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Thursday, April 5, 2018

IPL 2018: 5 exciting players set to play their maiden IPL

IPL 2018: 5 exciting players set to play their maiden IPL




The IPL is currently one of the finest T20 leagues in the world. After 10 successful years of the tournament, every cricketer around the world wants a piece of the action.

A large number of players sign up for the auction every year and only a handful get picked by the franchises.


There are a number of exciting players from around the world who make their debut in the IPL each year and this year is no different.

We can look forward to stellar performances from these players as they would want to perform well on a platform as big as this and carve their own niche in world cricket.

As the excitement builds up, let us take a look at five exciting cricketers who will be making their debut in IPL 2018.

Moeen Ali (Royal Challengers Bangalore)


Moeen Ali is an English all-rounder who burst into the England cricket team, predominantly for his off-spin bowling after the surprise retirement of Graeme Swann.


He is an elegant batsman who relies more on timing the ball rather than brute force. With an outstanding economy of 7.38 and a more than respectable batting strike rate of 128 in T20 cricket, it's hard to classify Ali as a bowling or a batting all-rounder since he's equally good at both facets of the game.

Ali was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore at a bargain price of 1.70 crores. He could provide stability to the RCB batting line up that features hard-hitting batsmen who bludgeon the ball. Watch out for him!

Evin Lewis (Mumbai Indians)


This young, left-hand batsman from Port of Spain, Trinidad can dispatch the ball to any part of the ground.

He has an incredible strike rate of 154.9 in T20Is and West Indies Cricket tout him to be the next Chris Gayle.


He will be seen in the jersey of the Mumbai Indians this year after they acquired his services for 3.80 crores in the auction.

He could form a potent opening combination with skipper Rohit Sharma or Ishan Kishan, depending on which batsman bats from the other end.

Once Lewis gets going, bowlers in the opposition will have a hard time trying to contain him as he plays both pace and spin bowling equally well.

It is fair to say that we can expect a couple of big knocks from this lad in IPL 2018!

Jofra Archer (Rajasthan Royals)


After a fantastic campaign in the Big Bash League this year, Jofra Archer will be rearing to do well for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2018.

A batting strike rate of 143.3 and a bowling average of 23.2 are things of folklore in the T20 format of the game.

Born to an English father and Bajan mother, Archer aspires to play for the England Cricket team someday.

After a huge bidding war at the IPL players auction, Rajasthan Royals managed to acquire his services at a whooping 7.20 crores.

His Sussex team mate Chris Jordan rates him very highly and hopes to be playing with him in the colours of England someday. Archer has an excellent yorker and his all-round capabilities are worth their weight in gold in this format of the game!

IPL 2018: 5 thrilling clashes between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings

With only a few days remaining for the highly anticipated edition of the Indian Premier League, the opening clash is set to be a treat for the eyes as the defending champions Mumbai Indians take on Chennai Super Kings, who are on the prowl to reclaim their old throne.

Rivalries have a huge impact in sports and over the years, the IPL has developed some intense rivalries which has been a treat to watch. The rivalry which tops the tops the list, is arguably between Mumbai and Chennai often known as the Super-Indian derby, which has managed to enthral the fans with their intense hunger for the victory on the field.

After serving a two-year suspension, the Yellow warriors are well and back in the competition and will try to topple the revitalized Mumbai line-up in their fortress, the Wankhede Stadium on April 7. With only a few days remaining for the mouth-watering clash, Here's a look at the top 5 matches between the two leading franchises of the event.


IPL 2008, Chennai

The first ever encounter between the side manages to make the list after being an absolute belter of a game. The game, which yielded over 400 runs in 40 overs, saw the home side batting first. Matthew Hayden helped himself to a destructive knock, contributing 81 off just 46 deliveries. The Aussie received support in the form of Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni before being dismissed in the penultimate over of the innings.

Mumbai Indians were handed the task to chase a mammoth total of 209. Despite never being much behind the required run rate, the regular fall of wickets made it difficult for the side to chase down the score. A superb spell by Manpreet Gony amidst of all the raining boundaries helped Chennai secure a slender win by 6 runs, after Abhishek Nayar and Harbhajan Singh's valiant efforts were not enough to cross the side over the line.

Result: Chennai Super Kings defeated Mumbai Indians by 6 runs

IPL 2013, Chennai


The Super Kings were on the lookout to brush off their loss in the finals of 2012 IPL with a fresh start in the 2013 edition. With Chennai playing host, the men in yellow began their proceedings with explicable accuracy. The new ball bowlers managed to send the veteran opening combination of Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar in quick succession.

With his side in a slump after the score of 75-5, Kieron Pollard came to Mumbai's rescue virtue of a brilliant knock which took the men in blue to a score of 148


While this was considered as a chasable total, the Super Kings had an off day with the bat after the Mumbai bowling line-up gave no room for error and managed to restrict the run flow along with wickets at regular intervals. Captain MS Dhoni, was stranded at one end and ultimately his fifty proved futile after the visitors managed to pick up the win by 9 runs.

Result: Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings by 9 runs

IPL 2011, Mumbai


This fixture could very well be called as the tale of two knocks with two batsmen managing to provide huge contributions for their teams. Coming into the fixture as the defending champions, Chennai Super Kings elected to bowl first at the Wankhede.

Despite the new ball bowlers breathing fire in their first spell, the Super Kings had no answer to Rohit Sharma's brutal hitting display. The Hitman managed to amass 87 off 48 balls to steer his side to a total of 164.


The men in yellow plotted their chase in brilliant fashion and were on the verge to wrap it up with several overs to spare. But the determination of Harbhajan Singh denied a potential victory for the Chennai side. Despite Badrinath's resilient knock of 71, the Chennai middle and lower order bowled down to the Turbanator after failing to get past double digits and lost the fixture by 8 runs.

Result: Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings by 8 runs

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Ronaldo hails Juve bicycle kick as one of finest goals of his career


Madrid, Apr 4 (AFP) Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted his stunning bicycle kick in Real Madrid's win over Juventus was probably the best goal of his whole career.

Ronaldo earned a standing ovation even from the home fans at the Juventus Stadium after his acrobatic volley beat Gianluigi Buffon in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.


It was one of two Ronaldo goals on the night as Real cruised to a 3-0 victory, which all-but sealed their place in the last four.

Ronaldo has scored some sensational goals in his career. There were the thundering long-range strikes for Manchester United against Porto and Portsmouth, and the backheels against Valencia, for Real, and Hungary, for Portugal.

There were also the goals he delivered when it mattered most, for Portugal in the World Cup 2014 play-off against Sweden, and a hat-trick for Real in last season's Champions League semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid.



But the 33-year-old believes his latest goal in Turin may have trumped them all.

"This was spectacular, I jumped very high, so obviously it's a goal that stays in the memory and is surely my best goal," Ronaldo told Real Madrid TV.


"I've been looking for it for a long time but they are part of the game. It just came into my head to do it and I caught the ball well.

"Other times it has gone wrong, but you have to always try. I tried and scored a goal."

Ronaldo had already converted Isco's cross to open the scoring and Marcelo wrapped up the win late on after Juventus striker Paulo Dybala had been sent off.

There was no doubting, however, the moment for which the match will always be remembered, by Juventus fans too, who rose to their feet to salute the celebrating Portuguese.

"It was one of the most beautiful moments of this night, a stadium here in Juve where great players have played, applauding is a top moment," Ronaldo said.

"I am very happy and very excited. It was always a club that I liked as a child and when the people applaud, it stays in your heart. For this I thank all the Italian fans, thank you

IPL 2018: 3 players who can replace Virat Kohli if he is ruled out

Virat Kohli is a name which is familiar in every Indian household. The Indian skipper works hard during practice, due to which he has taken a lot of workload on his body recently. He was rested for the Nidahas Trophy after a long season and has set a benchmark for Indian cricket in terms of fitness on and off the field. After a dismal England tour in 2014, Kohli has been in supreme touch due to the amount of hard work that he has put in.

Even the best can suffer at times and so did Kohli as he injured his shoulder last year during the Test series against Australia, due to which he had to miss the initial games of the IPL. The Indian skipper will have to manage his workload during the IPL as he has a long season ahead of him. After the IPL, Kohli will travel to England to play county cricket prior to India's tour of England.


Let us take a look at three players who can replace Virat Kohli if he gets injured.


Himanshu Rana



Himanshu Rana showed glimpses of his flamboyant batting style during his recent under-19 stint with the Indian side. Even though he played a handful of games, he displayed hints of his skill and his potential during the event.

Even though the 19-year-old had a base price of INR 20 lakhs he failed to attract any franchises. It is impossible for someone to replace a player of Kohli's quality but Rana can be tried at RCB in case of an injury to any batsman. The young batsman will be eager to make a name for himself in the IPL and he will take any opportunity which comes his way.

Joe Root



Despite missing out on an IPL contract, Joe Root is the most discussed name in recent times. Root backed out of the 2017 IPL auction due to the birth of his child and since then the IPL gates have seemed to close for England's Test captain. Root's recent form did not help his cause at the IPL auctions as he failed to attract the interest of any franchise. The English batsman has a decent record in the shorter format as he averages 39.10 in T20I cricket.

He has scored 1325 T20 runs at an average of 32.31, accompanied by a strike rate of 125.59. His ability to tackle spin easily gives him an edge ahead of other players in testing Indian conditions. He has scored 375 runs in T20Is in India at an average of 53.57 along with a strike rate of 128.87 and his experience can be invaluable in the IPL.

Aiden Markram


Aiden Markram's recent form in Test cricket helped him earn the praise of the Indian skipper Kohli as he credited Markram on Twitter. The South African was unsold in the IPL auctions due to his defensive approach in Test cricket even though his statistics in T20 cricket look decent. The opening batsman has featured in 30 T20s, in which he has amassed 781 runs at an average of 35.50 with a strike rate of 125.56. He rose to prominence when he led the South African under-19 side to the title in the 2014 World Cup.

The Protean will be delighted to have an IPL contract under his belt. He can also act as a handy all-rounder, with the off-spinner having scalped 7 wickets in T20 cricket with an economy of 6.11. It will be a learning curve for the South African batsman if he gets an opportunity to play in the IPL.

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Pro Kabaddi League: 5 players who faded away after good starts

Kabaddi is one of the most thrilling and exciting games originated in India, and has seen a big resurgence in popularity in recent years. This game was revived by the advent of the Pro Kabaddi League.

While many players have risen to fame in millions of fans watching the cash-rich league, there are some who could not maintain the consistency in their performances. Here, we take a look at the five such players who failed to perform and replicate their form.


Rajesh Narwal


The former Jaipur Pink Panthers all-rounder was bought by the new entrant U.P. Yoddha to bolster the squad. But, he had a season to forget as he could manage to garner only 27 points from the 16 games he played. For a player of his calibre, who almost scaled 80 points every season, his form has declined very badly.

UP Yoddha acquired him for Rs 69 lakh, making him the 5th most expensive player bought at the auction. Out of the 58 tackles he attempted, he could only make 15 successful ones. He failed to make it to the squad and warmed the benches in the latter part of the season. Narwal would definitely look to improve his form and come back stronger.

Sukesh Hegde


The Gujarat Fortunegiants raider had a season to forget, except his captaincy. Being called the do-or-die specialist during his time at Telugu Titans, he has become the master of empty raids. For a player of his height and skills, he was considered one of the best raiders in the league. He failed to perform to his potential and live up to the expectations.

After being bought by the Gujarat Fortunegiants for Rs 31.5 lakh, he was appointed as the captain. However, Hegde couldn't replicate his past season's form and managed only 77 points. He would look to perform better as a captain as well as a raider in the upcoming Pro Kabaddi League season.

Rakesh Kumar


Rakesh Kumar was the most expensive player in the first season, after Patna Pirates picked him up for Rs 12 lakh. Last season, the Telugu Titans bought him for Rs 45 lakh. He is a very compatible player and can play in any position and perform well. The 2014 Asian Games Gold Medalist was no longer in his best form and couldn't guide the team properly.

He managed to score only 23 points from the 10 games he played, and the tackles he attempted were mostly unsuccessful. Being the most capped player for India, he is highly regarded among the Kabaddi community. For the most part of the season, however, he found himself in the dugout. He would hope to come back to form and guide the team in the upcoming season.

Nitin Madane


The 2014 Asian Games Gold Medalist had a very disappointing season, playing for U Mumba. The 29-year-old was bought by three-time finalists U Mumba to support Anup Kumar and Shabeer Bapu. However, he lost his place in the side to Shrikant Jadhav, who showcased both his raiding and defending skills.

He did not feature in the second and third seasons of the pro kabaddi league but was bought back by Bengal Warriors to replicate his form of the first season. However, he could not turn the tables for U Mumba.

Having scored 107 points from the 12 games, he played in the first season. However, he only managed to score 13 points from the same 12 games the following year. This shows his decline in form and he would hope to change it.


Ravi Dalal


Being the most underrated raider from the first season, he was never in the limelight. The former Patna Pirates star raider Ravi Dalal failed to replicate his form of the first season. Being an injury-prone player, after the first season he lost his magic touch and gradually declined as a player over the years.

He was the top scorer for the Patna Pirates in the first season and scored a mammoth 111 points. Known for his great bonus-snatching skills and escaping from defenders with ease, these skills have become a thing of past for Dalal. He would surely look to rectify his mistakes and be in the midst of things.

3 players who may never play for their country again

Amid flaring emotions, many have speculated that Warner has already played his last international match.

Source From google


Following the ball-tampering controversy, Australian batsman David Warner has been banned from international cricket for one year. He has also been forbidden to take any leadership role in the national team ever. This decision has been taken by Cricket Australia after charges of Warner’s involvement in the ‘leadership group’, which hatched the plan to change the condition of the ball, have been proven.

At 31 years of age, Warner was expected to have the best years of his batting career ahead of him but the recent fiasco has raised question marks on his cricketing career. The reports coming out in the media have painted a very grim picture of the former vice-captain and the untoward reaction of his compatriots is also very telling.


Amid flaring emotions, many have even speculated that Warner has already played his last international match. Read on to know why the following three players including Warner may never play for their country again.


Jesse Ryder
Image Source From google


When Jesse Ryder made his debut against England in 2008, it looked as if New Zealand had found a lasting opener. The left-hander soon made a reputation for himself not only as an aggressive player on the field but also a ‘wild-boy’ image off the field. Gradually, Ryder cemented his spot across all formats in the New Zealand team.

However, it was in 2013 that Ryder suffered a huge setback which threatened not only his cricketing career but his life as well. After being brutally assaulted outside a bar, the New Zealand opener underwent a 56-hour medically-induced coma while jostling his way through a fractured skull and a collapsed lung.

Ryder recovered from the horrible state only to be banished from the New Zealand cricket set-up a year later, on account of a late-night drinking session on the eve of a Test match against India.

The southpaw showed a glimpse of his past glory when he blasted 109 runs for Central District in a domestic match last year but has not been able to put up consistent performances since. Moreover, with the rise of players like Tom Latham, Colin Munro and Jeet Raval, it is highly unlikely that Ryder would be successful in making a comeback to the national team.

Darren Sammy
Image Source From Google

Darren Sammy is in the same league as Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Andre Russell, who have chosen to be T20 freelancers rather than being international cricketers. The reasons for their move is the cash crunch in the Windies cricket board and the clause that makes it mandatory for the Caribbean players to feature in domestic competitions.

The last time Darren Sammy took the field for his country was in the 2016 T20 World Cup Finals against England. Despite having led his team to the title victory, he was later dropped from the side.

Last year, the Saint Lucian cricketer played in the Independence Cup for the World XI against Pakistan. The fact that he recently captained Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League instead of being a part of the West Indian team in the Mini World Cup, tells us that Sammy's international career has come to an end in all likelihood.


Three Reasons why RCB might not win IPL 2018

Source From Google

During the course of the ten years, the Indian Premier league has evolved by leaps and bounds. With the tournament becoming increasingly competitive and excruciatingly intense, gone are the days where team owners used to rake huge sum of money on superstars purely based on the reputation they carried.

Players like Joe Root, Josh Hazlewood, Martin Guptill left unsold bores testimony to the aforementioned facts. Now the owners employ talent scouts who monitor the performance of players around the world evident from a plethora of associate nation cricketers being offered an IPL contract

The 2018 mega IPL auction, held in January saw over 500 cricketers go under the hammer as massive bidding ensued by team owners and various stakeholders in a bid to create a formidable squad for IPL 11.

One of the things to look forward to the IPL 2018 auction was how the Royal Challengers Bangalore formed their squad, especially after a lacklustre season last year that saw them finish in the bottom half of the table. While they have tried to address the issues that have plagued them in the past, there still exist few chinks in their armour that might derail their 2018 campaign.

Here's a look at three possible reasons why RCB might not win IPL 2018

Too many opening options

On closer analysis of the batting prowess that the RCB have at their disposal, it is worth noting that the team contains as many as five openers. That Virat Kohli likes to open in the shortest format of the game is evident from the preceding seasons, when he used to bat alongside Chris Gayle.

However, with the presence of McCullum and Quinton de Kock in the squad, the skipper might have to push himself down the order, something you wouldn’t want considering the value that Kohli brings to the side at the top.


Thin bowling stocks



One of the perennial problems that RCB has had over the years is the potency of their bowling attack.

While they have tried to address the issue by picking seasoned overseas campaigners in Chris Woakes, Tim Southee, and Nathan Coulter Nile, the problems with their bowling stocks are two-fold, most prominent being a lack of experienced Indian fast bowler barring Umesh Yadav in their ranks. This season will be particularly important for Yadav, who has been out of favour in India's white-ball set-up for some time now.

If the ignominy of having a lack of experienced Indian fast bowler wasn't enough, the franchise was dealt with a severe blow with Coulter-Nile getting ruled out from the tournament further diluting their fast bowling stocks

Inexperienced lower middle-order

The lower middle order is possibly the toughest position to bat in T20 cricket. With the seam of the ball getting soft coupled by the ignominy of facing best death bowlers in the game, a seasoned finisher gives stability to the batting order.

RCB do have a formidable top-order with the likes of Kohli, AB de Villiers and Brendon McCullum but their lower middle-order might prove to be their Achilles heel towards the business stage of the tournament.

While Sarfaraz Khan, who was one of three players to be retained by the franchise, had a poor Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 trophy, the likes of Colin de Grandhomme do not have much experience of the Indian conditions which is exactly why Corey Anderson, who was named as a replacement for injured bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile, may have a crucial role to play especially due to the experience that he has of playing in the subcontinent

IPL 2018: One player each IPL team cannot afford to lose through injury

An IPL season, which spreads over 60 games, is packed with a tight schedule. The high octane energy levels, scorching Indian summer, and frequent travelling can cause the best of cricketers to fatigue, which in turn can lead to injuries.

Over the years, multiple teams have been plagued by injuries to their players, which has had an adverse impact on their fortunes. Here is a list of one player for each IPL team, who will be missed dearly if they get injured.
Source IB Times


An IPL season, which spreads over 60 games, is packed with a tight schedule. The high octane energy levels, scorching Indian summer, and frequent travelling can cause the best of cricketers to fatigue, which in turn can lead to injuries.

Over the years, multiple teams have been plagued by injuries to their players, which has had an adverse impact on their fortunes. Here is a list of one player for each IPL team, who will be missed dearly if they get injured.

Chennai Super Kings - Suresh Raina



In the 2018 auctions, the Chennai Super Kings retained their depth in the batting order like they usually do. With the likes of DJ Bravo, Ambati Rayadu, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kedar Jhadav, they are expected to bat up to number seven or eight. However, one thing that CSK lacks, in short, is the firepower to score quick runs at the top of the order. Suresh Raina has always been that accelerator for CSK coming in at no. 3.

If Raina is injured, there will be multiple options to fill his place, but the strike rate of 139.05 will be hard to replicate. Also, Dhoni is known to use Raina as a slow bowling option in Chepauk. The 2-3 overs bowled in the middle of the innings can be crucial as well and hence, Raina is a valuable asset that CSK cannot afford to lose.

IPL 2018: Top 3 explosive opening batting combinations

As the 11th edition of IPL nears we look at 3 of the most devastating opening combos that will feature this year...


The 11th edition of IPL is just around the corner and the buzz is increasing by the day. The opening stand often sets the tone for the game and defines the total that a team can achieve. The openers bat in the power play, the time when only 2 fielders are allowed to stand outside the 30-yard circle. A lot of the international and franchise teams opt for an explosive opening combination, who can go after the bowling from ball one.

Here are the three opening duos who could set the IPL on fire.

Image Source From Google


Ishan Kishan is one of the best players in the domestic circuit. He is a keeper-batsman and plays for Jharkhand. He played for the Gujarat Lions in 2016 and 2017. The former India Under-19 captain received a fat paycheck of Rs. 6.2 crore in the IPL auctions this year. He has been in red hot form off late and has been churning out the runs for Jharkhand in the domestic circuit this season. He scored an unbeaten 124 in 49 balls in the 'Horn Not Ok Please' T20 Cup.

Evin Lewis is one of the most destructive batsmen in the shortest format of the game. The southpaw has been touted as the next Chris Gayle. The Trinidadian was bought for Rs. 3.8 crore and it could be termed as a bargain, considering his recent form and big hitting abilities. He has scored 2 centuries against India in the shortest format of the game. He is tailor-made for the T20 format and has a strike rate of 146.

Considering the Wankhede Stadium's dimensions it is likely that these two will provide a lot of entertainment and give some explosive starts to the home team

IPL 2018: 5 possible replacements for KKR pacer Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the 2018 IPL after suffering a tibial bone stress in his right leg...

Kolkata Knight Riders have received yet another injury blow as fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the 2018 IPL after suffering a tibial bone stress in his right leg during the ongoing Test series against Australia.

The left-arm seamer was bought by the Shah Rukh Khan-owned team for INR 9.4 crore in the 2018 IPL auction and the team's plan for the upcoming tournament would have revolved around the New South Wales pacer. The injury to him would surely have dashed all their hopes and the team management will now have to look for a replacement...

Image Source From Google


Here are five players who can replace the Aussie superstar in the KKR squad for IPL 2018:
Adam Milne

New Zealand pacer Adam Milne was the talk of the town when he made his international debut as his ability to bowl at breathtaking pace attracted a lot of eyeballs. He was drafted into the New Zealand side for the 2015 World Cup and played all the matches for the Kiwis in that tournament.

His brilliant performances in T20s landed him an IPL contract with Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the 2016 IPL. He didn't have a good time in the five matches he managed to play in the IPL but his T20 numbers speak volumes of his ability. In the 70 T20 matches he has played, he has scalped 83 wickets at an average of 23.21 and an economy of 7.77.

Rahane: I still respect Smith the batsman

Jaipur, Mar 31 (PTI) Steve Smith may have been disgraced for his role in the ball tampering scandal in South Africa but newly appointed Rajasthan Royals skipper Ajinkya Rahane said that he still respects him as a world-class batsman.

"Whatever had to happen has already happened. It's bygone now. It is not for me to comment on the amount of penalty handed to him by the Cricket Australia and the ICC. But his cricketing record should be respected. I respect him as a batsman and player," Rahane said during a media conference.

Image Source From Google


While Smith will be "missed" Rahane feels that it will put added responsibility on his shoulders.

"Yes we would miss him but we have a replacement (Heinrich Klaasen). I feel it is an added responsibility and also a big challenge for me," said Rahane.

Comparisons are often drawn between him and his national team captain Virat Kohli's leadership styles.

"We talk a lot but we both are different kind of persons. He is aggressive and expressive where as I am more composed, serious and quiet.

Rahane expressed his happiness that Rajasthan Royals will be playing their home matches at the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Stadium.


"I am thankful to Rajasthan Royals, who have provided me a platform and also the opportunity to lead the side. I remember Shane Watson had mentioned my name to Rahul Dravid. I am thankful to people like them and also the fine support staff, which the Royals have.

"Coming back to Jaipur and SMS gives added confidence to us. We have the resources and the right balance with some exciting youngsters in our ranks. We don't have any pressure on youngsters and play the game with a plan. The pitch at the SMS stadium is a good one and as soon as I came here, I wanted to bat

Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool: 5 Talking Points

Scoreline: Crystal Palace (13' Milivojevic) 1-2 Liverpool (49' Mane, 84' Salah)

The Premier League weekend began with Liverpool travelling to Selhurst Park to take on a struggling Crystal Palace side. The Reds were looking to continue their form after having thumped Watford 5-0 in their last league encounter.

The Eagles, on the other hand, had just ended their four-game losing streak after beating Huddersfield 2-0 away from home and were hoping to add to that victory.

Luka Milivojevic converted the spot-kick to give the home side the lead in the 13th minute but Jurgen Klopp's side appeared to be rejuvenated in the second half when Sadio Mane scored an equaliser in the 49th minute.

More to and fro action followed throughout the rest of the game and, finally, Mohamed Salah sealed the game for the Reds with an 84th-minute winner. Here are the major talking points from the game.

Image Source From Google


Early on in the game, Sadio Mane looked like the only source of creativity for the Reds. In what was a slow start for Liverpool, Mane was consistently on the prowl.


However, he took a step too far when he went down rather theatrically after James McArthur slid in the penalty box to challenge the Senegalese. Mane was rightly booked for simulation.

Apart from that blip, he managed to head in a ball nudged by Roberto Firmino from a corner but had drifted offside and the goal was disallowed. All of this did not deter the winger as he kept striving forward.

Mane was rewarded for his persistence when he managed to convert a low ball from Milner a few yards out after the Englishman had played a little one-two with Firmino to equalise for the Anfield outfit.

Soon after though, Mane was amidst another piece of the action on the field when he deliberately handled the ball in Liverpool's own half after going down in an aerial tussle.

While the foul was given, the Liverpool man was spared a much-deserved second booking that would have resulted in marching orders for the former Southampton player. Realising the same, Klopp replaced his best attacker on the night at the 64-minute mark with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Thus a mixed day for Sadio Mane was brought to an early end.

IPL 2018: Three prominent players who went unsold at the auctions but returned as replacements

One man’s loss is another man’s gain, and this applies to cricket too. An injury to one player opens the door for another. Every year, a few unsold players make it to the tournament as replacements for those who are ruled out due to an injury or other concerns.

This year, several players have been ruled out – the biggest among the names being Steve Smith and David Warner. Although the replacements for all the players have not been announced yet, here’s taking a look at those who have made a lucky re-entry into the tournament so far.

Image Source From Google


The Royal Challengers Bangalore secured an impressive pace bowling attack in the auction, including Nathan Coulter-Nile. However, the Australian pacer suffered an “aggravation” of a previous stress fracture and was thus ruled out of the IPL.

Consequently, RCB roped in all-rounder Corey Anderson at his base price, in place of the Australian. “The IPL Technical Committee has approved a replacement for Nathan Coulter-Nile – fast bowler from Australia – in the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad,” an IPL media advisory stated.

He has played 27 IPL matches, in which he has scored 521 runs and scalped 8 wickets.