Renowned Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw was in attendance to witness the exhilarating competition at the Men's Volleyball Club World Championships 2023 in Bengaluru. Ahmedabad Defenders showcased their prowess on the court against the defending Champions, Sir Safety Perugia. The championships currently on-going in Bengaluru, delivered an exciting display of skill and sportsmanship.
Shaw, known for his exceptional cricketing abilities, is extending his support beyond the cricket field to back the Ahmedabad Defenders. His presence undoubtedly elevated the spirit of the team and inspired them to give their best performance.
"I'm thrilled to be here and lend my support to the Ahmedabad Defenders. Sports unite us, and I believe in cheering for excellence, regardless of the arena. I wish the team the very best and hope they make our country proud. This is an incredible opportunity for Indian Volleyball as the boys are playing against the best in the world and this will only help them gain more experience." expressed Prithvi Shaw.
Fans and enthusiasts were excited to see Shaw grace the event with his presence. His attendance added an extra layer of excitement to an already anticipated championship.
The Men's Volleyball Club World Championships 2023 will be telecast live in India on Sony Sports Network across Sony Ten 1 & Sony Ten 3 channels and the broadcast will be shown globally on Volleyball World. Fans in India can also stream the tournament online on FanCode.
Matches for 9th December 2023 - 5.00 PM â SF 1 8.30 PM - SF 2
IPL Records: Youngest Half-centurions in IPL History
Ayush Mhatre has become the third youngest Half-centurions in IPL. Ahead of him are Riyan Parag and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. In this article, we will be discussing about the five youngest half-centurions in IPL history.
Chennai Super Kings opener Ayush Mhatre has missed out on scoring his first century in IPL against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but during this time he created history. Mhatre became the youngest batsman to score a half-century for Chennai. He achieved this feat at the age of just 17 years and 291 days. Apart from this, Ayush has become the third youngest Half-centurions in IPL. Ahead of him are Riyan Parag and Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
In this article, we will be discussing about the five youngest half-centurions in IPL history.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, aged 14 years and 32 days by the time of playing only his third IPL match in the 2025 season, rained down 11 huge sixes and seven boundaries against Gujarat Titans bowlers. The teenager smashed his maiden half-century in the game to become youngest half-centurions in IPL history. Suryavanshi ended up converting it into a splendid 35-ball century, the second fastest in the history of the tournament.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s innings helped Rajasthan Royals thwart Gujarat Titans’ strong new ball and spin attack during their pursuit of 210 runs.
2. Riyan Parag (2019) | 17y 175d
Riyan Parag registered his first half-century in the IPL at the age of 17 years and 175 days back in 2019 during Rajasthan Royal's final league stage match against Delhi Capitals. On a day when most Rajasthan Royals batsmen struggled with the bat, Riyan Parag displayed maturity beyond his years to take his team to 115/9 in their stipulated quota of 20 overs.
Batting at number six and arriving at the crease at 30-4 inside the powerplay, Parag bided his time across 49 deliveries to score 50 runs, laced with four fours and two sixes, in Delhi. His innings helped Rajasthan Royals post a respectable 115-9, having once headed for a much worse collapse. The Capitals ended up winning the match by five wickets in 16.1 overs.
3. Ayush Mhatre (2025) | 17y 291d
Ayush Mhatre scored his maiden IPL half-century in just 25 balls to become the third youngest player to score a half-century in the history of the league. The 17-year-old smashed 94 runs off just 48 deliveries in the game. His innings included 9 fours and 5 sixes. Mhatre missed his much deserved century by 6 runs.
Mhatre also became the youngest player of Chennai Super Kings in IPL history to register a half-century. He left Suresh Raina behind, after hitting a fifty at the age of 17 years and 291 days. Raina who previously held the record had achieved the feat in 2008 at the age of 21 years and 148 days in a match against Mumbai Indians.
4. Sanju Samson (2013) | 18y 169d
A Rajasthan Royals batter through and through, Sanju Samson blazed his team to an emphatic four-wicket victory against RCB, as a teenager. Playing his first IPL season back in 2013, Samson helped Rajasthan pull off a 172-run chase by cracking 63 runs from just 41 balls with seven boundaries and two huge sixes at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Batting at number three, the talented right-hander took on the likes of RP Singh, Jaydev Unadkat, Vinay Kumar head-on to bag the ‘Player of the Match’ award. He was 18 years and 169 days at the time to become IPL’s youngest half-centurion.
In just the second match of his IPL career, Prithvi Shaw smashed 62 runs from 44 balls, doing so against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 26 of the 2018 season. Opening the innings for Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) alongside Colin Munro, Shaw smashed seven boundaries and two sixes in the innings as his team mounted 219-4 from 20 overs.
Aged 18 years and 169 days at the time, the talented right-handed opening batter became one of the youngest half-centurions in IPL history.
CAVA Men's Nations Volleyball League relocated from Pakistan to Uzbekistan after India's withdrawal
After India's withdrawal, the CAVA Men's Nations Volleyball League relocated from Pakistan to Uzbekistan. India had opted out of the tournament in late April.
Central Asia Volleyball Association (CAVA) have decided to shit the CAVA Men’s Nations League from Pakistan to Uzbekistan after India decided to take their name away from the tournament.
Earlier, India were supposed to visit Islamabad, the initial host city of the tournament, with a 30-member team. But, after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 tourists were killed, and the evolving tensions between the two countries, India had decided to pull out of the tournament.
However, after CAVA's decision to relocate the tournament to Uzbekistan from Pakistan, India have decided to take part in the CAVA Men’s Nations League 2025, starting from May 29 to June 4.
Along with India, host Uzbekistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan will take part in the tournament.
The ad-hoc committee running the sport in India have announced that the selection trials for the said tournament will be held on May 6-7 at SAI NSSC Bengaluru. 22 players will be selected for the tournament.
"CAVA had the Annual General Meeting on April 25 in Nepal where other nations also expressed their discomfort regarding their participation in the tournament in Pakistan. So, it was decided that the tournament will be shifted to Uzbekistan but the dates will remain the same," a source close to the committee said on Sportstar.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024 Semi-final fixtures: Baroda to face Mumbai, Delhi against MP
Hardik Pandya's Baroda will face Ajinkya Rahane's Mumbai while Ayush Badoni's Delhi will go against Rajat Patidar's Madhya Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024 semi-finals.
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024 semi-finals, Hardik Pandya's Baroda will face Ajinkya Rahane's Mumbai while Ayush Badoni's Delhi will go against Rajat Patidar's Madhya Pradesh to clinch the Premier T20 title of the Indian Domestic circuit.
Hardik and Meriwala powered Baroda to the semi-final in the 1st QF
In the first quarter-final, Hardik and Krunal Pandya's Baroda defeated Mohammed Shamiand Shahbaz Ahmed's Bengal by 41 runs to enter the semis. Baroda scored 172/7 in the first inning, all thanks to Shashwat Rawat's 40 from 26 balls in the opening and a late flourish from Shivalik Sharma (24 from 17) and Vishnu Solanki (16 from 7). Hardik could only score 10 from 11 balls.
Mohammed Shami took wickets but went for 43 in his full quota of 4 overs.
In reply, Bengal were hit by early wickets as Lukman Meriwala struck early for Baroda. Except for Shahbaz Ahmed's 55 from 36 balls and 29 off 18 balls from Ritwik Roy Chowdhury, none contributed that much with the bat for Bengal and they fell short of the target by 41 runs. Hardik Pandya (3/27) and Lukman Meriwala (3/17) were the stars of the show for Baroda.
Anuj Rawat's impressive 73 helped Delhi win against UP
Anuj Rawat played a stunning 33-ball 73 to help Delhi win. Image | PTI
In the second quarter-final, Delhi faced a formidable Uttar Pradesh, led by Bhuvnewshwar Kumar. Delhi scored 193/3 in the first inning and UP were bundled out for 174 in the second inning. Delhi's keeper-batter Anuj Rawat played an unbeaten inning of 73 from 33 balls, which included 7 fours and 5 huge sixes. Bhuvneshwar Kumar went wicketless and went for 34 in his four overs.
UP could not get going in the second inning as Ishant Sharma and Suyash Sharma provided early breakthroughs. Ishant Sharma returned with a bowling figure of 11/1 in his three overs, while Suyash Sharma took 2/36. Prince Yadav was expensive with the ball but took three wickets.
For UP, Priyam Garg scored 54 from 34 balls while Nitish Rana could not score 2 from 3 balls and was dismissed by Delhi captain Ayush Badoni.
Venkatesh Iyer's all-round skill helped MP reach the semi-final after 14 years
Venkatesh Iyer and Rajat Patidar's Madhya Pradesh qualified for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy semi-finals after a gap of 14 years as they chased down Suarasthra's 174-run target with four balls to go.
Chirag Jani's outstanding unbeaten 80 from 45 balls helped Saurashtra reach 173/7 in the first inning. Venkatesh Iyer took 23/2 in his three overs while Avesh Khan went for 51/2 in his full quota of four overs.
In reply, Arpit Gaud gave the perfect start to MP's inning with a 42 from 29 balls while Subhrangsu Senapati (24), and Rajat Patidar (28 from 18) chipped in. But it was the steady inning from Venkatesh Iyer (unbeaten 38 from 33) and pinch-hitting by Harpreet Singh Bhatia (unbeaten 22 from 9 balls) that helped them go over the line with 6 wickets in hands.
Rahane and Shaw's heroic helped Mumbai chase Vidarbha's 222 run-target
In the fourth quarter-final, Mumbai chased down Vidarbha's 222-run target to reach the semi-finals. Atharva Taide's 66 from 41 balls, Wankheded's 51 from 33 and Shubham Dubey's 43 from 19 balls helped Vidarbha 221/6 in the first inning. Shardul Thakur was wicket-less and went for 41 in his 3 overs.
Prithvi Shaw (49 from 26), and Ajinkya Rahane (84 from 45) provided an 83-run opening partnership that laid the foundation for Shivam Dube (37 from 22) and Suryansh Shedge (36 from 12) to finish things off for them. Eventually, they chased down the target with four balls to go with six wickets in hands.
Suryansh Shedge is at it again 🔥
Smashes 4⃣,6⃣,6⃣,6⃣, as Mumbai take 24 off the crucial 17th over!#SMAT | @IDFCFIRSTBank
Where to watch the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024 Semi-finals?
Fans can watch the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024 Semi-finals live on Jio Cinema App and Website for free. Matches will be telecasted on Sports18 Channels as well.
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has dropped Prithvi Shaw from the Ranji Trophy Squad. Even if the team hasn't given any particular reason behind this step, it is highly speculated that it is his fitness and indiscipline that have led to his exclusion.
Shaw hasn't reacted officially, but his four-letter Instagram story has indicated his dissatisfaction regarding his exculsion.
Fitness and Indiscipline: The Major Reasons Behind Shaw’s Ouster
Prithvi Shaw not only lacked fitness, he was irregular at practice sessions too. This has raised concerns amongst the Mumbai selectors and team management.
If seen on the other side, veteran players like Ajinkya Rahane, Shardul Thakur, and Shreyas Iyer were very regular with the practice sessions.
Selectors, including the captain, Ajinkya Rahane, have expressed dissatisfaction with Shaw's indifference towards discipline. His irregularity in training and being overweight have been a matter of concern, leading the MCA to take action.
Shaw has been asked to follow a two-week fitness program.
A History of Controversies
Shaw contradicts the idea of "sports build character." His off-field stories have been way too controversial for a player to maintain a good image.
In 2020, he faced an eight-month suspension for a doping violation after ingesting a prohibited substance through cough syrup.
Not only that, in February 2023, while coming back from an outing with his friends, he engaged himself in an ugly public brawl. After being chased for selfies at a restaurant, the altercation resulted in his car being smashed.
Ricky Ponting's Criticism of Shaw’s Attitude
The former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who was eventually Shaw's coach in the Delhi Capitals' camp, pointed out his flaws in batting stance while doing an on-air commentary.
"If he does have a chink in his armour it's the ball which does come back into him...
"Quite often leaves a big gap between bat and pad and that's where the Aussies will target." @RickyPonting at his peerless best for the Prithvi Shaw wicket #AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/4nh67zBcpU
Not only that, Ponting has been vocal about his indiscipline. During the 2021 IPL season, Ponting revealed that, when Ponting asked Shaw to have a close practice with him, the later turned him down.
Not only that, the Delhi Capitals are not likely to retain him for the 2025 session of the Indian Premier League.
Is This the End for Shaw?
Shaw’s recent exclusion from the Mumbai Ranji squad is a reminder that talent alone isn’t enough to sustain a cricketing career. With his off-field issues and fitness problems continuing to overshadow his on-field capabilities, Shaw’s future in Indian cricket looks uncertain.
If Shaw fails to address these concerns, his career may be at risk, despite his once-promising start as India’s next big talent.
DC vs GT IPL 2024 Match Preview, Head-to-head, Possible XIs and Dream11 Team Prediction
Read the full match preview, head-to-head stats, possible playing XIs, and Dream11 Team Prediction of the DC vs GT match in IPL 2024 at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in Delhi on 24th April, Wednesday.
Rishabh Pant'sDelhi Capitalsare all set to face Shubman Gill'sGujarat Titansin match No.40 of IPL 2024 on Wednesday, 24th April, at the Arun Jaitley Stadiumin Delhi. DC have won three out of eight matches this season and are sitting in the eighth position of the points table. GT have won 4 and lost 4 games and would be desperate to climb up to the fifth position by registering a victory against the struggling DC side.
DC and GT have already faced each other once this season and DC won that encounter in Gujarat after a dominant bowling display. DC hopes to double that at home. From possible playing XIs to Dream11 team predictions, here is everything you need to know about the DC vs GT match in IPL 2024.
TheDelhi Capitals vs Gujarat TitansIPL 2024 match will be televised on Star Sports Network. All the Indian Premier League matches will be streamed free on the Jio Cinema app and website.
Pitch & Weather Report
Arun Jaitley Stadium is known for its slow nature, with batters struggling to score. However, the pitch conditions have changed since the ODI World Cup 2023. The average score at this venue is 168 which states that it will be a batting-friendly match. Pace bowlers will get more help from the surface than the spinners. Teams batting first have a slight advantage on this ground.
The temperatures will be around 30 degrees in the evening. There is no chance of rain in the evening and the humidity is expected to be close to 18 percent.
DC are coming into this huge game after losing their previous game. The Capitals were just sensational against Gujarat. Every single bowler delivered as they bowled out GT for just 89 runs. But, they couldn't replicate the same against SRH and lost the game by a huge margin.
Prithvi Shaw has scored runs here and there and also got off to a solid start against SRH. He will be an important player as DC will be relying on him to get a good start which hasn't been the case this season. David Warner's form has been a huge setback for DC. The veteran opener has struggled to find runs and his drypatch looks set to continue further.
Fraser-McGurk has displayed his sensational hitting in the three matches he has played so far. The right-handed batter has already scored 140 runs at an average of 46.67 and a strike rate of 222.22. The South African youngster, Tristan Stubbs is a vital batter in the DC unit. Stubbs has scored 199 runs at an average of 49.75 and an impressive strike rate of 180.91 so far this season. He also got two wickets in the last match against GT.
Captain Rishabh Pant has been impressive since making a comeback from a horrible accident. He has so far scored 254 runs at a strike rate of 150.30 and is the main strength in the middle order. Axar Patel scalped a wicket and conceded at an economy of just 7.20 when the others went for 13+ an over in SRH's assault. He was impressive against GT as well, conceding only 17 runs in four overs and taking one wicket. He has found his form back and is leading the bowling unit alongside Kuldeep Yadav.
Mukesh Kumar took three wickets when DC faced GT last time earlier this season. The right-arm pacer bowls mainly in the death overs but he conceded 57 runs against SRH. He would be hoping to improve from that pathetic bowling performance. Kuldeep Yadav grabbed a four-wicket haul when DC last played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The left-arm wrist spinner has bowled brilliantly and will look to continue that against GT as well. Ishant Sharma suffered a back spasm in the last match, but he is fit and available for selection.
Shubman Gill is the main strength of GT's batting unit. The 2023 Orange Cap winner has so far scored 298 runs including two fifties. He will be desperate to score big this time as he only scored 8 in the last encounter against Delhi. Wriddhiman Saha has struggled throughout the season and GT haven't been able to replace him with someone better.
Sai Sudharsan has scored runs this season but he is struggling to improve his strike rate. GT hardly looks like a dangerous team in their middle overs which has been a huge problem for them. Their middle-order batters haven't been able to score runs. David Miller is having a forgettable season but he just needs one match to change everything.
Rahul Tewatia won GT the game against PBKS and the fans finally got to see some finishing from him. Omarzai hasn't been good with the bat which makes GT even more of a weak batting side. Their all-rounders are also unable to score runs at the death. Shahrukh Khan is getting opportunities continuously and it is time to step up.
Rashid Khan has always been a trump card for GT. The Afghanistan spin wizard's four overs are always crucial as he can change the course of the game. He can also score some vital runs after coming in to bat at the lower middle order. He was even the top scorer for GT when they faced DC last time earlier this season. Sai Kishore won the Player of the Match award against PBKS after taking four wickets. The left-arm orthodox spinner currently has the fourth-best average (14.17) in the competition and is one of the most promising talents in the country.
Noor Ahmed is another spinner, GT will bank upon. He grabbed two wickets against PBKS and has bowled some impressive spells so far this season. Mohit Sharma is doing his job silently although he hasn't been at his best this season. He will be the bowler to take the responsibility of bowling in the death overs.
Impact Player Subs:Shai Hope, RK Bhui, Kumar Kushagra, Yash Dhull, S Chikara, MR Marsh, Lalit Yadav, JA Richardson, Sumit Kumar, P Dubey, Rasikh Salam, Vicky Ostwal, A Nortje, LB Williams
Gujarat Titans: A Manohar, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Shubman Gill (C), Noor Ahmad, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Warrier
Impact Player Subs:Robin Minzq, MS Wade, Kane Williamson, Sai Sudharsan, Vijay Shankar, Shahrukh Khan, SH Johnson, Kartik Tyagi, DG Nalkande, J Little, SS Mishra, J Yadav, UT Yadav, Manav Suthar, BR Sharath
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