Pretoria Capitals and MI Cape Town thrilled the Centurion crowd in SA20 with a high-scoring contest, totaling 417 runs. MI Cape Town's Reeza Hendricks and Dewald Brevis shone, scoring 77* and 73* respectively, setting a target of 222/3. Despite Will Smeed's valiant 52, the Capitals fell short at 195/8, ending their playoff hopes.
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Michael Bevan, renowned for his pivotal role in One-Day Internationals, was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, following the revision of its criteria to equally honor players across all formats. Bevan's exceptional performances and record-breaking achievements in ODIs, including two World Cup wins, cemented his legendary status in cricket.
Ravindra Jadeja will play for Saurashtra in their next Ranji Trophy match against Delhi at Rajkot, starting Jan 23. In addition to Jadeja, other top Indian players, including Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill, will also participate in various Ranji matches. The BCCI emphasizes domestic match participation for player eligibility and central contracts.
Dinesh Karthik, replacing Jos Buttler, became the first Indian in SA20, South Africa's top T20 league. After retiring from IPL, Karthik debuted for Paarl Royals, supporting BCCI's rule against active Indian cricketers in foreign leagues. Karthik, with 130 runs in 11 matches, cherished playing with Joe Root and plans to return to SA20.
Australia's World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins is in a race against time to recover from an ankle injury ahead of the Champions Trophy. Scans will determine his availability. Meanwhile, Steve Smith will lead the Test team in Cummins's absence for the Sri Lanka tour. Josh Hazlewood, also injured, is expected to be fit for the Champions Trophy.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have had a strong start to this IPL season under new captain Rajat Patidar, securing wins against Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. They face Gujarat Titans next at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, wary of the Titans' potent bowling and batting line-ups.
MCG curator Matt Page addressed allegations of providing subpar practice pitches to India, clarifying it's standard procedure to offer fresh pitches only three days before a Test. He emphasized the pitches' usual characteristics of pace and bounce, countering claims of intentional disadvantage amid media-stirred controversies surrounding the Indian team.
After breakthrough Indian Premier League season with Punjab Kings last year, Ashutosh Sharma looks to build on his skills with Delhi Capitals, beginning the 2025 IPL edition with a match-winning knock to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Punjab Kings have had strong start to IPL 2025 under their new captain Shreyas Iyer, with victories over Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans. Shreyas, praised by coach Ricky Ponting, has played key roles with undefeated scores, while the team has maintained strong bowling and batting performances.
Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith is confident about their performance in the upcoming Champions Trophy despite the absence of key players. Smith sees this as an opportunity for younger players to prove themselves on a global stage. He stressed the importance of being focused from the start of the tournament as every match is crucial.
Vidarbha captain Karun Nair continued his red-hot form with an unbeaten 44-ball 88, leading his team to 380 for 3 against Maharashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy semi-final. Nair has now amassed 752 runs in the tournament, including four consecutive tons. Openers Dhruv Shorey and Yash Rathod also scored centuries.