National and International Affairs and News

  Mumbai Indians have been enduring a horrendous campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, having suffered defeats in their first eight outings. They are virtually out of the playoffs race and the cricket world is stunned. After all, MI are the most successful IPL franchise to date, having clinched the title a record five times. However, nothing really has gone their way this season. Skipper Rohit Sharma’s dismal show has been one of the major reasons behind the side’s poor show. The right-handed batter has scored just 153 runs in eight matches so far with his average being below 20. As several questions have been raised over MI’s tactics and combination, Rohit has faced massive criticism. Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop has said that Rohit “seemed like a broken man” after Mumbai Indians’ previous game against Lucknow Super Giants. He also said Tim David must be inducted into the XI to strengthen the batting line-up. “When I spoke to Rohit Sharma...

  Yuvraj Singh, a former India all-rounder, has urged the selectors to groom Rishabh Pant as India’s possible future captain. Yuvraj claimed that Pant is the ‘right guy’ to head the Indian Test team, citing MS Dhoni as an example. After Virat Kohli stood down as Test captain earlier this year suffering a 1-2 setback in South Africa, Rohit Sharma was named India’s all-format captain. But, at 34, Rohit’s odds of continuing to lead in the longest format for an extended period are minimal. According to Yuvraj, Pant has to be fostered since he possesses leadership skills and is a lock for a spot in the XI in red-ball cricket. The 40-year-old also believes that Pant should be given the time and attention he deserves. The southpaw also felt that it is not a good idea to expect “miracles” immediately. “You must get someone ready. Like Mahi became captain out of nowhere but they made him, right! Then he evolved. You pick a young guy who can be a future captain, give him time, an...

  The Indian Premier League has been a rich source of money for its stakeholders. Forbes provided its first (and only) appraisals of the league’s franchises in 2009, a year after the cash-rich event’s inception, putting the average worth of the eight franchises at $67 million. With the league’s recent expansion to 10 clubs, that average has risen to $1.04 billion, representing a 24 percent yearly growth rate. In comparison, during the last 13 years, NFL franchise values have grown by 10% (to $3.48 billion) while NBA team values have grown by 16% (to $2.48 billion). But the largest growth that an IPL team has ever seen is that of Mumbai Indians, the most valuable franchise is worth a whopping $1.3 billion. The value that Mumbai Indians now hold is highest than six MLB teams, 27 NHL teams, and all of the MLS teams combined. As per a report by Forbes, it is said that the IPL is the most bulging cricket league in the world when sponsorships and media rights are taken into...

  Umran Malik has successfully showcased his bowling potential ever since he first made his presence felt in the last season of the IPL for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. The promising pacer put everyone on notice by clocking over 150 kmph and has also succeeded in bowling express fast deliveries in the ongoing edition as well. Umran’s father Rashid Malik has now opened up about his son’s passion and journey so far which has made him what he is today. At the same time, he has also gone on to say that the 22-year-old will make the whole of India proud someday and he also wants to see his son don the India jersey in the World Cup. Talking about his journey, Rashid recalled how Umran was adamant on becoming a fast bowler right from when he started to play cricket. “Umran has made me popular in the market and in fact in Jammu overall. Everyone greets me saying ‘adaab’ in the market. I am really proud of my son”, said Rashid Malik. “Umran was adamant that he wanted to become a fast b...

Ben Stokes, England's vice-captain and the man widely tipped to take over from the outgoing Joe Root this summer, says that he offered his team-mate "nothing but love, respect and support" during an emotional phone-call last week, in which Root confirmed his intention to stand down after a record 64 Tests in charge. Writing in his Daily Mirror column, Stokes expressed his admiration for Root's cricketing ability, but also his deep gratitude for his support as a friend - most recently during Stokes' break from the game in the 2021 home summer, but also in the wake of the Bristol night-club incident in September 2017, after which he had feared for his professional future. "Our relationship goes deeper and further than just team-mates," Stokes said. "We are good friends and have been for a long time. We've had some great moments on and off the field during this time and we've also had some pretty difficult ones too and it is that mutual suppo...

  A lot of eyebrows were raised over Mukesh Choudhary’s place in the Chennai Super Kings’ playing XI amid the fast bowler’s average show in his first few assignments. However, the defending champions continued to back the pacer and the 25-year-old finally repaid the trust on Thursday (April 21). Choudhary spitted venom with the new ball and dismissed both Mumbai Indians openers – Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan – for ducks in the very first over of the game. He then sent Dewald Brevis back in the third over, tightening CSK’s grip over the game. The left-arm speedster finished with figures of 3/19 in three overs and the four-time champions clinched the contest by three wickets in a last-ball thriller. For his terrific spell, Choudhary was adjudged the Player of the Match. Needless to mention, Choudhary was pleased with his performance as he went down the memory lane and recalled his hardships. “I never thought I’d play cricket. Was at boarding school in Pune, we had an hour’s s...

  The former England captain Michael Vaughan has been highly active on social media with his viewpoints regarding the live matches or shares his views on the team selections of different teams. In his latest interaction, Vaughan reckoned that he is impressed by the calmness of Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant. His comments comes after the team was rocked with multiple Covid-19 cases in the camp. Vaughan felt that DC’s opening combination is rock-solid, with Prithvi Shaw and David Warner providing quickfire starts to the team in the last few matches. He heaped praise on Pant for his calmness and thinks he is leading the team in a perfect manner. He thinks that the southpaw has shown maturity in this season, rather than being excited, as he had expected ahead of the 2022 edition of IPL. “That opening combination is such a key part of the Delhi method, Prithvi Shaw and David Warner coming out and opening aggressively. And then the skipper himself, who is settling into the jo...