Sports

Champions Trophy: It’s been already decided, there’s no point dwelling, says Bracewell on advantage to India

Published

1 month ago

February 28, 2025

Dubai, Feb 28: New Zealand’s off-spin bowling all-rounder Michael Bracewell gave his take on India playing all of their Champions Trophy 2025 matches in Dubai, saying it was something that has already been decided and that there’s no point dwelling on it.

The decision for India to play all of its Champions Trophy matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, especially after being denied permission to play their matches in Pakistan, came under limelight this week, with former England skippers Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, and Pakistan head coach Aaqib Javed claiming that India has got an upper hand from the start as compared to other teams.

“Look, it is what it is. It’s been already decided, and that’s the way that it is, and there’s no point dwelling on that. It’s part of what makes it exciting. I personally think it is that coming to a different ground and trying to figure out those different conditions. Not much more to say on that, other than we’re excited to try and learn and play in different conditions,” said Bracewell to reporters outside New Zealand’s training session at the ICC Academy on Friday.

New Zealand is all set to play against India in Dubai on Sunday, with both teams already qualifying for the semifinals. The match will also mark Virat Kohli’s 300th ODI appearance, making him the seventh player to achieve this landmark after Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, M.S. Dhoni, Mohammed Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh.

“That’s obviously a massive achievement. 300 games across a career is very impressive, and then to put that in just one format is amazing. It’s a testament to the way that he’s gone about his career.”

“I saw it first-hand at RCB – how he prepared for each match, and it’s very impressive. He’s one of a number of class players in the Indian line-up, and they’ve all played a lot of cricket now. So, they’re going to be a challenging team to come up against, but we’re really excited about that challenge,” added Bracewell.

Asked if New Zealand would take their match against India lightly, Bracewell stated, “No, it’s definitely an important game for us. Anytime you take on India at an ICC event, it’s always a big occasion. We’re excited about the game and obviously, if you can win the game, then it takes a lot of momentum through to that semifinal.”

“It’s always a challenge getting through to the semifinals, first of all. Once you get there, then it’s a one-off match and then another one-off match. So obviously, it’s great to be involved in that, but we’ve got a huge match against India first. If we can look at this like another playoff match, then we’re going to put ourselves in a good position to be able to win critical moments,” he said.

Quizzed on whether New Zealand would bring back Daryl Mitchell, who missed their game against Bangladesh due to illness, Bracewell said, “I’m sure if Daryl’s fit, he’ll be back playing. He’s obviously just had a little bit of illness in the last game, so he’s looking really healthy around the group. So it’ll be exciting to have him back in the group. He’s a massive part of our middle order and has done well for a number of years now.”

“I haven’t been privy to those conversations, but I’m sure we’ll be putting our best team out there and trying to get another win on the board. Mitch and Gary will come together and decide on the final 11, which they’ve done for the last couple of games. We haven’t seen the conditions yet here, so they’ll make a final decision on the team at the top,” said Bracewell.

With New Zealand having their first training session in Dubai, Bracewell said the side’s intention will be to try and get used to the wickets as quickly as they can.

“The wickets here have looked like they’ve taken a bit of a spin. We’ve obviously enjoyed the pitches in Pakistan, and I think we’ve got a pretty well-balanced side to play in any conditions. So hopefully we can continue to do that and adjust to what’s in front of us.”

“That’s been the strength of our side, which is adjusting to the surface and really throwing different looks at teams that are suited to that surface. So hopefully, we continue to do that as a side. I haven’t played any cricket here in Dubai before, so I’ll be trying to do that on the practice wickets and then take that out into the middle.”

“As a bowler, you try and find out what ball was the most challenging on that wicket and then try to bowl that ball as many times as you can. We’ve got a lot of experience in our spin bowling group, with Mitch Santner leading the way there. He’s a great person to talk to about what’s effective on a wicket,” he said.

“We work really closely as a spin bowling unit with GP (Glenn Phillips) there as well and Rach (Rachin Ravindra), of course, to find out what’s actually challenging on that surface and perhaps set fields accordingly as well,” Bracewell concluded.

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IPL 2025: Only unfinished business is lifting the trophy, says SRH’s Nitish Reddy

Published

20 hours ago

April 3, 2025

Mumbai Press

New Delhi, April 3: After ending up as runners-up in the last edition of the IPL, Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy feels that the only unfinished business for the franchise is to lift the trophy this season.

SRH had a tough start to the IPL 2025 season as they lost their last two matches and are placed in eighth place in the standings. They will look to add two points against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Thursday, in a rematch of the IPL 2024 final.

“To be honest, I never set personal goals, even when playing for India or in the IPL last year. The only unfinished business is lifting the trophy. We created history with some records, but our ultimate goal is to win the IPL title and add a second star to SRH’s legacy,” Reddy said on JioHotstar’s show ‘Gen Bold’.

Reflecting on his growth since the breakthrough last season, where he scored 303 runs in 13 matches for SRH and went on to make his India debut in T20I and Test formats, Reddy said, “I am very happy with the progress I’ve made, both in my performances for my country and my IPL franchise. I want to continue delivering at the same level. There has been a significant change – people have started recognising me and praising my performances.

“However, I don’t want to let this get to my head. Moving forward, I want to play with the same passion and consistency, whether it’s for my franchise or India. My focus remains on keeping my love for cricket alive.”

The 21-year-old lauded Pat Cummins’ leadership skills and termed him a calm and composed captain. “He is an extremely calm and composed leader. The way he handles pressure is remarkable. When you see your captain managing things so smoothly, it instils confidence in the entire group.”

“His composure helps us believe that we can always make a comeback. As a captain, he is brilliant, and I truly enjoy playing under his leadership,” Reddy said.

On SRH’s explosive batting line-up, he added, “I would rate my team very highly. We had an incredible season last year, and we want to replicate that success. Our strategy is simple – playing with a free mind, maximizing runs in the powerplay, and carrying that momentum into the later overs. Whether it’s the top or middle order, everyone has a role to play. We’re hopeful for another great season.”

Reddy picked Kagiso Rabada as the toughest bowler to face in the IPL and said facing him was a tough challenge.

“I guess I have started understanding the bowlers better now. Just as they study my game, I analyse theirs too. My approach will remain the same, but I will adapt to situations as required. Last year, I didn’t play the first four matches, but when I did, I found Kagiso Rabada particularly challenging. When we played against Punjab, he was very expressive on that wicket, and facing him there was a tough challenge for me,” he said.

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Sports

IPL 2025: Nick Knight backs PBKS winning formula under Iyer and Ponting

Published

2 days ago

April 2, 2025

Mumbai Press

New Delhi, April 2: Former England cricketer Nick Knight believes Punjab Kings (PBKS) have found a winning formula in IPL 2025, with the leadership of captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting.

After a strong start to the IPL 2025 campaign, where Iyer’s unbeaten 97 off 42 balls powered Punjab Kings to a narrow 11-run victory over Gujarat Titans, PBKS extended their unbeaten streak with a commanding eight-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants, courtesy to Prabhsimran Singh (69) and Iyer’s ( 52 not out) fluent half-centuries.

Knight was particularly impressed with how Indian players have stepped up in the team’s two commanding victories so far.

“You look at their team line-up and think they’ve won two games quite well—this one (against LSG) certainly comprehensively. Overseas players haven’t played a major part in that. So (there are) contributions from Indian players. The captain’s like a rock. He looks so calm. He looks so authoritative. The team is playing exactly how his mentality is playing out along with the coach Ricky Ponting,” Knight said on ESPNcricinfo.

What stands out is how much of PBKS’ success has come from their Indian core. Shreyas Iyer has led from the front, but youngsters like Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, and Prabhsimran Singh have also played key roles. This bodes well for the team, especially since their overseas stars—Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Lockie Ferguson, and Azmatullah Omarzai—haven’t yet had a major impact.

“Maxwell, Stoinis, Ferguson, Omarzai, whoever it’s going to be, you know they’re going to play a major part, win a game or two and have a major contribution along the line. So you put that in the back pocket and say, ‘Well, that’s going to happen at some point. So if we’re winning games without them, we’re in a pretty good place’. That’s as much I see from that performance. That is a really confident start for them based on some of their major players yet to make a major contribution,” said Knight.

After win on Tuesday night against LSG, PBKS will look to maintain their momentum and add another victory to their tally when they face Rajasthan Royals on April 5.

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Sports

IPL 2025: When and where to watch LSG vs PBKS, head-to-head record

Published

3 days ago

April 1, 2025

Mumbai Press

Lucknow, April 1: Lucknow Super Giants will host the Punjab Kings at the the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Tuesday in match 13 of the 2025 Indian Premier League campaign.

Led by captain Rishabh Pant, the Super Giants will head into the game brimming with confidence after they defeated SunRisers Hyderabad by five wickets at their home ground.

Having opened their account in IPL 2025, LSG will be looking to continue the winning momentum against the Kings at home.

Punjab Kings began their IPL 2025 campaign with a 11-run win over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.

The Kings’ top order includes wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh, opener Priyansh Arya and newly appointed captain Shreyas Iyer. The likes of Azmatullah Omarzai, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh are expected to feature in their middle order. In the bowling department, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal and Vijaykumar Vyshak are their key options. Their opening game win against GT was an overall solid performance where Arya and Iyer set the foundation in the first innings and clutch death bowling by Vyshak secured the win

LSG vs PBKS head-to-head record in IPL

LSG have a superior head-to-head record against Punjab Kings in the IPL, having won three of the four matches.

The last time the two sides met, the former registered a 21-run home victory over the Kings in March 2024

Live Streaming details

Venue: The match will take place at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

When: April 1, 7:30 PM IST

Livestream: The clash between Lucknow and Punjab will be live-streamed on JioHotstar app and website

Broadcast: Star Sports Network

Squads:

Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), David Miller, Ayush Badoni, Shardul Thakur, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, RS Hangargekar, Akash Maharaj Singh, Avesh Khan, Matthew Breetzke, Aryan Juyal, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Akash Deep, Mayank Yadav, Shamar Joseph, Arshin Kulkarni

Punjab Kings: Josh Inglis(w), Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas lyer(c), Glenn Maxwell, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kuldeep Sen, Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash

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