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IND vs SL: Perseverance pays off for Shivam Mavi as pacer shines on his T20I debut with 4-22

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2 years ago

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As his team-mates from the 2018 U-19 World Cup-winning team — Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill and Arshdeep Singh — made it to the Indian team in various formats, medium pacer Shivam Mavi was still waiting for an opportunity, knocking on the door with good performances in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL).

On Tuesday, the 24-year-old pacer from Uttar Pradesh got his opportunity when Arshdeep was unavailable for selection for the first T20I against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium and made a grand entry into international T20 cricket.

Mavi made full use of his debut by claiming 4-22 in his four-over spell, helping India to a narrow two-run victory. Harshal Patel 2-41 and Umran Malik 2-27 were the other successful bowlers but Mavi caught the eye as India bowled out Sri Lanka for 160 in 20 overs after Deepak Hooda (41 not out) and Axar Patel (31 not out) helped the hosts recover from a precarious 94/5 to a modest 162/5 in 20 overs.

Defending the small modest total, short by at least 12-15 runs as Hooda accepted after the match, was a tall task but the Indians executed their plans superbly but were lucky to win the match off the final ball of the match.

Mavi played a crucial role in the victory, opening the bowling with skipper Hardik Pandya and eventually became the third Indian bowler to take a four-fer on debut. He sent back Pathum Nissanka and Dhananjaya de Silva in the power-play.

The pacer came back to provide India a vital breakthrough by dismissing Wanindu Hasaranga, who had shared a 40-run partnership with skipper Dasun Shanaka, and was looking like propelling Sri Lanka towards victory.

“I was waiting for this moment for the last six years. Had injuries in between and it felt my dream will never come true. Nerves were 3-4 on a scale of ten because you know what to expect when you have played the IPL,” Mavi said after the match.

Mavi’s nerves of steel, ability to control line and length and execute the plans caught the eye as he made a dream debut on Tuesday. The right-handed medium pacer said he likes to bowl during power-play as it gives him a chance to attack.

“My idea in the powerplay is to attack and get them out. My favourite dismissal was the first one, getting him (Nissanka) bowled,” said the U-19 World Cup winner.

Born on November 28, 1998 in Meerut in a middle-class family, Shivam’s upbringing was in Noida in Uttar Pradesh where his businessman father Pankaj Mavi had shifted to when he was very young.

Coming from a Gujarati family settled in Uttar Pradesh, Mavi took up cricket when he was 11. His initial training was under local coach Phoolchand, who taught him the nuances of the game and identified his talent for medium pace bowling.

The right-hander made his mark in the age-group events representing U.P before being picked in the India team for the 2018 ICC U-19 World Cup in New Zealand. That team went on to win the title and Mavi was a key player in the campaign, claiming 14 wickets in all at an average of 15.21.

He made first-class debut in the 2018 Ranji Trophy and incidentally�claimed a four-wicket haul on debut against Goa. He claimed his first five-fer in his second Ranji match against Odisha. Mavi has come up the rankings, having played for India U-19, India Emerging Players, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Ranji Trophy, IPL.

In the 2018 auction, he was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders and was with them till 2022 when he moved to Gujarat Titans. The defending champions Titans picked Mavi for Rs 6.00 Cr during IPL mini-auction, last month.

It was with the Titans that Hardik Pandya got to know Mavi and gained confidence in his abilities. Pandya had decided to back the young players in his squad in the three-match series against Sri Lanka and he showed faith in youngsters’ abilities at the first opportunity.

“I have seen him (Mavi) bowling well in the IPL and I just told him to simply bowl. I told him, ‘I am backing you. Even if you get hit, it’s fine’,” Pandya said after the match.

Mavi repaid that faith with a superb performance and showed that given the opportunity, he can take over the responsibility on a permanent basis.

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Ex-Mumbai captain Milind Rege passes away; players wear black armbands in Ranji Trophy match

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4 days ago

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February 19, 2025

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New Delhi, Feb 19: Former Mumbai captain Milind Rege passed away on Wednesday in Mumbai due to cardiac arrest. He was 76. He is survived by his wife Raj and two sons.

The Mumbai Cricket Association took to X to share the condolence message: “Deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Milind Rege. A stalwart of Mumbai cricket, he served with dedication as Captain, Chairman of the Senior Selection Committee, Managing Committee Member, and Advisor. His legacy will forever be remembered. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.”

The stalwart of Mumbai cricket, Rege was part of five consecutive Ranji Trophy title-winning seasons. An off-spinning all-rounder claimed 126 wickets in 52 first-class matches between 1966-67 and 1977-78. He also amassed 1532 runs, averaging 23.56 in those games.

Following his playing career, Rege remained closely involved with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), holding various roles including selector and chief selector at different times. In 2020, he was appointed as an advisor to the MCA.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of Milind Rege Sir. A true stalwart of Mumbai cricket, his invaluable contributions as a player, selector, and mentor shaped generations of cricketers. His unwavering support and guidance will always be remembered, and his legacy will continue to inspire. He always stood by me, and I will forever be grateful. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. May his soul rest in peace,” said MCA chief Ajinkya Naik.

Both the Mumbai and Vidarbha teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy semi-final in Nagpur observed a minute’s silence before the start of the third day’s play in Rege’s memory. The Mumbai players also wore black arm bands.

Former India cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri also condoled the demise of his friend. “Really sad to hear about the demise of a dear friend Milind Rege. A true champion in his contribution to Mumbai and Tata’s cricket all-round. A Mentor Par Excellence. Heartfelt condolences to Raj and family. God bless his soul,” he shared on X.

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National

Air India Super League 2025: Travel High Titans Clinch Title In First-Ever Pan-India Cricket Tournament

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2 weeks ago

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February 10, 2025

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Travel High Titans won the first edition of Air India Super League 2025, Air India’s first-ever pan-India cricket tournament. The Air India Super League 2025 brought together over 500 participants from 48 leading travel partners spanning Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai strengthening its ties with the industry.

Designed as both a competitive sporting event and a dynamic networking platform, the Air India Super League 2025 aimed to foster camaraderie between Air India and its valued travel partners, including travel management companies and online travel agents.

During the tournament, teams from various cities competed in regional Round Robin matches, with winners advancing to the National Finale in New Delhi. Air India flew down qualifying teams to the capital for the grand finale, held on Sunday at Chanakyapuri in New Delhi. Team Travel High Titans won the first Air India Super League 2025 trophy by 62 runs, beating Tripjack Warriors in a thrilling final match.

The Round Robin Winner trophy was awarded to the top team from each of the four cities, while finalists competed for the ultimate championship title. Participants and winners were also recognized in multiple categories, including ‘Man of the Match’, ‘Best Fielder’, ‘Most Catches in Air India Super League 2025’, ‘Player of Air India Super League 2025’, among others.

“With the Air India Super League 2025, Air India aims to create engaging and memorable experiences for its travel partners while also offering them a platform for networking,” said an official from Air India.

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Gukesh, Manu, Harmanpreet, Praveen picked for Khel Ratna Award

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2 months ago

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January 2, 2025

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New Delhi, Jan 2: World Chess champion Gukesh D and Paris Olympics and Paralympics medallists – Manu Bhaker (shooting), Harmanpreet Singh (hockey) and Praveen Kumar (para-athlete) are to be conferred with Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2024 by President of India Droupadi Murmu at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced on Thursday.

Gukesh recently became the youngest-ever World Chess Champion after outclassing China’s Ding Liren in the title battle in Singapore.

Manu became the first Indian athlete to win twin medals in a single edition of the Games in Paris, following a double bronze in the 10 m air pistol and 10 m air pistol mixed team event.

On the other hand, Harmanpreet led India to their second successive bronze medal in men’s hockey while Praveen bagged gold in the high jump T64 in the Paralympics.

Apart from the Khel Ratna, the Sports Ministry also named a 32-athlete list for the Arjuna Awards for outstanding performance in Sports and Games 2024. The list includes Jyothi Yarraji, Annu Rani, Nitu, Saweety, Vantika Agrawal, Salima Tete, Abhishek, Sanjay, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Preeti Pal, Jeevanji Deepthi, Ajeet Singh, Sachin Sarjerao Khilari, Dharambir, Pranav Soorma, H Hokato Sema, Simran, Navdeep, Nitesh Kumar, Thulasimathi Murugesan, Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan, Manisha Ramadass, Kapil Parmar, Mona Agarwal, Rubina Francis, Swapnil Suresh Kusale, Sarabjot Singh, Abhay Singh, Sajan Prakash and Aman.

Former cyclist Sucha Singh and former para-swimmer Murlikant Rajaram Petkar were awarded Arjuna Awards (Lifetime) for outstanding performance in Sports and Games.

Subhash Rana (para-shooter), Deepali Deshpande (shooting) and Sandeep Sangwan (hockey) were named Dronacharya Award 2024 recipients.

S Muralidharan (badminton) and Armando Agnelo Colaco (football) were awarded the Dronacharya Award in the lifetime category.

Physical Education Foundation of India was given the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar while Chandigarh University (overall winner), Lovely Professional University (first runner-up) and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (second runner-up) were awarded Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2024.

The overall top-performing university in Khelo India University Games is given the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy.

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