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With the Indian Premier League (IPL) just three days away from the start, all the players are close to joining their side in India. However, some players are still completing their national commitments as the Bangladesh host Sri Lanka and the Afghanistan players complete their series against Ireland.
Here in this article, we’ll look at all the big news that took place on Monday, March 18.
Major cricket events that happened on March 18
NCA declares KL Rahul fit to play in IPL 2024 for Lucknow Super Giants
KL Rahul, the Lucknow Super Giants captain, has got clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to play in the IPL 2024. The reports further stated that KL Rahul has been told to avoid squatting in the initial stages, which would mean that he will play as a pure batter for LSG in the first few IPL matches.
MI sign Luke Wood to replace injured Jason Behrendorff for IPL 2024
Mumbai Indians (MI) name Luke Wood as a replacement for the injured Jason Behrendorff for the upcoming TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Wood – a left-arm pacer – has played 5 T20Is for England, in addition to 2 ODIs, and has 8 T20I wickets against his name. Wood will join MI for INR 50 Lakh.
WATCH: Virat Kohli hits the nets in first practice session ahead of IPL 2024
Virat Kohli was spotted practising for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2024 season. The former Indian captain was spotted at the M. Chinnaswamy, hours after joining the team on March 18. He performed a few fielding drills, playing football alongside Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and then got some batting practice in the nets.
Hardik Pandya breaks silence on MI captaincy controversy ahead of IPL
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya broke silence on MI captaincy controversy ahead of IPL 2024. Speaking at the pre-season press conference, Pandya said that he doesn’t feel “weird in playing with Rohit Sharma”. “I have played under him all my life. He will be there to support me on the field,” he further added.
Gautam Gambhir refuses to take credit for KKR’s IPL title wins
Gautam Gambhir, the newly appointed mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), refused to take credit for the two Indian Premier League (IPL) titles that the franchise won under his captaincy in 2012 and 2014. Instead, the 42-year-old stated that it was KKR, who made him a successful leader during his illustrious tenure with the franchise from 2011 to 2017.
CSK’s Mustafizur Rahman doubtful for IPL 2024 opener
Chennai Super Kings have been encountered with another major blow with star Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman being stretched off in the final ODI against Sri Lanka. The 28-year-old was seen struggling with cramps and was stretched off after bowling the first ball of the over 48th over, raising doubts over his availability in IPL 2024.
WATCH: Mushfiqur Rahim trolls Angelo Mathews with 'broken helmet' celebration
Mushfiqur Rahim made a special gesture for Angelo Mathews, who was famously timed out in the ODI World Cup 2023. The Bangladeshi team posed with the trophy after winning the series. But as the Tigers got ready for the camera, Mushfiqur Rahim came in front of the entire team with a broken helmet and complained about it.
