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IPL 2021: Steve Smith and Marcus Stoinis attend first training session with Delhi Capitals

Australian players Steve Smith and Marcus Stoinis attended their first practice session with the Delhi Capitals after completing their mandatory quarantine period on Friday, 9 April. The former Australian and Rajasthan Royals skipper Steve Smith will be looking forward to his time with the Capitals as this will be his first season the new team. On the other hand, Stoinis was part of the DC outfit in the last season and did a commendable all-round job for them. 

As per reports from the Delhi Capitals, it is learnt that the duo played an intra-squad practice game with the rest of the DC team ahead of the tournament. Meanwhile, it must be noted that the runners-up from the previous edition have been training at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai. 

Delhi Capitals will lock horns against the Chennai Super Kings in their first encounter on 10th April. DC have named Rishabh Pant as their interim skipper for the season after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out for the tournament after dislocating his shoulder in the India vs England series.

Steve Smith was part of the Rajasthan Royals squad last time around and also led the franchise. However, his poor returns with the bat and his underwhelming captaincy forced RR to release him ahead of the mini-auctions and he was snapped up by the Capitals for a pretty low price. 

Meanwhile, head coach Ricky Ponting is optimistic of his team’s chances in the upcoming season especially given the sort of players they have in their arsenal. 

"I am thrilled with the players that we've got here, and I think we can win the IPL. Might as well go on record and say it now because that's what I am here for and that's what the players are here for," he said.

"We've had our chat and it's all about winning and how we can go one step further from last year. But the other important thing for me is that we've got a very different group from the one we had last year. What happened last year doesn't matter. We've got to work out a way to win enough games to qualify and then win the final," he further added.

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MX Takatak partners with 7 IPL teams to show behind-the-scenes content

MX Takatak has partnered with seven teams who are featuring in the IPL 2021 to show their content from net practice to all the behind-the-scenes moments. MX Takatak is owned by the Times Group. The teams that have partnered with the app are Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad and will have their official handles on it. Delhi Capitals chief executive officer Vinod Bisht in a statement has said that this will provide an opportunity to the franchise to have an interaction with the fans. “This association (with MX TakaTak) provides us yet another way to engage with our fans by giving them the opportunity to express themselves in new and creative ways," Bisht said in a statement. Chandni Malhotra, general manager, strategic partnerships and alliances, Rajasthan Royals, said that this partnership will enhance and expand the mediums of providing more entertainment to the fans of the franchises. “This specially curated partnership with MX TakaTak is a step in the direction of expanding our mediums of providing that entertainment to our fans directly on to their mobile phones," she said. Karan Bedi, CEO - MX Player and MX TakaTak has expressed delight on providing entertainment to the diverse fan base. “We’re thrilled to be celebrating India’s national obsession on our platform as the official short video partner of the 7 teams. Our aim has always been to entertain our diverse user base and through this innovative association,” he said. The IPL 2021 begins on Friday with RCB locking horns against MI in Chennai in the opener.

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IPL 2021: MI skipper Rohit Sharma optimistic of making a hat-trick of titles

With the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) set to commence in a few hours time, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is confident of their chances ahead of the extravaganza and said that the feeling in the camp is absolutely electric and all the players are upbeat and raring to go in a bid to win their 6th IPL title and a make a hattrick of IPL trophies. "The feeling in the camp is absolutely electric and upbeat. It is the start of the new season, we all know that. The guys are very excited to get going. We've got some new faces in the squad as well which is exciting. IPL is always an exciting time and coming off from playing a lot of cricket as well. So, looking forward to get going. I think it is going to be a good one this year as well. Hopefully, we can do the right things. We can continue from where we left in Dubai," Rohit was quoted as saying during a video interview for the Mumbai Indians which was posted on Twitter. Mumbai Indians had a dream run in the 2020 edition where they dominated like kings and were way ahead of any other teams all through the tournament. They played some exceptional brand of all-round cricket and eventually managed to seal their 5th IPL title and second on a trot. Trent Boult alongside Jasprit Bumrah proved to be a match-winning combo with the ball in hand. MI have two more players from New Zealand this time around in the form of Adam Milne and Jimmy Neesham. Speaking on the New Zealand trio of Boult, Milne and Neesham who recently got out of quarantine after landing in India last week, Rohit Sharma said that both Milne and Neesham are great additions to the squad and is expecting the same things from Boult this season. "I'm pretty sure they all are excited to just get out on the park. They have been in quarantine for seven days and I know how it feels when you come out the first day. It is nice just to get to breathe fresh air and get to be on the park and do what you love. So. I'm sure those three guys are feeling the same. It is good to have Jimmy Neesham for the first time in the MI squad and Adam Milne, who's been part of the MI before. Good to have him back as well. Of course, Trent who played a big part last season for us, we expect nothing less from him this year as well," Rohit said. Veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was snapped up by the Mumbai Indians in the auctions and Rohit feels that the induction of Piyush Chawla will give his side the variety which they are looking for. Chawla has been around the IPL circuit ever since its inception and it will be interesting to see how he shapes up in MI colours. "He is quite experienced in terms of playing IPL games. He has been around for a number of years now and knows exactly what this team expects him to do. I'm pretty sure that he is going to able to live by that because of his experience and the number of wickets he has taken in the IPL. He brings the variety in our squad which were looking for. I've played with him since my U-19 days so I know him pretty well, he knows me well. It is going to be good camaraderie between both of us on the field," he concluded.

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We will never be ready for it unless we do it: Harsha Bhogle, Ben Stokes advocate 8-team women’s IPL

There has been a long pending demand of starting an IPL style Women’s T20 league in a country that’s mad about cricket, to say the least. But the board has been relentless in not heeding to those demands year after year as well. However with the success of the WBBL and Women’s Super Smash along with the advent of The Hundred Women’s, an innovative tournament in the shortest format of the game, the voices demanding the Women’s IPL are getting stronger, louder and are increasing in number. The latest edition in those voices is of Indian star batsman KL Rahul, English all-rounder Ben Stokes and ace commentator Harsha Bhogle. Speaking on the Redbull’s podcast ‘Decoding Athletes’ with Isha Guha, Stokes, while speculating about the possibility of a Women’s IPL in near future said, “Yes, I think when you see where the women’s game has gone to, especially over the last four to five years. It has gone from strength to strength and it’s great how it is filtering into the men’s game in terms of [parallel] competitions and things like that.” The Rajasthan Royals all-rounder stated that there was no place better than India to grow the women's game. Putting the onus on BCCI, he said that he is hopeful that one day there will be women side associated with every franchise. “I’m very hopeful there’ll be a women’s franchise side associated with every men’s franchise side. To be able to grow the women’s game even bigger, what better place to do it than out here in India?” Stokes said. Stokes was not alone in his hopes, Rahul, one of the most followed members of the Indian national team also agreed to the Englishman. “I totally agree with Ben. I have been following the Indian women’s team for a few years now and the kind of performances they have been putting up in the last three-four years is amazing.” Making it a matter of nurturing talent as well as giving a proper platform to the girls, who have made it to the big stage, fighting innumerable battles, socially as well as psychologically, Rahul believes an IPL like tournament is the need of the hour for women’s cricket in India. “I have seen a lot of young players coming through, a lot of them from Karnataka who always used to practise with us as junior cricketers. Great to see how they are playing. Would love to see Punjab Kings women’s team as well,” added the 28-year-old Punjab Kings’ skipper. Smriti Mandhana, the Indian women’s team icon, has also raised a prospect of playing for Mumbai Indians, as mildly as she could, after all, it is almost felt a taboo to demand equal rights ( in terms of the pay scale at least) for Women cricketers in India as they believe whatever they are getting is more than they deserve, a perfect case of self-pity. Mandhana, 24, speaking on the same podcast said, “it’s the right time to start a women’s league”. She also said that she would like to be part of the Mumbai Indians, considering that it is the team representing her home state of Maharashtra. But there was also an earnest gaze, a kind of yearning to have something like an IPL for women’s cricketers when she said, “But all the teams are so good in the IPL, they look after all the players so well.” Mandhana also put forward the case of how the IPL has helped men’s cricketer develop so much that even in their debut innings they are facing the fury of pace with so much ease (Ishan Kishan and Surya Kumar Yadav in recent England series). The strongest of the voices, supporting the Women’s IPL is that of Commentator, Harsha Bhogle. Speaking on the Sportstar podcast on how Women’s cricket in India can grow, Bhogle said, “I think the best way to grow the game is by creating an eight-team women’s IPL as early as possible.” “The only reason I say this is because if KKR or MI or RCB have a women’s team, they will put a lot of resources behind the teams and that’s exactly what is needed,” he further added, reasoning why franchises must be bound to have women’s teams. He further went on to add, “A lot of people tell me, we are not ready for it. [But] We will never be ready for it unless we actually do it.” Speaking on the Women’s Challenge (a three-team tournament that runs parallel to IPL playoffs), Harsha said, “These three-four games are not going to take us anywhere. We (Indian Women’s team) have made it to the finals of a T20 world Cup and we have reached the finals of 50 over World Cups. This is enough to warrant an IPL like league for Women’s.” “If we are not getting there, I think, India runs a risk of being left behind (in competition with England, Australia and New Zealand) if we do not grow our own Women’s IPL.” Will these pleas or advice or warnings, whatever they may be termed, fall to deaf ears all over again, or will Sourav Ganguly and his men in the BCCI office pay heed it to it remains to be seen. Only time can tell us the results because as far as BCCI’s instincts are concerned, it seems least bothered about the women’s game, having just organised one domestic and one international tournament in the entire pandemic ridden time.

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Bangladesh include 3 uncapped pacers in 21-member preliminary squad for Sri Lanka series

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) named a 21-member preliminary squad on Friday for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka which comprises of a two-match Test series. BCB have named three uncapped players in the squad in fast bowlers Mukidul Islam, Shahidul Islam and Shoriful Islam. Meanwhile, players like Shuvagoto Hom, Nurul Hasan and Khaled Ahmed returned to the Bangladesh squad after a hiatus. Three members including the likes of Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar and Hasan Mahmud who were part of the squad for the two-match Test series against West Indies has been excluded. Meanwhile, Shakib Al Hasan who had to miss the second Test against West Indies owing to an injury has made himself unavailable for the series against Sri Lanka to ply his trade for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League. He was given a NOC by the BCB and so was Mustafizur Rahman. As per reports in the Cricbuzz, it is learnt that the BCB has decided to send some additional bowlers to Sri Lanka as the home board won’t provide any net bowlers for the practice sessions. As per schedule, Bangladesh will play a two-day practice game before the two-match Test series kicks off on 21st April. "We have formed an extended squad as we will not have net bowlers while we will also play an intra-squad practice match," BCB chief selector Minhajul Abedin was quoted as saying by the Cricbuzz. "We will announce the Test squad after the practice game, and the cricketers failing to make a spot in the Test squad will return home in due time. In order to get acclimatised to the conditions, Bangladesh will play a two-day intra-squad warm-up match which is slated to be played on 17th and 18th April at CMC in Katunayake. While the opening Test will be played from 21st April, the second Test will start on 29th April with both the matches slated to be played in Pallekele. Minhajul Abedin said that the youngsters has been picked on the basis of their performance in the domestic circuit. He backed the three uncapped pacers to come good in the upcoming two-match Test series. "They (Shoriful, Mukidul and Shohidul) have been in our HP setup and have impressed in whichever version they have played in. Mukidul and Shahidul in particular, have caught the eye in domestic first-class cricket this season and are future Test prospects. They all have age on their side and are talented. "Shuvagata is coming back after a while but he has been a consistent performer in first-class cricket. We have considered him as a batting all-rounder but his off-break is pretty handy also and gives us an option in the spin department," he added. This two-match series was originally slated for July last year but had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. An attempt was made again to stage the series in October-November last year but it couldn’t quite materialise as the visiting team weren’t ready to comply with the 14-day quarantine rules in the Island nation. Bangladesh Test squad: Mominul Haque (c), Liton Das, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Khan, Shadman Islam, Abu Jayed, Taijul Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Mohammad Hasan, Yasir Ali, Shoriful Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Mukidul Islam, Shuvagata Hom, Shahidul Islam, Nurul Hasan.