Sports

Ranji Trophy: J&K Seeks to Continue Stellar Performance Against Kerala; Saurashtra Looks to Leverage Experience to Beat Gujarat in Quarterfinals

Published

1 year ago

February 8, 2025

The Ranji Trophy 2024-25 is nearing its climax, with the quarterfinals scheduled to commence this Saturday. After several weeks of fierce competition in the group stage, only eight teams are left in the hunt for the coveted title.

The knockout phase has already seen some surprising adjustments, as the J&K vs Kerala match has been moved from Jammu due to unfavorable ground conditions, and the Haryana vs Mumbai game has been relocated from Lahli to Kolkata without any official reasoning from the BCCI.

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Jammu & Kashmir vs Kerala

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Jammu & Kashmir has emerged as a surprising contender in the tournament, topping Elite Group A with five victories out of seven matches, including an impressive win against the 42-time champions, Mumbai. Their pace attack, featuring Auqib Nabi, Yudhvir Singh, and Umar Nazir, has been formidable, with Nabi leading the tournament’s wicket-taking charts at this stage. Additionally, Shubham Khajuria has been in spectacular form with the bat, amassing 663 runs at an average of 55.25, including a highest score of 255.

Kerala finished second in Elite Group C, narrowly behind Haryana. Salman Nizar has been a key player in their batting lineup, while the seasoned Jalaj Saxena has taken 33 wickets at a remarkable average of 14.81. With the neutral venue in Alur, both teams will be eager to showcase their skills in unfamiliar conditions.

Vidarbha vs Tamil Nadu

Vidarbha has established itself as a dominant force in the tournament, amassing 40 points in the group stage and finishing five points ahead of their nearest rival. Their record of six wins from seven matches underscores their superiority. Key batters Yash Rathod and Akshay Wadkar have made significant contributions, while Harsh Dubey has emerged as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 55 wickets at an average of 14.50.

Tamil Nadu had a more challenging path to the quarterfinals, relying on the bonus points system to advance past Chandigarh, despite winning the same number of matches as the group leaders, Saurashtra. However, their batting depth, featuring N Jagadeesan, C Andre Siddarth, and Vijay Shankar—all averaging over 60—could present a significant challenge. The clash between Vidarbha’s relentless bowling attack and Tamil Nadu’s formidable batting lineup is anticipated to be a highlight of the quarterfinals.

Haryana vs Mumbai

Haryana has remained consistent throughout this year’s Ranji Trophy, topping Elite Group C with 29 points, thanks to three wins and four draws. However, their match against Mumbai—the most successful team in Ranji Trophy history—will be a true test of their capabilities. Himanshu Rana and Anshul Kamboj have spearheaded Haryana’s efforts, with Kamboj claiming 29 wickets at an astounding average of 11.75.

Mumbai, on the other hand, narrowly qualified for the knockouts following a resounding victory over Meghalaya by an innings and 456 runs. Siddhesh Lad has enjoyed an exceptional season, averaging 86.33, while Shardul Thakur’s all-round skills make him a player to keep an eye on. The relocation from Lahli to Kolkata may influence the dynamics of this matchup, particularly with spin expected to play a more significant role.

Saurashtra vs Gujarat

The 2019-20 champions, Saurashtra, topped Elite Group D in a closely contested finish, outperforming Tamil Nadu and Chandigarh. Harvik Desai and Chirag Jani have been the standout performers with the bat, while Dharmendrasinh Jadeja leads the bowling attack with 35 wickets to his name.

Gujarat, who were runners-up in the 2016-17 season, finished second in Elite Group B with four wins. Key performer Manan Hingrajia has excelled with the bat, while Siddharth Desai showcased his match-winning prowess with a remarkable nine-wicket haul in a single innings. If Cheteshwar Pujara plays for Saurashtra, it could greatly enhance their chances in what promises to be a fiercely contested quarterfinal.

All quarterfinal matches will be live-streamed on JioCinema.

Fixtures:

Jammu & Kashmir vs Kerala in Pune

Vidarbha vs Tamil Nadu in Nagpur

Haryana vs Mumbai in Kolkata

Saurashtra vs Gujarat in Rajkot

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Sports

Suryakumar,Gambhir and Jay Shah Visit Hanuman Temple after wining World cup

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports: After India’s historic victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, head coach Gautam Gambhir and ICC chairman Jay Shah visited a Hanuman temple in Ahmedabad and offered special prayers. The trio carried the World Cup trophy and sought the blessings of Lord Hanuman after India’s memorable win.

The visit came a day after India defeated New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. With this victory, India lifted its record third T20 World Cup title and created history in international cricket.

After losing the toss, India was asked to bat first by New Zealand. India got off to a strong start as Abhishek Sharma played a brilliant innings. He scored 52 runs from just 21 balls, hitting six boundaries and three sixes. His aggressive batting gave India early momentum.

Sanju Samson then continued the strong performance and built an important partnership with Abhishek Sharma. Later, Samson also shared a century partnership with Ishan Kishan, who played a powerful knock. Ishan Kishan scored 54 runs from 25 balls with four boundaries and four sixes. Their partnership helped India cross the 200-run mark by the 16th over.

Although India lost a few quick wickets later, Shivam Dube played a crucial cameo. He scored 26 runs from just 8 balls, including three boundaries and two sixes. His quick runs helped India finish with a massive total of 255 runs for the loss of five wickets. This became the highest total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final.

Chasing a huge target of 256 runs, New Zealand struggled under pressure. Indian bowlers delivered an outstanding performance to restrict the opposition. Axar Patel took three wickets for 23 runs, while Jasprit Bumrah was the star with four wickets for just 15 runs.

For New Zealand, Tim Seifert fought hard and scored 52 runs from 26 balls with two boundaries and five sixes. Daryl Mitchell scored 17 runs, while captain Mitchell Santner made 43 runs from 35 balls. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to build partnerships.

As a result, New Zealand were bowled out for 159 runs and suffered a heavy defeat. India won the match by 96 runs and celebrated one of the biggest victories in T20 World Cup history.

Following the victory, captain Suryakumar Yadav, coach Gautam Gambhir and ICC chairman Jay Shah visited the Hanuman temple in Ahmedabad with the trophy. They offered special prayers and thanked the deity for the team’s historic achievement. The visit reflected the team’s gratitude after winning the prestigious global tournament.

Sports

Ishan Kishan Plays World Cup Final Despite Personal Loss

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2026

Namma Kudla

Mumbai: Ishan Kishan helped India win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 despite the death of his brother-in-law in a car accident two days before the final.

Because of the tragedy, his father Pranav Pandey could not travel to Ahmedabad for the match. Kishan also wanted to be with his family but stayed with the team due to the responsibility of the final.

In the final, Kishan played a brilliant innings and scored 54 runs off 25 balls. After reaching his half-century, he looked at the sky to pay tribute to his late brother-in-law.

He also took two important catches to dismiss Rachin Ravindra and Tim Seifert of New Zealand national cricket team.

Kishan finished the tournament with 317 runs in nine innings and became the fourth-highest run scorer.

Sports

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

Published

1 week 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.