Cricket

India's legendary cricketer Yuvraj Singh ignited social media with a witty tweet following India's emphatic semi-final victory over England in the 2024 T20 World Cup. As India emerged as convincing winners by 68 runs, Yuvraj took to Twitter to post "Goodnight in-laws," a humorous reference to his wife Hazel Keech, who hails from Britain.Yuvraj, a key member of India's triumphant 2007 T20 World Cup squad, will now eagerly support Rohit Sharma and his team as they strive for a second title. After the semi-final, Yuvraj tweeted: "Well played boys. Goodnight in-laws."Batting first, India posted a competitive 171 runs on the board in 20 overs. England's batting lineup was then dismantled by India's bowlers, who restricted them to a mere 103 runs. Axar Patel emerged as the Player of the Match with three wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah also claimed three and two wickets, respectively.Earlier, Rohit Sharma's 57 off 39 balls and Suryakumar Yadav's 47 off 36 balls propelled India to a respectable total on a slow, spin-friendly pitch at Guyana's Providence Stadium. Despite rain interruptions, India managed to accumulate a substantial score.Yuvraj has a history of tormenting England in T20 World Cups. In the 2007 edition, he famously struck Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over, en route to a blistering 12-ball half-century.During the ongoing T20 World Cup, Yuvraj has been present in the USA and has participated in the commentary panel for some of India's matches.India will now face South Africa in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Similar to the 2023 ODI World Cup, India will enter the final with an unblemished record in the tournament. Notably, South Africa also boasts a 100% win rate, setting the stage for an intriguing final.The championship match will be held at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 29.

India's T20 World Cup semi-final against England proved to be another disappointing outing for star batter Virat Kohli, who once again failed to deliver a substantial performance. Batting first, India made a promising start with skipper Rohit Sharma and Kohli showing some intent. However, England pacer Reece Topley quickly struck, dismissing Kohli for nine in the third over of the innings. This marked Kohli's fifth single-digit score at the ongoing T20 World Cup, setting a new career low for the right-handed batter.Kohli's dismissal was particularly significant as it was the first time he had failed to score a half-century in a T20 World Cup knockout match. In previous knockout matches, Kohli had scored 72* off 44 balls against South Africa in the 2014 semi-finals, 77* off 58 balls against Sri Lanka in the 2014 final, 89* against West Indies in the 2016 semi-finals, and 50 against England in the 2022 semi-finals.The match was eventually interrupted by rain, with India reaching 65 for two in eight overs. Skipper Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav were batting on 37 and 13 respectively when the heavens opened up. Sent into bat after the start of the match was delayed by more than an hour, India lost Kohli early and Rishabh Pant cheaply, but Rohit remained positive and kept England on their toes with regular boundaries.Kohli's dismissal came as a blow to India's hopes of posting a competitive total. The right-handed batter has been struggling for form throughout the tournament, and his latest failure will raise further questions about his place in the team. With India's hopes of reaching the final now hanging in the balance, the team will need to find a way to overcome Kohli's poor form and produce a strong performance in the second half of the innings.

The Indian women's cricket team made history on the opening day of the Test match against South Africa, scoring a mammoth 525 for the loss of four wickets. This was the most runs scored by any team in a day's play in Test history, surpassing the previous record of 509 set by Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in 2022.Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana led the charge for India, scoring 205 and 149 respectively. Verma's double century was the highest individual score by an Indian woman in Test cricket, while Mandhana's century was her second in the format.South African spinner Delmi Tucker was the most successful bowler for the Proteas, taking two wickets for 141 runs. However, she praised the Indian batters for their stunning performance."We will look back and refresh today, sit down and have discussions about tomorrow. Nothing taking away from their (Indian) batters today; they were phenomenal," Tucker said.The pitch was expected to be spin-friendly, but it played more like a batting paradise on Friday. Misfields and overthrows also added to South Africa's woes.Tucker admitted that the visitors could not execute their strategies well on the day, but she remained optimistic about their chances in the remaining days of the Test."We did try a few things when Smriti and Verma were batting. We switched to around the wicket and changed the field. We were happy with it for some time, but they took it away," she said."We could have definitely been better on the field. Yeah, it's hot out there. Also, overthrows and misfields are not the best of things. But, staying positive and sharp could help in avoiding those misfields."The South African women do not have a proper red-ball setup back home, which has made their task tougher. However, Tucker said they are still learning and improving."We (SA Women) are still young (in) Test cricket, so we are still getting used to it. It's tough unlike T20s and ODIs, but we are still learning," she said."I don't think we did too bad. We did our homework and we knew what was coming."

T20 World Cup Final: Chris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth to Officiate India vs. South Africa ClashThe stage is set for a thrilling T20 World Cup final between India and South Africa, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the officiating team for the highly anticipated match. Chris Gaffaney of New Zealand and Richard Illingworth of England will take on the roles of on-field umpires, while Richard Kettleborough will serve as the TV umpire. Rod Tucker will be the fourth umpire, and Richie Richardson will act as the match referee.The final will be played at the iconic Kensington Oval in Barbados, which previously hosted the T20 World Cup final in 2010. India booked their place in the final with a commanding 68-run victory over defending champions England in the semifinal at Providence, Guyana. South Africa, on the other hand, secured their spot with a dominant nine-wicket triumph over Afghanistan at Tarouba, Trinidad.Chris Gaffaney is a highly experienced umpire with over 100 international matches to his credit. He has officiated in numerous high-profile matches, including the 2019 Cricket World Cup final. Richard Illingworth is another seasoned umpire with over 80 international matches under his belt. He has also officiated in several major tournaments, including the 2015 Cricket World Cup.Richard Kettleborough is a respected TV umpire with over 50 international matches to his name. He has been involved in some of the most controversial decisions in recent cricket history, including the infamous "Mankad" incident in the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Rod Tucker is a former Australian cricketer who has transitioned into umpiring. He has officiated in over 40 international matches and is known for his calm and composed demeanor.Richie Richardson is a former West Indies cricketer who has served as a match referee in over 100 international matches. He is highly respected in the cricket community and is known for his fair and impartial approach.The officiating team for the T20 World Cup final is a testament to the ICC's commitment to ensuring a fair and competitive match. With experienced and respected umpires and match officials in place, both India and South Africa can be confident that the final will be officiated to the highest standards.

UAE Batter Muhammad Usman Retires from International CricketMuhammad Usman, the Lahore-born middle-order batter, has announced his retirement from international cricket after a six-year stint with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) national team. Usman represented UAE in 85 international matches, including 38 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 47 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).Usman made his T20I debut against the Netherlands in February 2016, followed by his ODI debut against Scotland a few months later. In his ODI career, he amassed 1008 runs at an average of 31.50, including one century and four half-centuries. In T20Is, he finished with 891 runs, with three fifties to his name.Usman played a pivotal role in UAE's Asia Cup campaign in 2016, where he emerged as the team's leading run-scorer with 176 runs in seven games. Prior to his international career, Usman played five first-class and 58 List-A matches in Pakistan.Expressing his gratitude, Usman said, "It has been an incredible journey with the UAE cricket team and the cricket board. I would like to thank everyone who played a role in my journey, including my teammates, coaches, and other support staff. I feel blessed and proud that I got the opportunity of representing UAE for 85 international matches.""I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life as I want to remain associated with the sport. I want to wish the UAE team and the players the very best in what is a very exciting time for the game in the country," he added.

India's head coach Rahul Dravid has expressed optimism about the team's chances of winning the T20 World Cup, citing their consistent performance in reaching three ICC finals within the past year. Dravid believes that a combination of intelligent gameplay and good fortune will enable India to secure a long-awaited ICC championship.Throughout the current T20 World Cup, India has demonstrated their superiority, mirroring their performance in the ODI World Cup held in their home country the previous year. However, in that tournament, they stumbled at the final obstacle against Australia.Rohit Sharma and his team are now set to face South Africa in the final at Barbados' Kensington Oval. They are determined to clinch a ICC title, a feat they last achieved during the 2013 Champions Trophy."It is a good thing we have been consistently playing good cricket. We have been in finals in all three formats and credit goes to the players. If we play well and rub of the green goes (our way) we will surely win," Dravid said.Despite the swift journey from Guyana to Barbados following their semifinal victory against England, Dravid expressed confidence in the team's mental readiness for the upcoming contest."In terms of our preparation, we've just got one day in the middle, so it's unlikely we're going to be having practice. It's just about all the guys getting into ensuring that physically, mentally, tactically we are ready for the game."Dravid emphasized his team's readiness for the crucial encounter at the top. "Those are the things that we can control, that we are fresh, that we've looked after all our niggles, if there are any. We've done all our tactical preparation and we're mentally relaxed and excited and looking forward to the game."In 2023, India suffered two devastating losses in ICC finals. They were defeated by Australia in both the World Test Championship (WTC) final and the ODI World Cup final. Dravid believes that the team has learned from these heartbreaking experiences."No, nothing. I thought we were very well-prepared in Ahmedabad (ODI WC). We ticked all the boxes and, on that day, the other team played better. That's part of the sport. The other team that's coming there to play has also obviously reached the final because they're a good team and they're playing very good cricket as well. So, they have as much right to win it as we do, but we hope that we'll play better cricket on the day," he said.Dravid also praised the team's collective effort in preparing for this prestigious event, highlighting their ability to adapt to various situations. He acknowledged the hard work put in by the entire squad leading up to the tournament."I think what's really important is that we've done really well as a group. This whole tournament we have shown the ability to adapt, to recognize what is a good score. We played very differently in New York, then we played in St. Lucia, then we played even in Barbados when I thought that the game was quite slow.""I'm just hoping that whatever we come up against, we will have the ability to recognize it and be able to play accordingly, as we've done in the last three games," said Dravid.

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan is mourning the tragic loss of his hairstylist, Faiyaz Ansari, who drowned in a swimming pool during their T20 World Cup 2024 trip. Ansari, who was Pathan's personal hairstylist, was accompanying him in the Caribbean for his commentary engagements.The incident occurred ahead of the Super 8 match between India and Australia. Pathan took to social media to express his grief, posting a collage of pictures and videos featuring Ansari and himself. The caption read, "In the past six years, Faiyaz became family to us. My children would run to greet him whenever he came over. He loved me like an elder brother, and I loved him like a younger one. The pain of losing him is indescribable; I've never experienced anything like it. His ever-smiling face and his constant 'ji bhai' will stay with me forever. I miss you dearly my brother my shadow, Faiyaz."Ansari hailed from Nagina in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, and had started his salon in Mumbai. According to reports, Ansari's cousin, Mohammad Ahmed, said that the news left his family devastated. Pathan is reportedly working on the formalities to get Ansari's body back to India.Meanwhile, former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly praised Rohit Sharma's leadership qualities for India's unbeaten run in the ongoing T20 World Cup. He urged the team to play with freedom in the final against South Africa to end their 11-year wait for an ICC trophy.India will face the Proteas in the title clash at Bridgetown, Barbados, aiming for their first global trophy since winning the Champions Trophy in 2013. Ganguly said, "I'm very happy for Rohit Sharma. Life comes full circle. Six months ago he was not even the captain of Mumbai Indians and the same man is now leading India to a World Cup final, unbeaten."

England's disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup has cast a shadow over Matthew Mott's tenure as white-ball head coach. Despite reaching the semi-finals, the team's lackluster performance against India has raised questions about Mott's ability to lead England forward.Mott, who is two years into a four-year contract, insists he is the right man for the job. However, his team's inconsistent performances, including a dismal showing at last year's 50-over World Cup, have raised concerns. England's only victory against a Test-playing nation during the T20 World Cup was against Afghanistan.With no major white-ball tournaments scheduled for the next year, England has a 10-week break before their next limited-overs series against Australia. This provides Managing Director Rob Key with an opportunity to assess the team's progress and make crucial decisions.Key faces a series of questions, including whether Mott can reinvigorate the team, if England is making genuine progress under his leadership, and if there is a suitable replacement. He must also consider the future of captain Jos Buttler, who may opt to retire from international cricket.England's performance in the T20 World Cup was a mixed bag. After a shaky start, they put together a strong performance against West Indies but struggled against South Africa. They secured their semi-final spot with a thrashing of USA, but their hopes were dashed by India's dominance on a low-bounce pitch.Mott acknowledged that England "weren't quite at our best" and that they "needed to peak at the right time." However, he believes the team has made progress under his leadership.Despite Mott's optimism, there is a sense that England has lost its aura. The team's identity under Mott remains unclear, and they have struggled to maintain consistency. Key must decide whether Mott has a clear vision for the future and whether he is the right person to lead England into the next phase.

South Africa's sloppy fielding on the opening day of the one-off Test against India in Chennai on Friday highlighted the team's lack of preparation and attention to detail. The Proteas committed several uncharacteristic errors, including misfields, an unnecessary overthrow, and wayward deliveries down the leg side.The most glaring mistake came from Masabata Klaas, who threw a wild overthrow after Smriti Mandhana knocked a full delivery back to her. The ball sailed over the keeper's head and to the boundary, gifting India four extra runs.Other fielding lapses included a dropped catch by Laura Wolvaardt at slip and a misfield by Anneke Bosch at mid-off. These errors allowed India to build partnerships and put pressure on the South African bowlers.The Proteas' sloppy fielding was compounded by some wayward bowling. Shabnim Ismail, who is known for her accuracy, bowled several deliveries down the leg side, giving India's batters easy scoring opportunities.South Africa's fielding coach, Delmi Tucker, admitted that the team's performance in the field was below par. "It was really hot out there and tough," she said. "Definitely, we could be better on the field. Seeing an overthrow in most fields is not the best. But it's happening. I think with the overthrow, it's just staying positive, keeping everyone alive, just getting it back to the keeper. It just keeps you sharp. But yes, we can be better at it."The Proteas' fielding woes are a major concern, especially considering that they are playing in India, where the conditions are known to be challenging for fielders. If South Africa wants to compete in this Test match, they will need to improve their fielding significantly.