Pakistani batter Babar Azam and South African bowler Wiaan Mulder had a tense verbal exchange during the third day of the second Test in Cape Town, following an aggressive throw from Mulder. Tensions were high, but Babar diffused the situation, highlighting the heat of the moment. Babar consistently delivered half-centuries throughout the series.
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Experience the high-intensity drama of India-Pakistan cricket matches with The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan, available from February 7 on Netflix. This documentary features legends like Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly, revealing the cultural themes and emotions behind one of the most storied rivalries.
Trisha Gongadi became the first player to score a century in women's U-19 T20 World Cup history, leading India to a 150-run victory over Scotland with an unbeaten 110 off 59 balls. India posted 208 for 1, with support from Kamalini G and Sanika Chalke. Scotland were bowled out for 58, with Ayushi Shukla taking 4 wickets for 8 runs.
As Virat Kohli neared a century against Pakistan, Axar Patel focused on ensuring he didn't edge the ball, helping Kohli achieve his milestone. Skipper Rohit Sharma cheekily suggested Kohli finish with a six, but he elegantly drove to the boundary for his hundred. India's dominant wins over Bangladesh and Pakistan have almost secured their Champions Trophy semifinals spot.
A Pakistan Cricket Board official has ensured that preparations for the Champions Trophy are on track, with renovations at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the National Bank Stadium in Karachi to be completed by early February. The tournament begins on February 19, with India playing their matches in Dubai as part of an agreement between the ICC, PCB and BCCI.
Simon Katich advises Australian batsmen to prioritize strike rotation and solid defense against Jasprit Bumrah's accurate bowling. He cautions against reckless aggression, citing Australia's second-innings collapse in Brisbane. Katich also suggests replacing the injury-prone Mitchell Marsh with Beau Webster for the Boxing Day Test.
In the final T20I against England, India achieved their highest-ever Powerplay score of 95/1, surpassing their previous best of 82/2. Openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma capitalised on the batting-friendly conditions, with Abhishek's explosive 58 runs off 21 balls leading the charge. Both teams made one change to their line-ups aiming for a win.
The IPL and PSL schedules overlap for the first time, prompting the PCB to seek top international players such as David Warner and Adil Rashid for the T20 league. While stars like Steve Smith and Kane Williamson may be unavailable, a strong line-up including Daryl Mitchell and Alex Hales is still expected for the PSL.
Hasan Nawaz scored an unbeaten 105 off 45 balls, leading Pakistan to a nine-wicket win over New Zealand in the third T20I, setting a new record for the fastest T20I century by a Pakistan batter. Mark Chapman's 94 was not enough as New Zealand's total of 204 was chased down with ease.
ICC Chair Jay Shah heads to Lausanne for the upcoming IOC session to discuss cricket's inclusion in the Olympics. Shah recently visited Brisbane to lobby for cricket at the 2032 Olympics. Under his BCCI tenure, he played a key role in cricket's inclusion in the 2028 LA Olympics, promising an exciting future for the sport.
Veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja, 38, plans to continue his Test career as long as he feels he is contributing effectively. Despite a below-par performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Khawaja remains focused on contributing to the Australian team's success, maintaining regular communication with coach Andrew McDonald and chief selector George Bailey.