Rohit Sharma hit an unbeaten century, while Virat Kohli returned to form with a fluent fifty as India cruised to an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the inconsequential third and final ODI against Australia.
Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Glenn Maxwell and hTim David will also be rested from the three-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting on January 29.
From Royal Challengers Bengaluru's historic first IPL title to star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finally breaking the iconic 90-meter mark to India women winning their first cricket World Cup, this was the year of long-awaited victories and record-breaking feats.
Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh struck half-centuries, while left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar took three wickets as Punjab Kings outclassed Rajasthan Royals by 10 runs.
Ahead of the mini-auction, scheduled to be held in Doha on December 26, the 10 franchises have released their list of retained and released players.
MI Cape Town advanced to their first-ever SA20 final after registering a thumping 39-run victory over the Paarl Royals in Qualifier 1.
In a stunning turn of events, Western Australia's batting lineup suffered a catastrophic collapse, going from a comfortable 52/2 to an all-time low of 53 all-out in their One-Day Cup match against Tasmania on Friday.
A full-strength Punjab Kings will fancy their chances of securing their first top-two finish in 11 years, when they face Delhi Capitals on Saturday.
Australia's stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh continued his fine run of form on Sunday, scoring 46 not out and leading his side to a seven-wicket triumph over India in the weather-affected first one-day international at Perth Stadium.
Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
Sunrisers had won the title in the inaugural season in 2023 by defeating Pretoria Capitals. They had beaten Durban SuperGiants in the 2024 edition of SA20.
Shreyas Iyer's inspiring leadership faces its toughest test yet when Punjab Kings host an equally upbeat Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League in Mullanpur on Thursday.
Punjab Kings will look to renew their bid for a play-off berth with another commanding performance in Jaipur on Sunday against Rajasthan Royals, who have failed to rise above mediocrity despite possessing the resources this season.
A rampant Mumbai Indians will present a stern test of character for the rattled Punjab Kings in a virtual semi-final when the two teams face-off in Qualifier 2 of the Indian Premier League in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test played between Australia and New Zealand at the MCG on Saturday.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test played between Australia and New Zealand at the MCG on Friday.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith will miss the third and final Test against Australia after fracturing a finger, the team said on Saturday.
Tanveer, who is yet to play a first class game, got a call up to the national squad on the back of his impressive show for Sydney Thunder in his debut season in the Big Bash League.
Australia has restricted the usage of saliva and sweat to shine the cricket ball in wake of the coronavirus pandemic which has spread rapidly around the world. This decision has been taken under a framework released by Australia's federal government about the staged return of professional and recreational sport amid the coronavirus pandemic.
