Sports

Dharamshala: Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh made a remarkable comeback in the third T20I against South Africa, earning the Player of the Match award for his brilliant bowling performance. Arshdeep took 2 crucial wickets while conceding just 13 runs in 4 overs, helping India restrict South Africa to a modest total of 117 runs. India chased the target comfortably in 15.5 overs, winning by 7 wickets and taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Earlier in the series, Arshdeep had faced a tough outing in the second match at his home ground, where he was hit around by the opposition. Reflecting on the turnaround, he said, “When I came on the field, everyone was saying, ‘This is your home ground.’ I told them, ‘No, it’s not my home ground.’ We just focused on the basics and trusted our skil...

In a spectacular display of cricket, India defeated South Africa by 7 wickets in the third T20I, creating history in the process. With this win, India has now become the team with the most T20 victories against South Africa. Historic Record for IndiaIndia's bowlers set the tone with a brilliant performance, restricting South Africa to a modest total of 118 runs. The Indian batsmen chased down the target comfortably in 15.5 overs, winning with 7 wickets in hand. Before this match, both India and Australia had 19 wins each against South Africa in T20s. With this victory, India now stands alone with 20 wins, surpassing 2021 T20 World Cup champions Australia. T20 Wins Against South Africa – Top Teams: India: 20 wins in 34 matches Australia: 19 wins in 28 matches West Indies:...

As the IPL 2026 auction approaches on December 16 in Abu Dhabi, the Mumbai Indians (MI) are aiming to strengthen an already formidable lineup. The five-time champions are widely regarded as one of the most dangerous teams in the tournament, sharing the title of most successful IPL team with Chennai Super Kings. Last season, MI fell short in Qualifiers 2 against Punjab Kings, despite a stellar batting display by Shreyas Iyer. A slow start, including four losses in their first five matches due to Jasprit Bumrah missing early games, challenged the team. However, with Bumrah’s return, MI won six consecutive matches to qualify for the playoffs. Their 2025 win percentage of 56.2% was a significant improvement over the 28.6% in 2024, when they finished last in the points table. Squad Reshuf...

India captain Suryakumar Yadav led the team to a comfortable 7-wicket win over South Africa in the third T20 of the ongoing 5-match series. Batting first, South Africa managed only 117 runs, which India chased down effortlessly in 15.5 overs. However, despite the win, Yadav himself couldn’t deliver with the bat, scoring just 12 runs—a continuation of his recent lean form. Addressing his performance after the match, Yadav shared candidly about his struggle, emphasizing that his form remains intact. “I’ve been batting well in the nets. Runs will come when needed. It’s not that I’m out of rhythm; I just haven’t been able to convert my practice into runs on the field,” said Yadav, who has scored 12 runs in each of the three matches of this series so far. Reflecting on the team’s per...

With the IPL 2026 Mini Auction just around the corner on 16th December at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, cricket fans are buzzing with excitement. While names like Cameron Green, Venkatesh Iyer, Liam Livingstone, and Quinton de Kock are dominating the conversation, one player remains surprisingly under the radar – Rachin Ravindra. Rachin Ravindra – The Underrated PickThe New Zealand all-rounder of Indian descent, Rachin Ravindra, is set to feature in this year’s mini auction. Despite his abilities, very few are talking about him. But smart teams could see him as a fantastic value deal. Ravindra is not only a promising top-order batsman but also a handy bowler, especially on India’s spin-friendly pitches. He truly is an all-in-one package. With a base price of ₹2 crore, Rachin could prove t...

Hyderabad: Argentina’s football superstar Lionel Messi has arrived in India, touching down in Kolkata on the morning of 13 December, where he received a grand welcome from fans. Later the same day, Messi is scheduled to travel to Hyderabad for his much-anticipated ‘GOAT India Tour’ event at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. VIPs and Football Legends UniteLeader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, will attend the Hyderabad event, where he will witness a friendly match featuring Messi’s team, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, and other players. The Chief Minister personally invited Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi to the event during their recent Delhi visit. Massive Security ArrangementsAuthorities have put in place stringent security me...

On 13 December 2014, Virat Kohli stepped into uncharted territory, becoming the Test captain of India under dramatic circumstances and creating a record that no other Indian cricketer has matched. A Sudden Call to LeadershipDuring India’s 2014 tour of Australia, Mahendra Singh Dhoni abruptly relinquished the Test captaincy and announced his retirement from Test cricket in the middle of the series. The cricketing world was stunned. Overnight, the young Virat Kohli, who barely a year earlier had been fighting to cement his place in the side, was handed the ultimate responsibility—to lead India against a formidable Australian team in the Adelaide Test, starting 9 December and concluding 13 December. Facing a Mountain of a ChallengeCaptaining India has always been a high-pressure task, e...

The stage is set for the third T20 International between India and South Africa at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala on 14th December. With the five-match series currently tied 1-1, fans can expect another thrilling contest. Here’s a look at the pitch conditions and weather forecast for this high-voltage encounter. Dharamshala Pitch ReportThe Dharamshala pitch offers good bounce and generally favors both fast bowlers and stroke-playing batsmen. While batsmen can play aggressively, the early overs will see pacers posing serious challenges. Spinners may not get much assistance initially, but they can play a key role in the middle overs. Teams winning the toss usually prefer to bowl first due to the pitch behavior. Historically, out of 11 T20 ma...

New Delhi: Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin hosted a mock auction on his YouTube channel, giving fans a sneak peek into which players might attract the highest bids. The official mini-auction is scheduled for 16th December at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi. Here are the top five players who stole the show in Ashwin’s mock auction: 1. Cameron Green (Australia)The all-rounder was the most sought-after player, with Chennai Super Kings hypothetically acquiring him for ₹21 crore. Green is expected to be among the priciest players in the real auction as well. 2. Liam Livingstone (England)Kolkata Knight Riders picked the English all-rounder for ₹18.5 crore. Known for his explosive batting and handy bowling, Livingstone remains a top target for fran...

Kolkata: Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi has arrived in India, kicking off his three-day GOAT India Tour 2025. The football icon’s arrival in Kolkata has sparked unprecedented excitement among fans, with crowds gathering overnight in freezing December temperatures just to catch a glimpse of him. Unstoppable Fan Frenzy:Messi landed in Kolkata at 2:26 AM on Friday night, yet fans had been queuing outside Salt Lake Stadium hours before, waving Argentine flags and chanting his name. Among them was a newlywed couple who canceled their honeymoon to witness Messi in person. The couple told ANI, “We’ve been following Messi for 10–12 years. When he last visited India in 2011, we were too young to attend. We couldn’t miss this chance.” Thousands Brave the Cold:Despite the biting wint...