Mumbai: Defending champions Chennai Super Kings will face Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening game of the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Wankhede stadium here on March 26.

The BCCI on Sunday announced the schedule of the cash-rich league, which will be played across four venues — Wankhede Stadium and Cricket Club of India in Mumbai, DY Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai and Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium in Pune.

A total number of 70 league matches and 4 playoff games will be played in the duration of 65 days, BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media release.

There will be 12 double-headers in the tournament and on such days, the first game will be played at 3.30pm and the evening matches will be played at 7.30pm.

The first-double header will be played on March 27 with a day-game at the Brabourne stadium (CCI) where the Delhi Capitals will square off five-time champions Mumbai Indians. Later, DY Patil Stadium will host the clash between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore in a night game.

The first match in Pune will be played on March 29 when Sunrisers Hyderabad take on Rajasthan Royals.

It was already announced by the BCCI, that in all, 20 matches each would be held at Wankhede stadium and DY Patil Stadium, while 15 games each would be played at the Brabourne stadium and in Pune.

The final league game will also be played at the Wankhede stadium here on May 22 between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings.

Both the new teams Gujarat Titans and the Lucknow Super Giants play their first match, against each other, at the Wankhede on March 28.

The BCCI said that the schedule for the play-offs and the final to be played on May 29, would be announced later.

Mohali: India bowled out Sri Lanka for 174 on the third day of the opening Test to take a mammoth 400-run first-innings lead here on Sunday.

Sri Lanka, who resumed at their overnight score of 108 for four, could add only 66 runs for the loss of the remaining six wickets. Pathum Nissanka, who was unbeaten on 61, was the top scorer for the visitors while Charith Asalanka pitched in with 29.

Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (5/41) was the pick of the bowlers for India while Ravichandran Ashwin (2/49) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/36) also played their part in wrapping up the Sri Lankan innings.

Brief Scores:

India 1st innings: 574 for 8 declared in 129.2 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 175 not out, Rishabh Pant 96; Suranga Lakmal 2/90, Vishwa Fernando 2/135, Lasith Embuldeniya 2/188).

Sri Lanka 1st innings: 174 all out in 65 overs (Pathum Nissanka 61 not out, Charith Asalanka 29; Ravindra Jadeja 5/41).

Mount Maunganui: Smriti Mandhana, Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar scored half-centuries to help India post 244 for seven in their ICC women’s World Cup opener against Pakistan here on Sunday.

Opting to bat, India were under pressure after opener Shafali Verma was dismissed for a duck.

A 92-run stand between Mandhana (52 off 75) and Deepti Sharma (40) helped steady the ship.

However, Pakistan came back by claiming a flurry of wickets, including the scalps of skipper Mithali Raj (9) and her deputy Haramanpreet Kaur (5).

Rana (53 not out) and Vastrakar (67) then shared a crucial 122-run partnership to take India to a respectable total.

For Pakistan, spinners Nida Dar (2/45) and Nashra Sandhu (2/36) snared two wickets each.

Brief Scores:

India: 244 for 7 in 50 overs (Pooja Vastrakar 67, Sneh Rana 53 not out, Smriti Mandhana 52; Nashra Sandhu 2/36, Nida Dar 2/45).

Lucknow: India comfortably beat Sri Lanka by 62 runs in the first T20 International here on Thursday.

Batting first, IPL’s costliest buy Ishan Kishan plundered a career-best 56-ball-89 while Shreyas Iyer helped himself to an unbeaten 57 off 28 balls as India scored 199 for two and then restricted Sri Lanka to 137 for six.

Skipper Rohit Sharma also got 44 off 32 balls as Sri Lankan bowlers, without world’s premier leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, were taken to cleaners by Indian batters.

Kishan had 10 fours and three sixes in his innings while Iyer hit five fours and two sixes.

In bowling, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/9), Venkatesh Iyer (2/36) got their share of wickets. Yuzvendra Chahal (1/11 in 3 overs) also bowled well.

Brief Scores:

India: 199 for 2 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 89, Shreyas Iyer 57 not out; Dasun Shanaka 1/19).

Sri Lanka: 137 for 6 in 20 overs (Charith Asalanka 53 not out, Venkatesh Iyer 2/36, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/9).

New Delhi: The 10-team Indian Premier League will start in Mumbai on March 26 and end on May 29 with around 40 percent crowd being allowed at the start of the tournament.

“The IPL will start on Saturday, March 26,” IPL chairman Brijesh Patel told PTI after the governing council meeting on Thursday.

With two new teams Lucknow Supergiants and Gujarat Titans added to the roster, there will be 74 matches with 70 of them being played at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium and Brabourne Stadium along with Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil ground and Gahunje Stadium in Pune.

As many as 20 games each will be held at Wankhede and DY Patil, while 15 each will be hosted at Brabourne and Gahunje Stadium.

“Spectators will be allowed as per guidelines set by the Maharashtra government and to start with, it will be 40 percent. If the COVID situation remains under control and cases decline, it might be full house at the business end,” a source said.

There has been no decision with regards to play-offs but Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium is likely to host the final.

It is learnt that 55 matches will be played in Mumbai, while 15 will be played in Pune.

“Each team will play same number of games at each of the stadiums. Mumbai Indians will play four games at Wankhede Stadium. We are having as many as 12 double headers and it was decided that Saturday start (march 26) allows us to host a double header on Sunday,” an IPL source added.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah had earlier said that plan is to hold IPL in India and likewise BCCI were ready in earnest to host it in the country. The second option was South Africa ths time but it was a distant option.

New Delhi: The COVID-19 outbreak in its camp was not the only off-field challenge the Indian team overcame on its way to the U-19 World Cup triumph.

India’s problems began on arrival in the Caribbean islands, with as many as seven unvaccinated members of the side detained at the airport for more than 24 hours, requiring the government to step in and resolve the issue.

This was after a long flight from Dubai to Port-of-Spain via Amsterdam.

Left-arm pacer Ravi Kumar, who played a huge role in the team’s unprecedented fifth World Cup triumph, and opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi were among the players who were told to “go back to India” as they were not jabbed.

Team manager Lobzang G. Tenzing, who came to their rescue with the help of the ICC and colleagues in the BCCI, narrated the “harrowing experience” of the players. The India and Trinidad government, too, had to step in to resolve the situation.

“After we landed at Port-of-Spain, we had to take a charter flight to Guyana but seven of our boys were stopped as they were not vaccinated. We tried to explain to the immigration officials that India had not started their vaccination yet but they instructed us to take the next flight out of the country,” Tenzing, who heads the Sikkim Cricket Association

“We were surrounded by security guys of the airlines as if we would run away from there. And as the argument was on with airline and immigration officials, the only Lufthansa flight available had departed and the next one was after three days. That gave us time to negotiate with local authorities.

“I decided to stay with the boys and we had to stay in a shady hotel near the airport for the night. It was only after the intervention of ICC and local government the matter could be resolved. It was quite a harrowing experience for the boys,” he recalled.

This happened in the first week of January when India started the vaccination drive for the 15-18 age group.

Rahul Dravid

Kolkata: India’s head coach Rahul Dravid is not at all “hurt” that veteran keeper Wriddhiman Saha has revealed a very classified conversation that he had on his future but at the same time wanted to give the Bengal stumper clarity about his position in the team.

Wriddhiman, whose India career has come to a halt, had told the media that head coach Dravid had asked him to consider retirement during a private conversation after the South Africa series.

“I’m actually not hurt at all. I have deep respect for Wriddhi and his achievements and his contribution to Indian cricket. My conversation came from that place. I think he deserved honesty and clarity,” Dravid replied in his typical classy manner where he revealed little about a breach of trust with regards to dressing room conversation.

The ‘Wall’ said that he will continue having such conversations with players whether they like the content of the discussion or not.

“It’s about conversations I constantly have with players. I don’t expect players to always agree with everything I say about them. That’s not how it works. You can have difficult conversations with the players, but that doesnt mean you brush it under the carpet and don’t have the conversations,” Dravid was crystal clear in his approach.

Dravid said that his philosophy is to discuss with players even before every playing eleven being picked.

“I always believe in having those conversations before every playing XI is picked and be open to questions such as why they are not playing. It’s natural for players to get upset and feel hurt.”

Dravid also explained that rationale behind speaking to Wriddhiman was because Rishabh Pant has already established himself as the new No 1 keeper and the Bengal man wouldn’t have got chances.

“I was just trying to convey that with RP (Pant) having established himself as our No.1 wicketkeeper-batsman, the idea was to say that we are looking to groom a younger wicketkeeper (KOna Bharat). This doesnt change my feelings or respect for Wriddhi.”

For Dravid, telling a harsh truth is better than avoiding a conversation.

“Easiest thing for me is to not have those conversations and not speak to players about it. That’s not what I am going to do.

“But at some stage, I hope they respect the fact that I was able to front up and have those conversations,” he added.

Kolkata: India beat West Indies by 17 runs in third and final T20 to complete a 3-0 series whitewash here on Sunday.

Suryakumar Yadav top-scored with 65 off 31 balls to fire India to 184 for five in 20 overs.

In response, West Indies ended at 167 for nine after another sublime knock from Nicholas Pooran (61 off 47) went in vain.

Brief Scores:

India: 184 for 5 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 65, Venkatesh Iyer 35 not out; Roston Chase 1/23).

West Indies: 167 for 9 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 61; Harshal Patel 3/22).

Kolkata: India defeated West Indies by six wickets in the first T20I here on Wednesday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

India restricted West Indies to 157 for seven and then overhauled the target with seven balls to spare, scoring 162 for 4 in 18.5 overs.

Skipper Rohit Sharma gave India a flying start with a 19-ball 40, while Ishan Kishan made 35 off 42.

Suryakumar Yadav (34 not out) and Ventakesh Iyer (24 not out) eventually took the team home.

Roston Chase (2/14) accounted for two wickets, while Sheldon Cottrell (1/35), Fabian Allen (1/10) picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, Nicholas Pooran, who had fetched a staggering 10.75 crore deal in the IPL mega auction, returned to form with a 43-ball 61 to anchor the innings.

Ravi Bishnoi had a dream debut taking two for 17 in his four overs. Harshal Patel (2/37) also snapped two wickets.

Brief Scores:

West Indies: 157 for 7 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 61; Ravi Bishnoi 2/17, Harshal Patel 2/37)

India: 162 for 4 in 18.5 overs (Rohit Sharma 40, Ishan Kishan 35, Suryakumar Yadav 34 not out; Roston Chase 2/14).