Cricket

India's T20 World Cup preparations took an unexpected turn as Sanju Samson opened the batting alongside Rohit Sharma in their warm-up match against Bangladesh in New York. Samson's brief stay at the crease ended with an lbw dismissal for 1, leaving India's opening combination still up for debate.With regular openers Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Virat Kohli in the squad, Samson's inclusion at the top of the order raised eyebrows. Kohli, who arrived in New York on the eve of the match, was unavailable for the warm-up game. Samson, one of two wicketkeeper-batters in the squad alongside Rishabh Pant, replaced Samson at the crease at No. 3.The opening combination has been a topic of discussion for India, with Rohit expected to take one of the two slots. Kohli, despite his successful IPL campaign as an opener, has traditionally batted at No. 3 in T20Is. Jaiswal, on the other hand, provides a left-handed option and can prevent oppositions from bowling left-arm spin in the powerplay, a style of bowling that has troubled both Rohit and Kohli in the past.However, given that this is a warm-up match where both teams can use their entire squads, the choice of Samson as opener and Pant at No. 3 should not be overanalyzed. India may be looking to assess both their keepers before deciding on their opening combination for their tournament opener against Ireland on June 5.

India's T20 World Cup preparations got underway with a warm-up match against Bangladesh at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Saturday. Captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat, citing challenging conditions. Notably, Virat Kohli missed out on the game, as confirmed by Sharma.The match provided India with a valuable opportunity to acclimatize to conditions similar to those they will encounter in their group stage matches against Ireland, Pakistan, and the United States. Bangladesh, on the other hand, sought to find their winning formula after a disappointing series defeat to the USA.Sharma explained Kohli's absence, stating that he had only arrived the previous day and needed time to adjust. He also revealed that the rest of the squad was available for selection. Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed his desire to bowl first, but acknowledged the need to adapt to the conditions.India's playing XI featured a mix of experienced and emerging players, including Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, and Shivam Dube. Bangladesh fielded a strong side led by Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mahmudullah.The match was a closely contested affair, with both teams showcasing their strengths and weaknesses. India's batting lineup struggled to find consistency, while Bangladesh's bowlers impressed with their accuracy and variations.In the end, India emerged victorious by a narrow margin, providing them with a much-needed confidence boost ahead of the T20 World Cup. The match also highlighted areas for improvement, which the team will undoubtedly address in their remaining preparations.

The T20 World Cup 2024 is set to kick off on Sunday with a match between USA and Canada. For India, the tournament begins on June 5 with a clash against Ireland. The highly anticipated match against Pakistan is scheduled for June 9.Ahead of the tournament, former players Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Misbah Ul Haq shared their insights on the event. Misbah Ul Haq named Australia and Pakistan as the top contenders for the title."Australia knows how to win. They come to Asia and win by playing with just one spinner. You can't write off Australia from any World Cup," said Misbah. "The second team is very difficult. We have to back Pakistan because we live in Pakistan. India's team is very strong, they have everything."Irfan Pathan believes that Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube will play crucial roles for India in the tournament. "Hardik will have a set role to finish the game, and Shivam Dube will play as a floater, acting as an enforcer against the spinners," said Pathan.Pandya had a disappointing IPL season, but Pathan believes he will regain his form before the Super 8 stage. "The good thing about the Indian team now is that they will get a chance to be in form before the Super 8, as we will play teams who are not at the top level apart from Pakistan," said Pathan.Dube, on the other hand, had a strong IPL season, scoring 396 runs at a strike rate of 162.29. Pathan believes he will be a valuable asset in the knockout stages."Shivam Dube will play that kind of role," said Pathan. "He will play as an enforcer against the spinners in the playoffs."With a strong squad and a favorable schedule, India will be among the favorites to win the T20 World Cup 2024.

India, the inaugural T20 World Cup champions in 2007, will face Bangladesh in a warm-up match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Saturday. This match will serve as a crucial opportunity for India to test the ground conditions and the nature of the drop-in pitches, as they will play their first three group matches against Ireland, Pakistan, and USA at the same venue.Beyond testing the playing conditions, India will also seek answers to several questions that will help captain Rohit Sharma and chief coach Rahul Dravid determine their preferred playing XI.Opening Combination:Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar highlighted the uncertainty surrounding India's opening combination. He suggested three possibilities:* Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma (left-right combination)* Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (left-right combination)* Yashasvi Jaiswal not included in the playing XIWicketkeeper-Batsman:Manjrekar believes that Rishabh Pant should be brought back into the Indian team as soon as possible, and the warm-up match could provide an ideal opportunity. He suggested that Pant could be preferred over Sanju Samson.Preferred Spinners:India has several talented spinners in their squad, including Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal. Manjrekar emphasized the importance of assessing their form and determining the preferred combination.

Rahul Dravid, India's head coach, has been tasked with leading the team to glory in three major events: the 2022 T20 World Cup, the 2021-23 ICC World Test Championship, and the 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup. India has been yearning for an ICC trophy since M.S. Dhoni's side triumphed in the 2013 Champions Trophy.As Dravid's tenure nears its end, the three big events have come and gone, and India remains without a major title. The 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup presents Dravid with a final opportunity to leave a lasting legacy.Like Dravid, captain Rohit Sharma is eager to break India's trophy drought. He came close in the 2023 ODI CWC, only to be thwarted by a ruthless Australia in the final. Sharma also led India in the previous T20 mega event, where eventual champion England crushed them by 10 wickets in the semifinal.Sharma will have a similar squad at his disposal this time around. Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav, the highest and third highest tournament run scorers in 2022, are in top form after impressive performances in IPL 2024. The return of Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the 2022 festivities due to a back injury, further strengthens the lineup. Bumrah's pinpoint accuracy and lethal yorkers can bail India out of desperate situations.The team management must learn from the costly mistake they made in the 2023 final. The batters were overly cautious in Ahmedabad, a strategy that can be fatal in modern-day T20 cricket. Attacking relentlessly is the only way to succeed.India has been fortunate with the draw. They face no major threats in Group A, with Pakistan being the only potential obstacle. Ireland, USA, and Canada should be easy pickings. India's progress to the Super 8s, reserved for the top two teams in each group, is virtually guaranteed.No World Cup is complete without a marquee India-Pakistan game. The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York will host this highly-anticipated clash on June 9. Kohli's majestic straight six off Haris Rauf at Melbourne is still fresh in the memory. The occasion demands another unforgettable moment.The bigger tests await in the Super 8s, which will be held in the West Indies. India, and Dravid in particular, will not have fond memories of the last time the Caribbean hosted a big event. The 2007 World Cup shock group-stage exit, under Dravid's captaincy, is best forgotten. Thankfully, this group of players bears no scars from that horror.And so, another quest begins. Dravid, Rohit & Co. will be desperate to return home with a trophy.

South Africa's women's cricket team has appointed Laura Wolvaardt as captain for their upcoming tour of India, which begins on June 16. Wolvaardt will lead the team in both Test and ODI formats.The tour will commence with three ODIs in Bengaluru, followed by a one-off Test and T20Is in Chennai. The squad for the T20Is will be announced later.South Africa will be without the services of experienced players Lara Goodall (hamstring injury), Chloe Tryon (back), and Ayanda Hlubi (groin), who are currently recovering from injuries. However, they may be included in the T20I side.Interim coach Dillon du Preez emphasized the importance of negating Indian spinners during the tour. "We had big focus on options against spin and it was good to see the buy-in from the team," he said.Du Preez also urged the team to remain calm under pressure. "The key for us would be to assess the conditions as soon as possible, be calm under pressure and try and play key moments in the game better than the opposition," he added.South Africa's Test/ODI squad for the India tour:* Laura Wolvaardt (c)* Anneke Bosch* Tazmin Brits* Nadine de Klerk* Annerie Dercksen* Mieke de Ridder* Sinalo Jafta* Marizanne Kapp* Ayabonga Khaka* Masabata Klaas* Sune Luus* Eliz-Mari Marx* Nonkululeko Mlaba* Tumi Sekhukhune* Nondumiso Shangase* Delmi Tucker

India's T20 World Cup Preparations Intensify with Warm-Up Match Against BangladeshAs the countdown to the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024 draws near, the Indian cricket team has arrived in New York to acclimatize to the conditions and fine-tune their preparations. Skipper Rohit Sharma emphasized the importance of getting used to the pitch and conditions ahead of their tournament opener against Ireland on June 5.India's lone warm-up match before the marquee event will be against Bangladesh on June 1. This game will provide the team with a crucial opportunity to test the nature of the pitch and overall conditions. It is also significant because India's matches will start at 10.30 AM local time, requiring the players to adjust to day-time matches after playing under lights in the IPL for the past two months."We're looking to understand the conditions more importantly (before the tournament proper) as we haven't been here before," Rohit told ICC. He stressed the need for his side to get into a "rhythm" before the real action starts, using this warm-up match as a springboard.The challenge for the Indians will be to adapt to the drop-in turf, something they don't encounter often in international cricket. "It's just about getting into that rhythm of getting the feel of the ground, pitch and stuff like that," Rohit said.Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto also expressed his excitement about the warm-up match, despite Bangladesh's recent shocking series defeat against the USA. He praised the excellent construction of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, noting that it looks "crazy" and "feels great."The warm-up match is expected to draw a large crowd, as fans in New York are eager to witness the World Cup action. Rohit expressed his hope that the stadium will be packed for their matches. "People in New York will be very interested in coming and watching the World Cup, as it is happening for the first time here," he said.

India's decision to field four spinners in their T20 World Cup squad has sparked debate, with skipper Rohit Sharma defending the strategy as part of a well-thought-out plan. The inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal as wrist-spinners, along with Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel as left-arm spinners, has raised questions about the team's balance.Former Australian captain Michael Clarke believes India's spin-heavy approach could be a game-changer. "I think India have taken a risk with the squad they have picked, but in the conditions I have played in the Caribbean, how you play spin is going to be a huge part of whether you succeed or not," Clarke said on ESPN.Clarke also highlighted India's status as favorites due to their extensive match preparation. "If you look at the favorites for the World Cup, it's got to be India just because of the amount of cricket they have played," he added.The decision to prioritize spin reflects India's belief in the effectiveness of slow bowling in the Caribbean conditions. The pitches in the region are typically slow and low, providing assistance to spinners. Additionally, the presence of four spinners allows India to rotate their bowlers and maintain pressure on the opposition.However, some critics argue that the inclusion of four spinners could leave India vulnerable to pace-heavy attacks. The absence of a genuine fast bowler in the squad could be a concern, especially against teams with strong batting lineups.Despite the differing opinions, India's decision to field four spinners is a bold move that could pay dividends in the Caribbean conditions. The team's success will ultimately depend on the ability of their spinners to control the opposition's scoring rate and create wicket-taking opportunities.

The 2024 Men's T20 World Cup is set to make history as it ventures into the United States for the first time. The tournament, scheduled to commence on June 2, will feature 20 teams vying for the coveted title.India, led by star players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, will kick off their campaign at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 9. They will face Pakistan in a highly anticipated clash, followed by matches against Ireland and the United States. India's final group game against Canada will take place at the Central Broward Park in Florida.The tournament will also mark the first time the West Indies has hosted a Men's T20 World Cup since 2010. Nine stadiums across the Caribbean and three in the USA will host the matches.However, two iconic Caribbean stadiums, Sabina Park in Jamaica and Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad, will not be part of the tournament due to high costs. Instead, the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad will host one of the semi-finals.The other semi-final will be played at Guyana's Providence Stadium, while the final will take place at the 28,000-seater Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 29.