IPL 2016

Even after Sunday’s fifth ODI had been called off, the rain kept coming. As Australia’s victorious squad gathered in the indoor nets for their trophy presentation, Jos Buttler stood out in the open mingling with fans. In between autographs and selfies were occasional grimaces skywards, wondering how much the dark clouds had left. Plenty, as it happens. Steadily, the crowd diluted and, eventually, Buttler retreated inside for cover. Despite not…

Pietersen, who played for Hampshire from 2005-10, spent three years under contract with the Delhi franchise in the IPL, then called the Daredevils, and captained them in 2014. He has since maintained a personal relationship with Kiran Kumar Grandhi, GMR’s chairman, and the pair attended England’s T20I against Australia at the Utilita Bowl together earlier this month. While Pietersen does not have any active business interest in GMR or Hampshire,…

Have Delhi Capitals bought Hampshire?Not quite. Delhi Capitals are an equal-share joint venture between the sports arms of two Indian conglomerates: JSW Group and GMR Group. GMR bought the Delhi franchise – initially named Delhi Daredevils – ahead of the inaugural IPL season in 2008, and sold a 50% stake to JSW in 2018. GMR are the only relevant party in the Hampshire deal. So who are GMR, and why…

BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla has defended the facilities at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, which have come under fire after two days of play in the second India-Bangladesh Test were abandoned, one of them despite no rain during the scheduled hours of play. “Well, criticism is one thing which we are used to in the administration of the BCCI in cricket. But everything is being criticised,” Shukla said on…

Kent have signed wicketkeeper-batter Chris Benjamin from Warwickshire on a three-year contract. Benjamin, 25, made headlines when drafted as a replacement player during the 2021 Hundred, having only played one senior T20 for Birmingham Bears. He scored 24 off 15 balls to see Birmingham Phoenix over the line and went on to feature regularly over the tournament’s first three seasons. Benjamin also scored a century on first-class debut for Warwickshire…

Senuran Muthusamy has been recalled and Dane Piedt has got another go alongside Keshav Maharaj as South Africa named three spinners for their two-Test tour of Bangladesh in October. The squad, which South Africa red-ball coach Shukri Conrad said was “for the conditions we are expecting to greet us” also has Matthew Breetzke, the only uncapped member of the 15. There were question marks over the tour, of two World…

Hampshire will become the first English county to have overseas ownership after the club’s parent company agreed the sale of a majority stake to GMR Group, an Indian infrastructure conglomerate that owns teams in various T20 leagues, including the Delhi Capitals in IPL. ESPNcricinfo understands that GMR Group’s parent company, GGPL, will initially hold a 53% stake in Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Ltd, Hampshire’s parent company, with a completed…

South Africa’s two-Test series in Bangladesh will be played on schedule, with CSA okaying the tour following a security assessment by its experts. The first Test will be played from October 21-25 in Dhaka, and the second in Chattogram from October 29 to November 2. A CSA statement on Monday said that it had given the tour the go-ahead after “an in-loco inspection” on the part of the board’s operations…

Lunch Bangladesh 205 for 6 (Mominul 102*, Mehidy 6*, Akash Deep 2-43, Ashwin 2-45) vs India When play finally resumed after two days were lost to rain, a tug of war between a defiant Mominul Haque and a disciplined Indian bowling attack ensued. In the 31 overs that were bowled on the fourth morning in what was an extended session, India picked up three wickets, but Mominul headed to lunch…

“The main purpose of our coaches and mentors was to develop the side,” he said at the press conference following the win. “We wanted to give youngsters an opportunity so they could develop and represent Pakistan in the future.” Captaining the side, Shadab’s all-round role in Panthers’ triumph was instrumental, as he picked up his second piece of silverware in 2024, six months after Islamabad United’s victory in the PSL….