Category: Sports

The Champions Trophy is coming soon, and the excitement is building! Eight teams will compete in this important 50-over cricket tournament. It will take place in Pakistan and Dubai, featuring a total of 15 matches.

Australia is the favorite to win because they recently won the 2023 ODI World Cup and have been doing really well in ICC events. However, India, led by Rohit Sharma, also has a chance after winning the T20 World Cup in 2024, breaking their title drought. Both teams want to collect more trophies!

In a fun advertisement for the Champions Trophy, Australian captain Pat Cummins poked fun at players from other teams, including Virat Kohli. Here are some of his comments:
– “Oi Ben, I am not excited about you.”
– “Hey Pope, you better start praying.”
– “Hey Kohli, I’ve never seen you bat this slowly.”
– “More like Quinton de Block. I’m Pat Cummins, get mean!”

India and Australia are the two teams that have won the Champions Trophy twice. India won in 2013 and shared the title with Sri Lanka in 2002 when the final was canceled. Australia won back-to-back in 2006 and 2009.

Pakistan, the host nation, will also be competing as the defending champion after beating India in the 2017 final.

This tournament is especially important for Kohli, who has faced criticism for not performing well recently. Before the Champions Trophy starts, India will play a three-match ODI series against England. The first match will be on Thursday in Nagpur, followed by two more matches in Cuttack and Ahmedabad.

The Champions Trophy will run from February 19 to March 9 and matches will be held in both Pakistan and the UAE, with India playing in the UAE under a special plan known as a hybrid model.

Shubman Gill, India’s ODI vice-captain, feels sad that Karun Nair was not included in the team for the three-match series against England, even after shining in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Leading the Vidarbha team, Karun Nair scored an impressive 779 runs, with an astonishing average of 389.5. His outstanding performances, which included scores like 112, 163, and 122, even caught the attention of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.

Gill mentioned that while Nair was exceptional, the players currently in the squad have also been doing well. He pointed out that the middle-order batters performed greatly during the 2023 ODI World Cup, helping India reach the final.

“There have only been three ODIs after the World Cup. Players have shown great form, and I don’t see a reason to replace them. The team needs consistency,” Gill explained to reporters before the first ODI against England.

Gill acknowledged the disappointment of not having spots for talented players in domestic cricket but emphasized that it wouldn’t be fair to drop those who are already performing well. “A good team supports its players. If we want to build a strong team, we can’t let insecurity grow among our players,” he said.

Karun Nair is still on a roll, recently scoring a century for Vidarbha in a Ranji Trophy match against Hyderabad.

In the recent fourth T20I match between India and England, there was a lot of talk about a concussion substitute rule. Former Indian player Robin Uthappa said that India might have found a way to use this rule to their advantage, joking that Shivam Dube proved his doubters wrong by performing well as a bowler in the fifth T20I.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen claimed that match referee Javagal Srinath should admit he made a mistake letting Kolkata player’s Rana replace Dube, especially since Rana took three wickets and helped India win. Pietersen wanted to see Dube bowl, and he ended up making a great start, taking a wicket with his first ball against Phil Salt, who was the only England player to score runs easily that day.

“Kevin Pietersen wanted to see Dube bowl, and Dube answered back by taking a wicket right away. There’s confusion around the rules, and the ICC should clear it up,” Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.

Uthappa also praised Dube as a real all-rounder. Although he might bowl a bit slower than Harshit, he’s still effective. In the fourth T20I, Dube was named Player of the Match for scoring 53 runs off 34 balls. He partnered with Hardik Pandya, who also scored 53 runs off 30 balls, rescuing India after they were struggling at 12/3 and 79/5. India totaled 181/9 runs.

England started their chase well, with Ben Duckett and Salt scoring 62 runs together. However, they lost the match by 15 runs due to some risky shots and great bowling from India’s spinners. With this win, India secured the series and then dominated England in the fifth T20I, winning by 150 runs.

In Gqeberha, Rashid Khan, captain of MI Cape Town, shared how he wants to lead his team similarly to how he led Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup. He believes that being familiar with his teammates has made him a better leader. This season, MI Cape Town has performed well after two not-so-great years and is now on top of the points table with 30 points from nine matches, earning a playoff spot.

Rashid, 26, led Afghanistan to a big win over Australia in the Super Eight stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup, helping them reach the semifinals. Before the crucial qualifier against Paarl Royals, he said, “I wanted to lead MI Cape Town like I did with Afghanistan. Coach Robbie Peterson also helped me with this.”

Rashid captained MI Cape Town in their first season but missed last season due to an injury. This year, he feels he knows the players well and has spent more time with them. “Clear communication was key, sharing what’s in the captain’s mind and understanding players’ thoughts,” he added.

He remarked on the noticeable change in the team’s attitude. “Previously, we played good cricket but struggled to finish strong. This year, every player has stepped up and contributed positively. Regardless of how short their time on the field was, they played for the team.”

Rashid praised the bowlers too, saying, “Each bowler has played a part. The most significant change is that we’re enjoying our cricket. We’re focused on having fun rather than stressing about results.”

He also stressed the importance of having a supportive leadership group. “It’s crucial for a captain to have a team of leaders around. Leading the team from another country isn’t easy,” he explained. “This season, everyone knows their roles, which has made my job easier. It’s not just about my decisions; listening to experienced players who know the local conditions is important too.”

Hyderabad, India: The Indian women’s Under-19 cricket team received a warm and cheerful welcome in Hyderabad after winning the ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur. Fans came out in large numbers to celebrate the team’s incredible achievement. The team played excellently, winning all their matches and securing the championship for the second time in a row!

In the final, they beat South Africa by 9 wickets. Team members like Drithi Kesari and Gongadi Trisha were very happy as they spoke about their journey. Drithi was full of joy and said, “I am so happy that our country is on top and has won twice! Virat Kohli inspires me a lot since I began playing cricket, and my family has always supported me.”

Gongadi Trisha stood out in the final match, scoring 44 runs and earning the Player of the Match award. Overall, she scored an impressive 309 runs in the tournament and also took 7 wickets, winning the Player of the Tournament award. With pride in her voice, she said, “Winning the World Cup twice is special, and I thank my parents for their support. Indian cricketer Mithali Raj is my role model.”

Mantravadi Shalini, the Strength and Conditioning Coach at BCCI, praised Trisha, saying, “We knew Trisha would do well. She has been amazing and the highest run-scorer this time.”

After South Africa’s team struggled to score, the Indian bowlers restricted them to just 82 runs. In response, Trisha and teammate Sanika Chalke quickly scored the runs needed with over eight overs left. It was a happy moment for India as they celebrated their victory!

India’s fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, went to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru on Sunday for a medical check-up. He hurt his back during a test match against Australia last month, which made him miss the T20I series against England. He was also not included in the ODI squad for the upcoming games against England starting this week in Nagpur.

A report from the Times of India says that Bumrah, who was picked for the Champions Trophy even with his back injury, will only play in the tournament if he gets a “green light” from doctors after his check-up. The 31-year-old will stay in Bengaluru for several days, while NCA specialists send their updates to Ajit Agarkar, who leads the selection committee.

When the Champions Trophy squad was announced last month, Agarkar didn’t share much about Bumrah’s injury but mentioned that Bamrah asked for about five weeks to rest. This means he won’t play in the first two ODIs against England. The committee will know more about Bumrah’s health in early February, and they may share details with the public.

As all teams have given their provisional squad for the Champions Trophy, they must finalize the list by February 11. Agarkar has only eight days to decide if Bumrah can play. If he can’t, there’s a chance Harshit Rana, who is in the ODI squad for the England series, might take his place.

India will leave for Dubai on February 15, where they will play all their matches for the Champions Trophy.