India Women triumphed over West Indies Women by a massive 211 runs in the first ODI at Vadodara. Smriti Mandhana's aggressive 91 and a solid opening partnership laid the foundation for India's imposing 314/9. Renuka Singh's maiden five-wicket haul (5/23) decimated the West Indies batting, restricting them to a mere 103. This dominant performance gives India a 1-0 series lead.
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Mitchell Santner has been named New Zealand's new white-ball cricket captain, succeeding Kane Williamson. The 32-year-old spinner, a veteran of 243 international matches, will lead the ODI and T20I sides, starting with the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. Santner, praised for his calm demeanour and experience, has previously captained the team in several matches.
India remain unbeaten in ICC Champions Trophy 2025, advancing to the final after beating Australia in the semis. With a strong performance from key players like Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami and Shubman Gill, India enter the final against New Zealand as the hot favourites to win the title.
Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar anticipates Indian captain Rohit Sharma to adopt a conservative approach in the upcoming ODI series against England, aiming to regain his form. Bangar highlights the potential of Yashasvi Jaiswal as a backup player, favouring Shubman Gill alongside Sharma and Kohli as the top three.
Australia clinched a 2-0 series win against Sri Lanka in the second Test at Galle. Chasing 75, they lost only Travis Head before lunch on day four. Australian spinners Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann claimed four wickets each, with Kuhnemann emerging as the leading wicket-taker in the series. Steve Smith achieved a milestone of 200 Test catches.
Pakistan struggled on the second day of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands, closing at 64-3. South Africa declared at 615, with Ryan Rickelton scoring a chanceless 259. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen took crucial early wickets for South Africa, leaving Pakistan trailing by 551 runs with Babar Azam unbeaten on 31.
The Jukskei Derby between Joburg Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals was abandoned due to heavy rain. Joburg Super Kings used their spin bowlers effectively to restrict Pretoria Capitals to 138/8. Both teams secured two points each, moving Joburg Super Kings to the top of the table, while Pretoria Capitals are joint second with MI Cape Town.
As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is tied at 1-1, former India coach Lalchand Rajput emphasised the necessity for the Indian batters to post a significant first innings score in the decisive Test at Melbourne. Highlighting the strength of India's bowling, he acknowledged the need for batters' contributions and anticipates a smooth transition despite recent retirements.
The West Indies cricket team arrived in Islamabad on Monday for their first Test series in Pakistan in eighteen years. They will play a three-day tour match against the Pakistan Shaheens before the first Test in Multan on January 17, followed by the second Test on January 25. This series concludes their current ICC World Test Championship cycle.
Harbhajan Singh believes Axar Patel is ready to replace Ravindra Jadeja in India's all-rounder role for the Champions Trophy. He also suggests Sanju Samson might be preferred over Rishabh Pant as India's wicketkeeper, especially given Pant's long Australian tour. Both decisions could impact India's squad for the upcoming tournament in Dubai.
Virat Kohli earned the 'Fielder of the Match' medal in India's win over New Zealand, marking his 300th ODI. India's victory, led by Varun Chakaravarthy's five-wicket haul, secured their place in the semi-final against Australia. Kohli, Axar Patel, and Shreyas Iyer were praised for their fielding efforts. India posted 249 for 9, with Shreyas Iyer top-scoring with 79.