Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has blamed the packed IPL schedule for India’s lack of readiness for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Harbhajan Singh spoke to a daily in an effort to take the message to the Indian cricket board.

As the IPL 2024 season reaches its climax with the final scheduled for May 26, concerns loom over the Indian cricket team’s preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the UA and the Caribbean. Team India finds itself in a unique situation as the end of the IPL leaves little time for a full-fledged training camp before the T20 World Cup kicks off on June 2. India hasn’t won an ICC trophy since 2013, leading to great pressure on the team to put up a good show in the tournament.

Meanwhile, defending champion England’s players have opted out of the IPL playoffs to focus on T20 World Cup preparations. England is set to play in a four-match T20I series against Pakistan, prioritizing match practice over IPL commitments. This means IPL enthusiasts will miss out on witnessing key players like Phil Salt and Josh Buttler and many more in playoffs.

While the England and Wales Cricket Board has prioritised national team preparations over franchise cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has yet to convene a training camp for the Indian squad. It is in this light that Harbhajan Singh’s concerns on the IPL schedule assume significance. The England team’s decision can prove to be a template for future ICC tournaments. Harbhajan also suggested the Indian team utilize the limited preparation time effectively. He emphasized the importance of collective practice matches against top teams like England and Australia, especially in conditions similar to those expected during the T20 World Cup.

As the countdown to the T20 World Cup begins, the spotlight remains on the Indian cricket team as they strive to reclaim their place at the summit of international cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar has a massive fan following including cricketers around the world. Irfan Pathan is no different who when given a chance he always praises the Master Blaster and also narrates stories about the legendary cricketer. Recently Sachin Tendulkar visited Irfan Pathan’s family at their house and spent time with them.

Irfan pathan was delighted at the unexpected meeting with the legendary cricketer and posted pictures on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote the stories, the laughter & the pleasure to be around Sachin is what made last night special! Pathan looked forward to many more such nights. In the first picture shared by Irfan Pathan, Sachin Tendulkar is seen sitting alongside Irfan Pathan and his father. He even gifted a jersey to the young one in the family. In another picture Sachin posed with two kids for a photograph.

The post has gone viral on social media with 47700 views, 120 retweets and 4500 likes till now which are increasing. Large number of X users and cricket fans commented on the social media post. One cricket fan Tomer Rosenberg wrote Cheers to unforgettable nights and endless laughter! Here’s to many more paaji!

Another X user said legends in one frame. One cricket fan Rihab Khan said he loved Irfan Pathan family.

Another user said both of them are legends. One X user Vipin Mishra wrote sounds like an unforgettable night! Here’s to many more fun-filled nights ahead!

One cricket fan Momina commented that Sachin Tendulkar is a legend of his time and referred him as Sachin sir.

One Sachin fan Sandee asked him why he was wearing red pants?

Another X user Satish Mishra shared heart emojis for Sachin Tendulkar.

One cricket fan said nobody was like Sachin Tendulkar in this world and he was truly the God of cricket.

One cricket fan Kev praised Irfan Pathan for his post and said it is awesome.

Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant been banned for one-match and a fined Rs INR 30 lakh for the slow over-rate offense, which is a breach of IPL Code of Conduct, committed by his team against Rajasthan Royals.

On May 07, 2024, during Match 56 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 against the Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, his team maintained a slow over-rate.

Pant will therefore be unable to play in Sunday’s pivotal against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. It should be mentioned that DC has still managed to maintain their chances of qualifying for the playoffs in the 17^th season of Indian Premier League and that a loss would result in their elimination from the tournament.

The BCCI said in a statement, the Delhi Capitals filed an appeal contesting the Match Referee’s decision in accordance with Article 8 of the IPL Code of Conduct. The appeal was then sent to the BCCI Ombudsman for assessment after that. The Ombudsman had a virtual hearing and confirmed that the match referee’s decision is still final and enforceable, the BCCI said in a press release.

This season DC’s comeback has been greatly aided by Pant, particularly after a rocky beginning. As a result of the contributions of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Jake Fraser-McGurk, DC has emerged as one of the most interesting teams to watch in both categories of the game. The highest point of Pant’s leadership was demonstrated in their away match against GT. Pant won player of the match awards for his outstanding captaincy, which enabled DC to put out GT for just 89 runs.

DC is currently sharing fifth place in the league table with both CSK and LSG. There are still two games for DC, one against LSG and one against RCB.