Smriti Mandhana, a prominent figure in Indian women's cricket, has had an exceptional year, emerging as the ICC's Women's ODI Player of the Year. With 747 runs in 13 One-Dayers in 2024, she outperformed top players globally. Her consistent performances, including four centuries, and leading Royal Challengers Bangalore to a title, underscore her growth and maturity.
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Madan Lal criticised the poor drainage system at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium during the Afghanistan-Australia Champions Trophy match, calling it a "bad advertisement" for Pakistan. Despite efforts to clear rainwater, the game was called off.
Pakistan's Azam Khan lauded teammate Saim Ayub's unbeaten 98-run knock against South Africa despite a seven-wicket loss in the second T20I. Ayub's impressive innings, featuring 11 boundaries and 5 sixes, anchored Pakistan's 206/5 total. Khan emphasized the importance of consistent opportunities for players to perform at their best.
South Africa's tailenders Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen secured a tense two-wicket win over Pakistan in the first test, ensuring the Proteas' place in the next year's World Test Championship final. Spinner Tabraiz Shamsi highlighted South Africa's cricket resurgence with performances in various formats. Captain Bavuma praised the team's journey, overcoming initial setbacks to now lead the WTC table.
Venkatesh Iyer hit a rapid 60 off 29 balls, leading Kolkata Knight Riders to an 80-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad at Eden Gardens. KKR posted 200/6, bolstered by Iyer's 91-run stand with Rinku Singh. Vaibhav Arora and Varun Chakravarthy took three wickets each as SRH crumbled to 120 all out.
Tymal Mills reflects on his journey as a T20 globe-trotter, recounting experiences in various leagues, including IPL, ILT20, and BBL. He discusses the challenges of injuries, the highs of lucrative contracts, and the perks of sharing dressing rooms with legends like Jasprit Bumrah.
Rain washed out the first day of the third India-Australia Test in Brisbane, leaving Australia at 28/0 after 13.2 overs. The Gabba's history suggests spinners will struggle, with visiting spinners averaging just 1.2 wickets per match since 2020. Even Nathan Lyon has found wickets hard to come by at the venue as well.
India allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has fully recovered from a side strain and is set to join the Sunrisers Hyderabad camp on Sunday, just in time for their IPL-2025 opener against Rajasthan Royals. Reddy had been sidelined due to the injury but passed his fitness test with a score of 18.1 at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence.
Anil Chaudhary, after a notable tenure as an international and IPL umpire, has retired from umpiring and transitioned into commentary. He remains the most experienced umpire in IPL history. For IPL 2025, the BCCI has introduced seven new Indian umpires to gain experience in high-stakes matches.
Shubman Gill's century in the third ODI against England highlighted his talent, making him the fastest to 2,500 runs in ODI history. Gill's 112-run knock helped India set a strong foundation at 226/3. Virat Kohli's 52, alongside contributions from other top-order batsmen, set the stage for a potentially thrilling finish with India eyeing a series sweep.
Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma expressed pride in the batter's achievements after the win against Pakistan in Champions Trophy. Kohli went past the 14,000 ODI run mark enroute his 51st international century. Sharma addressed the high expectations and criticism Kohli faces, affirming his continued potential and dedication. He highlighted how Kohli's maturity and humility have grown.