Sports

Brisbane: Australia’s left-arm pace spearhead Mitchell Starc continues his sensational form in the Ashes. After dismissing Zak Crawley in the first over of both innings in the opening Test at Perth, Starc has once again struck in the very first over of the second Test at the Gabba—this time removing England opener Ben Duckett for a golden duck.First-ball dismissal for DuckettEngland captain Ben Stokes opted to bat first after winning the toss, but Starc immediately put Australia on top. Delivering a full, away-swinging ball, the left-armer forced Duckett into a tentative defensive push. The ball caught the outside edge and flew straight to Marnus Labuschagne at first slip. Duckett walked back without scoring, falling on the very first ball he faced.Starc’s unmatched first-over ...

New Delhi: Ahead of the second ODI between India and South Africa in Raipur, Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana has been penalised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching the Code of Conduct during the first ODI in Ranchi. The Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees found Rana guilty of a Level-1 offence, adding one demerit point to his record and imposing a fine of up to 50% of his match fee.The incident occurred in the 22nd over of South Africa’s innings when Rana dismissed young batter Dewald Brevis. Immediately after the dismissal, the Indian pacer made a gesture directing Brevis towards the dressing room — an act deemed as an attempt to provoke or incite the dismissed batter.On-field umpires Jayaraman Madanagopal and Sam Nogajski, along with third umpire Rod T...

Lucknow | December 3, 2025: Mumbai registered a commanding 98-run victory over Assam in their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 group-stage encounter, courtesy of a blistering century from Sarfaraz Khan and a sensational five-wicket haul by skipper Shardul Thakur.Sarfaraz Khan Smashes 47-Ball CenturyAssam captain Riyan Parag won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that backfired spectacularly. Mumbai posted a massive 220/4 in 20 overs, powered by an explosive knock from Sarfaraz Khan.Sarfaraz hammered an unbeaten 100 off just 47 balls, striking 8 fours and 7 sixes at a remarkable strike rate of 212.77. His aggressive strokeplay dismantled Assam’s bowling attack and set up a daunting target.Shardul Thakur’s Fiery Spell Destroys AssamChasing 221, Assam crumbled under pressure and were ...

In cricket, many players who dominate in Test matches struggle to replicate their success in One Day Internationals (ODIs). While the skill sets often overlap, some cricketers, despite brilliant Test careers, could not make a significant impact in the shorter format. Here are five such stars:1. Azhar Ali – PakistanAzhar Ali has been a stalwart for Pakistan in Test cricket, scoring 7,142 runs in 97 matches with 19 centuries, including a triple century. However, in ODIs, he played 53 matches, scoring only 1,845 runs, with a highest score of 102.2. Justin Langer – AustraliaJustin Langer enjoyed a prolific Test career, playing 105 matches and amassing 7,696 runs at an average above 45, with 23 centuries. In contrast, his ODI career was limited to just 8 matches, scoring 160 runs at an ...

New Delhi: The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 auction concluded with 67 players being bought by five franchises, including 23 international stars. A total of 277 players—194 Indians and 83 foreigners—were part of the bidding. While many top players secured contracts, several international stars surprisingly went unsold. Here’s a look at five such players whose performances speak volumes in international cricket:1. Tazmin Brits (South Africa)Opening batter for South Africa, Tazmin Brits has scored 1,719 runs in Women’s T20 Internationals at an average above 32, including 14 fifties in 65 innings. Despite her impressive record, no franchise picked her in the WPL 2026 auction.2. Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka)Sri Lanka’s captain and one of the finest all-rounders in women’s...

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Mega Auction is all set for 27th November, with every franchise preparing to bid for 73 players to complete their squads. Ahead of the auction, each team has kept aside a substantial budget to secure the players they want, and cricket fans are eager to see if any new salary records will be set.After India’s triumph in the 2025 Women’s World Cup, the popularity of women’s cricket is at an all-time high, and this auction promises plenty of excitement. A total of 277 players – including 194 Indians and 83 overseas stars – are in the fray. Of these, 52 Indian and 66 foreign players are internationals, but only 73 players will finally be secured through the auction.Here’s what you need to know before the WPL 2026 Mega Auction:1. Team Budgets: Wh...

New Delhi: The wedding of Indian women’s cricket vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and singer-director Palaash Muchhal, originally scheduled for Sunday in Sangli, Maharashtra, was postponed after a sudden health scare involving Smriti’s father, Srinivas Mandhana.Father Now Out of DangerSrinivas Mandhana was admitted to a hospital in Sangli after his health deteriorated unexpectedly during breakfast on Sunday. Doctors performed an angiography, which confirmed there were no blockages, and his condition is now stable and out of danger. He was discharged on Tuesday.Wedding Postponed at Smriti’s RequestAccording to Smriti’s manager, Tuhin Mishra, the decision to postpone the wedding was made by Smriti herself. She prioritized her father’s recovery over the celebrations, stating that she want...

As excitement builds ahead of the IPL 2026 season, all ten franchises have finalized their retentions before the upcoming mini-auction. The spotlight remains firmly on Lucknow Super Giants’ captain Rishabh Pant, who continues to hold the title of the most expensive player in IPL history with a staggering ₹27 crore price tag.Reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who lifted their maiden trophy in IPL 2025, have also retained their core group, while other teams have made strategic decisions to strengthen their squads ahead of the auction.Below is the complete list of the most expensive retained players of IPL 2026:Most Expensive Players Retained for IPL 2026TeamPlayerSalaryLucknow Super Giants (LSG)Rishabh Pant₹27 crorePunjab Kings (PBKS)Shreyas Iyer₹26.75 cror...

India’s top-order batsmen struggled in the ongoing second Test against South Africa, prompting former Indian batter Karun Nair to share a cryptic message on social media, which even saw Ravichandran Ashwin react with laughter.South Africa Sets a Big TotalThe second Test of the two-match series is underway at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium. Winning the toss, South Africa opted to bat first and scored a massive 489 runs over nearly two days, putting India under pressure.Indian Top Order FaltersOn the third day, India’s top order, including KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja, failed to make an impact, leaving the team struggling to save the innings.Karun Nair’s Cryptic MessageOn 24 November, Karun Nair took to X (formerly Twitter) to post...

New Delhi: The buzz around Indian Premier League 2026 is intensifying as franchises gear up for the upcoming mini-auction on 16 December in Abu Dhabi. Ahead of the auction, teams have released their retained and released player lists, and the captaincy for most franchises is now confirmed. Out of 10 teams, 8 have confirmed their captains, while Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders are yet to announce their leaders. Here’s the full list:Confirmed Captains:Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead the team, retaining captaincy even after Sanju Samson’s arrival.Royal Challengers Bangalore: Rajat Patidar, retained by the franchise, continues as captain after leading RCB to the IPL 2025 title.Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya will captain MI, taking over from Rohit Sharm...