The Cricket.com Weekly - Edition 32

It's THAT time of the week, yet again!🔔

Saturdays are probably one of the most loved days in the weekly calendar for all of us. 

Well, not because it is the weekend, but Saturdays mean only one thing for all the cricket fans and us at Cricket.com: The weekly wrap!🗞️ 

So without further ado, let's jump straight into the topics and performances that created a buzz in the last seven days. 

And then there were two!

After 70 league matches and three scintillating knockout fixtures, the Indian Premier League is down to the final two teams battling it out for the coveted trophy. 

With the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad set to be packed to capacity to witness his glorious chapter in the extravaganza, Gujarat Titans will lock horns against Chennai Super Kings in the summit clash. 

It is the Master vs the Apprentice

4️⃣-time champions vs current 🏆 holders

It cannot get any better than this for the finale!

💔 for RCB, yet again

In the last edition of the Newsletter, the tournament was poised in a riveting fashion as Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore were in contention for the fourth spot in the points table. 

While the Rohit Sharma-led outfit recorded an emphatic win against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium, Bangalore failed to get past the Titans in the final league game and were stranded on 14 points, missing out on a place in the playoffs. 

The wait for the trophy continues for the ardent fans of the Royal Challengers and Virat Kohli.

Make way for the Prince!

The seven days of the competition witnessed batting of the highest class as Cameron Green and Virat Kohli smashed blazing hundreds to lead their team's charge in the tournament.

However, the duo's heroics were overshadowed by a certain Prince who arrived in SOME fashion to create a league of his own.

The right-handed batter scored a century against Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy stadium to knock them out of the competition and followed it up with yet another masterclass in the second Qualifier to stun the Mumbai Indians. 

🖐️star Madhwal

One of the reasons behind Mumbai's sedate start in the tournament was the lack of experience in the bowling unit. While this still ain't their strongest suit, the five-time champions unearthed a star in Akash Madhwal. 

The right-arm seamer wreaked havoc in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants and scalped five wickets in 3.3 overs to etch his name in the record books. 

What else made the headlines?

Australia deal with a Lanning-blow

The Australian women's cricket team will be without their regular skipper Meg Lanning for the Ashes as she has been ruled out due to medical reasons. 

The right-handed batter led Australia to the T20 World Cup championship and also featured in the inaugural edition of the Women's Premier League for the Delhi Capitals. 

While the timeline of her return to sport is yet to be decided, Alyssa Healy will lead the team in her absence, with Tahlia McGrath as her deputy. 

Is the Asia Cup really happening?

Well, the question continues to haunt the majority of cricket fans as speculation surrounding the venue for this edition of the Asia Cup is gathering steam. 

With the Presidents of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan Cricket Board set to grace the final match of the Indian Premier League, the fate of the tournament will be decided as the dust settles on the extravaganza. 

What's up with Jason Roy?👀 

With the increase in T20 franchise cricket around the globe, most players who ply their trade in only one format for their country might be lured into giving up their national contracts. 

And Jason Roy is one of them. 

The England batter has agreed to cancel his contract with England to play in the inaugural edition of Major League Cricket, the England Cricket Board confirmed. 

However, in a lengthy message to his fans on social media, Roy stated his playing for England will remain his top-most priority. 

"Representing my country continues to be my proudest moment as a professional cricketer. I hope to play for England for many more years, and that remains my priority," 

Well, is this the way forward for the T20 specialists? 

Only time will answer this question, but for now, let's dig into another piece of controversy. 

Devon Thomas suspended for corruption

The International Cricket Council has provisionally suspended West Indies cricketer Devon Thomas with immediate effect after charging him under their Anti-Corruption Code of Conduct. 

The 33-year-old last played for West Indies in December 2022. and featured in one Test, 19 ODIs and 12 T20Is. He has 14 days from 23 May 2023 to respond to the charges made against him. 

Articles in Focus

Shubman Gill: The Prince that was promised

Shubman Gill's talent has never been the question. The chatter always surrounded his strike rate, with his ability to convert a start into a big score or clear the boundaries with much more ease. 

And, he's killed all that three birds with one stone: IPL 2023. 

Here's Aakash Sivasubramaniam on the evolution of Shubman Gill. 

The journey of Akash Madhwal

When a young right-arm seamer was dismantling the top-order of the Super Giants, most people around the world had only one question. 

Who is Akash Madhwal?🧐 

Well, here is your answer as Shubh Aggarwal traces his journey from tennis ball cricket to the biggest league in the world. 

What makes Chennai Super Kings so special?

In the IPL, there is a rather simple way of determining the excitement quotient of an opening pair. Any partnership that has neutrals hooked to the Television by 7:29 PM, that has them genuinely thrilled by the prospect of watching the powerplay, is a 10/10 when it comes to entertainment. 

Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad are not that pair and will probably never be. They, if anything, sit on the other side of the spectrum. 

However, they are delivering wins, and CSK fans would happily take a relatively 'non-entertaining' opening pair if they end up winning the title. 

Here's Anirudh Suresh with his masterpiece: The underrated, underappreciated efficiency of the Ruturaj-Conway pair.

Way forward for Delhi Capitals 

Ricky Ponting has been at the helm of the coaching duties since 2018. However, Delhi’s trophy cabinet is still empty. He started with the wooden spoon in 2018, and after a brief rise, things seem to have returned to ground zero. 

And here is a Delhi lad trying to figure out the way forward for Delhi Capitals. 

Watch this