Cricket

There is a lot of excitement among cricket fans, especially the Indians, for the upcoming clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023, but there is a lot of struggle involved for a lot of these die-hard supporters of Men in Blue as tickets are sold out, so are the hotels and accommodation in Kandy, Sri Lanka, where the match is taking place. India and Pakistan will clash in their highly-anticipated Asia Cup 2023 match on Saturday at Kandy. The MD of a hotel told ANI that all the rooms are full and they are still receiving inquiries from fans. "We are happy that cricket is back here. We are getting ready for the match between India and Pakistan. We are still receiving inquiries and started receiving them a month back. Now, we are fully packed. It is an amazing experience to see this after a long while, after the economic crisis and COVID-19," said the MD to ANI. She said that the hotel is preparing really well to make the experience of their customers a gre...

South African cricketing legend Jacques Kallis remarked that the Proteas players should stick to their roles during the ICC Cricket World Cup in India and continue the manner in which they have been playing, pointing that past unsuccessful campaigns were because the players "wanted it too much" and "went outside their roles" because of it. South African legends Kallis and Faf du Plessis have shared their thoughts on how the Proteas could fare at the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 in India. South Africa heads into the marquee tournament in India with a nice blend of youth and experience to pick from. They have never ever won a major ICC World Championship despite featuring some of cricket's most exciting and talented stars in their squad over the years. When the selectors gather to pick their squad for the World Cup, they will have exciting young talents in Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs and Gerald Coetzee to pick from alongside seasoned campaigne...

Pakistan Cricket Board is facing strong criticism from fans and a few former players over the omission of country's name on the official Asia Cup logo on participating teams' jerseys. Former captain Rashid Latif was among those who lashed out at the board soon after the Pakistan team took the field against Nepal in the opening match of the Asia Cup in Multan on Wednesday. Though Asia Cup is jointly staged by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the former is the host of the tournament. “This is unacceptable and it is the Asian Cricket Council which must explain this oversight since the Asia Cup is their property,” he said. Since the hue and cry, PCB unofficially has tried to play down the situation by saying that the ACC had taken a decision after last year's Asia Cup that the host country's name would not be given with the Asia Cup logo in future events. But most Pakistani cricket fans on social media are not willing to accept this explanation. Some have even questioned that even ...

The Indian cricket team has a long legacy of producing quality spinners over the years and in the recent past, the spin attack has played a massive role in their success on the global stage. Ahead of their Asia Cup 2023 opener against Pakistan on September 2, questions remain over the composition of the spin attack that skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid may opt for but one thing is clear - the spinners will have a major role to play. The importance of the Indian spinners is extremely apparent when they are compared to their Pakistan counterparts since 2022. While Pakistan spinners have taken 57 ODI wickets in this period, India's spin attack have contributed massively with 100 dismissals. While the numbers of wickets is quite superior when it comes to Indian spinners, what makes the statistics even more interesting is the economy rate. The Indian spinners (5.1) once again have a slight advantage in that sector in comparison to the Pakistan bowlers who had an econo...

Former India captain MS Dhoni is making the most of his time away from cricket. From driving luxurious cars to flying in economy class, Dhoni has done it all after leading Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) title earlier this year. In a viral video, Dhoni was seen interacting with two young fans on the occasion of 'Rakshabandhan'. In the video, Dhoni was seen enjoying the wholesome moment while signing a bat for the kids. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter also clicked pictures with the young fans, who seemed excited to receive an autographed bat from Dhoni. #MSDhoni pic.twitter.com/uK0UvoRZV7 — Chakri Dhoni (@ChakriDhoni17) August 30, 2023 From working as a ticket collector at a railway station, Dhoni transformed into India's biggest trophy collector, leading the team to ICC T20 World Cup 2007, ICC ODI World Cup 2011 and ICC Champions Trophy 2013 as skipper. MS Dhoni is undoubtedly one of the greatest captains cricket ever witnessed. ...

New captain Mitchell Marsh led a powerful Australian batting performance and set up a crushing 111-run win in the first T20I against South Africa at Kingsmead on Wednesday. Marsh clubbed a T20 career-best 92 not out off 49 balls as Australia piled up 226 for six after being sent in. Opening batsman Reeza Hendricks hit 56 for South Africa but the hosts were bowled out for 115. Debutant leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha took four for 31 after receiving a late call-up when Adam Zampa fell ill.  "He's a fantastic young talent," said Marsh. Both sides were missing several key players. Australia went on an all-out attack, with Marsh slamming 20 runs off the second over, bowled by Lungi Ngidi . New cap Matt Short (20) and Tim David (64) shared stands of 63 off 26 balls for the second wicket and 97 off 50 deliveries for the fifth wicket with Marsh. "I thought Tim was fantastic. It was a really good partnership," said Marsh. There were 11 sixes in the Australian inn...

The cricket world is waiting with baited breath for the mega India vs Pakistan coach at the Asia Cup 2023 in Sri Lanka on Saturday. The match will be a closely watched affair as will be the individual performance Virat Kohli , Rohit Sharma ahead of the Cricket World Cup. The performance in the Asia Cup 2023 will be a great indicator of where the form of the players lie ahead of the Cricket World Cup. Brad Hogg , former Cricket World Cup-winning Australian leg spinner, believes the contest between Shaheen Shah Afridi and the Indian cricket team top order will decide the fate of the marquee India vs Pakistan clash. India will play their opening match against Pakistan on September 2 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. Hogg said that he would be watching the star-studded clash and the contest could be decided between India's experienced batters and Pakistan's fast-bowling prowess.  "I definitely will be watching it. It is one of the biggest contests tha...

Bangladesh was dealt a significant blow on the opening day of the Asia Cup 2023, as star wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das has been ruled out for the entire duration of the tournament. Litton has been ruled out of the 2023 Asia Cup after he was unable to recover from a viral fever. He did not travel to Sri Lanka for Bangladesh's opening match in Pallekele. "The National Selection Panel of BCB has named 30-year-old fellow right-hander Anamul Haque Bijoy as Litton's replacement," the Bangladesh Cricket Board said in an official statement. Anamul Haque has played 44 ODIs and has scored 1254 runs which include three hundreds. His last ODI appearance for Bangladesh was in December last year against India. He is due to arrive in Sri Lanka to join the Bangladesh team later on Wednesday. The Chairman of the National Selection Panel, Minhajul Abedin, commented on replacing Das with a like-to-like replacement: “He (Anamul) has been among the runs in domestic cricket and we have...

The Asia Cup 2023 is all set to begin, with the opening match taking place between Pakistan and Nepal on August 30. The first match of the tournament will be held at the Multan Cricket Stadium but before the event begins, the tournament's curtain-raiser event will see some glittery performances. The opening ceremony will feature Pakistani singer Aima Baig and Nepal's Trishala Gurung looking to set the stage on fire. Though Pakistan were the sole hosts for the Asia Cup 2023, the Indian team's refusal to travel to the country for the event saw more than half of the matches being shifted to Sri Lanka. However, it was revealed by the Pakistan Cricket Board chief that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Roger Binny and vice-president Rajiv Shukla will be coming to Pakistan to attend the opening ceremony. Who will perform in the Asia Cup 2023 Opening Ceremony? It has been reported that Pakistani singer Aima Baig and Nepali singer Trishala Gurung, among a...

As the Asia Cup 2023 begins, it's the India and Pakistan teams that are being considered the 'favourites' for the title. Though it was the Sri Lankan team that won the title last time around (in the T20 version of the tournament), India and Pakistan are being seen as the two outright favourites. While the Indian team has won the tournament, in the ODI version, the most number of times, Pakistan have really pulled their socks up in the last few years. Veteran Indian spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin , in his preview for the Asia Cup 2023, tried to decode the rise of the Paksitan team over the last 5-6 years, and what makes them favourites this year, alongside the Indian team. "I used to envy looking at the Pakistan side. 5-6 years back, they used to struggle in big tournaments like Asia Cup and World Cup. Yes, of course, they have won big tournaments in the past. They have won the 1992 World Cup and delivered a consistent performance in the T20 World Cup. The main reason fo...

The Asia Cup, once considered a mini-version of the World Cup, has gradually turned into a preparatory platform for the World Cup. Whichever World Cup is being held that year, be it in the ODI format or T20I, the Asia Cup is molded into the same format. Last year, when the Asia Cup was held in the UAE, it was the Sri Lanka cricket team that emerged triumphant, winning the title in the T20 format. But, this time around, the Asian sides will battle it out in the 50-over format of the game. But, why is it so? The 'Format' of Asia Cup Though the Asia Cup boasts of some of the top sides in the world, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, etc., the tournament is still seen as a 'preparatory' event. These days, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) organises the Asia Cup the same year when the World Cup is taking place. Whichever format of the World Cup it is (T20 or 50-over), the Asia Cup takes that form. Considering the manner in which the game has grown...

The return of Jasprit Bumrah has been the biggest news in Indian cricket in recent times. The ace pacer, once the bowling spearhead of team team, had been out of action by lower back injury and subsequent rehabilitation for the last 11 months. However, his comeback against Ireland in the T20I series had Indian cricket fans going gaga over his return. A big test awaits for him in the form of Asia Cup and the World Cup.  Playing a T20I match, where a maximum of four overs can be bowler by a player, and an ODI match, where the strike bowler of the team is expected to bowl 10 intense overs is different. Indian cricket team head coach Rahul Dravid , in his pre-departure press conference before boarding a flight to Sri Lanka, hinted that Bumrah will be slowed eased into full action.    "It's great to have them (Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna ) back and see them bowling well. Jasprit is someone we have missed a lot in the past two years he hasn't played much. We will ease him int...

Pakistan have named their playing XI for the opening game of the Asia Cup against Nepal in Multan on Wednesday. With Nepal as their opponent in the opening game of the 2023 Asia Cup, Pakistan has prioritised batting depth. Pakistan has many bowling options with three frontline quicks and three all-rounders who can bowl spin. The team made a few adjustments from the starting lineup against Afghanistan in the final ODI in Colombo. While Saud Shakeel moves to the middle order, Iftikhar Ahmed takes his place. Pakistan chose to go with Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, leaving no opportunity for pacer Mohammad Wasim. Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz will be aided by Salman Agha in the spin department.  The batting line-up has a familiar look with Iftikhar coming back into the middle-order after missing the final ODI against Afghanistan.  Pakistan XI: Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Sh...

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) boss has confirmed that The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Roger Binny is set to travel across the border to attend the opening ceremony of the Asia Cup, which begins on August 30. While PCB remains the host for this edition's Asia Cup, the tournament will only partly be held in Pakistan, with the majority of the matches scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka. Such a format was set up over the BCCI's reluctance to send its players to Pakistan for the tournament, over security issues. But, the BCCI president Roger Binny and vice-president Rajiv Shukla have accepted the Pakistan board's proposal of hosting them in Multan on the opening day of the tournament. "BCCI President and Vice President are coming to Pakistan for the opening ceremony of Asia Cup," Zaka Ashraf said, according to Pakistan media. "We welcome everyone who is coming to Pakistan [during Asia Cup]". The Pakistan board chief's comm...

India captain Rohit Sharma has his legacy as a skipper hanging in balance, with the national set to embark upon two adventurous journeys in the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup. India's failure to win an ICC title over the last decade has seen a plethora of changes in the leadership role being made. Virat Kohli took the Indian team to new heights but couldn't bag an ICC title as a skipper. When India legend Sunil Gavaskar was asked about Rohit's legacy as a skipper, he said the Hitman would be judged by the number of trophies he would win. "At the end of the day you are judged by the number of trophies you have won, the numbers of wins you have. Winning these two tournaments will make him one of India's greatest skippers," Gavaskar was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times . Gavaskar shared his opinion on the Indian team's preparedness for the World Cup too. While many experts feel the No. 4 conundrum is one of the team's biggest problems in the ODI f...

Dewald Brevis will take a step onto cricket's big stage during Australia's white-ball tour of South Africa, which starts with the first of three Twenty20 internationals at Kingsmead on Wednesday. Brevis, 20, was nicknamed 'Baby AB' for the way he modelled his game on that of retired South African star AB de Villiers . He wears the same number 17 on his shirt and has the ability to hit big sixes, particularly in the area between midwicket and long-on. He slammed a South African T20 record score of 162 off 57 balls in a domestic match last October but has yet to have consistent success for franchise teams in four countries. Brevis is expected to make his international debut in the T20 series and will need to live up to the early hype about his career to secure a ticket to the 50-overs Cricket World Cup in India in October and November. Brevis is part of an 18-man squad for a five-match one-day international series which follows the T20s. Only 15 players will go to the ...

Pakistan cricket team climbed of the top of ODI rankings after winning their three-match series against Afghanistan 3-0. The victory came at a brilliant time for the side as they geared up for the Asia Cup 2023 where they will face long-time rivals India. Following Pakistan's win over Afghanistan in the third T20I encounter, Babar gave a speech to the team about unity and taking responsibility. In a video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Babar could be seen motivating his teammates and he told them that the success for the side came because of all of their hard work and the fact that their hearts were pure. “Today we are No. 1 just because of our hard work. We went through a lot of ups and downs but the unity of this team is intact.  ‘Har bande ka dil saaf hai' (Every guy's heart is pure). No one is thinking like, ‘He did this, why didn't I?'. Everyone is happy with everyone else's performance and this should stay like this,” Babar said. “Our bowling w...

Suryakumar Yadav admitted that ODI cricket is the "most challenging" format for him. However, he added that he is looking forward to doing well in the format. The 32-year-old right-hander is the number one T20I batter but he has failed to replicate the performance in the 50-over games for India. With an under-par performance so far, Suryakumar struggles to find his feet in ODI cricket. The batter said that he continues to seek help from Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli. "I would try to fulfill the role I am given by the team, no matter what role. This is a format I am looking forward to doing well in. I am doing great in T20Is. But these both are white-ball formats. Why I cannot crack the code here, people are wondering," Suryakumar told Star Sports as quoted by ANI. Suryakumar said that he finds the ODI format the most challenging one because one has to play a healthy mix of all formats in it. "I am practicing. For me, this format is the most cha...

England are prepared to play Ben Stokes as a batsman only when they defend their 50-over men's World Cup title in India after the Test captain reversed his decision to retire from one-day internationals. The all-rounder, troubled by a longstanding left knee injury that restricted his bowling during the recent drawn Ashes Test series at home to Australia, said playing in all three international formats was "unsustainable" when calling time on his ODI career 13 months ago. The 32-year-old had planned to use a six-month gap until England next play Test cricket, away to India, in order to attend to his chronic problem. But he is now set for a role as a specialist batsman as one of nine survivors named in a 15-man squad to face New Zealand in three home ODIs next month that is also set to double as England's party for a World Cup in India that runs from October 5-November 19. "It wasn't really a case of changing his (Stokes's) mind," said England natio...

Asia's cricket giants India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will get a final chance to size each other up before October's 50-over World Cup when the Asia Cup begins on Wednesday. Fiery rivals India and Pakistan could clash as many as three times if they go all the way in the six-nation continental championship. Pakistan and Sri Lanka are co-hosts, a hybrid model agreed after World Cup hosts India refused to tour Pakistan, with the final on September 17 in Colombo. Babar Azam 's Pakistan, who became the world's top-ranked ODI team after last week's 3-0 series sweep against Afghanistan, open their campaign at home on Wednesday against Asia Cup debutants Nepal in Multan. Azam, who scored 113 runs in the Afghanistan series, leads a side containing a triple-pronged fast bowling attack in Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf . World Cup hosts India, led by Rohit Sharma , will open their campaign against Pakistan in a hotly anticipated clash on Saturday in Pallekel...

New Zealand have given captain Kane Williamson a two-week deadline to prove his fitness for the one-day World Cup starting in October, head coach Gary Stead said Monday. The batsman tore the cruciate ligaments in his right knee playing for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League in April. The 33-year-old has recovered well and is batting in the nets, with a place in New Zealand's 15-man squad now in sight. "We've got about two weeks from now until we name that side," Stead told New Zealand media.  "We're going to give him every chance to use that full amount of time. He's in full rehab mode, he's back batting in the nets again, which is great to see. "He's progressing really well, but there's a lot of work for him still to do to make sure he gets where we need him to be." Williamson has scored more than 6,500 runs in one-day international cricket and led New Zealand in their nail-biting defeat to England in the 2019 World Cup...

Rohit Sharma understands the gargantuan pressure that a home World Cup brings but the Indian captain wants to insulate himself from the outside chatter as he embarks on an arduous journey to win the country's first ICC trophy in a decade. Shouldering more than a billion hopes, the 36-year-old India skipper knows what's at stake in the ODI World Cup, which starts October 5 with England taking on New Zealand in Ahmedabad. "For me, it is important how I keep myself relaxed and not worry about external factors that play a role, whether positively or not negatively. I want to shut out everything," Rohit told PTI in an exclusive interview just before joining the Asia Cup camp in Benglauru. "I want to get into the phase I was in before the 2019 World Cup,” said Rohit, who carries an aura of Zen even in the most tense of situations. The same calm was visible as he put across his point of view in an uncomplicated manner during the interview, just like the straight face...

Former West Indies pacer Curtly Ambrose feels that India's legendary batter Virat Kohli is back in his groove. He added that the player could serve the Indian cricket for the next couple of years. 34-year-old Kohli, whose form dipped in the first half of the year 2022, has improved his performance noticeably since the Asia Cup last year. Kohli's rise in international cricket continues and he is now the batter with second-highest number of international centuries (76) following Sachin Tendulkar , who is at the helm with 100 tons at the highest level. "He's still a very good cricketer, a quality batsman. Every great batsman goes through patches where they struggle to score runs. I can't think of any great batsman who never struggled in international cricket. Virat is a special player. He's had his time where he has struggled a bit but he seems to be getting back into form," Ambrose told RevSportz . "He scored a half-century in the first Test against ...

Australia's star allrounder Glenn Maxwell is in a race against time as he continues to battle with a fresh injury with the ICC ODI World Cup just a month away. Maxwell ended up hurting his ankle during a training session in Durban while training for Australia's T20I series against South Africa on Wednesday and he will now fly home to be alongside his wife as they await the birth of their first child according to the ICC. Maxwell is expected to recover from his ankle injury in due time, but, national selector Tony Dodemaide has made it clear that no risks would be taken with the 34-year-old given his injury history that includes the freak leg injury he picked up at a friend's party late last year. Yet, Dodemaide remains confident that Maxwell will be ready for Australia's ODI series against India next month.  "We will monitor Glenn's recovery with a view to him being available for the three-match ODI series in India in advance of the World Cup," Dodemaide...

Pakistan bowling great Wasim Akram on Sunday said the upcoming Asia Cup will test readiness of subcontinental bowlers for 50-overs cricket ahead of the ODI World Cup, but refused to pick any favourites for the tournament. The Asia Cup begins on Wednesday with Pakistan taking on Nepal in the tournament-opener in Multan, but all eyes are fixed on the mega clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in Kandy on September 2. "Be it India or Pakistan or Sri Lanka, we will find out if the bowlers are able to deliver 10 overs or not, now-a-days they are all used to bowling four-overs (per game)," Akram told reporters here during a tournament sponsor's event. The competition will revert to 50-overs format in this edition after being organised in T20 version last year, and Akram welcomed the change. "This is a good idea by ACC to have a 50-over Asia Cup because right after it we have the World Cup," he said. Akram said all teams will be challenged on the parameters o...

The Asia Cup 2023 is just around the corner and the Indian cricket team is toiling hard in the practice camp in Alur, Karnataka. In the past few days, batters were divided into pairs as part of a match simulation. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were followed by the pair of Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer . In a video going viral on social media, Kohli was batting this time with Ravindra Jadeja as both the players faced spin bowling. It was most probably a part of match situation simulations and both players were looking to play sensible shots. There were several questions over KL Rahul 's fitness following his Asia Cup 2023 selection as chief selector Ajit Agarkar told the media that he was suffering from a slight niggle. Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja batting together in the practice session. pic.twitter.com/MfAta34EEQ — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 27, 2023 The call-up for the continental tournament was a big deal for the batter after a prolonged battle with in...

The Asia Cup 2023 might be beginning on August 30, but it's the India vs Pakistan clash on September 02 that has everyone's attention. In fact, when the Indian squad for the Asia Cup was announced, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief selector, Ajit Agarkar , was also asked about handling the esteemed pace attack of Pakistan. Agarkar responded saying " Virat Kohli will handle them". Now, Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has responded to Agarkar's claim, saying it's only what one does on the field that matters and not what is being said before or after the match. Kohli was responsible for India's victory over Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup league-stage match, with the iconic batter pulling of a win for the team almost single-handedly. While fans expect the same from Kohli in the upcoming Asia Cup, Shadab feels it's only that particular day when one would come to know what happens. " Dekhiye, ye depend karta hai on a day. M...

The Asia Cup 2023 is just round the corner and cricket fans around the world are waiting for the high-profile match between India and Pakistan. The two sides stopped playing bilateral series since 2012-13 and it is only at continental and international tournaments where the supporters can see these two sides face each other. Pakistan cricket team skipper Babar Azam opened up about the highly-anticipated match and how the two teams gear up for such a match. "The India-Pakistan match has always been a rivalry. The entire world experiences the match and enjoys it. Even we enjoy it a lot. I feel that the level of cricket is very good and competitive. Fans miss the India-Pakistan match and both teams always give their 100 percent," Babar said on Star Sports. Earlier, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar had his say on the comparisons between Babar and Indian cricket team star Virat Kohli . . @babarazam258 has had his opinion on the #INDvPAK rivalry! Put your #HandsUpForIn...

Pakistan rose to the top of the one-day international rankings with a 59-run win against Afghanistan in the third and final match in Colombo on Saturday, claiming a 3-0 series whitewash. Pakistan were helped to 268-8 in 50 overs by a solid 79-ball 67 from Mohammad Rizwan and an 86-ball innings of 60 from skipper Babar Azam . They then dismissed their opponents for 209 in 48.4 overs with number nine Mujeeb Ur Rahman top-scoring for Afghanistan with a 37-ball 64 for his maiden half century. Rahman smashed five sixes and as many boundaries, racing to a new Afghan record for the fastest ODI fifty off just 26 balls before he stepped on to his stump and was out hit wicket off Shaheen Shah Afridi. Rashid Khan was the previous record holder for Afghanistan with a 27-ball fifty against Ireland in Abu Dhabi last year. Rahman and Shahidullah Kamal (37 off 65 balls) shared a valiant stand of 57 for the eighth wicket to give some respectability to the total after their team were reeling...