Iran crowned champion of 2024 IIHF women's Asia,Oceania Cup

Team Melli Banovan won the title without conceding a single goal.

The Iranian women had defeated the UAE 16-0, Kyrgyzstan 6-0, and India 10-0 at the Gorodskoi Katok in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The 2024 IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Cup is an international women’s ice hockey tournament run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

This edition of the tournament took place from March 24 to 30 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The tournament followed a single round-robin format.

SD/TSN

Babar Azam returns as Pakistan ODI, T20I captain

In a post on social media platform X, the PCB wrote, “Babar Azam appointed as white-ball captain.”

Published Date – 31 March 2024, 11:36 AM


Babar Azam returns as Pakistan ODI, T20I captain


Lahore: Babar Azam made a return to the captaincy of the men’s team on Sunday after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the star batter would lead the Men-in-Green in ODIs and T20s.

In a post on social media platform X, the PCB wrote, “Babar Azam appointed as white-ball captain.”


“Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team.”

Last year, Babar stepped down as the skipper of the Pakistan team after the team failed to advance to the semi-final of the ODI World Cup on Indian soil.

Sunrisers Hyderabad aims to extend winning streak as they face Gujarat Titans

SRH smashed an IPL record total of 277 against Mumbai Indians (MI) earlier this week to mark its first win of the season.

Published Date – 31 March 2024, 11:00 AM


Sunrisers Hyderabad aims to extend winning streak as they face Gujarat Titans


Ahmedabad: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will host Gujarat Titans in Match 12 of the IPL 2024 on Sunday.

SRH smashed an IPL record total of 277 against Mumbai Indians (MI) earlier this week to mark its first win of the season. Meanwhile, GT are coming on the back of a disappointing defeat away from home against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).


The two teams met thrice in the tournament so far with the Titans winning on two occasions.

SRH v GT Head-to-Head:

Sunrisers Hyderabad- 1

Gujarat Titans- 2

SRH v GT Match time: The Match starts at 3:30 PM IST (10:00 AM GMT) with toss taking place half an hour prior to the match i.e., 3:00 PM (9:30 AM GMT)

SRH v GT match venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Live broadcast of SRH v GT match on television in India: SRH v GT match will be broadcast live via Star Sports Network.

Live stream in India: The live streaming of SRH v GT will be available on JioCinema.

Weather conditions:

Hot afternoon is expected with a peak of 35 degrees during toss time.

Squads:

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Travis Head, Mayank Agarwal, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins(c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, Jaydev Unadkat, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Umran Malik, Glenn Phillips, Upendra Yadav, Rahul Tripathi, T Natarajan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Anmolpreet Singh, Jhatavedh Subramanyan, Sanvir Singh, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Marco Jansen, Akash Maharaj Singh

Gujarat Titans: Wriddhiman Saha(w), Shubman Gill(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, David Miller, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Spencer Johnson, Sai Sudharsan, Sharath BR, Abhinav Manohar, Noor Ahmad, Manav Suthar, Kane Williamson, Jayant Yadav, Sandeep Warrier, Shahrukh Khan, Joshua Little, Darshan Nalkande, Kartik Tyagi, Sushant Mishra, Matthew Wade

IPL 2024: DC v CSK overall head-to-head; When and where to watch

The two teams faced each other 29 times in the tournament with five-time champion CSK having the upper hand on DC.

Published Date – 31 March 2024, 11:00 AM


IPL 2024: DC v CSK overall head-to-head; When and where to watch


Visakhapatnam: Delhi Capitals (DC) will take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Match 13 of the IPL 2024 on Sunday.

The two teams faced each other 29 times in the tournament with five-time champion CSK having the upper hand on DC.


DC v CSK Head-to-Head 29:

Delhi Capitals – 10

Chennai Super Kings – 19

DC v CSK Match time: The Match starts at 7:30 PM IST (2:00 PM GMT) with toss taking place half an hour prior to the match i.e., 7:00 PM (1:30 PM GMT)

DC v CSK match venue: Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam

Live broadcast of DC v CSK match on television in India: DC v CSK match will be broadcast live via Star Sports Network.

Live stream in India: The live streaming of DC v CSK will be available on JioCinema.

Weather conditions:

The excessive heat and humidity in Visakhapatnam might challenge players.

Squads:

Delhi Capitals: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Ricky Bhui, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Sumit Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Abishek Porel, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Praveen Dubey, Kumar Kushagra, Rasikh Dar Salam, Ishant Sharma, Jhye Richardson, Shai Hope, Prithvi Shaw, Lalit Yadav, Yash Dhull, Vicky Ostwal, Swastik Chikara

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Sameer Rizvi, MS Dhoni(w), Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mustafizur Rahman, Matheesha Pathirana, Shardul Thakur, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Mitchell Santner, Maheesh Theekshana, Moeen Ali, Devon Conway, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Prashant Solanki, Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh, RS Hangargekar, Aravelly Avanish

Lucknow Super Giants score 199/8 against Punjab Kings in IPL

LSG’s regular skipper KL Rahul, who opened the innings with de Kock and is in the side as an ‘impact player’, could manage just 15 from nine deliveries before being dismissed by pacer Arshdeep Singh.

Published Date – 30 March 2024, 10:45 PM


Lucknow Super Giants score 199/8 against Punjab Kings in IPL

Kl Rahul

Lucknow: Wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock, stand-in skipper Nicholas Pooran and Krunal Pandya played some big shots as Lucknow Super Giants made a strong 199/8 in their IPL match against Punjab Kings here on Saturday.

South Africa’s De Kock struck a 38-ball 54 studded with five boundaries and two sixes, while Pooran made a a quick-fire 42 (21 balls) embellished with three boundaries and an equal number of maximums. Krunal then chipped in at the back end, scoring an unbeaten 43 (22 balls).


LSG’s regular skipper KL Rahul, who opened the innings with de Kock and is in the side as an ‘impact player’, could manage just 15 from nine deliveries before being dismissed by pacer Arshdeep Singh.

Sam Curran emerged the most successful PBKS bowler grabbing three wickets for 28, while Arshdeep grabbed two.

Brief scores: Lucknow Super Giants 199 for 8 in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 54, Nicholas Pooran 42, Krunal Pandya 43; Sam Curran 3/28 Arshdeep Singh 2/30).

Iran Defeats New Zealand in Futsal Tournament

Iran had lost to Morocco 5-4 in its first match.

The four-team tournament has brought Vietnam, Iran, Morocco, and New Zealand together.

Team Melli will face Vietnam on Sunday.

Iran is warming up for the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup in Thailand, where it is drawn in Group D against Kuwait, Bahrain, and Afghanistan.

SD/TSN

KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer hails ‘phenomenal’ assets of team allrounders Narine, Russell

Everyone’s inputs have been spot-on in terms of analysing the wicket and communicating information. Our communication is very strong right now,” he added

Published Date – 30 March 2024, 05:30 PM


KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer hails ‘phenomenal’ assets of team allrounders Narine, Russell

File photo of Shreyas Iyer

Bengaluru: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer heaped praise on West Indies allrounders Sunil Narine and Andre Russell and called them “useful and phenomenal” assets of the franchise in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

Both Narine and Russell displayed a scintillitating performance during Kolkata’s clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Friday. With the ball, Narine scalped one wicket, meanwhile, Russell picked up two.


On the other hand, during the run chase, Narine opened for the Kolkata-based franchise along with Philip Salt, and scored a magnificient 47 runs from 22 balls at a strike rate of 213.64. He was also named the ‘Player of the Match’.

After the end of the match, while speaking exclusively to JioCinema, Iyer said that it’s hard to choose between Narine and Russell. The skipper also said that their presence in the squad is a ‘big positive’ for the franchise.

“You can’t choose because you’re talking about bowling at the death on one end and opening on the other. They’re both very useful and phenomenal assets for the team because if they have a rough showing with the ball, they can make it up with the bat. This is a big positive for our team,” Iyer was quoted in a release from JioCinema as saying.

Talking about the think-tanks of the team, Iyer said that their inputs on analysing the wicket and communicating information have been spot on.

“It’s going really well because the think-tank is vast. Everyone’s inputs have been spot-on in terms of analysing the wicket and communicating information. Our communication is very strong right now,” he added.

Recapping the match between Kolkata and Bengaluru, KKR won the toss and opted to field. After losing skipper Faf early, Virat Kohli had a 65-run partnership with Cameron Green (33 in 21 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and a 42-run stand with Glenn Maxwell (28 in 19 balls, with three fours and a six).

Virat scored 83* in 59 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes and took RCB to 182/6 along with Dinesh Karthik (20* in eight balls, with three sixes) in their 20 overs.

In the run chase, Phil Salt (30 in 20 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Sunil Narine (47 in 22 balls, with two fours and five sixes) put KKR to a fine start with a quickfire 86-run stand in 39 balls.

After Vyshak and Mayank Dagar (1/23 each) dismissed the openers, Venkatesh Iyer (50* in 30 balls, with three fours and four sixes) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (39 in 24 balls, with two fours and two sixes) guided KKR to a seven-wicket win with 19 balls to go.

RCB is sixth in the points table with a win and two losses. They have just two points. KKR is at second with two wins in two games, with four points.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen impressed by Hyderabad airport’s excellence

Taking to Twitter, he expressed admiration, saying, “Another day, another airport. This time through my buddies airport in Hyderabad.”

Published Date – 30 March 2024, 04:10 PM


Former England captain Kevin Pietersen impressed by Hyderabad airport’s excellence


Hyderabad: Former England captain Kevin Pietersen, currently in India for the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2024), commended the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad.

Taking to Twitter, he expressed admiration, saying, “Another day, another airport. This time through my buddies airport in Hyderabad.”


Pietersen lauded the airport’s features, highlighting its tech advancements, cleanliness standards, shopping options, and overall friendly atmosphere. He remarked that the airport stands among the best globally.

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport holds the distinction of being India’s first airport equipped with smart baggage trolleys. These trolleys feature screens providing real-time flight information and details about airport facilities.

In a recent accolade, Hyderabad’s RGIA secured the second position among the top 20 global airports with the highest On-Time Performance (OTP), as per Cirium’s annual report.

Heartwarming moment: Mohammad Siraj helps tie Iyer’s shoelace in IPL match

Leading RCB’s pace attack, Siraj struggled throughout the match, conceding 18 runs in his first over as Phil Salt dominated. Despite his efforts, Siraj ended up conceding 46 runs in three overs.

Published Date – 30 March 2024, 11:40 AM


Heartwarming moment: Mohammad Siraj helps tie Iyer’s shoelace in IPL match


Hyderabad: In the recent IPL 2024 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Mohammad Siraj and Venkatesh Iyer shared a heartwarming moment when Siraj helped tie Iyer’s shoelace, showcasing the true spirit of cricket despite differences among fans.

However, Siraj faced challenges leading RCB’s pace attack, conceding 46 runs in three overs as Phil Salt dominated. Kolkata secured victory by seven wickets in the 17th over.


 

IPL 2024: Video of Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir hugging each other goes viral

On Friday, Kohli notched up his 52nd IPL fifty at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium against the Kolkata-based franchise, playing an unbeaten innings of 83 runs from 59 balls.

Published Date – 30 March 2024, 11:20 AM


IPL 2024: Video of Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir hugging each other goes viral


Bengaluru: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) witnessed a heartfelt moment between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, two players who have had their fair share of history, embracing each other and putting aside their differences.

Kohli slammed his 52nd fifty of the IPL on Friday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium against the Kolkata based franchise. The right-hand batter played an unbeaten inning of 83 runs from 59 balls, which was laced with four boundaries and four sixes.
Kohli and Gambhir seem to have resolved their conflict from last season, as they shook hands during their match. During the strategic time-out in the first inning, Gambhir and Kohli exchanged hugs and handshakes.


During Bengaluru’s league-stage encounter versus Lucknow in IPL 2023, Kohli and Gambhir got into a heated argument on the pitch. The 2023 incident was not Kohli and Gambhir’s first clash on the cricket pitch. When Gambhir was captain of Kolkata and Kohli led Bengaluru in 2013, the two got into a heated fight, even pushing each other before being separated by their teammates.

Their rivalry reappeared in 2023 when Kohli engaged in an on-field incident with Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, who plays for Lucknow. After the defeat, Gambhir urged his players not to speak to Kohli and even charged towards the Indian batter before being stopped by Lucknow players.

After the match, Gautam Gambhir explained his actions by stating that he would support any of his players, and that those with a higher social media presence cannot walk over other players.

“It is not about Naveen-ul-Haq. I would have defended any player, that is my job, that is how I am. Why should I not defend my players just because someone has a broadcaster working for him, left, right and centre? Someone who has more social media presence doesn’t have any right to walk over someone,” Gambhir said in 2023 after the match in an interview.
Coming to the match, KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to field first. While batting first, RCB with the brilliance of Kohli’s unbeaten knock of 83 runs, the franchise scored 182/6 in 20 overs.

For KKR, two wickets each were grabbed by Harshit Rana and Andre Russell in their spells of four overs where they conceded 39 runs in their respective spells. One wicket was bagged by Sunil Narine in their respective spells of four overs, where he conceded 40 runs.

In reply to RCB’s total, KKR chased down the target of 183 runs in the 17th over with seven wickets in hand. Venkatesh Iyer scored fifty in 30 balls with the help of four sixes and three fours. Narine played a quickfire knock in the powerplay, where he scored 47 runs on just 22 balls with five maximums and two fours in his innings.
Narine was awarded Player of the Match for his all-round performance.