In a delightful twist that had cricket fans buzzing, the legendary Amitabh Bachchan recently turned his gaze toward the Gentlemen's Game during a riveting episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati. Bachchan, known for his unmatched charisma and deep knowledge across myriad topics, posed a particularly tricky question worth INR 6.40 lakh. He challenged the contestant with a question rooted in the changing landscape of Test cricket, a format traditionally perceived as the bastion of patience and skill. 'Which team became the first to score more than 500 runs on the first day of a Test match back in 2022?' The options were a veritable who’s who of international cricket: India, Australia, New Zealand, and England. The answer? England. A cricket question in KBC for 6,40,000. pic.twitter.com/8PP4LZtGi0 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 30, 2024 On December 1, 2022, under the guidance of the audacious Brendon McCullum, England etched their name into the annals of cricket history by amassing a jaw-dropping 506 runs on the opening day of a Test against Pakistan at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The contestant, clearly no stranger to the nuances of cricket, confidently provided the correct answer, much to the delight of viewers. Also Read: Rohit to get mojo back? The show has seen its fair share of bewildering moments, particularly with sports-related queries that leave some contestants scratching their heads in confusion. Take, for example, another cricket-related question that flummoxed a participant recently. When asked a straightforward query, the contestant stumbled over their options like a batsman facing a hostile bowling attack, ultimately failing to identify Nitish Kumar Reddy as the correct answer. In a game where the stakes are high and the knowledge base can vary dramatically, it’s both amusing and slightly tragic to witness such lapses, particularly in a country where cricket is nearly a religion.
30 October,2024 11:59 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentConcerns arose when the BCCI announced on October 25 that speedster Mayank Yadav, who made his international debut in the T20Is against Bangladesh, would miss India’s four-match series against South Africa scheduled from November 8-15, due to injury. Sources have told IANS that Mayank, who took four wickets in India’s 3-0 series victory against Bangladesh, is likely to be sidelined for a few months because of a back problem. Mayank is currently at the BCCI’s newly inaugurated Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. “He’s back here for another problem, which might keep him out for two-three months. Mostly its something related to the back, but there’s not much clarity into it. But then, it’s also something which is believed to keep him out for a considerable amount of time. “The way with which he came here, the first feelers from it are giving a look of him being out for two-three months initially and maybe, it could be more,” said the source to IANS. Also Read: Rohit to get mojo back? Mayank, who hails from Delhi’s renowned Sonnet Cricket Club, underwent extensive rehab and worked on regaining match fitness at the CoE (formerly the NCA) following a lower abdominal strain he suffered while playing for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2024. In that competition, he caught everyone’s attention by bowling rapid three-wicket spells with impressive accuracy and maintaining speeds above 150kmph. Mayank has faced challenges in his cricketing journey due to injuries in the past. He missed IPL 2023 for LSG due to a torn hamstring injury sustained in a practice session ahead of the tournament and had to miss 2023/24 Ranji Trophy entirely because of another injury, for which he underwent rehabilitation in Mumbai. With the IPL retentions deadline coming on October 31, Mayank is a strong contender to be one of the five players retained by LSG, who acquired him for INR 20 lakhs in the auction before the 2022 season. He caught the attention of the franchise when their then assistant coach, Vijay Dahiya, observed him prior to the Delhi-Haryana match in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at Sector 16 Stadium in Chandigarh in December 2021. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 09:40 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSLeft-hand batter Shimron Hetmyer has returned to the squad as West Indies announced the squad for the three-match ODI series against England on Wednesday. Hetmyer hasn't played an ODI for the West Indies since he featured against England at the end of last year, but the 27-year-old is included in a 15-player squad as a direct replacement for fellow batter Alick Athanaze. Shai Hope will once again lead the West Indies during the series as skipper, while young gun Jewel Andrew gets another chance to impress after the 17-year-old recently made his debut against Sri Lanka. Also Read: Rohit to get mojo back? The series commences in Antigua on 31 October and 2 November and concludes in Barbados on 6 November and West Indies coach Daren Sammy is looking forward to the challenge. "Playing against England always provides a new challenge and reignites a rivalry that the players and the people of the Caribbean are eager for. Somehow, we West Indies always find a way to raise our game when we face England." Sammy said as quoted by the ICC. "This rivalry goes back for decades, and after defeating them last year at home for the first time in a long time in an ODI series, we're ready to face the challenge of a strong England squad again. It's always special to play at home, where the local support brings energy and passion to every match. With our sights set on qualifying for the ICC Men's World Cup in 2027, we've selected a balanced squad that will no doubt push and compete with one of the best teams in the world," the former Caribbean skipper added. Series schedule:First ODI: 31 October, Antigua.Second ODI: 2 November, Antigua. Third ODI: 6 November, Barbados. West Indies squad: Shai Hope (c), Jewel Andrew, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 09:26 AM IST | St. John's (Antigua) | ANIBoard of Control for Cricket in India secretary Jay Shah on Tuesday hailed the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian Women's team for "a phenomenal win" against recently-crowned T20 World Cup-winner New Zealand in a three-match ODI series at the Narendra Modi Stadium here. India rode on a superb century by opener Smriti Mandhana and an unbeaten half-century by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur to chase down a target of 233 with 34 balls to spare for a six-wicket win. The bowlers led by off-spinner Deepti Sharma (3-39) and Priya Mishra (2-41) set up the victory by bowling out New Zealand for 232 in 49.5 overs. With the win in the third and final ODI, India clinched the series 2-1, coming back strongly after losing the second match. "A phenomenal win by our Indian Women’s Team against New Zealand! Massive applause for @mandhana_smriti on her century and @ImHarmanpreet for a powerful half-century. With this 2-1 series victory, you’ve made us proud once again!" Jay Shah said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Also Read: Kiwis no match for Smriti India had won the first game by 59 runs against the newly-crowned T20n World Cup winner but lost the next one by 59 runs. All three matches were played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. After New Zealand Women elected to bat first, the Indian bowlers came up with a clinical performance to bowl out the visitors for 232 in 49.5 overs with Brooke Halliday top-scoring for the visitors with 86 off 96 balls, hitting nine boundaries and three maximums. In reply, Mandhana scored an exact hundred off 122 balls while skipper Harmanpreet Kaur hammered an unbeaten 59 off 63 deliveries and keeper-batter Yastika Bhatia contributed 35 as the Indian top order came good to help them reach 236/4 in 44.2 overs and win the match with 34 balls remaining. Mandhana and Harmanpreet shared a crucial partnership of 117 runs that paved the way for India'svictory. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 09:25 AM IST | Ahmedabad | IANSWhen Rohit Sharma set foot in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium for the first time more than two decades back as a teenager, he would hardly have imagined that one day, he would be leading his country in a Test match there. The 37-year-old has captained India previously at the iconic venue where, in his absence, the team lifted the 50-over World Cup trophy in 2011, but to helm the nation in a Test at a ground where he cut his teeth as a cricketer must be special. That century in 2013 In one of those amazing truisms that defy logic, Rohit has played just one of his previous 63 Tests at the Wankhede – in November 2013 against West Indies, only his second Test appearance. It was also Sachin Tendulkar’s final game for India, a fact which almost eclipsed Rohit’s unbeaten 111, his second successive ton since his Test debut. Nearly 11 years on, Rohit will have plenty on his plate when the third Test against New Zealand gets underway on Friday. For one thing, he has become the first Indian captain since Mahendra Singh Dhoni in December 2012 to have overseen a Test series loss at home. For another, tongues are starting to wag about his personal form — in eight innings this home season, he has a highest of 52 and six single-digit scores which, combined with the unbeatable 2-0 advantage the Kiwis hold, has magnified the scrutiny on India’s captain. Also Read: The club that Rohit joined Less than a year back, Rohit masterminded a stirring 50-over World Cup campaign which eventually ended in heartbreak in Ahmedabad. This June, he steered India to their first ICC title since 2013 at the T20 World Cup in Bridgetown. These two events bookended a wonderful come-from-behind 4-1 Test rout of England series at home, Rohit scoring hundreds in two of the last three outings. Providing starts, the key In a world where public memory is short and where Indian defeats, particularly at home, are frowned upon, it is inevitable that these stirring heights will be cast aside and the focus will be on the present. More than anyone else, Rohit will be aware of the need to begin stacking up the scores – not to silence the critics or to prove a point, but to provide the starts his team have desperately lacked for most of the four Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand over the last six weeks. Despite the massive strides he has made as a Test opener since being elevated to that position five years ago, Rohit is still vulnerable, like all batters, on or outside off early in the piece. Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed and Tim Southee (twice) have fired him out with the new ball; Rohit will want to get his own back in front of his home crowd and settle into a nice rhythm ahead of the five-Test series in Australia from next month. Familiarity with the red-clay strip at the Wankhede should be his ally. Rohit hasn’t been one for numbers or individual accomplishments, but it won’t be the worst idea if the skipper chooses to knuckle down and add to his tally of 12 Test centuries.
30 October,2024 07:19 AM IST | Mumbai | R KaushikCharismatic India batter Smriti Mandhana finally played a knock befitting her calibre as India defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the deciding game to seal the three-match Women’s ODI series 2-1 here on Tuesday. Mandhana (100 off 122 balls), who wasn’t able to showcase her class at the top of the order in the two previous games, made her 8th ODI hundred century, the most by an Indian in the format. India coasted to the 233 run target in 44.2 overs. New Zealand had recovered to reach 232 for five from a precarious 88-5 courtesy Brooke Halliday (86 off 96 deliveries). Coming into the decider, Mandhana had only scored five runs in the two previous games and was even off coloured in the preceding T20 World Cup, but her 123-ball stay at the crease, and her 118-run partnership with captain Harmanpreet Kaur (59 not out off 63) formed the cornerstone of the easy win. Mandhana lost opening partner Shafali Verma (12) early but wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia (35) played an ideal foil for the senior teammate as they stitched together a 76-run partnership. Yastika departed trying to play a fuller ball outside off but ended up giving a return catch to New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine. Her departure brought Harmanpreet to the crease and the partnership with Mandhana flourished, with the latter smashing 10 boundaries. By the time Mandhana departed on 209, bowled by right-arm pacer Hannah Rowe in the 41st over, she had virtually accomplished the task for India. Also Read: 'We wanted to win series at any cost': Kaur Halliday shines for NZ Earlier, New Zealand middle-order batter Halliday struck a 96-ball 86 and lifted New Zealand to a fighting total. To start with, the Indian bowlers fired in unison and had the visitors in all sorts of trouble with their disciplined line and length. Looking to win the series and regain some lost ground after their early exit in the T20 World Cup, India began the match in earnest and struck twice to leave the Kiwis at 25 for two in 7.1 overs. Jemimah Rodrigues and wicket-keeper Yastika combined to run out Suzie Bates while Lauren Down was jettisoned by Saima Thakor at the start of eighth over.Introduced in the 11th over, young leg-spinner Priya Mishra (2-41 in 10 overs) gave India a major breakthrough when she bowled New Zealand captain Sophie Devine (9 off 11 balls), leaving the visitors in a spot of bother 36 for three. Also Read: Women's cricket in Asia struggles to match Western standards Mishra dismisses Plimmer New Zealand’s hopes of putting up a competitive score rested on the shoulders of Georgia Plimmer, who dropped anchor considering the situation her team found itself in. However, having ambled to 39, Plimmer was dismissed by Mishra. 8This is Smriti Mandhana’s eighth ODI ton, the most by an Indian This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 07:11 AM IST | Ahmedabad | PTIIndia captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Tuesday said her team wanted to win the three-match Women’s ODI series against New Zealand “at any cost” after a forgettable outing in the recent T20 World Cup. T20 World Cup failure India failed to reach the semi-finals of the T20 showpiece in the UAE and entered the third and final ODI against the Kiwis with the series tied at 1-1 here. Smriti Mandhana (100 off 122 balls), who wasn’t able to showcase her class at the top of the order in the two previous games, made her 8th ODI hundred century, the most by an Indian in the format, while Kaur remained not out on 59 as India won the match by six wickets. “It was important for us as we wanted to win this series at any cost,” Kaur said at the post-match press conference. She added, “As I said in the morning, we discussed a lot of things and really happy we could execute today. Whenever we play, we always want to give our 100 per cent but sometimes things don’t go your way. “As a professional cricketer you have to keep pushing yourself and keep going. We discussed these things in the team meeting so really happy we could come back after that loss in the last game.” Also Read: Women's cricket in Asia struggles to match Western standards The captain praised Mandhana for her fine knock, which paved the way for a successful chase of a target of 233. “Would like to give credit to Smriti, she was struggling early on but she managed to get runs. Really happy about our partnership.” She also said the team needs to work a lot more to become the best fielding side in the world. ‘Fielding needs work’ “Always talking about our fielding, that’s an area we need to keep working hard. We are working hard but just waiting for the results till the time we can be the best fielding side.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 06:21 AM IST | Ahmedabad | PTIEngland included uncapped spin bowling all-rounder Jacob Bethell in a 16-man squad announced on Tuesday for their upcoming Test tour of New Zealand, with wicketkeeper-batsman Jamie Smith omitted due to paternity leave. Barbados-born Bethell, who made his T20 and ODI debuts against Australia last month, has only featured in 20 first-class matches and has a modest batting average of 25.44, without a century in any form of professional cricket. Bethell is the only change to a Test squad recently beaten 2-1 in a three-match series away to Pakistan. Also Read: Shakeel’s ton puts England in trouble He is currently with the England white-ball squad in the Caribbean and, along with Rehan Ahmed and Jordan Cox, will join the Test team following their commitments against the West Indies. Essex wicketkeeper Cox is now in line to make his Test debut in the absence of Smith, who will miss the three-match series which starts in Christchurch on November 28 to attend the birth of his first child. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 06:13 AM IST | London | AFPFormer Pakistan cricketer and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja feels that star batter Babar Azam has yet to achieve his best in the Test format. Babar was rested for the last two Tests against England after his poor form. Also Read: Internet abuzz with trolls as Babar Azam resigns from white-ball captaincy “I feel Babar has to achieve a lot more in Test cricket. He plays the white-ball format really well, has an average of 50-plus in both the formats [T20I and ODI],” said Raza on his YouTube channel. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 06:12 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSTony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs put South Africa in command on 307-2 and left Bangladesh floundering after day one of the second and final Test in Chattogram on Tuesday. Both men made their maiden Test hundreds in a second-wicket partnership of 201 after the visitors won the toss and chose to take first use of a good batting pitch as they eye a series sweep. De Zorzi was unbeaten at stumps on 141, with 10 fours and three sixes, and will resume alongside David Bedingham on 18. Stubbs played a more conservative innings and hit the mark on his 194th ball by cutting Mominul Haque to the covers for a single. Brief scoresSA 307-2 (T de Zorzi 141*, T Stubbs 106; T Islam 2-110) v Bangladesh This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 06:11 AM IST | Chittagong | AFPThe Group A match between Mumbai and Tripura ended in a draw with the reigning champions earning three points by virtue of the first-innings lead. Mumbai, who were reduced to 7-2 at close on Day Three on Monday, declared their second innings at 123 for 6 on Tuesday, setting their opponents a 272-run target. India batter Ajinkya Rahane, who remained unbeaten on 48 off 90 balls, halted Mumbai’s slide after they were reduced to 44-5 at one stage. Tripura were 48 without loss at the end of day’s play. Also Read: From prodigal talent to fitness issues: Prithvi Shaw’s rise and falling apart Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh batter Rajat Patidar reignited his domestic season in stunning fashion, blasting the fifth fastest hundred in Ranji Trophy history in just 68 balls against Haryana. Patidar’s ton also lifted his team’s chances in their third-round clash in Indore. Brief scoresMumbai 450 & 123-6d (A Rahane 48*; A Sarkar 3-31, M Murasingh 2-11) draw against Tripura 302 & 48-0 (B Das 32, J Singh 16) This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 06:11 AM IST | Aurangabad | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
