The Commonwealth Games 2022, which will commence on July 28 in Birmingham, will open a new chapter in women’s sports and the sport of cricket. For the first time in history, women’s cricket as well as the T20Is will be played at the Commonwealth Games.

The last time cricket was played in the mega event was in 1998 in Kuala Lumpur. The 50-over format was used, on that occasion, and Shaun Pollock’s South Africa won the gold medal after beating Australia, led by Steve Waugh, in the final.

India, one of the finalists of the T20 World Cup 2020, will go into the Commonwealth Games as one of the favourites to win the  event. They have some of the best players in the world, and also have depth and balance in their 15-member squad. India are in Group A, which also consists of Australia, Pakistan and Barbados. The competition will commence on July 29 at Edgbaston.

1. Shafali Verma

Shafali Verma, the 18-year-old opener, is one of the best T20I batters in the world. She was India’s top scorer in the 2020 T20 World Cup, scoring 163 runs in five matches at an average of 32.60 and a strike rate of 158.25 with a top score of 47.

Shafali is a naturally aggressive player who takes on bowlers during the powerplay, exploiting the field restrictions, and providing India with the needed start. This makes her one of the best opening batters in white ball cricket. She also currently stands at number five in ICC T20I Batting Rankings.

Shafali has played 32 T20Is and scored 753 runs at a strike rate of 139.18 and an average of 24.29. As she was in the World Cup, her contributions would be key for India in Birmingham. If she gets going, she can make the game her own.

2. Harmanpreet Kaur

The India captain and one of the most explosive hitters in women’s cricket, Harmanpreet Kaur, is always one of the most influential players in the Indian team. With over 100 T20Is under her belt, her experience in the game as a captain and an all-rounder will be key for the team.

Kaur is a middle-order batter, who has come out and rescued the Indian innings, time and again, with some counter-attacking knocks. She has a reputation for having the ability to clear the boundary ropes with ease and up the ante when needed.

The India captain went through a lean patch with the bat since the 2018 World Cup as she was struggling for runs. But in 2022, she has scored 104 runs in four matches at an average of 52.00, which is her highest in a calendar year in the format.

3. Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma is one of the best all-rounders in the world across formats and one of the most valuable players for Team India. The Agra-born southpaw is India’s frontline spinner, a dependable middle-order batter, and one of the most active fielders.

In 61 T20Is, Deepti has scored 520 runs and picked up 63 wickets. She is India’s highest-ranked bowler in the format and fifth overall. She is also ranked third among all-rounders after New Zealand’s Sophie Devine and England’s Natalie Sciver.

Deepti is known for batting responsibly in the middle overs, constantly rotating the strike, and not losing her wicket cheaply. When it comes to bowling, she is a wicket-to-wicket bowler, who bowls with discipline and keeps the scoring rate in check. Her all-round abilities give India the required balance, which will be key at the Commonwealth Games.

4. Rajeshwari Gayakwad

The Karnataka-born slow left-arm orthodox spinner is one of India’s most prolific bowlers. Rajeshwari Gayakwad would be one of the first names on the team sheet for India due to her ability to pick key wickets and provide breakthroughs when the team needs them.

Gayakwad has played 36 T20Is and picked up 45 wickets at an average of 18.00 and a strike rate of 16.9, with an economy rate of 6.38. Her best innings figures of three wickets for nine runs in four overs came against South Africa in March 2021.

In this year’s Women’s T20 Challenge, Gayakwad picked up three wickets in two matches for Trailblazers. She also has a great record in overseas conditions, picking up a total of 30 wickets in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Malaysia.

5. Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana is one of the stylish openers, with the typical left-hand batter’s elegance. She is India’s highest-ranked batter in T20Is and fourth overall after Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning and Sophie Devine. She has been one of India’s core members over the last five years and is currently the vice-captain of the team.

Mandhana’s ability to pounce on short-of-length deliveries and cash in on deliveries that are slightly wide makes her a tough opponent to bowl against. Her biggest strength is to play for long and control the tempo of the innings, which she has shown in the longer formats.

The 26-year-old has a great record in England in T20Is, scoring 119 in three matches at an average of 39.66 and a strike rate of 141.66 with a top score of 70. And she would want to carry forward her good form this time around in Birmingham.

In any sport, representing the country is an athlete’s ultimate dream, and donning the national kit for the first time is one of the landmark moments in any sportsperson’s career. It is an honour and also a reward for years of hard work, right from a young age, to represent on a global stage, wearing the country’s badge.

Cricket, or the ‘gentleman’s game’ as it is called, follows a tradition of welcoming debutants into the team by presenting a cap by a senior member or a past player of the team, with the rest of the players also present for the occasion. It is followed in all forms and levels, including domestic and franchise crickets.

The cap presentation, which is done just before the match, is always a special occasion for a player. Even more so, if the cap is handed over by one’s idol. And there have been a few occasions in cricket when players received their debut caps from their heroes.

Here are five instances when cricketers received their debut caps from their idols:

1.KL Rahul from MS Dhoni

Indian star batter KL Rahul made his international debut on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test match at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), receiving cap number 284 from the then-India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. 

Rahul also made his debut in the other two formats under Dhoni at Harare against Zimbabwe in 2016. He has so far appeared in 43 Test matches, 42 ODIs and 56 T20Is ever since, scoring over 6,000 runs. He is the only Indian player to score a hundred on ODI debut. “I never thought I would get a chance to play in the series and it was a special feeling to get that cap from MS Dhoni,” he wrote on Twitter.

The Karnataka-born cricketer is now the vice-captain of the Indian team and is currently out of action due to a groin injury. He is undergoing rehabilitation in Germany and is expected to return to the team in about a month.

2. Alex Carey from Adam Gilchrist

Wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey became the 461st member of Australia’s Test team, receiving the famous baggy green from former legendary wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, in Gabba, Brisbane, on December 8, 2021. He made his ODI debut in January 2018 and T20I debut the next month.

Carey has so far scored 451 runs at an average of 32.21 in 15 Test innings, 1,417 runs at an average of 35.42 in 53 ODIs, and 233 runs at an average of 11.09 in 38 T20Is.

Carey was also part of Australia’s World Cup squad in 2019 and also appeared in the semifinal against England. He is slowly making inroads to becoming the Men in Yellow’s first-choice wicketkeeper across all three formats.

3. Josh Hazlewood from Glenn McGrath

Australia’s star fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was the 440th Australia player to receive the Test cap, the baggy green, given by legendary former pacer Glenn McGrath in Gabba, Brisbane, on December 17, 2014, ahead of a Test match against India. 

Hazlewood picked up five wickets for 68 runs in 23.2 overs in the first innings, and picked up two wickets in the second innings for 74 runs. He has now played 57 Test matches, 61 ODIs and 30 T20Is, picking up a total of 358 international wickets. 

The New South Wales-born is known for his smooth action and ability to produce extra bounce and carry with some seam and swing. Hazlewood currently stands fourth in ODI and first in T20Is, in the ICC bowling rankings and is regarded as one of the best fast bowlers in the world at the moment.

4. Rishabh Pant from MS Dhoni

India’s rising star Rishabh Pant, who is dubbed to be the successor of the legendary Indian cricketer MS Dhoni, received the ODI cap number 224 from the great man himself on October 21, 2018, in Guwahati.

In an interview with the International Cricket Council (ICC), he said that receiving a maiden India cap from Dhoni was special since he was someone Pant looked up to for everything. He revealed that the former India captain told him to enjoy the game. The southpaw is currently one of the core members of the Indian team.

Pant has so far played 31 Tests, 27 ODIs and 50 T20Is, and is currently India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in all three formats. In the recently concluded England tour, he scored an unbeaten 125 runs off 113 balls in Old Trafford, Manchester, to win the ODI series for India, and was also named the Player of the Match.

5. Hardik Pandya from Kapil Dev

Ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya received India’s ODI cap number 215 from the 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev in Dharamshala ahead of a game against the Kiwis on October 16, 2016. He went on to pick three wickets for 31 runs in seven overs in the match.

Pandya said that was special to receive that cap since he received it from Kapil. He made his T20I debut in 2016 and Test debut in 2017 and has appeared in 66 ODIs, 63 T20Is and 11 Test matches. He has scored 2,688 runs and picked up 128 wickets across all three formats, making him one of the best all-rounders in the world at the moment.

Pandya, in the ODI series of the England tour, helped India seal a famous victory in Manchester, picking up four wickets and scoring 71 runs. He became the first Indian to pick up four wickets and score a fifty in both T20I and ODI, and second overall after Shane Watson.

In the last few years, the Indian team has fared well in the red-ball format but has been short on luck on some occasions. The players have failed to step up when required, which has paved the way for the team to get results not favouring them. Although the Indian team stayed at the pole position in the Test rankings for five years since 2017, they were pushed to the second position by Australia in May 2022.

With the introduction of the World Test Championship (WTC), this format has forced teams to field their best XI, and the focus has primarily shifted to doing well in the longest format. The advent of T20 cricket has also been one of the major roadblocks in the Indian team’s path to success in the Test format.

Here are five heart-breaking Test defeats for India since 2018:

1. Edgbaston, 2022

This was the fifth and final Test match of India’s tour of England 2021, which was rescheduled to 2022 due to the Covid-19 cases in the Indian camp. Ahead of this game, India led the series 2-1 and were a confident group due to their strong performances last year. However, the Covid-19 illness and injury to opening batters Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, respectively, forced them to miss the crucial fixture. Thus, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was given the opportunity to lead the side.

India posted a strong first-innings total of 416 on the board, with centuries from Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja. Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah were terrific in the bowling unit to restrict England for a score of 284 and take a lead of 132 runs. However, the Bumrah-led side could not respond well in the second innings and managed to score only 245, with fifties from Cheteshwar Pujara and Pant.

The Ben Stokes-led team had a huge task to chase 378 against the fiery Indian pacers. But, in-form batters Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow hit their respective centuries to guide the team to their highest successful chase in the history of red-ball cricket. The Indian team was able to pick up only three wickets, and the series was levelled 2-2. This meant that the Indian team would now have to wait for the next tour to secure their first Test series victory in England after 2007.

2. Edgbaston, 2018

In the first Test of India’s tour of England in 2018, the home team posted a total of 287 on the board, with hefty knocks from Joe Root (80) and Jonny Bairstow (70). For the visitors, Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami were the pick of the bowlers. In reply, the Indian team scored 274, with Virat Kohli scoring 149, which was his first Test century in England.

In the second innings, Ishant Sharma picked up a fifer and restricted England to 180. However, Sam Curran had put up a show with his blistering innings of 63 off 65 balls. Chasing 194, the Indian top-order failed to provide a good start to the team. It was the skipper Kohli again, who came to rescue the team with a half-century.

However, Kohli was dismissed when the Indian team still needed 53. The last three wickets of the touring party could add only 21 runs, with Hardik Pandya (31) being the last wicket to fall. Ben Stokes scalped four wickets, and the Indian team fell short by 31 runs, in a comparatively easier chase.

3. Cape Town, 2022

This was the third Test of India’s tour of South Africa earlier this year. The first game saw the Indian team breach the fortress of Centurion and winning the game by 113 runs. The second one witnessed the Proteas securing a victory by seven wickets. This was the series decider, and both the teams were confident of their abilities.

India could post a total of 223 on the board in the first innings, with the top contribution of 79 from Kohli. Kagiso Rabada scalped four wickets for the home team. Then, South Africa responded by scoring 210, with Keegan Petersen scoring a solid 72 while Bumrah breathed fire to pick up a five-wicket haul. In India’s second innings, Pant hit an unbeaten century (100*) to help the Indian team post a total of 198, and have a lead of only 211 runs.

Chasing 212, openers Aiden Markram (16) and Dean Elgar (30) couldn’t provide a stable platform for the hosts. However, Petersen continued his fine momentum to score 82, and got the support from Rassie van der Dussen (41*) to take the Proteas closer to victory. Despite Petersen’s wicket with 57 runs still needed, Van der Dussen and Bavuma ensured there were no further hiccups and chased down the total to win the series 2-1. The Indian bowlers failed to leave an impact in this innings, being unable to pick up wickets regularly.

4. Centurion, 2018

The second Test of the 2018 South Africa tour was played at Centurion. The Proteas team was coming into this game after wining the first fixture by 72 runs. After opting to bat first, the home team posted 335 on the board, with major contributions from Aiden Markram (94) and Hashim Amla (82). Ashwin was the best bowler for India with four wickets against his name.

India responded well to score 307 on the board, with Virat Kohli scoring 153. Veteran pacer Morne Morkel extracted bounce from the surface to pick up four wickets. In the second innings, AB de Villiers took charge for the Proteas to help them post a target of 287 for the visitors.

Although India had enough time to chase down the target, openers Murali Vijay and KL Rahul fell early. The likes of Pujara and Kohli could not contribute significantly as well. Rohit (47) and Mohammed Shami (28) were the top run-scorers for the visitors, as the visitors were bundled out for 151. Young pacer, Lungi Ngidi scalped six wickets to help South Africa seal the series.

5. Southampton, 2018

In the fourth Test of India’s tour of England in 2018, the home team batted first and put 246 on the board, with Sam Curran emerging as the top scorer with 78 runs. Bumrah scalped three wickets and was the best performer in the Indian bowling unit. In response, the visitors took a lead of 27 runs, thanks to Pujara’s unbeaten knock of 132. For England, Moeen Ali scalped a fifer.

Jos Buttler (69), Root (48), and Curran (46) were the key contributors for England in the second innings to post 271, and take a lead of 244 runs. The Indian team’s key bowler was Shami, who picked up four wickets, followed by Ishant with two scalps.

Indian openers, Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul, failed yet again in a stiff chase. Pujara, the centurion of the first innings, could contribute only five runs. Half-centuries from Ajinkya Rahane and Kohli were not enough for the visitors, as they eventually fell short by 60 runs. As a result, they lost the Test series as well.

The two-match T20I series in Dublin between Ireland and India, although passed by in a jiffy, was thoroughly entertaining while it lasted. It was played at a blistering pace, as the combined run rate of both the matches touched close to 11 runs per over.

India clinched the series by 2-0 on June 28, Tuesday, but the Irish team were highly competitive and made the visitors work for their victories until the very end. India came into the series with a new captain, Hardik Pandya, in the absence of some of the senior players. A lot of new and young faces made their way into the squad with a lot of expectations, with a number of eyes on them, waiting to see them on the field with anticipation.

In the end, while some players impressed us all with their performances, others still wait to get off the mark and do justice to their selection in the Indian team. The next in line for India in T20Is is a three-match away series against England, starting on July 7. And undoubtedly, the top performers from the Ireland series have brought themselves into contention for a place in the team for the next series.

Here are five Indian players who can get picked for the T20I series against England:

1. Deepak Hooda

Hooda came into the playing XI with a point to prove after not breaking into the team sheet in the five-match home T20I series against South Africa. Also, in the three matches that he had appeared in, prior to this series, he got the opportunity to bat only in one innings where he scored 21.

Against Ireland, he scored an unbeaten 47 off 29 balls in the first match and saw off the chase, after opening the innings. In the second, match, he arrived at number three and scored a spectacular century. He was dismissed for 104 runs off 57 balls in the 18th over by Joshua Little.

Hooda’s ton helped India set up a strong total of 225, which the team defended. Unsurprisingly, he was named the Man of the Match and also the Man of the Series.

2. Avesh Khan

The tall fast bowler from Madhya Pradesh is gradually making a mark in the international circuit with his ability to bowl with bounce and carry, along with some swing. This could especially come in handy on wickets in Australia, where the upcoming T20 World Cup is set to take place.

In the Ireland series, he only played in the first match, presumably making way for Harshal Patel in the second. He did not have the best of outings in the game as he ended with figures of one wicket for 22 runs in two overs.

But in his last spell against South Africa in Rajkot, Khan had put up a match-winning performance, picking up four wickets for only 18 runs. He also had a decent Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, as he bagged 18 wickets in 13 matches.

3. Sanju Samson

Samson is a talented batter who has struggled to maintain consistency. His 2022 season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) pretty much sums up the kind of batter he is. His average of 28.63 batting in the IPL 2022 may not be spectacular for a top-three batter.

But scoring 458 runs in 17 matches with a strike rate of 146.79 shows what he is capable of. Samson is known for his strength and the ease at which he can clear the boundary ropes. When he gets going, he can stay at the crease for long and assure that the team makes a big total.

In the second T20I against Ireland, he scored an entertaining 77 runs off 42 balls, while opening the innings. He, along with Hooda, added 176 runs for the second wicket and ensured a match-winning total for India.

4. Harshal Patel

Patel is currently India’s one of the go-to bowlers for the death overs. Also, he occasionally bowls in the powerplay when the team is in search of quick wickets. He is known for his subtle variations, deceptive slower balls and effective off-cutters.

Patel was the highest wicket-taker in the recently concluded series against the Proteas with seven wickets in four innings at an economy rate of 7.23. He has also been one of the most prolific bowlers in the last two IPL with 51 wickets in 30 matches.

However, Patel had a forgettable game in the second T20I against Ireland as he conceded 54 runs and picked up one wicket in his four overs. He might have a point to prove in the England series.

5. Ishan Kishan

Kishan has been one of the finds of the season for India for the opening and wicketkeeping slot. He has been prolific with the bat and also has a very healthy strike rate batting up the order.

Since his debut in 2021, he has scored 524 runs in 17 matches at an average of 32.75 and a strike rate of 134.01. He was also the top scorer in the South Africa series with 206 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 150.36.

However, Kishan, was not quite up to his regular standards, scoring only 26 in the first T20I and 3 in the second T20I. But, given his overall form, he may have done enough to earn a spot in the team for the next series.

Ireland are gearing up to host India in a two-match T20I series on June 26 and June 28 at Malahide in Dublin. The visitors come into the series on the back of two emphatic wins over South Africa at home with the series scoreline being 2-2. This Indian side, led by all-rounder Hardik Pandya, is young and inexperienced squad with a few uncapped players in the camp.

The Irish side, led by Andy Balbirnie, come into the series on the back of a defeat to the UAE in the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier final in Oman. The last time India and Ireland met was in 2018 for a two-match T20I series in Dublin which India won by a margin of 2-0. 

As always, going into any series, there are always match-ups and player battles to look forward to. In the recently concluded series between India and South Africa, there were a few mini battles, such as Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Temba Bavuma, and the Proteas bowlers setting a trap outside off-stump against Rishabh Pant, that caught the eyes of the fans. Similarly, we might be in for a few more mini battles that could spice up the series in Dublin.

Here are the five mini battles to watch out for in the upcoming series between Ireland and India:

1. Andrew Balbirnie vs Avesh Khan

Balbirnie is in a good run of form this year, scoring 236 runs in eight innings at an average of 33.71 This has been the Irish captain’s best year in terms of batting average and strike rate.

Balbirnie has been providing good starts to the team, taking on the new ball bowlers. It would make a good watch to observe how he goes about dealing with the Indian bowlers.

Avesh Khan, on the other hand, has been making strides on the international stage this year. He made his international debut in February against West Indies and has played in seven T20Is, bagging six wickets in six innings at an economy of 7.39 and best figures of 4/18, which came against South Africa earlier in the month. His battle against an in-form Balbirnie in the powerplay would be an intriguing contest.

2. George Dockrell vs Hardik Pandya

Dockrell, one of the experienced bowlers in the Irish camp, will have to lead the spin department. With international experience of over 12 years and 76 T20I wickets under his belt, he is expected to take on the Indian batters and deliver in the middle phase of the innings to keep the scoring rate down. 

Hardik, in recent matches, has come in the backend of the innings. But on this tour, the Indian captain might arrive at number five and bat in the middle phase of the innings.

Hardik usually likes to attack the ball that spins away from him as he has given tough times to left-arm orthodox spinners and leg spinners in the past. It will be a good match-up to see how he deals with an experienced campaigner like Dockrell.

3. Paul Stirling vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The responsibility of negotiating with the new ball against the in-form Indian seamers rests on Ireland’s starlet batter Paul Stirling, along with his skipper. He has played 102 T20Is and scored 2776 runs with a top score of 115* and an average of almost 30 with a strike rate of 134.69.

As Stirling has done all his career, he is expected to make a major contribution in terms of scoring for the hosts. But this time, he will have to deal with the swing of one of the best new-ball bowlers in the world, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Bhuvneshwar, known for his remarkable control with the new ball, will relish the Irish conditions where it assists swing and seam. He was adjudged the Player of the Series against South Africa for bagging six wickets in four innings. He completely nullified the Proteas openers, Bavuma and Reeza Hendricks, containing their scoring rate and taking them virtually out of the equation.

4. Josh Little vs Ruturaj Gaikwad

A left-arm fast bowler searing in with the new ball in hand is a sight that the Indian top-order batters have dreaded in recent times. Bowlers such as Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz have troubled the Indian batters in the last decade or so, and the 22-year-old Irishman Josh Little might be mindful of that. Since 2021, Little has picked up 20 wickets in 17 T20Is at an economy of 6.23.

Ruturaj Gaikwad is yet to make a significant mark in the international circuit despite showing what he is capable of in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Since Gaikwad’s debut in July 2021, he has scored only 135 runs in eight innings, registering only one fifty. He would look to get into the rhythm in this series and regain his form going bearing the upcoming T20 World Cup in mind.

5. Mark Adair vs Ishan Kishan

The 26-year-old Irish right-arm pacer is one of the most prolific bowlers in the team, bagging 59 wickets in 39 T20Is at an economy of just over seven. He burst onto the scene on the international stage by scalping 27 wickets in 17 T20Is in his maiden year, 2019.

The tall seamer from Northern Ireland will be given the task to contain the explosive Indian opener, Ishan Kishan. On the other hand, Kishan has been one of the best T20I batters in the team since his debut in the format in March 2021.

Kishan has so far scored 495 runs at an average of 35.35 and a strike rate of 132. He was arguably the best batter in the series against South Africa. The southpaw will now look to pick up from where he left off at home going into the tour.

The IPL 2022 has been sensational so far as we approach the business end of the tournament. The ten teams have been brilliant in different aspects although the results don’t reflect that. The two new teams have surprised the old horses and have been quite magnificent so far including the captaincy of Hardik Pandya.

The fans witnessed a special game on Thursday (April 21st) as the ‘El Classico of IPL’, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings battled it out. MS Dhoni was back at his best in terms of his finishing duties when CSK were in a tricky situation with 17 needed off the final over from Jaydev Unadkat.

The veteran batter kept his cool and finished off the game in style with an unbeaten 13-ball 28-run knock that included three fours and a six. The 40-year-old showed why he has been deemed as one of the best finishers in the game ever and in the process, he achieved a unique feat as well. Dhoni has now become the fastest batter to score 100 IPL runs against a bowler in IPL as he managed to get to the landmark in 42 balls against Unadkat.

MS Dhoni went past Suresh Raina’s record

The record was previously held by another Chennai Super Kings legend, Suresh Raina who wasn’t picked up in the mega auction this year and he has managed it against Sandeep Sharma in 47 balls. AB De Villiers, who retired from the IPL last year, shared the record with Raina by hitting 100 runs off Sandeep Sharma in just 47 balls.

Kieron Pollard is the only active player on the list other than Dhoni, and he has also managed to achieve the feat in 47 deliveries against the Chennai Super Kings skipper Ravindra Jadeja. All the four players on the list have played a big part in their franchise’s history over the years and are termed legends of the tournament as well.

Top four fastest batters to 100 IPL Runs against a bowler:

When T20 cricket first came in 2003, several people asked a simple question, what is an ideal score? However, soon, people found out that the question itself had many iterations. On some tracks, in a certain situation, 200 will be difficult to defend, while sometimes 100 runs can be also defended. 

The Indian Premier League is a T20 competition famous for big-hitting. In a country that produces a quality batsman every now and then, it is tough to believe that there have been really, really low scores in the IPL. As a matter of fact, there have been 43 occasions of a team not being able to score 100 runs. There have been much lower scores in the IPL. Let us look back at-

Lowest 6 team totals in the IPL history

6. Royal Challengers Bangalore 68 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2022

Royal Challengers Bangalore were stunned by the SRH pacers at the Brabourne Stadium after opting to bowl first. RCB were skittled for just 68 runs in the 17th over of the innings. Marco Jansen was the wrecker-in-chief picking up three wickets – Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli and Anuj Rawat – in a single over with the new ball. No other batter could play the anchor role as well with SRH picking wickets at regular intervals.

Only Glenn Maxwell and Suyash Prabhudessai could reach the double-figures for RCB as they were bundled out pretty early. Apart from Jansen, Natarajan also picked up three wickets and conceded only 10 runs while Jagadeesha Suchith also impressed with his figures of 2/12.

Interestingly, RCB’s low score came on the same day when they were bundled out for 49 runs, the lowest in the history of IPL in 2017. Another interesting fact is on the same day, they registered the highest score of IPL history as well.

5. Kolkata Knight Riders’ 67 vs Mumbai Indians, 2008

The first season for the Kolkata Knight Riders doesn’t have too many memories to look back at. After Brendon McCullum scored 158 runs off 73 balls in the first match, KKR had a season, which they would rather forget. One of the major reasons why this season is a forgettable one is also because of their loss at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. 

Mumbai captain Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and elected to bowl first on a track that should have produced a good contest to watch. However, KKR got absolutely no momentum during their innings losing wickets at regular intervals. None of their batters seemed to look set against the bowling unit of Mumbai. 

Shaun Pollock (3 for 12) and Dwayne Bravo (2 for 13) were the chief architects of KKR’s slump. They were bowled out for the lowest total in that season, 67. When it came to the chase, it took Mumbai just 5.3 overs to knock off the total. Sanath Jayasuriya was at his vintage best, racing along to 48 runs off 17 balls. 

4. Delhi Capitals’ 67 vs Kings XI Punjab, 2017

Between 2012 and 2019, when they were renamed and relaunched as Delhi Capitals, the Delhi-based franchise saw some really tough seasons in the IPL. One of those seasons was 2017 one, where they once again failed to get any sort of momentum for themselves. On an evening in Mohali, Kings XI Punjab captain Glenn Maxwell won the toss and asked Delhi to bat. 

Sandeep Sharma, who has over the years been a great bowler to watch in the initial six overs, had one of his best days. He swung the ball beautifully as Delhi batters struggled to get a start. He bowled four overs by giving just 20 runs and picked up four crucial wickets. His spell jolted the Delhi team and the rest was taken care of by the other bowlers of Punjab. 

While chasing the total of 68, Punjab’s openers Hashim Amla and Martin Guptill made sure that the match result looked worse for Delhi as they went down by 10 wickets. Guptill scored a brisk 50 runs from 27 balls, while Amla hung around him as Punjab reached the target in 7.5 overs, achieving one of the biggest wins in the league. 

3. Delhi Capitals’ 66 vs Mumbai Indians, 2017

When we said that 2017 was one of the seasons where Delhi just couldn’t get their act together, we had another total to look. This match was interestingly played just a week after their loss against Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). Mumbai Indians were sent into bat by the Delhi captain Zaheer Khan. 

Lendl Simmons along with his West Indian teammate Kieron Pollard made sure that Delhi was chasing a huge total when they come out to bat. Simmons made 66 runs off 43 balls, opening the innings while Pollard, batting at no.3 scored 63 runs off 35 balls. Hardik Pandya’s cameo of 29 runs from 14 balls, took Mumbai’s total to 212 for 3. 

Chasing a big total, Delhi lost early wickets and never looked in control of the chase. It was 6 for 2, then 20 for 3, then 35 for 5, then 46 for 7 and eventually 66 bowled out. In a week’s time, the same time, with mostly the same players had been bowled for less than 70 twice. For Mumbai, Harbhajan Singh and Karn Sharma starred with the ball picking up three wickets each. 

2. Rajasthan Royals’ 58 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2009

It is very rare that any IPL has done well in back to back seasons. But, Rajasthan Royals, after winning the inaugural season in 2008, started the 2009 season in the most bizarre fashion. On the opening day where two matches were supposed to be played, Rajasthan met Royal Challengers Bangalore, who had finished seventh in 2008. 

Batting first, RCB didn’t get a huge total. Their newly appointed captain Kevin Pietersen scored 32 runs off 30 balls, while their former skipper Rahul Dravid played the match-defining knock of 66 runs from 48 balls. No other batter entered the double-figure mark as the Bangalore team could manage only 133 for 8 in their 20 overs. 

However, what followed was not anyone’s guess. Rajasthan Royals were bowled out for just 58, as the champions of 2008 recorded the lowest ever total in the league. The record was with them until 2017. Anil Kumble bowled a memorable spell of 5 for 5 in 3.1 overs, while he got some good support from Praveen Kumar and part-timer Jesse Ryder, both of whom picked up two wickets. 

1. Royal Challengers Bangalore’s 49 vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2017

There are some bizarre cricket matches and then there is the match between RCB and KKR at the Eden Gardens from 2017. The match started with Sunil Narine taking apart his countryman Samuel Badree. Narine made 34 runs from 17 balls, setting up a platform for the Knight Riders. But, the RCB spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Pawan Negi shared five wickets between them to restrict the hosts. 

After being at 65 for 1 after 5.3 overs, KKR had slipped to being bowled out for 131 runs only. KKR captain Gautam Gambhir went in with his pace attack to defend a low score and set attacking fields. What followed was an exhibition of top-class fast-bowling in T20 cricket. The attack had Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Woakes, Umesh Yadav and Colin de Grandhomme. 

RCB was not charged for what they faced. The trio of Woakes, Coulter-Nile and de Grandhomme took three wickets each while Yadav got one wicket. In a dismal show, none of the RCB batsmen managed a double-digit score and they were bowled out for just 49 runs. Interestingly, with this, RCB held the record for the highest ever score in IPL along with the lowest ever score.

*Last Updated: 23rd April, 2022

Pakistan batting sensation Babar Azam went past a significant milestone during the first ODI against Australia on Tuesday (March 29). The Pakistan skipper breached the 4000-run mark in ODI cricket and became the 15th batter from his country to go past the landmark.

Babar was in good form in the series opener against the Aussies and scored a fluent 57 off 72 deliveries, in an innings laced with six boundaries. Azam currently has scored 4042 runs in his ODI career at a stellar average of 56.92 and a strike rate of close to 90.

Apart from that, the 27-year-old has also plundered 14 centuries and 18 half-centuries with the willow for the Pakistan side in ODI cricket. Another important feat accomplished by Azam is that he is the fastest Pakistan batter and the second-fastest in ODI cricket ever to breach the 4000-run mark.

Babar Azam accomplishes a stellar feat in ODI cricket

Babar Azam breached the 4000-run mark in just 82 innings and is quicker to the landmark than legends like Virat Kohli, Vivian Richards, Sachin Tendulkar, and Brian Lara. Only South African batting great Hashim Amla (81 innings) has gone past 4000 ODI runs faster than Azam.

The third place in the list is occupied by West Indian batting icon, Sir Vivian Richards, who went past 4000 ODI runs in 88 innings. England batter Joe Root occupies the fourth spot, having breached the 4000-run barrier in 91 innings. Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli is at the 5th spot in the list, having scored his 4000th ODI run in his 93rd innings.

Australia beat Pakistan in the first ODI by 88 runs. Australia set the Pakistan side a stiff target of 314 for a victory. Even though Imam-ul-Haq scored a century and Azam chipped in with a fifty, the other Pakistan batters failed to step up to the occasion, as the kangaroos thrashed their opponents.

Here is the list of the five batters who are the fastest to 4000 ODI runs

Indian Premier League over the years has produced several high-scoring matches. The pitches in India have the ability to assist batters and sometimes favour them a lot more than the bowlers. It adds to the fact that the best power hitters in cricket are more often than not found in the IPL, playing for different franchises. 

The second leg of IPL 2021 is set to get underway on September 19 and the fans are already looking forward to the big-hitters coming to the party. Considering the kinds of scores we have seen in the previous season, we can expect a few more 200+ scores with batters getting hundreds or even 150. As the season resumption is around the corner, it is a great time to look back at the highest team totals of all-time in the cash-rich league. Here we look at-

5 Highest Team Scores in IPL History

5. Chennai Super Kings (240 for 5) vs KXIP (now PBKS), 2008

For this one, we have to go way back to the first edition of the IPL. After the opening night in Bangalore, where Brendon McCullum smashed 158 not out, the action shifted to Mohali where Chennai Super Kings took on Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). Chennai won the toss and elected to bat first and got a considerably good start. 

But, it was Michael Hussey, batting at no.3, who turned the match completely on its head. He smashed the second hundred of the IPL only in its second match ever. His knock of 116 runs off just 54 balls which consisted of eight fours and nine sixes. The quick cameos by Suresh Raina (32 runs off 13 balls) and S Badrinath (31 runs off 14 balls) further solidified CSK’s position in the match. 

In all true sense, there weren’t too many bad deliveries but it was batting of the highest class which took CSK’s total to 240 for 5. This score also held the record for the highest score for two years, before CSK themselves broke it. Fiery fifties from Kumar Sangakkara (54 runs off 33 balls) and James Hopes (71 runs off 33 balls) weren’t enough as Punjab fell short by 33 runs. 

4. Kolkata Knight Riders (245 for 6) vs KXIP, 2018

Coming into the 2018 IPL, Kolkata’s batting unit looked quite dangerous for inflicting terror on other teams. But it came all together in one of the afternoon matches in Indore, which they had to win at any cost to stay alive in the competition. Sunil Narine, KKR’s makeshift pinch-hitting opener, scored 75 runs off just 36 balls, to give them a brilliant start. 

However, it was the crucial partnership between Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik which took the score way out of the reach of the Punjab team. The big West Indian got 31 runs off just 14 balls, while the then KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik played a knock of 50 off just 23 balls. Some late cameos were also important in taking their score to those heights. 

Javon Searles, interestingly hit the last ball for a massive six to take KKR’s final score to 245 for 6. The target was always going to be too much for Punjab, but they didn’t make their case easy by losing heaps of wickets at important stages of their run chase. KL Rahul scored 66 runs off 29 balls while skipper Ravichandran Ashwin made 45 runs off 22 balls. For KKR, Russell was in action once again, picking up three wickets for 41 runs. 

3. Chennai Super Kings (246 for 5) vs Rajasthan Royals, 2010

During the 2010 season of the IPL, Chennai Super Kings had some hiccups during the league stages. They were sneaking in wins from here and there but the consistency was something the team was lacking. However, in an afternoon game in Chennai, Murali Vijay played an innings, which is still remembered as one of the finest ever in the IPL. 

Chennai started well and was looking set for a score around 200, but at 83 for 2, Albie Morkel joined Vijay at the crease. The partnership between the two didn’t only take the match away from Rajasthan’s reach but also produced a spectacle of big-hitting. Morkel scored 62 runs from 34 balls, while Vijay made 127 off just 56 balls. 

The partnership yielded 152 runs from 66 balls where Morkel hit five sixes while Vijay, on the other end, smashed 11. Chennai made 246 for 5 while Rajasthan fell short, only managing 223 for 5. Naman Ojha made a career-best of 94 not out from 55 balls, while Shane Watson hit 60 runs off 25 balls. 

2. Royal Challengers Bangalore (248 for 3) vs Gujarat Lions, 2016

While talking about high-scoring matches, there is no way that we can go about it without discussing any matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. In the 2016 match against the now-defunct Gujarat Lions, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers got together for one of the best T20 partnerships of all-time. 

RCB didn’t get to a good start by any degree, having lost Chris Gayle at 19 for 1 in the fourth over. However, for the next hour or so, the Chinnaswamy crowd saw a carnage. ABD kept taking on the bowlers while Kohli spent time on the crease trying to adjust to the wicket. Meanwhile, the South African was on song. 

However, Kohli’s patience paid off eventually. His first 50 runs had come off 40 balls, while his next 59 runs came off just 15 balls, ending with 109 off 55. ABD, on the other hand, finished with an unbeaten 129 runs off 52 balls. The partnership between the two lasted for 229 runs, which to date is the second-highest ever in the T20s. RCB won the match by 144 runs, as Gujarat were folded out for 104. 

1. Royal Challengers Bangalore (263 for 5) vs Pune Warriors India, 2013 

Chris Gayle had come into the 2013 IPL having played some magical and dominated innings in the previous two seasons. However, there is no doubt that the universe boss was eyeing to change some records. The left-handed opener walked in one afternoon in Chinnaswamy Stadium and smashed the fastest T20 hundred of all-time. 

His first 50 runs came off 17 balls. As people thought that was a quick fifty, he produced the next 50 runs off just 13 balls. By the time he had reached his 30-ball hundred, eight of those balls had gone for fours while 11 had sailed over for sixes. He didn’t end there, he marched along for what was likely to be the first double century in the format. 

Unfortunately, towards the end of his innings, he slowed down a little ending with an unbeaten 175 runs off just 66 balls. AB de Villiers also got an 8 ball-31, which helped RCB finish with the highest ever total in an IPL match. The now-defunct Pune Warriors India ended with 133 for 9 in their 20 overs, falling short by 130 runs. 

*Last updated on 9th March, 2022

Watch AB de Villiers bat, and you will feel that you want to watch him all day. A batsman blessed with supreme ability, de Villiers can play every shot in the book. The South African legend can toy with any bowling attack on his day, and his exploits with the willow have endeared him to millions of fans in the world of cricket.

AB de Villiers has accumulated scintillating numbers in international cricket and will qualify as one of the all-time greats that South Africa has ever produced. The right-hander has featured in 114 Test matches for South Africa and has scored 8765 runs at an average in excess of 50.

The 37-year-old has also played 228 ODI matches for the Proteas and has amassed 9577 runs at an average of 53.50. The batting icon has scored a total of 47 hundreds in his international career. In this article, let us take a look at the top five knocks of AB de Villiers in international cricket.

5. 71 (29) vs England (T20Is)

AB de Villiers’ sensational assault with the willow left the England bowlers dumbstruck on 21st February 2016. Batting first, England posted a total of 171 on the board in their allotted 20 overs. In reply, South Africa chased down the target with 9 wickets and 5.2 overs to spare. AB de Villiers was the wrecker-in-chief for South Africa with the willow. The legendary batsman scored a 29-ball 71, including 6 fours and 6 sixes to pulverize the England bowling attack.

4. 174 (381) vs England (Tests)

In July 2008, AB de Villiers proved to the world that he can play the waiting game as well. England batted first and posted a total of 203 on the board. In reply, South Africa piled up a total of 522, with AB de Villiers leading the way. The right-hander consumed 381 balls and scored a splendid 174. The South African batting maestro’s knock was embellished with 19 fours, and he helped South Africa thrash England with 10 wickets to spare.

3. 162* (66) vs West Indies (ODIs)

During a league stage match of the 2015 World Cup, the West Indian bowlers were left clueless as AB de Villiers smashed 162* off just 66 deliveries to power South Africa to a total of 408/5. The South African batting maestro’s knock was studded with 17 fours and 8 sixes. In reply, the West Indian side was shot out for a paltry total of just 151, as the Proteas crushed the ‘Men in Maroon’ by 257 runs.

2. 217* (333) vs India (Tests)

AB de Villiers’ classic 217* off 333 deliveries allowed South Africa to wallop India by an innings and 90 runs at Ahmedabad. Batting first, India was bowled out for just 76 in the first innings. In reply, South Africa piled up a total of 494/7 on the board, with de Villiers as the guiding light. The right-hander scored a classic double ton to render the Indian team clueless. In their second innings, India was bowled out for a total of 328.

1. 149 (44) vs West Indies (ODIs)

This is a knock that will live on in the minds of cricket fans for posterity. At the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, AB de Villiers enchanted the packed crowd by scoring a 44-ball 149, treating the opposition bowlers with a sense of nonchalance. His rampaging assault allowed South Africa to pile up a total of 439/2 on the board. In reply, the West Indian side came nowhere even close to the target and could muster only 291/7 in their quota of 50 overs.