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India Vs Pakistan
BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla on Wednesday said it is very categorical and clear that resumption of bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan is subjected to Indian government's clearance. The senior BCCI official, who is here on the invitation of the Pakistan Cricket Board to watch the Champions Trophy semifinal between New Zealand and South Africa, also said India team doesn't depend on favourable pitches to excel. As far as you are asking about (cricket) between the two countries, it is very categorical and clear that it is the (Indian) government's decision. Whatever the government of India says, we will go as per them," Shukla told the Pakistan media on Wednesday. Pakistan is hosting an international tournament after a long time and it is a good thing. They have organised it well, he added. While Shukla agreed the fans from both countries want bilateral ties to be resumed, he did not sound positive on the idea of playing at a neutral venue. It is true that fans from bo
Former Pakistan women's captain Sana Mir has joined the chorus of criticism against the men's cricket team for its early exit from the Champions Trophy, saying that even a talisman like Mahendra Singh Dhoni cannot change the fortunes of the embattled side. Hosts Pakistan were eliminated from the ongoing eight-team Champions Trophy after humiliating defeats to New Zealand and arch-foes India. "The 15 that have been selected (in Champions Trophy squad), even if you make MS Dhoni or (former Pakistan skipper) Younis Khan captain, nobody can do anything to the team because it has not been selected on the basis of the playing conditions," said Mir on 'Game On Hai' programme. The Mohammad Rizwan-led Pakistan team has also received flak from the fans in Pakistan for the way they capitulated to a six-wicket loss to India in the marquee clash in Dubai. "I was watching the match when I got a message from a friend that India are 100 for 2 'I think it's over'. So, I said the match was over when
Pakistan's cricket team continued to invite scathing criticism a day after being knocked out of the Champions Trophy with the great Sunil Gavaskar saying that it would struggle to beat even a second-string Indian team. India, the 2023 ODI World Cup finalists, defeated defending champions Pakistan by six wickets in the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday, continuing their dominance over the arch-rivals. "I think a B team (from India) certainly (can give Pakistan a run for their money). C team, I am not too sure. But a B team will be very, very hard to beat for Pakistan in their current form," Gavaskar said on 'Sports Today'. Pakistan, hosting an ICC tournament for the first time since 1996, were knocked out of the Champions Trophy after New Zealand beat Bangladesh in another Group A match. Pakistan are still winless in the event. Since winning the Champions Trophy in 2017, Pakistan's cricketing fortunes have declined, with the team finishing fifth in the last two ODI World Cups. "I
Pace legend Shoaib Akhtar didn't pull any punches as he blasted Pakistan's "brainless, and clueless" team management following the six-wicket loss to India in the Champions Trophy, saying the side entered the tournament without any "clear direction". Pakistan suffered their second consecutive loss in the event on Sunday. They had lost to New Zealand in the opener and their chances of advancing are now hanging by a thread. "I am not disappointed at all (by the defeat to India) because I knew what would happen," Akhtar said in a short video on his X account. "You can't select five bowlers? the whole world is playing six bowlers you go with two all-rounders, this is just brainless and clueless management." The former quick blamed the management for selecting a side that lacked the necessary skills and understanding to compete at the highest level. "I am really disappointed. We can't blame the kids (Pakistan players); The players are just as clueless as the team management is! They d
As Virat Kohli neared his century against Pakistan, India's Axar Patel turned into a human calculator, crunching numbers and silently praying he didn't edge the ball at the other end, all to make sure the superstar reached his milestone. Axar walked in to bat with India needing 19 runs to win and Kohli unbeaten on 86. "At the end, actually main bhi thoda maths kar raha tha unke hundred ke liye (Even I was doing the math for his hundred towards the end). I was hoping that I don't edge the ball or something. So, it was quite fun," Axar said in video posted by ICC. However, Shaheen Afridi bowled three wides in the 42nd over, making Kohli's path to the century a bit trickier. At one point, Axar was even booed for taking a single, as fans wanted Kohli to get maximum strike. With Kohli stranded on 96 and India needing just two runs to win, skipper Rohit Sharma cheekily gestured for him to finish the game with a six. Acknowledging the call, Kohli, instead of going for a maximum, elegant
Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli admitted that his trademark cover drive puts him in a "catch-22" situation as it has been a weakness lately but playing the shot gives him control over the innings. Kohli crafted a memorable unbeaten century against Pakistan, steering India to a six-wicket win. His 111-ball masterclass featured the cover drive prominently, a shot that has in recent time led to his downfall but remains a signature weapon in his arsenal. "It's a 'catch-22'. I mean, it's (cover drive) kind of been my weakness as well over the years, but I've scored a lot of runs on that shot," Kohli said in a video posted by BCCI. "I think today was just about backing my shots and I think the first couple of boundaries I got were cover drives on the rise, so I really had to just let it go a little bit and take a bit of risk and follow through with my shots. "Because when I hit that kind of shots, then I feel in control when I bat out there. So, it was a good innings for me personally
Impressed by Shubman Gill's range of strokes and technique, former players Sanjay Bangar and Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday earmarked the 25-year-old as the one who will lead the Indian team's batting in the years to come. Gill made a fluent 46 in India's six-wicket win over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy here on Sunday, following up his classy match-winning hundred in their tournament opener against Bangladesh. "Clearly, he's the guy who is going to shoulder the responsibility of the Indian team going forward in years to come," Bangar said JioHotstar. Speaking about the 25-year-old's technique, Bangar said, "(His) foundations are really, really strong and add to that the confidence of nearly two-and-a-half years of performing in one-day cricket. In one-day cricket, he's been phenomenal." "Now look, the straight drive, the on-drive are the shots wherein you cannot actually hit the ball really hard. But here, he was hitting the ball so hard that despite the mid-off and the mid-on ..
Indian superstars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should be allowed to continue playing and decide their future in international cricket, believes former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed. Questions loomed over the future of India's captain Rohit and senior batter Kohli after consecutive Test series loss to New Zealand and Australia, where both struggled to get going. "People should not even talk about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Their performances have been outstanding for India," Ahmed told reporters here on Sunday. "Virat Kohli has won those matches for India, and I have seen it with my own eyes, you can't imagine, the kind of performances he has produced for India. "The same goes for Rohit Sharma. The way he is leading the team. He led the team outstandingly in the 2023 (ODI) World Cup and won the T20 World Cup." Ahmed said Virat and Rohit will say their goodbyes to cricket when they think is the right time but until then, India should make their teams "around them". "Let them p
Virat Kohli said his plan was to attack the pacers and take less risk against the spinners in the high-pressure Champions Trophy clash against Pakistan here on Sunday and having steered the team home with a sparkling hundred, his 36-year-old body is happy to get a week-long break before the next game. India's six-wicket win against arch-rivals has almost sealed a semifinal spot for the side and all but knocked the hosts out of the tournament. Kohli got majority of his runs from running the quick singles and doubles as he collected only seven fours in his 100 not out off 111 balls. "At 36, a week off is very good. It takes a lot out of me to put in that much effort," said the superstar referring to the last group A clash against New Zealand on March 2. He completed his 51st ODI hundred with a four off the last ball of the match. Heading into the high-stakes game, Kohli had his fair share of struggles against the spinners. "It feels good to bat in that manner in an important game, w