Heena Sharma Blog

India cricket team would love to forget the whitewash against the New Zealand cricket team and take on South Africa cricket team in the first one day international of the 3-match series at Dharamshala. South Africa, on the other hand, will be pumped up after crushing the might Australia 3-0 in their home series. The Indian team led by Virat Kohli will have an uphill task at their hands when they face Quinton de Kock led South Africa. Bhuvneshwar Kumar makes a come back to the squad, so does Hardik Pandya. This series will be followed by IPL 2020. Players will have to show their best to stake a claim for a spot in the T20 World Cup squad. India vs South Africa 1st ODI predicted playing 11 India tentative playing 11: Virat Kohli (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav. South Africa tentative playing 11: Quinton de Kock (C), Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen...

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup , is set to begin in Australia from February 21 (Friday). The 10 teams participating in the seventh edition of the tournament — Australia, England, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh, South Africa, India, and debutant Thailand — have been divided into two groups. The ICC T20 World Cup opener will be played between tournament favourites India and defending champions Australia. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is introducing the front-foot no-ball technology for the first time in the Women's T20 World Cup. According to the new no-ball rule, the third umpire will call the front-foot no balls, communicating this with on-field umpires. Read More

Sachin Tendulkar being lifted on the shoulders of his teammates after their World Cup triumph at home in 2011 was voted the Laureus best sporting moment in the last 20 years. With the backing of Indian cricket fans, Tendulkar got the maximum number of votes to emerge winner on Monday. Tendulkar, competing in his sixth and last World Cup, finally realised his long-term dream when skipper MS Dhoni smacked Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Kulasekara out of the park for a winning six. The charged-up Indian cricketers rushed to the ground and soon they lifted Tendulkar on their shoulders and made a lap of honour, a moment etched in the minds of the fans. Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh handed the trophy to Tendulkar after tennis legend Bros Becker announced the winner at a glittering ceremony. It's incredible. The feeling of winning the world cup was beyond what words can express. How many times you get an event happening where there are no mixed opinions. Very rarely the e...

New Zealand cricket team are up against a "powerhouse" in the visiting India cricket team, says former all-rounder Craig McMillan who feels the Black Caps will have to win in two out of three formats to be eligible for at least the "pass marks". New Zealand will host India for five Twenty20s, three ODIs and two Tests beginning here on January 24 and the hosts will be desperate to bounce back from the recent 0-3 Test drubbing at the hands of Australia. "It's big. This whole Indian tour is big after what happened in Australia," McMillan was quoted as saying by 'Radio Sport Breakfast'. "This Indian side are a powerhouse. Doesn't matter if it's Tests, ODIs, T20s, they are the real deal so it's going to be a really intriguing tour. For New Zealand to get a pass mark for this tour they need to win two of the three series." The series against India will start with the T20 rubber on Friday and McMillan feels with th...

Bangladeshi cricketers called off their strike late on Wednesday after holding talks with the top brass of their cricket board, where they were assured that nearly all their demands would be met. Officials from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BSB) and players had held the meeting to discuss the 13-point demand raised by the latter. The meeting lasted for more than two hours, reported ESPNcricinfo. Even though 11 demands were initially raised by the cricketers, two were added just ahead of the meeting. The new demands include a call to the BCB to share a percentage of their revenue with the players and equal pay for women cricketers. BCB chief Nazmul Hassan Papon described the meeting as "fruitful" and said that the board has agreed to fulfil the initial 11 demands of the players, noting that it was not aware of the additional two demands until a few hours before the meeting began. "As Papon said, it was a fruitful discussion," team captain Shakib Al Hasa...

Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar has been inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall of Fame alongside South African pace legend Allan Donald. Joining Tendulkar and Donald in the Hall of Fame was two-time World Cup-winning Australian woman cricketer Cathryn Fitzpatrick. "It's a huge honour for me," Tendulkar said at the induction ceremony held here on Sunday night. The 46-year-old former right-hand batsman is regarded the greatest to have played the game along with Sir Donald Bradman and remains the top run-accumulator in both Tests and ODIs. He has 34,357 runs across formats and is the only batsman to have 100 internationals hundreds under his belt. The 52-year-old Donald is one of the finest bowlers to have played the game and had 330 Test and 272 ODI wickets to his credit before calling it quits in 2003. Fitzpatrick is the second highest wicket-taker of all time in women's cricket with 180 ODI scalps and 60 in Tests. As a coach...

In qualifier 2 of VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL 2019) Delhi Capitals (DC) will face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnamon on Friday. MS Dhoni-led Chennai lost to Mumbai Indians in the qualifier 1 on Tuesday but they get another chance to reach the finals as they are placed second in IPL 2019 points table. Delhi defeated Kane Williamson's Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Wednesday in the last-over thriller to face Chennai in the virtual semifinal. While Capitals will have an advantage over Super Kings as they know the conditions of Vizag stadium better but for CSK, MS Dhoni's experience will be handy to gauge the nature of the wicket. Chennai would look to fix their vulnerable spots while Delhi would look to be more consistent with the batting. Overall, both sides have their weakness exposed and the team that take advantage of others mistake early is likely to clinch the victory. Chennai received a jolt when all-rounder Kedar Jadhav was injur...

In match 52 of VIVO Indian Premier League 2019 (IPL 2019), Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) will host Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Friday. KKR are at the sixth spot in IPL 2019 points table with 10 points in 12 matches while KXIP are at the seventh spot with 10 points in as many matches due to low net run rate (NRR). The match is crucial for both the teams as a loss at this stage will diminish playoff chances. Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals have already qualified for the IPL 2019 playoffs while two spots are up for grab and an intense competition is underway between five teams. R Ashwin's Punjab would look to break the losing-streak but KKR, who defeated Mumbai Indians after putting up a mammoth 233-run target, would be high on confidence. Dinesh Karthik-led KKR lost 6 matches in a row after finally breaking the spell against Mumbai at the Wankhede in their previous match. Although KKR return to winning ways against Mumbai Indians in the...

In match 32 of the VIVO Indian Premier League 2019 (IPL 2019), Mumbai Indians (MI) will host Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. Virat Kohli's RCB registered their first victory in IPL 2019 by defeating Kings XI Punjab on Saturday and they'd be high on confidence with first points on the IPL 2019 points table. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians lost their last match against Rajasthan Royals despite scoring 187 runs as Jos Buttler's quickfire 89 overshadowed their efforts. As usual, It will rain runs in Wankhede so both the teams will have to pick bowlers in their playing 11 very carefully because wickets are the only key. RCB is tight on bowlers as they usually keep just enough bowlers to complete the 20-over per side quota, hence, they'd have to bring in some variation to tackle the formidable batting line-up of Mumbai Indians in which a tail-ender can also hit a six or two. Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma is back...

In Match 26 of VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL 2019), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will host Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata Friday. Andre Russell's big-hitting prowess will challenge Kagiso Rabada's inch-perfect yorkers for the second time in IPL 2019 as DC will look shed away their inconsistent run. Kolkata Knight Riders are placed at the second position in IPL points table 2019 with eight points from six matches. On the other hand, Delhi Capitals had an inconsistent run in IPL 2019 and they are at sixth position in IPL 2019 points table with six points. It was a thrilling Super Over that decided the tie in their first meeting in IPL 2019, with Delhi riding another Rabada special in that one over to victory. Russell had smashed a whirlwind 28-ball 62 to help KKR post 185/8 but Shaw scored 99 to tie the game for Delhi before Rabada bowled perfect yorkers to defend 10 runs and seal the deal. Andre Russell has amassed 257 runs from five innings, out of ...

In match 13 of VIVO Indian Premier League 2019 (IPL 2019), Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) will host Delhi Capitals (DC) at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Monday. The clash will be interesting as both DC and KXIP won their previous IPL 2019 matches against KKR and MI and are high on confidence. K L Rahul's 71 runs off 57 balls proved instrumental for Punjab's victory and marked the return of his form. Chris Gayle has found his rhythm and his teammate Mayank Agarwal has been attacking almost every other ball. Ashwin has been shuffling his bowling department and it looks likely that he would again bring a change or two in playing 11. For Delhi, things have started to fall in places after their second match defeat against MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings. Shreyas Iyer-led DC is high on confidence after they triumphed in the super over thriller against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday night. Punjab may again eye home ground advantage but Delhi will be a different chal...

Rajasthan Royals captain Ajinkya Rahane has been fined Rs 12 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate during the IPL match against Chennai Super Kings. "As it was his team's first offence of the season under the IPL's Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Mr. Rahane was fined Rs 12 lakh," read an official IPL statement. Rajasthan Royals suffered their third straight defeat on Sunday night when they lost to Super Kings by eight runs. Article Source -> Business Standard

Acknowledging Rishabh Pant 's consistent performance, the BCCI has rewarded the young wicketkeeper-batsman with a grade A retainership while demoting senior opener Shikhar Dhawan from the elite A plus category in the latest list of Central Contracts. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the annual contracts late on Thursday night, handing retainership to 25 cricketers in four groups of A plus (Rs 7 crore), A (Rs 5 crore), B (Rs 3 crore) and C (Rs 1 crore). Last year 26 players were handed contracts. Not only Dhawan but pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has also been dropped from the highest-paying category and now only three players -- skipper Virat Kohli, limited overs deputy Rohit Sharma and premier pacer in all formats speedster Jasprit Bumrah -- figure in the elite category. While left arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed and batsman Hanuma Vihari are new entrants in the C group. Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw and Vijay Shankar, who have made impression in Tests an...

On Sunday, Rohit smashed an unbeaten 100 off just 56 balls with the help of 11 boundaries and five sixes to steer India home against England Sports News : Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya credited Rohit Sharma for the team's comprehensive win in the series-clinching third and final T20 International against England, saying it was a special innings from the elegant batsman after two ordinary outings. Rohit struck his third T20I hundred as India chased down a 199-run target with seven wickets in hand on Sunday to pocket the three-match series 2-1. "Rohit played amazingly well. He was outstanding and played a fantastic hand. He won the game single-handedly for us. We expect that from him. I haven't seen anyone hit the ball as hard as Rohit," Pandya told reporters at the post-match press conference. "Not having two good games and then coming back to play such an innings, that is special. It shows the confidence players have in this team, in thems...

India stand on the cusp of a 6th successive T20I series' win - a run stretching back to their 2-1 win over New Zealand at home in Nov 2017. Catch live updates of India vs England 2nd T20I match here Sports News : Fresh from a clinical eight-wicket victory over England, India will aim to clinch the Twenty-20 International (T20I) series when they lock horns with the hosts in the second T20I of the three-match series at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff today. The Indian cricket team led by Virat Kohli completely outclassed England in the first game, as Kuldeep Yadav's fifer followed by Lokesh Rahul's unbeaten ton guided Indian to a comfortable victory. Indian skipper Virat Kohli will be expecting another dominant show from his side to set the tone for the long England tour. The Indian team management is likely to stick to the same playing eleven, and will not try to disturb their winning combination. In the batting department. Opener Shikhar Dhawan, who failed in the fir...

Neymar and Luis Saurez will brace the pitch in Fifa World Cup 2018 quarterfinal matches today in Russia FIFA World Cup 2018 : As the World Cup 2018 is drawing to a close, the thrills of the games are increasing. We are into quarter-finals now, and the best of eight teams will battle it out for the World Cup glory. In today's match, Uruguay will fight it out with France, and Brazil will encounter Belgium in Russia on Friday. We don't know anything about the results but the sheer infectious passion will be on display by the participating teams and the fans. Here's today’s match schedule: 1st match: Uruguay vs France When and Where to watch: Uruguay vs France Time: 7:30 PM (IST) In the today's first quarterfinal match, Uruguay vs France will take place in Nizhny Novgorod on Friday, July 6, 2018 at 7:30 PM (IST). Uruguay vs France match will be broadcast on Sony Ten 2, Sony Ten 2 HD in English Commentary and Sony Ten 3 and Sony 3 HD in Hindi Com...

India will start the English Summer with T20I series, followed by 50-over cricket and Test series in August. Catch live updates here of the first T20Is between India and England Sports News : After a crushing 2-0 victory over minnows Ireland, India led by Virat Kohli will be up against a formidable England in the first of the three-match Twenty20 International series (T20Is) at the Old Trafford in Manchester. Indian cricket team's supremacy in shorter formats is redoubtable but India will have their task cut out against a vastly improved England in the opening T20 International in what will be a defining summer for Virat Kohli and his team. While India has been a consistent limited-overs side over the past 6-7 years, England has of late lifted their game in coloured clothes by miles, thanks to a group of fantastic limited overs players like Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, and Ben Stokes. Going into today’s series opener, India is expected to play around with set combinati...

The Indian cricket team have a full-strength squad to pick from with captain Virat Kohli back in the team after nursing a neck injury                                    Sports News : India will begin their preparation for England tour by playing two T20Is against Ireland. The first of the two T20Is matches will be played at Malahide Cricket Club Ground or The Village in Dublin on Wednesday, June 27, 2018. The Indian cricket team have a full-strength squad to pick from, with captain Virat Kohli back in the team after nursing a neck injury. The men in blue will use the two T20Is against Ireland to get acclimatised to the English conditions as they have struggled to counter the swing and overcast conditions in England in the past and there is no better way to prepare than get a few games under the belt, and there...

Kane Williamson Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat Royal Challengers Hyderabad (RCB) by 5 runs. With this loss, RCB are potentially knocked out of IPL  IPL 2018  :  In the 39th match of the  VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 , Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 5 runs in a last-ball thriller and retained their top position on the VIVO IPL points table. Sunrisers Hyderabad had a reputation of defending low totals and did it again against RCB. Parthiv Patel and Manan Vohra gave a fine start as looked to attack right from the start, shedding the defensive approach behind. Shakib trapped Parthiv for LBW, this made RCB captain Virat Kohli   come to the crease. Kohli started his inning with the signature cover drive and soon disrupted Shakib’s bowling figures. A twist came in RCB’s all-well tale when Shakib Al Hasan got the prized wicket of RCB captain Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan deserved equal credit for that as he took a one-hand...

In the 38th match of Vivo IPL 2018, KXIP captain won the toss and asked Rajasthan Royals to bat first. Kings XI Punjab needed 153 runs to win the match. Sports News  : In the 38th match of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL 2018), Kings XI Punjab defeated Rajasthan Royals and moved up to the 3rd position of the Vivo IPL points table. KL Rahul played a brilliant knock, scoring 84 runs and took his team towards victory. Earlier, Kings XI Punjab won the toss and decided to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals. Ashwin bowled the first over and took the wicket of D Arcy Short. Rahane was caught soon by Gayle. Wickets fell for Rajasthan and Kings XI Punjab managed to put a leash on run flow. It looked like another low scorer till the 15th over. Kings XI got the upper edge from the start and Rajasthan needed a revival as they were on the verge of elimination from this year’s IPL, but it never came for the team and the batting collapsed. The bowlers kept it strict and RR made 152 in ...