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Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Raj Kundra became co-owners of Rajasthan Royals in 2009 but gave up their stake in 2015 ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Ipl 2024 is in full swing, and people are hooked. This 17th edition stays true to its form, from nail-biting matches to surprising off-filed moments. The latest buzzing game is between the beloved Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. The Royals team were the first champions of Ipl’s first edition ever, and who can forget their Ipl anthem, ‘Halla Bol’ starring former Team owner Shilpa Shetty? Confused with the term former team owner, many on the internet are- raising the question- Is Shilpa Shetty still the owner of Rajasthan Royals in Ipl 2024?

The first iteration and edition of the Indian Premier League, back in 2008, was all anyone could talk about. A lot has changed since the first edition: roaring scandals, match-fixing, off-field and on-field fights, and even team ownership.

Owners...

Taylor Swift Copied Kuldeep Yadav’s Bowling Action On ‘Eras Tour’ & We Have Proof! ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

If Taylor Swift were a cricketer, she would have been a lethal left-arm spinner. Many of us thought Miss Swift would be practicing those kicks with NFL star and boyfriend Travis Kelce, but it turned out she had been gripped by cricket fever all along. Hehe, not really!

Well, Tay may or may not be a cricket fan, but the internet has us all believing the songstress would be giving Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav a neck-to-neck competition if she were to take cricket as a career option. If you are wondering what exactly we are talking about, we suggest you scroll ahead.

It all began after a candid picture of Taylor Swift from her Eras Tour went viral. In the widely circulated picture, the ‘Willow’ singer’s hand gesture looked more like a left-arm spin bowling motion,...

For me, biopics have become quite a dubious cinematic genre. On the one hand, we might get a great movie about a famous personality, but on the other hand, the movie could be so formulaic that it’s hard to appreciate. The 2023 movie about the Sri Lankan off-spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan, titled 800, falls into the category of a well-made biopic with a great lead cast, but eventually, the beats of the movie are placed at such intervals in the film that it becomes too predictable at times. The film very nicely depicts the prodigy’s early years, showing us the historical background in which he was brought up. The latter half, when Murali was world-famous, is weak, as it offers very little insight into the man. The major events of his cricketing career are rushed and ticked off one by one; the problem is that they are dealt with very superficially.

Ed Sheeran is known for his musicianship, thoughtful lyrics, and way of interpreting thoughts and feelings into unforgettable songs. However, his generosity expands beyond the world of music. Sheeran has found a way to memorialize the most significant moments of those closest to him by building a structure on his property that houses a grave where he and others close to him will be laid to rest. Here are all the details.

Rumors of a grave are true, says Ed Sheeran, but it’s much more than that

In an interview with GQ Magazine, Ed Sheeran confirmed rumors he has a grave located on his property. However, the structure where the grave is located is much more than that, he explains.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a crypt,” he clarified. Consequently, the structure is a chapel.

Sheeran built the chapel to house the cremated remains of people closest to him who had died.

As India eagerly embraces the 13th edition of the 2023 Icc Men’s World Cup, it’s clear that cricket is more than just a sport; it’s a passionate devotion for millions! It’s the second religion of the nation, and fans from every corner are gearing up for an exciting season of matches. Now is the perfect moment to dive into the fascinating world of cricket and its iconic figures.

So, are you ready for some riveting audio entertainment that takes you deep into the lives of legends like M S Dhoni, Wasim Akram, Virat Kohli, and Chris Gayle? Tune into Audible to uncover intriguing anecdotes about these cricket legends, including lesser-known facts about their lives, friendships with fellow athletes, and their incredible journeys in the world of sports!

The Dhoni Touch (Written by: Bharat Sundaresan; Narrated by: Akshay Ghildiyal)

This World Cup, embrace the world of cricket with...

As India eagerly embraces the 13th edition of the 2023 Icc Men’s World Cup, it’s clear that cricket is more than just a sport; it’s a passionate devotion for millions! It’s the second religion of the nation, and fans from every corner are gearing up for an exciting season of matches. Now is the perfect moment to dive into the fascinating world of cricket and its iconic figures.

So, are you ready for some riveting audio entertainment that takes you deep into the lives of legends like M S Dhoni, Wasim Akram, Virat Kohli, and Chris Gayle? Tune into Audible to uncover intriguing anecdotes about these cricket legends, including lesser-known facts about their lives, friendships with fellow athletes, and their incredible journeys in the world of sports!

The Dhoni Touch (Written by: Bharat Sundaresan; Narrated by: Akshay Ghildiyal)

This World Cup, embrace the world of cricket with...

We all know about the on-field journey of the Sri Lankan spin maestro Muttiah Muralitharan. Every cricket lover has seen his impressive bowling during intense tournaments, but this is the first time audiences are being introduced to the story of the real struggles of this living legend off the cricket field – from being oppressed, mistreated, attacked, bullied to taking everything in his stride and becoming the highest wicket taker in the history of the game.

Coming from a poor family, and going through riots, Muralitharan’s story as chronicled in the film will inspire you to dream, and follow it.

Based on true incidents from the life of the first Sri Lankan to be inducted into the Icc Hall of Fame, played on screen by Madhur Mittal, the sports drama is not just a treat for cricket fans, but also a story that channelises emotions and narrates the heart-breaking tale of someone who,...

We all know about the on-field journey of the Sri Lankan spin maestro Muttiah Muralitharan. Every cricket lover has seen his impressive bowling during intense tournaments, but this is the first time audiences are being introduced to the story of the real struggles of this living legend off the cricket field – from being oppressed, mistreated, attacked, bullied to taking everything in his stride and becoming the highest wicket taker in the history of the game.

Coming from a poor family, and going through riots, Muralitharan’s story as chronicled in the film will inspire you to dream, and follow it.

Based on true incidents from the life of the first Sri Lankan to be inducted into the Icc Hall of Fame, played on screen by Madhur Mittal, the sports drama is not just a treat for cricket fans, but also a story that channelises emotions and narrates the heart-breaking tale of someone who,...

Sydney, Aug 3 (Ians) Former Australia cricketer Ian Chappell believes captains were partly to blame for the lack of leg-spin options in the current Test team, saying skippers are yet to understand how wrist-spin bowling works in the longest format of the game.

In the last 10 years, off-spinner Nathan Lyon has led Australia’s spin attack in Tests. But his series-ending calf injury during the second Ashes Test meant Australia had to use young off-spinner Todd Murphy in two of the remaining three games. It deprived Australia of control from the other end as England came back from 2-0 down to end the series at 2-2.

Ever since Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill retired from Tests in 2007 and 2008 respectively, Australia haven’t got a quality leg-spinner who has managed to be a regular in the Test side. “I don’t know whether it’s just the lack of wrist spin bowling...

London, July 30 (Ians) Former England captain Michael Vaughan, who was leading the national side when Stuart Broad began his Test cricket journey in 2007, showered praise on the veteran pacer after his decision to retire following the Ashes series, saying “all young players aspire to achieve what he has accomplished for the national side.”

Broad stunned the cricket world at the end of Day 3 of the final Ashes Test at The Oval on Saturday, when he announced his decision to call time on his 17-year long career at the conclusion of the ongoing series against Australia.

The 37-year-old has claimed 602 wickets in 167 Tests, making him the second most successful pacer in Test history behind team-mate James Anderson.

Broad, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2007, sits fifth on the all-time list of wicket-takers, and is one of only two fast bowlers to take over 600 wickets, alongside long-time bowling partner James Anderson.

Manchester, July 20 (Ians) England cricketer Moeen Ali on Thursday entered an exclusive club of men’s Test all-round cricketers, who have the double of 3,000 runs and 200 wickets, on day two of ongoing fourth Ashes 2023 Test at Old Trafford, here.

Coming out to bat at number three, Ali was unbeaten on 31 at lunch. He became the 16th men’s cricketer to achieve the Test all-rounders’ double of 3,000 runs and 200 wickets.

Moeen had 200 wickets and 2,977 runs in Test cricket before the start of the ongoing Ashes Test at Old Trafford. He crossed 3000 Test runs after hitting back-to-back fours off Australia captain Pat Cummins in the 14th over, as England reached 61-1 at lunch.

“I think we forget what a good young batter Moeen was. Anyone watching a young Moeen growing up would say ‘this lad can bat’. ‘That is the reason he has said he wants to bat at No 3’.

“He will...

Manchester, July 19 (Ians) Veteran England cricketer Stuart Broad on Wednesday became the second fast-bowler to pick 600 wickets in Test cricket on day one of the fourth match of the Ashes 2023 series at Old Trafford, here.

The 36-year old Broad achieved the historic feat after taking the wicket of Australia’s left-handed batter Travis Head. His England team-mate James Anderson, is the only other fast-bowler to have more than 600 Test wickets.

Overall, Broad is fifth bowler to take 600 scalps in Tests after Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Australia’s Shane Warne (708), Anderson (688) and India’s Anil Kumble (619).

Broad began the ongoing Old Trafford Test on 598 wickets and soon moved to 599 when he trapped Usman Khawaja lbw early in the match. In the third session, Broad got his Test wicket number 600 when Head was caught by Joe Root on the boundary.

“He joins the elite club alongside Jimmy Anderson. What a cricketer,...

Perth, June 16 (Ians) Shooting for the miniseries titled ‘Warnie’, based on legendary Australian cricketer Shane Warne, has come to a halt after the actors, who play the late cricketer and his wife Simone Callahan, were rushed to hospital when a steamy scene they were acting in went wrong.

Alex Williams (33), and Marny Kennedy (29) star as Shane Warne and his wife in the upcoming two-part miniseries.

Marny Kennedy in an interview with The Daily Telegraph said that she and co-star Alex Williams sustained injuries while filming the scene.

She told The Daily Telegraph: “We were going down a corridor and we were meant to push into the bedroom and land on the bed, but we both completely missed the bed and sustained a broken wrist, while her co-star cracked the back of his head open. We ended up sitting in the emergency room together, he with a bandage around his head...

New Delhi, June 13 (Ians) Australian fast bowling great Brett Lee has expressed his backing for Scott Boland to feature in the upcoming Ashes Test opener against England, starting on June 16 at Edgbaston.

Boland, Boland was selected in the Wtc Final playing XI over Michael Neser with Josh Hazlewood unavailable due to injury, played a key role in Australia bowling out India for 234 on Day Five of the marquee clash, including the double scalp of Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in the second innings to set the base for a 209-run victory.

While the Australian batting lineup is firmly established, there is still uncertainty surrounding the composition of the bowling attack.

It certainly will be a selection headache for Australia when they pick their bowling attack for the first Ashes Test with Hazlewood now fit and available for selection.

“It’s a conundrum, isn’t it? I’m a massive Hazlewood fan,...

London, June 2 (Ians) Worcestershire seamer Josh Tongue on Thursday made his England Test debut against Ireland at the Lord’s and helped earn a whopping 50,000 pounds to a family friend — Tim Piper — who placed an unlikely bet 14 years ago.

Tongue was drafted into England’s squad as injury cover for James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, having impressed for the England Lions when they toured Sri Lanka last weekend.

The 25-year-old was a surprise pick for the Ireland Test, having been selected ahead of veteran Chris Woakes.

Piper, who played cricket with Tongue’s father Phil at their local club Redditch, is set for a huge payout after placing 100 pounds on him to play Test cricket for England when he was just 11 at odds of 500-1.

“I’ve kept the bet slip in a cupboard all these years. I just thought to myself ‘it must be worth £100’. If he doesn’t make it,...

New Delhi, April 22 (Ians) Accumulating a record 100 centuries across formats, Sachin Tendulkar is widely revered as the ‘God of Cricket’ and has earned the affection of an entire nation.

With a remarkable total of 34,357 runs scored across multiple formats, Sachin could make a strong case for immortality based on his achievements in the sport.

In 2011, Tendulkar finally won his first World Cup. At 37, his appetite for runs remained undiminished, as he ended up as India’s leading run-scorer in the tournament with 482 runs.

Sachin retired from ODIs in 2012, having scored his 100th hundred in his penultimate match. His final Test came against the West Indies in November 2013, his 200th game in the format!

In an international career spanning 24 years, Sachin broke pretty much every major batting record. Ahead of his 50th birthday (April 24), Ians lists five of Sachin’s memorable innings across formats.

119* vs England, Old Trafford (1990)

On a placid pitch,...

What the greatest playwright of English meant was that some people are born great and don’t have to work for it; others have to work hard and find greatness while the third group comprises those who are blessed by fate and are allowed to be great in a surprising manner.

But there is one more category that is born great but nurtures their prodigious talent and by the sheer dint of their hard work enhance their greatness and become the greatest of them all. And then they even surpass that stage and become demigods.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar falls in this category — born with talent in abundance, he nurtured it through hard work and through the sheer application of his talent and sweat earned the sobriquet of ‘God of Cricket’.

As the greatest cricketer to grace the sport celebrates his 50th birthday on April 24, the world acknowledges him as the living God of Cricket.

Ahmedabad, April 17 (Ians) Rajasthan Royals head coach and director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara lauded skipper Sanju Samson for bringing out his attacking game against Gujarat Titans’ leg-spinner Rashid Khan, saying the ‘hat-trick’ of sixes he hit against him was the game-changer in swinging the momentum in their favour.

With 112 more runs off 48 balls, not many gave Rajasthan a chance for a victory as they were 66/4 in 12 overs. But Samson unleashed by taking 20 runs off Rashid Khan in the 13th over via a hat-trick of sixes to eventually make 60 while Shimron Hetmyer smashed a whirlwind unbeaten 56 off just 26 balls to give Rajasthan an improbable three-wicket victory.

“Not just you got us through the powerplay, but that Rashid Khan over and then how you kicked on from there, that was the game changer. Their best bowler, some say the best T20 spinner in the world, was completely caught off the guard,” said...

Singer Ed Sheeran was plagued with suicidal thoughts after the death of his friends Jamal Edwards and Shane Warne within weeks of each other.

He was heartbroken by the February 2022 passing of music producer Jamal, the son of ‘Loose Women’ star Brenda Edwards, who died after a cardiac arrest brought on by cocaine and alcohol, and has now said the death a month later of his late cricketer pal Shane Warne aged 52 left him feeling like he was “drowning” in his life-long fight with depression, reports aceshowbiz.com.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, the dad-of-two – who has daughters Lyra, two, and 10 month old Jupiter with his 30-year-old wife Cherry Seaborn – also talked about how he developed an eating disorder as he compared himself to toned pop stars such as Justin Bieber.

He said, “My best friend died. And he shouldn’t have done. I’ve always had real lows in my life.

Ed Sheeran has opened up about the shame he experienced while struggling with his mental health.

The 32-year-old singer-songwriter explained that he felt “selfish” because of his role as a father, and revealed that he started seeing a therapist following a period of particularly bad depression.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Sheeran said that he “felt like I didn’t want to live anymore” after the unexpected deaths of two of his friends: Australian cricketer Shane Warne and Sbtv founder Jamal Edwards.

“I have had that throughout my life,” he continued. “You’re under the waves drowning. You’re just sort of in this thing. And you can’t get out of it.”

The “Lego House” songwriter said that he considered the thoughts to be selfish “especially as a father... I feel really embarrassed about it,” he added.

“I’ve always had real lows in my life. But it wasn’t...

New Delhi, Feb 23 (Ians) Former India coach and noted commentator Ravi Shastri is not surprised to see James Anderson become the No.1 ranked Test bowler in the world at the age of 40 and believes the evergreen England quick is easily among the best fast bowlers to have ever played while lauding his work ethics and the professionalism.

In the latest episode of The Icc Review, Shastri spoke in awe of Anderson, who recently climbed to the top of the tree for Test bowlers for the sixth time in his career.

The former India captain recalled the amount of work England seamer used to put in to ensure he was always at his best and said it is his ability to train at 100 per cent that makes him stand out from the rest and is allowing him to prosper so late in his international career.

“I used to watch him so...

New Delhi, Feb 21 (Ians) With the Australian batters failing miserably in the first two Tests of the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, former opener Matthew Hayden has offered to help the tourists solve their batting woes in Indi.

Hayden, who was the Pakistan cricket team’s mentor for the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup, is in India as a commentator for official broadcaster Star Sports and has no formal involvement with the touring side.

However, on Tuesday he told the Sydney Morning Herald that he is 100 per cent ready to help the Australian batters who have produced scores of 177, 91 and 262 and 113 in four innings in India so far with Usman Khawa’a being the only Australian batter to score a half-century so far.

“One hundred per cent, at any time of the day or night, it is given that myself – and I’m sure I speak for anyone else that I...

Mount Maunganui (New Zealand), Feb 19 (Ians) England seamer Stuart Broad has said that teammate James Anderson is probably the reason he is still going at the age of 36.

On Saturday, in the final session of the first Test between England and New Zealand, when Broad clean-bowled Devon Conway, it was a record-breaking 1002nd Test scalp as teammates for Broad and Anderson as the duo surpassed the mark 1,001 wickets achieved by Australia’s Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.

The record-breaking moment came almost 15 years on from when the pair first played together in a Test in New Zealand in 2008, at Wellington in the second game of a three-match series that England won 2-1.

“It’s a special country for us, New Zealand. Back in 2008 at Wellington we came into the team together. And to go past two heroes of mine growing up in McGrath and Warne, certainly we’re not in...

Mount Maunganui (New Zealand), Feb 19 (Ians) England produced a clinical team performance to register an impressive 267-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test and take 1-0 lead in the two match series, here on Sunday.

Evergreen duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who created history on Saturday when they overtook Australia greats Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath to become the teammates with the most wickets in Test history, were at it again to wrap up the Test triumph for England in style.

On Sunday, Anderson collected two wickets in as many balls to send Scott Kuggeleijn and Tim Southee packing early in the session, while the veteran finished the job when he returned to the attack to dismiss Blair Tickner and end the match.

It was the first time England have won a Test on New Zealand soil for almost 15 years, with their most recent triumph coming when...

Mount Maunganui (New Zealand), Feb 18 (Ians) England were cruising towards victory in the first Test at Bay Oval here, having reduced New Zealand to 63/5 in their second innings after hammering 374 runs in 74 overs on second calling to set the hosts a target of 394 for victory.

England, who had a small lead of 19 runs on basis of the first innings, scored runs at a frantic pace on the third day of the Day-Night Test.

Joe Root (57), Harry Brook (54), and Ben Foakes (51) struck half-centuries while Ollie Pope blasted 49, skipper Ben Stokes scored 33-ball 31 and Ollie Robinson contributed 39 runs as England left the hosts’ bowlers shell-shocked by their Bazball tactics, continuing to play attacking shots despite losing wickets at regular intervals.

Pacer Stuart Broad then claimed four wickets for 21 runs as England reduced the hosts to 63/5, setting themselves up on course for a big win.

On Sunday, they will wrap up their 10th...

New Delhi, Feb 4 (Ians) Former Australia cricketer Geoff Lawson revealed that current head coach Andrew McDonald’s viewpoint of the side’s success in the upcoming four-match Test series against India is broadly based around the quality of fast bowling rather than the temptation to fight spin with spin in the subcontinental conditions.

India are the current holder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having won the last three series against Australia in 2017, 2018-19, and 2020-21. Australia, on the other hand, are aiming to win a Test series in India, starting from February 9 in Nagpur, after having done so last time in 2004.

“I caught up with Australian coach Andrew McDonald in a recreational setting last week, but we naturally talked a bit of cricket. His broad view of Australia’s potential success in the next four Test matches was based around the quality of his fast bowling rather than the temptation to fight spin with spin.

Sydney, Jan 30 (Ians) Batters Beth Mooney and Steve Smith capped their prolific years with the bat to bag top honours at the Australian Cricket Awards held in Sydney on Monday. Beth claimed her second Belinda Clark Award, following a season where across three formats she amassed 976 runs at an average of 65.1 and a strike rate of 102.6.

Beth, the 29-year-old left-handed opener, also took out the Women’s Odi Player of the Year, which included Australia’s 2022 Women’s Odi World Cup triumph in New Zealand, where she scored an unbeaten 62 off 47 balls in the final. In the final Belinda Clark Medal tally, she got 129 votes, ahead of runner-up Meg Lanning (110) and Tahlia McGrath (95) in third place.

Smith joined Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting as the only players to win the Allan Border Medal four times, following a season in which the 33-year-old scored 1547 runs in 32 matches across all three formats...

New Delhi, Jan 23 (Ians) Former Australia head coach Darren Lehmann has urged the current Test side to pick left-arm spin all-rounder Ashton Agar as the second spinner to partner off-spinner Nathan Lyon for the upcoming four-Test tour of India, ahead of leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and uncapped off-spinner Todd Murphy.

Agar only has five Test caps to his name since his debut in 2013 and went wicket-less during Australia’s third and final Test match against South Africa in Sydney earlier this month. But Lehmann expects conditions in Nagpur, New Delhi, Dharamshala and Ahmedabad to suit Agar.

“It just gets through the air quicker and some spin and some don’t. The leg spinners sometimes spin it too much, if that makes sense… (for finger spinners) some skid on and you get beaten on the inside and you get an Lbw.

“That’s probably why they’re looking at a finger spinner.

No one quite had a New Year’s Eve bash quite like Elizabeth Hurley.

The 57-year-old took multiple shots from her wild night. Hurley shared on Instagram one of many images that showed her in a bejeweled glittering suit, similar to a costume worn by Britney Spears in the music video for the track “Toxic.”

The suit, patterned with diamonds left little to the imagination, using a number of beads to cover sensitive regions. The Royals star accessorized with a golden tiara as well as a pair of unmissable earrings.

> 100 Celebrity Kids & Their Famous Parents – Slideshow!

Multiple pics shared with her millions of Instagram followers, include her 20-year-old son Damian Hurley, who looks remarkably like his famous mum.

In photos together, Damian dresses as Elvis while posing alongside her star mother. Hurley captioned the slew of photos with “bittersweet goodbye to 2022, a year of both extremely happy and deeply sad memories.

Sydney, Dec 19 (Ians) Cricket Australia have revealed details of plans to honour Shane Warne during the upcoming Boxing Day Test against South Africa in Melbourne.

Warne tragically passed away in Thailand at the age of 52 earlier this year and the Boxing Day contest will be the first Test match played at the home ground of the champion leg-spinner since his passing.

Cricket Australia have a host of tributes planned for during the Test, with both teams set to don Warne’s famous floppy white hat at the national anthem ceremony prior to the start of the match, reports Icc.

There will also be a special highlights package of Warne played on the McG screen and on broadcast during the day, while his famous Test cap number of 350 will be painted square of the wicket for the entirety of the match.

Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said it was important for...

Emily in Paris star Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu has encouraged women to embrace their age, while advocating for a “less-is-more” approach to make-up.

Leroy-Beaulieu, 59, will return for the third season of the hit show, which arrives on Netflix later this month.

She plays popular character Sylvie Grateau – Emily Cooper’s (Lily Collins) no-nonsense boss at luxury marketing firm Savoir.

In a new interview with Page Six, the French actor shared her beauty advice for American women: “Don’t do too much stuff to your face. Just be very gentle with that, just accept it.

“Little things can be Ok, but as soon as you try to do too much and don’t accept it, it looks kind of … hmm,” she finished.

Elsewhere, Leroy-Beaulieu said accepting her age had “given me a peace that I didn’t have before”, and advised women to “be happy about being wiser”.

She continued: “That’s something...

Miriam Margolyes has opened up about the time the Queen told her to “be quiet”.

The actor is famously outspoken – in October she said “f*** you, bastard” live on Radio 4’s Today programme about chancellor Jeremy Hunt – and it turns out her bold antics didn’t go down well with the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Speaking in an interview with The Times Magazine, Margolyes said: “The Queen told me to ‘be quiet’. It shocked me because I hadn’t quite realised how rude I was being. I was waffling on when she was talking to somebody else, and I was overriding that rudely.

“But it wasn’t deliberate – I wasn’t meaning to be rude. I say what I think and I don’t care how it comes out. Sometimes it comes out in a way that people find very upsetting and offensive, and I’m sorry about that, but...

Elizabeth Hurley has reflected on the death of Shane Warne, the cricket legend and her ex-fiancé who died earlier this year.

The Australian cricketer, who was considered one of the best bowlers of all time, died of a suspected heart attack while in Koh Samui, Thailand, in March aged 52.

In a new interview with The Times Magazine, Hurley, who was engaged to Warne in 2011, talked about how difficult it has been for her and her son Damian, 20, to process the deaths of Warne and Damian’s film producer father Steve Bing, who died by suicide in 2020.

“Of the four great loves of my life, two are dead – I always say to the other two [Hugh Grant and Damian], you’d better watch your backs,” the actor and model said.

“But yes, it was very hard and it still is very hard. Losing Shane was terrible. It’s taken a long time to sink in.

New Delhi, Dec 12 (Ians) With a little less than a month left for South Africa’s T20 league — SA20, Royals Sports Group-owned franchise Paarl Royals are setting their sights on their debut match against Mi Cape Town in the season opener at Newlands in Cape Town on January 10.

In what is going to be a season of firsts for South Africa and for the Paarl Royals, another first is with the franchise having enrolled former Australia women’s international and World Cup winner Lisa Keightley as the Tactical Performance Coach.

The 51-year-old who left her role as the Head Coach of the England women’s team earlier this year is leading the way for women to coach in the men’s format, and expressed her thoughts all the way from Sydney. “As a coach, you always want to keep building and evolving, and to be going into the men’s...

Canberra, Dec 9 (Ians) Retired tennis star Ashleigh Barty has been awarded Australian sport’s highest individual honour for a second time.

At the annual Sport Australia Hall of Fame event on Thursday night Barty became the third person to win The Don Award — named after cricket great Don Bradman — multiple times.

Entering 2022 as the world No. 1, Barty in January became the first homegrown Australian Open singles champion since 1978.

Less than two months later, the three-time Grand Slam champion announced her shock retirement from tennis at the age of 25, reports Xinhua. “This year was certainly my most enjoyable Australian Open, result aside, that had nothing to do with it. It felt free. I played without consequence, I played like a little kid,” Barty said on Thursday night.

“In my eyes, there was no pressure. It was just about me trying to redeem myself, in a way, and playing how I’d...

Melbourne, Nov 8 (Ians) Legendary West Indies batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pakistan’s iconic leg-spinner Abdul Qadir and England’s multi-time World Cup-winning skipper Charlotte Edwards were on Tuesday inducted into the International Cricket Council’s (Icc) Hall of Fame, following a voting process that also included existing Hall of Famers and media representatives, among others.

The three newest inductees will be honoured in a special ceremony, which will take place prior to the start of play at the first semifinal of the Men’s T20 World Cup at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 9.

“It’s an amazing honour to follow the footsteps of many legends and so many other great cricketers of the past. I’m grateful for the recognition and would like to enjoy the moment with family, friends and most importantly the West Indies cricket fans and fans around the world who passionately supported me throughout my career,...

Melbourne, Oct 18 (Ians) Australia Test skipper and pace spearhead Pat Cummins has been entrusted the task of leading the One-day International (Odi) side as well following the retirement of Aaron Finch.

Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday endorsed the 29-year-old Cummins, who guided Australia to a 4-0 Ashes triumph earlier this year, to become the country’s 27th Odi captain.

Ben Oliver, CA’s Egm of High Performance and National Teams, said, “We are very fortunate to have a number of high-quality leaders and senior players across all formats. The (CA) Board and selectors agree Pat (Cummins) is the ideal choice to lead the Odi team through the next period including the 2023 World Cup (in India).”

CA’s chairman of selectors George Bailey said, “Pat has done an excellent job since taking on the captaincy of the Test side and we look forward to him leading the one-day team to the 2023 World Cup in India.

New Delhi, Sep 21 (Ians) 2022 has been a year where leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi catapulted his way through the India T20I side. With his googly as the stock delivery and ability to bowl quicker through the air to trouble the batters, Bishnoi has been one of the finds for the Indian team in the shortest format this year.

Bishnoi had a dream start to his T20I career against the West Indies, earning a man-of-the-match award for picking 2/17 from his quota of four overs. Since then, he has snapped 16 wickets in 10 matches for India and earned plaudits for his gutsy spell of 1/26 against Pakistan in the 2022 Asia Cup.

Though he wasn’t named in India’s main squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, Bishnoi will be travelling to the competition as one of the four reserve players. After being the leading wicket-taker in 2020 U19 World Cup, Bishnoi made a...

New Delhi, Sep 21 (Ians) 2022 has been a year where leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi catapulted his way through the India T20I side. With his googly as the stock delivery and ability to bowl quicker through the air to trouble the batters, Bishnoi has been one of the finds for the Indian team in the shortest format this year.

Bishnoi had a dream start to his T20I career against the West Indies, earning a man-of-the-match award for picking 2/17 from his quota of four overs. Since then, he has snapped 16 wickets in 10 matches for India and earned plaudits for his gutsy spell of 1/26 against Pakistan in the 2022 Asia Cup.

Though he wasn’t named in India’s main squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, Bishnoi will be travelling to the competition as one of the four reserve players. After being the leading wicket-taker in 2020 U19 World Cup, Bishnoi made a...

New Delhi, Sep 21 (Ians) 2022 has been a year where leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi catapulted his way through the India T20I side. With his googly as the stock delivery and ability to bowl quicker through the air to trouble the batters, Bishnoi has been one of the finds for the Indian team in the shortest format this year.

Bishnoi had a dream start to his T20I career against the West Indies, earning a man-of-the-match award for picking 2/17 from his quota of four overs. Since then, he has snapped 16 wickets in 10 matches for India and earned plaudits for his gutsy spell of 1/26 against Pakistan in the 2022 Asia Cup.

Though he wasn’t named in India’s main squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, Bishnoi will be travelling to the competition as one of the four reserve players. After being the leading wicket-taker in 2020 U19 World Cup, Bishnoi made a...

Melbourne, Sep 17 (Ians) Legendary Australian spin bowler Shane Warne’s daughter has lashed out at Channel 9 for planning a biopic about the late cricketer’s life just months after he passed away due to a suspected heart attack while vacationing in Thailand.

In a blistering Instagram story post, Brooke Warne questioned whether Channel 9 had any respect for her late father or his family, according to thewest.com.au.

“Warnie, a two-part telemovie, will depict the extraordinary life of the late spin king following his death in Thailand in March from a suspected heart attack. The drama has been billed by a Nine as a tribute to Warne’s status as a ‘national treasure’ and ‘international kind of icon’,” said the report.

“Do any of you have any respect for Dad? Or his family,” wrote Brooke.

“Who did so much for Channel 9 and now you want to dramatise his life...

Shane Warne’s daughters have criticised Australia’s Nine Network for promoting a two-part telemovie about the late cricketer’s life “only six months after his passing”.

Warne, considered one of the greatest cricket players of all time, died from a heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand in March this year. He was 52.

Warne’s older daughter Brooke, 24, has now called out Channel 9 for “dramatising his life and our families [sic] life six months after he passed away” on her Instagram Stories on Wednesday (14 September).

“You’re beyond disrespectful,” Brooke’s post reportedly read.

“Spin king” Warne worked as a commentator at the Nine Network for more than two decades. As per the BBC’s report, the media company began working on a two-part biopic – titled Warnie – weeks after the cricketer died.

His younger daughter Summer, 20, also criticised Channel 9 for “trying to make money off” Warne’s death “only six...

Australia’s Nine Network has ordered a local version of Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars and a two-part drama event series based on the late cricket maverick Shane Warne. Both shows were presented at Nine’s Upfront today.

Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars is the latest adaptation of celeb chef and present Ramsay’s cooking competition format, which All3Media International sells globally, after the original Fox show and the UK remake on the BBC. Endemol Shine Australia and Studio Ramsay are making the show, in which Ramsay and business mogul Janine Allis will mentor and guide competing two teams, with each contestant vying for their food business idea to be invested in and taken forward.

In the U.S. Fox ordered a second season of the format back in May, while the BBC’s Future Food Stars aired between late March and May. The Aussie version debuts next year.

Warnie,...

The Oval (London), Sep 12 (Ians) Hosts England were on the verge of a series-clinching victory at stumps on the fourth day of the third and final Test of the series, needing 33 more runs with all ten wickets in hand to beat South Africa, here on Sunday.

England, who gained 40 runs lead in the first innings, shot out South Africa for 169 runs in their second essay with veteran pacer Stuart Broad claiming 3-45, Ben Stokes taking 3-39 and Ollie Robinson and James Anderson claiming two wickets apiece, leaving the host to score 130 runs to win the Test on the final day on Monday.

At stumps on Sunday, England were 97 for no loss in their second innings with Zak Crawley batting on 57 (44 balls 4 x 10) and Alex Lees unbeaten on 32. They now need 33 more runs to win the match on the final day of the match which has already lost the first day...

The Oval (London), Sep 11 (Ians) Veteran England pacer Stuart Broad surpassed Australian great Glenn McGrath to become the second highest wicket-taker amongst pacers in Test cricket history on Day 4 of his team’s third Test match against South Africa, here on Wednesday.

Broad dismissed South Africa skipper Dean Elgar, trapping him lbw for 36 to achieve the milestone. The scalp was Broad’s 564th in Test cricket, surpassing McGrath as the pacer with the second-most wickets in Test cricket.

The 36-year-old now trails his partner James Anderson in the wickets column for pacers, who has 666 wickets to his name. Overall, Broad became the fifth-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, trailing Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708), James Anderson (666), and Anil Kumble (619).

His wicket was crucial in the context of the game, with the match evenly poised. England first restricted the visitors to 118, but a brilliant performance from South Africa allowed them to bowl the...

The Oval (London), Sep 10 (Ians) England’s veteran bowler Stuart Board has become the joint-second most successful pacer in cricket history after equalling Glenn McGrath during the third Test against South Africa here on Saturday.

Broad claimed 4-41 in 12.2 overs as South Africa were bundled out for 118 in their first innings of the Test on what is the third day of the match as the first day was washed out by rain and the second was abandoned due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

But the four wickets on Saturday helped Broad move to 563 wickets in Test cricket, the same as Australian great McGrath.

On Saturday, Board claimed the wickets of Ryan Rickelton (11), Khaya Zondo, Keshav Maharaj (18) and Anrich Nortje (7) as the 36-year-old pacer took his tally to 563 wickets from 292 innings of 159 Test matches at an average of 27.84.

McGrath has taken 563 wickets in 124 Tests at an average of 21.64.

Overall,...

Townsville, Sep 3 (Ians) There was something to cheer for Australia amid the gloom of losing the third and final One-day International against Zimbabwe here on Saturday, with pace bowler Mitchell Starc claiming his 200th Odi wicket to break a 23-year-old record, and become the fastest ever to reach the milestone.

Starc, 32, has become the quickest-ever bowler to 200 Odi wickets, eclipsing the 23-year-old record set by Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq.

Playing in his 102nd Odi here, Starc dismissed tail-ender Ryan Burl when the batter spooned a catch to Cameron Green at mid-off. Starc achieved the feat in two fewer matches than the former Pakistani cricketer (104), according to cricket.com.au.

Starc has reached a double-century of wicket in fewer matches than the likes of Brett Lee (112 ODIs), the late Shane Warne (125), Mitchell Johnson (129) and Glenn McGrath (133).

Starc was also the quickest ever to 100 Odi wickets (after 52 matches) in 2016, though Afghanistan spinner...

Townsville (Queensland), Aug 31 (Ians) Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc grabbed three wickets as the hosts thrashed Zimbabwe by eight wickets in a low-scoring match to win the second One-day International here and take an unassailable lead in the three-match series on Wednesday.

Following figures 3/24, the 32-year-old Starc is just one wicket short of becoming the sixth Australian bowler to reach 200 men’s Odi wickets even as the Kangaroos leap-frogged West Indies on the path to automatic qualification for the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India.

Starc led the charge here as Australia bundled out Zimbabwe for just 96 runs in 27.5 overs with the pacer accounting for Innocent Kaia, Wesley Madhevere and Tadiwanashe Marumani in his first four overs and consigning the tourists to 14/3. Regis Chakabva’s side were unable to recover, eventually bowled out for a sub-100 total.

In reply, Australia lost David Warner and Aaron Finch early before they managed to...

Manchester, Aug 28 (Ians) England pace bowler James Anderson has said retirement from cricket was the last thing on his mind, given that he still has the urge to go on at the age of 40 and wants to “keep doing” what he does best.

On Saturday, Anderson added another feather to his cap, picking up the wicket of South Africa’s Simon Harmer to go past Australian great Glenn McGrath as the fast bowler with most wickets at the international level. It was Anderson’s 950th international wicket, a tally he would go on to better by one at the end of the day to help England seal an innings win against the Proteas in the second Test at Old Trafford.

Anderson is five wickets away from matching India’s Anil Kumble’s tally and will then have only Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan ahead of him, both of whom have over 1000 scalps.

Manchester, Aug 27 (Ians) England registered a comprehensive victory by an innings and 85 runs over South Africa in the second Test inside three days to draw level in the three-match series 1-1 and pull visitors down from the top of the Icc World Test Championship standings, here on Saturday.

South Africa had affirmed their position at the top of the Wtc table after their win at Lord’s, but an innings defeat here has reduced their win percentage to 66.67 percent, below that of Australia’s 70 percent.

Sri Lanka are third with 53.33 percent, but South Africa will hope to seal a win in the next Test to ensure they are on course to reach the Icc World Test Championship final next year in England.

Right from the beginning on Day 3, England bowlers were on the money and hardly gave any loose deliveries to South Africa to capitalise on. The persistent pressure eventually...