Sports

New Delhi: Australian batting star Usman Khawaja bid farewell to international cricket with his last Test match against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground—the same venue where Virat Kohli played his final Test. Remarkably, the scores in both players’ last matches show a striking similarity. First and Second Innings ParallelsIn the first innings of his final Test, Khawaja, a left-handed batsman, scored 17 runs, identical to Kohli’s first innings score at the SCG. In the second innings, Khawaja managed 6 runs, mirroring Kohli’s second-innings contribution. These uncanny parallels have cricket fans and analysts buzzing about the symmetry in their career finales. Khawaja’s Career HighlightsBorn in Pakistan, Khawaja moved to Australia with his family as a child. He made his Test debut f...

Jaipur: Indian star batsman and ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer made a strong return to competitive cricket in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, representing Mumbai and leading the team as captain. Iyer had missed India’s recent ODI series against South Africa due to a thigh injury sustained during the Australia tour. India will next play against New Zealand starting 11 January. Helmet Blow on First Ball, Six on the NextMumbai’s captain was in action against Punjab when he faced a fiery start. On his very first delivery, Gurnoor Brar bowled a sharply angled ball that struck Iyer’s helmet. The physiotherapist had to check on him, causing a brief pause in play. However, Iyer quickly regained composure. Brar bowled another short-pitched delivery immediately after. This time, Iyer was fully prepare...

With less than a month remaining for the T20 World Cup 2026, Sri Lanka has strengthened its coaching staff by appointing Vikram Rathour as the team’s batting coach. Former Indian cricketer R. Sridhar has also joined the setup as the fielding coach for the tournament. Vikram Rathour’s RoleRathour, who previously served as India’s batting coach for nearly five years, will be with Sri Lanka from 18 January to 10 March 2026, focusing exclusively on preparing the team for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. This will be a short-term engagement, solely covering the World Cup. Experience and CredentialsThe 56-year-old Rathour played 6 Tests and 7 ODIs for India, with a first-class batting average of nearly 50 and 33 centuries. He has also worked alongside cricketing legends like Ravi Shastri and R...

The fourth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) kicks off today, with the opening match featuring Mumbai Indians Women taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore Women. Ahead of the tournament, we take a look at the top five wicket-takers in WPL history. These bowlers have consistently turned matches in their team’s favor with their exceptional skills. 1. Hayley Matthews (Mumbai Indians) The West Indies star all-rounder leads the chart with 41 wickets in 29 matches. Her off-spin has repeatedly dismantled opposition batting line-ups. Matthews also won the Purple Cap in the inaugural 2023 season. 2. Amelia Kerr (Mumbai Indians) New Zealand’s leg-spin expert Amelia Kerr is second on the list with 40 wickets in 29 matches. Known for her googlies and flight, she took 18 wickets in ...

The Gujarat Giants have received a major setback just hours before the start of the Women’s Premier League 2026. Star wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia has been ruled out of the entire season due to a persistent knee injury. Yastika Bhatia SidelinedThe WPL 2026 is set to begin tomorrow, with less than 24 hours to go, but Gujarat Giants’ camp has been hit hard by this news. Yastika, who was purchased for ₹50 lakh in the auction, has been injured since before the team acquired her. She had already missed the Australia series and the recent Women’s One-Day World Cup because of her knee problem. Uma Chetri had replaced her in the Indian team during that period. Unfortunately, Yastika has not recovered in time to participate in this season. No Replacement AllowedAs per an old BCCI direct...

Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam continued his disappointing run in the Big Bash League, failing yet again against Marcus Stoinis at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Struggles ContinueIn a low-scoring encounter against the Melbourne Stars, Babar was dismissed cheaply for just 14 runs off 17 balls, hitting only a single four. Despite his team, the Sydney Sixers, chasing a modest target, the match saw early setbacks as Sixers lost 2 wickets for 48 runs in 6.3 overs, temporarily derailing their momentum. The DismissalStoinis bowled a full and straight delivery that pitched slightly inwards, missing the edge but clipping Babar’s pad. The on-field umpire immediately gave him LBW out. Babar consulted a teammate but, believing there was no bat-ball contact, chose not to review the decision. ...

Star Indian middle-order batsman Tilak Varma will miss the opening matches of India’s T20I series against New Zealand following a medical setback. Out for Three MatchesVarma suffered from testicular torsion during a recent match against Bengal, forcing him to undergo surgery in Rajkot. According to the BCCI, he will be unavailable for the first three T20Is against New Zealand. His availability for the remaining two matches will be assessed based on his recovery and training progress. Varma was discharged from the hospital on Thursday morning and is expected to return to Hyderabad on Friday. Officials confirmed that his condition is stable and showing improvement. Recovery TimelineThe Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has stated that full recovery may take three to four weeks, makin...

As India gears up for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting January 11, former captain and star batsman Virat Kohli has arrived in the country. He was spotted at Mumbai airport before heading to Vadodara, where thousands of fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the cricketing icon. The ‘A’ Sweater That Caught AttentionAt the airport, Kohli was seen wearing blue jeans, a black T-shirt, and a black cardigan-style sweater. The sweater featured a heart with the letter ‘A’ embroidered below it. Fans have linked the letter ‘A’ to his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, speculating that it was a nod to her. The video of Kohli at the airport in this sweater quickly went viral on social media. Fan Frenzy in VadodaraAfter arriving in Mumbai, Kohli traveled to Vadodara on Ja...

A funny video of Indian cricket star Rohit Sharma is making waves on social media. In the clip, a fan offers him a popular Indian snack, vada pav, during a practice session. Rohit Sharma’s Viral MomentCurrently focusing primarily on the One-Day International (ODI) format, Rohit Sharma has become less visible on the field compared to earlier years. Yet fans eagerly await even a glimpse of the star. Whenever he appears for practice, crowds gather, and videos capturing these moments often go viral online. In the latest clip, recorded ahead of India’s ODI series against New Zealand, a fan asked Rohit in Marathi, “Rohit Bhaiya, vada pav chaahiye ka?” (Rohit Bhaiya, do you want a vada pav?). Smiling, Rohit politely declined with a hand gesture. This isn’t the first time he has turned down ...

New Delhi, January 7, 2026: Aaron George, opening batsman for the Indian Under-19 cricket team, slammed a sensational century in the third Youth One-Day International against South Africa. George reached his hundred in just 91 balls, showcasing aggressive and elegant stroke play. The third match of the three-match series is being played in Benoni, with India’s innings opened by captain Vaibhav Suryavanshi alongside Aaron George. Both players impressed with exceptional batting performances, each scoring centuries, with George’s innings marked by quick scoring and composure under pressure. Rising Star of Indian CricketAaron George, who previously made headlines in the Under-19 Asia Cup against Pakistan by scoring 85 runs off 88 balls, is a right-handed batsman from Hyderabad, though he...