The India vs Pakistan, World Championship Legends League Cricket 2024 final will be played at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham, England on Saturday, July 13.

The India vs Pakistan World Championship Legends League Cricket 2024 final will start at 9:00 PM IST.

Under the leadership of Yuvraj Singh, India Champions thrashed Australia Champions by 86 runs in their World Championship of Legends 2024 semi-final clash at County Ground in Northampton on Friday.

Put in to bat, India rode on blitzkrieg fifties from wicketkeeper-batter Robin Uthappa (65), captain Yuvraj Singh (59), Yusuf Pathan (51 not out) and Irfan Pathan (50) to post a mammoth score of 254/6 in their 20 overs.

Later, Dhawal Kulkarni and Pawan Negi bagged two wickets each to help India Champions restrict Australia Champions to 168/7 in their allotted overs to register a dominant victory in Northampton.

Earlier, India qualified for the WCL 2024 semi-finals after finishing fourth in the league standings with two wins and three losses.

On the other hand, Pakistan Champions defeated West Indies Champions by 20 runs in their WCL 2024 semi-final encounter at County Ground in Northampton to set-up a mouth-watering World Championship Legends League Cricket 2024 final.

Pakistan Champions captain Younis Khan led from the front with 65 off 45 balls along with contributions from wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal (46), Aamer Yamin (40) and Sohail Tanvir (33) to post 198/8 in their 20 overs.

Right-arm pacer Sohail Khan later scalped four wickets for just 21 runs in his 3.5 overs to help Pakistan Champions bowl out West Indies Champions for 178 in 19.5 overs.

With four victories and one defeat, the Younis Khan-led Pakistan earlier finished second in the WCL 2024 league standings to qualify for the semi-finals.

India vs Pakistan World Championship Legends League Cricket head-to-head 

Pakistan Champions defeated India Champions by 68 runs in their previous meeting in the ongoing World Championship of Legends 2024 at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham.

Fifties from Kamran Akmal (77), Sharjeel Khan (72) and Sohaib Maqsood (51) powered Pakistan Champions to a huge score of 243/4 in their 20 overs.

Chasing a mammoth total, the Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions could only manage 175/9 in their allotted overs.

Where to watch India vs Pakistan World Championship Legends League Cricket 2024 final live in India 

The India vs Pakistan World Championship Legends League Cricket 2024 final will be telecast live on Star Sports 1 Hindi and Star Sports 1 Telugu TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the India vs Pakistan World Championship Legends League Cricket 2024 final will be available on the FanCode app and website.

Photo credit: Imago

India Maharajas will square off against World Giants in a special exhibition match to kick off the second edition of Legends League Cricket at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on September 16. The opening match of Legends League Cricket 2022 will start at 7:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).

The special exhibition has been organised to celebrate 75 years of Indian Independence.

Former swashbuckling opening batter Virender Sehwag has been appointed the captain of India Maharajas while legendary South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis will lead the World Giants.

Cricketers from 10 different nations are expected to feature in the high-profile encounter.

“This is a proud moment for us to celebrate the 75th year of our independence. As a proud Indian, it gives me immense satisfaction to share that we have decided to dedicate this year's league to the 75th year of Independence celebration,�?said Legends League Cricket Commissioner Ravi Shastri.

Apart from captain Virender Sehwag, India Maharajas have roped in Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Mohammed Kaif, Parthiv Patel, Ajay Jadeja, Joginder Sharma, Stuart Binny and several other former Indian cricketers.

On the other hand, Brett Lee, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dale Steyn, Jonty Rhodes, Mitchell Johnson, Herschelle Gibbs and Sanath Jayasuriya are included in World Giants�?squad under the leadership of Jacques Kallis.

Previously, BCCI president and former India captain Sourav Ganguly was appointed the captain of India Maharajas while England World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan was supposed to lead the World Giants. However, both legendary names pulled out of the tournament.

India Maharajas vs World Giants squads

India Maharajas: Virender Sehwag (captain), Mohammed Kaif, Yusuf Pathan, Subramaniam Badrinath, Irfan Pathan, Parthiv Patel (wicket-keeper), Stuart Binny, S Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh, Naman Ojha (wicket-keeper), Ashoke Dinda, Pragyan Ojha, Ajay Jadeja, RP Singh, Joginder Sharma, Reetinder Singh Sodhi

World Giants: Jacques Kallis (captain), Lendl Simmons, Herschelle Gibbs, Sanath Jayasuriya, Matt Prior (wicket-keeper), Nathan McCullum, Jonty Rhodes, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dale Steyn, Hamilton Masakadza, Mashrafe Mortaza, Asghar Afghan, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Kevin O’Brien, Denesh Ramdin (wicket-keeper)

Where to watch India Maharajas vs World Giants exhibition match live in India?

The India Maharajas vs World Giants exhibition match of Legends League Cricket 2022 will be telecast live on Star Sports 2, Star Sports 1 Hindi and their respective HD TV channels in India.

For other regional coverage, cricket fans can tune in to Star Sports 1 Tamil and Star Sports 1 Kannada.

Live streaming of the India Maharajas vs World Giants exhibition match will be available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website. 

Interested in cricket betting? Click here to check out the list of top sites

Featured photo: LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

We can all rightfully acknowledge the fact that the Indian T20 League has set some bizarre batting standards since its inception in 2008. The format of the game is such that the batters are required to approach every game with the mentality of ‘go hard or go home�?

As a result, the fans have been duly enthralled by some outstanding knocks, which has helped put the competition in a league of its own. Considered by many as one of the most competitive T20 leagues around the globe, we analyse one of the many byproducts of the intense gameplay by looking at five players to have scored the quickest centuries in the history of the tournament.

Chris Gayle vs Pune �?30 balls (April 2013)

It just had to be him!

Taking on Pune in the 2013 edition of the tournament, the spectators bore witness to an absolute GayleStorm, as opener Chris Gayle, playing for Bangalore, completed his century in a mere 30 deliveries. Playing a 167-run stand for the opening wicket with Tillakaratne Dilshan, the southpaw not only remained unbeaten throughout the innings but also scored 175 off 66 balls to take his team to 263/5.

Read | Five fastest centuries in ODIs

His innings included a whopping 13 fours and 17 sixes.

He was rightfully adjudged the Man of the Match award after also accumulating two wickets for five runs in his only over.

Yusuf Pathan vs Mumbai �?37 balls (March 2010)

Playing for Rajasthan in 2010, all-rounder Yusuf Pathan smashed what was the fastest Indian T20 League ton back then.

Pathan showcased his supreme hard-hitting prowess against Mumbai as his side was chasing 212. The all-rounder arrived at the crease when his side had lost three wickets for 40 in almost seven overs. Taking over the mantle, Pathan hit nine fours and eight sixes to complete his century in 37 balls.

Regardless of his efforts though, Rajasthan fell short of four runs, but Pathan picked up the Man of the Match award.

David Miller vs Bangalore �?38 balls (May 2013)

In the same edition where Gayle was at his brutal best, David Miller was slowly making positive strides while playing for Punjab.

Read | Five fastest centuries in Test cricket history

Punjab crossed swords with Bangalore in the 51^st game of the edition and were put to chase 190 after both Cheteshwar Pujara and Chris Gayle had scored half-centuries. Coming in to bat, Punjab were reduced to 51-for-3 in eight overs and were in dire need of someone who can take on the bowlers from that point on.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man, Miller walked on to the pitch and went on to score a 38-ball century, which included eight fours and seven sixes, to take his side to a six-wicket victory, with 12 balls still to go.

Adam Gilchrist vs Mumbai �?42 balls (April 2008)

A breathtaking performance from Adam Gilchrist against Mumbai in the inaugural season not only gave Deccan their maiden victory but also made the Australian opener the fastest batsman to score an Indian T20 League ton.

Mumbai had put 154/7 on board, riding on a late blitz by the likes of Shaun Pollock, Abhishek Nayar and Dwayne Bravo. And while it was thought to be a close encounter between the two star-studded units, it took Deccan just 12 overs to reach the target.

Opening the innings for them was Gilchrist and VVS Laxman. The latter, as was expected of him, took his time on the crease, while the former went all guns blazing, completing his century in just 42 balls. The southpaw remained unbeaten at 109 as his team registered a 10-wicket victory.

AB de Villiers vs Gujarat �?43 balls (May 2016)

In May 2016, Bangalore took on Gujarat at home and those watching the fixture were duly entertained by an absolute masterclass from Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.

Read | Six times cricketers hit Day 1 Test centuries before lunch

After losing an early wicket, that of Chris Gayle, the two hard-hitting batsmen joined forces to take their side from 19-for-1 to 248-for-3, with Kohli scoring 109 off 55 deliveries, while de Villiers smashing 129 off just 52. The South African’s ton, in fact, came in just 43 balls, making him the fifth-fastest batsman to score an Indian T20 League century. Striking at a rate of 248.07, his innings included 10 fours and 12 sixes.

Bangalore, meanwhile, were equally brilliant with the ball, as they managed to dislodge the entire Gujarat team for just 104, winning the match by 144 runs; the biggest margin of victory in the tournament’s history.

Special mention: In April 2017, a year after de Villiers' blistering knock, Hyderabad's David Warner, too, scored a 43-ball ton against Kolkata. The Australian eventually scored 126 off 59 balls as his team posted 209/3 in 20 overs.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Manjunath Kiran

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has been hospitalised, six days after he tested positive for the global virus on March 27.

Taking to Twitter, the world's highest run-getter in Test and ODI cricket announced the development stating that he has been hospitalised as a precautionary measure.

"Thank you for your wishes and prayers. As a matter of abundant precaution under medical advice, I have been hospitalised. I hope to be back home in a few days. Take care and stay safe everyone,�?the 47-year-old wrote.

Thank you for your wishes and prayers. As a matter of abundant precaution under medical advice, I have been hospitalised. I hope to be back home in a few days. Take care and stay safe everyone.

Wishing all Indians & my teammates on the 10th anniversary of our World Cup win.

�?Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 2, 2021

Tendulkar, who was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning Indian team, also wished his teammates on the 10th anniversary of the victory.

"Wishing all Indians & my teammates on the 10th anniversary of our World Cup win," he tweeted.

Tendulkar was recently seen in action during the Road Safety World Series, where he led the India Legends to the title by beating Sri Lanka Legends in the finals.

However, four members of the India Legends squad -- Tendulkar, Subramaniam Badrinath, Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan tested positive for the global virus following the completion of the tournament.

Featured photo: Niklas HALLE'N / AFP

It has been a decade since Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit the iconic six to seal the 2011 ICC World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium, thereby making India the first team to lift the World Cup trophy on home soil.

The Indian cricket team has gone from strength to strength in world cricket since then but where are the players now?.

Here’s a look at the current status of the players from the 2011 World Cup-winning Indian team.

2011 World Cup-winning Indian team: Playing XI for final vs Sri Lanka

Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain and wicket-keeper), Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, S Sreesanth

Sachin Tendulkar: The Master Blaster ended the 2011 World Cup as the second-highest run-getter with 482 runs, with two centuries. He played an important role in India clinching the title.

Sachin continued playing until the 2012 Asia Cup, where he reached his 100th international century and retired from ODIs thereafter. Meanwhile, Tendulkar’s Test career continued till November 2013, when he played his 200th Test match and retired from all forms of cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar is now the 'Icon' of Mumbai in the Indian T20 League and also makes occasional appearances on several talk shows.

Virender Sehwag: It was Tendulkar-Sehwag’s opening pair that had propelled India to strong starts at the 2011 World Cup. The explosive Nawab of Najafgarh had ended the ICC tournament with 380 runs including a century to his name.

Virender Sehwag’s form post the ICC World Cup was inconsistent until early 2013. He was eventually dropped. He continued playing domestic tournaments and was a mainstay in the Indian T20 League until 2015. Sehwag announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in January 2016.

Active on social media, Sehwag has also garnered a fan-following due to his quirky Hindi commentary. He also donned the hat for coaching and mentoring, most notably for Punjab in the Indian T20 League.

Gautam Gambhir: The aggressive southpaw was India’s top scorer in the 2011 World Cup final with 97 runs and is widely considered to be one of India’s unsung heroes. Gautam Gambhir ended the tournament as the sixth-highest scorer with 393 runs.

Surprisingly, Gautam Gambhir’s brilliant batting wasn’t acknowledged with national call-ups as he was dropped from both the Test and limited-overs side soon after. Gambhir continued playing in the Indian T20 League and led Kolkata to two titles in 2012 and 2014. His consistency got him brief stints in the Test side in 2014 and 2016 but Gambhir wasn’t effective enough.

The most difficult decisions are often taken with the heaviest of hearts.

And with one heavy heart, I’ve decided to make an announcement that I’ve dreaded all my life.

➡️http://t.co/J8QrSHHRCT@BCCI #Unbeaten

�?Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) December 4, 2018

Gambhir announced his retirement in December 2018 to foray into politics and won from the East Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha elections. He is currently a member of the Parliament.

Virat Kohli: If there has been any Indian player from the 2011 World Cup squad who has grown leaps and bounds, it’s Virat Kohli. Since lifting the World Cup as a 22-year-old, Kohli has gone on to become India’s captain across all formats and create unparalleled records.

The Delhi-lad has amassed over 25 centuries in Tests and over 40 tons in ODIs. He was also honoured with the Sir Garfield Sobers award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade and ICC Men’s ODI Player of the Decade at the ICC Awards of the Decade.

After becoming India’s Test captain in 2015 and the ODI and T20I captain in 2017, Virat Kohli led India to the ICC Champions Trophy final in 2017 and the 2019 World Cup semi-final. In the Indian T20 League, Virat Kohli has been piling runs for Bengaluru.

Yuvraj Singh: Amassing 362 runs and scalping 15 wickets in the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj Singh was India's standout player and was even adjudged the Player of the Tournament.

A 29-year-old Yuvraj was in the form of his life and the all-rounder had a bright future. But months after the World Cup win, Yuvraj was diagnosed with cancer and by the time he could make a comeback to international cricket, it was 2012.

However, Yuvraj Singh was never the same since and after sporadic stints in Indian colours he eventually announced his retirement in June 2019. He still occasionally plays cricket having done so in the Abu Dhabi T10 and the Road Safety World Series.

Well done youngsters !!! congratulations #indian legends @sachin_rt @virendersehwag @MohammadKaif @munafpa99881129 @imMsgony @IrfanPathan @iamyusufpathan pic.twitter.com/ZTFX8MlfMh

�?Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) March 21, 2021

MS Dhoni: It was the captain’s unbeaten 91-run knock in the final that helped India lift their first 50-over ICC World Cup in 28 years, and his match-winning six is now the stuff of legends.

With two World Cup trophies in his cabinet, MS Dhoni earned the label of ‘Captain Cool�? He won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. 

In 2015, MS Dhoni shockingly decided to retire from Test cricket. He played his last ODI match for India in the 2019 ICC World Cup and eventually announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020.

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A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781)

However, MS Dhoni continues to ply his trade in the Indian T20 League. The Chennai captain has led his team to three titles and will look to lead his franchise to another title in the upcoming edition of the league.

Suresh Raina: The Uttar Pradesh-lad played quite a few valuable knocks in the middle-order during the 2011 World Cup and later went on to become one of India’s most reliable batsmen in the subsequent five years.

Runs eventually dried up for the southpaw and Raina was dropped from the ODI side in 2015 and the T20 side in 2016. Despite his comeback in 2018, he wasn’t selected for the 2019 World Cup. Incidentally, Raina announced his retirement from all forms on August 15, 2020, just moments after Dhoni’s retirement.

Though Raina missed the 2020 Indian T20 League owing to the pandemic, ‘Mr IPL�?has been retained for the 2021 edition by Chennai.

Harbhajan Singh: With nine wickets in the 2011 World Cup, Harbhajan Singh was an important member of the side. But his career plummeted rapidly following the historic win. He was dropped from the ODI side after just five months and from the Test side, six months later.

Though his experience fetched him call-ups in the T20I side in 2012 and 2016, the ‘Turbanator�?wasn’t a regular in the team. However, Harbhajan remains a mainstay in the Indian T20 League, having played for Mumbai, Chennai and now Kolkata.

Looking forward to win another with purple and gold.. thank you for having me.. all you will get from me is 100 percent commitment at all time.. see you all soon #KKRHaiTaiyaar @KKRiders @Eoin16 @iamsrk http://t.co/zVV2h0NZTD

�?Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) February 18, 2021

Zaheer Khan: With a whopping 21 wickets in nine matches, Zaheer Khan was the wrecker-in-chief for India in the 2011 World Cup and the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. However, it could only extend his limited overs career to one more year as the speedster was dropped from the ODI side in 2012 

The left-arm pacer remained a mainstay in the Test side though and ended his international career on his terms in 2014 

He played in the Indian T20 League until 2017 and after retirement, has become a cricket analyst appearing on several shows. Currently, Zaheer Khan is associated with the Mumbai franchise as the director of cricket, where his primary role is to nurture talents.

Munaf Patel: Taking 11 wickets in eight matches at the 2011 World Cup, Munaf Patel was one of the less revered heroes. Patel’s career saw a downward spiral following the campaign, with injuries and poor form seeing him last play for India in 2011.

He remained a mainstay in the Indian T20 League though and kept trying for a national comeback through Baroda in the domestic circuit, but it didn’t work out. Munaf Patel retired in November 2018 and has featured in the Abu Dhabi T10 League for a few seasons. His most recent exploits were at the 2021 Road Safety World Series.

S Sreesanth: S Sreesanth will be remembered as an expensive bowler for India in the final match, as the Kerala pacer had conceded 52 runs without a wicket in eight overs.

Sreesanth was arrested in 2013 on charges of spot-fixing in the Indian T20 League and BCCI gave him a life ban. The decision was, however, set aside by the Supreme Court in 2019 and his sentence was reduced to seven years.

Sreesanth was always in the public eye as he participated in reality TV shows and a few regional films during that time. He last grabbed headlines during the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he made his comeback.

Thanks a lot for all the support and love ..it’s just the beginning..with all of ur wishes and prayers many many many more to go..❤️ lots of respect to u nd family .. #blessed #humbled #cricket #bcci #kerala #love #team #family #india #nevergiveup pic.twitter.com/bMnXbYOrHm

�?Sreesanth (@sreesanth36) January 11, 2021

Other players from India’s 2011 World Cup squad

Ashish Nehra: Ashish Nehra featured in just two matches in the 2011 World Cup. His career between 2011 and 2016 was afflicted by injuries but a magnificent showing at the Indian T20 League in 2014 and 2015 saw him getting national call-up in 2016. Nehra announced his retirement in 2017.

Ravichandran Ashwin: Having an experienced Harbhajan Singh and in-form Yuvraj Singh as spin bowlers, a young Ravichandran Ashwin could get just two matches in the 2011 World Cup. But, the Chennai tweaker still managed to take four wickets, contributing to the team’s success.

Your ICC Men's Test Team of the Decade

A line-up that could probably bat for a week! #ICCAwards pic.twitter.com/Kds4fMUAEG

�?ICC (@ICC) December 27, 2020

R Ashwin has since gone on to become one of the best spinners in the world and India’s red-ball specialist. He was one of India’s best players during the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy and has become the second quickest bowler to 400 wickets.

Apart from Kohli, R Ashwin was the only Indian cricketer to be named in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the decade. Ravichandran Ashwin has been a mainstay in the Indian T20 League as well.

Piyush Chawla: The leg-spinner had very little role in the 2011 World Cup with many even considering him lucky to be a part of the squad. Chawla was dropped months after the World Cup win and hasn’t played for India since 2012. He is still a regular Ranji Trophy player and has got success in the Indian T20 League with Kolkata.

Yusuf Pathan: Like Chawla, Yusuf Pathan’s contribution in the 2011 World Cup was insignificant. His international career lasted just over a year although he kept churning runs on the domestic front, particularly in the Indian T20 League.

Feature Courtesy Image: AFP/ Manan Vatsyana

Double World Cup winner Yusuf Pathan formally announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday, February 26, stating, “Time has come today for me to put a full stop to this innings of my life.�?/p>

The Baroda-born all-rounder last played an international match for the Indian cricket team in 2012, in a T20I in Johannesburg. Overall, the 38-year-old represented the country in 57 ODIs and 22 T20Is between 2007 and 2012.

A confident hitter of the bat in his heydays, Yusuf aggregated 810 runs and 33 wickets in ODIs whereas he registered 236 runs and 13 wickets in the shortest format of cricket. One of the biggest highlights of his career was his unbeaten 123 against New Zealand in Bangalore in 2010, helping India chased down a target of 316. He followed it up with a hundred versus South Africa in Centurion.

Yusuf Pathan’s impressive performances in the 2006/07 domestic season for Baroda earned him a call-up to the national team, and it wasn’t until the final of the 2007 T20 World Cup that the all-rounder made his debut.

He is also remembered for his 12-year stay in the Indian T20 League, where he aggregated 3204 runs, and bagged 42 wickets with team Rajasthan, Kolkata and Hyderabad.

Taking to Twitter, Pathan wrote, "I officially announce retirement from all forms of the game. I thank my family, friends, fans, team, and the whole country wholeheartedly for all the support and love. I am sure you will continue to encourage me in future as well."

I thank my family, friends, fans, teams, coaches and the whole country wholeheartedly for all the support and love. #retirement pic.twitter.com/usOzxer9CE

�?Yusuf Pathan (@iamyusufpathan) February 26, 2021

Here’s how former players and fans responded to his announcement on Twitter.

Congratulations on a wonderful career, Yusuf. Wish you all the best in retirement.

�?Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 26, 2021

Congratulations @iamyusufpathan on a glorious career. Happy retirement and best wishes for the future.

�?Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) February 26, 2021

You have been a champion player Lala. Bowlers use to fear bowling to you

�?Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) February 26, 2021

WC winner, WT20 winner, and who can forget that 210* in record chase of 541 in Duleep trophy final. You can be mighty proud of what you've achieved Yusuf. All the best for the second innings.

�?Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) February 26, 2021

Thanks very much Yusuf bhai for giving us evergreen cricket memories and made our childhood something special..Wishing you best wishes for your future endeavours..God bless bhai pic.twitter.com/XlNuk1hcAJ

�?Joshua (@JoshJey16) February 26, 2021

Will never forget what he did to the lethal South Africa bowling on a deadly South Africa pitch,in a pressure cooker situation in 5th ODI in Centurion,almost winning the match from improbable position! @iamyusufpathan deserved to Play so much more for India! Big fan! #yusufpathan pic.twitter.com/h1utSNZaKS

�?AajKaAjay (@ajay36mittal) February 26, 2021

I still remember you hitting 6 of the very first ball of the #T20WC2007 final match against Asif that was something which showed the face of the fearless Indian team which from there went on to achieve it all. Happy retirement legend. Best wishes for next phase of your life!

�?Tejas S Mishra (@tejasmishra1997) February 26, 2021

Feature image courtesy: AFP / DIBYANGSHU SARKAR

Chennai have been dealt a considerable blow as Suresh Raina, a veteran of 187 Indian T20 League games for the squad, returned home to India from UAE citing personal reasons. With less than two weeks to go to the 2020 edition of the Indian T20 League, Chennai are left searching for a replacement for their highest run-scorer in history. Chennai are also crippled by the fact that most Indian players would have already found a home in the Indian T20 League.

Digging up an unsold player from the auction who could snugly fit into their set-up could be a tough task.

Chennai have traditionally preferred experienced players or ones they have worked with in the past or have a good work ethic. As such, their options aren't way too many. Here, we identify three potential options for Chennai to replace Raina.

Manoj Tiwary

T20 stats: Matches - 178, Runs - 3384, Avg - 28.92, SR - 116.24

Two factors favour Manoj Tiwary - his batting against spinners on slow wickets and his previous working relationship with MS Dhoni at Pune where he played a starring role down the order.

Manoj Tiwary is by no means a like-for-like replacement for Raina. But factor in his success with Dhoni as a middle-order batsman in the Pune set-up and you are inclined to think of Tiwary as Chennai material. Dhoni will love the experience Tiwary brings to the table and his batting against spinners in conditions where the ball is expected to turn square.

Stephen Fleming too has worked with Tiwary, and Chennai will not have to fiddle too much with bringing him up-to-date with the workings of the coach and captain in this setup.

Dhruv Shorey

T20 stats: Matches - 38, Runs - 780, Avg - 27.85, SR - 118.18

Dhruv Shorey isn't quite the veteran cricketer Chennai usually prefer but the youngster was a part of their setup until recently and had very little opportunity to showcase his skills. Chennai are particular about giving players enough chances and are extra careful in blooding them into the XI, and so the release of Shorey, a talented name in domestic circles, without fulfilling these checkboxes was a bit of a surprise.

Now, with a spot opening up as Raina leaves, Chennai might want to consider Shorey, who went unsold in the auction for this Indian T20 League season. A dynamic batsman and a quick fielder, Shorey will add fresh legs to an ageing Chennai line-up and is pretty adept against pace and spin. The top-order batsman might be in for some competition from Ruturaj Gaikwad for a place in the starting XI, provided the latter recovers from the virus by the time the games begin.

Yusuf Pathan

T20 stats: Matches - 274, Runs - 4852, Avg - 27.56, SR - 139.34

Throw away conventions and Chennai's usual preferences, and Yusuf Pathan, who is without an Indian T20 League contract, will be the ideal replacement for Raina in their setup. While he ticks the part-timer box, what makes him a perfect fit is the value he could bring with the bat.

A lower-order hitter who can turn games on his own, Yusuf will add batting depth without compromising much on the bowling front and can be a cushion for the assigned finishers, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo, all of whom are waning in prowess.

While Yusuf wasn't promising enough in his last stint with Hyderabad, Chennai have a knack of freeing up players - Shane Watson being an example in this regard - and Yusuf could just rediscover some of his old mojo here.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Punit Paranjpe

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SportsAdda.

The high-octane pace of the Indian T20 League is one of the many reasons why this domestic competition took off quite fabulously in the country. The kind of excitement and drama it brings is simply unmatchable to that of the other domestic competitions. So as we are drawing closer to the 13^th edition of the tournament, it is high time we give prominence to some unspoken stats.

That said, today we are listing down the five players with the most number of not-outs. Spoiler alert: there will be some surprising names in the list, so just buckle up.

1. MS Dhoni �?65 not-outs

A cult hero of Indian cricket, MS Dhoni has been equally brilliant in the league since 2008. Serving Chennai since the inception of the tournament, Dhoni holds the record of most number of not-outs in the league, with his figure standing at 65 in 170 innings. Throughout his tenure in the tournament, the former Indian captain has scored 4432 runs at an average of 42.21, with his highest score being 84*.

2. Ravindra Jadeja �?48 not-outs

The most surprising name in the list has to be of Ravindra Jadeja. The 31-year-old all-rounder, who was instrumental in Rajasthan Royals�?title triumph in the inaugural season, has represented as many as three teams in the tournament (played for Kochi, who aren't a part of the competition anymore), with his longest stint being at the Chennai. Throughout his career, Jadeja hasn’t been dismissed on 48 occasions.

3. Yusuf Pathan �?44 not-outs

 Again an important member of Rajasthan’s title-winning squad in 2008, Yusuf Pathan has delivered some of the most memorable moments in the Indian T20 League. Same as Jadeja, the 37-year-old has represented three teams (Rajasthan, Kolkata and Hyderabad) in the tournament, and in 154 innings, he has remained unbeaten on 44 occasions.

4. Kieron Pollard �?39 not-outs

A man for all the big occasion, Kieron Pollard has time and again proved why he remains one of the most feared players in the shortest format of the game. In the Indian T20 League, he has been a one-team man, representing Mumbai since 2008. During his time, the West Indies all-rounder has played 135 innings in 148 games and hasn’t been dismissed in 39 of them.

5. Dwayne Bravo �?38 not-outs

Representing Mumbai alongside Pollard in the first three seasons of the Indian T20 League, Bravo moved to Chennai in 2011 and has been with the team since. Throughout his career in India’s domestic club competition, the 36-year-old has played 133 games (102 innings) and has been not-out on 38 occasions. During the tenure, the all-rounder has accumulated 1156 runs and has scored five half-centuries.