Author: Virat Verma

Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has suggested that the Champions Trophy should adopt a hybrid model, recommending that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should refrain from sending the Indian team to Pakistan for the tournament scheduled for next year. Pakistan is set to host the Champions Trophy 2025, but the BCCI has not yet decided whether to send the Indian team. In an exclusive conversation with Sports Tak, Kaneria proposed that Dubai would be an ideal venue for the tournament. He expressed concerns over the current situation in Pakistan and suggested that the ICC might opt…

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finalized a deal valued at PKR 1 billion with a private bank to secure the naming rights for Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium for a duration of five years. Although the PCB has yet to officially announce the agreement, insiders confirm that the deal is complete. Similar to Karachi’s National Stadium, Gaddafi Stadium will now bear the bank’s name. According to one insider, “The deal is worth one billion rupees, while the naming rights for the Karachi stadium were sold for 450 million dollars.” Gaddafi Stadium was originally named after Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 1974.…

As the IPL 2025 auction approaches, cricket fans remain eager yet uncertain about how the event will unfold, particularly regarding the retention of players and the strategies teams will adopt. The issue of player retention has become a hot topic, with some franchises pushing for the maximum number of retentions, while others prefer fewer retentions to build a fresh squad for the upcoming season. In the midst of this uncertainty, Boria Majumdar, a senior sports journalist from RevSportz, has reported that the IPL 2025 auction will likely allow each franchise to retain four players and use two Right to Match…

Joe Root equaled Alastair Cook’s England record of 33 Test centuries during the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Thursday. Root, who was 81 not out at tea, had a nervous moment as he spent 12 balls on 99 and nearly played onto a delivery from Lahiru Kumara when just one run away from his century. However, he gracefully guided the pacer for four between slip and gully, bringing up his hundred with his 13th boundary off 162 balls. Root eventually fell for 143, marking his sixth Test century at Lord’s, when he miscued…

West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 36. The cricketer shared the news on his Instagram page, bringing an end to a 12-year career that saw him play 86 international matches for the West Indies. Reflecting on his journey, Gabriel wrote, “Over the past 12 years, I have devoted myself to playing international cricket for the West Indies.” Gabriel was particularly impactful in Test cricket, where he made 59 of his 86 international appearances. He debuted in a Test at Lord’s in 2012 and soon became a key figure in…

Former World No. 1 batter Dawid Malan has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket at the age of 37. Despite being a top-order left-handed batter, Malan has not featured in a T20I match since September 2023 and has been consistently overlooked by the selectors. His omission from the T20I squad for the series against Australia, where younger players were given preference, reinforced this trend. However, Malan intends to continue his career in franchise cricket, participating in leagues worldwide. Reflecting on his career, Malan believes he surpassed his own expectations in white-ball cricket but regrets not capitalizing on…

On Tuesday, Jay Shah was unanimously elected as the independent chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Currently serving as the honorary secretary of the BCCI, Shah will officially assume his new role on 1 December 2024. Following his election, Shah, who was the only candidate for the position, reiterated his dedication to expanding cricket’s global reach, particularly with the sport’s upcoming inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympics. Although Shah was elected without opposition, a report by news18.com has shed light on some behind-the-scenes details from the ICC meeting. According to the report, the ICC has 16 members, and during…

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced that veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will continue to represent Bangladesh while his legal situation unfolds. This decision comes despite Shakib’s involvement in a First Information Report (FIR) related to a murder case amid recent unrest and a legal notice demanding his immediate removal from cricket. Initially, BCB officials suggested that a decision on Shakib’s future participation would be made after the opening Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. However, the legal matter intensified when Shajib Mahmood Alam, a Supreme Court lawyer acting on behalf of Advocate Md Rafinur Rahman, issued a legal notice…

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is still a while away, but excitement around the auctions is already building. With mega auctions returning after IPL 2022, franchises are gearing up to build their future squads. Debates are swirling about player retentions, Right to Match cards, and more. Some teams are even voicing their opposition to the mega auctions. Regardless of the debates, the auctions promise to be action-packed. The question on everyone’s mind is: Who will be the most expensive player? Will the record for the highest bid, set by Australia’s Mitchell Starc at INR 24.75 crore in the IPL…

The IPL 2025 season may see significant changes, with several big players reportedly set to switch teams. The latest news suggests that wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson could be seen playing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the upcoming season. According to reports, CSK has long been interested in acquiring Samson. The team is likely to pursue this move through a trade. In exchange, Rajasthan Royals are said to have requested Shivam Dube from CSK. Rajasthan reportedly does not want to make a deal involving only money and has specifically asked for Dube in return for Samson. It will be interesting to…