Cricket

India's impressive run in the T20 World Cup Group A has secured their place in the 'Super 8s.' However, their fate against Canada on Saturday remains uncertain due to inclement weather in Florida.The state has been experiencing flash floods, leading to a state of emergency in some areas. The wet conditions have already forced the cancellation of the USA vs. Ireland match, resulting in a major upset and Pakistan's elimination from the tournament.The weather forecast for the Lauderhill region remains grim, with a high probability of showers and thunderstorms. The afternoon forecast offers a slightly better chance of play, but the situation remains fluid.India's dominance in Group A is undeniable, with three consecutive wins against Ireland, USA, and Pakistan. They have secured six points, while USA follows with five points from two wins and a no-result.The no-result in the USA vs. Ireland match has rendered the remaining two games in Group A inconsequential. India is assured of topping the group, followed by USA.The last game of the group, between Pakistan and Ireland, will be played on Sunday at the same venue. However, its outcome will have no bearing on the tournament's progression.The weather conditions in Florida will play a crucial role in determining whether India can extend their unbeaten run against Canada. If the match is washed out, both teams will share the points, and India will still advance to the 'Super 8s.'

Canada vs India: Rain Threat Looms Over T20 World Cup ClashCanada and India are set to face off in a crucial T20 World Cup match on Saturday, June 15, in Lauderhill, Florida. However, the fixture is under threat due to a high probability of rain.India, who have won all three of their group games, are aiming to maintain their perfect record and secure a spot in the Super 8 stage. Canada, on the other hand, have been eliminated after losing their first three matches.Despite their elimination, Canada have shown resilience and competitiveness throughout the tournament. They scored an impressive 194 runs against USA in their opening game and secured a comfortable victory against Ireland.India, meanwhile, have been in dominant form. They have played the same XI in all three group games, but with qualification secure, they may consider resting some key players and giving opportunities to others.One player who could be in line for a start is Kuldeep Yadav. The wrist-spinner has not yet featured in the tournament, but his skills could be valuable in the Super 8 stage.Another player to watch is Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder has been a key contributor with the ball, taking seven wickets in three games. He has also been economical, with an economy rate of 5.41.The match will be played at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida. The venue has hosted eight T20Is, with India playing the most matches (eight). Rohit Sharma is the top-scorer at the venue, with 196 runs in five innings.The weather forecast for Saturday is not promising, with scattered thunderstorms predicted throughout the day. If the match is washed out, it will be a disappointing end to Canada's T20 World Cup campaign.

The T20 World Cup 2024 is heating up, with five teams already securing their spots in the Super 8 stage. India, Australia, Afghanistan, West Indies, and South Africa have emerged as the frontrunners, leaving three spots up for grabs.Group 1 of the Super 8 stage features India, Australia, and Afghanistan. India, the defending champions, will be looking to continue their dominance, while Australia, the former champions, will be eager to reclaim their title. Afghanistan, the surprise package of the tournament, will be aiming to make a deep run.Group 2 consists of West Indies and South Africa. West Indies, the two-time champions, will be hoping to regain their glory days, while South Africa, the perennial underachievers, will be determined to break their World Cup jinx.The remaining three spots in the Super 8 stage will be filled by the top teams from Groups A, C, and D. USA, England, and Bangladesh are the favorites to qualify from their respective groups, but other teams like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and New Zealand are still in contention.The first round of the tournament concludes on June 17, with the Super 8 stage commencing on June 19. The opening match of the Super 8 round will see South Africa take on the second qualifier from Group A in Antigua.All teams will start the Super 8 stage on an equal footing, with no points or net run-rate advantage carried forward from the first round. The top two teams from each Super 8 group will advance to the semi-finals, which will be held on June 26 and 27.The final of the T20 World Cup 2024 is scheduled for June 29 in Barbados. With a thrilling Super 8 stage and a highly anticipated final, the tournament promises to deliver non-stop excitement and unforgettable moments.

As the men's T20 World Cup concludes, preparations for the women's ODI World Cup next year are underway. South Africa, currently third in the championship table, aims to secure automatic qualification and gain experience by playing hosts India.India, as hosts, automatically qualify for the World Cup, but their ODI form has been inconsistent. After sweeping Sri Lanka and England in 2022, they tied a series in Bangladesh and lost 3-0 to Australia at home. However, they have over a year to improve their consistency.South Africa, on the other hand, faces a crucial challenge. They need to win four of their remaining six matches to secure automatic qualification. If they win fewer games, they may still qualify but will rely on other results.South Africa embarks on this journey without former coach Hilton Moreeng, who resigned in May. Assistant coach Dillon du Preez has taken over as interim coach, with Baakier Abrahams and Bongani Ndaba joining the coaching staff.Tazmin Brits returns to the South African squad after recovering from a knee injury. She will partner Laura Wolvaardt, the leading run-scorer in ODIs this year, at the top of the order.India's squad includes Jemimah Rodrigues, who missed the Bangladesh series with a back niggle. Pooja Vastrakar's availability is uncertain due to an undisclosed injury. Arundhati Reddy may be the second seamer in support of Renuka Singh if Vastrakar is unavailable.Rain could impact the series, as showers have been frequent in Bengaluru. If play is severely interrupted, it would disappoint the local crowd, who have shown strong support for women's cricket.India will look to improve their performances after disappointing showings against Australia. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur will be under scrutiny, while youngsters Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh will aim to make an impact.

Saurabh Netravalkar, the Mumbai-born USA pacer, has emerged as a star performer in the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup. His impressive performances have not only caught the attention of cricket fans but also earned him praise from legendary Indian cricketers.Netravalkar's journey to the international stage has been a remarkable one. He represented India in the 2010 U19 World Cup before moving to the United States to pursue his engineering studies. Despite his academic commitments, Netravalkar continued to play cricket and eventually made his debut for the USA national team in 2022.In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Netravalkar has been a key figure for USA. He delivered a nerveless Super Over to secure a thrilling victory against Pakistan in their opening match. In the subsequent game against India, he dismissed both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two of the most feared batsmen in world cricket.After the match against India, Netravalkar expressed his emotions, saying, "It was an emotional moment for me. I played the 2010 U19 World Cup for India too, and it was a special feeling to play against them."Netravalkar's performances have not gone unnoticed by former Indian cricketers. Navjot Singh Sidhu praised him for his all-round abilities, saying, "You're all-in-one my friend! You're an engineer, you're Suryakumar Yadav's friend, and now you're taking wickets against India! Love you."Harbhajan Singh also joined in the chorus of praise, saying, "I wanted to thank him for that Super Over against Pakistan. And the courage he showed while bowling today (against India) won my heart."Netravalkar's efforts have been instrumental in USA's impressive run in the tournament. With four wickets in three matches at an economy rate of just 5.20, he has played a crucial role in helping his team qualify for the Super 8.USA will face Ireland on June 14 in a match that will determine their fate in the tournament. A victory over Ireland will send USA through to the Super 8 from Group A, confirming Pakistan's elimination in the process.

India's final group match in the T20 World Cup against Canada on Saturday will be a crucial test for star batsman Virat Kohli, who has struggled for form in the tournament so far. Despite India's three consecutive victories, Kohli's poor performance has raised concerns.Kohli entered the T20 World Cup after a stellar Indian Premier League season, where he amassed over 700 runs for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, in three matches, he has managed only five runs, including a "Golden Duck" against the USA.The match against Canada provides an opportunity for Kohli to regain his form, but it is also a meaningless game for India, who have already qualified for the Super Eight stage. The team's focus will be on preparing for the more challenging matches ahead.Despite Kohli's struggles, India's batting has been strong, with Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant stepping up. Pant has scored crucial runs in the victories over Pakistan and Ireland, while Suryakumar overcame a slow start to make a vital fifty against the USA.India's bowling has also been impressive, with Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack. Pandya and Arshdeep have been particularly impressive, silencing their critics after poor IPL seasons.While India is expected to defeat Canada, the match could provide an opportunity for the team to experiment with their lineup. They may consider inserting Yashasvi Jaiswal as an opener and moving Kohli down to No. 3. They may also give Yuzvendra Chahal or Kuldeep Yadav a chance to bowl.Canada, despite being a tournament newcomer, has shown some tenacity. Players like Aaron Johnson can surprise on their day. However, the Canadians will need to rely on the anticipated rain to stop India's momentum.

Pakistan's dismal performance in their T20 World Cup clash against India has drawn sharp criticism from former fast-bowler Waqar Younis. Pakistan, despite bowling out India for a mere 119, failed to chase down the target, losing by six runs.Younis expressed his frustration, stating that Pakistan had been handed a golden opportunity to win but squandered it. He attributed the defeat to the team's poor batting, particularly the dismissal of wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Rizwan against Jasprit Bumrah."The game was in their hands, it was run-a-ball," Younis said. "That shot from Mohammad Rizwan was very ordinary... I knew something special was going to happen because we know Bumrah and Siraj's capabilities."Legendary left-arm fast-bowler Wasim Akram echoed Younis's sentiments, criticizing Rizwan's lack of game awareness and the overall performance of batters Fakhar Zaman and Iftikhar Ahmed."They have been playing cricket for 10 years, and I can't teach them," Akram said. "Rizwan has no game awareness... Iftikhar Ahmed knows one shot on the leg side... Pakistani players think that if they don't perform well, the coaches will be sacked, and nothing will happen to them."Akram also revealed a rift between captain Babar Azam and left-arm fast-bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, claiming that they are not on speaking terms since the change of captaincy earlier this year."There are players who don't want to talk to each other," Akram said. "This is international cricket, and you play for your country. Make these players sit at home."Pakistan's defeat has put them on the brink of an early exit from the tournament. The team's batting woes and lack of game awareness have been highlighted as major concerns, and it remains to be seen if they can turn things around in their remaining matches.

The T20 World Cup 2024 in Florida faces a potential weather disruption as a tropical disturbance brings heavy rainfall to the region. The first match at the Lauderhill venue, between Nepal and Sri Lanka, was washed out due to flooding. Three more fixtures—USA vs. Ireland, Canada vs. India, and Ireland vs. Pakistan—are scheduled over the next three days and could also be affected by the inclement weather.The US National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a "flood watch" for southern Florida through Friday evening. The matches are scheduled to begin at 10.30am local time, but heavy rain is forecast throughout the day.India has already secured a spot in the Super Eight after defeating USA on Wednesday. The remaining teams in Group A—USA, Canada, Ireland, and Pakistan—are vying for the other spot. All four teams still have a mathematical chance of qualifying.Pakistan, the 2022 T20 World Cup finalists, have won only one of their three games so far. They can advance to the next round if they defeat Ireland and USA loses to them. If either of these matches is washed out, USA, with two wins, will qualify. Canada (one win from three) and Ireland (no wins from two) are lower in the standings.The washout on June 11 also impacted Group D, leaving Sri Lanka and Nepal on the brink of elimination. A minimum of five overs is required to constitute a match, and there are no reserve days for the group-stage matches. The first semi-final and the final have reserve days, but the second semi-final does not, as there is only a day's gap between that match and the final.The weather conditions could significantly impact the outcome of Group A and potentially affect the tournament's overall trajectory.

Virat Kohli, India's batting mainstay, has endured a disappointing start to the T20 World Cup 2024, failing to deliver in both matches. Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has urged Kohli to revert to his previous batting style, arguing that it would be more effective on the current pitches.Manjrekar believes that Kohli's attempt to increase his strike rate during the IPL 2024 has backfired in the T20 World Cup. "He probably must have come to the T20 World Cup with that same mindset, but given the pitches, the old Virat Kohli would have been much better," Manjrekar said.Kohli's strike rate has been a subject of debate in recent years, with some critics arguing that he needs to be more aggressive. However, Manjrekar believes that Kohli's strength lies in his ability to anchor the innings and play calculated shots."The problem with Virat Kohli is that there has been a lot of talk about his strike rate over the last two years, and he completely changed that during this IPL season," Manjrekar said. "But that is a different topic. He probably must have come to the T20 World Cup with that same mindset, but given the pitches, the old Virat Kohli would have been much better."Manjrekar's advice echoes the sentiments of many fans and experts who believe that Kohli's best batting comes when he is playing within himself and not trying to force the issue. Kohli has been known for his ability to rotate the strike, find gaps, and build partnerships.If Kohli can rediscover his old form, it would be a major boost for India's chances in the T20 World Cup. The team is heavily reliant on Kohli's experience and leadership, and his return to form would provide a much-needed spark to the batting lineup.