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By  K.R. Nayar Dubai. Fans waiting outside the ICC Cricket Academy on Friday night while the Indian team trained may have felt like they were at a shooting range. The aggressive shots played by some Indian batters sounded almost like gunshots. Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant repeatedly threatened the glass windows of the ICC Academy’s indoor hall and the small, glass-enclosed commentary box. The ICC Academy where the teams train. Photo by K.R. Nayar  The primary task of the security personnel around the academy was to frequently shout "watch out!" as shots were launched out of the ground with immense power. “Pant seems to be batting with a vengeance to get into the playing XI,” a journalist remarked, as the media often had to run for cover to avoid being hit. Rishabh Pant after the hard-hitting training session. Photo by K.R. Nayar   Does Shreyas Iyer Ever Stop Batting?   India’s middle-order batter, Shreyas Iyer, never likes to sit idle. After a long net s...

By K.R. Nayar  Dubai. India’s wicketkeeper K.L. Rahul’s candid remarks on Rishabh Pant and his batting position took everyone by surprise. When asked whether he sees Pant as a competitor for the wicketkeeping slot, he said: “There is competition with Pant; I won’t lie. He is a very talented player who has shown everyone what he can do—how aggressively he plays and how quickly he can change the game. So, there is always a temptation for the captain and the coach to decide whether to play him or me. Whenever I get the opportunity, I try to focus on what I can do best. I am not trying to compete with Rishabh or play like him, just as I am sure that when he gets a chance, he is not trying to play like anybody else. He is picked based on his playing style, and the same applies to me.” K.L. Rahul... candid remarks. Photo by K.R. Nayar  When asked about the challenges of frequently changing batting positions—sometimes at No. 7, sometimes at No. 6, and occasionally at No. 5—over the...

By K.R. Nayar  Dubai. Michael Bracewell is a delight to listen to as a cricketer. The polished manner in which he spoke to the media during a huddle before New Zealand’s practice session at the ICC Academy exemplifies how a cricketer should articulate his views professionally. Michael Bracewell speaks to media at the ICC Academy. Photo by K.R. Nayar  The Kiwis have been enjoying their time in Dubai for the past few days before their match against India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. For nearly a month, they were under tight security in Pakistan since they had played a series against the hosts before the Champions Trophy. When this reporter asked Bracewell about the experience of moving around freely in Dubai, he responded sportingly: “We've really enjoyed our time in Pakistan and are looking forward to going back. It's been a happy hunting ground for us as a team. While we're excited to be here, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Pakistan as well.” New Zealand will pl...

By K.R. Nayar Dubai. Kane Williamson is well known for his sportsmanship both on and off the field. When he arrived for a training session at the ICC Academy, he smiled at everyone who pointed their cameras at him. He is a favorite among Indians and Pakistanis in Dubai. Despite New Zealand beating Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, many Pakistanis still adore him. In 2014, during the ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE, he donated his entire match fee from the series to the victims of the Peshawar school attack, which had claimed the lives of 132 children. Kane Williamson arrives for practice at the ICC Academy. Photo by K.R. Nayar Rohit Sharma and Brian Lara’s Experience at the Gold Souk Since Dubai is known as the "City of Gold," Rohit Sharma decided to go shopping at the Gold Souk during a break day after the match against Pakistan. Unaware that the area was filled with cricket fans, he had a tough time managing the crowd. Fans virtually mobbed him after his shopping...

By K.R.  Nayar  Dubai. Cricket has no shortage of self-proclaimed experts. Some can unearth the most unimaginable reasons for a team's defeat or the success of another. These experts spring into action the moment their team loses or secures a big win. When Pakistan lost to India, many of them were in full form. According to them, the biggest reason for India's victory is that the Indian team stays in Dubai throughout the tournament with maximum comfort and minimal travel. The fully dressed up Dubai International Stadium for the Champions Trophy. Photo by K.R. Nayar  Shift Team India to Sharjah When former England cricketer-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain pointed out that staying in one place with less travel was an advantage for India, these experts felt validated. Jokes are now circulating about India's supposedly "less travel" advantage. Some suggest that to level the playing field, India should be shifted to Sharjah and made to commute to the stadium du...

By K.R. Nayar When Rekhachitram, the most successful Malayalam movie of the year, staged its success celebration in Dubai at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Saturday (February 22, 2024), it marked a hat-trick of celebrations for Kaya Films. As a cricket writer who ventured into acting, I never imagined I would use cricketing terms like "hat-trick" when writing about movies. A group photo to cherish: Rekhachitram celebration  in  Dubai  Producer Venu Kunnappilly has a tradition of celebrating his movie success with a cake-cutting ceremony. He has now done it thrice—celebrating Malikappuram, 2018, and now Rekhachitram. With each event, the sweetness of success has only grown, and the joy of achieving a hat-trick was boundless. Producer  Venu Kunnappilly with director Jofin T Chacko. Photo by K.R. Nayar  Venu Kunnappilly literally gave a red carpet welcome to the entire Rekhachitram team, emphasizing that teamwork has been the key to each of his successes. He found...

By K.R. Nayar Dubai.   The hardest part of an India-Pakistan match is witnessing the heartbreak of the losing team’s fans. In the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final, I witnessed the sorrow of Indian fans as they were thrashed by Pakistan by 180 runs at The Oval. Most of them had drowned their sorrow in nearby bars, while Pakistan fans danced joyfully on the streets, celebrating all the way into the Underground Oval railway station.   Virat Kohli celebrates his century. Photo ICC  Dancing fans who don’t know how to dance   While it is inevitable, it is not a good feeling to see one group of fans walking out silently with their heads down while the other rejoices. At the Dubai International Stadium, from the moment Virat Kohli began striking the ball fluently, some Indian fans refused to sit down and continued to dance. One reason for this is the chance to appear on the Dance Cam display on the giant screen. Some who have never danced in their lives still give ...

By K.R. Nayar  Dubai .  Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan’s candid remarks have raised many questions about the state of his team. Unlike the shrewd captains of other countries, he does not know how to hide his disappointment. When asked about the biggest reason for the defeat, his answer shocked everyone. “We have not made any mistakes. All three departments have made mistakes. That's why we are losing the match.” But aren’t these three departments made up of all his players, including himself?   Rizwan further confused everyone by saying, “If you look at it all, you can't say there was a mistake in any department.” This made one wonder whether, as a captain, he truly understands how all three departments should perform. When asked about the failure of the middle order—which includes him—he said: “Saud and I tried to build a partnership and took a lot of time. But after that, the shot selection was poor, and that’s where they got a chance to take our wickets. After...

By K.R. Nayar Dubai – King Kohli reigned supreme over Pakistan with a sparkling, unbeaten century after Prince Shubman Gill set the tempo for a six-wicket victory in front of a packed Dubai International Stadium. India restricted Pakistan to 241 in 49.4 overs and chased it down with partnerships of 69 runs between Kohli and Gill (who scored 46) and another 114 runs with Shreyas Iyer (who scored 56). Kohli walked off to a standing ovation after scoring an unbeaten 100 off 111 balls, laced with seven boundaries. India's impressive win over Pakistan India has strengthened their chances to reach the semifinal through this win. If New Zealand beat Bangladesh in their next match, Pakistan’s campaign will be over regardless of the result of their last match against Bangladesh. Pakistan pays the price for unimaginative batting Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first. Their former captain, Babar Azam, one of the finest batters in the world, started well. His first boundary was ...