Page 23 - Cricket News

IPL 2026 sets new viewership record with 515 million opening weekend reach

The opening matches generated a staggering 32.6 billion minutes of watch-time, marking a 26% increase compared to the previous season's first two games.

IPL 2026: LSG vs DC Playing 11, live toss and match time, streaming

Both LSG and DC had almost similar fates in the last edition, as they got off to a brilliant start but a steep downfall in form in the latter half saw them finish outside the top four in the points ta

IPL 2026 LSG vs DC: Pitch report, highest score, Lucknow Stadium key stats

Lucknow Super Giants have played 21 matches in the IPL at Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, out of which they have won nine matches and have been on the losing end on 11 occasions

IPL 2026 Today's Match: LSG vs DC playing 11, batters vs bowlers matchups

Heading into the new season, both LSG and DC will be desperate not just for a winning start but for consistency across phases, something that eluded them last year

IPL 2026: Auqib Nabi in spotlight amid DC's pace selection dilemma

Aqib Nabi enters IPL 2026 on the back of a breakthrough domestic season, having played a central role in Jammu and Kashmir's triumphant Ranji Trophy 2025-26 campaign

India set to return to Zimbabwe after two years for three-match T20I series

his will be India's first tour of Zimbabwe since July 2024, when the two sides contested a five-match T20I series, which India won 4-1

CA announce 2026-27 men's central contracts; Maxwell, Konstas dropped

The list has been reduced from 23 players last year to 21 this year, with three available slots remaining unfilled, allowing selectors flexibility as the season progresses

Ashutosh Sharma emerges as most expensive player at MPL 2026 auction

Following the Indian Premier League (IPL) for T20 cricket, the Madhya Pradesh League held its first player auction on Tuesday, and explosive right-handed batsman Ashutosh Sharma became the most expensive player in the MPL, fetching a price of Rs 15 lakh. As many as 244 players were included in the auction process for the 10 MPL men's teams. In the auction, which concluded in Indore amid intense competition among franchises, Sharma, who plays for Team India, was bought by Malwa Stallions with the highest bid of Rs 15 lakh. Similarly, Akshat Raghuvanshi was bought by Rewa Jaguars for Rs 13.80 lakh, Aniket Verma by Bhopal Leopards for Rs 13.20 lakh, and Shivang Kumar by Bundelkhand Bulls for Rs 13 lakh. "This is the first time players have been auctioned for team selection in the MPL. This has encouraged franchises of all teams, and players received better value for their money," Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) President Mahanaaryaman Scindia told reporters. Officials infor

IPL 2026: Gill blames poor batting in death overs for GT's loss vs PBKS

Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill said his side's failure to capitalise in the final five overs while batting proved decisive, as Punjab Kings outplayed them in their Indian Premier League opener here on Tuesday. Gill's side, despite boasting a formidable batting line-up featuring Jos Buttler, Sai Sudharsan and Glenn Phillips, could not capitalise on a fairly good batting surface, managing only 162 for 6, and the skipper later admitted that a total in the range of 210220 was achievable on the wicket. Punjab Kings' Cooper Connolly made batting look effortless on the same surface, producing a fluent 72. "It looked like a 210-220 wicket. We thought 175 would be a good score, but we kept losing wickets and didn't score much in the last five overs," conceded Gill after the three-wicket loss. "Once the ball got older, it was difficult to hit it down the ground," he added. Gill said that batting became easier later on, as a drizzle set in and the wet ball made it easier for the home ..

IPL 2026: Parthiv Patel cites tough pitch, conditions in GT loss to PBKS

It wasn't an easy wicket to bat on, said Gujarat Titans assistant coach Parthiv Patel, citing the challenging pitch as the primary reason for his team's three-wicket loss to Punjab Kings in their IPL opener here. Punjab Kings chased a 163-run target with five balls to spare on Tuesday. "As a team you want them to fight. I am happy that we took the game to the last over," Patel said in the post-match press conference. "It wasn't the easiest wicket to bat on. It's been raining here for the last three-four days and the groundsmen did a really good job to prepare the wicket. Once the ball was old, it was reversing a bit, it was also holding up a bit. After powerplay, batting wasn't easy," he explained. However, Patel also stated that the difficult pitch does not take away credit from the effort of Punjab's bowlers. Senior spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (2/28) and seamer Vijaykumar Vyashak (3/34) kept things tight to restrict Gujarat to a relatively modest total before young Australian south

IPL 2026: Connolly’s 72 on debut, Chahal stars as PBKS beat GT by 3 wickets

In Match 4 of the 19th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL 2026),Cooper Connolly struck a fine unbeaten half-century as Punjab Kings (PBKS) defeated Gujarat Titans (GT) by three wickets in Mullanpur

IPL 2026: PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer fined Rs 12 lakh for slow rate

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer was fined Rs 12 lakh after his team maintained a slow over-rate during their IPL match against Gujarat Titans here. Punjab Kings defeated GT by three wickets to start their IPL 2026 campaign on a winning note. "As this was his team's first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL's Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences, Iyer was fined INR 12 lakhs," stated a media release. Pacer Vyshak Vijayakumar and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal shared five wickets among them as PBKS limited GT to 162 for six. Despite a stuttering batting effort, Punjab went past the line in 19.1 overs. Young Australian batter Cooper Connolly led them home with an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls.

IPL 2026: Chahal impressed by Connolly's debut innings, calls him big find

Punjab Kings spinner Yuzvendra Chahal believes young Cooper Connolly will be one of the "finds" of this season, praising the young Australian batter's maturity after he scored a match-winning fifty on his IPL debut. The 22-year-old Connolly announced himself in style, smashing an unbeaten 72 to guide Punjab Kings to a nervy three-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in their IPL campaign opener here on Tuesday. "He's only 20 something but has a hunger. The way he performed in his very first match, batting at number 3, playing a match-winning innings, shows how mature he is mentally," Chahal said at the post-match press conference. Walking in at No. 3, Connolly held firm even as wickets fell at the other end, showing remarkable composure for a newcomer. "He knows what the situation is. He knows that if I am there till the end, then I have to finish the game. And that shows maturity. That is a good sign for our team. "And the way he is batting, I think he will be one of the finds of this

PSL 2026: Fakhar Zaman suspended for two matches for ball tampering

Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman was on Tuesday suspended for two matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for breaching the code of conduct pertaining to changing the condition of the ball. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that match referee found Fakhar guilty of a level three offence, breaching Article 2.14 of the applicable Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel during the PSL match between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings here on Sunday. The suspected ball tampering incident occurred just before the start of the final over when the on-field umpires penalised Lahore Qalandars for five runs and the ball was changed before the start of last over of Karachi Kings' batting innings. On-field Umpires Shahid Saikat and Faisal Khan Aafreedi, TV Umpire Asif Yaqoob, and fourth Umpire Tariq Rasheed levelled the charge. Fakhar denied the offence and contested the charge at a full disciplinary hearing in accordance with the Code of Conduct. Match Referee Roshan Maha

PBKS vs GT HIGHLIGHTS, IPL 2026: Cooper Connolly's heroics help Punjab edge past Gujarat

IPL 2026 HIGHLIGHTS: PBKS debutant Cooper Connolly's unbeaten 72 off 44 balls to help his team chase down 163 run target set by GT

IPL 2026 live streaming: Where to watch PBKS vs GT cricket match live?

JioHotstar in India will stream the IPL 2026 match between Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans through their app and website

IPL 2026 Today's Match: PBKS vs GT playing 11, batters vs bowlers matchups

Both teams, after failing to win the title despite reaching the play-offs, will be aiming for a successful start to their season with a win in their campaign opener today

IPL 2026 PBKS vs GT: Pitch report, highest score, Mullanpur Stadium stats

Punjab Kings have played 10 matches in the IPL at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, out of which they have won just three matches and lost seven

No Dhoni, no direction? CSK's reliance exposed in IPL 2026 opener vs RR

Dhoni has missed only six games in IPL for CSK and in those six games, the Chennai-based franchise has been on the losing end five times

Naseem Shah penalised $72000 by PCB for controversial social media post

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday imposed a PKR 20 million (USD 72,000) fine on fast bowler Naseem Shah for a now-deleted controversial social media post that criticised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's presence at the PSL opening game during an ongoing regional crisis. The post, made during the first match of the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL), sarcastically commented on the "queen" treatment given to Maryam, who is the daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and niece of incumbent PM Shahbaz Sharif, at the Gaddafi Stadium. "Why is she being treated like the Queen at Lords?" Naseem had posted in reference to Maryam. This was after the PCB banned fans from attending the PSL matches in Lahore and Karachi to conserve fuel and adhere to government austerity measures in view of the Gulf war. The PCB announced that its disciplinary committee had found Naseem guilty of breaching clauses of his central contract and violating social media guidelines. Naseem was issue