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Showing posts from October, 2023

"Mind Your Business": Afridi Slams PCB Chief For Statements Against Babar

The Pakistan cricket team is going through a tough phase. The Babar Azam -led side has won only three out of seven games at the Cricket World Cup. A semi-final berth, though not impossible to achieve, will be very tough for the side. In the midst of this, a huge controversy has broken out with an alleged WhatsApp chat leak of Babar Azam. A Pakistan tv channel shared a screenshot of the alleged chat. The text, as displayed by the Pakistani channel, read: "Babar, there's also been this news circulating on TV and social media that you have been calling Chairman and he's not answering. Have you called him recently?", the sender by the name of Salman wrote. The receiver, whose name was saved as 'Babar Azam New', responded saying," Salam Salman bhai, ma ny to sir ko koi call nai ke (Hello Salman brother, I did not call sir)." It has now been revealed by the news anchor, who displayed the WhatsApp message on live TV, that it was the PCB chief himself who

WC 2023: Shreyas Works On 'Weakness'; Rohit, Virat Skip Optional Practice

With his vulnerability against the short ball coming to the fore once again, India number four Shreyas Iyer trained with the aim of overcoming his longstanding struggles ahead of the Cricket World Cup 2023 game against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on Thursday. None of the top-order guns — captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill — were in attendance for the optional session. Iyer versus the short ball was the focal point. The team's famed bowling attack, which delivered a fabulous 100-run victory over England last Sunday, also opted for rest. Perched at the top of the World Cup points table and with a spot in the semifinals virtually sealed for Rohit and Co, it is only imperative that the team keeps ironing out the areas of concern along the way. Iyer's troubles against the short ball, combined with the lack of big scores as the preferred No 4, is certainly something that the team management and the player want to overcome and it was evident as far as his approach to the ses

Gujarat vs Uttar Pradesh: Fantasy Tips, Prediction, Captaincy Pick

Gujarat will take on Uttar Pradesh in Pre-Quarterfinal 1 of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 2023 on October 31 at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, India. The match is scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM IST. The Gujarat cricket team found themselves in the pre-quarterfinal 1 after finishing third in Group C with 20 points from seven matches. They registered five wins and suffered two defeats in the group stage. Despite finishing equal on points with Saurashtra, Gujarat finished third with a low net run rate compared to Saurashtra. Saurav Chauhan, Aarya Desai and Chirag Gandhi have been the top three run-getters for Gujarat. Ravi Bishnoi and Arzan Nagwaswalla have shone with the ball for the Gujarat team. On the other hand, Uttar Pradesh finished second in Group E with 14 points. In six matches, UP won three matches while losing two. One match yielded no result. India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the star of the Uttar Pradesh team in the group stage. The speedster r

Afghanistan's Predicted XI vs Sri Lanka: Afghans To Stick With 3 Spinners?

Giant-killers Afghanistan go up against Sri Lanka in match no. 30 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Monday, October 30, from 2:00 PM IST at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. With wins against the Netherlands and England, Sri Lanka are currently fifth on the World Cup 2023 points table with four points and a net run rate of -0.205. The island nation lost their first three games - vs South Africa, Pakistan and Australia - but bounced back to win two in a row. The Afghanistan team, meanwhile, had two unexpected victories against England in Delhi and Pakistan in Chennai, respectively, from their five matches in the tournament. Their net run rate, however, took a big hit in defeats against India and New Zealand, which sees them placed seventh in the points table. In their latest match, Afghanistan spinners, headlined by Noor Ahmad, restricted Pakistan to 282/7 on a good batting surface at Chennai. Half-centuries from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah

Ravindra Becomes Only Player Besides Sachin To Achieve This World Cup Feat

New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra has been a breakout star for his team in the Cricket World Cup 2023 and he once again made an impact with a century against Australia at Dharamshala, though in a losing cause. Rachin Ravindra's explosive century and James Neesham's death over striking went in vain as New Zealand could not chase 389 runs set by Australia, losing by just five runs in a nail-biter on Saturday. Ravindra smashed 116 in 89 balls. His knock consisted of nine fours and five sixes and he struck at a strike rate of over 130. His century, the second made by the talented all-rounder in his debut World Cup, came in just 77 balls, which is the fastest century by a Kiwi in the tournament's history. Ravindra broke his own record of 82-ball century against England in the tournament opener. Devon Conway also had an 83-ball century in that match which is the third-fastest century by a Kiwi batter in the World Cup, above Martin Guptill's 88-ball ton against Banglade

"Not Great With...": Rohit's Big Admission Despite India's 100-Run Win

Captain Rohit Sharma on Sunday heaped praise on his bowlers for "showing their magic" in India's 100-run win over England in a Cricket World Cup 2023 match in Lucknow, saying "you don't see that every day". Pacers Jasprit Bumrah (3/32) and Mohammed Shami (4/22) bowled fiery opening spells before the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav (2/24) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/16) joined the party as India bowled out defending champions England for a paltry 129 in 34.5 overs. Before that, Rohit struck 87 on a challenging pitch to help India post 229 for 9 after being put in to bat. "You don't see that every day when you are defending such a total. Our seamers exploited the conditions very well, there was swing and lateral movement available (on the pitch)," Rohit said at the post-match presentation. "We have got a good balance there. A couple of good spinners and seamers bringing in their experience. When you have a bowling line-up like that, it's important

Bharat Army Comes Up With Stunning Replies After Barmy Army Trolls Kohli

The battle between fans is quite common during the Cricket World Cup 2023 and it was in full display during the high-profile match between India and England in Lucknow on Sunday. It was a rare off day for Virat Kohli as he was dismissed for a duck and England's official fan army - Barmy Army - took to social media to taunt the veteran batter. While India were able to post a modest total, the bowlers were in full form and the duo of Joe Root and Ben Stokes also lost their wickets without scoring a single run. India's fan army - Bharat Army - wasted no time in coming up with hilarious replies to the earlier taunts. Earlier, England bowlers led by David Willey kept India down to 229-9 despite skipper Rohit Sharma 's 87 in a must-win Cricket World Cup 2023 match for the defending champions on Sunday. Just out for an evening walk https://t.co/G0P54UrpRB pic.twitter.com/SugpLAQPbB — The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) October 29, 2023 Willey, a left-arm quick, returned fi

India's Predicted XI vs England, WC 2023: Will R Ashwin Get A Chance?

An unbeaten India face England in the 29th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Sunday, October 29, at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, starting at 2:00 PM IST. England, after three defeats in a row, are ninth in the points table at the World Cup 2023. The reigning champions lost the tournament opener against New Zealand but bounced back to beat Bangladesh. However, the Three Lions have since lost to Afghanistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. India, meanwhile, are the only unbeaten team in the tournament with five wins in five matches. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team are second in the points table with 10 points and a healthy net run rate of 1.353. The Indian team has chased successfully in all matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Their latest game saw a four-wicket victory against 2019 edition runners-up New Zealand. While Daryl Mitchell smashed a ton for the Kiwis, Mohammed Shami scalped five wickets as some good death bowling restricted New Zealand to 273.

World Cup 2023: David Warner-Travis Head Pair Registers Big ODI Record

Australian openers David Warner and Travis Head created a new batting record in their World Cup match against New Zealand at Dharamshala on Saturday. Warner and Head stitched a partnership of 175 runs in just 19.1 overs (115 balls). The opening duo achieved a run rate of 9.13 per over, which is the highest run rate for any 150-run plus opening stand in ODIs. Warner and Head overtook England duo of Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy, who scored 159 in 105 balls, with a run rate of 9.08 against Pakistan in Bristol back in 2019. This is the second-highest partnership for the first wicket by Australia in an ODI against New Zealand. The highest partnership is by Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh, of 189 runs against Kiwis in 2000. Travis Head is also the fifth Australian to register a World Cup hundred on his debut in the tournament. Other names to do so are Trevor Chappell, Geoff Marsh, Andrew Symonds and Aaron Finch. Coming to the match, a 175-run opening stand between Travis Head (109 in 67 bal

"Mediocre Side": India Great Takes Sly Dig At England Amid WC Struggles

Defending champions England suffered their fourth defeat in five games in the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2023, losing to Sri Lanka by eight wickets on Thursday. The defeat has put the Jos Buttler -led side in a tricky situation, with the team staring at a disappointing early exit from the tournament. England are currently ninth in the points table with four games left to play. Former India batter Virender Sehwag has labelled England as a "mediocre side" in One-Day Internationals. Sehwag pointed out how England have failed to qualify for the semi-finals in seven of the last eight 50-over Cricket World Cups. "England in 50 over one day international  cricket has been a very mediocre side. Apart from the 2019 World cup at Home, in the last 8 attempts they have failed to make the semis 7 times. Not having a steady side and too much chopping & changing and wrongly thinking that they are as exciting in ODI's as they are in Tests cost them," Sehwag posted on X (fo

World Cup Live: Australia Stand In Way On New Zealand's Semi-Final Charge

Australia vs New Zealand Live Score, WC 2023 : Australia take on New Zealand in an intriguing Trans-Tasman Cricket World Cup 2023 clash at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. Place fourth in the points table, Australia have won their last three encounters, while New Zealand's winning streak was snapped by India in the last game at this very venue. Australia have won eight of 11 matches between the teams in men's ODI World Cup history, and are also unbeaten in the eight against their Trans-Tasman rivals in India. Australia are likely to welcome Travis Head back into the team, with Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith to drop a slot down in the batting order. ( Live Scorecard | Points Table ) World Cup 2023 LIVE Updates: Australia vs New Zealand Live Score | AUS vs NZ Live Score, Straight from Dharamsala source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/australia-vs-new-zealand-live-cricket-icc-odi-world-cup-2023-aus-vs-nz-latest-updates-4521931

Watch: Pakistan Cricketers Left Heartbroken After Failed DRS Appeal vs SA

South Africa survived a late charge from Pakistan to pull off a thrilling one-wicket win and move closer to the semi-finals of the World Cup on Friday. Aiden Markram hit a solid 91 and at 206-4 South Africa were well on course to comfortably chase down a 271-run target. However, it was left to the last pair of Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi to score the final 11 runs. Shamsi survived a close leg-before appeal that went to umpire's call off fast bowler Haris Rauf with eight needed. The incident took place on the final ball of the 46th over. Shamsi was hit on the front pad on the bowling of Rauf. The ground umpire gave it not out and Pakistan reviewed the decision. Ball tracking revealed that the ball would have clipped the leg stump, which meant the wicket was on umpire's call. Shamsi survived as the field umpire had given him not out. Not getting a wicket despite getting so close, the Pakistan players, especially Haris Rauf was left heart-broken. The video of the Paki

"Had He Given It Out...": Babar's Honest Verdict On Crucial DRS Decision

A disappointed Pakistan captain Babar Azam took it on his stride despite being on the wrong side of a DRS call during his team's gut-wrenching one-wicket loss to South Africa in a Cricket World Cup 2023 match in Chennai on Friday. It could have been all over in the 46th over for South Africa when a Haris Rauf delivery, bowled wide off the crease, stuck Keshav Maharaj on the pads and Pakistan went for the DRS call after on-field umpire ruled it not out. Ball tracking showed that the ball would have kissed the leg stump but Maharaj survived the DRS appeal, courtesy Umpires' Call, leaving the entire Pakistan unit distraught. "It's part of the game. This is umpire's call so I think it's just part of the game. Had he given it out, it would have favoured us," Babar said during the post-match presentation when asked about the DRS call. With Pakistan almost out of the tournament, Babar seemed drained with the opportunity lost. "I think it's disappointi

NZ Great Picks Netherlands Star Ahead Of Babar As 'ODI World Cup Captain'

The captaincy of Babar Azam has come under severe scrutiny since Pakistan's eight-wicket loss to Afghanistan in Cricket World Cup 2023. With it, the Babar-led side suffered its third consecutive defeat in the ongoing tournament. It was a good start for Pakistan in the tournament with two wins in as many games but Rohit Sharma -led Indian team broke the Asian neighbour's winning run before the side also suffered defeats at the hands of Australia and Afghanistan. Babar has been at the receiving end of all the backlash. Amid the ongoing criticism of Babar's captaincy, former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond picked Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards ahead of Babar when he was asked to pick the 'ODI World Cup captain' between the two. Bond revealed his choice during an interaction with ESPNcricinfo . Pakistan are in a must-win situation against a marauding South Africa in Chennai on Friday and a loss will virtually end their hopes of progressing to the semifinals, as the

"Mediocre, Average People": Akhtar Furious About Pakistan Cricket Set-up

Pakistan cricket team is facing a lot of questions. And, quite rightly so. The Babar Azam -led side slumped to an eight-wicket loss against a lower-ranked Afghanistan in a stunning result at the Cricket World Cup. Counted as among the pre-Cricket World Cup favourites, the Pakistan cricket team faces an early exit form the marquee event after three straight losses. They are currently living on the edge and any more lapses will spell doom for the side at the Cricket World Cup.  Against Afghanistan, who are still a rising force in world cricket, Pakistan could not defend a 282-run total. Former Pakistan cricket team star Shoaib Akhtar is stunned to see the state of Pakistan cricket. "Keep bringing mediocre and average people. People have made a joke of brand building. It's about building an institution that builds a brand. Now what do I say in this long debate?" Akhtar said in a video posted on his X account. "The position Pakistan cricket has reached and where the

"Dumbest Idea": Maxwell Fumes At WC Light Show, Says It Causes "Headache"

Australia's record-breaking batsman Glenn Maxwell blasted mid-match, nightclub-style light shows at the Cricket World Cup as "the dumbest idea" on Wednesday, claiming they cause "shocking headaches". Maxwell struck the fastest World Cup century in just 40 balls to lead Australia to a tournament record 309-run win over the Netherlands at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley stadium. But a pounding sound and light show in the middle of the Dutch reply did not amuse Maxwell, who covered his eyes with both hands during the near two-minute spectacle. "Well, I had something like that light show happen at Perth Stadium during a Big Bash game," Maxwell said after his man-of-the-match knock of 106 off 44 balls in a team total of 399-8. "And I just felt like it gave me shocking headaches and it takes me a while for my eyes to readjust and I just think it's the dumbest idea for cricketers." Arun Jaitley Stadium today's match lights show . #AUSvsNED

"Tastes Nice": Afghanistan Captain Sums Up Stunning Win Against Pakistan

After producing a stunning upset victory over their more fancied and bitter neighbours Pakistan, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said his team has set sights on more such wins in their ongoing campaign at the ODI World Cup. Leaving the cricketing world and pundits in utter disbelief, Afghanistan registered their second surprise victory in the World Cup and their first-ever win over Pakistan in 50-over cricket. Riding on a dazzling all-round performance in the field, Afghanistan stunned their neighbours with a thumping eight-wicket defeat on a sluggish Chennai surface on Monday. The opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (65), and Ibrahim Zadran (87), along with Rahmat Shah (77)* at No.3, starred with the bat to help Afghanistan post a win for the ages. Chasing 283, a challenging total on a Chennai pitch affording uneven bounce, Afghanistan cantered to a win by eight wickets, with an over to spare. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Shahidi lauded the team's

"Bit Nervous Before The Match": de Kock After Scoring 174 vs Bangladesh

After sledgehammering Bangladesh with a 174, South African opener Quinton de Kock said that he was a bit nervous coming into the World Cup match on Tuesday. De Kock's hundred and Heinrich Klaasen 's blistering 90 was the cornerstone of South Africa's impressive 149-run win over Bangladesh here. "I was a bit nervous this morning, don't normally get nervous at all. I had a bit of fun, great to get two points. But I was a bit more tired than satisfied (after the innings)," said de Kock during the post-match presentation. The left-handed batter praised Klaasen for producing another hurting knock. "I need some of the juice he's having. He's been special, for every team he's played for. Taking the tournament by storm," he added. South African skipper Aiden Markram , who himself made a 60, lauded de Kock and Klaasen for their brilliant innings. "What Quinny did was superb and then Klaasen walks in and smashes it. Everyone approaches it

WC Points Table: SA Make Big Gains, Surpass New Zealand To Be Placed 2nd

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Riding on Quinton de Kock 's ton, some brutal late hitting from Heinrich Klaasen and bowlers' brilliance South Africa registered a massive 149-run victory over Bangladesh in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 match at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. The Proteas also garnered a massive net run rate boost with another emphatic win. Defiant Mahmudullah was the only batter who stood tall today for Bangladesh but his vigilant knock of 111 runs went in vain as other batters failed to score big. Gerald Coetzee was the destructor-in-chief as he returned with a 3-wicket haul while Lizaad Williams and Marco Jansen bagged two wickets respectively. With the win, South Africa have climbed up to the second spot in the points table.  While chasing a whopping total of 383, a promising start to Bangladesh's reply came to an end when Tanzid Hasan (12) gloved behind a short ball from Marco Jansen. Jansen then strangled Najmul Hossain Shanto along the leg side on the next

Watch: Arthur Can't Keep Cool, Walks Off Seeing Pakistan's Poor Fielding

Pakistan cricket team is living on the edge at the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023. The Babar Azam -led side's chances to advance to the Cricket World Cup semi-finals hang by a thread after it slipped to a third straight loss at the mega event. If losses against arch-rivals India and Australia were not enough, Pakistan slumped to an eight-wicket loss against a lower-ranked Afghanistan. Pakistan continue to remain stagnant at the fifth spot after having played five matches. They face formidable opponents like New Zealand and South Africa next. After setting Afghanistan a 283-run target in Chennai on Monday, Pakistan needed wickets at regular intervals. However, their famed bowling line-up failed to deliver. To add to their plight, their fielding wasn't great either as east runs were leaked. During one such occasion, the Pakistan Team Director looked miffed and presumably walked off to the dressing room. Us Mickey bhai us pic.twitter.com/ZtX9mto2nh — Salman (@syedsalman97) October

Irfan Pathan Equates Mohammed Shami To 'Ferrari', Wins Internet With Tweet

Former pacer Irfan Pathan compared Mohammed Shami with "Ferrari" after the 33-year-old bagged a five-wicket haul against New Zealand at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday. "Mohammed Shami is like Ferrari. Whenever you take it out of garage it will give you same speed thrill and joy to ride every time," Irfan Pathan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Following his brilliant performance against New Zealand, Shami broke plenty of records. He became the first Indian to bag two five-wicket hauls in the history of the ODI World Cup. Shami's stupendous performance helped the 'Men in Blue' to restrict New Zealand at 273 on Sunday. Shami also overtook legendary spinner Anil Kumble to become the country's second-highest wicket-taker in the history of the ICC Cricket World Cup. Mohammed shami is like Ferrari. Whenever you take it out of garage it will give u same speed thrill and joy to ride every time. @MdShami11 — Irfan Patha

"Running In A Sauna For The Whole Innings": Klaasen On Match-Winning Ton

Heinrich Klaasen said he had "worked my whole life" for a superb hundred that powered South Africa to a crushing 229-run World Cup win over champions England. Klaasen's 109 was the centrepiece of South Africa's huge total of 399-7 in Mumbai on Saturday. His innings was all the more impressive for being made in oppressively hot and humid conditions he likened to "batting in a sauna", with Klaasen repeatedly suffering from cramp as temperatures soared to 36 degrees at the Wankhede Stadium. Klaasen also received superb support from Marco Jansen during a commanding sixth-wicket partnership of 151 in a mere 77 balls. Jansen made 75 not out, his maiden one-day international fifty, before reverting to a more familiar role of left-arm quick with a couple of early wickets as England slumped to 170. Klaasen, after what was just his fourth hundred in 45 ODIs, paid tribute to Jansen for seeing him through to the landmark. "I had to dig really, really deep the

Pakistan's Problems: Rauf's Poor Game Awareness And Lack Of Good Spinners

It can only happen with a Pakistan team. In the same match, its bowlers can bowl an eye-popping 152 dot balls and yet end up conceding a massive 367 runs in 50 overs. It happened against Australia in a World Cup match on Friday when there was no 'bad' element in Pakistan's bowling. There was only 'good' and 'ugly' facets -- the two extremes that has gone on to define Pakistan cricket since time immemorial. There are no half measures for Pakistan. At one end, they pegged Australia for what was worth half the total number of overs and at the other end, they were hammered for 29 fours and 19 sixes. And, this was after their bowling department's leader Shaheen Shah Afridi produced the best individual bowling figures of this edition -- 5 for 54. It is now well documented that Naseem Shah's absence is hurting the team badly but even then, Haris Rauf's lack of game awareness and not having spinners of international quality have affected the team's

England's Reece Topley Set To Be Ruled Out Of CWC 2023 With Finger Injury

England are set to be without leading wicket-taker Reece Topley for the remainder of their World Cup campaign due to a suspected broken finger and have already ruled out Jofra Archer as a possible replacement. Reigning champions England suffered a colossal 229-run thrashing by South Africa in Mumbai on Saturday to leave their hopes of a successful title defence hanging by a thread. Their record one-day international defeat was compounded when England coach Matthew Mott confirmed Topley was unlikely to feature again at the tournament. "We're still waiting to confirm about Reece's finger, it looks like it's a crack, that's an early diagnosis," Mott told Sky Sports. "It's highly likely there's a fracture there, which would make it difficult for him to keep playing." Topley, who has taken eight wickets in three games, was struck on the index finger of his bowling hand when attempting to block a drive in his follow through. The left-arm pace

"No Room For Error": Jos Buttler After England's Loss To South Africa

England captain Jos Buttler accepted the champions "have no room for error from here on in" at the World Cup after a record 229-run defeat by South Africa. The Proteas piled up 399-7 after Buttler sent them into bat in Mumbai on Saturday, with Heinrich Klaasen defying the hot and humid conditions at the Wankhede Stadium to post a gutsy hundred. England, having conceded their highest one-day international total, then collapsed to 170 as they suffered what was also their record loss at this level. They have now lost three of their first four games -- a nine-wicket hammering by New Zealand and shock defeat by Afghanistan also on their record -- with another defeat likely to scupper their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals. "It certainly leaves us in a tough position," said Buttler, whose side next play Sri Lanka on Thursday. "There's no room for error from here on in. "It's going to be incredibly difficult. We haven't left ourselves any

Shardul At No.5 In WC Game? Rohit Reveals Huge Move That Did Not Happen

Virat Kohli 's unbeaten century sealed India's fourth win from four World Cup matches as the hosts defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets on Thursday with the star batsman closing in on Sachin Tendulkar 's record for ODI hundreds. Kohli reached his century and ended the match in style with a six against spinner Nasum Ahmed when he needed three runs to complete his century and India two more runs to reach a target of 257. It was number 5 batter KL Rahul , who was standing unbeaten with Kohli at the crease when India won the game. After the match, Rohit Sharma revealed that it was Shardul Thakur , who was set to bat at the number 5 position, but given that Rahul had already walked inside the ground when Shreyas Iyer was dismissed, the all-rounder missed his chance. "I told Shardul to get ready on the ball that Shreyas Iyer got out. I told him 'Shardul, you will be in next'. But Shreyas got out on that delivery and by the time Shardul came down getting ready, R