Cricket

Dinesh Karthik, the veteran Indian wicketkeeper-batter, is set to bid farewell to the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season, marking the end of an illustrious career in the tournament. Karthik, who turns 39 in June, will also make a decision on his international future soon.Karthik, who began his IPL journey with Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), is one of only seven players to have featured in every season of the IPL since its inception in 2008. He has missed just two matches in 16 seasons, a testament to his durability and commitment.Despite a disappointing 2023 IPL season with the bat, Karthik enjoyed a stellar campaign in 2022 with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Playing the role of a finisher, he scored 330 runs at an average of 55 and a strike rate of 183.33, helping RCB reach the playoffs.Karthik's IPL form earned him a berth in the 2022 T20 World Cup, but he struggled to make an impact. He has represented six IPL teams throughout his career, including Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Kolkata Knight Riders, and RCB.In 240 IPL matches, Karthik has amassed 4516 runs at an average of 26 and a strike rate of 132, with 20 half-centuries. As a keeper, he is second only to MS Dhoni in overall dismissals (133) and stumpings (36).Karthik has also captained in the IPL, leading Daredevils on six occasions and Knight Riders for 37 matches. He has a captaincy record of 21 wins, 21 losses, and one tie.As he prepares to retire from playing, Karthik has already embarked on a second career in broadcasting. He has worked as a pundit for the World Test Championship final and the Hundred, and is currently commentating on the India-England Test series.RCB will open their IPL campaign against defending champions Chennai Super Kings on March 23 at Karthik's home ground in Chepauk.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 is set to kick off in less than 20 days, with the opening match featuring MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore, led by Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis, on March 22 in Chennai.Amidst the ongoing Test series against England, where Kohli has opted out due to personal reasons, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar raised concerns about his participation in the upcoming IPL. However, RCB great AB de Villiers has hinted at Kohli's potential presence in the tournament."Nothing confirmed yet. Virat Kohli has hinted that he might want me to come over just to spend a bit of time with him and some of the batters perhaps. Nothing confirmed yet. I think the call has got to come from Andy Flower, Faf, and the team," de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.Gavaskar, while acknowledging India's impressive performance against England despite the absence of key players, emphasized the importance of team spirit and the contributions of young players."Three years back, India missed a lot of big names in Australia but they still managed to pull off a fantastic win not just in Gabba. After getting all out in Adelaide for 36, they won in Melbourne and drew in Sydney. They battled hard to save the Sydney Test match. If Rishabh Pant stayed on the crease for half an hour, then India could have won that match as well," Gavaskar said."That's why I always say, you don't need big names... If any big name thinks that India won't win without him, these two series have shown that whether you are there or not... Cricket is a team sport. It doesn't depend on one individual."The success of the Indian team under captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid has highlighted the importance of nurturing young talent and fostering a positive team environment."Credit must go to the way captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid have managed the team. They gave chances to the young players, molded them, and encouraged them to play their natural game. This shows that whether we have big names or not, if we have players with big hearts, then we can win," Gavaskar added.

WPL GG vs RCB Live: Giants Seek Redemption in Delhi, RCB Eyes Home AdvantageThe Women's Premier League (WPL) moves to Delhi for its second leg, with Gujarat Giants (GG) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) set to clash in Match 13 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.Gujarat Giants, led by Australian captain Beth Mooney, have endured a disappointing start to the tournament, losing all four of their matches in Bengaluru. Mooney has acknowledged the team's batting struggles, which have left them as the only side yet to register a win.RCB, on the other hand, ended the Bengaluru leg on a positive note with a victory over UP Warriorz. Skipper Smriti Mandhana is eager to see how the Delhi crowd embraces the WPL, having played in front of a packed stadium in Bengaluru.Mandhana has been in impressive form, scoring 164 runs in five games at a strike rate of 120.58. She has also praised her opening partner Sabbhineni Meghana, who has contributed 164 runs so far.The Giants face an uphill battle, needing to win all their remaining games to salvage their campaign. They will be hoping to turn their fortunes around in Delhi, where they will have the opportunity to play on a different surface.RCB, meanwhile, will be looking to build on their momentum and secure a top-four finish. They will be buoyed by the home advantage, having a large fan base in Delhi.The match promises to be an exciting contest between two teams with contrasting fortunes. Gujarat Giants will be desperate to break their losing streak, while RCB will be aiming to continue their winning ways.

Mumbai Indians' bowlers put up a clinical performance to restrict Royal Challengers Bangalore to a modest 131/8 in the Women's Premier League match on Saturday.After being asked to bat first, Bangalore lost three wickets in the powerplay and struggled to gain momentum. Ellyse Perry (44* off 38) and Georgia Wareham (27) provided some stability with a 52-run partnership for the sixth wicket, but the Mumbai bowlers kept the pressure on.Natalie Sciver-Brunt and Pooja Vastrakar picked up two wickets each, while Issy Wong and Saika Ishaque took one apiece. The surface appeared slow, making it difficult for the batters to score freely.In the chase, Mumbai openers Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews got off to a solid start, putting on 29 runs for the first wicket. Bhatia was particularly impressive, hitting two boundaries and a six in her 18-ball 23.However, Bangalore fought back with the wickets of Bhatia and Matthews in quick succession. Sophie Devine then dismissed Richa Ghosh for a duck, leaving Mumbai at 35/3.Natalie Sciver-Brunt (15) and Amelia Kerr (14*) steadied the ship with a 29-run partnership, but the required run rate continued to climb.In the end, Mumbai fell short by 11 runs, with Perry and Wareham remaining unbeaten at the crease.

The 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to commence on March 22, 2024, with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) facing Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the opening match. This year's IPL will break the tradition of the opening match featuring the previous season's winners and runners-up.The tournament will kick off with 21 matches scheduled over the first 17 days, taking into account the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in India. The complete IPL schedule will be announced later, once the general election dates are finalized.During the initial 17-day period, 21 matches will be played across 10 cities, with each team playing a minimum of three and a maximum of five matches. The first weekend will feature two doubleheaders, with Punjab Kings hosting Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad.The action will then shift to Jaipur, where Rajasthan Royals will face Lucknow Super Giants, followed by Gujarat Titans, the reigning champions, facing five-time winners Mumbai Indians in Ahmedabad.Delhi Capitals, who have opted to play their first two home matches in Visakhapatnam, will host Chennai Super Kings on March 31 and Kolkata Knight Riders on April 3.The 10 teams are divided into two groups of five, with each team playing 14 games in the group stage. They will face the other four teams in their group twice (home and away), four teams in the other group once, and the remaining team twice.Despite the upcoming general elections, the tournament will be held entirely in India. The BCCI will work closely with government and security agencies to ensure all necessary protocols and advisories related to the elections are followed.The IPL was held entirely overseas only once, in 2009, in South Africa. In 2014, a portion of the tournament was held in the UAE due to elections. However, in 2019, the IPL took place in India despite the elections.Hardik Pandya will make his debut as the captain for Mumbai Indians, taking over from Rohit Sharma. New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra will make his maiden IPL appearance after a notable performance in the ODI World Cup last year.Meanwhile, CSK's iconic figure MS Dhoni, who led the team to five IPL titles, has been out of competitive cricket since their victorious campaign in the previous season.The IPL players' auction for the 2024 season took place in December last year, with Australian pacer Mitchell Starc becoming the most expensive player in IPL history after being bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 24.75 crore.