Indian cops have busted a fake IPL tournament in the western state of Gujarat. The organisers paid farmers to dress up as players and duped Russian punters into placing bets. Mariam Wardak tells you how this elaborate cricketing con was exposed.

South Asia Diary | Indian cops bust fake IPL tournament

<p>Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has made a bold claim stating that he helped the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) grow its wealth by&nbsp;multiple folds with the help of the launch of the Indian Premier League (IPL) back in 2008. Modi was one of the key figures behind the inception of the world's richest cricket league in 2008 and served as the chairman of IPL from 2008 to 2010.</p>

<p>The former IPL chairman has been garnering the limelight on social media for the past couple of days after announcing his relationship with former Miss Universe and Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen. Modi shared pictures with Sen on social media to confirm their relationship leaving social media abuzz with all sorts of reactions.</p>

<p>Many have also trolled the former IPL chairman, who was banned for life by BCCI in the year 2013 after he was found guilty of a total of 8 charges, including rigging bids, and taking decisions without the governing council's approval, money laundering and betting among others.</p>

<p>Modi recently took to Instagram to share a lengthy post hitting out at the media and trolls claiming that he was born with a 'diamond spoon' and&nbsp;'never took bribe' from anyone, and neither took any favour from the government of India. In his post, Modi also made a bold claim about his stint with the BCCI stating that the Indian cricket board&nbsp;had Rs 40 crore (INR 400 million) in the bank when he had joined the organisation and Rs&nbsp;47,680 crore&nbsp;(INR&nbsp;476.8 billion) when he was banned.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/one-champion-to-another-harbhajan-lauds-babar-azam-virat-kohli-over-heartfelt-twitter-exchange-498165">'One champion to another': Harbhajan lauds Babar Azam, Virat Kohli over heartfelt Twitter exchange</a></p>

<p>"It's time you woke up - when I joined BCCI it&nbsp;had&nbsp;40 crores in the bank. I joined on my birthday Nov 29 2005. Guess what was in the bank when I was banned&nbsp;- 47,680 crores," Modi claimed in his Instagram post.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgF1-KQteG6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgF1-KQteG6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgF1-KQteG6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgF1-KQteG6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Lalit Modi (@lalitkmodi)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>While he played an instrumental role in starting the Indian Premier League, Modi also served as vice-president of the BCCI from 2005 to 2010. He was first suspended by the BCCI immediately after the conclusion of IPL 2010 after being accused of financial misconduct and irregularities before being banned for life by a BCCI committee in 2013.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-captain-babar-azam-breaks-virat-kohlis-record-to-achieve-elusive-feat-498185">Pakistan captain Babar Azam breaks Virat Kohli's record to achieve huge milestone</a></p>

<p>The businessman and former IPL chairman also held the post of the President of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) from 2005 to 2009 before being reappointed for one year in 2014. He is also the&nbsp;President and Managing Director of Modi Enterprises - his family-owned business conglomerate.</p>


Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has made a bold claim stating that he helped the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) grow its wealth by multiple folds with the help of the launch of the Indian Premier League (IPL) back in 2008.

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has made a bold claim stating that he helped the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) grow its wealth by multiple folds with the help of the launch of the Indian Premier League (IPL) back in 2008. Modi was one of the key figures behind the inception of the world's richest cricket league in 2008 and served as the chairman of IPL from 2008 to 2010. The former IPL chairman has been garnering the limelight on social media for the past couple of days after announcing his relationship with former Miss Universe and Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen. Modi shared pictures with Sen on social media to confirm their relationship leaving social media abuzz with all sorts of reactions. Many have also trolled the former IPL chairman, who was banned for life by BCCI in the year 2013 after he was found guilty of a total of 8 charges, including rigging bids, and taking decisions without the governing council's approval, money laundering and betting among others. Modi recently took to Instagram to share a lengthy post hitting out at the media and trolls claiming that he was born with a 'diamond spoon' and 'never took bribe' from anyone, and neither took any favour from the government of India. In his post, Modi also made a bold claim about his stint with the BCCI stating that the Indian cricket board had Rs 40 crore (INR 400 million) in the bank when he had joined the organisation and Rs 47,680 crore (INR 476.8 billion) when he was banned. Also Read: 'One champion to another': Harbhajan lauds Babar Azam, Virat Kohli over heartfelt Twitter exchange "It's time you woke up - when I joined BCCI it had 40 crores in the bank. I joined on my birthday Nov 29 2005. Guess what was in the bank when I was banned - 47,680 crores," Modi claimed in his Instagram post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lalit Modi (@lalitkmodi) × While he played an instrumental role in starting the Indian Premier League, Modi also served as vice-president of the BCCI from 2005 to 2010. He was first suspended by the BCCI immediately after the conclusion of IPL 2010 after being accused of financial misconduct and irregularities before being banned for life by a BCCI committee in 2013. Also Read: Pakistan captain Babar Azam breaks Virat Kohli's record to achieve huge milestone The businessman and former IPL chairman also held the post of the President of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) from 2005 to 2009 before being reappointed for one year in 2014. He is also the President and Managing Director of Modi Enterprises - his family-owned business conglomerate.

BCCI had Rs 400 million in bank when I joined and Rs 476.8 billion when I was banned, claims Lalit Modi

<p>South African pacer Lungi Ngidi has shared his family's struggle with racism. The speedster, who has already won South Africa's cricketer of the year award and earned two IPL champions medals in his relatively short career, stated that it was his parents' experience with racism that opened his eye.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Talking about how his father, a petrol attendant, was treated differently for the colour of his skin, Ngidi said, “My dad was a petrol attendant and a white customer wouldn’t even put the money in his hand. He just threw it on the floor,"</p>

<p>“I don’t think I’ll ever lose that story. It was just so degrading. For my dad to go on in life as if everything’s fine took a lot of courage but this is how they raised me. The stories they shared were eye-opening and painful to hear, because those scars never really close up.” he further added in the interview with The Guardian.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite his parents facing acute racism, Ngidi believes that he still does not assume anything about a person, unless they show their racist side to him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“My parents grew up in an era where racism was rife but apartheid was over when I was born. They wanted me to make the most of that new start and they raised me never to judge a book by its cover, and I live by that today. Until someone shows me that side of themselves, I will never assume that is who they are.”</p>

<p>Ngidi was one of the first voices to speak amongst the South African camp in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder in Minneapolis, USA, two years ago. At the time, several former South African cricketers had called out Ngidi and tried to silence his voice.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-united-against-racism-quinton-de-kock-joins-sa-teammates-in-taking-a-knee-ahead-of-sri-lanka-clash-425296">WATCH: United against racism! Quinton de Kock joins SA teammates in taking a knee ahead of Sri Lanka clash</a></p>

<p>However, the speedster stuck to his version and encouraged the Proteas to address the issue as a team. Ngidi is currently in England for his first full-fledged English tour and part of the red-ball setup.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe></p>


South African pacer Lungi Ngidi has shared his family's struggle with racism. The speedster, who has already won South Africa's cricketer of the year award and earned two IPL champions medals in his relatively short career, stated that it was his parents' experience with racism that opened his eye.

South African pacer Lungi Ngidi has shared his family's struggle with racism. The speedster, who has already won South Africa's cricketer of the year award and earned two IPL champions medals in his relatively short career, stated that it was his parents' experience with racism that opened his eye. Talking about how his father, a petrol attendant, was treated differently for the colour of his skin, Ngidi said, “My dad was a petrol attendant and a white customer wouldn’t even put the money in his hand. He just threw it on the floor," “I don’t think I’ll ever lose that story. It was just so degrading. For my dad to go on in life as if everything’s fine took a lot of courage but this is how they raised me. The stories they shared were eye-opening and painful to hear, because those scars never really close up.” he further added in the interview with The Guardian. Despite his parents facing acute racism, Ngidi believes that he still does not assume anything about a person, unless they show their racist side to him. “My parents grew up in an era where racism was rife but apartheid was over when I was born. They wanted me to make the most of that new start and they raised me never to judge a book by its cover, and I live by that today. Until someone shows me that side of themselves, I will never assume that is who they are.” Ngidi was one of the first voices to speak amongst the South African camp in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder in Minneapolis, USA, two years ago. At the time, several former South African cricketers had called out Ngidi and tried to silence his voice. Read More: WATCH: United against racism! Quinton de Kock joins SA teammates in taking a knee ahead of Sri Lanka clash However, the speedster stuck to his version and encouraged the Proteas to address the issue as a team. Ngidi is currently in England for his first full-fledged English tour and part of the red-ball setup. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'White customer would throw money in front of my father', SA pacer Lungi Ngidi opens up about racism

<p>Hardik Pandya enjoyed a dream run with his new team Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he led the franchise to their maiden title in their debut season. Hardik was appointed as the captain of the Titans ahead of the new season after being roped in by GT in the players' draft. The star Indian all-rounder was released by his former side Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the mega auction.</p>

<p>Mumbai Indians' decision to let go of Pandya had left many in shock as he is the best all-rounder India have in white-ball cricket at present. Hardik had made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians back in 2015 and played an instrumental role in their success with both the bat and the ball. He had not played for any other IPL team in his career before being released by MI.</p>

<p>However, MI's decision to release him proved to be a blessing in disguise for Pandya, who went on to inspire Gujarat Titans to a memorable IPL triumph in their maiden season. However, the all-rounder was not happy with MI's decision to release him and was left shocked when the franchise didn't retain him.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-responds-to-babar-azams-stay-strong-tweet-amid-his-lean-patch-for-team-india-497999">Kohli responds to Babar Azam's tweet after Pakistan skipper lends support amid his lean patch</a></p>

<p>Former India head coach Ravi Shastri recently revealed Pandya was left shocked when he was released by the five-time champions. However, the extra responsibility of leading the team at Titans did wonders for him in IPL 2022.</p>

<p>"It shocked him when he was not retained by Mumbai Indians," Shastri said in the commentary box during the 2nd ODI between India and England at Lord's on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It was tough... MI had Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharna, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya so they had to pick three out of those five. Ishan Kishan was obviously picked in the auction.</p>

<p>"He was picked by Gujarat Titans, where he was given the extra responsibility of captaining, which did him a world of good. When given responsibility, he's a completely different cricket as opposed to just batting and fielding," added the former India head coach.</p>

<p>MI had problems of plenty when it come to retentions ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction as they had a squad full of match-winners. The franchise decided to keep hold of skipper Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard as their 4 retentions while letting go of Pandya and Ishan Kishan among others.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/70-tons-is-no-small-feat-dont-understand-how-could-people-think-about-dropping-virat-kohli-shoaib-akhtar-498048">70 tons is no small feat, don't understand how could people think about dropping Kohli: Shoaib Akhtar</a></p>

<p>However, MI managed to buy back Ishan at the auction while Pandya was roped in by GT in the draft before the auction. Mumbai Indians endured a terrible campaign in IPL 2022 as they failed to qualify for the playoffs and finished at the bottom of the table losing 8 matches in a row at the start of the season.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Hardik Pandya enjoyed a dream run with his new team Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he led the franchise to their maiden title in their debut season.

Hardik Pandya enjoyed a dream run with his new team Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he led the franchise to their maiden title in their debut season. Hardik was appointed as the captain of the Titans ahead of the new season after being roped in by GT in the players' draft. The star Indian all-rounder was released by his former side Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the mega auction. Mumbai Indians' decision to let go of Pandya had left many in shock as he is the best all-rounder India have in white-ball cricket at present. Hardik had made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians back in 2015 and played an instrumental role in their success with both the bat and the ball. He had not played for any other IPL team in his career before being released by MI. However, MI's decision to release him proved to be a blessing in disguise for Pandya, who went on to inspire Gujarat Titans to a memorable IPL triumph in their maiden season. However, the all-rounder was not happy with MI's decision to release him and was left shocked when the franchise didn't retain him. Also Read: Kohli responds to Babar Azam's tweet after Pakistan skipper lends support amid his lean patch Former India head coach Ravi Shastri recently revealed Pandya was left shocked when he was released by the five-time champions. However, the extra responsibility of leading the team at Titans did wonders for him in IPL 2022. "It shocked him when he was not retained by Mumbai Indians," Shastri said in the commentary box during the 2nd ODI between India and England at Lord's on Thursday. "It was tough... MI had Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharna, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya so they had to pick three out of those five. Ishan Kishan was obviously picked in the auction. "He was picked by Gujarat Titans, where he was given the extra responsibility of captaining, which did him a world of good. When given responsibility, he's a completely different cricket as opposed to just batting and fielding," added the former India head coach. MI had problems of plenty when it come to retentions ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction as they had a squad full of match-winners. The franchise decided to keep hold of skipper Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard as their 4 retentions while letting go of Pandya and Ishan Kishan among others. Also Read: 70 tons is no small feat, don't understand how could people think about dropping Kohli: Shoaib Akhtar However, MI managed to buy back Ishan at the auction while Pandya was roped in by GT in the draft before the auction. Mumbai Indians endured a terrible campaign in IPL 2022 as they failed to qualify for the playoffs and finished at the bottom of the table losing 8 matches in a row at the start of the season.

Hardik Pandya was shocked when Mumbai Indians decided not to retain him, reveals Ravi Shastri

<p>Over the past week or so, news had&nbsp;been circulating about fake IPL being conducted in Gujarat. Now, the culprit behind the fake IPL racket has finally been nabbed. As per the Gujarat police, the mastermind behind the fake IPL is a Russian and not an Indian.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per a report in the Times of India, a Russian named Efimov is behind the whole scam.&nbsp;Till now, it was believed that Asif Mohammed and Ashok Chaudhary were behind the racket, however, a new twist came into the picture as a Russian citizen&nbsp;by the name of 'Efimov' had plotted the whole scam.&nbsp;It was confirmed via the sleuths of Gujarat's Mehsana police.</p>

<p>For the unversed, the fake IPL-like&nbsp;league&nbsp;was not only conducted&nbsp;in Molipur but also in other places such as&nbsp;Meerut,&nbsp;Pune, and Jalandhar. A Mehsana police officer said, "The scrutiny of Telegram chats of the accused persons has revealed that Efimov is the mastermind. Asif Mohammed and Ashok Chaudhary were working for Efimov, and they planned the fake IPL in Molipur and other places. Asif is a Pakistani citizen while Ashok is an Indian."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wi-t20is-no-virat-kohli-and-jasprit-bumrah-as-r-ashwin-kl-rahul-return-in-rohit-sharma-led-squad-497285"><strong>WI T20Is: No Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah as R Ashwin, KL Rahul return in Rohit Sharma-led squad</strong></a></p>

<p>After a&nbsp;probe commenced with regard to the fake cricket league, a similar racket came into the scene after being reported&nbsp;by Hapur police in Meerut (in Uttar Pradesh). As per the Mehsana SOG sources, it was revealed that the gang focused on conducting matches&nbsp;to ensure the regular cash inflow from Russian punters who frequent pubs in Tver, Voronezh and Moscow.</p>

<p>"Shoeb Davda, one of the accused who was caught from Molipur, had lived in Russia for eight months. He had returned to India only recently. Mohammed and Chaudhary had instructed him to organize a T20 cricket tournament to accept bets. It is he who had suggested that the matches be held in Molipur since it was an ideal location to pull off the con," pointed out a police officer.</p>

<p>"They held at least 20 matches in Meerut. In case of any suspicion that their match venue was under scanner, they would leave the venue and choose another. Some matches were also played in Pune and Jalandhar. We are investigating them,"&nbsp;the officer further added.</p>


Over the past week or so, news had been circulating about fake IPL being conducted in Gujarat. Now, the culprit behind the fake IPL racket has finally been nabbed.

Over the past week or so, news had been circulating about fake IPL being conducted in Gujarat. Now, the culprit behind the fake IPL racket has finally been nabbed. As per the Gujarat police, the mastermind behind the fake IPL is a Russian and not an Indian. As per a report in the Times of India, a Russian named Efimov is behind the whole scam. Till now, it was believed that Asif Mohammed and Ashok Chaudhary were behind the racket, however, a new twist came into the picture as a Russian citizen by the name of 'Efimov' had plotted the whole scam. It was confirmed via the sleuths of Gujarat's Mehsana police. For the unversed, the fake IPL-like league was not only conducted in Molipur but also in other places such as Meerut, Pune, and Jalandhar. A Mehsana police officer said, "The scrutiny of Telegram chats of the accused persons has revealed that Efimov is the mastermind. Asif Mohammed and Ashok Chaudhary were working for Efimov, and they planned the fake IPL in Molipur and other places. Asif is a Pakistani citizen while Ashok is an Indian." ALSO READ | WI T20Is: No Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah as R Ashwin, KL Rahul return in Rohit Sharma-led squad After a probe commenced with regard to the fake cricket league, a similar racket came into the scene after being reported by Hapur police in Meerut (in Uttar Pradesh). As per the Mehsana SOG sources, it was revealed that the gang focused on conducting matches to ensure the regular cash inflow from Russian punters who frequent pubs in Tver, Voronezh and Moscow. "Shoeb Davda, one of the accused who was caught from Molipur, had lived in Russia for eight months. He had returned to India only recently. Mohammed and Chaudhary had instructed him to organize a T20 cricket tournament to accept bets. It is he who had suggested that the matches be held in Molipur since it was an ideal location to pull off the con," pointed out a police officer. "They held at least 20 matches in Meerut. In case of any suspicion that their match venue was under scanner, they would leave the venue and choose another. Some matches were also played in Pune and Jalandhar. We are investigating them," the officer further added.

Mastermind behind fake IPL matches in Gujarat nabbed: Report

India and Rajasthan Royals' young star Dhruv Jurel shares his journey so far, the MS Dhoni policy which works wonders for him, and learnings from Kumar Sangakkara in IPL 2022.

EXCLUSIVE: I abide by MS Dhoni's 'control the controllables' policy, says U-19 star Dhruv Jurel

A gang of conmen set up a fake Indian Premier League tournament with farm labourers acting as players to dupe Russian punters in a betting scam. Molly Gambhir tells you all about this scam.

WION Fineprint | Gang caught running fake Indian cricket league to dupe Russian gamblers

<p>Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the Indian players for opting for rest during national team duty and not considering taking a break while representing their respective franchises during the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gavaskar's comments have come at a time when the Indian team management and the selectors have been facing the ire for constantly resting senior players who are struggling with their form.</p>

<p>There have also been reports that some senior players asked to be rested from the upcoming five-match T20I series against West Indies. Captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli among others have already been rested for the ODI series against West Indies and it remains to be seen if they will feature in the T20 squad for the tour of the Caribbean.</p>

<p>Gavaskar has questioned players' commitment to playing for their country amid the resting policy. The Indian legend said he is absolutely against players taking a rest from international cricket and questioned why don't the senior Indian players take a break during the IPL instead of resting when playing for the country.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/when-rohit-does-not-score-runs-no-one-talks-about-it-sunil-gavaskar-comes-in-defence-of-virat-kohli-496447">'When Rohit does not score runs, no one talks about it' - Sunil Gavaskar comes in defence of Virat Kohli</a></p>

<p>"I am absolutely against players taking rest. You can't rest in IPL, but you want to rest when you play for India? Test cricket takes a toll on your mind and body. But T20s is all about 20 overs of bowling and batting which shouldn't be difficult. If they want to take a rest, they can, but then all the guarantees should be taken away from them. The board needs to draw a line if they want to be professional," Gavaskar said on <em>Sports Tak</em>.</p>

<p>Both Kohli and Rohit have not enjoyed the best of form and have struggled to score runs consistently in the last few months. The duo had a shambolic campaign in IPL 2022 for their respective teams and are yet to notch up a big knock for the Indian team and have&nbsp;failed in the last few games.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-likely-to-miss-odi-series-opener-vs-england-due-to-injury-concerns-sources-496472">Virat Kohli likely to miss ODI series opener vs England due to injury concerns: Sources</a></p>

<p>With the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia just a few months away from getting underway, both Kohli and Rohit's form has become a huge concern for the Indian team. Many have even questioned Kohli's spot in India's T20I side suggesting that the senior batter should be dropped from the team.</p>


Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the Indian players for opting for rest during national team duty and not considering taking a break while representing their respective franchises during the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the Indian players for opting for rest during national team duty and not considering taking a break while representing their respective franchises during the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gavaskar's comments have come at a time when the Indian team management and the selectors have been facing the ire for constantly resting senior players who are struggling with their form. There have also been reports that some senior players asked to be rested from the upcoming five-match T20I series against West Indies. Captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli among others have already been rested for the ODI series against West Indies and it remains to be seen if they will feature in the T20 squad for the tour of the Caribbean. Gavaskar has questioned players' commitment to playing for their country amid the resting policy. The Indian legend said he is absolutely against players taking a rest from international cricket and questioned why don't the senior Indian players take a break during the IPL instead of resting when playing for the country. Also Read: 'When Rohit does not score runs, no one talks about it' - Sunil Gavaskar comes in defence of Virat Kohli "I am absolutely against players taking rest. You can't rest in IPL, but you want to rest when you play for India? Test cricket takes a toll on your mind and body. But T20s is all about 20 overs of bowling and batting which shouldn't be difficult. If they want to take a rest, they can, but then all the guarantees should be taken away from them. The board needs to draw a line if they want to be professional," Gavaskar said on Sports Tak. Both Kohli and Rohit have not enjoyed the best of form and have struggled to score runs consistently in the last few months. The duo had a shambolic campaign in IPL 2022 for their respective teams and are yet to notch up a big knock for the Indian team and have failed in the last few games. Also Read: Virat Kohli likely to miss ODI series opener vs England due to injury concerns: Sources With the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia just a few months away from getting underway, both Kohli and Rohit's form has become a huge concern for the Indian team. Many have even questioned Kohli's spot in India's T20I side suggesting that the senior batter should be dropped from the team.

You can't rest in IPL but want to rest when you play for India: Sunil Gavaskar slams Team India stars

<p>The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the best T20 tournaments in the world and enjoys massive popularity across the globe. While high-quality cricketing action on display attracts fans from across the globe, IPL also allows punters from around the world to place bets during matches. While there are several legal betting apps online, several fake betting rackets have been busted in India over the years.</p>

<p>The latest fake IPL betting racket was busted in Gujarat's Mehsana district where fake matches were staged at a remote farm in Molipur Village to dupe punters from Russia. HD cameras, fake crowd noise and umpires were used during the matches with players wearing the jerseys of IPL teams to pull off a near-perfect con job.</p>

<p>As per a report in the<em> Times of India</em>, the fake IPL had almost reached the quarter-finals stage before the racket was busted by the local police. The report further states that the matches used to be broadcast live on YouTube and bets were accepted from punters from three Russian cities - Moscow, Voronezh and Tver.</p>

<p>While the players reportedly worse jerseys worn by the actual IPL teams, walkie-talkies were also used during the matches to make it look like the real tournament. As per the report, a commentator was also hired to mimic famous cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle during the matches.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-defends-virat-kohli-reponds-to-his-critics-they-dont-know-whats-going-on-inside-496254">Rohit Sharma defends Virat Kohli, responds to his critics: 'They don't know what's going on inside'</a></p>

<p>As per the <em>Times of India</em>, the Mehsana police arrested four people, who were involved in the fake IPL racket and are currently investigating the matter. As per Bhavesh Rathod, the SOG PI, Mehsana, a person named Shoeb Davda was helping in taking bets and running the fake IPL after returning to India from Russia where he worked at a pub famous for taking bets.</p>

<p>However, Shoeb claimed he was not the mastermind behind the whole racket and revealed he had met a person named Asif Mohammed while working in the Russian pub and it was Asif who executed the whole plan. Soheb helped Asif in staging the fake tournament in India by hiring 21 farm labours as players for Rs 400 per day. He also hired cameramen, and a commentator and bought IPL jerseys for the players to help Asif in pulling off the fake IPL.</p>

<p>"Shoeb hired the farm of Ghulam Masih and installed halogen lights there. He readied 21 farm labourers, promising them Rs 400 per match. Next, he hired cameramen and bought T-shirts of IPL teams. When the cops were tipped-off, they felt something was wrong," Rathod was quoted as saying by the Times of India.</p>

<p>"Shoeb would take bets. He would instruct Kolu, the umpire, to signal fours and sixes. Kolu would alert the batsman and the baller. Next, the baller would deliver a slow ball, enabling the batsman to hit it for a four or a six.</p>

<p>"The cameramen would pan the cameras towards the sky to show that the ball was nowhere in sight. Next, they would zoom into the umpire who would signal a six. The cameramen ensured there were no zoom-outs lest the farm became visible," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/suryakumar-yadav-to-watch-out-for-rohit-sharmas-10-year-old-tweet-goes-viral-as-sky-torments-england-496272">'Suryakumar&nbsp;to watch out for': Rohit Sharma's 10-year-old tweet goes viral as SKY torments England</a></p>

<p>As per the report, the first instalment of bets from Russia amounting to Rs 3 lakh (Around USD 3,778) had already been received by the group running the fake betting racket in the name of IPL. The fake IPL racket has been busted just weeks after the 15th edition of the tournament was concluded in India with Gujarat Titans lifting the title in their maiden season.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the best T20 tournaments in the world and enjoys massive popularity across the globe. While high-quality cricketing action on display attracts fans from across the globe, IPL also allows punters from around the world to place bets during matches.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the best T20 tournaments in the world and enjoys massive popularity across the globe. While high-quality cricketing action on display attracts fans from across the globe, IPL also allows punters from around the world to place bets during matches. While there are several legal betting apps online, several fake betting rackets have been busted in India over the years. The latest fake IPL betting racket was busted in Gujarat's Mehsana district where fake matches were staged at a remote farm in Molipur Village to dupe punters from Russia. HD cameras, fake crowd noise and umpires were used during the matches with players wearing the jerseys of IPL teams to pull off a near-perfect con job. As per a report in the Times of India, the fake IPL had almost reached the quarter-finals stage before the racket was busted by the local police. The report further states that the matches used to be broadcast live on YouTube and bets were accepted from punters from three Russian cities - Moscow, Voronezh and Tver. While the players reportedly worse jerseys worn by the actual IPL teams, walkie-talkies were also used during the matches to make it look like the real tournament. As per the report, a commentator was also hired to mimic famous cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle during the matches. Also Read: Rohit Sharma defends Virat Kohli, responds to his critics: 'They don't know what's going on inside' As per the Times of India, the Mehsana police arrested four people, who were involved in the fake IPL racket and are currently investigating the matter. As per Bhavesh Rathod, the SOG PI, Mehsana, a person named Shoeb Davda was helping in taking bets and running the fake IPL after returning to India from Russia where he worked at a pub famous for taking bets. However, Shoeb claimed he was not the mastermind behind the whole racket and revealed he had met a person named Asif Mohammed while working in the Russian pub and it was Asif who executed the whole plan. Soheb helped Asif in staging the fake tournament in India by hiring 21 farm labours as players for Rs 400 per day. He also hired cameramen, and a commentator and bought IPL jerseys for the players to help Asif in pulling off the fake IPL. "Shoeb hired the farm of Ghulam Masih and installed halogen lights there. He readied 21 farm labourers, promising them Rs 400 per match. Next, he hired cameramen and bought T-shirts of IPL teams. When the cops were tipped-off, they felt something was wrong," Rathod was quoted as saying by the Times of India. "Shoeb would take bets. He would instruct Kolu, the umpire, to signal fours and sixes. Kolu would alert the batsman and the baller. Next, the baller would deliver a slow ball, enabling the batsman to hit it for a four or a six. "The cameramen would pan the cameras towards the sky to show that the ball was nowhere in sight. Next, they would zoom into the umpire who would signal a six. The cameramen ensured there were no zoom-outs lest the farm became visible," he added. Also Read: 'Suryakumar to watch out for': Rohit Sharma's 10-year-old tweet goes viral as SKY torments England As per the report, the first instalment of bets from Russia amounting to Rs 3 lakh (Around USD 3,778) had already been received by the group running the fake betting racket in the name of IPL. The fake IPL racket has been busted just weeks after the 15th edition of the tournament was concluded in India with Gujarat Titans lifting the title in their maiden season.

HD cameras, crowd-noise effect & team jerseys: How fake IPL staged in India's Gujarat duped Russian punters

<p>Speculations are rife over Ravindra Jadeja's future at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after the star all-rounder recently deleted all the posts related to the franchise from his Instagram account. Jadeja was appointed as CSK's captain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 this year but had to step down midway through the season after the franchise managed only a couple of wins in their first eight matches.</p>

<p>MS Dhoni had relinquished CSK's captaincy at the start of IPL 2022 to hand over the baton to Jadeja. However, the all-rounder failed to get off to an impressive start in his captaincy stint with CSK losing four matches in a row. The Men in Yellow brought an end to their losing streak in their 5th game of the season before managing only one win in their next three matches.</p>

<p>Jadeja stepped down from captaincy midway through the season as Dhoni was asked to take over again. The star all-rounder, who didn't have a great campaign on the personal front as well, was later ruled out from the tournament due to an injury.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/when-will-they-learn-to-shut-james-anderson-reveals-how-bairstow-reacted-to-kohlis-sledging-in-5th-test-495841">'When will they learn to shut': Anderson reveals how Bairstow reacted to Kohli's sledging in 5th Test</a></p>

<p>Fans have been left surprised by Jadeja's latest action with many speculating the all-rounder might be looking to part ways with the four-time champions ahead of the new season. However, a CSK official has refuted the rumours and said all is okay between Jadeja and the franchise.</p>

<p>"See, this is a personal call by him. We are not aware of such kinds of incidents from our side. All ok. Nothing is wrong," a CSK official told ANI reacting to Jadeja's latest Instagram activity.</p>

<p>Jadeja was seen as a long-term replacement for Dhoni as captain after he was handed over the baton by the legendary wicket-keeper batter ahead of IPL 2022. However, his captaincy stint came to an abrupt end after CSK's disastrous start to the season.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-r-ashwin-can-be-dropped-from-tests-why-cant-virat-kohli-be-dropped-from-t20is-kapil-dev-495809">If R Ashwin can be dropped from Tests why can't Virat Kohli be dropped from T20Is: Kapil Dev</a></p>

<p>Despite Dhoni taking over once again midway through the season, CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs as they finished at the 9th spot on the points table. Jadeja was retained as the first-choice player by CSK ahead of IPL 2022 with the highest salary of Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million).</p>


Speculations are rife over Ravindra Jadeja's future at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after the star all-rounder recently deleted all the posts related to the franchise from his Instagram account.

Speculations are rife over Ravindra Jadeja's future at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after the star all-rounder recently deleted all the posts related to the franchise from his Instagram account. Jadeja was appointed as CSK's captain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 this year but had to step down midway through the season after the franchise managed only a couple of wins in their first eight matches. MS Dhoni had relinquished CSK's captaincy at the start of IPL 2022 to hand over the baton to Jadeja. However, the all-rounder failed to get off to an impressive start in his captaincy stint with CSK losing four matches in a row. The Men in Yellow brought an end to their losing streak in their 5th game of the season before managing only one win in their next three matches. Jadeja stepped down from captaincy midway through the season as Dhoni was asked to take over again. The star all-rounder, who didn't have a great campaign on the personal front as well, was later ruled out from the tournament due to an injury. Also Read: 'When will they learn to shut': Anderson reveals how Bairstow reacted to Kohli's sledging in 5th Test Fans have been left surprised by Jadeja's latest action with many speculating the all-rounder might be looking to part ways with the four-time champions ahead of the new season. However, a CSK official has refuted the rumours and said all is okay between Jadeja and the franchise. "See, this is a personal call by him. We are not aware of such kinds of incidents from our side. All ok. Nothing is wrong," a CSK official told ANI reacting to Jadeja's latest Instagram activity. Jadeja was seen as a long-term replacement for Dhoni as captain after he was handed over the baton by the legendary wicket-keeper batter ahead of IPL 2022. However, his captaincy stint came to an abrupt end after CSK's disastrous start to the season. Also Read: If R Ashwin can be dropped from Tests why can't Virat Kohli be dropped from T20Is: Kapil Dev Despite Dhoni taking over once again midway through the season, CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs as they finished at the 9th spot on the points table. Jadeja was retained as the first-choice player by CSK ahead of IPL 2022 with the highest salary of Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million).

'We are not aware': CSK official reacts after Ravindra Jadeja removes franchise's posts from Instagram

Happy Birthday MSD: Reliving MS Dhoni's decorated career as he turns 41

<p>MS Dhoni turned 41 on Thursday (July 07). Dhoni remains a darling of the nation despite retiring from international cricket on August 15, 2020. The 41-year-old former Indian captain is still a favourite among fans and many poured wishes for the former cricketer as he turns a year older.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Twitter, Dhoni is trending since the start of the day and many former, as well as active cricketers, wished him on his special day. Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ishant Sharma and many others wished the former Indian stumper. Here are some of the wishes:</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A leader like no other. Thanks for everything you have done for Indian cricket. 🇮🇳 You became more like an elder brother for me. Nothing but love and respect always.<br />
<br />
Happy birthday skip 🎂<a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> <a href="https://t.co/kIxdmrEuGP">pic.twitter.com/kIxdmrEuGP</a></p>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1544931899663007745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy Birthday to my big brother. Thank you for being my biggest supporter and mentor in every phase of life, may god bless you and your family with good health always. Much love to you mahi bhai. Wishing you a great year ahead! <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HappyBirthdayDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HappyBirthdayDhoni</a> <a href="https://t.co/3uABWFIlnO">pic.twitter.com/3uABWFIlnO</a></p>
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRaina/status/1544752338992340995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Till the time full stop doesn't come,a sentence isn't completed. Till the time Dhoni is at the crease,match isn't completed.<br />
Not all teams have the fortune to have a person like Dhoni, Happy B'day to a gem of a person &amp; player,MS Dhoni. Om Helicopteraya Namaha <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HappyBirthdayDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HappyBirthdayDhoni</a> <a href="https://t.co/qGFhpcP5so">pic.twitter.com/qGFhpcP5so</a></p>
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) <a href="https://twitter.com/virendersehwag/status/1544873943542116352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Very very happy birthday to you <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> 🥳 My best wishes are always with you! Have the most wonderful year ahead. Love always 🤗 <a href="https://t.co/95n92fqeNT">pic.twitter.com/95n92fqeNT</a></p>
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) <a href="https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh/status/1544908247458611200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Still remember this day very fondly, thank you for everything Mahi bhai!!<br />
<br />
Best wishes to you on your birthday, have a great year ahead <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> 🎂😁 <a href="https://t.co/hZm1QQ571F">pic.twitter.com/hZm1QQ571F</a></p>
— Ishant Sharma (@ImIshant) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImIshant/status/1544884511284027394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy birthday, <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> 🤗 Wish you the very best for the coming year! Keep shining always. <a href="https://t.co/SsfYsf3LUT">pic.twitter.com/SsfYsf3LUT</a></p>
— cheteshwar pujara (@cheteshwar1) <a href="https://twitter.com/cheteshwar1/status/1544909701489561601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dear Thala,<br />
<br />
Here's some Birthday Yellove! 💛<br />
<br />
- Anbuden,<br />
Chennai<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HBDThalaDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HBDThalaDhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> 🦁💛 <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> <a href="https://t.co/QSw43O5sy5">pic.twitter.com/QSw43O5sy5</a></p>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1544922353272233984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-god-is-not-coming-to-save-you-ms-dhonis-motivational-words-before-indias-ct13-win-494967"><strong>THROWBACK: 'God is not coming to save you' - MS Dhoni's motivational words before India's CT'13 win</strong></a></p>

<p>Dhoni remains an icon and inspiration in Indian cricket. The superstar cricketer made his debut at the international level in late 2004. While he was run-out for a duck in his first ODI, Dhoni gained unprecedented success across formats as a batter, finisher, keeper and captain. In ODIs, he slammed over 10,000 runs whereas he was a very handy batter in Tests, ending with 4,876 runs in 90 matches with 6 hundreds (including a double ton).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dhoni's numbers in T20Is wasn't extra ordinary but he remained a cameo specialist and finisher, ending with 1,617 runs whereas he is nearing the 5,000-run mark in IPL. He ended his international career with 634 catches, 195 stumpings (most by any) and also led India to all three major ICC titles along with the No. 1 ranking in Tests. To date, Dhoni remains India's second-highest six-hitter (359).</p>

<p>He was last seen in action during IPL 2022 and has confirmed his participation for the next year's edition, where he will again represent the Chennai Super Kings (with whom he has won four IPL titles and two Champions League trophies as captain).</p>


MS Dhoni turned 41 on Thursday (July 07). Dhoni remains a darling of the nation despite retiring from international cricket on August 15, 2020. The 41-year-old former Indian captain is still a favourite among fans and many poured wishes for the former cricketer as he turns a year older.

MS Dhoni turned 41 on Thursday (July 07). Dhoni remains a darling of the nation despite retiring from international cricket on August 15, 2020. The 41-year-old former Indian captain is still a favourite among fans and many poured wishes for the former cricketer as he turns a year older. On Twitter, Dhoni is trending since the start of the day and many former, as well as active cricketers, wished him on his special day. Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ishant Sharma and many others wished the former Indian stumper. Here are some of the wishes: A leader like no other. Thanks for everything you have done for Indian cricket. 🇮🇳 You became more like an elder brother for me. Nothing but love and respect always. Happy birthday skip 🎂@msdhoni pic.twitter.com/kIxdmrEuGP — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 7, 2022 × Happy Birthday to my big brother. Thank you for being my biggest supporter and mentor in every phase of life, may god bless you and your family with good health always. Much love to you mahi bhai. Wishing you a great year ahead! @msdhoni #HappyBirthdayDhoni pic.twitter.com/3uABWFIlnO — Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) July 6, 2022 × Till the time full stop doesn't come,a sentence isn't completed. Till the time Dhoni is at the crease,match isn't completed. Not all teams have the fortune to have a person like Dhoni, Happy B'day to a gem of a person & player,MS Dhoni. Om Helicopteraya Namaha #HappyBirthdayDhoni pic.twitter.com/qGFhpcP5so — Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 7, 2022 × Very very happy birthday to you @msdhoni 🥳 My best wishes are always with you! Have the most wonderful year ahead. Love always 🤗 pic.twitter.com/95n92fqeNT — Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) July 7, 2022 × Still remember this day very fondly, thank you for everything Mahi bhai!! Best wishes to you on your birthday, have a great year ahead @msdhoni 🎂😁 pic.twitter.com/hZm1QQ571F — Ishant Sharma (@ImIshant) July 7, 2022 × Happy birthday, @msdhoni 🤗 Wish you the very best for the coming year! Keep shining always. pic.twitter.com/SsfYsf3LUT — cheteshwar pujara (@cheteshwar1) July 7, 2022 × Dear Thala, Here's some Birthday Yellove! 💛 - Anbuden, Chennai#HBDThalaDhoni #WhistlePodu 🦁💛 @msdhoni pic.twitter.com/QSw43O5sy5 — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) July 7, 2022 × ALSO READ | THROWBACK: 'God is not coming to save you' - MS Dhoni's motivational words before India's CT'13 win Dhoni remains an icon and inspiration in Indian cricket. The superstar cricketer made his debut at the international level in late 2004. While he was run-out for a duck in his first ODI, Dhoni gained unprecedented success across formats as a batter, finisher, keeper and captain. In ODIs, he slammed over 10,000 runs whereas he was a very handy batter in Tests, ending with 4,876 runs in 90 matches with 6 hundreds (including a double ton). Dhoni's numbers in T20Is wasn't extra ordinary but he remained a cameo specialist and finisher, ending with 1,617 runs whereas he is nearing the 5,000-run mark in IPL. He ended his international career with 634 catches, 195 stumpings (most by any) and also led India to all three major ICC titles along with the No. 1 ranking in Tests. To date, Dhoni remains India's second-highest six-hitter (359). He was last seen in action during IPL 2022 and has confirmed his participation for the next year's edition, where he will again represent the Chennai Super Kings (with whom he has won four IPL titles and two Champions League trophies as captain).

Happy Birthday MS Dhoni: Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina lead wishes as former Indian skipper turns 41

<p>MS Dhoni remains a huge name in world cricket. The legendary cricketer retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020. However, he remains a darling of the nation for his stupendous contribution towards Indian cricket courtesy of his batting, finishing and wicketkeeping skills along with leading India to all three major ICC titles as captain.</p>

<p>While Dhoni ended with a mammoth 17,266 international tons with 16 hundreds overall, his wicketkeeping records were also exceptional. The former Indian captain ended with 829 dismissals -- 634 catches and 195 stumpings overall. He is the third-most successful keeper in terms of total dismissals and has accounted for most stumpings in white-ball formats. Dhoni's presence of mind, wise mind and being aware of the angles made him a force to reckon with as a keeper. His guidance and clever moves from behind the stumps often benefitted India.</p>

<p>Recently, India's former fielding coach R Sridhar opened up on Dhoni's brilliance behind the stumps and explained the science behind his prowess as a keeper.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-breaks-ms-dhonis-record-with-stunning-century-in-edgbaston-test-against-england-493771"><strong>Rishabh Pant breaks MS Dhoni's record with stunning century in Edgbaston Test against England</strong></a></p>

<p>"MS Dhoni, the wicketkeeper, is an institution in himself. Dhoni, the wicketkeeper, is a different book to write. None of his skills were developed overnight. It was not in his repertoire when he started or when India won the 2011 World Cup. It is something that has grown as his awareness of the game has gone better," Sridhar told Sony Sports.</p>

<p>"You didn't see him doing these things, probably in 2016 (correct me if I am wrong). His awareness of the game has grown so much. And those stumpings that you see, which he does, I would warn young wicketkeepers to not try that at home or in practice because he has done it after collecting millions of deliveries behind the stumps. Even if you break it down in slow motion, while his hands are coming forward towards the stumps, his wrists will be going back, giving a cushion to the balls," Sridhar added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/to-score-big-you-need-ex-pakistan-captain-opens-up-on-virat-kohlis-dismissal-on-day-3-of-5th-test-494366"><strong>'To score big, you need...': Ex-Pakistan captain opens up on Virat Kohli's dismissal on Day 3 of 5th Test</strong></a></p>

<p>Even in the IPL, Dhoni has most dismissals (170) and will once again gear up to represent the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2023 edition. Under him, CSK finished at the ninth spot in the IPL 15 season, missing out on the playoffs for only the second time (out of 13 seasons) in their rich&nbsp;history in the cash-rich league.</p>


MS Dhoni remains a huge name in world cricket. The legendary cricketer retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020. However, he remains a darling of the nation for his stupendous contribution towards Indian cricket courtesy of his batting, finishing and wicketkeeping skills along with leading India to all three major ICC titles as captain.

MS Dhoni remains a huge name in world cricket. The legendary cricketer retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020. However, he remains a darling of the nation for his stupendous contribution towards Indian cricket courtesy of his batting, finishing and wicketkeeping skills along with leading India to all three major ICC titles as captain. While Dhoni ended with a mammoth 17,266 international tons with 16 hundreds overall, his wicketkeeping records were also exceptional. The former Indian captain ended with 829 dismissals -- 634 catches and 195 stumpings overall. He is the third-most successful keeper in terms of total dismissals and has accounted for most stumpings in white-ball formats. Dhoni's presence of mind, wise mind and being aware of the angles made him a force to reckon with as a keeper. His guidance and clever moves from behind the stumps often benefitted India. Recently, India's former fielding coach R Sridhar opened up on Dhoni's brilliance behind the stumps and explained the science behind his prowess as a keeper. ALSO READ | Rishabh Pant breaks MS Dhoni's record with stunning century in Edgbaston Test against England "MS Dhoni, the wicketkeeper, is an institution in himself. Dhoni, the wicketkeeper, is a different book to write. None of his skills were developed overnight. It was not in his repertoire when he started or when India won the 2011 World Cup. It is something that has grown as his awareness of the game has gone better," Sridhar told Sony Sports. "You didn't see him doing these things, probably in 2016 (correct me if I am wrong). His awareness of the game has grown so much. And those stumpings that you see, which he does, I would warn young wicketkeepers to not try that at home or in practice because he has done it after collecting millions of deliveries behind the stumps. Even if you break it down in slow motion, while his hands are coming forward towards the stumps, his wrists will be going back, giving a cushion to the balls," Sridhar added. ALSO READ | 'To score big, you need...': Ex-Pakistan captain opens up on Virat Kohli's dismissal on Day 3 of 5th Test Even in the IPL, Dhoni has most dismissals (170) and will once again gear up to represent the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2023 edition. Under him, CSK finished at the ninth spot in the IPL 15 season, missing out on the playoffs for only the second time (out of 13 seasons) in their rich history in the cash-rich league.

'MS Dhoni, the wicketkeeper, is an institution' - R Sridhar explains ex-captain's prowess behind stumps

<p>Team India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja made a strong comeback for the national team in the ongoing rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Jadeja slammed a terrific century to help India recover from a poor start in the crucial encounter and post a huge total of 416 runs on the board. Jadeja came out to bat at number seven during India's first innings and notched up a brilliant 104.</p>

<p>Jadeja had suffered an injury during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 which had ruled him out for a few weeks. He didn't feature in India's home T20I series against South Africa and made his comeback in the ongoing Edgbaston Test against England after nearly a couple of months.</p>

<p>It was a disastrous campaign for Jadeja in IPL 2022 despite him being made the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after MS Dhoni decided to step down. Jadeja led the side in their first eight games of the season and could manage to bag only two wins before reliving captaincy for Dhoni to take over again.</p>

<p>He didn't have a great season on the personal front as well and managed to score only 116 runs in 10 matches at a disappointing average of 19.33. He scalped only five wickets with the ball and was ruled out of the remainder of the season due to an injury after leaving captaincy.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jasprit-bumrah-rattles-england-with-bat-and-ball-as-india-take-control-in-edgbaston-test-494012">Jasprit Bumrah rattles England with bat and ball as India take control in Edgbaston Test</a></p>

<p>CSK failed to make it to the playoffs amid reports that Jadeja was not happy with the team management and the decision to reappoint Dhoni as the captain had not gone down well with the all-rounder. He opened up on the captaincy controversy at CSK during IPL 2022 after his heroics for India in the Edgbaston Test against England.</p>

<p>"What happened, happened. IPL was not on my mind. Whenever you are playing for India, your entire focus needs to be on the Indian team. It was the same for me, there is no better satisfaction that performing well for India," said Jadeja when asked about his dismal IPL 2022 campaign.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sachin-harbhajan-and-others-hail-ravindra-jadeja-after-splendid-ton-in-edgbaston-test-against-england-493886">Sachin, Harbhajan and others hail Ravindra Jadeja after splendid ton in Edgbaston Test against England</a></p>

<p>Jadeja's 104-run knock against England at Edgbaston is also his first-ever Test century overseas so far in his career. The India all-rounder said to score a century outside of India and in difficult conditions such as England is a huge confidence booster for him.</p>

<p>"It feels really good to do it outside India, especially in England. To hit a 100 as a player is a really big thing. I can really take some confidence in myself as a player from this, to score a 100 in England, especially in swinging conditions, so yeah it feels really good," said Jadeja.</p>


Team India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja made a strong comeback for the national team in the ongoing rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Team India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja made a strong comeback for the national team in the ongoing rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Jadeja slammed a terrific century to help India recover from a poor start in the crucial encounter and post a huge total of 416 runs on the board. Jadeja came out to bat at number seven during India's first innings and notched up a brilliant 104. Jadeja had suffered an injury during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 which had ruled him out for a few weeks. He didn't feature in India's home T20I series against South Africa and made his comeback in the ongoing Edgbaston Test against England after nearly a couple of months. It was a disastrous campaign for Jadeja in IPL 2022 despite him being made the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after MS Dhoni decided to step down. Jadeja led the side in their first eight games of the season and could manage to bag only two wins before reliving captaincy for Dhoni to take over again. He didn't have a great season on the personal front as well and managed to score only 116 runs in 10 matches at a disappointing average of 19.33. He scalped only five wickets with the ball and was ruled out of the remainder of the season due to an injury after leaving captaincy. Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah rattles England with bat and ball as India take control in Edgbaston Test CSK failed to make it to the playoffs amid reports that Jadeja was not happy with the team management and the decision to reappoint Dhoni as the captain had not gone down well with the all-rounder. He opened up on the captaincy controversy at CSK during IPL 2022 after his heroics for India in the Edgbaston Test against England. "What happened, happened. IPL was not on my mind. Whenever you are playing for India, your entire focus needs to be on the Indian team. It was the same for me, there is no better satisfaction that performing well for India," said Jadeja when asked about his dismal IPL 2022 campaign. Also Read: Sachin, Harbhajan and others hail Ravindra Jadeja after splendid ton in Edgbaston Test against England Jadeja's 104-run knock against England at Edgbaston is also his first-ever Test century overseas so far in his career. The India all-rounder said to score a century outside of India and in difficult conditions such as England is a huge confidence booster for him. "It feels really good to do it outside India, especially in England. To hit a 100 as a player is a really big thing. I can really take some confidence in myself as a player from this, to score a 100 in England, especially in swinging conditions, so yeah it feels really good," said Jadeja.

'IPL was not on my mind': Ravindra Jadeja opens up on making strong comeback for India after CSK controversy

<p>Punjab Kings (PBKS) assembled a quality squad at the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction ahead of the 2022 season earlier this year but failed to go the distance. They roped in the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone and Kagiso Rabada among others to bolster their squad but ended up falling short once again as they failed to even make it to the playoffs under new captain Mayank Agarwal.</p>

<p>While they invested heavily in experienced campaigners, PBKS also bought some talented youngsters to strengthen their squad. One of the youngsters who impressed for the franchise in the recently-concluded IPL 2022 was Jitesh Sharma. The wicket-keeper batter showcased his explosive batting prowess in the lower-middle order and played some good finishing cameos for the team.</p>

<p>He was one of the regular features in the playing XI after making his debut for Punjab Kings and finished the season with 234 runs from 12 matches for his team striking at an impressive&nbsp;163.64. Impressed with his batting exploits, former India batter Virender Sehwag had said Sharma deserved a spot in India's T20 World Cup 2022 squad as a backup keeper.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-not-happy-with-indian-players-hanging-out-in-public-issues-warning-after-rohit-sharmas-positive-case-492480">BCCI not happy with Indian players hanging out in public, issues warning after Rohit Sharma's positive case</a></p>

<p>However, it's not just Sehwag who has backed the youngster to do well in the future. Sharma revealed his PBKS teammate Kagiso Rabada told him that he will play for India one day. The South African pacer even requested Sharma not to smash him when they come up against each other in international cricket.</p>

<p>"After the last match, Kagiso Rabada called me up, asked me to sit beside him and said 'do you think you can play for India?'. I said 'KG, I don't think about the future. I try to focus on every match, taking it one match at a time and concentrate on every single day.' He said 'I think, in a few years, I'm going to bowl to you in international cricket, just don't smash me'," said Jitesh on Instagram show 'Say Yash to Sports'.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/maheesh-theekshana-ms-dhonis-chennai-super-kings-help-crisis-hit-sri-lanka-donate-medical-supplies-492352">Maheesh Theekshana, MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings help crisis-hit Sri Lanka, donate medical supplies</a></p>

<p>Sharma certainly possesses brilliant hitting abilities down the order and proved to be an asset for Punjab Kings in the tournament as he played some useful knocks. He will be hoping to continue his stellar run for the franchise next season.</p>


Punjab Kings (PBKS) assembled a quality squad at the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction ahead of the 2022 season earlier this year but failed to go the distance.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) assembled a quality squad at the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction ahead of the 2022 season earlier this year but failed to go the distance. They roped in the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone and Kagiso Rabada among others to bolster their squad but ended up falling short once again as they failed to even make it to the playoffs under new captain Mayank Agarwal. While they invested heavily in experienced campaigners, PBKS also bought some talented youngsters to strengthen their squad. One of the youngsters who impressed for the franchise in the recently-concluded IPL 2022 was Jitesh Sharma. The wicket-keeper batter showcased his explosive batting prowess in the lower-middle order and played some good finishing cameos for the team. He was one of the regular features in the playing XI after making his debut for Punjab Kings and finished the season with 234 runs from 12 matches for his team striking at an impressive 163.64. Impressed with his batting exploits, former India batter Virender Sehwag had said Sharma deserved a spot in India's T20 World Cup 2022 squad as a backup keeper. Also Read: BCCI not happy with Indian players hanging out in public, issues warning after Rohit Sharma's positive case However, it's not just Sehwag who has backed the youngster to do well in the future. Sharma revealed his PBKS teammate Kagiso Rabada told him that he will play for India one day. The South African pacer even requested Sharma not to smash him when they come up against each other in international cricket. "After the last match, Kagiso Rabada called me up, asked me to sit beside him and said 'do you think you can play for India?'. I said 'KG, I don't think about the future. I try to focus on every match, taking it one match at a time and concentrate on every single day.' He said 'I think, in a few years, I'm going to bowl to you in international cricket, just don't smash me'," said Jitesh on Instagram show 'Say Yash to Sports'. Also Read: Maheesh Theekshana, MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings help crisis-hit Sri Lanka, donate medical supplies Sharma certainly possesses brilliant hitting abilities down the order and proved to be an asset for Punjab Kings in the tournament as he played some useful knocks. He will be hoping to continue his stellar run for the franchise next season.

'Don't smash me when you play for India': Punjab Kings star reveals Kagiso Rabada's bold prediction for him

<p>England cricket team's white-ball captain Eoin Morgan is reportedly set to retire from international cricket soon and might not lead the hosts in the upcoming T20I series against India next month. Morgan has been one of the best captains to have led England and is the only skipper to have guided the side to a World Cup triumph. He has also been lauded by many over the years for transforming the way England play white-ball cricket.</p>

<p>England had failed to make it to the knockout stages of the ODI World Cup in 2015 following which Morgan took over the reins. England adopted an aggressive and all-out approach in white-ball cricket under Morgan and tasted huge success as their performances on the field improved significantly.</p>

<p>Morgan also helped the likes of Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow among others to become world-beaters in white-ball cricket and form a strong core for England in both ODIs and T20Is. England have reaped rewards from Morgan's leadership and his retirement is set to mark the end of an era for the team.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/joe-root-hands-over-a-stump-to-daryl-mitchell-as-a-fitting-gesture-after-england-whitewash-nz-watch-492555">Joe Root hands over a stump to Daryl Mitchell as a fitting gesture after England whitewash NZ - Watch</a></p>

<p>Former England captain Nasser Hussain heaped praise on Morgan after reports of his retirement from international cricket emerged on Monday (June 27). Hussain said Morgan was ahead of his time in realising the value of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for English cricket and helped English players become better by encouraging them to play in the premier T20 tournament.</p>

<p>"He was also ahead of his time, along with Kevin Pietersen, in realising the value to English cricket of the IPL. First, he helped make better players of the likes of Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy and Liam Livingstone. Then he encouraged them to play in the IPL, where they learned to be even better," Hussain wrote in his column for <em>Daily Mail.</em></p>

<p>Morgan along with former England captain Kevin Pietersen was among the first few English players to play in the IPL despite resistance from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Morgan is also England's most successful ODI skipper of all time with 76 wins in 126 ODIs and a winning percentage of 65.25.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-not-happy-with-indian-players-hanging-out-in-public-issues-warning-after-rohit-sharmas-positive-case-492480">BCCI not happy with Indian players hanging out in public, issues warning after Rohit Sharma's positive case</a></p>

<p>Talking about his replacement as England's white-ball captain after his retirement, Hussain believes Jos Buttle will be the ideal candidate to take over the reins. Buttler is one of the best white-ball batters in the world at present and has been in top-notch form recently.</p>

<p>"Buttler is the perfect replacement. He and Morgan are close friends, and he’s stepped in the Morgan way of doing things. He'll have no problem in replicating his style of play. And there's no greater compliment than that," wrote Hussain.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


England cricket team's white-ball captain Eoin Morgan is reportedly set to retire from international cricket soon and might not lead the hosts in the upcoming T20I series against India next month.

England cricket team's white-ball captain Eoin Morgan is reportedly set to retire from international cricket soon and might not lead the hosts in the upcoming T20I series against India next month. Morgan has been one of the best captains to have led England and is the only skipper to have guided the side to a World Cup triumph. He has also been lauded by many over the years for transforming the way England play white-ball cricket. England had failed to make it to the knockout stages of the ODI World Cup in 2015 following which Morgan took over the reins. England adopted an aggressive and all-out approach in white-ball cricket under Morgan and tasted huge success as their performances on the field improved significantly. Morgan also helped the likes of Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow among others to become world-beaters in white-ball cricket and form a strong core for England in both ODIs and T20Is. England have reaped rewards from Morgan's leadership and his retirement is set to mark the end of an era for the team. Also Read: Joe Root hands over a stump to Daryl Mitchell as a fitting gesture after England whitewash NZ - Watch Former England captain Nasser Hussain heaped praise on Morgan after reports of his retirement from international cricket emerged on Monday (June 27). Hussain said Morgan was ahead of his time in realising the value of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for English cricket and helped English players become better by encouraging them to play in the premier T20 tournament. "He was also ahead of his time, along with Kevin Pietersen, in realising the value to English cricket of the IPL. First, he helped make better players of the likes of Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy and Liam Livingstone. Then he encouraged them to play in the IPL, where they learned to be even better," Hussain wrote in his column for Daily Mail. Morgan along with former England captain Kevin Pietersen was among the first few English players to play in the IPL despite resistance from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Morgan is also England's most successful ODI skipper of all time with 76 wins in 126 ODIs and a winning percentage of 65.25. Also Read: BCCI not happy with Indian players hanging out in public, issues warning after Rohit Sharma's positive case Talking about his replacement as England's white-ball captain after his retirement, Hussain believes Jos Buttle will be the ideal candidate to take over the reins. Buttler is one of the best white-ball batters in the world at present and has been in top-notch form recently. "Buttler is the perfect replacement. He and Morgan are close friends, and he’s stepped in the Morgan way of doing things. He'll have no problem in replicating his style of play. And there's no greater compliment than that," wrote Hussain.

Eoin Morgan was ahead in time to realise IPL's value to English cricket, says former captain Nasser Hussain

<p>Following the end of the IPL media rights auction, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had made a big revelation that the board plans to extend the window for the cash-rich league from the next season, in order to have more international players available throughout an edition. Following this, reports were flowing in that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is unhappy with this development and is set to discuss the matter at ICC's board meeting, to be held later this year in Birmingham.</p>

<p>"From the next FTP cycle, IPL will have an official two-and-a-half-month window so that all the top international cricketers can participate. We have had discussions with various boards as well as the ICC," Shah had told PTI.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-is-a-good-team-but-rashid-latif-makes-big-statement-on-men-in-blues-rivalry-with-pakistan-491292">'India is a good team, but....' - Rashid Latif makes big statement on Men in Blue's rivalry with Pakistan</a></strong></p>

<p>Thus, Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has now reacted to the proposed plan of extending the IPL window from next year. In this regard, the former Pakistan captain said during a media interaction on Friday (June 24), "There has been no announcement or decision as yet on the IPL window being increased. I will give my views on this issue at the ICC conference."</p>

<p>Ramiz has also opined on his plans of seeing India-Pakistan lock horns on the 22-yard cricket strip outside ICC tournaments. In this context, he&nbsp;had suggested for a multi-team tournament several times in the recent past. He revealed, "I have spoken to Sourav on the sidelines on this, and I told him that presently there are three former cricketers heading their cricket boards and if they can't make a difference, who will? Twice Ganguly has invited me to attend the IPL finals last year and this year, and cricketing-wise, it made sense to go, but then, because of the situation, we had to look at the fallout of accepting the invitations," he further added.</p>


Following the end of the IPL media rights auction, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had made a big revelation that the board plans to extend the window for the cash-rich league from the next season, in order to have more international players available throughout an edition.

Following the end of the IPL media rights auction, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had made a big revelation that the board plans to extend the window for the cash-rich league from the next season, in order to have more international players available throughout an edition. Following this, reports were flowing in that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is unhappy with this development and is set to discuss the matter at ICC's board meeting, to be held later this year in Birmingham. "From the next FTP cycle, IPL will have an official two-and-a-half-month window so that all the top international cricketers can participate. We have had discussions with various boards as well as the ICC," Shah had told PTI. ALSO READ | 'India is a good team, but....' - Rashid Latif makes big statement on Men in Blue's rivalry with Pakistan Thus, Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has now reacted to the proposed plan of extending the IPL window from next year. In this regard, the former Pakistan captain said during a media interaction on Friday (June 24), "There has been no announcement or decision as yet on the IPL window being increased. I will give my views on this issue at the ICC conference." Ramiz has also opined on his plans of seeing India-Pakistan lock horns on the 22-yard cricket strip outside ICC tournaments. In this context, he had suggested for a multi-team tournament several times in the recent past. He revealed, "I have spoken to Sourav on the sidelines on this, and I told him that presently there are three former cricketers heading their cricket boards and if they can't make a difference, who will? Twice Ganguly has invited me to attend the IPL finals last year and this year, and cricketing-wise, it made sense to go, but then, because of the situation, we had to look at the fallout of accepting the invitations," he further added.

'Will challenge it....' - PCB chairman Ramiz Raja breaks silence on IPL's two-and-a-half month window

<p>Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have had a number of superstars play for them in the Indian Premier League (IPL). From the likes of Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble to Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle, RCB have been home to some of the legends of the game. However, despite having a star-studded team over the years, the franchise has failed to lift their&nbsp;maiden IPL title. They have been part of the IPL since its inception in 2008 but have failed to win the tournament even once.</p>

<p>Gayle has arguably been one of RCB's best-ever signings in IPL history and enjoyed tremendous success with the franchise in the IPL. The West Indies legend was incidentally roped in by the franchise as an injury replacement for Australian pacer Dirk Nannes ahead of the 2011 season and went on to prove a sensational signing for the franchise.</p>

<p>Gayle was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for his first two seasons in IPL in 2009 and 2010 before being released by the team. He was then picked by RCB as a replacement for injured Nannes and went on to take IPL 2011 by a storm with 608 runs in just 12 games at an incredible strike rate of 183.13.</p>

<p>He followed it up with more than 700 runs in the next two seasons and established his credentials as one of the best hitters in T20 cricket and famously earned the nickname 'Universe Boss' for his batting exploits. Gayle enjoyed a phenomenal stint at RCB before being released in 2017.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-pacer-hasan-ali-trolled-on-instagram-by-moral-police-after-sharing-pictures-of-his-wife-and-daughter-490622">Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali trolled on Instagram by moral police after sharing pictures of his wife&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>Former RCB owner Vijay Mallya was one of the key figures behind bringing Gayle to RCB as a replacement for Nannes ahead of the 2011 season. Mallya recently caught up with the West Indies cricketer and called him his best acquisition in IPL. "Great to catch up with my good friend Christopher Henry Gayle @henrygayle , the Universe Boss. Super friendship since I recruited him for RCB. Best acquisition of a player ever," Mallya wrote while sharing a picture with Gayle.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Great to catch up with my good friend Christopher Henry Gayle ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/henrygayle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@henrygayle</a>⁩ , the Universe Boss. Super friendship since I recruited him for RCB. Best acquisition of a player ever. <a href="https://t.co/X5Ny9d6n6t">pic.twitter.com/X5Ny9d6n6t</a></p>
— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheVijayMallya/status/1539402382022410240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Mallya had bought RCB for a whopping USD 111.6 million in 2008 and owned the franchise till 2016. He also owned United Spirits, which closed in 2016 before its parent company Diageo took over the Royal Challengers Sports Pvt Ltd (RSCPL) which currently runs RCB in IPL.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-rest-for-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-duo-likely-to-be-available-for-t20i-series-against-england-report-490582">No rest for Kohli &amp; Rohit, duo likely to be available for T20I series against England - Report</a></p>

<p>Gayle spent seven seasons at RCB from 2011 to 2017 and amassed 3420 runs for the franchise in 91 matches at an average of 43.29 and a strike rate of 154.40. He shattered a plethora of records, including the highest-ever individual score in IPL history while playing for RCB and remains their third-highest run-getter of all time behind only Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.</p>


Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have had a number of superstars play for them in the Indian Premier League (IPL). From the likes of Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble to Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle, RCB have been home to some of the legends of the game.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have had a number of superstars play for them in the Indian Premier League (IPL). From the likes of Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble to Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle, RCB have been home to some of the legends of the game. However, despite having a star-studded team over the years, the franchise has failed to lift their maiden IPL title. They have been part of the IPL since its inception in 2008 but have failed to win the tournament even once. Gayle has arguably been one of RCB's best-ever signings in IPL history and enjoyed tremendous success with the franchise in the IPL. The West Indies legend was incidentally roped in by the franchise as an injury replacement for Australian pacer Dirk Nannes ahead of the 2011 season and went on to prove a sensational signing for the franchise. Gayle was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for his first two seasons in IPL in 2009 and 2010 before being released by the team. He was then picked by RCB as a replacement for injured Nannes and went on to take IPL 2011 by a storm with 608 runs in just 12 games at an incredible strike rate of 183.13. He followed it up with more than 700 runs in the next two seasons and established his credentials as one of the best hitters in T20 cricket and famously earned the nickname 'Universe Boss' for his batting exploits. Gayle enjoyed a phenomenal stint at RCB before being released in 2017. Also Read: Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali trolled on Instagram by moral police after sharing pictures of his wife Former RCB owner Vijay Mallya was one of the key figures behind bringing Gayle to RCB as a replacement for Nannes ahead of the 2011 season. Mallya recently caught up with the West Indies cricketer and called him his best acquisition in IPL. "Great to catch up with my good friend Christopher Henry Gayle @henrygayle , the Universe Boss. Super friendship since I recruited him for RCB. Best acquisition of a player ever," Mallya wrote while sharing a picture with Gayle. Great to catch up with my good friend Christopher Henry Gayle ⁦@henrygayle⁩ , the Universe Boss. Super friendship since I recruited him for RCB. Best acquisition of a player ever. pic.twitter.com/X5Ny9d6n6t — Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) June 22, 2022 × Mallya had bought RCB for a whopping USD 111.6 million in 2008 and owned the franchise till 2016. He also owned United Spirits, which closed in 2016 before its parent company Diageo took over the Royal Challengers Sports Pvt Ltd (RSCPL) which currently runs RCB in IPL. Also Read: No rest for Kohli & Rohit, duo likely to be available for T20I series against England - Report Gayle spent seven seasons at RCB from 2011 to 2017 and amassed 3420 runs for the franchise in 91 matches at an average of 43.29 and a strike rate of 154.40. He shattered a plethora of records, including the highest-ever individual score in IPL history while playing for RCB and remains their third-highest run-getter of all time behind only Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.

'Best acquisition of a player': Former RCB owner Vijay Mallya catches up with 'Universe boss' Chris Gayle

<p>Dinesh Karthik has managed to spark an incredible turnaround in his international career as he has emerged as India's favourite finisher ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022. After missing out on a spot in the T20 World Cup squad last year, Karthik has ensured he has let his bat do the talking this time around with the next edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia just four months away.</p>

<p>Karthik was one of the best finishers in the recently-concluded IPL 2022 as he shone throughout for his side Royal Challengers Bangalore, With 330 runs in 16 matches and some brilliant finishing cameos, Karthik managed to impress the BCCI selectors as he made his comeback in the Indian team after three years.</p>

<p>He continued his sensational run with the willow in the recently-concluded five-match T20I series against South Africa at home to earn praise from all corners. While he didn't get many chances to bat, he slammed a brilliant 55 runs off just 27 balls to help India win the 4th T2OI against South Africa by 82 runs.</p>

<p>Former India captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has lavished praise on the veteran wicket-keeper batter for his incredible comeback and said he looks well set to be part of India's T20 World Cup 2022 squad this time around after missing out last year.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ex-pakistan-pacer-md-amir-responds-to-rohit-sharmas-he-is-just-a-normal-bowler-comment-from-2016-490253">Ex-Pakistan pacer Md. Amir responds to Rohit Sharma's 'he is just a normal bowler' comment from 2016</a></p>

<p>“When we (him and Dinesh Karthik) went for the World Test Championship we were pretty much having lunch, breakfast, dinner together. And over there he was telling me about his ambition to come back in the India team for the T20 World Cup,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.</p>

<p>“He wasn't in line for the one in UAE but this time around he looks very well to be part of the flight that takes to Melbourne,” he added.</p>

<p>Gavaskar was part of the commentary team during the World Test Championship final last year when Karthik had decided to enjoy a stint in the commentary box away from the action. Many had thought his career was all but over after his commentary debut but the senior keeper-batter has managed to prove his critics wrong with his current performances.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-or-dinesh-karthik-irfan-pathan-names-his-choice-while-picking-rohit-cos-ideal-t20-wc-xi-489844">Pant or Karthik? Irfan Pathan names his choice while picking Rohit &amp; Co.'s ideal T20 WC XI</a></p>

<p>Gavaskar gave an insight into the hard work put in by Karthik behind the scene which made it possible for him to make his comeback into the Indian team. The batting legend revealed how Karthik had enrolled for a club in England to do some special training after he found that the gym at the hotel was not good enough.</p>

<p>“He was telling me, how he was creating situation in his mind and practicing according to them. So it was not just mindless practice, it was thoughtful practice. It was practice according to what the situation might be when he's out there,” said Gavaskar.</p>

<p>“Because if you're batting at 6 and 7, you're not going to get 20 overs, not 18 overs. You're gonna get 5-6, maybe if the wickets fall nine overs to bat but in those nine, how to go about it is what he was practicing. He was also training so he got out from the hotel gym because it wasn't good enough. He wanted to do some special training. He went and got himself enrolled in a club.</p>

<p>“That tells you about the dedication and keenness to comeback into the Indian team. And the way he's playing now that'll only make you admire. You've put in the hard yards and it's the reward,” he added.</p>


Dinesh Karthik has managed to spark an incredible turnaround in his international career as he has emerged as India's favourite finisher ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022.

Dinesh Karthik has managed to spark an incredible turnaround in his international career as he has emerged as India's favourite finisher ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022. After missing out on a spot in the T20 World Cup squad last year, Karthik has ensured he has let his bat do the talking this time around with the next edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia just four months away. Karthik was one of the best finishers in the recently-concluded IPL 2022 as he shone throughout for his side Royal Challengers Bangalore, With 330 runs in 16 matches and some brilliant finishing cameos, Karthik managed to impress the BCCI selectors as he made his comeback in the Indian team after three years. He continued his sensational run with the willow in the recently-concluded five-match T20I series against South Africa at home to earn praise from all corners. While he didn't get many chances to bat, he slammed a brilliant 55 runs off just 27 balls to help India win the 4th T2OI against South Africa by 82 runs. Former India captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has lavished praise on the veteran wicket-keeper batter for his incredible comeback and said he looks well set to be part of India's T20 World Cup 2022 squad this time around after missing out last year. Also Read: Ex-Pakistan pacer Md. Amir responds to Rohit Sharma's 'he is just a normal bowler' comment from 2016 “When we (him and Dinesh Karthik) went for the World Test Championship we were pretty much having lunch, breakfast, dinner together. And over there he was telling me about his ambition to come back in the India team for the T20 World Cup,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports. “He wasn't in line for the one in UAE but this time around he looks very well to be part of the flight that takes to Melbourne,” he added. Gavaskar was part of the commentary team during the World Test Championship final last year when Karthik had decided to enjoy a stint in the commentary box away from the action. Many had thought his career was all but over after his commentary debut but the senior keeper-batter has managed to prove his critics wrong with his current performances. Also Read: Pant or Karthik? Irfan Pathan names his choice while picking Rohit & Co.'s ideal T20 WC XI Gavaskar gave an insight into the hard work put in by Karthik behind the scene which made it possible for him to make his comeback into the Indian team. The batting legend revealed how Karthik had enrolled for a club in England to do some special training after he found that the gym at the hotel was not good enough. “He was telling me, how he was creating situation in his mind and practicing according to them. So it was not just mindless practice, it was thoughtful practice. It was practice according to what the situation might be when he's out there,” said Gavaskar. “Because if you're batting at 6 and 7, you're not going to get 20 overs, not 18 overs. You're gonna get 5-6, maybe if the wickets fall nine overs to bat but in those nine, how to go about it is what he was practicing. He was also training so he got out from the hotel gym because it wasn't good enough. He wanted to do some special training. He went and got himself enrolled in a club. “That tells you about the dedication and keenness to comeback into the Indian team. And the way he's playing now that'll only make you admire. You've put in the hard yards and it's the reward,” he added.

'It was not mindless practice': Gavaskar reveals how Karthik worked hard behind the scene for India comeback

<p>Former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi has lavished huge praise on Indian cricket and hailed it for its massive influence on world cricket. Afridi's remark came after BCCI Secretary Jay Shah recently announced that the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) will have a two-and-a-half-month window from next year.</p>

<p>After the IPL media rights were sold for a whopping amount last week, BCCI announced its intention of extending the window for the premier T20 league going forward.&nbsp;For a cumulative figure of INR 48,390.32 crores, the successful bidders -- Disney Star, Viacom18 and Times Internet -- secured media rights for a five-year cycle, from 2023-2027. Thus, it shows the growth of the IPL and also the dominance of&nbsp;Indian cricket.</p>

<p>In this regard, Afridi lauded India and was quoted as saying by <em>Samaa TV</em>, "It all comes down to the market and the economy. The biggest [cricket] market is India. Whatever they will say will happen."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-he-still-playing-cricket-with-same-motivation-afridi-talks-about-attitude-as-he-dwells-on-kohlis-form-488449">'Is he still playing cricket with same motivation?' Afridi talks about 'attitude' as he dwells on Kohli's form</a></strong></p>

<p>For the unversed, Afridi was one of the few Pakistani players who were part of the inaugural season of the IPL, in 2008. Back then, the 42-year-old was part of the now-defunct Deccan Chargers (DC). Since the first season, no Pakistani has been allowed to take part in the league due to the political tension between the two neighbouring countries.</p>

<p>Meanwhile,&nbsp;the IPL will now have 410 games in the next cycle. There will continue to be&nbsp;74 games each in the next two seasons whereas the number of matches will increase by ten&nbsp;(84)&nbsp;in the following and then be a total of 94 in the 2027 edition of the cash-rich league.</p>


Former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi has lavished huge praise on Indian cricket and hailed it for its massive influence on world cricket. Afridi's remark came after BCCI Secretary Jay Shah recently announced that the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) will have a two-and-a-half-month window from next year.

Former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi has lavished huge praise on Indian cricket and hailed it for its massive influence on world cricket. Afridi's remark came after BCCI Secretary Jay Shah recently announced that the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) will have a two-and-a-half-month window from next year. After the IPL media rights were sold for a whopping amount last week, BCCI announced its intention of extending the window for the premier T20 league going forward. For a cumulative figure of INR 48,390.32 crores, the successful bidders -- Disney Star, Viacom18 and Times Internet -- secured media rights for a five-year cycle, from 2023-2027. Thus, it shows the growth of the IPL and also the dominance of Indian cricket. In this regard, Afridi lauded India and was quoted as saying by Samaa TV, "It all comes down to the market and the economy. The biggest [cricket] market is India. Whatever they will say will happen." ALSO READ | 'Is he still playing cricket with same motivation?' Afridi talks about 'attitude' as he dwells on Kohli's form For the unversed, Afridi was one of the few Pakistani players who were part of the inaugural season of the IPL, in 2008. Back then, the 42-year-old was part of the now-defunct Deccan Chargers (DC). Since the first season, no Pakistani has been allowed to take part in the league due to the political tension between the two neighbouring countries. Meanwhile, the IPL will now have 410 games in the next cycle. There will continue to be 74 games each in the next two seasons whereas the number of matches will increase by ten (84) in the following and then be a total of 94 in the 2027 edition of the cash-rich league.

'Whatever they will say will happen' - Shahid Afridi lauds India for huge influence it has on world cricket

<p>The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to launch a Women's Indian Premier League (IPL) the next year. BCCI secretary Jay Shah had recently said the project is close to his heart and the valuation of the tournament will shock many when it gets underway next year. Over the years, several prominent figures in the women's game have called for a women's version of the IPL pointing out how it would help strengthen the bench strength as far as women's cricket is concerned in India.</p>

<p>With several BCCI officials hinting that a full-fledged women's IPL is not too far away from materialising, former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has suggested a bold move to the BCCI. Modi, who was one of the brains behind the inception of IPL in 2008, wants every franchise in the tournament to also run a women's team along with their men's side.</p>

<p>Modi believes it should be mandatory for all the franchises to own a women's team as it would help improve the infrastructure of women's cricket in India. Currently, there are ten teams who are part of the IPL and none of them have a women's team.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-in-talks-with-icc-over-a-longer-window-for-ipl-confirms-jay-shah-number-of-matches-set-to-increase-489448">BCCI in talks with ICC over a longer window for IPL, confirms Jay Shah; number of matches set to increase</a></p>

<p>"I didn't see much of IPL women's games this year (Women's T20 Challenge), but I think one of the biggest things they should do is make it mandatory for an IPL franchise to have a women's team," Lalit Modi told NDTV.</p>

<p>"If an IPL franchise owner is able to have a women's team, you'll see the bench strength in Indian women's cricket go up. You'll see investment in women's cricket by owners who are already making good money now," he added.</p>

<p>Several franchise T20 leagues around the globe have already invested in a women's league or are planning to do so. The Big Bash League in Australia had the Women's Big Bash while The Hundred in England too has the&nbsp;Women's Hundred League. IPL also conducts the Women's T20 Challenge annually but the tournament is a short affair consisting of just a handful of matches between three teams.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-is-overweight-danish-kaneria-raises-questions-over-indian-skippers-fitness-489557">'Rishabh Pant is overweight': Danish Kaneria raises questions over Indian skipper's fitness</a></p>

<p>BCCI secretary Shah had recently hinted at the start of Women's IPL from next year onwards and revealed several franchises are interested in owning a women's team for the tournament.</p>

<p>"This is a project which is very close to my heart. We will start with either five or six teams in the first edition. I am thrilled at the kind of response we have got from stakeholders. Multiple existing IPL teams have enquired and expressed serious interest in owning WIPL franchises," Shah told PTI.</p>


The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to launch a Women's Indian Premier League (IPL) the next year. BCCI secretary Jay Shah had recently said the project is close to his heart and the valuation of the tournament will shock many when it gets underway next year.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to launch a Women's Indian Premier League (IPL) the next year. BCCI secretary Jay Shah had recently said the project is close to his heart and the valuation of the tournament will shock many when it gets underway next year. Over the years, several prominent figures in the women's game have called for a women's version of the IPL pointing out how it would help strengthen the bench strength as far as women's cricket is concerned in India. With several BCCI officials hinting that a full-fledged women's IPL is not too far away from materialising, former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has suggested a bold move to the BCCI. Modi, who was one of the brains behind the inception of IPL in 2008, wants every franchise in the tournament to also run a women's team along with their men's side. Modi believes it should be mandatory for all the franchises to own a women's team as it would help improve the infrastructure of women's cricket in India. Currently, there are ten teams who are part of the IPL and none of them have a women's team. Also Read: BCCI in talks with ICC over a longer window for IPL, confirms Jay Shah; number of matches set to increase "I didn't see much of IPL women's games this year (Women's T20 Challenge), but I think one of the biggest things they should do is make it mandatory for an IPL franchise to have a women's team," Lalit Modi told NDTV. "If an IPL franchise owner is able to have a women's team, you'll see the bench strength in Indian women's cricket go up. You'll see investment in women's cricket by owners who are already making good money now," he added. Several franchise T20 leagues around the globe have already invested in a women's league or are planning to do so. The Big Bash League in Australia had the Women's Big Bash while The Hundred in England too has the Women's Hundred League. IPL also conducts the Women's T20 Challenge annually but the tournament is a short affair consisting of just a handful of matches between three teams. Also Read: 'Rishabh Pant is overweight': Danish Kaneria raises questions over Indian skipper's fitness BCCI secretary Shah had recently hinted at the start of Women's IPL from next year onwards and revealed several franchises are interested in owning a women's team for the tournament. "This is a project which is very close to my heart. We will start with either five or six teams in the first edition. I am thrilled at the kind of response we have got from stakeholders. Multiple existing IPL teams have enquired and expressed serious interest in owning WIPL franchises," Shah told PTI.

Should be mandatory for every IPL franchise to have a women's team: Lalit Modi

<p>The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has bigger and better plans for the Indian Premier League (IPL) after pocketing a staggering amount of money for the tournament's media rights for the next five-year cycle. Disney Star and Viacom18 broke the bank to secure the TV and digital rights respectively for the next five seasons of IPL in India. The BCCI is now in talks with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to expand the IPL in the near future.</p>

<p>The richest T20 league in the world, IPL has been attracting the best players from across the world to ply their trade in the tournament since its inception in 2008. It is arguably one of the best cricket events in the world at present and is expected to grow further in the coming years.</p>

<p>IPL is currently a 10-team tournament and consisted of a total of 77 matches in the 15th edition of the tournament this year. However, the BCCI is planning to increase the duration of the tournament as well as the number of matches played every season. BCCI secretary Jay Shah said the board is already in talks with the ICC and its member nations to expand the IPL.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/listing-worlds-most-lucrative-sports-leagues-after-ipl-media-rights-auction-488414">Listing world's most lucrative sports leagues after IPL media rights auction</a></p>

<p>"We have been talking with our fellow Member Boards and the ICC about having a bigger dedicated window for the IPL. The IPL is a marquee event on the annual cricket calendar, and it is now only behind the NFL. The quality of cricket that you witness in IPL is world-class with senior international stars coming and playing with and against their Indian counterparts," Shah told <em>Cricbuzz</em>.</p>

<p>"Not just cricketers but the IPL has some legends of the game now turning up as coaches. It is a fantastic platform and benefits everyone as the experience one gets here is priceless. There will be an increase in the number of games as we go ahead," he added.</p>

<p>IPL used to be an eight-team affair before the 2022 season. However, BCCI added two new teams - Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans to the fray this year making it a ten-team event. The number of matches in the tournament is expected to go up to around 84 games per season from next year onwards.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dinesh-karthik-the-finisher-who-is-far-from-finished-489375">Dinesh Karthik: The finisher who is far from finished</a></p>

<p>BCCI pocketed a total sum of around Rs&nbsp;48,390 crore (USD 6.20 billion approx) from the e-auction of the media rights of the IPL for the next five seasons. The value of each game in the IPL is now worth around $14.61 million which is second to only the NFL where every game is worth $17 million.</p>


The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has bigger and better plans for the Indian Premier League (IPL) after pocketing a staggering amount of money for the tournament's media rights for the next five-year cycle.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has bigger and better plans for the Indian Premier League (IPL) after pocketing a staggering amount of money for the tournament's media rights for the next five-year cycle. Disney Star and Viacom18 broke the bank to secure the TV and digital rights respectively for the next five seasons of IPL in India. The BCCI is now in talks with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to expand the IPL in the near future. The richest T20 league in the world, IPL has been attracting the best players from across the world to ply their trade in the tournament since its inception in 2008. It is arguably one of the best cricket events in the world at present and is expected to grow further in the coming years. IPL is currently a 10-team tournament and consisted of a total of 77 matches in the 15th edition of the tournament this year. However, the BCCI is planning to increase the duration of the tournament as well as the number of matches played every season. BCCI secretary Jay Shah said the board is already in talks with the ICC and its member nations to expand the IPL. Also Read: Listing world's most lucrative sports leagues after IPL media rights auction "We have been talking with our fellow Member Boards and the ICC about having a bigger dedicated window for the IPL. The IPL is a marquee event on the annual cricket calendar, and it is now only behind the NFL. The quality of cricket that you witness in IPL is world-class with senior international stars coming and playing with and against their Indian counterparts," Shah told Cricbuzz. "Not just cricketers but the IPL has some legends of the game now turning up as coaches. It is a fantastic platform and benefits everyone as the experience one gets here is priceless. There will be an increase in the number of games as we go ahead," he added. IPL used to be an eight-team affair before the 2022 season. However, BCCI added two new teams - Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans to the fray this year making it a ten-team event. The number of matches in the tournament is expected to go up to around 84 games per season from next year onwards. Also Read: Dinesh Karthik: The finisher who is far from finished BCCI pocketed a total sum of around Rs 48,390 crore (USD 6.20 billion approx) from the e-auction of the media rights of the IPL for the next five seasons. The value of each game in the IPL is now worth around $14.61 million which is second to only the NFL where every game is worth $17 million.

BCCI in talks with ICC over a longer window for IPL, confirms Jay Shah; number of matches set to increase

Listing world's most lucrative sports leagues after IPL media rights auction

<p>The IPL media rights auction was a huge hit. It created a huge stir on social media platforms as many were hooked to know the results of the auction for the IPL 2023-27 cycle. The three-day affair concluded on Tuesday evening (June 14) with Disney Star retaining the broadcasting rights for the Indian subcontinent, for INR&nbsp;23,575 crore (INR 235.75 billion), whereas Viacom 18 fetched the digital rights for the same region -- for INR 20,500 crore (INR 205 billion) -- along with also securing the rights for 18 special matches during each IPL season (for&nbsp;INR 3,273&nbsp;crore, i.e. INR&nbsp;32.73 billion).</p>

<p>Further, Viacom 18 and Times Internet combined to secure the rights for combined TV and digital rights for&nbsp;the overseas markets. Thus, BCCI had a field day as the richest cricket board, worldwide, is set to&nbsp;generate revenue directly from media rights for INR 48,390 crore. Thus, it&nbsp;takes the revenue generated courtesy of media rights per game to a whopping INR 118 crore (INR 1180 million).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-media-rights-auction-disney-star-viacom18-among-winners-as-bcci-earn-unimaginable-amount-488118"><strong>IPL media rights auction: Disney Star, Viacom18 among winners as BCCI earns UNIMAGINABLE amount</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Here's revealing some crazy numbers behind IPL 2023-27 media rights sale:</strong></p>

<p>1) Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI is set&nbsp;be earn a total of 48,390 for 410 games during the upcoming 2023-27 cycle.</p>

<p>2) Thus, the per-match revenue will be INR 118 crore (INR 1180 million)</p>

<p>3) The per-over return will be INR 2.95 crore, which is INR 29.5 million</p>

<p>4) The per ball-bowled revenue will&nbsp;be an unimaginable INR 49 lakh; i.e. INR 4.9 million.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/zee-entertainment-enterprises-releases-official-statement-after-transparent-ipl-media-rights-auction-488179">Zee Entertainment Enterprises releases official statement after 'transparent' IPL media rights auction</a></strong></p>

<p>After the end of proceedings, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah lauded the growth of IPL -- which is the world's second-most lucrative sports league after NFL -- and wrote on Twitter,&nbsp;"India has seen a digital revolution &amp; the sector has endless potential. The digital landscape has changed the way cricket is watched. It has been a big factor in the growth of the game &amp; the Digital India vision. Since its inception, the IPL has been synonymous with growth &amp; today is a red-letter day for India Cricket, with Brand IPL touching a new high with e-auction resulting in INR 48,390 cr value. IPL is now the 2nd most valued sporting league in the world in terms of per match value!"</p>

<p>Further, Shah spilled the beans on IPL's future while talking to&nbsp;PTI&nbsp;and revealed, "Let me inform you that from the next ICC FTP calendar, IPL will have an official two-and-a-half-month window so that all the top international cricketers can participate. We have had discussions with various boards as well as the ICC."</p>


The IPL media rights auction was a huge hit. It created a huge stir on social media platforms as many were hooked to know the results of the auction for the IPL 2023-27 cycle.

The IPL media rights auction was a huge hit. It created a huge stir on social media platforms as many were hooked to know the results of the auction for the IPL 2023-27 cycle. The three-day affair concluded on Tuesday evening (June 14) with Disney Star retaining the broadcasting rights for the Indian subcontinent, for INR 23,575 crore (INR 235.75 billion), whereas Viacom 18 fetched the digital rights for the same region -- for INR 20,500 crore (INR 205 billion) -- along with also securing the rights for 18 special matches during each IPL season (for INR 3,273 crore, i.e. INR 32.73 billion). Further, Viacom 18 and Times Internet combined to secure the rights for combined TV and digital rights for the overseas markets. Thus, BCCI had a field day as the richest cricket board, worldwide, is set to generate revenue directly from media rights for INR 48,390 crore. Thus, it takes the revenue generated courtesy of media rights per game to a whopping INR 118 crore (INR 1180 million). ALSO READ | IPL media rights auction: Disney Star, Viacom18 among winners as BCCI earns UNIMAGINABLE amount Here's revealing some crazy numbers behind IPL 2023-27 media rights sale: 1) Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI is set be earn a total of 48,390 for 410 games during the upcoming 2023-27 cycle. 2) Thus, the per-match revenue will be INR 118 crore (INR 1180 million) 3) The per-over return will be INR 2.95 crore, which is INR 29.5 million 4) The per ball-bowled revenue will be an unimaginable INR 49 lakh; i.e. INR 4.9 million. ALSO READ | Zee Entertainment Enterprises releases official statement after 'transparent' IPL media rights auction After the end of proceedings, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah lauded the growth of IPL -- which is the world's second-most lucrative sports league after NFL -- and wrote on Twitter, "India has seen a digital revolution & the sector has endless potential. The digital landscape has changed the way cricket is watched. It has been a big factor in the growth of the game & the Digital India vision. Since its inception, the IPL has been synonymous with growth & today is a red-letter day for India Cricket, with Brand IPL touching a new high with e-auction resulting in INR 48,390 cr value. IPL is now the 2nd most valued sporting league in the world in terms of per match value!" Further, Shah spilled the beans on IPL's future while talking to PTI and revealed, "Let me inform you that from the next ICC FTP calendar, IPL will have an official two-and-a-half-month window so that all the top international cricketers can participate. We have had discussions with various boards as well as the ICC."

BCCI to earn HUMONGOUSLY per ball! Unimaginable numbers behind IPL 2023-27 media rights auction

ipl-0

Ipl, News on Ipl, stories on Ipl, articles on Ipl, Ipl stories at Wion, Ipl news, Ipl latest news

ipl 0