Cricket

Jonty Sidhu, the 26-year-old left-handed batsman, has made a strong start to the new Ranji Trophy season, echoing his impressive performance in the previous campaign. In the opening fixture against Chhattisgarh, Sidhu's unbeaten 103 played a crucial role in Delhi securing the first-innings lead and three points.Sidhu's innings was a testament to his ability to blend caution with aggression, particularly when the team was in a precarious position at 202 for five. He forged valuable partnerships with the lower order, demonstrating his composure and adaptability in challenging situations.Despite his impressive average of 49.1 after 23 First Class matches, this was surprisingly Sidhu's first selection for Delhi's opening game in three seasons. Buoyed by his strong start, he is optimistic about his prospects and aims to make the most of his opportunity.Sidhu's ideal batting position is at No. 4, and he believes that this will allow him to make a more significant impact on the team's performance. He is particularly excited about Delhi's upcoming match against Tamil Nadu, a team against which he has a strong record, having scored two fifties and a century in three previous encounters.Sidhu's resurgence is a welcome boost for Delhi, who have struggled in recent seasons. His ability to contribute consistently with the bat will be crucial to their hopes of improving their fortunes in the Ranji Trophy.

India vs Bangladesh: Bangladesh Opt to Bowl First in Dewy ConditionsIn a crucial match for both teams, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bowl first against India at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Despite both captains anticipating dew later in the evening, Shanto's decision was based on the expectation of a wet ball challenging India's bowlers.Delhi has recently emerged as a high-scoring T20 venue, a departure from its previous reputation for slow and low pitches. However, during the recent Indian Premier League (IPL), five teams that won the toss and chose to chase ended up losing their matches.Bangladesh made a single change to their lineup, bringing back the impressive Tanzim Hasan, who excelled as a bowler in the T20 World Cup earlier this year. Left-arm quick Shoriful Islam was omitted from the team. India, on the other hand, retained the same XI that secured a comfortable victory in the series opener in Gwalior.Playing XIs:India:1. Sanju Samson (wk)2. Abhishek Sharma3. Suryakumar Yadav (capt.)4. Nitish Kumar Reddy5. Hardik Pandya6. Riyan Parag7. Rinku Singh8. Washington Sundar9. Mayank Yadav10. Arshdeep Singh11. Varun ChakravarthyBangladesh:1. Parvez Hossain Emon2. Litton Das (wk)3. Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt.)4. Towhid Hridoy5. Mahmudullah6. Jaker Ali7. Mehidy Hasan Miraz8. Rishad Hossain9. Taskin Ahmed10. Tanzim Hasan11. Mustafizur Rahman

Team India Arrives in Delhi for Second T20I Against BangladeshNew Delhi, India - The Indian cricket team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Monday, November 21, 2023, ahead of their second Twenty20 International (T20I) match against Bangladesh. The Men in Blue received a warm welcome from their enthusiastic supporters at the airport.After disembarking from their flight, the Indian team boarded a bus and proceeded to their hotel in the national capital. They are scheduled to face Bangladesh in the second T20I on Wednesday, November 23, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.India currently holds a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after defeating Bangladesh by seven wickets in the opening T20I in Gwalior. Suryakumar's team will be aiming to secure a series victory with a win in the second match.The upcoming T20I is expected to be a high-scoring affair, given the batting prowess of both teams. India will be looking to continue their winning momentum, while Bangladesh will be determined to level the series.The Indian team has a strong batting lineup, led by Suryakumar Yadav, who has been in excellent form in recent matches. Other key players include KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma. The bowling attack will be spearheaded by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, and Yuzvendra Chahal.Bangladesh, on the other hand, will be relying on their experienced batsmen, such as Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Liton Das. Their bowling attack will be led by Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, and Shoriful Islam.The second T20I between India and Bangladesh promises to be an exciting contest, with both teams eager to secure a series victory.

Ground staff at the Greater Noida stadium in Uttar Pradesh, India, resorted to desperate measures on Tuesday as they attempted to dry out the pitch for the Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand. The match, which was scheduled to begin on Monday, has been delayed due to incessant rainfall and the poor condition of the ground.Despite the sunshine on Tuesday, the outfield remained soaked, and the chances of play appeared slim for a second consecutive day. On Monday, the New Zealand players were seen throwing rugby balls around as they waited for play to resume, but both teams spent the morning of Tuesday marooned at their hotels.Groundsmen dragged out tarpaulin to cover areas of the pitch in anticipation of more rain, while others held electric fans over some of the worst wet patches. They also dug up a wet patch in the cover-point and mid-wicket region and filled it with dry soil and fresh turf.Umpires were due to hold another inspection to assess a possible start time at a venue that is hosting its first Test match and where drainage is basic.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has offered Afghanistan venues to train and host matches outside their troubled nation, including in Lucknow and Dehradun. However, those grounds were busy with local leagues, and Greater Noida was chosen as the venue for this Test.Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officials have expressed disappointment over the condition of the ground, calling it "a huge mess" and stating that they will not return to the venue in the future.The Test match is only Afghanistan's 10th in their history, and the delay has been a major setback for the team. New Zealand, on the other hand, will next travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests before returning for three more against India.