Former Indian cricketer and now a commentator, Aakash Chopra, believes that cricketer Rohit Sharma should stay on the field for the entirety of a match instead of playing as an Impact Player in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Chopra added that Sharma looks 'fitter than ever' as he prepares himself for another IPL campaign.In 15 IPL 2025 games, Rohit Sharma scored 418 runs at a strike rate of 149.28. Notably, Rohit's position in IPL 2025 was restricted to that of a batter because the Mumbai Indians frequently employed him as an Impact Player.Aakash Chopra stated on JioStar that Rohit Sharma ought to play the entire game rather than being utilised as an Impact Player. He clarified that instead of sitting in the dugout for twenty overs, opening hitters are accustomed to being on the pitch and getting ready throughout the game."Logically, if you are fit, you should play the whole game and not be substituted. Especially when you are batting second, you shouldn't come in as an impact player. An opener is not used to watching 20 overs of the match from the dugout. Opening batters are used to staying on the field, preparing accordingly and then hitting the ground running," Aakash Chopra said.Chopra added that Rohit is currently in excellent physical condition and believes the Mumbai Indians would benefit more if he remains on the field for the entire 40 overs."Rohit Sharma is the fittest, meanest and maybe the strongest at this point in time, so he should be on the ground for all 40 overs. That's actually how Mumbai Indians will be able to make full use of Rohit Sharma," he said further. IPL 2026 to start from March 28 On March 28, the IPL 2026 season will begin. The first phase of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) will take place from March 28 to April 12, according to the schedule released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on March 11.The Mumbai Indians will play their first game on March 29 against the Kolkata Knight Riders, while the reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the tournament opener.(With ANI input)
15 March,2026 05:45 PM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniThe Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) formally announced the resumption of the T20 Mumbai League for Season 4, marking an important milestone for the Mumbai cricket environment. The association also started the first T20 Mumbai Women's League, which has been praised as a game-changer for regional sports and gives the city's female cricket players a much-needed professional stage on which to display their abilities.The former Indian captain, Rohit Sharma, oversaw a high-profile trophy reveal in Mumbai to mark the double launch. India international Sayali Satghare, MCA President Ajinkya Naik, Cabinet Minister Ashish Shelar, and Governing Council Chairman Rajdip Gupta also attended the event.Since its launch in 2018, the T20 Mumbai League has served as an essential link between club cricket, the Indian national team, and the IPL's grand stage. The tournament's effectiveness is demonstrated by well-known success stories like Shivam Dube and Tushar Deshpande, who both developed their T20 skills in this particular competition.When considering the league's expansion, Rohit Sharma pointed out that the platform has become crucial for young cricket players to manage pressure and become visible. He expressed particular enthusiasm for the women's teams' participation, pointing out that the ecosystem is getting bigger and better. The Launch of the Women’s League The historic aspect of the announcement is the start of the women’s competition. The inaugural season will feature three teams operated by PRS Infraprojects LLP, Roadway Solution India Infra Ltd, and World Star Sporting Private Limited.Players like Sayali Satghare will see this as more than just another competition; for many young ladies in Mumbai's maidans, it represents the fulfilment of a dream. Sayali Satghare recently made her Test debut against Australia and impressed with her bowling skills. The inaugural Women's League will develop different skills for the upcoming young players from the city.MCA President Ajinkya Naik stated that as women’s cricket grows globally, it is essential for grassroots structures to evolve. The MCA is guaranteeing inclusive and strong talent development by including the women's league in the well-known T20 Mumbai brand.
15 March,2026 03:45 PM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniThe BCCI's annual "Naman Awards" ceremony will take place on Sunday to honour the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian side that made history by winning the T20 World Cup. The ceremony will also honour other Indian teams that have recently won ICC trophies, such as the women's U-19 T20 World Cup team of 2025, the men's team that won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, the senior women's team that won the ODI World Cup in 2025, and the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2026.The Indian cricket board stated on Saturday that the celebration of all five Indian teams that have lately won ICC titles will be the centrepiece of the BCCI Naman Awards 2026. In the meantime, a number of individual honours that were already known earlier this week were formally confirmed by the BCCI. For the 2024–2025 season, Smriti Mandhana will be recognised as the Best International Cricketer (Women) for the fifth time in her career, while Shubman Gill, the captain of India's Test and ODI teams, will be given the Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer (Men). Roger Binny and Rahul Dravid to win the Lifetime Achievement Award The board's top honour, the Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, will be given to former mainstays Roger Binny and Rahul Dravid, while the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women will be given to former India captain Mithali Raj.Binny, who was the best wicket-taker in the 1983 Cricket World Cup and a part of India's winning team, went on to serve as the sport's coach, selector, and president from 2022 to 2025. In addition to being one of India's best hitters with over 24,000 international runs, Dravid was the head coach when India won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and was instrumental in moulding the nation's next generation of cricket players. Shafali Verma will be recognised as the Best Woman Cricketer in the Senior Domestic One-Day format, while Ira Jadhav will be given the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for Best Woman Cricketer (Domestic). In domestic limited-overs tournaments, Ayush Mhatre will win the Lala Amarnath Award for Best All-Rounder, while Harsh Dubey of Vidarbha will win the Ranji Trophy for Best All-Rounder. After winning four titles and being runner-ups in two events this season, the Mumbai Cricket Association will also be acknowledged as the top-performing state association in BCCI domestic tournaments.
15 March,2026 01:47 PM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniThe PCB is set to take legal action against Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani for signing a contract with IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, while pulling out of his deal with Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League. A reliable source in the board said on Saturday that the legal department had been instructed to file a case against the Zimbabwean, who has now inked a contract with the Knight Riders, replacing Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman who was dropped by the franchise as per BCCI's directions. "Since the IPL and PSL are now clashing after being held in the same window since last year we want to give a clear message to players that once they commit to playing in the PSL they can't just go and breach their contract and sign a new one with any franchise in the IPL," he said. The Islamabad United roped in Muzarabani as replacement for West Indian fast bowler Shamar Joseph. Last year, South Africa's Corbin Bosch had an initial deal with Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL but later he joined Mumbai Indians as an injury replacement. Bosch was banned from the PSL for one season and later he apologised to the PCB which sought legal action against him and damages. Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis and Australia's Mitchel Owen had also played a few games in the PSL for Peshawar Zalmi and after the PSL was suspended for a few days due to the conflict between Pakistan and India last May they joined the IPL. 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
15 March,2026 08:53 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIFormer England captain Kevin Pietersen, who mentored the Delhi Capitals last year, said on Saturday that he won't be able to serve the role in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. The IPL 2026 is starting on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. "I cannot be the mentor for Delhi Capitals this IPL season. I cannot give the time that the job requires. Best wishes to all the players for this season! "However, I'll see you back in the commentary box. IPL is the world's best league and I can't wait to see you all soon!," Pietersen said on X in a post written in Hindi. Delhi Capitals will start their IPL 2026 season against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium in an away game in Lucknow on April 1. DC's first game at home is against the Mumbai Indians on April 4. Pietersen, who has played for three teams across five IPL seasons, was appointed as DC's mentor before the start of the 2025 edition. He has also represented the erstwhile Delhi Daredevils franchise. Pietersen also led in 17 matches in the IPL, captaining Royal Challengers Bengaluru briefly in IPL 2009 before leading Daredevils in 2014. DC have never won the IPL title. 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
15 March,2026 08:52 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIIndia’s 2024 T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma is confident about Team India’s future and reckons there’s no stopping their winning momentum. Rohit lavished praise on the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian T20 World Cup-winning team’s performance. “I’m very happy and very proud to see what we have been witnessing for the last couple of years now. To come out with flying colours and achieve what we have achieved, not just the men’s team, but also the women’s team winning that World Cup in Mumbai was fantastic to watch. Recently, the men’s team, what they did was phenomenal. This is just the start, there is no looking back from here because once you get that momentum… we often talk about momentum and now both the men’s and women’s teams have that momentum. I hope we carry this momentum forward,” Rohit said at the launch of Mumbai Cricket Association’s T20 Mumbai League’s fourth season at a city hotel on Saturday. He was also referring to the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian women’s team’s maiden triumph in the Women’s ODI World Cup. Meanwhile, Rohit, who is the face of T20 Mumbai League [TML] wants city cricketers to be ready for new challenges and to grab the opportunities in the upcoming TML-4, which begins on June 1. “You never know what’s going to happen, so whenever the opportunity arises, you should be ready for the challenges. I still believe in the process of preparing really well and being ready for the opportunity,” Rohit said. MCA will also provide an opportunity for women cricketers with the inaugural T20 Mumbai Women’s League and Rohit reckoned it’s a “great move”.
15 March,2026 08:50 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureFormer India batter Suresh Raina believes that Sanju Samson should bat at No. 3 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season, saying the position would provide balance to the team’s batting order. Samson is coming to the IPL on the back of some great knocks in the recently-concluded ICC T20 World Cup, where the wicketkeeper-batter scored back-to-back half-centuries in the Super Eights match against West Indies, the semi-final vs England and the summit clash against New Zealand. However, despite Samson’s great form as an opener, Raina suggested that CSK should open the innings with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ayush Mhatre, while placing Samson at No. 3 to anchor the batting unit and link the top order with the middle order. Suresh Raina “He was the captain of Rajasthan Royals for so many years. I think his role will be clear here. Will Sanju or Ruturaj open with Mhatre? Or will Mhatre play at No. 3? If Sanju plays at No. 3, it will be good, because then Dewald Brevis will come at No. 4,” Raina told Jio Hotstar. Raina also backed Samson to take up wicketkeeping duties for CSK ahead of veteran skipper MS Dhoni. “But Sanju will be there as a ’keeper. We saw the atmosphere he created when he played in the World Cup. His role will be more important as a No. 3 batter. If you allow Ayush Mhatre and Ruturaj Gaikwad to bat at the top, the middle order looks more experienced and stronger,” he said. “When Brevis comes in with Sanju, and then Shivam Dube after him, it becomes very important to have a player like Sanju there who brings a different level of experience,” Raina added. Samson has been traded from the Rajasthan Royals to CSK in place of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Samson has played 177 IPL matches and scored 4704 runs at an average of 30.95. 4704No. of runs scored by Sanju Samson in 177 IPL games at a strike-rate of 139.05 3096No. of runs scored by Sanju Samson at No. 3 in IPL, only behind Raina (4934 runs) 38.22Sanju Samson’s average at No. 3 across 94 IPL innings 143.33Sanju Samson’s strike-rate at No. 3 in the IPL 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
15 March,2026 08:48 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSThe upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to kick off from March 28. So far, the schedule of only the first 20 matches has been released due to state elections. Ahead of the season, former Team India cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara feels that Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head are the most destructive pair in the history of the cash-rich league. "In the last couple of seasons, what we have seen from the openers of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, I can certainly say they are one of the most destructive opening pairs in IPL history," he said. He also said that SRH has been consistently scoring crossing the mark of 250 runs, and other teams in the league have managed to do it. "Both are batters who know how to attack from ball one. SRH has consistently crossed the 250-run mark in the last couple of seasons thanks to them. No other team in the IPL has done that consistently," he added. Pujara then said that Abhishek-Head's pair is a more dangerous batting duo than Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle. "When we talk about aggressive opening pairs in the IPL, the pair of Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli comes to mind. But this duo of Head and Abhishek is even more destructive. No bowler wants to run in and bowl against an opening pair like Abhishek and Head," said the 38-year-old former cricketer. The first match of the IPL 2026 is set to be played between the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Full Squads Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Krunal Pandya, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Venkatesh Iyer, Phil Salt (WK), Rajat Patidar (C), Nuwan Thushara, Romario Shepherd, Tim David, Devdutt Padikkal, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Salam, Jordan Cox, Jacob Bethell, Vicky Ostwal, Mangesh Yadav, Suyash Sharma, Vihaan Malhotra, Abhinandan Singh, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal. Sunrisers Hyderabad: Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Travis Head, Liam Livingstone, Ishan Kishan (WK), Kamindu Mendis, Brydon Carse, Zeeshan Ansari, Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Mavi, Jack Edwards, Harsh Dubey, Salil Arora (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Smaran Ravichandran, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Aniket Verma, Shivang Kumar, Krains Bhaveshbhai Fuletra, Omkar Tarmale. (With PTI Inputs)
14 March,2026 06:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to begin from March 28. So far, the schedule of only first 20 matches has been released due to state elections. Ahead of the season, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released players Shreyas Iyer and Phil Salt. Former Team India cricketer Anil Kumble feels the franchise made a wrong decision by letting these two players leave. "Two years ago, KKR won the IPL and lifted their third trophy. Two important cogs in that wheel were Shreyas Iyer and Phil Salt. Both played crucial roles in helping them win but KKR let both of them go," he said. The former cricketer further explained the reason why KKR's move to release Iyer and Salt is a wrong decision. "There is no consistency from them in terms of player retention. KKR took the wrong decision by letting Shreyas Iyer and Phil Salt leave (and) that has left them without an IPL-winning captain. Yes, Ajinkya Rahane is an experienced campaigner. He has led Mumbai in domestic cricket and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. But he has not lifted the IPL title as (a) captain (yet)," said Kumble. "Having a skipper who has won the trophy gives you an advantage. KKR let go of that advantage. They need to learn how to keep hold of their key players. Otherwise, they will keep struggling and cannot be considered favourites to win the trophy," he added. The first match of the tournament is scheduled to be played between the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will kick off their campaign by playing a clash against Mumbai Indians (MI) on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. IPL 2026, Kolkata Knight Riders: Full Squad Ajinkya Rahane (C), Manish Pandey, Sunil Narine, Rahul Tripathi, Tim Seifert (WK), Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sarthak Ranjan, Finn Allen (WK), Rachin Ravindra, Cameron Green, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kartik Tyagi, Blessing Muzarabani, Akash Deep, Prashant Solanki, Matheesha Pathirana, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Harshit Rana, Tejasvi Singh (WK), Daksh Kamra. (With PTI Inputs)
14 March,2026 05:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFormer Team India cricketer VVS Laxman recollected the memories of his iconic partnership with Rahul Dravid during the historic Kolkata Test match in 2001. Speaking about the run stand, he said that it was built on belief, patience and resilience when the game seemed to slip away from India. Marking the 25 years of the unforgettable innings at Eden Gardens, Laxman shared an image along with Dravid on his official social media handle. "25 years ago at Eden Gardens, Rahul and I shared a partnership that will forever remain special. In a moment when the game looked beyond us we chose belief, patience and resilience. That stand was not just about runs but was about trust, teamwork and fighting for every session. Grateful to have shared that journey with Rahul and to be part of a Test that reminded us all that in cricket comebacks are always possible," he wrote. 25 years ago at Eden Gardens Rahul and I shared a partnership that will forever remain special. In a moment when the game looked beyond us we chose belief, patience and resilience. That stand was not just about runs but was about trust, teamwork and fighting for every session.… pic.twitter.com/KHlge77Q1g — VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) March 14, 2026 In India's second innings, opening batsman Shiv Sunder Das departed on 39 runs in 99 balls, including seven boundaries. Fellow opening batsman Sadagoppan Ramesh smashed 30 runs in 43 balls, with the help of six boundaries. Legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed on 10 runs off 23 balls, which included two boundaries. Skipper Sourav Ganguly returned to the pavilion on 48 runs off 81 deliveries, laced with eight boundaries. Laxman and Dravid played a crucial role in the second innings. Facing 452 balls, Laxman garnered 281 runs, including 44 boundaries, whereas Dravid registered 180 runs after facing 353 balls, including 20 boundaries. The duo stitched together a monumental 376-run partnership. On Day 4 alone, the pair batted through the entire day without losing a wicket, adding 335 runs in oppressive Kolkata heat. Their innings stood out, considering the physical challenges both batsmen faced. Dravid showcased his masterful strokes while battling a viral fever, and Laxman endured severe back spasms. Riding on their performances, Team India declared on 657 runs for the loss of seven wickets. Australia were eventually bowled out for 212, handing India a famous 171-run victory, one of only a handful of occasions in Test history where a team has won after being forced to follow on. (With ANI Inputs)
14 March,2026 04:35 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFormer Team India cricketer Mohammad Kaif reached Dehradun on Saturday to attend the wedding of star spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who will be tying the knot with his fiancée, Vanshika. Speaking outside the airport, Kaif congratulated the spinner. "Many congratulations to him. Kuldeep hails from our Kanpur. It's going to be great fun," he said. He then heaped praise on Team India, which clinched back-to-back T20 World Cup titles. "The Indian team is doing exceptionally well. They've won back-to-back World Cups," said Kaif. Earlier, according to reports, Kuldeep and Vanshika got engaged in June last year in a private ceremony in Lucknow, which was attended by only close family members. The news about their wedding comes shortly after Team India's dominance in the recently concluded global showpiece. The "Men in Blue" defeated New Zealand by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Reflecting on the victory, the spinner expressed happiness and stated that when you participate in an ICC event, the aim is always to win the title. "It is an important victory. The tournament went very well for us, and we have been preparing for this for a long time. This is what you play cricket for. Every time you participate in an ICC tournament, you want to win the trophy. I congratulate the team and also thank the fans for supporting us," he said. T20 World Cup 2026: Final summary Batting first in the final, the "Men in Blue" posted a mammoth total of 256 runs for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs. Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan smashed half-centuries. Facing 46 balls, Samson scored 89 runs with the help of five boundaries and eight maximums. Abhishek also garnered 52 runs in 21 balls, including six boundaries and three maximums. Ishan smashed 54 runs off 25 deliveries, laced with four boundaries and four maximums. Later, burly all-rounder Shivam Dube also played a fiery cameo of an unbeaten 26 runs in just eight deliveries. Chasing a target of 256, New Zealand was bowled out for 159 runs in 19 overs. Team India's lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah returned with figures of four for 15 in four overs. Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Abhishek also chipped in with one wicket each. (With ANI Inputs)
14 March,2026 01:32 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1773576774803_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Aakash Chopra (File pic)")
-1773569552565_d.png "Rohit Sharma (File pic)")
