Cricket
ICC T20 WC 2024: USA thump Canada in a high voltage opener

Ray Sportz News Desk: The co-hosts of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup USA started the tournament with a bang as they beat Canada by 7 wickets in a close encounter. While chasing the target USA’s Aaron Jones played a knock of 94 runs off just 40 balls that helped the co-hosts to win the game with 14 balls to spare.
Batting first, Canada posted 194 for five, but USA turned what could have been a tricky chase into a cruise, completing the task with as many as 14 balls to spare.
America’s very own Jones, who was born in Queens, a New York City borough, smashed 10 sixes and four boundaries to make a statement on behalf of the team full of expatriates.
While Jones was without an iota of doubt the star batter of the match, Andries Gous too made an impression with his 65 off 46 balls.
Gous hit seven fours and three sixes during his stay in the middle, after USA lost two wickets with just 42 runs on the board.
It was fitting that Jones finished the chase with a pair of sixes.
Asked to bat first, Canada were off to a decent start with the opening duo of Navneet Dhaliwal and Aaron Johnson (23) putting on 43 runs in just over five overs at the Grand Prairie Stadium.
Mumbai-born left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh effected the first breakthrough of the tournament proper when he dismissed Johnson in the sixth over.
Pargat Singh, another player Canadian player of Indian origin, fell cheaply for five runs when he was run out in the eighth over.
However, Dhaliwal found an able ally in Nicholas Kirton, who got his runs at a brisk pace while hitting three boundaries and two sixes.
Dhaliwal found the fence thrice and cleared it six times during his 66-run partnership with the left-handed Kirton.
After the others have failed, it took former New Zealand player Corey Anderson to break the partnership between Dhaliwal and Kirton as he had the former caught by Jessy Singh at the start of the 15th over.
The dismissal of Dhaliwal did not have any bearing on Canada’s game plan thanks to wicketkeeper Shreyas Movva’s enterprise. The right-handed batter blazed away to 32 off 16 balls, striking two sixes and as many fours during his cameo to lift Canada’s scoring rate.
Dilpreet Bajwa chipped in with a five-ball 11 after Kirton’s departure, as Canada posted a challenging total on the board.
The USA however, after a wobble initially, completed the task to open their account in their very first match in the World Cup.
The third-wicket stand between Jones and Gous produced 131 runs, laying the foundation of a fine victory on their home turf.
Cricket
IPL 2025: Lucknow Super Giants beat Sunrisers Hyderabad

Ray Sportz Web Desk: Lucknow Super Giants beat Sunrisers Hyderabad to win. Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Rishabh Pant invited Lucknow Super Giants to bat first after winning the toss. The start was not good for Hyderabad at home. Abhishek Sharma (6) and Ishan Kishan (0) were dismissed in the third over by Shardul Thakur. However, Travis Head took charge of the team in his natural style. He scored 47 runs off 28 balls before being bowled by youngster Prince Yadav. Nitish Reddy scored 32 runs. Hyderabad reached a respectable place on the back of Klaasen (26) and Aniket Verma (36) runs. In the end, captain Pat Cummins added 18 runs off just 4 balls. Hyderabad finally scored 190 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.
Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran were seen in a fierce manner from the beginning in chasing the runs. Marsh came out to bat as an impact player and scored 52 runs from 31 balls. Markram (1) could not score a big run. Nicholas Pooran made the Hyderabad bowlers’ work difficult by playing a stormy innings of 70 runs from just 26 balls. However, he was bowled by Cummins while playing a big shot. Rishabh Pant was out for just 15 runs after playing an irresponsible shot. However, there was no problem in winning the match. Abdul Samad (22) and David Miller (13) remained unbeaten and brought the team to the brink of victory. Lucknow Super Giants tasted their first victory in the ongoing IPL by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 5 wickets.
Cricket
Jasprit Bumrah is likely to miss first two weeks of the IPL this season

Ray Sportz Web Desk: In recent times, Jasprit Bumrah is the best fast bowler in the world. But currently Bumrah is missed the champions trophy due to injury, which is a big blow for the Indian Team. His injury is takes place at Sydney Cricket Ground during the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test.
But there were some whispers that Jasprit Bumrah would return to the side during the Champions Trophy 2025. But the management did not want to risk him. And of now getting to hear that he may also miss the first two weeks of the upcoming IPL season. If the reports are true, then it would be a massive setback for Mumbai Indians. But the BCCI source claimed that Bumrah will return in the first week of April. Also confirmed that Bumrah has started bowling already. A BCCI source said media, “Bumrah’s medical reports are okay and he resumes his bowling. But it is unlikely that he’ll be able to bowl at the start of the IPL this season”.
Champions Trophy 2025
ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2025: India Will Prefer Dangerous Australia In Semi-Final: Sunil Gavaskar

Ray Sportz Web Desk: India will find out their Champions Trophy semi-final opponents after their final group match against New Zealand on Sunday. With the two teams already qualified, this match will determine which team finishes top and plays against Australia, and which team will face South Africa.
Sunil Gavaskar explained why India might be happier to face Australia in the Champions Trophy semifinal than South Africa. If India beat the Kiwis, they will take on Australia in the first semi-final on Tuesday at the Dubai International Stadium. Otherwise, they will face the Proteas, what would be a repeat of last year’s T20 World Cup final.
Gavaskar explained “Both teams are formidable teams, make no mistake. There’s no such team that India will say, because now they know, they’ve come to the knockout stages. Here it’s now make or break, so I don’t think they would prefer to have any team.” Nevertheless, Gavaskar also explained that this Australian team is not the same as the one Rohit Sharma’s men had toured for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy recently, especially since their three-headed primary pace attack is missing out. “So maybe they might prefer Australia because Australia are without their main bowlers. There’s no Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood so maybe they would want to play them,” concluded Gavaskar regarding why Australia might be a preferred opponent.
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