Debutant left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma recorded astonishing figures of 5/5, including a hat-trick, as India demolished Malaysia by 10 wickets in an utterly one-sided U19 Women's T20 World Cup match that was done and dusted in less than 18 overs on Tuesday. Vaishnavi's figures are the best ever in the tournament's history as Malaysia were bundled out for a paltry 31 in 14.3 overs. Fellow left-arm spinner Ayushi Shukla (3/8) also chipped in as India bowlers ran through Malaysia's batting line-up without much ado. 𝕎 𝕎 𝕎#TeamIndia's left arm spinner & debutant Vaishnavi Sharma becomes the first Indian bowler to pick up a hattrick in #U19WomensWorldCup tournament! 🙌🏻#U19WomensT20WConJioStar 👉 #INDWvMASW, LIVE NOW on Disney+ Hotstar! pic.twitter.com/DaEdFnus07 — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 21, 2025 India barley batted an eyelid while chasing down the target in 2.5 overs, reaching 32 for no loss. G Trisha made an unbeaten 27 off 12 balls with five fours. The lowest total in a women's T20I, however, is 6 -- shared by Maldives and Mali. In the men's game, Ivory Coast has held the record since being bowled out for just seven runs in a 264-run defeat by Nigeria in Lagos last year. Now, India are on top of their group with four points, same as Sri Lanka but the former has better Net Run Rate ¿ +9.1 to Lanka's +5.5. But that easy chase was the fruit borne out of Vaishnavi's impeccable spell. There was appreciable turn and bounce on offer in the pitch here, and she used it to the hilt as the home side batters had no answers to her guile. Nur Ain Binti Roslan, Nur Isma Dania and Siti Nazwah were her hat-trick victims, and she achieved the feat in the 14th over, that saw Malaysia further stumbling from 24 for six to 30 for nine. "This was a dream debut to get a hat-trick and five-wicket haul. My journey has had its ups and downs. "I look up to Radha Yadav (India senior left-arm spinner) and Ravindra Jadeja. I had visualised how to get wickets here last night," said Vaishnavi after the match. Earlier, she had the wickets of Malaysia skipper Nur Syuhada and Nuriman as none of the home side batters were able to reach double digits. In fact, India had bowled 10 wides and Malaysia's scoreboard would have been even more anaemic if those runs were not there. (With agency inputs)
21 January,2025 03:42 PM IST | Kuala Lumpur | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the first T20I match against England, Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav recollected the memories of when he used to play at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata during the Indian Premier League (IPL). The five-match T20I series against England will begin on Wednesday at the iconic Eden Gardens. The second and third matches will be held on January 25 and 28 in Chennai and Rajkot, respectively. The fourth game of the series will be played on January 31 in Pune. Mumbai will host the final match of the T20I series on February 2. "It's a vintage-type feeling. It feels good when you come here. It feels good to think about it. When I sit in the room and think that when I used to play matches here in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, it was also a beautiful memory," Suryakumar Yadav said in a video posted by BCCI on X. Also Read: IND vs ENG T20Is: Important factors to watch out for in the series! Suryakumar Yadav played for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) from Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2014, the year in which the franchise wanted to lift the title. He represented KKR for four years during which he was able to garner 608 runs from 54 matches. Further, Suryakumar Yadav stated that when he used to play for KKR, he never thought of captaining Team India to the same venue. "I remember in 2014 when I came to KKR for the first time. Since then, till today, after 10-11 years, I never thought that I would ever lead India. But today, standing on this ground, thinking that I'm going to lead because this is also a historic stadium. It's fun to think about it and has been a beautiful journey," the right-hand batter added. Youngsters Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel have retained their places in the 20-over squad. Seamer Harshit Rana who was in the T20I squad against South Africa but couldn't make it into the playing eleven has also been named in the 15-member lineup for the upcoming series. People will also keep tabs on Mohammed Shami as the veteran will feature in the international circuit after 2023. Last year, Shami returned to domestic cricket with Bengal after undergoing ankle surgery that kept him sidelined for nearly a year. Shami had also been a part of Bengal's squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Shami had made an impressive comeback to competitive cricket, having last featured in the ODI World Cup 2023 final. Following ankle surgery and overcoming a series of setbacks, he returned to action for Bengal in a Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh in November. Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Mohammed Shami will be leading the Indian seam armoury. Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and Washington Sundar will be in charge of the spin attack. India squad for T20I series against England: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk). (With ANI Inputs)
21 January,2025 02:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAustralia great Ian Healy stated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) 10-point guidelines are an admission of reducing discipline in Team India and he also urged other nations to stay careful to avoid similar situations. Following Team India's Test series loss against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the BCCI has released new guidelines which will apply to all players. It also includes the rule of staying for the entire duration of scheduled practice sessions and travel together to and from the venue. The policy also placed restrictions on the time the players would get with their families while on tour. "The reshaping of Indian cricket. A strict, strong response from Indian cricket authorities basically admitting they have let discipline of their national team slip badly," Healy told SEN Radio on Tuesday. Also Read: IND vs ENG T20Is: Jasprit Bumrah among the active players with most wickets "It made for extraordinary reading that the following issues could go unapproved for so long. "Maybe administrators and players have disrespected the dream of representing a powerhouse of the sport. Australia - plus other countries - be aware as to how far things can get off the rails without noticing the effects. Stay vigilant. Take all that into the contest," he added. The restrictions were imposed after a few players travelled separately alongside their families during the Australian tour. In the past, some of the senior cricketers have also travelled to and fro from stadiums in personal vehicles, which BCCI's operation team would arrange with the help of state units. There has been criticism about one of the main support staff's personal manager being allowed access to the team hotel as well as in the hospitality box, earmarked for the national selectors. The BCCI has now barred personal managers or assistants of players and support staff members from staying in the team hotel. (With PTI Inputs)
21 January,2025 12:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the Champions Trophy 2025, former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal named Hardik Pandya as the player who completes India's playing XI for the marquee event. Hardik Pandya played a crucial role in India's ODI World Cup 2023 campaign before an injury made him ruled out of the tournament. His explosive skills with the willow and ability to deliver performances with the ball make him a valuable asset for the Blues ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025. "The main player in the Indian team, without him the playing XI is incomplete is Hardik Pandya. He is my favourite, he is remarkable with the bat and the ball. He finishes the game as well," Kamran said on his YouTube channel. Also Read: It all ends in a flourish! Since his debut, Hardik Pandya has featured in 86 ODIs in which he accumulated 1,769 runs including 11 half-centuries. His career-best score in the format is of unbeaten 92 runs. With the ball, he has claimed 84 wickets and his best bowling figures are four wickets for 24 runs. Apart from Kamran, former India cricketer Suresh Raina recently stated that the star all-rounder will be extremely important for India during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. "The most important role will be Hardik Pandya's--when he bowls and whether he bowls in tandem with Kuldeep Yadav," Raina said on Star Sports Press Room. For the Champions Trophy 2025, Rohit Sharma will be captaining the Indian pack and Shubman Gill is appointed as his deputy. Champions Trophy 2025 will run from February 19 till March 9. It will be hosted by Pakistan and UAE, with India playing its matches in UAE under a hybrid model. The eight-team tournament will feature 15 50-over matches and will be played across Pakistan and in Dubai. India squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja. (With ANI Inputs)
21 January,2025 09:38 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAfter the recent updates to BCCI’s guidelines which barred personal managers or assistants of the players and support staff members from staying in the team hotel, India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s manager Gaurav Arora, who was with him in Australia, is staying in a separate hotel here. India take on England in the first of a five-match T20I series at the Eden Gardens tomorrow. Also Read: ‘Matches like these give me confidence’ ITC has two hotels on the Eastern Bypass road. Gambhir’s manager is staying at the hotel hosting the England team, ITC Sonar, while Gambhir along with the Indian team are situated in ITC Royal Bengal. However, both hotels are adjacent to each other and one can move between them from within.
21 January,2025 08:11 AM IST | Kolkata | Debasish DattaThe Apex Council of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) worked assiduously to ensure success of the golden jubilee celebrations of the inaugural Test played at the Wankhede Stadium. The festivities could have been comprehensive had they featured a 10-over match, with legends Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar taking the field. Such a spectacle would have been a truly memorable occasion. During the celebration week, the MCA honoured surviving members of the team which figured in the very first Ranji Trophy game at the Wankhede, presenting each playing member a hefty purse of Rs 10 lakh. Regrettably, owing to a decision to acknowledge only the surviving members, the MCA missed a great opportunity to pay tribute to Eknath Solkar, who had scored a century in the 1974-75 Test match. Also Read: It all ends in a flourish! It would have been a fitting gesture had the MCA extended the honour to the family of the late Ashok Mankad, captain of the 1974-75 Mumbai Ranji Trophy-winning team. I hope MCA president Ajinkya Naik is contemplating a suitable tribute to the late Solkar. The festivities also witnessed the felicitation of former Mumbai captains, managing committee members from the year 1974, and the acknowledgment of yeoman services rendered by the groundsmen of the Mumbai maidans. Mangesh Bhalekar, a maidan cricket personality, was to be presented a purse of Rs 10 lakh, awarded by the MCA. But I hear he declined the reward, requesting for the funds to be used in cricket development. My wish list extends to the selection of a Mumbai dream team. Indeed, it would have been a formidable task to select a XI like that from a 50-year span. All said and done, the MCA have done well and there is still an opportunity to right some wrongs. Jagdish Achrekar was Treasurer of the MCA before the last elections in 2022.
21 January,2025 08:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Jagdish AchrekarOldest Test player Patankar delighted Chandrakant Patankar (left) is felicitated by MCA’s Apex Council member Kaushik Godbole The senior-most person in the audience was Mumbai’s oldest Test cricketer — Chandrakant Patankar, who played a solitary Test for India in 1955. The 94-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman thoroughly enjoyed the evening. He told this diarist on Monday morning that Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri were swift to come up to greet him while Sachin Tendulkar paid his respects too. Also Read: Barcelona rely on in-form Lamine Yamal to progress Two Sunday visits for Vinod KambliVinod Kambli made his second appearance at the Wankhede Stadium in a week and that provided an indication of being happy among his cricketing friends and seniors. Kambli, who is not in the best of health, walked in with his family. Kambli was also at Wankhede on January 12 for a felicitation. Why not include domestic players?If the week-long golden jubilee celebrations of the Wankhede Stadium missed something, it would have to be the absence of any event involving past and present domestic cricketers. There was no get-together of sorts for this very important group, who contributed in no small measure to Mumbai being on the top of the tree where Ranji Trophy titles are concerned. Forty-two triumphs is no mean feat, after all. Prabhudesai, Dahatonde combine well for book Devendra Prabhudesai (left) with Prakash Dahatonde The coffee table book on the Wankhede Stadium was released by the MCA’s Apex Council members. The book looked impressive and has articles from some of the greats of the game on their Wankhede experiences. West Indies legend Clive Lloyd, who scored a double century in the inaugural Test in 1974-75 and New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel, who claimed 10 wickets in an innings in the 2021-22 Test, have been interviewed in the book compiled by Prakash Dahatonde and Devendra Prabhudesai. No commentary then, but Shastri does it nowCommentary and Ravi Shastri are inseparable. So when it came to him talking about his six sixes for Bombay against Baroda on January 10, 1985, Shastri chose to describe the last six off Tilak Raj as he would do on air. The narration got a wholesome applause from the stands and from those at ground level. And a video of it could well go viral. Mandira Bedi gets it right with SMG stand Mandira Bedi at Wankhede on Sunday. Pic/Atul Kamble It was a pleasant surprise to see Mandira Bedi hosting a major cricket event again. One could not help recollect her television work during the 2003 World Cup in Southern Africa. Mandira was spot-on when she called a section of the ground named after Sunil Gavaskar as the Sunil Gavaskar Stand, as against Sunil Gavaskar Pavilion, which is not the original East Stand signage at the stadium.
21 January,2025 07:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Clayton MurzelloFormer Test batsman Sanjay Manjrekar reckons cricketers will get loads of money while performing well in white-ball cricket, but if they succeed in Test cricket, they will get “genuine respect.” “There’s no harm in excellence of any kind. If you seek 50-over or T20 excellence, that’s fine. And anyone who has special fondness for Test cricket, remember one thing… you may not make as much money, and won’t have a huge bank balance, but you’ll get genuine respect as a performer from your fellow cricketers and peers. So, if that’s important to you, maybe that is the motivation to play Test cricket [for you],” Manjrekar said during his speech as chief guest at the 77th Police Shield prize distribution function at the Police Gymkhana on Monday. Also Read: "Since his recovery, he has done well in both the SMAT and VHT tournaments": Vice-captain Axar Patel praises this bowler Manjrekar, 59, who scored 2,043 runs in 37 Tests and 1,994 runs in 74 ODIs from 1987 to 1996, feels Test cricket is like a heritage building. “It’s [Test cricket] something that we have to make peace with. Test cricket will be like one of these heritage structures like your [Mumbai Police] offices and the CST Railway station. Now other formats, especially T20 cricket and the IPL, will have to keep a fund aside to keep Test cricket alive like we do for a heritage structure,” Manjrekar remarked. Manjrekar, known as a technically perfect batsman during his playing days, felt performances in the longer format always provide motivation to excel further. “There is also some motivation to do that because if you remember the [recent] India-Australia series [Down Under], if you ask anyone here, even the younger players, they will know exactly what happened in that series. So, [there’s] something about Test cricket… maybe people don’t watch every ball, but they remember what happened in a Test match. The results, performances resonate much longer than you would think in a T20 game, where you see great performances, but like the format, the effects of that performance are also [remembered] for a very short time.” PJ Hindu Gymkhana beat Victory CC by four runs in a thrilling final on Monday to clinch their 12th Police Shield title.
21 January,2025 07:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureThe disappointment from failed Tests is yet to ebb away from the country’s cricket eco-system, but there is no missing the air of confidence as Team India embark upon its first assignment of the new year. There are more reasons than one for Suryakumar Yadav & Co to bolster belief, none more clinching than recent records. Unlike the beleaguered Test squad, India’s T20 group is flush from emphatic series victories in Sri Lanka (3-0) and South Africa (3-1). Axar Patel, the new vice-captain, was at the Eden Gardens on Monday to remind that “we have a settled T20 side and there isn’t much pressure” even as he spoke of his new responsibilities as part of the leadership group. “It’s just been a day but, yes, we [Suryakumar, head coach Gautam Gambhir and Axar] have had a discussion, on minor decisions like which areas of the game we have to work on,” said birthday boy Axar. "Since his recovery, he has done well in both the SMAT and VHT tournaments": Vice-captain Axar Patel praises this bowler Also Read: Virat Kohli set to play his first Ranji Trophy game since 2012 Looking to carry momentum When India, defending champions of the T20 World Cup, take on England here in the first of five T20Is on Wednesday, it’ll be about keeping the good work going. “The aim is to do well in all matches before the World Cup that comes up in a year’s time. It’s about our approach, about how we play. It’s about getting a good start here and carrying forward that momentum from South Africa.” About his role as a ‘floater’ in the batting order, Axar was quick to remind “it’s not just about me”. “From the beginning of 2024, we decided to have fixed opening slots, but everyone from No. 3 to No. 7 have been told to be flexible and ready to bat anywhere.” Shami’s impact With Jasprit Bumrah missing, the return of Mohammed Shami is being seen as crucial, but the team have decided to tread carefully as the pacer eases back from a year-long injury layoff. Shami, who had bowled off a shortened run-up on Sunday, left the field on Monday after some batting. “Since his recovery, he has done well in both the Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare tournaments. His presence, particularly with the new ball, is a huge plus for the team,” Axar pointed out. England’s head coach Brendon McCullum batted for Gambhir, whose role has come under scrutiny after India’s Test debacles. The Kiwi described Gambhir as “a strong leader of men” whose approach is “unique” and not structured like most coaches.
21 January,2025 07:22 AM IST | Kolkata | Arup ChatterjeeSanju Samson will miss Kerala's sixth round Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh, beginning here on January 23, as he has been included in India squad for the five-match T20I series against England. India will face England from January 22 at Kolkata and the rubber will culminate on February 2 at Mumbai. Unless Samson does not get released from India squad, the wicketkeeper batter will also miss the final Group C match against Bihar, starting on January 30. However, the 30-year-old has a chance to play for Kerala in the knockout phase as the state team is currently placed second in the group with 18 points behind leaders Haryana (20 points). Samson was also not selected to play for Kerala in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy after he skipped a three-day camp preceding the tournament. It also played a part in Samson not getting considered to India's ODI squad against England and for the Champions Trophy, despite making a hundred against South Africa at Paarl late last year. Sachin Baby will lead Kerala, while middle-order batter Vishnu Vinod, who was dropped after the second match, has been included in the 15-member squad. Kerala squad: Sachin Baby (captain), Rohan S Kunnummal, Baba Aparajith, Vishnu Vinod, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Akshay Chandran, Shoun Roger, Jalaj Saxena, Salman Nizar, Aditya Sarwate, Basil Thampi, MD Nidheesh, NP Basil, NM Sharafuddeen, EM Sreehari. (With agency inputs)
20 January,2025 10:34 PM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | mid-day online correspondentIndian superstar Virat Kohli is set to play his first Ranji Trophy game since 2012 after making himself available for Delhi's tie against Railways scheduled from January 30. Kohli could not make it for Delhi's upcoming away clash against Saurashtra, beginning on January 23, due to a neck sprain but he has communicated to DDCA that he is available for the team's last league match of the Ranji Trophy. "Virat has conveyed to DDCA president (Rohan Jaitley) and team management that he is available for the game against Railways," Delhi head coach Sarandeep Singh told PTI. His last appearance in the Ranji Trophy was back in November 2012 against Uttar Pradesh. Having featured in 155 first-class matches, Kohli has smashed 11,479 runs with an average of 48.23 including 37 centuries and 39 half-centuries. His best score is an unbeaten 254 runs. The BCCI has made playing domestic cricket mandatory for its contracted cricketers unless there is a fitness issue following the series loss in Australia earlier this month. In the policy, BCCI stated that taking part in domestic cricket will remain connected to the cricket ecosystem. The statement added that any exceptions to taking part in domestic cricket will be considered only under extraordinary circumstances. "Participation in Domestic Matches is mandatory for players to remain eligible for selection in the national team and for central contracts, as per BCCI guidelines. This policy ensures that players remain connected to the domestic cricket ecosystem, fostering talent development, maintaining match fitness, and strengthening the overall domestic structure. It also inspires emerging players by providing them opportunities to compete alongside top cricketers, ensuring continuity in talent progression. Any exceptions to this mandate will be considered only under extraordinary circumstances and will require formal notification and approval from the Chairman of the Selection Committee, ensuring fairness and transparency in the process," BCCI said in a statement. Young players Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and experienced Ravindra Jadeja have confirmed their presence and participation in the Ranji Trophy matches.
20 January,2025 10:26 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
