Manasi Joshi, a top para-badminton champion, openly criticized Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, and Suresh Raina for their lack of awareness and sensitivity in a video they posted. She stressed the need to understand and respect the challenges faced by people with disabilities.

Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Suresh Raina, former India cricketers, are facing backlash after Manasi Joshi accused them of mocking the way people with disabilities walk.

Manasi, a former world no. 1 in her SL3 badminton category, called out the cricketers for their insensitive Instagram reel posted after their win against Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends tournament.

Harbhajan shared a video on Sunday showing the ex-India players limping and dancing to the Bollywood song “Tauba Tauba” after the match. India Champions, led by Ambati Rayudu’s 50 run performance, chased a 157 run target in the final over.

“Body ki Tauba Tauba ho Gayi in 15 days legends cricket. Every part of the body is sore,” Harbhajan wrote.

The controversial reel

Joshi, an outspoken advocate for people with disabilities, expressed her disappointment and anger over the insensitive content.

Manasi Joshi’s advocacy and response

“Wanted more responsibility from the stars that you all are, please do not mock at the gait patterns of people with disabilities. This isn’t funny.

“You don’t know how much harm your behaviour can do. The appreciation you’re getting from people around is appalling to see. This reel of yours is going to encourage that it is ok to make fun of the walking patterns of people with disabilities for a few laughs. More young children with disabilities will be bullied by using this reel. If any of you athletes would have done responsible community service in disability space area, you all would not have come up with this reel. I’m scared how the PR agencies of these athletes approved this reel for public platform,” Manasi wrote

“This isn’t legendary if you’re mocking the gait patterns of people with polio. This will enable bullying on young children with disabilities in India,” Manasi added.

Former Indian cricket team all-rounder Suresh Raina was asked about a probable return to international cricket during the on-going LLC Masters yet his reaction to the inquiry has turned into a web sensation via social media after an India Maharajas match, during the press conference.

“Everyone wants you back in the IPL after your performance tonight in Legends League Cricket.”

a reporter asked Raina

Raina was amused by the question, and he denied any chance of a comeback while referencing Shahid Afridi. 

“Main Suresh Raina hoon. Main Shahid Afridi nahi hoon. Retirement le chuka hoon (I’m Suresh Raina, not Shahid Afridi. I’ve taken retirement),”

he said.

The fact that Shahid Afridi, a former star of the Pakistan cricket team, has returned multiple times since announcing his retirement from all forms of cricket prompted the reference

In the fourth match of the LLC Masters at the Asian Town Cricket Stadium in Doha, India Maharajas prevailed over Asia Lions thanks to captain Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa’s spectacular unbeaten 159-run opening partnership. This resulted in an emphatic 10-wicket victory.

Uthappa scored an unbeaten 88 off 39 balls with 11 boundaries and five sixes, and Gambhir scored an unbeaten 61 off 36 balls with 12 boundaries, both of which set fire to the Asian Town Cricket Stadium and destroyed the Asia Lions’ attack.

India Maharajas had bowled first and held Asia Lions to 157 for 5 in 20 overs. The match was won by the India Maharajas with 45 balls remaining.

For Asia Lions, Upul Tharanga broke 69 off 48 balls with seven boundaries and two sixes while Tillakaratne Dilshan scored 32 off 27 balls with four boundaries and a six. Together, they scored 73 runs in their first innings, but their efforts were in vain.

India Maharajas decided to bowl with their left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan after winning the toss and allowing only three runs in the first over with his fluid delivery. The primary limit of the day came from opener Upul Tharanga, who smoothly drove Ashok Dinda through the covers. In the same over, opener Tillakaratne Dilshan drove Dinda for a boundary. Pathan’s third over was just as brilliant, allowing just four runs to be scored. Dinda was lifted by Dilshan to the middle of the wicket for yet another boundary, establishing a solid opening partnership slowly but surely.

Tharanga skillfully cut away Stuart Binny’s first fifth-over delivery to the backward point fence. When wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa dropped Tharanga at 21, he escaped being caught behind to an outside edge to the third delivery. On the subsequent delivery, Tharanga scored a boundary to celebrate his escape. 16 runs were scored when Dilshan hit Binny to the square leg fence as well.

Tharanga hit the second ball to the cover point fence after Yusuf Pathan was brought in for the sixth over. By the time the power play was over, the partnership had scored 50 runs. Irfan Pathan was once again introduced for the seventh over to check the run stream, which he did by offering just six runs. India Maharajas presented their strike bowler Harbhajan Singh in the eighth over, and he also offered just five runs.

For a six-over square leg, Dilshan hit Binny’s second and third deliveries of the second over. Irfan Pathan took the catch at short third man after Dilshan on 32 was forced to cut in the air by Binny’s fourth ball. Mohammad Hafeez attempted a wild swing at the accurate Harbhajan, but he missed the fifth delivery of the tenth over and was given two runs leg before.

Misbah Ul Haq, the champion of Asia Lions’ first two matches, joined Tharanga at the halfway point, making the score 76 for 2. Pravin Tambe, a 51-year-old leg spinner, brilliantly stumped wicketkeeper Uthappa for a duck to take Misbah’s valuable wicket. With only one run conceded in the 12th over, the run flow began to decline. For a six-over long-off, Asghar Afghan hit Tambe’s first delivery of the 15th over. Tharanga arrived at his 50 years in 41 balls with six boundaries however Asghar Afghan got out leg before to Raina for 15.

In the 17th over, Tharanga swept Tambe for a boundary off successive balls and hit a straight six off him. After that, he hit Raina for a six to midwicket. However, when he tried to hit a similar shot, he was caught by Manvinder Bisla at wide long-on for 69. Dinda was hit for a boundary to the backward point and a six off consecutive balls by Abdul Razzaq, who is known for his big shots. He is now unbeaten on 27 from 17 balls with two boundaries and two sixes. Asia Lions were also guaranteed more than 150 runs thanks to this.

Gautam Gambhir, the India Maharajas’ captain and consistent scorer, and Robin Uthappa led the charge toward the goal. Uthappa scored two boundaries in Mohammad Amir’s second over as they confidently negotiated the pace of Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Amir. It was a delight to watch Gambhir hit an elegant cover drive off Tanvir in the third over. He then set two more boundaries that came after it. Twenty runs were scored in that over when Uthappa hit Tanvir’s final ball of the third over for a boundary through the covers. In that over, he had also bowled three consecutive wides.

Mohammad Hafeez, an offspinner, was used for the fifth over to check the flow of the ball. Gambhir scored a 50-run opening partnership in five overs by hitting two boundaries off Hafeez’s fifth and sixth balls.

For the sixth over, left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, who bowled brilliantly against World Giants in the third match, was used. To subtract 14 runs from that over, Uthappa cut him for a boundary and hit two boundaries in succession in the fifth and sixth deliveries. As a result, the power play resulted in 65 runs.

The crowd applauded Shoaib Akhtar as he bowled the seventh over. With a few members of the audience yelling about Uthappa’s express deliveries, he withdrew his fourth and final delivery to enforce boundaries. Hafeez, who bowled the ninth over, raced to his half-century in 27 balls after Uthappa pulled him over midwicket and into the stands for three sixes. He also hit a boundary, and that over cost him 23 runs. Isuru Udana was the target of the onslaught, and Gambhir and Uthappa were able to quickly establish boundaries.

India Maharajas only required 33 runs in the final 60 balls at the halfway point. Gambhir reached his half-century in 32 balls and guided his team to triumph with 45 balls in excess.

India and Uttar Pradesh former batsman Suresh Raina has announced his retirement from “all formats of cricket”, confirming the end of his career in the IPL and India domestic career. Raina, 35, has already retired from international cricket and announced his decision on 15 August 2020, shortly after MS Dhoni’s retirement.

“It has been an absolute honour to represent my country & state UP. I would like to announce my retirement from all formats of cricket,” Raina posted on Twitter on Tuesday.

The decision will allow Raina to compete in tournaments such as the already confirmed Road Safety Series and his T20 League abroad. 

“I want to continue playing cricket for two or three years. There are some exciting youngsters who are coming through the ranks of Uttar Pradesh cricket. I have already taken my No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA). I have informed BCCI secretary Jay Shah and vice-president Rajiv Shukla about my decision. I will play in the Road Safety Series. T20 franchises from South Africa, Sri Lanka and UAE have contacted me but I am yet to take any decision.”

he was quoted as saying by Dainik Jagran

Raina has not played First Class or List A cricket since his 2018, and his last IPL game was in October 2021. Raina was a key figure in the Chennai Super Kings from 2008 until his 11th season in 2021. He won four titles with CSK in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021 and still remains top scorer with 4687 runs in 176 matches. He was released by the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the 2022 Player Auction, where he was not bought by any of the 10 franchises.

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Raina retired after scoring 6,871 runs in 109 First Class matches, 8,078 in 302 List A matches and 8,654 in 336 T20 matches. He started his career domestically in his UP senior from 2002 to 2003 and made his international debut in 2005. Raina has competed in 226 ODIs, 78 T20Is and 18 Tests in India and in 2011 he was part of the team that won the ODI World Cup. He became the first Indian batsman to score a century in all three international formats.

The CSK vs RR rivalry is one which goes back a long way but is often unspoken about. Both sides were in the first ever IPL Final, both have trophies and both teams have a handful of wins against each other. While the Rajasthan Royals may not have the best record overall in the IPL, they have often come out on top against the Chennai Super Kings when not many sides expected them too.

CSK vs RR, IPL Finals 2008

The first thrilling encounter between the two sides was the 2008 IPL Finals. RR came into the match as underdogs against a side full of superstars. Having won the toss and choosing to chase, RR conceded 163 runs. Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni threatened to take the game away from the Royals as both got decent starts, while Dhoni gave a strong finishing kick.

With a stiff chase in a high-pressure game at that time, Yusuf Pathan bailed the Rajasthan Royals out. He made a half-century, while Shane Warne took his side home on the last ball of the game, capping off a thrilling CSK vs RR encounter.

CSK vs RR, Chennai 2010

CSK came into the game against Rajasthan Royals with a lot of work to do. They needed a string of wins to qualify and had lost their previous encounter against the Royals in the same season. With a tough ask ahead though, the Chennai Super Kings batting line-up stepped up and did the job for the Chennai Super Kings. Murali Vijay came out that day and batted the Royals out of the game. He scored 127 runs in an innings with 11 hits over the boundary, and his partnership with Albie Morkel took the Chennai Super Kings to a mammoth 246.

The score was big, but the game was not over yet. The Rajasthan Royals showed some fight themselves and made a valiant effort to reach the target. Naman Ojha responded to Murali Vijay with a 94 of his own while Shane Watson matched Albie Morkel with a 25 ball 60. The knocks though were not enough as lack of contributions from the others saw RR fall 23 runs short in this CSK vs RR encounter.

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CSK vs RR Pune 2018

Unlike in 2010, this time around Rajasthan Royals were in need of a desperate turnaround. They came into this game needing a string of wins to qualify and were made to field first. Like in 2008, Suresh Raina threatened to take the game away from Rajasthan while MS Dhoni gave a finishing kick of his own. The Chennai Super Kings though were restricted in the middle-overs thanks to Ish Sodhi and eventually ended at 176.

The target was still a steep one on a slow Pune track. Jos Buttler though, promoted up the order played an innings that changed his career. He attacked and batted till the last over to seal the game in the penultimate ball. He finished with 95, and his tournament took an upward curve from that game as he cemented his spot as an opener for both Rajasthan and England.

CSK vs RR, Jaipur 2019

The CSK vs RR game in 2019 saw one of the more controversial IPL events take place. The game was a nail-biter, overshadowed by an event in the final over. Chasing 151, CSK made a meal of the chase losing four early wickets. A partnership which saw Rayudu and Dhoni make fifties bought CSK back in the game, but the task was still a stiff one as the game reached its final over.

With 18 needed of six balls, Ben Stokes probably bowled one of the most eventful final overs in the IPL. The first ball saw Ravindra Jadeja hit a six as he and Ben Stokes both fell onto the pitch during the delivery. There was a no-ball and then a perfect Yorker which saw Dhoni get bowled. The very next ball, there was another controversy as a no-ball was called by one umpire for height, while the square leg umpire said it wasn’t a no-ball.

Amid all the confusion, MS Dhoni walked out to see what was going on and in the end the no-ball was revoked. With three needed of the final delivery, Mitchell Santner cleared the ropes, sealing what was a very thrilling encounter between the two sides.

Suresh Raina is unsold in the auction, ending a long and consistent run for Chennai Super Kings. He is arguable their best cricketer, and one of the best batters in IPL history. Through his time at CSK, Raina owned the number three position, and racked up numerous records. He saved Chennai on many occasions, and spent a large chunk of his career with the franchise while earning the name Mr.IPL through countless consistent performances.

See Also: Suresh Raina’s Top Knocks in Yellow – Cricket Winner

Suresh Raina came into the Chennai Super Kings team in 2008, after being bought as a 21-year-old in the inaugural auction. His international career was a concern, as Raina was recovering from severe knee surgery, an lost a year of Cricket. He walked into a side with legends like Stephan Fleming, and Matthew Hayden, and managed to make a strong impact early on. In his first season, Raina amassed 421 runs and finished as CSK’s leading run-scorer in the season. He was shuffled around the batting order, but after some valuable 30s mid-season Suresh Raina was promoted to number three and from then the rest was history. He made a valuable fifty in the semi’s and was the leading run-scorer in the finals.

In 2009, Suresh Raina continued his run of form, and made another 434 runs. He also had a 98 as the tournament was in South Africa, and his consistent batting took CSK to the next stage. He was CSK’s second highest scorer in the season, finishing behind Matthew Hayden.

2010 turned out to be a big season for Suresh Raina. Matthew Hayden was out of form, and Suresh Raina along with Murali Vijay had dream seasons. They scored the bulk of the runs for CSK, and Suresh Raina finished with 520 runs in the season. He overtook Adam Gilchrist as the leading run-scorer in IPL, and held onto the title of leading run-scorer for six years, with Virat Kohli going past his tally in Chennai Super Kings.

He was consistent all through the season, and converted his 50s into some key 70s and 80s, while also finishing chases frequently. He took up captaincy for a couple games as well with Dhoni injured. The biggest moment for Suresh Raina this season though, was his performance in the finals. With CSK chasing their first title, Suresh Raina came up with an all-round performance in the final to save CSK. He scored 57 when Chennai was struggling, and took a wicket along with a brilliant catch to turn the game.

2010 turned out to be a big year in Suresh Raina’s early career, as he was promoted to captain India when several seniors were rested. His form continued in the CLT20 as Raina and Vijay again carried the team to a trophy. He took four wickets against the Victorian Bushrangers, and made some large scores against Wayamba Elevens and Royal Challengers in the semi-finals.

He was retained for the 2011 edition, and Raina again played a key role. This time around, Suresh Raina got of to a silent start. He registered his first IPL duck, but after a fifty against Kochi Tuskers Raina managed to get back to his best. He got back into his habit of making 30s and 40s, and with the entire team in good form, CSK managed to make the playoffs.

The playoffs saw Raina play one of his best IPL knocks. Chasing a stiff target in the qualifier against RCB, CSK were struggling with the early loss of Hussey and Vijay. Suresh Raina started slow, and was struggling with cramps. Despite the struggle, and pain Raina went on to make 73, and took Chennai home with a wonderful innings. CSK ended with another trophy, and Suresh Raina completed another season with 400 runs.

2012 was one of Suresh Raina’s worst seasons in his prime years. It was a good season as Raina made 400 runs again, but by his standards he had a tougher time. He finished the season as CSKs highest run getter for the third time in five years, but didn’t score a single fifty through the group stages. He had some nice 30s, was a brilliant fielder as always, and bowled pretty well too. His best knock though came in the finals. Facing KKR and Sunil Narine, who was unplayable, Suresh Raina took on the attack. He smoked 5 sixers, and hammered Sunil Narine, leaving the tournaments best bowler wicketless and expensive. The innings wasn’t enough though as the side finished on the losing team.

In 2013 Suresh Raina started slow again, but hit his stride hard. As the tournament approached its middle stages, Raina came up with a string of fifties along with a century and 99. His form kept getting better and Raina finished as one of the top run-getters in the tournament. He was second for his team after Mike Hussey, and the two players helped CSK make another final. Raina couldn’t repeat his previous heroics in the finals though as he got out early against the Mumbai Indians as Chennai lost. He made 400 runs in the tournament yet again and finished with a total of 548 runs.

2014 saw the best of Suresh Raina. He started the tournament nicely after being retained yet again, and scored runs with ease. His signature shots were on display and Raina made a lot of 40s to go with his five fifties. He enjoyed his contest with Sunil Narine again and played a huge role in the playoffs. Chasing against Mumbai, CSK were in a sticky situation before Raina made a steady 50 to steer his team home. Suresh Raina is the leading run-scorer in playoff games, and his ability to play in big games was on complete display in the playoffs. After taking them to the second qualifier, Suresh Raina almost saved his side again after his bowlers let down the team.

Chasing 227, Suresh Raina came in during the first over and left no stone unturned. He took apart each bowler in the powerplay and showed no mercy to the likes of Mitchell Johnson who was back after tormenting the English batters in the Ashes. The short-ball that dismissed Raina wasn’t working and Raina made a breathtaking 87 off 25, while CSK made 100 in the powerplay. Threatening to take the game away on his own, sanity was restored as Raina was run-out after the powerplay triggering a heartbreaking collapse and resulting in defeat.

While CSK lost in the qualifier 2, they got some respite in the 2014 Champions League T20. Through the tournament Suresh Raina was again the best batter in his team. He scored well in the group stages, and made a century in a big game again, facing Kolkata in the finals, to take his team to the trophy. Chennai won the tournament, and Raina was given the man of the tournament award. He finished as the highest run-scorer in the history of the league, and was truly one of the best players in the tournament.

2015 turned out to be the start of Raina’s downfall. He struggled for runs, made only two fifties and had lots of low scores. The quickfire 30s were gone and the player that carried his team through the tournament was missing. Raina finished with less than 400 runs for the first time in his career as CSK lost another final against the Mumbai Indians.

With Chennai unable to play, Suresh Raina went to the Gujurat Lions for two seasons and was captain. He did well in both seasons, and was retained by Chennai Super Kings when they came back in 2018. 2018 turned out to be a good season for him as he made 445 runs. His consistent 30s were back, and Suresh Raina lived up to his ability as the team’s best player. His contribution did go a little unnoticed though as the likes of Ambati Rayudu, Shane Watson and MS Dhoni finished with a lot of runs as well.

With the batters in good form though, CSK were able to win another title with ease and Raina came back to the Indian team through his good form. 2018 saw another interesting stat in Raina’s CSK Career. He missed a game for the first time in CSK’s IPL history, as Raina was injured against Kings XI Punjab. Up until 2020, Raina was the most capped player in IPL, and held a handful of records.

Come 2019 though the equation changed again. Suresh Raina was out of the Indian team, he wasn’t as fit anymore and the runs disappeared. He made three fifties, but his fluency was gone, and the low-scores increased. To make things worse, Raina’s fielding which is a key aspect in his game deteriorated. As one of the best fielders in the World, Raina looked a little slower. He dropped a catch in the finals, taking many back to the first IPL final when a 21 year old Raina dropped a catch against Rajasthan Royals. While batting as well, Raina struggled in the finals, and couldn’t contribute much as CSK lost another final to Mumbai.

In 2020, Suresh Raina sat out due to personal reasons. His presence at number three was missed, as the side lacked intent to score in the powerplay, which Suresh Raina often does despite his poor form. He came back in 2021, but the gap saw a lot change. Suresh Raina lost his number three position to Moeen Ali, and was shuffled behind the likes of Ambati Rayudu and Ravindra Jadeja as well at times. He started the tournament with a fifty, showing glimpses of peak Raina, but couldn’t maintain his form.

After facing an over of short deliveries from the fiery Riley Meredith, Suresh Raina’s old weakness surfaced, and he looked tensed. He appeared scared to play the fast bowlers, and couldn’t build on his form after the fifty. After a string of low scores with some poor shot selection, Suresh Raina was left out of the team. His replacement, Robin Uthappa did a good job in his place, ending the tournament for Raina.

After a tournament which saw Raina score just 160 runs, Mr.IPL, and CSK’s best batter over the years was not retained by his team. He then went on to be overlooked in the auction, ending Suresh Raina’s run as CSK’s best player. There is still a chance of him coming back next year or as a replacement this season, but current indications show that the chance of Mr. IPL coming back to the IPL seems very unlikely. The news of him going unsold turned out to be an emotional one for many. The tournament is unlikely to see another number three left-hander as talented, dominating, dedicated and loyal to a franchise as the one and only Suresh Raina.

India is on its way to become the first side to play 1000 ODIs as they gear up to face the West Indies today. Their journey to a 1000 ODIs has been as significant as any, and through the years the team has come across many defining moments which helped shape the national Cricket team. While it is tough to pick a set of ODIs out of thousand, here are a few which are fairly important in the history of the team.

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India Vs Zimbabwe 1983 World Cup

The Indian Team came into the fixture in a must-win position and had entered the virtual knock-out stage by the time they faced Zimbabwe. There was immense pressure on India, and back then the Zimbabwe Cricket team was a strong one. The pressure was felt as India collapsed to 17 runs for 5 wickets. A huge chunk of the batting was gone in the opening burst, and it took one of the best one-day innings from Kapil Dev to save India.

Kapil Dev took the attack to Zimbabwe and made 175 from 138 balls to get his side to a good score. They were able to defend their total, and won thanks to a World Record score from Kapil Dev. The win was crucial for them as it set them off in the tournament, and from that point, Kapil Dev’s team never looked back.

India Vs West Indies 1983 World Cup Final

Nobody expected Kapil Dev’s tea to make the finals of a World Cup back in 1983. They were taken as tourists who came to play Cricket in between, but here they were, contesting in the Finals against two time champions West Indies in the third Cricket World Cup. Both sides faced of twice before the finals in the 1983 edition, and had one win apiece. Kapil and Co played some wonderful Cricket against Australia, Zimbabwe and England as well, but nobody gave them a chance against a side that had the likes of Clive Lloyd, Richards and the famous West Indies pace attack.

The underdogs was dismissed for 183 to make things worse, and a good start from Richards took India’s hopes away. After the opening breakthrough though, things changed. Kapil Dev took a good catch to dismiss Richards, and a few hours later the West Indies collapsed giving India a World Cup win at Lords. The victory was a big one in Indian Cricket as it sent a message within and beyond the country that Cricket was taken seriously in the nation. The moment inspired many youngsters to take up the game, and Indian Cricket was truly on its way to achieve greatness.

India Vs Pakistan, 1985 World Series Final

Two years after the World Cup, the World Champions were contesting for another ODI trophy. They were a part of the famous World Series in Australia and made the finals against arch-rivals Pakistan, after beating the likes of Australia and New Zealand. The game turned out to be a one-sided affair with Kapil Dev and Chetan Sharma taking the rails of Pakistan’s innings early. Pakistan made 176 and Kris Srikkanth along with Ravi Shastri helped India complete an easy chase. The game wasn’t the most thrilling but it helped establish the Indian Team as a consistent side in World Cricket.

India Vs Pakistan 1996 World Cup Quarter Final

The 1996 World Cup quarter-finals in Bangalore was probably one of the biggest games in the tournament. Both sides were hosting the tournament, Pakistan was defending champions and it was a knockout game. The game lived up to its expectations. Wasim Akram pulled out in the last minute to begin the drama, and Navjot Singh Sidhu along with Ajay Jadeja took India to 287.

Pakistan began their reply brightly. They raced away to 84 in the first ten, and put the hosts on the backfoot early. It was after the initial phase that the famous Aamer Sohail-Venkatesh Prasad incident happened. After hitting a boundary, Sohail gestured to Prasad asking him to fetch the ball, and a fired-up Prasad took his wicket the very next ball to begin an aggressive celebration. The wicket began a procession as Pakistan lost their way. Playing in his last innings, Javed Mianded put up a brief fight in the end, struggling but keeping himself in the game until a run-out ended things for Pakistan.

India Vs Australia 1998 Coco-cola cup final

The Coco-cola Cup Finals provided two classics, and two games that displayed India’s best ODI batter strongly. The first game was the last league game which saw Sachin Tendulkar play an aggressive innings in a game disturbed by a sandstorm. India lost, but the sand-storm innings helped them go to the finals on net-run-rate.

In the finals, Sachin Tendulkar continued his run, and made easy work of Australia’s target as he charged at Shane Warne. He made two magnificent centuries and won the Coco-cola cup with ease.

India Vs England, Natwest Series Final

After 1998 India didn’t win any multi-national event, and the 2002 Natwest series came as a welcoming entrant to the trophy cabinet. In the finals, India were given a target of 326, and were reduced to 146 for 5. A target above 300 was not easy back then and an England win seemed highly likely. With the odds against India though, two youngsters in Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh formed a partnership. They countered England well, and Yuvraj in particular was dominant. The partnership quickly took the visiting side to the target, ending the visiting sides run without trophies.

India Vs Australia, 2008 CB Series

Australia were three-time World Champions, and had a very strong line-up in the CB series. India on the other hand had a relatively new-skipper. India also let go of some senior players before the match and had a set of youngsters. With some big names missing, not many gave India a chance in the tri-series.

The youngsters though proved to be very capable. Led by MS Dhoni, the fitness in the side improved, and the fielding was brilliant. Yuvraj Singh in particular was a star in the field, and with strong fielders, the tournament went well. While the group stages were dominated by the youngsters though, the finals had an old-timer doing the job for India.

In both finals, Sachin Tendulkar came up with two good innings to steer his team to victory as he along with the bowlers helped win their first ODI event in Australia since the World Series in 1985. The win helped MS Dhoni ease into ODI captaincy as his team started their preparation for the ODI World Cup. The core was found, and from this tournament fitness and fielding became an important factor in the new team.

India Vs Sri Lanka, 2011 World Cup Final

The 2008 CB Series win paved the way for a template in Indian Cricket, and that template became very effective in 2011. The Indian team made the finals after a tough ride, losing to South African and tying a game to England. They then went on to beat Australia and Pakistan in the quarter and semi-finals, in two games that could easily be on this list of big games in Indian Cricket.

The finals, held in Mumbai was the first between two Asian sides, and it was between two sides who faced each other so much in the lead-up to the tournament. It was Sachin Tendulkar’s last World Cup, and there were some big names in attendance.

Batting first, Sri Lanka got a good score with a brilliant century from Mahela Jayawardene. There was a good opening spell from Zaheer Khan as well, the home team was given a target of 274. Only one side won a World Cup Final while chasing, and no team crossed 250 chasing in a finals, leaving the pressure on India. To add to the pressure, Lasith Malinga was quick to silence the Mumbai crowd. He picked up Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar for 31 runs, and there was pin-drop silence in Mumbai.

With the pressure on the home team, Gautam Gambhir played one of the greatest and underrated knocks in Indian Cricket history. He had a partnership with Virat Kohli, as they looked to recover, Virat Kohli’s 35 was a crucial one as well, and is a knock that is often forgotten. Gautam Gambhir fell for 97, but by then he stitched another partnership with MS Dhoni, who promoted himself to counter Muralitharan.

Promoting himself for the final act, MS Dhoni supported Gambhir nicely, attacking while Gambhir stayed stable. He allowed the required rate to stay within reach, and took his team home with his famous six over long-on to set off the celebrations. The win allowed Sachin Tendulkar to get his hands on the World Cup, and it was India’s first World Cup win in 28 years.

Suresh Raina’s journey in the IPL has been a spectacular one. He rose to the title of Mr.IPL lead the run-scoring charts for a considerable time and built a legacy as Chennai Super King’s most prolific player. Going by the statistics, he leads most of Chennai’s charts, and holds a fair share of records in the franchise. However, after thirteen seasons of IPL, involving ten as a playing member of the side, Suresh Raina is finally out of the Chennai Super Kings. This is the first time he is not retained by the franchise, and while there is a possibility of Chennai buying him back, the chances look bleak for the time being.

With Raina unretained, let us look at some memorable knocks by him for Chennai, that helped catapult him to the role of Chennai’s best batter, who was a constant fixture at the number three spot.

57 off 35, Vs Mumbai Indian, 2010 IPL Finals

CSK made their second final in three seasons and was in a spot of bother early in the game. They lost in-form batters Murali Vijay, and Subramaniam Badrinath within the tenth over, while a struggle from Matthew Hayden resulted in CSK getting off to a very slow start. Suresh Raina came in at three and built a partnership with MS Dhoni. Suresh Raina quickly began a counterattack against the Mumbai bowlers and held the innings together nicely. Despite the fall of players like Dhoni and Morkel, Raina stood through and finished with 57 off 35. He took Chennai to a score of 168, which is a par score in the final.

After a good contribution with the bat, Raina did not stop. He picked up a wicket and took a stunning catch at deep mid-wicket to help Chennai win their first title. He was CSKs best batter throughout IPL 2010, and Raina put his hand up in the final to help CSK fight their rivals in a tough encounter.

73 off 50 Vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2011 Qualifier 1

Coming into qualifier 1, Chennai was in good form, and their players had some good performances under their belt. Ahead of them was the top side in the league and a side with explosive batters. While Chennai managed to dislodge Chris Gayle early, Virat Kohli got going and helped Bangalore get to a challenging score of 175.

The odds quickly went against Chennai with Hussey and Vijay falling in the first two overs. Once again, Suresh Raina and Badrinath began to rebuild, and MS Dhoni came in to provide some impetus. Through the innings, Suresh Raina faced another issue as well. He suffered with cramps early in the innings, and the cramps kept hampering him through the innings.

He still manage to stick through, and play a blinding inning. He countered the bowlers well, attacked the likes of Daniel Vettori and Zaheer Khan, and helped Chennai stay afloat with the rising required rate. In the end Raina was the man-of-the-match for his 73 off 50 balls. He carried his side into the finals with a magnificent innings in a high-pressure situation.

100 off 53, Vs Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2013

IPL 2013 started off on a quiet note for Suresh Raina. He didn’t have too many dominating performances until mid-season. After an anchoring fifty against Pune, Suresh Raina played a knock against Kings XI Punjab, to remind people who the king of IPL is. He came into bat during the fourth over and was very patient early on.

He took 32 balls to get to fifty and was aggressive after reaching a milestone. He took apart the bowling attack, and slammed some massive sixes over the sightscreen over the course of his innings. Suresh Raina took 53 balls to reach his century in the final over. The knock was a dominating one, and it helped propel CSK to 186, which turned out to be enough.

87 off 25, Vs Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2014, Qualifier 2

CSK were left with a daunting task, chasing 227 in the qualifier. Suresh Raina played a key role in the eliminator, and was in good form during the IPL. However, the task on hand looked massive.

A wicket in the first over made things even more challenging. Suresh Raina walked in to face the music of Mitchell Johnson in the first over, and within the next thirty minutes, Suresh Raina wreaked havoc in Mumbai. He took apart each bowler in the powerplay, and didn’t spare even Johnson, who was in the form of his life in 2014.

Suresh Raina bought out a range of strokes. He pulled fiercely, went for some beautiful shots down the ground, pierced gaps, timed the ball beautifully, and also unfurled his signature inside-out shot. His knock was full of proper shots, and not slogs, and for a moment it looked like MR.IPL could bail his team out of a tough situation yet again.

He finished the powerplay taking 33 runs of Parwinder Awana, and took CSK to a record of 100 runs in the powerplay. The required rate was in a reachable state after his onslaught, but a runout shortly after the powerplay ended Raina’s entertaining stay. He walked off distraught, after making 87 off just 25 balls. His wicket unfortunately opened the flood gates, and CSK fell away quickly.

109 off 63 Vs Kolkata Knight Riders, CLT20 Finals

Chennai Super Kings took on the Kolkata Knight Riders in the CLT20 finals, in 2014, and the spectators witnessed another whirlwind innings from Suresh Raina. Chennai was set a target of 180, against a side that was in the middle of a hot winning streak. A wicket in the first over brought Suresh Raina to the crease, and he has left the job of keeping Chennai in the game. He had a good partnership with Brendan McCullum.

The two batters complimented each other well, with McCullum taking on the pacers, while Raina took on the spinners. Once Raina was settled though, an onslaught began. He took a young Kuldeep Yadav, and Piyush Chawla apart, and within a few overs the asking rate looked easy.

Suresh Raina finished with 109, hitting eight sixes. His performance in the finals was full of dominance, and throughout the tournament, he was on a different plane. He was awarded the player of the tournament award after making 234 runs in the tournament.

India has an ‘edge’ over their T20 World Cup rivals due to the recently completed Indian Premier League, according to Suresh Raina. Most of India’s T20 World Cup squad were involved in IPL 2021, which was completed in the United Arab Emirates, where the World Cup is also taking place. Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, and India team mentor MS Dhoni all won the IPL with Chennai Super Kings, while Varun Chakravarthy and Venkatesh Iyer were runners-up with Kolkata Knight Riders.

Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Virat Kohli were all involved in the IPL knockout stages. ‘For India, the message at the T20 World Cup is simple – do it for Virat Kohli,’ Raina wrote in a column for the ICC. ‘It will probably be his last time at this tournament as captain, so it’s very important for him to make everyone believe we can do it and for us to get behind him. ‘India fans can’t wait for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 to start for this reason. We have the players, we have the momentum – we just need to go out there and execute now.

‘All of our players have just played the Indian Premier League in the UAE and they have played themselves into top form with eight or nine games in this environment. ‘This gives India an edge on all other teams and makes them one of the big favorites to win the T20 World Cup in my opinion.’ Former India all-rounder Raina also rates Pakistan, Australia, and England as challengers to win the T20 World Cup. While Pakistan players do not feature at the IPL, a number of Australian and English stars were involved in this year’s tournament, gaining experience in UAE conditions and hopefully finding some form.

England won this competition in 2010 and reached the final five years ago, and are bidding to become double World Cup champions following their 50-over success in 2019. Raina added: ‘We need to remember there are lots of other good teams in the tournament. Pakistan, Australia, and England also look very good, and anything can happen in T20 cricket. ‘For me, the key to success for India’s batting lies in the top three. Rohit Sharma is a gun player – he has a brilliant record at ICC events in the past and had a great IPL. ‘We need Rohit, KL Rahul, and Virat to bat through to 15 overs and lay the platform. They can set the momentum for the India team by doing this.

Must Read: Bangladesh lost to Scotland by 6 runs in T20 WC Qualifiers!

Indian players are well prepared for challenges.

Former cricketer Suresh Raina said that it is really ‘important’ for the team to win the T20 World Cup 2021, as it will be probably the last tournament of Virat Kohli as the skipper. Earlier, Kohli announced that he will step down as Team T20I captain after the T20 World Cup 2021. “It will probably be his (Virat Kohli) last time at this tournament as captain, so it’s very important for him to make everyone believe we can do it and for us to get behind him,” said the former Indian batter Suresh Raina in an International Cricket Council (ICC) column.

“All of our players have just played the (IPL) in the UAE and they have played themselves into top form with eight or nine games in this environment,” he added. Raina said that team India is one of the ‘favorites to win the tournament, as they have an edge over all the teams because of the IPL. 7″ The conditions in UAE are very similar to what we play India and also in Pakistan. It’s a good opportunity for the Asian teams to come and play their natural game,” he said.

Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders are the two sides left after a tournament that has lasted six months. Both sides have won the finals before, and the match-up, CSK Vs KKR, has a lot of history behind it. This season, CSK managed to trump the Knight Riders both times, but the wins didn’t come easy. Both games were thrilling, and KKR found a lot of moments to dominate. While CSK won in the end, KKR will know that they are not too far behind, and are actually in a more dominating position.

Both sides have faced off in two finals so far, winning one each. The first final is the 2012 IPL Finals, which saw Kolkata beat Chennai in a thrilling game. The second final in the Champions League T20 Finals in 2014, which Chennai won. Kolkata has never lost an IPL final, and with the recent form they could be favorites tonight. A win will take them to Chennai’s tally of IPL titles, which is another motivation in the CSK Vs KKR rivalry, that is slowly coming back to life.

CSK Vs KKR, 2012 IPL Finals

Through the season KKR was a dominating side. They finished in the top two and were one of the best teams strategically. They built a strong side, and Gautham Gambhir was arguably the best captain throughout the season. Ahead of them was the Chennai Super Kings. 2012 was an off-year for Chennai, as they struggled to make the playoffs. They sneaked in thanks to some results going their way, and stars like Raina and Dhoni were not in great form.

On making the playoffs though, Chennai was a transformed side. They dominated in the eliminator and qualifiers and were favorites to win the third title in a row. Not many gave Kolkata a chance despite their dominance through the season. The finals were played in Chennai, which lead to more concerns on the possibility of a Kolkata win, in the CSK Vs KKR fixture. As expected, Chennai came in and dominated in the first innings.

They batted first, and openers Murali Vijay, and Michael Hussey gave a wonderful platform. The platform was set, and Suresh Raina took the chance to find form. He hit a remarkable 73 off just 38 balls, with five sixers. He took apart Sunil Narine, who made the headlines in 2012, with his mystery spin. While batters struggled to get him away, Raina picked him with ease and even managed a 105 meter six, beginning his rivalry with Narine.

Chennai finished with 190, and the trophy was almost theirs. The early dismissal of Gautham Gambhir put Kolkata in further trouble. With their captain gone, not many gave Kolkata a chance. With the odds stacked against them, Manvinder Bisla stood up and became a hero. He countered Chennai’s bowling with ease and scored 89 off just 48 balls. Bisla was supported nicely by the experienced Jacques Kallis. Kallis started steady, looking to allow Bisla to play his game, and helped take the game deep. His support was crucial in allowing Bisla to go after the bowling, and silently KKR started going ahead of the game.

Bisla was dismissed in the 15^th over, and there was a mini-collapse after his dismissal. Shukla and Pathan were dismissed in quick time, but Kallis held things together until the 19^th over, when he was dismissed. He however left the field leaving KKR in a commanding position. They needed just nine in the final over, and Shakib Al Hasan helped release the pressure with a wonderful scoop in the previous over to ease things for Manoj Tiwary. With just nine required, Tiwary managed to hit Dwayne Bravo for a couple of boundaries to help Kolkata win IPL 2012. The win paved way to a lot more thrillers in CSK Vs KKR fixtures, and the rivalry strengthened between the two sides.

CSK Vs KKR, 2014 CLT20 Finals

KKR came into the finals in 2014 after winning the 2014 IPL season. They were in the middle of a powerful win streak, with around nine wins in a row in the IPL, and came into the finals unbeaten during the CLT20. Unlike in 2012, this time around Kolkata looked like the dominating side in the CSK Vs KKR match-up. They had a strong opener in Robin Uthappa, good finishers in Suryakumar Yadav, and Andre Russell, and a strong bowling attack.

 Yusuf Pathan was also in good form, but the Kolkata Knight Riders had to contend with some hurdles before the finals. A couple of days before the CSK Vs KKR fixture, Sunil Narine’s action came under the scanner. He had to sit out of the final and work on remodeling his action. Through the IPL, and CLT20 he was a crucial part of the side, and his absence left a huge hole in the team. They brought in Pat Cummins and had four spinners in their side. Kuldeep Yadav, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf Pathan, and Suryakumar bowled through the game.

Chennai came into the finals having a good tournament as well and looked a settled side. Suresh Raina was in brilliant form, and he came to the party in the finals. The bowling also looked well, and the finals had two balanced sides facing off.

Chennai won the toss and put KKR in first. The Knight Riders got off to a brilliant start with the openers putting up a 91-run partnership. Gautham Gambhir finished with 80 and gave the side a wonderful platform. While KKR was in a threatening position, the Chennai Super Kings managed to find a way back into the game. A five-for from Pawan Negi put the brakes on Kolkata, as the middle order was dismissed early. They finished with 180 but could have got more considering the start they had.

Chennai came in with a task on hand but had some assistance due to the dew factor. They lost Dwayne Smith early, but that didn’t affect Chennai as they witnessed a special knock. Following the dismissal, Suresh Raina walked in and batted brilliantly. He made 109 and dominated the KKR spinners. Having played alongside Kuldeep and Chawla in domestic Cricket, Raina was able to pick them with ease. His ability to play spin well affected the KKR spin attack, which is a crucial factor behind their success. His knock stole the game. Raina was supported nicely by Brendon McCullum, who took on the pacers, to make things easier for Raina. They complimented each other nicely.

By the time Dhoni walked in, the game was in control, and all Dhoni had to do was apply the finishing touches to help Chennai lift the trophy. It was a dominating chase, like the one by KKR in 2012. There was a fair share of similarities, and the CSK Vs KKR rivalry is one to be remembered, as both sides are known to bring some great fixtures.

With a third final coming up, it is tough to predict what the CSK Vs KKR rivalry will provide. Going by recent form, KKR looks very strong and could be the favorites. However, the Chennai Super Kings are a side that handles pressure well, and both teams know how to play in big moments, making it tough to predict who wins.

CSK beats KKR by 2 wickets at Abu Dhabi yesterday.

What an outstanding finish by Chennai. CSK once again proved that they are capable of winning any situation no matter how tough the opponent is!  The real hero turned out to be Jadeja, who kept his cool and calm, brought in all his experiences and made sure he hit those fours and sixes which literally sealed the game in favour of CSK.

CSK defeated KKR by 2 wickets to win an action-packed encounter at Abu Dhabi on Sunday. With 4 runs to win in the last over, CSK lost two crucial wickets in the final over itself. However, Deepak Chahar scored the winning runs. It turned out to be a big face-off, but CSK somehow managed to get over the line. Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 43 off 30 balls, while Faf du Plessis scored 40 off 28 and Jadeja contributed with 22 off 8. KKR set a target chase of172 after winning the toss and opting to bat first. Rahul Tripathi scored 45, while Wicket Keeper Dinesh Karthik played a quick and fantastic innings of 26 runs in just 11 balls and Nitish Rana remained unbeaten on 37 off 27 balls. Talking about the performances of KKR, Superb bowling by KKR. Wicket of Dhoni and the run-out of Raina really pulled things in favour of KKR, but ultimately CSK nailed it in the end.

The 40th match between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad will be played at Dubai International stadium which will take off at 7:30 PM. Stay tuned for the power-packed performances!