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Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International: Pharma tycoon Adar Poonawalla said he will make a strong and competitive bid for securing the ownership of the reigning champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Over the next few months, we will be putting in a STRONG and COMPETITIVE bid for RCB, one of the best teams in the IPL, Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer of Pune-based vaccine-maker Serum Institute of India (SII) and Chairman of Poonawalla Fincorp, wr

After Renuka Singh Thakur: Sophie Devine's unbeaten 42-ball half-century guided Gujarat Giants to 153/8 against UP Warriorz in Match 14 of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 clash at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Thursday. Coming out to bat at number four, Devine hit two fours and three sixes to take Gujarat Giants past the 150-mark after a disciplined bowling performance from UP Warriorz had threatened to restrict the home side to a below-par total. For UPW, Sophie Ecclestone and Kranti Gau

Maharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium: Bengal enjoyed a strong outing on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C clash against Services at the Bengal Cricket Academy in Kalyani by finishing at 340/4 in 86 overs on Thursday. Veteran batter Sudip Chatterjee, returning from an injury, anchored the innings with an unbeaten 140 off 226 balls his 14th first-class century laced with 12 fours and a six. Chatterjee shared a 151-run opening stand with Abhimanyu Easwaran, who made 81 off 152 bal

Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium: Centuries from Sarfaraz Khan and Siddhesh Lad helped Mumbai seize control against Hyderabad by reaching 332/4 in 87 overs on the opening day of their Elite Group D match in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday. On a green-tinged pitch, Hyderabad captain Mohammed Siraj chose to bowl first and struck early by removing Akash Anand after Rohit Rayudu had dismissed Akhil Herwadkar for 27. Debutant N. Nit

Injured De Zorzi: South Africa batter Tony de Zorzi and all-rounder Donovan Ferreira have been ruled out of the three-match T20I series against West Indies and the Mens T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka due to injuries, said Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Thursday. De Zorzi has not recovered from a right hamstring tear sustained during the ODI against India last month, while Ferreira fractured his left clavicle in an SA20 match between Joburg Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals on January 17. Wi

Former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi: Former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi has asked Bangladesh to travel to India to play their matches in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, telling them that India is a very safe country and not to politicise the issue. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has sought relocation of their matches from India, claiming security concerns after the BCCI asked Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rehman from its squad for the upcoming IPL. The ICC Board ha

Niranjan Shah Stadium Ground: India Test and ODI captain Shubman Gills return to the Ranji Trophy ended in a two-ball duck as Saurashtra and Punjab batters struggled on a turning pitch on day one of their Elite Group B match at the Niranjan Shah Stadium Ground C on Thursday. On a day when 23 wickets fell, Gill was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Parth Bhut, who went on to claim 5-33. Punjabs batting line-up faltered against spin, with veteran India spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (2-48)

Unchanged UP Warriorz: An unchanged UP Warriorz have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Gujarat Giants in the 2026 Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 clash at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi, in Vadodara on Thursday. Whoever wins Thursdays clash will go to second place in the points table. Third-placed UP Warriorz have emerged from a three-match losing streak to register consecutive victories. Fifth-ranked Gujarat Giants are looking to break their three-game losing streak after starting with

T20 World Cup: Luke Wright will step down from his role as England mens selector after the upcoming T20 World Cup, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Thursday. Wright, who has served in the position for three years after assuming charge in November 2022, informed the board of his decision made with an eye to having less travel and spending more time with his young family. His departure comes in the wake of Englands 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia. It has been a true honour and privi

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana on Thursday said that clear role definition within the squad has been a key factor behind the teams strong start to the Womens Premier League (WPL) 2026, with RCB becoming the first side to qualify for the playoffs after winning all five of their matches so far. Speaking about the good start in the tournament, Mandhana said, It has been a great start to our campaign, and we are very pleased with our performances so

BWF Singapore Open: Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar paid a glowing tribute to Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal for carrying Indian badminton to the world stage during her nearly two-decade-long career. The 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist, who last played at the BWF Singapore Open in 2023, had not officially announced her retirement until Monday, when, during a podcast, the former World No. 1 said she had left the court on her own terms and there was no need to announce it. Highligh

The Indian Golf Premier League: The Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), together with the Indian Golf Union (IGU), the Professional Golfers' Association of India (PGAI), and The Golf Foundation (TGF), announced the Golf Growth Initiative on Thursday, a groundbreaking programme that aims to develop the next generation of Indian golfers. Launched at Delhi Golf Club (DGC) with tennis legend Leander Paes in attendance, it represents a significant shift in golfs development by bringing the sport direc

Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul: After the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that the Men's T20 World Cup will proceed as scheduled, Bangladesh Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul stated that they did not get justice from the ICC and there is no scope to change their decision of not playing their matches in India. There is no scope to change our decision. We will go back to the ICC with our plan to play in Sri Lanka. They did give us a 24-hour ultimatum, but a global body can't really do

ODI World Cup: Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has urged the national selectors to consider T20I star Abhishek Sharma for the ODI World Cup, stating that the left-handers explosive T20 performances could translate effectively into the ODI format if used smartly. Reacting to Abhisheks recent heroics in T20 cricket, Pathan acknowledged that the batter currently sits behind names like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the list of players waiting for permanent entry into the ODI setup. H

U19 World Cup: Gujarat Giants have signed Jintimani Kalita as an injury replacement for Titas Sadhu for the remainder of the Womens Premier League (WPL) 2026. Kalita, a left-handed batter and right-arm medium pacer who previously played for the Mumbai Indians in the WPL, has played in 13 matches across the previous three editions of the tournament. Kalita signed with the Giants for Rs 10 Lakhs and will aim to strengthen the team as they look to secure a playoff spot. Sadhu joined the Giants from

With Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Defending champions Mumbai Indians' struggles in the batting power-play of the 2026 Women's Premier League (WPL) stem from a critical lack of stability at the top of the batting order, said former India mens wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim. The two-time champions have suffered four defeats in six matches something which is a first for the franchise. Their batting powerplay run rate of 6.05 is the weakest for a team in the competition, with none of their five ope

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: India's seam bowling all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar has returned from injury and joined the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squad for the remainder of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 on Thursday. Vastrakar had been out of competitive action since late 2024 due to a shoulder injury. She underwent rehabilitation at the BCCIs Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and was to link up with RCB ahead of the fourth edition of WPL. But two days before her release, she

Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium: Shardul Thakurs childhood coach, Dinesh Lad, revealed that the Mumbai captain sustained a minor leg injury, leading him to skip the Ranji Trophy match against Hyderabad on Thursday. Thakur has been Mumbai's captain since the start of the tournament, guiding the team to three wins in five games, with the remaining two ending in stalemates. Nonetheless, he was unable to participate in the ongoing match against Hyderabad, with Siddhesh Lad donning the captain hat

Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium: Siddhesh Lads father and veteran coach Dinesh Lad, who was the childhood coach of former India skipper Rohit Sharma, expressed immense pride after his son was named captain of Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy match against Hyderabad, which began on Thursday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Siddhesh is leading the side in the absence of regular skipper Shardul Thakur, a moment Dinesh described as a significant honour given Mumbais rich cricketing legacy. Di

Big Bash League: Babar Azam will be unavailable for the remainder of the Big Bash League (BBL15) Finals Series as he will return to Pakistan to join his national team to commence preparations for upcoming international matches, the Sydney Sixers said on Thursday. The Sixers have confirmed Daniel Hughes will replace Babar in the squad and will slot straight in as opener. Babar Azam has been recalled to join Pakistans national camp ahead of upcoming international fixtures. He will be unavailable f

Rinku Singh: India batter Rinku Singh acknowledged that he was under pressure to score runs when he walked out to bat against New Zealand in the first T20I in Nagpur on Wednesday and said that he walked onto the field with the aim of making as many runs as possible and standing up to the teams expectations, having gotten an opportunity to make a comeback to the Indian team. Rinku entered the crease in the 14th over after India were put to bat first. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samsons opening knoc

Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar analysed spinner Varun Chakaravarthys performance and praised the teams all-round performance in the first T20I of the five-match series against New Zealand as the Men in Blue clinched a thumping win in Nagpur and kicked off the final preparations ahead of the Men's T20 World Cup. Batting first, India posted 238/7 on the board in 20 overs courtesy of opener Abhishek Sharmas fiery 84(35) and quick contributions from skipper

Bangladesh Cricket Board: Bangladesh Cricket Board has requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) for 48 hours' time to convey their decision to the government regarding playing their matches of the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and take a decision, a news report said. BCB officials, on request not to be named, told Telecom Asia Sport on Wednesday, hours after the ICC rejected Bangladeshs plea to relocate their matches from India after the BCB failed to provide much support, except from

AFG vs WI, 3rd T20I , Cricket Tips :Afghanistan have beaten West Indies in the first two games and won the ongoing T20I series. In both games, they have chosen to bat first and score big to put West Indies under pressure. So far, they have executed their plans. But can they make it to 3-0 for a historic whitewash? The final T20I will be held at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on January 22 at 8 PM IST. Darwish Rasooli has been the star for Afghanistan. He has scored half-centuries in both g

GG-W vs UPW-W, Match 14, Cricket Tips :UP Warriorz had a tough start to the WPL 2026 with three consecutive defeats. But somehow they have managed to pull things back, and they outperformed Mumbai Indians Women in two consecutive games. They seem to have gained the momentum and will look to carry it on as they take on Gujarat Giants next. This contest will commence at 7:30 PM IST on Thursday at BCA Stadium in Vadodara. Meg Lanning and Phoebe Litchfield have been in good form, and Harleen Deol

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor: Hailed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday as 'The man with the toughest job after PM' after a meeting, India head coach Gautam Gambhir has thanked the noted author for his warm words of appreciation for his role as the team boss, considered by many as a thankless job. Tharoor shared warm words of appreciation for Gambhir for the intense scrutiny he faces, after meeting the former India batter in Nagpur ahead of the first T20I of the five-match series against N

T20 World Cup: India captain Suryakumar Yadav praised his sides batting depth and preparation to unfurl big hits after securing a 48-run win over New Zealand in the T20I series opener at the VCA Stadium on Wednesday. Indias batting had already set up for win in their build-up to next months T20 World Cup, with Abhishek Sharmas 84 and Rinku Singhs unbeaten 44 lifting them to 238/7 their highest T20I total against New Zealand. Chasing 239, New Zealand were reduced to 52/3, before Glenn Phillips k

New VCA Stadium: Abhishek Sharmas magnificent 84, Rinku Singhs unbeaten 44, and two scalps each by Varun Chakaravarthy and Shivam Dube powered India to a 48run victory over New Zealand in the T20I series opener at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Wednesday. Abhishek Sharma stepped up to take on the bowlers and produced another stunning knock from 35, laced with five fours and eight sixes, at a strike-rate of 240. Rinku finished the innings strongly with a 20-ball 44 not out, studded with four bounda

SL vs ENG, 1st ODI , Cricket Tips :Sri Lanka will be hosting England for three ODIs and three T20Is, starting on January 22. These two teams will be playing in the first ODI against each other on Thursday. This game will start at 2:30 PM IST at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Harry Brook and his men are coming off a disastrous Ashes 2025-26, where they were hammered by Australia. But this is the change of format, and they will be looking to start fresh and gain momentum ahead of the T20 World

T20 World Cup: Varun Chakaravarthy and Shivam Dube picked two wickets each as India defeated New Zealand by 48 runs in the T20I series opener at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Wednesday. Indias batting had already set up for victory in their build-up to next months T20 World Cup, with Abhishek Sharmas 84 and Rinku Singhs unbeaten 44 lifting them to 238/7 their highest T20I total against New Zealand. Chasing 239, New Zealand were reduced to 52/3 before Glenn Phillips kept them in contention with a

U19 World Cup: England and Afghanistan marched into the Super Six stage of the ICC Under-19 Mens Cricket World Cup with flawless group-stage records, after emphatic wins over Scotland and Tanzania, respectively, on Wednesday. Scotland got off to a good start when they removed Ben Dawkins early, but after that, it was all England as both Joseph Moores and Ben Mayes put together a remarkable partnership of 188 runs. Joseph Moores scored a solid 81 from 65 balls before falling to Scottish bowler Ro

Vande Mataram CISF Coastal Cyclothon: Cricket legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni extended his best wishes for the Vande Mataram CISF Coastal Cyclothon2026, lauding it as a commendable initiative that embodies national unity, fitness, and heightened awareness on coastal security. At the Mumbai Airport, he interacted with the CISF team and stated that such initiatives foster public participation and collective responsibility while inspiring society - especially the youth - to embrace a healthy, disciplin

New VCA Stadium: Abhishek Sharma struck a magnificent 84 while Rinku Singh made a fantastic unbeaten 44 as India posted 238/7 in 20 overs against New Zealand in the T20I series opener at the New VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Wednesday. Abhishek stepped up to take on the bowlers and produced another stunning knock worth 35 balls laced with five fours and eight sixes at a strike-rate of 240. Rinku finished the innings strongly with a 20-ball 44 not out, studded with four boundaries and three sixes to g

Wales Cricket Board: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has appointed Troy Cooley as the mens elite national pace bowling lead coach, where the Australian will oversee the development of fast bowlers across Englands senior mens and pathway teams. Cooley will be responsible for coaching pace bowlers in the England mens side as well as the England Lions and Young Lions squads. Cooley, 60, returns to a role he previously held between 2003 and 2006, a period that included Englands Ashes victo

Karnataka State Cricket Association: Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) President Venkatesh Prasad said the decision of IPL 2026 games returning to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium now rests with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, adding that the ball is in their court. The stadium has not hosted any competitive cricket since June 4, when 11 fans died in a stampede during Royal Challengers Bengalurus IPL 2025 victory celebrations outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The conditional clearance comes

England Cricket Board: Former England and Worcestershire left-arm spinner Norman Gifford has died at the age of 85 after a long illness, the England Cricket Board confirmed on Wednesday. Gifford was a key player during Worcestershires golden era, helping the team win the County Championship in 1964 and 1965. He later took charge as captain, leading Worcestershire to the County Championship title in 1974 and the Sunday League crown in 1971. At the international level, Gifford played for England i

T20 World Cup: India wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy said his focus remains on excellence and contributing to the teams success, as it begins the final lap of preparation for the Mens T20 World Cup via the series opener against New Zealand at the New VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Wednesday. It's obviously a good feeling when that's a validation of what you get from the external world, but that's not what we go and fetch for. What we strive for is excellence and victory for the country that we play

India T20I: New Zealand have won the toss and elected to bowl against India in the opening match of a five-game T20I series at the VCA Stadium on Wednesday, with pacer Kristian Clarke handed a debut cap. Left-handed wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has returned to the India T20I side for the first time since 2023. With Shubman Gill omitted, Sanju Samson returns as the opener alongside an in-form Abhishek Sharma. The series comes ahead of the T20 World Cup starting on February 7 in India and Sri

New VCA Stadium: Congress MP and noted author Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday shared warm words of appreciation for Gautam Gambhir, head coach of the Indian mens cricket team, after meeting the former India batter in Nagpur ahead of the first T20I of the five-match series against New Zealand at the New VCA Stadium in Jamtha. Sharing a photograph of their meeting on the social media platform X, Tharoor described Gambhir as a man entrusted with one of the toughest roles in the country, highlighting th

The International Cricket Council: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday confirmed that Bangladeshs matches in the upcoming 2026 Mens T20 World Cup will be played in India, as per the original schedule. The decision comes after an ICC Board meeting, featuring all members, which took place via video conferencing, after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requested that its fixtures be shifted to Sri Lanka, due to the BCCI instructing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to remove Mustafizur

ICC U19 World Cup: Ben Mayes made history by setting the highest individual score by an England player at the ICC Under-19 Mens Cricket World Cup, scoring 191 runs from only 117 balls against Scotland in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Wednesday. Mayes score was also the joint second-highest of all time in U-19 World Cup history, tying with Sri Lankas Hasitha Boyagoda and just one short of the world record set by Viran Chamuditha, who achieved this record earlier in the tournament against Japan. Mayes came

The Vijay Hazare Trophy: Reigning Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha added another major trophy to their cabinet when they clinched the Vijay Hazare Trophy title after beating Saurashtra by 38 runs on Sunday. Traditionally strong in red-ball cricket, Vidarbha added the 50-over crown to their domestic trophy collection, completing a missing piece in their cabinet. The Vijay Hazare Trophy win further underlined Usman Ghanis impact as Vidarbha coach, adding more glitter to an impressive resume that al

New VCA Stadium: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has reflected on his international career, missed opportunities, and return to the opening role in a video released by the BCCI on Wednesday. Samson, who was part of Indias squad for the historic T20 World Cup 2024 triumph but did not get an opportunity to play, admitted that the phase was challenging, though he remained thankful for being included in the 15-member squad. Talking about the T20 World Cup 2024, I didnt play a game. Things we

Kolkata Knight Riders: Three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have appointed former Rajasthan wicketkeeper-batter Dishant Yagnik as their fielding coach ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Yagnik is set to bring a wealth of experience and a sharp eye for fielding excellence to KKR, with the franchise set to enter the IPL with a fresh, new-look support staff unit led by Abhishek Nayar (Head Coach), DJ Bravo (Mentor) Shane Watson (Assistant Coach), Tim Southee (Bowling

Former Australia captain Steve Waugh is seeking to conquer cricket's last great frontier as one of the investors in a new European T20 franchise competition set to feature Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh. Organisers of the city-based European T20 Premier League (ETPL), co-founded by Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan, on Wednesday announced the owners of its first three franchises in Amsterdam, Edinburgh and Belfast. Amsterdam will be owned by a group led by Waugh while Edinburgh will be owned by f

England white-ball captain Harry Brook on Wednesday admitted it was not the right thing to do to get into an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand, but insisted I've learnt from my mistakes. The 26-year-old was fined 30,000 ($40,000) by the England and Wales Cricket Board after the incident in Wellington the night before a one-day international. England lost the match the next day with Brook scoring just six. I've learnt from my mistakes, Brook told reporters in Colombo where Engla

T20 World Cup: Harry Brook, a day before the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, has expressed his gratitude for keeping Englands white-ball captaincy after an off-field incident in New Zealand. Brook also feels that he now has work to do to rebuild trust within the squad. Last November, the England star had a clash with a nightclub bouncer just before the third ODI against New Zealand. As this was Brook's first time leading England in an overseas series, he informed the team management ab

ODI Batting Rankings: Daryl Mitchell has dethroned India stalwart Virat Kohli at the top of the mens ODI batters rankings after his consecutive centuries that helped New Zealand clinch a 2-1 series win against India. With 845 ranking points, he replaces Kohli (795 points), who dropped to No. 2 on the list. The pair sit well clear of a chasing pack that includes Ibrahim Zadran, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Babar Azam. Mitchell has now held the No.1 ODI cricket ranking for the second time, but h

The Sri Lanka Cricket Board: The Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) announced a 17-member squad for the upcoming ODI series against England, which begins on Thursday. The team will be led by Charith Asalanka, who will resume his leadership in the 50-over format after being sacked as Sri Lanka's captain for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Sri Lanka have recalled Dhananjay de Silva and Dushmantha Chameera, who had been missing from the ODI setup for a long time, adding more experience to the team. Asa

European T20 Premier League: European T20 Premier League (ETPL), officially sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC), on Wednesday announced Amsterdam, Edinburgh and Belfast as the first franchise cities to join the competition, which is scheduled to begin at the end of August this year. The League also confirmed the owners of its first three franchises at an international press conference in Sydney; Amsterdam will be owned by a group led by Australian cricket great Steve Waugh, alo