Former West Indies bowling all-rounder Sunil Narine is having a great run at the IPL 2024 and won't come out of retirement for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. The global showpiece is set to begin in June. Narine last represented West Indies in August 2019 and retired in November last year. He now focuses only on the T20 franchise's league around the world. Following his form with the bat and ball in the IPL 2024 for Kolkata Knight Riders, attempts were made to convince Narine to come out of retirement for the T20 World Cup 2024. Also Read: IPL 2024 | "It was well put together, great cricketing shots": Lara on Jaiswal "I'm truly flattered and humbled that my performances recently have moved many people to publicly express their wish for me to come out of retirement and play in the upcoming T20 World Cup," Narine wrote in an Instagram post. He asserted that he has made peace with his decision and will be supporting the team from home. "I have made peace with that decision and whilst I never wish to disappoint, that door is now closed and I will be supporting the guys who take the field in June for West Indies. "Guys who have worked hard over the past few months and deserve to show our wonderful fans that they are capable of winning another title. I wish you all the best," he added. He has been representing KKR since 2012 and is in the seventh position of the leading run-scorer in the IPL 2024. So far, he has scored 286 runs including a century against Rajasthan Royals. With the ball, the off-spinner is KKR's joint-leading wicket-taker with nine scalps at an average of 22.11 and an economy rate of 7.10. Narine's purple patch has compelled West Indies captain Rovman Powell to encourage the spinner to come out of retirement for the home World Cup. "For the last 12 months, I've been whispering in his ears, he's blocked out everyone. Asked (Kieron) Pollard, (Dwayne) Bravo, (Nicholas) Pooran, hopefully before they select the team, they can crack his code," Powell had said last week. (With PTI Inputs)
23 April,2024 03:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentDuring the IPL 2024 match between Rajasthan Royal and Mumbai Indians, Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a match-winning century. West Indies legend Brian Lara was impressed by the shots displayed by Jaiswal during the IPL 2024 match against MI. Jaiswal scored his first century of the IPL 2024 to help his team beat MI at the Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium. "Yeah, beautiful. But the fact of the matter is, he's taking his time, looking at the ball right from up at the back, and he's playing cricketing shots. He's got all the stuff, he doesn't have to worry about it," Lara said on Star Sports Cricket Live. Opening the innings for Rajasthan, Jaiswal smashed an unbeaten 104 runs in just 60 balls including 9 fours and 7 sixes. He played several crispy strokes during his knock. "And when you do get on top of the bowlers, that's when you take it back, because that's what I love about Yashasvi. Also Read: IN PHOTOS | Indian Premier League: Most wickets in history "It was well put together, great cricketing shots, he's managed throughout the innings, and anyone knows, if you're chasing such a good total, at Jaipur and you bounce through the innings, you're soon as going to get there. "So he's shown a lot of responsibility, a lot of maturity, and I'm very happy to have him back."Medium pacer Sandeep Sharma starred with the ball of RR. He wreaked havoc in the MI camp with the ongoing IPL season's best bowling performance 5 for 18. "Very, very big impact, and also mentioned the fact that he went unsold a couple of years ago, and came in as a replacement player, and this man is cherishing every moment he has out in the middle." Sharma had gone unsold at the auction two years ago. RR signed him as a replacement for Prasidh Krishna and the 30-year-old is repaying the faith. "Every cricketer in India wants to play in the IPL, and they want to play continuously, and that disappointment of not being selected in an IPL auction, he's now repaying Rajasthan Royals for their belief in him, he is a true professional. "I've watched him over the years, he's not express-paced, he's not, you know, one of the boys that, you know, everyone talks about, but he gets the job done every time he goes out in the middle, and he's just that consummate professional that every team likes to have in their ranks," Lara said. With the win, RR consolidated their top spot and inched closer to the IPL 2024 playoffs and former Australia skipper Aaron Finch lauded Sanju Samson's leadership skill. "He's leading the side unbelievably well, you can see how calm RR are when they're under pressure. And the only game they lost was when they had that meltdown against GT right at the back end of the game, so they've been so clinical right throughout this IPL and a lot of credit has to go to Sanju for that," Finch said. (With PTI Inputs)
23 April,2024 01:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMark Chapman hit an undefeated 87 to lead New Zealand to a shock seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the third Twenty20 international in Rawalpindi on SundayChapman, 29, smashed his runs off 42 balls to anchor New Zealand’s chase of a 179-run target in 18.2 overs against a much-vaunted Pakistan bowling attack, silencing a packed 16,000-strong holiday crowd. Shadab Khan (41) and Babar Azam (37) were the main contributors in Pakistan’s 178-4 after the hosts were sent in to bat. Tim Robinson hit 28 off 19 balls and Tim Seifert 21 off 16 to set the tone for NZ’s chase. Pakistan won the second game by seven wickets while the first match was washed out. Also Read: ‘We need middle-order to get more runs’ 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
23 April,2024 07:30 AM IST | Rawalpindi | AFPPunjab Kings’ bowling coach Charl Langeveldt has urged his middle-order batters to step up and “get more runs on the board” following their three-wicket loss to Gujarat Titans in the IPL here. Also Read: Waist of a wicket! Punjab Kings made brisk start to reach 45 for no loss in five overs but their innings went downhill thereafter as they lost 7 for 47 runs to be all out for 142. GT overhauled the target in 19.1 overs. It was their sixth loss in eight games. “Disappointing. Players are hurt as well as the staff and the fans. We showed a lot of character with the ball. We had a good Powerplay with the bat for the first time in three games but in the middle period, their spinners were too quality for our batters and we struggled. We just need middle order upfront to get more runs,” Langeveldt said. 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
23 April,2024 07:25 AM IST | Mullanpur | PTIThe controversy surrounding Virat Kohli’s dismissal during Sunday’s match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has gone viral on social media. The RCB opener was ruled out caught and bowled off a Harshit Rana full toss, which the batsman felt should have been called a no-ball. Former cricketers too have joined the fray with their expert opinions, and the striking aspect of all this is the lack of convergence. There seems to be as many thumbs ups as thumbs downs to the third umpire’s decision—a verdict whose perceived impact on the match magnified many times in the wake of RCB’s last-ball defeat by the narrowest of margins—one run. A legal delivery: Pathan While the likes of former India batters Navjot Singh Sidhu and Mohammad Kaif are crying “not out,” former India pacer Irfan Pathan interprets the rule, declaring Kohli “out”. Also Read: IPL 2024: Unpredictable LSG to face in-form CSK at Chidambaram RCB opener Virat Kohli is dejected after being dismissed off a high full-toss at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Sunday. Pics/AFP “If it was a fast delivery, it would’ve been deemed to be above waist height, but this was a slower one that was dipping. It was a legal delivery,” Irfan reasoned.Sidhu questioned the technology and the trajectory it proffered, showing the ball would have passed the popping crease at a height of 0.92 meters, below Kohli’s waist height of 1.04m as per pre-tournament measurements that have been taken by the organisers. Sidhu went on to take the debate to another space by bashing the new technology-aided decision for as having legalised the beamer. “In our times, bowlers apologised if they accidently delivered one [beamer],” he said. “If you have to change something [read rules], it should be for the better,” he added. May have got away, says Salt Phil Salt, KKR’s dashing opener, was close to the action and knew how close a call this one was. “Feels like we may have got away with one there,” said the wicketkeeper on Monday before Knight Golf, KKR’s annual charity project. “It’s new to the game; maybe in 12 months time there’ll be a review to find out whether it’s working or not. From a player’s point of view, any time you are using data and technology, it’s good for the game,” he added. Ironically, the use of tracking technology was aimed at removing such controversies by being precise and bereft of human error. Who knew there would still be so much grey and grouse?
23 April,2024 07:20 AM IST | Kolkata | Arup ChatterjeeRevenge will be on defending champions Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) minds when they host an unpredictable Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) here in their reverse IPL fixture on Tuesday with both the teams desperate to break out of the mid-table logjam. The last time the two teams faced off in Lucknow last week, KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock put up a record opening partnership which proved to be the difference as LSG joined CSK at eight points in the IPL standing. The Super Kings have been a force to be reckoned with at home and they will look to set the record straight this time. Following the away loss, CSK will be eager to redeem themselves in the three consecutive home ties to march towards the playoffs. Also Read: IPL 2024: Despite underwhelming show, KKR CEO Venky Mysore backs Starc For CSK, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube have done bulk of the scoring and their failure against LSG meant they didn’t get a flying start and also struggled in the middle overs. While opener Rachin Ravindra’s form is a concern, CSK also promoted Ajinkya Rahane as the opener and as a result, Gaikwad pushed himself a spot down to three. Having scored three 50-plus scores as an opener so far, it would once again be a tricky call for Gaikwad to whether stick to the latest shuffle or promote himself back to the top. While Ravindra Jadeja stepped up with a composed fifty, which allowed Moeen Ali and MS Dhoni to produce the late fireworks and give the team a fighting total, CSK would hope their top-order gets their act together before they face LSG again. CSK’s bowling unit was at their wits end against the rampaging duo of Rahul and Quinton the other day. Young Matheesha Pathirana was their best bowler but the onus will be on pacers Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande and Mustafizur Rahman to produce a better show when they face the same opposition again. 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
23 April,2024 07:15 AM IST | Chennai | PTIUnder scrutiny for his poor show in the ongoing season, IPL’s costliest buy Mitchell Starc on Monday received the backing of Kolkata Knight Riders’s (KKR) managing director and CEO Venky Mysore, who said they don’t think of him from an “investment standpoint”. KKR had bought Starc for a record R24.75 crore, but it always came with a caveat as the Aussie left-arm quick had limited experience in the shortest format and was making a comeback to IPL after nine years. “He’s a superstar and he’s a quality player,” Mysore said on the sidelines of Knight Golf event at RCGC here. Also Read: IPL 2024: Sandeep's fifer, Jaiswal's century help RR beat MI by 9 wickets “We don’t think of it from an investment standpoint, because you go to the auction and things happen in the auction, which is not in the hands of the player, nor is it in the hands of anybody else. “We just felt that an addition to the team like Starc would add a lot of value, which it has.” Starc’s rustiness in the T20 format came to fore as he conceded 100 runs without taking any wicket from his eight overs in the first two matches. “There are times when games are up and down. Everybody gets taken to the cleaners at times, and there are other times they come and just do their thing and win games,” he said. 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
23 April,2024 07:10 AM IST | Kolkata | PTISandeep Sharma announced his comeback from an injury with brilliant figures of 5-18, the best by any bowler in this season’s IPL before Yashasvi Jaiswal returned to form with a 59-ball century as host Rajasthan Royals ended their home leg with a nine-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians at Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Monday night. The Royals concluded their campaign in Jaipur with a seventh decisive victory in eight games, solidifying their position atop the table. Jaiswal sealed the Rajasthan's chase with a boundary after, Mumbai Indians set a middling target of 180 that hinged on a 99-run fifth-wicket stand between Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera. Prior to a 30-minute rain delay, Jaiswal had 31 from 18 balls and then converted his first fifty of a challenging season into a towering 104 not out from 60 balls. With the in-form Jos Buttler (35 from 25) Jaiswal added 74 runs in eight overs and 109 in 65 deliveries with skipper Sanju Samson. Tim David's horrendous reprieve at midwicket on 19 was the turning point for Mumbai. At 50, Jaiswal had also suffered a significant setback when, from deep cover, Wadhera missed a leading-edge swipe that went over the rope for six. Mumbai's two standout bowlers encapsulated their performance on Monday night. Gerald Coetzee bowled like the wind in his one Power-play over, clearly troubling Jaiswal with his pace of over 150 kph, especially with a top-edged draw that sailed over the keeper for four, after being worked up by a first-ball slap for six. However, Hardik Pandya did not give him another over until late, by which time the match was already gone and he again got a well-set batter to falter. Also Read: Gukesh has arrived, and how! Jasprit Bumrah was also kept back too late in the chase, and even though he bowled with unmatched vigour upfront—including a two-run opening over to curb Buttler's early intentions, his comeback over was not successful. After a first ball no-ball and a second ball wide on height, Jaiswal blasted the rolled-over free hit for six to complete a 16-run over, which was Bumrah's most costly of an outstanding season. Earlier, Sandeep Sharma caused maximum damage in the Mumbai Indians' innings and returned with stunning figures of 5-18--the best by an Indian bowler for the Royals, and on his return from injury too as Rajasthan restricted Mumbai to 179/9 after just nine runs came in the final two overs. After early setbacks resulted in them being restricted to 45/3 in Power-play, Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera rebuilt the innings with a steady stand partnership as Ravichandran Ashwin completed his four overs for 31 runs and went wicketless once more having claimed just one in the tournament to date. Varma completed his fifty in 38 balls -- and at 21 years and 166 days, he is the third youngest to reach 1000 runs in IPL. Before that Yuzvendra Chahal reached the milestone of 200 wickets--first bowler in the history of IPL. Chahal's third ball gripped on a good length as Mohammad Nabi closed the face on the front foot, and it was a simple lob catch back into his waiting hands that brought up his 200th IPL wicket. Only two other men have previously reached 200 wickets in a T20 competition -- Danny Briggs (219) and Samit Patel (208), both in England's T20 Blast. Mumbai Indians were 72 for 4 after 10 overs. Chahal came back with his third over of his spell and was taken into remand as Wadhera and Tilak hammered him for 20 runs (the most expensive of the inning). After Tilak’s first ball six, Wadhera took it upon himself to lead the celebrations with two more sixes in a very significant over. Mumbai were 151 for 4 after 16 overs. Boult came back into attack for his last over of the spell and broke the big partnership of 99 runs between Wadhera and Verma. It was an attempted uppercut from Wadhera, looking to reach his own fifty, but the returning Trent Boult outfoxed him with the slower short ball. Nehal Wadhera got out scoring 49 in 24 deliveries. It was a very timely strike from Avesh Khan, who aimed full and straight with Hardik Pandya shuffling to the off-side and nailed him plumb in front with the fast full-toss. Mumbai Indians' captain got out for a run-a-ball 10. It was a superb over from Avesh as just six runs came from it. Avesh nailed his length perfectly, and one ball later, Varma holed out to deep mid-on on the first ball of Sandeep's final over. Varma got out after scoring 65 in 45 deliveries. Brief scores:Mumbai Indians 179/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 65, Nehal Wadhera 49; Sandeep Sharma 5-18, Trent Boult 2-32) lost to Rajasthan Royals 183/1 in 18.4 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 104 not out, Sanju Samson 38 not out; Piyush Chawla 33-1) by nine wickets. 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
23 April,2024 07:05 AM IST | Jaipur | IANSA resurgent Mumbai Indians will need to address their bowling woes as they look to exact revenge on table-toppers Rajasthan Royals in their reverse fixture of the IPL 2024 on Monday. With three wins in last four games, MI have hit the recovery road to reach sixth spot in the points table after a poor start this season, while RR are on a rampaging run as they occupy the top spot with 12 points. The five-time champions survived a late onslaught from Ashutosh Sharma to eke out a nine-run win over Punjab Kings in the last game. It was once again Jasprit Bumrah, who was left to do the heavy lifting as he stood out with his three wickets. The star India pacer shone with the new ball and then returned to produce a breakthrough, and he did all this without conceding much. With 13 scalps, Bumrah tops the list of the most wickets this IPL. He also has the second-best economy of just under six runs but while he has been on the mark, his bowling colleagues have struggled. Gerald Coetzee, too, has made an impact with 12 wickets but has gone for runs. But Akash Madhwal and skipper Hardik Pandya have been inconsistent. While Shreyas Gopal has taken a wicket each in the three games he has played so far, MI also need to use the experience of veteran Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammed Nabi as a bowler. Also Read: Cheerleading is not everyone’s cup of tea In batting, former skipper Rohit Sharma's scintillating century, albeit in a losing cause, has been the highlight, while Ishan Kishan has been inconsistent. Hardik, too, hasn't made much of an impact so far, while Tilak Verma has done moderately well. A huge positive for MI is Suryakumar Yadav's return to form. His 53-ball 78 against PBKS was the cornerstone of MI innings and on his day he can destroy any attack. The last time MI faced the RR bowling unit, they looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights, as Trent Boult removed three of their top-order batters for naught and the veteran left-arm pacer will again be a massive threat. Avesh Khan has been entrusted with the responsibility of bowling at the death and he has done well. Kuldeep Sen, too, showed his skills but he needs to work on his economy. With 12 wickets, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has been RR's most valuable player in the bowling department, though off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has struggled. For RR, Riyan Parag has been the batter of the season. The young Assam batter has reinvented himself and his 318 runs is one of the reasons why RR find themselves at the top of the pecking order. While the batting has revolved around him, skipper Sanju Samson too has produced some fine knocks for the team, aggregating 276 runs so far. England's Jos Buttler single-handedly chased down a 200-plus total to win RR their last match against Kolkata Knight Riders but the form of fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has been a matter of concern as he has failed to capitalise on his starts. Shimron Hetymer has also hit top gear when needed, rescuing the team against PBKS the other day. RR vs MI live updates: Full squads Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (c), Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Rovman Powell, Shubham Dubey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Abid Mushtaq, Nandre Burger, Tanush Kotian, Keshav Maharaj. Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Dewald Brevis, Jasprit Bumrah, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Tim David, Shreyas Gopal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Anshul Kamboj, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Mohammad Nabi, Shams Mulani, Naman Dhir, Shivalik Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Arjun Tendulkar, Nuwan Thushara, Tilak Varma, Harvik Desai, Nehal Wadhera, Luke Wood RR vs MI live updates: Dream11 prediction Wicket-keepers: Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (C), Ishan Kishan Batsmen: Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Tim David All-rounders: Riyan Parag Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan RR vs MI live updates: Toss update Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to bat against Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League clash here on Monday 11: 46 PM: RR: 183/1 (18.4)Jaiswal completes 100 in 59 deliveries and hits the winning boundary for Rajasthan.11: 42 PM: RR: 175/1 (18)Yashasvi is on the verge of completing a century.11: 28 PM: RR: 160/1 (16)Mumbai bowlers find no answers against Samson and Jaiswal. Rajasthan is in total control of the match.11: 16 PM: RR: 135/1 (14)Jaiswal and Samson are in a rush to achieve the target against Mumbai Indians. 11: 08 PM: RR: 113/1 (12) Jaiswal and Samson continue to smash boundaries. Mumbai is on the back foot as Rajasthan reach 113 runs after 12 overs.11: 00 PM: RR: 95/1 (10)Jaiswal continues his approach despite losing the wicket of Buttler. Sanju Samson enters the middle.10: 54 PM: RR: 74/1 (8) Piyush Chawla picks the wicket of Buttler and RR reaches 74 runs after 8 overs.10: 44 PM: Covers off! Paltan eye the wickets of RR openers as the hosts have accumulated 61 runs after 6 overs.10: 10 PM: Rain has interrupted the match. Rajasthan is in the driver's seat with Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal unbeaten on 28 and 31 runs, respectively.10: 02 PM: RR: 61/0 (6)Rajasthan Royals lose no wickets in their first powerplay. The duo completes a fifty-run stand.9: 52 PM: RR: 35/0 (4)Yashasvi and Buttler continue to smash boundaries all around the ground.9: 42 PM: RR: 13/0 (2)Rajasthan Royals start on a positive note without losing any wickets. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler seem to be in fine touch.9:18 PM: 179/9 (20 overs) Royals put on a stellar display with the ball, especially in the death overs, with bowlers maintaining a tight grip throughout the first innings. Mumbai were restricted to a modest 179 despite Varma's scintillating knock of 65. 9:03 PM: 170/5 (18 Overs) Only 12 balls remaining now for Mumbai Indians and they have come a long way from being down four wickets with just 50 runs on the board. 8:55 PM: 151/4 (16 Overs) Chahal taken to the cleaners, three sixes off that over and it looks like Sanju Samson's plan to keep the leggie for the end has not worked how he wondered it would. 8:38 PM: 120/4 (14 Overs) Time-out taken as MI bounce back with a tremendous partnership between Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera. Rajasthan Royals bowlers clueless at the moment. 8:24 PM: 71/4 (9.3 Overs) Rajasthan very well in control of the contest at the moment. Chahal has been taken off, only time will tell if skipper Sanju will play him for the death overs. 8:13 PM: 52/4 (7.3 Overs) R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal come into the attack for Royals, with an aim to keep the flow of runs low so that pressure is maintained. 8:04 PM: 45/3 (6 Overs) Mohammad Nabi lead the counter attack in the last over of the powerplay. 18 runs taken from that Avesh Khan over in the last over of the powerplay from Rajasthan Royals. 7:50 PM: 21/3 (4 Overs) Suryakumar Yadav caught by Rovman Powell bowled by Sandeep Sharma. That is wicket number 2 for Sandeep. MI in a really tricky spot at the moment. Match begins! Mumbai Indians in deep trouble at the moment as both Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan walk back to the pavilion inside the first two overs. RR off to a fine start with Boult and Sandeep Sharma
22 April,2024 11:46 PM IST | Jaipur | mid-day online correspondentRajasthan Royals spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took his 200th IPL wicket on Monday to become the first bowler to achieve the feat in the franchise tournament. Chahal dismissed Mumbai Indians all-rounder Mohammad Nabi caught and bowled for 23 with his leg-spin as he celebrated the achievement at Rajasthan's home ground in Jaipur. He came into the game on 199 wickets ahead of Dwayne Bravo, who retired with 183 wickets and is now bowling coach of defending champions Chennai Super Kings. The 33-year-old Chahal, who has also played for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, achieved the milestone in his 153rd IPL match. He has played 154 white-ball matches for India, claiming 217 wickets since his international debut in 2016. Meanwhile, coming back after an injury layoff, Sandeep Sharma (5/18) claimed three of his five wickets in a terrific final over while also accounting for Tilak Varma, whose 45-ball 65 (4x4s, 3x6s) lifted MI from a precarious position. With their top-order blown away without any resistance for the second time this season by Rajasthan, MI were struggling at 52/4 at one stage. Also Read: Cheerleading is not everyone’s cup of tea But Varma and Nehal Wadhera (49) fought their way through adversity to deliver the goods for Mumbai Indians, putting on 99 runs for the fifth wicket at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. However, MI lost wickets in heap on either side of their fifth-wicket stand to post the lowest total for all teams batting first at this venue in this season. Varma produced his second fifty of the season whereas Wadhera missed out on his milestone by one run. Looking to get on top early on and against Trent Boult, Rohit Sharma (6) perished in the first over after skying a catch to Sanju Samson. MI slipped further when comeback man Sandeep had Ishan Kishan (0) edging one behind to Samson, with the RR skipper getting the decision overturned in his favour via DRS. Kishan was guilty of playing away from the body without any movement of the feet as the ball took the edge to settle in Samson's gloves. (With agency inputs)
22 April,2024 09:54 PM IST | Jaipur | mid-day online correspondent
“Men see us as nothing but pieces of meat,” were the words of an American when questioned about her encounters with sexism as an IPL cheerleader. At first glance, you may find her embody the epitome of grace and vivacity, captivating hearts with synchronised routines and infectious energy. Yet, beneath the veneer of entertainment lies a darker reality, a reality where she is reduced to mere objects of male gratification, her worth measured by superficial standards of beauty and desirability. The dynamics of power and privilege inherent in the IPL ecosystem perpetuate a culture of ‘objectification’, where the female body appears no less than a commodity to be consumed at will. Catcalling, a manifestation of this deeply ingrained sexism, serves as a constant reminder of women’s perceived inferiority and disposability. The anonymity afforded by the crowd emboldens scores of individuals to unleash their misogynistic impulses, relegating cheerleaders to mere spectacles for the male gaze. Also Read: Big investments, disappointing returns “There are many nasty men who are always up to something. For the most part, it is unpleasant. As women, we are conditioned to overlook such behaviour from men from a young age, so I guess this is what we have been doing here too. It doesn’t really take much for us to be called sexual objects you know, and that is just so sad. I enjoy what I do regardless, dance is my favourite thing in the world and I’m not going to let others’ opinions about my profession affect me,” added the 24-year-old. What may seem like harmless banter to some is, in reality, a form of psychological violence, a relentless assault on the dignity and self-worth of those targeted, she says. Naturally, the impact of such behaviour extends far beyond the confines of the stadium, permeating every aspect of the cheerleaders’ lives and leaving indelible scars on their psyche. Yet, amid this adversity, there exists a quiet defiance, a refusal to be silenced or sidelined in the face of oppression! Also Read: A tale of two loyalties “You see I like to call myself a feminist, and I admit that I am bothered. Why should we be looked down upon as mere objects? I got through this contract because I am a good dancer, but people seem to have formed all kinds of baseless opinions about us. Honestly, it gets tough with all the catcalling and ogling. We don’t get paid so well as you may think, so it is really a loss. Most of the girls never last beyond one season and you know why,” said the psychology graduate. The commodification of women’s bodies in the entertainment industry is not unique to the IPL but is rather symptomatic of a larger societal malaise, a culture that thrives on the ‘objectification’ and exploitation of female performers. "There was a time when a boy, probably in his mid-20s, requested me for a selfie. He was being cheered on by his friends who were calling me all sorts of names in their language and it was so uncomfortable for me. All I could understand was that he was trying to say he wanted to marry me. It was so uncomfortable, thankfully the guards took notice and escorted them out. After that incident, I have made a rule for myself to not take pictures with these fans unless they are women and children,” she said. This culture of impunity, she argued, surrounding catcalling exacerbates the problem. Many perpetrators feel emboldened to engage in such behaviour because they believe they will meet with no consequences for their actions. Therefore, this lack of accountability further marginalises the victims and only normalises the idea that it is acceptable to treat cheerleaders as ‘objects’ of ‘sexual gratification’. Too often, their perspectives are sidelined or ignored in favour of maintaining the status quo. By listening to their stories, we can strive towards a future wherein individuals of all genders can engage in sports and entertainment devoid of apprehension regarding harassment or objectification. [The source has chosen to remain anonymous in order to protect her safety] Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author's personal views, and do not represent the views of Mid-Day
22 April,2024 08:00 PM IST | Mumbai | Srijanee MajumdarADVERTISEMENT
