A big day in cricket as dominant India will be facing the powerhouse Australia in the semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai. The match is expected to happen on the fresh pitch. The doubt remains on India’s playing XI and Varun Chakravarthy’s inclusion. Simultaneously, Rishabh Pant’s inspiring return to cricket after a severe accident has earned him a Laureus World Sports Award nomination for “Best Comeback of the Year.” Meanwhile, the Kolkata Knight Riders have appointed Ajinkya Rahane as their captain for the IPL 2025 season.
India to play against Australia on fresh pitch
Team India will face Australia on a new pitch for the ICC Champions Trophy semifinals today. Although playing at the same venue, India has played on different pitches against Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand before. Experts think the new pitch will be unlike the previous ones. The Emirates Cricket Board, guided by the ICC, is preparing the pitch, with Australian Matthew Sandery curating it. Read more here
Rishabh Pant nominated for “Best comeback of the year”
India’s star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards in the “best comeback of the year” category. After a serious car crash in 2023, Pant made an impressive return to international cricket in 2024. The 27-year-old is one of six nominees worldwide. The awards ceremony will be held in Madrid, Spain, on April 21. Notable names like F1 star Max Verstappen and Carlos Alcaraz are the famous names who were nominated for the World Sportsman Of The Year Award. Read more here
Varun Chakravarthy to play in IND vs AUS semifinals?
India will face Australia in the semifinals in Dubai today, with India to vie for their best playing XI for this crucial clash. In a press conference on Monday, Rohit Sharma shared concerns about the playing XI. After a successful strategy using four spinners, including Varun Chakravarthy’s 5-wicket haul, Rohit is now confused on how to fit all 4 spinners along with 3 pacers in the playing XI, calling it a challenge, making it hard for India to include Varun now. Read more here
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Ajinkya Rahane
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have appointed Ajinkya Rahane as their captain for IPL 2025. Rahane, who previously played for KKR in 2022, returned after the team bought him for Rs 1.50 crore at the auction. Fnas were expecting Vekatesh Iyer to be named as captain but now he will be serving as Rahane’s deputy. Read more here
Chris Gaffaney from New Zealand and Richard Illingworth from England will be the on-field umpires for the India vs. Australia Champions Trophy semifinal in Dubai on Tuesday. Michael Gough, also from England, will serve as the third umpire, and Andy Pycroft from Zimbabwe will be the match referee. Illingworth recently umpired India’s match against New Zealand, while Gaffaney’s scheduled match for Australia versus South Africa was canceled due to rain. Read here
Shahid Afridi asks for unpaid due from BPL
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is facing more troubles, as former Pakistan cricket star Shahid Afridi has approached them due to unpaid dues from his role as Chittagong Kings’ ambassador. The Bangladesh Premier League is under scrutiny for such issues, with Afridi being the latest affected. Three other Pakistani players recently left the league over similar non-payment disputes, and Afridi received no response from the team management. Read the full story here
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