Cricket

India's exceptional bowling performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup has garnered widespread acclaim, with former spinner Piyush Chawla hailing the current lineup as "one of the all-time greats." Chawla emphasized the remarkable transformation of India's bowling attack in recent years, attributing its success to the formidable pace quartet of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya, complemented by the skillful spinners Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Axar Patel.Chawla highlighted the bowlers' resilience in low-scoring encounters, particularly in the crucial clash against Pakistan. "Over the past few years, India's bowling attack has truly transformed," he said. "We now have one of the most complete and formidable bowling units in the world that has provided balance to the side allowing the batsmen with more freedom to play their natural game."Chawla praised the bowlers' ability to step up in crucial moments, citing instances where they outperformed the batters. "There have been many such occasions where our bowlers stepped up and contributed more than our batters," he said. "With the lethal pace quad of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh and top-notch spinners like Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel this is surely one of all time great bowling attack of India."India's dominance in Group A, with three wins and a washout against Canada, has earned them a spot in the Super Eight, where they will face Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Australia. Their first Super Eight clash will be against Afghanistan in Barbados on Thursday, June 20.

Bangladesh's emphatic victory over Nepal in the T20 World Cup 2024 propelled them into the Super 8s. Despite a dismal batting performance, Bangladesh's bowlers turned the tide in their favor, securing a 21-run victory.Nepal's bowlers had initially restricted Bangladesh to a meager 106, with all their bowlers contributing equally. However, in the second innings, Bangladesh's bowlers dominated, dismissing Nepal for 85. Tanzim Hasan Sakib's career-best figures of 4 for 7, including 21 dot balls, led the charge. Shakib al Hasan (2/9) and Mustafzur Rahaman (3/7) also played crucial roles.Nepal's chase started promisingly, reaching 78 for 5. But Bangladesh's bowlers tightened their grip, taking the last five wickets for just seven runs. Nepal's skipper, Rohit Paudel, acknowledged their bowling prowess, stating, "Bangladesh bowled really well with the new ball. Losing 4 wickets in the powerplay put us under a lot of pressure."Despite their batting struggles, Bangladesh's bowling unit showcased their experience and determination. Paudel expressed confidence in his team's potential, saying, "We're up to the mark with our bowling and fielding. This team has great potential, we need to back each and every player, I feel we will do very well in the next World Cup."Bangladesh's victory highlights the importance of a strong bowling attack in T20 cricket. Their ability to restrict Nepal's batsmen, despite their own batting struggles, demonstrates their resilience and adaptability. As they enter the Super 8s, Bangladesh will be eager to continue their impressive bowling form and improve their batting performance to challenge the tournament's top teams.

USA Cricket Sets Dismal Record in T20 World Cup Powerplay Against IndiaThe United States cricket team etched an unfortunate record in the annals of T20 World Cup history during their match against India in New York on Wednesday. The American side managed a paltry 18 runs for the loss of two wickets in the first six overs, marking the lowest powerplay score against India in the tournament's history.This dismal performance also stands as the USA's lowest powerplay total in T20 Internationals. The Indian bowling attack, led by left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh, proved too formidable for the American batters. Singh struck twice in his opening over, dismissing Shayan Jahangir and Andries Gous for ducks.India has a history of stifling opponents during the powerplay in T20 World Cups. In 2014, the West Indies team managed only 24 runs in their powerplay without losing any wickets. Similarly, South Africa was restricted to 24 runs for three wickets in their powerplay against India in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Ireland also struggled against India in the 2024 T20 World Cup, scoring just 26 runs for two wickets in their powerplay overs.These instances of low powerplay scores against India highlight the effectiveness of the Indian bowling unit in T20 World Cups. The bowlers have consistently applied early pressure, restricted scoring opportunities, and captured key wickets, leading to India's success on the global stage.The USA's dismal powerplay performance against India underscores the challenges faced by the American team in the tournament. Despite their spirited efforts, the USA batters were unable to penetrate the Indian bowling attack and establish a solid foundation for their innings.

Kolkata Knight Riders Face Bowling Juggernaut Punjab Kings in Eden Gardens ClashKolkata Knight Riders (KKR), currently sitting in second place, will host Punjab Kings (PBKS), languishing in ninth, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday evening. Despite the batter-friendly nature of IPL 2024, PBKS have emerged as a formidable bowling force, boasting the league's best bowling average and the most wickets at the death.However, PBKS's batting has been a concern, with the team struggling to score at a high rate and lacking a consistent performer. KKR, on the other hand, have been a balanced side, with both their batting and bowling units performing well.The Eden Gardens has been a high-scoring venue this season, with 200 runs being crossed in both innings in three of the four matches played there. This puts pressure on PBKS's batters to perform better than they have so far.KKR have been flexible in their team selection, alternating between a batter and a bowler depending on the conditions. They are likely to continue this strategy, with Rinku Singh potentially being replaced by a fast bowler or spinner.PBKS will be without Shikhar Dhawan, who is still recovering from an injury. Sam Curran may open the batting again, or Rilee Rossouw or Jonny Bairstow could partner Prabhsimran Singh.Mitchell Starc, who has struggled with his economy rate this season, will be eager to prove his worth at the Eden Gardens, where fast bowlers have had a higher economy rate than spinners. Harshal Patel, on the other hand, has been in good form lately, taking nine wickets in his last four matches.The pitch is expected to be similar to the ones that have produced high scores in Kolkata this season. Fast bowlers have had a slightly higher economy rate than spinners, but Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy have been particularly effective for KKR.