DailyWorld News - The First International Newspaper From India https://dailyworld.in/ Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:01:31 +0530 en https://dailyworld.in/cricket/defending-champions-mumbai-indians-unveil-wpl-2026-jersey-656711.html Mumbai Jan 2 Defending champions Mumbai Indians on Friday unveiled the WPL 2026 jersey continuing the tradition of drawing inspiration from the city of Mumbai and its peopleââ The jersey mirrors the rhythm of everyday Mumbai â always in motion always playing on This season the iconic blue and gold with the coral represents movement resilience and momentumThe core theme is the Wicket Pulse the blue adorning the front and back of the jersey inspired by Mumbaiâs constant motion â from local trains and sea waves It reflects the neverslowing mindset that defines both Mumbai and the Mumbai Indians MI said in a statementThe gold adds confidence and continuity elements that power the spirit of Mumbai while the subtle coral accents bring warmth and balance that the people of Mumbai have for one another and makes the OneFamily unique it addedMI have commenced their preseason training under the leadership of head coach Lisa Keightley bowling coach and team mentor Jhulan Goswami batting coach Devieka Palshikaar other support staff The players who have already arrived to join the camp are Saika Ishaque Sajana S Sanskriti Gupta Poonam Khemnar Triveni Vasistha N Kranthi Reddy Rahila Firdous Shabnim Ismail and the Australian duo of Milly Illingworth and Nicola CareyWith the squad coming together steadily and more star players like skipper Harmanpreet Kaur Nat SciverBrunt Amanjot Kaur to arrive in the coming daysThe defending champions will kick off their campaign on the opening day of the tournament on January 9 against the WPL 2024 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi MumbaiNotably after three seasons of the WPL the Mumbai Indians remain the most successful team having won the first and third editions of the tournament With Harmanpreet Kaur leading the team they aim to defend their title successfully IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/defending-champions-mumbai-indians-unveil-wpl-2026-jersey-656711.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-win-in-sydney-would-tell-a-lot-about-england-team-says-crawley-656713.html Sydney Jan 2 England opener Zak Crawley said a potential win in the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground would show the teamâs unity despite them being unable to retain the urn After losing the first three games England got something to cheer about by getting their first Test win in Australia for 15 years at the Melbourne Cricket Ground MCGI think there is a big difference just internally in the group It shows a lot about how united we are if we can get a win It the series might not go our way but if we can put in a good performance this week I think it shows a lot about us Crawley told reporters on FridayCrawley was also quick to praise England quick Matthew Potts particularly his work ethic and attitude in the nets over what has been a long two months in Australia Potts and offspinner Shoaib Bashir were added to the 12man squad for the clash in SydneyPotts has been an unused member of Englandâs touring party throughout the series but is poised for earning an 11th Test cap after last being in the playing eleven against New Zealand in late 2024 Every time I face him he impresses me Hes got the heart of a lion a lot of skill and if he gets the nod this week he thoroughly deserves it he saidCrawley further warned the touring batters will attack offspinner Todd Murphy if he is selected for his first Test on Australian soil Murphy is in contention to play in the last Ashes game in Sydney after being omitted from the Boxing Day match at the MCG where Australia fielded an allpace attackWhoever plays I think thats the mantra of our team is to try and put pressure on people Todds a very good bowler but I can envisage us trying to put some pressure on him like we would all their bowlersâThats going to come with some risks and if its turning its definitely going to be a threat But I think well try and put pressure on all their bowlers he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-win-in-sydney-would-tell-a-lot-about-england-team-says-crawley-656713.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/indias-white-ball-tour-of-bangladesh-included-in-bcbs-2026-international-games-itinerary-656723.html Dhaka Jan 2 India mens whiteball tour of Bangladesh has been included in the Bangladesh Cricket Boards itinerary for international matches in 2026 said the BCB on Friday Apart from India the calendar features Bangladesh hosting Pakistan New Zealand Australia and the West Indies for bilateral series in all three formats âThe confirmed itinerary ensures a season full of international cricket in Bangladesh providing supporters across the country the opportunity to watch toplevel cricket at home Details of match venues will be announced in due courseâ said the BCB in its statement on FridayIndiaâs tour of Bangladesh was originally supposed to take place in August 2025 but was moved to September 2026 due to political unrest in the country As per BCBâs itinerary India is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on August 28The ODI series will begin on September 1 with the first match followed by the second game on September 3 and the third clash on September 6 The T20I series will commence on September 9 with the second match scheduled for September 12 and the finale game on September 13 following which the Indian team will return homePakistan will arrive in Bangladesh on March 9 for a threematch ODI series to be held from March 1216 New Zealands whiteball tour of Bangladesh will kick off with three ODIs starting April 17 and as many T20Is beginning on April 27 and ending on May 2Pakistan will arrive in Bangladesh on May 4 to play two Tests as part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle The first Test will be played from May 812 while the second game will happen from May 1620 Australias whiteball tour of Bangladesh begins on June 5 with three ODIs before the threematch T20I series will be played from June 1520After hosting India Bangladesh will play a twomatch Test series against West Indies which also comes under WTC cycle After a threeday warmup match to be held from October 2224 the first Test is slated to happen from October 28November 1 while the second game will be played from November 59BCB added that the Sri Lanka âAâ team will also tour Bangladesh in May 2026 for a series against the hosts âAâ side comprising two fourday matches and 50over games IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/indias-white-ball-tour-of-bangladesh-included-in-bcbs-2026-international-games-itinerary-656723.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/maphaka-and-smith-included-in-sa-squad-for-t20-wc-656740.html Johannesburg Jan 2 South Africa have included young pacer Kwena Maphaka and toporder batter Jason Smith in their squad for the T20 World Cup with no place for batsmen Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs Smiths selection comes on the back of his recent prolific form earning him the nod ahead of Stubbs who was in South Africaâs squad where they finished runnersup in 2024 Menâs T20 World CupSmith made his T20I debut in 2024 and boasts of a strikerate of 12830 and is currently turning out for MI Cape Town in SA20 One of his most recent standout performances came in the T20 Challenge where he struck an unbeaten 68 off 19 balls to steer the Dolphins into the playoffs in NovemberRickelton meanwhile was unable to force his way into a squad already packed with toporder options like captain Aiden Markram and wicketkeeperbatter Quinton de Kock Apart from Smith and Maphaka Corbin Bosch Dewald Brevis Tony de Zorzi Donovan Ferreira and George Linde have earned their maiden T20 World Cup callupsâWe are returning to the subcontinent where we recently competed against hosts India The experience we gained playing in those conditions will undoubtedly benefit us as we head into this tournamentâMany of the players selected for the World Cup squad were on that trip and experienced firsthand the pitches that we will likely encounter and that will stand them in good stead once we get to IndiaââWe do have one more T20I series against the West Indies before we depart for the World Cup and that squad will be announced later this monthâ said head coach Shukri Conrad in a statementKagiso Rabada returns to the T20I setup after missing the recent whiteball tour against India due to a rib injury Another notable inclusion is pacer Anrich Nortje who finished as South Africaâs leading wickettaker in the 2024 Menâs T20 World CupSouth Africa are drawn in Group D of the 2026 Menâs T20 World Cup alongside Afghanistan Canada New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates They will begin their campaign on February 9 against Canada at the Narendra Modi Stadium in AhmedabadFormer South Africa allrounder Albie Morkel will be a part of the team as the specialist consultant âFirstly I would like to congratulate the players who will be representing South Africa at their maiden T20 World Cup This is an incredible opportunity for them in what was a difficult squad to selectâWe have had to make some big calls but we feel this group is the strongest and has every chance of succeeding in India and Sri Lanka We have assembled a worldclass squad with some of the finest and most experienced players in the game together with some of the best T20 youngsters coming throughâ said Patrick Moroney Convenor Selector for the Proteas MenSouth Africa squad Aiden Markram captain Corbin Bosch Dewald Brevis Quinton de Kock Tony de Zorzi Donovan Ferreira Marco Jansen George Linde Keshav Maharaj Kwena Maphaka David Miller Lungi Ngidi Anrich Nortje Kagiso Rabada and Jason Smith IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/maphaka-and-smith-included-in-sa-squad-for-t20-wc-656740.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/namibia-womens-cricket-team-to-tour-assam-next-week-for-white-ball-games-656753.html Guwahati Jan 2 The Namibias senior womens cricket team will play a fourmatch friendly series against Assam starting on January 8 The tour is part of a reciprocal arrangement between the Assam Cricket Association and Cricket Namibia During the tour the Namibia side will compete against the Assam senior womenâs team in a friendly series comprising two 50over matches and two T20 games The muchanticipated series is scheduled to be held from January 811 in MSA Stadium Mangaldai and the ACA Cricket Academy Ground Fulung North GuwahatiâThis international series marks a significant milestone for Assam cricket strengthening sporting relations between India and Namibia while providing an excellent platform for players from both teams to demonstrate their skills competitiveness and true spirit of the gameâThe Assam Cricket Association looks forward to hosting this exciting series celebrating the spirit of international cricket and fostering lasting sporting ties between the Assam Cricket Association and Cricket Namibiaâ said ACA Secretary Sanatan Das in a statement on FridayAs per the itinerary by the ACA the Namibian senior womenâs team will arrive in Guwahati on January 6 with a practice session and rest day scheduled for January 7 before the series beginsThe opening 50over match will be played on January 8 with the second ODI at the same venue the following day Both T20 matches are scheduled for January 10 and 11 and is followed by the Namibian team departing for home on January 12Previously a 15member Assam senior mens squad went on a fivematch 50over games tour of Namibia from June 18 to July 1 2025 Apart from this a 14member Assam senior womens side also went on a tour of Malaysia to play five 50over games from July 516 in the previous year IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/namibia-womens-cricket-team-to-tour-assam-next-week-for-white-ball-games-656753.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 01:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sri-lanka-cricket-plans-day-night-tests-at-ssc-report-656764.html Colombo Jan 2 India could be playing a Pink Ball DayNight Test when they visit Sri Lanka for a longform series next time Sri Lanka Cricket is laying the groundwork for a new chapter in the islandâs cricketing history with plans to stage DayNight Test matches at the historic Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo a report said on Friday The installation of floodlights at the Sinhalese Sports Club has now been completed and SLC Treasurer Sujeewa Godaliyadda said the project goes well beyond the immediate demands of the upcoming T20 World Cup the Telecom Asia Sport wwwtelecomasianet reportedThe report claimed that SLC has funded the floodlight project for Rs 18 billion as the SSC is set to host five matches of the showpiece event The other venues for the tournament will be the Pallekele International Stadium and the R Premadasa StadiumSpeaking to journalists during a media tour to unveil the project Godaliyadda said the longterm vision was for SSC to one day host DayNight Test matches While PinkBall matches have gained traction globally in recent years Sri Lanka are yet to stage one at home and the indication is that SSC will be the venue for the countryâs firstever DayNight Test the report claimedThe SSC ground will be leased for a certain number of days a year to SLC for conducting training and games It is part of the agreement that the board undertook to develop the groundBeyond the floodlights the first phase of development also included upgraded dressing rooms and a new VIP viewing area A second phase scheduled to begin after the World Cup will focus on expanding the venueâs capacity SLC plans to upgrade SSC into a 30000seat stadium a move the board believes will strengthen Sri Lankaâs case when bidding for future ICC events including womenâs and Under19 tournamentsThe SSC celebrated its 125th anniversary last year and has been the stage for many of Sri Lankan cricketâs defining moments The ground hosted matches during the 1996 World Cup and was the scene of the worldrecord partnership of 624 runs between Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene against South Africa in 2006Alongside SSC the Colombo Cricket Club Ground just across the road and the P Sara Oval are also undergoing upgrades the report saidSLC is meanwhile pressing ahead with plans to build a new internationalstandard cricket ground in Jaffna and has identified several other locations for future venues as demand for international facilities continues to grow IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sri-lanka-cricket-plans-day-night-tests-at-ssc-report-656764.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 01:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/i-feel-like-im-doing-alright-at-the-moment-steve-smith-shuts-down-retirement-talks-656788.html Sydney Jan 3 Australian standin captain Steve Smith is ready to relinquish captaincy to a younger candidate in the absence of captain Pat Cummins if that is what the selectors wish to do With Usman Khawaja hanging up his cricket boots on Sunday after the Sydney Test Nathan Lyon has already been ruled out due to injury Smith will now be the oldest player in the Australian XI side by side with Scott Boland When asked about possibly being involved in the 2027 Ashes series in England Smith indicated that he was uncertain of that possibility however he was happy to enjoy his cricket at this moment and was only focused on the current seriesIve said it for a while Im taking it daybyday seriesbyseries and well see where things land said Smith I feel like Im doing alright at the moment Im enjoying it Im contributing and having fun So theres no real end date for meI think with obviously Usman dropping off hes one of our experienced players so it probably wouldnt be ideal if him and I went out this week for instance he added So no I want to keep playingWhile Smith has been the captain for four of Cummins Ashes Tests he is nonetheless at ease with relinquishing this position to a younger candidate after Khawajas retirement if that is what the selectors wish to do According to Smith the sport has recently become more entertaining because of increases in positive results for the Australian team Following an impressive period of success the team is poised to compete again for the WTC after gaining some momentum through their recent wins and dropping points against Australia recently The loss in Melbourne has caused the team to want to win in Sydney prior to their two most difficult series in South Africa and India which take place shortly after this series concludesI think weve got a really good team Smith said in the press conference The team weve had over the last three or four years obviously making two World Test Championship finals different people have stood up at different times Its never been one or two people just getting the job done Its been shared across and guys have done great jobs throughout and I think thats whats made us a really good teamSo its been good to be a part of and as an older player now hopefully I can help some of the players coming through and help teach them the game of Test cricketFollowing dominant wins in Perth and Brisbane Australia took a 31 lead over England in a fiveTest series for the Ashes After winning the third Test in Adelaide by 82 runs to tie up the series England responded with an impressive win against Australia in Melbourne their first victory on Australian soil in 15 years The Melbourne Test ended in less than two days and was won by four wickets Although the Ashes were already secured by Australia there was still a lot of motivation for both teams and the points awarded for the World Test Championship were at stakeWith the World Test championship every game is important he said Hopefully we can turn it around here win this series 41 and now more importantly just win a Test in the World Test championship cycleSmith who watched Usman Khawaja in the early days of U17 and U19 playing for South Wales said he was an admirer of Khawajas batting Khawaja on Friday called a press conference and made the announcement with his family by his side two days out from the match ahead of the teams net session with the Aussies aiming to claim another 12 World Test Championship points and finish the series as 41 victors I remember playing against him in a couple of Under17 versus Under19 games for New South Wales and watching him bat Smith was quoted by ESPNCricinfo as saying The way he pulled the ball I was like this guy picks length up quicker than anyone Ive seen He was pulling balls off the top of the stumps I feel like throughout his career hes been batting his best when hes been doing that as well And just his progression over a long period of time has been outstandingUsman Khawaja often refers to himself as one of Australias most dropped cricketers having been dropped from the Test team seven times prior to 2019 However Steve Smith sees those omissions in the subcontinent during his captaincy as lessons for Khawaja rather than hindrances They forced Khawaja to face his weaknesses while playing spin bowling which ended up changing his game for the better The change was extreme Before his great series against Pakistan in Dubai in 2018 Khawaja had a terrible average of 1462 over 5 Tests played in Asia But after that series Khawaja became one of crickets best players against spin and was able to score 1490 runs in 13 Tests with a remarkable average of 8277Hes arguably one of our best players of spin now So maybe it was a blessing in disguise But the way hes been able to play over his 15year careerâ its a credit to him and not too many people get to go out on their own terms Steven Smith on Usman KhawajaHe hates it but we dropped him Smith said I was captain at that stage and we dropped him in the subcontinent We didnt think he was playing the spinners as well as he does now But he got that opportunity to go back and figure out ways to play Whether he would have done that had he kept playing Im not sure But he went back and found some different methods to defend spin He was reversing sweeping and thats a mode of defence in a way when you put the field outHes arguably one of our best players of spin now So maybe it was a blessing in disguise But the way hes been able to play over his 15year careerâ its a credit to him and not too many people get to go out on their own terms IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/i-feel-like-im-doing-alright-at-the-moment-steve-smith-shuts-down-retirement-talks-656788.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 11:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sa20-paarl-royals-edge-mi-cape-town-in-derby-thriller-656790.html Paarl Jan 3 Lhuandre Pretoriusâ SA20 season four burst into life with an unbeaten 98 to drive Paarl Royals to a thrilling onerun victory over MI Cape Town in the Western Cape derby at Boland Park Royalsâ seamer Ottniel Baartman had 15 runs to defend in the final over and after Kagiso Rabada smashed the third delivery for six over long off it seemed the momentum had swung MI Cape Townâs way But Baartman 451 had Rabada caught on the boundary the next ball before the equation was reduced to MI Cape Town requiring six off the final delivery for victory George Linde made good contact by carving a length delivery over the covers but the ball fell just inches short of the boundary rope which sent the Royals faithful into a frenzyPretorius had endured a quiet start to the competition in the first couple of matches but the leagueâs leading scorer of last season was back at his beloved home ground The teenager was back to his belligerent best cracking 10 boundaries and two sixes during his 65ball stay at the crease The Royals faithful were spurring Pretorius on to a maiden T20 century but it was not to be with Rabada delivering a dot ball to close out the Royals inningsThe four player of the match candidates were Lhuandre Pretorius Sikandar Raza Asa Tribe and Rassie van der Dussen with Pretorius winning 72 of the fan vote The visitors were under pressure from the outset with Pretorius and Asa Tribe dominating the power play The Royals opening pair put on exactly 100 in 104 overs before MI Cape Town captain Rashid Khan 231 had the Jersey international caught for 51 off 34 ballsMI Cape Town enjoyed an equally good start with Rassie van der Dussen and Ryan Rickelton 36 adding 77 for the first wicket in 75 overs before Royalsâ new recruit Sikander Raza 327 announced his arrival at SA20 The Zimbabwe international removed both Rickelton and the dangerous Nicholas Pooran and later clean bowled Tom Moores for a firstball duck to stem the MI Cape Town tide But it was the doublewicket over from Baartman when the seamer picked up both Van der Dussen 59 and Jason Smith 1 within three balls of each other that scuppered MI Cape Townâs momentum IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sa20-paarl-royals-edge-mi-cape-town-in-derby-thriller-656790.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 11:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/shreyas-iyer-provided-clearance-to-play-vijay-hazare-trophy-match-on-january-6-656861.html Mumbai Jan 3 India batter Shreyas Iyer is all set to play his first competitive match since sustaining a spleen injury in October 2024 The 31yearold star will represent Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy match which will be played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on January 6 Shreyas Iyer has received conditional clearance from the BCCIs Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru as reported by ESPNcricinfo Iyer spent ten days at the COE for the final stretch of his rehabilitation As part of the returntoplay protocol he featured in a practice game on January 2 Iyer batted painfree and went through all his drills without showing any signs of discomfortShreyas Iyer has a strong record in the Vijay Hazare Trophy known for explosive centuries including a 50ball 114 against Karnataka in December 2024 and has led Mumbai to success often being the top scorer in tournaments demonstrating consistent highimpact performances in the premier Indian domestic oneday competition He was the highest rungetter for Mumbai last season where he scored 325 runs in just five matchesIyer suffered a serious injury during Indias third ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on October 25 2025 While attempting a catch near the thirdman boundary he lost balance and landed on his rib cage resulting in internal bleeding and spleen damage Since then he has missed the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the home ODI series against AustraliaIndias ODI squad for the New Zealand series is set to be picked on Saturday While there is a provision to pick a subject to fitness it is still unclear whether the selectors would pick him directly for the international challenge or want to see more of him in the domestic competitionIn Iyers absence Ruturaj Gaikwad batted at number four and impressed with his maiden ODI century In the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy Devdutt Padikkal has also slammed four centuries in just five innings and presented a strong case for selection IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/shreyas-iyer-provided-clearance-to-play-vijay-hazare-trophy-match-on-january-6-656861.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 18:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/shreyas-iyer-awaits-coe-clearance-as-india-announces-gill-led-squad-for-new-zealand-odis-656871.html Mumbai Jan 3 The Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI has announced a 15member squad for the upcoming threematch ODI series against New Zealand with Shubman Gill set to lead the side Shreyas Iyer who had been on the sidelines owing to an injury has been named in the squad but his participation will be subject to fitness clearance from the BCCIâs Centre of Excellence CoE Moreover allrounder Hardik Pandya who scored a brilliant century for Baroda in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Saturday against Vidarbha has been rested to manage his workload as he prepares for the T20 World CupâShreyas Iyerâs availability is subject to fitness clearance from BCCI COE Hardik Pandya has not been cleared by the BCCI COE to bowl 10 overs in a match and considering the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup to follow his workload is being managedâ the BCCI said in their statementIyer will arrive in Jaipur on Sunday and will participate in Mumbais upcoming two Vijay Hazare Trophy games Having finished the final stage of his rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence CoE in Bengaluru and received clearance to return to competitive cricket he is set to play Mumbaiâs last two league matches against Himachal Pradesh and Punjab on January 6 and 8 respectivelyAnother notable absentee is pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah who will only play the fivematch T20I series against the Kiwis followed by the T20 World Cup In Bumrahs absence the pace bowling unit will be led by Siraj with Arshdeep Singh Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna as other optionsWhile Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel have been putting up impressive and consistent performances in the domestic setup for their state teams they have missed their selection for the New Zealand seriesNotably stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have retained their places in the side and will be hoping to continue their tremendous run of form in the 50over format The duo recently represented their state teams in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and notched up magnificent centuries and halfcenturies putting up a strong case for their selectionIndiaâs ODI squad Shubman Gill C Rohit Sharma Virat Kohli KL Rahul WK Shreyas Iyer VC Washington Sundar Ravindra Jadeja Mohd Siraj Harshit Rana Prasidh Krishna Kuldeep Yadav Rishabh Pant WK Nitish Kumar Reddy Arshdeep Singh Yashasvi JaiswalIndia vs New Zealand ODI Series Schedule1st ODI January 11 â Vadodara2nd ODI January 14 â Rajkot3rd ODI January 18 â Indore IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/shreyas-iyer-awaits-coe-clearance-as-india-announces-gill-led-squad-for-new-zealand-odis-656871.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 18:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/usman-khawaja-to-retire-from-international-cricket-after-sydney-ashes-test-656665.html Sydney Jan 2 Veteran Australia batter Usman Khawaja announced on Friday that he will retire from international cricket after the fifth Ashes Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground Khawaja called a press conference and made the announcement with his family by his side two days out from the match ahead of the teams net session with the Aussies aiming to claim another 12 World Test Championship points and finish the series as 41 victorsâIâm here to announce today that I will be retiring from all international cricket after the SCG Test matchâ Khawaja told the pressâGod through cricket has given me far more than I could have imagine Heâs given me memories Iâll carry forever friendship that goes well beyond the game and lessons that shaped me who I am off the fieldâBut no career belongs to one person I obviously had a lot of help To my parents thank you for your sacrifices that never made the highlights reelâKhawaja informed his Australia teammates only moments earlier ahead of their training session two days out from the series finale against EnglandIn a career spanning 15 years Khawaja has amassed over 8000 international runs across formats while featuring in 87 Tests 40 ODIs and nine T20IsHe retires as one of Australias most prolific runscorers 30 more in his farewell Test will see him pass Michael Husseys tally of 6235 into 14th among Australian menKhawaja brings the curtain down on his career as one of only 18 Australians to have scored more than 15 Test centuries finishing with 16 hundreds in the longest format He also leaves the game with 49 limitedovers appearances including two ODI centuries to his nameThe lefthander fittingly bows out in his home city of Sydney where he made his Test debut against England in 2011 It was also at the SCG that Khawaja reignited his career as a 35yearold smashing twin centuries against England in early 2022 when Travis Head was sidelined with CovidIt led to a final career spark hitting seven centuries in his first two years back in the side and a World Test Championship win in 2023In 2023 Khawaja was named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year and Shane Warne Test Cricketer of the Year and played a key role in Australias World Test Championship triumphKhawaja told coach Andrew McDonald after the fourth Test in Melbourne he would finish up in SydneyIts been tough Ive just wanted to tell everyone I told teammates just then I didnt think Id get emotional but I teared up straightaway and I had to compose myself I finally composed myself and got out what I wanted to sayI never thought Id be the guy that would cry when he retired but I cried straightaway It just shows what it means to me My journey has been different to a lot of cricketers in the Australian cricket team All that emotion built up he saidKhawaja will continue to play for the Brisbane Heat in the BBL and also outlined his intention to also remain available for Queenslands Sheffield Shield side IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/usman-khawaja-to-retire-from-international-cricket-after-sydney-ashes-test-656665.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 23:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-england-include-bashir-potts-in-12-member-squad-for-scg-test-656693.html Sydney Jan 2 England have included offspinner Shoaib Bashir and seamer Matthew Potts in their 12man squad for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground SCG on Sunday Fast bowler Gus Atkinson is the only absentee from the side that secured a fourwicket victory in the fourth Test inside two days at the Melbourne Cricket Ground MCG The pacer has been ruled out of the match due to a hamstring injuryThe inclusion of Bashir and Potts gives England flexibility as they seek to sign off from the series on a high especially with conditions at the SCG traditionally offering more assistance to spin bowling as compared to other Australian venues Both Bashir and Potts are now in consideration to make their Ashes debut by replacing an injured AtkinsonPotts has been an unused member of Englandâs touring party throughout the series but is poised for earning an 11th Test cap after last being in the playing eleven against New Zealand in late 2024 It remains to be seen if Potts will earn a place in the playing eleven as the SCG the pitch bore a slight green tingeA 12man squad was also announced for the first Test in Perth which also ended in two days with Bashir missing out on that occasion as England opted for an allpace attack Bashir has also not played for England since the third Test against India at Lordâs in JulyThough England canât win the Ashes now another victory in Sydney after the win in Melbourne would provide encouragement for the visitors heading into future World Test Championship assignmentsEngland squad for the fifth Ashes Test Ben Stokes C Shoaib Bashir Jacob Bethell Harry Brook Brydon Carse Zak Crawley Ben Duckett Will Jacks Matthew Potts Joe Root Jamie Smith WK and Josh Tongue IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-england-include-bashir-potts-in-12-member-squad-for-scg-test-656693.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 23:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-australia-name-unchanged-squad-for-sydney-test-656538.html Sydney Jan 1 Australia have named an unchanged squad from the Boxing Day Test for the upcoming final Test of the Ashes series though conditions at the SCG could still prompt changes to the final XI The match is set to begin on January 4 here at the Sydney Cricket Ground The announcement was made on Thursday afternoon as the Australian team assembled in Sydney for their first training session following last weekâs fourwicket defeat to England The Melbourne Test ended inside two days on a pitch later deemed âunsatisfactoryâ by the ICCThe loss marked Australiaâs first defeat to England in redball cricket at home in almost 15 years with 36 wickets falling across two days at the MCG However the result carried greater importance for England as Australia had already secured the Ashes by winning the first three Tests in Perth Brisbane and AdelaideMany fans and cricket experts believe that the upcoming match known as the New Years Test will be Usman Khawajas final appearance for Australia Additionally reports indicate that Khawaja plans to speak to the media before the match begins which fuels retirement rumours But head coach Andrew McDonald all but guaranteed veteran batter Usman Khawaja would be marking centre in Sydney after posting secondbest score of Australias first innings in the Boxing Day TestMeanwhile allrounder Beau Webster might replace Cameron Green in the XI as the latter has yet to record a significant score in the series Webster however has not yet been part of the XI in any of the four games so far this series and will be eager to end the Ashes strongly especially since the hosts are already leading 31âWe know weve got a quality player sitting there waiting Weve got a batting order that wed like to think can function at a higher capacity so well be having conversations leading into Sydneyâ head coach Andrew McDonald was quoted as saying by Cricket AustraliaAustralia squad Steve Smith c Scott Boland Alex Carey Brendan Doggett Cameron Green Travis Head Josh Inglis Usman Khawaja Marnus Labuschagne Todd Murphy Michael Neser Jhye Richardson Mitchell Starc Jake Weatherald Beau Webster IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-australia-name-unchanged-squad-for-sydney-test-656538.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 02:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/enzo-maresca-on-brink-of-leaving-chelsea-report-656539.html London Jan 1 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is facing an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge as the clubâs poor run in the Premier League 202526 has raised serious concerns over his position The West Londonbased club has won only one of their last seven Premier League games and has slipped to fifth position in the points table The sixtime Premier League winners let another victory slip through their fingers at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday drawing 22 with the Cherries After the match manager Enzo Maresca skipped the press conference citing illnessAccording to a report by The Guardian Chelsea is set to open the new year by holding emergency talks over Marescaâs position It is expected that the Italian manager who was booed by supporters during the disappointing 22 draw with Bournemouth will not be in charge for Sundayâs trip to Manchester CityThe report also said that Maresca wants to leave the club but it is unclear if he is willing to walk away without a payoff His contract runs until 2029 with an option for an extra yearMaresca was appointed Chelsea manager in July 2024 Under his stint the West London club has played 92 matches so far and he has a strong record of 55 wins On May 28 2025 Maresca won his first trophy as Chelsea manager by lifting the UEFA Conference League after beating Real Betis 41 in the final which meant Chelsea became the only team to win all three of the current main UEFA competitionsIn July 2025 he guided his team to victory in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup the first edition of the expanded competition with a 30 win over the recently crowned Champions League winners Paris SaintGermain in the final IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/enzo-maresca-on-brink-of-leaving-chelsea-report-656539.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 02:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/some-positive-signs-coming-out-of-indications-from-various-tests-says-gilchrist-on-martyn-656576.html Hobart Jan 1 Former Australia batsman Damien Martyn is showing positive signs in coming out of his battle with meningitis his former teammate Adam Gilchrist said Martyn 54 remains hospitalised in Queensland after being placed in an induced coma due to meningitis Martyn fell ill on Boxing Day and is now in a serious condition at the Gold Coast University Hospital âHeâs still in the hospital Thereâll be more details coming out as they come to hand but certainly in the last 24 hours some positive signs are the indications coming out of the various tests heâs havingâThereâs been so much interest and love A fine player terrific fella I just hope he can continue a recoveryâ Gilchrist the former Australia wicketkeeperbatter was quoted as saying by Fox Sports on ThursdayAn elegant righthander batter Martyn scored 4406 runs for Australia in 67 Tests at an average of 4637 including 13 centuries with a best score of 165 He also played 208 ODIs scoring 5346 runs at 4090 with a highest score of 144 not outâOn behalf of Damien Martyn a great friend a former teammate of a few of uson behalf of his family Amanda his partner thank you to everyone for the heartfelt love and wishes and care for Damien as heâs gone through and continues to go through a challenging timeâ added GilchristMartyn was instrumental in Australias 2003 ODI World Cup final victory over India scoring an unbeaten 88 despite batting with a broken finger and sharing a crucial 234run partnership with captain Ricky Ponting He was part of the side that also won the 1999 ODI World Cup and 2006 Champions Trophy After his playing career was over Martyn briefly worked as a commentatorAs per the World Health Organisation WHO meningitis is a devastating disease that is deadly and often results in serious longterm health issues It remains a major global public health challengeMeningitis is the inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord Though it is not revealed whether the meningitis suffered by Martyn is bacterial or viral WHO notes that it can be infectious or noninfectious in origin can be associated with a high risk of death and longterm complications and requires urgent medical care IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/some-positive-signs-coming-out-of-indications-from-various-tests-says-gilchrist-on-martyn-656576.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 06:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nicholas-lee-to-take-over-as-new-strength-and-conditioning-coach-of-indian-womens-team-656589.html New Delhi Jan 1 Nicholas Lee is set to take over as the new strength and conditioning coach of the Indian womens cricket team Sources familiar with the matter told IANS that Lee is likely to join the Indian team after the 2026 season of the Womenâs Premier League WPL is over on February 5 in Vadodara âYes itâs confirmed that Lee will be the new SampC coach of the Indian womenâs cricket team Australiaâs Nathan Kiely was also in talks but Lee was always in the running for this role Once WPL is over Lee will link up with the Indian teamâ sources further saidAfter the fiveteam WPL is over India will play a multiformat series in Australia from February 15 to March 9 The multiformat tour begins with the T20I leg starting at the Sydney Cricket Ground SCG on February 15 followed by games at Manuka Oval Canberra and Adelaide Oval on February 19 and 21 respectivelyFocus will then shift to the ODI series where India enters as World Cup winners The series will begin at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on February 24 The second and third ODIs will be staged at Hobartâs Bellerive Oval on February 27 and March 1 respectivelyThe third ODI match was previously moved to Hobart from Melbourne by Cricket Australia CA due to floodlight issues The tour culminates with a daynight Test at the WACA Ground in Perth set to take place from March 6â9Coming to Lee heâs an experienced strength and conditioning coach specialising in physical preparation and conditioning in elite sports His recent assignment was serving as the strength and conditioning coach for the Gulf Giants in season four of the UAEâs ILT20Lee previously worked as the strength and conditioning coach of Afghanistans menâs team from January 2024 to December 2025 and served as head of physical performance at the Bangladesh Cricket Board BCB from March 2020 to January 2024Lee was also the strength and conditioning coach of Sri Lankas menâs team from October 2016 to March 2020 Before working with international teams Lee worked as the lead strength and conditioning trainer at Sussex County Cricket Club from March 2012 to September 2016 apart from being in the assistant role from January 2010 to March 2012Lee a graduate of Anglia Ruskin University played 13 firstclass matches as a righthanded batter amassing 490 runs at 3062 including three halfcenturies and a highest score of 79 not out IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nicholas-lee-to-take-over-as-new-strength-and-conditioning-coach-of-indian-womens-team-656589.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/vimath-dinsara-to-lead-sri-lanka-in-2026-u19-mens-cricket-world-cup-656603.html Colombo Jan 1 Vimath Dinsara will captain Sri Lanka in the 2026 Under19 Mens Cricket World Cup Sri Lanka Cricket SLC said on Thursday Kavija Gamage has been named as Sri Lankaâs vicecaptain for the tournament beginning on January 15 in Zimbabwe and Namibia The squad features a strong mix of promising batters including Dinsara Gamage and Mahavithana along with versatile allrounders Viran Chamuditha and Chamika Heentigala Sri Lanka which will depart for Namibia on Thursday reached the Super Six stage in the previous edition of the U19 Menâs Cricket World Cup held in South Africa in 2024Sri Lanka are in Group C of the upcoming competition alongside defending champions Australia Ireland and Japan The side will open their campaign against Japan on January 17 at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek Sri Lanka will also play their games against Ireland and Australia at the same venue on January 19 and 23 respectivelyThe 16th edition of the Menâs Under19 World Cup will feature 16 teams divided into four groups of four each Every side will play the other three teams in its group during the opening round with the top three progressing to the Super Six stageThe leading four teams from there will qualify for the semifinals to be played on February 3 and 4 in Bulawayo and Harare while the final is scheduled to be played at the Harare Sports Club on February 6Previously Ireland South Africa Zimbabwe Japan Scotland Australia West Indies Pakistan New Zealand England and India announced their respective squads for the U19 World CupIn all 16 teams will participate in the 2026 ICC Under19 Mens Cricket World Cup and will have 41 matches played in the tournament The 16 teams will be divided into four groups with the top three teams from each group advancing to the Super Six stage The fourthplaced teams in Group A and D face each other while the fourthplaced teams in Group B and C face each other in the placement stageSri Lanka squad Vimath Dinsara c Kavija Gamage Dimantha Mahavithana Viran Chamuditha Dulnith Sigera Chamika Heentigala Adam Hilmy Chamarindu Nethsara Sethmika Seneviratne Kugathas Mathulan Rasith Nimsara Vigneshwaran Akash Jeewantha Sriram Senuja Wekunagoda Malintha Silva IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/vimath-dinsara-to-lead-sri-lanka-in-2026-u19-mens-cricket-world-cup-656603.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/cummins-hazlewood-david-named-in-australias-15-man-t20-wc-squad-656469.html Melbourne Jan 1 Pace duo Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood and middleorder batter Tim David have been named in Australias provisional 15player squad for the T20 World Cup despite injury concerns Cummins has played just one international match since suffering a lumbar stress injury in July when he featured in the Ashessecuring third Ashes Test in Adelaide A scan on Pacers back later this month will determine whether he will be right for the tournamentHazlewood missed the entire Ashes series due to hamstring and Achilles injuries David meanwhile injured his hamstring while playing for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBLThe T20 side has enjoyed a long run of recent success which enabled the panel to choose a balance of players across the variety of conditions Sri Lanka and India may presentâ chief selector George Bailey saidâPat Cummins Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are tracking well and we are confident they will be available for the World Cup This is a preliminary squad so should changes need to be made they will be ahead of the support period he addedMitchell Marsh captains the group as Australia named a spinheavy group with Adam Zampa joined by Matthew Kuhnemann Cooper Connolly and allrounders Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Short Mitchell Owen is the most notable omission from the 15man squadGreen and Connolly are back in the squad after missing the T20s against India earlier in the summerThe side also opted against a leftarm fast bowler in the absence of Mitchell Starc who retired from the format and Spencer Johnsons injury led to the inclusion of rightarmer Xavier Bartlett over Ben DwarshuisAustralia will play three T20Is in Pakistan in late January as preparation for the World Cup A squad for the series is yet to be namedAustralia have been drawn in Group B alongside Ireland Oman Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe They will play their group stage matches in Sri Lanka kicking off their campaign against Ireland on February 11 in ColomboAustralia squad for the 2026 T20 World CupMitchell Marsh c Xavier Bartlett Cooper Connolly Pat Cummins Tim David Cameron Green Nathan Ellis Josh Hazlewood Travis Head Josh Inglis Matt Kuhnemann Glenn Maxwell Matthew Short Marcus Stoinis Adam Zampa IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/cummins-hazlewood-david-named-in-australias-15-man-t20-wc-squad-656469.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 09:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/green-has-got-to-find-method-and-tempo-with-his-batting-ponting-656487.html New Delhi Jan 1 Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting highlighted significant weaknesses in Cameron Greens performances before what is likely to be a pivotal fifth Ashes Test saying that Green needs to find a more effective method with his batting Green is under the most pressure after another quiet performance with the bat in Melbourne where he scored 17 in the first innings and was dismissed for 19 in the second Despite his strong Sheffield Shield form which shows his ability his Test average sits at 3225 and expectations are beginning to rise as patience fades even with his obvious talent at 26Ponting also believes Greenâs frequent changes in batting position have undermined his confidence Speaking on SEN Radio he said Green currently looks like a âvery nervous starterâ amid his struggles to get goingâEverything Iâve ever heard around the Australian camp about Cameron Green is just how good they all think he is and could potentially be but heâs got to start working it out Heâs got to find a method and a tempo especially with his batting in Test cricket thatâs going to work for himâ Ponting saidâTheyâve moved him from three to five to seven heâs been all over the place heâs a very nervous starter heâs very stiff and very rigid and being a big tall man like he is it probably doesnât make it any easier Thereâs some challenges there for him Heâs got to work it out pretty quicklyâ he addedPonting further highlighted Labuschagne as a player feeling the heat ahead of the SCG Test noting that the 31yearold has been inconsistent in this Ashes series combining two halfcenturies with six low scores under 20 against EnglandâI still believe there are a lot of technical flaws heâs got going on at the moment When Marnus is at his best he makes batting look relatively easy but when heâs at his worst he makes batting look really really difficult The last few weeks heâs made batting look difficultThereâs definitely a question mark over him July 2023 was his last Test hundred that average has dropped dramatically during that period of timeâ Ponting mentioned IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/green-has-got-to-find-method-and-tempo-with-his-batting-ponting-656487.html Thu, 01 Jan 2026 12:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ex-aussie-batter-damien-martyn-in-induced-coma-after-meningitis-diagnosis-656395.html New Delhi Dec 31 Former Aussie batter Damien Martyn is in an induced coma after being diagnosed with meningitis The 54yearold former batter who played 67 Test matches between 1992 and 2006 reportedly fell ill on Friday and was rushed to the hospital Adam Gilchrist Martyns close friend and former Australian and WA teammate confirmed on behalf of his family the 2003 World Cup winner was receiving treatment in hospitalHe is getting the best of treatment and Martyns partner Amanda and his family know that a lot of people are sending their prayers and best wishes Gilchrist was quoted by cricketcomauMeningitis is an inflammation of protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord and infection can cause harmful brain swelling Martynâs condition is being closely monitoredThe Sydney Morning Herald reported externally it was hoped Martyn could be brought out of his coma in the coming daysIm saddened to hear of Damiens illness The best wishes of everyone at Cricket Australia and in the wider cricket community are with him at this time the governing bodys CEO Todd Greenberg said in a statementMartyn was player of the series the last time Australia won an away series in India top scoring in four of Australias eight innings in the 2004 BorderGavaskar TrophyHe played his final Test in Australias famous win at Adelaide Oval in the 200607 Ashes series before suddenly retiring ahead of the third Test of a 50 whitewash over England During his career he scored 4406 Test runs at an average of 4637Martyn also played 208 ODIs for 5346 runs at 4090 with a highest score of 144 not out He made a famous 88 not out in the 2003 World Cup final batting with a broken finger and sharing an epic partnership with captain Ricky Ponting as Australia beat India IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ex-aussie-batter-damien-martyn-in-induced-coma-after-meningitis-diagnosis-656395.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 11:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/head-hopes-to-revive-old-ashes-tradition-with-post-series-drinks-in-sydney-656413.html New Delhi Dec 31 Australia opener Travis Head expressed hope that England and Australia will revive their tradition of meeting for a drink after the Ashes This practice was somewhat disrupted in 2023 due to deteriorating relationships over the series Australia currently lead the series 31 and have already secured victory marking their fifth consecutive Ashes series victory and their ongoing hold on the urnRelations between the two sides worsened significantly during the second Test of the 2023 Ashes in England after Alex Carey stumped Jonny Bairstow when Bairstow stepped out of his crease while ducking a ball from Cameron GreenThe incident was followed by ugly scenes at Lordâs where Australian players were subjected to verbal abuse from MCC members in the Long Room In the aftermath England head coach Brendon McCullum said that considering what had happened he could not see how the teams could come together for their customary endofseries drinkâThereâs definitely mutual respect I get along with a couple of them really well Thereâs some really good relationships with both teams Iâm looking forward to having a beer with Ducky Ben Duckett So yeah itâd be a nice moment Itâs obviously nice going there knowing that weâve won the seriesâ Head was quoted as saying by The Australian newspaper on WednesdayMcCullum later said the teams would eventually get together after England won the final Test which saw the series end in a 2â2 draw However the delay drew criticism from sections of the Australian media with suggestions that England had deliberately avoided the traditional gathering Captain Ben Stokes rejected those claims explaining that Englandâs postseries commitments at The Oval ran longer than planned because of farewell moments for players and staffIn contrast the 2025 Ashes in Australia has unfolded in a far more amicable atmosphere Any controversy has largely centred on issues affecting both teams such as disputed snicko readings and the surface for the fourth Test at the MCG which led to the second twoday Test of the seriesThe calmer tone has also been influenced by Englandâs struggles on the field After failing to match Australia in the opening three Tests they slumped to a 3â0 deficit and once again surrendered the Ashes extending their drought to a fifth consecutive yearTheir ultraaggressive approach under Stokes and McCullum backfired intensifying scrutiny and criticism even though they managed to end a 15year wait for a Test victory in Australia with their win at the MCG IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/head-hopes-to-revive-old-ashes-tradition-with-post-series-drinks-in-sydney-656413.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/former-sri-lanka-u19-cricketer-akshu-fernando-passes-away-after-8-years-in-a-coma-656306.html Colombo Dec 30 Akshu Fernando the former Sri Lanka Under19 cricketer tragically passed away on Tuesday nearly seven years after being left in a coma following a devastating railway accident Fernando 25 had been in critical condition since December 28 2018 when he was struck by a train while crossing an unprotected railway track near Mount Lavinia BeachThe incident occurred as he was returning from a team running session leaving him with severe head injuries and multiple fractures He was immediately placed on life support and remained under constant medical care with his family by his side throughout his long battle for recoveryA leading Sri Lankan newspaper reported the passing of the young cricketer quoting international commentator Roshan Abeysinghe Just heard the sad news that Akshu Fernando has passed away He was truly a wonderful young man whose promising career was cut short by a cruel accident A quality player for his school and his final club Ragama Its a sad day for all of us who knew him A cheerful friendly and thorough gentleman was he We will miss you Akshu and remember you for the rest of our life Rest in peace sweet prince Abeysinghe saidAt the time of the accident Fernando was considered one of Sri Lankaâs brightest young cricketing talents He had represented his country at the 2010 ICC Under19 World Cup in New Zealand where he made a significant impact particularly in the semifinal against Australia He scored 52 runs in that match becoming Sri Lankas top scorer in a contest that saw them narrowly miss out on a place in the finalA product of St Peters College in Colombo Fernandoâs school cricket career was nothing short of exceptional He led the Under13 Under15 and Under17 teams and was the vicecaptain of the Under19 side His leadership and field talent earned him a place at several prestigious local clubs including Colts Sports Club Panadura Sports Club Chilaw Marians and Ragama Sports ClubHis final competitive appearance came just two weeks before the tragic accident when he scored an unbeaten 102 against Moors Sports Club on December 14 2018Fernandos sudden death concludes a lengthy period marked by significant physical and emotional pain It also brings back memories of a promising cricketing journey that many thought could have ascended to the top levels of international cricket IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/former-sri-lanka-u19-cricketer-akshu-fernando-passes-away-after-8-years-in-a-coma-656306.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/abhinav-bindra-led-task-force-recommends-creation-of-ncsecb-under-myas-to-accredit-certify-sports-admin-training-656310.html New Delhi Dec 30 As India sets its sights on becoming one of the top 10 sporting nations by 2036 the government has outlined a bold plan to transform the countryâs sports ecosystem In a significant move to professionalise sports administration the Department of Sports has taken steps to strengthen the administrative framework that will be pivotal in realising this ambitious goal To achieve this vision the Department of Sports established a Task Force on Capacity Building for Sports Administrators chaired by Olympic gold medallist Abhinav BindraThe Task Force recently submitted its detailed report emphasising the need for professional accountable and forwardlooking sports administrators to bring about a paradigm shift in Indiaâs sporting infrastructure The reportâs recommendations are expected to accelerate Indiaâs rise in global sportsThe Task Force has interalia recommended establishing the National Council for Sports Education amp Capacity Building NCSECB as an autonomous statutory body under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to regulate accredit and certify sports administration trainingThe Task Force in its report calls for introducing a fivelevel Capability Maturity Model CMM as a diagnostic and planning tool for strengthening the capacity of sports administrators This is aimed to enable SAI NSFs and State Departments to assess institutional maturity across cadre structure curriculum adoption digital enablement and athlete pathways It shall further support evidencebased monitoring and targeted interventionsThe report also recommends integrating sports governance training modules into the induction and advanced training of IAS and State Civil Service officers recognizing their role in implementation of sports policies The report proposes tying training to practical application and career progression through structured placements a national accreditation registry and policy integrationThe report has called for rotational postings apprenticeship models innovation labs and partnerships with federations government and the private sector to ensure administrators can apply skills and advance professionallyThe Department of Sports is currently assessing the Task Forces recommendations for further necessary action as part of its push to professionalize Indias sporting ecosystemThe Department of Sports has already initiated reforms to strengthen the sports administration ecosystem It has revised the norms of assistance under the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations NSFs in May 2025 where NSFs can now allocate up to 10 per cent of their total funding for administrative manpower ensuring they have the professional staffing and technical support needed to operate more effectivelyFurther expenses required for smooth administrative operation legal services and the hiring of specialised young professionals or interns are permitted up to 25 of the annual budget under the Scheme Further NSFs have been mandated to have an appropriate administrative structure and ensure proper advertisement for staff appointmentsThese reforms aim to establish a globally respected athletefocused governance framework positioning India for longterm sporting success including 2036 and beyond The Government has also already laid the foundation for this vision through the enactment of the National Sports Governance Act 2025 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/abhinav-bindra-led-task-force-recommends-creation-of-ncsecb-under-myas-to-accredit-certify-sports-admin-training-656310.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/super-kings-academy-expands-footprint-in-tamil-nadu-with-new-centre-in-tiruchengode-656337.html Tiruchengode TN Dec 30 Chennai Super Kings has announced that its flagship Super Kings Academy one of Indiaâs leading cricket training institutions will launch a new academy centre at KSR Educational Institutions Tiruchengode further strengthening its grassroots cricket development programme in Tamil Nadu The Tiruchengode centre marks Super Kings Academyâs presence in the 12th city in Tamil Nadu underlining the institutions commitment to nurturing young cricketing talent across the state Globally Super Kings Academy operates more than 35 centres making it one of the most extensive cricket academy networks in the worldThe new SKA centre at KSR Educational Institutions will officially commence operations on January 19 2026 offering aspiring cricketers access to stateoftheart infrastructure expert coaching staff and structured development pathwaysâhallmarks of the Super Kings Academy ecosystem The academy will have 2 turf pitches 2 astro turf pitches 3 matting pitches apart from two grounds a dedicated match simulation area a bowling machine floodlights for evening practice and a gym with a swimming poolSpeaking on the expansion KS Viswanathan MD of Chennai Super Kings said âEven while we expand globally Tamil Nadu has always been a strong nursery for cricketing talent and Tiruchengode is an important addition to our growing footprint in the state Our aim at Super Kings Academy is to provide young players with worldclass facilities expert coaching and the right opportunities to help them realise their full potential Partnering with KSR Educational Institutions allows us to bring professional cricket training closer to aspiring players in this regionâR Srinivasan Chairman of KSR Educational Institutions added âWe are delighted to associate with Super Kings Academy a name synonymous with excellence and professionalism in cricket This academy at KSR Educational Institutions will not only enhance our sports infrastructure but also give students and young cricketers in and around Tiruchengode access to elitelevel coaching and exposure We believe this partnership will play a key role in developing future cricketing talentâSuper Kings Academy is a cricket coaching center for boys and girls with stateoftheart infrastructure and expert coachingLaunched in April 2022 the academy is currently operational in more than 35 centers across India the USA Australia and Canada IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/super-kings-academy-expands-footprint-in-tamil-nadu-with-new-centre-in-tiruchengode-656337.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/relief-for-england-players-as-ecb-rules-no-misconduct-in-noosa-trip-656361.html London Dec 30 The England team heaved a collective sigh of relief as the England and Wales Cricket Board ECB has given the players a clean chit in the case of alleged excessive drinking during a teambuilding trip to Noosa between the second and third Tests in The Ashes tour 202526 Multiple reports had claimed that England players had indulged in excessive drinking during the trip organised as a teambuilding exercise for the players to recover from the defeat and get ready for the next matchHowever there are reports now claiming that the ECB has not found any misconduct on the part of the English players during the tripAlthough several videos of toporder batter Ben Duckett emerged on social media that showed him drunk and almost out of his senses after partying till late in the night the ECB has concluded that there was no misconduct and therefore no disciplinary action will be taken against the playersAs per a report in The Daily Mail if the ECB had found anything to be of concern it would have been identified and resolved immediately rather than waiting for the Ashes lossThe procedure of the inquiry was not disclosed to the public and the verdict was drafted against âbeer drinkingâ and no other misconduct claimed the reportAccording to reports top ECB official Rob Key claimed that the reason for the no misconduct verdict is that nothing was flagged by the security apparatus around the team in AustraliaThe England cricket team had security personnel assigned for the trip to Noosa who were also authorised to intervene if any misbehaviour or red flag activities appeared However they werenât needed to jump in and the break was more like a bachelorette party the report saidNevertheless this will give the England team much relief as it heads for Sydney for their next and last assignment Down Under the fifth and final Test of the series starting on January 4England after slumping to an unassailable 03 deficit salvaged some pride and avoided a whitewash against Australia by winning the fourth Test in Melbourne within two days Ben Stokes and his boys would like to end the series on a high note by making it 32 by winning the final encounter in Sydney IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/relief-for-england-players-as-ecb-rules-no-misconduct-in-noosa-trip-656361.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 01:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sreejith-v-nair-elected-new-president-of-kerala-cricket-association-656173.html Thiruvananthapuram Dec 29 Sreejith V Nair has been elected as the new President of the Kerala Cricket Association KCA during the organisationâs 75th Annual General Body Meeting AGM held on Monday Nair a former treasurer and secretary of the Association will take over from Jayesh George whoâs currently serving as Chairman of the Womenâs Premier League WPL Satheesan K a former member of the Apex Council has been elected as the Vice PresidentIncumbent Secretary Vinod S Kumar and Joint Secretary Bineesh Kodiyeri will continue in their respective positions T Ajith Kumar Secretary of the Palakkad District Cricket Association has been elected as the new Treasurer while Muhammed Naufal T Secretary of the Kasaragod District Cricket Association has been appointed as the General Body Representative to the Apex CouncilThe new office bearers also approved a oneyear comprehensive development plan aimed at upgrading cricket infrastructure in all 14 districts and raising player development systems across the state to international standardsâKCA will implement major projects under the Kerala Sports Infrastructure Development Scheme announced by the State Government utilising the special concessions granted under the Land ActâAs part of the plan cricket grounds and related facilities will be developed in all 14 districts of the state Infrastructure for other sports will also be developed alongside cricket facilities with the objective of ensuring uniform training standards and modern amenities across districtsâ said the KCANair also said the KCA aims to construct an international cricket stadium in Kochi in collaboration with the state government âFurther discussions will be held with the government to secure a longterm lease of the Sports Hub International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram and to establish a High Altitude Sports Centre at Munnar for cricket football and other sportsâ he saidKCA further said it will shortly launch the Kerala Womenâs Premier League to bolster womenâs cricket in the state as well as announced plans to set up new academies in Idukki and Thiruvananthapuram to identify young talent and deliver scientific performanceoriented training focusing on fitness skill development and modern coaching methodsâIn addition the General Body resolved to further strengthen the existing High Performance Centre ensuring advanced training facilities sports science laboratories fitness and rehabilitation centres and access to expert coachesâ concluded KCA IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sreejith-v-nair-elected-new-president-of-kerala-cricket-association-656173.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashleigh-gardner-continue-to-captain-gujarat-giants-in-wpl-2026-656224.html New Delhi Dec 30 Gujarat Giants have announced that Australian allrounder Ashleigh Gardner will continue to lead the franchise in the upcoming season of the Womenâs Premier League WPL Gardner a threetime T20 Womenâs World Cup winner assumed the captaincy at the franchise from Australian teammate Beth Mooney last season Under her leadership Gujarat Giants reached the playoffs for the first time in three seasonsâExperience in her stride Belief in her voice Ash Gardner steps up once more as our CAPTAIN primed to take us to gloryâ the Giants shared on its social mediaSince WPLâs inception in 2023 Gardner has been an integral part of the Gujarat Giants side scoring 568 runs and bagging 25 wickets in 25 games She was one of the two players the other being Beth Mooney for Rs 25 crore retained by the Giants prior to the WPL 2026 Auction for Rs 35 croreLast season Gardner hogged the limelight with her consistent allround performances in the recently Batting in the middleorder Gardner finished as our leading runscorer in the tournament with 243 runs in nine matches at an impressive strike rate of 16418 while also maintaining an average of 3037The Aussie allrounder also contributed with her rightarm offspin and claimed eight wickets at an economy of 803 The skipper claimed the Most Sixes award with 18 maximums to her nameWith eight points from eight matches Giants finished third in the WPL 2025 standings to book a place in the Eliminator However their fruitful season ended in the Eliminator after going down to eventual champions Mumbai IndiansThe fourth edition of WPL will be held from 9 January 9 to 5 February 2026 The tournament will be played across Navi Mumbai and VadodaraThe Giants will open their campaign against UP Warriorz in Navi Mumbai on January 10 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashleigh-gardner-continue-to-captain-gujarat-giants-in-wpl-2026-656224.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 16:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashleigh-gardner-continues-to-captain-gujarat-giants-in-wpl-2026-656225.html New Delhi Dec 30 Gujarat Giants have announced that Australian allrounder Ashleigh Gardner will continue to lead the franchise in the upcoming season of the Womenâs Premier League WPL Gardner a threetime T20 Womenâs World Cup winner assumed the captaincy at the franchise from Australian teammate Beth Mooney last season Under her leadership Gujarat Giants reached the playoffs for the first time in three seasonsâExperience in her stride Belief in her voice Ash Gardner steps up once more as our CAPTAIN primed to take us to gloryâ the Giants shared on its social mediaSince WPLâs inception in 2023 Gardner has been an integral part of the Gujarat Giants side scoring 568 runs and bagging 25 wickets in 25 games She was one of the two players the other being Beth Mooney for Rs 25 crore retained by the Giants prior to the WPL 2026 Auction for Rs 35 croreLast season Gardner hogged the limelight with her consistent allround performances in the recently Batting in the middleorder Gardner finished as our leading runscorer in the tournament with 243 runs in nine matches at an impressive strike rate of 16418 while also maintaining an average of 3037The Aussie allrounder also contributed with her rightarm offspin and claimed eight wickets at an economy of 803 The skipper claimed the Most Sixes award with 18 maximums to her nameWith eight points from eight matches Giants finished third in the WPL 2025 standings to book a place in the Eliminator However their fruitful season ended in the Eliminator after going down to eventual champions Mumbai IndiansThe fourth edition of WPL will be held from 9 January 9 to 5 February 2026 The tournament will be played across Navi Mumbai and VadodaraThe Giants will open their campaign against UP Warriorz in Navi Mumbai on January 10 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashleigh-gardner-continues-to-captain-gujarat-giants-in-wpl-2026-656225.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 16:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashleigh-gardner-to-continue-leading-gujarat-giants-in-wpl-2026-656226.html New Delhi Dec 30 Gujarat Giants have announced that Australian allrounder Ashleigh Gardner will continue to lead the franchise in the upcoming season of the Womenâs Premier League WPL Gardner a threetime T20 Womenâs World Cup winner assumed the captaincy at the franchise from Australian teammate Beth Mooney last season Under her leadership Gujarat Giants reached the playoffs for the first time in three seasonsâExperience in her stride Belief in her voice Ash Gardner steps up once more as our CAPTAIN primed to take us to gloryâ the Giants shared on its social mediaSince WPLâs inception in 2023 Gardner has been an integral part of the Gujarat Giants side scoring 568 runs and bagging 25 wickets in 25 games She was one of the two players the other being Beth Mooney for Rs 25 crore retained by the Giants prior to the WPL 2026 Auction for Rs 35 croreLast season Gardner hogged the limelight with her consistent allround performances in the recently Batting in the middleorder Gardner finished as our leading runscorer in the tournament with 243 runs in nine matches at an impressive strike rate of 16418 while also maintaining an average of 3037The Aussie allrounder also contributed with her rightarm offspin and claimed eight wickets at an economy of 803 The skipper claimed the Most Sixes award with 18 maximums to her nameWith eight points from eight matches Giants finished third in the WPL 2025 standings to book a place in the Eliminator However their fruitful season ended in the Eliminator after going down to eventual champions Mumbai IndiansThe fourth edition of WPL will be held from 9 January 9 to 5 February 2026 The tournament will be played across Navi Mumbai and VadodaraThe Giants will open their campaign against UP Warriorz in Navi Mumbai on January 10 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashleigh-gardner-to-continue-leading-gujarat-giants-in-wpl-2026-656226.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 16:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sa20-sunrisers-clinch-bonus-point-win-over-pretoria-capitals-656233.html Gqeberha Dec 30 Quinton de Kocks batting masterclass powered Sunrisersâ Eastern Cape to 48run bonus point win over Pretoria Capitals at St Georgeâs Park The victory propelled the Sunrisers to top of the SA20 table with 10 points while the Capitals remain winless after two matchesThe Gqeberha locals came out in their thousands to deck South Africaâs oldest Test venue in a sea of orange for the first home game of Season 4 with the iconic brass band getting everyone in the festive spirit to deliver yet another memorable SA20 nightDe Kock certainly gave them plenty to cheer for with the lefthander blazing 77 off just 47 balls 5x4 6x6 The lefthander struck the ball sweetly from the outset with a couple of rasping lofted cover drives interspersed with powerful pull shotsMatthew Breetzke 52 off 33 balls was the perfect partner for De Kock after the early demise of Jonny Bairstow with the pair putting together an electrifying 116run partnership off just 70 ballsThis laid the platform for the inform Jordan Hermann 37 off 20 balls to unleash a series of conventional and reverse sweeps that pushed Sunrisers to an impressive 1886The four Player of the Match candidates were Matthew Breetzke Quinton de Kock Shai Hope and Adam Milne with the QDK winning 693 per cent of the fan vote The total proved way beyond the reach of the Capitals with the Sunrisers unleashing their threepronged pace arsenal of Marco Jansen Adam Milne and Anrich NortjeJansen required just six balls to strike the first blow when he removed Capitals opener Bryce Parsons with a rasping delivery that the lefthander could only fend off to De Kock behind the stumps The Kiwi Express Milne 425 was next in the act when he dismissed West Indian Shai Hope 36 off 19 balls just as he threatened to build an innings of substanceBut the major breakthrough was left to Lewis Gregory when the Sunrisers allrounder flummoxed Dewald Brevis 12 off five balls into taking on the longest boundary in the ground where Breetzke lay in wait to take a comfortable catchThe Capitalsâ innings disintegrated from thereon with Milne running through the visitorsâ tail while leftarm spinner Senuran Muthusamy delivered arguably the ball of the night to clean bowl a wellset Will Smeed 35 off 27 balls IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sa20-sunrisers-clinch-bonus-point-win-over-pretoria-capitals-656233.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 16:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/a-resounding-year-that-saw-indian-mens-hockey-team-retain-asia-no1-status-656261.html New Delhi Dec 30 A resounding victory at the Asia Cup in Rajgir Bihar reinstated the Indian mens hockey teams status as the No1 side in Asia The title victory after a gap of eight years was a highlight of 2025 for Craig Fulton and team as they trounced giants like Korea China and Malaysia in the tournament The year started with a good outing at the home leg of FIH Pro League soon after the revamped Hero Hockey India League HIL that saw some pacy performances from players on the fringes who were pushing for a place in the senior sideThe international season kicked off with the Pro League in Bhubaneswar where India tasted good results against Spain Germany Ireland and England The team led by Harmanpreet Singh won six out of the eight matches on the back of a long HIL season which began soon after the Olympic success where the team had won bronze in Paris and backed it up with an Asian Champions Trophy win in ChinaHowever the Pro League ended on a dull note for India in Europe where they could only muster one consolation win against Belgium and lost their matches against Australia the Netherlands and Argentina in JuneBut they rewrote the script in August by lifting the Asian crown Another highlight for this squad was their outing in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup where India A side with most of their star players such as Harmanpreet Singh Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh rested put up a valiant show They lost the title by a whisker 01 to Belgium but beat Korea Malaysia New Zealand and Canada in an inspiring fashionWinning the Asia Cup was definitely a highlight for the Indian team but I think Azlan Shah was one of the highlights of the year for the Indian team where many of us from the main team were rested but the development squad ended up doing wellThis puts us in good stead for a busy year in 2026 with the Asian Games and the World Cup being close to eachother and we can have different options in the squad expressed Captain Harmanpreet Singh who capped off the year as the highest goal scorer for India IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/a-resounding-year-that-saw-indian-mens-hockey-team-retain-asia-no1-status-656261.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 16:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wpl-2026-mumbai-indians-players-begin-pre-season-training-656280.html Mumbai Dec 30 Twotime champions Mumbai Indians MI have commenced their training camp ahead of the upcoming Womenâs Premier League WPL season The fourth edition of WPL will take place across two venues the first leg in Navi Mumbaiâs DY Patil Stadium and the second in Vadodaraâs Kotambi Stadium from January 9 to February 5 Under the leadership of Head Coach Lisa Keightley Bowling Coach and Team Mentor Jhulan Goswami Batting Coach Devieka Palshikaar and other support staff the players who have already arrivedâSaika Ishaque Sajana S Sanskriti Gupta Poonam Khemnar Triveni Vasistha N Kranthi Reddy and Rahila Firdous began their preseason trainingSpeaking about the camp Keightley said âIts really good Weve had one training It was great to work with domestic players Really excited to see what they can do Itâs a good opportunity to watch to see and communicate and make connections with the players Im really excited and really impressed with what I have seen so far So lets see how we go for the rest of the weekâThe session emphasised fitness skill evaluation and team cohesion helping players reconnect with match routines under the supervision of the coaching staff The group laid the groundwork for the upcoming weeks through a combination of structured drills and net sessions as the squad continues to arrive gaining momentum and building cohesion before the season beginsThe defending champions will kick off their campaign on the opening day of the tournament on January 9 2026 against the WPL 2024 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi MumbaiNotably after three seasons of the WPL the Mumbai Indians remain the most successful team having won the first and third editions of the tournament With Harmanpreet Kaur leading the team they aim to defend their title successfully as the WPL fast approachesMI Squad for WPL 2026 Harmanpreet Kaur Nat SciverBrunt Hayley Matthews Amanjot Kaur Kamalini G Amelia Kerr Shabnim Ismail Rahila Firdous Sajana S Sanskriti Gupta Nicola Carey Poonam Khemnar Triveni Vasistha Nalla Reddy Milly Illingworth Saika Ishaque IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wpl-2026-mumbai-indians-players-begin-pre-season-training-656280.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 23:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-batter-tilak-varma-seeks-divine-blessings-at-tirumala-tirupati-temple-656284.html Tirupati Dec 30 India batter Tilak Varma on Tuesday visited the Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple to seek the Lords blessings He was accompanied by BCCI Apex Council member and former firstclass cricketer V Chamundeswaranath They offered prayers and had darshan of Lord Venkateswara on Vaikunta Ekadasi passing through the sacred Vaikunta Dwaram Officials of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams made arrangements for their darshan and facilitated their visit to the hill shrineAs India look to defend the T20 World Cup crown Tilakâs visit to Tirupati may prove a lucky charm in what promises to be an intense and closely fought tournament The lefthander also visited the divine shrine in August this year before the start of the ACC Asia Cup where his crucial 69run innings guided India to beat archrivals Pakistan in the finalTilaks most recent outing for India was in the recently concluded T20I series against South Africa where he led the Men in Blue to a 31 victory over the ProteasIn the T20I series opener against South Africa earlier this month Tilak made history by becoming the first Indian batter to score 1000 runs in T20Is before turning 25 He scored 26 62 26 and 73 across the fiveThe 23yearold batter will next be in action in the T20I series against New Zealand starting on January 21 The games will serve as a preparatory series for both sides before they head into the T20 World Cup scheduled to begin on February 7India will enter the tournament as defending champions having won the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados by defeating South Africa in the finalIndias squad for the T20 World Cup and New Zealand T20 series Suryakumar Yadav captain Abhishek Sharma Sanju Samson wicketkeeper Tilak Verma Hardik Pandya Shivam Dubey Axar Patel vicecaptain Rinku Singh Jasprit Bumrah Harshit Rana Arshdeep Singh Kuldeep Yadav Varun Chakravarthy Washington Sundar Ishan Kishan wicketkeeper IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-batter-tilak-varma-seeks-divine-blessings-at-tirumala-tirupati-temple-656284.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 23:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/4th-t20i-mandhana-becomes-second-indian-batter-to-cross-10-000-international-runs-655982.html Thiruvananthapuram Dec 28 India vicecaptain Smriti Mandhana on Sunday became only the second Indian woman player after compatriot Mithali Raj to complete 10000 runs in international cricket Smriti who debuted for India against Bangladesh in April 2013 needed 27 runs before the fourth T20I against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram to reach the huge landmark and reached the milestone in just 20 deliveries at the Greenfield International Stadium She eventually made 80 off 48 balls â her 32nd fifty laced with 11 fours and three sixes at a strikerate of 1702Apart from Mithali Smriti joins New Zealandâs Suzie Bates and former England player turned coach Charlotte Edwards as the only other women to cross the big landmarkSmriti has also scored 629 runs in seven Tests and 5322 runs in 117 ODIs Raj the highest runscorer in womenâs international cricket retired with 10868 runs across formats and Smriti has the opportunity to surpass her tallyPreviously while hitting a runaball 25 during the T20I series opener against Sri Lanka at the ACAVDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam Smriti became the first Indian batter and second overall after Suzie to complete 4000 runs in Womenâs T20IsThe lefthanded opener was the secondhighest runscorer in Indiaâs triumphant Womenâs ODI World Cup campaign â amassing 434 runs in nine innings at an average of 5425Smriti also finished 2025 as the highest rungetter in ODIs scoring 1362 runs in 23 innings which included five fifties and five centuries and also became the first Indian woman to score a century in all three formats of the gameFollowing the conclusion of the fivematch T20I series against Sri Lanka on December 30 Smriti will captain Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB in the 2026 Womenâs Premier League WPL beginning on January 9 RCB will face Harmanpreet Kaurled Mumbai Indians in the opening game at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/4th-t20i-mandhana-becomes-second-indian-batter-to-cross-10-000-international-runs-655982.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/4th-t20i-mandhana-becomes-second-indian-woman-batter-to-cross-10-000-international-runs-655983.html Thiruvananthapuram Dec 28 India vicecaptain Smriti Mandhana on Sunday became only the second Indian woman player after compatriot Mithali Raj to complete 10000 runs in international cricket Smriti who debuted for India against Bangladesh in April 2013 needed 27 runs before the fourth T20I against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram to reach the huge landmark and reached the milestone in just 20 deliveries at the Greenfield International Stadium She eventually made 80 off 48 balls â her 32nd fifty laced with 11 fours and three sixes at a strikerate of 1702Apart from Mithali Smriti joins New Zealandâs Suzie Bates and former England player turned coach Charlotte Edwards as the only other women to cross the big landmarkSmriti has also scored 629 runs in seven Tests and 5322 runs in 117 ODIs Raj the highest runscorer in womenâs international cricket retired with 10868 runs across formats and Smriti has the opportunity to surpass her tallyPreviously while hitting a runaball 25 during the T20I series opener against Sri Lanka at the ACAVDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam Smriti became the first Indian batter and second overall after Suzie to complete 4000 runs in Womenâs T20IsThe lefthanded opener was the secondhighest runscorer in Indiaâs triumphant Womenâs ODI World Cup campaign â amassing 434 runs in nine innings at an average of 5425Smriti also finished 2025 as the highest rungetter in ODIs scoring 1362 runs in 23 innings which included five fifties and five centuries and also became the first Indian woman to score a century in all three formats of the gameFollowing the conclusion of the fivematch T20I series against Sri Lanka on December 30 Smriti will captain Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB in the 2026 Womenâs Premier League WPL beginning on January 9 RCB will face Harmanpreet Kaurled Mumbai Indians in the opening game at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/4th-t20i-mandhana-becomes-second-indian-woman-batter-to-cross-10-000-international-runs-655983.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-atkinson-ruled-out-of-scg-test-with-hamstring-injury-656010.html Melbourne Dec 29 England have suffered a blow with news that fast bowler Gus Atkinson will miss the final Test of the Ashes series at the SCG due to injury Atkinson hurt his left hamstring when bowling on the second day of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and failed to return to the field Other fast bowlers stepped up in his absence bowling out Australia for 132 in the second innings to set up a fourwicket victory their first overseas Ashes Test win since January 2011England seamer Gus Atkinson has been ruled out for the remainder of the Ashes tour after scans confirmed he has sustained a left hamstring injury England Cricket said in a statementThe Surrey rightarmer left the field after bowling his fifth over of Australiaâs second innings during Englandâs victory at the MCG in the fourth TestEngland will not call up a replacement for the fifth Test which gets under way in Sydney on 4 January it addedAtkinson arrived in Australia as Englands attack leader but struggled to maintain his pace and incisiveness across the first two Tests He went wicketless in Perth then took 3151 from 33 overs in Brisbane only to find himself dropped for the mustwin game in Adelaide The 27yearold had taken six wickets at 4733 during the seriesEngland have already lost pace duo Jofra Archer and Mark Wood to injury this tourAtkinsons injury opens the door for fellow quicks Matthew Fisher and Matthew Potts for a callupPotts has taken 36 Test wickets at 2944 with the most recent of his ten appearances coming back in December 2024The fifth and final Ashes Test between Australia and England gets underway at the SCG on January 4England squad Ben Stokes c Harry Brook vc Jofra Archer Shoaib Bashir Jacob Bethell Brydon Carse Zak Crawley Ben Duckett Matthew Fisher Will Jacks Ollie Pope Matthew Potts Joe Root Jamie Smith wk Josh Tongue IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-atkinson-ruled-out-of-scg-test-with-hamstring-injury-656010.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 09:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/australia-pace-duo-cummins-hazlewood-set-to-be-named-in-t20-wc-squad-656018.html Melbourne Dec 29 The experienced pace duo of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are set to be included in Australiaâs provisional squad for the upcoming ICC Mens T20 World Cup despite injury concerns Head coach Andrew McDonald Cummins will undergo another scan of his back in four weeksâ time and a final call on his availability for the mega spectacle which commences on February 7 will be made after the results of that assessmentPat will have a scan I think in another four weeks so thatll give us the information then on where hes at for the World Cup Hell be named in the squad of 15 and then well get that information as to where hes at McDonald saidCummins has played just one international match since suffering a lumbar stress injury in July He pushed the limits of his rehabilitation from a back stress injury to return for the third Test in Adelaide where he took six wickets as Australia won by 82 runs retaining the Ashes urnSubsequently he withdrew from the remainder of the series with Australia unwilling to take any further risksHazlewood who missed the entire Ashes series due to hamstring and Achilles injuries that have troubled the 34yearold pacer is likely to be fit Before his injury the pacer starred in the whiteball series against India and is likely to return in time for the T20 World Cup giving a major boost to AustraliaJosh is returning to bowl He looks as though he should be right in terms of possible timeframes McDonald saidAnother concern for Australia is hardhitting middleorder batter Tim David who recently injured his hamstring while playing for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL The finisher had been ruled out for two months earlier this year due to a similar injury but McDonald believes the 29yearold will be fit in time for the marquee 20over tournamentNot sure whether its just pure muscle or tendon and thatll give us a timeframe I think the timeframe will be kind on TD Tim David as well So he should be available no matter what that injury is said McDonaldAustralia will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on February 11 As part of their preparations they will play a threematch T20I series in Pakistan in January IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/australia-pace-duo-cummins-hazlewood-set-to-be-named-in-t20-wc-squad-656018.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/bhutans-sonam-yeshey-becomes-first-ever-to-register-8-wicket-haul-in-t20i-656021.html New Delhi Dec 28 Bhutanâs leftarm spinner Sonam Yeshey has etched his name into cricket history becoming the first bowler ever to claim eight wickets in a T20 match international or otherwise The 22yearold achieved the landmark during the third T20I against Myanmar in Gelephu on Friday Yeshey produced a stunning spell of 8 for seven from his four overs skittling Myanmar for just 45 while they chased Bhutanâs modest 127 for 9The series has been heavily onesided with Yeshey leading the charge he has taken 12 wickets across four matches with the final game scheduled for MondayPrior to Yesheyâs performance the best figures in menâs T20 internationals were sevenwicket hauls achieved only twice Syazrul Idrus 7 for 8 for Malaysia against China in 2023 and Ali Dawood 7 for 19 for Bahrain against Bhutan in 2025Outside the international arena sevenwicket hauls have been recorded just twice moreâby Colin Ackermann 7 for 18 for Leicestershire against Birmingham Bears in 2019 and Taskin Ahmed 7 for 19 for Durbar Rajshahi against Dhaka Capitals in 2025In womenâs cricket the benchmark remains Indonesiaâs Rohmalia who took an extraordinary 7 for 0 against Mongolia in 2024âthe best bowling figures in womenâs T20Is and T20sOther sevenwicket hauls in womenâs T20 internationals have come from Frederique Overdijk 7 for 3 for the Netherlands vs France Alison Stocks 7 for 3 for Argentina vs Peru and Samanthi Dunukedeniya 7 for 15 for Cyprus vs the Czech Republic with four additional such feats recorded in womenâs T20 matches overallYeshey made his T20I debut in July 2022 against Malaysia immediately making an impact with figures of 3 for 16 While wickets came more steadily in the years that followed this historic spell has propelled his tally to 37 wickets in 34 T20 internationals IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/bhutans-sonam-yeshey-becomes-first-ever-to-register-8-wicket-haul-in-t20i-656021.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 12:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/motto-is-to-score-runs-and-provide-good-finish-says-richa-on-being-promoted-to-no-3-656026.html Thiruvananthapuram Dec 29 Indiaâs wicketkeeper batter Richa Ghosh spoke about her promotion up the order by head coach Amol Muzumdar in the recently concluded T20I against Sri Lanka and said that her aim batting at any position is to score runs and provide a good finish for the team Smriti Mandhana dazzled with a stunning world record in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday as India beat Sri Lanka by 30 runs in the fourth T20I leading the fivematch series 40 Mandhana and Shafali Verma delivered aggressive performances enabling the hosts to set an imposing total of 221 for 2 in 20 overs at the Greenfield International Stadium after they were asked to bat firstThe duo set a record 162run partnership the highest for any wicket in Womens T20Is for India Smriti scored 80 off 48 balls while Shafali Verma hit 79 off 46 Mandhana also overtook Mithali Raj as the fastest batter to reach 10000 international runs in terms of innings In the pursuit of 222 Sri Lanka fought hard but were restricted to 191 for 6 despite a solid fifty from captain Chamari AthapaththuSpeaking after the match during the press conference Richa when asked about the teamâs fielding said âWeâre working on the fielding If you see we stopped the ball well and took good catches today Everyone has a bad day and catches are dropped Weâve worked hard behind the fieldingâWhenever I get a chance and whenever I am sent up my motto is to score runs and provide a good finish for the team The wicket was good for batting and the ball was coming to the bat nicely While the ball was holding up a little on slower deliveries it was coming nicely Shot selection was important and we executed it well enough and got the runs she addedShedding light on the changes that the World Cup victory has brought in the cricketersâ lives she said âObviously life has transformed since the World Cup victory Everyone is joyful and whenever we go out we are greeted warmly by the public More people now recognise the players names such as Deepti Sharma Richa Ghosh and Shafali Verma This increased recognition is a wonderful development following the World Cup win After a World Cup win you take the confidence into the next series and that is quite visible in everyone in the teamâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/motto-is-to-score-runs-and-provide-good-finish-says-richa-on-being-promoted-to-no-3-656026.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/rrs-captaincy-will-likely-be-between-riyan-and-jadeja-uthappa-656079.html New Delhi Dec 29 Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa believes that leadership will be the defining factor for the Rajasthan Royalsâ RR success in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League The franchise emerged with a formidable squad bolstered by key trades and acquisitions such as Ravindra Jadeja Sam Curran and legspinner Ravi Bishnoi following the IPL 2026 miniauction However the captaincy remains an unanswered question with the team trading their Sanju Samson who led them till 2025 to the Chennai Super KingsSpeaking to JioStar the former India batter lauded RRs bowling arsenal noting the advantage of having around 10 fast bowlers for varied options The advantage Rajasthan Royals have is the fact that they have 10 fast bowlers offering a lot of options If they bowl in the right areas at SMS Stadium Jaipur they can be very successful With spinners like Bishnoi and Jadeja support from Shimron Hetmyer and Donovan Ferreira and depth in the batting order with Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag they now have a wellrounded teamâ Uthappa saidOn the teamâs captaincy he added âThe only question is leadership My feeling is the captaincy will likely be between Riyan Parag and Ravindra Jadeja while Jaiswal might need to wait a bit longerâLegendary spinner Kumble echoed the squads balance pointing to talented youngsters proven performers and versatile allrounders He stressed fitness concerns for key pacers like Jofra Archer but reserved his strongest remarks for leadershipâWhen you look at this lineup the captaincy will be the most decisive factor If you want to replicate the kind of personality Sanju Samson brought to Rajasthan Royals Dhruv Jurel is probably the closest match Beyond that the squad is strong with talented youngsters proven players and allrounders The fitness of key players like Jofra Archer at the start of the IPL is also crucial Ultimately the management needs to identify and communicate who the captain will beâ Kumble asserted IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/rrs-captaincy-will-likely-be-between-riyan-and-jadeja-uthappa-656079.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 16:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/head-backs-struggling-weatherald-says-hes-good-enough-to-play-international-cricket-655882.html Melbourne Dec 28 Travis Head has backed his opening partner Jïake Weatherald has endured a tough start to his Test career to turn things around Weatherald who made his Test debut in the Ashes series opener after a stellar run of form at Sheffield Shield managed just 146 runs from eight innings The 31yearold is expected to retain his spot in the final match at the SCG next weekWeatherald Test futures is facing scrutiny following a glut of low scores except his half century in the opener But Head feels there is plenty for Weatherald to offer and admitted the conditions on Australian pitches across the four matches have been difficultInternational cricket is extremely tough The wickets have been challenging across the board the last few years thats welldocumented Its not an excuse and I think hes a good enough cricketer for international cricket and I think he showed a lot of glimpses over his first four Tests Head saidIts not always gonna go your way and theres a lot of guys who look like they have been under the pump with the bat who are the best of our generationIt can be a tough way to start your international career but I think hes a good enough player to play international cricket he addedHead further said he is happy to continue in his role as opener as the Ashes series against England heads to Sydney for the final Test of the home summerHe has been a revelation for Australia since his move to the top of the order from No5 and has already scored two centuries in the role during the Ashes to be the leading runscorer of the seriesI see myself as this teams opening batter for the series and then weve got a long gap between to piece the puzzles together for where the team wants to go said HeadIve felt good at the top I feel like Ive been batting well For this series I feel like Ive been able to do a job for the team and its put us in good positionsIts been pleasing to be able to contribute in different ways and thats why Ive always been open to how can I make the team better If that means me at the top and were a better cricket team and were winning more then Im happyThere will be challenging times but at the moment I feel like Im moving really well which is putting me in good positions against the new ball he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/head-backs-struggling-weatherald-says-hes-good-enough-to-play-international-cricket-655882.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-webster-inglis-released-from-australia-squad-to-play-bbl-before-sydney-test-655883.html Melbourne Dec 28 Australias reserve allrounder Beau Webster and wicketkeeper batter Josh Inglis have been released from the squad to play in the Big Bash League ahead of the Sydney Test After the Boxing Day Ashes Test at the MCG concluded in two days Australian players have been granted a sevenday break until the New Yearâs contest in SydneyWebster will be available to play for the Hobart Hurricanes in their BBL match against the Melbourne Renegades on MondayInglis who was dropped for the rapidfire Boxing Day Test will also return to the BBL and play for Perth Scorchers in their clash with the Sydney Thunder at ENGIE Stadium on Tuesday ahead of the fifth and final Ashes TestAfter their BBL matches both players will rejoin the Australia squad in Sydney to prepare for the New Years Test at the SCG which starts on January 4Both players will be available to play for their respective teams before returning to the Australian squad on New Years Eve to prepare for the Ashes Test at the SCG Cricket Australia said in a statementAfter playing seven Tests this year Webster was omitted from the Australia XI for the opening Ashes match in Perth and has been unable to get back into the teamBut he may be in contention to reclaim his spot in the fifth and final Test due to Cameron Greens repeated failures with the bat during this seriesInglis is less likely to earn a recall after scoring 32 in his three innings during the Brisbane and Adelaide TestsDefending champions Hobart are currently second in the Big Bash standings with three wins from four matches while the Scorchers are coming off consecutive losses and sit fifth on the ladder IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-webster-inglis-released-from-australia-squad-to-play-bbl-before-sydney-test-655883.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/brett-lee-inducted-to-australian-cricket-hall-of-fame-655896.html New Delhi Dec 28 Former fast bowler Brett Lee has been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame The announcement was made on Sunday honouring his impressive international career characterised by exceptional pace durability and notable sportsmanship At 49 Lee is considered one of the quickest bowlers in history alongside Shoaib Akhtar He represented Australia from 1999 to 2012 playing 76 Tests 221 ODIs and 25 T20Is Throughout his career across all formats he took a total of 718 wickets In Tests he claimed 310 wickets while in ODIs and T20Is he took 221 and 38 wickets respectivelyThe former pacer was a significant pioneer of the early years of the T20 format playing for several teams globally including the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League He was part of the Sixers team that secured the first Big Bash League titleDuring his career in Australia Lee contributed to three World Cupwinning teams in 1999 2003 and 2007 He also participated in several Ashes series against EnglandLee is renowned for consistently crossing the 160 kmh mark on the speed gun However he was more than just producing quick deliveries he had a talent for blending speed with impressive skillHe was also named Australian Test Player of the Year in 2008 after receiving the prestigious Allan Border Medal Lee became a wellknown figure in India as well with a strong following due to his numerous appearances in the Indian Premier League IPL and his involvement in cultural activities such as music and film collaborationsPeter King Chair of the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame stated that Lee genuinely merits this honour as he remains an exceptional ambassador for the sportâBrett Leeâs induction into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame is richly deserved He was not only one of the fastest and most exciting bowlers the world has seen but also an outstanding ambassador for Australian cricket Brettâs impact transcended statistics â he inspired fans around the world with the way he played the game the respect he showed opponents and the pride he took in representing his country King said in an official statementâNow a respected commentator Lee continues to contribute to the game and its communities globally long after his final delivery The Australian Cricket Hall of Fame celebrates players whose careers have left a lasting legacy on the sport he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/brett-lee-inducted-to-australian-cricket-hall-of-fame-655896.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 12:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/had-it-been-2mm-shorter-it-might-have-been-alright-smith-gives-his-take-on-under-fire-mcg-pitch-655915.html Melbourne Dec 28 Australia standin skipper Steve Smith gave his take on the MCG wicket after the Boxing Day Test lasted just two days with England winning by four wickets He said that had the 10mm grass been 2mm shorter it might have made a difference in the match The Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch came under the scanner after the Boxing Day Ashes Test between Australia and England finished in two days As many as 36 wickets fell in 142 overs It lasted for 952 balls just five more than the series opener in PerthâIt obviously offered a lot 36 wickets in two days it offered plenty Had it been either 2mm shorter or a little less thatchy with 10mm it might have been alright but Iâm not a groundsman so itâs hard to judge But it did look like it was going to offer a fair amount probably a little more than I thought it would I think the groundsman is always learning but heâs produced some pretty good wickets in the last two years Smith told SEN CricketThe MCG has previously been criticised for producing flat wickets that favoured batting most notably during the 2017 Ashes Test when only 24 wickets fell over five days That surface drew widespread criticism prompting match referee Ranjan Madugalle to issue a âpoorâ rating in his official assessment reportI think when I started we didnât have too many wickets like this when I started the MCG used to be run tickets but thatâs changed a bit over the last four or five years Itâs probably changed more into a better cricket wicket where bat and ball are competing against each other The gameâs changed in terms of the aggression batters useâ if 10 years ago you saw Harry Brook come out and bat like that youâd think âWhatâs going onâBrook was the top run scorer for England and even Travis Head for us in the second innings it was probably one of those wickets where you had to go a little harder he addedFast bowler Mitchell Starc echoed Smithâs comments saying âNobody wants to see twoday Test matchesâI guess you saw it start to play a bit truer in the back end of yesterday Would a couple of mm off change the game much Or was it application Or even just two good attacksYou probably donât want to see twoday Test matches so they probably got it the grass on the pitch slightly too high We saw last week in Adelaide it was pretty flat and didnât do a lot unless the ball was hard and newBatters got that one last week and bowlers got one in their favour probably a bit too much this week I saw last year it was 6 or 7mm arguably if you make it 8mm itâs probably a pretty good surface Itâs one to not dwell too much on and move on pretty quick said Starc IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/had-it-been-2mm-shorter-it-might-have-been-alright-smith-gives-his-take-on-under-fire-mcg-pitch-655915.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 14:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ca-achieve-record-attendance-on-a-single-day-across-mcg-scg-and-perth-655824.html Melbourne Dec 27 A record total of 162408 fans attended Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Big Bash League 15 matches at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Optus Stadium Fridays attendance shattered the record set 12 months ago when 152375 fans came through the gates on Boxing Day 2024 All three matches set attendance records showcasing the strength and popularity of Australias national sportIn Melbourne a crowd of 94199 watched 20 wickets fall in the fourth Ashes Test This was a record attendance for a day of cricket in Australia surpassing the previous record of 93013 for the ODI World Cup final in 2015 The dayâs second match saw the Melbourne Stars defeat the Sydney Sixers by seven wickets in front of 25589 fans the largest ever crowd at the SCGâs annual Boxing Day fixtureThe national singleday attendance record was then sealed at Optus Stadium as the Perth Scorchers welcomed 42620 fansâtheir largest Boxing Day Bash crowd eclipsing the previous record set in BBL 13 â to watch them host reigning champions Hobart HurricanesThe Boxing Day attendance record comes after both total and singleday records were set across the opening three Ashes Tests with the Big Bash achieving major increases in attendances and broadcast audiences across Foxtel and SevenTodd Greenberg Cricket Australia CEO said âBoxing Day 2025 has been a landmark day for Australian Cricket with records tumbling across all three venues to play host to Test and BBL matchesâTo set a new single day attendance record of 162408 is a proud moment for Australian Cricket and reflects our sportâs popularity and strength nationwideThe Boxing Day Test is bigger than cricket It is one of the nations great events and those who were at the MCG yesterday will cherish the experience foreverâSimilarly attending Big Bash games is a summer ritual for many Australian families and the buzz around the competition is as loud as itâs ever been Weâre seeing incredible performances record run chases and a continued a trend of nailbiting finishes every nightâThe unmissable onfield action has driven record crowds to every Test match with all formats experiencing attendance and audience growth this summerâWe thank all those who watched or attended a match on an incredible day for cricket and look forward to seeing packed venues around the country for the remainder of the summerâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ca-achieve-record-attendance-on-a-single-day-across-mcg-scg-and-perth-655824.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 10:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/pbks-do-not-have-enough-backup-for-yuzvendra-chahal-says-abhinav-mukund-655834.html New Delhi Dec 27 Former India cricketer Abhinav Mukund believes the Punjab Kings do not have enough backup for offspinner Yuzvendra Chahal ahead of the Indian Premier League IPL 2026 Punjab Kings strengthened their squad with key domestic picks like Vishnu Vinod and Praveen Dubey along with Australian allrounder Cooper Connolly for middleorder balance in the mini auction Mukund praised the teamâs smart additions while noting areas like spin depth that need attentionAnalysing the Punjab Kingsâ balanced approach at the table Mukund said Punjab Kings didnât need much heading into the auction having already invested heavily earlier The only concern is Yuzvendra Chahal not featuring in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy â so itâs unclear if they have enough backup for him Theyâve added Pravin Dubey a legspinner from Karnataka and Cooper Connolly whoâs an exciting lefthanded allrounder capable of batting anywhere from three to five That versatility definitely adds value to their middle order Mukund said on JioStarVishnu joined Bangalore in 2017 as a replacement for the injured KL Rahul and played three matches before being released He went unsold for the next three seasons then was picked by Delhi in 2021 but did not play After stints with Hyderabad and Mumbai as a backup wicketkeeper he was signed by Punjab ahead of the 2025 seasonFormer India cricketer Robin Uthappa highlighted Vishnu Vinod as one of Punjab Kingsâ most promising additions Vishnu Vinod is a really exciting signing for Punjab Kings and I genuinely hope he gets regular opportunities in the IPL Weâve only seen glimpses of his ability during his stint with Mumbai Indians but heâs got phenomenal talent His inclusion adds depth to the middle order and even offers a potential fastbowling option Theres a lot of value he can bring to this setup IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/pbks-do-not-have-enough-backup-for-yuzvendra-chahal-says-abhinav-mukund-655834.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 11:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/no-ball-drama-in-boxing-day-test-fuels-fresh-ashes-controversy-655741.html Melbourne Dec 26 The opening day of the Boxing Day Test witnessed a controversy involving the third umpire once again when Brydon Carse dismissed Mitchell Starc on an alleged no ball When Australia were reeling at 1427 Starc miscued lofted drive and was caught by Ben Stokes running back from midoff The MCG crowd thought Carse had bowled a noball when the sideon replay flashed upAs Starc made his way back to the dressing room broadcast replays showed Carseâs front foot appearing to land beyond the popping crease raising questions over a possible noball according to Fox CricketStarc briefly glanced at the big screen before walking off while third umpire Ahsan Raza ruled that part of Carseâs foot was grounded behind the line at the point of first contact a decision that left several former Australian players unconvincedâI cannot see how heâs got any part of that shoe behind the line unless my eyes are gone I canât pay that I canât see it Australian great Mark Waugh said during a commentary on Fox CricketFormer Australian spinner Kerry OâKeeffe added Thatâs tighter than a second coat of paint At first point of contact I canât see that is behind that white line any part of his heel It masquerades a terrific bit of cricket by Carse himself and the captain Ben Stokes with the strategy to promote Starc with that shotWith Starcâs dismissal Australia lost their final three wickets in just four balls as the hosts were bowled out for 152 in their first inningsIn response England are struggling at 624 with Starc and Michael Neser claiming two wickets each Notably a massive crowd has been confirmed at the MCG with 93442 people in the house already a number which could grow further which not only exceeds the highest previous Ashes crowd here 91092 in 201314 but also the biggest ever crowd for a day of cricket 93013 for the 2015 World Cup final IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/no-ball-drama-in-boxing-day-test-fuels-fresh-ashes-controversy-655741.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 14:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-tongue-becomes-first-england-bowler-since-1998-to-take-five-for-at-mcg-655745.html Melbourne Dec 26 Josh Tongue scripted history after he became the first England bowler this century to claim a fivewicket haul in Mens Tests at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here on Friday Tongue picked up 545 during Australias first innings of 152 all out Reeling 30 in the series Tongues efforts helped England bowled out Australia for 152 in their first innings of the Boxing Day TestIt was the first time an England bowler had claimed a fivewicket haul in a Test at the MCG since Darren Gough and Dean Headley did so in 1998 with Tongue breaking a 27year drought as the tourists breathed life into an Ashes series that Australia have already retainedThe spell was also Tongues most productive in Test cricket surpassing his previous best effort of 566 against Ireland at Lords in 2023 During Australias second innings Tongue will be on a hattrick after dismissing Scott Boland 0 and Michael Neser 35 with the last two balls of the hosts first inningsAustralia didnt have a strong start in front of a superb bowling performance from the visitors after opting to field Tongue picked three of the top four Australian batters as the hosts lost four wickets in the morning sessionKhawaja then perished in the fourth over after lunch courtesy of a successful review Carey couldnt bail his team out of trouble this time as he fell to the leg slip trap Just when it seemed like batting was comfortable Cameron Green was run out Michael Neser scored a valuable 35 that comprised seven fours but Tongue came back to wrap up the innings as he claimed his careers third Test fiferNotably a massive crowd has been confirmed at the MCG with 93442 people in the house already a number which could grow further IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-tongue-becomes-first-england-bowler-since-1998-to-take-five-for-at-mcg-655745.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 14:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/cricket-australia-ceo-says-hosting-of-day-night-boxing-day-test-at-mcg-is-not-off-the-cards-655757.html Melbourne Dec 26 Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg has not ruled out the possibility of a daynight Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground The MCG held a womenâs daynight Test match in January 2025 in addition the venue will host Australia and Englands 150th Anniversary Test under lights in March 2027Melbourne hosted the inaugural Boxing Day Test in 1950 Since then CA holds contractual rights to use the MCG until the end of March each summer despite the venue often being used for Australian Rules football in that month Earlier this year it extended its venue hire agreement with the MCG until the 203031 summerâLook itâs not off the cards Weâve been talking a lot about the strength of pinkball cricket it was amazing this year in Brisbane and it has been really good in Adelaide March 2027 it will get its opportunity here in Melbourneâ Greenberg was quoted by Fox CricketDue to the enormous crowds expected to pack the MCG across five days between March 11 to 15 for the historic 150th Anniversary Test between Australia and England in March 2027 CA has opened a ticket ballot for the first time in its historyThe ballot opened on December 23 and runs until February 6 2026 Once closed entries will be randomised and successful applicants will be notified by February 13I dont have the early numbers but the concept of running a ballot will give you some demonstration of what we see in this event The strength of ticket sales and the interest it will have 150 years of cricket between our two countries is going to be a pretty special momentThose who were here in the â77 Centenary Test still talk about it in great affection and our job is to make sure that happens again at the 150th in March 2027 said Greenberg IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/cricket-australia-ceo-says-hosting-of-day-night-boxing-day-test-at-mcg-is-not-off-the-cards-655757.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 14:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wpl-2026-ex-india-player-anagha-deshpande-joins-delhi-capitals-as-assistant-coach-655641.html New Delhi Dec 25 Ahead of the 2026 season of the Womenâs Premier League WPL former India cricketer Anagha Deshpande has joined threetime runnersup Delhi Capitals DC as an assistant coach It is understood that Anaghaâs coaching duties will center around fielding and batting in the DC setup âYes I am joining the Delhi Capitals It was finalised a few days ago Hundred percent its a great opportunity for meâI will get to learn a lot of things which will aid me in future I have seen them try for winning a trophy for three years I hope I can help them win the trophy this timeâ Anagha told IANS on ThursdayAt DC Anagha will link up with head coach Jonathan Batty Her appointment comes after the exit of Lisa Keightley who has joined Mumbai Indians as head coach and Milap Mewada who is now coaching Goaâs menâs team in the ongoing domestic seasonAnagha played 23 ODIs and eight T20Is for India from 2008 to 2014 and made 483 runs across both formats As a wicketkeeper she took 16 catches and effected 21 stumpings in whiteball cricket for India She played for Maharashtra Railways Gujarat and Puducherry in the domestic cricket circuitAnagha has enjoyed considerable success as a coach in Uttarakhand since retiring as a player She led the states U19 womens team to oneday trophy titles in 202122 and 202223 and guided the U23 side to entering knockout stages in T20 and oneday championships in 202324 and 202425Under Anagha Uttarakhand reached their first senior womens finals in both T20 and oneday formats in 202324 Players like Nandini Kashyap Raghvi Bist and Prema Rawat all of whom featured in this years WPL and India A teams attribute their growth to Anaghaâs coachingShe has also worked as a coach with many teams in senior and U19 womenâs challenger trophies as well as served in various assignments at the zonal and national level for camps organised by the BCCI Centre of Excellence CoEDC will open their 2026 WPL campaign on January 10 against defending champions Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai India batter Jemimah Rodrigues was recently named as DCâs new captain and Anagha backed the decisionâI have seen her leadership She is well deserving to be the captain I have seen her lead Mumbai The way her nature is in terms of leading a team there is no need for a tag to say that she is a leader She plays in the same way as a player and now that she has a leadership tag she is hundred percent well deserving of itâ she saidMeanwhile IANS understands that former India captain Anju Jain is likely to take charge as DCâs batting coach Anju featured in eight Tests and 65 ODIs for India from 1993 to 2005 and amassed 2170 runs overallApart from hitting one century and three fifties in Tests she claimed 15 catches and effected eight stumpings in the format while contributing with 30 catches and 51 stumpings in ODIsAnju previously served as assistant coach of UP Warriorz UPW in first two seasons of the WPL and was the head coach of Tornadoes at the FairBreak Global Invitational tournament Anju also coached the Indian team and also served as chairman of the womenâs selection committeeShe also served as the head coach of Bangladesh womenâs team and worked in the same capacity with Odisha Vidarbha Assam Tripura and Baroda teams in the domestic circuit IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wpl-2026-ex-india-player-anagha-deshpande-joins-delhi-capitals-as-assistant-coach-655641.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 15:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/smith-to-lead-australia-as-hosts-confirm-to-play-with-four-quicks-no-spinner-for-mcg-test-655589.html Melbourne Dec 25 Australian standin captain Steve Smith opted for an allpace attack for the fourth Ashes Test against England with the hosts yet to settle on their Playing XI Smith announced the final 12 for the fourth Test after Australiaâs last training session on Thursday and said selectors would assess the âquite furryâ MCG pitch again on Friday morning before finalising their pace attack with Michael Neser Brendan Doggett and returning quick Jhye Richardson vying for the final two placesWeve landed on a 12 we just want to take a look at the wicket tomorrow Were going to be playing four quicks and no spinner The pitch has 10mm of grass quite furry quite greenI dare say its going to offer quite a bit particularly day one is similar conditions to today quite cold and overcast so I dare say theres going to be quite a bit of movement Smith told reporters on Thursday morningYou just got to play what surface youre presented with this one looks like its going to offer a fair bit of assistance for the seam bowlers and the weather throughout the week looks conducive for that tooI think if Nathan Lyon was available wed probably still be having the same conversation as well so its certainly nothing to do with Todds skill he addedIf selected Richardson will end a fouryear drought between Test matches this week with his most recent appearance in the national redball side coming back in December 2021Its exciting to see Richardson back into the fold hes had a pretty long layoff with injury and we know the skills he can posses Hes done it against England before in an Ashes Weve seen when hes had the opportunity at this level hes been outstanding Smith saidReserve wicketkeeper Josh Inglis drops out to make way for Smith who missed last weekâs Adelaide Test with a vestibular illness while captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon remain sidelined with injuriesâIâm far better than I was last week I obviously had a few bad days before the Test and for the first couple of days of the Test and then all my vestibular stuff settled downâIâm feeling 100 per cent It was a shame to miss that one It looked like a pretty nice wicket for batting I was watching in the hotel those first two days and wished I could have been out there but it was the right call at that stage I was struggling Smith saidSmith also confirmed that veteran Usman Khawaja and wicketkeeper Alex Carey would bat at No 5 and No 6 respectively with allrounder Cameron Green sliding down to No 7Australia XII for fourth Test Travis Head Jake Weatherald Marnus Labuschagne Steve Smith c Usman Khawaja Alex Carey wk Cameron Green Mitchell Starc Scott Boland Brendan Doggett Michael Neser Jhye Richardson IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/smith-to-lead-australia-as-hosts-confirm-to-play-with-four-quicks-no-spinner-for-mcg-test-655589.html Thu, 25 Dec 2025 11:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/delhi-capitals-appoint-jemimah-rodrigues-as-captain-ahead-of-wpl-2026-655383.html New Delhi Dec 23 Threetime finalists Delhi Capitals on Tuesday announced ICC Womens ODI World Cupwinner Jemimah Rodrigues as captain for the upcoming Womenâs Premier League WPL 2026 A cornerstone of the Capitals setup since the inaugural WPL season where she was their first pick of the auction the 25yearold recently played a pivotal role in Indiaâs historic ICC Womenâs World Cup triumph Her scintillating unbeaten 127 powered India to a memorable worldrecord chase of 339 against Australia in the semifinal underlining her ability to thrive on the biggest stageIn Delhi Capitals colours Rodrigues has featured in 27 WPL matches scoring 507 runs at an impressive strike rate of 13967 including appearances in all three finals across the leagueâs three editions Known for her energy and intensity on the field she has been a livewire presence bringing vibrancy joy and an infectious smile that has helped her build a strong bond with Delhi Capitals supporters and fans of the Indian womenâs teamSpeaking on her new role Rodrigues expressed âIt is an absolute honour to be named captain of the Delhi Capitals and I am deeply grateful to the owners and the support staff for placing their faith in me to lead this team It has truly been a dream year for me and my family winning the World Cup and now being entrusted with this wonderful opportunity at a franchise that has held a very special place in my heart since the very first season of the WPLI have learned so much over the last three years and have shared some of my best moments with the Delhi Capitals This team is my family While I will miss the players who were part of our journey in the first cycle I am excited to create new memories with both familiar faces and new teammates We have a strong group and I canât wait to get going as we look ahead to what we hope will be a very successful season and finally cross that line that has eluded us in the last three yearsâ Rodrigues was quoted as saying by the franchise in a statement on TuesdayRodrigues has featured in 113 T20Is scoring 2444 runs including 14 halfcenturies at an average of 3093 She has also represented India in 59 ODIs amassing 1749 runs with three centuries and eight halfcenturies to her nameDelhi Capitals will take on Mumbai Indians in their opening match of WPL 2026 on Saturday January 10 in Navi MumbaiParth Jindal coowner of Delhi Capitals and founder of JSW Sports added âJemimah has been with us since Day One and there was never any doubt that she would one day captain the team Beyond her onfield heroics her infectious smile and boundless energy have made her a muchloved presence in the dressing room and I am confident she will lead the squad exceptionally well Her magical innings against Australia in the ICC Womenâs World Cup semifinal was truly inspiring and we are immensely proud to have her represent Delhi Capitals and now lead the team I wish her the very best as she starts this new chapter with us and I am certain she will excel in this role and help us cross the line after three consecutive finalsâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/delhi-capitals-appoint-jemimah-rodrigues-as-captain-ahead-of-wpl-2026-655383.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2nd-t20i-shafali-charani-star-as-india-thrash-sri-lanka-women-by-seven-wickets-655417.html Visakhapatnam Dec 23 Opener Shafali Verma delivered an impressive unbeaten 69 as India Women tasted a strong sevenwicket victory over Sri Lanka Women finishing the match with 49 balls remaining at the Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy ACA VDCA Cricket Stadium to take a 20 lead in the fivematch T20I series Indias bowlers especially Shree Charani set a solid foundation before Shafali completed the chase in style Choosing to bowl first India struck quickly and kept Sri Lanka from gaining any momentum They took wickets consistently limiting the visitors to 128 for 9 in their 20 overs Sri Lanka improved slightly from their 121 in the first T20I Kranti Gaud continued her good form by taking down Vishmi Gunaratne for 1 in the first over caught off the followthrough Although Arundathi Reddy let a few runs slip early on the Indian bowlers applied enough pressure to keep Sri Lanka from breaking freeSri Lanka managed to score 39 runs in the Powerplay but faced difficulties with skipper Chamari Athapaththu as their main contributor Athapaththu hit two sixes in her 31 off 24 balls before falling to Sneh Rana the only change in the lineup for the second T20I due to Deepti Sharmas absence because of a fever Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama stabilised the innings by rotating the strike bringing Sri Lanka to 66 for 2 by the halfway pointAs the field opened up Perera struggled to find the boundary and was eventually out for 22 off 28 balls dismissed by Shree Charani in the 13th over ending their 44run partnership Harshitha appeared confident during her knock and scored 33 before being run out in the 17th over Sri Lanka could not maintain their pace at the end losing wickets rapidly Nilakshi de Silva added just two runs before being dismissed by Vaishnavi Sharma who took her first T20I wicket as Sri Lanka finished at 128 for 9 Shree Charani 223 and Vaishnavi Sharma 232 were the top bowlers with Kranti Gaud 121 and Sneh Rana 111 each taking one wicketIn response Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana started strong for India putting together 29 runs before Mandhana was out for 14 off 11 balls Jemimah Rodrigues took control next hitting four fours and a six in her 26 off 15 balls before being caught at long off by Kawya Kavindi India raced to 113 in the first 10 overs their highest tally after the first 10 in womenâs T20Is surpassing the previous record of 111 against Malaysia Women at Hangzhou during the 2023 Asian GamesShafali continued her onslaught after the Powerplay reaching her 12th T20I fifty off just 27 balls She ended her innings unbeaten on 69 off 34 balls including 11 fours and a six Harmanpreet Kaur scored 10 off 12 balls before being bowled by Malki Madara when the score was tied and Richa Ghosh then hit the winning run in the 12th over completing the chase at 129 for 3 in 115 oversThis victory marked Indiaâs secondlargest win over Sri Lanka in womenâs T20Is in terms of balls left only behind the 69ball win in Sylhet in 2022 The series now moves to Thiruvananthapuram for the third T20I on Friday December 26Brief scores Sri Lanka Women 1289 in 20 overs Harshitha Samarawickrama 33 Chamari Athapaththu 32 Shree Charani 223 Vaishnavi Sharma 232 lost to India Women 1293 in 115 overs Shafali Verma 69 not out Jemimah Rodrigues 26 Kavisha Dilhari 115 by seven wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2nd-t20i-shafali-charani-star-as-india-thrash-sri-lanka-women-by-seven-wickets-655417.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ill-always-protect-my-players-as-much-as-i-can-stokes-reacts-to-noosa-stag-do-allegations-655466.html New Delhi Dec 24 Skipper Ben Stokes has come out in defense of his teammates after it was revealed that Englandâs midAshes break in Noosa between the second and third Ashes Tests was allegedly a stag do causing excessive drinking by some players The England Cricket Board is currently investigating claims of the English teamâs drinking culture after a video of Ben Duckett went viral appearing to show intoxicationStokes has hit back at the viral social media post and âstag doâ rumours saying his main concern is the wellbeing of his teammatesâHow I handle this moment right now is the most important thing to me The welfare of everyone in there and probably some certain individuals as well is the most important thing to me right now as England captain Stokes told reporters at a press conference before the Boxing Day Test as quoted by Fox CricketâThis kind of stuff is very I donât know if close to me is the right wording but something that I have first hand experience of how it can affect people And as I said my role as England captain is to protect my players as much as I possibly canâWe have a goal still to try and achieve out here on this trip Itâs not gone anywhere near to plan whatsoever he saidStokes continued âLooking after my players is one of the main things that I need to get out of this because we need to go out there and win two games of cricketâI know how this kind of stuff can affect people and as I said I will always protect my players as much as I possibly canâRight here right now that is my main job as England captain is to ensure that they know that they have my backing because the most important thing to me sitting here right now is a group of players who I can get into a best possible state to go out there and try and perform for this country and the remaining of this tripâStokes was quick to shut down that line of questioning when asked whether his players had done anything wrong in Noosa âIâve just answered everything there Iâve just said I will always continue to support my playersâ he saidâI have a responsibility as captain out on the field to try and win games of cricket but in moments like these I have that other responsibility of making sure that I will always protect my players in a moment where I feel that is necessary he further said IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ill-always-protect-my-players-as-much-as-i-can-stokes-reacts-to-noosa-stag-do-allegations-655466.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ishan-kishan-becomes-second-fastest-indian-to-smash-century-in-list-a-history-655507.html Ahmedabad Dec 24 Jharkhand wicketkeeperbatter Ishan Kishan produced a breathtaking display of powerhitting smashing a 33ball century against Karnataka in a Vijay Hazare Trophy fixture in Ahmedabad on Wednesday The innings ranks as the secondfastest hundred by an Indian in List A cricket falling just one ball short of the national record set earlier the same day by Bihar skipper Sakibul Gani who reached the milestone in 32 deliveries against Arunachal PradeshKishanâs latest feat adds to an extraordinary run of form for the lefthander Only days ago he was a surprise inclusion in Indiaâs squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup shortly after captaining Jharkhand to their firstever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumphDuring the SMAT campaign Kishan topped the charts with 517 runs and played a decisive role in the final against Haryana where he struck a blistering century His hundred came off just 45 balls making him only the second player to score a ton in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final and registering as the thirdfastest century in a menâs T20 final With five centuries in the tournament he now shares the record for most hundreds in SMAT history with Abhishek SharmaKishanâs explosive credentials are well established at the international level too He holds the record for the fastest double century in OneDay Internationals reaching the landmark in just 126 balls against Bangladesh in 2022The Vijay Hazare Trophy witnessed several breathtaking performances on Wednesday It all started with youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi grabbing headlines with his 36ball century for Bihar which he later converted into an 84ball 190 before his knock came to an end What followed next in the same innings was Ganiâs recordbreaking ton and Ayush Loharukaâs 56ball 116 as Bihar finished with a massive 574 runs on the scoreboard against Arunachal PradeshThen Kishan came close to breaking Ganiâs record falling short by the barest of margins with his 33ball ton He eventually finished with 125 runs to his name from 39 deliveries as Jharkhand posted 4129Courtesy of Kishanâs recent performances in the domestic arena he has earned a recall to the international setup having been named in Indiaâs T20I squad for the fivegame series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup in February 2026 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ishan-kishan-becomes-second-fastest-indian-to-smash-century-in-list-a-history-655507.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/bihar-script-history-with-highest-list-a-team-total-in-vijay-hazare-trophy-655509.html Ranchi Dec 24 Bihar are on a roll in its Vijay Hazare Trophy having registered the highest team total in List A cricket during the Plate League opener against Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday Batting first Bihar posted a staggering 574 for the loss of six wickets surpassing the previous List A record of 5062 set by Tamil Nadu against Arunachal Pradesh in the 2022 Vijay Hazare TrophyTeenager Vaibhav Suryavanshiâs blistering 190 coupled with a captainâs knock of 128 not out from Sakibul Gani and a fluent 116 from Ayush Loharuka powered the team to a recordbreaking total in a dominant batting displaySuryavanshi smashed a century off 36 balls to become the youngest centurion in List A cricket His century was the secondfastest by an Indian man overall in List A cricket after Punjab batter Anmolpreet Singhs 35ball century against Arunachal in the Vijay Hazare competition last seasonOverall Suryavanshis 36ball ton ranks jointfourthfastest ever in the world in List A cricket The teenage batter racked up his 150 off only 54 deliveries before being dismissed for 190 off 84Suryavanshi laid the foundation for Biharâs imposing total with a dominant batting display first adding 198 runs for the opening wicket alongside Mangal Mahrour 33 He then kept the momentum going by stitching together another century stand putting on 103 runs for the second wicket with Piyush Kumar Singh before being dismissed for a magnificent 190The onslaught continued as Ayush joined the act forging a fluent 130run partnership for the third wicket with Piyush who narrowly missed out on his halfcentury falling two runs shortSkipper Gani who joined Ayush to establish a 94run partnership hit the thirdfastest century in List A cricket with his 32ball hundred His century is the fastest by an Indian in List A He remained unbeaten on 128 off 40 balls which comprised 10 fours and 12 sixes IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/bihar-script-history-with-highest-list-a-team-total-in-vijay-hazare-trophy-655509.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/head-conway-gain-big-in-latest-rankings-after-recent-red-ball-heroics-655515.html Dubai Dec 24 Performers in Test victories for Australia and New Zealand experienced significant gains following the most recent update in the ICC Menâs Player Rankings Players from both teams experienced a double celebration as Australia advanced to an unassailable 30 series lead against England in a home Ashes series and the Black Caps secured a 20 series victory over the West Indies in Mount Maunganui These performances have brought some Australian players close to the top positions in the Menâs Test batting and bowling rankingsIn Adelaide Australia Travis Head led the charge to an 82run victory with his secondinnings score of 170 off 219 balls helping secure the win This performance also moved Head up four places to joint third 815 in the rankings alongside teammate Steve SmithAlex Careyâs century in the first innings propelled him six spots up the rankings advancing to ninth place with his highest rating of 737Across the Tasman New Zealandâs strong batting performance secured their win against the West Indies resulting in a 20 series victoryRachin Ravindraâs unblemished scores of 72 and 46 led to a fiveplace rise to 13th while Devon Conwayâs impressive scores of 227 and 100 boosted him to a careerhigh ranking of 681 tying him for 17thKavem Hodgeâs aggressive innings of 123 not out resulted in an 11place jump to 66th marking his highest career ranking and ratingOn the bowling front two Australians are now best positioned to challenge Jasprit Bumrah as the top Test bowler Mitchell Starc third and Pat Cummins up four spots to second with a rating of 849 took a total of ten wickets in Adelaide with Cummins just 30 rating points behind the Indian pacerStarc also rose to third place on the Test allroundersâ list after playing a key halfcentury in the victory tying with Ashes rival Ben Stokes with a rating of 311There were also improvements in the Menâs T20I Player Rankings following the recently completed fivematch T20I series between India and South Africa which the Team in Blue won 31The final match was an offensive showcase in Ahmedabad as the hosts scored 231 runs in the first inningsIndias leading scorer Tilak Varma scored 73 off 42 balls surpassing Sri Lankaâs Pathum Nissanka to secure third place with 805 rating points Meanwhile Dewald Brevisâ rapid 31run innings helped him rise into the top 10India managed to defend the total thanks to Jasprit Bumrahs excellent spell 217 in four overs who was the only bowler in the match to finish with an economy rate below a run per ball This performance resulted in a 10place leap to tie for 18th in the bowling rankings with Maheesh Theekshana 622Varun Chakaravarthyâs fourwicket performance cements his leading position in the rankings with a rating of 804 comfortably ahead of Jacob Duffy with 699 in second place IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/head-conway-gain-big-in-latest-rankings-after-recent-red-ball-heroics-655515.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 18:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/former-india-physio-patrick-farhart-joins-lsg-as-global-head-of-science-and-medicine-655519.html New Delhi Dec 24 Former India mens team physio Patrick Farhart has joined Lucknow Super Giants LSG as Global Head of Science and Medicine a franchise official told IANS on Wednesday Besides LSG Farhart will also join its sister franchises the Durban Super Giants in SA20 and the Manchester Originals of The HundredPatrick Farhart will join LSG and its sister franchises as their Global Head of Science and Medicine from today His work will start from the upcoming SA20 season for the Durban franchise an LSG official told IANS on WednesdayFarhat has been in the field for more than 20 years now and has also served the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash the Kings XI Punjab and the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League as the teams physio over the yearsHe has also served as Performance Director for New South Wales Hampshire and Australia and has worked with major rugby and football teams in AustraliaIâm happy to share that Iâm starting a new position as Global Head of Medicine and Science at RPSG Sports Private Limited wrote Farhart on his LinkedIn accountThe purpose of this role is to establish and maintain world class standards in athlete performance health injury prevention injury rehabilitation continuing professional development and scientific innovation for sports medicine and sports science staff attached to RPSG Sport teams including Lucknow Super Giants IPL Manchester Originals The Hundred Durban Super Giants SA20 and Mohun Bagan SG ISL added FarhartPatrick was recently with the Delhi Capitals as their lead physio He joined the franchise for three years in 2019 after his stint with the Indian mens team endedThe Australian served as the Indian teams physiotherapist from 2015 until the 2019 ICC World Cup IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/former-india-physio-patrick-farhart-joins-lsg-as-global-head-of-science-and-medicine-655519.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 18:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/virat-kohli-completes-16-000-list-a-runs-on-vijay-hazare-trophy-return-655520.html Bengaluru Dec 24 Virat Kohli has once again etched his name in cricketing history reaching the remarkable milestone of 16000 List A runs during his return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Wednesday Playing for Delhi in their clash against Andhra Pradesh here at the BCCIâs Centre of Excellence Kohli achieved the feat with his first run in the teamâs chase of 299 This landmark moment further cements his status as one of the greatest ever in the 50over formatKohliâs 16000run feat makes him only the second Indian player after legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar to reach this figure in List A cricket The 37yearold now stands as the ninth player overall to breach this milestone joining the ranks of cricketing legends like Tendulkar Ricky Ponting Kumar Sangakkara Sir Vivian Richards and othersKohliâs last appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy came during the 201011 season where he captained Delhi He would go on to play in the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy in 201314 but had not participated in the Vijay Hazare for nearly a decade before this comeback His return to the competition was eagerly anticipated and his achievement was a fitting start to Delhiâs campaignWhile the milestone of 16000 List A runs stands as a testament to Kohlis excellence his ODI record continues to shine even brighter He remains the secondhighest runscorer in ODI history behind only Sachin TendulkarWith 14557 runs in 308 matches at an extraordinary average of 5846 Kohli is the fastest player to 14000 runs in ODI cricket He also boasts the most centuries in the format with 53 to his nameDespite his long and storied career Kohli is still chasing Tendulkarâs record of 60 centuries in List A cricket He currently holds 57 centuries four ahead of Tendulkarâs former record of 53 in the ODI formatHaving made his List A debut back in 2006 for Delhi in the Ranji OneDay Tournament Kohliâs career has been nothing short of spectacular Over the years he has represented Delhi in various domestic competitions with standout performances in the 50over format IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/virat-kohli-completes-16-000-list-a-runs-on-vijay-hazare-trophy-return-655520.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 18:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/many-more-milestones-will-be-achieved-bca-chief-harsh-vardhan-lauds-bihars-record-breaking-show-in-vht-655545.html Patna Dec 24 Bihar Cricket Association BCA president congratulated the Bihar team for their historic performance calling the match a moment of immense pride for state cricket He lauded the entire squad for their fearless approach and discipline and extended special appreciation to the three centurions Vaibhav Suryavanshi Sakibul Gani and Ayush Loharuka for their outstanding batting displays Bihar produced a batting performance for the ages shattering the menâs List A record for the highest team total by piling up a staggering 574 for 6 in 50 overs against Arunachal Pradesh in a Vijay Hazare Trophy Plate match The innings rewrote history eclipsing the previous record of 5062 by Tamil Nadu against the same opponents in 2022 and Englandâs 4984 scored earlier that yearBihars innings was highlighted by three magnificent centuries an astonishing 49 fours and 38 sixes and a run rate of 1148 throughout the 50 overs The BCA president noted that such performances reflect the consistent hard work of the players coaches and support staffHeartiest congratulations to the Bihar team for producing a truly historic performance Todays match is a moment of immense pride for Bihar cricket said BCA president Harsh Vardhan in a statementI congratulate the entire squad for their fearless approach and discipline and extend special appreciation to our three centurions Vaibhav Suryavanshi Sakibul Gani and Ayush Loharuka for their outstanding batting displays Such performances reflect the hard work being put in by our players coaches and support staff he addedThe standout performer was teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi who at just 14 years and 272 days became the youngest player to score a hundred in menâs List A cricket He went far beyond that landmark racing to the fastest 150 in menâs List A history off just 59 balls before being dismissed for a breathtaking 190 off 84 deliveries laced with 16 fours and 15 sixesThe BCA president made a special mention of Suryavanshi for smashing multiple records and becoming the youngest player to score a century in menâs List A cricket calling the innings exceptional He said records are meant to be broken and expressed confidence that this achievement is only the beginning with many more milestones to comeA special mention must go to young Vaibhav Suryavanshi for smashing multiple records and becoming the youngest player to score a century in menâs List A cricket said Harsh VardhanHis innings was exceptional Records are meant to be broken and I am confident that this is just the beginning many more milestones will be achieved in the years to come he addedVaibhav found excellent support in the middle order Captain Sakibul Gani played a blistering unbeaten 128 off just 40 balls smashing 10 fours and 12 sixes and finishing the innings with brutal efficiency Wicketkeeperbatter Ayush Loharuka scored a commanding 116 off 56 balls striking 11 fours and 8 sixes as Arunachal Pradeshâs bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/many-more-milestones-will-be-achieved-bca-chief-harsh-vardhan-lauds-bihars-record-breaking-show-in-vht-655545.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 19:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/from-borgaon-to-being-roped-in-by-rcb-for-rs-520-crore-mangesh-yadavs-surreal-tale-655200.html New Delhi Dec 22 When Mangesh Yadavs name flashed on the IPL 2026 auction broadcast in Abu Dhabi Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad SRH locked horns in a fierce bidding war that would forever change the leftarm quicks life Within seconds his price rocketed from a base price of Rs 30 lakh to a staggering Rs 52 crore â a staggering jump FOR pacer Mangesh a skiddy leftarm pacer consistently clocking 140 kmph with a sharp yorker in his repertoire could barely process what had just unfoldedI was just thinking the first bid should happen and a team takes me in I was very happy with the first bid from RCB But within seconds in front of my eyes SRH and RCB were bidding for me and it reached five crores which was extremely astonishing My parents back home were very happy They were also getting calls from relatives recalled Mangesh in an exclusive conversation with IANSBy the roadside in Noida miles away from where his proteges life was being transformed Phoolchand Sharma who runs Wonders Cricket Club in Sector 34 was over the moon I cant tell you how happy I was on seeing him get selected Before that a lot of my kids have played in IPL but thereâs a different happiness for him I did hope that he would be picked by any franchise in the auctionâI have never met his father or mother nor have I ever spoken to them I have raised him like my own kid Heâs been a good boy from the start a calm and hardworking kid I gave him a lot of matches to play in Delhi as well as in district leagues in Delhi and UP Heâs had a very long journey and is now seeing the fruits of being committed to that path he told IANSMangeshâs cricketing journey began in Borgaon village in Madhya Pradeshâs Chhindwara district not in an established academy but within the confines of his homeâs compound As a sixyearold hed return home in tears after fighting with boys while playing His mother Rita found a solution shed bowl to him in the compound and he would bat for as long as he wished forFrom there I started playing cricket regularly and it went on and on I started bowling a little late with the left arm But I used to see the bowling of Mitchell Johnson and RP Singh sir bowling and that served me with a lot of motivation he saidAs years went by Mangeshs talent was remarkable But in a family of six including three sisters his father Ramavadh drove trucks to make ends meet Pursuing professional cricket seemed financially impossible till his maternal uncle convinced Ramavadh to let his son train seriously in cricketAfter that Mangesh headed to Noida to train under Sharma The hostel fees was Rs 20000 per month well beyond his familyâs reach What happened next would alter the trajectory of Mangeshs life Sir saw my game and he liked it He forgave my fees and told me to stay here and practice so that was very helpful in my journeyMy father has done so much for me I didnt have any stress I just wanted to play cricket all the struggle was of my father If it wasnt for Phoolchand sir I wouldnt have been able to play cricketThe reality of Ramavadhs sacrifice was never lost on Mangesh While Mangesh caught 4am trains for training and playing matches his father was waking at the same time to begin another gruelling shift behind the wheel navigating treacherous roads through the night with no fixed scheduleMy fathers struggle is unmatchable I used to feel sad that I am going out to play but the father is waking up daily in the morning goes out to drive the truck in night through a lot of dangerous roads though they are in a much better condition nowThe academy evolved alongside Mangesh from basic facilities to a comprehensive setup featuring gym indoor nets trainers and coaches Apart from Shivam Mavi and Bhuvneshwar Kumar India stars Jasprit Bumrah Ashish Nehra and Hardik Pandya would drop in for net sessions at Sharmaâs academy when in DelhiNCRWhat immediately struck Sharma about Mangesh was the rarity of discovering a leftarm quick whose natural bowling action didnt require fundamental reconstruction His bowling action reminded him of how Zaheer Khan bowled smooth repeatable lethalYou do know that when a lefthanded batter or bowler plays there is an alag nazakat different sheen to it Right from the rhythm of his runup he seemed like a perfect packaged bowler We have to teach a lot of kids that you are running slow head is falling over and rhythm is not goodâBut when he used to run and bowl it was perfect action like how Zaheer used to have I used to like Zaheers action and he was just like that We worked on improvising it he addedSmall technical tweaks combined with natural athleticism gradually revealed a complete cricketer capable of consistently hitting 140kmph The biggest thing is he had a lot of seniors to learn and get support from like Anureet Singh who played for IPL for many years Mavi and BhuvneshwarâWe caught some of his small shortcomings or at times other boys caught it We developed his bowling slowly He is a good fielder from the start In between when the kids used to go elsewhere he used to hit long sixes His hitting power has been very good he addedMangesh represented MP in U19 and U23 teams but feared opportunities were slipping away without a proper platform to showcase his talent Then came the Madhya Pradesh League an initiative by current MPCA President Mahanaaryaman Scindia that proved to be transformative Playing for Gwalior Cheetahs this year Mangesh claimed 14 wickets to become the tournaments leading wickettaker and IPL scouts took noticeI thought I would be late in grabbing my opportunity but Scindia ji introduced the MP League and then I got the chance to perform When I got good performances in it this year everything has happened well from then onwards for meMangeshâs three mentors Anand Rajan Tanmay Srivastava and Ankur Tyagi â also stepped in to refine his game and mindset Srivastava an Under19 World Cup winner for India in 2008 and now an active umpire provided invaluable perspective to Mangesh so as Rajan who played for the state and in the IPLI talk to Ankur Tyagi after every match he is like a big brother to me He has always supported and guided me in the right way Due to all three of them I have always improved in the right way he saidDespite a disappointing debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy SMAT MP head coach Chandrakant Pandit pushed him to showcase his batting abilities in the second match against Punjab Mangesh grabbed the chance by hitting 28 off 12 balls proving that he was more than just a bowlerMy first match was not that good but the captain backed me well due to which I was amongst the wickets Pandit sir told me Mangesh you will also have to do some batting In the second game he sent me up to bat and I was able to showcase my batting abilities which felt really goodBefore embarking to Pune for the tournamentâs Super League stage Mangesh went through trials with RCB Delhi Capitals Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians Though he couldnt attend SRH and PBKS trials due to hectic schedule the formerâs bowling coach exIndia pacer Varun Aaron took notice of his skillsetsBut now landing at RCB means sharing a dressing room with the talismanic Virat Kohli a childhood dream that Mangesh admits never seemed remotely possible I always wanted to play under Virat sirs captaincy But he is not doing it and I feel sharing the dressing room with him is a big deal I never imagined that I would play alongside him and this set to become a reality is a great feelingâHis recent experience under Patidars captaincy during highpressure SMAT games also keeps Mangesh in good stead âCricket is tough if you think in mind about it and playing in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is a lot of pressure as you do know the likes of Prabhsimran Singh and Ishan Kishan are tough to bowl to But all of this was made easy by playing under Rajat bhaiyas captaincy The role he gave me I managed to fulfill that and it made life easyThe visualization has already begun â Mangesh standing at the top of his runup in RCBs iconic red jersey with the new ball in hand enough to give him goosebumps But the ultimate dream still remains to be wearing Indiaâs blue jerseyHow exciting it will be to wear the RCB jersey and have the ball in hand at the top of my runup mark I hope that this paves the way for me to wear the Indian team jersey and bowl the first ball for my country That will be an out of the world feelingRather than dwelling on IPLs magnitude Mangesh plans to focus on absorbing lessons from Kohli Patidar and Venkatesh Iyer to improve his craft We will have a team camp where I will prepare alongside with Virat sir Venky and Rajat bhaiyas I will learn from them by playing a lot of practice matches and improve along the way I will get to be in touch with them so it is going to be very helpful for meWhat separates Mangesh from Indias impressive stable of fast bowlers Sharma argues isnt just his leftarm pace its being that rare quick offering genuine allround capabilitiesThe biggest thing is India has a lot of fast bowlers but you wont get a perfect package like him I can count them Arshdeep Bumrah Harshit Rana Shami All of them are good bowlers They play for India because they are goodBut they wont be a batter or fielder like them Its not that he is my child I am talking about the language of cricket Being a cricketer he is a perfect package In the future if God keeps him healthy you will see him play for India in a year or twoThe financial windfall from the lifechanging IPL deal means Mangesh can fulfill his offfield aspirations Marrying off his three sisters with pomp and splendour tops his priority list followed by giving his father respite from decades of grueling truck driving work and buying a house to end the familyâs stay in a rented homeHis message to aspiring cricketers reflects hardearned wisdom that talent alone isnt enough that even strong performances dont guarantee selection and that persistence matters more than immediate resultsWhat I have felt through my cricketing journey is without struggle you wont get anything You wont get anything easy and if youre playing cricket youll have to put in more effort including the double of what is expected usually as there are times when you wont get selected even if you perform wellâYou definitely wont get selected even if you dont perform well So you have to accept that God is always watching you you just have to work hard and he will give you whatever you want at the right timeâYou just have to be true to yourself and your efforts My seniors always tell me that I have to put my head down and play cricket So its important to respect everyone and keep your head down and play well when on the field signed off Mangesh IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/from-borgaon-to-being-roped-in-by-rcb-for-rs-520-crore-mangesh-yadavs-surreal-tale-655200.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 00:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/murphy-richardson-named-in-australias-boxing-day-test-squad-lyon-to-undergo-surgery-655256.html Adelaide Dec 23 Todd Murphy and Jhye Richardson have been added to Australias 15member squad for the fourth Ashes Test starting on December 26 Murphy edged out Matt Kuhnemann and Corey Rocchiccioli to replace Nathan Lyon as the veteran offspinner set to undergo surgery on his injured hamstringMurphy has featured seven times at Test level for Australia with his most recent match coming at the start of the year against Sri Lanka in GalleAustralia confirmed on Tuesday that Nathan Lyon will undergo surgery after suffering a torn right hamstring while diving to stop a boundary on the final day of their Ashessealing third TestMeanwhile Steve Smith is set to resume captaincy subject to clearance from the innerear problem that ruled him out in Adelaide while Pat Cummins will sit out the Boxing Day TestRichardson could be in line to replace Cummins after making a recent return from injury and linking up with the squad in Adelaide ahead of the third TestThe rightarm quick has featured in just three Tests during an injuryhit career with his most recent appearance coming against England in Adelaide in 2021 but the selectors continue to hold the 29yearold in high regardRichardsonâs formal addition to the squad puts him in contention for a Test comeback after a fouryear absence He underwent his third shoulder surgery earlier this year and has gradually built up his bowling workload in recent weeks training alongside the squad during the opening three TestsMeanwhile allrounders Michael Neser and Beau Webster and backup quick Brendan Doggett retain their place in the squad despite missing out on selection in the recent Adelaide Test that saw Australia register an 82run triumph that helped them open up an unassailable 30 lead in the Ashes seriesAustralia squad fourth Test only Steve Smith c Scott Boland Alex Carey Brendan Doggett Cameron Green Travis Head Josh Inglis Usman Khawaja Marnus Labuschagne Todd Murphy Michael Neser Jhye Richardson Mitchell Starc Jake Weatherald Beau Webster IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/murphy-richardson-named-in-australias-boxing-day-test-squad-lyon-to-undergo-surgery-655256.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/delhi-hc-grants-injunction-in-favour-of-gavaskar-in-personality-rights-case-655316.html New Delhi Dec 23 The Delhi High Court on Tuesday passed an adinterim injunction protecting the personality and publicity rights of former India captain Sunil Gavaskar directing social media intermediaries and ecommerce platforms to take down unauthorised content and merchandise misusing his name image and likeness A singlejudge Bench of Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora ordered platforms including Meta and X Corp to ensure that infringing URLs attributing false statements to Gavaskar are removed within 72 hoursThe Delhi High Court clarified that if users fail to remove infringing content within the stipulated time the social media platforms must disable access to such contentJustice Arora also directed ecommerce platforms to take down listings of products being sold in Gavaskarâs name without authorisation adding that if sellers fail to remove infringing products within 72 hours the platforms will delist themThe interim relief came in a suit filed by Gavaskar seeking protection of his personality rights against unauthorised exploitation across social media and online marketplacesThe former cricketer alleged that several social media pages were attributing fabricated quotes to him while multiple online sellers were offering fake autographed items and other merchandise falsely associated with himIn an earlier hearing Justice Arora had asked Gavaskar to provide the offending URLs to Google Meta and X while directing the intermediaries to act on his request under the Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules 2021 within a weekThe Gavaskar case adds to a growing list of highprofile personalities invoking their personality and publicity rights before the Delhi High CourtIn recent months actor Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr NTR spiritual leader and Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar actors Nagarjuna Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Abhishek Bachchan filmmaker Karan Johar and podcaster Raj Shamani have secured court protection against unauthorised use of their identity likeness or AIgenerated imitationsThe Delhi High Court listed Gavaskars suit for further hearing on May 22 2026 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/delhi-hc-grants-injunction-in-favour-of-gavaskar-in-personality-rights-case-655316.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sakib-hussain-ready-for-fresh-start-in-ipl-bandwagon-after-being-picked-by-srh-655134.html New Delhi Dec 22 Sakib Hussain was at Biharâs Vijay Hazare Trophy camp in Patna when Sunrisers Hyderabad picked him for his base price of Rs 30 lakh at the IPL 2026 auction The move marks the start of a new IPL chapter for Hussain the rightarm pacer who tasted championship glory with Kolkata Knight Riders KKR in 2024 though he didnât get to play a single game At the time of the auction we were at the Vijay Hazare Trophy camp in Patna When SRH picked me I felt really good because the things where I had my shortcomings I did improve on them during the IPL and implemented that in domestic games I have made sure to leave no stone unturned in overcoming those shortcomings and do well whenever a chance comes to play in the tournament said Hussain in an exclusive conversation with IANSHussainâs path of coming back to the IPL involved trials with Chennai Super Kings Delhi Capitals Rajasthan Royals and KKR before SRH got him in the auction Shortly after that he received an encouraging call from the franchises bowling coach and former India pacer Varun AaronVarun Aaron told me to get ready and that I have to do well and move ahead by working hard On hearing this first of all I thanked him and the SRH team for taking me in He replied back by telling me that this is just the fruit of your hardworkDespite not getting a game in IPL 2024 Hussainâs time with KKR proved invaluable as the Gopalganj native got masterclass from some of crickets biggest names like Andre Russell Sunil Narine Rinku Singh and coach Abhishek NayarAll of them taught me a lot of good things Like the way they planned playing with a different mindset on match day and how to judge a player I got to learn a lot of things there he saidHussain also learnt a valuable lesson in KKR that physical talent alone wouldnt separate the good from the great at a higher level In my time of being in KKR one big thing I learnt was cricket is a mind game The one who thinks well plays well on the fieldâEveryone is talented but the one who thinks well plays well In the IPL on a daily basis you have to think and plan about what to do Sometimes you have to change your plan in seconds and I got to learn about how to do thatHussainâs journey traces back to humble beginnings at Tunna Giri Cricket Academy in Gopalganj where coach Robin Singh became his pillar of support through every high and lowPeople like Saket bhaiya Kumar bhaiya at the academy have supported me My coach Robin Singh is the most special person in my life He has helped me through ups and downs as well as been in my good and bad times Heâs supported me a lot he saidHe also credited the Bihar Cricket Association leadership President Harsh Vardhan Rakesh Tiwari and Secretary Rahul for creating pathways that helped a smalltown cricketer like him to play at the highest level They all have helped me in going from playing in a small town to such a big stage They have supported me a lot and I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heartLooking ahead to his stint with SRH Hussain is eager to learn from captain Pat Cummins and other international stars in the setup In IPL you get a good coach and mentor who can guide you well But everywhere you go the main interest is in playing at any given opportunity and that aids your growth In the Hyderabad team a lot of legendary players like skipper Pat Cummins are present as I will get to learn a lot and carry those lessons very wellHussainâs bustling pace in his domestic performances caught the attention of IPL scouts particularly a remarkable 10wicket haul against Arunachal Pradesh in the first half of Ranji Trophy and taking six wickets in Biharâs Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy league games in KolkataIn matches I just keep things simple and focus on what I want to do which was to pick timely breakthroughs It also helps that I never think too far and keep focus on doing things in the present moment in the matchHussainâs reentry into IPL reflects a broader resurgence in Biharâs cricket where the likes of Vaibhav Suryavanshi and fellow pacer Mohammad Izhar are also having IPL deals You can see that Bihar has such good players like me Vaibhav Izhar and many other talented players so its going well If we talk about cricket in Bihar there is a very good environment and thats why so many players are coming out and many great cricketers will come in futureHaving experienced the euphoria of an IPL title with KKR Hussain signed off by saying heâs hungry to recreate that success in SRH colours Definitely we will try to become the winning team again in the IPL next year It will be very good to have a picture there with the trophy again on my Instagram profile I am very excited to learn a lot and do well to win the trophy for SRH this time IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sakib-hussain-ready-for-fresh-start-in-ipl-bandwagon-after-being-picked-by-srh-655134.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/meet-mohammad-izhar-the-left-arm-pacer-from-bihar-who-caught-the-eye-of-mumbai-indians-655142.html New Delhi Dec 22 Mohammad Izhar had little time to savour the feeling of his IPL dream coming true As his name was called out at the IPL 2026 auction the leftarm pacer from Birpur in Biharâs Supaul district was already racing against the clock within 1520 minutes he needed to board a bus for a sixhour ride to Patna where the Vijay Hazare Trophy camp awaited him When the auction was on I was at home with my brothers in law While from the outside I was very excited and nervous I was very anxious about whether my name will come in the auction or not Finally the Mumbai Indians picked me and it brought in a different level of happinessâWhile I was feeling very good and excited about getting a chance to be in IPL I became very emotional Though everyone began celebrating at home I had to leave to catch the bus for Patna so I didnt celebrate it much Izhar recalled in an exclusive conversation with IANSThe fivetime champions have been renowned for unearthing uncapped gems through a robust scouting system Though they had a small purse in IPL 2026 auction picking Izhar for his base price of Rs 30 lakh is very much a signal that they may have unearthed another gem in the makingEven as he remained engaged with the trials of Kolkata Knight Riders Izhar recalled how the fivetime champions chose patience in having a look at him Though Mumbai Indians is a big franchise they are so humble which even words cannot explain When they called me for a trial I was at KKRs trialâBut despite being such a big team they waited for me to come for the trials When I reached I was very tired but I saw they waited for me and told me to rest for a while so that I could bowl comfortably after recovering I rested well and then went through the trials very well Its a very good franchise and the coaches there were very humbleIzhars cricketing journey began in Birpur a town in Supaul district where tennis ball cricket was the gateway to bigger dreams His transition to leather ball cricket came through a chance observation by his local mentor Jaichand who spotted raw talent that others missedJaichand bhaiya and Birbal bhaiya got me into leather ball cricket and taught me a lot for the last 23 years Previously I played tennis ball cricket and in one of the games Jaichand bhaiya saw me bowling and then he told me to start playing with a leather ballâI then went on to play for the district and initially it felt a little tough as I was straightaway playing these games without having played leather ball cricket before But it began so well that I havenât looked back after that Birbal bhaiya is a star bowler himself I learnt a lot from him and Jaichand who himself was a cricketer he addedWatching legendary fast bowlers Mitchell Starc Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee also transformed Izharâs casual interest into a Junoon passion to play cricket Starc has always been my idol from the start Then seeing Akhtar and Lee take wickets brought in a junoon in me about playing cricket From the start it was not like I will play for India or be in IPL Gradually I started playing and those thing started to come in my mindâYou do get a good understanding of these things once you start to put yourself through the grind I started setting aims that I want to play for the state and do well there It was in my mind that I wanted to play in the IPL though the goal of playing for India is still at the top But I didnt anticipate that I will get picked this year So I am very thankful to God that I got picked for IPL this yearLike many young cricketers from smaller towns Izhars early journey wasnt paved with automatic support Bihars limited cricketing infrastructure meant initial struggles were there but his fathers growing belief in him transformed everythingWhen I started playing my father started giving me a lot of support He began to understand that I have games to play and do well in them The support from him grew so much that he started taking care of everything around me by himself Whenever I got small bruises he would put a bandage quickly at homeThe Bihar Cricket Associations faith proved equally crucial especially after Izhar had a disappointing previous season The backing from BCA officials including previous President Rakesh Tiwari allowed Izhar to rebuild confidence and rediscover form when it mattered mostLast year I did not get anything great in terms of performances I started preparing for this season early and the association trusted me to come good So I am very thankful for that to all of them in BCA I am very thankful for the chances because of which I got selected for the IPLâI had a good performance this time in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy taking nine wickets in five games in Kolkata where the IPL scouts saw me called me for trials got into the auction and now I will be in IPLIzharâs bowling arsenal centers on both inswing and outswing complemented by variations of slower ball essential for success in T20s Operating around 135 kmph Izhar acknowledges his game remains a work in progress particularly his execution of yorker and consistency with swing deliveriesI also have the yorker in my repertoire but I need to groom and polish it more In all I need to do everything better because I am not always perfect Like my in swing and out swing is not perfect yet and I need to work on it more I always try to work on the small things and make my bowling better Plus there are some variations of slower ball that I need to polish and groom moreWith an IPL deal in hand Izhar will have access to two masters of the craft Trent Boult whose leftarm swing bowling mirrors Izhars own style and Jasprit Bumrah whose yorkers and control have redefined modernday fast bowling Boult bowls with the left arm like me and Bumrah swings the ball well His yorkers are deadly I am going to learn a lot from themFor youngsters from modest cricketing outposts Izharâs rise carries a clear message patience and persistence outweigh the lure of instant success His journey from tennisball matches in Birpur to an IPL contract with MI stands as validation of that beliefI would say just focus on the process keep going by working hard and wait for the right time You do not get success in a very short span as it demands a lot of time You have to be consistent and believe in God Plus you have to believe in yourself that you can do it When the time comes you will get the reward If you work hard you will get successNow on the cusp of wearing MIâs iconic blue and gold in IPL 2026 Izharâs emergence adds fresh momentum to his promising cricketing story It underlines once more that with the right backing cricketing talent can emerge from the gameâs most unheralded corners IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/meet-mohammad-izhar-the-left-arm-pacer-from-bihar-who-caught-the-eye-of-mumbai-indians-655142.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-minhas-hits-blistering-172-as-pakistan-win-title-after-beating-india-by-191-runs-654996.html Dubai Dec 21 Sameer Minhas smashed a blistering 113ball 172 and powered Pakistan to a thumping 191run win over an outofsorts India to clinch the U19 Menâs Asia Cup title at the ICC Academy Ground on Sunday It also meant that India which had an unbeaten campaign so far suffered their heaviest defeat in terms of runs in Youth ODIs Pakistan meanwhile has grabbed the U19 Menâs Asia Cup trophy for the first time having shared the 2012 edition title with India where the final ended in a tieAsked to bat first on a pitch that aided great strokeplay Pakistan were clinical in their approach to post an imposing 3478 with Minhas one of the standout batters in the competition leading the charge in commanding fashion by hitting 17 fours and nine sixesHe also shared partnerships of 92 and 137 with Usman Khan 35 and Ahmed Hussain 56 as Pakistan ensured the Indian bowling lineup barring spinner Khilan Patel had an outing they would not like to rememberThe only solace for India who looked unsorted in their fielding was that they managed to pull things back in the last 10 overs to keep Pakistan three runs short of 350In the chase of a massive target India began brightly in reply racing to 32 runs in the first two overs But the chase unravelled swiftly after skipper Ayush Mhatre fell cheaply in the third overOnce Vaibhav Suryavanshi fell for a 10ball 26 the rest of the Indian batting lineup never showed any kind of fight Indiaâs batters perished to rash strokes on short balls leaving them reeling at 685 by the end of the powerplay From there despite Deepesh Devendran top scoring with 36 India were bowled out for 156 in 262 overs with Pakistan pacer Ali Raza taking 442Brief scoresPakistan U19 3478 in 50 overs Sameer Minhas 172 Ahmed Hussain 56 Deepesh Devendran 383 Khilan Patel 244 beat India U19 156 all out in 262 overs Deepesh Devendran 36 Vaibhav Suryavanshi 26 Ali Raza 442 Huzaifa Ahsan 212 by 191 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-minhas-hits-blistering-172-as-pakistan-win-title-after-beating-india-by-191-runs-654996.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 01:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nz-rise-to-second-in-wtc-rankings-after-323-run-win-against-wi-655066.html New Delhi Dec 22 New Zealand climbed to second on the ICC World Test Championship table after completing a dominant 323run win over the West Indies in the third and final Test at Mount Maunganui The comprehensive victory lifted New Zealand above South Africa with only Australia ahead of them in the WTC standingsNew Zealands next assignment is a threematch World Test Championship series against England scheduled for the middle of next yearThe West Indies meanwhile remain ninth on the table and will return to action at home next year in a series against Sri Lanka and PakistanThe Black Caps sealed the result midway through the final session at Bay Oval with leftarm seamer Jacob Duffy claiming the final wicket to bring the match to a close The performance also capped off an outstanding series for Duffy earning him the Player of the Series awardDuffy was the standout bowler in the West Indiesâ second innings returning figures of 542 as the visitors were bowled out for 138 while chasing a daunting target of 462 He finished the series with 23 wickets playing a central role in New Zealandâs 20 series win and a strong start to their World Test Championship campaignIn the process the leftarmer surpassed a longstanding national milestone breaking Richard Hadleeâs record for the most wickets by a New Zealander in a calendar year His third fivewicket haul of the series took his tally beyond Hadleeâs previous mark of 80I saw that list most wickets in a calendar year at lunch time and there were some cool names on there so to be up there on any sort of list with those sort of names was special Duffy admittedNew Zealandâs bowlers were backed up by a monumental effort with the bat led by openers Devon Conway and captain Tom Latham The pair created history by becoming the first opening combination in Test cricket to each register two centuries in the same matchConwayâs contributions were particularly notable as his scores of 227 and 100 made him the first New Zealander and just the 10th player overall to record both a double century and a century in a single Test He was rewarded with the Player of the Match accoladeI dont think its sunk in yet It will take some time for me to get my head around what happened in this Test match But Im really glad we got the win Conway said IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nz-rise-to-second-in-wtc-rankings-after-323-run-win-against-wi-655066.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 12:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nepal-name-24-player-group-for-training-camp-ahead-of-t20-wc-655101.html Kathmandu Dec 22 Nepal have announced a 24player group that will help determine their final squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup The 24player list that will attend a training camp ahead of the ICC Mens T20 World Cup will determine their final squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup with selectors needing to reduce the size of the group to 15 players prior to the next edition of the 20over showcase in India and Sri Lanka starting on February 7Nepal have stuck with the 16 members that performed well when defeating the West Indies 21 during the T20I series in September and October and added a further eight players into contention such as Sher Malla Binod Bhandari Abinash Bohara and Bashir Ahmed who impressed during the recent Nepal Premier League ICC reportsNepal qualified for the 2026 T20 World Cup with an unbeaten run at the ICC Mens T20 World Cup AsiaPacific Regional Final in Oman in October and will compete in the tournament for a second consecutive time and third overallNepal are drawn in Group C at the T20 World Cup and will play against England the West Indies Bangladesh and ItalyThe 20team tournament will be cohosted by India and Sri Lanka across 29 days and eight venues five in India and three in Sri LankaA total of 40 group matches will be played between February 720 with the top two sides from each group then progressing to the Super Eights phase of the tournament that commences on February 21The top four sides at the completion of the Super Eights qualify for the knockout stages of the event with semifinals to be held in KolkataColombo and Mumbai ahead of the title decider on March 8 in AhmedabadColomboNepal training camp squad Rohit Paudel Dipendra Singh Airee Sandeep Lamichhane Kushal Bhurtel Aasif Sheikh Kushal Malla Sundeep Jora Gulshan Jha Sompal Kami Nandan Yadav Lalit Rajbanshi Lokesh Bam Aarif Sheikh Aadil Ansari Karan KC Sahab Alam Sher Malla Bhim Sharki Ishan Pandey Basir Ahamad Binod Bhandari Abinash Bohora Pratish GC Rupesh K Singh IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nepal-name-24-player-group-for-training-camp-ahead-of-t20-wc-655101.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 13:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-jhye-richardson-likely-to-be-added-to-australias-camp-ahead-of-boxing-day-test-655102.html New Delhi Dec 22 Rightarm quick Jhye Richardson is likely to be included in the XI for the Boxing Day Test of the Ashes series after recovering from shoulder surgery After undergoing surgery in January Richardson returned to cricket with his club Fremantle last month He also spent time with the Test squad ahead of the Ashes opener in Perth before playing for a Cricket Australia XI and Australia A against England LionsRichardson got a golden chance to push his claims for a Test recall after taking 435 against the England Lions as he was called in to bowl with Australias Test attack ahead of the third Ashes TestWith skipper Pat Cummins expected to sit out the Melbourne Test and potentially the rest of the series this will open the vacancy in the pace attack meaning Richardson is very close to being in considerationThe fact that Richardson has been called into camp to bowl in front of the coaching staff shows he remains very much in Australias plans despite playing his last Test in December 2022Moreover with veteran spinner Nathan Lyon being ruled out of the series with a hamstring injury Australia will need to figure out a replacement for the veteran of 141 TestsTodd Murphy is likely the frontrunner to replace Lyon in the squad with Corey Rocchiccioli Matthew Kuhnemann Mitch Swepson and Cooper Connolly also in the frayMurphy is likely the frontrunner to replace Lyon in the squad He was selected for his Test debut at 22 during Australias BorderGavaskar Trophy tour of India in 2023 He took a stunning 7124 on debut and dismissed Virat Kohli four times throughout the seriesMurphy was called in as Lyons injury replacement during the 2023 Ashes and returned to the Test team against Sri Lanka in January this year taking one wicket in Australias innings victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-jhye-richardson-likely-to-be-added-to-australias-camp-ahead-of-boxing-day-test-655102.html Mon, 22 Dec 2025 13:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/richard-ngarava-named-zimbabwes-new-test-and-odi-captain-654866.html New Delhi Dec 20 Zimbabwe Cricket ZC have named Richard Ngarava as the new captain for both Test and OneDay International ODI formats with Brian Bennett serving as vicecaptain The appointments were confirmed during the ZC Boardâs fourthquarter meeting in Harare on Friday The leftarm fast bowler takes over from veteran batter Craig Ervine who is stepping down after guiding the team through an important rebuilding phaseZC chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani congratulated the new leadership team and acknowledged the contributions of the outgoing captain âNgarava has shown remarkable growth as a player and leader over the years He commands respect within the dressing room and has consistently delivered for Zimbabwe across all formats We believe he is ready to lead the team into its next chapter Brianâs appointment as vicecaptain reflects our confidence in his cricketing intelligence maturity and longterm leadership potentialâHe represents the future of Zimbabwean cricket Craig Ervine led with professionalism resilience and dignity during a challenging period ZC is deeply grateful for his contribution to the teamâs stability and progressâ Mukuhlani said in a statement released by Zimbabwe CricketNgarava who debuted internationally in 2017 is a key part of Zimbabweâs bowling lineup As a leftarm fastmedium bowler he has played in Tests ODIs and T20Is and is the first Zimbabwean to reach 100 T20I wicketsHis career highlights include matchwinning fivewicket hauls in both Test and ODI cricket as well as a key contribution in Zimbabweâs first home Test victory in 12 years Bennett a talented young allrounder from Zimbabwe has advanced quickly since leading the Under19 team and making his senior international debut in all formats by age 21His recent milestones include centuries in both Test and ODI formats setting the record for the fastest Test hundred by a Zimbabwean and notable performances in both redball and limitedovers cricket ZC stated that these appointments are part of its longterm plan to develop a competitive and sustainable national team IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/richard-ngarava-named-zimbabwes-new-test-and-odi-captain-654866.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-with-formidable-batting-india-aims-to-extend-dominance-over-pakistan-in-title-clash-654887.html Dubai Dec 20 Just a week after India and Pakistan met in U19 Asia Cup league stage the arch rivals are set to face in the title clash at the ICC Academy Ground on Sunday In their previous meeting where India won by 90 runs both teams refused to shake hands and the same is expected to happen in the final For India who have won the U19 Asia Cup eight times the final offers a chance to practice being in highpressure scenarios ahead of next monthâs Under19 World Cup while Pakistan will view it as another test of temperament ahead of the mega event in Zimbabwe and NamibiaDespite Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi not firing consistently India can draw solace from the fact that other batters Aaron George Vihaan Malhotra Vedant Trivedi and Abhigyan Kundu are amongst the runs The batting is complemented by pacers Kishan Singh and Deepesh Devendran while being backed by spinners Khilan Patel and Kanishk ChouhanPakistan meanwhile will rely on Sameer Minhas the teamâs highest rungetter with 299 runs in four matches including a century and a halfcentury In bowling rightarm pacer Abdul Subhan has been the most successful bowler with 11 wickets from three matches while leftarm fast bowler Mohammad Sayyam has claimed eight wickets so farGiven the quality on both sides another lowscoring contest cannot be ruled out especially with rain likely to stay away The finalâs result may hinge on which batting group adapts better under pressure in a game that rarely fails to deliver dramaWhen Sunday December 21 1030 AM ISTWhere ICC Academy Ground DubaiWhere to watch Sony Sports Ten 1 Ten 3 and Ten 4 SD amp HD channels on TV and SonyLIV for live streamingSquadsIndia Ayush Mhatre C Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Vihaan Malhotra vc Vedant Trivedi Abhigyan Kundu wk Harvansh Singh wk Yuvraj Gohil Kanishk Chouhan Khilan A Patel Naman Pushpak D Deepesh Henil Patel Kishan Kumar Singh Udhav Mohan and Aaron GeorgePakistan Farhan Yousaf captain Usman Khan vicecaptain Abdul Subhan Ahmed Hussain Ali Hassan Baloch Ali Raza Daniyal Ali Khan Hamza Zahoor wk Huzaifa Ahsan Momin Qamar Mohammad Huzaifa Mohammad Sayyam Mohammad Shayan wk Niqab Shafiq and Sameer Minhas IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-with-formidable-batting-india-aims-to-extend-dominance-over-pakistan-in-title-clash-654887.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ahead-of-2026-wpl-delhi-capitals-set-to-announce-new-captain-on-sunday-evening-654892.html New Delhi Dec 20 Ahead of the 2026 Womenâs Premier League WPL threetime runnersup Delhi Capitals DC are set to announce their new captain for the upcoming season on Sunday evening DC were captained by Australiaâs multiple times World Cup winning skipper Meg Lanning but fell short of winning the WPL title in 2023 2024 and 2025 respectively But with Meg released by the franchise and being roped in by UP Warriorz UPW at the mega auction in New Delhi last month they have a leadership void to fillIANS understands that India batter Jemimah Rodrigues and South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt are in the race to be DCâs new captain âJemimah had been DCâs vicecaptain for three seasons while Laura has considerable international leadership experience by leading the Proteas It will be interesting to see who they go withâ said a source familiar with the matter to IANS on SaturdayThe new captainâs announcement by DC will also be made live on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network channels at 6pm on Sunday evening just before Indiaâs opening T20I against Sri Lanka takes place at the ACAVDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam Barring a lastminute change DC might go in with an Indian skipper if coowner Parth Jindalâs words in the mega auction are to go byâI think we are very clear that we would like to have an Indian as the captain So depending on who else we land we already have our mind made up But lets see what happens but I mean Laura will add a lot of leadership qualities into the dressing room But we are clear that we want to go with an Indian captainâ Jindal had said in the press conference during the mega auctionDC will open their 2026 WPL campaign against defending champions and twotime winners Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on January 10 This is the first time a WPL season will be played in the JanuaryFebruary window The final will take place at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on February 5 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ahead-of-2026-wpl-delhi-capitals-set-to-announce-new-captain-on-sunday-evening-654892.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-nathan-lyon-ruled-out-of-remainder-of-adelaide-test-with-hamstring-injury-654911.html Adelaide Dec 21 Australia spinner Nathan Lyon has been ruled out of the remainder of the third Ashes Test due to hamstring injury The injury also puts him in doubt in the remainder of the series Lyon 38 grabbed his right hamstring after diving to save a ball at fine leg but he came up cautiously and signaled to the dressing room almost afterAfter a quick conversation with Marnus Labuschagne who gave him a pat on the back he left the field of play at fine leg and limped to the changing rooms Before the lunch break on the fifth day he was observed on crutches to leave Adelaide Oval for an injury scanHe would no longer participate in the game according to a Cricket Australia representative This is the not the first time Lyon has suffered injury like thisWhile chasing a ball on the field at Lords in the second Test of the 2023 Ashes Lyon sustained a right calf injury that ended the series for himLyon had taken five crucial wickets during the third Test including three in the second inningsThere will be an intriguing selection debate regarding Australias specialist spinner if Lyon is unable to play in the fourth Test in MelbourneAustralias No 2 Test spinner leftarm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann is on the teams contract list and has travelled to the West Indies However in spinfriendly conditions abroad he serves as Lyons complementary second spinner In recent years offspin has outperformed leftarm orthodox in Australian conditions Due to injuries and Australias whiteball duty Kuhnemann has only participated in two Sheffield Shield games this season taking four wickets at 36Veteran off spinner Todd Murphy who has played seven Test including three Ashes is also in line to replace Lyon IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-nathan-lyon-ruled-out-of-remainder-of-adelaide-test-with-hamstring-injury-654911.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 11:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-skipper-pat-cummins-doubtful-for-remainder-of-series-654943.html Adelaide Dec 21 Australia captain Pat Cummins is unlikely to feature in the Boxing Day Test against England scheduled to take place from December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground After a fiveandahalfmonth injury break the Australian captain took six wickets in the third Test and was a key factor in their 82run win at the Adelaide Oval Following wins in Perth and Brisbane the hosts continued their strong performance and clinched the series 30 successfully retaining the Ashes The captain expressed joy over the amazing series victory but indicated he will reconsider injury risks for the upcoming matchesIm feeling really good but as for the rest of the series well wait and see We had a pretty aggressive buildup knowing that its the Ashes there to be won and we thought that was worth it Now that the series has been won there might be a sense of jobs done and lets reassess the riskâ he told the broadcasters after the gameWell work it out over the next couple of days I doubt Ill be playing Melbourne and then well have a chat about Sydney But certainly before the series it was while the series was live lets take on the risk and have a crack at it now its done I think well need to have a chat about itâ Cummins addedEnglands Jamie Smith and Will Jacks challenged the hosts with a counterattack for a period but pacer Mitchell Starc took three of the last four wickets including those of Smith and Jacks Scott Boland finished the innings by taking the wicket of Josh Tongue securing Australia a wellearned victoryIt feels pretty awesome Yeah amazing Its a series weve been thinking about for a long time It wasnt easy today but we got it done Its a pretty excited changing room in thereâ Cummins said on the winSpeaking on about maintaining the pressure on England he said I think thats when were at our best this cricket team You cant really rush things here in Australia I think you kind of will it to happen but it doesnt really work that way Its good oldfashioned grind a lot of the time I loved the toil from all the guys today It got a little bit closer than I would have liked but Im pretty happyNathan Lyon who took three wickets on day four was sidelined due to a hamstring injury while fielding but the captain praised the teams efforts on the fieldI think thats one of the things Im most proud about in this group Nothing ever really happens perfectly theres always something that gets thrown upOver the last few years this groups have shown it can just crack on Even I missed the first couple of games Steve stepped right in and it was smooth and seamless Theres always things that crop up Nathan Lyon doing his hammy with a couple of hours left todayThe boys just go okay thats happened Lets crack on Whats next I think thats one of the big reasons why weve had our success over the last couple of yearsâ he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-skipper-pat-cummins-doubtful-for-remainder-of-series-654943.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 14:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/the-youth-factor-just-isnt-there-right-now-uthappa-questions-srhs-bowling-squad-654964.html New Delhi Dec 21 Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa highlighted Sunrisers Hyderabads bowling issue citing a lack of youth bowlers which could hurt the franchise in the IPL 2026 The Hyderabadbased franchise retained their core squad boasting one of the strongest squads in IPL 2025 featuring players like Travis Head Abhishek Sharma Pat Cummins Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen They signed seasoned players including Salil Arora Jack Edwards and Liam Livingstone for Rs 13 crore as well as a number of promising stars through the miniauction before to IPL 2026However Uthappa questioned the signing of Livingstone and his place in the eleven and also shared his thoughts on the weak bowling attackâNothing has really changed SRH have taken a clear stand they want to win the championship on the back of their batting at full tilt If you look at this auction and the way theyâve gone about it theyâve stayed true to that narrative They havenât gone after an Indian bowler who could support Pat Cummins Harshal Patel or Jaydev Unadkat We know Harshal can pick up wickets but he can also be expensive The same goes for Unadkat Pat Cummins is the only bowler who can consistently hold one end Nitish Reddy is still developing as an allrounder so how much responsibility will he get SRH are batting like they want to breach 300 every gameBut the question is â where does Liam Livingstone fit into this lineup You already have Travis Head Heinrich Klaasen Pat Cummins and Eshan Malinga occupying overseas slots Are they planning to chase every game Or are they accepting that their bowling lacks depth especially with some bowlers being in the latter stages of their careers The youth factor in the bowling unit just isnât there right now Uthappa said on JioStarFormer India cricketer Anil Kumble also commented on Liam Livingstone joining SRH for Rs 13 crore and questioned the bowling options for SRH alongwith skipper CumminsâI think Liam Livingstone as a buy certainly makes sense in a T20 lineup irrespective of his performances last season with RCB Heâs the kind of player who can change a game in just a few overs thatâs the way he bats On top of that heâs extremely flexible â he can open bat at No 3 or play in the middle order That said spending â¹13 crore becomes an interesting call when you already have a bowling captain in Pat Cummins who bats lower down the order along with Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen â three overseas slots that are almost fixed IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/the-youth-factor-just-isnt-there-right-now-uthappa-questions-srhs-bowling-squad-654964.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 15:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/happy-for-my-thambi-sanju-ashwin-reacts-to-indias-t20-wc-squad-654864.html New Delhi Dec 20 Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed delight at Indiaâs T20 World Cup 2026 squad stating that the team was ready for its title defence He said he was happy for his âbrotherâ Sanju Samson and lauded Ishan Kishanâs selection who has made a comeback to international cricket In a surprising move defending champions India have excluded Shubman Gill from their squad for next yearâs T20 World Cup and the upcoming T20Is against New Zealand As announced by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia captain Suryakumar Yadav chief selector Ajit Agarkar and vicecaptain Axar Patel this squad highlights notable changesBesides Gill wicketkeeperbatter Jitesh Sharma is also omitted as Ishan Kishan makes a remarkable comeback after showcasing explosive form while leading Jharkhand to victory in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Rinku Singh also returns to the T20I squad after missing out on the 31 series win in South AfricaâTitle defence loading Superb squad Great to see Rinku back and happy for my thambi Sanju who will now rightfully open alongside Abhishek Adipoli Chetta Huge applause for Ishan who showed his hunger by grinding hard in the domestic circuitâ Ashwin wrote on XThe 2026 Menâs T20 World Cup taking place from February 7 to March 8 will feature 40 group matches all scheduled to be played by February 20 The top two teams from each of the four groups will move on to the Super Eights beginning on February 21India and Sri Lanka are hosting the Menâs T20 World Cup for the second time Sri Lanka previously hosted in 2012 while India last held the event in 2016 After finishing a threematch ODI series India will play five T20Is against New Zealand starting on January 21 in Nagpur with matches also scheduled in Raipur Guwahati Visakhapatnam and ThiruvananthapuramIn the Menâs T20 World Cup defending champions India are in Group A with Pakistan USA Netherlands and Namibia India kicks off its tournament against the USA at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7 followed by a match against Namibia at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on February 12Indiaâs highprofile match against Pakistan is set for February 15 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo Their next and final league game will be against the Netherlands taking place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 18India squad Suryakumar Yadav captain Abhishek Sharma Sanju Samson wk Tilak Varma Hardik Pandya Shivam Dube Axar Patel vicecaptain Rinku Singh Jasprit Bumrah Varun Chakaravarthy Arshdeep Singh Kuldeep Yadav Harshit Rana Washington Sundar and Ishan Kishan IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/happy-for-my-thambi-sanju-ashwin-reacts-to-indias-t20-wc-squad-654864.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 23:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wi-v-nz-kavem-hodges-unbeaten-ton-leads-windies-fightback-on-day-3-at-bay-oval-654794.html Mount Maunganui Dec 20 Kavem Hodges unbeaten century has led the West Indies fightback in response to New Zealands mammoth firstinnings score as the visitors finished Day 3 of the final Test at 3816 at Bay Oval on Saturday Hodge brought up his second Test hundred and remained unbeaten on 109 as West Indies avoided the followon late on Day 3 giving them a chance to save this Test match The West Indies are still 194 runs behind New Zealands 575 for 8Resuming from their overnight score of 110 for no loss the Windies carried on from their good start but Jacob Duffy dismissed John Campbell who failed to add to his overnight scoreNew Zealand continued to apply early pressure on the visitors but Hodge broke the shackles with three boundaries in nine deliveries Soon Duffy struck again in the first hour removing Brandon King for 63Then Hodge and Tevin Imlach brought up the 50run stand and soon after the former moved to 50 as the visitors reached 2062 at the stroke of lunchAfter lunch New Zealand broke the 66run stand between Hodge and Imlach when Michael Rae removed the latter for 27 Alick Athanaze then joined Hodge and the duo put together 81 for the fourth wicket before Athanaze was dismissed by Ajaz Patel his first Test wicket at home after 22 Tests falling five short of a halfcenturyHodge and Justin Greaves struck a few timely boundaries as the West Indies crossed the 300run mark approaching tea New Zealand took the second new ball as soon as it was available with Duffy getting some movement but the Windies duo saw their side through to tea at 310 for 4After the tea break the pair continued to time the ball superbly picking up boundaries in quick succession However Greaves missed a nipbacker from Daryl Mitchell that struck him on the pads resulting in an LBW decision which he reviewedSoon after Patel removed West Indies captain Roston Chase for two while Hodge chipped a shot into the air that fell just short of the midoff fielder Anderson Phillip and Hodge then took a few blows to the body from Michael Rae before Hodge brought up his second Test hundred on the stroke of stumpsHodge and Phillip took the visitors to 381 for 6 still trailing by 194 runs at stumpsBrief Scores New Zealand 5758d Devon Conway 227 Tom Latham 137 Justin Greaves 283 lead West Indies 3816 Kavem Hodge 109 Brandon King 63 Jacob Duffy 279 Ajaz Patel 294 by 194 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wi-v-nz-kavem-hodges-unbeaten-ton-leads-windies-fightback-on-day-3-at-bay-oval-654794.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 14:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/gill-axed-axar-named-vice-captain-ishan-returns-as-india-name-t20-wc-squad-654810.html Mumbai Dec 20 In a surprising development defending champions India have left out Shubman Gill from its squad for next yearâs T20 World Cup and T20Is against New Zealand In the squad announced by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia captain Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar Axar Patel has been named as the vicecaptain Apart from Gill wicketkeeperbatter Jitesh Sharma misses out as Ishan Kishan makes a stunning return to the team following his explosive form leading Jharkhand to a recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy win Meanwhie Rinku Singh also makes his return to the T20I team after missing out on the 31 series win in South AfricaâWe are looking at combinations Our thought was to have another keeper Gill is a quality player unfortunate to miss out but it is the combination we want Ishan bats at the top he has been in good form and played before for IndiaâHe wasnt there because Jurel and Pant were ahead Sanju is at the top Ishan at the top That is the combination we are looking at right now We felt he is the best back up keeper at this pointâ said AgarkarThe 2026 Menâs T20 World Cup to be held from February 7 to March 8 will have 40 group matches scheduled to be played till February 20 Top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the Super Eights starting on February 21India and Sri Lanka are hosting the Menâs T20 World Cup for the second time Sri Lanka were the hosts of the 2012 edition while India last hosted the competition in 2016 After the completion of the threematch ODI series India will play five T20Is against New Zealand starting on January 21 in Nagpur followed by games in Raipur Guwahati Visakhapatnam and ThiruvananthapuramIn the Menâs T20 World Cup defending champions India have been placed in Group A alongside Pakistan USA Netherlands and Namibia The Men in Blue will be aiming to become the first team to successfully defend the Menâs T20 World Cup title the first team to win the T20 World Cup on home soil and the first team to clinch the T20 world title for a third timeIndia will open its Cup campaign against USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7 before facing Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on February 12Indiaâs marquee clash against Pakistan is scheduled for February 15 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo before the side plays their final league stage game against the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 18India squad Suryakumar Yadav captain Abhishek Sharma Sanju Samson wk Tilak Varma Hardik Pandya Shivam Dube Axar Patel vicecaptain Rinku Singh Jasprit Bumrah Varun Chakaravarthy Arshdeep Singh Kuldeep Yadav Harshit Rana Washington Sundar and Ishan Kishan IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/gill-axed-axar-named-vice-captain-ishan-returns-as-india-name-t20-wc-squad-654810.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/indias-vir-gahrotra-wins-historic-gold-at-pole-and-aerial-sports-world-cship-654845.html Mumbai Dec 20 Indian athlete Vir Gahrotra won a gold medal at the Pole and Aerial Sports World Championship achieving Indiaâs firstever podium finish at this international event in Budapest Hungary Vir a 16yearold from Mumbai represented India in the Junior B Amateur Men 15â17 years aerial silk category Facing competitors from countries with strong aerial sports traditions like Ukraine Hungary and the Czech Republic Gahrotra delivered a technically demanding and winning performanceAerial silk is a performanceorientated form of aerial gymnastics that demands substantial upperbody strength endurance flexibility and artistic expressionAt the championship level routines are evaluated based on technical precision execution and artistry not just difficulty Gahrotraâs goldwinning routine was notable for its control consistency and calmness despite fatigue which earned it the highest scores from the judgesIndia achieved a historic milestone by participating in the inaugural POSA World Aerial Championships 2025 organised by the Pole Sports amp Arts World Federation POSA Held in Budapest this prestigious international event gathered top aerial and pole athletes from more than 40 countriesVirâs victory marks a historic milestone for Indian aerial sports as he won the countryâs firstever gold medal at the championship in the Junior B Men â Amateur Aerial Silks category This achievement is a proud and significant moment for Indiaâs debut on the international stageThe fourday championship showcased worldclass rigging with certified international judges overseeing the event It included top disciplines such as Aerial Silks Aerial Hoop Aerial Artistic and Pole Sport Although the aerial competitions have finished the Pole Sport contests are still in progress with athletes from around the globe delivering exciting performancesThe Indian team was commanded by head coach Ria Bajaj and Coach Masuma Mun with assistance from Indian Federation Committee members Shrikant Warankar Suresh Gandhi and Pankaj KundeâThis debut marks a powerful beginning for India at POSA Our students have trained tirelessly and witnessing them perform with confidence and excellence on a global stage is deeply inspiringâ Coach Ria said IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/indias-vir-gahrotra-wins-historic-gold-at-pole-and-aerial-sports-world-cship-654845.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 23:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/dc-needed-someone-to-open-bowling-with-starc-says-abhinav-mukund-on-auqib-dars-ipl-2026-deal-654597.html New Delhi Dec 19 Former India cricketer Abhinav Mukund hailed Auqib Dars longawaited break on the Indian Premier League IPL stage after the Jammu and Kashmir pacer bagged an Rs 840 crore deal from Delhi Capitals in the miniauction held recently Mukund said Delhi Capitals needed someone to open bowling alongside veteran Australian pacer Mitchell Starc in their squad in the upcoming IPL and Auqib is the opening bowling option DC was looking forStarting at a base price of Rs 30 lakh Auqib sparked an intense bidding war between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers but the 29yearold pacer from Baramulla was snapped up by DCI am very happy for Auqib Dar He has played for a long time for Jammu and Kashmir and finally gets a chance on this big stage Delhi Capitals needed powerplay bowling options Some people question his death bowling but he will learn at a tough ground like DelhiAfter last years issues with Natarajans injury they went for multiple pacers They needed someone to open the bowling with Mitchell Starc That is the role they see for him at Delhi Capitals which is a heartwarming story he saidA consistent wickettaker across formats in domestic cricket over the past few seasons Auqib is primarily a swing bowler Recently however the Jammu amp Kashmir bowler has added new dimensions to his gameâmost notably improved deathovers skillsâwhich have significantly boosted his valueDelhi Capitals coowner Parth Jindal said they needed someone who swings the ball and Auqib is the perfect candidate to play that roleWe needed someone who swings the ball and gets early breakthroughs and we found Auqib Dar as the perfect candidate to play that role and thats the reason why we tracked him throughout the entirety of the current domestic cricket season He is an exciting talent and we went all out for him We are really happy to get a player from Jammu and Kashmir Jindal said IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/dc-needed-someone-to-open-bowling-with-starc-says-abhinav-mukund-on-auqib-dars-ipl-2026-deal-654597.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ed-attaches-rs-793-crore-assets-of-yuvraj-singh-robin-uthappa-others-in-illegal-betting-app-case-654655.html New Delhi Dec 19 In fresh trouble for cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa actor Sonu Sood and others the Enforcement Directorate ED attached their movable and immovable assets valued at Rs 793 crore as part of action against illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet an official said on Friday Earlier on October 6 the ED had attached assets amounting to Rs 1114 crore of cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh RainaOthers against whom the latest action in the case has been taken by the ED Headquarters Office include actresses Urvashi Rautela Mimi Chakraborty actor Ankush Hazra and actress Neha Sharma an ED statement saidThe attachment was done under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLA 2002 an official statement saidThe ED initiated investigation on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by various state police agencies against the operators of the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBetThe investigation has revealed that 1xBet and its surrogate brand 1xBat 1xbat Sporting lines were engaged in promoting and facilitating illegal online betting and gambling operations across IndiaThe ED investigation revealed that the celebrities knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet through its surrogates the statement saidThese endorsements were made in return for payments routed through foreign entities to conceal the illicit origin of the funds which are linked to proceeds of crime generated from illegal betting activities it addedThe ED investigation revealed that 1xBet operated in India without authorisation and used surrogate branding and advertisements to target Indian users through social media online videos and print mediaPayments for endorsements were structured through layered transactions using foreign intermediaries to disguise the illegal source of funds the ED saidThe ED cautioned that illegal betting and gambling platforms cause serious economic harm and are widely used for money laundering and other unlawful activitiesIt advised the public to avoid such platforms and report any suspicious transactions or advertisements to law enforcement agencies or the EDThe ED also warned celebrities and social media influencers that endorsing or promoting illegal betting or gambling platforms including through surrogate promotions was a punishable offence attracting action under applicable laws IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ed-attaches-rs-793-crore-assets-of-yuvraj-singh-robin-uthappa-others-in-illegal-betting-app-case-654655.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/renshaw-wildermuth-centuries-guide-brisbane-heat-to-highest-bbl-chase-654666.html Brisbane Dec 10 Brisbane Heat produced a night for the history books at the Gabba pulling off the highest successful run chase in Big Bash League BBL history as they hunted down a target of 258 to beat Perth Scorchers with a ball to spare on Friday night The Heat finished their innings on 2582 chasing 257 capping an incredible eightwicket victory that will go down in league history as one of the bestMatt Renshaw and Jack Wildermuth put together a recordbreaking 212run partnership marking the first time in T20 cricket history that two batters scored hundreds in the same run chase In a Friday night blitz at the Gabba Brisbane defeated Perths 257 in front of 24277 spectators defying the rules of the short formatRenshaw 102 off 51 balls and Wildermuth 110 not out off 54 recorded the highest partnership in a BBL match and a record 36 sixes were hit throughout the gameThe Perth Scorchers had earlier put on their own recordbreaking performance They chose to bat and amassed the secondhighest total in BBL history 2576 Cooper Connolly scored 77 off 37 balls after Finn Allen smashed 79 off 38 balls adding 142 runs in a vicious attack that included 14 sixes between themThe final touch came from Nick Hobsons unbeaten 48 giving Brisbane a formidable target Xavier Bartlett took two wickets despite going at 11 runs per over while Shaheen Afridi had a tough night giving up 49 runsBrisbanes chase got off to the worst possible start when Jhye Richardson dismissed captain Colin Munro for a golden duck off the first ball What followed was an extraordinary counterattack from Renshaw and Wildermuth from the outset keeping the required rate in check as the partnership grew rapidly Before being run out late in the innings Renshaw hit nine sixes to reach his century in 48 ballsWildermuth persevered and finished unbeaten on 110 clearing the ropes nine times and hitting five fours to finish one of the most memorable chases in T2O historyThe night saw several records tumble the highest successful chase in the BBL and the 3rd highest in T20s the most number of sixes in a game the highest partnership in a match the first time two tons were scored in a game and the first time in a T20 chase where two batters made centuriesBrief scoresPerth Scorchers 2576 in 20 overs Finn Allen 79 Cooper Connolly 77 Xavier Bartlett 244 lost to Brisbane Heat 2582 in 195 overs Jack Wildermuth 110 Matt Renshaw 102 by eight wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/renshaw-wildermuth-centuries-guide-brisbane-heat-to-highest-bbl-chase-654666.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/vijay-hazare-trophy-pant-appointed-as-delhis-captain-kohli-confirms-availability-654679.html New Delhi Dec 19 India wicketkeeperbatter Rishabh Pant has been named as Delhiâs captain for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy starting on December 24 in Bengaluru Delhiâs squad has also been boosted by the availability of batting stalwart Virat Kohli as well as senior pacers Ishant Sharma and Navdeep Saini With BCCI making a mandate for India players with central contracts to feature in domestic cricket seambowling allrounder Harshit Rana will link up with the Delhi side once he becomes available said the DDCA on FridayThe senior menâs selection committee met at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday to finalise Delhiâs squad from a bumper list of probables announced earlier The meeting was attended by selectors Yashpal Singh K Bhaskar Pillai and Manu Nayar chief coach Sarandeep Singh CAC member Robin Singh Jr secretary Ashok Sharma and joint secretary Amit GroverDelhi will play its first two Elite Group D games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Andhra and Gujarat at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru which serves as Kohlis home ground when playing for his IPL team Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB Delhi is also scheduled to play its remaining five games at the Alur Cricket Ground on the outskirts of BengaluruKohli comes on the back of being Player of the Series in the 21 ODI series win over South Africa while Pant will be itching to get some game time after being an unused player in the 50over fixtures against the ProteasThe duo will be available for Delhi till Indiaâs ODI series against New Zealand happens from January 1117 2026 Kohli last played Vijay Hazare Trophy for Delhi in the 200910 seasonBatting allrounder Ayush Badoni has been appointed as the vicecaptain while the rest of the squad for the first two matches includes Arpit Rana Yash Dhull Sarthak Ranjan Priyansh Arya Tejasvi Singh Nitish Rana Hritik Shokeen Harsh Tyagi Simarjeet Singh Prince Yadav Divij Mehra Ayush Doseja Vaibhav Kandpal Rohan Rana and Anuj RawatRanjan and Tejasvi had recently bagged IPL 2026 deals after being roped in by threetime champions Kolkata Knight Riders KKR in the recent auction held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday Delhi won the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 201213 while being runnersup in 201516 and 201819 seasons IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/vijay-hazare-trophy-pant-appointed-as-delhis-captain-kohli-confirms-availability-654679.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 20:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/dev-dutt-appointed-selector-for-delhi-civil-services-team-654685.html New Delhi Dec 19 Devdutt has been appointed as selector for the Delhi Services team for the All India Civil Services Tournament Dev Dutt captained the India Mens Deaf Cricket Team who achieved a comprehensive victory in the threematch T20 series with strong performances across all departments against the Inclusive Warriors Deaf Dubai IWDD team at Sharjahs DCS YOU SELECTS Arena Alongside Dev Dutt Pawan Chauhan and Deepanshu have also been appointed as selectorsIn the opening match on December 11 IDCA scored a formidable 212 for 5 after choosing to bat before bowling out IWDD for 123 in 172 overs to secure an emphatic 89run victory Santosh Kumar Mahapatra was named Player of the Match for his crucial contribution to the dominant winThe second T20 on December 12 saw IWDD bat first and score 134 for 8 but IDCA chased down the target with ease reaching 139 for 2 in just 113 overs to secure an eightwicket victory Once again Santosh Kumar Mahapatra received the Player of the Match award for his matchwinning performanceThe third and final T20 on December 13 followed a similar pattern with IDCA batting first to score 187 for 4 after IWDD chose to field The bowlers then dominated as IWDD were dismissed for 124 in 18 overs giving IDCA a comfortable 63run victory Virender Singh was named Player of the Match for his decisive contributionAt the end of the series Santosh Kumar Mahapatra was named Best Batsman Virender Singh earned the Best Bowler and Player of the Series awards and Vaibhav Paranjpe was recognised as the Best Fielder marking a strongly dominant series for the IDCA Team IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/dev-dutt-appointed-selector-for-delhi-civil-services-team-654685.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 21:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-cummins-lyon-lead-australias-dominance-on-day-2-of-adelaide-test-654343.html Adelaide Dec 18 Skipper Pat Cummins 354 and Nathan Lyon 251 led a dominant bowling show at the Adelaide Oval reducing England to 2138 in reply to their 371 on Day 2 of the third Test here on Thursday England appeared to be in a strong position after claiming the two wickets required to bowl Australia out for 371 on the second morning but the visitors were reduced to 2138 trailing Australia by 158 runsStarc and Nathan Lyon started from where they left off on Day 1 and took their overnight score of 3268 to 344 in just two overs into the first session Courtesy of his boundaryhitting spree Starc reached his halfcentury off just 73 deliveriesHe sent the ball away for a four on the first ball that he faced after scoring a halfcentury but Jofra Archer had the last laugh as the Aussie pacerâs impressive knock came to an end on the 75th delivery that he facedWhile Lyon showcased nerves of steel and put forth a strong defensive game Scott Boland kept the runscoring going and found boundaries at regular intervals However the spinnerâs wicket in the 92nd over off Archerâs delivery brought the curtains down on the Australian innings as the hosts closed with 371 runs on board With that final nail in the coffin Archer also completed his fourth fivewicket haul his third against AustraliaIn response England openers started positively with Ben Duckett appearing more confident than Zak Crawley Pat Cummins took a crucial wicket in the eighth over as Crawley was caught behind After the opening partnership was broken Lyon made an immediate impact in his first over dismissing Ollie Pope and then trapping Duckett just two balls later with a superb deliveryWith this he surpassed Glenn McGraths record of 563 wickets and now ranks as Australias secondhighest wickettaker in Test historyEngland found some respite after a controversial call led to Joe Root surviving a scare as he stitched a 29run stand with Harry Brook but Cummins finally had him edging one to Alex Carey behind the stumps in the 17th over of the inningsSkipper Ben Stokes then put on a show as he once again looked to anchor the innings and got decent support from Harry Brook but the duo failed to score big as the opposition bowlers kept things tight with their bowlingBrook fought hard for his 45 but Cameron Green got the edge as the former found his way to the dugoutWhat followed was absolute drama as controversial sequences involving Englandâs Jamie Smith unfolded raising doubts over the Snicko technology and umpiring Cummins bowled a short ball that struck Smithâs helmet and popped to slip but replays showed no bat or glove contact and the catch had bounced resulting in a notout decision despite a Snicko spikeStarc criticised Snicko on the stump mic dubbing it as the âworst technologyâ and calling for it to be âsackedâShortly after Smith was controversially given out when another short ball carried to Alex Carey Although replays showed a clear gap between bat and ball a Snicko spike persuaded third umpire Chris Gaffaney leaving the English skipper furiousStokes showed resistance alongside Archer after Scott Boland dismissed Will Jacks and Brydon Carse for cheap scores courtesy of some brilliant glove work by CareyAs a result the hosts concluded Day 2 of the Test 2138 reducing the visitorsâ lead to 158 runs and will aim for quick runs on Day 3 to keep the deficit manageableBrief Scores England 2138 Harry Brook 45 Ben Stokes 45 Pat Cummins 354 Nathan Lyon 251 trail Australia 371 Alex Carey 106 Usman Khawaja 82 Mitchell Starc 54 Archer 553 by 158 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-cummins-lyon-lead-australias-dominance-on-day-2-of-adelaide-test-654343.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/told-aniket-if-you-get-selected-i-will-also-get-in-says-srhs-newest-recruit-shivang-kumar-654379.html New Delhi Dec 18 Manifestation met reality for Madhya Pradeshâs leftarm wristspin allrounder Shivang Kumar when Sunrisers Hyderabad SRH picked him in the IPL 2026 auction at his base price of Rs 30 lakh The move to rope him in by SRH reunites Shivang who bats righthanded and is capable of producing big hits with best friend and Madhya Pradesh teammate Aniket Verma who was one of the finds for the franchise in a disappointing 2025 seasonFirst of all I am very excited to play for SRH Itâs a team of my teammate and best friend Aniket Verma With me now going to his team there is also this excitement feeling because I told him last year that if you get selected then I will also get selected in itâSo a lot of things have been manifested At that time when the auction was on I was in the room My friend came and told me that bhai you have been selected So I felt very good said Shivang in an exclusive conversation with IANSShivang 23 had trials with multiple franchises before the auction and that was enough to tell him that he will be a part of the IPL for the first time Before the auction I went to trials of Punjab Kings Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals So I got a good response from themâSRH also called me twice but unfortunately I could not go as at that time I was in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy The other time it got cancelled for some reason But the trials were quite good and there was a good response everywhere SRH showed their trust in me and I am feeling goodShivang views playing in IPL 2026 as his gateway to fulfilling his ultimate goal playing for India IPL is a launching pad for an uncapped player to the Indian team So as per my skills I think SRH will like me a lotâI do both batting and bowling so I can be very useful for the team I have heard a lot about Murali sir Muttiah Muralitharan He talks a lot about cricket So it will be good to talk to him as well because I also talk mainly about cricket he addedIt also helps that Shivang sees Aniket as a huge source of motivation and belief to leave his mark in the IPL after SRH scouts noticed his rare bowling skillset and penchant for hitting big shots Because of Aniket we felt that we can also do well at this level Anikets season was very good and he played very well in SRH for 23 innings So we also believe that we can also do well at the topâI told Aniket that you have done well there then I will also do well So there was a lot of support from the Madhya Pradesh Premier League because under the lights we actually play less matches on an international groundSo the player gets a lot of experience and exposure there on how he will play internationally The world also watches him whatever he does good or bad So it is also a benefit that we learn how to deal with itGrowing up in Rewa a place that has produced notable pacers Kuldeep Sen and Ishwar Pandey Shivang was first taught about cricket by his father Praveen Kumar a Chief Ticket Inspector CTI in the Railways currently posted in Moradabad Uttar Pradesh Praveen himself played cricket in Bengal including the Ranji Trophy and who harbored dreams of playing for India himselfâWe used to practice cricket in our MPCA camps in Indore When I was 22 I went to Rewa Before that I used to play in the Gwalior division Rewa supported me a lot and it was an opportunity for meActually my father put me into playing cricket He also had a dream that my child should play for India He also had a dream that he should play But this dream has been passed on to me Hopefully I will be able to fulfill his dreamSeeing him being picked by SRH for IPL left Praveen jubilant âMy father is a very positive person So he was like Okay beta you have been selected So learn and go upwards from here Your ultimate goal is to play for India He was also very happy that I was selected for SRH which is known for a lot of power hitters and are known for their fearless approach and excellent battingIt was Praveen Shivangâs first coach who transformed him from a righthanded bowler into a leftarm spinner He taught me batting and actually I bowled right handed But he made me a lefty bowler I do everything from the right hand but just do bowling from the left hand So you can call it his masterpiece as he made me like this After I started my cricket under him I found my way through MP and MPCA supported me a lotShivangâs journey in the cricketing world wouldnât have happened if the MS Dhoni biopic movie hadnât reignited his passion for the game When I didnt get selected for the U14 team I decided to leave cricket I didnt play for 5 months Luckily I got a chance to watch the movie on MS DhoniâI had heard a few things about it â like when people saw it they said I gave up on cricket too soon When my brother told me to watch the movie saying that it is a very well made film and has an inspiring story I went to watch it and took a lot of inspiration from Dhoni sirâIt made me realise that his life had a lot of struggles and I gave up too fast I restarted playing cricket and scored 98 in the first match That made me realise that cricket is in my blood and that I dont know if I will play at the higher level or not but cricket cannot leave me he recalledMeeting his idol Dhoni sits at the top of Shivangâs bucket list It is every youngsters dream to meet Dhoni sir especially when there is a match in Chepauk the atmosphere is different When he enters I want to experience that what it is like to be out there I have heard about it from the rest but I will definitely want to experience itThe superlative performance in Madhya Pradeshâs T20 league propelled Shivang to make his Syed Mushtaq Alit Trophy debut against Hyderabad where he showed promise with the bat through a crucial knock of 45But I didnt get a wicket in that game When I went wicketless against Hyderabad I spoke to Venkatesh Iyer He told me not to worry and that I would get a wicket next time He motivated me a lot Next up I got three wickets against Bihar and it felt good said ShivangApart from Iyer Shivang draws huge inspiration from RCB skipper and India batter Rajat Patidar Rajat bhaiya is especially an inspiration His batting is world famous He is the most stylish batsman Venky bhaiya has a positive attitude towards youngstersâHe comes and makes the environment casual and that helps in gelling up well with him He doesnt look like a star and that gives us a feel that he is like our friend Venky bhaiya gives a lot of support and inspires me a lot in me wanting to play for IndiaWith the IPL still a few months away Shivang is eager to test himself against international stars and who knows he might shine in IPL 2026 which in turn put him on the radar of higher honours including playing for IndiaThese are big matches and international players are present I have never played against or with foreigners How to bowl to them as well as to big domestic hitters and veterans it is a different game So I want to experience it IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/told-aniket-if-you-get-selected-i-will-also-get-in-says-srhs-newest-recruit-shivang-kumar-654379.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/vijay-hazare-trophy-kl-rahul-and-prasidh-krishna-named-in-karnatakas-squad-654252.html Bengaluru Dec 17 The Indian duo of wicketkeeperbatter KL Rahul and fastbowler Prasidh Krishna have been named in Karnatakaâs squad for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy Defending champions Karnataka will play its Group âAâ fixtures in Ahmedabad starting on December 24 The addition of Rahul who recently captained India in the ODI leg of the South Africa tour where they won 21 and Prasidh adds further experience to the side led by Mayank Agarwal Karun Nair has been appointed as the vicecaptain following his strong performances in the Ranji TrophyPacers Vidwath Kaverappa and Vidyadhar Patel though not listed in the main squad will travel with the team to Ahmedabad and remain available for match duty Young batters Harshil Dharmani and Dhruv Prabhakar who also bowls handy offspin have earned callups after impressive outings in the U23 50over competition last monthLeftarm spinner Shreesha Achar has been included as the squadâs lone specialist slow bowler Yere Goud will be the head coach while Mansur Ali Khan and Shabarish Mohan will serve as bowling and fielding coaches respectively Karnatakaâs Group A opponents include Tamil Nadu Rajasthan Jharkhand Madhya Pradesh Pondicherry Kerala and TripuraWith a threeweek gap between Indiaâs final T20I against South Africa in Ahmedabad on December 19 and the opening ODI against New Zealand on January 11 2026 in Vadodara this window will be utilised by all India players barring Shreyas Iyer whoâs recovering from a spleen injury sustained in October to play in the 50over domestic competition for their respective states Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant have already been included in Delhiâs probables listKarnataka squad Mayank Agarwal captain Karun Nair vicecaptain Devdutt Padikkal Ravichandran Smaran KL Shrijith Abhinav Manohar Shreyas Gopal V Vyshak Manvanth Kumar Shreesha Achar Abhilash Shetty BR Sharath Harshil Dharmani Dhruv Prabhakar KL Rahul and Prasidh Krishna IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/vijay-hazare-trophy-kl-rahul-and-prasidh-krishna-named-in-karnatakas-squad-654252.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 00:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sri-lanka-rope-in-r-sridhar-as-mens-national-team-fielding-coach-654139.html Colombo Dec 17 Sri Lanka Cricket SLC has appointed R Sridhar as the fielding coach of the national menâs team until the completion of the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup Sridhars appointment was effective from December 11and will end a couple of days after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka on March 10Sridhar a BCCI Level 3 qualified coach brings extensive international experience having served as Indiaâs fielding coach across more than 300 international matches from 2014 to 2021 which includes two ODI and T20I World Cup editions eachIn his new role Sridhar will work closely with the Sri Lankan squad to lift overall fielding standards work with the players during the upcoming tours involving Pakistan and England followed by preparations for the ICC Menâs T20 World CupSpeaking after the announcement Sridhar said âSri Lankan players have always stood for instinctive brilliance resilience and collective spirit My role is not to impose a system but to nurture an environment where athleticism awareness and pride in the field can grow naturallyâThe appointment marks a familiar return for Sridhar who earlier this year conducted a 10day specialised fielding camp at Sri Lanka Cricketâs National High Performance Centre in MayHe began the programme with the Sri Lanka National Menâs team and subsequently trained other squads where he conducted fielding drills skillspecific training and simulated match scenarios to replicate game conditionsSridhar had worked closely with the national highperformance and club coaches during his 10day stint at Sri Lanka CricketFielding thrives when players feel connected to the ball to each other and to the moment Sri Lankaâs traditional strengthsâquick hands sharp reflexes and fearless intent can be further enhanced by creating realistic gamelike learning environments Sridhar addedLast year Sridhar was named Afghanistan menâs cricket teamâs assistant coach for the sideâs oneoff Test match against New Zealand in Noida and the threematch ODI series against South Africa in September IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sri-lanka-rope-in-r-sridhar-as-mens-national-team-fielding-coach-654139.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/team-india-has-benefited-immensely-from-hardiks-ability-bangar-654154.html New Delhi Dec 17 Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar highlighted Hardik Pandyaâs impact with bat and ball stating that the Men in Blue have benefited massively because of the allrounderâs abilities Pandya returned to competitive cricket earlier this month after missing out for over two months due to the injury he sustained during the Asia Cup semifinal in September He made an immediate impact in the game for the Men in Blue and played a crucial role in the teamâs successful outings against South Africa in the ongoing fivematch T20I seriesSpeaking to JioStar Bangar lavished praise on Pandya emphasising the Baroda cricketerâs unique batting mechanics and his value as a bowling option in T20 cricket as he said âGoing deep inside the crease is Hardik Pandyaâs specialityEven when he goes that deep his weight remains on the front foot which is a very good thing As a batter we always encourage waiting for the ball He plays with a very wide base which allows him to generate a lot of powerââHe can play frontfoot shots backfoot shots baseballstyle hits full shots and the upper cut He opens up both sides of the ground which is a special ability He bowls at around 132â133 kmph with a fuller length where close to 54 per cent of his deliveries are pitched up and he gets wickets from there He allows the ball to swing and when required he goes for the yorker as well The Indian team has benefited immensely from his abilityâ he addedBangar highlighted Abhishek Sharmas fearless approach underscoring the technical elements that enable the young batter to dominate bowlers Opining on his attacking mindset Bangar stated âFirst of all itâs his attacking mindset If thereâs a delivery outside the off stump he hits it very hard One very important aspect of his batting is his high backlift He holds the bat above the handle which gives him excellent reach Because of the swing he generates he can hit big sixes especially over the covers Hitting sixes over the covers is a special ability He doesnât try to hit from below which gives him an incredible rangeâTurning his attention to Shubman Gill Bangar acknowledged the Indian openerâs form while pointing out specific areas that need refinement particularly against straight deliveriesâIn the beginning his footwork was very positive But if you remove three or four boundaries over 28 games the issue has been on straighter lines Against straight deliveries his strike rate has fallen quite low Outside the off stump his strike rate is good but there have been a few edges as wellOverall he has scored runs but straightline play is something he will want to improve In the second game the ball that got him out was a very good deliveryâit could have dismissed any batter His footwork has improved and if he continues to play with clear footwork he will be able to hit the same shots consistently like the three or four boundaries weâve seenâ he notedWhile India have enjoyed the upper hand in the series so far Bangar cautioned against underestimating South Africa particularly with the conditions on offer in Lucknow saying âThe way this series has gone South Africa has fought well in every format On the Lucknow pitch there is bounce and seam and South Africaâs fast bowlers will look to make early inroads India will need to be prepared for that challengeâWith India holding a 2â1 advantage in the fivematch T20I series against South Africa the spotlight now turns to Lucknow for the fourth game as the two sides gear up to face off at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Wednesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/team-india-has-benefited-immensely-from-hardiks-ability-bangar-654154.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-call-up-is-the-next-aim-says-auqib-dars-father-after-blockbuster-ipl-deal--654173.html Baramulla Dec 17 As Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Dar made headlines after Delhi Capitals bought him for Rs 840 crore during the IPL 2026 mini auction the uncapped pacers father Ghulam Nabi Dar has said that while the IPL contract was a matter of great pride for the family the only aim now is for his son to get selected in the Indian team Starting at a base price of Rs 30 lakh Auqib sparked an intense bidding war between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad later entering the fray The contest ended with the 29yearold pacer from Baramulla being snapped up by the Delhi CapitalsI cant express my happiness in wordsâ Now the only thing left is to get selected for the Indian team Every parent wants their child to progress and succeed Auqibs father told IANSA consistent wickettaker across formats in domestic cricket over the past few seasons Auqib Nabi registered as Auqib Dar is primarily a swing bowler Recently however the Jammu amp Kashmir bowler has added new dimensions to his gameâmost notably improved deathovers skillsâwhich have significantly boosted his valueHis recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy performances underline that progress 15 wickets in seven matches at an economy rate below eight figures that support the effort he has invested Has been a net bowler with Kolkata Knight Riders KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad SRH in the pastNabi made his Ranji Trophy debut for Jammu and Kashmir in 2020 and announced himself with a threewicket haul against Karnataka in the quarterfinal In the previous Ranji season he was in outstanding form claiming 49 wickets from nine matches at an impressive average of 1308Earlier this year Nabi once grabbed everyones eyeballs by bagging a fivewicket haul which included four wickets in four balls during the 202526 Duleep Trophy game between North Zone and East Zone IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-call-up-is-the-next-aim-says-auqib-dars-father-after-blockbuster-ipl-deal--654173.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/4th-t20i-toss-in-lucknow-delayed-due-to-excessive-fog-inspection-scheduled-for-650-pm-654204.html Lucknow Dec 17 The toss for the fourth T20I between India and South Africa has been delayed due to excessive fog at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Wednesday The next inspection by the match officials will take place at 650 pm âToss in Lucknow has been delayed due to excessive fog Next inspection at 650 PMâ said an update from the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI on their âXâ account Earlier on Wednesday the India Meteorological Department IMD had issued an orange alert for âvery dense fogâ in 13 districts of eastern and central Uttar Pradesh It also issued a yellow alert for dense fog in 27 districts from the eastern to western parts of the stateThe fog at the stadium has been so thick that spectators were barely able to see the stands situated at the opposite end With fog set to get worse there are concerns over whether the match will happen or not It is to be noted that this is the first time Lucknow is hosting a T20I game in the month of DecemberFormer India batter Robin Uthappa noted on the live broadcast that delaying play could prove counterproductive as fog is likely to intensify as the evening progresses Fortunately for India ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah took part in the warmups ahead of the match after he missed the third T20I in Dharamsala due to personal reasonsBut vicecaptain Shubman Gill has been apparently ruled out due to a foot injury with Sanju Samson likely to come into the playing eleven India is leading the fivegame series 21 with two matches remaining and are considered a favourite to clinch the series if they manage to win in Lucknow But for that to happen the game needs to take place in biting cold conditions provided the fog goes downIndia currently lead the series 21 After winning the first T20I India lost the second match before winning the third to take the lead in the fivematch series IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/4th-t20i-toss-in-lucknow-delayed-due-to-excessive-fog-inspection-scheduled-for-650-pm-654204.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 21:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-auction-lsg-can-look-to-buy-livingstone-for-finishers-role-says-kaif-653839.html New Delhi Dec 16 Lucknow Super Giants LSG could look to buy Englandâs batting allrounder Liam Livingstone at the IPL 2026 auction to bolster their lowerorder firepower said former India batter Mohammad Kaif The IPL 2026 auction will be held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and they come in with a purse of Rs 2295 crore to fill six slots fourof which are for roping in overseas playersWith David Miller released ahead of the auction LSGâs primary goal will be to get a player who fills in that voidâOne name that comes to mind is Liam Livingstone He plays the role of a finisher and plays at number five or six With them releasing Miller his direct replacement option is Livingstone He bowls as well and although his current form is not good but I think he has a lot of experience and his strike rate is quite highâSo instead of David Miller Lucknow would like to run behind Livingstone because you have three overseas batters in Pooran Markram and Marsh and you need a finisher who can play at number five or six for Lucknowâ said Kaif a JioStar expert in an exclusive conversation with IANS ahead of the mini auctionLSG enters the auction with enviable depth in their Indian pace attack strengthened by the acquisitions of veteran seamer Mohammed Shami and young pacer Arjun Tendulkar The duo coming in means thereâs additional cover for pacers Mohsin Khan Avesh Khan and Mayank Yadav who have been dealing with injuries for a long timeKaif feels LSG should look to rope in either of the South African pacers Anrich Nortje or Lungi Ngidi as their overseas fast bowling option to balance the squadâFirst of all I pray and hope that Avesh Khan and Mayank Yadav are close to being fully fit as itâs almost 56 months now Lucknow will be praying that they recover and come back to action Now the second question is who should they target I think they need overseas fast bowlersâThere are options in Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi Nortje could be an option because Lucknow has a large ground a square boundary and a red soil pitch which can help him in generating good bounce and pace So they can target Nortje as well but as I said earlier the injured players should be fit and then pick either Nortje or Ngidi as an optionâ he addedIn terms of spinners New Delhibased Digvesh Rathi remains the lone wristspin option in LSGâs roster leaving the franchise with a gap to address at the auctionHaving released Ravi Bishnoi ahead of the auction boosting their spin bowling department with an experienced player to complement Rathi and provide variety in middleovers bowling will also be key for LSGKaif suggested that LSG may need to explore uncapped spin options given the possibility of Bishnoi fetching an expensive pay cheque at the auctionâOne issue is that there may not be enough purse left for Lucknow to buy Bishnoi back Lucknow wont be able to afford him at an expensive priceâKKR are having a lot of money and then Chennai is also there So I think that by the time Bishnoiâs number comes a lot of people will want to run behind him Now Digvesh Rathi has become their premier leg spinner Skipper Rishabh Pant also likes him because he bowls in the powerplay and takes wickets in the middle oversâWith Rathi becoming Pantâs favourite who will bowl with him now Lucknow wont be able to afford a spinner at an expensive price there They wont be able to save that much money So Lucknow will focus on the untapped leg and leftarm spinners who can come at a cheap price at the auctionâCatch all the action from the TATA IPL 2026 miniauction December 16 230 PM onwards LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-auction-lsg-can-look-to-buy-livingstone-for-finishers-role-says-kaif-653839.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/work-we-did-in-back-half-of-2025-has-set-us-up-for-ipl-2026-auction-csk-head-coach-fleming-653843.html New Delhi Dec 16 Chennai Super Kings CSK head coach Stephen Fleming revealed that the teamâs planning for the upcoming season effectively began midway through the last campaign when performances dipped and injuries disrupted momentum He also stated that the work they carried out in the backhalf of the previous season has helped them curate a blueprint for the upcoming auction to be held on TuesdayIn a video shared by the franchise on X Fleming said âWell it was actually halfway through last season where things werent going well we did a lot of work behind the scenes with trialling players looking at some young players going forward and we had some injuries as well so we used the opportunity to get some new players into the side and that was with a view to this year and I think the second half of the season was a lot better and we finished the last couple of games really wellâThat lateseason improvement Fleming explained helped shape the franchiseâs approach at the auction table âSo that helps go into the auction process when we found players like Mhatre and Brevis and of course weve got quite a big purse so you saw a number of players being released which is unusual for CSK but again a reflection that we werent quite good enough in last years performanceâAddressing how difficult it is to remain committed to longterm thinking after a disappointing season Fleming admitted that rigid adherence to âprocessâ was less important than reading the situation correctlyâIm not massive on process Its more around the feel and we knew that things werent quite right so the work that went in from the coaching staff and players down were to turn the season around but from a head coaching point of view and a decision making management point of view we were looking at what we could salvage from the season and make sure that we go into this auction and the next season with a lot more positivesâ he saidDrawing on past experience Fleming pointed to the fivetime championsâ ability to rebound from adversity âThat was similar to the previous year that was poor for us and we bounced back pretty well from that So we used that as a way of learning what to do and we felt that the work we did in the back half has set us up for a position going to this auction where we can be quite positiveâ he notedLooking ahead Fleming acknowledged that the upcoming auction presents unique challenges particularly with multiple franchises reshaping their squads âIts really difficult I think with some retirements and with other franchises releasing a lot of players its made it a difficult auction to gaugeâWhile CSKâs sizeable purse offers flexibility Fleming warned it can also complicate decisionmaking âWere obviously in a position where weve got a good purse but it can be dangerous when teams only need one or two players You really have to concentrate on maybe the requirements of other teams but also you dont ignore the priorities of your own squad and were certainly very clear on thatâHe emphasised the importance of adaptability on auction day saying âWere just hoping that our strategy during the day will work or well be able to implement it because often the best plans are similar to others So you have to be able to pivot and navigate through that but we think weve got a good plan in place and if things go well for us tomorrow we feel itll set our squad up wellâThe franchise will enter the auction with the second biggest purse among all teams Rs 4340 crore and nine slots to fill Fleming offered a balanced view on whether a high purse is truly an advantageâWell it depends on a teams needs sometimes having a big purse and needing a few players can be harder than needing one or two players with a mediumsized purse so all franchises will have a pretty clear plan Its just who they target and you hope that theres not too many that have targeted the same players as you There will be some but were in a good position to put pressure on anyway and if it does go our way then we think well put together a good squadâ he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/work-we-did-in-back-half-of-2025-has-set-us-up-for-ipl-2026-auction-csk-head-coach-fleming-653843.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/virat-kohli-visits-premanand-ji-maharajs-ashram-with-wife-anushka-sharma-653852.html New Delhi Dec 16 Indias batting stalwart Virat Kohli has visited Vrindavan with his wife Anushka Sharma and had a special spiritual conversation with Premanand Ji Maharaj in his Ashram Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj Varah Ghat The couple visit the ashram regularly and their recent trip marked their third time this year having previously visited Vrindavan in January this year with their kids and then again in May just a day after Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricketAs Maharaj ji spoke visibly emotional Anushka listened attentively He advised them âConsider your work as service live with seriousness remain humble and practice chanting the divine name There should be a deep desire to have a glimpse of the Almighty One should yearn to see himâKohli nodded in agreement with every word as Maharaj Ji further said that one should cultivate the feeling that all worldly happiness has already been attained and now only God is desired and once that happens all happiness rests at his feetAnushka responded âWe belong to you Maharaj jiâ To this he replied âWe all belong to Shri Ji We live under his divine protection We are all his childrenâHaving retired from both Tests and T20Is Kohli is an active member of the ODI side and has been performing in top form of late After registering two backtoback ducks against Australia in October Kohli bounced back with a statement knock of 74 not out as India won the game by nine wicketsKohliâs next and most recent appearance was in the three home ODIs against South Africa where the former India skipper finished as the Player of the SeriesThe Delhi cricketer notched up two consecutive centuries in the first and second ODIs and ended on a high with an unbeaten 65run knock in the third ODI as the Men in Blue clinched the threegame series 21 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/virat-kohli-visits-premanand-ji-maharajs-ashram-with-wife-anushka-sharma-653852.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/cameron-green-becomes-costliest-overseas-buy-in-ipl-history-sold-to-kkr-for-rs-2520-cr-653880.html Abu Dhabi Dec 16 Australian allrounder Cameron Green was roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping sum of Rs 2520 crore at the Indian Premier League IPL auction underway here at the Etihad Arena With that he became the most expensive overseas player in the history of the tournament As his bidding reached the Rs 25 crore mark he went past the previous record set by his Australia teammate Mitchell Starc who was bought by KKR for Rs 2475 crore in the IPL 2024 auctionOverall he became the third costliest player in the history of the IPL auction after Rishabh Pant Rs 27 crore to Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2025 mega auction and Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer 2675 crore in IPL 2025 auctionGreen went under the hammer at his base price of Rs 2 crore and initiated a bidding war between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals before the latter team backed out when the figures touched Rs 13 croreJust then fivetime champions Chennai Super Kings lifted the paddle as the battle intensified KKR and CSK entered the auction as the teams with the heaviest purses with the threetime champions having Rs 6430 crore and the Ruturaj Gaikwadled team having Rs 4340 croreAfter a few tense moments and several discussions among members of the think tanks of both sides Green became the first player of the eve to cross the Rs 20 crore mark before KKR sealed the deal for a whopping 2520 croreAs per the new IPL rules Green cannot improve on his 2023 price with a new rule setting overseas players at a maximum of Rs 18 crore Hell however receive only Rs 18 crore and the rest Rs 720 crore will be used towards players welfareThe allrounderâs most recent IPL outing was in IPL 2024 when he represented RCB In 12 innings he made 255 runs at a strike rate of 14325 Picked up 10 wickets in 13 matches with the ball at an economy of 861 Has also played for the Mumbai Indians before being traded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/cameron-green-becomes-costliest-overseas-buy-in-ipl-history-sold-to-kkr-for-rs-2520-cr-653880.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-green-goes-to-kkk-for-record-fee-of-rs-2520-crore-rcb-bag-venkatesh-for-rs-7-crore-653892.html Abu Dhabi Dec 16 IANS Australian allrounder Cameron Green bagged the biggest pay cheque at the ongoing Indian Premier League IPL 2026 miniauction here at the Etihad Arena when threetime champions Kolkata Knight Riders KKR acquired his services for a whopping price of Rs 2520 crore while reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru bought India allrounder Venkatesh Iyer for Rs 7 crorenbspRegistered as a batter owing to a goofup by his manager during the player auction registration Green went past the previous record set by his Australia teammate Mitchell Starc whom KKR bought for Rs 2475 crore in the IPL 2024 auctionGreen made his IPL debut in the 2023 season after the Mumbai Indians MI bought him for Rs 175 crore Notably at the time he became the secondmostexpensive overseas player in IPL auction history and the most expensive Australian player Most recently he played in IPL 2024 for RCB after being traded in from MI In 12 innings he made 255 runs at a strike rate of 14325 and picked up 10 wickets in 13 matches with the ball at an economy of 861Further in the capped batters list South Africas David Miller went to Delhi Capitals at his base price of Rs 2 crore while Indias Prithvi Shaw Sarfaraz Khan and New Zealand opener Devon Conway formerly with Chennai Super Kings and Australia batter Jake FraserMcGurk formerly with DC went unsoldIn the capped allrounder slot Lucknow Super Giants LSG acquired the services of Wanindu Hasaranga Sri Lanka for Rs 2 crore while RCB bagged Venkatesh for Rs 7 crore Meanwhile other capped allrounders Englands Gus Atkinson Indias Deepak Hooda New Zealands Rachin Ravindra and South Africas Wiaan Mulder remained unsoldA total of 1390 players registered for the Player Auction out of which 350 players were shortlisted 240 Indian and 110 are overseas recruits The pool comprises 224 uncapped Indian players and 14 uncapped overseas players adding significant depth and fresh talent to this years auction roster https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-green-goes-to-kkk-for-record-fee-of-rs-2520-crore-rcb-bag-venkatesh-for-rs-7-crore-653892.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-green-goes-to-kkk-for-record-fee-of-2520-cr-rcb-bag-venkatesh-for-rs-7-cr-653894.html Abu Dhabi Dec 16 Australian allrounder Cameron Green bagged the biggest pay cheque at the ongoing Indian Premier League IPL 2026 miniauction here at the Etihad Arena when threetime champions Kolkata Knight Riders KKR acquired his services for a whopping price of Rs 2520 crore while reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru bought India allrounder Venkatesh Iyer for Rs 7 crore Registered as a batter owing to a goofup by his manager during the player auction registration Green went past the previous record set by his Australia teammate Mitchell Starc whom KKR bought for Rs 2475 crore in the IPL 2024 auctionGreen made his IPL debut in the 2023 season after the Mumbai Indians MI bought him for Rs 175 crore Notably at the time he became the secondmostexpensive overseas player in IPL auction history and the most expensive Australian player Most recently he played in IPL 2024 for RCB after being traded in from MI In 12 innings he made 255 runs at a strike rate of 14325 and picked up 10 wickets in 13 matches with the ball at an economy of 861Further in the capped batters list South Africas David Miller went to Delhi Capitals at his base price of Rs 2 crore while Indias Prithvi Shaw Sarfaraz Khan and New Zealand opener Devon Conway formerly with Chennai Super Kings and Australia batter Jake FraserMcGurk formerly with DC went unsoldIn the capped allrounder slot Lucknow Super Giants LSG acquired the services of Wanindu Hasaranga Sri Lanka for Rs 2 crore while RCB bagged Venkatesh for Rs 7 crore Meanwhile other capped allrounders Englands Gus Atkinson Indias Deepak Hooda New Zealands Rachin Ravindra and South Africas Wiaan Mulder remained unsoldA total of 1390 players registered for the Player Auction out of which 350 players were shortlisted 240 Indian and 110 are overseas recruits The pool comprises 224 uncapped Indian players and 14 uncapped overseas players adding significant depth and fresh talent to this years auction roster IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-green-goes-to-kkk-for-record-fee-of-2520-cr-rcb-bag-venkatesh-for-rs-7-cr-653894.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-duckett-goes-to-dc-de-kock-joins-mi-653904.html Abu Dhabi Dec 16 England wicketkeeperbatter Ben Duckett was sold to Delhi Capitals for a base price of Rs 2 crore in the ongoing Indian Premier League IPL 2026 mini auction taking place here at the Etihad Arena Duckett made his T20 debut in 2012 and has scored 5397 runs in 216 T20 matches including 34 halfcenturies With a best score of 84 he has amassed 527 runs for England in 20 games at an average of 2927 and a strike rate of 15364He has played for Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League and Welsh Fire in The Hundred among other T20 competitions worldwideSouth Africa wicketkeeperbatter Quinton de Kock who has showcased great form during the ongoing whiteball series was signed by the Mumbai Indians for a base price of Rs 1 crore De Kock was released by Kolkata Knight Riders KKR following the IPL 2025De Kock has represented Sunrisers Hyderabad Delhi Daredevils Royal Challengers Bengaluru Mumbai Indians Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders across his IPL career In 115 games he has amassed 3309 runs at a strike rate of 13402 and an average of 3063 The wicketkeeper batter scored an incredible 90 off 46 balls against India in Chandigarh in the second T20I of the ongoing fivematch seriesNew Zealand wicketkeeperbatter Finn Allen was sold to KKR for his base price of Rs 2 crore Allen now fully fit is currently in action for the Perth Scorchers in Australiaâs Big Bash League and adds versatility to KKRâs top order with the option to open alongside Ajinkya Rahane while also providing wicketkeeping cover if requiredThis marks Allenâs second IPL franchise after an earlier stint with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Meanwhile England wicketkeeperbatter Jamie Smith and Jonny Bairstow Afghanistans Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Indias KS Bharat remained unsold IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-duckett-goes-to-dc-de-kock-joins-mi-653904.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-kkr-buy-pathirana-for-rs-18-cr-rr-get-bishnoi-for-72-cr-653908.html Abu Dhabi Dec 16 The Indian Premier League IPL 2026 miniauction kicked off on a high note here at the Etihad Arena on Tuesday with the first hour seeing a couple of bidding wars for capped batters The hammer soon went down for the capped bowlers as Matheesha Pathirana stole the limelight by fetching Rs 18 crore from Kolkata Knight Riders Matt Henry was the first name to come up but he went unsold India pacer Akash Deep who has been a top name in redball cricket was the next but could not attract any biddersJacob Duffy then became the first player from the list of capped bowlers to find a buyer as reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB roped him at his base price of Rs 2 croreUp next Sri Lankan sensation Pathirana sparked a bidding war between Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants with the sum crossing Rs 15 crore Just when Delhi backed out KKR joined in taking the youngsterâs fee even higher The threetime champions eventually won the battle and roped in the 22yearold pacer for a massive sum of Rs 18 crorePathirana made his IPL debut for the Chennai Super Kings and represented them till the 2025 edition of the tournamentAmong the fast bowlers South Africaâs Gerald Coetzee and Indiaâs Shivam Mavi remained unsold while Lucknow Super Giants bought Anrich Nortje in a steal deal for Rs 2 croreIn the list of capped spinners Ravi Bishnoi grabbed eyeballs as the Rajasthan Royals and CSK got into a tense battle While the fivetime champions backed out when the amount reached Rs 6 crore Sunrisers Hyderabad made a sudden entry adding further spice to the dramaHowever the inaugural champions remained firm and eventually bought the spinner for Rs 720 crore Akeal Hosein was the last player from the list of bowlers to be sold as CSK got his services for Rs 2 croreRahul Chahar Mujeeb Rahman and Maheesh Theekshana were the notable names to go unsold IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-kkr-buy-pathirana-for-rs-18-cr-rr-get-bishnoi-for-72-cr-653908.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-cameron-green-to-get-rs-18-crore-despite-kkrs-rs-252-cr-bid-653912.html New Delhi Dec 16 Though Cameron became the most expensive overseas buy in the Indian Premier League history after fetching a staggering Rs 2520 crore bid from threetime champions Kolkata Knight Riders KKR the Australian allrounder will only take home Rs 18 crore in accordance with the new maximum fee rule The rule was introduced last year to address the shared concern of franchises that some overseas players were registering solely at mini auctions to exploit the supplydemand imbalanceAccording to the rule the overseas player cannot be paid more than Rs 18 crore which was the highest bracket for franchises retaining players ahead of the 2025 mega auction If the bid exceeded the Rs 18crore threshold the additional money would be used by the BCCI for player welfareIn a note to franchises last year the IPL said Any overseas players auction fee at small auction will be lower than the highest retention price of Rs 18 crore and the highest auction price at the big auction In case the highest auction price at the big auction is Rs 20 crore then Rs 18 crore will be the cap If the highest auction price at big auction is Rs 16 crore then the cap will be Rs 16 croreRegistered as a batter due to an oversight by his manager during the player auction registration Green surpassed the previous record set by his Australia teammate Mitchell Starc whom KKR bought for Rs 2475 crore in IPL 2024 auctionOverall he became the third most expensive player in the history of the IPL auction after Rishabh Pant Rs 27 crore to Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2025 mega auction and Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer 2675 crore in the IPL 2025 auctionGreen made his IPL debut in the 2023 season after the Mumbai Indians MI bought him for Rs 175 crore Notably at the time he became the secondmostexpensive overseas player in IPL auction history and the most expensive Australian playerMost recently he played in IPL 2024 for RCB after being traded in from MI In 12 innings he scored 255 runs at a strike rate of 14325 and took 10 wickets in 13 matches with the ball at an economy rate of 861 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-cameron-green-to-get-rs-18-crore-despite-kkrs-rs-252-cr-bid-653912.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 17:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/captain-shreyas-iyer-joins-pbks-think-tank-at-ipl-2026-auction-table-653922.html Abu Dhabi Dec 16 Shreyas Iyer joined Punjab Kingsâ management at the Indian Premier League IPL 2026 auction table becoming only the second cricketer after Rishabh Pant to be a part of the process The IPL 2026 auction is currently underway here at the Etihad Arena Pant was part of the auction table when he was the Delhi Capitalsâ skipper for the 2024 edition of the event IPL 2024 was Pantâs comeback to the league after his neardeath accident That edition notably was also his last with the franchise as he was roped in by the Lucknow Super Giants at the IPL 2025 mega auction last yearIyer who left Kolkata Knight Riders after the teamâs victorious IPL 2024 campaign was roped in by PBKS at the IPL 2025 megaauction for a whopping Rs 2675 crore and handed the leadership duties His captaincy proved critical for the team as they reached only their second final in the tournamentâs history only to lose the title to Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB who lifted their maiden cupThe IPL 2025 runnersup have already retained a core group of 21 players providing a stable base as they plan to fill a few important gaps with the â¹115 crore they still have With four remaining slots including two for overseas players PBKS has the structure and flexibility to make precise highimpact additionsWith a nearcomplete roster Punjab Kings will mainly focus on targeted minor upgrades during the auction rather than major overhauls They aim to acquire a powerful middleorder batter to boost lategame scoring and increase batting lineup flexibilityA dependable backup wicketkeeper is also a priority to support Prabhsimran Singh and Vishnu Vinod and to cover for injuries or tactical changes Moreover the team intends to strengthen their Indian pace and spin bowling resources by adding domestic players which is crucial for managing extended tournaments and diverse pitch conditionsPBKS squad before IPL 2026 auction Priyansh Arya Prabhsimran Singh Shreyas Iyer Nehal Wadhera Shashank Singh Marcus Stoinis Azmatullah Omarzai Vijaykumar Vyshak Arshdeep Singh Yuzvendra Chahal Harpreet Brar Suryansh Shedge Vishnu Vinod Xavier Bartlett Yash Thakur Mitchell Owen Harnoor Singh Musheer Khan Pyla Avinash Marco Jansen Lockie Ferguson IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/captain-shreyas-iyer-joins-pbks-think-tank-at-ipl-2026-auction-table-653922.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 17:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-so-excited-to-get-down-to-eden-says-cam-green-after-being-roped-in-by-kkr-653925.html New Delhi Dec 16 Australia allrounder Cameron Green made headlines on Tuesday after being roped in by the Kolkata Knight Riders KKR for a record sum of Rs 2520 crore at the Indian Premier League IPL 2026 auction underway at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday Due to a mistake by his manager during the player auction registration Green was registered as a batter However he clarified later that heâd be available to bowl as well at the tournamentBy marking his availability as an allrounder he surpassed the previous record held by his Australia teammate Mitchell Starc who was bought by KKR for Rs 2475 crore in the IPL 2024 auctionCameron made his IPL debut in the 2023 season after the Mumbai Indians MI bought him for Rs 175 crore Notably at the time he became the secondmostexpensive overseas player in IPL auction history the thirdmost expensive player ever and the most expensive Australian playerâIâm so excited to be part of Kolkata for this yearâs IPL to get down to the Eden Gardens get used to that atmosphere and hope itâs a great year for us So see you soonâ Green said in a video shared by the franchise across social mediaGreen registered at a base price of Rs 2 crore and triggered a bidding war between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals as soon as his name came upThe Royals withdrew when bids reached Rs 13 crore At that moment Chennai Super Kings fivetime champions joined the bidding war increasing the competition KKR and CSK entered the auction with the largest funds Rs 6430 crore and Rs 4340 crore respectively It was eventually the threetime champions who emerged on top in the battle as they bagged the Aussieâs services IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-so-excited-to-get-down-to-eden-says-cam-green-after-being-roped-in-by-kkr-653925.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 17:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-stokes-calls-on-england-to-show-bit-of-a-dog-in-must-win-third-test-at-adelaide-653680.html Adelaide Dec 15 England captain Ben Stokes has called on his side to show âa bit of dogâ in the mustwin third Ashes Test against Australia starting at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday The clash in Adelaide marks a return for Stokes to the venue where he made his Test debut 12 years ago adding further weight to the occasion as England look to mount a fightback England are 20 behind in the fivematch series and must snap a 17match winless run in Australia to keep alive hopes of regaining the urnDefinitely We dont do getting into rooms and have big things up on the screen We have proper meaningful conversations Whats been said has been said Ive done all the talking over the last two days that I needed to All that stuffs done now so its about what gets seen out on the field in Adelaide this weekIts just about trying to fight in every situation that you find yourself in understanding the situation and what you feel is required for your team Just look at your opposition every single time and show a bit of dog Thats fight to me Youre giving yourself the best possible chance if youve got a bit of dog in you Stokes told reporters on MondayStokes said the England squad held âmeaningful conversationsâ in the leadup to Adelaide and pointed to the third Test against India at Lordâs in July as inspiration On that occasion England prevailed by 22 runs in a dramatic finish at the home of cricketThat Lords is exactly what Im on about That was a moment where we all did that we all noticed and we all identified that moment And youve seen the way that team came out on that day We were probably in a situation where we would have to be absolutely perfect to win that game and we wereOn the back of attitude mentality towards that specific situation is what gave us the best chance of winning that game That was spoken about that India game for the rest of this series Ive done all the talking over the last two days that I needed to have doneAll that stuffs done now so its about what gets seen out on the field in Adelaide this week Everyones very switched on about what needs to be done this week Yeah a few more expectations I think around the group but everyone responded incredibly well to it Because what other option do we have he elaboratedStokes also addressed the omission of Shoaib Bashir from Englandâs playing eleven for the Adelaide game as allrounder Will Jacks retained his place while Josh Tongue came in for fellow seamer Gus AtkinsonI wouldnt say its got anything to do with Bash whatsoever The main thing is were 20 down We need to win the next three We feel having Jacksy down at number eight obviously strengthens our batting a little bit deeper if we need to go there And hes more than capable enough to handle that role with the ball when we need to call upon it IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-stokes-calls-on-england-to-show-bit-of-a-dog-in-must-win-third-test-at-adelaide-653680.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-auction-paid-rs-2520-cr-for-cameron-green-as-he-was-in-our-range-says-kkr-ceo-venky-mysore-653936.html Abu Dhabi Dec 16 Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore has said that they paid a hefty sum to rope in Australian allrounder Cameron Green because he was in the range they had thought Claiming that having a young allrounder just after appointing a power coach was a very nice move and went with their plans Green was roped in by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a record sum of Rs 2520 crore at the Indian Premier League 2026 auction underway at the Etihad Arena in Abu DhabiWell first of all were very happy This is something that we were really focused on and hoping for Always fingers crossed because of the auction anything can happen I think we were quite happy with the price at which we got him He adds immense value to the squad and with Andre Russell coming on board as our new power coach having a young allrounder with IPL and international experience is ideal Given his impact with both bat and ball and the conditions at Eden we couldnât be happier with the outcomeâ he told the broadcasters said Mysore in a press conference on TuesdayAt the same time the KKR CEO clarified that they would have gone totally berserk in trying to get Green if they felt it would have impacted their overall auction planYou know there was always a concern that it had gone higher What would we have done I think the fact is that we were very keen but not so attached So at some level if we felt that it could affect the rest of the auction we would have let him go And so fortunately that didnt happen It came within the range that we were looking at So extremely happy with that I think he adds a lot to our team said Venky MysoreAsked whether he was surprised to see Chennai Super Kings jump into the bidding war over Cameron Green after Rajasthan Royals had dropped out at INR 12 croreThere were no surprises We all tried to prepare as well as possible The surprise was Rajasthan coming in with their purse to bid So we knew that it was maybe to warm up the room or whatever it was But thats okay That happens and thats absolutely fine But no no surprises at all We fully expected CSK to come And try their best to get it to a level that would have worked for them perhaps But we were just happy to have that one more bid that allowed us said MysoreHe also supported the restrictions imposed on the number of foreign players that can be taken up by a franchise and also the rule about capping the overall salary for a player to 18 croreI think the rule BCCIIPL have made it in their wisdom on capping it at 18 crore I think thats what you were talking aboutFrom our standpoint I dont think there is any concern in that regard Whether it had gone to the player or gone this way this is something thats an outflow for the franchise So we are okay We are okay with that And I dont think it changes anything as far as the auction is concerned said Venky MysoreAsked whether the lower price bagged by former KKR Venkatesh Iyer in this auction after being roped in for a massive price in the previous one was a kind of price correction he said it all depended on the strategy for the auctionYou know its so difficult to sort of give an answer to that Because a lot of it is you know we did go for him and then how all of these things work But he has been a terrific player for us He will be dearly missed Its just one of these things that happens in an auctionWhen youre faced with an auction you have opportunities to sort of think about your strategy And if that strategy is taking you in a slightly different direction sometimes these are things that happen Not for the first time or the last time for us or for that matter other teams as well So its a bit sad for us But thats the way all of these things go he addedAsked about what areas they are trying to strengthen in this auction he said they had to sort of hit a reset buttonWe have an amazing think tank Weve had to sort of hit a reset button for different reasons Abhishek Nayar is the head coach Dwayne Bravo is the mentor Shane Watson assistant coach Tim Southee and now we have a new powercoach Andre Russell as well I think the brain trust figured it out I think they consider so many factors in our conditionsWhat kind of structure will allow us to be a very competitive team We just felt last year we were missing out on a couple of areas And so based on that I think that we have more work to do in the auction But I think its been a good start for us said Mysore on their plans ahead IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-auction-paid-rs-2520-cr-for-cameron-green-as-he-was-in-our-range-says-kkr-ceo-venky-mysore-653936.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-cameron-green-fetches-rs-30-crore-from-kkr-in-mock-bidding-653683.html New Delhi Dec 15 Australiaâs seam bowling allrounder Cameron Green underlined his status as the most soughtafter player ahead of the IPL 2026 auction fetching Rs 305 crore from Kolkata Knight Riders KKR in a mock bidding exercise Registered as a batter owing to a goofup by his manager during the player auction registration Green is expected to be hotly pursued by both KKR and Chennai Super Kings CSK when the real auction begins at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on TuesdayâI knew CSK would also go after a middleorder allrounder I thought they would go somewhere around 25â28 crore Realistically I think they would go up to around Rs 20 crore in the actual auction because they would want to keep space for other Indian and overseas players as wellâBut in the mock auctions I was ready to go up to 35 crore for a player like Green I think Cameron Green should bat at No 3 in the orderâ said JioStar expert and former India player Robin Uthappa who was the KKR representative in the mock auction held on MondayIn the mock auction Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana was picked by KKR for 13 crore âItâs all about planning and keeping things simple We needed a good death bowler With the kind of coaching staff KKR have Pathirana can be very effective at the death He has been a little off colour recently and has gone back into the auction pool which I think will make him more motivated to performâA change of franchise can also help With Pathirana Varun Chakravarthy and Vaibhav Arora if youâre asking who bats in the first XI it would be Vaibhav Arora Also Varun has been working on his batting heâs not too far away from clearing the ropes eitherâ added UthappaFormer India cricketer Suresh Raina who was CSKâs representative in the mock exercise commented on picking Sarfaraz Khan for Rs 7 crore âI think he is in great form We saw earlier that when Venkatesh Iyer was bought for a big amount the form wasnât quite there Sarfaraz on the other hand is batting really well right now You donât get that kind of player easilyâthe range of shots he plays the confidence he hasâThe form Sarfaraz is in even if he plays four or six matches and wins you two games that 7 crore will be fully justified After his firstclass performances he has also been included in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy He is a form player following a process Chennaiâs wicket is technically sound and if he gets set in a system like CSK where the focus is on winning games I think CSK will benefit greatly from his formâOn CSKâs overall auction strategy executed by him Raina explained picking legspinners Rahul Chahar and Wanindu Hasaranga as well as pacer Anrich Nortje âI think we have addressed key areas in the auction war room We picked Rahul Chahar as a legspinner and Wanindu Hasaranga because we donât have Jadeja and Ashwin We also strengthened our pace attackâAnrich Nortje is there he has pace and can bowl yorkers consistentlyâIt was important to bring in Sarfaraz Khan who is in tremendous form Youâll also see young players like Ayush Mhatre Dewald Brevis Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube in the mix There are a lot of young faces and thatâs very important When new players came in previously even after losing two or three matches the youngsters responded really wellâYou need that fireâplayers who go out and express themselves fearlessly In the main auction many more players will be available CSK may even look to buy Matheesha Pathirana again given their concern around death bowling That will be one of their key focus areasâ he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-cameron-green-fetches-rs-30-crore-from-kkr-in-mock-bidding-653683.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-csk-spend-record-142-cr-each-for-prashant-veer-kartik-sharma-auqib-dar-goes-to-dc-for-84-cr-in-uncapped-category-653944.html Abu Dhabi Dec 16 The Indian Premier League IPL 2026 player auction started on a dull note in the uncapped playersâ category but Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma then scripted history as Chennai Super Kings roped them in for a record price of Rs 1420 crore each It all started with the uncapped batters category but to everyoneâs surprise all six players in the list went unsold The list included Aarya Desai Yash Dhull Abhinav Manohar Anmolpreet Singh Atharva Taide and Abhinav TejranaHowever what followed next was an unexpected bidding war for Auqib Dar a Jammu and Kashmir allrounder who bagged an extraordinary deal of Rs 84 crore from the Delhi Capitals as the franchise beat Rajasthan Royals Royal Challengers Bengaluru and SunRisers Hyderabad to win the tense battleThen came Prashant Veer who stole the limelight by attracting the interest of five teams only to be eventually purchased by fivetime champions CSKAmong allrounders Shivang Kumar was only the third cricketer from the list to attract a bid Rs 30 lakh from SRH as all other players Rajvardhan Hangargekar Tanush Kotian Mahipal Lomror Kamlesh Nagarkoti Vijay Shankar Sanvir Singh and Eden Tom remained unsoldAmong wicketkeeper batters Kartik was the one who made headlines as five teams MI LSG KKR SRH and CSK raised the bar high The Rajasthan powerhitter matched Veerâs sum to enter the history books as the Men in Yellow got himAllrounder Veer and wicketkeeperbatter Kartik surpassed Avesh Khan to become the most expensive uncapped buys in the history of the tournament At the IPL 2023 auction Avesh was roped in by the Lucknow Super Giants for a sum of Rs 10 crore which made him the most expensive uncapped playerHowever the 2026 edition of the auction saw CSK breaking the bank for the uncapped duo of Veer and Kartik as each bagged a Rs 1420 crore deal from the fivetime championsAmong Keepers Mukul Choudhary Rs 26 Cr and Tejasvi Singh Rs 3 Cr were roped in by LSG and KKR respectively while Ruchit Ahir Vansh Bedi and Tushar Raheja went unsoldNext up were the bowlers among whom fast bowlers Sushant Mishra RR Ashok Sharma GT Naman Tiwari LSG and Kartik Tyagi KKR received their respective contractsThen three out of seven uncapped spinners Yash Raj Punja RR Vignesh Puthur RR and Prashant Solanki KKR attracted bids IPL veteran Karn Sharma Kumar Kartikeya Shivam Shukla and Afghanistanâs Wahidullah Zadran meanwhile remained unsold IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-csk-spend-record-142-cr-each-for-prashant-veer-kartik-sharma-auqib-dar-goes-to-dc-for-84-cr-in-uncapped-category-653944.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 19:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-pathirana-was-our-priority-we-went-to-our-absolute-limit-for-him-says-lsg-owner-goenka-653949.html Abu Dhabi Dec 16 Lucknow Super Giants suffered a heartbreak in their attempts to bag Sri Lanka star Matheesha Pathirana losing him to the Kolkata Knight Riders But LSG expressed satisfaction with their auction strategy having secured key international targets aligned with their team requirements LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka highlighted the successful acquisition of Wanindu Hasaranga and Anrich Nortje as part of a wellplanned and disciplined bidding approach in the Indian Premier League IPL 2026 miniauctionPathirana stole the limelight in early bidding by fetching Rs 18 crore from Kolkata Knight Riders He sparked a bidding war between the Delhi Capitals and LSG with the sum crossing Rs 15 crore Just when Delhi backed out KKR joined in taking the youngsterâs fee even higher The threetime champions eventually won the battle and roped in the 22yearold pacer for a massive sum of Rs 18 crorePathirana made his IPL debut for the Chennai Super Kings and represented them till the 2025 edition of the tournamentOn losing Matheesha to KKR Goenka said they went to their absolute limit to get him as he was their priority but that was not to be âYes our captain and vicecaptain were both very keen on Matheesha Pathirana as was I We were also very interested in Anrich Nortje Pathirana was our priority and we went up to â¹178 crore which was our absolute limit â we didnât have the purse to go beyond that When Anrich Nortje came up later we were pleasantly surprised and delighted to secure him at the base price So overall it was a very considered concerted and wellthoughtout decisionâ Dr Goenka said on JioHotstarâs âMatch Centre Live Auction 2026Goenka also spoke about their auction strategy and wins so far and said they have progressed well in achieving their key objectivesâWe are very close to our primary targets Our key objectives were to secure one quality international legspinner and one reputed international fast bowler Wanindu Hasaranga was our firstchoice legspinner and for the fastbowling option it was between Matheesha Pathirana and Anrich Nortje We are delighted to have acquired two players who were part of our shortlisted three so we are extremely happy with how the auction has unfoldedâ he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-pathirana-was-our-priority-we-went-to-our-absolute-limit-for-him-says-lsg-owner-goenka-653949.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 19:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-playing-for-rajasthan-royals-will-feel-like-home-says-ravi-bishnoi-653950.html Abu Dhabi Dec 16 India legspinner Ravi Bishnoi said it felt âlike playing at homeâ after being picked up by former champions Rajasthan Royals for Rs 72 crore at the ongoing Indian Premier League IPL 2026 miniauction at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi with the franchise securing the spinner following competitive bidding Hailing from Jodhpur Bishnoi adds proven quality and energy to the Royalsâ bowling attack Speaking on his move to Rajasthan Royals Ravi Bishnoi said Playing for Rajasthan Royals will feel like playing at home I started my cricket journey as a practice bowler at RR and now representing a team that carries the name of my state means a lot to meâRR Lead Owner Manoj Badale said Ravi is a special talent and someone our fans were eager to see in Royals colours His return to the franchise feels like a homecoming especially knowing he began his journey here as a net bowler Heâs a highly skilled bowler a terrific fielder and someone who embodies the hunger and spirit we value at this franchiseDuring the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025â26 the leg spinner bowled with an economy of 840 and claimed nine wickets in seven games In the 2025 Indian Premier League Bishnoi was a member of the Lucknow Super Giants The 25yearold has played for the Punjab Kings and the Lucknow Super Giants and with 77 appearances has taken 72 wicketsBishnoi entered the auction with a base price of Rs 2 crore The Rajasthan Royals quickly opened the bidding for the legspinner The Chennai Super Kings soon joined in after asking for some time They pushed the price up steadily with fixed increments as the two teams competedCSK raised the bid to Rs 42 crore before the Royals briefly stepped back They returned at Rs 44 crore starting another round of frenetic bidding that brought the total to Rs 58 crore After a long discussion at the Royalsâ table RR jumped back in at Rs 6 crore and CSK chose not to respond Just when it seemed like the Royals had secured the player the Sunrisers Hyderabad entered with a bid of Rs 62 crore sparking the bidding war again The price kept rising before finally settling at Rs 72 crore IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-playing-for-rajasthan-royals-will-feel-like-home-says-ravi-bishnoi-653950.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 19:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-meet-the-uncapped-indian-players-set-to-attract-attention-of-the-franchises-653701.html New Delhi Dec 15 With the Indian Premier League IPL 2026 auction now a day away all eyes will be on the uncapped domestic players expected to land big paydays and instant recognition from the cricketing world Once the IPL 2025 season was over coaches and scouts of all ten teams were busy crisscrossing the country to see various state T20 league games and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches to identify the gems who can be of great value to their teams With limited purses and multiple slots to fill uncapped Indian cricketers are expected to be in huge demand IANS looks at five players who could attract significant interest when auction bidding begins in Abu DhabiPrashant Veer â Base price of Rs 30 lakhThe slow leftarm spin bowling allrounder from Amethi Uttar Pradesh has been talked highly of for his skills which have earned him comparison with Ravindra Jadeja In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Veer scored 112 runs at a strike rate of 16969 and claimed nine wickets at an economy of 676 highlighted by a 320 and an unbeaten 40His exploits in the UP T20 League for Noida Super Kings further underlined his batting prowess â amassing 320 runs â along with taking eight wickets across 10 matches Having already attended IPL trials including those of fivetime champions Chennai Super Kings eyeing to fill a Jadejasized void the 23yearold allrounder is expected to be firmly on the radar of all teamsAuqib Nabi Dar Base price of Rs 30 lakhThe seambowling allrounder from Jammu amp Kashmir has emerged as one of Indiaâs most consistent performers in domestic cricket In the first half of the Ranji Trophy Nabi has taken 29 wickets in five matches at an average of 1327 including a best haul of 724Nabiâs whiteball form has been equally impressive In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy he claimed 15 wickets in seven matches at an economy of 741 attributes that have drawn the attention of franchise scouts He would be hoping this time he gets an IPL deal after having two net bowling stints before in the tournamentAshok Sharma Base price of Rs 30 lakhThe fast bowler has been on top of the wickettaking chart in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy â picking 20 wickets in nine matches including best figures of 416 and consistently clocking speeds above 140 kmph Sharma was a net bowler with the Rajasthan Royals and was part of their squad in IPL 2025 but didnât get a gameHe didnât get a game with the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023 But his consistent performance in the SMAT and attending trials with multiple franchises means he will attract aggressive bidding from teams looking to bolster their fastbowling stocksKartik Sharma Base price of Rs 30 lakhThere were curious eyes when he was signed up by JSW which manages cricketers like Axar Patel Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma But his reputation as a clean striker and lowerorder finisher with a penchant to hit big sixes â all of this at just 19 â has already excited many onlookers Such was the effect that he was spotted at CSK trials ahead of the auctionHe was Rajasthans highest rungetter in the previous edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy with 445 runs in eight innings coming at a strike rate of 11803 Kartik scored 133 runs in five games at a strike rate of over 160 in Rajasthanâs group stage campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy before a finger injury ruled him out of the Super League phaseTejasvi Singh Dahiya Base price of Rs 30 lakhThe wicketkeeperbatter from New Delhi is on the radar of franchises after a superlative showing in the past few months earning him spots in trials of various franchises He was one of the standout performers in the 2025 Delhi Premier League DPL scoring 339 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 19045 and that paved his way into selection to the Delhi team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali TrophyIn the league stage games in Ahmedabad he had a strike rate of 16865 including hitting 53 not out off 19 balls against a starstudded Karnataka Apart from his genuine boundaryclearing power his ability to handle pressure in tight chases has impressed scouts furtherOther uncapped players on the radar of franchises are Tushar Raheja Ravi Singh Krains Fuletra Sairaj Patil Arpit Rana Yash Dhull Sarthak Ranjan Abhishek Pathak Mangesh Yadav Naman Tiwari Salman Nizar Yash Raj Punja Raj Limbani Sunny Sandhu Salil Arora Money Grewal Sushant Mishra and Ravi Kumar IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-meet-the-uncapped-indian-players-set-to-attract-attention-of-the-franchises-653701.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/t20-world-cup-2026-trophy-tour-kicks-off-at-ram-setu-bridge-653968.html Dubai Dec 16 The ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 Trophy Tour was launched on Tuesday over the Adamâs Bridge culturally revered in India as the Ram Setu a symbolic gateway linking the two cohosts India and Sri Lanka The 10th edition of the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup featuring 20 teams 29 days of highintensity cricket and eight worldclass venues five in India and three in Sri Lanka will take place from 7 February to 8 March 2026 promising to be one of the most compelling editions yet of the sportâs most explosive formatThe Trophy Tour will journey across Asia including India Sri Lanka Qatar Oman Nepal Bahrain and Mongolia giving millions of fans the chance to see the iconic silverware up close participate in interactive experiences and build excitement ahead of the global eventIn a unique initiative the trophy will also be taken to schools and colleges associated with players set to participate in the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 offering young fans an inspiring onceinalifetime connection to the global stageIn addition aligning with the international cricket calendar the trophy will be showcased at major T20 leagues as well as select bilateral series extending its presence across competitive cricket environments and reinforcing the buildup to the tournament across formats and geographiesICC Chairman Jay Shah said âLaunching the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 Trophy Tour with DP World above the Ram Setu a site steeped in history symbolism and shared cultural identity sets an inspiring tone as we build towards this landmark eventâThis tour represents far more than the physical movement of a trophy It is a unifying journey that brings continents cultures and cricketing communities together igniting passion among fans worldwide and strengthening the shared spirit that defines our gameâAs we prepare for the 10th edition of this global spectacle our aim is for supporters everywhere to feel connected to the road to India and Sri Lanka With every stop the Trophy Tour will heighten the sense of anticipation and invite fans across the world to join us in celebrating what promises to be an unforgettable ICC Menâs T20 World CupâBCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said The T20 World Cup brings a unique intensity and emotion and launching the Trophy Tour at the iconic Ram Setu perfectly captures the magnitude of the journey aheadâIndia has successfully hosted two 50over World Cups in the last three years and we are delighted to welcome fans to yet another worldclass event This edition will showcase the extraordinary growth and depth of the T20 format in IndiaâAs cohost the BCCI remains fully committed to providing outstanding facilities for players and curating a tournament experience for fans that will resonate long after the final ball is bowled The Trophy Tour marks the beginning of a campaign that will gather immense momentum as it travels across the cricketing worldâSri Lanka Cricket president Shammi Silva said âAs cohost Sri Lanka Cricket welcomes the launch of the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 Trophy Tour with DP World with great enthusiasm This moment signals the start of an exciting journey as we prepare to host fans from across the globeâOur commitment is to deliver an exceptional tournament experience one that reflects the passion of our supporters the vibrancy of our culture and the energy of our venues We look forward to creating memories that will endure far beyond the tournamentâThe tournament venues are Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai Arun Jaitley Stadium New Delhi Wankhede Stadium Mumbai Eden Gardens Kolkata R Premadasa Stadium Colombo Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground Colombo and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Kandy IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/t20-world-cup-2026-trophy-tour-kicks-off-at-ram-setu-bridge-653968.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 20:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-to-be-held-from-march-26-to-may-31-report-653736.html Mumbai Dec 15 The 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League IPL will be held from March 26 to May 31 the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI informed the franchises a report claimed on Monday The IPL franchises were informed about the dates by Hemang Amin the leagues CDO during a briefing ahead of Tuesdays auction in Abu Dhabi Cricbuzz said in a reportThe 19th edition of Indias domestic T20 franchise will start on March 26 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB opening their campaign However whether they will play their home matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is not clear yet The stadiums availability is in question because of the horrific stampede in Bengaluru during RCBs celebration of their maiden IPL title a few months backThe report claimed that while the Karnataka State Cricket Association KSCA has received a conditional clearance from the state government to host IPL games at the venue it is subject to meeting stipulated safety and security requirementsMeanwhile the BCCI on Monday night finalised the player pool by adding 19 players late on the eve of the auction for the 2026 edition of IPL in Abu DhabiThe late additions included Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran Ben Sears of New Zealand and Ethan Bosch of South AfricaThe spotlight will be on the likes of Cameron Green Liam Livingstone and Ravi Bishnoi as ten franchises gear up for the IPL 2026 auction set to take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday It will mark the third straight time of an IPL auction happening outside India after Dubai 2024 and Jeddah 2025All ten teams are expected to loosen their purse strings in pursuit of marquee talent and have a squad that can win the IPL 2026 trophy A total of 77 slots are available including 31 for overseas players Threetime winners Kolkata Knight Riders KKR have the most vacancies with 13 followed by 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad SRH with tenFrom a longlist of 1355 players 359 have been shortlisted â 244 Indian and 115 overseas Forty players have entered at the maximum base price of Rs 2 crore with Bishnoi and Venkatesh Iyer the only Indians in that groupGreen Australiaâs seambowling allrounder is expected to be the biggest draw thanks to the skewed demandsupply ratio in a mini IPL auction with bids for him projected to cross Rs 25 croreApart from Bishnoi and Green the England duo of Liam Livingstone and Jamie Smith along with NZ pacer Matt Henry keeperbatter Tim Seifert and South Africa batter David Miller are also likely to attract strong interest from all ten teams as is Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana who was let go of by Chennai Super Kings CSK IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-to-be-held-from-march-26-to-may-31-report-653736.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-auction-lsg-look-to-buy-livingstone-for-finishers-role-says-kaif-653811.html New Delhi Dec 16 Lucknow Super Giants LSG could look to buy Englandâs batting allrounder Liam Livingstone at the IPL 2026 auction to bolster their lowerorder firepower said former India batter Mohammad Kaif The IPL 2026 auction will be held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and they come in with a purse of Rs 2295 crore to fill six slots fourof which are for roping in overseas playersWith David Miller released ahead of the auction LSGâs primary goal will be to get a player who fills in that voidâOne name that comes to mind is Liam Livingstone He plays the role of a finisher and plays at number five or six With them releasing Miller his direct replacement option is Livingstone He bowls as well and although his current form is not good but I think he has a lot of experience and his strike rate is quite highâSo instead of David Miller Lucknow would like to run behind Livingstone because you have three overseas batters in Pooran Markram and Marsh and you need a finisher who can play at number five or six for Lucknowâ said Kaif a JioStar expert in an exclusive conversation with IANS ahead of the mini auctionLSG enters the auction with enviable depth in their Indian pace attack strengthened by the acquisitions of veteran seamer Mohammed Shami and young pacer Arjun Tendulkar The duo coming in means thereâs additional cover for pacers Mohsin Khan Avesh Khan and Mayank Yadav who have been dealing with injuries for a long timeKaif feels LSG should look to rope in either of the South African pacers Anrich Nortje or Lungi Ngidi as their overseas fast bowling option to balance the squadâFirst of all I pray and hope that Avesh Khan and Mayank Yadav are close to being fully fit as itâs almost 56 months now Lucknow will be praying that they recover and come back to action Now the second question is who should they target I think they need overseas fast bowlersâThere are options in Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi Nortje could be an option because Lucknow has a large ground a square boundary and a red soil pitch which can help him in generating good bounce and pace So they can target Nortje as well but as I said earlier the injured players should be fit and then pick either Nortje or Ngidi as an optionâ he addedIn terms of spinners New Delhibased Digvesh Rathi remains the lone wristspin option in LSGâs roster leaving the franchise with a gap to address at the auctionHaving released Ravi Bishnoi ahead of the auction boosting their spin bowling department with an experienced player to complement Rathi and provide variety in middleovers bowling will also be key for LSGKaif suggested that LSG may need to explore uncapped spin options given the possibility of Bishnoi fetching an expensive pay cheque at the auctionâOne issue is that there may not be enough purse left for Lucknow to buy Bishnoi back Lucknow wont be able to afford him at an expensive priceâKKR are having a lot of money and then Chennai is also there So I think that by the time Bishnoiâs number comes a lot of people will want to run behind him Now Digvesh Rathi has become their premier leg spinner Skipper Rishabh Pant also likes him because he bowls in the powerplay and takes wickets in the middle oversâWith Rathi becoming Pantâs favourite who will bowl with him now Lucknow wont be able to afford a spinner at an expensive price there They wont be able to save that much money So Lucknow will focus on the untapped leg and leftarm spinners who can come at a cheap price at the auctionâCatch all the action from the TATA IPL 2026 miniauction December 16 230 PM onwards LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-auction-lsg-look-to-buy-livingstone-for-finishers-role-says-kaif-653811.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/cummins-re-signs-with-sydney-thunder-as-marquee-supplementary-player-for-bbl-15-653822.html Sydney Dec 16 Australia captain Pat Cummins has signed with Sydney Thunder as a CA marquee supplementary player for the Big Bash League BBL 15 The 32yearold pacer was also included in the Thunders marquee supplementary list last season but has not played in the BBL since February 2019As the 19th supplementary player the international star sits outside the 18strong playing squad but could be brought in should he become available Thunder said in a statementCummins is a successful Thunder player having been part of the titlewinning squad in BBL05 He was contracted to the club from BBL 5 to 9 his last stint in the competition before international duties took holdOne of his most memorable performances with the ball in hand was taking 2 for 21 in 2014 against Brisbane Heat helping Thunder to a 56run victorySpeaking on the upcoming season Cummins said âIt means a lot to me that I am locked in with Thunder having grown up in Western Sydney Iâll obviously have limited time on the ground with the team while we try and win the Ashes but Im looking forward to supporting the playing group in what is no doubt an exciting summerâYou can already see the winning mentality that Davey Warner is building with the team We almost got there last year and Iâm confident we can go one further this year â we have the experience and the young talent to do soâA big thank you to our Thunder Nation for your continued support â I canât wait to see you out at game during the seasonâCummins who has yet to play this home international summer is set to captain Australia in the third Test starting Wednesday after recovering from a back stress injuryThough his immediate focus is on winning the Ashes with his side leading twonil the door remains open for Cummins to play for the Thunder ahead of next years T20 World Cup in India and Sri LankaThunderâs BBL 15 campaign begins on Tuesday in Hobart with a rematch of the BBL 14 final against the Hurricanes They will then return home to Engei Stadium for the muchanticipated Sydney Smash on December 20 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/cummins-re-signs-with-sydney-thunder-as-marquee-supplementary-player-for-bbl-15-653822.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-tongue-replaces-atkinson-as-england-name-starting-xi-for-adelaide-test-653569.html New Delhi Dec 15 England have announced their playing XI for the upcoming third Test of the Ashes series which begins on Wednesday at Adelaide Oval Gus Atkinson has been replaced by Josh Tongue With the Ben Stokesled team trailing Australia 02 the remaining three games of the iconic series are mustwin matches for the visitors if they are to claim the Ashes urnTongue making his way to the lineup means that the team will continue to bench Shoaib Bashir a decision that draws mixed reactions as the Adelaide Oval is dubbed to be one of the most spinfriendly pitches that the Englishmen will encounter on this Ashes tour down underâEngland Men have announced their team for the third Ashes Test match at Adelaide Oval Weve made one change from the second Test in Brisbane with seamer Josh Tongue replacing Gus Atkinsonâ the England and Wales Cricket Board ECB said in their statement on MondayAtkinsonâs tour has been a challenging one although he is not the only England bowler struggling He has returned figures of just three wickets from 54 overs at an average of 7866 the poorest record among the teamâs attackHis first breakthrough did not arrive until the final delivery of his 41st over in the series during Australiaâs first innings of the second Test at the Gabba in Brisbane A noticeable drop in pace has also reduced the snap he gets from the pitchEngland have turned to Josh Tongue in search of a greater attacking threat favouring wickettaking potential over the tighter control that Matthew Potts might have provided Tongue is set to make his seventh Test appearance since breaking into the side during the 2023 home summer having claimed 31 wickets at an average of 30Englandâs Playing XI for third Ashes Test â Zak Crawley â Ben Duckettâ  Ollie Pope â Joe Root Harry Brook â Ben Stokes c â Jamie Smith wk â Will Jacks Brydon Carse â Jofra Archer â Josh Tongue IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-tongue-replaces-atkinson-as-england-name-starting-xi-for-adelaide-test-653569.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wankhede-to-host-physical-disability-t20-series-from-dec-16-18-653578.html Mumbai Dec 15 Mumbai will host a historic inclusive cricket event the Physical Disability T20 Series from December 16 to 18 at the renowned Wankhede Stadium All three matches will take place at the same venue giving fans a special opportunity to enjoy toptier cricket and witness the inspiring determination of athletes with physical disabilities The threeday T20 series aims to promote inclusivity resilience and sporting excellence while showcasing the growing prominence of physical disability cricket on the national and international stage Renowned for its worldclass facilities and historic moments Wankhede Stadium provides a fitting venue for this landmark eventSpeaking on the occasion Unmesh Khanvilkar General Secretary of the Mumbai Cricket Association MCA said âHosting the Physical Disability Cricket Series for the very first time is a proud milestone for MCAâcelebrating resilience redefining ability and reaffirming that cricket truly belongs to everyone Our President Ajinkya Naik is deeply committed to promoting and celebrating physical disability cricket and we will continue to extend our full supportâRavi Chauhan General Secretary of the Differently Abled Cricket Council of India DCCI expressed his excitement stating âThis is a truly special moment for our players Getting the opportunity to play at the historic Wankhede Stadiumâwhere Team India won the 2011 World Cupâwill provide a tremendous boost and motivation I sincerely thank Ajinkya Naik President of MCA who has consistently supported our cricket DCCI extends its heartfelt gratitude to MCA for hosting physical disability cricket Your commitment to inclusivity and opportunity has strengthened the spirit of the game and empowered our athletes to shineâHe also mentioned that with ongoing backing from the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI efforts are ongoing daily to develop and enhance physical disability cricket across the countryEvery match delivers competitive cricket highlighting skill determination and teamwork and emphasising that sport is a strong platform for equality and empowermentCricket fans sports enthusiasts and advocates for inclusive sports are invited to join this significant eventâcelebrating the game and the resilient spirit of the players IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wankhede-to-host-physical-disability-t20-series-from-dec-16-18-653578.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-i-dont-have-a-point-to-prove-to-anyone-says-lyon-ahead-of-adelaide-test-653579.html Adelaide Dec 15 Australias veteran offspinner Nathan Lyon said he has ânothing to proveâ as he prepares to return for the upcoming third Ashes Test starting at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday Lyon has played in 140 Tests for Australia but the seasoned offspinner has been omitted from the playing XI twice in the last three matches For the third Ashes Test with hot conditions and a dry surface likely to favour spin Lyon is expected to return as Australia aims to secure an unassailable 30 lead with Pat Cummins also returning to captain the sideâObviously it was pretty disappointing personally Ive played 140 Test matches I feel like I dont have a point to prove to anyone Im very clear on my role within this Australian cricket team I love playing with everyone in that change room and love playing representing AustraliaIf I get that opportunity again Ill keep doing that My dream is to continue to play cricket for Australia No ones got a given right to be selected Youve got to work your backside off to make sure that you put your hand up for selection and you earn that right Lyon told reporters on MondayMonday also marked a special occasion for Lyon who was formally inducted into Adelaide Ovalâs âAvenue of Honourâ on the western side of the ground where he once worked as a ground staff member Lyon further reiterated his belief that spin bowling must remain central to Australiaâs cricketing identityWell youre asking a spinner I think its incredibly important I think the variation in Test cricket understanding that Test cricket goes for five days and theres a lot of opportunity for pitches to wear and spinners to be able to produce their craft Ive always said as soon as the ball spins theres more eyes on TVs and I stand by thatYou look at when we go over to India and you look at the conditions there and the exciting cricket when the ball is spinning how many people pay attention to it So for me spin is incredibly important in the game of cricket in junior cricket in firstclass cricket in whiteball redball it doesnt matter what format what game of cricket I think spin plays a massive role here he addedLyon is also close to reaching a personal milestone â surpassing the legendary pacer Glenn McGrathâs career total of 563 Test wickets He has been stuck on 562 wickets since 6 July when he took the final dismissal of the second Test against the West Indies in GrenadaâI daresay it might be a little fairytale given my history working here It was the dream My first Test match was on the roller here in 201011 To overtake Glenn McGrath would be pretty incredibleâ he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-i-dont-have-a-point-to-prove-to-anyone-says-lyon-ahead-of-adelaide-test-653579.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/always-enjoy-bowling-with-arshdeep-as-he-creates-pressure-from-the-other-end-rana-653596.html Dharamsala Dec 15 Indiaâs seambowling allrounder Harshit Rana said he relishes sharing the new ball with Arshdeep Singh and credited the leftarm fast bowler for building pressure from the opposite end In the third T20I at the HPCA Stadium on Sunday Arshdeep and Rana playing in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah who was unavailable due to personal reasons set the tone for Indiaâs sevenwicket win by making the most of seamfriendly conditions and picking three wickets in the powerplayThe duo claimed a combined 4 for 47 from their eight overs which proved to be decisive for Indiaâs comfortable win giving them a 21 lead âFirst of all I always enjoy bowling with him with the new ball especially because hes someone who creates that pressure from one end I like to give him company in terms of whats in my hand So I enjoy bowling with him because he has a lot of experience and I get a lot of help from himI found out at midnight that I was playing this match Its my first time here in Dharamsala Ive never been to Dharamsala before Its a lot of fun bowling here I get a lot of help from the weather and itâs a lot of funâ said Rana in a video posted by BCCIâs social media accounts on MondayArshdeep who took the Player of the Match award for his figures of 213 had a forgetful time in the second T20I in New Chandigarh â conceding 54 runs including seven wides in the 13th over He said being a levelheaded human and support from the team helped him bounce back in Dharamsala a ground where he turns out for Punjab Kings in the IPLâWhether its good or bad I just try to stay at a level Like I try to be a levelheaded person and create reels I try to keep the dressing room atmosphere light because when you play at an international level and youre away from your family theres a lot of pressure If you dont have a good day they give you a shoulder to help you and make you feel good Thats the main motive of being in the teamHe also felt bowling coach Morne Morkel could have been playing ahead of him if the former was still active on the international circuit âIf the bowling coach was playing on this wicket I wouldnt be playing After the last game he said that you gave me a lot of screen timeâWhenever I bowled a wide ball the camera was focusing straight on the coach because many felt âWhat if he gave a wrong bowling plan or we didnât do practice together with himâ For that I will say sorry to Morne and will try to get you less screen timeMorkel reacted with laughter about an increase in his visibility in the second T20I and felt pleased about Indiaâs fightback with the ball âI received a lot of messages from players in our squad with the red ball and 50over series that I pay for my own private channel because all they saw was me on the screenâIm just happy with how the boys bounced back in this game I thought it was a beautiful comeback with the ball by the boysâ he saidMorkel signed off by admiring the picturesque surroundings in Dharamsala âThe nice thing about this ground is if you ever have an average day you can always look up at the mountains and just feel life isnt the same everyday So thereâs always a great joy in coming to this venue and playing here Its one of my favourite grounds in the worldâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/always-enjoy-bowling-with-arshdeep-as-he-creates-pressure-from-the-other-end-rana-653596.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-brook-promises-to-rein-in-after-playing-shocking-shots-in-first-two-games-653621.html Adelaide Dec 15 England vicecaptain Harry Brook has vowed to improve his shot selection in the remainder of the Ashes after admitting to playing âshocking shotsâ in the opening two Tests Brook who is on his first Ashes tour scored 52 0 31 and 15 in the first two Tests of the series held in Perth and Brisbane Speaking to reporters after England were done with their practice session at the Adelaide Oval Brook said It hasnt been an ideal series Sometimes Ive got to rein it in a little bit learn when to absorb the pressure a little bit more and realise when the opportunity arises to put the pressure back on them I feel like I havent done that as well as I usually do I just havent identified those situations well enoughâMost of the time when Ive been overly aggressive is when weve lost early wickets and Ive tried to counterpunch and put them back under pressure I tried to do that in Perth in the first innings I played quite nicely and gloved down the leg sideI try to read situations as well as possible and then it all depends on my execution and so far in this series my execution hasnt been as good as it has been at the start of my career he addedBrook revealed he has been inactive on social media and has remained insulated from outside noise during the Ashes But much of the scrutiny has centred around his dismissals in the two Tests with Brook conceding he would have been better served by playing differentlyThey were shocking shots Ill admit that every day of the week especially that one in Perth it was nearly a bouncer and I tried to drive it It was just bad batting The one in Brisbane Ive tried to hit for six Thats what I mean when I try to say that I need to rein it in a little bitI can almost just take that and hit it for one and get down the other end Whoever else is in with me at the other end can just get on strike and just keep trying to rotate But Ill be the first person to stand up and say that they were bad shotsI dont regret them but if I was there again I would try and play it slightly differently Ill be thinking about my game and the risks and the options I have before I go out there he noted IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-brook-promises-to-rein-in-after-playing-shocking-shots-in-first-two-games-653621.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/messi-mania-grips-delhi-as-thousands-flock-to-arun-jaitley-stadium-653630.html New Delhi Dec 15 A wave of excitement swept through the national capital on Monday as fans turned up in large numbers to witness football legend Lionel Messi at the iconic Arun Jaitley Stadium From early morning long queues formed outside the venue with supporters of all ages eager to catch a glimpse of the Argentine superstar turning the area around the stadium into a sea of blue and white jerseys Messiâs presence in Delhi sparked unprecedented enthusiasm among football lovers many of whom travelled from different parts of the country Fans carrying banners posters and flags chanted Messiâs name creating a carnivallike atmosphere more commonly associated with major cricket fixtures at the venue For several supporters seeing the seventime Ballon dâOr winner in person was a onceinalifetime experienceThe event organised under tight security arrangements saw authorities deploy additional personnel to manage the massive crowd Entry gates were opened well ahead of schedule to ensure smooth movement while traffic diversions were put in place around the stadium complex Despite the heavy turnout the arrangements helped maintain order as fans patiently waited for their turn to enterInside the stadium the excitement reached fever pitch when Messi appeared prompting thunderous applause and cheers from the packed stands Mobile phones were raised in unison as fans tried to capture the moment while chants echoed across the ground Many young footballers in attendance said Messiâs journey and achievements continue to inspire them to pursue the sport seriouslyThe overwhelming response once again highlighted footballâs growing popularity in India and Messiâs unmatched global appeal For Delhiâs fans the day was more than just an eventâit was a celebration of one of the greatest players the game has ever seen leaving behind memories that will be cherished for years to comeMessi was scheduled to land in the national capital earlier this morning but his charter flight was delayed due to foggy conditions here After landing in the afternoon he immediately proceeded to the Leela Palace Hotel where he had a meetandgreet session for around an hour with a select group of peopleHis schedule in the national capital included an exhibition match a stage event a football clinic for children and several highprofile private meetings therefore Delhi has implemented precautionary measures to manage large crowds and traffic congestion in anticipation of his arrival IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/messi-mania-grips-delhi-as-thousands-flock-to-arun-jaitley-stadium-653630.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-green-livingstone-bishnoi-on-radar-as-teams-get-ready-to-make-big-buys-653634.html New Delhi Dec 15 The spotlight will be on the likes of Cameron Green Liam Livingstone and Ravi Bishnoi as ten franchises gear up for the IPL 2026 auction set to take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday It will mark the third straight time of an IPL auction happening outside India after Dubai 2024 and Jeddah 2025 All ten teams are expected to loosen their purse strings in pursuit of marquee talent and have a squad which can win the IPL 2026 trophy A total of 77 slots are available including 31 for overseas players Threetime winners Kolkata Knight Riders KKR have the most vacancies with 13 followed by 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad SRH with tenFrom a longlist of 1355 players 359 have been shortlisted â 244 Indian and 115 overseas Forty players have entered at the maximum base price of Rs 2 crore with Bishnoi and Venkatesh Iyer the only Indians in that groupGreen Australiaâs seambowling allrounder is expected to be the biggest draw thanks to the skewed demandsupply ratio in a mini IPL auction with bids for him projected to cross Rs 25 croreApart from Bishnoi and Green the England duo of Liam Livingstone and Jamie Smith along with NZ pacer Matt Henry keeperbatter Tim Seifert and South Africa batter David Miller are also likely to attract strong interest from all ten teams as is Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana who was let go of by Chennai Super Kings CSKKKR head into the auction with the largest purse at Rs 6430 crore while fivetime winners Chennai Super Kings CSK have Rs 4340 crore with both teams eyeing to rebuild their squads after a poor IPL 2025 seasonIn contrast fivetime winners Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings might have quiet auctions due to their purses of Rs 275 crore and Rs 115 crore respectivelyWhat remains certain is that no overseas player can earn more than Rs 18 crore regardless of the winning bid Under the IPLâs maximumfee rule the cap is fixed at the lower of the highest retention slab Rs 18 crore or the top price from the previous mega auction which was Rs 27 crore for India wicketkeeperbatter and Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh PantAmong the uncapped names Jammu amp Kashmirâs seambowling allrounder Auqib Nabi and Rajasthan pacer Ashok Sharma have drawn interest from coaches and scouts who have been seeing all games of staterun T20 leagues and Syed Mushtaq Ali TrophyUttar Pradeshâs allrounder Prashant Veer Rajasthan wicketkeeperbatter Kartik Sharma and Keralaâs leftarm wristspinner Vignesh Puthur who featured for Mumbai Indians last season before a shin injury cut short his stint are also on the radar of all ten teamsThe auction will move into an accelerated round after the first 70 players are presented with franchises then nominating unsold names for further bidding As this is a miniauction the Right to Match RTM card will not be available to teams IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-green-livingstone-bishnoi-on-radar-as-teams-get-ready-to-make-big-buys-653634.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/shaheen-afridi-forced-to-end-spell-midway-on-bbl-debut-due-to-dangerous-bowling-653643.html Geelong Dec 15 Shaheen Shah Afridi endured a difficult start to his Big Bash League career after being taken out of the attack for dangerous bowling during Brisbane Heatâs clash with Melbourne Renegades here at the Simonds Stadium on Monday In the 18th over of the first innings the Pakistani fast bowlerâs night fell apart when he bowled two waisthigh full tosses â one to Tim Seifert and another to Ollie Peake The umpires deemed the deliveries dangerous forcing Afridi to stop bowling and leaving Heat captain Nathan McSweeney to complete the final two balls of the overAfridi could only smile wryly as he walked off and his debut spell ended prematurely with figures of 0 for 43 from 24 overs The over proved costly yielding 15 runs and including three noballs adding to an already difficult outing that also featured two widesThe leftarm bowler had arrived in the BBL amid great anticipation with fellow Pakistan international Mohammad Rizwan also making his tournament debut for the Renegades Afridi showed early promise starting with three consecutive dot balls in his second over but struggled to regain control thereafterAfter being held back he was reintroduced in the 13th over during the Renegadesâ Power Surge only to concede 19 runs His final over compounded the damage sealing a challenging start to his league debut as he finished with a poor economy rate of 1610Melbourne Renegades capitalised on the Heatâs bowling troubles to post an imposing 212 for 5 Tim Seifert anchored the innings with a commanding 102 from 56 balls while Ollie Peake provided late impetus with a rapid 57 off 29 balls Rizwan however failed to make an impact scoring just four runs from ten balls before being dismissed by leftarm spinner Paddy DooleyDespite the setback Afridiâs debut drew attention as a reminder of the unforgiving nature of the BBL where even elite international talent is quickly tested IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/shaheen-afridi-forced-to-end-spell-midway-on-bbl-debut-due-to-dangerous-bowling-653643.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-clear-about-our-targets-to-complete-our-squad-says-dc-ceo-653649.html Abu Dhabi Dec 15 Delhi Capitals DC CEO Sunil Gupta said the franchise is clear in the players they wish to target and complete their squad ahead of the Indian Premier League IPL 2026 auction to be held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday DC the IPL 2020 runnersup head into the mini auction with a purse of Rs 2180 crore and have to fill eight slots including five in the overseas category âWe have arrived in Abu Dhabi and our preparations for the auction have been underway for quite some timeOur scouting team has done an excellent job and we are clear about our targets as we look to complete the remaining requirements of the squad While we will be aggressive where needed auctions are dynamic and flexibility is key Weâre looking forward to the auctions in Abu Dhabi said Gupta in a statement issued by the franchise on MondayDCâs priorities at the auction include finding a reliable opener to partner KL Rahul with Jake FraserMcGurk inconsistent and Faf du Plessis opting out of IPL 2026 The franchise also needs reinforcements in the pace bowling department considering T Natarajan is injuryprone and Mitchell Starc would come after a gruelling time in the AshesVeteran pacer Mohit Sharmaâs retirement has left another gap in the fast bowling department Getting a middleorder overseas batter is on the radar of DC too alongside the possibility of including a reliable foreign allrounderâWe have retained a solid group of players from last season While we narrowly missed out on qualifying for the playoffs it was a campaign filled with important learnings We take those lessons forward and go again with a strong set of players fully focused on achieving our objectivesâ added GuptaAhead of the auction DC brought in Indian lefthanded batter Nitish Rana in exchange for South African allrounder Donovan Ferreira who has moved to the Rajasthan Royals RR Rana has previously won IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders KKR and Mumbai Indians MI and brings vast experience of playing cricket at his home venue Arun Jaitley StadiumâNitish is a seasoned IPL campaigner and a valuable addition to our squad His familiarity with home conditions being a local boy along with the crucial roles he has played for his previous franchises makes him a natural fit for our setup We are absolutely delighted to welcome him to the Delhi Capitals family Our boy is truly homeâ concluded Gupta IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ipl-2026-auction-clear-about-our-targets-to-complete-our-squad-says-dc-ceo-653649.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 18:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/goat-india-tour-messi-leaves-fans-celebrities-mesmerised-gets-signed-india-jersey-from-tendulkar-653481.html Mumbai Dec 14 He came he saw and he conquered hearts all in one hour In one Messimerising hour spent at the iconic Wankhede Stadium as part of his GOAT India Tour 2025 Lionel Messi interacted with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis some current India and former football players film stars celebrities and politicians By the time he left exactly one hour after making a grand entry into the stadium at 530 pm the crowd was satisfied unlike his 20oddminute appearance in Kolkata which left ardent fans fuming and led to chaotic scenes including rioting by some angry fans and forced the West Bengal government to initiate a judicial inquiryMumbai was the third stop on his GOAT India Tour 2025 and the Argentine World Cup winner spent the most time with the fans after making a brief appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata and a slightly longer stay at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in UppalHe spent some time talking to Tendulkar with the help of his translator Tendulkar presented his signed India jersey and was seen pointing to the No 10 on the back a number he shared with the Argentine great Tendulkar also addressed the gathering talking to them initially in Marathi and then switching to English telling them that his meeting with Messi would be among the memorable moments he spent at the WankhedeIn an iconic moment the crowd chanted for Messis name alongside that of Tendulkar and Luis Suarez who along with Rodrigo are accompanying Messi on this GOAT India Tour 2025 Through Messi the crowd also tried to send a message to FC Barcelona for a visit to Mumbai chanting Barca BarcaOn the occasion Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis officially launched the Project Mahadeva of which Bollywood star Tiger Shroff is a mentor and brand ambassador Project Mahadeva plans to provide transformative support for schoolgoing boys and girls players from the state and help them realise their football dreams The Chief Minister in his address informed Messi amp Co the details of the project and hoped that one day players from this project would rule the football world just like the Argentine legend has done The Maharashtra government has picked 16 players as an initial intake in the Mahadeva projectMessi reached the Wankhede at around 530 pm around 30 minutes later than what was scheduled But he looked more relaxed and ready to mingle at times pointing out to the security personnel and officials the areas of the ground he would like to go to He came from the nearby Cricket Club of India CCI where he participated in a programme promoting Padel and reportedly played some time with businessman Parth Jindal of JSW SportHe reached the Wankhede Stadium halfway through the Celebrity Football Match involving India XI versus Mitra XI which involved Bengaluru FC players like Sunil Chettri Rahul Bheke Jayesh Rana and Ashutosh Mehta along with India woman star Bala DeviMessi shook hands with the two teams and posed for photographs with them After that he took a lap of the stadium kicking footballs into the crowd to carry home as mementos of his visit Suarez and Rodrigo joined him in the lap of order Messi also kicked a ball with school kids from the Mahadeva project and also interacted with themAfter reaching the makeshift stage Messi was welcomed by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and his wife and presented a GOAT Tour jersey to the Chief Minister He also posed for photographs with Bollywood stars Tiger Shroff Ajay Devgn and Dino MoreaAfter a lengthy interaction with Tendulkar Messi left the stadium to attend some more events as part of his whirlwind tour of the City He is scheduled to attend a celebrity fashion show where he is likely to auction some signed jerseys and mementoesThe Argentine football captain is scheduled to depart for Delhi on Monday morning IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/goat-india-tour-messi-leaves-fans-celebrities-mesmerised-gets-signed-india-jersey-from-tendulkar-653481.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/3rd-t20i-not-out-of-form-but-definitely-out-of-runs-says-suryakumar-yadav-653493.html Dharamsala Dec 14 India captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted he is searching for runs to flow from his bat but insisted he remains confident in being back to his pristine touch and breaking a lean patch In Indiaâs sevenwicket win over South Africa at the HPCA Stadium on Sunday Suryakumar fell for 12 just before the hosts completed the chase with 25 balls to spare and took a 21 lead in the fivematch seriesâThe thing is Iâve been batting beautifully in the nets Iâm trying everything thatâs in my control and when the game comes when the runs have to come theyâll definitely come But yes Iâm looking for runs not out of form but definitely out of runsâ said Suryakumar in the postmatch presentation ceremonyAsked about the teamâs turnaround after a 51run defeat in New Chandigarh Suryakumar stressed on the importance of returning to fundamentals in preparation for Sundayâs clashâI think this sport teaches you a lot of things How you come back into the series is more important and we did the same thing â we wanted to go back to basics do the same things we were doing in Cuttack and the results were on our side See there was a lot of learning from the game we played in ChandigarhâHe credited the bowlersâ preparation and discipline in friendly bowling conditions for setting up a comfortable victory in Dharamsala âThe bowlers sat together we had a good team meeting as well We came for practice sessions and tried to do the same things we did in Cuttack We went back to basics We didnât try to do a lot of different things but I think the basics were very important at that timeâA win in Lucknow on Wednesday will give India the series win âI think weâll enjoy it tonight Weâll enjoy the win tonight Weâll sit down tomorrow when we reach Lucknow and then see what happened in this game and talk about thatâ concluded Suryakumar IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/3rd-t20i-not-out-of-form-but-definitely-out-of-runs-says-suryakumar-yadav-653493.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/yash-dhull-scoring-lots-of-runs-in-dpl-will-certainly-help-him-in-ipl-says-chopra-653315.html New Delhi Dec 13 Exopener Aakash Chopra spoke about Yash Dhulls potential of getting an Indian Premier League IPL team when the miniauction happens in Abu Dhabi on December 16 saying that the righthanded batter being among the top runscorers in this yearâs Delhi Premier League DPL will certainly help his case Dhull who captained India to the U19 World Cup win in 2022 amassed 435 runs in eight games for Central Delhi Kings in this yearâs DPL where they finished as the runnersup Dhull was with the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023 but never got going in the four games he playedYash Dhulls journey is quite inspiring He was touted as an upcoming youngster who would play for India soon That dream has not happened yet but he keeps making runs He uses every opportunity he gets wherever he playsâ said Chopra on JioStarâSometimes it is very important to stay relevant for a long time so that when an opportunity comes people think of him This season of the Delhi Premier League was quite good for him with the bat where he scored tons of runs and those performances will certainly help him in the IPLââHes an Under19 World Cup winner and as far as IPL is concerned he was picked by the Delhi Capitals a few seasons ago and was given some chances too but he wasnt able to capitalize on them I think Yash Dhull is ticking all those boxes and keeping himself in the thoughts of everybody whos following the sport with his DPL performances he addedThough other DPL stars like Tejasvi Dahiya and Arpit Rana will also be on the mind of the IPL scouts former India womenâs cricketer Reema Malhotra thinks someone like Sarthak Ranjan who made 449 runs in nine innings in this yearâs competition can also get into any of the ten teamsSarthak Ranjan is a fearless batter who plays the ball on its merit The shots he played in this season of the Delhi Premier League were amazing to see He would have certainly caught the eye of IPL scouts Franchises will get a pure T20 batter in him who not only scores in the powerplay but can also bat deep into the innings she said IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/yash-dhull-scoring-lots-of-runs-in-dpl-will-certainly-help-him-in-ipl-says-chopra-653315.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 01:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wbbl-2025-lizelle-lee-scripts-history-as-hobart-hurricanes-lift-maiden-title-653325.html Hobart Dec 13 Lizelle Lee produced a commanding performance to steer Hobart Hurricanes to their firstever Womenâs Big Bash League title dismantling Perth Scorchers in a onesided final with a thunderous unbeaten halfcentury After a disciplined bowling effort restricted the Scorchers to 1375 the Hurricanes made light work of the chase cruising home with five overs to spare Lee set the tone immediately striking three boundaries in the opening over before Danielle WyattHodge followed suit to propel the Hurricanes to a brisk start The early onslaught left the Scorchers on the back foot as Hobart raced to 24 without loss after two oversWyattHodge departed in the sixth over but any hopes of a fightback were quickly dashed Lee maintained her dominance against the bowlers while Nat SciverBrunt contributed timely boundaries to keep the required rate comfortably manageable The decisive moment arrived when Lee launched Alana King for consecutive sixes before finding the gaps for a couple of boundaries in the following overThe flurry of shots brought up her halfcentury and effectively sealed the contest Although SciverBrunt perished later in the game Lee remained unbeaten with her innings also setting a new record for the highest individual score in a WBBL finalEarlier the Scorchers struggled to find momentum after electing to bat perhaps feeling the toll of a demanding schedule that had seen them play their third match in five days The Powerplay yielded little fluency with Katie Mack falling for 17 off 21 deliveries Beth Mooney in fine form coming into the final was handed several chances but failed to convert them before being eventually bowled by Heather Graham for 33Sophie Devine and Paige Scholfield attempted to lift the scoring rate through the middle overs but the Hobart bowlers kept chipping away With four overs remaining Scorchers sat at 1064 and were eyeing a late surge Devine briefly threatened the opposition with a six before being stumped in the next over Despite a few boundaries from Scholfield a sluggish final over curtailed any hopes of a competitive totalThe Scorchers closed on 137 for 5 a score that proved well short of the mark against a Hurricanes side inspired by Leeâs ruthless finishing as Hobart celebrated a historic WBBL triumphBrief scoresPerth Scorchers Women 1375 in 20 overs Sophie Devine 34 Beth Mooney 33 Linsey Smith 28 lost to Hobart Hurricanes Women 1412 in 15 overs Lizelle Lee 77 Nat SciverBrunt 35 Amy Edgar 113 by 8 wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wbbl-2025-lizelle-lee-scripts-history-as-hobart-hurricanes-lift-maiden-title-653325.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 01:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-seneviratnes-five-for-powers-sri-lanka-to-big-win-over-nepal-653333.html Dubai Dec 13 Sethmika Seneviratneâs fivewicket haul set up Sri Lankaâs emphatic eightwicket win over Nepal in their Group B clash of the Menâs Under19 Asia Cup at The Sevens Stadium on Saturday Asked to bat first by Sri Lanka captain Vimath Dinsara Nepal were steady at 30 without loss before a run out of Niraj Kumar Yadav for 10 in the eighth over resulted in the innings unravelling quicklySeneviratne struck in successive spells removing Sahil Patel 12 Vansh Chhetri 0 and Dilsad Ali 0 to leave Nepal reeling at 374 with the side losing their four wickets for just seven runs within six oversCaptain Ashok Dhami and Cibrin Shrestha 18 briefly resisted with a 24run stand but Rasith Nimsara struck to dismiss the former for nine at the start of the 21st over From there Nepal folded to 82 all out with Shrestha being the top runscorerSeneviratne completed incredible figures of 525 and was ably supported by Rasith Nimsara Vigneshwaran Akash Dulnith Sigera and Chamika Heenatigala taking a scalp eachSri Lankaâs chase of 83 was briefly dented when Nepal reduced them to 252 Dayanand Mandal getting a scalp But Dimantha Mahavithana 39 and Kavija Gamage 24 ensured there were no further alarms in Sri Lankaâs chaseTheir unbroken 59run stand for the third wicket sealed victory for Sri Lanka with 351 overs to spare Sri Lanka will next face Afghanistan at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on Monday while Nepal is slated to take on Bangladesh on the same dayBrief scoresNepal U19 82 all out in 285 overs Cibrin Shrestha 18 Sethmika Seneviratne 525 Dulnith Sigera 13 lost to Sri Lanka U19 842 in 145 overs Dimantha Mahavithana 39 not out Kavija Gamage 24 not out Dayanand Mandal 116 by eight wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-seneviratnes-five-for-powers-sri-lanka-to-big-win-over-nepal-653333.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 01:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/3rd-t20i-if-you-are-mentally-strong-you-can-do-well-at-any-number-says-tilak-varma-653341.html Dharamsala Dec 13 Ahead of the third T20I against South Africa Indiaâs lefthanded batter Tilak Varma said being mentally strong allows a batter to succeed at any position in the batting order Indiaâs batting flexibility left everyone puzzled when Axar Patel was sent out to bat at number three in a chase of 214 in New Chandigarh But Axar struggled to get rhythm and fell for a runaball 21 as India fell short by 51 runs Amidst the likes of Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav not getting big runs Tilak gave India something to cheer by making a 34ball 62âEveryone is flexible except openers Everyone is flexible and open to bat anywhere I am up for batting at 3 4 5 6 or anywhere Where the team prefers for me to bat I am up for it Everyone knows that they are flexible in every batting order If you are mentally strong you can do well in any numberâ said Tilak in the prematch press conferenceAsked about the Indian teamâs decision to send Axar at three ahead of recognised batters including himself Tilak said âIt depends As you can see Axar Patel has already done the same thing in the World Cup and he has done well in that position as well It keeps happening in one odd game It depends on the situation In a tactical situation if the team feels that it is the best in that situation then anyone goes ahead keeping in mind the teamâs interestsââUps and downs happen but the same player has done that in the World Cup as well I am ready to bat anywhere for the team and I will always try to do my best for the team The other players are doing the same and as I said everything is flexible and we are making the decisions that we feel will benefit the teamâThe HPCA Stadium has shown a trend of producing highscoring pitches and Tilak felt batting first or chasing wonât matter much at the venue âI have played previously here in the Under19 series for India After that I am coming here now and we are just going to watch the wicket I think there will be a highscoring wicket here We will play with a positive intentâ he saidâIn the first two matches the one who bats first has won Because the weather is cold everywhere there is a little bit of seam and swing for the bowlers So I think there is not much difference in batting first and second Unfortunately we collapsed in the last game but we will play with the same intentââWhatever we have been doing in the last 1520 matches we will play with the same intent and get good results So I would say it wont matter much if its the first or second batting because the match starts at 7 pm and that is the time when dew starts to formâ he addedTilak signed off by saying the Indian team has prepared well for countering the dew expected to come early in the gameâThere was a due in ODIs as well and we have mentally prepared for it in practice We dont have the toss result in our hands but we are mentally preparing for the dew We have practised before and the ball does get a little wet But we have prepared for whatever we can get in the game during the practiceâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/3rd-t20i-if-you-are-mentally-strong-you-can-do-well-at-any-number-says-tilak-varma-653341.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 01:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-openers-help-bangladesh-secure-thrilling-three-wicket-win-over-afghanistan-653350.html Dubai Dec 13 Openers Rifat Beg and Zawad Abrar hit halfcenturies each and helped Bangladesh edge Afghanistan by three wickets in their Group B clash of the Menâs U19 Asia Cup at The ICC Academy in Dubai on Saturday After Faisal Shinozada topscored with 103 as Afghanistan posted 2837 Bangladesh completed the chase with an over to spare despite a late collapse Bangladesh appeared in control for a breezy end to the chase at 236 2 needing only 48 runs off 45 balls with eight wickets in handBut four wickets fell in the space of four overs giving Afghanistan a glimmer of hope Allrounder Rizan Hossanâs brisk 17 not out eventually settled nerves and carried Bangladesh home with seven balls remaining Openers Abrar and Beg laid the platform for Bangladeshâs win with a rollicking 151run standWhile Beg fell for 62 in the 27th over Abrar missed out on a century dismissed for 96 by Roohullah Arab Captain Azizul Hakim and Kalam Siddiki added 66 for the third wicket but a middleorder wobble threatened to derail the chase before Hossanâs late intervention got them over the lineAfghanistanâs innings was built around Shinozadaâs fluent 103 off 94 balls laced with eight fours and four sixes He shared partnerships of 66 with Osman Sadat and 89 with Uzairullah Niazai to push the score past 200Despite his efforts Afghanistan slipped to 2257 in the 46th over before Azizullah Miakhil 38 and Abdul Aziz 26 lifted them to 283 with a rapid unbroken stand of 58 off 28 balls though it was not enough to save them from a loss to BangladeshBrief scoresAfghanistan U19 2837 in 50 overs Faisal Shinozada 103 Uzairullah Niazai 44 Shahriar Ahmed 243 Iqbal Hossain Emon 263 lost to Bangladesh U19 2847 in 485 overs Zawad Abrar 96 Rifat Beg 62 Khatir Stanikzai 246 Roohullah Arab 248 by three wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-openers-help-bangladesh-secure-thrilling-three-wicket-win-over-afghanistan-653350.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 01:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/bring-khawaja-back-at-top-travis-down-to-no-5-in-adelaide-hussey-653457.html New Delhi Dec 14 Former Australia Test star Mike Hussey believes veteran batter Usman Khawaja should be recalled as opener and Travis Head should move down to the No 5 spot for the third Ashes Test starting on Wednesday in Adelaide Khawaja who missed the second Test victory in Brisbane due to back spasms was unable to open in Australiaâs first innings after spending prolonged time off the field with a back injury during Englandâs batting in the series opener in PerthIn Khawajas absence Travis Head delivered a standout performance and scored a matchwinning Ashes century for the ages However Khawaja is now fit again and has been selected in the 15man squad for the Adelaide TestâIâd bring him straight back in and Iâd move Travis Head back down to number fiveâ Hussey said on Fox Cricket âI just think Usman Khawajaâs basically had one innings here in Perth with back spasms Coming into the series Usman Khawaja was our number one guy opening the batting â we werenât sure who the other guy would beWhatâs changed after one innings Heâs recovered from his back injury now Get him back in there at the top of the order he addedHussey believes that Head returning to his position in the middle order could be more damaging against England who are trailing 02 in the seriesGet Travis Head back down to number five I know Travis Head played an amazing innings here as opener in Perth in the First Test â but I just like him at number five Opening the batting consistently at Test cricket is difficult very difficult I just feel like Travis Head can be more consistent in the middle order said HusseyShould Khawaja return it would come at the expense of Josh Inglis who batted at No 7 at the Gabba where he scored an uncertain 23 a view supported by the former Aussie great Adam GilchristâI think they will do that drop Inglis and bring back Khawaja I think the brains trust will say thatâs the percentage play â get Usmanâs experience there go back to a more traditional opening methodâTravis Head can then come into the middle order and really make some strong contributions and maybe still up the tempo if he needs to in that middle orderâI think Usman will be at the topâIt would be a tough call to say picking Usman here in that first Test match and saying âyouâre our trump youâre experienced thats who we build our order around with a debutant in the form of Jake Weatheraldâ itâs a tough call to then say because of injury thatâs the end of your career effectively said Gilchirst IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/bring-khawaja-back-at-top-travis-down-to-no-5-in-adelaide-hussey-653457.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 23:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/3rd-t20i-bumrah-returns-home-due-to-personal-reasons-update-on-availability-awaited-653475.html Dharamshala Dec 14 India will be without ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah in the third T20I against South Africa at the HPCA Stadium as he has returned home due to personal reasons The BCCI said an update on his availability for the remaining two matches in Lucknow and Ahmedabad will be provided in due course âJasprit Bumrah has gone back home for personal reasons and will be unavailable for the game An update on him joining the squad for the remaining matches will be provided in due course said the BCCI in its statementApart from Bumrah leftarm spin bowling allrounder Axar Patel misses out due to being unwell âAxar Patel is unavailable for the third T20I due to illnessâ further said the BCCI In place of the duo seambowling allrounder Harshit Rana and leftarm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav have been drafted into the playing eleven for Sundayâs clashIndia will feel the absence of Bumrah who picked two wickets in the T20I series opener in Cuttack but went wicketless while conceding 45 runs in the second match in New Chandigarh Axar meanwhile contributed 23 and 21 in the first two matches and was even promoted to number three during the 214run chase in New Chandigarh a gamble which didnât pay off for India the reigning Menâs T20 World Cup championsThe third T20I is of huge significance with the ongoing fivematch series currently locked at 11 Both India and South Africa view the contest at the picturesque stadium in Dharamsala as pivotal in seizing momentum with the winner of the match moving a step closer to clinching the seriesSouth Africa meanwhile also have three changes to their playing eleven Corbin Bosch Anrich Nortje and Tristan Stubbs included in place of David Miller George Linde and Litho Sipamla With no specialist spinner South Africa will bank on Aiden Markram Donovan Ferreira and Dewald Brevis to shoulder the spin bowling duties IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/3rd-t20i-bumrah-returns-home-due-to-personal-reasons-update-on-availability-awaited-653475.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 23:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-george-deepesh-and-chouhan-star-in-indias-90-run-win-over-pakistan-653477.html Dubai Dec 14 Aaron George topscored with 85 while a disciplined bowling display led by allrounder Kanishk Chouhan and pacer Deepesh Devendran picking threefers each helped India secure a commanding 90run victory over Pakistan in their second U19 Menâs Asia Cup league stage clash at the ICC Academy Ground on Sunday The win also ensured that India qualified for the semifinals of the competition Put in to bat first India were bowled out for 240 in 461 overs with George anchoring the innings through a fluent 85 coming off 88 balls laced with 12 fours and a sixCaptain Ayush Mhatre struck a brisk 38 off 25 balls while Chouhan added a runaball 46 including hitting two fours and three sixes as they lifted India to a competitive total For Pakistan Mohammad Sayyam and Abdul Subhan picked up three wickets apiece while Niqab Shafiq claimed two scalpsPakistanâs chase never recovered from early jolts An incisive newball spell from pacer Devendran reduced them to 304 and although Huzaifa Ahsan fought with a valiant 70 off 83 balls he found little support from the rest of the batters Chouhan also got into the wickettakers list with three scalps as Pakistan were bowled out for 150 in 412 oversThe contest also saw the continuation of the nohandshake protocol with captains and players from both sides refraining from handshakes at the toss and after the match ended echoing the stance taken by the India senior menâs and womenâs teams in various international games this yearBrief Scores India U19 240 in 461 overs Aaron George 85 Kanishk Chouhan 46 Abdul Subhan 342 Mohammad Sayyam 367 beat Pakistan U19 150 all out in 412 overs Huzaifa Ahsan 70 Farhan Yousaf 23 Deepesh Devendran 316 Kanishk Chouhan 333 by 90 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-george-deepesh-and-chouhan-star-in-indias-90-run-win-over-pakistan-653477.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 23:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/future-looks-bright-for-talented-u19-mens-ahead-of-next-years-wc-653291.html New Delhi Dec 13 With a commanding 234run victory over UAE in their opening game of the Menâs U19 Asia Cup India have set the tone for their final buildup to next yearâs World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia The last time India played in the U19 Menâs World Cup they finished runnersup to Australia in 2024 This time the Ayush Mhatreled side will be keen to go one step further and get the side an unprecedented sixth titleFormer India opener Wasim Jaffer who recently worked with the current players in the India A team in the U19 Challenger Trophy and the India B side during the triseries involving Afghanistan has backed the team to overcome all challenges and emerge successful in their quest to gloryâObviously they are very very talented There is no doubt about it Then with Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi coming back because they were not there in the challengers and triangular series it makes for a good lookââI worked with quite a few boys like Vihaan Malhotra and they are very very talented and have got a lot of potential Its just about delivering and what BCCI VVS Laxman and his team has done really well is they have kept them together for a very long time because they have been to England and Australia and played a lot of matchesââThat gelling now is very good among the players who know themselves very well due to playing together for a long time So I feel that they are ready for these challenges ahead which is this Asia Cup and the World Cup something which we havent won for a while nowâ said Jaffer in an exclusive conversation with IANSAt the same time Jaffer also noted that the India U19 menâs batches after 2020 have failed to produce players who would go on to enter the senior team âAt the end of the day what I have noticed is that after the 2018 batch of Shubman Gill Arshdeep Singh Abhishek Sharma Riyan Parag and Prithvi Shaw and 2020 batch of Yashasvi Jaiswal Tilak Varma Dhruv Jurel and Ravi Bishnoi there arenât any under 19 players who have played for IndiaââSo that transition hasnt happened for the last one or two batches and that is something I feel needs to happen Somebody like Vaibhav Ayush Mhatre Abhigyan Kundu Vihaan Malhotra Harvansh Singh there are a lot of very talented players and we want them to get to the next level That is probably the biggest challenge now the under 19 boys coming and performing at the highest level something that has not happened with regards to the last one or two batchesââThat is the only concern that I have got as it is very important that the under 19 boys transition themselves to international cricket and to IPL also I mean IPL has now become such an important tournament So whether they get into their state teams as easily as they should be is also a question mark But I feel that transition needs to happen That shows the young talent is coming and challenging the senior players and that is going to be the biggest task in my opinionâ he explainedJaffer who won Ranji Trophy multiple times with Mumbai and Vidarbha is among the few coaches to have worked with both Under19 and senior teams Asked about the difference in coaching the two levels he said âWell obviously they are work in progress So because this is age group cricket sometimes I feel they keep on playing with the same kind of players They come through U14 U16 and U19 so they are literally playing with the same bunch of players and know the opposition as wellââSo sometimes that creates a little bit of a comfort zone among the players But as soon as you step out of under 19 then its a big leap because there is no age group and you are into the mens world and the challenge lies in that regard Sometimes the under 19 boys are used to a certain environment But as soon as you play against the international teams you kind of challenge yourselfâThough India has historical dominance at the U19 level it hasnât translated into trophies of late India last won an U19 Asia Cup in 2021 and were runnersup in last yearâs competition to twotime winners Bangladesh âWithout a doubt I feel the Indian team is a lot of steps ahead of the other international teams We are very talented and the challenge will be to get the exact kind of result that we needâ added JafferWhat also boosts Indiaâs quest to win the World Cup is Mhatre coming on the back of a good showing for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy league games though he didnât have a memorable outing at The ICC Academy in Dubai on Friday Suryavanshi meanwhile dazzled with 171 against UAE and is coming on the back of some blistering knocks for Bihar and India A Jaffer believes the duoâs exposure to senior cricket will greatly benefit the India U19 sideâIt is very important because Vaibhav has played for Bihar and has done well so as Ayush Mhatre who has played for Mumbai played Ranji Trophy and India A games and has done well But the only thing is for them to not get complacent Sometimes when you play at a higher level and then you come down sometimes you take things a little easy which I am sure that wont happen because they are playing quite a few matchesââWith the World Cup being a World Cup they will obviously have their tasks cut out But I just feel it always helps when the under 19 players play at the highest level â not just the Indian team but Ranji Trophy Duleep Trophy or Vijay Hazare Trophy because sometimes that mentality is you are only playing with your age group â like under 19 and under 16 guys are playing against each otherââBut when you get out of that age group and play with the men your mentality changes You are not thinking about the age or anything else as its between bat and ball So that experience whether its with Ayush Vaibhav or some other players who have played Ranji Trophy or Vijay Hazare Trophy will always help them and make this Indian team strongerâ he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/future-looks-bright-for-talented-u19-mens-ahead-of-next-years-wc-653291.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-england-face-fresh-scrutiny-after-teams-security-altercation-with-media-653300.html New Delhi Dec 13 Englandâs troubled Ashes campaign has drawn further attention following an incident involving a member of the teamâs security staff and a Channel Seven cameraman at Brisbane airport The altercation occurred on Saturday as the England squad was preparing to travel to Adelaide ahead of the third Test scheduled to begin on Wednesday Footage shared by Australiaâs Channel 7 shows a member of the England and Wales Cricket Boardâs ECB security team confronting a cameraman during the checkin process In the video the ECB security guard is heard repeatedly telling the cameraman to step back Channel 7 described the exchange as aggressive while images published by CODE Sports appear to show the security official standing back as the cameraman continued filmingThe ECB chose not to comment on the incident which sections of the Australian media have nonetheless seized upon as another setback in what has been portrayed as a difficult tour for EnglandThe episode occurs at a delicate moment for Ben Stokesâ team which is trailing 02 in the fivematch series and facing increasing scrutiny over their readiness With three Tests left England are under pressure to prevent losing the Ashes before the upcoming highprofile matches in Melbourne and SydneyQuestions about the teams preparation have been recurring throughout Englands tour The decision not to field senior players in a pinkball warmup match against a Prime Ministerâs XI in Canberra drew criticism leading to extra training sessions in Brisbane Yet after experiencing a second heavy defeat in a row head coach Brendon McCullum implied that the team might have been âoverpreparedâ a comment that sparked further debateAlthough the Noosa break was scheduled in advance and justified as a chance for players to reset images of the squad playing football on the beach did little to reassure critics who argue that England have struggled to find the right balance during this tour IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-england-face-fresh-scrutiny-after-teams-security-altercation-with-media-653300.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-england-face-fresh-scrutiny-after-team-guards-altercation-with-media-653301.html New Delhi Dec 13 Englandâs troubled Ashes campaign has drawn further attention following an incident involving a member of the teamâs security staff and a Channel Seven cameraman at Brisbane airport The altercation occurred on Saturday as the England squad was preparing to travel to Adelaide ahead of the third Test scheduled to begin on Wednesday Footage shared by Australiaâs Channel 7 shows a member of the England and Wales Cricket Boardâs ECB security team confronting a cameraman during the checkin process In the video the ECB security guard is heard repeatedly telling the cameraman to step back Channel 7 described the exchange as aggressive while images published by CODE Sports appear to show the security official standing back as the cameraman continued filmingThe ECB chose not to comment on the incident which sections of the Australian media have nonetheless seized upon as another setback in what has been portrayed as a difficult tour for EnglandThe episode occurs at a delicate moment for Ben Stokesâ team which is trailing 02 in the fivematch series and facing increasing scrutiny over their readiness With three Tests left England are under pressure to prevent losing the Ashes before the upcoming highprofile matches in Melbourne and SydneyQuestions about the teams preparation have been recurring throughout Englands tour The decision not to field senior players in a pinkball warmup match against a Prime Ministerâs XI in Canberra drew criticism leading to extra training sessions in Brisbane Yet after experiencing a second heavy defeat in a row head coach Brendon McCullum implied that the team might have been âoverpreparedâ a comment that sparked further debateAlthough the Noosa break was scheduled in advance and justified as a chance for players to reset images of the squad playing football on the beach did little to reassure critics who argue that England have struggled to find the right balance during this tour IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-england-face-fresh-scrutiny-after-team-guards-altercation-with-media-653301.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-vaibhav-sooryavanshis-171-sets-up-indias-huge-win-over-uae-653177.html Dubai Dec 12 Vaibhav Sooryavanshiâs blistering 171 off 95 balls powered India U19 to a commanding 234ârun victory over UAE U19 in their Asia Cup opener at the ICC Academy on Friday Apart from Suryavanshiâs spectacular knock Aaron George 69 and Vihaan Malhotra 69 contributed with crucial halfcenturies Vedant Trivedi 38 Abhigyan Kundu 32 and Kanishk Chouhan 28 provided the finishing touches to India U19 posting a massive 4336 the highest score in tournamentâs historyItâs also Indiaâs highest total in U19 ODIs and the thirdâhighest ever score in menâs U19 oneâday cricket Suryavanshis knock was laced with nine fours and 14 sixes coming at a strike rate of 180 He brought up his halfcentury in 30 balls before getting his century in just 56 deliveries and reaching his 150 in 84 ballsHis 14 sixes are the most by any batter in the tournamentâs history going past Afghanistanâs Darwish Rasooli who struck 10 against UAE in 2017 In reply UAE made 1997 in 50 overs with Uddish Suriâs unbeaten 78 and Prithvi Madhuâs fifty being the lone resistance acts for the hosts India U19 will next face Pakistan U19 in their group stage clash on SundayMeanwhile Pakistan U19 launched their campaign with a crushing 297ârun win over Malaysia at The Sevens Stadium Centuries from Ahmed Hussain and debutant Sameer Minhas powered the side to 3453 before the bowlers bundled Malaysia out for just 48 in 194 oversMinhas was the star of the show with an unbeaten 177 off 148 balls striking 11 fours and eight sixes to claim the Player of the Match honour He shared a mammoth 293ârun stand with Hussain who made 132 off 114 deliveries and ensured Pakistanâs dominance from the outsetMalaysia never recovered from early blows in the chase as Ali Raza struck with the new ball to finish with 311 while Mohammad Sayyam also took three wickets and Daniyal Ali Khan and Niqab Shafiq chipped in to complete a resounding win for Pakistan U19Brief Scores India U19 4336 in 50 overs Vaibhav Suryavanshi 171 Vihaan Malhotra 69 Yug Sharma 275 Uddish Suri 277 beat UAE U19 1997 in 50 overs Uddish Suri 78 not out Prithvi Madhu 50 Deepesh Devendran 221 Henil Patel 131 by 234 runsPakistan 3453 in 50 overs Sameer Minhas 177 not out Ahmed Hussain 132 Nagineswaran Sathnakumaran 291 beat Malaysia 48 all out in 194 overs Deaaz Patro 9 Ali Raza 311 Mohammad Sayyam 327 by 297 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/u19-asia-cup-vaibhav-sooryavanshis-171-sets-up-indias-huge-win-over-uae-653177.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ireland-all-rounder-sophie-macmahon-retires-from-international-cricket-653187.html New Delhi Dec 12 Ireland allrounder Sophie MacMahon on Friday announced her retirement from international cricket after making 45 appearances for the national team After making her debut against England Women in a oneday fixture in Abu Dhabi in 2017 MacMahon 28 went on to make 45 appearances for Ireland WomenThe Leinster CC allrounder who is renowned for being a hardhitting batter and mediumpaced bowler who regularly gave a nagging length had her highest score of 42 for Ireland in a OneDay International in Dublin in 2022 against a fullstrength South African bowling attackâIt is a tough decision to decide to retire but I feel like the time is right for me I have given so much of my life to cricket and representing my country in the sport I love will be something Iâll always treasure My dream as a child was to be a professional cricketer and I never believed that dream would come true so I feel very fortunate Sophie MacMahon said in a statementâIâm extremely thankful to all the staff and coaches at Cricket Ireland for their support over the years especially the support staff I worked with in the womenâs programme I would also like to thank my family for their support and encouragement throughout my cricket journeyâIâm so grateful for the opportunities Iâve had while playing for Ireland in particular the places Iâve got to visit and the people Iâve met The best part about my journey has been my teammates along the way and I will miss being part of such an incredible squad â but I know Iâve made friends for lifeâWith a best of 213 against Thailand in the Netherlands she also took 21 wickets in all formats MacMahon last played for Ireland against Zimbabwe in July 2025 with a figure of 221 She was one of seven players who were awarded the firstever fulltime playing contracts for Ireland Women in 2019âSophie has been a crucial part of our squad for the last eight years Sheâs been with this group through a major transitional period and has played a big role in shaping the team we are today said Gaby Lewis captain of Ireland WomenâWeâll miss not only her cricketing ability but also her personality and the care sheâs always shown for the people around her I know I can speak on behalf of the whole team when I say sheâll be greatly missed and we wish her all the very best in her next chapterâSophie will continue to play club cricket for Leinster Cricket Club but she will no longer play domestic representative cricket in the Evoke Super Series IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ireland-all-rounder-sophie-macmahon-retires-from-international-cricket-653187.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/icc-jiostar-quash-exit-rumours-to-continue-four-year-deal-653197.html Dubai Dec 12 The International Cricket Council ICC and JioStar have reaffirmed their longterm partnership and refuted any rumours that the media partner is considering ending the fouryear deal The International Cricket Council ICC and JioStar have noted recent media reports concerning the status of the ICCâs media rights agreement in India These reports do not reflect the position of either organisation The existing agreement between the ICC and JioStar remains fully in force and JioStar continues as the ICCâs official media rights partner in India Any suggestion that JioStar has withdrawn from the agreement is incorrect the joint statement from ICC and JioStar readIt further stated JioStar is fully committed to honour its contractual obligations in letter and spirit Both organisations remain focused on delivering uninterrupted worldclass coverage of upcoming ICC events to fans across India including the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup one of the sportâs most anticipated global tournamentsAdvertisers and industry partners will not be impacted according to the ICC and JioStar since both parties are taking the necessary actionPreparations for these events are progressing exactly as planned and there is no impact on viewers advertisers or industry partners ICC and JioStar as longterm commercial partners maintain regular communication on operational commercial and strategic matters focused on the role the partnership can play in growing the sportJioStar paid USD 3 billion to acquire the ICCs media rights agreement from 2024 to 2027 guaranteeing the hosting of one major mens international event annually IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/icc-jiostar-quash-exit-rumours-to-continue-four-year-deal-653197.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/melbourne-renegades-sign-andrew-tye-ahead-of-bbl-15-653249.html Melbourne Dec 13 Melbourne Renegades on Saturday announced the signing of experienced campaigner Andrew Tye to bolster their bowling attack ahead of the seasons opener On the eve of the Renegades seasonopening match against the Brisbane Heat on Monday night at GMHBA Stadium Tye joins the team to replace bowler Tom Rogers who has been ruled outPossessing one of Big Bashs most outstanding records Tye has played 105 BBL matches and taken over 150 wickets making him one of the leagues leading deathover specialistsâIâm genuinely excited about this move â itâs a great bunch of fellas with serious talent and Iâm looking forward to cracking inâ Tye saidâThe Renegades play a great brand of cricket and the direction the club is heading under Whitey Cameron White really appeals to me The chats Iâve had with the coaching staff were clear â they know how they want to play and where I fitâIâve always prided myself on competing and taking ownership of big moments and Iâm looking forward to contributing to this groupâTye will reunite with familiar faces at the Renegades including former Perth Scorchers teammate Jason Behrendorff who joined the club earlier this yearThe Renegades also parted ways with veteran quick Kane Richardson during the offseason with the 34yearold finding a new home with Sydney SixersRenegades General Manager James Rosengarten stated that the signing was a strategic move ahead of the new campaignâAndrewâs experience and ability to influence key moments in games is extremely valuable Heâs a proven performer in this competition and adds leadership composure and depth to our bowling attackâ Rosengarten saidâWe see him as someone who will play an important role for us throughout the seasonâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/melbourne-renegades-sign-andrew-tye-ahead-of-bbl-15-653249.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 23:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/vinesh-phogat-reverses-retirement-says-stepping-back-toward-la28-653066.html New Delhi Dec 12 Indias ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat who announced her retirement hours after her disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024 has reversed her decision to retire and announced that she would return to the mat as she set her sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Vinesh who joined politics a day after announcing her retirement from wrestling following a heartwrenching disqualification from the Paris Olympics gold medal bout took to social media to announce her decision that I still want to compete with with a heart thats unafraid and a spirit that refuses to bowPeople kept asking if Paris was the end For a long time I didnt have the answer I needed to step away from the mat from the pressure from the expectations even from my own ambitions Vinesh said in a statementFor the first time in years I allowed myself to breathe I took time to understand the weight of my journey the highs the heartbreaks the sacrifices the versions of me the world never saw And somewhere in that reflection I found the truth I still love this sport I still want to competeIn that silence I found something Id forgotten the fire never left It was only buried under exhaustion and noise The discipline the routine the fight its in my system No matter how far I walked away a part of me stayed on the matSo here I am stepping back toward LA28 with a heart thats unafraid and a spirit that refuses to bow And this time Im not walking alone my son is joining my team my biggest motivation my little cheerleader on this road to the LA OlympicsVinesh made history in Paris by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final at the Olympics Her landmark run included a stunning win over Japanâs fourtime world champion Yui SusakiBut her redemption story following a disappointing performance in the Tokyo Olympics ended in heartbreak as she was disqualified from the competition after she was found overweight in the second weighin on the morning of the finalHowever she appealed against her Olympic disqualification with the Court of Arbitration for Sports CAS and demanded a joint silver medal in the 50kg weight categoryBut the AdHoc Division of the CAS dismissed Vineshs petition against her disqualification shattering her dream of clinching her maiden Olympic medalLater Vinesh along with Bajrang Punia joined the Congress in the runup to the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections where she won from the Julana constituency in Jind defeating the BJPâs Yogesh Bajrangi IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/vinesh-phogat-reverses-retirement-says-stepping-back-toward-la28-653066.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 13:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/smat-nitish-reddys-hattrick-in-vain-as-andhra-lose-to-mp-by-4-wickets-653085.html Pune Dec 12 Seam bowling allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddyâs hatâtrick gave Andhra a glimmer of hope but Madhya Pradesh recovered from 143 to chase down 113 and win by four wickets in their first game of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Super League stage at the DY Patil Academy on Friday Reddy who joined the Andhra team after being in Indiaâs squads for Tests and ODIs against South Africa struck in the third over to dismiss Harsh Gawli Harpreet Bhatia and Rajat Patidar in quick succession Soon after Venkatesh Iyerâs dismissal left MP wobbling at 374But a composed 73ârun stand for the fifth wicket between Rishabh Chouhan and Rahul Batham steadied the chase Chouhan made 47 off 43 balls with six fours while Batham remained unbeaten on 35 off 32 deliveries to see MP home with 15 balls to spare and pick up four crucial pointsPreviously Reddy had added 50 runs for the third wicket with wicketkeeperbatter KS Bharat after Andhra slipped to 72 Bharat topâscored with 39 before being dismissed by Iyer triggering a collapse that saw Andhra lose eight wickets for 55 runs and be bowled out for 112 in 191 oversFor MP Shivam Shukla claimed 423 while Tripuresh Singh took 331 Batham chipped in with two wickets as four Andhra batters fell without scoring Andhraâs next game will be against Punjab while MP are slated to face Jharkhand on the same day December 14Brief Scores Andhra 112 all out in 191 overs KS Bharat 39 Nitish Kumar Reddy 25 Shivam Shukla 423 Tripuresh Singh 331 lost to Madhya Pradesh 1136 in 173 overs Rishabh Chouhan 47 Rahul Batham 35 not out Nitish Kumar Reddy 317 KV Sasikanth 112 by four wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/smat-nitish-reddys-hattrick-in-vain-as-andhra-lose-to-mp-by-4-wickets-653085.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nz-hold-the-edge-despite-windies-fightback-on-day-2-of-wellington-test-652839.html Wellington Dec 11 New Zealand strengthened their hold on the ongoing second Test against the West Indies here at the Basin Reserve thanks to the composed halfcenturies by Devon Conway and debutant Mitchell Hay before their seamers undermined the West Indies response The hosts built a 73run lead after being bowled out for 278 then took two wickets with the new ball to leave West Indies 41 runs behind with eight wickets still in hand at stumpsAs New Zealand resumed from the overnight score of 240 the West Indies quicks troubled the hosts throughout the innings Kemar Roach Jayden Seales Ojay Shields and Anderson Phillip all found swing and seam repeatedly forcing defensive errors Loose strokes from New Zealandâs batters only added to the pressureBut Conway anchored the innings with a composed 60 his first fifty against the Caribbean side punishing anything short or wide with crisp cuts and flicks among his eight boundaries Hay debuting at No 6 added a composed 61 helping New Zealand rebuild after a midsession stumbleNew Zealands innings started poorly Tom Lathams off stump was knocked out by a sharp nipback from Roach and Kane Williamson was dismissed by Phillip whose latestraightening delivery beat his defenceAfter lunch Roach got Rachin Ravindra caught fishing at a wide one while Conway was caught leg side off a poor delivery from Justin Greaves courtesy of Tevin Imlachâs athletic diving catch At 117 for 4 New Zealand remained vulnerableHay and Daryl Mitchell steadied the innings with a 73run stand only for West Indies to break through soon Hay miscued a pull shot in the fourth over of the session and Glenn Phillips after an adventurous cameo worth 18 slogged one into the hands of PhilipThe tail however proved stubborn as Jacob Duffy Zakary Foulkes and Michael Rae chipped in valuable runs to stretch the lead before Seales finally ended the innings by removing RaeWith Blair Tickner unavailable due to injury New Zealand declared upon losing their ninth wicketBy stumps New Zealand quicks had already repaid those lateorder runs striking twice to leave the West Indies 32 for 2 in their second inningsBrief Scores West Indies 20510 and 322 in 10 overs Brandon King 15 John Campbell 14 Michael Rae 14 Jacob Duffy 18 trail New Zealand 2789d in 744 overs Mitchell Hay 61 Devon Conway 60 Anderson Phillip 370 Kemar Roach 243 by 41 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nz-hold-the-edge-despite-windies-fightback-on-day-2-of-wellington-test-652839.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/satterthwaite-peterson-and-tsukigawa-appointed-as-nzs-regional-female-pathway-leads-653126.html Wellington Dec 12 Former New Zealand captain Amy Satterthwaite along with Anna Peterson and Sarah Tsukigawa has been appointed female pathway lead for Auckland Canterbury and Otago respectively in a move aimed at strengthening regional development structures The group of pathway managers will be overseen by former New Zealand womenâs wicketkeeperâbatter Sara McGlashan who has been named lead for the nationwide programmeâFrom strengthening relationships with clubs and schools to driving highquality training environments theyâre helping create thriving pathways for young cricketers Environments where players feel supported inspired and confident to push their potential is pivotal to their developmentâHaving three former players step into pathway manager roles is enormously valuable Their experience allows them to connect with players in a way that truly accelerates development and inspires the next generation on where their journey in cricket can take themâ said Sara in a statement by NZC on FridayAmy the former New Zealand captain is the most experienced of the newly appointed pathway leads having played 145 ODIs and 111 T20Is before retiring from international cricket in 2022 She then joined WBBL side Adelaide Strikers as assistant coachAnna meanwhile featured in 65 international whiteball games for New Zealand from 2012 to 2020 and has returned to cricket after recently leading the Women and Girls Strategy at Auckland Rugby Union as the Game Development OfficerSarah on the other hand had 61 appearances for New Zealand from 2006 to 2011 and previously held selector and assistant coaching roles with her former domestic team the Otago SparksApart from this Luke Pomfret has joined the Northern Districts pathway team adding experience from his stints with English counties Middlesex and Northamptonshire He will work alongside Jamie Watkins who continues to head the Central Districts programme IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/satterthwaite-peterson-and-tsukigawa-appointed-as-nzs-regional-female-pathway-leads-653126.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/tpl-7-former-world-no-23-damir-dzumhur-lauds-tournaments-global-prominence-652874.html Ahmedabad Dec 11 Two days into Season 7 of the Tennis Premier League TPL the leagueâs expanding international reputation has been strongly validated by players across generations as former World No 23 Damir Dzumhur representing Yash Mumbai Eagles and young Czech player Dalibor Svrcina of Chennai Smashers shared their initial thoughts on the tournament and offered insights into TPLâs growing global reach Damir Dzumhur a 33yearold veteran of the league with experience facing top players like Carlos Alcaraz stated that he was aware of TPL long before arriving in IndiaHe said âI had spoken to a couple of international players that played TPL in the past and a lot of them told me the management is very good and itâs very fun being inside the team I myself have played Davis Cup for my country Bosnia and Herzegovina for 15 years so I really enjoy working together as a teamâHe also praised TPLâs unique format while saying âI like how it works with only 25 points a match This is incredible for someone who wants to start watching Tennis because Grand Slam matches can go for about 45 hours and not everyone enjoys that Itâs shorter there is always movement there is always something happening Itâs a lot of fun for people watchingâ he saidâThe surface is very nice the weather is great Everything we have here to practice and play is really good Iâm definitely up to do it again in future yearsâ he concludedRepresenting the younger generation of international players experiencing TPL for the first time Dalibor Svrcina shared similar praise The 23yearold Czech player who recently entered the top 100 rankings said âItâs been really good so far The facilities hotel and the organisers are good We feel very welcomed here As a team we are in the positive numbers My goal now is to help my team reach the semifinalsâDescribing the leagueâs structure as a welcome change he stated âItâs a very different format very fast very fun and entertaining You see different good players backtoback so it keeps everything fresh Itâs nice even for the fansââIndia is a special country I love it here and I would recommend other international players to come and participate ahead especially to those who are looking for a refreshing change in their careersâ he addedWith endorsements from experienced player Damir Dzumhur and rising star Dalibor Svrcina TPLâs broad appeal across different age groups becomes evident Their experiences show that the league is highly regarded internationally and fulfils its promises once players reach India As Season 7 advances TPL solidifies its status as a globally significant playerorientated and highly engaging tennis event IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/tpl-7-former-world-no-23-damir-dzumhur-lauds-tournaments-global-prominence-652874.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/mens-u19-asia-cup-india-script-history-post-mammoth-4336-vs-uae-in-opener-653134.html Dubai Dec 12 India recorded the highestever score in Mens U19 Asia Cup history posting 4336 in its tournament opener against UAE here at ICC Academy Ground on Friday Teenage star Vaibhav Suryavanshi made a spectacular 171 while Aaron George 69 and Vihaan Malhotra 69 contributed with crucial halfcenturies Vedant Trivedi 38 Abhigyan Kundu 32 and Kanishk Chouhan 28 provided the finishing touch to the record totalIndia moved past its own highest total in U19 ODIs â 4253 scored against Scotland in 2004 Overall Indias total of 433 is the thirdhighest score ever by a team in a menâs U19 oneday gameMoreover 14yearold Suryavanshi scored a recordbreaking 171 off just 95 balls shattering the mark for the highest score by an Indian in the U19 Asia CupThe previous best was Himanshu Ranaâs 130 against Afghanistan in Colombo in 2016 Soumya Sarkar of Bangladesh holds the record for most runs in an innings in U19 Asia Cup He smashed 209 against Qatar in 2012Suryavanshis innings decorated with nine fours came at a strike rate of 180 He brought up his halfcentury in 30 balls his century in just 56 and 150 in 84 balls He also launched 14 sixes the most by any batter in the tournamentâs history going past Afghanistanâs Darwish Rasooli who struck 10 against UAE in 2017Suryavanshi was dismissed in the 33rd over with the score on 2653 giving India a launchpad to score more than 400Earlier this month the teenager hit an unbeaten 108 off 61 balls for Bihar against Maharashtra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Kolkata becoming the youngest player to score a century in the tournamentâs historyAt the Rising Stars Asia Cup earlier this year Suryavanshi scored 144 off 42 balls for India A against UAE smashing 11 fours and 15 sixes IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/mens-u19-asia-cup-india-script-history-post-mammoth-4336-vs-uae-in-opener-653134.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/langer-lsg-will-target-australian-players-in-ipl-auction-opines-saba-karim-653137.html New Delhi Dec 12 Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer is expected to focus on acquiring Australian talent at the upcoming IPL auction according to former India selector Saba Karim LSG will enter the upcoming IPL 2026 auction to be held in Abu Dhabi on December 16 with a purse of Rs 2295 crore and have to fill six slots four of which are for overseas players I think Justin Langer and LSG will target the Australian players in the auction They need to be strong at the auction and target players like Cameron Green and Aaron HardieââBoth are handy allrounders who can bat and bowl Australians have a winning mentality which LSG wants In their bowling attack they brought in Mohammed Shami I think their bowling coach Bharat Arun believes Shami can still deliverâThey needed someone to lead the attack since the other fast bowlers like Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan are Indian Bharat Arun feels Shami can guide these young bowlersâ said Karim on JioStarBefore auctions LSG were fairly active in acquiring pacers Mohammed Shami and Arjun Tendulkar via trades Langer talked about the happiness in acquiring a veteran fast bowler like Shami who he feels is one of the happiest persons in the cricketing worldMohammed Shami is a real competitor and a warrior There has been a lot of talk about him As a past coach against him you knew the team was always in the fight if Shami was playing The biggest worry for a coach is keeping him fit I would rather have more fast bowlers than lessWhen you talk about heartbreaks there is no better person He is probably one of the best team players and the best people I have met in cricket His energy is unbelievable I expected him to be picked in the next auction because he offers so much Luckily we got him in a trade deal so I am really happy and look forward to working with himAnil Kumble who previously served as Punjab Kings head coach feels the side could look to acquire more Indian fast bowling options and an overseas keeperbatter in the upcoming auction Punjab Kings have all bases covered They were the finalists last season so that confidence has led them to keep most of their playersTheir Indian players did exceptionally well last season and they will hope that continues Fast bowlers are always good to have as backup so that is one area they could look at They would have also identified a few talented uncapped Indians to consider They will want to fill an overseas slot as they have released three overseas players They could look for a wicketkeeperbatter to fill Josh Inglis position said Kumble IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/langer-lsg-will-target-australian-players-in-ipl-auction-opines-saba-karim-653137.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/babar-azam-looks-forward-to-playing-with-steve-smith-in-bbl-652883.html New Delhi Dec 11 Pakistanâs batting star Babar Azam says he is eager not only to entertain fans but also to sharpen his game alongside Australian great Steve Smith as anticipation builds ahead of the Big Bash Leagueâs opening weekend With large pockets of the Pakistani community in Sydney and Perth rushing to buy tickets Babar has quickly become one of the major attractions of this yearâs tournament The Sydney Sixers begin their campaign on Sunday against the fivetime champions the Perth Scorchers at Optus StadiumâI am super excited to be a part of the Sydney Sixersâ Babar told Telecom Asia Sport wwwtelecomasianet âIt is a fact that you learn a lot while playing in Australia so this is going to be a good experience for me more so because I will get a chance to play alongside Steve Smith who is a great playerâHe is one of seven Pakistani players participating in the latest edition of the league His longtime T20I opening partner Mohammad Rizwan joins the Melbourne Renegades while Shaheen Shah Afridi turns out for Brisbane HeatHaris Rauf reunites with the Melbourne Stars Shadab Khan represents Sydney Thunder Hasan Ali plays for the Adelaide Strikers and Hasaan Khan also lines up for the RenegadesBabar said he is already feeling the support from local Pakistan fans âI have already seen the excitement in the Pakistan community in Perth and when I go to Sydney there will be more fans coming so itâs a nice thing to entertain themâFor many supporters this is a rare opportunity to watch the prolific batter in action Mohammad Imran who has lived in Perth for 20 years said he and his friends secured their seats early âWe bought tickets for the match well in advance and will go to see our beloved batter in actionâIn Sydney the excitement has prompted local cricket clubs to establish a dedicated fan zone called âBabristanâ outside the Sydney Cricket GroundâBabar is our honourâ said Sohail Sheikh a cricket organiser in Sydney âThere is a lot of excitement amongst the Pakistani fans over Babar coming to Sydney and play for our team in the BigBash Leagueâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/babar-azam-looks-forward-to-playing-with-steve-smith-in-bbl-652883.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/neser-and-lehmann-to-join-hampshire-for-next-years-county-championship-653144.html Southampton Dec 12 Australia duo Michael Neser and Jake Lehmann will join Hampshire for the 2026 County Championship season Neser fresh from taking a fivewicket haul in the recent Ashes win in Brisbane is set to feature in the first six Championship matches before the T20 Blast Neser 35 took 13 wickets for Hampshire in 2024 across eight matches in the county championship and T20 blast âIn Michael Neser and Jake Lehmann we have two players who have the ability to make a significant impact Michael brings valuable runs alongside his quality with the ball he will partner Kyle Abbott as one of our overseas playersâ said Giles White Director of Cricket at Hampshire in a statementMeanwhile Lehmann the son of former Australia player and current Northamptonshire head coach Darren Lehmann has signed a twoâyear allâformat deal with the club He has scored 5684 runs in 97 firstclass cricket games for South Australia with 16 centuries against his nameIn the ongoing Sheffield Shield Lehmann is South Australiaâs leading run scorer and has the thirdmost runs of anyone in the competition with 426 runs He has also scored two centuries and one fifty 96 v Western Australia in his ten innings so farâJake is in outstanding form and is the leading run scorer in Shield cricket over the past 18 months With a British passport he is eligible to play as a locally qualified player allowing flex in strengthening the squad Both players possess a great attitude and bring quality and experience itâs a great boost as we look to finalise our plans ahead of 2026â added WhiteLast season Lehmann scored 750 runs including a century in the final to take South Australia to their first Sheffield Shield title since 199596 He has previously featured in eight county matches across short stints with Yorkshire in 2016 where he averaged 5485 and Lancashire in 2019 he scored 419 runs with two fifties and one hundredâIâm excited to join Hampshire on a twoyear deal itâs great to return to county cricket Hampshire has a fantastic history of Australian players and to follow in the footsteps of Shane Warne Matthew Hayden and the like is really special I look forward to joining up with the team at Utilita Bowl and hopefully contributing to the trophy cabinetâ added Lehmann IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/neser-and-lehmann-to-join-hampshire-for-next-years-county-championship-653144.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/jofra-embarrassed-himself-and-his-team-ponting-reacts-to-archer-smith-clash-during-gabba-test-652896.html New Delhi Dec 11 Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting reacting to the verbal clash between Jofra Archer and Australian captain Steve Smith during the second Ashes Test said the England pacer embarrassed himself by failing to deliver the pace and aggression when it was most needed earlier in the match Engaged in a fiery exchange on Day 4 of the daynight Test when Archer fired down a searing short ball to Smith which dispatched it to the boundary with an impressive pull shot The next delivery was again short and Smith attempted to lift it over the slip cordon sparking a reaction from Archer who directed a few verbal barbs at the Aussie skipperArcher was picked up on the stump mic saying Likes to play shots when thereâs not much on the scoreboard It lit a fuse under Smith who returned serve the stump microphone picking up the exchange âYou bowl fast when thereâs nothing going on championâ Smith saidPonting who was in the commentary box during the match opined that Archer had embarrassed himself and the teamWhen I âchampionedâ him I could actually hear what Steve Smith had said to him in the stump mic Smithy said champion and then thats just what came out of my mouth but it just got me going and got the hairs on the back of my neck standing up There havenât been many games that Iâve commentated that I wish I was back playing again But I wish I was out there the other night as part of that because thatâs what you miss and thatâs what itâs all about Ponting told SENBut look for Jofra he just embarrassed himself and he embarrassed his team the other night thats what I make of that To bowl his fastest spell ever in Test cricket when Australias chasing 60â it the fast spell has been there the whole time itâs been up his sleeve and England have needed him to do it and he hasnât been willing to do itDay 3 when they needed him to do it he rocks up with his pillow under his arm and that was always going to be a bad day for England from that moment As soon as anyone saw that it was going to be âOkay theres their mindset for the dayTheyâre just going to rock up and Australiaâs going to fall over and weâll bowl them outâ Well that doesnt happen against Australia it doesnt happen in Ashes cricket he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/jofra-embarrassed-himself-and-his-team-ponting-reacts-to-archer-smith-clash-during-gabba-test-652896.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/malaysia-u19-skipper-patro-keen-to-take-on-powerhouses-india-and-pakistan-652897.html New Delhi Dec 11 Malaysia captain Deaaz Patro isnt losing sleep over the prospect of facing powerhouses India and Pakistan in the upcoming Menâs U19 Asia Cup which starts in the UAE on Friday His strategy is simple block out the noise focus on the contest and take it one ball at a time We agree that India and Pakistan are both very big teams in the cricketing world But when we enter the field we focus on the bowler and batsman We just try to focus on one ball at a time instead of thinking about the result Patro said in an exclusive conversation with IANS facilitated by Sony Sports Network ahead of Malaysias fifth U19 Asia Cup appearanceFollowing their clash against Pakistan on Friday Malaysia will face the UAE on December 14 before taking on a formidable India on December 16 For Patro and vicecaptain Muhammad Aalif the tournament represents both a significant challenge and an important opportunity following their teams thirdplace finish in the ACC U19 Mens Premier Cup 2025 â a result that secured their spot in the Asia CupSo after we got back we had four days of training So every day just training and getting prepared for this tournament As a batsman Ive been practising more on the batting while our bowlers are working on their bowling So I think its all equally prioritised said PatroVicecaptain Aalif echoed the pragmatic approach when discussing the teams objectives for the Asia Cup I think we want to give our best We want to win of course I think well learn a lot by playing against these big countries Well learn their routines their mentality and itll be good for us he saidBut Malaysia arenât coming just to participate if one goes by Patro and Aalif spelling out their ambitious personal targets For me Im looking to get into the playoffs stage and score around 300 to 400 runs in this competition For Malaysia this will be a good exposure for us since its very rare for us to be playing against such highlevel countriesââBut that doesnt mean we are not going to give our best We are still going to come and do our best for the country I think our team is very ready to take up the challenge said PatroAalifs vision is also equally high For me personally I would like to be in the top three best batsmen and this is my target for this Asia Cup The Malaysia Cricket Association has been with us since we were young Theyve been giving us a lot of opportunities to play cricket in Malaysia such as the Malaysia Premier League and playing with the mens senior team he saidThe confidence isnt unfounded as demonstrated by the teamâs chemistry built over years of playing together We had psychology sessions with our psychologist and team bonding sessions which helped us know each other better and to improve our communication Actually our team has been together since the under12s Most of us have been playing together since under16 So I would say we are very well gelled said PatroThat cohesion has been further strengthened through focused preparation Most of the time weve been staying here in Bayuemas for a camp to prepare for the Asia Cup Then from the coaches and staff theyve been giving us a lot of support giving us motivation and continuing to play very well on a higher level of cricket said AalifHe further elaborated on the comprehensive training regime To be honest every morning before we start our practice session we do highintensity fitness which is we do a bit of leg training and then some quick running between the wickets said AalifPatro also expressed similar views The weather over here is quite similar Its also very hot So we are quite used to playing in hotter weather As Aalif said every morning before training we have fitness sessions like sprinting then endurance and agility trainingAalifâs technical preparation has been equally meticulous For me as a batsman Ill be focusing on facing spinners on the ground So Ive been doing quite a lot of training against the spinners with coaches and then alongside the batting coachBoth players carry inspiration from crickets biggest stars Patro models his game after Australian dasher David Warner Since I was young I used to love watching him how he bats aggressively in the power play and being able to do so well in all three formats So Ive always looked up to him the captain saidAalif unsurprisingly looks to Indias modern batting great Virat Kohli Everyone knows that Virat Kohli is the biggest star in cricket I love him because of his style action and aggression on the field On and off hes a good guy he sharedTheir journeys to this moment reflect Malaysian crickets grassroots development Patros path began early shaped by family influence For me actually my dad was a big fan of cricket So when I was just 4 years old he put me into a cricketing club over here When I was 10 years old I started playing for our state under16 teamââThen after the COVID19 pandemic and the lockdown I really started to put in more effort I got the opportunity to play for Malaysia for the first time in 2023 Then after that I just kept working hard and now Im captain of Malaysia under16 and Malaysia under19 he recalledAalifs introduction to cricket was purely accidental I never knew there was a sport named cricket But at my primary school there was a teacher who coached the cricket team So asked me âDo you want to play for the cricket team in my schoolâ I just went and day by day Ive loved playing this sport So now Im hereTheir rise coincides with a broader upswing in Malaysian cricket Were having a lot of support from the Malaysia Cricket Association Theyre trying their best to promote cricket more in schools and among under12s More recently weve been having more interstate tournaments like under16s under19s and in the mens level So I think cricket is starting to grow here concluded PatroWatch the ACC Menâs U19 Asia Cup 2025 live on Sony Sports Network from December 1221 across Sony Sports Ten 1 and Ten 2 SD amp HD channels and will be livestreamed on Sony Liv IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/malaysia-u19-skipper-patro-keen-to-take-on-powerhouses-india-and-pakistan-652897.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/why-fix-what-is-not-broken-says-aakash-chopra-on-mi-follows-their-philosophy-and-ideology-at-wpl-auction-652915.html New Delhi Dec 11 Aakash Chopra shared his opinion on the Mumbai Indiansâ strategy for the recent auction for the Womenâs Premier League WPL stating that the franchise remained firm in its ideology and philosophy and tried its best to retain its core without trying to âfix what is not brokenâ The WPL 2026 auction reaffirmed the Mumbai Indiansâ belief in stability over sweeping overhaul as the defending champions walked away with a squad that looks strikingly similar to last seasonâs titlewinning unit Rather than chasing dramatic restructuring MI focused on retaining its trusted core and making precise needbased additions an approach that drew praise from JioHotstarâs panel of expertsFormer India captain Mithali Raj underlined the franchiseâs clarity in bolstering its bowling unit while preserving the foundation that has served it so wellThe Mumbai Indians have done well in their bowling department They have brought in topquality seamers like Nikola Carey and Milly Illingworth Raj said speaking on JioHotstarShe also highlighted MIâs enviable player availability record stating Their other main players may not have a direct replacement But as we witnessed in the last three seasons their main players have not missed any matches Maybe they were rested when the team was in a good position but they have not missed games due to injury Hopefully the next seasons will be the same for MIAakash Chopra echoed the sentiment pointing out that MIâs minimal tinkering is deliberate rather than conservative The Mumbai Indians have kept almost everything the same Only one keeper has changed They played with Yastika Bhatia for three years Now Gunalan Kamalini or someone else will come in her place That is the only thing to look at The rest is pretty much the same he saidAccording to him the franchiseâs longstanding philosophy remains intact They are still following their philosophy even after the big auction Why fix what is not broken And if something is broken then we will fix it again They follow that philosophy and ideology and it is right in front of us he notedChopra added that managing continuity after a mega auction is an accomplishment in itself It is very difficult to keep the same squad after a mega auction After a big auction you cannot always keep your main players Winning makes the next auction the most difficult because you do not want to change anything but change is almost mandatoryâDespite that if you can keep your eleven players from last year or your core and no main player is missing that is a huge achievement It is almost impossible But the Mumbai Indians have proved that nothing is impossible Their squad is exactly the same as last year with only minor changes MI are certainly moving in the right direction to win their third WPL title he explainedSaba Karim too emphasised that MIâs disciplined approach came from knowing exactly whom they needed and why stating that once those priorities were secured MI shifted to supplementary talentâThe focus of the Mumbai Indians was to get Amelia Kerr and Shabnim Ismail Both are proven matchwinners Once they got those two they could buy some uncapped talent and players who were already part of MI That is what MI is all about They create an environment that gives assurance to the players and in the end those players perform to the best of their abilitiesâ he saidWith their proven matchwinners retained their core untouched and targeted reinforcements in place the Mumbai Indians appear poised for another formidable title push If continuity breeds success MI may once again be setting the blueprint for building and sustaining a WPL dynasty IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/why-fix-what-is-not-broken-says-aakash-chopra-on-mi-follows-their-philosophy-and-ideology-at-wpl-auction-652915.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2026-mens-t20-wc-group-stage-and-super-eight-tickets-to-be-on-sale-from-wednesday-evening-652919.html New Delhi Dec 11 Tickets for the Group Stage and Super Eight of the 2026 ICC Menâs T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka will be put on sale at 645 pm from Thursday evening The tenth edition of the mega event will be held from February 7 to March 8 with matches spread across eight venues in India and Sri Lanka The International Cricket Council ICC said prices for the tickets in phase one will start at Rs 100 at some venues in India and 1000 LKR in Sri Lanka The Rs 100 strategy was first put into use during the 2025 Womenâs ODI World Cup also hosted by India and Sri LankaâPhase I of ticket sales is an important milestone in our journey towards delivering the most accessible and global ICC event ever staged Our vision for the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 is clear every fan regardless of background geography or financial means should have the chance to access an instadia experience of worldclass marquee cricketââWith tickets starting from just â¹100 and LKR1000 we are putting affordability at the centre of our strategy This is about opening the gates wide and inviting millions to be part of a global celebration of cricket not as spectators from afar but as active participants in the energy emotion and magic that only a stadium can offerââThe 2026 edition featuring 20 teams and 55 matches will be the most ambitious and inclusive T20 World Cup in history We firmly believe it will set a new benchmark not only for competitive excellence but for fan experience and access Our commitment is to bring the world closer to the game and to ensure this becomes a tournament remembered for both its cricketing brilliance and its connection with the fans we serveâ said ICC CEO Sanjog GuptaThe tournament will open in Colombo with Pakistan facing the Netherlands followed by West Indies taking on Bangladesh in Kolkata before India take on the USA in a highprofile clash in Mumbai India enters the competition as the defending champions and will be aiming to retain the silverware won in 2024âWith tickets starting as low as â¹100 the excitement around the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 is multiplied manifold We are committed to creating a worldclass matchday experience that reflects Indiaâs passion for the sport modern facilities smooth logistics and stadiums buzzing with energyââThis tournament is an opportunity for fans to come together and celebrate cricket in its most electrifying format We have worked closely with all stakeholders to ensure accessibility comfort and an atmosphere worthy of a global event We warmly welcome fans from across India and around the globe to witness thrilling action and create lifelong memoriesâ said BCCI Secretary Devajit SaikiaWhile the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai Eden Gardens in Kolkata are the venues in India R Premadasa Stadium and Singhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo and the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy are the tournament venues in Sri LankaâWe are extremely proud to cohost this prestigious event alongside India and we eagerly look forward to welcoming fans from across the world to our stadiums With Phase I of ticket sales now open we encourage everyone to secure their seats early to ensure they donât miss a single moment of the actionââWe look forward to seeing our venues come alive with passion and energy as fans celebrate cricket in its most electrifying format This World Cup will not only showcase toptier competition but will also reaffirm Sri Lankaâs reputation as a warm vibrant and unforgettable cricketing destinationâ said Ashley de Silva SLC CEO IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2026-mens-t20-wc-group-stage-and-super-eight-tickets-to-be-on-sale-from-wednesday-evening-652919.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/chargesheet-filed-against-bangladesh-a-cricketer-tofael-ahmed-raihan-in-sexual-assault-case-652939.html New Delhi Dec 11 Police have filed a chargesheet against Bangladesh âAâ teamâs pacebowling allrounder Tofael Ahmed Raihan accusing him of repeatedly sexually assaulting a young woman after allegedly promising to marry her The chargesheet has been filed under Section 91 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act subinspector Md Samiul Islam of Gulshan Police Station confirmed to Cricbuzz on ThursdayAccording to investigators the allegations appear to be supported by the womanâs statement hotel booking records medical reports and other evidence collected during the inquiry The court is expected to review the charge sheet at the next hearing on December 30 the report suggestedBased on the case documents Tofael initially reached out to the woman on Facebook in January Their Messenger chats slowly evolved into what the woman perceived as a romantic relationship She told police she agreed to keep talking with him only after he promised marriageThe woman claimed that on January 31 Tofael took her to a hotel in Gulshan introduced her as his wife and then sexually assaulted her She stated that similar episodes happened several more times and that he ultimately refused to marry her despite promising to do so repeatedly She filed a case at Gulshan Police Station on August 1 accusing him of multiple acts of sexual violenceOn September 24 the High Court granted Tofael six weeks of anticipatory bail and instructed him to surrender to the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal upon the expiry of the bail period However police say he did not follow this directiveDuring this time Tofael travelled to Hong Kong to participate in a sixaside cricket tournament as a member of the Bangladesh âAâ squadThe case now awaits the courtâs next steps as the legal process progresses IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/chargesheet-filed-against-bangladesh-a-cricketer-tofael-ahmed-raihan-in-sexual-assault-case-652939.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 01:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/cricket-matches-allowed-at-bengalurus-chinnaswamy-stadium-with-safety-measures-dy-cm-shivakumar-653048.html Belagavi Karnataka Dec 12 Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday announced that cricket matches will be allowed at Bengalurus Chinnaswamy Stadium with safety measures Speaking to the media at the Circuit House in Belagavi Shivakumar who is also Bengaluru Development Minister said Weve allowed cricket matches to be held at the stadium taking necessary precautions to ensure safety and maintain Bengalurus reputationHome Minister G Parameshwara has been tasked with overseeing the arrangements and the Karnataka State Cricket Association KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad and police officials will discuss the details he addedShivakumar emphasised that the decision was made to uphold Bengalurus reputation and prevent any untoward incidentsSources said that the Karnataka cabinet on Thursday night had approved conducting all upcoming cricket matches including the 2026 IPL at the Chinnaswamy StadiumThe decision was made at the cabinet meeting in Belagavi with the Home Department tasked with implementing the Michael De Cunha reports recommendations and ensuring enhanced security measuresThe Karnataka State Cricket Academy KSCA will discuss and agree on the necessary steps with the Home Department A meeting chaired by the Home Minister will finalise the arrangementsThe decision follows the suspension of cricket matches at the stadium after 11 fans died in a stampede during an RCB victory celebration in July The stadium had also lost a womens World Cup match due to security concernsThe stadium has not hosted any matches since the stampede on June 4 in which 11 people were killedThe announcement came after newlyelected KSCA President and former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad and other officebearers met Shivkumar in Belagavi They had also met the CM and had submitted a request for the resumption of matchesMeanwhile Shivakumar asked about the dinner meet he had attended amid rumours that it was organised in response to a dinner meeting organised by CM Siddaramaiahs camp said that he attends lunch invitations from locals and Congress party family members as a gesture of goodwillThey invite us with love how can we refuse Its not a banquet or anything official he saidShivakumar who is also the state Congress chief stated that he and other party members often receive invitations from locals including Congress party workers and their families IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/cricket-matches-allowed-at-bengalurus-chinnaswamy-stadium-with-safety-measures-dy-cm-shivakumar-653048.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/batting-at-no-3-was-not-an-ideal-position-for-axar-bangar-653053.html New Delhi Dec 12 Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar said promoting Axar Patel to bat at No 3 in their 51run defeat in the second T20I to South Africa was not the ideal move adding that him taking time to find his rhythm also meant that the hosts top order didnât click in a desired way In the second T20I India made a surprising move by promoting Axar usually a floater in the middle order to number three It backfired as Axar struggled to get going and made a runaball 21 before falling to pacer Ottniel BaartmanFrom Indias point of view they needed a big contribution from their top three batters Abhishek Sharma Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadavs performance is always important when chasing a big total because they have the chance to play the most balls But the top three did not click and South Africa played very wellâThey used the new ball well Sending Axar Patel to bat at number three took him a lot of balls to find his rhythm and it was not an ideal position for him After that Ottniel Baartman bowled very straight with a you miss I hit style We saw it in the ODIs too and he got success againâGeorge Linde came into the middle overs and contained the runs with tight bowling South Africa will be very happy with how they played They outplayed India in all three departments said Bangar on JioStarThe only bright spot for India was lefthanded batter Tilak Varma topscoring with 62 an enterprising knock laced with two fours and five sixes He plays proper cricketing shots and doesnt fight the pace In international cricket he doesnt just try to hit the 135140 speed balls to midwicketââHe plays well in the square leg area and behind whether with a cut shot or a reverse sweep That is his strength His thinking and clarity are amazing especially in T20s He also doesnt let the run rate drop even after a wicket falls and that is his tempoââOverall he is the best player in a crunch situation He gives you the confidence to either reach a good score or complete a chase added Bangar IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/batting-at-no-3-was-not-an-ideal-position-for-axar-bangar-653053.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/playing-ilt20-a-key-boost-for-afghanistan-players-ahead-of-t20-wc-says-dc-all-rounder-nabi-652680.html Dubai Dec 10 Mohammad Nabi the veteran Afghanistan allrounder currently playing for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 said the playersâ participation from his country in the competition is a key boost citing that itâs a platform to correct their errors made in the Asia Cup and serves as motivation to perform well ahead of next yearâs T20 World Cup Nabi has featured in 145 T20I matches for Afghanistan amassing 2417 runs and picking 104 wickets He has been a part of Afghanistanâs squad since the country first appeared in the T20 World Cup in 2010 and had their bestever performance by reaching the semifinals in the 2024 edition of the competitionâMost Afghanistan players are playing in ILT20 and performing well It gives us a lot of motivation to play in a highlevel league before the T20 World Cup We also have a series against the West Indies before the tournament happens Those three T20I games will help us build a strong combinationâ Nabi told IANS in an exclusive conversation from DubaiâIf we make mistakes during that series we must fix them before the World Cup Playing in ILT20 gives us more energy and helps us to work on the errors we made in the Asia Cup he saidThough Nabi is 40 an age where many cricketers have thoughts of retiring from all forms of cricket the veteran is showing no signs of slowing down âIn the last 3â4 years Iâve enjoyed cricket more than when I was younger because of my hard work training and commitment at a high levelââI canât escape anything I had to focus on my training sleep food and diet It gave me more motivation When I am fit I step onto the ground and give my 100 When your body is working well and energetic it improves your performance I always focus on my next target Like what is my next event Then I prepare my body for thatââWith the T20 World Cup coming I have to focus on my body fitness and performance I train myself both as a batter and a bowler Thatâs why all my targets are set on the World Cup and how I prepare my body for itâ he elaboratedNabi has carved a decent reputation as an attacking batting allrounder who also bowls handy offspin and alongside legspinner Rashid Khan he laid the foundation of Afghanistan players being picked in big numbers in various T20 leaguesWith many Afghan players securing T20 league deals Nabi felt a homegrown league would put more talented cricketers on the world map âExposure is very important for our youngsters Yesterday the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced that the Afghanistan Premier League APL will be launched on December 20 and is set to be played next yearââThatâs great news for our youngsters as talented players who have performed in domestic cricket but havenât been seen internationally will now get a platform This platform will be excellent for youngsters who are performing back home Itâs great news for them because they will get more motivation to play highlevel cricket in top leagues When we perform at that stage they are inspired to followâ he saidFor now Nabiâs attention will be on performing well for defending champions Dubai Capitals who got their first win of the ongoing edition on December 7 âThe first win is always important to build and find a good combination for the teamââWe lost the first two games due to small mistakes and narrow margins and we learnt from that The last game was really good and we won by a big margin Hopefully this winning combination will work through the seasonâ he saidWith the UAE being a second home for Afghanistan players Nabi knows the conditions by the back of his hand and that has made him a vital source of intel for the Dubai Capitals players and coaches âFor me itâs like being at home I always play international cricket in the UAE and this league is stronger than other leagues because eight to nine international players are in the playing XIââOnly three players two from the UAE and one from the associates are included this time Itâs a good thing every team has a strong playing eleven and it makes for tough competition But for me especially itâs like being a local All three venues Sharjah Dubai and Abu Dhabi have different conditionsââYou need three different plans for playing in these stadiums I always share my experience with the coaches and players on how to play in Sharjah Dubai and Abu Dhabi Itâs a great opportunity to share my knowledge with the teamâNabi signed off by saying that apart from improving his game taking the counsel of various experienced coaches has helped him immensely âItâs simple just play cricket and enjoy being in the leagues I also work on the mistakes I made while playing in the national team and I correct those when featuring in the league which helps me a lot There are many big coaches in these leagues and I share my mistakes with them to gain more experience based on what they adviseââWith so many international players around we share the errors we made in the national team and learn from them Then we bring that experience back to the national side Playing in different conditions and environments gives me more exposure and helps me improveâ he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/playing-ilt20-a-key-boost-for-afghanistan-players-ahead-of-t20-wc-says-dc-all-rounder-nabi-652680.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/youd-be-foolish-to-treat-ilt20-as-a-warm-up-for-t20-world-cup-says-dc-all-rounder-neesham-652688.html Dubai Dec 10 James Neesham the New Zealand seambowling allrounder currently turning out for Dubai Capitals in the International League T20 ILT20 said the ongoing tournament canât be viewed as a warmup for next yearâs T20 World Cup stressing that the mega event in India and Sri Lanka will pose challenges entirely different from the UAE conditions In 93 T20Is for New Zealand Neesham has amassed 1010 runs and grabbed 56 wickets âLook I think everyone nowadays is playing cricket around the world pretty much yearround So you dont put too much emphasis on one tournament over another I think India and Sri Lanka will be very different conditions from what they are over hereââSo well have to prepare for that tournament as best we can when that moment comes But I think youd be foolish to treat the ILT20 as I suppose a warmup series for the World Cup because theyre obviously two very unique prospectsâ Neesham told IANS in an exclusive conversation from DubaiNeesham a longtime globetrotter in T20 leagues said his first stint in the ILT20 so far has been a unique one âIts obviously a unique tournament with the number of overseas players that are playing in each team Its a highquality product I have come from Nepal where there are only three or four overseas players in the team and six or seven localsââThen you come here and there are only two locals and nine overseas So its a different makeup It brings highquality cricket to the table I think were going to continue to see some very highquality players over the next month or soâ he saidSeeing Dubai Capitals the defending champions get their first win of the ongoing competition has been immensely helpful âObviously its good to get our first win of the season Rovman Powell and Coxsey Jordan Cox obviously batted incredibly well to get a good total and the guys all bowled well as well So the mood in the camp is good Weve got a couple of good training days ahead of us before our next game is on SaturdayâIn the last few years powerhitting has become a defining skill in modern T20 cricket batting and Neesham stated that the scope of an anchor batter is now wiped out âObviously the game has become more aggressive I think over the last few years I think the role of an anchor batter sort of batting through in an innings is almost extinct nowââMost teams have set themselves up to be aggressive from the top bat deep and try to finish games off So its an important part of the game to be able to clear the rope and hopefully we can continue to do that over this series and bat other teams out of the gameâModernday cricket has become significantly more demanding for fast bowlers with workload and injury risks rising due to the overlap of international cricket and franchise leagues Neesham opined that fast bowlers will soon be forced to choose between playing formats and urged the ICC to find a balance between scheduling international games and franchise leaguesâI think fast bowlers basically just cant play all three formats I dont think that can happen So guys are going to have to choose earlier than they would in the future I think one day cricket is obviously the format that is going to fall by the wayside I guess with Test cricket being the most valuable format of the game and T20 being the biggest earnerâ he addedâI think thats pretty clear which way players are going to go So hopefully the ICC and other members can figure out how to I suppose create the schedule in a way that allows cricketers to represent their country and then also maximise their earnings as well by playing in the different leaguesâNeesham signed off by hoping he can manage his playing schedule fairly well âObviously thatll be different for different individuals So for me Im 35 years old now and Ive been around the block a fair bit So Im pretty resilient when it comes to the physical demands of the game So hopefully that can continue for the next few yearsâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/youd-be-foolish-to-treat-ilt20-as-a-warm-up-for-t20-world-cup-says-dc-all-rounder-neesham-652688.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/oliver-peake-to-lead-australias-u19-world-cup-title-defense-652754.html Melbourne Dec 11 Lefthand batter Oliver Peake will captain Australia in the ICC U19 World Cup as the reigning champions will be aiming for their fifth title when the marquee event commences on January 12 in Zimbabwe and Namibia Peake who played an integral role in Australias title success in South Africa in 2024 is the only member of Australias squad that won the Under 19 World Cu last yearHe amassed 120 runs from four innings at the tournament including an unbeaten 46 not out in the final against India after being called up as an injury replacement player during the early stages of the eventThe 19yearold also featured in the Prime Ministers XI against England in Canberra last month where he scored an excellent halfcentury against many of the tourists Ashes squadNitesh Samuel Naden Cooray and William Taylor are the three newcomers in the squad and have been rewarded with selection for their impressive performance at this months Under19 Male National ChampionshipsThe Australia team will be coached by Tim Nielsen who believes the side is well balanced to make a bid for backtoback titlesWere delighted to announce a strong and wellbalanced squad for the ICC Under19 World Cup Nielsen saidOur focus has been on selecting a group with complementary skill sets that provide the best chance of success in the tournamentThe players named have impressed with their performances during the U19 series against India in September and at the recent National U19 Championships in PerthIts an exciting group some have already experienced senior training environments while others are progressing rapidly through our pathwayThe World Cup is a fantastic opportunity for these young cricketers to showcase their talent and test themselves against the best in the worldAustralia are drawn in Group C at the Under 19 World Cup and will take on Ireland Japan and Sri Lanka during the opening round of the eventThe top three teams from each of the four groups will progress to the Super Sixes stage which will be followed by the semifinals and finalAustralia squad Oliver Peake c Kasey Barton Naden Cooray Jayden Draper Steven Hogan Thomas Hogan Ben Gordon John James Charles Lachmund Alex Lee Young Will Malajczuk Nitesh Samuel Hayden Schiller Aryan Sharma William Taylor IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/oliver-peake-to-lead-australias-u19-world-cup-title-defense-652754.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 10:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/hes-a-role-model-shaheen-afridi-credits-legend-starc-for-shaping-his-career-652795.html New Delhi Dec 11 Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has opened up about the influence Australian leftarm quick Mitchell Starc has had on his rise in international cricket crediting the senior pacer for shaping key elements of his bowling craft Starc who debuted for Australia in 2010 recently surpassed Pakistan legend Wasim Akram for the most Test wickets by a leftarm quick And while Afridi still has years ahead of him to chase such milestones the 24yearold pacer said the Australian has already played a defining role in his developmentAfridi recalled being a teenager during Starcâs dominant ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup campaign on home soil in 2015 where the Australian spearhead finished as the joint leading wickettaker in a titlewinning sideHes a legend Afridi said ahead of his first appearance in Australias Big Bash League When Starcy played that 2015 World Cup I was playing for the Under 16 Pakistan team at that time soI followed him to try to bowl many times the way he swung the ball He bowled a fuller ball throughout that World Cup and had very good success Afridi statedThe 25yearold pacer said watching Starc at close quarters even if only from afar helped him understand the value of attacking lengths for leftarm quicks It is a lesson he carries with him to this dayStarc has continued to deliver at the highest level starring in the opening two Tests of the ongoing Ashes series The 35yearold has already claimed 18 wickets and earned backtoback Player of the Match honours helping Australia seize a 2â0 advantage over EnglandAfridi who regularly seeks out Starc for conversations whenever they cross paths internationally said their last interaction was a moment of honesty and appreciationâThe last time we chatted I told him that I watched him in 2015â And thatâs why I bowl fuller to batters I can say hes a role model for any youngster hes been the best for Australia for many years Afridi addedShaheen now a senior figure in his national setup continues to draw inspiration from the bowler he once studied as a teenager IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/hes-a-role-model-shaheen-afridi-credits-legend-starc-for-shaping-his-career-652795.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nz-v-wi-tickner-stretchered-off-with-suspected-shoulder-dislocation-on-day-1-of-wellington-test-652553.html Wellington Dec 10 New Zealand faced another significant injury setback as fast bowler Blair Tickner suffered a suspected dislocation of his left shoulder and was carried off the field on a stretcher during Day 1 of the second Test against the West Indies at Basin Reserve on Wednesday Tickner was the standout performer on the opening day of the second Test as he claimed a fourwicket haul but injured himself in the 67th over while attempting to prevent a boundary at fine leg Chasing a flick from Tevon Imlach he dived fulllength near the rope and stayed down immediately The medical staff from the New Zealand camp and the venue attended to him on the boundary edge before he was stretchered off He later left the ground in an ambulance as per ESPNcricinfoTickners injury comes at a time when New Zealand have already lost Matt Henry Mitchell Santner and Nathan Smith for the rest of the Test series owing to their respective injuries Henry calf tear and Smith side strain sustained their injuries during the drawn first Test in Christchurch while Santner groin was ruled out before the match Wicketkeeper Tom Blundell was also ruled out of the second Test after he suffered the injury while batting in the first Test in Christchurch last weekNew Zealand made five changes to their XI for the second Test with Mitchell Hay and Michael Rae making their Test debuts Hay took the gloves from the injured Tom Blundell while seamer Rae made his maiden New Zealand appearance in place of the injured Henry Daryl Mitchell Glenn Phillips and Tickner came in for Smith Michael Bracewell and Will YoungRiding on Tickners 432 and Raes 366 New Zealand bowled out the West Indies at 205 after 75 overs in their first innings New Zealand ended the day at 24 for no lossAfter the first Test ended in a draw both teams are searching for their first win in the 202527 World Test Championship WTC cycle IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nz-v-wi-tickner-stretchered-off-with-suspected-shoulder-dislocation-on-day-1-of-wellington-test-652553.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/if-world-gets-to-see-what-we-discuss-they-can-do-10-part-tv-series-karthik-on-ipl-auction-prep-652558.html New Delhi Dec 10 Former India wicketkeeperbatter and current Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB mentor Dinesh Karthik opened up about the intense highstakes buildup to the IPL miniauction describing the experience as one of the most demanding yet enjoyable phases of his cricketing journey Speaking about the extensive behindthescenes planning Karthik reiterated how the preparation alone could form a gripping series In a video shared by RCB on X he said If the world gets to see the whole footage of what all we speak and what all we discuss they can do a mega serial I feel They can do a 10part TV series on itHe detailed the exhaustive preparation that defined the days leading up to the auction adding It was the most exhilarating 10 days prior to the auction the way we prepped I dont think Ive gone through an experience like that Ive played a lot of cricket but to be in the boardroom discussing what it takes to make a team was the most challenging most fun engaging week 10 days Ive had because there was so much prep that went into it Mo and Andy have a very detailed process that they go throughKarthik emphasised how deeply he enjoyed being part of the strategic core group despite the long hours And I thoroughly enjoyed every second of being in that room At times it was tiring because we had 12hour 14hour days I really enjoyed every second I would do anything to have the same kind of experience in the leadup to an auctionComparing the current miniauction to the mega auction he admitted the latter offered unmatched excitement This is a mini auction very different I must admit that the week in the leadup to the mega auction was excitingDiscussing the complexity of player evaluation he said So many names so many skill sets how are you going to line up the team giving your inputs seeing what matters So many things come into play and I thoroughly enjoyed itBreaking down the decisionmaking layers he added But its very interesting intriguing and mentally challenging because youre assessing various things A the skill set B what does it take to be part of a team But most importantly the auction order Where does the player come from Will we bid for him If we bid how far we go What we need to do So it is a very intricate process very challenging process and thats the thrill in an auctionHe highlighted the competitive atmosphere among franchises saying Because when you go sit in an auction there are 10 tables there and each one wants to get their best team with the best players lined up And its not about outthinking at times it is about understanding what strategy you want and what you want to make sure you achieveAt the same time enjoying this whole process because I was looking forward to coming back Just seeing everybody back together in the ground was such a nice feeling Last night to be fair I didnt sleep much I was very excited to see Andy Malo Mo all of them together he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/if-world-gets-to-see-what-we-discuss-they-can-do-10-part-tv-series-karthik-on-ipl-auction-prep-652558.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/dinesh-karthik-named-mentor-amp-batting-coach-of-london-spirit-men-at-the-hundred-652584.html London Dec 10 Former India wicketkeeperbatter Dinesh Karthik who is also a mentor of reigning IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB has been named mentor and batting coach of The Hundred franchise London Spirit In his firstever role within a franchise for The Hundred Karthiks expertise comes from participating in over 250 matches as both a player and a coach in the Indian Premier League IPL along with 180 international matches representing IndiaLondon Spiritâs Director of Cricket Mo Bobat in a statement shared by the franchise said âItâs a pleasure to welcome DK to London Spirit He is a truly original thinker in our game and his vast experience in shortformat and franchise cricket will be invaluable to us Heâs also great fun to work with and brings an infectious energy and enthusiasm to everything he doesâThe signing of another elite individual with significant stature in the game demonstrates our ambition and the importance we place on ensuring that our players receive the best possible support Bobat addedMeanwhile Karthik on taking up the new role said âWhat an exciting time to be joining London Spirit When I heard about the plans and the ambitions of Mo MCC and the Tech Titans I was really enthusiastic to join To spend the English summer working at Lordâs is truly a dream come true It is the ground where I made my debut for India and I played my last Test match â Lordâs is very close to my heart I canât wait to see the squad come together and to work with some exceptional cricketers next yearâThe new role will be relatively easy for Karthik who has worked closely with both Bobat and Andy Flower Spiritâs head coach at RCB in the IPL IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/dinesh-karthik-named-mentor-amp-batting-coach-of-london-spirit-men-at-the-hundred-652584.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/tickner-rae-shine-as-nz-bowl-out-wi-for-205-on-day-1-in-wellington-test-652592.html Wellington Dec 10 New Zealand pacers Blair Tickner and debutant Michael Rae delivered an impressive display on the opening day of the second Test in Wellington dismissing West Indies for 205 inside 75 overs at Basin Reserve Tickner had been outstanding taking 4 for 32 with debutant Rae chipping in with three wickets However New Zealand finished the day short of a bowler again as Tickner was stretchered off with a suspected shoulder dislocation 67 overs into the match play Put in to bat first the West Indies had a strong start as openers Brandon King 33 and John Campbell 44 built an opening partnership of 66 runs before Tickner claimed the first wicket trapping King LBW to end the partnership He then had Kavem Hodge LBW for an eightball duck Centurion from Christchurch Shai Hope came in to bat but it was Campbell who kept the scoreboard ticking hitting Rae for three boundaries At lunch the West Indies were 922 Debutant Rae who had leaked runs in his first spell in Test cricket made an impact after lunch Coming around the wicket he angled a full ball across Campbell who leaned into a drive with firm hands and edged to first slip and WI were 93 for 3Then Hope and Roston Chase added a steady 60 off 102 for the fourth wicket but Tickner struck again with a sharp bouncer to dismiss Hope 48At 1754 at tea it looked like it was the West Indiesâ day but the course of the contest changed quickly as Tickner and Rae lifted their spirits at the start of the final session Tickner took his fourth wicket when Roston Chase 29 edged a nipbacker onto his stumps but a fivewicket haul eluded him as he left the field in the 67th over after injuring himself while diving at fine leg Soon Rae had Justin Greaves caught behind for 13 before fellow debutant trapped Kemar Roach LBW for a duck after a smart review leaving Windies reeling at 1847 Glenn Phillips and Jacob Duffy then got the rest of the job done as the Windies were bowled out for 205 Coming to bat New Zealands openers Latham and Devon Conway batted nine overs as New Zealand were 24 for no loss at stumps trailing the Windies by 181 runsBrief scores New Zealand 240 in 9 overs Devon Conway 16 Tom Latham 7 trail West Indies 20510 in 75 overs Shai Hope 48 John Campbell 44 Blair Tickner 432 Michael Rae 367 by 181 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/tickner-rae-shine-as-nz-bowl-out-wi-for-205-on-day-1-in-wellington-test-652592.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/kohli-edges-nearer-to-dethroning-rohit-as-the-no-1-odi-batter-652607.html Dubai Dec 10 Virat Kohliâs twin centuries and an unbeaten halfcentury in the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa have helped him make additional progress in the latest ICC Mens ODI Player Rankings and get closer to replacing teammate Rohit Sharma as the No 1 ODI batter Kohli has not attained the No1 ranking since Pakistanâs Babar Azam overtook him in April 2021 However he is now nearing the top position again thanks to his excellent performances at home The 37yearold was named Player of the Series for scoring 302 runs in three matches and he was rewarded with a rise in the latest rankings moving up two places to second overall behind teammate RohitRohit scored a total of 146 runs throughout the series securing his position at the top of the rankings Meanwhile Kohli narrowed the gap to within eight points thanks to his unbeaten 65 not out in the series finale in Visakhapatnam Indias upcoming ODIs include a threematch series against New Zealand at home starting from January 11 All attention will be on Kohli and Rohit as they compete to secure the top position in the ODI rankingsKohli wasnt the only Indian player to see significant improvements in the updated rankings this week teammate KL Rahul also made notable progress in the ODI rankings for battersThe wicketkeeperbatter climbed two spots to rank 12th overall Leftarm spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the biggest mover among ODI bowlers rising three places to third South African players also advanced in the ODI batter rankings Quinton de Kock moved up three rungs to 13th Aiden Markram improved four places to 25th and Temba Bavuma climbed three spots to 37th despite India winning a highscoring series 21The latest T20I rankings see changes after the series opener between India and South Africa with Proteas young star Dewald Brevis climbing three spots to reach eighth among T20I batters entering the top 10 overallThree Indian players improved their T20I bowler rankings after their convincing 101run win in Cuttack Axar Patel rose two spots to 13th Arshdeep Singh climbed three places to 20th and Jasprit Bumrah moved up six positions to 25thIts no surprise that Mitchell Starc has leapt in the latest Test Bowler Rankings climbing three spots to reach third place This increase is due to his backtoback Player of the Match awards in the first two Ashes Tests against England Starc has taken 18 wickets in two matches and is climbing to a new careerhigh rating currently holding his bestever ranking of third as a resultEnglands decline in form Down Under saw Harry Brook drop two places to fourth in the Test batter rankings Kane Williamson second and Steve Smith third each move up one spot behind Joe Root at the topThe opening Test between New Zealand and the West Indies ended in a draw in Christchurch with players from both teams earning points in the latest Test rankings especially Black Caps lefthander Rachin Ravindra He climbs nine spots to 15th place in the latest Test batter rankings while teammate Tom Latham advances six places to 34th overall after scoring a century in the second innings at Hagley OvalWest Indies pair Shai Hope who moved up 19 places to reach joint 48th and Justin Greaves who rose 16 spots to 60th improved their positions in the Test batter rankings following their performances on the final day in Christchurch Meanwhile veteran fast bowler Kemar Roach advanced five places on the Test bowlers list after taking seven wickets in the match IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/kohli-edges-nearer-to-dethroning-rohit-as-the-no-1-odi-batter-652607.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 21:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wpl-2026-pooja-vastrakar-is-a-tremendous-addition-to-rcb-says-aakash-chopra-652609.html New Delhi Dec 10 Former India batter Aakash Chopra believes Pooja Vastrakarâs move to Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB is a tremendous addition to the side ahead of 2026 Womenâs Premier League WPL saying that she brings in a strong batting quality which isnât found in other seam bowling options in the country Despite her long layoff due to a shoulder surgery which also led her to miss WPL 2025 season for eventual champions Mumbai Indians Pooja found significant interest in last monthâs mega auction and eventually RCB roped her in for Rs 85 lakhAs of now Pooja is in rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence CoE in Bengaluru and is expected to be fit for WPL 2026 to be played from January 9 to February 5 in Navi Mumbai and VadodaraâThe way RCB has collected and selected players gives them great flexibility Based on pitch conditions form or injuries they can make tactical changes whether itâs choosing between Grace Harris or Lauren Bell depending on the oppositionâWhen you look at Indian fastbowling allrounders Pooja Vastrakar stands out because she brings a quality of batting that othersâlike Renuka Singh Thakur Shikha Pandey Arundhati Reddy or Kranti Gaud do not offer at the same level She is a rare commodityâYes she has had injury concerns but thereâs only one Pooja Vastrakar in the country Thatâs exactly why we saw a bidding war for her UP Warriorz were very interested but RCB knew what they wanted and they secured her In my opinion itâs a tremendous additionâ said Chopra on JioHotstarSaba Karim the former India wicketkeeperbatter and national selector believes the Smriti Mandhanaled RCB have a wellbalanced look due to the plethora of allrounders in their lineup âI felt that RCB clearly leaned towards allrounders this time which is why you see so many in their lineup starting from Nadine de Klerk Arundhati Reddy Grace Harris and Pooja VastrakarâThere are multiple options for Smriti Mandhana to find the right combination It is a powerful side and because they are blessed with so many allrounders they seem to have built their squad keeping venue conditions in mindâThey will play matches in Navi Mumbai before going to Vadodara and I believe the kind of wickets they will get there will complement this combination Overall this squad looks wellbalanced for RCBâ he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wpl-2026-pooja-vastrakar-is-a-tremendous-addition-to-rcb-says-aakash-chopra-652609.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 21:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/allen-could-miss-part-of-nzs-t20is-against-india-if-scorchers-reach-bbl-finals-652629.html Perth Dec 10 New Zealand opener Finn Allen may miss part of the fivematch T20I series in India scheduled for January 2026 due to his upcoming Big Bash League BBL commitments with Perth Scorchers The T20I series against India starting on January 21 in Nagpur and followed by matches in Raipur Guwahati Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram is regarded as vital preparation for New Zealand ahead of the T20 World Cup scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8Before this New Zealand will play three ODIs in India from January 11â17 and Allenâs availability for the T20Is depends on the defending champions Scorchersâ progress in the BBL If the Scorchers reach the final on January 25 Allen may not be available until the fourth T20I on January 28However if they do not qualify Allen is expected to be available for the full T20I series âPending selection Iâll head straight to India once the Big Bash finishes up for usâ Allen was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo on WednesdayAllen is one of five players who have signed casual agreements with New Zealand Cricket NZC providing flexibility between national duties and franchise commitments Playing for New Zealand is still for me the pinnacle and the reason why I love playing is to represent my country But crickets obviously evolving and changing year on yearNew Zealand Crickets been really good to work with over the last wee while Im confident about getting back into some Black Caps stuff after the Big Bash and hopefully can continue that he addedAllen is set to debut alongside Australiaâs T20I captain Mitchell Marsh for the Scorchers marking his return to competitive cricket after suffering a foot stress fracture during the Major League Cricket MLC in the USA in JulyIn that tournament his knock of 151 runs including hitting a record 19 sixes for San Francisco Unicorns against Washington Freedom left everyone jawdropped Allen last featured for New Zealand in March scoring 27 off 12 balls in an eightwicket win over Pakistan in Wellington IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/allen-could-miss-part-of-nzs-t20is-against-india-if-scorchers-reach-bbl-finals-652629.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-2025-26-england-should-still-stick-with-brendon-mccullum-as-coach-says-okeefe-652655.html Sydney Dec 10 Former Australia offspinner Steve OâKeefe believes England should still stick with Brendon McCullum as their head coach despite mounting pressure on him following successive defeats in the ongoing fivegame Ashes series Englandâs aggressive tactics have come under immense scrutiny after losses in Perth and Brisbane with critics questioning the sideâs reluctance to adapt With McCullumâs overtraining comments post the Brisbane loss getting a lot of backlash calls for change have grown louderOâKeefe however believes England should persist with the former New Zealand captain pointing to the transformation he has overseen since taking charge of the side in 2022 âLook Id say sitting back and taking the emotion out of it he should remain coach Look at the coaching rate under himââAt the end of the Joe Root and Chris Silverwood era they won one out of 17 and theyre shooting at 58 percent with McCullum No England team has come over and done well in Australia since 201011 Does he survive I think there are a lot of people saying that he wouldnt But personally Id stick with himâ said OâKeefe on SEN RadioMcCullumâs contract runs till the end of the 2027 season in the UK including when Australia come for the next Ashes series OâKeefe further said McCullum must adapt to lessons from the Ashes so far and address the issues ahead of future toursâHe brings a bold new approach that this England team has got Do they have to change their ways Yes Does he start having to listen a little bit more adapt and correct Yes 100 years of Test cricket will tell you that you just cant come up with the same plan and expect to have different results when youre getting thumpedââYou are going to have to change things So admitting that and trying to move forward will help This attitude of saying training weâre too hard and we need more time off when youre not playing tour gamesâthe numbers are there theyâve had 11 training days and six days of Test cricket That has to stopâ he addedThe third Ashes game will take place at the Adelaide Oval on December 17 before further clashes happen at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Sydney Cricket Ground IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-2025-26-england-should-still-stick-with-brendon-mccullum-as-coach-says-okeefe-652655.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-cummins-returns-as-australia-name-squad-for-third-ashes-test-652482.html Brisbane Dec 10 Australia captain Pat Cummins has moved one step closer to returning to international cricket after he was named in a 15player squad for the third Ashes Test against England The pacer is the only addition to the squad that took a 20 series lead at the Gabba with veteran batter Usman Khawaja retaining his place in the 15man group as he tries to earn his place back in the XI following his own injury issueCummins who last played international cricket in the third Test against the West Indies in July has been training well with the squad in both Perth and Brisbane He has watched from the sidelines as standin captain Steve Smith guided Australia to comfortable eightwicket wins in both matchesSelectors had even considered bringing Cummins into the squad for the pinkball Test at the Gabba as his recovery from a lowerback injury progressed faster than expectedInstead he ramped up his bowling loads at Allan Border Field where he simulated match conditions by sending down multiple spells to ensure he would at the peak of his powers ahead of his expected return for the third TestHead coach Andrew McDonald indicated Cummins could have almost featured in that Brisbane Test and is almost certain to play in AdelaideWe feel as though he Cummins will be as best prepared as can be He was well ahead of where we thought hed be at and it did create a real live conversation for Cummins playing in Brisbane McDonald saidIt was debated a lot leading into that Test match With that in mind us seeing him further advanced we feel hell be really well placed for the challenges of Adelaide albeit its still a long way offWe feel as though the simulation in the nets has got him skill ready His bodys ready to go Barring anything else happening in the next week Id be expecting Pat to be tossing the coin and putting the blazer on he addedCummins return to the squad and expected availability for next Wednesdayâs match at Adelaide Oval does provide selectors with a tough call on the balance of their bowling attackAlongside Khawaja spinner Nathan Lyon is also in line for a return after being left out of the XI in favour of Michael Neser as Australia opted for an allout pace attack for the pinkball matchTwo of Scott Boland Neser and Brendon Doggett are now likely to miss in Adelaide giving Australia at least some fresh pace reinforcements for the final two TestsAustralia squad for third Test Pat Cummins c Scott Boland Alex Carey Brendan Doggett Cameron Green Travis Head Josh Inglis Usman Khawaja Marnus Labuschagne Nathan Lyon Michael Neser Steve Smith Mitchell Starc Jake Weatherald Beau Webster IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-cummins-returns-as-australia-name-squad-for-third-ashes-test-652482.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-showed-proteas-exactly-how-to-play-on-sporting-wicket-dale-steyn-652535.html New Delhi Dec 10 Former South Africa bowler Dale Steyn broke down Indiaâs clinical outing against the Proteas and analysed the two sidesâ performances in depth stating that the hosts showed the visitors âhow to play on a sporting wicketâ The Men in Blue signalled serious intent ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup with a commanding performance in the opening T20I of the fivematch series against the ProteasSouth Africa playing in conditions that typically favour their strengths faltered early with the bat something Steyn found both surprising and disappointingThe Proteas chasing a target of 176 crumbled for just 74 their lowestever total in the format and lost the game by a massive 101run marginâItâs a tough one Not tough to decipher how they batted but certainly a tough pill to swallow because these are conditions youâd expect South Africa to be familiar with At home thereâs always a bit of nip and seam and we actually saw that when they bowled So youâd think the message to the batters wouldve been get through the first nine or ten overs assess and then go deep similar to how Hardik played But it looked like there was a bit of franticness without any real aggression Steyn said on JioStarHe added that Indiaâs newball brilliance set the tone âIf India wanted to win they had to make the new ball talk and they did Yes there were one or two unlucky dismissals inside edges carrying to the keeper but that still comes from good bowling in the right areas trying to drive on the upâDrawing parallels with Englandâs recent struggles in Australia Steyn highlighted the dangers of misplaced ultraaggression pointing to South Africaâs inexperience in key situationsâAnd then you see little signs of inexperience like Brevis taking on Bumrah at the back end The game was gone but you still have to pick your battles Heâs the best whiteball bowler in the world If de Villiers and others couldnât consistently pull that off youâre not going to do it young man Wait for your momentâ he saidSteyn also weighed in on Suryakumar Yadavâs leadership praising the captainâs composure and clarityâWhen you have the backing of your team and feel comfortable in your environment you can have open conversations with your players Youâre not threatened by your spot or by the captaincy You put the team first and say âWhatâs best for the individual Whatâs best for the teamâ Thatâs the kind of captain everyone wants someone whoâs secure welcoming and willing to adjust for the greater goodâ he said of the Indian skipperSteyn believes that the trust allows Suryakumar to make tough tactical calls without friction as he noted âSo when he tells someone âYou canât bat at three today I need you at sixâ the batter understands because the captain has backed him before Thatâs a fantastic skill and a great leadership qualityâThe former pacer concluded with firm praise for India stating âThereâs a lot to unpack from this game but credit to India they played a perfect match Hardik Pandya batted beautifully and then they bowled superbly They showed South Africa exactly how to play on a sporting wicketâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-showed-proteas-exactly-how-to-play-on-sporting-wicket-dale-steyn-652535.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/mitch-marsh-signals-end-of-shield-career-but-leaves-door-ajar-for-test-recall-reports-652038.html New Delhi Dec 8 Mitchell Marsh has notified his Western Australia teammates that this season will be his final one in redball cricket at the state level reports Nine newspapers The experienced allrounder has chosen to retire from longformat domestic cricket but hasnt completely dismissed the possibility of being called up for Australia if selectors call on him during the ongoing Ashes campaign Marshâs stance presents a rare scenario a player stepping back from Sheffield Shield cricket while remaining open to Test duties Still the 34yearold is understood to accept that his chances of adding to his 46 Tests are slim even as he maintains he would not knock back an opportunity if one were to arise unexpectedlyThe report also suggested that Marshâs decision follows a poor performance at the MCG against Victoria where he managed two singledigit scores His appearances for Western Australia have been limited in recent years with just nine matches since 2019 a stark contrast to the heavier workload he handled earlier in his career after debuting in 2009Selectors had previously considered Marsh as a potential candidate for later in the Ashes series despite his limited redball preparation He was dropped during the 2024â25 home summer ahead of the Sydney Test replaced by Beau WebsterMarshâs fluctuating Test career reached new heights in 2023 highlighted by his memorable Headingley century and strong performances that culminated in his Allan Border Medal win Across his Test tenure he has amassed 2083 runs at 2853 and taken 51 wickets at 4041While his redball future appears uncertain Marsh remains vital to Australiaâs whiteball plans continuing as captain of both the ODI and T20 teamsBefore the Ashes began Australia coach Andrew McDonald had indicated the possibility stating âWe would be comfortable picking someone and if you want to put a name to it Mitch Marsh out of whiteball cricket if we felt like that was going to benefit the Test team Heâs the captain of the whiteball team Itâs very hard for him to vacate and balance out Test preparation if he were to be in the window for that We still havenât given up on Mitch Marshâs Test careerâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/mitch-marsh-signals-end-of-shield-career-but-leaves-door-ajar-for-test-recall-reports-652038.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/his-body-just-keeps-letting-him-down-nasser-hussain-on-woods-injury-setback-652297.html New Delhi Dec 9 Former England captain has reflected on Mark Woods fresh injury setback after the pacer has been ruled out of the remaining Ashes Tests saying the seamers body just keeps letting him down Wood only returned to action in the first Test in Perth after eight months out following knee surgery The 35yearold subsequently suffered swelling in the same left knee and was forced to miss the second Test He will now return home to begin rehabilitation and recoveryIt is a huge blow to the team and the individual The team because you want all your bowlers available especially going into the final three Tests that are one after another We have had big gaps so far but after the third Test they come thick and fast England may not have been able to go with Wood and Jofra Archer again but if Archer needed a rest Wood could have come in and that is not possible now Hussain said on Sky SportsBefore the Perth Test Wood had not played redball cricket for England in 15 months due to an elbow injury followed by knee surgery He is one of the fastest bowlers to ever play for England Wood has taken 119 wickets in 38 Tests since making his debut in 2015 He was part of the team that won the Ashes in 2015 lifted the 2019 50over World Cup and was in the England squad that won the T20 World Cup in 2022It is also a blow for Wood who is such a likeable lad that gives it absolutely everything every time he plays for England He is so popular in that team but his body just keeps letting him down He has come back from yet another injury after eight nine months in rehab hamstring goes in the warmup game knee goes in the first Test and now back for more rehab Its souldestroying for himHe has been around for a decade and played 38 Tests He will be very down at the moment and I hope its not the last we see of him in Tests He turns 36 next month and at that age it is very difficult to keep coming back from injuries Hussain added IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/his-body-just-keeps-letting-him-down-nasser-hussain-on-woods-injury-setback-652297.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/i-came-here-with-high-expectations-wood-expresses-disappointment-on-being-ruled-out-of-ashes-652301.html New Delhi Dec 9 England pacer Mark Wood has expressed his disappointment on being ruled out from the Ashes series due to knee injury he suffered during the first Test in Perth saying he came to the series with high expectations about making a big impact but his knee just hasnt held up England Cricket have confirmed Wood will return home and will work closely with the ECB medical team on his rehabilitation and recovery Matthew Fisher has been brought into the squad having been in Australia with the English LionsWood has had recent troubles with his left knee having sustained the injury earlier this year during the ICC Champions Trophy The pacer who has since had a surgery and returned after a ninemonth absence following knee surgery for the first Test had reported pain in his knee during the series opener and was only able to bowl 11 overs during the Test He then missed out on featuring in Englandâs lineup for the second Test in Brisbane as the hosts took a 20 lead in the fiveTest seriesGutted to be out the remainder of the Ashes After extensive surgery and 7 long hard months of work and rehab to get back into the Test arena my knee just hasnt held up Wood said in his Instagram postNone of us expected this I came here with high expectations about making a big impact Im desperately disappointed that despite yet more injections and intensive medical treatment it has become clear that the flare up in my knee is worse than fearedIm really sorry that has left me unable to perform as expected but it is not for want of trying I want to thank everyone at home and away in Australia The barmy army have been class as always and I really appreciate itWhatever happens I will continue to push the limits to get back again It has been a tough road these past few months but I remain determined to give it another proper go I still believe we can turn things around Never give in Come on England he addedFor Wood the setback is yet another chapter in a career repeatedly disrupted by fitness problems Before the Perth Test he had not played redball cricket for England in 15 months due to an elbow injury followed by knee surgery IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/i-came-here-with-high-expectations-wood-expresses-disappointment-on-being-ruled-out-of-ashes-652301.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/rohit-made-me-comfortable-allowed-me-to-be-free-with-him-and-express-myself-says-shardul-652073.html New Delhi Dec 8 Indiaâs seambowling allrounder Shardul Thakur said veteran opener Rohit Sharma made him feel comfortable and encouraged selfexpression something which he is now eager to experience again in the Mumbai Indians camp for Indian Premier League IPL 2026 Ahead of retentions Thakur was traded from Lucknow Super Giants LSG to the Mumbai Indians a side where he was a support bowler in 2010 Abhi aur pata chalega jab sath me baithenge toh Kaafi masti hogi He made me comfortable he allowed me to be free with him and he allowed me to express myself We became comfortable with each other and he played a major part in itâ Thakur was quoted as saying by the franchiseâs website on MondayThakur whoâs played 13 Tests 47 ODIs and 25 T20Is for India noted that the exposure to the MI dressing room environment in IPL 2010 instilled the professionalism in him to achieve greater things in his cricketing careerâI was made to play practice games I bowled with a new ball so that boosted my morale and confidence to another level and I was picking wickets I was lucky enough to experience the dressing room early in my daysâ Thakur saidâI was already feeling comfortable in front of senior players Somewhere down the line whatever the way I was treated during the Mumbai Indians camp also that small gesture from the Mumbai Indians helped me a lot to grow in my careerâ he addedThakur who is turning out for Mumbai in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy also credited MI Director of Cricket Rahul Sanghvi and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey for their daily guidance and inputs shaping his growth as a professional cricketerâI was seeing Sachin Tendulkar Harbhajan Singh Munaf Patel Andrew Symonds Rohit Sharma Ambati Rayuduâ and Iâm sharing the same dressing room with them It was surrealâ he concludedMumbai Indians along with Chennai Super Kings are the most successful franchises in the Indian Premier League IPL claiming five titles apiece MI have among others picked Thakur to bolster their squad hoping to win their sixth title in the upcoming IPL 2026 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/rohit-made-me-comfortable-allowed-me-to-be-free-with-him-and-express-myself-says-shardul-652073.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/proteas-womens-players-make-big-gains-in-t20i-rankings-after-win-vs-ireland-652331.html Dubai Dec 9 The race at the top of the ICC Womenâs T20I rankings has grown even more competitive with several South African players climbing the charts on the back of a commanding start to their home series against Ireland Leftarm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba has been one of the biggest beneficiaries Her tidy spells in the opening two matches yielding three wickets at just over 11 runs apiece have propelled her four spots up to sixth place among T20I bowlers The 25yearold now sits on 705 rating points edging closer to Australiaâs Annabel Sutherland who continues to hold the No1 position with 736 rating pointsMlabaâs rise is part of a broader upward shift for the hosts after securing a 2â0 lead in the threematch contest Nadine de Klerk has climbed to 45th among bowlers following her fourwicket haul across the two games while Chloe Tryon has vaulted 12 places to 49thTryon also advanced in the allroundersâ table moving up seven spots to sit just outside the top 10 Fellow allrounder Sune Luus made similar progress jumping nine places to 23rd after a standout run with both bat and ball Luus has struck 118 runs in two outings highlighted by an 81 and taken four wickets lifting her to 41st in the batting rankings as wellThere was positive movement for some returning and emerging names too Former South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk has reentered the T20I batting list at 82nd after her comeback to international cricket while Irelandâs Leah Paul has pushed up nine places to 67th thanks to a couple of confident inningsAt the top of the charts Australiaâs Beth Mooney continues to lead the batting rankings South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt however has closed the gap narrowing the deficit to just 50 points after scores of 115 and 22 against IrelandAs the series heads into its final match the rankings picture remains fluid and the momentum is firmly with the Proteas IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/proteas-womens-players-make-big-gains-in-t20i-rankings-after-win-vs-ireland-652331.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 17:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/judoka-ritik-sharmas-kiug-triumph-fuels-his-2026-cwg-dream-652333.html Udaipur Dec 9 Since relocating to the SAI National Centre of Excellence NCOE in Bhopal six years ago Ritik Sharmaâs career has experienced a rapid ascent The young Punjabborn judoka once again highlighted his progress with a commanding performance at the Khelo India University Games KIUG Rajasthan 2025 Competing in his fourth KIUG at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Indoor Hall in Udaipur Ritik representing Lovely Professional University LPU secured his third gold medal adding to his existing bronzeWhat made the victory more meaningful was the way he bounced back from a recent setback Flying straight to Udaipur after a firstround exit at the Asian Open Championships in Hong Kong Ritik wasted no time dwelling on the disappointmentInstead he channelled the lessons from his overseas trip into a composed confident performance overcoming familiar rival Yash Ghangas in the menâs 100kg finalThe rivalry between Ritik and Yash dates back to their teenage years The two first competed in the final of the 2020 Khelo India Youth Games in Guwahati and even now as products of the same NCOE their matchups remain intensely competitiveâThere are a handful of judokas in our category so we have known each other for years now I beat him for the first time in the Guwahati KIYG and Iâm glad that I could get the better of him in KIUG 2025 tooâ said Ritik emphasising the need for more international exposure tripsâDespite being out in the first round I have come back with a lot of learnings and positives from Hong Kong What also matters is the mental aspect of the sport as such exposure trips help you in understanding how the world and Olympic champions approach the game their techniques and sparring with some of the best in the worldâ he addedRitikâs journey started far from Indiaâs main sporting centres in Gurdaspur a remote border district in Punjab bordering Pakistan Growing up opportunities were scarce with few organised sports programmes or training centres available Yet in 2015 at the age of 14 Ritik found his passion for judo and dedicated himself to the sport with steadfast focusBorn to an ASI in the Punjab Police and the youngest of three siblings Ritik began his initial training at the renowned Shaheed Bhagat Singh JFI coaching centre which has produced over 50 international and 100 nationallevel judokas The foundation he built there kept him steady even as he faced challenges on the global stageAlthough he returned emptyhanded from last yearâs Grand Slams in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan the 24yearold is now energised by the momentum of his KIUG gold as he prepares for the Senior National Championships scheduled to start on December 11 in ImphalFor Ritik the lack of quality sparring partners in his weight class remains a major obstacle However he continues to push his boundaries and is now aiming for the next significant goal of breaking into the 2026 Commonwealth Games squad IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/judoka-ritik-sharmas-kiug-triumph-fuels-his-2026-cwg-dream-652333.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 17:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/you-cant-discard-rohit-and-kohli-till-2027-world-cup-says-pakistans-shahid-afridi-652091.html Mumbai Dec 8 Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi came out in support of ace batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and dismissed attempts to sideline the two legends from the Indian ODI side claiming they are the backbone of the team and must be continued until the 2027 World Cup a news report said on Monday âItâs a fact that Virat and Rohit are the backbone of the Indian batting lineup and the way they have played in the recent ODI series it can confidently be said that they can play until the 2027 World Cupâ was quoted as saying in a report by Telecom Asia SportAfridi said the two greats should be played in major series âYou need to preserve both these stars and when India is playing against a weaker team they can try some new players and rest Virat and Rohitâ the former opener told wwwtelecomasianet on MondayAfridi hit out at Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir with whom he had a number of onfield clashes in his playing days âThe way Gautum started his stint it looked like he thought that what he thinks and says is right but after some time it was proved that you are not always rightâAfridi showed pleasure at Rohit overhauling his record for most sixes in ODI cricket âRecords are meant to be broken and this too is now bettered I am happy that a player whom I have always liked has broken this recordââMy record of fastest century stood for nearly 18 years but it was finally broken so records are set by one player and another player comes and breaks it This is cricketâRohit surpassed Afridiâs 351 sixes in 398 matches during the second ODI against South Africa at Raipur and now has 355 in 279 matches âI played alongside Rohit for the Deccan Chargers in my only Indian Premier League IPL season in 2008 and at that time I liked himâDuring practice sessions of the Charges I watched him bat and his class impressed me I knew that one day Rohit would play for India and he has proved himself as a classy batterâ he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/you-cant-discard-rohit-and-kohli-till-2027-world-cup-says-pakistans-shahid-afridi-652091.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/there-is-no-other-player-like-hardik-pandya-in-indian-team-says-sanjay-bangar-652358.html New Delhi Dec 9 Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar highlighted allrounder Hardik Pandyas role ahead of the T20I series against South Africa kicking off on Tuesday saying that there was no other player like him After missing two months owing to a quadricep injury sustained during the Asia Cup Pandya is returning to the Indian side and is anticipated to feature in the playing XI against South Africa in the forthcoming T20Is Indias T20 World Cup 2026 preparations will begin with the series against the Proteas with the first game set to be played in CuttackâLook at all the allrounders in world cricket now Does England have a backup for Ben Stokes No In oneday or even Test cricket there is no backup for Ravindra Jadeja It is the same with Hardik Pandya He Pandya can command a spot in the top five on his batting alone He could also be one of the top three seamers in any team if he was just a bowlerâ Bangar told JiosStarâThe point is to be that kind of allrounder you must earn your place with your batting and also with your bowling There is no other player like Hardik Pandya in the Indian teamâ he addedRegarding Pandyas workload management Bangar stated that he anticipates the allrounder playing in the first three of the five T20Is against the ProteasâWe need to see how he copes Playing in the SMAT Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is different from the intensity of an international game The team management must manage the workload of important players like him So if needed we must do that for Hardik too A fit Hardik Pandya allows the team to play its desired combination especially with the spin options we have Thatâs why his presence is critically very vitalâ he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/there-is-no-other-player-like-hardik-pandya-in-indian-team-says-sanjay-bangar-652358.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 18:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-bazball-yielded-a-culture-that-lacks-accountability-says-mcgrath-652412.html New Delhi Dec 9 Former Australia cricketer Glenn McGrath believes Englands Ashes squad lacks accountability and labelled it embarrassing after the visitors lost backtoback matches and trail fivematch series 02 against Australia In the daynight pinkball Test in Brisbane this week England were soundly defeated after losing the first Test in Perth from a highly advantageous position due to a fourthinnings century from Travis Head and a batting collapse of their ownEnglands odds of winning the series in Australia after a 15year drought are at 0â2 âNot in Australiaâs wildest dreams could they have believed they would be 20 up in this Ashes series after playing only six days of cricket McGrath wrote a coloumn in BBC SportâThere is a lot I like about Englandâs attitude I love it when sportspeople play without fear because that helps them push the boundaries of what is possibleâ he wroteMcGrath was critical of the visitors however he maintains that there have been indications of a troubled culture Following the public acknowledgement of problems by coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes he anticipates some adjustmentsMy concern for England was the message of this is the way we play yielded a culture that lacks accountability I have no problems with what the England leaders said in public at the Gabba If Stokes and McCullum have been strong in the media you can guarantee they have been even stronger behind closed doorsâ the 55yearold wroteâWill we now see a new version of Bazball Like I said I like the element of playing without fear If England can add the ingredients of pressure and accountability then they might still be on to somethingMcGrath also credited Australia for their exceptional performance with the batt and ball He was full of praise for Mitchell Starc who continues to deliver with the ball even in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood and leads the bowling chart with 18 wickets and some handy contribution with the bat tooFor all that England have been criticised Australia deserve a huge amount of credit If England had been told they would play an Australia team without all of Pat Cummins Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon they would have been rubbing their hands with glee And yet Australia pulled off victory in Brisbane with all of their other players standing upMitchell Starc has been absolutely outstanding supported by Michael Neser Scott Boland and Brendan DoggettAlex Carey put in an absolute masterclass behind the stumps possibly the best wicketkeeping performance Ive ever seen and I played with Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist Perhaps the biggest revelation for Australia has been the shift in the batting order IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-bazball-yielded-a-culture-that-lacks-accountability-says-mcgrath-652412.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 23:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/injured-hazlewood-ruled-out-of-ashes-cummins-set-for-comeback-652168.html Brisbane Dec 9 Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood will miss the rest of the series after suffering an injury setback while Pat Cummins appears certain to captain Australia in the third Test in Adelaide Coach Andrew McDonald confirmed on Tuesday that Hazlewood who sustained a hamstring strain while bowling in the Sheffield Shield last month and then suffered a setback when he hurt his Achilles last week would not feature against England this summerHazlewood will instead focus on recovering in time for the ICC Mens T20 World Cup that commences on February 7Really flat for him A couple of setbacks that we didnt see coming We thought hed play a huge part in the series But really feel for him that he wont get that opportunityMcDonald told reporters on TuesdayCummins who was close to returning on overs restrictions in Brisbane after his recovery from a lowerback injury progressed quicker than expected and is almost certain to feature in the third TestThere wont be any match opportunities for Pat before Adelaide â and this is something weve done with Pat before longish layoffs where weve put some time and effort into rebuilding his body said McDonaldHe was out at Allan Border Field whilst everyone was at the Gabba he simulated pretty much what a match will look like out there with multiple spellsSo we feel as though hell be as best prepared as can be He was well ahead of where we thought hed be at and it did create a real live conversation for Cummins playing in BrisbaneIt was debated a lot leading into that Test match With that in mind us seeing him further advanced we feel hell be really well placed for the challenges of Adelaide albeit its still a long way offMeanwhile veteran spinner Nathan Lyon has been tipped to be back for the final three Tests too after being overlooked for the pinkball match at the GabbaTwo of Boland Michael Neser and Brendon Doggett are now likely to miss in Adelaide giving Australia at least some fresh pace reinforcements for the final two TestsThe gap between Tests one and two and two and three was something we thought we could manageNow obviously weve got a big inclusion coming in â and I think thatll be announced tomorrow officially that Pat will be back in the squad â so that obviously creates a different balance to our attack said McDonald IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/injured-hazlewood-ruled-out-of-ashes-cummins-set-for-comeback-652168.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 12:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nzs-blundell-ruled-out-of-second-test-against-wi-mitchell-hay-to-debut-652175.html Wellington Dec 9 New Zealand wicketkeeper batter Tom Blundell has been ruled out of the second Test against the West Indies starting Wednesday at the Basin Reserve in Wellington NZC said that Mitchell Hay is set to be the first wicketkeeper to make a Test debut for New Zealand since 2017 Two other potential debutants in Kristian Clarke and Michael Rae have been named in the 14man squad for the second TestSpeaking on Hay head coach Rob Walter said âMitch is a young cricketer whoâs already contributed well to the whiteball side He also has an excellent record at FirstClass level with CanterburyâHaving him come into a Test squad is a great moment in his career and weâre really excited to see him play his partâSpeaking on the new bowlers Walter said âKristian and Michael are both identified players of interest with great ability and have both been good performers for their domestic sides over the past few yearsâThey both have good skill with the redball and thereâs a great opportunity for them to show that skill for us at the highest level of the gameâNew Zealand will be bolstered by the return of Glenn Phillips for the second in WellingtonAfter recovering from a groin injury Phillips played the first two Plunket Shield fixtures for Otago scoring 130 runs at an average of 43 and taking nine wickets at an average of 33Kyle Jamieson is continuing his redball returntoplay plan playing the recent Plunket Shield match for Canterbury against the Central Stags and will continue to work closely with New Zealand coaching staff on his return to the Test sideNew Zealand squad Tom Latham c Michael Bracewell Kristian Clarke Devon Conway Jacob Duffy Zak Foulkes Mitch Hay Daryl Mitchell Glenn Phillips Michael Rae Rachin Ravindra Blair Tickner Kane Williamson Will Young IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nzs-blundell-ruled-out-of-second-test-against-wi-mitchell-hay-to-debut-652175.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 12:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/350-players-to-go-under-the-hammer-at-ipl-2026-auction-on-dec-16-652183.html Mumbai Dec 9 A total of 350 players are set to feature in the IPL 2026 mini auction on December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi as the BCCI revealed the Player Auction list for the 2026 season on Tuesday A total of 1390 players registered for the Player Auction out of which 350 players were shortlistedOf the 350 players shortlisted 240 are Indian and 110 from overseas The pool comprises 224 uncapped Indian players and 14 uncapped overseas players adding significant depth and fresh talent to this years auction rosterFranchises will compete for 77 available slots overall including 31 spots reserved for overseas playersAs many as 40 players have listed themselves at the maximum base price of Rs 2 crore with Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi being the only two Indians among themEarlier a total of 173 players have been retained across teams including 49 overseas players A combined purse of Rs 23755 crore will be available at the auction for a total of 77 player slotsSouth African wicketkeepers Quinton de Kock and George Linde and Sri Lankas Dunith Wellalage who were not part of the longlist have been included in the final listHeading into the auction Kolkata Knight Riders will have a purse of Rs 643 crore the largest among the group to fill a maximum of 13 slots with six overseas spots available Chennai Super Kings will have the secondbiggest kitty of Rs 434 crore to fill a maximum of nine available slotsAustralias Cameron Green has been tipped to become the most expensive buy at the upcoming IPL auction as both KKR and CSK who have the highest purses are expected to put in strong bids for the allrounder IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/350-players-to-go-under-the-hammer-at-ipl-2026-auction-on-dec-16-652183.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/england-pacer-mark-wood-ruled-out-of-ashes-series-fisher-named-replacement-652208.html Brisbane Dec 9 England pacer Mark Wood has been ruled out of Ashes with a recurrence of the leftknee injury he sustained in the series opener in Perth He will now return home to begin rehabilitation and recovery ECB said on Tuesday Wood returned after a ninemonth absence following knee surgery for the first Test in Perth managing eight overs before suffering tightness in his left hamstring though scans later ruled out damage and he was passed fit to play and had match figures of 044 in 11 oversThe 35yearold pacer was later sent to a specialist after reporting pain in his knee and was ruled out of the second Test in BrisbaneEngland and Durham seamer Mark Wood has been ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes tour of Australia following a recurrence of the leftknee injury he sustained during the first Test in Perth earlier this monthWood will return home later this week and work closely with the ECB medical team on his rehabilitation and recovery ECB said in a statementEngland have called up Matthew Fisher to the squad The seamer who has been in Australia with the Lions will link up with the group this weekFisher has played one Test for England so far in the West Indies in March 2022 when he registered match figures of 121 from 27 overs He has taken two wickets in three games for the Lions this winter including that of Zak Crawley lbw when Englands second string played the senior team in a preAshes warmup at Lilac HillFor Wood the setback is yet another chapter in a career repeatedly disrupted by fitness problems Before the Perth Test he had not played redball cricket for England in 15 months due to an elbow injury followed by knee surgery IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/england-pacer-mark-wood-ruled-out-of-ashes-series-fisher-named-replacement-652208.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/its-been-a-monumental-fail-ian-healy-criticises-englands-deflating-performance-in-ashes--652231.html New Delhi Dec 9 Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy expressed his disappointment with how England has played so far calling their performance deflating and suggested that a lack of preparation for Aussie conditions has resulted in hosts being 2nil down in the Ashes series After a loss in a series opener in Perth Brisbane didnât play out much better for England as Australia cruised to victory in Brisbane to take an ominous 20 lead in the series having been set a target of just 65 runsâItâs a very deflating performance so farâ Healy told SEN âThe optimism we had before any contest was very high We thought that this was going to be the close Ashes in Australia that weâve been craving since the 60sItâs been a monumental fail by England they have misread everything I donât know how there could be so many people that donât know any better in decisionmaking positions of English Cricket that have let this itinerary become approvedTheyâve just got nothing because they havent been training They are not fit enough they are not bowling fit enough and the batsmen havenât made enough big runs of recent times So they are all fresh and green and theyâre not working hard enough Itâs very disappointing that it has been such a farce for them he addedEngland head coach Brendon McCullum however had said his side overâtrained ahead of their heavy eightwicket defeat to Australia in their second Ashes Test He also felt England have to be at their best in all aspects to get the better of Australia at home in their remaining three Ashes games in Adelaide Melbourne and SydneyMoreover ahead of the third Test in Adelaide starting December 17 England copped a major blow as the fast bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes tour following a knee injury he suffered during the first Test in Perth IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/its-been-a-monumental-fail-ian-healy-criticises-englands-deflating-performance-in-ashes--652231.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/connection-with-kohli-clicked-right-from-day-one-in-rcb-camp-phil-salt-652003.html New Delhi Dec 8 England opener Phil Salt said his partnership with Virat Kohli clicked from the time they met in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru camp for IPL 2025 adding that he was pleased with its development including the role clarity on who would take charge of scoring Saltâs partnership alongside Kohli gave RCB several good starts in the powerplay which was crucial in them winning IPL 2025 Its always important to have a strong relationship with whoever youre opening with You need to understand how they play and they need to understand your game too so that you can bring the best out of each otherââWe started building that connection from the moment we both arrived here and Iâm really pleased with how itâs developing Itâs very much a conversation that happens out in the middle and sometimes it doesnât even need words You can just sense how the other guy is playing In Jaipur for example there wasnât much chat at all it was just obvious that whenever Virat got on strike he was happy to rotate it to meââOn other days like the game in Delhi either of us could have gone on a run Both of us were striking it well and it just worked out that I took charge at the start of the third over Sometimes you talk it through and sometimes it happens completely organically Itâs a moving picture said Salt in an episode of the RCB podcast released on MondayAsked on first thoughts after being bought by RCB at the IPL 2025 auction Salt who previously won the trophy in 2024 with Kolkata Knight Riders said My first thought was that this is a team I would really suit playing for The way RCB have always carried themselves the brand of cricket they play it all appealed to meâFrom my very first conversation with Mo after the auction I could clearly see why they wanted me and what role they had in mind for me Everything felt very aligned with my gameSalt has been an integral part of Englandâs T20I team and he spoke at length about maintaining high standards and strike rate while opening the batting in the shortest format Cricket now demands a far more attacking style of play Does that make it the most consistent approach Probably notâThere was a time when a batter could think about pushing for the orange cap but that mindset doesnât really work in the IPL anymore For me and for most of our batting group itâs not about individual awards Everything is centered around how we win as a team and that for me is the most important thing in the IPLFor me itâs all about working day by day and being completely processdriven I focus first on the small things getting into the gym keeping my body right making the right decisions physically Then comes the cricket side of it When I focus too much on big goals and outcomes I lose clarity I learned that the hard way when I was younger Now everything for me is about small steps and daily progress not being obsessed with results he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/connection-with-kohli-clicked-right-from-day-one-in-rcb-camp-phil-salt-652003.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/really-hope-gill-performs-well-in-this-five-match-t20i-series-against-south-africa-says-pathan-652006.html New Delhi Dec 8 Former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan has expressed optimism over Shubman Gill coming good in the upcoming fivematch T20I series against South Africa saying he hopes the opener delivers strong performances which in turn will cement his place in the side ahead of next yearâs World Cup Gill was out of action after suffering a neck injury during the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata Since his return to the T20I team from the Asia Cup Gill has been inconsistent with his scores while opening the batting alongside the inform Abhishek SharmaâShubman Gill should cement his place at the top of the order in T20 cricket We believe in allformat players We have seen how well he plays in the IPL Now he has a chance to cement his place in Indias T20 International side There is a little pressure but he is a good playerââI hope he performs well in this fivematch T20I series against South Africa He is coming back from a small injury He will get a lot of opportunities across five matches on good pitches The pitches will have pace and bounce like in Dharamshala and he will love batting on themâ said Pathan on JioStarHe also said his eyes in the fivematch series will be on who would take up the mantle of finishing the innings alongside a returning Hardik Pandya âI would like to see who plays the role of a finisher with Hardik Pandya and how they do it This is a very big aspect If we have to defend the World Cup which is in India it is crucial that our lowermiddle order batters stay in formââAlong with Hardik the other batters become very important Axar Patel can do that Jitesh Sharma is there Rinku Singh can also come in But we have to see who will complement Hardik down the order My eyes will be on thatâPathan signed off by saying how Indiaâs fast bowling combination fares will be of utmost importance against the Proteas âI want to see how the other fast bowlers perform along with Bumrah Bumrah is the main bowler but we also have Hardik Pandya Shivam Dube can bowl a bit and Arshdeep Singh as wellââHow they perform in this series against South Africa will be very important With the T20 World Cup scheduled for February next year this series is really important from a bowling point of viewâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/really-hope-gill-performs-well-in-this-five-match-t20i-series-against-south-africa-says-pathan-652006.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-will-have-to-utilise-bumrah-carefully-in-t20is-against-sa-parthiv-patel-652016.html New Delhi Dec 8 Former India wicketkeeperbatter Parthiv Patel said his eyes will be fixed on how the side manages Jasprit Bumrahâs quota of overs in the upcoming T20I series against South Africa starting in Cuttack on Tuesday In T20Is this year India has used Bumrah to bowl majorly in the powerplay meaning that he isnât used much in the back end of the innings âItâs an important series for India especially against the World Cup runnersup South Africa It will be good preparation There are a few things Im looking forward to Number one is how India uses Jasprit Bumrah said Patel on JioStarIndia has utilised his three overs in the powerplay since the Asia Cup and even in the Australia tour that was the strategy If they bowl him for three overs in the Powerplay he only has one over left for the death which is the 19th over So India will have to use him carefully If they want him to bowl three overs early then Arshdeep Singh has to partner Bumrah in the death overs he addedOn the return of Hardik Pandya who recovered from a quadriceps injury sustained in the Asia Cup Patel said his comeback is also a key factor for the Indian team in the final leg of their preparation for the T20 World CupThe comeback of Hardik Pandya is key He did really well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Heâs coming back into form and he is an important player He contributes with both bat and ball His presence in the lineup is crucial because he brings experience and also guides the youngsters I am looking forward to his comeback he saidLefthanded opener Abhishek Sharma has carried his international form into the domestic circuit by piling up 304 runs at 5066 and a strike rate of above 249 for Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy including hitting a blistering 148 off 52 balls against BengalAbhishek Sharma is the player of the season He has been getting a lot of runs and hitting a lot of sixes Can he continue this form I think he can He was the highest run scorer in the Asia Cup and on the Australia tour He is also the number one ranked T20I batter The runs from his bat at the top of the order will be crucial for Indiaâs success in this fivematch series against South Africa concluded Patel IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-will-have-to-utilise-bumrah-carefully-in-t20is-against-sa-parthiv-patel-652016.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/from-being-written-off-to-beating-indias-best-cyclist-at-kiug-2025-the-inspiring-journey-of-khoirom-rejiya-devi-652017.html Jaipur Dec 8 Khoirom Rejiya Devi was always told this sport is not for you by her family and some coaches also repeated it when she first took up cycling back in 2019 The cyclist from Manipur representing Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology KIIT at the Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025 was a late convert to cycling after initially trying her hand at Sepak Takraw as a junior but she was overlooked for further selectionThe 23yearold silenced all critics when she upset favourite Meenakshi Rohilla of Guru Nanak Dev University to win the womenâs 3km Pursuit gold at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium Cycling Velodrome in JaipurâFrom 2019 on the track even at home I faced so much mental stress that now every race feels like a challenge And that is why I never think about who is in front of me I have only one goal to make myself the best cyclist in the countryâ Rejiya told SAI MediaRejiya daughter of a fisherman from Phubala village in Manipurâs Bishnupur district was part of Manipurâs Sepak Takraw team from 2014 to 2018 but by then it was clear that there was no future for her in that sport âMy father in a drunken state used to taunt me people mocked me There was a time when I cried every day But then in 2019 a friend said Try cycling because you run very fastâ she saidBut even that wasnât a smooth rideJust as she was settling into the rhythm of competition and participating in the 2020 Khelo India Youth Games the COVID19 pandemic struck Conditions at home deteriorated but Rejiya continued training to pursue her dream aliveWhen things improved she reached Delhi for national trials â only to hear the same response again âYou lack exposure your timing is not good for the senior levelâBut this time Rejiya didnât give up She returned home began running every morning lost ten kilos and then shifted her focus from sprinting to endurance She secured a spot in the National Camp at Patiala by winning the bronze medal at the 2021 Senior Nationals in Jaipur and she hasnât looked back sinceIn 2022 she was part of the Indian womenâs team that secured the historic bronze medal at the Asian Cycling Championships in Team Pursuit By 2024 Rejiya was recognised among Indiaâs top pursuit racers but Meenakshi still remained the rider to beat in this disciplineRejiya finally got that opportunity in Jaipur and the 23yearold made the most of it by crushing Meenakshiâs hopes of securing all five gold medals at the Games âTo beat Meenakshi you need intelligence strength and strategyâall three I knew she had been racing continuously for the past five days The moment I sensed her fatigue increasing I picked up my paceâ said Rejiya who had won the Asmita League last yearMeenakshi is a champion athlete She doesnât like losing and neither do I I have faced so much neglect in my life that now I am always hungry for achievement With this victory I have answered myself and all those people who once said I couldnât do it There is no athlete better than her Meenakshi in the 3km pursuit so defeating her is a special achievement for meâ Rejiya addedWinning is one thing but receiving praise from your rival afterwards is another kind of honour Meenakshi who won four gold medals and one silver at KIUG Rajasthan hugged Rejiya after the race patted her back and said with a smile âRejiya is one of the strongest cyclists from our team We train together at NSNIS Patiala I am happy that she won Although there is some pain in my heart that I lost in my favourite event I wholeheartedly congratulate her on her victoryâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/from-being-written-off-to-beating-indias-best-cyclist-at-kiug-2025-the-inspiring-journey-of-khoirom-rejiya-devi-652017.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/stewart-to-resume-full-time-role-as-surreys-director-of-cricket-with-immediate-effect-652018.html London Dec 8 Former England captain Alec Stewart will resume his fulltime role as Surreyâs director of cricket after stepping back from it last year to care for his wife Lynn Stewart 62 had continued in a high performance advisory capacity for Surrey with a reduced workload to support Lynn who passed away in April this year after a long battle with cancerâSurrey has always been my home and I am now ready to return to full time duties with the Club again My priorities have always been to support the cricket management team and the squad to be the best county in the country to bring cricketers into our professional squad through our pathway system and help players to fulfil their dreams of representing their countryâ said Stewart in a statement on MondayStewart first assumed the role of Surreyâs Director of Menâs Cricket in 2013 overseeing a period of sustained success that has yielded four County Championship titles Under him four players from Surrey have turned out for England and are currently in the Test squad for the ongoing Ashes in AustraliaâAlec is a legend of Surrey and we are looking forward to having him back in his role as Director of Menâs Cricket Alecâs record speaks for itself and heâs been the driving force in so much of the Clubâs success over many many yearsâ said Oli Slipper Chair at SurreyStewart played 133 Tests and 170 ODIs for England from 1990 to 2003 and was a member of the side reaching the Menâs ODI World Cup final in 1992 âAlecâs commitment drive and attention to detail has built the team into the side it is today and we know he will continue to progress the team as he resumes his role at the helm on the menâs game in the countyââAlec has remained an important part of the cricket management team over the last 12 months and he continues to drive the highest of standards across the Clubâ added Steve Elworthy CEO at Surrey IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/stewart-to-resume-full-time-role-as-surreys-director-of-cricket-with-immediate-effect-652018.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/i-came-here-with-high-expectations-wood-expressed-disappointment-on-being-ruled-out-of-ashes-652279.html New Delhi Dec 9 England pacer Mark Wood has expressed his disappointment ob being ruled out from the Ashes series due to knee injury he suffered during the first Test in Perth saying he came to the series with high expectations about making a big impact but his knee just hasnt held up England Cricket have confirmed Wood will return home and will work closely with the ECB medical team on his rehabilitation and recovery Matthew Fisher has been brought into the squad having been in Australia with the English LionsWood has had recent troubles with his left knee having sustained the injury earlier this year during the ICC Champions Trophy The pacer who has since had a surgery and returned after a ninemonth absence following knee surgery for the first Test had reported pain in his knee during the series opener and was only able to bowl 11 overs during the Test He then missed out on featuring in Englandâs lineup for the second Test in Brisbane as the hosts took a 20 lead in the fiveTest seriesGutted to be out the remainder of the Ashes After extensive surgery and 7 long hard months of work and rehab to get back into the Test arena my knee just hasnt held up Wood said in his Instagram postNone of us expected this I came here with high expectations about making a big impact Im desperately disappointed that despite yet more injections and intensive medical treatment it has become clear that the flare up in my knee is worse than fearedIm really sorry that has left me unable to perform as expected but it is not for want of trying I want to thank everyone at home and away in Australia The barmy army have been class as always and I really appreciate itWhatever happens I will continue to push the limits to get back again It has been a tough road these past few months but I remain determined to give it another proper go I still believe we can turn things around Never give in Come on England he addedFor Wood the setback is yet another chapter in a career repeatedly disrupted by fitness problems Before the Perth Test he had not played redball cricket for England in 15 months due to an elbow injury followed by knee surgery IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/i-came-here-with-high-expectations-wood-expressed-disappointment-on-being-ruled-out-of-ashes-652279.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 15:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/marnus-backs-neser-as-australia-faces-selection-headache-for-adelaide-test-651867.html Brisbane Dec 8 Australia are prepared to continue to make tough calls at selection on whether or not to pick Michael Neser for the Adelaide Test after his Gabba heroics as they eye a seriesclinching victory in the third Ashes Test in Adelaide Neser who was picked ahead of veteran spinner Nathan Lyon for the daynight Test claimed five wickets in Englands second dig proving his worth once again with the pink ballAustralia skipper Pat Cummins looks certain to return to the XI for the match the hosts may also be tempted to recall Lyon after he was dropped for the daynight Test in Brisbane with batter Marnus Labuschagne indicating the selectors will do everything they can to ensure the balance of the side is best suited to the conditions presented in AdelaideIm not a selector but what I will say is the same way they selectors looked at this game they looked at the game objectively and said What is the best way for us to win this game with all the information we have on pinkball cricket Labuschagne saidWhat plays what favours its been in past Tests Is it pace or whatever that is or what type of bowler And then they make the decision he addedIf Cummins Lyon and Josh Hazlewood do return in Adelaide then there are going to be some unlucky players make way after the likes of Neser Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett all impressed at different stages of the Gabba triumphNeser in particular played a vital role in Englands second innings and the performance came as no surprise to LabuschagneTo see him take five wickets with an old ballit was awesome There was a moment earlier in the season where I was just like Man I hope he gets his chance Labuschagne saidI saw the writing on the wall there that theres potential and for him to be able to come in and deliver I think there was little bit of nerves that first innings and then to come out second innings and play that role get a fivefor I was just so happyHe just keeps delivering and delivering and we didnt see the best of his batting either and I think thats probably the exciting part as well is hes got a lot to offer with not only the ball but that batting and his fielding he addedAustralia took a 20 series lead with an emphatic eightwicket victory over England in Brisbane on Sunday and now have more than a week off before the crucial third Test at Adelaide Oval from December 17 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/marnus-backs-neser-as-australia-faces-selection-headache-for-adelaide-test-651867.html Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/henry-smith-santner-ruled-out-of-remainder-of-test-series-against-wi-651875.html Christchurch Dec 8 New Zealand have been hit hard by injuries with Matt Henry Nathan Smith and Mitchell Santner ruled out of the remainder of the Test Series against the West Indies the countrys cricket board announced on Monday Pace duo Matt Henry calf and Nathan Smith side injured themselves during the opening Test of the series in Christchurch that finished as a draw while key allrounder Mitchell Santner hasnt fully recovered from his groin problemSharing the news on their X handle New Zealand Cricket wrote âNorthern Districts bowler Kristian Clarke will join the test squad in Wellington this morning ahead of the second Tegel Test v the West Indies Welcome in Kristian Matt Henry Nathan Smith and Mitchell Santner have been ruled out of the remainder of the Tegel Test Series v the West Indies Looking forward to seeing these lads back very soonWith firstchoice keeper Tom Blundell also ruled out of the second Test after he sustained a hamstring injury on the opening day of the first Test it leaves the Kiwis struggling for personnel ahead of the next match that begins at Basin Reserve in Wellington on WednesdayKeeperbatter Mitch Hay is likely to stand in for Blundell and make his Test debut while New Zealand could also be tempted to include star allrounder Glenn Phillips as he returns from his own injury issuesTheir bowling unit will also require a reshuffle in the absence of Henry and Smith with backup quick Blair Tickner almost certain to play in Wellington as uncapped duo Michael Rae and Kristian Clarke join the squadNew Zealand squad Tom Latham c Michael Bracewell Kristian Clarke Devon Conway Jacob Duffy Zak Foulkes Mitch Hay Daryl Mitchell Michael Rae Rachin Ravindra Blair Tickner Kane Williamson Will Young IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/henry-smith-santner-ruled-out-of-remainder-of-test-series-against-wi-651875.html Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-extra-batting-gave-us-balance-we-were-after-says-smith-explaining-lyons-exclusion-from-gabba-test-651885.html New Delhi Dec 8 Steve Smith explained Australiaâs choice to exclude Nathan Lyon from their commanding eightwicket victory over England in Brisbane saying the extra batting gave the balance they were looking for and the absence was not linked to his abilities at all Lyon who has claimed 562 wickets in redball cricket at the international level was unexpectedly left out of team for the pinkball Ashes TestMitchell Starc Scott Boland Brendan Doggett and Neser claimed 19 of Englandâs 20 wickets convincingly during the match with the only exception being Josh Inglisâ spectacular runout of Ben Stokes Batting allrounder Cam Green bowled 13 overs but did not take any wicketsIt could have gone a few different ways and itâs certainly nothing against Nathan Heâs a freak Heâs been our spinner for such a long time but the extra batting and the way the tail hung in for 50 overs gave us the balance we were after Smith said postmatchNeser offers something different We can bring the keeper up he hits the stumps he keeps things tight and forces batters to take risks when the ball isnât as quick or is skidding But itâs nothing against Nathan Heâs unbelievable and heâs done it for so longThe selectors included bowling allrounder Michael Neser as a fifth seam bowler marking the first time since 2012 that Australiaâs alltime leading offspinner would miss a home Test a decision Lyon said left him âabsolutely filthyâWhen asked how he felt not being selected in the playing XI on the day the Gabba Test began Lyon had said âAbsolutely filthy To be honest I havent really sat down with Ronnie McDonald or George yet Im letting things settle down in my own head and trying to make sure that Im doing whatever I can to make sure the guys out in the middle representing Australia do the right thing and get the right result for usââIm not the first player to miss a Test match and I wont be the last Im obviously pretty gutted because I know the role that I can play within Australian cricket and especially at a venue like this Extremely disappointed but Ill do whatever I have to do to make sure these guys get upâ he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-extra-batting-gave-us-balance-we-were-after-says-smith-explaining-lyons-exclusion-from-gabba-test-651885.html Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/teen-pacer-hamilton-wins-wbbl-young-gun-award-lanning-takes-golden-bat-honour-651967.html Melbourne Dec 8 Teenaged leftarm pacer Lucy Hamilton has been named the winner of the WBBL season 11 young gun award while former Australia captain Meg Lanning took the Golden bat honour for the third time Lucy who will play for Delhi Capitals in the upcoming 2026 WPL season led Brisbaneâs attack with the new ball throughout a challenging season for the side and claimed eight wickets with the best figures of 228Lucy who captained Australia at this yearâs Under19 Womenâs T20 World Cup in Malaysia captured the prize scalps of Meg Lanning Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath in her campaignMeg who turned out for Melbourne Stars and will play for UP Warriorz in 2026 WPL topped the season runscoring charts for the third time in her WBBL career by smashing 430 runs this season at an average of 5375 including a careerbest 135 from 74 balls against the Sydney SixersAustralia legspinner Georgia Wareham who will play for Gujarat Giants in 2026 WPL enjoyed her bestever WBBL campaign to win the golden arm award Turning out for the Melbourne Renegades Georgia claimed 19 wickets at 1094 in the campaignâOur congratulations go to each of Lucy Hamilton Meg Lanning and Georgia Wareham for their stellar campaigns which have earned them the awards announced today As we begin what will be an unforgettable final week of WBBL11 it is fantastic to be acknowledging our best emerging and established players for their onfield featsââWhile all three players have enjoyed fantastic individual seasons two represent WBBL sides that fell short of Finals action demonstrating just how close and high quality the entire competition isâ said Alistair Dobson Cricket Australiaâs Executive General Manager Big Bash LeaguesThe WBBL season 11 player of the tournament will be unveiled on Wednesday followed by the team of the tournament to be announced on Thursday The threematch finals series begins with Perth Scorchers facing Melbourne Stars in the knockout at the WACA Ground on Tuesday nightSydney Sixers await the winner from the knockout clash in Thursdayâs challenger clash at North Sydney Oval before Hobart Hurricanes host the final and face off against the challenger winner at the Ninja Stadium on Saturday IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/teen-pacer-hamilton-wins-wbbl-young-gun-award-lanning-takes-golden-bat-honour-651967.html Mon, 08 Dec 2025 23:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ex-england-coach-jon-lewis-appointed-head-coach-of-london-spirit-in-the-hundred-womens-651994.html London Dec 8 Former England coach Jon Lewis has been appointed as the new head coach of London Spirit in The Hundred Womenâs competition He takes over from Chris Liddle who previously posted on Instagram to thank players and staff for âfour unforgettable yearsâ Lewis will work closely with London Spirit womenâs General Manager veteran England batter Heather Knight on staff appointments and squad composition ahead of the player auction in MarchâThis is a really exciting opportunity to play a part in shaping the future of this franchise I am looking forward to building a team packed with talent and character playing cricket that Spirit fans coming to Lordâs will get behind as we aim to win a second title this summerâI am also grateful to Gloucestershire for allowing me to take this opportunity during The Hundred while also continuing to drive forward enhancements to the countyâs performance structureâ said Lewis in a statement on MondayUnder Lewis England reached the semifinals of the 2023 ICC T20 World Cup and defeated India in an away T20I series before winning home series against Pakistan and New Zealand in 2024 He also oversaw Englands memorable 2023 Ashes series in which England came back from 60 down to draw 88But Lewis had to leave as Englandâs head coach earlier this year after the side crashed to a 160 drubbing in the Womenâs Ashes in Australia He also left his role as head coach of UP Warriorz in the Womenâs Premier League WPL after the franchise finished at the bottom of the points table in this yearâs tournamentâIâm delighted to have Jon joining London Spirit as our Womenâs Head Coach I know firsthand his capabilities as a coach and his qualities as a person He has a fantastic breadth of experiences across both the womenâs and menâs games which will stand us in good stead in our pursuit of sustained successâItâs particularly exciting to consider the potential of his professional partnership with Heather whom he obviously knows well from his time with the senior England womenâs teamâ said Mo Bobat Director of Cricket at the SpiritsLewis represented England across formats during his playing career and also serves as Director of Cricket at Gloucestershire where he manages performance structures for both menâs and womenâs teams and oversees pathway programmesHe will join up with the Spirit after Gloucestershireâs final T20 Blast match in July ahead of the start of The Hundred in AugustCongratulations to Jon on securing this prestigious coaching position at London Spirit We knew when appointing Jon as Director of Cricket at the Club given his extensive coaching experience around the world there would likely be a franchise opportunity for him in the HundredFor him to be working as Head Coach of London Spirit is great news for Gloucestershire as we seek to develop our womenâs cricket team With our strategy of moving to become âTier 1 readyâ having someone at the heart of the elite womenâs game can only help us as we build towards that goalâ said Neil Priscott Chief Executive at Gloucestershire Cricket IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ex-england-coach-jon-lewis-appointed-head-coach-of-london-spirit-in-the-hundred-womens-651994.html Mon, 08 Dec 2025 23:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-fined-for-slow-over-rate-in-the-second-odi-against-sa-651997.html Visakhapatnam Dec 8 India have been fined 10 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow overrate against South Africa in the second ODI in Raipur India lost the second ODI against South Africa despite Virat Kohli 102 and Ruturaj Gaikwadâs 105 exceptional efforts with the willow as they posted a daunting total of 3585In reply Aiden Markram anchored the Proteas innings with a fantastic knock of 110 off 98 balls as South Africa chased down the target with four wickets to spareâIn accordance with Article 222 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel which relates to minimum overrate offences players are fined five per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted timeâ read ICCâs statementRichie Richardson a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees issued the sanction following the ruling that KL Rahulâs team was two overs short of the target once time allowances were accounted forRahul admitted his guilt regarding the offence and agreed to the proposed penalty eliminating the need for a formal hearing Onfield umpires Rod Tucker and Rohan Pandit third umpire Sam Nogajski and fourth umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal issued the levelled chargeYashasvi Jaiswal scored his maiden century in 50over cricket while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli made halfcenturies as India demonstrated their batting strength by defeating South Africa by nine wickets with about 10 overs remaining in the seriesdeciding third and final ODI at the ACAVDCA StadiumAfter Kuldeep Yadav 441 and Prasidh Krishna 466 took four wickets each to help India dismiss South Africa for 270 largely built on a 106 by Quinton de Kock and 48 by Temba Bavuma Jaiswal scored an unbeaten 116 off 121 balls Rohit Sharma accelerated to 75 off 73 balls while Kohli hammered 65 not out off 45 balls as India raced to 2711 off 391 overs in a spectacular batting display to secure a commanding ninewicket victoryWith this India won the threematch ODI series 21 making a grand comeback with the white ball after being swept aside 02 in the Test series This also marked Indias 10th consecutive home ODI series victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-fined-for-slow-over-rate-in-the-second-odi-against-sa-651997.html Mon, 08 Dec 2025 23:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/torch-relay-for-milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympic-games-starts-in-rome-651770.html Rome Dec 6 The torch relay for the MilanCortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games began on Saturday morning in Rome marking the start of a twomonth journey ahead of next years opening ceremony The launch ceremony was held at the Stadio dei Marmi an openair arena lined with Romanstyle statues next to Romes Olympic Stadium At around 950 am Giancarlo Peris the final torchbearer of the 1960 Rome Games brought the flame onto the launch stage A torch was lit with the flame and Giovanni Malago president of the MilanCortina 2026 organising committee lit the cauldron with itThe first torchbearer Italys Olympic champion Gregorio Paltrinieri lit the relay torch from the cauldron and then ran a halflap around the stadium to cheers from spectators officially starting the relay reports XinhuaItalian fencer Elisa Di Francisca and high jump Olympic champion Gianmarco Tamberi followed as the second and third torchbearers and completed their relay segments inside the stadium Tamberi performed a torch kiss with the next runner Achille Polonara who carried the flame out of the stadium to begin the route through the cityThe relay in the Eternal City will pass major landmarks including the Colosseum the Trevi Fountain the Pantheon and the Piazza VeneziaThe torch is scheduled to reach Piazza del Popolo at around 730 pm where a city celebration with music and artistic performances will accompany the eventThe relay will traverse 12000 kilometres over 60 days across Italy pass through more than 300 municipalities and feature celebrations in 60 cities reach all 110 Italian provinces and light up UNESCO sites along the routeMore than 10000 torchbearers from all walks of life will take part in the relay including figures from sectors of sports culture film and civil societyThe flame will see Christmas in Naples New Year in Bari and return to Cortina dAmpezzo on January 26 2026 the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Winter Games opening ceremony The relay will conclude on February 6 at Milans San Siro Stadium IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/torch-relay-for-milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympic-games-starts-in-rome-651770.html Sun, 07 Dec 2025 04:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/i-began-playing-cricket-because-of-my-brother-says-deepti-sharma-651723.html New Delhi Dec 6 Allrounder Deepti Sharma opened up about the moment that changed her life the person who first saw her potential and encouraged her to take up cricket her elder brother Playing their third 50over World Cup final India led by Harmanpreet Kaur beat the Laura Wolvaardtled side to lift the World Cup trophy and to be named the world champions for the first time in the history of the sport in India With that the Indian womenâs cricket team also ended their ICC Trophy droughtDeepti Sharma the seasoned offspinner topped the wickets chart with 22 scalps emerging as the Womens World Cup 2025 most successful bowler and also scored 215 runs including three halfcenturies to emerge as the MVP of the tournament In the final against South Africa Deepti scored a fighting 58 and claimed 539 in the final to make it possibleSpeaking to Amitabh Bachchan Deepti shared how his support and belief played a crucial role in shaping her early journeyRecalling her childhood days Deepti said âI began playing cricket because of my brother I used to accompany him to the ground just to watch him play One day I was sitting on the stairs when a ball suddenly came towards me I threw it back from around 40â50 metres and it directly hit the stumps People there immediately said âThis girl should be playing cricketâ From that moment I never looked back and started playing seriouslyâSharmas brother expressing her pride said âI feel proud to be known as Deeptiâs brotherâ acknowledging how far she has come He also recited a heartfelt poem dedicated to Amitabh Bachchan adding warmth and charm to the episodeIndia scored a commanding 2987 highlighted by Shafali Vermaâs smooth 87 Deepti Sharmaâs steady 58 and key contributions from Smriti Mandhana 45 and Richa Ghosh 34 A strong 100run opening partnership between Mandhana and Verma laid the groundwork for a large total but South Africa fought back late narrowly preventing India from crossing 300 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/i-began-playing-cricket-because-of-my-brother-says-deepti-sharma-651723.html Sat, 06 Dec 2025 11:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/justin-greaves-unbeaten-202-lead-west-indies-to-epic-draw-in-christchurch-651730.html Christchurch Dec 6 A mammoth effort from Justin Greaves 202 not and an unbeaten 58 from Kemar Roach helped West Indies pull off an epic draw against New Zealand in the first Test at Hagley Oval Earlier the West Indies created history achieving the highest fourthinnings score in Test cricket on Saturday With a careerhigh score of 202 not out batting allrounder Justin Greaves led the Windies and briefly threatened to have the unachievable mark of 531 chased down The Barbados righthander is only the seventh player in Test history to score a double hundred in a matchs fourth innings Pace bowler Kemar Roach 58 who also recorded his bestever innings from 86 Test matches provided him with fitting support On Day 5 he faced 233 balls on an extremely flat Christchurch pitch during his exhausting 282minute stintWith 578 in the Kiwis second innings Roach 37 became the fourtholdest player in a Test to register both a fivewicket haul and a halfcentury in the same game Shai Hope also scored a tonne earlier in the innings before getting removed for 140 off of Jacob Duffys bowlingAfter chasing down Australias goal of 418 in 2003 the visitors ultimately fell 74 runs shy of the highest fourthinnings chase in Test cricket The Windies fourth innings score is only surpassed by Englands 5654 in the historic against South Africa back in 1939 a match that literally compelled the format to be shortened from timeless to no more than five daysAfter lunch the Kiwis had no wickets but the onfield umpire gave Roach a major lifeline in the 143rd over when he was declared not out on a caught behind appeal After using their three reviews for the innings without result the hosts were left helpless as replays revealed he had actually hit the ballWhile fast bowler Jacob Duffy claimed eight wickets from 604 overs during the match 43 of which were in the second innings New Zealand offspinner Michael Bracewell bowled an incredible 55 of the West Indies 1633 overs in the fourth digBrief scores New Zealand 231 amp 4668 decl vs West Indies 167 amp 4576 Justin Greaves 202 Shai Hope 140 Kemar Roach 58 Jacob Duffy 3122 match drawn IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/justin-greaves-unbeaten-202-lead-west-indies-to-epic-draw-in-christchurch-651730.html Sat, 06 Dec 2025 12:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nandre-burger-tony-de-zorzi-ruled-out-of-third-odi-against-india-651741.html Visakhaptanam Dec 6 South Africa fast bowler Nandre Burger and batter Tony de Zorzi have been ruled out of the third OneDay International ODI against India on Saturday due to injury With the series hanging in balance at 11 the ACAâVDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam is set to host the third ODICricket South Africa in a statement said Burger experienced right hamstring discomfort while bowling during the second ODI on Wednesday and de Zorzi experienced right hamstring area pain while batting and was unable to continue batting during the run chaseBoth players underwent scans on Friday which confirmed the extent of their respective injuriesSouth Africa are already without the services of pacer Kagiso Rabada who was ruled out due to a niggle and now face a serious challenge with their struggling pace attackDe Zorzi who struggled to bat during the second ODI in Raipur has also been ruled out of the upcoming fivematch T20 International T20I series against India which gets underway on December 9 and is set to return home for treatment CSA hasnt announced any replacement for both playersDe Zorzi looked strong throughout the entire trip to India Before being retired due to injury after scoring 17 runs off 11 balls in Raipur he made 39 in the first game Even though South Africa achieved their best chase against India and tied the series he was unable to continueThe statement also mentioned that fast bowler Kwena Maphaka did not make any progress as expected during the final phase of his rehabilitation from a left hamstring injury and will not be fit in time for the start of the T20I series He too has been withdrawn from the squadSouth Africa have announced fast bowler Lutho Sipamla as a replacement for Maphaka IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/nandre-burger-tony-de-zorzi-ruled-out-of-third-odi-against-india-651741.html Sat, 06 Dec 2025 13:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/greaves-calls-it-special-special-day-after-west-indies-pull-off-historic-draw-651756.html Christchurch Dec 6 West Indies allrounder Justin Greaves called it a very special day after he rescued his team with an unbeaten 202 and drew against New Zealand in the first Test at the Hagley Oval Greaves and Roach added 180 in an uninterrupted partnership for the seventh wicket after New Zealand set a total of 531 for the West Indies The West Indies batted out 1633 overs with Greaves scoring 202 not out off 388 balls and Roach scoring 58 not out off 233Only Englands 654 for 5 in the classic Test match against South Africa in Durban in 1939 was higher than their 457 for 6 which was the secondhighest fourthinnings total in Test cricketIt was just pretty much being resilient the word weve thrown around in the dressing room a lot said Greaves So for me to be there at the end was really important So anything for the team at the end of the dayI had a really long chat with coach Floyd Reifer And he was saying once you get in stay in its a good pitch Rachin Ravindra and Tom Latham showed us in the second innings So it was just for us to go out there and play ourselvesWith a careerhigh score of 202 not out Greaves led the Windies and briefly threatened to have the unachievable mark of 531 chased down The Barbados righthander is only the seventh player in Test history to score a double hundred in a matchs fourth inningsPace bowler Kemar Roach 58 who also recorded his bestever innings from 86 Test matches provided him with fitting support On Day 5 he faced 233 balls on an extremely flat Christchurch pitch during his exhausting 282minute stintSpecial special day for me special day for the team Greaves said We were pretty much up against it So to come out here batting the whole day after losing Shai Hope We thought we would have probably pushed for a win But then Kemar the senior pro guided me all the way So pretty much happy for him being there at the end as wellTo be a part of history is ecstatic But for me one day at a time continue to enjoy it Probably it hasnt sunk in just yet Hopefully over the next couple of days it canAt one stage the West Indies were 72 for 4 but Greaves and Shai Hope who made 140 turned the innings around They were on 277 for 6 when Hope and Tevin Imlach took wickets in rapid succession but a victory was still possible as they went into the final session and needed 132 from at least 33 overs In the end they decided against itFor us it was just about getting to the last session Greaves said We always spoke about 100 runs in the last session probably with a few more wickets in hand Obviously losing Shai and then losing Imlach shortly after was a big thing But I think we did really well in the end to come up with a draw IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/greaves-calls-it-special-special-day-after-west-indies-pull-off-historic-draw-651756.html Sat, 06 Dec 2025 14:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/broad-labels-roots-gabba-ton-as-one-of-his-best-651603.html Brisbane Dec 5 Former fastbowler Stuart Broad has hailed Joe Root for scoring his first Test century Down Under and described his century as one of his best yet Root was in imperious touch as he helped himself to an unbeaten innings of 135 on the opening days play of the second Test in Brisbane as England went to stumps in a strong position at 3259Roots ton draws the righthander within one century of Australian great Ricky Ponting 41 and moves him just 11 Test centuries behind legendary India batter Sachin TendulkarI cant help but think thats one of his best tons for England Broad said on SEN Cricket With him walking out at 25 after everything happened in Perth Mitchell Starc was hooping it around and the Gabba is one of the most intimidating places you can play as an EnglishmenHe calmly went about his business went through different tempos throughout the day and batted virtually with every batter It could be game changing hes scored bigger runs 200s and 250s in Test cricket but I cant help but think thats his best Broad addedRoot entered Day 2 on 135 not out as the Aussies hunt the 10th wicket to start their first innings The hosts England added only nine runs to their overnight total before Brendan Doggetts shortball antics finally paid a dividend with Jofra Archer holing out to Marnus Labuschagne at deep backward square leg with an excellent catchEngland are all out for 334 and Root finished with 138 not out Root and Archer stitched a 10th wicket partnership of 70 which is the highest for England in Australia since 195152Australia started its innings cautiously as they were 31 for no loss with Travis Head 4 and Jake Weatherald 23 batting IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/broad-labels-roots-gabba-ton-as-one-of-his-best-651603.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/hazlewood-suffers-low-grade-achilles-injury-during-rehabilitation-from-hamstring-blow-ca-651672.html Brisbane Dec 5 Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood suffered yet another injury setback as he sustained a lowgrade Achilles injury during his rehabilitation from a lingering hamstring injury Hazlewoods fresh injury blow has cast fresh doubt over his availability for the remainder of the Ashes series Cricket Australia have released an official update on the bowlers recovery during Day 2 play of the ongoing daynight Test at the GabbaJosh Hazlewood reported achilles soreness this week during his rehabilitation from recent hamstring injury It is a lowgrade issue and he is expected to recommence running and bowling next week CA said in a statementIt remains to be seen how severe his fresh injury blow is as his returntoplay timeline has not been set yet but the pacer is expected to resume running and bowling next week if the Achilles complaint settlesHazlewood earlier injured his hamstring during New South Walesâ Sheffield Shield match against Victoria last month Initial scans cleared him but Cricket Australia CA later said that a repeat imagery scan has shown a hamstring strain which sidelined the towering quick for the first and second Tests of the ongoing Ashes seriesHazlewood had been booked to travel to Brisbane this week to rejoin the Australian squad and continue his rehabilitation but the trip was cancelled after he reported soreness He will remain in Sydney for now placing his involvement in the rest of series in some doubt as reported by the Sydney Morning HeraldPrior to his fresh injury scare Hazlewood had begun bowling as he eyed a return in the third Test begins on December 17 in Adelaide His session was focused on redball bowling signalling the teamâs strategyThere are concerns Hazlewood might not be available until the fourth Test at the MCG or beyond If Hazlewood misses all five Tests of the series it would be for the first time since he debuted in 2014 against India IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/hazlewood-suffers-low-grade-achilles-injury-during-rehabilitation-from-hamstring-blow-ca-651672.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/hes-carrying-on-from-ranchi-gavaskar-says-kohlis-ton-in-raipur-seemed-inevitable-651459.html New Delhi Dec 4 India legend Sunil Gavaskar broke down Virat Kohliâs century in the second ODI against South Africa in Raipur saying it never looked like Kohli would miss out on a hundred From the very first ball he faced Gavaskar felt the star batter was simply continuing the rhythm he found in Ranchi Kohli continued his fine form from Ranchi where he played a 120ball 135run knock in the first ODI to help India win and went on to score his 84th international century the 53rd of his ODI career in Raipur on WednesdayTo be honest at no point did it look like he wasnt going to get a hundred From the first ball he faced it felt as if he was carrying on from Ranchi He got off the mark with a hook for six a shot he doesnt often play in the air which showed the confidence from his previous hundred After that unless something unfortunate happened the hundred always seemed inevitable Gavaskar said on JioStarKohli also stitched a humongous 195run thirdwicket stand with Ruturaj Gaikwad as the Chennai Super Kings skipper also got to the threefigure mark his firstever in ODIsThe partnership with Ruturaj was excellent Ruturajs first ball was a tough bouncer from Jansen coming right after he had dismissed Jaiswal He managed to put it away for four and you could immediately see Kohli go down the pitch to comfort himRuturaj wouldve been nervous after getting out to a brilliant catch earlier and whatever Kohli told him clearly lifted him the next ball he played very confidently off the front foot said GavaskarGaikwad however also credited Kohli for guiding him fantastically on his way to hitting his maiden ODI century and added that it was dream to bat with the batting stalwartSometimes its not just about your own runs its about how you help your partner Their running between the wickets the communication it was wonderful to see a senior player guiding a younger one at such an important stage Gavaskar addedBut Kohli and Gaikwads centuries were eclipsed by a clinical and collective effort from South Africa as the visitors registered a serieslevelling fourwicket win in the second in RaipurGavaskar further explained how the toss heavily influenced the match saying It was crucial Just look at how wet the outfield was Apart from perhaps the first halfdozen overs the ball was always going to get wet That affects not just the bowlers but the fielders too you cant get a proper gripThe ball feels like a bar of soap Even when you try for a strong return to effect a runout it slips out of your hand Thats why if you win the toss in Indian conditions you always want to bowl first so you dont have to deal with a wet ball when defending So yes the toss made a big difference he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/hes-carrying-on-from-ranchi-gavaskar-says-kohlis-ton-in-raipur-seemed-inevitable-651459.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 02:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/privilege-to-have-that-kind-of-confidence-from-management-gaikwad-on-batting-at-no-4-651465.html Raipur Dec 4 India batter Ruturaj Gaikwad who scored his maiden ODI century in the second match against South Africa said he felt âquite confidentâ about adapting to the No 4 position which he had never played in the 50over format adding that he felt privileged to receive such trust from the team management despite being a regular opener Gaikwad who had batted 86 times in List A cricket but never below No 3 started the series with 8 off 14 balls in Ranchi before scoring 105 off 83 balls at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International StadiumHis innings which he said was his best across formats and levels was laced with 12 fours and two sixes at a strikerate of 12651 He reached his fifty off 52 balls before accelerating in superb fashion to get his first ODI century in just 77 deliveriesThe team management told me that I would be batting at No 4 this series I feel its a privilege to have that kind of confidence from the management towards an opener So I took it that way Gaikwad said at the postmatch presserIn the oneday format even when I was opening the innings I always tried to make sure that whenever I was set I was able to bat till the 45th over and capitalise after that So I knew somewhat how to play between overs 11 to 40 how to rotate strike what the boundary options were So I was pretty much confident about how I could go through the inningsIt was just a matter of how I could play my first 1015 balls and after that the process remains the same I have been working really hard and obviously been in good touch as well So I wanted to make sure that whenever I am set I make it a big one he addedGaikwad also stitched a huge 195run thirdwicket stand with batting stalwart Virat Kohli who scored his second hundred in as many games and overall his 53rd ODI tonAsked about his partnership with Kohli Gaikwad said it was a moment he dreamed of I have been able to witness him since last one week now he said Whatever practice sessions we have had he is batting unbelievably wellâ the amount of time he has and how he is able to convert it in the match as well And even this game I enjoyed a lot Mostly I was trying to be in my zone and not really think about how he is batting or how he is able to score runs he saidGaikwad continued The chat in between was very clear We had set 55 1010run target and discussed how to manoeuvre the gaps or how to hit those boundaries how we can rotate strikeSo the chat was around that I think we had really good running between the wickets as well Obviously you dream of these kinds of moments and to be able to have that kind of partnership I really enjoyed a lotBut Kohli and Gaikwads centuries went in vain as a clinical and collective effort from South Africa guided the visitors to a serieslevelling fourwicket win in the second in Raipur IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/privilege-to-have-that-kind-of-confidence-from-management-gaikwad-on-batting-at-no-4-651465.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 02:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/1st-test-rachin-lathams-tons-help-nz-take-481-run-lead-over-wi-at-stumps-on-day-3-651477.html Christchurch Dec 4 Centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Tom Latham put New Zealand in command in the opening Test as the hosts ended Day 3 on 4174 taking a 481run lead over the West Indies here at the Hagley Oval on Thursday New Zealand began the third day at 320 already 96 runs ahead of the West Indies By stumps they had piled on 385 runs on the back of a dominant 279run partnership between Rachin 176 and Latham 145Starting the day Latham and Devon Conway extended their overnight partnership to 84 before Conway cut a delivery straight to deep point off Ojay Shields who later removed Kane Williamson for 9 At that stage New Zealand were 1002 and leading by 164 runsThe West Indies however wouldnât find another breakthrough until late in the final session as Rachin and Latham went on an allout assault Rachin raced to a 52ball halfcentury while Latham cruised to his 14th Test hundred at the stroke of Tea Rachin closed the session with a boundary that carried him to 70 off 75 the pair having added 133 runs in just 271 overs at a rapid clipThe lead surpassed 300 in the very first over after Tea with Rachin reaching to his fourth Test century by striking three boundaries in the opening two overs and bringing up his ton from just 107 deliveriesBy the time the second new ball was due and taken immediately New Zealand were already 400 ahead with Ravindra overtaking Latham on the scoreboard Kemar Roach finally broke the deadly 279run partnership with an inswinger that brushed Lathamâs inside edge as he reached out for a drive Rachin later fell to a surprise yorker from ShieldsBut despite those late breakthroughs New Zealand still amassed 184 runs in the final session leaving the West Indies facing a huge taskBrief scores New Zealand 231 amp 4174 Rachin Ravindra 176 Tom Latham 145 Kemar Roach 261 lead West Indies 167 by 481 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/1st-test-rachin-lathams-tons-help-nz-take-481-run-lead-over-wi-at-stumps-on-day-3-651477.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 02:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/hardik-pandya-mania-forces-venue-shift-for-barodagujarat-smat-match-651491.html Hyderabad Dec 4 Hardik Pandyaâs comeback triggered such overwhelming fan frenzy that organisers had no choice but to shift the BarodaâGujarat SMAT fixture to a highcapacity stadium The match originally scheduled here at the Gymkhana Ground was relocated to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium known for hosting major international matches and IPL fixtures It provides stronger security architecture and greater crowdhandling capacity making it the preferred choice for a turnout of this scaleOfficials confirmed that the decision was taken after unusually large gatherings of fans were recorded near team hotels practice nets and ticket counters â far exceeding typical domestic tournament turnout In Barodaâs previous game against Punjab play was interrupted multiple times due to pitch invasions as fans rushed out to meet HardikThe surge organisers say is driven entirely by the excitement to watch Hardik Pandya whose star power continues to attract fans in overwhelming numbersâThe enthusiasm for Hardik Pandya is unbelievable Fan turnout enquiries and crowd movement exceeded our projections by a huge margin To ensure safety and smooth match operations we decided to shift the match to Rajiv Gandhi Stadiumâ a senior organising official saidHardik returned to competitive cricket after a long injury layoff on Tuesday and smashed a 42ball 77 not out for Baroda as the team chased down a 223run target against Punjab to clinch their second consecutive victory at the Syed Mushtaq Ali TrophyHe sustained an injury during Indiaâs Asia Cup Super Fours clash against Sri Lanka and has been out of action since The allrounder subsequently missed the ODI and T20I series against Australia and was unavailable for selection for the ongoing 50over series against South AfricaHowever after exiting the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and upon receiving RTP Return to Play clearance from the board Hardik joined the Baroda team led by his brother Krunal Pandya for the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournamentOn Thursday Baroda crushed Gujarat by eight wickets in an Elite Group C match sealing their third win in five games to move to the top of the table with Gujarat sitting second with the same number of wins but with a lesser net run rateOpting to bowl first after winning the toss Baroda restricted Gujarat 70 with Raj Limbani picking 3 for 5 In response Baroda chased down the target in 64 overs for the loss of two wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/hardik-pandya-mania-forces-venue-shift-for-barodagujarat-smat-match-651491.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 02:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/starc-pips-wasim-akram-to-become-leading-left-arm-bowler-in-test-cricket-history-651501.html Brisbane Dec 4 Australias senior pacer Mitchell Starc broke the record for the most wickets taken by a leftarm fast bowler in Test cricket history on Day 1 of the second Ashes Test at Brisbane on Thursday The 35yearold dismissed Harry Brook for 31 caught by Steve Smith at second slip to claim his 415th Test wicket and go past Wasim Akrams tally of 414 victims after striking with the second ball of his new spellInterestingly Starc made his Test debut at the same venue against New Zealand in 2011 and is one of only three bowlers alongside Nathan Lyon and Ravichandran Ashwin to have taken at least 350 Test wickets since January 2015The Pakistani great was quick to hail the Aussie pacer for breaking his record Super Starc Proud of you mate Your incredible hard work sets you apart and it was only a matter of time before you crossed my tally of wickets I am pleased to give this to you Go well and keep soaring to new heights in your stellar career Akram posted on XAkram played 104 Tests for his 414 wickets with Starc reaching the milestone in his 102nd In the series opener in Perth the leftarm quick produced a sensational spell of 758 and became just the 21st bowler and the 13th Australian to reach 100 Ashes wickets In the current squads of both teams only Nathan Lyon 110 and Starc are the two bowlers to hold 100 or more wickets in the AshesStarc is now 16th on the alltime wickettaker list and could move above both Indias Harbhajan Singh 417 and South Africas Shaun Pollock 421 in the ongoing pinkball Test Moreover he could match or move past Sir Richard Hadlees tally of 431 Test wickets in the series He hit the milestone in only 23 TestsSpeaking about the match Starc gave Australia a dream start under the pink ball Test reducing England to 52 within three overs He first removed Ben Duckett for duck on the last of the first over before dismissing Ollie Pope for nil in his next over Then Zak Crawley and Joe Root dug England out of trouble to reach tea at 982 The duo stitched a 117run stand off 152 balls for the third wicket before the former fell to Michael NeserThen Harry Brook and Root steadied the ship with a 54run stand for the fourth wicket before Starc removed Brook to become the most prolific leftarm bowler in Test cricket history with his 415th scalpSkipper Ben Stokes 17 and Jamie Smith 0 followed soon after as England reached 2356 at the time of filing this report with Root standing strong at 88 and Will Jacks at 17 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/starc-pips-wasim-akram-to-become-leading-left-arm-bowler-in-test-cricket-history-651501.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 03:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ireland-and-italy-to-play-3-t20is-in-january-ahead-of-t20wc-2026-651352.html New Delhi Dec 3 Cricket Ireland and the Italian Cricket Federation have jointly confirmed a threematch bilateral T20 International series to be held in Dubai in late January 2026 The series will serve as key preparation for both teams ahead of their campaigns in the 2026 ICC Menâs T20 World Cup Ireland and Italy have met only once before in a T20I during the 2023 qualifiers in Edinburgh where Ireland claimed a sevenrun victory The sides also played a nonT20I Twenty20 match in Abu Dhabi in 2012 which Ireland won by two wicketsThe announcement follows Irelandâs recent confirmation of their two T20Is against the UAE also part of their World Cup buildup After finishing their preparations in Dubai Ireland will head to Sri Lanka for the global tournament where they are placed in Group B alongside Australia Sri Lanka Zimbabwe and OmanItaly meanwhile will travel to India for the World Cup They will compete in Group C against England the West Indies Bangladesh and Nepal The UAE will also move to India after completing their fixtures against Ireland joining Group D with South Africa New Zealand Afghanistan and CanadaRichard Holdsworth Director of Cricket at Cricket Ireland said âWeâre delighted that the Italian Cricket Federation has agreed to this series in Dubai It is important that our squad plays some competitive cricket ahead of the T20 World Cup and these three matches will be ideal for us as we acclimatise to hot conditions having come straight from the Irish winterâThe Italians did very well to beat Scotland and qualify for their firstever World Cup and we expect this series to be a hardfought affair Our thanks to The Sevens Stadium for their support in hosting this seriesâ he saidPresident of the Federazione Cricket Italiana Maria Lorena Haz Paz said âFrom the moment that Italy Men defeated Scotland then went on to progress through the World Cup Qualifier for the first time in our history we have turned our attention to creating the best possible preparation programme for our players ahead of the tournament in FebruaryâWe were extremely pleased that Cricket Ireland was so amenable to working with us on pulling together this series â a series in itself will be historic given it will be our first threematch bilateral series against a Full Member of the ICCâWe look forward to the fixtures as we create history and we hope raise the profile and support for our cricket team across Italy â and maybe even win a few fans around the worldâIreland vs Italy T20I series23 January 2026 Ireland Men v Italy Men â 1st T20I Sevens Stadium Dubai starts 10 am25 January 2026 Ireland Men v Italy Men â 2nd T20I Sevens Stadium Dubai starts 10 am26 January 2026 Ireland Men v Italy Men â 3rd T20I Sevens Stadium Dubai starts 6 pm IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ireland-and-italy-to-play-3-t20is-in-january-ahead-of-t20wc-2026-651352.html Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/1st-test-jacob-duffys-five-for-hand-new-zealand-a-handy-lead-on-day-2-651357.html Christchurch Dec 3 Mediumpacer Jacob Duffyâs maiden fivewicket haul in Tests put New Zealand firmly in control on the second day of the first Test against the West Indies at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Wednesday His 5 for 34 combined with Matt Henryâs three wickets bowled West Indies out for 167 in reply to New Zealandâs firstinnings total of 231 By stumps the hosts had moved to 32 for no loss in their second innings extending their lead to 96West Indies had begun the day by needing just three balls to wrap up New Zealandâs innings Zak Foulkes edging Jayden Seales down the leg side But Foulkes struck immediately with the ball too removing John Campbell with the first ball of the second over as Will Young dived to his left at third slip to complete the catchNew Zealand however were sloppy in the field Young put down a far simpler chance soon after when Henry found Alick Athanazeâs outside edge Henry hit back in his next over getting the ball to jag back in from around the wicket to bowl AthanazeAfter 12 overs West Indies were crawling at 10 for 2 with Shai Hope and Tagenarine Chanderpaul focused on survival rather than scoring The first boundary of the innings only arrived in the 23rd over when Hope batting in sunglasses due to an eye infection drove Duffy through the covers He followed it up by driving Nathan Smith past midonChanderpaul had slices of luck dropped twice by Devon Conway at leg slip on 5 and 24 off Smith and Henry respectively Hope reached his fifty after lunch and with Chanderpaul settling in New Zealand were forced to change plans Duffy went short at Hope troubling him repeatedlyWith a shortleg in place the pressure told a gloved pull looped to Tom Latham keeping in place of the injured Tom Blundell who did not take the field after hurting his hamstring on day one The dismissal ended a 90run stand and opened the innings upHenry then returned to strike twice in one over both caught behind Bowling away swingers around off stump he removed Roston Chase and Justin Greaves for ducks leaving West Indies 106 for 5 Chanderpaul continued unbothered reaching a measured halfcentury and adding 34 with Tevin Imlach That stand ended when Conway finally held one diving to his left at square leg to pluck a pulling Chanderpaul out of the airHenry should have had a fourth when Kemar Roach edged to first slip but Michael Bracewell spilt it diving across from second As the light faded only spin was permitted but after a brief rain break the sky cleared enough for pace to resumeDuffy returned and wasted no time finishing the innings With the first ball after resumption he had Imlach caught down the leg side a review confirming the glove Johann Layne followed in the same over caught and bowled Duffy then went full to bowl both Seales and Ojay Shields sealing his maiden fivefor and limiting West Indies to 167New Zealand openers saw off a short final session to reach 32 without loss placing the home side in a commanding position with a 96run leadBrief scoresNew Zealand 231 amp 320 in 7 overs Devon Conway 15 not out Tom Latham 14 not out lead West Indies 167 all out in 754 overs Shai Hope 56 Tagenarine Chanderpaul 52 Jacob Duffy 534 Matt Henry 343 Zak Foulkes 232 by 96 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/1st-test-jacob-duffys-five-for-hand-new-zealand-a-handy-lead-on-day-2-651357.html Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-pacer-mohit-sharma-announces-retirement-from-all-formats-of-cricket-651379.html New Delhi Dec 3 India pacer Mohit Sharma has announced his retirement from all formats of cricket bringing the curtains down on a career that spanned nearly 14 years Mohit made his international debut in 2013 and represented India in 26 ODIs and eight T20Is claiming 37 wickets across formats He was part of Indiaâs squad reaching the semifinals of the 2015 Menâs ODI World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand apart from representing Haryana in the domestic cricket circuitâToday with a full heart I announce my retirement from all formats of cricket From representing Haryana to wearing the India jersey and playing in the IPL this journey has been nothing short of a blessingâ wrote Mohit on his Instagram post on WednesdayâA very special thank you to the Haryana Cricket Association for being the backbone of my career And my deepest gratitude to Anirudh Sir whose constant guidance and belief in me shaped my path in ways words cannot express Thank you to the BCCI my coaches my teammates IPL franchises support staff and all my friends for their love and supportâ he addedKnown for his disciplined newâball spells and variations like cutters slower balls and slow bouncers in the death overs Mohit was also a prominent figure in the IPL picking 134 wickets in 120 games He turned out for Chennai Super Kings Punjab Kings Gujarat Titans and more recently for Delhi CapitalsMohit was one of CSKs main bowlers in his first three seasons with the wickets and took 20 wickets in 15 innings in the Indian Premier League IPL 2013 He won the purple cap in the 2014 edition of the league after picking 23 wickets in 16 gamesAfter being in the wilderness due to a drop in form Mohit joined the Gujarat Titans as a net bowler for IPL 2022 and was in their main squad in 2023 In IPL 2023 turning out for GT Mohit was the secondhighest wickettaker with 27 wickets in 14 innings at a strike rate of 981 as the side reached the finalHe was also GTs highest wickettaker in IPL 2024 with 13 wickets in 12 matches âSpecial thanks to my wife who always handled my mood swings and anger and supported me through everything I look forward to serving the game in fresh ways Thank you so much Innings over gratitude foreverâ added Mohit IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-pacer-mohit-sharma-announces-retirement-from-all-formats-of-cricket-651379.html Thu, 04 Dec 2025 13:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/virat-kohli-and-rohit-sharma-show-will-continue-dale-steyn-651093.html New Delhi Dec 2 Former South Africa cricketer Dale Steyn believes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharmas show will continue in the ongoing ODI series ahead of the second ODI on Wednesday in Raipur At the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi India overcame a scare and easily defeated South Africa in a closely contested match to win the first ODI by 17 runs and take a 10 lead in the threematch seriesSpeaking on the expectations from the second ODI JioStar expert Dale Steyn said âI think the Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma show will continue Iâm eager to see which fast bowlers and which spinners come out and do something interestingIndia put up a commanding first innings total driven by a brilliant century from Virat Kohli and critical fifties from Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul following the early setback as India amassed a mammoth 3988 in 50 overs Later in the game Kuldeep Yadav 468 and Harshit Rana 365 helped India beat the visitors by 17 runsThe experienced pair of Rohit and Virat stitched together a fluent 136run stand taking the pressure off after the early setback Rohit reached a brisk 57 off 51 balls and broke Shahid Afridiâs longstanding record for most ODI sixes before Marco Jansen trapped him lbwIn the meantime Kohli carried on unhindered reaching his 83rd international century and 52nd ODI century He advanced fast after reaching three figures taking on Prenelan Subrayen with two fours and two sixesRahul offered excellent support with a wellpaced 60 adding 76 important runs with Kohli After Kohliâs removal for 135 Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja pushed India towards a huge finish with a 65run partnership But a late minicollapse that included wickets from Corbin Bosch and Jansen limited India to 3498Steyn emphasised the importance of wicketkeeper batter Quinton de Kocks role and expects a big knock from him Itâs been a batterâs paradise so far so which bowlers will step up and really perform in the second ODI Quinton de Kock didnât score any runs in the first ODI but I feel like he has a point to prove Heâs someone South Africa will lean on to score big for themâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/virat-kohli-and-rohit-sharma-show-will-continue-dale-steyn-651093.html Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sneh-rana-visits-mahakaleshwar-temple-in-ujjain-after-world-cup-win-651094.html New Delhi Dec 2 India allrounder Sneh Rana visited Ujjains Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple on Tuesday and thanked the almighty for blessing the team and fulfilling their wish of lifting the Womenâs World Cup 2025 Rana along with her teammates visited the temple in October during the teamâs rough patch in the group stage of the tournament and went on to lift the trophy in NovemberItâs been a month since India lifted their firstever ICC title defeating South Africa in the World Cup final by 52 runs Rana said that she manifested Indiaâs win when she visited the temple with her teammates and âcompleted the circleâ by paying a visit exactly a month laterâIts already been one month Feels like it passed with a blink of an eye I manifested this win in his presence Completed the circle by visiting Shree Mahakaleshwar Mandir exactly after 1 month to thank him for blessing us and fulfilling our wishesâ Rana wrote on X while sharing a picture of her attending the morning aartiRana participated in six matches at the World Cup and finished with seven wickets playing a key part in Indias victorious campaign The bowling allrounder has played 44 ODIs for India taking 57 wickets and scoring 380 runs which includes a halfcenturyIn T20Is she has claimed 24 wickets across 29 games Rana has also appeared in four Test matches where she has taken 23 wickets with her best figures being 877 Her top score in Tests is 80 not outRana will likely be back in action for India when they host Sri Lanka for five T20Is later this month Itâll be the Women in Blueâs last international assignment before the players turn their focus to the Womenâs Premier League beginning January 9 where the allrounder will feature for Delhi CapitalsThe fourth edition of the tournament will be played at two venues The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai will host the first 11 games before the action moves to Vadodaraâs Kotambi Stadium for the remainder of the tournament including the Eliminator and FinalThe summit clash will be played on February 5 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sneh-rana-visits-mahakaleshwar-temple-in-ujjain-after-world-cup-win-651094.html Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/hardik-smashes-unbeaten-77-on-smat-return-to-help-baroda-win-651097.html Hyderabad Dec 2 India allrounder Hardik Pandya smashed a 42ball 77 not out for Baroda as the team chased down a 223run target against Punjab to clinch their second consecutive victory at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy here on Tuesday Notably this was Hardiks first outing in almost three months as he returned to competitive cricket after a long injury layoff He sustained an injury during Indiaâs Asia Cup Super Fours clash against Sri Lanka and has been out of action since The allrounder subsequently missed the ODI and T20I series against Australia and was unavailable for selection for the ongoing 50over series against South AfricaHowever after exiting the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and upon receiving RTP Return to Play clearance from the board Hardik joined the Baroda team led by his brother Krunal Pandya for the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournamentSpeaking of the match Punjab posted 2228 in their 20over quota riding on halfcenturies from skipper Abhishek Sharma and toporder batter Anmolpreet Singh Naman Dhir played a decent knock scoring 39 off 28 balls while Prabhsimran Singh Nehal Wadhera and Sanvir Singh finished with identical scores of 16 runsRaj Limbani was the pick of the bowlers for Baroda while Hardik ended up conceding 52 runs in his fourover spell managing just the lone wicket of AnmolpreetBaroda got off to a solid start to their chase thanks to the 66run opening stand between Vishnu Solanki and Shashwat Rawat However two quick wickets brought Shivalik Sharma and Hardik on the creaseThe duo stitched a formidable 109run stand for the third wicket before Shivalik had to retire out However Hardik kept going and notched up seven fours and four sixes to score an unbeaten 77 as Baroda chased down the target with five balls to spareThe allrounder bagged the Player of the Match award for his knock and put forth a strong case for his international comebackThe selection committee will likely announce Indiaâs T20I squad for the forthcoming fivegame series against South Africa this week IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/hardik-smashes-unbeaten-77-on-smat-return-to-help-baroda-win-651097.html Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/former-england-batter-robin-smith-dies-aged-62-651103.html New Delhi Dec 2 Former England batter Robin Arnold Smith remembered as one of the greatest players of fast bowling England ever had has passed away at the age of 62 in Perth Australia Smith widely known as The Judge died unexpectedly at his South Perth apartment on Monday the cricketers family said However the cause of Smiths death is at present unknown Everyone at the England amp Wales Cricket Board is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Robin Smith An England and Hampshire legend Rest in peace Judge England Cricket said in an X postDuring his England career Smith played 62 Tests and 71 ODIs amassing more than 6500 runs including 4236 Test runs with nine centuries At the end of his career he had a Test average of 4367 He was also part of the England squad that reached the 1992 ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup final against PakistanSmiths family said in a statement It is with the deepest and most profound sense of sadness and loss that we must announce the passing of Robin Arnold Smith beloved father of Harrison and Margaux and cherished brother of ChristopherA brave and dashing batsman he excelled both for Hampshire and his adopted country collecting legions of admirers and friends along the way This is an immensely difficult period for us all whilst we try to come to terms with our bereavement and we would therefore much appreciate consideration for our privacy by the media and cricket followers alikeSince his retirement from the game in 2004 his battles with alcohol and mental health have been well documented but these should not form the basis of speculation about the cause of death which will be determined at the postmortem investigationBorn in Durban South Africa Smith moved to England to play for Hampshire He played for Hampshire across 21 years between 1982 and 2003 captaining the county between 1998 and 2002In his time with the Rose and Crown Smith played over 300 firstclass matches scoring 18984 runs with a high score of 209 not out at an impressive average of 4209 Smith also made 347 List A appearances for Hampshire securing over 12000 runs at an average of 4297Known as The Judge Smith played over 600 times for Hampshire and scored over 30000 runs for the club in a career that spanned more than 20 years Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time Hampshire Cricket posted on XHe retired from cricket at the age of 40 with 18984 county runs to his name and a reputation as a Hampshire greatECB Chair Richard Thompson said âRobin Smith was a player who stood toe to toe with some of the quickest bowlers in the world meeting spells of hostile fast bowling with a defiant smile and an incredible resilience He did so in a way that gave England fans enormous pride and no shortage of entertainmentHe was a batter ahead of his time which was typified in that unforgettable unbeaten 167 from 163 balls in an ODI against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993His record at Hampshire is exemplary and heâll be remembered rightly as a great of Hampshire CCC Weâre desperately sad to learn of his passing and the thoughts of all of us in cricket are with his friends family and loved onesâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/former-england-batter-robin-smith-dies-aged-62-651103.html Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/not-the-words-i-wouldve-used-smith-reacts-to-khawajas-piece-of-review-of-perth-pitch-651208.html New Delhi Dec 3 Australiaâs standin skipper Steve Smith disagreed with Usman Khawajaâs blunt assessment of the Perth pitch for the first Ashes Test after the opener labelled it a âpiece of stâ saying those were âprobably not the words he would have usedâ On the opening day of the blockbuster series 19 batters came and went as both teams fast bowling attacks targeted weaknesses in the oppositionâs batting lineups leading to the match concluding late on day twoDespite receiving the highest possible rating from the ICC Khawaja who was unable to take his usual opening position in both innings due to back spasms described the pitch on the first day as a âpiece of stââThe first day it was tricky for batting It had good pace good bounce quite a bit of seam movement two good bowling attacks going at it so when that happens sometimes it can be tough to bat Itâs part and parcel of playing in Australia for the last few years it has those moments where it is really hard to bat and youâve got to try and find ways to get throughâ Smith was quoted as saying by The West AustralianâI thought on a couple of occasions we were close to in that first innings getting through When Marn Marnus Labuschagne and myself were batting if we got through that little period things wouldâve got a little bit easier I know Alex Carey said later that evening it was quite nice for batting when that ball got a little bit olderâ he addedWith Khawaja absent Travis Head who scored a matchwinning century after being promoted to open in the second innings of the Perth Test is likely to keep his new spot at the top of the batting orderJust like coach Andrew McDonald right after his teams first series win Smith declined a chance to confirm that the 38yearold would regain his spot once he is fit againâWeâll look at this game see how it Head opening goes and then Iâm sure thatâs a question for the selectors going forward Heâs doing all the right things to try and get himself fit as quickly as possible We know with Uz heâs been a quality player over a long period of time I think anyone who plays over 80 Tests is a good cricketer and heâs done exceptionally wellâ Smith stated IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/not-the-words-i-wouldve-used-smith-reacts-to-khawajas-piece-of-review-of-perth-pitch-651208.html Wed, 03 Dec 2025 11:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/harmans-inputs-are-always-crucial-have-been-most-important-part-of-auction-jhulan-goswami-651231.html New Delhi Dec 3 Mumbai Indians bowling coach and mentor Jhulan Goswami highlighted the importance of maintaining continuity making smart purchases and skipper Harmanpreet Kaurâs vital contributions during the auction MI started slowly at the auction with Kaur seated at the table alongside the think tank However they managed to buy back some of their key players including Amelia Kerr Sajeevan Sajana Saika Ishaque and Shabnim Ismail after releasing themSpeaking on JioHotstar Goswami gave her take on Kaurâs role in the auction saying âAs captain Harmanâs inputs are always crucial during auction planning At the end of the day she leads this team and has been incredibly successful Her inputs have been the most important part of the entire auction processOur job is to support her on and off the field Having her at the auction table was a huge advantage her thoughts mattered deeply and they helped us retain the core of this teamâShedding light on the teamâs auction strategy Goswami added âThe important thing for us was to retain our strong support group of players Thatâs how weâve won two championships in the last three years That was the basic plan nothing moreâThe former Indian pacer also mentioned that Kerr and Ismailâs acquisitions were key to the team and they had not expected to bag the South African pace sensationâs services at a low priceâAmelia Kerr was a great buy She gives us so much variation volume and balance Over the last three years she has performed exceptionally well in the tournament and as an allrounder she is very important Along with her Shabnim Ismail was another excellent buyWe didnât expect to get Shabnim at such a low price So from a budget perspective our planning worked well It was a pleasant surprise because we thought she would go for a much higher amountâAll teams appear settled following the WPL Mega Auction and are prepared for the upcoming season starting January 9 2026 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/harmans-inputs-are-always-crucial-have-been-most-important-part-of-auction-jhulan-goswami-651231.html Wed, 03 Dec 2025 13:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/harshit-rana-reprimanded-for-code-of-conduct-breach-in-1st-odi-651238.html Dubai Dec 3 Indias pacer Harshit Rana has been reprimanded for the ICC Code of Conduct violation during his teams win against South Africa in the first ODI in Ranchi Rana was found to have violated Article 25 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel which pertains to âusing language actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon hisher dismissal during an International MatchâThe incident happened during the 22nd over of South Africas innings when Rana gestured towards the dressing room after dismissing Proteas batter Dewald BrevisIt was considered that the action might have provoked an aggressive response from the batter resulting in the pacer receiving one demerit point on his disciplinary recordRanaâs first offence in the past 24 months and he admitted to it accepting the sanction suggested by Richie Richardson from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match RefereesRana admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees so there was no need for a formal hearing ICC said in a statementOnfield umpires Jayaraman Madanagopal and Sam Nogajski third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth umpire Rohan Pandit levelled the chargeLevel 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a playerâs match fee and one or two demerit pointsThe hosts beat South Africa by 17 runs in an exciting series opener to take a 10 lead Batting first India scored a solid 3498 thanks to Virat Kohliâs superb 135 his 52nd ODI century and wellmade fifties from Rohit Sharma 57 and KL Rahul 60South Africaâs chase faltered early as Rana struck twice in the same over removing Rickelton and de Kock Arshdeep Singh added to the pressure by dismissing skipper Markram leaving the visitors reeling at the topMiddleorder resistance was provided by Matthew Breetzke Tony de Zorzi and Dewald Brevis who established important partnerships but Kuldeep Yadav consistently disrupted South Africaâs momentum finishing with four vital wicketsJansenâs aggressive innings revitalised Protea hopes and Boschâs resilient fifty kept the game alive until the final over with 19 runs needed Nevertheless Prasidh Krishna dismissed Bosch securing Indiaâs narrow victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/harshit-rana-reprimanded-for-code-of-conduct-breach-in-1st-odi-651238.html Wed, 03 Dec 2025 13:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-will-jacks-replaces-injured-wood-in-englands-xi-for-brisbane-test-651008.html Brisbane Dec 2 England have named their XI for the second Test of the Ashes series and called up Will Jacks for the pinkball game to replace injured Mark Wood âEngland have made one change to their XI from the first Ashes Test in Perth with spinning allrounder Will Jacks replacing the injured Mark Woodâ the England Cricket Board ECB stated while announcing their lineup for the pinkball TestWood 35 who had only just returned to Test cricket in last weekâs heavy defeat in Perth following surgery that kept him out for nine months He managed just 11 overs before England slumped to a twoday loss an outcome not seen in an Ashes match for more than a centuryThe injury to Wood who was ruled out because of a troublesome left knee paved the way for Jacksâ return to the Test arena after a threeyear absenceEngland gain extra batting depth through Jacks whose offspin offers a utility option rather than a full shift toward spin at a venue notoriously unforgiving to it under lightsJacks has thus far featured in two Tests both of them during the teamâs tour of Pakistan in 2022 He has six wickets in the format to go with 89 runs He claimed a maiden fivewicket haul on debut against Pakistan in 2022Australia are currently leading the fivegame series 10 having won the opening game in Perth and the second match will kick off here at the Gabba on ThursdayEngland have not won any of their past 16 Tests in Australia including three defeats in daynight matches Australias only defeat in 14 daynight Tests came at the Gabba a shock loss to West Indies in 2024England XI Zak Crawley Ben Duckett Ollie Pope Joe Root Harry Brook Ben Stokes c Jamie Smith wk Will Jacks Gus Atkinson Brydon Carse Jofra Archer IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-will-jacks-replaces-injured-wood-in-englands-xi-for-brisbane-test-651008.html Tue, 02 Dec 2025 13:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-khawaja-ruled-out-of-brisbane-test-due-to-back-injury-651010.html Brisbane Dec 2 Asutralias regular opener Usman Khawaja has been ruled out of the upcoming second Test of the Ashes series due to the back injury he sustained nearly two weeks ago in Perth The hosts will now explore options to form an opening pair for the pinkball match with Khawajaâs Test future now uncertain Josh Inglis and Beau Webster are both under consideration for a recall to Australiaâs XI after Usman Khawaja was officially ruled out though the selectors chose not to add a replacement to the squadKhawaja who turns 39 later this month spent around half an hour in the Gabba nets on Tuesday but looked uncomfortable throughout His back issue has not improved enough for him to take part in the Test starting ThursdayHis absence ensures Australia will once again turn to a fresh opening combination in this Ashes series with Khawajas spasms in the first Test already having forced Marnus Labuschagne and later Travis Head into temporary roles at the top of the orderHead put on a show at the top of the order and notched up a magnificent century that helped his side clinch an eightwicket win on just the second day of the opening game With the Aussies already on top in the series with a 10 lead and both teams missing out on some key players the upcoming game at Gabba looks evenly poisedWhile England quick Mark Wood has been ruled out due to a knee injury Australia continue to miss the services of their regular skipper Pat Cummins pace ace Josh Hazlewood and now KhawajaAustralia squad for second Ashes Test Steve Smith c Scott Boland Alex Carey Brendan Doggett Cameron Green Travis Head Josh Inglis Usman Khawaja Marnus Labuschagne Nathan Lyon Michael Neser Mitchell Starc Jake Weatherald Beau Webster IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-khawaja-ruled-out-of-brisbane-test-due-to-back-injury-651010.html Tue, 02 Dec 2025 13:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sunday-spent-well-says-kl-rahul-as-india-beat-south-africa-is-happy-to-bat-at-no6-650867.html Ranchi Nov 30 KL Rahul who is leading India in the ODI series against South Africa after a big break in the absence of Shubman Gill on Sunday said he is okay with batting at the No6 position as thats the role that has been given to him in the last few series He also gave credit to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma along with Harshit Rana for making Sundays victory possible despite a fightback by the visitors Rahul scored a 56ball 60 batting as a middleorder batter and shared a 78run partnership with Virat Kohli As they made a winning start to the series despite playing the format after a break and following the 02 defeat in the Test seriesId be lying if I said no butterflies in the stomach Were playing ODI cricket after a while Theres some expectation But we kept taking wickets and bowlers stuck to plans They pushed us and kept coming hard Batting at No 6 is okay gotta do the job for the team Thats the role Ive been given in the last 23 series Its helping personal development said Rahul in the postmatch presentation on SundayRahul later put up a photograph of the Men in Blue celebrating the victory in an Instagram post with the comment Sunday spent well Team India winsIndia put up a commanding first innings total driven by a superb century from Virat Kohli 135 off 120 balls and a vital halfcentury by Rohit Sharma 57 off 51 to help India recover from an early setback to post a big total Asked to bat India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early to Nandre Burger but Rohit and Kohli quickly seized control Watching Rohit and Kohli play like that is always fun Theyve made oppositions look silly and show why they are who they are Ive seen this for a long time its a lot more fun to see them around in the dressing room said standin skipper Rahul after the matchThe experienced pair of Rohit and Virat stitched together a fluent 136run stand taking the pressure off after the early setback Rohit reached a brisk 57 off 51 balls while KL Rahul contributed a vital 60 off 56 balls to help India post 3498Defending the massive score pacers Harshit Rana 365 and Arshdeep Singh 254 made the early breakthroughs while Kuldeep Yadav was the most successful bowler with 468 as India quelled a late assault by Marco Jansen 70 Matthew Breetzke 72 and Corbin Bosch 67 to win by 17 runsHarshits done really well we knew he had potential Hes tall and can bowl fast he can give runs in the back end but he has great potential To get crucial newball wickets is what we expect Kuldeep is doing this job key for us to take wickets said Rahul IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/sunday-spent-well-says-kl-rahul-as-india-beat-south-africa-is-happy-to-bat-at-no6-650867.html Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/virat-has-a-zidd-to-prove-his-critics-wrong-kaif-650868.html New Delhi Nov 30 Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif lauded talismanic batter Virat Kohlis impressive show in the ongoing first ODI against South Africa and said that the veteran batter has a zidd to prove his critics wrong Virat Kohli made a threatening start to his innings and has looked dangerous as he raced to 22 off 20 and soon completed his 76th ODI halfcentury in just 48 balls with a maximum against Corbin Bosch and is going strong having scored a century in the 38th over with a boundaryVirat Kohli has a zidd to prove his critics wrong King for a reason Kaif posted on XMoreover Kohli along with former skipper Rohit Sharma broke the alltime Indian record held by Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid for having played the most international games together during the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on SundayKohli playing his 306th ODI and Rohit playing in his 277th oneday international combined for their 392nd international match together across formats surpassing the legendary duo of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid who appeared in a whopping 391 games between 1996 and 2012Rohit and Virat also stitched a 136run stand for the second wicket after the two joined forces when opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was caught behind off Nandre Burger with Indiaâs score at 25 This was the 20th stand of 100 runs or more between the twoKaif also heaped praise on Rohit for his 57run innings during which he shattered the former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridis world record for most sixes in ODIs by hitting three maximumsIn the 15th over Rohit hit Prenelan Subrayen for backtoback sixes With the first hit he completed 350 career maximums becoming the only Indian batter to achieve the feat in the 50over format After the second hit the 37yearold equalled Afridiâs record for most ODI sixesRohit Sharma is letting his bat do the talking and telling the world that age is just a number What a player Kaif wrote in another post IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/virat-has-a-zidd-to-prove-his-critics-wrong-kaif-650868.html Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/virat-rohit-bhai-will-do-their-talking-with-bats-says-arshdeep-ahead-of-1st-odi-vs-sa-650841.html Ranchi Nov 30 As Indias threematch ODI series against South Africa gets underway here on Sunday afternoon at the JSCA International Stadium Complex India pacer Arshdeep Singh reflected on Indian batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohlis form and said the duo will do the talking with their bats rather than words With Rohit and Kohli back in action after playing in the ODI series against Australia in October the chatter has been huge over whether the veteran duo can sustain their form and fitness to feature in the 50over World Cup two years from nowRohit and Kohli headlined Indias previous ODI assignment in Australia considering its the only format they play now in national colours For now everyoneâs focus will be on how the duo fare against the Bavumaled Proteas in Ranchi Raipur and VisakhapatnamVirat bhai and Rohit bhai will do their talking with the bat rather than words I really enjoyed watching them middle the ball so well during practice As a bowler I wouldnât enjoy bowling to them in this form but as a teammate Iâm excited to see them play so well We can definitely expect big runs from them in the first ODI Arahdeep said on JioStarAfter India suffered a clean sweep at home in the redball leg of multiformat series this ODI series carries added significance and the veteran duo will bring cheer to the teamSouth Africa captain Temba Bavuma acknowledged the challenge of facing Virat and Rohit in India and said Itâs exciting for local fans to watch their two legends play at home again Weâre looking forward to experiencing the special energy these star players bring While weâll prepare specific plans for them like any other players we know the atmosphere will be different and exciting when these big names are playingââIndia deserves full respect in every format because they always field a strong team Playing them in their home conditions makes the challenge even tougher Their ODI team looks stronger with experienced players returning which will definitely test us as a team during this series he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/virat-rohit-bhai-will-do-their-talking-with-bats-says-arshdeep-ahead-of-1st-odi-vs-sa-650841.html Sun, 30 Nov 2025 13:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/australia-pacer-lauren-cheatle-extends-contract-with-sydney-sixers-for-two-more-seasons-650770.html Sydney Nov 29 Australiaâs leftarm fast bowler Lauren Cheatle has extended her contract with Sydney Sixers for at least two more seasons of the Womenâs Big Bash League WBBL said the club on Saturday Lauren joined the Sixers in 2017 after two seasons with Sydney Thunder and has been a mainstay with the side âThe Sixers have been a huge part of my career and Iâm proud to stay on for the next two seasons The Sixers have the best fans in the world and Iâd like to thank them for all their support over the time I have been with the club I believe in what we can achieve together and Iâm ready to continue to give everything in Magentaâ said Lauren in a statementLauren is closing in on a major milestone in the WBBL with 95 wickets from 93 matches she is just five scalps shy of reaching the century mark Despite being just 27 Lauren brings considerable experience having debuted for Australia at 17 in 2016 and even played in the T20 World Cup in the same yearShe now holds international caps across all formats for Australia Lauren has built a great reputation for her resilience as seen from overcoming repeated shoulder and back injuries as well as two battles with skin cancerâLauren embodies everything we value at the Sixers â grit talent and an unwavering teamfirst attitude Cheats Lauren Cheatle is adored by her teammates a fierce attacking bowler and a fantastic leader on and off the field We canât wait to watch her continue to pull on the Magenta amp take wicketsâ said Rachael Haynes former Australia opener and Sydney Sixers General ManagerThe Sixers are currently fifth on the ongoing WBBL season points table and will next face the Sydney Thunder in Sundays clash at North Sydney Oval IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/australia-pacer-lauren-cheatle-extends-contract-with-sydney-sixers-for-two-more-seasons-650770.html Sat, 29 Nov 2025 11:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/jess-jonassen-to-miss-remainder-of-wbbl-season-due-to-shoulder-surgery-650778.html Brisbane Nov 29 Brisbane Heat have been dealt a major blow with captain Jess Jonassen ruled out of the rest of the ongoing WBBL season due to a right shoulder surgery Allrounder Charli Knott will assume leadership duties for the final three matches of the season for the side currently seated at the bottom of the points table with no wins so far The shoulder injury was also one of the main reasons behind Jess the leftarm spin bowling allrounder pulling out of the recent WPL 2026 auction held in New Delhi on ThursdayWe had thought I could get through with the care and attention of our physio Jolandi Jacobs and the medical team but that plan needed to change obviously as we got further into the competitionIt has certainly been a challenging time personally especially as it became apparent that it was getting tougher to compete at the level I aspired to be at But Im very determined to bounce back from this and play some more good cricket once I have fully recoveredItâs encouraging to know that I will have the best possible support back home as I get back to full strength It hasnât been the tournament we had hoped for this time but I have been very proud of the team and they way they have fought hard and competed in each of our games Iâm sure they will finish on a high note said Jess in a statement by the clubCharli will lead Brisbane Heat for the first time in Sundayâs clash against Adelaide Strikers at North Sydney Oval after having earlier served as vicecaptain this season and captained Australia A as well For Heat Nadine de Klerk will bow out after Sundayâs game ahead of South Africaâs upcoming whiteball series against Ireland while Grace Harris remains under fitness management for a calf issueJess is expected to be sidelined for around three months and could return for the end of the Womens National Cricket League season Her state team Queensland will play their final round matches against Victoria on March 12 and 14 respectively ahead of the final on March 21Jess and the team have worked very hard to keep her playing and her commitment to the team has been unquestioned The medical team has tried to manage her shoulder during the competition to help her keep playing but it has got to the point where the best scenario is for surgery and give her plenty of time to return to her best ahead of next seasonWhile Jess is recovering from her surgery Charli Knott will captain the side for the remaining three games in the WBBL and we certainly wish her every success with the team said Brisbane Heat CEO Terry Svenson IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/jess-jonassen-to-miss-remainder-of-wbbl-season-due-to-shoulder-surgery-650778.html Sat, 29 Nov 2025 13:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-khawaja-faces-ca-notice-after-dubbing-perth-pitch-piece-of-650784.html New Delhi Nov 29 Usman Khawaja is expected to receive a formal notice from Cricket Australia after bluntly labelling the Perth Stadium surface for the first Ashes Test a âpiece of stâ during a charity lunch this week According to reports CA officials were unhappy with the openerâs remarks which came despite match referee Ranjan Madugalle awarding the wicket a âvery goodâ rating the highest an ICC official can giveMadugalleâs assessment followed a match that finished inside two days noting the surface had âgood carry limited seam movement and consistent early bounceâ contributing to what he deemed a fair contest between bat and ballKhawaja however offered a sharply different view Speaking at the event he criticised the pitch for its variable bounce pointing to the rapid fall of wickets on Day 1 and the number of batters struck and adding that even a player of Steve Smithâs calibre struggled to find the middle of the bat due to the upanddown movementâNineteen wickets on the first day and about 20 people got hit thatâs a great wicket that seems real fair Steve Smithâs by far the best cricketer Iâve ever played with and heâs missing the middle of his bat by a long way â he does not miss the middle of his bat Heâs getting hit in the elbow Up and down movement is the hardest sideways is a little bit easier but up and down your hands canât catch up So day one wicket at Perth is a piece of st Iâm happy to say that It has been last year it was this yearâ Khawaja had said at an event for his Usman Khawaja FoundationThe opener noted that the surface typically improves after opening day explaining that Days 2 and 3 are usually the best for batting âThey do get better Day two day three and then day four they start to crack up and cure again We know day two day three is usually the best time to bat So whenever we play in Perth itâs one of the few places we win the toss and bat first hoping that we can bat again maybe the end of day two and into day threeâ the Queenslander addedCricket Australia is expected to address the matter formally with Khawajaâs comments drawing attention not only for their bluntness but for directly contradicting the ICCâs toptier rating of the wicket IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-khawaja-faces-ca-notice-after-dubbing-perth-pitch-piece-of-650784.html Sat, 29 Nov 2025 14:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/jemimah-rodrigues-opts-out-of-remainder-of-wbbl-650542.html New Delhi Nov 27 Brisbane Heat have confirmed that star India cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues will not return for the remainder of the WBBL season granting her request to stay in India following the postponement of teammate Smriti Mandhanas wedding Rodrigues flew home after the Heatâs clash with the Hobart Hurricanes 10 days ago to take part in the celebrations but the event was called off when Mandhanaâs father fell ill The 24yearold has opted to remain in India to support the family and the Heat said they fully respected her decisionCEO Terry Svenson acknowledged the disappointment among fans hoping to see more of Rodrigues who was the clubâs top international draft pick this year and in her second stint with Brisbane but emphasised that the franchiseâs priority was her wellbeingSvenson in a statement released by the franchise said âIt has obviously been a challenging time for Jemi so while it is unfortunate that she will take no further part in the WBBL we were more than willing to agree to her request to remain in India The Heat club obviously wish her and Smriti Mandhanaâs family all the best for the futureââJemi told us she was disappointed not to be coming back and has passed on her appreciation to the club and the Heat fans for being so understanding of the circumstances She has been in touch with the players and wished them all the best for the rest of their gamesâ he addedThe Heat still searching for their first win of the campaign after a heartbreaking lastball defeat to the Adelaide Strikers earlier in the week now turn their attention to Fridayâs meeting with the Sydney Sixers at Adelaide OvalAllrounder Grace Harris returns to the lineup after being rested for workload management replacing Lily Bassingthwaighte in the squad as Brisbane look to get their season going IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/jemimah-rodrigues-opts-out-of-remainder-of-wbbl-650542.html Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-pat-cummins-set-to-play-brisbane-test-650573.html New Delhi Nov 27 Pat Cummins is set to be included in Australiaâs squad for the second Ashes Test providing another significant boost following their victory in Perth Reports earlier indicated that it has not yet been confirmed if the teams captain will play in the game at the Gabba starting December 4 However The West Australian confirmed that Cummins will be named in the squad that will be announced on FridayNo further players are anticipated to join Australiaâs squad leaving the teamâs toporder uncertain following Usman Khawajaâs back problems and Travis Headâs impressive fourthinnings century in the first TestInitially there were concerns that Cummins might miss the entire blockbuster series due to a bone stress flareup in his back revealed in September However he has since been able to complete bowling sessions at full intensity including highintensity sessions at Perth before and after the Ashes openerOn Thursday Brendan Dodgett expressed uncertainty about his participation in the second Test with Cummins recovering well and on schedule However he stated that he was mentally prepared to rise up to the occasion if needed in case Cummins was to miss outâPat is looking pretty good in the nets now so we will see where that lands I am going to control what I can control keep ticking the legs over and keep bowling and trying to improve in every session and game If I get called on in that second Test I feel like I am ready to go againâ Doggett was quoted as saying by cricketcomauAsked if he had heard anything from the selectors regarding the second Test Doggett added âWe are soaking in the win and letting everyone get back to their families We arrive in Brisbane on Sunday so I assume conversations will start there about what the lineup looks like for the second Testâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-pat-cummins-set-to-play-brisbane-test-650573.html Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/actress-samyuktha-shanmughanathan-weds-cricketer-aniruda-srikkanth-650587.html Chennai Nov 27 Bigg Boss contestant and Tamil film actress Samyuktha Shanumughanathan wed cricketer Aniruda Srikkanth at an intimate ceremony here on Thursday The wedding which was a closed affair was attended by family and close friends of the coupleSoon after the wedding actress Samyuktha and cricketer Aniruda shared pictures of their wedding on their social media handles They also put out a video of the couple getting ready for their big day The video also had popular television presenter and columnist Bhavna Balakrishnan a close friend of Samyuktha speaking about the couple Bhavna while expressing her wishes to the couple said Sometimes opposites attract Sometimes similar people come together Sometimes ambitious people come together Sometimes loving people come together But if two people came together as friends and healed each other in a very special manner that was Ani and Sam Wishing you two a beautiful life together Aniruda Srikkanth who is the son of former India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth is a cricketer and a sports commentator Actress Samyuktha who played the role of a police officer in director A S Mukundans recently released Tamil Madharas Mafia Company shot to fame after her stint in the Tamil Television reality show Bigg Boss It may be recalled that the actress had in August this year dropped hints that she was dating Aniruda SrikkanthTaking to Instagram page to reintroduce herself to her followers she had said Hi If you are new to my page let me reintroduce myself Im Samyuktha everyone calls me Sam Sammy samosa but if you are close or family then Iâm Pinky Went through a roller coaster ride with Covid lost everything familiar or anything that felt like home and had to restart life from scratch not because of Covid but during the same time frameMy lil bub was just about four years then As the Latin phrase goes Fortes fortuna adiuvat fortune favours the brave And as a twist of fate would have got into Bigg Boss and all the great moments that followed and finally a little hope that things might actually work out for me after allFive years now couple of movie stints lots of social media content amp campaigns and man Life is good More than what I would have asked for I love good laughs I take my fitness seriously because it powered me through my tough times Im socially awkward I forget people and names easily I stick to 23 close friends of mine canât do too many social events very weak social battery but I do have a wild sense of humour that I believe I have passed it over to my son tooSo follow me as I laugh through struggles fumble through life and make fun nonsense content because life is too short to be serious and yea for sure for some cute dance reels I weathered the storm and here Im smooth sailing Tune in for vibes only Ps got a very cute Bf also Yaay Happy endings IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/actress-samyuktha-shanmughanathan-weds-cricketer-aniruda-srikkanth-650587.html Fri, 28 Nov 2025 01:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/still-stranded-after-4-hours-mohammed-siraj-accuses-air-india-express-of-leaving-passengers-in-limbo-650597.html New Delhi Nov 27 India national cricket team fastbowler Mohammad Siraj has publicly vented his anger after a frustrating experience with Air India Express In a message on social media Siraj said that his flight â Air India Express Flight IX 2884 from Guwahati to Hyderabad â was scheduled to depart at 725 pm but never took off on time According to Siraj despite repeated followups the airline offered no proper explanation and left passengers stranded for four hoursâFlight delayed by 4 hours and still no update has left us stranded Worst airline experienceâ Siraj wrote warning fellow travellers against boarding the flight unless the airline âcanât take a standâSiraj is returning home to Hyderabad after the Indian team suffered an embarrassing 408run defeat to South Africa and lost the twomatch series 02 their second successive home series clean sweep after losing 30 to New Zealand last yearOffspinner Simon Harmer picked up 637 as India chasing a massive target of 549 slumped to 140 all out on the fifth and final day of the match despite veteran allrounder Ravindra Jadeja waging a lone battle topscoring 54 the only saving grace for the Indian batting lineup that has surrendered completely against sustained bowlingSouth Africa also handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs and set a new record for their biggest winning margin over India in Tests Right from the time South Africa won the toss everything went their way India lost the first Test by 30 runs at the Eden Gardens in KolkataIndia are now left to ponder over multiple questions as their fortresslike reputation when playing Tests at home suffered another big blow after their 30 loss to New Zealand last yearIn the second Test in Guwahati Siraj claimed 2106 in the first innings and then 019 off five overs in the secondIndia will play South Africa in a threematch ODI series from November 30 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/still-stranded-after-4-hours-mohammed-siraj-accuses-air-india-express-of-leaving-passengers-in-limbo-650597.html Fri, 28 Nov 2025 01:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wpl-2026-to-take-place-from-jan-9-to-feb-5-in-navi-mumbai-and-vadodara-650599.html New Delhi Nov 27 Navi Mumbai and Vadodara are the venues for the 2026 Womenâs Premier League to be held from January 9 to February 5 The tournament will open at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai while the final is scheduled to be held at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara The announcement was made by WPL Committee Chairman Jayesh George before the competitionâs firstever mega auction began in New Delhi on Thursday IANS understands that the WPL Committee had a meeting at the auction venue around noon to finalise the dates and venues with the full schedule expected to come out soonAs per the dates announced by George the fourth WPL final will be held two days before the 2026 Menâs T20 World Cup begins in India and Sri Lanka IANS understands that the rationale behind keeping the second half of WPL 2026 in Vadodara is also due to the Kotambi stadium being set to host the menâs ODI series opener between India and New Zealand on January 11Vadodara was one of the four hosts for WPL in 2025 and now sees getting the entire second half as well as the knockout stages including the allimportant title clash The tournament will also mark the return of womenâs cricket in the WPL for the first time after India won the 2025 Womenâs ODI World Cup on November 2For now the focus of all five teams â twotime champions Mumbai Indians 2024 winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru threetime runnersup Delhi Capitals UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants â will be to make a trophywinning squad for the 2026 seasonAt the mega auction Indiaâs ODI World Cupwinning captain Harmanpreet Kaur is present at the MI table alongside Jhulan Goswami new coach Lisa Keightley and team owners DC have a starstudded lineup in head coach Jonathan Batty and director of cricket Sourav GangulyNew UPW head coach Abhishek Nayar and mentor Lisa Sthalekar are present while Pravin Tambe and Michael Klinger are representing GG and RCB has newly appointed assistant coach Anya Shrubsole on the table alongside head coach Malolan Rangarajan IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wpl-2026-to-take-place-from-jan-9-to-feb-5-in-navi-mumbai-and-vadodara-650599.html Fri, 28 Nov 2025 01:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2026-wpl-auction-anyas-intel-has-been-invaluable-shes-been-brilliant-so-far-says-malolan-650637.html New Delhi Nov 27 Royal Challengers Bengaluru head coach Malolan Rangarajan said newly appointed assistant coach Anya Shrubsoleâs intel has been invaluable in their 2026 WPL mega auction strategy adding that the former England seamer has been brilliant in her role so far RCB underlined that England influence by snapping up fast bowler Lauren Bell and leftarm spinner Linsey Smith First of all Anya is someone weve wanted on board for a while now and were very very happy that shes part of our think tank and our setup For all the Indians I will have to unfortunately remind everyone of the 2017 tragic she gave to usââBut jokes apart weve been working with Anya for the last couple of weeks planning our retentions and auctions Its a coincidence that we have Anya Lauren Bell and Linsey Smith so dont have to make any untowards connections there It was a clear battle between MI and us for the pacer and we are very happy with thatââAnya brings a wealth of experience having played for England successfully and also captained franchises and teams around the world who are doing well You can see the level of calm and intel she brings on board Its invaluable and cant put it into words but shes been brilliant so far and I am shell be even better in the tournament said Malolan while replying to an IANS query in the press conferenceAsked about missing out on buying back legspinner Asha Sobhana who was snapped by UP Warriorz for INR 11 crore Malolan said âTalking about Asha first obviously she was an integral part in RCBs win in 2024 obviously we missed her in 2025 with her injury Personally Im very happy for her shes got a good payday someone who really deserves what shes got and knowing her on a very personal front so Im very happy for herââAs far as what our strategy has been and what weve achieved so far weve more or less ticked off what were looking for trying to get as much as bowling and with our retained players the idea was trying to supplement them and make them as better as possible So very happy with where we are at the moment still got a little bit of work left but happy at the momentâMumbai Indians have been buying back their core players Amelia Kerr Shabnim Ismail and Sanskriti Gupta Head coach Lisa Keightley said getting the trio back was important to their tactic of getting old players back for their title defenceâFirstly were really excited to have the same core back weve got world class players in there who can win matches and games of cricket which is most important I think sometimes you can underestimate having the same core backââIve seen in a lot of franchises being consistent with your group can sometimes give you an advantage and you dont have to start the competition with so many moving parts so hopefully that might play into our favourââWe were pretty much on the limit with Amelia I think most people would have known that but we think shes worth the money so were really excited to have her backâ she concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2026-wpl-auction-anyas-intel-has-been-invaluable-shes-been-brilliant-so-far-says-malolan-650637.html Fri, 28 Nov 2025 02:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/delighted-that-up-warriorz-bought-me-back-deepti-sharma-650643.html New Delhi Nov 27 Deepti Sharma was sold for â¹32 crore to UP Warriorz via righttomatch making her the jointsecond most expensive player at the WPL After initially being sold to Delhi Capitals for her base price of Rs 50 lakh the Warriorz went for the RTM option asking DC to give a final amount With the threetime runnerup finalising Rs 32 crore as the bidding amount and UPW agreed to the same and bought back the World Cupwinning allrounder for a higher priceDeepti shared her enthusiasm upon rejoining UPW on JioHotstarâs âMatch Centre Live Auction Specialâ after the team won the bidding battle with DCâIâm from Uttar Pradesh and have strong ties with UP Warriorz The management has always been excellent and supportive The auction was thrilling from the start and Iâm delighted that the UP Warriorz bought me back Iâm excited to represent them againâThe WPL has played a massive role in my development The year I won MVP and even prior to that the intense practice on expanding my batting shots paid off tremendously That season helped me mature significantly as a batter teaching me how to elevate my strikerate strategically by adapting my game plan For me thatâs been WPLâs biggest contributionââThe atmosphere has been great right from the start Iâm feeling really positive seeing new players from different teams join UP Warriorz Having played with many of them before creates a comfortable vibe The management remains incredibly supportive and as I mentioned earlier the changes I made to my batting two years ago were transformative for meâDeepti also spoke on the Warriorz signing rising Australian cricketer Phoebe Litchfield and the legendary Meg Lanning and highlighted the WPLâs role in her development as a batter mentioning Litchfield as her most anticipated new teammateâItâs tough to pick just one because players like Phoebe Litchfield and Meg Lanning are performing brilliantly Meg Lanning has been outstanding in the Big Bash League while Harleen Deol shone in the World Cup Theyâre all exciting additions but if I had to choose Iâd go with Phoebe Litchfieldâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/delighted-that-up-warriorz-bought-me-back-deepti-sharma-650643.html Fri, 28 Nov 2025 02:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2026-wpl-auction-shikha-gets-inr-24-crore-yastika-and-pratika-find-takers-as-proceedings-end-650663.html New Delhi Nov 27 Veteran India seamer Shikha Pandey became one of the top three buys in the 2026 WPL mega auction while Yastika Bhatia and Pratika Rawal found teams despite injury concerns on Thursday UP Warriorz shelled out INR 24 crore for buying Shikha as in all 67 players were sold â 23 of which were overseas players â for INR 408 crore The accelerated round began with Deandra Dottin going to UPW for INR 80 lakh after a brief tussle with RCB Kashvee Gautam was brought back by GG via RTM for INR 65 lakh after thwarting bids from MI and UPWShikha the veteran Indian fast bowler sparked a fierce bidding war between RCB and UPW driving the price past INR 2 crore UPW eventually outlasted RCB to get her services for INR 24 croreODI World Cup winner seambowling allrounder Arundhati Reddy drew bids from DC RCB and GG before the contest settled in Bengaluruâs favour at INR 75 lakh At RCB Arundhati will reunite with close friends Smriti Mandhana and Radha YadavMI meanwhile reclaimed Sajana Sajeevan after a bidding tussle with UP Warriorz for INR 75 lakh India allrounder Pooja Vastrakar currently in rehab after missing WPL 2025 with a shoulder injury still attracted bids from RCB and UPW before the former secured her for INR 85 lakhUncapped wicketkeeper Rahila Firdous went to MI for INR 10 lakh while India allrounder Kanika Ahuja was picked by GG for INR 30 lakh Leftarm spinner Tanuja Kanwar rejoined GG for INR 45 lakh after dodging DC Australia leg spinner Georgia Wareham was snapped up by GG for INR 1 crore after edging RCBUncapped Indian allrounder Anushka Sharma went to GG for INR 45 lakh with a wry smile present on RCB think tank table Australian allrounder Nicola Carey was picked by MI for INR 30 lakh After that all five teams were asked to nominate 10 names each as the auction moved into the second accelerated phase after a short breakThe second round saw S Meghana Amy Jones and Darcie Brown go unsold But Grace Harris found takers with RCB and UPW her previous team in the contest before the former took her for INR 75 lakhWicketkeeper Shipra Giri drew interest from UPW who signed her for INR 10 lakh while Mamatha Madiwala was added to DCâs roster at the same price Pacer Happy Kumari was snapped up by GG at her base price of INR 10 lakh while Australiaâs Kim Garth was picked by the same team for INR 50 lakhThere was a tussle between UPW and GG for India wicketkeeperbatter Yastika Bhatia before the latter picked her for INR 50 lakh UPW meanwhile picked hardhitting batter Simran Shaikh for INR 10 lakh while MI took Poonam Khemnar for the same amount and wicketkeeper Shivani Singh was roped in by GG for the very same priceUSA pacer Tara Norris who picked a fivefor in WPL 2023 was picked by UPW for INR 10 lakh while the franchise also took South Africa allrounder Chole Tryon for INR 30 lakh Uncapped Australia pacer Lucy Hamilton was picked by DC for INR 10 lakh while allrounder Triveni Vasistha was taken by MI for INR 20 lakh and Suman Meena was roped in by UPW for INR 10 lakhRCB roped in offspin allrounder Gautami Naik for INR 10 lakh while MI took seambowling allrounder Nalla Reddy for the same amount In the final accelerated round India leftarm spinner Saika Ishaque was picked by MI for INR 30 lakh while UPW took twotime U19 World Cup winner G Trisha for INR 10 lakhUncapped wicketkeeper Pratyusha Kumar was signed by RCB for INR 10 lakh while MI added uncapped Australian bowler Milly Illingworth at the same price UPW secured Pratika Rawal for INR 50 lakh despite fitness concerns due to ankle injury recovery GG picked up England batter Danni WyattHodge for INR 50 lakh and got India spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad at her base price of INR 40 lakhDC added India allrounder Minnu Mani for INR 40 lakh while RCB strengthened their middle order with former GG batter Dayalan Hemalatha for INR 30 lakh GG signing Delhi batter Ayushi Soni for INR 30 lakh brought the curtains down on the WPL 2026 mega auction IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2026-wpl-auction-shikha-gets-inr-24-crore-yastika-and-pratika-find-takers-as-proceedings-end-650663.html Fri, 28 Nov 2025 02:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/it-feels-like-home-sree-charani-very-happy-to-be-back-with-delhi-capitals-650708.html New Delhi Nov 28 India spinner Sree Charani expressed her elation on being acquired by Delhi Capitals for Rs 13 crore in the WPL 2026 auction on Thursday for the upcoming season Charani made her WPL debut with Delhi Capitals in 2025 when she was picked up for Rs 55 lakh in the auction held in 2024Before the auction I was just hoping to play in WPL this season with any team But I am very happy to be back with Delhi Capitals It feels like home and I love playing for this teamâ she said on JioHotstarOn her goals after returning to Delhi Capitals the 21yearold said I feel very proud to be part of Delhi Capitals again This is my chance to contribute to the team once more Im grateful to be back with DC and looking forward to a good season ahead Im just hoping for the best to happen for our teamApart from Sree Delhi Capitals major picks in the auction were South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt West Indies allrounder Chinelle Henry and India star Sneh RanaSneh brimmed with confidence about the upcoming season and said Sreeâs pick was the best by the side Our team combination looks very good strong and wellsorted Shree Charani remains Delhis best young pick and Im sure shell do well this season Im hopeful well have a great season and finally lift the trophy this time she saidIm very excited to play for Delhi Capitals and get this new opportunity I look forward to teaming up with new teammates it will be a great experience Delhi has explosive Indian batters like Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues and Im really excited to meet and play with them Sneh addedSharing her emotion after the auction Chinelle Henry said Honestly I was really nervous and excited Now I can finally breathe again Im so happy to be returning to India and joining the DC family Im actually lost for words just sitting here in my living room in Australia feeling overwhelmed with joy IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/it-feels-like-home-sree-charani-very-happy-to-be-back-with-delhi-capitals-650708.html Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/jonassen-pulls-out-of-wpl-auction-due-to-injury-other-left-arm-spinners-in-sharp-focus-650507.html New Delhi Nov 27 Hours ahead of the 2026 Womenâs Premier League WPL mega auction Australiaâs leftarm spin bowling allrounder Jess Jonassen has been ruled out from the player pool owing to an injury Sources familiar with the matter told IANS on Thursday that Jessâs unavailability was formally communicated to all five franchises during the mandatory preauction briefing on WednesdayJess had been a part of Delhi Capitals DC in the first three WPL seasons where they finished as runnersup on all occasionsThough Jess is turning out for Brisbane Heat in the ongoing Womenâs Big Bash League WBBL it is understood that a shoulder issue she has been managing for an extended period is the reason behind her unavailability for the WPL auction and subsequent seasonâA few teams were keen on getting her in the auction due to Sophie Molineux not registering but now that strategy has been changed and back up plans being discussed due to her unavailability being told a day priorâIt wonât come as a surprise if the other leftarm spinners especially in the Indian players pool will have more takers for them or their eventual price sees an increase in the mega auction said sourcesOther prominent leftarm spin bowling options who are also handy allrounders are Englandâs Sophie Ecclestone South Africaâs Chloe Tryon as well as Indiaâs N Sree Charani Radha Yadav Tanuja Kanwer and are followed by youngsters like Parunika Sisodia Bharti Rawal Vaishavi Sharma Ayushee Shukla Mannat Kashyap Shuchi Upadhayay and Triveni VasisthaIt is also understood that in the preauction briefing all five franchises were told that India opener Pratika Rawal wicketkeeperbatter Yastika Bhatia and uncapped seamer VJ Joshitha are nursing injuries though their names remain in the auction poolPratika is recovering from an ankle injury sustained in the World Cup league game against Bangladesh in Navi Mumbai while Yastika had to undergo an ACL surgery after being ruled out of the World Cup due to injuring her left knee in the pretournament camp in VisakhapatnamIt is also understood that the injured trio cannot be counted towards the mandatory 15member squad though 18 is the maximum squad strength for the competition and if they are picked teams cannot get a replacement for themIANS also understands that Indiaâs seambowling allrounder Pooja Vastrakar is not fully fit yet after undergoing shoulder surgery but her name will still feature in the auction Pooja had been a part of Mumbai Indians in the first two WPL seasons including the 2023 title winning campaign before the injury ruled her out of the 2025 seasonThe 2026 WPL mega auction will begin with the marquee set featuring eight players â Sophie India duo of Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh Thakur followed by Australian pair of Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning South Africaâs Laura Wolvaardt and New Zealand duo of Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/jonassen-pulls-out-of-wpl-auction-due-to-injury-other-left-arm-spinners-in-sharp-focus-650507.html Thu, 27 Nov 2025 15:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wpl-2026-auction-meet-the-uncapped-indian-players-who-could-be-on-franchises-radar-650435.html New Delhi Nov 26 In its three seasons so far the Womenâs Premier League WPL has already proven to be a launchpad for talented cricketers to shine and enter the Indian team Players such as N Sree Charani and Kranti Gaud are prime examples of this trend as the duo played pivotal roles in Indiaâs recent triumph in the ODI World Cup Before them players like Shreyanka Patil Saika Ishaque Asha Sobhana Kashvee Gautam and Titas Sadhu first came to prominence through the WPL and graduated to the national setup following standout performances in the competitionIn the mega auction for the 2026 WPL scheduled for Thursday in New Delhi though marquee internationals will dominate the spotlight the eyes of fans will be on the gems franchises unearthed from the vast pool of 142 uncapped Indian playersIANS looks at some uncapped cricketers who have never featured in the league before and could ignite intense bidding wars in the upcoming WPL auctionVaishnavi Sharma Base Price â INR 10 lakhThe leftarm spinner announced her arrival on the big stage with a hattrick during Indias victorious U19 World Cup campaign in Malaysia this year where she also ended up at the top of the wickettaking charts Since then her trajectory has been nothing short of exceptionalVaishnavi dominated the recent Senior Womens T20 Trophy by being the leading wickettaker with 21 scalps coming in 11 matches at an economy rate of 647 She maintained her purple patch through the interzonal tournament by picking up 12 wickets in five matches for Central ZoneBoth tournaments had been closely watched by WPL scouts on the ground and they would have taken note of Vaishnaviâs ability to extract a sharp turn by bowling slower through the air With leftarm spinners set to be in heavy demand expect teams to be in a bidding war for Vaishnavi who hails from Madhya Pradesh a state that has produced Indian players like Pooja Vastrakar and Kranti GaudDeeya Yadav Base Price â INR 10 lakhThe hardhitting toporder batter who has consciously modelled her game on fellow Haryana opener Shafali Verma enjoyed a breakout time in the Senior Womens T20 Trophy amassing 298 runs in eight innings at an impressive average of 595 and a strike rate of 128 including hitting three halfcenturiesDeeya maintained her explosive form in the interzonal T20s amassing 151 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 1495 and took North Zone to the final The lanky openerâs range of shots has caught the attention of scoutsThe Gurugrambased Deeya first came into the limelight in November 2023 when she smashed an unbeaten 213 off 125 balls against Tripura in the U15 Womens OneDay Trophy at RaipurMamatha Madiwala Base Price â INR 10 lakhMany teams will be looking for a wicketkeeperbatter who can be a handy addition in the lower order and someone like Mamatha fits the bill She came into attention when she hit 56 not out in India Aâs fourwicket win over New Zealand via DLS method in the 2025 Womenâs ODI World Cup warmup match at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 in BengaluruThough Shafali Verma topscored with a 49ball 70 Mamathaâs 56 not out off 60 balls laced with six fours and a maximum took India A over the line in what was also her debut game for the side Representing Hyderabad in domestic cricket Mamatha was a member of the Indian team at the 2023 Womenâs Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Hong KongTanisha Singh Base Price â INR 10 lakhApart from her Delhi teammates Bharti Rawal and Nazma Khan another player from the national capital who will have the attention of all teams will be batting allrounder Tanisha SinghShe was named the Most Valuable Player of the Season for her allround performance in the 2025 Womenâs DPL including hitting an unbeaten 76 Apart from being a handy offspin bowler Tanisha captained Delhi to the U23 Womenâs T20 Trophy win in the previous seasonG Trisha Base Price â INR 10 lakhThe Hyderabadbased opener had registered for WPL auctions before but could never find any takers But if her performances in 2025 are to go by she may well find a team this time around in the mega auctionTrisha played a key role in India retaining its U19 Womenâs T20 World Cup title by scoring 309 runs in seven innings and taking nine wickets with her legspin bowling In the final she topscored with an unbeaten 44 and took three wickets to pick up the Player of the Match awardAfter making 147 runs in the Senior Womenâs T20 Trophy Trisha is currently playing the U23 Womenâs T20 Trophy and with two U19 World Cup wins under her belt teams will be tempted to rope in Trisha for the upcoming season IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/wpl-2026-auction-meet-the-uncapped-indian-players-who-could-be-on-franchises-radar-650435.html Thu, 27 Nov 2025 00:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/we-need-to-improve-our-batting-raina-on-indias-struggles-in-home-tests-650281.html New Delhi Nov 25 Former allrounder Suresh Raina has urged Indian batters to apply themselves better as the home side faced heavy criticism following their 30run loss against South Africa in Kolkata India failed to chase a paltry target of 124 in the fourth innings to suffer a defeat against the World Test Championship holders With the second Test also heading to the same result as Indias flop show with the bat continues Raina advised batters to rectify their mistakes and support the teams causeWe need to improve our batting as we are losing matches successively Players need to apply themselves better as it will uplift their selfbelief and it is very important for them and the team Raina told IANS on TuesdayDespite being 01 down in the twomatch series India were bowled out for 201 in their first innings in Guwahati after South Africa posted a mammoth total of 489 The visitors added 260 runs to their scoreboard in the second innings before declaring the innings on Tuesday to post a target of 549 against IndiaIndia had a substandard start in the second innings too with the home side losing both openers Yashasvi Jaiswal 13 and KL Rahul 6 before stumps on Day 4 India are still 522 runs behind to avoid a second series sweep in two yearsThe veteran batter added that the teams other struggles also unfold when they start losing matches and the same is the case with the Indian Test team which is without their regular captain Shubman Gill who is nursing a neck injuryI hope they put more effort in the field When you lose everything comes out but I hope the team will do wellâ Raina addedIndia have a herculean task of surviving the whole day on Wednesday to draw the match and avoid a whitewash IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/we-need-to-improve-our-batting-raina-on-indias-struggles-in-home-tests-650281.html Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2nd-test-india-down-to-272-in-chase-of-549-at-stumps-650283.html Guwahati Nov 25 India closed Day 4 at 272 at stumps after South Africa set the hosts a daunting target of 549 runs here at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium The Proteas maintained complete control throughout the day stretching their dominance through disciplined batting and a standout 94 from Tristan Stubbs eventually declaring at 2605 Marco Jansen continued his top form from the previous innings and got his side the crucial breakthrough early at the start of the final innings as he dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal in the seventh over The opening batter walked back after scoring 13 runs off 20 deliveries leading to B Sai Sudharsan joining KL Rahul on the creaseHowever the secondwicket partnership didnât last long as Simon Harmer joined the celebrations to dismiss Rahul in the 10th over He attempted to play it by closing his bat across the line but missed entirely and the stumps were rattled With both openers dismissed India faltered further Rahul lunged to meet the ball but erred by crossing the line and the balls dip and the drop beat him leading to an inside edgeWith India sending in Kuldeep Yadav as the nightwatchman the spinner comfortably saved his wicket till the end of the session and remained unbeaten alongside SudharsanThe day began with South Africa resuming at 260 with openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram looking composed as they extended the score to 58 However Indiaâs spinners soon found breakthroughs Ravindra Jadeja was the first to strike dismissing Rickelton for 35 after the batter attempted an overly aggressive shot Jadeja then removed Markram for 29 with a sharply turning delivery signalling Indiaâs fightbackWashington Sundar supported Jadeja well with a disciplined and intelligent spell varying his pace subtly to curb South Africaâs run flow His efforts were rewarded when he removed captain Temba Bavuma who flicked a straightforward catch to leg slip Although India missed a few runout chances their energy in the field kept South Africa from running away with the game early in the session By tea the visitors had reached 1073 suggesting a balanced contestHowever the partnership between Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs shifted momentum again The duo combined restraint with aggression regularly finding boundaries and rotating the strike effectively Their confident stroke play made it seem as though they were batting on a friendlier surface than the one India had struggled on Zorziâs authoritative sweeps and Stubbsâ controlled shotmaking gradually drained Indiaâs earlier enthusiasmAfter tea Jadeja trapped de Zorzi lbw for 49 ending a crucial stand but the breakthrough did little to slow South Africaâs progress Stubbs continued untroubled bringing up a composed fifty Joined by Wiaan Mulder he pushed the lead beyond 500 runs while India searched unsuccessfully for additional wickets even turning to parttimer Yashasvi Jaiswal South Africa added 113 runs in the session for the loss of just one wicket tightening their grip on the matchAt lunch the visitors were firmly in command at 2204 after 70 overs Following the break South Africa continued batting as Stubbs approached a century Once he was dismissed for 94 Bavuma immediately declared the innings closed at 2605Brief Scores South Africa 489 amp 2605d in 783 overs Tristan Stubbs 94 Tony de Zorzi 49 Ravindra Jadeja 462 lead India 201 amp 272 in 155 overs Yashasvi Jaiswal 13 KL Rahul 6 Simon Harmer 11 Marco Jansen 114 by 521 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2nd-test-india-down-to-272-in-chase-of-549-at-stumps-650283.html Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-to-meet-pakistan-on-feb-15-as-icc-reveals-full-schedule-of-t20-world-cup-2026-650328.html Mumbai Nov 25 Defending champions India will take on archrivals Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15 2026 after opening their campaign in the group stage against minnows United States of America at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7 2026 India are in Group A with the Netherlands and Namibia as the other teams in the groupNo country has ever defended their title in the T20 World Cup so far and hosts India will be hoping to become the first country to do so In their remaining group stage fixtures India will take on Namibia on February 12 in New Delhi and will round off the proceedings against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on February 18 2026This will be the biggest T20 World Cup in the history of the game so far as for the first time 20 teams will be in the fray The 20 teams will play 55 matches in all across eight venues in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 2026 ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta announced in Mumbai on Tuesday as the ICC revealed the full schedule of the tournament in the presence of ICC Chair Jay Shah twotime T20 WC winner Rohit Sharma India T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav newly crowned Womens ODI World Cup winner Harmanpreet Kaur and cricket administrators from India and Sri LankaMatches will be played at eight venues the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi the Eden Gardens in Kolkata Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai In Sri Lanka matches will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo and the Pallekele International Stadium in KandyThe 20 teams have been divided into four groups of five teams each Two teams from each group will qualify for the Super 8 stageWhile the focus will be on India and Pakistan in Group Aâpicked as the Group of Death by the events Brand Ambassador Rohit Sharma the Netherlands and USA who stunned Pakistan in the previous edition in 2024 can always cause an upset or twoGroup B puts Sri Lanka in a potentially challenging conflict with Australia Ireland Zimbabwe and Oman Australias first match is against Ireland while Zimbabwes return to World Cup action begins with a highprofile match against the cohostsGroup C which includes Bangladesh firsttime qualifiers Italy and Nepal is led by twotime champions England and the West Indies As early as February 11 in Mumbai England will play the West Indies Italys participation which is their first in the tournament gives it a historic feelGroup D which is arguably the hardest of the four includes Afghanistan South Africa and New Zealand the 2024 semifinalists Canada and UAE complete the lineup but the spotlight will firmly be on the heavyweight clashes especially South Africa vs Afghanistan and New Zealand vs South Africa both set for AhmedabadThe top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Eight stage split into two groups of four From there the top two in each Super Eight pool advance to the semifinals before the March 8 final determines the 2026 championRohit Sharma who has played in every edition of the T20 World Cup so far winning titles in the inaugural edition in 2007 and in 2024 said it was heartening to see so many countries playing in the T20 World Cup It shows that our spot is growing said the events ICC Brand Ambassador Rohit SharmaThis will be the first time that I will not be playing the T20 World Cup It is a different experience for me but I am getting used to watching matches on TV at home said Rohit SharmaIndias T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav termed the event challenging and said his teammates are excited to be playing at home IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/india-to-meet-pakistan-on-feb-15-as-icc-reveals-full-schedule-of-t20-world-cup-2026-650328.html Wed, 26 Nov 2025 01:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-hazlewood-back-in-nets-as-cummins-prepares-for-pink-ball-return-650179.html Sydney Nov 24 Australia received a boost on Tuesday as Josh Hazlewood took to the nets working towards recovery from the hamstring setback that ruled him out of the opening Ashes Test in Perth Simultaneously Pat Cummins was seen practising with a pink ball progressing steadily in his bid to feature in the upcoming daynight Test at the Gabba after his back injury The duo utilised the Cricket Central facilities in Sydney while the New South Wales side faced Tasmania in their ongoing Sheffield Shield clashHazlewoodâs session focused on redball bowling signalling the teamâs strategy heâs unlikely to return at the Gabba and is instead eyeing a comeback for Adelaide which hosts a traditional day Test this yearAustraliaâs head coach Andrew McDonald expressed optimism on Monday about Hazlewoodâs participation later in the Ashes campaign saying âI know that hell be available at some point during the series Weve got a little bit of that early rehab to go through to formulate where he may plug into the series but we expect him to take some part in the seriesâCummins on the other hand has been impressively building up his bowling intensity particularly evident in the leadup to the Perth Test The selectors remain cautious needing full assurance that he can withstand the workload of a fiveday match especially as earlier matches in the series might wrap up quicklyMcDonald commented on his progress and said âIt looked like a player that was nearing the completion of his rehabilitation The intensity was there the ball speed was there Theres a lot of positives but now its just really building that resilience within the soft tissue and making sure that were not putting him in harms way in terms of accelerating it too muchâThe first three Tests are wellspaced with an 11day gap now slotted between the opener and the second match following the quick finish in Perth However after Adelaide the fixtures tighten just a fourday break before the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and another four days until Sydney provided those games last the distanceWith the pinkball contest looming in Brisbane the potential for another actionpacked fastpaced Test is high Recent Sheffield Shield experience backs this up as ten wickets tumbled during the night session of day three in the QueenslandVictoria match though wickets were harder to come by earlierIn that Shield encounter Xavier Bartlett stood out with figures of 4 for 35 in Victoriaâs second innings supplementing his efforts with a careerbest 72 runs Bartlett who has already shown promise in whiteball cricket could be moving closer to an Ashes opportunity especially if Australia requires extra pace options However the anticipated return of Cummins and Hazlewood might keep the door closed for nowMichael Neser who was the reserve quick in Perth could be in contention for Brisbane his home patch Both of his previous Tests though have come with the pink ball in Adelaide during the 202122 and 202223 seasonsSelectors have also held out hope for Jhye Richardsonâs availability later in the series as he works back from recent shoulder surgery Richardson has already trained with the Test squad in Perth and got through 20 overs for the CA XI against the England Lions albeit without taking a wicket Heâs likely to appear for Australia A in Brisbane soonAfter his recent outing Richardson provided a positive update âThis game was a lot about physical preparation for me and making sure that we can get through Im sure there would have been a few people seeing a bit of ice on it after the bowling but thats basically just maintenance The shoulders feeling really good and its feeling better and better each bowlIts a decent hit out the most overs Ive bowled in a while and its all part of the process to building up to be ready for four and fiveday cricketâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-hazlewood-back-in-nets-as-cummins-prepares-for-pink-ball-return-650179.html Tue, 25 Nov 2025 13:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-tom-moody-suggests-australia-replace-nathan-lyon-with-specialist-batter-for-gabba-test-650204.html New Delhi Nov 25 Former Australian allrounder Tom Moody has made a bold call for Nathan Lyon to be dropped ahead of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane The offspinner 38 is just one wicket shy of matching Glenn McGrathâs 563 Test dismissals but Moody believes conditions will favour an allpace attack Speaking on Wide World of Sports Moody argued that selectors should tailor the side to what is expected to be a seamfriendly Gabba pitch Lyon had minimal impact in the Perth Test where Australiaâs fast bowlers dominated during two days of highintensity cricketâA few hard decisions need to be madeand my personal view is I wouldnt play Lyon I never thought Id see the day where you dont play a specialist spinner in a Test match in Australia but with daynight cricket its hard to get the spinner into the contestâ Moody saidâThe second part to that is the way England play its very hard to get the spinner into the gamebecause they dont tend to bat for long periods of time I think Australia would be better having someone like Beau Webster taking Lyons spot and as a result lengthening the batting orderâ the twotime ODI World Cup winner addedEngland suffered a heavy defeat in the opening Ashes Test as Travis Headâs blistering 69ball century propelled Australia to an extraordinary twoday victory in Perth Headâs 123 the secondfastest Ashes hundred in history powered Australia to a chase of 205 in just 282 overs sealing an eightwicket win and a 10 series leadThe match swung decisively after Australia conceded a 40run firstinnings deficit and England reached 651 effectively 105 ahead A dramatic collapse of six wickets for 39 triggered by Mitchell Starcâs 10wicket match haul and poor English shot selection left the visitors in disarray Despite a brief lowerorder fightback England were bowled out for 164 losing nine wickets for 99In response Australia dominated as Head dismantled Englandâs attack turning the contest into a procession The emphatic finish denied the match a third day and left England searching for answers ahead of the daynight Test in Brisbane starting December 4 IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-tom-moody-suggests-australia-replace-nathan-lyon-with-specialist-batter-for-gabba-test-650204.html Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2nd-test-stubbs-94-zorzis-49-help-south-africa-set-india-target-of-549-runs-650224.html Guwahati Nov 25 IANS India found moments of success through Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar but South Africa continued to command proceedings on Day 4 of the second Test courtesy of a brilliant 94 by Tristan Stubbs as the youngsters knocked helped the team stretch their lead to over 500 runs and eventually declaring at 2605 to set India a target of 549 runsnbspThe day began with the visitors resuming at 260 and openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram looking assured as they raised the score to 58 before Indias spinners made their impact Rickelton who benefited from early luck was dismissed for 35 while attempting an aggressive shot handing Jadeja his first breakthrough The leftarm spinner struck again soon after removing Markram for 29 with a sharp turn that troubled the batters throughout the morningWashington Sundar complemented Jadeja superbly bowling a disciplined spell with subtle variations in pace that kept South Africas scoring in check His persistence paid off when he removed captain Temba Bavuma who flicked a simple catch to leg slip Despite a few missed runout opportunities India looked energetic in the field and kept the visitors progress steady rather than freeflowingAt 1073 by tea the session appeared evenly balanced as Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs steadied the innings combining caution with calculated aggression Both batters found regular boundaries and shifted momentum again in South Africas favour heading into the second sessionDe Zorzi and Stubbs batted with purpose sweeping cutting and rotating strike as if playing on a surface entirely different from the one tormenting India Every boundary struck through the gaps felt like a reminder South Africa were not just surviving they were progressing Zorzis sweeps scythed through the leg side with authority while Stubbs absorbed pressure before unleashing strokes that drained Indias early energyAfter tea Jadeja trapped de Zorzi lbw just shy of a halfcentury Yet even that wicket felt like a pause rather than a shift Stubbs marched on to his fifty unhurried and unbothered as Wiaan Mulder joined him to push the lead past 500 with quiet confidenceWith four sessions remaining in the match the Proteas showed no inclination to declare early adding 113 runs in the second session for the loss of just one wicket India even turned to parttimer Yashasvi Jaiswal for an over but South Africas control remained unchallengedAt lunch South Africa had moved to 2204 in 70 overs firmly on top as India faced a huge scareAs Stubbs approached a century the Proteas continued their batting innings after lunch despite many expecting a declaration The young player entered the nervous nineties and South Africa watched to see if he could reach 100 before the declaration However as soon as he was dismissed Bavuma indicated the batters to come back in thereby closing their innings at 2605 and setting the hosts a massive 549run targetWhile a win looks difficult here Team India will look to bat throughout the remainder of Day 4 and on Wednesday the final day of the game to draw the match South Africa meanwhile will aim to bowl out the hosts again to add a historic victory under their belt while also gaining some crucial World Test Championship pointsBrief Scores South Africa 489 and 2605d in 783 overs Tristan Stubbs 94 Tony de Zorzi 49 Ravindra Jadeja 462 lead India 201 all out in 835 overs Yashasvi Jaiswal 58 Washington Sundar 48 Marco Jansen 648 Simon Harmer 364 by 548 runsIANSviab https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2nd-test-stubbs-94-zorzis-49-help-south-africa-set-india-target-of-549-runs-650224.html Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2nd-test-rahul-jaiswal-help-india-escape-unscathed-after-muthusamy-jansen-take-sa-to-489-650007.html Guwahati Nov 23 Indiaâs openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal ensured there were no setbacks and reached 90 in 61 overs at stumps on day twoâs play against South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Sunday Due to light conditions deteriorating hugely it brought another early end to the day with India trailing South Africa by 480 runs Previously South Africa posted a formidable 489 in their first innings thanks to Senuran Muthusamyâs 109 â his maiden Test century and Marco Jansenâs explosive 93 The duoâs career best scores in Tests took them to a commanding total and put them in a good position to draw the gameIndiaâs innings began with Rahul and Jaiswal negotiating the new ball with composure The hosts got their first boundary when Marco Jansen bowled down leg and Jaiswal flicked him through square legWith Jansen and Wiaan Mulder being economical India managed to be watchful till stumps arrived With three days left in the game pressure will be huge on India to level the series and save themselves from a second series loss at home in two yearsPreviously Muthusamy showcased his ability to bat sensibly a trait he had displayed in Rawalpindi and Chattogram before to hit a superb century laced with 10 fours and two sixes Jansen meanwhile hit a sparkling 93 and used his long levers well to smash six fours and seven sixes to put South Africa in a strong position of winning the matchFor India leftarm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav finished with four wickets while Jasprit Bumrah Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja claimed two apiece Simon Harmer was the only South African batter not to reach double figures in an otherwise commanding display for the ProteasThe final session began with Siraj providing India the breakthrough they desperately needed when Muthusamy attempted for a hook but failed to keep it down and was caught at fine leg ending his careerbest knock of 109 that had blunted India since he came out to bat at 2015Jansen continued to take charge launching two towering sixes off Jadeja and taking a four and six off Siraj to push South Africa past 440 before Bumrah ripped out Simon Harmerâs offstump Jansen continued to find boundaries and also featured in a defiant last wicket stand with Keshav Maharaj for 18 runsBut Jansen fell agonisingly short of a maiden Test hundred chopping on to a Kuldeep googly for 93 But his innings included seven sixes the jointâhighest tally in a knock for a lowerâorder batter in India With South Africa making a score more than any firstinnings total to lose a Test in India they have left themselves wellplaced to push for a rare series win on Indian soilBrief Scores South Africa 489 in 1511 overs Senuran Muthusamy 109 Marco Jansen 93 Kuldeep Yadav 4115 Jasprit Bumrah 275 lead India 90 in 61 overs Yashasvi Jaiswal 7 not out KL Rahul 2 not out by 480 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2nd-test-rahul-jaiswal-help-india-escape-unscathed-after-muthusamy-jansen-take-sa-to-489-650007.html Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/taijul-and-murad-guide-bangladesh-to-2-0-series-sweep-650013.html Dhaka Nov 23 Hasan Murad broke Irelandâs stubborn resistance on the final day securing Bangladeshâs 217run victory in the second Test in Dhaka on Sunday Curtis Campher stood firm with an unbeaten 71 off 259 balls and alongside Gavin Hoey endured over 31 overs before Murad dismissed Hoey and No 11 Matthew Humphreys with consecutive deliveries to seal a 20 series sweepMurad and Taijul Islam each claimed four wickets but the standout moment of the match belonged to Mushfiqur Rahim who scored a century in his 100th Test Taijul also reached a personal milestone becoming the sixth leftarm spinner to pick up 250 Test wickets he had earlier overtaken Shakib Al Hasanâs 246 to become Bangladeshâs leading wickettaker Play had also been briefly halted on the third day due to an earthquakeCampher and Hoey batted with impressive calmness after lunch stretching Bangladeshâs frustration as they ensured Ireland survived 593 overs on the fifth day despite several moments of dangerCampher displayed solid defence from the start while Jordan Neill at the other end struck multiple boundaries including a lofted six off Murad Litton Das put down a chance when Neill was on 23 but Mehidy Hasan Miraz eventually beat Neillâs forward push to disturb the stumps Campher reached his fifty with a straight six and continued to resist with disciplined battingIreland began the final day on 176 for 6 with four wickets in hand Bangladeshâs spinners made the most of friendlier conditions after their batters had used the surface during the morning session Openers Andy Balbirnie and Paul Stirling fell early leaving Harry Tector to anchor the scoring with a wellmade 50 before he was caught by Mushfiqur who held a tumbling catchStephen Doheny survived three chances on 2 13 and 14 before Taijul trapped him lbw for 15 Earlier Bangladesh had declared on 297 for 4 powered by fifties from Shadman Islam Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Mominul Haqueâwho topscored with 87âalong with Mushfiqurâs unbeaten 53 capping a memorable match for the 38yearoldBrief Scores Bangladesh 476 Litton Das 128 Mushfiqur Rahim 106 Andy McBrine 6109 Gavin Hoey 2115 amp 2974 dec Mominul Haque 87 Shadman Islam 78 Gavin Hoey 284 Jordan Neill 148 beat Ireland 265 Lorcan Tucker 75 Jordan Neill 49 Taijul Islam 476 Khaled Ahmed 239 amp 291 Curtis Campher 71 Harry Tector 50 Hasan Murad 444 Taijul Islam 4104 by 217 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/taijul-and-murad-guide-bangladesh-to-2-0-series-sweep-650013.html Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/if-india-can-bat-for-next-two-days-they-will-be-in-stronger-position-says-kumble-650021.html New Delhi Nov 23 Former India cricketer Anil Kumble asserts that India needs to bat through the next two days to stand a chance of survival in the second Test at Guwahati Following South Africas innings where Senuran Muthusamy scored his first Test century 109 and Marco Jansen made an impressive 93 the visitors reached 489 before India finished Day 2 at 90 trailing by 480 runs He emphasised that although the surface will still be good for batting the hosts will need to be disciplined and patientâI certainly expect a little more wear and tear and Iâm sure the spinners will come into play tomorrow That said it will still be a good surface to bat onâruns wonât be hard to come by For India this is a mustwin Test Theyâve had six tough sessions and theyâll be thinking about how they can bat through the next two days If India can control the third and fourth day theyâll put themselves in a position to think about the second inningsâ Kumble told JioStar after the dayâs play on SundayKumble also analysed Yashasvi Jaiswalâs responsibilities heading into Day 3 saying âYashasvi will have a role but not necessarily right at the start He needs to settle in get used to the conditionsâ If he can get through the first 30â45 minutes and negotiate Jansenâs early spell weâll see the dominant version of Jaiswal we know Heâll certainly look to take on the spinnersâIndias bowlers made early progress earlier in the day but they were unable to break the MuthusamyJansen partnership Bumrah Siraj and Jadeja each claimed two wickets while Kuldeep Yadav finished with four With seven sixes Jansen equalled the mark for the jointâhighest tally in a knock for a lowerâorder batter in India With South Africa making a score higher than any firstinnings total to lose a Test in India they have left themselves wellplaced to push for a rare series win on Indian soilIndias response began cautiously with KL Rahul and Jaiswal resisting a probing spell from Jansen and Wiaan Mulder before play was once again halted early due to bad lightReflecting on Marco Jansenâs gamechanging 93 Kumble added âMarco Jansen completely took the game away from Indiaâ He clearly trusts his batting heâs carrying more than four bats He was outstanding against the spinners and even took on the short ballâ But it was a fantastic innings and his partnership with Muthusamy ensured South Africa didnât just cross 400âthey went close to 500âSouth Africaâs lower order turned the game and Dale Steyn felt India lacked tactical flexibility with the ball âThey stuck with Plan A for too long and didnât switch to a Plan B or Câ On a flatter wicket like this they needed something differentâ the former Protea said adding that Indiaâs defensive fields allowed South Africa to settle too easily IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/if-india-can-bat-for-next-two-days-they-will-be-in-stronger-position-says-kumble-650021.html Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/khawaja-to-be-assessed-for-back-issues-says-mcdonald-650061.html Perth Nov 24 Australia coach Andrew McDonald has confirmed Usman Khawaja will undergo medical assessment this week for the back issues which cropped up during the opening Ashes Test in Perth but expressed optimism that the senior opener will be fit for the second game starting on December 4 in Brisbane Khawaja was unable to open in either innings and batted only once while also missing considerable time on the field As per McDonald Australiaâs medical staff are set to investigate further as Khawaja has never previously experienced back spasms of this nature in his playing careerThere was discussions around further investigation to whether it was more serious than what we sort of first anticipated So well work through that Well get a squad together Well step through everything that we normally step through We get to camp in six days time Its a long way out a lot of information to gather between now and then and hopefully Usman is fit and available for selectionI think anytime you spasm its a result of something going on in your back So I think that further investigation is just due diligence around that You spasm for a reason He hasnt had it before so thats what will probably entail a bit more further investigation My gut feel is that it should be okay but as I said well wait for that information to present McDonald told reporters on MondayHe also conceded the selectors have âa lot to considerâ following Travis Headâs explosive century as a standâin opener in the Perth Test Headâs 123 off 83 balls in the second innings sealed a thrilling victory and has now sparked a debate over whether his role in the batting order be revisitedWeve got a lot to consider Batting orders are always debated heavily over a period of time Middle order players havent been sort of the ones that have been the popular ones to open the batting So well discuss and work through what it looks likeI think it gave us a little bit of a lens potentially to the future in terms of adjusting batting orders in second innings which is something that we have discussed To be able to put different people in different positions with the scenario that was presentedââSo this one happened probably through a bit more chance and obviously the unfortunate injury to Usman But I think it really probably opens up that discussion more than more than anything else for usâYou do it in oneday cricket you front end some of your innings you know the back end is going to be difficult to chase down the runs Then thereâs other times in oneday cricket where itâs difficult up front you back end your innings and you put all your power at the back end So can that transition and Test cricket Are people ready for thatâItâs a conversation that we have had Weâve had a conversation around Travis opening the batting for a long period of time and Trav has been on the record this week and previously around that also I suppose now that itâs out there yeah happy to talk about it Will we do it If it presents at the right time potentiallyâ he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/khawaja-to-be-assessed-for-back-issues-says-mcdonald-650061.html Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2nd-test-washington-kuldeep-take-india-to-1747-but-follow-on-cloud-looms-large-for-india-650101.html Guwahati Nov 24 South Africa maintained their dominance in the ongoing second Test by reducing India to 1747 in 67 overs at lunch on day three at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Monday India still trail South Africa by 315 runs though Washington Sundarâs unbeaten 33 and Kuldeep Yadavâs resistance for 14 not out meant they are keeping the hosts in a fight through an eighthâwicket stand worth 52 runs Marco Jansenâs hostile spell of shortâpitched bowling ripped through Indiaâs middle order claiming Rishabh Pant Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja to leave the hosts reeling Though Sundar and Kuldeep have batted for 141 balls together Indiaâs immediate target will be to avoid the followâon which is 116 runs awayIndiaâs hopes of mounting a fightback after the tea break quickly unravelled when Rishabh Pant who was seen as the one batter capable of counterattacking against the Proteas fell for just seven Pantâs attempt to take on Marco Jansen backfired when he danced down the pitch for a wild slog but only edged to the keeper and burnt a reviewJansen then compounded Indiaâs issues by using his height to extract steep bounce that forced Nitish Kumar Reddy into fending a rising delivery and was brilliantly caught by a diving gully who completed the grab with one hand With Reddy departing for 10 it left India in deep troubleWashington Sundar Indiaâs best batter at number three in Kolkata came at eight and could just see Jansen continuing to wreak havoc with his barrage of short deliveries â the latest of which climbed steeply onto Ravindra Jadeja deflected off his shoulder and then took the outside edge to second slip With the review confirming the edge Jadeja was dismissed for six leaving South Africa jubilant and India despondentSundar finally managed to get going by flaying Jansen for four before using his long reach to smack Simon Harmer for six India survived a close call when Harmerâs appeal for lbw against Kuldeep was sent upstairs only for replays to show the ball had brushed the glove before looping up to short legKuldeep and Sundar then dug in displaying solid defence and application something which was missing in their other batting colleagues to frustrate South Africa Kuldeep in particular looked assured against spin thus underlining that the pitch held no demons As the ball grew older batting became easier for both Kuldeep and Sundar till lunch arrivedWhile Ravi Shastri on commentary was critical of Indiaâs batting Sundar and Kuldeep reiterated that Indiaâs woes were more about quality South African bowling and poor shot selection than the pitch itself With the game slipping away only a miracle could now alter the course of the contest for IndiaBrief Scores South Africa 489 in 1511 overs Senuran Muthusamy 109 Kuldeep Yadav 4115 lead India 1747 in 67 overs Yashasvi Jaiswal 58 Washington Sundar 33 not out Marco Jansen 443 Simon Harmer 261 by 315 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/2nd-test-washington-kuldeep-take-india-to-1747-but-follow-on-cloud-looms-large-for-india-650101.html Mon, 24 Nov 2025 14:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-have-half-a-chance-of-playing-the-next-game-says-cummins-649880.html Perth Nov 22 Injured Australia captain Pat Cummins has said that he could return for the second Ashes Test at The Gabba starting on December 4 Cummins missed the ongoing opening match in Perth due to a lower back injury and had been in doubt for the second fixture in Brisbane âItâs feeling good I had a couple of good sessions in Perth this week so having a big day where Iâd bowl around 10 overs then a couple of quieter day and then going again Itâs on track and pulling up pretty well Iâm half a chance for the next gameââIâll have a couple more bowls and then there could be about two weeks before the next one the way this one is going Iâm pretty hopeful and itâs probably better than it was a few weeks agoâ said Cummins to broadcasters Kayo Sports during day twoâs playCumminsâ return would provide a significant lift for Australia with Josh Hazlewood already sidelined from the first two Tests due to a hamstring injury that threatens to rule him out of the entire fivematch seriesHe also said a final decision on his fitness will be made closer to the second Test but expressed optimism about taking the field and leading Australia at The Gabba Itâll be a collaboration between myself and the physios the selectors and the doctorsââThereâs a few things at play and obviously Iâm not coming off a lot of cricket so you want to get a bit of a feel have a look at the wicket and work out how you think the game may pan out and make a decision If I donât want to play no one is going to put me in that positionâ added CumminsIf Cummins is cleared to play at The Gabba debutant fast bowler Brendan Doggett is expected to make way despite an impressive first outing in the longer format where he claimed five wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/ashes-have-half-a-chance-of-playing-the-next-game-says-cummins-649880.html Sun, 23 Nov 2025 00:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/henry-chapman-star-as-new-zealand-seal-3-0-clean-sweep-649887.html Hamilton Nov 22 New Zealandâs fourpronged pace attack dismantled West Indiesâ fragile batting yet again completing a 30 clean sweep in Hamilton and stretching their dominant home streak to 11 straight bilateral ODI series victories Only South Africa 17 have achieved more consecutive bilateral series wins than New Zealands 11 at home in mens ODIsWithout the injured Daryl Mitchell the No1ranked ODI batter New Zealand were made to fight in their chase They slipped to 70 for 4 after losing their top three inside 11 overs and Tom Latham cheaply But Mark Chapman and Michael Bracewell steadied the innings countering the threat posed by Matthew Forde and Jayden Seales with the new ball Chapman struck 64 off 63 balls while Bracewell provided firm support in a 75run partnership off just 48 deliveries for the fifth wicket Their stand kept leftarm fingerspinner Khary Pierre playing in place of the injured Romario Shepherd out of the attack entirely turning him into a specialist fielderAlthough Chapman and captain Mitchell Santner fell close to the finish line Bracewell and Zak Foulkes closed out the chase with almost 20 overs to spareEarlier West Indies left nearly 14 overs unused after opting to bat Matt Henry led New Zealandâs attack with 4 for 43 while Kyle Jamieson Jacob Duffy and Foulkes replacing the injured Nathan Smith shared four wickets Without Shepherd West Indies lacked depthHenry triggered the collapse in the powerplay by removing Ackeem Auguste and Keacy Carty in the fifth over Auguste fell for 17 off 19 balls while Carty chopped on for a duck Jamieson then dismissed opener John Campbell for 26 off 24 balls with only Campbell and Roston Chase managing scores above 25Shai Hopeâs promising start ended on 16 when Foulkes had him caught down the leg side leaving West Indies at 77 for 4 New Zealandâs quicks continued to pound the pitch with crossseam and scrambledseam deliveries Rutherford Chase and Shamar Springer were all bounced out Chase suffered a blow to the hand and required treatment before Henry removed him for good having him topedge to extracover Pierre and Seales offered brief resistance with an 18run lastwicket stand before Henry wrapped up the inningsSantner also contributed with the ball removing Justin Greaves and Forde in his first overWest Indies fought back through Seales and Forde early in the chase but Chapman and Bracewell ensured New Zealandâs comfortable victoryBrief Scores West Indies 161 in 362 overs Roston Chase 38 Matt Henry 443 lost to New Zealand 1626 in 303 overs Mark Chapman 64 Michael Bracewell 40 not out Jayden Seales 235 by four wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/henry-chapman-star-as-new-zealand-seal-3-0-clean-sweep-649887.html Sun, 23 Nov 2025 01:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/cricket/agarkar-amp-co-slated-to-meet-in-mumbai-to-select-indias-squads-for-white-ball-games-against-sa-649981.html New Delhi Nov 23 The senior menâs selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar is scheduled to convene in Mumbai on Sunday to select Indiaâs squads for the upcoming whiteball series against South Africa said sources to IANS Agarkar along with RP Singh and BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia were in Guwahati on Saturday to attend day one of the second Test against South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium But IANS understands that the trio left for Mumbai from Guwahati on Sunday for the selection committee meeting at the BCCI headquartersâYes the selection meeting is today in Mumbai after being initially presumed that it would happen in Guwahati It is understood that other members are also travelling to Mumbai for itâ further said the sourcesFollowing the conclusion of the twomatch Test series India will play against South Africa in three ODIs to be played in Ranchi Raipur and Visakhapatnam and five T20Is set to take place in Cuttack New Chandigarh Dharamsala Lucknow and Ahmedabad The discussion in the Agarkarled panel is expected to centre a lot on who could lead the side for the ODI series against the ProteasThereâs a leadership vacuum in the 50over setup as captain Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer are unavailable due to neck and spleen injuries With Gill also consulting Mumbaibased spinal surgeon Dr Abhay Nene for his neck injury recovery it also puts him as a doubtful starter for the T20Is against South Africa starting on December 9IANS understands that thereâs a leadership tossup between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant with more discussions expected to happen in the selection committeeâs meeting Rahul has led India previously in ODIs and was the captain when the side beat South Africa in the 50over series in 2023Pant on the other hand is captaining India in the ongoing second Test in Guwahati but hasnât been a firstchoice starter in the 50over setup due to Rahulâs presence In Gillâs absence Yashasvi Jaiswal could partner with Rohit Sharma at the topWith Jasprit Bumrah set to be rested to manage his workload and Kuldeep Yadav expected to be on leave due to his wedding Harshit Rana Mohammed Siraj Arshdeep Singh Axar Patel Varun Chakravarthy and Washington Sundar will shape the bowling attackFor the T20I series against the Proteas barring Gill the majority of the squad is likely to be on the expected lines It would be interesting to see if Hardik Pandya is included with the seambowling allrounder on rehab mode for a quad injury recovery at the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru IANS https://dailyworld.in/cricket/agarkar-amp-co-slated-to-meet-in-mumbai-to-select-indias-squads-for-white-ball-games-against-sa-649981.html Sun, 23 Nov 2025 14:33:00 +0530