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Wasim Jaffer Set to Become Punjab Kings’ New Head Coach

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer is set to take over as the head coach of Punjab Kings, succeeding Trevor Bayliss, whose two-year contract with the team has concluded. This appointment marks Jaffer’s return to the Mohali-based franchise ahead of the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Jaffer’s association with Punjab Kings is not new. This will be his third stint with the franchise, having previously served as the batting coach from 2019 to 2021 before stepping down ahead of the IPL 2022 auction. Prior to his new role, he was released from his position as batting consultant before the IPL 2024 season. Jaffer, who played 31 Tests for India, faces a challenging task as the head coach of Punjab Kings. The team, one of the eight founding members of the IPL, has not reached the playoffs for ten consecutive seasons since their only appearance in the IPL final in 2014. In the IPL 2024, Punjab Kings finished ninth on the points table, securing only five wins. Despite recording the highest successful run chase in T20 cricket by chasing down 262 at Eden Gardens against Kolkata Knight Riders and defeating five-time champions Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk, the team struggled to maintain consistent performance. The injury to captain Shikhar Dhawan significantly impacted the team’s performance. It remains to be seen if the franchise will continue with Dhawan, who will turn 39 later this year.

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Australia Captain Clarifies IPL Star’s Absence from T20 World Cup Selection

Australia’s newly appointed T20I captain, Mitch Marsh, has shed some light on why explosive batter Jake Fraser-McGurk missed out on selection for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, despite his stellar performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Fraser-McGurk, who has been in scintillating form for the Delhi Capitals in the ongoing IPL, was widely expected to be included in Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup. However, his omission, along with former captain Steve Smith, surprised many cricket enthusiasts. Marsh acknowledged Fraser-McGurk’s outstanding talent and impressive performances in the IPL but emphasized that incumbent openers Travis Head and David Warner have been consistent performers for Australia and deserve their spots in the squad. While speaking on an Australian radio station, Marsh praised Fraser-McGurk’s contributions and expressed confidence in Australia’s current squad composition, stating, “We feel like we’ve got all bases covered within our team. Heady and David Warner have been fantastic for us, not only for a long period of time but over the last 18 months building towards this (T20) World Cup.” Fraser-McGurk’s remarkable strike rate and prolific run-scoring in the IPL have showcased his potential as a top-order performer in T20 cricket. Marsh acknowledged his rapid progress and predicted a bright future for the young talent, expressing optimism about his eventual return to the national team. With three half-centuries and a striking batting strike rate of 233.33 in the IPL, Fraser-McGurk’s dynamic batting style has caught the attention of cricket fans worldwide. Marsh highlighted his aggressive approach to the game and anticipated his continued success in the white-ball format. Despite missing out on the T20 World Cup selection this time, Fraser-McGurk’s impressive performances in domestic and franchise cricket suggest that he is a player to watch out for in the future, with Marsh expressing confidence in his potential to make a significant impact on the international stage.  

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Reliance Industries’ media business saw its biggest growth last year, says Mukesh Ambani at Reliance AGM 2022

Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, stated in his speech to the shareholders on Monday that the company’s media division, which includes Viacom18 and Network18, achieved its highest growth last year as a consequence of strong engagement that led to record subscriptions and advertising revenues. “Our national channels CNN, News18, CNBC TV18, and News 18 India are consistently ranked number one. Moneycontrol is amongst the world’s most popular subscription products. Our news brands are innovating with storytelling methods across platforms building deeper relationships with audiences wherever they are and whatever device they use,” he added at the 45th annual general meeting (AGM) of Reliance Industries. The chairman also mentioned how Viacom18, the company’s entertainment division, strengthened its position as a market leader by forging a path into sports and winning the digital rights to the Indian Premier League (IPL) for a period of five years. “Along with key sporting rights in football, badminton, basketball, tennis and now cricket, Viacom18 is also investing in movie rights and original content for OTT. In news, entertainment and sports, digital is core and fast growing theme as we prepare to embrace the 5G revolution,” Ambani said.  He continued by saying that the collaboration with Bodhi Tree, James Murdoch, Uday Shankar, and Paramount Global will give Viacom18 access to more talent and help it become a world-class media and entertainment business. Ambani also praised the Reliance Retail leadership team at the AGM for attaining a turnover of Rs 2 lakh crore and earnings before interest, taxes, and depreciation (EBIDTA) of Rs 12,000 crore. He said, “Today, Reliance Retail is among the top ten retailers in Asia.” Isha Ambani, director of Reliance Retail, has stated that the company will begin selling FMCG products this year. She remarked in her speech to the Reliance Industries AGM, “The objective of this business will be to develop and deliver products and solve every Indian’s daily needs, with high quality products at affordable pricing,”

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