Wednesday, April 30
Indian chess legends, including Viswanathan Anand and D Gukesh, celebrated Pongal with traditional dance at Anand's Tamil Nadu residence. The gathering highlighted the camaraderie among top players like Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi. This festive unity underscores the rising prominence of Indian chess, buoyed by recent international successes and promising future talents.
Yograj Singh, former cricketer and father of Yuvraj Singh, has criticized MS Dhoni for not giving Yuvraj enough opportunities during crucial phases of his career but has also acknowledged Dhoni's fearlessness and contributions to Indian cricket, sparking debates among fans and experts.
Vinod Kambli, a former Indian cricketer, attended the 50th-anniversary celebrations of Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai amidst concerns over his health. Kambli, who was hospitalized due to complications including brain clots, urged people to avoid alcohol and narcotics. He plans to return to the field soon.
Ira Jadhav of Mumbai set a new record with an unbeaten 346 runs off 157 balls in the Women’s U19 One Day Trophy against Meghalaya. Her innings, featuring 42 fours and 16 sixes, led Mumbai to a massive 563/3. Supported by significant partnerships with Hurley Gala and Diksha Pawar, Jadhav's score is now the highest in tournament history.
Bangladesh's 15-member squad for the ICC Men's Champions Trophy is missing veteran Shakib Al Hasan, who is banned from bowling under ECB jurisdiction. Shanto will captain the team, with Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah leading. Newcomers include Parvez Hossain Emon and rising pacer Nahid Rana. Despite setbacks, the team aims for the title.
India's squad for the T20I series against England has raised eyebrows with the exclusion of Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Aakash Chopra questions these decisions, highlighting Pant's talent and potential and suggesting that Jaiswal could have been given a chance. Chopra also critiques the lack of a third opener, raising concerns for the upcoming series.
Ireland's Aimee Maguire has been reported for a suspect bowling action in the first women's ODI against India in Rajkot. She will undergo testing at an ICC Accredited Testing Centre. Cricket Ireland supports her during this process, emphasizing her return with an improved action.
Shakib Al Hasan has been banned from bowling in domestic and international cricket after failing a second test of his bowling action. Despite this setback, he remains eligible to play as a batsman. Shakib is still in the running for a spot in Bangladesh's Champions Trophy team set to compete against India on February 20.
Former Australian captain Greg Chappell compares England batter Harry Brook to Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. Chappell praises Brook's effective batting method and draws parallels between their early career stats. He believes Brook's aggression and consistency are integral to England's potential future dominance in cricket.
In a thrilling SA20 match at Kingsmead, Durban's Super Giants narrowly defeated the Pretoria Capitals by two runs. Despite an impressive 154-run partnership between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Will Jacks, Pretoria couldn't chase DSG's target of 210, finishing at 207/6. Key performances from Noor Ahmad, Chris Woakes, and Keshav Maharaj turned the game in DSG's favour.
