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Australia Legend Michael Clarke Becomes Brand Ambassador Of Lanka Premier League 2024

admin — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 12:36:54 +0000

File image of Michael Clarke.© X (Twitter)

Former Australia skipper Michael Clarke joined the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2024 as the tournament’s brand ambassador. The 2024 edition of the LPL will run from July 1 to 21. Clarke joined the list of LPL brand ambassadors, which included cricket legends like Vivian Richards, Wasim Akram and Sanath Jayasuriya in previous editions. Clarke had a glittering international career that spanned more than a decade. The former Aussie skipper scored 8643 runs in 115 Tests, including 28 centuries, and 7981 runs in 245 ODIs, capping it all by leading his nation to the 2015 World Cup trophy on home soil.

The 43-year-old said he was thrilled to be part of the LPL again and return to Sri Lanka.

“It’s an honour to be in Sri Lanka for the LPL and I have very fond memories here as one of my first Australian tours was an Under-19 World Cup in this country. I loved it as a player and now have the opportunity to be a brand ambassador for a wonderful tournament, so, I am excited to see some young faces who can be the face of Sri Lankan cricket in the coming time. This tournament is very important as it will help grow Sri Lankan cricket as well,” Clarke was quoted in a release from LPL as saying.

Across three weeks of action in the LPL, the five franchises — Colombo Strikers, Dambulla Sixers, Galle Marvels, Jaffna Kings and Kandy — will take on each other twice at three iconic venues in Colombo, Dambulla and Kandy, to be followed by the playoffs.

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“Can’t See India Winning T20 World Cup Unless…”: Ex-Australia Captain’s ‘Virat Kohli’ Warning

admin — Fri, 17 May 2024 11:22:13 +0000

Rohit Sharma (L) and Virat Kohli© AFP

Former Australian cricket team captain Tim Paine expressed his concern for Team India ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 and even served them a warning concerning star batter Virat Kohli. India are one of the firm favourites ahead of the competition but Paine believes that the campaign will depend heavily on how Kohli ends up performing. Paine, in conversation with fellow countrymen Aaron Finch and Michael Clarke on the ‘Around the Wicket’ podcast, compared Kohli to Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and said that if the India star fails to perform, Rohit and Co will not be able to win the title.

“I can’t see India winning the World Cup unless Virat Kohli has a really strong World Cup – bit similar to Glenn Maxwell’s form. I know he hasn’t been red-hot as of late but I can’t see Australia winning the World Cup unless Maxwell has a blinder,” Paine said on the podcast.

Recently, Kohli opened up about his retirement plans.

“I think as a sportsman, we do have an end-date to our careers. So I am just working backwards. I don’t want to finish my career thinking ‘oh, what if I have done this on that particular day’ because I can’t keep going on and on forever. So it’s just about not leaving any undone business behind and not have any regrets later, which I am sure I won’t,” said Kohli at RCB’s Royal Gala Dinner.

“Once I am done, I will be gone, you won’t see me for a while (smiles). So I want to give it everything I have till the time I play, and that’s the only thing that keeps me going,” he added.

Kohli is currently the run-scorer in the ongoing IPL 2024 and will be looking to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the playoff with a win over five-time champions Chennai Super Kings.

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“If Beef Between Rohit Sharma And Hardik Pandya Was…”: Australia Great’s Big Captaincy Take

admin — Sat, 11 May 2024 06:49:14 +0000

File photo of Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya

Out of the race for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 already, Mumbai Indians have had a torrid campaign in Hardik Pandya‘s first season as the franchise’s skipper. Despite possessing some of the finest players in the team, Mumbai failed to click as a unit. While the players looked to produce results on the field, the chatter around Rohit Sharma‘s removal as skipper and Hardik’s appointment continued to drag in the rear-view mirror. Even as MI have been knocked out of the playoffs race, the chatter has refused to die down.

Speaking of the much-talked-about topic, former Australia captain Michael Clarke doesn’t think the issue between Hardik and Rohit would drag into the Indian national team at the T20 World Cup.

“You know what… knowing Rohit Sharma, he will wrap his arms around Hardik Pandya. That shows the character that Rohit is. He is the Indian captain and trust me… he wants to win that World Cup. He has had a lot of say in the 15 that is picked by India,” Clarke said on Around the Wicket podcast.

Clark also feels if there was any ‘beef’ between Rohit and Hardik, the latter wouldn’t have made it to India’s squad for the T20 World Cup. But, the retired Australian cricketer admitted that there certainly were issues over the manner in which the captaincy chance took place.

“It’s very different to let’s say the Australian 15. They are heavily focussed on spin bowling. If the beef between Rohit and Hardik was as strong as people think, Hardik wouldn’t be in that World Cup campaign. The Indian captain has that much power.”

“I think while there is obviously issues with how Rohit was released off his duties as captain of Mumbai Indians, I don’t think that will affect their friendship, selection or Rohit Sharma. He will make sure Hardik is as focussed as possible,” Clarke further said.

“You’ve seen in the last couple of games and Hardik knows he has to be batting and bowling and has to improve his game from where it’s been in the first half of the IPL. Right now it’s based on performance and as long as Hardik is performing, Rohit knows how important he is for that Indian team.”

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Divide In Mumbai Indians Team? World Cup-Winning Captain Makes Big Accusation

admin — Wed, 01 May 2024 03:14:40 +0000

Winning major tournaments hinges on teamwork rather than individual brilliance, according to former Australia captain Michael Clarke, who reckons the Mumbai Indians camp is divided into groups, hindering players from functioning cohesively. After the sudden pre-season change in captaincy when Rohit Sharma was unceremoniously replaced by Hardik Pandya, the five-time champions are in descension. They need to win all their remaining five matches to even have a shot at qualifying for the playoffs.

“Yeah, I don’t know (they will make it to the playoffs). I think it’s wishful thinking for Mumbai this entire IPL. I think there’s a lot more going on than what we are seeing on the outside and you can’t have that many good players and perform this inconsistently.

“So, I think there are different groups inside that changing room and something is not working, they are not gelling together, they are not playing as a team,” Clarke, who led Australia to victory at the 2015 World Cup, said on Star Sports Cricket Live.

Despite having proven match winners like Rohit, Suryakumar Yadav, Pandya, Tim David and Jasprit Bumrah, MI have found it difficult to find victories this season, slumping to six losses from nine outings.

Their three wins can be attributed to the individual brilliance of pacer Bumrah and the big-hitting Romario Shepherd.

“Individual brilliance can get them over the line, if Rohit Sharma comes in and gets another hundred or Hardik does something with the bat or Bumrah bowls like a genius again, you never know,” Clarke said.

“I think to win big tournaments you need to be a team and not just have individual performances and unfortunately they haven’t played well as a team so I hope they turn it around, but I can’t see them winning this game,” he added.

MI, who occupy the penultimate spot on the points table, take on Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday in Lucknow.

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“Rohit Sharma Should Come Out, Publicly Support Hardik Pandya”: Australia Great On Booing, Amid MI Captaincy Row

admin — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 12:46:22 +0000

Fans have expressed their displeasure over the move by booing Hardik Pandya at games.© BCCI

Former Australia skipper Michael Clarke has raised concerns over a possible rift between Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya and veteran batter Rohit Sharma. Hardik and Rohit have been in the news ever since the all-rounder replaced the long-serving batter as captain of the franchise ahead of the IPL 2024. MI traded Hardik in from Gujarat Titans before naming him the captain. However, the move to replace Rohit with Hardik hasn’t gone down well with the MI fans.

Fans have expressed their displeasure over the move by booing Hardik during the games thus far into the campaign. MI have lost all three of their games so far.

Having faced a similar treatment while leading Australia, Clarke said it’s never feels nice to get booed by the own fans. He feels that Rohit should speak up in support of Hardik.

“I feel it’s probably at a stage that if it keeps going, then Rohit Sharma has to come out and say something publicly and really support Hardik. You don’t like seeing that. I know it happens in sports but home fans booing is not ok. It’s not like Hardik made the decision to be captain. Mumbai Indians have made that decision; they brought him back and gave him the captaincy,” Clarke told ESPN.

Speaking on a possibility of a bad blood between the two, Clarke hoped that the MI dressing room is in good spirits.

“I just hope him [Rohit] and Hardik are fine. Again, they have always gotten on pretty well. Rohit is a super guy and a great player so that’s the other thing. You probably need Rohit Sharma making runs as well for Mumbai to have the success that they’ve always had. But yeah, let’s get some wins if you’re Mumbai Indians. Hardik has got to keep playing well and hopefully the fans get behind the team and Hardik as captain,” he added.

Clarke also recalled being booed by the Australia fans after he replaced Ricky Ponting as captain in 2011.

“I copped it at the Gabba once captaining Australia. I got absolutely smacked when I walked out to bat. Fans booing me and then I think I made a 100 and they stood and applauded as I walked off,” Clarke recalled.

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“He Is The Great MS Dhoni But It Was A Poor Call”: Ex-New Zealand Star’s Big Remark

admin — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 10:23:26 +0000

File photo of MS Dhoni© BCCI

MS Dhoni impressed both fans and experts with his explosive innings but it was not enough to clinch the victory for Chennai Super Kings in their IPL 2024 match against Delhi Capitals. Dhoni was at his explosive best as the veteran wicket-keeper batter slammed 37 off just 16 balls but CSK could only manage to score 171/6 in 20 overs while chasing 192. The knock broke the internet but former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull believes that it was a poor call for Dhoni to come out to bat after Sameer Rizvi and Ravindra Jadeja. In a discussion on Cricbuzz, Doull said that this was the first time Dhoni was batting in IPL 2024 and he needed more time to settle down before firing in the run chase.

“I know there was a lot of hoopa about Dhoni’s innings but he blocked a lot of balls. He faced a lot of dots and then when he started to not take runs, I could not believe what I was watching. I know he is the great MS Dhoni but it was a poor call. It was a really poor call not to take those runs.”

“You are still trying to win the game and I know it is his first bat in a long time, first bat of the season and he is probably thinking at some stage of maybe getting to find some form but I didn’t agree with it. I didn’t agree with what happened in that situation. To me, it was a really poor look. I was watching it and thinking you know, it didn’t look good for me. That just didn’t look quite right to me when he wasn’t taking runs.”

Calls for MS Dhoni batting higher up the order have grown after his whirlwind effort against Delhi Capitals but Michael Clarke feels the former Chennai Super Kings captain will continue to bat at no.8 and will only promote himself if the game “is on the line”.

Dhoni’s unbeaten 37 off 16 balls at number eight did not prove to be enough but his loyal fans believe the outcome would have been different had he batted higher up the order.

Clarke, who like Dhoni is a World Cup-winning captain, said the Indian legend will continue to perform the finisher’s role.

“I don’t think he will. I think he’ll stay where he is. I think every MS Dhoni fan wants to see him as high up the order as possible. We’ve all said throughout his career, he should open the batting,” Clarke told Star Sports.

“But look, he’s at a stage of his career where he’s down from the captaincy. I don’t think he’ll come up the order. I think if there’s a game on the line and he needs to go up the order because it’s what’s best for the team, I’m sure he will.” Dhoni’s cameo against the Delhi Capitals included a thundering six over extra-cover before he unleashed a one handed maximum over mid-wicket in the 20th over.

(With PTI inputs)

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Hardik Pandya Finally Asked Directly On Fan Boos, Australia Great Reveals Response

admin — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 03:04:18 +0000

File photo of Hardik Pandya.© BCCI

With defeats in as many games in IPL 2024, Mumbai Indians (MI) Hardik Pandya return to the franchise hasn’t gone as planned. Hardik’s move to MI from Gujarat Titans, which eventually saw him take over captaincy from veteran Rohit Sharma, was met with a huge backlash from fans. Hardik has been constantly targetted by fans during the matches so far. He was booed by the fans on his return to Ahmedabad for MI’s opening game against the GT.

The trend continued in the matches against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Several ex-cricketers have come out in support of the all-rounder amid challenging times, on and off the field.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke is the latest to offer his support to Hardik. Clarke, who played just one season in the IPL back in 2012, revealed his chat with Hardik and also shed light on the latter’s mindset.

Clarke labelled Hardik as a confident person, and suggested that he will manage to win over fans if MI can start getting good results.

“It doesn’t help when your team is not performing. I spoke to Hardik Pandya when I got over here and he seems like he is going fine. He’s a really confident sort of a person. He won’t allow this to get to him but he does need to get this team winning games of cricket. Mumbai is such a good team and there’s always high expectations. The fans want them at the top of the tree, but at the moment they are at the bottom,” Clarke said on ESPN’s Around the Wicket.

England pacer Stuart Broad also spoke about the slump that five-time champions Mumbai Indians find themselves in. He said the only way Mumbai Indians can stop what is happening inside the stadiums – incessant jeering of skipper Hardik Pandya by fans – is by winning matches.

“As a player it doesn’t bother you at all, to be honest. It’s part and parcel of international and top-flight sport,” Broad said.

“You don’t necessarily get that sort of environment and hostile feeling on your home ground. But I don’t think the atmosphere can affect you as a proven performer. You still need to go out and deliver your skill.” “Ultimately, Mumbai Indians is a winning franchise. It has got a winning mentality, and they’re not winning. That’s the most difficult thing they’re coping with at the moment. What they need to do is just get back on winning ways,” he said.

(With PTI Inputs)

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