Page 7 - Cricket

IPL 2025: KKR all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer dismisses price tag pressure

Kolkata Knight Riders star all-rounder and newly appointed vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer on Thursday said he cannot ignore the scrutiny surrounding his Rs 23.75-crore price tag but is determined to fulfil his responsibilities rather than letting the weight of expectations affect him. The left-handed batter, who also bowls occasional medium pace, earned a staggering Rs 23.75 crore deal -- more than 11 times his base price -- as KKR went all-out and used their RTM card following a fierce bidding war with Royal Challengers Bengaluru to bring him back. "Obviously, you can't ignore it altogether. It exists. Wherever I go, I get asked about it," Iyer said at their pre-season media interaction at Eden Gardens. "So, it is existent, right? But for me, it's about absorbing it and still trying to fulfill the responsibility that has been given to me." However, Iyer believes that once the IPL begins, the numbers won't matter anymore. "But when the IPL will start, it really doesn't matter. You ar

IML 2025: Yuvraj Singh's blazing fifty powers India Masters to 220/7

India Masters posted an impressive total of 220/7, thanks to an aggressive 42 from captain Sachin Tendulkar and a fiery half-century from Yuvraj Singh.

Pakistan star batter Babar Azam opts out of National T20 Championship

Dropped from the Pakistan T20 squad for the series in New Zealand, former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has decided to skip the National T20 Championship. Babar, Muhammad Rizwan and fast bowler Naseem Shah were all dropped for the five-match T20 series starting March 16 in Christchurch, but have been retained for the three ODIs against New Zealand. While announcing the team, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had indicated that Babar, Rizwan, Naseem, who are all centrally contracted players, would be taking part in the National T20 in Faisalabad starting this week. But on Thursday it was confirmed that Babar and Naseem had withdrawn from the National T20 event citing workload management and upcoming international commitments. A reliable source in the PCB said that with the Pakistan Super League due to begin in mid April it was obvious that they were prioritising the franchise event. "Given the inconsistent policies of the national selectors these players are aware they will be back in

JioHotstar breaks records with historic ICC men's Champions Trophy 2025

The tournament delivered a record-breaking live sports experience across India, with over 540 crore total views and nearly 11,000 crore minutes of cumulative watch time.

India's absence in WTC final to cost Lord's 4 million pounds in revenue

India's failure to qualify for the World Test Championship final is expected to cost Lord's nearly 4 million pounds in revenue when it hosts the five-day match in June. After finishing as runners-up in the last two editions, India missed out on a spot in the summit clash, with Australia and South Africa now set to battle for the ultimate glory in Test cricket. "Lord's is set to generate nearly 4million less in revenue for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final after India's failure to qualify," a report in The Times said. "...the absence of India has significantly curtailed the financial windfall expected by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), underscoring the financial influence of Indian cricket across the global game." Having spent most of the past year in the top two of the ICC World Test Championship standings, Rohit Sharma and his team slipped to third place after losing a home series 0-3 to New Zealand, followed by a 1-3 defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy .

Fail to meet CSA black player criteria, domestic team set to miss playoff

CSA confirmed that the Warriors had breached Clause 3.2.2 of the CSA Administrative Conditions, which mandates a minimum of three Black African players in the starting 11

Prohibit tobacco, alcohol ads & sales at IPL venues: Centre tells BCCI

The Ministry of Health has reportedly asked BCCI to put a complete ban on tobacco, alcohol ads, surrogate promotions, and sales at stadiums, events, and broadcasts, citing public health concerns ahead

Varun to Santner: Top 10 highest wicket-takers in Champions Trophy 2025

Closest to Henry, was India's Varun Chakaravarthy who has taken an impressive 9 wickets in just 3 matches in the marquee tournament.

India Masters enter IML 2025 semifinals with win over West Indies

India defeated West Indies by seven runs to enter the semifinals of the International Masters League (IML) 2025 here. The home side rode on Stuart Binny's three-wicket burst, and a smart final over from Irfan Pathan to get over the line in the high-scoring thriller on Saturday night. The stage was set for a nostalgic showdown, rekindling one of cricket's most legendary rivalries -- Sachin Tendulkar vs Brian Lara. But the Indian legend was rested. India Masters set the tone with a commanding batting display, spearheaded by blistering half-centuries from Ambati Rayudu (63) and Saurabh Tiwary (60), before stand-in skipper Yuvraj Singh's late-order fireworks propelled them to an imposing 253 for 3 after winning the toss In response, West Indies Masters matched India's aggression with an explosive start. Dwayne Smith (79) and William Perkins (52) launched a fierce counterattack, slamming destructive fifties and forging a menacing 121-run opening stand. But just when the visitors looked

Rohit Sharma's luck runs out again, equals Lara's 12-toss losing streak

This was Rohit's 12th consecutive toss defeat, matching the infamous streak set by West Indies legend Brian Lara between October 1998 and May 1999.

Cricket still a religion as fan engagement revenues set to jump in 5 yrs

With increasing digital penetration and smartphone usage in the country, Indian live sports consumers have flocked to digital means like smartphones and laptops to watch live sports

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Ad rates for India-NZ final match soar 40%

This surge in ad rates for television (TV), connected TV (CTV), and digital platforms after India beat Australia in the semi-finals

They couldn't win in ICC events: Mohd Hafeez attacks former PAK stars

In contrast, Hafeez praised Pakistan's more recent successes, specifically the 2009 T20 World Cup and the 2017 Champions Trophy victories.

IPL 2025: Wiaan Mulder replaces Brydon Carse in Sunrisers Hyderabad squad

South Africa's Wiaan Mulder on Thursday replaced Brydon Carse in Sunrisers Hyderabad squad for the upcoming Indian Premier League after the English allrounder sustained a toe injury. The 27-year-old Proteas all-rounder, who featured in Wednesday's semifinal of the Champions Trophy against New Zealand, has joined the 2016 winners and last year's finalist SRH for Rs 75 lakh. Carse is ruled out of the IPL 2025 due to an injury and his replacement Mulder, who is an all-rounder, will join SRH for INR 75 Lakh, the IPL said in a release. Mulder has so far played 18 Tests, 25 ODIs and 11 T20Is for South Africa. Carse, who was a member of England's squad in the Champions Trophy, had suffered a toe injury during their contest against Australia.

Pakistan cricket row: Gillespie slams Aaqib Javed, calls him a 'clown'

Gillespie, who quit abruptly as Pakistan's Test coach late last year, accused Javed of plotting to take over as head coach while undermining both him and Gary Kirsten behind the scenes.

Steve Smith bids farewell to ODI cricket after Champions Trophy exit

Despite stepping away from the 50-over format, Smith will continue to play Test and T20 cricket, ensuring his presence in the Australian squad for the foreseeable future.

My11Circle partners with JioStar as co-presenting partner for IPL streaming

Apart from this, My11Circle is also the official associate partner of the IPL, which is in the second year of its five-year association with the marquee tournament

WPL 2025 UP vs GG: Pitch report and key stats of Lucknow's Ekana Stadium

Temperatures in Lucknow will range from 26°C to 30°C during the day, cooling down to 13°C to 16°C at night. There is no rain forecast, but dew could play a role during matches.

WI should take leaf out of Afghanistan's book to improve: Vivian Richards

"Annoyed" and "hurt" with the absence of West Indies in the Champions Trophy, the legendary Sir Vivian Richards wants the Caribbean side to take a leaf out of Afghanistan's book to re-establish themselves as a force in world cricket. West Indies and Sri Lanka, the two former ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy winning sides, failed to make the cut for the eight-team event being played in Pakistan and Dubai. "I'm just hoping that my West Indies team can take a leaf out of these guys' book, because there is a passion and energy that the Afghanis have brought to the game," Richards, who is the governing council member of the International Masters League, told media on Sunday. "They haven't been in the cricket world for so long as maybe some other teams around the world, but just their fighting spirit. To me, the ability to learn as the years go by, that would have given them the experience that's needed in order for them to be where they're at," he said in a virtual interaction. When y

IML 2025: Rahul Sharma's hat-trick leads India Masters to victory vs SAM

India Masters secured a commanding victory over South Africa Masters by eight wickets, powered by a spectacular hat-trick from leg-spinner Rahul Sharma, continuing their undefeated run.