India are having a memorable run at the T20 World Cup 2024. Rohit Sharma and co are in a red-hot form and yet to face a defeat. However, this fabulous journey may give nightmares to the Indian fans as it reminds them of ODI World Cup 2023 final heartbreak. Team India had a similar campaign in the ODI World Cup last year, where they remained unbeaten in the entire tournament but ended up losing to Australia in the final clash.

Recently, Indian batter Shikhar Dhawan scratched the wounds of the Indians with his cryptic post on X (formerly Twitter).

Dhawan, who has been out of contention from a spot in the Indian team for a couple of years now, shared a billboard image, which read, “Vaishali, I am over you. Not yours, Khanna.”

Men can get over anything, but not 19th November pic.twitter.com/KZRTsx8doe

— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) June 21, 2024

The Punjab Kings skipper captioned the post as, “Men can get over anything, but not 19th November”, presumably referring to the date when India lost the final against Australia.

Earlier in May, Dhawan also hinted about his possible retirement from international cricket and starting “a new chapter” in his life.

“I am also going through a transition ‘Jahan Meri Cricket Vishram Pe Aayegi’ and a new chapter in my life will start. You only have a certain age till you can play. It could be one year more, two years more, or xyz for me…,” Dhawan had told ANI.

Talking about Team India, the Rohit Sharma-led side began their Super 8s campaign with a thumping victory over Afghanistan.

Batting first, India posted a total of 181/8 and then bundled out Afghanistan for 134. Suryakumar Yadav bagged the Player of the Match award for his 53-run knock.

India will now be taking on Bangladesh in their upcoming Super 8s match of the T20 World Cup 2024 on Saturday (IST) in Antigua.

(With ANI Inputs)

Star India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant revealed that after his life-threatening road accident in December 2022, his injuries were such that he could not even brush his teeth for two months. Pant on Monday featured on the second episode of ‘Dhawan Karenge,’ a talk show hosted by Indian opening batter, Shikhar Dhawan on JioCinema. During the episode, the 26-year-old cricketer shared his experience after sustaining life-threatening injuries from a horrific accident that left him with multiple fractures and required ligament reconstruction and treatment for a knee injury. These injuries were critical to his career, but he recently made his comeback in IPL 2024 after a 15-month rehabilitation.

While opening up on his post-injury experience, Rishabh shares, “Self-belief and self-confidence are very important while recovering from an injury because there are people saying all sorts of things around you, and you, as an individual, have to think about what’s good for you. The accident was a life-changing experience for me. When I got up after it, I was not even sure if I would be alive, but God was very kind to save me. I could not even brush my teeth for two months, and for six to seven months, I suffered with unbearable pain. I could not go to the airport because I was nervous about facing people in a wheelchair.”

He further added, “Now that I am making a comeback in cricket, more than feeling pressure, I am excited. I feel this is kind of a second life, so I am excited but also nervous.”

Pant also revealed that one incident in his life that made his mother angry was when he was in fifth grade. It was when his father brought him a cricket bat worth Rs 14,000 and his mom got “super angry” with his father’s gift to his son.

“It was my father’s dream to become a cricketer, and I am glad I could fulfil it. I decided I wanted to be a cricketer when I was in the 5th grade. My dad gifted me a bat worth Rs 14,000, and my mom got super angry,” he said.

In the recently concluded IPL 2024, Rishabh’s team Delhi Capitals finished in the sixth spot with seven wins, seven losses and 14 points and failed to move to playoffs. He scored 446 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of over 155 with three half-centuries and emerged as the team’s top run-getter.

Now, Pant will make a comeback to international cricket during the ICC T20 World Cup, starting from June 1 in the West Indies and the USA.

Shikhar Dhawan once heard that he was marrying Mithali Raj© BCCI/Sportzpics

Shikhar Dhawan, the renowned India opener, has admitted that he has entered a phase of transition and will soon stand on the threshold of a new chapter in his life. Scoring a century in his Test debut and raising his bat high in the air to celebrate his ton in his hundredth ODI game, Dhawan has tasted success throughout his illustrious career. But the journey of an athlete is not everlasting; it eventually comes to an end. The 38-year-old has been away from the international circuit for a while now, as he last donned the Blue Jersey in an international match in December 2022. While he continues to drift away from the international stage, he has still been a regular face in the Indian Premier League. But after Punjab Kings crashed out of this season, a section of social media users have been speculating about the future of the seasoned batter.

While addressing his journey, Dhawan admitted that his cricketing career is going through a “transition.” He is taking things as they come, showing how he has a calm and composed head on his shoulders.

In an interview with ANI, the southpaw shared that he knows sporting careers come with an age limit and he might have to hang up his boots one day.

“I am also going through a transition ‘Jahan Meri Cricket Vishram Pe Aayegi’ and a new chapter in my life will start. You only have a certain age till you can play. It could be one year more, two years more, or xyz for me…,” Dhawan said.

The veteran opener has established himself as one of the most decorated batters in the history of the cash-rich league.

Dhawan, who is the first man to hit back-to-back hundreds in the IPL, made his debut in the inaugural season and went on to become the second-highest run-getter with a whopping tally of 6,769 runs.

Even in the last edition, he racked up 373 runs at an average of 41.44, demonstrating his hunger to perform on the big stage. But this season, he managed to feature in only five games and missed the majority of the season due to a shoulder injury.

On April 9, he sustained a shoulder injury while fielding during the Punjab Kings (PBKS) match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He even reflected on the nature of his injury and added, “Unfortunately I got injured this IPL season and could not play for Punjab except for 4-5 matches. It takes time to recover. I am still healing. I have not recovered 100 per cent yet.”

Dhawan has been out of action on the field ever since he got injured, but he did come up with something special for his fans.

On May 20, his chat show ‘Dhawan Karenge’ was launched on JioCinema. He shot for the show before the IPL 2024 season.

On exploring new horizons with his hosting debut, Dhawan said that it was quite a learning and different experience for him.

“I will be honest…I was quite nervous initially as it was something new for me. ‘Dil Dhak-Dhak Kar Raha Tha’..(heart was beating fast), especially when I was shooting with Akshay Paaji (Akshay Kumar). I was smiling in front of him but I was nervous for sure. I feel it’s natural to get nervous when you start something new…but ‘Ek Baari Flow Mein Aa Gaye Toh Phir Chakke-Chauke Pad Hi Jaate Hain’ (once you get the hang of it, then it is just like smashing boundaries on the cricket field),” Dhawan laughed.

IPL 2024, Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings LIVE Updates© BCCI