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PBKS pose first test for LSG in trickier terrains of Lucknow
When he talked about the IPL's growing imbalance between bat and ball, Shardul Thakur didn't hold back. "All that the bowlers are asking is to prepare the pitch in such a manner that the game hangs in balance, and it should not be just one-sided where batters are coming and smashing us," the all-rounder said ahead of Lucknow Super Giants' first home game this season. "Because all we want is a fair chance and fair opportunity in the game." In that context, he would be pleased to play seven home matches this season at a venue that, across the last two IPL editions, has recorded the lowest first-innings average (165), the lowest run rate (8.17) and the second-lowest runs per wicket (24.53) among all 14 venues. To be fair, Lucknow as a city leaves very little room for complaint, except maybe if you are a batter. What the occasionally difficult and largely inconsistent playing surfaces here have done is prevent the LSG batters from truly imposing themselves on the opposition, despite possessing the skills to do that. Only seven wins in 13 completed home matches points to a lot of room for improvement, something that LSG would be keen to do, especially with five of their next seven matches scheduled in Lucknow. What could make things trickier for LSG besides reading the pitch is the opposition they will face first up. In recent times, the Punjab Kings have done well in most places other than Mohali and Mullanpur, and they come to Lucknow after a big win in Ahmedabad. Shreyas Iyer played a true captain's knock that night, punishing spin and pace while dismissing any notions of a first IPL hundred that might have cost the team. But Iyer's innings, Shashank Singh's whirlwind finish and Vijaykumar Vyshak's match-turning spell of yorkers all feel so distant, with PBKS having a week-long gap since. Fast bowling coach James Hopes felt it gave them time to prepare for a "spin heavy" challenge in Lucknow, but how the long break so early in the season will manifest in the middle is anybody's guess. When: LSG v PBKS, Match 13, on 1 April, 2025, at 7:30 PM local Where: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow What to expect: A red-soil pitch that is not centrally located on the square, so defending the shorter side of the ground will be difficult for the bowlers. That said, this is one of the biggest grounds in India and that should bring some relief to the bowling clan left huffing and puffing in this era of Impact Players. There hasn't been much dew at the ground in the three days leading up to the match, and another such day is likely on the cards. The weather is set to be fair. Head to head: LSG 3 - 1 PBKS. When the teams met in Lucknow last year, also the first home game for LSG, the hosts won by 21 runs, with tearaway quick Mayank Yadav winning the Player of the Match. Team Watch: Lucknow Super Giants Injury and availability concerns:Akash Deep seems to be recovering well from his back injury. A week ago, head coach Justin Langer put his fitness at 90 percent, and on match eve, Shahbaz Ahmad was non-committal on his colleague's fitness. The indications are that we won't be seeing Akash Deep in action against PBKS at least. Tactics & Matchups:Since the last season, Yuzvendra Chahal has had a poor record against left-handers as compared to right-handers, and how he bowls to Nicholas Pooran could be crucial. The vast boundary dimensions will benefit the leg spinner at this venue, where Pooran hasn't exactly enjoyed batting. Over the last couple of seasons, his strike-rate here dips to 128, which is several notches below his overall numbers. Probable XII:Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav Punjab Kings Injury and availability concerns: PBKS have a full squad of players to pick from. Tactics & Matchups:Lockie Ferguson enjoys a favourable matchup against two key LSG batters - Nicholas Pooran (17 ball, 20 runs, 4 dismissals) and Rishabh Pant (36 balls, 37 runs, 3 dismissals) - and could replace Amatullah Omarzai. Probable XII: Prabhsimran Singh (w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Lockie Ferguson/Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal Did you know? - Only once has a total of 200 been scored in Lucknow across 14 games (by KKR in 2024). - Shashank Singh has the second highest SR, and highest by an Indian batter, in death overs (16-20) in IPL since 2024. Since 2024, nearly 38 percent of Arshdeep Singh's deliveries in the death overs (16-20) have been dot balls. What they said "There is a lot of challenge to contend with, not just for spinners but for all bowlers, especially since the impact player rule has been added. Nowadays, there is no pressure on batters and they have started preparing themselves mentally. For bowlers, if they get a big ground, they can use it and it is expected that bowlers will use Ekana in that way." - Shahbaz Ahmad expects a relatively easier life for bowlers in Lucknow. From a captaincy viewpoint, he keeps everything calm on the field. The bowlers were raving about it after the first game, how clear he is with his communication, how calm he is when the ball is flying around, when the game gets on the line." - James Hopes is in awe of Shreyas the captain, with whom he's worked before at Delhi Capitals.
By Horror best kahani2 years ago in Gamers
Headlines of Australia's exciting domestic season: India's white-ball tour
This year is going to be very special for Australia cricket fans. Cricket Australia (CA) recently announced the schedule of its upcoming domestic season, which includes India's white-ball tour as a major highlight. In this tour, the Indian team will play three ODIs and five T20 matches against Australia. Apart from this, South Africa will also tour Australia, which has made this home season even more exciting. In this article, we will discuss in detail this busy domestic schedule of Australia, the tour of India and South Africa, the major venues and the importance of the matches. Australia's busy domestic cricket season Cricket Australia has taken some important decisions to make its schedule special this time. For the first time, the Australian men's team will play matches in all states and territories in its home season. This will not only promote the game but will also give cricket fans across the country an opportunity to watch live matches. The most special thing about this season is that two big teams like India and South Africa will tour Australia. South Africa will first come to play three T20s and three ODIs, after which the Indian team will reach Australia for the eight-match white-ball series. The fact that this series will serve as an important practice for both teams ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in 2026 increases the significance of this tour of India. An exciting series between Australia and South Africa returns. There has always been a tough competition between South Africa and Australia. This time too this series is expected to be very exciting. T20 Series: The biggest feature of the T20 series against South Africa is that Darwin will host international cricket after 17 years. The last time an international match was played on this ground was in 2008. 1. 1st T20 – 10 August, Darwin 2. 2nd T20 – 12 August, Darwin 3. 3rd T20 – 16 August, Cairns These matches to be held in Darwin and Cairns will help in making cricket more popular in Australia. ODI SERIES: The ODI series between South Africa and Australia will also be very special, as it will be played in small cities like Cairns and Mackay. 1. 1st ODI – 19 August, Cairns 2. 2nd ODI – 22 August, Mackay 3. 3rd ODI – 24 August, Mackay This series against South Africa will be important for both the teams, as the ODI World Cup 2027 is also not far away. White ball mega-battle on India's Australia tour India's Australia tour will be the biggest attraction of this entire season. The rivalry between India and Australia has always been special for cricket lovers. This time both the teams will play a series of three ODIs and five T20 matches. ODI Series: 1. First ODI – October 19, Perth 2. Second ODI: October 23, Adelaide 3. Third ODI – October 25, Sydney These three ODI matches will be very important for those players who want to cement their place in the ODI format. T20 Series: 1. First T20 – October 29, Canberra 2. Second T20 – October 31, Melbourne 3. Third T20 – November 2, Hobart 4. Fourth T20 – November 6, Gold Coast 5. Brisbane, November 8: Fifth Twenty20 This T20 series will also be special because the T20 World Cup 2026 is not far away now. Why is this tour important? In the world of cricket, India and Australia are considered to be among the greatest rivals. When these two teams face each other, the audience gets to see exciting matches. Some of the key aspects of this tour are as follows: 1. World Cup Preparation: Both India and Australia are preparing their teams keeping in mind the ODI and T20 World Cup. 2. Golden opportunity for young players: This tour will give a great opportunity to the young players to showcase their talent. 3. Testing of team combination: Both teams will try to find their best combination. 4. Home advantage for Australia: Australia is always strong in its home conditions, but the Indian team has also been playing well on Australian pitches. Break and Ashes preparation for Australia After the series against India, Australia players will take a 12-day break and then prepare for the Ashes series starting on November 21. This break will give the Australian players a chance to rest and focus on Test cricket. Conclusion This home season of Australia will be an exciting journey for cricket lovers. The series against South Africa and India will not only entertain the audience, but the players will also get a chance to prove themselves before the big tournament. The India vs Australia series will be especially important for the preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026. At the same time, the matches against South Africa will be very exciting. The eyes of cricket lovers will be on this entire tour, and it will be interesting to see which team wins with its game.
By Horror best kahani2 years ago in Gamers
Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings: Exciting match in Guwahati
Cricket lovers will get to see another exciting match in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, when Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will face each other. This match will be played on 30 March 2025 at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. This clash between the two teams will be special because on the one hand CSK will want to recover from their previous defeat and return to the path of victory, while on the other hand Rajasthan Royals will want to take advantage of their home conditions and register a win. Pitch and weather condition: In recent matches, the spinners have been seen benefiting from Guwahati's pitch. The ball is turning on the pitch and it may be a bit difficult for the batsmen to score runs. Especially in the first innings, spin bowlers can get good support, but in the second innings it may be easier for the set batsman to score runs. If the batsmen play patiently on this pitch, then they can score runs at a good strike rate in the end. Talking about the weather: There will be slight humidity in Guwahati in the evening, which can also help the fast bowlers. There is less chance of dew falling, which will give the spinners of both the teams a chance to perform well in the entire 40 overs. Status of the teams and key players: Rajasthan Royals (RR): Challenges: 1. The team has not been able to perform well in the tournament so far. 2. There has been a lack of stability in the batting order, especially in the middle order. 3. The team will expect better performance from its bowlers, as their bowling looked very weak in the last defeat. Possible strategy: Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal will have to give a good start. Riyan Parag, who knows this ground well, will be expected to play a great innings in the middle order. Jofra Archer and Tushar Deshpande will be responsible for the bowling attack. Spinners Mahesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga will play an important role as the pitch is likely to help them. Probable Playing XI: 1. Yashasvi Jaiswal 2. Sanju Samson 3. Riyan Parag (captain) 4. Nitish Rana 5. Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper) 6. Shimron Hetmyer 7. Shubham Dubey 8. The Hasaranga Wanindu 9. Jofra Archer 10. Mahesh Theekshana 11. Tushar Deshpande Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Challenges: 1. The team is having trouble chasing, especially in chasing a target of 175+ scores. 2. There is a need for stability in the top order, so that there is not much pressure on the middle order. Probable strategy: The backbone of the team's batting will be Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dubey. MS Dhoni's experience can prove beneficial for the team. Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin will take charge of the spin attack. Khalil Ahmed and Mathisha Pathirana will be the fast bowlers. Probable playing XI: 1. Rachin Ravindra 2. Tripathi, Rahul 3. Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain) 4. Shivam Dubey 5. Deepak Hooda/Vijay Shankar 6. Sam Curran 7. Ravindra Jadeja 8. MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper) 9. R Ashwin 10. Noor Ahmed 11. Khalil Ahmed Head to head record: If we talk about the matches between the two teams: So far 29 matches have been played, in which CSK has won 16 and RR has won 13 matches. However, since 2020, Rajasthan has had the upper hand, as they have registered a record of 6-2. Who can prove to be the X-factor? For Rajasthan Royals: 1. Riyan Parag – Can take advantage of the home pitch. 2. Jofra Archer – Can trouble CSK batsmen with pace and bounce. 3. Wanindu Hasaranga – Spin bowling can be very effective on this pitch. For Chennai Super Kings: 1. Ruturaj Gaikwad – Being the captain, he will have to take responsibility. 2. Shivam Dubey – His explosive play can change the course of the match. 3. R Ashwin – He can prove to be effective against Sanju Samson. What do the statistics and predictions say? RR have a poor record in Guwahati – they have won just 1 out of 5 matches here in the last three seasons. CSK's bowling is strong, but the batting looks a bit weak. If the pitch remains slow, CSK will benefit, but if the wicket is better for batting, then RR will have the upper hand. Possible Result: If Rajasthan's batting clicks and they score 170+, then they can win the match. But if the match hinges on CSK's bowling, then Chennai will get a chance to win. Conclusion: This match between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025 is expected to be very exciting. The spin-friendly pitch of Guwahati will be beneficial for the bowling unit of both the teams. CSK will attempt to overcome their weakness in chasing, while RR will attempt to end their home-field losing streak. Cricket lovers will be waiting for this high-voltage match.
By Horror best kahani2 years ago in Gamers
With early cracks to fix, RR and KKR chase first points
The IPL mega auction's volatility is already being felt, as two of the top three teams from last season began their campaigns in defeat. At Eden Gardens, Royal Challengers Bangalore outspun and outwitted Kolkata Knight Riders, while Sunrisers Hyderabad's batting prowess in Uppal blew away Rajasthan Royals, a team that has a history of successful season openers. RR and KKR have historically played out very close encounters, and they now face off in Guwahati to register their first points this season. As you would expect, both of them have their share of issues to sort out. KKR's much-hyped lower-middle order crumbled against RCB's relatively modest spin attack, a weakness that opponents will no doubt look to exploit. It's imperative, then, that Sunil Narine bats deeper into the innings. Could he bat lower down the order? A reshuffle in the batting order could be on the cards, especially given that the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell and Ramandeep Singh - all prefer pace on the ball. Their strike rates dip notably against spin, a slight kink in an otherwise power-packed batting line-up. After the defeat, captain Rahane even admitted that the team management is open to sending Rinku higher up the order, considering how he didn't get enough balls to face last season. The bowlers at RR may find Guwahati to be a more accommodating location. The shiny black-soil pitch produced middling totals last year and even if it's a flat one this year, it's almost certain that the bowlers will find something more from the pitch than what they did in Hyderabad. Regardless of the conditions, their pacers will want to be more consistent with the yorker, a length they failed to hit often enough in their defeat the other night. It is a key area they will look to address, especially after Jofra Archer returned figures of 0 for 76, the worst in IPL history. Both teams had a few positives to take away from their respective defeats. For KKR, Sunil Narine and Ajinkya Rahane looked in sublime touch while for RR, Sanju Samson showed that his finger injury is only a hindrance when fielding, not while batting. Jitesh Sharma and Shubham Dubey also found the big hits, easing some of RR's middle-order concerns. When: Match 6, on Wednesday, 26 March 2025, at 07:30 PM LOCAL Where: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati What to expect: Heat, humidity, and perhaps a bit more support for KKR at what is an away venue. In the one match played here last year, change of pace for seamers and spin proved effective. No T20s have been played at the venue since, so a degree of uncertainty remains. That said, teams batting first have won two of the three IPL matches held here. Head to head: KKR 14 - 14RR. It's pretty even between the two sides, although two of those matches finished in ties, with RR sneaking in wins in the Super Over. It was a washout when these two sides met last year in Guwahati but earlier in that season, RR chased 224 off the last ball at Eden Gardens, thanks to an unbeaten century from Jos Buttler that overshadowed Narine's 56-ball 109. Team Watch Rajasthan Royals Sanju Samson, who is still recovering from finger surgery, will continue to feature as an Impact Player. Riyan Parag, whose captaincy tenure got off to a tough start, is set to lead the side once again. Matchups and Techniques: Is Kumar Kartikeya's left-arm spin still relevant? Krunal Pandya had quite the outing against KKR's middle and lower-middle order, and RR might be tempted to exploit that recent weakness. What's more, Kartikeya comes in with some form, having finished the recent edition of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as the second-highest wicket-taker. Probable XII: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (c/wk), Riyan Parag, Nitish Rana, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi Kolkata Knight Riders Injuries/Availability: Everyone is reportedly available for this clash. Tactics and Matchups: KKR's bowlers could have their task cut out against RR, whose batters - barring Shimron Hetmyer - are generally comfortable against spin. They also have the firepower to exploit inexperience in the pace department, which was evident in RCB's run-chase. KKR opted for Spencer Johnson's left-arm angle alongside Vaibhav Arora's swing with the new ball in their previous game, but both proved expensive. That forced Varun Chakaravarthy to bowl in the powerplay, something he did only four times throughout last season. Could the experienced Anrich Nortje, if fully fit, be an option? Probable XII: Quinton de Kock (w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Spencer Johnson/Anrich Nortje, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora Did you know? Anrich Nortje has been significantly more effective in the IPL in the UAE (34 wickets in 24 matches, at 20.55, economy 7.65) than in India (26 wickets in 22 matches, at 33.65, economy 10.37). In their first match this season, KKR conceded their second-highest powerplay score (80/0) in IPL history, only behind the 93/1 by PBKS during their record 262-run chase at Eden Gardens last year. The flick has been Rahane's most effective stroke against pace in IPL since 2023, a shot he put to good use against RCB the other night. Their comments: "We could have capitalized. We could have got more runs had we not lost wickets towards the end of the batting (against RCB). And yes, there is always opportunity for you to bowl better. But I think this team is not too worried about it. We will learn from what happened in the last game. And we will try and get better from there." - KKR bowling coach Bharat
By Horror best kahani2 years ago in Gamers
Mojang Rules Out Minecraft 2: 'Do You Think We’re Going to Have an Earth 2?
Gamers, grab your pickaxes and wipe those hopeful tears because Mojang has just crushed our pixelated dreams! If you were waiting for Minecraft 2, it’s time to shift focus back to building your dirt houses in the OG version. According to Mojang, a sequel is simply not happening. The developers think making Minecraft 2 would be as pointless as trying to craft a diamond pickaxe with dirt blocks. (And let’s be honest, we’ve all tried.)
By Lokesh Kumar2 years ago in Gamers
Top 25 New RPGs of 2025: The Most Anticipated Role-Playing Games You Can’t Miss
#25. Elden Ring: Nightreign Kicking off our list at number 25 is **Elden Ring: Nightreign**, developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco. This standalone expansion introduces a cooperative roguelite experience set in the **Elden Ring** universe. Teams of three will explore procedurally generated worlds with a shrinking battlefield. It’s a fresh take on the franchise, blending familiar lore with innovative gameplay. Look out for it on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC later this year.
By Anna-Maria2 years ago in Gamers
Detective Dotson Delayed! Masala Games Pushes Release to April 24, 2025 – Here’s My Take!
Hey gamers! What’s up? It’s your boy from bakbakiyaYT, bringing you another hot gaming update. If you haven’t subscribed to my channel yet, what are you even doing? Hit that sub button, show some love, and join the gaming madness! Now, let’s talk about the latest news that has left many of us scratching our heads—Detective Dotson has been delayed! Yep, you read that right. Masala Games has officially pushed the release date of their upcoming title to April 24, 2025. Source.
By Lokesh Kumar2 years ago in Gamers
Revamped LSG look to upgrade fortunes under Rishabh Pant
What has Lucknow Super Giants improved since the previous cycle? For a franchise which has played in the IPL for only three editions so far, Lucknow Super Giants have given a good account of themselves with two playoff appearances in the previous cycle. However, after a disappointing 2024 campaign in which they finished seventh, they parted ways with KL Rahul, leaving LSG to select a new captain. In came Rishabh Pant to don the blue of LSG for a whopping INR 27 crore, becoming the most expensive IPL player in the process. There was also a change in coaching staff as Zaheer Khan came in as the mentor for the side.
By Horror best kahani2 years ago in Gamers
Player replacement rule in IPL - Explainer
Although the IPL season has not yet begun, numerous replacements have already been announced, including one who is the subject of a legal proceeding. Chetan Sakariya for Umran Malik by Kolkata Knight Riders, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman for Allah Ghazanfar by Mumbai Indians and Wiaan Mulder for Brydon Carse by Sunrisers Hyderabad have seamlessly been replaced.
By Horror best kahani2 years ago in Gamers
Bryce for impact
Growing up Sarah Bryce took to wicketkeeping to keep herself more active and involved on the cricket field. It was also encouraged by her parents because it meant that she would have a different set of skills than her sister Kathryn, who was developing into a medium-pace all-rounder. As a result, there would be less competition between the two young sisters. They had no idea that Sarah's ability to keep wickets would eventually lead her to travel the world. She didn't just pick cricket as a sport. Sarah played hockey until recently for her alma mater Loughborough University, where she studied mathematics and Kathryn did her degree in sports science. It was during their time at Loughborough that the idea of cricket as a profession took shape. Amidst the COVID-induced chaos that was the year 2020, there was light at the end of the tunnel for the Bryce sisters.
By Horror best kahani2 years ago in Gamers
