Veteran wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni is expected to play every game in the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), according to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CEO Kasi Viswanathan. However, he added that the team management will ultimately decide on his playing position. The 19th edition of the IPL will begin on March 28, and the franchises have already started their training camps for the mega event. Players participating in the T20 World Cup will join the teams shortly before the start of the tournament. MS Dhoni is set to play yet another campaign of IPL at the age of 44. There were some doubts about the participation of the former Indian captain, but the CSK CEO has clarified that the fan-favourite will play all the matches. "He will play all the matches, according to me." CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan said. When asked about MS Dhoni's role in the team after the signing of Sanju Samson, Viswanathan said that the team management will take that call. Samson joined CSK after leaving the Rajasthan Royals. "That I cannot say. The cricket staff will make that decision. Not by the administrative personnel. They will therefore determine whether he will play as an impact player, a batsman, or a wicketkeeper-batter." Kasi Viswanathan added. IPL schedule to be announced in the next couple of days The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia said that the schedule for the first 20 days of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL) will be announced within the next two to three days, considering the election dates in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. In an interview with the ANI, Devajit Saikia said, "We will announce the first 20-day schedule of IPL in 2 or 3 days after considering the election dates in a few states and will announce the rest of the tournament schedule later". The IPL 2026 is set to kick off from March 28, the official broadcaster Star Sports confirmed on Sunday. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be the defending champions, having won their maiden IPL title last year. (With IANS Input)
11 March,2026 02:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis felicitated Indian T20 World Cup-winning team members Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube on Tuesday. The official CMO page posted pictures of CM Fadnavis felicitating the two Indian World Cup stars at his residence. Fadnavis congratulated the two cricketers and lauded their role in bringing glory to the country. India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad to secure a historic title win. Team India became the first team to successfully defend their title, as well as the first team to win a T20 WC at home. Captain Suryakumar Yadav joined the elite list of Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to win a World Cup trophy for India. Suryakumar was India's third-highest run scorer at the World Cup, behind Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. The skipper scored 242 runs at an average of 30.25 in nine matches, including one half-century. All-rounder Shivam Dube was one of the underrated performers in the Indian team. The southpaw scored crucial runs at the end of the innings and amassed a total of 235 runs in nine matches at the strike-rate of 169. BCCI announce record breaking prize money for the victorious Indian team On March 10, BCCI announced a record cash prize of Rs 131 Crore for the Indian T20 World Cup-winning team and staff. The Suryakumar Yadav-led team will receive the highest-ever prize money for their historic triumph. "The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a cash reward of INR 131 crore for Team India following their triumphant campaign in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The Board congratulates the players, support staff and selectors once again on this historic achievement and wishes them continued success in the future," the BCCI statement said. This is the highest reward ever announced, surpassing Rs 125 Crore given by the board to Rohit Sharma and his team for winning the 2024 T20 World Cup and Rs 58 Crore for the ICC Champions Trophy-winning team of 2025. The Indian Women's World Cup-winning team were presented with a reward of Rs 51 Crore.(With input from ANI)
11 March,2026 01:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndian star Virat Kohli has started getting ready for the Indian Premier League 2026 season. Videos of the former captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) working out in the nets have gone viral on social media. Kohli posted a reel on Instagram where the 37-year-old was seen working hard during a practice session, concentrating on batting as he prepares for the IPL season. Fans flooded the comments section in anticipation of the 19th edition of IPL. Virat Kohli is an all-time IPL great, having scored 8661 runs in 267 matches and 259 innings in IPL history. The former Indian skipper has a strike rate of 132.85 and an average of 39.54, along with eight centuries and 63 half-centuries in the competition. The seasoned batsman scored 657 runs at an average of 54.75 in 15 games during the 2025 season, helping Bengaluru win their first IPL championship. With a strong strike rate of 144.71, Kohli amassed eight half-centuries. On March 8, broadcaster Star Sports confirmed that the upcoming season of the IPL will officially kick off on March 28; however, the IPL fixtures are yet to be announced. RCB will be the defending champions after their maiden title win in 2025. RCB set to play five games at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Santosh Menon, the secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), said earlier this month that five of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 home games will take place at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Additionally, he announced that one of the tournament's play-off games and the IPL 2026 final will be held at the location. RCB's two home matches will be held at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Since June of last year, cricket at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been suspended due to a stampede that resulted in 11 fatalities and multiple injuries during RCB's IPL 2025 title celebration. The stadium did not hold any matches at the recently finished ICC T20 World Cup and the ICC Women's World Cup. This suspension of the iconic venue has also impacted domestic and state franchise-based competitions.(With ANI inputs)
11 March,2026 01:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndian head coach Gautam Gambhir reacted to former skipper MS Dhoni's congratulatory post following India's T20 World Cup win in Ahmedabad. Dhoni congratulated the players and added a special message for Gambhir, saying, 'smile looks great on you' Gambhir, known for his serious demeanour, has been a source of banter among fans and players alike. During the World Cup celebrations, Arshdeep Singh posted a video with Gambhir asking him to smile more. Gambhir reacted to MS Dhoni's message and lauded him for posting after India's historic win. The former Indian opener added that the pressure of representing the country in major events makes it difficultforhim to express his emotions "It's very difficult to be in a situation where people have not been. But good on him that he posted on that, honestly, but I feel that when you're in a dugout, there is so much at stake. There is always so much expectation from the Indian team that even if you want to laugh, you can't laugh. Especially when you play a tournament like the World Cup. Because in India, unfortunately, losing is not an option, but it can happen. Because if losing was not an option, then India would have won all the World Cups. But that doesn't happen," Gambhir Gambhir said MS Dhoni's message for the Indian team after the T20 World Cup win In a rare appearance on Instagram, former Indian skipper MS Dhoni posted a picture congratulating the Indian team for their historic World Cup triumph. The former World Cup-winning captain had a special compliment for coach Gambhir as he wrote, "smile looks great on u, intensity with smile is a killer combo". "History gets created at Ahmedabad, big congratulations to the team and support staff and to all the fans of the Indian Cricket Team worldwide. Such a pleasure to see all of u play. Coach Sahab smile looks great on u, intensity with smile is a killer combo, very well done. enjoy guys(BUMRAH ke baare mein kuch na likhoon tou hi acha hai. CHAMPION BOWLER)," MS Dhoni said in his Instagram post. India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the final of the T20 World Cup to win back-to-back titles. This was also Team India's third T20 World Cup title, the most in the history of cricket. (With ANI input)
11 March,2026 12:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndia head coach Gautam Gambhir has fired back at former Indian cricketer Kirti Azad for questioning Team India's visit to a Hanuman Temple after the T20 World Cup triumph. Earlier, Kirti Azad had posted on X, questioning Team India's move to take the trophy to a temple soon after winning the World Cup. After a 96-run win over New Zealand in Ahmedabad, Captain Suryakumar Yadav, coach Gautam Gambhir and ICC Chairperson Jay Shah were pictured entering a Hanuman Mandir with the World Cup trophy. Kirti Azad was left disappointed by the move and posted a message on Twitter saying,'A sportsperson or sports does not belong to any religion or caste but only to the sport.' SHAME ON TEAM INDIA! 😡When we won the World Cup under Kapil Dev in 1983, we had Hindu Muslim Sikh and Christian in the team.We brought the trophy to our religious birth place our motherland India Bharat HindustanWhy The Hell Is The Indian Cricket Trophy is being Dragged.… — Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) March 9, 2026 Now, Gautam Gambhir has reacted to the statement, saying these comments will dilute the players' achievement at the T20 World Cup. The Indian coach further added that such comments should be ignored. "I think it's not even worth answering that question. It's a big moment for the entire country. I think it is important that we celebrate a World Cup win, and that's why I say certain statements; there is no point picking up certain statements because these statements will only dilute your achievement." Gambhir said.The 2011 World Cup winner also said that people giving such comments are degrading the Indian team and its players. "If you want to dilute the achievements of those 15 players and their efforts, which is not fair to the boys. I mean, imagine the boys have gone through so much. The amount of pressure they have gone through after losing a match in South Africa. The kind of pressure the boys were under. And today, if you give such a statement, then you are literally degrading your own players and your own team, which should not be done," he added. Harbhajan Singh reacts to Kirti Azad's criticism Kirti Azad's criticism of Team India has drawn a reply from Ishan Kishan, Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh. The former Indian off-spinner said he was surprised by Azad's comment, given his sports background. Kirti Azad was part of the World Cup-winning team in 1983. "It's absurd that someone is politicising the players taking the trophy to a temple. Kirti himself is a former cricketer, so I didn't expect him to say such a thing. Perhaps he's prioritising politics more and has forgotten he's a sportsman," Harbhajan Singh said. (Input from ANI)
11 March,2026 11:30 AM IST | MumbaiEminent cricket writer Neville Cardus once described cricketing music as, “The sound of the bat meeting the ball, a short, sharp yet musical ‘clock’ which tells of perfect timing.” Had Cardus been at the Narendra Modi Stadium for the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, he would’ve perhaps been disappointed. For, the moment the ball sped to the boundary, the stadium DJ sprang into action. As the ball travelled to different corners of the ground, one song followed another in rapid succession. And when the first Indian wicket fell in the form of Abhishek Sharma, before one could absorb the silence of disappointment, the DJ was back again. In Cardus’s words, there was no space for “the deep, sudden sigh of a thousand breaths,” that collective sound of heartbreak which so often defines the theatre of cricket. One understands that these are different times. The T20 cricket format thrives on constant stimulation and spectacle. Yet one cannot help but wonder whether such boisterous noise is needed. In an already fast-paced game, does it really add anything to the spectator’s experience? Recently, Sunil Gavaskar had also spoken about how the DJ’s sound during overs could disturb players. And for the fan, who wants to soak in the contest, there’s hardly a moment to breathe. The relentless blast of music often becomes an intrusion, interrupting the natural ebb and flow of the game. This overuse of stadium music reduces the charm of cricketing music to the background. True followers of the game can only hope that the organisers take note and let the natural symphony of cricket take centre stage.
11 March,2026 09:42 AM IST | Mumbai | Aditya BhushanSouth Africa may have endured heartbreak at the T20 World Cup, where they lost to New Zealand in the semi-finals, but Proteas batter David Miller found something to cheer about in his personal life. The big-hitter, nicknamed Killer Miller for his ruthless strokeplay, showcased his romantic side as he penned a heartfelt note to wife Camilla, on the occasion of their second anniversary on Tuesday. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dave Miller (@davidmillersa12) Miller, 36, who has played 178 ODIs and 140 T20Is, Instagrammed a series of pictures alongside Camilla and captioned it: “The love of my life…happy anniversary. Couldn’t think of anyone else to spend my life with! You are truly incredible, the love, care and joy you bring to me and Benji [their son] is out of this world.” Miller and Camilla, a professional polo player and entrepreneur, dated for several years before tying the knot in March 2024
11 March,2026 09:28 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentEx-India spinner Harbhajan Singh’s wife Geeta Basra delighted her two million Instagram followers with her latest post, in which she’s seen posing in a green saree with some silver embroidery work. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Geeta Basra (@geetabasra) The post received almost 10,000 ‘likes’ with several fans praising her look. “You look so stunning, wrote one fan, while another added: “Absolutely gorgeous look.”
11 March,2026 09:25 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentPayyade Sports Club won the Members Premier League 2026 (MPL) cricket title at the Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana, Kandivli, recently, beating Shreeji Strikers by five wickets in the final. Batting first, Shreeji Strikers posted 79-5 with Utung Thakur top scoring with a 13-ball 35. In reply, Dishant Dhedia’s 10-ball 33 not out saw Payyade SC achieve the target in 5.2 overs. In the women’s final, Shreeji Strikers beat Urvi Homeground by 62 runs. MCA President Ajinkya Naik was the chief guest and gave away the prizes with MCA Apex Council member Bhushan Patil.
11 March,2026 09:15 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentIndia's star batter Rinku Singh has penned down an emotional tribute to his late father Khanchand Singh, who passed away on February 27 in Greater Noida, due to prolonged illness. Rinku attended his father's funeral after India's T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s match against Zimbabwe, before joining the squad in Kolkata for the crucial must-win match against the West Indies in the Super 8s stage. In a heartfelt post after India's T20 World Cup 2026 victory, Rinku said that even a single day without speaking to his father felt incomplete, and he struggles to imagine life ahead without him. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rinku 🧿🇮🇳 (@rinkukumar12) “I have never spent so many days without talking to you. I don’t know how life will move forward without you… But I know I will need you at every step," he wrote in a post on Instagram. "You always taught me that duty comes first, so on the field I was only trying to fulfil your dream. Now that your dream has been fulfilled… I just wish you were here with me. I will feel your absence in every small and big moment of happiness. I will miss you a lot, Papa," Meanwhile, Rinku played just five matches for India in the T20 World Cup, where he struggled for runs and scored just 24, including a duck against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in the Super 8s, which came at a crucial phase. After the loss against the proteas Rinku was dropped from the team, and Sanju Samson came in place of the finisher. The move brought good results for the team as Sanju played back-to-back match-winning knocks in Super 8s, the semi-final and the final. 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
11 March,2026 08:43 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSIndia head coach Gautam Gambhir credited Sanju Samson’s crucial 97 against the West Indies as the turning point in India’s triumphant campaign at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which concluded with the hosts lifting their third record title after defeating New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Gambhir reflected on the emotional significance of winning a World Cup as India’s head coach, describing it as a privilege to contribute to the country once again in national colours. “I could have never thought about winning a World Cup as a coach. I never thought I would get the opportunity or privilege to be the head coach of the Indian team because it’s an absolute privilege to again wear the India jersey or do something special for the country,” Gambhir said on JioStar. The former India opener emphasised the emotional connection to representing the nation, adding that recognition from family and the pride of millions of fans made the achievement even more special. “When your mom wishes you and tells you ‘well done’, that’s what you play for and what you live for as well. What bigger feeling is there than making 140 crore Indians proud,” he said. Gambhir also reiterated a message he consistently delivered to the squad throughout the tournament — that representing India is a privilege rather than an entitlement. “I’ve always believed that, and I’ve always told the boys as well, that being in that dressing room is a privilege, not an entitlement. Thousands of people would want to be in my position as the head coach of the Indian team, and many would want to be in the position the players are in,” he added. According to Gambhir, India’s success was built not just on results but on the fearless approach the players adopted during the tournament. He also explained that the team’s focus was on creating impact rather than chasing individual milestones. “I think more than the win, it was the way the boys adapted to the ideology and philosophy of being high-risk, high-reward. From day one, I had a very strong belief that the T20 format is about impact. It’s not about milestones or individual performances. It’s about going out there and creating an impact, whether it’s on the field, with the ball or with the bat,” Gambhir noted. He also stressed the importance of staying in the present moment during the shortest game format. “The simple ideology throughout this World Cup was that if we could stay in the present and try to control each delivery. Whatever has gone will never come back, and you cannot control what’s going to come in the future. Even if you get hit for five sixes, the next delivery could be the game-changing moment,” he stated. While several performances shaped India’s campaign, Gambhir singled out Samson’s innings against the West Indies as the defining moment and pointed out that the match effectively served as a knockout fixture for India. “It’s very difficult to say, but I still believe that Sanju’s 97 against West Indies was the turning point of this campaign. It was a virtual quarter-final. Chasing 195 in a World Cup game is never easy, irrespective of the ground,” Gambhir explained. Samson’s calm approach, he said, changed the mood in the dressing room and praised Ishan Kishan for his contribution during the chase. “With the ease and calmness with which he batted, it gave us a lot of confidence in the group that now we were probably on the right track. When Sanju got going and the way Ishan Kishan batted at number three, a lot of things actually started taking shape,” Gambhir added. Another factor behind India’s success, Gambhir said, was the players’ willingness to adapt to different roles and batting positions throughout the tournament. “One thing which will stay with me for the rest of my life is how comfortably the boys accepted different batting positions,” he said. The coach highlighted that the flexibility began with captain Hardik Pandya, who was willing to adjust his role to meet the team’s needs. “Against England in the semi-final, Shivam got promoted, and Surya was absolutely fine with it. In the final, Hardik was promoted and the captain was fine with it,” Gambhir said. He also cited examples of players such as Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube batting across multiple positions depending on the situation. “Tilak started at number three, then batted at five, six and even seven, and the same with Shivam, who batted from number four to seven. That is what team sport is all about,” he said. Gambhir also reserved special praise for India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who played multiple roles with the ball throughout the tournament. “Jasprit started with the new ball, bowled in the middle and delivered the tough overs as well,” Gambhir said. “At different stages in the competition, players were given different roles and they adapted beautifully.” According to the head coach, it was this combination of fearless cricket, adaptability and key performances that ultimately powered India to a historic T20 World Cup triumph on home soil. 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
11 March,2026 08:39 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSADVERTISEMENT
-1773211713925_d.png "Devendra Fadnavis with Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube (Pic: CMO)")
