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She has also represented India at two Commonwealth Games, winning bronze in Birmingham. She has been part of the teams that won a silver and a bronze at the Asian Games and has competed in two World Cups.

David Millers unbeaten 71 off 38 balls guided Paarl Royals to their first SA20 Season 4 win, chasing down Sunrisers Eastern Capes 149 with two balls to spare at St Georges Park. After slipping to 35/4, Miller and Keagan Lion-Cachet added 114 for the fifth wicket, while teenager Nqobani Mokoena starred with 4/34.

Sherfane Rutherford starred with bat and ball as Pretoria Capitals opened their SA20 Season 4 account with a commanding 85-run win over MI Cape Town. After a blazing late assault alongside Dewald Brevis lifted Capitals to 220/5, Rutherfords career-best 4/24 dismantled the hosts for 135 at Newlands.

By winning the World Rapid and Blitz titles in Doha, Qatar his fifth such double and 20th overall world title in a jaw-dropping career the 35-yearold once again proved that his competitors, including what Garry Kasparov termed Vishy Anands children, are kids in comparison.

Batting at No. 4, Sarfaraz Khan blasted nine fours and 14 sixes, bringing up his hundred off just 56 balls. His innings left Goas bowlers and fielders looking shellshocked. On Wednesday, he delivered it with a sledgehammer, scoring a blistering 157 off 75 balls to power Mumbai to a 87-run victory over Goa at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground.

Joshua was travelling on Monday with Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele on a busy highway linking Lagos and Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria when their SUV crashed into a stationary truck. The Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) in Ogun state, where the accident occurred, said preliminary investigations showed the vehicle suffered a tyre burst before ramming into the truck.

Defending champions Australia have unveiled a spin-heavy squad for the T20 World Cup, notably excluding a left-arm pacer after Mitchell Starc's retirement. Cooper Connolly, absent from recent T20Is, is a surprise inclusion. The team faces injury concerns for Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Tim David as they prepare for matches in Sri Lanka.

Ajit Agarkar has been repeatedly questioned about the omission and has maintained the eed to play some cricket stand. If 145.2 overs in Ranji Trophy, 26.5 overs in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and 34.2 overs in ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy doesn't qualify, then the definition of some cricket needs to be made clear.

India and New Zealand are set for an eight-match limited-overs series, including three ODIs and five T20Is, from January 11 to 31. This series is crucial for senior players returning to the ODI setup and for finalising T20 combinations ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. While the BCCI has already announced the T20I squad for the New Zealand series, the ODI squad is yet to be named.

Virat Kohli celebrated the start of 2026 with a personal social media post alongside wife Anushka Sharma. On the cricketing front, the 35-year-old continues his remarkable ODI form, recently becoming the fastest to 16,000 List A runs after a stellar domestic return and a strong ODI series against South Africa.

Actress Khushi Mukherjee clarified her recent remarks about T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, stating they were friends and no romantic relationship exists. She explained her comments were taken out of context and her Instagram was hacked. Mukherjee expressed support for Yadav and Team India ahead of the T20 World Cup, emphasizing no current contact.

Real Madrid faces a significant blow as Kylian Mbappe has been diagnosed with a left knee sprain, sidelining him for at least three weeks. This injury jeopardizes his participation in crucial upcoming fixtures, including the league clash against Real Betis and the Spanish Super Cup semi-final. The forward's absence further exacerbates Real Madrid's existing injury woes.

GM Raunak Sadhwani Exclusive: Becoming Grandmaster at 13, hidden costs of the game, and more #chess

India's 2026 cricket calendar is packed, featuring a home T20 World Cup defense as the centerpiece. Following a mixed 2025, the team aims to leverage white-ball strength. The year kicks off with New Zealand, then the World Cup, IPL, and tours to England, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand, demanding peak performance throughout.

The Indian squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand will be selected on January 3. The series begins on January 11 in Vadodara. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to feature. Shubman Gill will lead the team. Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah may be rested for workload management. Dhruv Jurel is a potential wicketkeeper choice.

Fourteen-year-old climbing prodigy Amieyra Khoslla delivered an outstanding performance to win the Gold Medal in the Youth Girls (Under-17) category at the 29th National Sport Climbing Championship 2025, held in Bengaluru from 26-29 December 2025.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra backs Delhi Capitals to win the 2026 Women's Premier League. He also tips Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana to dominate the batting charts and win the Orange Cap. Delhi Capitals' Shafali Verma is also a strong contender for the top run-scorer award.

The platform was laid by openers Nitya Pandya and Amit Pasi, who put together a 230-run stand for the first wicket. Nitya scored 122 from 110 balls, while Pasi made 127 from 93 deliveries, taking Hyderabads bowlers out of the game early.

Michael Vaughan urged Usman Khawaja to decide his own Test cricket future, suggesting the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG could be a fitting farewell. Vaughan also highlighted the need for England to win strongly in Sydney to solidify Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's positions, emphasizing acceptance of tour mistakes and team maturity.

Australian opener Travis Head expressed his hope for a return to the tradition of post-Ashes drinks between England and Australia. He believes mutual respect exists despite past tensions, particularly after the Jonny Bairstow stumping incident in the 2023 series. Head looks forward to sharing a beer, highlighting the positive relationships between players on both sides.

Pacer Fazal Haq Farooqi, who missed the recent Bangladesh series and featured only in the final T20I against Zimbabwe, has also been included in the 15-player squad for both the West Indies series and the World Cup. The inclusion of Mujeeb Ur Rahman is another key highlight, with AM Ghazanfar being named among the reserves along with middle-order batter Ijaz Ahmadzai and emerging fast bowler Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.

Next Travis Head? Meet Jerrssis Wadia, the Indian-Origin batter, who is taking over BBL

Damien Martyn was also part of Australias triumphant 2003 ODI World Cup squad, playing a decisive role in the final against India with an unbeaten 88 in a match-winning partnership with Ricky Ponting. He retired from international cricket in 2006 during the Ashes series and has largely kept a low profile since.

Watched by Tim Paine in a T10 tournament in Melbourne, Indian-origin batter Jerrssis Wadias fearless hitting has fast-tracked his rise in Australian cricket. From losing his U-19 years to COVID to smashing a 16-ball 34 in the BBL, the Mumbai-born 24-year-old is now tipped as the 'Next Travis Head' in South Australia.

India's sporting future shines bright as a new generation of athletes emerges, poised for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Boxers Hitesh Gulia and Jaismine Lamboria, long jumper Shaili Singh, and shooter Suruchi Phogat are among the promising talents making waves.

Prenelan Subrayen ripped through Durban Super Giants (DSG) with a superb new-ball spell as Joburg Super Kings (JSK) cruised to a six-wicket, bonus-point win at Kingsmead. After DSG were bowled out for 86, Rilee Rossouw made the most of two reprieves to score 43 and guide JSK to their second straight SA20 victory.

Indias Test opener missed the first three ties with acute gastroenteritis after the SMAT tourney in Pune but is expected to return to the top of the order for the next three outings.

Andries Gous smashed a historic unbeaten 120 as Desert Vipers crushed MI Emirates by 45 runs in Qualifier 1 to reach their third ILT20 final. Gous record-breaking knock powered Vipers to 233/1 before debutant Usman Tariqs three-wicket burst dismantled the chase, leaving MI Emirates with another chance via the Eliminator

Dhruv Jurel's stellar Vijay Hazare Trophy form, including an unbeaten 160, has propelled him into India's white-ball selection discussions. The Uttar Pradesh wicketkeeper-batter, averaging 153.5, emphasizes process over goals and learning from captain Rinku Singh. Jurel remains focused on improving his red-ball game for future Test assignments.

Deepti Sharma has become the leading wicket-taker in women's T20 Internationals, surpassing Megan Schutt with her 152nd wicket. This achievement comes after she also became the first cricketer to score 1,000 runs and take 150 wickets in T20Is. India secured a 5-0 series win against Sri Lanka.

Magnus Carlsen secured his ninth World Blitz title, defeating Nodirbek Abdusattorov 2.5-1.5 after a dramatic final. Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, who led the qualifying rounds, fell in the semifinals and secured a bronze medal, his second of the championship.

Former Australian cricketer Damien Martyn has been hospitalised and placed in an induced coma after being diagnosed with meningitis. The 54-year-old, a prominent player for Australia in Tests and ODIs, fell ill on Boxing Day. Friends and former teammates have sent their well wishes and prayers for his recovery.

India's batting depth was tested but Harmanpreet Kaur's 68 and Arundhati Reddy's explosive 27 off 11 secured a commanding 175/7. Sri Lanka's chase faltered despite a mid-innings surge, falling 15 runs short as India completed a 5-0 series sweep. Deepti Sharma also became the highest wicket-taker in women's T20Is.

Arjun Erigaisi delivered a memorable performance at the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2025, winning bronze medals in both events. He became the first Indian since Viswanathan Anand to get podium finishes at both the championships. Despite semifinal losses to Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Arjuns strong showing in Doha highlighted his growing stature in world chess.

Vidarbha's Aman Mokhade is enjoying a remarkable domestic cricket season. Guided by coach Jwala Singh, Mokhade has become the highest run-scorer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He is also performing strongly in the Ranji Trophy. Mokhade aims to represent India and play in the IPL. His current form shows significant improvement.

Deepti Sharma has become the highest wicket-taker in women's T20 internationals, claiming her 152nd wicket against Sri Lanka. This milestone makes her the first Indian, across both men's and women's cricket, to achieve 150 T20I wickets. Sharma's impressive bowling record extends across all formats of the game.

Sri Lanka have appointed legend Lasith Malinga as consultant fast bowling coach ahead of the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026. His short-term stint runs from December 15 to January 25. The 2014 title-winning captain brings vast T20 experience, with 107 wickets in 84 matches. Sri Lanka, co-hosts of the event, begin their campaign against Ireland on February 8 after preparatory series versus Pakistan and England.

Magnus Carlsen lost his Round 14 game by forfeit at the World Blitz Championship in Doha after knocking over multiple pieces while under severe time pressure against Haik Martirosyan. The incident, his second outburst at the event, further dented his title hopes. Carlsen now sits fifth, struggling in Blitz despite recently winning a record sixth World Rapid title, as Arjun Erigaisi leads the standings.

Without any ceremony, 44 minutes after MS Dhoni finished his post-match press conference following the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the BCCI sent out a press release. The news came an hour after India had managed to draw an away Test the first time in the previous 14 Australia-India Tests that the visiting team had not lost.

Smriti Mandhana was rested for Indias fifth T20I against Sri Lanka as the hosts made two changes despite leading the series 40. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur confirmed Mandhana and Renuka Singh Thakur were given a break, with 17-year-old G Kamalini making her debut and Sneh Rana returning. Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl in Thiruvananthapuram.

England have included injured fast bowler Jofra Archer in their provisional T20 World Cup squad, showing faith in his potential return. Archer will miss the Sri Lanka tour, with Brydon Carse replacing him. Harry Brook will captain the T20 side, which also features new call-up Josh Tongue and returning Will Jacks. Zak Crawley is recalled for the ODI squad.

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India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and his wife Devisha Shetty visited the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala on Vaikuntha Ekadashi. The couple participated in sacred rituals, including passing through the Vaikuntha Dwaram, and received blessings from temple priests. This spiritual visit follows Yadav's recent captaincy in the T20I series against South Africa.

The Eden Gardens pitch for the India-South Africa Test, which ended in three days, received a 'satisfactory' rating despite a low-scoring affair. While India's coach defended it as a test of skill, the batting coach noted unexpected, early turn. In contrast, the MCG's two-day Ashes Test pitch was deemed 'unsatisfactory'.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has released Test head coach Azhar Mahmood three months early, signaling a strategic reset for the World Test Championship cycle. Mahmood's contract was set to expire in March 2026, coinciding with the team's next Test assignments.

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FIELD OF DREAMS: In 2025, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma & their band of merry women learnt to believe. In doing so, they taught a thankful nation that when girls in India act on their vision, their wishes usually come true...

Quinton de Kocks fluent 77 and a blistering 116-run stand with Matthew Breetzke powered Sunrisers Eastern Cape to a 48-run bonus-point win over Pretoria Capitals at St Georges Park. The victory lifted Sunrisers to the top of the SA20 table, with Adam Milnes four-wicket haul sealing a dominant all-round display.

Unheralded 19-year-old Surya Charishma Tamiri, without formal training at major academies, stunned top Indian players to win the Senior Nationals title in Vijayawada. Her impressive performance, marked by a cool demeanor and executed game plan, has experts believing she has a great future, provided she receives proper grooming and improved facilities.

India's women's cricket team dominated Sri Lanka 4-0, showcasing strong batting and bowling. However, a recurring issue of dropped catches and sloppy fielding marred their otherwise convincing performance. Despite these lapses, the team's overall strength ensured victory, but head coach Amol Muzumdar will aim to rectify these basic errors before facing tougher opponents.