Page 37 - Cricket

How 'Guru Gary' is using cricket to keep slum kids away from drugs

Notorious for drugs and crime and afflicted by large-scale poverty, the Khayelitsha township here is better known for being one of the biggest slums on the planet. But World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten is attempting to change the image for good through cricket. The idea struck him when he returned to his home here after guiding India to a World Cup title in 2011. "When I came back from India, I wanted to have a look at cricket in our poorest neighbourhoods in Cape Town," Kirsten recalled in an interview with PTI. He ended up touring Khayelitsha, situated 30km south-east of Cape Town and considered one of the most unsafe areas where a majority of the inhabitants still live in shacks. "I took a tour of the area with local school authorities and found that no cricket was happening which disappointed me a lot. I thought of this centre and we started with two concrete nets in two schools and then included three more schools," Kirsten said. What ultimately shaped up was the Catch Tru

SCA Stadium renamed after veteran cricket administrator Niranjan Shah

The Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium was on Wednesday renamed after veteran cricket administrator and former first-class cricketer Niranjan Shah. The ceremony, held on the eve of the third Test between India and England, was attended by India head coach Rahul Dravid, skipper Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, members of the coaching staff and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar. On the occasion, India cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara, Jadeja and Jaydev Unadkat were also felicitated. Former India captains Anil Kumble and Sunil Gavaskar also felicitated players from Saurashtra who have achieved success in recent years. Gavaskar credited Niranjan Shah for playing a vital role in turning around the fortunes of Saurashtra, who are now two-time Ranji champions. Niranjan Shah, who played 12 first-class games from 1965 to 1975, is also a former BCCI secretary.

Australia wicketkeeper Carey equals record with 8 catches in an innings

Australia's test wicketkeeper Alex Carey has equalled an international record with his eight catches Wednesday in a domestic one-day cricket match. Carey held eight catches for South Australia state in a limited-overs win over Queensland in his first 50-over match since being replaced as Australia's first-choice white ball wicketkeeper at the World Cup in India last year. He took five catches off the bowling of Jordan Buckingham and equaled the List A world record with his eighth catch to dismiss Matt Kuhnemann. Two other wicketkeepers have taken eight catches in a List A innings, both in England. Derek Taylor set the record playing for Somerset in 1982 and Worcestershire's James Pipe matched it in 2021.

Yuvraj joins New York Strikers as captain and icon player for LCT season 2

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was on Wednesday named New York Superstar Strikers captain and icon player for the upcoming Legends Cricket Trophy (LCT) Season 2. Yuvraj will lead the team comprising the likes of Babar Azam, Rashid Khan, Keiron Pollard, Imam Ul Haq, Naseem Shah, Matheesha Pathirana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Asif Ali and Mohammad Amir. "Yuvraj's addition enriches the squad with a depth of expertise, skill, and leadership, fortifying New York Superstar Strikers' readiness to lead in the upcoming edition of the tournament," the franchise said in a statement. The tournament, to be played in a 90-ball format, will be held in Kandy, Sri Lanka from March 7-18. The first season, played in the 20-over format, was held in Ghaziabad from March 22 to 30 last year. Indore Knights and Guwahati Avengers were declared joint winners of the inaugural season after the final was washed out. In the LCT90BALLS format, five bowlers of each team can bowl three overs. The captain of the

WPL 2024: Original skipper Beth Mooney returns to captain Gujarat Giants

Australia's Beth Mooney will captain Gujarat Giants in the Women's Premier League beginning on February 23, the franchise announced on Wednesday. Mooney was named captain for the inaugural season as well but got injured after the first game and could not take further part in the competition. India all-rounder Sneh Rana had led the side in her absence. Rana has been named vice-captain for season two. Gujarat had finished last in the five-team competition in 2023. "They (Mooney and Rana) will be part of the leadership group with head coach Michael Klinger, mentor and advisor Mithali Raj, and assistant coach Nooshin Al Khadee," said the team in a statement. Gujarat Giants will open their campaign against Mumbai Indians in Bengaluru on February 25.

Infrastructure, BFSI companies among top advertisers for cricket in 2023

FMCG brands expect to remain one of the strongest advertisers in IPL 2024

U-19 World Cup: 3rd time in 12 months, India lose world title to Australia

The year changed from 2023 to 2024, but the fortunes of an Indian side facing Australia in the final of a world-level event in cricket did not as they lost yet another final

Important for leader to earn respect with deeds rather than words: MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni's captaincy and man management skills are part of cricket's urban legend, and the former India skipper on Friday said earning respect and loyalty of players with deeds formed the primary layer of leadership. Under Dhoni, India had won two World Cups and a Champions Trophy besides reaching the top of ICC Test rankings for the first time. Loyalty has a lot to do with the respect factor. When you talk about the dressing room, unless the support staff or players respect you, it is difficult to get that loyalty. "It is actually about what you are doing and not about what you are speaking. You may not actually speak anything but your conduct can earn that respect, said Dhoni in a function organised by Single.ID, a first-of-its-kind cross-reward programme identifier. Dhoni said the respect for a leader comes from his deeds rather than words. I always felt that earning respect (as a leader) is important as it does not come with the chair or rank. It comes with your conduct. Peopl

Secret to our performance is team bonding: India U19 captain Uday Saharan

The camaraderie in the dressing room has played a significant role in Indian team's dominant run in the U19 World Cup, skipper Uday Sharan said on Thursday and vowed to bring the trophy back home. Defending champions India have not lost a single match in the tournament. They have logged big-margin victories and were not tested till they bumped into hosts South Africa in the semifinals in which they scored a narrow two-wicket win. India have been a force to reckon with in the Under-19 World Cup, reaching the title clash seven times in last nine editions. "It is a dream for all of us to win this tournament. Everyone gets only one Under-19 World Cup and we want to repeat the history. We also want to register our names in history. We are focused on giving our best," Saharan told PTI-Bhasha in an interview. "I would like to tell the countrymen to continue supporting us like this. We promise to give everything to bring the Cup back." India's power-packed performance in the tournament wa

Zee's IL T20 gets 46% women viewers, 2nd most watched franchise tournament

With a reach of 161 million views, a staggering 46 per cent of which being women viewers, Zee Entertainment has announced that the DP World ILT20 league continues to be the world's second most watched franchise-based cricket competition. The tournament garnered an impressive reach of 161 million for its first 18 matches, 56 per cent of the audience being under the age of 30, according to data released by BARC INDIA 2+, TV+OOH, and LIVE+PPL. The company has reported an uptick of 12 per cent among 15+ urban audiences in India compared to the inaugural edition. The time spent on the league, which started on January 19 has surged by an impressive 33 per cent among viewers aged 15 and above in urban India. "This substantial increase in viewing duration emphasizes the league's ability to captivate and retain the attention of its audience, contributing to a more immersive and rewarding viewer experience," said league's media rights holder ZEE in a statement. The tournament with six teams

ICC U19 World Cup semis: PAK vs AUS playing 11, live match time, streaming

People in India can live stream the Pakistan U19 vs Australia U19 semifinal in the ICC U19 World Cup 2024 on Disney Plus Hotstar

WPL 2024: Chamari Athapaththu reveals reactions after initial auction snub

Sri Lanka skipper and UP Warriorz player Chamari Athapaththu on Tuesday said that not being selected initially during the WPL auction for the second season surprised her, but rejections motivate her. The captain of the 'ICC women's ODI team of the Year 2023' and Women's Big Bash League's second-highest scorer Athapaththu was not picked in the auction held here in December, but was subsequently roped in by UP Warriorz after England's Lauren Bell pulled out from the WPL. "I was not shocked, I was surprised because they didn't pick me after the auction but these things are not in my control," Athapaththu said during a virtual interaction. "I think (about) what I can control, I don't want to take too much pressure on my shoulders because these decisions are taken by someone, some coaches, some (people in the) management. "I always think (about) what I can control, I can control my batting and my bowling. I take these decisions in good spirit and do my best. If someone asks me, 'are yo

PAK vs AUS U19 World Cup SF Preview: Who will meet India in the final?

Pakistan and Australia have met six times in the U-19 World Cups and both of them have won three matches each with Australia winning in the last meeting by 122 runs in 2022

ICC U19 World Cup semis: IND vs SA playing 11, live match time, streaming

India aims to reach a record ninth final and continue their quest for the sixth Under-19 World Cup title. The semi-final against South Africa will begin at 1:30 pm IST at the Willowmoore Park, Benoni

Pant reveals he feared leg amputation after life-threatening car crash

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has revealed that he feared the amputation of his right leg in the aftermath of the horrific car crash which he survived 13 months ago. Pant was driving from Delhi to his hometown Roorkee to meet his family when his car crashed into the median divider on the road in December, 2022. He had just returned from Bangladesh after playing a major role in India's win in the second Test in Mirpur. "If there was any nerve damage, there was a possibility of amputation. That is when I felt scared," Pant said in Star Sports series 'Believe: To Death & Back' which documents his recovery. "I had taken an SUV, but what I was seeing was a sedan," he quipped as he remembered his mangled vehicle. Recounting the initial moments after the crash, the 26-year-old said he was in excruciating pain as his right knee had dislocated, turning 180 degrees to the right as he lay face down. "There was someone around so I asked if he could help getting the leg back in the .

Vidhu Vinod Chopra's son Agni created FC record with passion for cricket

During the current Ranji season, a star son has been launched. But for 25-year-old Agni Dev Chopra, he never had the luxury of a re-take that his film-maker father Vidhu Vinod Chopra has had throughout his illustrious career. He will always have one ball with his name written on it, but for now, the world is ready to "judge" a privileged kid, who is also "passionate about cricket". For Agni Dev though, it has been about making a statement on the 22 yards and five first-class hundreds for Mizoram in the Ranji Trophy at least make it very clear that he is more than a decent cricketer with a potential to get better. Even though the runs came in Plate Group, comprising mainly northeastern states, a tally of 767 runs from four games, with scores like 166 and 92, 164, 114, 105 and 101, is as good as it gets. Agni Dev could have taken the more glamorous route and enter Tinsel Town, but he did not. "So I have been asked this question from childhood that will you go into movies but I never

BCCI secy Shah reappointed as ACC chairman for third successive year

Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah was on Wednesday appointed as the president of the Asian Cricket Council for a third consecutive term. Shah's extension was proposed by the Sri Lanka Cricket president Shammi Silva for the second time and the nomination was unanimously backed by all the members of the ACC at its annual general meeting in Bali. Shah initially assumed the role in January 2021, succeeding Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hassan. Under Shah's leadership, the ACC successfully organised the Asia Cup in T20 format in 2022 and in ODI format in 2023. "I am grateful to the ACC Board for their continued trust. We must remain committed to ensuring the all-round development of the sport with a special focus on regions where it is still in its infancy. The ACC is committed to nurturing cricket across Asia," Shah said in a release. "Under Shah's guidance, the ACC has been instrumental in unearthing and promoting new talent in cricketing powerhouses like ...

Here's why cricketer Mayank Agarwal lodged complaint after boarding flight

Mayank Agarwal was rushed to a hospital following the medical emergency incident on the Delhi-bound IndiGo flight in Tripura and is believed to be out of danger at the moment

Cricket dominated Indian viewership in 2023 on Amazon Fire TV: Report

Amazon Fire TV Streaming Trends Report 2023: Indian households spent an average of 4 hrs daily on streaming platforms in 2023, with one household in Delhi clocking in an average 5.4 hr daily streaming

Baracara to Brisbane: The inspirational story of West Indian Shamar Joseph

New West Indian pace sensation Shamar Joseph took 7/68 in his 11.5 overs to bowl Australia out and take his team to its first win on Aussies soil after 1997