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ICC Cricket World Cup: Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar recalled the 2011 ODI World Cup victory on the 13th anniversary of the monumental triumph. April 2 holds immense significance for Indian cricket, as the Men in Blue clinched their second ODI World Cup title, ending a 28-year wait since their first-ever victory in 1983. On this day in 2011, India won the showpiece event in front of the home crowd at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, courtesy of two brilliant knocks by Gautam Gambhir and then-skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. "Thirteen years ago, my childhood dream turned into reality. Forever grateful for the memories, the team, and the incredible support of over a billion people," Sachin wrote on his social media while sharing a photo from the 2011 World Cup trophy moment. Dhoni alongside Gambhir orchestrated India's pursuit of the 274/6 target set by Sri Lanka. The latter's dismissal for 97 left India within reach of victory, with Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh guiding the team home. Dhoni's iconic six sealed India's triumph with 10 balls to spare. Sachin, who had been a part of the Indian team at ODI World Cups since 1992, Sachin had to wait till 2011 to lay his hands on the coveted silverware after missing out on five previous occasions. "2-4-2011 Day to remember... Worldcup winners #Grateful," said former India spin master Harbhajan Singh said, celebrating India's 2011 World Cup success. BCCI secretary Jay Shah also shared a post on X on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of India's 2011 World Cup triumph, "#OnThisDay in 2011, our Men in Blue made history by clinching the ICC Cricket World Cup for the 2nd time! "Led by the legendary @msdhoni, with gritty innings from @GautamGambhir, quality batting by @sachin_rt, heroic all-round displays by @YUVSTRONG12 and the entire squad played exceptional cricket throughout the tournament! "Every moment at the electrifying Wankhede Stadium echoed with the spirit of Indian Cricket on this night, 13 years ago," he wrote. "#OnThisDay in 2011, Team India put an end to a 28-year World Cup drought by defeating Sri Lanka in the final and becoming the ICC World Cup champions for the second time!" Asian Cricket Council shared on X. Read the full article

ICC Cricket World Cup League: Former Indian cricketer Lalchand Rajput has been appointed the new head coach of UAE men’s team for a three-year period. Rajput, who played two Tests and four ODIs for India from 1985 to 1987, will be taking over from interim head coach Mudassar Nazar. Rajput, 62, was the manager of the MS Dhoni-captained Indian team winning the inaugural men’s T20 World Cup in 2007 in South Africa and was the head coach of Mumbai Indians in the inaugural edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. He also coached Afghanistan from 2016 to 2017, a period where the side notably received their Test-playing status. Rajput also served as Zimbabwe men's head coach from 2018 to 2022. "I want to thank the Emirates Cricket Board for appointing me for this exciting role. UAE has emerged as one of the stronger Associate Members in recent years and the players have put in some good performances in both ODIs and T20Is. The current batch is exceptionally talented and I look forward to working with them and further harnessing their cricket skills. "I am confident that the boys buoyed by their exposure to top quality cricket and practice facilities here in Dubai will continue to prosper, UAE cricket has a very bright future and my goal would be to make the team perform more consistently and take them to the next level which I am very confident they are fully capable of," said Rajput in a statement. His first assignment as UAE’s new head coach will be the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 ODI tri-series being hosted by the side with Scotland and Canada as the other participants. The tri-series begins on February 28, following which UAE will host Scotland for three T20Is next month. Last year, UAE failed to make the cut for the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup after losing to Nepal in the semi-finals of the Asia-Pacific qualifying event. "We are delighted to announce the appointment of Lalchand Rajput as UAE men’s head coach. Rajput has a proven track record and has done an exceptional job as a coach for various national and domestic teams around the world. We are confident that under his coaching UAE men’s cricket will flourish further. "I also want to take this opportunity to thank Mudassar Nazar for his stellar work as the interim head coach. Mudassar will now return to his role as Head of the National Academy Programme where he will continue to identify and groom our future stars," said Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary Emirates Cricket Board. Read the full article

ICC ODI World Cup: In the aftermath of a hard-fought ICC ODI World Cup 2023, where India's dreams were shattered by the Australians in a nail-biting final, the cricketing world now shifts its focus to the T20 World Cup 2024.Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes that amidst the rubble of defeat, Rohit Sharma's leadership shines brighter than ever, asserting, "You need skipper Rohit more than a batter Rohit Sharma to lead the team in T20 World Cup 2024." The Indian team's journey to the ODI World Cup final was marked by ten successive victories, culminating in a showdown with the Australians in Ahmedabad. However, a below-par score of 240 and a relentless Aussie chase handed them their first loss of the tournament, conceding the 50-over world title. Now, as the T20 World Cup looms, the question arises: Will Rohit Sharma continue to lead the Indian side, or will a new captain step up? Kaif, who acknowledges the brilliance of Rohit both as a player and a leader, argues that the Mumbaikar’s captaincy is indispensable, particularly in the absence of Hardik Pandya. "Rohit Sharma has to be there because he has got the leadership quality," Kaif told IANS, emphasizing the significance of Rohit's role in guiding a team that demonstrated resilience and skill throughout the ODI World Cup. “The way he led in the 50 years World Cup, he has done a fantastic job as a leader. Without your prime all-rounder (Hardik Pandya) carrying the team in the finals, how will you justify it. India will need his experience in T20 too. Rohit as a skipper as a batter did a fantastic job which India will need in T20 too.” he added. As the T20 World Cup approaches, Rohit Sharma's leadership qualities are deemed crucial for India's success. With Virat Kohli and Rohit taking a break from white-ball cricket, the absence of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in the Test squad for the South Africa tour raises eyebrows. Kaif also expressed concern, particularly about Pujara's omission, stating, "It will be hard for you Shreyas Iyer to fill the shoes of Pujara." “I don’t know why Pujara has not been selected. You can’t just get on the African tour without your prime batter, you just cannot rely on current or past forms, something you need the most is called experience and India is going to miss it,” said Kaif. The former cricketer also dismissed the notion that the Australian team, despite their World Cup victory, was superior to the Indian eleven. Kaif contends, "I can never accept that the best team has won the World Cup. The Indian team is best on paper," pointing out the standout performances of key players like Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, and the team's overall composition. “Their bowlers struggled throughout the tournament, Warner, Smith, Marsh struggled with the bat, Starc, Hazlewood were in no rhythm then how can you say that the one who wins is the best team. Seeing the Indian team, Rohit led from the front. Virat anchored the innings throughout the tournament, strong middle orders. Our pacers were brilliant, Mohammed Shami who didn’t play the initial games went on to become the highest wicket-taker of the tournament,” said Kaif. Kaif further shed light on the Legend League Cricket (LLC), where the retired players showcase their skills. Playing for the Manipal Tigers, Kaif underscores the importance of the tournament in maintaining fitness and honing skills, stating, "It has helped a lot to grow more as a player." Read the full article