The owners of Indian Premier League side Mumbai Indians have won the race to buy a 49 percent stake in English cricket Hundred franchise Oval Invincibles, according to reports on Thursday. All eight of the competition's city-based franchises, each of which has a men's and women's team, will be matched with preferred investors over the next week. English cricket chiefs are aiming to bring in private money in order to attract the world's top players in a competitive global market.

Mumbai Pickle Power: Bengaluru Jawans sealed their place at the top of the standings with a 4-1 victory over Mumbai Pickle Power in the World Pickleball League (WPBL) 2025 at the Cricket Club of India-Brabourne Stadium here on Thursday. The tie saw a mix of high-intensity clashes and standout individual performances. Jack Foster kicked things off in mens singles with a win over Brandon Lane. After a tight start, Jack took control, finding his rhythm and cruising to a 26-10 victory. The women's d

Australia had Sri Lanka three down after opener Usman Khawaja's first double century and a ton on debut by Josh Inglis helped the tourists to 654-6 declared in the first match on Thursday. Sri Lanka were 44-3 by stumps on day two at Galle with senior batsmen Dinesh Chandimal, on nine, and Kamindu Mendis, on 13, on guard until rain stopped play. Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann struck first to have Oshada Fernando lbw and soon pace spearhead Mitchell Starc got Dimuth Karunaratne caught at g

Kolkata Knight Riders: Renowned for his ability to hit across 360 degrees, Suryakumar Yadav is the best player in India's T20I team, just like ICC Player of the Year 2024 Jasprit Bumrah is in the Test team, opines former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar. Surya is one of the most inspiring stories in Indian cricket, of a player who made his national team debut at age 30 and is just three years rose to be the captain of India's T20I team. In the latest episode of Deep Point on Star Sports, experts Sa

Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association: Former Wimbledon semifinalist and World No. 73 Maria Tatjana will headline the main draw of the fourth edition of the Mumbai Open WTA Tour event, which was launched at the iconic Cricket Club of India (CCI), here on Thursday. The WTA 125 tournament, being organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA), will commence on February 1 with the qualifying rounds, while the main draw of the event will begin on February 3 with the final sche

Railways Ranji Trophy: On a day when Virat Kohlis grand return to domestic cricket was the main talking point on Day One of the Ranji Trophy match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Railways wicketkeeper-batter Upendra Yadav made a big impact through a solid 95, laced with ten fours and a six to take Railways from 66/5 to a respectable 241. He admitted that when a cricketer of Kohlis stature arrives for a domestic game, players are bound to get excited, especially with the euphoric atmosphere provided

IND vs ENG 4th T20I, Approaching Milestones and Records : The ongoing five-match T20I series between India cricket team and England cricket team has come to an interesting position. After winning the first two games with exceptional performances of the spinners, India were in a position of making it three out of three. Varun Chakravarthy once again bowled exceptionally well with a T20I fifer. But the Indian batting had a horrible time. They only managed 145/9 and lost the third match by 26 runs,

IND vs ENG 4th T20I Dream11 Prediction : Team India suffered a batting collapse in the third T20I in Rajkot as England came up with perfect plans. That has helped the visitors to register thier first win in the five-match T20I series. However, India are still leading the series 2-1, and they will look to seal the series win with a win in the next game. The fourth T20I is slated to be held at MCA Stadium in Pune. This game will begin at 7 PM IST on Friday. India had to find the right battin

Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Former India cricketer Mohinder Amarnath has voiced his strong support for Prime Minister Narendra Modis Fit India initiative, emphasizing that a nations success is closely tied to its overall fitness levels. He also backed the Board of Control for Cricket in Indias (BCCI) move to make participation in domestic cricket mandatory for Indian players, stressing that the foundation of the sport lies in its grassroots development. Amarnath believes that fitness is crucia

Bishan Singh Bedi Stand: The word Aura, with its Latin and Ancient Greek origins saying it as another word for wins, is described in the Oxford English Dictionary as a distinctive ambience or quality generated by a person or thing. If one were to describe what aura meant to cricket fans in New Delhi on January 30, 2025, look no further than them thronging the Arun Jaitley Stadium in heaps to see the talismanic Virat Kohli in action on day one of the Ranji Trophy Group D game between Delhi and Ra

Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Shukla: Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Shukla has met Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar along with India star Virat Kohli in the national capital, the senior BCCI official shared a photo of the meeting on social media. Shukla, who is a vice president of the BCCI, shared a glimpse of his meeting on X, with a caption, Lovely to meet honourable Vice President of India Shri Dhankar ji. Glad to have the company of Virat Kohli. It is expected the meeting held before Delhi's Ranji Trophy Elit

Josh Inglis: Australian batter Josh Inglis scored a blistering 102 off 93 balls on his debut against Sri Lanka on day 2 of the first Test on Thursday. Josh Inglis smashes second-fastest century on Test debut against Sri Lanka Galle, Jan 30 (IANS) Australian batter Josh Inglis scored a blistering 102 off 93 balls on his debut against Sri Lanka on day 2 of the first Test on Thursday. Inglis reached to his maiden Test century in just 90 balls, making it the second-fastest century on Test debut in c

Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy: Amelia Kerrs exceptional all-round contributions were instrumental in New Zealands 2024 Womens T20 World Cup triumph in Dubai, and fulfill their long-held ambitions coming after two runners-up finishes. New Zealands win was enhanced by Amelia receiving the Player of the Tournament award for her impressive 15 wickets, the most by any bowler in the competition's history and scoring 135 runs. On top of everything else, Amelia was the recipient of two major honors at the

T20 World Cup: Former England mens white-ball head coach Matthew Mott stated that he would never say never to the opportunity of coaching the women's side. Mott, who played a key role in Englands 2022 T20 World Cup triumph alongside Jos Buttler, stepped down in July last year after a mixed tenure. The Australian, however, remains one of the most successful coaches in womens cricket, having led Australias women to an era of dominance during his tenure from 2015 to 2022. Under his leadership, the

The Sydney Morning Herald: Australian batting maestro Steve Smith, who etched his name among the all-time greats by becoming the fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs, has stated that one of the batters from Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, and young prodigy Sam Konstas could be the fifth Australian to reach the milestone. The 35-year-old on Wednesday joined Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting as the fourth Australian to score the 10000 Test runs. Overall, he became just the 15th p

U19 T20 World Cup: Australia captain Lucy Hamilton believes her sides unexpected loss to Sri Lanka in their final Super Six contest in Bangi on Wednesday could serve as a wake-up call and help propel them towards victory at the ICC Womens U19 T20 World Cup 2025. Despite having already secured a semi-final spot, Australia faltered against Sri Lanka, struggling to chase down a modest target of 100. The Aussies were undone by spin, managing only 87/8 in response to Sri Lankas 99/8. Hamilton, howeve

Usman Khawaja: Usman Khawaja etched his name alongside the legendary Donald Bradman by becoming only the second Australian aged over 38 to score a Test double-century. The Aussie opener Khawaja struck his maiden double hundred in Test cricket on day two of the first Test against Sri Lanka here on Thursday. Khawaja is also the only Australian man to hit a double century in Sri Lanka. He had earlier overtaken Justin Langer's 166 in Colombo in 2004 as the highest score by an Australian in Sri Lanka

Ian Healy: Australian cricket great Ian Healy believes that veteran batter Steve Smith can play international cricket until the age of 40 after watching his batting against Sri Lanka in Galle. Smith reached 10,000 Test runs milestone in the first innings at Galle where he also reached his 35th century in the format with a score of 141. I was so pleased, his batting his back. I thought he was clear-headed, and he was timing the ball beautifully, even in his defence. I'm saying he could play to 40

Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Seeing the overwhelming number of fans in attendance for the Delhi-Railways Ranji Trophy game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has stated that more gates are slated to be open for letting in spectators keen to see Virat Kohli in action. Sources in the DDCA told IANS that once the VIP movement, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, is cleared after 11am, the association will open res

Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy: India seamer Shardul Thakur claimed a hat-trick for Mumbai against Meghalaya in a must-win Ranji Trophy match here at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy on Thursday. Opening the bowling for Mumbai after the side chose to bowl first against Meghalaya, Thakur dismissed Anirudh B, Sumit Kumar, and Jaskirat in the third over before dismissing Nishant Chakraborty on the fourth ball of the innings. He became the second bowler to take a hat-trick in the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy

The MI Cape Town: MI Cape Town delivered a fielding, bowling and batting masterclass to book their maiden appearance in the SA20 Playoffs with a crushing 10-wicket win over Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Newlands. It has now set up an all-Western Cape Qualifier 1 with current table-toppers Paarl Royals set to meet MI Cape Town at St Georges Park in Gqeberha on February 4. The winner will advance directly to the final at the Wanderers February 8. MI Cape Town were excellent from the outset with Dewald

Arun Jaitley Stadium: Virat Kohli confirmed to play a Ranji Trophy match after 12 years as Delhi won the toss and elected to bowl first against Railways in their Elite Group D match of the ongoing season at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday. Kohlis last Ranji Trophy game for Delhi came against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad in November 2012. But following the BCCIs policy for Indian players to play domestic cricket when possible, Kohli turn out for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. His return comes at a

Dubai International Stadium: A composed knock of 70 runs in 54 balls from Max Holden helped the Desert Vipers restore their authority as table-toppers with a comprehensive five-wicket victory against the Gulf Giants in the ILT20 Season 3 here on Wednesday. Holden ensured the Desert Vipers cruised home in 19 overs at the Dubai International Stadium. Having already sealed a playoff spot, the Vipers cemented a top-two finish with this win. Earlier in the contest, three-wicket hauls from Wanindu Has

Mumbai Pickle Power: Mumbai Pickle Power will be hoping to reach the semifinals with an unbeaten record when they take on the Bengaluru Jawans in their final league fixture of the World Pickleball League (WPBL) at the Cricket Club of India's (CCI) Brabourne Stadium here on Thursday. Winning the top-of-the-table battle will be the right boost for any team ahead of the last-four stage clashes. There are interesting dynamics at play in this match, since Mumbai are eager to strengthen their standing

Chennai Super Champs: After days of near misses, Chennai Super Champs finally got the breakthrough, clinching their first tie victory in the World Pickleball League 2025 event with a well-earned 3-2 win over Pune United on Day 6 of the World Pickleball League. The tie kicked off with an intense mens singles battle between Punes William Sobek and Chennais Sonu Vishwakarma. Sonu displayed grit, keeping the contest tight at halftime, but Sobeks perseverance proved decisive as he edged out a 16-13 w

New South Wales: Australian opener Usman Khawaja silenced his critics in emphatic fashion, registering a superb century on a turning track in Galle during the first Test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. His 16th Test hundred, achieved in the second session of the day, ended a 19-month-long drought for a triple-figure score and reinforced his place in Australia's red-ball setup. Khawaja, known for his composed batting and mental resilience, opened up about how he navigates rough patches in his car

Holkar Cricket Stadium: Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been named in the Uttar Pradesh (UP) squad for their final Ranji Trophy league match against Madhya Pradesh (MP) at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. The match, set to begin on Thursday, marks Kuldeeps return to competitive cricket after a lengthy injury layoff following hernia surgery. Kuldeep has been out of action since October 2024, with his last competitive appearance coming in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. His

The International Masters League: The International Masters League (IML) on Wednesday announced the schedule for its highly-anticipated inaugural season. The tournament, featuring six powerhouse teams India, Australia, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies will commence on February 22. The curtain-raiser will witness a thrilling clash between two Asian giants as India, captained by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, will take on Sri Lanka, led by the elegant Kumar Sangakkara. The

Galle Cricket Stadium: Australia dominated Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle Cricket Stadium on Wednesday as opener Usman Khawaja and stand-in skipper Steve Smith scored unbeaten centuries to take the visitors 330/2 at Stumps. Khawaja (147 not out) and Smith (104 not out) stitched up a 195-run partnership to ensure Australias solid start to the series. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Travis Head (57) picked up where he left off from the Border Gavaskar Trophy

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Hoping to clinch a place in the playoffs, Sharjah Warriorz take on Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in a must-win encounter of the ILT20 Season 3 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium here on Thursday. The high-intensity clash will answer many questions in the run-up to the final stages of the tournament. With both teams battling for a shot at the playoffs, this contest promises to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller, with players leaving no stone unturned in their quest for victory. Sharja

Steve Smith: After reaching the historic 10,000-run milestone with a single, Steve Smith went on to score his 35th Test century and helped Australia reach 330/2 on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka here on Wednesday. Smith was batting on 104 at stumps with Usman Khawaja unbeaten on 147, having anchored the Australian innings, raising 195 runs for the third wicket partnership. Coming in to bat at No.4, Smith displayed his trademark precision and composure, forging a strong partnership wit

Kerala Blasters FC: Chennaiyin FC will look to build on their unbeaten record against rivals Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai when the latter come to visit for the pairs Indian Super League clash on Thursday. The Marina Machans have never lost a match against the Blasters at the Marina Arena, a run that stretches to the start of the ISL 11 years ago. Speaking to the media from a press conference in Chennai on the eve of the southern derby, head coach Owen Coyle empha

Parthiv Patel: Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has voiced concerns over Hardik Pandyas approach during Indias 26-run loss to England in the third T20I here on Tuesday. Patel believes Pandyas slow-paced innings played a key role in India failing to chase down a target of 172. India landed in early trouble at 48/3 in the Powerplay when Pandya walked in to steady the innings. However, instead of keeping the scoreboard moving, the Indian all-rounder struggled for fluency, consuming a signifi

Steve Smith: Former England captain Michael Vaughan heaped praise on Steve Smith, suggesting that his achievement puts him in a rare category, one that invites comparisons with the legendary Don Bradman, after the right-handed batter became only the fourth Australian batsman to surpass 10,000 runs in Test cricket. Smith crossed the milestone during Australias first innings against Sri Lanka in the opening Test at Galle on Wednesday. Smith now joins the legendary Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ri

Railways Ranji Trophy: The Delhi versus Railways Ranji Trophy league game wasnt included in the initial broadcast schedule for TV and live streaming until Virat Kohlis involvement was confirmed. News of Kohlis participation in Thursdays match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium has spurred a flurry of activity at the venue. By Wednesday evening, the camera crews will have completed their broadcast setup within the stadium. Furthermore, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is facilitating ac

ICC T20I Bowling Rankings: India's mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has made a sensational leap in the ICC Mens T20I Bowling Rankings, climbing 25 places to secure the fifth spot following a standout performance against England in the ongoing five-match series. Chakravarthy's five-wicket haul in Rajkot during the third T20I was the highlight of the series so far, showcasing his ability to bamboozle batters with his variations and precision. Chakravarthys performance was instrumental in Indias

The Sydney Morning Herald: After becoming only the fourth Australian to cross the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket on day one of the Galle Test against Sri Lanka, Steve Smith felt nice to tick that off with a flick wide of mid-on off Prabath Jayasuriya. Smith joined legends Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, and Steve Waugh in this elite club, achieving the milestone in just 205 innings the fifth-fastest in Test history. Nice to tick that off, Smith told official broadcaster Channel Seven at the strok

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Punjab Kings youngster Suryansh Shedge will display his talent in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. The right-handed batter believes playing under Shreyas Iyer again will make it easier for him to adjust to the IPL. Shedge, added by the franchise at the auction last year in November, grabbed the headlines with his unbeaten 36-run innings in 15 balls in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final to help Mumbai clinch the trophy. If you track the record of Punjab Ki

World Test Championship: Nineteen-year-old Australian cricket prodigy Sam Konstas displayed composure and professionalism after being left out of the playing XI for the opening Test against Sri Lanka, according to selector Tony Dodemaide, who reassured that Konstas remains a crucial part of Australia's plans for the future and revealed the youngster's classy response to being dropped for the opener. A lot of the narrative has been around this tour doesnt matter. It really does, its Test cricket.

Arun Jaitley Stadium: Theres been a different flavour to the atmosphere around the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi ever since Virat Kohlis participation for Delhi in their Ranji Trophy match against Railways, starting on Thursday, was confirmed. The talismanic Kohli last played in the Ranji Trophy against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad in November 2012. Now with him set for a homecoming in the prestigious red-ball domestic competition from Thursday, the mood has been understandably a mix of excite

ICC World Test Championship Final: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced that tickets for the World Test Championship final between South Africa and Australia at Lords are set to go on general sale from January 31. Reigning champions Australia booked their place in the 2025 decider when defeating India 3-1 in the recent Border-Gavaskar series, while the Proteas cruised past Pakistan 2-0 on home soil to ensure they will feature in the one-off Test for the first time at th

Arun Jaitley Stadium: In recent winter days of New Delhi, the sun shines intensely after the early morning cold goes away. As people bask in the winter sun for their Vitamin D intake, cricket fans in the national capital will soak in the sunshine at the Arun Jaitley Stadium from Thursday. Delhi, with a very slim mathematical chance to enter the Ranji Trophy knockouts, face Railways in their final Group D clash of the season starting on Thursday. Their knockout hopes hinge on many favourable outc

T20 World Cup: Nigeria scripted the perfect ending to their U19 women's T20 World Cup campaign, clinching a six-run victory against Ireland in their super six match here at the YSD-UKM Cricket Oval on Wednesday. With a win, Nigeria secured third place in Super Six Group 2, while Ireland's defeat meant they couldn't surpass New Zealand, finishing at the bottom of the group. Despite a slow start, Nigeria posted a tricky total of 94 in the early fixture after Niamh MacNulty won the toss and elected

Galle International Stadium: Veteran batter Steve Smith completed his 10,000 Test run with his first scoring shot on day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka here at Galle International Stadium on Wednesday. The stand-in skipper became the fourth Australian man to reach a rare milestone and the overall 15th man to achieve the feat. The 35-year-old joined Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting as Australians to get to 10,000 Test runs. Interestingly, all three were captains of the Test team

Australia's Steve Smith on Wednesday joined a select group of batsmen to reach 10,000 career Test runs during the first morning of the opening Test against Sri Lanka. Smith started the match on 9,999 runs and on his first ball pushed for a single off Prabath Jayasuriya in Galle to be the 15th Test batsman and fourth Australian to the milestone. The stand-in skipper raised his bat to acknowledge the applause from the crowd. The 35-year-old joined fellow Australians Ricky Ponting, Allan Border

Former Australian Test: Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine has shared his thoughts on Steve Smiths debut and rapid ascent to becoming one of the nation's greatest cricketers, ahead of Smith's milestone of 10,000 runs. Paine also believes Smith still has much more to contribute to the sport. Paine made his Australian debut alongside Smith in 2010 at Lords against Pakistan. Smith, initially chosen as a bowling all-rounder, scored 1 and 12 in his debut Test, batting at number 8. Paine said ev

Joburg Super Kings: A rejuvenated Pretoria Capitals claimed the honours in the Jukskei Derby with a six-wicket bonus point victory over Joburg Super Kings. Capitals now move up to 14 points - just one point behind the fourth-placed Super Kings on 15. Capitals coach Jonathan Trott made wholesale changes with five new players brought into the starting XI. The captains armband was also passed to Kyle Verreynne after Rilee Rossouw withdrew due to the birth of his child. Australian duo Ashton Turner

Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy: New Zealand cricket great and Hall of Famer Debbie Hockley has heaped praise on Melie Kerr after the 24-year-old was named the ICC Womens Player of the Year for 2024. The star all-rounder created history by becoming the first player from New Zealand to win the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Womens Cricketer of the Year. Kerr, the star of the New Zealands ICC T20 World Cup success in the UAE, headed off a talented field of contenders to win the supreme award, onl

MCG Test: Alyssa Healy has said that she is good to go for the historic day-night Ashes Test at the MCG, starting from Thursday, with Australia's XI yet to be confirmed on the eve of the match. Healy was battling a stress injury in her foot that saw her miss the entire T20I series while wearing a moon boot. The Aussie skipper while speaking to reporters at Wednesday's pre-game press conference, said she is confident for four days of Test cricket. I'm good to go. We'll make a final decision on wh

Dubai International Stadium: Johnson Charles ignited the Dubai International Stadium, leading the Sharjah Warriorz to a resounding nine-wicket victory in the ILT20 Season 3 here on Tuesday night. His breathtaking knock of 71 runs in 33 balls set up a flawless run chase in only 11.5 overs as the Warriorz maintained their undefeated record against the Dubai Capitals. An impactful show from the spinners including two wickets for 28 runs from Adam Zampa in the first innings restricted the Dubai Capi