After completing the IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants, Gujarat Titans' star batsman Sai Sudharsan expressed happiness for being selected in the India 'A' squad for the England tour. Speaking about his selection during the post-match press conference, "I'm aware that I'm going for the India-A game, so mentally we'll have to be switched on for IPL first. Once that story is over, then we can probably think about the India-A story. But definitely happy, happy for that opportunity, and I think I would have a great time there," said Sai Sudharsan. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for India 'A' on May 16. The squad also include the likes of Karun Nair, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ishan Kishan. As a part of the tour, India A will play two first-class matches against the England Lions at Canterbury and Northampton on May 30 and June 6, before concluding their outing with an intra-squad match against Team India on June 13 at Beckenham. Sudharsan, alongside Shubman Gill, are expected to join the squad ahead of the second match. Currently, the duo is busy showcasing their skills with the willow in the IPL 2025. In 11 concluded IPL 2025 matches, Sai has garnered 638 runs, whereas Gill has accumulated 636 runs in as many games. So far, with 638 runs, the left-hander also holds the 'Orange Cap' in the ongoing season. Skipper Gill has also registered six half-centuries to his name this year, whereas Sai has a tally of five half-centuries. The team will be led by Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has been a domestic cricket stalwart for Bengal, with 101 first-class games, 7,674 runs at an average of 48.87, 27 centuries and 29 fifties behind him. He did have a disappointing tour to Australia last year, where he ended up with just 36 runs in four innings. India 'A' squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (VC) (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (WK), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey. (With ANI Inputs)
23 May,2025 02:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentStar pacer Josh Hazlewood is likely to join Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of the IPL 2025 playoffs. The pacer has been coming through a period of rehab on a shoulder niggle back in Australia, according to ESPNcricinfo. The 34-year-old speedster had earlier flown back to Australia following the one-week suspension of the IPL 2025. Following his return, he was training in Brisbane for the upcoming World Test Championship final. The title clash is set to be played between Australia and South Africa. In the IPL 2025, Josh Hazlewood is the fourth-leading wicket-taker. So far, having featured in 10 matches, the pacer has bagged 18 wickets for the Bengaluru-based franchise with an average of 17.28. In the ongoing tournament, the Rajat Patidar-led RCB has already qualified for the playoffs on the back of stunning performances in all three departments of the game. So far in 12 matches, they have clinched eight wins. Bengaluru are left with two of their IPL 2025 group stage matches, which are scheduled to be played against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants. Ahead of these matches, RCB will aim to seal a place in the top two spots of the playoffs. Recently, the side announced Tim Seifert as the replacement of Jacob Bethell for the remainder of the tournament. Earlier, the venues for the playoffs of the 18th season of the Indian Premier League were unveiled on Tuesday. According to the latest schedule, Qualifier 1 will be hosted in New Chandigarh on May 29, featuring the top two-ranked sides, followed by an engrossing Eliminator clash on May 30. Along with the New PCA Stadium, Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, the world's largest cricket stadium, will serve as the venue for an electrifying Qualifier 2 on June 1 and the grand final of the 18th edition of the cash-rich league on June 3. Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Tim Seifert, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Blessing Muzarabani, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Liam Livingstone, Swapnil Singh, Philip Salt, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara. (With ANI Inputs)
23 May,2025 01:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndia’s squad for the upcoming Test series against England is likely to be announced on May 24, according to sources quoted by IANS. Team India is set to face England in a five-match Test series, with the opening game scheduled to be held at Headingley on June 20. The remaining matches will take place at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval. “There has been some uncertainty about whether the squad will be announced on May 24 or 25. However, the latest update suggests that May 24 is the likely date for both the squad announcement and the unveiling of India’s new Test captain,” the sources told IANS. The Test squad was to be selected earlier by the Agarkar-led selection committee, but it was deferred by two weeks due to Rohit Sharma quitting the format with immediate effect, and Virat Kohli soon following him into retirement from the longest format of the game. Team India will enter the Test series against the 'Three Lions' without the likes of stalwarts Kohli, Rohit and Ravichandran Ashwin. For now, Shubman Gill is likely to be appointed as the new captain of the Indian Test team. The other contenders to lead the Test side are Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. So far, the 25-year-old Gill has received praise for the way he has led Gujarat Titans to the IPL 2025 playoffs. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan are expected to join India 'A' squad ahead of the second Test match against England. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, along with other India 'A' players, are likely set to leave for England on May 25. It is learnt that India 'A’ squad members Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Harshit Rana, and Harsh Dubey are likely to leave for England from New Delhi on the morning of May 26, after playing the Sunrisers Hyderabad-Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2025 game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday evening. It will also be the final game of the IPL 2025 season for SRH and KKR, who are already eliminated from the race for the playoffs. (With IANS Inputs)
23 May,2025 01:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants, Gujarat Titans lost by 33 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Following the loss, skipper Shubman Gill said, "We gave 15-20 extra. If we'd stopped them (LSG) at 210-220 it would've been better, that was a huge difference". Despite losing the match, Gill heaped praise on Shahrukh Khan and Sherfane Rutherford, who scored 57 and 38 runs, respectively. "No, honestly. We bowled well in the powerplay. Yes, we didn't get wickets. But they (LSG) scored 180 in the next 14 overs, which was a lot. We were right in the game till the 17th over. Shahrukh and Rutherford batted well. Getting the momentum back will be key in the next game," said the 25-year-old. Gujarat Titans will clash against Chennai Super Kings in their upcoming IPL 2025 match on May 25 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Gujarat's bowlers conceded too many runs in the latter half of the innings. On the other hand, despite being eliminated from the tournament, the side went on to put a total of 235 runs for the loss of just two wickets. In reply, GT were off to a great start but lost the plot in the 17th over when they lost Sherfane Rutherford and Rahul Tewatia in quick succession to surrender the initiative. During the match, LSG's Mitchell Marsh struck a glorious 117 runs off just 64 deliveries. His knock included 10 boundaries and eight maximums. Despite having a forgettable IPL 2025 season, Marsh expressed happiness to contribute to team's victory during the match against GT. "I actually first played for the Deccan Chargers, it's been a long journey. Happy to contribute tonight. Being given the opportunity to open, the partnership with (Aiden) Markram has helped me," said the 33-year-old. "We haven't had the best of seasons but the last two games are still important. I thought they bowled well early on. T20s these days, if you're 12 off 12 and not time it well, it's panic stations. But today showed you can bat through and go on to stitch big partnerships," he concluded. Marsh was also honoured with the 'Player of the Match' award for his stunning contributions to the team's victory. (With PTI Inputs)
23 May,2025 01:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the IPL 2025 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Lucknow Super Giants came victorious by 33 runs against Gujarat Titans. Following the victory, the winning captain, Rishabh Pant, expressed happiness towards his batting unit. "Definitely happy. We have shown as a team that we can play good cricket. There was a time in the tournament we had the chance to qualify. But that's part and parcel of the game. We need to learn and get better. Always a question of getting the top three, but the way Shahrukh batted it definitely gives hope down the order as well. There was injury concerns coming into the tournament. The way Mitch, Markram, and Pooran batted and the whole batting unit in fact. Fielding, we made lapses. Learn from it and move forward," said Pant during the post-match presentation. Lucknow had a forgettable IPL 2025 season as they managed to win six matches in 13 games. During the game against GT, Mitchell Marsh smashed a glorious century. He played a knock of 117 runs off just 64 deliveries, which was laced with 10 boundaries and eight maximums. Later, while chasing a target of 236 runs, GT's Shahrukh Khan kept the side's ship sailing towards victory, but all his efforts went in vain. He scored 57 runs, but fell short in Avesh Khan's over. During the match, Pant stayed unbeaten on 16 runs in six balls. His knock also included two maximums. Overall, in the 12 IPL 2025 matches, the left-hander was able to score just 135 runs with an average of 12.27. In his scratchy season, the misfiring explosive southpaw's best came against the beleaguered Chennai Super Kings, a fixture where he racked up 63 from 49 deliveries. GT remains on top in the IPL 2025 points table, after this defeat, with 9 wins and 4 defeats in their 13 matches, they have 18 points. On the other hand, LSG is placed in the sixth position with six victories and seven defeats in their 13 matches, they have 12 points. The Rishabh Pant-led LSG will conclude its IPL 2025 group stage matches with a game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, scheduled to be played on May 27. (With ANI Inputs)
23 May,2025 01:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentDelhi Capitals pacer Mukesh Kumar has been fined 10 per cent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s loss against Mumbai Indians. Mukesh was also handed one demerit point for his level 1 offence under Article 2.2 which deals with “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a match.” 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 May,2025 12:51 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIMumbai Indians’s (MI) No. 4 Suryakumar Yadav and No. 7 Naman Dhir amassed 48 runs in the last 12 balls of their innings against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Wankhede on Wednesday, which proved to be the difference in the end as the hosts won by 59 runs to seal a place in the Playoffs. Put into bat, five-time champions MI managed were 132-5 at one stage with just two overs remaining. However, thanks to some big-hitting by Suryakumar (73 not out off 43 balls, 7x4, 4x6) and Dhir (8-ball 24 not out, 2x4, 2x6) in the last two overs, MI posted 180-5 in their allotted 20 overs. Dhir revealed how Suryakumar and he turned the equation in favour of the hosts by hammering pacers Mukesh Kumar (2-48) and Dushmantha Chameera (1-54) for 27 and 21 runs respectively. “We were trying to keep things simple. The wicket was on the slower side, so we were trying to just time the ball rather than muscle it. That’s what we practice daily. Talking to Polly [MI batting coach Kieron Pollard] and [skipper] Hardik bhai [Pandya] has helped me a lot,” Dhir said at the post-match press conference. MI’s initial struggle When asked about Suryakumar, Tilak Varma (27) and Hardik Pandya (3) struggling initially with the bat, Dhir said that the 49-ball 55-run fourth-wicket stand between Suryakumar and Varma was actually an impactful contribution. “I don’t think those three struggled. That was such a time where we needed to preserve our wickets for the last [overs]. Surya and Tilak’s partnership was very critical for us as the ball was turning a bit. So, they gave the lower-order batters a foundation to explore. I think that was a very clinical batting from both of them,” said Dhir. Meanwhile, DC head coach Hemang Badani admitted that his India pacer Mukesh and Sri Lankan Chameera failed to execute their plans in the death overs. “We could have gone for the cutters and wide yorkers. Even if you look to nail yorkers at this level, you would expect bowlers of international level to come and nail those balls. And if you don’t do that, players like Surya will punish you,” Badani said at the post-match presser. With DC crashing out of the tournament after suffering their fifth defeat in the last seven games, Badani felt the lack of a good start by the openers caused the team’s downfall. Opening woes for DC “We had Jake [Fraser-McGurk] at the top earlier, it didn’t work. Then, Abishek [Porel], then Faf [du Plessis], we also had Karun [Nair]. It’s just that we haven’t had anyone ensuring that we got off to good starts. A settled opening pair is only possible when your opening pair gives you a start. If you don’t get starts, you’re bound to make changes to try and fill that gap,” added Badani. 21No. of runs scored by Suryakumar Yadav off DC’s final over on Wednesday
23 May,2025 08:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureIt’s a battle within the battle. The four teams that have qualified for the IPL Playoffs are now involved in an intense contest to finish in the Top 2 of the points table, which ensures two opportunities to make it to the final. Three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore, who are seeking an elusive IPL crown, feel it’s their best chance this time around. As they prepare to take on the already-eliminated Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday in a league match that was shifted from Bengaluru to Lucknow due to the rain threat, RCB will be glad to play away from home as they have won only two of their six matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. On the contrary, they have triumphed in all six away ties, and if they manage to defeat Lucknow Super Giants here on May 27 in their last match of the league phase, they will hold the unique feat of winning all away games in a single IPL season. Pat Cummins Rain threat looms again There was much disappointment among Virat Kohli fans in Lucknow when the May 9 game between RCB and LSG was suspended due to border tension between India and Pakistan. But as luck would have it, they will now get the opportunity to see him play twice in a matter of days. However, fans will be praying for clear weather on Friday, as dark clouds have been hovering over Lucknow for the past two days. RCB’s last game was already washed out in Bengaluru on Saturday and they will not want another abandoned tie as they push for a Top-2 finish. The two games in Lucknow give RCB the perfect platform to tune up for the Playoffs that begin in New Chandigarh on May 29, as they’ve not had a game for three weeks. Their last match was against Chennai Super Kings in Bengaluru on May 3, before the IPL was suspended briefly. After the long layoff, Kohli & Co will look to use this opportunity to get into the groove before proceeding to the Playoffs. All set to play spoilers Meanwhile, though SRH are out of the fray, they cannot be taken lightly. Having chased down a 206-run target with consummate ease in their previous game here against LSG on Monday, they will be brimming with confidence to win their remaining two games (the last being against KKR on Sunday in Delhi) and finish a rather disappointing season on a high. Head-to-head, there is not much difference between the two teams as SRH have won 13 times and RCB 11, with one no result in the 25 matches the two have played in IPL history.
23 May,2025 08:35 AM IST | Lucknow | Santosh SuriRiding on opener Mitchell Marsh’s 117 off 64 balls, the already-eliminated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) beat current table-toppers Gujarat Titans (GT) by 33 runs in their penultimate IPL-18 league match here on Thursday. Marsh’s knock was laced with 10 fours and eight sixes as the visitors posted a mammoth 235-2 in the allotted 20 overs. In reply, GT could manage 202-9 in 20 overs. Pacer Will O’Rourke was the pick of the bowlers for LSG with 3-27, while M Shahrukh Khan (57 off 29 balls) top-scored for GT. Despite the defeat, GT stay on top with 18 points, while LSG are placed sixth (12 points) after six wins. Crucial 91-run opening stand Earlier, openers Aiden Markram (36 off 24 balls) and Marsh gave Lucknow a solid start with a 91-run stand off 59 balls before the hosts struck the much-needed blow, giving the 54,722 spectators in attendance much to cheer about when Shahrukh Khan snapped up Markram as the South African was attempting to hit him over the ropes on the off-side. Marsh was in a murderous mood right from the start of the innings as he used his long reach to hammer seamer Arshad Khan over covers — the shortest boundary at the Narendra Modi Stadium — in the second over for the first of his eight sixes. His straight shot over the sight screen off left-arm spinner Sai Kishore went high as everyone in the packed house craned their necks upwards to optimistically see the progress of the sky-bound ball that went the distance and more. LSG broke the record of 16 sixes in an IPL innings at the Ahmedabad venue by plundering 17 hits over the ropes with an equal number of fours in their innings. Explosive batting Nicholas Pooran (56 not out off 27 balls) took to the fast lane from the word go as he and Marsh added 121 for the second wicket off just 52 balls, putting LSG in a strong position early. The match did not begin well for GT when Arshad twice slipped while landing on his delivery stride as his back leg landed awkwardly in the second over. The left-arm seamer, however, sent back the rampaging Marsh in the 19th over. In the subsequent overs, both Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada hurt their respective bowling arms while trying to stop the ball in their followthrough. However, their injuries did not seem serious, though Siraj did receive treatment near the boundary rope. Brief scoresLSG 235-2 in 20 overs (M Marsh 117, N Pooran 56*, A Markram 36) beat GT 202-9 in 20 overs (S Khan 57, S Rutherford 38, S Gill 35, J Buttler 33; W O’Rourke 3-27, A Badoni 2-4, A Khan 2-51) by 33 runs
23 May,2025 08:31 AM IST | Ahmedabad | Sunil K VaidyaTeen opener Ayush Mhatre’s appointment as skipper of the India U-19 team for the upcoming England tour has come as no surprise to his Mumbai Ranji Trophy team members. Another Mumbai lad, wicketkeeper-batsman Abhigyan Kundu will be his deputy. Mhatre has impressed everyone in his maiden IPL stint (206 runs in six games) with the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings team. Before that, in his debut first-class season, Mhatre, 17, scored 504 runs in nine matches with two centuries, besides having 458 runs under his belt from seven List A games. Head coach of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy team, Omkar Salvi, was all praise for the young Mhatre. “It’s a surreal feeling to see a young player growing with every opportunity he has got. Ayush is a lovely kid who has a very calm head on his shoulders. Being around him in the dressing room gave me the feeling that he’s someone who will definitely be a leader in future. He’s very confident of his abilities and is a self-assured team man. And these qualities will keep him in good stead as leader of the India U-19 team,” Salvi told mid-day on Thursday. Mumbai Ranji team’s batting coach Vinit Indulkar recalled his first impressions of Mhatre. “I first saw Ayush during the U-19 team’s high performance camp at Salem [in Tamil Nadu] last year in April, where I was the batting coach. My first impression of him was that he’s a special talent. He’s a calm, but hardworking boy with a good work ethic. During our camp and even during the matches at Ahmedabad, he did exceedingly well. His fluent strokeplay is his strength. He has a lot of options on both the front and back foot, and he picks the length early given his fine hand-eye coordination,” said Indulkar. Mhatre’s Mumbai teammate and experienced off-spinner Tanush Kotian, who will be representing India ‘A’ and leaves for the England tour on Saturday, has immense confidence in Mhatre’s ability as captain. “Ayush is a shot-maker, who backs his attacking intent. He has that Mumbai attitude of dominating the bowler. He has spent a lot of time with the seniors in the Mumbai dressing room and I’m sure he has learnt a lot in the CSK dressing room too. So, I’m extremely confident of his ability to deliver as India U-19. Before his Irani Cup debut game last season, I had never played with Ayush. He hardly scored in that Irani Cup match, but impressed everyone with his batting approach. When he scored a century [176] against Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy [at MCA-BKC ground] he showcased all his shots and that was a treat to watch,” Kotian concluded. 187.27 Ayush Mhatre’s strike-rate in the ongoing IPL. He has scored 206 runs in six games for CSK
23 May,2025 08:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayurePaul Stirling (54 off 64 balls) became the first Irish batsman to reach 10,000 international runs and Andy Balbirnie made a century during a dominant 124-run win over the West Indies in the opening ODI here on Wednesday. Building on the first-wicket partnership of 109, fellow opener Balbirnie went on to make 112 from 138 deliveries, while Harry Tector chipped in with 56 as the hosts closed on 303-6 after being put in to bat. Pacer Barry McCarthy finished with 4-32 as Ireland wrapped up victory with 95 balls to spare. 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 May,2025 08:21 AM IST | Dublin | AFPADVERTISEMENT
