pharmawala

Not every day does one witness a T20 match in which over 500 runs are scored. West Indies chased down a record target of 250 against India with nine balls to spare. Sanju Samson was instrumental in India posting 249/5 in 20 overs. But that was only half the story, as Shai Hope scored the second-fastest T20I century by a West Indies batter as his team chased down the target with ease. That brings us to the more important question: Do bowlers have a role in such a situation? The dew did play a part in Ranchi, as West Indies batted second, but India great Sunil Gavaskar believes the Indian bowlers could have done more. "I thought India would score around 235-240 after a couple of quiet overs. India got nine runs more. So, clearly, the batters are not to be blamed. I don't think they fell short. It is quite clear the bowlers did not bowl the way they should have. In fact, it would be interesting if one were to ask the bowling coach what he was expecting from these bowlers and...

India suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of West Indies in the second T20I in Ranchi, as the visitors pulled off their record chase in the format. Despite putting up a total of 249, West Indies chased down the mammoth target of 250 with nine balls to spare. Speaking after the match, Gambhir stated that India cannot afford to take the defeat lightly, and that as T20 world champions, there should be higher expectations on them to deliver consistent victories. “You don't shrug off any defeat. If you want to keep improving, you don't want to put anything under the carpet. We are a world-champion team so we want to keep improving. These are obviously tough conditions to bowl - we know flat wickets with the dew - obviously it's tough but we need to figure out and find the way. “Especially with the opposition having lost two wickets in the first over and then lost three wickets in the powerplay. But again, credit to the West Indies, the way Shai Hope and Sherfane batte...

The Indian Under-19 team has received considerable attention of late due to the presence of the sons of two of India's greatest cricketers - Aaryavir Sehwag, son of Virender Sehwag , and Anvay Dravid, son of Rahul Dravid . The duo shone as India U19 outclassed Australia U19 3-0 in a recent one-day youth series. However, they might have a bigger challenge coming up soon. India will take part in the U19 Asia Cup in Oman from November 5 to 14, and Aaryavir and Anvay are in line to be selected. If Aaryavir and Anvay are selected for India U19 - and it seems likely given their recent form - they will play Pakistan, Nepal and United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the group stage. The clash between India U19 and Pakistan U19 is highly-awaited as it is, and the presence of the Aaryavir and Anvay would certainly add further intrigue to the clash. The match between the two arch-rivals is on November 8. For the second year in a row, therefore, India's U19 assignments will gather significant...

In a country like India, where cricket academies and teams abound in every corner, getting a chance in the national team requires more than just hard work. There are several instances of talented players failing to earn a place in the national side because of the abundance of options available to the BCCI selectors. Parthiv Patel is one such player. He made his international debut at the age of 17 years and 152 days in 2002. However, his international career saw him being dropped on several occasions for long periods. The emergence of MS Dhoni saw him lose his place in the team. Patel made a comeback in 2008 against Sri Lanka but was dropped again. Then, during the 2009-10 season, Parthiv said he was in peak form in domestic cricket, but when he asked a national selector in 2010 about his prospects, he got a shocking reply. Patel said he first had a discussion with then-chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar. The India great told him to keep working hard. Then, after a new selection panel...

Can Mohammed Shami emulate Bhuvneshwar Kumar to make an India comeback? The question has been ringing across the country's cricketing landscape since Bhuvneshwar's return to India squad after a four-year hiatus, for the away T20I series against New Zealand. But the situation is far too complex once the layer of hope is peeled off. There was a huge outcry to call the Bhuvneshwar back once he grabbed 45 wickets from 30 IPL matches in 2025 and 2026 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. But Shami has largely remained a forgotten figure in the last two seasons of IPL, taking just 18 wickets from 22 matches at an average economy rate of 10. In theory, Bhuvneshwar, who bowls at a gentle pace on flat decks, has less chance than Shami to succeed in T20s. However, the Meerut pacer tides over the lack of pace with his ability to prodigiously swing the new ball in the Power Play, and endless variations -- from an accurate yorker to a befuddling slow bouncer -- in the death overs. RCB assi...

Klay Thompson and Giannis Antetokounmpo are now Miami Heat teammates, but their connection started years before they shared a locker room. Thompson still remembers a moment from 2022 when Antetokounmpo showed him support after a big game. Thompson had just returned from a long injury layoff and scored 38 points against Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks. What happened after the game stayed with him. Antetokounmpo walked across the court to congratulate Thompson, even though Milwaukee had lost. Speaking to The Athletic, Thompson said that small gesture changed how he viewed the two-time MVP. Now, with both players in Miami, Thompson says being Antetokounmpo's teammate feels special. Klay Thompson Remembers Giannis Antetokounmpo's 2022 Gesture For Thompson, the 2022 game was about much more than his 38 points. He had spent a long time away from the court because of injuries and was still trying to feel like himself again. Antetokounmpo's reaction gave him a boost at a ti...