Sports

KKR’s Home Advantage Under Scrutiny as Eden Pitch Controversy Resurfaces

Published

11 months ago

March 29, 2025

The pitch at Eden Gardens is once again the subject of scrutiny, but this time it’s not just the visiting teams voicing their concerns. The defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), have found themselves in a disagreement with their home ground early in the 2025 Indian Premier League season, reigniting a long-standing debate.

KKR started their title defense with a disappointing loss at home against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where the team’s spinners—typically a significant asset—struggled to find any assistance from the pitch. However, fortunes changed in Guwahati, where a slower, more spin-friendly surface played to their strengths against the Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday.

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After the defeat at Eden Gardens, captain Ajinkya Rahane expressed his desire for spin-friendly pitches while diplomatically addressing the issue. “We’d love to see the pitch aiding the spin bowlers. But this one had some moisture after being under covers, so no complaints. Our spinners can adapt to any conditions,” he stated.

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However, not everyone is so restrained. Former Bengal wicketkeeper and IPL veteran Shreevats Goswami has taken to social media, criticizing the Eden Gardens curator for consistently neglecting the requirements of home teams in both domestic and IPL matches.

“Fact: There’s nothing new about the Eden Gardens curator ignoring the home captain’s requests. Having played for Bengal for over a decade, I’ve seen this firsthand. As a home team, we would request a specific pitch to gain an advantage, but we rarely received it. The curator wouldn’t even allow us to train at Eden Gardens to avoid damaging the grass. Meanwhile, I would see my counterparts from Karnataka training on the outfield at Chinaswamy Stadium,” Goswami expressed in a social media post.

In a follow-up Facebook post, he reaffirmed his stance, labeling it a “no-brainer” that home teams should have the right to request conditions that give them an advantage. Goswami reminded fans that this is not the first time this issue has been raised. After debuting for Bengal in 2008 and last playing domestic cricket in 2023, he had a brief stint with KKR in 2011 and played for RCB, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad during his IPL career.

In 2023, former KKR captain Nitish Rana also publicly stated his dissatisfaction, remarking, “It feels like every other franchise enjoys a home advantage, except KKR.”

Eden curator Sujan Mukherjee has reportedly maintained his position on the importance of pitch neutrality, a stance that continues to create tension among players and fans.

As KKR advances in their campaign, a larger question arises: Can a team truly consider a ground its “home” if it fails to provide the associated advantages?

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Sports

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup: Pakistan Knocked Out, New Zealand Enter Semifinals

Published

4 days ago

March 1, 2026

Namma Kudla

Mumbai: Pakistan have been knocked out of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup despite securing a narrow win over Sri Lanka. With this result, New Zealand advanced to the semifinals from the Super Eight group.

In the Super Eight match held at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan batted first and posted a strong total of 212 for 8 in 20 overs.

Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman gave Pakistan a flying start. They added 176 runs for the opening wicket. This became the highest opening partnership in the tournament’s history.

Farhan scored a brilliant 100 off 60 balls. He became the first player to score two centuries in a single edition of the tournament. Fakhar Zaman supported him well with 84 runs off 42 balls.

Chasing a target of 213 runs, Sri Lanka fought hard but fell short by 5 runs.

Sri Lanka had a poor start. Pathum Nissanka was dismissed for just 3 runs. Kamil Mishara scored 26 runs, while Charith Asalanka added 25 runs to steady the innings.

Later, Pawan Rathnayake and Dasun Shanaka played attacking knocks. Rathnayake scored 58 runs off 37 balls with four fours and three sixes. Shanaka smashed 76 runs off 31 balls, including eight sixes and two fours. Their partnership raised hopes of a Sri Lankan victory.

However, Pakistan bowlers held their nerve in the final overs. Tight bowling at the death ensured a narrow five-run win for Pakistan.

Despite the victory, Pakistan were eliminated from the tournament due to net run rate. As a result, New Zealand secured the second semifinal spot from the group.

Sports

Rinku Singh’s Father Passes Away After Battling Cancer

Published

6 days ago

February 27, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports: India cricketer Rinku Singh’s father Khanchandra Singh has passed away in Lucknow. He died at a hospital in Greater Noida, leaving the family in deep grief.

Khanchandra Singh was suffering from fourth-stage liver cancer. He was receiving treatment at Yatharth Hospital in Greater Noida. His condition became critical this week, and he was placed on a ventilator. Rinku returned home before India’s Super 8 match against Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup to be with his family.

Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh expressed his condolences on X. He said he was saddened by the news and praised Rinku for his commitment to the team during such a difficult time.

Sports

West Indies Beat Zimbabwe by 107 Runs

Published

1 week ago

February 24, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports : West Indies cricket team defeated Zimbabwe national cricket team by 107 runs in a Super 8 Group 1 match.

Batting first, West Indies scored 254 for 6. Shimron Hetmyer led the charge with 85 runs off 34 balls. Rovman Powell added 59 runs. Their 122-run partnership helped the team post a big total.

Chasing 255, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 147 runs. Brad Evans scored 43 runs, but it was not enough.

West Indies dominated the match with powerful hitting and sealed a comfortable victory.