Cricket

Mohammed Shami Opens Up About Hardik Pandya's Outburst, Expresses Shock Over Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's T20I RetirementsIndian pacer Mohammed Shami has shed light on an incident during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season, where then-Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya shouted at him. Shami revealed that Pandya lost his cool after the senior bowler failed to catch a ball while fielding at third man."I usually don't respond to such things, but when things get too bad, then I do speak up," Shami said on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube channel. "We have a good connection and are friends. He didn't realize it at that moment. We've known each other for almost 10 years. He told me, 'I swear, I don't know what I've said.'"Shami emphasized the importance of controlling emotions on the field, especially with millions of viewers watching. "Crores of people watch us on screen, we need to control our emotions," he said.In a separate interview, Shami expressed his surprise over the T20I retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. "Filling their places in the team is going to be a tough task," he said.Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is after India's victory in the T20 World Cup 2022, while Rohit followed suit shortly after. Kohli ended his T20I career as India's second-highest run-scorer in the format, while Rohit holds the record for the most centuries in men's T20Is.Shami's comments highlight the importance of maintaining composure on the field and the impact of senior players' retirements on the Indian cricket team.

Umar Akmal's KKR Blunder Sparks Social Media FrenzyPakistan wicketkeeper-batter Umar Akmal became the subject of social media ridicule after he misspelled Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) while congratulating the franchise on their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title.KKR emerged victorious in the IPL 2022 final on Sunday, defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets in Chennai. As congratulatory messages poured in from all corners, Akmal joined the chorus, but his misspelling of KKR as "KKL" triggered a wave of hilarious reactions on social media."Congratulations to IPL for winning 3rd KKR," joked one user."Winning to third KKL conhrjulation trophy," wrote another, mocking Akmal's grammatical errors."KKL to congratulations on IPL third winning trophy. Lord Umar," quipped another.Akmal's blunder also drew criticism, with some users urging him to improve his spelling before using hashtags."Daru pike twitter mt chalao bhai," wrote one user, suggesting that Akmal was under the influence of alcohol."KKR likhna sikh jaao pehle fir hashtag banana," said another."Bhai ye KKL kaunsi team hai? Lord Umar Akmal is being Umar Akmal," remarked another user.Despite the social media backlash, Akmal's message was well-intentioned, as he praised KKR's title triumph. The franchise's victory was largely due to the sensational bowling performance of Mitchell Starc, who claimed 2 for 14 in the opening spell.Starc's brilliance helped KKR restrict Hyderabad to a paltry 113, the lowest total in an IPL final. Kolkata's batsmen then chased down the target with ease, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Venkatesh Iyer contributing valuable innings.

Mitchell Starc's Redemption: From Trolling to TriumphWhen Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir acquired Australian speedster Mitchell Starc for a record-breaking Rs 24.75 crore in the IPL 2022 auction, it raised eyebrows. Starc's initial performances were underwhelming, leading to criticism and mockery.However, as the tournament progressed, the 34-year-old rediscovered his rhythm. In the playoffs, he delivered two exceptional performances, silencing his detractors. In Qualifier 1 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Starc claimed three wickets for 23 runs.In the IPL Final against the same opposition, Starc once again showcased his brilliance. He returned figures of 2 for 14, while fellow quicks Andre Russell and Harshit Rana shared five wickets. SRH was dismissed for a paltry 113, the lowest total in an IPL final since 2013.Gambhir's faith in Starc was vindicated, and he was widely praised for his decision. The initial skepticism transformed into admiration and respect for the KKR mentor.Starc's resurgence is a testament to his resilience and determination. Despite the initial setbacks, he remained focused and worked hard to regain his form. His performances in the playoffs and final proved that he is still one of the most dangerous bowlers in the world.The KKR victory is a collective effort, but Starc's contribution cannot be overstated. His ability to swing the ball both ways and generate pace made him a formidable weapon for the Kolkata franchise.

Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden has unveiled his IPL Team of the Tournament, featuring a star-studded lineup of players who have excelled throughout the season. Ahead of the grand finale between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad, Hayden has selected 12 exceptional individuals who have showcased their brilliance on the field.Hayden's team boasts a formidable opening pair in Sunil Narine and Travis Head. Narine, the Kolkata Knight Riders' talisman, has amassed an impressive 482 runs, including a century and three fifties, while Head has accumulated 567 runs for the finalists, including a hundred and four half-centuries.At the pivotal number three spot, Hayden has chosen Virat Kohli, the Royal Challengers Bangalore's batting maestro. Kohli has emerged as the tournament's highest run-getter, slamming 741 runs in 15 games, including a century and five fifties.The middle order is equally formidable, with Rajasthan Royals' captain Sanju Samson (531 runs) and Riyan Parag (573 runs), Lucknow Super Giants' Nicholas Pooran (499 runs), and Hyderabad's Heinrich Klaasen (463 runs) all contributing significantly to their respective teams' success.In the spin department, Hayden has opted for Rajasthan's Yuzvendra Chahal (18 wickets) and KKR's Varun Chakaravarthy (20 wickets), both of whom have been instrumental in their teams' bowling attacks.Leading the pace bowling charge is Mumbai Indians' Jasprit Bumrah (20 wickets), who has consistently delivered match-winning performances. He is joined by Rajasthan's Avesh Khan (19 wickets) and Sandeep Sharma (13 wickets), who have also impressed with their pace and accuracy.Hayden's Team of the Tournament:1. Sunil Narine2. Travis Head3. Virat Kohli4. Sanju Samson5. Nicholas Pooran6. Riyan Parag7. Heinrich Klaasen8. Yuzvendra Chahal9. Varun Chakaravarthy10. Jasprit Bumrah11. Avesh Khan12. Sandeep Sharma

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL Dream Ends in Heartbreak as Rajasthan Royals AdvanceRoyal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) remarkable six-match winning streak came to a crushing end on Tuesday as they succumbed to a four-wicket defeat against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Eliminator of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.The loss marked RCB's 10th playoff defeat in 16 appearances, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of the team and their passionate fans. As disappointment washed over the RCB camp, former skipper Virat Kohli was spotted consoling teammate Dinesh Karthik, who was visibly distraught after the match.Karthik, who was playing in what was widely believed to be his final IPL season, had hoped to end his career on a high note with a title victory. However, the Eliminator loss shattered those dreams, leaving the veteran keeper-batter heartbroken.After the game, Kohli embraced Karthik in a warm hug, offering words of comfort to his teammate. The moment captured the emotions of the RCB camp, who had fought valiantly but ultimately fell short of their goal.Meanwhile, RR celebrated their hard-fought victory, which kept their IPL hopes alive. Electing to field first, RR restricted RCB to a below-par 172 for 8, with Prasidh Krishna and Trent Boult sharing seven wickets between them.In response, RR's chase was far from smooth, but they managed to reach the target with one over to spare. Jos Buttler (70) and Sanju Samson (27) provided the early impetus, while Riyan Parag (56) played a crucial knock in the middle order.RR will now face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the second qualifier on Friday, with the winner advancing to the final against Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai on Sunday.

Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) hopes of reaching the Indian Premier League (IPL) final suffered a setback after their eight-wicket defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Qualifier 1. Despite the disappointing result, captain Pat Cummins remained optimistic, acknowledging that his team had earned the right to bounce back.SRH's batting woes began early as Mitchell Starc's pace proved too much to handle in the powerplay. The Hyderabad-based franchise was eventually dismissed for a below-par 159 in 19.3 overs. In contrast, KKR's openers, Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer, played scintillating knocks to chase down the target in just 13.4 overs.Cummins admitted that SRH's performance was below par, but he emphasized that such setbacks are part and parcel of T20 cricket. "We have earned the right to have one of those days and still win tournaments," he said. "Not our day, but good thing we have another crack at it."The decision to bring in Sanvir Singh as SRH's Impact Player also raised eyebrows. However, Cummins explained that the move was made to bolster the team's batting at the expense of an extra bowling option.Despite the setback, SRH still have a chance to reach the final. They will face the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Friday. Cummins expressed confidence that his team can bounce back and secure a berth in the title clash."Going to a new venue helps as well. It is going to be a bit different feel to here, so you start again," he said. "We have got a good body of work behind us this season to look back on, so we erase this one and move on."

Sanju Samson's Rajasthan Royals face a daunting challenge as they prepare to face the in-form Royal Challengers Bangalore in a do-or-die IPL Eliminator on May 22 in Ahmedabad. The Royals, once considered favorites, have suffered a string of four defeats and a washout in their last game, leaving them in third place behind Sunrisers Hyderabad.On the other hand, RCB has staged a remarkable comeback after losing seven of their first eight games. Led by Faf du Plessis, the team has notched up six consecutive wins, including a victory over defending champions Chennai Super Kings, to secure a playoffs berth.Rajasthan Royals' recent struggles have exposed frailties in their batting and bowling. The absence of Jos Buttler has depleted their firepower, and the team will rely heavily on Yashasvi Jaiswal, skipper Samson, and Riyan Parag to halt the slide.RCB, on the other hand, boasts a formidable batting lineup led by Virat Kohli, the tournament's leading run-getter. Kohli and du Plessis have formed a dominant partnership at the top, while Rajat Patidar has provided solidity in the middle order.The venue for the Eliminator, the Narendra Modi Stadium, has not been a batting paradise this season. Only twice in 12 innings has the 200-run mark been breached, indicating that teams with disciplined bowling attacks and strong batting lineups are likely to succeed.Rajasthan Royals' strong bowling lineup, featuring Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Trent Boult, could prove crucial. However, RCB's left-arm seamer Yash Dayal has been in impressive form, turning around his fortunes in the last match to deny CSK a win.The match promises to be a thrilling contest between two teams with contrasting fortunes. Rajasthan Royals will be desperate to arrest their slide and keep their playoff hopes alive, while Royal Challengers Bangalore will be aiming to continue their winning streak and reach the Qualifier 2.

Mumbai Indians (MI) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) faced off in their final Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter in Mumbai on May 17. MI opted to field first, with a notable change in their playing eleven: the inclusion of young seamer Arjun Tendulkar. Premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah was rested ahead of the T20 World Cup, while the injured Tilak Varma was replaced by Dewald Brevis.LSG also made a single change, bringing in Devdutt Padikkal for Quinton de Kock. The teams took to the field with the following lineups:Mumbai Indians:* Ishan Kishan (wk)* Naman Dhir* Suryakumar Yadav* Dewald Brevis* Hardik Pandya (c)* Nehal Wadhera* Romario Shepherd* Anshul Kamboj* Piyush Chawla* Arjun Tendulkar* Nuwan ThusharaLucknow Super Giants:* KL Rahul (c & wk)* Devdutt Padikkal* Marcus Stoinis* Deepak Hooda* Nicholas Pooran* Ayush Badoni* Krunal Pandya* Arshad Khan* Matt Henry* Ravi Bishnoi* Mohsin KhanThe match began with LSG posting a competitive total of 168/6 in their allotted 20 overs. KL Rahul led the charge with a brilliant 60 off 45 deliveries, while Marcus Stoinis contributed a valuable 38. For MI, Arjun Tendulkar made an impressive debut, picking up the wicket of Deepak Hooda in his first over.In response, MI struggled to chase down the target, eventually falling short by 36 runs. Ishan Kishan top-scored for MI with 26, while Suryakumar Yadav added 24. LSG's bowlers were in top form, with Ravi Bishnoi and Mohsin Khan claiming three wickets each.The victory secured LSG's place in the playoffs, while MI's hopes of reaching the knockout stage were dashed.

Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya expressed disappointment after his team's 18-run loss to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Saturday. Pandya acknowledged that MI failed to capitalize on the momentum provided by openers Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma on a challenging wicket."As a batting unit, the foundation was there, but we could not capitalize after that and keep the momentum up," Pandya said at the post-match presentation. "The wicket was a little up and down and a little tacky, so momentum was very important."KKR became the first team to qualify for the IPL playoffs with the victory. Venkatesh Iyer's solid knock of 42 off 21 balls and Andre Russell's all-round performance, including 24 runs off 14 balls and two wickets, played a crucial role in their success.Pandya praised the KKR bowlers for their performance, noting that the wet conditions made it difficult for the batsmen. "Every ball that came back from the boundary came back wet," he said. "The bowlers made sure they kept taking wickets."Despite the loss, Pandya remained optimistic about MI's remaining matches. "Nothing, just to go and enjoy as much as we can and play good cricket, that's been my motto from the start," he said. "I do not think we have played enough good cricket this season."In the match, KKR opted to bat first after winning the toss. Despite losing early wickets, they managed to post a competitive total of 157/7 in 16 overs, thanks to contributions from Iyer, Nitish Rana, Russell, and Rinku Singh.MI's chase got off to a promising start with Kishan and Sharma putting on a 65-run opening stand. However, KKR's bowlers tightened their grip, restricting the run flow and taking wickets. Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir fought back with valuable knocks, but MI ultimately fell short by 18 runs.Varun Chakravarthy was the standout bowler for KKR, claiming 2/17. Russell and Harshit Rana also chipped in with two wickets each.