Category: Cricket

Pakistan, led by captain Shan Masood, is set to play the second Test against the West Indies at Multan Cricket Stadium on Saturday, January 25. In the first Test, Pakistan secured a convincing win by 127 runs, with Sajid Khan taking an impressive nine wickets. This victory marked Pakistan’s third consecutive home win on a turning pitch.

Despite their success on the field, Pakistan remains in eighth place in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. Both Pakistan and West Indies have no chance to reach the WTC final to be held at Lord’s Cricket Ground from June 11 to 16, where Australia and South Africa will compete.

Squads:

Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir, Sajid Khan, and Salman Ali Agha.

West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Alick Athanaze, Amir Jangoo, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Keacy Carty, Kevin Sinclair, Mikyle Louis, Tevin Imlach, Anderson Phillip, Joshua Da Silva, and Kemar Roach.

Match Details:
– When: Friday, January 25, at 10 AM IST (Toss at 9:30 AM IST)
– Where: Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan, Pakistan
– Broadcast: No TV channels will show the match in India.
– Live Streaming: You can watch the match live on the FanCode app and website.

In an exciting Ranji Trophy match against Kerala, Madhya Pradesh’s Venkatesh Iyer showed incredible bravery despite suffering an injury. The team was in trouble at 49/4 when Iyer came to bat. Just three balls in, he twisted his ankle and fell to the ground in pain. The team doctor quickly ran to help, and Iyer had to limp off the field, worrying fans of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). KKR had just bought him for an amazing INR 23.75 crore in the IPL 2025 auction.

But showing great courage, Iyer returned to bat even with the pain. He played well and scored an important 42 runs off 80 balls, helping Madhya Pradesh reach a total of 160 runs. His determination made fans cheer for him online.

Iyer’s injury shocked the KKR team, especially since they had fought hard to get him back during the auction. Last season, he scored 370 runs with an average of 46.25 and a high strike rate of 158.79, making him a valuable player. Losing him to injury would have been a big setback for KKR as they aim to defend their title.

Venkatesh Iyer was the ninth player to be out, with Madhya Pradesh finishing their innings at 160 runs. Since KKR didn’t re-sign their winning IPL captain Shreyas Iyer, many fans think Venkatesh might be a good choice for the captain role, but KKR hasn’t made any announcement yet.

Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has been honored by being inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. Now 43 years old, Clarke received this amazing recognition on Thursday, almost ten years after he stopped playing professional cricket. This honor is a great way to celebrate his successful career, which made him one of the best players in the sport.

Clarke is now the 64th member of the Hall of Fame, and two more cricket stars will be added soon. After learning about his induction, Clarke said, “It’s an honor to be recognized alongside so many great players I looked up to as a kid.” He also reflected on his retirement, saying, “When you retire, you miss playing. Cricket was my whole life, starting at six years old.”

A Fantastic Career:

Clarke began his first-class career with New South Wales when he was just 17 years old. He quickly made a name for himself and scored 151 runs in his very first Test match against India in 2004. Clarke became one of the best middle-order batsmen in cricket.

He also showed great leadership skills, becoming captain of Australia in 2011, taking over from the famous Ricky Ponting. Under Clarke’s leadership, Australia won the ICC World Cup in 2015 and enjoyed major victories in the Ashes series, including a stunning 5-0 win against England in 2013-14.

Impressive Records:

Clarke’s batting stats show how talented he is. He scored 8,643 runs in Test matches, making him the sixth highest run scorer for Australia. In One-Day Internationals, he scored 7,981 runs, placing him fourth. He also hit 28 Test centuries, showing his skill as a batsman.

One of his best moments was scoring 329 runs in a Test match against India in 2011-12, making him the sixth Australian player to score a triple-century. Clarke followed this with another double century in the next match and two more against South Africa the following year.

New Delhi: The Indian cricket team will follow the dress code set by the ICC for the upcoming Champions Trophy, according to BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia. Saikia spoke to PTI on Wednesday and denied rumors that the Board was against having Pakistan’s name on their jerseys. The Champions Trophy is happening from February 19 in Dubai, as India raised security concerns about traveling to Pakistan.

“BCCI will follow every rule about uniforms during the Champions Trophy,” Saikia said. He added that the team will stick to the guidelines regarding logos and dress codes just like all other teams.

However, whether the captain Rohit Sharma will go to Pakistan for pre-tournament events like a press conference or photo shoot is still up for discussion. Saikia mentioned, “Whether Rohit Sharma travels to Pakistan for ICC media engagements is something that’s still not decided.”

Some rumors suggested the BCCI objected to having Pakistan’s name on their jerseys, but these ideas weren’t true. When Pakistan visited India for the 50-over ICC World Cup in 2023, their team had the host country’s name on their jerseys, which is standard practice.

This Champions Trophy will be held under a ‘Hybrid Model’. Since the BCCI did not receive permission from the Indian government, India will play all its matches, including a key game against Pakistan, in Dubai. If India reaches the semi-finals and final, those matches will also take place in Dubai.

As for Rohit Sharma’s potential visit to Pakistan, the board needs to consider some important factors. It remains to be decided if the ICC will hold pre-tournament events in Pakistan or move them to the UAE, which would take a lot of planning for the teams.

The tournament kicks off with Pakistan playing New Zealand in Karachi on February 19, while India will start their matches against Bangladesh the next day.

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes that Virat Kohli will shine in the upcoming Champions Trophy in Dubai, despite having a tough time in red-ball cricket. Kohli struggled with his batting during recent Test matches against teams like Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia, often getting out after edging deliveries outside the off stump. However, Kaif reminded everyone of Kohli’s great record in One-Day Internationals (ODIs), where he has 50 centuries and almost 13,000 runs.

Kaif said, “Virat never accepts defeat. Don’t count him out in white-ball cricket; he has proven himself many times before. It’s important for him to forget the Test matches.” Kohli had an impressive 2023 ODI World Cup, scoring 765 runs at an average of 95.62, setting many records.

Kaif also recalled a fantastic performance from Kohli in Dubai, where he scored 122 runs from just 61 balls against Afghanistan. Kaif believes that if Kohli starts off well in the tournament, he will keep scoring. “Virat Kohli is an uncrowned king in white-ball cricket. His journey isn’t over yet,” Kaif added.

In other news, Kohli is set to play in the Ranji Trophy for the first time since 2012. He will participate in a match for Delhi against Railways starting January 30. Though he couldn’t join the team for their match against Saurashtra due to a neck sprain, he has confirmed his availability for the last league match of the Ranji Trophy.

Dubai, UAE: MI Emirates played a fantastic game on Tuesday at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, defeating the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 28 runs. Key players Romario Shepherd and Nicholas Pooran were crucial in this win, bringing the MI Emirates closer to the top of the league.

Batting first, MI Emirates started strong with openers Kusal Perera and Muhammad Waseem scoring well. After a good partnership of 42 runs, Perera was out for 23 runs. Tom Banton came in next but scored only 9 before Waseem, who made 38 runs, was also dismissed.

Skipper Nicholas Pooran struggled a bit but scored a decent 49 before being bowled out. Romario Shepherd joined Pooran in the later overs, and Shepherd played an amazing innings, hitting three sixes and four fours, finishing with an unbeaten 38 runs off just 13 balls. MI Emirates ended their innings with a total of 186 runs for 6 wickets.

In response, the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders started quickly, but lost wickets regularly. Kyle Mayers scored 22 runs but was run out after a great fielding effort. After that, they struggled to keep up the scoring, falling to 56 runs for 4 wickets in the Powerplay.

Even with Sunil Narine and Andre Russell trying to stabilize their innings, they couldn’t manage to chase down the target. Narine scored 13 runs, and Russell finished unbeaten on 37 runs. In the end, the MI Emirates claimed a comfortable victory.

Romario Shepherd, named Player of the Match, said he felt calm knowing Pooran was at the crease. “We knew how important this game was. I was just trying to get to the last over and see what I could get,” he commented.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ captain Sunil Narine admitted they lost too many wickets but appreciated the good start they had. He said, “We need to get on top of the key moments.

Suryakumar Yadav is a talented T20I cricketer, but he has struggled to perform well in One Day Internationals (ODIs). This is why he wasn’t selected for the ODI series against England or the Champions Trophy. Suryakumar recently admitted that he didn’t make the most of his chances in ODIs, and he knows he can only blame himself for that.

He has played 37 ODIs, scoring 773 runs, with an average of 25.76 and a strike rate of 105.02. Suryakumar was part of India’s squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup but didn’t perform well, especially in the final against Australia.

Now, as he prepares to lead India in a five-match T20I series against England, he shared his thoughts about not being in the Champions Trophy squad. “Why would it hurt? If I did well, I’d be in the Champions Trophy. If I didn’t, I must accept that. The squad looks good, and all the players have performed well,” he told reporters. He added, “It hurts to think I haven’t done well. If I had, I’d still be in the team. Those chosen deserve it.”

Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina spoke out in support of Suryakumar, saying he was surprised by his exclusion from the ODI squad. Raina believes Suryakumar could have been important to the team as an “X-factor” in the middle order. He praised Suryakumar’s skills and mentioned how he can score well against tough teams.

Suryakumar’s last ODI was during the 2023 World Cup, where he scored just 106 runs in seven matches, averaging a low 17.66.

Sanju Samson, a talented cricketer, has not been chosen to play for India in the 2025 Champions Trophy, even though he has been performing really well in T20 matches. His last ODI game was in December 2023, which made some fans worry that he might get overlooked.

Sanju’s father, Samson Viswanath, believes that some people in the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) are against his son, which led to his exclusion. He said, “There are people here in KCA who don’t support my child.”

Sanju missed the chance to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which is a big reason for not making the Indian squad, because he didn’t go to a training camp for the tournament. “We’ve never complained about KCA before, but this is too much. Sanju isn’t the only player who skipped the camp, but others got selected,” said Viswanath.

KCA President Jayesh George had criticized Sanju after the Indian squad was announced. He mentioned that Sanju made himself unavailable for the training camp with just a short message. However, Viswanath said he doesn’t blame the top officials but rather “small people” who create problems.

George was asked if Sanju’s absence from the Vijay Hazare Trophy was the reason for his exclusion from the Indian squad. He replied that they were surprised Sanju didn’t show up since he was expected to lead the team as their white-ball captain. George emphasized that KCA has rules that everyone must follow and pointed out that Sanju can’t just join the team whenever he wants. He reminded everyone that Sanju’s path to the Indian team began with the KCA

New Delhi, India: Zaheer Khan, the mentor for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), believes having many left-handed batsmen can be a good strategy for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. LSG made some big signings last year, making their team strong, especially with left-handed players. They currently have five left-handed batsmen, and it looks like three of them will be in the main lineup. Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, and David Miller are expected to create a strong middle order for the team. While having many left-handers could make their play predictable, Zaheer thinks it’s an advantage. He said, “It’s fine as long as the team has balance and we have enough options.”

Zaheer also shared that they recently named Rishabh Pant as the new captain, taking over from KL Rahul. Zaheer knows Pant well, having worked with him in the past. He believes Pant can unite the team and help create a unique style of play, which he calls “Brand LSG.”

The IPL 2025 season will start on March 21 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, and end on May 25. LSG is the second team to reveal a new captain for this season, following Punjab Kings, who named Shreyas Iyer as their captain.

Kolkata: Axar Patel missed his flight to Australia last November, but now he’s the vice-captain for the T20I series. Even though some decisions seem puzzling, Patel is still here at a time when Indian cricket is changing, giving him a great chance to prove he’s essential for all formats of the game.

In recent years, especially in India, Patel has stepped in as a backup for Ravindra Jadeja. While they have similar skills, Patel has shown he can be as good, if not better. In the 2021-22 Test season, he took five wickets in five matches! His better bowling rate shows he is ready to take over when Jadeja is unavailable, especially in red-ball cricket.

Patel has already played in a T20 World Cup final and was picked for the 2023 ODI World Cup squad, but he got injured and had to step out. Some say it was tricky to decide on Patel’s role when Jadeja was fit, but there were also concerns about Patel’s batting in T20s. However, that has changed.

Now, India is using Patel as a flexible batsman, allowing other players to do the same based on different situations in the game. “It’s not just about me,” Patel shared. “From the start of 2024, we agreed to have a fixed opening position, but for the other batting spots, everyone can switch depending on who is performing best.”

This approach has paid off for Patel. His T20I batting average climbed from 14.25 to 25.15, and his strike rate jumped from 132.55 to nearly 148 since November 2022. In the last two years, he has hit three times more sixes than before.

With Jadeja planning to retire from T20Is after the 2024 final, Patel’s role is becoming even more important. His promotion to vice-captain shows how valuable he is, especially looking ahead to the next T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February-March 2026. Success in this series could further strengthen Patel’s position.

Patel remains calm amid the pressure. “I’ve played all formats and just focus on doing well when I get a chance,” he explained. “I don’t really feel the need to prove myself. I think more about how to seize opportunities than about my place in the team. I know only a few players can be picked, and my spot isn’t guaranteed. I just want to fulfill my role and keep getting better. If I perform, my spot will take care of itself.”