Successful in keeping opponents and vitriol at bay so far, India will have to rise above traditional bugbear New Zealand and a rigmarole of emotions surrounding stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to reclaim the Champions Trophy after 12 years in Dubai on Sunday.
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene on Friday said star pacer Jasprit Bumrah was still recuperating from a back injury and that the team was waiting for him to be cleared by the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
New Zealand secured a one-day international series win over Bangladesh this week with a match to spare and the dead rubber will be played on Saturday.
Simon Doull lambasted Indian batters for their poor batting performance against spinners Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips during the second Test
Mitchell Santner admitted it was 'shocking' to clean up Virat Kohli on a full toss, in Pune, on Friday.
Veteran Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batter Brendan Taylor on Thursday created history by making a resolute return to international cricket after a hiatus of of three-and-a-half years.
When New Zealander Daryl Mitchell was bought for a whopping Rs 14 crore by Chennai Super Kings during the IPL auction, he was wrapping presents for his daughter's birthday at his home and his heartbeat increased when his name popped up on the screen.
New Zealand romped to victory by 423 runs after dismissing England for 234 on the fourth day of the third Test in Hamilton on Tuesday to claim a consolation victory and send Tim Southee out a winner in his final match.
Stationed at mid off, Du Plessis 'flew' with his right hand stretched out to pluck it out of the air. The 39 year old timed his jump to perfection as he was 2.3 metres off the ground when he grabbed the ball.
Hero of New Zealand's thumping win over India, Mitchell Santner said they vindicated the selectors' decision to play three spinners in their World T20 opener, in Nagpur on Tuesday. Santner, whose international cricket can still be called nascent, returned four for 11 to help shoot out India for their second-lowest ever score of 79. "It was selectors decision to bowl three spinners. When spinners take nine wickets on a spin track then it's not a bad one," the 24-year-old left-arm spinner said at the post match press conference. Santner was given splendid support by Ish Sodhi (3/18) and experienced off-spinner Nathan McCullum (2/15).
Tilak Verma, who has two T20I hundreds for India and is one of the pillars of the core MI set-up, had scored just 25 off 23 balls, inclusive of two boundaries, when Mitchell Santner, with a career IPL strike-rate of 106, was sent in.
With just a week to go until the start of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE, it sets up a tight race for the premier position for batters in 50-over cricket during the eight-team tournament.
With an impressive blend of composure and aggression, Iyer has been a standout performer in the 50-over format, particularly against the Blackcaps.
While this may not secure qualification outright, it would certainly keep them in contention. New Zealand head coach Gary Stead drew inspiration from the inaugural WTC cycle in 2019-21, when New Zealand won six consecutive matches enroute to securing the title.
The 37-year-old player added that uncertainty about a place in the Playing XI or 12, means one needs to capitalise on chances offered.
Images from Day 3 of the second Test between India and New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Saturday.
Wives and kids of CSK players took to the pitch for the after-game party, joining in the cheers and taking in the love of the fans who lit up the stadium in Ahmedabad.
What stood out on Wednesday wasn't just the dominant win -- it was the sight of Wankhede fans cheering loudly for a man they once booed. The redemption was complete.
Although in the opposition camp, Mhatre was not short of support during his eye-catching knock. His band of cousins were spotted celebrating his boundaries, with one of them driven to tears of joy.
In a resolute display, Punjab Kings outsmarted Mumbai Indians by seven wickets in a must-win encounter and assured themselves of a top-two finish in the IPL at the Sawai Mansingh stadium, Jaipur, on Monday, May 26, 2025.
Spinner Krunal Pandya upstaged brother Hardik as Royal Challengers Bengaluru edged Mumbai Indians by 12 runs in a high-scoring thriller.
In a nervy finish, Australia snatched a last-ball win over New Zealand in the first T20 International in Wellington.
Rajasthan Royals will face Mumbai Indians in a crucial Indian Premier League match on Thursday, looking to halt the five-time champions' surging momentum.
New Zealand on Monday named a strong squad, which includes five spin bowling options
With India claiming to be in good position after the first day's play in the opening Test, New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner reckoned that his side was not in a bad position either, considering the kind of start the home team got in Kanpur on Thursday.
'I do not believe this has happened due to extreme aggression.'
A turner in Pune exposed the soft underbelly of Indian batters' technique against slow bowling but as per the current team's philosophy, it has decided to take the bull by its horns by asking for a turner where the ball might turn at right angles from first hour.
Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson hit fifties as New Zealand thrashed Pakistan by 46 runs in the first T20 International.
While MI's win will assure them of a place in the play-offs, Delhi Capitals need to win both their remaining games to advance.
Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Daniel Vettori says that working around their batting line-up and getting the match-ups right with Kamindu Mendis in the mix served the team well against Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League match in Chennai on Friday.
Latham emphasised the importance of putting up runs early in the innings, recognising it as the foundation for New Zealand's success.
After his fifty, social media was abuzz that this could be Rohit's final appearance in an ODI.
A first ever series loss at home to New Zealand notwithstanding, India still have the "wood on us" while playing on turning wickets, said Kiwis spinner Ajaz Patel in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, both struggling in the Indian Premier League, will be looking to turn their fortunes around when they face each other on Friday.
On his first visit to India, Mitchell Santner has made a good impression with his all-round performance and that's a huge positive for the New Zealand side from the Kanpur Test, captain Kane Williamson said.
India vice-captain Shubman Gill dethroned Pakistan's Babar Azam from the No. 1 spot in the ICC ODI Rankings for batters on the back of his strong showing against England in the recent home series.
Kane Williamson scored a magisterial 156 at his most productive venue to drive New Zealand to the brink of a consolation victory over England at the end of the third day of the third Test.
Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner has emerged as New Zealand's trump card in the ongoing World Twenty20 but his bowling partner Ish Sodhi said it is not fair to compare him to the talismanic Daniel Vettori as both are completely different despite similar styles. Santner has grabbed eight wickets in three matches so far and has played a key role in New Zealand's smooth unbeaten march into the semifinals. "He (Vettori) was a fantastic bowler in his own right. But I think they are completely different bowlers. Santner is being himself as much as he can at the moment and it's working really well for him. For us to have his voice when we need it is really nice," Santner told reporters on the eve of the team's match against Bangladesh in Kolkata. Decoding the secret of Santner's success, Sodhi said the left-arm spinner's ability to use his wrist well makes him a difficult proposition in the spin-friendly Indian conditions. "He's a finger spinner but he puts a lot of wrist like leg-spin bowling. He puts lot of wrists on the ball. You have to do that with our conditions as it's not very conducive to spin, so you have to get something out of the wicket. I think he's a product of that.
Marsh's 60 or SKY's 67? Who would you vote for?
Karun Nair captured the hearts of cricket romantics even though his side -- Delhi Capitals -- lost to Mumbai Indians in a humdinger in IPL 2025 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday, April 13, 2025.
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