IPL 2026 Points Table: गुजरात से हार के बाद भी आरसीबी दूसरे स्थान पर कायम, ऑरेंज-पर्पल कैप की दौड़ में कौन आगे
आईपीएल 2026 में गुरुवार को अहमदाबाद के नरेंद्र मोदी क्रिकेट स्टेडियम में खेले गए मुकाबले…
International news
Sports news
#Jonty #Rhodes #Klaasen #Faf #Plessis #buy #Rotterdam #franchise #European #T20 #Premier #League">Jonty Rhodes, Klaasen, Faf du Plessis buy Rotterdam franchise in European T20 Premier League
South African trio Faf du Plessis, Jonty Rhodes and Heinrich Klaasen have formed a consortium to acquire the Rotterdam franchise in a new European Twenty20 league, organisers said on Thursday.
Former Proteas skipper Du Plessis will also lead the side in the inaugural season of the six-team European T20 Premier League (ETPL), which is set to run from August 26 to September 20 across six European cities.
“This is my first step into team ownership, and the timing couldn’t be better with European cricket gaining real momentum,” Du Plessis said in a statement.
“Having experienced franchise leagues across the world, I see immense potential in what the ETPL is building. I’m looking forward to contributing both on and off the field and helping shape a strong cricketing culture within our team.”
Huib van Walsem, chief executive officer of the Dutch cricket association (KNCB), hailed the development as a major boost for cricket in the Netherlands.
“At KNCB, we have long believed in the immense potential of the Dutch cricketing ecosystem, and the involvement of such experienced cricket figures will bring both competitive cricket and attract quality talent to the region,” he said.
Former Australia captain Steve Waugh, compatriot Glenn Maxwell, New Zealanders Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum, and West Indies stalwart Chris Gayle are among the other co-owners in the T20 league.
The competition will also feature city-based franchises in Glasgow, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin and Belfast.
“The league continues to gather momentum with globally respected names investing in its vision,” ETPL co-owner and Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan said.
“Ownership groups like this set the standard for what the ETPL aims to create, both on and off the field. Together, we are committed to building something truly transformative for the sport in Europe.”
The success of the Indian Premier League has inspired similar competitions around the world. The money on offer at franchise-based leagues has led some players to prioritise the format over Tests and ODIs.
Published on Apr 30, 2026
South African trio Faf du Plessis, Jonty Rhodes and Heinrich Klaasen have formed a consortium to acquire the Rotterdam franchise in a new European Twenty20 league, organisers said on Thursday.
Former Proteas skipper Du Plessis will also lead the side in the inaugural season of the six-team European T20 Premier League (ETPL), which is set to run from August 26 to September 20 across six European cities.
“This is my first step into team ownership, and the timing couldn’t be better with European cricket gaining real momentum,” Du Plessis said in a statement.
“Having experienced franchise leagues across the world, I see immense potential in what the ETPL is building. I’m looking forward to contributing both on and off the field and helping shape a strong cricketing culture within our team.”
Huib van Walsem, chief executive officer of the Dutch cricket association (KNCB), hailed the development as a major boost for cricket in the Netherlands.
“At KNCB, we have long believed in the immense potential of the Dutch cricketing ecosystem, and the involvement of such experienced cricket figures will bring both competitive cricket and attract quality talent to the region,” he said.
Former Australia captain Steve Waugh, compatriot Glenn Maxwell, New Zealanders Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum, and West Indies stalwart Chris Gayle are among the other co-owners in the T20 league.
The competition will also feature city-based franchises in Glasgow, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin and Belfast.
“The league continues to gather momentum with globally respected names investing in its vision,” ETPL co-owner and Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan said.
“Ownership groups like this set the standard for what the ETPL aims to create, both on and off the field. Together, we are committed to building something truly transformative for the sport in Europe.”
The success of the Indian Premier League has inspired similar competitions around the world. The money on offer at franchise-based leagues has led some players to prioritise the format over Tests and ODIs.
Published on Apr 30, 2026
South African trio Faf du Plessis, Jonty Rhodes and Heinrich Klaasen have formed a consortium…
Sports news
#Batters #dont #respect #bowlers #anymore #Muralitharan #SRHs #easy #chase">‘Batters don’t respect bowlers anymore’, says Muralitharan on SRH’s easy chase vs MI
Sunrisers Hyderabad continued to thrive in the high-scoring landscape of IPL 2026, chasing down a daunting total with authority, as assistant coach Muttiah Muralitharan pointed to a dramatic shift in batting approach across teams.
SRH successfully hunted down a target of over 200 with composure, powered by a blazing start in the powerplay and sustained aggression through the middle overs. Its openers laid the perfect platform, racing to nearly 80 in the first six overs — a trend that has become increasingly common this season — before the middle order ensured there were no late hiccups in the chase.
Reflecting on the game and the broader trend, Muralitharan admitted that bowlers are finding it tougher than ever to contain batters in the modern T20 setup.
“It is very difficult for a bowler nowadays. Every team’s openers don’t fear losing wickets. The average score has now gone up from 40 for one to eighty in six overs, that’s why the scores are going beyond 200,” he said in the post-match press conference.
SRH’s chase was calculated from the outset, with the team backing its knowledge of conditions. “We knew how the wicket would play, and chasing would be easy,” Muralitharan added, highlighting the clarity in the side’s approach.
The Sri Lankan legend also underlined the fearless mindset of contemporary batters, noting that reputation no longer guarantees restraint. “The batters are in top form, and they don’t respect any bowler, even if it is someone like Bumrah,” he remarked.
With another clinical chase under its belt, SRH reinforced its reputation as one of the most dangerous batting units this season — a side perfectly in tune with the evolving, high-risk, high-reward nature of T20 cricket.
Published on Apr 30, 2026
Sunrisers Hyderabad continued to thrive in the high-scoring landscape of IPL 2026, chasing down a daunting total with authority, as assistant coach Muttiah Muralitharan pointed to a dramatic shift in batting approach across teams.
SRH successfully hunted down a target of over 200 with composure, powered by a blazing start in the powerplay and sustained aggression through the middle overs. Its openers laid the perfect platform, racing to nearly 80 in the first six overs — a trend that has become increasingly common this season — before the middle order ensured there were no late hiccups in the chase.
Reflecting on the game and the broader trend, Muralitharan admitted that bowlers are finding it tougher than ever to contain batters in the modern T20 setup.
“It is very difficult for a bowler nowadays. Every team’s openers don’t fear losing wickets. The average score has now gone up from 40 for one to eighty in six overs, that’s why the scores are going beyond 200,” he said in the post-match press conference.
SRH’s chase was calculated from the outset, with the team backing its knowledge of conditions. “We knew how the wicket would play, and chasing would be easy,” Muralitharan added, highlighting the clarity in the side’s approach.
The Sri Lankan legend also underlined the fearless mindset of contemporary batters, noting that reputation no longer guarantees restraint. “The batters are in top form, and they don’t respect any bowler, even if it is someone like Bumrah,” he remarked.
With another clinical chase under its belt, SRH reinforced its reputation as one of the most dangerous batting units this season — a side perfectly in tune with the evolving, high-risk, high-reward nature of T20 cricket.
Published on Apr 30, 2026
Sunrisers Hyderabad continued to thrive in the high-scoring landscape of IPL 2026, chasing down a…
Sports news
#Trust #communication #players #key #success #coach #Pakistans #Sarfaraz #Ahmed #ahead #Bangladesh #Test #series">Trust, communication with players is key for success as coach: Pakistan’s Sarfaraz Ahmed ahead of Bangladesh Test series
Mutual trust and clear communication with players is key for becoming a successful coach, Pakistan’s new Test format head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed said on Wednesday.
The first assignment for the 2017 Champions Trophy-winning captain will be a two-Test series in Bangladesh from May 8, which will be Pakistan’s second outing in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
“The technical aspects come later. What is important is that a coach has such a relationship with his players that they understand what he wants and at the same time they are comfortable and trust him enough to sit down with him and discuss anything,” Sarfaraz said while responding to a question about his limited experience as coach.
The majority of the players named in the Test squad for Bangladesh are busy playing in the Pakistan Super League final stages, and the wicketkeeper-batter admitted it would be a challenge for even senior players to adapt to red-ball cricket after playing T20 cricket for over a month.
Sarfaraz also felt that having played with some of the players in the Test squad and having captained them, it would be a plus point to settle into his new job.
The former captain was last year named mentor and manager of the Pakistan under-19 and Shaheens (Pakistan A) squad.
He accompanied them for the Asia Cup and Youth World Cup, but on returning home, he was appointed a member of the national selection committee and later the red-ball head coach.
“I had a very good cricket career. I want to repeat the success as a coach. I have gained some experience in coaching at the domestic level and at the cricket academy, but obviously, Test cricket is very different, and I am confident that with time, the exposure will help me a lot,” he added.
He said premier batter Babar Azam’s return to form in the PSL was a good sign for the upcoming tour despite the formats being different.
“The main thing is he is back to playing technically good cricket.”
Sarfaraz said Bangladesh would offer strong competition to Pakistan in its own backyard, and his team will go there prepared for both spin and pace-oriented pitches.
Published on Apr 29, 2026
Mutual trust and clear communication with players is key for becoming a successful coach, Pakistan’s new Test format head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed said on Wednesday.
The first assignment for the 2017 Champions Trophy-winning captain will be a two-Test series in Bangladesh from May 8, which will be Pakistan’s second outing in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
“The technical aspects come later. What is important is that a coach has such a relationship with his players that they understand what he wants and at the same time they are comfortable and trust him enough to sit down with him and discuss anything,” Sarfaraz said while responding to a question about his limited experience as coach.
The majority of the players named in the Test squad for Bangladesh are busy playing in the Pakistan Super League final stages, and the wicketkeeper-batter admitted it would be a challenge for even senior players to adapt to red-ball cricket after playing T20 cricket for over a month.
Sarfaraz also felt that having played with some of the players in the Test squad and having captained them, it would be a plus point to settle into his new job.
The former captain was last year named mentor and manager of the Pakistan under-19 and Shaheens (Pakistan A) squad.
He accompanied them for the Asia Cup and Youth World Cup, but on returning home, he was appointed a member of the national selection committee and later the red-ball head coach.
“I had a very good cricket career. I want to repeat the success as a coach. I have gained some experience in coaching at the domestic level and at the cricket academy, but obviously, Test cricket is very different, and I am confident that with time, the exposure will help me a lot,” he added.
He said premier batter Babar Azam’s return to form in the PSL was a good sign for the upcoming tour despite the formats being different.
“The main thing is he is back to playing technically good cricket.”
Sarfaraz said Bangladesh would offer strong competition to Pakistan in its own backyard, and his team will go there prepared for both spin and pace-oriented pitches.
Published on Apr 29, 2026
Mutual trust and clear communication with players is key for becoming a successful coach, Pakistan’s…
![VIDEO | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is feeling better after injury scare, says RR batting coach Vikram Rathour Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathour shared an encouraging injury update on opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.The 15-year-old had limped off the field on Saturday, during the IPL 2026 game against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Jaipur. Sooryavanshi had earlier scored a sparkling 36-ball hundred.“He was feeling a little bit of hamstring pain, but now he’s feeling better. So they’ve treated him, and he’s looking fine. So we’ll know in a day or so. He’s not serious, but it doesn’t look like it,” said Rathour at the post-match press conference.Despite Sooryavanshi’s batting rampage, Royals succumbed to a five-wicket defeat to SRH. In the spotlight was a mediocre fielding effort, with the home team spilling multiple catches and giving away cheap boundaries.Rathour admitted that Royals shot themselves in the foot with their poor fielding.“We missed a lot of catches. So that was the turning point. When you’re playing against good teams, against good batters, you can’t afford to give them opportunities. And today, I thought we missed a couple of opportunities, and that cost us the game.”Rathour also highlighted that Royals’ bowlers, with the exception of pacer Jofra Archer, failed in implementing the team’s plans.“I think our execution was a little off today as a bowling unit. Jofra bowled brilliantly again today. And you could see the difference when he was bowling. But other than that, I don’t think we bowled [well], or we could execute our plans as well as we would have liked to,” added Rathour.Published on Apr 26, 2026 #VIDEO #Vaibhav #Sooryavanshi #feeling #injury #scare #batting #coach #Vikram #Rathour](https://i0.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/zawefh/article70907868.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/AFP_A8Y964M.jpg?ssl=1 "VIDEO | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is feeling better after injury scare, says RR batting coach Vikram Rathour Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathour shared an encouraging injury update on opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.The 15-year-old had limped off the field on Saturday, during the IPL 2026 game against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Jaipur. Sooryavanshi had earlier scored a sparkling 36-ball hundred.“He was feeling a little bit of hamstring pain, but now he’s feeling better. So they’ve treated him, and he’s looking fine. So we’ll know in a day or so. He’s not serious, but it doesn’t look like it,” said Rathour at the post-match press conference.Despite Sooryavanshi’s batting rampage, Royals succumbed to a five-wicket defeat to SRH. In the spotlight was a mediocre fielding effort, with the home team spilling multiple catches and giving away cheap boundaries.Rathour admitted that Royals shot themselves in the foot with their poor fielding.“We missed a lot of catches. So that was the turning point. When you’re playing against good teams, against good batters, you can’t afford to give them opportunities. And today, I thought we missed a couple of opportunities, and that cost us the game.”Rathour also highlighted that Royals’ bowlers, with the exception of pacer Jofra Archer, failed in implementing the team’s plans.“I think our execution was a little off today as a bowling unit. Jofra bowled brilliantly again today. And you could see the difference when he was bowling. But other than that, I don’t think we bowled [well], or we could execute our plans as well as we would have liked to,” added Rathour.Published on Apr 26, 2026 #VIDEO #Vaibhav #Sooryavanshi #feeling #injury #scare #batting #coach #Vikram #Rathour")