Punjab Kings will head into another season with a hope of claiming their maiden IPL trophy, a title that has been eluding them since the tournament’s inception back in 2008. With a new captain in Shikhar Dhawan at the helm, they will need the contribution from each individual to take this young team forward in the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League and hope to do better than a No.6 finish that they had in 2022.

Coming into the tournament, they let go off their last year’s skipper Mayank Agarwal ahead of the auctions and brought England’s all-rounder Sam Curran for a earth-shattering sum of 18.5 crores which makes him the most expensive player in the IPL. Their campaign got a big jolt in the form of the unavailability of one of their star overseas player Jonny Bairstow who will miss the entirety of IPL owing to a leg fracture he sustained while playing golf during September last year.

Punjab Kings have announced Australia’s uncapped all-rounder and player of the tournament Matthew Short in Big Bash League 2023 Matthew Short as Jonny Bairstow’s replacement. He will add a great value to the side as an all-rounder but it remains to be seen how will he fit into the scheme of things. Though PBKS don’t have enough firepower when it comes to the Indian batting talent, they have some of the top overseas players in their setup.

It would be interesting to see the playing XI of the Punjab Kings when they play host to the Kolkata Knight Riders at Mohali on the 1st of April in an 3.30 PM start.

Punjab Kings squad (IPL 2023): Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shahrukh Khan, Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Baltej Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Shivam Singh, and Mohit Rathe, Matthew Short

Predicted Starting XI for PBKS in IPL 2023

Openers: Shikhar Dhawan, Prabhsimran Singh

Shikhar Dhawan is the newly appointed Punjab Kings for this forthcoming edition of IPL and he will be the lynchpin of the otherwise a relatively inexperienced batting lineup. Being the 2nd highest run-getter in IPL with 6086 runs in 200 matches in IPL at an average of 35.18 striking at over 126, Shikhar is already a legend in this tournament and led the batting charts in the last year for PBKS with 460 runs. He will once again be the forefront of Punjab’s batting apart from leading this exciting side this IPL.

Young Prabhsimran Singh could be the opening partner for the veteran left-hander this season in the absence of more experienced Jonny Bairstow and former PBKS player Mayank Agarwal. The 22-year-old has played only 6 IPL games in the 4 seasons but has shown a great deal of potential in the domestic circuit.

Middle-order: Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Shahrukh Khan

Sri Lankan batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa was picked in the IPL 2022 and was quite impressive in his debut season. Though he didn’t make that many runs in the 9 games he played, his 206 runs came at a strike-rate of 159.69 which is type of batting the modern game demands. Bhanuka could be once again given a long rope this season as well, especially in the absence of Bairstow.

One of the major positives for the Punjab Kings in the last season has to be the stand-out performance of England batter Liam Livingstone who had an amazing tournament despite the team not performing that well. Liam scored 427 runs in 14 games at an average of 36.42 and more importantly his strike rate throughout the season was about 182.08 which is simply incredible.

Jitesh Sharma and Shahrukh Khan will form the rest of the batting order for the PBKS this season. The former had a great debut season in 2022 where he made 234 runs from 12 matches at a strike rate of over 163 and he will most likely be the designated finisher. Joining him in the finishing department would be Shahrukh who had a sub-par IPL 2022 but his domestic records still stands good.

All-rounders: Sam Curran, Harpreet Brar

Sam Curran, the costliest IPL player is a great utility player and has found great success in his short IPL career as well done well for England in national colors. He didn’t feature in IPL 2022 but has played 32 games in the 3 seasons taking 32 wickets at 31.09 and scoring 337 runs. He can change the complexion of the game both with bat & ball and this makes him a complete package.

The next all-rounder in the list is Harpreet Brar who rose to fame with his dream spell against a star-studded RCB side in 2021 and PBKS would want him to show of his brilliance once again.

Bowlers: Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar

Kagiso Rabada will lead the pace attack for the PBKS this season and the champion bowler has had a prolific career in the most competitive T20 league in the world. He is just 1 shy of 100 IPL wickets mark from 63 games at an incredible average of 19.66 and will play a key role for the Dhawan-led PBKS side.

Arshdeep Singh will take the new ball with PBKS and the Indian pacer will want to show why he is rated highly among the experts. Though he picked only 10 wickets in 14 games last IPL, his economy rate of 7.70 is miserly when it comes to the T20 cricket.

Rahul Chahar will be the specialist spinner for the team and PBKS will hope for the leggie to have a wicket-taking season. Overall the Punjab Kings have a settled squad with little concerns over the top-order.

Punjab Probable Playing XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Shahrukh Khan, Sam Curran, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar

You can find here the other franchise’s probable starting XI for IPL 2023 here.

The post Predicting the Starting XI for PBKS in IPL 2023 appeared first on CricIndeed.

Delhi Capitals has been one of the most consistent teams in the IPL over the last 4 seasons reaching the playoffs on 3 of those occasions. In the last edition, however, they just missed out on the qualification finishing 5th on the points table. Though they didn’t make too many changes to their squad from the previous edition, the balance of the side greatly shifted due to the unfortunate accident with their regular skipper Rishabh Pant who is ruled out of the entire tournament.

In his absence, the Delhi Capitals will be led by the IPL legend himself David Warner and the left-hander opener from Australia has enjoyed great success in the IPL with respect to leading the side. He was the captain of the SRH side that won the IPL in 2016 and he would be delighted to lead the side from the front once again in this edition.

Apart from this forced change, the Capitals team looks like a well-oiled machine and a complete unit with proven match-winners on their side. In the auctions, they brought the South African hard-hitting batter Rilee Rossouw for a huge sum of 4.60 crores but we have to wait & see if he is included in the playing XI straightaway. Another useful buy could be that of Manish Pandey and he will very well fit them in the middle order adding much-needed experience in the absence of Rishabh Pant.

We will look at the probable playing XI for the capitals when they take on the Lucknow Super Giants in an away game at the Ekana stadium in Lucknow on the 1st of April 2023.

Delhi Capitals Complete Squad for IPL 2023: Axar Patel, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Sarfaraz Khan, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Mustafizur Rahman, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Chetan Sakariya, Lalit Yadav, Ripal Patel, Yash Dhull, Rovman Powell, Pravin Dubey, Lungi Ngidi, Vicky Ostwal, Aman Khan, Phil Salt, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw

Predicted Starting XI for DC in IPL 2023

Openers: David Warner, Prithvi Shaw

David Warner as we all know has been appointed the skipper of the Delhi Capitals team in this forthcoming edition of the IPL. His form coming into the tournament has been up & down but the 36-year-old veteran is a certified legend when it comes to the Indian Premier League. He is the league’s 4th highest run-getter and the highest by an overseas player with 5668 runs in 155 games at close to 42. Last year, Warner once again shined in the IPL scoring 432 runs at an average of 48 and a strike rate of more than 150 which is simply outstanding.

His opening partner is likely to be the youngster Prithvi Shaw who has decent IPL numbers to date but is yet to have a breakthrough season to take him to the next level. This season could very well be the year of Shaw as he is now the senior most Indian batsman in the side with Pant missing out. Shaw didn’t feature in all of DC’s games last year but he did play 10 games where he scored 283 at a strike rate of 153.

Middle-Order: Mitchell Marsh, Manish Pandey, Sarfaraz Khan

Mitchell Marsh has been a revelation for the Australian side in the limited-overs format of the game since being asked to play at the top order. He had a dream T20 World Cup in 2021 for Australia and even in the recent ODI series against India where he made 197 runs in 3 innings at a strike of 131.08 which is quite outstanding in ODIs. In the previous edition of IPL, Marsh played 8 games scoring 251 runs at a strike rate of 132 but this time form is in his side coming into this world cup.

Manish Pandey is an IPL veteran playing for different sides over the last 14 years and this is his first season with the Delhi Capitals. In the 160 IPL games, Pandey has scored 3648 runs at 29.90 per wicket but the real problem lies with his consistency. DC would want him to give stability to the middle order, especially in the absence of a player like Pant. Sarfaraz Khan would be the keeper of the side in this edition and this talented batsman has been in some form when it comes to red-ball cricket. It is time that Sarfaraz converts all his potential into runs in this IPL.

All-rounders: Rovman Powell, Axar Patel

Rovman Powell is a powerful hitter of the ball and DC has invested greatly in him since the last season. He featured in all of DC’s games last season scoring 250 at a strike rate of just under 150, and in the international games for West Indies, Rovman has shown his usefulness as a bowler which could be handy for the Capitals. If he scores a quick-fire score more often, then DC’s chances of posting good totals will be high.

The next all-rounder that the DC has is Axar Patel. The left-hander has slowly but steadily increased his capabilities as a batsman for India and his stroke play has improved by leaps & bounds. He was one of the few batsmen who were comfortable playing in the rank-turners in the recent India-Australia series and would really be handy. The DC vice-captain has played 122 games in IPL taking 101 wickets and scoring 1135 runs.

Bowlers: Anrich Nortje, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed/ Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti

Anrich Nortje is an automatic starter for the Delhi Capitals and the pacer has proved to be a prolific wicket-taker in the IPL for them since making his debut in the 2020 edition. In the 30 games, Nortje has picked 43 wickets at an economy rate of 8.06 which is really amazing for a quick bowler. He is a class bowler and DC would want him to lead the pace attack that includes a lot of Indian local talent.

They have the likes of left-arm pacers like Chetan Sakariya and Khaleel Ahmed who both are exciting. We can expect one of them to start in the DCs playing XI in their opening contest. Kamlesh Naharkoti, another Indian pacer can get an extended run than he got in the last few seasons and the youngster has missed a lot of cricket owing to injuries.

Last but not the least, DC will have their chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI. After an amazing run with India in both the white-ball formats, it is time for Kuldeep to establish himself as the best Indian spinner in this IPL. He has taken 61 wickets in 59 games including a 21-wicket haul in the last edition of the IPL.

The post Predicting the Starting XI for DC in IPL 2023 appeared first on CricIndeed.

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will start their IPL 2023 campaign without the services of their skipper Shreyas Iyer who will miss the entirety of the lucrative tournament due to his recurring back injury. Iyer is expected to be out for a good period of about 5 months and this rules him effectively of not only IPL but also the subsequent WTC Final by the look of things.

This means they need to not only look for a replacement skipper while Iyer is unavailable and also have the monumental task of finding an ideal replacement for Iyer the batsman. KKR do have some local Indian batting talent at their disposal but the international experience that the right-hander brings will definitely be missed this season.

The Knight Riders would ideally want the likes of Nitish Rana, Venkatesh Iyer, and overseas pros such as Andre Russell, and Sunil Narine to step up during different times in the season. They didn’t have the best of IPL’s last year where they failed to reach the playoffs and will like to put their best foot forward despite having a depleted squad.

Let us look at the complete KKR squad and their probable playing XI in the team’s first game against the Punjab Kings at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on April 1st, 2023.

Kolkata Knight Riders squad (IPL 2023): Nitish Rana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, Narayan Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Weise, Kulwant Khejrolia, Mandeep Singh, Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan. 

Predicted starting XI for KKR in IPL 2023

Openers: Venkatesh Iyer, Narayan Jagadeesan/Litton Das

Venkatesh Iyer has become a certainty in the KKR playing XI over the past couple of seasons for the KKR and the reason being his attacking nature at the top of the batting order. He had a dream start to his IPL career in 2021 where he amassed 370 runs in 10 innings at 41.11 but a really poor 2nd outing in the last edition.
He is likely to be partnered by either Narayan Jagadeesan who holds the record of having the highest List A score or the Bangladeshi opener Liton Das who has been a revelation in international cricket this past year or so. Liton however is yet to make his IPL debut.

Jagadeesan on the other hand has been let go by the CSK franchise and by the looks of things, he might get a solid run at the top of the order with the KKR.

Middle-order: Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Mandeep Singh

Nitish Rana has been a consistent performer for the KKR team in the last few years regularly churning out 300+ runs in each of his last 6 seasons in the IPL and at a fair clip as well. This season, Rana has an even bigger role to play in the absence of Shreyas in the middle order. Veteran IPL batsman Mandeep Singh was picked at the auctions by the KKR and most likely come in place of Iyer in the batting order. Having played more than 100 IPL games for various teams, Mandeep will be eager to show his prowess at this level.

Rinku Singh is another exciting talent going around in the domestic circuit and was impressive in the limited game time he had in the previous edition of the Knight Riders. In the last season, Rinku scored 174 runs in 7 innings at a strike rate of 148 and KKR will want to maximize his usage.

All-rounders: Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur

Coming to the all-rounders, KKR really has some match-winners in this section. Andre Russell and Narine have won numerous games for KKR with both bat & ball and the KKR management will desperately want them to fit for the whole season. While Russell has scored a tad over 2000 runs at a staggering strike rate of 177 and has taken 89 wickets in 98 IPL games, Narine has 152 scalps to kitty to go with his 1025 runs in IPL.

There will be a lot of hope for this duo to perform in all departments of the game from the KKR management as they have been a pillar of strength for the team over the seasons gone by. It might not be a surprise if one of them gets to lead the side in the absence of the regular skipper Shreyas Iyer.

Shardul Thakur is the newest addition to the KKR squad and he is a great utility bowler who can bowl in any given situation. Overall this trio makes KKR a balanced unit.

Bowlers: Tim Southee, Varun Chakravarthy, Lockie Ferguson/Umesh Yadav

Selections with regard to the KKR bowling department might prove to be tricky as they can go with an Indian-overseas pacer combo in Ferguson and Umesh Yadav or go in with 2 Kiwi pacers in Southee-Ferguson. But the spinner spot will likely go to the mystery exponent Varun Charavarthy.

Tim Southee is the highest wicket-taker in the T20I format and will definitely be among the leadership group of KKR it could very well be a toss-up between Yadav and Ferguson depending on the team combinations.

You can find here the other franchise’s probable starting XI for IPL 2023 here.

Lucknow probable playing XI: Venkatesh Iyer, Narayan Jagadeesan/Liton Das, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Mandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Tim Southee, Varun Chakravarthy, Lockie Ferguson/Umesh Yadav

The post Predicting the Starting XI for KKR in IPL 2023 appeared first on CricIndeed.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad team made many changes to their squad from the last edition, including a new captain. South Africa’s opening batter Aiden Markram was named the skipper of the SRH team for the new edition, and he will take over the reins from Kane Williamson, who was just released ahead of the IPL 2023 Mini auctions.

They were one of the busiest teams in the auctions, and expectedly so, as the SRH let go of some of their expensive overseas players, such as Nicholas Pooran and Romario Shepard. And in the auctions, the SRH made some high-profile purchases in the form of acquiring former Punjab Kings skipper Mayank Agarwal for a whopping 8.25 crores and going all-out for the England sensational batter Harry Brook who was brought for an earth-shattering 13.25 crores. These two are a great investment for the SRH, who would love to do better than the No.8 finish they had in 2022, at least with this sort of team.

With a great depth of bowling which they usually do, SRH now will want their batting unit to step, unlike the last season. This will ensure that SRH will maintain a balanced team throughout the campaign and present itself with a decent chance at the IPL glory.

Sunrisers will play their first match of the brand new Tata IPL 2023 in their home venue, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium at Hyderabad. They will take on the 2022 edition’s runners-up, Rajasthan Royals, in an afternoon game on the 2nd of April.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad for IPL 2023: Abdul Samad, Umran Malik, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tripathi, Abhishek Sharma, Kartik Tyagi, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Glenn Phillips, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Vivrant Sharma, Samarth Vyas, Sanvir Singh, Upendra Singh Yadav, Mayank Dagar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akeal Hosein, Anmolpreet Singh

Predicted starting XI for SRH in IPL 2023

Openers: Aiden Markram, Mayank Agarwal

Aiden Markram is having a dream 2023 thus far. Recently he was named the skipper of South Africa’s T20I national team after finding a great deal of success as the captain of Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA 20 League tournament. He led them to a title win in its inaugural edition. Markram was prolific in the recent West Indies Test series at home and has been consistent in the shortest format of the game for the Proteas where he averages 39 over the last 2 years with a strike rate of around 149. He played 14 games for SRH in the last edition and accumulated 381 runs at an average of 47.63 and a strike rate close to 140.

His opening partner is likely to be Mayank Agarwal who didn’t have the best of seasons in 2022 with the Punjab Kings where he scored just 196 runs at a paltry average of 16.33 and only 1 half-century in the 12 outings. He was subsequently released by the franchise but the SRH can take heart from the fact that Mayank had an outstanding 2020 and 2021 where he scored 400+ in each of the seasons at an average of 40 and a strike rate of close to 150. SRH will hope for these 2 top-order classy batters to come good in 2023.

Middle-Order: Rahul Tripathi, Harry Brook, Heinrich Klaasen

Rahul Tripathi had in some ways his breakthrough IPL season in 2022 for the SRH where he amassed 413 runs at an average of 37.55 with a mind-blowing strike rate of 158.24 in the 14 games he played. He was by far their best batsman of last season and this earned him a call-up to the Indian T20I side. SRH will hope Tripathi once again has a brilliant season at his favoured No.3 slot.

Next up is the new sensation on the block, Harry Brook from England. SRH shelled out 13.25 crores to get the services of the young middle-order batsman in the IPL and the reason being his exploits in international cricket. Brook in his brief career scored a jaw-dropping 809 runs in just 10 Test innings and what is more impressive is his strike rate which reads a mind-boggling 98.78. He also has a decent start to his T20I career for England.

Heinrich Klaasen was snapped by the SRH for a huge sum of 5.25 crores and from then on, the Proteas batter has been in amazing form. He just smashed South Africa’s 4th fastest ODI hundred a batter and has proved to be a match-winner when he is full flow. These 3 batters are expected to take control of the middle overs for the SRH.

All-rounders: Washington Sundar, Marco Jansen, Abdul Samad

Washington Sundar has shown that his power-hitting game has improved in recent years and should be the ideal batsman to come at the No.6 slot. He has played multiple useful knocks in his short yet injury-hit international career and one of his main strengths is the fact that he bowls his off-spinners at the powerplays with great success.

Marco Jansen is another player who can hit a ball a mile and can take wickets at crucial junctures making him one of the valuable assets for the SRH team this year. He has improved overall as a player in all formats and the team in orange should benefit from him being on their side. Abdul Samad has been around with the Sunrisers team for the last 3 years but is yet to prove himself at this stage. We can expect him to be a part of the playing XI when they their first game this season.

Bowlers: T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik

SRH’s strong point over the years has been their bowling, especially the Indian fast bowling options, which they have plenty of this season as well. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India’s veteran pacer has been absent from the national team for a while now and this fact should motivate him to do well this IPL and make a comeback. He has taken 154 wickets in the IPL, of which 12 came in the last season.

Here are the five best spells of Bhuvi in his IPL career.

T Natarajan too has missed a lot of cricket due to injury but his IPL numbers are more than decent. The left-arm pacer has taken 38 wickets from 35 games and would love to have a great season here. Umran Malik, the express pace bowler had an incredible 2022 season where he snapped up 22 wickets in 14 games to be SRH’s leading wicket-taker and was called up to the national ODI and T20I teams. The trio has the potential to make inroads into any batting line-up on their day.

You can find here the other franchise’s probable starting XI for IPL 2023 here.

Hyderabad’s probable playing XI: Aiden Markram, Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Tripathi, Harry Brook, Heinrich Klaasen, Washington Sundar, Marco Jansen, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, Mayank Markande

The post Predicting the Starting XI for SRH in IPL 2023 appeared first on CricIndeed.

Limited IPL ticket 2023 release causes frenzy among cricket fans. The highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 is set to kick off on March 31st, and legions of enthusiastic fans are eagerly awaiting the chance to witness their favorite teams battle it out on the pitch. The Narendra Modi Stadium has opened its doors to bookings, with affordable tickets starting at just 800 Rs. Furthermore, Bookmyshow and Insider have initiated the pre-registration process for other IPL teams and stadiums, demonstrating the enormous popularity of the event.

The inaugural match of IPL 2023 is shaping up to be an unforgettable showdown between the reigning champions, Gujarat Titans, and perennial powerhouses, Chennai Super Kings. With ticket sales already in full swing, fans don’t want to miss out on this pulse-pounding action. As Gujarat Titans captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said: “It’s going to be a great show! We’re all looking forward to seeing what our team can do against Chennai Super Kings. It’s going to be an epic match!” 

Chennai Super Kings captain Virat Kohli echoed Dhoni’s sentiment: “I know our team will give it their all! We can’t wait for this incredible opportunity to prove ourselves against Gujarat Titans. We know that all of our fans will be cheering us on every step of the way!” 

The atmosphere surrounding IPL 2023 is electric, with eager spectators ready to experience some world-class cricketing entertainment. As IPL Commissioner Rajeev Shukla remarked: “We are delighted that so many people are interested in attending the games this year! Our aim is always to provide a platform for some exceptional cricketing talent from around India and beyond – and we know that we won’t disappoint!” 

Be sure not to miss out on this unique opportunity – get your IPL ticket now before they sell out! Whether you’re rooting for your favorite team or just curious about what the Indian Premier League has in store for cricket lovers everywhere, don’t miss out on this incredible event. Get your tickets today and join us in celebrating India’s premier cricket tournament – IPL 2023!

The post IPL 2023 Ticket: A Frenzy of Excitement as Fans Prepare to See Their Favorites in Action appeared first on CricIndeed.

If you are looking for a new sport to try, you might be wondering whether to pick up a paddle or a bat. Pickleball and cricket are two popular sports that have many similarities and differences. Both are played with a ball and a racket-like instrument, but they have different rules, equipment, and strategies. In this blog, we will compare and contrast these two sports and give you some reasons why you should try both.

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball is a fun sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. It is played on a court that is the same size as a doubles badminton court, with a net that is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches high in the middle. The court has two 7-foot non-volley zones on either side of the net, where players cannot hit the ball in the air before it bounces.

Pickleball is played with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes. The ball is served underhand from behind the baseline and must land in the opposite diagonal service court. The serve must clear the non-volley zone. The ball must bounce once on each side before players can volley it (hit it in the air). The game is played as singles or doubles, and the first team to score 11 points by a margin of two wins.

Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, by three dads who wanted to create a game for their bored kids. It has since grown into a popular sport for all ages and skill levels, with over 4.8 million players in the US alone.

If you’re interested in learning more about pickleball, check out this article on pickleball paddle holding technique to improve your game.

What is Cricket?

Cricket is an ancient sport that originated in England and is now played all over the world, especially in Australia, India, Pakistan, the West Indies, and the British Isles. It is played on a large oval field with a rectangular pitch in the centre. The pitch has two sets of three stumps at each end, with two bails balanced on top of them.

Cricket is played with a bat and a hard leather ball. The game involves two teams of 11 players each. One team bats and tries to score runs by hitting the ball and running between the wickets. The other team fields and tries to prevent runs by catching the ball or hitting the wickets with it. The fielding team also has one player called the bowler who delivers the ball to the batsman from one end of the pitch. The batsman can hit the ball in any direction but must defend his wicket from being hit by the ball.

Cricket can be played in different formats, ranging from five days (Test cricket) to three hours (twenty20 cricket). The number of overs (sets of six balls delivered by one bowler) varies depending on the format. The team with the most runs at the end of the match wins.

How are Pickleball and Cricket Similar?

Pickleball and cricket may appear to be vastly different games at first glance, but they share several similarities that make them both challenging and enjoyable to play. One similarity is that both games require a high level of hand-eye coordination, agility, and stamina from the players. In pickleball, players have to react quickly to hit the ball back and forth over the net, while in cricket, fielders have to move quickly to catch or stop the ball. This demand for physical and mental agility is a shared characteristic of both games, making them a great workout for the body and the mind.

Another similarity between pickleball and cricket is that both are played on a designated court or field, with a net or wickets at each end. This creates a specific area of play for both games and adds to the challenge of the sport. In pickleball, players have to stay within the court boundaries, while in cricket, fielders have to be aware of the boundaries and try to prevent the ball from going past them. This element of confined play is a shared characteristic of both games, requiring players to be strategic and aware of their surroundings.

Furthermore, both games have teams of two or more players who take turns batting and fielding. In pickleball, doubles teams take turns serving and returning the ball, while in cricket, each team takes turns batting and fielding. This aspect of team play is a shared characteristic of both games, fostering cooperation and communication among teammates.

Another similarity between pickleball and cricket is that they both have a scoring system based on points or runs, which are accumulated through various actions during the game. In pickleball, players can earn points by hitting the ball in certain areas of the court or by forcing errors from their opponents. In cricket, runs are scored when the batsman hits the ball and runs to the other end of the pitch before the ball is returned by the fielding team. This shared characteristic of both games adds to the excitement and competitiveness of the sport, giving players an objective to strive for.

Finally, both games have rules that govern how the ball can be hit, where it can land, and when it can be volleyed, ensuring fair play and sportsmanship. These rules also add to the challenge of the sport, requiring players to be knowledgeable and attentive to the regulations of the game.

How are Pickleball and Cricket Different?

Pickleball and cricket differ in several ways. Pickleball is played on a smaller court with a lower net, and uses a paddle and plastic ball with holes, while cricket uses a bat and hard leather ball. Pickleball has an underhand serve and a non-volley zone, while cricket has an overarm delivery and no such restriction. Pickleball has a fixed number of points to win a game (11), while cricket has a variable number of overs or runs to win a match. Lastly, pickleball can be played indoors or outdoors on any flat surface, while cricket is typically played outdoors on grass or dirt.

Why You Should Try Both

Pickleball and cricket are both enjoyable sports that can offer you many benefits for your physical and mental health. Here are some of the reasons why you should try both:

• Pickleball is a great cardio workout that can burn up to 600 calories per hour, making it an excellent way to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. It also strengthens your muscles, joints, and bones, and lowers your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
• Pickleball is easy to learn and play, regardless of your age or skill level. It is a social sport that allows you to meet new people and have fun with friends. It also improves your hand-eye coordination, cognitive function, and memory recall. Playing pickleball can also help you cope with stress and depression.
• Cricket is a challenging sport that tests your endurance, agility, and reflexes. It also develops your strategic thinking, teamwork, and communication skills. Cricket can boost your confidence, self-esteem, and discipline as you learn to master the game.
• Cricket is a diverse sport that can be played in different formats, from five days to three hours. It also exposes you to different cultures and traditions as you play with or against players from different countries. Cricket can broaden your horizons and enrich your life experiences.

Whether you prefer a fast-paced game on a small court or a long-lasting game on a large field, pickleball and cricket can both offer you a lot of fun and fitness. Why not give them both a try and see which one suits you better? You might be surprised by how much you enjoy them both.

Conclusion

Pickleball and cricket are two sports that have a lot in common but also have their own unique features and benefits. Both can help you stay fit, healthy, and happy, while also providing you with opportunities to learn new skills, make new friends, and have fun. Whether you are looking for a sport that is easy to learn and play or a sport that is challenging and rewarding, you can find it in pickleball or cricket. So why not give them both a try and see which one you like better? You might find that you love them both equally. Pickleball and cricket are both sports that reign supreme in their own ways, and you should try both to experience the best of both worlds.

The post Pickleball vs. Cricket: Which Sport Reigns Supreme and Why You Should Try Both appeared first on CricIndeed.

When Kapil Dev began his International journey, the cricketing world saw him as the next big thing in cricket. Thousands of budding cricketers of that generation emulated his style and considered him an inspiration. The “Haryana Hurricane,” as he was fondly called during his playing days, set an example for the next generation of cricketers with his “never-say-die” attitude and ability to lead from the front.

Kapil Dev was the captain of the Indian team at a time when many people in India didn’t consider Sports a professional career. The former all-rounder proved everyone wrong and showed everyone that Sports could be a career option. The former skipper was the captain when India wasn’t dominating compared to West Indies, England, and Australia.

In 131 Tests, Kapil Dev scored 5248 runs with an average of 31.05, scoring 8 centuries and 27 half-centuries with a highest score of 163. He claimed 434 wickets with the best bowling figures of 9/83 in the longer format.

In 225 ODIs, the former all-rounder scored 3783 runs with the highest score of an unbeaten 175 registering 1 century and 14 half-centuries and claiming 253 wickets with the best bowling figures of 5/43.

His biggest strength was his trust in the newcomers and ability to bring the best out of an ordinary player. Whenever the team struggled in any department, the former skipper stood tall and fought bravely whatever the situation. India registered some emphatic victories under his leadership.

This article will look at Kapil Dev’s record as captain.

Find here: Indian Test Captaincy Records in Detail

Kapil Dev Captaincy Records in Test cricket

As a captain, Kapil Dev won 4 Tests in 34 Test matches as skipper, with 7 ending in losses and 22 ending in draws; one match was tied.

Under his captaincy, India won its first Test series in England 2-0 in 1986 – one of Kapil’s biggest achievements as a Test captain.

As a captain, Kapil Dev holds these records in Tests:

Kapil Dev Captaincy Records in ODI cricket

In 74 ODIs as skipper, the former all-rounder won 39 games, lost 33, and one ended in no result.

Kapil Dev was the first Indian skipper to lead India to a World Cup victory when he achieved this record in the 1983 World Cup.

As a captain, Kapil Dev holds these records in ODIs:

Kapil Dev’s Record as Skipper in World Cups

Kapil Dev captained the Indian sides in the 1983 and 1987 editions, where he led his sides to win 11 of the 14 matches he captained – a feat which is only less than MS Dhoni (14 wins) among other Indian captains. Check MS Dhoni’s Captaincy record here.

As a player, the Haryana all-rounder scored 669 runs and claimed 28 wickets in 26 World Cup matches he played overall.

Conclusion

Kapil Dev played a big role in inspiring a generation of Indian cricketers. He not only played a big role in popularising the Sport in India but also made the people of India believe that Sports can be a valuable career option. He inspired many cricketers from rural areas to take up the sport. Today we see many cricketers from small cities and rural areas making big at the International level. By winning the ODI World Cup in England, the legendary cricketer made the country proud, and every Indian looks up to him as a source of motivation.

The post Kapil Dev Captaincy Records- All Formats appeared first on CricIndeed.

In cricket, wicketkeeping is a skill that only a few players are comfortable with, as it is challenging. The baggage can get even tougher when a wicketkeeper is also a skipper. A captain who is also a wicketkeeper must administer the bowling changes and field placements; he needs to be in sync with his teammates on the field.

Relevant Read: The Testing role of a Wicketkeeper in T20s

The cricketing world has witnessed wicketkeepers who were sharp and clever as captains. This piece will discuss ten wicketkeepers who were also prudent leaders – the few with different skill sets and had the awareness to take gutsy yet clever decisions.

They highlighted their calibre behind the stumps with fine wicketkeeping skills and showcased a determined attitude to lead their side. They exhibited tremendous temperament while handling both responsibilities, thus winning some major tournaments with their captaincy.

Talking about wicketkeeping, here are the best wicketkeeping pads you can buy online!

Back to topic, following are the ten best wicketkeeper-captains of all time!

#10 Alec Stewart (England)

Undoubtedly one of the best wicketkeepers in terms of his awareness behind the stumps; Stewart showcased neat footwork. Additionally, the right-handed batsmen in him looked technically strong. He was a handy batter in the middle order who played some fine match-winning knocks.

The former wicketkeeper-batsman also displayed decent leadership capabilities. He won England 4 Tests for England as captain losing 8 and drawing 3. In 41 ODIs as skipper, Stewart won 15 and lost 25. The former wicketkeeper has 277 dismissals in 133 Tests and 174 dismissals in 170 ODIs.

#9 Andy Flower (Zimbabwe)

Undoubtedly one of the best batsmen in Zimbabwe’s cricketing history, Andy Flower could perform under pressure with his tough temperament. The former wicketkeeper-batsman showcased tremendous consistency with his neat glove work and collection. The left-hander is Zimbabwe’s all-time highest run scorer in Tests and ODIs.

And it was apparent in the very ODI game he played.

The elder Flower brother leads Zimbabwe in 10 Tests, winning just 1 Test. In 35 ODIs as a skipper, he won 12 ODIs. The former wicketkeeper-batsman was a smart thinker. In 63 Tests, the left-hander registered 160 dismissals as a wicketkeeper and 173 in 213 ODIs. Flower always displayed a smart aptitude for foxing the batsman with some smart stumpings.

#8 Ian Healy (Australia)

One of the most technically-rich wicketkeepers of 1990s, Ian Healy was tidy behind the stumps with his clever understanding and his gifted footwork in terms of collection. The former wicketkeeper-batsman captained Australia in 8 ODIs, winning 5 and losing 3. His win percentage is 87% in ODIs as captain, which is quite impressive.

Healy has this knack for reading the conditions well and guiding the bowlers accordingly. The former wicketkeeper-batsman never captained Australia in Tests. Healy also took the advice of senior bowlers during field restrictions. In 119 Tests, Healy registered 395 dismissals, while in 168 ODIs, the former wicketkeeper-batsman registered 233 dismissals.

#7 Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh)

Mushfiqur Rahim is amongst the best wicketkeeper-batsman in the history of Bangladesh Cricket. The wicketkeeper-batsman has played some wonderful knocks with the bat, and as a keeper, he has been one of the quickest behind the stumps.

And he is the highest double century scorer for his side in Tests!

The wicketkeeper-batsman has looked gutsy as a captain while making crucial bowling changes. He coordinated well with his senior players while making important decisions regarding field placements and discussing batting orders. Rahim has won 7 Tests as captain, losing 18 and drawing 9, while leading the side in 30 Tests and winning 11 ODIs in 37 ODIs as skipper, losing 24 and drawing 2. In 23 T20Is, Rahim won 8 matches as captain, losing 14 and drawing 1. He has registered 122 dismissals in Test cricket, 254 in ODI cricket, and 72 in T20Is.

#6 Moin Khan (Pakistan)

Moin Khan had to compete with Rashid Latif for a place in the playing XI. From the selectors’ perspective, Moin Khan was a better batsman, but Latif was sharper behind the stumps as a wicketkeeper. The former wicketkeeper-batsman adjusted his technique on bouncy wickets and turning wickets smartly. Moin captained Pakistan in 13 Tests, winning 4.

We even have him in the greatest Pakistani Test XI of all time!

His biggest strength was his rapport with the senior players, whom he always turned to during bowling changes. The former wicketkeeper-batsman won 20 ODIs as skipper in 34 ODIs. He had the understanding to change his bowlers immediately if a bowler gave away too many runs. In 69 Tests, Moin registered 148 dismissals, while in 219 ODIs, he registered 287 dismissals as a wicketkeeper.

#5 Sarfaraz Ahmed (Pakistan)

Although the 35-year-old was criticised for his inability to take tough decisions, Sarfaraz hasn’t done badly as a skipper. The wicketkeeper-batsman won 28 ODIs in 56 limited-overs games that he captained, losing 20. He won 11 back-to-back T20I series, a record in itself. Under him, Pakistan won 8 consecutive T20 games. In his Test career as skipper, Sarfaraz won 4 out of 13 Tests and lost 8 with a win percentage of 30%. In 37 T20Is, as captain, the right-hander won 29 T20Is as skipper and lost 8 with a win percentage of 78%.

Sarfaraz was gutsy in taking tough decisions when it came to team selection as well as field placements. In 51 Tests, the wicketkeeper-batsman registered 172 dismissals, while in 117 ODIs, Sarfaraz registered 143 dismissals as wicket keeper. Under his captaincy, Pakistan won the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in England.

#4 Brendon McCullum (New Zealand)

Like his batting, McCullum was charismatic with his captaincy and ability to take tough decisions even when it seemed the team was performing below par. The former wicketkeeper-batsman backed his bowlers even during their bad phases. McCullum’s bowling changes and clever field placements in sub-continent conditions highlighted his class as a fine thinker.

And he is part of our greatest Test XI of all time!

Behind the stumps, McCullum was great with glove work in tough weather conditions and wickets that aided uneven seam movements in New Zealand. McCullum won 11 matches, lost 9, and drew 11 as captain in his Test career. McCullum captained the Kiwis in 56 ODIs with a win percentage of 59.43%. In 28 T20Is as captain, McCullum won 13, lost 14, and 1 match ended in no result. McCullum’s never say die attitude as a captain greatly aided New Zealand cricket. In 101 Tests, McCullum registered 209 dismissals, while in 260 ODIs, the former Kiwi skipper registered 277 dismissals.

#3 Adam Gilchrist (Australia)

When Adam Gilchrist played under Ricky Ponting, many would say that the wicketkeeper-batsman could be more successful as a skipper than Ponting. The former wicketkeeper-batsman showed tremendous awareness when it came to identifying errors his bowlers made and accordingly rectified them by coordinating with them. He read a particular situation quite well and used all his experience to set the field accordingly.

Gilchrist’s wicketkeeping was always admired, but his captaincy was also valuable. The former wicketkeeper-batsman won 4 Tests as skipper, lost 1, and drew 1 in 6 Tests as captain. In 17 ODIs, as skipper, the former opener won 12 ODIs as skipper lost 4, and 1 ended in no result. In 2 T20Is, Gilchrist won 1 match and lost 1. His clever captaincy skills were also visible in the IPL, where he won the title for Deccan Chargers in 2009 while leading the side. In 96 Tests, Gilchrist registered 416 dismissals, while in 287 ODIs, he registered 472 dismissals.

Check where Gilly stands in the ODI wicketkeeper numbers here!

#2 Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

One of the finest wicketkeeper-batsman of all time in Sri Lankan and International cricket, Sangakkara has been an inspiring figure for the next generation of Sri Lankan youth. The left-hander was a class batsman, but as a skipper, he was a combination of determination, clever aptitude, and aggression. The former skipper always supported his bowlers when it came to field placements.

He was a wily operator when it came to identifying the weaknesses of the opposition batsmen and advised his bowlers to bowl accordingly. His ability to read the situation and rectify his team’s mistakes helped Sri Lankan cricket in a big way. When picking the right combinations, he always took the advice of senior pros like Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Mahela Jayawardene, etc.

The former left-hander won 5 matches in 15 Tests, lost 3, and drew 7 as a skipper. In 45 ODIs as captain, Sangakkara won 27, lost 14, and 4 ended in no result. In 21 T20Is as captain, Sangakkara won 12 and lost 9 T20Is. He registered 202 dismissals in 134 Tests as a wicketkeeper, while in 402 ODIs, Sangakkara registered 501 dismissals.

Check here how Sanga’s wicketkeeping matched the great Adam Gilchrist, both technically and statistically here!

#1 MS Dhoni (India)

“Captain Cool,” as he was fondly called during his playing career, Dhoni inspired millions of youngsters in India that even individuals from small cities and villages can make it big in any field they work hard. The wicketkeeper-batsman always helped the younger players. He was a captain who discussed thoughts with juniors. His calm temperament helped him and India sail through challenging situations. His out-of-the-box thinking when it comes to bowling changes and filed placements yielded positive results most of the time.

We have accumulated 47 cricketing records MSD holds till date! Read it along!

His ability to read the playing conditions and the nature of the wickets was quite amazing. Dhoni has this awareness to identify the opposition’s weakness when finding faults in a batsman’s technique and guiding his bowlers to bowl accordingly. He was the bowlers’ captain, who trusted his bowlers’ ability to bowl as per their strengths.

In 60 Tests as captain, the former wicketkeeper-batsman won 27 matches, lost 18, and drew 15 with a win percentage of 45%. In 199 ODIs, Dhoni won 110 ODIs, lost 74, 4 were tied, and 11 ended in no result with a win percentage of 55.27%. In 72 T20Is, the right-hander won 41 as captain, lost 28, tied 2, and 1 ended in no result with a win percentage of 56.90. Dhoni has led Chennai Super Kings to 4 IPL titles as a skipper. In 90 Tests, Dhoni registered 294 dismissals, and in 350 ODIs, he registered 444 dismissals.

Also read: Few Scintillating Wicketkeeper Records

The post The Ten Best Wicketkeeper-Captains of All Time appeared first on CricIndeed.

Rajasthan Royals had a memorable IPL 2022 under the leadership of Sanju Samson, where they were the runners-up to the eventual champions Gujarat Titans. They played brilliant cricket throughout the tournament and were outstanding by winning 9 of their 14 group games. RR, along with the present title holders Titans, was easily the most consistent team last season, and this paved their way to reaching the summit clash for the first time since the inaugural edition in 2008.

Aside from being one of the tournament’s best teams, RR had in them the best batsman and bowler of last year’s IPL. Yuzuvendra Chahal was the leading taker in the last edition, while Jos Buttler was the leading run-scorer having a record-equaling season smashing 4 centuries. This and several more individual and team performances helped them to reach the final. They would want to continue their newfound momentum from the last season and hope to go over the line this time, ending their IPL title drought.

The Royals, led by the talented batsman Sanju Samson will take the field on the 2nd of April in an away game at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad against the Sunrisers.

Rajasthan Royals squad (IPL 2023): Sanju Samson (c & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donovan Ferreira (wk), Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, Murugan Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul PA, Joe Root

Predicted starting XI for RR in IPL 2023

Openers: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler

Yashasvi Jaiswal will be donning the openers hat in all likelihood for the Rajasthan Royals in the forthcoming edition of IPL. The young opener has been in tremendous batting form in the domestic circuit over the past couple of years and in the recent Irani Cup game, Jaiswal scored a double-century and a century in 1st & 2nd innings respectively. This is just a glimpse of what he has achieved since the last IPL season ended where the left-hander made 258 runs in 10 games.

His opening partner should be the England white-ball skipper Jos Buttler. The wicket-keeper batsman was a huge sensation in the last edition of IPL and more often than not gave the Royals a platform allowing the middle-order to cash in on. And in most games, Buttler would be there till the end, and his 4 centuries in the last season support that. Buttler scored 863 runs at an average of over 57 and a strike rate close to 150, which is just phenomenal.

Middle-Order: Sanju Samson (C & WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer

Sanju Samson fits ideally into the no.3 slot and his numbers were good in the last season where he led them from the front. Individually, Samson scored 458 runs at an average of 28.63 and most importantly it has come at a strike rate of just under 147 with 2 half-centuries. This means Samson has always tried to accelerate in any given situation.

Next up in the batting order is likely to be Devdutt Padikkal who after a solid start to his IPL career in 2020 lost his stream a bit but this season gives him another opportunity to prove himself at the biggest stage. Padikkal made 376 runs from 17 innings at an average of 22 and much was expected out of him.

Shimron Hetmyer completes the solid middle order that the Royals possess for this edition and the West Indies player is a complete package when it comes to this role. He can finish games as well as play in the way the game demands. He made 314 runs at 44.14 a piece with a staggering strike rate of 153.92 and the Royals would expect something similar from him this season.

All-rounders: Jason Holder, Ravi Ashwin, Riyan Parag

Riyan Parag the talented all-rounder from Assam has been with the Rajasthan team for quite some time now and has really been inconsistent. Though he has shown some brilliance with the bat and ball, it has been sporadic but the team has kept a lot of faith in this 22-year-old all-rounder. This could be the season that propels Parag to the next level.

Jason Holder is a new recruit for the Royals this season and he should be a great utility player for them across all the departments of the game. His form with the ball has been in the IPL having taken 49 wickets from 38 games thus far and Royals would have Holder has his best season yet with them. Ravi Ashwin contributed both with the bat & ball last season and proved his worth in his debut season with the Royals. He even scored his maiden IPL fifty apart from taking 12 wickets in the season.

Bowlers: Trent Boult, Yuzuvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Sen

Trent Boult, New Zealand’s pace spearhead for close to a decade will be one of the first players in the team sheet for the Royals team in the coming edition. Boult, even though he has not played for the Kiwis much recently, the left-arm pacer is sought out in the leagues across the globe. He has taken 92 wickets from the 78 IPL games he has played including the 16 wickets he picked in the last edition.

Kuldeep Sen was an emerging talent last year for the Royals and he impressed everyone with his raw pace. The right-arm pacer took 8 wickets in the 7 games with several notable outings and this should compel the team management to give a longer run this season.

Yuzuvendra Chahal, the wily leg-spinner emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the IPL 2022 with 27 scalps and the Indian international has all the possibility in the world to be the leading wicket-taker in the IPL as the season progress. He has taken 166 wickets thus far and the No.1 in the list is Dwayne Bravo (183 wickets) who has retired from the IPL.

You can find here the other franchise’s probable starting XI for IPL 2023 here.

Rajasthan probable playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (C & WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Ravi Ashwin, Riyan Parag, Trent Boult, Yuzuvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Sen

The post Predicting the Starting XI for RR in IPL 2023 appeared first on CricIndeed.

Lucknow Super Giants had an excellent debut season in the IPL 2022 edition where they reached the playoffs under the leadership of India’s star batsman KL Rahul. Having had a good enough start to their IPL journey, the LSG team didn’t make that many changes to their potential core in the mini auctions that happened a few months back.

While they did let go of West Indies players like Evin Lewis and Jason Holder, the LSG got 2 Windies players at the auctions in Nicholas Pooran and all-rounder Romario Shepard. This should boost the squad significantly as both these players have done well in the shortest format of the game. The Super Giants will start their campaign against a strong Delhi Capitals side in what is a home game for the LSG team on the 1st of April 2023.

Lucknow Super Giants squad (IPL 2023): KL Rahul, Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Nicholas Pooran, Jaydev Unadkat, Yash Thakur, Romario Shepherd, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra, Prerak Mankad, Swapnil Singh, Naveen ul Haq, Yudhvir Charak

Predicting the Playing XI for Lucknow Super Giants (IPL 2023)

Openers: KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock

The Lucknow Super Giants boasts a great opening pair in Quinton de Kock and skipper KL Rahul. The talented left-right combo can take the game away from the opposition in the powerplays and are wonderful stroke players. They have the potential to unsettle any opposition bowlers on their day and Lucknow could go the distance if the duo has a fruitful season this IPL.

KL Rahul hasn’t been at his best in recent times as far as international cricket is concerned but in IPL he has been a different beast. Averaging a stunning 48 in the toughest T20 league in a career spanning about 109 games and achieving that with a strike rate of 136, Rahul is up there with the best in IPL cricket.

Quinton, the keeper-batsman from South Africa is a fantastic white ball player and has been prolific for both South Africa as well as for the different IPL teams he has played for.

Middle-order: Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni

Deepak Hooda since the last IPL has become a regular for the Indian team in T20Is and has even scored a century in the format. This gives the team management confidence in the all-rounder to come good for the team at the crucial No.3 slot. Hooda has done reasonably well in the IPL and especially in the last season, where he played his best cricket in the IPL yet. The all-rounder repaid the faith shown by the team management to play him at no.3 by amassing 451 runs at a strike rate of over 136 with 4 half-centuries in 15 games.

Nicholas Pooran was brought by the LSG for a whopping 16 crores in the auction, despite his inconsistent show in the IPL over the years. Though he had a better IPL season in 2022 where he made 306 runs at a strike rate of over of 144, Pooran was let go by the SRH franchise. Lucknow has seemingly a lot of interest in Pooran and he should bat at No.4 in the current batting order of LSG.

Ayush Badoni, the 23-year-old batter had a decent beginning to his IPL career scoring a half-century on debut but faded away a little at the end. But he is a great prospect for the LSG team in the middle order and the Rahul-led side will hope for several impressive outings by Badoni.

All-rounders: Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Krishnappa Gowtham/ Mohsin Khan

Marcus Stoinis is one of the most powerful strikers of the ball going around in the world of cricket and should be an automatic pick in the LSG playing XI. He has played several match-winning hands with both bat & ball and the LSG will expect great things from him in the upcoming season of IPL.

Krunal Pandya is a bonafide all-rounder in the IPL having taken 61 wickets and scored 1326 runs in 98 games. He has contributed immensely to the sides he featured for. The last season proved to be a mixed bag for Krunal where he wasn’t at his usual best, and the all-rounder will look for an improved showing in 2023. Krishnappa Gowtham may have to play the off-spinner role and bowl at the powerplays when required. And that slot in the playing XI can be a toss-up between him and the left-arm seamer Mohsin Khan.

Bowlers: Avesh Khan, Mark Wood, Ravi Bishnoi

LSG will largely benefit if they have the pace attack of Avesh Khan and the fearsome Mark Wood in their ranks. Both are really quick and are genuine wicket-takers on their day. It will be interesting to see if Wood gets through to play the entire IPL without getting injured and if he does, it will be a huge boost for the LSG. Avesh has done really well in the IPL and in the last edition, the Indian quickie picked 18 wickets to go along with his 23-wicket tally in the 2021 edition.

Last but not the least, Ravi Bishnoi is a must-have in the side and he can be the match-winner that LSG are looking for with the ball in hand.

You can find here the other franchise’s probable starting XI for IPL 2023 here.

Lucknow probable playing XI: KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Krishnappa Gowtham/ Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Mark Wood, Ravi Bishnoi

The post Predicting the Starting XI for LSG in IPL 2023 appeared first on CricIndeed.

National, March 20, 2023: The biggest sporting extravaganza TATA IPL 2023 is here and India is gearing up for cricket fever; all set to cheer for their favourite teams, bringing out their jerseys and whistles. 

2022’s finalists and crowd favourites Rajasthan Royals are gearing up to set the stage on fire with the first phase of home-matches against Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants. These matches will be underway on April 5^th and April 8^th at Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati and April 19^th at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, respectively. 

The inaugural IPL champions, Rajasthan Royals have brought on board BookMyShow, India’s leading entertainment destination as their Official Ticketing Partner, yet again for TATA IPL 2023, continuing this long time association.

Tickets for Rajasthan Royals’ upcoming home matches in Guwahati and Jaipur are NOW LIVE on BookMyShow’s website and app priced Rs. 1000/- onwards for both the matches in Guwahati (vs Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals) and Rs. 800/- onwards for the match in Jaipur (vs Lucknow Super Giants). 

Royals fans, grab your tickets to these action-packed matches soon here. Tickets to these matches will also be available offline at dedicated kiosks at the respective venues. 

Wait no more, Halla Bol!

**********

The post Halla Bol, it’s TATA IPL 2023 time! Tickets for Rajasthan Royals’ home matches NOW LIVE on official ticketing partner BookMyShow appeared first on CricIndeed.

India has become a home to a number of betting sites and especially the sports betting sites have become so much popular with the general audience. A key factor could be India’s ever-growing population and their exposure to the internet. 

As a result, India has become one of the largest markets to the betting sites and the majority of the Indian population would have tried their hand with betting in one form or the other. Though there are perks with indulging in betting, at the same time it comes with a lot of downside. 

So what are the things that one has to look at before choosing a betting site in India?

1. Safety and Security: The number 1 aspect an individual should look at is the safety of your personal and financial information. You have to ensure whether the site is licensed & regulated, and make sure that it should use SSL encryption.
2. The next checkpoint to ticked is the betting options that your shortlisted sites have. Make sure it offers a wide range of sports and betting odds as well as competitive odds.
3. User experience is the paramount for any business and the betting site should offer the users with a seamless betting experience across different devices.
4. One last thing you should look for in a betting site is that it supports a variety of payment methods, like credit/ debit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers and all these are done conveniently. 

Let us look at the top-10 best betting sites in India

SATSports

Some of the things that make SATSport the top betting site in India is due to its incredible user friendly UI and the payment gateways including the withdrawals are highly fast & quick. We can claim them in under 30 minutes while also giving an enticing welcome bonus. There are plenty of options for the betters to choose including the slots, tables, dealers and the main thing is it is available on any device.

URL:

IndiaBestBets

IndiaBestBets gives you an overview of the various sports betting platforms in India. They analyze the different sites based on many factors, especially those mentioned above to give users a lot of clarification on which platform to choose their online betting on. 

URL: https://www.indiabestbets.com/

SSExchange

There are wide selections of games for the users to choose from including the European games and it offers a great betting variety. The welcome bonus is something that will make you ponder upon choosing SSExchange. Apart from it supports and accepts a number of payment options for you to withdraw and deposit.

BetXHub

Betxhub allows customers the freedom to do various betting strategies and experiments. It has a large number of promotions, and the payment methods are highly safe & secure. You can get accustomed to the game by creating a trial account and playing with money. This you can do till you are comfortable in placing genuine bets.

SkyExchange 

Sky exchange offers a wide range of sports to bet on including traditional games like cricket, football, and basketball and that is why it is regarded among the leading betting sites in India. SkyExchange has a user-friendly website and app, making it easy for betters to sign up and login. In addition, their customer service is outstanding , and they offer a wide range of payment options for the users.

SATExchange

SATExchange is a site that once again offers a wide range of sports to place your bets upon but what differentiates this from the rest of the sites is that SAT offers a feature where users can put bets even before the start of the game. And it readily accepts the Indian currency which certain websites do not and this makes it a go to location for the bettors. In-play betting is also available on the site and it boasts the best collection of odds for a cricket game which is another one of its uniqueness.

MonyExch

MonyExch is trustworthy and a secure site with SSL encryption and is licensed by the popular Curacao Gaming Authority. It makes sure your data is safe and secure. Coming to the features, MonyExch has plenty of promotional content available to satisfy the user and at the same time giving them a rich experience. There are plenty of games to choose from along with live dealer, casino and slot games.

Ambani Book

The users feel confident that they have the access to a wide variety of betting options and the odds offered here are quite high compared to the other sites. It has a cutting edge sort of site giving the users and sports betting enthusiasts a fantastic experience as well as providing a great service. It is quite diverse when it comes to wagering and is a well protected site keeping all the user data’s private. 

Playwin 567

Launched in the year 2012, Playwin 567 has become one of the most popular sports betting websites in India for live casino dealers. They offer a wide variety of games like Poker and has built up a great reputation over time as a great service provider to the customer with a no-nonsense attitude with respect to cheating. 

TigerExch 

One of the fastest growing betting sites in India which offers you a safe place to keep bets on your favorite games such as cricket, football, Tennis among others. They have a platform for placing both traditional bets as well as the fantasy ones’ which makes them apart from the others.

These are some of the betting sites you can consider to start your journey but keep in mind that it always comes with a huge risk.

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Desmond Haynes, on his debut ODI game in 1978, scoring a brilliant match-saving 148 against Australia, is still the highest individual ODI score made by a debutant cricket in the format.

It is incredibly challenging for a youngster to effect an innings of that calibre on a debut game, which is why the record still stands atop after 45 years.

This article will list the top ten highest scores of debutant cricketers in One-Day Internationals.

Highest ODI Scores on Debut

Key Stats

Andy Flower’s 115* is the highest individual ODI score on debut in a losing cause as Zimbabwe lost the game against Sri Lanka by 3 wickets.

Abid Ali’s 112, scored in Pakistan’s chase to Australia’s total of 277 in Dubai in 2019, is the highest debutant score while batting second in ODIs. Pakistan lost that game by just 6 runs.

And hence, Rob Nicol’s unbeaten 108 holds the record for the highest debutant score in a successful run chase in ODIs.

Also Read: Which player holds the record for the fastest Test century on debut?

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Gujarat Lions, led by the mercurial all-rounder Hardik Pandya into the 16th edition of Tata IPL 2023 as the defending champions, having won the coveted tournament in their very first attempt. They defeated the Rajasthan Royals in the final to become only the 2nd side after the Royals themselves to win the IPL in their maiden appearance.

Gujarat Titans squad (IPL 2023): Hardik Pandya (C), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Kane Williamson, Odean Smith, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Joshua Little, Mohit Sharma

The defending champions will march into their 2nd edition with confidence and a largely unchanged squad. They didn’t have to tinker around their winning team as expected, and in more ways than one, the Titans look like a side that can become the 2nd team after CSK to defend the IPL crown successfully. GT will open its campaign against the Dhoni-led CSK side on the opening night of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.

As mentioned earlier, GT didn’t have much to do at the auctions, but when they did make a purchase, it was a steal. Gujarat team bought current New Zealand limited-overs skipper Kane Williamson at his base price and then the hard-hitting all-rounder Odean Smith at a nominal price. Their additions have made the team much more balanced and stronger than before.

Predicted Starting XI for GT in IPL 2023

Openers: Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha/ Matthew Wade

Shubman Gill is easily the best batsman in international cricket this year. The opening batter has been in tremendous form for the Indian team and has scored over 900 runs with 5 centuries across format in 2023, and he is only going to get better. With a T20I century already in this calendar year, the GT team will hope the talented opener also continues his form in the IPL.

Gill could be partnered at the top of the order by either of the experienced wicket-keeper batters, Matthew Wade or Wriddhiman Saha, both of whom are dangerous. According to the team combination demands, one of the veterans will feature in the playing XI and open along with the ever-impressive Shubman Gill.

Middle-order: Kane Williamson/ Sai Sudharsan, Abhinav Manohar, David Miller

Kane Williamson adds stability to GT’s top order, and the no.3 was one of the areas of concern for them in the last season. They have sorted it out by including the Kiwi legend in the team, and if Saha does open the innings, Kane is most likely to take the role of the No.3 in the Gujarat Titan side. Willamson has scored 2101 runs in 76 IPL outings at an average of over 36 for SRH in the past and will look to add more here.

Abhinav Manohar is a hard-hitting middle-order batsman who can take the game away from the opposition and played 8 games in the last season for this champion side. He and the in-from David Miller from South Africa will take the mantle of carrying the middle order. Miller had his best IPL season yet in 2022, where he smashed 481 runs at an average of a whopping 68.71, striking at over 142, and a rich vein of form playing for the Proteas.

All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan

Hardik Pandya adds a different dimension to this GT team, and the all-rounder has grown leaps & bounds as a leader. Pandya, like Miller, had a stellar 2022 season where he scored 487, which is by far his best in terms of runs to go with a tally of 8 wickets in 15 games. The fire-power of Gujarat Titans continues with the leg-spin all-rounder Rahul Tewatia coming in next, and the left-hand batsman has already proved he is a match-winner on his day. Tewatia was one of the stars for the side in the last edition scoring 217 runs at a strike rate of 147.

Rashid Khan, the impressive leg-spinner, has been a great addition to the GT side, and he proved his worth by winning games both with bat & ball for the team last season. He took 19 wickets at an average of 22.16 from the 16 games he played in the 2022 IPL.

Bowlers: Alzarri Joseph, Shivam Mavi, Mohammad Shami

Alzarri Joseph was the best West Indies bowler on display for the past couple of years, and GT has him in their line-up. He has been the country’s leading wicket-taker. He is expected to lead the pace attack of GT along with the Indian pacer Mohammad Shami who is a wicket away from reaching the 100 wickets milestone in IPL. Shami accounted for 20 of these 99 scalps in the last edition and is also set to play a huge role in the Titans’ title defense.

Shivam Mavi was brought for a huge sum of 6 crores, and by the looks of things, the pacer is all set to be included in the GT line-up straightway. He has taken 32 wickets thus far in 30 IPL games.

Gujarat probable playing XI: Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha/ Matthew Wade, Kane Williamson/ Sai Sudharsan, Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Hardik Pandya, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Shivam Mavi, Mohammad Shami

You can find here the other franchise’s probable starting XI for IPL 2023 here.

The post Predicting the Starting XI for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023 appeared first on CricIndeed.

Pakistan is known for bringing out top-class pace bowlers in every generation of cricket, which is so true for the current T20 era.

When you look at the top-10 list of bowlers who have picked the most wickets in a single PSL edition, it is almost filled with Pakistani fast bowlers, except for Shadab Khan, the lone spinner in the list.

Hasan Ali picked 25 wickets in the 2018/19 season is the highest any bowler has picked in one edition of the Pakistan Super League.

This article will reveal the top ten instances where the bowlers have picked the most wickets in a single PSL season.

Most Wickets in a Single PSL Tournament

Also Read: Most Runs in a Single PSL Season

Key Stats

Team Multan Sultans have three bowlers (highest among PSL teams) who have picked 20+ wickets in a single season, thanks to their two bowlers dominating the 2023 PSL bowling numbers.

Among the above bowlers, Shadab Khan has the best economy rate of 6.46. He gave away only 207 runs in the 9 matches he bowled in the 2021/22 season, picking up 19 wickets.

Shadab’s average in the 2021/22 season is the best among all the season-wise bowling figures of bowlers with more than 12 wickets.

Abbas Afridi’s 2023 season has the best single-season strike rate among any 12-or-more wickets-season of bowlers.

Also Read: Complete PSL Stats

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The in-form batters are wonderful to watch. The flow at which they go for runs and the consistency is mind-boggling for any cricket fans witnessing the supremacy.

The Pakistani batters in the Pakistani Super League are the biggest asset for the format and the league as they make run-scoring look easy and game-watching more fun. And that coming against a world-class pace bowling attack adds more value to the batters’ performances.

Fakhar Zaman, in the 2021/22 season, scoring 588 runs in 13 innings is the highest run-tally any batsman has scored in a single PSL edition.

This article will list the top ten instances of batters scoring the most runs within a single PSL season.

Most Runs in a Single PSL Tournament

Also Read: Most Wickets in a Single PSL Season

Key Stats

Mohammad Rizwan making 500+ in three seasons is the highest among any PSL batter. And he has done it in three consecutive PSL seasons (2021, 2022, & 2023). Rizwan, the second-highest run-scorer in the 2021 and 2022 PSL seasons, is the leading run-getter in the 2023 season.

Babar Azam averaging 69.25 in the 2020-2021 season, and Luke Ronchi striking at a massive rate of 182 are the highs in the respective columns.

Ronchi’s 435 runs in the 2017/18 season are the highest aggregate in a PSL season for a non-Pakistani batsman.

Team-wise, Multan Sultans batters have the most appearance in the above list.

The table-topper Fakhar Zaman hitting 8 50+ scores in the 2020/21 season is the most by any batter in a single PSL season.

Read Now: PSL Winners & Runners List

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There could be odd days in T20 cricket where the batting team fails as a unit and succumbs to a score that’s nothing but a humiliation to an extent. Although it could happen to any side, this happening in T20 is very rare as the format supports batters like a paradise.

Lahore Qalandars wrapped up just 59 runs, against Peshawar Zalmi in 2017, is the lowest score registered in Pakistan Super League.

This article will have the ten lowest team totals ever scored by teams in PSL history.

Lowest PSL Team Totals

Also Read: Highest Ten Team Totals in PSL

Key Stats

Peshawar Zalmi, the side which holds the record for dismissing a team for the lowest PSL score, also has the most number of entrants in the opposition column of the above table. Also, Zalmis not registering a single lowest score (in the top ten) in the tournament history is extra special.

Lahore Qalandars (4) has the most 100 or fewer scores in PSL, Quetta Gladiator has three, and Islamabad United has one.

Lahore is also the venue home to three of the ten lowest scores in PSL.

Year-wise, 2017 saw the most number of entrants from the above list – 3

Gladiators’ poor reply of 73/10 against Multan Sultans in Abu Dhabi in 2021 is the lowest score for a team batting second in PSL.

Read: Complete PSL Stats

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When Ricky Ponting made his ODI debut for South Africa in February 1995, cricket pundits worldwide, fans, and former cricketers knew that Ponting would add a new feature to Australian cricket’s playing style. The middle-order batter became an integral part of the Australian batting line-up playing under the captaincy of Mark Taylor and, later on, Steve Waugh, that dominated world cricket.

Ponting scored 13378 runs in 168 Tests registering 41 centuries and 62 half-centuries. He has converted six of his century scores to double-centuries, with the highest score being 257.

(Bonus Stat: The top five highest individual Test scores while playing as captain)

In ODIs, he scored 13704 runs in 365 ODIs registering 30 centuries and 82 half-centuries with the highest score of 164. He is still the highest run scorer for Australia in ODIs and Tests.

Ponting took over the ODI captaincy from Steve Waugh in 2002 and the Test captaincy in 2004. As a captain, Ponting was aggressive, clever, and prudent with his decision-making.

He was temperamentally tough and was known to take gutsy decisions. Under his captaincy, Australia registered some memorable wins. This piece explains how the former Australian skipper took Australian cricket to the top. Let’s analyse his captaincy records in all formats in detail:

Ricky Ponting Captaincy Record in Tests

Ponting is one of the most successful skippers in the longer format. He took over the captaincy of the Test team in 2004 when Steve Waugh retired and successfully led the side till 2010.

In 77 Test matches as captain, Ponting won 48 matches, lost 16, and 13 ended in a draw. He has the second-lowest number of losses to his name when it comes to skippers leading their sides in more than 70 Test matches. More precisely, for someone with the 4th highest appearance in Test cricket as captain, he is not part of the list of the top ten captains with the most number of Test losses ever, which tells how successful he had been as captain.

From September 2005 to January 2008, Australia was undefeated in 22 Tests under “Punter’s” captaincy.

Ricky Ponting Captaincy Record in the Ashes & BGT Series

Ponting wasn’t that successful in leading his team in the Ashes series. In 19 Ashes matches, the former skipper won 8 but lost 6. He became the first skipper after Allan Border to lose an Ashes Series at home. Ponting was the skipper when Australia lost the Ashes at home during the 2010-11 series. As a captain, Ponting lost 3 Ashes series and won just 1. Find here the best captains of Ashes history.

Against India, where the Test series is named Border Gavaskar Trophy, Ricky Ponting has an even worse captaincy record, with his team winning only 2 matches in the 11 they played against the Men in blue. You can find the captains with the best winning percentage in the BGT series here.

Ricky Ponting Captaincy Record in ODIs

Leading Australia in 230 ODI matches, Ponting won 165 games as a skipper.

His count of 51 lost matches as captain is the lowest for any captain who has led his side in more than 150 matches. His winning percentage as a skipper in Tests is 62%, while his winning percentage in ODIs is 77%. He was the skipper of Australia for 10 years, which is yet another record. Ponting won 34 back-to-back ODIs as skipper.

Ricky Ponting Captaincy Record in T20Is

Ponting didn’t lead Australia in T20Is for too long. Before his retirement in 2012, he was the skipper of the Australian T20I side during the 2007 T20I World Cup in South Africa when Australia lost to India in the semifinals. Later on, he was the skipper of the side that played 2 T20Is against India in India in October 2007.

Ricky Ponting Captaincy Record in World Cup and other ICC events

Ponting led the team with dogged determination and resoluteness. Ponting has produced some class performances in World Cup and other ICC events as a batsman. Still, when it comes to his captaincy, Ponting has been the most successful Australian skipper and the best skipper of all time in big events.

Under his captaincy, Australia won two limited-overs World Cups in 2003 and 2007. His intensity on the field inspired his teammates in the bigger tournaments and that reflected much bigger in the team’s results.

In 29 World Cup matches as captain, Ponting won 26 matches which is incredible. Ponting lost only two games as captain in all World Cup matches, and one game ended with no result.

Under his captaincy, Australia won two ICC Champions Trophies in 2006 and 2009.

Ricky Ponting Batting Record as Captain

Ponting scored 8497 runs in 220 ODIs as a skipper – the highest among any captain in the format’s history. The right-hander bailed the team out of trouble many times during critical moments. He scored 22 centuries and 51 half-centuries in his ODI career as skipper with a highest score of 164 and an average of 42.91.

During his tenure as Test captain, Ponting scored 6542 runs with an average of 51 and a highest score of 209. He scored 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries as a skipper in Tests. He is also the third fastest to 4000 Test runs as captain. Find the top five here.

Conclusion

Like his batting, Ricky Ponting excelled as a captain in Tests and ODIs. His Ashes record as a captain is somewhat mediocre, but the former skipper is surely one of the greatest captains of all time. His captaincy records speak about his leadership traits, and these figures look unbreakable.

Also read: Captains with Most Innings-Wins in Test Cricket

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ODI cricket has witnessed players who have showcased their match-winning abilities with some power-packed performances that will be remembered by fans globally. These players won the games single-handedly for their sides with some enlightening performances.

In this piece, we will discuss players about the players who were able to end up as the best Player of the Match most times in limited overs history. 

Any player who steps on the field tries to give their 100 per cent for their team. The players mentioned in our list are legends of the game who are part of some elite cricketing lists. These players had different skill sets but showed tremendous consistency for their respective sides.

The players mentioned in the list were all big game players who showcased rock-solid determination during dicey situations, thus helping their sides to memorable wins that separated them from the rest of their teammates in terms of temperament.

Here are the 10 players who won the most “Man of the Match” awards in ODI history.

#10 Brian Lara (West Indies) – 30 MoM Awards in 299 ODIs

With all his flamboyant attitude and stylish play, the left-hander attracted billions worldwide. Lara won the “Player of the Match” awards 30 times in 299 ODIs. Lara smashed the best bowlers when he got going with his powerful square cuts, astonishing backlift shots, and classic cover drives. The Trinidadian easily pulled the ball, even on fast, bouncy wickets. The former skipper played spin well and was successful even on subcontinent wickets.

#9 Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) – 31 MoM Awards in 404 ODIs

Kumar Sangakkara was always a crisis man for his side. The left-hander has bailed Sri Lanka out of danger many times. Sangakkara possessed a tough temperament to survive under pressure. The former wicket-keeper batsman won the MoM award 31 times in 404 ODIs. The former skipper played some delightful drives and backfoot punches even when the opposition bowlers applied pressure with extra fielders in the inner ring.

#8 Vivian Richards (West Indies) – 31 MoM Awards in 187 ODIs

The charismatic West Indian was loved by billions globally for his aggressive batting. Not just in the homeland, the right-hander’s effortless timing and his ability to punch the ball on the up were winning Windies games around the world. Richards punched the ball on the up even to a good length ball with his fast hands and placement. The Antiguan ended as the best player of the game 31 times in 187 ODIs.

#7 Saurav Ganguly (India) – 31 MoM Awards in 311 ODIs

“The Prince of Kolkata”, as he was fondly called, is responsible for team India’s success in overseas conditions. He laid the foundation of a mindset that India could win in foreign conditions. Regarding his batting, the left-hander always stood up when the other batters struggled.

The former skipper played some delicious cover drives, a treat to watch, and punched the ball wonderfully, standing on his toes. 31 times out of his 311 ODI matches, Ganguly was recognised as the Player of the match.

#6 Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) – 32 MoM Awards in 398 ODIs

Many would be surprised to find the charismatic all-rounders name in the list, but “Boom Boom” Afridi, as he was fondly called, always did the job for his team with the bat or the ball during critical situations. The all-rounder outgunned the opposition bowlers even at his young age with his destructive hitting abilities while batting in the middle order.

As a spinner, the former skipper made clever variations foxing the batters with his googly, faster and straighter ones. Afridi wasn’t a big turner of the ball, but his length could outsmart even a well-set batter. In 398 ODIs, the all-rounder won the MoM award 32 times.

#5 Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 32 MoM Awards in 328 ODIs

The burly all-rounder showcased rock-solid defence in all conditions including in subcontinent conditions. Kallis possessed solid technique and also played spinners well. Using the bowlers’ pace, the right-hander stroked the ball with lazy elegance. The right-hander pulled the ball well and played some classic cover drives.

Kallis would bail the team out of trouble when the entire South African batting order struggled. As a pacer, Kallis was always a got man when breaking critical partnerships. He could hit the deck hard and even foxed the batters with clever seam movements. The all-rounder was honoured by the MoM award 32 times in his ODI career.

#4 Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 32 MoM Awards in 375 ODIs

“Punter”, as he was fondly called, never gave up without a fight regarding his batting or captaincy. The right-hander stood tall whenever his team required. The former skipper never gave his wicket away always offering resistance from one end. Ponting has produced match-winning innings even on sub-continent wickets, making him among his generation’s finest match-winners. He could play some cracking square cuts and pull shots on fast wickets and played the spinners with ease showcasing fine footwork. He won the same number of MoM awards as Kallis, but in 375 games.

Ricky Ponting winning the Man of the Match in the 2003 World Cup final against India was one of the highlights of his career.

#3 Virat Kohli (India) – 36 MoM Awards in 262 ODIs

Kohli is arguably one of the finest match-winners in modern-day cricket. The right-hander continues to deliver when the team is under pressure. Whenever India chases a big target, Kohli leads from the front attacking the opposition bowlers with his caressing drives and front-foot punches.

Kohli is sometimes seen charging the spinners down the track while clearing the in-field. He will be remembered as one of the greatest chasers of modern-day cricket. Kohli has won the MoM award 36 times and he is clearly not done yet.

#2 Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) – 48 MoM Awards in 445 ODIs

The left-hander was one of the most destructive openers during the 1990s and early 2000s. Jayasuriya changed the concept of ODI batting with his dominating style of play. The former skipper has bailed his team out of danger many times, even with his left-arm spin.

The former opener counter-attacked the opposition bowlers even when the bowlers created pressure by bringing in close-in fielders. Jayasuriya despatched the ball over extra cover with his strong bottom hand and powerful square cuts. He could pull the ball with ease with his fine hand-eye coordination, even on fast, bouncy wickets. In 445 ODIs, Jayasuriya has been the top player of the game 48 times.

#1 Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 62 MoM Awards in 463 ODIs

The “God of Indian Cricket” exceeded the nation’s expectations for almost two decades, and rightly so. The ‘Master Blaster’ batted under pressure most of his career. Even when India couldn’t win any game, Tendulkar never gave up without a fight. The right-hander built his innings cleverly, placing the ball in the gaps and fitting the odd boundaries with his graceful drives.

The former skipper pulled the ball wonderfully and punched the ball well, standing on his toes with his gentle placements. Tendulkar also did the job with his bowling taking crucial wickets as a part-timer. Whether it was playing in the subcontinent, English conditions, or Australian, Tendulkar was a master of adjusting his technique as per the conditions. In 463 ODIs, Tendulkar has won MoM award 62 times.

Also, find out who from the above list makes it to the same list for Test cricket!

The post 10 Cricketers with Most Man of the Match Awards in ODI History appeared first on CricIndeed.

Virat Kohli Test Centuries List

Read: ODI Centuries List of Virat Kohli

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