Cricket

Litchfield: Life after Healy will be 'a massive change'

The left hander is hopeful of being fit for the start of the multi-format series against India after injury ended her WPL campaign

The SSC finally steps out of the sunshine and into the floodlights

The venue in Colombo has not hosted a men's T20 international since 2010, and will have day-night matches for the first time during the 2026 T20 World Cup

'Disappointing To Come Out On The Wrong End Of It Again,' Says DC Coach After Fourth Consecutive WPL Final Loss

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Delhi Capitals head coach Jonathan Batty felt gutted after her team suffered its fourth straight final loss as Royal Challengers Bengaluru put on a spectacular show to chase down 204 runs to clinch their second title in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 title clash played at BCA Stadium (Kotambi). Batty felt the batters did their job well, carrying the momentum from the eliminator to record the highest first-innings score at Vadodara, but it was disappointing to end on the losing side once again. It's really tough to take. Having played so well in the Eliminator earlier in the week, and coming into this game with momentum, putting a really good score on the board, I was proud of the way we went about our business with the bat. Twenty overs in, you think, 'Okay, it's a good score; if we bowl well here, we've got a very good chance.' It's really disappointing to come out on the wrong end of it again. But full credit to RCB; obviously, those two batters, Georgia Voll and Smriti, played absolutely fantastically, Batty said in a post-match presser. Despite the loss, Batty heaped praise on the team's fightback at the end and taking the match to the last over, where RCB needed ten runs to win the match. I'm really proud of our team's effort to still be in the game there, where it looked like it was drifting for a period of time, to still be in that last over and lose with only two balls to go I think we showed a lot of fight, a lot of heart. But I think the game kind of summed up our season, that we did certain bits really well and other bits kind of fell away at times as well. Despite the loss, Batty heaped praise on the team's fightback at the end and taking the match to the last over, where RCB needed ten runs to win the match. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Her leadership grew and grew as we went through it as well. So, I'm really proud of the effort she's put in. She's thrown her heart and soul into this season. So, I'm looking forward to seeing where she takes that over the next few years as well, Batty added. Article Source: IANS

Patterson and Edwards put New South Wales in control

The home side built a strong lead on a surface that continued to provide assistance for the pace bowlers

T20 WC: Very Happy With Indias Progress, Hopes Are Really Very High To Retain The Title, Says Mhambrey

T20 World Cup: Having lifted the Mens T20 World Cup trophy for the first time in 2007, before breaking a long drought to clinch the crown in 2024, defending champions India are aiming to become the first team to achieve three milestones: retain the crown, win it three times, and clinch a World Cup in the shortest format on home soil. The co-hosts enter the tournament as the top-ranked side and boast of the number one ranked batter and bowler in Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy, respectively. With their ultra-attacking batting template and pinpoint precision with the ball, India have the best win percentage among the top 10 T20I teams since winning the 2024 edition. Paras Mhambrey, Indias former bowling coach, was a part of the setup during the 2024 triumph under Rohit Sharma and believes the side has the depth and leadership to retain the title. Before India launches its title defence against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, Mhambrey spoke exclusively to IANS on the sides chances of retaining the title, Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy, the influential factors in play when featuring in a mega event at home and more. Excerpts:- Q. We are just a day away from the 2026 T20 World Cup commencing, this time on home soil. How do you analyse India's chances of retaining the trophy won in 2024? A. I'm very happy and sure of it. In the way I've seen in the last few years, the way the team has progressed, the kind of cricket they're playing that's fabulous. Just to see the last series that we played and even the last game that we played, the warm-up game against South Africa it's fabulous to watch, just the way everyone's going about it. Happy to know and see that the core is still there from the last two years. It's so important to actually have that core playing the World Cup. One is the experience bit there's so much experience out here and just the skill sets that are available to us. When you're entering a big tournament like this, you want all your top players to be available. It's good to see that Tilak (Varma) is back in the team, getting an opportunity and playing a fabulous innings out there. Overall, we are very happy with the way things have progressed for us. Now, it's one day at a time. But just the way the Indian team is playing, I think hopes really are very high. Q. Take us back to June 2024 what are the moments from that victorious 2024 World Cup campaign that give you goosebumps to date? A. It's the tag of world champions. I think any team that plays cricket and any individual that represents the country I think the tag of being a world champion is always special. That's something that will stay with that individual and the team. I'm no different from anyone else out here. As a player, I know the value and the importance of representing your country, and especially the World Cup is so special because it comes every four years. We didn't have the T20 tournament, and we always kind of looked at the 50-over tournament, and the World Cup was special. So, getting an opportunity out there, and then again, just shifting it from one side of the rope to the other and getting an opportunity to be part of that dressing room it's something that, as a player, I always wanted to be and experience the whole journey, if I can say that. It's so special because it takes a lot. The tenure of the tournament is a week or so, 15 days. But there are a couple of years of real, real hard work that went into it, and when you see that finally bear fruit, I can't explain that. I think the tag of being world champions is special. Q. That 2024 World Cup-winning squad had a special chemistry. How much of that has carried forward into this 2026 team, in your opinion? A. It is the case you can see it on the ground. Everyone is so professional in terms of being very clear about their roles. Good to see that each and every individual has delivered at some point or other. It was so important to go into the tournament and not only deliver - I thought they won the game for the team, and that's so important. You are ticking the right boxes out here, and everyone is fit. So good to see that they are coming and you have the best 15 available to choose from, and it's so important. The core is always important because that's where your experience lies. You have been through that situation, and they have experienced that. To a certain extent, they are a little better prepared to deal with the tournament because some of the individuals have not played and not experienced this. They played the bilaterals and other series, but especially the World Cup is different. I am sure by the time the first game comes and much before it, right now I think everyone will get the hang and feel of what the World Cup is, especially when it's a domestic one. Wherever you go, they will be reminded. There will be hoardings out there and billboards around. People in the lift, the watchmen also saying, 'Jeetna hai, jeetna hai' (You have to win, you have to win). So they will feel how important it is not only for the players but for the whole country around. Q. Suryakumar Yadav is leading this Indian side while also being one of the most destructive batters in world cricket and discovering form at the right time. How do you see him balancing those dual responsibilities in this mega event? A. He is doing it wonderfully. I thought he had settled down well. He is very well settled in his role right now. Whatever you say, that shift is a little different even though you don't want to think about it and feel it may not affect you. But it's always going to be at the back of your mind that you are captain, and that adds a little bit of responsibility on your shoulders not only for the others but also for yourself. Your expectations also are high up there because you want to deliver, and then you are playing a dual role, right? You are also focusing on, importantly, your game. So it's difficult now. He has to find the balance, and I am very happy with the way he is shaped up because it's very difficult to find the balance between yourself and the team. Now he has to look after all the 10 other players on the ground, not only himself. So it takes a little while, but I'm happy with the way he is shaped up as a captain just the way others have warmed up to it and just that you can see on the ground, for sure. Q. Playing a World Cup at home comes with its own pressures and advantages. What do you think will be the biggest factor the crowd support, familiarity with conditions or just the form they are in? A. All three you touched the right points. You can't beat the home crowd. You have that when you go in and know that everyone is going to be rooting for you. When chips are down, you still have people supporting you. It's so important sometimes. As an opponent, you are not in a game, and you don't really realise that you are on top of the game right now because of so much support that you have. So that's incomparable anyway, but conditions, definitely, because you play on these wickets, you know exactly how the wickets behave like the red soil and black soil because you played out there, and just generally from your past, you can draw from your past experiences and then work on your game. The most important bit is the form. I thought it was important to have everyone contributing, and it's good to see that not only did everyone contribute, but at some point, they all won games. Maybe on an individual basis like a spell, a knock, or a few balls it's so important to do that. In all three aspects, I think you are really up there, and I am happy because all three bases are covered for us. Q. Without asking for predictions, which team do you think poses the biggest tactical challenge for India in this tournament? A. Oh, that's a mystery question you asked me. You got me thinking about it. It's just... I feel in a tournament like this, from past experiences, I can tell you that whenever you go with the favourites, I think people have got it wrong. If you look at the way, just look at the way the last game was; the last World Cup final was against South Africa. It's just one scenario they were favourites to win at one time. We went in; that didn't work, and it's just the way the game went, and everyone thought, 'This is going to be South Africa.' 'You have someone like... you don't take away from Sri Lanka in these games. If you look at the last few games that they've played, they've been playing decent cricket, and with their home conditions, you're going to play some games there, similar to out here, because a lot of these guys play in the IPL the bowling bit. So they would be competitive, and maybe a couple of teams like this. But as I said, you really can't go in with the favourite side, as sometimes you've got it wrong. It's just one scenario they were favourites to win at one time. We went in; that didn't work, and it's just the way the game went, and everyone thought, 'This is going to be South Africa.' 'You have someone like... you don't take away from Sri Lanka in these games. Also Read: Live Cricket Score A. I'll put my neck out here and say supremely confident. It's just the way they're playing and what kind of cricket they're playing it gives you a lot of confidence. Availability of players is, again, a big factor for me. Variety is available as spinners and seamers a big factor that's been touched. We covered all our bases as well as we could, and I'm supremely confident in just the way they have played in the past so, fingers crossed. Article Source: IANS

RCB honour captain Smriti Mandhana rejoices second WPL triumph; Virat Kohli writes 'keeping the RCB flag flying high'

Smriti Mandhana led RCB sealed a six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals to lift the WPL 2026 trophy. RCB chased down a massive 204 runs with six wickets and two balls to spare, completing the highest successful chase in WPL history.Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma and fans rejoiced as RCB clinched yet another memorable win.

Aussie Pacer Josh Hazlewood Ruled Out Of T20 WC

T20 World Cup: Australia suffered another injury blow as fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been officially ruled out of the ICC Mens T20 World Cup, starting on Saturday in Sri Lanka and India, after failing to recover in time for the showpiece event. Hazlewood suffered a hamstring injury in the final Sheffield Shield game before the start of the Ashes. He was initially sidelined from the England series due to a hamstring strain, later developed an Achilles problem during his recovery. Having not played a match since injuring his hamstring in the Sheffield Shield on November 12, Hazlewood was initially named in the World Cup squad despite him remaining in Sydney when the group assembled in Sri Lanka this week. But just five days before Australia's opening match against Ireland in Colombo on February 11, national selector Tony Dodemaide said the 35-year-old is still some time away from regaining full fitness. We were hopeful Josh would be back to match fitness by the Super Eights stage but the latest indications (are) he is still some time away. Trying to accelerate his program will carry too much of a risk, Dodemaide said. Australia will not name a replacement immediately, with selectors opting to reassess based on conditions and requirements as the tournament progresses. We will not be naming a replacement player immediately. We feel we are well covered for the initial games so will make any later decisions based on priority need at the time, Dodemaide added. Hazlewood has a formidable T20 record despite not playing a match in the format for nearly four years, from March 2016 to January 2020. He helped Australia to their only T20 World Cup title, in the UAE in 2021, taking 3 for 16 in the final against New Zealand. He has taken 133 wickets at 20.44 with an economy rate of 7.57. Of the 75 quick bowlers to have sent down at least 2000 deliveries between January 2020 and the end of last year. His average is the second best (behind India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah), and his economy ranks him eighth. The 35-year-old pacer joined fellow fast bowler Pat Cummins on the injury list. Xavier Bartlett and Sixers left-armer Ben Dwarshuis are the only two fully fit frontline quicks. Sean Abbott, who was added as a travelling reserve last week, could eventually be added to the squad as Hazlewoods replacement. Nathan Ellis and Tim David, who have both been dealing with hamstring issues, are on track to be available for the group stage, while Adam Zampa (groin tightness) will be available for the first match in Colombo next week. Australias warm-up match against the Netherlands was abandoned on Thursday, but they still have a six-day preparation window before the first group game against Ireland. Skipper Mitchell Marsh remains confident Australia have a lot of bases covered with our squad given the presence of seam-bowling all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green. Australias warm-up match against the Netherlands was abandoned on Thursday, but they still have a six-day preparation window before the first group game against Ireland. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Matthew Kuhnemann has been great for us. We've also got Adam Zampa and then we've got a few spinning all-rounders, like most teams will. So I think we've got all bases covered, and now it's just about getting stuck into it, Marsh said. Article Source: IANS

T20 WC: Chakaravarthy's Accuracy Makes Him A Challenging Bowler, Says Mhambrey

T20 World Cup: India wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy's relentless accuracy, pace and subtle variations are the factors which make him a very challenging bowler for batters to face, feels former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey. Since his return to international cricket in October 2024, Chakaravarthy has been bamboozling batters with his mystery spin and tight lines that offer little margin for error. In the lead-up to the upcoming mega event, Chakaravarthy has taken at least one wicket in each of his last 13 innings. The streak is bettered only by Arshdeep Singh, who claimed wickets in 17 consecutive T20I innings between 2024 and 2025. Since the T20I series win in South Africa in 2024, Chakravarthy has picked up at least one wicket in 24 of his last 25 innings. Chakravarthys impact is unmatched, as he is the leading wicket-taker in T20Is post the last World Cup with 57 scalps, ahead of New Zealands Jacob Duffy (48), Pakistan duo of Mohammad Nawaz (44) and Abrar Ahmed (44) and Bangladeshs Rishad Hossain (42). It's about the lines and the lengths that he goes. He's always challenging the stumps all the time, right? So as a batter, the margin of error is pretty less. If you miss it, if you're still going to go and play your shots and you miss it, most likely you're going to be in trouble - getting leg-before or bowled - and that's what is happening out here. The other bit is, obviously, people aren't able to pick his variations. That's become a challenge because it's so subtle. It's not like a very big change in the way that changes in his run-up or the delivery style, whatever. The third bit is the pace that he bowls, right? It's one bit that you can't do against him. Generally, what you do against a spinner is you use your feet. I think with the speed that he bowls, he doesn't allow you to step out. So as a batter, that one of the couple of shots that may take the pressure off is not available to you. Then, as a batter, you need to look at other options, Mhambrey told IANS in an exclusive conversation on Friday. With conventional options unavailable, batters are forced into high-risk strategies that often play into Chakaravarthys hands. You need to look at a straight hit, where you expect him to err a little bit on the length, which is not happening that often. So you start looking at the other options and the slogs. Then, as a bowler, because just the way he bowls, he's into play, and I think that's what's really challenging when facing him, added Mhambrey, who was Indias bowling coach in their 2024 Mens T20 World Cup win. India's embarrassment of riches in the spin department includes Chakaravarthy, left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Axar Patel and left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav - a trio that could prove to be devastating if a few pitches turn out to be spin-friendly in the competition. India also have off-spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar in their squad, and is recovering from a side strain injury at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. It will be. Looking at conditions, especially when you're playing in India and more so in Sri Lanka, when you think you will play it out there. The conditions out there, the soil and wicket will make it challenging. That's not a monkey on my back right now to think about how do I fit all three in the combination, but we'll love to see all three of them because they are your sure shot three wicket-taking options - sure shot 12 overs out there who can bowl in different phases of the game. Varun has proved it; Axar has proved it. Kuldeep has become... just the way he mastered the middle phases, end phases. All three are picking wickets and are capable of picking wickets. So it's great. I hope you get to see them play. How often, I don't know, but we'll love to see them, all three together, added Mhambrey, who played two Tests and three ODIs for India. Aside from the spinners, middle-order batter Rinku Singh has established himself as a reliable finisher with his ability to deliver the goods in pressure situations for India. In 19-20 overs in T20Is, Rinku has hit 220 runs at a strike-rate of 275. As per Cricket-21, Rinku has hit 25 sixes in overs 17 to 20 and hits a maximum in every 6 balls in this period. Add to it, 78% of his sixes have come against pace in T20Is, which made Mhambrey praise his understated but highly effective approach and few pockets of weakness to exploit for the opposition bowlers. If you just look at Rinku on the field, I think it's easy to miss him, right? He is not the kind of guy who is very animated, but does his role very smoothly. He is a gun-fielder. I think when he actually drops a catch, you kind of surprise everyone like, 'Rinku has dropped the catch!' So that's kind of a reputation that he has earned over the years. It's purely because of his fielding and we have seen that from the IPL days. We have seen how destructive he can be with the bat and he has got the capacity to really play the angles as well. It's not the kind of area that you can get away with saying that you are going to cramp him and he struggles with that. If you just look at Rinku on the field, I think it's easy to miss him, right? He is not the kind of guy who is very animated, but does his role very smoothly. He is a gun-fielder. I think when he actually drops a catch, you kind of surprise everyone like, 'Rinku has dropped the catch!' So that's kind of a reputation that he has earned over the years. Also Read: Live Cricket Score His ability to clear the ropes is well known, and if you have someone like him batting at six, seven or whatever number you think that you want to work around, and with his ability to finish a game like that - it's a challenge for the opponents, he concluded. Article Source: IANS

Hazlewood ruled out of T20 World Cup, Australia wait to name replacement

He joins Cummins as a late withdrawal due to injury as a difficult lead-in to the tournament continues

Smriti Mandhana overcomes 'massive flu' to play title-winning innings for RCB

The RCB captain was the top-scorer in the final, and the top-scorer of the season too

T20 WC: Shastri, Smith, Bishop To Headline Star-studded Commentary Panel

ICC World Test Championship: Highly-renowned commentators Ravi Shastri, Nasser Hussain, Ian Smith and Ian Bishop headline commentary panel during the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup that commences in India and Sri Lanka on February 7. An impressive list of former greats and current stars also features former T20 World Cup winners Aaron Finch, Dinesh Karthik, Kumar Sangakkara, Samuel Badree, Robin Uthappa, Carlos Brathwaite. The ICC said that current player and reigning ICC World Test Championship-winning captain Temba Bavuma of South Africa will be heard on commentary, while 2014 T20 World Cup winner Angelo Mathews is also included in an impressive list of commentators that will be utilised across the 55 matches at the tournament. Team India is entering the tournament as defending champions and will aim to become the only team to win the trophy for the third time and also to defend the title. The ICC said that current player and reigning ICC World Test Championship-winning captain Temba Bavuma of South Africa will be heard on commentary, while 2014 T20 World Cup winner Angelo Mathews is also included in an impressive list of commentators that will be utilised across the 55 matches at the tournament. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The Men in Blue will kick off their campaign on February 7 with a group-stage match against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Article Source: IANS

T20 WC: There Is Clarity In Abhisheks Game Plan, Decision-making Is Not Clouded: Mhambrey

U19 Cricket World Cup: Former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has praised in-form left-handed opener Abhishek Sharmas clarity in game plan and decision-making ahead of the 2026 Mens T20 World Cup, adding that it was a matter of time for him to enter the senior set-up and develop into a quality player. Abhishek enters the upcoming mega event as the top-ranked T20I batter, having amassed 1,297 runs in 37 T20Is, including ten fifty-plus scores since his debut in July 2024 the most for a batter in this time-frame ahead of the World Cup. He also leads the six-hitting charts with 88 maximums in that period, the most amongst top ten teams, while his strike rate of 195 is the best among batters with 1,000-plus runs. Abhisheks power-hitting is unmatched as per Cricket-21, he strikes a six in every eight balls in T20Is. He has also hit 55 maximums in the first six overs the second-most for an India mens batter. Remarkably, he has cleared the ropes 36 times within his first 10 deliveries, which translates to averaging a six in every nine balls. Mhambrey has kept tabs on the progress of Abhishek when the latter was a member of the 2018 Mens U19 Cricket World Cup winning team in New Zealand. His dazzling progress in T20Is may have come as a surprise to many, but not to Mhambrey and former head coach Rahul Dravid. I just look back and think about Abhishek during the under-19 days. You always felt that he had time. He had time and he was still a young kid. I thought he was still the youngest of the lot. He was 17 or so, maybe. But with that said, you knew that within a span of the next 3-4 years, obviously, he will develop as a player, physically as well, because you knew the technique was there. You still knew the timing was there. The strength was kind of... because he was still young and you knew that given an opportunity, given a look into the next 4-5 years, he has the skill set to develop into a quality player. I am sure no one is surprised from the lot that has been with him, including Rahul (Dravid). I am sure if you have a chat with Rahul, he would say the same thing - that we are not surprised that he is delivering at this stage, said Mhambrey in an exclusive conversation with IANS on Friday. Nothing illustrates Abhisheks dominance more than his ability to score quickly from the outset. He often charges down the wicket against pace from the very first ball, looking to create width and impose himself. Nearly half of his boundaries against pace in the powerplay since his debut have come through the point and cover regions, reflecting a stand-and-deliver style that has become his hallmark. Against spinners, Abhishek accelerates further, striking one maximum in every six balls. What stands out for me is just the free flow of his bat and just the timing bit. Again, the spinners and seamers and kind of... I feel if you just analyse his game a little bit, it looks like there is clarity in his game plan. It's not clouded anywhere - the decision-making is not clouded. It's very clear that this is the way he wants to play and very clear in terms of... and that shows in maybe your footwork. Maybe you are using the angles, using the crease, and he is so smartly doing it. I think those couple of things really stand out, added Mhambrey, who won the 2024 Mens T20 World Cup as Indias bowling coach. With wicketkeeper-batters Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson both vying to be Abhisheks opening partner, India face a selection challenge and Mhambrey described it as a happy headache to have. Kishan has been in great form and hit a whirlwind 103 against New Zealand in Thiruvananthapuram, and smashed a quick-fire 53 in the warm-up game win over South Africa in Navi Mumbai. He is the frontrunner to don the gloves and open the batting ahead of Samson, who had a horrid series against New Zealand with just 46 runs in five innings. Well, it's always good to have options and the kind of option that you feel comes in and delivers as well. So it's always going to be a dilemma in the team - do we stick with Sanju or Ishan, who is getting runs right now, and just pursue that? It's always going to be the decision that thankfully is not mine or not ours anymore. I will leave it to the current staff for that. But I think what is also very healthy to see is that you have someone who comes in like Ishan, coming in and complimenting Abhishek. It's not about one guy playing a role or the second guy doing it. Out there on the field, both guys are playing in a similar template in terms of the batting - equally destructive from both ends. So that becomes a challenge for the fielding side, right? That's something which is so nice because it's just the way we've seen them using the powerplay. The first 6 overs, just the way we are using it - it's no longer about 8 and 9 or 10. It's always been 10 plus or 12 and 13. It's always going to be the decision that thankfully is not mine or not ours anymore. I will leave it to the current staff for that. But I think what is also very healthy to see is that you have someone who comes in like Ishan, coming in and complimenting Abhishek. It's not about one guy playing a role or the second guy doing it. Also Read: Live Cricket Score There's no way that I can say I can bowl a couple of balls to one batter and get away with it - because I'm not going to get away with it. Just the way it looks like, it's healthy and great for the Indian dressing room. But definitely not from the opposite side, so I'll be wary. I'll be a little tense in saying that I know what we are against now, concluded Mhambrey. Article Source: IANS

DC coach Jonathan Batty: If you keep putting yourself in finals, you will win one

The Delhi Capitals coach had high praise for Jemimah Rodrigues as captain and said Nandani Sharma was the bowler of the season

'All bases covered': Marsh upbeat despite Australia's tricky preparation

The team's one warm-up match in Sri Lanka was washed out on Thursday but the captain has backed his squad to be ready

USA batters give New Zealand a scare in T20 World Cup warm-up

Matt Henry took five wickets, including two in the final over

WPL 2026: Dedicate This Win To Smriti As She Went Through A Lot In Last Few Months, Says Shreyanka

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru off-spin bowling all-rounder Shreyanka Patil said their Womens Premier League (WPL) 2026 triumph was very special and dedicated the victory to skipper Smriti Mandhana, citing challenges the skipper faced in the last few months. RCBs six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara sealed their second WPL crown, with Smritis 87 and Georgia Volls 79 forming the backbone of the chase. Would love to mention three people - number one, Smriti, because she has gone through a lot in the last couple of months. Would love to dedicate this win to her. Malo and Anya. Today is Anya's son's birthday - first year. And again, Malo - first time he's the head coach and it's a special win for all of us, said Shreyanka to broadcasters after the title win was sealed. Shreyanka, who returned to the side this season after missing last year due to a shin injury, said the triumph was particularly meaningful. Very special for me. My comeback WPL season. Couldn't have asked for more. Lovely crowd here - supported us throughout, no matter what. 200 on the board, but they had that faith and belief in us. I thank each and every member who has come out and supported us. Also, the people watching us in Bangalore and Karnataka would like to say big thanks to you guys, she said. She added that the positive atmosphere in the dugout had been crucial in chasing down 204. After the first innings got over, me and Aru (Arundhati Reddy) and I were walking towards the dugout and were like 'we're going to pull this off'. We had that very positive environment in the dugout. That's how the dugout has been throughout the season. We win, we lose, we never stop smiling, said Shreyanka. Reflecting on the final moments, Shreyanka admitted she was stunned by the dramatic finish. I'm still in shock - the last ball, the bails fell, and the ball went to the boundary, and I'm like, what's happening. Is it a hit wicket, is it a boundary, what should I do? And I'm like 'Malo, what is it?' and he was like 'we won'. Left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Radha Yadav, who hit the winning runs, praised the managements role in supporting the players and preparing them for high-pressure situations. Everyone is very happy. This team has worked very hard. The management has backed the players and given us whatever we asked for. They've actually given us more than we asked for. This win is for them. As players, we put in the hard work - sometimes we get the result, sometimes we don't. But the hard work put in by the management - hats off to them. We used to do situational practice - trying to achieve a certain number of runs in a certain number of balls. Our management helped a lot. Whatever skills we had, how can we improve on those? They backed us to find those ways, she said. Left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Radha Yadav, who hit the winning runs, praised the managements role in supporting the players and preparing them for high-pressure situations. Everyone is very happy. This team has worked very hard. The management has backed the players and given us whatever we asked for. They've actually given us more than we asked for. This win is for them. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Was the management's decision to give us some time off so that we come back fresh and recharged. (wWheredoes this win rank for you?) My first IPL title. The World Cup is obviously first and above all. This comes second, she said. Article Source: IANS

Siddaramaiah, Kumaraswamy Congratulate RCB Women's Team For Lifting WPL Trophy

Ee Sala Nu Cup Namde: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday congratulated the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) womens team for lifting their second Womens Premier League (WPL) trophy after defeating the Delhi Capitals by seven wickets. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated, Once again, the RCB womens team has lifted the WPL trophy. It was a joy to watch our RCB team, which delivered outstanding performances throughout the tournament, emerge as champions by defeating the Delhi team in todays final. Congratulations to our RCB women for winning the trophy through a united and determined fight. The performance of the Delhi team, which fought hard for victory till the very end, is also commendable. Ee Sala Cup Namdu, CM Siddaramaiah. Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has congratulated the RCB womens team for their spectacular victory over the Delhi team in the Womens Premier League. He said that the RCB women, by winning the 2026 Womens Premier League title, have written yet another proud chapter in womens cricket, and extended his heartfelt congratulations to the team. Under the inspirational leadership of Smriti Mandhana and with the excellent, collective performance of every team member, the RCB women delivered a top-class display to clinch their second championship, he said. This remarkable achievement, he added, has once again inscribed in golden letters the glorious legacy of dedication, discipline and excellence shown by women sportspersons in India, Kumaraswamy said. BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra stated, Ee Sala Nu Cup Namde! (The cup is ours this time as well). Congratulations to the RCB Women for lifting the WPL trophy for the second time and stamping their authority as the most dominant team of the season. A campaign filled with consistency, confidence, and champion spirit. Proud moment for every fan! Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their second Womens Premier League (WPL) title after beating Delhi Capitals by six wickets at the BCA Stadium at Kotambi in Vadodara on Thursday. After captain Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored with 57 to take DC to 203/4, RCB completed the highest successful chase in a WPL final in 19.4 overs with immaculate ease. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their second Womens Premier League (WPL) title after beating Delhi Capitals by six wickets at the BCA Stadium at Kotambi in Vadodara on Thursday. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Captain Smriti Mandhana produced her finest WPL innings, scoring 87 off 41 balls, laced with 12 fours and three sixes. Article Source: IANS

Rew And Mhatre Look Ahead To U19 World Cup Final

U19 World Cup: India is one of the most successful teams in the ICC Men's U19 World Cup, having won multiple titles and reached the final on numerous occasions. As they get ready for another summit clash and the possibility of adding another title to their kitty, England Under-19s captain Thomas Rew is determined to treat Friday's final as just another game as his side takes on India in Harare. England have not won the tournament since 1998, coming closest four years ago when they were beaten by Fridays opponents in the final. Rews sparkling century was key to his sides 27-run victory over Australia in a thrilling semi-final on Tuesday, taking his tournament tally to 299 runs at 74.75. He hailed his top-order colleagues for laying the foundations during Englands unbeaten tournament so far Ben Mayes has impressed with 399 runs at a shade under 80 and believes his side have what it takes to clear the final hurdle. It means a lot, he said in the pre-match press conference in Harare on Thursday. We came into this tournament with one aspiration, and now there is one more game left. We have all had dreams of lifting the World Cup, but we have to treat it as just another game of cricket. It helps batting with our top order, every single person puts pressure back on the bowler, and that takes the pressure off you. All the credit has to go to them. The communication has been good among the squad, and Im just trying to play some strong shots and hope for the best, the England U19 captain added. Englands bowling attack has been key to their success. Nobody has more wickets in the competition than Manny Lumsden, whose 15 wickets have come at under 12 runs apiece, while Ralphie Albert and Sebastian Morgan have also made valuable contributions. Reflecting on their successful defence of 277 against Australia, Rew added: Its always nice batting first on a wicket that deteriorates. It wasnt as bad as previously, but we used it to our advantage with the ball; we bashed away at hard lengths. Our bowlers have done that all tournament, and thats why weve done really well. India were beaten finalists two years ago, having won the tournament in 2022, and their class of 2026 have made it through to the final unbeaten. Aaron Georges fantastic 115 led their successful pursuit of 311 against Afghanistan, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi set the tone with a 33-ball 68. Captain Ayush Mhatre, who contributed 62 himself with four sixes, is excited for the occasion and, like his opposite number, is urging his side to keep it simple and not get overawed. England are a fabulous team who are also playing really nicely in this tournament, he said. We will play our natural game, play each ball on its merits, and adapt to conditions and the wicket. We will try to play simple cricket. Captain Ayush Mhatre, who contributed 62 himself with four sixes, is excited for the occasion and, like his opposite number, is urging his side to keep it simple and not get overawed. Also Read: Live Cricket Score We had to look for ones and twos and find the boundary from loose balls. Nothing special, we just had to keep it simple. Our bowlers were very good, and Afghanistan batted very well. The bowlers have some pointers to improve, and they will try to do that, he added. Article Source: IANS

Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll lead RCB to second WPL title

They put on 165 off just 92 balls, the biggest partnership in WPL history, to boss a chase of 204

WPL 2026: Smriti, Georgia Lead RCB To Second Title Win With Six-wicket Victory Over DC

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their second Womens Premier League (WPL) title after beating Delhi Capitals by six wickets at the BCA Stadium at Kotambi in Vadodara on Thursday. After captain Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored with 57 to take DC to 203/4, RCB completed the highest successful chase in a WPL final in 19.4 overs with immaculate ease. The victory also made RCB the first team to win the title after finishing top of the group stage standings, and the first franchise to hold both IPL and WPL crowns simultaneously. Captain Smriti Mandhana produced her finest WPL innings, scoring 87 off 41 balls, laced with 12 fours and three sixes. She managed only six runs from her first five deliveries but accelerated spectacularly thereafter, striking boundaries almost every over. Her knock also made her the tournaments leading run-scorer. Smriti became the backbone of RCBs chase. Smriti shared a decisive 165-run partnership off 92 balls with Georgia Voll, who made 79 off 54 balls, studded with 14 boundaries. Every over of the chase featured at least one boundary, a statistic that underlined the dominance of their batting effort. Despite a little wobble at the end, Radha Yadav ensured RCB crossed the line with successive boundaries and triggered celebratory scenes in the dugout. DC, who were appearing in their fourth consecutive final, were left ruing missed chances and suffered yet another painful defeat, despite posting the highest total in a WPL final. Chasing 204, Grace Harris hit two early boundaries off a drive and inside edge against Marizanne Kapp in the opening over, before being beaten by movement and low bounce from Chinelle Henry to be castled through the gate for nine. Smriti got going with a stylish off-drive for four, while Georgia opened her account with a flick and drive off Marizanne, fetching her boundaries. Georgia continued her strokeplay by flicking Chinelle through midwicket and scooping her over short fine leg for boundaries, before cutting and driving Marizanne for back-to-back fours. Despite Nandni Sharmas introduction, there was no respite for DC as Georgia swiped her for four, before Smriti slogged and swept her for two boundaries. The duo took a boundary each off N Sree Charani Georgia, hitting her over mid-off, while Smriti pierced off-side field with precision, before the former and latter took a four off Minnu Mani and Shafali Verma respectively. Smriti pulled a short ball from Nandni over square leg for six, before dancing down the pitch to loft Charani over long-on. After Georgia raised her fifty, Smriti brought up her half-century by lofting Sneh Rana over extra cover for four. It also helped that DC fed them the lengths RCB needed Georgia cutting and pulling Sneh Rana for fours. Chinelle returned to be greeted with a sweep from Smriti that cleared backwards square leg, before Georgias powerful pull beat the deep fielder to get another boundary. Charanis return in the 13th over saw Smriti pull and punch off the back foot to get fours, while Georgia got low to pull for the third boundary of the over. Marizannes reintroduction in the 14th over was met with lofted drives from Smriti going straight down the ground and over mid-off. After Georgia hoicked Nandni over midwicket and Smriti again danced down the pitch to loft Minnu over mid-off to get more boundaries, RCB were cruising in the chase. Though Georgia and Richa Ghosh fell in quick succession after holing out to long-on off Minnu and Nandni respectively, Smritis dismissal for 87 after Chinelle uprooted her leg-stump left RCB on a tricky pitch. But Radhas consecutive boundaries off Charani lofting over cover-point and crunching over cover sealed the trophy win in RCBs favour. Marizannes reintroduction in the 14th over was met with lofted drives from Smriti going straight down the ground and over mid-off. After Georgia hoicked Nandni over midwicket and Smriti again danced down the pitch to loft Minnu over mid-off to get more boundaries, RCB were cruising in the chase. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Delhi Capitals 203/4 in 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 57, Laura Wolvaardt 44, Lizelle Lee 37, Chinelle Henry 35 not out; Arundhati Reddy 1-40, Sayali Satghare 1-46) lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru 204/4 in 19.4 overs (Smriti Mandhana 87, Georgia Voll 79; Chinelle Henry 2-34, Minnu Mani 1-19) by six wickets Article Source: IANS

T20 World Cup: Surya Downplays Impact Of Dew On Matches, Says They Will Continue To Go By Their Preparations And Plans

T20 World Cup: With just two days to go for the start of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at which India will be defending the title they won two years back, skipper Suryakumar Yadav said being the defending champion does not mean they are under pressure of expectations. As the captains of the participating teams faced the media at the pre-event media briefing, India's T20 captain was grilled on the pressure on his team, his recent run of form, and the impact of conditions on the performances, considering the conditions the team will be playing in. SKY said being the defending champion does not spell extra pressure for India, considering the team's recent form as they handed New Zealand a 4-1 defeat in a five-match T20I series. I think the way we've been playing, it looks like that. But on a given day, when you play a game, you have to bring your A game on. You have to play good cricket. But there are definitely good 19 teams in the competition, and I'm sure every game will be very important, Suryakumar Yadav said. Surya reiterated his recent assertion that he is not out of form but rather short of runs. The Indian captain has scored a couple of valuable half-centuries against New Zealand in the recent series. I had said the same thing sitting here - I remember, I'm not out of form, out of runs. But yeah, it's always good to be back amongst the runs, that too before a big tournament, said Suryakumar Yadav, considered one of the best batters in T20Is because of his 360-degree strokemaking. Suryakumar was also questioned over the concern raised by former India captain MS Dhoni, who said, considering the season and the venues, dew could be a major factor impacting the matches. In case of a copious amount of dew, bowling with the wet ball in the second innings has turned out to be a Herculean task. The Indian captain said dew was something not under their control, and therefore, he would rather focus on things that are in their hands. He said they would continue to do things that have worked for them in recent times -- like batting first -- without worrying about dew. All the matches are important, but at the same time, we'll see what our strong points are, what kind of cricket we want to play. Dew is not in our control. Sometimes, if you win the toss and do the fielding first and then do the batting, then you don't get dew. But it's not in our control. We want to see what's in our control. We're doing good batting first. And we're doing total chases too. So there's no problem with both those things. So whatever the situation will be on the day, be it a league game or a semifinal or final, we'll decide on the day. If we want to bat, we'll bat first. The runs on board have always been better. And if you've seen, when we're batting, making runs, and defending, we've played so many matches in dew. So we've got an idea. And so many people have been playing franchise cricket and international cricket for so many years in the team. So I think that's a factor that we should get out of the game and we should focus on playing some good cricket, he added. All the matches are important, but at the same time, we'll see what our strong points are, what kind of cricket we want to play. Dew is not in our control. Sometimes, if you win the toss and do the fielding first and then do the batting, then you don't get dew. But it's not in our control. We want to see what's in our control. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Everyone is playing their A-game. There's a day game in the tournament. But I feel it's a good challenge if dew comes. Because this game has become so advanced. You prepare anyway. If dew is going to happen, you prepare for it. So it boils down to how you're preparing. That is more important. And then when you go on the ground, it's all autopilot, said Suryakumar Yadav. Article Source: IANS

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WPL 2026: Rodrigues, Wolvaardt, Henry Propel Delhi Capitals To 203/4 In Decider Against RCB

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Skipper Jemimah Rodrigues struck a fluent 57 off 37 balls as Delhi Capitals posted a formidable 203/4 in their 20 overs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final of the 2026 Womens Premier League (WPL) at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara, on Thursday. Inserted to bat first, DC posted the highest-ever total in a WPL final and also the highest score in Vadodara. After Lizelle Lee and Shafali Verma provided the early momentum, Jemimah took charge with a sparkling knock showcasing her sublime timing and ability to pick gaps with immaculate ease to get eight boundaries. Laura Wolvaardt chipped in with a useful 44 off 25 balls, where she accelerated towards the end, while Chinelle Henry played a blistering cameo of 35 off just 15 balls to power Delhi past the 200-run mark. Such was the effect of Chinelles finishing touch that DC plundered 55 runs in the last four overs to put themselves in prime position for a maiden WPL title. For RCB, Lauren Bell was the lone bright spot with the ball with her spell of 0-19 in four overs, but the rest of the attack struggled with their lines and lengths, offering scoring opportunities almost every over. RCB staged a brief comeback after Jemimahs dismissal in the 16th over, but Chinelles late fireworks dashed their hopes. DC began by making only nine runs in the first three overs before Lizelle broke free by walloping Sayali Satghare for two sixes and set the tone for what turned out to be one of their most complete batting performances in the competition. Shafali Verma opened up by striking successive boundaries off Arundhati Reddy before perishing to a sharp catch by Richa Ghosh for 20. But Lizelle continued to attack, hammering Shreyanka Patil for three fours and a six in the seventh over, but Nadine de Klerk provided the breakthrough by removing her for 37 miscuing slog to long-on. Jemimah came in and was fluent against both pace and spin from the get-go, striking boundaries through cover, extra cover, and point. With Laura settling in, the pair kept the scoreboard ticking. The 12th over proved to be pivotal, as Jemimah showcased her full range cover-driving, sweeping, and cutting Shreyanka for three boundaries, before slicing fiercely off Radha Yadav. Jemimah soon reached her half-century in the 15th over, before falling for 57, as she was caught by deep square leg off Sayali Satghare. But Laura and Chinelle unleashed a brutal assault in the death overs. Chinelle, in particular, tore into Nadine de Klerk in the 18th over, smashing four boundaries and a six to collect 24 runs. The duo took a boundary each off Sayali in the final over, yielding 15 runs, before Laura was run out while attempting a desperate second run, as DC put RCB on the path of a daunting chase. The 12th over proved to be pivotal, as Jemimah showcased her full range cover-driving, sweeping, and cutting Shreyanka for three boundaries, before slicing fiercely off Radha Yadav. Jemimah soon reached her half-century in the 15th over, before falling for 57, as she was caught by deep square leg off Sayali Satghare. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Delhi Capitals 203/4 in 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 57, Laura Wolvaardt 44; Arundhati Reddy 1-40, Sayali Satghare 1-46) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru Article Source: IANS

ICC-PCB in back-channel talks to resolve India boycott at T20 World Cup

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From Diplomacy To Dugout: How Bangladesh's Anti-India Turn Spilled Onto Cricket Field (IANS Analysis)

Indian High Commission: Dhaka: India-Bangladesh relationship has witnessed historic low since the 2024 July Uprising, a downward trend that is still continuing. With an uprising that forced Sheikh Hasina to flee Bangladesh, New Delhi woke up to a surprising wave of anti-India sentiments in its neighbourhood. The resurgence of Islamists and attacks on minorities, in addition to the country's social and cultural spaces, confirmed the main force behind such sentiments. The interim government under Muhammad Yunus took little time to gear Bangladesh's geopolitical shift away from India and towards Pakistan in name of recalibration. There was no doubt that the Islamists forces penetrated the present interim administration, prolonging the diplomatic lows between the two countries. For every domestic unrest engulfing Bangladesh, the interim government blamed India for harbouring anti-state activities. New Delhis concerns regarding the increasing atrocities on minorities have been repeatedly dismissed as Indian propaganda, despite international and Bangladeshs rights organisations reiterating the same. The prolonged winter in bilateral relations hit its lowest in December when Inqilab Mancha (an anti-India Islamist-led youth platform) leader Osman Hadi was assassinated, leading to a quick blame game on India, without any evidence. The month witnessed Islamist extremists attacking Bangladeshs significant cultural centers, as well as two of the most prominent media outlets, alleging them to be pro-India. The radical mob also organised protest marches outside Indian High Commission in Dhaka and assistant commissions in Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Chattogram, with the intention of launching similar violent attacks. Indian commissions security in Bangladesh, is compromised, which explains its recent decision to recall family members and dependents of Indian diplomats from the country as a precautionary measure, days before the 13th national election. The Islamist extremists onslaught on media freedom and cultural platform coincided with another horrifying incident the lynching of a Hindu garment worker Dipu Das, a lynching justified for Dass alleged blasphemous remarks and cheered and celebrated by onlookers as his naked corpse hung from a tree was burnt in public. Perhaps this was a signaling to New Delhi, of Bangladeshs own fate of minority Hindus shielded behind the curtain of non-communal framing. This incident prompted India summoning Bangladesh envoy, and for Bangladeshs tit-for-tat summons. A nasty political atmosphere brewing anti-India hatred also led India to temporarily suspend its visa operations at Visa Application Centers in Bangladesh, a move also reciprocated by Bangladesh with respect to its missions in India. Amidst this, New Delhi displayed its goodwill gesture and calibrated diplomatic protocol when India's External Affairs Minister visited Dhaka to attend the funeral of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Begum Khaleda Zia. Many in Bangladesh perceived this as a positive and stabilising reset of bilateral relations, a forward-looking direction before Bangladesh is to face the 13th national election in February. Then came the cricket fiasco early January. The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI)'s direction to Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release (the only) Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman (auctioned for $1 million) from its 2026 squad, believed to be in line with recent developments in Bangladesh (no official reason cited) did not bode well with Bangladesh, that reciprocated with the decision to not broadcast IPL matches. Just a day after BCCI's direction to release Rahman, Bangladesh abruptly raised security concerns for its players to play in India and asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate its T20 World Cup matches to a neutral venue such as Sri Lanka. However, after repeated assessments, the ICC rejected such a request, citing lack of any credible security threats for Bangladeshi players, officials or fans and noted that such a sudden change would compromise ICC's integrity. Following weeks of discussion, ICC gave Bangladesh a 24-hour time on January 23 to communicate its final decision. It should be noted that of all board members present in this, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was the only full-time member that expressed support for Bangladeshs decision. In a formal letter sent before the ICC board meeting, Pakistan even assured Bangladesh to host its matches in Pakistan. PCB also threatened to boycott the T20 World Cup in apparent solidarity with Bangladesh to protest ICCs refusal for venue shift request. However, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief announced its final decision to be conveyed by January 30 or February 2. Meanwhile, Bangladesh gave no response within the 24 hours stipulated time, indicating its decision to not participate in the T20 World Cup, leaving way for Scotland to officially replace the country on January 24. This brings into question: why Bangladesh, despite assurances of no security threat by ICC, refused to change its decision? One obvious development in this fiasco points towards Pakistan the only one to back Bangladesh. It is believed that Pakistans influence has led to BCB taking such a hardline stance. PCB argued for its own agreement with BCCI last year to play ICC matches at a neutral venue until 2027. However, one cannot draw parallels as India has not shown any signs of animosity towards neighbouring Bangladesh, although the same cannot be said for the latter. Neither has Dhaka raised security concerns with the ICC before BCCIs decision to withdraw the only Bangladeshi player from playing in the IPL, leaving little doubt that security concerns are mere reciprocal actions. While one can debate on whether this was the right move on New Delhis part, the fact remains that Indias soil does not pose a security threat for Bangladesh. Rather, India has been a consistent support and played a pivotal role in building Bangladesh cricket. BCCIs role, especially in the 1990s, in hosting Bangladesh, providing training and infrastructural support to Bangladesh cricket via regular matches paved the way for its exposure and global recognition in the ICC. BCCI aided Bangladeshs entry into the ODI World Cup in 1999, leveraging the Asian bloc in cricket. Former BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya's tenure as ICC President had also been instrumental behind Bangladesh being granted a full-time membership and Test status in June 2000, overcoming skepticism of Australia and South Africa while showcasing Indias successful cultural diplomacy. In contrast, Pakistan previously complicated Bangladeshs cricketing journey by asking for revenues from the Bangladesh team in Pakistans home series where Pakistan had hosted Bangladesh twice (2011/12-2015), despite the latters non-visit in the 2015 series. Also, Pakistan called off its own players from Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), postponing its tour indefinitely. This time, too, Pakistans strong political interference through boycott call under the garb of cricket diplomacy is believed to be behind Bangladesh Cricket Boards decision to not take part in this years World Cup. Rather, India has been a consistent support and played a pivotal role in building Bangladesh cricket. BCCIs role, especially in the 1990s, in hosting Bangladesh, providing training and infrastructural support to Bangladesh cricket via regular matches paved the way for its exposure and global recognition in the ICC. BCCI aided Bangladeshs entry into the ODI World Cup in 1999, leveraging the Asian bloc in cricket. Former BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya's tenure as ICC President had also been instrumental behind Bangladesh being granted a full-time membership and Test status in June 2000, overcoming skepticism of Australia and South Africa while showcasing Indias successful cultural diplomacy. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Surely, the Bangladesh cricket team, which presently ranks ninth in ICC T20 rankings, did not agree to face such financial repercussions and is facing the consequence of the country's anti-India politics. Ironically, Bangladeshs security concerns vanished when it approved its shooting team to visit India to participate in the Asian Rifle and Pistol Championships. The cricket fiasco - having aggravated because of Pakistans instigation and Bangladeshs own volatile politics - now only leaves Bangladeshs vibrant cricket team to pay the price. Article Source: IANS

Gcuma, Haig Appointed On-field Umpires For U19 Mens WC Final Between India And England

Harare Sports Club: Lubabalo Gcuma and Shaun Haig have been appointed as on-field umpires for the final of the 2026 ICC U19 Mens Cricket World Cup to be played between India and England at the Harare Sports Club on Friday, said the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday. India, the five-time champions, have reached the decider after chasing down 311 to beat Afghanistan in the semifinal on Wednesday, while England overcame defending champions Australia by 27 runs to enter the title clash. Gcuma, hailing from South Africa, has already stood in Indias 18-run win against Bangladesh and their Super Six victory over Pakistan, as well as Englands seven-wicket triumph over Bangladesh, the ICC informed in a release on Thursday. New Zealands Haig officiated in Indias semifinal win against Afghanistan, but has yet to umpire in an England game in the tournament. Zahid Bassarath will serve as the third umpire, while Masudur Mukul will be the fourth umpire, and Graeme La Brooy is the match referee. Fridays game will be only the second India-England final in the competitions history. India won the previous meeting when they faced England in the 2022 U19 World Cup final in the West Indies. Both sides enter the decider as unbeaten sides - India are appearing in their 10th final and sixth in succession, while England are chasing their second Mens U19 World Cup crown and first since 1998. Fridays game will be only the second India-England final in the competitions history. India won the previous meeting when they faced England in the 2022 U19 World Cup final in the West Indies. Also Read: Live Cricket Score For England, Ben Mayes, with 399 runs, and captain Thomas Rew, with 299 runs, have led the sides batting charge, while pacer Manny Lumsden tops the tournaments wicket-taking charts with 15 scalps, and spinner Ralphie Albert has taken 10 wickets. Article Source: IANS

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WPL 2026: Maybe It's A Good Thing That We Got Into The Final The Hard Way, Says Delhi Capitals' Kapp

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Seam-bowling all-rounder Marizanne Kapp said Delhi Capitals (DC) have endured a more inconsistent campaign in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026, but believed the tougher route to the final could work in their favour. DC are in their fourth WPL final, where they take on RCB at the BCA Stadium, and enter the title clash on the back of edging Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator. We probably weren't as good this year. We had a bit of ups and downs, a lot more than in previous seasons. Probably, I believe that's maybe a good thing that we got into the final the hard way. Like previous years, everything just went our way; we played so well every single game and then bombed out in the final. Whereas this year, we really had to work for it. If you asked me after the first four games if I was going to be standing here, I probably would have said no. We worked really hard, and I still feel, up until today, we've not played our perfect game, Marizanne Kapp told broadcasters ahead of the title clash. The veteran South African player also praised Jemimah Rodrigues' leadership skills, noting her growth through the tournament. If you look at the way she started in the last game, there's a massive improvement. You could see she was still a bit new after the first few games. She's been very open to learning, and I feel like she's taken that on brilliantly. I've seen her personally improve so much every single game, added Marizanne. She signed off by reiterating that the teams path of entering the final through the Eliminator could prove to be decisive. It's probably a good thing. I mean, the record shows that every single team that's gone through the Eliminator has ended up winning the final. If you look at the way she started in the last game, there's a massive improvement. You could see she was still a bit new after the first few games. She's been very open to learning, and I feel like she's taken that on brilliantly. I've seen her personally improve so much every single game, added Marizanne. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Delhi Capitals have finished runners-up in the Women's Premier League (WPL) in three successive seasons and are hoping to turn the script around in the 2026 edition. Article Source: IANS

WPL 2026: I'm Just Trying To Take It All In And Enjoy It, Says Lauren Bell On Title Clash

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fast bowler Lauren Bell said she is relishing her time in the 2026 Womens Premier League (WPL) and is eager to make an impact in the final against Delhi Capitals at the BCA Stadium at Kotambi in Vadodara on Thursday. Lauren has picked 12 wickets in eight games at an economy of 5.63, and holds the record for the most number of dot balls bowled in the competition 116. She will be the key for RCB to make an impact with the new ball yet again. I'm just trying to take it all in and just enjoy it. It's been very full on, but I've loved it, and I'm really excited for tonight. Playing in franchise cricket, I'd actually have to be pretty adaptable and flexible and do what the team needs of me. It's been really good for me, and it's a great experience playing with a different captain, different coach, Bell told broadcasters ahead of the final, where RCB are bowling first. The England pacer highlighted her satisfaction with her bowling in the Power-play overs. I think I'm just really glad that my Power-play stuff has been so good and I've been able to provide for the team and put in performances. I'm really happy with my control, which is something that I've worked really hard on over the last one or two years. So, I'm just really happy with it, she said. She added that RCB had used the long break between the group stage and the final to prepare thoroughly. It is a long break, but we've played a lot of cricket, and nothing has changed between our last game and now. The England pacer highlighted her satisfaction with her bowling in the Power-play overs. I think I'm just really glad that my Power-play stuff has been so good and I've been able to provide for the team and put in performances. I'm really happy with my control, which is something that I've worked really hard on over the last one or two years. So, I'm just really happy with it, she said. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Looking ahead to performing in front of a packed BCA stadium, Lauren said she wanted to savour the moment. I think these opportunities, you don't get those in your career. So I'm just going to take it all in. Hopefully, I'm on the right side of the result. But I'm just going to enjoy playing in front of this crowd and hopefully put on a good show. Article Source: IANS

RCB bowl in WPL final, both teams unchanged

RCB are chasing their second title, DC their first

WPL 2026: Both Teams Unchanged As RCB Elect To Bowl First Against DC In Title Clash

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the toss and elected to field first against Delhi Capitals in the 2026 Womens Premier League (WPL) final at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara, on Thursday. Both teams are unchanged from their wins in their last games in the competition. RCB won the WPL in 2024 and are aiming to add their second title. DC, meanwhile, are three-time runners-up and are keen to break their losing jinx in a WPL title clash. RCB qualified for the final as table-toppers, while DC edged Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator to enter their fourth straight summit clash. Of course, it's been a trend in the tournament, but having said that, on a good wicket, it's always good to know what you're going to chase. It's been brilliant, I feel. First 2-3 days, we all had a good time off. We didn't think a lot about cricket. Of course, in the last two or three days, we came back together, practised hard. Again, there's nice nerves, nice anxiousness, and nice excitement, and I feel you all have to embrace it. We've all had a chat about it - don't run away from it, just embrace it, said RCB captain Smriti Mandhana. I'm not sure that it's different. What's worked for us is keeping things as simple as we can. I think nothing will change for us today as well. Everyone had that calm energy today. But of course, the excitement level is high. For sure, I mean, we know that we have to turn up and play our best cricket, she added. DC skipper Jemimah Rodrigues said it is better to lose the toss in such games, but conceded that she would have bowled first too. Firstly, in such big games, it's better to lose the toss because sometimes it always works out for good. So, we would have also bowled first, but we're happy with what came. Just kept it very simple. Didn't try to overthink it too much. Kept it simple, kept our plan simple. One good thing is playing the Eliminator; we're playing on the same pitch again. So we know what it's going to look like and we're ready for today, she said. The final will be played on pitch number five, the same surface used for the Eliminator clash. Former New Zealand womens keeper Katey Martin said shorter boundaries were expected to favour batters. The square boundaries are at 54m and 58m respectively, with a straight boundary of 66m. Katey also noted that less grass across the cracks could still offer assistance to bowlers if they hit consistent areas, as DC seam-bowling all-rounder Chinelle Henry did in the Eliminator when she claimed three wickets. Playing XIs: The square boundaries are at 54m and 58m respectively, with a straight boundary of 66m. Katey also noted that less grass across the cracks could still offer assistance to bowlers if they hit consistent areas, as DC seam-bowling all-rounder Chinelle Henry did in the Eliminator when she claimed three wickets. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (capt), Grace Harris, Georgia Voll, Richa Ghosh (wk), Radha Yadav, Nadine de Klerk, Pooja Vastrakar, Shreyanka Patil, Sayali Satghare, Arundhati Reddy, Lauren Bell Article Source: IANS

BCB announces three-team T20 league to be played during T20 World Cup

It will feature all of the country's top cricketers, who are missing the T20 World Cup after the Bangladesh government barred them from playing in India

No India vs Pakistan? Agha still confident of 'exciting' games in Colombo

The Pakistan captain said Sri Lanka is like a second home for me, and went on to praise the support and love his team gets there

T20 World Cup: Every Player Has A Responsibility To Give Something Back, Says Shanaka On SL Team's Mindset

T20 World Cup: Though his team is facing a severe backlash from the fans over their recent poor performances, including a series defeat to England at home, Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka on Thursday urged his players to focus on a step-by-step approach as they enter the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 to be played at their home. Shanaka also stressed the importance of experience, team responsibility, and maintaining the nations proud record in ICC events hosted on home soil. Speaking at the captains media briefing in Colombo, Shanaka said the teams preparations had been encouraging despite results not always going their way. Sri Lanka recently lost to England at their home in the T20I series, which has raised eyebrows about their preparation. Yeah, so the preparations were good from my perspective. It's not the results that came our way. So, extremely happy about the bowling unit and the way they executed, especially Chameera, Pathirana, and even Maheesh Theekshana, who bowled well in the last game, Shanaka said. The fans were so enraged after Sri Lanka lost the series to England at Palekelle that they wanted the entire team disbanded, and the selection committee sacked. Shanaka admitted there were concerns with the batting unit, which were clearly visible during the England series, but expressed confidence in the experience within the squad. Yeah, there were some concerns with the batting, but hopefully we'll get through this. You know, we have quite an experienced batting line-up, so it's totally dependent on the individuals to show their specialities in the World Cup, the Sri Lanka skipper added. With Sri Lanka hosting a World Cup after a gap of 14 years, Shanaka said the teams immediate focus would be on the opening round, starting with their match against Ireland at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Actually, we hope to go step by step, because the first round is very important. We have the focus on the first match; we start from the match with Ireland at the Keththarama grounds, he said. Highlighting the importance of batting consistency, Shanaka underlined the need for top-order players to bat deep into the innings. Actually, it's very important to have batting skills, especially for the first players to keep playing up until the end of the inning, he noted. Reflecting on Sri Lankas proud history in ICC tournaments hosted at home, where the team has reached the finals of all the ICC events hosted by them since 1996, Shanaka stressed the importance of collective effort to uphold that legacy. We should protect that pride! I think I'm just one player; it's important for the other 14 players as well. So, I think they also have that pride; we have to perform as a team. At the end, we hope that we can protect that pride, he said. Shanaka feels that the limited match experience of the players was the main reason behind their team's inability to reach the semi-finals since 2014. However, he is confident that this will change in 2026. During the past tournaments, the players who attended were less experienced. I think by now, by the 2026 World Cup, they are in a higher place with the experiences, he said, adding that players now have a responsibility to give back to Sri Lanka Cricket. Shanaka feels that the limited match experience of the players was the main reason behind their team's inability to reach the semi-finals since 2014. However, he is confident that this will change in 2026. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Sri Lanka will begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 8 against Ireland at R. Premadasa Stadium. Article Source: IANS

Free To Take Part In BCCI Affairs, Says SC While Lifting Ban On Anurag Thakur

Union Minister Anurag Thakur: The Supreme Court on Thursday lifted the ban on BJP MP and former Union Minister Anurag Thakur from holding office in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), nearly nine years after removing him as the cricket body's president. A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi modified its January 2017 order, which had directed Thakur to cease and desist from being associated with the working of the BCCI. Allowing Thakur's application, the CJI Kant-led Bench observed that the ban was never intended to operate as a lifelong disqualification. In its order, the Supreme Court noted that the restraint had continued for nearly nine years and that Thakur had already tendered an unconditional apology in the matter. The Apex Court clarified that Thakur - the Member of Parliament from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur constituency - is now free to take part in the internal, administrative, and other affairs of the BCCI in accordance with its rules and regulations. On January 2, 2017, Thakur was removed as BCCI president for refusing to implement the recommendations of the Justice R. M. Lodha Committee on structural and governance reforms in the cricket body. In its 2017 order, a Bench led by then CJI T.S. Thakur had found that the BCCI leadership had adopted an obstructionist and defiant approach in implementing the Top Court-mandated reforms. On January 2, 2017, Thakur was removed as BCCI president for refusing to implement the recommendations of the Justice R. M. Lodha Committee on structural and governance reforms in the cricket body. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The Apex Court not only restrained him from associating with the cricket body's functioning but also ordered that a Committee of Administrators supervise the BCCI. Article Source: IANS

Salman Ali Agha Plays Down Missing India Clash, Backs Squad Ahead Of T20 World Cup

Salman Ali Agha: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said his team remained focused on controllables and was confident in its preparation for the T20 World Cup, despite the controversy on his side not getting permission to play the high-profile match against India and recent disappointments in global tournaments. Agha confirmed that Pakistan would follow government directives regarding participation against India, while stressing the squads excitement about the remainder of the group-stage fixtures. Yeah, the India game, it's not in our control. It's a government decision, and we respect that. Whatever they are going to say, we do that. And then, yeah, we're playing three other games, and we are very excited for that. Yeah, we lost to the USA in the last World Cup, but that's history now. And it's a new World Cup, and it's a new team, and it's a new combination. And we are very excited for that, Agha stressed while speaking to reporters at the Captains' Day media interaction organised by the ICC in Colombo on Monday. Agha is leading Pakistan at the T20 World Cup for the first time and said his focus as captain is on creating the right environment for his players. Yeah, it's my first World Cup as a captain, and I'm very excited for that. And yeah, I don't know how to describe myself as a captain. It's like people describe, but as a captain, I just want to lead from the front and try to make as much as I can from my players and bring the best out of them and give them an environment where they can play their best cricket. Asked about Sri Lankan fans' disappointment at the absence of an India-Pakistan clash in Colombo, Agha urged supporters to back the other matches, saying, There are three other games. They can come and watch those games, and I'm sure they will be excited as well. Don't worry. Pakistan have not won a major trophy since 2021, a point reporters raised in light of recent defeats to India and early exits from ICC events. Agha acknowledged the frustration but said the team has arrived at the marquee event with belief. Yes, you are absolutely right. We have not played cricket in those events that we should have played. And obviously, the fans are also disappointed about that. But when you go to a tournament, you think 100% that you will win this tournament. And we have also come here thinking that we will win this tournament. And the fans have always been supporting us. Just support us on this tournament as well, and we will play, and we will try our best to win this tournament. On whether Pakistan could face India in the later stages of the competition, Agha reiterated the teams position. Well, I have mentioned that before. It is a government decision, and we respect that. We will do what they are going to say, and we will do that. Regardless, I do not know if the game is going to happen or not, but the government has said one thing, and we are going to do that. I do not know about the game. Pakistan entered the tournament on the back of a 3-0 series win over Australia, a result Agha said had boosted confidence. Nice to have a question apart from the India game. We have been playing really good cricket. I think post-Asia Cup, we haven't lost a series yet, and we have won most of our games. We are playing really good cricket. Everything is coming along very nicely. We are very hopeful and excited for this World Cup and really hope to do well here as well. Agha also acknowledged support from Bangladesh fans, whose team did not qualify for the tournament. Well, they are our brothers. Thank you very much for supporting us. And I'll say they can support us in the tournament as well. And it's really sad to see them. They are not playing the World Cup. But yeah, thank you so much for supporting us. And hopefully, they can carry on supporting us in the tournament as well. Addressing preparation against perceived lower-ranked opponents, such as the Netherlands, the 32-year-old said Pakistan would treat all matches with equal seriousness. I think when a team comes to play the ICC World Cup, it's not a small team. I think all the teams are very good. All three teams in our group are very good sides. And they have played a lot of cricket. They have a lot of experienced players as well. So we are preparing for these games like we always do against any other team, and when we take the field against any team, we will try our best to play to our potential and execute our plans, and I feel that if we execute our plans, we can defeat any team. He also reflected on Pakistans recent improvement after early exits in the last three ICC events and said, In the last three events, we haven't played the cricket that was expected by us by the people, or what we expect from ourselves as a team. But that is history, and we can only learn from that, and we have learnt a lot from it. Now we are playing very good cricket, since the last 6 months, we are ticking all the boxes, and each player knows their role and is doing it well. So we are very hopeful in this tournament that we will play good cricket and win this tournament. Agha said playing in Sri Lanka felt familiar for the team, citing strong local support. Yes, Sri Lanka is like a second home for me. I have played here so many times. And I have toured here five or six times now in my three-year career in international. And yeah, the people here are very, very good and very nice people. I love coming here. And as a team, we love coming here. And whenever we came here, we got so much support here. And we love playing in Sri Lanka. And we are very excited this time around as well. He also reflected on Pakistans recent improvement after early exits in the last three ICC events and said, In the last three events, we haven't played the cricket that was expected by us by the people, or what we expect from ourselves as a team. But that is history, and we can only learn from that, and we have learnt a lot from it. Now we are playing very good cricket, since the last 6 months, we are ticking all the boxes, and each player knows their role and is doing it well. So we are very hopeful in this tournament that we will play good cricket and win this tournament. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The weather, you can't control. This is something like we don't really think about what we can't control. And certainly, the weather is one thing you can't control. And we are just here to play good cricket, and whatever challenges they throw at us, we will deal with them. And yeah, we will just be here to play good cricket, and weather is something we don't control, and we don't really think about that. Article Source: IANS

ICC T20 World Cup: When And Where To Watch, Know All Details

Watch ICC T20 World Cup: Cricket fans around the world are in for a thrilling month as the Men's T20 World Cup 2026, organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC), kicks off on February 7, with the final scheduled for March 8. This year's tournament will feature 20 teams competing in 55 matches for the prestigious title. With World Cup fever gripping millions of fans worldwide, everyone is excited to catch a glimpse of the teams ready to give it all for the trophy. Team India is entering the tournament as defending champions and will aim to become the only team to win the trophy for the third time and also to defend the title. Twenty teams have been divided into four groups of five, with the top two from each progressing to the Super Eights, where teams will be placed according to pre-determined seedings. If Pakistan qualifies for the semi-finals, Colombos R. Premadasa Stadium will replace Kolkata as the host of Semi-Final 1. Should Pakistan reach the summit clash, Colombo will host the game. If not, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will play host. If India and Pakistan meet in the semi-finals, that match will be staged in Colombo, while Mumbai will host Semi-Final 2 involving India if they face any team other than Pakistan. The Men in Blue will kick off their campaign on February 7 with a group-stage match against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. All groups of the T20 World Cup- Group A: India, USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, Nepal Group D: South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE What are the venues for the T20 World Cup 2026? A total of eight venues have been selected for the World Cup, which include the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Cricket Ground in Colombo, and the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. Which teams are competing in the tournament? India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, the USA, the West Indies, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Where to Watch the T20 WC Live Telecast in India? Fans can watch the tournament live on Star Sports channels. Where to Watch ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Live Streaming in India? Millions of fans can watch the live streaming on the JioHotstar website and mobile app. Every fixture will be available in five languages English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada on JioStars TV and digital coverage, with additional regional feeds (Bengali, Bhojpuri and Haryanvi). Where to Watch ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Live Streaming in India? Also Read: Live Cricket Score A vertical live feed will once again be made available in English and Hindi on JioHotstar for mobile-first audiences. In addition, viewers will have the option to enjoy the games in a 360-degree view and with the Multi-cam feature. Article Source: IANS

Selection Committee Awaits BCCI CoE To Provide Details On Sundar's Recovery: Report

The Indian Men: The Indian Men's National Selection Committee is not in a rush to announce any replacement for the all-rounder Washington Sundar, who is yet to join the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, which will start on February 7. Sundar, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE), was part of Indias playing XI in the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara on January 11, when he suffered a rib injury while bowling, but despite that, he came out to bat and helped India secure a win. According to a report in Cricbuzz on Thursday. The selection committee is waiting for the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) to provide more details, but as of Thursday, Sundar seems part of the team management and selectors' plans for the World Cup. According to Cricbuzz report, the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) to provide more details but as of Thursday (February 5) Sundar seems part of the team management and selectors' plans for the World Cup. The final decision will depend on the advice of the trainers and physios of CoE, and they do not seem to have given up hope of Sundars readiness for the marquee event as yet, the report added. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav also gave an update about Sundar's availability after India clinched the five-match T20I series against New Zealand by 4-1. Skipper said the all-rounder has started batting and bowling practice, and the captain is expecting him to join the team soon. The final decision will depend on the advice of the trainers and physios of CoE, and they do not seem to have given up hope of Sundars readiness for the marquee event as yet, the report added. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The Indian cricket team has already assembled in Mumbai for their first match of the T20 World Cup to be played on February 7 at Wankhede Stadium against the USA. Article Source: IANS

Aasif, Lamichhane hand Nepal second straight warm-up win

Movva and Jaskaran lifted Canada to 161 for 6 but couldn't prevent their team from slipping to a second straight defeat

'They Have Refused... Our Flight Is Booked': SKY Reflects On Pakistan Boycotting T20 WC Match

T20 World Cup: Skipper Suryakumar Yadav broke silence on Pakistan boycotting the ICC Men's T20 World Cup match against India and stated that his team is ready to fly to Colombo on February 15 for the game at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Pakistan will not play India in their scheduled Mens T20 World Cup match in Colombo on February 15, after their government approved the Men in Green's participation in the World Cup on the condition that they will not play the match against India. India and Pakistan are in Group A alongside Namibia, Netherlands and the United States of America (USA). All of Pakistan's matches are scheduled in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament with India. India will open the campaign against the USA on February 7, the tournament's first day; at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Meanwhile, Pakistan will kickstart their campaign against the Netherlands on the same day. We haven't refused to play against Pakistan. They have refused. I think mindset is pretty clear. We have not said no to playing the match. It came from the other side. ICC has given the official fixtures. BCCI and the government have decided on a neutral venue along with ICC. Our flight is booked for Colombo. So we are going for sure. The team discussion is that we are playing first on February 7, then we will go there, Suryakumar told reporters in the T20 World Cup 2026 Captains' Day Press Conference on Thursday. Pakistan's stance of not playing India follows the ICC's decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland for the T20 World Cup. Bangladesh were excluded after they refusing to play their matches in India, citing security concerns. The Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif reaffirmed on Wednesday that their senior men's cricket team will not play India in the forthcoming Men's T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India. We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won't play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field. We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision. We are with Bangladesh, he added. The Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif reaffirmed on Wednesday that their senior men's cricket team will not play India in the forthcoming Men's T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India. Also Read: Live Cricket Score While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan. The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of, it added. Article Source: IANS

T20 World Cup: Australia Are One Of The Most Dangerous Teams In Modern Cricket, Says Ian Bishop

T20 World Cup: Australia head into the ICC Mens T20 World Cup as one of the teams to beat, with former players and experts highlighting their depth, leadership, and fearsome batting power as major strengths ahead of the tournament, and former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop believes that the 2021 champions are one of the most dangerous sides. The defending champions, eyeing a second T20 World Cup title, will begin their campaign with a warm-up match against the Netherlands before facing Ireland in their opening group fixture in Colombo. Despite a sense of transition within the squad, confidence around the Australian setup remains high. Former Australian cricketer Mel Jones shed light on the changing face of the team, acknowledging that new names may take time to resonate with fans but are part of a carefully planned evolution. There is a transition. New names in the squad, like Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett, are not yet household names, unlike stars like Steve Smith and David Warner. For fans, it feels sudden. Others, like Nathan Ellis, have waited a long time for this chance, she said on JioHotstar. Jones emphasised that many of these players have been preparing for this moment through experience in global franchise cricket. These players have honed their skills in global franchise cricket, waiting for the senior players to shift. It is an exciting time as they get their moment to shine. Coach Andrew McDonald and captain Mitchell Marsh provide solid consistency. This is Australia's strength. They rarely make chaotic, wholesale changes. They plan ahead and have players ready at the right time. Also, they know how to win big tournaments in India. Many players from past winning teams are in this T20 squad, Mel added. Leadership, particularly that of captain Mitchell Marsh, has been another major talking point. Former England captain Nasser Hussain highlighted Marshs personality and on-field impact as key factors behind Australias cohesion. You need a good captain. Mitchell Marsh is a good captain just by his personality. He is someone you warm up to. I think the whole cricketing world likes Mitchell Marsh. And when you like your captain, you want to play for him. I would want to play for Mitchell Marsh. He seems a very genuine person. If he says, 'come on lads, let's do this', you would want to do it, he said. Hussain also pointed to Marshs all-round influence in the shortest format. He leads by example. His form at the top of the order has been superb. In T20 cricket, you need a good captain, and he is that. You need a guy who provides explosive starts to your innings. Marsh provides that. You need a good finisher, and Tim David is there for that role. He has been brilliant at finishing innings in the last year. And you need a very fine spinner to get quick breakthroughs, especially in India, which is Adam Zampa. So with new players coming through, Australia still has that core spine of highly skilled players. Leadership has given Mitchell Marsh a new dimension. He is revelling in it, especially with his batting, he added. Perhaps the strongest warning for Australias rivals came from former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop, who described the side as genuinely intimidating due to their batting firepower. Hussain also pointed to Marshs all-round influence in the shortest format. He leads by example. His form at the top of the order has been superb. In T20 cricket, you need a good captain, and he is that. You need a guy who provides explosive starts to your innings. Marsh provides that. You need a good finisher, and Tim David is there for that role. He has been brilliant at finishing innings in the last year. And you need a very fine spinner to get quick breakthroughs, especially in India, which is Adam Zampa. So with new players coming through, Australia still has that core spine of highly skilled players. Leadership has given Mitchell Marsh a new dimension. He is revelling in it, especially with his batting, he added. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Bishop went on to outline just how destructive Australias lineup can be when it clicks. Tim David scored a century in 37 balls against the West Indies. Cameron Green has become mind-blowingly explosive in T20 cricket. Mitchell Marsh always does it. Josh Inglis can also play a versatile role at the top or down the order. So if their batting fires, I am very scared about what Australia can do to opposition teams. But by the same token, it can also implode if there is something in the pitch. Still, they are a scarier opposition, he added. Article Source: IANS

Weatherald gets through Richardson duel but unable to convert

As was the theme around the country the bowlers held sway at the WACA with Tasmania making a late surge

Jatinder fifty, Ramanandi cameo help Oman beat Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup warm-up

Both teams will be face-to-face once again in their opening match of the tournament proper in Colombo on February 9

Lahore Qalandars announce Mustafizur Rahman as direct signing for PSL 2026

This will be his third stint with Qalandars, after being picked in 2016 and 2018

MCG pitch in spotlight again after 17 wickets tumble on the opening day

Queensland were bowled out for 149 and Victoria slumped to 61 for 7 in reply during the first day of red-ball cricket at the ground since the Ashes Test

T20 WC: Two World Cups, 20 Years Apart Italy Skipper Wayne Madsen's Whirlwind Journey

Two World Cups: When Wayne Madsen takes the field at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 9, he will inscribe his name in the history books for more than one reason. Apart from being the captain of Italy playing its first-ever cricket World Cup match against fellow European nation Scotland, Madsen will join a select list of athletes who have featured in World Cups in two different sports. But in Madsen's case, it will also be for different nations. Back in 2006, Madsen played in the Hockey World Cup for South Africa in Monchengladbach, Germany. Twenty years on, he will hold a cricket bat instead of a hockey stick when he dons Italy's blue jersey in the Mens T20 World Cup. None would have pictured this in their wildest dreams - not even those who believe in the stuff of fantasy. Italy, a football-crazy nation with a rich history, could end up missing the bus to the FIFA World Cup in a year in which its much lesser-celebrated cricket team makes its debut on the biggest stage in the shortest format, though the football side still has to clear the European playoffs. Sitting in a hotel in Chennai, a day before Italy play a warm-up match against UAE at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Madsen is imagining the scene when he walks out with the team sheet in hand in Kolkata for Italys first game in a cricket World Cup coming against Scotland. My Italian heritage means a great deal to me. Representing Italy connects family history with professional life. Wearing this badge carries responsibility not just to the present team, but to the future of Italian cricket. Walking out at Eden Gardens will be incredibly special. Pride will be the dominant emotion for me, pride in the group, in the journey, and in what Italian cricket has achieved. Captaining Italy at a World Cup is a huge honour, a great responsibility and one that Im extremely excited for, says Madsen, who has four T20I caps for Italy, in an exclusive conversation with IANS. Though Madsen was announced as Italys captain in November last year, the reality of having that leadership armband hit him after arriving in India. I found out on our November tour, though I would say the reality only properly sunk in arriving in India and I imagine leading the team out at Eden Gardens will take it up another level! he said. For someone who represented South Africa at the Hockey World Cup and played domestic cricket for KwaZulu-Natal, Madsen has carved a reputation as one of English county cricket's most reliable batters, while turning out for Derbyshire. He also had stints with London Spirit and Manchester Originals (The Hundred), Joburg Super Kings (SA 20), Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi (PSL) and Rangpur Riders (BPL). But Madsens Italian heritage, via his family, opened a door that seemed to shut when an England call-up didnt come. I genuinely never imagined myself playing in a cricket World Cup. This journey has unfolded through commitment, opportunity, and being part of a group that truly believes in what its building. Its been unexpected, but incredibly rewarding, he said. From his hockey days, Madsen remembers locking horns with Dilip Tirkey, India's most-capped mens player and current Hockey India president, during the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He was a world-class player and a strong leader. You knew immediately you were facing someone of real quality. Those encounters are valuable because they force you to raise your own standards, he said. That tournament left an indelible mark on Madsen, who had another moment to cherish. Scoring the late equaliser against Korea in a 2-2 draw. That tournament taught me a lot about pressure, preparation, and playing in front of big crowds. Those environments demand clarity and composure, and the lessons from that experience have stayed with me throughout my career, he said. Twenty years later, the setting has changed but the stakes still remain high for Madsen. Its something Im very grateful for. To experience a World Cup even once is rare; doing it in two sports, almost 20 years apart, puts a lot into perspective. It reminds you how fortunate you are and how important it is to enjoy the moment, he added. The technical crossover between hockey and cricket is apparent when Madsen showcases a range of different shots: sweep, reverse-sweep, ramp, and upper-cut. Theres the skill side of things, the wrist work, sweeping, reverse sweeping. The biggest takeaway was learning how to stay calm in high-pressure situations. Whether its hockey or cricket, the crowd, the expectations, and the stakes can be overwhelming if you let them be. Playing at the top level in hockey taught me how to manage that, he said. Madsens years as a mid-fielder in hockey prepared him for cricket captaincy in ways that might not be immediately visible. Very much so. I played a lot in the centre of midfield, where you would help to control the press etc, just like a captain supporting the bowler in setting his field. Leadership is about shared responsibility, trust, and clarity. Those principles dont change with the sport. Im fortunate to be part of a leadership group where everyone takes ownership, he said. Italy's success at the European qualifications last July, in which they finished second to the Netherlands, guaranteed their World Cup debut. For a nation where cricket exists in football's overwhelming shadow, visibility at the Mens T20 World Cup carries transformative potential. This team has been built on commitment and belief. Players come from different backgrounds and systems, but everyone has fully bought into what were trying to achieve. Theres a strong sense of identity and purpose within the group. Its a landmark moment. Visibility at this level matters enormously. When people see Italy competing on the world stage, it creates belief and interest. This tournament is an important step in the sports long-term growth in Italy, added Madsen. Italy's Group C draw in the T20 World Cup offers no easy passage. Two-time champions England are filled with world-class players who play IPL regularly. Fellow two-time winners West Indies are inconsistent but capable of explosive brilliance. Nepal are the tournament's dark horses riding a wave of domestic enthusiasm and Scotland, stung by their qualifying loss to Italy and coming in place of Bangladesh, are keen to spring surprises. Managing expectations while maintaining a competitive edge requires careful calibration, feels Madsen. We want to win games and be competitive in every match. If we play disciplined, smart cricket and back our preparation, we give ourselves a chance. Our focus is always on performance first. The key is routine and clarity. Eden Gardens is iconic, but once the game begins, its still cricket. Were focused on staying present, sticking to our plans, and enjoying the occasion without being distracted by it, he added. We want to win games and be competitive in every match. If we play disciplined, smart cricket and back our preparation, we give ourselves a chance. Our focus is always on performance first. Also Read: Live Cricket Score But on February 9 at Eden Gardens, Italian cricket gets its moment to shine under the Kolkata sun. I hope this World Cup lays a foundation. If it helps create pathways, belief, and opportunity for the next generation of Italian cricketers, then weve done something meaningful, concluded Madsen. Article Source: IANS

Bangladesh Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul Hails Pakistan PM Sharif For Support Over T20 WC Stance

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif: Amid ongoing drama for the upcoming T20 World Cup, Bangladesh Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul thanked Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who stated that Pakistan's decision to boycott their match against India was a show of solidarity with Bangladesh in the wake of the country's removal from the tournament. In a Facebook post on Thursday, Nazrul acknowledged Sharifs decision as a protest against Bangladeshs removal from the multi-nation event. Thank you, Pakistan, he wrote in the post. He also quoted remarks made by Sharif during a meeting of Pakistans cabinet in Islamabad on Wednesday, in which he explained the rationale behind the boycott. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said his country has decided to boycott the India match in protest of removing Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup. We will not play the match against India, he said to cabinet members on Wednesday. Because there should be no politics on the playground. We took this decision very thoughtfully. We should totally stand by Bangladesh. I think this is a very appropriate decision, he added. Earlier, the Pakistan government announced that its national cricket team would not play the T20 World Cup group-stage match against India at Colombos R. Premadasa Stadium on February 15. In response, the ICC issued a strong statement on Sunday, urging the PCB to seek a mutually acceptable resolution and warning that selective participation undermines the principles of global competition. While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms as per the event schedule, the ICC said. In response, the ICC issued a strong statement on Sunday, urging the PCB to seek a mutually acceptable resolution and warning that selective participation undermines the principles of global competition. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland in the T20 World Cup after its government declined to allow the team to travel to India, citing security concerns. Bangladesh had requested that its matches be shifted to Sri Lanka, but the proposal was rejected by the ICC. Article Source: IANS

Hatcher leads New South Wales fightback after McAndrew, Doggett share seven

The home side lost their last five wickets for 22 but made inroads themselves to keep the contest even

India Women Rally Behind The Mens Team Ahead Of T20 World Cup

T20 World Cup: As the Indian mens cricket team gears up for the T20 World Cup 2026, the support from their female counterparts is pouring in. Members of the Indian womens team, who made history by clinching the ICC Womens ODI World Cup in 2025, have sent heartfelt messages to the mens team, wishing them all the best as they look to defend their title in the upcoming tournament. With the Indian men's team entering the tournament as the defending champions, having won the T20 World Cup 2024 against South Africa in a thrilling final, the encouragement from their female counterparts serves as a reminder of the unity and camaraderie within Indian cricket. Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian womens captain, led the charge by sending a powerful message of support. Wishing Team India all the best for T20 World Cup. Play with full of your heart, enjoy, and we all know you are going to win this. Wishing all the luck, she said, exuding confidence in the teams abilities. Smriti Mandhana, one of the brightest stars in womens cricket and the vice-captain of her team, also shared her best wishes and said, Wishing the best for the Indian Team, looking really good, we all are looking forward to another cup. But no pressure, and hopefully we can play some good cricket, she stated, acknowledging the high expectations surrounding the mens team. Deepti Sharma, who played a crucial role in Indias ODI World Cup victory and was named Player of the Series, expressed excitement about the upcoming event in India, adding a touch of emotional significance to her message. Wishing all the very best, this is going to happen in India and it will be very special. Go get the cup home, the all-rounder said, highlighting the pride and passion that accompany a home World Cup. Richa Ghosh, the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter for India, also sent her best wishes to the mens team, recognising the significance of the World Cup for both teams. Wishing you all the very best for the Mens T20 World Cup 2026, good luck guys, she expressed, sending her encouragement ahead of what promises to be an exciting tournament. The Indian womens team, which made history by winning the 2025 ICC Womens ODI World Cup for the first time since the tournaments inception, has shown that the spirit of Indian cricket is united, regardless of format or gender. Richa Ghosh, the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter for India, also sent her best wishes to the mens team, recognising the significance of the World Cup for both teams. Wishing you all the very best for the Mens T20 World Cup 2026, good luck guys, she expressed, sending her encouragement ahead of what promises to be an exciting tournament. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The Women in Blue will begin their tour with a three-game T20I series, followed by as many ODIs and a one-off Test. Article Source: IANS

T20 World Cup 2026: Schedule, Format, Venues & Dates

The ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 will mark the tournaments 10th edition and its much-anticipated return to Asia, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from 7 February to 8 March 2026. Also Read: Live Cricket Score A total of 20 teams will compete, divided into four groups of five. The top teams from the group stage will advance to the Super Eight round, followed by the semi-finals and the final. Defending champions India, who lifted the trophy in 2024, will aim to retain their title on home soil. A look at the complete schedule of ICC MEn's T20 World Cup 2026 along with the venue and timings in IST Dates Match Group/Stage Time Venue February 7, Saturday Pakistan vs Netherlands Group A 11:00 AM SSC, Colombo February 7, Saturday West Indies vs Bangladesh Group C 3:00 PM Kolkata February 7, Saturday India vs USA Group A 7:00 PM Mumbai February 8, Sunday New Zealand vs Afghanistan Group D 11:00 AM Chennai February 8, Sunday England vs Nepal Group C 3:00 PM Mumbai February 8, Sunday Sri Lanka vs Ireland Group B 7:00 PM Premadasa, Colombo February 9, Monday Bangladesh vs Italy Group C 11:00 AM Kolkata February 9, Monday Zimbabwe vs Oman Group B 3:00 PM SSC, Colombo February 9, Monday South Africa vs Canada Group D 7:00 PM Ahmedabad February 10, Tuesday Netherlands vs Namibia Group A 11:00 AM Delhi February 10, Tuesday New Zealand vs UAE Group D 3:00 PM Chennai February 10, Tuesday Pakistan vs USA Group A 7:00 PM SSC, Colombo February 11, Wednesday South Africa vs Afghanistan Group D 11:00 AM Ahmedabad February 11, Wednesday Australia vs Ireland Group B 3:00 PM Premadasa, Colombo February 11, Wednesday England vs West Indies Group C 7:00 PM Mumbai February 12, Thursday Sri Lanka vs Oman Group B 11:00 AM Kandy February 12, Thursday Nepal vs Italy Group C 3:00 PM Mumbai February 12, Thursday India vs Namibia Group A 7:00 PM New Delhi February 13, Friday Australia vs Zimbabwe Group B 11:00 AM Premadasa, Colombo February 13, Friday Canada vs UAE Group D 3:00 PM Delhi February 13, Friday USA vs Netherlands Group A 7:00 PM Chennai February 14, Saturday Ireland vs Oman Group B 11:00 AM SSC, Colombo February 14, Saturday England vs Bangladesh Group C 3:00 PM Kolkata February 14, Saturday New Zealand vs South Africa Group D 7:00 PM Ahmedabad February 15, Sunday West Indies vs Nepal Group C 11:00 AM Mumbai February 15, Sunday USA vs Namibia Group A 3:00 PM Chennai February 15, Sunday India vs Pakistan Group A 7:00 PM Premadasa, Colombo February 16, Monday Afghanistan vs UAE Group D 11:00 AM Delhi February 16, Monday England vs Italy Group C 3:00 PM Kolkata February 16, Monday Australia vs Sri Lanka Group B 7:00 PM Kandy February 17, Tuesday New Zealand vs Canada Group D 11:00 AM Chennai February 17, Tuesday Ireland vs Zimbabwe Group B 3:00 PM Kandy February 17, Tuesday Bangladesh vs Nepal Group C 7:00 PM Mumbai February 18, Wednesday South Africa vs UAE Group D 11:00 AM Delhi February 18, Wednesday Pakistan vs Namibia Group A 3:00 PM SSC, Colombo February 18, Wednesday India vs Netherlands Group A 7:00 PM Ahmedabad February 19, Thursday West Indies vs Italy Group C 11:00 AM Kolkata February 19, Thursday Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe Group B 3:00 PM Premadasa, Colombo February 19, Thursday Afghanistan vs Canada Group D 7:00 PM Chennai February 20, Friday Australia vs Oman Group B 7:00 PM Kandy February 21, Saturday TBC Super Eight 7:00 PM Premadasa, Colombo February 22, Sunday TBC Super Eight 3:00 PM Kandy February 22, Sunday TBC Super Eight 7:00 PM Ahmedabad February 23, Monday TBC Super Eight 7:00 PM Mumbai February 24, Tuesday TBC Super Eight 7:00 PM Kandy February 25, Wednesday TBC Super Eight 7:00 PM Premadasa, Colombo February 26, Thursday TBC Super Eight 3:00 PM Ahmedabad February 26, Thursday TBC Super Eight 7:00 PM Chennai February 27, Friday TBC Super Eight 7:00 PM Premadasa, Colombo February 28, Saturday TBC Super Eight 7:00 PM Kandy March 1, Sunday TBC Super Eight 3:00 PM Delhi March 1, Sunday TBC Super Eight 7:00 PM Kolkata March 4, Wednesday Semi-Final 1 Semi-finals 7:00 PM Kolkata/Colombo March 5, Thursday Semi-Final 2 Semi-finals 7:00 PM Mumbai March 8, Sunday Final Final 7:00 PM Ahmedabad/Colombo March 8, Sunday Final Final 7:00 PM Ahmedabad/Colombo

'I Look Forward To Working Together,' Says FIFA Prez Gianni Infantino After Meeting ICC Chief Jay Shah

ICC Chairman Jay Shah: FIFA president Gianni Infantino has met the International Cricket Council (ICC) chief Jay Shah in Milan. The meeting marks the crossover between two of the most important people in the world's most popular sports. Infantino shared a glimpse of the meeting with Shah through a post on Instagram. He lauded Shah's work in the growth of cricket and also wished him luck as cricket is getting back to the Olympics. It was my pleasure to meet ICC Chairman Jay Shah today in Milan. The outstanding work he has done to grow the beautiful game of cricket is exemplary. I wish him and everyone the very best as cricket gets reintroduced to the Summer Olympic Games in two years' time, he wrote in a post. Infantino also expressed his desire to work with Shah to unite the world with the help of sports. I also look forward to working together and collaborating as we unite the world through sports, he added. Cricket is set to return to the Olympics in the 2028 Summer Games, to be held in Los Angeles, 128 years after its debut in Paris 1900, when Great Britain claimed gold in a one-off match against France. At LA 2028, cricket will return in a much more modern avatar with separate T20 format tournaments for men and women - each with its own set of medals - gold, silver and bronze. The competitions for the mens and womens categories will run from 12 July to 29 July. The medal matches will be held on 20 July (womens) and 29 July (mens), respectively. Six teams will be competing in each of the mens and womens tournaments, comprising 28 matches in all. A total of 90 athlete quotas have been allocated for each gender, allowing every team to name a 15-member squad. At LA 2028, cricket will return in a much more modern avatar with separate T20 format tournaments for men and women - each with its own set of medals - gold, silver and bronze. The competitions for the mens and womens categories will run from 12 July to 29 July. The medal matches will be held on 20 July (womens) and 29 July (mens), respectively. Also Read: Live Cricket Score However, the qualification scenario for the LA28 Olympics is yet to be decided. It is expected that the topic will likely be discussed during the ICC's annual conference in Singapore, which will start on July 17. Article Source: IANS

The Hundred That Announced the Arrival of Kapil Dev

One of those who didn't play T20 cricket, although could have been a success story, is none other than our Kapil Dev. It would be better if we say T20 cricket missed watching him. There is another reason also to remember Kapil Dev at present. One of the saving graces for England in the recent Ashes series was the hundred Jacob Bethell scored at SCG. The best stat related to his hundred is that he became the 47th player to make a maiden first class hundred in a Test match. In September last year, he made a maiden professional century in an ODI against South Africa. The first player to record the feat of scoring a maiden first class hundred in a Test match was Charles Bannerman in 1877. * Jacob Bethell is the 6th England player to score a maiden first-class century in a Test match. Henry Wood in 1891/92; Billy Griffiths in 1947/48; Jack Russell in 1989; Stuart Broad in 2010; Gus Atkinson in 2024 were the others. *Jacob Bethell at 22y-76d is one of the youngest to record the feat. This feat has a unique parallel also. The Zimbabwe off spinner Ujesh Ranchod took his first, first-class wicket in a Test match(of Sachin Tendulkar) and this remained his only Test wicket. Indian cricketers have fair representation in the club of batsmen scoring a maiden first class hundred in a Test match. Both Kapil Dev and Hardik Pandya are also in the list. Hardiks first Test hundred (108 against Sri Lanka, Pallekele, August 2017) was not only his first, first class hundred, it was his first in any senior competitive cricket. Hardik has not scored another Test hundred since then. Like scoring maiden first-class hundred in a Test, Jacob scored his first List A century in a one-day international. So he opened the account of his hundreds in both the formats in international matches. Four other players have also recorded this unusual feat and this includes our own Kapil paji. Kapil Dev: *Scored 126* against West Indies in Delhi in January 1979. This was his first, first-class hundred also. *Scored 175* against Zimbabwe in Tunbridge Wells in June 1983. This was his first, List A hundred also.The other three to record the feat are: *Mehidy Hasan Miraz of Bangladesh, scored 103 in a Test against West Indies in Chattogram in February 2021, and 100* against India in an ODI in Mirpur in December 2022, *Curtis Campher of Ireland made 111 in a Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in April 2023, and scored 120 in an ODI against Scotland in Bulawayo in the same year. *Marlon Samuels of West Indies, made 104 in a Test against India in Kolkata in October 2002, and made 108 not out in an ODI, also against India, in Vijayawada a month later. While a lot has been written about Kapil Devs famous 175* score in the World Cup 1983, not much is written about his first Test hundred (126* against West Indies in Delhi in January 1979) although in a true sense this was the innings which announced the arrival of Kapil Dev. He picked this as his one of the finest performances in Test cricket. He said: I scored a Test century before I got a five-for but then the pitches in the subcontinent are more suited to batsmen. Test cricket was new to me my debut was the first Test I saw so it took me time to understand how to bowl and take wickets. That hundred was very sweet because I was established that day. People started saying, Hes an all-rounder, he can bat, and that helps you stay in the team. You think, I can contribute with the bat, so I can bowl with some extra pace and try a thing or two. India won the toss and elected to bat first. On a flat, typical Sita Ram made pitch, India batted two full days and three quarters of an hour on the third to accumulate 566 for eight (their highest against any country at that time). In contrast to laborious hundreds (at certain times painful to watch also) by Gavaskar (who took almost six hours to score his 120) and Vengsarkar (playing for his survival after a pair in the previous Test almost matched his skipper and took five and a half hour to score 109), Kapil scored 126* off 124 balls with 11 fours and one six. India paid heavily for this overall slow scoring (RR 3.97) as rain on the fourth and the fifth day came to West Indies' rescue. Also Read: Live Cricket Score For Kapil this hundred was nothing short of an announcement. He didnt bat like someone being intimidated and it broke a mental barrier. He was 94* overnight on day 2, and reached his 100 in the first over on the next morning with a 4 followed by a 6. He became the first cricketer to complete his first century in Test cricket by hitting a six.

Did Not Expect But I Will Be Back On The Field This Early, Says Tilak Ahead Of T20 WC Title Defence

DY Patil Stadium: India all-rounder Tilak Varma, who joined the national side after recovering from an injury recently, expressed gratitude to the BCCI and the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for helping him return to action sooner than expected. Inspired by the aggressive batting around him, he said the atmosphere was electric and added that both he and the Indian team feel ready for the World Cup. Tilak described the packed DY Patil Stadium and the crowd chanting his name as a big confidence boost, even in a warm-up match as India wrapped up their T20 World Cup preparations in style, defeating South Africa by 30 runs in a high-scoring warm-up match in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday. To be honest I did not expect but I will be back on the field this early. Really thankful for COE and BCCI. I always say that World Cup is my biggest dream to play. The way, I entered the ropes and, everyone was shouting 'Tilak Tilak.' So I didn't expect that. I really felt nice and it also boost me when I was going in. The way Ishan was batting, I have seen him, the way Abhishek and everyone was batting, so I was also a bit like 'Mai bhi maarunga jaake.' I did not expect full crowd, the DY Patil was fully packed. It was just a warm up game but still the craze... Really thanks to everyone. The vibe was really terrific, and yeah- Tilak and the Indian team is ready for the World Cup, Tilak said in a bcci.tv video. Opting to bat first, the hosts put on a batting exhibition, led by Ishan Kishans explosive 53 off just 20 balls. Kishan and Abhishek Sharma gave India a flying start, racing to 80/1 inside six overs before both openers retired out to give others game time. Tilak (45 off 19) and captain Suryakumar Yadav continued the onslaught with a rapid 66-run stand, while late cameos from Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, and a blistering 30 off 10 balls from Hardik Pandya powered India to an imposing 240/5. Opting to bat first, the hosts put on a batting exhibition, led by Ishan Kishans explosive 53 off just 20 balls. Kishan and Abhishek Sharma gave India a flying start, racing to 80/1 inside six overs before both openers retired out to give others game time. Also Read: Live Cricket Score India now turn their focus to their World Cup opener against the USA on Saturday. Article Source: IANS

ICC Reveals Broadcast Details For Mens T20 World Cup 2026

Sky Sports Main Event: The ICC has unveiled the broadcast plans for the Mens T20 World Cup, featuring 20 teams and 55 matches, running from February 7 to March 8. Co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the tournament will be accessible worldwide through TV, digital, audio, and emerging platforms. Alongside the main tournament, official warm-up matches will be broadcast on select TV and digital platforms, allowing fans to get an early look at the teams before the opening game. In India, JioStar will broadcast the tournament to fans via Star Sports on linear TV and through the JioHotstar digital platform. All fixtures will be accessible in five languagesEnglish, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannadaon JioStars TV and digital coverage, with additional regional feeds in Bengali, Bhojpuri, and Haryanvi available on JioHotstar. Coverage in Marathi and Indian Sign Language will also be provided for all team India matches, semi-finals, and the final on JioHotstar. Building on the success of earlier ICC events, a vertical live feed will be offered in English and Hindi on JioHotstar, catering to mobile-first viewers. In addition, on JioHotstar, viewers will also have the option to enjoy the games in 360 view and via the Multi-cam feature, which allows engagement with the live match from specific POVs/vantage points, including Hero, Stump, Battery, Field view, and Multi-View. JioStar has partnered with PVR Inox for nationwide screenings of multiple matches during the T20 World Cup. Star Sports will also be accessible to viewers in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives through its distribution partners across the subcontinent. For co-host Sri Lanka, Dialog TV will serve as the official broadcast partner, offering extensive coverage across the island. This includes live telecasts on linear TV, the ThePapare.com website, and the Dialog Play mobile app. Additionally, Dialog TV will provide a Sinhala language feed for all matches on both their linear and digital platforms. Coverage will be further expanded through Dialog TVs free-to-air partner, TV Supreme, as well as Sri Lanka Telecom's PEO TV platform. Fans in the United Kingdom and Ireland can watch the action on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with digital streaming through NOW. Sky Sports will also offer Hindi commentary for the semi-finals and the final. Furthermore, since Italy is participating in their first ICC Mens T20 World Cup, Sky Italia will broadcast all Italy matches, along with the semi-finals and the final, live on their platforms. Proteas fans can catch all the live action through SuperSports extensive TV and digital services across sub-Saharan Africa. In Australia, coverage will be on Prime Video, with an extra Hindi commentary feed accessible for all India matches, semi-finals, and the final. Fans in New Zealand can watch the matches on SKY Sport, which will also provide Hindi commentary for all India games, including the semi-finals and the final. In Pakistan, coverage will be provided by PTV and Myco, with support from digital partners Tamasha, ARY Zapp, and Tapmad. Additionally, the ICC will create an Urdu commentary feed for Pakistan matches, which will be broadcast on PTV Home and streamed by digital partners. Willow TV will continue providing live coverage of ICC events in the United States and Canada. All 55 matches will be streamed in both English and Hindi, with free access to all USA matches for viewers in the US and Canada. These matches will also be available free of charge on Willows official YouTube channel. Commentary in English and Hindi will be accessible via Willow DTC and CricBuzz DTC platforms, while other Willow platforms will carry only the English commentary. In partnership with popular social media personality Jomboy, Willow will offer fans an alternative commentary option for the USA vs. India and USA vs. Pakistan matches. In the UAE and the larger MENA region, the tournament will be broadcast on CricLife Max, which is accessible via StarzPlay. Moreover, fans throughout the Middle East can watch StarzPlays coverage of the ICC Mens T20 World Cup on the big screen, thanks to partnerships with VOX (UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman), Reel (UAE), Roxy, Cinepolis, Star (UAE), Mukta (Bahrain), and Epix Cinema (Bahrain). ESPN will broadcast all matches live in the Caribbean Islands, while the Disney+ app will stream the event across Latin America. Additionally, some matches will feature Portuguese commentary on ESPNs linear TV platforms in Brazil. Total Sports Management (Bangladesh) will broadcast the event via leading linear channels T Sports & Nagorik TV, as well as on the digital platform Rabbithole. Additional broadcasters include PNG Digicel (Pacific Islands), Hub Sports 4 (Singapore), and Lemar TV (Afghanistan), which will also offer commentary in Pashto and Dari. In Nepal, Kantipur TV will air the tournament, with some matches produced locally in Nepali. The Nepali commentary will also be accessible in certain regions through ICC.tv, expanding reach to Nepali-speaking viewers. In the Netherlands, NOS will live stream all matches involving the Netherlands, catering to cricket fans in the country. For viewers in Malaysia and Hong Kong, matches can be watched on the CricBuzz channel through their partnerships with Astro Cricket and PCCW. Additionally, the tournament will be available in-flight and at sea on Sport 24, allowing fans to stay up to date on the action while travelling. All remaining territories will be streamed live and free via the ICCs own platform, ICC.tv. Besides live match coverage, ICC.tv will offer commentary in multiple languages, including Japanese and Bahasa, with some matches also available live on the ICCs official YouTube channel. Additionally, the tournament will be available in-flight and at sea on Sport 24, allowing fans to stay up to date on the action while travelling. Also Read: Live Cricket Score For Indian audiences, All India Radio will offer live audio commentary, and in Sri Lanka, Derana FM will provide live ball-by-ball commentary for all matches. Article Source: IANS

Fergus O'Neill moves to Sydney Sixers amid talk over Victoria future

The pace bowler was off contract in the BBL and has moved during the trade window

Generations apart: On the Australian Open, Djokovic-Alcaraz final

Despite being separated by 16 years, Djokovic fought as an equal with Alcaraz

Pakistan PM Sharif on India boycott: 'A very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh'

This is the first time any official from the PCB or Pakistan government has spoken about the team's decision to boycott the match against India

Kishan leads India's batting show in warm-up win over South Africa

Stubbs, Rickelton, Smith and Jansen showed off their batting wares to help South Africa reduce the margin of defeat

Ibrahim Zadran, bowlers take Afghanistan to victory against WI

Matthew Forde was the bright spot with the bat for West Indies as they fell 23 runs short in the chase

U19 WC: Georges Century Helps India Chase Down 311, Set Up Title Clash Against England

Harare Sports Club: Aaron George hit a stroke-filled 115 as five-time champions India pulled off a record run-chase to storm into the final of the 2026 ICC Mens Under-19 World Cup with a seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the second semi-final at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday. Chasing a daunting 311, India rode on Georges 115 off 104 balls, laced with 15 fours and two sixes at a strike-rate of 110.58 to complete a daunting chase. Explosive half-centuries by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (68 off 33 balls), who was also dropped twice by fielders, and skipper Ayush Mhatre (62 off 39 balls) also helped India to seal their place in the summit clash against England, to be held at the same venue on February 6. They completed the chase in just 41.1 overs, with seven wickets in hand, to enter their 10th World Cup final and sixth in succession. George, who had endured a lean tournament until now, rose to the occasion by sharing a 90-run opening partnership with Sooryavanshi, before adding 114 runs for the second wicket with Mhatre and 96 runs for the third wicket with Vihaan Malhotra, who made 38 not out off 47 balls. Earlier, Afghanistan posted a formidable 310/4 in their 50 overs, built on magnificent centuries from Faisal Shinozada and Uzairullah Niazai. Shinozada top-scored with a 93-ball 110, hitting 15 boundaries, while Niazai remained unbeaten on 101 from 86 deliveries, laced with 12 fours and two sixes. They completed the chase in just 41.1 overs, with seven wickets in hand, to enter their 10th World Cup final and sixth in succession. George, who had endured a lean tournament until now, rose to the occasion by sharing a 90-run opening partnership with Sooryavanshi, before adding 114 runs for the second wicket with Mhatre and 96 runs for the third wicket with Vihaan Malhotra, who made 38 not out off 47 balls. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Brief Scores: Afghanistan 310 (Faisal Shinozada 110, Uzairullah Niazai 101 not out; Kanishk Chouhan 2-55, Deepesh Devendran 2-64) lost to India 311/3 in 41.1 overs (Aaron George 115, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 68; Nooristani Omarzai 2-64, Wahidullah Zadran 1-67) by seven wickets Article Source: IANS

Frylinck, Steenkamp set up Namibia's win against Scotland

Scotland fall short in pursuit of 227 despite McMullen's 95

Mandhana and Rodrigues chill out before WPL final

The RCB and DC captains spoke about the importance of letting go when in a high-pressure field

Working Hard At The CoE In Bengaluru, Will Be Back On The Playing Field Soon: Rishabh Pant

World Pickleball League: India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant said his recovery from a side strain is progressing well at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and he expects to return to competitive cricket soon. Pant has been sidelined after sustaining a side strain on his right side during a practice session on the eve of the ODI series against New Zealand in Vadodara, when he was struck above the waist by a ball from a throwdown specialist. My fitness is getting better day-by-day. I am working hard in the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, and I feel I am going to be out on the playing field soon, said Pant while being on the sidelines of the World Pickleball League, where he was present as co-owner of Mumbai Pickle Power team. He also emphasized the need to remain engaged with the sport during lengthy rehabilitation periods and credited his love for cricket and his support network for sustaining him through the recovery process. When I am injured, one thing that always keeps me close to the game is the love for the game and the support from the people around you. As a cricketer, you always have to keep adding to your game. I need to keep looking to get better in each and every aspect of my overall gameplay, he said. Pant further said his repeated comebacks from injury have shaped his perspective on cricket and life, though he acknowledged that missing top-level competition remains the most difficult aspect of being sidelined. When I am injured, one thing that always keeps me close to the game is the love for the game and the support from the people around you. As a cricketer, you always have to keep adding to your game. I need to keep looking to get better in each and every aspect of my overall gameplay, he said. Also Read: Live Cricket Score When I am injured, the thing I miss the most is really enjoying the game. You love the game so much, but you also enjoy it while playing it at the top level. Thats something I miss truly, he signed off. Article Source: IANS

WPL 2026: Delhi Capitals Backed By Former Coach To End Trophy Jinx On Fourth Attempt

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Delhi Capitals will attempt to shake off three successive final defeats when they face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2026 Women's Premier League (WPL) decider clash in Vadodara on Thursday, with the sides former fielding coach Milap Mewada backing the side to finally break their jinx in the title clash. DC have always reached the WPLs summit clash since the tournament's inception in 2023, but are yet to lift the trophy, a record that weighs on a squad now led by Jemimah Rodrigues in her first season as their captain. Their route to this year's WPL final was far from smooth - they lost three of their first four matches, before DC clawed back in the Vadodara leg by winning four out of five games to finish third in the league stage and then eliminated Gujarat Giants in the eliminator clash, indicating that they are peaking at the right time. According to me, the mind works towards a feeling that whenever you walk on the road and fall down, you always have that fear of falling down again after reaching a certain point. But in order to avoid, remove or nullify this, first of all you have to be very positive. Second, every day is a new day and its another game of cricket. Here, the thing is you have to work out a little bit on a game plan and take some good suitable decisions in the final. Plus, this is like a new place where they will play the final and the only thing DC have to do is to believe in themselves now and believe in this momentum, said Mewada, who kept track of DCs progress while being busy with his commitments as Goa senior mens team head coach, to IANS on Wednesday. DC have emerged as the tournament's most efficient fielding unit, with their catching percentage at 83.6 percent, according to data provided by CricViz analysts embedded with the franchises scouting team. They held 41 chances and dropped only eight across nine matches, thus placing them comfortably ahead of finalists RCB, which stands at 79 percent. While they looked initially out of sorts, DCs bowling attack has picked up pace as the season progressed. Four DC bowlers feature in the tournament's top 10 wicket-takers the impressive young pacer Nandni Sharma (16 wickets), left-arm spinner N Sree Charani (14), as well as overseas seam-bowling all-rounders Chinelle Henry (12) and Marizanne Kapp (10). Delhi Capitals were the best fielding side in the league by objective measures. The group assessed Vadodara conditions early, where the pitch was lower-scoring compared to DY Patil, and adjusted their approach accordingly. Jemimahs captaincy improved over the season. Even during losses, selection and messaging stayed consistent, which helped maintain morale. The team made only two changes across the entire tournament, the fewest in the league, aiding continuity. Batters largely played straight, and bowlers consistently kept the stumps in play, which suited the conditions, said CricViz analysts, who are a part of the DC scouting team, to IANS. Mewada, who was in the DC camp when they lost the WPL 2025 final to Mumbai Indians at the Brabourne Stadium, listed his advice for the side ahead of the title clash at BCA Stadium. First thing, they do not have to think that we have been a fourth time finalist and we could not win. But there could be reasons behind being a fourth time finalist. That means, there is something in you. At least, you are consistent in being the finalists. Number two is, you handle yourself well for that particular three hours. That's as simple as it is. You have to handle yourself and take good decisions, which is most important. Take very good decisions and play peacefully. So, I think, they can make it to the trophy this time, as everybody has that belief. As per the analysts, the fate of DC in the final against Smriti Mandhana-led RCB will depend on how openers Shafali Verma and Lizelle Lee fare, especially in the face of in-form new-ball pacer Lauren Bell. The explosive batting duo have three 50-plus stands (all of them resulting in wins) in nine innings so far, the most by any opening pair this season. Their partnership has averaged 40.11 runs (the fourth highest for a batting pair in WPL), while their highest partnership of 94 came at a brisk run rate of 8.84 and smacking 75 in the power-play in the Eliminator showcased their ability to combine aggression with stability. Though they havent yet registered a century stand, their aggregate of 361 is the second-highest partnership total in the tournament, only behind 383 runs made by Smriti and Grace Harris. The moment I saw Lizelle Lee batting in WPL for the first time, I felt she is actually made for opening in white ball cricket. DCs plan should be in a way that Lizelle and Shafali bat for beyond 6-8 overs. If they can do this and even when they are chasing, like if it's 200, then it is possible, as both of them are game changers. After them, Laura, Jemi, Henry and others will manage the scoring. But the most important thing is, as long as these two bat for long and set the tone, it will be very beneficial for DC. The momentum they have now after winning the eliminator, it is a very good thing that they have come up from behind and into the final. So chances are high for them to get over the line in the final this time, added Mewada. Jemimah's leadership has evolved through the tournament, even as her own batting required adjustment. A week ago, a three-run loss to GG that saw Jemimah being bowled while attempting a scoop shot, DC's campaign appeared to be unraveling. But in the Eliminator on Tuesday, Jemimah sprinted across the outfield to encourage her bowlers, and hit her boundaries with a trademark delight that appeared to galvanize the entire squad. Winning the Eliminator is a good omen for DC as the one whos won that game has gone on to win the WPL. Jemimah's leadership has evolved through the tournament, even as her own batting required adjustment. A week ago, a three-run loss to GG that saw Jemimah being bowled while attempting a scoop shot, DC's campaign appeared to be unraveling. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Now her strike rate is much better than it was last year. That means as a cricketer and as a leader, she is grooming herself. I am sure there will be staff and guys helping her in this decision making and tactical plans. Playing the final for the fourth time, I am sure if they forget about what has happened before and this is the only moment where we are going to give our best, they can manage to get the trophy, concluded Mewada. Article Source: IANS

DC's fourth shot at elusive trophy as RCB look to make winning a habit

Both teams have had contrasting campaigns, and their respective marquee names will hold the key in the big game

RCB-W vs DC-W Final Prediction, WPL 2026: Match Preview And Expected Playing XI

RCB-W vs DC-W, Match Final, Cricket Tips :The final of the WPL 2026 will be played between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals. These two have reached the final after dominating the group stage. RCB-W finished the group stage at the top. They have had multiple performers in the league round and probably the best bowling unit. Meanwhile, DC-W have had performances in the lateral half of the tournament. Their batting unit has started performing now. But if we talk about the bowling unit, it is RCB-W who has a little edge because of the several wicket-takers. DC-W have failed to do it in three finals, but can they break the jinx in their fourth attempt? RCB-W vs DC-W: Match Details Date : February 05, 2026 (Thursday) Time : 7:30 PM IST Venue : BCA Stadium, Vadodara RCB-W vs DC-W Live Streaming Details Indian fans can catch the live action of the Star Sports Networks on the cable TVs. Fans can enjoy the live stream of the game on the Jio Hotstar app or website. RCB-W vs DC-W: Head-to-Head in WPL Total Matches : 9 Royal Challengers Bengaluru : 3 Delhi Capitals : 6 No-Result : 0 RCB-W vs DC-W: Ground Pitch Report BCA Stadium has proved to be an excellent batting venue. Batting teams have produced great batting surfaces because of the black soil used here. The toss will be crucial here, as bowling first is an ideal decision here. Bowlers have more to bowl in the first innings. RCB-W vs DC-W: Possible XIs Royal Challengers Bengaluru : Smriti Mandhana (c), Grace Harris, Georgia Voll, Richa Ghosh (wk), Radha Yadav, Pooja Vastrakar, Nadine de Klerk, Arundhati Reddy, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, Lauren Bell Delhi Capitals : Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Lizelle Lee (wk), Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Chinelle Henry, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Shree Charani, Nandni Sharma RCB-W vs DC-W: Player to Watch Out For Probable Best Batter Captain Jemimah Rodrigues produced a MOTM performance in the Eliminator. She is in great form and will have a big role in the final. For RCB-W, Smriti Mandhana holds this role. She is an experienced player and knows how to win big games. Probable Best Bowler Lauren Bell has been exceptional in the power play. Her ability to swing at a good pace has troubled the batters. For DC-W, veteran Marizanne Kapp has been the game-changer with the new ball. Today Match Prediction : Both teams have done well this season, but only one can win the final. RCB-W have an edge because of their bowling unit. DC-W seem to have found their form back and are going great. Hence, we predict DC-W to win the final on Thursday. RCB-W vs DC-W Match Final, WPL 2026, Today Match RCB-W vs DC-W, RCB-W vs DC-W Prediction, RCB-W vs DC-W Predicted XIs, Injury Update for RCB-W vs DC-W Match Also Read: Live Cricket Score Disclaimer : The prediction or cricket tips are purely based on the understanding and research of the writer. So kindly make sure to consider the points above while making your predictions.

Sachin Tendulkar Guides Mumbai Players Ahead Of Ranji Trophy Quarterfinal Vs Karnataka

MCA BKC Ground: India's legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar has shared his insights on managing big-game pressure and maintaining a winning mindset with the Mumbai players at MCA BKC Ground on Wednesday, ahead of the team's Ranji Trophy quarterfinal match against Karnataka, which will be played from February 6. In a video shared by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) on Facebook, former captain Sachin can be seen answering every player's question and also giving them tips to play a particular ball with the help of the bat. Sachin Tendulkar has played 38 Ranji games for Mumbai and scored 4,281 runs at an average of 87.3, with 18 centuries and 19 half-centuries. His best season came in 1994, when he played seven innings and scored five centuries, including twin hundreds in the final against Punjab at the Wankhede Stadium. In 1999-00, Tendulkar registered his highest Ranji Trophy score of an unbeaten 233 against Tamil Nadu at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk. Tendulkar previously interacted with India's U19 team ahead of their fixture against Pakistan in the ongoing U19 World Cup. Tendulkar motivated the young stars and guided them to attain victory from tough situations. The day after, the Indian team crushed Pakistan's side by 58 runs and secured their place in the semi-finals. Mumbai's team has been strengthened just before the match, as their top batter, Yashasvi Jaiswal, has joined the team for the quarterfinals. The team also has experienced players like Shardul Thakur and Ajinkya Rahane. The day after, the Indian team crushed Pakistan's side by 58 runs and secured their place in the semi-finals. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Mumbai is the most successful team in the Ranji Trophy's history with 42 titles to its name, while Karnataka has won eight trophies. Article Source: IANS

Chris Lynn returns to Northants as Matthew Breetzke pulls out of deal

Australian batter starred for Hampshire in last season's Vitality Blast, knocking out Northants in semis

T20 WC: Time Of Upsets Is In Past For Netherlands, Aim To Get In Final Four, Says Logan Van Beek

T20 World Cups: The Netherlands have won more matches in the Mens T20 World Cups than any other associate nation. Twin victories over England twice, while taking down South Africa and Zimbabwe have underlined their ability to beat top-ranked sides. But as they gear up to compete in their seventh T20 World Cup, the Netherlands are keen to shed their reputation of being giant-killers and make a serious push to get into the closing stages of the tournament. Seam-bowling all-rounder Logan Van Beek was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, but holds a Dutch passport through his father, and has been a constant presence in Netherlands set-up since 2014 Mens T20 World Cup. In an exclusive conversation with IANS, van Beek talks about the Netherlands aspirations in the tournament, preparation, reliance on data analytics and more. Excerpts: Q. How have you adjusted to the pitches which will be on offer in India and Sri Lanka during the sides recent camp at Super Kings Academy in Chennai? A. Yes, it's my first time of actually understanding the difference between red soil, black soil, and then the combo of black and red. They all have differences depending on what time of day you play. If you're playing a morning game, it might be a little bit stickier. In the afternoon, its a little bit drier, and then come the evening, dew might play a factor. It's just trying to understand the different soils and sometimes it dictates what ball you might go to more often in your spell. Q. Given the Netherlands history of making upsets in recent tournaments, how do you foresee the sides chances in the mega event? A. I think the times of upsets is kind of in the past for us. We're here to reach the final stages of the tournament. We've been together as a group for two or three years now. We've won some big games, which has given us confidence. But we're here to get to the final four and see if we can push for the trophy. Q. Beyond the smaller talent pool, what additional challenges do Associate teams face in competing at this level? A. Obviously, there's the financial kind of problem that associate teams have, the lack of resources, the lack of extra coaching throughout the season, and the lead-in periods. There's also the number of players that we often have to choose from. So, you really have to upskill the guys that are in your kind of 20-man squad. But again, it's something that we just have to deal with and get on with it. Our kind of motto is just to try and get as much as we can out of each individual and then come together as one as we walk onto the field. Q. To what extent does the Netherlands rely on data and analytics in T20 cricket, and how does it shape your preparation? A. We're a big fan of data analytics. We're not afraid of a long meeting and discussion amongst the group and really understanding what guys are thinking and what each person has seen with the data. We've got a coaching staff who really look into the numbers and try to find that little outlier or something that can give us a slight advantage going into the game. I think it's something that we need to do as a group, just to have something one-up against the opposition, because when we go up against the likes of Australia, India, New Zealand. Man for man, obviously they're very good cricketers and we need to find ways to find little gaps in their games that we can exploit, or just ways to try and get a little opportunity. If we can open that up, that doesn't really make sense, but if we can find a way that we can find some information that is unique, use it, and if we can gain that little opportunity to take advantage of and see if we can run with it. T20 cricket is one of those games where there are small advantages. The game can happen very fast, and momentum can shift very quickly. So that's what we're trying to do, is to try and create a moment to try and turn that into momentum. Q. Having beaten South Africa previously, as well as England and Zimbabwe, what do such victories mean for Associate players like you? A. First and foremost, it's a great memory. Some of my greatest memories with the Dutch team are beating those top tier nations, and the most enjoyable part of those games is the way that we've gone about it. In preparation, we've stood tall, guys have had special performances within those games, but we've done it as a group. It's something that we thrive on in terms of being and winning together. So now, going into this tournament, having had those little successes in the past, it's about can we do that in these first four games and try and get those three wins. Q. You continue to play domestic cricket in New Zealand and England. How does that experience help your own game and in adapting to different conditions? A. I just love playing cricket all year round. I guess, getting a little bit older, I want to make sure that I'm playing cricket. I don't necessarily want to be indoors training. The more cricket I can play, whether it be New Zealand or England, I just want to make sure that as long as this body is fit, I want to be playing cricket. It obviously gives you good experiences coming against different types of players, slightly different pitches. It's also exciting because you're trying to evolve your game constantly. Young guys are coming in and doing some really special different things. It's good to get that experience, and then when you go into tournaments like this, you can rely on that experience. If you see something you can, and you do go well, so I've done well by doing this against this. I'm going to trust that and definitely adds to the toolbox. Q. The Netherlands will play matches in Colombo, New Delhi, Chennai and Ahmedabad. How significant will it be to adapt to the conditions on offer closer to game days? A. We've played in Delhi, against Australia (in the 2023 ODI World Cup) and so we know that venue. It's a rapid outfield and quite a small ground. Australia had a bit of a day out that day. But for me, it's exciting. Ahmedabad is a huge stadium. I'm hoping that there's going to be 1,30,000 people there just for that atmosphere against India. I've never been to Sri Lanka. I've always wanted to play in Colombo. So that's going to be a really cool experience. Then Chennai, I've personally played a game there for New Zealand A. But we've watched plenty of IPL cricket and we've seen the Super Kings do so well there. It's just going to be an awesome experience. Playing cricket in India in general is just an amazing experience - doesn't matter which ground you're at. Q. You were born and raised in Christchurch but represent the Netherlands through family heritage. How do you balance this dual identity and more importantly, carrying Dutch cricket forward? A. I am me, really. It's like Logan van Beek is a mixture of being half Dutch. My grandfather's a West Indian from Trinidad and Tobago. I was born and raised in New Zealand. I'm kind of a bit of a mixing pot of different nationalities and that's unique to me. I'm super proud of each and one of those nationalities that I represent. I've been fortunate enough to play and represent the Netherlands in the last 12 years. It's something that I'm very, very proud of each time I get to do it. It's the main thing - just trying to inspire the next generation of Netherlands cricketers. If we can throughout this World Cup, get one or two of them watching, seeing how we play together, how much fun we're having and doing some x-factor performances, then hopefully we create some young cricketers who want to pick up a cricket bat instead of a hockey stick. I've been fortunate enough to play and represent the Netherlands in the last 12 years. It's something that I'm very, very proud of each time I get to do it. It's the main thing - just trying to inspire the next generation of Netherlands cricketers. Also Read: Live Cricket Score A. It is 100 percent. He's the reason why I play cricket. He taught me how to hold a bat and play the game in the right spirit. He was my biggest fan, and my biggest critic. Every time I play cricket, a lot of the times I'm playing for him. I know that he's up there watching me. But he was a massive influence and I definitely wouldn't be playing cricket if it wasn't for him and his passion for the game. Article Source: IANS

ICC T20I Rankings: Kishan Gains 32 Spots, Saim Ayub Becomes No. 1 All-rounder

ICC T20I Rankings: Indian wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan has jumped 32 positions in the latest ICC Men's T20I batter rankings after an impressive comeback series against New Zealand, where the left-handed player scored 207 runs in just three matches, which also includes his maiden T20I century. Kishan is now placed at the 32nd spot in the rankings released just before the upcoming T20 World Cup, which will commence on February 7. Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav has also moved past Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan to come in sixth place. While opener Abhishek Sharma continued his dominance at the top. Meanwhile, Pakistan's opener Saim Ayub has grabbed the top spot in the T20I all-rounders ranking after an impressive run in the recently concluded Australia series, which Pakistan won by 3-0. The 23-year-old scored 119 runs and claimed three wickets during the series, which helped him dethrone Sikandar Raza from the No. 1 spot. Pakistan's main spinner, Abrar Ahmed, also made significant gains as he moved to the second spot. The right-armer is just 28 points behind Varun Chakravarthy, who holds the top spot. Pakistan's all-rounder, Mohammad Nawaz, who took a five-wicket haul in the series, moved eight spots to be placed at seventh in the bowlers' ranking. While England leg-spinner Adil Rashid moved up two places to fourth, and New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner jumped eight spots to equal 23rd in the ranking. Pakistan's all-rounder, Mohammad Nawaz, who took a five-wicket haul in the series, moved eight spots to be placed at seventh in the bowlers' ranking. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Other than that, South Africa's opener Ryan Rickleton moved 42 places to the 40th spot, and Australian all-rounder Cameron Green climbed 16 spots to 14. Proteas star Quinton De Kock, who scored a brilliant hundred, has gained 15 places to sit at 22nd. Article Source: IANS

BATC: India Women Crush Myanmar 5-0 In Opener

Badminton Asia Team Championship: Defending champions India women began their Badminton Asia Team Championship campaign in commanding fashion, registering a dominant 5-0 victory over Myanmar in their Group Y opener at the Qingdao Conson Gymnasium on Wednesday. The Indian team suffered a big blow before the start of the tournament as two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, played a major part in Team India's triumph in 2024, withdrew from competition due to a niggle. After Sindhu's exit, all the focus was on 17-year-old prodigy Tanvi Sharma, who was part of India's title-winning squad in 2024, and she did not let down. Tanvi won the first match comfortably. It took her just 32 minutes to beat Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzur 21-13, 21-16 in the opening match. After a strong start, Rakshita Sree Santosh and Malvika Bansod also sealed points with straight-set wins against the visitors. In the doubles game, the pair of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra got the better of Su Latt and Thet and beat the Myanmar combination in straight sets, 21-15, 21-16. In the final match, the duo of Tressa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand crushed Htet and Phoo with a straight-set victory of 21-8, 21-6. Defending champions India will now play against last year's runners-up Thailand in the next match, which will be played on Thursday. In the tournament, each group-stage tie comprises five rubbers, which include three singles and two doubles, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals. Defending champions India will now play against last year's runners-up Thailand in the next match, which will be played on Thursday. Also Read: Live Cricket Score India's women are the defending champions, while China are the reigning men's winners. India's men have claimed bronze medals twice, in 2016 and 2020. Article Source: IANS

IANS Welcomes ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 Trophy With Dhol, Dance And Desi Tadka

T20 World Cup Trophy: The ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 trophy arrived at the IANS headquarters on Wednesday as part of its official Trophy Tour, setting off a wave of celebration and excitement ahead of the marquee tournament, scheduled to begin on February 7 across co-hosts India and Sri Lanka. The arrival of the coveted silverware was marked by traditional dhol beats and energetic dance, lending a vibrant desi flavour to the occasion. The festive welcome created a celebratory atmosphere at the IANS office, drawing staff and visitors alike to witness the iconic trophy up close. The ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 will be the tenth edition of the biennial global tournament in the Twenty20 International format and is regarded as one of the biggest and most exciting events in world sport. Beyond the on-field action, the event aims to inspire communities worldwide to pick up a bat and ball and share in the excitement of crickets shortest and most thrilling format. It also presents an opportunity to showcase Indias iconic venues, cities and landmarks on the global stage. The Trophy Tour, held in the lead-up to all major ICC events, is designed to offer fans unique opportunities to connect with the most coveted silverware in world cricket. Over the years, the trophy has visited iconic landmarks, met heads of state, supported cricket development programmes and launched community initiatives, all while driving awareness, excitement and unity among crickets vast global fanbase. The ICC's vision for the 2026 T20 World Cup is to make it the biggest, most global and most accessible cricket event ever framing the tournament as a celebration of possibilities. Key objectives include ensuring global accessibility for fans, deepening passion in traditional cricketing heartlands such as India and Sri Lanka, broadening the sports reach worldwide, and inspiring future generations to engage with the game. The Trophy Tour, held in the lead-up to all major ICC events, is designed to offer fans unique opportunities to connect with the most coveted silverware in world cricket. Over the years, the trophy has visited iconic landmarks, met heads of state, supported cricket development programmes and launched community initiatives, all while driving awareness, excitement and unity among crickets vast global fanbase. Also Read: Live Cricket Score As the trophy continues its journey across key locations, its stop at IANS, celebrated with dhol, dance and unmistakable cricketing fervour, served as a powerful reminder that the countdown to T20 glory is well and truly underway. Article Source: IANS

Coach Shukri Conrad Plots First South Africa World Cup Win After Test Triumph

Head coach Shukri Conrad had a clear plan which culminated in South Africa winning last year's World Test Championship final, but he has shaken things up as he plots a first major white-ball trophy at the T20 World Cup. One thing I did from a long way out was to bring some stability to the Test squad, the South African head coach told AFP. Stability has, of necessity, been lacking from the T20 team's build-up ahead of the World Cup, where South Africa start against Canada in Ahmedabad on Monday. Thirty-one players have been used in 21 matches since the white-ball team was added to Conrad's responsibilities last May. Results were paramount in the Test campaign, with points at stake in every match and the win in the final against Australia at Lord's was South Africa's eighth in a row. In contrast, the T20 side has won only eight matches while losing 13 under Conrad ahead of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. But Conrad is upbeat about their chances of breaking their white-ball duck after they registered their first T20 series win under his tenure against the West Indies on Sunday. Yes, we used a lot of players - deliberately so, he said. We always had to prioritise Test cricket, which meant managing the wellbeing of our players. Leading fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen played only seven T20 matches in that period. - 'We can mix it with anyone' - But a highly competitive SA20 franchise competition enabled players to find form under pressure before the World Cup squad came together. A significant difference in adapting to the shortest format after a long Test campaign is the type of cricket needed. Modern Test pitches suit a South African team strong in bowling but short of batting superstars. Having such a good bowling attack is always going to keep us in games. We had to find a way of posting competitive totals, said Conrad. It put a premium on what Conrad calls character above cover drives -- batsmen willing to grind out scores. The nature of T20 cricket means bat dominates ball, although skilful bowlers remain skilful bowlers, according to Conrad and batsmen need to clear boundaries rather than eke out long innings. South Africa suffered an agonising defeat in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup after playing themselves into a winning position against India in Barbados. Conrad believes the core values and team spirit that clinched the World Test Championship will spill over into a squad which includes eight players who were at the Lord's final. There is a belief that we can mix it with anyone, he said. A batting line-up which includes captain Aiden Markram, a rejuvenated Quinton de Kock, the exciting Dewald Brevis and the experienced David Miller has the ability to post big totals. And bowlers such as Rabada, Jansen, Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi are able to take crucial wickets during the powerplay. South Africa could potentially play five matches at Ahmedabad, the world's biggest cricket stadium, including their first three group matches. It is an advantage to get used to certain grounds and it also means less travel, said Conrad. Also Read: Live Cricket Score But he is not looking too far ahead. With tricky group matches against Afghanistan and New Zealand to come, the first priority is to make sure you get out of the round-robin phase.

Sam Curran Pretty Happy With flexible Role In The Team

T20 World Cup: England all-rounder Sam Curran has reiterated his comfort with a fluid role in the national side, a trait that has become increasingly valuable as the team builds momentum ahead of the T20 World Cup. Currans adaptability was a defining feature of Englands recent 30 T20I series sweep over Sri Lanka, where his contributions with both bat and ball proved decisive across varying conditions. The highlight of the series came in the third and final T20I, when Curran struck a composed 58 off 48 deliveries to help England post a competitive total of 128. The innings laid the foundation for a successful defence and earned him the Player of the Match award. His impact, however, was not limited to one game. In the second T20I, Curran chipped in with an unbeaten 20, steering England home in a tricky chase of 168 alongside Tom Banton. Earlier in the series, he had already made his presence felt by claiming a hat-trick in the opening match. Speaking after the series, Curran acknowledged the evolving nature of his responsibilities within the side and expressed contentment with the lack of a fixed role. I know my role with the ball is going to be quite flexible, and I'm pretty happy with that. The 25-year-old emphasised his desire to influence games in whichever discipline the situation demands. Just hoping that when I don't bowl well, I can bat well, and when I don't bat well, I can bowl well. I guess that's my logic. Currans role has expanded since his first T20 World Cup appearance in 2022, where he was used predominantly as a bowler. This time around, he has been entrusted with greater batting responsibility, often slotting in at No. 6. That evolution mirrors his growth as a cricketerone that culminated in a memorable 2022 campaign, where England lifted the T20 World Cup trophy and Curran was named Player of the Tournament. He credits his development to the experience gained through franchise cricket and believes it has sharpened both facets of his game. I love my batting, I love my bowling, Curran said, adding that he is eager to continue delivering for England on the global stage. Currans role has expanded since his first T20 World Cup appearance in 2022, where he was used predominantly as a bowler. This time around, he has been entrusted with greater batting responsibility, often slotting in at No. 6. That evolution mirrors his growth as a cricketerone that culminated in a memorable 2022 campaign, where England lifted the T20 World Cup trophy and Curran was named Player of the Tournament. Also Read: Live Cricket Score As England fine-tune their combinations ahead of the World Cup, Currans versatility and willingness to adapt continue to make him a crucial component of the squad. Article Source: IANS

PSL: Babar, Shaheen retained in Platinum category; Sultans release Rizwan

Multan Sultans were the only team not to retain any player; Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad will make their retentions by February 7

Absolutely Brilliant Show: Ganguly Hails DCs Performance After They March Into Fourth Straight WPL Final

The Delhi Capitals: The Delhi Capitals clinched a seven-wicket win against the Gujarat Giants on Tuesday to seal their spot in the Womens Premier League (WPL) final for the fourth consecutive time in as many editions of the tournament, and former India captain and DC's Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly hailed the teams efforts by dropping a comment on all-rounder Marizanne Kapps social media post. Ganguly is heavily involved with the Delhi womens team, overseeing overall strategy, squad formation, and team development, including handling the auction process for the WPL team. Kapp shared a post on her X handle on Wednesday after DC made it to the final on Tuesday, and wrote, This is special, 4 finals in 4 years! Couldnt be happier! What a team, what a franchise! So so special! Team DC, Thank you Jesus. On this, Ganguly commented, Absolutely brilliant show. Asked to respond to Gujarats 168/7, Delhi wasted little time asserting control and completed the task with ease, courtesy of a clinical batting display led by Lizelle Lee and skipper Jemimah Rodrigues. Lee was particularly severe on anything loose, peppering the boundary with authority, while Shafali played the perfect foil with brisk support. The opening stand of 89 runs was broken in the eighth over when Lee was trapped lbw by Georgia Wareham for a fluent 43 off 24 balls, an innings studded with eight fours and a six. On this, Ganguly commented, Absolutely brilliant show. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Rodrigues 41 off just 23 balls, laced with four boundaries and a six, effectively sealed the contest. When she was dismissed with the team at 160/3 in the 15th over, Delhi were already within touching distance. Wolvaardt remained unbeaten on 32 off 24 deliveries, while Kapp finished the job with a quick cameo as Delhi reached 169/3 with 26 balls to spare. Article Source: IANS

McCullum: Media scrutiny of Brook incident is 'annoying'

Head coach backs intelligence of white-ball captain, and confirms he wants to stay in charge of Test team

'It Was About Having Clear Heads', Says Chinelle Henry After DC March Into Fourth Straight WPL Final

As Delhi Capitals: As Delhi Capitals sealed their place in the final of the Womens Premier League 2026 with a commanding seven-wicket win over Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator at the BCA Stadium here on Tuesday, allrounder Chinelle Henry reflected on the mindset of heading into the Eliminator, saying it was about having clear heads and staying calm. Chasing a target of 169, DC completed the chase with 26 balls to spare, booking a final clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and extending their record of qualifying for every WPL final to four. Before we went in, we had a small conversation about how we were going to go about it. In the previous games we played them, we came out on the wrong end in some pretty tight matches. This time it was about having clear heads and staying calm while chasing this total. An explosive opening partnership of 89 off 43 between Lizelle Lee (43 off 24) and Shafali Verma 31 off 21) laid the foundation for the chase before the middle order steered DC towards the favoured outcome. Speaking about the clarity within the group and the trust in individual roles, Henry added, It was about having clear plans and backing our strengths because we know how dangerous Shafali and Lizelle are at the top of the order. Regardless of the score, it was just about going out there and playing our game. Speaking about leadership within the team she said, As a pace unit, a lot of the work is done behind the scenes. We pick each others brains and have a lot of conversations, especially about conditions. Jemimah (Rodrigues) is always willing to have those conversations about what is working and what each bowlers strengths are. Sharing the powerplay with (Marizanne) Kapp is special. We constantly talk about plans and how we can help the team together. Earlier, DCs bowlers played a decisive role in putting the Giants under pressure with Chinelle Henry picking 3 and Nandni Sharma with 2 scalps derailing the opposition's momentum. With her performance, Nandni achieved a landmark feat, becoming the highest wicket taking Indian bowler in a single WPL season, moving to 16 wickets in the 2026 edition and remaining in contention for the Purple Cap. Opening up on the belief within the squad in high-pressure situations, Henry said, As a team, we trust each other and we believe in the ability of the group. Whether it was Lizelle, Shafali, Jemimah or Laura, or the rest of us at the back end, we knew the job that we had to do. Henry has played a key role for DC this season, contributing across departments. Speaking about her role she said, I was brought into this team as an all-rounder. If one part is not going your way, the other can fall into place. I am just happy to be helping the team in whichever way that I can. Over the past couple of years, it has been about developing different skills, not just bowling with the new ball but being effective in different phases of the game and also improving my batting by reading situations better. With the team now turning their focus to the final, Henry said, It does not matter whether you have a quick turnaround. As a unit, we are never switched off. The conversations about how we can get better are always happening. Over the past couple of years, it has been about developing different skills, not just bowling with the new ball but being effective in different phases of the game and also improving my batting by reading situations better. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Delhi Capitals will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final of the Womens Premier League 2026 on Thursday. Article Source: IANS

Daly Quiz | On grand slams

Carlos Alcarez on Sunday became the youngest male tennisplayer tocompletea career grand slamin the open era.Here is a quiz onthe grand slams

Stanikzai comes in for Aqil as Afghanistan bat; India unchanged

India come into the semi-final unbeaten while Afghanistan have had one slip-up against Sri Lanka

Sheffield Shield team news - all the squads as the tournament resumes

Steven Smith won't line up for New South Wales while Queensland's Matt Renshaw is among those at the T20 World Cup

'One Of The Most Dangerous Teams': Dhoni On Indias T20 WC Squad

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni expressed confidence in the Indian team's prospects for the Mens T20 World Cup 2026, highlighting that they possess the right combination of experience, skill, and balance to perform well in a high-pressure tournament. Dhoni emphasised that the team's strength depends on how well the players handle pressure situations and their clearly defined roles. He noted that players are always in match-ready mode, whether batting or bowling, giving India a crucial edge over competitors. Its one of the most dangerous teams. You know, they would have already started batting or bowling. But what all is needed in a good team? Everything is there. They have the experience. Especially when it comes to this format, the experience is vast. They have played under pressure. Whoever is playing whatever roles they are playing in the team, they have been in that situation for a considerable period of time, Dhoni said at an event. Although Dhoni remained optimistic, he highlighted dew as a factor that can undermine even the most carefully prepared plans in white-ball cricket. He said that dew can significantly affect playing conditions and make toss decisions crucial, potentially creating unfair advantages in matches. What worries me? Again, I hate dew. Dew changes a lot of things. So, even when I was playing, something that really scared me was dew. Where the toss becomes crucial and all of that. If we are playing 10 matches with some of the best teams, we will come out as winners more often than not. If the conditions remain neutral, Dhoni said. Although Dhoni remained optimistic, he highlighted dew as a factor that can undermine even the most carefully prepared plans in white-ball cricket. He said that dew can significantly affect playing conditions and make toss decisions crucial, potentially creating unfair advantages in matches. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The problem is whens some of your players have a day off and somebody from the opposition has a brilliant day. And it can happen in the T20 group. So, thats the time. Whether it happens in the league stage, whether it happens in the knockout stage, thats where all the praying is needed. You know, nobody should get injured. Whatever roles are given, people should accomplish their roles for the team, the former India captain said. Article Source: IANS

WPL: We've Plenty Of Time To Tinker A Little Bit & Come Back Stronger Next Year, Says GG Head Coach Klinger

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Head coach Michael Klinger felt the Gujarat Giants' WPL 2026 season demonstrated noticeable progress, despite an overall sense of unfinished goals, as the side concluded their campaign with a loss to Delhi Capitals in the Eliminator on Tuesday. Securing second place on the points table marked a positive advancement and showed that the Giants maintained composure in close matches throughout the league phase. However, it also identified areas for improvement, especially during the most critical moments. They achieved a clean sweep of UP Warriorz, ending a long winless streak against the Mumbai Indians, and narrowly defeated Delhi Capitals twice in last-over finishes, with Sophie Devine's calm under pressure playing a key role. The margins of victory were often very close, and their confidence was clear, even though losses to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in both encounters prevented a higher league-stage position. As Klinger noted, the season ended in disappointment once again, with the Giants missing out on successive Eliminators in 2025 and 2026. Yeah, certainly, finishing outright second this year is a huge improvement. Probably the two finals (Eliminators) we played, both last year and this year, we just didn't play at our best. We spoke about it today in our team meeting - that when we play close to our best, we're a chance to beat any team in this competition - and we just weren't quite there today, in our batting and our bowling, Klinger said, addressing the media after the Giants' loss to DC. Nonetheless, the overall evaluation stayed positive. We've learned a lot about our squad this year. Whether we won the final or not, or the championship or not, we're pretty clear on the areas we need to improve next year. We've got plenty of time - about 10 months now - to watch more cricket from both local and overseas players, tinker a little bit, and hopefully come back bigger and stronger next year. To qualify two years in a row, there are always teams who would much prefer to be where we are than already gone home. So we're satisfied with that, but at the same time we're aiming for bigger things. It didn't happen this year, but we'll keep giving ourselves a chance by qualifying, and hopefully next year we'll play stronger cricket in the bigger games, he said. Klinger expressed optimism about the Indian talent in the squad, viewing this season as a foundation rather than a ceiling. I think it's about players taking the next step. Anushka (Sharma) had a good season for her first year. She got a lot of good starts, which for a young player is fantastic. The next step for her is realising how good she is, and that she can be a 300-plus run WPL player going forward. She's a fantastic player and person, and she's probably a big chance to play for India before next year's WPL. I hope she does, because that international experience will help her for us next year as well. I thought Bharti (Fulmali) started the season really well and played some fantastic innings. Potentially, the lower bounce here (in Vadodara) didn't quite suit her, so she couldn't get going. It's more about belief - that they don't just have to contribute, but can dominate, like some of the other Indian batters in the competition. If they come in with that attitude next year, they'll be fine. Obviously, we'll have Yastika (Bhatia) next year, touch wood, if she's fit and healthy, which will add another quality Indian player, said Klinger. Klinger discussed effort, balance, and potential improvements from a bowling perspective. He highlighted the narrow victories over DC as proof of the team's fighting spirit, which they highly value. The two wins against Delhi showed our fighting spirit - even when we were up against it in the last six balls. We talk about that a lot. In our team room, we have a big sign that says 'fight'. We'll certainly speak to all the players - maybe not tonight with emotions running high, but over time. Everyone's going back to domestic cricket, and there are areas everyone can work on, whether it's our quicks or our spinners. Klinger discussed effort, balance, and potential improvements from a bowling perspective. He highlighted the narrow victories over DC as proof of the team's fighting spirit, which they highly value. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Regarding the spinners, who played a smaller role, Klinger said, Our spinners didn't get as many overs this year - TK (Tanuja Kanwer) and Raj (Rajeshwari Gayakwad) - but that was more about our team make-up. We had a lot of all-rounders: Ash (Gardner), Georgia (Wareham), Sophie Devine. We didn't have Georgia last year. With three overseas all-rounders bowling, it wasn't a reflection on the spinners, just how we balanced our overs. Article Source: IANS

Dhoni: 'Don't want to jinx but India one of the most dangerous teams at World Cup'

What all is needed in a good team, everything is there, he said

New South Wales refocus after 'tough week' following Shipperd axing

They face South Australia as the competition resumes in a match vital to both side's hopes of reaching the decider

England Seek Fresh Start at T20 World Cup as Harry Brook Faces Early Test as Captain

England are in search of a fresh start at the T20 World Cup after their Ashes debacle and a series of failures at global white-ball events, with captain Harry Brook under scrutiny on and off the field. The 2010 and 2022 champions, who boast an impressive roster of destructive batsmen and match-winning bowlers, are aiming to win the trophy for a record third time. Brook takes charge at a global tournament for the first time since he replaced Jos Buttler as white-ball skipper last year. Buttler stood down following England's early exit from the 50-over Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. That came after an embarrassing title defence at the 50-over World Cup in India in 2023 and a semi-final exit at the 2024 T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States. The 26-year-old Brook, one of England's most gifted all-format players, has recently been in the headlines for the wrong reasons. Last month the Yorkshireman apologised after he was involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer during England's tour of New Zealand before the recent Ashes series in Australia, admitting to a terrible mistake. Brook was fined and warned over his conduct by the England and Wales Cricket Board, admitting he was fortunate to keep his job. Now the richly gifted run-scorer has an early chance to shift the focus back on to his batting as he prepares for England's opener against Nepal in Mumbai on Sunday. - Batting firepower - England boast a wealth of explosive talent at the top of the batting order, with Buttler, Phil Salt and Ben Duckett all options as openers at the tournament in India and Sri Lanka. Buttler is now 35, but remains one of the most feared players in limited-overs cricket and is a seasoned campaigner in the Indian Premier League, which is also 20 overs per side. In the middle order, Brook and Tom Banton have the ability to change the game in the blink of an eye while rising talent Jacob Bethell is one of several versatile all-rounders. If there is a potential weakness, it may among the pace bowlerss. Mark Wood is unavailable because of injury while Jofra Archer, another express quick, has only just returned after suffering a side strain during the Ashes. But Josh Tongue has been rewarded for his impressive performances in Australia with inclusion in the 15-man squad. Luke Wood and Sam Curran provide England with left-arm pace options, while fellow seamerJamie Overton, is also dangerous with the bat. Vastly experienced leg-break bowler Adil Rashid leads the spin attack, with all-rounders Liam Dawson, Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed giving Brook a range of slow-bowling options. England head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director of men's cricket Rob Key will be desperate for success after the recent 4-1 Ashes thumping raised serious questions about their respective futures. England will start the tournament with their tails up after beating co-hosts Sri Lanka in both one-day international and T20 series -- they have lost just one T20 series since the 2024 World Cup. There has been a significant turnover of personnel since England's white-ball purple patch, during which they claimed the 2019 50-over World Cup and the 2022 T20 crowns. Also Read: Live Cricket Score But Brook still has plenty of experience to call upon and, if England's new generation also make their mark, his team could challenge for another title.

Jacob Bethell Spins England to 3-0 T20I Clean Sweep Over Sri Lanka

Jacob Bethell underlined his importance to England's T20 World Cup hopes as he spun them to a hard-fought 12-run win over Sri Lanka to complete a 3-0 clean sweep at Pallekele on Tuesday. The series served as a dress rehearsal for the 20-nation showpiece that Sri Lanka is co-hosting with India. The contest hung in the balance heading into the 18th over with Sri Lanka needing 21 runs off 18 balls with four wickets in hand but the part-time spin of Bethel turned the game. The left-armer snared three wickets in a dramatic over to flip the game on its head as the hosts were skittled for 116 with three balls to spare. Bethel finished with career-best figures of four for 11. It was one of the most fun games I have been part of, said England captain Harry Brook. We showed we can adapt to challenging conditions. Today we bowled 16 overs of spin and to do that against a Sri Lankan side in their own conditions is really satisfying. England had mustered only 128 for nine but showcased their depth and nous, defending a total that looked well below par on a surface offering turn and bounce. After just four overs from the quicks, the spinners took centre stage and wove a web around the Sri Lankan batters, much as they had throughout the tour. The spinners had been pivotal in Englands ODI series triumph in Colombo last week and again proved the ace up their sleeve. England head to India to launch their World Cup campaign with momentum at their backs, while Sri Lanka have plenty of soul-searching to do with their frailties against spin brutally exposed. Bethel found able allies in Will Jacks, who bagged three wickets, while fellow tweakers Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson chipped in with one apiece to keep the hosts on a tight leash. Sam Curran, Englands hero in the opening game with a hat-trick, showed his all-round pedigree in the dead rubber, carving out a career-best 58 from 48 balls to rescue the side that had slipped to 60 for six. Returning quick Dushmantha Chameera, back after a groin injury, was a rare bright spark for Sri Lanka, claiming his maiden five-wicket haul in T20Is. His five for 24 are the best figures in England-Sri Lanka contests and the third-best ever at Pallekele. Very disappointing. We need to address a few areas, especially the options we take against spin bowling, said Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka. I thought we had addressed that issue in the last game but the old problems resurfaced again. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Both sides begin their World Cup campaign next Sunday with Sri Lanka hosting Ireland in Colombo while England face Nepal in Mumbai.

Politics Hurting World Cricket, IPL The Only Winner If Boycotts Continue: Lalit Modi On IndiaPak T20 World Cup Row

Pak T20 World Cup: Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has criticised Pakistans decision to boycott its group-stage fixture against India in the ICC Mens T20 World Cup, saying the spirit of cricket is diminished when politics influences sporting participation. Speaking to IANS, Modi said, Cricket was created to be decided on the field, not in boardrooms or through boycotts. When politics enters sport, the game loses but fans always remember who stood for competition. Pakistans withdrawal from the marquee clash, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, follows directives issued at the governmental level. Despite opting out of the India match, Pakistan is still expected to take part in the rest of the tournament a selective absence that has drawn attention given the storied cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is understood to be consulting stakeholders to evaluate the implications. Tournament regulations allow for points to be awarded in the event of a forfeiture, potentially affecting group standings. Administrators are also believed to be assessing the broader commercial and governance consequences such a move might trigger. Modi further cautioned that the fallout could extend beyond a single fixture. Broadcast rights of bilateral matches and future of ICC revenues will further come under a lens as broadcasters will be cautious bidding high amounts as this could snowball into future participation of teams. Only gainer in this scenario will be IPL, he said. He added that franchise cricket is already taking centre stage globally. IPL has now become the marquee cricket tournament of the year, which delights players and fans alike globally and is the perfect broadcasting opportunity for one and all, Modi remarked. Modi further cautioned that the fallout could extend beyond a single fixture. Broadcast rights of bilateral matches and future of ICC revenues will further come under a lens as broadcasters will be cautious bidding high amounts as this could snowball into future participation of teams. Only gainer in this scenario will be IPL, he said. Also Read: Live Cricket Score If the boycott stands, India would likely be awarded the match points a development that could shape the group table before the tournament fully gets underway. Article Source: IANS