Sports

Bulawayo, January 17, 2026: An unusual moment was witnessed ahead of the Under-19 World Cup 2026 group-stage match between India and Bangladesh, as the two team captains did not exchange a handshake during the toss ceremony. The incident took place before the delayed start of the match, which was affected by rain. India U19 captain Ayush Mhatre and Bangladesh stand-in captain Jawad Abrar were seen standing apart during the toss, with no customary handshake between them. Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first. No official statement has been issued by either team regarding the incident. Bangladesh’s regular U19 captain, Mohammad Azizul Hakim Tamim, missed the match due to illness, leading to vice-captain Jawad Abrar taking charge. Ayush Mhatre is leading the Indian side in the...

New Delhi, January 17, 2026: Cricket is a sport full of records, some celebrated and others infamous. Among the most unusual records is that of Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, who holds the distinction of conceding the most runs in a match without bowling a single legal delivery. The incident occurred during the 2014 Asia Cup in Mirpur, when Pakistan faced Bangladesh. Rehman came on to bowl the 11th over of Bangladesh’s innings. His first delivery slipped from his hand, sailing over the batsman’s waist, and was ruled a no-ball. On his second delivery, he repeated the mistake, resulting in another no-ball, from which the batsmen managed to score a run. Although rules normally allow only two full tosses above waist height before removing a bowler from the attack, Rehman was g...

January 17, 2026: All-rounder Washington Sundar, selected for India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad starting February 7, has been ruled out of the upcoming T20 series against New Zealand due to injury. This raises concerns over his participation in the World Cup itself. India has a history of players missing major tournaments despite being named in the squad. Here are five such instances: 1. Jasprit BumrahJasprit Bumrah was part of India’s 2022 T20 World Cup squad but missed the tournament due to a back injury. Mohammad Shami replaced him just before the tournament began. 2. Virender SehwagSehwag missed two T20 World Cups due to shoulder injuries. In 2009, he was forced out despite being in the squad, and in 2010, another shoulder problem led to Murali Vijay being called up in his place. ...

Bulawayo, January 17, 2026: Indian teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi has achieved another milestone in Under-19 cricket, surpassing former Indian captain Virat Kohli in the all-time youth One-Day International (ODI) run charts. This record-breaking feat came during India’s group-stage clash against Bangladesh in the U19 World Cup 2026. At just 14 years of age, Suryavanshi opened the innings for India and scored heavily, taking his tally beyond Kohli’s mark. Virat Kohli played 28 youth ODIs for India between 2006 and 2008, amassing 978 runs in 24 innings at an average of 46.57, including one century and six half-centuries. In his 20th youth ODI match, Suryavanshi overtook Kohli’s total. Before this game, he had 975 runs from 19 innings, with three centuries and four fifties already t...

January 17, 2026: In a thrilling Women’s Premier League (WPL) encounter, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeated Gujarat Titans by 32 runs, thanks to a spectacular bowling performance by 23-year-old Shreyanka Patil. RCB batted first and posted a competitive total of 182 for 7. Radha Yadav contributed a brilliant 66 runs, while Richa Ghosh added 44 runs, helping the team reach a challenging target. Gujarat Titans’ bowlers Sophie Devine and Kashvi Gautam took 3 and 2 wickets respectively, but the total proved too high for the chasing side. Chasing 183, Gujarat struggled to build partnerships. Only Bharti Phulmali managed a noteworthy 39-run innings, while the rest of the batting lineup faltered. Shreyanka Patil was the star of the match, taking 5 wickets for just 23 runs, dismantlin...

Harare, January 17, 2026: In a remarkable turn of events at the Under-19 World Cup 2026, Pakistan’s last-wicket dismissal left fans stunned and amused alike. England defeated Pakistan by 37 runs in their opening match of the tournament held in Harare, Zimbabwe. Winning the toss, England chose to bat first and posted a total of 210 all out in 46.5 overs. Middle-order batsman Caleb Falkner was the star for England, scoring 66 runs off 73 balls, including 3 boundaries and 2 sixes. Pakistan’s bowlers Ahmed Hussain (3 wickets for 38 runs), Ali Raza (2 wickets for 36 runs), Abdul Subhan (2 wickets for 24 runs), and Momin Qamar (2 wickets for 45 runs) fought hard but couldn’t prevent England from setting a competitive total. Chasing 211, Pakistan began well, with captain Farhan Yusuf contri...

Mumbai: A dramatic incident in the Big Bash League (BBL) has grabbed headlines after Australian star Steve Smith refused to take a single from Pakistan’s Babar Azam, triggering strong reactions from Pakistani cricket circles. Smith’s Explosive InningsPlaying for Sydney Sixers against Sydney Thunder, Smith smashed a storming century off just 42 balls, guiding his team to a five-wicket victory. During the 11th over, when Babar attempted a single towards long-on, Smith signaled him to stay, explaining that he was waiting for a “Power Surge”—a strategic phase in BBL when only two fielders are allowed outside the circle. Smith capitalized on this opportunity, smashing four sixes and a four in the next over, scoring 32 runs in a single over, the highest in BBL history, and putting the Sixers ...

Bengaluru: Two years ago today, on 17 January 2024, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru witnessed one of the most extraordinary T20 matches in cricket history. The third T20 of the series between India and Afghanistan was not only a high-scoring thriller but also became one of the rare international matches decided by two super overs. Rohit Sharma’s Century RescueAfter winning the toss, India batted first but got off to a shaky start, losing four wickets for just 22 runs. Captain Rohit Sharma (121) and Rinku Singh (69) steadied the innings, putting together a record fifth-wicket partnership and taking India to a formidable total of 212 runs. Afghanistan’s Fierce ResponseAfghanistan did not back down in their chase. Three top-order batsmen scored half-centuries, with Gulbadin Naib...

Bulawayo: Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been in sensational form across all formats of cricket, but a prominent former coach has raised concerns about the 14-year-old playing at the Under-19 level. Former India women’s team coach WV Raman cautioned that exposing such young talent too early could be detrimental to long-term development. Raman’s comments came on the same day India began their U19 World Cup campaign with a six-wicket victory over the USA at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, using the DLS method. Suryavanshi in Red-Hot FormOver the past year, Suryavanshi has been the talk of Indian cricket. After debuting for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL last season, he became the youngest player in the tournament’s history to score a century. He continued his impressive performances on tours o...

Navi Mumbai: A fiery exchange between Steve Smith and Babar Azam caught the attention of cricket fans during the Big Bash League (BBL) 2026, as Smith refused to take a single from Azam in a crucial moment, leaving the Pakistan star visibly frustrated. Smith later went on to score a record-breaking over, making the incident a talking point across the cricketing world. The IncidentThe incident occurred during the match between Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder. In the 11th over, Babar Azam attempted a single off Chris Green’s delivery, but Smith signaled him to stay put, explaining that he wanted to exploit the Power Surge—BBL’s special rule allowing two overs after the 10th over for aggressive batting. Smith then played a blistering 11th over, hitting 32 runs, which became the most expens...