Cricket

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kick off their campaign against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 2 of the Indian Premier League on Saturday at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. With captain Shreyas Iyer out for the tournament due to a back injury, stand-in skipper Nitish Rana will have a point or two to prove as he looks to take his team to the playoffs against all odds. While the job won't be an easy one, head coach Chandrakant Pandit's presence could be beneficial for the franchise. Ahead of their first game of the season, here's what we think could be KKR's playing XI against PBKS: Rahmanullah Gurbaz : After being drafted to the team from Gujarat Titans, the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter will look to get opportunities this time around. Despite hardly played last season, Gurbaz can help KKR in sorting out their top-order issues. Venkatesh Iyer : Keeping in mind the left-right combination, Venkatesh is likely to open the innings, alongside Gurbaz. After enjoying a breakt...

Under the leadership of new captain Shikhar Dhawan , Punjab Kings are all set to begin their campaign for the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday. Led by the veteran opening batter Dhawan, the Kings will be guided by World Cup-winning coach Trevor Bayliss, as they eye their maiden IPL title. PBKS will also keep high hopes from England all-rounder Sam Curran , who became the costliest buy with a sum of Rs 18.50 crore at IPL auctions 2023. The team will miss the service of star pacer Kagiso Rabada in the first game as he is on national duty. In his absence, Arshdeep Singh will have more responsibilities on his shoulders. However, PBKS are likely to rope in Nathan Ellis in the playing XI to fill the void of Rabada. PBKS will also be missing Liam Livingstone in their first game and this might see their new recruit Sikandar Raza getting a chance to feature in the playing XI. He was bought for Rs 50 lakh at IPL auctions 2023. Bhanu...

MS Dhoni is one of the most-loved cricketers in the world and star singer Arijit Singh is also a fan of the veteran wicket-keeper batsman. The duo shared a heartwarming moment during the opening ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday and the picture has already gone viral. In the picture doing the rounds, Arijit could be seen touching Dhoni's feet as the two of them met after the performances. Arijit thrilled the fans with his hit songs during the opening ceremony and he was joined by actresses Rashmika Mandanna and Tamannah Bhatia.  Arijit Singh touched MS Dhoni's feet during IPL 2023 opening ceremony. pic.twitter.com/8DeX3mRb9N — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 31, 2023 Shubman Gill eclipsed Ruturaj Gaikwad's high-quality knock with a dazzling half-century as Gujarat Titans began their title defence with a convincing five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings.  Gaikwad was all class in his 92 off ...

Shubman Gill eclipsed Ruturaj Gaikwad 's high-quality knock with a dazzling half-century as Gujarat Titans began their title defence with a convincing five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL opener in Ahmedabad on Friday. Gaikwad was all class in his 92 off 50 balls before Titans pulled things back in the middle overs to limit Chennai Super Kings to 178 for seven after opting to bowl first in front of a near capacity crowd at the world's largest cricket stadium. In the form of his life over the past three months, Gill played some jaw-dropping strokes in his 63 off 36 balls to set up a fine win for the home team. Titans got home in 19.2 overs. Gill's opening partner Wriddhiman Saha showed he has still got it as he smashed a couple of sixes and as many fours in his 16-ball 25 that got the Titans going in the run chase. Gill's best shot of the innings was the back foot punch off CSK's impact player Tushar Deshpande and he followed with a pick up shot o...

One of the greatest cricketers the game has produced, MS Dhoni is all set to achieve a new milestone as the Chennai Super Kings take on defending champions Gujarat Titans on the first day of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Dhoni, who has featured in every single IPL since since the T20 league's inception in 2008, is closing in on a huge milestone that would see him become only the 7th player in the tournament's history to score 5000 or more runs. Dhoni, at present, has 4978 runs to his name in the T20 league, having represented two franchises -- Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiants. If he scores 22 more runs in the IPL 2023 opener against Gujarat Titans, he will cross the 5000-run mark in the franchise league. The list is led by Royal Challengers Bangalore stalwart Virat Kohli who has 6624 runs to his name in 223 matches. He is followed by Shikhar Dhawan , David Warner , Rohit Sharma , Suresh Raina , and AB de Villiers . Top scoring batters in IPL history:...

Holders Gujarat Titans will take on four-time champions Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Gujarat pulled off a fairytale title win in their debut season with Hardik Pandya leading the side to victory in front of a record crowd of almost 105,000 fans last year. CSK, on the other hand, had a campaign to forget last time out, finishing ninth in the table with just four wins from a possible 14. GT have managed to retain their core group of players from last season, whilst bolstering their squad with the additions of Kane Williamson , Josh Little and Odean Smith . Meanwhile, England Test captain Ben Stokes ' arrival at CSK might boost the MS Dhoni -led side's title hopes this season. When will the Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2023 match be played? The Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2023 match will be played on Friday, March 31. Where will the Gujarat Tita...

The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will kickstart from Friday with a mouth-watering clash between holders Gujarat Titans (GT) and four-time champions Chennai Super Kings here at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Celebrities will enthrall fans from across the globe with their performances during the IPL opening ceremony. The 2023 IPL opening ceremony will showcase the likes of Rashmika Mandhana and Tamannaah Bhatia. Singer and composer Arijit Singh will also mesmerise the crowd ahead of the opening game between GT and CSK. The opening ceremony on Friday will be the first of its kind since 2018. When will the IPL 2023 Opening Ceremony be held? The IPL 2023 Opening Ceremony will be held on Friday, March 31. Where will the IPL 2023 Opening Ceremony be held? The IPL 2023 Opening Ceremony will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. What time will the IPL 2023 Opening Ceremony start? The IPL 2023 Opening Ceremony will start at 6 PM. Which TV channels ...

Set to miss at least first leg of the IPL due to an Achilles (heel) problem, Royal Challengers Bangalore's Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood would reach India by April 14 but would take another week to be match-fit. While Hazlewood will miss at least seven IPL games, his Australian teammate Glenn Maxwell is doubtful for RCB's opening match against Mumbai Indians on April 2 in Bengaluru as he is yet to fully regain strength post leg fracture. "Everything is ticking along according to plan, so I'll be heading over on the 14th (of April) depending on how the next two weeks go," Hazlewood was quoted as saying by The Age. "I probably won't be quite ready to go right then, but (after) another week in India to touch things up skills wise I should be ready to go hopefully." Hazlewood, who had to opt out of Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, is hoping to get ready for the Ashes via the IPL. "You don't need a lot of workload for T20. It's more...

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 is set to kick off with a grand opening ceremony on Friday at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. While the cricketing focus is on the match between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Gujarat Titans, the curtain-raiser event is also going to be mesmerising, considering a drone show will be conducted, together with some celebrity performances. Ahead of the opening ceremony, a video emerged on social media, showing a glimpse of the drone show that will be held on Friday. As per reports, around 1,500 drones will be used at the opening ceremony, creating a unique light show that has not been seen in the IPL before. The drones will form different shapes in the sky, one of them being the IPL trophy. The rehearsals for the drone show have reportedly been going on for a couple of days. Here's a glimpse: This is simply magnificent - the drone show tonight will be mesmerizing. pic.twitter.com/43XmTMNczd — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) ...

With the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) around the corner, the excitement among fans has been growing with each passing day. Gujarat Titans (GT) will kick off their title defense on Friday when they take on four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. GT lifted the title in their first season in the tournament after beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the final last year. Ahead of the start of the new season, former England captain Michael Vaughan has issued a bold statement regarding the winner of IPL 2023. Vaughan has backed the Sanju Samson -led RR, who were beaten in the final last year, to go all the way this time around. "Can't wait for the IPL to start .. Looking forward to being part of the @cricbuzz team .. I thinks it's going to be @rajasthanroyals year .. they will be lifting the trophy in late May," Vaughan tweeted. Can't wait for the IPL to start .. Looking forward to being part of the @cricbuzz team ...

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 3rd Odi Live Updates:  Keeping an eye at securing automatic qualification for the World Cup, Sri Lanka will look to win the third ODI against New Zealand and hope for some other results to go in their favour. Their hopes took a major blow on Tuesday when heavy rain and gusting winds forced the second ODI against New Zealand to be abandoned without a ball being bowled. Having also lost the first ODI in the three-match series, Sri Lanka are now ninth in the Super League table with 82 points, six points behind West Indies. (LIVE SCORECARD) from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/mf3pq0S

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 has come up with a new rule, starting from the 16th edition of the league. Any team, on a given day, would virtually see 12 players in action. While eleven players per side has been the standard rule in the sport, an additional player would now be able to leave his mark on the field, as an 'impact player'. The rule is new in the IPL but has already been used in the Australian Big Bash League (BBL). The rule allows each franchise to bring an 'impact player' into the playing team, be it while bowling or batting. While submitting the team sheets, the captains will be allowed to name four substitute players from which one can be called upon later. The 'Impact Player' can do everything from the time he comes onto the pitch, be it batting, bowling or fielidng. But, the "Impact Player can only be an Indian player unless the franchise has fewer than four overseas players in the Playing XI." As per the BCCI, " an ov...

During a National T20 Cup match in 2019, Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Ilyas served up a strong contender for the worst wicket-taking delivery in the history of the sport. Ilyas dragged a delivery way down the leg-side and the unfortunate batter, Zain Abbas, fell for the pie-ball. While Ilyas' delivery was threatening to land outside the tramline, Abbas had a one-handed poke at it and got a top edge, which fled straight to the keeper, who made no mistake and grabbed the delivery.  The video of the incident has been doing rounds on social media. Reacting to the same, New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham reacted to the video by saying: "Legitimately could be the worst ball in cricket history to ever get a wicket. Impressive." Legitimately could be the worst ball in cricket history to ever get a wicket. Impressive. https://t.co/Z0ItGfKJdF — Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) March 29, 2023 Speaking of Neesham, the 32-year-old was last seen in action during the recently-conclu...

'Workload management' is an important contributor to players' performances. With the gruelling 2-month-long Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season set to start on March 31, many are worried about the Indian players' workload, especially keeping the World Test Championship final against Australia in mind. Rohit Sharma , who is the captain of both the Indian team and Mumbai Indians, was asked about taking 'rest' from IPL during the course of the season. His didn't just dodge the bullet himself but put head coach Mark Boucher in the spotlight. In an interaction for Mumbai Indians ahead of the start of the new season, Rohit was asked about sitting out from a few matches.  He said: "I think Mark will give you an answer to that." Boucher, who is the new MI head coach, said: "Do you want to rest? He is the captain," said, before adding "Hopefully, he (Rohit) gets into some good form and hopefully, he doesn't want to rest. We will a...

Star India batter Virat Kohli on Thursday shared a photo of his Class 10th marksheet. Kohli, who ended his Test century drought in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, is gearing up for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. The 34-year-old will be part of Royal Challengers Bangalore's squad for the 16th straight season, having joined them as an 19-year-old in 2008. Taking to Koo, Kohli shared a photo of his Class 10th marksheet, with a quirky caption. "It's funny how the things that add the least to your marksheet, add the most to your character," Kohli posted. Koo App It's funny how the things that add the least to your marksheet, add the most to your character. #LetThereBeSport View attached media content - Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) 30 Mar 2023 RCB will start their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season with a match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at their home arena, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Last year, RCB qualified ...

Social media is a place where people are free to express their views. However, on occasions, incidents are seen where banter between a few people gets ugly. Such was the instance in two sets of fans on social media. The fans of Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan went loggerheads with each other on Twitter, arguing over who is better than the other. Comparisons between cricketers or two actors are often seen among fans on social media, but one between a cricketer and an actor was certainly new. "Who is a bigger personality and achiever globally?" a Twitter user asked on March 28 through a poll on the micro-blogging website. The options were: a) Shah Rukh Khan and b) Virat Kohli. This was the start of a crazy fan war on social media. Who is a bigger personality and achiever globally ? — Slog Sweep-189 (@SloggSweep) March 27, 2023 Fans highlighted random facts to draw inferences that would leave the neutrals scratching their heads. Her...

Afghanistan's milestone victory against Pakistan echoed throughout the world of cricket. It was the first time Afghanistan had beaten Pakistan in a bilateral T20I series and star spinner Rashid Khan was the main beneficiary as he overtook Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga to again become the top ranked T20I bowler in the world once again. The right-arm bowler collected a wicket in each of the three matches against Pakistan in Sharjah, with his miserly economy rate in both of Afghanistan's victories during the first two games of the series being a standout. Rashid's teammate Fazalhaq Farooqi was the standout pacer during the series with a total of five wickets and an economy rate of just 4.75 and the left-armer shot up an eye-catching 12 spots to third overall in the latest rankings update. It means Afghanistan now have three players inside the top 10 of the T20I category for bowlers, with spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman , part of the talented trio, at the eighth spot follow...

The reports of MS Dhoni 's possible retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) have been making headlines for quite some time. While Dhoni is busy practicing with Chennai Super Kings ahead of IPL 2023, various experts have already said that he will not be playing in the competition after this year. In a recent interaction, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma weighed in on the issue and the star India opener said that Dhoni looks fit enough to play in the IPL for the next 2-3 seasons.  "I've been hearing for the last 2-3 years that this is going to be MS Dhoni's last season. I think he is fit enough to play a few more seasons," Rohit said in MI's pre-season press conference.  Recently, Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag said that Dhoni has mastered the role of a finisher, and nobody comes anywhere close to the former India captain.  The 21-year-old from Guwahati, who will be playing his fifth IPL this year, added that while he is happy donning the role...

Indian cricket team legend Anil Kumble is no stranger to the Indian Premier League. The spinner was a part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team as a player and later, he also coached the Punjab Kings franchise. While he had the chance of watching hundreds of players – both domestic and international – perform at the competition, he picked West Indies star Chris Gayle as the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) in IPL history. Kumble praised his destructive style of batting and how he could change any game.  "There are plenty of them; it's difficult to pick just one. I can certainly look back and say probably Chris Gayle, someone who is larger than life. The way he came across as a player! What he brought to RCB and the way he sorts of changed the whole powerplay and the power he brought to batting," Kumble said during a Q&A session on JioCinema ahead of the new season of the IPL.  Earlier, in an episode of 'My Time with Virat', available on Jio Cinema, Chris ...

Former Indian cricket team opener Aakash Chopra had a warning for Chennai Super Kings ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 opener against Gujarat Titans. Ruturaj Gaikwad is a crucial member of the MS Dhoni -led side with many experts considering him the future caption of the franchise. However, Chopra was not impressed by his approach towards building the innings slowly and the ex-cricketer made it clear that he will have to “hit the ground running” in order to benefit his side more.  “It is possible that Ruturaj Gaikwad hits the ground up and running. Right now, he starts slowly and picks pace as he builds the innings. But the days of diesel engines are over, we have EVs now. Ruturaj has to become an electric vehicle,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.  Chopra was also not convinced by the inclusion of England international Ben Stokes in the CSK ranks as he believes that the all-rounder's style of play may not help the side. Stokes was bought for a massive Rs ...

Romario Shepherd 's late batting assault and a five-wicket haul by Alzarri Joseph took the West Indies to a series-clinching seven-run win against South Africa in the third Twenty20 international at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday. Shepherd slammed 44 not out off 22 balls to lift the West Indies from 161 for eight to 220 for eight, sharing an unbeaten ninth wicket stand of 59 off 26 balls with Joseph, who made 14 not out. Fast bowler Joseph then took five for 40 as South Africa were restricted to 213 for six. New West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell said the players had responded to his call "to be fearless, to be natural – but you have to be smart too. The guys were excellent in this series." Joseph, who missed the second match in Centurion when South Africa achieved a world record run chase of 259, struck crucial blows when he took the wickets of T20 stars Quinton de Kock (21) and David Miller (11). Joseph effecti...

The 16th edition of Indian Premier League will kick-start from Friday with defending champions Gujarat Titans taking on four-time winners Chennai Super Kings, at the Narendra Modi Stadium. With new season, Royal Challengers Bangalore will be in search of their first-ever title, as they take on Mumbai Indians in the opening match. The Faf du Plessis -led side had a decent outing in the previous season, where they won eight out of 14 matches. RCB entered the playoffs and defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 14 runs in the Eliminator. However, their happiness could not last long as they faced a seven-wicket defeat against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 and lost another big opportunity of claiming the coveted trophy.  The major strength of RCB in the previous season was their skipper du Plessis, who smashed a whopping total of 468 runs in 16 matches, laced with three half-centuries and a highest score of 96. Apart from him, Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga turned out to be the bigges...

March 31 will be a memorable moment for many fans out there as the day not only marks the beginning of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League but Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni will be back in action on the field. As the upcoming edition of IPL has brought back the concept of home and away matches, which was earlier stopped due to Covid-19, the crowd will see MS Dhoni back at CSK's fortress, Chepauk. The four-time IPL champions will be squaring off against defending champions Gujarat Titans in the season opener on Friday and preparations for the much-awaited clash have begun with Dhoni, sweating it out in the nets at Chepauk. Recently, CSK posted a video, where the crowd welcomed the former India skipper to the practice ground, with wild cheers and chants of Dhoni's name. As the video went viral on social media, former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris retweeted it with a mindblowing caption. "Still the big dog around town!!" Styris, who was also a...

Indian cricket team has had some extraordinary batters over the years. If one is to pick the name that sits atop the list, most would arguably go with Sachin Tendulkar . However, former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has revealed that it wasn't Tendulkar the Pakistan cricket team most feared while playing against India during his time as an active cricketer. It was Virender Sehwag that the Pakistan team considered the 'most dangerous', with Tendulkar occupying the second spot in the list. "Virender Sehwag was the most dangerous player. After that Sachin Tendulkar. Pakistan used to plan against Sehwag and Tendulkar. Our plan used to be like - if we get these two wickets - Sehwag and Tendulkar - we will win the match. In bowling, our batsmen used to plan against Zaheer Khan . Irfan Pathan was there too for some time. Harbhajan Singh was there. These were the big names who played big matches and performed for their country," Razzaq revealed in a chat with the ...

Australia's Steve Smith will debut as a commentator at the upcoming Indian Premier League, the tournament's broadcaster said Tuesday, ending the mystery about his return to the event. The 16th edition of the cash-rich Twenty20 extravaganza begins Friday in Ahmedabad, with 10 teams and a host of global stars in attendance for the eight-week tournament. "Steve Smith has joined the expert panel for the marquee tournament. Smith will be making his broadcast debut with Star Sports, adding his invaluable insights and expertise to Star Sports' already impressive roster of panelists," the broadcaster said in a statement. Smith, 33, announced his return to the tournament on Twitter on Monday, saying in a teaser video: "Namaste, India. I've got some exciting news for you: I'm joining IPL 2023." That post sparked speculation he might return to the tournament as a player. The video drew considerable mirth on social media for Smith's robot-like performa...

No matter how many times the International Cricket Council and the Marylebone Cricket Club labelled the 'non-striker run-out' as a legal form of dismissal, some still remain against it. In a domestic match in Australia, a non-striker became the victim of bowlers' awareness but what happened later was truly unexpected. In a match between Claremont and New Norfolk, the batter Jarrod Kaye was run-out at the non-striker's end as he left his crease before the bowler was to deliver the ball. The decision was referred to the third umpire, who told the on-field umpires that the non-striker had to depart. Fuming over the decision, Kaye threw his bat and gloves away while returning to the pavillion, leading to some never-seen-before visuals on the field. A Tasmanian cricketer was NOT happy after getting out via a Mankad and launched his bat, helmet and gloves into the air! pic.twitter.com/y64z4kwpE3 — Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) March 28, 2023 Coming out to bat first, New Nor...

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq can be called controversy's "favourite child". Razzaq stays in the limelight with his harsh comments on players and teams. The 43-year-old cricketer, who played his last match for Pakistan in 2013, invited a lot of criticism after he stated that the India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is nowhere near Kapil Dev . However, Razzaq has made headlines once again but this time he opened up on his statement regarding Pandya and claimed that his words were wrongly portrayed by the critics. In a recent interview with the Times of India , Razzaq said, "My earlier statement on Hardik Pandya was taken the wrong way. I didn't mean it. As a cricketer, I just said there is scope for improvement in him (Pandya). I didn't comment on a player who is from India, England, or Australia. I just said things as a cricketer. If Kapil Dev says that he wants to give advice to Abdul Razzaq, I will take this statement positively." “He can wor...

India opener Shikhar Dhawan has defended Suryakumar Yadav after the latter's disappointing run in the recently concluded Test series against Australia by making the case that SKY has been extremely consistent when it comes to white-ball cricket. Suryakumar became the first Indian batsman to score three consecutive golden ducks in a three-match ODI series and that prompted extreme criticism from experts who asked the team management to look for another No 4 ahead of the World Cup. In a recent interaction, Dhawan was asked about Suryakumar's situation, and he said that failures can occur in the course of one's career and backed the batter to bounce back strongly in the future.  "Suryakumar Yadav has performed really well. He has consistently performed in the last couple of years. (He hasn't done well) in a couple of series, which is very natural. If we talk about the Test match, the wickets are very different in a Test; that is the biggest challenge. When we play...

The 16th season of the Indian Premier League is all set to kick off, but Delhi Capitals' hunt for a maiden title continues. The side was earlier known as Delhi Daredevils before the owners of the franchise decided to change its name to Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2019. After that, the team has shown a noticeable improvement but the title keeps eluding them. They have played the final only once. It happened in the year 2020 when Mumbai Indians got better of them. Comes another IPL season and DC will once again hope to win their first-ever title. However, this is definitely not an ideal start for the side. Their skipper Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the season as he continues to recover from a horrific car crash he met with in December last year. David Warner will be leading the side in Pant's absence. Star opener Prithvi Shaw will again be a key batter for the side, while Mitchell Marsh will provide power to the middle order. What would worry DC is the fact that Pant...