Sports

Colombo: The host nation, Sri Lanka, defeated England by 19 runs in an exhilarating encounter during the first ODI of the three-match series at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, today, 22 January. Sri Lanka Wins the Toss and Sets a Competitive TotalSri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to bat first. The hosts posted a challenging total of 271 for 6 in their allotted 50 overs. Kusal Mendis was the star performer, remaining unbeaten on 93 runs, including 11 boundaries. Janith Liyanage contributed 46 runs, while Kamil Mishara added 27 runs. Dunith Wellalage provided a late flourish, scoring an unbeaten 25 off just 12 balls. England’s experienced leg-spinner Adil Rashid was the pick of the bowlers for England, claiming 3 wickets, while Sam Curran and Rehan Ahmed chippe...

Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 has hit a roadblock after the ICC rejected their request to shift matches from India, citing no safety concerns. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) now has 24 to 48 hours to communicate its final decision to the ICC. Ahead of this, government sports advisor Asif Nazrul plans to meet the team to understand the players’ stance before announcing the official decision. Here’s the latest in five key points: 1. Meeting with Players Today at 3 PM Bangladesh government’s sports advisor Asif Nazrul will meet the team at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka on Thursday, January 22, at 3 PM. The meeting aims to explain the government’s position and gauge the players’ views. According to Cricbuzz, this discussion will influence the government’s...

Cricket is full of records, some of which stand the test of time. One such rare feat is never being dismissed for a duck (zero runs) in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Achieving this is particularly challenging given the pressure to score in every delivery in the limited-overs format. Remarkably, only four cricketers in the history of ODI cricket have maintained this distinction, and the list includes one Indian player. 1. Kepler Wessels Kepler Wessels is a unique figure in cricket history, having represented both Australia and South Africa. In 109 ODI matches, he amassed 3,367 runs, including 1 century and 26 fifties. His highest score was 107, and he remained not out seven times. Despite his long career, Wessels was never dismissed for a duck, showcasing remarkable consistency at th...

Afghanistan’s star leg-spinner and captain Rashid Khan has become part of the online buzz surrounding the upcoming Bollywood wartime movie “Border-2”. While currently in Dubai preparing for the T20 World Cup 2026, Rashid shared a playful video on his Instagram, showing his enthusiasm for watching the film and engaging with the social media trend. Viral Video Highlights The video, recorded on a roadside in the outskirts of Dubai, shows Rashid roasting corn (bhutta) while pairing it with a patriotic song from Border-2. In the Instagram Reel caption, he wrote: “I will definitely watch Border-2. But let’s see what happens if I post this.” Within hours, the video went viral across social media platforms, drawing attention to the movie even outside India. Interaction with Movie Stars ...

After Pretoria Capitals defeated Sunrisers Eastern Cape by seven wickets in the first qualifier to secure a place in the SA20 final, assistant coach Shaun Pollock addressed ongoing criticism over the slow pitches used in the tournament, calling them valuable preparation for the T20 World Cup, which begins next month in India and Sri Lanka. Slow Pitches Draw Criticism The SA20 pitches have faced scrutiny for their slow nature, with only MI Cape Town crossing the 200-run mark in the second half of the current season. Pollock, speaking to select Indian journalists after Pretoria Capitals’ victory, said, “Honestly, some of these pitches are actually good for players preparing for the World Cup because the ball is coming slower and there is significant spin.” He added that during his p...

Ravindra Jadeja’s struggles with form continue to raise eyebrows, with the all-rounder failing to make an impact for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26. After a year of quiet performances for India in ODIs—both with the bat and ball—Jadeja’s domestic comeback hopes took a hit on Thursday. Jadeja Scores Just 7 Runs In the first day of Saurashtra’s Ranji Trophy match against Punjab in Rajkot, the home team elected to bat first. The opening pair of Harvik Desai and Chirag Jani were dismissed cheaply for a combined 34 runs. When the score reached 41 for 3, Jadeja walked in with expectations of stabilizing the innings. However, he could not deliver. After hitting a single boundary, he was caught by Harpreet Barar off Jas Inder’s bowling, scoring just 7 runs off 6 balls. Meanwhile, ...

Pakistani cricket star Babar Azam has had a nightmarish experience in the 15th season of the Big Bash League (BBL). Just before the knockout stages, Azam left the Sydney Sixers and returned to Pakistan, leaving his team to face crucial matches without their key foreign player. Babar Departs BBL The Sydney Sixers announced on social media that Babar Azam has been called back to Pakistan’s national camp for upcoming international fixtures and will no longer be available for the remainder of the BBL Finals series. The Sixers are set to face the Hobart Hurricanes in a high-stakes ‘Challenger’ match, with the winner advancing to take on the Perth Scorchers in the final. Struggles with Form Although officially described as a ‘national duty,’ the reality is that Babar’s bat remained s...

Rohit Sharma, a stalwart of the Indian cricket team in all previous T20 World Cups, will experience the tournament from the sidelines for the first time. The former captain shared his thoughts on this unique situation and also explained why Shreyas Iyer, despite being a top performer in T20 cricket, has not been included in the 2026 World Cup squad. Explaining Iyer’s Exclusion Fans were vocal about Shreyas Iyer not being part of the team, especially after he recovered from injury. Rohit referred to the Asia Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup as examples, explaining that team balance often drives such tough decisions. Speaking on a show for JioHotstar, Rohit said,"We felt the team needed someone who could bowl a few overs as well, which is why we included Deepak Hooda, who was in good for...

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor recently praised former cricketer and Indian team head coach Gautam Gambhir, calling his role “the second most challenging job in India after the Prime Minister.” Gambhir has now responded to Tharoor’s remarks, sparking widespread attention. Tharoor made the statement after meeting Gambhir in Nagpur ahead of the first match of the five-match T20 series between India and New Zealand. He acknowledged that coaching the Indian cricket team is an extremely high-pressure responsibility. Gambhir’s Thoughtful Response on X Responding to Tharoor’s post on X (formerly Twitter), Gambhir wrote:"Dr. Shashi Tharoor, thank you very much! When all is calm, the truth and reasoning behind a coach’s 'unlimited powers' will come to light. Until then, I can only laugh at bei...

Islamabad/Melbourne: Tensions between India and Pakistan have spilled off the cricket field and into social media once again. Ahead of Pakistan’s upcoming T20 series against Australia, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released a promotional video that appeared to mock India over the recent “no-handshake” controversy. The Controversial PromoThe short video, aimed at promoting Pakistan’s domestic T20 series against Australia, features a scene where an Australian fan interacts with a taxi driver. As the fan tries to leave, the driver, speaking in Urdu, remarks: “You forgot the handshake; looks like you stopped by the neighbors too.” The jab references the recent decision by Indian players to avoid handshakes with Pakistan after matches during the Asia Cup 2025. Background of the Handsha...