Cricket news

Ahead of Sunday clash, KL Rahul returns as Delhi Capitals eye second win against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2025

He noted that losing wickets at strategic moments disrupted their rhythm, emphasizing the need to avoid such pitfalls in the future.

Published

2 years ago

March 29, 2025

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After their encouraging victory over Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals are set to carry their momentum into a clash against the strong Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, scheduled for March 30, 2025, in Visakhapatnam.

Sunrisers Hyderabad started their season with a bang but faced a setback against LSG, losing the match by five wickets on March 27, 2025. This defeat highlighted vulnerabilities in their high-octane batting order.

As they venture away from home, captain Pat Cummins will need to rally his team for a turnaround performance.

In contrast, Delhi Capitals will be boosted by the return of KL Rahul, who missed the season opener due to becoming a father. Recognized for his crucial role in India’s recent Champions Trophy victory in Dubai, Rahul was acquired by Delhi for a significant Rs 14 crore. Although he brings a wealth of experience, Rahul opted not to captain the side, leaving the leadership to Axar Patel.

Once a mainstay of the Indian team across all formats, Rahul was not part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad last year and had a disappointing IPL season with LSG, which resulted in his release. His previous confrontations with team owner Sanjiv Goenka added to the narrative of his struggles.

Eager for a fresh start at a new franchise, Rahul remarked, “I’ve been out of the T20 team for a while. I know where I stand as a player, and I know what I need to do to get back. This IPL is an opportunity to rediscover my game and push for a return to the T20 squad.”

His recent training sessions with India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar in Mumbai have set the stage for his comeback in Visakhapatnam, where he aims to stabilize Delhi’s top order, which faltered in the last match. Chasing a target of 211, Delhi was in dire straits at 65/5 but managed a thrilling last-gasp victory thanks to Ashutosh Sharma’s unbeaten 66 off 31 balls and pivotal contributions from others.

Beyond his batting prowess, Rahul is expected to play a significant role in supporting Patel’s captaincy, especially as Patel leads an IPL team for the first time.

DC has historically struggled to clinch matches, but their hard-won triumph against LSG may instill the confidence needed going forward. The team’s potent bowling lineup, led by Mitchell Starc, will be a critical factor in their upcoming match, especially in countering the aggressive opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head from SRH.

Sunrisers Hyderabad had a stellar opening match with a score of 286/6, featuring a stunning 106 runs from Ishan Kishan off just 47 balls. However, they faltered in their subsequent match, only managing 190/9 against LSG.

Wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen recognized the need for improvement, stating, “A score of 210-220 would have been par on the wicket. We just didn’t score enough runs.” He noted that losing wickets at strategic moments disrupted their rhythm, emphasizing the need to avoid such pitfalls in the future.

The bowling unit for SRH, spearheaded by Mohammed Shami, Cummins, and Harshal Patel, remains formidable but underperformed against LSG, with Cummins particularly struggling, giving away an average of 15 runs per over. The Australian captain is determined to bounce back and lead effectively.

Teams:

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Atharva Taide, Abhinav Manohar, Aniket Verma, Sachin Baby, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Harshal Patel, Kamindu Mendis, Wiaan Mulder, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Shami, Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa, Simarjeet Singh, Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga.

Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel (c), KL Rahul (wk), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Karun Nair, Faf du Plessis, Donovan Ferreira, Abhishek Porel (wk), Tristan Stubbs (wk), Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Darshan Nalkande, Vipraj Nigam, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav.

Cricket news

Abhishek Sharma smashes 113 off 38 balls as India beat New Zealand in 3rd ODI

Abhishek Sharma hammered 113 off just 38 balls as India chased down New Zealand’s 199-run target in 13.2 overs, winning the third T20I by six wickets.

Published

1 week ago

October 27, 2026

APNLive Desk

Abhishek Sharma delivered a stunning batting performance in the third T20 International against New Zealand in Wellington, smashing 113 off just 38 balls to power India’s chase of 199. India reached the target in 13.2 overs, winning the match by six wickets.

The Indian opener’s explosive innings proved decisive as India chased down New Zealand’s total of 198/3. His aggressive approach put the hosts under pressure and helped India complete the chase with plenty of overs to spare.

Abhishek Sharma leads India’s chase

Abhishek’s 113-run knock off 38 deliveries was the standout performance of the contest. His innings provided India with the momentum needed to pursue the 199-run target at a rapid pace.

The century also made Abhishek the central figure of the third T20I, with his power-hitting dominating the contest. India’s successful chase underlined the impact of his innings in a match where New Zealand had posted a substantial total.

India chase down 199 against New Zealand

New Zealand scored 198/3 in their innings, setting India a target of 199. However, India’s batters responded with an aggressive chase, reaching the target in just 13.2 overs.

The six-wicket victory gave India an important result in the five-match T20I series. Abhishek’s century was the defining contribution of the match, ensuring that the visitors completed the chase comfortably.

Abhishek Sharma’s innings takes the spotlight

Abhishek’s quickfire century was the major talking point from the Wellington encounter. Scoring 113 runs from only 38 balls, he combined scoring speed with the ability to keep India’s chase firmly on track.

His performance will be among the key highlights of the third T20I as India continue their campaign against New Zealand.

Cricket news

India beat Pakistan by 19 runs to win Asian Games cricket gold

India beat Pakistan by 19 runs in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket final to retain the gold medal in the competition.

Published

1 month ago

October 3, 2026

APNLive Desk

India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the men’s cricket final at the Asian Games 2026 on Saturday to retain the gold medal.

India posted 211 for six after being sent in to bat, before restricting Pakistan to 192 for six in their 20 overs. The victory gave India their second successive Asian Games gold medal in men’s cricket.

India post 211 in final

India’s batting was led by Abhishek Sharma, who scored 61 off 28 balls, while Tilak Varma contributed 51 off 22 balls.

The two batters provided the momentum as India reached 211 for six from their 20 overs.

India captain Shreyas Iyer had won the toss and elected to bat first in the final.

Pakistan fall 19 runs short

Pakistan’s chase was anchored by Hasan Nawaz, who made 96 from 51 balls. Saim Ayub added 29 from 22 balls, but Pakistan finished on 192 for six after 20 overs.

India’s Axar Patel and Washington Sundar each took two wickets as Pakistan fell short of the target.

The result secured the gold medal for India, while Pakistan finished with silver. Sri Lanka won the bronze medal after defeating Bangladesh in the bronze-medal match.

India retain Asian Games cricket title

The victory marked India’s second consecutive men’s cricket gold medal at the Asian Games. India had also won the men’s cricket gold at the Hangzhou edition.

India’s victory over Pakistan also completed a gold-medal double for the country in cricket at the 2026 Asian Games, after the women’s team won the women’s cricket final earlier in the competition.

Cricket news

Jasprit Bumrah becomes first Indian to play T20Is in 13 countries

Jasprit Bumrah became the first Indian to play T20I cricket in 13 different countries after featuring against Sri Lanka in Japan.

Published

1 month ago

October 1, 2026

APNLive Desk

Jasprit Bumrah added another milestone to his international career on Thursday after taking the field for India against Sri Lanka in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket semifinal in Japan.

Bumrah’s appearance at Nishin made him the first Indian to play T20I cricket in 13 different countries, according to the report. He moved ahead of former India captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who have each played T20Is in 12 countries.

Bumrah’s 13-country T20I record

Before playing in Japan, Bumrah had represented India in T20Is in 12 other countries — India, Australia, Bangladesh, England, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the UAE, the United States, West Indies and Zimbabwe.

His appearance in Japan took the tally to 13. Kohli, Rohit and Bhuvneshwar had played in all of those countries except Japan, leaving Bumrah alone at the top of the list.

Kohli and Rohit cannot add to their totals as both have retired from T20I cricket, according to the source.

Bumrah shines against Sri Lanka

Bumrah also made an immediate impact in his first T20I appearance in Japan. He claimed two wickets in his opening over against Sri Lanka and finished with figures of 2/7 in two overs.

India went on to dismiss Sri Lanka for 45 in 9.5 overs and won the semifinal by 124 runs to book a place in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket final.

The result set up an India-Pakistan gold-medal clash, scheduled for October 3.

Jasprit Bumrah has become the first Indian to play T20I cricket in 13 different countries. His appearance against Sri Lanka in Japan took him past Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who have played T20Is in 12 countries each.