Crease Chronicles

A clinical all-round bowling performance was followed by a mature Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka 78-run stand as Sri Lanka eased past Bangladesh in the Asia Cup Group B game in Pallekele on Thursday. Marred by injuries, a depleted Lankan bowling attack produced a top quality performance, putting the focus away from the absence of their star bowlers Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera. The 20-year-old Matheesha Pathirana starred for the co-hosts of the tournament as Bangladesh folded for a lowly 164 in the 43rd over.

A top calibre bowling attack like Pakistan's requires one to perform at their absolute best, feels star Indian batter Virat Kohli ahead of their Asia Cup opener.

Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has praised Virat Kohli as a world-class player and emphasized the level of preparation required to bowl against the master batter. Pakistani bowlers are working hard to prepare and counter Kohli's threat ahead of the Asia Cup match.

Viacom 18 has won the rights for India's home cricket broadcasting for five years, securing the rights from Star India and Sony in a three-way e-auction, thereby creating a near monopoly in the Indian cricket broadcasting sphere.

Indian cricket team is preparing for their opening match against Pakistan in the Asia Cup on September 2. Left-handed wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan is set to replace KL Rahul, but team management is deliberating on his batting position. Kishan's recent success as an opener in India's ODI series against the West Indies has led to speculation about his batting position.

As the stage is set for the eagerly-awaited showdown between India and Pakistan on September 2 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele, the cricket world braces for the monumental clash.

World no.1 ODI team Pakistan kicked off their Asia Cup campaign in a rampaging fashion, crushing minnows Nepal by a massive 238 runs in a lop-sided opener in Multan on Wednesday. After centurions Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed took the clueless Nepal bowlers to the cleaners at the Multan Cricket Stadium, the batters surrendered against top-notch Pakistani pace bowling attack, handing the hosts their first win of the tournament.

The upcoming series of clashes against Pakistan in the Asia Cup is poised to serve as a rigorous examination of the Indian team's mettle and individual attributes, feels star all-rounder Hardik Pandya.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam continued to make waves in the ODI cricket by becoming the fastest batter to score 19 hundreds on Wednesday. The top-ranked ODI batter owned the record during the Asia Cup's opening match against Nepal in Multan.

The T20 World Cup 2022 encounter between India and Pakistan witnessed a standout performance by Virat Kohli. His splendid pursuit played a pivotal role as India emerged victorious, clinching the match on the final delivery. The exceptional innings delivered by him turned the tide in India's favor.

The highly anticipated showdown between India and Pakistan during the Asia Cup 2023 is facing a formidable adversary: the weather in Kandy. According to Weather.com, thunderstorms are in the forecast, carrying a 90% probability of rain on September 2.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are set to face off in the Asia Cup, facing significant challenges such as injuries and unimpressive ODI performances. The reigning Asia Cup champions, Sri Lanka, have faced numerous hurdles in the lead-up to the tournament, including injuries to key players and Kusal Perera's COVID-19 recovery. They are eager to secure a victorious start and gain momentum in the tournament.

Bangladesh's preparations for the Asia Cup were disrupted by the absence of batsman Liton Das due to viral fever. The Bangladesh Cricket Board announced that Liton could not travel and named Anamul Haque as his replacement. Haque was scheduled to join the team on Wednesday before their opening match against Sri Lanka in Kandy on Thursday.

Rahul Dravid, who has returned a mixed bag, when asked if the quadrennial extravaganza would define his legacy in his first stint as the senior team coach, said, “I’m not into legacies. As a coach I’m looking forward to the World Cup. I just stay in the present, worry about the job I have to do now and not about the future.”

With a little over a month left for the ICC World Cup and a few days before India open their Asia Cup campaign against Pakistan, questions swirl over the fitness of middle-order batter and designated 50-overs wicketkeeper KL Rahul.

Time is running out. The Asia Cup, that starts in Multan on Wednesday with Pakistan taking on Nepal, is probably the last stop for five of the six nations that will also be part of the World Cup to firm up their final 15, if not the playing XI, for the quadrennial showpiece.

Rohit Sharma traded caution with aggression to add a different dimension to his batting and the Indian skipper is happy with the results even if it means not getting those daddy hundreds.

20-year-old Tilak Varma from Andhra Pradesh has so far played only 7 T20I matches for India. But what the team management, his team-mates, the selectors and the fans have seen has been some impressive knocks. The left-hander who was spotted in the IPL while playing for the Mumbai Indians has so far scored 174 runs in 7 T20I innings at an average of almost 35 and a strike rate of over 138. He has so far bowled in one match and registered figures of 1/17.

The training camp for Team India's 2023 Asia Cup campaign is being held at Alur, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The BCCI on its official handle shared a statement by Team India coach Rahul Dravid on the current fitness status of KL Rahul, who was last week named in the squad of Asia Cup that starts on Wednesday.

The BCCI on its official handle shared a statement by Team India coach Rahul Dravid on the current fitness status of KL Rahul, who was last week named in the squad of Asia Cup that starts on Wednesday.

The BCCI on its official handle shared a statement by Team India coach Rahul Dravid on the current fitness status of KL Rahul, who was last week named in the squad of Asia Cup that starts on Wednesday.

Every cricketer, current or former, has voiced their opinions on how to handle a batter of Virat Kohli's calibre and former South Africa pacer Makhaya Ntini has offered a special approach to deal with the former Indian captain on the field.

Every cricketer, current or former, has voiced their opinions on how to handle a batter of Virat Kohli's calibre and former South Africa pacer Makhaya Ntini has offered a special approach to deal with the former Indian captain on the field.

India wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is steadily progressing on the path to recovery following a car accident that occurred in December last year. Emerging from what could have potentially been a life-threatening incident, the left-handed batsman has dedicated his time to rigorous gym sessions aimed at enhancing his overall fitness.

Having triumphed over numerous obstacles throughout his illustrious career spanning 15 years, Virat Kohli is all set for his next challenge -- the ICC World Cup 2023, which takes place in India in October-November. Sharing his excitement over the quadrennial extravaganza, Kohli said he is looking forward to the marquee tournament, acknowledging the pressure of expectations from the home fans.

From missing out on 2011 World Cup berth to becoming the highest run-scorer in the 2019 edition to captaining the team this year, life has come full circle for skipper Rohit Sharma. As the 'Hitman' gets set to marshal his troops in the cricketing extravaganza, slated for October-November in India, the 36-year-old went down the memory lane, recalling his non-inclusion in the 2011 squad.

Rohit Sharma understands the gargantuan pressure that a home World Cup brings but the Indian captain wants to insulate himself from the outside chatter as he embarks on an arduous journey to win the country's first ICC trophy in a decade.

The upcoming Asia Cup, commencing on Wednesday, presents a final opportunity for cricket powerhouses India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to evaluate each other's strengths ahead of the 50-over World Cup scheduled for October.

The Trinbago Knight Riders etched their name as the first cricket team to be handed a red card on Sunday. This consequence befell Sunil Narine due to his team's sluggish overs-rate during a match in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The Oval Invincibles clinched their maiden victory in the men's edition of The Hundred. Overcoming a challenging start, they orchestrated an impressive turnaround to defeat the Manchester Originals by a margin of 14 runs in the final showdown at Lord's on Sunday.

Pakistan bowling legend Wasim Akram on Sunday said that the Asia Cup would serve as a crucial examination of the preparedness of subcontinental bowlers for the 50-over cricket format, especially considering the impending ODI World Cup. Akram however chose not to single out any teams as favorites for the tournament. The Asia Cup starts from Wednesday with Pakistan facing Nepal in Multan while the most anticipated encounter between arch-rivals India and Pakistan will take place in Kandy on September 2.

Curtly Ambrose, former West Indies fast bowler, is optimistic about Virat Kohli's potential impact in the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup in India. Kohli's consistent performance in 10 ODIs this year, including two centuries, a fifty, and a top score of 166 against Sri Lanka, showcases his batting prowess.

Curtly Ambrose, a renowned West Indies fast bowler, discussed the ICC Cricket World Cup in India. He emphasized the importance of Jasprit Bumrah's return to the squad, predicting that his inclusion could elevate India to favorites. Ambrose advised Bumrah to gradually regain his pace upon his return.

Shadab Khan criticized BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar for allegedly mentioning Virat Kohli will handle Pakistan's formidable lineup, as the cricketing world prepares for the Asia Cup clash. This amusing exchange comes as the cricketing world gears up for the much-anticipated Asia Cup clash between the arch-rivals.

BCCI president Roger Binny on Saturday confirmed that he would travel to Pakistan during the Asia Cup next month on invitation from the Pakistan Cricket Board.

In a commanding display, Pakistan ascended to the summit of the one-day international rankings by securing a convincing 59-run victory against Afghanistan in the third and final match held in Colombo on Saturday. This triumph marked a resounding 3-0 series sweep by Pakistan.

Yuzvendra Chahal not being picked by the selectors for the upcoming Asia Cup has been a huge talking point in the last one week. Many former Indian cricketers have come out in support of Chahal, questioning the decision of the Ajit Agarkar-led committee. However former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria feels that the selectors made the right call of not picking Chahal for the Asia Cup as he has been pretty inconsistent.

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has picked his squad for the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023. The roster features some notable decisions, particularly surrounding the inclusion of players recuperating from injuries.

Indian visually challenged cricket team secured a 7-wicket victory over Bangladesh, propelling them into the final of IBSA World Games 2023, set for an intense title match against Pakistan.

The ODI World Cup ticket sales began on Friday, but fans struggled to book due to the official website not working for 35-40 minutes, causing a rush to book non-India matches.

India's cricket team is preparing for the Asia Cup with a closed-door camp in Alur, undergoing fitness testing, including the Yo-Yo test, which Shubman Gill scored 18.7, and all players have passed the 16.5 cut-off level.

While the batters batted in pairs, simulating match scenarios, an in-focus KL Rahul put in the hard yards on the Day 1 of Team India's training camp in Alur, Bengaluru ahead of the Asia Cup. The six-day camp for the Asia Cup-bound team had various fitness routines, including the Yo-Yo test on Thursday. With a pool of 13-15 high-profile domestic bowlers, including the likes of Umran Malik, Yash Dayal, the Indian team had a lengthy session on Friday that primarily focused on the batters.

The Sri Lakan cricket team multiple setbacks on Friday as pacer pacer Dushamantha Chameera and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga were rendered doubtful for the upcoming Asia Cup due to injuries. To go with that, batters Kusal Perera and Avishka Fernando tested positive for COVID-19 and are under observation. Chameera could be ruled out of the entire Asia Cup because of a shoulder injury that he suffered during the recent Lanka Premier League, ESPNCricinfo reported.

After Virat Kohli shared his Yo-Yo test score on social media platform Instagram on Thursday, the Indian cricket board was reportedly unhappy and communicated to the former captain and other players not to put confidential information in public domain. The players are currently undergoing a six-day preparatory camp at Alur, Bengaluru ahead of the start of Asia Cup. Kohli after his Yo-Yo test in the camp had put out on social media that he scored 17.2 in the fitness test.

Indian cricketers participated in fitness drills ahead of the Asia Cup 2023, including the Yo-Yo test. Virat Kohli scored 17.2 in the test, meeting the BCCI's 16.5 fitness parameter. Team management and NCA staff are pleased with Rahul's batting fitness, but are uncertain about his readiness to handle wicket-keeping duties.

As India's wait for an ICC Trophy stretches over a decade, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly feels there is no need to press the panic button, adding that if Rohit Sharma and co. are to lift the ODI World Cup this year, the batters need to perform well. India last won an ICC title in 2013 when MS Dhoni-led side beat England in the Champions Trophy final. Prior to that in 2011, India won the ODI World Cup after 28 years.

One of the finest top-order batters and World Cup winner, Gautam Gambhir on Thursday took a jibe at the social media culture, pointing out that there has been a tendency to celebrate individuals more than the team in the country. Gambhir's remarks came in context to the the 2011 World Cup triumph as he reiterated that the title win was a collective effort. Pointing out that social media has been biased, Gambhir felt that other performers apart from MS Dhoni aren't celebrated enough.