t20 world cup

‘Babar Azam se meri koi ladai…’: clarifies Pakistan allrounder | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Pakistani all-rounder Imad Wasim addressed concerns about his relationship with captain Babar Azam ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Wasim dismissed reports of any rift between them, stating that they have a cordial relationship and are focused on winning the tournament for Pakistan. Speaking to the media, Wasim said. “We were just fighting (laughs). No, there are ups and downs everywhere, but I never had a serious fight with Babar, and communication was never stopped. We have to play for Pakistan. We have a population of 25-27 crore, he is our captain, why would we fight? Whoever is the captain of the Pakistan team, you should respect him the same way. So I respect Babar in every case. “Babar k saath meri koi ladai nhi hai (I have no fights with Babar). We just had a meal together. There is no such tension. We are going to play the World Cup, so we can’t even think about these things,” added the all-rounder, who recently chose to take his retirement back in a bid to feature for Pakistan in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The Pakistani team has undergone several changes, with Wasim and Mohammad Amir reversing their retirements to be included in the World Cup squad. Additionally, Babar Azam has been reappointed as the team’s captain, taking over from Shaheen Afridi.Pakistan are diligently preparing for the marquee event, having recently drawn a T20I series against New Zealand. They will face Ireland and England in additional warm-up matches before the World Cup commences in the United States and the Caribbean in June.

‘Brutal!’ Fans react to Sunil Gavaskar’s scathing response to Virat Kohli on strike-rate talks | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

After Sunil Gavaskar‘s scathing response to fellow batting legend Virat Kohli for his comment on cricket experts debating his strike rate in T20s, fans came out in huge numbers on social media to voice their opinion on the controversy. Prior to the announcement of India’s squad for the T20 World Cup, there were talks about Kohli not scoring quickly enough to match the standards of T20 strike rate these days despite the Royal Challengers Bengaluru icon topping the list of run-getters in the ongoing Indian Premier League Season. But Kohli remained in almost ever expert’s list of India’s 15-member T20 World Cup squad and also made it to the official squad announced by the BCCI earlier in the week. Kohli, who has scored 542 runs in 11 matches so far in IPL 2024, reacted to the comments.WHAT KOHLI SAID“Not really, all the people who talk about strike-rates and me not playing spin well are the ones talking about this stuff. For me, it’s about winning the games for the team and there’s a reason why you’ve done it for 15 years, you’ve done this day in and day out, you’ve won games for your teams, I’m not quite sure that if you haven’t been in that situation yourself, to sit and talk about the game in the box.”“For me, people can talk about their assumptions day in and day out, but those who have done it day in and day out, they know what’s happening and it’s a kind of muscle memory for me now.”GAVASKAR’S RESPONSE“Commentators questioned only when his strike rate was 118. I’m not too sure. I don’t watch too many matches, so I don’t know what the other commentators have said otherwise. But if you come and open and then have a strike of 118 when you get out in the 14th or the 15th over, I mean, if you want applause for that, that’s a little bit different.”“All these guys talk about, ‘oh we don’t care about outside noise’. Accha! Then why are you replying to any outside noise or whatever it is? We all played a bit of cricket, not a lot of cricket. We don’t have agendas. We speak about what we see. We don’t necessarily have any likes and dislikes. Even if we have likes and dislikes, we actually speak on what is happening.” “I hope Star Sports realises that when that clip is shown, questioning the critics, the critics are your own commentators. For you to show the person belittling your own commentators, I’m not sure that’s a great thing. You need to realise you have shown it enough times, everybody’s got the message. I would be very disappointed if you show it once more.”HOW THE FANS HAVE REACTED

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

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

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

Twenty20 World Cup West Indies squad | Rovman Powell to lead, rookie Shamar called in

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

Rovman Powell will be leading a strong West Indian squad filled with some of the world’s best franchise freelancers for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Rajasthan Royals power-hitter Rovman Powell will lead a strong West Indies squad, filled with some of the world’s best franchise freelancers, in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas. One of the prominent names included is rookie pace sensation Shamar Joseph, who is a part of Lucknow Super Giants in this edition of IPL. The team bears a formidable look with some of the biggest power-hitters in world cricket like Nicholas Pooran of Lucknow Super Giants, Andre Russell of Kolkata Knight Riders, Shimron Hetmyer of Rajasthan Royals apart from skipper Powell himself being part of the 15. Not to forget Romario Shepherd of Mumbai Indians, Sherfane Rutherford (KKR) and Shai Hope (Delhi Capitals), who are also plying their trade in the cash-rich IPL. Pacer Alzarri Joseph, who plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, is Powell’s deputy while seasoned pros like all-rounders Roston Chase, Jason Holder, batters Johnson Charles, Brandon King have also been inducted. Powell, Shepherd, Russell and Rutherford all can bowl part-time medium pace apart from their primary skill of batting. The co-hosts will have three specialist spinners in left-arm orthodox Akeal Hossain, leg-spinner Gudakesh Motie and off-spinner Chase. The two-time T20 World Cup champions are clubbed alongside Afghanistan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Uganda. They will start their campaign against Papua New Guinea in Guyana on June 2. Squad: Rovman Powell (c), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hossain, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King (wk), Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd.

ICC Twenty20 World Cup | Javagal Srinath, Nitin Menon, Madanagopal named among match officials

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

File photo of match referee Javagal Srinath. Srinath and umpires Nitin Menon and Jayaraman Madanagopal have been named as Indian representatives for the upcoming Twenty20 world cup. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Umpires Nitin Menon and Jayaraman Madanagopal, along with ICC match referee Javagal Srinath will be the Indian representatives at the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas next month. The ICC on May 3 announced the list of 26 match officials set to be in charge for the first round of the month-long event to be held in the United States of America (USA) and the West Indies, starting June 1. There will be 20 umpires who will be officiating in 55 matches across nine venues, which also include renowned ICC umpires — Richard Illingworth, Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel. Besides Madanagopal, the likes of Sam Nogajski, Allahudien Paleker, Rashid Riaz and Asif Yaqoob will also be making their ICC senior men’s competition debut. As for the six referees, Ranjan Madugalle, Jeff Crowe, and Andrew Pycroft will also be among the renowned ones besides Srinath. “Within the selected cohort, we have a complement of experienced match officials and other high-performing members who have been recognized for their strong and consistent performances,” said ICC General Manager, Wasim Khan, in an ICC release. “The throughput from the pathway programme will continue to see the development and emergence of high-quality match officials across the game. “We are proud of the team we have assembled. We are confident that our officials will perform strongly.” Umpires: Chris Brown, Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Allahudien Paleker, Richard Kettleborough, Jayaraman Madanagopal, Nitin Menon, Sam Nogajski, Ahsan Raza, Rashid Riaz, Paul Reiffel, Langton Rusere, Shahid Saikat, Rodney Tucker, Alex Wharf, Joel Wilson and Asif Yaqoob. Match Referees: David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft, Richie Richardson and Javagal Srinath.

Injury blow for Rajasthan Royals! Dhruv Jurel limps off the field – WATCH | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals batsman Dhruv Jurel on Thursday limped off the field with a suspected hamstring injury during the IPL 2024 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.The incident occurred on the last ball of the ninth over when Sunrisers Hyderabad’s opener Travis Head hit a shot off leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who is part of India’s 15-member T20 World Cup squad, towards deep mid-wicket. Dhruv Jurel, positioned near the boundary, sprinted to stop the ball but ended up straining his hamstring.Jurel appeared to be in pain and was subsequently taken off the field.WATCH: Nitish Reddy and Travis Head’s fifties propelled Sunrisers Hyderabad to a formidable 201 for three against Rajasthan Royals.After choosing to bat, SRH opener Head capitalized on an early chance, smashing his fourth fifty of the season with a 44-ball 58. Meanwhile, Nitish, who remained unbeaten at 76 off 42 balls, notched his second half-century during a 96-run partnership off 57 balls for the third wicket.

Pakistan targets right T20 combination against understrength New Zealand | Cricket

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

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

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

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

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

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

‘Leaving Rinku Singh out of T20 World Cup team toughest thing’: Apologetic Ajit Agarkar finds no fault in KKR batter | Crickit

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

BCCI chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said leaving Rinku Singh out of India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup was one of the toughest decisions. India announced their squad on Tuesday (April 30) for the world event slated to take place in the USA and West Indies in June this year. The squad has a good mix of youth experience, but the non-selection of Rinku, one of India’s top performers in T20Is in the lead-up to the IPL, became one of the biggest talking points. India’s Rinku Singh plays a shot(BCCI Twitter) The 26-year-old Aligarh left-hander, who captured the cricketing world’s imagination with five sixes in an over during the previous IPL, made way for Shivam Dube in the main national squad while his name ended up being among the reserves. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Two days after naming the squad, Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma answered queries from reporters in a press conference held in Mumbai. Agarkar said Rinku didn’t do anything wrong. The selectors couldn’t pick the dynamic left-hander in the final 15 as they wanted more bowling options. “(Not picking Rinku Singh) the toughest thing that we have to discuss. Rinku hasn’t done anything wrong, nor has Shubman Gill. It’s about the combinations. We are not quite sure about the conditions. So we wanted to have enough (bowling) options. We have picked a couple of wrist spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, to give Rohit more options. There’s Axar (Patel), a bowling all-rounder. It’s just unfortunate,” Agarkar said on Thursday. ‘Not Riku Singh’s fault that he has missed out’: Agarkar News agency PTI quoted a BCCI source privy to the developments in the selection meeting to claim that Rinku may have paid the price of the Impact Player rule in the IPL, which prevented him from having many opportunities with the bat in this IPL for his franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. The Impact Player rule has allowed every IPL franchise to field an extra batter when they are batting and replace him with a bowler later. As a result, Rinku, who has made a name for himself as a finisher, has played only 82 balls in 9 matches in IPL 2024, scoring 123 runs at a strike rate of 150. KKR have not needed his finishing skills in most of the matches this year as their openers, Phil Salt and Sunil Narine, have been doing the bulk of the scoring. Agarkar, however, said the decision to leave out Rinku had nothing to do with him. It was because of the combination the team management wanted to find the right balance in the USA and West Indies. “I don’t think it has anything to do with him. It’s not Rinku Singh’s fault that he has missed out. With two keepers who are both terrific batters, there’s already an extra batter sitting. So we thought of having an extra bowling option. Rinku is a travelling reserve; that’s how close he was, it’s a little tough on him but at the end of the day, you can only pick 15,” Agarkar said. India start their campaign in the T20 World Cup against Ireland on June 5.

‘Nothing new to me, it’s…’: Rohit Sharma on his return to T20 captaincy | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Seasoned Rohit Sharma exuded confidence while embracing the familiar mantle of T20 captaincy, stating that it’s nothing new to him and it’s a part of his life during the media interaction post India’s T20 World Cup selection in Mumbai on Thursday.His words resonate with the calm assurance of someone well-versed in leadership’s ebbs and flows.Undeterred by the weight of responsibility, Rohit’s demeanour suggests a seasoned player ready to navigate the challenges ahead.“I was captain. Not being captain and then again captain. It’s part of life. Not everything will go your way. It’s been a great experience. Before in my life, I was also not captain and played under different captains. It’s nothing to me. I have always tried to do what’s required as a player and I have tried to do that in the last 1 month,” Rohit told reporters on his return to T20 captaincy.Rohit stressed upon the fact that the team management particularly looked at middle-order hitting since our top-order has been good.“Don’t know how the pitch will be in the USA. We are playing in the West Indies but at different venues. You have to look at the opposition combinations as well. One thing that we looked at was middle-order hitting. Our top-order hitting has been alright, not that bad.We wanted someone to play that role in the middle overs freely, without worrying about who is bowling. Shivam Dube was the guy who showed this in IPL. Again, no guarantee what our playing XI will be like. Will decide based on practice and the combination of our opposition,” Rohit added.With a past adorned by numerous captaincy stints, he steps back into the role with an air of nonchalance, as if slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes. Rohit’s return is not just a reinstatement; it’s a reaffirmation of his capability to steer the team through the choppy waters of T20 cricket with aplomb.