MI Cape Town and Paarl Royals demonstrated strong home performances in the SA20 league, with both teams maintaining perfect records. The upcoming Qualifier 1 at St George's Park will be critical, as both teams face off at a neutral venue. Key players will be absent for the Royals. The Rashid Khan-led side have been the best travellers this season (11 points) including a win at this very ground against Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
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South Africa's Corbin Bosch made history at Centurion, scoring an unbeaten 81 on his Test debut from the No. 9 position. His performance helped South Africa recover from 213/8 to post a respectable 301 all out. Bosch also excelled in bowling, claiming four wickets in Pakistan’s first innings, contributing significantly in both departments.
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Tamil Nadu opening batter N Jagadeesan hit six consecutive fours in an over during the Vijay Hazare Trophy pre-quarterfinal match against Rajasthan on Thursday. Tamil Nadu bowled Rajasthan out for 267. Varun Chakaravarthy took five wickets. Rajasthan's innings collapsed after a strong start, losing their last nine wickets for just 83 runs.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed Pakistan's readiness to host the Champions Trophy, with venues in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi prepared on schedule. Despite some renovation delays, facilities for teams and media are upgraded. The tournament starts on February 19.
Dinesh Karthik is set to make a comeback in professional cricket by playing for Paarl Royals in the SA20 league. This marks his return after retiring in June 2024. Karthik expressed excitement about the opportunity to compete in South Africa again. Paarl Royals, led by David Miller, will begin their campaign on January 11.
Rassie van der Dussen reflected on missing out on the T20 World Cup despite a strong year, pivoting to opportunities in various T20 leagues. Van der Dussen emphasised on continuous learning and playing for South Africa, inspired by Faf du Plessis. He spoke after Lhuan-dre Pretorius impressed once again in the SA20, aiding Paarl Royals in defeating MI Cape Town.
Dwayne Bravo is set to mentor Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming IPL season, replacing Gautam Gambhir. With 631 wickets and 17 T20 titles, Bravo aims to instill his champion mentality and mold the next generation. KKR retains their core team, with Venkatesh Iyer as vice-captain and Ajinkya Rahane as the new captain.
While commentating on the India-Australia Test match, Harbhajan Singh praised Jasprit Bumrah's scientific bowling approach after dismissing Usman Khawaja. He contrasted Bumrah's skill with Saeed Ajmal's earlier comments about science in bowling. Bumrah then immediately dismissed Nathan McSweeney, further emphasizing Harbhajan's point about Bumrah's unique bowling prowess.
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