Sport
Dhoni mania as IPL heads into tense final week
The Indian Premier League enters its playoff phase this week and Chennai Super Kings will host Gujarat Titans on Tuesday in front of a home crowd desperate to see MS Dhoni win another Indian Premier League.
A packed house is expected at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium and all eyes will be on the 41-year-old Dhoni, AFP reported.
Four-time champions Chennai host table-toppers Gujarat in the first playoff of this season’s IPL, with the winner going into Sunday’s final. The loser goes into another playoff match.
Fans have turned up in large numbers at every venue to watch Dhoni, the Chennai skipper and former India captain who is expected to retire from cricket at the end of this campaign.
He retired from national duty in 2020.
Dhoni has kept fans guessing and not explicitly said he expects to call it quits when the end of the season arrives at some point over the next week.
The wicketkeeper-batsman has reinvented himself this term as a lower-order batsman coming in at number eight.
“This is what my job is,” he said after hitting a nine-ball 20 in a late cameo to help Chennai defeat Delhi earlier this month.
“I have told them (his team) this is what I am supposed to do, don’t make me run a lot, and it has been working.”
Dhoni’s likely farewell is one of a number of subplots heading into the final week of the Twenty20 extravaganza.
Opponents Gujarat have extended their fairy tale journey from winning the crown in their debut season last year to making the play-offs once again.
“Last year we did well, everything went our way,” said skipper Hardik Pandya, who then guided Gujarat to the top of the 10-team table in the regular season this year.
“This year was a different challenge for us. We were expecting people to challenge us. The boys showed tremendous character.”
Opener Shubman Gill has led the way with his 680 runs, second only in this IPL to Faf du Plessis at Bangalore on 730, but with a chance now to grab the Orange Cap for top-scorer.
He struck his second straight ton on Sunday to play another match-winning role for a team which triumphed in 10 of their 14 group matches.
If Gujarat make the final they will again enjoy home advantage playing at the 132,000-capacity stadium in Ahmedabad.
Green justifies price tag
On Wednesday, five-time champions Mumbai Indians, led by India skipper Rohit Sharma, take on Lucknow Super Giants in another playoff.
The winner of that match will play the loser of Chennai-Gujarat on Friday for a spot in Sunday’s final at the world’s biggest cricket stadium.
Mumbai rode on Australian all-rounder Cameron Green’s maiden T20 century in a crushing win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday to sneak into the playoffs.
Green’s 47-ball 100 not out and a 56 by Rohit in Mumbai’s successful chase of 201 has suddenly made the IPL heavyweights, who last won the IPL in 2020, favorites in the knockout clash against Lucknow.
The 23-year-old Green was the second-most expensive player in IPL history when Mumbai bought him for $2.11 million in this season’s auction.
Sport
Serbian Dejan Dedovic appointed head coach of Afghanistan national futsal team
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) has appointed Serbian coach Dejan Dedovic as the new head coach of the national futsal team on a two-year contract.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by AFF officials, futsal committee members, technical staff, and sports journalists.
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The federation also announced several additions to the national team’s coaching staff. Iran’s Javad Asghari Moqaddam has been appointed technical director, while Morteza Mansour Samaei will serve as goalkeeping coach. Spain’s Uriel Masana has joined as assistant coach, Iran’s Sadeq Amani as fitness coach, and Brazil’s Joao Lira as team analyst.
In addition, the AFF renewed the contract of Mohammad Nasir Sedaqat as manager of the national futsal team.
The federation said it expects the newly assembled coaching staff to contribute to the continued development of Afghan futsal and strengthen the team’s competitiveness at the regional and international levels.
Sport
India clinch ODI series against Afghanistan
The India national cricket team defeated Afghanistan in the third and final One Day International (ODI), sealing the series with a 9-wicket victory and lifting the series trophy.
Afghanistan won the toss in the final match and opted to bat first.
Batting first, Afghanistan were bowled out for 218 in 44.2 overs, setting India a target of 219 runs.
Hashmatullah Shahidi played a superb innings, scoring 102 runs off 131 deliveries, anchoring the Afghan batting effort.
In reply, India made light work of the chase, reaching 219 for the loss of just one wicket in 28.4 overs, completing a dominant run chase.
India had already taken an unassailable lead in the series by winning the first ODI by 7 wickets and the second by 170 runs, before sealing a comprehensive 3–0 series sweep in the final match.
Sport
2nd ODI: India crush Afghanistan by 170 runs to seal series lead
The Indian national cricket team registered a dominant 170-run victory over Afghanistan in the second One Day International, delivering a commanding all-round performance.
Batting first, India piled up 402 all out in 49.5 overs, setting a daunting 403-run target for Afghanistan.
In reply, Afghanistan were never able to settle into the chase and were eventually bowled out for 232 in 44.3 overs, falling well short of the required total.
India’s innings was powered by a sensational top-order display. Shubman Gill led the charge with a brilliant 154 off 110 balls, striking 22 fours and 2 sixes, while Ishan Kishan lit up the innings with a rapid 125 off 79 deliveries, smashing 14 fours and 7 sixes. The duo laid the foundation for a massive total.
Afghanistan’s bowling effort saw some resistance from Rashid Khan, who picked up 3 wickets, but lacked support from the other end.
Set under pressure from the outset, Afghanistan’s batting lineup failed to build partnerships and was unable to sustain the required run rate against disciplined Indian bowling.
The match was played at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, where India’s dominant performance secured a comfortable win and momentum in the series.
Afghanistan had also lost the opening ODI by 7 wickets, giving India a strong 2–0 position in the series.
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