Power-hitters raise the bar in new era of IPL run-fests

Published

1 year ago

May 10, 2023

(Last Updated On: May 10, 2023)

A marauding Faf du Plessis and emerging power-hitters including Rinku Singh have helped make team totals over 200 the new normal in this high-scoring edition of the Indian Premier League.

The 38-year-old South African Du Plessis, captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore, leads the batting charts with 576 runs at a destructive strike rate of over 157 and 32 sixes.

This season does not finish until the end of the month but it has already witnessed 30 innings totalling 200 or above.

That happened on 18 occasions in the entire edition last year.

Du Plessis hit 65 on Tuesday and forged a 120-run stand with Glenn Maxwell — but opponents Mumbai Indians still reached the 200 target with 3.3 overs to spare, AFP reported.

This season third-placed Mumbai have chased down three 200 or 200-plus totals with Suryakumar Yadav hitting half-centuries in all of them.

“I have no idea what a safe score is. The last four games we have seen excess of 200 has been scored,” said Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma.

“Most of the teams are taking risks and it is coming off.

“The batters are taking risks and 200-plus scores are being chased.

“The mindset of the batters is to do something special for the team and it is coming off as well.”

Players and pundits say there are a few reasons for the tall totals.

IPL pitches are more batting friendly than before to encourage big-hitting and provide more entertainment.

Former Australia batsman and ex-IPL coach Tom Moody says that the Kookaburra balls could have something to do with it because they are not swinging as much.

The nature of Twenty20 cricket is also evolving, with a new breed of specialists.

But the biggest factor behind the skyscraper scores in the IPL looks to be the new Impact Player rule.

It allows a substitute and effectively adds an extra batsman or bowler to the team line-up.

Lucknow Super Giants have led the high-rise war after they posted the second-highest team total since the IPL began in 2008.

They made 257-5 in a 56-run victory last month against Punjab Kings, with West Indies’ Kyle Mayers and Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis smashing 11 boundaries each.

Virat Kohli recently scored a 46-ball 55 in a losing cause for Bangalore and the superstar batsman was criticized for consuming too many deliveries.

Moody called Kohli’s innings “yesterday’s approach or last year’s approach”.

“Now we have an impact player, the game has changed,” the Australian, who took Sunrisers Hyderabad to the 2016 title, told ESPNCricinfo.

“We already have evidence of that with the number of teams who have scored over 200, (it) is a record number of 200-plus scores of any IPL and we are not even close to the finish.”

While the likes of greats Kohli and David Warner have struggled to meet the intensity, left-handed batsman Rinku has come into his own as a finisher this season.

He raised the hitting stakes when he smashed five sixes in the last five balls to pull off a miracle chase for Kolkata last month.

The tournament has witnessed six last-ball finishes this season and Mumbai batsman Nehal Wadhera pointed to the impact sub again.

“The Impact Player rule also gives the batters a bit of freedom to play fearlessly as they know they have an extra batter in their wings,” Wadhera said.

“The rule has also led to more close finishes in the IPL, which we love to watch.”

Rashid Khan returns home, officially introduced as AWCC’s brand ambassador

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 19, 2024)

Afghanistan’s cricket superstar Rashid Khan was officially introduced Saturday as brand ambassador for Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC).

Rashid landed in Kabul on Saturday after an absence of several years. He returned following an official invitation from AWCC.

For years now, Rashid has followed the international cricket league circuit – playing for big name events including Indian Premier League (IPL), Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) among others.

In March 2018, during the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier, he captained Afghanistan for the first time in an ODI match – becoming the youngest player to captain an international side, at the age of 19 years and 165 days.

Rashid, a right-handed batsman and right-arm legbreak bowler, holds numerous records, including being the youngest player to become the No. 1 bowler in One Day International Rankings.

He also holds the record for the best bowling figures for an associate nation in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and the fastest bowler to complete 100 dismissals in T20 Internationals.

Rashid is a key player for Afghanistan and has contributed significantly to the country’s success in international cricket.

In line with Rashid’s commitment to the game, his resilience and determination to always do his best, AWCC moved to employ him as the company’s brand ambassador.

Aliullah Sarwari, CEO of AWCC, said at a ceremony in Kabul to mark the announcement and Rashid’s return to the country, that the company strives to ensure all citizens have access to high-quality telecommunications and internet services in the farthest and most remote areas of Afghanistan.

Sarwari added that high-quality telecommunication services, new technology, creating employment and access to the internet for all citizens in the farthest parts of the country are among the most important objectives of this company.

He also stated that the appointment of Rashid as brand ambassador for AWCC was made from a commercial and spiritual perspective.

Rashid, meanwhile, said it is the first time that he has been chosen as an ambassador and that he will try to serve the people and the country in the same way that he shines on the cricket field.

“I am happy and proud that I have been selected as a brand ambassador of Afghan Wireless for the first time,” said Rashid.

As a hero to his fellow countrymen, Rashid received a warm welcome on arrival in Kabul and thousands of cricket fans posted messages on social media to welcome him home.

One fan, Mohammad Sharif Noori, said on Facebook: “Thank God that you came. You are the pride of Afghanistan.”

Ishq Yousufzai, another fan, wrote on his social media page: “The pride of the homeland. The champion of Afghanistan.”

Sport

T20 World Cup warm-up match schedule released, Afghanistan to face Oman and Scotland

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 17, 2024)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the much-anticipated warm-up match schedule for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. These preparatory games will take place from Monday, May 27 to Saturday, June 1, across various venues in the USA and the West Indies.

Venues and teams

The 16 warm-up matches will be hosted at the following locations:

Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Texas
Broward County Stadium, Florida
Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago
Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago

A total of 17 teams will participate in these matches, including South Africa, which will conduct an intra-squad game on May 29 in Florida. These matches will not carry official T20 international status, allowing teams the flexibility to field all members of their 15-player squads.

Schedule highlights

Unlike previous editions, teams now have the option to play up to two warm-up matches based on their arrival time.

Afghanistan will participate in two warm-up game, set for May 29 against Oman and May 31 against Scotland. Meanwhile, Pakistan and England will not engage in any warm-up fixtures as they will be engaging in a bilateral T20I series, which concludes on May 30.

The Afghanistan national cricket team departed Kabul on Thursday for the UAE to begin their T20 World Cup journey, which will be hosted by the U.S.

Afghanistan Cricket Board said some players participating in the IPL will join the team in the UAE.

It added that those whose IPL matches are still ongoing will join their teammates in the West Indies.

T20 World Cup Warm-up fixtures

Monday, May 27