Andre Russell smashed a breathtaking half-century while Ryan ten Doeschate struck a fine unbeaten 51 to guide Indian Premier League champions Kolkata Knight Riders to a stunning seven-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings.
The Indian cricket team would get into the groove for the short limited-overs series against Australia with a couple of warm-up games against a Western Australia XI at the WACA ground on Friday and Saturday. While the first match tomorrow is slated to be a T20 affair, the second match scheduled the day after will be a 50-over warm-up game against the same opposition. It will certainly not be the first team of Western Australia which is better known as Perth Scorchers, which will be playing in the warm-up games. It will be a second string squad that will take on the Indians.
There are indications that Mithali may not be selected in all the matches against the 'White Ferns' and she has been made aware by a senior member of the team management.
Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who played a vital role in Sunrisers Hyderabad's Indian Premier League triumphant campaign last year, said he is determined to contribute in the upcoming 10th edition of the IPL especially in the death overs.
The auction ahead of the ninth edition of the Indian Premier League had in store something on expected lines and some surprises. Here's a look at the top buys after the first round.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni feels that it will be difficult for Mohammed Shami to either replace Jasprit Bumrah or Ashish Nehra.
Images from the 2nd T20 played between India and England in Nagpur on Sunday
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and veteran pacer Ashish Nehra on Friday did not come for Indian team's pre-match day training after being advised rest ahead of the crucial Asia Cup T20 game against Pakistan, in Fatullah on Saturday. While Dhoni is suffering from back spasms, the injury-prone Nehra has his own specific training programme, which is different from the general team routine. Dhoni had played through pain against Bangladesh but back spasms need adequate recovery time, which is specifically the reason he has been given 48 hours to recuperate before the Pakistan match. His cover Parthiv Patel had his first training session but had precious little do as he did not get to bat in the main nets. Unless Dhoni's physical condition deteriorates further, Parthiv's chances of playing are minimal. There was one interesting sight during the training session on the match-eve. Both India and Pakistan trained adjacent to each other inside the main stadium at the Khan Saheb Osman Ali Stadium and trained at the same time between 4-6:30 pm local time. However, during the entire two and half-hour training session, no pleasantries were exchanged between the members of the two sides.
Former captain Sunil Gavaskar has picked young leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal as the best young talent from the just-concluded IPL-9, terming the Royal Challengers Bangalore player the best in terms of talent and temperament. 25-year-old Chahal took 21 wickets from 13 matches to finish IPL-9 as second highest wicket taker behind pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar's 23 from 17 games. "I am considering those who have temperament and not just talent. Yuzvendra Chahal, Rishabh Pant and Krunal Pandya are the top three. I will pick Chahal at the top as he has got the right temperament," Gavaskar said. "He (Chahal) is not afraid of tossing up the ball and he kept on doing that. When there is some turn on the pitch, there have to be big edges from the batsmen's bat. Chahal also has a big heart and he is not afraid of a big hit. On many occasions, he came back after being hit for sixes to claim wickets," he told NDTV.
India and Australia play their opening T20 match In Ranchi on Saturday. And, although the visitors have added fresh faces to their squad for the three-match series, India are clearly the dominant side in this match-up.
Tarak Sinha, the Indian coach with most number of international and first-class cricketers as his disciples, died on Saturday morning after a prolonged illness.
Following is a factbox on the second World Twenty20 semi-final between West Indies and India to be played at the Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, on Thursday.
Sunil Gavaskar picked Pakistan as the favourites against India in the marquee match of the ICC World T20 to be played at the Eden Gardens on Saturday. India, who were the overwhelming favourites to win the title before the start of the mega event, were humbled by New Zealand in their opening match while Pakistan pummeled Bangladesh in their opener. "After the loss to New Zealand, India will be under far more pressure against Pakistan. I feel Pakistan start as favourites for the game on Saturday," Gavaskar told NDTV. Gavaskar said the highly awaited match will be about Indian batting versus Pakistan bowling as usual. "It is still pretty much Indian batting versus Pakistan bowling. However, with the way Indian bowlers have performed recently, they also won't be easy to tackle either. Ashwin (Ravichandran) is bowling well and so is Nehra (Ashish), ever since he has made a comeback. Then you have Jasprit Bumrah. So it will be a test for Pakistani batsman.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not at all pleased with the use of some of the umpiring devices like ear-piece which he feels prevents the on-field official from hearing snicks and edges in a packed stadium.
As the 16th edition of the glitzy Indian Premier League is set to unfold, let's take a look at the driving force of the T20 league and what's in store in this edition.
Dhoni holds a special place in the hearts of the fans
The immensely talented Unmukt Chand again showed his ability to rise to the occasion as his stroke-filled century guided Delhi to the final of the NKP Salve Challenger series with a thumping 112-run win over India 'Red' in the last round robin league match in Indore.
Sachin Tendulkar has seen Sourav Ganguly in various avatars
Responding to the extraordinary situation, Kookaburra started developing a wax applicator, which could be ready in a month's time. Acting on guidelines framed by Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Australia has already restricted the use of saliva and sweat.
Images from the ICC World T20 match between India and New Zealand in Nagpur.
Hardik Pandya's philosophy of playing 'not just to win' but 'to entertain' has infused energy and life into Gujarat Titans
The BCCI's medical team is working overtime with the Tamil Nadu wrist spinner, whose knees are not in the best of condition.
India will go for the kill against a determined England in the Garden City, setting the stage for a tantalising series-deciding third and final Twenty20 International in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody has said his team has no special plans for restricting opposition captain and star player Virat Kohli when the two teams meet in the Indian Premier League.
Sunrisers Hyderabad face an uphill task to find their way through in the ongoing Indian Premier League as they get ready to take on formidable Chennai Super Kings.
India captain Virat Kohli says he is benefitting from the immense experience of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in decision-making in the limited overs format.
With an eye on the final spot, two-time champions Chennai Super Kings face high-flying Mumbai Indians in their first qualifier in the Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's mentor VVS Laxman has said that opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan's form is not a matter of concern for the team and added that domestic players need to score runs.
A distraught Mahendra Singh Dhoni blamed the two no-balls bowled to Lendl Simmons by Ravichandran Ashwin and Hardik Pandya for India's shock defeat against the West Indies in the World T20 semi-final at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai, on Thursday night.
Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting picked Indian stalwart Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the captain of his all-time Indian Premier League XI, which comprises seven Indians and four foreigners.
Choosing between a third spinner and an extra batsman will be the topic of discussion when the three-member national selection panel decides on the Indian squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, starting June 1 in England.
More stars than they are in heaven were at the Sachin: A Billion Dreams premiere.
India should invest in someone like Jasprit Bumrah, says Damien Fleming.
Virat Kohli's elegant unbeaten 90 and some wily bowling by their spinners saw India secure a comprehensive 37-run victory over Australia in the first Twenty20 International at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday. Rajneesh Gupta lists some interesting numbers from the match.
Having already secured their place in the final with three back-to-back wins, India are set to field their benched players against minnows United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their final league encounter of the Asia Cup T20 tournament, in Mirpur, on Thursday.
West Zone produced a clinical all-round performance to score a comprehensive 133-run victory over North Zone in the final and win their third successive Deodhar Trophy in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. Riding on Kedar Devdhar's 94 and skipper Cheteshwar Pujara's patient half-century, West Zone posted a challenging 281 for 3 in 50 overs. Spinners Arpit Vasavada (3-20) and Akshar Patel (2-23) then emerged the pick of the bowlers as North Zone were bundled out for 148 in 37.1 overs at the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.
Unstoppable so far with clinical performances, a formidable India will square off against a passionate and sprightly Bangladesh in their quest for continental supremacy in the final of the Asia Cup Twenty20 cricket tournament, in Mirpur, on Sunday.
World cricket's most intriguing rivalry will once again be renewed when India take on an unpredictable Pakistan with rehabilitated pacer Mohammad Aamir being the focus of attention in a round-robin league encounter of the Asia Cup T20 tournament, in Mirpur, on Saturday.
India pacer Jasprit Bumrah on Tuesday sought to play down the controversy surrounding poor umpiring in the second T20 International between India and England in Nagpur on Sunday, saying both sides will have to move on with the game as decisions do not always go in favour of only one team.
A cultural shift with rising fitness standards are the primary reasons for India's current depth in fast bowling department, said former captain and current BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. A young Jasprit Bumrah in the company of the experienced Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar has made India's bowling one of the world's most potent pace attacks.
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