Sports

Raipur: The coin has once again turned its back on India. In the second ODI between India and South Africa at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur, skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bowl first — marking India’s 20th consecutive toss defeat in ODI cricket. This rare and almost unbelievable streak began in the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad on 19 November, and has continued uninterrupted ever since. KL Rahul’s Reaction: Smile That Hid the Frustration As soon as the match referee announced that South Africa had won the toss, KL Rahul looked visibly stunned. Though he smiled, the expression revealed more frustration than humour — almost as if he himself could not understand what else must be done to win a toss. The cameras caught that mom...

New Delhi: Ahead of the second ODI between India and South Africa in Raipur, Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana has been penalised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching the Code of Conduct during the first ODI in Ranchi. The Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees found Rana guilty of a Level-1 offence, adding one demerit point to his record and imposing a fine of up to 50% of his match fee. The incident occurred in the 22nd over of South Africa’s innings when Rana dismissed young batter Dewald Brevis. Immediately after the dismissal, the Indian pacer made a gesture directing Brevis towards the dressing room — an act deemed as an attempt to provoke or incite the dismissed batter. On-field umpires Jayaraman Madanagopal and Sam Nogajski, along with third umpire Rod T...

In the ongoing debate over whether Indian stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will feature in the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup, Afghanistan’s dynamic wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz has made a striking statement. His comments underline the massive impact the two Indian legends continue to have on world cricket. ‘We Would Be Happy If They Don’t Play’ – Gurbaz’s Honest Admission During an interview with Sports Tak, Gurbaz openly admitted that rival teams—including Afghanistan—would be “happy” if Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are not part of India's squad in 2027. Gurbaz said:“As an Afghanistan player, I would be happy if they (Rohit and Virat) are not there. Because if they are not in the Indian team, we will have a better chance of winning. They are legends.” He added that th...

Raipur | December 3, 2025: Team India will take on South Africa in the second ODI of the three-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium today. Skipper Rohit Sharma, who has been in sensational form, stands on the verge of adding yet another historic milestone to his glittering career. In the run-fest played at Ranchi on November 30, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli demolished several records. Rohit went on to surpass Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi’s record for the most sixes in ODI cricket, cementing his reputation as one of the greatest stroke-makers of the modern era. Now in Raipur, Rohit needs just 41 runs to enter an elite club. With those runs, he will complete 20,000 international runs across formats, becoming only the fourth Indian to reach this monumental figure...

New Delhi | December 3, 2025: Former India women’s cricket captain and the world’s highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs, Mithali Raj, celebrates her 43rd birthday today. Born in Jodhpur, Mithali is hailed as the Queen of Indian Cricket, with a record book as decorated as that of Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar. Interestingly, both cricketing legends share a remarkable and lesser-known connection that will amaze fans — a connection linked to their international debuts. A Debut-Age Coincidence That Will Shock You Sachin Tendulkar made his international debut in the Karachi Test against Pakistan in 1989. He was 16 years and 205 days old at the time. Exactly 10 years later, Mithali Raj made her international debut in 1999 against Ireland at Milton Keynes. On that historic day, Mithali’s...

Raipur | December 2, 2025: India and South Africa are set to clash in the second ODI of the three-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur. India currently lead the series 1–0, having clinched the first ODI in Ranchi by 17 runs, powered by superb performances from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Can India Wrap Up the Series Today? Team India enter the contest with strong momentum and a well-balanced squad. With batting depth up to No. 7, world-class spinners like Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, and an efficient pace attack featuring Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh, India look formidable on paper. South Africa, on the other hand, are eyeing a strong comeback. The visitors are likely to receive a major boost with the expected return ...

Lucknow | December 3, 2025: Mumbai registered a commanding 98-run victory over Assam in their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 group-stage encounter, courtesy of a blistering century from Sarfaraz Khan and a sensational five-wicket haul by skipper Shardul Thakur. Sarfaraz Khan Smashes 47-Ball Century Assam captain Riyan Parag won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that backfired spectacularly. Mumbai posted a massive 220/4 in 20 overs, powered by an explosive knock from Sarfaraz Khan. Sarfaraz hammered an unbeaten 100 off just 47 balls, striking 8 fours and 7 sixes at a remarkable strike rate of 212.77. His aggressive strokeplay dismantled Assam’s bowling attack and set up a daunting target. Shardul Thakur’s Fiery Spell Destroys Assam Chasing 221, Assam crumbled under ...

Ahead of the second Ashes Test beginning on 4 December in Brisbane, England captain Ben Stokes, fast bowler Mark Wood, and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith were spotted riding electric scooters without helmets, triggering a minor controversy. According to Queensland’s official road safety laws, riding an e-scooter without a helmet can attract a fine of 166 Australian dollars. However, local police have confirmed that no charges will be filed against the English players. Helmet Was Available, But Not Worn As per Queensland rules, anyone riding an e-scooter must wear either a bicycle helmet or a two-wheeler helmet.Reports reveal that the English players had helmets attached to their scooters, but chose not to wear them while moving around Brisbane. Queensland Sports Minister Criti...

Hyderabad: Punjab captain Abhishek Sharma is in sensational form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, and he showcased his explosive batting once again against Baroda at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad today, 12th December. Winning the toss, Sharma chose to bat first – a decision that proved perfect. The young opener stormed to a blistering fifty in just 18 balls, taking on India all-rounder Hardik Pandya with fearless aggression. Pandya bowled 4 deliveries (including a wide) to Sharma, but Punjab’s captain smashed 11 runs off just 2 legal balls, plus the wide run making it 12 runs. Sharma eventually fell for 50 runs off 19 balls, including 5 fours and 4 sixes, striking at an incredible 263.16. Pandya’s Tough DayReturning from an injury sustained during the Asia ...

Ahmedabad: Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan once again knocked on the doors of Team India selectors with a scintillating performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT 2025). Playing at Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad, Kishan unleashed a fiery innings of 93 runs off just 50 balls, smashing the Saurashtra bowling attack with dominance. Despite his aggressive display, the Mumbai Indians star narrowly missed a century by 7 runs. Opening the batting for Jharkhand on Ground B of the Narendra Modi International Stadium, Kishan attacked from the very first ball. He struck 11 fours and 3 sixes, maintaining a strike rate of 186 before being caught by Ruchir Ahir off Saurashtra pacer Jaydev Unadkat. His innings was marked by clean, powerful strokes that left the opposition bowlers strugg...