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Sheyas Iyer
Cricket, IPL

“We played like invincibles throughout the season,” Shreyas Iyer delighted as KKR thrash Hyderabad to lift their third IPL title

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“We played like invincibles throughout the season,” Shreyas Iyer delighted as KKR thrash Hyderabad to lift their third IPL title Kolkata Knight Riders completely outplayed Sunrisers Hyderabad in the finals to lift their third IPL title. The Shreyas Iyer led side claimed an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Hyderabad, as they brought a fitting end to their campaign. KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer heaped praise on his side, stating that they played like invincibles throughout the course of the tournament. He stated that each individual has stood up for the team when it mattered. Kolkata Knight Riders restricted the Sunrisers Hyderabad to a total of just 113 runs in the first innings, as they chased down the total in just 10.3 overs, with eight wickets to spare. Venkatesh Iyer impressed with the bat once again, scoring a quickfire 50 which helped his side release the early pressure. “Absolutely comprehensive. This is what we demanded from the team and every individual. They stood up to the right occasion and the feeling is hard to express. It (wait) was so long, longer than the match. We played like invincibles throughout the season,” said Shreyas Iyer in his post match speech. “There’s so much to cherish right now. It is pleasing, the performance has been flawless throughout. I am running out of words right now. We have been tremendous from game one, we stepped up today. All we demanded from ourselves was to back each other whatever the situation is,” he added. “He stepped up to the right occasion” : Shreyas Iyer on Mitchell Starc Mitchell Starc got off to an absolute horrific start this season, as he was taken to the cleaners. However, he stepped up for his team in the second half of the season, making vital contributions in both the playoff matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad. After being awarded the Player of the Match in Qualifier 1, the Australian pacer picked up two wickets in the final, conceding just 14 runs in his three over spell. He removed the in-form Rahul Tripathi and Abhishek Sharma, as he ended the season on a terrific note. “That’s when all the big players stand up, right! It was a high-pressure game and he’s been so good off the field. He’s never shown any complacency in his work ethics. He stepped up to the right occasion,” Iyer said on Starc. Andre Russell also had a terrific tournament with the ball, picking up as many as 19 wickets. The West Indian all-rounder delivered with the ball once again in the finals, picking up three wickets in the final stages of the innings. In fact, five KKR bowlers took at least 17 wickets or more, which speaks volumes about their domination this season. Also Read: Former English cricketer makes Virat Kohli retirement claim: “I think that may take Virat away from cricket”

Dinesh Karthik
Cricket, IPL

“Dinesh Karthik was clearly out. Completely unfair to RR” : Ravi Shastri and cricket experts slam poor umpiring

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“Dinesh Karthik was clearly out. Completely unfair to RR here” : Ravi Shastri and cricket experts slam poor umpiring There was no shortage of controversy in the IPL Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals. Dinesh Karthik was given out LBW by the on-field umpire, as RCB seemed to have lost their sixth wicket in the first inning. However, Dinesh Karthik had no option but to review the decision, since his team could have been reduced to a score of 120 odd runs for the loss of six wickets. The third umpire overturned the on-field call, when the ball clearly seemed to be hitting the pad first. The third umpire seemed to have quickly made his decision, as there was a spike seen when the ball was near to the bat. The call was made in less than 30 seconds, as cricket experts fumed at the umpire’s decision. As different angles confirm, the spike was heard because of the bat touching the pad. “Dinesh Karthik was clearly out. Completely unfair to RR here. Umpires should have checked the decision 4-5 times before giving the decision,” said Ravi Shastri on air. Cricket experts lash out at hasty umpiring in IPL Eliminator Dinesh Karthik was given a lifeline, as he had plenty of overs to do the damage he usually does in the business end of the innings. However, the RCB veteran failed to do much damage, being dismissed for 11 runs out of 13 balls. Dinest Karthik struggled out in the middle, as did most of the RCB batters through the middle phase of the innings. “The bat has hit the pad, the bat has not hit the ball,” said Sunil Gavaskar. “There was no bat. If there was, Dinesh would have taken DRS straight away,” wrote Irfan Pathan on X. Royal Challengers Bengaluru managed to put up 172 runs on the board, courtesy of a brilliant late cameo from Mahipal Lomror. Swpanil Singh did some damage in the final over as well to help RCB finish with a respectable total. Also Read: “People in India just always try to find a reason not to pick Virat Kohli” : Ricky Ponting says star Indian batter is irreplaceable

Virat Kohli
Cricket, IPL

“People in India just always try to find a reason not to pick Virat Kohli” : Ricky Ponting says star Indian batter is irreplaceable

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“People in India just always try to find a reason not to pick Virat Kohli” : Ricky Ponting says star Indian batter is irreplaceable Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has been left surprised by Indian fans’ attitude towards Virat Kohli. The Indian batter is all set to represent his national side in his sixth T20I World Cup campaign in June. However, there some question marks around his selection, with his strike rate being brought into question. However, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma laughed off such claims, stating that this was not even among the points discussed at the selection meeting. Ricky Ponting has stated that Virat Kohli would be the first name on his team sheet, and his experience and class makes him irreplaceable. Virat Kohli has been the top run getter in three of the last four ICC T20I World Cup campaigns. “He (Kohli) is the first pick for me for India. So, class and experience like that, you can’t replace. It’s funny with Virat. I think people in India just always try to find a reason not to pick him or a reason why he’s maybe not as good as some of these other guys in the T20 game,” Ponting said in a conversation with ICC. Ricky Ponting opines on India’s batting order at the T20I World Cup Ricky Ponting has opined on Team India’s batting order at the World Cup. He believes that the management has a couple of decisions to make, which involves deciding Virat Kohli’s batting position. Yashasvi Jaiswal has been opening the batting with skipper Rohit Sharma in leadup to the marquee event, however, Ponting believes that Virat Kohli will be promoted to the top of the order. “So they’ve got a decision to make with Jaiswal (batting position), but I’m pretty sure that they’ll go with Kohli and Rohit Sharma (as openers). He can play his role at the top. And if you’ve got the right guys around him scoring (like) Suryakumar (Yadav)… Rohit Sharma’s going to have a high strike rate. These other guys can go in there and play their way,” he added. Ricky Ponting also backed Virat Kohli’s ability to deliver in big games, just as he has been doing over the years. He delivered a stunning unbeaten knock of 82 runs against Pakistan at the 2022 T20I World Cup in Australia. The Indian batter is in middle of a terrific IPL campaign, as he is the current owner of the Orange Cap. He has amassed over 700 runs, and looks in solid touch ahead of the T20I World Cup. India have been drawn in Group A, alongside arch rivals Pakistan. They will open their campaign against Ireland, before facing Pakistan in New York on 9th June.

Glenn Maxwell RCB
Cricket, IPL

“It’s a good time to give someone else an opportunity” : Glenn Maxwell selflessly asks himself to be dropped after poor start to IPL

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“It’s a good time to give someone else an opportunity” : Glenn Maxwell selflessly asks himself to be dropped after poor start to IPL Glenn Maxwell has had a horrid start to the 2024 IPL season. The Australian batter has managed to score just 32 runs in his six innings so far, with a top score of 28. He has been dismissed for a duck on three occasions, as his batting woes has been a real blow for his franchise. Glenn Maxwell asked the team management to drop him for the fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday. The Australian all-rounder is well-aware of his current form, and wants some one else to get an opportunity to prove himself. He also stated that it would be a good physical and mental break for him amidst his poor form. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s campaign hangs on a knife edge after they succumbed to their sixth defeat this season on Monday. The hosts lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad, who posted a record total of 287 runs in their first innings, breaking their own record against the Mumbai Indians. “For me, personally, it was a pretty easy decision. I went to Faf [du Plessis] and the coaches after the last game and said I felt it was probably time we tried someone else. I have been in this situation in the past where you can keep playing and get yourself deeper into a hole,” Maxwell said in the post-match press conference. “I felt like I wasn’t contributing in a positive way with the bat” : Glenn Maxwell Glenn Maxwell stated that he had been in such situations in the past, where trying to get over the lean patch only gets you in a bit of more trouble. As a result, he decided to step aside and allow an opportunity to other players. However, Glenn Maxwell made it clear that he would be available for the rest of the tournament if his franchise requires his services. His fellow Australian teammate Cameron Green was also benched for the fixture against Hyderabad, as Will Jacks got the nod ahead of the duo. “I think now is actually a good time for me to give myself a bit of a mental and physical break, get my body right. If I’m required to get in during the tournament, I can hopefully get back into a really solid mental and physical space where I can still have an impact,” Maxwell said. “We have had a pretty big deficiency straight after the powerplay, which has been my area of strength over the last couple of seasons. I felt like I wasn’t contributing in a positive way with the bat, and with the results and the position we find ourselves on the table, I think it’s a good time to give someone else an opportunity to show their wares, and hopefully, someone can make that spot their own,” Maxwell added. Also Read: “The worst kind of bowling that I’ve seen for a long time” : Sunil Gavaskar slams Hardik Pandya for ordinary death over bowling

Hardik Pandya IPL
Cricket, IPL

“The worst kind of bowling that I’ve seen for a long time” : Sunil Gavaskar slams Hardik Pandya for ordinary death over bowling

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“The worst kind of bowling that I’ve seen for a long time” : Sunil Gavaskar slams Hardik Pandya for ordinary death over bowling Sunil Gavaskar has slammed Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya for his ordinary death over bowling, which potentially costed the match to his side. The all-rounder conceded 26 runs in the final over, which helped Chennai Super Kings cross the 200-run mark. MS Dhoni smashed three consecutive sixes, scoring 20 runs off just 4 deliveries, which proved to be the difference maker in the end. Sunil Gavaskar stated that the MI skipper made things easier for MS Dhoni by bowling right in the slot. Hardik Pandya bowled a tidy 16th over, where he got the crucial wicket of Ruturaj Gaikwad, conceding just 2 runs. He returned with the ball in the final over, where he was taken to the cleaners by MS Dhoni. “Probably the worst kind of bowling that I’ve seen for a long, long time. It almost looks like I’ve had this embrace with my hero. I’ve got a bowling kind of deliveries that he’s gonna hit for sixes. One 6 is fine. The next one again a length ball when you know that this batter is looking for a length ball to hit. The third ball again, a full toss on the leg side and he’s looking for it and hits it for a 6. Absolutely ordinary bowling, ordinary captaincy,” Gavaskar said. Mumbai Indians face their fourth defeat of the season Mumbai Indians faced their fourth defeat of the season, as they fell short of 20 runs while chasing a target of 207 runs. The likes of Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma got off to a flying start, scoring 70 runs in just 7 overs. However, Matheesha Pathirana struck twice in his first over, dismissing Suryakumar Yadav for a duck. Rohit Sharma ended his innings with an unbeaten knock of 105 runs off just 63 deliveries. The Indian batter smashed 11 boundaries, and five maximums during his stay on the crease. However, he did not receive much support from his partners on the other end, which meant the Mumbai faced their fourth defeat of the season. As for Mumbai Indians, they will now face Punjab Kings on Thursday, as they are slated to play four consecutive away games. The five-time champions gathered a bit of momentum last week, winning against the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, their winning streak was halted by Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, who have now beaten their arch rivals in five of their last six meetings. Also Read: “I think he Rohit will replace MS Dhoni at Chennai” : Michael Vaughan makes bold IPL prediction

Hardik Pandya IPL
Cricket, IPL

“I think he Rohit will replace MS Dhoni at Chennai” : Michael Vaughan makes bold IPL prediction

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“I think he Rohit will replace MS Dhoni at Chennai” : Michael Vaughan makes bold IPL prediction Former England captain Michael Vaughan has made a bold prediction on the Indian Premier League next season. He believes that Rohit Sharma will replace MS Dhoni at Chennai Super Kings in 2025, and take over the captaincy from Ruturaj Gaikwad. MS Dhoni is almost certain to announce his retirement at the end of the current IPL season, given that he passed the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad even before the season began. There have been several rumors of Rohit Sharma being unhappy at Mumbai Indians after Hardik Pandya replaced him as the skipper. Hardik Pandya has been facing the heat from fans across India due to his new role as the skipper of Mumbai Indians, which comes at the expense of Rohit Sharma. Michael Vaughan also stated that it would be interesting to see if Rohit Sharma would be booed in a similar fashion if he makes his switch to Chennai Super Kings. “I think he (Rohit) will go to Chennai, replace MS Dhoni. Gaikwad is doing it this year. Do you think it’s just a holding job? May be Rohit next year?,” Vaughan was quoted saying to YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia in a podcast show. “I see him in Chennai. I see him there. If he were to captain Chennai and came to Mumbai, will he get booed?” he asked. “It’s not his fault” : Michael Vaughan on Hardik Pandya taking over the captaincy Michael Vaughan believes that Hardik Pandya should not be blamed for hurting the sentiments of fans across India. He believes that any player in the all-rounder’s shoes would be tempted to captain Mumbai Indians if given an opportunity. “Hardik is going through a difficult time and it’s not his fault. He has been asked to come back to the Mumbai Indians. He has been asked to be the captain. Who is going to say no that? He has just been given a job that pretty much every single cricketer in India would like to do, captain the MI,” Vaughan added. However, Michael Vaughan stated that it would have been prudent for Mumbai Indians to stick with Rohit Sharma as the skipper for at least this season. The Indian batter is all set to lead Team India in the upcoming T20I World Cup in West Indies and USA. And as such, it makes no sense for the MI management to name Hardik Pandya as the captain ahead of him. “I personally would have kept Rohit. Hardik coming back to Mumbai is big enough pressure in itself. Rohit, once he had a good World Cup, he is obviously going to captain India in the T20 World Cup. The sensible move would have been Rohit captaining MI and Hardik, in mind, for the next year or year after,” he added.

Rohit Sharma
Cricket, IPL

“I really want to win the World Cup and the WTC final in 2025” : Rohit Sharma shuns away retirement talks ahead of T20I World Cup

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“I really want to win the World Cup and the WTC final in 2025” : Rohit Sharma shuns away retirement talks ahead of T20I World Cup Rohit Sharma has dismissed rumors about his retirement in a recent interview. The Indian batter believes that he is still capable of playing at the top level, and is not thinking about retirement in the near future. In fact, the Indian skipper hopes to play the 50-over World Cup in South Africa in 2027, and the WTC Final at Lord’s in 2025. Rohit Sharma led India to a remarkable ICC World Cup campaign on home soil last year. However, after securing 10 consecutive victories, Team India succumbed at the final hurdle, losing to Australia in the finals. In an interview on ‘Breakfast with Champions,’ Rohit Sharma clarified his stance on retirement, and has set his sights on the upcoming World Cup events. “I haven’t really thought about retirement. But, I don’t know where life takes you. I am still playing well at this point in time – so I am thinking I am going to continue for a few more years and then, I don’t know. I really want to win the World Cup and there is a WTC final in 2025, hopefully India makes it,” said Rohit on the show. “Australia were slightly better than us” : Rohit Sharma on World Cup final loss Rohit Sharma admitted that Australia were slightly the better side in the finals, as they held their nerve to chase down a tricky target of 240 runs. The Indian captain believes that his side ticked all boxes on their way to the finals. He narrowed down the defeat to one bad day, which happens to the best of the teams in sports. “50-over World Cup for me is the actual World Cup. We’ve grown up watching that World Cup. More importantly, it was happening in India in front of our home crowd. We played so well up until that final. When we won the semi-finals, I thought, now we’re just a step away. We’re doing all the things right,” said Rohit. “What’s the one thing that can make us lose the World Cup? Not a single thing came to my mind. Because I thought we ticked all the boxes, we were playing good cricket. Confidence was there.” We were all supposed to have one bad day and that I guess that was our bad day. Don’t think we played bad cricket in that final, certain things didn’t go our way. But Australia were slightly better than us,” he added. Rohit Sharma is all set to lead Team India once again at the T20I World Cup in June. The right-handed batter is currently representing Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. The Hitman has delivered a couple of useful cameos for his side, as the five-time champions have recouped from a poor start to the season. Unlike the previous 11 seasons, Rohit Sharma is no longer the captain of the Mumbai Indians, as he has been replaced by all-rounder Hardik Pandya at the helm. Also Read: “Blessed to have Bumrah in my side” : Hardik Pandya heaps praise on MI pacer after five-wicket haul against RCB

Jasprit Bumrah
Cricket, IPL

“Blessed to have Bumrah in my side” : Hardik Pandya heaps praise on MI pacer after five-wicket haul against RCB

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“Blessed to have Bumrah in my side” : Hardik Pandya heaps praise on MI pacer after five-wicket haul against RCB Jasprit Bumrah was all over Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Thursday, as the Indian pacer managed to deliver the best figures of IPL 2024 so far. He picked up 5 wickets in his four over spell, conceding just 21 runs. His wickets included the likes of an in-form Virat Kohli, and Faf du Plessis who looked pretty much set out in the middle. Hardik Pandya was all praise for the 30-year-old pacer after Mumbai Indians registered their second consecutive victory. MI chased down a total of 197 runs in just the 16th over, as the likes of Ishan Kumar and Suryakumar Yadav took the opposition bowling to the cleaners. Hardik Pandya stated that it was a blessing to have someone like Jasprit Bumrah in his side, given the impact he can create during different stages of the innings. “Blessed to have Bumrah in my side. He does it over and over again. Any time I ask him to bowl, he comes and does what he does. He practices a lot. Before doing anything in the game, he makes sure he practices in the nets. The amount of experience and confidence he has is tremendous,” said Hardik in his post match speech. “I’ve never seen batters hit there” : Hardik Pandya on Suryakumar Yadav Suryakumar Yadav was back among the runs, as the Indian batter scored 52 runs off just 19 deliveries. This is a positive sign for the five-time champions, who have all their batters in form now. Hardik Pandya also managed to join the party, as he scored 21 runs off just 6 deliveries, hitting three sixes. “Always good to have Surya in your team with the areas he hits. I’ve been opposition captain as well against him, it’s tough to put field for him. Some place he hits, I’ve never seen batters hit there. (I’ll do) Whatever the situation requires – last game I had to take some time, and this game’s scenario was different. I’ve always been a fan of whatever the situation demands,” said Pandya. After registering three defeats at the start of their campaign, Mumbai Indians are well back on track. They have registered two consecutive wins against Delhi and Bengaluru in the last week at the Wankhede Stadium. Mumbai will conclude their run of home fixtures on Sunday, when they welcome Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium. This fixture is the biggest rivalry in IPL cricket, given that it pits the two most successful franchises against each other. Also Read: “I don’t think they should boo Hardik Pandya,” Sourav Ganguly says it is not Hardik’s fault that he was appointed as MI skipper

Hardik Pandya IPL
Cricket, IPL

“I don’t think they should boo Hardik Pandya,” Sourav Ganguly says it is not Hardik’s fault that he was appointed as MI skipper

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“I don’t think they should boo Hardik Pandya,” Sourav Ganguly says it is not Hardik’s fault that he was appointed as MI skipper Hardik Pandya has been facing the heat from fans during the ongoing edition of the IPL. The Mumbai Indians skipper made his way back to his former franchise, after spending two seasons with Gujarat Titans. The Indian all-rounder replaced Rohit Sharma as the skipper of the franchise, which has not been well-received by the fans. To make matters worse, Mumbai Indians remain the only side in the tournament yet to register their first points on the board. They have faced three consecutive defeats now, as they face Delhi Capitals at home on Sunday. Delhi’s Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly has come out in support of the Indian all-rounder amidst the ringing boos around the stadium. He believes it is not correct for the fans to boo the MI skipper, and it was the decision of the management to appoint him as the skipper. “Fans shouldn’t boo Hardik Pandya, it’s not correct. The franchise has appointed him captain. That’s what happens in sports, whether you captain India or you captain your franchise, you are appointed as captain,” Ganguly said in the pre-match press conference. “It’s not Hardik’s fault that he has been appointed as captain” : Sourav Ganguly Sourav Ganguly also heaped praise on Rohit Sharma, and stated that the Indian skipper is a different class. He mentioned that the MI opener is a great asset to the Indian cricket team through his consistent performances over the years. However, he believes that it is not Hardik Pandya’s fault that he was appointed the skipper of the joint most successful franchise in IPL. “Rohit Sharma is a different class. His performance for this franchise, his performance for India, has been on a different level, as captain and as a player. It’s not Hardik’s fault that he has been appointed as captain,” he added. Delhi Capitals come into this encounter on the back of a heavy defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders a couple of days ago. Meanwhile, MI’s top order collapsed against Rajasthan Royals in their first home game of the season, as they registered their third consecutive defeat. Suryakumar Yadav is expected to be back in the playing eleven for Mumbai Indians, which is a massive boost for Hardik Pandya and co. Also Read: “I do not think the booing will hold out for too long,” Trent Boult backs Hardik Pandya after three consecutive defeats

Faf du Plessis
Cricket, IPL

“We found the wicket tricky in the first innings,” Faf du Plessis believes 190 was a good score to defend

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“We found the wicket tricky in the first innings,” Faf du Plessis believes 190 was a good score to defend Royal Challengers Bengaluru faced their third consecutive defeat, as they were outplayed by Rajasthan Royals on Saturday. After being put into bat first, RCB managed to score 183 runs, with Virat Kohli scoring a brilliant unbeaten knock of 113 runs. However, after recording a first wicket partnership of 125 runs, a total of 200 runs looked well on the cards. However, the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green failed to capitalize in the back end of the innings. This meant that the visitors ended with a modest total of 183 runs. Rajasthan Royals made the chase looked comfortable, as they recorded their fourth consecutive victory. Jos Buttler’s unbeaten century steered the hosts towards victory, as he stitched a 148-run partnership with Sanju Samson. RCB skipper Faf du Plessis stated that the wicket was tricky to bat on in the first innings. He believes that the wicket got slightly better towards the second innings, as he praised Rajasthan Royals for the decision to field first. “I think we found the wicket tricky in the first innings. I thought 190 was a good score, think we could have added 10-15 runs max. Their spinners bowled well (in the middle overs), good decision by them to bowl first. With the dew batting got easier. Virat was playing well at the back end, with someone like Green coming in, you want to maximise those last overs. We tried to squeeze as hard as we can, but it was tricky to hit against the spinners. It was easier to hit the seamers. The pitch definitely got better, you could feel it, the ball was skidding along nicely,” said Du Plessis in his post-match speech. Faf du Plessis not worried about ‘dropped catches’ Royal Challengers Bengaluru were well below average on the field today. There were a couple of dropped chances, and the intensity on the field was just lacking. Faf du Plessis stated that he was not too concerned about the missed chances, however, he wants his players to show more energy on the field. “Fielding was average, it’s something we have spoken about, we’ll work and try to improve. Not worried about catches, it’s about showing intensity on the field,” said the RCB skipper. Faf du Plessis also explained his decision to not bowl Glenn Maxwell. The South African stated that their plan was to unleash the Australian all-rounder against Yashasvi Jaiswal. However, the southpaw was dismissed in the first over itself, hence he did not feel the need to throw the ball to Glenn Maxwell. “Not bowling Maxwell was because all right-handers were batting, so went to the left-handed spinner initially. With two right-handers at the crease, went to the left arm spinner and later got the leg spinner (Himanshu Sharma) into the attack. There was no point of being defensive, we needed wickets,” Du Plessis added. Also Read: “I do not think the booing will hold out for too long,” Trent Boult backs Hardik Pandya after three consecutive defeats

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