Page 3 - Cricket

Impossible to beat India on their own soil: Former PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja

The former PCB chairman also made a mention of all-rounder Axar Patel, whose priceless innings of 74 helped India recover from a precarious position in their first innings

Women's T20 WC: Kerr's heroics guides NZ to 102-run win over Sri Lanka

New Zealand has climbed up to second place in the points table with two wins in four matches and two losses. They have a total of four points

LIVE: Delhi's air quality index continues to remain in 'very poor' category

Catch all the latest developments from across the globe here

Kohli completes 25,000 runs in int'l cricket; 6th batter to touch landmark

Virat reached this landmark during the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in front of his home crowd at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

Saurashtra beat Bengal by nine wickets in Ranji final, clinch second title

Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat returned a match haul of nine wickets, including 6/85 in the second innings, as Saurashtra thrashed Bengal by nine wickets in the summit clash to clinch their second Ranji Trophy title here on Sunday. Having given away a big first innings lead of 230 runs, Bengal, who were overnight 169/4 in their second essay, folded for 241, handing the visitors a mere 12 runs target to win the final. Saurashtra lost their opening batter Jay Gohil (0) off the bowling of Akash Deep but eventually went past the target, reaching 14 for 1 in 2.4 overs, to wrap up the match with one day and two full sessions to spare. Saurashtra's earlier triumph was in 2019-20 season when they defeated Bengal on the basis of first innings lead. In the last 10 seasons, they have made the final on five occasions, underlining their consistency. A Ranji Trophy title eluded Bengal yet again. They last won it in 1998-90 when they defeated a star-studded Delhi at the same Eden Gardens. Their fi

'Long-term broadcast deal in jeopardy if India-Pak don't clash in Asia Cup'

A long-term lucrative media rights deal between the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the broadcaster could be in jeopardy if a solution is not found quickly to break the deadlock between India and Pakistan on the issue of hosting of the Asia Cup. The Asia Cup has been allotted to Pakistan but due to the prevailing political tensions between the neighbours, BCCI has said India will not send its team for the tournament in September and would rather want the continental event be moved to the UAE or Sri Lanka. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has so far not agreed to the demand, leading to a stalemate. In the event of India withdrawing from the Asia Cup in Pakistan, the tournament will lose its sheen and the broadcaster could incur heavy losses with no riveting India-Pakistan clashes. A source said that under the long-term agreement between the ACC and the broadcaster, it is mandatory that Pakistan and India play each other at least twice, or thrice, in the regional multi-team

Border-Gavaskar trophy: India bowled out for 262, trail Australia by a run

All-rounders Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin added 114 runs before Australia bowled out India for 262 on day two of the second Test here on Saturday. Axar (74 off 115) led the Indian fight-back, scoring a boundary-laden half century. The all-rounder smacked as many as nine fours and three sixes. He was aptly complemented by Ashwin (37 off 71) as the duo looked set to give India the lead. However, a Pat Cummins strike tilted the match in Australia's favour as Ashwin was caught by Matthew Renshaw. An over later Axar too perished followed by Mohammed Shami (1) as India trailed by one run. For Australia, premier spinner Nathan Lyon was the pick of the bowlers as he registered a five-wicket haul. Brief Scores: Australia 1st Innings: 263 all out in 78.4 overs. India 1st Innings: 262 all out in 83.3 overs (Axar Patel 74, Virat Kohli 44; Nathan Lyon 5/67).

Batter Smriti Mandhana named RCB captain for Women's Premier League

Royal Challengers Bangalore have expectedly named senior India batter Smriti Mandhana as their captain for the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL). The left-handed India vice-captain was signed in the recent auction held in Mumbai for Rs 3.40 crore, the highest price for a player in the WPL auction. The announcement was made through a video shared on the franchise's social media handles, which had messages from RCB talisman Virat Kohli and current men's team skipper Faf du Plessis. "Now it's time for another No. 18 to lead a very special RCB team in WPL. Yes, we are talking about Smriti Mandhana. Go on Smriti. You will have the support of the best team and the best fans in the world," Kohli said. On announcing Mandhana as the captain, RCB chairman Prathmesh Mishra said: "Smriti is central to our play bold philosophy and cricketing plans. We have handed her the leadership role, and we are confident that Smriti will lead RCB into greater heights." On her role as the RCB women's t

Smriti Mandhana: The journey to Rs 3.4 crore that started at age 9

The most expensive buy of Women's Premier League auction, Mandhana's rise to the top was inevitable

India ranks No. 1 team in all formats, Ashwin rises to 2nd spot in bowlers

India on Wednesday claimed the top spot in the latest ICC Test rankings to become the number one ranked side in all three formats of the game. India's big innings and 132-run win over Australia in the first Test catapulted the 'Men in Blue' to the top spot, dislodging the Pat Cummins-led team. Already the top T20 side, India had reached the number one spot in ODIs last month after beating New Zealand 3-0. India (115) are four rating points ahead of Australia (111) in the Test rankings and a win in the second Test, starting Friday, will not only consolidate their top spot but also aid their push for entering second consecutive World Test Championship Final. India need to win the four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 or 3-0 to make the final. Among individuals, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin jumped to the second spot in the Men's Test Bowlers Rankings following his eight-wicket show against Australia in Nagpur. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who made a successful comeback

Chetan Sharma in the eye of storm after 'sting operation'; details here

BCCI Chief Selector Chetan Sharma said that former Indian Captain Virat Kohli tried to defame then BCCI President Saurav Ganguly as he felt Ganguly was responsible for him losing the ODI captaincy

WPL auction: Smriti Mandhana goes to Royal Challengers for Rs 3.4 cr

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur picked up by Mumbai Indians for Rs 1.8 cr

PM meets actors, ex-cricketers, noted personalities for dinner in Bengaluru

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met with Kannada actors Yash and Rishab Shetty, and former cricketers Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad, along with some other noted personalities from various fields, including start-ups, here. According to sources, the meeting took place over dinner hosted at the Raj Bhavan here on Sunday after Modi arrived in the evening to participate in the inauguration of 14th edition of Aero India. They said Modi told the actors that the film industries of the southern states have given a great boost to India's culture and identity through their work. He particularly appreciated how they have encouraged the participation of women. The prime minister stressed the need to leverage the ITIs to provide courses related to films especially in areas needing technical expertise and also remembered late actor Puneeth Rajkumar during the interaction, the sources said. He informed the sportspersons about the measures being taken by the central government

WPL 2023 auction today: All you need to know about first such bidding ever

WPL Auction: A total of 409 cricketers, 246 from India and 163 from overseas, will go under the hammer at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai at 2:30 PM

1,525 enter fray for 90 slots in WPL auctions, BCCI cuts number to 409

Final list has 202 capped and 199 uncapped players, and eight from associate nations

Australia can bounce back, not ruling them out, says Rohit Sharma

India registered a thumping win by innings and 132 runs against Australia in the first Test played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur to take a 1-0 lead

BCCI ropes in female auctioneer for Women's Premier League Player Auction

The report added that the BCCI has also informed the five teams that they have to bring in a minimum of 15 players in the squad while the minimum squad spend should be Rs 9 crore

India thrash Australia in first Test to go 1-0 up in 4-match series

India thrashed Australia by an innings and 132 runs inside three days in the opening Test to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series here on Saturday. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (5/37) returned with a five wicket haul as India shot off Australia for 91 in 32.3 overs in their second innings just before tea. Australia conceded a massive first innings lead of 223. This was Australia's second lowest total against India after 93 in Mumbai (2004). Bowling a probing length, Ashwin ran through the Australian top order and annexed his 31st fifer in just his 10th over, before Ravindra Jadeja (2/34), Mohammed Shami (2/13) and Axar Patel (1/6) completed the formalities. Earlier, Patel hit a career-best 84 (174 balls; 10x4s, 1x6) in an entertaining 52-run ninth wicket partnership with Shami who was at his aggressive best in his 37 from 47 balls (2x4s, 3x6s). In reply to Australia's 177, India were bowled out for 400 at lunch on a turning Jamtha wicket. The left-handed Patel, who was .

Australia's Aaron Finch announces retirement from international cricket

Finch led Australia in a world record 76 men's T20Is, as well as in 55 ODIs, before announcing his retirement

IND v AUS Test: Visa approved, Usman Khawaja on his way to Bengaluru

Australia's key batter Usman Khawaja has got his visa approved and on Thursday morning flew out to India for the four-match Border-Gavaskar Test Series starting on February 9 at Nagpur.