Rajasthan Royals face Kolkata Knight Riders in Guwahati after both teams suffered losses in their opening matches. The Knight Riders lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru while the Royals were defeated by Sunrisers Hyderabad. Both teams aim to bounce back, with RR captain and local boy Riyan Parag hoping for home support.
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Key matchups in the high-stakes game include Rachin Ravindra’s duel with India’s spin quartet, Varun Chakravarthy’s challenge from Kane Williamson, and Mitchell Santner facing Shreyas Iyer. Mohammed Shami’s new-ball spell could be significant against New Zealand openers, especially given his success against left-handers.
Alan Wilkins, the veteran commentator, joyfully announced his recovery from throat cancer and his imminent return to India for the IPL season. Overcoming this health challenge, the 71-year-old broadcaster expressed immense gratitude and a renewed sense of youthfulness. His return to the commentary box is celebrated by fans, marking a triumphant moment in his distinguished career.
Pakistan will host the Women's 50-overs World Cup qualifiers this month, featuring six teams: Pakistan, Scotland, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the West Indies. The PCB is finalizing dates and venues, with Karachi, Multan, and Faisalabad under consideration. This marks Pakistan's first time hosting a multi-team women's ICC event, crucial for World Cup qualification.
India, trailing 2-1 in the Test series, face a challenging task against Australia to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The final match begins on January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where India have a poor record, winning only once since 1947.
Pakistan recalled top-order batter Fakhar Zaman for the Champions Trophy, starting February 19, after his recovery from a knee injury. Saim Ayub misses out due to injury Mohammad Rizwan will captain the team, which also features 2017 champions Zaman, Babar Azam, and Faheem Ashraf. Pakistan will play India in Dubai on February 23.
India captain Rohit Sharma emphasizes that Jasprit Bumrah, India's top fast bowler, requires no interference due to his clarity and confidence in his abilities. With 21 wickets in the ongoing BGT series, Bumrah's performance has been exceptional, easing the workload on other bowlers and making a significant impact on the team’s success.
Joburg Super Kings defeated league leaders Paarl Royals by seven wickets as their skipper Faf du Plessis led the run-chase with a commanding 87 from 55 deliveries to comfortably go past Royals' total of 150 for 9.
Harbhajan Singh shared how his feud with Andrew Symonds transformed into a deep friendship after the infamous "Monkeygate" scandal. Symonds' visit to Harbhajan's home with a bottle of rum initiated their reconciliation. They later won the IPL championship together. Harbhajan expressed grief over Symonds' untimely death, highlighting their strong bond.
Josh Inglis scored an unbeaten 120 to lead Australia to a record chase, beating England by five wickets in the Champions Trophy opener. Despite Ben Duckett's 165 propelling England to 351/8, Australia achieved the highest successful chase in ICC white-ball tournament history, with significant contributions from Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell.
Despite a narrow defeat against Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants' assistant coach Lance Klusener lauded Rishabh Pant, Aiden Markram, Ravi Bishnoi, and Avesh Khan for their performances. Mentor Zaheer Khan delivered an inspiring speech, emphasising the team's resilience and ability to compete in any situation.