England have announced a strong playing XI for the opening T20I match against India in Kolkata, led by experienced captain Jos Buttler. The squad features a mix of seasoned players and all-rounders, offering seven bowling options. Phil Salt and Ben Duckett are set to open, with Harry Brook serving as vice-captain.
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Ricky Ponting predicts South Africa as favourites for the Champions Trophy semifinal against New Zealand, citing their powerful and deep batting lineup. Ponting highlights key players like Heinrich Klaasen and key matchups such as Ryan Rickelton versus Matt Henry. He stresses the importance of a strong performance from New Zealand's Kane Williamson in this crucial encounter.
India captain Rohit Sharma assured that his knee injury is fine before the Boxing Day Test against Australia. Despite speculation about his batting position, Rohit emphasized the team's interests and praised KL Rahul's recent performances and young Yashasvi Jaiswal's natural playing style.
Desert Vipers dominate ILT20 2025 with four consecutive wins, driven by exceptional bowling from Lockie Ferguson, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Mohammad Amir. Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope, and Tom Banton impress with the bat. Fazalhaq Farooqi leads as the top bowler with 11 wickets. MI Emirates and other teams remain in tight competition for playoff spots.
Nat Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten 75 led Mumbai Indians to their third consecutive win in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025, defeating UP Warriorz by eight wickets. Sciver-Brunt's career-best bowling figures of 3-18 restricted Warriorz to 142/9. Her formidable partnership with Hayley Matthews, who scored 59, was pivotal in securing the chase with three balls to spare.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan criticized the decision-making in Pakistan cricket after the team's early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy. He specifically pointed out Mohsin Naqvi's leadership, accusing him of consistently mishandling responsibilities. Pakistan's elimination came after consecutive losses to New Zealand and India, with a final group stage match against Bangladesh having no stakes.
The 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy ended with Australia winning the series 3-1, reclaiming the trophy after 2014. Travis Head topped with 448 runs, while Jasprit Bumrah set an Indian overseas series record with 32 wickets. Significant achievements included Rishabh Pant's batting strike rate record, Steve Smith's 5000 runs at home and Nitish Kumar Reddy's historic century.
Adam Gilchrist, in an exclusive interview at the Gabba, reminisced about his cricketing journey, highlighting Shane Warne's impact and his admiration for Rishabh Pant's explosive style. He praised Pant's ability to transition from defense to attack, comparing it to his own aggressive approach.
Gujarat advanced to the Ranji Trophy semifinals after defeating Saurashtra by an innings and 98 runs. Key players Priyajit Jadeja and Arzan Nagwaswalla led the bowling attack. Saurashtra was dismissed for 197 runs in their second innings. Cheteshwar Pujara scored 2 runs. Gujarat's performance sends a strong message to their upcoming opponents.
Pakistan cricket is facing instability, particularly affecting star player Babar Azam, whose performance has declined amid frequent changes in leadership and management. Saeed Ajmal criticised former cricketers' harsh comments and urged a more supportive environment. The removal of Babar and Rizwan from captaincy roles is viewed as a hasty decision that may further harm the team's prospects.
Sunday's India vs Pakistan encounter in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 featured cricket stars and celebrities. Pakistan, plagued by injuries, managed 241 runs, led by Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan. Key contributions came from India's Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya. India will now chase the target to secure a semi-final spot.