Cricket world

Screenshot of the deleted messages in Pakistan Media Whatsapp Group.  Day before yesterday, a message was leaked from the Pakistan camp which made it clear that they were all set to travel for the T20 World Cup. The message, sources say, was sent by the media manager to all selected Pakistan players, informing them of the World Cup travel plan. However, shortly afterwards, it was deleted. Pakistan clearly did not want the world to know that they had decided to participate — that all the false bravado had come to nothing and that they have no leg to stand on in the issue. And yet, they want to keep the ICC and the cricketing world hanging. In what can be considered the worst form of administrative intrigue, they want to hold the tournament to ransom. Clearly, the media manager would not have deleted the message had he not been instructed to do so, once again exposing the acutely political nature of Pakistan’s stand. Mohsin Naqvi was on record suggesting that Pakistan would ann...

Suryakumar_Yadav (PC: Surya Kumar Yadav/X) India’s wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan shared his thoughts on his prolific innings, which was instrumental in India’s 46-run victory in the final T20I of the five-match series against New Zealand. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony after being adjudged Player of the Match, Kishan said: “I felt the ball was doing a bit early on, but batting alongside Abhishek Sharma really helps. You see his intent, you understand the momentum the team needs, and then you just try to watch the ball and play accordingly. That approach worked well for me today. I still feel I’m not there yet. Yes, I’ve done well and I’m getting these awards, but my focus is firmly on the World Cup. That’s where the extra effort is needed. What’s important is carrying this form forward and continuing to contribute there.” Kishan came to the crease after India lost Sanju Samson early in the innings. The wicketkeeper-batter stitched together a 137-run partnershi...

Shivam Dube (BCCI) Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has praised Shivam Dube for showing fearless intent against New Zealand in the ongoing series. During the fourth T20I at Visakhapatnam on January 28, India were chasing a big target of 216. Dube added 65 runs off 23 balls in a pressure situation after India lost early wickets. Although his knock couldn’t save India, his efforts earned him praise from many experts. Speaking after the match to Star Sports, Gavaskar highlighted Dube’s mindset and said, “I thought he grabbed the opportunity really well. As you said, when you bat at six or seven, you’re probably only getting three or four overs with a strong India batting line-up. But this time, India lost early wickets and he had to come in sooner. He showed intent from the very first ball – that first-ball six was one of the longest you’ll see, right into the second tier.” Dube reached his half-century in just 15 balls in the fourth T20I, making him the third-fastest Indian to ac...

  Mohsin Naqvi(left), Pakistan cricketers(right) Images: X Pakistan, sources suggest, are all set to fly to Sri Lanka on February 2 on an Air Lanka flight. The Australian team is also expected to be on the same flight. And yet, there is no formal announcement from Pakistan confirming participation in the World Cup. The intrigue continues, with no end to the posturing. This is where things go wrong for a sports body like the PCB. Its chairman has to separate his political self from his role as a cricket administrator; failing which, this is the inevitable outcome. Pakistan has no support within the echelons of the ICC, and all its posturing is out in the open. Pakistan is caught between the devil and the deep sea. They need to humour Bangladesh and keep their support base intact in Dhaka. Having egged Bangladesh on, this becomes a requirement. The only way to do so is to try to harm the tournament and continue to show solidarity. On the other hand, they stand to alienate the IC...

Georgia_Wareham (PC: BCCI_WPL) Gujarat Giants (GG) skipper Ashleigh Gardner praised Georgia Wareham for her all-round performance that was instrumental in GG’s 11-run win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 19th match of WPL 2026. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Gardner said: “We know the world-class player Georgia is. We’ve seen it in the Big Bash back home, where she led from the front for the Renegades with both bat and ball. I’ve played a lot of cricket with her for Australia, so we know her capabilities. It’s about giving her the best opportunity to play the role we want her to play — coming in through the middle, taking the game away from the bowlers. And she’s one of the best leg-spinners in the world, so giving her the freedom to attack and take wickets in that middle phase was key. She did that brilliantly today.” GG won the toss and elected to bat. Gardner and Wareham stitched a partnership of 71 runs off 43 balls to take GG to 167/4 in their 20 overs. Gard...

GG edge past MI to qualify for the Eliminator. (PC: BCCI) Another night, another last-over finish and this time it was the Gujarat Giants who held their composure to edge Mumbai Indians in a gripping Women’s Premier League clash in Vadodara. The victory takes the Giants to 10 points and officially seals their berth in the Eliminator, a major step forward in their campaign. After choosing to bat, GG posted 167/4, a total that felt competitive on a surface that continued to reward slow bowlers. Their innings was built on recovery, composure in the middle overs and a late surge when it mattered. Early blow, steady rebuild Beth Mooney’s difficult run against Shabnim Ismail continued, with the fast bowler once again getting the better of the Australian early. With their premier batter back in the dugout, GG needed stability, and Sophie Devine along with Anushka Sharma provided just that. GG raced to 48/1 in the power play but then hit a quieter phase, managing only 58 runs between ov...

GG vs MI_WPL 2026 (PC: WPL_BCCI) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have secured their place directly in the final of the WPL 2026. However, the two teams that will contest the eliminator are yet to be confirmed. To gain more clarity on that front, a massive clash awaits as Gujarat Giants (GG) take on Mumbai Indians (MI) on January 30 in Vadodara. A win for GG will guarantee a place in the eliminator, while a win for MI will almost qualify them due to their superior net run rate (NRR) compared to others. However, a loss for either team will complicate the qualification scenario. In that case, the result of the remaining Delhi Capitals (DC) vs UP Warriorz (UPW) clash will become crucial, with NRR playing a decisive role. MI come into this match after a 15-run win over RCB, while GG are riding on momentum after winning their last two games on the trot. In the reverse fixture in Navi Mumbai earlier this season, the defending champions, MI, defeated GG by seven wickets. Standings Guj...

Pakistan Team. (PC: PCB) The T20 World Cup is exactly a week away, and we still do not officially know if Pakistan will be playing. This is what can only be described as irresponsible behaviour. Pakistan are welcome to withdraw if they choose to, and if they wish to continue with their posturing, they are more than entitled to do so. However, as a member of the ICC Board, they cannot hold the tournament to ransom. They ought to communicate clearly, as responsible members are expected to do. Keeping people guessing is neither good governance nor best practice. Sources tell me Pakistan will play. From what I have been told, they will at best wear black armbands during their match against India as a mark of solidarity with Bangladesh. In sum, they will play the India match under protest. A second school of thought suggests Pakistan might still consider boycotting the India game. They would play the World Cup but boycott the India match. While this seems increasingly unlikely, with Pak...

Smriti Mandhana (Image: WPL) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Smriti Mandhana praised her bowlers after registering a comprehensive eight-wicket win against UP Warriorz (UPW) in the 18th match of the WPL 2026. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Mandhana said: “It was brilliant. They started really well with the bat, almost 60–70 without loss, and from there the bowlers made a strong comeback. A special mention to Grace, who came in to bowl for the first time in the tournament and picked up two crucial wickets. Nadine bowled really well again, and honestly, everyone just chipped in and bowled extremely well. When the team bowls like that, it’s a very pleasing sight to watch. Over the last two games, we’ve told ourselves not to think emotionally or dig a hole for ourselves. We’ve played really good cricket in the first five matches.” UPW were playing very well until their first wicket fell at 74. However, apart from their openers, none of the other batters c...

RCB outclassed UPW in Vadodara. (PC: BCCI) RCB sealed their final berth at last. At the end of the Navi Mumbai leg, they were not only the only team to remain unbeaten, but also the only team to have already qualified for the knockouts. However, when it came to confirming their spot in the final, they stumbled twice. In their last game today against UPW, they were finally back to their best. UPW, batting first, managed 143/8 in 20 overs, and RCB finished the game with ease, with 41 balls remaining. UPW tried yet another new opening pair in Deepti Sharma and Meg Lanning. Deepti, back up the order after years, held her end of the bargain and, alongside Lanning, gave UPW a good start. While Lauren Bell kept the scoring rate in check in the first few overs, Deepti found a release over in Shreyanka Patil’s first, and then both Lanning and Deepti hit a flurry of boundaries. The duo quickly took UPW to 74 in 8 overs. Nadine de Klerk removed the UPW captain with the first ball of her spell...

Sanju_Samson (PC: BCCI/X) Does Sanju Samson have talent? Yes. Does he merit a place in the side? Yes. Was it a tad unfair on him when India brought Shubman Gill back at the top while Samson was doing well as an opener? Yes. But now that he isn’t performing, is it fair to include Ishan Kishan, who is in stellar form, in the T20 World Cup side? Also yes. Will that be unfair on Samson? The jury is out. The Samson case is a very difficult one to deal with. You want him to get a few more opportunities and re-establish himself as India’s go-to opener. And yet, there simply isn’t the luxury of time, with the World Cup round the corner and Ishan breathing down his neck. Samson hasn’t scored heavily, and the pressure must be mounting. Ishan, on the other hand, has seized his chances, adding further complexity to the situation. Samson’s inconsistency — in many ways the story of his career — could come back to haunt him as T20 World Cup preparations hit the home stretch. The truth is that I...

Jones unlikely to play the T20 World Cup. (PC: ICC) In a major blow to the USA team ahead of the T20 World Cup, star batter Aaron Jones has been provisionally suspended from all forms of cricket with immediate effect. The 31-year-old cricketer has been charged with five counts of breaching the anti-corruption codes of the ICC and Cricket West Indies (CWI). According to the ICC, three of the charges against Jones relate predominantly to his participation in the 2023–24 Bim10 tournament in Barbados, which falls under the jurisdiction of CWI. The remaining two charges concern international matches, bringing the total to five. Jones has been given 14 days to respond to the charges. “These charges are part of a wider investigation, which is likely to result in further charges being issued against other participants in due course,” the ICC said in a release. “Jones has been provisionally suspended from all cricket with immediate effect and has 14 days from 28 January 2026 to respond to...

Suryakumar_Yadav (PC:X) India captain Suryakumar Yadav feels that if one or two batters had supported Shivam Dube, they might have avoided the 50-run defeat against New Zealand in Visakhapatnam in the fourth T20I of the five-match series. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Suryakumar said: “At the end of the day, it was a good learning experience. With the heavy dew, I think one or two partnerships here and there, like the way Dube batted, would have made a lot of difference if he had a partner with him. We lost by 50 runs, but it’s okay. As I said, one or two partnerships like this in a run chase might make a difference.” India won the toss and opted to bowl. A niggle forced Ishan Kishan to sit out. Opener Tim Seifert scored a brilliant 36-ball 62, while Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell contributed 44 and an unbeaten 39 respectively, as New Zealand set a target of 216 for India. Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets each. In reply, except for Dube (65 ...

Team NZ (Image: BCCI) On the back of a fine all-round show, New Zealand posted a consolation victory over India in the fourth of the five-match T20I series in Vizag. The hosts managed to accumulate 165 in a chase of 216, losing the penultimate clash of the series by 50 runs. Although it was a dead-rubber game, enough attention was zoomed in on Sanju Samson’s form. The wicket-keeper-bat was averaging just over 11 in his last 9 games before the Vizag encounter. Samson did get a start in the fourth game but couldn’t convert it into a score of substance, falling for 24 off 15 deliveries. The wily Mitchell Santner dismissed him with a flatter delivery that spun just enough to rattle the timber. In this innings, he even got through the opening overs of Matt Henry, who in turn had troubled Samson in the previous games with wobble seam. But fate had something else in store him as pressure mounts on the Indian opener.  On a brighter note for the home team, Shivam Dube (23-ball 65) put...

New Zealand have already lost the series. (PC: BCCI) James Neesham and Lockie Ferguson have joined the New Zealand squad for the final two T20Is of the five-match series. Both players joined the team in Vizag ahead of the fourth T20I. With Neesham and Ferguson joining the squad, Tim Robinson and Kristian Clarke have been released and will fly back home. Both Robinson and Clarke played the series opener in Nagpur, after which they were replaced by Matt Henry and Tim Seifert in New Zealand’s playing XI for the second T20I, which was played in Raipur. They also did not feature in the third T20I. In addition, Finn Allen, another World Cup-bound player, will join the squad prior to the start of the fifth T20I in Trivandrum. “Kristian Clarke and Tim Robinson have been released from the BLACKCAPS T20 squad in India, with James Neesham, Lockie Ferguson and Tim Seifert now in camp. Finn Allen will be the final squad member to join the side on Thursday in Trivandrum,” New Zealand Cricket ...

Natalie Sciver-Brunt. Image: WPL A valiant effort from Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Richa Ghosh went in vain as Mumbai Indians bounced back after three consecutive losses, with Nat Sciver-Brunt becoming the first player to score a century in WPL history. RCB won the toss and put MI in to bat. MI scored 199/4 in their 20 overs and RCB faltered, managing to reach 184/9 in their 20 overs, in what was their second consecutive loss in this WPL after five straight wins. MI, for the first time this WPL, fielded their core overseas players, Hayley Mathews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr and Shabnim Ismail. And it was vintage MI batting. While the opening combination of Sajana Sajeevan and Hayley Mathews failed again, Mathews and Sciver-Brunt got together and blew the RCB bowlers away. Mathews looked in sublime touch, scoring 56 runs off just 39 balls, hitting nine boundaries. Historically, MI have been successful almost every time Sciver-Brunt’s bat has spoken, and today it made historic ...

Sanju Samson in Guwahati. Image: Debasis Sen With a logjam of players waiting for a place in the squad, and then the XI, India’s high-flying T20 side doesn’t give you the luxury of taking your place for granted, as Shubman Gill found out when the World Cup squad was announced. Sanju Samson is the latest in the firing line, after a third consecutive failure in the ongoing series against New Zealand. Has he gone off the boil at just the wrong time, and what will the think tank do? Is it conceivable that he could miss out on playing in front of his home crowd in Thiruvananthapuram later this month? Around 11 years ago, Samson made his T20I debut in Zimbabwe. Since then, the wicketkeeper-batter has featured in 55 T20Is, averaging just over 24. On the positive side, his strike-rate stands at a creditable 147.60. On paper, however, these are not exactly the numbers of a top-tier T20I batter. There are two ways to look at these figures. One is that he has been in and out of the side over...

  Mohsin Naqvi is a politician first and a sports administrator later. We saw this clearly during the Asia Cup in Dubai. It therefore came as no surprise when Mr Naqvi told the press in Lahore that Pakistan had not yet decided whether they would participate in the T20 World Cup, and that the final call would be taken by the Prime Minister. He also referred to the India–Pakistan skirmish in May 2025 and then ended the briefing, leaving behind a cloud of intrigue. The truth is that Mr Naqvi said nothing of substance. Yet he managed to placate Bangladesh. Like a seasoned politician, he played his cards. So what if the game is harmed? So what if Bangladesh lose out after being misled? So what if Pakistan ultimately doe not withdraw? He always has the fallback: “I never said we would — it was always a government decision.” In reality, Pakistan have no grounds to withdraw. What exactly has happened that would justify pulling out? Pakistan wanted their matches to be played in Sri Lank...

Bumrah_celebrating_after_taking_a_wicket (PC: BCCI/X) Team India pacer, Jasprit Bumrah said that he wants to be flexible and bowl wherever the team needs him, be it with the new ball or at the death. Bumrah was adjudged the Player of the Match for his three-wicket spell for 17 runs at an economy rate of 4.25 against New Zealand in the third T20I of the five-match series in Guwahati.   At the post-match presentation ceremony, Bumrah said: “Yeah, I was keeping an eye when Harshit and Hardik bowled, what is the best option over here. Obviously when I came, the ball had become a little scuffed up. So the ball usually, the white ball doesn’t swing for long. So what was my best option, how I wanted to try. So I tried to do that. I’m happy as far as I’m able to contribute. So if the team wants me to bowl with the new ball I’m more than happy, if they want me to bowl in the end, I’m happy to do that. I did that in Asia Cup as well. That was a new role for me. I’ve never done that...

Mhatre blasted a quickfire fifty against NZ U-19. (PC: ICC) India U19 captain Ayush Mhatre explained how he countered New Zealand U19’s short-ball ploy to rediscover his form, smashing a quickfire fifty in the team’s seven-wicket win at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Mhatre had registered two low scores in the first two games of the tournament against the USA and Bangladesh. In both matches, he was dismissed by the short ball. In the first game, he got out while attempting a hook shot, and in the next, the right-handed batter failed to keep the ball down against a rising delivery. Batting first, New Zealand could only manage to post 135 in a match that was reduced to 37 overs. A small target gave the Indian batters the license to go after the bowling. “Basically, I just wanted to see the ball and play,” Mhatre said after the match. “The ball was coming on to the bat really well, so it was a simple plan. (On New Zealand’s plans) Yeah, they came in with the plan to bowl bounce...

Jemimah_and_Wolvaardt (PC:WPL/X) Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Jemimah Rodrigues expressed her delight at her team’s efforts in their seven-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 15th match of WPL 2026. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Rodrigues said: “A hundred percent of the credit goes to the team. I think one thing the team has consistently done is keep believing and keep executing what we planned. That makes my job easier as a captain. Today was really crucial for us, given the form RCB are in. But I think we just stuck to our plans. Sometimes, to win something, you have to lose, and today was one of those days. But it also speaks volumes about the character of the girls. I strongly believe a champion team is one that knows how to pick itself up after a fall, and that’s exactly what this team has done. I’m extremely, extremely proud of this team. We can enjoy the win today, but when we come back, it’s back to business: keep things simple, ...

Bangladesh and Asif Nazrul (PC: BCB) It’s now done and dusted. Scotland will replace Bangladesh at the upcoming T20 World Cup starting on February 7. The Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) last-ditch attempt to send the matter before the ICC’s Disputes Resolution Committee (DRC) was never going to be successful, for it was beyond the Committee’s remit. The DRC is there to arbitrate on contract violations between parties and in this case, there was no contract violation. Also, decisions taken by the ICC Board are binding on every committee and the BCB’s plea of moving Bangladesh’s matches out of India was dismissed by the Board, by a 14-2 margin when the motion was put to a vote. In fact, the BCB is breaching the participation agreement by refusing to turn up for the World Cup. RevSportz already reported how the BCB has been staring at a financial apocalypse, an upfront revenue loss to the tune of $32.7 million by refusing to travel to India for the ICC event. In fact, the consequenc...

Suryakumar Yadav (PC: BCCI) India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav played a match-winning knock against New Zealand in the second T20I on friday,  January 23. His undefeated 82 runs off 37 balls runs knock helped India to secure a seven wicket victory in Raipur. Praising Ishan Kisan’s knock during the post match presentation Suryakumar said, “I don’t know what Ishan had in the afternoon for lunch, but I have never seen someone batting that way at 6 for 2 and ending the powerplay on 60-odd.” “But that’s what we want for our batters to be able to express themselves. I was angry he wasn’t giving me strike in the powerplay but I was able to get a hold of the conditions. I’ve been batting well in the nets, had a good break, and had a good practice session before the game too”, he added. India faced two early setbacks and were struggling at 6/2 when Ishan came to bat at number 3. He scored 76 runs off 32 balls which included 11 boundaries and four maximums at a strike rate of 237.5...

Surya Kumar Yadav. Image: BCCI India went 2-0 up in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. After the ODI series defeat against the same opponent and ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup, India will welcome the new-found and explosive form displayed by the batters in Raipur. Chasing 208, it was not a day for the usual Abhishek Sharma fireworks. The two openers fell in the first two overs. Ishan Kishan, who got a rare entry into the playing XI in the absence of Tilak Varma, scored an impressive 76 (32 balls), consisting of four sixes and 11 fours. Ishan and Suryakumar Yadav stitched a 122-run (49 balls) partnership, throwing the Kiwi bowlers off the track. After Kishan top-edged a delivery from Matt Henry, it was the skipper alongside Shivam Dube who continued the exploits. SKY and Dube shared an explosive 81 (37 balls) partnership. The two made sure India cruised past the finish line. The captain scored 82* (37 balls), an innings that included four sixes and nine fours. Dube rem...

Shamar Springer (PC: X) All-rounder Shamar Springer produced a match-winning performance including a hat-trick, which helped West Indies avoid a clean sweep against Afghanistan, in the third T20I in Dubai on January 22. Although Afghanistan sealed the series 2-1, Springer helped West Indies defend their total of 152 to secure a 15-run victory. Batting first, West Indies posted 151/7 in their 20 overs. Captain Brandon King added 47 runs at the top of the order. Johnson Charles (17) and Shimron Hetmyer (13) tried but could not add much to the total. Matthew Forde played a valuable role and added 27 runs, while Springer also chipped in with unbeaten 16 runs to lift the total to a competitive score. For Afghanistan, Ziaur Rahman, captain Rashid Khan and Abdollah Ahmadzai picked up two wickets each, while Shahidullah also claimed one wicket. In reply, Afghanistan looked in control as Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashed 71 runs, with Ibrahim Zadran contributing 28. However, once Zadran lost his...