Showing posts with label cricket players. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cricket players. Show all posts


RCB's Collective Effort vs. DC's Trio: Jitesh Sharma Speaks Unfiltered Before Crucial Match

Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Jitesh Sharma thinks his team has a distinct edge over the Delhi Capitals going into their upcoming IPL 2024 match. In anticipation of the game, Jitesh cited RCB’s current streak of victories and more balanced performances as primary factors behind their optimism.

"We hold an advantage since we've competed in away matches and secured victories in tough encounters," Jitesh stated. RCB has begun IPL 2025 with strength, triumphing over the reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders in their first game at Eden Gardens, followed by wins against powerhouse teams Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians on their own turf.

Despite remaining the sole undefeated team in the league after winning all three of their matches, Jitesh offered an honest assessment, pointing out that their heavy reliance on key players might pose a problem.

"Additionally, our batting lineup has seen contributions from everyone involved. However, in DC, they seem to depend heavily on just three players. It should make for an interesting challenge," he stated.

The RCB's revival has been based on "intelligent cricket," as stated by the wicketkeeper-batter. He elaborated that their strategic approach has enabled the squad to transition from uncontrolled aggressiveness to well-paced play.

"We're playing intelligent cricket and aggressively taking on each bowler. We understand everyone’s strengths, and the team management has assigned clear roles. Essentially, Jitesh will focus on specific bowlers, while the rest of us will handle different ones," he stated.

We aren't aiming for blind domination. It's not as though we're consuming some enchanted elixir. We simply aim to implement our strategy.

Jitesh on the roles of Bumrah and Karthik

Jitesh, who faced Jasprit Bumrah Recently, he expressed great admiration for the Mumbai Indians fast bowler. "It seemed like he had just returned from the ICC Champions Trophy. Bumrah is incredibly precise. He was genuinely fit and has undergone thorough assessments. He is at his best right now," he stated.

The player, who is 31 years old, has shown great confidence while batting for RCB and attributes his good form to the guidance of the team's mentor, Dinesh Karthik.

It has been an incredible journey so far because during the off-season, I put in a lot of effort working with him. The shots I'm using now seem like replicas of his own style. He’s attempting to mold a new type of player from me.

"He has faith in my ability to perform from every angle—360 degrees... I'm truly relishing this new position," Jitesh stated.

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Harmanpreet's Triumph and Mumbai Indians' Might Clinch WPL 2025 Title Over Delhi Capitals

Mumbai: The Delhi Capitals excelled in every aspect on Saturday evening until their batsmen stumbled yet again under pressure, enabling the Mumbai Indians to secure their second Women’s Premier League (WPL) title at the Brabourne Stadium on Saturday. After winning the coin toss, the DC bowlers proved pivotal by limiting the Mumbai Indians to 149/7. Nevertheless, their batting lineup fell short for the third successive final match.

As soon as MI felt they were heading for victory, their bowlers pushed DC into submission, leading to an exciting eight-run triumph. Despite chasing a modest target on a wicket that got better with time, the DC batsmen couldn’t spark their pursuit and fell short of winning.

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When MI reached 83 for six, they were already envisioning hoisting the trophy. Yet, Marizanne Kapp’s rapid-fire innings of 40 off just 26 balls put Delhi Capitals back in contention. Nonetheless, Nat Sciver-Brunt (3/30) and Hayley Matthews, who have been consistently effective all season, joined forces once more to dismiss Kapp. Struggling for space, Kapp tried to clear the long-on fielder with her shot but instead handed Matthews an easy catch at the boundary.

Sciver-Brunt then dismissed Shikha Pandey, pushing MI to the brink of victory.

Initially, MI began energetically with the ball, fueled by a boisterous audience, dismissing three of DC's leading run-scorers within 6.2 overs when they were only at 37 runs. Meg Lanning was bowled by a fierce Sciver-Brunt bouncer; Shafali Verma was adjudged leg before wicket off Shabnim Ismail's (1/15) delivery; and Jess Jonassen top-edged an Amelia Kerr (2/25) pitch that resulted in a catch taken by wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia.

After ten more deliveries, Saika Ishaque (33/1) dismissed Annabel Sutherland as DC fell to 44 for four. By the midway point, DC had reached 58 for four but still needed 92 runs off 60 remaining balls.

DC's batting failed to gather pace due to an absence of strong partnerships. Every time DC attempted to build one, MI promptly disrupted their progress. After getting settled, Jemimah Rodrigues (30 runs off 21 balls; 4 fours) aimed to accelerate her innings but unfortunately top-edged a ball from Kerr when trying to guide it towards the leg side. This miscue resulted in a catch taken splendidly by Kerr who ran forward to take the dismissal.

Initially, Harmanpreet Kaur's innings of 66 runs off 44 balls, featuring nine boundaries and two sixes, along with her partnership of 89 runs for the third wicket alongside Sciver-Brunt (who scored 30 runs from 28 balls including four boundaries), helped MI secure a competitive total of 149-7.

In the fifth over, Sciver-Brunt teamed up with Harmanpreet to steady the MI innings without taking unnecessary risks, pulling them out of the difficult situation they were in. By the eighth over, MI had managed only two boundaries, but Sciver-Brunt changed their fortune by hitting another pair off Shree Charani’s delivery in the ninth over.

Afterward, Sciver-Brunt stepped aside as Harmanpreet pushed forward to accelerate MI’s scoring pace. DC’s choice to field first paid off through their bowlers who maintained a disciplined line, effectively restricting the MI batsmen.

Kapp was the first to strike MI when she delivered an economical spell, ending up with figures of 2/11 off four overs and dismissing Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia. In the initial six overs, MI managed only 20 runs, marking their second lowest score during the power play in this tournament’s history following their 19-run performance against the same team in the 2023 season at the DY Patil Stadium.

It seemed like MI was going to dominate the match due to the strong performance from Harmanpreet and Sciver-Brunt, but they quickly lost three wickets within just eight deliveries.

Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , along with live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Also, find where can one view IPL 2025 matches? in Canada and the USA .



Indian Wicket-Keeper KS Bharat Signs with English Club Cricket Team

New Delhi [India], March 15 (ANI): The Indian wicketkeeper-batsman KS Bharat is slated to become part of the London-based Dulwich Cricket Club for the 2025 Surrey Championship season, according to Wisden reports.

This step is intended to rejuvenate his cricket career, specifically in Test matches, where he has found it difficult to earn a place in the Indian national side even though he boasts an outstanding performance in domestic-level games.

As reported by Wisden, Bharat has an outstanding first-class performance history, accumulating 5686 runs with 10 centuries and 32 half-centuries in 105 games. Nonetheless, chances of his return to international cricket appear remote, leading him to consider playing overseas.

In the Surrey Championship, which is a Division 1 league, Bharat has an opportunity to showcase his skills and catch the eye of talent scouts.

Significantly, various Indian international players, including Ajinkya Rahane , Venkatesh Iyer , Cheteshwar Pujara , and Shardul Thakur , has participated in county cricket to acquire significant experience and visibility. Bharat’s transfer to Dulwich Cricket Club is viewed as a tactical move aimed at reviving his cricketing journey.

This period will enable him to demonstrate his skills, accumulate significant experience, and possibly rejuvenate his global playing prospects.

KS Bharat He received his initial call-up to the Indian national team in November 2019 but didn’t make his debut until February 2023. His Test match career began with a game against Australia during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and concluded with a match against England in Visakhapatnam in 2024.

He has participated in seven Test matches, scoring a total of 221 runs, with his highest score being 44. IPL ,, he participated in ten matches. Notably, he scored 78*. Delhi Capitals and secured his squad, Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Apart from missing out on the Test team, Bharat, whose base price was Rs 75 lakh, did not attract any bids during the auction. IPL The 2025 mega-auction held in November of the prior year.

This season, Bharat participated in two Ranji Trophy games for Andhra Pradesh, tallying up scores of 19, 41, 52, and 43, along with making nine catches.

KS Bharat was part of the squad competing in the World Test Championship In the final of 2023 against Australia, India suffered a loss by 209 runs. He secured five catches and accumulated 28 runs across both innings. (ANI)

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NSW Coach Hopes Konstas Tames His Audacious Style

Former NSW mentor Greg Shipperd has advised Sam Konstas that maintaining consistency in his batting technique is essential, though he strongly believes the young player is demonstrating progress toward finding stability at the crease.

On Thursday, Shipperd supported Konstas' comeback into Australia's Test squad for the June World Championship clash with South Africa, following his exclusion from the recent fixtures in Sri Lanka.

This weekend in Hobart, the opening batsman will face yet another challenge with the pink ball as they attempt to guide New South Wales towards securing a spot in the Sheffield Shield final.

Since his impressive performance with NSW back in October when he scored two centuries, Konstas's striking batting has been a topic of discussion for months now. This standout act of the summer continues to be a source of concern for many.

When he made his Test debut on Boxing Day, he caused a stir nationally by consistently using reverse scoops to disrupt Jasprit Bumrah’s flow as the Indian ace.

However, his method has come under intense scrutiny, especially after he was bowled while attempting to slog sweep Scott Boland during the third over of a Shield match last month.

That dismissal raised doubts about whether Konstas would be able to reclaim his position for the Test Championship final, as another potential struggle in the upper order loomed at Lord's.

In the second innings against Victoria, the opener started cautiously without attempting an aggressive shot over his initial 30 deliveries. Later, he scored a 107-ball 50 as New South Wales secured a draw in Perth during their match last week.

“I’m not certain he deliberately planned that aggressive stance towards Boland; I believe it simply evolved in that specific instance,” Shipperd stated.

After revisiting and reassessing his batting strategy through discussion, he has implemented several changes.

To me, that indicates he's actively listening and absorbing knowledge, which is crucial for him at this phase of his career. He’s still figuring out how to play the game.

I would be quite astonished if the Australian selectors aren’t seriously contemplating him for that opening spot in the WTC final.

Shipperd mentioned that he has maintained frequent communication with Australia's coach, Andrew McDonald, as well as selectors regarding Konstas's progress.

Initially during the earlier part of the summer, the young player aged 19 adopted a rather traditional technique at bat. However, starting from December, he began to exhibit a bolder and riskier attitude towards his batting style.

"As evident, there have been instances where this approach has proven effective for him," stated the NSW coach.

However, the overarching idea is to support him, as many of the most seasoned analysts nearby suggest, advocating for a more steady strategy.

Identifying the appropriate timing within the innings and taking into account what the team requires at that specific point.

We're pleased to see him improve with every match and think about all these factors as each inning progresses for him.

The game in Tasmania might be Konstas's last prior to the Test Championship final, should NSW miss out on qualifying for the Shield decider and if he doesn’t secure a contract with an English county team.

As the Shield enters its final round, bonus points will probably be crucial in deciding which teams—Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, or Victoria—will advance to face South Australia in the finals.

Should New South Wales defeat Tasmania and move past Queensland into second place, Steve Smith could have an opportunity to feature in the finale.



IPL 2025: DC's Ashutosh-Mohit Duo Makes History with Record-Breaking Chase Against LSG

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), India, March 25 (ANI): On Monday, Ashutosh Sharma and Mohit Sharma etched their names in history as they successfully chased down a target of 210 runs for the Delhi Capitals (DC) during their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against the Lucknow Super Giants.

In an impressive display during the IPL, Ashutosh orchestrated one of the most significant heists in recent years, leading his team to chase down a daunting target of 210 runs after being in trouble at 65/5. During DC's remarkable victory in Visakhapatnam, the crucial partnership formed by Ashutosh and Mohit was instrumental in securing their triumph.

After Kuldeep Yadav left for five wickets, DC had reached 192/9. They needed just 18 more runs to secure victory. Following this, Ashutosh dominated Prince Yadav’s bowling, scoring a boundary and then a six off consecutive deliveries, which narrowed the target down to only six runs required in the last over.

During the last over, following a missed stumping and an unsuccessful lbw review, LSG skipper Rishabh Pant faced significant pressure. Displaying great cricket intelligence, Mohit scored just one run to put Ashutosh at the crease, narrowing the target to five runs from four deliveries. Ashutosh then smashed a direct six, securing victory for DC with two wickets and three balls remaining.

This collaboration between partners stands at 19 runs, marking the highest tally for a team throughout the tournament’s history in a one-wicket victory, according to Wisden.

Ashutosh's innings of 66 not out off 31 deliveries, featuring five boundaries and as many sixes, stands as the joint-second highest score for a batsman batting at position seven or lower during a victorious pursuit in the Indian Premier League (IPL). This ties him with Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) ace Andre Russell, who achieved this feat when chasing down 155 runs against Punjab in 2015. The record holder remains Dwayne Bravo, whose explosive 68 came off just 30 balls, leading Chennai Super Kings to a narrow one-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians (MI).

At the start of the game, DC secured the win at the toss and decided to field first. However, when they dismissed Aiden Markram inexpensively (for just 15 runs off 13 deliveries), Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran ensured that DC would rue their choice to make LSG bat initially. They dominated with both powerful sixes and stylish boundaries against the bowling attack. The duo formed an impressive partnership of 87 runs for the second wicket;Marsh was eventually out after scoring 72 from 36 balls, including six fours and six maximums.

Pooran lingered for some time until he succumbed to Mitchell Starc (3/42). Until then, he had caused significant harm by scoring 75 runs off merely 30 deliveries, including six boundaries and seven maximums. The DC bowlers staged a resurgence towards the end of the innings, limiting LSG to 209/8 after their allotted 20 overs, dismissing captain Rishabh Pant (0) in the process.

Poonam, Ayush Badoni (4) and Shardul Thakur (0) were dismissed rapidly. Miller remained not out on 27* off 19 deliveries, hitting one four and two sixes.

Kuldeep Yadav (2/20) secured vital wickets for DC as well, with Vipraj and Mukesh Kumar taking one apiece.

While chasing, DC lost half of their team for just 65 runs. Despite Faf’s contribution of 29 off 18 deliveries, including three boundaries and two maximums, along with Axar Patel, the captain adding 22 from only 11 balls containing three fours and one six; they were trying to recover from an early setback where DC had fallen to 7/3.

Ashutosh subsequently shared a partnership of 48 runs with Tristan Stubbs (who scored 34 from 22 deliveries, including one four and three sixes), followed by Vipraj (contributing 39 from just 15 balls, featuring five boundaries and two maximums). Eventually, he nearly completed the victory virtually solo when only a wicket and three remaining balls were left.

Shardul, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, and Ravi Bishnoi took two wickets apiece.

The 'Player of the Match' award was presented to Ashutosh. (ANI)

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MS DhoniLaughs as Young CSK Star Playfully Challenges Virat Kohli for a Million-Dollar Photo

Chennai Super Kings youngster Vansh Bedi had a heartwarming exchange with two of India’s greatest cricketers, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli , after CSK’s clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday. The match may have ended in disappointment for the home team, but the lighthearted moment brought smiles to the faces of both sets of fans.

Following RCB’s emphatic 50-run victory, Vansh, eager to seize the opportunity of a lifetime, approached Kohli and Dhoni for a picture together. As the three prepared to pose, Kohli had momentarily stepped down a level, making him appear shorter than both Dhoni and Vansh. Noticing this, the youngster playfully asked Kohli to step back up so they could be on the same level for the perfect shot.

The seemingly playful remark left Dhoni in splits, as the CSK legend burst into laughter at the unintended hilarity of the situation. Kohli, too, found the moment amusing, sharing a hearty laugh with the duo before striking a pose for what would become a viral snapshot.

Watch:

While this wholesome exchange brought smiles to the fans, the game itself was a historic one for RCB. Skipper Rajat Patidar led from the front with a fortuitous yet crucial 51, ably supported by a disciplined bowling effort that saw the visitors snap their 17-year winless streak at Chepauk.

Having posted a competitive 196/7, RCB put CSK under pressure right from the start, reducing them to 8/2 within the first two overs. Josh Hazlewood (3/21) struck early blows, dismissing Rahul Tripathi and the in-form Ruturaj Gaikwad for a duck, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal tightened the noose.

CSK’s batting lineup never truly recovered, despite Rachin Ravindra’s 41-ball 31. The five-time champions struggled to build any momentum, with wickets falling at regular intervals. The absence of a counterattack left them staring at their heaviest-ever home defeat while chasing. Notably, CSK even sent in Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of MS Dhoni, a move that seemed to signal their surrender.

Dhoni, however, provided a late flourish with an unbeaten 30 off 16 balls, surpassing Suresh Raina as CSK’s highest IPL run-scorer. But his effort was nothing more than a consolation, as CSK finished at 146/8, well short of the target.

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This Young Team Wants to Play Fearless Cricket: Salman Agha

New Delhi [India], March 15 (ANI): Pakistan will feature in a five-game T-20 series New Zealand The series will start with the T20 match on March 16 at Christchurch's Hagley Oval, followed by three ODIs.

Salman Agha , Pakistan The team’s recently named T20I captain has emphasized the need to improve their approach and tactics, stressing the value of adopting an uninhibited and high-stakes style of play. Due to constant concerns over the batting speed in T20 matches, both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been left off entirely, with sights set on the upcoming T20 World Cup next year.

Saim Ayub remains sidelined because of his injury. Pakistan The squad is quite fresh for this competition, making it challenging for them to face off against the CT 2025 runners-up. New Zealand will also lack several crucial players because of their participation in IPL 2025.

Fast bowler Matt Henry Re-joins the team following his absence from the Champions Trophy final against India in Dubai. For the fast-bowling roster, Will O'Rourke and Kyle Jamieson will take part in the first three games since Kane Williamson has chosen to miss this series.

Salman Agha has been named Pakistan The newly appointed T-20 captain is, meanwhile Shadab Khan , who is making his T-20 comeback in this series, has been appointed as his vice-captain. Michael Bracewell has been appointed as the captain of New Zealand since Mitchell Santner can't play because of his obligations with the IPL.

The playing surface at Hagley Oval typically favors batsmen. Second-innings teams have enjoyed higher success rates in T20 international matches at this venue.

Prior to the commencement of the series, the kiwi captain did so. Michael Bracewell spoke about the new-looking Pakistan The squad leader mentioned that new players were joining their team. These newcomers are relatively unheard of, yet he believes that if everyone follows the strategy closely, it will work well for any opponents facing them.

We've likely put a little extra emphasis on ourselves. With a handful of new young players joining the team, Pakistan On the side, there's an element of uncertainty. However, I believe that as long as we understand our objective, that should be sufficient for whoever might oppose us." Michael Bracewell as mentioned in an ESPNcricinfo quotation.

Salman Agha He also shared his opinions before the confrontation between Pakistan and New Zealand He stated, "We've got a fresh team, and our aim is to play fearless cricket. In today’s game, high-risk cricket is essential."

This is a youthful squad, and we aim to play fearlessly. This entails taking big risks, which is essential in contemporary cricket. Such an approach may lead to setbacks, yet we must back our players. Salman Agha said.

New Zealand Team: Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert (w) Finn Allen , Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell (c), Ish Sodhi , Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, Kyle Jamieson, William O'Rourke, Mitchell Hayden

Pakistan Team: Omair Yousuf, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Abdul Samad, Mohammad Haris, Khushdil Shah, Salman Agha (c), Irfan Khan, Shadab Khan , Shaheen Afridi , Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf Sufiyan Muqeem, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan. (ANI)

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Athapaththu's 64* and Madara's 3-Wicket Debut Lead Sri Lanka to Victory

In her debut match, right-arm fast bowler Malki Madara put up a commendable performance with figures of 3 for 14, while captain Chamari Athapaththu scored an undefeated 64 runs from just 48 deliveries. As a result, Sri Lanka Women achieved a convincing 7-wicket win against New Zealand Women in the inaugural T20 international held in Christchurch yesterday.

This marked Sri Lanka's inaugural T20I triumph in New Zealand and their second success against the White Ferns in this format.

New Zealand chose to bat first but found it difficult to gain traction as Sri Lanka’s bowlers maintained control over their innings, eventually dismissing them for 101 runs in 18.5 overs. In response, the visiting team reached the target swiftly in only 14.1 overs, thanks largely to Athapaththu who set the pace with an impressive performance, hitting 9 boundaries and 2 sixes during her winning effort.

Vishmi Gunaratne, a young opening batsman, was quickly sent back to the pavilion after scoring just 7 runs from 11 deliveries, as fast bowler Jess Kerr gave New Zealand an early advantage. Nevertheless, Athapaththu assumed control and steered her side to triumph, ensuring a 1-0 series edge with 35 balls remaining.

Initially, Emma McLeod led New Zealand with the highest score. She scored an impressive 44 runs from 46 deliveries, including three boundaries, before being declared the last out when debutante Madara concluded their innings. Captain Suzie Bates (21 off 14) was the sole other player to achieve a two-digit tally among the home team members.

Sri Lanka began with two spinners, Sugandika Kumari and Inoshi Priyadharshani, before bringing in Madara as their fourth bowler. Madara made an impact during her 3.5-over spell, while Kavisha Dilhari (2/18) and Priyadharshani (2/25) offered strong backing. The wicketkeeper, Anushka Sanjeewani, performed exceptionally well behind the stumps, executing three dismissals.

During her T20I debut, Madara earned the title of Player of the Match, whereas Manudi Nanayakkara, who leads Sri Lanka’s under-19 team, also played her first match at the senior level in this game.

The two squads will face each other once more in the second T20I on Sunday (16) at the same location.

Chief scores

New Zealand Women’s 101 runs scored in just 18.5 overs by Suzie Bates with 21 points, Emma McLeod scoring 44, Jess Kerr contributing 10; meanwhile, Sugandika Kumari took 1 for 16, Inoshi Priyadharshini claimed 2 wickets for 25, Malki Madara secured 3 for 14, Chamari Athapaththu got 1 for 10, and Kavisha Dilhari achieved 2 for 18.

Sri Lanka Women’s Chamari Athapaththu scored 64*, Kavisha Dilhari got 12 runs, and Nilakshika Silva contributed with 12* as they chased down 102 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 14.1 overs. Jess Kerr took 2 wickets conceding only 18 runs.

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