The Dubai Capitals won their first ILT20 title by defeating the Desert Vipers by four wickets. Sikandar Raza's blistering finish and key contributions from Rovman Powell and Shai Hope were crucial. Despite the Vipers' competitive total, they fell short in a closely contested final, earning praise from stand-in captain Sam Curran.
Related news
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.
Yashasvi Jaiswal will play for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy against Jammu & Kashmir on January 23. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma trained with Mumbai's team, but it's unclear if he will play in the Ranji match, focusing on preparation for the Champions Trophy. Head coach Gautam Gambhir stressed the importance of domestic cricket for player development.
England all-rounder Sam Curran is aiming to bring his winning streak to the Desert Vipers in the ILT20 season. Fresh off successes with the Oval Invincibles and Surrey, Curran highlights the strong team culture and familiarity with coaches as key factors. With experienced teammates, he's confident in their potential for success.
England's managing director Rob Key is considering expanding Ben Stokes's leadership role to include the white-ball team following Jos Buttler's resignation. Stokes's exceptional leadership in Tests makes him a strong candidate, amid England's continued poor white-ball performance this year.
ISPL Season 2 kicks off this Sunday at Thane's Dadoji Kondadev Stadium, featuring 96 players spread across celebrity-owned teams. Running from January 26 to February 15, the league guarantees 21 days of thrilling action with 34 matches and live music performances. Matches will be broadcast on Star Sports 1 and Disney+ Hotstar.
Gulf Giants, led by head coach Andy Flower and captain James Vince, prepare for ILT20 Season 3 with a strong squad, including new signings like Tim David and Tom Curran. Boosted by key players such as Chris Jordan and Aayan Khan, they aim to reclaim the title, starting their campaign against Sharjah Warriorz on January 12.
Virat Kohli's struggles continued in Australia, with another dismissal on a delivery outside off-stump during India's chase of 340 runs. Kohli's performance has been below par this tour, averaging 27.83 across four Tests. India face a daunting task of achieving a record fourth-innings run chase or batting out for a draw.
Sunil Gavaskar suggests that following India's failure to qualify for the World Test Championship final, selectors might make significant changes to the Test squad for the England series starting in mid-June, focusing on future prospects with an eye towards the next final in 2027.
Jasprit Bumrah has taken 31 wickets in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, matching Bishan Singh Bedi's record for most wickets by an Indian bowler in an away Test series. Bumrah's performance keeps India's hopes alive as they aim to retain the trophy by winning the Sydney Test to end the series at 2-2.
India's World Test Championship final hopes rest on winning both Tests against Australia. If India splits the series, they need Pakistan to upset South Africa. A Pakistan series win improves India's chances, while a 2-0 Pakistan win guarantees qualification regardless of Sri Lanka's results against Australia.