Category: Cricket

At the Naman Awards, famous cricket player Sachin Tendulkar received the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award from the BCCI. Sachin, lovingly called the Master Blaster, played cricket for over 30 years, breaking many records along the way. In his thank-you speech, Sachin shared touching memories from his last game. He played his final match for India against the West Indies in November 2013 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Sachin thanked MS Dhoni, the then team captain, for planning a special goodbye for him. During the ceremony, the team surprised Sachin and gave him a guard of honour, which made him realize he was finishing his career as a current player. “Looking back, I cannot believe everything that has happened to me. I feel very lucky,” Sachin shared.

Throughout his career, he made a massive 15,921 runs in Test matches and 18,426 runs in One Day Internationals (ODIs). His records for most Test (200) and ODI (463) matches are still unbeaten. Sachin started his cricket journey at just 16 years old in 1989 during India’s tour of Pakistan. Now, he is the 31st person to receive the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sachin also gave advice to current players, saying, “Cricket is the greatest gift of my life. Without it, we wouldn’t be here.” He reminded them to stay focused and not let distractions harm their careers. Sachin encouraged them to value their talents and remember where they came from. “You only realize how important it is once you finish playing,” he added.

Dubai [UAE]: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has started the countdown to the Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 by announcing that the tournament will follow an “all or nothing” format. This means the top eight teams in the world will face off in high-pressure matches, where every game is crucial for their chances to qualify.

Star Sports Network is kicking off the excitement with a campaign titled “Har Match Do-or-Die,” which gives fans a taste of the thrill ahead. They released a film featuring MS Dhoni, who captained India to victory in the 2013 Champions Trophy. Known for his calmness, Dhoni shows a different side in the film, where he is seen sweating in an ice-filled bathtub in a snowy background. This unusual scene emphasizes the intense pressure players face during the tournament.

In the film, Dhoni captures the high stakes of the competition with his quote, “If you slip in even one match, consider yourself out of the tournament.” Speaking about the Champions Trophy, he stated, “This tournament is special to me as it brings the world’s best teams together for matches that are do-or-die. It’s exciting for fans, and being part of this film was nostalgic. I can relate to all the fans watching the games.”

India’s cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, will start their Champions Trophy journey against Bangladesh on February 20. They will also compete against Pakistan on February 23 and New Zealand on March 2. The tournament kicks off on February 19, with the final scheduled for March 9.

India’s cricket team has made it to the final of the ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup! They beat England by nine wickets thanks to a great performance from their spinners and a solid fifty from Kamalini.

The final will be held on Sunday, where India will face South Africa. South Africa reached the final for the first time by defeating Australia in another semifinal earlier that day.

In the match against England, India’s left-arm spinners, Parunika Sisodia and Vaishnavi Sharma, shone by taking three wickets each. They helped keep England to a low score of 113 runs for 8 wickets.

India chased down this target easily, scoring 117 runs for just 1 wicket in 15 overs. G Trisha scored 35 runs quickly, and Kamalini shone with an unbeaten 56 runs. Trisha started strongly and helped India get off to a fast start, reaching 44 runs without losing a wicket in the first six overs.

Kamalini got a lucky chance when the England captain dropped a catch. Even after Trisha got out, Kamalini kept going, adding runs with Sanika Chalke. Kamalini’s batting was about smart shots rather than big hits, and England couldn’t find a way to get her out.

Earlier, England began their innings well, reaching 37 runs without losing a wicket. However, they struggled later and lost many wickets, mainly because they kept trying risky shots. England only managed to score 40 runs in the last 10 overs while losing six wickets.

In the end, England couldn’t get enough runs, and India won comfortably. Sisodia was named Player of the Match and said she focused on bowling accurately and getting the batters to make mistakes.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Exciting times are ahead for cricket lovers in Malaysia as the country prepares to host the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2025! With more girls joining the sport and a growing interest in cricket, this is a fantastic moment for Malaysia, which is known for its rich culture and modern facilities.

Malaysia is ready to welcome teams from around the world for this big tournament, making it a great opportunity for local players to shine in their national colors. While not every country gets to host a World Cup, Malaysia has hosted important cricket events before, showing it has the experience needed.

In recent semi-finals in Kuala Lumpur, South Africa impressed everyone by beating Australia by five wickets, ensuring they’re an undefeated team in the tournament. The South African bowlers performed well, led by Ashleigh van Wyk, who took four wickets. Australia batted first and scored 105 runs, but South Africa chased the target with confidence, thanks to strong performances from players like Jemma Botha and Kayla Reyneke.

With this win, South Africa is set to play in the final against either India or England. The excitement continues as cricket grows in Malaysia, inspiring the next generation of players!

Virat Kohli’s first match back in domestic cricket after more than 12 years drew a huge crowd on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy game between Delhi and Railways. Fans started lining up outside Arun Jaitley Stadium as early as 3 AM, excited to see their cricket hero. Kohli played under the young captain Ayush Badoni, who chose to bowl first on the green pitch. Even though Kohli didn’t get to bat on the first day, fans gave him a loud welcome, filling the stadium with around 15,000 supporters.

Rajkumar Sharma, Kohli’s childhood coach, shared his pride on Instagram, saying, “This is your contribution to Indian cricket. Proud of you.” The unexpected number of fans made officials scramble to accommodate everyone. The Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) thought about 10,000 people would show up, but they were very wrong!

When the gates opened, fans rushed in, eager to watch Kohli play, especially since entry was free. The DDCA intended to let 6,000 people into the ‘Gautam Gambhir Stand,’ but had to open up the 11,000 capacity ‘Bishan Singh Bedi Stand’ to manage the huge turnout.

A former India player at the event said he had never seen anything like this for a Ranji Trophy match. He noted that in his playing days, hardly anyone cared about domestic cricket, but Kohli’s star power brought many people out.

Adding to the busy atmosphere, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy passed by just as the excitement peaked outside the stadium. Even long-time cricket officials were amazed at the turnout. “I have been involved in Delhi cricket for more than 30 years, but I have never seen such a scene for a Ranji Trophy game,” said DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma. This shows how famous Kohli really is!

Virat Kohli is a huge star, and his fans love him. His popularity makes every game feel special, even a normal match in the Ranji Trophy. Kids skip school, and many people take off work just to see him play. In Delhi, fans don’t often get to see Kohli in Test matches. In his 14 years playing Tests, he has only played four times at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. This year, there are no Test matches scheduled there, so the chance to see him play in a red-ball game seemed very unlikely.

Recently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided that top players like Kohli should play in domestic matches. This was a big chance for Delhi fans, who eagerly grabbed it. When it was announced that Kohli would play in a Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways, the excitement was unmatchable. Fans cheered loudly just hearing his name, and many rushed to get seats.

The Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) expected around 10,000 fans for Kohli’s big return, which is already a lot for a domestic match. However, even before the game started at 9:30 AM, many more fans showed up, eager to watch him play. Some boys from Burari, calling themselves the “Northern Boys,” were excitedly buying Kohli’s jersey. One of them, Ganesh, said, “Who watches Ranji? We are here for Kohli.”

As fans lined up outside the stadium, the DDCA first opened a section with 6,000 seats. But so many people came that they quickly opened another section that could hold 11,000 people. A former Indian player at the game said he had never seen such a crowd for a Ranji Trophy match, and an amazed DDCA secretary, Ashok Sharma, said he had been involved in cricket for over 30 years but never witnessed anything like this. Kohli is sure to play again on Day 2, and more fans are expected to come.

India’s cricket captain, Rohit Sharma, is unlikely to go to Pakistan for a meeting with other team captains ahead of the Champions Trophy in 2025, according to a report by Geo TV. England and Australia have plans to arrive in Pakistan that could lead to the cancellation of the tournament’s opening ceremony. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not made any comments about this issue, even though the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared ideas for the ceremony. Normally, all team captains gather for a photo session before the tournament starts, but this time might be different since it’s been a long time since Pakistan hosted an ICC event.

Due to security issues, India has decided not to travel to Pakistan and will instead play all their matches in Dubai. If they make it to the finals, that game will also happen in Dubai. As a result, it is unlikely that Rohit and some other captains will attend the meeting in Pakistan. The PCB has now canceled the captains’ photo shoot and press conference.

Instead of the usual events with all eight captains in Karachi, Indian captain Rohit Sharma won’t be traveling there. Earlier rumors from Indian media suggested otherwise but have now been laid to rest. Meanwhile, England and Australia are expected to arrive in Lahore on February 18 and 19. Bangladesh and India will land in Dubai on February 15, and Afghanistan is coming to Islamabad on February 12. New Zealand and South Africa will already be in Pakistan for a short ODI series from February 8 to 14.

Additionally, England and Australia have decided not to participate in the warm-up games before the Champions Trophy. They will head straight into the tournament instead. England just completed a tour in India and will take a one-week break, while Australia will have a short rest after finishing their Sri Lanka tour. Both teams feel it’s better to rest than play warm-up matches because of their tight schedules.

An ICC official mentioned that both the ICC and PCB had wished for an opening ceremony, but timing and player workloads made that difficult. The PCB said they never officially planned an opening event. Even without the opening ceremony, they are excited to show off Pakistan’s cricket history with a special event before the Pakistan vs. New Zealand match on February 19 in Karachi. The tournament is set to start in mid-February and promises many exciting matches, despite the lack of an opening ceremony.

The Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) planned to let in about 10,000 fans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium for Delhi’s last group game in the Ranji Trophy against Railways. However, when Virat Kohli returned to play domestic cricket after 12 years, the interest skyrocketed. The DDCA first opened the ‘Gautam Gambhir Stand’ with 6,000 seats, but due to a huge crowd that started lining up at 5 AM to see Kohli, they quickly had to open the larger ‘Bishan Singh Bedi Stand’ that holds 11,000 people.

Even though Kohli didn’t get a chance to bat because Delhi captain Ayush Badoni chose to bowl first, he kept the crowd excited. While fielding in slips, he enticed two sections of the crowd to cheer louder against each other. He raised his hands to get one side cheering, then laughed while taking turns with the other side. The 36-year-old player praised the fans and made funny gestures, including a thumbs-up to one crowd section and a friendly “have you eaten?” gesture to the other.

In the match, Railways managed to score 241 runs in their first innings. Wicketkeeper Upendra Yadav made a solid 95 runs, and No. 7 batsman Karn Sharma contributed with a good half-century. Railways started poorly, finding themselves at 21 for 2, with left-arm bowler Siddhant Sharma making an early impact. However, Upendra and Karn formed a strong partnership that frustrated the Delhi bowlers, making it more exciting for the fans waiting to see Kohli bat. For Delhi, bowlers Navdeep Saini and Sumit Mathur each took three wickets

Virat Kohli made a stunning return to domestic cricket after 12 years, and fans went wild at the Arun Jaitley Stadium! He played for Delhi in a Ranji Trophy match against Railways, bringing in huge crowds. People lined up outside the stadium starting from the night before just to catch a glimpse of their hero; thousands of fans were there cheering for him.

During the match, journalist Rohit Juglan revealed Kohli would be having lunch at the stadium canteen, where chilli paneer was on the menu. It wasn’t a fancy meal, but fans ate it up as a fun detail about their star player. In an interview with Revsportz, Sanjay Jha, who cooks for Kohli, shared that Kohli wanted to eat only from the canteen, saying, “No, not from outside. I’ll have lunch from the canteen.”

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) expected around 10,000 fans for the game, which is already high for a Ranji Trophy match. But Kohli’s star power drew in even more fans, leading many to queue up outside. A former India cricketer remarked that he had never seen such interest in domestic cricket before, all thanks to Kohli.

The excitement caused officials to allow more fans into the ground by opening extra seating. The original stand had a capacity of 6,000, but due to overwhelming demand, they opened up another stand that could hold 11,000 people. DDCA Secretary Ashok Sharma mentioned he’d never seen such a large crowd for a Ranji Trophy game in over 30 years of involvement in Delhi cricket, showcasing Kohli’s unmatched popularity.

As fans flooded in, it became hectic when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy passed the stadium. Police instructed officials to open another stand to keep everything organized.

Excitement filled the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Thursday, with fans arriving as early as 5 AM to see cricket star Virat Kohli play in the Ranji Trophy. Kohli, who hadn’t played domestic cricket in over 12 years, confirmed he would join Delhi’s team for their final league match against Railways. To celebrate this big moment, the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) made entry free for fans, who only needed to show their Aadhar Cards. The energy was high, and fans excitedly chanted “RCB, RCB” because Kohli plays for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League.

Fans lined up for hours to watch the match. Kohli wants to improve his red-ball game after struggling in Test matches lately. Since 2020, he has played 39 Tests but scored only 2,028 runs at an average of 30.72, which is much lower than his usual performance. He has hit just three centuries, with his highest score being 186. During the current World Test Championship, his performance has also been disappointing, with only 751 runs in 14 matches.

Kohli trained hard with his Delhi teammates under captain Ayush Badoni and head coach Sarandeep Singh. He focused on improving his footwork and getting better against spin bowlers. Kohli shared good times with the players who looked up to him as a kid. His dedication showed that he is serious about getting back to his best in Test cricket.