Top Stories: Things that made news in the cricket world today

Hardik Pandya’s alleged ex-girlfriend Elli Avram reacts to India all-rounder’s engagement

• India all-rounder Hardik Pandya who was spotted with Natasa Stankovic a few times in the last couple of months made up his mind to disclose his relationship status on social media on the special occasion of New Year.
• The Baroda all-rounder came up with a special post in which he shared a lovely picture with Natasa. In the picture, the power couple were seen holding each other hand-in-hand.
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‘Wriddhiman Saha is the best wicketkeeper in the world’ – Parthiv Patel

• Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel believes his India teammate Wriddhiman Saha is the best in the world when it comes to wicketkeeping.
• Lavishing praise on the Bengal man, Parthiv Patel said that he has no doubts whatsoever over Saha being the best wicketkeeper in the world. Parthiv was all praise for Saha’s technique and work ethics.
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KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty are in a relationship, confirms close friend

• It seems romance is in the air for cricket and Bollywood as 2020 arrived. Hardik Pandya made his relationship with actress Natasa Stankovic public and started their new year by getting engaged to her in Dubai and shared the good news on social media as well.
• A similar romance in building up between India and Karnataka opener KL Rahul and actress Athiya Shetty as well.
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South Africa speedster Dale Steyn set to make an international comeback with T20 World Cup in mind

• Former South Africa Test bowler Dale Steyn is still playing limited-overs cricket and keeping in mind the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year, the 36-year-old is eyeing a return to international cricket next month when the Proteas take on England in white-ball series next month.
• Steyn, South Africa’s highest wicket-taker in Tests, has been hit by injuries of late and quit the long format last year to continue playing the shorter formats.
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DDCA to not lodge any complaint against Shubman Gill for his heated altercation with the umpire

• Shubman Gill found himself in the midst of a raging controversy on the first morning of the Round 04 Elite Group A & B encounter between Punjab and Delhi in Delhi when he was involved in a heated altercation with the on-field Umpire after the latter had adjudged him out.
• It so happened that the on-field official had adjudged the Punjab batsman caught-behind off the bowling of Subodh Bhatti.
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Sourav Ganguly can bring back bilateral relations between India and Pakistan, feels Rashid Latif

• India and Pakistan share a hostile attitude towards one another thanks to various problems at the border and the Kashmir issue.
• It was due to the same reason that after the India tour to Pakistan in 1989, the next time the two teams faced each other in a bilateral series was in 1999 when India hosted the Pakistani side.
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PCB to deduct players’ salary if they fail to meet the fitness standards

• The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) under new leadership is going in a totally different direction it seems.
• After being slammed for terrible fitness standards during the 2019 World Cup, where the team players were seen gorging on burgers and pizzas by fans and videos uploaded of the same; the PCB has decided to conduct mandatory fitness tests for its centrally contracted players.
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India vs Sri Lanka: First T20I to go ahead as scheduled, says ACA President

• Assam saw violent protests over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act, which grants citizenship to people belonging to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains Parsis, Buddhists and Christians running away from religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and came to India on or before December 31, 2014.
• Since there have been reports of violence in the state, speculations were rife that the first T20I fixture between India and Sri Lanka might not go ahead as scheduled.
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Waqar Younis backs Faheem Ashraf to become Pakistan’s Ben Stokes

• Pakistan had a dismal 2019, to say the least. They were unable to reach the semi-final of the World Cup held in England. They lost the T20I series against a second-string Sri Lanka side at home.
• The Tour Down Under was a nightmare too, as they failed to win even a single match across three T20Is and a couple of Test matches.
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‘He fits into our family like a glove’ – Suniel Shetty hints at his daughter’s romance rumours with KL Rahul

• Suniel Shetty, the Bollywood actor, is pretty happy with whom his kids, Athiya and Ahan, are dating. Athiya is said to be dating KL Rahul, the Indian cricketer. Both have been the talk of the town for quite some time now.
• Both Athiya and Rahul were in Thailand, enjoying their hearts out in the New Year Gateway. They were also clicked together by the paparazzi at the Mumbai Airport.
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Lasith Malinga didn’t teach me the yorker: Jasprit Bumrah

• Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian fast bowler, has clarified that Lasith Malinga hasn’t taught him the art of bowling yorkers. The 26-year-old has been one of the finest exponents of nailing the toe-crushers with sheer precision.
• On the back of his skills, the speedster has flourished across formats. Bumrah has been rubbing shoulders with Malinga in the Mumbai Indians’ camp for quite some years.
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Outgoing chief selector MSK Prasad name India’s finest batsmen, bowlers in reserves

• His run as India’s chief selector is set to meet its end but MSK Prasad believes he and his team have left a core team that will go a long way to serve Indian cricket.
• The former India wicketkeeper named a set of players who form the current bench strength of the national team.
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BCCI franchises yet to agree on IPL dates and timings

• The fixtures of the IPL 2020 have still not been released and there are a few domestic reasons that are delaying it.
• While it is expected that the schedule will be finalised and released soon, it has also been learnt that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the franchises are yet to agree on the dates and timings of the games.
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Ranji Trophy 2019-20: Shubman Gill refuses to walk after given out caught behind; Delhi bowlers refuse to bowl

• The ongoing edition of the Ranji Trophy is in full flow with First-Class games being played across the length and breadth of the country.
• One of the things that have always been a source of contention is around the use of the Decision Review System in Ranji Trophy cricket.
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Temba Bavuma dropped from the Test side; asked to gain form through domestic matches

• South African middle-order batsman Temba Bavuma was dropped from the Test side and was instructed to return to the domestic circuit.
• He was also instructed to get back into the national side after scoring some runs in the domestic circuit. Rassie Van Der Dussen will continue at number 5 for the second Test.
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