After making impressive debuts in their respective openers, Rising Pune Supergiants and GujaratLions will test each others' strengths when the two new entrants clash in the Indian Premier League (IPL), in Rajkot on Thursday. The two teams feature a lot of faces from the suspended Chennai Super Kings and at least six players, who played in the same side till last year, will now be in opposite camps. Close friends and CSK teammates Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina will now be devising strategies as rival captains. Both have admitted that playing in a jersey other than 'yellow' has been very "emotional" but have promised to give their all for their new teams. The Dhoni-led Pune Supergiants were very convincing and dominant when they handed defending champions Mumbai Indians a nine-wicket drubbing. They did not even require their middle order, packed with Dhoni himself and players such as Steven Smith, to come out with the top-order delivering it for them comfortably.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's well-calculated half-century in challenging conditions turned out to be game-changer as Chennai Super Kings won their third match of the season with a eight-run defeat of Rajasthan Royals, in Chennai, on Sunday.
Mumbai Indians became the first team to qualify for the final of the Indian Premier League with a comfortable 25-run win over Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede stadium.
Shane Watson and Suresh Raina made batting look easy on a lifeless track as Chennai Super Kings coasted to a six-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals in Tuesday's Indian Premier League match in Delhi.
It will be a big statement if Virat Kohli's young side could start off with a bang at Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 'spritual home', a task which will be easier said than done.
Shikhar Dhawan set the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur alight as India beat the West Indies by five wickets in the final One-day International and clinched the three-match series 2-1 on Wednesday. After the home side restricted the visitors to 263 for 5, the dashing opener scored a breezy 119 off 95 deliveries to overhaul the target with 23 balls to spare.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni lauded his bowlers and fielders for their 'fantastic' victory over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders.
West Indies number 11 Jason Holder smashed 14 runs off the final over to earn his side a dramatic tie with Pakistan in the third one-day international at Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia on Friday.
Rajasthan Royals outplayed Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets in their Indian Premier League match in Ahmedabad, thereby registering their fifth straight win of the season.
Real Madrid's star striker Cristiano Ronaldo made up for his otherwise quiet night by scoring the winner to beat Barcelona 2-1 win at the CampNou in Barcelona on Saturday.
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Unbeaten in all the three games they have played so far in the tournament, Gujarat Lions would look to continue with their impressive winning run when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL match in Rajkot on Thursday. The Lions have been in red-hot form in their debut season with convincing wins in all the three games and they would seek to maintain a clean slate tomorrow at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. The home side will also be bolstered by the return of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja who did not play in the Lion's seven-wicket thrashing of defending champions Mumbai Indians in Mumbai due to his wedding.
Mumbai Indians have been in ominous form and the varied bowling attack could prove a challenge for the CSK batters, who are low on confidence.
Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has been ruled out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League after injuring his left hamstring during the Gujarat Lions's loss to Delhi Daredevils on Thursday.
Dwayne Bravo scored 66 from 36 deliveries as the West Indies beat defending champions India by seven wickets in the Super Eights of the World Twenty20 at Lord's on Friday.
Former South African skipper AB de Villiers is all set to take part in the upcoming Mzansi Super League.
Opening batsman Chris Gayle has been recalled to the West Indies one-day international (ODI) squad for the first two games of this month's five-match series against England.
Uncapped Evin Lewis has been named to replace the injured Lendl Simmons in the West Indies squad for the World Twenty20 in India. The experienced Simmons was ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury. "The 24-year-old left-handed batsman will join the team ahead of the start of the global event," the West Indies Cricket Board said in a statement. Lewis has represented Trinidad & Tobago in the Caribbean T20 and the Champions League and impressed chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd, who led West Indies to two 50-over World Cup triumphs. "Evin Lewis a young and exciting batsman who we believe he will fit into the team set-up very well. He has the ability to perform at this level of the game," Lloyd said. "His selection is in keeping with our policy to give exposure to young, talented players we believe will help to carry West Indies cricket forward," he added. All-rounder Kieron Pollard was ruled out of the World Twenty20 due to a knee injury, spinner Sunil Narine is still working to fix his illegal bowling and all-rounder Darren Bravo has opted to focus on the longer formats of the game.
The visitors' display was enough to earn them applause from their fans at the end.
Kohli will be wary of the challenge that can be posed by the new ball pair of Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel
Calm Dhoni says it's more about 'dressing room atmosphere'
Openers Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum provided the perfect platform as Gujarat Lions chased down an imposing 196-run target to beat Rising Pune Supergiants in the Indian Premier League match, at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, in Pune, on Friday.
Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni lauded pacer Ashish Nehra for his fiery spell and expressed satisfaction that his team could held on to nerves against Delhi Daredevils in their thrilling match of the IPL-8 twenty20 cricket tournament in Chennai on Thursday.
Guardiola expects this season's Premier League title race to be more open than last season's
Rajneesh Gupta previews Qualifier 1 in IPL 12: Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings.
World Cup-bound Kedar Jadhav is virtually ruled out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League Season-12 after hurting his left shoulder while fielding during Chennai Super Kings's match against Kings XI Punjab, in Mohali, on Sunday.
Shikhar Dhawan smashed a career-best 92 to guide India to a thrilling six-wicket win over the West Indies in the third and final T20 International, thus completing a 3-0 clean sweep, in Chennai, on Sunday.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, CSK revealed England fast bowler Mark Wood and uncapped Indian players Kanishk Seth and Kshitiz Sharma have been released.
Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Chris Lynn, on Monday, said Royal Challengers Bangalore would be the team to beat in the upcoming 10th edition of the Indian Premier League.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore wicketkeeper stole the show from the Chennai Super Kings glovesman with a crucial match-winning run-out off the final ball of the match.
Defending champions the West Indies trounced Pakistan by 84 runs on Tuesday to set up a semi-final meeting with Sri Lanka in the ICC World Twenty20. Led by a late charge from Dwayne Bravo (46) and skipper Darren Sammy (42 not out) the West Indies put up an impressive 166 for six after electing to bat and then shot out Pakistan for a meagre 85 in 17.5 overs.
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen feels ICC needs to lure cricketers to longer version of the game by creating Test wages that trump what T20 leagues such as IPL and BBL offer to the players.
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.
Kraigg Brathwaite and Shane Dowrich struck unbeaten half-centuries to guide West Indies to a first Test victory in 14 matches as the Caribbean side beat Pakistan by five wickets on the final morning of the third Test in Sharjah on Thursday.
'We have been told since we were children, that fairness is the only definition of beauty.'
The ever-reliable Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored an unbeaten 91 and shared an unbroken 170-run partnership with Narsing Deonarine (83) as the West Indies posted a solid 333 for 4 against Uttar Pradesh on the opening day of their practice match, in Kolkata, on Thursday.
'We saw Messi play like a kid in the school playground today'
Mexican striker Matias Vuoso and Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal both scored twice in a game that roared from end to end and never let up in intensity.
Tailender Jason Holder was left stranded on 82 not out as West Indies were dismissed for 220 in their first innings against Australia in Jamaica on Saturday, a deficit of 179, on the third day of the second Test in Kingston, Jamaica.
