Cricket

Matthew Hayden's daughter, Grace, recently embarked on a culinary adventure in Hyderabad, indulging in the city's renowned delicacies. As a content creator and presenter for Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Grace visited the iconic 'Paradise Biryani' joint, where she savored the flavors of the legendary Hyderabadi biryani and khubani-ka-meetha.Accompanied by enthusiastic SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) fans, Grace explored the city's culinary delights. Star Sports captured her experience in a viral video, showcasing the vibrant atmosphere and the passion for biryani in Hyderabad."Biryani in Hyderabad is an emotion! Experience the essence of Hyderabad with #GraceHayden as she indulges in the iconic Hyderabadi Biryani alongside passionate @SunRisers fans!" Star Sports captioned the video on social media.Grace's culinary adventure follows in the footsteps of SRH captain Pat Cummins, who recently enjoyed a Hyderabadi biryani feast with his family at the Southern Mirchi restaurant.On Thursday, SRH secured a spot in the IPL 2024 playoffs after their match against the Gujarat Titans was washed out. The team joined the Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals in the playoffs, while the fourth and final spot remains up for grabs.Currently, three teams – Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) – are in contention for the final playoff berth. LSG's Net Run Rate (NRR) makes it an uphill battle for them, but they still have a slim chance of qualifying.To do so, LSG must defeat the Mumbai Indians by a significant margin in their final game on Friday, boosting their NRR above +0.400. Additionally, they must hope that RCB defeats CSK by a narrow margin, keeping both teams' NRRs below LSG's.

Virat Kohli, the legendary Indian batsman, has categorically ruled out the possibility of bowling in the Indian Premier League (IPL). During a recent chat on JioCinema, Kohli recalled an incident where spectators at an RCB match demanded he bowl, prompting him to decline with a humorous gesture."I won't bowl in the IPL," Kohli declared with a laugh, leaving his former teammate Suresh Raina in stitches. "They asked me to bowl two or three times. I said, 'Please forgive me. Are you guys crazy? I'll lose my batting confidence too,'" Kohli added, chuckling.Kohli's reluctance to bowl stems from the explosive batting performances witnessed in this IPL season. The league has set new records for 200-plus totals, sixes, and successful chases. Kohli himself has been in exceptional form, leading the batting charts with 661 runs in 13 innings, including a century and five half-centuries.RCB's fate in the tournament hangs in the balance as they face a must-win match against Chennai Super Kings on Monday. Not only must they defeat MS Dhoni's team, but they must also ensure their net run rate surpasses that of Chennai.Kohli's decision not to bowl highlights the evolving nature of the IPL, where batsmen have taken center stage. The league has become a showcase for aggressive batting, with teams regularly posting massive totals. Kohli's focus on his batting prowess reflects this shift in the game's dynamics.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings Set for Thrilling Showdown in IPL 2024Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are poised to lock horns in a highly anticipated clash in Match 68 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The match will take place at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, starting at 07:30 PM IST.Both teams enter this encounter with contrasting fortunes. RCB has had a mixed bag of results, winning six and losing seven of their 13 matches so far. They currently sit sixth in the points table with 12 points. CSK, on the other hand, has been in impressive form, winning eight and losing five matches. They are placed third in the standings with 16 points.Venue HistoryThe M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been a witness to some memorable matches between RCB and CSK. RCB has played 90 matches at this venue, winning 42 and losing 43, with four matches ending in no result. CSK has a slightly better record, winning six out of their 11 matches and losing four.Statistical AnalysisThe average score for RCB in T20 matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is 166 runs. CSK averages slightly higher, with 171 runs per match. RCB's highest score at this ground is an impressive 263/5 in 20 overs, achieved against Pune Warriors India in 2013. CSK's highest score here is 242/6 in 20 overs, set against the Dolphins in 2014.Head-to-Head RecordRCB and CSK have faced each other 11 times at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB has won four of these encounters, while CSK has emerged victorious in six matches. One game ended with no result. The highest score in an RCB vs CSK match at this venue is 226/6 by CSK in 2023.Key Players to WatchRCB will rely on the likes of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell to provide stability and firepower to their batting lineup. Their bowling attack will be led by Josh Hazlewood, Harshal Patel, and Wanindu Hasaranga.CSK will look to their experienced campaigners, including MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, and Dwayne Bravo, to guide them to victory. Their bowling attack boasts the likes of Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh, and Maheesh Theekshana.PredictionBoth RCB and CSK have the potential to win this match. However, CSK's recent form and their strong record at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium give them a slight edge.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 has witnessed an unprecedented explosion of run-scoring, with eight totals exceeding 250 runs and a record-breaking number of sixes. Amidst this run-fest, young Abhishek Sharma has emerged as a standout performer, showcasing his exceptional batting prowess.The 23-year-old from Punjab has amassed 401 runs in 12 innings at a staggering strike rate of 205.64, hitting the most sixes (35) and boasting the highest strike rate among batters with 400 or more runs. Sharma's breathtaking strokeplay has propelled him to the forefront of the tournament, holding his own against established names at the top of the order.After leading India to the U-19 Asia Cup title in 2016 and being part of the 2018 U-19 World Cup-winning squad, Sharma was picked up by Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) in 2018. He joined SRH the following year but initially struggled to secure regular playing time.However, in 2022, Sharma's career took a significant turn. The Sunrisers retained him for Rs.6.5 crore, and he repaid their faith with 426 runs that season. Despite a relatively quiet IPL in 2023 (226 runs), he delivered a stellar performance in domestic cricket, powering Punjab to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 trophy with 480 runs at a strike rate of over 180.In IPL 2024, Sharma has truly announced himself as a force to be reckoned with. He has formed a formidable opening partnership with Travis Head, who has also been in scintillating form. Together, they have instilled a sense of fear among the opposition, with Sharma's aggressive square-of-the-wicket play and clean swing of the bat proving particularly devastating.Sharma's standout knocks include a 23-ball 63 against Mumbai Indians, a 12-ball 37 against Chennai Super Kings, a 12-ball 46 against Delhi Capitals, a 13-ball 31 against Royal Challengers Bangalore, and a 28-ball 75* against Lucknow Super Giants.While Sharma may not have made it to India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, his performances in the IPL suggest that he is likely to be in the mix as some of the senior players move on. With batting in the shortest format becoming increasingly aggressive, Sharma's ability to lead the onslaught makes him a valuable asset for the future.

Mumbai Indians' dismal IPL 2024 campaign reached a bitter end with a 10th defeat and a one-match ban for captain Hardik Pandya. The team's over-rate offense during their final match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Wankhede Stadium resulted in Pandya's suspension and a hefty fine of Rs 30 lakh.This marks the third over-rate offense for Mumbai Indians this season, leading to the severe punishment for Pandya. The rest of the playing XI, including the Impact Player, were also fined either Rs 12 lakh or 50% of their match fees.Pandya's suspension echoes a similar punishment faced by Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant earlier this week. Despite an appeal citing reasons for the delay, the decision was upheld.With the match against LSG being Mumbai Indians' last of the season, Pandya will likely miss the team's opening match of the next season as part of his punishment.The season has been a nightmare for the five-time champions, who managed to win only four of their 14 league matches, finishing at the bottom of the table. Their struggles culminated in their final match, where they failed to chase down LSG's target, ending their campaign on a disappointing note.

Mumbai Indians' disappointing IPL 2024 campaign, which culminated in a tenth-place finish, has been attributed to the negative fan reaction to the change in captaincy from Rohit Sharma to Hardik Pandya, according to head coach Mark Boucher.The team's performance suffered as the crowd's disapproval of Pandya's leadership became evident. Boucher expressed sympathy for Pandya, acknowledging that the off-field distractions may have affected his on-field performances."It wasn't great hearing all the boos," Boucher said. "Certainly, I felt sorry for Hardik as well. It's never nice to go through something like that."Boucher admitted that the team's performance was below par and that changes need to be made. He emphasized the need to address both on-field and off-field issues to improve the team's performance in the future."There are certain things that did affect individuals, which ultimately did affect the team," Boucher said. "So those are the sort of things we need to sit down and address and hopefully make some good calls going forward as well to address the off-field stuff."Despite the challenges, Boucher believes that Pandya has the potential to be a successful captain. He highlighted Pandya's support within the dressing room and expressed confidence that he will learn from this experience."He certainly had a lot of support within our dressing room but it's a tough thing to go through as a player," Boucher said. "There's a lot of sympathy for what he's going through. A lot of the stuff he is going through is, I think, uncalled for."Regarding Rohit Sharma's future with the franchise, Boucher stated that no decision has been made. He emphasized that Sharma is in control of his own destiny and that the team will have to wait and see what happens in the upcoming auction.

Rohit Sharma's Audio Anxiety: Captain Requests Cameraman to Disable AudioIn a humorous turn of events, India captain and Mumbai Indians player Rohit Sharma has made a humble request to the official broadcaster's cameraman to disable the audio while recording his conversation with Dhawal Kulkarni. This incident comes just days after his intriguing chat with Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Abhishek Nayar went viral on social media.The new video has surfaced, showing Rohit making a funny appeal. "Bhai audio band karo haan. Ek audio ne mera wat laga diya. (Brother please close the audio, one audio has already made things difficult for me)," said Rohit in the clip recorded by Star Sports.The recent incident occurred when Rohit was engaged in a lighthearted chat with Kulkarni ahead of Mumbai Indians' IPL 2024 game against Lucknow Super Giants at Wankhede Stadium.Earlier, during Mumbai Indians' IPL 2024 match against KKR at Eden Gardens, an interaction between Rohit and Nayar became a viral sensation. The video was reportedly deleted by KKR after it garnered unwanted attention, further fueling speculation.Despite the background noise in the viral video, social media users deciphered the conversation between Rohit and Nayar. "Ek ek cheez change ho raha hai...Woh unke upar hai...Jo bhi hai woh mera ghar hai bhai, woh temple jo hai na maine banwaya hai (Everything is changing one by one... It's on them... Whatever, but it's my home brother, it's the temple that I constructed)," Rohit was heard saying.It is noteworthy that Mumbai Indians replaced Rohit Sharma with Hardik Pandya as their captain ahead of IPL 2024. Rohit, who led MI to all five of their IPL titles, passed the baton to Hardik after the player was traded from Gujarat Titans in November 2023.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul expressed his disappointment with the team's performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 despite their victory against Mumbai Indians in their final fixture. LSG ended the season with 14 points from 14 games, failing to qualify for the playoffs.Rahul acknowledged the team's strong start but attributed their struggles to injuries and a lack of collective performance. He praised the development of LSG's Indian pacers, highlighting the franchise's investment in their training.Reflecting on his own performance, Rahul admitted to learning valuable lessons about his batting and expressed a willingness to adjust his role in the team. He also discussed the team's batting order strategy, explaining the decision to have senior international players bat in positions where they could absorb pressure.Despite the disappointing season, Rahul remained optimistic about the future. He emphasized the importance of learning from the experience and looked forward to future opportunities in his cricketing career.

Mumbai Indians' dismal 2024 IPL season, which culminated in a second last-place finish in three years, has left captain Hardik Pandya deeply disappointed. The five-time champions, who also finished last in 2022, managed to win only four out of 14 games under Pandya's leadership.Reflecting on the season, Pandya acknowledged that the team's performance fell significantly short of expectations. "We did not play good quality cricket, eventually cost us the whole season," he said after MI's 18-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants in Mumbai. "It's a professional world. Have to always come out and put our best foot forward. But yes, as a group we could not play quality cricket or smart cricket."Pandya's return to the MI setup was met with much fanfare, but the team struggled to find consistency throughout the season. Injuries to key players, including Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer, further hampered their progress.Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul, whose team also finished out of the play-off zone, expressed similar disappointment. "Very disappointing. At the start of the season, I felt we had a very strong season and most bases covered. Couple of injuries happen but the guys who went away dented us a little bit," Rahul said, referring to the absence of Mayank Yadav.Rahul, who is not part of the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup, remained non-committal on whether he would bat in the middle order in the future. "Maybe, maybe not, there's not much T20 cricket coming up [for me] now," he said. "It depends on where I stand and what I need to do to get back in the team, I'll think about what the team needs."As the dust settles on another disappointing season for Mumbai Indians, Pandya and his team will likely dissect what went wrong and look to make significant changes ahead of the 2025 IPL season.