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Icc Test Rankings: Shubman Gill Witnesses A Major Surge, Team India Out Of Top 3 (Photo Credit – Instagram)

The ongoing Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy between India and England has become interesting after the former team leveled the series at 1-1. One of the major contributors to India’s victory in the second test match was Shubman Gill, who is also leading the team after Virat Kohli’s retirement. He played two brilliant knocks, which have also helped him enter the top 10 test batsmen of the Icc Test Rankings. Keep reading for a detailed report!

Subman Gill enjoys career-best ranking

In the first innings of the second test match, Shubman scored 269 runs, followed by 161 runs in the second innings. This has helped the 25-year-old move 15 places up and grab the 6th spot in the Test Batting Rankings. It’s the career-best ranking for the Indian test skipper. From India, Yashasvi Jaiswal has secured a...

Kane Williamson Quits Captaincy: New Zealand’s performance in the Icc Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 was not very good and it could not even reach the Super 8. New Zealand first had to face defeat by 84 runs against Afghanistan. Then it was defeated by co-host West Indies by 13 runs. The Kiwi team then defeated Uganda by 9 wickets and Papua New Guinea by seven wickets. But this was not enough to reach the Super 8. Afghanistan and West Indies made it to the playoffs from Group C.

What Will Happen to Kane Williamson’s International Career?

After New Zealand’s early exit from the T20 World Cup, Kane Williamson has given up the captaincy of the Odi and T20 team. Along with this, Williamson also turned down the central contract for the 2024-25 season. Williamson had already given up the captaincy of the Test team. However, Williamson said that despite giving up...

Rr vs Gt Dream11 Prediction: The stage is set for an electrifying clash between the undefeated Rajasthan Royals (Rr) and the struggling Gujarat Titans (Gt) in the 24th match of the Ipl 2024. The Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur will host this highly anticipated encounter on Wednesday, April 10th, with the first ball scheduled to be bowled at 7:30 Pm Ist.

This match promises to be an enthralling contest between the unbeaten Rajasthan Royals and the struggling Gujarat Titans.

Rr vs Gt Match Preview

The upcoming clash between Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans promises to be a thrilling encounter. The Rajasthan Royals, riding high on their unbeaten run, will be eager to extend their dominance, while the Gujarat Titans will be desperate to get their campaign back on track.

Jos Buttler’s return to form has bolstered the Rajasthan Royals’ batting lineup, while the bowling attack continues to deliver in each phase of the game,...

Lsg vs Gt Dream11 Prediction: Lucknow Super Giants (Lsg) and Gujarat Titans (Gt) will clash in the 21st match of the Ipl 2024 at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Sunday, April 7. In the Ipl 2024, the Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants will face one other for the first time.

Lsg vs Gt Match Preview

After losing their curtain-raiser against the Rajasthan Royals, Lucknow Super Giants have won two consecutive games. On the other hand, Gujarat Titans‘s journey has been marked by an oscillating pattern, with defeats in their first and third matches, and triumphs in their second and fourth outings.

Both teams have secured two wins in this Ipl so far, but Lucknow Super Giants are on a two-match winning streak, while the Titans have alternated between wins and losses.

Lsg put up fearsome batting performances and defended high totals against Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Revisiting Kane Williamson’s Ipl Salaries Over The Years (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Kane Williamson is a classy player to watch out for. Be it on the field or off the field, the star player of New Zealand perfectly fits the bill for the gentleman’s game, cricket. While Kane may have a calm demeanor, he has displayed aggressiveness in his performance whenever the game demands. The right-handed batsman has also adapted himself to the colors of Ipl, giving a glimpse of his attacking game. However, shockingly, Kane bagged a much lower salary for Ipl 2024 when compared to his peak. Keep reading to know more!

Beginning of Kane Williamson’s Ipl career

Kane entered the world of Ipl in 2015, where he was bought by the team of Sunrisers Hyderabad. For that season, he was paid a decent amount of 60 lakh as his salary. While the sum was low for the player,...

In a rather unexpected and surprisingly delightful event, cricketers Shubman Gill, Kl Rahul and Kane Williamson engaged in a candid conversation with global pop icon Dua Lipa with both of them asking her some strange questions which actually caught her a bit off-guard.

The interaction unfolded just before the crucial World Cup semi-final clash where India would be facing off New Zealand. Just before this crucial event, K L Rahul asked her about her favourite jersey number, while Shubham Gill asked her what song would she pick if she were to perform at a cricket match.

Kl told her: “Jersey numbers are really important to us players. So my jersey number is one because I feel I must be number one at whatever I do, and win.”

Liking Kl’s reasoning, she said: “I really like that. Kl, if I had to pick a number then I’d say 22. It is my lucky number.

In a rather unexpected and surprisingly delightful event, cricketers Shubman Gill, Kl Rahul and Kane Williamson engaged in a candid conversation with global pop icon Dua Lipa with both of them asking her some strange questions which actually caught her a bit off-guard.

The interaction unfolded just before the crucial World Cup semi-final clash where India would be facing off New Zealand. Just before this crucial event, K L Rahul asked her about her favourite jersey number, while Shubham Gill asked her what song would she pick if she were to perform at a cricket match.

Kl told her: “Jersey numbers are really important to us players. So my jersey number is one because I feel I must be number one at whatever I do, and win.”

Liking Kl’s reasoning, she said: “I really like that. Kl, if I had to pick a number then I’d say 22. It is my lucky number.

London, Sep 4 (Ians) New Zealand’s white-ball captain Kane Williamson will be included in the 15-man squad for the Men’s World Cup in India as he continues to recover from right knee surgery, said New Zealand Cricket (Nzc).

Williamson had ruptured the Acl in his right knee while playing for Gujarat Titans in the opening match of Ipl 2023 against Chennai Super Kings on March 31 in Ahmedabad. The right-handed batter had jumped up on the deep square leg boundary and was successful in saving a six off a shot from Ruturaj Gaikwad.

But Williamson landed awkwardly on his right leg and had to be carried off the field immediately. He was subsequently ruled out of the rest of Ipl 2023 and went back home in early April for surgery, leaving his chances of playing the quadrennial tournament happening in India from October 5 to November 19, very slim.

Nzc said Williamson has made...

Auckland, Sep 2 (Ians) Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson is set to captain New Zealand for the first time in international cricket during the upcoming three-match Odi Series against Bangladesh in Dhaka, said New Zealand Cricket (Nzc) on Saturday.

Ferguson, who recently led the team in tour matches in England, will captain the side in the absence of regular Odi captain Kane Williamson as he continues to recover from a right knee injury, and his deputy Tom Latham, who will miss the series to have time at home before the Icc Cricket World Cup and Test tour to Bangladesh.

“Lockie is an experienced bowler at the international level, and this is an opportunity for him to really lead from the front with not just the bowling group but the team as a whole. He stepped into the role for the warm-up matches in England and led a group, with a lot of moving parts,...

Durham (England), Aug 28 (Ians) New Zealand will give experienced cricketer Kane Williamson every chance to prove his fitness ahead of the Icc Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign in India.

He has two weeks to prove his fitness following which the Black Caps will name their squad for the showpiece event.

The 33-year-old’s chances of taking part in this year’s World Cup were initially considered slim, as he suffered a ruptured Acl in his right knee during the opening match of Ipl 2023 while representing Gujarat Titans against Chennai Super Kings earlier this year.

But he has recently made strong progress in a bid to lead his country into battle at the 50-over showcase and was recently returned to batting in the nets alongside his teammates as they gear up for an important white-ball series against England, commencing from August 30.

New Zealand coach Gary Stead said while Williamson was...

Mumbai, Aug 21 (Ians) India’s Shubman Gill was on Monday named winner of the Men’s International Cricket of the Year award in the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards handed out here amidst much fanfare.

Besides being named the Men’s International Cricketer of the Year, Shuban Gill was also named the Ceat Men’s International Batter of the Year and the also the Odi Batter of the Year as the young Indian opener dominated the show thanks to his scintillating batting in the last 12 months.

On being bestowed with the award, he said, “I’m honoured to be selected as the recipient of the coveted Ceat Men’s International Cricketer of the Year. As a cricketer, it’s always about pushing boundaries, facing challenges head-on, and constantly improving to reach new heights. This recognition reinforces the parallel between our commitment to excellence and would encourage me to strive harder.”

In its 25th edition,...

Wellington, Aug 11 (Ians) New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is cautiously optimistic about getting fit for the Odi World Cup to be held in India in October-November this year.

Williamson, who is recuperating from a knee injury, on Friday gave some hope to the New Zealand fans by informing them that his recovery was ahead of schedule and on track for selection when the World Cup squad is picked next month.

“If the knee is at a stage where that can be a reality, that’s great, but it very much is about getting it right and making sure it is ready to go when that time comes – whenever that time is,” Williamson on Friday ahead of a net session with other Black Caps at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

“You do have some good days, then you have a few variable ones. It’s all part of the journey, it...

Christchurch, Aug 9 (Ians) New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has expressed optimism regarding Kane Williamson’s rehabilitation and emphasised the management’s cautious approach in overseeing the speed of his recovery process.

The 33-year-old hasn’t played any cricket since rupturing the Acl in his right knee while playing for Gujarat Titans in the opening match of Ipl 2023 against Chennai Super Kings on March 31 in Ahmedabad. He underwent surgery in April and has started training and batting in the nets recently.

Williamson wasn’t named in the New Zealand’s 15-player squad for their four-match Odi series in England, starting on September 8, but will travel to England and train with the team while continuing his rehabilitation, with the hope that he will be fit enough for World Cup selection in just under a month’s time.

“We will take every measure we can to make sure that we get the...

Wellington, Aug 9 (Ians) Tom Latham will lead an experienced Odi squad against England this September, the team’s penultimate series before the Icc Cricket World Cup starting in October in India.

Trent Boult is in line to play his first One Day International in almost a year after being included in the 15-strong squad which also features the Odi return of Kyle Jamieson following a back injury.

Mark Chapman and Jimmy Neesham will miss the four-game series as they await the births of their first children, while Ish Sodhi is also returning home after the T20I series against England to spend time with his family ahead of a busy period of cricket.

Kane Williamson will link up with the side during the England tour to train and continue his rehabilitation following surgery on his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in April.

Michael Bracewell remains unavailable for selection as he continues...

Mount Maunganui, Aug 4 (Ians) New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said it is nice to see Kane Williamson back in the nets and facing deliveries with bat in hand on the road to recovery from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (Acl) in his right knee.

At the same time, Stead added that Williamson’s batting and fitness levels are not right at the level to perform at the international level. Williamson had ruptured the Acl in his right knee while playing for Gujarat Titans in the opening match of Ipl 2023 against Chennai Super Kings on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

“It’s nice to see him with a bat in his hand and hitting the balls again, albeit it’s not right at the level that he is to perform internationally. It’s set certainly on the road to recovery, and its huge silver linings in injuries and how you look at them,...

Dubai, Aug 2 (Ians) The latest Icc Men’s Test Player Rankings have seen significant movement following the conclusion of the fifth and final England-Australia Test at The Oval as well as the second Sri Lanka-Pakistan Test in Colombo with Joe Root and Steve Smith moving closer to top in the batting chart.

The Ashes ended in a two-all tie after the hosts fought their way back into a winning position in the second half of the series.

England’s Joe Root featured on all three lists, advancing one slot to take second place behind New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, in the batters list with 859 rating points, while sliding up three spaces for 64th position in the bowlers list (334 points) and moved up one again for his sixth position (286 points) among the all-rounders.

Harry Brook’s 363 runs for England saw him rise to a career-best ninth place from 11th, with 773 points,...

Tauranga, Aug 1 (Ians) New Zealand’s white-ball captain Kane Williamson could be in line to make his comeback from a right-knee injury ahead of the Men’s Odi World Cup 2023 in India after posting a video of commencing batting sessions on his Instagram account.

In the short clip of him batting in the nets posted on his Instagram account on Tuesday, Williamson captioned the post as, “Nice to be back in the nets with the bat in hand for a few throws.”

Williamson had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (Acl) in right knee while playing for Gujarat Titans in the opening match of Ipl 2023 against Chennai Super Kings on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

The right-handed batter had jumped up on the deep square leg boundary and was successful in saving a six off a shot from Ruturaj Gaikwad. But Williamson landed awkwardly on his right leg and had to be carried off the field immediately.

Dubai, July 26 (Ians) India captain Rohit Sharma, fast-bowler Mohammed Siraj and left-arm spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja have made gains in the latest Icc Men’s Test Rankings, released on Wednesday.

Following India’s draw in the second Test against the West Indies in Trinidad which propelled them to 1-0 series triumph, Rohit has risen up to ninth place in the batters’ rankings after scores of 80 and 57.

On the other hand, Siraj, who picked five wickets in the first innings at Trinidad, has jumped six places to a career-best 33rd place overall on the list for bowlers, while Jadeja has moved to sixth place in the rankings.

Meanwhile, young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has claimed a new career-high of 63 on the list for batters after he shot up 10 places courtesy of making 57 and 38 in just his second Test appearance in Trinidad.

For Pakistan, left-handed batter Saud Shakeel’s heroics with the bat,...

Port of Spain, July 22 (Ians) Stylish Indian batter Virat Kohli said it was satisfying to contribute to the team’s cause as he top-scored with 121 against the West Indies in the ongoing second Test, here.

Kohli got his 15th overseas Test hundred, ending a nearly 5-year wait for a 3-figure score away from home in the longest format of the game.

The former Indian skipper took 206 balls for his 121, hitting 11 boundaries.

“I really enjoyed myself out there. I was in the rhythm I wanted to be in. Started off in challenging times. I switch on during these times. When I have something to overcome, I get charged up. I had to be patient as the outfield was slow. It was very satisfying as I had to do the hard yards,” Kohli said after the 2nd day’s play.

Marking his 500th international appearance for India, Kohli was in complete control throughout his innings.

Port of Spain, July 21 (Ians) Star India batter Virat Kohli on Friday slammed his 29th Test century to end his five-year drought for a hundred in an overseas red-ball match, in his 500th international appearance on Day 2 of the second Test against West Indies at the Queen’s Park Oval, here.

Resuming the innings on 87 on day two, Kohli gracefully notched his 29th Test century by hitting a boundary off Shannon Gabriel.

Kohli’s flawless hundred took his tally of Test hundreds on par with Sir Donald Bradman, who had scored 29 centuries in 52 Tests.

The 34-year-old was in pristine touch in the opening Test too, but fell for 76 then, missing out on a deserved milestone. Here, he carried from where he left off, playing some crunching drives and flicks to make a fine hundred.

After making four away hundreds in 2018 when India was on tour in Australia, Kohli had to...

Auckland, July 19 (Ians) Uncapped players batting all-rounder Dean Foxcroft and leg-spinner Adi Ashok on Wednesday earned their maiden New Zealand call-ups while pace all-rounder Kyle Jamieson made his comeback to the side for next month’s T20 tours of the UAE and England.

New Zealand are scheduled to play three T20Is against the UAE on August 17, 19 and 20, followed by four games in England from August 30 to September 5.

Jamieson is set to return to international cricket more than a year after sustaining a serious back injury in England last June. On the other hand, Foxcroft and Ashok earned their call-ups off the back of representing New Zealand A and impressive domestic form in the recent season.

Foxcroft, born in South Africa, moved to New Zealand in 2016 and is a newly qualified player for the side, having recently received eligibility approval from the Icc under its “exceptional circumstances” criteria.

The 25-year-old...

Dubai, July 12 (Ians) Australia batter Travis Head has overtaken team-mates Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne to grab a career-best second position in the Icc Men’s Test Player Rankings released on Wednesday.

Head jumped two places and up to second behind New Zealand veteran Kane Williamson on the back of his tremendous Ashes series against England that has already netted him a total of 266 runs at an average of 44.33.

The 29-year-old’s previous best ranking was third, attained after the Icc World Test Championship Final against India last month, in which he had scored a decisive 163 in the first innings.

Head’s scores of 39 and 77 in the third Ashes Test against England at Headingly have taken him to within nine points of Williamson’s 883 rating points even as the batting rankings continue to be volatile at the top with five of the top seven featuring in the ongoing Ashes series.

New Delhi, June 26 (Ians) New Zealand limited-over captain Kane Williamson has opened up on the devastating injury setback that has practically dashed his hopes of participating in this year’s 50-over World Cup in India.

The 32-year old batter suffered an Acl injury on his right knee while attempting to take a catch during Gujarat Titans’ first match of the Indian Premier League (Ipl). He returned home from India on crutches and subsequently underwent surgery, which was deemed a success.

He underwent surgery in New Zealand shortly afterward and is currently in the early stages of his rehabilitation, racing against time to be fit for the World Cup.

“There’s been some good progress and I’m putting in the time, but the steps are small and that’s what it’s about, taking those small steps forwards and minimising the backwards ones. Very much just trying to keep it week-to-week at the moment,...

Auckland, June 8 (Ians) Fast-bowler Adam Milne has been offered a New Zealand Cricket (Nzc) central contract for the first time in five years.

Milne’s elevation to the list comes off the back of his most productive international season, in which he appeared 16 times for the Black Caps (11 T20Is and five ODIs) claiming 24 wickets at an average of 24, including a career-best 5-26 in the second T20I against Sri Lanka, the third best T20I figures by a New Zealander.

The 31-year-old, who made his international debut in 2010, was part of the Black Caps’ past two Icc T20 World Cup campaigns.

Coach Gary Stead said Milne’s offer of a central contract was well-deserved and reflected his strong and ongoing commitment to play international cricket for New Zealand, the New Zealand Cricket said in a report on its website on Thursday.

“Adam’s worked exceptionally hard and has shown...

London, June 7 (Ians) India captain Rohit Sharma has won the toss and elected to bowl first against Australia in the 2023 World Test Championship final at The Oval here on Wednesday.

Both captains Rohit and Pat Cummins will be playing their 50th Test match through the Wtc final. The winner of the 2023 Wtc final will become the first team to win all Icc titles in men’s international cricket.

After winning the toss, Rohit said India have picked Ravindra Jadeja as sole spin option ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin, while going with four fast bowlers in Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, and Shardul Thakur.

Ajinkya Rahane also returns to the Test team after last playing in the format in January 2022, with Ks Bharat being the wicketkeeper-batter. “The conditions and also the weather being overcast (led to bowling first). The pitch won’t change too much.”

“He (Ashwin) has been a match-winner for us,...

London, June 4 (Ians) Ahead of the World Test Championship final against Australia, the Indian Test team on Sunday commenced their practice session at The Oval. India will play Australia at The Oval in the much-awaited Wtc final from June 7 to 11.

The Bcci shared the picture of the side hitting the ground running at the iconic venue. “Hello from the Oval,” it said in a tweet.

On May 25, the Bcci had said via its official Twitter handle that Indian team members like Axar Patel, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur along with head coach Rahul Dravid and other support staff members had begun practicing at the picturesque Arundel Castle Cricket Club in Arundel town.

On May 29, it shared pictures of talismanic batter Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj and Ravichandran Ashwin engaged in practice and chats with support staff members at Arundel.

Skipper Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and young Mumbai opener Yashasvi Jaiswal,...

Auckland, June 1 (Ians) Former New Zealand cricketer John Bracewell heaped praise on left-handed opener Devon Conway, calling him an absolute magician in terms of adapting his game across all three formats of the sport.

Conway, who debuted for New Zealand after leaving South Africa, exploded in international cricket with a double hundred on Test debut against England in 2021, becoming only the seventh batter to be a member of the rare club and is now a mainstay for the Blackcaps across all formats.

Recently Conway played a vital role for Chennai Super Kings in winning Ipl 2023, scoring six half-centuries while amassing 672 runs, being the third leading run-getter in the competition and forming a rock-solid opening pair with Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top.

“I think he’s been an absolute magician in terms of his adaptability to all three formats, his skillset and his (growth). I like the way he’s becoming...

Dubai, May 26 (Ians) With India and Australia set to face off in the Icc World Test Championship Final 2023 next month, the International Cricket Council on Friday announced that the winner of the competition will take home a winners’ prize fund $1.6 million (approx 13.21 crore).

The Icc informed on Friday that the big prize money will be the major incentive for both teams other than the crowning glory in the longest format of the game. The losing finalists will pocket $800,000 (Rs 6.50 crore). The championship decider will be played at The Oval, London from 7 to 11 June with 12 June as the reserve day.

The tournament prize money is the same as that for the inaugural edition of the championship — Icc World Test Championship 2019-21 — a total purse of $3.8 million, the Icc informed on Friday.

The Kane Williamson-led New Zealand side was rewarded with $1.6 million besides the glittering Mace in Southampton two years ago...

Injuries of star bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer, as well as top batters, including Kl Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, have left a mark on this season’s Ipl so far.

Let’s dive deeper into list of top injured players who missed the entire season or left the lucrative league mid-way through the season.

Kane Williamson (Gujarat Titans)

New Zealand captain, Williamson suffered an Acl injury on his right knee while attempting to take a catch during Gujarat Titans’ match against Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the curtain raiser.

He returned home from India on crutches and subsequently underwent surgery, which was deemed a success.

Williamson possesses technical strength and has excellent cricketing intellect. Having him on the field would have been beneficial for skipper Hardik Pandya. The Kiwi player could offer a unique perspective during the game, possesses reliable catching skills,...

New Delhi, May 18 (Ians) Former New Zealand cricketer Ross Taylor said if it was up to him, he would have brought veteran opener Martin Guptill in the top four of the Odi side ahead of this year’s World Cup, citing the experience he would bring to the team for the mega event.

Guptill, widely considered as one of New Zealand’s best-ever white-ball openers, last played in an Odi for the Blackcaps in September 2022. Later, he was released from his Nzc central contract after being dropped from the white-ball series against India last year not getting to play a single game in the Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

Since then, he has been busy playing various T20 leagues like the Big Bash League (Bbl) in Australia. Guptill’s tally currently stands at 7346 runs at an average of 41.73 in 198 ODIs, with a highest individual score of 237 not out.

Auckland, May 10 (Ians) Long-serving New Zealand Cricket (Nzc) chief executive David White announced he will step down from the role in August. White was appointed as Nzc’s CEO in February 2012, and notified the Board of his decision this week, and advised staff and the wider New Zealand cricket network on Wednesday morning.

White was just the fourth chief executive of the governing body, after Chris Doig, Martin Snedden and Justin Vaughan, to lead Nzc since the adoption of the Hood Report recommendations in 1995. White said in an official statement that it was the right time to pass the leadership baton on to a fresh set of hands.

“I feel the time is right for myself, my family, and Nzc. Nzc is in a secure financial position with a solid balance sheet and long-term commercial agreements in place.”

“The Blackcaps are strong; women’s cricket is healthy, our high performance programme is producing excellence,...

Rawalpindi, April 26 (Ians) New Zealand captain Kane Williamson could travel with the team for the Odi World Cup later in the year in India as a mentor if he remains injured and unavailable to play the tournament.

At the same time, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead on Wednesday refused to rule Williamson out of the World Cup as a player just yet.

The 32-year old batter suffered an Acl injury on his right knee while attempting to take a catch during Gujarat Titans’ first match of the ongoing Indian Premier League. He returned home from India on crutches and subsequently underwent surgery, which was deemed a success.

Williamson’s knee is still in a brace as he undergoes rehab and racing against time to be fit for the World Cup.

“Look, it’s still far too early to know. He’s had the operation and, to date, what we know,...

New Delhi, April 17 (Ians) Former New Zealand cricketer Jeremy Coney has suggested for left-handed batter Devon Conway to bat at number three in the Odi batting line-up and cover up for the possible absence of regular skipper Kane Williamson.

Williamson has been an integral member in New Zealand finishing runners-up in 2015 and 2019 Odi World Cups. But the right-handed batter is set to miss the 2023 Odi World Cup after rupturing his Acl in Gujarat Titans’ opening game of the ongoing Ipl season.

With Williamson set to go for a surgery and recovery period ranging from 9-12 months, it means New Zealand have an opening at number three in their batting order to be filled.

“I wonder whether we should put (Devon) Conway to three. Therefore, I’d go on the hunt for another opener and who are the likely guys? Just off the top of my head I reckon (Henry) Nicholls is one,...

Lahore, April 13 (Ians) Second-rung players from New Zealand that are not injured or involved in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (Ipl) are set to lock horns with a full-strength Pakistan squad in a five-match T20I series, starting with the first game here on Friday.

During the time when the best players of world cricket are involved in Ipl, the New Zealand tour of Pakistan — comprising five T20Is and as many ODIs — promises some riveting international action.

Hosts Pakistan have picked a star-studded T20I squad, boosted by the return of pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is all set to play for the first time in international cricket since the Icc Men’s T20 World Cup Final against England in November 2022.

Though he returns to play international cricket after a four-month gap, Afridi has been busy picking up silverware and smashing records in Pakistan. During the recent Pakistan...

Wellington, April 6 (Ians) New Zealand Odi captain Kane Williamson will require surgery on his injured right knee, after scans confirmed he’d ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament while fielding for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (Ipl).

The standard rehabilitation timelines mean that Williamson is now unlikely to be fit and available for selection at this year’s Icc Odi Cricket World Cup in India.

After receiving the news Williamson wanted to acknowledge the support he’d received since sustaining the injury.

“I’ve received great support over the past few days and want to thank both the Gujarat Titans and New Zealand Cricket for that. Naturally it’s disappointing to get such an injury, but my focus now is on having the surgery and starting rehab,” he was quoted as saying by Nzc.

“It’s going to take some time, but I’ll be doing everything I...

New Delhi, April 4 (Ians) Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bowl first against Delhi Capitals in Match Seven of Ipl 2023 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

Capitals are playing their first home game of the season after 2019 while the Titans are featuring in their first away match of the tournament, with the pitch described to be a flat one with a slight tinge of grass.

After winning the toss, Pandya said South Africa batter David Miller and uncapped India batter B. Sai Sudharsan come in for injured Kane Williamson, who is ruled out of the tournament, and all-rounder Vijay Shankar.

“Not sure how the wicket is going to play. Obviously losing Kane — we’re gutted. Especially for him. As a team, we can manage but are gutted for him. Not much talking in our team. Just about keeping things simple and focusing on controllable.

Auckland, April 3 (Ians) Experienced batter Tom Latham will lead a new-look New Zealand side for the five-match away Odi series against Pakistan, starting April 26.

The five-match Odi series will begin on April 26 in Rawalpindi and conclude on May 7 in Karachi. It will be preceded by a five-match T20I series between April 14-24.

New Zealand will be without the services of several regular stars like Test skipper Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner and Finn Allen, who are currently busy with their respective franchise commitments in the Ipl are busy with Ipl. Odi skipper Kane Williamson is out with a right knee injury suffered during the opening match of Ipl.

Latham though will bank on the services of experienced players like Daryl Mitchell, Matt Henry, James Neesham, Henry Nicholls and Ish Sodhi, Cricket New Zealand informed in a release on Monday.

New Zealand have also included...

New Delhi, April 3 (Ians) Delhi Capitals’ bowling attack will be under focus in a bid to bounce back in Ipl 2023 in the comfort of their home ground when they host Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

The two teams have met only once in Ipl, during last year when Gujarat emerged victorious by 14 runs. Tuesday’s match is also the first time Gujarat will play an away match as part of the tournament returning to the home-and-away format.

Back to playing at their home base for the first time since 2019, Delhi will be itching to put up a much-improved show in all departments of the game after being underwhelming in a 50-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants in their tournament opener.

Their bowlers lacked the cutting edge with the ball, ground fielding was sloppy, and the batting line-up was blown away by Mark Wood’s raw pace.

New Delhi, April 1 (Ians) With Gujarat Titans’ batter Kane Williamson suffering a knee injury while fielding in the Ipl 2023 opening match against Chennai Super Kings at Ahmedabad, there has been buzz that the injury could potentially rule him out of the competition.

But there has been a lot of excitement and buzz amongst fans on social media on whether talismanic Australia batter Steve Smith would make his return to the competition as a replacement for Williamson.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar thinks if Smith joins Gujarat as a replacement player, he could even help captain Hardik Pandya with leadership duties. “I think that would be a brilliant call, and Steve Smith is the kind of player they want, somebody who can play all kinds of gears.”

“Plus with the new rules which he finds very cool, I’d love to see Smith’s captaincy, we saw that and we were...

Auckland, April 1 (Ians) Kane Williamson’s knee injury while playing for Gujarat Titans in the opening match of the Indian Premier League (Ipl) 2023 against Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad has the New Zealand team management worried over his availability for the entire season.

On Friday, Williamson got himself in a tangle while trying to save a boundary during the Titans’ opening match in Ipl 2023 against the Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Williamson, New Zealand’s white-ball captain, had to leave the field, after which Sai Sudharsan was roped in as an Impact Player.

“I just messaged him and I don’t know about the update. He has gone for the scans. So, once he comes back after the scans and the doctors’ checks, then exactly we will be able to know what exactly it is. It is knee for sure, but I don’t know how serious...

Ahmedabad, April 1 (Ians) Shubman Gill scored a half-century (63) as Gujarat Titans (Gt) registered a five-wicket win against Chennai Super Kings (Csk) in the opening match of the Indian Premier League (Ipl) 2023 at Narendra Modi Stadium here on Friday.

Shubman Gill struck 63 off 36 while Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan hammered crucial boundaries off the final over as Gujarat Titans started the defence of their title on a winning note here.

Csk’s Tushar Deshpande became the first Impact Player (substitute) in the Ipl. He came in place of Ambati Rayudu. Gt’s Sai Sudharsan joined him as the second player to be picked as Impact Player, coming in as a substitute for New Zealand batter Kane Williamson, who had suffered an injury while fielding in the first innings.

Csk’s Rajvardhan Hangargekar had a dream Ipl debut as he picked up three wickets for 36 runs in his four overs.

Chasing 179, Titans...

Ahmedabad, March 31 (Ians) Chennai Super Kings’ pacer Tushar Deshpande made history on Friday made history, becoming the first ‘Impact Player’ of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (Ipl).

Gujarat Titans’ B. Sai Sudharsan joined him as the second player to be picked as Impact Player, coming in as a substitute for New Zealand batter Kane Williamson, who had suffered an injury while fielding in the first innings.

Deshpande became the first beneficiary of the newly-introduced rule, replacing middle-order batter Ambati Rayudu in their opening match against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.

Having scored 178/7 in 20 overs thanks to a 50-ball 92 by opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose scintillating innings was decorated with four boundaries and nine maximums.

Having reached a defendable total, Csk decided to bring in Tushar Deshpande as Impact Player to bolster their bowling attack. However, the move did not have an immediate...

Ahmedabad, March 31 (Ians) Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 50-ball 92 guided Chennai Super Kings (Csk) to post a competitive total of 178/7 in 20 overs against defending champions Gujarat Titans in the 2023 Indian Premier League (Ipl) opener here at Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday.

Gaikwad’s scintillating 92-run innings was decorated with four boundaries and nine maximums. Alzarri Joseph was the pick of the bowler, who struck twice in the 18th over after conceding 18 runs off his first over to claim the big wickets of Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja.

Asked to bat first, Chennai had a cautious start with just two runs coming off the first over. Then, Ruturaj Gaikwad hit Titans’ skipper Hardik Pandya for two boundaries through midwicket to pace up the innings.

Shami came to attack in the third over and drew the first blood in the form of Devon Conway to claim his 100th Ipl wicket. Conway aimed for a drive...

Ahmedabad, March 30 (Ians) Gujarat Titans were the flavour of Ipl 2022. The newly-created franchise, in its debut season, ran all the way to the trophy, making for a delightful story as all departments of the game clicked in unison throughout the tournament.

Now, Hardik Pandya & Co would be eager to begin from where they left off at their home ground Narendra Modi Stadium last year — secure wins in emphatic fashion. Ipl 2023 opener will see the Titans face off against four-time champions Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad on Friday.

Ipl 2023 has a lot of new initiatives like ‘impact player’ and announcing teams after the toss. But at the same time, there is a return to the good old comfort of the home-and-away format, which had been held back for the last three seasons due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It gives the teams’ thinktanks a chance to create game plans specific to their...

Hyderabad, March 30 (Ians) India’s senior fast-bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be captaining Sunrisers Hyderabad (Srh) in their opening match of Ipl 2023 against Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on April 2, in absence of newly-appointed regular skipper Aiden Markram.

A report in ESPNCricinfo says Markram is in South Africa for the upcoming two-match Odi series against the Netherlands and is expected to arrive in India along with his other Ipl-bound national side teammates only on April 3.

“The series is crucial for South Africa’s direct qualification for the Odi World Cup, to be played in India later this year. They need to win both ODIs against the Netherlands (without over-rate penalties) and then hope Ireland lose at least one Odi against Bangladesh in a three-match home series in May,” it added.

With Markram to miss Srh’s opening game in Ipl 2023, Bhuvneshwar will be the captain. Bhuvneshwar has...

Ahmedabad, March 29 (Ians) After leading Sunrisers Hyderabad for 46 matches in seasons 2018-2022 of the Indian Premier League (Ipl), Kane Williamson will be turning out for defending champions Gujarat Titans in the 2023 edition of the tournament.

With India all-rounder Hardik Pandya to lead Gujarat’s title defence in Ipl 2023, Williamson admitted that not being a captain has taken some things off his plate, citing the huge amount of energy leadership roles require.

Earlier, Williamson had stepped down as New Zealand’s Test captain, with Tim Southee taking over.

“It certainly doesn’t switch the cricketing brain off absolutely because when you are out there on the field, you try and assist where you can for the team, if you are called upon for your ideas, that’s quite a natural thing to be engaged.”

“But having said that, it has taken a little bit off my plate which was a large...

New Delhi, March 26 (Ians) Former New Zealand batter Grant Elliot believes several rookie bowlers like pacer Henry Shipley will need huge performances to make the cut for New Zealands 15-man squad for the Men’s Odi World Cup, to be held in India in October-November.

At Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, Shipley took career-best figures of 5/6 in his first Odi at his home ground as New Zealand bowled out Sri Lanka for 76 in 19.1 overs to win the series opener by a whopping 198 runs.

“Henry Shipley will be an interesting one to watch. He had that experience in India and it will be very fascinating to see how he and Blair Tickner actually scrub up because that was a tough series, I was over there and those wickets were … flat. So that was a tough introduction and I think they’ll enjoy bowling in New Zealand conditions a lot more,...

It will be the first time since 2019 that all ten teams will be playing at their respective home venues. Ipl 2023 also sees the return to its usual home-and-away format after a hiatus of three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Though the pandemic hasn’t completely gone away, there are no bio-bubbles as teams regroup and renew their focus of battling out for the most coveted T20 trophy in the cricketing world.

The return of home-and-away format means fans in various venues can have the opportunity of seeing their favourite Indian and overseas players in action in their home cities.

With no air travel last year for teams, it meant that players weren’t having much of travel load. But with the Ipl this year going back to home-and-away format, it presents a challenge for players and support staff to keep themselves fresh in terms of workload so that there isn’t drop in intensity,...

Dubai, March 22 (IANs) India pacer Mohammed Siraj lost the top spot to Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood among the bowlers in Odi cricket in the latest International Cricket Council (Icc) Player Rankings, released on Wednesday.

Siraj copped the brunt of the attack by Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head during the second match of his side’s Odi series against Australia and as a result, has lost his place at the top of the rankings for Odi bowlers and slipped behind Hazlewood and New Zealand’s Trent Boult to be placed at third spot with 702 rating points.

Hazlewood (713 points), whose career-best second position was attained for the first time in June 2017 and which he had kept since August 2022, has become the No. 1 in ODIs for the first time.

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc’s eight wickets in the two matches against India saw him placed in joint-third position with Siraj.

In the batters list,...

Wellington, March 20 (Ians) New Zealand registered an innings and 58-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second and final Test to sweep the series 2-0 as the tourists’ resistance finally broke late on day four, here on Monday.

Having been asked to follow-on, Sri Lanka needed 416 runs to make the hosts bat again but were bowled out for 358 in their second innings.

The win seemed beyond Sri Lanka when they resumed on 2-113 in the morning session but there was some hope they might bat out the day and even save the match with the help of heavy rain forecast on day five.

Four batters scored half-centuries and No.6 Dhananjaya de Silva ploughed on to the cusp of a century by tea. However, a wicket before and after the tea break, including De Silva’s dismissal for 98 put the game back in New Zealand’s hands as Sri Lanka fell to 318 for seven.