Picture Credit: X
The Rohit Sharma-led Team India registered their biggest Test victory by runs as they went onto beat England by 434 runs at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Sunday, February 18. With this win, India went 2-1 up in the five-match Test series. On the other hand, Sri Lanka is hosting Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series, which the hosts currently lead 1-0.
Here in this article, we’ll look at all the big news that took place on Sunday, February 18, but before that, let’s check the matches scheduled for the day.
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 2nd T20I
Wanindu Hasaranga-led Sri Lanka will host the Ibrahim Zadran’s Afghanistan in the second T20I of the three-match series. The match is scheduled to commence at 7:00 p.m. IST at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla. The hosts are currently 1-0 up in the series after they beat the Afghans by four runs on Saturday, February 17.
PSL 2024: Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators
Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Lahore Qalandars will host the Rilee Rossouw’s Quetta Gladiators in the fourth match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024. The match is scheduled to commence at 8:00 p.m. IST at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. While the defending champions will enter this fixture on the back of a loss in the tournament opener, Gladiators are coming after a 16-run win over Peshawar Zalmi.
Major cricket events that happened on February 18
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan & Ravindra Jadeja script India’s biggest Test win by runs; beat ENG by 434 runs
The Indian team shut down all critics with a dominant 434-run win in the third Test against England to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. With this result, the Men in Blue registered their biggest-ever win by runs in Test cricket history. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was India’s top performer with 112 runs with the bat and nine wickets with the ball.
MS Dhoni named captain of All-Time IPL XI; Virat Kohli picked as opener
India’s World Cup winning captain MS Dhoni was named the unanimous captain of IPL’s All-time XI. During Star Sports’ show Incredible 16, Matthew Hayden, Wasim Akram, Dale Steyn and Tom Moody picked their all-time greatest playing XI based on the past 16 seasons. While Dhoni was named the skipper, Virat Kohli was named as an opener in the XI.
R Ashwin rejoin Team India during 3rd Test vs England
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday, February 18 confirmed the return of R Ashwin to the squad after a brief absence due to a family emergency. Ashwin had to temporarily withdraw from the squad after Day 2 of the 3rd Test in Rajkot to attend to a family emergency.
Chennai Super Kings unveil brand-new jersey ahead of IPL 2024
Ahead of the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), defending champions and the record five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings on Saturday, February 17 unveiled their brand-new jersey. The yellow colour have been accompanied by camouflage strips on both sides, honouring the Indian army. Moreover, the jersey also sports the five stars, emphasizing on the five IPL titles.
Ben Stokes calls for umpire’s call in DRS to be abolished
The England captain, Ben Stokes wants the umpire’s call in the Decision Review System (DRS) to be taken away after a “bemused” Zak Crawley’s LBW dismissal in the third Test against India in Rajkot. At the Niranjan Shah Stadium, the visitor suffered one of their biggest Test defeats, losing by 434 runs against India.
Mustafizur Rahman rushed to hospital after being hit on head
Mustafizur Rahman was rushed to the hospital after being hit on the head during a Comilla Victorians training session. Mustafizur was positioned near his bowling mark when he got hit by a shot from Litton Das, who was batting in an adjoining net. Teammates and coaching staff rushed to Rahman and was provided with first medical assistance on the field before being taken to the hospital.
Manoj Tiwary retires from professional cricket
On Sunday, February 18, the former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary retired from professional cricket after captaining Bengal to a Ranji Trophy win by an innings and 204 runs against Bihar at the Eden Gardens n Kolkata. The 38-year-old was facilitated by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) in a ceremony for his outstanding achievements after their big win.
South African legend Mike Procter passes away aged 77
The South African legend Mike Procter passed away at the age of 77 after suffering a complication during a heart surgery, his wife confirmed late on Saturday, February 17. He was one of the top cricketers to emerge from the rainbow nation around the Apartheid Era, which led to him being restricted to only seven Test matches for South Africa.
Faiz Fazal announces retirement from competitive cricket
Former Vidarbha captain Faiz Fazal announced retirement from professional cricket. Vidarbha’s ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Haryana will be his last in VCA colours. The 38-year-old, who is playing his 108th Ranji Trophy match, has scored 7693 runs in the tournament. Under his captaincy, the side has won the Ranji twice, in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
