Starting from IPL 2025, captains will no longer face a one-match suspension after three over-rate violations in a season. Instead, such infractions will now result in fines and in-game fielding penalties, aligning the league’s disciplinary framework with the ICC’s code of conduct. However, suspensions handed out before the 2025 season will still be enforced. For instance, Hardik Pandya will remain suspended for Mumbai Indians’ opening game against Chennai Super Kings on March 23, due to a previous over-rate offence. To streamline disciplinary measures, the IPL governing council has introduced a new demerit points system. Under this structure, players and team…
Author: Raghav Mutdeyja
The much-anticipated IPL 2025 season opener between reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens on Saturday may be impacted by rain, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an “orange alert” for the region. According to the IMD bulletin, Kolkata is likely to experience “light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds” through to Saturday, raising concerns over the match’s smooth conduct. The city has already seen intermittent rain over the past few days, disrupting preparations. One of KKR’s inter-squad practice games was cut short after just one innings, and…
Hasan Nawaz lit up Eden Park with a stunning maiden T20I century as Pakistan kept their five-match series against New Zealand alive, storming to a nine-wicket win in a high-scoring thriller. The visitors chased down a daunting target of 205 in only 16 overs — the fastest successful 200-plus run chase in men’s T20I history. In a match that produced 411 runs, Nawaz’s blistering hundred overshadowed Mark Chapman’s 94 as Pakistan finally reaped the rewards of their aggressive new approach after two previous losses. Leading the side in the absence of regular stars, Salman Agha anchored the innings with an…
Jon Lewis has officially stepped down from his role as head coach of the England Women’s cricket team, the ECB confirmed on Friday. His departure comes in the wake of a comprehensive 16-0 Women’s Ashes defeat in Australia and a disappointing group-stage exit at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup last October — both currently under review by the ECB. Lewis, who took on the role in November 2022, expressed mixed emotions in a farewell statement. “I’ve truly enjoyed my time leading the England Women’s team,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that I won’t be able to complete the journey of…
17 years later, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru kick off the IPL season once again, with familiar faces, fresh storylines, and a classic rivalry to reignite. The Big Picture Back in 2008, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru played the very first match of the IPL – a night that lit the spark for what would become a cricketing phenomenon. Now, 17 seasons and a thousand games later, they’re set to open the show once more. This league has evolved into a spectacle like no other. Stadiums sell out quicker than international matches (Eden Gardens is packed),…
AB de Villiers believes Patidar’s biggest challenge will be handling the “insecurity” of stepping into the shoes of past RCB captains like Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli. Virat Kohli has expressed strong support for Rajat Patidar, the newly appointed captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), believing that he has the potential to lead the team for a long time. Patidar, one of RCB’s key retentions ahead of last November’s mega auction, was announced as Faf du Plessis’ successor last month. “He [Patidar] is an incredible talent,” Kohli said at the RCB Unbox event in Bengaluru, where the team’s 2025…
Big Picture: Pakistan Seek Redemption As the T20I series moves from Christchurch to Dunedin, Pakistan’s batting remains the focal point. New captain Salman Agha had called for a “high-risk” approach, but the execution fell short in the opening game, where Pakistan registered a dismal 91 all-out. New Zealand comfortably chased the target in just 10.1 overs, exposing Pakistan’s struggles. With Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam dropped, and Saim Ayub still recovering from an ankle injury, Pakistan experimented with debutant Hasan Nawaz at the top, alongside Mohammad Haris, who was returning to T20Is after nearly two years. Salman slotted in at…
Pakistan allrounder Aamer Jamal has been fined over a million rupees (approximately USD 4,000) for displaying a slogan in support of former Prime Minister and ex-Pakistan cricket captain, Imran Khan. During a Pakistan training session in December last year, ahead of the home Test series against England, Jamal was spotted with “804” written on the underside of his floppy hat. The number represents Imran Khan’s prisoner identification, as he has been incarcerated since August 2023 while facing multiple corruption-related charges, which he claims are politically motivated. The number has become a symbol of support among his followers and has been…
Delhi Capitals’ Harry Brook withdrew from IPL for a second consecutive season for non-injury reasons Former England allrounder Moeen Ali believes that the possibility of Harry Brook facing a two-year ban from the IPL for pulling out after being signed at the auction is justified. Under the IPL’s revised regulations, Brook will be ineligible to participate in the tournament or enter the auction until 2027. Currently, the only exception to this rule applies to players who miss a season due to a verified injury or medical condition, as confirmed by their home board. When asked about the potential ban on…
Fined 50% of Match Fees and Given Three Demerit Points Pakistan allrounder Khushdil Shah has been penalized for violating the ICC Code of Conduct during the first T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch. As a result, he has been fined 50% of his match fees and received three demerit points. This marks his first offense in a 24-month period. The incident occurred in the eighth over of Pakistan’s innings when Khushdil struck the third delivery from Foulkes past mid-on. While running, he collided with the bowler—who had his back turned—making contact with his left shoulder. The on-field umpire addressed the…