Author: Naman Suri

Last year’s finalists, Sunrisers Hyderabad, will be out to make amends for their disappointing batting collapse that denied them their first IPL title since 2016. Under the leadership of Pat Cummins, who thrives in high-pressure situations, SRH will look to ignite their fans with a revamped squad featuring some stellar names. In IPL 2024, SRH had an exceptional league stage, finishing second. However, they faltered in the crucial knockout matches, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders in Qualifier 1 and then in the final. Last season, they set the tournament alight with their ultra-aggressive batting approach, surpassing 250 runs on three…

For the third year in a row, Delhi Capitals topped the table, reached the final, and fell short of lifting the trophy. Two out of those three defeats came at the hands of a Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians, both times at the Brabourne Stadium. “When she’s at her best, she’s the best in the world,” said a jubilant MI coach Charlotte Edwards in the post-match press conference. On a Saturday evening, Harmanpreet delivered in a crunch situation for her team after Mumbai were reduced to 14/2 within the powerplay. From there on, the Indian captain stitched a crucial 89-run partnership…

“Muskuraiye, aap Lucknow mein hain” (Smile, you’re in Lucknow). But that won’t be the only reason to smile—Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have assembled a stellar batting lineup for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. With the likes of new captain Rishabh Pant, David Miller, and Nicholas Pooran in their ranks; each of these players has the ability to light up the skies at the Ekana Cricket Stadium. Three years into the IPL, LSG have already secured two playoff appearances and one seventh-place finish—despite finishing level on points with fourth-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore last season. This year, they have made…

Naman Suri in Mumbai The stage is set for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 final, a repeat of the 2023 summit clash between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Mumbai Indians (MI). This time, the onus is on DC to make amends for their previous heartbreak. Much will depend on the performance of their opening duo—captain Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma—as they look to set the tone for a historic victory. When these two teams last met in the WPL final at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, DC won the toss and opted to bat. However, their batting crumbled, with Lanning and Shafali…

Runners-up in the 2020 IPL, Delhi Capitals are set to field one of the most intriguing line-ups in the upcoming season. With just four retained players, the franchise spent ₹72.80 crore to acquire 19 new players, assembling what appears to be a well-balanced and formidable squad. Before the mega auction, DC released their captain, Rishabh Pant, retaining only Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, and Abhishek Porel. This left them with the crucial task of finding a new leader capable of guiding them to their first IPL title. They came close to re-signing Shreyas Iyer but ultimately missed out. However,…

The Super Kings are back! Thala and Jaddu remain at the heart of the squad, Ash Anna returns to where it all began, and Kadai Kutty Singam is back in yellow. The Yellow Army couldn’t have asked for a better reunion, celebrating with their signature Whistle Podu—‘Chennai Super Kings ku periya Whistle Adinga!’ Chennai Super Kings, a storied franchise, have followed a consistent pattern over the past five seasons—each league-stage exit has been followed by a title-winning campaign. Last season, they narrowly missed out on a playoff spot, finishing fifth behind RCB on NRR. So, who knows? A sixth title…

It’s Season 18 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and their star man wears the number 18, so ‘Ee sala cup namde?’ That’s how Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been promoting their campaign this time around, so will it happen? Before the mega auction last year, RCB retained only three players: Virat Kohli, new captain Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal. They then went on to add 19 players from the auction to have one more go at the title. Despite their issues of not having a solid bowling unit, RCB have been able to reach the playoffs four times out of…

A new captain whose place in the side isn’t certain, a vice-captain tasked with filling big boots, and a bowling attack that might be missing its sting—a brand-new Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take the field, aiming to shine their armour and defend their title. Last season, under former captain Shreyas Iyer, KKR defeated a Pat Cummins-led Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final to clinch the Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy for the first time in a decade—becoming champions for the third time. The mega auction for IPL 2025 in Jeddah threw up several surprises from KKR. They spent a massive…

Georgia Voll played massive innings of 92* off 56 balls (PC: WPL) In an International Women’s Day special, UP Warriorz, donning a pink jersey for the occasion, secured a close victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore, ending their playoff hopes as well. In a high-octane game where both teams scored over 200 runs, UPW clinched the match by 12 runs, driven by Georgia Voll’s unbeaten 92 and Sophie Ecclestone’s three-fer. In their final game of the season, UPW was once again put in to bat first in front of their home crowd. The new opening pair of Grace Harris and Georgia…

A sublime performance from Harleen Deol helped Gujarat Giants further cement their position in the top three of the Women’s Premier League points table. They defeated table-toppers Delhi Capitals by five wickets with three balls to spare, officially knocking UP Warriorz out of top-three contention. Beth Mooney picked up where she left off against UPW, but Dayalan Hemlatha’s struggles led to an early wicket. Nevertheless, Mooney and Deol built another solid partnership, rotating the strike consistently and finding boundaries at key moments. However, an impressive catch by Annabel Sutherland ended Mooney’s innings at 44 off 35 balls. Deol, though, fought…