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Tag: T20 World Cup

  • Why Cricket Went In On NFTs

    Why Cricket Went In On NFTs

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    Those watching the ongoing T20 World Cup should be well acquainted with ‘Crictos’, which has been constantly plugged on the official broadcast of matches during the month-long tournament.

    If you are not then Crictos are digital collectible clips from International Cricket Council events and all match day ticket holders at the T20 World Cup received a complimentary pack.

    Like many other sports recently, cricket has entered the contentious world of non-fungible tokens, commonly known as NFTs. It has led to skeptics of the digital asset, which has gained growing fascination globally, dubiously eye-rolling at the ICC’s venture leading to some mockery on social media.

    “I’m not naive to say that there aren’t some bad actors in the crypto space,” ICC head of digital Finn Bradshaw told me. “The decision was made not to accept crypto payments on the platform, and I think that really helped. It’s attracted the right people because people are putting real world money in there.

    “We’re not in for a quick buck.”

    Perhaps predictably, it has been hard to grasp for cricket’s older demographics but even some of the younger fans doubling as autograph hunters have told me they still prefer old fashioned trading cards.

    “The idea of owning something digital…I’d say there is a little bit of a generational thing there,” Bradshaw said. “There are people who see it as quite a foreign concept, but once you dig into it…this is provable and you can’t lie about them like trading cards.

    “You don’t have to worry about…like I do with all the stuff I’ve collected that is just sitting in my mom’s garage. This is not getting moldy.”

    While contemplating getting into this space, seeing the success of other sports leagues such as the NBA, Bradshaw remembered going to the 1992 World Cup in Australia as a youngster where he kept the match booklet and ticket as memorabilia.

    He believed there was an a way for that type of nostalgia to be stoked for a newer generation with different tastes. “We wanted to do something relevant to a new generation, where physical things might not be as valuable to them,” Bradshaw said.

    “The idea that you can go to a match and own a moment from it…you can keep it in your wallet and you can look back over it and get that nostalgia.

    “We thought there was a way to evolve that second screen experience. I mean, fantasy (sports) is still huge. But we were interested in evolving the way people might be able to interact with players and moments.”

    The idea of “digital permanence” appealed to Bradshaw and his team, who began seriously working on the concept over the last couple of years before it’s first true test at the T20 World Cup.

    “We knew we had the (media) rights to do something like the NBA Top Shot,” Bradshaw said. “The success we’ve had so far we can trace back to taking our time and we were working for cricket fans. We wanted our NFTs to be accessible and to be part of the fan experience to complement the live sport alongside fantasy sports and merchandise and be a core part of the fandom.”

    The digital world has opened up inventive ideas in sports such as Manchester City soccer club hoping to virtually recreate its 55,000-seat Etihad Stadium, which is something that perhaps one day could be replicated in the cricket sphere.

    “The power of someone who now lives in the UAE
    UAE
     putting a headset on and watching a game with a mate in Melbourne is pretty appealing,” Bradshaw said. “If we could solve that for people all over the world one day, that would be amazing.”

    But, right now, cricket’s media strategists aren’t seeking to upend the traditionally conservative sport.

    “We’re pretty comfortable with the mechanics of cricket. We think there’s enough interest and we don’t want to get in the way of that,” Bradshaw said. “But we’re focused on permanence and ensuring memories of cricket matches you’ve been to remain forever.”

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    Tristan Lavalette, Contributor

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  • Rain Could Ruin Cricket’s T20 World Cup Final But Rule Changes Might Help Conjure A Result

    Rain Could Ruin Cricket’s T20 World Cup Final But Rule Changes Might Help Conjure A Result

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    It’s been an engrossing T20 World Cup, surely the best of the eight editions, but the final between England and Pakistan could end in a major anti-climax with Melbourne’s notorious weather threatening to rudely intervene.

    With rain playing havoc throughout, especially in Melbourne, it’s almost fitting that the tournament ends with the cricket world constantly refreshing Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology’s homepage.

    And, right now, it’s dire reading with 10-20mm of rain forecast on Sunday, including the possibility of a thunderstorm. There is a reserve day for the final on Monday but it’s not looking much better with 8-15 mm of rain predicted although less likely in the evening.

    Worse case scenario is that both teams will share the trophy if it’s a washout. But the governing body is doing its best to ensure there won’t be a dud of a finish with tweaks to its arcane rules for the final.

    “The Event Technical Committee has increased the provision of additional playing time on the reserve day to four hours from the original provision of two hours (clause 13.7.3 of the Playing Conditions), in case more time is required to complete the match and get a result,” the ICC said in a media release.

    But one rule that hasn’t been bent is a minimum of 10 overs a side needed for a result, which is instituted for knockout games instead of the traditional five overs a side for regular T20 games.

    Despite some conjecture on social media, the final can’t be moved to nearby Marvel Stadium, which has a roof, due to logistical reasons.

    Rain playing party pooper does nicely tie a bow on this tournament, which was scheduled right at the start of the Australian cricket season in spring where the weather is still fairly erratic.

    With so many games affected – or nearly affected – by the inclement conditions, it did add to the tournament’s drama where the stakes were magnified for almost every game in a silver lining.

    There were plenty of upsets along the way as the gulf between power countries and smaller nations has seemingly narrowed in a format that is a leveller. But by the finish line, a big three nation of England/Australia/India once again qualified for a World Cup final.

    Only twice before in ODI or T20 World Cup history has a final been contested without one of these countries – in the T20 World Cups of 2009 and 2012. England are gunning to become the first nation to simultaneously hold the ODI and T20 World Cups and if successful their six-year run will go down among the great limited-overs periods alongside the West Indies in the second half of the 1970s and Australia from 1999-2007.

    The all-out batting assault from captain Jos Buttler and Alex Hales in their crushing semi-final win encapsulated England’s aggressive approach which has taken white ball cricket to new heights and overwhelmed a conservative India, whose cautiousness finally undid them in a format uncompromising for lethargy.

    Pakistan, however, won’t be timid. They are in one of those purple patches where they appear unbeatable having done a complete u-turn after looking down and out in Perth after losing by one run to Zimbabwe.

    Back then, just over two weeks ago but feels an eternity, captain Babar Azam looked crestfallen at the post-match press conference and even his rallying cry intended to lift his dejected teammates appeared forced. He felt like he genuinely didn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth.

    It seemed like Babar, who was going through a run drought too, was distracted by thoughts of a hostile homecoming with his compatriots ruthless in defeat. But with some luck, as results unexpectedly fell their way, Pakistan have qualified for the final and are peaking perfectly after thrashing New Zealand in a one-sided semi-final.

    Even though they are branded as mercurial, as evidenced this tournament, Pakistan have always performed strongly at the T20 World Cup which they had the ultimate success in 2009.

    Their bowling attack, marked by a slew of menacing quicks and dazzling spinner Shadab Khan who might be the player of the tournament if Pakistan get over the line, might just hold the key and they’ll fancy their chances of tearing through England if they can dismiss Hales and Buttler early.

    The re-match of the epic 1992 World Cup decider on the same ground, where then Pakistan captain Imran Khan cemented his cricket legacy in his finest hour, shapes as a classic against two high-octane teams who deserve to be last standing.

    That’s if Melbourne’s nefarious weather holds up.

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    Tristan Lavalette, Contributor

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  • India vs England T20 World Cup 2022: England win the toss against India, elect to field in Adelaide semifinal

    India vs England T20 World Cup 2022: England win the toss against India, elect to field in Adelaide semifinal

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    India vs England Live Updates, T20 WC 2022, 2nd Semi-Final: India has lost the toss against England and has been asked to bat first in the second semifinal of the T20 World Cup at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday. The weather looks fine for now as captains Rohit Sharma and Jos Buttler walked out for the toss. While India is confident of putting up a spectacular fight against the English team due to their superior record so far in this tournament,  England will be hoping to spoil India’s party and face Pakistan in the final in MCG in Melbourne on Sunday, November 13. 

    Experts have noted that no team, who has elected to bat first on the Adelaide grounds, has gone on to win the match. This is for the first time that India and England will cross swords in a T20I match on Australian grounds. 

    India vs England teams at play

    India: KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant(w), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh.

    England: Jos Buttler(w/c), Alex Hales, Philip Salt, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid
     

    India vs England 

    So far in this tournament, India had finished top of Group 2 with 8 points in 5 matches and a net run rate of 1.319. England were second in Group 1 with 7 points in 5 matches and a net run rate of 0.473. 

    As per International Cricket Council’s calculations, if rain disrupts today’s play and also the reserve day tomorrow, then India will move into the finals of the T20 World Cup 2022 by virtue of their position in their group’s points table. 

    Match schedule 

    India will take on England in the second T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final on Thursday, November 10. The match will start from 1.30 pm (IST) at the Adelaide Oval in Australia. 

    Match: England vs India, 2nd Semi-Final, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 

    Date: Thursday, November 10, 2022 

    Time: 1:30 PM (IST) 

    Venue: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide 

    In the past 

    In the past, India has faced England 22 times in T20 International matches, where Team India have recorded 12 wins, while England have 10 games under its belt.  

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  • India vs England T20 semi-final match: When and where to watch, squads and more

    India vs England T20 semi-final match: When and where to watch, squads and more

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    A nail-biting semi-final match between India and England is all set to take place in Australia’s Adelaide Oval on Thursday at 1:30 pm. The toss will take place around 30 minutes before the actual match. The winner will face Pakistan in the final match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

    Where, when to watch

    Cricket enthusiasts can watch the India vs England T20 World Cup semifinal live on Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar app and website.

    Likely team arrangements

    The boys in blue are likely to continue with the same team while Jos Butler and the English team management will have to take some calls. Since the fitness of Dawid Malan and Mark Wood is a cause of worry, Phil Salt and Chris Jordan could replace them for the deciding match.

    Commenting on the English team’s preparation, England captain Jos Butler said, “Well, we certainly don’t want to see an India-Pakistan final. So, we’ll be trying all we can do to make sure that doesn’t happen.” India captain Rohit Sharma said the team does understand the dynamics of T20 cricket and that “we’ve got to be at our best to win the game.”

    Sharma said, “We do understand the dynamics of T20 cricket. You just have to be good on that particular day, otherwise it’s not good enough. Certainly, we will have some confidence going into tomorrow’s game, but we just need to be better than them (England) to come out on top. We’ve got to be at our best to win the game.”

    Predicted playing XI

    India– Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh

    England- Jos Butler (captain), Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, Alex Hales, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood/Chris Jordan and Ben Stokes

    Also read: India vs England T20 World Cup semi-final: England team’s two star players may miss out due to injuries

    Also read: T20 World Cup: India vs England semi-final tomorrow; pitch, weather report, squads, timing

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  • India vs England T20 World Cup: We’ve got to be at our best, says Rohit Sharma ahead of semifinal

    India vs England T20 World Cup: We’ve got to be at our best, says Rohit Sharma ahead of semifinal

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    Ind vs Eng semi-final, T20 World Cup: With the first semi-final over, all eyes are on the second crucial clash between India and England on Thursday at Adelaide Oval, Australia. Emotions are running high in both countries as cricket fans across the world are gearing up for yet another super clash ahead of the final, which will be played on Sunday. 

    In the second semifinal, the Men in Blue will take on England, which tops ICC’s ODI ranking but falls behind India in the T20 ranking. With 269 ratings, Team India is ahead of England in the Men’s T20I Team rankings. 

    Also Read | T20 World Cup: India vs England – 2nd semi-final on Thursday   

    Ahead of the high-octane game, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma said that his team understands the dynamics of T20 Cricket. He said the team has to be good on that particular day, otherwise, it is not good enough. 

    “You just have to be good on that particular day, otherwise, it’s not good enough. Certainly, we will have some confidence going into tomorrow’s game, but we just need to be better than them (England) to come out on top. We have got to be at our best to win the game,” the captain said. 

    Pakistan has already entered the final after defeating New Zealand by 7 wickets in the first semi-final. 

    Cricket fans in India are already anticipating the final between India and Pakistan. For that to happen, the Men in Blue will have to win the match against England on Thursday. 

    India have already defeated Pakistan once in this tournament and that was quite a thriller. It was the first game and the Men in Blue were in a very difficult position but India’s ace batsman Virat Kohli rescued the team with his stunning knock of 83. 

    India topped Group B by winning 4 of 5 matches while England came second in Group A by clinching 3 of 5. India defeated Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, and Zimbabwe. They lost only one match they had with South Africa. 

    Squads

    India: Rohit Sharma (c), Suryakumar Yadav, K L Rahul, Virat Kohli, Axar Patel, Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), 
    Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami

    England: Harry Brook, Alex Hales, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Sam Curran, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Tymal Mills
     

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  • A T20 World Cup Final Between India And Pakistan Could Become Cricket’s Most Hyped Contest Ever

    A T20 World Cup Final Between India And Pakistan Could Become Cricket’s Most Hyped Contest Ever

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    Could it really happen? Is it written in the stars that fierce rivals India and Pakistan will play in a dream T20 World Cup final at the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground?

    After two last ball heartbreaking defeats to start the tournament, including to a Virat Kohli-led India at a heaving MCG, Pakistan’s hopes appeared forlorn until – in typical roller-coaster fashion for this traditionally mercurial cricket team – they started getting on a roll.

    Pakistan still, however, required a hail mary in the form of the Netherlands beating South Africa, probably the in-form team of the competition. In one of the biggest upsets of all-time, continuing a trend in this engrossing tournament where the smaller countries have closed the gap on the powerhouses, the Dutch caused a major boil over in a famous victory to cause shock waves.

    It is the latest cruel exit for South Africa, who are probably lucky the sport isn’t dotted with loud-mouthed talking heads like Skip Bayless to constantly label them as ‘chokers’, which is an unfortunate tag they’ve once again been labelled with.

    It’s all fuelled the realistic possibility of India and Pakistan meeting in a dream final with the teams on a collision course on opposite sides of the draw. India play England in Adelaide on Wednesday, while Pakistan face New Zealand in Sydney on Thursday.

    The potential for the bitter rivals to meet once again – the fourth time in recent months amid them not playing against each other in bilaterals due to political differences- has sparked a tournament that has been riveting for cricket purists but failed to captivate mainstream Australia with the tournament played before the peak season of December and January.

    Attendances have been modest for non-India games with even defending champions Australia embarrassingly playing in front of sparse crowds. But India have cemented their reputation as cricket’s undisputed drawcard by repeatedly packing Australia’s famed big grounds as underlined by 82,000 attending their MCG clash against smaller nation Zimbabwe.

    A throng of reporters from India have also squeezed into overflowing media boxes to provide much needed fervor and non-stop content in a far cry from matches where India aren’t playing. Some nations, including top Full members South Africa and New Zealand, have had barely any of their media contingent travelling for it. Thus there has been an imbalance in coverage though that’s hardly surprising in a sport increasingly skewed to all-powerful India.

    The Covid-19 pandemic, along with stripped-back media companies, has undoubtedly contributed to a shortage of travelling journalists but, right now, that hardly matters with India still in the frame, while England and Pakistan are also relatively well represented with reporters on the ground.

    The potential of an India-Pakistan final, which would somehow even surpass the surreal scenes of the 90,000-strong raucous MCG crowd from just over two weeks ago, has caused pandemonium and somewhat transcended the tournament.

    Giddy Indian journalists, some of whom aren’t shy of cheerleading, have even successfully riled up players of opposing teams. “Great news for you guys if it’s the India vs Pakistan final. Look, I don’t know, we are just here to hopefully win on Thursday,” said star all-rounder Ben Stokes in response to a question by an Indian journalist during a press conference on the eve of the blockbuster semi-final between India and England.

    If India and Pakistan prevail then Sunday’s contest could well become the most hyped cricket match of all-time. India and Pakistan’s sole World Cup final – in ODIs or T20s – between them was at the original T20 World Cup in 2007 – back when the format was mostly a novelty and the money-spinner and gravity shifting Indian Premier League was still nearly a year away.

    The most televised cricket match of all time is reportedly India’s famous victory over Sri Lanka to lift the 2011 World Cup on home soil with over 500 million people worldwide tuning in.

    Figures won’t be known until after the event is done and dusted but there is an expectation that an India and Pakistan final could rival that eye-watering number. And also most likely surpass the record cricket crowd at the famous MCG of 93,000 fans who saw Australia win the 2015 World Cup against New Zealand.

    The momentous earlier India and Pakistan contest – probably the greatest T20 match of all time marked by maybe the best innings of all time from the most popular player of this generation amid a febrile atmosphere – has whipped everyone into a frenzy.

    It’s not just passionate Indians and Pakistanis wanting their teams there at the end. Every pure cricket fan, deep down, wants this epic rivalry – laced with such heated politics in the backdrop only for the games to be played amid such stirring spirit – to re-emerge on the grandest stage of all.

    England and New Zealand, almost forgotten amid the bedlam, have other ideas.

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    Tristan Lavalette, Contributor

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  • ‘It hit home to me.’: Virat Kohli reveals how MS Dhoni’s words helped him during his rough patch

    ‘It hit home to me.’: Virat Kohli reveals how MS Dhoni’s words helped him during his rough patch

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    Virat Kohli, the right-handed batter, has been in superb form in the ongoing T20 World Cup, scoring three half-centuries. He hit a match-winning 82-run knock against Pakistan, leading India to an unlikely victory. But he had also faced a rough patch in his life earlier this year as he struggled to score runs. During this year’s Asia Cup, Kohli revealed that MS Dhoni was the only person who texted him when he stepped down as Test captain in January.

    During his absence from international cricket, Kohli admitted he didn’t use his bat and that he “was trying to fake” his intensity. 

    Currently, Kohli has revealed what Dhoni texted him during the tough time and how the message “hit home” for him in an interview with RCB Podcast.

    Kohli said, “The only person who has genuinely reached out to me has been MS Dhoni. And for me that is such a blessing to know that I could have such a strong bond and such a strong relationship with someone who is such a senior to me where things are, it is a friendship which is based on a lot of mutual respect.”

    “It is one of the things he mentioned in the same message reaching out to me, that when you are expected to be strong and looked at as a strong individual, people forget to ask how are you doing? So, it hit home to me, it was like this is it,” he further added on RCB podcast.

    India’s success in the T20 World Cup semifinal, where they will play England on Nov 10, was largely due to Kohli’s strong performances. The game will take place at Adelaide Oval, while Pakistan and New Zealand will square off in Sydney for the other semifinal match.

    Kohli took nearly three years for his 71st international century, which he achieved against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup.

    Also Read: Happy Birthday Virat Kohli! Here’s a quick look at his best innings in 2022

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  • T20 World Cup: India enter semifinal as Netherlands knocks out South Africa

    T20 World Cup: India enter semifinal as Netherlands knocks out South Africa

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    T20 World Cup: In the biggest upset, the Netherlands on Sunday defeated South Africa by 13 runs at the Adelaide Oval, paving the way for India to play the semifinal. Team India has played four matches and has six points, while South Africa has 5 points in five clashes.

    South Africa had to win against the Netherlands to enter the semifinal. However, it was knocked out in the last Super 12 game of Group 2. The Netherlands had posted 158 for four in 20 overs for South Africa. Chasing 159 to win, the Temba Bavuma-led team could manage only 145 on board making one of the biggest upsets in this tournament.     

    South Africa’s defeat has come as a breather for Pakistan and Bangladesh, who have 4 points in an equal number of clashes. Now, they will take on each other for the second spot in Group 2 and whoever wins will go to the semifinals along with India. New Zealand and England have already qualified for the semifinals from Group 1.    

    While Pakistan’s clash with Bangladesh is underway, India will play its last Super 12 match against Zimbabwe at the Melbourne Cricket Ground later today at 1: 30 pm. 

    In this tournament, India have so far played four matches and won three – against Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Bangladesh – while they lost one to South Africa.    

    India are likely to face England in the semifinal, but it all depends on a net run rate of Men in Blue and whoever wins from Pakistan and Bangladesh clash. 

    In the semifinal, New Zealand will take on the team second in Group 2. And, the winning team from Group 2 will face England.

    The first semifinal will be played on November 9 at Sydney Cricket Ground and the second a day after at Adelaide Oval.

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  • T20 World Cup: Bangladesh cricketers, fans in tears after defeat against India

    T20 World Cup: Bangladesh cricketers, fans in tears after defeat against India

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    India vs Bagladesh T20 World Cup: Team India on Wednesday defeated Bangladesh by five runs in a crucial clash at Adelaide Oval in Australia. With this, India acquired the top spot in Group 2 standings in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022. Before India vs Bangladesh match took place, South Africa was leading Group 2.

    India’s this win could be attributed to both teams’ efforts and luck.

    Chasing 185, Bangladesh had a rollicking start with Litton Das scoring 56 of Bangladesh’s 60 runs in the first six powerplay overs. He also managed to complete fifty in 21-balls before rain halted play. At this point, Bangladesh was on 66 for no loss after seven overs. If the match had not resumed, the Tigers would have won as per DLS.

    However, the tables started to turn when play resumed with a revised target. After the rain, the target was shortened to 151 runs in 16 overs, with Bangladesh needing 85 from nine overs with all 10 wickets in hand.

    Das was beaten by KL Rahul’s direct throw from the deep midwicket and it triggered a batting collapse. Indian bowlers, post-rain session, completely turn around the proceedings by picking regular wickets.

    The contest eventually went down to the wire, with Bangladesh needing 20 runs from the last over from Arshdeep Singh. Even though, Nurul Hasan hit a six and a four, it was not enough in the end.

    Brief score

    India: 184 for 6 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 64 not out, KL Rahul 50; Hasan Mahmud (3/47).

    Bangladesh: 145 for 6 in 16 overs (Liton Das 60; Arshdeep Singh 2/38).

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  • India vs Bangladesh T20 World Cup match: Rohit Sharma gets out at 2 runs, KL Rahul after half-century; check Twitter reactions

    India vs Bangladesh T20 World Cup match: Rohit Sharma gets out at 2 runs, KL Rahul after half-century; check Twitter reactions

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    Social media is abuzz with memes and angry reactions after Team India captain Rohit Sharma got out for 2 in the ongoing match against Shakib al Hasan-led Bangladesh in Australia’s Adelaide Oval. The over was bowled by Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud and he bowled a short ball. Sharma tried to play the ramp shot but was unable to do so. 

    While some users shared hilarious memes on Sharma’s dismal innings in the match, others expressed how frustrated they were with Sharma’s constantly abysmal performance. A Twitter user even compared Sharma and Kohli and wrote, “Rohit Sharma has to remember why Virat had eclipsed him to be the captain in the first place! Lack of consistency has always been his bane despite the huge talent and it’s come back to haunt him!”

    While Sharma became the butt of jokes on Twitter, KL Rahul got praise from the netizens. Rahul was praised he got his fifty in today’s match, after which Bangladesh’s Shakib al Hasan took his wicket. 

    Cricketer Irfan Pathan wrote, “Brilliant form KL Rahul. Indian batting looks more formidable now!” Author and corporate speaker Vikram Sathaye tweeted, “Well played KL Rahul! When the world is putting pressure on you it’s not easy, but you did it! Hope things get better and better from here on.”

    Users also shared hilarious memes on the same. 

    Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav got run out by Shakib al Hasan after a score of 30 runs off 15 balls.The playing 11 on India’s side include Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel and Deepak Hooda. 

    Bangladesh’s squad comprises Shakib al Hasan (captain), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Soumya Sarkar, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraj, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Litton Das, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Yasir Ali, Nasum Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman. 

    Also read: India vs Bangladesh match: Will heavy rain dent India’s T20 World Cup semi final hopes?

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  • ‘Both go missing like democracy in Pakistan’: No sympathy for Rizwan, Babar Azam after Pak’s defeat against Zimbabwe

    ‘Both go missing like democracy in Pakistan’: No sympathy for Rizwan, Babar Azam after Pak’s defeat against Zimbabwe

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    T20 World Cup 2022: In a massive setback, Pakistan lost yet another T20 nail-biter against Zimbabwe on Thursday. Prior to this, Pakistan had endured a four-wicket loss against India in their first match in the tournament. 

    The defeat is a big one as Zimbabwe was considered the underdog in the clash and they were not expected to pull off the second biggest upset in the tournament – the first being Ireland’s win against England.

    Since the match ended, netizens have lost their cool and are criticising the Pakistani team’s performance. A user named Big Nas took to Twitter and targeted Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. “Babar and Rizwan catfish all of Pakistan. These 2 stat pad all year round in meaningless bilateral series, then when World Cup come, both go missing like democracy in Pakistan,” he said.

    Chasing 131 for victory, Pakistan could score only 129 with 8 down. Mohammad Rizwan scored 14 off 16 deliveries while Azam could contribute with 4 runs off 9 balls.    

    Both the openers had also disappointed their Pakistani fans against India. In that clash too, Rizwan scored 4 while Azam could not even open his account – this was a crucial contest. 

    A user by the name of The Accountant today said that Pakistan had even lost bilateral.  Another user said that “finally Pakistan qualified for the Karachi airport”.  

    However, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi defended the team saying he won’t call the result an upset as Zimbabwe played top cricket from the start and showed how to defend a low total on a batting pitch.

    “Won’t call the result an upset, if you watched the match you know Zimbabwe played top cricket from ball #1 and showed how to defend a low total on a batting pitch. Congratulations @ZimCricketv on the win, your passion and hard work shows #PAKvsZIM,” he said.

    Pakistan team squad

    Mohammad Rizwan(w), Babar Azam(c), Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Haider Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Asif Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Khushdil Shah, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Wasim Jr

    Zimbabwe team squad

    Regis Chakabva(w), Craig Ervine(c), Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Wesley Madhevere, Milton Shumba, Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, Tendai Chatara, Blessing Muzarabani, Tony Munyonga, Wellington Masakadza, Brad Evans, Clive Madande, Richard Ngarava

    Also read: ‘King Kohli back on throne’: Anand Mahindra, Harsh Goenka hail Virat Kohli’s T20 innings against Pakistan

    Also read: India vs Netherlands: Rain might play a spoilsport during T20 World Cup match

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  • Virat Kohli hits a six for Hotstar, multiplexes as T20 World Cup viewership soars

    Virat Kohli hits a six for Hotstar, multiplexes as T20 World Cup viewership soars

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    It will go down as a ‘historic match’, not just in T20s or World Cups, but India-Pakistan cricket folklore spanning across decades. As Virat Kohli knocked Haris Rauf for two sublime sixes in the 19th over, taking India closer to a thrilling win, Disney+ Hotstar’s live viewership soared to 1.8 crore — a jump from the 1.4 crore the OTT platform had recorded in the India-Pakistan game in Asia Cup earlier this year. By the time Ashwin hit the winning runs off Nawaz, Hotstar concurrents may have dipped slightly to 1.6 crore. (These are analyst estimates, Hotstar is yet to disclose official numbers)

    Hotstar is no stranger to cricketing highs, especially during marquee matches such as this in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Given the complete absence of India-Pakistan bilateral cricket over the last few years, ICC tournaments almost always add a fixture between the arch rivals that becomes a high-viewership vehicle. “Tournaments of national interest [like a World Cup], an India-Pakistan game is viewed with a lot of passion. Growth in terms of viewership on digital has been phenomenally high at 15-20 per cent YoY. There is a big opportunity for penetration and driving large eyeballs,” Karan Taurani, SVP, Elara Capital, tells Business Today. 

    However, this may not be repetitive, he says, given not all games will go down to the last ball and/or feature a Virat Kohli masterclass. However, “the concurrent views might be higher in the final match of the World Cup depending on which team qualifies and at what scale it is,” he says. “India has to obviously qualify for that along with a very competitive team – Pakistan, Australia, England, or New Zealand, which will develop the viewership.” 

    Advertising money, however, is not just made on concurrent viewership since most brands pre-sign contracts with the OTT platform. Given the influx of T20 matches this year, Hotstar is estimated to have seen a “steady viewership growth”  of 15-20 per cent YoY, according to Elara Capital. “This is good news for OTT and digital advertising. And If you look at cricket advertising on digital, there is a potential for 30-40 per cent YoY growth given the sharp eyeballs we are seeing,” Taurani explains. 

    Cricket in Multiplexes

    While Hotstar is making merry in streaming, India’s top multiplex operators PVR and INOX are also experimenting with match screenings. PVR, for instance, showed the India-Pakistan game across 125 screens, while INOX played it in 90+ cinemas, generating ~70 per cent hall occupancy. 

    While this may not be a sustainable business model for footfall recovery, the short-term benefits cannot be denied. “This is very much in line with what a hit film would do, but this is a one-day wonder, not a one-week wonder. Multiplexes will get minor gains here and there, but it is not a sustainable business model,” Taurani explains. 

    Short-term gains also factor in “slightly higher ticket prices” for cricket matches compared to that of movies, as well as higher F&B spends. The revenue-sharing model is also similar. “Multiplexes share 50 per cent with the BCCI compared to 50 per cent they would share with distributors for films. But the overall share of properties where cricket matches are shown is just about 20 per cent,” Taurani says, adding, “Multiplexes are doing this as test runs because they know very few matches will attract big audiences [like the India-Pak game did].”

    Both PVR and INOX attested to the high turnout for the Sunday game. INOX Leisure CEO Alok Tandon told PTI, “The response that we got for this match across all the 90-plus cinemas has been phenomenal, identical to a blockbuster movie. The electric environment in the auditoriums was much like what someone witnessed in the stadiums.”

    PVR shares were up 1.23 per cent up to Rs 1,736.90, while INOX was trading 0.15 per cent higher at Rs 508.40 on the BSE on Tuesday.

    Also Read: Virat Kohli stopped Diwali shopping: Sharp fall in UPI transactions during India’s batting against Pakistan

    Also Read: ‘King Kohli back on throne’: Anand Mahindra, Harsh Goenka hail Virat Kohli’s T20 innings against Pakistan

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  • T20 World Cup: India vs Pakistan on Sunday; When and where to watch

    T20 World Cup: India vs Pakistan on Sunday; When and where to watch

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    The much-awaited clash between India and Pakistan in T20 World Cup is scheduled for Sunday, October 23.  The live streaming of the match, which will be played on Australia’s Melbourne Cricket Ground, will begin at 1:30 pm IST. Cricket fans can catch up live-streaming on Disney+Hotstar, Star Sports, and DTH channels.

    How to watch T20 World Cup: India vs Pakistan online

    To watch online, viewers will have to choose a subscription plan on Disney+Hotstar. Through the app, cricket fans can watch live updates on smartphones, PCs, etc.  

    However, weather can play a spoilsport as there is a high chance of rain on the day. As per the local Met department, there is an 80 to 90 percent chance of rainfall, the volume of which could be between 1mm to 5 mm. The department has also predicted thunderstorms.

    This will not be the first time that an India versus Pakistan T20 World Cup match gets threatened by rain. In 2016, while playing at Eden Gardens, the two neighbouring teams were bothered by the sharp spell of evening showers and puddles of water in the outfield.

    Indian Team Squad for T20 World Cup

    Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar

    Pakistan Team Squad for T20 World Cup

    Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi
     

    Also read: Snake spotted on field during India vs South Africa T20 match

    Also read: Delhi Metro extends last train timings for India-South Africa 3rd ODI match today; check revised schedule

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  • Namibia’s Stunning Upset Over Sri Lanka Makes A Mockery Of Cricket’s T20 World Cup Format

    Namibia’s Stunning Upset Over Sri Lanka Makes A Mockery Of Cricket’s T20 World Cup Format

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    It took just one match to make a mockery of the T20 World Cup format. In the month-long tournament’s opener, played in the regional Victorian city of Geelong which has a population of just 250,000, Associate nation Namibia trounced former champions and newly-minted Asian Cup champions Sri Lanka by 55 runs.

    An upset looked highly unlikely in the tournament’s soft launch of a ‘first round’ after Namibia’s top-order crashed only for a brilliant 69-run seventh-wicket stand between Jan Frylinck and JJ Smit powered the African nation to a highly competitive 7 for 163 on a drop-in wicket at Kardinia Park – the home of Australian Football League premiers Geelong Cats.

    After a slick bowling and fielding effort, Namibia tore through a rather toothless Sri Lanka batting order to complete a famous victory. Sri Lanka, a formidable short-form team in major tournaments over the years, arrived in Australia confident after a surprise recent Asia Cup triumph though question marks can be raised over whether some of the power teams were fully invested amid searing heat in the UAE
    UAE
    .

    Sri Lanka are rated at best as a dark horse contender and clearly don’t have the star-power their famous teams across formats in their heyday of the 1990s and 2000s. Still, it was widely dubbed the greatest upset in T20 World Cup history spanning 15 years and eight editions.

    But Namibia are emerging having made the Super 12 place on their T20 World Cup debut last year in the UAE. They are rising on-and-off-field with several of its administrators influential behind the scenes, particularly among the politicking in Africa.

    Such its growing heft, Namibia last year were named as co-host of the 2027 ODI World Cup alongside South Africa and Zimbabwe – the continent’s only Full Member nations.

    There was the usual derogatory use of ‘’minnows’ when framing Namibia’s victory but they are ranked 14th in T20Is – a lofty ranking in a so-called global sport. Namibia’s commanding performance only further justified their place – and the other highly competitive Associates in this draw – in an event marked by two peculiar phases.

    The first round boasts eight nations, lower ranked Full Members and the best Associates, with the top four to qualify into the Super 12 stage alongside the already qualified eight teams.

    The ICC’s window dressing doesn’t mask what everyone unfortunately thinks about the opening week – a glorified qualification for the main draw which kick-starts on October 22 with a sold out clash at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground between Australia and New Zealand.

    Cricket over the years has often been criticized as being elitist with not enough emphasize on developing the sport beyond its traditional base. Decisions lay with the all-powerful ICC board comprised mostly of boards from the 12 Full Members.

    The truncated 10-team 50-over World Cup was indicative of this myopic vision, while this current T20 World Cup version is only just a little better. Fortunately, there does seem to be more appetite amongst the sport’s power brokers to start being more inclusive and grow the game.

    The 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the U.S. will feature 20 teams in the main draw in a format which starts resembling something befitting the status of a ‘World Cup’, while the 2027 ODI World Cup will have 14 teams.

    After Namibia’s upset, the disappointed throng of Sri Lanka fans – with Victoria boasting a large expatriate community – fled leaving an almost empty stadium for the second match in the double header between Netherlands and the UAE in a rather ugly look for the tournament’s opening day.

    The Netherlands escaped with a thrilling victory between two nations believing they deserve Full Membership only to be stymied by strict ICC criteria.

    The UAE apparently tick the boxes for coveted membership, which leads to substantially more funding and an important spot on the ICC’s all-powerful board, although have been thwarted by reluctance from Full Members to play them in bilaterals leading to the rise of their controversial new T20 league in a bid for another income stream.

    The UAE have a chance to press their Full Membership claims in the week ahead and maybe beyond in thankfully the last T20 World Cup played under its current head-scratching format.

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    Tristan Lavalette, Contributor

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