Sports

New Delhi: Ahead of India’s upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, Mohammed Siraj made a stunning impact in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, leaving a trail of wickets in his wake as Hyderabad crushed West Bengal. While Shami’s pace was hammered in the same match, Siraj’s fiery spell reminded everyone why he is one of India’s leading bowlers. Hyderabad Post Massive TotalHyderabad posted a daunting 352 for 5 in 50 overs, powered by opener Aman Rao, who completed his double century with a six off the last ball of the innings. West Bengal’s pacer Mohammed Shami struggled, conceding 70 runs in 10 overs despite picking up 3 wickets. Siraj Turns the TideSiraj, who returned to domestic cricket after missing the South Africa ODI series due to workload management, tore through West Bengal’s...

New Delhi: After recovering from an injury sustained during the South Africa Test series, Shubman Gill was expected to make a strong comeback in white-ball cricket. However, the Punjab opener fell cheaply for just 11 runs off 12 balls in the first match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. Fellow star Rishabh Pant also failed to make an impact, scoring 24 runs in a hasty innings. Gill’s Comeback Hopes DashedGill, who had missed Punjab’s previous match due to fog delays preventing him from reaching Jaipur on time, was looking to gain match practice ahead of India’s upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, where he will return as captain. Despite an extended practice session in the nets, Gill struggled to read the pitch and the local conditions. Opening with Prabhsimran Singh, he failed to...

Rajkot: Hyderabad’s young opener Aman Rao produced a sensational innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, scoring a double century against Bengal at the Niranjan Shah Stadium. The 21-year-old completed his 200 runs with a six off the final delivery of the innings, thrilling fans and teammates alike. Hyderabad, captained by Tilak Varma, posted 352/5 after batting first. Double Century in Just Third List-A MatchRemarkably, this is only Rao’s third List-A match. He made his debut on December 31 against Baroda, scoring 39, followed by 13 in his second match. In his third appearance, he smashed 200 not out off 154 balls, including 12 fours and 13 sixes. Rao reached his century in just 108 deliveries and added the next 100 runs in 46 balls, showing incredible power and timing. Dominatin...

Jaipur: After a serious injury in Australia, Shreyas Iyer made a sensational comeback in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, scoring a blazing half-century off just 36 balls for Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday. The performance not only showcased his batting prowess but also confirmed that he is fully fit and ready for India’s upcoming series against New Zealand. A Fit and Fearless ReturnIyer had been sidelined following a severe injury sustained during the last ODI of India’s tour of Australia in October 2025. Attempting a difficult catch in Sydney, he fell awkwardly, resulting in a ruptured spleen that required ICU admission and surgery. Despite the expected six-month recovery, Iyer stunned everyone by returning in just two and a half months. Selected as vice-captain for Ind...

Brisbane: Pakistan’s left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been ruled out of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26 due to a knee injury, and his team, Brisbane Heat, has signed fellow Pakistani pacer Zaman Khan as his replacement. The BBL management has approved Khan’s inclusion for the remainder of the season. Afridi Injured Against Adelaide StrikersAfridi sustained the injury during Brisbane Heat’s match against the Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba on Saturday, January 3. While fielding at mid-on, Afridi twisted his knee attempting to stop a shot, aggravating a previous injury. He was seen in visible pain and had to leave the field. Following medical advice, he was declared unfit for the rest of the season and returned to Pakistan for treatment. Zaman Khan: The ReplacementBrisbane...

Jaipur: Young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal continues to struggle with the bat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. On Tuesday, he managed just 15 runs against Himachal Pradesh, extending his poor run in the tournament. Over three innings so far, Jaiswal has scored a mere 64 runs, raising concerns ahead of India’s upcoming series against New Zealand. Short Innings Despite Hopes for a Fast StartThe Mumbai-Himachal Pradesh match at the Jaipuria School Ground started with a delay of over two hours due to heavy fog. Mumbai had hoped for a blazing start from Jaiswal, who opened the innings with a new partner. However, after hitting two boundaries in his 18-ball knock, he was caught by Inesh Mahajan off Vaibhav J. Arora in the fifth over. Previous Performances in the TournamentJaiswal had ...

Sydney: Australian captain Steve Smith smashed a century in the final Test of the Ashes series against England. On the third day at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Smith reached his 37th Test century during the last session, showcasing his class and resilience. Earlier in the series, Smith had managed to cross fifty only once in the first three Tests and missed a match due to being unfit. Before him, Travis Head had also scored a century for Australia in this series. Smith’s 37th Test CenturyComing in at number five, Smith reached his century off 166 deliveries, hitting 11 boundaries and a six along the way. This milestone marks his 37th Test century, moving him ahead of former Indian captain Rahul Dravid, who has 36 centuries in Test cricket. Making his Test debut as a leg-spinner in 201...

India vs Bangladesh: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has once again expressed concerns over their players’ safety in India and has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to reschedule their matches to Sri Lanka. This dispute, triggered by the Mustafizur Rahman controversy, has raised questions about the authority of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the possible involvement of the Indian government. Here’s a breakdown of the situation in five key points: 1. ICC Yet to Make an Official StatementDespite several days passing since the controversy erupted, the ICC has not issued any formal statement. Media reports suggest that ICC Chairman Jay Shah has initiated discussions to potentially reschedule the T20 World Cup matches for Bangladesh. Howev...

Mumbai / Ranchi / Across India: The Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, India’s premier domestic one-day tournament, witnessed high drama across multiple venues today, January 6, as 32 teams in the Elite Group played 16 matches and the Plate Group final took place in Ranchi. Arjun Tendulkar Opens for Goa but Fails to ImpressIn a disappointing outing for Goa, Arjun Tendulkar, given the responsibility of opening the innings, managed just 1 run before being dismissed. Fellow opener Kashyap Bakle also struggled, scoring only 5 runs. Both wickets fell to Sukhdeep Bajwa, leaving Goa at 22/2 after 4.1 overs. Delhi Dominate Against RailwayIn Alur, Delhi bowlers produced a stunning display, reducing Railway to 88/5 in 22 overs. Ishant Sharma was particularly economical, conceding only 5 runs in 4 ov...

Centurion: England’s veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow produced a historic batting display in the SA20 League, smashing 34 runs in a single over—the most by any batsman in the tournament’s history. Playing for Sunrisers Eastern Cape against Pretoria Capitals, Bairstow’s explosive 12th over included five sixes and a four, leaving star spinner Keshav Maharaj completely at sea. A masterclass in power-hittingBairstow began the over with a huge six over mid-wicket, followed by another six that sailed 92 meters into cow corner. He cleared mid-wicket again on the third ball, and on the fourth, he played a stylish sweep for four. Maharaj’s fifth delivery went over long-off for another six, and Bairstow finished the over with yet another massive six, taking the total to 34 runs. Thi...