Category: Sports

  • Gerhard Erasmus Named ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year 2024

    Gerhard Erasmus Named ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year 2024

    Dubai, UAE – Namibia’s cricket captain, Gerhard Erasmus, has been honored as the ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year for 2024. This award recognizes his outstanding performances for his country over the past year.

    Throughout the year, Erasmus showed great skill in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20 Internationals (T20Is). He scored eight half-centuries and was a key player in Namibia’s middle order. The 29-year-old also proved to be a strong bowler, taking important wickets, starting the year with a memorable five-wicket haul against Nepal.

    Erasmus stood out during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where he scored a brilliant half-century against Scotland. He also played a crucial role in his team’s only victory against Oman by shining in the super over. Even when facing tough competition from teams like Australia, Erasmus performed well, scoring 36 runs in a challenging match.

    In 2024, Erasmus recorded nearly equal scores in both formats of the game. In ODIs, he made 364 runs with an average of 33.09 and took 18 wickets. In T20Is, he scored 363 runs with an average of 33.00 and took 18 wickets too.

    One of his best performances was against Scotland during the T20 World Cup, where he scored a quick 52 runs and took two wickets, though his team ultimately lost the match. Erasmus has proven himself to be a fantastic player for Namibia, and his achievements in 2024 have made him a deserving winner of this award.

  • Virat Kohli’s Glorious Return to Ranji Trophy: Free Entry for Fans!

    Virat Kohli’s Glorious Return to Ranji Trophy: Free Entry for Fans!

    Virat Kohli, the famous former captain of India, is coming back to play in the Ranji Trophy! He will join the Delhi team next week at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi to face Railways in their last group match. This is Kohli’s first appearance in this important domestic cricket tournament in 13 years. The last time he played was in November 2012 against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad.

    According to a report from Dainik Jagran, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is preparing for a huge welcome for Kohli’s return. They are increasing security at the stadium and getting ready to let around 10,000 fans in to watch the game. Special areas, like the North End and Old Club House, will be opened for fans. If needed, more seating will be added on the ground floor.

    The best part? Fans will not have to pay for tickets! Everyone can come and watch the match for free.

    Kohli was supposed to play in an earlier match against Saurashtra but had to pull out because his neck was stiff. However, he has confirmed that he will play against Railways starting January 30.

    His return to the Ranji Trophy is part of a new plan by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to encourage top Indian players to take part in domestic matches to stay sharp for national selection. Earlier this week, other big players, including captain Rohit Sharma, also returned to domestic cricket.

    Delhi’s last match against Saurashtra did not go well, and they lost by 10 wickets. They are currently in fifth place in Group D, just behind Railways, and have only won one out of six matches.

  • Sinner vs Zverev: Australian Open 2024 Final Preview and Predictions!

    Sinner vs Zverev: Australian Open 2024 Final Preview and Predictions!

    For the first time in six years, the top two seeds are facing each other in the Australian Open men’s singles final. The last time this happened was in 2019 with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

    This year, Jannik Sinner, the defending champion from the top half of the draw, was expected to reach the final again. But from the bottom half, fans thought either Carlos Alcaraz or Novak Djokovic would make it. Djokovic won against Alcaraz, but he got injured during that match and had to drop out in the semifinals while losing the first set, which allowed Alexander Zverev to step into the final.

    Despite being a bit of a surprise, Zverev is in great form. He’s won 16 out of his last 17 matches since November’s Paris Masters and has been a strong title contender at tournaments, including his last final appearance at Roland Garros in 2024. Importantly, he was the last player to defeat Sinner before Sinner became unbeatable on hard courts.

    Since Sinner lost to Zverev in the fourth round of the 2023 US Open, he has won 20 straight matches in hardcourt tournaments, including last year’s titles at both the Australian Open and the US Open.

    Head-to-Head: Sinner vs. Zverev:
    Zverev leads their match history 4-2, but Sinner won their last encounter in the Cincinnati Masters semifinal. In major tournaments, Sinner has only claimed one victory against Zverev.

    What’s at Stake?
    Zverev aims to be the first German man or woman to win a Grand Slam title in this century. The last to win one was Steffi Graf in 1999. For Sinner, winning would make him the 11th man to successfully defend his Australian Open title, following legends like Djokovic and Federer.

    How Will They Match Up?
    The final will feature intense baseline play, with Zverev’s serves and Sinner’s returns in focus. Sinner has had better serving stats in Melbourne, winning 81% of points on his first serve compared to Zverev’s 78%. Sinner’s strong return game means he needs to attack Zverev’s second serve, which has been weaker in past matches.

    Zverev must play more aggressively and take more risks, especially at the net, instead of waiting for opportunities. Meanwhile, Sinner will want to keep rallies shorter to avoid fatigue, as he has faced cramps during the tournament.

    Who Will Win?
    With Sinner’s winning streak in mind, it’s hard not to favor him.

  • Madison Keys Wins First Grand Slam at Australian Open, Shocks Sabalenka!

    Madison Keys Wins First Grand Slam at Australian Open, Shocks Sabalenka!

    Madison Keys from the United States made history by beating Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus in the final of the Australian Open. Keys won the match with scores of 6-3, 2-6, and 7-5, taking home her very first Grand Slam title at the age of 29.

    This victory was impressive because Keys also defeated the world’s No. 2 player, Iga Swiatek, in the semifinals. In that match, she even saved a match point! With these wins, she became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2005 to beat the top two players in the tournament.

    Keys, who was seeded 19th and ranked 14th in the world, was playing in her second big final after losing at the 2017 U.S. Open. By winning this time, she stopped Sabalenka from winning her third Australian Open title in a row. The last player to do that was Martina Hingis, who won from 1997 to 1999.

  • Inside Virat Kohli’s Stunning Alibaug Home: A Family Retreat

    Inside Virat Kohli’s Stunning Alibaug Home: A Family Retreat

    Since returning to India after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, famous cricketer Virat Kohli has been frequently visiting his beautiful holiday home in Alibaug with his wife, Anushka Sharma. They were spotted taking a boat ride from the Gateway of India to their luxurious house, where they celebrated a special ceremony for their new home.

    Virat and Anushka want their Alibaug home to be a peaceful retreat. In a video shared by Virat, he gave a tour of this stunning house located in a beach town just south of Mumbai. Surprisingly, the living room doesn’t have a TV or entertainment devices. Virat believes this helps create space for family conversations.

    He shared, “The most important thing for me in a holiday home is the feeling you get when you enter. It should make you feel relaxed and peaceful.” The house was designed by the well-known architecture firm SAOTA, led by Phillippe Fouche, and is built to let in a lot of natural light.

    Virat emphasized the importance of family meals, saying he wishes he had done that more as a child. In his words, “What I couldn’t do enough of as a kid, we make sure we focus on now in our home.”

    The entire house is built on a large 10,000-square-foot plot and features four bedrooms in a stylish Californian Konkan design. The estimated value of the villa is around INR 32 crore. Virat said his favorite part of the house is the outdoor space where he enjoys relaxing with a cup of coffee.

    In addition, Kohli uses an app called ‘Avas’ that helps him manage everything about his home easily. He mentioned that even on holidays, he sticks to his diet while enjoying this serene setting.

  • ICC Women’s T20I Team of 2024: Indian Talent Shines Bright!

    ICC Women’s T20I Team of 2024: Indian Talent Shines Bright!

    On Saturday, three Indian cricketers were recognized in the ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year for 2024: Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and Deepti Sharma. This team features players from various countries, but the Indians shined the most. Besides them, the team also includes two players from South Africa and one each from Sri Lanka, England, West Indies, Australia, Ireland, and Pakistan.

    Smriti Mandhana had an impressive year, starting with a great score of 54 against Australia and ending with three half-centuries against the West Indies at home. She scored a total of 763 runs in 23 matches, making her the second-best in ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings. She hit eight half-centuries and had a high score of 77, with an average of 42.38 and a strike rate of 126.53.

    Richa Ghosh excited fans with her powerful batting last year. She began the year with a stunning 64 not out off just 29 balls against the UAE, accumulating 365 runs in 21 games at an average of 33.18 and a jaw-dropping strike rate of 156.65.

    Deepti Sharma played a crucial role for India as an all-rounder. She took 30 wickets this year with an average of 17.80 and an impressive economy rate of 6.01. Her best performances included taking 3 wickets for just 13 runs against Nepal and 3 wickets for 20 runs against Pakistan in the Women’s Asia Cup.

    The ICC team is led by South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, who had fantastic performances, including a memorable not out score of 58 against Australia. Marizanne Kapp, also from South Africa, scored a great 75 against Australia and picked up 11 wickets with her bowling.

    Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu deserves recognition for her two centuries, including 119 not out in the Women’s Asia Cup final against India. The team also includes Hayley Matthews from West Indies, England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Australia’s Melie Kerr, who took 29 wickets and was named Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup. Rounding out the team is Ireland’s Orla Prendergast and Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal.

    ICC Women’s T20I Team of 2024:
    – Laura Wolvaardt (c), Marizanne Kapp (both SA)
    – Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma (all India)
    – Chamari Athapaththu (SL)
    – Hayley Matthews (WI)
    – Nat Sciver-Brunt (Eng)
    – Melie Kerr (Aus)
    – Orla Prendergast (Ire)
    – Sadia Iqbal (Pak)

  • Senior Indian Players Struggling in Ranji Trophy – Aakash Chopra’s Take

    Senior Indian Players Struggling in Ranji Trophy – Aakash Chopra’s Take

    Former cricketer Aakash Chopra recently spoke about the performance of senior Indian players in the Ranji Trophy, a big domestic cricket tournament. Many of these star players, including Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant, didn’t play well during their matches.

    Rohit Sharma, who struggled in Australia, didn’t have a great time in the Ranji Trophy either. In his first innings against Jammu and Kashmir, he only scored 3 runs off 19 balls. In the second innings, he did a little better, scoring 28 runs. This was his best score in first-class cricket since he made 52 runs in a Test against New Zealand last year.

    Chopra also pointed out how Mumbai, despite having big names like Rohit, Yashasvi, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, and Shardul Thakur, was struggling against J&K. He mentioned, “I live close to where the Mumbai vs. J&K match was happening. Even with such a strong team, Mumbai is having a tough time.”

    Chopra noted, “The runs scored in the Ranji Trophy are very low. Stars like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant also didn’t perform well. Pant scored only 1 and 17 runs in two innings, and Delhi lost quickly in just two days.”

    He emphasized how surprising it is that many players who were expected to score runs are getting out. “It’s become a new story in the Ranji Trophy,” he added.

    The only player from India who did really well was Ravindra Jadeja, who took 5 wickets for 66 runs in the first innings and 7 wickets for just 38 runs in the second innings.

  • World Padel League 2024: Teams, Matches, and Players Unveiled!

    World Padel League 2024: Teams, Matches, and Players Unveiled!

    The countdown is on for the World Padel League’s first event in India! It’s happening at the Nesco Center in Mumbai from February 5 to February 8. This thrilling tournament will feature four teams: Sohail Khan Ent. Panthers, SG Pipers Cheetahs, Game Changers Lions, and Vernost Jaguars. Each team will have eight amazing players, including five men and three women from various countries.

    The tournament will kick off with an exciting match. The Vernost Jaguars, with star players Alejandro Arroyo and Alejandra Salazar, will take on the Sohail Khan Ent. Panthers, led by Marta Ortega. The second match of the opening day will see SG Pipers Cheetahs, featuring Claudia Fernandez, battle against Game Changers Lions, with Jon Sanz and Veronica Virseda.

    On February 6, the Sohail Khan Ent. Panthers will face off against the SG Pipers Cheetahs. After that, the Vernost Jaguars will meet the Game Changers Lions. The league will wrap up on February 7 with Game Changers Lions facing Sohail Khan Ent. Panthers first, then the SG Pipers Cheetahs taking on the Vernost Jaguars. The top two teams from all the matches will compete in the finals on February 8.

    Each team will play against every other team in a round-robin format over three days. Each match will have four sets: two men’s doubles, one women’s doubles, and one mixed doubles.

    Teams and Their Players:

    – Sohail Khan Ent. Panthers
    – Men: Carlos Daniel Gutierrez (World No. 19), Javier Barahona (World No. 29), and more.
    – Women: Marta Ortega (World No. 7), Sofia Araujo (World No. 8), and more.

    – SG Pipers Cheetahs
    – Men: Francisco Guerrero (World No. 21), Juanlu Esbri (World No. 25), and more.
    – Women: Claudia Fernandez (World No. 3), Beatriz Gonzalez (World No. 6), and more.

    – Game Changers Lions
    – Men: Jon Sanz (World No. 9), Jairo Bautista (World No. 22), and more.
    – Women: Veronica Virseda (World No. 12), Aranzazu Osoro (World No. 18), and more.

    – Vernost Jaguars
    – Men: Alejandro Arroyo (World No. 18), Lucas Campagnolo (World No. 26), and more.
    – Women: Alejandra Salazar (World No. 15), Tamara Icardo (World No. 17), and more.

    Come join the excitement as the world’s best padel players compete in India!

  • Sinner Advances to Australian Open Final After Overcoming Shelton

    Sinner Advances to Australian Open Final After Overcoming Shelton

    Jannik Sinner, the defending champion, showed great determination in his match against Ben Shelton on Friday. He won with scores of 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-2, and is back in the final of the Australian Open, hoping to win his third Grand Slam title.

    Sinner, who is the top-ranked player and just 23 years old, faced a tough challenge in the first set. He was behind and almost lost it when Shelton served at 6-5. However, Sinner stayed calm, broke Shelton’s serve, and then won the tiebreaker easily. He also started the second set with a break of serve.

    “This first set was very tough, but it was really important,” Sinner said. He managed to extend his winning streak to 20 matches going back to last season.

    In the last two sets, Sinner did have some issues with cramps in his legs, but he kept playing. A trainer helped him by massaging his legs during breaks. Sinner is now the youngest man to reach back-to-back finals at the Australian Open since Jim Courier did it in 1992-93. Interestingly, Courier interviewed Sinner after the match!

    Sinner already won his first major title at the Australian Open last year and followed it up with another win at the U.S. Open in September. He is still waiting for a decision about a doping issue that is being reviewed, with a hearing coming up in April.

    Next, Sinner will compete against No. 2 Alexander Zverev in the final. Zverev reached his third major final after Djokovic had to retire due to injury. “Anything can happen,” Sinner said about Zverev. “He’s an amazing player, and I know it will be a tense match.”

  • Pakistan Eyes Series Sweep in 2nd Test Against West Indies – Jan 25!”

    Pakistan Eyes Series Sweep in 2nd Test Against West Indies – Jan 25!”

    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.