Local hero Sanju Samson struck a blistering 48-ball 91 as India A romped to a 36-run victory over South Africa A in the fifth and final unofficial ODI, helping the hosts claim the series 4-1, in Thiruvananthapuram, on Friday.
Samson hammered eight sixes and 11 fours to make 111 off only 47 balls while also recording the second-fastest T20I ton by an Indian -- off just 40 balls.
Whose Catch Was Better? De Kock's Or Russell's? Vote!
Chetan Sakariya also impressed one and all as he returned with the figures of 3-31 in a match where Rajasthan Royals' bowlers were dispatched all around the park as Punjab Kings posted a score of 221 in the allotted twenty overs.a
Virat Kohli enhanced his status as a lone ranger by notching up a record-extending eighth IPL century but Royal Challengers could only manage just about par-score of 183 for 3 against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Saturday.
The Bangladesh bowlers have the ability to spice up things but against India's formidable lineup, they would need plenty of runs on the board.
India opener Abhishek Sharma suffered an ankle injury during a catching drill at the nets in Chennai on Friday.
The common theme in their opening game defeats was how the seemingly powerful batting and bowling units of KKR and RR failed to fire.
The India vs Bangladesh rivalry has gotten bitter in recent years, thanks to the partisan young fans, many of whom perceive India as an adversary.
However, Wassan also believed that Suryakumar made a political statement mentioning Operation Sindoor and Pahalgam during the post-match presentation and press conference following the group stage clash between the two teams, which could have been avoided.
Sporting sunglasses under his helmet, Iyer attempted to shield his eyes from the intense Anantapur sun. However, his unconventional approach failed to ward off the heat, as he was dismissed for a seven ball duck.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will aim to turn their fortunes around at home when they face a struggling Rajasthan Royals on Thursday in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
'On the very day the soldiers were dying for our country, we were playing the World Cup in England against Pakistan. We were shaking their hands even then because the spirit of the game is a different spirit from what goes on between countries, between Armies and so on.'
Images from Monday's IPL match between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals, in Mumbai.
India have used 12 out of their 15 players in the first three games and it would be interesting to see if one among the two uncapped pacers Yash Dayal or Vysakh Vijaykumar gets a debut cap in case the pitch warrants an extra specialist speedster.
While DC made a superb start under new captain Rishabh Pant, RR suffered a four-run defeat against Punjab Kings
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.
The IPL 2026 auction is gearing up for a blockbuster showdown, with 350 players fighting for just 77 spots including 31 overseas berths in what promises to be one of the most competitive bidding wars yet.
Fresh from his 45-ball 92 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the ongoing Indian Premier League, in-from Rajasthan Royals batsman Sanju Samson on Tuesday said his career is on the right track.
One can't say with a degree of certainty that Rinku Singh is an automatic choice going into the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next year.
'He adds stability in the middle order and there were spots where he could have slotted in.'
ri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka smashed a belligerent century as Indian bowlers endured their worst day in the Asia Cup before Arshdeep Singh produced a brilliant 'Super Over' to win the game for his side in Dubai on Friday.
The BCCI press conference scheduled at 1.30pm in Mumbai is 'expected to be delayed owing to weather disruptions'.
The Bellerive Oval is one ground where the side boundaries are smaller in size, hence hitting the right lengths would be paramount considering anything short would be flying over cover, point, square leg or mid-wicket on either side of the fence.
India play the opening T20I against New Zealand on Friday.
Led by Sanju Samson, the Royals are on a roll, winning an impressive four matches in a row.
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.
Rajasthan choked in successive chases against Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants -- they needed nine from the final over in both matches and fell short on both occasions.
India will look to extend lead against England
India will kickstart their campaign on September 10 against the UAE. Media reports suggest that Gill could make his return to the T20I team, possibly as vice-captain.
Earlier, India B were all out for 282 in their first innings in reply to D's first essay of 349.
The likes of Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag and Rinku Singh will get another opportunity to enhance their red-ball credentials when the final round of Duleep Trophy matches begin in Anantapur
Chennai Super Kings might feel more 'at home' against an equally clueless Rajasthan Royals on a slow turner expected to be on offer in their next IPL game in Guwahati.
The series already in their pocket, India will look to address their batting woes against an England team gunning for revenge after feeling hard-done by a debatable concussion substitute when the two teams clash in the fifth and final T20 International in Mumbai on Sunday.
SRH's Abhinav Manohar made up for his batting failure with a brilliant catch at point.
A formidable squad at his disposal, Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson is hoping to end his team's 13-year-long title drought in IPL 2022.
'It was a great feeling to be trusted by players such as Virat bhai and Rohit bhai to go out there and bat in the crucial moments. It's a great feeling when the team and the players consider you to be a match winner.'
Gambhir's remarks came after CSK's 16-run loss against Rajasthan Royals by 16 runs in the IPL
India skipper Suryakumar Yadav has lauded the energy and commitment of his teammates on the opening day of training ahead of the Asia Cup
The Indian team will want Sanju Samson to translate his phenomenal talent into consistent performances when they try to wrap up the T20 International series against Sri Lanka by winning the second match in Colombo on Tuesday.
