IPL 2025, how much did he pocket from it? | Cricket News

Danijones3 days ago04 mins

Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Drake On a night when history was written in gold for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, it wasn’t just the team and their fans celebrating. Global rap superstar Drake had his own reason to raise a toast. The Canadian artist won a staggering $1.3 million (around 11 crore) after placing a daring $750,000 (approx. 6.4 crore) bet on RCB to win the IPL 2025 final and they delivered.RCB defeated Punjab Kings by six runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, finally ending an 18-year-long wait for the title. It was a nervy, emotional, and unforgettable night, one that may also have finally broken the infamous ‘Drake Curse’ in sport.Asked to bat first, RCB managed a fighting total of 190/9 despite never quite shifting gears. Virat Kohli led the scoring with a gritty 43 off 35 balls, while cameos from Mayank Agarwal (24), Rajat Patidar (26), and Liam Livingstone (25) ensured the innings didn’t collapse. Phil Salt’s early dismissal slowed momentum, and Punjab’s Kyle Jamieson applied further pressure with three crucial wickets.The death overs saw a mini fightback, with Jitesh Sharma’s 24 off 10 briefly threatening to tilt the game, but RCB fell short of a par total on what remained a good batting surface. Arshdeep Singh ended the innings with a clinical final over, picking up three wickets and limiting RCB’s acceleration. ‘A particularly special feeling’: Andy Flower hails Virat Kohli, RCB after historic title win What followed was a tense defence. Josh Hazlewood set the tone with the early wicket of Priyansh Arya, brilliantly supported by Phil Salt’s stunning boundary catch. Prabhsimran Singh (26) and Josh Inglis (39 off 23) kept Punjab alive, but regular wickets derailed their chase. Krunal Pandya’s miserly 4-0-17-2 and Romario Shepherd’s prized scalp of captain Shreyas Iyer swung momentum decisively in RCB’s favour.Still, Punjab fought. Shashank Singh’s valiant 61* off 30 balls brought them close, needing 29 off the final over. But Hazlewood held his nerve, delivering back-to-back dot balls to end the drama. PBKS closed on 184/7 — heartbreak once again for the perennial underachievers.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player?Drake’s bet, placed on crypto-betting platform Stake at 1.75 odds, stood out for more than its value. Known for inadvertently jinxing athletes and teams with his public support — the so-called ‘Drake Curse’ — fans feared the worst for RCB after learning of the wager. From Serena Williams to Conor McGregor, teams backed by the rapper often fell just short.But on this night, cricket proved to be the exception. RCB fans may have started uneasy, but by the end, even they were thanking Drake for his faith.

‘He’s got a different skillset’: Tim Paine picks seamer Nathan Ellis in Australia’s attack for T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Danijones1 year ago05 mins

NEW DELHI: Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine advocates for Nathan Ellis to be Australia’s third fast-bowling option in the upcoming T20 World Cup, set to commence on June 1 in the West Indies and the USA.Ellis, aged 29, is lauded for his craftiness as a pacer, boasting an arsenal of variations. Despite not securing a permanent spot in the team, he has showcased his talent by claiming 24 wickets in 14 T20Is for Australia.Notably, Ellis served as a reserve player during Australia’s triumph in the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE.However, he was omitted from the 15-member squad for the 2022 edition hosted at home.Paine’s endorsement highlights Ellis’s potential to contribute significantly to Australia’s bowling attack in the upcoming tournament.“I think Australia have a great opportunity, and I hope they take it in this World Cup, and that is to pick Nathan Ellis. He would be my third quick. I think he just complements the other guys really well, he’s got a different skillset, comes from a different angle, different height, and thinks some variety in the attack will be really important to win this World Cup,” said Paine to ESPN’s Around The Wicket show.In IPL 2024, Ellis made only one appearance for Punjab Kings, contributing with figures of 1-24 in a rare victory for his team, which struggled and finished second-last in the points table. During Australia’s first T20 World Cup warm-up match against Namibia, Ellis continued to impress, picking up 1-17 from his four overs.Given Ellis’s consistent performances, former Australia Test captain Paine views him as a definite starter for the upcoming tournament. However, Paine believes the selection of the other pacer would be a toss-up between experienced campaigners Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, adding depth and versatility to Australia’s bowling lineup.“I know you are going to ask me straightaway who aren’t you playing…I’m going to go Mitchell Starc, (he) is my out and out number one quick, I’m picking him, obviously going with Adam Zampa, and I’m going to decide between Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.“I’m going to pick one of them and I’m going to go with Nathan Ellis’ all-round skills, his ability to bowl all through the powerplay, I think his slower balls, he’s clever. His international record for the opportunities that he’s been given is outstanding and I think now is the right time.“That’s not to say they (Cummins and Hazlewood) are not the best couple of bowlers in the country, they are outstanding bowlers, and will continue to be, I just think Nathan Ellis complements the rest of that attack really, really well,” he added.Australia are set to face co-hosts West Indies in another warm-up match before kicking off their campaign against Group B opponents Oman at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 5. Subsequently, they will compete against England, Namibia, and Scotland in the league stage of the tournament.This rigorous schedule will provide Australia with ample opportunities to fine-tune their strategies and gauge their form ahead of the crucial matchups in the T20 World Cup. With a blend of experienced players and emerging talents, Australia aim to make a strong statement in pursuit of T20 World Cup glory.(With IANS inputs)

Jake Fraser-McGurk’s time will come: Josh Hazlewood on DC opener’s T20 World Cup snub

Danijones1 year ago04 mins

Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood opened up on Jake Fraser-McGurk’s snub from the T20 World Cup 2024, saying that the DC opener’s time in Australian colours will come. However, Hazlewood lamented that neither he nor Steven Smith could be included in Australia’s 15-man T20 World Cup squad, admitting that Smith’s leadership and experience will be sorely missed in the Caribbean. Australia’s selectors sparked a debate last week by leaving Fraser-McGurk and Smith out of the 15-man squad. The Australian fans were furious that the 22-year-old T20 sensation had been overlooked despite his outstanding IPL performance. Notably, Fraser-McGurk has scored 259 runs in the first six innings of the IPL 2024, at an average of 43.16 and a strike rate of 158.56, with three half-centuries to his name. On his IPL debut, the 22-year-old hit a phenomenal 55 off 35 balls against LSG before going on to score an incredible 84 (27) against MI. “The way he goes about it is quite special, just the ball striking,” Hazlewood said. “Where do you fit him in? It’s so tough to fit into that top order with what we’ve got there with experience with Travis [Head], Mitch [Marsh] and Davey [Warner] in the top three, and then the middle order’s pretty good as well. “He’ll definitely get his time. He’s only young. He’ll be in the team sooner rather than later, I think.” IPL 2024 Full Coverage | IPL 2024 Points Table and Standings | 2024 IPL Full Schedule Hazlewood thought Smith was unlucky to miss out, given his batting ability in spinning circumstances and leadership experience. “Probably someone like Marshy will miss him being captain and just having another player on the field like Smudge [Smith] who you can just turn to at any time and get his advice,” Hazlewood said. “Obviously his batting and fielding as well. The conditions potentially could have suited his game and it’s always like picking up the pieces from a bad start is his job, but I think the way we’ve seen him bat for the Sixers [in the BBL], there’s a spot at the top as well, but again, you just can’t squeeze everyone in.” Hazlewood has been absent from the IPL this year, despite being a highly sought-after bowler in previous years. He was not selected at the auction because his availability was limited, and he wanted to be home for the birth of his son during the early stages of the tournament. He continued to bowl while at home in the hopes of being called up as an injury replacement in the IPL, but no such opportunity arose. Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: May 6, 2024