Pacers Mukesh Kumar claimed a five-wicket haul, while Mohammed Siraj bagged four wickets but New Zealand A managed to grab a vital 78-run first innings lead courtesy of their lower order batters on Day 3 of the second unofficial Test.
England skipper Harry Brook scored a historic double century, becoming the first Englishman to achieve the feat in an ODI, but his efforts were in vain as Sri Lanka successfully chased down a massive target of 430 runs. Pavan Rathnayake, Avishka Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, and Janith Liyanage led Sri Lanka's record-breaking chase, securing a stunning victory.
South Africa spinner Simon Harmer took a career-best 6-16 and Kagiso Rabada became the fastest by balls bowled to reach 350 test wickets as the hosts thumped Australia by 176 runs to clinch their three-test series 2-1 at Newlands on Saturday.
South Africa have recalled batters Tony de Zorzi and Zubayr Hamza to their squad for the upcoming two-match home Test series against Bangladesh, while seamer Lungi Ngidi remains sidelined due to injury.
Harmanpreet Kaur, former India captain, has rediscovered her batting form through intense training, including three sessions a day. Her dedication led to an unbeaten 91 in a T20I and a match-winning 126 in an ODI against Zimbabwe, helping India secure a series lead.
Pakistan's head coach Mike Hesson is optimistic about his team's chances in the triangular series final against Sri Lanka in Lahore on Saturday, despite recent top-order batting struggles. Sri Lanka, having beaten Pakistan in the 2023 Asia Cup final, enter with strong batting form.
India suffered an 87-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth T20 International, with skipper Shreyas Iyer admitting the bowling unit performed below par. New Zealand posted a massive 259 for 7, powered by Glenn Phillips' century and Michael Bracewell's quickfire fifty. Iyer stressed the need for the team to go back to the drawing board before the final match, acknowledging the challenging dimensions of Eden Park.
Nathan Lyon's late dismissal of South Africa captain Temba Bavuma significantly strengthened Australia's position on Day 3 of the third ICC World Test Championship Test. South Africa ended the day at 140/4, holding a 40-run lead, with Australia's Josh Inglis confident in his team's control. Despite a strong bowling performance from South Africa earlier in the day, Australia's late breakthroughs have shifted momentum.
Australia A, powered by Sam Harper's century and effective spin bowling from Todd Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli, gained a significant advantage over India A on Day 2 of their second four-day match in Puducherry, leaving India A trailing by 236 runs.
Centurion Glenn Phillips (107 off 49 balls) and Michael Bracewell (65 off 25 balls) forged a blistering 115-run partnership off just 41 balls, propelling New Zealand to a massive 259 for seven, their highest-ever T20 International total against India, in the fourth T20I in Auckland.
Harmanpreet Kaur scored her eighth ODI century, leading India to a 121-run victory over Zimbabwe and clinching the series. The veteran batter expressed her desire to enjoy batting, moving past captaincy, while captain Smriti Mandhana praised the team's recovery and individual performances, including Deepti Sharma's century and Vaishnavi Sharma's four-wicket haul.
The numbers don't settle it. Bumrah has the lower average and is harder to score off. Rabada has the bigger pile, the ten-wicket matches, and a winning team behind him.
The ICC has announced the schedule for the men's World Cup, detailing India's opening match against Australia, a crucial clash with Pakistan, and other group stage fixtures, along with the dates and venues for the semi-finals and final.
Yastika Bhatia's historic century and a brilliant bowling display put India firmly in control of the first-ever women's Test at Lord's, leaving England facing a huge challenge to save the match.
West Indies captain Shai Hope has continued his exceptional form against India, scoring his fourth century and fifth fifty-plus score in seven innings during the ongoing tour. His consistent 'Player of the Match' performances have been crucial, with the series now level at 2-2 heading into the decider on October 17 in Bengaluru. Hope also reflected on the challenging pitch conditions during their recent win.
Bengal secured a dominant nine-wicket victory over Delhi in their Ranji Trophy Group C opener after bowling out the visitors for 277 in their second innings. Delhi captain Ayush Badoni top-scored with 85, but Bengal chased down the target of 89 comfortably. In another Group C match, Gujarat defeated Odisha by 10 wickets, powered by Siddharth Desai's five-wicket haul, while Jharkhand and Kerala played out a draw.
India U-19 cricket team defeated Australia by 10 wickets on day three of the second Youth Test in Ahmedabad, securing a 2-0 series victory. Left-arm spinner Tanmay Baloda was the star performer, taking an impressive 14 wickets in the match, including 8/41 in the second innings. Australia were bowled out for 151, setting India a target of just 11 runs, which they chased down quickly.
There was a time when a score close to 380 was a sure shot victory for that team, and the captain would be preparing his victory speech while fielding, points out K R Nayar.
Shreyas Iyer has surged to a career-best seventh position in the ICC Men's T20I Batting Rankings after smashing his maiden T20I century in the opening match of the home series against the West Indies in Lucknow on Tuesday.
India A, led by skipper Devdutt Padikkal's fifty and Kumar Kushagra's unbeaten 46, set Australia A a challenging target of 363 runs on day three of their four-day match in Puducherry. Australia A ended the day at 55/2, needing 308 more runs to win.
Maestro Virat Kohli and skipper Shubman Gill displayed their mastery in 50-over format with virtuoso hundreds as India subdued the West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
India U-19 secured a commanding six-wicket victory over Australia U-19 in the third and final Youth ODI, completing a 3-0 series sweep. Skipper Lakshya Raichandani led the chase with an unbeaten 110, while Mohit Ulva and Manal Chauhan starred with the ball. The teams will now prepare for a two-match Youth Test series.
India's spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule has indicated that Ravindra Jadeja's prospects for the 2027 ODI World Cup are strong, with his all-round skills being a crucial factor. The team is actively assessing various spin options, including Axar Patel, and using current series to experiment with combinations and fine-tune the squad for the upcoming showpiece event in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
'He's monitored from every angle and every step he is taking forward in his international career.'
Indian batter Devdutt Padikkal scored his maiden Test century against Sri Lanka in Galle, becoming the second Indian, and first Test centurion, to achieve this feat on Independence Day, joining Virat Kohli in an elite list.
Indian golfer Diksha Dagar, currently sixth on the LET Order of Merit, is set to lead the Indian contingent at the PIF London Championship. She aims to strengthen her position among the Tour's top players, with other Indian golfers like Avani Prashanth, Pranavi Urs, Aditi Ashok, and Hitaashee Bakshi also participating.
Sri Lanka's remarkable lower-order resistance helped deny India a series sweep, with the tailenders facing more deliveries than the team's openers across the series.
'Once you're wrestling with making a merger of that scale value-accretive, you're also under pressure to keep growing the balance sheet and chasing liabilities, and other things start to slip as a consequence.'
Indian golfers Diksha Dagar, Aditi Ashok, Avani Prashanth, and Pranavi Urs are set to compete in the USD 2 million PIF London Championship on the Ladies European Tour. Diksha seeks her third LET title, while Aditi aims for improved results. The tournament, hosted at Centurion Club, features a strong international field including world No. 6 Charley Hull.
Pretoria Capitals captain Keshav Maharaj credits head coach Sourav Ganguly for fostering a positive team culture that led to their strong performance in SA20 Season 4. Despite falling short in the final, Maharaj is optimistic about the upcoming Season 5, where they will face defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape, emphasizing a forward-looking approach and the importance of starting strong. He also lauded the Centurion crowd for their exceptional support.
At 41, Roelof van der Merwe aims to conclude his international cricket career at the upcoming ODI World Cup, ideally in Centurion, South Africa, representing the Netherlands. He discusses his dedication to national duty over franchise cricket, his fitness goals for future World Cups, and his continued impact as a left-arm spinner and fielder. He also highlights the potential of the European T20 Premier League to unearth new talent.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced 12 venues across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia for the 2027 ODI World Cup, marking the tournament's return to Africa after 24 years, with a new 57-match, three-stage format designed to enhance competitiveness and fan experience.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will get a golden chance to improve upon his none too impressive first class numbers when East Zone take on the severely inexperienced North East Zone in the quarter-final of the Duleep Trophy.
Indian golfer Pranavi Urs showed improvement in the second round of the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open, moving to T-24. While Urs progressed, fellow Indian golfers Tvesa Malik and Diksha Dagar faced challenges, with Dagar at risk of missing the cut. Sweden's Kajsa Arwefjall leads the tournament, maintaining a strong performance.
India set Sri Lanka a daunting target of 372 before reducing the hosts to 84-4 on day four of the opening Test in Galle on Tuesday, remaining firmly on course for victory.
Indian golfers Pranavi Urs and Aditi Ashok carded identical two-under 71s in the opening round of the PIF London Championship, placing them tied 12th and in contention for a Top-10 finish. Other Indian participants, Diksha Dagar and Avani Prashanth, faced tougher starts.
Sonal Dinusha scored a brilliant century while the tail wagged around him as Sri Lanka earned a draw on the final day of the second Test in Colombo on Thursday but India claim the series 1-0.
Manav Suthar, a left-arm spinner, delivered an exceptional four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in the first Test, attributing his success to a pre-series training stint at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. His performance, including dismissing Dinesh Chandimal with his first ball, was crucial in keeping the Lankans in check despite a strong partnership. Suthar also highlighted the learning experience from bowling alongside Ravindra Jadeja.
Indian golfers Diksha Dagar and Aditi Ashok have maintained their positions within the top-20 at the London Championship after the third round. Diksha Dagar carded a 1-over 72 to stay T-19, while Aditi Ashok also finished T-19 with a 73. Pranavi Urs, however, dropped to T-38. Canada's Anna Huang leads the tournament with a dominant 19-under-par score.
Kushagra Ojha scored an unbeaten century, guiding India U-19 to a strong position of 253 for three against Sri Lanka on the opening day of the second Youth Test. After a shaky start where India lost two early wickets for no runs, Ojha, along with Yashbardhan Chauhan (78) and Manal Chauhan (55*), built crucial partnerships to stabilise the innings.
