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The 2011 World Cup Win, 15 years on: April 2, 2011 – a night like no other

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India_2011 ODI WC (PC: BCCI) The World Cup triumph at home was India’s second tryst with cricketing destiny, after June 25, 1983 at Lord’s. For starters, it ensured that cricket – already perched at the very top of the sporting ladder in India – would have no competition in the foreseeable future. Cricketers, as a result of this achievement, were accorded god-like status, and corporate India helped expand the size of the cricket industry in the aftermath of the competition. Brand cricket, thanks to the World Cup, was at an all-time high and was considered the safest investment in capturing millions of eyeballs across the country. For 28 years, the nation had waited for this very moment. It had finally arrived on home soil in the best way possible. The final week of the Cup was among the best in India’s cricketing history. India beat Australia in a superb quarter-final encounter in Ahmedabad, thanks to the heroics of Yuvraj Singh, before proceeding to beat Pakistan at Mohali in the...
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DC Overcome Early Collapse as Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs Seal Clinical Win

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Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs (PC-BCCI) The fifth match of the TATA IPL 2026 between Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals displayed a true masterclass in bowling from both sides. The Ekana Stadium proved to be a bowling paradise, provided that proper lengths were bowled. In the first innings, LSG were dismissed for 141 runs in 18.4 overs, and in response, DC chased down the target in 17.1 overs with six wickets in hand. Having won the toss, DC skipper Axar Patel did not hesitate to field first. In a surprising move from LSG, captain Rishabh Pant came in to open the innings with Mitchell Marsh. As he looked comfortable with a straight drive past the bowler, he was run out at the non-striker’s end. The batting line-up of LSG completely crumbled under the bowling attack of Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. DC maintained control through disciplined powerplay bowling, not allowing LSG batters to free their arms. Axar Patel, taking responsibility in the final ...
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IPL 2026: Abhishek Sharma’s focused batting session ahead of KKR fixture at Eden Gardens

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SRH practice session at Eden Gardens. Image :Debasis Sen There were quite a few fans waiting outside the Eden Gardens clubhouse gate as the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) team bus arrived for their training session. But who were they waiting for? Muttiah Muralitharan, the spin-bowling coach, was the first to come out, followed by head coach Daniel Vettori. Captain Pat Cummins, Ishan Kishan, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy all went inside Eden Gardens for their matchday-minus-two practice session, but he was nowhere to be seen. There were some anxious faces as Abhishek Sharma remained absent. Had he not turned up for the practice session? The doubts were cleared after a few minutes, as the left-hander — the new poster boy of Indian cricket — stepped down from the team coach amid loud cheers from the fans. It will not be surprising to see a packed Eden Gardens give a rousing reception to Abhishek and Ishan, who were part of India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026-winnin...
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Cameron Green’s No-Show with the Ball Leaves KKR Asking Hard Questions

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KKR and SRH at practice session in the Eden Gardens. Image :Revsportz In the first two days of the IPL, 200-plus totals have been chased down with ease. While Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) chased 202 in less than 16 overs, Mumbai Indians (MI) hunted down 220 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise in 19.1 overs. The truth is, no total is safe this IPL on good batting decks with smaller boundaries. In Bengaluru and Mumbai, the boundaries are no more than 60 metres, and even mishits go for six. It is no surprise, then, that bowlers have won Player of the Match awards in the first two games, despite 200-plus totals being breached with ease. A good bowling effort in favourable batting conditions is worth its weight in gold, and that’s what brings me to Cameron Green. Ajinkya Rahane is on record as saying one needs to ask Cricket Australia (CA) why Green did not bowl. That’s where KKR are bound to feel let down. KKR bought Green for a staggering price of ₹25.2 crore. First, t...
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PBKS vs GT, IPL 2026: Punjab Kings survive collapse as debutant Connolly holds nerve in three-wicket win

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Cooper Connolly for PBKS vs GT (PC: BCCI) A thrilling finish in New Chandigarh as Punjab Kings (PBKS) edged past Gujarat Titans (GT) by three wickets in their IPL 2026 season opener on March 31. While chasing a 163-run target, the IPL 2025 runners-up were in trouble, but debutant Cooper Connolly showed maturity and calmness to ensure a winning start for the Kings. GT’s top-order failure Like last season, all eyes were on GT’s top three after they were asked to bat first. However, Sai Sudharsan (13 off 11), skipper Shubman Gill (39 off 27), and Jos Buttler (38 off 33) all got starts but failed to convert. In fact, none of the top five batters crossed a strike rate of 150 (highest was Glenn Phillips at 147.05, scoring 25 off 17). Chahal’s spin and Vyshak’s variations Veteran leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal rattled the GT batting line-up with figures of 2/28 in four overs. He broke the backbone of the innings by dismissing both Gill and Buttler. With some assistance from the surface, ...
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IPL 2026: Sporting pitches set to be laid out at Eden Gardens; Green unlikely to bowl in KKR’s next three home games

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  Images: Debasis Sen Debasis Sen The Kolkata Knight Riders are unlikely to get turning tracks at Eden Gardens for the Indian Premier League 2026 season, starting with their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 2. Three pitches will be used for KKR’s seven home matches this season. “As usual, the pitches for the upcoming IPL matches will be sporting. There will be runs on offer, and bowlers will also get assistance. I haven’t received any instructions from anyone about the wicket,” said Sujan Mukherjee to RevSportz. Incidentally, during the 2026 IPL, there was a controversy regarding the nature of the pitches at the iconic venue between CAB chief curator Sujan and the KKR management. There is also a forecast of thunderstorms and rain showers on Tuesday evening. Around 100 ground staff members will be deployed to cover the entire ground. The city witnessed heavy winds followed by rain showers on Monday evening. Meanwhile, Australian all-rounder Cameron Green will not b...
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IPL 2026, Chinnaswamy – How elaborate security arrangements helped in managing crowd and law and order

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PC – RevSportz During an IPL game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, there is always something to observe—the massive crowd next to main gate number 14. On 28 March 2026, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru geared up to play Sunrisers Hyderabad, there were two layers of fencing outside that gate. On the right side of the gate, fans had assembled in a couple of small groups, but compared to the humongous crowds of the past, it was a minuscule number. Not that RCB’s supporters had suddenly lost the appetite to watch their beloved team play at the iconic ground. Instead, the police personnel were strict in ensuring that fans outside the stadium wouldn’t end up forming large groups. When this correspondent stood for a minute or two near the footpath, one of the policemen politely asked him to move. After the match, as you tried to place the tripod on the footpath to start a live show, the policeman on duty repeated the same instruction in Kannada: just keep moving, don’t stand in one place. By th...
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