Pakistan's spinners led their team to a 127-run victory over the West Indies in the first Test in Multan. Sajid Khan and Abrar Ahmed took nine and four wickets, respectively, as West Indies were dismissed for 123. This marks Pakistan's third consecutive home win by making pitches extremely spin-friendly.
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New Zealand's captain Mitchell Santner acknowledges the challenge posed by India's spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in the ICC Champions Trophy final. Varun took five wickets against New Zealand earlier in the tournament. The fitness of New Zealand's pacer Matt Henry remains uncertain, and Santner hopes that their varied spin attack will help them succeed against India.
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has questioned the performance of pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, urging the PCB to find new talent and hold senior players accountable. He pointed out their inconsistency and emphasized the dependency on the pace attack for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.
Ryan Rickelton led MI Cape Town to victory against Joburg Super Kings with a stunning 89 off 39 balls. Joe Root's unbeaten 92 powered the Royals to an eight-wicket win over Pretoria Capitals. Faf du Plessis crossed 11,000 T20 runs, and remarkable catches by fans were celebrated in both matches.
Shreevats Goswami humorously advised Abhishek Sharma to keep his room clean. He praised Abhishek's fearless cricket and his growth as a bowler, thanks to the guidance of Muttiah Muralitharan. Cricketer Jagadeesha Suchith encouraged Abhishek to persist with hard work, sharing advice from Sachin Tendulkar. Abhishek's big-hitting and bowling skills have made him a valuable asset.
Sri Lankan cricketer Niroshan Dickwella's three-year suspension for a doping violation has been lifted after a successful appeal. The ICC confirmed that Dickwella presented evidence demonstrating the detected substance was not performance-enhancing and he hadn't consumed any banned substances during the Lanka Premier League.
The Women's Premier League 2025 mini-auction saw uncapped spinner Simran Shaikh become the most expensive buy at Rs 1.90 crore. Sixteen-year-old G Kamalini secured a Rs 1.60 crore deal with Mumbai Indians. Gujarat Giants also acquired Deandra Dottin for Rs 1.70 crore. Franchises spent a total of Rs 7.65 crore, focusing primarily on Indian talent.
Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar praised Karun Nair’s outstanding performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, noting his remarkable average of 752 runs in seven innings, with five centuries. Nair’s achievements have led Vidarbha to the tournament final, where they will face Karnataka.
Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed concerns about the balance in ODIs, citing that changes like two new balls and an additional fielder in the circle favor batsmen. He suggests that the format might be revitalized by using red balls instead of white, highlighting the diminishing role of reverse swing and finger spin.
Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan surprised the cricket world by dismissing Virat Kohli in a Ranji Trophy match. Kohli, returning to domestic cricket after 12 years, was bowled out by Sangwan's exceptional in-swinger after scoring 6 runs. Sangwan, also a ticket collector at New Delhi Railway Station, celebrated the moment by taking Kohli's autograph on a cricket ball.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is level at 1-1 as India and Australia head into the crucial Boxing Day Test at the MCG. India aims to repeat their 2020 victory at this venue, while Australia hopes to regain their historical dominance. Bumrah is nearing 200 Test wickets, and Smith is on the cusp of 10,000 Test runs.