Cricket

Lucknow Super Giants' Fielding Coach Jonty Rhodes Lauds Deepak Hooda's 'Clever Thinking' in Dropping Catch to Keep MS Dhoni OutIn a surprising move, Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) fielding coach Jonty Rhodes awarded the 'best fielder' award to Deepak Hooda for a dropped catch during the team's victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2024.While attempting to catch an aerial hit by Ravindra Jadeja at the long-on fence, Hooda could only manage to tip it over the bar, resulting in a six. However, Rhodes praised Hooda's effort, explaining that it prevented MS Dhoni from entering the game as the next batsman."Fielding award is not just about brilliant performances, fielding is about awareness," Rhodes said in a video posted by LSG. "In the yellow team (Chennai) they have this guy MSD. He is striking it at 400 strike rate. I think it was a real smart decision by birthday boy Deepak Hooda to let the ball go for six. That meant Dhoni didn't come up for another five balls."Rhodes's analysis was spot on, as Dhoni, when he eventually came in, bludgeoned 28 runs off just 9 balls, including two sixes and three fours."That is magical! So the award goes to Deepak Hooda," Rhodes concluded before presenting Hooda with the award.Rhodes's decision highlights the importance of situational awareness in fielding. By preventing Dhoni from facing more deliveries, Hooda's dropped catch ultimately contributed to LSG's victory.

Rinku Singh's limited opportunities in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 have raised concerns among cricket experts, who believe he deserves a place in India's T20 World Cup squad despite his lack of game time.Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed his support for Rinku, stating that his exceptional finishing skills and consistency make him a valuable asset to the team. Despite playing only five innings this season, Rinku has scored 83 runs at a strike rate of 162.75, showcasing his ability to accelerate the innings in the latter stages.Manjrekar emphasized that Rinku's limited opportunities should not overshadow his talent. "He's a straight walk-in into the Indian team," Manjrekar said. "Every time he has got the opportunity, you've seen how good he can be, in the sense of his consistency and the range that he has."Rinku's impressive performances in the IPL earned him an India call-up for the white-ball series in Ireland last year, where he made his international debut in a T20. Since then, he has featured in 15 T20Is and scored 356 runs, including two fifties, at a strike rate of 176.25. He has also played two ODIs.Despite his limited opportunities in the IPL this season, Rinku's ability to finish innings and his impressive international record make him a strong contender for a place in India's T20 World Cup squad. With his exceptional skills and experience, Rinku could prove to be a valuable asset to the team in the upcoming global tournament.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is in full swing, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is gearing up to announce the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup later this month. According to reports, India captain Rohit Sharma will meet with the chairman of the selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, and other office bearers to discuss the 15-man probables. The meeting is expected to take place on April 27 or 28 in Delhi.Rohit Sharma will be in the national capital during that time for the IPL 2024 match between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, which will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday, April 27. Agarkar is currently on vacation in Spain but will return in time for the meeting in Delhi.The deadline to submit the 15-man squad list to the ICC is May 1. Players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj are all expected to make the cut for the squad.However, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya's place in the team is not certain. His selection will depend on his performance in IPL 2024. Pandya, who is currently leading Mumbai Indians, hasn't been bowling in full tilt this season, while his batting has also been average.The selectors are also monitoring the situation between Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the openers slot. Gill currently has the edge over Jaiswal, who has struggled in the first seven games for Rajasthan Royals. However, his performances in the past might force the selectors to think otherwise.One of either Rinku Singh or Shivam Dube could be left out of the squad. As far as India's second wicketkeeper is concerned, the selectors are keeping a close eye on the likes of Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, and Ishan Kishan, who is currently out of a central contract.Yuzvendra Chahal is in contention for a place in the squad, but the likes of Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi are also in the race. Chahal hasn't played a T20 World Cup yet, but his experience and IPL performances might give him the edge.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has expressed his disappointment with Punjab Kings' (PBKS) approach in their recent loss to Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Chopra criticized the team's decision to not utilize in-form batter Shashank Singh effectively.Chasing a target of 193, PBKS lost four early wickets, leaving them in a precarious position. Despite an explosive knock from Ashutosh Sharma, who brought them close to victory, they ultimately fell short by nine runs. Chopra believes that PBKS's decision to treat Singh as a finisher, rather than playing him in the top order, was a major factor in their defeat."When your team is 14/4, it seems like the match can't be won because you are too far behind, and your four main players', whom you consider your main players, innings' have ended. Shashank comes in such a situation and Jitesh (Sharma) was there with him," Chopra said on his YouTube channel."I would want to say one thing about Shashank. The way he is batting, how did you decide that he is your finisher only, that even though he is batting well, you won't send him up the order? What is the point? Someone who is batting well and has the temperament is not a finisher only. He plays red-ball cricket and is an experienced player," he added.Stand-in skipper San Curran praised Shashank and Ashutosh for their performances but acknowledged the disappointment of losing such close matches. "Another close one, I think this team likes a close one, but unfortunately another loss. Another incredible knock from the young guy (on Ashutosh), but another close loss. It's very tough, you want to lose close games rather than getting absolutely thumped, but we've lost a lot of wickets at the start, the way the younger guys have taken the team so close is heartening (on Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma)," Curran said."They have incredible confidence, you see a guy like Ashutosh having the confidence to play the sweeps and the big hits against pacers, it's so great to watch them in action. It's disheartening to lose close games, but there are a lot of positives in this team. We still have the belief in us, we believe we can turn this around, the sun will come up tomorrow and we will hopefully get on a winning run," Curran added.

Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad Set for Thrilling Clash in IPL 2024Delhi Capitals (DC) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are poised for an exciting encounter in Match 35 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The match will take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday.Team Standings and Recent PerformancesDelhi Capitals currently sit sixth in the points table with six points from seven matches. They recently defeated Gujarat Titans by six wickets, with Mukesh Kumar emerging as the top fantasy player with 103 points.Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, are ranked fourth with eight points from six matches. They secured a 25-run victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their last outing, with Travis Head scoring a match-high 153 fantasy points.Pitch and Weather ConditionsThe pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium is expected to favor batters, with a lack of assistance for bowlers. The average first-innings score at this venue is 150 runs. The team winning the toss may opt to bowl first, as the majority of matches played here have been won by the chasing side.Head-to-Head RecordIn the 23 previous encounters between these two teams, Delhi Capitals' all-rounders have accumulated the most fantasy points, while Sunrisers Hyderabad's bowlers have been the top performers.Fantasy PicksTop Captain and Vice-Captain Picks:* Heinrich Klaasen (SRH)* Travis Head (SRH)Other Top Fantasy Picks:* Abhishek Sharma (SRH)* Tristan Stubbs (DC)* Aiden Markram (SRH)* Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH)* Patrick Cummins (SRH)* Axar Patel (DC)* Khaleel Ahmed (DC)Fantasy Team:* Wicket-Keepers: Abhishek Sharma, Rishabh Pant* Batters: Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, David Warner* All-Rounders: Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Pat Cummins* Bowlers: T Natarajan, Khaleel Ahmed* Captain: Travis Head* Vice-Captain: Pat CumminsConclusionThe clash between Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad promises to be a thrilling encounter. With both teams boasting talented players and a favorable pitch, fans can expect a high-scoring and competitive match.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season has witnessed a flurry of centuries and impressive bowling performances in its fourth week. Openers have dominated the batting charts, while bowlers have showcased their skills with economical spells and crucial wickets.Sunil Narine of Kolkata Knight Riders has been a standout performer, scoring 115 runs at an average of 57.50 and claiming three wickets at an economy rate of 5.88. Jos Buttler of Rajasthan Royals has also impressed with a century in his only match so far.Suryakumar Yadav of Mumbai Indians has been consistent with the bat, scoring 78 runs at an average of 39. Shivam Dube of Chennai Super Kings has made an impact with a quickfire 66* in his lone appearance.Rishabh Pant of Delhi Capitals has provided stability behind the stumps, scoring 57 runs at a strike rate of 162.86. Ashutosh Sharma of Punjab Kings has been a revelation, scoring 92 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 209.09.On the bowling front, Pat Cummins of Sunrisers Hyderabad has led the way with three wickets at an average of 14.33 and an economy rate of 10.75. Kuldeep Yadav of Delhi Capitals and Jasprit Bumrah of Mumbai Indians have also claimed three wickets each.Avesh Khan of Rajasthan Royals has been economical with four wickets at an average of 17.25 and an economy rate of 8.63. Matheesha Pathirana of Chennai Super Kings has impressed with four wickets at an average of 7 and an economy rate of 7.Heinrich Klaasen of Sunrisers Hyderabad has made a significant impact as an impact substitute, scoring 67 runs at a strike rate of 216.13.Under the guidance of coach Ricky Ponting, Delhi Capitals have emerged as a strong contender, with their players featuring prominently in the Team of the Week.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has imposed fines on Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings for maintaining a slow over rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter on Friday. The captains of both teams, KL Rahul and Ruturaj Gaikwad, have been penalized with fines amounting to INR 12 Lakh each.The BCCI, in an official statement, announced that KL Rahul, captain of Lucknow Super Giants, has been fined for his team's slow over rate during Match 34 of the IPL 2024 against Chennai Super Kings. Similarly, Ruturaj Gaikwad, captain of Chennai Super Kings, has also been fined for his team's slow over rate.Both the captains were fined a minimum amount as it was their first offence of the season.KL Rahul's fine comes despite his stellar performance in the match, where he claimed the Player of the Match award for his outstanding knock of 82 off 53 balls. His partnership with Quinton de Kock steered Lucknow Super Giants to a commanding 8-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings, amassing the highest opening partnership of the season in the process.Contrastingly, Ruturaj Gaikwad's situation is less favorable, as his team faced defeat, and his personal contribution with the bat remained modest, scoring 17 off 13 deliveries.After the match, Lucknow Super Giants, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Sunrisers Hyderabad all currently tied at 8 points each. The race for playoff berths tightens further with KKR and SRH having played one match less, setting the stage for a thrilling culmination to the tournament.

Rohit Sharma's future with the Mumbai Indians has been a subject of intense speculation since he was replaced as captain by Hardik Pandya. Rumors have circulated that he may leave the franchise ahead of the 2025 IPL auction. However, no official confirmation has been made.Amidst this uncertainty, an alleged quote from Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta went viral on social media. The quote claimed that Zinta would "bet her life" to acquire Rohit Sharma for her team.Zinta has since taken to Twitter to denounce the quote as fake. She stated that she holds Rohit Sharma in high regard and is a big fan, but has never discussed him in any interview or made such a statement.Zinta also expressed respect for Shikhar Dhawan, who is currently injured. She suggested that the timing of the fake articles was in poor taste.Zinta urged the media to refrain from circulating the false information and embarrassing all parties involved. She emphasized that the Punjab Kings' focus is on winning games and making the most of the 2024 IPL season.The alleged quote and Zinta's subsequent denial have added fuel to the speculation surrounding Rohit Sharma's future. However, until an official announcement is made, it remains unclear whether he will remain with the Mumbai Indians or seek a new home in the IPL.

Delhi Capitals Host Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL ClashDelhi Capitals return to their home ground, the Arun Jaitley Stadium, for the first time this season as they face a formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad side on Saturday. The Capitals, currently sixth in the standings, will be eager to improve their record at home, having lost five of their seven matches there last year.Sunrisers, on the other hand, have been in scintillating form, setting two IPL records for the highest total. Their explosive left-handed opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma has been a major factor in their success, with both players striking at over 200 in the powerplay.Delhi Capitals will need to rely on their experienced bowlers, including Ishant Sharma and Khaleel Ahmed, to contain the Sunrisers' batting onslaught. Kuldeep Yadav, with his left-arm wristspin, could be particularly effective against the likes of Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen, who are both strong spin-hitters.The Capitals' batting lineup, led by Rishabh Pant, has also been in good form. Pant has scored 210 runs in seven games, while David Warner, if fit, will provide a significant boost to the top order.The pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium is expected to play better than it did last year, with more grass cover on the square. This could favor the Capitals' bowlers, who have struggled on slower surfaces.