Category: Sports

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.

On a special Thursday in Australia, Afghanistan’s women cricketers played their first match since escaping the Taliban three years ago. Captain Nahida Sapan hopes this game will inspire change for women everywhere.

In August 2021, when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, many female athletes had to flee the country. They faced strict rules that stopped them from playing sports and getting an education. Most of the women from the national cricket team settled in Australia, where they got together for the first time to play a charity match in Melbourne.

“We’re not just a team; we’re a movement for change,” Captain Sapan shared before the game. “We have big dreams for this match because it can help Afghan women have better education and opportunities in sports.”

In November 2020, the Afghanistan Cricket Board began offering contracts to 25 talented women cricketers. Sadly, before they could play together, the Taliban took control of Kabul and banned women from cricket.

Cricketer Firooza Amiri expressed how special it was to be back with her teammates after losing so much in Afghanistan. “We’re here to represent millions of Afghan women who are denied their rights,” she said.

Of the 25 women who had contracts, 22 now live in Melbourne and Canberra. Some players want to create a refugee team with official support from the International Cricket Council (ICC). They hope this will allow all Afghan women to unite and represent their country, as expressed in a letter they wrote last year.

Unfortunately, the ICC has not responded to their requests. The charity match took place at Melbourne’s Junction Oval, a famous cricket ground. The Afghan team played against a representative team from Cricket Without Borders, which encourages young women to get involved in cricket.

Cricket Australia has supported this match and promised to promote the Afghan women’s team on bigger stages. “I am extremely proud of everyone in Australian cricket who has helped the players since they arrived here,” said Cricket Australia’s chief Nick Hockley.

Due to human rights issues, Australia has not played several matches against the male Afghan cricket team in recent years.

Former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli is about to play in his first domestic match since 2012! He will join the Delhi team for their last Ranji Trophy game of the 2024/25 season against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Although Delhi is not going to the next round, many fans are excited to see Kohli back in action, making this a special event.

Kohli recently practiced in Alibaug with former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar before heading to Delhi. He focused on improving his batting skills, especially since he has faced some criticism for his performance in India’s last two Test series. Kohli had a great time and enjoyed being with his new teammates.

Despite being a huge star, Kohli remains down-to-earth. Delhi’s team manager, Mahesh Bhati, who coached Kohli when he was a young player, shared a funny story. During practice, even though he was offered help, Kohli carried his own kit bag. Bhati explained, “He is still the same Virat for everyone.” Kohli said, “It’s my gear; I’ll carry it myself,” showing that he hasn’t changed much.

Bhati also talked about the fun they had joking together during practice. They reminisced about the past, and Kohli even asked, “Don’t boys play on matting anymore?” to which Bhati laughed and responded, “You won’t find matting anywhere in Delhi anymore.” Kohli remembered how much fun it was to play on mats and how enjoyable hitting pull shots felt!

New Delhi: After being away for 12 years, Virat Kohli returned to play for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, and it felt like he had never left. When he arrived at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, everyone could feel a special energy in the air. The buzz among the staff and media was different, especially for those who have been in cricket for a long time.

Kohli arrived on time, showing the kind of discipline the team hasn’t seen in years. The practice on Tuesday was full of excitement and focus, much different from the usual routine. Delhi, currently sixth in their group, has a match against Railways coming up, and suddenly everyone’s paying attention.

The practice started with the team warming up and playing football. Kohli reconnected with Mahesh Bhati, the team’s manager, who had seen him grow as a player. Kohli was focused during his batting practice, working with younger players like Ayush Badoni. He faced different bowlers, spending time on his timing and footwork.

During the practice, Kohli focused on avoiding getting out and practiced how to handle the ball better. Many people watched, including an eight-year-old boy named Kabir. Kabir’s father, who played cricket with Kohli in their younger days, encouraged his son to learn from the star. After practice, Kohli took time to talk to Kabir and signed his drawing, telling him to do his best.

Kohli finished his training by joining his teammates for catching practice. This is the last Ranji game of the season for Delhi, and it’s uncertain if Kohli will continue to support his home team in the future. But this week, his return to the Ranji Trophy is a reminder of how much he can inspire young players.

For many young cricketers in Delhi, meeting Virat Kohli is a dream come true. Except for Navdeep Saini, no one on the Delhi team has shared a dressing room with the superstar. When Kohli came back to play a first-class game for the first time since 2012, everyone was thrilled. The streets around the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground buzzed with excitement before the Ranji Trophy match against Railways.

Usually, not many people attend Ranji Trophy matches, but Kohli’s presence brought in a crowd. Even during practice, excitement was in the air. Kohli told the young players to show their Delhi spirit and play confidently despite having a tough season. Delhi is currently in 6th place with only 14 points, so they can’t qualify for the next rounds, but finishing strong would be a great goal, especially with Kohli in the team.

How was Kohli’s first practice session with Delhi after 12 years? For the younger players, it was a memorable moment, but for Kohli, it felt like just another day. He kicked things off with a 35-minute warm-up, including a bit of football and some light sprints.

When it was time for batting practice, Kohli encouraged captain Ayush Badoni to continue batting before it was his turn. He practiced for almost an hour, focusing on pull shots, and then faced some spinners and fast bowlers. Kohli looked very comfortable, especially as he worked on playing balls close to the line. With the Champions Trophy coming up, this was good practice for him.

Kohli appreciated the quality of the practice pitches, giving credit to the young curator. After the practice, he said he enjoyed batting and wanted to come back the next day, making it an exciting time for everyone involved