The stage is set for the highly anticipated International Masters League (IML), with the inaugural edition beginning from February 22 to March 16, an IML press release stated. The season 1 of the IML will witness the rekindling of rivalries, with all-time greats representing cricketing powerhouses like India, Sri Lanka, Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies. The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot and the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur will host the IML matches. The six participating teams will be led by legendary captains, with Sachin Tendulkar heading India, Brian Lara leading West Indies, Kumar Sangakkara captaining Sri Lanka, Shane Watson guiding Australia, Eoin Morgan at the helm for England, and Jacques Kallis leading South Africa. League commissioner Sunil Gavaskar expressed his excitement: "The International Masters League promises to showcase cricket in all its glory, as it brings together some of the finest players to ever grace the game." Last year, the International Masters League announced the formation of its Governing Council, which will comprise three icons and Masters - Sunil Gavaskar, the League Commissioner, Vivian Richards and Shaun Pollock. According to the release, This trinity will oversee the strategic direction, rules, and operations of the IML, ensuring that the league remains a premier platform where heritage meets entertainment and the sport's masters deliver unparalleled excitement to fans worldwide. A pioneer in cricket and the first batter to score 10,000 runs in Tests, Sunil Gavaskar is known for his astute cricketing brain and commitment to the integrity of the sport. Viv Richards, one of the most destructive batters of all time, was an integral member of the West Indies team that dominated cricket in the 1970s and 1980s. He was a player ahead of his time in the limited-overs game and the West Indies did not lose a single Test series under his captaincy. Shaun Pollock, a former South African captain and one of the most successful all-rounders of all time, will bring his experience and versatility to the fore, as a member of the IML Governing Council, the release added.
16 January,2025 06:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFormer Saurashtra batter Sitanshu Kotak was on Thursday named India's batting coach ahead of the upcoming limited-overs series against England and the Champions Trophy next month after assistant coach Abhishek Nayar's performance came under scrutiny during the tour of Australia. The 52-year-old Kotak is a longtime staff of the National Cricket Academy as its batting coach. He has been on tours with both the senior and A teams during the past few years. "It is clear that Abhishek Nayar's expertise isn't helping the players. Kotak has been a specialist batting coach for a lengthy period of time and has also got the trust of the players," a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity. The Indian batters were found wanting on the technical front in Australia with Virat Kohli's outside the off stump troubles becoming a recurring problem. The Indians lost the five-match series 1-3. Kotak was considered a dogged left-hander during his in domestic cricket, where he amassed over 8,000 first-class runs, including 15 hundreds, in 130 appearances. He was particularly known for two strokes -- the cover drive when the ball used to be pitched up and the flick when it was pitched on pads. It is understood that this could be a one off appointment as away series against England is still some time away in June. The home engagement against the same side starts on January 22 and features five T20 Internationals and three ODIs. "We have an India A shadow tour and Kotak normally handles the A team. He is a qualified Level 3 coach and has assisted VVS Laxman in the past and was also the head coach when India toured Ireland last year. Since he is NCA staff, he can be put anywhere," the source added. It is understood that Nayar, a former Mumbai stalwart, is under the scanner. A widely held belief is that he will only be around till an influential senior player, who had a say in his appointment, is a part of the Indian set-up. During the tour of Australia, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar had questioned the role of the Indian support staff by saying that they should be held accountable for the persistent technical issues of players like Kohli. The other assistant coaches in the support staff are former South African pacer Morne Morkel (bowling) and Dutchman Ryan Ten Doeschate (fielding). (With agency inputs)
16 January,2025 04:58 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAs the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) considers making significant changes to the functioning of the national team, one of the most notable proposals is restricting the privileges of players' families during away tours. Specifically, the BCCI is reportedly looking to limit family time for players, particularly during long overseas assignments. This proposed shift comes in the wake of India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir raising concerns over the ‘indiscipline’ within the team. According to a report in India Today, Gambhir has expressed his dissatisfaction with the current level of discipline within the squad. During a review meeting, he emphasized the need for stricter guidelines to restore order. "Gautam Gambhir, during the review meeting, spoke about indiscipline in the Indian dressing room following the loss in the Border-Gavaskar series. Indiscipline is the reason why the BCCI is reverting to pre-COVID rules, allowing two weeks of family presence on tour. Gautam and the players were on the same page regarding the topic of family stays," a source informed. Further discussions have seen a senior player suggest that the BCCI reconsider how match fees are distributed. The player proposed that the match fee should not be disbursed immediately after a series but should instead be contingent on players' performances. "One senior player, who was present at the meeting, suggested to the BCCI that the match fee should not be distributed immediately. Instead, players' performance should be considered before disbursing the fee, as some players are not prioritising domestic and national team commitments," the report revealed. The issue of discipline also extended to off-field behaviour, with Gambhir expressing concerns about the lack of team cohesion. A particular example highlighted by the report was the limited number of official team dinners during India’s recent tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. According to the report, only one complete team dinner occurred, with players often seen socialising in smaller groups. The BCCI’s proposed rule changes are not limited to the players but also extend to Gambhir’s personal entourage. It has been reported that Gambhir’s personal manager, who previously had access to the team hotel and VIP box, will no longer be granted these privileges.
16 January,2025 02:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAustralia’s teenage sensation, Sam Konstas, has captured the imagination of cricket fans across the country despite having only played two Test matches thus far. The young opening batter made an unforgettable debut during the Boxing Day Test against India in Melbourne last month, where his fearless approach to batting drew immediate attention. Konstas’ audacity to take on India’s formidable quicks, including the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, was a thrilling spectacle for spectators. The 19-year-old’s fearless style of batting has drawn comparisons to some of the game’s greats, earning him a dedicated following even after just a handful of international appearances. What truly set him apart was not just his skill at the crease but his unrelenting confidence, which stood in stark contrast to the more conventional styles often seen in international cricket. Konstas’ rising fame took an amusing turn when an incident involving a fan went viral on social media. In a hilarious yet unfortunate turn of events, a man crashed his car while attempting to take a photo with the young batter. A costly attempt at a photo with Sam Konstas. 🫣 #AUSvIND(🎥: thunderbbl/IG) pic.twitter.com/mePkJlQ0D3 — Herald Sun Sport (@heraldsunsport) January 15, 2025 The fan, clearly eager to capture a moment with the rising star, hastily parked his car and rushed over to meet Konstas on the street. However, in his excitement, he forgot to engage the handbrake. With the car parked on a slope, it slowly rolled downhill and collided with another vehicle, much to the fan’s dismay. In the video that quickly spread across social media, the fan can be seen struggling to prevent the crash and nearly losing his balance in the process. Although it’s unclear whether he managed to snap a selfie with Konstas, the incident only added to the already growing lore of the young cricketer’s impact. Since his exploits against India in Melbourne and Sydney, Konstas has firmly established himself in the Australian cricketing scene. His fearless performances have earned him a spot in Australia’s squad for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka. This tour presents another opportunity for Konstas to further showcase his talent, particularly in Sri Lanka’s spin-friendly conditions, which are expected to challenge Australia’s batsmen. To complement Konstas’ inclusion, Western Australia all-rounder Cooper Connolly, 21, is also set to make his Test debut. Connolly’s ability to bowl left-arm offspin is seen as a valuable asset for Australia, given the nature of Sri Lanka’s turning pitches.
16 January,2025 01:23 PM IST | Sydney | mid-day online correspondentFormer India opener Shikhar Dhawan on Wednesday shared insights into the early struggles of his career during a heartwarming event as part of his interaction with budding cricketers from various NGOs for the Shikhar Dhawan Foundation. In a conversation with underprivileged children, he disclosed the challenges he faced when starting out in cricket. He recalled as quoted by a press release, " I started playing at a young age for a club, practised for a year, and got to play a tournament after a year ." Dhawan revealed that during his early days, he would not only practice but also perform various chores, like rolling the pitch, bringing tea for the coaches, and enduring long hours under the sun, all in the hopes of getting just 10 minutes to bat at the end of the day. These early sacrifices and hard work eventually paid off, propelling him to where he is today as an internationally renowned cricketer. This inspiring story was shared during a special event in December last year, where Dhawan interacted with underprivileged kids, gifted them presents, and engaged in a Q&A session. Through his foundation, Dhawan aims to make a positive impact on the lives of these children, offering them both material and moral support. His journey from humble beginnings to cricket stardom serves as a powerful reminder of perseverance and dedication. The 38-year-old brought the curtains down on his illustrious career by taking to Instagram and sharing an emotional message to announce his decision. In his illustrious career, runs effortlessly came off Dhawan's bat. He represented India across all formats, but ODI was his forte. In 167 appearances, the southpaw produced swashbuckling performances and racked up 6,793 runs at an average of 44.1, including 17 centuries and 39 fifties. In the longest format of cricket, where he stitched up memorable partnerships with Murali Vijay, Dhawan garnered 2,315 runs in 34 matches at an average of 40.6. His Test career was laced with seven tons and five half-centuries. In the T20I format, Dhawan made 68 appearances and scored 1,759 runs at an average of 27.9, including 11 fifties. In the domestic circuit, Dhawan played 122 First-Class cricket matches and handsomely scored 8,499 runs at an average of 44.26, including 25 centuries and 29 fifties. (With agency inputs)
16 January,2025 12:42 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentCharismatic India cricketer Smriti Mandhana said on Wednesday her record-breaking onslaught on the Irish bowlers was planned but despite her team's clean sweep, there is still lot of scope for improvement in both fielding and running between wickets. The India skipper was at the forefront of several records being smashed as the hosts won by a massive 304 runs to claim their biggest-ever ODI win and complete a 3-0 clean sweep in the series. Mandhana, herself scored the fastest WODI hundred by an Indian woman, off just 70 balls. The result of the match was a mere formality once India set Ireland a mammoth target of 436, and Ireland could only garner 131 before getting bundled out in 31.4 overs. Mandhana cracked 135 off just 80 balls and her opening partner Pratika Rawal scored 154 as India achieved the highest total ever by an Indian team -- men's or women's -- in ODIs. "It (onslaught) was planned. I was just thinking not many matches you can go out and attack. So, I thought of trying a few shots. Sometimes it comes off, sometimes it doesn't. Today it did," said Mandhana after the match. "I am really pleased that all the girls got game time. The 100s and the 50s from the batters have been great. Really happy for Jemi (Rodrigues), Harleen (Deol), Pratika (Rawal), Richa (Ghosh)." She added that a lot more needs to be done in order to be ready for the ODI World Cup at home in August-September. "There are so many things. As much as we want to enjoy this victory, we want to sit down and be in the loop for the World Cup. We need to work on our fielding and running between the wickets. "In 50 over cricket, 300 balls, these two things will be critical. If we are good in these two departments, we can do something special," added Mandhana, who has been simply superb with the bat so far this season. Mandhana termed the victory almost clinical. "The bowlers executed what was planned. Except for my drop catch, it was a near-perfect game. Winning the toss, going to bat and getting 400-plus was great. The way Richa and Pratika batted was great. That the bowlers finished it off in the 31st over, was superb." Young Pratika, who was adjudged 'player of the match' said, as she was approaching her maiden century mark she was only thinking about when she would kiss her helmet. "I just had the celebration in my mind when I would kiss the helmet, and I was visualizing that. I just wanted to do that." Pratika has flourished with Mandhana at the top of the order in the six ODIs she has played after getting the India cap and the youngster said she revels in the senior batter's company. "It looks so easy when she bats. I don't mind taking a back seat when she bats. It is a treat," said the Delhi cricketer, who has scored 444 runs in the six ODIs this season at an average of 74. Women's team head coach Amol Muzumdar said that the batting gave him a lot of confidence ahead of the World Cup. "We had back-to-back series, West Indies and Ireland. It has been a well-fought series and plenty of positives. The batting looks settled. We would love to have another fast bowler." He said that India had not gone into the match with a 400-plus target in mind. "No, not all. We don't set targets. We go as per the flow of the game. It has been fantastic to see some records set in these last 12 months. Pretty satisfying, but at the same time we continue the process." He said that Pratika had come in as a "breath of fresh air". "Top of the order with Smriti. Calm, composed and she looks settled at international level. Hope she continues." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 January,2025 12:41 PM IST | Rajkot | PTIRecords tumbled like ninepins as the Indian women’s cricket team, powered by skipper Smriti Mandhana’s 70-ball century, demolished Ireland by a whopping 304 runs to claim its biggest-ever ODI win and complete a 3-0 clean sweep here on Wednesday. The result of the match was a mere formality once India set Ireland a massive target of 436, and Ireland could only garner 131 before getting bundled out in 31.4 overs. India put the first step forward towards a crushing victory through record-breaking Mandhana (135, 80b, 12x4, 7x6) and her opening partner Pratika Rawal (154, 129b, 20x4, 1x6), reaching 435-5, the highest total by an Indian team — men’s or women’s — in ODIs. Pratika Rawal celebrates her century in Rajkot yesterday. She scored 154; (right) → Smriti Mandhana en route her 135 yesterday. Pics/BCCI India men’s highest ODI total is 418-5 made against the West Indies in Indore in 2011. Mandhana and Rawal added a whopping 233 runs for the first wicket in just 26.4 overs and there was no looking back. Deepti, Tanuja shine with ball Then spinners Tanuja Kanwar (2-31) and Deepti Sharma (3-27) took over, sharing five wickets among them to decimate the Irish line-up, which was well short on experience. Orla Prendergast (36) and Sarah Forbes (41) added 64 runs for a fluent third wicket stand that helped Ireland to recover from a shaky 24 for two to reach 88 without further damage. But once Prendergast was cleaned up by Kanwar, India were all over the tourists like a bad rash, claiming the remaining seven wickets for just 33 runs. It also helped India eclipse their previous largest margin of victory (by runs) — 249 registered against the same opposition in 2017 at Potchefstroom, South Africa. ‘Onslaught was planned’ Mandhana said her record-breaking onslaught on the Irish bowlers was planned but despite her team’s clean sweep. “It [onslaught] was planned. I was just thinking not many matches you can go out and attack. So, I thought of trying a few shots. Sometimes it comes off, sometimes it doesn’t. Today it did,” said Mandhana after the match. 3No. of times both openers have scored tons in ODIs 70No. of balls taken by Smriti Mandhana to complete her century, the fastest by an Indian in women’s ODIs 233No. of runs put on by Mandhana and Rawal for the opening wicket is the third-highest stand for India in women’s ODIs 310No. of runs scored by Pratika Rawal in three ODIs against Ireland @ 103.33 Brief scoresIndia 435-5 in 50 overs (P Rawal 154, S Mandhana 135, R Ghosh 59; O Prendergast 2-71) beat Ireland 131 all out in 31.4 overs (S Forbes 41, O Prendergast 36; D Sharma 3-27, T Kanwar 2-31) by 304 runs This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 January,2025 06:57 AM IST | Rajkot | PTIMembers of the Bombay team which played the first Ranji Trophy game at the Wankhede Stadium (v Baroda in 1974-75) got R100 as match fees back then. On Wednesday, at a felicitation function for that side, they received R10 lakh each. The function was part of the Wankhede Stadium’s golden jubilee celebrations. Padmakar Shivalkar, 84, pacers Abdul Ismail, 79, and Ajit Pai, 79, all-rounders Milind Rege, 75, and Karsan Ghavri, 73 were present at the iconic ground. They were part of the side that beat Baroda by an innings and 96 runs on November 18, 1974. The Mumbai-based cricketers recalled that the game was played on a grassy pitch. ‘An unbelievable experience’ “That experience of playing the very first Ranji match at Wankhede was unbelievable. We beat Baroda outright. I used to enjoy playing cricket here and with the Bombay team. We [Bombay team] were like a family both on and off the field,” Ismail told mid-day. He scored an unbeaten 25 and claimed seven wickets in the match. It was also a memorable game for Rege, who scored 63 at No. 7. “Right now, it feels as if I have come back to my home. This [MCA] is the only association which makes its cricketers feel wanted. It’s an honour for us to be remembered,” Rege said. Test pacer Ghavri, who showcased his all-round skills by scoring 83 at No. 8 and claiming seven wickets in the game, recalled: “It was an absolutely memorable match, because it was the first [first-class] match ever played at Wankhede. And today [Wednesday], after 50 years, people and MCA still remember us. It shows how much they love the game. “The Rs 10 lakh reward is secondary to us. The most important thing is the MCA gave us the opportunity to play. That itself is a bigger award and reward.” Ghavri claimed his 100th first-class wicket in that game. He previously represented Saurashtra. MCA honours groundsmen The MCA also honoured its former managing committee members as well as its groundsmen. UK-based Farokh Engineer rued missing the function. He played in the first Test at Wankhede as well. “I’m so happy that the MCA have remembered members of that 1974-75 team. I would have loved to be at the Wankhede to be part of the celebrations. I hear the members were rewarded R10 lakh each which is such a grand gesture,” said Engineer, who is due to visit Mumbai soon. Leg-spinning all-rounder Rakesh Tandon is in the USA, while Sunil Gavaskar is believed to be out of town. Skipper Ashok Mankad, Sudhir Naik and Eknath Solkar are deceased. With inputs from Clayton Murzello
16 January,2025 06:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureIndia opener Yashasvi Jaiswal on Wednesday joined the Mumbai camp after confirming his availability for the next round of Ranji Trophy but skipper Rohit Sharma was not to be seen after turning up for practice on the opening day of training. Rohit is yet to confirm his availability for the Elite Group A contest against Jammu and Kashmir starting on January 23, but so far, no formal discussions have taken place. Meanwhile, Jaiswal had a batting stint in the open nets session at the Bandra Kurla Complex Ground in the morning. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 January,2025 06:53 AM IST | Mumbai | PTIDevdutt Padikkal and Ravichandran Smaran produced a masterclass in tackling spinners on a tough pitch as their fifties facilitated Karnataka’s entry into the Vijay Hazare Trophy final with a five-wicket win over Haryana here on Wednesday. Chasing 238, Devdutt (86, 113b, 8x4, 1x6) and Smaran (76, 94b, 3x4, 3x6) milked 128 runs for the third wicket as Karnataka overhauled the target in 47.2 overs. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 January,2025 06:52 AM IST | Vadodara | PTISouth Africa pacer Anrich Nortje was on Wednesday ruled out of the Champions Trophy due to a back injury. Nortje, who has not played international cricket since the T20 World Cup final in June last year, was named in the Champions Trophy squad earlier this week but scans on Monday made it clear that he is not going to be fit in time for the ICC event beginning February 19 in Pakistan. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
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