Cricket

Australian cricket legend Steve Smith has predicted that Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli will emerge as the leading run-scorer in the upcoming 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. Kohli's recent stellar performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he won the Orange Cap, has solidified his status as one of the favorites to dominate the run charts in the West Indies and the USA.Smith, who was not selected for the Australian squad, believes that Kohli's exceptional form and experience will propel him to the top of the scoring charts. "My top run-scorer of the tournament will be Virat Kohli," Smith told the ICC. "He is coming off a terrific IPL and he is bringing in some great form. I think he will be the leading run-getter."Kohli, who is already the highest run-scorer in T20 World Cup history with 1141 runs in 25 innings, is poised to extend his record even further. His compatriot and captain, Rohit Sharma, is not far behind, ranking fourth in the all-time run-getters list. Sharma has the potential to climb up to second place this year.The Indian duo is expected to open the batting for their team, which will face Ireland in New York on June 5. Kohli's impressive record against Pakistan, with 308 T20 World Cup runs and only one dismissal, bodes well for his chances of accumulating runs in the tournament. The arch-rivals are scheduled to clash on Sunday, June 9.While Kohli and Sharma are expected to lead India's batting charge, Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar has suggested that young Yashasvi Jaiswal could be a valuable addition to the lineup at number three.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has predicted that India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and Aussie batting sensation Travis Head will emerge as the leading wicket-taker and run-getter, respectively, in the upcoming T20 World Cup.Ponting, renowned for his cricketing acumen, believes Bumrah's exceptional pace and skill in delivering crucial breakthroughs will make him the tournament's top wicket-taker. On the batting front, he expects Head's aggressive and consistent performances to earn him the most runs.Both players have shown remarkable prowess in T20 cricket, and Ponting's prediction underscores their potential to shine on the world stage, setting high expectations for their contributions in the tournament.Bumrah is coming off a sensational IPL season, where he took 20 wickets in 13 games and maintained an impressive economy rate of 6.48, despite the high-scoring nature of the tournament."My leading wicket-taker for the tournament will be Jasprit Bumrah," Ponting told The ICC Review. "I just think an outstanding performer, contributor for a number of years now. He's just come off an outstanding IPL.""What he can do with the new ball, he swings the new ball, he has the seam up. But at the end, his economy rate at the end of the IPL was less than seven runs an over.""He takes wickets. He does bowl a lot of the hard overs too. When you bowl the hard overs in T20 cricket, it gives you a chance to pick up a lot of wickets along the way. So, I'm going with him," added Ponting.Ponting selected fellow Australian Head as his pick for the top run-scorer in the upcoming tournament."My prediction for the leading run-scorer will be Travis Head," Ponting said. "I just think everything he's done, whether it be red-ball or white-ball in the last couple of years, has been of the highest quality. I think he's playing fearless cricket at the moment."Head suffered an injury at the beginning of the ICC World Cup last year. However, Australia's belief in his abilities was so strong that they kept him with the squad until he recovered.In his return match against New Zealand during the tournament, Head repaid the team's trust with a blistering century. He concluded the World Cup with an impressive record, scoring two hundreds and a fifty, maintaining an average above 50, and striking at a remarkable rate of 127.52.Head's exceptional form persisted in the current IPL 2024 season, where he played a crucial role as an opener in Sunrisers Hyderabad's journey to the final. Throughout the tournament, he amassed 567 runs in 15 matches, maintaining an extraordinary strike rate of 191.55.Despite Head's underwhelming conclusion to the IPL season, Ponting anticipates that he will continue to display his explosive batting prowess during the upcoming matches in the Caribbean and the United States."His IPL had its ups and downs, but when it's been good, it's been very good. And it has won games of cricket for his team," Ponting noted."And it'll be exactly the same for Australia. So, look, he might not be the most consistent on the way through this tournament, but he'll be right up there, I'm sure, with the leading run scorers. And as I've said, if he spends any amount of time at the wicket for Australia, he'll win more games than ever," Ponting concluded.The T20 World Cup 2024 will begin on June 1 in the West Indies and USA.

Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans: Fantasy XI Predictions and Match AnalysisDelhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans, two formidable teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), are set to face off in a crucial encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Both teams have played eight matches so far, with Delhi Capitals currently ranked eighth and Gujarat Titans sixth on the points table.Pitch Conditions:The pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium is known for its balance, with an average first innings score of 157 runs in the last 20 matches. The team batting first has won only 26% of matches at this venue, suggesting that the toss-winning captain may opt to bowl first.Pace vs Spin:The pitch is suitable for both pacers and spinners, providing opportunities for both types of bowlers to make an impact.Weather Forecast:The weather forecast predicts a temperature of around 37.15 degrees Celsius, humidity of 9%, and winds of 3.24 m/s. These conditions are expected to favor both batters and bowlers.Head-to-Head Record:In the four previous encounters between these two teams, bowlers have consistently earned the most fantasy points. In their most recent meeting, Rishabh Pant was named Man of the Match, while Mukesh Kumar and Rashid Khan topped the fantasy points leaderboard for Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans, respectively.Fantasy XI Predictions:Top Captain and Vice-Captain Picks:* Sai Sudharsan: A consistent top-order batter with an average of 40 match fantasy points in the last 10 games.* Axar Patel: An all-rounder who provides both batting and bowling fantasy points, with an average of 33 match fantasy points in the last 10 games.Other Key Players:* Tristan Stubbs: A wicket-keeper batter with an average of 51 match fantasy points in the last 10 games.* Mohit Sharma: A right-arm medium pacer with a good record against Gujarat Titans.* Sai Kishore: A slow left-arm orthodox bowler who has been successful at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.* Shahrukh Khan: An all-rounder who can contribute with both bat and ball.* Jake Fraser-McGurk: A top-order batter who can be a differential pick.* Khaleel Ahmed: A left-arm medium pacer with a good record against Gujarat Titans.* Azmatullah Omarzai: A top-order batter who can also bowl right-arm medium fast.Fantasy XI Team:* Wicket-Keeper: Wriddhiman Saha* Batters: Sai Sudharsan, Vijay Shankar* All-Rounders: Shahrukh Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Axar Patel, Rahul Tewatia* Bowlers: Mohit Sharma, Sai Kishore, Rashid Khan, Spencer Johnson* Captain: Sai Kishore* Vice-Captain: Axar PatelConclusion:The match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams looking to secure a crucial victory. The fantasy XI predictions provided above can help you build a strong team and maximize your chances of success in fantasy cricket contests.