After a delayed release, Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index for the T20 World Cup 2024 is finally out, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Marcus Stoinis, and Nicholas Pooran leading the pack. Coming as a surprise, Afghanistan has three players in the top 10 while Pakistan only has one in the top 50. India, on the other hand, boasts of two players in the top 10 with Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya putting up impressive performances. With an average par score of 140 being set, every wicket in this World Cup is valued at 14 runs, creating a thrilling and competitive atmosphere for the players.
Afghanistan Cricket Team's Rise and Glenn Maxwell's Impact
The Afghanistan national cricket team has made significant strides in recent years, becoming a force to be reckoned with on the international stage. Their rise coincided with the emergence of star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell.
Afghanistan's Success
Afghanistan's national cricket team was established in 1995 and granted Associate Member status by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2001. They made their international debut in 2001 but gained prominence after receiving ODI status in 2009 and Test status in 2017.
Under the leadership of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, the team has enjoyed several notable achievements:
Glenn Maxwell's Contribution
Glenn Maxwell, the Australian all-rounder, has played a pivotal role in Afghanistan's development. He has captained Australia in T20 internationals and has been actively involved in mentoring Afghan players. Maxwell's experience and leadership have been invaluable to the team's growth.
2024 ICC Cricket World Cup
The next ICC Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be held in 2024 in the West Indies and the United States. Afghanistan is one of 14 teams set to participate, and they will be determined to make a strong showing.
According to the Most Valuable Player Index released by Rediff.com, Afghanistan has a strong chance of success in the tournament. Three Afghan players – Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, and Mohammad Nabi – are ranked in the top 10.
Top 5 FAQs
1. Who is the captain of the Afghanistan national cricket team? Mohammad Nabi
2. What is Glenn Maxwell's role with the Afghanistan team? Mentor and former captain
3. What was Afghanistan's highest ranking in the ICC ODI rankings? 10th (February 2020)
4. Which Afghan player is known as "Mr. 360"? Rashid Khan
5. How many matches has Glenn Maxwell played for the Afghanistan team? None (he only mentored the team)
India’s women’s cricket team skipper, Smriti Mandhana expresses disappointment over her team’s fielding performance in the first ODI against Ireland. Despite registering a comfortable victory, Mandhana believes that the team needs to improve in the fielding department and restrict the opposition to lower scores. She also praises the bowling unit for their efforts in challenging conditions and highlights the importance of executing plans in upcoming matches.
In a dominant performance, the Indian women's cricket team defeated Ireland by six wickets in the first match of the three-match series in Rajkot. Despite being without captain Harmanpreet Kaur and bowler Renuka Singh Thakur, India showed no signs of struggle as they dismissed Ireland for just 56 runs. Medium pacer Titas Sadhu and spinner Priya Mishra were the stars of the show, taking three wickets each.
La Liga team Atletico Madrid has criticized the Spanish National Sports Council's decision to allow Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo to play on a temporary basis after his license had expired. According to the club, this government intervention sets a dangerous precedent and calls into question the rules of the game. Other clubs, including Las Palmas, have also expressed concern about how this decision could impact the integrity of the competition and destabilize professional football in Spain.
After repeated rejections by La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation, Barcelona successfully appealed to the Higher Sports Council to register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. However, their registration is only valid until the CSD reaches a final decision in April, leaving the team with a limited timeline to utilize their talents in crucial matches. The stakes are high as Barcelona must secure favorable results in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League during this period, making the CSD's decision a crucial factor in their success.
The Indian women's cricket team, led by Smriti Mandhana, takes on Ireland in the first ODI of a three-match series. With the hosts coming off a series sweep against the West Indies, Mandhana and her team will look to continue their dominant form. However, Ireland's Prendergast brings valuable experience from playing in Australia and could prove to be a key player for the visitors in this highly-anticipated match.
In a thrilling match at the Kotambi Stadium, Rajasthan's opener Abhijeet Tomar's brilliant century and a five-wicket haul from Tamil Nadu's Varun Chakaravarthy made for an exciting game. Tomar's partnership with skipper Mahipal Lomror set the foundation for Rajasthan's first-ever victory over Tamil Nadu in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. They will now face Vidarbha in the quarterfinals on Sunday. Additionally, Haryana dominated Bengal with all-round performances from Parth Vats and Nishant Sandhu, securing a 72-run win.
In a thrilling match in the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane led Al Nassr to a 3-1 victory over Al Okhdoud at the Awwal Park in Riyadh. The two star players each scored a goal, with Mane scoring a brace and Ronaldo scoring his first goal of 2025. The win propelled Al Nassr to third place in the league table with 28 points from 14 matches. Don't miss out on the excitement, subscribe now to catch all the action.
Real Madrid secured their spot in the Supercopa final after a thrilling match against Mallorca. They will now face off against their arch-rivals Barcelona in a highly anticipated final in Jeddah. Stay tuned for updates and post-match reactions.
In a thrilling match between Real Madrid and Valencia, Vinicius Junior's red card became the main talking point. After pushing Valencia's goalkeeper and receiving a straight red, the Brazilian forward's hopes of celebrating a victory seemed dashed. However, thanks to late goals from Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham, Madrid secured a 2-1 win. Vinicius later took to social media to apologize to his teammates, while manager Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that the club will appeal the red card. According to MARCA, the Spanish Football Federation is considering a two-game ban for Vinicius instead of the customary four-match suspension for violent conduct, as they acknowledge that he was provoked by the opposing player.
In a recent conversation with The Athletic, Mallorca right-back Pablo Maffeo opened up about an old compliment he received from Lionel Messi. The Argentinian superstar had labeled Maffeo as the "toughest defender he's faced" after a game in 2017. The 20-year-old defender sees this as a trophy and is now set to face off against another superstar, Vinicius Junior, in the upcoming Supercopa de Espana. This will be the 11th time that the two players will face each other, with a record of four wins each so far. Interestingly, Messi has never scored against Maffeo in their previous encounters.