Cricket

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have revolutionized T20 batting by adopting a relentless approach to range-hitting in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Travis Head, who smashed a 39-ball century against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 15, emphasized the importance of maximizing the Power Play segment in their aggressive strategy.Head, who has formed a formidable opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma, believes that exploiting the Power Play is crucial for SRH's success. "We've got a lot of power through our top and middle-order, and we've got to tailor our approach around that power, especially in the Power Play," said Head.SRH's dominance in the Power Play is evident in their impressive scores: 65/1, 81/1, 58/1, 78/1, 40/3, and 76/0 in six matches this season. No other team has come close to matching these numbers.Head revealed his meticulous approach during the initial six overs. "I try to sum up what the bowlers are trying to do. In the Power Play, with just two fielders out, I try to think about hitting the ball 360, around the whole ground," he explained.The Australian opener also praised Hyderabad's bowlers, particularly skipper Pat Cummins, for their resilience in holding their nerve against RCB's aggressive batting. "We knew we needed three or four really good overs to win it. Pat bowled exceptionally well," said Head.SRH's success in the IPL is a testament to their aggressive batting approach and their ability to control the Power Play. Head's century and Sharma's consistent performances have been instrumental in their impressive start to the season.

Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan has raised concerns about Hardik Pandya's leadership abilities as captain of the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Pathan believes that Pandya's inability to adapt to match situations and lack of a clear plan have contributed to MI's poor performance so far."Hardik needs to manage MI really well. Whenever MI lost, Pandya had a big role to play," Pathan said. "He needs to be aware of the situation and have a Plan A and Plan B. He is not a newbie, he has been playing for so many years. If he is not going to use his own experience and be smart about it, he will be found out."Pathan also questioned Pandya's decision-making during MI's recent loss to the Rajasthan Royals. "Even yesterday, Akash Madhwal didn't bowl the last over, you need to give responsibility to him. When Shreyas Gopal got the wicket of Rachin Ravindra, why didn't you give him another over? He only bowled one over... there was some slowness in the pitch and you need to adapt quickly, unfortunately, Pandya has not been able to adapt so far."Pathan acknowledged that Pandya had a successful run as captain of the Gujarat Titans under coach Ashish Nehra, but he emphasized that the MI support staff is also trying to help Pandya. "They are trying to help, it is up to Hardik Pandya," Pathan said.Pathan also expressed his disappointment over the possibility of Shivam Dube not being selected for the T20 World Cup. "Eventually there will be a time when Shivam Dube will put pressure on Pandya, the kind of hitting ability that Dube has, the way he has murdered the spinners, no one comes closer to him in Indian batting in the middle order, he is the best now," Pathan said. "I will be highly disappointed if he doesn't go to the World Cup."Regarding India's bowling line-up for the World Cup, Pathan emphasized the need for a gun left-arm pacer and a wrist spinner. "I want selectors to have an in-form bowling line-up, you will have (Jasprit) Bumrah, probably a left-arm spinner in Jadeja or Axar Patel, a good wrist spinner, who will be wicket-taker in the middle overs. Get a gun left-armer who is in form, which we missed so many years now. If Arshdeep Singh can bowl like he is doing but also keep an eye on Mohsin Khan."Pathan also discussed the impact rule in the IPL, expressing concerns about its long-term effects on Indian cricket. "This rule is not that great for Indian cricket in the long term, see Venkatesh Iyer, Shivam Dube is not bowling, lots of all-rounders are not able to bowl. You want the youngsters to be part of the game," he said. "I am really worried about the allrounder, eventually going forward we will have to think about this aspect."

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) endured a dismal outing on Monday, conceding a record-breaking 287 runs to SunRisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Despite valiant efforts from Dinesh Karthik, Virat Kohli, and Faf du Plessis, RCB fell short by 25 runs, marking their fifth consecutive loss in IPL 2024.The defeat further jeopardizes RCB's playoff hopes, as they languish at the bottom of the 10-team standings. RCB is one of three teams, along with Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings, to have played in the IPL since its inception in 2008 without ever winning the tournament.In the wake of RCB's latest setback, Indian tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi expressed his frustration on social media, calling for the BCCI to enforce the sale of the franchise to a new owner. "For the sake of the Sport, the IPL, the fans, and even the players, I think BCCI needs to enforce the Sale of RCB to a New owner who will care to build a sports franchise the way most of the other teams have done so," Bhupathi tweeted.Bhupathi's comments echo those of former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan, who recently questioned RCB's inability to perform despite boasting a star-studded lineup. "What I like about the fact the RCB have never won is it proves to me that team sport is not just about individuals," Vaughan said. "You can go and buy all the biggest individual names and put them into a team but it doesn't mean you're going to win."Vaughan believes that RCB's struggles stem from a lack of team cohesion and a failure to identify specific roles for each player. "They've signed some incredible players - AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Faf - unbelievable players," he said. "But it tells you unless you get the whole team operating and every single play knowing the roles and identifying different roles for different people, I don't see the RCBs doing that."

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Faf du Plessis expressed concerns about the mental toll of their recent losing streak after their fifth consecutive defeat in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite scoring an impressive 262 for 7 in response to Sunrisers Hyderabad's record-breaking 287 for 3, RCB's bowling woes proved too costly.Du Plessis acknowledged the lack of confidence in the bowling group, which has conceded over 199 runs in their last two outings. "When your confidence is low, there's nowhere to hide in the game," he said. "It's hard to be on top of your game as a bowler when the batters are moving forward so fast these days."The RCB skipper suggested that a break might be necessary to reset before their next match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday. "It's such a mental game," he said. "Sometimes when we have a couple of back-to-back defeats, it feels like your mind is going to explode."Despite the disappointing result, du Plessis praised his team's fighting spirit in the chase. "Great effort from the team to get closer to the target," he said. "We need to work on a few areas, but I'm proud to see the boys fought tonight and never gave up."RCB's batting unit put up a strong performance, with du Plessis scoring 62 off 28 balls, Virat Kohli contributing 42 off 20 balls, and Dinesh Karthik hitting an 83 off 35 balls. However, du Plessis admitted that there were areas for improvement, particularly in maintaining the run rate after the powerplay.With their qualification chances dwindling, RCB faces an uphill task in their remaining seven games. Du Plessis emphasized the importance of staying positive and committed despite the challenges. "We need to make sure that we do get back to the next challenge," he said. "We show full commitment 100%."

Former Indian women's cricket captain Mithali Raj has expressed her views on the impact of the new Impact Rule in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). The rule allows teams to substitute a player of their choice at any point during the match.Raj believes that the rule has been particularly beneficial for teams in the second innings. "It does support a team which swaps a bowler in the second innings," she said. This is because teams can bring in a fresh bowler to exploit the conditions and put pressure on the opposition batters.Raj also commented on the performance of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who have struggled in the tournament so far. She identified the team's bowling as a major weakness. "Batting strength is good but even there except for Virat Kohli and the finisher Dinesh Karthik no one else is supporting Kohli," she said.Raj believes that RCB needs to improve its bowling resources. "I don't see any bowler whom you can say would win the match with one spell for RCB in this IPL," she said. She suggested that the team should consider shuffling its existing bowlers or acquiring quality spinners in the later stages of the tournament.Raj also praised the performance of 22-year-old Riyan Parag for Rajasthan Royals. "He has not done that great in the last few seasons and to overcome that and perform like the way he is doing now is amazing," she said.Regarding the upcoming T20 World Cup, Raj believes that Virat Kohli should be included in the team due to his class, experience, and consistency. She also suggested that Yuzvendra Chahal should be considered for selection based on his current form.

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya has attributed the team's defeat in the IPL's "El Clasico" against Chennai Super Kings to the impact of Matheesha Pathirana. The high-scoring encounter at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday saw CSK emerge victorious by 20 runs.After a blistering start by Mumbai's opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, Pathirana's introduction in the eighth over proved pivotal. He dismissed Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav in quick succession, breaking the 70-run partnership."Definitely it was gettable. But I think they bowled pretty well, Pathirana was the difference. He came and got the wickets, at the same time they were also quite smart with their approach. They used the longer boundary well," Pandya said after the match.Pathirana's wickets set Mumbai back, forcing them to chase the game. CSK's bowlers, including Shardul Thakur and Mustafizur Rahman, exploited the conditions with variations. Thakur, despite conceding 33 runs in his first three overs, came back strongly to concede just two runs in his final over.Tushar Deshpande's dismissal of Pandya further tightened the equation for Mumbai. "They were smart with the plans and their approach. They got the hang of it, there's a man behind the stumps (Dhoni) who tells them what's working, that helps. It (pitch) was holding up a bit and getting difficult," Pandya added.Earlier, CSK had posted a formidable 206/4, thanks to Shivam Dube's unbeaten 66 and Ruturaj Gaikwad's 69. MS Dhoni's late cameo provided the finishing touches.In reply, Rohit Sharma's unbeaten 105 was not enough to guide Mumbai to victory. The defeat leaves Mumbai with a 1-2 record in the IPL, while CSK improves to 2-1.

Riyan Parag, the young all-rounder from Assam, has emerged as one of the brightest stars of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. His consistent performances at the crucial No. 4 position have been instrumental in Rajasthan Royals' rise to the top of the table.Parag has amassed 284 runs in 10 innings, averaging an impressive 71 and striking at a blistering 155.19. His ability to accelerate the innings and finish games has made him a valuable asset for the Royals.The 20-year-old's transformation has been remarkable. In previous seasons, he struggled to find his footing in the IPL, but this year, he has shown maturity and composure beyond his years."I have been contributing a lot to the team, and that is what I have been trying to do for the last few years, but it didn't click, this time it has," Parag said at a press conference.Parag's success has sparked speculation about his potential inclusion in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. However, the youngster remains focused on the present and helping the Royals win the IPL."If you had told me this last year that I would be in this position, I would not have believed you," he said. "My main goal is to help Royals win the IPL. We haven't won the IPL for a long time – that is the main goal."Parag's rise has been a testament to his hard work and dedication. He has spent countless hours honing his skills and studying the game. His success is also a reflection of the Royals' faith in him and their willingness to give him the opportunity to shine.As the IPL season progresses, Parag will be one of the players to watch. His performances could not only help the Royals win their second IPL title but also earn him a place in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup.

Travis Head's blistering century against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has etched his name into the annals of the tournament's history. The Australian opener's scintillating knock of 100 runs off just 39 balls stands as the fourth fastest century in IPL history and the fastest by a Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batter.Head's innings was a masterclass in power-hitting, characterized by nine boundaries and eight towering sixes. His exceptional timing and placement, combined with sheer brute force, allowed him to dispatch the ball to all parts of the ground with consummate ease.The left-hander's century provided a significant boost to SRH, propelling them to a commanding position in the match. His innings was not only a display of individual brilliance but also a masterclass in the art of aggressive batting in the shortest format of the game.Head's achievement of reaching a century in just 39 balls adds his name to the illustrious list of players who have lit up the IPL with their explosive batting performances. RCB's Chris Gayle, who achieved the landmark in 30 balls way back in 2013, leads the list of fastest centurions followed by Yusuf Pathan (Rajasthan Royals) in 37 balls and David Miller (Kings XI Punjab) in 38 balls.Head's innings serves as a reminder of the thrilling and unpredictable nature of T20 cricket, where moments of brilliance can turn the tide of a match in an instant. His century will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most memorable batting performances in IPL history.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Faf du Plessis opted to field first in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 15. The RCB side witnessed some notable changes, with hard-hitting batter Glenn Maxwell and pacer Mohammed Siraj being benched. In their place, right-arm pacer Lockie Ferguson was included in the playing XI.SRH captain Pat Cummins, on the other hand, fielded an unchanged side. The match commenced with SRH openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma facing the RCB bowlers. Head departed early, caught by Virat Kohli off the bowling of Harshal Patel. Sharma, however, played a steady innings, scoring 31 runs before being dismissed by Wanindu Hasaranga.Aiden Markram and Nitish Reddy then took charge of the SRH innings, forming a crucial partnership of 66 runs. Markram played an aggressive knock, hitting four boundaries and two sixes in his 41-run innings. Reddy, on the other hand, provided stability, scoring 30 runs off 29 deliveries.After the dismissal of Markram and Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen and Abdul Samad provided a late surge to the SRH total. Klaasen scored a quickfire 29 off 16 balls, while Samad contributed with a 16-ball 28. SRH eventually posted a competitive total of 192/4 in their allotted 20 overs.In response, RCB's chase got off to a shaky start as they lost skipper Faf du Plessis early. Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar then steadied the innings, putting on a 54-run partnership. Kohli played a patient knock, scoring 33 runs off 30 balls, while Patidar contributed with a 29-ball 32.However, RCB's middle order failed to capitalize on the platform provided by Kohli and Patidar. Will Jacks, Saurav Chauhan, and Dinesh Karthik all departed cheaply, leaving RCB in a precarious position.In the end, it was Mahipal Lomror who played a valiant knock for RCB, scoring an unbeaten 42 off 28 balls. However, his efforts proved to be in vain as RCB fell short of the target by 12 runs, finishing on 180/6.