India's Smriti Mandhana has been nominated for the ICC Women's ODI Cricket of the Year award after an impressive 2024, marked by several centuries. She joins contenders Laura Wolvaardt, Annabel Sutherland, and Chamari Athapaththu. Each player demonstrated outstanding performances throughout the year, contributing significantly to their respective teams' successes.
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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.
Majhi Mumbai and Tiigers of Kolkata showcased impressive performances in the Indian Street Premier League on Friday. Mumbai won against Srinagar Ke Veer by seven wickets, with standout batting from Mohammed Nadeem, Amit Naik, and Karan More. Kolkata secured their first victory of the season, defeating Chennai Singams by five wickets, led by Fardeen Kazi's explosive half-century.
Australian cricketer Nathan McSweeney aims to reclaim his Test spot after being replaced due to poor performances. Eager to step in when Usman Khawaja retires, he plans to discuss his return with selectors. While McSweeney acknowledges facing India's bowlers was tough, he remains confident in his abilities, praising Sam Konstas for his impressive debut.
Shubman Gill's unbeaten 101 guided India to an easy six-wicket win over Bangladesh in their Champions Trophy opener. Gill described the knock as one of his most satisfying and acknowledged the importance of staying till the end to secure the victory.
Joburg Super Kings bolstered their playoff hopes with a decisive victory over Paarl Royals, led by Faf du Plessis' 87 off 55 balls. Spinner Donovan Ferreira's three wickets significantly restricted Royals. Despite injury challenges and inconsistency, the team remains optimistic about the playoffs. Ferraira highlighted calm leadership from Du Plessis for their steadiness.
The BCCI is planning to stage the third edition of the Women's Premier League at four venues - Mumbai, Lucknow, Bengaluru, and Vadodara. The 23-match season is expected to start on February 6 and end in the first week of March, with the final set to be held at Vadodara's Kotambi Stadium.
Adam Gilchrist lauded Australia's resounding 10-wicket victory in the second Border-Gavaskar Test, leveling the series 1-1. He praised Pat Cummins' aggressive captaincy and the pace trio's collective effort in taking all 20 Indian wickets. Gilchrist highlighted the team's renewed intensity after their first Test defeat, emphasizing their return to desired playing standards.
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.
MI Emirates kept their playoff hopes alive with a 28-run win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Romario Shepherd excelled, scoring an unbeaten 38 off 13 balls and taking 2/14 with the ball. Shepherd emphasised the teamwork and clear execution that led to victory. Kyle Mayers of the Knight Riders admitted lapses in the final overs led to their defeat.
Jasprit Bumrah has been India's bowling star in the Border-Gavaskar series, excelling with both new and old balls. He has taken 12 wickets at an average of 7.08 with the new ball and five more with the old, disrupting Australia's batting line-up. In Brisbane’s ongoing Test, with Indian bowlers struggling, Bumrah again stepped up, claiming another five-wicket haul, further solidifying his reputation as India’s most potent bowling weapon.