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Cricket fever will be at peak on Super Sunday
There is nothing called an overdose of cricket and the choice, really, for the fans, is personal. Those sitting in front of TV sets with the remotes can flick channels in an instant. And the same goes for those who have apps on their cell phones for Super Sunday as two Indian teams will be competing in two different competitions in two different geographical zones.
Harmanpreet Kaur will be facing fired up Pakistan in the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup in Dubai, a match which was never supposed to become so tense. Most of it is due to a script gone wrong against the Kiwis in the opener, where India came a cropper. To lose by a whopping 58-run margin has led to an outrage and the whole team is being hauled over the coals. That’s how sport is, when you win, there is clapping and when you lose, there are brickbats hurled. What has set the cat among the pigeons is how Harmanpreet herself did not show up at the post match presser after the loss to New Zealand and sent Jemimah Rodrigues. That was unfair, since the captain is in command and has to face flak after a bad loss. Running away does no good and given the perceptions about Harmanpreet, when she behaved boorishly last year in Bangladesh, she is under scrutiny. She has to face the heat, that’s why the BCCI selectors named Harmanpreet captain. If leadership is all about just going for the toss and playing a match, there are plenty of other options available in this Indian side.
The seasoned pro knows she is under pressure and competing against Pakistan should not have been hyped so much. It is just that past records have been forgotten and the hype reaches a feverish pitch due to one loss to the Kiwis. At the same time, Pakistan are also a motivated side and will relish the opportunity to play India at a neutral venue. Do not be surprised if a sizeable number of fans turn up for the desert duel between the two neighbours where every sporting contest is measured on the Richter scale. Pessimistic fans are already talking about an early India exit from the World Cup, as if a loss to mighty Australia is a foregone conclusion. Sport is all about being in the present and competing hard. After all, the story of underdogs in sports is more romantic.
If the UAE will see heat being generated on Sunday, Gwalior must witness good cricket as well. India take on Bangladesh in the T20 international series and the hope is this is not as one-sided as the lousy Test series where the visitors were clueless. For new T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav, the opportunity to lead and assess fresh talent is a good one. The skipper, himself, has shown flair for leadership in the past. To handle a side where some key players have been rested means Surya will expect the Young Turks to explode.
For those who watched the early part of the IPL 2024, a fast howler hurling the white ball at speeds over 150kmph made for great viewing. Playing for Lucknow Super Giants, Mayank Yadav was pronounced as the next Kapi Dev of Indian cricket. The poor boy ‘broke down’ just after a few matches. He has spent plenty of time at the NCA in Bengaluru in rehab and being assessed. If he does make his debut tonight, he will be watched with immense interest. Mayank is fast but whether he can soak in the pressure on the big stage, even against a weaker opponent will be important to watch. At the same time, a few more youngsters will also be ready to deliver.
Post retirement of Ravindra Jadeja from the T20 format after India won the ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies, the search for a quality all-rounder is on. Add to it the upcoming big IPL auction in November, reportedly to be held in Saudi Arabia this time, franchises will also keep an eye on performances from this T20 series. Apart from Mayank Yadav, Nitish Reddy and a few more players will also be tracked by talent spotters as well as IPL scouts.
Harmanpreet Kaur will be facing fired up Pakistan in the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup in Dubai, a match which was never supposed to become so tense. Most of it is due to a script gone wrong against the Kiwis in the opener, where India came a cropper. To lose by a whopping 58-run margin has led to an outrage and the whole team is being hauled over the coals. That’s how sport is, when you win, there is clapping and when you lose, there are brickbats hurled. What has set the cat among the pigeons is how Harmanpreet herself did not show up at the post match presser after the loss to New Zealand and sent Jemimah Rodrigues. That was unfair, since the captain is in command and has to face flak after a bad loss. Running away does no good and given the perceptions about Harmanpreet, when she behaved boorishly last year in Bangladesh, she is under scrutiny. She has to face the heat, that’s why the BCCI selectors named Harmanpreet captain. If leadership is all about just going for the toss and playing a match, there are plenty of other options available in this Indian side.
The seasoned pro knows she is under pressure and competing against Pakistan should not have been hyped so much. It is just that past records have been forgotten and the hype reaches a feverish pitch due to one loss to the Kiwis. At the same time, Pakistan are also a motivated side and will relish the opportunity to play India at a neutral venue. Do not be surprised if a sizeable number of fans turn up for the desert duel between the two neighbours where every sporting contest is measured on the Richter scale. Pessimistic fans are already talking about an early India exit from the World Cup, as if a loss to mighty Australia is a foregone conclusion. Sport is all about being in the present and competing hard. After all, the story of underdogs in sports is more romantic.
If the UAE will see heat being generated on Sunday, Gwalior must witness good cricket as well. India take on Bangladesh in the T20 international series and the hope is this is not as one-sided as the lousy Test series where the visitors were clueless. For new T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav, the opportunity to lead and assess fresh talent is a good one. The skipper, himself, has shown flair for leadership in the past. To handle a side where some key players have been rested means Surya will expect the Young Turks to explode.
For those who watched the early part of the IPL 2024, a fast howler hurling the white ball at speeds over 150kmph made for great viewing. Playing for Lucknow Super Giants, Mayank Yadav was pronounced as the next Kapi Dev of Indian cricket. The poor boy ‘broke down’ just after a few matches. He has spent plenty of time at the NCA in Bengaluru in rehab and being assessed. If he does make his debut tonight, he will be watched with immense interest. Mayank is fast but whether he can soak in the pressure on the big stage, even against a weaker opponent will be important to watch. At the same time, a few more youngsters will also be ready to deliver.
Post retirement of Ravindra Jadeja from the T20 format after India won the ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies, the search for a quality all-rounder is on. Add to it the upcoming big IPL auction in November, reportedly to be held in Saudi Arabia this time, franchises will also keep an eye on performances from this T20 series. Apart from Mayank Yadav, Nitish Reddy and a few more players will also be tracked by talent spotters as well as IPL scouts.
