<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/category/t20/indian-premier-league/ipl-2023/" rel="nofollow">IPL 2023</a>: GT won the match against Lucknow by 56 runs, Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Shah knocked 94 and 81 runs, respectively, leading their team to such a huge target. Mohit Sharma took four wickets, whereas Mohd. Shami has taken one wicket.



Kyle Mayers and de Kock played impressive inning and scored 48 and 70 runs, respectively. Mohsin and Avesh are the only bowlers who took wickets, and Both took only one wicket.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/ESPNcricinfo/status/1655209581373689856
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">De Kock and Mayers tried but couldn't put it to the end:</h2>



In the Second Inning, Mayers and Quinton De Kock came to open for LSG for the first time in the IPL 2023, and both played and made an excellent partnership of 88 runs. Mayers scored 48 runs with a strike rate of 150.00 and hit seven fours and two sixes.



De Kock knocked 70 runs in 41 balls with seven fours and three sixes, and he played some excellent shots on the Long-off and leg side of the boundaries. Lucknow had good momentum in the starting ten moves of the inning, but after they lost two back-to-back wickets, and also lost the momentum of the game.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">GT comes late but effective:</h2>



Mohit Sharma took the wicket of Kyle Mayers in the 9th over, and then Mohd. Shami who gets some runs in the first two overs but in his third over, he took the wicket of Deepak Hooda, and after it, GT bowlers shifted the momentum of the game. Both Afghani spinners, Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmed, have taken one wicket each, whereas Mohit Sharma has four wickets and bowls at an economy rate of 7.25.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">GT's batters aggressive batting:</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2023/05/Shubman_11zon-1024x683.jpg" alt="IPL 2023: GT now almost into the Playoffs" class="wp-image-111586" width="768" height="512" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Shubman Gill | Image Credit: Twitter</figcaption></figure>



Shubman Gill And Wriddhiman Shah played an aggressive inning in the first Inning and made a massive partnership for the 1st wicket. Both made 142 runs in 12 overs, a phenomenal inning by both batters. This fantastic partnership came to an end in the 13th over as Wriddhiman Shah got out by scoring 81 runs with a strike rate of 188.37 and knocked ten fours and four sixes. 



Shubman Gill played an impressive and aggressive inning of 94 runs, and he hit seven sixes with a strike rate of 184.31. Gill showed perfect class and timing in this match, and he was not out as well. Hardik and Miller also contributed as they scored 25 and 21 runs, respectively. They all led Gujarat to the huge Target of 228 runs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Lucknow kept trying but failed to get wickets:</h2>



Lucknow has used eight bowlers in the first inning, but they all failed to take wickets of GT batters, especially thw wicket of Shubman Gill, who kept hitting boundaries to Lucknow's bowlers. Every bowler leaks a lot of runs, but Mohsin and Avesh took one wicket each.



Read This Also: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/eden-gardens-pitch-report-kkr-vs-pbks-ipl-records-stats-weather-forecast-for-ipl-2023/" rel="nofollow">Eden Gardens Pitch Report | KKR vs PBKS: IPL Records &amp; Stats, Weather Forecast for IPL 2023</a>



For More Check Official Site: <a href="https://www.iplt20.com/">IPLT20</a>

IPL 2023: GT now almost into the Playoffs, Defeated LSG by 56 runs

ipl-2023-gt-now-almost-into-the-playoffs-defeated-lsg-by-56-runs

<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/category/t20/indian-premier-league/ipl-2023/" rel="nofollow">IPL 2023</a>: Gujarat Titans won the match against Hyderabad by 34 runs and became the first team to qualify for the IPL 2023 Playoffs, as they now have 18 points with eight wins and four losses. Shubman's maiden IPL hundred, whereas Shami and Mohit have taken four wickets, leading GT to the playoffs. It is now confirmed that they will play the Qualifier 1st as well.



After this defeat, Sunrisers Hyderabad tournament now end, as they lost eight matches and won only four matches this season. Klaasen and Bhuvneshwar tried to win this match but failed in front of GT's strong bowling attack. Klaasen knocked 64 runs, whereas Bhuvneshwar took five wickets and scored 27 runs.



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https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1658168493299335170
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Heinrch Klaasen stood alone:</h2>



In the Second Inning, Sunrisers Hyderabad had a bad start as the wickets was kept falling, and they lost seven wickets in the starting nine overs of this inning, which almost took the game away from them, but Heinrich Klaasen and Bhuvneshwar Kumar both built an important partnership of 68 runs for the 8th wicket. 



Heinrich Klaasen played a commendable inning, and he tried a lot to win this game for his team but unfortunately, he failed to do. Klaasen scored 64 runs in 44 balls with fours, fours, and three sixes, whereas Bhuveshwar scored 27 runs in 26 balls and then lost the match.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shami and Mohit led Gujarat Titans into the Playoffs:</h2>



Mohd Shami bowled well in this match, especially in the powerplay, where he got some important wickets and put Hyderabad far behind. Mohit Sharma uses his variation and slower balls to take wickets, and he got four wickets in this match and gave only 28 runs. Yash Dayal comes back in the playing 11 and takes one wicket.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shubman Gill's maiden IPL hundred:</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2023/05/Shubman-2_11zon-1024x683.jpg" alt="IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans Become the First Team to Qualify for the IPL 2023 Playoffs after the win over Hyderabad" class="wp-image-112816" width="768" height="512" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Shubman Gill | Image Credit: Twitter</figcaption></figure>



In the First Inning, Gujarat Titans came to bat, and Wriddhiman Saha lost his wicket in the first over, but after it, Shubmna Gill and Sai Sudhraasan made a huge partnership of 147 runs for the 2nd wicket. 



Sai Sudharsan played a decent inning and scored 47 runs in 36 balls with six fours and one sixes, whereas Shubman Gill knocked his maiden IPL century and played a Phenomenal inning of 101 runs in 58 balls with 13 fours and one six. 



These two batters from the Gujarat side had only performed in this match as others were losing their wickets by playing the wrong shots. Some of them lost their wickets as they were waving their bat to hit bounders, but they failed. A the end, Gujarat scored 188 runs on the scoreboard.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bhuvi took five wickets Haul:</h2>



In this Match, Sunriser Hyderabad bowled well in the powerplay but lost momentum in the middle overs. Then again, in the last few overs, they gained momentum as GT batters continuously lost the wickets. 



An Excellent spell by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took five wickets in this match, gave only two runs in the last overs and took four wickets. Marco Jansen, Fazalhaq and Natarajan have taken only one wicket.



Read This Also: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2023-playoffs-schedule-venue-tickets-teams-timing-live-streaming-details/" rel="nofollow">IPL 2023 Playoffs Schedule | Venue | tickets | Teams | Timing | Live Streaming details</a>



For More Check Official Site: <a href="https://www.iplt20.com/">IPLT20</a>

IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans Become the First Team to Qualify for the IPL 2023 Playoffs after the win over Hyderabad

ipl-2023-gujarat-titans-become-the-first-team-to-qualify-for-the-ipl-2023-playoffs-after-the-win-over-hyderabad

<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/category/t20/indian-premier-league/ipl-2023/" rel="nofollow">IPL 2023:&nbsp;</a> Gujarat Defeated RCB and vanished their dream to qualify for the IPL 2023 Playoffs. Shubman Gill Knocked a Century in this match, this was his second century this season, and Vijay Shankar also made 53 runs.



Virat Kohli knocked a Century and broke the record of Chris Gayle for Most Centuries in IPL, but his team lost the crucial match and hope of playoffs. Mohd. Siraj got two wickets and bowled a good spell.



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https://twitter.com/ESPNcricinfo/status/1660355939462189057
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shubman Gill Knocked 104 runs hence RCB lost:</h2>



In the Second Inning, Gujarat Titans openers, Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha played with patience and try to judge the wicket in the starting few overs. Then they tried to hit some boundaries to capitalize the powerplay, but Wriddhiman Saha lost his wicket. 



Shubman Gill and Vijay Shankar both made a brilliant partnership of 123 runs. Shubman played a responsible and magnificent inning in this match. He scored 104 runs in 52 balls with five fours and eight sixes, whereas Vijay scored 53 runs in 35 balls with seven fours and two sixes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mohd. Siraj took two wickets:</h2>



Mohd. Siraj and Wayne Parnell both bowled good overs in the powerplay, but in the middle overs, They leaked some runs, especially their spinners, whom GT batters target to better their run rate. Mohd. Siraj took two wickets, whereas Vyshak and Harshal took one wicket each.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Virat Kohli Knocked his 2nd Century of IPL 2023:</h2>



In the first Inning, The Best opening pair in this IPL 2023, Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis started the inning well but couldn't convert into a good partnership as Faf got out in the 8th over by scoring 28 runs, whereas Virat Kolhi was playing with good intent and class and trying made partnership with other players.



He made some small partnership with other players like Michael Braewell, both made 47 runs partnership and then with Anuj Rawat, both made 64 runs partnership. Virat has scored his second IPL Century of this Season and made a record for the Most Centuries by a player in IPL history, which was his seventh century in this match. Anuj Rawat also made 23 runs in 15 balls.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">GT's bowler's decent performance:</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2023/05/GT_11zon-1-1024x682.jpg" alt="IPL 2023: RCB out of Playoffs race despite of Virat Kohli's Century" class="wp-image-113557" width="768" height="512" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Gujarat Titans | Image Credit: Twitter</figcaption></figure>



In this match, Gujarat bowlers gave a decent performance as they had in the past few games. Noor Ahmed got two wickets, bowled very well in the middle overs, and got some important ones. Rashid Khan got only one wicket but bowled a very economical over as he gave only 24 runs in four over spell, whereas Yash and Shami took one wicket each.



Read This Also: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2023-mi-won-by-8-wickets-cameron-green-knocked-his-first-ipl-century/" rel="nofollow">IPL 2023: MI won by 8 wickets, Cameron Green Knocked his first IPL Century</a>



For More Check Official Site: <a href="https://www.iplt20.com/">IPLT20</a>

IPL 2023: RCB out of Playoffs race despite of Virat Kohli's Century

ipl-2023-rcb-out-of-playoffs-race-despite-of-virat-kohlis-century

The first test between South Africa and Pakistan in SuperSport Park in Centurion has ended with a thrilling finish as the hosts held their nerves to edge past Pakistan. South Africa won the first game by just two wickets to take an unassailable 1-0 lead in the series.
With this win, they have also made it into the final of the World Test Championship 2023-25. South Africa became the first team to make it to the WTC final, which is scheduled to take place at Lord's Cricket Stadium in June, 2025.
This was the special performance from the hosts as they were reduced to 99/8 while chasing 148 runs. Then Marco Jansen (16*) and Kagiso Rabada (31* off 26) added an unbeaten 51 off 50 balls for the ninth wicket to take South Africa home. This partnership also helped South Africa to book a WTC final berth, and only one spot is remaining.
<h2>WTC Final: South Africa confirmed their place, and here is how India can qualify for the final.</h2>
With one spot already booked, the fight for the second spot is WTC. Australia, India, and Sri Lanka are the front runners. Australia are second, while India and Sri Lanka are third and fourth on the WTC 2023-25 table. Hence, the result of the ongoing Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Stadium between India and Australia will make a big impact on the standings.
Going into the final day, both teams have a slight chance, with Australia holding an upper hand. But anything is possible in the final. Meanwhile, India and Australia are both eyeing a WTC final spot. India still have a chance to qualify, but their qualification depends on various scenarios, which we will discuss here below.
Scenario 1: India must win the remaining two tests at MCG and SCG to finish above Australia's NRR to qualify.
Scenario 2: If the MCG test ends in a draw, then India must win the fifth test. In that case, India should hope that Sri Lanka beat Australia in one of two tests at home.
Scenario 3: If the BGT series ends 1-1, India should pray that Sri Lanka win the series against Australia 1-0.
All these scenarios can help India finish above Australia on the final WTC standings. But if India lose even one game or lose the BGT series, they will be out of the race. So, India don't have any other option than winning.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/top-five-highest-totals-chased-down-by-india-in-test-cricket-/">Top five highest totals chased down by India in Test cricket</a>

South Africa beat Pakistan in the first Test by 2 wickets to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship 2023-24 at Lord's in June 2025.

WTC Final: South Africa secure the final berth; here's how India can qualify for the World Test Championship final

wtc-final-south-africa-secure-the-final-berth-here-s-how-india-can-qualify-for-the-world-test-championship-final

The South African Men's National Cricket Team, under the leadership of Temba Bavuma became the first team to secure the 2023-25 WTC cycle Final berth as they triumphed over Shan Masood-led Pakistan in the first Test-Match at Centurion on Sunday, 29th of December. 
After struggling at 99-8 in the run chase of 148 runs, the home side cross the finish line thanks to a magnificent partnership of the ninth-wicket between tailenders Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada. 
The win in the Centurion Test-Match over the Shaheens has steered the Proteas to 88 points in 11 encounters in the current WTC cycle, giving a significant boost to their PCT to 66.67 ahead of the PCT of the Mighty Australians i.e 58.89 and Team India's 55.89 PCT. Both of those teams are currently fighting it out against each other in the ongoing 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series which is currently tied at 1-1.
With the Proteas confirming their ticket to the WTC Final, which will be held at the iconic Lord's Cricket Stadium between the 11th of June to 15th of June of 2025, only Australia and the Indian Team are the only two realistic contenders fighting it out versus each other secure the other vacant final spot. 
The Temba Bavuma-led team became just the fourth team to qualify for the WTC final after Team India (2021&amp; 2023), Reigning Champions Australia (2023) and inaugural-winners New Zealand, who lifted the WTC Test Mace in 2021 under the captaincy of Kane Williamson. 
The Proteas kicked off their 2023-25 WTC campaign with a 1-1 home Test-Series draw versus the Men in Blue before falling to a 2-0 defeat versus the Kiwis in February of this year. Temba Bavum and CO then secured two consecutive series wins over the Windies and the Bangladeshi Tigers before securing a easy 2-0 home series win versus Sri Lanka earlier this month
This defeat versus South Africa was Pakistan's seventh one in the current WTC cycle in 11 participated emcounters and this defeat meant they have dropped down to the eighth position below Asian-rivals Bangladesh in the overall WTC Standings. The 2nd and final Test-Match between both the teams will be played in the city of Cape Town from the 3rd of January, 2025.
<h2>Updated WTC Points-table:</h2>
<table class="table cb-srs-pnts" style="width: 99.5122%; height: 383.359px;">
<thead>
<tr class="cb-srs-gray-strip " style="height: 10px;">
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th text-center" style="width: 7.18033%;" title="Position">Pos</td>
<td style="width: 2.11186%;"> </td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th text-left" style="width: 20.6963%;" title="Team">Team</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" style="width: 13.7271%;" title="Matches Played">Matches</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" style="width: 8.86982%;" title="Matches Won">Won</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" style="width: 8.02508%;" title="Matches Lost">Lost</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" style="width: 10.9817%;" title="Matches Drawn">Drawn</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" style="width: 6.54677%;" title="Matches Abandonded">NR</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" style="width: 10.7705%;" title="Total Points">Points</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" style="width: 11.1929%;" title="Percentage of Points">PCT</td>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 58.5938px;">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 7.18033%;">1</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 2.11186%;"> </td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-left" style="width: 20.6963%;">South Africa</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 13.7271%;">11</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.86982%;">7</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.02508%;">3</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.9817%;">1</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 6.54677%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.7705%;">88</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 11.1929%;">66.670</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 36.1953px;">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 7.18033%;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 2.11186%;"> </td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-left" style="width: 20.6963%;">Australia</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 13.7271%;">15</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.86982%;">9</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.02508%;">4</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.9817%;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 6.54677%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.7705%;">106</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 11.1929%;">58.890</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 36.1953px;">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 7.18033%;">3</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 2.11186%;"> </td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-left" style="width: 20.6963%;">India</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 13.7271%;">17</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.86982%;">9</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.02508%;">6</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.9817%;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 6.54677%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.7705%;">114</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 11.1929%;">55.880</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 58.5938px;">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 7.18033%;">4</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 2.11186%;"> </td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-left" style="width: 20.6963%;">New Zealand</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 13.7271%;">14</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.86982%;">7</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.02508%;">7</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.9817%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 6.54677%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.7705%;">81</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 11.1929%;">48.210</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 36.1953px;">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 7.18033%;">5</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 2.11186%;"> </td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-left" style="width: 20.6963%;">Sri Lanka</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 13.7271%;">11</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.86982%;">5</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.02508%;">6</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.9817%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 6.54677%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.7705%;">60</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 11.1929%;">45.450</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 36.1953px;">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 7.18033%;">6</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 2.11186%;"> </td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-left" style="width: 20.6963%;">England</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 13.7271%;">22</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.86982%;">11</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.02508%;">10</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.9817%;">1</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 6.54677%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.7705%;">114</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 11.1929%;">43.180</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 36.1953px;">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 7.18033%;">7</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 2.11186%;"> </td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-left" style="width: 20.6963%;">Bangladesh</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 13.7271%;">12</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.86982%;">4</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.02508%;">8</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.9817%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 6.54677%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.7705%;">45</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 11.1929%;">31.250</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 36.1953px;">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 7.18033%;">8</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-center" style="width: 2.11186%;"></td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-left" style="width: 20.6963%; text-align: left;">Pakistan</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 13.7271%;">11</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.86982%;">4</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.02508%;">7</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.9817%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 6.54677%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.7705%;">40</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 11.1929%;">30.300</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Marco Jansen (L) and Kagiso Rabada (R) of South Africa held their nerve and helped their team secure a victory over Pakistan in Centurion  | Image: Getty Images

South Africa have become the first team to qualify for the WTC 2023-25 Final after their win over Pakistan in Centurion

Updated WTC Points-Table following South Africa's win over Pakistan | South Africa survive a scare

updated-wtc-points-table-following-south-africa-s-win-over-pakistan-south-africa-survive-a-scare

The IPL is the tournament which brings the highest amount of excitement and entertainment each year and the upcoming 2025 edition of the tournament promises to be the same too. While players from across the globe look forward to participating in the competition every year, some players face certain issues due to which they don't get the chance to take part in the IPL. 
One such case is of the New Zealand based players. The New Zealand Men's team will be staying back in Pakistan post the conclusion of Champions Trophy 2025, which begins from the 19th of February and ends on the 9th of March. 
Between 16th March and 5th April, the Black Caps will be locking horns versus the Pakistani Men's National Cricket Team in a complete white-ball series and both teams will be playing a total of five T20 International matches and three One Day International contests versus each other. This is the reason why players like Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway will most likely miss the initial phase of IPL 2025.
If the New Zealand Cricket Board refuses to allow the duo of Conway and Ravindra to take part in the first three weeks of the cash-rich T20 league, then the CSK team management will be forced to look for replacements.
<h2>The replacement for Devon Conway:</h2>
If opening batter Devon Conway ends up missing the initial phase of IPL 2025, the the CSK management might make veteran batter Rahul Tripathi open the inning alongside skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad. Tripathi's services were acquired by the five-time winners in the 2025 Mega-Auction for a price tag of 3.40 crore Indian rupees. If they decide to go ahead with this combination, then it will give them the flexibility to field overseas bowlers. 
<h2>Replacement for Rachin Ravindra:</h2>
Jamie Overton is most likely going to be the replacement for Rachin Ravindra. The English fast bowling all-rounder can play the role similar to the one of Ben Stokes. Sam Curran, also from England, is going to provide good company to Overton and together, these two can strengthen CSK's bowling and lower middle order. 
<h2>CSK's Strongest Playing 11 if Conway and Ravindra miss the start of IPL 2025</h2>
Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Shivam Dube, Rahul Tripathi, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Hooda, Jamie Overton, Sam Curran, MS Dhoni (WK), Matheesha Pathirana, Ravichandran Ashwin and Anshul Kamboj
Impact Player: Noor Ahmed,Vijay Shankar

Even during the previous season of the IPL, a cricket series was played between Pakistan and New Zealand. At that time, a total of 9 New Zealand players skipped the series and played in the IPL. It's looking highly unlikely this time around that the New Zealand Cricket Board will grant the permission to their players to skip the bilateral series in favor of the IPL. 
Do Read:

MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja of CSK bumb fists in the match versus RCB in IPL 2024 | Image: BCCI

Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra are likely to miss the start of IPL 2025 and in this article we will be taking a look at CSK's strongest playing 11 in the absence of the two Kiwi players.

IPL: CSK's strongest Playing 11 if Conway and Ravindra miss the start of IPL 2025

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IND vs AUS: At the end of Day 4, when the Aussies seemed to be struggling with 9 wickets down, Australian no. 10 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lyon">Nathan Lyon</a> and no. 11 Scott Boland put on invaluable 50 runs for the final wicket of the inning. 
 
The Aussies posted a decent 228/9 at the end of Day 4, as they have extended their lead to 333 with some splendid innings scored from Labuschagne, skipper Cummins, and Lyon. India would have to chase a minimum of 334 runs even if Australia declared or failed to score any further runs on the final day of the Boxing Day test. 
 
The Melbourne Cricket Ground, or the MCG, is one of the most widely renowned venues in world cricket, as it has witnessed years of enriched cricket history and several iconic run chases in Test cricket. 
 
<img class="img-additional" src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/images/202412/image_430x256_677119eabec43.jpg" alt="" width="784" height="488">
Lyon and Boland help Aussie extend the lead to 333 on Day 4 (Image Credit: X)
<h2 dir="ltr"></h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">Highest successful run chases at the MCG in tests:</h2>
 
1. England chased 332 against Australia in 1928.
2. England chased 298 against Australia in 1895.
3. South Africa chased 297 against Australia in 1953.
 
If India can chase down the new set target at the MCG, this will be the highest-ever run chase ever recorded at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 
 
Jasprit Bumrah bowled the second over, the final over of Day 4, when he almost dismissed Lyon for 35 as a sharp outswinger took the Aussie no. 10’s outside edge. Indian slip fielder KL Rahul grabbed a stunner as he trapped the ball within his legs; however, all his efforts were in vain as the umpire signalled no ball, and Lyon was ruled not out. 
 
Anyway, India remains the only team from the subcontinent that has ever won a test match while chasing a target at the MCG. 

ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/nitish-kumar-reddy-scripts-history-breaks-multiple-records-with-his-boxing-day-ton-at-mcg/">NK Reddy's iconic maiden hundred at the MCG </a>

Top 3 highest targets chased at MCG (Image Credit: X)

The Melbourne Cricket Ground, or the MCG, is one of the most widely renowned venues in world cricket, as it has witnessed years of enriched cricket history and several iconic run chases in Test cricket. If India can chase down the new set target at the MCG, this will be the highest-ever run chase ever recorded at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

IND vs AUS: If India can chase down the new set target at the MCG, this will be the highest-ever run chase ever recorded at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

IND vs AUS: Top three highest targets chased at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Tests

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Team India have had many ups and downs in cricket. They are one of the powerhouses across all three formats. Especially in Test cricket, India is among the top teams in history, having various records under their belts.
Notably, there are only four teams that have recorded a run chase of over 400 runs in test cricket, and the Indian team are among those nations. It is never easy to chase in the fourth innings of a test because conditions are against the batting side. But India have had some great chases in the last. Here we will talk about India's top five run chases in Test cricket.
<h2>Top Five Run-chases in Test Cricket by Team India</h2>
5. 264/3 vs Sri Lanka, 2001
India's fifth highest chase came against Sri Lanka in Kandy in August 2001. India had a target of 264 to win. But it was a great effort from the Indian top order. Rahul Dravid (75) and captain Sourav Ganguly (98*) played match-winning innings against the likes of Chaminda Vaas, Dilahara Fernando, and Muralidaran. India made 264/3 and won the game in 78.4 overs.
4. 276/5 vs West Indies, 2011
The fourth highest chase for India came against West Indies in Delhi in 2011. India had a score of 275 to chase in the fourth innings. They have a great start from Virender Sehwag (55 off 54). Gautam Gambhir (22) and Rahul Dravid (31) contributed well. After that, Sachin Tendulkar (76) and VVS Laxman (58*) scored crucial half-centuries to take India to 276/5 in 80.4 overs to take India to a great chase.
3. 329/7 vs Australia, 2021
The Gabba chase during BGT 2020-21 is one of the best wins in the history of the game, which came with India's second-string side against a full-strength Australian attack. With a first-inning lead of 33 runs, Australia set India a target of 328. Rohit Sharma (7) got out early. After that, Shubman Gill (91) and Cheteshwar Pujara (56) played a good hand each. Ajinkya Rahane (24) and Washington Sundar (22) also contributed well. Eventually, it was Rishabh Pant (89*) who played one of the best innings and helped India reach 329/7 to win the game and the series.
2. 387/4 vs England, 2008
 The highest chase in a Test on Indian soil was recorded in Chennai in 2008 by India against England. The visitors had a first-inning lead of 75 runs, and they declared their second innings at 311/9. India had to chase 387 runs. Gambhir (66) and Sehwag (83 off 68) gave India a dream start. Dravid fell (4) cheaply, but Tendulkar (103*) an unbeaten ton and Yuvraj (85*) helped India to reach 387/4 to reach the total and made history.
1. 406/4 vs West Indies, 1976
In 1976, India became only the second team to chase a 400-plus total in test cricket. It was the third test against West Indies, and India had a target of 403 to chase. Sachin Tendulkar (102) and Gundappa Viswanath (112*) slammed centuries. Mohinder Amarnath also scored 85 not out, and India made 406/4 in 147 overs to register their highest chase ever.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/sportswear-brand-puma-slams-sanjay-manjrekar-on-nitish-to-be-dropped-remark-after-reddy-s-spectacular-boxing-day-ton-/">Sportswear brand Puma slams Sanjay Manjrekar on "Nitish to be dropped" remark after Reddy's spectacular Boxing Day Ton </a>

The Indian cricket team are one of four teams that have chased a score of over 400 runs in test cricket.

Top five highest totals chased down by India in Test cricket 

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ICC Champions Trophy 2025: The ICC has officially confirmed the hybrid model for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and team India is all set to compete in this prestigious tournament! While fans eagerly await the BCCI's official squad announcement, the excitement is already building. In the meantime, let’s dive into a thrilling prediction of India’s probable squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 promises to be a cricketing spectacle, scheduled from February 19 to March 9. Hosted across Pakistan and Dubai, this prestigious tournament will feature eight top teams battling it out in 15 thrilling matches.
India, captained by Rohit Sharma, finds itself in Group A alongside Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. All of India’s matches will be played in Dubai, starting with an exciting opener against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
With political factors shaping the tournament’s venues, India’s Dubai campaign adds a distinct flair. Fans are set for a rollercoaster of action, with iconic rivalries, unforgettable moments, and nail-biting drama expected throughout the Champions Trophy 2025.
Following a grueling five-match Test series against Australia, India will focus on this high-pressure tournament. Packed with experience and young talent, the Men in Blue are geared up to showcase their dominance on the world stage.
Here’s a glimpse at India’s likely squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025:
<h2>India’s Probable Squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025</h2>
Top-Order Stars: Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal are the front-runners to open India’s innings, with Shubman Gill waiting in the wings as a strong backup. Known for their consistency in ODIs, these players are expected to give India a flying start at the top.
Reliable Middle-Order: The middle order is set to shine with the likes of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant. Rahul, who proved his mettle in the lower middle order during the 2023 ODI World Cup, is likely to be a key player once again. The explosive Surya Kumar Yadav and young talent Dhruv Jurel may also feature, adding depth and versatility to India’s batting lineup.
Dynamic All-Rounders and Spinners: Either of Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy will lead the charge as all-rounders, bringing balance to the squad. In the spin department, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja are expected to shoulder the responsibility, with their knack for breaking partnerships and keeping the pressure on.
Formidable Pace Attack: The fast-bowling unit will be headlined by Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami. Shami’s experience and skill make him a strong pick, despite limited appearances post the ODI World Cup. Rising stars like Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana could also earn spots, injecting fresh energy into India’s pace arsenal.
<h2>India’s Probable Squad</h2>
1- Rohit Sharma 2- Yashasvi Jaiswal 3- Shubman Gill 4- Virat Kohli 5- KL Rahul 6- Rishabh Pant 7- Suryakumar Yadav 8- Dhruv Jurel 9- Hardik Pandya 10- Nitish Kumar Reddy 11- Kuldeep Yadav 12- Axar Patel 13- Ravindra Jadeja 14- Jasprit Bumrah 15- Mohammed Siraj 16- Mohammed Shami 17- Arshdeep Singh 18- Harshit Rana
READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/icc-cricket-champions-trophy-2025-schedule-teams-fixtures-full-squads-time-table/">ICC Cricket Champions Trophy 2025 Schedule, Teams, Fixtures, Full Squads, &amp; Time Table</a>

India’s probable ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad features a strong top order, a dependable middle order, versatile all-rounders, quality spinners, and a lethal pace attack, blending experience and emerging talent for success.

India’s squad combines experienced stars and young talents, with balanced batting, all-rounders, spinners, and a fiery pace unit.

India's Probable Squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025!

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Nitish Kumar Reddy has made history and has given India a hope to save or even win the ongoing Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Stadium. He struck his maiden Test ton which helped India save the follow-on and finish the day at 358/9. He became the 69th Indian batter to score a hundred on away soil.
His innings has kept India in the game, and the visitors have an outside chance. Nitish is unbeaten on 105 runs with 10 fours and one six. India are still trailing by 116 runs, but they are not far away. His century made the whole cricketing world praise him. He definitely silenced his critics who doubted his position in the playing XI.
<h2>IND vs AUS 4th Test: Puma slams Sanjay Manjrekar for his remark on Nitish Kumar Reddy's place in Playing XI</h2>
Nitish Kumar Reddy came out to bat when India lost Rishabh Pant at 191/6. He stretched an important partnership of 127 runs with Washington Sundar (50) for the 8th wicket. From there, Reddy played a matured knock and took risks when required and played cautiously when the pressure was on. With his hundred he became the first Indian batter to score a hundred at no. 8 on Australian soil.
His performance has not just earned him praise but also shut down all the critics. Notably, ahead of the MCG test, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar questioned Reddy's place in the playing XI. He said, "Does Reddy add value to this Indian side? Can we expect 120 runs from a No. 8 batter or, say, a 7-wicket haul like Shardul Thakur? At this stage, his bowling isn’t good enough, and his batting is too early to consider him a batting all-rounder.”
He also pointed out that India need specialist batter in place of Reddy. And what came as a special performance, the 21-year-old went on to slam an incredible century. His hundred has numerous reactions off the field. Famous sportswear brand PUMA Cricket also had a cheeky response to Manjrekar's remark with a tweet featuring Nitish Kumar Reddy in a "finger of the lips" pose.
The post suddenly caught the attention of the fans and spread like the fire in the woods. Reddy made a big difference with his impeccable knock, and India will hope that he can add a few more runs on Day 4 to take India to close to Australia's first-inning score. 
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/wtc-qualification-scenario-how-can-india-qualify-if-the-boxing-day-test-ends-in-a-draw-/">WTC Qualification Scenario: How can India qualify if the Boxing Day Test ends in a draw?</a>

Nitish Kumar Reddy slammed his maiden Test in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Stadium to help India reach close to Australia's score.

Sportswear brand Puma slams Sanjay Manjrekar on "Nitish to be dropped" remark after Reddy's spectacular Boxing Day Ton 

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The Indian Men's National Cricket Team, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma are currently taking part in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series versus the Mighty Australians in Australia and both teams are currently fighting it our against each other in the five-match Test-Series. 
Post the conclusion of the Australian tour, the Men in Blue will shift their focus towards their upcoming bilateral assignment versus England and the 2025 Champions Trophy. Alongside the squad for the Bilateral series verus the Three Lions, the country's Cricket Governing Body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also expected to announce the Indian squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy tournament. 
<h2>Schedule of the White-Ball series assignment versus England</h2>
The Men in Blue will kick off the white-ball assignment versus England with the five-match T20 International series which will kick off from the 22nd of January. Then both the teams will lock horns versus each other in the three-match One Day International series from the 6th of January.
The ODI series versus the 2019 ODI World Cup winners will act as a preparatory ground for the Men in Blue ahead of the Champions Trophy. Post the conclusion of England's tour of India, Rohit Sharma &amp; CO will immediately travel to Dubai. They will be kicking off their Champions Trophy 2025 (CT) campaign on the 20th of February versus the Bangladeshi Tigers.
<h2>Big players likely to get rested</h2>
According to the workload management policy of the BCCI, experienced players like Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah are likely to get rested for the T20 International series. Apart from them, the likes of Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are also anticipated to be rested. 
Talking to Inside sport, a executive of BCCI said, "He (Jasprit Bumrah) has been playing Cricket continuously since the last 2 months. It's our priority to keep him fit for the 2025 Champions Trophy and IPL 2025 too. That's why, Bumrah will not be included in the T20 squad for the England series."
<h2>Probable T20 Squad of the Indian team versus England</h2>
Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, T20 specialists will likely get selected in the squad. Players like Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel and Sanju Samson will be getting the chance to showcase their skills. The duo of Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav, who have just returned from their respective injuries might also get selected to help them get ready for the Champions Trophy. 
Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (WK) and Riyan Parag. 
<h2>Probable ODI Squad of the Indian team versus England</h2>
Regular skipper Rohit Sharma will be handling the leadership duties of the One-Day Team. The presence of experienced players like Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj are expected to increase the strength of the squad.
Squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and KL Rahul. 
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/shaheen-afridi-neglected-the-orders-of-the-selectors-and-this-led-to-his-exclusion-from-the-test-team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shaheen Afridi neglected the orders of the selectors and this led to his exclusion from the Test Team</a>

Kuldeep Yadav of India celebrates the wicket of Liam Livingstone of England during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023 between India and England | Image: Getty Images

The Indian Team will be shifting their focus towards the England series and Champions Trophy post the conclusion of the 2024-25 BGT Series. It's likely the BCCI will announce the Champions Trophy squad along side the England white-ball series squads.

India vs England: Team India's predicted squad for the ODI and T20i series versus England

india-vs-england-team-india-s-predicted-squad-for-the-odi-and-t20i-series-versus-england

India batter Nitish Kumar Reddy has made the whole country proud after his sensational innings with the bat in the fourth game of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The match between the teams is taking place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. 
Nitish Kumar Reddy slammed his maiden Test ton, and it came at a time when India was under massive pressure. The all-rounder looked in terrific touch with the bat and didn't put a foot wrong, which brought the Rohit Sharma-led side back in the game with his incredible effort. 
Almost every Indian fan, as well as the Indian players, stood up and applauded the batter for his innings. This was because, being the 21-year-old, the all-rounder was better than almost every Indian batter and racked up ton in front of his family.
While his family was in tears, a prominent figure in Indian cricket, Ravi Shastri, was also in tears. The former Indian head coach was commentating, and Nitish Kumar Reddy slammed his ton and was seen crying when the batter achieved his milestone. The video went viral, and you can see below the article. 
Coming to the match, India made a slight comeback on Day three of the ongoing fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 after being dominated for two days. Overnight batters Rishabh Pant (28) and Ravindra Jadeja (17) did all the hard work in the first hour of day three after India resumed at 165 for five. 
However, after that both the batters perished with visitors under pressure at 221 for seven. It was then when Nitish Kumar Reddy (105*) and Washington Sundar (50) joined hands and bailed India out of trouble and put Australia under massive pressure. 
The Nitish-Washington duo added 127 runs to put Australia under pressure. While the Southpaw was back after a fifty, Nitish hit his maiden Test century as India ended Day three on high. At stumps, India was 358 for nine, trailing by 116 runs. 
The Indian team would be hoping that Nitish Kumar Reddy bats longer and helps his team reduce the deficit under 100. His innings tomorrow will be extremely important for the team in the context of the ongoing match.
Also read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/gautam-gambhir-and-rohit-sharma-ordered-to-drop-mohammed-siraj-following-his-worst-performance-/">Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma ordered to drop Mohammed Siraj following his worst performance</a>
<h2>Watch: Ravi Shastri gets emotional as Nitish Kumar Reddy slams his maiden Test ton at MCG</h2>
Here is the video:

India batter Nitish Kumar Reddy has made the whole country proud after his sensational innings with the bat in the fourth game of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Watch: Ravi Shastri left in tears as Nitish Kumar Reddy slams a magnificent century at MCG

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India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy achieved a massive feat after his sensational performance with the bat in the ongoing fourth Test against Australia. The right-hander became the third youngest player from India to hit a century in Australia. He joined the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rishabh Pant in the elite list.
Nitish Kumar Reddy came up with a blistering effort with the bat in Melbourne. When the chips were down, he came up with a magical effort and stood tall for his team when they needed him the most. The all-rounder bailed the team out of trouble and brought them back into the game. 
<h2>Nitish Kumar Reddy came to bat after India was under massive pressure</h2>
Nitish Kumar Reddy came to bat after India was under massive pressure, having lost both Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja early on Day two. The all-rounder proved his prowess with the bat as he hit the bowlers all over the park en route to his maiden century in the longest format of the game. 
Nitish Kumar Reddy showed great discipline and made sure that he took his team close to the total of Australia. His innings came at a time when India was facing the threat of follow-on as they had lost 7 wickets in no time, and the hosts were all over them. 
Nitish Reddy, along with Washington Sundar, made sure that India made a strong comeback and frustrated the Australian bowlers. While the left-hander slammed a glorious half-century, the right-hander went on to hit a blistering century in tough conditions. The duo together added 127 runs to stage the Indian comeback. 
Nitish Kumar Reddy, with his maiden ton, also became the first player from India to score a century in Australia while batting at No.8 in Tests. He would want to double his effort and take his team to a comfortable position. A lot of Indian hopes would be on him tomorrow, especially after his effort on day three.
Nitish was unbeaten at 105 runs at the stumps on Day three. He would be keen to add more runs to his tally and reduce the deficit under 100 runs, which is currently his 116 runs. It remains to be seen how much can he score on Day four.
Also read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/gautam-gambhir-and-rohit-sharma-ordered-to-drop-mohammed-siraj-following-his-worst-performance-/">Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma ordered to drop Mohammed Siraj following his worst performance</a>

India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy achieved a massive feat after his sensational performance with the bat in the ongoing fourth Test against Australia.