Cricket

In a dramatic turn of events, South Africa suffered a shocking 30-run defeat against West Indies in the second T20 International match on Sunday, despite holding a commanding position. The loss handed the Caribbean side an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.West Indies posted a respectable 179 for six, with Shai Hope (41 off 22) and Rovman Powell (35) leading the charge. South Africa's chase started promisingly, with Reeza Hendricks smashing 44 off 18 balls. However, the West Indies pace attack, led by Romario Shepherd (3-15) and Shamar Joseph (3-31), turned the tables.South Africa collapsed spectacularly, losing their last seven wickets for a mere 20 runs in 35 balls. The Proteas were dismissed for 149 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy Stadium, handing West Indies a crucial victory.The win gives West Indies a strong advantage in the series and demonstrates their ability to seize opportunities and make the most of crucial moments in T20 cricket. The Caribbean side will now look to complete a whitewash in the final match.

England's Phil Salt continued his impressive form in the T20 World Cup 2024, guiding his team to a thrilling victory over West Indies in the Super 8 match. Chasing a target of 181, Salt played a pivotal role with an unbeaten 87, including a remarkable 30-run over off Romario Shepherd.Salt's innings began with a boundary through extra cover, bringing up his half-century. He followed it up with a six straight down the ground. Shepherd's slower delivery was met with a four, and the pressure mounted as he struggled to maintain his line and length.A wide delivery outside the off-stump sailed over long-off for six, and the fifth ball of the over was another six over backward square leg. The final ball was a juicy full-toss, which Salt dispatched over wide mid-off for four.Salt's destructive batting earned praise from England skipper Jos Buttler. "It was an incredible innings, a mature senior player's innings," Buttler said. "He batted with a lot of power."England's victory was also aided by a strong bowling performance, restricting West Indies to 180/6. Adil Rashid was particularly impressive, taking 2/24 in his four overs.The win puts England in a strong position in the Super 8 stage, as they look to defend their T20 World Cup title. Salt's form will be crucial to their success, and his performance against West Indies has sent a clear message to their opponents.

Ahead of their clash against Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma shared a lighthearted moment with teammate Romario Shepherd. The incident occurred when Rohit stumbled upon a picture of himself at 20 years old, just starting out for the Indian team.The Mumbai Indians took to social media to post a video of the encounter, captioning it, "Bholi si surat, aankhon mein masti... Jab Hitman met 20-year-old Ro today." In the video, Rohit reacts to the picture, remarking that he was a "small boy" and struggling to grow a beard.The Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians are currently eighth in the IPL 2024 points table with just four points, having won only two of their six matches. The five-time champions have a net run rate of -0.234 in the 17th edition of the IPL.In their previous match against Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to field first. After a slow start, Ruturaj Gaikwad (69) and Shivam Dube (66*) stitched a 90-run partnership to propel CSK to a formidable 206/4.In response, Mumbai Indians got off to a solid start with Ishan Kishan (23) and Rohit Sharma (101) putting on a 70-run opening stand. However, Rohit's century was not enough to carry the team to victory as they fell short by 20 runs, ending with 186/6.Matheesha Pathirana (4/28) was the standout bowler for CSK, while Hardik Pandya (2/43) was the pick of the bowlers for Mumbai Indians.

Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024 is set to witness a star-studded lineup of international players, with several high-profile signings announced on the eve of the tournament.Texas Super KingsThe Texas Super Kings, owned by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise, have acquired New Zealand allrounder Daryl Mitchell as their new overseas signing. Mitchell, who was part of CSK's IPL squad in 2023, will join his New Zealand teammates Mitchell Santner and Devon Conway in the USA.MI New YorkThe defending champions, MI New York, have bolstered their squad with the signings of West Indies allrounder Romario Shepherd and South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje. Shepherd, who has been in impressive form for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL, will reunite with his former West Indies captain and Mumbai Indians batting coach Kieron Pollard at MI NY.Seattle OrcasThe Seattle Orcas have signed New Zealand spin-bowling allrounder Michael Bracewell, who has been troubled by injuries in recent times. Bracewell will join his former Wellington Firebirds teammate Finn Allen at the Orcas.San Francisco UnicornsThe San Francisco Unicorns have acquired Australian batter Matt Short. Short, who has played for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League, will add depth to the Unicorns' batting lineup.Other Notable SigningsWest Indies wicketkeeper-batter Jahmar Hamilton has been picked by the Unicorns, while former Pakistan international Hammad Azam has joined the Orcas. Former Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batter Adithya Ganesh has been selected by the Los Angeles Knight Riders as the No.1 pick in the domestic draft.Super Kings' Head Coach Stephen Fleming's CommentsSuper Kings' head coach Stephen Fleming, who worked with Mitchell during his time with the New Zealand coaching staff, expressed his excitement about the allrounder's signing. "I'm really excited to be part of the Texas Super Kings and to get to yellove again and be part of the CSK family," Mitchell said.Shepherd's Impact on MI NYShepherd's addition to MI NY's squad is expected to strengthen their death bowling. The West Indian has added a Dwayne Bravo-esque slower dipper to his repertoire, which will be a valuable asset for the team.Domestic DraftIn the domestic draft, the Super Kings snapped up Raj Nannan and Josh Tromp, while the Knight Riders selected Adithya Ganesh as their top pick. The Super Kings have also added USA mystery spinner Anirudh Immanuel as a net bowler.