IPL 2022 | KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi join Lucknow franchise

The RP Sanjiv Goenka owned Lucknow franchise which will enter the Indian Premier League as one of the two new teams from the 2022 season has grabbed KL Rahul as their pre-auction sign-ups. The other two players signed up by the new franchise have alps represented the Punjab franchise from where Rahul has been poached.

According to the figures quoted by ESPNCricinfo, Rahul cost the franchise INR 15 crore, while Marcus Stoinis, who was not retained by Delhi Capitals, will take home INR 11 crore. Ravi Bishnoi, the lone uncapped signee by the two new teams combined will be given INR 4 crore for the upcoming season.

As a result of this, the Lucknow based team will enter the February Mega-Auction of the cash-rich league with only INR 60 crore from its allocated maximum budget of INR 90 crore.

The 29-year-old Rahul has been with the Punjab Kings for the last three seasons and was brought at INR 11 crore in the 2018 auction. Since then he has scored a mammoth 2548 runs at an average of 56.62 including 25 fifty-plus scores - two of them hundreds - in just 55 innings.

On the other hand, Stoinis, who was bought for INR 4.8 crore in the 2020 auction by the Delhi Capitals, has played 27 matches since. In those games, the 32-year-old has scored 441 runs at a strike rate of 142.71 and picked 15 wickets.

Bishnoi, a young boy from Rajasthan who shot to fame with his heroics in the 2020 U-19 World Cup was bought by Punjab Kings for INR 2 crore in that year’s auction. Since then the leggies have become the lead spinner and picked up 24 wickets in 23 matches across seasons at an economy rate of 6.95.

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BBL 11 | Watch Unmukt Chand receive maiden cap and become first Indian to play in men's Big Bash

India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Unmukt Chand has become the first Indian to officially play in the Big Bash League, Australia’s domestic T20 competition after he received his maiden cap from the Melbourne Renegades, the franchise which had signed him before the start of the tournament. Prior to coming to Melbourne, Chand, who represented Delhi in the Indian domestic circuit and had moved to Uttrakahad off late, went to the United States and played in their domestic competitions. The 28-year-old moved to the US after having lost all his hopes of making it big in Indian cricket as he was unable to make a mark in the Indian domestic circuit even after playing 67 First Class, 120 List A and 77 T20 games. In total, he has scored 18 centuries and 53 half-centuries in all formats combined, but could never have a perfect season to knock at the doors of the Indian national team. Now, in his second innings, he has chosen the USA and hopes to start afresh with his BBL campaign. He is playing his first game against Hobart Hurricanes. Chand had scored a century in the final of the 2012 Under-19 World Cup against the hosts Australia to lift the World Cup.

40 Lakh for match fixing - TNPL star files complaint to Bengaluru police

Former Ranji player and a household name in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, Rajagopal Satish has filed a police complaint about a match fixing approach. Satish, 41, reportedly was approached over Instagram with the offer. “The player approached us and ICC, and informed us that someone had approached him on Instagram. We took details of the case and told our ACU officer to file a police complaint in the matter. We are just a facilitator and now police will look into the case,” Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) chief Khandwawala told Indian Express. Over the past few years, Indian domestic leagues have come under scrutiny for under the table dealings. In 2019, Indian cricket was rocked with allegations over spot fixing in Karnataka Premier League that saw several players getting banned and coaching licenses getting cancelled and the tournament itself going on hold indefinitely.

Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill to join Ahmedabad franchise: Reports

The new Ahmedabad franchise has reportedly roped in all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and youngster Shubman Gill for the upcoming IPL 2022. "Ahmedabad has decided on its players and accordingly informed the BCCI about their draft picks. Hardik, Rashid and Shubman are the three choices," a senior IPL official told PTI on conditions of anonymity. The source also added that the franchise was interested in picking up Ishan Kishan but the wicket-keeper batsman was keen on going into the mega-auction. "They wanted Ishan Kishan badly but it is understood that Ishan is more interested in going back to the auction and there is a high chance that MI might buy him at a premium price." The IPL mega auction is slated to take place on February 12 & 13, 2022 in Bengaluru. The cash-rich league is now going to be a 10-team competition after RPSG group won the rights for the Lucknow franchise after a Rs 7,090 crore bid while CVC Capital made a successful bid with Rs 5,625 crore for Ahmedabad.

U19 World Cup | Sri Lanka stun Australia to leave group of death wide open

It was an extremely professional showing by the Sri Lankan colts as they defeated the much-fancied Australian Under 19 side by four wickets to leave the group of death at the ICC Under 19 World Cup 2022 wide open. Playing at the Conaree Sports Club in Basseterre, St Kitts, the Lankan spinners were all over Australia and were led by the all-around show of their skipper Dunith Wellalage as they downed Australia to now lead Group D which also includes hosts West Indies. Chasing a target of 176 set up by the Aussies, the Lankan colts lost the first wicket in the fourth over itself. Then they went on to lose the next three wickets within the next 34 runs and at 49-4, the team was struggling big time. It was at this moment that Anjala Bandara joined Wellalage and the dup put up a match-winning stand of 70 runs in just 85 balls to take Sri Lanka closer to victory. Bandara was however removed with the team score at 119 with the islanders still needing 58 from 22 overs, but with only the last recognised batting pair in the form of skipper Wellalage and Ranuda Somarathne at the crease. Thankfully though, the remaining non-recognised batters didn’t have to do much as Wellalage built yet another stand, this time of 52 runs with Somarathne. Those 52 runs came quickly in just 55 balls as Wellalage even crossed his fifty run mark before being dismissed for 52 by Tom Whitney. However, by the time of his dismissal, only five more runs were needed which were completed with much ease at the end of the 37th over and Sri Lanka won their second game of the tournament. Earlier in the day, after having won the toss and deciding to bowl first, Sri Lanka made a brilliant start, removing three Aussie batters for 61 and not giving any room to score freely at all. In fact, by the team the Aussies reached their 100 mark, 27 overs had passed. In an effort to increase the scoring rate, Australia lost wickets at regular intervals and could get to only 175 in their 50 overs, getting all out on the very last delivery of the innings as well. Campbell Kellaway was the top scorer for the Aussies with 54 from 77 balls while Wellalage picked up another five-wicket haul in the tournament, adding to his five wickets from the Scotland game. In another game from this group, West Indies bowlers were all over Scotland, dismissing the European side for only 95 and chasing that down quite easily to win the game by seven wickets. With this win, the group has opened up as now when West Indies face Sri Lanka in the last group match, they would have to win it to qualify for the quarterfinals while Australia would just look to get past Scotland with as much as ease possible to lead in the net run rate scenario. In a Group C clash, Pakistan earned a huge victory of 115 runs against Zimbabwe. Batting first the Pakistanis scored 315-9 on the back of a brilliant century by Haseebullah even as Zimbabwean Alex Falao picked up his maiden five-wicket haul. In reply, Zimbabwe could only reach up to 200 before getting all out in the 43rd over. For Pakistan, Awais Ali picked six wickets while Brian Bennet scored the most runs for Zimbabwe (83 off 88 balls).