Cricket

Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly has lauded Rohit Sharma's captaincy skills, attributing them to India's undefeated streak in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Ganguly urged the team to approach the final against South Africa with an unrestrained mindset, aiming to end an 11-year drought without an ICC title.Ganguly praised Rohit's leadership qualities, highlighting his record of winning five IPL titles and his ability to lead India to two World Cup finals while remaining unbeaten. He believes that Rohit's hesitation to assume the captaincy initially has been overcome, and he has now become a confident and effective leader.Ganguly acknowledged that winning the IPL can be more challenging due to its extended length, but emphasized that the honor of winning a World Cup is greater. He expressed confidence in India's ability to secure the title, citing their dominant performance throughout the tournament.Despite India's near misses in major tournaments since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph, Ganguly remains optimistic. He believes that reaching the finals is a positive sign, and that India's consistent dominance in the competition makes them the favorites.Ganguly also commented on South Africa's historic achievement of reaching the World Cup final for the first time since their reintegration into international cricket. He acknowledged the significance of this moment for South African cricket.Regarding Virat Kohli's average performance in the tournament, Ganguly believes that he should continue opening the batting. He emphasized that Kohli's past achievements and status as an institution for Indian cricket should not be diminished by a few poor matches.Ganguly dismissed claims that the ICC has given India an advantage by selecting a spin-friendly venue for the semifinal in Guyana. He also rejected allegations that broadcasters have favored India with the 8pm IST time slot for their matches.Ganguly asserted that India's dominance in world cricket is due to their performance, broadcast reach, and financial contributions. He believes that India's strong position in the sport is justified and reflects their status as a major force in international cricket.

Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has etched his name in the history books of the T20 World Cup by becoming the second-highest wicket-taker for India in a single edition of the tournament. Bumrah's remarkable performance against England in the semi-final match of the 2024 T20 World Cup propelled him to this milestone.With two wickets against Jos Buttler's side, Bumrah now has 13 wickets in the ongoing marquee event. He trails only left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who has 15 wickets and holds the distinction of being the highest wicket-taker for India in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.Bumrah's achievement is a testament to his exceptional bowling skills and consistency throughout the tournament. He has been a key cog in India's bowling attack, providing crucial breakthroughs and economical spells.Former India cricketer RP Singh holds the third place in the chart with 12 wickets in the 2007 T20 World Cup.In the semi-final clash against England, India posted a competitive total of 171/7, thanks to half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja also made valuable contributions.England's chase faltered as they struggled to adapt to the surface, eventually being bowled out for 103 in 16.4 overs. Harry Brook and Jos Buttler were the only notable performers for the Three Lions.Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav were the stars of India's bowling attack, each claiming three wickets. Bumrah chipped in with two wickets, while defending the 172-run target.India's victory sets up a tantalizing final against South Africa, who have also remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. The two sides will clash in Barbados on Saturday for the coveted T20 World Cup trophy.

The stage is set for an epic clash between India and South Africa in the final of the Men's T20 World Cup 2024. This will be the first time these two teams have met in the final of an ICC tournament, making it a historic occasion for both sides.India and South Africa have both been in impressive form throughout the tournament, remaining unbeaten and topping their respective groups. South Africa has faced tougher opposition, including a nail-biting win over West Indies in the Super Eight, while India has overcome challenges from Pakistan, Australia, and England.For South Africa, this final represents a chance to make history by winning their first-ever men's World Cup title. They have come close in the past, reaching the semi-finals of five ODI World Cups and two T20 World Cups, but have never reached the final.India, on the other hand, is looking to end a title drought that has lasted since 2013. They won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 but have not won an ICC trophy since then. They came close in 2014, reaching the final of the T20 World Cup, but fell short.The match will be played at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, which has hosted eight matches in the tournament so far. The pitch has been favorable to teams batting first, with three of the first four completed matches won by the chasing team. However, the last two matches have seen comfortable chases by West Indies and England.Wind could be a factor in the final, with gusts predicted at up to 45 kmph. However, it is unlikely to have as much of an impact as it did in Gros Islet during India's match against Australia.Rain is also a possibility, with showers expected throughout the day. There is a 50% chance of precipitation in the morning, decreasing to 30% around the scheduled toss time. However, the forecast improves later in the day, with a 20% chance of rain during match hours.If the match is interrupted by rain, there is a reserve day scheduled for Sunday. However, if the match cannot be completed on either day, both teams will be declared joint-winners.

Inzamam-ul-Haq's allegations regarding India's reverse-swinging tactics in the T20 World Cup have sparked a heated debate. The former Pakistan captain questioned how India, particularly Arshdeep Singh, managed to reverse-swing the ball in the 16th over of Australia's innings.Rohit Sharma, India's skipper, dismissed Inzamam's claims, stating that reverse-swing is a natural occurrence in hot and dry conditions. However, Inzamam has retorted, cautioning Rohit not to lecture Pakistan, the originators of reverse-swing, on the technique.Inzamam clarified that he never accused India of ball-tampering, but rather intended to alert the umpires to the unusual reverse-swing. He emphasized that umpires should remain vigilant, as reverse-swing can occur even in the early overs.Meanwhile, India has advanced to the final of the T20 World Cup after defeating England by 68 runs in the second semifinal. South Africa, who defeated Afghanistan by nine wickets, will face India in the championship match.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has heaped praise on Indian captain Rohit Sharma, calling him a "selfless captain" who prioritizes the team's interests. Akhtar's comments came after India's convincing 68-run victory over England in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2024.Sharma led from the front with a crucial 57-run innings off 39 balls, including 6 fours and 2 sixes. His knock helped India set a challenging target of 171/7. Other notable contributions came from Suryakumar Yadav (47 runs from 36 balls), Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja.Akhtar, in his analysis on his YouTube channel, expressed his support for the Indian team, suggesting they were deserving of the T20 World Cup title, especially under Sharma's captaincy."Rohit Sharma has repeatedly said he wants to make an impact and win the trophy and so, deserves to win the cup. He is a big player, and it should end on a big note. He is a selfless captain, plays for the team and is a complete batter," said Akhtar.Akhtar also shared his disappointment over India's failure to secure the ODI World Cup in 2023, indicating his ongoing support for the team in international tournaments."I was always in favour of India winning the tournament. I was hurt last year when India could not win the World Cup as they should not have lost it because they deserved to win," he added.England's chase was hampered by a lack of adaptation to the pitch conditions, culminating in a total of 103 all out in 16.4 overs. Harry Brook and Jos Buttler were the main contributors for England, but their efforts were insufficient against the Indian bowling lineup. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav were instrumental for India, each taking three wickets, with Jasprit Bumrah also adding two wickets to the tally.Akhtar's praise for Sharma is a testament to the Indian captain's leadership qualities and his ability to inspire his team to perform at their best. With Sharma at the helm, India will be confident of their chances of lifting the T20 World Cup trophy.

India's captain, Rohit Sharma, has praised the exceptional performance of his spin duo, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, in their semi-final victory over England in the ongoing T20 World Cup.After England's Jos Buttler had aggressively hit Arshdeep Singh for three boundaries in the third over, Axar Patel turned the tide with his first delivery. Patel dismissed Buttler by spinning the ball away from his usual skidding style, forcing the English skipper to attempt a reverse sweep that resulted in a catch for Rishabh Pant.Patel continued to trouble the English batters, while Kuldeep Yadav joined the fray to further increase their woes. Patel's influential spell of 3/23 included the removal of the opening order, while Kuldeep provided excellent support with figures of 3/19, effectively neutralizing England's middle order.Rohit Sharma lauded the left-arm spin duo, revealing their strategy to counter England's aggressive approach. "They (Axar and Kuldeep) are gun spinners. When the conditions like that are in front of them, it's difficult to play some shots. The pressure is on them as well to come and execute those balls, but they were calm and knew what to bowl. We had a little chat after the first innings - try and hit the stumps as much as possible, keep the stumps in play," Rohit said in the post-match presentation.The spinners played a crucial role in England's downfall, with Jasprit Bumrah adding the finishing touches. England, aiming to replicate their 2022 World Cup semi-final triumph, fell short and saw their title defense crumble.The challenging nature of the pitch, with some deliveries staying low and others taking flight, further hindered England's chase of 172. Rohit Sharma emphasized the importance of adapting to the conditions, which paved the way for India's first appearance in the final in ten years."Very satisfying to win this game. We worked really hard as a unit. To win this game like that was a great effort from everybody. We adapted to the conditions really well. The conditions were a little challenging, we had to adapt, and that's been the success story for us so far till this game. The bowlers and the batters, if they play according to the conditions, things fall in place, and that's exactly what happened for us today," Rohit said.After losing Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant early in their innings, India relied on Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav to build a competitive total. The duo's 73-run partnership took India to a respectable 171/7."Very pleasing to see how we came through this game. At one stage, we were feeling 140-150, and as the game went on, we got some runs in the middle, me and Surya. We got that partnership. I can set the target in my mind, but I don't want to let anyone know about it, to the batters ... because ... they are instinctive players, and I want them to go out there and play freely without thinking too much about what's the par score. We bat well, we understand the condition well, we will get to a good score, and that's exactly what happened. We got to 170, which I thought was a very good score on that pitch, and then the bowlers were fantastic," he added.England's failure to comprehend the pitch's nature led to their eventual collapse, with the team managing only 103 runs in 16.4 overs. The T20 World Cup final is now set to be a thrilling clash between the unbeaten sides, India and South Africa, in Barbados on Saturday.

Rohit Sharma's Stump Mic Banter: "Uppar Dega Toh Deta Hoon Na"Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has once again provided entertainment for fans with his candid stump mic conversations. In a recent match against England, Rohit was caught on camera engaging in a playful exchange with his batting partner Suryakumar Yadav.As England bowler Liam Livingstone prepared to deliver the last ball of the 11th over, Rohit turned to SKY and said, "Uppar dega toh deta hoon na" (If he pitches it up, I'll hit him for a six). True to his word, Livingstone obliged, and Rohit duly dispatched the ball over the long-on boundary.The video of the exchange quickly went viral on social media, showcasing Rohit's relaxed and confident approach to batting. It also highlighted the camaraderie between the Indian players, who have been in impressive form throughout the tournament.Rohit's six not only entertained the crowd but also helped him reach his half-century and bring up India's 100th run. He eventually fell for 57, but his contribution played a crucial role in India's victory.The Indian team will now face South Africa in the final of the tournament on Saturday. The Proteas have also been in excellent form, having crushed Afghanistan by nine wickets in their semifinal. The final promises to be a thrilling encounter between two evenly matched teams.

India's star pacer Jasprit Bumrah experienced an amusing moment after India's triumph over England in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024. A viral video captured Bumrah's awkward attempt to shake hands with the umpire, who inadvertently overlooked him. The incident sparked laughter among fans on social media.Bumrah's performance in the tournament has been exceptional, earning him accolades as the "best player in the team." The video of his handshake mishap has gone viral, providing a lighthearted moment amidst the intense competition.In the match, England elected to field first, but India's openers Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav put up a formidable partnership, scoring 57 and 47 runs respectively. Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja also contributed to India's total of 171/7.England's chase faltered as they struggled to adapt to the pitch conditions, managing only 103 runs in 16.4 overs. Harry Brook and Jos Buttler were the only notable performers for England.Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav were the standout bowlers for India, claiming three wickets each. Bumrah also chipped in with two wickets, helping India secure a convincing 68-run victory.The T20 World Cup final will witness an exciting clash between undefeated India and South Africa in Barbados on Saturday.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has hailed Indian skipper Rohit Sharma as a "brutal elegance at its best" for his explosive knocks in the ICC T20 World Cup. Hussain believes that a shift in India's game and mentality in T20Is occurred after their ten-wicket loss to England in the 2022 T20 World Cup semis.Rohit's 92 against Australia in the Super Eights match was a testament to this change. He smashed Pat Cummins for a 100m six on the first ball of the fifth over and took 29 runs off Mitchell Starc in the third over, including four sixes.Hussain praised Rohit's focus on the team's score and strike rate rather than a potential maiden T20 WC century. He also admired Rohit's takedown of Australian pacers, calling it "elegant, absolute brutal elegance at its best."Rohit's 92 helped India post 205/5 and restrict Australia to 181/7, despite Travis Head's counter-attacking 76. Australia's elimination from the tournament after Bangladesh's loss to Afghanistan highlights the impact of Rohit's leadership and the team's newfound aggression.In six matches of the tournament, Rohit has scored 191 runs at an average of 38.20, with a strike rate of 159.16 and two half-centuries. His best score is 92.