MUMBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders and Australia pacer Mitchell Starc believes not having Indian Premier League's Impact player rule will force the captains to think more tactically when the T20 World Cup begins in the Americas next month. The impact player rule, which was implemented last year, has witnessed teams batting with more aggression and fearlessness, leading to totals in excess of 200 being scored consistently. The IPL this year has been particularly high-scoring with totals in excess of 2

CHENNAI : The opening partnership between Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana has come a long way since 2019, the year Verma made her international debut at the age of 15. They recently became only the second opening pair to cross 2000 runs in international cricket, behind Australia's Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney. The duo has seen each other's growth as batters and has contributed to many of India's wins over the years. However, there is still scope for India to maximise the potential of this duo.

CHENNAI: On Thursday, both T Natarajan and Sandeep Sharma, the two best Indian pacers not named Jasprit Bumrah in this year's edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), showcased their wares to perfection. On Friday, it was Bumrah's turn to show exactly why he's the undisputed figurehead. Coming into the game against the Kolkata Knight Riders, it was safe to suggest that the Mumbai Indians weren't themselves. Speculation had been rife that a leadership change had led to a divided house. Batters

DALLAS: Former Delhi batter and 2018-19 Ranji Trophy top run-getter Milind Kumar found a place in the United States of America squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, starting June 1. The USA, a co-host of the event alongside the West Indies, announced its 15-member squad to be led by Gujarat-born Monank Patel. Right-handed batter Milind, who scored 1331 runs in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season, had before that played seven seasons for Delhi and then migrated to the USA in search of better opportun

BENGALURU: India will play host to South Africa women's team for one Test, three ODIs and three T20Is across June and July. The one-dayers and T20Is will be played in Bengaluru, a Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) official informed, while the Test match will be played at Chennai. The ODIs will be held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium from June 16, while the one-off Test will start at the MA Chidambaram Stadium from June 28. The teams will then return to Bengaluru for the T20Is on July 5, 7

NEW DELHI: Former all-rounder Ajay Jadeja believes that India skipper Rohit Sharma should push himself to the number three spot and promote Virat Kohli to the opening position during next month's T20 World Cup in the Americas. India announced their 15 for the marquee tournament earlier this week and will open their campaign against Ireland on June 5. For me, Virat Kohli opens. Who goes back? Rohit Sharma bats at three. He gets a little cushion and gets to understand the game, he has so much goin

HYDERABAD: Entrusted with the task of shepherding Sunrisers Hyderabad's middle-order, young Nitish Reddy has been doing the job with aplomb at a time when he is seen by many as a future India all-rounder, thanks to his ability to bowl lively medium pace. Opting to bat in the IPL game against table-toppers Rajasthan Royals here on Thursday, Reddy (76 not out) and Travis Head (58) produced explosive fifties, while Heinrich Klassen made an unbeaten 19-ball 42 to power SRH to 201 for three. Experien

CHENNAI: Even as Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings by seven wickets to get to eight points, the home teams position in the points table hasnt changed. Super Kings are still in the top four (it could change if Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Rajasthan Royals), but they have bigger things to worry about after the loss against Punjab. While dew factor once again played its part as Chennai tried to defend 162 on a humid evening at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, what also dented CSK hopes of a win was Deep

CHENNAI: The only thing you can control is your hard work and never give up attitude. Hours after the T20 World Cup snub, medium pacer Sandeep Sharma posted the message on Instagram on Wednesday. It's not that Sandeep, who had played only two T20Is for India that too was back in 2015, was dead sure of his selection for the marquee event. Already 30 plus, he has reached that stage of his career where such call-ups usually dry down. Despite the crude fact, hope remains and the bowler from Patiala

CHENNAI: While India captain Rohit Sharma did not reveal much on what kind of combinations the team would play at the T20 World Cup, he made one thing clear. I definitely wanted four spinners, Sharma said at a press conference in Mumbai on Thursday. It has been one of the key debates since the squad for the global event, set to be played in the United States and West Indies, was announced on Monday. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee had named four frontline spinners Kuldeep Yadav, Ravind

CHENNAI: Bhuvaneshwar Kumar's brilliant final over and some excellent death bowling from Sunrisers Hyderabad took them over the line against Rajasthan Royals. The partnership of 134 runs between Riyan Parag and Yashaswi Jaiswal was not enough for the visitors, as Hyderabad won by one run. Bhuvaneshwar took two wickets in his first over as Impact Substitute Jos Buttler and captain Sanju Samson went back without scoring a run. That did not stop Jaiswal and Parag, as both youngsters adopted an aggr

CHENNAI: A partnership of 70 runs off 32 balls between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen took Hyderabad past 200 against Rajasthan at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Sunrisers captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first with Marco Jansen coming into the playing XI. The dynamic duo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head tried to give a good start to the hosts, but Sharma struggled to get going in the powerplay. Eventually, after a few swings and misses, Avesh Kh

CHENNAI: Much like it has been for his team, it has been a roller-coaster of an IPL season for Punjab Kings spinner Rahul Chahar. While the team is placed seventh in the table with four wins in ten matches, Rahul played in only four of them. He started off the season with a 1/33 against Delhi Capitals, but the next two games did not go well. He bowled just four overs across two games and went for 58 runs before missing out on the next few games. Chahar eventually came back against Kolkata Knight

MUMBAI: Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar on Thursday described the omission of Rinku Singh from India's T20 World Cup squad as the oughest call, saying the in-from swashbuckler has done nothing wrong and it all came down to combinations. Rinku, Kolkata Knight Riders' big-hitting finisher from Aligarh, could not find a place in the 15-member squad as the think-tank preferred Chennai Super Kings' Shivam Dube over him. The exclusion of Rinku, who has scored 356 runs at an average of 89 and strik

CHENNAI: Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming admitted that seamer Deepak Chahar's latest injury doesn't look good but he is hoping for a positive report from the franchise's medical team ahead of the business phase of the ongoing IPL. Although Fleming did not divulge any details on Chahar's new injury, the 31-year-old seamer was seen pulling off his run-up in just the second ball of Punjab Kings chase here on Wednesday night. It could be a possible hamstring injury as, after having a

CHENNAI: Arshdeep Singh has been generous to batters more often than he would have liked so far this season in the IPL. Though the left-arm pacer has retained his habit of taking wickets, he has been leaking runs as batters have figured out methods to counter his bowling. After being included in the T20 World Cup squad on Tuesday, he would have hoped to change that trend and start afresh. With Punjab Kings locking horns with Chennai Super Kings 24 hours later, it was always expected to be a stif

CHENNAI: As Ajinkya Rahane holed out to Punjab Kings Rilee Russouw off Harpreet Brar in the eight over and took the long walk back at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday evening, Chennai Super Kings did something they dont always do. The home team sent out Shivam Dube, their designated spin-hitter, at No. 3. Usually, they promote Ravindra Jadeja, but here, on a red soil pitch, they knew spinners would do well and wanted Dube to make an impact. While the left-hander might have gotten out for

CHENNAI: Since her debut as a 15-year-old batter, Irelands Amy Hunter has been in the headlines. At one time it was about breaking Mithali Rajs record of the youngest player to score an ODI century. Earlier this year, she became the first Ireland player to score centuries in both white-ball formats. Since her debut in 2021, Hunter has grown into one of the most important players for her side and the wicketkeeper-batter knows where the credit should go. I probably got off quite a slow start for I

CHENNAI: Riding on Jonny Bairstow's 46 and Rilee Rossouw's 43, the Punjab Kings defeated the Chennai Super Kings by seven wickets in the 2024 IPL round-robin match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Wednesday. Chasing 163 for a win, Punjab lost Prabhsimran Singh cheaply. Later, Bairstow and Rossouw did the rescue act. Bairstow was aggressive of the duo and scored runs at a steady clip, attacking the right ball. He was at ease against all the CSK bowlers. With Deepak Chahar pulling out after b

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Former captain Steve Smith and rising talent Jake Fraser-McGurk were notable omissions as Australia named their T20 World Cup squad on Wednesday. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh will captain the side, while veteran opening batsman David Warner has been picked for what is shaping as his final international tournament. Mitchell has been an exemplary player and leader within the group for a long period of time, said Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird. Test skipper Pat Cummins, paceman

CHENNAI: After their creditable win against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings will look to carry forward the momentum when they take on Punjab Kings on Wednesday. CSK have won five out of nine matches and are currently at number three in the points table. PBKS have won three of their nine matches and are sitting at number eight on the points table. However, PBKS have won only one of their last five matches. Their recent record-breaking chase against Kolkata Knight Riders has made them a d

CHENNAI: After the disappointing yet predictable ending to India's last T20 World Cup campaign in Australia, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) realised something had to change. That change, they held, had to be layered; leadership and a more dynamic top-order. Throughout the first half of 2023, Hardik Pandya had led the side and the top-order had Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan as the untouchables while a mix of Suryakumar Yadav, Rahul Tripathi, Tilak Varma and others did a job shar

CHENNAI: After the disappointing yet predictable ending to India's last T20 World Cup campaign in Australia, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) realised something had to change. That change, they held, had to be layered; leadership and a more dynamic top-order. Throughout the first half of 2023, Hardik Pandya had led the side and the top-order had Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan as the untouchables while a mix of Suryakumar Yadav, Rahul Tripathi, Tilak Varma and others did a job shar

NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant was named on Tuesday in India's squad for the T20 World Cup in June, his first return to international cricket after a horror car crash 16 months ago. The 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman has impressed with his return to elite cricket this year, scoring 398 runs from 11 games in the ongoing Indian Premier League. He will be among a 15-member squad headed to the United States and West Indies for the tournament starting June 1. Rohit Sharma will lead the side with under-fir

CHENNAI: Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson and all-rounder Shivam Dube have been selected in the 15-member Indian squad for 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup that is scheduled to be played in the United States and West Indies. The other significant inclusion is the return of leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who last played for India in July 2023. As the senior men's selection committee meeting met and picked the squad on Tuesday, the BCCI has named a 15-member squad, which will be led by Rohit Sharma, an