Cricket

Ravi Bopara, the former England all-rounder, has set the Hong Kong Sixes tournament ablaze with an astonishing feat. In a match against Robin Uthappa's India, Bopara unleashed a barrage of sixes, hitting six consecutive maximums in an over.Uthappa, the Indian skipper, bore the brunt of Bopara's onslaught, conceding a staggering 37 runs in the over. Bopara's six-hitting spree included a wide on the sixth delivery, but he made up for it with another six on the seventh.Bopara's pyrotechnics continued as he faced Shahbaz Nadeem, hitting another six to make it seven consecutive maximums. The former England star retired after scoring 53 runs off just 14 balls, with eight sixes to his name.Samit Patel provided excellent support to Bopara, scoring 51 runs off 18 balls with four fours and five sixes. England's total of 120/1 in 6 overs proved too much for India, despite cameos from Bharat Chipli, Shreevats Goswami, and Kedar Jadhav. India fell short by 15 runs, managing only 105/6 in 6 overs.Bopara's six-hitting spree has sent shockwaves through the tournament, with fans and experts alike marveling at his power and precision. The England skipper has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the Hong Kong Sixes, and his performance is sure to inspire his team to greater heights.

Ravi Bopara, a seasoned English cricketer, has been ruled out of the T20 Blast's knockout stages due to a finger injury sustained while playing in the Cayman Islands. Bopara, known for his prolific run-scoring and all-round abilities, is a significant loss for Northamptonshire, who have reached the quarter-finals for only the second time since their 2016 title triumph.Bopara, who joined Northamptonshire on a T20-only contract earlier this year, made a significant impact in the group stages. He was the team's second-highest run-scorer and third-highest wicket-taker, helping them finish second in the North Group and secure a home quarter-final. However, his participation in the knockout stages has been cut short by the unfortunate injury.According to a club statement, Bopara "ruptured the tendon in a finger on his right hand while attempting a caught-and-bowled" during a match for Miami Lions in the Max60 tournament in the Cayman Islands. He underwent surgery but will require three weeks of recovery time, ruling him out of the crucial quarter-final against Somerset on September 5.Northamptonshire has also been dealt another blow with the news that 19-year-old seamer Raphy Weatherall has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a lower-back stress fracture. Weatherall had taken 11 wickets in the group stages, showcasing his potential as a promising young fast bowler.Furthermore, Northamptonshire will be without Sikandar Raza for the quarter-finals and are awaiting confirmation from Cricket South Africa regarding the availability of Matthew Breetzke. However, they have received a boost with the return of Australian allrounder Ashton Agar, who has been cleared to play.Bopara's absence is a major setback for Northamptonshire, who will be looking to make a deep run in the T20 Blast. His experience and leadership will be sorely missed, and the team will need to find a way to compensate for his contributions.

The Hundred, England's premier 100-ball cricket tournament, has finalized its squads for the upcoming season, with several notable additions and replacements.Ollie Robinson, the England and Sussex seamer, has joined Trent Rockets as a Wildcard after previous stints with Manchester Originals and Northern Superchargers. Ravi Bopara returns to London Spirit, where he impressed last year. Mason Crane, the legspinner, has been picked up by Welsh Fire following his loan move from Hampshire to Glamorgan. Dillon Pennington, the Nottinghamshire seamer on England's radar, will play for Northern Superchargers.These selections were based on performances in the Vitality Blast and Charlotte Edwards Cup. All eight men's and women's Hundred sides now have full squads ahead of the tournament's fourth edition, running from July 23 to August 18.Fran Wilson, an England Women's World Cup winner in 2017, will feature for Birmingham Phoenix. Sophie Luff (Southern Brave), Danielle Gregory (Manchester Originals), and Abi Freeborn (London Spirit) are among the other notable signings."I'm really happy to have been drafted by Southern Brave," said Luff. "The Hundred is a great competition to be a part of, so I'm really happy to have been picked up and it's especially great to have been selected by Charlotte Edwards."Six replacement players have also been announced. Tom Aspinwall and Scott Currie will step in at Manchester Originals for Fred Klaassen and Josh Tongue. Emma Jones will take over from Ailsa Lister at Birmingham Phoenix women, while Charli Knott will be available for Brave's first two women's matches in place of Smriti Mandhana. Laura Harris will deputise for Chamari Athapaththu for Oval Invincibles' opening two fixtures, while Suzie Bates stands in for Richa Ghosh for the first three games at Phoenix.

Northamptonshire Steelbacks kicked off their Vitality Blast campaign with a thrilling final-ball victory over Derbyshire Falcons, thanks to a match-winning knock from veteran all-rounder Ravi Bopara.Bopara, 39, showcased his experience with an unbeaten 56 from 42 deliveries, guiding the Steelbacks to a narrow victory. He shared a crucial 67-run partnership with 38-year-old Sikandar Raza, who contributed 38 from 27.Despite Raza's dismissal with 25 runs still required, Bopara remained composed and steered Northamptonshire over the line alongside Lewis McManus. McManus leveled the scores with a boundary off Luis Reece and struck the winning single off the final ball.Earlier, David Lloyd top-scored for Derbyshire with 41 from 22, helping them post 162 for 7 at Wantage Road. Steelbacks skipper David Willey impressed with the ball, taking 2 for 17 from four overs.Teenage seamer Raphy Weatherall made the initial breakthrough for Northamptonshire, while George Scrimshaw claimed 2 for 38. Willey's unplayable spell included two wickets in successive deliveries, removing Brooke Guest and Ross Whiteley.Northamptonshire's reply got off to a shaky start, with Pat Brown dismissing Matthew Breetzke and Willey. Ricardo Vasconcelos played a solid knock of 42, but it was Bopara and Raza who rebuilt the innings.Raza upped the ante with two massive sixes off Brown, but his dismissal brought Chappell into the attack. Bopara, however, remained unfazed and smashed Tickner for a straight maximum.With 14 runs needed from the final over, Bopara slammed the first ball over midwicket for six to reach his fifty. McManus then applied the finishing touch with a single off the final ball, securing a dramatic victory for the Steelbacks.

Former England and Punjab Kings all-rounder Ravi Bopara has shared fond memories of his time with the franchise during the 2009-10 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Bopara, who played for Punjab Kings for two seasons, participated in 15 matches for the team.One of the most memorable moments for Bopara was when team owner Preity Zinta personally prepared delicious paranthas for him. "Those were the early days in the IPL, when it was a party, those were the great days," said Bopara in FanCode's IPL show 'The Super Over'.Bopara, who scored 386 runs for Punjab Kings, went on to share a heartwarming anecdote. "The standout moment apart from winning, and getting my highest score, was when Preity Zinta cooked parathas for me. She made them with her own hands. When she asked me what I wanted for breakfast, I mentioned aloo parathas, and she graciously made them herself. I am forever thankful for that gesture," Bopara said.Apart from his culinary experiences, Bopara also had high praise for Jasprit Bumrah, saying he is amongst the best T20 fast bowlers in the world, and is likely to be the greatest ever whenever he calls time on his career. He also called on SRH to promote Heinrich Klassen up to no.3 spot based on his impressive form in the tournament so far.Apart from Punjab Kings, Bopara also represented Sunrisers Hyderabad (in 2015) in his IPL career. He played 9 matches for the Orange Army.

Ravi Bopara, the seasoned English all-rounder, has inked a deal with Northamptonshire, ensuring his participation in the T20 Blast for the 22nd consecutive season. At 39 years of age, Bopara remains an integral figure in the tournament, having played more than 200 matches and featuring in every edition since its inception.Bopara's decision to join Northamptonshire comes after his release by Sussex last summer. He has been in talks with several counties and ultimately chose the Steelbacks for the upcoming season. He has signed a one-year, T20-only contract and will celebrate his 39th birthday just weeks before Northants' Blast campaign begins on May 30.Despite his age, Bopara insists he still feels "like a young man in the game." He had a productive season with Sussex last year, scoring 408 runs with a strike rate of 146.23 and taking eight wickets. However, Sussex missed out on the quarter-finals, and Bopara was not offered a new contract."I'm really happy to have joined Northamptonshire for the T20s this year," Bopara said. "I felt great in the Blast last year and my game is in a really good place at the moment. I'm looking forward to joining the Steelbacks and putting on a show for the fans at Wantage Road."Northamptonshire, who won the Blast in 2013 and 2016, have struggled in recent seasons, reaching the quarter-finals only once in the last seven years. They have made several signings over the winter, including George Bartlett, George Scrimshaw, and Sikandar Raza."We have a really exciting squad: there's a lot of quality in that list and I'm hoping to play a big part in bringing a third Blast trophy to the club," Bopara said. "I'm still learning a great deal about this game at my age. I have a burning desire and hunger to up-skill my game to new heights and I still feel like a young man in the game. There's so much more for me to achieve in the T20 space."Northants' head coach, John Sadler, hailed Bopara's signing as "phenomenal." "He's been an incredible performer across all formats for many years and brings a huge presence on and off the field," Sadler said.