Khaby Lame is now the most-followed creator on TikTok

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Khaby Lame is now the most-followed creator on TikTok

With 142.8 million followers on TikTok, Khaby Lame has now officially become the most-followed creator on the short video platform.

Lame, who launched his TikTok channel and shared his first comic video in March 2020, has dethroned Charli D’Amelio, who had 142.3 million, to be the most-followed TikToker, reports Variety.

The 22-year-old’s comedy bits have gained a massive following, and he’s become one of the most recognized and loved TikTok creators globally.

Lame’s iconic facial expressions and body language (his videos typically do not include dialog) have allowed his content to have worldwide appeal, and he’s developed a specialty for reaction videos and spoofing absurd lifehacks.

Lame has 78.3 million followers on the Meta-owned photo-sharing platform Instagram.

According to Lame, the inspirations for his videos have included ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ and Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, French actor Omar Sy, and cartoons.

Ranji Trophy Final: Shubham makes 116, Dubey unbeaten at 119; MP just 73 runs away from first-innings lead

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Ranji Trophy Final: Shubham makes 116, Dubey unbeaten at 119; MP just 73 runs away from first-innings lead

Madhya Pradesh’s dominance over Mumbai on day three of the Ranji Trophy final at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium continued as Shubham Sharma slammed his fourth century of the season, joining Yash Dubey in carrying the side to 301/2 in 98 overs at tea, with just 73 runs away from taking the first-innings lead. Though Sharma got out for 116, Dubey continues to be unbeaten at 119 with Rajat Patidar giving him company, unconquered at 27.

If Dubey got his century in the first session on Friday, it was Sharma’s turn to get to his three-figure score. He began by timing a drive past mid-off off Mohit Awasthi and an over later after the second new ball was taken by Mumbai, Sharma reached his century with a stunning cover drive off Tushar Deshpande, also raising the 200-run partnership between him and Dubey.

He also had luck on his side, when the outer edge evaded the slip cordon twice, increasing Mumbai’s troubles on day three. Mumbai almost had Sharma out when the batter reached out to defend but was beaten on the outer edge. But with the umpire hearing no noise of the edge, the appeal was struck down.

The ploy of making Sharma reach out forward and beat him on the outer edge worked on the very next ball as the batter tried to reach out again outside the off-stump, only to give a healthy nick behind to keeper Hardik Tamore off pacer Mohit Awasthi, ending a mammoth 222-run stand which lasted for 73.1 overs.

Patidar walked out and smashed five boundaries, with chants of his IPL franchise ‘RCB, RCB’ going around the ground, clearing his intentions of attacking the Mumbai bowlers from the word go.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh got 105 runs in the first session without losing any wicket. The day began with Dubey opening the face of the bat late to get a boundary past the gully. With the ball coming nicely onto the bat, Sharma made full use of it, dispatching Deshpande for boundaries through cover drive and square drive.

Dubey reached his fifty with a brace through fine leg off Awasthi while Sharma reached his half-century with a single through square leg off Deshpande. With the duo collecting boundaries and rotating strikes by running well between the wickets, Mumbai’s troubles didn’t have any endpoint as the pitch didn’t give them much assistance.

Moreover, with a dropped chance of Sharma by Armaan Jaffer at short cover, a run-out opportunity gone, and three lbw appeals struck down, Mumbai’s troubles weren’t just stopping. Also, with not much turn available for left-arm spinner Shams Mulani, Sharma and Dubey used their feet well to take runs off him, with the former lofting through the line over the bowler’s head for a six.

Towards the end of the first session, Dubey accelerated to get boundaries off Mulani and Tanush Kotian through mid-wicket and followed it up with a sweep through fine leg off the latter to get a century in the Ranji Trophy final. He brought out the cancel-all-noise celebration, first brought out by KL Rahul, which was applauded by his teammates in the dugout before lunch was called.

Brief Scores: Mumbai 374 all out in 127.4 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 134; Gaurav Yadav 4/106) lead Madhya Pradesh 301/2 in 98 overs (Yash Dubey 119 not out, Shubham Sharma 116; Mohit Awasthi 1/44, Tushar Deshpande 1/73) by 73 runs.

Birmingham Test: Tough challenge awaits Rohit-Dravid duo against a bold England

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Birmingham Test: Tough challenge awaits Rohit-Dravid duo against a bold England

A lot has changed in the Indian cricket set-up since their fifth Test against hosts England was canceled last year because some of the visiting side members tested Covid positive.

The series, which started with Virat Kohli as skipper and Ravi Shastri as chief coach, will now conclude with Rohit Sharma as captain and Rahul Dravid doing Shastri’s job.

On the other hand, England will also have a new coach and captain duo of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, who replaced Chris Silverwood and Joe Root in their respective roles.

One more difference between last year and now is that teams no longer have to live in a biosecure bubble, which will be a big relief for cricketers.

The then Virat Kohli-led side left England in October with a 2-1 lead, and Rohit will now have the responsibility to make it 3-1 or draw the game to win the series, which will be a tough ask, given that England is playing a new brand of attacking cricket.

This will also be the first time both Rohit and Dravid would be seen together on foreign soil with such major roles. Notably, Dravid had his first foreign tour as a coach in South Africa but Rohit missed the series due to injury.

The Indian team led by Rohit is currently playing a warm-up game against Leicestershire in England and the Day 1 of the four-day match was not great for India, especially for top-order batters.

Rohit (25) once again got out playing the hook shot, while Shubman Gill, who got a start but departed for 21, and Iyer, who endured a first-ball duck, edged while playing away from their bodies. On the other hand, Kohli’s outside edge looked suspect before he was beaten on the inside edge.

It was reserve wicket-keeper KS Bharat (70 not out), who led India’s recovery and took them to 246/8 at stumps on Day 1 of their practice match on Thursday. India would want to finish the ongoing warmup game on a high to get some confidence ahead to the crucial tie.

The practice match, followed by the Test, will also give under-pressure Kohli an opportunity to overcome a lengthy struggle for consistency. His century drought has stretched past 100 games across all forms of cricket, including the IPL.

The much-awaited Test match between India and England will start on July 1 in Birmingham, will not have injured KL Rahul and it will be interesting to see who will open and what will be the line-up Dravid’s plans. It is believed that Gill can open with Rohit Sharma, as they did in the practice match.

Just to add on, none of the current India batters on the Test side has had a ‘great’ season in the recently concluded IPL 2022. It’s often considered wrong to make a comparison between the two different formats. But experts believe players do get confidence if they had played a better tournament ahead of any major match.

For the record, India has not played a Test match since March, when they dominated Sri Lanka at home with a 2-0 series win. Barring Pujara and Gill, none of the Indian players have played any red-ball cricket since with the majority of the rest featuring in IPL 2022 followed by the home T20I series against South Africa.

Cricket pundits would want to see what magic Rohit and Dravid dig out in their first foreign tour. The planning and execution would be important because England will look to end the series on a winning note since their pride is at stake.

Under Stokes and McCullum, England is playing a new brand of cricket with domination, which was pretty much visible in their thrilling wins over New Zealand at Lord’s and Trent Bridge. So, definitely, they will produce some tough challenges for India.

After the end of the washed-out fifth T20 match of the series against South Africa, Dravid was asked about England’s new approach and he also admitted that they are playing some good matches against New Zealand.

“Playing a Test match in England is always a good experience. The audience is going to be fantastic. When you play Test cricket there you expect really good spectator numbers in England. The England team is also playing well. This is a slightly different situation now, when we were there last year when England was probably on the back foot but they have played some good matches against New Zealand,” he said.

India’s squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Srikar Bharat (wk).

 

Jehan Daruvala completes over 130 laps around Silverstone in McLaren F1 car

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Jehan Daruvala completes over 130 laps around Silverstone in McLaren F1 car

India’s race driver Jehan Daruvala has made a successful Formula One test debut this week with world championship-winning team McLaren, with the 23-year-old driving the Woking-based team’s 2021 race-winning challenger — the MCL35M — at the British Grand Prix venue Silverstone.

The test was Jehan’s first in a Formula One machine and he chalked up over 130 laps combined over the two days — Tuesday and Wednesday — over twice the distance F1 drivers will cover during next weekend’s British Grand Prix.

He is now eligible for a Formula One super license.

“I really enjoyed my first time driving a Formula One car. I felt immediately at home and while it was physically more demanding than anything I have driven in the past, I didn’t have any issues with my fitness. As a result, we were able to work through the run plan well and complete everything we had mapped out.

“We did a mixture of high-fuel long runs as well as shorter, low-fuel runs on different tyre compounds. That gave me a good understanding of how teams operate on an F1 weekend. Overall, I’m very pleased with how the two days went, how I coped, and the mileage we were able to complete. I felt I was able to push closer to the limit with every lap and I can’t wait to drive one of these cars again,” added Jehan.

Jehan currently races with Italian team Prema in the Formula 2 championship, the feeder series that sits one step below Formula One, and is third in the overall standings. The Red Bull-backed racer, who remains a part of the Red Bull Junior Team, is a three-time F2 winner and has scored 12 podiums in the category, including five top-three finishes from six rounds this season alone.

He is aiming to become the first Indian to win the Formula 2 title this season and only the third racer from the country to race in Formula One.

 

Indian hockey team on a mission to win maiden medal at World Cup: Captain Savita

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Indian hockey team on a mission to win maiden medal at World Cup: Captain Savita

Indian women’s hockey team captain Savita has said her team is on a mission to win its maiden World Cup medal when the mega-event commences in Spain and the Netherlands on July 1.

In an open letter from the captain to Indian fans across the world, Savita added that finishing third in the FIH Pro League recently had given the side a boost ahead of the World Cup.

Between July 3 and 7, India will play their round-robin league matches against England, China, and New Zealand on alternate days respectively. Topping the pool will take them to the quarterfinals, to be played in Amstelveen. In case India finishes second or third in Pool B, they will need to play crossover matches in Terrassa, Spain to qualify for the last-eight and from there on to the semis and final, which will be played in Spain.

“With less than a week to go before the most-awaited FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup gets underway in Netherlands and Spain, the entire Indian women’s hockey team is excited and eager to represent the country in the marquee quadrennial event. Ever since the Tokyo Olympics, we have received overwhelming support from Indian fans from across the globe and we sincerely hope you are able to rally your support for us this time by attending the matches in Amstelveen, Netherlands, and Terrassa, Spain,” said Savita in her letter on Friday.

“The Indian women’s hockey team has never won a medal at the World Cup and it is our mission to make this dream come alive this time. At the Olympic Games in Tokyo, we fought with all our hearts and came so close to winning a medal. Our performance in Tokyo gave us the belief that we can finish on the podium in global events. Post Olympics, we realigned our focus on taking our performance to the next level. We channeled our energy into doing well in the FIH Pro League and finishing third in this prestigious league has given us a boost ahead of the World Cup,” added Savita.

India gave their best-ever performance in the Olympics when they finished fourth in 2020 Tokyo, surprising the nation.

“In the last few months, we have worked very hard in becoming a better team and our on-field exploits are owed to a dedicated team of support staff who tirelessly work behind the scenes to ensure we become the best we can be. On behalf of the Indian women’s hockey team, I seek your best wishes and whole-hearted support for the FIH Women’s World Cup. Even though we may be many miles away from home, we look forward to Indians living in the Netherlands and Spain (to) come support us and be witness to history being made,” she added.

Murali Vijay plans to return to cricket; not setting himself any targets

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Murali Vijay plans to return to cricket; not setting himself any targets

India cricketer Murali Vijay is not setting himself any targets as he plans a return to the sport to play in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) after a nearly two-year hiatus.

A veteran of 61 Tests and nearly 4,000 runs in the longest format of the game, Vijay last played a competitive match in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Chennai Super Kings and is now set to don the Ruby Trichy Warriors colors in the TNPL this year.

“The two-year break was to reflect… at the end of the day, you have to be realistic with your targets. I pretty much don’t have any aim at the moment. I just want to play cricket and enjoy this phase of my life at this point and see where it takes me, with the help of TNCA,” said Vijay.

“I want to play as long as possible. Just took a personal break. I have a young family and wanted to take care of them. I’m enjoying my cricket now and I’m feeling fit, hopefully, I can do my bit for my team and TNPL,” Vijay said at a TNPL event.

The 38-year-old Vijay added the decision to take a break has also to do with injuries coupled with the fact that his personal life was going at a “fast pace”.

“It was difficult for me personally because I wanted to play but I had injuries and my personal life was going at a fast pace. I wanted to slow it down and see where I was standing as an individual. I wanted to reflect on myself and that’s why I felt that a break was required and needed for me at that particular time. TNCA has understood that and they’ve given me this beautiful platform to come back and play the game.”

Murali, who enjoyed several productive seasons in the IPL scoring 400-plus runs in three seasons, had seen his form dip in his last couple of years in the lucrative league. But now he wants to make the most of the opportunities that come his way and also help the youngsters in the TNPL.

“Just go out there and perform and make use of the opportunity. How many youngsters I can help out and be with them — that’s going to be my role in this team in TNPL. That’s what I’m looking forward to — to rub shoulders with the youngsters and talk the way they can understand and see where they are and contribute to TNPL,” added Vijay.

Ranji Trophy Final: Yash Dubey slams unbeaten 101 as MP reach 228/1; trail Mumbai by 146 runs

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Ranji Trophy Final: Yash Dubey slams unbeaten 101 as MP reach 228/1; trail Mumbai by 146 runs

Yash Dubey slammed his second century of the ongoing season as Madhya Pradesh dominated the first session on day three of the Ranji Trophy final at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday.

At lunch, Madhya Pradesh is 228/1 in 75 overs, trailing Mumbai by 146 runs, with Dubey unbeaten at 101, laced with 12 boundaries, and Shubham Sharma giving him company, unconquered on 88 as the duo’s stand for the second wicket swelled to 181.

Resuming from 123/1 in 41 overs, Madhya Pradesh got 105 runs in the first session without losing any wicket. The day began with Yash Dubey opening the ace of the bat late to get a boundary past the gully. With the ball coming nicely onto the bat, Shubham Sharma made full use of it, dispatching Tushar Deshpande for boundaries through cover drive and square drive.

Dubey reached his fifty with a brace through fine leg off Awasthi while Sharma reached his half-century with a single through square leg off Deshpande. With the duo collecting boundaries and rotating strike by running well between the wickets, Mumbai’s troubles didn’t have any endpoint as the pitch didn’t give them much assistance.

Moreover, with a dropped chance at short cover, a run-out opportunity gone, and three lbw appeals struck down, Mumbai’s troubles weren’t just stopping. Also, with not much turn available for left-arm spinner Shams Mulani, Sharma and Dubey used their feet well to take runs off him, with the former lofting through the line over the bowler’s head for a six.

Towards the end of the first session, Dubey accelerated to get boundaries off Mulani and Tanush Kotian through mid-wicket and followed it up with a sweep through fine leg off the latter to get a century in the Ranji Trophy final.

He brought out the cancel-all-noise celebration, first brought out by KL Rahul, which was applauded by his teammates in the dugout before lunch was called.

Brief Scores: Mumbai 374 all out in 127.4 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 134; Gaurav Yadav 4/106) lead Madhya Pradesh 228/1 in 75 overs (Yash Dubey 101 not out, Shubham Sharma 88 not out; Tushar Deshpande 1/46) by 146 runs.

Sri Lanka hope to end ODI series on a high to boost morale ahead of Tests

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Sri Lanka hope to end ODI series on a high to boost morale ahead of Tests

Sri Lanka will look to go all out for victory in the fifth and final ODI against a severely-depleted Australia side, given the psychological edge, it will provide the hosts ahead of the two-Test series beginning in Galle on June 29.

After taking a 3-1 lead in the five-match ODI series, Dasun Shanaka’s side will likely not slow down in the fifth match of the series at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Friday and will look to hand the tourists another blow ahead of the World Test Championship series.

Not only are the tourists down on players after a spate of injuries, but the 43 overs of spin faced in the fourth ODI exposed the shortcomings of a batting line-up craving for pace. Kept under wraps by a stifling slow-ball pack, the Aussies were suffocated by an aggressive Shanaka, who pressed on with attacking fields, laced with catching men.

The biggest gain from the series is the emergence of the young Sri Lanka crop looking to put their nation’s cricket back in the limelight. In the midst of the troubling economic crisis in Sri Lanka, their cricketers, many trying to find a footing on the national side, have stood tall.

The 24-year-old Charith Asalanka has continued to rise, not only in the eyes of his peers but also in the ODI batting rankings. The left-hander averages over 50 in the series, alongside fellow 24-year-old Pathum Nissanka. Both can lay claim to match-winning hundreds in the series, while on the bowling side, U-19 World Cup star Dunith Wellalage has joined Wanindu Hasaranga in tying the Aussies up in knots, while also contributing with the bat.

The pair has taken 11 wickets between them, with Jeffrey Vandersay, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Chamika Karunaratne all claiming five apiece.

“I was very happy with the score we were able to put on (to win the match and series). Not only for me, my teammates, Sri Lanka cricket, and the whole country, but this is also much needed at the moment. I think this should be celebrated by the whole of Sri Lanka,” captain Dasun Shanaka was quoted as saying by ICC ahead of the final ODI.

“The series has gone the same way the previous few games have. Any time we look like getting a big partnership and then kicking on we just lose a wicket. We know how hard it is to start in these conditions against good spin and they made the most of the small opportunities we gave them,” a disappointed Australia skipper Aaron Finch had said after losing the series.

 

KL Rahul missing out is a massive setback for India; batting will be big challenge: Manjrekar

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KL Rahul missing out is a massive setback for India; batting will be big challenge: Manjrekar

One of the most crucial aspects for India gaining a 2-1 lead in the 2021 Test series against England before the fifth and final Test was rescheduled for July this year due to fears of a Covid-19 outbreak in the visitors’ camp was the runs from openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma.

Sharma was India’s top run-getter, amassing 368 runs in four matches, including a fine 127 in the second innings of the fourth Test at The Oval apart from the fifties at Lord’s and Headingley. Rahul, on the other hand, made 315 runs with a stunning 129 in the first innings at Lord’s, becoming one of the main architects of a famous victory.

But this time, while Sharma is returning to England with captaincy duties on his shoulders, Rahul is unavailable for the Edgbaston Test due to a right groin injury, which means that young Shubman Gill is in line to open the batting from July 1-5.

With India seeking a Test series win in England for the first time since 2007, former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar believes batting will be a big challenge for the visitors at Edgbaston and called Rahul missing out a “massive setback”.

“It was just the remarkable effort of KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma at the top that saw India put up good enough scores to get the bowling to make a match out of it and get that scoreline 2-1. This time around, with KL Rahul missing out, it’s a massive setback for India. But there is hope in the selection of Shreyas Iyer if he gets a game, and hopefully, Hanuma Vihari figures as well; Cheteshwar Pujara is making a comeback.

“India has the resources to fill that void. But when you look at India’s seam bowling, there is quality there and quality options as well for them to choose from apart from two spinners. Batting, like last time, will be the big challenge,” said Manjrekar in a virtual interaction organized by Sony Sports.

On day one of their lone four-day tour match against Leicestershire, the early dismissals of the top six batters may cause some worries in the Indian camp, as per Manjrekar’s views. After being watchful, Sharma fell while trying to hook the ball, Virat Kohli has trapped lbw after missing the ball while going for a flick, Hanuma Vihari got stuck before edging to first slip, and Ravindra Jadeja was trapped plumb in front of stumps by an inswinger while Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer nicked behind, away from their bodies.

“Because it’s a one-off Test match and India haven’t played one in a long time in England as they are going there after one year. The team management and all of us know that the big challenge for India is to get a minimum of 300 runs in the first innings and hopefully, another big score in the second innings.

“Whatever the team composition is planned out, they will always be looking to address the batting issues and with KL Rahul missing being a huge blow for India, if you look at the top five or six, you sort of worried about the batting as you don’t have a situation where you have a number three, four, five, all in great form and recent form playing in foreign conditions,” elaborated Manjrekar.

Manjrekar remarked that ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin could miss out on playing the Edgbaston Test if the Indian team is forced to pick between him or left-arm spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Last year, Ashwin didn’t feature in all four Tests in England as India chose Jadeja as their lone spin option alongside four pacers.

“The team composition will reflect that although India would want to play four seam bowlers if the pitch and conditions are going to be conducive and might be tempted to have an extra batter in that team to go with three seamers and one spinner.

“But the choice of seamers will also depend on who can make a batting contribution and with a spinner as well, Jadeja might get the preference because of his ability to contribute more with the bat than Ashwin. There is quality bowling but not at the cost of batting depth/solidity in the team composition,” added Manjrekar ahead of India’s tour of England, which will be broadcast on Sony Sports Network from July 1 to 17.

 

Cricket West Indies unveils new tournament; purists say too many innovations

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Cricket West Indies unveils new tournament; purists say too many innovations

Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) decision to unveil a new tournament called ‘The 6ixty’ in August has split the cricket world with purists questioning the need for the new format.

West Indies legend Chris Gayle is a brand ambassador of the tournament. On Thursday (IST), CWI announced the new tournament on social media with a video of Gayle promoting the event. “New tournament, new rules. Here is The Universe Boss @henrygayle to take you through how THE 6IXTY takes the excitement to another level and you even closer to the action. #The6ixty #CricketsPowerGame #6ixtyCricket #CPL22,” tweeted CWI.

The tournament will jointly be hosted by CWI and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). It will be in a T10 format and take place ahead of the new CPL season.

While the tournament is reportedly a version of T10 cricket, it will have several innovations, including the introduction of a ‘mystery-free hit’, a report in mirror.co.uk said.

“Given the name, the tournament has drawn inevitable comparisons to The Hundred (in England),” said the report.

In the short video posted on social media, Gayle has described ‘The 6ixty’ as “my type of cricket”, and termed it “a brand new format that brings cricket fans closer to the action”. According to the rules, each side will have six wickets and can unlock a third power-play over if they hit two sixes in the first two overs.

“The first 30 balls will all be delivered from one end, with the final 30 all delivered from the other end. If teams do not bowl their overs quickly enough, they will lose a fielder for the final over,” the report added.

“And the mystery free hit allows supporters to decide when a ball will be bowled that the batter cannot be dismissed from.”

CWI chief Ricky Skerrit termed it as a really exciting innovation, full of entertainment.

A cricket fan unhappy with so many innovations, tweeted, “STOP CHANGING CRICKET!!! This is seriously the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. It sounds like a completely different sport. I’m all for a new sport or code, but let’s not pretend this is cricket”.

Former Lancashire and South Australia player Joe Scuderi termed it an ‘absolute load of unadulterated c***’, while another fan termed it exciting. “Sounds exciting”, he said.

 

David Warner should at least be allowed to lead a domestic side, urges Sixers coach Shipperd

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David Warner should at least be allowed to lead a domestic side, urges Sixers coach Shipperd

Big Bash League (BBL) side Sydney Sixers coach Greg Shipperd has requested Cricket Australia (CA) to allow charismatic cricketer David Warner to at least lead the domestic side, given that he had diligently served his ban post the ‘sandpaper-gate scandal’ and had been “making a great contribution to the team and to cricket in general across the globe”.

Warner, along with then skipper Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, was banned from all forms of cricket for a year after the ‘sandpaper-gate scandal’ during the Test series in South Africa. While Smith was allowed to get back to leadership roles post serving the one-year ban, Warner, while being allowed to play, was barred from captaining any side.

Shipperd said that with the dwindling crowds in the BBL, CA should look at the option of overturning the ban, which bars Warner from leading a side, so that he can captain the Sixers in the upcoming edition of the BBL.

“I think David has served his penance,” Shipperd said on SEN 1170 Mornings on Friday. “He’s back in the Australian team and making a great contribution to the team and to cricket in general across the globe.

“He’s a leader without the tag and I’m sure that’s part of the process to bring him back into the fold (of domestic cricket and the Big Bash). I say to press the go button there,” said Shipperd.

One of the reasons for BBL losing its attraction is the lack of big Australian cricketers, who miss out due to a packed international schedule and Covid-19 regulations and bio-bubbles.

Shipped felt that BBL should tweak its player replacement model, as the current rules prevented players like Steve Smith from returning for the Sixers during the business end of the previous season of Australia’s premier domestic event.

“I think simplifying the mechanisms (is the way to go) and to flip the replacement player process on its head,” he said. “Fill the final player in the team with a young player who comes in as the 15th player, signs a contract but knows he is attached to Steve Smith.

“If Smith is available for our team to play, then the player gets bumped into a replacement. We are developing a young player but Steve Smith is being marketed and if available, will be playing for the Sydney Sixers.

“Same applies for a Josh Hazlewood, a David Warner, a Pat Cummins or a Cam Green and those players around the country who are in that Australian all-format bracket.”

 

Chiranjeevi books Sankranti 2023 slot for ‘Mega154’

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Chiranjeevi books Sankranti 2023 slot for ‘Mega154’

In Telugu, the Sankranti season is one of the most eagerly anticipated times of year for movie releases.

In order to maximize theatrical box office receipts, most high-budget films are favored to be released around this time period. Things are about to become interesting now that Chiranjeevi has entered the Sankranti race with his ‘Mega154’.

Chiranjeevi’s 154th movie, which is being directed by Bobby (KS Ravindra), is all set to hit the screens during Sankranti 2023. The makers, who took to their socials, announced the same on Friday.

“Let us meet at theaters in Jan 2023,” the makers of ‘Mega154’ (working title) announced through a poster. According to rumors, the film will be called “Vailtair Veerayya” and will tell a tale set in a well-known region of Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

In the film, described as a mass action blockbuster loaded with all the commercial components, Shruti Haasan plays the leading heroine opposite Chiranjeevi.

The movie’s producers are Naveen Yerneni, Y Ravi Shankar, and GK Mohan, with Mohan serving as a co-producer. A top-notch technical team is working on the project with a number of well-known actors.

Actor Charan Raj’s younger son Dev makes acting debut with ‘Kuppan’

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Actor Charan Raj’s younger son Dev makes acting debut with ‘Kuppan’

Well-known actor Charan Raj’s younger son Dev, a pilot by profession, is to make his debut as an actor through his dad’s upcoming film ‘Kuppan’.

Charan Raj, who has acted in over 600 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, and Bengali, is returning to the film industry as a director through ‘Kuppan’.

The film is named after a man, whom the director says he befriended during his morning walks.

Says Charan Raj, who has penned the story, screenplay, and dialogues for his film, “I have been living in Palavakkam for over 35 years and I go for walks with my dog on the seashore every morning. During my walk, I would chat with several people on the way and return home. It was on one such walk that I got introduced to a fisherman named Kuppan. My interactions with him made me want to pen a story on the fisherman. So, after finishing the script, I named the film after my friend. He has also acted in a small role in the film.”

Dev Charanraj, who is the second son of Charanraj, was a pilot. He underwent special training at an acting school before turning hero.

Aadhi Dev is making his debut as the other hero. Along with them, Sushmitha Suresh and Priyadarshini Arunachalam are also making their debut as heroines.

Charan Raj is also acting in an important role after a long time. He plays his son’s uncle in the film.

Sources say ‘Kuppan’ will be a love story that will revolve around a young fisherman and a north Indian girl in a village.

Cinematography for the film will be by Janarthan and editing will be by SP Ahammed. The film which is being co-directed by K Suresh Kumar will have music by SG Elai.

Amitabh Bachchan responds to ‘Bachchan Saab’ fan anthem from ‘Chor Bazaar’

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Amitabh Bachchan responds to ‘Bachchan Saab’ fan anthem from ‘Chor Bazaar’

The release of ‘Chor Bazaar’, the newest film starring Akash Puri, has been generating a lot of buzz for its tribute to megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

A tweet from Amitabh Bachchan regarding one of the songs in ‘Chor Bazaar’ has caught the attention of all.

The movie ‘Chor Bazaar’ has a special song devoted to megastar Amitabh Bachchan, that is titled ‘Bachchan Saab Fan Anthem’, in which Akash Puri plays Amitabh’s diehard fan.

The tune of ‘Bachchan Saab Fan Anthem’ has been made available as a tribute to the illustrious actor.

Amitabh Bachchan himself has discussed the song.

Earlier on Thursday, Amitabh tweeted, “uffff.. what to say.. this is very gratifying.. my love and respect,” in response to a user’s tweet about the song.

Directed by Jeevan Reddy of ‘George Reddy’ fame, the movie has Gehna Sippy as the female lead in ‘Chor Bazaar’.

‘Pelli Choopulu’ director’s new film to be called ‘Keedaa Cola’

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‘Pelli Choopulu’ director’s new film to be called ‘Keedaa Cola’

Director Tharun Bhascker, who shot to fame with his popular directorial ‘Pelli Choopulu’, is all set to entertain the audience with his next.

Titled ‘Keedaa Cola’, the movie is touted to be a unique crime comedy.

Tharun Bhascker, who took to social media to announce ‘Keedaa Cola’, wrote, “After successfully following my heart and acting in films that boiled down to small cameos, trying my stint at hosting my own show that got the lowest TRPs and after redrafting my scripts a zillion times, I am ready to hit you all with a crime comedy”.

The makers also released the title poster from ‘Keedaa Cola’, wherein one can see blood splattered all over, while there is a cockroach beneath the cola’s tin cap, hinting at the kind of a dark story it is.

Produced by VG Sainma’s Bharath Kumar, SRipad Nandiraj, Upendra Varma, Srinivas Kaushik, Saikrishna Gadwal, and Vijay Kumar, the movie is slated to release in 2023.

Censor Board clears Arun Vijay-starrer ‘Yaanai’ for release with U/A certificate

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Censor Board clears Arun Vijay-starrer ‘Yaanai’ for release with U/A certificate

The Censor Board of Film Certification has cleared the release of director Hari’s eagerly-awaited Tamil action entertainer ‘Yaanai’, featuring Arun Vijay and Priya Bhavani Shankar in the lead, with a clean U/A certificate.

The unit of the film confirmed the news by choosing to release a poster saying that the film had been censored and that it had been granted a U/A certificate.

The mass entertainer, which was originally scheduled to release on May 6 this year got postponed to June 17 and then to July 1.

Actor Arun Vijay had said that the unit had chosen to postpone the film’s release to July 1 to facilitate director Lokesh Kanakaraj’s action blockbuster Vikram’s strong run in theatres.

The satellite and digital rights of the film have already been bought by the Zee group.

Produced by Drumstick Productions, the film is primarily targeted at ‘B’ and ‘C’ center audiences.

The film has raised expectations as this is the first rural script that Arun Vijay is doing after a gap of almost 12 years.

Urvashi Rautela talks about her pan-India debut film ‘The Legend’

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Urvashi Rautela talks about her pan-India debut film ‘The Legend’

Actress Urvashi Rautela is making her pan-India debut with the film ‘The Legend’.

The actress is over-the-moon and said that the film is about romance, humor, action, and plot twists.

Expressing excitement for her film, Urvashi stated, “At last! My goal of becoming a pan-Indian actress was realized with the launch of the trailer for my pan-India release film, which is all about romance, humor, action, and plot twists abound throughout the movie.”

She added: “With its stunning surroundings, vibrant music, comedic tunes, and necessary social message, it is a big-budget mainstream entertainment.”

Urvashi will be seen playing a “microbiologist and IITian in the movie”.

“The movie will also convey a message about the educational system. I appreciate everyone’s kindness and genuine affection they have shown me for my movie.”

 

‘Game of Thrones’ sequel with Kit Harrington gets the working title ‘Snow’

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‘Game of Thrones’ sequel with Kit Harrington gets the working title ‘Snow’

The ‘Game of Thrones’ sequel starring Kit Harington as Jon Snow will be named after the character, according to the creator of the fantasy novels, George R.R. Martin.

“Yes, there is a Jon Snow show in development,” Martin wrote in his personal blog on Thursday, reports Deadline. “Our working title for the show is SNOW.”

In the entry on his blog, the author on whose books the award-winning blockbuster was based, teased out a few more details of the potential series, which seems to be much further along than previously presumed.

For one thing, reiterating what the series’ star Emilia Clarke said, Martin shared that it was Harington himself who initiated the idea for the new show.

The scribe once called the ‘American Tolkien’ by Time magazine also revealed that Snow is partially staffed up.

“Yes, it was Kit Harrington (sic) who brought the idea to us,” the self-described “way too busy,” Martin wrote. “I cannot tell you the names of the writers/showrunners since that has not been cleared for release yet… but Kit brought them in too, his own team, and they are terrific.”

“SNOW has been in development almost as long as the other three, but for whatever reason, it was never announced and it never leaked… until now,” Martin noted.

The trio of previously announced ‘Game Of Thrones’ spinoffs in the works is the Amanda Segal-directed 10,000 Ships; 9 Voyages aka Sea Snake from Bruno Heller; and the Steve Conrad-penned Dunk and Egg prequel series entitled either The Hedge Knight or Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

The first prequel series, ‘House of the Dragon, stars Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans and is set to premiere on August 21.

Tiger kills farmer in Katarniaghat sanctuary

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Tiger kills farmer in Katarniaghat sanctuary

A 57-year-old farmer was killed by a tiger in a forest in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, officials said on Thursday.

According to them, the incident took place on Wednesday evening near Bharatpur village in the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.

The victim, Ghanshyam Rajbhar was cutting the grass when the tiger attacked him.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Akashdeep Badhawan said that villagers working nearby raised an alarm after which the tiger vanished into the forest.

The victim was taken to the Community Health Centre where he succumbed to injuries.

The DFO said there is a provision of financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh in cases of death due to human-wildlife conflict.

However, cutting grass in the restricted core area of the forest is prima facie a cognizable offense, he added.

In this case, a decision on the compensation will be taken as per the rules of the forest department, he said.

Meanwhile, teams of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have been set up and two trained elephants are engaged in combing the area.

 

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