The Titans solidified their position atop the rankings. With 14 points from 10 games, they have three more than the second-place Lucknow Super Giants. With five victories and just as many losses in 10 games, the Royals held onto fourth place.
Gujarat, the visiting team, breezed through the modest 119 run chase, finishing with nine wickets remaining in just 13.5 overs.
Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill, the openers, added a steady 71 runs in 9.4 overs to ensure that there were no snags in the chase (Saha was 41 not out off 34 balls and Gill was 36 off 35). Hardik Pandya, the captain, in as the third batsman after Gill left and got started right away. In his brief stint, Hardik smoked three sixes and three fours while scoring an undefeated 39 off only 15 balls.
At the conclusion of the powerplay, GT were 49 for no loss. Saha and Gill both got off to a fast start against RR pacer Trent Boult, smacking the left-armer for a few fours apiece within the powerplay.
Gill was stumped by Yuzvendra Chahal in the tenth over, but the Titans’ juggernaut was unaffected by the victory.
Pandya pounded RR’s Adam Zampa hard, hitting the leg-spinner for three sixes and a four to score 24 runs in the 11th over and speed up the process.
Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad of the Titans defeated the Royals earlier in the first half, causing them to forfeit and be dismissed for a meagre score. The two Afghan spinners shared five wickets.
What a game this was for Hardik
This is a great effort by Pandya after he played a lethargic knock against the Capitals in the previous game. He basically raised the stakes in this situation when he took the plate. The Royals’ NRR has taken a serious hit as a result of this. The Gujarat Titans are 107/1 after 12.1 overs.
In the Zampa over, the Titans captain hammered three sixes and a boundary. This strike from Hardik is of the greatest calibre. He appears to be serious about getting this done, and it probably will in the next 10 to 15 minutes, people. The Gujarat Titans are 98/1 after 11.1 overs.
Shubman Gill leaves
Chahal transports Gill. The ball pitches and makes a quick turn. Gill runs down the track but is defeated by the delivery’s flight and is stumped. For the Royals, this wicket serves as a consolation. The Gujarat Titans are 72/1 after 10 overs.
The Royals failed to put any form of pressure on the batting time in an effort to defend a meagre score. To make this game even somewhat competitive for the Royals, at least, requires a miracle. We might see a 10-wicket victory in this match since both hitters are in excellent form. Gujarat Titans are 62/0 after 8.1 overs.
Sunday, September 22, 2024, marked a day etched in the annals of Indian chess history. The Indian men’s team, led by a formidable trio of young prodigies, clinched the coveted gold medal at the 45th Chess Olympiad, a feat that had eluded the nation for decades.
The architects of this historic triumph were D. Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R. Praggnanadhaa. These three young Grandmasters, each with their unique style and strategic acumen, formed the backbone of the Indian team. Their performances throughout the tournament were nothing short of exceptional, showcasing a level of chess that belied their age.
The final round against Slovenia was a tense affair, but it was the Indian team that emerged victorious. Gukesh, Erigaisi, and Praggnanadhaa delivered decisive victories on their respective boards, securing a 3-0 win and sealing India’s gold medal. Their performances were marked by a combination of tactical brilliance, strategic depth, and nerves of steel.
This victory was a culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and talent. It was a testament to the strength of Indian chess, a sport that has seen a meteoric rise in popularity in recent years. The Indian team’s success has inspired a new generation of chess players, and it is hoped that this victory will serve as a catalyst for even greater achievements in the future.
Beyond the individual brilliance of Gukesh, Erigaisi, and Praggnanadhaa, the Indian team’s success was also a product of excellent teamwork and support. The team’s captain, Srinath Narayanan, provided invaluable leadership, while the coaching staff played a crucial role in preparing the players for the tournament.
India’s gold medal at the Chess Olympiad is a moment to cherish. It is a testament to the country’s growing stature in the world of sports and a source of immense pride for chess enthusiasts everywhere. As the Indian team celebrates this historic achievement, the chess world eagerly awaits to see what the future holds for these young talents.
The cricket team from Pakistan arrived in India on Wednesday under heavy security as it gets ready to compete in the next, seven-week World Cup. Pakistan is travelling to India for the first time since 2016, and as the team’s captain Babar Azam and other players arrived at the airport in Hyderabad, large groups of enthusiastic fans shouted and chanted their names while being restrained by security agents. On October 5, the ODI competition is set to begin, and Pakistan will play their first match the following day.
Political difficulties between India and Pakistan have a long history, hence the two countries’ international matches are mainly limited to regional and global competitions. However, Pakistan was given a warm welcome in India on Wednesday, and the players posted about it on their official social media account. Babar Azam, the team’s captain, Shaheen Afridi, and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan were among the players to express gratitude to the Indian government and crowd on social media.
The World Cup will consist of 48 games played over 46 days at 10 different venues, with the championship game taking place on November 19. Pakistan will play two exhibition games, one on September 29 against New Zealand and the other on October 3 against Australia, both in Hyderabad. After evaluating the security measures for a significant festival that day, the game against New Zealand will be played behind closed doors.
Babar added that the sid is not under any pressure but will miss its fans when it plays the World Cup matches in India during his pre-departure press conference in Pakistan.
“We’re all happy of the World Cup trip we took. We haven’t played in India before, but we don’t feel any pressure. We’ve done our investigation, and we’ve heard that the circumstances are comparable to those in other Asian nations. Being the captain this time around is an honour, and I sincerely hope we return with a trophy.
We shall regrettably be without the supporters. We will play in crowded stadiums since, as far as I know, all of the games are sold out. Even though they won’t be present, our followers will still show their support by posting on social media. Although I have not personally witnessed it yet, I have heard that Indian fans also display their devotion, which makes me want to play there as well.
During the Asia Cup final cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka, India’s Mohammed Siraj celebrates the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva.
Mohammed Siraj, an Indian fast bowler, has recaptured the top spot in the ODI bowler rankings in advance of the ICC World Cup. Siraj advanced eight spots as a result of his outstanding performance in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka. He rose to the top spot because to his outstanding performance spell in which he needed only 6/21 to bowl out Sri Lanka for just 50 runs. Siraj had dropped to second place in March of this year, but he has since surpassed elite bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Rashid Khan, and Trent Boult.
Siraj’s comeback to the top of the standings is a huge boost for India as the World Cup approaches. His current form and consistency have made him an invaluable asset for the club, and he has replaced Mohammed Shami, who missed the majority of the Asia Cup this month, as the first choice in the playing XI.
Along with Siraj, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan, two Afghan spinners, saw an increase in their rankings. Rashid Khan is currently rated fifth in the ODI bowling rankings, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman is currently ranked fourth. Both spinners have contributed significantly to Afghanistan’s limited-overs cricket success and will be essential to their team’s World Cup run.
Keshav Maharaj of South Africa, who finished outside the top 10, had a remarkable rise in the rankings. Maharaj climbed ten spots to number 15 in the rankings, a career-high performance, because to his performance in the most recent ODI series against Australia, where he claimed eight wickets at an average of 16.87 and an economy rate of just 4.07 per over.
Heinrich Klaasen of South Africa moved up one spot to ninth in the ODI batting rankings after an outstanding performance against Australia in the fourth ODI, in which he scored 174 runs at a 209.64 strike rate. Ben Stokes, who recently announced his retirement, made an incredible return to ODI cricket at The Oval with a stunning 182-run innings, moving him up to position 36 in the rankings.