West Indies name unchanged squad for home T20Is against Australia
West Indies will be facing Australia for the first time in an international match since October 2023
Men's Hundred 2026 - How the teams stack up after the auction
All the eight men's Hundred squads after the first ever auction ahead of the 2026 season
JKCA Scam Case: CJM Srinagar Recalls Non-bailable Warrant Against Farooq Abdullah
Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah: Hours after issuing a non-bailable warrant against former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah in the J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) scam case, the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar on Thursday recalled the warrant. The CJM Srinagar said in the recall order that the decision was taken considering Abdullahs condition following a murderous attack a day earlier. Earlier in the day, the CJM had issued a non-bailable warrant as Abdullah failed to appear in court either in person or online. However, Abdullahs counsel, Ishtiyaq Khan, moved an application seeking the recall of the warrant, stating that medical consultants had advised him against any travel after the life-threatening attack on him in Jammu last night. While the applicant survived the attempt, the physical and psychological after-shock has severely exacerbated his pre-existing medical conditions, including fluctuating blood pressure and cardiac distress, the counsel said in the application. Khan added that consequent to the attack, Abdullah has been placed under strict clinical observation and Restricted Security Protocol. His medical consultants have strictly prohibited any travel, particularly air or road travel between Jammu and Srinagar, as it would pose a grave risk to his life and health. In light of these insurmountable circumstances, the applicant was unable to cause his appearance before this Honble Court today, he said. The court had earlier rejected Abdullahs application for exemption from personal appearance. It had also rejected an exemption application of another accused, Manzoor Gazanfar Ali, and ordered a non-bailable warrant against him. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had earlier filed a chargesheet against several accused, including Farooq Abdullah, under Sections 120-B, 406 and 409 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) in connection with the alleged scam, official sources said. The CBI investigation focused on embezzlement within the JKCA, with allegations that funds intended for cricket development were misappropriated during Abdullahs tenure as president. Besides Abdullah, other accused included former JKCA officials Ahsan Ahmad Mirza, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Bashir Ahmad Misgar. The case has been ongoing, with the CBI filing chargesheets alleging a multi-crore misappropriation of funds. The recent court actions mark a significant step towards trial, following investigations into financial mismanagement. J&K cricket team recently won the final of the Ranji Trophy. The case has been ongoing, with the CBI filing chargesheets alleging a multi-crore misappropriation of funds. The recent court actions mark a significant step towards trial, following investigations into financial mismanagement. Also Read: Live Cricket Score J&K posted 584 runs in their first innings and restricted Karnataka to 293, securing a 291-run lead. Article Source: IANS
After Kavya Maran: After Kavya Maran's franchise Sunrisers Leeds bought Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed for 190,000 pounds (Rs 2.3 crore) on Thursday in the inaugural mens Hundred auction, the decision drew backlash from many Indian supporters on social media. Abrar became the first Pakistani international signed by an Indian-owned franchise in the tournament. Leeds acquired Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed for 190k. Abrar was literally used to mock India with the having tea picture and used to mock Indian players with unwanted celebrations in Asia Cup. Shame on you SRH, an X user write on X. The purchase for Abrar, who came with a base price of 75,000 pounds, came after Sunrisers Leeds, owned by Indian media group Sun TV, prevailed in a bidding contest with Trent Rockets at the auction shortly before the lunch break happened. Sun TV completed its acquisition of the franchise previously known as Northern Superchargers by buying a 49 percent stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the remaining 51 percent from Yorkshire for about 100 million pounds. Sunriser Leeds picked Abrar Ahmed for 1,90,000. He is the same Abrar Ahmed, who never gets tired of mocking Indians with that Tea Cup gesture. I don't know what to say but one thing is clear all agenda & propoganda of British media against Indian owners was baseless! The conglomerate also runs Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL) and Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SA20) teams. Earlier reports suggested IPL franchise-owned teams would avoid bidding for Pakistan players, and the early stages of Thursdays auction appeared to support that expectation till Abrar was picked. No Pakistan player has featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009, and IPL franchise owners who have invested in franchise T20 leagues worldwide have generally avoided signing cricketers from the country. The ECB said last month that selections in the auction would be based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team. Nine Pakistan players have appeared across the competitions first five seasons, though none of the female cricketers from the country were picked in the womens auction on Wednesday. Playing against is totally different from paying the players who mocked India during Operation Sindoor, an 'X' user wrote on X. What's the point of outrage on this when BCCI has played against the same player 3 consecutive times in the last Asia Cup which happened immediately after Operation Sindoor? Also, the team isn't owned by SRK so it will be forgotten as well, another X user wrote. Playing against is totally different from paying the players who mocked India during Operation Sindoor, an 'X' user wrote on X. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Sunrisers Leeds, captained by Harry Brook and coached by Daniel Vettori, also picked up South Africas Ryan Rickelton, Englands Zak Crawley, Matt Potts and Dan Lawrence in the early stages of the auction. The squad already includes Brydon Carse, Mitchell Marsh and Nathan Ellis. The 2026 Hundred will run from July 21 to August 16 and will feature 34 mens and 34 womens matches. Article Source: IANS
IPL 2026: Rishabh Pant Trains Hard Under Yuvraj Singh To Sharpen White-ball Skillsets
Lucknow Super Giants: India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant shared glimpses of him training under former India batting all-rounder Yuvraj Singh in a short camp in Mumbai as he looks to revive his white-ball career ahead of IPL 2026 starting on March 28. Pant, who captains Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and is the most expensive IPL player via a Rs 27 crore deal, has not played competitive cricket since suffering a side strain while batting on the eve of Indias ODI series against New Zealand in Vadodara in January. A video of the training session that has gained huge traction on social media showed Pant facing deliveries while Yuvraj watched everything closely from the umpires position and gave him some advice. IANS understands that the sessions Pant had under Yuvraj focused on both skills and temperament for succeeding in modern-day white-ball cricket. Basically, Rishabh has been practicing very, very hard on his game and for improving his fitness too. One would have noticed that he has become leaner also, if the videos are to go by. He was very keen to work more on his white-ball game, and not just the T20 side of things. So he reached out to Yuvraj and said he wanted to train under him for three-four days. Subsequently, they trained at the CCI ground in Mumbai, before he departed for Chennai to attend LSGs ongoing pre-season camp and will be followed by another camp in Lucknow, said a source familiar with the matter to IANS on Thursday. It is also understood that the short camp was not necessarily for upping Pants T20 game only, as the wicketkeeper-batter is targeting a larger picture - of excelling for a longer period in limited-overs cricket. Pant, a member of 2024 Mens T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy winning sides, endured a poor run in IPL 2025, scoring 269 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 133.16, his lowest returns since debuting in the competition in 2016. Despite hitting an unbeaten 118 in LSGs final league game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, it didnt help the sides cause as they finished seventh in the points table. It is also understood that the short camp was not necessarily for upping Pants T20 game only, as the wicketkeeper-batter is targeting a larger picture - of excelling for a longer period in limited-overs cricket. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Pant remains Indias second-choice wicketkeeper in ODIs behind KL Rahul, but was not part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad. With fellow keepers Samson and Ishan Kishan being in red-hot form in T20s, Pant will be keen to make big runs and lead LSGs turnaround in IPL 2026. Article Source: IANS
India-owned Sunrisers Leeds Sign Pakistan Spinner Abrar Ahmed In The Hundred Mens Auction
Wales Cricket Board: Sunrisers Leeds bought Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed for 190,000 pounds (Rs 2.3 crore) on Thursday in the inaugural mens Hundred auction, making him the first Pakistani international signed by an Indian-owned franchise in the tournament. The purchase for Abrar, who came with a base price of 75,000 pounds, came after Sunrisers Leeds, owned by Indian media group Sun TV, prevailed in a bidding contest with Trent Rockets at the auction shortly before the lunch break happened. Sun TV completed its acquisition of the franchise previously known as Northern Superchargers by buying a 49 percent stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the remaining 51 percent from Yorkshire for about 100 million pounds. The conglomerate also runs Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL) and Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SA20) teams. Earlier reports suggested IPL franchise-owned teams would avoid bidding for Pakistan players, and the early stages of Thursdays auction appeared to support that expectation till Abrar was picked. No Pakistan player has featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009, and IPL franchise owners who have invested in franchise T20 leagues worldwide have generally avoided signing cricketers from the country. The ECB said last month that selections in the auction would be based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team. Nine Pakistan players have appeared across the competitions first five seasons, though none of the female cricketers from the country were picked in the womens auction on Wednesday. No Pakistan player has featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009, and IPL franchise owners who have invested in franchise T20 leagues worldwide have generally avoided signing cricketers from the country. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Sunrisers Leeds, captained by Harry Brook and coached by Daniel Vettori, also picked up South Africas Ryan Rickelton, Englands Zak Crawley, Matt Potts and Dan Lawrence in the early stages of the auction. The squad already includes Brydon Carse, Mitchell Marsh and Nathan Ellis. The 2026 Hundred will run from July 21 to August 16 and will feature 34 mens and 34 womens matches. Article Source: IANS
Punjab Kings Unveils New Jersey Ahead Of IPL 2026
Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium: Punjab Kings (PBKS) have unveiled their match jersey for the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, with the franchise opting for a refreshed design that features its signature red and blue colours. PBKS, led by Indias ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer and coached by legendary Australia cricketer Ricky Ponting, had finished as runners-up of IPL 2025 after losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final at the Narendra Mod Stadium in Ahmedabad. The franchise also said a lion motif is present at the centre that transitions into diamond-shaped elements across the fabric. The lion represents instinct, aggression and raw talent, while the diamonds symbolise what that talent becomes when shaped through preparation, high-performance systems and the pressures of top-level competition, added the franchise. Previously, five-time champions Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians along with Lucknow Super Giants had unveiled their IPL 2026 jerseys. The new jersey of Punjab Kings will make its on-field debut during the upcoming season, when they begin their campaign with a home game against IPL 2022 champions Gujarat Giants at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh on March 31. The franchise also said a lion motif is present at the centre that transitions into diamond-shaped elements across the fabric. The lion represents instinct, aggression and raw talent, while the diamonds symbolise what that talent becomes when shaped through preparation, high-performance systems and the pressures of top-level competition, added the franchise. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The franchise had launched their IPL 2026 preparations with a five-day pre-season camp in Udaipur from January 16-20. PBKS then held a training camp from February 8-14 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. As of now, they are having another pre-season camp in Dharamsala, their second home venue for IPL 2026. Article Source: IANS
Sunrisers Leeds sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed in Hundred auction
Abrar becomes first Pakistan player bought by an Indian-owned team; Sussex allrounder James Coles goes for 390,000
MSLTA to host 20 ITF tournaments across Maharashtra
BCCI Exploring T20I Series In Sri Lanka, Ireland Amid Busy Calendar: Report
World Champions India: World Champions India could play additional T20Is in Sri Lanka and Ireland as the team prepares for a packed international schedule over the next 12 months, said a report. The proposed matches would come alongside a series of already scheduled bilateral tours and tournaments. According to a report by Cricbuzz, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering adding three T20Is to Indias upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. The matches are likely to take place before the two Tests that are already part of the World Test Championship (WTC) and could be scheduled in July-August. The additional T20Is have reportedly been proposed by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) as part of a fundraising initiative to support flood relief efforts in the island nation. Sri Lanka was severely affected by Cyclone Ditwah last November, which caused widespread damage and displacement across several regions. Indias T20I side, currently led by Suryakumar Yadav, may therefore begin the Sri Lanka tour with the three short-format matches before moving into the red-ball leg comprising two Tests. Before heading to Sri Lanka, India are scheduled to tour England for a white-ball series consisting of three ODIs and five T20Is between July 1 and 19. However, the team could make a brief stop in Ireland en route, with discussions underway for a three-match T20I series in Dublin. Sources quoted in the report indicated that talks between the BCCI and Cricket Ireland are ongoing, with optimism that the series will materialise. If finalised, the matches could be staged in the final week of June. Before heading to Sri Lanka, India are scheduled to tour England for a white-ball series consisting of three ODIs and five T20Is between July 1 and 19. However, the team could make a brief stop in Ireland en route, with discussions underway for a three-match T20I series in Dublin. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The proposed Ireland games would take place shortly after India hosts Afghanistan for a home series featuring one Test and three ODIs, scheduled from June 6 to 20. Article Source: IANS
Gambhir Offers Prayers At Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib After Indias T20 World Cup Triumph
Gurudwara Shri Rakab Ganj Sahib: India head coach Gautam Gambhir offered prayers at Gurudwara Shri Rakab Ganj Sahib on Thursday to express gratitude after Indias triumphant campaign in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. India sealed the title with a commanding 96-run win over New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday. The victory made India the first team to win three T20 World Cup titles and the first to successfully defend the trophy on home soil. The former India opener was seen quietly offering prayers at the gurudwara in the national capital, continuing a series of spiritual visits during and after the tournament. Soon after the title triumph on Sunday, when celebrations swept across the country, India captain Suryakumar Yadav, head coach Gambhir and International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah visited the Hanuman Temple in Ahmedabad and offered prayers while holding the trophy. Gambhir had also visited several temples before and during the tournament. Ahead of the third T20I of the five-match series against New Zealand in January, he offered prayers at the Kamakhya Temple. Later, after the third match, Gambhir, along with members of the Indian team, visited the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple before the fourth T20I. Gambhir, who was a key member of Indias title-winning side in the ICC T20 World Cup 2007, has now added another milestone to his career by winning the tournament both as a player and as a coach. With the latest triumph, he also joined the elite group of coaches that includes Rahul Dravid and Lalchand Rajput, who have guided India to T20 World Cup glory. Meanwhile, after lifting the trophy, Gambhir said the team wanted to build its own legacy by playing fearless cricket and consistently outperforming opponents. With the latest triumph, he also joined the elite group of coaches that includes Rahul Dravid and Lalchand Rajput, who have guided India to T20 World Cup glory. Also Read: Live Cricket Score That was always something I wanted to do as a coach to see if we could play a completely different brand of cricket where people can say that this is a team that has consistently outscored and outbowled the opposition, he added. Article Source: IANS
We Followed The Process And Backed Our Game, Says Arshdeep Singh On T20 WC Triumph
T20 World Cup: Indias left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh said the teams focus on process and self-belief was key to their 2026 Mens T20 World Cup triumph on home soil, adding that the squad has set its sights on winning multiple trophies in the coming decade. With a 96-run win over New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India became the first team to defend its title, win the trophy thrice and also emerge victorious on home soil. When we won the last (T20) World Cup (in 2024), me, Hardik (Pandya) bhai and a lot of players from the core team said that we have to win at least five trophies in the next 10 years. That was the main focus and we knew that if we played with that standard, the result would come automatically. We followed the process and backed our game, said Arshdeep, who picked nine wickets in eight games at an economy rate of 8.46, in a video posted by bcci.tv on Thursday. When we won the last (T20) World Cup (in 2024), me, Hardik (Pandya) bhai and a lot of players from the core team said that we have to win at least five trophies in the next 10 years. Also Read: Live Cricket Score He also thanked fans for their continuous support during the triumphant campaign. You all gave us a lot of love. Especially when we lost a match, you supported us a lot and thank you so much for this, concluded Arshdeep, who will be next seen in action for Punjab Kings in IPL 2026. Article Source: IANS
IGPL CEO Uttam Singh Mundy: The LIV Golf-backed International Series and the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) have unveiled a direct performance pathway that will propel Indias top performers onto the global stage. Leading IGPL players will gain access to various International Series events and further opportunities to compete at LIV Golf Promotions, accelerating their progression into elite-level golf. The collaboration was formalised at LIV Golf Singapore, where leaders from both organisations confirmed their shared ambition to strengthen the developmental pathway for emerging talent. Present were LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil, IGPL CEO Uttam Singh Mundy, Mani Indhar, Head of IGPL International Partnerships, as well as IGPL franchise owner and tennis icon Leander Paes, a former doubles world No. 1, 18-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic bronze medallist. IGPL is also backed by cricket legend Yuvraj Singh as brand ambassador who comes strongly on board with the shared belief of wanting to take Indian golf to the next level. Through the partnership, IGPLs leading players, determined by the leagues rankings at agreed points during the season, will earn places in various International Series events across the calendar. Competing in The International Series will give these players the chance to test themselves on world-class courses against elite international fields and a higher level of competition. Strong performances can open the door to further opportunities across the LIV Golf ecosystem, including a pathway to the League through the season-long International Series Rankings and LIV Golf Promotions. Scott ONeil, CEO of LIV Golf, said, India is a market with huge potential for the sport, and aligning IGPL with LIV Golf and The International Series helps create a clearer ladder for talented players to test themselves internationally, progress their careers through these pathways, and inspire Indias next generation of golf stars. Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said, Through this partnership with IGPL, Indias top performers gain a direct pathway towards the sports most elite stages. Its more than just a spot in the field; its an invitation to sharpen their skills against the best in the business and thrive in a high-stakes environment. We are proud to help create that stage for the next generation of players in India. Scott ONeil, CEO of LIV Golf, said, India is a market with huge potential for the sport, and aligning IGPL with LIV Golf and The International Series helps create a clearer ladder for talented players to test themselves internationally, progress their careers through these pathways, and inspire Indias next generation of golf stars. Also Read: Live Cricket Score IGPL CEO Uttam Singh Mundy added, This kind of an opportunity is a gamechanger for Indian golfing talent, and we are happy to extend our platform to such incredible opportunities.. Article Source: IANS
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Former India captain Anil Kumble said Rajat Patidar will face a stern test in leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to successive Indian Premier League (IPL) titles, saying that the expectations will be on a high after last seasons breakthrough triumph. Patidar took over from Faf du Plessis as RCBs captain ahead of the 2025 season and led the side to their first-ever trophy win in Ahmedabad. With RCB set to open their IPL 2026 season against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28, eyes will be on whether the side will be able to win successive titles, something which Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) have done before. It's not going to be easy for Rajat Patidar's RCB to win back-to-back titles. Only CSK and MI have managed to win trophies on a continuous basis before. But I think Rajat Patidar has done well as captain in his first season. When he was announced as skipper, many of us were surprised because everyone expected Virat to handle the duties again. But the team management decided to go with Patidar and it paid off. He only had experience of captaining Madhya Pradesh and did well in domestic cricket. He was identified as the skipper and with the experience he had, he led really well. In terms of using the resources in the bowling lineup, he did a good job. RCB put together a strong bowling unit and their spinners came to the party. That was the difference. Now it will be challenging because expectations will be high. But he looks very composed and calm under pressure. That is his USP. That should work for him. I am sure, Kumble said on JioStar On Venkatesh Iyers chances of breaking into the playing eleven, especially with RCB having a settled look in their batting line-up, Kumble felt he may not be a first-choice player in the initial matches. I don't think Venkatesh Iyer will be part of the playing XI at the start. You would want the same starting eleven that helped you lift the trophy after 18 years. Devdutt Padikkal should play in the eleven. He missed the last few important games due to injury, but he is in outstanding form with the bat. He will take that impact player role when RCB bowl first. Suyash Sharma will be the bowling impact player when RCB bat first. That is how they structured their line-up last season. Unless they look to go with an extra batter who can bowl at the start of the season, depending on how everyone is hitting in the nets and practice matches. Otherwise, I don't see Iyer in the starting line-up. But he is a wonderful guy to have in the squad. Any time you need an experienced batter, he is there. He is a left-hander too and can switch with Padikkal if the need arises at any point in the new season, he elaborated. Kumble also said that RCBs overseas balance still remains very strong. Romario Shepherd and Tim David will start together in the playing XI. It is a must for RCB to have both of them playing at the same time. Both can finish games really well with the bat. Otherwise, I don't see Iyer in the starting line-up. But he is a wonderful guy to have in the squad. Any time you need an experienced batter, he is there. He is a left-hander too and can switch with Padikkal if the need arises at any point in the new season, he elaborated. Also Read: Live Cricket Score It makes their batting line-up very long and gives them an extra bowling option in Shepherd. The real problem for RCB this season is the availability of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood. How fit they are and how well Hazlewood comes back from injury will be key. If they are fit and fine, there is no problem. But I will be keeping a close eye on their bowling line-up. Batting, I am not worried about at all, he concluded. Article Source: IANS
Indian Premier League: Former India left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan said the talismanic Virat Kohli will be hungrier than ever to win back-to-back Indian Premier League (IPL) titles after Royal Challengers Bangalore won their first-ever trophy in 2025. Kohli played a pivotal role in RCBs IPL 2025 victory by hitting 43 in the final against Punjab Kings and ended the season as the sides leading run-getter with 657 runs in 15 matches. The hunger in Virat Kohli will be there. In fact, he will be hungrier than ever, especially after lifting the IPL trophy last season. He will want to win back-to-back IPL trophies. That hunger in him to win and create an impact is always going to be there, said Pathan on JioStar. Pathan also said Kohlis passion was evident in his recent international outings. We have seen that when he played for India, especially in the one-day series against South Africa and New Zealand. He looks like he wants to make an impact in every game. I think he will have the same kind of passion when he comes back this season. He will want to lift the trophy once again, he said. RCB will open IPL 2026 against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which was recently cleared by the Karnataka government to host IPL matches after no competitive cricket was held following the tragic loss of 11 lives in a stampede during the sides IPL victory celebrations in June 2025. The matches at the Chinnaswamy will happen only if its gets clearance from an expert committee constituted by the Karnataka state government on Friday. Pathan also backed left-handed top-order batter Devdutt Padikkal to play a key role in RCBs campaign after he made 247 runs in ten games at a strike-rate of 150.60. Devdutt Padikkal is going to play a major role in RCB's success in IPL 2026. He has scored runs left, right and centre in domestic cricket across all formats. He looks like a very improved player. There was a time when he was struggling, wasnt getting his timing right. But that is in the past now. Devdutt Padikkal is a different, very confident player now. The matches at the Chinnaswamy will happen only if its gets clearance from an expert committee constituted by the Karnataka state government on Friday. Pathan also backed left-handed top-order batter Devdutt Padikkal to play a key role in RCBs campaign after he made 247 runs in ten games at a strike-rate of 150.60. Also Read: Live Cricket Score He also felt RCB have strong reserve options if the injury-prone Josh Hazlewood doesnt turn up for the tournament. But going into IPL 2026, RCB will have some injury concerns, especially with Josh Hazlewood's fitness. The good thing is they have secured good backups. The duo of Nuwan Thushara and Jacob Duffy can cover well for Hazlewood if he faces fitness issues. That makes RCB even stronger. Article Source: IANS
MOC Approves Funding For Tennis Stars Bhambri And Nagal; Dhakshineswar Suresh Included In TAGG
The Mission Olympic Cell: The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) under the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has approved financial assistance for leading Indian tennis players Yuki Bhambri and Sumit Nagal, while also recommending the inclusion of emerging player Dhakshineswar Suresh in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG). The decision came after keeping in mind Indian tennis players preparations for key events such as the Asian Games 2026 and the second round of the Davis Cup 2026 qualifiers. The MOC approved a financial assistance package worth Rs 28.89 lakh for Bhambri to support his training and competition calendar from February to September 2026, covering his international schedule spanning 33 weeks (231 days) of ATP and Grand Slam competitions as well as training on the professional circuit, the ministry said in a release. Under TAGG, the approved assistance will support Bhambri for personal physiotherapy services, being put forward by his physio Daniel Hatch during training and competition days leading up to key national commitments such as the Davis Cup tie in September and the Asian Games 2026, it said. Bhambri has been in excellent form internationally, having reached the Round 3 at the 2026 Australian Open and the semi-finals of the 2025 US Open in doubles competition. He is also currently ranked World No. 23 in doubles and Asian No. 1. The MOC also approved financial assistance worth Rs 27.51 lakh for Sumit Nagal to support his international training and competition programme from March to October 2026. Nagals calendar includes participation in ATP Challenger events, ATP Tour events, ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, Grand Slams such as Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, as well as the Davis Cup 2nd round tie and Asian Games 2026. TAGG recommended Nagals coaching support for 70 days from March to May 2026 through the Nensel Academy Tennis School, with coaches Sascha Nensel and Milos Galecic guiding the 28-year-old during the crucial training and competition period. Currently Indias No. 1 singles player on the ATP rankings, Nagal is ranked World No. 282, with a career-high ranking of 68 in 2024. After returning from injury, he recently reached the Round of 16 at ATP 75 tournaments in Pune and Delhi and also represented India in the Davis Cup tie against the Netherlands in Bengaluru last month. Meanwhile, the inclusion of rising Indian player Dhakshineswar Suresh in the Target Asian Games Group was done on the basis of his potential as a strong singles and doubles player for India. Dhakshineswar has registered six wins over top-200 ranked players, including a victory against a top-100 opponent, highlighting his ability to compete at higher levels. During Indias recent Davis Cup 2026 Qualifiers victory over the Netherlands in February 2026, Dhakshineswar delivered a standout performance by contributing to all three Indian wins. He won both his singles matches against players ranked World No. 88 and World No. 162, and also partnered with Bhambri to clinch the crucial doubles match. Dhakshineswar has registered six wins over top-200 ranked players, including a victory against a top-100 opponent, highlighting his ability to compete at higher levels. Also Read: Live Cricket Score With the addition of Dhakshineswar Suresh, 12 Tennis players are now supported under the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) scheme. The scheme, introduced in 2025 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, has been modelled on the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) to provide financial assistance to Asiad medal prospects ahead of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Article Source: IANS
Dravid Likely To Get Lifetime Achievement Award, Gill Could Bag Top Honour At BCCI Annual Gala
Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement: Former India head coach Rahul Dravid is likely to receive the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, while Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill could be named as Mens Cricketer of the Year when the BCCI Awards takes place in the national capital on March 15. IANS had previously reported that the annual awards ceremony named NAMAN will see the recent Mens T20 World Cup winning team, 2025 Mens Champions Trophy winning side, the victorious 2025 Womens ODI World Cup side, along with U19 World Cup winners in both genders being honoured by the BCCI. Dravid, who guided India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title, is set to be honoured for his contribution to Indian cricket. Gill, meanwhile, was not a part of the recent T20 World Cup winning side, but is still in line to bag the Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer- Men. Gill, 26, scored 983 runs in Tests in 2025, including 754 in the 2-2 drawn away series against England at an average of more than 70. His ODI tally stood at 490 runs, with 188 of them coming during Indias Champions Trophy winning campaign. IANS understands that some members of the India womens team who are to be honoured by the BCCI for winning World Cups at senior and U19 levels may not come for the awards ceremony due to the Senior Womens Inter Zonal One-Day Trophy Final in Bengaluru and Womens Under 23 One Day Trophy Elite Pre quarter-finals in Ranchi happening on the same day. Sources have also told IANS that the Mumbai Cricket Association will be recognised as the best association in terms of performance in domestic cricket for the third consecutive year. Vidarbha duo of left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Yash Dubey and batter Yash Rathod will get the Madhavrao Scindia Award for being the highest wicket-taker and run-getter in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group. IANS understands that some members of the India womens team who are to be honoured by the BCCI for winning World Cups at senior and U19 levels may not come for the awards ceremony due to the Senior Womens Inter Zonal One-Day Trophy Final in Bengaluru and Womens Under 23 One Day Trophy Elite Pre quarter-finals in Ranchi happening on the same day. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Shanthanu Singh and Yashbardhan Singh Chauhan will get Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for being the highest run-getter and wicket-taker in the U16 Vijay Merchant Trophy. Nitya J Pandya and Hemchudeshan J will get M.A. Chidambaram Trophy for being the highest run-getter and wicket-taker in the U19 Cooch Behar Trophy. Article Source: IANS
Ahead Of IPL Opener, Experts To Conduct Final Inspection At Chinnaswamy On March 13: Report
Karnataka State Cricket Association: Despite the Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) including M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in the first phase schedule of the IPL 2026 released on Wednesday, a cloud of uncertainty still hangs over the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) home ground. The fate of the stadium rests on March 13, when an expert committee appointed by the government of Karnataka is scheduled to inspect the M Chinnaswamy Stadium before giving its final verdict on hosting IPL 2026 matches in the city, according to a report in ESPNCricinfo. Chinnaswamy Stadium has not hosted any game RCB following the horrific stampede that took place near the stadium, the lives of eleven people and more than 50 people were injured because of mismanagement as the franchise celebrated its maiden IPL title last year. Months after the venue was barred from hosting events following the stampede, Karnataka government granted conditional permission to resume cricket matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. According to the report, new entry gates have been installed, and exit and entry points are also created in case of an emergency. The Justice D' Cunha Committee had set March 15 as the deadline for the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to complete important short-term upgrades to the stadium. Following the appointment of the committee, it conducted a detailed safety audit at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the report added. According to the report, new entry gates have been installed, and exit and entry points are also created in case of an emergency. Also Read: Live Cricket Score RCB, the defending champions, will start their IPL 2026 campaign with a home match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28. They will then lock horns against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their next home match. Article Source: IANS
IPL 2026: Having Watson, Russell As Coaches Is A Blessing, Says KKR All-rounder Ramandeep
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) seam-bowling all-rounder Ramandeep Singh said working under Shane Watson and Andre Russell in the franchises coaching setup for IPL 2026 is a blessing, adding that he wants to soak in as many lessons as possible from the legendary all-rounders. Watson has joined KKR as assistant coach while Russell has taken on the role of power coach. Having them in the dugout is a blessing. I want to make the most of it and absorb as much as I can from them. I also hope I can emulate their success in the crucial, match-defining moments for the team, said Ramandeep in a statement issued by the franchise on Thursday. Ramandeep, 28, joined KKR in 2024 and was part of the side that lifted their third IPL trophy. Since then, he has scored 172 runs at a strike rate of 167.9 and taken six wickets. He also impressed in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, hitting 209 runs at a strike rate of 195 and claiming nine wickets in 10 matches for his state Punjab. My approach for this year is very situation-oriented. I am working on my understanding of potential scenarios every time I step in to bat, I am also trying to understand how the pitch is evolving and playing the right shots accordingly, he added. Ramandeep, who made two T20I appearances for India in 2024, added that he was keen to contribute with the ball in the season. If given the opportunity, I want to deliver as a bowler too, because I believe I have the capability to be an all-rounder. I am going to give my best on the field, and I am hopeful the results will follow, he said. My approach for this year is very situation-oriented. I am working on my understanding of potential scenarios every time I step in to bat, I am also trying to understand how the pitch is evolving and playing the right shots accordingly, he added. Also Read: Live Cricket Score This is something I have been working on over the past year. I want to play the situation, not just entertain. My goal is to be a match-winner, and for that, it does not matter what people are saying on social media or elsewhere. My only focus is on improving my skills every day. Article Source: IANS
Bhambri enters maiden ATP Masters 1000 semifinal at Indian Wells
The 33-year-old Indian had previously reached the doubles quarter-finals at the Masters 1000 level twice
Thomas O'Connor upstages dad Shayne with 13-wicket haul
Thomas rewrote family history and Otago records, bagging a match haul of 13 wickets in the Plunket Shield
King Charles Invited To 150th Anniversary Cricket Test In Melbourne
King Charles and global cricket royalty have been invited to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first Test match in Melbourne, officials said Thursday, with ticket sales through the roof a year before a ball is bowled. Australia will play England under lights at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to celebrate the landmark from March 11-15 next year. It will commemorate the first ever Test, played between the two arch-rivals, at the same stadium in 1877. All members of the Australia and England teams that played in the 1977 Centenary Test -- also at the MCG -- are set to attend. The late Queen Elizabeth II was at that game and officials are hopeful King Charles will make the trip in 2027. We've extended (an invitation) through all the appropriate channels, both government here and in the UK, for the King or a subset to be here, Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg told the Sydney Morning Herald. That's certainly high on our list, Cricket Australia confirmed to AFP that an invitation had been issued. We might bring his visit slightly earlier in the Test match, as opposed to the end of day five, given modern-day Test matches may not get that far, added Greenberg. We'll make sure a royal visit is there for the opening ball on day one, for sure. It will be the first time the MCG has hosted a men's day-night Test and more than 125,000 tickets have already been sold following a ballot, with most of the public allocation across days one-to-three gone. We knew there would be strong demand for tickets to the 150th anniversary Test but the response both locally and from overseas has been phenomenal, said Greenberg. We have some fantastic plans in place to ensure the Test and the accompanying entertainment and events will provide a fitting celebration of a very significant milestone. Most importantly, we will honour the great players who have made Test cricket such wonderful and enduring sporting theatre, and we can't wait to welcome the cricket world to Melbourne. Also invited are all living male and female International Cricket Council Hall of Fame inductees, former Test captains and a who's who of ex-Australia and England Test players. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Officials are also hopeful that the priceless Ashes urn -- which is kept at the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord's in London -- will make the trip.
'It's Going To Be Trial By Fire For RCB At Home,' Says Mukund Ahead Of IPL 2026
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Former India cricketer Abhinav Mukund believes defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) could face a tough examination at home in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), describing their early fixtures against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as a 'trial by fire'. Last year. RCB 's performances away from home were better than those at their home venue M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The Bengaluru-based franchise managed to win only two matches at home during the season and lost three matches, while one match was abandoned due to rain, highlighting their struggle to establish a stronghold at their own ground. Mukund noted that the conditions at the Chinnaswamy Stadium could be difficult to read initially, as there has been no competitive cricket played there for nearly eight to nine months after the stampede that happened during the RCB's victory march in the city. Its almost a bit of an unknown for RCB because it is a stadium where they dont have the best record. Their away record last year was one of those anomalies in the IPL winners list itself, where your home record wasnt as good as the away one, Mukund told Jio Hotstar. They need to get in sync very quickly. The bigger picture for RCB is that they need to understand and assess the conditions a lot quicker than the other sides because there has been no cricket played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for the last 8-9 months, he added. Mukund further pointed out that the defending champions will face strong opponents at home, including SRH in the tournament opener on March 28 and a revamped CSK on April 4, making the challenge even tougher. They need to get in sync very quickly. The bigger picture for RCB is that they need to understand and assess the conditions a lot quicker than the other sides because there has been no cricket played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for the last 8-9 months, he added. Also Read: Live Cricket Score RCB has played a total of 96 IPL matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Of those, they have won 46 times and lost on 47 occasions. Four matches did not produce any result, although one of RCB's wins in 2013 came via a Super Over. That means that they have a win percentage of 47.91 per cent on their home ground. Article Source: IANS
MI Vs RCB Is Going To Be A Houseful, Won't Get A Bigger Match Than This: Pathan
Indian Premier League: Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has labelled the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash between five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as the biggest game among the first 20 matches. The schedule for the first phase of the tournament was announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday, to be played from March 28 to April 12. The 19th edition of the cash-rich event will commence with defending champions RCB hosting SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. It is going to be a houseful, and you want to see these superstars. The quality of cricket that you are going to get in this match, in terms of bowling, batting and six-hitting ability, you won't get to see a bigger match than this. And it is understandable too. Rohit Sharma, the way his form has been for the last two years, has been magnificent, Pathan said on JioStar. With RCB veteran Virat Kohli set to play for the franchise for the 19th consecutive year, Pathan said that he is looking forward to how the former India and Bengaluru skipper approaches with the bat. But Virat Kohli, I will be really looking forward to the style and the approach he bats with. He will also be very refreshed. Rajat Patidars form has been a bit lean in domestic cricket, but he will now return as an IPL-winning captain. Jitesh Sharma was left out of the Indian team, but before that, he played some good knocks as well. And then, Bhuvneshwar Kumar in bowling. So, in terms of quality cricket and the atmosphere at the Wankhede Stadium, I think this is the biggest game of the schedule as of now, Pathan added. Pathan also shared his thoughts on Sanju Samson gearing up to represent Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the first time in their opening game against his former team. The World Cup champion was traded from Rajasthan Royals (RR) to the Yellow Army ahead of the auction, with Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran heading to the Jaipur-based franchise. But Virat Kohli, I will be really looking forward to the style and the approach he bats with. He will also be very refreshed. Rajat Patidars form has been a bit lean in domestic cricket, but he will now return as an IPL-winning captain. Jitesh Sharma was left out of the Indian team, but before that, he played some good knocks as well. And then, Bhuvneshwar Kumar in bowling. So, in terms of quality cricket and the atmosphere at the Wankhede Stadium, I think this is the biggest game of the schedule as of now, Pathan added. Also Read: Live Cricket Score All the youngsters in Rajasthan Royals have played with and under Sanju, so he will be a huge advantage for CSK, not just in terms of the form he will carry from the T20 World Cup, but the experience of playing in Guwahati will also come in handy for him in the first game. I am very excited to see how CSK are going to fare this season because they have brought in some very exciting young players, Pathen noted. Article Source: IANS
Windies Player Javon Searles, Two Officials Suspended By ICC Under Anti-corruption Codes
The International Cricket Council: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken strict action on West Indies fast-bowling all-rounder Javon Searles, Titans team owner Chitranjan Rathod and team official Griffith following the breach of the anti-corruption codes of Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the ICC. All three individuals face charges in relation to the Bim10 Tournament 2023/24, which falls under the jurisdiction of the CWI Anti-Corruption Code. In addition, Griffith faces one charge relating to International Matches that fall under the jurisdiction of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, the ICC said in a statement. The ICC added that the trio has been provisionally suspended from all cricket with immediate effect. However, the governing body has also given 14 days starting from March 11, 2026, to respond to the charges. Rathod faces three charges under the CWI Code, Searles faces four charges under the CWI Code, while team official Griffith faces four charges under the CWI Code and one charge under the ICC Code. All three have been charged with the following three offences- Breach of Article 2.1.1 of the CWI Code Fixing, contriving to fix or otherwise influencing improperly, or being a party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or other aspect of matches in the Bim10 tournament in 2023/24 (or attempting to do so). Breach of Article 2.1.4 of the CWI Code Soliciting, instructing, encouraging or facilitating Players and/or Player Support Personnel to commit offences under the CWI Code. Breach of Article 2.4.4 of the CWI Code Failing or refusing to cooperate with a reasonable investigation carried out by the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (or his/her designee) in relation to possible offences under the CWI Code. Searles and Giffith have also been charged with Breach of Article 2.4.2 of the CWI Code failing to disclose to Cricket West Indies details of any approaches or invitations to engage in conduct that would amount to a breach of the CWI Code. Breach of Article 2.4.4 of the CWI Code Failing or refusing to cooperate with a reasonable investigation carried out by the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (or his/her designee) in relation to possible offences under the CWI Code. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Searles has represented the West Indies Under-19s and played for Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL from 2014-19. He also featured in the IPL for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2018. Article Source: IANS
Karnataka government-appointed experts to conduct final Chinnaswamy inspection on March 13
An approval, which the KSCA expects to come through, will mean an official seal on the Bengaluru stadium to host IPL 2026 and other matches
Manchester Super Giants: The most successful captain in the history of women's cricket, Meg Lanning, believes that the Australian side is entering an exciting new phase following the retirement of veteran wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy from international cricket. Healy brought the curtain down on her decade-long international career after Australias victory over India in a multi-format series. The wicketkeeper-batter led the side in the ODIs and the one-off Test at the WACA Ground. Under her leadership, Australia swept the ODI series 3-0 and secured a dominant ten-wicket win in the pink-ball Test. Following Healys retirement, all-rounder Sophie Molineux has been appointed as the new captain of the side. She had earlier led Australia during the T20I series against India, which Healy missed, though the hosts went down 2-1. Despite the setback in the T20Is, Lanning expressed strong belief in Molineuxs leadership and highlighted the presence of several promising players in the squad, including Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland, who are expected to play key roles going forward. I think it's a really exciting time for the Australian team. Obviously, with Alyssa Healy moving on now and Soph taking over. You've got players like George Vole, Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland who have done quite well in their careers already, but now they get the chance to be the main parts of that team and really take control of what it looks like moving forward, Lanning told ESPNcricinfo. Despite the setback in the T20Is, Lanning expressed strong belief in Molineuxs leadership and highlighted the presence of several promising players in the squad, including Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland, who are expected to play key roles going forward. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Meanwhile, Lanning has been named the new captain of the Manchester Super Giants in The Hundred 2026. Lanning has a great record as captain; under her leadership, Australia has won five ICC titles. Article Source: IANS
Remaining Travel Groups Of WI, SA Teams Depart From India To Their Respective Homelands: ICC
The International Cricket Council: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed the safe return of the last travelling groups from both South Africa and the West Indies, who were stranded in India following the conclusion of their 2026 T20 World Cup campaigns. Within the past 24 hours, South Africas remaining 29 members and the West Indies' final 16 members have departed on flights to their respective homelands, bringing to a close a complex operation that has taken place under exceptionally challenging global travel conditions, the ICC said. During this period, the ICCs operations and logistics teams consistently collaborated with governments, airlines, charter providers, airport authorities, and their member boards to manage operational disruptions arising due to challenging global travel conditions. They mentioned their primary goal was to ensure safe travel for all remaining players and staff, which involved making continuous adjustments as circumstances evolved. We thank Cricket South Africa, Cricket West Indies and their entire squads for their support throughout this process, and also the ICC staff who worked tirelessly to ensure that all players, staff and their families were able to make safe journeys home, the ICC added. Earlier on Wednesday, the ICC announced that four South African players and five family members had taken flights and were heading home. All 29 other members of their group are expected to leave within the next 24 hours. Nine members of the West Indies team had already left for the Caribbean, while the remaining 16 had their flights booked to depart India within the next 12 hours. Earlier on Wednesday, the ICC announced that four South African players and five family members had taken flights and were heading home. All 29 other members of their group are expected to leave within the next 24 hours. Also Read: Live Cricket Score These are conditions entirely outside the ICC's control, and they have made each travel solution significantly more complex and time-consuming than under normal circumstances, the ICC had stated on the matter. Article Source: IANS
Handscomb finds a way in another season favouring bowlers
The Sheffield Shield has again been dominated by the bowlers, which continues a broader debate around the balance of the red-ball game in Australia
I Always Wanted To Do A Tough Job; I Started Cricket For That: Bumrah
T20 World Cup: Indias pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah expressed his gratitude, stating that he always wanted to take on a challenging role, which led him to choose cricket. He stated that being able to make a difference brings him great joy and that theres no better feeling than that. Bumrah was the wrecker-in-chief for Team India in the ICC Mens T20 World Cup final, where he picked up a four-wicket haul in his four-over spell to help his side defend their crown and clinch a second consecutive title. The fast-bowler concluded his campaign as the tournaments joint-highest wicket-taker alongside his teammate Varun Chakaravarthy and was also adjudged the Player of the Match for his heroics throughout the summit clash against New Zealand. I never want to hide behind; I want to be in the thick of things. I always wanted to do a tough job. I played cricket for that; I started cricket for that. When I am able to make a difference, that gives me so much of joy, no better feeling than that. I started my cricket here (Ahmedabad); I played all my cricket here. Came up the ranks through playing for Gujarat over here. Now playing the World Cup here and being the man of the match. Last time we just fell short, this time we went over it, really happy, Bumrah said in a video shared by bcci.tv. Bumrah was the wrecker-in-chief for Team India in the ICC Mens T20 World Cup final, where he picked up a four-wicket haul in his four-over spell to help his side defend their crown and clinch a second consecutive title. The fast-bowler concluded his campaign as the tournaments joint-highest wicket-taker alongside his teammate Varun Chakaravarthy and was also adjudged the Player of the Match for his heroics throughout the summit clash against New Zealand. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The Men in Blue defeated New Zealand by 96 runs to win the tournament on Sunday, March 8, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This victory made India the first team to successfully defend a T20 World Cup title and the first to win the tournament on home soil. Article Source: IANS
Bim10 corruption: Javon Searles among three provisionally suspended
Team owner Chitranjan Rathod and official Trevon Griffith also charged under anti-corruption codes
West Indies Player Javon Searles, 2 Others Suspended Under Anti-Corruption Code
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has charged team officials Chitranjan Rathod and Trevon Griffith, along with West Indian player Javon Searles, with various breaches of the Anti-Corruption Codes of Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the ICC. All three individuals face charges in relation to the Bim10 Tournament 2023/24, which falls under the jurisdiction of the CWI Anti-Corruption Code. In addition, Griffith faces one charge relating to International Matches that fall under the jurisdiction of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. Rathod, who is the owner of the Titans team, faces three charges under the CWI Code, Searles faces four charges under the CWI Code, while team official Griffith faces four charges under the CWI Code and one charge under the ICC Code. All three have been charged with the following three offences: Breach of Article 2.1.1 of the CWI Code Fixing, contriving to fix or otherwise influencing improperly, or being a party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly,the result, progress, conduct or other aspect of matches in the Bim10 tournament in 2023/24 (or attempting to do so). Breach of Article 2.1.4 of the CWI Code Soliciting, instructing, encouraging or facilitating Players and/or Player Support Personnel to commit offences under the CWI Code. Breach of Article 2.4.4 of the CWI Code Failing or refusing to cooperate with a reasonable investigation carried out by the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (or his/her designee) in relation to possible offences under the CWI Code. Mr. Searles and Mr. Giffith have also been charged with: Breach of Article 2.4.2 of the CWI Code Failing to disclose to Cricket West Indies details of any approaches or invitations to engage in conduct that would amount to a breach of the CWI Code. In addition, Mr. Griffith has been charged with: Breach of Article 2.4.7 of the ICC Code Obstructing the ACUs investigation into possible Corrupt Conduct by concealing and/or tampering with information that may have been relevant to the investigation, or which may have constituted evidence or led to the discovery of evidence of Corrupt Conduct. All three have been provisionally suspended from all cricket with immediate effect and have 14 days from 11 March 2026 to respond to the charges. These charges are the continuation of a wide investigation that saw USA player Aaron Jones being charged for five breaches of the CWI and ICC Anti-Corruption Codes on 28 January. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The ICC will make no further comment on this matter pending the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings.
The Asian Games: As the 2026 Indian Open approaches, Indias squash star Ramit Tandon is gearing up to showcase his skills on home soil. Scheduled from March 18 to 22 at Mumbais Brabourne Stadium, the tournament is crucial in Tandons busy year, which also includes preparing for the 2026 Asian Games, a major event that doubles as a pathway to the Olympics. In an exclusive interview with IANS, Tandon reflected on the current state of Indian squash, the pressures and perks of playing at home, and what success looks like for him at this stage of his career. With a unique perspective bridging past and future generations of Indian squash, Tandons insights highlight not only his personal journey but also the growing ecosystem of support that is propelling Indian squash to new heights. With just over a week to go before the Indian Open, Tandon is in his taper phase, where training intensity decreases to allow peak performance during the tournament. Preparations have been good so far. I have another week and a half before the event, so I'm kind of in my taper phase. But yeah, it's been a good few weeks. It's been good to be home. Normally, I'm competing in different parts of the world, so my training camps are also in those countries. But the few times we get to play in India, we get to be home and be pampered. So it's been good so far, Tandon told IANS. The home environment allows Tandon to focus on recovery, minimise travel stress, and fine-tune his game with his full support team by his side. The Asian Games is Tandons main target this year, offering both prestige and a chance to qualify for the Olympics. It is the most important event of the year. Firstly, it is the Asian Games that garners its own respect. But apart from that, obviously, it's the qualification for the Olympics, which is an addition for squash because we have not been in the Olympics before. So not only for me, for every Asian player in the top four, top eight in Asia, we are looking at that as an entry into the Olympics. So it's definitely the most ambitious, not ambitious, but the most important goal for the year. And obviously, my team is aware of it. I have a team; when I talk about my plans and my training plans, I'm just a follower. The orders come to me from my coaching team. So we are aware of it as a team. We have made it a point that the goal would be to peak at the Asian Games and everything else is designed around that. Every tournament, including the Indian Open, is part of a carefully mapped plan to ensure Tandon is at his best when it matters most. Tandon believes that he belongs to the generation that bridges past legends and rising stars. Squash has beenevery phase we have had strong players. I'm kind of stuck in between. The previous phase was obviously a sort of Ghoshal, Harinder, Sandhu phase, but those guys are a good five, six years older than I am. And then I'm the one in between that is part, you know, I didn't see their complete journey, but I was towards the end of their journey and towards the start of this journey. But having said that, it's a very unfair way to look at it to compare generations. In cricket, when you look at it, when you look at Virat Kohli, you say Sachin Tendulkar has played a big role in making Virat Kohli. And Virat Kohli is playing a big role in making maybe a Shubman Gill or someone else. So, you know, as a sport, we work as one team. If there were no Saurav Ghosal, there probably would not be a pipeline of players below that. If there were no Joshna or Deepika, there probably would not be an Anahat today. So you've got to give them credit. Credit is due when it is, right, in these situations. And having said that, we are at a good... As a country today, we are at a very strong phase. You know, we have four men in the world's top 50, which is not the norm for Indian squash. Anahat is doing extremely well, Joshna is still around. And you've got to also be aware of the support systems today, right? Like what Saurav and Harinder Sandhu, or Joshna and Deepika, didn't receive back in the day, we are receiving today. So fair enough, we should be better, and we should outperform the previous generations. Because if we don't, then it's not on us. It's showing the support system that the country is not working well enough for us to outperform. So, Indian squash is in a good place. Corporate firms are backing squash, which is a big step forward for us as squash players. Squash making the Olympics, we have like tops, the government scheme, we have been included in that, which again is a big boost. So I'm very hopeful that, in the years to come, the current generation and future generations will outperform what our ancestors left behind for us. I don't think ancestors would be a bad term. I'm not counting Saurav as an ancestor (laughs). I'm talking about like the generations of squash players. Tandon believes that Indian squash today has stronger infrastructure, funding, and visibility than ever before, which is a vital factor in nurturing future champions. The Indian Open offers the rare opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd. For Tandon, this is both comforting and challenging. It's extremely important. Two reasons, obviously, as I mentioned before, you have like the most number of players in the top 50 of the world. More Indian players in the top 50 in the world today than we have ever had before, which means you need to also step up the level of competition and bring international competitions of this magnitude to the country. Gives us home advantage, gives us advantage of the conditions, gives us a month of being home with our families and competing in our own country in front of the people who have supported us. So also means fewer flights, the one, two times a year we get to play at home, which is a big thing, with the Asian Games coming about, it's not only about competing, it's also about being rested and being injury-free. As you mentioned, at the 2022 Asian Games, I had a hamstring issue and couldn't make it, right? So similarly, like having events at home obviously gives me the sense that my team is home, I have physios at my service at home, which is hard to do when you're on the road. He added that international tournaments at home inspire the next generation, showing young players the level of competition they can aspire to. Beyond me and beyond the top players in the country, in terms of creating a culture for the upcoming generations, for the eight-year, 10-year-olds, who are going to be watching and looking at squash at the international level, it's just creating a level where they would see beyond what we used to when we were kids. Playing at home brings expectations, but the 33-year-old sees it as a test of resilience. Everything that's positive also has a negative to it, right? And playing at home, obviously, you're comfortable. The climate favours you a little bit, but at the same time, there's a lot of pressure. You're around people who want you to do really well. There's a lot of expectation, and you've got to deal with that as well, which is important as an athlete. You know, you can't run away from pressure. You need to deal with and breathe through these situations. And it just makes you tougher as a squash player, right? Every competition, the way we look at it as Indians, we are very result-oriented, you know? Like when we talk to someone about the board exams, the first thing we ask is, how much did you get, right? And it's the same thing in our sport, you know? We only look at the result, and we ask, like, Oh, are you going to win or lose? But what you also have to look at is, like, what's making you better as a sports person? What's making you better as an individual? And going through these situations definitely adds value, you know? And you might not see the benefit of it in this tournament, but that mental toughness might come through in the Asian games, you know? And so overall, it's good to put yourself through these situations. You need to deal with and breathe through these situations. And it just makes you tougher as a squash player, right? Every competition, the way we look at it as Indians, we are very result-oriented, you know? Like when we talk to someone about the board exams, the first thing we ask is, how much did you get, right? And it's the same thing in our sport, you know? We only look at the result, and we ask, like, Oh, are you going to win or lose? Also Read: Live Cricket Score It's the biggest thing for world squash as a whole, you know? Like, we've tried a bunch of times and haven't made it. And then finally making it to the Olympics for LA 2028 is probably the biggest achievement my sport has had as a whole. And Indian squash being part of world squash as a by-product, I being a squash player. Article Source: IANS
Indian Wells: Defending champion Draper rallies to beat Djokovic to reach quarterfinals
Draper will take on 11th-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev for a place in the semifinals
The Hundred 2026: Why Englands 100-Ball League Is Suddenly Big News in India
IPL 2026is scheduled to start from28 March, but India has suddenly been woken up by the news of aplayers auction to form teams for a white-ball professional league calledThe Hundred. This tournament commenced in the2021 English cricket season, but with our own IPL being the envy of the cricketing world, and with none of the Indian stars participating (in the mens event), India never seriously paid attention to The Hundred. Suddenly, this year everything has changed, andanother IPL-style mens and womens event though quite different from the IPL is making news in India.So, what exactly isThe Hundred? Organizers The tournament is organized by theEngland and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)and is played in theUnited Kingdom. Concept To differentiate it from the already crowdedT20 leagues, a100-ball cricket format(one innings of 100 balls) was adopted. For statistical purposes, performances in the tournament are recorded under theTwenty20 format. Time for One Match Aroundtwo and a half hours. Other Important Playing Conditions One over consists of 10 deliveries.The bowling ends change after every 10 balls. Bowlers can deliver eitherfive balls or 10 consecutive balls(decided by the captain), meaningtwo different bowlers can share one overif five balls each are bowled. Each bowler can deliver a maximum of 20 balls per match. Timeout:Each bowling side gets astrategic timeout of up to two and a half minutes. During the timeout, the coach can walk out to the middle and discuss tactics with the players. Powerplay:A25-ball powerplayat the beginning of each innings. Teams There areeight city-based teams (from seven cities). The teams for2026are: Birmingham Phoenix (Edgbaston) London Spirit (Lord's) Manchester SuperGiants (Emirates Old Trafford) MI London (The Kia Oval) Southern Brave (Southampton) SunRisers Leeds (Headingley) Trent Rockets (Trent Bridge) Welsh Fire (Sophia Gardens) Current Title Holders Northern Superchargers(nowSunRisers Leeds) won theWomens Competition, whileOval Invincibles(nowMI London) won theMens Competitionfor athird consecutive year. Auction for 2026 For the first time, afterretentions (four players)ordirect signings(or a combination of the two), the remaining players for both themens and womens teams were acquired through auctions. After five seasons,The Hundred will be played in a new avatar this year, widely seen as avirtual takeover of the event by IPL franchises. TheECB decided to partially privatize the eventto raise funds and help county clubs deal with mounting debts. The process termedthe great Hundred sell-off has become one of the most eventful stories in modern cricket. The extraordinary auction of theeight franchises, based on a total975 million valuation, brought aninitial 520 millioninto the games coffers. England had never seen a contest like thethree-hour bidding battle between Silicon Valley tech titans and an IPL billionaire for the Lords-based Hundred franchise, where the price jumped by3 million every 15 minutes. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Eventually, theSilicon Valley consortium Cricket Investor Holdings Limited, which includes among others theIndian-American chief executives of Google and Microsoftand heads of other major tech companies, valuedLondon Spirit at 295 millionandpaid 144.5 million for a 49 per cent stake.
Sophie Devine, Beth Mooney Top Womens Hundred 2026 Auction With 210,000 Deals
New Zealand's Sophie Devine and Beth Mooneyof Australia topped the bidding in the inaugural auction for English cricket's women's Hundred on Wednesday, each securing deals worth 210,000 ($282,000) All-rounder Dani Gibson went for 190,000 to Sunrisers Leeds to become the highest-paid Englishwoman while South Africa all-rounderNadine de Klerk, who starred at the recent 50-over World Cup, went to London Spirit for 170,000. Former New Zealand captain Devine will play for the Welsh Fire while Trent Rockets won the race to sign star batter and wicketkeeper Mooney, 32. The Hundred has changed the way teams pick players this year. In the first auction of its kind in a major British sport, held in London, spending on women players skyrocketed. Last year's cap, under a draft system, was 65,000. Stakes in the eight city-based franchises -- which all have men's and women's teams -- were sold last year to private investors, raising huge sums for cricket in England and Wales. Four of the franchises -- Manchester Super Giants, Sunrisers Leeds, MI London and Southern Brave -- are at least part-owned by companies that control Indian Premier League teams. Women's teams each have 880,000 available to fill their squads while men's sides have a budget of 2.05 million. Their auction takes place on Thursday. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The 2026 edition of the Hundred starts on July 21 and runs for four weeks.
Rana takes five wickets as Bangladesh crush Pakistan in ODI opener
Bangladesh pace sensation Nahid Rana claimed his first five-wicket haul in one-day internationals to lead his team to a crushing eight-wicket win over Pakistan in their opening match on Wednesday. Rana returned figures of 5-24 to skittle out Pakistan for 114, a total Bangladesh overhauled in 15.1 overs of the 50-over contest in Mirpur to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Opener Tanzid Hasanhammered an unbeaten 67 off 42 balls and put on a second-wicket partnership of 82 with Najmul Hossain Shanto, who made 27, in a statement win. Saif Hassan fell early for four, while Litton Das remained unbeaten on three with Tanzid. Earlier, Nahid laid the platform for victory with his outstanding spell in his seven overs to bowl out Pakistan for their lowest ODI total against Bangladesh, eclipsing the previous 161 during the 1999 World Cup. The 23-year-old Nahid ripped through Pakistan's top order, becoming the first Bangladeshi bowler to dismiss the opposition's top five batters in an ODI innings. Nahid removed Sahibzada Farhan (27), Shamyl Hussain (4), Maaz Sadaqat (18), Mohammad Rizwan (10) and Salman Agha (5) as Pakistan slumped to 69-5. He was ably supported by captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who took 3-29 with his off-spin. Senior quicks Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman took one wicket each. Number eight Faheem Ashraf offered brief resistance with his 37 before being dismissed by Mustafizur as Pakistan were eventually bowled out in 30.4 overs. The performance marked a breakthrough in Nahid's young ODI career since his debut in 2024. He had taken only five wickets in his first five matches before producing the five-wicket haul in his sixth appearance. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Nahid is now only the second Bangladeshi bowler to take a five-wicket haul against Pakistan in ODIs after Mustafizur's 5-75 during the 2019 World Cup.
Patterson reflects on 'wild' day after New South Wales seize their chance
The One-Day Cup final was just minutes from being called off which would have handed Tasmania the title
Pakistan Media, Fans Slam Team After Humiliating Defeat To Bangladesh
Opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim: Pakistans cricket team faced sharp criticism from fans and media after suffering a humiliating eight-wicket defeat against Bangladesh in the first ODI, here. Chasing a modest target of 115, Bangladesh comfortably reached 115/2 in just 15.1 overs. Opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim led the charge with an unbeaten 67, while Najmul Hossain Shanto contributed 27 as the hosts sealed an emphatic victory. Pakistan did get an early breakthrough when captain Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed opener Saif Hassan for 4 in the third over, offering a brief moment of hope for the visitors. However, Tamim and Shanto stitched together a solid partnership that ensured Bangladesh chased down the target with ease. Earlier, Pakistans batting lineup collapsed for just 114 in 30.4 overs after Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field first. Fast bowler Nahid Rana produced a sensational spell, claiming a five-wicket haul to dismantle Pakistans batting order. Pakistans innings began steadily with debutants Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat adding 41 runs for the opening wicket. Rana then triggered the collapse by dismissing Farhan before removing Shamyl Hussain for 4 with the score at 47. The pacer continued his dominance, dismissing Sadaqat (18), Mohammad Rizwan (10), and Salman Agha (5) to complete his five-wicket haul. Mehidy Hasan Miraz also played a crucial role with the ball, picking up three wickets including Abdul Samad for a duck, Hussain Talat (4), and Shaheen Afridi (4). Faheem Ashraf showed some resistance with a fighting 37 off 47 balls to help Pakistan cross the 100-run mark, but he was eventually dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman. Taskin Ahmed wrapped up the innings by removing Mohammad Wasim Jr for a duck. Following the defeat, Pakistani fans took to social media to express frustration over the teams poor batting performance and lack of fight. 114 all out against Bangladesh is simply unacceptable. This team has no consistency, one fan wrote on X. Another supporter criticised the batting lineup, saying, Except for one or two players, no one looks capable of building an innings. This is embarrassing. Some fans also questioned the selection decisions and the inclusion of several inexperienced players in the playing XI. Another supporter criticised the batting lineup, saying, Except for one or two players, no one looks capable of building an innings. This is embarrassing. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Pakistani media outlets also described the defeat as a shocking collapse and highlighted the dominance of Bangladeshs bowling attack led by Nahid Rana. Article Source: IANS
'No Conflict Of Interest': BCCI Ethics Officer Clears MS Dhoni In Academy Ownership Case
BCCI Ethics Officer: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Ethics Officer, Justice Arun Mishra, has dismissed a conflict-of-interest complaint filed against former India captain MS Dhoni, ruling that there was no evidence of any violation under the boards regulations. The complaint, filed in February 2024, claimed that Dhoni, while being a current player, was also the owner of a cricket academy. This situation allegedly broke Rule 38(4)(a) and Rule 38(4)(p) of the BCCIs conflict-of-interest rules. The complaint also accused him of not meeting disclosure requirements under Rules 38(2) and 38(5) after the regulations changed in 2018. In his detailed order, Justice Mishra pointed out that Dhoni could indeed be seen as the owner of the cricket academies run by M/s Aarka Sports and Management Private Limited. Resultantly, Shri MS Dhoni can be said to be the owner of the cricket academies opened by M/s Aarka Sports and Management Private Limited. However, the agreement was entered into in 2017, whereas regulations came into force in September 2018. On facts, Conflict of Interest at the relevant time when Shri MS Dhoni represented India as Captain/Player has not been made out, the order stated. The Ethics Officer also questioned the motive behind the complaint, noting that the complainant seemed to be pursuing a personal issue rather than a genuine regulatory concern. There was no evidence suggesting institutional control or decision-making authority, nor were there any instances of favouritism, bias, or preferential treatment, the order noted. However, he stressed that the agreement for the academies was signed in 2017, before the BCCIs conflict-of-interest regulations went into effect. The complainant cannot, in effect, espouse the cause of a third party in this adjudicatory forum. More so, the complainant has personal axe to grind as the respondent had caused loss to him, the order said. It further observed that the issue seemed to stem from a commercial dispute and that the complaint had been filed after considerable delay. The complainant cannot, in effect, espouse the cause of a third party in this adjudicatory forum. More so, the complainant has personal axe to grind as the respondent had caused loss to him, the order said. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Dhoni, who currently represents the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, remains one of the leagues most successful captains, having led the franchise to five IPL titles. Article Source: IANS
The Hundred 2026: How the women's teams stack up after the auction
All the eight squads with each player's winning bid at the auction
Hesson: Pakistan left 'exposed' with the bat by Nahid Rana
Pakistan coach said they went into a shell and will have to turn things around quickly after a chastening loss
From Being On Sidelines To Becoming Player Of The Tournament: Samson's WC Run Was Worth The Wait
T20 World Cup: Sanju Samson began the 2026 Mens T20 World Cup relegated to the bench for all but a single league match against Namibia in New Delhi. Many feared the tournament would see Samson as an unused member again, a fate he faced during the victorious 2024 campaign. When it seemed another chapter of unfulfilled potential would be written for Samson, a dramatic turn saw him redrafted during the Super Eights clash against Zimbabwe. From there, Samson did more than just step into the light - he seized the stage to become the lead actor in Indias march to a third T20 World Cup title. In a breathtaking time from March 1-8, Samson rewrote his own legacy. It began with an unforgettable, unbeaten 97 in a high-pressure encounter against the West Indies in Kolkata, followed by two sublime, identical knocks of 89 in the semi-final and final against England and New Zealand. By the time India had the trophy in their hands, Samson had amassed 321 runs across just five innings at a blistering strike rate of 199 to become the Player of the Tournament. His resurgence was punctuated by a record-breaking 24 sixes - the most ever by a batter in a single edition of the tournament. For a player who has carried the heavy burden of inconsistent runs and unfulfilled potential, the crowning moment felt richly deserving. While Indias clinical 96-run demolition of New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium will be remembered as an unprecedented historical triumph, the enduring image of the 2026 campaign will be Samson finally shining on a grand stage - runs flowing as freely as the fireworks that illuminated the Ahmedabad sky on March 8. Biju George first saw Samson bat as an 11-year-old coming to practice at the Medical College Ground in Thiruvananthapuram, nearly 25km from his home in Vizhinjam. He remembers the exact moment Samson was called up for India for their tour of England in 2014. When that happened, I can still imagine seeing him with his kit bag on his shoulder, walking down the ground. He came close and hugged me and said, Sir, we have done that, recalled George in an exclusive conversation with IANS. Now, over 11 years later, George remained awake in the hours after the final, riding the wave of admiration for Samson. I am so happy for Sanju. He has seen the lows in life, now he is seeing the highs, and I am very happy for him. I hope the highs stay a little longer than the lows. People now absolutely look at him in a different light. If I may say so, he has done like what Kohli and Rohit have done for India in the World Cup and probably Dhoni has done the same for India in the World Cup, albeit in a lesser number of innings. So all credit to Sanju for how he has come through. Samsons path to this moment came via a recall triggered by Indias urge to break from left-handed batting monotony at the top order. See, every class player needs just one break, one good break. He got that break and he just took it off from there. If you look at one more angle to this, the Zimbabwe, West Indies, England and New Zealand bowlers, he has faced them a lot in the IPL. So he knew what they were coming through and that was one good thing for him, added George. To watch Samson bat is a purists joy. At his best, he simply stands with his famous stillness. Zubin Bharucha, the former Mumbai batter who has mentored and coached Samson since he was 17, explains why that purity is structural. There are many who have played this game and who strike the ball beautifully. Eventually you only get four or six. But the purists can start categorising levels of purity, which stem from your bat swing and the way the ball leaves the bat. The longer and higher the backlift the more the time, purer the strike, but equally more the complications, given it has a longer journey to the ball. His backlift is probably one of the higher ones around world cricket where the toe of the bat often gets past his head. This is unique to each individual and termed as his batting DNA. Hence when the bat comes down from that long winded coil, the ball leaves the bat with a different sound and that's the effortlessness you see in his strokeplay. Very few in the world possess this and it's completely unique to him, Bharucha told IANS. This purity wasnt always evident. Ahead of the World Cup, Samson made only 46 runs in five innings against New Zealand. An exaggerated trigger movement and being too deep in the crease was hampering him, but with help from the Indian coaching staff to stabilize his base, Samson found his mojo. Now he stopped doing that and he is very good now, as he has come back to it. See, for everybody, you can't say that as a cricketer, you adjust technique immediately. What you can say is, technique evolves over the years through experience, facing different bowlers, playing on different pitches, and thats how it evolves. He has now got his Zen and mojo - like, this is what I want to be. Once the base is strong, he has got a very clear bat path with a high back-lift and a flourishing follow-through. So with the still base, all he can do is, let the hands do all the work. Despite his talent, the challenge was often the psychological toll of being doubted. Those doubts evaporated when Samson knelt and made a cross to thank the Almighty after hitting his unbeaten 97 in Kolkata. Everyone has their own unique journey, but its the wait and the struggle that makes it extra special. So many ups and downs through any journey but what was unique was that at every juncture, his sheer undiluted talent helped supersede all obstacles. It was all mental, technically he had scored three centuries and in some of the most difficult conditions in SA when the next best player score was thirty odd. After those kind of innings for him to still have everyone doubt his position became his mental challenge. It would be for anyone. In Kerala, Samson occupies a space in the popular imagination that goes beyond statistics. George recalls how his household help - a passionate cricket follower - found the stress of lack of runs from Samsons bat being. She was telling my wife like in the week before Sanju was called for the matches after he had his failures initially, that I have so much tension in my house. First of all, my child is sick. My house has an EMI pending. All this is fine, but why doesn't Sanju make runs? Please ask him about this. She was like, I can handle all of that tensions in life. But why isn't he, our kid, making runs? That is the connect he has with the Kerala audience and its not just Kerala, everybody loves him. He is like your younger brother every family will want in their family. He is the guy who every girl wants to romance. Every mother wants to have a person like him as their son. Before the tournament, Samson prepared by batting for long hours every day on grounds made available by the Kerala Cricket Association. Hats off especially to the secretary, Mr. Vinod S Kumar, because he gave the go ahead for the use of those three first class grounds, even with the use of lights so that he could bat under lights, said George. Bowlers came in shifts, as Bharucha oversaw the technical side of those sessions. Any camp at this stage of his career is merely to ensure things are all in place technically and we have worked on high variability. Like, have we practiced every aspect we imagine might be encountered inside the game. An early swinging ball or persistent short balls or spinners bowling different angles. Once each box had been ticked he was ready to go. A support structure involving his wife Charulatha Remesh, friend Iqlas Naha, and the legendary Sachin Tendulkar helped Samson keep his focus. He had reached out to the Master batter, which was really good. It still goes on to show that the legends of Indian cricket, they are still helping the current generation and that is called legacy like what do you leave behind? George also revealed that India head coach Gautam Gambhir's admiration for Samson stretches back to being at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). People always speak about Rajasthan Royals giving the start for Sanju. But he started his IPL career with KKR. People always speak about RR giving the start for Sanju. But he started his IPL career with KKR. That's why when he hit the 97 not out against the West Indies, I was thinking how fitting it is - the city where he started his IPL career is the place where he began his turnaround. He was given an academy contract by KKR, but Venky Mysore came in and he was instrumental in making sure that he was given an IPL contract, especially when Gautam Gambhir was leading. Nobody knows Gautam Gambhir was always a big fan and supporter of Sanju. In 2013/14 when I was working with KKR, Gautam bhai always used to ask, What is Sanju doing? Make sure he doesn't fail and take care of him. He used to tell me every single time. George, who works as talent scouting head for KKR, has not called Samson since the final. He is waiting, deliberately, for the noise to settle. I am still in that euphoria. I don't know whether it's a dream or reality, but it's really good for him. I hope he does well in the IPL too, where he will play for a new team (Chennai Super Kings) and on a new wicket. Chennais wicket has also changed. It has become a flatter wicket. It will be good for him. I didn't try to reach out because I wanted everything for him to sink in. I will talk to him only after the IPL. For Bharucha, the question of whether this moment represents a new beginning for Samson is not an easy one to answer, though he did feel a potential chance of captaining India could come. This is a difficult question to answer not from the perspective of whether it's the beginning because it is in many ways the beginning and if he wants, he can go win India another World Cup or even potentially captain India given his unique leadership qualities. But because he is such a unique personality with such wide and varied interests in life beyond cricket, where he wants to solve the problems of the world and certainly his beloved Kerala. He is in a unique and privileged position and while everyone would want to continue watching that silken and effortless flow regaling cricket audiences around the world, Sanju the individual might have other desires. He is such a unique individual. Maybe he can traverse both worlds and keep everyone happy, but only time will tell what will make Sanju happy. But because he is such a unique personality with such wide and varied interests in life beyond cricket, where he wants to solve the problems of the world and certainly his beloved Kerala. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Jemi (Jemimah Rodrigues) and Sanju are probably the two cricketers who are closest to my heart. Jemi is my daughter. For Sanju, I hope he carries this on for a long, long time in the same way, concluded George. Article Source: IANS
Gujarat Titans Name Former India Keeper Vijay Dahiya As Assistant Coach
Indian Premier League: Gujarat Titans on Wednesday announced the appointment of former India wicketkeeper-batter Vijay Dahiya as an Assistant Coach ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, further strengthening the franchises coaching setup. A respected figure in Indian cricket, Dahiya represented the country in 19 ODIs and two Tests and enjoyed a successful domestic career with Delhi before transitioning into coaching. He later guided Delhi to the Ranji Trophy title in the 200708 season and has since built a strong coaching portfolio across domestic and IPL teams. His appointment follows the recent addition of former Australia batting legend Matthew Hayden as Batting Coach, further bolstering the Titans coaching group ahead of the upcoming IPL season. Since making their debut in 2022, Gujarat Titans have emerged as one of the most consistent teams in the IPL, reaching the playoffs in three of their first four seasons and winning the title in their inaugural campaign. With a strengthened coaching structure in place, the former champions will look to build on their strong track record as preparations for IPL 2026 gather momentum. The defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. A total of 20 matches will be played across 10 venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. The defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Following the opening encounter on Saturday, Mumbai Indians will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. Article Source: IANS
Will O'Rourke on the verge of returning to action from back injury
Will's been like a bull in a china shop wanting to get back on the park, but understands he's an important resource, selector Larsen says
RCB To Host Sunrisers Hyderabad In Opener As IPL 2026 To Commence On March 28
TATA Indian Premier League: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced the schedule for the first phase of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, to be played from March 28 to April 12, 2026. As three states are scheduled to undergo State Assembly elections during this period, the full schedule of the tournament will be announced once the poll dates are announced, BCCI said in a statement. The 19th edition of the biggest T20 league on the globe will commence with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. A total of 20 matches will be played across 10 venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. During this period, the tournament will feature four double-headers, with the afternoon matches beginning at 03:30 PM IST and the evening matches commencing at 07:30 PM IST. Following the opening encounter on Saturday, Mumbai Indians will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. The first double-header of the season will take place on April 4, 2026, when Delhi Capitals face Mumbai Indians in the afternoon match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, followed by Gujarat Titans taking on Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Rajasthan Royals will begin their home campaign in Guwahati, where they will host Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. Punjab Kings (PBKS), meanwhile, will play their early home fixtures at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh. The first double-header of the season will take place on April 4, 2026, when Delhi Capitals face Mumbai Indians in the afternoon match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, followed by Gujarat Titans taking on Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Also Read: Live Cricket Score BCCI also said that The matches scheduled in Bengaluru are subject to clearance from the Expert Committee constituted by the Government of Karnataka. The committee will conduct a meeting and inspection of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 13, 2026, during which a full-scale mock demonstration of match-day arrangements will be carried out to assess the stadiums preparedness for hosting IPL matches. Article Source: IANS
IPL 2026: Virat Kohli posts training reel for RCB, deletes and reposts it later; fans wonder why
Star Indian batter Virat Kohli has begun preparations for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season, with videos of the former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain training in the nets going viral on social media.
Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine earn 210,000 Hundred paydays
Dani Gibson sold for 190,000 as franchises splash out on first morning of women's auction
South Africa, West Indies cricket teams make their way home after week-long delay
ICC said the delay in travel was entirely outside its control; travel decisions were guided by safety and feasibility
RCB To Host SRH In IPL 2026 Opener On March 28: Report
Indian Premier League: The first phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 will see defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the season opener at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, March 28, a report said. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will start their campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on March 29. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings will open their season against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. This matchup adds an early highlight to the schedule as two of the leagues most popular teams go head-to-head. According to a report by The Indian Express, the league has released the fixtures for the first 20 matches. The rest of the schedule is expected to be announced later. The opening phase promises several exciting contests as teams aim to gain early momentum in their quest for the playoffs. Last seasons runner ups, Punjab Kings, will begin their campaign against Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur. Lucknow Super Giants will host Delhi Capitals in Lucknow on April 1. The first phase also includes several key matchups, such as Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Chennai Super Kings on April 5 in Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians vs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 12 in Mumbai. According to a report by The Indian Express, the league has released the fixtures for the first 20 matches. The rest of the schedule is expected to be announced later. The opening phase promises several exciting contests as teams aim to gain early momentum in their quest for the playoffs. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The schedule also features several high-profile matchups. Bengaluru will host Chennai on April 5, and Mumbai will welcome Bengaluru on April 12. The first phase schedule of the IPL 2026 will be announced on Wednesday at 7:00 PM IST on the Star Sports Network and JioHotstar. Article Source: IANS
You Become A Champion Team When There Are Selfless People In The Side, Says Kotak
T20 World Cup: Indias historic defence of their Mens T20 World Cup title was built on a foundation of sheer dominance and a team-first ethos. Under head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian team clobbered a record 106 sixes and became the first team in tournaments history to maintain a run rate of above 10 runs per over. Behind this relentless power-hitting run to the trophy, there were many contributors - Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan finished amongst the tournament's leading scorers with strike rates above 200, while the likes of Abhishek Sharma, skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya chipping in whenever needed. India overcame early slumps to deliver the goods in high-stakes knockout games and as the euphoria of World Cup victory still remains high, India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak sat down for an exclusive conversation with IANS on the feeling of becoming World Cup winners again, the selfless team culture, turning point of the campaign, and more. Excerpts: Q. The Indian team has done what no other side did before win the T20 World Cup thrice, clinch it consecutive times and that too on home soil. How is this feeling of being world champions in the shortest format? A. It is a great feeling because, if you see, I came to the Indian team a year and two months ago. Then first came the Champions Trophy win, followed by the Asia Cup victory and this is the third trophy in a year. I feel the World Cup is the World Cup because this is the biggest event we have in the cricketing world. The big thing was that though we had won one before, and no other country had won back-to-back titles and no other host country had won. You do know that when there is a World Cup in India, the expectation of our people is so high. So, that was also in the back of my mind that no matter what happens, we cannot lose the T20 World Cup in India. So, it is a very happy feeling actually. I am happier for our country also because so many people support us and for them, we won this trophy in India. So, that is also a great feeling for everyone in the Indian team, including me. Another thing I want to share is in 2024, I was India A head coach and served as the batting coach of NCA (now CoE). When I was not in the team, the excitement of the Indian team winning the World Cup, and how I felt as a spectator or outsider, I still remember that experience. That is why I have that excited feeling right now because when you are with the team, the expectations and feelings of the rest of the people and the joy of winning, I have seen that it is actually more. When you are with the team, winning becomes a little common. But what does it mean for the public, especially because I have seen it as one of them, I do know about it. So, I really am so happy that we won and a lot of credit goes to the players. I will not lie because when they go out, they handle the pressure and do everything. So, credit should be given to them only. But I am very happy to be a small part of this World Cup winning group in India. Q. In such a high-pressure tournament, where everyones eyes was on the Indian team replicating their good batting run in bilateral T20I games, how important was it to have that selfless and team-first mindset? A. The dedication which Sanju and everyone had on practice days, it was very good. I must tell you look at someone like Siraj. In the first match against the USA, he took three wickets. But he couldn't play in the rest of the games, as Bumrah came in. Then Kuldeep - he won so many matches for India, or even Washington. Then Rinku was out of the eleven or Sanju was not playing in between, but we won as the whole team played in the tournament as a unit. No one played for their performance. There wasnt this mindset of I should be playing or why I am not playing. I mean, that is the way you become a champion team - when there are selfless people in the side. In a way, that was our strength that our team was totally selfless and that is what actually happened at the end. I think to win such a big tournament, the things that happened, for us, eventually went well. Like Shubman got hurt on the right foot and he was not in good form, and runs werent coming much off him. Then Ishan Kishan came in and he performed so well. Plus, if you observe, we had top three batters in Abhishek, Ishan and Tilak in 3-4 matches and that leftie-leftie combination had to be changed. Then to change that combination, Sanju was brought back and he did so well in the end. Sometimes I feel all of this was God's plan or as we say bhagwan ka ishaara. Everyone did everything for this team and thats why we got such a good result. A lot of credit goes to players for this win. Can I tell you the truth? If you ask me, I have made just a small contribution. Yes, I do work as the batting coach, but a lot of credit goes to players because they have to handle pressure and execution of shots. Then a lot of credit also goes to Gautam and Surya because they are answerable for every single thing. The pressure is on them and I have a small contribution to make and I do it. But I would give a lot of credit to these guys players, captain and coach. Q. In your opinion, what was the turning point of Indias campaign in this competition? A. I can't say one thing as the turning point. But I feel in the first few matches, because of Abhishek's form and off-spinners causing troubles for three lefties, it was not working and that momentum was not there. Since the time I joined the team from the white-ball series against England in January 2025, we had a strong momentum in T20Is that year. Only in the beginning of the World Cup, from the first match, we were little concerned that the momentum was not working. I was confident that it would work, but after the loss to South Africa, we had to do well in the remaining four games and we did well. The actual brand of cricket that we played, we got that back at the right time as all games after that defeat to South Africa were knock out matches. It was compulsory for us to win against Zimbabwe and we did win all four of our remaining knockout games in that fashion. The way we batted in all those four games, we created that momentum we were craving to have and that was very, very important for us to win. Q. What will be that one moment or a collection of moments from this campaign which will stay forever in your mind? A. I cant pinpoint at any one memory from this campaign. But I am so happy to be a part of this group winning a T20 World Cup in India is always special. All the odds were against us, so as the records and data like the host nation didn't win a T20 World Cup and no one ever won back-to-back titles. By achieving all of that, we were able to win this World Cup for our country and that will be forever memorable for me. Q. In the post-win celebrations, your family also joined in. Can you talk a bit about their contributions while you were busy guiding the Indian batters to success in the competition? A. They have contributed a lot. I am out of the house for 10 months and if you talk about my wife, to look after the house and kids, she has been very great. Now with the kids grown up, they also miss me like they have their own careers and ups and downs. They sometimes feel like their father is not around for a much longer time. All of this is part of the journey, but they came to the ground for the final and we won the trophy so I give a lot of credit to my family. They don't let me feel that I am missing out because sometimes this journey is tough. When you are out, there are a lot of ups and downs which you can't even discuss with people. Situations like that come in everyones life, but at least when you can't stay at one place for a longer time, then you feel the sadness of not having your family around. My wife is the one who has been playing that pivotal role for my family, especially since the time when my mother and father were also there. My sister is also one of my big supporting figures. Unfortunately, her daughter's health was bad, so she couldn't come to watch the final. But that is life and I am very thankful to all of them. I was so happy that they were very happy to see a World Cup win at home and be a part of seeing it live, as well as soak in the surreal feeling after the post-game ceremonies were over. So honestly, God has been very kind actually. Q. You now have a breather of a few months before the international action begins again. How does the planning for future events in both white-ball and red-ball look like from your perspective? A. Yes, a couple months of break is there now, but theres still a lot to look forward to. Aside from the future white-ball ICC events, there are Test matches around and a WTC final in 2027. We will definitely try to play in that WTC final and win for India, which we haven't won yet. But the efforts will be there for making it happen and rest assured we will do that. It has to come the good run in red-ball cricket. The BCCI is doing so much for all of us, and a lot of credit has to go to them also. Like our domestic structure and IPL, we are getting such good players for the national team. They don't just come in picture like that top to top administrators and right down to people at the bottom, who work in domestic cricket, they should also get a lot of credit for winning the World Cup because this is also a pathway which is so strong and thats why our players are so strong. But the efforts will be there for making it happen and rest assured we will do that. It has to come the good run in red-ball cricket. The BCCI is doing so much for all of us, and a lot of credit has to go to them also. Like our domestic structure and IPL, we are getting such good players for the national team. Also Read: Live Cricket Score They are creating such a comfortable life for juniors, Ranji Trophy and IPL players, as only then these players can grow so much because having that security, especially the financial security is important in today's world. So credit to all the stakeholders and it is a small contribution that I am making and till the time I am there, I will keep doing it. Article Source: IANS
Patterson guides NSW to One-Day Cup title in rain-hit contest
The match was reduced to 22 overs per side after being 12 minutes from a washout and Tasmania collapsed to 25 for 5
Nahid Rana five-for dismantles Pakistan
Only a 32-run tenth-wicket parnership helped Pakistan go past the 100-run mark after Rana picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs
T20 WC Winners India To Get USD 2.63 Mn Prize Money As ICC Unveils Final Distribution
The International Cricket Council: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the final prize money distribution for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, confirming that champions India will receive USD 2.63 million from the tournaments USD 11.25 million players prize pool. India secured the title after defeating New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, capping off a successful campaign that also delivered a record financial reward. The prize purse reflects the major increase in ICC tournament prize money announced in 2024. According to the ICC, the champions will receive USD 2,639,423, significantly higher than the payout awarded in the previous edition of the tournament in 2024. Runners-up New Zealand will take home USD 1,422,692 for finishing second, while losing semi-finalists South Africa and England will earn USD 1,005,577 and USD 974,423, respectively. Four teams, the West Indies, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, who made it to the Super 8s but failed to progress to the knockouts, earned USD 538,269 mn, USD 522,692 mn, USD 491,538 mn, and USD 475,962 mn, respectively. Meanwhile, teams that reached the Super 8 stage but did not progress further, including Afghanistan, Australia and the United States, were each awarded USD 309,808 mn. Among the remaining participants, Scotland received USD 278,654 mn, and Ireland earned USD 271,731 mn. Meanwhile, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and Nepal were each awarded USD 256,154 mn. Teams that exited in the earlier stages of the tournament, Canada, Namibia and Oman, will each receive the base participation payment of USD 225,000 mn. The ICC confirmed that all listed figures represent the gross prize money earned by teams across the group stage, Super 8s, semi-finals and the final. The amounts include base participation payments, bonuses for match wins and rewards for progression through the tournament stages. Teams that exited in the earlier stages of the tournament, Canada, Namibia and Oman, will each receive the base participation payment of USD 225,000 mn. Also Read: Live Cricket Score It added the record prize pool eflects the base participation payment that each team receives (USD 225,000), final team placements, win bonuses and progression through each stage of the tournament. Article Source: IANS
Bhambri-Goransson pair reaches Indian Wells quarterfinals
Bhambri and Gransson will take on Alexander Erler of Austria and Andrea Vavassori from Italy in the last-eight stage of the tournament
Indian Premier League: With the 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) set to begin on March 28, former India captain Anil Kumble reflected on Royal Challengers Bengalurus long-awaited title triumph last year, crediting both Virat Kohlis influence and the teams improved bowling unit for their success. Kumble explained that while Kohli remained central to the franchises rise, the bowlers played a decisive role in helping the side clinch their maiden IPL crown. Virat plays a major part in RCB's success. But if you look at last year, whenever RCB were successful, their bowling unit also came to the fore, he said, speaking on JioStar. Kumble noted that RCBs attack delivered consistently throughout the campaign, with experienced pacers and a dynamic spin duo making key contributions, saying, I feel Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar certainly contributed a lot. The two spinners, Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma, were also a surprise package. The bowling unit performed exceptionally well for them to win the trophy. He added that while Kohli remains the biggest draw for fans at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the strength of the bowling lineup now gives supporters greater confidence in the teams ability to defend totals. So, I think the fans will certainly throng the Chinnaswamy Stadium to watch Virat Kohli. But I'm sure the fans will also be proud that they have a really strong bowling unit that can defend, he said. He also weighed in on the long-running debate over the most successful franchise in IPL history, placing the Mumbai Indians alongside the Chennai Super Kings as the benchmark teams in the league. MI is very close to, or almost the same as CSK when you talk about the greatest team in the IPL, because you can't really distinguish one from the other, he noted. He explained that the two franchises have taken different routes to sustained success, with CSK often relying on proven experience, while Mumbai have built their reputation by spotting emerging talent. CSK has always been consistent with their selections. They go for people who have been there and done that. Only last year did we see a few youngsters come through. Whereas MI has gone slightly out and looked at players whom nobody had seen before, some who had done well at the domestic level. So people like Hardik, Krunal and Jasprit all came through those ranks. And then we saw what happened. Recently, you had the likes of Nehal Wadhera, who has now moved to PBKS, but performed really well for MI, Kumble stated. Meanwhile, former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara shared his views on MS Dhonis batting role for CSK, suggesting the veteran could make a greater impact if he came in earlier in the order. I don't see a point in MS Dhoni batting at Number 8 or 9, because he has the potential to turn games around single-handedly, something no other batter in the CSK team can do. If he bats for only five or ten balls, imagine what Mahi bhai can do if he plays 25 or 30 balls, Pujara said. Meanwhile, former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara shared his views on MS Dhonis batting role for CSK, suggesting the veteran could make a greater impact if he came in earlier in the order. Also Read: Live Cricket Score I've been in the CSK setup. In that environment, players are very comfortable, it's like a family. When you're in that setup, there is clarity about what is expected of you as a player. Loyalty also comes into the picture because most of CSK's players, if you look at the history, once a player is part of that setup, he stays there for a long time. There is a transition in the team now, so there is a bit more preference for young players, Pujara added. Article Source: IANS
'Arey Kotsi Bhai, Don't Worry': Kotak Recalls Samsons Words Before His Stunning Resurgence
T20 World Cup: India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has revealed the quiet confidence that preceded Sanju Samsons resurgent run to become the Player of the Tournament in a triumphant 2026 Mens T20 World Cup campaign, recalling how the wicketkeeper-batter promised that he was to contribute to the teams cause whenever the side needed him. Samson has been the toast of the cricket-loving nation still in euphoria of retaining the title on home soil following Indias 96-run triumph over New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. But reaching to this point wasnt rosy at all Samson made 46 runs in five T20Is against New Zealand in the run-up to the World Cup and his place in the playing eleven wasnt certain. The wicketkeeper-batter began by playing only once in the group stage against Namibia in New Delhi as stomach illness kept Abhishek Sharma out of the game. But a tactical shift during the Super Eights, after the 76-run loss to South Africa, saw Samson being recalled to break up a left-handed opening pair. Samson responded to the recall with a relentless resurgence through an unforgettable 97 not out in a must-win encounter against the West Indies before consecutive scores of 89 in the semi-final and final led Indias charge to winning their third Mens T20 World Cup title. I always used to tell Sanju that, Sanju, you don't know, sometimes in two or three days, an injury or form issue could come up or even a combination issue may appear. So you have to be ready. He has so much experience, but he would laugh and say, Arey Kotsi bhai, don't worry. Whenever the team needs me, I will contribute. He is such a lovely guy and I am so happy for him. Even after so many ups and downs, he rose to the occasion in the last three matches. The way he carried himself and played those three innings so smartly, it helped us hugely as he had big contributions in our wins, Kotak told IANS in an exclusive conversation. Samsons technique required a significant recalibration from the Indian team, especially with his trigger movement and being too deep in the crease hampering his natural strokeplay. Kotak explained how sustained efforts ensured Samsons stance was back to being stable, resulting in the famous stillness in his shots coming back for the business end of the competition. I got the technical changes done for Sanju - that was to create an early base for him. It was because it was looking like the trigger that he used to do before, in that he would keep both feet close. In that, weight comes more on one foot and technically such things happen. So his back foot movement was a little hampered. He was getting late in meeting well pitched-up deliveries bowled at a certain length. So that was a technical change and we were trying that for 6-8 months. When our series was not there, he was also trying to work on it because things like this take time. Skill wise, it happens in 3-4 weeks. But there are also mental doubts which creep in because he did that in some matches and despite it, he got out in different ways. Then the batter feels, I should do what I was used to doing, as it was better than this. So that is a mind game, but eventually he came good with this in what we were trying. So he is very happy and I am also very happy, he elaborated. After being an unused member in the 2024 Mens T20 World Cup win, Samson ended up amassing 321 runs across just five innings in 2026 to finish as Indias leading scorer and surpass the 319-run mark of Virat Kohli in 2014, making him the most prolific Indian batter in a single edition of the tournament. Samson also joined an elite club as only the third Indian to be named Player of the Tournament in a Mens T20 World Cup after Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah. For a player who has spent years navigating the ups and downs of cricket, especially at the international level, and had to face doubts over whether he could live up to the immense potential, the T20 World Cup victory marks a definitive and hard-earned chapter of redemption. Kotak also lauded head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav for maintaining faith in Samsons ultra-attacking playing style. A lot of credit to the selectors, Gautam and Sanju also as even after so much criticism, they kept their faith in him. Sanju has that much class as a batter because in this short format, where high risk, high reward cricket works, if someone goes through bad form, it's tough for the players too. Its because they have to get going from ball one to hit sixes. At times, there comes a bit of mistiming or misjudgment and they get out. So that pressure again - it's not easy for the players. So for that, a lot of credit goes to the selectors, Gautam and Surya to keep that faith in Sanju. Seeing Samson get so much adulation and warmth from fans and cricketers worldwide in the aftermath of T20 World Cup triumph made Kotak go on a trip down the memory lane, when he first saw the wicketkeeper-batter during the India A series against South Africa in September 2019. See, Sanju is actually in the teams leadership group because he was the captain of RR for so many years. His temperament and belief is known to all and also, I have known Sanju for a long time, but got a chance to work with him when he was with me in the India A team in 2019. He was in the last two matches of the series against South Africa. In the last match, it was a one-day game and it was a 20-over fixture because of the rain affecting the game. In that, I sent him at number three in the game in Thiruvananthapuram. In 48 balls, he made some 90 (91) runs against a bowling attack featuring Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Beuran Hendricks, Junior Dala and the captain of the South African team was Temba Bavuma. The way Sanju batted that day, I knew he had it in him to do something big in future. Then in 2023, when the senior team was preparing for the Test series in South Africa under Rahul Dravid bhai and other senior staff members, I became India's head coach for three ODI matches, where KL Rahul was the captain. I remember before the third match, he was batting in the back-end of the batting order. In that, I sent him at number three in the game in Thiruvananthapuram. In 48 balls, he made some 90 (91) runs against a bowling attack featuring Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Beuran Hendricks, Junior Dala and the captain of the South African team was Temba Bavuma. The way Sanju batted that day, I knew he had it in him to do something big in future. Also Read: Live Cricket Score So I will give as much credit to Gautam and Surya that they kept their faith in Sanju and we know how good he is and it felt great to see him deliver in those must-win games. What Sanju did was so, so important. In the last three matches, Sanju's maturity, fearless style and the shots he played were unbelievable, concluded Kotak. Article Source: IANS
The ODI World Cup: Indias T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav opened up about some of the personal conversations he had that shaped the teams triumphant campaign at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, revealing how belief, trust and team spirit played a crucial role behind the scenes. Surya reflected on emotional exchanges with several squad members, including Ishan and Sanju. The skipper said the willingness of players to put the team first, regardless of their role, was one of the defining features of Indias victorious World Cup journey. The stories of some players in our World Cup squad have been very inspiring and emotional. If you talk about Siraj, I called him a few days before the tournament. He was sitting with his friends, wearing a cap and eating food. I told him Harshit Rana is injured, you have to join the squad. He said, 'Surya bhai, are you kidding me?' That was his first reaction. Then I called Ishan Kishan just before our selection meeting. I told him, 'Chotu, will you help us win the World Cup?' He said, 'Surya bhaiya, just trust me and have faith in me.' The way Ishan has walked the talk has been a lovely story. Sanju Samson did not start the tournament. He came in the middle and said one thing: 'You just tell me what I can do for the team.' That is the biggest blessing. Players like these, from number 1 to 15, everyone has a different story. And Jasprit Bumrah, I have called him a national treasure. He does the same thing every day. Bumrah knows he is the best in the business. But still, he does not allow any complacency to enter. I think that shows a lot of character, SKY said on JioStar. He also spoke about the emotional significance of winning the World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the same venue where his international journey began. It's a very special feeling to win the T20 World Cup here at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. My journey in international cricket started here in 2021. As soon as it started, it was a lot of fun from there. Then coming here in 2026 and winning the T20 World Cup as a leader for India is a very special feeling. It feels good to be in the same stadium that so many people were talking about. Winning here was very special for the whole team, he said. The Indian captain also highlighted the less visible challenge of leading a World Cup-winning side, ensuring that players not in the playing XI remained motivated and mentally ready throughout the tournament. In this T20 World Cup campaign, the most difficult part for me was handling the players who don't get many opportunities to feature in the playing XI. Those who don't get chances, or get very few, I always felt I should spend more time with them. The ones who keep playing are in autopilot mode. They know what to do. But those who can play at any time but don't get to feature in every game, it is difficult for them to switch on and switch off. So spending time with them and having constant talks was very important. The support staff also played a key role in this long journey. They are not playing, but they are supporting all the players. Talking to them, sharing their journey, experiencing it... those were all very sweet moments for me. Sometimes I had to take hard calls. But at the end of the day, everyone's goal is the same. We all want to become champions. Only 11 players can play to win a trophy. So making everyone understand and taking care of everyone is important. Leading a team with that thinking is a lot of fun, he said. During the tournament, Surya also spent considerable time backing players going through difficult phases, particularly Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy, reminding them that temporary setbacks are a natural part of sport. I was constantly having conversations with Abhishek and Varun throughout the T20 World Cup. I told them one thing, it is not necessary that you will perform well in every game. Performance is not guaranteed. After one year of hard work, sometimes a small dip in form happens. It is very important to respect that too. Because this is sport. You will see more failures than success. So respecting that time is important. When you respect that time and take two steps back, it is like a bow and arrow. When you pull the arrow back, it does not mean life is pushing you back. It means it is going to launch you for something big. I told both the world number ones, Abhishek and Varun, that you are made for the big stage. No matter what happens. Even if you don't perform well in seven games, it is okay. If we reach the final, you will play and dominate. It was written in their destiny that both would perform well in the final. And it happened. They did not stop working hard. Abhishek and Varun were always disciplined and stayed put to cricket. They got their reward in the final, he mentioned. I was constantly having conversations with Abhishek and Varun throughout the T20 World Cup. I told them one thing, it is not necessary that you will perform well in every game. Performance is not guaranteed. After one year of hard work, sometimes a small dip in form happens. It is very important to respect that too. Because this is sport. You will see more failures than success. So respecting that time is important. When you respect that time and take two steps back, it is like a bow and arrow. Also Read: Live Cricket Score In 2024, our ICC trophy drought ended after we won the T20 World Cup. After that, we won the Champions Trophy and now the T20 World Cup here in Ahmedabad. So three back-to-back ICC trophies. There is nothing to look back now. Whatever ICC event comes next, we will play the way we have been playing since 2024. The ODI World Cup will come in 2027. As for this T20 team, I don't think we can relax. We cannot relax at all. In 2028, there is a bigger event than this. The LA Olympics will have cricket for the first time. That Olympic gold will definitely be our top priority. And the same year, there is the T20 World Cup again. We have won the trophy two times in a row, three times in a row is the next goal. Article Source: IANS
Kishan jumps to second in T20I batting rankings
Varun was the joint-highest wicket-taking but lost the No. 1 spot among bowlers to Afghanistan's Rashid
ICC Confirms Phased Departures Of SA, WI Teams Amid Middle East Conflict
The International Cricket Council: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday provided an update on the departure of teams following the conclusion of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, confirming that members of the South Africa and West Indies contingents are returning home amid ongoing travel disruptions. Some of the teams remained stuck in India after the T20 World Cup campaign due to ongoing airspace restrictions in the wake of the conflict in the Middle East and West Asia. The West Indies played their final match of the tournament on March 1 but were still in India, while South Africa have also been unable to leave after their semifinal defeat to New Zealand on March 4. The ICC said four South African players along with five family members have already boarded flights and are on their way home, while the remaining 29 members of the contingent are scheduled to depart within the next 24 hours. On the other hand, nine members of the West Indies camp have already departed for the Caribbean, with the remaining 16 set to leave India within the next 12 hours. Four South Africa players and five family members have boarded flights and are making their way home, with all 29 remaining members of their contingent scheduled to depart in the next 24 hours. Of the West Indies contingent, nine members have departed for the Caribbean, while the remaining 16 are booked on flights departing India in the next 12 hours, the ICC said in a release. Four South Africa players and five family members have boarded flights and are making their way home, with all 29 remaining members of their contingent scheduled to depart in the next 24 hours. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The ICC again thanks the two members, their players, families and staff for their patience as we ensure their safe transit home, it added. Article Source: IANS
T20I Rankings: Abhishek Maintain Top Spot; Ishan Moves To Second With Career-high Rating
T20I Rankings: India's title-winning run at the recent ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 saw India batters rewarded in the latest rankings released by the ICC on Wednesday, with the side now holding the top two ranked players on the list for T20I batters. Young opener Abhishek Sharma has held on to his lead at the top following his quickfire half-century against the Black Caps in the T20 World Cup final, while fellow opener Ishan Kishan is now his closest rival after he moved up two places to second overall after his 317 runs at the tournament, ICC reports. Kishan earned a new career-high rating to trail Abhishek by just four rating points. Moreover, India duo Sanju Samson (up 18 rungs to 22nd) and Shivam Dube (up four places to 27th) moved further up the batting ranks following some good efforts at the tournament. Meanwhile, New Zealand opener Tim Seifert moved four places to sixth and England's Jacob Bethell (up 17 rungs to 16th) also improved to the best marks of their career following some dominant knocks during the T20 World Cup. There were also gains for New Zealand opener Finn Allen, broke the record for the fastest century ever at a Men's T20 World Cup with a 33-ball knock against South Africa in the semi-finals, as he climbed seven slots to 20th. There was a change at the top of the rankings for T20I bowlers, with India spinner Varun Chakravarthy losing the premier position to Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan following the completion of the T20 World Cup. Chakravarthy dropped to second as Rashid claimed the No.1 ranking despite not playing any matches over the last week. England spinner Adil Rashid moved up one spot to fourth, while India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah placed sixth and Axar Patel (up six slots to 17th) also rewarded for some decent efforts during the T20 World Cup. There was a change at the top of the rankings for T20I bowlers, with India spinner Varun Chakravarthy losing the premier position to Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan following the completion of the T20 World Cup. Also Read: Live Cricket Score New Zealand captain also claimed a new career-best rating by jumping three spots to ninth for T20I all-rounders, while England's Will Jacks (up five slots to 13th) made gains following his impressive tournament at the T20 World Cup. Article Source: IANS
Bangladesh opt to field, Pakistan hand four debuts
Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Shamyl Hussain and Abdul Samad are the four debutants for the visitors
Cricket Australia Stands Firm On Pink-ball Test Plan For 2029-30 Home Ashes
CEO Todd Greenberg: Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Todd Greenberg has reaffirmed its intention to include a day-night Test in the 202930 mens Ashes series, pushing back against recent reports suggesting that the fixture had already been ruled out. During the most recent Ashes series in Australia, the day-night Test was staged in Brisbane, where the hosts secured an eight-wicket victory. Englands record in such matches on Australian soil remains poor; they have played four pink-ball Tests there and lost each by sizeable margins. Earlier this season, England batter Joe Root even questioned whether a day-night Test was necessary during an Ashes series, given the traditionally high interest surrounding the contest. Despite the debate, CA chief executive Todd Greenberg said there had been no formal request from England to remove the format from the series. They haven't requested it (to be dropped). Pleasingly, we don't play them here until 2029, so I've got a little bit of time to work this one out. It's a part of our broadcast contracts. It's clearly a big part of our summer (and) it clearly works here in this country, Greenberg told SEN radio. We've shown it works in Adelaide. It certainly worked last year in Brisbane. It's our plan to continue at least one of those in a summer. If we need to work with our comrades at the ECB to help them prepare better or have practice matches, we'll do all those sort of things. We'll have that dialogue if and when needed, he added. The governing bodys current broadcast agreement, which runs through 2031, requires at least one pink-ball Test each Australian summer. These matches have consistently drawn strong television audiences, making them a key feature of the domestic Test schedule. Asked whether England should expect to encounter another pink-ball Test on their next Ashes tour of Australia, Greenberg made the boards position clear, stating, That's certainly our expectation, yes. Greenberg made the remarks while marking the countdown to the 150th anniversary Test between Australia and England, scheduled for next March at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The historic match will also be played with the pink ball. Interest in the occasion has already been significant. Cricket Australia launched its first-ever ticket ballot for the event and expects crowds exceeding 90,000 across the opening three days. Although some critics have questioned the decision to commemorate such a historic milestone with a day-night Test, Greenberg believes the format will enhance rather than diminish the events appeal. Greenberg made the remarks while marking the countdown to the 150th anniversary Test between Australia and England, scheduled for next March at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The historic match will also be played with the pink ball. Also Read: Live Cricket Score It's also a bit of a nod to say we're at 150 years of Australia and England Test matches, and we've got to continue to challenge ourselves and evolve. I'm not suggesting for one minute that every Test match should be a pink ball game, but pink balls have a place to play in this country. Anyone who is against it just needs to look through the prism of we'll have double the amount of people watching a particular session than we ordinarily do, and you can't turn away from that, Greenberg added. Article Source: IANS
AFG Vs SL White-ball Series Postponed To Late 2026 Due To Middle East Cricis: ACB
The Afghanistan Cricket Board: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced on Wednesday that the bilateral series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, which was initially set to start on March 13 in the United Arab Emirates, has been pushed to late 2026, citing logistical issues, including flight restrictions due to current regional circumstances, as the reason. The tour, which would have marked Afghanistans first time hosting Sri Lanka, was set to include six white-ball fixtures. Three T20 Internationals were scheduled to be played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on March 13, 15, and 17, before the action moved to Dubai International Cricket Stadium for three One Day Internationals on March 20, 22, and 25. Following the receipt of the required sanction from the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), preparations had been finalised to host the matches at both venues. However, in early March, unforeseen developments created logistical constraints that affected travel arrangements and operational planning for the series. To address the situation, the Afghanistan Cricket Board held a series of consultations with key stakeholders, including the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), Sharjah Cricket Stadium (SCS), and Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS). A joint meeting convened by the ACB on 4 March resulted in a recommendation to monitor the situation and reassess by 6 March, in the hope that conditions would improve. A subsequent follow-up meeting on 7 March recommended waiting until 9 March before making a final determination, the ACB said in a statement. Following the receipt of the required sanction from the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), preparations had been finalised to host the matches at both venues. However, in early March, unforeseen developments created logistical constraints that affected travel arrangements and operational planning for the series. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Despite the collective efforts of all parties to proceed with the event as planned, the logistical challenges remained beyond operational control, leading to the decision to postpone the series and explore rescheduling options. The Afghanistan Cricket Board extends its sincere appreciation to the Emirates Cricket Board, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, and Sri Lanka Cricket for their continued cooperation and support in addressing this matter and safeguarding the interests of all parties involved. ACB remains committed to delivering the series at the earliest suitable opportunity and to continuing its strong cricketing relationship with Sri Lanka Cricket, the board stated further. Article Source: IANS
Maha CM Devendra Fadnavis Felicitates Captain Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube After T20 WC Glory
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis felicitated T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav and all-rounder Shivam Dube at his residence. The Chief Minister, who was also accompanied by his wife Amruta Fadnavis, appreciated Team Indias remarkable triumph in the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026. Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis Sir felicitated Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube, appreciating Team Indias remarkable triumph in the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026. A proud moment celebrating Indias cricketing excellence, the Mumbai Cricket Association posted the visual from the meeting on Instagram. Dube also shared the glimpses of his meeting with the Chief Minister on Instagram with a caption, Honoured to meet Honourable Chief Minister @devendra_fadnavis sir and Mrs @amruta.fadnavis maam. A special moment and truly encouraging. Led superbly by Captain Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian team displayed a brand of fearless and dynamic cricket throughout the tournament. Combining explosive batting, disciplined bowling and outstanding fielding, the team maintained consistency across all phases of the competition and rose to the occasion in the most demanding moments India exorcised the demons of 2023, when they had lost the ODI World Cup final at the very stadium, as they defeated New Zealand by 96 runs. It culminated a brilliant run at the tournament, as India have lost just one match in the last two T20 World Cups. Led superbly by Captain Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian team displayed a brand of fearless and dynamic cricket throughout the tournament. Combining explosive batting, disciplined bowling and outstanding fielding, the team maintained consistency across all phases of the competition and rose to the occasion in the most demanding moments Also Read: Live Cricket Score Indias triumph marks a historic achievement as the team successfully defends the ICC Mens T20 World Cup title, becoming the first side in the history of the tournament to retain the trophy. The victory also carries special significance as India became the first nation to win the ICC Mens T20 World Cup on home soil, making the occasion even more memorable for millions of fans. Article Source: IANS
Kohli Starts Preparations For IPL 2026; RCB Say, 'run Machine Looks Well Oiled'
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stalwart Virat Kohli has started his preparations for the upcoming 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is set to begin on March 28. Kohli shared a video of himself hitting powerful shots in the nets as he began training. The 39-year-old appeared in good form as he picked up the bat and smacked some impressive hits at the training centre in the United Kingdom. In the video that he shared on Instagram, Kohli can be seen sweating it out in the indoor nets, and he captioned the post IPL 2026 with a sandclock emoticon. The franchise also shared the video, writing, The run machine looks well oiled. Lets start #IPL2026 already. They also made a special edit for the iconic cricketer, who completed 18 years with the franchise on Wednesday and is set for his 19th edition with the side. Sharing the post, RCB wrote, 19 seasons, 1 team, 1 legendary name. From a promising youngster in 2008 to an irreplaceable icon of the franchise. #OnThisDay 18 years ago, we signed Virat Kohli through the U-19 Player Draft at the first ever #IPLAuction. Years later, the journey continues with the same passion, the same loyalty, and the same King inspiring all the way. Kohli played a vital role in RCB's ending their IPL title drought in 2025. In the previous season, he was the team's top run-scorer, scoring 657 runs in 15 innings with a strike rate of 144.71. Sharing the post, RCB wrote, 19 seasons, 1 team, 1 legendary name. From a promising youngster in 2008 to an irreplaceable icon of the franchise. #OnThisDay 18 years ago, we signed Virat Kohli through the U-19 Player Draft at the first ever #IPLAuction. Years later, the journey continues with the same passion, the same loyalty, and the same King inspiring all the way. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Having retired from both Tests and T20Is, Kohli is now active in only one format across international cricket: the ODIs. While he retired from the longest format of the game last year, the former Indian captain retired from T20Is after Indias World Cup victory in 2024, on the day of the final, where they defeated South Africa in Barbados. Article Source: IANS
Amelia Kerr's all-round brilliance seals NZ's 3-0 sweep over Zimbabwe
The new New Zealand captain scored 80 before returning to claim 5 for 22, including a hat-trick, as Zimbabwe were bundled out cheaply
ICC Rejects Bias Claims Amid Logostical Crisis, Cites Gulf Conflict For Flight Delays
The International Cricket Council: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a formal response to the logistical crisis that has left few teams stranded in India following the conclusion of their 2026 T20 World Cup campaigns. The ICC aimed at quelling rising frustrations among players and addressing allegations of preferential treatment, the governing body cited the ongoing crisis across the Gulf region as the sole cause for the travel delays. Some of the teams remained stuck in India after the T20 World Cup campaign due to ongoing airspace restrictions in the wake of the conflict in the Middle East and West Asia. We understand that players, coaches, support staff and their families who have completed their ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaigns are anxious to return home. That they have not yet been able to do so is a source of genuine frustration, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) shares that frustration. The delay is the direct result of the ongoing crisis across the Gulf region, which has caused widespread and continuing disruption to international air travel, including airspace closures, missile warnings, re-routing constraints, as well as the cancellation and rescheduling of both commercial and charter flights at short notice. These are conditions entirely outside the ICC's control, and they have made each travel solution significantly more complex and time-consuming than under normal circumstances. The ICC has been engaged continuously with airlines, charter operators, airport authorities, ground handlers, and government stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions to secure safe homeward travel for all affected groups as quickly as possible. That work remains ongoing, ICC said in a media release. Among affected teams are the West Indies and the South Africa. The West Indies played their final match of the tournament on March 1 but are still in India, while South Africa have also been unable to leave after their semifinal defeat to New Zealand on March 4. On current arrangements, the South Africa contingent will begin departing for South Africa tonight, with all members expected to have departed within the next 36 hours. Of the West Indies contingent, nine members are already travelling to the Caribbean, while the remaining 16 are booked on flights departing India within the next 24 hours. We will provide updates on further departures as confirmed arrangements are in place, it added. However, questions were raised after England were able to get back to the UK last Saturday after their semifinal exit, using a charter flight from Mumbai even as the West Indies remained stranded in Kolkata for over a week after their Super 8 exit. South Africa too remain in India ahead of a proposed travel plan on Tuesday. The ICC rejects any suggestion that these decisions have been driven by anything other than safety, feasibility and welfare. Suggestions otherwise across a variety of media platforms from people uninformed of the situation are as unhelpful as they are incorrect. There is no link between arrangements made in the cases of South Africa and the West Indies and those made previously for England or any other nation, which arose from separate circumstances, routing options and different travel conditions, the ICC clarify. The ICC rejects any suggestion that these decisions have been driven by anything other than safety, feasibility and welfare. Suggestions otherwise across a variety of media platforms from people uninformed of the situation are as unhelpful as they are incorrect. Also Read: Live Cricket Score We thank all players, management, boards and partners for their continued patience and cooperation in an exceptionally difficult situation. Our teams are working around the clock and remain in constant contact with team managers as circumstances continue to develop. We will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves. Article Source: IANS
Pink-ball Ashes Test still part of Cricket Australia's plans
The 150th anniversary Test next March will be a day-night contest with crowds of 90,000 expected for the first three days
Gaddafi Stadium to host opening game and final of PSL 2026
The tournament will be concentrated in Lahore and Rawalpindi with 26 of the league's 44 matches in those two cities
T20 WC: West Indies Players Depart India After Nine-day Wait
Cricket West Indies: Cricket West Indies (CWI) have confirmed that commercial travel arrangements have been secured for members of the West Indies national cricket team currently in India after continued delays with a charter flight organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). West Indies are one of the teams stranded in India due to the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict leading to the closure of the airspace in West Asia. In the interest of the well-being and safety of its players and support staff, Cricket West Indies advised the ICC that it was no longer prudent to continue waiting on the charter arrangements, which remain uncertain. Multiple approaches have since been made through CWI, players, and other partners, in coordination with the ICC, to secure commercial travel to facilitate the squads safe return. It is important to note that some players and staff have already departed, with the remaining members scheduled to depart today, Tuesday, 10th March, and tomorrow, Wednesday, 11th March 2026, CWI said in a statement. Cricket West Indies appreciates the concern and interest of fans and key stakeholders in the resolution of this matter and wishes to thank all parties for their support and patience, the statement further added. Just like the West Indies, Zimbabwe played their last match at the T20 World Cup on March 1, losing to South Africa by five wickets in their Super Eights clash in New Delhi. They were to depart in three batches earlier, but the plan was cancelled due to airspace restrictions. Cricket West Indies appreciates the concern and interest of fans and key stakeholders in the resolution of this matter and wishes to thank all parties for their support and patience, the statement further added. Also Read: Live Cricket Score An ICC official told IANS that the Zimbabwe team will travel to Harare from New Delhi via Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Article Source: IANS
Santner, Latham to share captaincy duties in T20I series against South Africa
Jayden Lennox and Katene Clarke earn maiden T20I call-ups
BAN vs PAK 1st ODI Prediction, Match Preview And Playing XI
BAN vs PAK 1stODI , Cricket Tips :Bangladesh and Pakistan will be up against each other for a three-match ODI series. The first ODI will be held at Shere Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday at 1:45 PM IST. Pakistan had yet another ICC event, where they failed to make it to the knockouts. That resulted in Pakistan dropping several superstars. Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, and Fakhar Zaman will not be in action. Shaheen Afridi will lead a second-string side, which has new faces like Maaz Sadaqat, Saad Masood, Shamyl Hussain, and Ghazi Ghori. Bangladesh have all their aces up their sleeves, and they have a chance to beat Pakistan in this series. BAN vs PAK: Match Details Date : March 11, 2026 (Wednesday) Time : 1:45 PM IST Venue : Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka BAN vs PAK: Live Streaming Details There is no option to watch the ODI series on cable TV networks in India. Fans can watch the game through the FanCode streaming platform. BAN vs PAK: Head-to-Head in ODI Total Matches : 39 Bangladesh : 5 Pakistan : 34 No result/Tied: 0 BAN vs PAK: Ground Pitch Report The wicket in Dhaka is very good for the slow bowlers. There will be assistance for the seamers with the new ball, and spinners will have a big role in the match. There is a prediction of rain, and chasing will be recommended in this situation. It is a low-scoring venue. BAN vs PAK: Possible XIs Bangladesh : Najmul Hossain Shanto, Soumya Sarkar, Saif Hassan, Tawhid Hridoy, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (c), Mahidul Islam Bhuiyan, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed Pakistan : Sahibzada Farhan, Shamyl Hussain, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Abdul Samad, Salman Ali Agha, Maaz Sadaqat, Saad Masood, Shaheen Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Faisal Akram BAN vs PAK: Player to Watch Out For Probable Best Batter Sahibzada Farhan was the top scorer in the T20 World Cup 2026. He is in red-hot form and will look to cash in on this ODI series. For Bangladesh, Litton Das is the key. He will be the one to watch out for. Probable Best Bowler Abrar Ahmed will be very deceptive on this slow track in Dhaka and will be tough to face. For Bangladesh, Rishad Hossain has been the go-to spinner in the middle overs. Today Match Prediction : Pakistan have a great record against Bangladesh, but their current squad is inexperienced with the bat. Hence, we predict Bangladesh to beat Pakistan in the first ODI. BAN vs PAK Match 1st ODI, Today Match BAN vs PAK, BAN vs PAK Prediction, BAN vs PAK Predicted XIs, Injury Update for BAN vs PAK 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.
West Indies players to fly home from Kolkata on commercial flights
South Africa's travel arrangements, however, remain unclear
Pakistan to field four debutants during first ODI against Bangladesh
Sahibzada Farhan, Shamyl Hussain, Abdul Samad and Maaz Sadaqat will put on a competitive Pakistan ODI shirt for the first time
Gujarat Assembly Debate On T20 Final Tickets Sees Divergent Views
Aam Aadmi Party MLA Gopal: The Gujarat Assembly, on Tuesday, witnessed a heated discussion over the T20 World Cup final tickets over the past two days, drawing attention from both ruling and Opposition legislators in the state. BJP MLA Arvind Patel raised concerns about not being able to secure tickets for the India vs New Zealand final held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8. Responding in the House, a state Minister assured that arrangements would be made for legislators in the event of any future final matches. Clarifying the situation, Congress MLA Imran Khedawala said that while he had worn a Team India jersey and brought a cake to celebrate India's victory on Monday, he immediately cancelled the plan upon learning that a minute of silence had been scheduled in the state Assembly in memory of BJP leader and Umreth MLA Govind Parmar. Not a single Congress MLA had raised any demand for match tickets, unlike Arvind Patel, Khedawala told IANS. Opposition leaders criticised the focus on cricket tickets amid the ongoing public service issues. Aam Aadmi Party MLA Gopal Italia, speaking alongside party legislators Chaitar Vasava, Hemant Khava and Sudhir Vaghani, said: Despite the significant expenditure on the Assembly, including salaries and other costs, the discussion in the House is on tickets for a cricket match final rather than on public concerns. Children are unable to secure school admissions, hospitals lack beds, and many areas have no bus services for the poor. SAAP MLA Italia added, The people of Gujarat should take note of the kind of matters being raised in the State Assembly. The debate comes in the wake of intense demand for ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 final tickets, which was held on March 8. Police have arrested multiple individuals for selling tickets at inflated prices and warned the public about counterfeit and black-market sales. The debate comes in the wake of intense demand for ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 final tickets, which was held on March 8. Also Read: Live Cricket Score While the Assembly proceedings are moving in order, the issue of cricket final tickets became a talking point. Article Source: IANS
Afridi focuses on the future as Pakistan go with three debutants
After batting in different positions, Mehidy confirmed he will slot in at No. 7 for Bangladesh
Zimbabwe's Ndhlovu Ruled Out Of Third ODI Against New Zealand After Concussion Scare
New Zealand: Zimbabwe women's cricket team have suffered a big blow ahead of the final match of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand to be played at the University Oval on Wednesday as their opener Kelis Ndhlovu has been ruled out of the clash after sustaining a concussion during the second match played at the same ground on Sunday. Ndhlovu is currently recovering and remains under medical supervision following the incident. In an official update, Zimbabwe Cricket confirmed that Ndhlovu briefly lost consciousness after the blow and was later diagnosed with a concussion. However, the board added that there were no serious complications from the injury. An MRI scan later confirmed there was no skull fracture, ZC said. She was treated and subsequently discharged from the hospital. Ndhlovu returned for a follow-up examination on Tuesday morning, where further tests confirmed there were no additional complications, Zimbabwe cricket said in an official statement. The injury occurred during the seventh over of Zimbabwes innings when Ndhlovu was struck on the head by a short delivery from New Zealand pacer Bree Illing. At the time, Ndhlovu had shared a 25-run opening partnership with Modester Mupachikwa. She attempted to duck under the bouncer but was hit despite wearing a helmet. The impact caused her to collapse immediately, prompting urgent medical attention on the field before she was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Following the incident, Tendai Makusha was introduced as Ndhlovus concussion substitute. At the time, Ndhlovu had shared a 25-run opening partnership with Modester Mupachikwa. She attempted to duck under the bouncer but was hit despite wearing a helmet. The impact caused her to collapse immediately, prompting urgent medical attention on the field before she was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Also Read: Live Cricket Score New Zealand have previously clinched the T20I series by a margin of 3-0, and they would look to end the ODI series in the same way when they face Zimbabwe on Wednesday. Article Source: IANS
Sahibzada, Sadaqat And Hussain To Make ODI Debut Against Bangladesh: Shaheen Afridi
Shere Bangla National Stadium: Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi has confirmed that three players will make their debut in the 50-over format when the team faces Bangladesh in the first ODI match of the three-match series to be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday. According to the skipper, Sahibzada Farhan, who was in excellent form during the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026 and scored a record 383 runs in just seven matches along with Maaz Sadaqat and Shamyl Hussain, will play their first match for the team in ODIs. There will be like three debuts, of course. Sahibzada is the top performer in T20s and also in List A cricket for Pakistan. Maaz Sadaqat will open, and Shamyl Hussain will play at one down. These three will make their debut. Hopefully, they will play their own game and show their skills, Afridi said in the pre-match press conference as quoted by The Daily Star. We are excited to see them play for Pakistan, not just for one series but with the future in mind. They have experience playing here. They have played the Bangladesh league here. Sahibzada and Maaz have played here, and a few others were also involved last year. They are familiar with the grounds and conditions, and I hope they will play their best cricket, he added. Pakistan are in good form in the ODI Format. The team has secured victories over South Africa and Sri Lanka at home in the last two series while Bangladesh have also defeated West Indies in the last ODI series. Speaking about the recent form, Shaheen said that they expect a tough contest between both sides as they prepare for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2027 to be played in South Africa. Pakistan are in good form in the ODI Format. The team has secured victories over South Africa and Sri Lanka at home in the last two series while Bangladesh have also defeated West Indies in the last ODI series. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Pakistan have made a big change in their squad for the series. They have dropped Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub from the team. Article Source: IANS
Arshdeep Singh fined, handed demerit point for incident with Daryl Mitchell
The incident occurred in the 11th over of NZ's chase in the final, when Arshdeep threw the ball towards the stumps, striking Daryl Mitchell on the pads
'My Performance Will Motivate Young Kids,' Says Kishan On Reaching Hometown After Winning T20 WC
T20 World Cup: India's wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan said that he hopes to inspire young players through his performance as he arrives at the Patna Airport after playing a major role in India's T20 World Cup 2026 triumph. Kishan was accompanied by his father, Pranav Pandey, and received a grand welcome by the fans, who welcomed the champion player by chanting his name. Kishan, who made a strong return to the Indian side just before the World Cup, feels that his inspiring comeback could motivate young players here in the city. Our team won, obviously, it is a very good thing, not only for us, but for the whole nation. We hope to continue playing cricket like this and keep winning, Kishan said to the media at the airport. It feels great because I believe the better I perform, the more motivation it will be for the young kids here who want to grow. I always try to ensure as many players as possible emerge from every corner. Now that we've played the World Cup, it shows that with hard work, you can succeed from anywhere, he added. Kishan also scolded the reporters for asking questions on Kirti Azad's tweet, in which the cricketer turned politician criticised the captain of the Indian cricket team, Surya Kumar Yadav and the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Jay Shah for taking the T20 World Cup trophy to a temple in Ahmedabad. Sir, we have won such a great World Cup. Please ask a good question. What should I say about what Kirti Azad said? Please ask something meaningful, like how much fun it was or what the experience was like, Kishan said. Kishan, who became the second-highest run scorer for India in the T20 World Cup 2026 after hammering 317 runs in nine innings at an average of 35.22 and a strike rate of over 193, with three fifties, including one in the finals, spoke about his plans for the future. Nothing much, just keep scoring runs, keep playing, and keep winning, he said. Kishan, who became the second-highest run scorer for India in the T20 World Cup 2026 after hammering 317 runs in nine innings at an average of 35.22 and a strike rate of over 193, with three fifties, including one in the finals, spoke about his plans for the future. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Kishan will now take part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, where he will represent his team, Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have retained the batter ahead of the tournament. Article Source: IANS
Bangladesh, Pakistan start afresh with 2027 World Cup in mind
Pakistan have six uncapped players in their squad while Bangladesh are set to try a new middle order combination
'Eat Good Food And Sleep For Two Days,' SKY Reveals His Plans After Indias T20 WC Triumph
T20 World Cup: India captain Suryakumar Yadav said his immediate plan after leading the team to another ICC Men's T20 World Cup title is simple: return home, enjoy some good food and catch up on much-needed rest before shifting focus to upcoming challenges. India clinched the silverware on Sunday, beating New Zealand by 96 runs in the summit clash to become the first team ever to win the tournament on home soil. With the feat, India also became the first team to defend their crown, and the only side to have won the cup thrice. Reflecting on the achievement, Suryakumar said the triumph belonged as much to the fans as it did to the players.You guys celebrated equally with us. Congratulations to all of you. Winning the World Cup in India is very special. It feels really good here. There was support and prayers from so many people, Surya told reporters outside his residence in Mumbai. The India skipper also spoke about sharing the special moment with his family, particularly his parents, who had been part of the celebrations. They were with me when we won. Even after coming back, I spoke to them. Now we will sit together calmly for a couple of days and talk peacefully. Looking ahead, Suryakumar revealed that the team is already thinking about the sports Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics. 100 per cent. The teams next aim is to win an Olympic gold for India in 2028. And that same year there will again be the T20 World Cup, so we will try our best to achieve a hat-trick of T20 World Cup wins as well. During the celebrations, chants of Surya! Surya! echoed through the crowd, something the captain said reminded him of the iconic chants once reserved for Sachin Tendulkar. The Sachin Sachin chant is completely deserved! He is the God of Cricket. He showed us the path. He played cricket for India for so many years. But this was a very special feeling for us too. He is with us in the Mumbai Indians, so we keep talking to him. It feels great that we won in Ahmedabad, and you all know how important it was to win in Ahmedabad. Suryakumar credited former India captain Rohit Sharma for placing faith in him when he took over the leadership role. Under his captaincy, we won the T20 World Cup in 2024 as a team. After that, when Jay Shah was the BCCI secretary (he is now the ICC chairman), Rohit bhai stepped down from captaincy. At that time, he showed faith in me. For the last two years, I have led this team well, and now we have won the World Cup. He showed great trust in me, and it feels great to win. This victory is for the whole of India. He also revealed the advice Rohit had given him before the tournament began. Bohot acha reaction tha unka. Kyunki tournament se pehle mai unse mila tha aur unhone mujhe bataya bhi tha ki ICC tournaments me kaise khelna hota hai. Unhone kaha tha ki team achi hai aapki aur aap log courageous hoke khelna. Aap log ki hi jeet hogi. The captain acknowledged the controversies involving Pakistan and Bangladesh during the tournament but said the ultimate focus remained on lifting the trophy. It feels amazing to win the World Cup. Our goal was that if an ICC event is happening in India and you win such a big tournament at home, it brings immense happiness. From the day we won until now, the entire country has been celebrating and this joy will continue for a long time. Suryakumar said the team handled the pressure of defending titles by trusting their preparation. We didnt really face any difficulty. We had won icc tournaments in 2024 and 2025 and were confident that if we play well, we will win this time as well. Its good that we peaked at the right time. There was always pressure. Theres no fun if theres no pressure. Speaking about the celebrations that followed Indias triumph, Suryakumar said the team chose to enjoy the moment together. I wish I could share what we did that night after becoming world champions We had a good time and stayed awake until 8 a.m. We were together. Because when you win a tournament as a team in a team sport, the celebration should also happen together. So we were all together. He also hinted at shifting focus soon to the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. The IPL schedule hasnt been released yet. We dont know when we will play, but we are very excited for the tournament. For Suryakumar, the moment of holding the trophy was one of pure joy after years of striving. Holding the trophy felt really nice since we hadn't held it for quite some time (guess its sarcasm), and the overall feeling was extraordinary. We even enjoyed good celebrations after the match. The significance of leading India to a World Cup victory, he admitted, only truly began to sink in after returning home to Mumbai. Until yesterday, there were no feelings. But after arriving in Mumbai, this feeling is settling within me and will last for a long time, whether it be any tournament like the IPL. I really feel special. Despite the global success, the India captain said he remains deeply connected to where his journey began. It all started in Mumbai onlyin the streets of Chembur where I was born. I will not leave this place as everything started from hereincluding my cricket coaching. The significance of leading India to a World Cup victory, he admitted, only truly began to sink in after returning home to Mumbai. Until yesterday, there were no feelings. But after arriving in Mumbai, this feeling is settling within me and will last for a long time, whether it be any tournament like the IPL. I really feel special. Also Read: Live Cricket Score For now, however, Suryakumar said his immediate plans are simple. My future plan for now is to go home, have good food, sleep well for 2 days, come back to play the ipl and then the Olympic tournament where we will aim to win big. Article Source: IANS
Arshdeep Singh Fined For Code Of Conduct Breach After T20 WC Final Win
Emirates ICC Elite Panel: India fast bowler Arshdeep Singh was fined 15% of his match fee for violating Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 Final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Arshdeep was found to have violated Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. This article concerns throwing a ball (or any other cricket equipment) at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an International Match. Additionally, one demerit point has been added to Arshdeeps disciplinary record, marking his first offense within a 24-month period. The incident occurred off the fifth ball of the 11th over, with New Zealand already in a difficult position. They were chasing a huge target of 256 and were 102/5 at that time. Mitchell was clearly angry after Arshdeep walked away calmly after hitting him. Arshdeep agreed to the sanction suggested by Andy Pycroft, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so a formal hearing was unnecessary. On-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf, third umpire Allahuddien Paleker, and fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock issued the charge. Level 1 breaches result in penalties ranging from a formal reprimand to a fine of up to 50% of a players match fee, along with one or two demerit points. On-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf, third umpire Allahuddien Paleker, and fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock issued the charge. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Arshdeep discussed this in an interview with the broadcasters during Indias victory lap. The presenter noted that Arshdeep quickly left just as he was about to talk to him, and the pacer explained that he had to step away briefly saying, Just went to apologise to Mitchell. My throw reverse-swung and hit him so just wanted to say sorry to him for that. It was not intentional, said Arshdeep. Article Source: IANS
Monitoring LPG Shortage And Travel Logistics Ahead Of 2026 IPL Season: Dhumal
Indian Premier League: Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Arun Dhumal said the tournament is monitoring potentially big challenges around hospitality and travel logistics as the 2026 season approaches, though he added that no formal concerns have been raised by hotels or other stakeholders over LPG shortage. The IPL 2026 season begins on March 28, with the schedule for the first 20 games likely to come out on March 12. The ten-team tournament attracts top international players, as well as coaches and broadcasters, thus making travel- and hospitality-related logistics critical to its smooth functioning. But with the US-Israel-Iran war leading to increasing conflict in the Middle East and affecting LPG supplies, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said that the supply of cooking gas will be prioritised for households. It has meant that theres a supply crunch of commercial LPG to hotels and restaurants, especially with many eateries in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai saying they will be forced to halt operations due to a shortage of cooking gas. Definitely, it's a challenge. But we haven't got anything yet from hotels as of now. In case there is an issue and they tell us, then we'll review it accordingly. The thing is, in case we would have gone for a booking, they would have told us. But they have to come back with us if this is an issue. So, we haven't heard anything from them. Currently we are hearing it from the media, but we are reviewing and watching the situation from our end and we'll take a call accordingly, Dhumal told IANS on Tuesday. Any wider disruption of commercial cooking gas could affect not only the league but also the ecosystem outside of it, like hospitals, NGOs, educational institutions and various industries. During IPL, many restaurants and roadside stalls see a huge uptick in sales as fans prefer to have their meals when the matches are screened live. Food delivery app services also see a big jump in their services when fans prefer to have food from the comfort of their homes during IPL matches. Aside from LPG concerns, travel logistics also remain a challenge, as seen during the recently concluded Mens T20 World Cup won by India. Zimbabwe, West Indies and South Africa were unable to leave immediately for home due to the conflict disrupting their flight routes. With their major layover destination in Dubai not available due to the conflict, Zimbabwe had to leave in three batches and reached home via Addis Ababa via Ethiopian Airlines. South Africa and West Indies, meanwhile, were stuck in Kolkata before a charter flight was arranged to get them home via Johannesburg. Aside from LPG concerns, travel logistics also remain a challenge, as seen during the recently concluded Mens T20 World Cup won by India. Zimbabwe, West Indies and South Africa were unable to leave immediately for home due to the conflict disrupting their flight routes. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Dhumal said the IPL is keeping an eye on travel arrangements for overseas players. Right now, we are reviewing the situation. The IPL is still about a few weeks away. We'll see how to go about it, he added. Article Source: IANS
Amelia Kerr Spearheads NZ's Surge In Latest Womens ODI Rankings
International Cricket Council Women: New Zealand skipper Amelia Kerr headlined a strong showing from the White Ferns in the latest update of the International Cricket Council Womens ODI Player Rankings after a dominant start to their home series against Zimbabwe. New Zealand have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series, with Kerr playing a pivotal role with both bat and ball. The 25-year-old delivered a standout bowling performance across the first two matches, including a remarkable seven-wicket haul in the second ODI in Dunedin. Kerr picked up four wickets in the series opener before producing her career-best spell in the next match, becoming only the seventh player in womens ODI history to claim seven wickets in an innings. The performance propelled her five places up the ODI bowlers rankings to 11th. She also made a modest gain in the all-rounders standings, climbing one spot to fifth overall. New Zealands rise in the rankings was not limited to Kerr. Teammates Brooke Halliday and Maddy Green also recorded significant improvements in the ODI batting charts after strong contributions in the opening matches of the series. Halliday surged eight places to 11th following a spectacular unbeaten 157 off 117 deliveries in the first ODI, one of the standout knocks of the series. Green also impressed in the same contest with a well-compiled 67 and followed it up with an unbeaten 27 in the second match, helping her climb four positions to equal 22nd. Meanwhile, movement was also seen in the latest T20I rankings following the conclusion of the series between the West Indies and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka opener Hasini Perera was one of the biggest gainers after her match-winning performance in the third and final T20I in St Georges. The left-hander struck an unbeaten half-century to guide Sri Lanka to a series-clinching victory and jumped 15 places to 28th in the T20I batters rankings. Another Sri Lanka batter, Imesha Dulani, also moved up the charts after an unbeaten 34 in the series decider, climbing 17 places to joint 72nd. Sri Lanka opener Hasini Perera was one of the biggest gainers after her match-winning performance in the third and final T20I in St Georges. The left-hander struck an unbeaten half-century to guide Sri Lanka to a series-clinching victory and jumped 15 places to 28th in the T20I batters rankings. Also Read: Live Cricket Score For the West Indies, veteran spinner Afy Fletcher emerged as the major mover, climbing four places to seventh in the T20I bowlers rankings after picking up three wickets across the final two matches of the series. Article Source: IANS
Vaishnavi Adkar Credits Bopanna After Breakthrough Run In ITF W35 Kalaburagi
Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association: Just after winning the ITF W35 Kalaburagi title, completing an impressive run in Karnataka that included finishing as runner-up at the ITF Womens Open W100 Bengaluru in February, Indias Vaishnavi Adkar attributed her improved performances to the guidance of Grand Slam champion Rohan Bopanna. We spoke about a few things and that made me realise that the move could be the right one for me. Having someone with that level of experience, someone who has been world number one and competed at the highest level for so many years, is really valuable. Getting inputs from him and learning from that experience, along with working with the team at the academy, has been very helpful for me as I look to improve and move forward in my career, she said. Adkar also thanked the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) for giving her a wildcard entry at the ITF Womens Open W100 Bengaluru 2026. There, she became the first Indian woman to reach the final of a W100 or higher-level tournament since Sania Mirza in 2009. This achievement boosted her ranking from No. 690 to a career-high of No. 466, and she is expected to enter the top 400 next week once the points from her victory in Kalaburagi are added. Im really grateful to KSLTA for giving me the wildcard opportunities. I wasnt really expecting it, so it meant a lot that they showed that belief in me. Im happy that I was able to make the most of the opportunity and it really helped my ranking as well. Adkar has been named to Indias team for the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup Asia-Oceania tournament, scheduled for next month in New Delhi. Tennis is mostly an individual sport, so getting the chance to be part of a team event like the Billie Jean King Cup and representing India is very special. Im really looking forward to it and I hope I can contribute to the team in whatever way possible, she said of her selection. In recent months, Adkar has focused on improving important elements of her game. Two of the main things we have been working on are the serve and the return because those are the shots that start every point. At the same time, the physical aspect of the game has become very important in modern tennis, so Ive been focusing a lot on improving that as well, she noted. She also emphasised that her approach to the game has significantly changed, saying, This year I told myself that I just want to enjoy playing more and have fun on court, because thats the reason I started playing this sport in the first place. When I was able to play with that mindset and not put too much pressure on myself, the results started coming. She attributed her early development to her parents, who gave her the freedom to pursue the sport without feeling pressured. My parents have been supportive throughout. Even when the results werent coming early on, they never put any pressure on me. They always told me that as long as I was enjoying what I was doing, that was the most important thing. Her junior career faced a major setback when an injury temporarily interrupted her progress. Speaking of the same, Adkar said, I had an ACL tear right after winning my first ITF juniors title. It happened the very next week in another tournament. I had to undergo surgery and was out for about eight months, and that was a very tough period mentally because it came at a time when I needed to keep earning points and progressing. My parents have been supportive throughout. Even when the results werent coming early on, they never put any pressure on me. They always told me that as long as I was enjoying what I was doing, that was the most important thing. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Coming back from surgery is always difficult psychologically because that fear is there. But during my recovery we worked a lot on my strength and fitness, and when I returned to competition, I was physically stronger than before. In a way it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, she concluded. Article Source: IANS
Sanju's 97 Against WI Was Turning Point Of This Campaign: Gambhir
T20 World Cup: India head coach Gautam Gambhir credited Sanju Samsons crucial 97 against the West Indies as the turning point in Indias triumphant campaign at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which concluded with the hosts lifting their third record title after defeating New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Gambhir reflected on the emotional significance of winning a World Cup as Indias head coach, describing it as a privilege to contribute to the country once again in national colours. I could have never thought about winning a World Cup as a coach. I never thought I would get the opportunity or privilege to be the head coach of the Indian team because its an absolute privilege to again wear the India jersey or do something special for the country, Gambhir said on JioStar. The former India opener emphasised the emotional connection to representing the nation, adding that recognition from family and the pride of millions of fans made the achievement even more special. When your mom wishes you and tells you well done, thats what you play for and what you live for as well. What bigger feeling is there than making 140 crore Indians proud, he said. Gambhir also reiterated a message he consistently delivered to the squad throughout the tournament that representing India is a privilege rather than an entitlement. Ive always believed that, and Ive always told the boys as well, that being in that dressing room is a privilege, not an entitlement. Thousands of people would want to be in my position as the head coach of the Indian team, and many would want to be in the position the players are in, he added. According to Gambhir, Indias success was built not just on results but on the fearless approach the players adopted during the tournament. He also explained that the teams focus was on creating impact rather than chasing individual milestones. I think more than the win, it was the way the boys adapted to the ideology and philosophy of being high-risk, high-reward. From day one, I had a very strong belief that the T20 format is about impact. Its not about milestones or individual performances. Its about going out there and creating an impact, whether its on the field, with the ball or with the bat, Gambhir noted. He also stressed the importance of staying in the present moment during the shortest game format. The simple ideology throughout this World Cup was that if we could stay in the present and try to control each delivery. Whatever has gone will never come back, and you cannot control whats going to come in the future. Even if you get hit for five sixes, the next delivery could be the game-changing moment, he stated. While several performances shaped Indias campaign, Gambhir singled out Samsons innings against the West Indies as the defining moment and pointed out that the match effectively served as a knockout fixture for India. Its very difficult to say, but I still believe that Sanjus 97 against West Indies was the turning point of this campaign. It was a virtual quarter-final. Chasing 195 in a World Cup game is never easy, irrespective of the ground, Gambhir explained. Samsons calm approach, he said, changed the mood in the dressing room and praised Ishan Kishan for his contribution during the chase. With the ease and calmness with which he batted, it gave us a lot of confidence in the group that now we were probably on the right track. When Sanju got going and the way Ishan Kishan batted at number three, a lot of things actually started taking shape, Gambhir added. Another factor behind Indias success, Gambhir said, was the players willingness to adapt to different roles and batting positions throughout the tournament. One thing which will stay with me for the rest of my life is how comfortably the boys accepted different batting positions, he said. The coach highlighted that the flexibility began with captain Hardik Pandya, who was willing to adjust his role to meet the teams needs. Against England in the semi-final, Shivam got promoted, and Surya was absolutely fine with it. In the final, Hardik was promoted and the captain was fine with it, Gambhir said. He also cited examples of players such as Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube batting across multiple positions depending on the situation. Tilak started at number three, then batted at five, six and even seven, and the same with Shivam, who batted from number four to seven. That is what team sport is all about, he said. Gambhir also reserved special praise for Indias pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who played multiple roles with the ball throughout the tournament. Tilak started at number three, then batted at five, six and even seven, and the same with Shivam, who batted from number four to seven. That is what team sport is all about, he said. Also Read: Live Cricket Score According to the head coach, it was this combination of fearless cricket, adaptability and key performances that ultimately powered India to a historic T20 World Cup triumph on home soil. Article Source: IANS
T20 World Cup: India's star batter Rinku Singh has penned down an emotional tribute to his late father Khanchand Singh, who passed away on February 27 in Greater Noida, due to prolonged illness. Rinku attended his father's funeral after India's T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s match against Zimbabwe, before joining the squad in Kolkata for the crucial must-win match against the West Indies in the Super 8s stage. In a heartfelt post after India's T20 World Cup 2026 victory, Rinku said that even a single day without speaking to his father felt incomplete, and he struggles to imagine life ahead without him. I have never spent so many days without talking to you. I dont know how life will move forward without you But I know I will need you at every step, he wrote in a post on Instagram. You always taught me that duty comes first, so on the field I was only trying to fulfil your dream. Now that your dream has been fulfilled I just wish you were here with me. I will feel your absence in every small and big moment of happiness. I will miss you a lot, Papa, In a heartfelt post after India's T20 World Cup 2026 victory, Rinku said that even a single day without speaking to his father felt incomplete, and he struggles to imagine life ahead without him. Also Read: Live Cricket Score After the loss against the proteas Rinku was dropped from the team, and Sanju Samson came in place of the finisher. The move brought good results for the team as Sanju played back-to-back match-winning knocks in Super 8s, the semi-final and the final. Article Source: IANS
Zimbabwe's Ndhlovu ruled out of third ODI after concussion scare
She is currently recovering and remains under medical observation following the incident
