Cricket

Sri Lanka's pace attack has dominated the first Test against Bangladesh, taking all 20 wickets in Sylhet. This marks the first time since 1986 that a Sri Lankan pace attack has achieved this feat. The victory has boosted Sri Lanka's confidence, but they face a different challenge in Chattogram, where the pitch is typically more favorable for batting and spinners.Bangladesh will be buoyed by the return of Shakib Al Hasan, who is their most experienced bowler on the Chattogram deck. Shakib has claimed 64 wickets in 19 Tests at this venue, the most by any bowler. Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz are also formidable spinners for Bangladesh.Sri Lanka's main spinner, Prabath Jayasuriya, has limited experience overseas, while Ramesh Mendis, who could be brought in as a second frontline spinner, has even less experience away from home.Despite their impressive victory in Sylhet, Sri Lanka have never lost a Test in Bangladesh. However, Bangladesh will be confident in Chattogram, especially with Shakib in their ranks.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their second Indian Premier League (IPL) match on March 30 in Lucknow. LSG, led by KL Rahul, will aim to improve their all-round performance after losing their opening game against Rajasthan Royals by 20 runs.LSG's bowling unit struggled in their first match, with all bowlers except Krunal Pandya leaking runs. The absence of Mark Wood and David Willey has left LSG's pace attack thin, with Mohsin Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Yash Thakur expected to carry the load. Ravi Bishnoi, who is vying for a place in the upcoming T20 World Cup squad, also had an ordinary outing in the team's tournament opener.Skipper Rahul, who has decided to play as a wicketkeeper-batter with the T20 World Cup in mind, scored 58 in his comeback game and will be looking to build on that. He will hope that his opening partner Quinton de Kock returns to his belligerent best against Punjab after missing out against Royals. The team will also rely on the likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, and Krunal to deliver down the order.LSG's success will also depend on the form of Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, who was the leading run-getter for the team last year with 408 runs.PBKS, on the other hand, have a 50-50 record so far, winning one and losing one. The Shikhar Dhawan-led side needs more fluency in the powerplay, which will come if Jonny Bairstow gets going after failing in the first two games. Dhawan, who only plays IPL to IPL, needs to up his strike rate going forward. He himself admitted to batting a bit "slowly" against RCB.Prabhsimran Singh, who came of age last season, has not been able to capitalize on his starts yet. While all-rounder Sam Curran has shown his prowess with the bat in the two matches, the left-arm seamer has been wayward with the ball. Vice-captain Jitesh Sharma, who is in the running for a World Cup berth, needs to have a stellar season to convince the national selectors.In the pace bowling department, Kagiso Rabada will look for more support from Curran, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshal Patel. Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar has been impressive, while leg-spinner Rahul Chahar needs to up his game.

Hardik Pandya's tenure as Mumbai Indians' (MI) captain has started with a string of setbacks, both on and off the field. After two consecutive defeats, Pandya's actions have come under scrutiny, with fans and critics alike expressing concerns.In a recent incident, a video emerged of Pandya allegedly shoving bowling coach Lasith Malinga away after a 31-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. The footage shows Malinga attempting to embrace Pandya, who appears to ignore the gesture and walks away. This incident has sparked criticism, with many questioning Pandya's leadership style.Another video from the same match has also raised eyebrows. It shows Malinga vacating his seat for Pandya, who was preparing to bat. Assistant coach Kieron Pollard was initially about to get up, but Malinga intervened and walked away. This has led to speculation about potential tensions within the MI camp.Pandya's struggles have extended beyond the field. In MI's opening match against Gujarat Titans, he was booed by the crowd. The team's poor performance has also put pressure on the new skipper.Ahead of the 2024 IPL season, MI handed the captaincy to Pandya, who was acquired from Gujarat Titans. However, his transition has been far from smooth. The team's losses and Pandya's actions have raised questions about his suitability for the role.As MI prepare to host Rajasthan Royals on April 1, Pandya faces a crucial test. He needs to find a way to turn around the team's fortunes and address the concerns surrounding his leadership.

Delhi Capitals' bowling coach James Hopes has expressed confidence in the team's pace spearhead Anrich Nortje, despite his recent struggles in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Nortje, who made his comeback to competitive cricket after six months, was taken to the cleaners by Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag at the death, conceding 48 runs in his four overs.Hopes acknowledged the challenges Nortje faced, having been out of action since September and playing only three domestic T20 games before the IPL. However, he emphasized Nortje's status as one of the premier death bowlers in the game and expressed trust in his ability to improve."It's the first time that Nortje has been at this level in a while. He had a fair time out of the game, but if you look at all the numbers, he is one of the premier death bowlers in the game. We trust that he is going to keep getting better," Hopes said.Hopes also identified areas for improvement in the team's batting, which fell apart in the back-10 after a positive start. He highlighted the need to tidy up the middle-over batting, with the return of Rishabh Pant expected to provide a significant boost."We need to tidy up our middle over batting too. We tend to get stuck a little bit in phases there. We know the fix for that is Rishabh Pant," Hopes said. "He has played two games after a long lay-off and I think you're going to see some pretty special things from him in the next few weeks."Delhi Capitals will face Chennai Super Kings in their next game on Sunday, hoping to address the issues identified by Hopes and secure their first win of the IPL season.

The United States Cricket Team (USACT) has unveiled its 15-man squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Canada, with former New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson as a notable inclusion. Anderson, 33, last represented New Zealand in 2018 and has since been aiming to qualify for his adopted country.Monank Patel will continue to lead the USACT, with Aaron Jones serving as vice-captain. The series holds significant importance for the team as it prepares for the T20 World Cup, which they will co-host with the West Indies in June.Despite Patel's statement about new players joining the squad, the majority of the team consists of experienced individuals. Anderson, who played 13 Tests, 49 ODIs, and 31 T20Is for New Zealand, brings a wealth of knowledge to the side. He was also part of the New Zealand team that reached the final of the 2015 World Cup.Other notable players in the squad include Gajanand Singh, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Nisarg Patel, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, and Usman Rafiq. While some players like Andries Gous, Harmeet Singh, Nitish Kumar, Milind Kumar, and Shadley van Schalkwyk have not played international cricket, they possess significant first-class and T20 experience.South Africa-born wicketkeeper-batter Gous, who relocated to the USA in 2021, will be eligible to play for the team in April, making him available for the T20 World Cup. He has played 60 first-class games, 57 List-A matches, and 46 T20s, including a stint with Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20.The matches against Canada will be played at the Prairie View Cricket Complex, with the USACT arriving on April 1 to begin preparations. Both Canada and the USA are in Group A of the T20 World Cup, along with India, Ireland, and Pakistan. They will face each other in the tournament opener on June 2 in Dallas, Texas.

Delhi Capitals Skipper Rishabh Pant Fumes After Second Consecutive IPL LossDelhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant's frustration was palpable after his team's second consecutive loss in the ongoing IPL 2024 season. The Capitals fell short by 12 runs against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a thrilling last-over finish on Thursday, further dampening Pant's return to competitive cricket since his horrific car accident in December 2022.Chasing a challenging 186 to win, Pant struggled to find his rhythm, scoring 28 runs off 26 balls. The pressure mounted on the DC skipper, who attempted to break the shackles with a cut shot against leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. However, the ball edged into the gloves of wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, giving RR a crucial breakthrough.Pant's dismissal handed RR control of the proceedings, and the DC skipper's frustration boiled over. As he made his way to the dressing room, Pant smashed his bat in anger, reflecting his disappointment with the team's performance.The loss against RR was particularly disappointing for DC, as it came on the heels of their defeat to Lucknow Super Giants in their season opener. The Capitals' batting has been a major concern, with Pant and his teammates failing to fire consistently.DC will now host defending champions Chennai Super Kings on March 31, hoping to turn their fortunes around. However, they will need to address their batting woes and find a way to support Pant, who is still regaining his form after his injury.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 is set to witness a potential clash of titans as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face off against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday. The match will be played at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, where the last encounter between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli resulted in an intense on-field battle.Former KKR and RCB star Varun Aaron anticipates that Gambhir's presence in the Knight Riders dugout will ignite Kohli's competitive spirit. "I'm eagerly looking forward to the match-up outside the boundary line," Aaron said. "Gautam Gambhir is going to be right beside the Bengaluru dug-out, and I don't know what's going to happen there. We know Virat likes to have fire in his belly, and if he just looks at the Kolkata dug-out, he's going to get fired up."The rivalry between Gambhir and Kohli reached a boiling point during an RCB vs Lucknow Super Giants match in IPL 2023. Kohli initially clashed with LSG's Naveen-ul-Haq, prompting Gambhir to intervene and engage in a verbal altercation with the former.Gambhir later defended his actions, stating, "It is not about Naveen-ul-Haq. I would have defended any player, that is my job, that is how I am. Why should I not defend my players just because someone has a broadcaster working for him, left right and centre, someone who has more social media presence doesn't have any right to walk over someone."While Kohli and Naveen have since reconciled, the equation between Gambhir and the RCB star remains uncertain. The Friday night match will provide an opportunity to gauge the current dynamics between the two players.

Virat Kohli vs Mitchell Starc: A T20 Duel for the AgesWhen Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday night, the spotlight will inevitably fall on the tantalizing prospect of Virat Kohli facing off against Mitchell Starc. This highly anticipated encounter marks the first time these two cricketing giants will cross paths in the Indian Premier League (IPL).Starc, who is making his IPL return after a seven-year hiatus, was once a teammate of Kohli at RCB in 2015. Despite their shared history, they have never faced each other in the tournament. However, experts believe that Starc's left-arm swing bowling could pose a significant threat to Kohli's formidable batting prowess."I quite like [Starc's] match-up to Virat, the ability to swing the ball back down the line as a lefty," said Steven Smith, a former Australian captain and current ESPNcricinfo expert. "We have seen him [Kohli] get out on a few occasions to Shaheen Afridi, Trent Boult, Mohammad Amir."Smith believes that Starc will likely attempt to exploit Kohli's tendency to drive away from his body, similar to the strategy employed by Sam Curran in RCB's opening match against Punjab Kings. "Starcy's going to swing the ball back down the line early on, I'd imagine, and then use the wobble seam to go across him [Kohli], and potentially try and nick him off," Smith explained.Despite Starc's reputation as a world-class bowler, Kohli has a solid record against left-arm pace in T20 cricket. In 28 deliveries faced against Starc, Kohli has scored 47 runs without being dismissed. However, Smith believes that Kohli has likely studied Starc's bowling patterns and will be prepared for the challenge."You obviously learn as you go along, and you understand what players are trying to do to try and get you out," Smith said of Kohli. "I'm sure he would have seen that [data], and tried to improve on that throughout. So it's going to be a nice match-up."The Kohli-Starc duel is just one of the many intriguing storylines that will unfold in this highly anticipated IPL encounter. With both teams boasting a wealth of talent, the stage is set for a thrilling spectacle that will keep cricket fans on the edge of their seats.

Andre Russell: Rediscovering His Mojo with a Leaner, Fitter ApproachAs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) prepare for their upcoming matches, all eyes are on Andre Russell, the towering Jamaican who has been in scintillating form. In their season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Russell smashed a blistering 25-ball 64, showcasing his devastating power-hitting abilities.Russell's performance at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru holds special significance. In 2019, he played a pivotal role in KKR's victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore, scoring an unbeaten 13-ball 48 to guide his team to a five-wicket win.After a challenging period last year, Russell has returned to the IPL with renewed vigor and determination. He has shed weight, improved his fitness, and sharpened his batting skills."I think it's all about the mindset," Russell said. "I watched videos of my past performances and realized that I was clear in my thoughts towards every delivery. I allowed myself to be under pressure because I've been thinking too much."Russell has also been working diligently on his fitness. "I'm feeling good," he said. "I have four packs so I'm working on the next two. I'm working on being leaner and lighter, and it's working for my body and shows in my performance as well."In addition to his physical improvements, Russell has also made technical adjustments to his batting. "I was at the nets in Abu Dhabi and Sunil Narine mentioned something," he revealed. "Having a short stride is working for me. When I look at most big-hitters, they don't have a big stride. Now I have a bit more time to play the ball."With the T20 World Cup approaching, Russell is eager to continue his impressive form. His rediscovered mojo and unwavering determination make him a formidable force in the IPL and a key player for the West Indies.