Cricket

India's Woes Mount in Second Test as Latham's Dropped Catch Haunts ThemTeam India's struggles continued in the second Test against New Zealand as they found themselves trailing by 103 runs after the first innings. Despite restricting New Zealand to 259, India's batters failed to deliver, collapsing to 156 all out.In the second innings, India's bowlers toiled hard, but a crucial dropped catch proved costly. In the 37th over, Ravindra Jadeja induced an edge from New Zealand captain Tom Latham, who was well-set on 68. However, the chance was low and difficult, and Indian captain Rohit Sharma was unable to reach it in the slip cordon.The dropped catch left India frustrated, and Virat Kohli was seen expressing his displeasure to Latham and Henry Nicholls. In a viral video, Kohli appeared to be asking them to avoid running down the middle of the pitch. Kohli also had a conversation with the on-field umpire.New Zealand went on to post 255 in their second innings, setting India a victory target of 359 runs. The hosts now face an uphill battle to avoid a series defeat, having lost the opening Test in Bengaluru by eight wickets.

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood's frustration boiled over in the dressing room during the third day of the first Rawalpindi Test against Bangladesh. A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, shows Masood engaged in an animated discussion with head coach Jason Gillespie, a legendary Australian pacer.While the exact reason for Masood's anger is unclear, fans have speculated that it may have been related to Babar Azam's dropped catch on the fourth day of the match. However, the video of Masood's outburst is from the third day, indicating that the two incidents are unrelated.On the fourth day, Azam dropped an easy chance at leg slip off the bowling of Agha Salman, giving Mushfiqur Rahim a reprieve. Rahim went on to score a brilliant 191, giving Bangladesh an outside chance of a maiden victory over Pakistan.The dropped catch has raised questions about Azam's form and focus, as he has struggled with the bat in recent matches. Masood's outburst, meanwhile, highlights the pressure and frustration that the Pakistan team is facing in this crucial Test match.Pakistan, who have lost 12 of their 13 Tests against Bangladesh, are trailing by 94 runs after Bangladesh posted a first-innings total of 565. The home team will need to bat well in their second innings to avoid defeat and level the series.

Sanderstead's Stuey Elleray Drops the Catch of the CenturyIn a hilarious turn of events during a village league match between Sanderstead Cricket Club and Merton Boars, Sanderstead's Stuey Elleray became an instant internet sensation after juggling the ball seven times before dropping a routine catch.The incident occurred during Merton Boars' innings, with Mark Barber on the attack after completing his century. Elleray, fielding at long-on, had a seemingly straightforward catch to take, but the ball slipped through his grasp and bounced off his chest.Undeterred, Elleray continued to juggle the ball, much to the amusement of the crowd and his teammates. The ball bounced off his hands, his legs, and even his head, before he finally lost his balance and dropped it.Elleray's fumble sent social media into a frenzy, with fans labeling it one of the biggest "hall of shame" moments in cricket history. Some even dubbed it the "greatest dropped catch ever."Despite Elleray's comical error, Sanderstead went on to secure a comfortable victory, chasing down a target of 240 in just 30.3 overs with eight wickets to spare. Barber's unbeaten 117 went in vain as all of Sanderstead's top-five batters contributed to a convincing day on the field for the hosts.Elleray's dropped catch has become a viral sensation, highlighting the unpredictable and often hilarious nature of cricket. While it may have been a moment of embarrassment for Elleray, it has also brought joy to cricket fans around the world.

Wahab Riaz's Dropped Catch Sparks Criticism as Pakistan Triumphs in WCLFormer Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz faced online backlash after dropping a straightforward catch during the World Championship of Legends (WCL) match against India at Edgbaston. Riaz, who currently serves as the chief selector of the Pakistan men's senior team, was visibly disappointed after failing to secure the catch.The incident occurred during the final over of India's innings, with Pakistan already assured of victory. Anureet Singh lofted Aamer Yamin's delivery high into the sky, giving Riaz ample time to settle and pouch the ball. However, the ball somehow slipped through his hands, leading to widespread criticism.Fans questioned Riaz's suitability as chief selector, citing his inability to execute a basic fielding task. Social media erupted with comments mocking Riaz's performance, with some suggesting that he should reconsider his role.Despite the dropped catch, Pakistan Champions secured a convincing 68-run victory over Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions. This marked their third consecutive win in the ongoing WCL 2024 at Edgbaston, Birmingham.Earlier, Pakistan posted a formidable total of 243/4, thanks to a 145-run opening partnership between Sharjeel Khan and Kamran Akmal. Khan scored a blistering 72 off 30 balls, while Akmal contributed 77 off 40 balls. Sohaib Maqsood also chipped in with a quickfire 51 off 26 balls.In reply, India started their chase aggressively but lost wickets at regular intervals. Suresh Raina top-scored with 52 off 40 balls, but his efforts were not enough to prevent Pakistan from securing a comfortable victory.

In a recent Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), fans witnessed an uncharacteristic moment involving the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Despite CSK ultimately securing victory by 7 wickets, the spotlight was on Dhoni for dropping an easy catch of West Indian marauder Andre Russell.The incident occurred in the eighth ball of the 18th over, when Mustafizur Rahman executed a deceptive slower delivery aimed at Russell, managing to elicit an edge from the KKR all-rounder. Despite the skillful execution, Dhoni, positioned behind the stumps, failed to secure the catch, attempting it with just one hand.The incident left the jam-packed crowd at Chepauk in disbelief, with both Mustafizur and CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was fielding near the boundary line, momentarily stunned by the missed opportunity. However, despite the lifeline provided by the dropped catch, Russell couldn't capitalize on the reprieve and was dismissed soon after for just 10 runs.Former England skipper Michael Vaughan and ex-New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull engaged in a discussion about Dhoni's dropped catch on Cricbuzz. "MS Dhoni dropped quite a simple catch with the one hand and the cameras went straight on to most of the CSK team. Because it was MS Dhoni, most of them were like - "That's fine," Vaughan said.Doull added, "Nobody said a word. I would love to see the bowler give a reaction (makes animated gestures)."Vaughan: "You could see that he wanted to. He went for it and then he thought - Oh, it is MS Dhoni."Despite the initial setback, CSK's disciplined bowling effort restricted KKR to a total of 137/9 in their allotted 20 overs. While the missed catch generated a wave of surprise and anticipation among fans, it ultimately did not significantly alter the outcome of the match, as CSK emerged victorious in the end.Chennai chased down the target quite comfortably in 17.4 over riding on a fine half-century from skipper Gaikwad. Following the high-profile clash, CSK's stronghold at their home ground continued to be evident as they comfortably secured victory without facing significant challenges, effectively ending KKR's unbeaten streak in this season of the IPL.

Punjab Kings skipper Shikhar Dhawan expressed his disappointment after his team's four-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore, attributing it to a slow start and a crucial dropped catch.Batting first, PBKS struggled to gain momentum, scoring only 40 runs in the powerplay. Dhawan admitted to playing slowly in the initial overs, costing his team valuable runs. The dismissal of Jonny Bairstow further hindered their progress.In the second innings, Virat Kohli's dropped catch proved costly as the RCB batter went on to score a match-winning 77. Dhawan lamented the missed opportunity, believing it could have shifted the momentum in PBKS's favor.Despite the loss, Dhawan praised Harpreet Brar's performance, who emerged as a game-changer with his economical bowling and crucial wickets.