t20 world cup

Suryakumar Yadav reacts to receiving 2nd consecutive ICC T20I Cricketer of the Year ahead of T20 World Cup: ‘Grateful’

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

Suryakumar Yadav is among the Indian players training for their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign in the United States. SKY had a patchy season with the Mumbai Indians in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), missing a big part of the tournament as he was recovering from injury and looking rusty for a few games once he was available for selection. Suryakumar Yadav scored a century the last time he played for India in a T20I(Suryakumar Yadav Instagram) And yet, he managed to score 345 runs at a strike rate of 167.47 which included a masterful 51-ball 102 not out. He was always expected to be one the first names on the team sheet for the T20 World Cup and in the days leading up to the tournament, SKY’s dominance of the format was testified by him winning the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award for the second year in a row. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! SKY on Wednesday posted a photo on Instagram of himself posing in the new Indian jersey with the award while wearing the ICC’s commemorative cap. “Grateful,” he said in the caption of the image. Suryakumar scored 733 runs in 17 T20I innings in 2023 at a strike rate of 155.95 and average of 48.86. Suryakumar’s recovery from injury Suryakumar was captain of the Indian team for a three-match T20I series in South Africa in December. His last T20I game was the third match of the series which India won by a whopping 106 runs. Suryakumar scored 100 off 56 balls in that match but later hobbled off the field after injuring his ankle during the South African innings. He had to undergo a surgery for the injury and was later ruled out of India’s series at home against Afghanistan as he had to go under the knife for a sports hernia that had worsened over time and needed medical intervention. Suryakumar underwent a lengthy period of recovery which also forced him to miss Mumbai Indians’ first three matches of the 2024 season. He finally played his first game since December in MI’s home match against Delhi Capitals. While MI won that match by 29 runs, Suryakumar fell for a two-ball duck. He then came back to form in scintillating fashion in the next match, smashing 52 in 19 balls and helping MI to a seven-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He had reached his half-century in just 17 balls. Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crick-it, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Quizzes, Polls & much more.Explore now !. Stay updated with the latest cricket news, T20 World Cup 2024 updates, and match highlights. Explore the World Cup Schedule 2024, track the World Cup Points Table, follow Virat Kohli’s performance, and stay ahead with the stats on World Cup Most Wickets and World Cup Most Runs on the Hindustan Times website and app. News / Cricket News / Suryakumar Yadav reacts to receiving 2nd consecutive ICC T20I Cricketer of the Year ahead of T20 World Cup: ‘Grateful’

Security on high alert for India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match following ISIS-K threat | Cricket News

Danijones5 months ago06 mins

NEW DELHI: Authorities have ramped up security for the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match scheduled for June 6 in New York after ISIS-K called for a “Lone Wolf” attack on the event. The terror group has released a video urging independent attackers to act, prompting an urgent response from local and state officials.Patrick Ryder, the Police Commissioner of Nassau County, where the match will take place, confirmed the threat and outlined the steps being taken to ensure safety. “In a video that has gone global, the terror group is calling for that ‘Lone Wolf’ to act out,” said Ryder. “When you have a game and a crowd as big as this, everything is credible.”T20 World Cup ScheduleRyder explained the nature of the threat, which has evolved since April. Initially, it was a broad, international threat from ISIS-Khorasan, but it recently became more specific to the India-Pakistan match. “Then it got a little bit more specific towards the actual game of India versus Pakistan but did not name the place,” he said. The latest development includes a video showing drones flying over the cricket stadium with the date “9/6/2024”.In response, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has directed the New York State Police to implement heightened security measures. “There is no credible public safety threat at this time,” Hochul said, but added, “We continue to monitor the situation closely. My administration has been working for months with federal law enforcement and Nassau County to ensure New Yorkers and visitors are safe.”Bruce Blakeman, the head of Nassau County, assured that every precaution is being taken. “We take every threat seriously. There are the same procedures for every threat. We don’t minimize threats. We track down all of our leads,” he said at a news conference.Security will be significantly increased at the cricket stadium in Eisenhower Park, where the match is scheduled. Additional police officers will be mobilized, and local hospitals are on alert. “We will go to every fine detail when it comes to the security and safety of the residents here,” said Ryder. The threat includes potential drone attacks, leading county officials to request the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to designate Eisenhower Park as a no-fly zone for drones.ISIS-K, an offshoot of the Islamic State operating in South and Central Asia, has a history of violent attacks, including a deadly assault on a Moscow concert hall in March. This context underscores the severity of the current threat.The India-Pakistan match is a key fixture in the T20 World Cup, which starts on June 1 with a warm-up match between India and Bangladesh. NBC New York TV reported that the security preparations for the World Cup event are the largest Nassau County has ever undertaken, comparable to those for presidential debates.The British newspaper Express first reported the threat, indicating it also extends to sporting venues across Europe, including Wembley Stadium. According to the Express, ISIS followers are being encouraged to target major events, including the Cricket World Cup, using tactics like drone attacks.“We make sure that we are on top of every situation that could potentially arise. Now to that end, we have taken many, many precautions,” Blakeman assured the public.Authorities continue to treat every lead with utmost seriousness to ensure the safety of all attendees and participants in the T20 World Cup.(With inputs from IANS)

T20 World Cup, India’s USA dairies: Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid run in rain to reach car

Danijones5 months ago04 mins

Team India arrived in the USA ahead of the T20 World Cup as they gear up for their quest to win an ICC trophy. The first batch of the Indian players landed in the Americas as they looked to get ease into the weather as well as the different time zones. The players are also making the most of their time in the city as they were spotted taking strolls on the streets of Times Square and clicking pictures with the fans. The local fans manage to click snippets of the Indian players in the USA as the Indian supporters get a sneak-peak as to what the players have been up to in the lead-up to the marquee tournament. Recently, a video has been widely circulated on the internet where Indian team’s captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid were snapped. The fan was eagerly waiting to get a picture with Rohit and Dravid, but it was raining like cats and dogs in New York. Rohit and Dravid, patiently waiting, signalled the car driver and as soon as the cab arrived, Rohit and Dravid sprinted and rushed into the car amid heavy rain. Watch the video here- India’s training session begins The Indian team had their first training session before they play warm-up game against Bangladesh on June 1 in New York. It was a bright sunny day during the practice session as Hardik Pandya also joined the Indian team from London. Rohit, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik shared pictures from their first training session in the USA. So far, only the first batch of Indian players have arrived as the remaining of the players, including Virat Kohli, will reach the Americas in a couple of days. Kohli could not accompany the first batch of Indian players due to some paperwork issue. After the training session, the Indian team also had their photo-shoot session featuring the brand-new T20I jersey. Rishabh Pant shared some behind-the-scenes pictures from the shoot as the players looked all smiles ahead of the marquee tournament. India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Published By: Diya Kakkar Published On: May 30, 2024

‘Batters going all-out in IPL, I think, was just a one-season thing’: RR’s Riyan Parag

Danijones5 months ago012 mins

After five years in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he managed a total of 600 runs, it finally felt like Riyan Parag announced his arrival this time around. The 22-year-old scored 573 runs to finish as the third highest run-getter in IPL 2024, playing a key role in Rajasthan Royals’ run to the playoffs. Rajasthan Royals’ Riyan Parag plays a shot during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match(PTI) In an interview on the sidelines of the Red Bull Campus Cricket Finals, Parag spoke about how he has matured, batters being ultra-aggressive, his ambitions as an all-rounder, India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, and more. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! ALSO READ: ‘Rohit Sharma plays spin really well’: Wasim Jaffer picks Jaiswal’s opening partner for T20 World Cup Excerpts: Are there any changes you’ve made in terms of your game or mindset over the past year? I didn’t make much of a change. Domestically, I play at No.4 for Assam and it was just a matter of time before I got into similar situations in the IPL. In the IPL, no matter who says it’s just a game, it’s a much bigger stage for the players. So, it was just about implementing what I had been doing in domestic cricket. I didn’t really change my mindset or technique. It was just about a general upgrade, repeating what I had been doing, sticking to the basics, and not trying to do something extraordinary. When 50,000 people are watching you, every shot is being analysed and legends of the game are commentating, it’s very easy to try and please someone. I figured I didn’t have to do that. How did you sustain your form throughout the season? Everyone says maturity comes with age, but I believe it comes with pain. The things I’ve suffered over the past two-three years. This suffering comes from outside because I’m out here in the sun working as hard as I can. Suffering is when you have hateful stuff coming your way from people you don’t even know. These people don’t know me personally and have formed opinions based on my game. I started when I was around 17 and when you see stuff like this for years, it’s a big thing to digest. So, that’s matured me a lot. I’ve just figured out that it’s very important what I think of myself and not what others say. Everything else is just white noise then. Do you think this trend of batters going all guns blazing will continue? I think it was just a one-season thing. The Impact Player rule has, of course, changed things because now openers are just hands free and can smack from ball one. I feel the rule might change and the IPL might go down differently in the future. It’s never going to happen in international cricket, right, so everyone has to value their wicket. You know you can’t lose your wicket off the first ball. Do you like the Impact Player rule? As an all-rounder, I would say no. I like to bowl and the only way that will happen is if our three frontline bowlers get smacked, which is something I don’t want. So, once this rule goes away, I could be the fifth or sixth bowler and do a lot more. Of course, it isn’t my decision to make but yes, if it was up to me, I would remove this rule. Do you think the game these days is too favourable for batters? I have a completely different view. Batters can only make one mistake, whereas bowlers get five more balls (in an over) if they make a mistake. So, how is it a batter’s game? Batters are playing exceptionally well so you have to give them credit, not demean them. You can’t just say “oh no, it’s a batter’s game, rules this and that” and all that drama. You’ve got to understand that even if it’s a Test, a batter can bowl 20 overs while a batter is only allowed one mistake. They get more opportunities in a game regardless of how they play, and if I get out, I’ll get another game after four days. So, if you look at it that way, I believe it’s a bowler’s game only. The Indian team has struggled with a lack of bowling options in the batting order. Because the competition for batting slots is so fierce, do you think players have stopped paying attention to their secondary skill? I don’t even want to think about what other batters are doing. I know I want to bowl and that’s it. I want to take out the time to enhance my bowling and chip in with a couple of overs. I’ve never paid less attention to my bowling. If you do that, it just means you’re not working as hard. It’s very easy to say “okay, I’ve batted for four hours, it’s my main skill, and now I’m very tired”. That’s not how you get to the next level. If you’ve batted for four hours, rest up and come back to bowl for another hour. You have to figure out ways, else you’ll just be stuck. In the T20 World Cup, which areas do you think India need to improve to have a better chance this time? I can never watch cricket as a fan, I’ll always do it as a player. I hate when people watch cricket as fans. If you do that, please don’t speak to me because there are very different perspectives. People say a lot of things but they don’t understand all the intricacies. When I make it to the Indian team, I’ll play my brand of cricket. Right now, the ones who have made it are all professionals and know how to handle different situations. We’ve played good cricket each time. The benchmark set by fans,…

India maintain top spot in ICC Rankings going into T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Danijones5 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: India, the winners of the inaugural T20 World Cup, currently hold the top spot in the men’s T20I team rankings ahead of the upcoming edition of the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA from June 1-29.India have accrued 264 rating points.The West Indies, two-time champions, have climbed to fourth position, with their players displaying excellent form ahead of the T20 showcase.Having secured victories in the 2012 and 2016 editions, the West Indies are now ahead of New Zealand and South Africa. Their recent 3-0 series win over South Africa pushed the latter down to seventh position in the rankings led by India.Australia, the 2021 champions, are second with 257 points, while defending champions England hold third place with 254 points. The West Indies trail closely behind with 252 points.New Zealand stand at 250 points, while Pakistan and South Africa each have 244 points, with Pakistan marginally ahead on decimal points.The West Indies players have benefitted from their excellent performances in a recent home series, boosting their confidence before their tournament opener against Papua New Guinea in Guyana on June 2.Opening batter Brandon King has climbed five places to eighth position after leading the series with a total of 159 runs. Johnson Charles, who was named Player of the Match in the third T20I for his explosive 69 off 26 balls, has surged 17 places to 20th.Kyle Mayers has also made significant strides, moving up 12 places to 31st position with an aggregate of 102 runs, while left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie has soared an impressive 84 places to 27th after taking eight wickets in the series.In the latest weekly update, which also includes performances from the final two matches of the Bangladesh-USA series and the ongoing series between England and Pakistan, several players have made notable gains. England captain Jos Buttler has moved up to seventh position, Jonny Bairstow has risen eight places to 36th, and Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman has advanced from 57th to 51st.In the bowling rankings, Shaheen Afridi has ascended three places to 11th, while fellow Pakistani Imad Wasim has climbed 14 places to 38th.For the USA, Steven Taylor has made significant progress, advancing 28 places to 109th in the batting rankings. Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Rishad Hussain has moved up 38 places to 52nd in the bowling rankings.(With PTI inputs)

Twenty20 World Cup countdown: South Africa has the firepower to pass the Group D test

Danijones5 months ago08 mins

In The Hindu’s countdown to the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup which commences in the West Indies and USA on June 2, we take a look at the teams in Group D. South Africa: A second-string South African side was swept 0-3 in the T20I series against West Indies a few days ago. The arrival of powerful reinforcements — Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Tristan Stubbs, to name a few — gives the T20 World Cup squad far greater depth. Quinton de Kock, who has retired from ODI and Test cricket, is a familiar face at the top of the order. The poor form of de Kock and lead pacer Anrich Nortje, however, is cause for concern. Tristan Stubbs. | Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar Key player: Tristan Stubbs: With a strike rate of 190.90 and an average of 54 for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, Stubbs excelled as a specialist finisher. The squad: Aiden Markram (Capt.), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Tristan Stubbs. Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka has won all three of its T20I series held this year, albeit against weaker teams (Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Zimbabwe). The team is led by experienced all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, who missed the IPL due to an injury. In Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, the Lankans have two quality spinners primed to exploit slow pitches in the West Indies. Sri Lanka will hope that death-over bowling specialist Matheesha Pathirana recovers quickly from a hamstring strain. Kusal Mendis. | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar Key player: Kusal Mendis: The 29-year-old opener will be entrusted with giving SL a flying start. His role is especially crucial given that the batting line-up lacks big hitters. The squad: Wanindu Hasaranga (Capt.), Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, and Dilshan Madushanka. Bangladesh: The Tigers had a major slip in the build up to the T20 World Cup, losing 1-2 to World No. 19 United States of America in a T20I series last week. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and coach Chandika Hathurusinghe rely on the same set of players to come good in this mega event. The unit’s lack of power-hitters is out of sync with modern T20 best practices. A warm-up match against India on June 1 serves as the last chance to get the house in order. Mustafizur Rahman | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini Key player: Mustafizur Rahman: A career-best six for 10 against USA proved that the left-arm seamer remains a valuable T20 asset. Mustafizur’s ability to deliver yorkers is particularly useful in the death overs. The squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Capt.), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Netherlands: Known to consistently punch above its weight, Netherlands earned its spot in this tournament by virtue of finishing in the top-eight of the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. That campaign included a 13-run win over South Africa in the Super 12 phase, which effectively knocked the Proteas out of the competition. Netherlands will miss the services of former SA international Roelof van der Merwe and batter Colin Ackermann, both of whom have chosen English county commitments over National duty. Netherlands batsman Max O’Dowd | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam Key player: Max O’Dowd: The Auckland-born opener is the standout batter. In the recent Tri-Nation T20I series involving Ireland, Netherlands, and Scotland, O’Dowd finished as the highest run-scorer. The squad: Scott Edwards (Capt.), Aryan Dutt, Bas de Leede, Kyle Klein, Logan van Beek, Max O’Dowd, Michael Levitt, Paul van Meekeren, Saqib Zulfiqar, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, Tim Pringle, Vikramjit Singh, Viv Kingma, and Wesley Barresi. Nepal: Nepal qualified for the 2024 T20 WC by entering the final of the ICC’s Asia region qualifiers in November last year. Nepal had previously appeared in the 2014 ICC World Twenty20. Apart from the recent five-match T20 leg against West Indies A, Nepal has not got the chance to test its mettle against quality oppositions. Nepal captain Rohit Paudel | Photo Credit: AFP Key player: Rohit Paudel: Facing a West Indies A attack which included Obed McCoy, Oshane Thomas, and Roston Chase, captain Paudel showed his class with scores of 112, 71 n.o. and 82. The squad: Rohit Paudel (Capt.), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, K.C. Karan, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, G.C. Pratis, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, and Kamal Singh Airee.

T20 World Cup: Want Hardik Pandya to come good, he has gone through a lot, says Harbhajan

Danijones5 months ago09 mins

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has nothing but empathy for Hardik Pandya as he navigates a challenging phase in his career and is hopeful that the all-rounder, who “hasn’t been a free man in the last two months”, will become one during next month’s T20 World Cup. Pandya endured a forgettable IPL both as captain and player with his team Mumbai Indians ending bottom of the heap in the points table. What made things worse was the incessant jeering of fans whenever he took the field, including at MI’s home turf — the Wankhede Stadium. Also read | ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024: full schedule, dates and venues But Harbhajan expects the tide to turn in the Americas during the T20 showpiece. “When he wears that blue jersey, he will be a different Hardik Pandya because we know he can score those runs and take those wickets. I want Hardik to come good as he has gone through a lot and I wish him all the very best to have a very good tournament for India,” Harbhajan told PTI in an exclusive interview. “If he has a good tournament, obviously India will have a great chance to go forward,” he said. “Yes, his form is a bit of a concern…and lot of other stuff was going on around him, his shifting from Gujarat to Mumbai, was a big change and the team (MI) didn’t react too well to Hardik coming back and that too as captain,” the 43-year-old added. The reason for the fan backlash against Pandya was MI’s decision to hand him the captaincy after taking it away from the long-serving Rohit Sharma. There was speculation throughout the season that MI’s dressing room was a divided house due to the change of guard. Rohit will now captain the national side with Pandya as his deputy in the World Cup starting June 1. Harbhajan, a multi format World Cup-winner, urged the team management to bring Pandya and Rohit on “same page”. “…it looked like they (MI) were not playing together as a team. So there was a lot going on. Hardik wasn’t a free man in the last two months. I believe both of them and many others who have played in different teams will have to come together to do something special for the nation…,” he said. “Winning a World Cup is a bigger achievement than winning an IPL trophy, so I would urge the management to bring everyone together, have them on one page and make sure they play like one. “I believe it’s the responsibility of the management to come together, and win together. Even if they lose they should be losing together.” Bumrah will need support Jasprit Bumrah is the only speedster among the chosen three (the other two being Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj), who doesn’t need conditions to be successful, feels Harbhajan. “Pace attack definitely could be a concern because because Bumrah is in a different league for the kind of bowler he is. He will win you games on any kind of pitch. He doesn’t need conditions whereas other bowlers like Arshdeep and Siraj would need help from conditions. “If there’s bounce, Siraj might do well. He is tall, can also swing it both ways, hits the deck hard and has got pace. But if wickets are slow then the challenge begins for other bowlers. “There will be lot of responsibility on Bumrah’s shoulders but I hope other guys also take responsibility to be someone special.” IPL performances won’t matter Harbhajan said IPL form would make no difference to the players’ fortunes in the ICC showpiece. “No matter what you have done in your IPL career or previously, this is what counts the most…if I was in their shoes, I would be looking for this opportunity to showcase that I have been better than what I have been doing,” the ‘Turbanator’ stated. Virat is a changed T20 batter Harbhajan was mighty impressed with how Virat Kohli tweaked his T20 game during this year’s IPL by adding shots to his repertoire, which drastically improved his strike rate. “Virat has shown a lot of improvement from last year to this year and people spoke about his strike rate. It was in 130s during last year and this time it is in 160s,” he said. “Of course it’s a big big change. Virat and Rohit will have to score quickly in Powerplay but also need to respect the conditions in USA and West Indies.” If Gambhir becomes coach Harbhajan doesn’t know whether Gautam Gambhir, who is being spoken of as the favourite to take over India’s head coach position from the outgoing Rahul Dravid, will get the job but he does believe it would be a crown of thorns for whoever chooses to wear it. “If I say it properly, it is a speculation, which is doing rounds…the biggest thing a coach can do is to bring everyone together, so that team plays together. So, whether Gautam becomes coach or Ashish Nehra, or whosoever gets the opportunity, hope they do better than what others before them did.” He also ruled himself out of the race. “I don’t think I will be able to give that much time. At this stage of my life I have a young family and I need to be around them and look after them. Yes, when the right time comes, I will put my foot forward and say I am ready for it,” he concluded.

T20 World Cup: India is the strongest side even with injuries, says Morgan

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

File picture of former England ODI captain Eoin Morgan | Photo Credit: AP India’s remarkable reservoir of talent and formidable depth within their squad makes them strong contenders to win the upcoming T20 World Cup, feels former England skipper Eoin Morgan. India have gone with almost the same squad as they had in the last edition of the T20 World Cup while adding the likes of young Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yuzvendra Chahal and Sanju Samson. “The strongest side even with injuries throughout the tournament is India. Their strength and depth is absolutely incredible,” Morgan said on Sky Sports. Also read | ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024: full schedule, dates and venues “And it’s almost probably, we’re talking about who the players that were missed out in their squad of 15 because of the quality that they possess. “They are favourites for me, the quality they have on paper, if they produce it I think they can beat anybody quite well in the tournament,” he added. India were spoilt for choice as they were forced to leave the likes of Shubman Gill and K.L. Rahul. “The only decision I would have had differently and if I was selecting the squad, I would have Shubman Gill over Yashasvi Jaiswal. I have played alongside him, I know how he thinks. I know how he works. “I feel he’s a future leader within that side and I think in big moments, in World Cups the more leaders the better. Even if he’s sitting on the sideline, you still need inspiration from here and there, a sense of positivity.” India head into almost every tournament as favourites but they haven’t won an ICC title in over a decade. The last trophy the ‘Men in Blue’ lifted was the Champions Trophy in 2013. In the last edition of the T20 World Cup they were hammered by 10 wickets by eventual winners England in the semifinals in Adelaide. “I think they can (win), because they have go to a stage now where Adelaide would hurt, recently losing the (ODI) World Cup at home to Australia in front of 1,25,000 Indian fans. “The spinner will come into the game, the level of batsmanship will come into the game if the wickets slow down like we think. But also that excellence in power hitting is the point of difference for me. Shivam Dube has to play,I think he’ll set this World Cup alight. Irony that only time India won T20 WC was pre-IPL: Atherton Many argue that India’s cricket in T20 format has improved by leaps and bounds since the advent of the IPL. But former England captain Michael Atherton pointed out that it ironical that the only time India won the T20 World Cup was before the IPL came into being. “It’s also an irony, because everyone talks about the IPL and how it has improved India’s T20 cricket. The irony is that the only time they have won is pre IPL,” Atherton said. India were the first T20 World Cup winners in 2007. Under the captaincy of the talismanic Mahendra Singh Dhoni, they had beaten arch-rivals Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Haris Rauf says injury lay-off a ‘blessing in disguise’ | Cricket News

Danijones5 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: Pakistan speedster Haris Rauf is optimistic that his three-month absence from cricket due to a shoulder dislocation might turn out to be advantageous as he prepares for the upcoming T20 World Cup.In his comeback match, the second game of Pakistan’s preparatory series against England, the reigning T20 world champions, in Birmingham on Saturday, the 30-year-old pacer displayed a promising performance, claiming a couple of wickets.“I was injured the last few months but if you believe in yourself, then the layoff can be a blessing in disguise,” he told a pre-match press conference in Cardiff on Monday ahead of the third T20.“Because you have time to recover and reassess your game-plans. I felt good coming back to cricket. When you play for your country, it makes you very proud.”As for the mental and physical strain of returning from injury for a fast bowler, Rauf said: “It’s hard. It’s a struggle during your rehab, and it’s difficult when you come back to maintain that pace and accuracy. But if you believe in yourself, it makes things easier. When I wasn’t in the team and rehabbing, I had a lot of time to think about my game and work on myself.“Thankfully I’m back now, and the World Cup is coming up.”Rauf’s return at Edgbaston could not prevent Pakistan suffering a 23-run defeat by England as they fell 1-0 behind in the four-match series with two to play following a washed-out opener.But Rauf insisted Pakistan, the 2009 T20 world champions, remained in optimistic mood ahead of their opening match at this year’s global showpiece against co-hosts the United States in Dallas on June 6.“When you lose a game it hurts, but as a team, we are confident,” he said. “We feel we can beat any opposition on any day. We’ve done it in the past, too. When you make mistakes you learn and try not to repeat those mistakes. We’re looking to play better in the next few games and make a comeback.“The camp is relaxed. We’re enjoying ourselves. We’re trying to follow our game-plans and execute them well. The results haven’t often been in our favour recently but if you stick to your plans they can sometimes follow.” (With inputs from AFP)

Mohammad Amir gets Irish visa, set to join Pakistan side ahead of second T20I

Danijones6 months ago6 months ago02 mins

Pakistan cricket authorities heaved a sigh of relief on Thursday after the Irish consulate issued visa to Mohammad Amir who is likely to join the team before the second T20I in Dublin on May 12. Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir(AFP) The first of the three T20Is will be played on Friday at the Clontaff ground. A PCB source said the board has been notified about Amir’s visa clearance and they are making travel arrangements for the left-arm pacer. Amir is currently in Lahore while the rest of the squad left on Tuesday (May 7) for Dublin for the series. After days of deadlock, the breakthrough eventually came after discussions between the Pakistan Cricket Board and Cricket Ireland over the delay in issuing visa to Amir. The PCB was not given any particular reason for the delay in issuing the visa to Amir by the Irish consulate. But the source said the delay occurred because of a technical ground, which has now been resolved. “Obviously, the PCB was unhappy with the visa delay as it affects the team management plans for the (T20) World Cup and also has a bearing on the affected player who has returned from retirement to international cricket after four years,” the source said. After the series against Ireland, Pakistan will move to England for four T20Is starting from May 22 at Leeds. Interestingly, Amir was readily issued a visa to play in Ireland’s inaugural Test match against Pakistan back in 2018.