Cricket
ICC To Open CT Ticket Sales Despite Pakistan s Struggle To Meet Deadlines The ICC said on Monday that the ticket sales for the Pakistan leg of next month s Champions Trophy will begin from Tuesday despite the stadium renovation work in the host nation is yet to be completed. The venues at Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi are still getting readied as a January 30 deadline looms for the handover of the stadiums to the ICC. This edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to be held across Pakistan and Dubai from February 19. India will be playing their games in Dubai and the ticket information regarding those matches will be made available in the coming days.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had rubbished speculations that the showpiece will be moved out of the country due to delayed construction work at the three venues — Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Lahore s Gaddafi Stadium and Karachi s National Bank Stadium.
The PCB asserted that the presence of ICC delegation, including broadcast, hospitality and event operations officials in the country, was an affirmation that the event is on schedule in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the ICC has fixed the minimum price for the standard ticket for the Champions Trophy at PKR 1000 (approximately Rs 310) and the premium seating tickets will start from PKR 1500 (approximately Rs 465).
The tickets for the Final — scheduled for March 9 — will be available for purchase following the conclusion of the first semi-final in Dubai.
“We are thrilled to announce the official ticket on-sale for the ICC Men s Champions Trophy 2025. This is a significant moment for cricket in Pakistan, hosting their first global cricket tournament since 1996,” ICC Chief Commercial Officer Anurag Dahiya said in a release.
Fans will have to register first in the ICC s official website to buy tickets.
Recovery Takes A Team : Kuldeep Yadav Grateful For His Injury Recovery India spinner Kuldeep Yadav expressed gratitude to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) team for his recovery after groin surgery. Kuldeep took to social media to post an emotional message ahead of his return to competitive cricket. Recovery takes a team. Grateful to the NCA and its team for all the work behind the scenes, he wrote on X. The left-arm spinner has been named in India s squad for the three-match ODI series against England and next month s ICC Champions Trophy. He last played for India in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru.
Kuldeep recently posted a video of his bowling in the nets at the BCCI s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, promising his much-awaited return to the white-ball format. The 30-year-old is gearing up to lead the spin attack in the upcoming ODIs against England and the eight-team marquee tournament. He will be supported by all-rounders Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Kuldeep, a left-arm unorthodox spinner who plays for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket and Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, played a huge role in India s T20 World Cup-winning campaign and also their runners-up finish in the home ODI World Cup in 2023.
In 103 ODIs for the Men in Blue, Kuldeep Yadav has claimed 168 wickets with two five-fers. His best bowling effort in ODIs is 6-25. He has been part of the Indian team that won the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean and also of the squads that won the ACC Asia Cup in 2018 and 2023.
With India set to play their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai, he will be crucial in India s hopes of winning the trophy again after 2013. India are set to play three ODIs against England in Nagpur, Cuttack, and Ahmedabad on February 6, 9 and 12, respectively.
In the Champions Trophy, India will begin their Group A campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 before taking on arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23.
Legends Have Their Slumps But... : England Star On Rohit, Kohli s Test Form England batter James Vince has backed Indian stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to rediscover their best form despite their recent struggles in Test cricket. Vince, speaking about the duo s current lean patch, emphasised their quality and resilience. After the debacle in Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India s next red-ball assignment will be the England tour for a five-match Test series from June 20 to August 4. The first Test is scheduled to be held at Headingley, Leeds from June 20-24, followed by Test matches at Edgbaston, Birmingham (July 2-6), Lord s (July 10-14), Old Trafford, Manchester (July 23-27) and The Oval (July 31-August 4).
It s hard to predict. English conditions can be bowler-friendly, but they can also favour batters on certain days. The quality of players like Virat and Rohit is undeniable. If they still have the hunger and desire to play Test cricket, history suggests they ll find a way to perform, James told IANS on Monday.
We re not used to seeing players of that calibre go through extended bad runs, but it shows that they re human. I m sure they ll come back strong if they re motivated to succeed, he added.
Both players have faced criticism for their performances Down Under, a series that saw India struggle against Australia.
Rohit, India s Test and ODI captain, endured a torrid BGT series, managing only 31 runs in five innings. His struggles with the bat were compounded by questions over his captaincy, culminating in his omission from the final Test in Sydney.
In a bid to regain his touch, Rohit turned out for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir. However, his scores of 3 and 28 did little to inspire confidence. It marked his first Ranji Trophy appearance since 2015, highlighting his limited red-ball exposure outside the international stage.
Despite the criticism, Rohit remains a key figure in India s setup, and the upcoming three-match ODI series against England, starting February 6, will provide him with a chance to bounce back.
Virat Kohli, too, faced a tough time in the BGT. Across five Tests, Kohli scored 190 runs and was dismissed eight times chasing deliveries outside the off-stump. The technical flaw has become a recurring issue, but Kohli s work ethic and determination remain his strengths.
Kohli will return to red-ball cricket in Delhi s upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium from January 30. This will be his first Ranji Trophy appearance since 2012, and fans hope it will serve as a platform for the former Indian captain to rediscover his rhythm.
While their Test form is under the microscope, both players have the opportunity to regain momentum in the white-ball format. With the ODI series against England around the corner, Rohit and Kohli will be looking to make an impact.
IPL To Kick Off From March 21 Without Any Big Rule Changes - Full Details The Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Arun Dhumal on Monday confirmed that the 2025 edition of the league will kick off on March 21. A total of 182 players were sold for Rs. 639.15 crores during the mega auction, held over two days in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in November last year. Dhumal also confirmed that the final schedule will be announced in the next few days, in consultation with all the stakeholders. See, the IPL season will start in March. The time is set for March 21. And the schedule will be released in a few days, Dhumal told reporters at the third edition of the Sansad Khel Mahakumbh. He also added that there have been no major changes in the IPL rules, but he is hopeful that two to three matches will be held at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium.
Definitely, many national matches are being organised here in Bilaspur. Next time too, Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Vijay Hazare trophy, whatever the matches will be played, Bilaspur will definitely get an offer. It is an effort that Dharamshala also gets matches and will definitely get an offer. Hopefully, last time there were two, this time there will be three. No, there is no significant change in the rules. IPL is the most important cricket league in the world, where the players of the world come and play. And this tournament is organized with a very competitive spirit. And definitely, this time it will be even better.
The third edition of the Sansad Khel Mahakumbh has begun, and the cricket competition started on Monday at the Bilaspur cricket stadium.A total of 45 teams from across the district are participating in this competition, which will run until March.
Dhumal expressed that the Sansad Khel Mahakumbh has consistently been successful in promoting talented players from rural areas and providing sports facilities. He highlighted that the emerging talents in national sports and other activities are increasingly coming from rural areas.
If you look at the level of the country, whether you look at cricket or any other sport, whatever talent is coming out today, it is coming from the village. You take cricketers, whatever big names you see, whether you look at Shashwi Jaiswal, look at Rinku Singh, other players, they come from such a background, where there is no such support or background of the family, but they bring their talent to the field of play. Let me also talk about women cricketers.
Renuka Singh Thakur, a girl from our Himachal, was the Women Cricketer of the Year of ICC last year. When such opportunities are organized here, then more and more talents will get the opportunity to show their talent. And I believe that in the coming time, it will be of great benefit to the country and the state, he concluded.
--IANS
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Shami Not Needed : Veteran Pacer s England T20Is Absence Explained The Indian cricketing fraternity rejoiced as Mohammed Shami marked his return to the national team after an absence of over 400 days. However, Shami has only been warming the bench since the start of the series, with Arshdeep Singh being preferred as the sole specialist pacer in the playing XI. Despite the stature that Shami holds, the team management has kept him away from selection, much to the surprise of the Indian cricketing spectrum. However, a report has now explained why Shami hasn t been given a single game yet in the series.
Shami last featured for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup and has since been struggling with injuries. Considering Team India s upcoming commitments, especially the ICC Champions Trophy, the team management is reportedly looking to keep Shami fresh for the 50-over format.
While there s no certainty over Shami s participation in the remaining T20Is against England, he is sure to jump into the playing XI for the ODI assignment that follows the T20 series.
Shami has shed two kgs from what he weighed before his injury. He is bowling at full tilt. He is not needed as much in the T20 matches. But he should be good to go once the ODIs come around, the Times of India quoted a source as saying.
India batter Abhishek Sharma was asked about Shami s absence from the team s playing XI after the first T20I against England in Kolkata. He brushed aside all injury concerns and said that it was purely the team management s call.
I feel it s the decision of the team management and they thought it s a better option keeping in mind of these conditions, Abhishek said at the post-match press conference after the series opener.
With Jasprit Bumrah s Champions Trophy participation not guaranteed, the board s safety-first approach with Shami is understandable, considering the importance the veteran speedster holds in the 50-over format.
I Will Hit It... : Arshdeep s Bold Message To Tilak During 2nd T20I Chase Following his match-winning knock against England in the second T20I, Indian batter Tilak Varma revealed his strategy while batting with tailenders to chase the remaining 40 runs of the 166-run target and lauded spinner Ravi Bishnoi for his brief cameo of nine runs in five balls, which included two fours.
In one of the best knocks in a T20I run chase by an Indian batter in recent memory, Tilak batted well with tailenders to chase 40 runs out of the 166-run target with immense game awareness and tactical intelligence, helping India secure a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. From 126/7, India sailed to a win with Arshdeep Singh (4) and Ravi (9*) each contributing a partnership of 20 runs.
Speaking on Star Sports Cricket Live Show after the game, Tilak said of his strategy during the final few overs, Actually, I was under a lot of pressure.
Arshdeep was saying, I will hit it. I will hit it. I have to give a single. So, I thought, on this wicket, (Jofra) Archer can t get you out. On this wicket, Adil Rashid will because his ball was moving a lot. I knew that Arshdeep would try to hit the spinner. I said, No, bhai , Tilak revealed.
If Arshdeep wanted to play, he should play Archer. He said he would not play Archer, so I said, Okay, I will play. I told him to be ready with his defence. Whether you get a bouncer or not, you just have to stop him. If you see him behind, bend down. So, I do not know what he did. He said, If I get a bouncer, I will hit him from above. He said a lot of things. But whatever happened, I am happy that he got a boundary off Archer.
And the best thing to see was Ravi Bishnoi s batting. He has done a very good job in nets. He and Varun Chakravarthy did a very good job in batting. I had a lot of faith in both of them that they could play. I told them, If you want to hit, you have to hit in the gaps. If you get a single, there is no problem. If you want to bend down on the bouncer, you have to play like Test cricket. So, actually, Ravi Bishnoi played well. If you see, he hit a flick from the front. A lot of credit goes to him too. Those two fours were very important, he added.
Coming to the match, India won the toss and elected to bat first. Barring skipper Jos Buttler (45 in 30 balls, with two fours and three sixes), the England top order once again was struggling against spin. A couple of useful cameos from Brydon Carse (31 in 17 balls, with a four and three sixes) and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith (22 in 12 balls, with a four and two sixes) took England to 165/9 in their 20 overs.
Axar Patel (2/32) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/38) caused England the most trouble.
In the run-chase, India suffered setbacks in the first half, as Abhishek Sharma (12), Sanju Samson (4), skipper Suryakumar Yadav (12), Dhruv Jurel (4) and Hardik Pandya (7) perished one by one. Tilak got assistance from Washington Sundar (26 in 19 balls, with three fours and a six), a 38-run partnership that let India cross the 100-run mark from a poor situation of 78/5. After Sundar and Axar (2) perished in quick succession with 40 runs left, Tilak had partnerships with Arshdeep Singh (4) and Ravi Bishnoi (9*) that helped India secure a win with two wickets and four balls left.
Carse s brilliant spell of 3/29 and a strong spell of 1/14 by spinner Adil Rashid went in vain as India took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Jaiswal Is Very Hungry For Runs : Raina Backs Opener s Inclusion For CT Former India all-rounder Suresh Raina backed left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal s inclusion in the Rohit Sharma-led squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. Raina gave credit to captain Rohit for keeping Jaiswal in the squad despite not playing a single ODI to date. The 23-year-old has shown impressive form in the Tests and T20Is for India last year. He was also named in the ICC Men s Test Team of the Year. “I think that boy is very hungry for runs. I mean, whenever we see his story, I think he has come to that level very eagerly. Hats off to the selectors, especially Rohit Sharma. Without playing ODI, you are taking that boy to the Champions Trophy. You know that he does a lot of hard work, dedication is very good. But he has a different attitude in his eyes, he has a different patience. It seems that this boy has come prepared.
This is the beauty of Indian cricket. If you work hard and you have the passion to represent the country, then there will be some power that will tell you to go and represent the country. Rohit has done this with Yashasvi, Raina told Star Sports.
The former cricketer further talked about senior batter Virat Kohli s mentality heading into the marquee tournament. His mindset is very different. He is, as I said, I think good teammate to have in a dressing room but he is always on the switch. When he practices, he has a different preparation, when he does fielding, whenever the chips are down, he will be the first person to come and say, let s fight, let s do fielding.
I really enjoyed fielding with him because his passion is different because when he is in the mood for fielding and diving, everyone s attitude changes. Virat, he has the talent and he is a little different in North India. When we come from there, we can t bear to lose. We don t know how to lose. We won t leave till we die. That s the kind of attitude he has, he said.
Kohli will play for Delhi in the upcoming Ranji Trophy clash against the Railways at Arun Jaitley Stadium from January 30. It will be his first appearance in the tournament since 2012.
Can t Wait To... : Sara Tendulkar Begins New Journey With... Marking half a decade of serving the less-privileged and the needy in ways that enable them to believe and take the lead, the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation (STF) held a close-knit celebration in Mumbai at The Bombay Club. Tributes and acknowledgements from friends, family, well-wishers, and non-profit partners, paved the event as STF reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring better living with primary focus areas of health, education, and sports for children.
The theme of the evening, Shine Brighter Together shed light on the Foundation s core idea of impacting lives, especially children through sports, health and education.
For Sara Tendulkar, daughter of former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who recently donned the mantle of Director at the Foundation, the evening was her first official engagement. Stepping on the path shown by her parents at such a young age, Sara brings in a fresh perspective of connecting with the youth and helping them take flight with their aspirations.
Reflecting on her family s commitment to bettering lives and the transformative potential of the Foundation s initiatives, Sara said, Growing up, I was always inspired by my family, who shaped my understanding of the power of giving. I had the opportunity to witness the Foundation s work and see the spark of hope that lights up in the lives of not just the children but entire families. Over the last five years, the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation has touched over 100,000 young lives, and that s a hundred thousand reasons to keep going. I am grateful to everyone who believed in us and stood by our side to make this journey possible, as quoted by the press release from STF.
As Director, I cannot wait to build on what my parents started and make sure that every little dream gets noticed and nurtured. I look forward to this journey as we light up a world of possibilities for children who are the future, she added.
A short film introduced the guests to the Foundation s work. The audience was enlightened on the continued dedication of the Tendulkars and STF towards a shared dream of empowering the young dreamers, through strategic partnerships. The work done by the 15+ NGO partners who STF collaborates with was acknowledged and applauded.
Coldplay s Chris Martin was in attendance and engaged in a Tete-a-tete, on stage with Sachin Tendulkar.
Enjoyed Fielding With Virat Because.... : Suresh Raina On Star Indian Batter Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina opened up about playing alongside star batter Virat Kohli, saying that he enjoyed fielding with him because of Virat s unique passion and relentless attitude toward winning. Raina spoke exclusively to Star Sports, where he said that Virat always has his switch on and approaches practice with the mentality of we would not leave until we die. His mindset is very different. He is, as I said, I think a good teammate to have in a dressing room but he is always on the switch. When he practices, he has a different preparation, when he does fielding, whenever the chips are down, he will be the first person to come and say, let us fight, let us do fielding, he explained.
I really enjoyed fielding with him because his passion is different because when he is in the mood for fielding and diving, everyone s attitude changes. Virat, has the talent and he is a little different in North India. When we come from there, we cannot bear to lose. We do not know how to lose. We would not leave till we die. That is the kind of attitude he has, he added.
Meanwhile, Virat is set to train with the Delhi team on Tuesday ahead of what could be his first Ranji Trophy appearance since 2012, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh confirmed that Virat will join the Delhi squad for their Ranji Trophy match against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, beginning on January 30, ESPNcricinfo report confirmed.
Virat s participation in the domestic circuit comes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) adopted a firmer stance on the participation of Indian international stars in domestic cricket.
In the past few days, photos and videos of Virat working with former India and Royal Challengers Bangalore batting coach Sanjay Bangar have surfaced on social media.
The final round of Ranji Trophy matches will conclude on February 2, just four days before India begins their three-match bilateral ODI series against England in Nagpur. Virat has accumulated 11,479 runs in 155 First-Class matches, with an average of 48.23 and a strike rate of 55.96.
Virat has been facing a massive decline in his Test performances that dates back to the start of 2020. In 39 Test matches since the start of 2020, Virat has scored just 2,028 runs at an average of 30.72, with just three centuries and nine fifties to show. His best score is 186.
Virat ended the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle with 751 runs in 14 matches and 25 innings at an average of 32.65, with two centuries and three fifties. His best score was 121.
In 10 Tests last year, he scored just 417 runs at an average of 24.52 with just one century and fifty, to conclude a disappointing year.
Bad News For Kohli Fans Awaiting Star s Ranji Return. BCCI Official Says... Virat Kohli is expected to train with the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad from Tuesday ahead of his first domestic red-ball match since 2012, as the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) prepares to ensure that all arrangements are in place for the maestro s highly-anticipated homecoming. Kohli was on Monday officially named in the Delhi squad, led by Ayush Badoni, for their final group match against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium starting January 30. This will be Kohli s first Ranji match since he played against Uttar Pradesh at Ghaziabad s Mohan Nagar in 2012.
At that time, Kohli was a rising star in Indian cricket, and now, he is a legend in his own right, a former India captain, and the owner of 80 international centuries.
Obviously, it is a great experience for our junior players as they will get to share the dressing room with Virat. If you look at our team, only Navdeep Saini has played alongside Virat in the IPL and for India. In fact, none of the players in the team have played with Virat in the Ranji Trophy. They can learn a lot by watching him, DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma told PTI.
Asked about the arrangements for the game, Sharma said, We know Virat s presence raises the profile of the match. Normally, we have 10 to 12 private security personnel for a regular Ranji match, but we will definitely increase security so that Virat can train without any disturbance.
We have also informed the Delhi Police about the match. While Ranji matches are free for spectators but they usually open one stand but for this match, DDCA will open three stands at the Ambedkar Stadium End.
Gate Nos. 7, 15, and 16 will be open to the public. We will arrange for drinking water, and the toilets will be clean and hygienic. Come and enjoy the match. Of course, there will be security checks before allowing the public to enter, Sharma said.
No live telecast or streaming as of now
While Kohli s presence makes the Delhi versus Railways match the most high-profile domestic game in recent past, there is some bad news for fans as there is currently no provision for broadcasting the marquee clash.
We don t know if BCCI will make any last minute arrangements since Kohli is playing but we haven t been intimated anything about broadcast of this game. Normally all big centres get one live game allotted (TV or streaming). We had a game against Tamil Nadu which was aired live. The roster for broadcast is set months in advance, a DDCA official in the know of things told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
The decision to live telecast Mumbai vs J&K game was taken much earlier and it was coincidental that India captain Rohit Sharma and rising star Yashasvi Jaiswal were part of the game.
In the next round, the main match that will be televised as well as live-streamed is Karnataka versus Haryana at Chinnaswamy. Two more matches will be streamed. One of those is Bengal vs Punjab at Eden Gardens. There is a streaming of a third match but as of now it doesn t involve Delhi, a BCCI official informed.
Even if the BCCI decides to make arrangements for live streaming in the next 48 hours, it will be a logistical challenge, requiring a multi-camera setup and the delegation of a crew.
Squad: Ayush Badoni (captain), Virat Kohli, Pranav Rajvanshi (wk), Sanat Sangwan, Arpit Rana, Mayank Gusain, Shivam Sharma, Sumit Mathur, Vansh Bedi (wk), Money Grewal, Harsh Tyagi, Siddhant Sharma, Navdeep Saini, Yash Dhull, Gagan Vats, Jonty Sidhu, Himmat Singh, Vaibhav Kandpal, Rahul Gehlot, Jitesh Singh.
Mitchell Owen Helps Hobart Hurricanes Win Maiden Big Bash League Title A record-equalling century by Mitchell Owen and a three-wicket haul by skipper Nathan Ellis helped Hobart Hurricanes secure their maiden Big Bash League (BBL) title, beating Sydney Thunder in the final at Hobart by seven wickets on Monday. After two appearances in the final during the 2013-14 and 2017-18 editions, Hobart finally has a title to their names. They have one important name to thank, Mitchell, who slammed a 39-ball century, who slammed the joint-fastest century in the history of the tournament when it mattered the most. He ended as the top run-getter in the season with 452 runs in 11 matches at an average of 45.20, a strike rate of 203.60 and two centuries. His best score is 108.
Hobart won the toss and elected to field first. However, a 97-run partnership between skipper Warner and Jason Sangha meant that they were made to regret their decision. Sydney openers tore into Hurricanes bowling, reaching 58/0 at the end of powerplay in six overs.
Skipper Nathan Ellis delivered the clutch blow to Sydney, removing their skipper Warner (48 in 32 balls, with five fours and a six) after he was caught behind by Wade and Matthew Gilkes for a golden duck, reducing Sydney to 97/2 in 10.3 overs.
Sydney reached the 100-run mark in 11.1 overs.
Sangha raised his bat for fifty in 31 balls, with three fours and a six.
The 37-run partnership between Sangha and Sam Billings ended with the wicketkeeper-batter being removed by Riley Meredith for 20 in 14 balls, with a four and six. Sangha was soon removed by Ellis, who got assistance from Ben McDermott with a fine catch. Sangha was back in the hut for 67 runs in 42 balls, with five fours and two sixes. Sydney was 146/4 in 16 overs.
In the remaining overs, Sydney lost three wickets but reached 182/7 thanks to cameos from Oliver Davies (26 in 19 balls, with a four and six) and Chris Green (16* in nine balls, with two fours). Ellis (3/23) and Meredith (3/27) were top bowlers for Hobart.
During the run-chase, Owen and Caleb Jewell gave their team a fine start. Owen was the primary aggressor, with the team reaching the 5th 0-run mark in just 2.3 overs. The first over by Nathan McAndrew produced 23 runs, while Owen destroyed Wes Agar in the third over with four and three sixes.
Owen blasted McAndrew for a four in the next over, scoring the fastest BBL fifty in just 16 balls, with five fours and five sixes.
At the end of six overs of powerplay, Hobart was 98/0, with Owen (76*) and Jewell (12*) unbeaten.
Spinner Tanveer Sangha (2/43) gave temporary respite to his team, getting Jewell (13) and Nikhil Chaudhary (1) in the eighth over, reducing the hosts to 111/2 in 7.5 overs.
However, Sangha was destroyed by Owen in the 10th over, in which he looted 20 runs with two sixes and a four, reaching his century in just 39 balls, with six fours and 10 sixes. Owen s rampage was stopped by Tom Andrews in the 11th over, being removed for 108 in 42 balls, with six fours and 11 sixes.
But it was too late as McDermott (18* in 12 balls, with two fours) and Matthew Wade (32* in 17 balls, with five fours) took Hobart to a win with seven wickets and six overs to spare.
Owen was given the Player of the Match award for his fine knock.
England s XI For T20I vs India: 2-0 Down But For Must-Win Game No Changes England announced an unchanged playing XI on the eve of the third T20I against India in Rajkot, Gujarat. England continued the trend of announcing their playing XI a day before the T20I. The Three Lions are on the brink of losing the T20I series after suffering defeats in the first two games. For the third T20I, Ben Duckett and Philip Salt will open the innings for England, with captain Jos Buttler coming in at the number three spot. Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith, and Jamie Overton will form a formidable middle order. Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, and Mark Wood will lead the pace attack, with Adil Rashid featuring as the sole specialist spinner. As in the previous T20Is, Livingstone may chip in with his leg-spin for a couple of overs.
With the series on the line, the third T20I will be of great significance for the English side. The Jos Buttler-led team was comprehensively defeated in the series opener but managed to give India a tough fight in Chennai.
In the first T20I at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the English batters were bamboozled by the Indian bowlers. Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh made quick work of the opening pair of Duckett and Salt. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy proved to be a mystery for the opposition batters as India bowled England out for a meager total of 132. In reply, Abhishek Sharma s fireworks against a toothless English attack helped India secure a 7-wicket win.
In the second match, T20I action returned to Chennai after seven years. India needed something special to cross the finish line. A quick cameo of 31(17) from Brydon Carse helped England reach 165/9. In reply, India lost wickets in quick succession, leaving the hosts in a tough spot. However, Tilak Varma shouldered the responsibility of guiding his team across the finish line, executing his plan to perfection with an unbeaten 72(55) to bring India home with a 2-wicket win.
England (Playing XI) for the third T20I: Ben Duckett, Philip Salt(w), Jos Buttler(c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
Why s Fit Shami Not Playing vs Eng? Team Insider Says, Gambhir, SKY... Pacer Mohammed Shami is not facing any fitness concerns but the call on him playing the remaining games in the T20I series against England will be taken by the captain and the head coach, India s new batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said on Monday. Shami, who has not played for India since the ODI World Cup final in November 2023, has been picked for the ongoing five-match series, the following three ODIs and the Champions Trophy. The 34-year-old not being picked for the first two T20s raised questions over his fitness but Kotak said the veteran pacer has no issues on that front.
Yes, Shami is fit but something about him playing or not playing, I am not the one who can answer, Kotak said when asked if the bowler will feature in third T20 here on Tuesday.
Kotak added that it is up to captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir to manage Shami s workload in the lead up to important events like the Champions Trophy beginning on February 19.
There is definitely a plan (for Shami) for coming matches as well and One-dayers, but the coach Gautam and obviously Surya will take a call. And fitness, definitely not a problem depending on how they are planning to build this load, Kotak added.
Shami had undergone an ankle surgery in February last year.
There were calls for him to be included in India s Test squad for the Australia but he was not able to regain full fitness for the series Down Under despite playing domestic cricket in the shorter formats.
Virat Kohli Returns To Ranji Trophy After 2012, Entry Free From... Virat Kohli is expected to train with his Delhi Ranji Trophy squad from Tuesday ahead of his first domestic red-ball match since 2012, as the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) prepares to ensure that all arrangements are in place for the maestro s highly-anticipated homecoming. Kohli was on Monday officially named in the Delhi squad, led by Ayush Badoni, for their final group match against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium starting January 30. This will be Kohli s first Ranji match since he played against Uttar Pradesh at Ghaziabad s Mohan Nagar in 2012.
At that time, Kohli was a rising star in Indian cricket, and now, he is a legend in his own right, a former India captain, and the owner of 80 international centuries.
Obviously, it is a great experience for our junior players as they will get to share the dressing room with Virat. If you look at our team, only Navdeep Saini has played alongside Virat in the IPL and for India. In fact, none of the players in the team have played with Virat in the Ranji Trophy. They can learn a lot by watching him, DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma told PTI.
Asked about the arrangements for the game, Sharma said, We know Virat s presence raises the profile of the match. Normally, we have 10 to 12 private security personnel for a regular Ranji match, but we will definitely increase security so that Virat can train without any disturbance.
We have also informed the Delhi Police about the match. While Ranji matches are free for spectators but they usually open one stand but for this match, DDCA will open three stands at the Ambedkar Stadium End.
Gate Nos. 7, 15, and 16 will be open to the public. We will arrange for drinking water, and the toilets will be clean and hygienic. Come and enjoy the match. Of course, there will be security checks before allowing the public to enter, Sharma said.
Squad: Ayush Badoni (captain), Virat Kohli, Pranav Rajvanshi (wk), Sanat Sangwan, Arpit Rana, Mayank Gusain, Shivam Sharma, Sumit Mathur, Vansh Bedi (wk), Money Grewal, Harsh Tyagi, Siddhant Sharma, Navdeep Saini, Yash Dhull, Gagan Vats, Jonty Sidhu, Himmat Singh, Vaibhav Kandpal, Rahul Gehlot, Jitesh Singh.
1st Time In 141 Years: Pakistan Star Scripts History, Achieves Mammoth Feat Pakistan cricket team spinner Noman Ali scripted history after taking a hat-trick during the second Test encounter against West Indies in Multan. Although Pakistan went on to lose the match, Noman s feat on Day 1 cemented his position in an elite list. Within the first hour of the match, Noman took the wickets of Justin Greaves (1), Tevin Imlach (0) and Kevin Sinclair (0) to become the sixth bowler to take a Test hat-trick in the first session of play on the opening day of the match. He was only the second spinner in history to achieve the feat after Australia s Billy Bates (1883). The Pakistan spinner is also the second-oldest player (38 years, 139 days days) to take a Test hat-trick after Sri Lanka s Rangana Herath (38 years, 110 days).
Coming to the match, spinner Jomel Warrican took five wickets as the West Indies won a Test match in Pakistan Monday for the first time in nearly 35 years.
The West Indies won the second Test in Multan by 120 runs on day three to draw the series 1-1.
Pakistan triumphed in the first Test by 127 runs, also in Multan.
Warrican finished with nine wickets in the match -- 19 in the series -- to give the hosts a taste of their own medicine on sharply spinning pitches.
The last time the West Indies won a Test in Pakistan was in Faisalabad in November 1990, having gone winless on their 1997 and 2006 tours.
We haven t played in Pakistan for a number of years, but we haven t won here in a while, so to come here and do it as a young group is incredible, said West Indian skipper Kraigg Brathwaite.
(With AFP inputs)
Suffered Injustice : Dhoni s Ex-Teammat. Names Player Who Stood By Him MS Dhoni s tenure as Indian cricket team captain was one of the most successful phases of side. From the 2007 T20 World Cup to the 2011 ODI World Cup to 2013 Champions Trophy, under MS Dhoni The Indian cricket team reached new heights. However, some players did not flourish during that period for various reasons. Manoj Tiwary is one of the players. From February 2008 till July 2015, Tiwary played 12 ODIs and three T20Is. After a hugely successful 2006-07 Ranji Trophy season, Tiwary got a national team call-up.
However, in the first few matches that Tiwary played his spot in the batting line-up was constantly changed. However, one player who stood by him during that period was Virender Sehwag.
He [Sehwag] is my idol. I will be indebted to him till my last breath. Because if he didn t drop himself, my life would have been different. When Virender Sehwag, [Gautam ] Gambhir bhai and I had good relations, and I was part of the team for 7 years in and out, Viru bhai saw that I wasn t getting chances or being shuffled up and down. Sometimes, I would suddenly be made to open in the West Indies, then then bat at 5; he observed that I suffered injustice, Tiwary said on Lallantop.
The series in which he scored a double hundred (in Indore). He rested himself and told Gambhir that we have to make him play and bat at No. 4. In the bus, Viru bhai asked me, where do you want to bat. I said I just want to bat for the country. When he insisted, I told him, I ve always batted at No. 4. So then he conveyed it to him [Gambhir].
And look how things turned out. As I always believe it luck, in the first three balls, India lost two wickets – Ajinkya Rahane and Parthiv Patel (in an ODI vs West Indies in Chennai in 2011). When I went in there, I had a blank mind. When that happens, more often than not, good things happen. This was written in my stars – to score a hundred. So when I scored the century and collected the Player of the Match award, I felt that I belong in international cricket. He [Sehwag] was very happy. I had cramp.
He also said that despite other players also not doing well, it was he who got dropped during MS Dhoni s tenure as captain.
He was the captain. Team India runs according to the planning of the skipper. In state teams, things are different but in Team India its all about the captain. If you see, during Kapil Dev s time it was he who ran the show, during Sunil Gavaskar s tenure it was his call, same was during Mohammad Azharuddin s tenure. After that Dada and so on. This will go on unless a strict administrator comes and makes a set rule, Manoj Tiwary told Lallantop.
You see Ajit Agarkar (current BCCI chief selector) and you feel he can take strong decisions. He can disagree with the coach. As far as me being dropped for 14 matches after scoring a century, if a player is dropped after scoring a century, obviously I want to know the answer. After century I was praised, but post that I did not have any inkling. At that time, youngsters used to feel afraid, including me. If you ask something, who knows what way it could have been taken. Career is on the line.
The players who were in the team then were Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma. After that the Tour which took place, they were not making runs. And here I was, even after making a century and winning Player of the Match, could not find a place in playing XI. I was dropped for 14 matches, which took place in a space of six months. At that time the dropped player did not get enough practice. I wanted to retire but due to family responsibility could not.
Afghanistan Women s XI To Play Historic Exhibition Match In Melbourne Cricket Australia (CA) Chief Executive Nick Hockley has described the upcoming exhibition match featuring the Afghanistan Women s XI in Melbourne as a beacon of hope and a significant milestone in the team s journey back to international cricket. The Afghanistan Women s XI, composed of refugees who now reside in Australia, will play a T20 match against a Cricket Without Borders XI at the Junction Oval on Thursday morning. The game precedes the opening day of the day-night Women s Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
This marks the first time the Afghanistan Women s team has reunited since fleeing their home country following the Taliban s takeover. The players are now divided between Canberra and Melbourne, and the match represents a pivotal moment in their cricketing journey.
At a press conference on Monday at the Junction Oval, Hockley spoke alongside players Nahida Sapan and Firooza Amiri, with Sapan announced as captain for the match. Cricket Without Borders Chair Clare Cannon, Director Ken Jacobs, and Australia s Federal Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts were also in attendance, highlighting the collaborative efforts of Cricket Australia, Cricket Without Borders, and the Australian government in organising the event.
Hockley expressed optimism that this match would pave the way for future opportunities for the Afghanistan women s team. He also noted that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is eager to support their cause, with England captain Heather Knight having recently met the exiled Afghan players in Melbourne.
I think this is a first step, Hockley said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
We ve got colleagues from the ECB coming out for the women s Ashes, and there are conversations happening to support from England as well as from Australia. So I think the first piece is awareness. But I think it s going to be such an exciting day on Thursday, and my hope is that promotes lots of conversations, that this becomes an annual thing and then ultimately, that this team were able to compete on the international stage as is their want, he added.
I don t think any of us can comprehend what they ve been through moving to a new country in such difficult circumstances, not speaking the language. I m just inspired by their resilience, their love for the game and hopefully this game just raises awareness, a real beacon of hope, he said.
I was privy to a moment where they got to see their playing shirts for the first time with their names and numbers on the back, and you can just see how much it means to them. So I really hope this is kind of the first step of a really successful journey for this group, but also that this match shines a light on the fact that in places around the world not every woman and girl has a chance to play, he noted.
Nahida Sapan, who plays club cricket in Melbourne for Carnegie, and Firooza Amiri, who represents Dandenong, both shared their excitement about representing the Afghanistan Women s XI. Amiri, a vocal advocate for Afghan women cricketers, expressed her joy at the team coming together for the first time.
It s really special for us, especially for Afghan women because this is a very historic moment for all Afghan women, Sapan said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
We have a big hopes for this match, because this match can open doors for Afghan women, for education, sport and future. We don t want this to be our first and last match. We want to more matches. We want more support, she added.
While Australia currently does not engage in bilateral series with Afghanistan, the two teams continue to compete in ICC tournaments. They are set to face each other in the upcoming Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place in Pakistan and the UAE next month.
We are going to represent millions of Afghan women that they are in Afghanistan and denied for their rights, Amiri said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo,
And also it s very special for all of us to get back together after three years, leaving everything and losing everything back home in Afghanistan, she added.
It s going to be very exciting for all of us to play together. We had couple of camps together, but it s going to be our first match. We re looking for a win, she said.
Hockley and the organizers remain hopeful that this symbolic match will spark conversations globally, shining a light on the resilience of Afghan women cricketers and their unwavering passion for the sport.
Not Worried About Leaking Runs... : England Fast Bowler s Massive Remark The England bowling attack has been told not to worry about leaking runs and rather just focus on taking wickets against an ultra-aggressive Indian batting unit, senior pacer Mark Wood said on Monday. Wood, who is in the middle of his first international commitment since July, has bowled decently in the series thus far. Fellow pacer Jofra Archer, however, conceded as many as 60 runs in four overs in the previous game in Chennai with Tilak Varma taking him to the cleaners. India have taken their T20 game to the next level under skipper Suryakymar Yadav and England must find a way to counter them in third T20I here on Tuesday. India lead the five match series 2-0.
We ll just be trying to take wickets. I don t think (Brendon) McCullum wants us to worry about runs too much, he s all about how can we impact the game that way,” Wood said on the eve of the third T20I.
We bowled well in the last game as a group. With the target they were chasing (167), we were always looking for that attacking option of taking wickets. Some might have went for a few runs at times but I also felt what was going to win us the game was trying to bowl them out. England have struggled against the Indian spinners while the pace group led by Wood has posed a few challenges for the host team s batters. Rajkot pitch usually offers plenty of runs, making it a batters versus batters contest.
Speaking of pace against spin, I still think we ve got one of the best spinners in the world in Adil Rashid, he s a huge weapon for us and every time he plays, he looks like he s going to get wickets. I wouldn t count him out of our attack, he s a vital part of it, said Wood.
And we ve got a lot of options: Livingstone, Bethell, if he comes back. As a pace bowling group, the other night maybe there was one or two overs we might have changed but in general we kept coming at the India batters.
One guy played exceptionally well (Tilak Varma), if the luck was slightly different: a top-edge that went for six over the wicketkeeper, if that goes straight up in the air, it s a different story, explained the 35-year-old.
Coming back to action after a long lay-off, Wood is satisfied with the pace he is generating but is seeking more accuracy.
I felt a little bit hit and miss - I ve done a couple of good things, it s great that my pace has been up there and I feel it s coming out my hand well but the accuracy at times hasn t been quite where I wanted it. But when I haven t played since August, it s pretty much expected - I ve played two games since then.
Hopefully the more I play, the better I get leading into the 50-over stuff and the Champions Trophy. I ll keep trying my best and try to improve in training. Hopefully that narrows my focus even more. On India s young guns including Varma and Abhishek Sharma, Wood added: “They play good shots. The depth of Indian batting, they have got experienced players and these young guys coming in but my concentration is on England.”
KL Rahul Named In Karnataka s Ranji Trophy Squad Against Haryana Seasoned India batter KL Rahul was on Monday named in the Karnataka squad to face table-toppers Haryana in their final league match of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C, beginning on January 30. Rahul was given a go-ahead by the BCCI medical team as the wicketkeeper batter was rehabilitating from an elbow niggle after the tour to Australia, where he played all the five Tests. PTI had reported on January 21 that Rahul would play for Karnataka in the final league match which will be his first Ranji Trophy match since appearing against Bengal at Kolkata in 2020. Most of the senior India players such as Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja appeared for their respective domestic sides in the previous round, but Rahul sat out of the match against Punjab which Karnataka won by an innings and 207 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Rahul is expected to train with the Karnataka squad, which will be led by opener Mayank Agarwal, from Tuesday.
Karnataka has also received a boost in their pace bowling department with Vidwath Kaverappa making a return after missing a large part of the ongoing domestic season due to an injury.
Karnataka are placed third in Group C with 19 points behind leaders Haryana (26) and Kerala (21).
A win, preferably with a bonus point, here is mandatory for Karnataka to keep their knockouts hopes alive.
Karnataka squad against Haryana: Mayank Agarwal (captain), KL Rahul, Shreyas Gopal (vice-captain), Devdutt Padikkal, KV Aneesh, R Smaran, KL Shrijith (wk), Abhinav Manohar, Hardik Raj, Prasidh Krishna, Vidwath Kaverappa, Vasuki Koushik, Abhilash Shetty, Yashovardhan Parantap, Nikin Jose, Sujay Sateri (wk), Mohsin Khan.
IPL Owners, Tech Giants In Final Race For Hundred Franchise Teams Four Indian Premier League franchises -- Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals co-owners GMR Group -- along with a consortium of global tech giants featuring leaders from Google, Microsoft, Adobe have made it to the final shortlist of the Hundred, according to a report. According to the report in ESPNcricinfo, London-based franchises Oval Invincibles and London Spirit have drawn significant interest, with five-time IPL champions MI and the tech consortium competing for the Invincibles. Meanwhile, Lancer Capital, led by Manchester United co-owner Avram Glazer, has expressed strong interest in both London-based teams.
RPSG Group s Sanjeev Goenka, who owns the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, has shown interest in London Spirit and Manchester Originals.
The Manchester Originals franchise has also seen considerable interest.
All the investors shortlisted will need to make one final financial bid, which will be binding, with the highest bid determining the winner for each of the eight franchises, stated the report.
Lancashire, the host county, has shown flexibility in allowing potential franchise owners to manage cricketing operations, which is a big factor for several investors, especially the IPL teams .
The tech consortium vying for franchises includes high-profile names such as Sundar Pichai (Google CEO), Satya Nadella (Microsoft CEO), Shantanu Narayen (Adobe CEO), Egon Durban (Silver Lake Management CEO), and Satyan Gajwani (co-founder of Major League Cricket and vice-chairman of Times Internet).
Led by Nikesh Arora, CEO of cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks, the consortium has been shortlisted for both the Oval Invincibles and London Spirit franchises.
Sunrisers Hyderabad owners, the Sun Group, are understood to be on the shortlist for three franchises: Trent Rockets (Nottingham), Northern Superchargers (Leeds) and Welsh Fire (Cardiff).
CVC Capital Partners, who own Gujarat Titans in the IPL, are bidding for Birmingham Phoenix, the report stated.
Some IPL franchises that initially expressed interest -- such as Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, and Punjab Kings -- are currently not on the shortlist, it added.
It could not be confirmed whether the Super Kings and Knight Riders, who have teams in overseas T20 leagues outside India, have been shortlisted, the report stated.
It further stated US-based entrepreneur Sanjay Govil, who owns Washington Freedom, is interested in three franchises outside of London.
The bidding process is still not over, and the ECB is expected to announce the schedule for 2025 Hundred season this week, while the new owners will take control from 2026. PTI TAP ATK ATK
